"Shall I lead the team?"
Upon seeing the order from Isabella, Caligula, with his beautiful long hair, leaned back in his chair. He gently kicked the chair, signaling the maid who had finished her previous round of labor and was waiting for instructions to leave the room.
Caligula then fastened the belt himself, pondering His Highness's intentions.
...
With Ulrichila leading the consuls, all the [seats] going to the battlefield, and all the surrounding territories being mobilized... it sounds like this is inconsistent with the previously established strategy towards the duchy.
Is war about to officially begin? But can an empire that has just ended a thousand-year war really withstand another war that could last for another thousand years? Soldiers, civilians, territories... can they really hold on?
"It is a waste of manpower and resources."
Caligula sighed as he muttered to himself... Although he was a typical nobleman, given his lifespan, he had actually benefited from the legacy of the ancient nobility, and the common people were treated quite well by him, especially those in his territory.
That's why he was loved by the common people just like Yimra... although this doesn't contradict the fact that he was a terrible, unscrupulous scoundrel.
Caligula then patted his clothes, preparing to go to the front line. Although he was not very willing to leave the capital, he would naturally accept it since it was Isabella's order.
After all, he wasn't a rebellious person like Yinla.
Although getting rid of Yinla makes me a little worried that the bastard might overturn the table, and the daily workload has become much heavier, at least I don't have to worry about His Highness being bewitched by treacherous officials.
Caligula's sleep quality has improved a lot recently.
"Ding ding ding~"
To Caligula's jingling bell, his butler pushed open the door and entered... with remarkable efficiency, as if the butler had been waiting at the door all along rather than rushing over at top speed.
Then, judging from the rise and fall of the old butler's chest, it was clear that he had indeed rushed upstairs in the quietest and fastest way possible.
"His Highness has decreed that a carriage be arranged for me to return to my territory... We will be heading to the front lines within a week."
Caligula spoke of the limited time available, looking at the nodding butler, and instructed, "Time is of the essence. Set off today and summon Zimmerman, Ovira, Sir Ratchet... an urgent summons. I need to see them before noon."
To be honest, Caligula was really worried about his followers, especially the former earls and marquises who had risen to the rank of duke through the buying and selling of titles and now thought they were on equal footing with Caligula and his ilk, becoming quite arrogant...
What a bunch of idiots! They've used all their land and grain to buy titles, leaving them with even fewer soldiers to support...
Putting himself in her shoes, Caligula believed that if he were a count, marquis, viscount, or baron, he too would indeed be unable to resist such temptation... because the oppression of lesser nobles by higher nobles was a constant occurrence.
If there is an opportunity to climb up the social ladder, even one would seize it firmly.
To put it bluntly! You deserve to die, Inla Elkaras!
"Yes, Lord Caligula."
Amidst the anger in Caligula's eyes, the old butler nodded in response. He glanced at the cabinet beside him and asked, "Sir, should we take these things with us?"
The "things" in the cabinet were a huge pile of Illa's plush toys, which Caligula used to beat up...
"No need. Once on the battlefield, I will naturally have other ways to quell my anger."
Even though Caligula was in a bad mood because he was thinking about Yinla, he still treated his steward with a gentle attitude and said, "Summon the guards first. I will go and request an audience with His Highness."
"Yes, sir."
——————————
Carriages are not allowed in the capital, so Caligula was carried to the palace in a sedan chair... He encountered many colleagues along the way.
It seems that war is really about to break out, even though we've only been at peace for a short time.
As Caligula thought this, he looked at the nobles who were excitedly discussing their "battle achievements" and "fiefdoms"... and felt a little heartbroken.
Those who have always lived in the capital city may not have realized that the prices that have been rising due to the war are no longer affordable for people in some geographically remote territories.
How long can it last? A hundred years? Two hundred years? At most, no more than five hundred years...
For some reason, Caligula felt that if Inla were still in the country, she might be able to give these arrogant nobles a good wake-up call... So that idiot who forged the imperial edict was really a moron!
Yinla is an idiot too! They're all idiots!
!
...
It's really too difficult. All the brilliant talents are his enemies, and even Ira, whom Caligula admires and can say "I am not as good as him," is his mortal enemy...
Those who are willing to stand on my side are all fools.
"Lord Caligula! The sun shines as brightly as ever today, and you look to be in good spirits!"
Caligula didn't think he looked particularly well at the greeting from the minor nobleman, but he nodded nonetheless and struck up a conversation with the nobleman who was going the same way: "Thank you for your kind words. You seem quite happy too. Has something good happened?"
Even so, Caligula could roughly guess... this was yet another person hoping to profit from the war.
“Yes, Your Excellency… According to Princess Isabella’s orders, I will be a free force, able to fight freely as I see fit without disrupting the battle formation. I only need to follow Your Highness’s instructions directly.”
"..."
"..."
He didn't take sides?! He didn't take sides?!
!
"Military matters should not be easily revealed to others, even colleagues."
Caligula spoke calmly, warning the big-mouthed nobleman, but inwardly a storm was raging... This was a nobleman who had not taken sides, belonging neither to the Yinla faction nor to his own.
A nobleman directly under His Highness... How long ago was that?
"Sir, how should I address you? Do you know how many troops are as free as you?"
In response to Caligula's carefully chosen questions, the minor nobleman acted quite casually, saying, "Ah, I am Torras Levi, a nobleman who recently received an award... I don't know the exact number, maybe a dozen or so?"
"..."
If that's the case, Caligula does recall... at the investiture ceremony a while ago... did none of the eleven new nobles who filled the vacant baron positions take sides?
Caligula had no idea when he arrived at the palace. Even as he was about to meet Princess Isabella, he was deep in thought... This intricate scheme was probably still that bastard's doing.
I was tricked after all... If only I had been more firm in my stance on the matter of buying the title.
...
The empire is about to change.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
