Please Kill Me - Chapter 45
The primary reason was indeed Leonid’s reluctance to argue further.
He doubted there would be a need to mobilize Vasily during his stay in the capital, so he thought responding vaguely to Yekaterina’s odd statement was harmless enough.
That was, until he actually met with the messenger sent by the imperial court.
* * *
“The imperial hunting grounds have been overrun by numerous monsters. They are not of very high grade, but…”
“Even if they’re not high-grade, with the hunt approaching, we’ll need to deploy a punitive force to clear the grounds quickly. And the crux of the matter is, the imperial troops alone won’t suffice for the operation. No need for a lengthy discussion.”
Leonid cut off the messenger’s speech with a swipe of his hand.
The messenger, bearing the imperial crest, remained unfazed by Leonid’s blatant attitude.
“The imperial decree requests that each of the central two families mobilizes a unit of troops. That’s all the message I have for you.”
“So it’s the central two families now. Ignored otherwise, but called upon when needed.”
Leonid muttered but didn’t seem inclined to make a big issue of it. The reason why Rostislav and Offenbach were specifically termed and treated as the ‘central two families’ despite the presence of other powerful noble families within the Empire was clear.
All noble families in the Ethiel Empire are limited by the imperial court in terms of the military forces and administrative sizes they can maintain. These standards are set at the Emperor’s discretion, a policy in place since the founding of the Empire.
This legislation, aimed at strengthening imperial authority, was a thorn in the side for the nobility, yet there was no reason for Emperors to abolish it. It grants the Emperor the power to reward loyal families with increases in their forces and administrative staff and to order reductions for those less compliant.
Thus, the nobility of the Ethiel Empire found themselves hanging by the thread of the Emperor’s formidable authority. This situation also contributed to the current tension among the nobles regarding who would succeed to the imperial throne.
It was natural and traditional for the new Emperor to show generosity and mercy to the families that had supported their succession from before. The future of a family’s power directly hinged on the ‘breathing space’ the future Emperor might grant. Thus, for the nobles, nothing was more critical than ensuring their supported imperial family member became Emperor.
However, two families were exempt from this legislation, having founded the Ethiel Empire alongside the first Emperor: the central two families, Rostislav and Offenbach.
Unlike other noble families, these two weren’t restricted in terms of military force or administrative size. In return, they were obliged to prioritize the imperial family’s requests whenever assistance was needed. This condition allowed them some freedom from the Emperor’s pressure, hardly a matter worth complaining about.
Therefore, had it not been for the conversation Leonid had with Yekaterina before meeting the messenger, he would have readily agreed to the mobilization of troops, committing to dispatch a unit under Vasily’s command.
However, having heard Yekaterina’s words, Leonid felt uneasy. A glance at Vasily revealed his troubled expression, indicating he likely shared the sentiment.
Was it merely a matter of timing? Or did Yekaterina know something more?
‘Fortunately, it’s not a very difficult issue….’
Leonid thought as he briefly glanced at the document the messenger had provided, pressing on his temples. The imperial hunting grounds, adjacent to the imperial palace, were usually strictly managed, making monster appearances rare. Especially if they were to appear in groups.
The objective now was to either identify the cause of this anomaly or if that’s not possible, to eliminate the monsters first.
Leonid hesitated to speak rashly, allowing Vasily to compose himself and break the silence.
“…It indeed seems unnatural for a group of mid-grade monsters, around grade 3 or 4, to appear like this. It’s a time when even lower-grade monsters rarely show up, let alone mid-grade ones.”
“That’s right. Hence, the imperial military requested personnel experienced in monster combat be mobilized for this task.”
Monster combat vastly differs from regular warfare. Unlike other battles where tactics and strategy are crucial, facing monsters—each boasting significant size and strength—emphasizes the capability of individuals, especially as the monster’s level increases.
Simply put, it’s not about sending numbers but forming a squad of strong elites.
In such a case, it was natural to send Vasily, the first knight, who had consistently been dispatched for such tasks.
“I suggest mobilizing a squad with five knights and twenty soldiers under my command. Since you’ve sustained injuries, I’ll take the lead as the commander.”
After the envoy left, Vasily confidently stepped forward, yet Leonid found himself unable to agree, clearly due to Yekaterina’s words from before.
Vasily seemed to sense the reason for Leonid’s hesitation and furrowed his brow.
“Your Grace, are you actually taking that woman’s words seriously? It’s likely just nonsensical talk. What would she know? At most, she’s probably just trying to undermine me.”
“…If someone else had said it, I would have dismissed it as mere talk. But this time, it feels different.”
