At the same time, the Emperor of the Empire next door, Jierunifu, who was nicknamed the Blood Emperor, was as melancholic as Draudillon. Ever since the battle on the Katz Plains, Jierunifu had never been able to sleep peacefully. Looking at Jierunifu's extremely haggard face now, it was truly heartbreaking.
However, today, Jierunifu, whose condition was already very bad, became even more melancholic after receiving new intelligence from the Ainz Ooal Gown Magic Kingdom.
After meeting with his trusted ministers, Jierunifu returned to his office, accompanied by two of the Empire's four generals: Bajed of Thunderclap and Ningbul of Fierce Wind. The reason Renas of Heavy Roar was not called was that she could betray them at any time.
Although she still claimed that she would not leave until she had repaid the Emperor's kindness, her previous attitude towards Elizabeth showed what was going on.
Upon returning to the office, the secretary, who had been waiting there early, nervously saluted Jierunifu and the two generals. Jierunifu merely waved his hand impatiently, sat down in his personal chair, and spoke.
"Don't bother with such trivialities in a place like this, Secretary Besson. Is there any new situation from the Magic Kingdom?" Jierunifu asked.
The reason he had abruptly interrupted the meeting with his ministers was that he had learned that the scouts he had sent out had sent back the latest news.
Therefore, he had to get this information as soon as possible and react, although what he had been discussing with his ministers earlier was also about the Dragon Kingdom's alliance with the Magic Kingdom and the introduction of Undead laborers.
"Yes, Your Majesty... The intelligence personnel sent to the Dragon Kingdom and those previously 'placed' in the Magic Kingdom have sent back the latest intelligence. Specifically..." Secretary Besson respectfully handed a dossier to Jierunifu.
Jierunifu took it and read it for a long while. His already melancholic face gradually twisted.
"What is that old hag pretending to be young doing!" Jierunifu angrily slammed the dossier onto the table. The two generals and the secretary just stared at each other in confusion, completely unaware of why their Emperor was so angry.
"You all take a look too!" Jierunifu said, pointing at the dossier, and then slumped against the back of his chair as if he had lost all strength, holding his forehead which had begun to throb.
Initially, after Jierunifu discovered Princess Elizabeth's conspiracy, he had already entertained the idea of the Empire becoming subordinate, but his idea was directly rejected by Princess Elizabeth herself.
She said the time was not right, but after seeing Ainz Ooal Gown's performance in the battle on the Katz Plains, his idea of subordination wavered. Would the Empire still have a future as a subordinate nation to someone who could take tens of thousands of lives with a wave of his hand and then gloat about it?
Jierunifu also discussed this issue with his trusted ministers, but the results were not satisfactory. Some said they must quickly align with the Magic Kingdom, some said they must resist, and some simply offered no opinion. No matter which choice, for the Empire... there would be no future.
After the two generals had finished passing the dossier around, they both showed difficult expressions and handed the dossier to the secretary...
"Your Majesty, I don't understand why the Dragon Kingdom continues to lease Undead laborers from the Magic Kingdom. From previous intelligence, the number of the first batch of Undead laborers seems to have already exceeded the number of their army. No rational monarch should do this, right? Is there some hidden reason? For example, being controlled or something." Bajed said, his meaning clearly pointing to Princess Elizabeth, who could control minds...
"Controlled? That's impossible... If I were controlled and issued some strange commands, you would surely be able to tell, right? Prime Minister Morin Petz, by that old hag's side, is a famous old fox. He would definitely notice. Moreover... that old hag is a Dragon. Can she be controlled so easily?" Jierunifu said.
"Uh... but, Your Majesty... I wouldn't be surprised by anything that might be connected to that person." Bajed sighed helplessly.
Jierunifu clearly understood that the 'person' Bajed was referring to was Elizabeth. Did that mean the Dragon Kingdom's continuous introduction of Undead laborers was Elizabeth's doing?
But... from the current intelligence at hand, it was the Dragon Kingdom that actively sought an alliance with the Magic Kingdom. Logically, it should have nothing to do with Elizabeth. Furthermore, the Dragon Kingdom was still at war with the Beast Kingdom at that time, so Elizabeth probably wouldn't get involved in that commotion, would she?
According to the intelligence, the Magic Kingdom did not send any troops to rescue the Dragon Kingdom before dispatching the first batch of Undead laborers, so Elizabeth should not have 'interfered' in that matter.
"The Dragon Kingdom and the Beast Kingdom are still at war, aren't they? Could it be that the Dragon Kingdom wants to use the alliance, under the pretext of leasing Undead laborers, to use those Undead as their own troops to deal with the Beastmen?" Ningbul offered his opinion.
"That's also very possible. The scale of the Beast Kingdom's invasion this time is unprecedented. In a situation where they cannot get support from the Theocracy, seeking self-preservation by relying on the Magic Kingdom makes sense." Jierunifu said, while contemplating the feasibility of this statement.
... Bajed and Ningbul exchanged glances, revealing bitter smiles.
After all, they did not know that the Dragon Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy had private dealings. Their impression of these two countries was only that their relationship was not very harmonious due to policy differences regarding demi-humans. And the information that their Emperor had just revealed, that the Slane Theocracy and the Dragon Kingdom actually had a secret affair, was indeed a bit unexpected.
"No... No, Your Majesty..." The Theocracy did send reinforcements, didn't they? Didn't I report it to you three days ago?" Secretary Besson reminded Jierunifu somewhat unnaturally.
"Hmm, I still remember that, but what can two people do? Even if those two are from the Slane Theocracy's ace unit, the Black Scripture, facing tens of thousands of Beastmen troops would be useless, right? It's clear that the Slane Theocracy wants to wash their hands of them, and sending them reinforcements was just a perfunctory gesture." Jierunifu said, waving his hand.
"But! The intelligence said that the Beastmen army was repelled by the two people sent by the Theocracy!" Secretary Besson continued.
"How is that possible...? The combat power of Beastmen is far superior to ours, humans. As for the number of Beastmen troops invading the Dragon Kingdom, let alone the Dragon Kingdom, if they turned to attack our Empire, we would have a hard time dealing with them. Two people repelling them... When did our Empire's intelligence personnel become so bad?" Ningbul smiled, completely disbelieving Secretary Besson's words.
"I estimate it's probably false news released by the Dragon Kingdom to cover up the truth. After all, they repelled the Beastmen army with the help of Undead. If that got out... the Slane Theocracy wouldn't stand idly by!" Bajed said.
... Jierunifu, hearing the opinions expressed by his two generals, vaguely felt something was amiss. Earlier, after receiving the intelligence that the Dragon Kingdom had repelled the Beastmen invasion, his thoughts were indeed consistent with those of his two generals.
Using the pretext of leasing laborers, they would borrow Undead from the Magic Kingdom to fight for them and repel the Beastmen army's attack, and then attribute the credit to the reinforcements sent by the Theocracy.
However, forming an alliance with the Magic Kingdom afterwards might lead to a falling out with the Theocracy, but with the protection of the Sorcerer Kingdom, the Slane Theocracy would have no way to deal with the Dragon Kingdom. This trick certainly couldn't have been thought of by that old hag pretending to be young, but if it was that old fox Morin Petz, then it's a different story.
However, this line of reasoning does not hold up under the current intelligence, because the content of this intelligence is that the Dragon Kingdom continues to lease a second batch of Undead laborers from the Magic Kingdom, and the second batch of Undead laborers have already been confirmed to be heading to the Dragon Kingdom's two mining cities.
Jierunifu knew that the Dragon Kingdom's lifeline was those two mining cities. If even such places were garrisoned by Undead, it meant... almost the entire Dragon Kingdom was under the control of the Magic Kingdom. The reason he was so angry just now was also due to this.
To be honest... the weak Dragon Kingdom's only value on the Central Continent was those two cities that produced rare metal ores. His previous judgment was based on his trust in Morin Petz's ability, but now this old fox had slapped him hard in the face.
This made it completely incomprehensible what the Dragon Kingdom was trying to do. They had almost handed over all their assets to the Magic Kingdom. Could it be that it wasn't the old hag who was controlled, but Morin Petz? Jierunifu couldn't help but think of this possibility.
"But, our intelligence personnel reported in the intelligence they sent back that the Beastmen army, from what he saw at the front, immediately retreated after suffering a 'devastating' great magic from one of them." Secretary Besson seemed to not give up on this statement.
"Hehe... Secretary Besson, the reinforcements sent by the Theocracy are not the Great Demon Ainz Ooal Gown. How could anyone release such 'devastating' great... magic..." Bajed had originally been speaking with a smile, but by the end, his smile and he himself froze.
Jierunifu also realized that this was the place he had always felt was wrong!
Elizabeth! It's you again, isn't it! If there's anyone else who can release 'devastating' magic, besides Ainz Ooal Gown himself, isn't it his own daughter! That incredibly sinister Princess Elizabeth!
This makes sense! Everything is clear! This Princess, somehow incredibly powerful, infiltrated the Theocracy and came to support the Dragon Kingdom as reinforcements from the Theocracy, then conveniently trapped the Dragon Kingdom, or rather, her goal was the Dragon Kingdom! It's possible! The Beast Kingdom's abnormal large-scale invasion of the Dragon Kingdom was also instigated by this wretched Princess!
Inciting war, then intervening as reinforcements from another country, and after repelling the Beastmen, immediately 'forcing' the Dragon Kingdom into submission with various conditions. Otherwise, that old hag and Morin Petz would not have handed over the Dragon Kingdom's lifeline so easily.
Although... there are still some 'confusing' points, this line of reasoning is the most reasonable explanation now! Bajed was right, anything involving this Princess is not surprising! Because with her means, ability, and wisdom, she is capable of doing things that ordinary people consider impossible!
"Indeed... it's her after all!!" Jierunifu irritably scratched his head, completely oblivious to his golden hair slowly falling.
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