Chapter 208
A Balkanian diplomat was blown up at the imperial border. Balkania lodged its protest, as expected, and the Empire sent back only a formal reply claiming it was "Mekerel's doing."
Balkanian Prime Minister Agento flew into a rage.
Naturally, the Empire's claim was never going to be true.
On the balcony of Jean Pierre's office at Prozen National University, Arthur Winston, a scholar and council member from Hyland, puffed at his pipe and declared, "War cannot be stopped. This is only the beginning. The Empire will set the continent ablaze without fail."
Fwooo. The smoke he breathed out scattered into the open air above the balcony.
"But the idiots in Hyland's political circles are misjudging the Empire completely. They seem to think the current Emperor is a ruler you can reason with. The man is deranged. Born wrong from the very start."
Arthur Winston spat vicious words about the imperial Emperor. Jean Pierre asked, curious, "Do you know the Emperor personally?"
"Very. Very well indeed. I've seen him with my own eyes. The man is a wreck, riddled with physical insecurities and every kind of inferiority complex you can name."
Arthur gave a contemptuous little twist of his lips.