It was not uncommon for death-row inmates to die before their actual execution. It was not a good look for the captors, so they often claimed that such inmates had been executed. The problem with that explanation was the difficulty of freeing the priest and substituting a body. However, there were those who believed the priest even within the church. If they had a conspirator, it was not impossible.
Thus, Yngvi’s explanation was the most likely and realistic so far. It sounded far more likely than the priest actually being killed, then someone spiriting his bones away to the Southern Continent to have him revived through time reversal. In fact, Yngvi’s hypothesis was much the same as Gustav’s.
“It is likely along those lines, yes. The truth is less important, though—more so is how both parties move following this situation.” After telling his successor that, Gustav let out an irritated sigh. However it had happened, Yan was alive while the church was claiming they had killed him. The details of how it had come about were of little importance.
Yngvi spoke as he considered it. “From the rumors of Priest Yan’s disposition and the way he so boldly defies the church, I doubt he will simply fall silent. Meanwhile, the Church of the Claw will never withdraw their claim that they executed him. If Bohevia remains on his side, it could well end in armed conflict, no?”
Gustav evaluated Yngvi’s statement before answering. “It will definitely go as far as a skirmish at least. They have already taken a stinging defeat recently, though, so it is perhaps equally likely it ends there or grows into an inferno.”
The Knight Order of the Northern Dragon Claw—or “the knights,” in common usage—were the Church of the Claw’s strongest fighting force, and they had recently taken a painful defeat in Tannenwald. Therefore, if the church could maintain their calm as they made their decision, they wouldn’t send their armies into Bohevia and make enemies of them in an attempt to eliminate Yan.
However, politicians and leaders did not necessarily make all of their decisions through logic and reason. Particularly in a case like this, where someone who they claimed to have executed as a heretic was alive and censuring them for it, their honor was in tatters. There was a chance that they could call for the man’s death, no matter what it took. If the Church of the Claw decided to protect their reputation and influence, it could even be the correct course of action. The problem was whether they had the strength to do it.
While he was somewhat on board with his father’s theories, Yngvi disagreed with the final part.
“They could definitely follow through if they kept calm. After all, the church has a lot of influence. If in public they just decry him as a fraud, but also act behind the scenes to put pressure on Bohevia and its surrounding countries and make backroom deals, they could eliminate Priest Yan with a minimum of harm. It would definitely take years to do, though. Even so, I do not see it as an equal chance of either decision. More of a case of seventy percent to thirty, or eighty to twenty. With total war being the eighty, of course.”
“Hm. Why?”
The silver-haired prince shrugged at the question. “Isn’t it obvious? That’s how unlikely it seems that the leaders can tolerate the wound to their pride and honor. They might espouse calm rationality when it doesn’t involve them, but they prioritize their emotions when it does,” he said, keeping his tone even with some effort.
When Yngvi had become crown prince, there were documents he was now allowed to look at, and he had done so. As a result, he’d come to the conclusion that those high in the church were unable to accept their own shortcomings. Therefore even with the risks it involved, they would likely pursue Yan, as far as Yngvi was concerned.
Admitting that Yan was alive would mean also admitting their claim of his execution was false. Announcing the execution of a heretic would have been done in the name of the high priest and other high level members of the church. In other words, there would be no room for interpretation that it was they who were at fault. Additionally, they had declared him a heretic, so they would be entirely unwilling to negotiate in secret with him.
Once his son explained all of that, Gustav had to admit that his son’s view was more convincing than his own. “I see. That certainly seems to hold water. Sly old foxes they may be, but they are still easily pulled by their emotions, you say?”
His long reign had seen him clash with the church through words if not swords, so he could see the truth in his son’s statement. The reason he saw the quiet and loud options as equally possible despite that experience was because he had personally seen how formidable they were as politicians. You could consider it as overestimating them because of the long background he had with them. Of course, there was also the chance that Yngvi was mistaken, being young and knowing no fear.
Gustav put a hand to his chin and thought things over before speaking slowly. “Lighting a massive fire would mean we would need to beware of being burned, but preparing for a natural blaze is another matter.”
“In that case, father, let us send a mercenary to Priest Yan! We introduced Zenjirou to János, didn’t we? Their contract is settled now, so we can introduce him directly to the priest, can we not? If we add some of our own men, we can get much more precise information.”
Gustav let out another exaggerated sigh as his son leaned forward eagerly. “Fool. We cannot so blatantly back one side.”
Gustav found his head pounding as Yngvi aimed for a decrease in the church’s influence with an astounding degree of brazenness. He knew his son had keen insight and a capable mind, but the lack of fear Yngvi had made him worry about entrusting the country to him.
“Perhaps it would be good for you to feel some pain before it would be fatal,” he mused.
“Don’t you think that’s rather rude, father?” Yngvi protested with a dejected expression.
Gustav, however, did not withdraw his statement.
To be continued in The Ideal Sponger Life, Volume 16.