The sender of the letter, as expected, was none other than the Serbian princess who had recently caused a scandal.
The letter began not with the usual grandiose phrases common in the empire but with clean, straightforward sentences. Skipping unnecessary things, it quickly got to the point, indicating either rudeness or a prior understanding of my disposition. Regardless, the princess herself was clearly a bold figure.
[Thank you for accommodating my unreasonable request. However, as a princess of Serbia, I had to make the best decision for my country. I hope you can understand.]
…Quite bold.
Though framed as an apology, it ultimately justified her actions as right.
The following content was filled with sentences more assertive than those of most men. Indeed, she was fitting to be the central figure in a marriage scandal that required significant courage. As I assessed her with a mix of admiration and irritation, my eyes landed on less welcome words.
[However, as much as Your Highness might hope, Serbia’s strength has not recovered. The aftermath of the last war has left our nobility hesitant to take a proactive stance against the Ottomans. Even if we wanted to assert ourselves strongly, we now have a pretext that prevents hasty actions. Therefore, expanding Your Highness’s influence is necessary to mobilize them.]
It might sound like an excuse, but knowing what Serbia had endured, it wasn’t right to launch unconditional criticism. Both of the past wars ended in decisive Ottoman victories, with the king perishing in the last one only about 20 years ago.
While a considerable time, the shock of those events was not unreasonable to linger.
[If Your Highness is genuinely preparing for a decisive battle with the Ottomans, I suggest first seizing the western Pindus Mountains. Controlling Epirus and Albania would strengthen our alliance’s ties significantly. Additionally, it would offer new options to the Ottoman tributaries.]
Every word was correct. As I found myself agreeing with Sophia’s suggestions, a sigh of frustration escaped me. Following her advice by swiftly moving to seize Epirus, Albania, and central Greece would indeed make it possible to expel the Ottomans from the Balkan territory.
The problem was that even though the empire was apparently an Ottoman ally, the Ottomans wouldn’t stand idly by. The Ottomans, aiming for dominance in the Balkans, wouldn’t tolerate the rise of a new challenger like Morea.
The fragile peace, precariously maintained through Mehmed’s friendly policies, would not extend beyond the Peloponnesus.
Beyond that lies the risk of full-scale war with the Ottomans.
“Sophia.”
The Serbian princess who astonishingly knew the empire’s political situation. She must have had information to back her recommendation for a significant expansion hinting at war with the Ottomans. I hoped she hadn’t spoken thoughtlessly, as anyone could make such suggestions. The issue was that only few could execute them.
The nation’s scale, the quality, and the quantity of the army all placed us at a disadvantage. Even with the assistance of five military experts arranged by Venice, our forces paled in comparison to the Ottoman elite Janissaries.
The empire’s weakened military structure could not match the Janissaries. Moreover, there were far too few competent leaders to command the army.
Currently, Morea had only three officers with actual combat experience. None were outstanding generals. Let’s review them. First was Ivania, the mercenary leader, with her striking blonde hair and blue eyes, and formidable strength for a woman. Despite her peculiar disposition, she was undoubtedly a capable general.
Ivania and her mercenaries were the only ones equipped to challenge the Janissaries. The issue was the small number of soldiers she commanded. High quality meant high pay. Though still employed, mercenaries were a significant burden for the empire. The empire had previously collapsed under the weight of paying the Catalan mercenaries who had been instrumental against the Ottomans.
Knowing the dangers of an over-reliance on mercenaries, the past two years had focused on forming a standing army. Despite her eccentricity, Ivania remained a threatening yet reliable ally.
Next was Adriano, a former tax collector and now deputy commander.
Mentioning Adriano was rare, but he was undoubtedly the most capable bureaucrat after Demicleos, the imperial judge who restructured Morea’s laws. As an elite, his work efficiency placed him as the second in command of Morea. Why did he leave his post as a tax collector to become a deputy commander?
…Due to a lack of talent.
Adriano was the only one with the aptitude and experience after Ivania. Despite having no prior ties to the military, he had likely cursed his fate since marching with me on the Achaea expedition.
The last person was…
…Me.
“A pitiful reality.”
How could I not lament? Despite the bleakness, the letter had undeniably influenced our strategic planning. It had refocused my attention, which had been entirely on reorganizing Morea.
Thus, the next day, I gathered the necessary figures to discuss Morea’s future. Mercenary leader Ivania, Deputy Commander Adriano, and Imperial Judge Demicleos. After scanning their firm faces, I began my preamble.
“I had forgotten the most important thing while reorganizing Morea.”
The mindset shifts depending on whether one has a clear goal or not. The three of them nodded in agreement, particularly Ivania’s reaction stood out.
“….Yes, Your Highness.”
A sign that something had changed in her usual demeanor.
“……What’s the matter, Ivania? Your tone seems different from usual.”
“…Why would you say such a thing…?”
“No, isn’t it different?”
This was perplexing. She wasn’t typically this quiet. I glanced at the other two for confirmation, but they too appeared bewildered.
“Your Highness, Ivania seems no different from usual.”
“You must be tense from the tough duties, Your Highness. Please, don’t worry. More importantly, it’s not Ivania’s tone but the direction in which Your Highness will lead us that truly matters.”
…Indeed, Demicleos was right. There was no time to dwell on Ivania’s tone. Steeling myself, I got straight to the point.
“Though it still feels distant, the battle between the Ottomans and the empire is inevitable. The Ottomans, aiming for the fall of Constantinople, and our alliance hoping to reclaim our homeland cannot maintain peace for long.”
The atmosphere grew tense. Understandably so, as defeating the mighty Ottomans seemed nearly impossible. The empire had reached a point where survival without external aid was unfeasible.
“Thus, in an effort to forge a solid alliance against the Ottomans, I have chosen to engage in a betrothal with Serbia…”
“…..Achoo.”
…..
“As I was saying.”
“….Cough, cough.”
…..
“Ivania.”
“….Yes, Your Highness.”
“Your health is crucial for the future of Morea. I’ll arrange for a physician, so take some rest.”
“Thank you for your kindness… but I’m fine.”
“…Very well. Let’s continue. The soon-to-be formalized betrothal with Serbia is essential for establishing our alliance. However, Serbia, weakened by successive defeats, holds strong anti-Ottoman sentiments but lacks the resolve for active measures. Just yesterday, the Serbian princess pointed this out in a letter.”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Caught off guard, I didn’t expect this sudden outburst!
“W-what is the meaning of this! A grown woman acting like this out of the blue!”
“Already exchanging letters! Is there no hope for me!? Is there no chance for me to be with Your Highness!?”
Ivania clung to me, bursting into tears. Looking down at her, a surge of sympathy and an odd sense of connection welled up within me.
At last, I realized…
It was Ivania, not me!
“How could you only now realize something so obvious.”
“Waaaaaahhh!!”
“Let go if you’ve realized!”
“Ahhhhh! Waaaahhh!”
The meeting couldn’t be resumed.
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