I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 297 Chen Ming's Sharpness, Personal Entry into the Game
"..."

Upon hearing John's words, Conrad did not respond. Instead, he silently poured himself a cup of black tea, took a sip, and after a long while, slowly spoke:

"Duke Ostanen won't last more than a few days."

Meeting John's narrowed eyes, and recalling his recent restricted access to information, which unexpectedly led him to a report about Duke Ostan's illness, Conrad put down his teacup and then stated a specific time:

"Based on the intelligence I have gathered, Duke Ostanen currently has only about two months and twenty-three days left to live."

"Although it is unclear what caused Duke Ostan's condition to deteriorate so rapidly, given the current situation, it is likely that the factional struggle in the Empire will end with the victory of the conservatives, which is probably an unchangeable fact."

"So, John, I regret to inform you that for the sake of the Sleif family's continuation, I'm afraid I must reject your proposal."

Ostan has less than three months to live?

How could it be so fast?

So, is this a scheme by the conservatives?
Or was it the reformists' stable position that made Ivel's desire to seize the dukedom more urgent?
Upon learning of Ostan's remaining lifespan, John's mind raced with a myriad of thoughts, but he maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, taking a sip of his red tea with feigned composure.

Then, he said something that stunned Conrad on the spot:

"No, quite the opposite of your assessment. I believe that after the death of Duke Ostan, the factional struggle in the Empire will not end with a swift victory for the conservatives, for three reasons."

Seeing Conrad's surprised expression, John, while organizing his thoughts, slowly extended his right index finger and said:

"First, with the passing of Duke Ostann, and given the ambiguous relationship between the current heir of the Ostann family and the conservatives, it is highly likely that Lord Ivel will choose to lead some of his reformist followers to join the conservative camp after assuming the ducal throne."

“In the past, this situation would have meant that the reformists no longer had the right to resist the conservatives. However, the situation is different now.”

"As a result of the Third Navy's achievements in Faoken Bay, a total of 13 rear admirals, 6 vice admirals, and 2 admirals were promoted within the Third Navy."

"And Marshal Bob himself, at the behest of His Majesty William, obtained the position of permanent Chief of Staff of the Imperial Navy."

"This also means that after the death of Duke Ostan, who held supreme power over the Imperial Navy, Marquis Bob Ariel, who comes from the Ariel family and is currently enjoying great influence, will be the best candidate to succeed him as Grand Admiral of the Imperial Navy."

"Given Duke Ostan's cunning, the other party may have already planned this matter in advance, perhaps even secretly holding a salon and personally persuading the other marshals of the Empire to support his decision!"

"In other words, Marshal Bob, now known as the 'Fox of the Empire,' not only did not lead the Third Navy to its demise in Faoken due to the betrayal of the conservatives, but also achieved an unprecedented victory with some insignificant assistance."

"Marshal Bob's prestige soared to unprecedented heights, and he had already qualified to succeed as Grand Admiral."

"Therefore, even if Marshal Ostan died of illness, even if Iver Ostan intended to join the conservative party, even if some reformist members later left the party."

"But before Marshal Bob's official downfall, the Imperial Navy still belonged to the Empire, not to the Conservatives."

"And the reformists will not be fragmented because of the betrayals made by members who are blinded by self-interest; on the contrary, they will become more united than ever before."

"This means that the clash between the two parties will not end completely with the death of Duke Ostann, but is only the beginning. The only difference from the past is that this partisan struggle will evolve into an unprecedented level of intensity."

"But the only impossible scenario is a one-sided one, because as Duke Ostan's personal disciple, Marshal Bob's strategy is no less than that of the Duke."

"A party leader with ability and exceptional wisdom, even if he is at a disadvantage in a party struggle due to insufficient strength, will not be defeated so easily. Instead, he will try his best to consolidate his own front and, once he finds a suitable opportunity, he will gather all his strength to launch a counterattack against the enemy."

"The reformists will not become leaderless because of the fall of their leader, but will be led by a new leader who is no less capable. This is the first reason why I believe the conservatives cannot achieve a quick victory!"

Seeing Conrad's pensive expression, John paused slightly, then spoke again in a deep voice:

"The second point is related to Marshal Dormammu and His Majesty William."

"Conrad, you must be aware of the recent parliamentary proceedings that elevated Marshal Dormammu's proposed Imperial Intelligence Service (MI5) to the highest national intelligence agency."

"But the establishment of this top intelligence agency, and the fact that the reformists also obtained the position of Director of the Strategic Analysis and Assessment Directorate in the negotiations, may not be clear to you due to the current lack of intelligence."

"Simply put, this position is responsible for the analysis, assessment, and archiving of intelligence. Once the reformists obtain this position, they will have control over the core of intelligence. In the future, the losses caused by leaks within the reformists will be greatly reduced, and they will be able to uncover specific information about members of the conservative party."

"As for partisan struggles, a piece of classified intelligence about the leadership of the opposing party, if used properly, can be a weapon to destroy the opposing party!"

"As the former head of the intelligence department of the Second Air Force Group, you should know very well that what I am saying is not just empty talk, but an undeniable fact."

"Therefore, faced with the trump card of this intelligence defense network jointly built by Marshal Dormammu, His Majesty William, and the members of the Reform Party, the Reform Party will not lose its ability to resist in the upcoming party struggle. On the contrary, it will be able to take the initiative in intelligence like never before. This is the second reason why I believe the Conservative Party cannot win!"

Seeing Conrad's gleaming eyes, and realizing that the other had piqued his interest in his statement, John pointed to himself and slowly began to speak:

"As for the third point, it concerns me."

"As a newly promoted lieutenant general who is seen by everyone as a reformist, although there may be a hint of self-praise, judging from my performance in urban governance, military operations and long-term vision."

"I believe I do have some ability."

"Although the current factional strife is relatively calm, I, who do not have the bloodline of the imperial nobility, still suffer a lot of resistance and opposition, and am unable to gain more power."

"But in the upcoming partisan struggles, and after parties face an unprecedented crisis, this common sense built on the theory of bloodline nobility will be broken."

"At that time, with the recommendation of His Majesty William, Marshal Bob and others, I will truly give full play to my talents and use my abilities to bring the Empire back to normalcy from its devastation and ruin, just like the town of Bahamut after I governed it, and lead it into unprecedented glory."

"I have no doubt about this!"

John stated calmly, his eyes fixed on Conrad across from him, observing the other's reaction.

In fact, the reason John changed his mind at the last minute and did not reveal his intention to form his own party in order to try to win over the other party directly was...

Aside from the fact that the new party lacks a solid foundation and its instability might make Conrad hesitate,

More importantly, after learning that Ostan had less than three months to live, and knowing that the reformists would suffer a major blow in three months and need time to recover, he dared not gamble.

Unlike Krauser, who was an interrogator, held a certain degree of self-admiration, and was one of the few neutral figures in the Empire.

Conrad, the legendary master of backstabbing, was always driven by the goal of making the Empire great again in the original story.

However, this goal has been wavered more than once in various environments and encounters.

Furthermore, due to his presence, Jeter, who should have perished at the Battle of Walden, survived. Given that he hasn't yet indirectly caused his brother's death in factional strife, his conscience hasn't truly been tormented, and he hasn't carefully considered his own future path, it remains to be seen whether Conrad can be moved by the rebellious spirit in Maslow's words and spontaneously become a trustworthy companion.

Moreover, although the reformists gained a certain advantage in the party struggle through their own efforts and those of William and others.

But these achievements have nothing to do with the political party he founded.

Furthermore, the party's goal was to eliminate class disparities and return power to the citizens of the empire.

This meant that in the early stages, political parties could not be established openly in an empire permeated with nobility and bloodline theory, but could only operate underground.

This is a party that can only survive in the cracks, and once exposed, it will attract the combined forces of countless parties to strangle it.

John did not believe that Conrad, who had not engaged in in-depth discussions at this stage and was aware of the impending death of the reformist leader, would choose to risk joining his side.

If John's judgment is wrong, what awaits him will not be the addition of new allies, but the party's destruction due to leaks before it has even begun.

This risk is too great, and the cost is too high.

So much so that even as a gamer who was confident he could see the future, he didn't dare to try it easily.

Therefore, he used this method, by claiming to be a member of the reformist faction, and by creating the illusion that he intended to continue participating in the party struggle as a member of the reformist faction and to quell it.

By providing an analysis of which side is more likely to emerge victorious in the two-party contest, the author attempts to draw Conrad into the camp of the reformists.

Of course, John did this not to create another opponent for his party's growth, but as a necessary expedient.

Compared to trying to persuade Conrad, the king of backstabbing, to join the new party, using the reformist faction as an excuse would be more effective in reducing the other party's suspicion and vigilance.

Once the other party enters the fray, he will have ample time and opportunity to test their attitude in the upcoming factional struggle.

Once he successfully confirms the other party's specific background, he can make preparations in advance for either disqualifying the other party or supporting them as a comrade-in-arms.

This will prevent the problem of raising tigers from becoming a threat.

"And all I can hope for is that you won't make a disappointing choice at that time, otherwise..."

John murmured to himself, a fleeting, complex emotion flashing across his dark eyes as he gazed at Conrad, but it quickly returned to calm as he awaited Conrad's reply.

"...John, I must say, your analysis surprised me greatly."

After a long silence, Conrad slowly spoke to John, but then, with a sigh, he rejected John's suggestion without hesitation:
"But unfortunately, please allow me to refuse your proposal. I cannot represent the Sleifer family in completely switching sides to the reformists."

"I can't go into the details of why, but to put it simply, John, you can understand it as related to a certain oath made by the ancestors of the Slevin family. As the heir of the family bloodline, I cannot break this oath before the next head of the family completes the succession ceremony."

"Therefore, even though I am moved by the facts you have stated and wish to lend you a helping hand, I can only say that I am powerless to do so."

Across from him, Conrad stood up and bowed to John, but before John, whose face was grave, could express his understanding, he changed the subject:

"However, if one were to set aside his status as the second heir of the Slevin family and instead choose to secretly assist the reformers as Major General Conrad, the head of the intelligence department of the Second Air Force Group of the Empire, then there would be nothing wrong with it."

"But in my opinion, without the added prestige of being a member of the Slevin family, my personal involvement or exclusion might not make much difference to you or the reformers, so..."

"No, this is enough!"

Upon hearing this, John, realizing the situation had taken a turn for the better, immediately answered without hesitation:

"Major General Conrad, it is enough that you have chosen to join us. Your status as a member of the Slevin family is not important."

"After all, what we need more now than the support of powerful forces is the participation of people who share our goal of making the empire great!"

"Whether the other party has a powerful backer or not, or whether they are of high status, is irrelevant to us!"

John spoke with an air of certainty, but a different thought lingered in his mind:
Because, in fact, he considered this matter quite important.

After all, if Olivia finds out that Conrad joined in a private capacity rather than as a member of the Slyford family, he will definitely back out immediately.

"But the reason why language art is called art is that it can cleverly resolve a crisis by using carefully crafted lies or creating an information gap."

Although Conrad didn't intend to bring the Slyford family along, wasn't it ultimately up to him to decide how things would turn out?

Once the parties have reached a certain level of strength and are qualified to stand on equal footing, even if the matter is exposed, the two people who are already completely tied to their own side will probably only be able to smile helplessly and silently follow their side into the dark.

"So it doesn't matter to me whether Conrad joins as a major general or as the second in line to the Slefor family."

"But the fact that the other party joined our side and was seen by Olivia gave the West family a strong boost, making them wholeheartedly committed to our side."

"This is very important to me!"

Thinking of this, it's as if I can foresee the scene in the future where Conrad and Olivia, having learned the truth, look at each other in bewilderment.

John's face immediately broke into an unprecedentedly broad smile. He then stood up and slowly extended his right hand towards the astonished Conrad, before speaking to him meaningfully:

"Well then, welcome to the team, Major General Conrad. Now, we're on the same side!"

Although he was somewhat puzzled as to why John valued his joining so much, he looked at John's 'sincere' smile, as if he had met a kindred spirit.

Even Conrad was moved by the other's purity, and a long-lost look of emotion flashed in his eyes.

Immediately setting aside all her doubts, a genuine smile, a long-lost expression, appeared on her face. She then reached out and grasped the hand offered by the other person, her tone calm and sincere:
"Thank you for your invitation, Lieutenant General John. I will do my utmost to remove as many obstacles as possible on the path forward for all of you reformers!"

"And thus, the empire will achieve true greatness!"

"Snapped!"

……

(End of this chapter)