Episode 74
Around that time, a messenger from the Britannian independence forces, who had infiltrated the Empire’s territory, arrived to negotiate the ransom for Philip. However, the price they demanded for Philip’s release was not gold or riches.
It was food and weapons—supplies necessary to continue the war.
“Oh my, how unfortunate, Count.”
Lady Scarlet spoke with a mocking tone upon hearing the demands of the Britannian independence forces for Philip’s ransom.
Military supplies.
Agreeing to their demands would be tantamount to admitting defeat in the war. It would mean providing the enemy, whose offensive was nearing its end, with the means to continue fighting.
Yet, if they sacrificed Philip, the black sheep of the Brandenburg family, it would be as if the proud lineage of the Brandenburg Counts ended right there.
Moreover, even if they managed to capture the “Holy Maiden,” there was no guarantee that the “seed” they intended to plant in her would take root. That was why Philip, despite being a talentless fool, was still alive—not out of any lingering fatherly affection.
If they chose to preserve the family line by giving up military supplies to retrieve Philip, the blame for the war’s defeat would fall squarely on the Holy Knight. The entire Empire would point fingers at him.
It was the worst kind of dilemma.
”…”
The Holy Knight bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. Just then—
“Let’s pay the ransom and bring back Lord Philip.”
Dale spoke up, and the Holy Knight momentarily doubted his ears.
“What did you say?”
“It seems you’re weighing the family line against the responsibility for defeat.”
Dale’s words pierced through, as if he could see right into the Holy Knight’s mind.
“But there is a way to save Lord Philip and not lose this war.”
“What… what do you mean?”
The military genius Dale had previously displayed was beyond doubt, even for the Holy Knight.
“Speak, then.”
Thus, the Holy Knight asked again.
“Oh, I can’t do that.”
But Dale let out a cold chuckle.
“After all, you shoved me aside to hog all the glory for yourself.”
”…!”
“Don’t you think that’s rather shameless?”
The Holy Knight’s expression turned icy.
“Name your terms.”
But this was no time to be picky. Even if it was just a 12-year-old boy, the Holy Knight had no choice but to listen to the “Black Prince.”
“Promise me two things.”
“What do you want me to promise?”
“First, in all future battles and operations, you will obey my orders without question.”
In other words, officially appoint Dale as the supreme commander of this battle.
“Second, you will leave the treatment of any prisoners captured in this battle entirely to my discretion.”
“Ha!”
The Holy Knight burst into laughter, incredulous. How dare a mere child speak such nonsense to a war hero?
“How dare you, a mere child, overstep your bounds…!”
There are limits to everything. No matter how much of a military genius the eldest son of the Saxon family might be, such outrageous demands were unacceptable.
“Aren’t you afraid?”
But Dale pressed on, undeterred.
“Aren’t you afraid of the Brandenburg family disappearing into history and being solely blamed for the defeat?”
As if he could see right into the Holy Knight’s heart.
“Ah, nobles are such cunning and despicable creatures.”
”…”
“Even those who currently praise you as the Empire’s great war hero will turn to mockery at the slightest provocation.”
It was a direct hit.
“But there’s no need to worry.”
“What do you mean there’s no need to worry?”
“If you accept my proposal, I too am prepared to pay the ‘price’ for it.”
The price.
“Even if you accept my proposal and this war ends in defeat.”
The words that followed were no laughing matter, even for the Holy Knight.
“I will stake my heart on it.”
His heart. A chilling silence fell.
“Oh, that’s not all.”
”…!”
“Along with my heart, I will take full responsibility for the defeat in this battle.”
Not the Holy Knight, but Dale would bear the responsibility for the defeat. He was betting his heart and honor. Even Lady Scarlet couldn’t laugh at Dale’s words.
”…”
For the first time, her smile vanished in front of Dale.
“The elders of the White Tower are here, aren’t they?”
“Surely not…”
It was exactly that. The contract magic of the White Tower, Geass (the Binding of Oaths).
“What do you think?”
If he couldn’t lead them to victory, Dale of Saxony would bear the responsibility for the defeat and stake his “heart.”
“Why go to such lengths?”
“Because I can win.”
He was utterly confident, without a hint of hesitation.
“And what do you gain from this?”
“I’ll claim the glory of victory for myself.”
Dale replied.
“Not as the victory of Count Brandenburg, but as the victory of the ‘Black Prince.’”
”…”
Half the truth.
“But whether we win or lose, the Count will gain something.”
Dale continued.
“If we win, you can retrieve Lord Philip safely and be free from the blame for defeat.”
Even if they lost, nothing would change. They would retrieve the Count’s eldest son safely, and Dale would take the blame for the defeat. An unbelievable level of audacity.
“Can you really win?”
They had already lost half their forces because of Philip. Even if the Empire had “extraordinary warriors” like the Holy Knight or Lady Scarlet.
The enemy also had their own extraordinary warriors.
The Holy Maiden Aurelia. And the strong warriors of the former Britannian Kingdom who followed her. These warriors refused to remain silent under the Empire’s tyranny and joined the independence forces.
Among them was Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of the Britannian Isles and a high elder of the White Tower’s 7th Circle.
In such a situation, even if they retrieved Philip and provided a large amount of military supplies, not even the Holy Knight could guarantee victory.
“Do you really think you can win in this situation?”
“There’s no reason we can’t.”
In that very situation, Dale staked his “heart” and the entire responsibility for defeat as a Geass offering. He was confident of victory without a shred of doubt.
A person who would become the greatest threat to the Empire in the future. That very person was staking his heart.
Confident of achieving what seemed impossible.
As Dale said, it was a deal where both victory and defeat offered gains.
“I accept your proposal.”
For Count Brandenburg, there was no reason to refuse.
If Dale truly achieved this near-impossible victory, if the glory of victory was claimed solely by the “Black Prince.”
He turned a blind eye to the repercussions that act might bring.
Shortly after.
To retrieve the captive Philip and pay the ransom, the Empire’s “new supreme commander” headed to the negotiation table set by the independence forces.
To the heart of the enemy, where the savior of the nation, the Holy Maiden Aurelia, awaited.
“Prince Dale of Saxony.”
She was a noble and dignified knight.
Her pristine white armor gleamed, and her immaculate golden hair fluttered. A sword rested in a scabbard embroidered with golden thread, slung at her side.
She was so beautiful and elegant that it was hard to believe she was the daughter of a serf, and even the daughters of noble families couldn’t match her grace and poise. A princess of a nation? An empress? No, none of those.
There was only one word to describe her.
“The Holy Maiden (La Pucelle)…”
Dale murmured softly. But the illusion of walking in a dream, overwhelmed by her presence, was brief.
He quickly cooled his mind and bowed his head.
“I greet the Holy Maiden Aurelia.”
“It’s surprising to hear someone from the Empire call me ‘Holy Maiden.’”
Aurelia replied, seemingly taken aback.
“Quite unexpected.”
“Because this war is to prove your claims, Lady Aurelia.”
Dale replied coldly.
“Until the side that bleeds last is decided, there’s no reason to deny your claims.”
Attributing all the bloodshed on this island to her responsibility.
”…”
For a moment, the Holy Maiden Aurelia remained silent.
“Are you prepared to meet our demands?”
“Do you intend to march all the way to Reims?”
Dale asked in return.
“Regrettably, I cannot answer your question, Prince.”
“To reclaim Reims, crown Charles VII as king there…”
Dale continued.
“What do you plan to do afterward?”
Dominating the conversation.
“That depends entirely on His Majesty’s will.”
Aurelia replied.
“I am merely a servant carrying out the revelations of the Sistine Sisters.”
“Since you claim to have received divine revelations, I have something to ask.”
“Please, go ahead.”
Dale tilted his head, clearly puzzled.
“Why would the almighty goddess above concern herself with the petty squabbles of mere mortal nations?”
”…”
“Even when her own sister’s nation fell, she remained silent.”
After a moment’s pause, he continued calmly.
“What makes the Kingdom of Britannia so special?”
Aurelia’s expression turned icy.
“Isn’t an empire just another nation that rises and falls like countless others?”
But Dale’s irreverence wasn’t just an affront to Aurelia’s faith. It was a dangerous challenge to the beliefs of both the empire and the opposing forces.
“Once you’ve completed the coronation of Charles VII as the goddess wills, whose orders will you follow then, Lady Aurelia?” Dale asked, his tone steady.
“Will you treat the commands of the new King of Britannia, Charles VII, as divine revelations?”
“Thinking is not my role,” she replied, positioning herself as merely the goddess’s sword and the nation’s savior, her virtue lying solely in execution.
“No, Lady Aurelia, you must think.”
“Let’s end this idle chatter,” Aurelia interrupted coldly. This meeting was strictly for negotiating the ransom of Prince Philip. She couldn’t afford to be ensnared by Dale’s provocations.
“Ah, rest assured, the ransom is ready,” Dale said with a knowing smile.
“At this point, it’s a trivial matter.”
“What do you mean by trivial?” Aurelia asked.
Dale responded, “The old capital of Britannia, where the royal lineage was traditionally crowned…”
Reims. The ultimate goal of the Britannian independence forces. As he uttered the name of the city, Dale smiled.
“I intend to offer Reims to you, the holy maiden, Lady Aurelia.”
”…!”
Despite the ‘Geass’ etched into her heart, a mark of her inescapable responsibility for past defeats.