Night had fallen, yet one spot deep within the palace in central Inyama remained as bright as day. Over a hundred magic lamps hung high on walls and posts, their gentle light illuminating the flowers in a small garden in a riot of color.
Though it was winter, the temperature here felt like spring. Dozens of noble gentlemen and ladies mingled, enjoying the exquisite pastries and enchanting red wine brought by the attendants.
On a small raised platform, a professional orchestra drew their bows slowly across their violins, accompanying a singer's long, unhurried notes to provide a lovely backdrop for the small ball.
The Bohemian emperor had held this small ball to welcome the Bagnian Crown Prince. Though modest in scale, its expense was nothing short of extravagant.
The cost of maintaining this garden's pleasant temperature for a single day alone would have been enough to recruit and equip a light infantry company of two hundred men.
And once the heating began, this little garden would burn through money all winter-at least three months, or ninety days.
In other words, this small garden consumed enough money to recruit and maintain an entire fully equipped army corps.
Within the Bohemian Empire's vast palace, there was no telling how many other places needed money burned away to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Even Meredith, the superintendent of the Bohemian Palace, did not know the exact details. Dressed in a dark blue military uniform with three badges on his chest, he looked as stern as a soldier.
This was the emperor's wish, so Meredith merely allocated the funds. Until spring arrived, he would not know how much money had to be burned through that winter to keep the palace running normally.
All Meredith knew was that every time the empire's Finance Minister entered the palace, he covered half his face with a hand, afraid to let anyone see his expression.
As the ball proceeded, the palace superintendent stood some distance away in the shadows at the edge of the garden. From there, he could keep most of the ball in view, while its guests could not see him.
Led by an attendant, a plump man with a handlebar mustache approached Meredith, his hands clasped nervously before his chest.
"Lord Meredith... I..."
Meredith glanced at the plump man's expression from the corner of his eye and guessed that the task he had assigned him had not been completed.
"Chris didn't agree?"
"That's right, my lord. He refused."
"What a pity. We've lost a leash we could have used to keep a dog tethered."
Meredith was deeply disappointed.
This was a small task the emperor had entrusted to him. Success might not earn him a reward, but failure would leave the emperor remembering his incompetence.
If Chris Lin had been sensible enough to step forward, Meredith would have been willing to provide him with money, weapons, and equipment so he could raise an infantry regiment and return to Bagnia.
If Chris felt Bagnia was too impoverished and wanted to remain in Inyama, Bohemia's capital, to continue enjoying the splendor of a great city instead.
That would have been fine too. The Bohemian emperor did not really need Chris to do anything. The empire only needed him and a second Bagnian Restoration Army to exist in order to keep the First Prince, Flower, under its thumb.
Whenever Flower disobeyed, the Bohemian Empire could play the younger prince Chris as a card, threatening him or gaining leverage in negotiations.
Until the Bagnia Royal Family became puppets on strings in the Bohemian emperor's hands.
"What a pity."
Meredith said it again, and the plump man had the sense to step closer.
"My lord, should I try persuading him again? This time, I'll bring more men along to persuade him..."
The plump man placed heavy emphasis on "persuade," hinting at something.
"No, there's no need... not for now. As long as Chris isn't dead and remains within the Bohemian Empire, he's a bargaining chip."
Meredith paused as something occurred to him, then turned to look the plump man directly in the eyes. His expression was not fierce, yet the man's legs began to tremble involuntarily.
"Keep an eye on the First Prince. If he makes any unnecessary moves, tries to take Chris away, or tries to kill him, you must report to me immediately. Understood?"
"Understood, understood!"
The plump man bowed and nodded fearfully.
Meredith smiled in satisfaction.
Just then, the music at the ball changed, becoming gentler and more lyrical. The moment Meredith heard it, he knew the ball had moved on to its next stage.
"Hurry back. Your master will need your services soon."
"Understood. I'll leave at once."
Meredith watched the plump man depart, then looked toward the center of the ball again, casting a glance at the Kingdom of Bagnia's First Prince.
The Bohemian Empire needed the Kingdom of Bagnia to exist. Though the country was small and poor, with no military strength worth taking seriously, its existence benefited the Bosnian Empire.
It would have been even better if the Bagnia Royal Family were still puppets of the Bosnian Empire.
The Kingdom of Bagnia had little territory. It lay between three countries, its overall shape resembling a triangle.
Those three countries were the Bohemian Empire, the Retalia Empire, and the Minicia Kingdom.
(The map was for reference only and was not particularly precise.)
The Bohemian Empire and the Retalia Empire shared the same roots, having been one family two hundred years earlier. Not only were their languages similar, but their cultures were also much the same. They shared a long border, making travel between them very convenient.
Thus, both empires constantly sought to annex the other and fulfill the lingering dream of restoring the great empire of two hundred years ago.
Clashes broke out along the two great empires' border almost every year, with larger campaigns erupting roughly once a decade. Territory changed hands back and forth, and both sides had their share of victories and defeats.
The Minicia Kingdom also bordered the Bohemian Empire on the map, but between them stood a mountain range that even birds could not cross-the Kaslo Mountains.
Because of this mountain range, when winter brought snow to the Bohemian Empire, the Minicia Kingdom on the other side remained as warm as spring, with a pleasant climate.
The Kingdom of Bagnia happened to lie at the end of the Kaslo Mountains, connecting the two countries and serving as a buffer zone.
As a result, if Bohemia wished to march on the Minicia Kingdom, it would either have to pass through the Kingdom of Bagnia's territory.
Or attack the Retalia Empire, break through its national defensive lines, seize a large swath of border territory, and then bypass the impoverished, difficult terrain of the Kingdom of Bagnia to attack the Minicia Kingdom.
The Minicia Kingdom had recognized this long ago, so it had acted early to establish marriage ties with the Bagnia Royal Family.
For instance, the former king's wife, Chris's mother, had been a princess of the Minicia Kingdom.
Beyond these marriage ties, the Minicia Kingdom was also the Kingdom of Bagnia's most generous patron, supplying it with grain and military equipment every year under certain conditions.
The Minisia Royal Family asked little of the Bagnia Royal Family: resist the spread of Bohemian influence among its people, and do not allow Bohemian troops to march through its territory, giving the empire an opportunity to invade Minisia.
Now that the Revolutionary Party had overthrown the Kingdom of Bagnia, the Bohemian Empire had an excellent opportunity.
As long as it could gain control of this kingdom, whether it declared war on Minisia or opened a new front against the Retalia Empire, the Bohemian Empire would gain an enormous strategic advantage.
PS: My cold came back. I'm feeling a bit rough.
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