Count Bazel set down the letter in his hand expressionlessly.
He had dark brown hair, slightly thin, meticulously combed back, and held a gold-rimmed monocle in one hand.
At first glance, people would have taken him for a scholar rather than a powerful lord who controlled one of the four territories of the Northern Territory.
"What did their letter say?"
Bazel's eyes shifted as he looked toward one side of the room.
A thin man leaned against the bookshelf. Dressed like an adviser, his words were anything but polite.
Bazel was not offended. Smiling, he said, "Those grand dukes accused me of provoking the prince too much and driving him to turn against us."
"That was an expected response. And then? Did they choose us or the prince?"
"Of course, us." Bazel spoke unhurriedly. "They had long found the prince displeasing. They simply did not want to be the first to act. Besides, they all believed themselves to be the strongest and thought the alliance ought to be led by them."
"Which one thinks he's the strongest?"
"All three of them." Count Bazel spread his hands. "They are stupid, conservative, and disdainful of anything new. Only when the guns of my Winter Wolf Guard were pressed to their heads did they reluctantly yield their positions to me. And now, they are eager to provoke the prince again."
"It seems the Empress's judgment was correct. There is no need to station troops in the Northern Territory at all. These nobles are like crabs in a barrel—they will drag one another down until none of them can escape."
Count Bazel casually set the letter aside, interlaced his fingers beneath his chin, and tilted his head slightly. "Actually, I am more curious why you have not acted against them directly. The Northern Territory's