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Vol 02 Chapter 56-2: Fairy

「Julia. I am very angry,」

Tetra stated upon meeting Julia, starting off on a strong note.

I’ve known Tetra for quite some time, but her emotions are notoriously difficult to read. Although she claims to be angry, to the average person, her expression seems unchanged.

However, upon closer inspection, you can just barely notice a slight movement around her eyebrows. This is a distinctive sign that Tetra is indeed angry.

On a scale of ten, her anger level had reached seven.

But didn’t Tetra say she was okay with me having another wife? That’s why I decided to marry Julia…

「I’m sorry…」

Julia apologized, shrinking back. Tetra, staring intently at Julia, asked,

「What exactly are you apologizing for?」

「Eh? That would be… for getting intimate with Almus, and for taking away the position of the first official wife…」

「I’m not angry about that. I’m not particularly interested in some cheap worldly status.」

So, what is she angry about?

「You didn’t consult me about any of this. If you had, I might have encouraged Almus to make a decision sooner. And if you felt bad, you should have at least asked me first.」

「Uh… You’re right. I’m sorry…」

Julia bowed her head in apology, and Tetra, smiling, responded.

「Very well. I forgive you.」

It seems the issue has been resolved.

And they lived happily ever after.

「But are you really okay with it?」

「Yes. After all, I am Almus’s first… So no matter what happens, the fact that I was the first woman to marry Almus is unchangeable. What’s important is love. Status and such don’t matter. …Well, it seems you are quite concerned about your status, though.」

「Hey! That tone… Are you suggesting I’m desperate to be the official wife?!!」

Somehow, things have become tense again… It seems best to intervene.

「Both of you, please don’t fight over me… Ouch! Don’t hit me with the staff!」

Tetra repeatedly hit my head with her staff.

Her staff, made of several wooden discs combined, is quite heavy…

…This isn’t just the weight of wood.

「Hey, there’s an iron rod in there, isn’t there?!」

「Wrong! The correct answer is…」

Tetra gripped and twisted the tip of her staff, then pulled. A gleaming blade appeared.

「A hidden blade—cool, right?」

「I agree it’s cool, but please don’t hit me with it. I could die if you’re not careful…」

「Hey, Tetra, can you make one for me too?」

Thus, despite all the changes, we returned to our original relationship.

◇

I gathered the vassals I could trust most: Ron, Roswald, Gram, Soyon, Lulu, Iarl, and Boros—these seven people.

It’s not that I don’t trust members outside of these seven; it’s just that the more people in the know, the higher the risk of a leak.

Given the risk of torture and forced confessions, sharing this widely isn’t feasible. It’s a regrettable necessity.

We sat before them—Tetra on my right, then me, followed by Julia. All eyes were on Julia

They must have some idea…

「To get straight to the point, Julia and I are getting married.」

It felt like everyone held their breath at once.

The room fell silent. Ron was the first to speak.

「…Does this mean you’re going to become a king?」

「It seems so.」

As I responded, the seven exchanged glances.

「Yay!!!」

Ron, Roswald, Gram, Soyon, and Lulu joyfully cheered and clasped their hands together, while Iarl and Boros also showed their delight.

「We’ve been so worried!! We heard Julia-san might marry that despicable guy Rigal… And lately, Almus-san, you seemed down! Now we can rest easy.」

Soyon congratulated us with a big smile.

So, I appeared that downcast, huh? I feel bad for worrying everyone…

「But does this mean we’re officially going to be at odds with the Dibel family?」

「Yeah. That’s what it means. So, I’m going to be causing trouble for everyone. This is… essentially a matter of mine and Julia’s personal affair. I feel bad dragging everyone into this. Sorry. And… please help us!」

As I said this, the seven smiled wryly.

「Being involved in Almus-san’s troubles is nothing new for us. Don’t be so formal; you don’t even need to ask.」

Following Gram, Roswald also spoke up.

「I’ve never liked the Dibel family. Maybe I should have speared that bastard when I had the chance?」

Roswald showed a hint of regret.

No, that was a wise decision.

If it had escalated to a full-scale war, other countries would have intervened, making it unmanageable.

「Congratulations, Almus-sama. But allow me to confirm one thing. What will become of Tetra-sama?」

Boros looked at me directly.

It was a natural concern for him to raise. I met Boros’s gaze firmly and pulled Tetra closer to me.

「Tetra will always be my wife. Though she may not hold the title of ‘official wife,’ I promise she will never face neglect or disrespect.」

「I see… I apologize for asking something so obvious.」

Boros bowed deeply.

As the excitement settled, Iarl raised a question.

「However, Almus-sama. Won’t your ascension provoke resistance, not only from the Dibel faction but from others as well? And how are you planning to deal with the Dibel faction?」

「I’ve thought about that. Regarding resistance from non-Dibel factions… it’s highly likely that King Domorgal’s country will invade soon. At that time, I plan to take on the role of supreme commander. Achieving significant accomplishments should mitigate some of the resistance. As for the Dibel faction… I’m thinking of dismantling it from the inside.」

「From the inside?」

「Yes.」

The Dibel faction is composed of numerous patrician families; direct confrontation would inevitably lead to a bloody conflict.

I don’t anticipate defeat, but it would be a tough battle.

My supporters include Tetra’s relatives… the Aris Family and their allies. However, the Aris faction has significantly declined in power in recent years, especially since the main family line was once severed.

On the other hand, the Dibel faction, being relatively cohesive as a faction, has expanded its power to fill the void left by the once disappeared Aris faction.

Although the Aris faction has been revitalized since my arrival, it’s still far from its former strength.

The key lies with the unaffiliated patricians, most of whom are likely to favor the Dibel Family over an outsider like me with a largely unknown background.

In normal political struggles, those who would support me might switch sides when it comes to a dispute over the succession to the throne.

Therefore, to gain as much advantage as possible, it’s crucial to drive a wedge into the Dibel Family, especially among the leading figures of the Dibel faction.

「According to what I’ve heard from King Rosais and Raymond-san… there are two factions within the Dibel family. One faction is led by Belmet, Rigal’s confidant and leader of the non-Dibel vassals, while the other is under Gilbert, who oversees the family’s blood-related vassals. The former are competent but generally hold lower positions, except for Belmet. The latter are chosen by bloodline, fewer are competent, yet hold high offices. And Rigal tends to trust his relatives.」

Filling key positions with relatives isn’t a bad strategy. There’s nothing more trustworthy than blood, and it solidifies unity.

I too have surrounded myself with close aides like Ron and others.

However, the problem lies in trusting only relatives and not appointing anyone but them to key positions. Relatives tend to take their family status for granted, becoming careless with their responsibilities and complacent in their positions.

Gilbert, who was defeated by Ron, Roswald, and Soyon, serves as a prime example. Normally, such a failure would at least result in a demotion, but he got away with just a week of confinement.

This is actually quite fortunate for us. Having incompetent enemies is always an advantage.

But there’s one concern: Belmet.

Belmet is rumored to be a highly capable elder. It’s said that the Dibel Family’s current influence is largely thanks to him.

Indeed, one could sense a certain tenacity emanating from the old man.

The cruel strategy of massacring villagers in front of my troops was apparently Belmet’s plan. Frankly, judging by that alone, it’s hard to tell if he’s truly competent.

I don’t know enough about Belmet. However, I understand that he poses a danger.

If we can eliminate Belmet, the Dibel family will likely be split between the top and bottom ranks.

「That’s the situation… Any good ideas?」

As I posed the question, everyone fell silent. Despite everything, Rigal’s trust in Belmet is solid.

Disrupting this won’t be easy.

「I have a plan,」

Iarl said.

That was fast.

「Rigal Dibel’s trust is reserved for his kin, revealing his deep-seated suspicion. We can exploit this, though it will require substantial preparation and funds.」

「I don’t mind. What’s the plan?」

As I asked, Iarl began to outline the strategy.