I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 5 Chapter 3.2

However, a spark was about to be ignited.

“Count Foranada is here, isn’t he?”

It was a quiet murmur, but it echoed throughout the room, resulting in a fiery explosion of enthusiasm.

“That’s right, Count Foranada is here!”

“If it’s the ‘White Demon, White Satan,’ he will surely eliminate those detestable elves!”

“Rumors say he can handle legendary teleportation magic. So, we won’t need to worry about supply lines!”

“That’s beside the point. If it’s Count Foranada, he’ll surely bury Morikuni on his own!”

It’s beyond exasperating. The Monotheists, Royalists, and everyone else were all rallying together and relying on my power… to come to them. Even those who had been singing the anti-Foranada tune before. It was a ridiculous about-face.

At this point, it was almost impressive. Maybe you needed a thick skin like this to dance on the aristocratic stage.

Suppressing a sigh that threatened to escape, I spoke up.

“I have no intention of lending my support to an invasion of Morikuni. I might consider it for a defensive war, or if it benefits Caron and the others, Foranada, and Wiemley. But this time is different. The war’s motivation is based on the premise of ‘spies infiltrating the capital.’ While it might serve as evidence of how strong the nobility’s aversion to elves is, I don’t share those feelings. I won’t cooperate in a war that lacks both profit and my sympathy.”

Then, they showered me with insults like, “Is this the behavior of a noble of the Holy Kingdom?” But I completely ignored them.

Ultimately, the Saint King made the decision to send a protest letter to Morikuni, and that calmed things down. However, if I had left things as they were, the unbearable slander would have likely continued indefinitely.

As the meeting ended, I was about to leave the room, filled with doubts about whether my presence had served any purpose. Suddenly, someone called out to me.

“Count Foranada.”

“…Who are you?”

I thought it might be one of those people who had been disrespectful earlier, but it wasn’t. When I turned around, I saw none other than Lord Suede.

“Could you spare me a little of your time?”

He seemed quite serious, but I didn’t know how to respond.

I wasn’t hesitating because I disliked him and wanted to refuse. Choosing conversation partners based on personal likes or dislikes would render me unable to work with anyone.

So why was I hesitating? It was because Lord Suede had been restricted from contacting me.

It was clear that there was a significant conflict between the Foranada and Suede families. Therefore, the Royalists, who were concerned that the Suede family might interfere with the Foranada family, had instructed Lord Suede to avoid contact with me.

Out of loyalty to the Saint King, Lord Suede had followed that order. Until today, he hadn’t met with me at all.

So, what was the reason for this change in behavior?

While Lord Suede’s forces might be inferior to the Foranada troops, he was the head of the intelligence unit. He wasn’t an opponent to be underestimated.

Seeing me on guard, Lord Suede offered a wry smile.

“It’s cruel to be so cautious… but rest assured, this contact is being carried out with His Majesty’s approval.”

So, the Royalists had also endorsed the current situation. At the very least, the probability of this leading to a violent confrontation was low, right?

“Very well.”

I remained cautious, but there was no point in rejecting him here.

Well, we would eventually have to have a conversation. Perhaps this was the opportunity.

Lord Suede and I left the conference room and made our way to his office within the royal castle. During the journey, we were shrouded in heavy silence.