The Winner of the Whale Fight is the Shrimp

Pernok barely calmed his body trying to tremble from excitement.

“How much talent exactly do Tunnel Folk possess that you want them handled before facilities?”

“Tunnel Folk have child-like small builds with brown fur ears and black noses. Originally dismissed as non-human, they came to be called Tunnel Folk for building homes in tunnels. They have insights in finding metals.”

“You mean like mines and such?”

Salavan nodded.

“A certain money line.”

“If just finding metals, I wouldn’t even mention it as a problem.”

Right.

Tunnel Folk have one more characteristic.

“Tunnel Folk persecuted by humans didn’t stop at finding metals. They established bases where ore veins flow through underground and began making weapons from extracted metals.”

“Do Tunnel Folk have combat power threatening humans?”

“Well. Records said they’re strong. Since actually known as extinct, people at the time must have considered Tunnel Folk dangerous. But what I worry about isn’t their combat power or such. It’s the speed of ‘mass-producing’ weapons.”

Salavan continued with a stiff expression.

“Brother’s merchant group produces quality weapons every year. I thought they had skilled blacksmiths underneath. But if Tunnel Folk, the story changes. The 3rd Prince is definitely stockpiling quality weapons through Tunnel Folk.”

“Just having weapons doesn’t win wars.”

“But you can trade with other nations with that.”

Not only Rezhen Kingdom. Nations sensing war clouds also stockpile supplies.

How reassuring is a merchant group steadily supplying quality weapons?

“Money gathers people, and the 3rd Prince’s financial power far exceeds mine. Must definitely cut that vein to drop my brother from this struggle.”

“Your Highness sees Tunnel Folk’ influence on the merchant group as large?”

“Right now the merchant group’s other businesses run rampant, but if brother deeply roots in the royal family, he’ll put Tunnel Folk forward in earnest. Can’t even guess how much value will rise.”

“Where did you obtain this information?”

“I obtained it while watching Ludmila Merchant Group’s movements. Probably, brother’s side also knows this information.”

“Then how about entangling this matter with the 1st Prince?”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it destroying core resources? The 3rd Prince’s fury will intensify to the point of spreading people everywhere to dig out causes. In a state where our traces aren’t discovered, the 3rd Prince will definitely suspect the 1st Prince and Your Highness. Then, if we frame the 1st Prince as culprit?”

Salavan showed interested eyes.

“The more brother and younger brother oppose, the more attention on me distances, helping Guild Leader move covertly.”

“You must also make it a situation where our side received damage to create more confusion. If research facilities or business sites exist, dispose of them for show. Because only then can you avoid potential suspicious eyes.”

Salavan admired.

“Did Guild Leader conquer the mountain range this way?”

“Claws must be revealed at the most important moments. Until then, since demanding covert actions, please prepare several safe houses on my retreat route.”

Must secure retreat routes to take Tunnel Folk without suspicion.

“Since traces might remain, it’s better if you withdraw all people.”

“Not difficult. Anything more to prepare?”

“Need something to frame as the 1st Prince’s doing—can you prepare it?”

Salavan smiled.

“Easy.”

He obtains Tunnel Folk, and the princes’ fight intensifies rapidly.

When storms blow that other princes can’t leisurely endure, even justification for Rio and Ruin who joined the 4th Prince to move is created together.

Pernok smiled gladly.

“Preparing safe houses needs about one week. Stay here and chat with the duke briefly.”

“Understood.”

Pernok leaned his back on the terrace while drinking wine Salavan recommended.

Is it because of the relaxed warm feeling of leisurely midday?

Salavan chuckled and muttered regretfully.

“Tunnel Folk… it’d be good if I could just bring them. That race was said to be very stubborn…”

Right words.

Tunnel Folk only trade with races they recognize.

No matter how great the 3rd Prince, he won’t satisfy Tunnel Folk’ standards.

Probably, like research staff, situations of being worked harshly for other reasons or having hostages taken are clear before eyes.

‘What was the method to pull those stubborn ones to my side?’

Pernok sipped wine while recalling Lord of Despair’s memories.

[Tunnel Folk don’t easily recognize masters. But those bastards followed people with compatible hobbies a bit. Especially they liked that…]

A smile naturally drew on his face.

‘Right. That’s good.’

The means Lord of Despair persuaded Tunnel Folk when they were most prosperous.

Recalling that which no one expected, Pernok slowly put down wine.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Already?”

“Something to urgently prepare came to mind, so please forgive me leaving my seat first.”

“Mm. Understood. If you need anything, say immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The smile didn’t fade throughout walking the corridor.

Thanks to Salavan, he even secured retreat routes to move Tunnel Folk without anyone knowing.

Now only taking Tunnel Folk into hand remains.

* * *

One letter arrived from Pernok.

[Plan change. I’m also hitting the 3rd Prince.]

Rio smiled and burned the letter in candlelight. And entered the room while straightening clothes.

Isolun, Jad, Zodiac, and disguised Ruin sat.

“Welcome, Ray. What exactly is this direction our faction should advance?”

Ray is Rio’s alias.

And now being tested on advisor capacity.

“First, I’ll point out the faction’s problems.”

“Our forces are too lacking to go upward. Though Lord Naia joins us, as you know, royals above back Magi. Finances and talent—nothing where this side leads. Your Highness, how do you think about this?”

“All known problems.”

“Methods to overturn that?”

“I’m thinking of drawing many people putting Lord Naia forward.”

“Your Highness, we boarded together. Since you entrusted me the helm, parts I don’t know about this ship mustn’t exist.”

So hurry and reveal hidden cards.

“Didn’t you draw in A-rank guilds even before persuading Lord Naia? What weapons do you possess to pursue upward with inferior forces?”

“Hmm…”

“If speaking is difficult, I’ll withdraw.”

When Rio came out firmly, Isolun clapped hands as if making great resolution.

A butler entered.

“Bring the ring.”

The butler bowed and left the conference room.

Shortly after, the butler came carrying a small box.

When Isolun bit his thumb to draw blood and applied it to the box, red lines spread in all directions.

“This is a keepsake my mother left.”

Rezhen’s king had three queens, and Isolun is the second concubine’s only child.

“Mother’s magic was very unique. Incredibly, she was unique-type who could transfer her magic to objects.”

The concubine is known as a level 7 mage.

“This is no different from proof Mother is together with me.”

Inside the opened box was a ring emitting red light.

Antique-looking decoration had no distinct features.

But Ruin felt special mana contained in that ring.

“If I blow my mana into this ring, ‘Anti-Magic Field’ deployed by a level 7 mage activates.”

Rio’s lips twitched.

‘Indeed, an unexpected card.’

Depending on usage, might even strike the 3rd Prince’s neck.

“A weapon not distinguishing enemy from ally.”

“No. Allies aren’t affected by this.”

“Then…”

“Only enemies become powerless before this.”

“If mages become powerless, what about Magi?”

Isolun chuckled.

“Magi absolutely can’t directly exert power in throne struggles. Even the moment royals they support die, they can’t draw swords.”

“Why is that?”

“No matter how rotten, they’re the nation’s pillars. Knowing if they fight each other they’re fated to die together, do you think they’ll tolerate situations where national power declines to break other factions?”

“But there’s the word ‘what if’?”

“Hahaha, in any moment Magi can’t intervene. Though they’ll send subordinates, if they themselves step forward His Majesty will exert power, so let’s worry only about mages.”

Whether hope-close imagination or personal wish unknown, but if Isolun doesn’t extinguish passion, that’s sufficient.

Rio examined the ring carefully and asked.

“How long is activation time?”

“10 minutes.”

“That ring is sufficient for A-rank guilds.”

“Now tell your thoughts. What must we do?”

Rio smiled and spoke.

“Let’s obtain what we lack from other princes.”

“…?”

“Excluding the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Princes, everyone’s forces are similar. But we gained slight advantage thanks to hosting Lord Naia. Mobilizing the ring here, sweeping below isn’t difficult.”

“Instead, we’ll receive concentrated fire from brothers.”

“Must endure slight danger. If you dislike that, watch others strike upward.”

“Words are rather harsh.”

When Zodiac tried pointing out discourtesy, Rio clicked his tongue.

“Hesitating and wavering makes you collapse completely. Do you really not know why we lack in all aspects?”

“…”

“I’ll accept any rebuke for my discourtesy. But having joined this faction, I don’t want to fight losing battles. Now we must absorb forces below, not above, to enlarge bulk. At least enough to have room to negotiate with the 1st, 2nd Princes or 3rd Prince.”

Isolun bit his lips and asked.

“I understand what you mean. But even putting Lord Naia forward immediately, don’t we lack justification to strike brothers?”

Rio barely suppressed laughter about to burst.

‘Such a pathetic, weak, frustrating fellow.’

If Isolun becomes king, he’ll become a very good monarch who cherishes people.

But Isolun who doesn’t become king is just an idiot whose greed advances first but gets scared beforehand.

“Your Highness, justifications needn’t be grandiose. For example, say slight land disputes existed in previous generation. That’s passed over unjustly as time continues flowing. Then doesn’t it matter even if not pointing out problems going forward?”

“Wasn’t it a matter tolerated since agreement between parties existed?”

“But we can deny we didn’t give implicit consent.”

“Even digging up events again, can’t you just pay price since it’s old matters?”

“The process of obtaining that price is justification. And that price can also be recovered as the opponent’s territory.”

“That’s…”

“Justifications start from trivial things. To recover 1 gold I lent, I can pick fights with opponents to seize bigger things. It’ll seem childish to Your Highness. But we must greatly develop that childish fight to strike opponents.”

Rio spread one prepared map on the table.

“I heard one noble following the 6th Prince hasn’t repaid money borrowed from a noble following Your Highness for years.”

A fact even Isolun doesn’t know.

“Let’s provoke that noble to make even the A-rank guild the 6th Prince contracted participate. It’s very good if it expands to territorial war. We just press them down putting Lord Naia forward.”

“…!”

As if not expecting such aggressive methods, when Isolun was surprised, Rio grinned and planted a wedge.

“Let’s pull out the ring after seeing the 6th Prince’s cards.”

“Such methods can provoke brothers.”

“So we must sweep everything before receiving attention.”

Rio pointed at each prince’s force diagram.

“What’s important to us is speed. Roughly push forward to obtain, then stabilize and expand forces.”

“Mmm…”

“Time is on the 1st and 2nd Princes’ sides.”

Perhaps those words grated?

“Confident?”

“If thinking to lose, I wouldn’t even have brought out this operation.”

“Brothers’ lives must be spared.”

“Naturally. Because princes’ lives are important to intact embrace those forces.”

Isolun completely took the bait.

“Since I promised to give one opportunity first, try your hardest once. I’ll also spare no ring.”

Excessive power was given to passionate Isolun.

This type very simply crosses lines when desires are stoked.

“Thank you. Then let’s begin.”

Finally, the board Pernok conceived begins moving.

At the thought of hunting royals holding unexpected treasures like Isolun, Rio couldn’t suppress laughter surging from excited chest.