Friedrich the Lord showed a hint of envy while discussing running away from home.
With a light smile on my lips, I spoke to him.
“Well, it’s definitely not like it was all a loss; still, from experience, I’d like to say it wasn’t a very good choice. Of course, you can learn something from suffering, but a person can change significantly just by willing it, you know?”
As I talked, I started to feel more like I was discussing military service rather than running away from home.
The common point between the two is that people grow wiser through hardship.
Moreover, reflecting on this process, it seems to me that it’s essentially a loss regardless of whether you suffer or not.
Of course, we shouldn’t take lightly the great cause of defending the country. Nonetheless, my conclusion is that it’s better to grow up in society than to toughen up in the military.
Watching me speak sincerely after my stats had plummeted, Friedrich looked surprisingly astonished, but soon a bright smile began to spread on his face as if he felt relieved.
“I see what you mean. I’ll remember your words well. Thank you, truly.”
With those words, Friedrich slightly bowed his head toward me.
In response, I bowed my head in return and started to think about one thing while looking at him.
“I thought he was just a useless character based on the original work, but unexpectedly, he turns out to be quite an understanding person.”
Whether it was due to our similar ages or our noble statuses, I couldn’t quite tell, but either way, I developed a significantly different impression of Friedrich, who was leaving in front of me, compared to an hour ago.
A bit naive, but giving off a feeling of a friendly personality.
*
The Lord of the Palatinate, Friedrich.
He was a man raised with excessive expectations from those around him.
From a young age, Friedrich was a quiet boy who enjoyed reading and taking walks.
He had a gentle temperament, unable to get angry at others, but unfortunately, this young lord’s gentle side was far too incompatible with his harsh destiny.
And that tragedy began when Friedrich lost his father at the onset of his teenage years.
Although he was still young, he naturally inherited his late father’s position as the lord.
However, governing a significant region within the Empire, like the Palatinate, placed an enormous burden on the still-immature Friedrich.
Complex political duties, strict education, and the heavy expectations from people around him—they all made his daily life unbearable.
Eventually, Friedrich attempted to run away due to this unbearable pressure, but even that failed, and he had to accept his fate with resignation in his heart.
Moreover, instead of understanding and gently embracing his suffering, his mother resolved to fix his weak personality and make him a strong ruler who protects against heretics, sending him to Anhalt for harsh training.
However, instead of remedying Friedrich’s unique weakness, this only worsened it, causing him to rely excessively on his vassal Anhalt.
As a result, although Anhalt harbored loyalty to his lord, his greater ambition led him to arrange various plans to make Friedrich the Emperor against his will.
Friedrich merely moved according to Anhalt’s wishes, and the reason he came to Bohemia this time was simply due to Anhalt’s directive.
Yet, shortly after arriving here, as he was moving helplessly according to Anhalt’s orchestrations, Friedrich’s eyes caught sight of someone.
Count Turun’s son, Santana Andreas.
The first impression of that young man was simply that he was a confident and dignified-looking individual.
Though he appeared to be of a similar age, the aura he exuded was completely different from Friedrich’s.
Friedrich felt a hint of curiosity about this difference, but this small interest quickly turned into a desire to speak to him personally after overhearing the conversation between Anhalt and Santana while heading to the lord’s castle.
He felt a strange sense of kinship and camaraderie with Santana, who was born into a noble family and, unlike his past self, had successfully returned after breaking free from a suffocating reality.
Seizing the opportunity provided by Anhalt allowing him to rest for the day, Friedrich attempted to reach out to Santana.
And thus, the conversation with Santana brought Friedrich a refreshing experience unlike anything he had encountered before.
Until now, he had been isolated in his position as the lord, with no one to casually converse with.
For Friedrich, speaking with the peer and fellow noble Santana felt like the first time he truly connected with someone.
Furthermore, knowing that Santana had once been even more timid than he was as a child but grew into such a confident individual after learning about the world, Friedrich began to feel an intense sense of admiration for Santana.
“This guy, who has faced situations similar to mine—or in some cases even tougher, has now learned to stand tall. If I put in the effort, can I become like him someday?”
Despite being fellow nobles of the same age, the difference in status was vast; Friedrich was a prince just below the Emperor, while Santana was the eldest son of a Count.
Yet, in this moment, Friedrich felt as if a giant sun were rising in front of him.
Starting from a place no different from his, he had discovered his own path through hardships, and as a result, he now radiated a brilliant and dignified light.
Recognizing this, Friedrich quietly expressed his gratitude to the God he had prayed to since childhood.
For illuminating the path for his life, a path that had only stumbled in darkness, with the light of his own will…
*
Although it had been less than an hour in real time, Friedrich felt it was the most meaningful moment he had ever experienced in his life.
After thanking Santana, who had become his “friend,” he left the room, and shortly after, he spotted Anhalt searching for him anxiously.
“Your Highness! Where have you been? We’ve been searching for you!”
“What is it? If I recall correctly, I was told there was nothing urgent today?”
“Yes, indeed, but there’s something that needs your immediate attention. We must organize the management system between our army and the Bohemian army regarding the upcoming war, and we need your assistance in this matter.”
Anhalt spoke fluidly, albeit with a hint of urgency. However, his explanation lacked specifics about what exactly Friedrich was supposed to do, as he felt there was no need to detail that at this stage.
After all, it was Anhalt’s role to elaborate on specific details during discussions.
Friedrich, as the lord, only needed to sit beside him and nod in agreement, just as he always had.
Observing Anhalt, Friedrich maintained a moment of silence before cautiously opening his mouth.
His demeanor carried a strange awkwardness and a hint of timidity.
But what came out of his mouth was not what Anhalt expected…
“It seems I must ask you: What exactly do you mean by ‘management system’?”
“Uh?.. W-why do you ask about that…?”
Friedrich’s unexpected question left Anhalt momentarily dumbfounded.
Seeing his reaction, Friedrich felt an unusual surge of vigor in his voice.
“Well, understandably, I can’t just not know about it and ask questions. And I distinctly remember you taught me that asking a question should be answered with a statement, dear Anhalt.”
“!Ah… y-yes. I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
Realizing his mistake, Anhalt began to sweat profusely.
Watching him speechless, Friedrich glanced at Anhalt with slight frustration in his voice, questioning him.
“So? Why don’t you explain again? What’s the issue with the management system between Bohemian and our armies?”
“N…yes? Ah… uh… it’s just… um …”
In just a few hours, the atmosphere around Friedrich had significantly shifted.
Caught in confusion and uncertainty, Anhalt began to stammer his way through what he needed to communicate.
“Umm… I can’t allow that.”
“…What?”
“I said I can’t allow it. Regardless, we are guests here, and it would be inappropriate to impose too heavily, don’t you think?”
Though slightly awkward, Friedrich clearly expressed his refusal.
In response, Anhalt could only stare blankly at his lord with a dazed expression.
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