"Your Majesty, I..."
To Roland's surprise, the other party did not blurt out the answer as usual, but appeared rather hesitant, which was very rare for the commander of the First Army.
Originally just asking casually, he suddenly became interested. Roland didn't think that the iron axe would have ulterior motives, not to mention that full responsibility itself included the means of disposal, and there was no essential difference between burning and hanging. What he is curious about is that since it is not a violation of the order, the other party's hesitation is worth pondering.
However, he didn't choose to continue to exert pressure, just leaned back in his chair and waited for Mojin's answer.
After hesitating for a while, Iron Axe suddenly knelt down, "No, Your Majesty... It was Miss Edith who provided the plan to completely eliminate the enemy nobles, but it was me who did it, so I should take full responsibility."
Edith? Roland was stunned. Is this the plan of the staff? No, he didn't see anything related to this on the plan, so... it's a private chat
In a second, he understood the reason for the other party's hesitation.
In this era when private soldiers are prevalent, everything related to the army is considered a restricted area for the lord, and it is most taboo for outsiders to interfere, even if it is a suggestion and reminder that is beneficial to the war situation. If it happened in the territory of other nobles, the private proposer would inevitably be punished, and Iron Axe neither wanted to implicate Edith, nor did it want to cover up with lies, so the initial entanglement appeared.
"I see. You handled the war on the Eastern Front very well. After that, the city hall will formulate rewards based on the statistics of the battle results. You go down first."
Iron Axe was startled, "Your Majesty, won't you... punish me?"
Roland couldn't help laughing, "Why? Have you violated the rules in any way?"
"Uh"
"My order is to clear out the resisters in the eastern border and bring their cities under my rule. The specific process is up to you to act as you see fit." He paused, "If you are patrolling the barracks, you hear two soldiers discussing the situation of the war. , and you adopted their opinions, should I punish you and these two people? Besides, Edith herself is a member of the staff, and it is normal to have some ideas about the fighting side."
"So... you think we are not at fault in this matter?" Iron Axe couldn't help but raised his head.
"I didn't say that," Roland shrugged. "Just because you have no problem doesn't mean Edith doesn't, but the next thing has nothing to do with you. Go back and have a good rest."
Tie Axe opened his mouth and seemed to want to say something, but in the end he chose to obey the order under his gaze, "Yes, Your Majesty."
As soon as the commander-in-chief of the First Army left, Roland immediately raised the special line number of the city hall, "Tell Edith to come to the castle."
In less than a quarter of an hour, Beidi Pearl appeared at the door of the office.
"Your Majesty, this matter is my responsibility," Edith said, "I am willing to accept any punishment from you."
Roland looked at her with interest, "You know what I'm going to say before I speak?"
"The Eastern Front has just returned to Neverwinter City, and the first person you summoned must be Iron Axe. If he hadn't reported to you the inside story of the burning of the nobles, I don't think you would have called me over so quickly."
Talking to a smart person is easy, Roland thought, and looking at this magnanimous appearance, one can't help but think that she is the loyal minister who has been wronged for the country.
However, the smarter the person, the easier it is sometimes to fall into the dead end that he built up.
"First of all, I took the initiative to ask him about it. After all, it's not his style to trick the nobles together and pretend to be the scene of the fire. Besides, since you think you are responsible, what's the problem?"
"I met the commander of the First Army in an informal meeting, and I have not applied to you..."
"Wrong," Roland interrupted directly. "Your problem is that you violated the staff regulations. According to the regulations, any combat plan needs to be recorded on paper and submitted to me for review."
Edith obviously didn't expect him to say this, and couldn't help but widen her eyes, "Your Majesty?"
"Is not it?"
"But..." Beidi Pearl looked incomprehensible, "Once it is carried out in your name, wouldn't it be your responsibility in the eyes of other officials?"
"You're right," Roland raised the corner of his mouth, "Is there a problem?"
"This..." Like Iron Axe, Edith also had a rare confusion. "Although they are conspirators,... they are also nobles. In the eyes of some nobles, your actions may be... "
"I know what you want to say," Roland waved his hand, "but if I can't resist, do you think you can withstand this backlash?"
"I"
"Relax, I just want to discuss it with you. Do you really think it's the right way to take the sub to the top if something goes wrong?"
"Top... pot?"
"Cough cough, you can understand it as meaning shirk responsibility." Roland said, "Going back to this matter, it is obviously for the sake of the Kingdom of Greycastle. In the end, not only did I not get honor, but I would die because of it, but I feel at ease. Even clapping their hands and applauding if others knew, would those officials still be loyal to me wholeheartedly?"
Edith fell silent.
"So the king is the most suitable person in charge. Only in this way, the people below will not have any burden to do things. Because of this, I need to review the final plan of the staff, even if I am not good at it. Something, do you understand?"
After a long while, Beidi Pearl nodded and replied, "I'm arrogant."
"The punishment for violating the regulations is to cancel all the credit for this two-line offensive, and you could have been promoted." Roland took a sip of tea. "This is the end of the matter, you can continue to do your job."
"Yes, please allow me to retire." Edith stroked her chest and saluted.
"So... you're doing it for nothing this time?" Cole Kant carefully pushed the honey mushroom in front of Edith, and then watched him shove his fork into the mushroom slices, "Other colleagues can be promoted, You don't have it?"
"That's right, I'm the only one who didn't." Beidi Pearl was chewing on the browned mushrooms, as if she was expressing her dissatisfaction with the dinner, "Listen to what His Majesty said, "If you can't resist even me, you Can you withstand this backlash?" If you can't bear it, you need an outlet. Of course, if it was a lord like my father, I would never do this. Just knowing that His Majesty would not ignore it, I felt that the investment would not be too bad and the risks were manageable. I've done everything I've done, and I think I'm thinking too much. Are all idealists so naive? "
"Uh...Sister, are you angry?" Cole wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.
"Why, can't you see it?" Edith stared.
The latter shrank his neck quickly. It was the first time he had seen his eldest sister show such an expression on a non-banquet occasion. The more than ten years of getting along with him made Cole clearly know how much her sister loves power. If it's like what she said, it's normal to be annoyed, complained, or disappointed if you lose a promotion because of this, but... Her expression doesn't tell him that, it's more like a mix. Angry... Strange smile.
And if he has no wrong intentions, such complaints are usually called coquettish anger.
My God... Cole couldn't help shivering when he thought of this. The Northland Pearl, who either always had a cold expression on his face or pretended to be scheming against his opponent, would actually laugh? Moreover, unlike the virtual and the snake at the banquet, she seemed to be completely unaware of her demeanor at the moment. Is this still the Edith Kant he was familiar with
"Huh?" Without getting an answer for a long time, Edith narrowed her eyes dangerously.
Colton felt cold hairs standing on his back, no, she is still his own old sister, this is definitely not wrong, "I just think... Your Majesty, he may have his own considerations, right?"
"It's up to him," Pearl of the North put the last piece of mushroom into her mouth, "I'd love to see how high an idealist can get. But..."
"But what?" Cole had a bad feeling.
"However, my unhappiness is indeed Edith's thin lips, "I'll use you to relieve my anger in the next period of time. "8)