Episode 19: The Ideal Path of Kings

The moment Patrick lost his life, the battlefield was enveloped in a silence so profound it seemed to mock the chaos that had reigned just moments before. The battle had already been decided, and every soldier under Patrick’s command lay defeated. I glanced around briefly before posing my question.

“What is the status of our forces and the casualties among the Gray Wolf beastmen?”

“Sir!”

Evan stepped forward swiftly.

“Our forces and the Gray Wolf beastmen… no fatalities on either side. A few have sustained minor injuries.”

“I see. To prevent infections, ensure that even minor wounds are treated immediately. This applies not only to our soldiers but to the Gray Wolf beastmen as well.”

“Understood, sir.”

Receiving my orders, Evan promptly issued instructions to the soldiers. As I observed him out of the corner of my eye, Fen called out to me.

“You’re even treating us? Pretty kind for a count, huh?”

“Kind? What are you talking about?”

I let out a sigh tinged with exasperation.

“I intend to take over the governance of this land from Patrick. That means you all will become my subjects. I’m ensuring you remain valuable assets. Treating your wounds now is a matter of course for the future.”

“…So you’re just planning to use us as slaves, like everyone else?”

Fen’s icy gaze pierced through me. I met her eyes head-on.

“Are you mocking me? Do you really think I’d adopt something as inefficient as slavery?”

“Inefficient…?”

“Exactly. Slaves have no incentive to work willingly since they receive no reward. You’d need overseers to manage them, and then there’s the cost of preventing escapes or rebellions. Only a fool would implement such a system.”

In my previous life, the decline of slavery was partly due to the rise of human rights awareness, of course. But more than that… it was simply inefficient. In ancient or medieval times, slaves might have been useful. However, in modern times, nations that clung to slavery saw their economic development stagnate.

“Besides, slavery is prohibited under the Eastern Nations Treaty, you know.”

The Eastern Nations Treaty… an agreement binding the countries in the eastern part of the Bazelant continent.

“B-But Patrick was going to sell us off as slaves…”

“Of course, there are underground markets that ignore the treaty. Selling slaves there could fetch a decent sum. But selling off your own subjects as slaves? That’s the height of stupidity. Listen, Fen. To a lord, subjects are power. Selling them off is like carving out your own organs to sell—a fool’s errand.”

Even if it brings short-term profit, the long-term losses are far greater. Without subjects, a territory’s economy grinds to a halt, sacrificing future gains.

“I’m not a fool like Patrick. I’ll make efficient use of all of you.”

Many of the Gray Wolf beastmen make their living as hunters. That makes them more formidable than poorly trained knights, and they’re likely skilled at gathering materials from hunting monsters. To lump them together as mere ‘slaves’ and ignore their strengths—what a waste.

“There must be human merchants who visit your Gray Wolf beastmen villages, right?”

“W-Well… yeah, peddlers come by regularly, but…”

“And yet, the materials you gather from hunting are bought for pennies, while the medicines made by humans are sold to you at exorbitant prices. I’ll fix that broken system.”

A setup like that only benefits a handful of merchants while dragging down the entire economy. I’ll smash that system to pieces.

“…I still don’t get what you’re saying.”

Fen muttered bitterly.

“No, I get that if what you’re saying is true… we could live better lives than we do now. But whether you’ll actually make that happen… I don’t know.”

“You don’t trust me?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s fine.”

“Huh…?”

“If my ideals ever diverge from your desires… then take my life with that blade of yours. Come at me anytime.”

My gaze fell on the short dagger Fen carried.

“Dying by the hand of a subordinate who betrays me would be a fitting end for a villain. Though, I don’t plan on going down easily.”

Fen stared, dumbfounded, alternating between me and her dagger, but eventually, a small smile crept onto her face.

“…Got it. I won’t trust you. But in exchange… I’ll stick around and keep an eye on you.”

“Heh… that’s the spirit.”

That’s right. An evil organization needs at least one subordinate who outwardly obeys the leader but might slit their throat if the opportunity arises. A key player like that.

Fen… she’s perfect for the role.

 

◇

 

Once the treatment of the lightly injured was complete, my Kreving family soldiers and I headed back to our territory, while the Gray Wolf beastmen returned to their village.

On the way, Evan and Beatrice rode up beside me.

“Your command was masterful, Lord Siegfried.”

So said Evan.

“Spare me the flattery. You have something you want to discuss, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir… There’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

Evan hesitated briefly before resolving himself and speaking.

“This strategy… wasn’t it far too dangerous for you, Lord Siegfried? The outcome was, of course, nothing short of perfect. But one misstep, and your life could have been in grave danger.”

“I know it’s presumptuous, but I agree, Lord Siegfried.”

Beatrice added her voice.

“With your strength, Lord Siegfried, it wouldn’t have been impossible to wipe out the Arving marquis’s soldiers single-handedly.”

Beatrice’s words were correct. In fact, I had dispatched the twenty knights of the Arving family in an instant. Even if there had been two hundred, it wouldn’t have made much difference.

“So, you’re saying I should’ve just annihilated them all by myself without bothering with a strategy?”

“Yes. Of course, I’m not saying this because I wanted to avoid fighting. It’s just… I don’t want to see you get hurt, Lord Siegfried.”

Beatrice’s gaze lingered on the wound on my neck. Her eyes betrayed a flicker of concern.

“Heh… you underestimate me.”

I let a smile play on my lips.

“Sure, I could’ve taken on Patrick’s entire army head-on and wiped them out alone. But… what would be the point of that?”

“What… do you mean?”

Beatrice’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A victory that’s merely about winning is meaningless.”

Me going all-out and crushing Patrick and his soldiers single-handedly—that was possible. But in that scenario, Patrick wouldn’t shine.

Instead, I chose to turn his schemes against him and let Fen deliver the final blow. That was the most fitting end for a cunning villain like Patrick.

“So, you aimed to gain something beyond just victory…?”

I nodded at Beatrice’s words.

“Remember this, Beatrice. And you too, Evan. Don’t lump me in with the common rabble who think winning is enough.”

“Ha… haha!”

Evan and Beatrice exchanged glances before bowing their heads to me in unison.

That’s right… I walk the path of an evil king. Not just winning, but making even my rival villains shine… that’s the true path of evil.

 

◆

 

At a campsite set up by the Siegfried army in an area beyond the valley, Evan stood alone outside a tent, gazing up at the night sky. Siegfried’s earlier words lingered in his heart, making sleep impossible.

“To think Lord Siegfried had such profound intentions…”

As Evan muttered to himself, someone approached. It was the red-haired female knight, Beatrice.

“Oh, Lady Beatrice. What brings you here?”

“Lord Siegfried’s words from earlier won’t leave my mind. My eyes are wide awake.”

Beatrice gave a wry smile. Evan mirrored her with a wry smile of his own.

“Haha, you too?”

“You mean you’re the same, Lord Evan?”

“Indeed.”

Nodding, Evan turned his gaze back to the night sky and began to speak.

“Lord Siegfried… he’s aiming for heights far beyond what someone like me could ever grasp.”

“Yes. To think he deliberately put himself in danger to help us grow…”

“A victory that’s merely about winning is meaningless,” Siegfried had said. Beatrice had come to understand the true meaning behind those words.

Siegfried was undeniably powerful. But if he handled everything alone, Beatrice and the others would lose opportunities to gain battle experience. That’s why Siegfried deliberately put them on the battlefield—to foster their growth through real combat.

“And that’s not all.”

Evan continued.

“By having our forces and the Gray Wolf beastmen fight side by side, the seeds of trust have begun to sprout between us.”

Those who fight together, even once, naturally develop a sense of camaraderie. That bond was starting to form between the Kreving family soldiers and the Gray Wolf beastmen.

“If Lord Siegfried had taken down the Arving soldiers single-handedly, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Everything… it was all calculated from the start, wasn’t it, Lord Siegfried?”

Beatrice let out a sigh of awe.

Siegfried had risked injury to create opportunities for Beatrice and the others to grow while building trust with the beastmen. His foresight, looking beyond mere victory, truly marked him as one who walked the path of kings.

“Lord Siegfried… he is truly a great man.”

“Absolutely. To serve someone like him… I feel nothing but pride.”

The butler and the knight commander exchanged a glance and nodded deeply.