Chapter 2
Three Years Later, Kingdom of Estonia, Pitera Palace.
The Privy Council, an advisory body to the royal family, was reconvened for the first time in several years.
About twenty advisory members, consisting of royalty, nobility, or political elders, sat in their designated seats and awaited the king’s spokesperson.
Their faces were filled with displeasure, which was due to the issue regarding the construction of railways to be submitted to parliament.
The Privy Council had expressed opinions to disapprove or postpone it, but it seemed the king had no intention of breaking his stubbornness after all.
“A railway. This certainly cannot be an idea that came out of His Highness’s head.”
“Indeed. Without even looking, didn’t that viper-like bastard Tristan put him up to it?”
“I don’t know why His Highness hired a foreigner as the royal spokesperson. What does he intend to do if top-secret documents of the royal family leak because of that.”
“Isn’t that all because Minister Harper pushed for it actively. From what I hear, the relationship between that spokesperson bastard and Minister Harper’s daughter seems unusual.”
Their dissatisfaction extended from the king and flowed to the royal spokesperson, Tristan, and further to Felix Harper, the Minister of Military Affairs.
Since Tristan was strictly a citizen of the Kingdom of Estonia, this was a pointless fault-finding.
In truth, they disliked that the king, who had always yielded to the pressure of the Privy Council, began to act stubbornly while keeping Tristan by his side.
A moment later, the door of the meeting hall opened and a man stepped inside.
Instantly, the people who had been chewing the man apart until now closed their mouths and looked at him as if bewitched.
The figure of the man walking in with steady thumps while wearing a high-grade full dress uniform captured the attention of the audience at once.
Large height, broad shoulders, and a solid body that could be felt even though hidden by clothes.
Features clamoring that they each were handsome, and even youth that the people here did not possess.
He was a beautiful and dignified man without a single deficiency.
The man who went to the center and stood before the platform scanned the audience after a brief, silent bow.
The composure and arrogance appearing on a face that was only moderately polite.
A substantial number of the members scowled while looking at him.
“Hello. I am the Chief Aide to His Majesty the King and Royal Spokesperson, Tristan Miller.”
Tristan Miller.
A beast-like man who delivered the will of the royal family on behalf of the king, tore surrounding people to shreds with eloquence instead of a sword, and carried out the will of the royal family.
He was born to an Estonian mother, but because she remarried an Atlanta noble, he grew up there since childhood.
He was a talented individual who graduated at the top of his class from the Royal School of Thebes, which is said to be the hardest to enter in the Western Continent, and entered the royal palace two years ago upon fully naturalizing as an Estonian citizen.
Becoming the right hand of the king by gaining his trust through outstanding ability in a short time, he came to possess immense authority.
To the extent that rumors circulated that it was difficult to fathom the king’s mind or persuade him without going through Tristan, he was receiving the admiration and jealousy of people all in one body.
The advisors of the Privy Council sharply raised their guard.
They had to defeat Tristan.
Because only by thoroughly stepping over him could they carry through what this side wanted.
“Once again, I thank those who have attended, and I will state His Highness’s intentions regarding the previous railway construction matter. The issue regarding the construction of railways throughout the Estonian Empire is scheduled to be introduced to parliament as it is.”
Buzz, buzz. At Tristan’s announcement, the advisors displayed dissatisfaction and distorted their faces.
As it was an outcome already expected, Tristan scoffed inwardly.
Now these people would pour out complaints and grievances and try to tear him apart.
“I cannot understand it. They are constructing railways first when the stability of trains has not been fully guaranteed yet.”
“Even slavery has been abolished, so we have to pay money and use laborers, but how will that cost be covered?”
“Is now the time for our kingdom to be comfortably constructing railways? In a situation where we do not know when a clash with the southern rebels will break out and a war will erupt.”
Sure enough.
Doubts about the utility of trains, and the unstable political situation of the Kingdom of Estonia currently divided into north and south came up as the main excuses of the advisors.
Although everyone was raising a rebellion out of worry about uncertainty, Tristan knew their inner thoughts.
There was no way that they, who were veteran politicians and operators of business enterprises, did not know the advantages of a strong and fast new means of transportation.
These people meant that they would not cooperate unless the profits that would fall to them were guaranteed.
He had brought bones to throw to the pack of dogs, but he had no intention of handing them over meekly.
“Since the Delmore War ended, countries have been competing to build railways. Our Kingdom of Estonia also laid a railway from Yukon to Emmerville as a test and operated a steam locomotive, and as a result, there were no accidents at all.”
“…….”
“Compared to when carrying the same amount of goods by carriage, the transportation period was reduced to one-thirtieth, and the amount loaded increased more than fifty times. When large amounts of logistics are transported quickly, commerce develops and the national economy develops. While other countries are developing by using new means of transportation, our Kingdom of Estonia cannot be left behind alone, can it?”
Tristan began to refute their two major excuses one by one.
“In addition, if a railway is laid starting from Yukon to the central region, there is also the advantage that military supplies can be supported immediately in the event of a clash between our Estonian nation and the southern rebels. You must not be unaware that the fact that war supplies were carried and supported by train was the greatest help in the Delmore War ending in victory for the Allied Forces.”
Currently, Estonia was divided into north and south.
Duke Sigmund Hazelkaizer, who had returned after achieving great merit in the Delmore War, advocated a republic and started a rebellion.
Because the southern region centered around Elcasus fell into his hands, the kingdom’s people called it the division of North Estonia and South Elcasus.
“I will ask one thing. Currently in Estonia, the central region has become the border line. If we lay a railway from Yukon, the capital, to the central region, in the event that a war breaks out, couldn’t the southern rebels utilize the railway in reverse and push all the way up to the capital?”
The person who had been listening calmly and raised a hand to question was Lord Campbell, a young member of the republican faction.
In his calm but sharp question, a mind truly worrying about Estonia was buried.
“If that happens, we can sever the railway. Because the railway is something laid from our side, they cannot sever the railway if we push down, but conversely if they come up, we can easily sever the railway.”
As if it were a question already expected, Tristan added a detailed explanation along with the answer.
Lord Campbell threw a few more difficult questions, but he was never blocked once in answering.
At the persuasive answer, Lord Campbell closed his eyes and fell into thought.
The sound of whispering in the silence was the same as before, but there was no one who refuted Tristan’s words.
It was because not a single one of his words was wrong.
“You speak as if you are someone who has been to the military.”
Someone picked a groundless fault and clung to Tristan crookedly.
Even though it was a very childish situation, other people also joined in as if they had been waiting.
“I do not know whether you, who have not even been to the military let alone a battlefield, know anything. You do not think that victory in war is achieved solely through the supply of materials, do you? The theory learned while sitting at a desk and reality are different.”
A noble who had participated in the Delmore War stepped forward while treating Tristan like a novice.
Unfriendly laughter burst out from here and there as if they had been waiting.
It was enough to lose courage at this point, but Tristan smiled leisurely instead.
“I heard someone said this. Those who live inside a cave look at the shadows of objects and think that it is the truth.”
“Wh-What does that mean!”
“It is nothing much. I was reflecting on whether I, who have not even been to a battlefield, spoke as if it were the truth by looking only at shadows.”
Listening to it vaguely, it sounded like self-reproach about himself or an apology to the members.
However, no one was unaware that sincerity was not contained in Tristan’s words.
Rather, it was like a reprimand asking whether it amounted to anything more than childish fault-finding for you all, who know nothing about me, to chatter away.
Tristan assumed a serious expression again and brought back the point of the dialogue that had gone astray.
“Then, returning to the main point, I will state His Highness’s proposal. If you all help so that this agenda can pass through parliament, we will distribute the concession rights for railway construction through a fair vote.”
At Tristan’s words, the clamor stopped abruptly as if it had never happened.
The heads of the advisory members were turning quickly.
Obtaining the railway construction concession rights meant that they could provide materials necessary for the construction and obtain that price from the state.
As they could grasp immense wealth in their hands if things went well, it was a proposal for which they should even prostrate and bow.
Tristan smiled leisurely and went on to explain the proposal of this side in detail.
Now, not a single person among the twenty-odd people raised a rebellion against him or picked a fight with a pointless fault.
Upon the board led by Tristan, they followed along diligently.
Around the time the meeting was almost ending, Tristan lengthened the corners of his mouth and smiled.
“Then, I will trust that you will help.”
As if he had come expecting this kind of result from the very beginning.
‘A detestable bastard.’
That was the thought most of the people present in this place were having.
Tristan always cuts off the opponent’s refutation with reasonable grounds like this, delivers a snub, and gives an insincere apology.
Afterward, he gives a carrot to plug people’s mouths and drags them along as he wants.
A clever but unlucky bastard, an individual who has ability but whose humanity is substandard.
While the advisory members put their foreheads together and shared conversations, he walked to the window with both hands resting on his waist.
Before anyone knew it, the sunlight that entered through the window touched the vicinity of Tristan’s feet.
He willingly put out his foot and stepped on the light.
☆☆☆
“Spokesperson Tristan Miller.”
Tristan, who came outside, stopped his steps at the voice calling him.
Because he knew who was calling, he quickly formed a polite smile and turned around.
“Hello, Marquis Harper.”
The figure standing before Tristan’s eyes was Marquis Felix Harper, a member of the royalist faction and the Minister of Military Affairs.
Having the greatest power among the figures supporting the king, he was also a figure who gained the absolute trust of the king.
His and Tristan’s fathers were very close friends, and for that reason, Tristan was able to enter the royal palace easily upon receiving the recommendation of the marquis.
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