WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: Abood

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Friedrich's Battlefield

Chapter 97: This Country is Our Home

A few days after the unexpected turmoil, the Imperial Ambassador, Marquis Christopher Langford, and his family safely returned to the royal capital, Sankt Waldtrude, under the escort of the Ferdinand Regiment. Shortly afterward, Claudia Edelstein summoned Christopher to the royal palace.

"Lord Langford. I’m glad to see that you and your family made it back to the capital safely."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Seated across a round table in the reception room, Christopher faced her with an expression and tone that felt more subdued than usual. It likely wasn’t just fatigue from the inspection tour and the return journey.

Claudia had already received a detailed report over the past few days from Count Matthias Hosenfeld about the events that had occurred in the royal territory of the western region.

Determining where the blame lay in this incident was no simple task.

It was true that the Kingdom of Edelstein had allowed enemy forces to infiltrate its borders, but perfect surveillance of a border zone is an impossibility for any nation.

The decision to carry out an inspection in a region without guaranteed safety was ultimately Christopher's own. Bringing along his wife and daughter to enhance the diplomatic effect was also his choice, and it was he who had ordered them to move separately.

Ultimately, it was King Childebert of Arelia, the one who deployed a northern jaeger unit and attempted to harm the family of an Imperial ambassador who bore the true responsibility for the crisis.

If anyone deserved condemnation, it was none other than the King of Arelia.

This delicate incident had resulted from a web of overlapping causes, and Claudia was determined to avoid letting it spiral into a blame game with the Rigald Empire that might sour their relationship.

The entire purpose of the ambassador’s inspection tour had been to showcase the strength of their bilateral friendship both domestically and abroad, if it ended up doing the opposite, it would all have been for nothing.

That was why this meeting had to go smoothly. Claudia needed to resolve the matter without damaging relations between their countries.

She had to persuade Christopher not to press too strongly on Edelstein's accountability and to leave the post-incident diplomacy intact.

As Claudia braced herself for this delicate negotiation, Christopher made a completely unexpected statement.

"Your Highness. Regarding the aftermath of this incident, the Kingdom of Edelstein has nothing to apologize for."

As Claudia raised a puzzled brow, Christopher continued with a grave expression.

"The fault lies entirely with me. I was so obsessed with manifesting my ideals that I made the foolish choice to bring my wife and daughter along on the inspection.

I completely misjudged King Childebert of Arelia’s barbarity, deploying such a force and even targeting an imperial ambassador and his family.

I threw the very people I should have protected into danger, and I wasn’t even there with them… I am an irredeemable fool."

“......”

Claudia couldn’t bring herself to say, ‘That’s not true.’

The fact was, even though no one had expected King Childebert of Arelia to go so far as to orchestrate such an aggressive act, bringing one’s wife and daughter along on a journey through a borderland, essentially still a war zone, had been a questionable decision at best.

If Christopher had gone alone and chosen to remain at the Arnzberg Fortress, the enemy jaeger unit’s ambush might have ended in failure.

According to interrogations of the captured soldiers, the enemy had initially planned to attack the ambassador’s party with a force of fifty.

The attackers still would have held the numerical advantage, but if the carriage had been guarded by thirty soldiers instead of just ten, the outcome might have been different.

Even at the cost of some lives, they might have been able to break through the ambush. In other words, if Christopher had fled with his family instead of staying behind, they might never have faced such danger in the first place.

His outlook had been naive, and every one of his decisions had backfired. In hindsight, yes, he had acted foolishly.

“The price for causing this tragedy through my own foolishness is something I must pay myself.”

“...And how exactly do you intend to do that?”

“By speaking the truth openly and without embellishment to the noble society of the Empire. I will admit that it was my misjudgment, my carelessness, that led to this disaster.

I will say that King Childebert of Arelia is a barbaric enemy who, without hesitation, sought to harm even the family of an imperial ambassador with cowardly tactics. And I will declare that it was the soldiers of the Kingdom of Edelstein who gave everything they had to protect my wife and daughter.

That it was thanks to them that my family was saved from Arelia’s treacherous assault, and that the diplomatic honor of the Empire was preserved. I swear on my life that this is what I will say.”

Christopher gave a weary, knowing smile in response to Claudia’s question.

“However, if you place too much blame on yourself, you may suffer the consequences.”

From Claudia’s perspective, his offer was more than welcome.

If Christopher was willing to shoulder the entire burden of responsibility, this incident wouldn’t become a significant disadvantage for the Kingdom of Edelstein. In fact, it might even become a diplomatic asset.

While King Childebert's actions had clearly gone too far, they also ironically played right into Edelstein’s strategic hopes.

His aggression toward the Empire, particularly his attempt to harm the ambassador, would make it easier to brand him as a definitive villain in the eyes of imperial nobles. This would inflame anti-Arelia sentiment within the Empire.

Meanwhile, the joint struggle of the Edelstein and Imperial knights, Friedrich Hosenfeld and the others, could be framed as a symbol of growing friendship. With the right spin, it could become a beautiful tale of unity and shared purpose between the two nations.

But all of this would come at a cost to Christopher personally. Branding himself as a fool who made critical errors would certainly damage his reputation and political influence within the Empire.

When Claudia voiced that concern, Christopher nodded calmly, still wearing that quiet smile.

“I’ve already accepted that. Since this was all my doing, I bear the responsibility. In fact, if I can preserve the relationship between our two countries at the cost of my own reputation, I’ll consider it a worthy trade.

The one I must protect is not myself, but the friendship between the Rigald Empire and the Kingdom of Edelstein. My homeland, and the country I hold dear.

It’s that friendship that I believe will shape the beautiful, ideal future I’ve always envisioned. This is how I fight, as an idealist. This is how I uphold my principles.”

“...I see. Christopher Langford, Marquis of the Empire. I offer you my deepest respect for devoting yourself to your ideals with such unwavering conviction.”

Without a hint of sarcasm, Claudia spoke with sincerity.

Many dream of ideals, but few truly pursue them. And even fewer, like Christopher, are willing to dedicate themselves so completely. His conviction was something she felt genuinely deserved admiration.

“Your words honor me more than I deserve. I thank you, from the bottom of my heart… Truth be told, I have nothing else to be proud of but the ideals I uphold.”

He gave a sheepish smile, the first sign of his usual demeanor returning. Claudia responded with a soft, amused smile of her own, then spoke again.

“Then it's settled. The Royal House of Edelstein will give its full support. Your resolve will not go to waste. We'll do everything we can to steer this incident toward the best possible outcome for both nations… Fortunately, I've recently seen an excellent example of how to manage public perception.”

Her father King Sigismund had masterfully erased the negative image brought on by his own family's betrayal, all through carefully calculated political maneuvering. Now, Claudia thought, it was her turn to follow in his footsteps and do just as well.

・・・・・・

Friedrich learned the details of the political cleanup through his foster father, Matthias.

Marquis Christopher Langford had chosen to prioritize the relationship between the Kingdom of Edelstein and the Rigald Empire over his own noble standing and reputation.

When his intent was relayed to the imperial capital via messenger hawk, a reply came back under the name of Crown Prince Edwin of Rigald, affirming support for the decision. It seemed even the imperial family wasn’t willing to strain relations with Edelstein just to protect the name of the Langford family.

As a result, the original goal of the diplomatic mission was now likely to be fulfilled.

The Kingdom of Arelia had taken the audacious step of attempting to harm the family of the Imperial Ambassador.

A move that, to any observer, was clearly a provocation and an insult directed at the Imperial House of Rigald and the Empire itself. The nobles of the Empire would view it as such, and both Christopher and likely the imperial family would quietly guide their thinking in that direction.

Alongside that, another narrative would begin circulating: a tale of valor, a noble story to inspire.

The account of the joint stand between Friedrich, heir to Edelstein’s living legend, and Chester Kahreil, a noble officer of the Empire, would be widely spread.

Together they had rallied their knights to stand against a numerically superior foe. Kingdom and Empire, shoulder to shoulder, fighting with pride and bravery.

A tale polished for political value, meant to unite, to inspire, and most of all, to solidify the alliance between two great powers.

And so, the knights of both nations successfully protected Lady Langford and her daughter.

From the hands of the terrifying assailants sent by the King of Arelia, the knights of the Kingdom had defended a foreign dignitary and their nation's diplomatic honor, while the knights of the Empire had upheld the pride of their homeland and the prestige of their imperial house.

This joint effort became a symbol, a shining tale of friendship between two great nations. It spread like wildfire through the Empire, from the noble courts to the common folk.

And likewise, the same story was shared in the Kingdom of Edelstein, further enhancing its impact.

Incidentally, the one who wove this embellished tale into the beautiful legend it became was none other than Claudia. Friedrich, hearing of this, was left with mixed feelings.

Still, if such victories and embellished glories would lay the foundation of his future as a hero, then he had no choice but to accept it as part of his duty.

With these decisions settled, Christopher Langford resolved to return to the Empire before the continent was fully gripped by winter, both as a symbol of his personal conviction and to formally deliver his stance.

Matthias, Friedrich, and Yurika were invited to see him off.

“Sir Friedrich. Once again, I offer my deepest gratitude for saving my wife and daughter. No matter how many times I thank you, it could never be enough.”

“I’m honored, Ambassador. But I merely fulfilled my duty as a soldier of the Kingdom of Edelstein.”

Christopher gripped Friedrich’s hands with firm strength, and Friedrich responded with a faint smile.

No doubt the ambassador felt no amount of thanks would ever be enough.

From the moment they reunited at the supply base fortress to the journey back to the capital, Christopher had already expressed his gratitude to the point of exhaustion.

To the point where Friedrich felt like he’d heard every possible way of saying ‘thank you’ in existence.

Frankly, Friedrich was beginning to feel a bit worn down by it all.

“Oh, what humble and noble words. As expected of the son of Sir Hosenfeld, the living hero of Edelstein… I must also extend my gratitude to him once more. Had he not swiftly rallied his knights and come to our aid, my wife and daughter would not have been saved.”

“I only did what was expected, It brings me great relief to know the Langford family will return home safe and whole.”

Matthias replied smoothly as he returned Christopher’s handshake. Christopher moved on to exchange words with other attendees.

Among them were Count Alphonse Barten, Minister of Foreign Affairs, representing Edelstein’s royal administration, and Oliver, one of the knights who had played a key role in the rescue. Christopher greeted each of them with care and sincerity.

While he was doing so, Friedrich took the opportunity to share parting words with Viscount Chester Kahreil.

“Hey, hey, Friedrich, Yurika!”

Just then, both Friedrich and Yurika heard someone call out to them, it was Claire Langford, the daughter of Marquis Langford.

Ever since the battle ended and they arrived safely at the supply base fort, Friedrich and Yurika had kept their distance from Claire.

They had only exchanged brief words to reassure her of their safety. After all, their time spent protecting and speaking with her had only come about due to an unforeseen emergency.

However, it seemed Claire had pleaded with her parents to see them one last time before returning to the empire. That request was one of the reasons Friedrich and Yurika had been invited to the farewell gathering.

As Claire waved them over, they stepped closer and knelt down so they could speak to her at eye level.

“Lady Claire, I hope you stay well after returning to the Rigald Empire.”

“We’ll meet again someday.”

And so, the two of them offered their parting words.

Although Christopher would eventually return to Edelstein in his role as ambassador, both Melinda and Claire had been deeply shaken by the recent ordeal. They planned to remain in the empire once they returned, away from further danger.

There was a real possibility they might never see each other again. Even so, Yurika’s words were chosen with care, mindful of the quiet sadness that seemed to flicker across Claire’s expression.

Gripping her mother Melinda’s sleeve tightly, Claire hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth to speak.

“Why don’t you both… come back to the Empire with me?”

The unexpected suggestion made Friedrich’s eyes widen slightly, while Yurika raised a brow in surprise.

“If the Kingdom of Arelia is right next door, it’s dangerous. Something scary could happen again. So let’s go back to the Empire together, okay? The Empire is big and strong, so it’s safer than here.”

Melinda looked like she was about to gently scold her daughter for saying such things, but Friedrich quietly shook his head at her, signaling that it was alright. Then he turned back to face Claire and gave her a warm smile.

“…This country is our home. That’s why we’ll continue to protect it, the Kingdom of Edelstein. I’m sorry, but we can’t accept your kind invitation.”

Claire looked clearly dissatisfied with the answer, but this was one thing they simply couldn’t say yes to. Sharing a wry smile with Yurika, Friedrich slowly rose to his feet.

It would be a long time before Claire truly understood the meaning behind his words. But standing beside her, Melinda seemed to grasp his resolve immediately and with clarity.

She looked at Friedrich with a conflicted expression, guilt woven into her eyes, but didn’t turn away in shame or discomfort. She met his gaze head-on.

“…I’m sorry. And thank you. I’ll never forget you, nor your words.”

Friedrich didn’t respond with words. He simply nodded with a calm smile.

As long as the message was understood, that was enough.

Footnotes:

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