《I鈥檓 a Bastard But You鈥檙e Worse!》 Volume 1 - Ch Ss Digital Version Short Story Dyngir and Elizas Morning Lamperouge kingdom, eastern province, Margrave Maxwells manor. Dyngir Maxwell, sessor to house Maxwell, often got upte. Every night he would take one or more of the maids working in the manor to bed with him, ying with them untilte at night, so he always got up past noon. However things were different that morning. The sun was just peeking beyond the horizon when a maid visited Dyngirs room to wake him up. Excuse my intrusion. Young master, its morning. The maid who entered the room was Eliza. A physique growing more mature every year, curves entuated by her maid attire, she walked towards her masters bed. You are going to leave for work, yes? You must get up soon or you will bete. Eliza shook Dyngir, covered by nkets over his head, and called to him. Nhnh Dyngir, however, curled his body into a ball and resisted. Honestlythis part of you still hasnt changed since you were a child. Eliza put a hand on her thigh and sighed deeply. She had served Dyngir for 10 years already. In her eyes, however, his body had grown but he didnt change much inside. She still thought of him as a troublesome little brother. A little morelet me sleepjust 10 more minutes A muffled voice could be heard from under the covers. That wont do!! Youll bete! Preparations for departure could take a long time. If she allowed him to fall asleep again, it would be pointless to have prohibited all night games and sent him to bed early the night before. Eliza frowned, then started shaking the nkets again. Wake up, young master! You are not a child anymore, you cannot sleep in like this! Uuuh..!! If the margraves heir iste the whole house will be shamed! Wake up already,e on! Eliza called to her master as if scolding an unruly child, as she continued hitting the nkets. When she decided to take off the nkets, something unexpected urred. Eh? The nkets wrapped around Dyngir suddenly spread in the air, engulfing Eliza like a snakes jaws catching its prey. Aaaaahhh!! Yo-young master!? Taken by surprise and pulled into the bed, Eliza shrieked. Dyngir embraced the poor maid from behind and buried his head in her slim neck. Hmmthis cushion is reallyfortable. Young master, please wake up! No pranks, or I will get annh! So warmthis is heaven One of the masters hands sank deep into the maids ample bosom, starting a rather lewd exploration. Haahnhyoung master! Anh Sweet moans escaped Elizas lips. Dyngir was still half asleep, but his hands could move in terribly skilled ways nheless. The master held down the struggling maid and started enjoying the carnal pleasures she offered to the fullest. Aah!! A high-pitched shriek echoed throughout the manors early morning. Approximately one hourter, Dyngir sluggishly got out of bed. what? How did this happen? He frowned and looked honestly puzzled at Eliza, disheveled and breathing heavily next to him. Volume 1 - Ch 1 Dyngir Maxwell!! I hereby dere your engagement to Selena void!! .whaat? It all started one afternoon. I was in the royal academy located in Sairhun, capital of the Lamperouge kingdom. More precisely, I was walking through the academys garden, when suddenly I heard a voice from behind me. I turned around to look at the source of the voice and found a young man with flowing golden locks and a familiar face. oh my, to be honored by the presence of Your Highness Prince Sullivan. How may I be of service? The abrupt deration hade from none other than the first prince of the Lamperouge kingdom, Sullivan Lamperouge. Basically, the heir to the throne of Lamperouge kingdom. Standing behind Sullivan, as if trying to hide from me, I saw my fiancee, Selena Nommes. My petite, lovely fiancee was acting just like a small frightened animal: she looked at me with fear in her eyes, while almost hugging Sullivans back. Your Highness, if I may be so bold, are you not standing a bit too close to my fiancee? I believe it is against the gentlemans code of conduct to be in such close contact with a woman engaged to another man. You fool!! How dare you still speak of Selena as if she was your fiancee!! Did you not hear what I said!? Sullivan started shouting, irritated by my attitude. The princes handsome features very much unlike his character were twisted beyond recognition. Since lunch break was not over yet, many of the academys students were still in the garden. Some were sitting on a bench eating, others chatting with their friends: themotion caused by the prince, however, attracted the curiosity of many of them. I looked around, concerned by the attention we were drawing, then sighed, making sure Sullivan didnt notice. By what I said, Your Highness is referring to my engagement with Selena being voided? So you did hear!! Do not make me repeat myself again!! my apologies, it was all so abrupt, I could not help it. My shoulders dropped. Breaking up an engagement was a very delicate matter, something that should be dealt with privately, but if it was handled openly like this, with witnesses everywhere, it would be impossible to hide. My engagement with Selena was formed between the house of Margrave Maxwell and the house of Baron Nommes. Thus, I cannot ept its cancetion by my own ord. I also believe that a member of the royal family, which has no rtion to this engagement, has no power to change it, or am I wrong? What did you say!? I have no rtion to Selena!? Sullivan pulled Selena closer to himself and put his arm around her back. The crown princes sudden action caused the students around us to start whispering. (..is this guy for real?) I felt my facial muscles tense up because of the unbelievable sight before me. Regardless of whether I epted the cancetion of the engagement or not, Selena was still my fiancee at the moment. To embrace someone elses fiancee so casually was beyond sanity in my eyes. Selena and I are in a rtionship and will be married soon!! A promise made with some countryside noble like you means nothing before true love!! Just ept that your engagement is no more! Countrysidenoble? The provinces ruled by the Maxwell house are located near the eastern borders of the kingdom, that was true. The crown prince was born and raised in the capital, so I probably was a country bumpkin in his eyes. The Maxwell house had been assigned such territories because of the trust it earned from the royal family: it was charged with defending the borders, so it had the military power to protect the kingdom from foreign enemies. The soldiers stationed around the capital might be greater in number, but in terms of individual ability and battle experience, the knights of the Maxwell house were without a doubt superior. The royal family had nothing to gain by picking a fight with the Maxwell house. Selenas house Nommes was a vassal of house Maxwell. Their territories were also close, so if I was a countryside noble, then Selena was toodid he realize it? Hmmfor now, I shall pretend I have not heard the nder to my house. Rather, Your Highness, you have said you and Selena are in a rtionship? Hmph! That is indeed what I said! Its time for you to ept reality and withdraw! He really admitted it. In public, with so many people around us. Did Sullivan understand what it actually meant for a crown prince toy his hands on someone elses fiancee? Sullivan was basically using the authority of the royal family to steal a vassals fiance. Did he not realize that such an action would severely damage the trust of the nobles towards the royal family? Your Highness, if I may ask, doesdy Marianne know of this? The name I mentioned was Sullivans fiancee. Marianne Rosais, daughter of Duke Rosais the chancellor of the kingdom of Lamperouge. The noblest youngdy in all of the kingdom, she was praised as ady amongdies in high society. M-Marianneshe Sullivan, who had been talking arrogantly from the start, mumbled for the first time. It was a rather obvious change: Marianne was a proud woman, who valued loyalty very highly. She would definitely never forgive Sullivans unfaithfulness or the treacherous act of stealing a vassals fiancee. Could it be that Your Highness is nning to take Selena as a concubine? Marianne as a royal wife and Selena as a concubine. It was still more understandable. Polygamy was not officially recognized in the kingdom, but it was not rare for royalty or certain nobles to take in concubines or mistresses, in order to ensure the birth of an heir. Whether Lady Marianne would approve of this or not was a whole nother story, of course. Lord Sullivan!? The first reaction to my words came not from Prince Sullivan, but my fiancee Selena. Selena looked at Sullivan like she couldnt believe her eyes, so he hurriedly started exining himself. N-no!! You are the only one I love, Selena!! Thus Your Highness will also cancel the engagement with Lady Marianne? Sire, I trust you know what such a thing would imply? Local powers tended to have considerable power in this kingdom: not even the royal house had absolute authority. The Lamperouge royal house was, ultimately, a representative of all noble families, a sort of delegate. The king was closer to the leader of an alliance than an absolute monarch. To cut ties with Duke Rosais, the most powerful noble family in the central region of the kingdom, signified the loss of a major supporter for crown prince Sullivan to be king. N-naturally!! I hereby announce that my engagement with Marianne is void and that I shall marry Selena! She will be the next queen of the Lamperouge kingdom! Sullivan turned out to be much more of a moron than I imagined. Somehow, he still thinks hes going to be king, even without Duke Rosais backing him up. are you serious, Sir Sullivan? I dropped Crown Prince or Your Highness on purpose, and Sullivan became even more heated up. Ive never liked that woman in the first ce!! Always full of opinions, always telling me to fix this and that, to behave like a proper crown princealways arrogant, always aggravating!! To a member of the royal family!! How dare the mere daughter of a duke order the crown prince around!? Taking advantage of the fact that Marianne wasnt here, Sullivan started saying whatever he wanted. While Marianne wasnt here in person, our audience contained several people with ties to house Rosais. Sullivans words were definitely going to be delivered to Marianne and Duke Rosais. What a fine mess this has turned into So I whispered to myself, making sure Sullivan couldnt hear. I thought the crown prince would be a bit smarter than this, but evidently I was wrong. Until now, he probably managed to uphold the least authority as crown prince only thanks to Lady Marianne being at his side. I wondered what fate awaited a man who swore to discard an engagement to Lady Marianne for the sake of true love. Selena. !! I called Selenas name and she started trembling as she hid behind Sullivans back. She had always been like that: always timid and clumsy, never voicing her opinion. Every time I approached her, she would run away frightened. She was indeed theplete opposite type from Lady Marianne, thus perfectly suiting Sullivans tastes. Is this really okay with you? Do you truly wish for this? I tried giving Selena one final chance. Was she going to ruin herself together with this fool, or would shee back to me? The decision was up to her. Uh. Selena looked confused, ncing left and right, then Sullivan encouraged her. Say it, Selena! Dont worry, Im with you! I will protect you, no matter what that man may do!! Y-yes Pushed forward by Sullivan, Selena raised her voice and stated her decision. Her beautiful green eyes looked straight at me. I thought it had been a rather long time since our eyes met like this. I, er, ILord Dyngir, I am afraid of you. Because you have killed so many people .. You killed so many people. I see, so thats the reason. House Maxwell, the kingdoms guardian, has always protected it against invaders from the east. I was thirteen when I participated in my first battle, five years ago. Since then, I have fought in many battles and have ended the lives of many soldiers with my hands. I became your fiancee because I couldnt disobey father, but I cannot endure it anymore. Lord DyngirI do not want to be with you one second if I can help itI beg of you, please let me be free. Do you finally understand? It is simply appalling for a murderer like you to be engaged to lovely Selena. Your bloody hands have no right to embrace her. Go back to your province already, you murderous lunatic! Murderous lunatic. Sullivans words caused me to shake in anger. I fought on the battlefield ever since I was a child. I fought to protect my household, my province, the kingdom. I was proud of my bloody hands: not once did I feel any shame in them. (And this mandares call them the hands of a murderous lunatic!! A man who has been protected by the nobles fighting on the frontier his whole life! A moron who has lived with a silver spoon in his mouth, who has never even seen a battlefield!) the cancetion of the engagement is epted, for the time being. We shall contact the royal house officially in the near future. I desperately held back from reaching for the sword at my waist and uttered only those words. I turned my back to Sullivan and Selena and walked away. The students who came to see themotion opened a path for me, scared by the killing intent I couldnt keep from leaking out. (I have to endure it, theres no point in killing him here, Id turn into the aggressor. Besidesthat man is going to ruin himself on his own soon.) The house of Duke Rosais and the house of Margrave Maxwell. There was no way he could make an enemy of two of the most powerful noble houses in the kingdom and get away with it. I cannot draw my sword here. If I did, I would bear the name of a traitor Lord Dyngir! May I have a word with you? I was walking away silently when a student approached me. He was a bit shorter than me. The color of the badge on his uniform indicated he was enrolled in a grade below mine. I had seen his ming red hair and the fierce light in his eyes somewhere, though. You arethe second son of the Efreeta house, arent you? My name is Luc, Luc Efreeta. It is an honor to speak with you!! I see, so youre Ladds younger brother. What business do you have with me? Luc looked around, then continued talking in a hushed tone of voice. If you will start a campaign to defend the honor of the eastern provinces, please let me, Luc Efreeta, stand on the frontlines. I swear on the name of house Efreeta that I shall present you the head of that foolish prince, my lord. The house of Viscount Efreeta was well known among the vassals of house Maxwell, especially for its military power. I was moved by his dedication but had to reprimand my hot-blooded junior nheless. Your loyalty is well appreciated. I have no intention to start a campaign, thoughnot yet, at least. That fool is going to self-destruct anyway. Understoodbut if that time everes, please do summon me, Lord Dyngir. May I ask what you n to do? I reflected on Lucs words for a bit, then replied. I must return to my houses territory first. I have to present a formal protest to the royal house via my father, after all. If the king handles the matter with integrity, then everything is solved. If he tries to cover for the moron, howeveryou will have plenty of chances to prove your worth. I am at your service, my lord! I shall report to you everything that happens in the academy. Please rest easy on your way to your home province! You have my trust. It is a joy to have such able vassals. When one door closes, another one opens. I had lost my fiancee but gained a trustworthy retainer. I tapped Lucs shoulder and he blushed fiercely. Y-your words honor me!! I heard from my brother about your battle against the empire five years ago, so I always admired your prowess in battlemy lord! O-okay? I ended up being showered with Lucs praise all the way to the gate leading out of the academy. That day I learned how both words filled with malice and words filled with respect can wear you down if they continue excessively. I was feeling fatigued in more ways than one, as I sighed, packed my luggage, and departed from the royal capital. Volume 1 - Ch 2 As soon as I returned to my home province, I reported the whole incident to my father and wrote a letter of protest to the king and Baron Nommes. Apparently, His Majesty the king had already been informed about themotion in the academy, and immediately sent a letter of apology. Thanks to the proper response of the royal house and the abundant sum included as rpensation, the matter could be considered resolved, for the time being. On the other hand, Baron Nommes Selenas father apparently was not aware of the rtionship between his daughter and the crown prince: the moment he read the letter, he started foaming at the mouth and lost consciousness. M-my deepest apologies!!!!!!!! The baron then visited the Maxwell residence and apologized profusely, prostrated on the ground. He cast away all pride, apologizing while hitting his head on the floor so hard one might worry he was going to open a hole in it. His prostration was so well done, so perfect, that I feltpelled to praise him. ~ Incidentally, Sullivan and Selena went to visit Lady Marianne after thrusting the cancetion of the engagement on me, as it turns out. The crown prince started by listing baseless usations of Lady Mariannes alleged misconduct: bullying Selena, abusing the authority of her family to control the academy, making secret allegiances with enemy states, and more. There was no way false charges like that could ever work on Lady Marianne, though. She shot down all of his arguments and harshly chastised his unfaithfulness instead. Her brilliant counterattack would eventually be a hot topic of discussion among students for a long time. The final result was that the crown prince bore all responsibility for the events and was demoted in the royal registry from crown prince to vassal. He reaped what he sowed alright. I was lying on my bed in my home residence as I read the report sent by Luc Efreeta from the capital. All the above information was included in his report. One month after the abrupt cancetion of my engagement I had withdrawn from the academy and returned to my home province. Even if the crown prince took responsibility for the events, I could not prevent other students from looking down on me. I wasnt keen on frequenting the academy anyway, so I chose to return to my province and help my father, in order to prepare to seed him as Margrave. Now that the situation was over, I could say that the cancetion of the engagement was not aplete loss for house Maxwell. We had received an abundant sum from the royal house aspensation, house Nommes returned the sum we had offered in advance as financial aid in view of my marriage with Selena, and we also raised the interest rates of the debts they owed to the Maxwell house. For me, the best oue is not having to marry Selena, though. Oh my, you did not like Lady Selena, my lord? The question came from the woman lying in bed next to me. The name of the disrobeddy was Eliza. She was the daughter of a house that served the Maxwells for generations and was also in charge of my education ever since I was small. Eliza, who was five years older than me, was now lying with her head on my chest, exhibiting most of her naked figure, which only grew in sensuality over the years, as she peeked at the document I was reading. She was pretty cute, so I did want to make her a woman myselfbut she was more trouble than she was worth. She was always a crybaby, definitely too weak to be the wife of a house in the border provinces. It might have been fun to bully her a bit though. How cruelI certainly didnt raise you like that, young master. You most certainly have. It was you who taught me what I know about women. The rtionship between Eliza and me began five years ago, after my first battle. I experienced my first realbat and achieved my first victories. Unable to suppress the excitement after our triumphant return, I gave into my instincts and assaulted Eliza. She pushed back at first, but ultimately epted my advances: I thus had my first experience at the age of thirteen. Our rtionship continued since then: whenever I was back in my residence, we would sleep together almost every night. Oh, young masterto think you were so cute once. What a devil of a man you have beas your tutor, I feel responsible. What? Ive be a healthy and vigorous young man, as you can see, so you should feel proud instead. Iughed wryly and shrugged. I wasnt the only one to grow big and strong anyway so I thought while gazing at Elizas ample bust. Its a real pity for Baron Nommes, though. Selena and I were both cheating on each other, but because of Sullivan the moron, they received the whole punishment. If they used all my mistresses as the reason for breaking off the engagement, they could have forced us to pay up instead. Maybe they simply do not know of the rtionship young master holds with *us*? Hmmmaybe Selena doesnt, but I doubt the baron doesnt know anything. I went several times to the red light district in the capital and never did anything to hide it either. It isnt umon for nobles to entertain rtionships with multiple women, so maybe he was just pretending not to knowin any case, if Sullivan had at least something resembling a brain, he would have gone to house Nommes first to discuss the matterand history would have changed. This is my first time hearing about the pleasure districthow cruel you are, telling something like that to me without a shred of apology. Eliza pouted and pinched my chest. Looking at her adorable gesture, in contrast with her mature charm, made me smile. I wanted to make you jealous. Men want to see all sorts of expressions from the woman they fell for, you know that. Oh, you make it sound like a nice thing to sayyour bad habits with women havent changed even in the academy. After all the trouble master went through to register you Hmph. If he put me in there hoping to fix me, thatd be a real waste. Father must be pretty distressed too, with how things turned out. I recalled my fathers reaction when I told him about the engagement cancetion affair and smiled bitterly. My father, the margrave, had a personalitypletely different from mine: he was an austere, serious, upright man. I was prepared to be scolded and preached at for a couple of hours, as it often happened, but after hearing my report, my father reacted in a way I definitely did not expect. just do what you want. I dont care anymore. He then slumped on his chair, as if he was terribly exhausted. Looking at my father so devastated, even I couldnt help but feel pain. Continuing my conversation with Eliza, In any casethe prince has got to take responsibility for what hes done. Oh? He was disinherited and demoted to vassal status, was he not? Has he not been punished already? Eliza cocked her head to the side, curious. Yeah, the royal house has handed out its punishment, but thats just his responsibility as crown prince, right? He hasnt paid for humiliating me as a man yet. Nor for insulting the house of Maxwell. He picked a fight with me first: I have a duty to pay him back, till he cries and begs for mercy. Sullivan might be finished as a member of the royal family, but that was not enough punishment for that man. Even if he became a marquis or a count, he could still lead a life of freedom and luxuryunless I did something about it. He snatched my woman and even dared insult the pride of all soldiers who fight to defend this country, the bastard. I wont be satisfied untill he fully learns what kind of person he made an enemy of. He had better enjoy the calm before the storm you are a man to be feared, young master. Eliza then raised her head and kissed me. Our tongues shed and meshed wildly, then sheid her body over mine. Thanks to our long rtionship, Eliza knew how excited, how frenzied I became before a battle, and how I appeased that drive by seeking femalepany. Take it all, Eliza Yes, young mas.hnn I switched positions with Eliza and hungrily became one with her, making love to her body, which had be much more mature than the first time, five years ago. ~ In the end, my desire wasnt satisfied until noon of the following day. Eliza had gasped, moaned, and shouted through the night, so by the morning she was lying exhausted, unable to move, so I took the newly hired maid who came to announce breakfast was ready and dragged her into the bed. I listened to her miserable shrieking as I possessed her virgin body, thinking that younger girls werent bad either. Volume 1 - Ch 3 POV: Margrave Maxwell is Dyn still in bed? Yeshe had quite a long night, after all. So replied the Maxwell house steward, a troubled tone in his voice. I pressed my fingers against my temples, trying to subdue the migraine I felting. My name is Dietrich Maxwell, a margrave in charge of the provinces on the eastern border of the Lamperouge kingdom. Nobles ruling over territories located on the border have much to be worried about. We must be ready at all times for enemy invasions, as well as prevent any foreign ruffians from entering the country or domestic criminals from crossing the borders. My house of Maxwell is also the leader of the alliance of nobles of the eastern provinces. We have the duty to act as a mediator in case of disputes between noble families, as well as negotiate on behalf of local nobles with the royal house or central nobles. My gravest concern as ofte, however, is the attitude of my own son, Dyngir Maxwell. Hes been at it every night since he returnedthe two years spent in the academy did nothing to mend his womanizing habits, then One month ago, my sons engagement with the youngdy of the Nommes house was forcefully broken by the crown prince, thus he returned to his home province. I thought that such an event would have brought him down, but had to quickly retract my concerns. Ever since that day, he started taking the female servants he used to frolic with in the past and engaged in indescribable debauchery every night. My lord, I do not know what to sayits all my daughters fault. The house steward bowed deeply. No, its not your faultI have to apologize to you instead. No, my lord The house steward looked conflicted. My son had several mistresses, but the firstdy, forck of a better term, was the house stewards daughter, Eliza. How would a father feel when his only daughter, raised with love and care, ended up sleeping with his masters son? I was honestly terrified to know, so I never asked. Young master Dyngir ishow can I put it, he has heroic traits about him. He cannot be satisfied with a single woman, I suppose. Heroes are amorous, as the proverb saysit does sound nice if you put it like that, but as a father, it is an endless source of concern Indeedif he was unskilled, I would have dly disowned him. I furrowed my brow and let out a deep sigh. My son, Dyngir, was what you would call a prodigal son. If you asked me if he was an ipetent idiot, however, I would have to firmly shake my head. Dyngir showed traits of excellence ever since his infancy. He was an incredibly quick learner in terms of politics, economy, strategy, everything. His martial instructor even said that he had an incredible talent for fighting. He was very popr among the vassals: the children of other nobles regarded him with respect and affection as a big brother. Five years ago, he participated in his first battle, a small skirmish with one of our neighboring countries in which he managed to lead a small battalion to ambush the enemy and even take the enemymanders head. Genius, prodigy, hero that will go down in history even without my parental bias, I believed such words were meant for him. The only thing such a formidable son could not resist was the opposite gender. Dyngir had his awakening at the age of thirteen, by bonding with Eliza, the house stewards daughter. Ever since then, he had be obsessed with women. Starting from Eliza, Dyngir hasid his hands on most if not all female servants in the residence. I could not help but feel terrible whenever I saw them. I honestly wanted to scold him, but all the money Dyngir used on women came from his own pocket. He used the money I gave him as an allowance to start a small business with other nobles: in five years, the profits from the diplomatic trade doubled. (Being so sessful is what makes him so awfulI have no basis to scold him) If only he could get rid of his lust for women, I could let him take over without a single worry Lord Dyngirs talents are exceptional, after allincidentally, he appears to have established new transactions with friends he met in the academy. I see, so even if he looks like hes always ying around, he made new connections tooat least he understands what the duties of a noble are Yes, indeed, though he also visited the pleasure district once a week, so it is also true that he was ying around. .. I lost count of how many times I had sighed already. Dejected, I slumped down on the table. Having a foolish son would definitely be a problem, but an excessively skilled one was troublesome too. Especially if he was skillful and foolish at the same time Well, thats stillwith some effortwith great effort, we can overlook thatinstead, do you know what happened to the daughter of Baron Nommes after that? I changed the topic, as to escape reality for a while. Baron Nommes was a vassal of house Maxwell: his daughter Selena had been my sons fiancee. When I heard that the engagement had been broken by her, I started having cold sweats, thinking that my sons womanizing habits had been found outI would have never expected for her to be the unfaithful one, and with the crown prince no less. Despite looking so timid and meek, she managed to seduce the kingdoms crown prince of all peopleI had to change my opinion of her. Baron Nommes appears uncertain on how to punish her too. Her engagement with theformer crown prince was announced in public, after all. HmmI dont know the extent of their rtionship, but she could already be pregnant with a child of royal blood If that happensit is likely to breed political conflict. After the engagement breakup events, crown prince Sullivan was disinherited. Sullivan was the eldest son, but his mothers status was rtively low. Without the backup of Duke Rosais, he was unlikely to be king. Having insulted the house of Rosais, such a punishment was inevitable. Selenas fate was also most likely sealed. She would end up being used by a faction rebelling against the royal family or disposed of before that. I couldnt foresee any light in her future. If only it all happened behind closed doors, it could have been suppressed somehow. But to expose a delicate problem like the breakup of an engagement in publicI didnt think of him as such a fool. He was a crown prince, but still a man, after all. When a woman is involved, men be foolslike someone else I know. is that sarcasm? Of course not, sire. I looked silently at the house stewards eyes, then slowly shook my head. wellit appears that his majesty the king, the baron and I have all raised our children wrong. At least my own fool has decent judgment. I have to be thankful for that, at least. Indeed, sir.sigh. Haah I sighed at the same time as the house steward, then the door of my study opened. Only one person in this residence would ever enter the margraves study without knocking. Morning, old man. Ive got something to talk about, youve got time now, right? .. .. My skirt-chasing idiot of a son, of course. The house steward and I looked at each other, our expressions turning sour. What? Were you bothining about me or something? is there something we shouldin about? Not that I know of. Im as pure and honest as theye. Can you say that about your own body too, young master? Though you have spent a pleasant night apparently, that is very nice. Hey, no sarcasm. I took a bath, mind you. Shut up already, idiotcant you see the murderous intent in the eyes of the house steward? I wish the daggers hes throwing would actually stab, honestly Such thoughts popped up my mind, but I decided to listen to him for now. What business do you have? You havente to help with my work, have you? Work? If you mean the western regions irrigation, Ive already sent the workers. Same for the bandits around Zess vige, the expedition corps are already on their way. The scouts for the eastern fort are leaving tomorrow morning, so thats taken care of too. Oh, about the horseback bandits in the territory of Viscount Silfis, Ive got a n to leave it all to me. Ill take care of them in the next few days. .youre a real fool of a son This excellent side of his makes him all the more despicable. I bet Im the only father bothered by the skills of his son anyway, what did youe for then? Ive got a favor to ask, thats all. Here. Hmm? My son handed me an envelope. It wasnt sealed, so I took out the paper inside and read it, finding that its contents were quite bizarre. This is I want you to send that with your name, addressed to his majesty the king. What are you thinking? I looked at my sons face and found a pranksters smile on his lips. The same face he showed when he brought me the enemymanders head in his first battle. Thest eighteen years had taught me, to a painful extent, how that face meant something nasty was approaching. The former crown prince and my former fianceedy are going to have a bit of a bad time. Its just a prank, nothing more. Hmgh When I came back, you told me to do what I wanted, right? Im sticking to your words, old man. I scanned the letter again and felt the headache growing stronger. A few days after crown prince Sullivan was disinherited and themotion settled down A letter from Margrave Maxwell was delivered to the royal house of Lamperouge. It was a very sinct letter: I offer heartfelt congrattions for Prince Sullivans marriage into the family of Baron Nommes Volume 1 - Ch 4 POV: Duke Rosais (Maxwells rascal is up to no good again) Royal capital of the Lamperouge kingdom, in the royal duties office. I, Burt Rosais, the current head of the house of Rosais, read the contents of the letter sent by house Maxwell and grumbled to myself. I offer heartfelt congrattions for Prince Sullivans marriage into the family of Baron Nommes Congrattionsso the letter said, but this was, for all intents and purposes, a threat. The malice contained in this short sentence was so intense that I, as the kingdoms chancellor, could not help but be impressed by its craftiness. Approximately one month ago, my beloved daughter Marianne was told by crown prince Sullivan that their engagement was no more. The reason was that he actually loved someone elsetruly childish. The sender of this letter, Dyngir Maxwell, was none other than the fiance of prince Sullivans mistress, Selena Nommes. Sole responsibility for the broken engagements fell on Sullivans shoulders. Sullivan apparently continued repeating that he had found true love, while also pathetically whining about how Marianne was not suited to be his fiancee. In any case, he hadid hands on another woman despite being engaged, so there was no doubt that he was at fault. The woman heid his hands on was also engaged herself. No matter how many excuses the moron of a crown prince could find, abusing the authority of the royal family to snatch a vassals fiancee would brand him with infamy. ~ U-uhm, chancellorcan we do something about this? This pitifully weak tone was produced by none other than the master of this office of royal dutiesHis Majesty the King. This ancient man, far too weak-willed for his position, had two sons, but he especially favored his firstborn, Sullivan. He looked at me with an expression full of concern for Sullivans future. His Majesty, King Saloucha Lamperouge, was a rather ordinary manpared to his rank. He had no impressive military feats to his name nor enough wisdom to be remembered. His only positive trait was that he was well aware of his limited abilities. He never imposed his opinion on political or military matters, always carefully listening to the opinions of those around him. (You could also say that he cant decide anything by himself, though.) While mentally judging him harshly, I answered the kings question. Nothing, Im afraid. Maxwell, the victim in this series of events, is *requesting* for the marriage of prince Sullivan into the family of Baron Nommes to be celebrated. Our only option is for the prince to actually marry into the Nommes family. Regardless of what they actually thought, on the surface, the victim was relinquishing their rights, so they could not be denied. H-however, if that happens The king faltered and babbled. Sullivan marrying into the family of Baron Nommes even his mediocre intelligence grasped what a terrible punishment it was. A baron might be a noble rank, but its status was extremely close to amoner. The territory a baron could rule over amounted to one or two viges at most, with minimal tax revenues. Such a house could not lead avish lifestyle, naturally. For Sullivan, who had lived among luxuries all his life, as a member of the royal family, it would be impossible to endure marrying into such a family. In addition, the Nommes were vassals of house Maxwell and even owed them money. They would have to obey almost any order from house Maxwell. In the case of armed conflict, they would likely be sent to the frontlines. Sullivan would thus be the subordinate of the man he angered by stealing his fiancee: a life of torment would await him. Could there be any punishment more terrifying than this? The king seemed to want to say something, so I encouraged him to speak, and the words started sputtering out of his mouth. HmghhmmI knowI know what Maxwell meansbut is this not too much? For a member of the royal family to marry into a barons housethere could be no worse humiliation. Sullivan has already been disinheritedwhy must that poor boy meet such a cruel fate? that punishment was not enough, then. At least, that is what Maxwell seems to think. (A judgment my house of Rosais fully agrees with.) In the letter sent to the house of Maxwell, it was written that Sullivan would be punished severely. His Majesty, the weak and kind King, however, had no intention to actually administer a strict punishment to his son. Sullivans rank was demoted to that of a vassal of the royal family, but depending on the situation, it did not amount to a very severe punishment. Because he would be adopted by a marquis without heirs and thus lead a stable lifestyle. (They probably saw through the fact that the king wasnt strict enough to actually punish Sullivanmmph, while it is a troublesome matter, it is a favorable development for me as a Rosais.) The Rosais family was also a victim in this series of events and was equally dissatisfied with the p on the wrist Sullivan received. Despite our dissatisfaction, we were forced to ept this conclusion because, as representative of the central noble families, it was our duty to minimize any threats to the capitals stability. However, my precious daughters face had been smeared with mudas a father, I would like to at least rip that idiotic former crown prince to shreds. H-howeveroh yes, chancellor, if you bowed personally to Maxwell, then Thats the proposal the king came up with. I shoulddo that, for Sullivans sake? Yes, a king cannot bow his head to his vassals, but if you, the chancellor did, thenmaybe I red at the king with all the murderous intent I could muster, and his words trailed off. Allow me to ask one more time, Your Majesty. I should throw away my pride and lower my head, for the sake of the man who betrayed my daughter? Gh The king finally seemed toprehend the enormity of his blunder. (Like father, like son) I sighed mentally. His Majesty did not spout such nonsense normally. But, like Sullivan, he apparently had a tendency to let his emotions take over at times. (If he truly wished to protect his son, he should just do so, even at the cost of offending the Maxwell or the Rosais nobles. Was he so scared of us? However his cowardice made him ideal as this kingdoms ruler. A trulypetent king would be resented by the Four Houses.) In the Lamperouge kingdom, the four margrave houses protecting the borders in the four cardinal directions boasted considerable power. They were normally called the Four Houses. The measure of a kings true ability in this country was in how well they could rule while not making enemies of the Four Houses. His Majesty the king was too weak-willed to be the ruler of a nation. But because of that, there was no threat to the Four Houses privileges or authority. He was seen as an easy to carry figurehead. (Truly able kings neverst long, after allSullivan should consider himself lucky not to have had any *unfortunate idents*) The Four Houses must not be opposed. The kings buried in darkness because of them were too many to count. Volume 1 - Ch 5 POV: Duke Rosais In a private room of the royal pce Nonsense!! I, the crown prince, have to marry into a barons family!? Do you realize how stupid it sounds!? Before me, a fool was shouting and gesticting. The fools name was, naturally, Sullivan Lamperouge the kingdoms former crown prince. Unfortunately, His Majesty the King decided thus. We must ask for Your Highness eptance. I carefully picked my words. Dealing with the aftermath of the events was exhausting enough: I was already sick of dealing with prattling fools. (Why do I have to do this in the first ce) So I cursed under my breath. Normally, it was His Majestys duty to deliver royal edicts and announce such decisions. But this time I, the chancellor, was sent to act in His Majestys ce. His Majesty the King loathed the idea of announcing such a thing to his beloved son, so the troublesome task wasid upon my shouldersneedless to say. (Not only did he fail to uphold his responsibility as king, but as a father too) How many times has the royal family disappointed me in thest month? I was not a man of extreme ambitions, but the recent events caused the word rebellion to flicker in my mind. There has to be some mistake!! Ill talk with my father!! Sullivan roughly curled up the royal edict into a ball and threw it on the floor. .. I felt my facial muscles tense up. A royal edict is not only signed by the king in person but also bears the royal seal of the Lamperouge kingdom. Treating a royal edict in such a way was a barbarous act, tantamount to treason. Even if this man still had the rank of the crown prince, if such an act urred in public, his execution would be inevitable. (I might as well use this to have him executedbut if I did, His Majesty would die of grief.) I kept myposure as I repeated the facts. Unfortunately, this has already been decided. Could you please confirm the contents one more time? You can see the royal seal has been stamped, yes? Uuh.. Sullivan finally realized what he had done and picked up the royal edict at his feet, an awkward expression on his face. He spread the high-quality parchment, carefully stretched out the wrinkles, and read it again. Y-yes, there is the royal sealbut I cannot believe this, I cannot believe my father would abandon meI thought I would just be demoted until things boiled overto marry into a barons family? W-what did I do to deserve this? What did I doyou say? Could it possibly be that this man has not yet grasped the extent of his actions? Margrave Maxwell was the guardian of the eastern provinces and the biggest single military force in the kingdom. The house of Rosais was the leader of the central nobles and the pivot of the kingdoms political world. This man turned both of these major noble families into his enemies and created an unmendable fissure between them and the royal family, yet he still acts like hes the victim? (I should maybe consider myself lucky that the engagement was broken. At least my precious daughter doesnt have to marry this buffoon anymore.) While mentally sighing in relief, I started exining again, as patiently as I could. Lord Sullivan, as I believe you are aware, in this kingdom, there are four margrave houses, the so-called Four Houses, who possess vast power. The royal family and duke families have higher official rank and greater political authority, but as these houses are charged with defending the borders, their military power is something even His Majesty the King cant ignore. Hm, hmm You have snatched the fiancee of the heir to one of such margraves and enraged them. Without proper punishment, a rift would open between the royal family and the margraves. Please understand that His Majesty the King took this decision with a heavy heart. N-noI cant Sullivan turned pale and started trembling. Apparently, he finally understood the gravity of his actions. II just fell in love with Selena, andwas I in the wrong? Is it wrong to pursue true love? Sullivan weakly copsed on the ground, mumbling such words with a lifeless look on his face. True love, sir? So very beautiful. My lips twisted, and I slowly shook my head. It is truly unfortunate, Lord Sullivan, but beautiful and righteous are two different things. If you truly simply wished to uphold your love with Selena Nommes, you should have made proper preparations. At the very least, if you had first apologized to Maxwell, then talked properly with Marianne, your punishment would not have been so harsh. N-no.noaaaahhhhhhh!!! Sullivan, his palms on the ground, screamed in desperation. (How pitiful) Had Sullivan not made this mistake, he would have be my son inw. If I had kept a closer eye on him, I could have prevented him from falling so low, couldnt I? (I suppose I shall give him my support to not further offend Maxwell. That is my responsibility.) So I was thinking when, as a final gesture of good conscience, I got on one knee and stretched a hand to Sullivan. However .I know. What? I know, I know!! I just need to fix the mistake!! Just need to make it as nothing happened!! Sir Sullivan? Overwhelmed by Sullivans sudden momentum as he stood back up, I moved two steps backward. I could not tell why, but I had a terrible feeling about it. Chancellor! Yes, sir? I take back breaking the engagement with your daughter!! Haah!? My body bent backward and my eyes opened wide. Did this man really say that? If I get engaged with Marianne again I dont have to marry into Baron Nommes family! And since I have a duke family as support, I can be the crown prince again too! Then I can just use the Rosais finances to pay Maxwell a rpensation! Selenawell, I can take her as a concubine, and its all settled! (How low will this man stoop to?) I could tell that all signs of emotion had left my face. How selfish can one be? To force the people around him to move for his sake, with no regards at all for their own circumstances Good, good, its decided! Go call Marianne!! Tell her that Ill let our engagement be mended and Silence. Gwah!? Before I realized it, my right hand grabbed Sullivans neck. He surely never expected something like that to happen: there was nothing but shock and surprise in his eyes. Chancellor? Did you seriously think that my dear daughters life, that the future of the noble house of Rosais, is for you to decide on a whim? Who do you think you are? Iam.crownprin The *former* crown prince, yes? Sullivans face lost color, turning a shade of purple, so I finally released him. He copsed on the floor again, coughing several times. Be thankful that we are in the royal pceif we had met outside, Id have strangled you. Kaahhaahhaahdont thinkyoull getaway with this Oh? He still hadnt spouted all of his nonsense, apparently. I raised a foot and pressed the heel on Sullivans right hand. Gheh!? I wont get away with this? What will you do, then? You, the adopted son of a baron, without a shred of power or authority? What can you do to the head of house Rosais? Say it. F-father will see to it!! The same father said that he will not meet you. He probably doesnt want to even see the face of his idiot of a son. Y-youre lying!! Father would never abandon me! Go confirm that yourself then. Not that you even have the right to request an audience, as you are now. I turned my back to Sullivan. I had no more words for the man. As they say, there is no cure for stupidity. Volume 1 - Ch 6 Clop, clop, clop, clop, clop, clop, clop Several dozen horses trotted across the ins with armed men rode on top of them. The atmosphere surrounding the men was too casual to think they were soldiers: their outfits were alsopletely mismatched. Some of them wore knight-like armor, others wore animal skins haphazardly stitched together to form some sort of clothing. These men were the Crimson Tigers, a gang of horseback thieves that, in recent years, scoured the territories of Viscount Silfis, located in the eastern provinces of the Lamperouge kingdom. The Silfis territory was one of the major producers of crops in the kingdom of Lamperouge: most of the area wasposed of ins. Horseback thieves could easily move across the ins, making them very difficult to deal with and turning them into an endless source of concern for Viscount Silfis. The Crimson Tigers were infamous for their ruthlessness: several viges had already been burned to the ground by them, the vigers murdered brutally. The vige is up ahead, right!? Yes, were very close. Therge, burly man heading the group barked a question, and the lean man riding next to him replied. Therge man bore a fang-like tattoo on his bald head and rugged muscles on his body riddled with scars. He had the aura of a veteran of many battlefields. This man was the leader of the Crimson Tigers: while his real name was unknown, he was wanted and feared with the name of Man-Eating Tiger. The men are going to bring wheat to the lord today, so there should be only women, children and old people in the vige, boss. Its gonna be a feast, heeheehee. The lean man licked his lips. In response, the Man-Eating Tiger snorted. Were not gonna find much if they already carried away the wheatI guess well leave just enough so they wont starve. Were gonna find women, boss. We can do what we want with them, yeah? Yeah, do whatever you want. Just dont take too much time. Loud and clear, boss. Heeheehee. Soon enough, the vige became visible. The vige was surrounded by rtively tall fences, which served to keep out wolves and other beasts. For the horseback invaders, it amounted to paper-thin defenses. The Man-Eating Tiger drew the broadsword on his back and held it high, while deftly controlling the horse with one hand. Listen well, men!! We are beasts! Monsters that feast on human flesh! Kill, rape, take everything you can!! Wooohhh!!! The horseback bandits roared in response to the Man-Eating Tigers shout. A small group of bandits ran ahead of the group and tore down the fences for the rest to rush into the vige. The Crimson Tigers were all experienced in the art of plunder and ughter their leader more than anyone else, of course. The people of such a small, weak vige could not have the means to stop their barbaric acts. A banquet of flesh and blood was about to start. Gwaaahhh!!! The Man-Eating Tiger followed his subordinates inside, hearing screams of agonying from the vige already. Ah? But there, the Man-Eating Tiger froze in his tracks. Apletely unexpected scenery weed him. Ready your bows, fire!!! GWAAAHHH!? For some reason, there were rows of soldiers armed with bows in the vige. The corpses of the bandits who entered the vige first were strewn at their feet. S-shit!! Why are there soldiers in a ce like this!? The Man-Eating Tiger swiftly moved his broadsword to parry the arrows, but one of the arrows he missed struck his horse. The bandit leader jumped away from his copsing horse, rolled on the ground, and quickly got into stance again. Tchcharge, men!! Kill them all!! Wooohhh!! The horseback thieves not felled by the arrows rushed towards the soldiers. Just when they were close enough to attack, however, another group of soldiers appeared at their back, this time armed with spears. They proceeded to charge at the bandits from behind, thrusting their spears into the ruffians. Gwaaahhh!!! B-bosshelpgwfh W-we cant win this!! Run!! The horseback bandits true ability manifested in being able to freely maneuver through wide grasnds: in a small vige with many obstacles, their capabilities amounted to half as much. The bandits were taken out, one after the other. Shit!! The Man-Eating Tiger decided quickly. He ditched his surviving subordinates and fled in direction of the torn fence. He ran desperately, using his broadsword to knock away any subordinates in his way. (They must have found out that we were going to attack this vige! Shitwheres the way out? Where!?) The leader ran for dear life, as the screams of his subordinates grew fainter in the background. Just then A horse, I have to find a horse Youre the Man-Eating Tiger, yeah? !? A young man suddenly appeared at his side. Ive been waiting for you. The Man-Eating Tiger turned around and saw a young man d in knight armor, with a group of soldiers, apparently his subordinates. There were the dead bodies of several bandits at their feet, probably those who attempted to escape before. Who are you, bastard!? Definitely not someone a filthy thief can call a bastardthe names Dyngir. Not that it means anything at this point shrugged the young man. DyngirMaxwell!? Why are you here!? The eastern provinces are Maxwell turf. We dont directly rule over this area, but theres no reason why we cant be here, is there? This is bullshit!! Well, if you really want to know, as the next lord of thesends, I feel like I have to protect my little brothers, see? So I figured I could take a load off the shoulders of my precious vassal. Dyngir chuckled and drew his sword. The dull glow of his de was very different from the ceremonial des nobles often wielded. It was not a decoration, but a fine tool made for killing. Come get yours already. Ill do you a favor and take you one on one. Dyngir pointed his sword at the Man-Eating Tiger and grinned yfully. None of the soldiers even tried to dissuade their lord. They were positive he would win, apparently. Dont get so cocky, brat!! The Man-Eating Tiger held his broadsword high, lept forward, and took advantage of the momentum to swing it down. Despite hisrge body, his movements were very agile. You look like a tiger all right. Even before the bandits killer strike, Dyngir was as nonchnt as ever. He easily sidestepped the attack and swung his sword in return. And done. !? Dyngir swung his sword twice: the first sh cut off the bandits hands holding the broadsword, the second opened a deep gash on his legs. The hands used to hold a weapon were gone, and he now had lost the use of his legs to escape. The Man-Eating Tiger, having lost control of his limbs, could only fall face down on the ground. Ghaahhaahit hur.huurtssss.! Stop the blood and drop him off at the inspectors ce. Make sure he cant kill himself. Yes sir! My, that was splendid. One man stepped forward, congratting Dyngir on his victory. To cut down the Man-Eating Tiger so easilyyour swordy was something to behold. Hehehe! Thevish praise and creepy chuckle came from the lean man that rode into the vige alongside the leader of the bandits. Ah, thanks for your help too. Sorry to have you do something so troublesome. Not at all, troublesome tasks are my line of work after allhehe. The lean man was a spy sent by Dyngir to infiltrate the Crimson Tigers. Thanks to his information, they could prepare a trap for the horseback bandits this time. Ill send someone with your rewardter. Ill be counting on you again if somethinges up. Yes, naturally, sirby the way, was there a reason to leave that man alive? The lean man spoke while looking at the soldiers tying the Man-Eating Tiger and carrying him away. My men have already taken over the Crimson Tigers hideout, so I dont think theres anything to gain by interrogating that man, honestly. Heeheehee Oh yeah, about that. Dyngir picked up the broadsword used by the Man-Eating Tiger. This is a pretty good sword, isnt it? Its dirty with mud and blood right now, but it was made with good metal. Its not some mass-produced thing, but a one of a kind genuine product of fine cksmithing. Itd fetch a fair bit of money on the market. Yes? What are you talking about, sir? The lean man was puzzled by the sudden change of topic. Dyngir did not seem to care, however, and continued. Its the same for the other bandits weapons. You cant find high-quality gear like this just by plundering viges. There has to be a sponsor backing them up. Someone pulling the strings, sir? Yeah, my first bet is the empire. Then, a central noble that wanted to take us down a peg. The dark horse is the Lamperouge royal family. Dyngir tossed away the broadsword and wiped his hands with his sleeve as if he had touched something disgustingly filthy. In any case, theres plenty of stuff to ask him, so hes not going to have an easy death. Poor guy. .heehee. (What a terrifying personmuch more than these thieves) The lean man looked up to the sky, as chills ran down his spine. After the horseback thieves were finished, I was at the viges well, wiping blood off my weapons. We had informed the vigers about the operation in advance, so they were now returning from the shelters, little by little. Among them, there were also some innocent-looking girls. (Hmm, the women here arent half bad either. Pure, naive beauty, like a wildflower blooming in the grasndsI could do two or three before going back) As I was gazing at the young female vigers happily confirming each others safety, one of my subordinates ran up to me. Lord Dyngir!! A messenger from Margrave Maxwell!! There are orders for you to return to the castle immediately, my lord!! Tch, whats the damn hurry? My expectations of a good time were abruptly interrupted, so I replied with an annoyed tone. The messenger looked terrified of having soured my mood as he continued his report. M-my deepest apologies. A-apparently, Baron Nommes and his son inw wish to see you at all costs Haha! I see, so they came! Maybe startled by my loud reaction, the vigers in the surroundings quickly scattered. The young girls I enjoyed looking at so much were gone, but I was in very good spirits nheless. Im going back to the Maxwell territory! Those who can leave right now,e with me!! Eeh!? Y-young master!? I ignored my subordinates booing, hopped on my horse, and galloped away. (Hahahawee to the outer provinces, o former crown princeyoull enjoy your life in the countryside.) Volume 1 - Ch 7 Lord Dyngir, the guests are here. Oh, theyve arrived? It was the day after the extermination of the horseback bandits in the Silfis territory and my return to the Maxwell castle. Today was the day scheduled for the meeting with Baron Nommes and Sullivan. Nnh..aah..ah..ah Well, its not like theyre important guests or anything, they can wait a bit longer. Aahnyoung master! HmmI wonder what kind of face the crown prince is going to make. When he realizes that the man hes always looked down on is making him wait Youngaahmasterfeelsso good Oh really now. I suppose we could enjoy yourselves a bit more. Incidentally, I was presently *working out* with Eliza on the bed. The current time was noon, but I didnt really care about the time of day for my *workouts*. When I was back in my house, whenever I wasnt working, I was usually together with the maids. .sigh. Whats with you, Sakuya? If you have something on your mind, Ill listen. The young girl, now looking at us with a jaded look on her face, was one of the maids working in the castle who came to announce the guests arrival. Her name was Sakuya: she had ck hair and ck eyes, a rarebination in this kingdom. Her cold, strict expression clearly showed she did not find my behavior at all proper. I shall take your permission to speak then. Lord Dyngir, while you might be known for your vigor, to skip both breakfast and lunch to indulge in lustful acts cannot be healthy. I must ask you to take better care of yourself. Please understand the feelings of those who serve under you. Nnhaahaahn It is a servants duty to care for their masters health. Please, at least have a light meal. Being scolded by a maid younger than myself, I couldnt help but feel awkward. I paused for a moment and sat on the bed. On the battlefield, its not rare to go half a day or more without eating, though. This is your residence, my lord, not the battlefield. It would be an eternal shame for a maid to let the master starve. Hmmguess that cant be helped. Bring me something quick, anything is fine. Yes, my lord. I thought you might say that, so I have already made preparations. Sakuya took out a basket from who knows where and showed it to me. It contained toasted bread, bacon, slices of fruit, and more. Looks good, give it here. Yes, if you will excuse me. I stretched a hand to grab the basket, but Sakuya dodged it and slipped inside the bed. if you wanted to join in, you should have just said so. To not speak of such matters openly is what they call gracefulness. Say aah, my lord. aah. Have some egg, then. Aah. Sakuya fed me, like a mother hen would do to her chick. She was as expressionless as before, but her lips seemed to be curved in a faint smile. Thank you for the mealso now its my turn. Aaahn As expected, it didnt end with just eating. After the meal I had Sakuya as dessert. I took care of Eliza too, at the same time of course, forgetting about the passing time. Ipletely forgot about my guests and relished repeatedly in my two partners. ~ Sorry for the wait. I ended up ying with them until the house steward couldnt stand it anymore and barged into my room. I put on some clothes and went to the waiting room. There were three men in the waiting room, who each reacted to my arrival in their own way. he really made us wait this long. The barely audible whisper came from the cause of the whole engagement breakupmotion, former crown prince Sullivan Lamperouge. Well, now that hes been erased from the royal register, I should say Sullivan Nommes. I hadnt seen Sullivan in a few months: he looked a bit leaner than before. Maybe because of the long time he had to wait, I could see the humiliation on his face. O-oh no, sir, we must apologize for taking time from your busy schedule Thepletely apologetic tone came from the bowed head of Baron Thomas Nommes. The same man who had exhibited an impable prostrated posture when he came to apologize for his daughters misdeeds one month ago. He also looked almost emaciated as he wiped copious amounts of sweat from his forehead. The third guest was a young man in his early twenties. You arethe firstborn of house Nommes, right? Your name was Cray Nommes, young master. Cray Nommes was casually wearing an elegant formal suit: he looked quite different from his father in many ways. He took a nonchnt attitude while sending a criticizing look in my direction. Oh yes, now I remember. Sorry. Oh no, there is no need for you to remember the name of the man that, because of his younger sisters fiance, lost his inheritance rights, young master. None at all. C-Cray!! Do not disrespect the young master!! Cray reacted to his fathers rebuke by shrugging and smiling wryly. I see, Sullivan marrying into the Nommes family also meant that Cray lost his spot as next in line for the baron title. Sullivan had been erased from the royal register, but Baron Nommes probably thought that since he still had royal blood in his veins, he had to nominate Sullivan as his sessor. I must apologize for what youve been through. I will prepare a new job and house for you, Cray. Im thankful to hear that. I suppose it was worth it toe all the way here. I had met Cray Nommes a few times before on social asions, but it was the first time we actually talked. He seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and was brave as wellpretty interesting guy, (I might have actually found a hidden gem here. While Baron Nommes might have picked the wrong person as sessor) After considering such thoughts, I formally asked the reason for their visit. So, to what do I owe the pleasure today? Oh, yesSullivan, who married into the Nommes family recently, wished to formally greet you, my lord. ..!! After Baron Nommes spoke, Sullivan turned a fiery shade of red and red at him. He was clearly infuriated to hear a mere baron address him without any titles or honorifics. (Mph, if you get pissed over every little thing like that, youre not going tost long around here) I mentally scoffed at Sullivan, then replied in an affected tone. Oh my, I am grateful for your courtesy. You have an upstanding, polite son-inw, Baron Nommes. Sullivan picked up what my words implied and his expression twisted even more. Dripping sweat from his forehead, Baron Nommes looked at Sullivan and me. Sullivan stared at the clenched fists on hisp for a moment and then eventually resolved to bow his head. I must apologize for my past disrespect. As the sessor to house Nommes, Ill tryI shall strive to prove my worththus Iam at your service. Yes, do your best. Let us do our utmost for the prosperity of the eastern provinces, together. You as the next baron of house Nommes, I as the next margrave of house Maxwell. Ghunderstood Sullivans head was still lowered, so I couldnt see his expression. The fists clenched on hisp, however, were visibly shaking, surely out of anger and humiliation. (Good, very good. You have finally realized your mistakes, havent you? The move I tried on the royal pce was really worth it.) Hahaha, lets do away with the formalities and have some tea, shall we? Im going to brew some for you. I felt a weight was taken off my chest and was in very good spirits as I took the teapot. The man who insulted the margrave house as country bumpkins was now shaking and lowering his head to me. It was a joy to see and experience. I had been working for this since the engagement breakup events. All in order to drag down this ignorant son of royalty, make him crawl in the mud, and step all over him. (Thats all folks, with this my debt is repaid.) Feeling all merry and lighthearted, I personally made tea for the guests. Th-thank you very much. Baron Nommes took the cup with shaking hands and took a sip. He couldnt endure the atmosphere, probably: the teacup ttered against his teeth. I wondered if he was even tasting the tea. . Sullivan, on the other hand, was still there with his head hanging down and wouldnt even touch the cup. Ooh! Delicious!! This teaes from the Trafalgar region in the south, doesnt it? The exmation of cheer came from Cray Nommes. Of the three guests, one not only enjoyed the tea, but even guessed where it came from. Ooh, you can tell? Yes, the pleasant temperature and climate there make it possible to raise high-quality tea leaves, its easy to tell. I enjoy them too, though I have never drunk fine ones such as these, naturally. Hahaha, I love these leaves too. Here, have another cup. dly, thank you. Cray and I had a delightful chat while enjoying the tea. (I repaid my debt to Sullivan and even made a new tea friend. Today was a really fruitful day!) W-well then, we shouldnt impose on the young masters hospitality too long, we should be going now. Baron Nommes waited for the conversation between me and Cray to die down and proposed they should leave. Naturally, he couldnt wait to get out of this situation. It would be pointless to keep them, so I epted. I see. Thank you and sorry for chatting so long, Cray. Oh no, I enjoyed myself very much. Thank you for the tea. Lets drink again sometime. I have some good wine from the empire. That will be an honor, young master. Until next time then. Yes, farewell. Cray and I said our goodbyes. Normally, guests would then simply leave. One of them, however, still hadnt stood up from his seat. Hey, its time for us to go. Sullivan? And that guest was Sullivan. Even if the baron, who had stood up already, nudged him to go, he wouldnt move an inch. Sullivan,e on. After his father-inw nudged him several more times, Sullivan finally stood up, slowly. He weakly wobbled towards me, a face pale like a ghost. There was no more humiliation in his expression. His eyes, void of all life, showed something like regret and obsession. SirDyngirMaxwell Hm? What? Sullivans sudden change made me wary he was up to something: I replied while gripping the hilt of my sword. I prudently waited for his next move, ready for anything to happen, but Sullivans words took mepletely by surprise. Im sorry!! Im really sorry for taking your fiancee!! Ill apologize as much as you want, Ill do anything you want, so let me be the crown prince again!! You whaat!?! I was so surprised my body bent backward. W-what has gotten into you!? Baron Nommes was equally surprised: he shouted as if he had been bitten by something out of the blue. I cannot endure it anymore! The barons household or this province!! All my life, I was raised to be the king and nothing else!! I was never taught how to live as a penniless baron in the countryside!! As if something very important had snapped in his head, Sullivans expression now showed nothing but insanity. it hasnt even been a long time since you married into the barons family. You are quite frail, arent you. I sighed out of pity. I did think that, sooner orter, he woulde crying to me, but to think that he would do so at this time (If this guy bes king, this country is done for. I had him kicked out of the royal family to teach him a lesson, but I guess it was a move much wiser than I expected.) As I was relishing such thoughts, Baron Nommes started yelling at Sullivan. What foolishness do I have to hear! This *forsaken* marriage has been registered already! The ceremony is next week, for heavens sake! How can you think you could return to being the crown prince at this point? What would you do about Selena, anyway!? SeSelena Sullivan started mumbling after hearing the name of his beloved. After looking around helplessly for a while Selena, IIll return her to Sir Dyngir. Wha!? .aah? Yet again, Sullivan said something unbelievable. Baron Nommes expression turned severe, naturally, so did mine. Despite all the ruckus he raised about true love, now that he was in trouble, he betrayed her in a heartbeat. He was truly nothing but scum, both as a man and as a human being. Even if our rtionship was no more, it was still irritating to see my ex-fiancee being treated as lightly as that. Baron Nommes had been rendered speechless: in his stead, Cray raised his voice. Sullivan!! Do you even realize what youre saying? Crays nonchnt attitude was no more: he was now sharply ring at Sullivan. I-I mean, its not like I can help it!! Rebuked by his brother-inw, Sullivan faltered a little but quickly started making excuses again. I never thought it woulde to this! It was just a little slip, both getting with Selena and dumping Marianne! So why do I have to put up with all this!? It was just one mistake, one! I worked hard since I was a kid to be the king, and its all over because of one mistake? It doesnt make sense!! That was definitely what Sullivan honestly thought. Because of a temporary whim, a fickleness of the heart, he ended up causing a wholemotion. A rushed decision based on a crush: it certainly wasnt a rare event during youth. (I also had rather embarrassing feelings towards Eliza in the past. Nevertheless) Sullivan, however, had caused too much trouble for too many people in thismotion. The fact that a provincial margrave and a dukes families were the victims was the worst thing that could happen to him. (If only he had kept the engagement breakup private, it might have been possible to pretend nothing happenednow that the scandal has spread, there is no going back.) Even if Sullivans words had the tiniest shred of truth to them, not one of the people present would be moved by them. No one could turn back the hands of time, after all. Just one mistakeyes, I suppose thats true. Y-yes! Thats right! Do you understand!? Sullivans face turned bright after hearing me agree. you utter fool. I guess it might not make sense to lose everything after one single mistake. But all this whining is not bing of someone that is supposed to stand above others. Eh? Someone that stands above others, be it a king or a local lord, sways the fates of many with a single decision. Retainers, soldiers, citizensthe lives of many depends on a single decision from them. A single mistake might cause a whole country to fall into ruin, depending on the circumstances. Someone that minimizes the importance of his decisions as a single mistake isnt fit to be the king. Er, ah.eh? Sullivan probably failed to grasp the meaning of my words, as he just mumbled incoherently. There is no cure for stupidityrealizing that these words were proven true just before my eyes, my lips twisted. Well, putting aside the difficult wordsfilthy scum like you is never going back to the royal family. Its for this kingdoms sake. What.! Im a bastard too, but youre worse. Just give up. Sullivan finally appeared to understand what I meant and turned beet red. I-I even bowed my head to you!! I, the crown prince!! Youre not the crown prince anymore, right? Its time to face reality, son-inw of a baron. Y-you!! Sullivans hand went to the sword at his waist. My eyes narrowed, and I exhaled sharply. (He hasnt realized his position yet, has hethis is hopeless. I guess I should just kill him.) I decided to end the life of the foolish man before me. Sullivan had been disinherited but was still of royal descent. If I killed him, there would definitely be a heavy penalty from the royal family. However, we were in the eastern province. The area under the influence of house Maxwell. It would be all too easy to have one persons whereabouts be unknown. There were plenty of reasons why a demoted crown prince would *mysteriously disappear*, so we had plenty of excuses we could use with the royal family. Anyway, I didnt even need to draw my sword against scum like him. I just needed one arm to kill a snotty brat who hadnt stepped on a battlefield his whole life. I prepared a palm thrust to take care of his throat first, when Please forgive uuuuuuuus!!! Hbuh? Whow!? Baron Nommes prostrated himself. He grabbed Sullivans and Crays heads, pushed them to the floor, and rubbed them against it too. Please forgive my son-inws terrible disrespect!! Hisck of learning is all my responsibility!! Please take my head in his stead!! ooh. A prostration that was as dazzling as ever. To think I would see such incredible prostrating in such a short span of time My deepest apologies, my lord. My brother-inw is regretting what he did, as you can see, so please grant us your forgiveness. Gbah!! Ghah!! Guh! Y-you littlegheh! Thud, thud, thud, thud. Cray smashed Sullivans head against the floor, over and over and over. Eventually, he started spraying blood from his face every time he raised it, as he gradually lost consciousness. Hahahaout of respect for such an excellent apology, I will forget about what happened today. Well, how can I say thisgood luck to you. Our deepest gratitude to you, my lord!! We are grateful from the bottom of our heartswhoops! Gheh Cray gave one powerful final push to Sullivans head. It was probably the coup de grace to his consciousness: the pitiful former crown prince stopped movingpletely. Oh my, looks like my brother-inw drifted off to sleep because of fatigue. He was surely nervous because of meeting the young master. That cannot do! We should take our leave quickly, lest we bother the young master! take care, both of you. The Nommes duo exhibited perfect coordination as they lifted Sullivans body and left the Maxwell residence. Despite how little they resembled each other, there apparently was a great affinity between them. I felt that what I did ended up inconveniencing them too and regretted it a little. Volume 1 - Ch 8 POV : Selena Nommes Today is my wedding day. I was sitting by myself in the brides waiting room. There was no one else in the room. The maids left as soon as they finished helping me don the dress. The dress I was wearing was the same one my mother wore for her wedding. Ever since I was a child, I always dreamed of wearing my mothers dress for my own wedding. Several years after that, my dream had finallye true. My heart, however, was mired in deep, dark sadness. Why did things turn out like this? I was supposed to be happy. To be celebrated by everyone, to be one with the person I loved, to reach a happy ending like in the fairytales. However, reality was different. More than half of the invitation letters I sent to my friends and acquaintances were returned to the sender, the seal still unbroken. Even the maids who made preparations for the ceremony looked like they were just putting up a front and did not wish me well from their hearts. Where did I go wrong? The answer to that question was clear, but my heart refused to ept it. What did I do wrong? Where did I stray off the right path? I recalled my life until now. ~ Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a princess. A princess just like in the picture books myte mother read to me. My mother was crippled by sickness even before she gave birth to me. As long as I could remember, she was confined to her bed. Father desperately sought a cure for her, desperate enough to even borrow money from Lord Maxwell, but could not find anything in the end. I loved my mother and often slipped inside her bed, begging her to read me stories. Thinking about it now, that might have worsened her conditionbut mother always listened to my requests, even when she was feeling worse than usual. Dont worry, Selena, one day a prince wille for you My mother used to tell me that every time she finished reading a picture book, patting my head. The words dont worrywere what my mother said to convince herself, maybe. Mother probably felt she wouldnt live the day to see me grow up, so she said that to dispel her worries about my future. Sometime after my mothers death, a man iming to be my older brother came to the house. Father had sired a child with another woman. Youre Selena, right? Nice to meet you. I dont know you!! Eh? Ah, wait! I always avoided my brother. I couldnt believe father had cheated on mother, nor could I ever forgive him. I couldnt ept the existence of my brother. Even if the decision came from my fathers position as head of the family, as my sickly mother could not give birth to a male heir. Even if my mother was aware of my fathers infidelity and gave her permission. I could never forgive them. Not my father, nor my brother. Then it happened father arranged a fiance for me. Cheers Selena: I have the perfect fiance for you. I was thirteen when I became engaged. He was the sessor of the house of Margrave Maxwell Lord Dyngir. Im Dyngir Maxwell. Nice to meet you. Lord Dyngir introduced himself in this friendly way. At first, I nned to act disrespectfully towards my fiance, in order to shame my father. The moment I saw lord Dyngirs face, however, such thoughtspletely vanished from my head. Eek..!! Whats wrong? The first thing I felt when I saw Lord Dyngirs face was fear. At first nce, Lord Dyngir looked like a friendly, quiet young man. But I couldnt shake the feeling that something unfathomable, something more beast than human, was hiding inside him. Yes, something like the dragon that kidnaps the princess in the fairytales (What was the name of that terrible dragon? All ck, asrge as a mountainthe name of the dragon sent chills down your spine just by saying it) I didnt know why I felt like that, but it might have been because of my mothers blood. Mother was a priestess in the royal capitals sanctuary until she married my father. Lord Dyngir has taken the enemymanders head in thest battle with the empire! Father talked about Lord Dyngirs military exploits, to exin what an incredible person he was. Who would start liking a person because they heard how they killed other people, I wondered. My days of despair started like that. Lord Dyngir was apparently aware that just looking at him scared me witless, so he tried to gain my favor by sending me flowers and other gifts any chance he had. To me, however, it looked like the evil dragon was just saying sweet words to lure the prey closer. Father and even my brother tried to help me and Lord Dyngir grow closer, but their actions always had the opposite effect: I hated them both, after all. The rtionship between Lord Dyngir and I never improved. Eventually, the day came when we would go to the royal capital and enroll in the royal academy. ~ That day was simply unforgettable. On the day of my birthday, I visited the academys rear flower garden. The academy had a flower garden both in the inner and rear courtyards, but most students visited the inner courtyards flower garden, as it wasrger and close to the academy buildings. Few people ever visited the rear garden, so it was perfect to think about things on my own. Phewwhat should I do with this? I sat on a bench, with a birthday gift I received from my fiance in my hands. It was a silver bracelet adorned with emerald gems, the same color as my eyes. its so pretty. Why does he send me such beautiful things, every time Lord Dyngirs presents were always exquisite. If only he sent somethingpletely inappropriate, I could just throw it awaybut his presents always matched my tastes so perfectly, so I ended up epting them every time. How does Lord Dyngir know my tastes so well? I was terrified just thinking about it. one more year The following year, Lord Dyngir and I would graduate from the academy. I would then be Lord Dyngirs bride. I was scared to death of that day. I didnt want to be with him even for one secondhow could I ever spend my life at his side? Uuh. Tears started falling naturally, trailing on my cheeks and dripping on the bracelet. Ah!! .eh? I heard someones surprised voice and raised my head, finding a man standing there. Hair shining like gold, pearly white skin. Eyes as blue as the sky. A noble young man, just like a prince from the fairytales. He was the kingdoms crown prince, Sullivan Lamperouge. I apologize if I bothered you. I didnt think anyone except me ever visited this garden, you see. N-no, I must apologize instead! I hurriedly stood up from the bench, but before I could, Sullivans handkerchief was gently caressing my cheeks. Ah Please, sit down. It is a gentlemans duty to wipe a womans tears. T-thats I timidly lowered my eyes, but Lord Sullivan smiled softly and continued wiping my tears. Before I realized it, I had already stopped crying. My heart beat like crazy instead. Who would ever think that a low ss noble like me could ever have the chance to speak with the prince? When I saw you, I thought a flower fairy hade to this garden. Eeh.!? I ended up shouting in response to Lord Sullivans words. I hurriedly apologized for my bad manners, but Lord Sullivans warm smile made me forget everything. Im the same as you, actually. When cruel things happen to me and I feel like crying, I alwayse to this ce. Cruel things? I couldnt believe such a perfect-looking prince had any troubles. You see, actually Lord Sullivan then started talking. Surprisingly, his worries were very simr to mine. Lord Sullivan also suffered because of the person he was engaged to. Lord Sullivans fiancee, Lady Marianne, was a youngdy that could be said to be without fault. She was very proud, however, and looked down on other students, as she was going to be the future queen. She does not wish to be my wife: all she wants is to be enthroned as queen, to rule over this country. She is just using me for that end, there is no love between us. Oh mythat is horrible! Lord Sullivan, you are such a gentle, wonderful person, and yetwhy are you forced to marry such a person!? You are the only person who ever said something like that to meMarianne isyes, like one of those evil witches from the fairytales. Those words made me feel even closer to him. A perfect fairytale prince, with the same problems as me. For some reason, it made me really happy. When I revealed my own troubles Lord Sullivan consoled me kindly. I see, we are the same, arent we. Yes That was how I met Lord Sullivan. That day onwards, our rtionship progressed at a fast pace. (My prince finally came for me) This prince will surely y the evil dragon and save me, or so I fully believed. I believed that there was no way the prince would lose to the dragon, even though I had no proof. Lord Sullivan and I continued to meet secretly in the rear flower garden, deepening our rtionship. When we were together, I could feel at peace. A feeling of pure bliss, something I had not felt since my mother died, filled my heart. Our forbidden love, hidden from our fiances, burned brighter the more we saw each other, and eventually passed the point of no return. Lord Sullivan invited me to one of his residences. I went there, avoiding being seen by anyone, and we became one. Selena, I want you to marry me. On the bed, embraced by Sullivan, tears flowed from my eyes. His arms, as warm as the sun, filled my body withfort. His gentle words thawed my frozen heart. Lord Sullivan caressed my head as I wept uncontrobly. Surrounded by his warmth, I replied. dly, my prince. ~ Eventually the fated day came. My noble prince set out to y the evil dragon. Dyngir Maxwell!! I hereby dere your engagement to Selena void!! Lord Sullivan so announced to Lord Dyngir. Lord Dyngir expounded on how breaking an engagement was something unjust, but Lord Sullivan faced him without fear. He was just like a brave hero armed with his holy sword. His forceful words dispelled all fear from my heart. I never thought I could ever see the day when I could speak my true feelings to my terrifying fiance. the cancetion of the engagement is epted, for the time being. We shall contact the royal house officially in the near future. When I heard Lord Dyngirs words, tears of happiness started streaming down my cheeks. I was finally released from the grip of that monster of a man, I was free atst. Selena! Lord SullivanI am so happy! We embraced each other, without regard for the people watching. The garden was crowded, everyone was looking at us. But it mattered little to me. I will bring you happiness, Selena. I will never let you gonever. Lord SullivanLord SullivanI love you, Lord Sullivan!! It all felt like a dream, like the ending of our fairytale. The evil dragon had fallen before the brave prince and the princess was rescued. The two became one and lived happily ever after. ~ The time of bliss, which I thought wouldst forever, ended immediately instead. so? Is that all you have to say? Lord Sullivan? AhnoI We were overjoyed by Lord Dyngirs unexpectedly quick eptance of the broken engagement, but it did notst long: words as chilling as cold water rained upon us. Lord Sullivans fiancee, Lady Marianne Rosais. Before her, Lord Sullivan, who was a noble fairytale prince just moments ago, faltered and wavered. Lady Marianne, surrounded by people probably her servants looked down at the fearful Lord Sullivan from her seat, as if she was utterly bored. I had heard from Lord Sullivan about Lady Mariannes awful personality, but I did not expect her to be such a harsh person. Lord Sullivan used Lady Marianne of mistreating me, pointing out the rumors that she made secret connections with the empire and more. I had never heard such rumors, nor was I ever treated badly by her. It was my first time meeting Lady Marianne, after all. I was surprised and looked at Lord Sullivan, but he did not spare a nce at me. I am afraid all of this is simply ridiculous. Did I make secret connections with the empire? Do you have any evidence? There was no evidence, of course: Lord Sullivans excuses were all made on the spot. It was clear that there was no truth in them. Lady Marianne sighed helplessly, then started preaching endlessly about how Lord Sullivans conduct was unfit for his title of the crown prince. When Lord Sullivan waspletely devastated, Lady Marianne said herst words. You wish to annulour engagement, yes? That is fine. Let our rtionship end here and now. Lord Sullivans expression turned brighter. The words that followed, however, froze it again. I shall duly inform my father, the chancellor. About Lord Sullivans infidelity and your false usations towards me as well. Rest assured I shall spare no details. Please prepare to receive a fitting punishment for your actions. I trust you do not believe you will be king without the support of house Rosais, yes? Ahert-thats Lord Sullivan was visibly shaken and could not speak clearly. My beloved prince was troubled and cornered, so I overcame my fear and managed to speak. L-Lady Marianne! Lord Sullivan is the crown prince!! Your words overstep your bounds!! Do you know who you are talking to? Those of lower rank should not speak to those of higher rank, as the unspoken rule of high society goes. Shame on you, you miserable daughter of a baron! Whipped by Lady Mariannes harsh words, I shook in anger. (Shes really an evil witchjust like Lord Sullivan said) I-I am Lord Sullivans lover Ah, youre the mistress. How filthy. F-filthy? No, thats I would have cared nothing about whatever you two did after my engagement with His Highness was broken. Until proper procedures are taken, however, we are engaged. I have no ears to be soiled by the words of a woman who would lust after an engaged man. Do not speak another word, if you please. H-how can you say something so cruel? What did I ever do to you? What did you do? Well, I suppose you should tell me where you went in the evening two days ago. You left a request to spend the night outside the dormitory, did you not? Ah. Lady Mariannes words left me frozen too. It was the day Lord Sullivan and I became one for the first time. Did you perhaps take me for an ignorant fool? Margrave Maxwells heir was unaware of your rtionship, apparently, but that is only because he only exhibited the least possible interest in your affairs. Did you really think your childish attempts to conceal your tryst would deceive the eyes of house Rosais? Ah, Ithatsbut I nned to overlook everything if it was meant to be a trifle, but now that things turned out like this, I will have no mercy. I have enough evidence for your infidelity, which I shall submit to the attention of His Majesty the King. How long will His Majesty protect you before He must abandon you? That will be something to see. Lord Sullivan and I were both too shocked to move. Our rtionship was exposed since who knows when. We had been found out, just left alone. If you will excuse me, thenoh, andgoodbye, my former fiance. W-wait!! Oh no, I shant do that. I have no duty to obey your words anymore. Lord Sullivan attempted to cling to Lady Marianne nheless, but her servants stopped him. Lady Marianne thus left, her graceful manners never leaving her person even a moment. Her noble and proud silhouette made me think for a moment that she was the perfect image of a queen. Worried, I took Lord Sullivans hand. The hand that caressed my head so gently when we were in bed together was now trembling ever so slightly. Lord Sullivan Its all right, dont worry. SelenaIll protect you no matter what. Father will never abandon meso dont worry . Lord Sullivans face was stretched thin, his eyes wide open and bloodshot. He talked as if he wanted to convince himself more than me. The noble prince that bravely faced off Lord Dyngir waspletely gone, leaving a husk filled with worry, fear, and traces of regret. He was a fairytale prince no more, but a very realistic figure of a man driven to desperation. My heart, on the other hand, was filled with concern for a future I could not predict anymore. ~ What awaited us next was fall after fall. Before we could do anything, Lord Sullivan was removed from the royal register and forced to marry into the Nommes house. Father and brother condemned Lord Sullivan and me: because of us, Margrave Maxwell now viewed the Nommes with disfavor. After marrying into my family, Lord Sullivan was at first confident that he would soon return to the royal family and sent many letters to His Majesty the King and his friends among powerful nobles in the royal capital. However, Lord Sullivan gradually grew irritated by the fact that no reply ever came and eventually started yelling at me. The gentle prince was nowhere to be seen. No, maybe this was Lord Sullivans true self. If only you didnt exist I pretended not to notice glimmers of such feelings in Lord Sullivans eyes and continued living while interacting with my father and brother as little as possible. Then today eventually came I was going to be Lord Sullivans bride. The bride of a man who lost everything. A bride not blessed by her family, friends, or anyone else. Lady Selena, the preparations for the ceremony areplete. This way, please. yes, Iming. I replied to the maid who came to call me and stood up from my chair. The beautiful dress left by my beloved mother. The pure white dress I dreamed of wearing now seemed soiled by invisible, indescribable stains. Volume 1 - Ch 9 Margrave Maxwell manor, study. I was sitting at the desk, looking at documents, a rarity for me. I was more of an outdoor person: even for work, I usually preferred to be in the field, giving orders directly. Not everything could be done that way, of course, so sometimes I took care of the paperwork. Presently in the study, there were only two people: me and my father, the current Margrave Maxwell. It felt somewhat awkward working alone with my father. I had nothing to talk about with him and the mood was kind of tense. Father seemed ufortable too: I found him ncing my way a few times while we worked. He could have gone ahead and spoken up if he had something to say, but apparently he found it as difficult as me to find a topic. The awkward mood was finally disrupted when a third party entered the study. Excuse me, my lord, young master. The third-party was the house steward. He usually called me Lord Dyn, like he did when I was a child, but, when I worked, he would use the term young master. I have presently returned. I apologize for making you wait. Yes, thank you for your hard work. My father, looking very relieved, greeted the house steward. The house steward had participated in the wedding ceremony of house Nommes in my stead. The wedding ceremony of young Lady Nommes and Lord Sullivan was held without a hitch. They were extremely pleased by the congrattory presents and entrusted me with a return gift as well. I see, good to know that everything went well. My father sighed in relief. Naturally, I had reported everything about Sullivans rampage when he came to visit. Sullivan had gone so far as to say hed give his fiancee, Selena, back to me. Father was surely worried whether he would actually be in the ceremony. Excellent, like the old man said. How did the ceremony go? The house steward nodded and started exining. The close rtives of house Nommes all participated in the ceremony, but house Efreeta, house Silfis, house Ondine, and other direct retainers of house Maxwell were not present. Well yeah, I suppose they wouldnt. What about the nobles from the capital? Some friends of Lord Sullivan were present, but they were all counts or lower-ranked nobles. Duke and marquis houses only sent messengers, apparently. I see. The royal familys powerful nobles hadpletely abandoned Sullivan then. About the same time as Sullivan and Selenas marriage was officially registered, the royal family announced that Sullivans younger brother, the second-born prince, was the new crown prince. The reason why Sullivan was removed from his position as crown prince was not that He picked a fight with house Rosais and house Maxwell, but embellished as He found true love. ording to the royal familys announcement, Sullivan had fallen in love with a low rank noble. A forbidden love between a man and a woman already engaged to others. In order to be with his true love, Sullivan voluntarily relinquished his title of the crown prince and cut all ties with the royal family. Moved by their pure love, house Rosais and house Maxwell gave their blessings to their union, thus Sullivan married into the house of Baron Nommesor so the announcement said. (Duke Rosais wrote the plot, I guess. Its almost admirable how they can serve the royal family, despite being betrayed like that.) I silently praised Duke Rosais, a model of nobility in my eyes, then crossed my arms and thought out loud. Now theres zero chance for Sullivan to ever return to the royal family. Will that unstable fool ept this situation though? You talk as if you have nothing to do with itthat all happened because you pushed him too hard, didnt it? Father sighed hopelessly and rebuked me. He picked a fight with me first. Without proper retaliation, the Maxwell houses reputation would have suffered, wouldnt it? My fiancee was snatched away and I was humiliated in public: if I just sucked it up and did nothing, it would look like the Maxwell house was the royal familyspdog. Even if the royal family was superior in rank, we needed to show that they couldnt just do anything they wanted. Besides, looking at the results, Im pretty sure its a good thing that guy isnt the crown prince anymore. If he became king, the country would definitely fall in chaos. I know that much. Father shook his head even more hopelessly, then continued. What I want to say is that there was no need to force him on the Nommes house! If that wretched imbecile bes the next Baron Nommes, the province will definitely suffer! Wretched imbecile? The old man sure had a way with words too. Well, after knowing of Sullivans recent rampage, I suppose it would be normal to describe him like that. I agreepletely about that. Having him marry into the Nommes could have been shallow thinking on my part. I spread my arms wide and expressed agreement with my fathers words. Father was rubbing his temples, as if trying to suppress a headache. (I made him worryhis hair will get even whiter than before.) I looked at my fathers pate and regretted giving him more things to worry about a little. I had no intention of troubling my father, nor did I wish the eastern province to fall into disarray. So I was honestly sorry that my actions resulted in this oue. Anyway, dont worry about it, father. I have an idea about how to deal with Sullivan. I sowed the seeds, so it was time to reap them. To be perfectly honest, now that I had dragged him off the crown prince throne and tossed him into the baron house, I had little interest left in Sullivan, but I had to carry out my responsibility until the end. what are you plotting this time? Lord Dyn, please do not overdo it Haha, dont call me that when Im working. Its all right, I wont overdo anything, nor will I trouble the old man this time. I meant to ease their concerns, but both the house steward and father looked even more apprehensive than before. (They dont trust me one bit, huhoh well.) You really dont need to worry, okay? Im not going to do anythingplicated. If Sullivan acts in a way fitting to his current status, then okay. If he doesnt, then Ill just do what my position as the margraves heirpels me to. I am just going to give Sullivan a *test of loyalty*, to see if hes fitting to be a noble of the eastern province. Is that so, anyway, I leave it all to you. And you will not regret that you did. You might as well leave those documents to me too, I already finished my share. I took the documents from my fathers exhausted hands and continued doing my job as the margraves heir. There was still some time left before a newmotion struck the eastern province of the Lamperouge kingdom. Volume 1 - Ch 10 Thergest city in the Maxwell territory was the district capital, Avalon. Located in the heart of the territory, Avalon was a city of two faces. One was its daytime face: as thergestmercial district of the eastern provinces, it housed a market frequented by tradersing and going from the central, northern, and southern provinces. The market was also crowded with merchants from the eastern province, looking to find new goods, and the local people as well, so it was bustling like a festival every day. The citys other face appeared at night. As the sun set, the taverns and brothels opened their doors. On the street, you would start seeing wobbling drunkards and women inviting men to follow them into their alleys. Torches burned brightly on streets filled with the smell of perfume and alcohol. I walked through the streets of this Avalon, heading towards a certain back alley. I knew the path all too well, after walking it so many times, so I had no need for a guide. The district I was in now had turned into a slum, so you could see vagrants and hungry orphans here and there. As bleak as ever The district capital appeared crowded and bustling in the main streets, but one step beyond them revealed a deste environment. The back alleys were the ces left behind by the urban development, where people that barely made enough to live the next day gathered. Every time I visited this ce I felt as if sharp thorns of ice pierced my chest. As part of the ruling ss, I felt responsible. (Its not like the old mans policies are failing either. No matter how many public institutions we raise and jobs we give to the poor, theres always people that fall into ruin) Some ruin themselves with alcohol or women. Some gamble until they drown in debt. Some are cheated out of their fortunes. No matter how able the lord was, how much he loved and treasured the people, there were always those who fell to the pits of society. There was no point mulling over it. I knew that in my head, but We have to do something about the kids, at least. Build a new orphanage, make sure they can get a minimum level of educationcant do anything without money I proceeded through the back alleys without hesitation, while I grumbled to myself. I came to visit a man who lived in these slums. It was alreadyte at night: definitely not the right time for a lords heir to walk around on his own, but no one from the manor stopped me, thinking that I was going to a brothel anyway. (Should I take that as trust or irresponsibility? Thats the problem.) I was going out for a very serious reason, but everyone thought I was just seeking pleasure, which was kind of irritating. The person I was going to meet was not someone I could see in public, so it was necessary to act in secret. Why do they have to live in a ce like this, anyway? Thats what I dont get about these underworld typeshm? I suddenly felt a presence and stopped in my tracks. looks like I have a guest. Someone was hiding in the surroundings. It was definitely not someone from the slums: a sticky, heavy aura of killing intent permeated from them. It was the typical aura of an assassin, something I had learned to recognize after years of experience. Just my luckif I have to y at night, I only want to do it with pretty girls, though I turned a corner and arrived at an empty plot. There werent any vagrants around luckily. It was the perfect spot to go a little wild. I blew out the me in themp I was carrying and put it on the ground. The only remaining illumination was the moonlight, but I could see fairly well in the dark, so that wasnt a problem for me. I drew the sword at my waist and asked a question to the darkness. Ready and waiting herewhat about you? The answer came in the form of an arrow. I dodged it without much effort and a second, third one followed. Hm, there! As I continued dodging the arrows, I felt a presence overhead. Take thiiiisss!!! A man jumped down from the building next to the vacant plot. The arrow attacks were meant to lead me here, apparently. What are you doing, shouting during an ambush? Third-rate trash. Gah! I quickly dodged the mans dagger and shed his head clean off. I then caught the dagger falling from his hand and threw it in the source of the arrows. Ghaah!! Bingo! Whos next? I doubted they actually answered my call, but two men armed with swords appeared from the front, then one with an axe from the back, attempting to pincer me. Yaaahhhhh!!! Dieeee!!! The two swords from the front came first. I leaned to the side and slipped through the opening between them. What!? Come on here. Gwaah!? I pulled one of the mens hands to make him lose his bnce, then circled behind him and kicked his back. I kicked him exactly in the direction of the axeman, who was aiming to strike me from behind but ended up splitting hisrades head in two. Dont think half-assed teamwork like that is ever going to work on me!! After taunting the aggressors, I cut down the other swordsman. Only the axeman remained. D-damn you!! Wait, you!! The axeman tossed his weapon to the ground and hightailed it. Surprised by the sudden turn of events, I didnt chase him immediately. You killed your ownrade and now run away? What the hell did youe for then!? Arent you going to avenge them!? Shut up!! My own life is more important than any of that!! Comrades? Screw that!! While exhibiting almost refreshing selfishness, the man and his presence disappeared into the darkness. It would be fairly dangerous to chase him through pitch-ck alleys, so I decided to let him go. Aah, damnI forgot to ask who sicd them on me. I scratched my head as I sheath my sword, then reached for themp I had left on the ground. GWAAAHHHHH!!! Hm? That very moment, a scream of agony came from the darkness. A scream which, if I heard right, came from the man I had just lost sight of. That wasntsomeone on my side, was it? Correct, I am not your ally. I certainly didnt expect an answer, but I received one from the darkness. It was a light, clear female voice, like a breeze blowing through open ins. I heard footstepsing closer, and eventually, the owner of the voice stepped into the moonlight. Oh, moonlight flowernot bad, not bad. (TL Note: Dyngir uses the name of the flower as a pun. In Japanese, its literally Moonlight Beauty) Im not exactly sure what you mean, but Ill take that as apliment. I suppose I should say thanks. She was a beautiful woman with silver hair stretching down to her waist. In her hands, she carried ance. She twisted the handle and pointed the tip of thence towards me. Every single one of her movements were graceful and refined, almost mystical. (I seegoing out to y tonight was really worth it!) The night was turning out to be more fun than I expected. My lips curved into a feral smile as I pointed my sword to the moonlit beauty. My eyes narrowed as I examined her closely from head to toe, then I nodded vigorously. (Shes killed her fair share, no doubt about it.) I could not find any real opening in her stance. Her aura made it clear that any hesitation or reckless strike would end up with hernce impaled in your body. She was either a veteran mercenary or a knight. (A whole nother level from the guys in ck before. Definitely my greatest threat today, or maybe) The woman wore a simple white dress with a leather half-te over it. The dress had long slits that generously exposed her bare legs. Fair pale skin that gleamed in the moonlight. Honestly speaking, she looked terribly appetizing. Thats quite the provocative dress youre wearing. Doesnt that get in the way during your assassinations? It was a real pity that she was an assassin. If she was a woman of a *different* trade, Id dly fill her pockets with gold. Her response, however, was pretty unexpected. Oh, please do not misunderstand. Im not an assassin, but an adventurer. An adventurer? Adventurers were people who explored ancient ruins and other unknownnds, dug up treasures, exterminated dangerous beasts, and simr things for a living. There were few such ruins in the Maxwell territory, so I rarely met any, but in the northern province, where ruins were scattered everywhere, the guild an organization created to manage adventurers and their activities had enough power and authority to rival the state. Last I remember, Im not a monster. Nor did I do anything to be the target of extermination. Maybe not in this country, but unfortunately Ie from the eastern empire. The adventurers guild there put a price on Dyngir Maxwells head, enough money to buy a castle. Well, isnt that an honor. It turned out thedy was a killer sent by our neighbors, the empire. The empire upied thends to the north and east of the Lamperouge kingdom: we had several military conflicts in the past. I had participated many times in those battles. I took down famousmanders more than once, so there was plenty of cause for me to be targeted. The adventurer beauty pointed hernce to one of the corpses sprawled on the ground. Though I must say that I joined forces with those people for the first time today, and I do not know where theye from. They seemed used to ambushes in the dark, so they might be actual assassins. Is that so. Anyway, you killed the guy who ran off earlier, right? Wont that be a problem for you? Even if they arent adventurers, I thought killing yourrades was taboo in your line of work. I brought up the fact that she killed one of herrades, but she justughed. No, thats not a problem, thank you. We were just hired by the same people, they dont qualify asrades for me. I was actually opposed to this ambush. To fight against a renowned warrior such as Dyngir Maxwell like this, many against one, hiding in the dark? Aplete waste of an opportunity. A waste, you say? I asked with a suspicious frown on my face. Yes. I proposed to challenge you to a duel, to face you one by one, in order. Though, they didnt even consider it and left me out of any further discussion. So the beautiful adventurer exined, with a disappointed tone in her voice. I found her willingness to fight fair and squaremendable, but it wasnt an intelligent strategy. Despite her calm and collected exterior, could it be that she was just an idiot? Well, now its just you and me, so alls well that ends well, I guess. I took this request because I wanted to fight you, actually. Theres no one in the way anymore, so lets cross swords to our hearts content, shall we? I see, so thats your type. There are some people who feel most alive when they fight with their lives on the line. They call them battle junkies, though for me theyre just troublesome fools. Apparently she was one too: the only thing she was thinking about was fighting me in a duel to the death. personally, I prefer to have my battles with beautiful women in bed. I sighed and expressed my honest opinion, and thedy adventurer replied with a serious look on her face. You can do what you want after youve killed me. I wont be able to resist anymore, so you can just go all out, right? Do you take me for a maniac or something? If I slept with a woman after killing her, I bet Id have nightmarester. Youre difficult, arent you. You could put up with that much. What? Im the weird one here? Talking wasnt getting me anywhere, evidently. I exhaled a long breath, then readied my sword in a fighting stance. My de was then pointed to my opponents ample bosom. No point in wasting words, huh. Looks like itll be faster to let our weapons do the talking. Im going to capture you alive: Ill hit you until you cant move, then drag you to the nearest inn. How interestinglets see if you are truly skilled enough to take me alive!! Rest assured, I will.Im Dyngir Maxwell. Name yourself, princess of the night. After I introduced myself, my beautiful opponent bared her fangs, like a lioness targeting her prey. I am Shana Szar!! Let our bodies and souls burn in the joy of battle!! The princess of the night Shana thrust hernce, which I met with my sword. The two weapons shed loudly, scattering vivid sparks into the darkness. Volume 1 - Ch 11 In a vacant lot in Avalons slums, the sounds of shing metal echoed repeatedly. Ha, ha, ha, hahaha!! This is so exciting!! Dyngir Maxwell!! d to hear that! Im fighting for my life though!! Just when I thought I had parried the deing from the left, she thrust the pole from the right. When I blocked her shes from above, she attempted a strike from below. Shanas seamless attacks forced me to take a defensive stance. Thence was superior to the sword in two areas. The first was, obviously, the length of its reach. The second was the ability to attack with both of its ends, the de and the pole. Shanasnce was somewhat shorter than the ones used by soldiers in field battles. Thanks to its reduced length, she could spin it and use centrifugal force to unleash continuous attacks. In the time I took to swing my sword once, Shana could perform two attacks with her weapons de and pole. Our speed was more or less the same, which meant that I was at a massive disadvantage in terms of attack frequency. Whats wrong!? Is this all the Maxwell prodigy amounts to!? Shana was probably confident in her superiority: she shouted as she continued attacking, without leaving me any time to regain my bnce. Hah, I cant act uncool before a beautiful woman like you! Guess I should put in some effort! I dodged Shanas pole strike and used my free hand to perform a palm thrust. My target was the center of Shanasnce, the axis of its rotations. Khuh!? No matter how fast she spun her weapon, as long as she rotated in a circle, there was an axis about the center. Since the axis did not move, there was no way to evade my strike. Shana took the full brunt of the impact and was knocked backward. Impressive! To see through mynce in such a short time! I excel at finding a womans vulnerable spots after all!! I used the tip of my sword to flick one of the pebbles at my feet, sending it flying. While it was just a pebble, if it hit someones forehead at that speed, it was enough to knock them out. Whah!? Shana hurriedly blocked the attacking from beyond my swords range. It was finally my turn. I continued bombarding her with pebbles, without giving her one second of pause. Tch! Ah! You sure are nimble, arent you!! Shana gradually came closer, while parrying my stone bullets. I stepped backward as she did, so the distance between us did not change. I continued flicking stones as I moved, of course. I wasnt going to get in range of her stednce ever again. Haha, I admit it feels nice to be chased around by such a pretty woman! Grr, damn you and your tricks.! Time for a change of ns Shana stopped parrying the pebbles, retreated a bit, and wielded hernce in a different stance. She looked full of openings at first nce: my stones were hitting her shoulders and legs, but she didnt seem affected. (Whats going on?) I had a bad feeling and concentrated more on her movements. The next instant, I found that my instincts were right on the money. Sea Snake!! Whoah!!? Shana thrust hernce forward and a real *snake made of water* materialized from the tip. A snake, as thick as an adult mans arm, shot towards me at high speed. I instinctively rolled on the ground to dodge the snakes fangs, and the water creature crashed through the stone wall behind me. Thatnceis a magic tool!? Indeed!! Shes my beloved partner, Leviathan!! In this world, the mysterious force called magic did not exist anymore. It only appeared in fairytales and simr stories: magic users were the stuff of legend. More than one thousand years ago, however, magic techniques were widespread: magic tools, the relics of such an era, were sometimes found in ancient ruins. Magic Tools were thest remaining evidence of an era when magic civilizations flourished. In the current age, as the usage of magic was lost, they were considered miracle tools. I found this magic tool myself when I explored ruins in the empire. Its ability is as you just witnessed! Shana swung hernce twice, sending two water snakes to attack me. Tch! The two snakes attacked me from the left and the right, and I could not dodgepletely: one of them grazed my left arm, which started dripping blood. Thisnce lets me create snakes made of water and send them to attack my enemies. Its just water, in the end, so theyre not strong enough to damage metal, but it can destroy stone, or easily rip through someones neck. Yeah, I feel that all right. Really impressive!! My face was twisted in anger. I finally met a breathtaking beauty, but she turned out to be a killer sent to take my life, and was armed with a magic weapon to boot. Insane. youre right, its going to be hard to take you alive. You make it sound like itd be easy to kill me. Hehehe, you sure can make my body and soul burn! I almost want to embrace you and give you a kiss. Id dly ept that, anytime! Oh, I will but to your corpse!! Shana swung hernce multiple times, creating a water snake each time. Once again, I was forced on the defensive and ran around the slums vacant plot. Putting more distance between us, however, turned out to work against me. I started running out of breath without finding any opening to counterattack. (She really is one hell of a woman!) The situation was deadly, but I wasnt really worried. I couldnt counterattack immediately, but I was sure she couldnt continue such a barrage forever. How long are you going to run around!? Didnt you want to capture me alive? Nah, Im fine just running. Youre going to copse any moment anyway. What did you say!? Shanas well-formed eyebrows rose. Ive fought a few times against magic tool users, I know that you cant just use them forever. Eventually youll run out of strength. Magic tools fed on the users physical energy, spirit, and maybe a mysterious energy we didnt know about. Youve been swinging thatnce a lot already, and I know that youre getting tired. If you wipe your sweat in that sexy way, anyone could tell. Ngh Shana had been swinging hernce with reckless abandon the whole time, but after using its magic tool abilities she started sweating profusely. Judging from the fact that her legs, exposed by the slits of her dress, were clearly sweating too, she had to be fairly fatigued already. I dont even need to attack. Ill just wait till you copse, then bring you back home with me. Oh? Do you really think you can dodge my snakes until I run out of energy? Yup, without breaking a sweat either. I scoffed and taunted Shana, then pointed a finger at her. The snakesing out of yournce may look like they can move freely anywhere, but actually they have fixed patterns, right? If you swing thence down, the snakese from above. If you swing it from the right, theye from the right too. Basically, they move the same way thence does. As long as I observe yournce, dodging the snakes is a piece of cake! So you found out! Having an ace up your sleeve doesnt mean anything if you dont take out your opponent immediately with it. If you just keep shooting randomly like that, its like youre begging me to figure it out. Maybe you need a bit more experience in actual fighting, hmm? She probably never fought an opponent skilled enough to dodge the sea snakes repeatedly. Her fighting style was simply too straightforward. Trump cards should be kept hidden till thest moment: but shepletelycked such tactics and schemes. Shana was quiet for a while, then finally spoke. I see. This was a learning experience. Really. You can surrender anytime, you know. Howevertheres a misunderstanding. When did I say that the Water Snakes were my trump card? Hm? This is what you call a trump card!! Shana raised hernce high, then swung it down. Then, from the tip of thence, a water torrent gushed forward. Oooh!? Face mynces secret skill Sea Serpent!! Shana unleashed a massive water dragon the size of a tidal wave such that the water snakes looked puny inparison. Its size and speed were much greater than the snakes. If you have so much confidence in yourself, try to dodge this!! Taste my power to the fullest!! Yeah, no wayI cant dodge that. It was physically impossible to dodge such a massive water dragon at this distance. So I had to give up on any evasion attempts. I guess I have no choicebut to cut through it. What!? I faced the water dragon directly. Out of my own free will, I jumped into the beasts gaping maw. Are you throwing away your life!? No, not really! Here goes!! I swung my sword through the air. The de cut through the water dragon, slicing it in half. T-this cant be! Siegfried!! The water dragon, cleaved in half by my sword, turned back to mere water, lost all of its momentum and sshed on the ground. The water dragon was now nothing more than a puddle: it did not pose a threat anymore. I used the momentum of my jump and hit the speechless Shana with a flying kick. There!! Gah!! Maybe because she had run out of energy after using her magic tools power to the fullest, Shana couldnt move and my kick hit her squarely in the abdomen, sending her flying. Hernce Leviathan fell from her hands and rolled away from her. Yourswordis a magic tooltoo? Shana managed to pull herself up on her feet and squeeze the words out. I told you, you gotta keep your trump card hidden till the veryst moment. My Siegfried was a magic tool with the power to cut through any and all forms of magic power. In an age without magic, it was just a very sharp sword, but against opponents armed with magic tools, like Shana, its true ability shone. If you used that sword from the startyou would have defeated me more easily! I couldnt have captured you alive though. I promised, right? Im going to drag you to an inn. Even disregarding the magic tools powers, Shana was a master of thence. If I used my sword to neutralize her sea snakes from the start, she would have simply continued to fight purely with hernce skills. If the battle developed like that, I might have not been able to exhaust her like this and capture her unscathed. I seeso you were holding back from the start. Hahaso you want to make me yours that badly? I believe you are a woman worthy of risking my life for, yeah. I must sayit doesnt feel bad to be so sought afteraah, honestlythat strength of yours is just irresistible After whispering such words, Shana copsed on the ground again. She hadpletely lost consciousness. I put my sword back into the sheath and lifted her body up. Hmm, lighter than expected. I leisurely observed her body from head to toe, then snorted, satisfied. As excellent as I thoughtto be able to find women like her is what makes nightlife worth livinganyway, you might as welle out already. Youre there, right? Heeheehee, you found me, sir? A lean man stepped out of the shadows. He was the very reason why I visited the slums at that time of night. Youve been there for a while, right? You could have given me a hand there. Sir, please. I could not join a battle of such level with my meager skills. Heehee. The name of the man I had previously sent to infiltrate the Man-Eating Tigers bandits was Clown. It was definitely not his real name, but I couldnt care less. I have a new job for you. Do you have time now? Naturally, sir. With the world as peaceful as it is these days, people like me have very little work, unfortunately. Really. Well, first of all, carry my luggage. Heehee? Luggage? I motioned with my chin at Leviathan lying on the ground. I have my hands full, as you can see. Pick that up and follow me to the inn. I have to take care of thedy until she recovers. She might have been hurt in the battle, so I had the duty to watch over her very closely and take good care of her, after all. Ahheethats your request, sir? Yeah, for today. Thats my top priority. Clown was perplexed, but my answer was firm. No matter what work requests I had, nothing was more important than a beautiful womans body. Ill contact you another time about the other job. Its nothing urgent anyway. Heeheeis that so Clown seemed a bit dejected but did not protest as he obediently picked up thence and followed me. I looked up and noticed that the moon had reached its zenith, This is a really good night. So I whispered, enthralled, as I caressed Shanas beautiful thighs, damp with sweat. Volume 1 - Ch 12 POV : Eliza My name is Eliza. I am a servant of house Maxwell, the leader of the nobles in the eastern province. More precisely, the personal maid of Dyngir Maxwell, next in line to be margrave. Then, Im going out. Ill be backte today. Very well. Please take care, young master. I bowed politely and saw the young master off. I remained bowed while the young masters horse carriage was visible, then finally raised my head after the carriage turned a corner and disappeared from view. As a servant of the house of Margrave Maxwell, as the young masters maid, I always ensured that my conduct was impable. The young master went out again somewhere today One of my recent concerns was that the young master left the manor more frequently than usual. He often returnedte and also spent the night outside at times. I also felt that he sought ourpany less frequently than beforebut I was certainly not dissatisfied. On the contrary, I was honestly relieved that he did not make love to me until I passed outbut leaving that aside. Sakuya, are you there. Of course, Ms. Eliza. I called Sakuyas name and she appeared out of nowhere behind me. Her presence was difficult to detect, as usual. You could barely hear her footsteps when she walked. I wonder what kind of job she had before she started serving in the Maxwell manor. There are some unnatural points in the young masters behaviortely. Its possible that A new woman? Sakuya apparently shared my prediction. I nodded to her and continued. If you think so too, then you surely know what I want to say. Please leave it to me. Shadowing is my specialty, after all. As soon as she finished talking, Sakuya vanished into thin air. I looked around to see where she went and found her running at high speed on the manors walls, while holding up the skirt of her maid uniform with both hands. Her movements are incredible as alwayswhat is that girl, really? Sakuya had been brought to the manor by the young master about three years ago. When she arrived, she had already received the young masters initiation. Only the young master knew what she did before. She was terrible at cleaning or doingundry, but was exceptionally skilled with des. She was also very knowledgeable about poison. She also caught a thief that broke into the manor once, using bizarre fighting techniques. She probably used to do a very unique kind of workbut it is not proper to dig into someones past, is it? Well thenI have to do Sakuyas housework today as well. I went back inside the manor and resumed my duties as a maid. ~ The womans name was Shana Szar? Yes, it appears she is Lord Dyngirs new lover. Sakuya had returned in the evening. I didnt even hear the door open, but she was suddenly standing behind me: I was so surprised I screamed. She hadpleted her job sessfully: Sakuya reported about the young masters new lover in detail. I see, a killer hired by the empirethats dangerous. Yes. She is currently living in Lord Dyngirs other residence. The young master possessed a residence exclusively for himself in the Maxwell territory, which he used to house his direct subordinates. The women he could not bring to the Maxwell manor also lived there, so Shana had be a new member of that group. Should I dispose of her? She appears to be a skilled warrior, but it shouldnt be impossible to poison her. Sakuya casually proposed a very aggressive countermeasure, but I shook my head. No, dont. Lets see how the situation develops for now. are you really sure? Sakuya was as expressionless as ever, but her voice told me that she was a bit unhappy. Yes, it is not a problem for me if the young master has another woman. As long as she does not prove problematic for him, of course. For the sake of avoiding any and all misunderstandings, allow me to say that I do not investigate the young masters rtionships with women out of jealousy. Sakuya and I are also the young masters lovers, definitely not his wives. Even if the young master starts rtionships with other women, we have no right to use him of anything. The only reason I make sure all women who approach the young master are thoroughly investigated is to confirm whether they will be dangerous to him. The young master is not always careful when dealing with women, or rather, there are openings in his guard when he does. Thus we must support him from the shadows. I recalled past memories and continued. Our young master was shrewd and clever, but he could be naive when women were involved. He apparently did not notice that Lady Selena was cheating on him, so he might end up deceived by an unsavory woman. Until now, Sakuya and I had neutralized several women who tried to get closer to the young master aiming to take control of the Maxwell houses authority or finances. Based on the report, I do not think that Ms. Shana will be a threat to the young master. She appears to be the warrior type and someone who does not deceive others. If they fight one on one, the young master will never be defeated, not even if he holds back because of her beauty. Indeed. Even if she is an assassin, Im sure Lord Dyngir will be fine. I couldnt kill him after all, so I doubt any other assassin could. I think I just heard something utterly unforgivable, but I suppose I should pretend I didnt? .yes, I really should. Asking further questions could lead to terrifying developments Well, in any casewe should move only to prevent the young master from being tricked by honey pots. Lets leave Shana alone for now. Understood. Oh, by the way, Ms. Eliza. I have a good technique to entice Lord Dyngir, since contact has been a bit scarcetely. Eh? Please listen. First you should remove your clothes, then sit down with your legs tight. Next you take a drink and As Sakuya taught me her mysterious oriental techniques, I waited for the return of my beloved master once again today. Incidentally, Sakuyas new technique was sessful beyond expectation: that night, we were both loved until exhaustion for the first time in a good while. But that is a story for another day (TL Note: the technique Sakuya mentions is wakamezake. Based on her name, appearance, and this chapters information, I guess she is based off a kunoichi) Volume 1 - Ch 13 POV : Sullivan Nommes Shit! Shit!! Why, why did this happen!? My name is Sullivan. I am the crown prince of this kingdomno, I was. The other day, because of a series of mistakes and misunderstandings, I was disinherited from the royal family and ended up having to marry into the family of some penniless baron in the sticks. I was in the room assigned to me in the Nommes manor, crushing a letter I had just received. The letter was a reply from a friend in the capital after I requested them to help me regain my title as crown prince. I sent fifteen such letters but received only three replies. All of them said the same thing: I cannot help. Whywhy!! Why wont anyone try to help!? Were their oaths of loyalty all fake!? All my friends had offered their loyalty to me:rades with whom I swore to make this country a better ce. The moment I lost my title of the crown prince, however, they immediately cut off all ties with me. I just couldnt forgive them. Why do I have to go through something like this!? It was all because of Maxwell, that murdering psychopath, and my idiot of a wife, Selena. I was engaged with a perfect fiancee once. Her name was Marianne Rosais. She was beautiful, noble, refineda woman truly ideal as the bride for me, the next king of Lamperouge. Slightly overwhelmed by her perfection, I made a small mistake and ended up cheating a trifle on her. Yes, it was a really small mistake, a trifling case of cheating. Marianne, however, could not forgive that tiny mistake and really broke our engagement. Thinking about it now, I felt that I did not truly want to break our engagement. I simply wanted to confirm her honest feelings towards me. I just wanted to see Marianne cling to me, tears brimming in her eyes while saying Please dont leave me, to confirm that she truly loved me. Mine was just a way to see my fiancees true feelings, something like a prank. (And yetthat Dyngir Maxwell!!) That damned Dyngir Maxwell, that countryside noble, blew my tiny mistake out of proportion and my rtionship with Marianne was ruined beyond repair. If it wasnt for that mans meddling, we would have made peace immediately The rtionship between Marianne and I would have returned to normal so easily. I could still be the crown prince. (Selena has her share of the me too. Despite all my toiling and suffering, she wont say a word to console me, always crying in her room!!) The woman I married after throwing away everything I had was not, frankly speaking, someone of my standing. She had no rank, no education. Her looks and figure were both severely inferior to Marianne. She was no better in private either: I acted a little rough once and she screamed It hurts, it hurts!!, killing the mood ever since. Now that I had a clearer head, I honestly couldnt remember why I had fallen for her. (That time, she must have secretly fed me some strange drugcould this also be part of Maxwells n!?) It made perfect sense for Dyngir Maxwell to use his fiancee to ensnare me, the kingdoms aplished crown prince, in a trap (I didnt do anything wrongits all that mans fault!! Shit, shit, shit, shitshitshit SHIT!!) I mmed my fists on the table and stood up from the chair, filled with indignation. Every time I thought about that man I became furious. I need a drink!! I cant put up with this anymore!! I violently opened the door and walked toward the entrance. I met some of the manors servants on my way out, but they did not even greet me as they quickly brushed past me. Irritated even more, I headed out of the manor with angrier, louder footsteps. Are you going on a walk, sir? What!? I was about to open the door when a man called to me. He was the houses firstborn son, Cray Nommes. Where might you be headed, when all your work as the next head of the house is left here? Im going on an inspection in town. I replied with the least emotion possible. Looking at his face reminded me of the humiliation I was subjected to during our visit to the Maxwell manor, where he mmed my face against the floor repeatedly. (Just you waitwhen Im crown prince again, youre going to pay!!) I will definitely kill the man before me so I solemnly swore in my heart. Cray reacted with affected surprise. Oh my, an inspection! That is very admirable. Allow me to advise you to inspect the town also beyond its taverns. Tch, naturally!! My destination had been found out: I felt my face redden with shame. Take care on your way back, please. They say that no one cries when a drunkard gets stabbed and dies. !! I barely restrained myself from shouting back at him and opened the door. In exchange, I mmed it shut. Shit!! This whole baron house is looking down on me!! And its all Maxwells fault!! I let out a roar of indignation in my heart and left the Nommes manor. ~ Shitshitgoddamnit!! After I finally reached the tavern I started downing liquor, ss after ss. I had visited this ce several times already: some of the other patrons seemed to know who I was. Though, no one ever had the decency to greet me: they just watched from a distance. (I am the crown prince, you lot!! The blood in my veins is nothing like yours!! Show some proper respect!!) Damn it all!! I was not as foolish as to voice myints out loud, but I couldnt keep the words from leaking out sometimes. The people around me distanced themselves even more after hearing me curse. I knew that well enough, but couldnt stop it. (Shit, shit!! Who the hell do they think they are!?) Give me one more!! sir, do you have enough to pay today? The waiters helpless tone irritated me even more. I am a noble, you insolent pleb!! We do not use your wallets or whatever! Send the bill to house Nommes!! I shouted back at the waiter, who sighed. It is time for you to leave then. The door is that way. What!? Who do you think you are talking to!? I am the sessor of house Nommes!! The waiters unbelievable disrespect sent my blood boiling. I shouted louder, banging my fists against the table, but the waiter simply looked at me hopelessly. Unfortunately, sir, we have been contacted by that same house Nommes: we have been informed not to let sir Sullivan drink for free. You may forget about the payment of todays drinks, but could you refrain froming here again? A-are you serious!? (House Nommes contacted them!? Not to let me drink for free!? What lengths will they go to insult me!?) My anger finally took overpletely and I grabbed the handle of the sword at my waist when I felt a sharp voice from behind me. Is there a problem with our waiter, sir? A hand firmly grasped my shoulder, so I turned around and found the hulking figure of the taverns hired bouncer. Y-you sh-sh-shameless Who the hell do you think you are, you damned sponge!! Hyeek!? My shoulders shook in surprise and I let go of my sword. The hired guardian dragged me out of the tavern by force, as the patronsughed loudly. Hahaha!! Look at that! Pathetic! Serves the guy right for demanding to drink for free! As expected of *former* royalty!! Uugh The drunkards taunts stabbed my chest deeply. I never felt so miserable in my life. (When did I be so weak? My life of glory and victorywhere did it go to!?) I was about to leave the ce, as the pitiful loser I was, when Gentlemen, I believe that is enough. A merciful hand extended towards me. I raised my head and found an elegantly dressed man. He seemed to be about 40 years old: his well-trimmed beard and features gave the impression that he was a member of the cultured elite. He was either a noble or a high-ranked servant of a noble family. In any case, certainly not someone that would frequent such a shabby tavern. Gentlemen, the noble blood of the honored Lamperouge royal family runs in the veins of this man. He might have been removed from the royal register, but us vassals of Lamperouge have a duty to honor his bloodline. Do you not see that vilifying this man is a shameful act for a son of this kingdom? Aagh Yes, but The drunkards attempted to protest weakly, but the gentleman shot them a chilling re. But, what? You have a legitimate reason to vilify the royal family bloodline, I suppose? Ahnonothing. The gentlemans words turned the tavernpletely silent. He then took out a leather wallet from his breast pocket. This should cover this mans drinks. Please. Ah..ehwhat about the change? Take it. The gentleman threw several gold coins at the waiters feet. It was more than enough to pay for ten times what I drank. The gentleman ignored the panicked waiter and approached me. I apologize for my impertinence, Lord Sullivan. Please forgive me. N-no, thank you. The gentlemans tone and manners were filled with deference towards me. It was the first time I was treated with respect fitting of royalty ever since I came to the eastern province, so I felt moved to the point of tears. My deepest apologies, my lord, I havent introduced myself yet. My name is Zaill, I work as a royalmissioner in the capital. I am currently staying in this town on certain duties. The gentleman who introduced himself as Zaill smiled kindly at me. An acquaintance of mine manages a tavern nearby. Would you care to join me for a drink? Please, allow me the honor to entertain a descendant of the royal family. Oh, hmm, yesI shall allow you to. Wonderful, wonderful. Please, this way. I followed Zaill in a small alley of the tavern district. Volume 1 - Ch 14 POV: Sullivan Nommes I followed Zaill deep into the towns back alleys until we reached a small, isted bar. The ce may seem small, but they serve very fine wine. It is the sort of ce only connoisseurs frequent, so we will be able to drink in peace and quiet. Hmm, fine. Not bad at all. We entered the dimly lit bar and I noticed there werent any other clients. A white-haired man was wiping sses behind the counter. Have a seat here, please. Boss, serve your finest wine to my honored guest. The wine served to me was the very same brand I used to drink often in the capital. I took a sip and the memories of my life in the royal house came flooding back, filling me with nostalgia. Have one more, please. Y-yes Encouraged by Zaill, I drank ss after ss of that sweet nectar. Deliciousand so nostalgic. I could drink this every day beforewhy did things turn out like this? As I became tipsier and tipsier, I started talking about my dissatisfaction with my present life and my hate towards Dyngir Maxwell. Zaill listened to every word I said, without the slightest sign of annoyance. What a tragedy you have been throughit pains my heart to listen. When I eventually stoppedining, Zaill waited for the best timing to console me. A tragedy, indeed, you are right. I could let out my frustration for the first time in a long while. It had been months since Ist felt so light. I continued drinking heartily and the alcohol pleasantly took over my whole body. The rumors were true thenDyngir Maxwell does not see the royal family with due respect. Yes! That man is not worth his title of noble!! I have heard that the most powerful nobles of the Four Houses tend to act in a hostile way towards the royal house. If such a situation is left unattended, they will look down on the royal house more and more, eventually creating a hotbed for rebellion. Something must be done to preserve the future of the kingdombut You are perfectly right. But what could be done? I held my chin, deep in thought. The problem did not affect only me anymore. If that treacherous country bumpkin was allowed to act freely, the kingdoms future would be in grave danger. (Yes! If that man isnt eliminated, this country will fall into ruin!! This must be done now, for the sake of the Lamperouge kingdom!) Somehowif we could eliminate Dyngir Maxwellhave him assassinated, maybe It was only after saying those words that I realized their gravity. I had definitely said too much. If someone heard me, I could be the one eliminated instead. I hurriedly looked around, but luckily there were no other clients in the bar. The owner had also disappeared in the back of the store, so my careless words were heard only by Zaill. I-Im sorry, forget everything I said! No, I cannot possibly do that. As I do believe that is an excellent idea. D-do you think so? I didnt expect him to agree. I looked at Zaill, surprised, and found apletely serious expression on his bearded visage. Assassinationyes. To free these easternnds from those imbeciles, it might be necessary to take such extreme measures. Y-yesI think so. The fact that Zaill agreed made me more convinced that it was really true. I tried imagining that man copsed on the ground, wounded and bloody. I would feel so relieved, if only The death of Dyngir Maxwell would also mean that the rift between the royal family and the Maxwell house would be no more. Consequently, your path of return to the capital, Lord Sullivan, would open by itself. There might also be the possibility of you bing the next Margrave Maxwell. Me? Inherit the Maxwell house!? That cannot be!! Even if the next in line for the margrave title died, I couldnt believe that the position would be turned over to me. No, there is a possibility, Lord Sullivan. There wasnt the slightest trace of joking in Zaills tone. Calmly, he started exining in detail. The current Margrave Maxwell does not have any children other than Dyngir. It appears that his wife lives far away and I have never heard of him entertaining any lovers. There is also no one among his close rtives of suitable age to seed him. In other words, if Dyngir Maxwell dies the margrave will have no choice but to adopt an heir from another house. Hm, hmm. I can understand that. But would the margrave ever choose me? I was well aware that there was no way Lord Maxwell saw me in a good light. He did note to my wedding ceremony with Selena, but more than that, who would ever choose the man that snatched your legitimate sons fiancee? It all depends on how you choose to see things, my Lord. Among all male offsprings of the eastern provinces noble families, no one surpasses your lineage, Lord Sullivan. Not even Lord Maxwell can afford to ignore the royal familys bloodline. If you put it like that In addition, if you be the next Margrave Maxwell, the eastern provinces would fall under the influence of the central government. A development that the royal family and house Rosais would find extremely appealing. They would definitely provide support on all fronts for Lord Maxwell to adopt you as his heir. I see The more I heard about it, the more it seemed like a very good prospect. They threw me in these remote provinces, so I would pay them back by bing the ruler. I was going to gain enough power to rival both the royal family and house Rosais. When I became the next Lord Maxwell, even house Nommes, who dared treat me like dirt, would bow their heads to me like ves. (But more than anything else) I could take away the most precious thing promised to Dyngir Maxwell, the man who stole everything from me. It was music to my ears. How can we find an assassin? I felt more and more invested in the n, so I started to ask about it in concrete detail. Unlike the time I was part of the royal family, I had no connections to hire assassins at present. Zaill then came closer and whispered something in my ears. Lord Sullivan, have you ever heard of those called Fangs of Steel? When I heard the name I couldnt help but frown. You cant be serious! Thats only a legend, isnt it? Fangs of Steelwas the name of a fabled band of assassins, rumored to be in the Lamperouge kingdom for more than 50 years. Some said they were heartless killers without a fixed leader who would kill anyone provided they were paid enough. Some said they were behind most if not all assassinations of important figures in the kingdom and would murder even members of the royal family without hesitation. Others said its members were not human beings, but man-eating demons alive since the age of magic civilizations. Because of these unbelievable rumors, they were something parents used to make their children behave: if you do bad things, the Fangs of Steel will catch you and eat you whole!. Indeed, rumors are rumors. Theres a lot of nonsense flying around. Zaill first expressed agreement, then continued. However, my lordwhile the rumors might be overblown, the Fangs of Steel really exist. Please keep this to yourself, butI actually have a way to contact them. What? If you so wish, Lord Sullivan, I could introduce you I couldnt believe my ears. I thought the Fangs of Steel were the stuff of legend, like dragons or the like. Even if I was told they were real, I couldnt just ept it. Oh, please forgive me, my lord. I understand your feelings of doubt. Someone as wise and noble as you, Lord Sullivan, would never believe the words of a man you met today for the first time, I suppose. Ah, n-no, I did not mean that My deepest apologies, truly. Please forget my drunken ramblings. Hm, hmm Zaill ended the conversation and took a sip from his ss. His words, however, wouldnt leave my thoughts. (Unless Dyngir Maxwell is killedI cannot escape my current situation, can I? Am I going to end my life as the heir of house Nommes? I, the crown prince, reduced to a mere baron?) That cannot be allowed. Even if I had to rely on a fairytale, I had no intention of spending the rest of my days in these provincesI might not have the chance to step foot in the capital again How could I ever ept such a life? Zaill, my good mancould you let me know about that more in detail? Lord Sullivan? I cannot possibly entrust the eastern province to a dangerous individual like Dyngir Maxwell!! This country is not for someone like that to y with!! The words I pronounced next sealed my fate forever. Dyngir Maxwell must die!! In order to do that, I will do anything I can, even rely on fairy tales!! At that time, I did not have the slightest idea of how that decision would affect my future Volume 1 - Ch 15 Hnn! Haah! Yaah! Hoh, phew, hah, mph. The silver-haired beauty Shana continued swinging hernce. Thence she was wielding now was a wooden one, so it was not lethal per se, but, if it struck a critical spot, it could still cause bone fractures. Each one of her strikes was meant to defeat the opponent before her, but I dodged all of them rtively casually. And thats all, folks! Khuh! I waited for the perfect timing to grab thences handle with my left hand and pull it towards me, as I thrust the wooden sword in my right hand to her neck. Game over, I win again. Aah, I lose again I announced my victory and Shana let go of hernce, slumping down on the ground. Her eyes brimmed with tears. She was two years older than me, but her expression in these moments was kind of childish and lovely. The ce we used for our sparring match was the garden of my private residence. After our moonlit duel in the slums, I took the unconscious Shana back to a nearby inn. There I tended to every nook and cranny of her body, with utmost care, and finally let her go. I had already fully enjoyed my privileges as the victor, so I had no intention of restraining her any further than that: so if she said she would return to the empire, I would not try to stop her. How can I go back like this, with my tail between my legs!? I demand another duel!! Shana, however, only requested another contest. Maybe it was her warriors pride, or maybe she just hated losing, but she challenged me again, unaffected by how thoroughly I had had my way with her. I wasnt keen on having a duel to the death with someone I had slept with, naturally, so I set some conditions for our next duel. Condition 1 : The duel will be conducted with wooden weapons for mock battles and killing the opponent was forbidden. Condition 2 : If Shana Szar wins a mock battle, Dyngir Maxwell will face her again, with actual battle weapons and at full power. Condition 3 : If Dyngir Maxwell wins a mock battle, Shana Szar will serve him as subordinate and lover for one month. This was my 20th win in a row. Isnt it time you give up? At this rate youre not going back to the empire in this life. I then tossed the woodennce at her feet. I had already won 20 times, so Shana would have to serve me for almost 2 years. Since I could keep a beautiful master of thence at my side in apletely honorable manner, the duels were nothing but a blessing for me. You should have realized already that youll never defeat me with these conditions. Mgh I talked down to her on purpose, and Shana looked away from me, pouting. After all, the conditions of the duel put me at a clear advantage. In our duel in the slums, Shana cornered me more than once. That wasnt because our fighting skills were equal, but because I held back and fought without the intent to kill. If we fought with sparring weapons, without the danger of death from the start, I did not need to hold back. Shanas mastery of thence ranked among the best I had ever faced. However, she was not the best. In other words, it also meant that I had fought multiple times against warriors superior to her. Her technique of spinning thence and using the generated centrifugal force to attack was troublesome to deal with, but it was a technique I already learned how to counter. If she used a woodennce, stopping the tip even with my hands wasnt difficult. No matter how many times we fought, there was no way for me to lose. Mmghhow frustrating. I wanted to draw out your full power no matter what, but My full power, hmmourst duel in the slums wasnt enough? I had the impression that you held back much of what you could do at that time. If my instincts are right, you still have aces up your sleeve. Hmm, I wonder I shrugged in response to Shanas suspicions. Then she blushed and showed an annoyed expression. I cannot possibly go back to the empire before you and I have another duel to the death. I suppose I will have to continue this life for a while, to seek a chance for revenge. Well, works for me. With a provocative beauty like her at mymand, I had nothing toin about. I stabbed my wooden sword into the ground, took Shanas hand, and helped her stand back up. I used the momentum to go ahead and embrace her. Ah, hey now. Its still noon. I caressed her behind, and Shana protested. Its fine, its fine. Respecting the rules of the duel, however, she did not resist, so I let my hands advance beyond the slits of her dress. The feeling of her sweaty thighs was so pleasant, I always felt I could just keep touching them forever. Youre hopelesslet us go inside at least I feel like doing it outside today. Dont worry, Ill finish by the time you have counted all the clouds in the sky. Mmhwhat a troublesome master I have. Shana blushed and rubbed her thighs against each other, feeling awkward. I had made her mine several times already, but maybe because she always lived the life of a warrior, her reactions were still inexperienced and adorable. If we stay here, wont we be seen in the nude by someone? You wouldnt like that? Of course not. I have be used to being seen by you, but I loathe the idea of being seen by others!! I see. I guess I should send away the peeping tom then. Eh? I quickly pulled the wooden sword from the ground and threw it towards one of the oak trees growing in the garden. The instant the sword stabbed into the oak trees trunk, a man d in ck jumped out from the shade behind it. I prepared for the man to attack us, but he jumped over the residences fence and disappeared from our sight with incredible speed. Ooh, how fast!! That man must be really skilled! I was genuinely impressed, but Shana seemed shaken. W-w-what was that!? An assassin!? W-when did he get there!? Hes been there since we started the mock battle, thats for sure. You didnt notice? I shrugged in reply. At this rate, the day Shana could defeat me was still very far away. And you act like this with an assassin watching? I am starting to doubt your sanity I do what I must, no matter who watches. Even the battlefield is a good ce to make love to a womanthats the kind of man I am. I seehero and fool are truly two sides of the same coin Helplessness, admiration, disappointmentI sensed a mixture of emotions in Shanas tone. I shrugged again and pulled her closer. There was still time before lunch: I might as well use it for another short work out. Volume 1 - Ch 16 In a small town located in the eastern province of the Lamperouge kingdom In a building immersed inplete darkness, voices could be heard. A request has been received from Sullivan Nommes for the assassination of Dyngir Maxwell. The presence in the darkness rustled ever so slightly. Several other presences surfaced, then another voice echoed in the dark. Hohohofor the disinherited crown prince to wish for the death of the eastern hero. How imprudent That man has no chance of winning against Dyngir Maxwell using conventional methods, surely. Definitelyonce a request has been received, we shall do everything in our power to fulfill it. Such is thew of the Fangs of Steel. Hehe, this marks the end for that man. One of the presences in the dark vanished. The others followed it, one after the other, until only one was left. Well thenwill things proceed as nned, or not? This will be interesting Thest presence vanished as well. The only thing left in the dark room was a deafening silence. ~ The man d in ck was running through the slumbering town. It was alreadyte at night: only the moonlight illuminated the streets. The man in ck brushed past drunkards and women of pleasure in his path, but no one seemed to notice. It was like the man was part of the night scenery: everyone walked on, oblivious to his existence. Hah! The man eventually reached his destination. He used the momentum of his run to leap over a tall wall. Hended without a sound and quickly snuck into the shadow of a small tree. Concealed behind the tree, the man scanned the garden of the residence he infiltrated. There were armed soldiers here and there in the garden, apanied by hunting dogs: the residences security wasparable to a military fort. securitys tight, as expected of a margrave. The ce infiltrated by the man was one of the most guarded locations in the eastern province, Margrave Maxwells residence. Soldiers patrolled the manor at all times. Even the man, a veteran assassin, could not have infiltrated the manors premises easily without advance information about the position of the guards and their patrol schedules. Okay thenat this hour, the target should be in his room, probably with one of his women. The man recalled what happened earlier that day, then sighed and shrugged. He had been spying on the target, who was at another residence and found him engaged in lewd acts in broad daylight. The man continued observing, feeling frankly envious, but the target apparently detected that he was being watched, yet continued enjoying himself nheless. In the end, the man in ck was unexpectedly attacked. As brazen as always, I have to sayno wonder they call him a prodigy. The man took advantage of a slight opening in the manors security and snuck into the entrance hall. He had burnt a special incense in advance, in order to fool the guard dogs sense of smell. Inside the manor, there did not seem to be any guards. The residents were apparently all asleep, as the man could not sense any human presences. The targets room is Oh my, a guest at this hour. How rare. Whuat!? Startled by the sudden voiceing from behind him, the man flipped and turned around. There was no presence just seconds ago, but now a human silhouette stood before him. Esteemed guest, I must ask you to ring the doorbell first before you enter. Standing before the man in ck was a young maid of short stature. The maid had ck hair and ck eyes, a rarity in the kingdom. Without a sound, she stepped right next to the man. Kh.! The man noticed that something shone in her hand and instinctively performed an evasive maneuver. The next instant, a de shed through the space previously upied by the man. Talking before making a surprise attack? Arent you a kind little girl!! The man was sure that if the maid attacked before saying anything, he could not havepletely avoided her attack. The little girl before him was a denizen of the underground, like him, with skills possibly superior to his. I have to exercise sometimes or my body will get sluggish. Thats some confidence! A lethal trait in our line of work!! The man took throwing knives out of his pocket and shot them at the maid. The maid, however, dodged the flying des without much effort. Naive little girl!! The man had naturally predicted that she would dodge the knives: he had used them only as a diversion. He grabbed the maids right arm, preventing her from using her de, and took advantage of the difference in their physique to push her down. Victory is mine! So it seems. The maid epted her defeat all too easily. The man had a wide smile on his lips, but his expression soon turned to ice. Mph! Nghah!? A tiny needle shot from the maids mouth, piercing the mans neck. Paralysis quickly spread through the mans body, which slipped and fell, powerless. Adart? Poison? Of course. I would never wrestle a man with thin arms such as mine. The maid pushed the mans limp body aside and slipped out from under him. She then punted his sides, as if to give him the coup de grace. I am terribly sorry, but the only man allowed to mount me is my master, Lord Dyngir Maxwell. After saying these words, with a sort of pride in her tone, the maid reached for the mans mask. She stepped over his body and removed it forcefully. Even if we are rted, you are not allowed to touch me without permissionbrother Oboro. You have be truly skilledSakuya. The man in ck honestly praised the maid (and little sister) who had defeated him so easily. I waited for Sakuya and Oboros sibling fight to end and went down the stairs toward the entrance hall. So is it over ye.hey, what are you doing? Ghah, ghuh, gheh, hel, help! On the marble floory Oboro, assassin and acquaintance of mine. Then, for some reason, Sakuya was standing on his torso or more precisely, she was stepping on it. Her rhythmic steps made it look like she was dancing, as she continued stomping on her older brothers chest and stomach with her heels. whats that, Sakuya? A form of grooming, Lord Dyngir. Sakuya answered my question without changing her expression a bit. If a pathetic man like this one, who loses to his sister, five years younger than him, bes the next head of the Fangs of Steel, it will be a grave issue for both Lord Dyngir and house Maxwell. Thus I must correct my brothers crooked character, as you can see. Sakuya did not stop dancing on her brother throughout the exnation. Dah! Gwah! Gah!! Yo-young master!! I beg for! Your help! Gwah! The heels are piercing my liver! It is going to burst! Silence. You are not to speak to Lord Dyngir unless spoken to. Gwah! Is that the way to treat your brother? Gwuh! Ow! Ribs broken! Did you not hear me? I told you to be silent. Are your ears mere decorations? I suppose you do not need them then? Gweah!? No kicks to the head!! The toes got into my earsmy eardrums!? Sakuya. Get off him for now. I cant talk to him like this. Understood. Following my order, Sakuya suspended her tortureno, her grooming immediately. I approached Oboro, pitifully sprawled on the floor, crouched, and looked at his face. You all right? Can you hear me? II wish youd havehelped me sooner Well, you know, it isnt proper to interruptmunication between siblings. I chuckled and shook my head. There might be people who enjoy being kicked and stomped by a girl out there, but, unfortunately, Oboro did not have such peculiar preferences. Okay then, can we start with interrogating this prisoner of war? Why did you infiltrate the manor? I knew the answer already, but I asked all the same, out of formality. Heh, I cannot answer that. The Fangs of Steel do not betray their patrons. Oboro refused to talk, as was their formality. It was the kind of exchange you had to go through for forms sakebut Sakuya, despite being aware of such circumstances, sharply rebuked her brother. Lord Dyngir asked a question! How dare you refuse to talk? Gwah! N-no, this is just for appearanceshey, enough kicking!! Ah, er, so can you answer me now? The conversation was about to be derailed again, so I interrupted them. Oboro grasped the chance of salvation I gave him and eagerly answered. I-if! If you ask so much, then I suppose I must talk! We have been requested by Sullivan Nommes to assassinate Dyngir Maxwell!! Oboros confession confirmed what I suspected. I looked down and sighed deeply. AahI see. As expected, he couldnt be a member of the eastern province nobleshe couldnt part with his past as crown prince. You have my condolences, young master. I dont know how Oboro took my words, but he tried to console me. I, however, shook my head andughed. Oh noit is well within the realm of my expectations, but its sad nheless. To be forced to condemn a man with royal blood in his veins, its justso tragichahahahaha Your words and expressions do not match, Lord Dyngir. I flicked my hand at Sakuyas serious remark and continued talking with Oboro. You have proof that Sullivan requested my assassination, right? Of course. That man signed the contract and even sealed it in blood. He did it so easily, without even thinking it could be a trap. Really. Fools will be fools, I guess. I honestly didnt expect him to fall for it so easily. A man you happen to meet tells you that the legendary assassins, the Fangs of Steel, really exist and you believe it just like that? Not only that, but also that the measly amount of money you could pay was enough for the assassination of a margraves son? You went ahead and even signed the contract, believing that everything was going to be resolved? This was all my n. There wasnt a single chance for Sullivans revenge from the start. A moron without limits. To fail my test of loyalty like thatat least now I can dispose of him without reserve. Sullivans death was now decided. The series of events started by my broken engagement continued longer than expected, but the conclusion was finally in sight. (As for a final gesture of mercyyoull be the one to choose whether you die a quick death or a really painful one.) While considering such thoughts, I expressed my gratitude to Oboro. Im sorry for having you do something so troublesome, Oboro. You can go now. Ill send some good alcohol your way next time. Give my regards to the elder too. Understood, young master. by the way, SakuyaI cant seem to move an inch yet. What kind of poison did you use? A lethal dose of paralyzing poison, dear brother. Sakuyas answer to Oboros question was rather shocking. L-lethal!? How could you kill your own brother!? Rest easy, dear brother. Thanks to your training, you will be able to resist its effects for two hours. So in two hours Ill be dead!? And I should rest easy!? G-give me the antidote, now!! I looked at Oboro, still lying on the ground but kicking up a fuss, and a question popped in my head. You cant move an inch, but you sure can talk a lot, huh? Yes, I made a special concoction that would make it possible to interrogate the victim of such a poison. I did not learn it during my time in the Fangs of Steel, but created it myself. Oh, thats impressive to continue studying like that. Well done, Sakuya. I pulled Sakuya closer and patted her head. Her expression softened and she put her head against my chest. H-hey, you can have your wholesome momentster! Antidote first!! I would have liked to carry Sakuya to bed like that but the man sprawled on the floor, Oboro, got in the way of my ns. Sakuya, itd be a pain to have him die, so give him the antidote already. Hes going to wake up the whole manor. Yes, my lord. Sakuya responded to my order by pinching the hems of her maid skirt and bowing politely. I shall now go concoct the antidote. Please wait a little while Youre going to make it now!? Why didnt you prepare it in advance!? Please stop making a fuss. It makes you look pathetic, dear brother. It will only take me one hour or so for the concoction, so please wait here. Thats very close to my limit!! So you really want to kill your own brother!! Sakuya ignored her siblings pleas for his life and walked up to me. She stood on her toes and pressed her lips against mine, smiling faintly. I shall be at your side as soon as possible. Please wait for me in bed. Yeah, Ill be waitingbut let me have a quick taste in advance. Mmh This time I pressed my lips against hers and prated her mouth. Sakuya stretched her tongue and entangled it with mine. Antidote!! Please!! Death approaches!! Sakuya and I continued exchanging passionate kisses, with Oboros desperate pleas as a sort of background music. Volume 1 - Ch 17 POV : Sakuya My name is Sakuya. I work as a maid for Lord Dyngir Maxwell, heir to Margrave Maxwell, the leading noble of the eastern province. My special skills are staying awake throughout the night to guard my lord, escorting, patrolling the manor, concocting poisonthen assassination, poisoning, garroting, bludgeoning, erasure, massacre, extermination, and many more. Presently, thanks to these skills, I am working as an impable maid, but until three years ago I was engaged in a different profession. A professionmonly defined with the word assassin. In thend my ancestors hailed from, it was also called Ninja. The organization I used to belong to, a league of assassins called the Fangs of Steel Ninja Squad, originated from an ind country located beyond the sea east of the continent. More than 50 years ago, in the far east country of Wanokuni, our ancestors epted requests received from the government and the daimyo in this country, one would call them nobles and mainly performed infiltration, sabotage, and assassination work. The vige where our ancestors lived, however, waspletely destroyed by a certain daimyo: chased away from their own country, they sought refuge in this continent. After a long period of vagrancy, their final destination was here the kingdom of Lamperouge. The Lamperouge kingdom was founded when its predecessor, the Lamperouge Alliance a group of city-states decided to band together in order to protect themselves, triggered by the empires territorial expansion. Fifty years ago, when the kingdom was newly established, it was surrounded by enemies in all directions. To the north and easty the empire, a known aggressor country boasting massive military strength. To the south, territories were subjected to the pirates turf wars, continuous plundering, and massacres. The western borders were often threatened by a fearsome army whose name people did not even dare to pronounce. In a country surrounded by enemies, where the mes of war never died out, our ancestors had countless opportunities to put their skills to use. They assassinated generals from hostile countries, procured secret documents, eliminated subversive cells within the countryeventually,Fangs of Steelbecame known as the name of a legendary group of assassins. Legends too fade over time. The empires invasion attempts were put on hold, the pirates turf wars reached their conclusion, a truce was formed with the terror army. The value of the Fangs of Steel also dimmed. As the kingdom entered an era of peace, our existence was relegated to the fairytales. To discard our profession as assassins and continue living here, or leave to seek new battlefields. The time to choose hade. It was precisely at that time that he appeared before us. ~ Hello there, this is the hideout of the assassin guild Fangs of Steel, yes? It happened three years ago, in the small town where the Fangs of Steel established their headquarters. A young man suddenly opened the door of the tavern that served as a front for the hideout. The young man was about fifteen years old. He had a ck sword at his waist and carried a bag over his shoulder, which seemed filled to the brim. what are you saying, boy? This ce is for members only. The Fangs of Steel member who acted as tavern staff replied, unfazed. All the people present in the tavern, me included, wereFangs of Steelninjas. I was sitting at a table and eating. When the young man came in, I casually took my poisoned needles from under the table, preparing to attack him if necessary. The other ninjas disguised as tavern patrons secretly prepared their weapons as well. Haha, all this killing intent youre giving out is proof enough. Let me guess, all those here are assassins? . The waiter made eye contact with me. It was the signal to move: I quickly moved behind the young man, without making a sound. I would not kill him immediately: we had to interrogate him first, to know where he had learned about the location of our hideout. (First, you will be paralyzed.) I tried to stab the young mans neck with a needle coated in paralyzing poison, but something very unexpected happened. Oh, youre fast. Ah!? The young man dodged my attack, without even looking at me. The next instant, he turned around, grabbed my wrist, and raised it high. Khuh!! Whoa there! You have bad manners, girl!! I tried using my free hand to poke his eyes, but the young man dodged that easily as well, then caught my other hand too. (Khbut I still have my legs!) I tried kicking him between the legs to send him flying, but the young man retaliated with a surprising attack. You sure are feisty, despite your size. As expected of a legendary league of assassins! Okay then, I should start by giving a reward to this youngdy here. Nguh!? The next instant, the young man kissed me. It was the first time my lips touched someone elses. My first kiss, as they say. Hnn!! Nnh! Nnhmmh I desperately resisted at first, but as the young mans tongue prated inside my mouth, I gradually lost the ability to move. (Imparalyzedinstead) The young mans tongue skills were so lethal, I began to wonder if his tongue had been coated in poison. He sucked on my lips, licked and caressed each one of my teeth. I felt all my strength leave my body, and before I noticed it I was leaning against the young man. (I never feltanything sogood) I felt as if I had been lulled into an ecstatic drinking stupor, but that moment of bliss ended abruptly. Hmm, delicious. Unripe fruits have a great taste too. Ahn My lips were finally released, after who knows how long. I was dazed for a while, like I was floating. When I fully regained my senses, I saw the taverns tables and chairs scattered and broken, broken bottles and shards of ss everywhere. All the Fangs of Steel ninjas except me were lying on the floor. The one posing as the waiter, my older brother Oboro, was lying face down: the young man stepping over him. This is what you get for interrupting a love scene, you uncivilized goons. Who in the worldare you? All of the ninjas present were Fangs of Steel assassins. Each one of them had survived countless deadly situations: they were all masters of their art. And this young man defeated them all by himself.while kiskissing me? Me? Oh yeah, I didnt introduce myself, right? My names Dyngir Maxwell. I have a hunch were going to have a long rtionship, me and you. Well, anyway, pleased to meet you. The young man Lord Dyngir Maxwell smiled like a mischievous kid. I opened my mouth to say something, but before I couldughter echoed in the tavern. Ho ho ho, it sure is lively in here today. G-grandfather I turned around and found the familiar face of an elderly man. The tall man with a long white beard was Jogen: he was the current head of theFangs of Steel and my grandfather. After my parents had died in the line of duty, he was also the person who raised me. I must say I am surprised to see someone who can manage this much against our youngsters. I see they dont call you prodigy for no reason, Maxwell boy. Impressive, impressive. Grandfatherughed merrily, like a kind elderly neighbor, but his eyes were not even smiling. He red sharply at the intruder and the ninjas who were defeated so easily, in turn. Lord Dyngir released me from his embrace. Still overwhelmed by his passionate kiss, I slumped down on the floor. Im the impressed one here, elder. I didnt even feel your presence until you spoke. Lord Dyngir praised grandfather with a smile. Haha, I didnt grow old doing nothing, after all. My grandfather replied and smiled back. The atmosphere around them seemed peaceful, as if they were already friends. I noticed, however, that they both carefully kept their distance from each other, gauging the others range. Well then, Sir Dyngir, may I ask what brings you here? Im sure you did note only to teach a good lesson to our youngsters. Thats right. I came here for a work request. Ooh, that is intriguing. Let us hear it. Sure. Lord Dyngir ced the bag he carried on a nearby table. He then opened it, revealing arge number of gold coins. The request is for assassination. And the target is Dyngir Maxwell. In other words, me. Those were Lord Dyngirs exact words. His unbelievable words created total silence in the room for a while. I was still sitting on the floor, speechless. Is this some kind of joke? Grandfather too was suspicious: he frowned as he asked Lord Dyngir to exin himself. Lord Dyngir grinned, as if our reaction was just what he expected. He then raised his index finger next to his face and replied. No, this is definitely not a joke. To put it simply, I want to make a bet with you Fangs of Steel. A bet? What do you want to say? Yes, a bet. You have one month to try to assassinate me. If you seed, that money is yours. If you fail, the Fangs of Steel will be my subordinates. Hoohyou would have us serve you? Yes, thats right. The conditions arent bad, are they? Hohoho, how funny. Young people should be reckless, as they say. Howeveryoure getting ahead of yourself, boy. Grandfather wasughing heartily one moment, but the next one his expression changedpletely, as he sternly addressed Lord Dyngir. I had never seen grandfather brimming with such killing intent: even if I wasnt the target, I couldnt help but tremble. Your little victory over our men here must have gone to your head. We are assassins, not warriors or mercenaries. Our essence is only one, to murder. We use any means avable, no matter how low or immoral they may be, to silence our targets forever. Do you really think you could escape the full extent of our assassination techniques? You, a brat less than twenty? What arrogance! Elderyes, looking at you, I understand how reckless I was. I really underestimated the legendary league of assassins, it seems. Lord Dyngir sincerely bowed his head, then continued. I cannot swallow my words anymore though. I might have a very slim chance of victory, but do let me try those legendary assassination arts of yours. what pushes you to do such a thing? If you wish for us to be allies, you could simply offer money ornd in exchange. I know well you dont mean what you just said. As if that would be enough to sway you. Lord Dyngir shook his head at grandfathers legitimate question. Fifty years have passed since the Fangs of Steel first appeared in the history of this country. You have epted the requests of many, but never pledged allegiance to one person or group, have you? I dont know if thats your motto or you simply havent found someone worthy enough to ept as your master yet. When I thought about a way to win you over, the only thing I came up with was to show you my resolve and abilities. So here I am. Thus you stake your own life to win us over? Thats ttering indeed. It would all mean nothing if you die, though. If that happens, that will mean that it was my limit as a man. They say I have the devils own luck though. Im going to fight tooth and nail with everything I have, youll see. Lord Dyngirughed brazenly. That time, I thought he was glowing. I felt as if I had seen the sun for the first time in my life. I pressed my hands on my chest to stop it from thumping so much, but my heart continued to beat faster, stronger, louder. Very well, I understand. Your request has been epted. If one month from now you are still alive, the Fangs of Steel shall be retainers of Sir Dyngir Maxwell. Im really looking forward to that. Causing harm to anyone else is against the rules though, all right? Hohoho, very well. Lord Dyngir then left our hideout. I looked at him go, then asked grandfather a question. Was it really alright to ept such a request? That was the only way. A single man showed such a resolve to us, how could we not respond in kind? Grandfather nodded while stroking his prized beard. Our current way of life has reached its limits, anyhow. This might actually be a good chance. The age when the Fangs of Steel were considered necessary was long gone. The requests for assassinations, which bore the most fruitful rewards, decreased day by day. We were forced to reexamine our way of life. Based on such a situation, entering into service of a powerful noble house such as the Maxwells was not a bad prospect at all. The only problem is whether that boy was a worthy enough vessel or notno, it does seem he could be worthy as a vessel, and he has enough strength too. It all depends on what kind of star he was born under, now. Grandfather looked at his unconscious subordinates, shrugged, and sighed. He then turned towards me, a deadly serious look on his face. Sakuya. I leave the assassination of that man, Dyngir Maxwell, to you. Eh? Grandfathers order took mepletely by surprise. I could not understand how such an important mission, upon which depended the very fate of the Fangs of Steel, could ever be assigned to someone who had already lost and was shamed like I was. Are you truly sure about this, grandfather? There are many members more skilled than me The unconscious members in the tavern were all young members of the Fangs of Steel. I knew and was proud of the fact that I was the most skilled one of them all, my brother Oboro included. Among the members who supported the group through the warring age alongside grandfather, however, there were much more skilled than me. Grandfather shook his head to my question. Those who will serve sir Dyngir are not us elderly, but you youngsters. Normally, it would be the next heads duty to perform this testbut looking at Oboros pitiful state, I cannot entrust it to him. Gweh!? Grandfather stepped on my brothers body, then scratched his head. Im going to have to retrain this fool, so the request is yours. This is my decision as head. understood. If my grandfather ordered me to take the mission as the head, I had no choice but to obey. I was going to do everything in my power as an assassin to fulfill the request. Use all the techniques you have learned and determine whether he is fit as our leader or not. Do not go easy on him, even if youve fallen in love! Are we clear? I-I havent!!! I forgot my position and talked back to grandfather, then hid my burning red face with my hands. ~ One month had passed since then. I targeted Lord Dyngirs life with all the means at my disposal. The result wasdefeat. I did not hold back in the slightest, but Lord Dyngir foiled all of my attempts, through sheer luck and his own abilities, thus proving that he was fit to be our master. After failing an assassination, Lord Dyngir caught me and did all sorts of things to me. As a result, I realized my only path was to serve him as a maidbut that is a story for another time. Volume 1 - Ch 18 POV : Sullivan Nommes Shit!! Why havent they reported back yet!! I was sitting on a chair in my room in house Nommes, nervously tapping the armrests. I tried my hardest to contain my irritation these past few days. Two weeks ago, I met a man called Zaill in a tavern in town. He introduced me to the band of assassins Fangs of Steel, to whom I requested the murder of Dyngir Maxwell. The man from the Fangs of Steel epted the request, saying they wouldfulfillthe request in the span of a few days, but I had yet to receive the report that the request had beepleted. Shit!! How can they be so slow, after making me pay all that money!? I mmed my fists on the table as I spat out those words. I had to go through all sorts of trouble to gather the money requested by the assassins. I couldnt speak about the request to house Nommes, of course, so I had to prepare it all by myself. I begged my friends in the capital via letter and managed to obtain a bit of money from them. Several of them epted my request, but the attached letter also said This is thest time, dont contact me ever again, effectively severing their ties with me. When I saw those letters, I felt so insulted I tore the letter to shreds. (You better remember this!! When Dyngir Maxwell is killed and I be the next margrave, Im going to start a revolt and burn down the capital!! All your heads are going to roll!!) At first, I nned to take back my title of the crown prince, but, because of the unbelievable way my friends changed, I started thinking of such plots. House Maxwell was one of the Four Houses: its military strength was one of the greatest in the kingdom. Once it was in my hands, it wouldnt be a dream to punish the royal family that abandoned me and the central nobles who betrayed me. (You will regret disinheriting meall of those who oppose me will die!! Im going to take back the throne by force!!) Father, who abandoned me, and my younger brother, who stole my title of crown prince, were going to burn at the stake. Ill cut off Duke Rosais head and put it up for all to see. Ill take his daughter Marianne and enjoy her all her life as my sex ve. As the fantasies came alive in my head, my lips naturally curved into a smile. I was going to exact revenge on the people who drove me to ruin and bring destructiontothem instead. How could I notugh? Knock, knock, knock. Lord Sullivan, may I? Someone knocked on the door and interrupted my thoughts. What is it? Im rather busy now. Just when I was relishing my bright future prospects. My tone barely hid the irritation I felt. A guest came to see you, my lord. May I let them through? Ooh!! Yes, of course, let them in! .understood. Right away, my lord. I cheered loudly in my mind. Ever since I started living in house Nommes, I had not received even one guest. Which meant this guest surely brought the report I longed to hear. (They carried out the assassination! Finally!!) I lightlyleapedout of my chair and briskly made preparations to wee the guest. I was almost dancing with joy, so I failed to notice that the butler who came to announce the guests arrival spoke with a terribly tense tone of voice. After a little while, someone knocked again. Oh! Doe in! With your permission. Ive been waiting..? The guest who entered my room was a very unexpected one. Allow me to introduce myself, Sir Sullivan Nommes. My name is Lowen, I am the captain of thefirst security division of house Maxwell. The guest was a man d in full armor. On his chest he bore Margrave Maxwells crest, the blue dragon emblem. There were two other soldiers behind Lowen, who were armed in the same way as him. M-Maxwells security divisioncaptain? W-what business brings you My voice turned shrill and high-pitched. Acting so restless was like exposing my guilty conscience, but I couldnt hold back my turmoil. You do not know what brings me here, sir? Lowen asked an inquiring question. I clearly felt all color leave my face. I-II have no idea. Is that so. Then,pleaselook at this. W-what is tha.!? Lowen took out a piece of rolled parchment and spread it for me to see. It was a contract I remembered all too well. This document was found in the hideout of a gang of assassins we have apprehended recently. Its contents, as you can see, detail a request to assassinate our lord, Dyngir Maxwell. On the bottom of the document you can see your own signature and seal. W-w-w-w-w-w.what is this!? (Impossible!! Were they caught!? Werent they legendary assassins!?) I barely managed to keep myself from shouting my thoughts. I tried desperately to restrain my shock, but I couldnt keep my body from shaking. I, II have no idea about any of this. Someone must have impersonated me to I see, in that case, please allow us to conduct a proper examination.Unlikesignatures, seals cannot be duplicated, after all. Please show us your fingers, it will only take a short time to verify. Uuh, aah, uuh. I curled my fingers into my hand and copsed on the spot. There was no need for any examination: I had pressed my seal on the contract myself. It appears we reached our conclusion. Follow us quietly, and you may have a chance to exin yourself in court. Do youmean to judge me in courtlike a criminal? I, the crown prince of It appears there is a misunderstanding here: you are the crown prince no more. You are now simply reaping what you sowed. If you resist, we will have to take measures ordingly. Lowen then caressed the hilt of the sword at his waist. I fell silent for a short time, then opened my mouth again. UnderstoodI will prepare my belongings, please wait just a moment. I was still looking down when Lowen stopped me. Entrust your sword to me first, please. Ghuh (What insolence!!) I restrained the urge to shout back and handed Lowen my sword. (Damn you all! Is everyone in this sted kingdom eager to get in my way!? Is there no god in this world!?) Why did I have to endure such trials? All I ever did was lead a life worthy of a crown prince! Whatever did I do to deserve all this? (Enough!! Gaining the help of lowly criminals was a mistake, evidently! Im going to kill Maxwell with my own two hands!!) At this point, it was clear that I had to createapath myself. I could never allow myself to be judged as a criminal in a treacherous trial plotted by house Maxwell. (Justice is on my side!! Maxwell, you will pay!) I pretended to prepare my belongings and took out something from a drawer. When I was disinherited and thrown out of the royal house, most of my belongings as crown prince were confiscated. There was one thing, however, I could secretly bring with me. Hehehehehehe What I took out of the drawer was an old, dull silver bracelet. As an essory, it was tooshabbyfor royalty like me to wear, but what I needed now was not its value as a decoration. The royal houses magic tool, Herakles. One of the national treasures of the kingdom of Lamperouge was now equipped on my left arm. Volume 1 - Ch 19 Hahahahaha What? Sullivan startedughing all of a sudden, so Lowen frowned. He then noticed that Sullivan was now wearing a silver bracelet and looked at him, wide-eyed. Whats that bracelet!? Men, restrain him!! Yes sir!! Lowen did not know what the bracelet really was, but he was sure it was a magic tool so he immediately ordered his subordinates to move. However Gwaaaahhh!!! Sullivan roared and swung his arms. Gah!? He only swung them wildly, but one of Lowens subordinates was tossed against the wall. You! Lowen nced at the soldier thrown against the wall, then drew his sword. He stepped next to Sullivan in an instant and shed him diagonally. Sullivans body was cut deeply and sprayed blood. Haha!! Hahahaha!! That is nothing!! Grraaaahhh!!! Im-impossible!! Sullivans wounded body recovered, almost instantly. Sullivan then swung his arms in Lowens direction. Lowen parried with his sword and jumped backward to kill the momentum. Ghwhat unbelievable power! Captain Lowen! Youdamned rebel!! The other soldier pierced Sullivan with his spear, exactly under his armpits: the spear went through the ribs and reached Sullivans heart. Out of my way, you imbeciles!! Even with his heart pierced, Sullivan did not die: he forcefully snapped the spear with his arms. You dare wound my noble self!? I will have you all hanged!! Mark my words!! Sullivan broke through the window and jumped out. Stop!! The soldier who stabbed Sullivan with his spear drew his sword and started giving him chase. Stop! Dont chase him! Lowen, however, stopped him. Theres no need to. Take care of his wounds instead. But, sir The soldier looked at the shattered window, then hisrade slumping against the wall. Its fine. There was an unexpected ident, but things arergely proceeding as nnedwe wanted to let him escape from the start, anyway. R-really sir? Understood The soldier cocked his head, confused. Lowen shook his head and sighed. He heard moring voices from the hallway. The residents of the Nommes house heard themotion and started gathering, naturally. Lowen headed towards the hallway, to exin the situation to the head of house Nommes. Lets leave the judgment to the young masterif only he let himself get caught, he would have been judged as a human being. Lowens whispered words were filled with pity. ~ Shit!! Shit, shit, SHIT!!! Sullivan cursed as he ran through the town at an incredible speed. Herakles, magic tool and national treasure of the Lamperouge kingdom. Its power boosted the wearers physical and healing abilities. There were many magic tools that boosted physical abilities, but Herakles was especially powerful. As long as Herakles was worn, the user would not die even if their head was smashed or their whole body was stabbed by spears. The wearer became immortal and could fight hordes of enemies on their own. Additionally, unlike other magic tools, Herakles did not cause any fatigue to the wearer, so it could be used without limit. When the kingdom of Lamperouge was founded, the first king fought with Herakles, spreading his fame as an immortal warrior, leaving legends such as his battle against armies of thousands on his own. Who do you think I am, you miserable peons!? I am the fated ruler of this kingdom!! Everything in this kingdom belongs to me!! Sullivan had lost his position as crown prince, his position as heir to house Nommes, everything. What he had left was only the old silver bracelet on his left hand. Nothing will stop me now! Yes, a country where I am not the king cannot be right!! I have no need for it anymore!! Sullivans heart sank deeper and deeper into a swamp of ill intent: his uncontroble rage and hatred painted the scenery before him red. The people in the streets, alerted by his screams, quickly opened a path for him, but he did not even see them anymore. I will kill you, Dyngir Maxwell!! Your father Dietrich too!! Im going to take your two heads as a gift and turn to the empire!!! If the margrave of the eastern province, guardian of the border, was killed along with his son and heir, the eastern territories of the Lamperouge kingdom will surely crumble. If the empire took the opportunity to invade, the whole country was going to fall. Yes!! I will be a hero in the empire!! The country that abandoned me will be burnt to ashes and a new age will be born!! The dashing young nobles handsome features twisted evilly. Sullivans heart had no more traces of love for his homnd: there was nothing but hatred and a desire for revenge upon those who caused his life to go out of control. (First of all, I must regroup andyes!! Zaill!! I must punish that man for introducing me to those useless assassins!) Sullivan was now headed to the residence Zaill told him he could use as an emergency shelter. It was rather far from the town, but, thanks to Herakles, he could reach it in about one day. Zzzzaaaaaaiiiillll!!! Just you wait!!! Your king will punish you personally!!! The silver bracelets dull glow grew stronger as Sullivan kicked the ground with more power. The journey to the residence would normally take days, but the bracelets full speed allowed Sullivan to arrive by sunset. The residence was located in an area known as a summer resort in the eastern province: among many other noble residences, it stood taller and more imposing than any other. Its garden wasrge as well, making it look like a vi fit for royalty. Hmph, if he could build a mansion like this, he must have quite a lot of finances at his disposal. Looks like I might be able to make good use of you, Zaill Sullivan opened the iron gates and adamantly made his way inside. The residence was veryrge, but there was no sign of security anywhere. Not even servants or maids could be seen. I expected to find more security, thoughcould he have deserted the ce? Sullivan, perplexed, walked towards the entrance. Eventually, he spotted a gorgeously decorated door. Hmm? Before he could reach it, however, the door opened from inside. Whoa, you got here earlier than expected. What!? You are!!! From beyond the luxurious door leading into the residence emerged Sullivans most hated man, Dyngir Maxwell himself. Dyngir Maxwell!! Why are you here!? Why? Why cant I be in my private residence? I shrugged at Sullivans angry shouting. The residence we were in was one of my private properties. If someone was to be used, it was him for entering without permission but I knew that such reasoning wasnt going to work on the idiot standing before me. Your private residence!? Thats impossible!! This is Zaills You called for me, Lord Sullivan? A man appeared from behind one of the pirs in the entrance hall. Zaill!! What is the meaning of this!? Why is Dyngir Maxwell here!? Sullivan continued yelling. The well-dressed man, hisposed, gentlemanly expression unperturbed on his face, replied to Sullivans question as if appeasing an unruly child. I see you still do not realizewhat exactly your current position is. Even in a situation like this, you still do not see on whose side I am on? You cant be saying Sullivan was hit with the realization. He finally understood in what ce he had been lured in. That the man called Zaill was not his ally. You bastard! How dare youbetray me!!! Betrayal? I am afraid that is not correct. In the first ce Enough already, Im sick of hearing you talk like that, could you stop? I couldnt stand to watch that farce anymore, so I interrupted the man. Your job is over now, so you can talk as you usually do, Clown. Ooh, is that soheeheelet me talk normally then, sir. The atmosphere of the man Sullivan called Zaill changedpletely. His polite manners and gentlemanly features crumbled away, leaving a vulgar-looking hoodlum in their ce. That was the true appearance of the man said to possess one hundred faces, Zaill Clown. (This face might be a fake one too, though.) W-who the hell are you!? Where did Zaill go!? Sullivan waspletely confused by the drastic change in Zaills appearance: he had instantly changed to apletely opposite face. I understood how he felt though: when I saw it for the first time, I was speechless too. Heeheehee, the man named Zaill never existed in the first ce. My name is Clown, I am just a poor swindler. Aa swindler? Yes sir, you have been deceived from the start. I approached you as Zaill, told you about the Fangs of Steel, said that you had a chance to be the next Lord Maxwell to lure you into a trap. Heeheehee. I cantbelieve this Sullivans expression twisted horribly. What emerged from his expression now was humiliation and suspicion. You havent realized it even now? You fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. It was a test, to see if you were worth the title of Baron Nommes. And you failed it spectacrly! You spat and stomped all over it! Heeheehee! .. Sullivan fell silent after Clowns mocking words. Then, after a brief silence, he exploded. D-damn youuuuuuuu!!!! You will pay for deceiving meeeeee!!!! The bracelet on Sullivans left arm gave a dull glow. With a booming sound, as if the very earth exploded, Sullivan jumped at Clown. You, test me!? Test this kingdoms crown prince!? This countrys rightful ruler!? Know your ce, scuuuuuuuuuum!!! Heehee, this looks bad! Clown lightly stepped aside, revealing the silhouette of a person who faced Sullivan in his ce. Is it my turn finally? The silhouette behind Clown was thence maiden, Shana. Shana smoothly ran past Sullivan, as she thrust the hilt of hernce between his legs to make him tumble. Nuooooohhh!? Sullivans legs flew up in the air and he crashed headfirst against one of the entrances pirs. Over already? How boring. Gwuh, gweeeehhh!? The marble pir shattered, its debris falling over Sullivan. Ah!! Hey, Shana!! Dont go destroying my residence!! I-it couldnt be helped! Its this mans fault for being too weak. Shana spun hernce and struck the floor with the hilt. She parted her silver hair, showing a dissatisfied expression on her handsome face. I cant expect him to be as strong as you, but I wanted to see some more grit, at the very least. Well, looks like he has enough grit to stand back up though. Ooh? Gwaaaahhhh!!! Sullivan tossed away the debris crushing him and stood up ferociously. There was blood on his head, but the wound seemed to be closed already. His recovery abilities were clearly superhuman. Kill!! Kill!! Kill, kill, kill!!! All those who harm my noble self!! Will face execution!!! It cant be. I respect tough men, buthow can he stand up again after that? Shana whispered, perplexed. At the speed Sullivan crashed against the marble pir, his cranium should have been shattered, his neck snapped. It was normally impossible to stand back up after such damage. Its the royal familys secret treasure, Herakles. The bracelet of the immortal hero. Honestly, how did you manage to steal it? Even if Sullivan was the crown prince, it wasnt something that could have been easily taken outside. It was the first kings heritage, after all: more than just a magic tool, it was a symbol of the royal houses authority. (I didnt hear about it being stolen, though. Did someone hide the fact? Could he have allies among the nobles in the capital?) The only nobles that could have managed to sneak a national treasure out of the capital were Duke Rosais or nobles with simr authority. For a moment, I considered the possibility that someone secretly gave Sullivan the bracelet in order to dispose of me, but I quickly discarded it. I couldnt think of any major nobles in the capital foolish enough to give a national treasure to this idiot, even for the sake of killing me. Well, whatever. Stand back, Shana. Im going to deal with him. Mph! Didnt you say you would leave him to me? This is the end of our little quarrel. I have to take responsibility, right? Shana, though disappointed, retreated. Clown, on the other hand, had already run off somewhere. Time to settle the score, then. You want to kill me, right? Do your worst. DYNGIR!!! MAXWELL!!!! Sullivan leaped towards me, roaring like a wild animal. I drew my sword and faced the man who stole my fiancee in our final battle. Volume 1 - Ch 20 MAXWEEELLLL!!! You dont need to shout. I can hear you just fine. Sullivan swung his fists at me repeatedly. I dodged each one, stepping to the right, left, front, and back as needed. Hey, Sullivan. Im not the petty person you seem to think I am, you know. I said something different when I scolded you, thats true, but I dont throw away a person after a single mistake. I talked, even though I was fully aware that he wasnt listening. As expected, Sullivan ignored my words and simply continued swinging his arms like mad. Its pointless to say any of this now, I know, but if only you refused the invitation to have me assassinated, I was going to forget everything that happened between us. The fact that he stole my fiancee or that he called the nobles guarding the eastern borders insane murderers. I was still angry, of course, but all humans make mistakes. If Sullivan had a change of heart, I would have considered it all water under the bridge. I even thought that, if Sullivan contributed properly to the eastern province as the next head of house Nommes, I could put in a good word with Duke Rosais to let him return to the central province one day. Ive given you plenty of chances, you know? I let you marry Selena as you wished, I asked Baron Nommes to take good care of you. I even set up a meeting to give you the chance to apologize, havent I? You didnt consider any of them to be chances, thats all. SHUT UUUUPPPP!! Sullivan swung his fists again, as to erase my words. I dodged the fist, which mmed into the stone floor and crushed it. Stop tearing my residence down!! Its getting seriously annoying. I swung my sword. Sullivans body was shed once, twice, thrice. Blood sprayed and sshed on the stone floor, but Sullivan seemed unfazed. I feel nothing!! Puny attacks like that could never affect the future king of Lamperouge!! I am a descendant of the first king, the immortal hero!! That noble ancestor of yours must be weeping right now. Weeping at how idiotic his descendants are!! Four, five, six timesI shed Sullivans body without pause, but all the wounds healed immediately. Ha!! Hahaha!! HAHAHAHA!!! Weak!! Too weak!! This is the hero of the eastern province!? You dare oppose the future king with your meager strength!? Man, you havent hit me once and all you have going for you is that bracelet Say what you will!! This is the strength of a king!! The absolute power of the conqueror fated to rule thend!! Sullivanughed pridefully as he continued to punch me. I dodged and cut, dodged and cut I agree that its powerful, but Dejected, I shook my head and mumbled to myself. Sullivans power and speed, boosted by Herakles, were really something to behold. His fighting style, which consisted of nothing but wild punches, was too simple and childish: he looked like a kid throwing a temper tantrum. Well, what did I expect. Youre just a brat riding on your parents coattails after all. This guy lived all of his life as the crown prince, so he probably never even got into a fight. I could dodge beginner level punches like this in my sleep. Hahaha!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! In stark contrast with my thoughts, Sullivanughed uncontrobly, despite looking like a bloody mess. Looking at himughing while getting continuously wounded, even I felt a bit creeped out. whats so funny about this? Try to hit me at least once before youugh. Hahaha!! You know nothing, Dyngir Maxwell!! What now? Haha! I shall enlighten you, you moron!! My victory has been decided already!! Sullivan stopped swinging his fists and pointed at me. He looked as if he was really convinced he was going to win. I frowned. Again, what makes you act so proud? Honestly, youre creeping me out. Haha, say whatever you wantfine, I will tell you, you filthy scum!! You have been shing me with your sword for a while, but I am not defeated yet. Your sword means nothing before my immortal body!! However.however!!! If I can hit you just once, you will turn into a bloody pulp!! In addition, thanks to this magic tool I will never grow tired! As soon as you lose your energy and try to flee, it will be the end of you!!! Aahnow I get it. So thats why he was confident he was going to win. Well, for an idiot he had thought it through. Haha!! Dont let me catch you too easily!! I shall have you taste every kind of suffering in this world, then chop your head off!!! Sure, just you try it I swung my sword twice, shing Sullivans chest in a crosswise fashion. Mph! You struggle for nothing!! About your analysis there, it was pretty much correct, I think. Its just that I casually evaded Sullivans fist, cutting his right hand off his wrist as I did. GWAAHHHH!? For example, what happens if your limbs get cut off, like this? I cut off your right hand now, but if I cut off the left hand, the one with the bracelet, will you recover all the same? Y-you bastard!! My, my arm! What if I cut you to pieces? Can your body parts recover even if theyre torn apart and scattered? Forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder: I started slicing Sullivans right arm from the hand up. Ultimately, Sullivan lost everything from his right shoulder down. Y-you b-b-bastard!!! My arm! Who do you think I am!? Youre asking that now? Cant you say anything else? I whispered hopelessly, then thrusted my sword to Sullivans throat. Gh, gwah!? What happens if I cut off your head? Can you recover? Is a new one going to pop up, like a lizards tail? If you are still alive, will the new head be the same as the old one? Sstop I carved Sullivans throat with the tip of my sword and he let out something of a scream. I chuckled at his reaction and extracted the sword. Gwahhaahhaahhaah So? You still think youre going to win? Do you really think you could? Come on, let me hear it. Ggh,,,grraaahhhh!!! Kill youIm going to kill youuuuu!!! You countryside noble scum!! How dare you mock meeeeeeee!!!! Sullivan, the wound on his throat now healed, swung his remaining left arm at me. My lips curved into a grin and I swung my de. Really. Sure, if youre still up to it, Ill stick with you to the end!! What followed was not a battle, but the butchering of a pig. I gradually cut apart Sullivans body into smaller pieces. I pulled the guts out of his stomach, extracted his eyeballs and even his heart. Some ten minutester In the residences garden, now a blood-red carpet, Sullivans mutted bodyy immobile. Volume 1 - Ch 21 Looks like its over. Shana walked towards me, looking at Sullivans mass of flesh, which was sinking in a pool of blood. Yeah, looks like it. It always ends too quickly. I nodded and sheathed my sword. Thinking about it, my sword Siegfried, which had the power to neutralize magic, could have negated Sullivans immortality, maybe. (Oh well, who cares.) I had no intention of letting him die easily anyway. This way I didnt have to go to the trouble of capturing him alive and work on himter. HeeheeheeI amthe kingthe rulerof this countryall ismine Whoa? Hes still alive? I had literally cut him to pieces, pulled his organs out of his body, but Sullivan was still talking. His severed body parts were moving like slugs, trying to return together. At this point, his recovery power was beyond impressive, almost sickening. However, his mind did not seem to heal: Sullivan, now only a torso, a head, and a left arm, smiled despite being immersed in a pool of his own blood. Why dont you remove the bracelet? To put him out of his misery already. Yeah, I guess youre right. Shana probably made her proposal out of pity; I sighed and epted it. I had the feeling he still hadnt suffered enough but it felt pointless to keep slicing or stabbing him. I walked closer to Sullivan to remove the bracelet. However Gwaaahhh!!! What, what the!?!?! Sullivan screamed out of the blue. Ooh!? I was surprised and jumped backwards, then Sullivans body started exuding white smoke. Wrapped in steam just like a sizzling teapot, Sullivans silhouette disappeared from sight. I red at the cloud of white smoke. Hey, hey, you arent going to explode, are you? It could be changing form!! Cornered monsters always change to their second form, its a staple in the eastern countries!! Shana excitedly strengthened her grip on hernce. I pointed my sword toward Sullivan inside the smoke. Faah, haah, haahmybodyyyyyy!!! What!? Thats.! This isunexpected The cloud of smoke eventually dissipated, leaving Sullivan behind but in a very different shape. Ahheehaahah. Sullivanin the short while we havent met, you sure got old The Sullivan that emerged from the white smoke looked like he had aged about 50 years. His handsome noble features were now marked by deep wrinkles. His golden locks turnedpletely white and fell off. The body parts I had cut off all recovered perfectly, but his limbs were now as thin as dried twigs. I doubted that even his closest rtives would recognize him if they didnt witness the transformation. Mmy.booodhyyyy. Howhow pitiful Sullivan opened his toothless mouth and Shana backed away a couple of steps from him. His instantaneous transformation into a hideous old man probably shook her deeply. I seeso Herakles has this kind of side effect. Even the greatest legendary magic tool couldnt be used forever unconditionally. This was especially true for an incredible magic tool that could make you immortal. Herakles made it seem like the user did not spend any energy, but apparently it sucked the users youth or lifeforce. (The first king died of illness in his thirties, didnt he? This is a nasty piece of work) I reached a conclusion and walked towards old Sullivan, then Boo! Gweeeh!? I kicked him without mercy. Sullivan rolled away and the bracelet easily fell off his now skeletal arm. I picked up the bracelet and slipped it into my breast pocket. And the treasures mhough the royal family will get pissed, I guess? Maybe they wont find out if I keep quiet. I didnt know if the royal house was aware that the national treasure had been stolen, but now that things turned out like this, they dont have the right toin even if it falls into my hands. It was a double-edged sword, but a precious magic tool nheless. There were a number of ways it could be used. Guess I should treat it as a reward for the hard work I do every day. Give it baaackthe proof of mykingshipproof ofthe ruler ofthis country Shaddap. Hee, heeeeehhhh!? Sullivan clung to my feet, so I kicked him away again. What a horrible viewin more ways than one. Shana sighed hopelessly as I repeatedly punted Sullivan. Why? Hes just Sullivan. Heeeekkk!! Have, have mercyyyy! I know that, butwhen he looks like that Shana looked troubled; I scratched my head. Cant be helped, Ill capture him like this. I want him to be punished rather than killed. That is for the best. Shana and I nodded to each other, then I tied Sullivan up. Even if I left him alive, Sullivan now had the body of a 70 year old: he didnt have the willpower or physical ability to oppose me anymore. Okay then, case closedno, wait, there was another traitor, wasnt there? Stepping over Sullivans bound body, I looked up into the sky. Volume 1 - Ch 22 POV : Selena Nommes Lord Sullivan I was in my room in the Nommes manor looking at the night sky from my window. About one week ago, Maxwell soldiers visited house Nommes. Their objective was to arrest Sullivan, my husband, on charges of the attempted assassination of my former fiance, Lord Dyngir. Oh, Lord Sullivanwhy did you change so? The Lord Sullivan I talked with in the flower garden of the academy and the Lord Sullivan that married into house Nommes werepletely different. Ever since the sweet, gentlemanly Lord Sullivan came to house Nommes, he started yelling at me and sometimes even hit me. (How could this happenwhere did we go wrong?) I asked myself this question many times, but could never find an answer. I wanted to be freed from my terrible fiance only that and nothing else is what led me to choose Lord Sullivan. Yet now my prince changedpletely No picture book ever showed such developments after the happy ending. Aah Tears streamed down my cheeks. Lord Sullivan ran away from the manor and had not been found yet. Since then, the servants of house Nommes, who already treated me coldly, began taking an even worse attitude towards me. How could she not stop her husband frommitting those crimes? Did she really know nothing of the assassination? Why did she marry that man in the first ce? I pretended not to notice the servants whispering such things behind my back. Pleasesomeone, anyonehelp mesave meplease, o God in heaven I looked at the stars twinkling in the night sky and held my hands in prayer. I knew I was thinking selfish things, but I couldnt think of any way to improve my situation except praying. There was no one I could rely on. I could only cling to God Please Knock, knock, knock. Eh? Were my prayers answered? Someone suddenly knocked at my door. Who is it? So I asked, still sitting on my chair, but no reply could be heard. I approached the door and noticed that an envelope had been slipped under the door. What is this? Whos there? I opened the door, but the hallway was empty. Perplexed, I flipped the envelope. Lord Sullivan!? I looked at the senders name and couldnt help but shriek. I hurriedly covered my mouth with my hands and closed the door. A letter from Lord Sullivanbut who could have? I thought that Lord Sullivan did not have any allies in this house. Who could have delivered this letter for him? Anyway, I should read it I quickly broke the seal and took out the letter inside the envelope. After reading the contents, I was wide-eyed in surprise. This cannot beLord Sullivan The letter said that Lord Sullivan was currently taking refuge in a certain location, in order to gather the necessary military strength to take down house Maxwell, who was sowing seeds of rebellion against the royal family. Lord Sullivan was fighting to protect the kingdom of Lamperouge. In the letter, Lord Sullivan apologized repeatedly for hurting me. His sincere words reminded me of the gentle prince I had met at the academy. Aah, Lord Sullivanwhat should Iwhat should I do? At the end of the letter, Lord Sullivan wrote that he was going to fight Maxwell soon and he wished for me to be at his side to support him. Such earnest, heartfelt words naturally moved my heart. If I rushed to Lord Sullivans side, would I find the gentle prince I loved? (Lord Sullivan needs mebut if I went to his side, I would be betraying house Nommes. Could Lord Sullivan really defeat that terrible house Maxwell?) I weighed my expectations and love toward Lord Sullivan with the fear and awe I felt towards Lord Dyngir. The scales maintained a precarious bnce and I was at a loss for what to do. Just then, the poem collection on my desk caught my eye. Between the pages of lyrics written by my favorite poet, peeked the dried flower I used as a bookmark. Lord Sullivan The bookmark was made from a flower picked in the garden where we swore our eternal love to each other. I recalled the days spent with Lord Sullivan at the academy. His bright smile, his calm voice, his gentle fingersbing through my hair the happy days I had forgotten. Lord Sullivan has pleaded for my helpI have to go. I was going to take back my kind prince: I couldnt just stand around waiting. I had to go save my prince. The prince can y the evil dragon because he is supported by the princess smile. I packed my belongings and quietly sneaked out of my room. It was alreadyte at night: the whole manor was asleep. Father was away on business, apanied by my brother. There was no one to stop me. I didnt know if Lord Sullivan could really defeat the Maxwell house, but in any case, I would probably never return to this house. Im sorry, fatherbrother. Now that I resolved not to return, I looked back on our life together and realized for the first time how my father and brother actually treasured me. I had closed my heart to them all this time, refusing to ept their kindness. (Im sorryIm sorrypleaseforgive me) My heart aching at the thought of trampling their feelings again, I left the manor via the rear door. Lady Selena Nommes? As soon as I was outside, a male voice called to me. I shuddered and stepped away from the man, shaking uncontrobly. who goes there? The man that called out to me was a middle-aged gentleman. He did not look like a bad man. Because of thete hour, however, I had to be wary. Please, do not be afraid. I am one of Lord Sullivans subordinates, my name is Zaill. D-did you say Lord Sullivan? Yes, my lord gave me the task of apanying mdy to him. I have a horse carriage ready, if you would kindlye with me. yes, please. After thinking for a little while, I decided to follow the gentleman. The horse carriage was a bit farther away. It was a luxurious carriage, something house Nommes could have never afforded. The horse carriage was waiting for me, its doors opened, and, for a moment it looked like a monster with its jaws open, for whatever strange reason. (Iming, Lord Sullivan) I shook my head to drive away that ominous image and climbed onto the carriage. Mdy, I shall be with the coachman. Please use this space freely. Oh no, I couldnt! Oh, it would not do for Mdy to be alone with another man after all. We will arrive at Lord Sullivans residence by tomorrow morning. Please rest until then. I seethank you very much. My guide went to sit at the coachmans seat, so I was alone inside the carriage. I wanted to know more about Lord Sullivans current situation, but being alone with a male stranger would make me feel uneasy, so I epted his proposal. The horse carriage eventually started moving. I was told to rest, but the anticipation to meet my lover and the guilt for betraying my family would not let me sleep. Or so I thought. Mmh I had not slept much recently, however, so my eyelids soon grew very heavy. Lulled by the shaking horse carriage, I drifted off to sleep. ~ The horse carriage apparently advanced throughout the night. The morning sun filtered through the window and woke me up. I looked out and saw a residence, where Lord Sullivan said he was currently hiding. We have arrived, Mdy. Ahyes, thank you very much The gentleman that guided me knocked at the carriage door and announced that we were at our destination. I rubbed my half-opened eyes. Lord Sullivanis here? Yes, please allow me to show you the way. I stepped down from the horse carriage and looked up at the residence. It was more than twice the size of my home. Its luxurious appearance clearly showed a great amount of money had been invested in building it. Its sheer size surely required more than 20 servants to manage it properly. Curiously, the stone pavement and walls in the garden were shattered in ces and there were strange ck patches here and there, but overall it looked like a summer residence built for royalty. (Lord Sullivan, how did you build such a magnificent manor?) Lord Sullivan often mentioned his money troubles, but was it all an act? Could it be that his unstable attitude aftering to the eastern province was all a front he put up to deceive the eyes of the people of house Nommes? (Now I understand, Lord Sullivan has been preparing to do battle against house Maxwell this whole time. He said he went out drinking every day, but he was actually making these preparations.) I reached such a conclusion all by myself, then followed the gentleman inside the residence. The residence was crowded with arge number of servants, who all seemed busy working. If you dont wipe here first youre going to leave dust everywhere!! I-Im very sorry! Please forgive me! I turned towards the voices and saw an elderly man, maybe around seventy years old, being scolded by a young butler. Who is that man? I asked the gentleman next to me. That elderly man recently entered the service of this residence. He is a fallen noble who lost all of his belongings and had nowhere to go, so Lord Sullivan invited him toe work here. Is that soLord Sullivan is as kind as ever. I couldnt shake the feeling of having seen that elderly man somewhere before but walked on without paying him too much attention. He was struggling with the cleaning, a job he certainly was not ustomed to, as he did not even nce at me. This way, please. Everyone is waiting for you, Mdy. Oh, yes. Thank you. The guide showed me to a door in the back of the residence and I put a hand on the doorknob. (Everyone? Who could that be?) I found the gentlemans words puzzling, but did not think on them too long and turned the doorknob. The contents of the room were thus revealed to me. Hey, its been a long time. Weve been waiting. Eh!? Standing before me was my former fiance Lord Dyngir Maxwell. W-why are you.!? Haha, husband and wife are truly alike, huh. You even ask the same questions. Lord Dyngir sat on a chair and folded his arms over the desk. His tone was calm and friendly, but I felt indescribable hostility hiding deep within his mischievous smile. A chill ran down my spine. Whatwhy? Thats what I want to ask you!! You miserable fool!! Eh!? An angry shout suddenly struck me from the side. I shuddered and turnedpletely stiff. I turned towards that familiar voice and found none other than my father and brother standing there. Father!? Why are you here!? Why.why! My sweet, kind father showed an expression twisted by unbearable grief. Why did youe here!! You would have been forgiven if you didnt!! Why!! Was that man so important to you!? Eh, ahthats notbut Looking at my fathers face, filled with anger and sadness as I had never seen before, I finally realized the gravity of my mistake. Next to my father, my brother also had a pained expression. Our eyes met, but he immediately looked away awkwardly. Zaill, how long are you going to keep Mdy on her feet? Offer her a seat. Certainly, my lord. W-wait! The gentleman forcefully pushed me towards the chair set in the center of the room. Unable to do anything to resist, I sat down on the chair. The gentleman then held my shoulders down: I had no way to stand up or escape. Baron Nommes. ..yes. Lord Dyngir called to my father. Even while crying and softly sobbing, father duly answered the heir to his lords house. Now that things have turned out like this, I have no choice. Do you have any objections? none, young master. I leave everything to you, Lord Dyngir. Very well. Very well indeed. After hearing my fathers words, Lord Dyngir exhaled, pleased. Then, you can go back. Sorry for all the trouble. IILord DyngirSelena is my only daughterso I know. Lord Dyngir turned towards me. His eyes, like a beast observing its prey, paralyzed me. I promise her life will be spared. Dont make me say anything more. Yes Father nodded to Lord Dyngirs words, then left the room, his head drooping down. My brother gave him his shoulder to lean on and they left together. Ah.!! My fate had already been decided,pletely beyond my knowledge or control such fearpelled me to ask my father and brother for help. Lord Dyngirs re, however, prevented me from actually saying anything. The door closed behind father and brother. I would not see their faces anymore such a hunch, which felt so close to a certainty, filled my heart. So, my dear former fiancee. Do you know why you are here? Thats I couldnt answer Lord Dyngirs question. no, I do not. I didnt know why he was here, nor what I came here for anymore. I felt so confused. You do not know? Not at all? That cant be. You came to help Sullivan, the man who plotted my assassination. Isnt that right? Lord Dyngir, however, mercilessly pursued me with his words. You came here to help him take down house Maxwell, to help him kill me. Isnt that right? Why are you pretending not to know? Ahaah. I finally realized in what position I actually was. I was I fell into a trap. I have been testedto see if I would side with Lord Sullivan or notis that right? Youre quicker than Sullivan on the uptake, at least. Thats correct. Lord Dyngirughed cheerfully. Before his horrifyingugh, I felt like a criminal waiting for the death sentence. What happened to Lord Sullivan? I was trapped with no way to escape, but what I wanted to know the most was what happened to the man who was not here right now, my husband. What happened to the man I once loved? Was he safe and sound? Or was he dead. Hes not of this world anymore. The moment I heard those words, I felt all strength leave my body. I fell from the chair and copsed on the floor. A.haahahahahamy prince isgonemy onlyprince Iughed, spontaneously. I felt as if my soul was leaving my body. Iwhat will be of me? Will Ibe killed? Ill spare your life, out of respect for Baron Nommes. But let me say this straightyou will not step one foot outside this manor ever again. Is that soaha, I got caught thenthe evil dragongobbled me upmy princewill nevere for me Iughed. Laughed and snorted, louder and louder. I keptughing, hearing the sounds of my heart cracking to pieces. The prince fell before the dragon and the princess ended up in the beasts stomach. And they lived happily ever after. Volume 1 - Ch 23 I said let go!! Your Highness, please calm down! Silence!! You dare give orders to your king!? That day, the royal pce was enveloped in amotion. In the throne room, the king was ranting and raving. His servants and the nobles, his subordinates, were desperately trying to contain him. The normally calm or rather, meek king was now raging furiously. Several days prior, a letter had arrived from a major noble house in the eastern province house Maxwell. The letter exined how the former crown prince Sullivan, who had left the royal family to marry into house Nommes, a baron house of the eastern province, had plotted the assassination of the heir to house Maxwell, failed and was killed in the aftermath. After reading the letter, the king, who still harbored feelings for the son he had let go, foamed at the mouth and copsed instantly. He ended up sleeping for several days, but, as soon as he woke up, he sparked thismotion. My precious Sullivan was killed!? Nonsense!! This is all a conspiracy by the Maxwell house!! Inform the generals immediately!! House Maxwell must be destroyedgwah!? His Highness did not mean those words! The king is simply terribly exhausted! You all have not heard anything, is that clear!? Duke Rosais hurriedly closed the kings mouth with his hands, to stop his unbelievable order, and barked at everyone present to forget what they just heard. The king flung away the dukes hands and angrily protested. Chancellor!! Does this mean you are on house Maxwells side!? Those filthy traitors are treating Sullivan as a criminal, without a shred of proof!! How can you allow that!? Where is your loyalty!? Your Majesty, I beg of you to settle down already. House Maxwell has sent proof! House Maxwell had indeed sent concrete proof that Sullivan attempted the assassination. There was a contract signed and sealed by Sullivan. Whenpared with the documents preserved in the royal house, it was verified that the handwriting matched perfectly and the seal was indeed Sullivans royal seal. Sullivans guilt was so incontrovertibly clear that anyone would not suspect it was really a setup. Thepensation detailed in the contract also matches with the total amount of money Sir Sullivan borrowed from his friends in the capital. Im sorry to say that there is no doubt about the charges against him. Shut up, shut up!! Even if that was true, there is enough just cause to exterminate those Maxwell rebels!! Were going to rescue Sullivan!! Now!! How absurd!! Duke Rosais face twisted in indignation. Other than the king and the duke, there were also several central nobles and functionaries working in the royal pce present. To publicly call a major noble house such as the Maxwell as rebels in such a situation might even spark a civil war. The king, however, did not seem to care for such implications anymore, as his inmmatory remarks continued. Raise the troops and dispatch them to Sullivans rescue!! Now!! I had Sullivan bring the immortal bracelet with him!! Hes definitely still alive and well!! The immortal braceletHerakles!? Duke Rosais was shocked, his eyes wide. You cannot be saying you have given that to Sullivan!? You have given such a precious treasure to a disinherited prince!? The immortal bracelet, Herakles, was an inestimable treasure handed down through generations of kings of Lamperouge. It was the symbol of royal authority, and only the king was allowed to wear it. There is nothing wrong for Sullivan, the next in line for the throne, to have the proof of royalty!! Sullivan is the next king!! He is my only son!! I will never allow anyone else to take the throne, especially that little bastard!! Whaat!? The kings words caused the nobles to stir. The current crown prince, the second-born son, resembled his mother very much, but did not look like the king or Sullivan at all. However, who would have ever expected the king to publicly dere he did not recognize him as his son? Shut your mouth already!! Gwah!? Duke Rosais could not allow the king to say anything worse, so he resorted to drastic measures. The dukes fist struck the kings stomach and his frail old body folded easily. None of the nobles or even the royal guards attempted to stop Duke Rosais. the king copsed from fatigue. Quickly bring him to the royal chambers. And do not let him outside until I say so. All servants who will enter the room shall wear earplugs. Y-yes! Right away, sir!! Everything that happened here today must stay here. If notyou understand me, yes? Duke Rosais red at the faces of all present, one by one. It was more than clear who truly was the person to fear most in the room. Yes!! Naturally! We have heard nothing!! No one dared object, as all present violently shook their heads. ~ Half a dayter, the king woke up and started raising a fuss again, rampaging in the room he was locked in. For better or worse, the king suddenly held his head and copsed again, thus quelling themotion. The kings life was saved by the royal familys secret Potion, but, as a side effect he suffered from strong paralysis, which did not allow him to even stand from his bed by himself. Because of this, the crown prince despite only being 12 years old ascended to the throne, assisted by Duke Rosais as his regent. The national treasure was lost along with Sullivan. The nobles trust in the royal family was lost as well. The new king was not recognized by the former king as his legitimate son. Thus the kingdom of Lamperouge entered a new age, carrying such issues within it. The direction the turbulent kingdom was heading towards was still a mystery to all. Volume 1 - Ch 24 and thats all I heard. how exactly did you manage to hear all that? I shared the rumors about the royal family rted to me by my friend in the capital to my father, who reacted half impressed and half worried. The broken engagements, Sullivans marriage into the Nommes house and arrival in the eastern province, the attempted assassination of the margraves heir, its aftermath, and Selenas punishment. One month had passed since that series of events agitated the eastern province. After taking care of all rted issues, I took a leave from work to recover in my private residence, with Eliza, Sakuya, and some of my favorite maids. In my private residence, I enjoyed days ofplete leisure apanying my maids, crossing swords with Shana, and ying a game called Shogi against Fangs of Steel members. One day, however, I received a visit from an unusual guest: my father. He was apparently worried about his son and the attempted assassination, so he came to see how I was doing. Father and I were sitting at a table in the garden, drinking tea. I had the maids stand by a bit farther away, so it was our first private time together in a while. The damage caused to the garden in the fight against Sullivan was already fixed. The soil drenched with blood had been reced as well. In stark contrast to the elegance of the garden decorated by seasonal flowers in bloom, our topics of conversation were rather dreadful. Peoples mouths cannot be sealed, as they say, no matter how hard Duke Rosais might try. The king letting go of the national treasure, the new king is considered an illegitimate son by the former kingtheres no way juicy rumors like these would stay hidden forever. Hnng, my migraine is starting againI shouldnt havee here. After hearing me talk about the many issues that shook the Lamperouge kingdom at its core, father pressed his fingers against his temples with a pained expression. Let me ask, just in casethis isnt my fault, right? I wonder. Father answered my question coldly. The entire tumult brewing in the capital originated from my broken engagement after all. I honestly felt I owed an apology to Duke Rosais, who was terribly busy dealing with the aftermath. Fathers next words then made me wonder if he just read my thoughts. If you really feel sorry, why not return Herakles to the royal family? I heard from the soldiers who went to arrest him. He was wearing the royal familys treasured bracelet. Whats that about? That bracelet disappeared with Sullivan, right? For heavens sakeso you really n to make off with that? I must warn you, my son. If they find out you took it, youll be used of treason. Even if it was all the former kings or Sullivans doing. I had never seen father take such a serious expression. His fierce look would not allow any excuses or loopholes. It was the face of the guardian of the kingdom, the man who had protected the eastern borders since before my birth. I averted my eyes from his serious look, looked up to the sky, and replied. Rest easy, I dont want to pick a fight with the royal family. Im not as reckless as to believe I can take on the central nobles with the empire breathing down our necks. you make it sound like you would do it if it wasnt for the empire. Dont re at me like that, old man. I have my own ns, thats all. I wasnt exactly intimidated by my fathers pressure but decided to express my honest thoughts. I also wanted to know how he would react to what I said, as margrave of the eastern province. This country is pretty twisted, isnt it? The empire to the north and east, the Evil Armies of the desert to the west, the pirates and ind countries to the south. The four margrave houses are fighting endlessly against these threats, but if just one of the Four Houses was defeated or turned to the enemys side, the whole kingdom would crumble just like that. .. In this castle built on sand, the central nobles live coddled and protected, but look down on us as countryside nobles, as if it was the natural order of things. Sullivan called me a murderer to my face, but I imagine the central nobles all see us like that even if they dont say it out loud, you know? I paused for a moment, took my teacup and brought it to my lips. I sipped on the tea while thoroughly enjoying the aroma of its high quality leaves. Father did not press me and waited until I finished drinking. Hmm, deliciousanyway, even if I didnt do anything, something will burst eventually, be it in the north, south, east, or west. Im just preparing for that. Fifty yearsa country as corrupt as this sure managed tost long, huh? are you nning to rebel against the kingdom? As I said before, Im not going to do anything as long as the empires in good health. I dont have enough pawns or weapons anyway. I tapped the bracelet in my breast pocket, careful not to let father notice. The immortal bracelet Herakles was the greatest fruit borne by this series of events, but I wasnt satisfied yet. Not by a long shot. What I wished was not only to be able to win against the central nobles. My wish was to attain overwhelming power, something that could not be opposed by anything or anyone, something that appeared invincible in anyones eyes, and ultimately dere the Maxwell territory independent from the Lamperouge kingdom. I honed my fighting skills, trained the soldiers. I gathered magic tools with the money I earned via domestic affairs, assimted the Fangs of Steel into our forces as an assassination spying division. Such preparations, however, were not nearly enough. Old man. I love the Maxwell territory. I love this eastern province. You can rest assured that I will never start a war that could bring suffering to the people of the east. As long as the royal family and the central nobles have even the smallest chance of victory, I will not do anything. I see Father fell into thoughtful silence for a while, then leaned against the back of the chair. my headache is getting seriouscan I retire? I cant move freely if you retire this soon, so no. I thought soaah, this is painful. I miss my wifeI want to see Grace. not another word about the old witch in my residence. I frowned and abruptly cut off fathers words. At least, I now knew he had no intention to punish me. I breathed a sigh of relief and sipped on my tea. Oh yeah, I hired a new servant recently. Let me introduce her old man. The serious conversations were done for the day, so I changed the mood. Father shook his head, a sour expression on his face. Another one of your lovers, I bet. I cant say Im interested. Dont say that, just meet her. Shes a really intriguing one. Hm? If you say that, its fine, but I rang the service bell and told the maid who approached the table to bring the girl here. The maid quicklyplied and led the girl to us. This girl is Let me introduce you. She is Kanna, the newest member of the Fangs of Steel. Father looked at her unusual appearance and swallowed his breath. The girl I introduced was about 18 years old. Kanna waspletely white, from the tip of her head to her toes. She had bright white hair, pale white skin, and eyes the color of ash. She wore a kimono, traditional clothing from the Fangs of Steel homnd, which was nowpletely white too. Only her lips were dyed bright red, looking like bright crimson flowers blooming inpletely white ins. Her facial features could be described as charming but were devoid of any emotion. Unlike Sakuya, who had learned to hide her emotions through training, she looked purely empty of any emotion, as if she had not felt any since the day she was born. Father looked at Kanna, perplexed, then whispered. Kannayou say? That cant be. She isSelena Nommes, isnt she? I grinned at my fathers reaction. The girl I called Kanna was indeed what became of Selena Nommes. Kanna the girl formerly known as Selena Nommes slowly raised a hand and pointed at me. treasure, woman, collect. Sword, devouring hero cursed ck dragon, Fafnir. What the? What is she saying? Kanna started speaking in a monotone and father frowned. She did not even react to my fathers question, but pointed at him instead. protect, east, heart. South sea, stretching branches, to eternal maiden guardian tree, Sephiroth. Hey now, Kanna. Dont point at father, thats rude. ImsorryI, apologize, deeply. Dyn. What did you do to Selena? Hearing Kanna listing words and broken pieces of sentences, my father red at me again. I pursed my lips as if whistling and replied. I told you, she isnt Selenashes Kanna. I motioned at Kanna toe closer. She pranced closer, so I pulled her hands and had her sit on myp, then hugged her from behind. Look, Selena would never let me do something like this, right? She hated me to the point she tried having me assassinated after all. Look at this. Squeeze! Squeeze I buried my head in Kannas whitened hair and enjoyed the light fragrance of her sweat. Father was rendered speechless. The kimono Kanna wore was a sort of gown worn by passing your arms through it, which was then tied over the waist. Its greatest advantage was that it was easy to put your hands inside the chest part. I slipped my hands in between the folds and yed a bit with her breasts. Even if her breasts were being touched, Kannas expression did not change at all. Her former self would have surely started crying out of fear if I ever attempted such a barbarous act, but now she epted it normally. shes just like a dollwhat in the world did you do? Father seemed sincerely disgusted. I grinned as I continued ying with Kannas body. I didnt do anything myself, really. Its all the Fangs of Steel guys doing. Selena, who I had captured during the aftermath of the incident as Sullivans aplice, was so shocked her mind was shattered. She justughed andughed, without even eating or going to the toilet, so I was honestly at a loss for what to do. In a state like that, I couldnt put her to work as I did with Sullivan, nor use her for pleasure in bed. I thus discussed what could be done with the Fangs of Steel ninjas, and they proposed to take her with them. After about one month, the girl named Kanna was born. ording to the Fangs of Steel people, she had the potential to be a Miko. Miko? One of those priestesses of the east, was it ? Yeah, the female priestesses that can see things not of this world and hear the voice of the gods. They can even predict the future sometimes, apparently. In the Fangs of Steel there was an old woman with a simr talent: under her guidance, Selena could develop her talents. (Develop her talentsshe must have gone through some horrible experiences though.) Selena was apparently forced to go through grueling training, such as being forced to drink special potions or being thrown naked in cold water. Based on her pure white hair and ashen eyes, it was evident that she had gone through something unimaginable. After such harsh training, her shattered self was reborn in the twisted form of the white Miko, Kanna. I havent asked about the details yet, but it looks like Kanna can see a persons soul and their true essence. She also says some bizarre prophecies sometimes. ording to Kanna, the true essence of my soul was the cursed ck dragon Fafnir. An evil dragon who snatched away women and hoarded treasures. It did sound fitting for me, honestly. It looks like they taught her all sorts of techniques for night services too. I havent tried yet, but Im looking forward to it. dont give me even more headaches now. How am I supposed to face Baron Nommes? Father held his head tightly and leaned forward on the table. Incidentally, Baron Nommes was cleared of his responsibility for Sullivans rebellion because of his coboration in Selenas capture. Some of the other nobles in the service of house Maxwell protested as it was too light a punishment, but I had forced Sullivan on them in the first ce. I had great expectations for the next head of house Nommes, Cray, so I thought that the dishonor of one of their family members having rebelled against their lord was punishment enough. Well, just tell him shes doing fine. Its not like hell ever see Selena anymore anyway. Im going back. You better wrap up this vacation of yours ande back to the manor, theres work to do. Yes sir, I shall do my very best. I raised my hands in surrender and looked at my father leave, apanied by his guards. sorry for all the trouble I cause you. So I whispered to myself as I looked at my fathers horse carriage depart. I did not think of myself as a good son. I was well aware of what kind of weight I exerted on his nerves. Even so, I could not contain my desires and ambitions. I did not think that containing them was the right thing to do. I was probably going to continue causing all sorts of trouble and all sorts of headaches. You better live long, old man. Live longgreat treenot wither I embraced Kannas shoulders and went back inside the residence. Volume 1 - Ch 25 Nnhaahyoung master Mmh, hah, haah, Lord Dyngir, thats incredible. Kh, uuhmaster, not there, kuh!? Nnhnnhnnhmylord A body as plentiful as the goddess of prosperity, Eliza. A small body and a myriad of techniques, Sakuya. Ideal proportions without the slightest excess, Shana. A thin figure with yet thick, supple curves, Kanna. I was making love with these four women repeatedly, one after the other, enjoying their bodies as my desiremanded. After all, the old man gave me his warning: my days of rest in my private residence wereing to an end. The best way to conclude was, naturally, a banquet with my beautifuldies. Okay, Ill do you from behind next. Kanna, put your hands down. Yesaah. It was the first night I made love to Kanna. She was Sullivans wife, so I honestly didnt expect much, but her body was more bnced than I thought: there was pretty good affinity between us. I was worried that losing her emotions could also have turned her frigid, but when I tried this and that she showed deliciously tender reactions. (I thought Sullivan might have nted some sick habits in her, but looks like I worried for nothing.) Kanna, meow for me. Meowmeow Good girl. Meow Reborn from a shattered personality, Kanna was as innocent as a newborn: she obediently absorbed anything I taught her. I felt the guilty, immoral pleasure of teaching such bad things to a child and my back shivered with excitement. (Its not like I particrly like virgins, anyway. Taking someone elses lover isnt half bad either.) Snatching someone elses woman felt strangely exciting. Especially if shes the woman of someone I dislike. (Hey, Sullivan. I bet that felt good, to steal my woman and make it out like Im the bad guy. I bet you felt like a damn hero.) As a result, he lost his rank, his woman, and even his youth. I couldnt help but smile. Myeeeeo!! I took the broken, pure white maiden and shaped her my way. To freely mold a woman as I pleased was something close to supreme bliss. Hehe, young masterdont give all your attention to Ms. Kanna, please. newer members should let us veterans take the lead. Oh well, I can gosth-hey! Where are you-hyah!! I casually switched to Shana, who was trying to sneak away. The night was still young: I was going to indulge in the banquet till I waspletely full. My rtions with them thus continued for several more hours. ~ Our banquet of love started immediately after dinner and continued for seemingly forever, but it too eventually reached its conclusion. We were lying on my king size bed, our energiespletely spent. Aaahthat was great. I havent felt this satisfied in a long while. So I whispered, my head buried in Elizas ample bosom. Eliza was gently caressing my head. You have truly worked hard, young master. Worked hard? Im sure I can go harder, though? Im not talking about that. So many things happened these past few months. You must be tired, dont you? Hmm, who knows The series of events starting from my broken engagement. It first triggered Sullivans disinheritance and the attempted assassination then the gradual fall of the Lamperouge royal family and confusion in the central government. I knew that these problems werent the end of it. Things are only going to get busier. I have rested plenty, so Im not going toin because of this much Reallyplease do not push yourself too hard. Eliza softly hugged my head. I fully enjoyed her tender embrace. Hnn I was there flirting with Eliza, when Kanna suddenly slipped out of the bed and tottered towards the window. Hey, whats wrong? She did not answer me, however, and instead removed the windows bolt and lock to throw it wide open. A chilling wind blew into the room. Our hot bodies were cooled down instantly and Eliza shuddered. Kanna, its cold, please close the window. Wait, shes acting strange. Kanna was stretching her hands towards the sky. Something then emerged from the darkness andnded on her white arm. An owl? Thats the Fangs of Steel messenger owl. Sakuya got up from the bed too. The owl spread its wings, as white as Kannas hair. Both being white, they got along well? That was surely not the case, but the owl pecked gently at her cheek. We use that owl for emergencymunication. Kanna, give the letter here. Hm. Kanna obeyed Sakuyas order, removed the small paper tube tied to the owls feet and brought it to us. Sakuya spread the letter and quickly scanned it. This is Hey hey, whats it say? An emergency? Yes, its urgent indeed. Sakuya raised her eyes from the letter and looked at me. The sharp look in her eyes was proof enough she was telling the truth, The emperor of the Baal empire has passed. Apparently, the cause of death is illness. The words, rted by Sakuya in a grave tone, resounded in my head. The emperors death. House Maxwell had fought against the eastern Baal empire multiple times. I had heard rumors that the emperor was ill, but I did not know it was something so serious as to cause such a sudden death. The emperor had three sons, but had not named a sessor yet. It was easy to see that some sort of internal strife would arise. I see, so this is what it looks like to see history in motion. Interesting. The king of Lamperouge falls ill, then things start to move in the Baal empire. The sparks of war are waiting to be lit everywhere. So this was history. Ages of tumult are born this way. I was now living in a turning point of historys flow. Interesting, so interesting! I sincerely thought so. My time hade. I was going to swallow everything, all events, allmotions, and turn them into sustenance for me and house Maxwell. I stood up, barely able to contain my ferocious excitement, and faced the window. The sun was about to rise. Thend, still immersed in darkness, was slowly seeing the light again. I looked at the sun, rising from the east, and pointed towards the direction the empire was supposed to be. Yes, this is my time!! Kingdom, empire, you better shake in your sleep!! A new era of war and turmoil ising, and I will reign over it all!! Im a bastard, but this era is worse! This era of idiots who couldnt preserve its peace!! Volume 2 - Ch 1 POV: Lars Baal, first prince of the Baal empire How could this be happening? I was supposed to walk on a path of triumph and glory. I was supposed to inherit my fathers throne, to see the empires gs wave all over the continent, to be remembered in the history books a thousand years from now, as the unifier emperor. In thesest 10 years, however, my life has turned upside down. Ten years ago, my father issued a certain decree. The seat of the next emperor shall be inherited by who, among my sons, annihtes one enemy country first. After the decree, I set out to conquer the Lamperouge kingdom, located to the west of the empire. Three war campaigns of wide scope all ended in failure. Seven years ago, we attacked the mountainous area to the north of Lamperouge. The mountain corps serving Margrave Utgard seeded in separating our troops and forced us to retreat. Five years ago, we attacked the eastern border with Lamperouge. Our ambush strategy was discovered by the enemy, the forces of Margrave Maxwell, which even took the lives of my closest retainers, the Twin Wings. Two years ago, wemanded a fleet of 100 vessels to attack the kingdom from the south, but before we could even reach our destination, Draco Omari, infamous piratemander of the southern seas, sank more than half of our ships. Failure after failure urred, as if the gods themselves had abandoned us. The military power at mymand greatly diminished, as the nobles and merchants supporting me left as well. A life destined to be bathed in glory, thrown into the mud. Not one day passes in court without someone pointing fingers andughing. As custom dictates, the imperial seat should go to the emperors firstborn to me. So I pleaded, time and time again, but my aging father would not listen to my just arguments. Then, just as I started harboring the desire to kill a father deaf to my pleas That same father, Emperor Baal XV, departed from this world. I am the true legitimate sessor to the throne! It is the firstborns duty to follow in the fathers footsteps!! You must be joking, dear brother. Wasnt your mother a concubine? The sessor should be born from the first wife as I am! The imperial round table conference. In theory, an official meeting attended by the emperor and dozens of his retainers, to discuss the empires policies and prospects. That time, however, only six people were present: the three imperial princes and three retainers. The emperor, normally the fulcrum of the conference, was nowhere to be seen. Which was simply natural: the conference had been held in order to decide the deceased emperors sessor. Nonsense! How could a spineless wretch like you ever be emperor!? I mmed my fists on the round table and shouted at my shameless younger brother. Grett Baal, the second imperial prince. In stark contrast with me, shaped by the martial training I received, Grett had the flimsy appearance of a tree twig, about to snap at any time. His sunken, dark eyes expressed clearly his despicable, twisted personality. Just having to talk to him made me sick to my stomach. The empire was founded on military prowess: traditionally, the emperor was always someone who excelled in the art of war. In no way could a spineless toad like Grett have any chance of bing emperor, but his position as firstborn son of thete emperors first wife threatened my rights of session. Oh my, that is certainly not what I expected to hear from you dear brother,mander of three failed invasions on that puny kingdom of Lamperouge. I believe spineless is an adjective that describes you better, is it not? What did you say!? That I have never failed so spectacrly as you, dear brother. As you surely recall, I have sessfully thwarted the incursions of the nomad tribes from the north, have I not? My service to the empire clearly shows I am more than fitting to ascend to the throne. Y-you rotten!! My anger was reaching a boiling point. How exhrating would it have been to snap his neck, there and then? Hey, you two fight all you want, but arent you forgetting Im here too? The clownish tone of the interjection came from thest candidate to the throne. The third imperial prince, Cerros Baal. My youngest brother, who just turned 20 years old, was for some reason wearing a chang pao, a type of clothing worn by the tribes of the east. His attitude, and even more so his feet on the table, showed that he did not have a shred of respect for his older brothers, or even histe father. Where do you think you are, Cerros!? It is the sacred imperial round table you are sullying with your feet! Stop at once!! Aw,e on, why so serious? His Majesty the Emperor isnt with us anyway, kind of removes the whole point of the conference, no? How sad for such a man to draw, even in part, the emperors bloodin the end, there is no one more fitting than I to inherit the throne. Cerrosughed irreverently, as Grett again voiced his brazen disrespect. My irritation at my younger brothers behavior grew more and more. I was going to shout them back in line, but Cerros spoke first. Aaanyway, big bro Lars, you did lose to Lamperouge three times, didnt you? And Grett too has all those civil riots happening in his domain. Neither of you sounds like emperor material, if ya ask me. But hey, I havent fought against anyone in these ten years, so its not like Im too different! Cerros followed his criticism of us with self-deprecation, then cackledzily. Hmph, I have to admit that Cerros has a point. Someone who cannot even quell a riot in their own territory cannot possibly be fit to be emperor! Grett had conducted the military campaigns against the Samel nomads of the north withoutmitting any grave mistakes, and had even built a 1000 km long wall to prevent further aggression from the north. In order to aplish such arge-scale endeavor, however, the people of his territories had been subject to heavy taxation, which had led to multiple civil insurrections. Oh goodness, are you talking about the peons riots? As soon as the rebels are caught and hanged, the riots will be quelled. Just like weeds in the garden, I can either burn it or feed it to the cattle, that is all there is to it. The people are the very foundation of the empire! Our father said so, too! Hah! You have some nerve to say that, after all the deaths your failed campaigns caused! I continued arguing with Grett. Cerros showed little to no interest towards the throne, so Grett was my only true rival. (If only I could get rid of him, I would be the emperor!) Our discussion grew more and more heated until Cerros uttered the words the more you two fight, the better my position gets, yknow?. In the end, the imperial round table conference was adjourned without any clear decision concerning the sessor. Infuriating, the whole lot of them!! After leaving the conference chambers, I walked across the imperial pce, brimming with indignation. How could they not realize who they should truly serve? Who is truly fitting to be the next emperor? The foolishness of my two younger brothers is nothing new: what I could notprehend is the reason why their subordinates chose to continue to serve them. I will be the next emperor! Those who stand in my way will!! I could not say the words out loud, but my resolve was firm. (I will be the emperoranyone who dares stand in my way will die!!) As I once again steeled my resolve, one of my retainers approached me. Lord Lars, may I have a word? what is it, Snowe? The man who hade closer and whispered into my ear was Snowe Halphas, younger brother of one of my past retainers, Eis Halphas. I believe the only way for Milord to be emperor is to fulfill thete emperors words, to conquer Lamperouge. If you seed, most if not all nobles and vassals will see you in a new light ande back, begging for your forgiveness. Hmph, I know that well enough It was painful to admit, but after failing thrice against Lamperouge, I had also lost any concrete vision of conquering that kingdom. I did not have the slightest idea of what n or strategy could lead me to victory. I have a n, Milord. As you may have heard, Dyngir Maxwell, firstborn of Margrave Maxwell of the eastern provinces, recently had his fiancee snatched away by a member of the royal family Snowe uttered the name of my fated rival, a man I loathed as much as Grett. I have, I have, what of it? Please, allow me to exin further. Actually Snowe whispered the rest of the n. I was enlightened: it sounded like a masterfully crafted strategy to my ears. I see, I see, to use Rossellia, hmmthat is a good idea. It is, is it not, Milord? Have it put into action immediately! But do make sure Grett learns nothing of it!! As you wish, Milord!! For the first time in a while, I felt my mood soar. I could already picture Gretts expression, twisted by humiliation, when he hears of my ns sess If my little sister has to be sacrificed for me to be emperor then so be it. Volume 2 - Ch 2 POV: Grett Baal, second prince of the Baal empire Its amazing, really. Im surrounded by imbeciles. After the round table conference, I walked down the courts corridor, recalling the discussions and my idiotic brothers. My elder brother, Lars Baal, is loved and respected by some for his honest personality, but can never be merciless when its truly necessary: as a result, he is collecting failure after failure. My younger brother, Cerros Baal, puts up the pacifist act, but is just a coward, always running away from any decision. Neither of them is fitting as the supreme leader of our glorious empire. The only one who can be the conqueror and unifier of this continent is naturally me. Indeed, indeed, Prince Grett! Saim Fulcas, one of my retainers, nods in agreement while stroking his prized white mustache. There are two kinds of people in this world: fools that can prove useful and fools that cant. This old man is one of the few fools I recognize as the first type. Though he may be your older brother, I find it simply appalling to even think that such a man could ever stand above you, Mlord! Please ascend to the throne soon, to build our empire in the heaven on earth it deserves to be! Naturallybut for that to happen, Lars needs to be taken care of soon There are two paths for me to ascend to the throne. The first is to fulfill fathers will and conquer one enemy country. The other is for the other possible sessors to the throne, especially the firstborn Lars, to die. The first path has already proven to be impossible, so I have given up on it. The enemy country I was assigned to destroy was thend of nomad tribes of the north, the Samel. Those nomads, however, do not have fixed cities, nor does their country have real borders: the several tribes that make up the Samel live while traveling across the northern ins. Just when you think a tribe has been defeated, another onees invading. As soon as we have one tribe surrounded and driven to annihtion, another one strikes from the rear. Their horsemanship skills also give them extremely high mobility: my troops were dragged into the nomads guerri warfare and forced to taste defeat one too many times. No matter how much talent and genius I might have, topletely defeat the Salem nomads with only the troops assigned to mymand, the Second Imperial Army, was simply unfeasible. Having quickly reached this conclusion, I have put my domain under special taxation and built a 1000km long wall along the northern borders of the empire, in order to stop the Samels incursions. (Which led to civil riotsI just cant understand how idiots think.) Thanks to the wall, the people living in the northern areas do not need to fear the Samels raids anymore. Yet they fail to understand such a simple concept and riot instead, irritating me to no end. Thanks to the wall, the fruit of our efforts and toil, we only need a minimum amount of troops to defend the border. Now we would have enough manpower to take down Lars, but The remaining issue is Prince Cerros, yes? Lars troops, the First Imperial Army, went and failed on their own, getting weaker every time. My Second Imperial Army could crush them with ease now. Doing that, however, would mean transgressing my fathers will and bearing the name of a traitor. Thus giving Cerros just cause to strike me down. (Even if he himself is a spineless wimp, the Third Imperial Army is mostly unscathedI cannot overlook that.) It would be ideal if Lars attacked me instead, so I would have just cause to kill my idiot of a brother As I walked down the corridors, contemting such thoughts, I arrived at the flower field built in a corner of the court. There, I saw Ah! Rossellia! Lord Brother Grett. There, I saw an angel. I left Fulcas behind and ran up to her heavenly presence. Golden locks flowing down to the waist adorned the figure of the heavenly maiden. Her name was Rossellia Baal: thete emperors fourth-born child and only daughter. The imperial princess Rossellia turned 18 years old this year. In this godless world, ravaged by the mes of war, Rossellias beauty alone testified that, indeed, god existed. Ooh, Rossellia, my beloved sister! Picking flowers, are you? As beautiful and dazzling as ever! thank you, Lord Brother. Is the conference already over? Rossellia frowned, despite my showering praise. Even if clouded, however, the beauty in her expression was spotless: I felt my chest thunder with excitement. (Aah, my adored sister! I shall be the one to remove all your pains and anxieties! I shall conquer this whole continent, and present it all to you!) I viewed all those around me ascking and inferior but Rossellia was an exception. This maiden, gods magnum opus, was the most precious treasure this world ever saw. Yes, yes, its overthough I tell you, both Lars and Cerros are such imbeciles, it was almost pointless to hold it in the first ce! As expected, I have no choice but to be emperor! And when I doI shall take the worlds most beautiful female as my empress! Is that so? She will be truly fortunate, then. I shall celebrate your union too. Indeed, indeed she will! I will make her the most fortunate woman in the whole world! I intended my words to be an indirect proposal, but Rossellia did not seem to notice. This slightly dense side of hers was so adorable too! Rossellia, do you happen to have a bit of time now? I would love to share a cup of tea and My deepest apologies, Lord Brother, but I must head to my dance lessons. But, s-surely you could postpone them to another time I squeezed out everyst drop of courage in this invitation, yet it was tly rejected. I eked out a protest, but Every lesson is necessary for me to be a good wife for the wonderful man that will one day receive me. Please forgive me. I see! It would be uncouth of me to get in the way of your bridal training! Go on, do your best! if you will excuse me. Rossellia left, apanied by her maids. As she walked away, I religiously observed her back, her waist, wrapped in her dress and cascading golden hair, the pure white ankles peeking from her shoes. Er, ehmPrince Grett? Silence, please! I am burning Rossellias image in my memory! I mmed down Fulcas awkward call for attention and delved into this moment spent with Rossellia. Graceful blonde hair, blue eyes, pearly white skin, a voice like a melodious chirp, a scent of flowers. I impressed them all in my mind, in my treasure chest of memories never to forget. After reliving this moment of bliss for a good ten minutes, I finally looked at Fulcas face. (hideous.) After seeing Rossellia, the old mans features appeared even more disgusting. I couldnt help but let the irritation leak into my tone of voice. you were still here? What do you want? Ahermy humblest apologies. One of the merchants at Your Highness service has sent a gift, so I thought I should inform you A gift? Yes, a beautiful doll, apparently. My! Have it sent to my chambers! I barked the order to Fulcas, then briskly headed over to my room. Soon enough, someone knocked: Fulcas had brought the gift. Please enjoy yourself to your hearts content, Mlord. Oh my, oh my, what wonderfully crafted dolls! Ah The mustachioed old man had brought three young girls into the room. They were all around 12 years old and had long blonde hair. Hmm, yes, the best dolls are blonde, after all Hk!! I drew the girls closer and pressed my lips on their golden locks. They probably applied some perfume, as a whiff of flowers tickled my nostrils. HahaRosselliamy Rosselliajust you watch, my dear, one day you will be my empress Eep No I tossed away the girls clothes and ran my hands all over their body, as tiny moans escaped their lips. I savored their teary voices, my thoughts running to my beloved sister. (Aah, RosselliaI wonder, what voice will you moan with?) The emperors throne and your body are mines for the taking. And I will kill anyone who dares get in my way Volume 2 - Ch 3 POV: Cerros Baal, third prince of the Baal empire Maan, I cant put up with this shit After the conference, little old me went back to his room, like a good boy, andy on his bed. My dumb ass brothers and theirme-ass retainers too, theyre all such a pain. If you want my honest opinion, my two idiot brothers who both really believe theyre going to be the next emperor are not fitting to be a ruler at all. First Imperial Prince, Lars Baal. An honest, straightforward man, the warrior type, but after three failed war campaigns and the loss of his closest retainers, hes on a path of self-destruction. He feelspelled to do something, gets too hasty, and messes up rinse and repeat. The nobles in his faction decrease day by day, hes pretty isted in court right now. Second Imperial Prince, Grett Baal. A skilled tactician, but also someone who doesnt value the lives of other people. And to top it all off, hes even a degenerate seriously in love with his own sister. Its true that within the imperial family incest is tolerated to a degree, in order to keep the bloodline thick, but those cases are far and in between. He even has pedophilic tendencies: certainly not the man anyone would sincerely want to serve. That leaves me, the Third Imperial Prince: but I am the farthest away from the throne. Lars is the firstborn and Grett is the firstdys son, so they both have legitimate ims to the title of emperor. Im just the third son, though, born from a maid that the emperorid his hands on. In this session battle, I am the only one without a legitimate im. Even if, by some chance, I managed to take over the enemy country assigned to me the easternnds of the Huang dynasty not my two brothers, nor the court officials or nobles would ever ept my ascension to the throne. I could already see the resulting civil war split the empire into two. (For me to be emperor, either both my brothers die or I gain enough power to massacre any vassals that stand against mewho can me me for losing motivation and acting the moron, really?) The true reason why someone like me was added to the session talks was probably just to round out the numbers, really. If Lars and Grett were the only candidates, it would just lead to a sh of their armies, resulting in an internal war. So they needed a third party to keep them in check, and here I am. This three-way conflict prevents conflict at least on the surface and for thest ten years, their deadly battle has been going on behind the curtains. (Man, this country is done for. Even if one of us three bes emperor, the future is bleak as all hell. If at least one of them had realized the surefire way to win the session battle, things would have been different, but) In this scramble for session, there was a surefire way to win, set by thete emperor himself. Finding this way was the real condition to be emperor, but neither one of my brothers seemed to be aware of it. (Father, youd have never imagined that they wouldnt even get a hint in ten years, would you? Nor that youd die firstI guess you overestimated your kids, huh. Serves you right.) Having lived on pins and needles my whole life, stuck in the middle of my brothers rivalry, my personality grew pretty twisted. I couldnt even remember when I started this clown act. Haha, hahahalook at them, all chasing the wrong fox. Idiots, idiots everywhereand poor Cerros here, tears streaming down his cheeks fromughing too much Poor, who? What stupid way you talk? As I kept whining on the bed, the girl doing paperwork at the desk turned towards me with a sigh. Her name was Xiao Mao, one of my retainers. She was just 18 years old, but showed brilliant talent in matters of politics and military. Her eyes were lit with contempt, as youd never expect from a retainer looking at their master: she was clearly looking down at me. Youugh suddenly, I think you gone crazy. Finally, mushroom grown from your head? She was still not fully proficient in ournguage: Xiao was born in Huang, the empires enemy country. Five years ago I found her at the ve market in the east of the empire, bought her and made her my servant. She never learned to have much respect for me, though. Hmm, I dont think so? Cant find any mushrooms up here. Is there a disease like that? You not know? When humans not use body part at all, mushroom grows. My father had mushroom from crotch, so I know. I wonder if that isnt the mushroom all healthy men have She was a wonder in the books, but stillcked certain street smarts, as she showed time and again. Izily expressed doubts about her diagnosis, so Xiao Miao protested. Stop your nonsense! I never seen mushrooms on crotch except father. Cerros, you have mushroom on crotch? I can take it off for you? Please, anything but that, I beg of you. I humbly offered my apologies to Xiao, then returned to my bed. Jeez, how long do I have to keep living like this? Im sick of it allI dont care who bes emperor, just do it alreadyso the empire can fall down the pit it belongs to. your country, but you talk crazy. Who cares? I never did, not for a country like this. I never asked to be prince, and I have to live with my brothers trying to kill each other and me, get it? Who the hell can put up with this shit? I just wanted to eat well, drink better, hang out with the people I likedlike Xiao, and just enjoy life together. I didnt think I was asking for much, so why did happiness go farther away from me every day? Haahdepressing. What happen? Mushroom really grow on crotch? hey, enough dirty jokes, all right? I might not look it, but Im the romantic typesigh Really, you OK? Xiao took a closer look at my face. Despite her jokes, she was really concerned about me. Maybe you couldnt call her a beauty, but from up close she looked rather adorable. I raised a hand and was about to touch her facebut stopped just in time. No good. Hm? I turned the other way, away from her. If I touched Xiao right now, I might really fall in love with her. (Dont touch girls when youre feeling downeven if she falls for me too, thered be nothing but misfortune in store for her anyway. I should stick with just doing it for fun with women.) Lets go to the market tomorrow. Well find another shady shack with shady magic tool lookalikes and send them to the east as souvenirs, right? Right, right. Lunch, Cerros pay, yes? Well, I am the prince, I should do that much. Because food on other peoples money taste better! Triple delicious! Hahaha. Iughed together with Xiao, my back still turned to her, and fell asleep like that. At that time, I naturally could not know that the next morning, I would wake up to see Xiao in bed next to me she had slipped under the covers who knows when and have a moment of slight panic. Volume 2 - Ch 4 Lamperouge kingdom, royal pce. A certain ceremony was scheduled for that day. In the throne hall, nobles from throughout the kingdom had gathered: all neatly kneeling at the sides of the gorgeous red carpetid in the middle, bowing towards the throne. I was watching them from my seat. Such a number of nobles together is quite the sight indeed. Very different from the battlefield. All of them were powerful and influential figures in the kingdom, each in charge of a domain and its citizens. To see them all lined up like this was a rather precious experience. Four special chairs were set in the four cardinal directions of the hall, with the throne at the center. And I was sitting on the East seat. The Lamperouge Kingdom was originally the Lamperouge Alliance formed when the nobles in the center and those in the four directions agreed to form an equal rtionship of mutual assistance. Even after Lamperouge became a kingdom, traces of the alliance lingered on. In ceremonies such as this, the margraves of the Four Houses had the privilege to be seated in the four directions around the throne, instead of kneeling like the other nobles. The royal throne was empty, but the representatives of the Margrave houses were all already present and seated. Incidentally, that day the Four Houses representatives were not the Margraves themselves, but their respective heirs. Hm? ~~~ The woman sitting on the South seat was waving at me. Wearing a bright red dress showing off her cleavage was Echidna Thunderbird. The next head of the southern Margrave house, she was 18 years old like me. Every inch of her face was covered in makeup and even her nails were painted bright red: at first nce, it would be hard to tell she was still in her teens. Tch I knew Echidna from before joining the academybut I couldnt say I had any fond memories of her. (I cant look at her face without thinking oftch, what a pain.) I curtly waved back and looked away from her, turning towards the other seats. . Sitting on the North seat was a woman d in a ck male military uniform, using her sheathed de as a stick. Her name was Sharon Utgard, next in line for the position of Margrave of House Utgard. She was also the captain of the Mountain Dogs, part of the patrol corps of the northern border. She was a brave warrior, actively fighting on the frontlines. She had beautiful, polished features, but her intimidating aura was even stronger: she was the type of woman that didnt inspire impure thoughts in men. Her sharp re directed at the other nobles, she was just waiting for the ceremony to start, still and solid as a rock. Lastly, on the West seat was a man with a darkplexion, wearing white ceremonial robes. Valon Sphinx, next head of the west Margrave house, was one year above me at the academy. As soon as he noticed me looking at him, Grrr! Valon scowled at me, like a wild animal finding an intruder in its turf. (Hm? Did I do anything to him?) We were enrolled in the same academy, but never did more than exchange greetings. I had no recollection of doing anything to be resented by him (Oh, right, we fought a couple times in the royal martial tournament, didnt we. After that, I chatted a bit with his little sister. I had heard that her birthday wasing, so I sent her a giftyeah, theres no reason why hed hate me) As I was contemting such things, a re of trumpets resounded in the throne hall. Behold, His Majesty the Prince! Duke Rosais, head of the center nobles, stood at the side of the throne and made the announcement. The throne halls doors opened. The nobles kneeling along the red carpet lowered their heads more. I and the other three Margrave representatives stood up. A boy around 12 years old entered the hall. He walked briskly among the nobles, straight towards the throne. His short brown hair and appearance did not resemble his father, the King, or his older brother Sullivan in the slightest. Sullivan had sharp, ssic noble-like features, but the boys features were gentle and peaceful. (I guess he took after his mother. Some say that he isnt the kings sonwho knows?) The boy was Sulley Lamperouge, second prince of the kingdom, current heir to the throne and the central figure in the ceremony. We shall nowmence Prince Sulleys crowning ceremony! A new page was about to be engraved in the history of the kingdom. I could feel it in the air, as I once again took my seat. Volume 2 - Ch 5 The crowning ceremony concluded without a hitch: Sulley Lamperouge thus became King Lamperouge V. The only unusual thing, so to speak, was that the role of cing the crown on the young princes head was taken by Duke Rosais, the royal chancellor, in ce of the bed-ridden (now former) king. Also, in the ceremony the new king did not wear Herakles, as custom dictated, but a golden bracelet studded with gemstones. The royal treasure stolen by Sullivan is still unountednaturally. That incident had Sullivan Nommes marked as a wanted fugitive in the whole kingdom, for the crimes of royal treason and theft of national treasure. The assassination attempt on me was kept from the public, though. The royal house had plenty of things to inquire about the missing treasure, but it had been given to Sullivan by none other than the former king himself. A strict gag order had been ced on that piece of information: so all I had to do was drop subtle hints of being aware of it, and all questions stopped immediately. Okay then, better go back to the province, and fast. The empire was showing signs of unrest. I did not expect things to move too soon, but I didnt want to stay away from the province for long. I was leaving the court, immersed in such thoughts, when someone called my name. Oh Dyn, youre leaving already? UghEchidna. Please, dont make that facearent we childhood friends? Standing behind me was the daughter of the southern Margrave, Echidna Thunderbird. d in a red dress that did not leave much to the imagination, she sighed at me demurely. I couldnt help but frown a little. Yeah, we are, so theres no need forpliments between us, right? Besides, I dont want to have anything to do with the south. My, how rude. If you persist in such behavior, I will have to make a report to Lady Grace. Ghthats why I dont want to talk to you. You always bring up that damn hag. I red at Echidna, who shook her head in disappointment. You can be so bratty when ites to Lady Graceanyway, Dyn. Arent you going to participate in the ball? The royal house had scheduled a ball to be held after the crowning ceremony. Nope, I wont. Im not going to get any closer than necessary to the royals. (I will participate in the ceremony, but not the ball.) In a way, that was a deration of Margrave Maxwells stance towards the royal house. Sullivan Nommes, a former member of the royal family, had attempted to assassinate the future heir of Maxwell Margrave, and the king himself was involved in it, as he had given Sullivan a national treasure. While we did not voice any usations out loud, the Maxwell house had not forgiven such acts. By participating in the crowning ceremony, the Maxwell house acknowledged Sulley as new king. But we did not forgive or forget the acts perpetrated by Sullivan, nor intended to be especially familiar with Sulley or the royals. I wasnt going to go to the ball, nor did our vassals. Oh, so youre not going either. Me too, actually. Hm? House Thunderbird isnt on bad terms with the royal house, is it? Mother is going to participate, so thats fine. She pushed this annoying ceremony to me, while she gets to go to the ballpretty selfish, dont you think? If I go, Id have swarms of men all over me, so Im relieved though. Yeah, I bet.. I looked down at Echidnas body, in contemtion. We knew each other for more than 10 years: she had grown a lot since then. Long, slender legs, remarkable full breasts, a dress daringly exposing her cleavage and back. She would definitely attract attention at the ball. When you deal with noblemen, you always have to consider the prospect of marriage and the rtionship between each houseits so troublesome. I prefer men without such baggage, you see. Sure, but does that mean sleeping with sailors and pirates at that pace? Youre a noble, after all, shouldnt you be a bit more modest? Oh dearyou, of all people, lecture me about chastity? When were pretty much the same? Just like I had several women as my lovers, Echidna too romanced multiple men. Basically, we were two peas in a pod. The only difference is that while I kept the women I loved at my side, Echidna preferred hunting strangers at the tavern and enjoyed one night stands only with them. In terms of chastity, we were thus very simr, but miraculously our rtionship never turned carnal. We did not see each other as a viable candidate just like how mas of the same prity repel each other. Is that so? I see you as a man, though? Whaat!? Echidnas scandalous revtion made me unsteady on my feet. Youre the finest man I know, actually. Marriage is out of the question, but if I ever have to bear a child, Id want you to be the father, you know? I have to give birth to a sessor, after all. I would be happy if you at least considered it Hmmrightwell, actuallynahIll pass After a bit of mulling, I gave her my answer. The offer was not without its charms, but I wouldnt be able to treat Echidna as a woman at this point. Oh really? Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know. sure. I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I felt that if I continued talking with her, I couldmit an irreparable mistake. (Were not family or anything, but were still too close forfortthats why I hate childhood friends!) I liked to think of myself as an expert with the opposite sex, but there were some women I couldnt handle, apparently. The only way was to stay away from them. Ah, please wait, Dyn! I was about to scamper away, but Echidna grabbed my arm and stopped me. Theres going to be a gathering at the Thunderbird manor in the capitalter tonight. Wont youe too? We will serve food and drinks too, of course. at the same time as the royal ball? What the hell kind of gathering is that? I really did not want to go, but Echidnas words convinced me that I had to. A gathering of the heirs of the Four Houses, Dyn. The other two are bothing, you know. My night at the royal capital was going to be rather long, I thought. I looked at the setting sun filtering through a window and sighed. Volume 2 - Ch 6 Among the residences concentrated in the royal capitals noble district, one mansion stood out especially. House Thunderbird, which prospered thanks to maritime trade, was unrivaled among the Four Houses in terms of financial power. The size and luxury of its manor was clear proof: both dwarfed the other noble residences of the district. It seems like the other two have arrived already. Come on in, Dyn. All right. Echidna led me down a corridor and opened the door at the end. In the spacious guest room, I saw the Thunderbird house servants and two other people. One of them was Sharon Utgard, heir of the northern Margrave house, still wearing her ck attire from the ceremony. Hm Sharon nced at Echidna and me when we entered and silently raised the wine ss in her hand, as a greeting. She then brought it to her lips. Nhmmh. One more. Ah, yes, right away. After downing the contents in one gulp, Sharon almost shoved the ss in the hands of the maid at her side, who promptly filled it. Nhmmh. One more. Ah, yes, right away. Nhmmh. One more. E-Eh!? The maid filled the ss, Sharon took it and quickly knocked it back, going back to square one. No signs of stopping. The table before her was rife with cheese and dried meats, but they appeared untouched. She probably kept guzzling wine, without a snack in between. The other guest, who changed from the white ceremonial robes to a more casual attire, was Valon Sphinx, heir to the western Margrave. He too was drinking wine, but not by drowning himself like Sharon: he savored every sip. Mmh, so delicate. This is truly fine wine. Your praise honors us, Milord. This is a 20 year old bottle from the southern sea. The south produces quality grapes, after allhm? Valon noticed our arrival and looked in our direction. The moment our eyes met Dyngir Maxwell!! You!! Sir!? he stood up from his chair and yelled at me. Leaving the befuddled servant behind, he stomped the floor towards me. How dare you show your face before me!? After fleeing from my challenge! You coward! Ah, erit has been a long time, Mister Sphinx. My apologies, but this is all so sudden, I do not understand what is happening. Dont y dumb! You ditched the martial arts tournament this year, didnt you! Our duel hasnt been settled yet!! Hmm? The tournament held every year in the capital? Oh, right, I didnt go this year. (After the engagement cancetion and all the mess that followed, I went back straight to the province. I didnt have time for tournaments, anyway.) The engagements breakup, Sullivans assassination attempt, Sullivan and Selenas punishment and its aftercare. Its been a hectic six months, so the tournaments existence hadpletely slipped my mind. (Bothst year and two years ago I fought Valon in the finalsand I won both times, didnt I?) I thus finally realized why he was so angry. I didnt participate just because I was too busy to, but from Valons standpoint, the underssman who defeated him twice ran away without giving him thest chance to redeem himself. I had no choice but to lower my head and exin myself. My apologies, I have been quite busy this year. Troubles with the royal family, you see. UhmPrince Sullivan..no, the former Prince tried having you assassinated, was that it? It is good to see you safe, andwellmy sister was worried too. Oh, your sister. Her name was Naam, yes? I happened to meet Naam, Valons younger sister, before the martial arts tournament two years ago. She hade to see her brother before the finals. She had a darkplexion and ck hair, just like her brother, so she had left an impression on me. Yes, Naam!! I finally won the tournament this year, but after I returned to the province shes always in the clouds, worrying about you! What exactly is there between you and my sister!? there isnt anything, actually. I just talked to her a bit, two years ago andst year. You were there too, both timesoh right, at that time I heard that her birthday was close, so I took the liberty to send a gift. Was it delivered? I replied, slightly tired of Valons overbearing attitude, but he turned it up even more. It was delivered indeed! These days Naam is staring at that ss tabletop clock day in and day, mumbling and sighing! To think that only a few years ago she was always behind me, saying big brother this, big brother that! She wont even get into the bath with me anymore, and when she talks to me its always about how you were at the academy! What did you do to my sister, you fiend!? may I ask how old your sister is? Shell turn twelve this year!! So what!? . In Valons eyes, I must have looked like a pedophile. I might be a womanizer, but I neverid my hands on girls that young Er, wellI will send a birthday gift this year too. Please tell her I said hi. Like hell I will!! GRAAAAAAAH!! Nhmmh. One more. Please, have mercy! Valon stomped the floor in frustration. Despite the loudness of our argument, Sharon continued drinking, undisturbed. There were already 10 empty bottles on the table next to her: the maid serving her was on the verge of tears. Well then, now that we are all here, may we get down to business? Echidna probably thought things might spin out of control soon, so she pped her hands to get our attention. She then mmed a hand on the table and pointed a finger in our direction. We shall now start the First New Generation Margraves Conference! The maids behind Echidna red their trumpets, as the butlers followed with well-rehearsed pping. what now? .hm. Nhmmh. One more. Echidnas energy far overwhelmed ours. Valon and I looked at her in disbelief, while Sharon continued drinking, without paying a shred of attention. Thus gathered the four young men and women representing the next generation of the Four Houses, the greatest defensive military power of the Lamperouge Kingdom. Volume 2 - Ch 7 but thats enough jokes. We should start talking seriously now. Echidna sped her hands loudly, changing the air in the room. The maids and butlers set drinks and snacks on the tables, then promptly made their exit. The conversation that was going to follow was not for their ears. I-I beg your pardon~~!! Ah. The maid who served Sharon too bolted out of the room. Sharon looked at her leave, a gaze of longing in her eyesthen proceeded to fill the ss herself. Apparently, not drinking was not an option. So, what is it that you want to talk about so seriously? Valon, no longer raising a ruckus about his little sister, had sat back down and calmly started the conversation. He was the oldest among us four, so I was sincerely grateful that he took the helm. nh, delicious. Are you listening? Sharon Utgard. Sharon continued drinking without a care, prompting Valon to raise his eyebrows. Incidentally, she was the youngest among us: Sharon was still 16. She had not enrolled in the academy and received her education in her home province instead. She was not a special case, though: House Utgard was famously isted and its contact with other territories was rather limited. Its members rarely left the province outside of special events, like that days crowning ceremony. (This unique air she hases from how little she knows of the world, I guess. And she looked so stern during the ceremony) In the ceremony shepletely had the fierce aura of a militarymander, intimidating all nobles in the surroundings, but now probably also thanks to the wine her appearance fit her age much more. (Thats not the drinking pace of a 16 year old girl, though.) I contemted the 12 empty bottles on her table. Well, first of allI would like to hear your opinions about what will be of this country. I feared the conversation wasnt going to proceed, but Echidna ignored Sharon and offered a topic of discussion. Valon nodded and answered first. HmmI see. The conflict between the various factions in the court is only going to intensify, Im sure. I feel the same. Prince Sulleyno, His Majesty was born from the Queen, so there is more than enough just cause to inherit the throne, but the rumors about him being an illegitimate son are pretty heavy, The scandalous words uttered by the former king before passing out denouncing Sulley as a bastard son still shook the royal court. At present, the court was split into severalpeting factions. The royal faction, intending to support Sulley and maintain the kings authority. The chancellor faction, with Duke Rosais and his vassals at the center. The pacifist faction, which abhorred chaos and wanted to avoid any conflict with the provincial nobles. The noble faction, which wanted to prop Sulley as a puppet king and gain the actual control over the kingdom. This faction was mainly formed by the nobles hostile to Duke Rosais, and wanted to drive him out of the court more than anything else. Their final aim was to gain absolute power over the kingdom, thus whittling down the authority and influence of our provincial houses, so they deserved special attention. Lastly, the neutral faction, which stayed out of all conflicts at court. As Sulleys status as legitimate heir was still in question, they kept their distance from the royal family, as much as they were allowed to. Their connections with provincial nobles were spotty too. I have to admit that Duke Rosais is exemry, as a noble. But not even he could stop water leaking out of a ruptured dam. In the best case scenario all the conflicts continue underground, in the worst a civil war splits the kingdom in two. In either case, we provincial nobles will have to make our decision about what role to take. To continue serving this country or seek a new, independent path. Taking over the central province and gaining control over the whole kingdom was an option as well. Thats how you see it too, thenpretty troublesome. is the south nning to rebel against the royal family? Sharon, who had not stopped drinking for a moment, questioned Echidna. (Huh, so she was listening then) She finally joined the conversation, leaving me mildly surprised. Of course not. House Thunderbirds forces are based on our fleet,, we couldnt win against the royal house even if we tried. We arent sure, however, that the royals will be as good a customer as theyve been until now. For House Thunderbird, which prospered thanks to maritime trade, the royal house or any other noble family, for that matter were nothing more than business partners. In spirit, they were merchants rather than nobles. Blood flows only when money does too. If the new royal house brings the economy down, well have to reconsider how to deal with them. Heh, I only hear greed speaking. Oh, does mighty House Sphinx opine otherwise? Would you swear loyalty to a royal housecking in authority? Valon snorted at Echidnas question. Who cares about the royal family? There are other, true enemies we should worry about. No matter what confusion happens in the center, what we must do is subdue the enemy before us. That is the duty of a guardian warrior of this kingdom. I feel the same, in principle. As long as there are enemies before us, we should focus on them. I agreed with Valons opinion, though what our words implied was probably very different. As long as there are enemies, hmm. Thats just like you, Dyn. Echidna correctly guessed the true meaning of my words and nodded. I have never told her of my ambitions, but during the time we spent together, she surely noticed how I wished to make House Maxwell independent. The policies of House Utgard are not for me to speak of. Sharon downed another ss and spoke. Because Im a soldier, not a warrior. I have no beliefs, I will cut down anyone I am ordered to. I am not in the position to decide whether House Utgard will oppose the royal house or not. Really? Even as the next Margrave, you dont have any opinions? The number twos opinion is worthless. The leaders opinion is enough, no matter the case. However added Sharon, before emptying another ss. I dont want to fight against someone who serves wine as good as this. If House Thunderbird chooses to fight against the royal family, I will personally be on your side. I promise. Oh my, what wonderful words. I have some rare wine from the east, Ill give it to you as a souvenir to bring home. I love youmarry me. Sharon took Echidnas hand and made her proposal seriously or in jest, I had no idea. I looked at Echidna, clearly taken aback by the sudden development, then turned around and sighed. (Four Houseseven if our positions are simr, the way we think is really different. Doesnt feel like wed ever be able to unite and fight against the royal house together, huh?) Echidna probably gathered us together in order to confirm that, too. (I never nned to borrow anyones strength in the first cebut its probably best to think of the other Margrave houses as possible enemies, when we finally open hostilities against the royal family.) The souths House Thunderbird valued its interests above all. If we can offer them enough profit, they should not stand against us. The wests House Sphinx will never have enough leftover forces to send against us, as long as the ursed Armies of the desert exist. (That leaves only House Utgard.) I nced at Sharon. If the empire falls, House Utgard which, like our House Maxwell, sees it as an enemy will be able to move more freely. When that happens, what will be their next move? The house of this girl passionately gushing about wine was a possible enemy as dangerous as the royal house. (I have to thank Echidna, for making me realise how steep a path my ambition is taking me to.) Strangely enough, however, I didnt feel discouraged at all. The path was harsh and far but it also made things more exciting. Let me have a ss too. This wine will taste even better hot, can you warm it up for me? Ooh, good idea. Me too! I called a servant and handed them my ss. I looked at the girl before me, with sparkles in her eyes, and wondered if she was really going to be an enemy in the future. Volume 2 - Ch 8 I pretty much didnt do anything, why do I feel so tired? After discussing a few more issues, the gathering of the Four Houses heirs officially concluded. It was alreadyte at night: Echidna invited me to stay over at her mansion, but I didnt feel it right to sleep under the same roof as her, so I went back to the lodging rented under the Maxwell name. Incidentally, Valon went back to his lodging too: Sharon started drinking again after the meeting, so she was probably going to stay over. Oh, youre really going? Thats a shame. I was thinking of paying you a little visit in your room. dont joke about that, I might take it seriously. Thats fine for me, though. I told you, I love you such that I want a child from you, Dyn. R-Really now Hoping to get away from Echidna as quickly as possible, I got on the horse carriage I had prepared. Oh, wait just a second! I have a gift for you. Huh? What? A package? Before I could leave, Echidna gave me a square box wrapped in high quality paper. (Judging from the shapemaybe its sweets?) Ah, well, thanks a lot. Take it home with you, okay? Dont toss it from a window or anything. Echidnas joke left a strange impression, but I didnt dwell on it too long. Back in my room, I opened the package and regretted ever epting it. Ah, shit The wrapping revealed a wooden box normally used for sweets, as expected, but also a letter. Addressed in a very simple manner. To my son its from moththat damn woman. I recalled Echidnas smile as I left and my teeth gnashed. The gift was from Grace, my mother, then. (Should I toss it anyway? No, wait, if it explodes or releases poison gas in town, itd be a disaster. It might also cause trouble for the Maxwell house) Wondering why receiving a gift from my mother had to give me a headache every time, I thought I had no choice but to open it. I removed the lid slowly, carefully checking for any booby traps and found rainbow-colored gems inside. What the? They were about the size of a piece of candy, shining in seven colors like a rainbow. Enough gems to fill the box to the brim. What the hell is that damn hag thinking? I knew what those gems really were and pressed my fingers against my temples. The colorful gems which may look pretty enough to fetch a good price on jewelry were actually a body part of the Sea Hydras, carnivorous beasts that dwelled in dungeonsthemon name for the ruins of the ancient magic civilization. To be more precise, the gems were actually formed in a Sea Hydras galldderthey were essentially the monsters gallstones. Sea Hydras were dangerous, feral beasts, which fought by spewing poison at foes. These stones were highly venomous as well: if dissolved, just one was enough to turn a barrel of water into lethal poison. What kind of mother sends a box of poison to her son? That damn woman I opened the letter and read the contents. . To my son : I heard about the cancetion of the engagement. If you want to die, drink this. If you want to kill, have them drink it. Grace D.O. Maxwell . . In other words, if the cancetion of the engagement shocked you to the point of wishing to die, use this poison and kill yourself. If you loathe your former fiancee or the man who took her away more, feed them this poison and kill them. That is the message of my revered mother, I suppose. just one more time, for good measurewhat the hell kind of mother is this!? I ripped the letter to shreds and tossed it in the trash. Dammit, why does this get on my nerves so much? Sakuya, are you there!? At your service, Lord Dyngir. The maid outfit-wearing assassin responded immediately, appearing before me without the slightest noise. I closed the box of poison sent by my mother and carefully gave it to her. Bring this to the Maxwell manor, with extreme care. Just touching the contents with bare hands might get you poisoned. Make sure no one swallows or steals these: they look just like gems, if you dont know any better. I am used to handling poison, Lord Dyngir. Please leave it to me. Sakuya diligently took the box from my hands and bowed. By the waymight I be allowed to take one or two of these? Fine by me, but what will you use them for? It is a rare kind of poison, so I would like to try using it for assassination. Sakuya replied with flushed cheeks. The words she said were ominous at best, but her face was of a maiden in love. do whatever you want. Dont feed them to me, though. Im afraid I cannot promise that. What? You gotta be joking! I dont want to die with that shitty hags poison!! Of course I was joking, my lordhehehe Finding such rare poison must have made Sakuya really happy: her usually expressionless face was now beaming with a smile. She headed out of the room with a little dance, but stopped in front of the door. oh my, I was so taken by the poison I almost forgot. There is something I must report, Lord Dyngir. Hm? What? I just received a message from one of the Fangs of Steel members at the Maxwell manor. It appears that a guest hase for you. A guest? Who? I cocked my head, puzzled. The whole kingdom knew about the crowning ceremony: anyone would think that the Margrave heir was not going to be at home. (Either its an emergency, or its someone unfamiliar with the kingdoms state of affairs) I urged Sakuya to continue, and her beautiful red lips uttered an extremely surprising name. The First Princess of the Baal Empire, Rossellia Baal. Volume 2 - Ch 9 POV: Rossellia Baal (Oh, what am I supposed to do?) My name is Rossellia Baal I am the fourth child of Emperor Baal and the only princess in the current imperial family. I was born with the most noble blood in the empire and have lived a life free of hardship. If you asked me whether that is a life of happiness or not, however, I would not be able to say yes with confidence. Rossellia, I wish for at least you to be happy. Father, the emperor, used to say that all the time. Unlike my brothers, all sent to war, I spent most of my days in court. Because of that, I could spend more time with my father than my brothers ever did. To be born as a man in the Baal imperial family, a n of conquerors, means to live on the battlefield there is nothing that can be done. I too have seen my share of wars and battles, against many foreign powers and sometimes even my own family. Howeveryou have not. Father could only live as a member of the imperial family, as the emperor. He could never approach his sons as a father would. All the love and affection reserved for them was spent on me. That in itself was fortunate, but my fathers love could also be heavy, oppressing. Please, you at least, live a life free of violence and blood. I beg of you. Please be happy, as a normal girl, as a woman. If you were to be a sacrifice for the sake of the empireI would truly cease being a father, and be nothing but a bloody conqueror. Those were thest words my father told me. Did he really know how difficult it would be for me to keep such a promise? Born as the imperial princess, in usual circumstances I would be used as a tool for political marriage. Did he really think that I could ever attain the happiness of a normal woman? (Even if I wished to obtain such happiness, it would not be possible for me. Even without ever stepping on the battlefield, ever getting involved in politics, the fact that I am the only imperial princess does not change.) That prediction came true before long. Lars Baal, the first imperial prince, presented me with a marriage prospect. The husband-to-be was the son of a powerful noble of the Lamperouge Kingdom, the heir of Margrave Maxwell Dyngir Maxwell. Frankly, this is all quite sudden. Was this matter approved by the imperial conference already? N-No, actually, not yet, but My older brother, Lars Baal, replied to my question rather awkwardly. (Of course. To marry me off to an enemy countryat the very least, that man would never allow it.) I sighed, carefully making sure Lars did not notice, and reflected on his intentions. (If I married into House Maxwell, that guardian of the eastern border and influential noble family of Lamperouge would be connected to the empire. It would certainly make it easy to turn them into allies and break through the border. Lars First Imperial Army could cross unscathed into Lamperouge and head directly towards the capital. He would thus fulfill the condition set in fathers will and be the next emperor) It was a one-sided, egotistical request. He was really trying to pawn off his younger sister to an enemy country, in order to be emperor (Did you even try to think about what kind of treatment I would receive in Lamperouge, dear brother? Of course you havent, as you are now) Lars Baal was definitely not an evil man. He was sincere, generous with his subordinates, known for hisrge heart. He could be emotional and impulsive sometimes, but many respected and admired him, despite such weaknesses. (I liked him too, butthat battle changed him.) After losing to the Maxwell forces five years ago, the well-loved Lars turned into a man who did not think twice before sacrificing those around him. He lost his most invaluable retainers and became more and more obsessed with the throne. It was painful to think that this ambition was born from his desire not to render the sacrifice of his vassals as useless painful to see how this desire ended up causing even more suffering to those who served him. Two years ago, he forcibly embarked on an invasion of Lamperouge via the southern seas, but could not even reach the kingdom and fell before Draco Omari, the infamous pirate and ruler of the southern sea. After these defeats, the First Imperial Army did not have enough military power left to pose a threat to Lamperouge. In other words, forming a connection with House Maxwell via political marriage was the only path left for Lars to be emperor. With all due respect, Prince Lars, what gives you the authority to present the Princess with a marriage prospect? I was still unsure about how to reply, when I received unexpected assistance. KhKnight Captain Szar! Lars red at the man that interrupted our conversation and growled his name. Rajang Szar, one of fathers most trusted subordinates, was the captain of the Imperial Knights. Volume 2 - Ch 10 The man who interrupted our conversation was Rajang Szar, captain of the Imperial Knights, who consented to stand as witness to the meeting with my brother Lars. Rajang was the same age as my father, one of his closest friends and most trusted knights. He led the Imperial Knights, a unit under the emperors direct authority. As the seat was currently vacant, Rajang followed fathersst order: to act as my escort and protect me. Rajang Szar, I am speaking to Rossellia right now! How dare a mere knight interject in a conversation between members of the imperial family!? With all due respect, Your Highness, I wasmanded by Histe Majesty the Emperor to protect and care for Princess Rossellia. I must thus beseech you not to make such unreasonable demands to the Princess. Unreasonable demands!? Do you even know how much it pains me to! Please, Prince Lars, please calm down. A young knight stepped in to soothe my brothers escting spirits: Snowe Halphas, Lars second inmand. Captain Szar, we havee simply to propose this arrangement to Princess Rossellia. We have no intention of forcing anyones hand. H-However, that is! We too know how thete Emperor, peace be unto His soul, wished for the Princess wellbeing until Hisst breath. While not in official terms, the Emperor apparently also gave permission for the Princess to freely decide her marriage partner. Is that correct? yes, Father did say such a thing. That was really true. Father, who loved me more than anyone else, told me that I could marry the person I loved. As the imperial princess, however, I seldom even had the chance to meet men outside the imperial family, so there was no such person We thus wish to rmend Dyngir Maxwell as that partner. Snowe Halphas grinned, as if the conversation proceeded exactly as he nned. House Maxwell is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful and renowned noble ns of the Lamperouge kingdom. Some say that, in terms of military power, they surpass even the royal family. Once Prince Lars achieves victory and the kingdom is annexed to the empire, they will surely gain high standing as a military noble n in the empire as well. I am positive he would be a fitting consort, Princess. Dyngir Maxwell is also an infamous womanizer!! How could such a scoundrel be fitting for the Princess!? All heroes live for love, or so they say. His Majesty the Emperor was served by many concubines too, if I recall. His four children were all born from different mothers, were they not? What more could you hope for from a valiant noble? .. I repeated Snowes words in my mind and reflected. If I married into House Maxwell, Lars could take over the Lamperouge kingdom and be the next emperor. That would also settle the conflicts currently dividing the empire, and possibly prevent the outbreak of more chaos. Not to mention that Not to mention thatif things continue this way, Prince Grett will be emperor, you know? !! Snowe spoke, as if he read my mind. It pains and frustrates me to admit that at present, Prince Grett is closest to the throne. What would happen, was he truly to be emperor? Grett was an intelligent person of many skills, but as a human being, hecked something very important. He did not see others as equals and sacrificed those below him without a thought. Not too long ago, a peasant revolt broke out in his domain and those who participated were executed with extreme impunity, apparently. If Grett became emperor (There is no way Grett can be allowed to be the emperor! He would definitely bring misfortune to the whole empireto his vassals, to the people, and me, too) I recalled Gretts gaze on me and shuddered. He looked at me as if his eyes crawled on my whole body. There was nothing but the desire to possess me and satisfy all of his lust in them. (Compared to Grettany man is a saint!) No matter how much of a womanizer he might be, it would definitely be better than bing Gretts spouse. Even if we are half-siblings, or if father told me I could marry whoever I wanted, I am sure he would not care in the slightest. I have understood very well what you saidplease, let me think it over a little. Princess Oh, will you consider it!? Great, I am looking forward to your reply! Rajang looked at me with apprehension, while in stark contrast Lars rejoiced. Yes, please think it over well, Princess. We trust in your wise decision. After an obsequious bow, Snowe Halphas turned away from me. Before he left, he whispered something loud enough to barely reach my ears. Youve lived all your life happy and pampered in your little birdcage at court. At least in the end, I hope that youll be useful to the empire. .. I felt as if his words pierced my heart, and held my chest with my hands. (Rossellia, I wish for at least you to be happy.) Fathers words echoed in my head. I clenched so hard that my dress wrinkled. (Father, I am sorrybut I too am a child of the empire. Please, allow me, too, to use my life for the empire) I thought over the matter for a full day, then made my decision. The decision to head to our enemy country, the Kingdom of Lamperouge. Volume 2 - Ch 11 Rossellia Baal, First Princess of the Baal Empire. All I knew about her was that she was kept sheltered inside the imperial court and rarely ever appeared in public, that she was eighteen years old and apparently a breathtaking, blonde beauty. One of the Fangs of Steel members infiltrated in the empire reported that, ording to some merchants allowed ess to the imperial court, Rossellia was Just like an angel! One nce and you couldt ever forget her!. A breathtaking beauty, just like an angel. Well, this will be something to see. Dyn, for the love of everything thats holy, PLEASE do not do anything weird to Princess Rossellia. Or, well have a diplomatic incident on our hands! I was sitting on the sofa in the Maxwell manors guest room, waiting for the princess toe. My father was right next to me, repeating the same warnings over and over again. Princess Rossellia had arrived in the Maxwell domain about one week ago. She stayed at an inn in Avalon, the provinces capital, until I returned. Father already went to greet her, but I would meet her today for the first time. Dont do anything weird, I beg of you! I got it already! What are these weird things anyway! Weird things like hugging her and licking her face, ripping her clothes off, or dragging her to a bed and impregnating her! What the hell do you think I am!? Im your son, not some beast in heat!! I know you could very well do all that! For goodness sake, think of the diplomatic repercussions, all right!? I frankly did not expect my own father to think so lowly of me. I have neverwaityeah, I have nevermitted acts of sexual violence anyway. I took the new maid to bed with me, but that was more of a prankand she consented in the end, so it should be all right. I think. Hey, I know we should avoid any diplomatic trouble. But our empire has been an enemy for decades, could things get any worse? Why are you so worried? Even if they are an enemy! Itspletely different for them to invade on their own, or us to give them a reason to! I dont think I need to tell you this, but the only reason why we could repel the empire until now is that theyre surrounded by enemies, so they could never send their whole forces against us! If youy your hands on the princess, though, maybe not the whole army, but they will surely dispatch more troops than ever before! Hmm, yeah, I can understand that. If a member of the imperial family is subject to any form of disrespect, there must be a proper retaliation or the empires authority will suffer, which might have priority even over the matter of who will be next emperor. Thete emperors unending affection for princess Rossellia was also rather famous. If I did anything to shame her, the Imperial Knights might act, too. (The First Imperial Army and the Imperial Knightsit would be a pain to deal with both at the same time. Id need a solid n to win.) Well, what happens, happens. When we battle against the empire, well have to fight against the First Imperial Army and the Imperial Knights at some point, after all. What are you going to do if that really happens!? Youre always so Please, enough with the preaching, old man. More importantly, is princess Rossellia really as pretty as the rumors say? You met her, didnt you? Hmm, well, I did meet her, but Fathers words trailed off. After resting his chin on his hands for a while, he spoke again. well, shes beautiful, but a step below Grace, I suppose. Yeahthat doesnt tell me anything, really. Anyway I didnt have the faintest idea of what father saw in that damn hag, but he was hopelessly in love, so a step below Grace was apliment of the highest magnitude,ing from him. (So she really is that impressive. I see why hes being so noisy with his warnings. Shes so pretty I could lose my minddamn, this is bad, I might want her enough to go to war with the empire over her) Im really looking forward to meeting her now. please. I trust you, Dyn. Excuse me, Milord, young master. A knock on the door, and the house steward came in. The guests have arrived. Shall I apany them here? yes, let them in. Father gave the order. After a short while, three women entered the room. One was wearing knight armor, she was probably the princess escort. I just gave her a nce, but she gave the impression of being rather skilled. The second woman was wearing sses and a simple dress. She was probably a maid, but she looked pretty intelligent, so she might also be a court functionary. Then, the third andst woman was a problem. I am honored to be here today, Margrave Maxwell. I am also honored to make your acquaintance, Lord Dyngir Maxwell. She was wearing a luxurious pale red dress and a white veil fully covering her face. I could barely see past it, so I had no way to verify if she was really as beautiful as the rumors said. I am Rossellia Baal, first princess of the Baal empire. I am very pleased to be here today. Volume 2 - Ch 12 I am deeply grateful for your invitation, Margrave Maxwell. Rossellia bowed deeply, her face still hidden by the veil. I couldnt see her expression, but I could tell that the imperial princess, who was the same age as me, was nervous. (Rossellia Baalwas her name, right. This is kind ofdisappointing.) I was looking forward to seeing the beauty of the century, but she wouldnt show her face. I couldnt help but feel my shoulders drop. Oh no, you honor us with your presence, Princess. I am truly sorry for making you wait so long, with my son being away all this time. Father replied with a casual tone, probably to put the princess more at ease. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Dyngir. The pleasure is mine. To meet Your Highness face to facewell, not exactly, but Im d to see you. Oh, my deepest apologiesI always wear this veil during social outings. I shall remove it if you deem it improper, though Yes, well, Id be d if you No, no, there is no need to! Please, let us talk just like this! I was going to ask Rossellia to take off her veil, but father barged in. Old man!! It is perfectly fine for you to keep the veil, Princess!! Isnt that right, Dyn!? Tch I scowled, but did not protest any further. Rossellia looked at me and my father, then assented. Very well thenif you would allow me to be forward, I wish to speak of the reason why I havee to visit House Maxwell. Not too far in the future, there will likely be a battle between the empire and the kingdom: when that happens, I wish for House Maxwell to side with the empire. That is why I havee. Ooh, you came all the way here, to request House Maxwell to betray the kingdom? Rossellia turned towards me and nervously nodded. I apologize if this may offend you, Lord Dyngirbut I have heard that recently, the former crown prince Sullivan Lamperouge stole your fiancee. The rumors also say that he also attempted to assassinate you You sure know your stuff, dont you? But what if theyre all just rumors? I indirectly denied there was any truth in them, and Rossellia nodded. I do not believe all of them to be the truth, of course. However, it seems clear to me that House Maxwell and House Lamperouge do not enjoy an amicable rtionship at the moment. If House Maxwell decided to stand on the empires side, it would gain arger domain, exemption from imperial tax duties for 20 years and the title of Duke. I see, those conditions dont seem too bad. I sincerely expressed my thoughts and nodded. Frankly speaking, it was a better prospect than anything wed get by staying under Lamperouge. We could always take more territory with force if we wanted, but tax immunity was a very weing condition. At the present, were paying taxes to House Lamperouge, even though they didnt really do anything for us, and I couldnt really say I agreed with it. I gave a sideways nce at my father. He closed his eyes and looked away from me. Looks like hes telling me to decide. (He lets me make a decision that could change House Maxwell forever? Pretty heavy responsibility) I closed my eyes and reflected for a short while. To choose honor and stay with Lamperouge, or choose our interests and side with the empire. (Allying with the empire definitely sounds more profitable than staying in Lamperouge. Though it might mean giving up on the independence of House Maxwell) In any case, as long as the empire is healthy and strong, we cant really rebel against the kingdom. Which means Indeed, your conditions are not bad at all. But, to be honestI cant trust them. I spoke my honest thoughts out loud. I didnt trust House Lamperouge, but the Baal Empire had been an enemy for years: I had the same meager amount of trust in them, too. It wouldnt be too far-fetched for them to stab us in the back as soon as the kingdom goes down. Maybe Your Highness doesnt know, but Ive had to deal with assassins from the empire pretty much all my life. Its a bit much to ask me to fight on your side, dont you think? I am truly sorryI really did not know about such assassins. Rossellia bowed in apology. The white veil trembled, following her motions. indeed, your suspicions are more than justified. I do not know if it will be enough for you to believe, but I wish to make an oath to you, personally.. An oath? After my reply, Rossellia held the veil with her hands. I, Rossellia Baal, from this very moment on, offer my person to Lord Dyngir Maxwell. Please take me as your wife, or as a hostage use me as you see fit. Rossellia then removed the veil. Her face was thus finally revealed. .!?! As soon as Iid my eyes on her, I froze. I beg of you to ept me, Milord. Before my eyes was not a young woman but a blonde-haired goddess. Volume 2 - Ch 13 .Sakuya!! Yes, my Lord. Eeeeh!? I called the young assassins name out of the blue. She appeared before us suddenly, causing Rossellia to react in surprise. Give me a needle! Yes, my Lord. I took the needle Sakuya gave me and stabbed my left arm, without hesitation. Eeeh!? What in the world are you doing!? OOW!! Enduring the pain transmitted from my left arm, I once again looked at Rossellia. The beautiful golden-haired princess expression was of utter confusion. Skin as white as a pearl, lips as red as a rose. Lovely shaped eyes and nose, all positioned with the most perfect bnce. Truly, a divine masterpiece. I wasnt much of a believer, but looking at Rossellia made me think that maybe, there truly was a God up in heaven. (Shes so beautifulbut I can still resist.) Thanks to the pain, I managed to disrupt my focus enough to not fall for the charm of the youngdy before me. If I hadnt stabbed my arm, I might haveid hands on her already. (No wonder the old man was so wary. Men would go to war over her) Princess Rossellia could surely be lethal poison for a country, depending on the role she yed. Sullivan, for example, would have fallen for her so bad that he might have sold off the kingdom, Id wager. (To think that she was kept hidden in the imperial court all these yearsthete emperor was a fool for never using her. Or maybe he just had a soft spot for his daughter?) Er, ehm, is everything okay? Youre bleeding Rossellia looked at me in apprehension, as blood kept dripping from my arm. I tried to sound as bright as I could. Oh, its nothing. I saw a spider climb on my arm, you see. I apologize for making a ruckus. Y-You would stab your arm because of a spider? Well yeah, there are some nasty venomous spiders around here. If I left it alone, something shocking could have happened. Maybe not to me, but to the beautiful youngdy before my eyes, though. A-Are there really such dangerous spiders here? In the Maxwell province? Apparently, our lethally charming maiden was not too fond of spiders. Rossellia frantically looked at her arms and legs, patting down her dress. Please do not worry, Princess, we are watching over you. Y-Yes, please do, thank you very much. The escort knight reassured Rossellia, who cleared her throat and resumed talking. I apologize for the embarrassing scene. Let us continue. Never mind, I was the one to start it after all. I paused for a moment. In any casewhod ever expected you to offer your own hand in marriage, a rather daring n youvee up with. That is the only way to settle the current turmoil afflicting the empire. I believe House Maxwell is already aware of what is going on recently in my homnd. The conflicts over the session to the throne have turned pretty grim, right? Indeed. Rossellia nodded, without trying to hide anything. At present, the empire is in a state of confusion and uncertainty, because of the conflict between the three princes and potential heirs to the throne. If this session war isnt put to an end immediately, more and more citizens will be victims of the political conflict. I see. So I take it youre on First Prince Lars side? Since she wanted to marry me and take down Lamperouge, that seemed to be the case. (I never met the guy, butLars doesnt strike me as the fitting to take the throne. Maybe the other princes are worse?) We only talked for a little while, but Rossellia gave me the feeling of being pretty level-headed. If she supported Lars in the race, he was likely the most fitting heir among the three brothers. My brother Lars has indeed been gued by failure in the recent past, but he is an upright man who treasures his subordinates and the people. No, if someone of your caliber could support him, I am positive he would be an able emperor!! Really now. Well, the hero I met five years ago, Bjorc Zagann, had chosen Lars as his master. He had to have the makings of a ruler in him, I guessed. You would sacrifice yourself to an enemy country for your brother? As you probably know, I can be quite the bastard. I leisurely scanned the princess from head to toe. Her physique was lean and thin, her chest frankly speaking meager. Her white skin, however, looked majestically delicate, surely a wonder to the touch. Ukh Rossellia shuddered under my disrespectful gaze, but bravely red back at me. (Well well) I might sell my body, but not my heart. I could clearly feel the resolve burning in her eyes. (Shes a good, strong woman. She doesnt have only the looks, but a firm spirit in her.) I wanted to bring her to bed and use all the techniques I cultivated over the years to make her surrender to meI bet itd be fantastic. As I was delving in such delusions Do not look at the Princess with those lecherous eyes!! Rossellias other servant interjected. Thedy knight, too, red at me as if she wished she could kill me on the spot. Its fine, Luna. B-But, Princess! Rossellia gently spoke to the maid that tried to defend her. Lord Dyngir is a man that might be my husband. Do not be disrespectful. Kh The maid named Luna begrudgingly stepped back, still staring daggers at me through her sses. She was clearly not convinced and did not attempt to hide her hostility. (The maid here and the knight behind her are both pretty high quality tooId love to bring all three of them to my chambersbut.) I exhaled deeply. Though to be honest, my mind was made up from the start. (Aah, woe is me. This is truly a shame.) With such sincere thoughts of regret in my mind, I spoke up. I have clearly felt your resolve, Princess. Thus, will you Unfortunately, though, I must decline. I cannot lend my assistance to you, nor the empire. Though Rossellias charms swayed me, I expressed my decision clearly. Volume 2 - Ch 14 may I inquire about the reason? Rossellia received my reply, but did not lose herposure and calmly asked for the reason. Were the conditions I set not sufficient enough? Or maybeI suppose, you are not satisfied with me No, that is not it. I replied frankly. How could I be dissatisfied by marrying such a goddess of an imperial princess? Let me be fully honest, your proposal was extremely attractive. I dont feel any loyalty or gratitude towards a ce like the Kingdom of Lamperouge. I honestly think that I would have loved just going with the flow here. In that casewhy did you not? Rossellias gaze was serious. I returned her look, just as sincerely. Our loyalty and gratitude towards the royal family, the dishonor of betraying ones master, the advantages to be gained by allying with the empireI dont care about any of that. This isa matter of pride. The pride of the Margrave house that has guarded the border until now. Pride? Rossellia blinked at my unexpected reply. I nodded. Fifty years have passed since the foundation of the Kingdom of Lamperouge. If we count the alliance that existed before, the years be a total of about 150. In that time, House Maxwell has never let an enemy across the eastern border. Not once. I repeated the words, to stress how important a matter it was for us. Having safely guarded the border for over 150 years was the pride of House Maxwell. This eastern province has been protected by my ancestors, and I will not be the one to let enemies trample over it. Not one imperial soldier will ever set foot across the border. Is thatdifferent from loyalty? It is. I couldnt care less about the royal family. Not about protecting them or the kingdom. I fight to protect my ancestors pride and my own convictions. I poured out my sincere thoughts. I do n, one day, to defeat House Lamperouge and dere independence. There is no need to borrow the empires assistance, though. It would be pointless if House Maxwell could not be independent on its own. You can call me stubborn andugh, if you want, but no matter how much you or anyone elseughs, I will never bend my pride. No matter how much money Im offered or how many beautiful women are sent to seduce me. I grinned, with some self-deprecation. No matter how much I tried to exin it, the imperial princess before me would probably never understand what I felt. I cant embrace a woman with hands that have thrown away their pride. Without pride, a man isnt a man anymore. . Rossellia fell silent for a while. Her gaze did not sway, however, and remained fixated on me. . I did the same, and looked straight back into her eyes. We gazed at each others eyes for several seconds, then minutes. The silence was eventually broken as Rossellia spoke first. I am truly sorry. I have tried thinking about it, but it appears I cannot fully understand what you mean. I bet. If I was in your position, I wouldnt have managed to either. HoweverI can understand that it is an unshakable will that made you refuse my proposal. I shall take my leave for today. Im sorry, really. You came all the way from the empire for this, after all. I can send a letter to the empire exining that you did no wrong, if you wish. I bowed my head and apologized. No matter the reason, I cast shame on a woman. In such a case, the shame should be born by the man. Rossellia smiled and shook her head. No, that will be alright. I will exin to my brother. I see. Todays result was a pity, but if there ever is another chance, I would love to speak with you in a more leisurely setting. Me too. Ill serve you tea made from our finest tea leaves ready for that asion. Rossellia covered her mouth with her hand andughed softly. I understood that I had seen a sincere smile from her for the first time. Hehehe, I am looking forward to it. With your permission, then Rossellia stood up, held the edges of her skirt and bowed politely. I stood up too and bowed my head. I watched her entourage leave, then dropped back down on the sofa. Phew That was amendable decision, Dyn. The old man, who had been silent throughout the visit, spoke up. To choose the pride of the noble house guardian of the border, over profit and loyalty! A decision well fitting the heir of House Maxwell. Even if this decision will lead to another conflict with the empire, I am proud of it! who cares about that. Hmm? I grumbled back and the old man looked at me sternly. I was honestly d to hear his words of encouragement, but honestly speaking, at that moment, I couldnt care less. GAAAH!! What a shame! Damn it all to hell, what a SHAME!! Nh, Lord Dyngir!? Ooh!? I shouted and grabbed Sakuya. My sudden outburst surprised both her and the old man. You dont see women like that often!! Who cares about pride, I should have moved on her, damnit! The ancestors pride!? A mans convictions!? st it all!! Why the hell did I say that!? Whyyyyyy!? I was ovee with regrets. Thinking about it better, what was the point of putting up a cool front there? Maybe I should have done it once, then refusedter What shameful things are you spouting, my son? The old man sighed. I ignored him and buried my face in Sakuyas chest. Waaaaah Good, good. You truly worked hard, Lord Dyngir. Sakuya patted my head gently. Thin and short, Sakuya did not offer much in terms of bosom and voluptuous charms, but it was still a womans chest. Burying your face in it was calming, after all. He on, you should not pull pranks on me here. Waah I held Sakuyas waist and caressed her butt and thighs through her maid outfit. Her expressionless face blushed ever so slightly. Haahand I was honestly impressed. The old man stood up from the sofa and left the room, leaving me alone with Sakuya. AahSakuyaI need you to do something for me. Anything, Milord. Shall I be at your side tonight? Thatsnot necessary, today. Eh? Sakuya was surprised by my unexpected reply. Being the womanizer I am, she probably expected me to ask her to console me in bed. Pick a few of the best Fangs of Steel and send them to guard the inn Rossellia is staying at. Have Shana go too. Well, that is not a problem, butmay I ask why? I raised my head from Sakuyas chest and replied. Security. If my prediction is right, theyre going to try to kill her tonight. Volume 2 - Ch 15 POV: Rossellia Baal Princess, you will be sick if you do not eat Im fine, please take it away. Princess I was in my room in an inn in Avalon, capital of the Maxwell province, where I was staying with my entourage. Ten imperial knights and my personal maid, Luna, apanied me into the Maxwell domain. Rajang Szar, captain of the imperial guards, wanted to apany me as well, but in order not to alert the Lamperouge royal family of our presence, we came with a very small party. Princess, are you still thinking about what that lout said? Hes just one of the kingdoms countryside nobleshe was never fit to be your partner, that is all! Luna, my maid, tried to console me, but that was not what I was concerned about. Thats not it, Luna. Im not down because the meeting ended in failure. I would like to reflect a bit, by myself, could you please leave me alone? Your Highnessvery well. I will be in the next room, please call me if anything happens. Yes, thank you. I looked at Luna exit the room, then sighed. Dyngir Maxwellwhat a mysterious man. The figure of the man who just turned me down appeared in my head. To be frank, I thought he was a disrespectful lecher at first. When he leered at my body, his gaze was as unpleasant as Gretts. However (I couldnt care less about the royal family. Not about protecting them or the kingdom. I fight to protect my ancestors pride and my own convictions.) When he said that, he looked at me with such an intense gazewhenever I recalled his voice, brimming with unshakable resolve, I felt my heart beat faster, for whatever reason. (I cant embrace a woman with hands that have thrown away their pride. Without pride, a man isnt a man anymore.) I wonder if thats what they call a gentlemans fortitude As I had lived most of my life secluded deep in the imperial court, I barely ever had the chance to talk to men that were of the same age as me. Around me were only my maids, female knights, Captain Rajang, and servants of advanced age. Today was the first time I had spoken one-on-one with a man who was the same age as me. Every time I recalled it, something bizarre, something I never felt before, stirred in my heart. It was not unpleasant. It made me want to run outside, to lie on my bed and roll around in it, like a mixture of excitement and embarrassment. I would have liked to talk with him a little more. If I did, maybe I could identify this strange sensation. I suppose that I should change and go to sleep. The feeling might be gone by tomorrow, anyway. I took off my dress and donned my nightgown. I was usually assisted by several maids, so to change by myself, here in a foreignnd, gave me a new kind of excitement. he looked intently at my body, didnt he. I gazed at my figure in the mirror. Those uncouth eyes were on me. They just felt unpleasant then, but now (He wanted me, as a woman.) I could see myself in the mirror grow bright red, as if I was about to burst into mes. Oh, honestly! I wont be able to fall asleep if I think about such I pressed my hands on my cheeks and squirmed. No matter if my eyes were opened or closed, I always saw him in front of me. I tried to wave it away many times, to no effect. Just then Something ttered. Eh? A feeble noise, behind me. I turned around, and the door was slightly ajar. When did it happen? Luna? Are you there? I thought my personal maid could havee in, but received no reply. I approached the door, and Ngh!? Be quiet. Someone covered my mouth and pushed me down to the floor. A man, his face covered by a sort of hood, was sitting on top of me. Mngh, ggh!!! I had never been subjected to such violence like that in my whole life: I iled arms and legs, but the man was too powerful: I couldnt escape his hold in the slightest. I told you to be quiet! !? I felt something sharp hit my cheek. A momentter, a stinging pain. (Did he hit me?) Shocked and confused by that first experience, I became unable to resist anymore. The man looked at me and grinned under his hood. You finally calmed down, imperial princess? ! The man knew I was the imperial princess. We hade to the Maxwell province in secret; the inn was not informed of my identity, naturally. As pretty as they sayshame we have to kill you. (Killme? But why?) After I stopped resisting, the mans grip on my mouth had relented. Why would you want to take my life? Who are you? Hmph, the order came from aboveto kill you as brutally as possible. I have no grievances with you, princess, but youre going to die tonight. No The mans killing intent froze me. He was powerful, surely had a weapon too. Even if my guards noticed the disturbance and came to my aid, he could surely kill me before they could do anything. Whatwhat did I ever do to you!! Me? I got nothing to do with all this. A certain person wanted you dead, and they paid well. Thats all. The manughed. ying with my life clearly brought him great pleasure, as he grinned hideously. That means I can cut up a pretty girl like you however I want, though, so Im going to enjoy it. Cmon, make me have a good time. The man grabbed my nightgown and tried ripping the thin cloth away. No!!! Hehehe I had never shown my naked skin to any man, and the first one would be such a beast of a manto me, it was a humiliation worse than death. (Luna!! Estia!! Anyone!!) I called my maid and one of the knights names in my heart. They were not in the same room as me, obviously. The faces and names of the people closest to me appeared in my head, one by one. Father, mother, Luna, Estia, Captain Rajang, the other maids, and knights then, thest one to appear was Lord Dyngir His name escaped my lips. Though I myself did not know why. I see, so you used that name. Thats the right answer. Gah!? As soon as I uttered Lord Dyngirs name, a third person suddenly spoke up. The mans body slipped to the side and fell on the floor. Behind him was a small silhouette, which belonged to You are I thought I could wait and see a little longerbut as you used my masters name, I had to act. Behind the man was the young maid I had seen in the Maxwell manor. In her hands, a needle about 10cm long. Princess Rossellia Baal. On my masters orders, I havee to save you. The young girl then bowed her head to me. Volume 2 - Ch 16 The men had gathered in a building previously used as a traders storehouse, a short distance from the inn where Rossellia Baal and her entourage temporarily resided. the princess assassination failed, then. Yeh, Sir, we got the guards and the rest with poison, but then some bizarre folks showed up, so everybody except me died, yeh Hmph The man listened to the assassins report and snorted. (Such ruffians couldnt take the life of someone whose veins course with the noble imperial blood, after all) The man did feel frustrated because of the failure of his mission, but realized there also was relief in his heart. The interference came from Maxwell, no doubt. They wanted to make the princess feel indebted, or nned to take her hostagein any case, its a wretched situation. Yehby the way, Sir, about the reward How quaint. You have failed your task, have you not? The man furrowed his brow and red at the assassin. Thetter flinched slightly, but clearly stated his request nheless. T-That might be, Sir, but we managed to do half of it, the escort knights are dead. I wont ask for it all, but at least half, Sir, if ye could I see, you do have a point. The man nodded, then threw a satchel of coins on the ground. Heehee. The assassin crouched and stretched a hand towards the satchel. Before he could reach it, however, the mans sword swung down on him. Ghyeh!? Fool!! You dare threaten the imperial princess, yet expect a reward!? Know that you cannot put a price on life!! The man killed the assassin with a single stroke of his sword and sheathed it once more. The merciless man, who had dispatched the same person he had himself hired, was then approached by someone. Hah, listen to this guy. Youre the one who brought the whole assassination n to this poor fellow, werent you? W-Who goes there!? The man turned towards the voice. A silhouette was standing at the door, who knows since when. You are!! The man shone hisntern on the silhouette and recognized it. Shana Szar!! How can you be here!? The name of the woman standing behind him was indeed Shana Szar, a silver-haired beauty and a master of the spear. She was an adventurer from the Baal Empire, presently working as a sort of bodyguard for the Maxwell house. Hmm? Have we met before? Yes, I remember your face. The man had immediately recognized Shana, but she couldnt recall his name. She thought for a while, then struck the handle of her spear with her palm. Right, youre from the First Imperial Army! Under Eis Halphas! Shana beamed for a second, but then her expression became perplexed. Wait, but didnt he fall in battle? Wrong person? I still am a subordinate of Lord Halphas. Unlike you, who left the Imperial Knights. Hmm, yeah, that happened. Shana let the mans using words easily slide and nodded casually. So? Why is a knight from the empire targeting Lady Rossellias life? Youre making a living as an assassin now? Foolishness! My loyalty rests with the empire, now and ever! The Princess life too is necessary for the empires sake. After taking her life, I shall end mine as well! Youre talking nonsense now. How is suicide a form of loyalty? As a knight, as a warrior, Shana could understand the feeling of seeking death on the battlefield. To take your life with your own hands, however, was something she could notprehend. Shana cocked her head, puzzled, and the man shouted in anger. How could someone like you, who discarded the honor of being an Imperial Knight, ever understand!? Do not stand on Prince Lars path to glory, disloyal wench!! I see, so Lars ordered the assassination. I didnt even need to askthanks, I guess. Shana sighed and the man hurriedly backtracked. T-That is false!! Prince Lars did not order anything!! We have done this on our own ord! Please, you dont need to talk anymore. Im not in charge of finding out the mastermind, anyway. Shana interrupted the man and readied her spear. Im only here to capture you. I hope youll put up some resistance, at least, but You! You have be Maxwellpdog!? You filthy traitor!! I dont want to hear that from someone who just tried to murder a member of the imperial family. If you have any objections, let your de do the talking. I-I will cut you down!! The man drew his sword and prepared for battle. Moments of silence flowed between the two. Haah!!! The man moved first: he approached Shana at incredible speed, his sword dancing in the air. Hmm. In contrast, Shana twirled her spear, with the least movement possible. However, it was enough to knock the de out of her opponents hands and send it flying away. What the!? I might have enjoyed this a little more beforebut in thest few months, Ive been sparring with a swordsman at a much higher level than you. Its like youre not even moving. Shana nted a roundhouse kick in the mans defenseless torso. He crumpled in on himself and fell to the ground. Youbas..tard They told me to take you alive, so stay quiet and wait. II will never!! The man tried to crawl back on his feet, but out of nowhere a dart struck his neck, and he slumped down again. Hey, I told you to stay out of this. The battle is over. Lingering here would just be a waste of time. Following Shanas protests, a man emerged from the shadows. He was next in line to lead the Fangs of Steel, a band of assassins in Dyngir Maxwells service, and Sakuyas older brother, Oboro. We must interrogate this man, thus we cannot let him take his life!! I guess it cant be helped. Still disappointed, Shana lowered her spear. Several other silhouettes appeared, all wearing attire simr to Oboros, to carry away the unconscious man. By the way, is Lady Rossellia safe and sound? Yes, Sakuya escorted her to the young masters private residence. The only survivors are the princess, one maid, and one knight. I see, I suppose Ill join her, too, then. Should you not report to the young master? Shana shrugged at Oboros question. Ill leave that to you. If Im there, Rossellia will trust us more easily. We go back a long way, after all. Shana then left the storehouse. The Fangs of Steel followed, carrying the defeated knight. Lastly, Oboro walked out too, and looked up at the night sky. New sparks azeour master is truly loved by the spirits of war. Volume 2 - Ch 17 now Lady Rossellias safety is secured. Excellent. Sorry I had you report thiste at night. It was well into the night when Sakuya approached me as I wasying in bed. I praised her and the other Fangs for following my orders to the letter and nodded, satisfied. We do not deserve such words, Milord: acting during the night is our specialty. Sakuya bowed politely, then raised her head. By the way, may I ask what could have been the motive behind todays assassination attempt? Lady Rossellia has no im to the throne. What would Lars Baal gain from her death? The man who gave the orders behind this particr attempt was already captured. Thanks to Shanas testimony, it was also confirmed that he belonged to the First Imperial Army, under Larsmand. I would still find it believable if they tried to murder me after the political marriage n failed. But to kill your own sister? That was madness to my ears. Lars Baal, or maybe one of his retainers, probably nned to pin the assassination on me, I guess. I answered Sakuyas question with my conjecture. If Rossellia was killed immediately after our negotiations failed, all suspicion would fall on House Maxwell, first and foremost. If Rossellia died at my hands, they have just cause to dere war on the kingdom. They can gather volunteers more easily, and maybe even involve the Imperial Knights and the other imperial armies in the war, since itd be meant to avenge the princess death. Both oues would have probably worked for Lars. If the political marriage between Rossellia and me went through, House Maxwell would be their ally. If it failed, they would have Rossellia assassinated, to raise their own troops morale and boost their military strength, too. (To use your own sisters death in a plot is pretty far-fetched for the kind of person I knew Lars asmaybe this n came from his strategist, or something?) How cruelto be used as a tool, regardless of being alive or deadI cannot help but feel pity for the princess. Thepassionate words for Rossellia were spoken by the woman lying next to me. My personal maid and first lover, Eliza. We had been making love until Sakuya arrived. Eliza now joined in the conversation, her naked body concealed by the bedsheets. Sakuya looked at her with a glint of dissatisfaction, despite her expressionless face. Lord Dyngir? While I was outside working for your sake, what was Eliza doing? What? Well I felt like Sakuya was using me of cheating, tensed up and squirmed a bit. To delve in carnal pleasures while your subordinates are out there, risking their lives for you, was quite a scummy move indeed. Wellyou know. After meeting Rossellia, I was kind of excited, in more ways than one, soI couldnt hold back. Oh? So, I am just a recement for Lady Rossellia? Another unexpected attack, from the opposite side. Eliza buried her face in the sheets and pretended to cry. Aaah, you horrible, horrible man. Is it because my hair is not blonde? Is it because Im not a pretty angel like your Lady Rossellia? No, no, no!! You have your own charms, Eliza, youre no ones recementyour body is a lot more motherly than hers too Should I take that as an insult towards my physique as well, Lord Dyngir? I tried consoling Eliza, but was backstabbed by Sakuya. I-I wasnt talking about you, Sakuya Young Master? Lord Dyngir? Im sorry. Its all my fault. Please forgive me. When women band together like this, I know I have no chance of winning. I quickly resigned and raised my hands in surrender. Eliza and Sakuya looked at my defeated figure, pleased, then exchanged a high five, for some reason. We won. You owe us one now, Milord. You better be prepared, Young Master. What do I owe you now? What were they going to do to me? The atmosphere was too awkward to endure, so I scratched my head and returned to the main topic. Okay, whatever, now please continue with your report. Was Rossellia the only survivor? I urged Sakuya to go on and she nodded, her expression serious again. No, her maid and one of her personal knights are alive as well. The same two women who came to todays meeting. Ah, those two. The maid with sses and the stern-looking knight. I was taken by Rossellia during the meeting, but they were both pretty easy on the eyes, too. Its a blessing that theyre still alive. A beautiful womans death is a loss for the whole world, after all. The maid named Luna was found tied up in the room next to the princess. The knight was fed poison, like the other knights, but, because she ingested less, she managed to survive, just barely. We have given her the antidote already, so she should wake up in a few days. The maid was probably left alive tomunicate Rossellias death to the empirebut the knight was just lucky. The princess barely ate dinner, so she ate little as well, out of respect, apparently. Her sense of duty saved her. I seein any case, its an ideal result for me. I voiced my honest opinion. If I wanted to keep Rossellia at my side, her entourage would just get in the way. Were also lucky that those two women survived. If necessary, they can be used as hostages against Rossellia. Judging from how they acted during the meeting and the events that just transpired, Rossellia and her two subordinates were connected by rather firm bonds. If I used those two as hostages, Rossellia would have a harder time refusing my requests. I was going to negotiate with Rossellia, to turn her into a card to use against the empire. Depending on how my opponent moved, she could be an important ally and let me deliver a critical hit against Baal. The war against the empire will start, sooner orter. If we have to fight anyway, I want to have as many advantages as possible. The goddess of victory fell onto ourp tonight, itd be a shame not to make the best use of her. Everything is as you wish, Lord Dyngir. This country and the empire too. Of course, my body too. Youve just finished working, but youve still got energy to spare, huh I watched Sakuya take off her clothes and slip into my bed, a wry smile on my lips. Volume 2 - Ch 18 POV: Lars Baal Baal Empire, imperial court. Unable to contain my anger, I mmed my fists on the table. What the hell is going on!? This is nothing like you told me!! I have no words to apologize, Milord. It was an inexplicable, unforeseeable event, apparently. I shouted at the subordinate kneeling before me, Snowe Halphas, whose head just sank lower. Looking at him, however, did not calm my raging spirits at all. I continued hurling abuse at Snowe, whose head was so low that I couldnt see his face anymore. Unforeseeable!? Are you taking me for a fool!? You failed to coax Maxwell and Rossellia has been captured to boot!! Thanks to your brilliant n, theyre using me of selling my sister to the enemy, here in this court!! What are you going to do about it!? my deepest apologies, Milord, who would ever think Maxwell would resort to such a A missive from House Maxwell wasid on the table at my side. It contained details about a murder attempt on Rossellia, perpetrated by assassins from the empire. It continued by stating that, as Rossellia could not be sent back to the clearly dangerous empire in good conscience, House Maxwell would keep her safe in their province. (Who do you think I am, you bastards!? What brother would send assassins against his own sister!?) House Maxwell likely meant to secure Rossellia and use her as a hostage. (So they made up assassins as an excuse!? You countryside nobles dare make a fool out of the first imperial prince!?) I gripped and crushed the letter in my fist, then threw it on the floor. The n of marrying Rossellia to Dyngir Maxwell, to use House Maxwell as a step to conquer the kingdom, was now just a fantasy. Rossellia was even taken hostage by Maxwell. Our very n was turned against us, forcing us in an even worse situationthis cannot be allowed!! We have to do somethingmy position is getting worse and worse!! Indeed, Lord Lars, butdo you not think that this might be a chance? As I cursed the present state of affairs, Snowe raised his head and spoke. A chance!? Where do you see such a The fact that Princess Rossellia has been taken hostage could be used to move the Imperial Knights. If we can gain their cooperation, our military strength will effectively double. Thathmm I reflected upon Snowes words. The Imperial Knights especially their captain, Rajang Szar were charged with Rossellias protection by father and were concerned about her more than anyone else. (Rajang has not spared his criticism of me since then) I recalled Rajangs stern re when he learned of the hostage situation and sighed. I see, that might be a good move. If we were to attack House Maxwell at this point, however, would we not put Rossellia in danger? If we sent troops while Rossellia was still taken hostage, Maxwell might use her as a shield. After my sister ended up taken hostage because of my n, how could I abandon her? Do not fret, Milord. Dyngir Maxwell might be a despicable man, but I have been told that he rarely, if ever, resorts to killing women. The Princess.chastity might be in danger, but certainly not her life. .I see. Prince Lars, you are Baals future emperor. You know as well as I do that you cannot let emotion sway your judgement. Thete emperor, peace be upon his noble soul, had to take cruel measures in his path to conquest. He fought against his brothers and even invaded the families his sisters had married into. Did he not? Thatthat is true, but Reminded of my fathers bloody history, I grumbled in agreement. In order to be emperor, father had thrown away all human emotion. We children too Rossellia excluded were nothing but pawns for the sake of the empire, in his eyes. (Rosselliayoure the only one he loved) I did feel affection for my younger sister, but at the same time, I also harbored jealousy towards her. Rossellia, the only recipient of fathers love. Rossellia, who lived all her life in court, safe and pampered, far away from war. I could not deny that I envied her. (YesRossellia has been living in luxury all this time, without ever working for the empires sake! As the future emperor, I should be justified in having her work for me, just this one time!) As the future emperor, I was forced to make a harsh decision. Pretending not to acknowledge how the envy and inferiority I felt, born from the fatherly love I missed, pushed me to move. Yes, yes, Snowe, it is exactly as you say. Contact the Imperial Knights! This will be our final battle with House Maxwell!! Right away, Milord. A brilliant decision, well fitting the conquerors heir. Snowe nodded, looking satisfied, and bowed reverently. This time, I shall deliver results that will surely bring you satisfaction. Snowe endeavored earnestly in the negotiations with Captain Rajang and eventually seeded in gaining the cooperation of the Imperial Knights. Rajang Szar had his share of stinging remarks for me, but we could form a truce, in order to rescue Rossellia. The only unexpected development was that Grett, my younger brother and rival for the throne, offered his cooperation in the Lamperouge invasion. Thus, the First Imperial Army, Second Imperial Army and the Baal Imperial Knights formed an allied battalion, which set out to invade the Kingdom of Lamperouge, in order to rescue Princess Rossellia. What would this war, of unprecedented scope, bring to the future of Baal and Lamperouge? At that time, I had not realized it yet Volume 2 - Ch 19 POV: Grett Baal Aah..someoneplease The young girl stretched her hands, pleading for help. I ignored her feeble attempt and tightened my grip on her thin neck. Damn you!! Damn you all!! Why cant you idiots stop getting in my way!? kahaah If only you did as I say, both the empire and the rest of the world would head in the right direction!! Why cant you grasp such a simple concept!? The girls hands eventually dropped. Hh Just like deadweight. Only then I realized what had happened. Oh, crap! I broke another one I rose from my bed. Under me, the blonde girls fully naked bodyy motionless. The marks of my hands stood out vividly on her neck. The young girls limbs were sprawled on the bed. I had choked her a bit too much, she wasnt going to wake up again. Its the third one this monthat this pace, I cant buy enough dolls to keep up. Whenever something unpleasant happened, I ended up taking it out on my toys and dolls. It was a bad habit I had since I was small. I covered myself with a bathrobe and sat on the edge of the bed, then reached for a ss of wine and downed it. The pleasantly chilled drink flowed throughout my body, soothing the burning feelings inside. The cold stimulus let me gradually regain my cool. Goodness, things just wont go my way, will they? Why does everyone act so selfishly, I wonder? Recently, my heart has rarely been at peace. The cause of everything was the worlds most prominent idiot my older brother, Lars Baal and his decision to send my beloved sister Rossellia to a foreign country without my permission. My heart could not find sce since then. I started treating my dolls roughly and broke several already. Political marriage? House Maxwell has been under attack from the empire for decades, they will never ept it!! How can you be such a fool, brother!? The political marriage predictably failed and Rossellia was even taken hostage. How can something so idiotic really happen? I always thought of my brother as an idiot, but this was crossing the line into imbecility. I have to take back Rossellia somehowmy poor, poor angel of love! You must be so scared, trembling, and shaking! I shall rescue you soon, then warm your body myself! Though my resolve was firmtwo weeks had already passed since Rossellia was taken hostage, and I could note up with a n to rescue her. The most effective method was surely to invade the Maxwell province and take her back by force. There was no need to take down the whole Maxwell army: as long as we could take over one of the forts at the border, we could negotiate to exchange it with Rossellia. (If I did that, howevermy back would be wide open, with Lars behind it.) In terms of military power, my Second Imperial Army still had some leeway. Before my tactical genius, a countryside noble like Maxwell would fall like a castle of cards. If Lars struck from behind while we were attacking the Maxwell territory, not even someone like me could survive unscathed. (First I will crush the First Imperial Army, then Maxwell? No, thats not realisticI might as well take the opportunity to have Lars assassinated) I was mulling over such thoughts when someone knocked at the door. Come in. I beg your pardon, Lord Grett, th! The butler saw the remains of the doll on my bed and swallowed his breath. Aah, yes, the doll broke, so please have it discarded. As usual, you can dispose of the body as you see fit, but preserve the hair with the maximum amount of care. V-Very well, Milord The butler nodded, shaking slightly. My lips twisted in a grin, and I urged him to talk. So? What did youe for? Ah, yesthere is a guest for you, Milord. Who is that? I dont think there werent any audiences scheduled for today. The butler replied awkwardly, as if he needed courage just to utter the name. That isPrince Lars knight, Sir Snowe Halphas. Whaat? It was the name of a person I loathed even seeing, someone I would have very much loved to see decapitated before my eyes. Volume 2 - Ch 20 POV: Grett Baal It takes guts to show your face before me, Ill give you that. I am aware of the trouble we have caused for Your Highness too, due to the recent events. I red at the man kneeling before me, as if showing deference. The man, named Snowe Halphas, was a knight and my brother Lars second inmand. He surely knew in advance about the n of sending Rossellia to the Maxwells. It might have even been his idea. I barely managed to contain the impulse to cut him down on the spot. So? What brings you here? If its not interesting enough, youre going to suffer the cruelest death man has ever imaginedthat was the intention implied in my tone. Snowe raised his head and answered, a grave expression on his face. Prince Grett, I havee here for the sake of fulfilling your wishes. My wishes? Know that if you are talking about Rossellia, I will not allow it. After sending her away to an enemy country, how could you No, I am not talking about the Princess. I havee to humbly offer a way for Your Highness to be emperor. I frowned. Someone like you is able to make me the emperor? Thats amusing. Do go on. Thank you, Your Highness. Soon, our First Imperial Army and the Imperial Knights will lead a coordinated attack on the Maxwell province. We wish to obtain the assistance of your Second Imperial Army for this campaign. I should assist my brother, you say? Utter nonsense. I sneered at the absurdity of Snowes words, but he shook his head, now lowered again. It is true that, if the operation seeds and the Lamperouge kingdom falls, Prince Lars would fulfill thete emperors will and inherit the throne. But that would only happen if Prince Lars survived the fall of Lamperouge. . I reflected for a short while, then confirmed Snowes intentions. then, what you are proposing is to join this alliance of yours to take down Maxwell, and take advantage of the confusion to murder my brother too is that right? Brilliant intuition, Milord. Hah, save the praise. My superiority to Lars is a well-known fact. However, I add: I could understand the words spoken by the man before me, but there still was something unconvincing. Your full name is Snowe Halphas, correct? If I remember, your brother was a knight too. You would assist me in bing emperor, even if it meant killing your brother in the process? My question caused a storm of emotions in Snowes expression: rage, pain, regret a series of emotions coursed through his face. .five years ago, in the battle against House Maxwell, Prince Lars abandoned my brother, Eis Halphas, to certain death. The responsibility for the defeat fell entirely upon our House Halphas, and my brother who was once called one of the Twin Wings had his honor and reputation dragged through the mud. So you want to avenge your brother, then? .. Snowe nodded, silent. (I seeLars let his brother die, at Maxwells hands. This n would mean killing both of them two birds with one stone. He is not the younger brother of Eis Halphas, the Wise General, just for show, I suppose.) My lips curved into a smile. (Using Rossellia for their ns is still unforgivable, but there is merit in cooperating with this n. Once Lars is gone, what happens to the kingdom is inconsequentis long as Rossellia is back, Ill make her my wifeand if she refuses) I could always make use of the turmoil caused by the war to lock her up in the dungeons. Rossellia is lovely in her beautiful dresses, but I do want to see her in prison clothes too, all ragged and dirty Very well, yes, I think I will join in your n. As I am sure you are aware, any betrayal would mean Naturally, Milord. My eternal loyalty for you, Prince Grett The mes of hate danced in the eyes of the kneeling knight. As I gazed upon them, I contemted the life that awaited me once I brought back Rossellia Volume 2 - Ch 21 POV: Cerros Baal On the easternmost regions of the Baal Empire was the town of Xinania, a fortress city on the border with the Huang Dynasty and my home base. Xinania was originally part of the Huang territories, until thete emperor took it by force. Because of this, oriental culture and customs were still very much alive, and most of its citizens had skin color closer to the typical Huang yellow instead of the ssic Imperial white. In the center of Xinania stood a building muchrger than the others: the Eastern Governor Pce, where I lived. That day, a banquet was held at the pce. High functionaries and notable personalities from the city gathered to eat, drink and generally be merry. In contrast with the banquets mood, however, I was sitting in a corner, frowning at a letter recently delivered to me. We require the Third Imperial Armys assistance in the rescue of Princess Rosselliahuh. My brothers are stirring up another mess in the wrong ce, again, I see I scanned the letter sent from the imperial capital and whispered to myself, annoyed. The letter was signed with the name Snowe Halphas one of my brother Lars retainers. Im supposed to be part of the imperial family too, but the letter was sent not by my brother as custom dictated but by a mere knight. Theyre veryfortable looking down on me, thats for sure. Im not asking for respect from the bottom of your hearts, heaven forbid, but you could at least keep up appearances What will you do? Cerros? She is your little sister, yes? Xiao Mao, my personal aide, tilted her head as she inquired about my intentions. I folded the letter, gave it to her, then replied with a sarcastic grin. Oh yes, the little sister of little ol me, the court outcast! They barely ever let me even see Rosselliato be honest, I dont really think of her as a sister. I was part of the imperial family, on paper, but I was born from a servant that the emperorid his hands on. At court I was a pariah, so they kept me as far away as possible from Rossellia, fathers most precious treasure. I could count the times I met her on one hand. I didnt hate her or anything, but I couldnt see her as family either. Snowe Halphasthe younger brother of Eis Halphas, Lars Wise General. They already have the Imperial Knights and the Second Imperial Army on their side, but he petitions me for reinforcements too? Whats the point of amassing all this military, do they hate Maxwell that much? Snowe Halphas, the sender of the letter, had lost his brother in a battle against Maxwell. In my eyes, this request of assistance was fueled by a personal grudge, rather than loyalty or a sense of duty. Messing up my party with this downer of a storyIm sick of these people, I tell you. I gulped the contents of my ss andy down, using herp as a pillow, rolling my head on her not very plump thighs. This called sexual harassment, yes? Dont touch, pay first! Yes, yes, Ill pay, so humor me just a little more, will you? Aw, crap, theyre always snubbing over there, but when things like this happen, theye with their requests and stuffwoe is me, the unfortunate soul Unfortunate souls dont drink and rub womens thighs, Cerros. I let Xiao Maos snide remarks slide and reviewed the events developing in the west in my mind. (Rossellia is being held prisoner by House Maxwell. In order to rescue her, an allied army has formed, with Lars at the center: the First Army, the Second, and the Imperial Knights. A war campaign to the west,rger than ever beforebut are those two really going to cooperate in earnest?) Well, not my problemanyway, the old mans condition to be emperor will be fulfilled, I guess. Thete emperors deration, the spark that ignited the session conflict Whoever conquers an enemy country will be the next emperor concealed a surefire method to win. And that was to join hands with the other heirs and conquer the enemy country. But it seemed like I was the only one to notice, as Lars and Grett clearly didnt. (I bet the old man didnt want it to happen like this, though.) He probably expected Lars or Grett, the two heirs most likely to seed the throne, to gain the support of the Third Imperial Army and me, thus forming the empires greatest military force and use it to inherit the throne. That way, Id have obtained a nice and stable position, as the new emperors ally, so I could finally ditch this outcast life (I bet the old man never thought wed get on such bad terms. Lars and Grett never even considered cooperating with me, looks like they only see me as an obstacle on their path to the throne) Though the process was different than what the old man expected, in the end two of the heirs did form an alliance. The world works in mysterious ways, indeed. Anywaytell the guys at court that we cant send reinforcements. That were under attack by Huang and dont have any troops to spare. Something like that. Got it, my lord. Ill sign for you too, yes? Nooo problem. Ill be too hungover to work tomorrow anyway. Hey, Cerros, whats this about being under attack? Since when did we invade again? Someone was apparently listening in on my conversation with Xiao: suddenly, arge, dark-skinned man butted in. Cmon Ragoh, old friend, you really need to ask? Oh sure, when it fits you Im an old friend, huh? Man, youre too much Ragohughed heartily and downed his drink. He was a general invited from the neighboring country, Huang. One of the achievements in the 10 years since I was appointed governor was building a rtionship amicable enough to invite Huangs generals over to my banquets. Just pretend to invade, as usual. You can swindle more military expenses that way, so it works for you too, right? Gahaha! You got me there! My Third Imperial Army and Ragous Western Force have been involved in repeated skirmishes the past few years all fake. Weve been able to suck up funds from our respective central governments this way. Ragoh too was demoted to his current position: in a way, we were both rejects, so we hadmon ground. I lifted my head from Xiaosp and sat up, to discuss the money-making scheme more in detail with Ragoh. Xiao Mao looked at us grinning as we plotted and rubbed our hands togethercertainly not with admiration in her eyes. (Come to think of itwhat happens if the allied forces lose against Maxwell or Lamperouge?) The First Imperial Army, the Second Imperial Army, the Imperial Knightsa force supposed to be the empires greatest, but on the off chance they fail? (The empire is going to turn upside down, thats for sureand in the resulting chaos, I might have the chance to sweep it all up.) I pictured such a far-fetched vision of the future, chuckling to myself. Volume 2 - Ch 22 One month had passed since Rossellia began her stay in the Maxwell province. After the attempt on her life, we immediately sent a formal letter of protest to the empire, but it was met with nothing but usations of speaking nonsense and unteral requests of returning Rossellia immediately. The nned assassination was treated as if it never happened. ording to our spies, Lars Baal had managed to form an allied army,posed of the First Imperial Army, Second Imperial Army and the Imperial Knights that was preparing to invade the Maxwell province. House Maxwell, as well as the other noble families of the eastern provinces, were preparing to match the imperial offensive. An atmosphere of unrest pervaded the eastern territories. Amidst all that, I made enough time to go visit Rossellia, currently sheltered in my private residence. Rossellia and I, sitting across each other at a table set in the garden, were discussing the empires current circumstances. Standing next to the table were Sakuya and Rossellias attendant, the maid Luna. And so, we cant send you back to the empire right now. I seeI have no words to express my apologies. To think that saving me would cause House Maxwell such a dreadful development Rossellia responded to my exnation with a mncholic sigh and apology. The assassination attempt had left her pretty shaken, but she had calmed down recently. Immediately after the event, she would suddenly start crying, thinking about the knights who died, or scream into the night. The servants working in the vi were pretty worried about her. With all due respect, Sir Maxwell, it is certain that Prince Lars ordained the assassination, is it not? In that case, if the Princess could return to the imperial capital without being found, I believe she could officially indict Prince Lars, thus avoiding the impending war. Luna, who probably couldnt endure seeing herdys clouded expression, interjected in our conversation. Thats too dangerous. In order to reach the imperial capital, you need to cross the area guarded by the First Imperial Army. I dont think the whole army is in on the assassination, but theres no way to tell friend from foe, is there? that is true.Please pardon my indiscretion. Realizing that her proposal would put Rossellia in danger, Luna retracted it immediately. Even soif there is a chance to avert the war, it would be worth trying Rossellia, however, considered her maids words in all seriousness. I waved a hand and tried dissuading her. Dont even think about it. Lars Baal is using your life as a pretext to start the war. What do you think would happen if you get caught? But Dont throw away your life, especially after it was saved. And dont forget that diving headfirst into danger means taking all of your servants with you. That is. Princess, I shall follow you to the ends of the earth! Rossellia saw the serious look in Lunas eyes and her shoulders dropped. Yes, I seethat was rash of me. Im honestly happy to hear that you really want to stop the war, though. Youre thinking about us too, right? Even if we saved her life, Rossellias position as imperial princess made her an enemy of House Maxwell, first and foremost. Even if the imperial army was going to attack us, she had no reason to feel concerned. Yet, this kind-hearted princess was tormented by the fact that she could be the cause of our destruction. I was grateful for such thoughts. I have sown the seeds, after all. If only I could have seen through Lars and Snowes words, none of this would have happened. If possible, I would like to take responsibility, at least Considering theplicated position youre in, thats seriously noble of you. I smiled wryly and took one of the teacups set on the table. I put it on my lips and a rich, full taste filled my mouth. What a nice scent. Is this tea from the kingdom? Yes, from the south. Were right in the first harvest season, so the aroma is especially strong. I like it a lot too. Is that so For a short while, Rossellia and I enjoyed the tea in silence. A noble from the kingdom and a member of the imperial family. In contrast to the hostility between our positions, time passed inplete peace and quiet. Eventually, I was the one to break the long silence. unfortunately, the war between House Maxwell and the empire seems inevitable. The result, however, is going to be different from what you expect. ? Rossellia looked at me, puzzled. She had probably imagined a future in which the imperial allied army trampled our territories without mercy. I knew, however, that was never going to happen. In the next war, the winner is going to be House Maxwell. If the First Imperial Army, Second Imperial Army and Imperial Knights had attacked individually, we might have not been able to make itbut as long as they move together, we have a chance. I smiled and marked my words with confidence. I was not putting up a front: I truly believed in what I said. It pains me to say this to you, Princess, but we will crush them with all we have. . Rossellia listened to my words, quietly. Quietly, silently, without a sound. .. .hmm? Her utterck of reaction was getting bizarre. I peeked at her face out of curiosity and found her divinely attractive features forming a dazed expression. Her cheeks seemed flushed too. Rossellia was silent like that for a little while more, but eventually her lovely lips managed to move and whisper something. How wonderful Hm? What was that? Princess? eh? Oh, oh no! Its nothing! After Luna and I called to her, Rossellia panicked a little bit, iling her hands about. Her face was bright red, almostically flustered. W-Well, no matter what the result will be, the empire will have brought it on themselves, and sooner orter, the empire was going to fall anyway, I thinker, so, well, I cannot cooperate with you openly, but I shall offer my assistance, to the extent of expressing my gratitude for saving my life, as well as my servants! Oh, er, really. Well, Im grateful. I didnt expect to be able to convince her so smoothly, to be honest. I thought she was going to refuse to lend me any assistance, due to her position. (Shes way more cooperative than expectedeven if I have no idea why. I guess she was really moved by the fact we saved her life?) Putting aside the reason for Rossellias positive reaction, my cards were now all gathered. Nothing stood in the way of our counterattack against the empire. (You cane anytime, imperial armyLars? Grett? Youre going all down.) I kept my feral smile inside, not to scare off the graceful princess. Several dayster, an official document was delivered from the empire: a deration of war. Volume 2 - Ch 23 POV: Shana Szar My name is Shana Szar. I am a warrior. ..hm? What else should I say? Well thenIe from the Baal empire. Im 20 years old. I used to be an adventurer, but due to certain circumstances currently Im the bodyguard and lover of Dyngir Maxwell, a noble of the Lamperouge kingdom. My main weapon is the spear, but I can also hold my own with the sword and bow. That day, I was swinging my spear at the private residence of my employer, Dyngir Maxwell. Khhaah!! Yaah!! Hehe, too easy. GrrShana!! How did you get so strong!? The woman that called my name with such frustration and irritation was Estia Sabnach. She hade to my employers vi as an escort knight of the imperial princess Rossellia: we were recruits from the same generation back when I belonged to the Imperial Knights. Despite having been fed poison just a couple days ago, when assassins targeted princess Rossellias life, she seemed to be doing just fine. Estia and I were sparring in the residences garden. We both mainly used the spear, but the gap in our abilities was clear. Youre pretty slow though, maybe the poisons effects havent worn out yet? Kh..! Youre just faster than before, damn it! Estia growled in frustration. I lightly parried her spear, then used the blunt end of my spear to sweep her legs. W-Waah! Okay, I won this round. I thrust my weapon at my downed opponent and imed victory. T-That is not fair! How did you get so strong!? When we were both knights, I was the stronger one I quit the knights and became an adventurer precisely because I knew I wasnt going to get stronger if I stayed there. I threw away my career, title, and everything. Itd be pointless if I didnt at least get stronger. I inly replied, and Estia shot me a look full of resentment. So? You discarded the princess, to serve Maxwell instead? I do feel guilty about it. But the Imperial Knights air didnt feel right to me, thats all. I have nothing against the princess. I used to be a member of the Imperial Knights, until three years ago. Along with Estia, I had been assigned with the honored duty of guarding the princess; I did not agree with the way of life of the Imperial Knights, however, so I left. My father who used to be captain of the knights wielded his sword in the same way Estia wields her spear: to protect someone else. My spear is different, however. It exists to defeat, to kill my enemies. The Imperial Knights had little to no chance of actually fighting against enemies or invaders: for me, that kind of life was the epitome of boredom. If I stayed there, I would probably never have surpassed Estia or my father. Anyway, dont you think I did the right thing, in the end? Thanks to serving Dyngir Maxwell, I had the chance to save the princess life. That isthat is true, but Estia puffed her cheeks, clearly dissatisfied. I considered her a friend and a rival. At the same time, I thought she could never truly understand me. Not Estia nor my former master, Rossellia, would probably ever be able to understand what I felt when I bade farewell to the Imperial Knights. While it might be obvious for them not to be able to understand me, I couldnt help but find it a bit disappointing. (You really are a loyal knight, unlike me.) Estia, the knight, and me who couldnt stand being one and became an adventurer. I thought our paths would never cross again, but they unexpectedly did, and we even ended up crossing our weapons too. The ways of fate are mysterious indeed. Shall we bet something on the next bout? As you wish!! Estia epted my proposal eagerly, mes burning in her eyes. If I win, you will return to the Imperial Knights, as a new recruit! Ill put you through the wringer! Oohthen if I win, youreing to bed with me and master Dyngir next time. W-What kind of condition is that!? I dont dislike going to bed with him, but it annoys me that hes always in charge. If youre with me, I think we can put up a decent fight. W-Wait!! That kind of condition is Okay then, lets do this. W-Wait!! Waitwaitwait!! Ignoring the protests of the violently blushing Estia, I advanced towards her, spear in hand. Not far from us, my current and former masters Dyngir Maxwell and princess Rossellia were talking while having tea. I couldnt keep up withplicated topics like politics, but I could feel that the winds of war were blowing. A war I so eagerly anticipated. The outbreak of exciting, thrilling battles! (Aaah, I cant wait!! Coming to the Maxwell province was really a great choice!!) As I chased my shrieking old friend, my heart burst with gleefulughter. Volume 2 - Ch 24 Following the empires deration of war, I led the Maxwell territorys forces to Fort Bryden. It was my first time visiting the fort in 5 years: the preparation for the empiresrge-scale invasion filled it with a heavy atmosphere. During the war council, it was decided that I would lead 5,000 of the 7,000 troops that formed the eastern nobles allied forces. My old man was in charge of the remaining 2,000, posted in the Maxwell territorys capital of Avalon. Basically, the war will be decided at this fort. If we lose, the kingdom of Lamperouge falls too. The royal pce was still in shambles, due to the sudden departure of the previous king and crowning of his young sessor, the royal family had no actual fighting strength. We probably couldnt count on the support of the other margraves either. The battle at Fort Bryden was going to be decisive for the kingdom of Lamperouge. Its the same for the empire, though: if they lose after mobilizing so many troops, theyre never going to recover. Either the kingdom or the empire will fand the next battle will decide which. YEEAAAAHHHH!!!! Im already on fire!! A historical battle in the making, indeed. To think that we would stand at a turning point in history The man who shouted, or rather roared after hearing my exnation was a close friend of mine since childhood, Ladd Efreeta. The other man was Salm Silfis. We wererades-in-arms who shared the same battlefield against the imperial forces five years ago, friends of the same age, often up to no good. Its been a while since weve seen each other, hasnt it. Reminds me of the battle five years ago. Right! Lets smash those empire goons, just like we did that time!! Ladd shouted eagerly, cracking his knuckles. Looking at my reliable friend, I felt my expression soften. We have 5,000 on our side, and the enemy dered that they mustered a force of 50,000, correct? Yeah, theyre exaggerating their numbers though. In reality, it should be around 30,000. I see, still five times our forces. The battle will be a harsh one. In stark contrast with Ladd, Salm maintained a coolposure, calmly analyzing the situation. ording to the information provided by the Fangs of Steel members who had infiltrated the empire, the imperial allied forces consisted of 6,000 soldiers from the First Imperial Army, 10,000 from the Second, 5,000 from the Imperial Knights and 6,000 volunteers. Considering that the empire is surrounded by enemy countries in all directions, its impressive that they managed to gather so many. Clearly, a standard sh of troops would be suicidalwhat are you nning, young master? I have a n, of course. And it might just be the foulest youve ever heard. My lips twisted into a grin. Some say that only victory achieved through fair and square means truly holds meaning. That only makes me think that those people do not have something they truly want to protect, though. If they had something they wanted to protect with their lives, they would use any and all means at their disposal. They would not care for the infamy they might have to bear, or if they had to fall to evil ways. If there is something you simply cannot give up on, you should seek victory through any means necessary. We have arrived, young master. Finally I turned around and found the familiar figure of an assassin Oboro, Sakuyas older brother. Did you manage to bring them, Oboro? Yes, they are the Fangs of Steel members chosen as deathwatch. Behind Oboro stood two men, d in ck just like him. A bearded man apparently around 60 years old and a leaner man in his 40s. It really pains me to have to say this, you two, but you are both going to die in the next battle. I will not ask you not to bear resentment, but believe that we will repay your loved ones as much as possible. Not a problem, young master. My liver will not let mest much longer, you see. I suppose I shall go out in a ze of glory. I have lost my wife and children already and have also contemted taking my own life: I could not be happier than to have the chance to die with honor. I seeyou have my thanks. Your deaths will not be in vain. I expressed my heartfelt gratitude to the two warriors and bowed my head. They smiled and nodded, then disappeared to perform their mission. Lord Dyngir! Weve finished moving the supplies! Just As the Fangs of Steel left, one of the young soldiers assigned to the fort came to do his report. A report I had been eagerly waiting for, The vases filled with gunpowder and water jars are all ready and ounted for! Excellent. Now we only need This, my lord? Following the young soldier, into the room came my lover and bodyguard, Shana Szar. Between her candid fingers was a letter, which she handed to me. A love letter from Princess Rossellia, written exactly as you wished. Excellent, truly excellent. With this, we have everything we need. I shed my biggest smile of the day. Five thousand veteran soldiers and trustworthy friends. Spies resolved to die. Arge amount of gunpowder and water jars. And finally a love letter from the goddess of victory. The preparations to defeat the imperial army wereplete. Our victory is in sight. Prepare to be crushed, imperial army!! It was my first battlefield in a long while. A battle with a scope I had never experienced before. I wouldnt be a man if my blood didnt start burning. Barely managing to contain my seething spirit, I gazed towards the eastern sky towards the empire. Volume 2 - Ch 25 POV: Snowe Halphas Hereatst. I quietly whispered to myself as I looked up at Fort Bryden, a key stronghold of the Maxwell territory. Fort Bryden was a square-shaped fortress. The steep mountains on its west side made it impossible to house arge army, so it could only be assaulted from the other three cardinal directions. The imperial forces had already surrounded the fort. The First Imperial Army would attack from the east, the Second Imperial Army from the north, the Imperial Knights from the south. The volunteers that joined us were spread among the three toons. Three toons with three different chains ofmand; in addition, the respectivemanders definitely did not have a good rtionship with each other either. On paper, Prince Lars was the suprememander of the allied army, but it was not a decision made without heated debate and protests. They should probably just focus on their respective targets, without thinking about cooperating with the other toons. This is where my brother diedwhere, for me, everything began My older brother, Eis Halphas, once attempted to conquer Fort Bryden, but fell in battle against the forces led by Dietrich Maxwell. My quest for revenge began then. I will not fail, no matter whatI will avenge you, brother, and bring House Maxwell to ruin. I will show youthat I can surpass you!! Eis Halphas, the left half of the Twin Wings, the First Imperial Armys Wise General, was both a source of pride and a peak to ovee. Five years ago, I lost my brother and, at the same time, my lifes goal. At first, I thought of inheriting his will and leading the Prince to the throne. As I watched Lars gradually lose his grip on reality, umting mistakes and failures, my line of thinking gradually changed. (My brother truly died to protect such a worthless man!? House Halphas bore responsibility for the failed campaign for a man like him!?) The cause for the defeat five years ago was medpletely on Eis Halphas. We did not receive any concrete penalties, but my position among the knights became very precarious. The grief of losing my brother, the resentment for the dishonor we were forced to bearslowly by surely, they turned towards Prince Lars. I saw the good-for-nothing prince as a target of revenge, as much as House Maxwell. (First, we will take down Fort Bryden and wipe out House Maxwell. After that) I was going to have Lars killed and instate Prince Grett as emperor. Then, as a close retainer to Grett, I would cleanse the stains on my name and be the new captain of the Imperial Knights. My brother, though he was called Wise General, could never surpass Bjorc Zagann, the hero of the First Imperial Army. In order to surpass my brother, I had to be the suprememander of the knights, surpassing even Zagann. (Only then, will I have truly surpassed you, brother!) My resolve reaffirmed, I looked once again up at the fortress. The sun had already set for a while: the night sky was dotted with stars. We had sent a messenger to the fort, to demand that house Maxwell surrender, and were waiting for a reply. I did not expect Maxwell to surrender, of course. The messenger was probably never going to return. the fighting will begin at dawnthe dawn of my path to glory! The imperial allied forces numbered over 30,000. The enemy numbered only 5,000. No matter how impregnable Fort Bryden could be, there was no way we could lose. The samend that saw my brother fall will witness my rise to glory! I am going to win! I am going to bring victory to the imperial army! No matter what! So I swore to the night sky, unaware of the series of unexpected events waiting to happen Volume 2 - Ch 26 The battle is going to start tomorrow morning, then. Yeahcan we really defeat the Maxwell forces, though? On the east side of Fort Bryden, the soldiers of Lars Baals First Imperial Army were eating inside a tent. The menu was wheat boiled in water sprinkled with salt: very simple but certainly not very ptable. Their bodies, taxed by the long march, however, weed it eagerly, savoring the warmth it brought to their stomachs. The warm meal probably loosened the soldiers focus: little by little, verbalized worries and fears started slipping past their lips. Some of the soldiers in the tent had experienced the defeat against Maxwell five years prior. For them, the Maxwell soldiers were as terrifying as man-eating ogres: they couldnt help but feel disheartened. Enough whining! Have you all forgotten that we are soldiers of the proud Baal empire!? The leader of the soldiers unit rebuked them harshly. The aged warrior, his expression even more stern than the usual, howled at his frightened subordinates. There is no question whether we can win, just how we win!! We, the First Imperial Army, shally the foundation of an empire on which the sun never sets!! Captain! My apologies, we had a moment of weakness. The soldiers apologized one by one to their superior. His bold words managed to wipe away their fears for the moment. Not all soldiers, however, appeared to have their spirits lifted. But captaintheres a rumor that Rumor? What rumor? That Lord Snowe made a deal with Prince Grett The rumor in question had recently started circting among the First Imperial Army troops. Snowe Halphas, one of the closest retainers of Lars Baal, the soldiers suprememander, had apparently made secret deals with Prince Grett, Lars greatest political enemy. Several soldiers had seen Snowe going in and out of Gretts offices: the rumor seemed to be fairly solid. That isplete nonsense! Nothing but prattle, meant to cause confusion and instability among our ranks!! The captain fiercely denied the rumors held any water, but he himself harbored doubts about Snowes conduct. Snowe Halphas was a man of many skills. He had an excellent education, was well versed in military strategy, and stood out even among the many seasoned warriors of the First Imperial Army. It was no wonder that he rose to the position of Prince Lars retainer at the age of 20. The young Wise General, however, was far from perfect: some of his defects were too ring to ignore. The greatest of them was his inability to realize how he was seen by the people around him. The First Imperial Army housed a great number of knights that valued military prowess over all else possibly a reflection of the temperament of their leader, Lars Baal. In such an environment, someone like Snowe Halphas, who excelled in schemes and strategy first and foremost, was often the target of grievances. His older brother, Eis Halphas, was in a position simr to Snowe, but had someone at his side that understood him well: Bjorc Zagann. He thus did not feel isted in the army. Snowe, however, had no such ally and many resented or envied him. Many of the knights in the First Imperial Army hounded him, eager to uncover any misstep he made. Because of such a background, the rumors concerning Snowes alleged betrayal spread like wildfire. (That bullheaded brat cannot be trustedbut as long as Prince Lars ces his trust in him, there is nothing we can say or do!) If you have time to waste on baseless rumors, prepare for the battle instead!! Do not think you will have time to sleep from tomorrow on!! The captain shared the soldiers feelings, but was forced to say the opposite. They were going to fight alongside the Second Imperial Army, despite the fact that they knew it couldnt be trusted. They could not afford for tensions to break out inside their own forces. (If the rumors are really true, he will surely try something during this battle! When that happens, I shall defend Prince Lars!) As the soldiers left the tent, the captain steeled his resolve. Volume 2 - Ch 27 Dawn broke on the decisive day. Soldiers started hurrying and bustling in the fort. At the same time, noise gradually rose from the troops that surrounded it. I suppose its time to officially start the battle. I climbed on the eastern wall of the fortress and looked down at the First Imperial Army. Next to me was the messenger they had sent the day before, to deliver their ultimatum: surrender or die. His hands were tied and he was firmly held still by Maxwell soldiers on both sides. I drew the sword at my waist and pointed it at the sky, so the soldiers below could see it clearly. No hard feelingsheh, I guess itd be too much to ask, huh? But this is the way I do battle. Dont get lost on the way to the other side. I curse you, demon child of Maxwell! Hah! Good luck with that! The man cursed me with hisst breath, as I sliced his head off with one stroke. I kicked the limp torso off the walls, then picked the head up and held it towards the imperial troops. WOOOOHHHHHH!!! Seeing their brethren killed before their eyes made them howl with rage. They started advancing towards the fort, spears and shields in hand. As the First Imperial Army started moving from the east, the Second Imperial Army in the north and the Imperial Knights in the south followed suit. Here we go to the battle that will decide the future of the continent!! I looked down at the forces below, well over ten thousand, and my lips curved into a grin. WOOOOOHHHHH!!!! In response to my words, a beast-like howl echoed within the fort. The First Imperial Army troops proceeded towards the eastern walls of Fort Bryden, in a veritable stampede. Bring thedders!! Invade the fortress!! Yes Sir!!! Following the captains orders, a group of soldiers carrying a longdder rushed towards the fort. Volleys of arrows were shot from the walls in their direction. The imperial soldiers held up their shields in defense, but some arrows managed to pierce their shoulders and legs nevertheless. Gah!! Ghare you alright!? Those who can still move, fulfill your tasks!! You lot, get up now or the arrows A soldier yelled at a group ofrades who had been struck by the arrows, but quickly realized that there was something unnatural about their reaction. Ah..gahgahahh. Hey!! Whats wrong with you!? Ahcantbre It cant bepoison!? The soldiers struck by arrows were writhing on the ground, foaming, wing at their necks. By the time the soldiers around them realized the arrowheads had to beced with poison, it was toote: another volley of arrows rained on their heads. GWAAAHHHH!!! Eeghnono!! Shit!! Maxwell, you dirty bastard!! More and more imperial soldiers fell to the poison. The soldiers who tried to assist their fallenrades were targeted as well, without signs of stopping. Im the dirty bastard? When your forces outnumber us five to one? Thats rich. Looking down at the screaming hellscape, I gave orders for the next attack. No need to hold back, shoot everything you have! Its all on me today! Our guests came all the way from the empire, lets fill their stomachs with our best poison treats!! WOOOHHH!!! The soldiers continued dipping arrowheads in the jars at their feet and shooting at the imperial troops. Countless jars had been ced at regr intervals alongside the walls, filled with poison: more than enough to kill ten thousand soldiers. Its irritating to think that this is all thanks to that damn hags presentbut Im going to use everything at my disposal. The massive amount of poison needed for this n was a gift from my mother, Grace. The Sea Hydra Gallstones I received from Echidna Thunderbird at the royal capital could be soaked in water to createrge amounts of lethal poison. A box full of gallstones was enough to make enough poison to kill ten thousand soldiers. this sword, the stonesthat damn womans gifts alwayse in handy at just the right time, it gives me the creepsyoure not watching me from somewhere, are you? My trusted de, Siegfried, was a gift from my mother as well. If I hadnt received it, I would surely have died five years ago, fighting Bjorc Zagann. Mother knows best, is that it? Makes me sick just thinking about it. To vent my building frustration, I dipped a javelin in the poison and hurled it at the enemy. Itnded squarely in the chest of amander that was giving orders to the scampering soldiers, piercing through his armor and jutting out the back. Well, that didnt need poison in the first cewait, thats A group of imperial soldiers was advancing with raised shields to block the arrows, carrying a battering ram. The Maxwell soldiers arrows were deflected by their shields, so the ram sessfully mmed against the fortress walls. Young Master, the ram!! You have permission. Drop it. Understood!! The soldier acknowledged my order and took out a pot from the wooden box at his feet. Using amp, he lit the fuse poking out of the pot on fire. Take this!! The soldier threw the burning pot down from the wall, above the imperial soldiers with the ram. As soon as the pot hit the ground, it blew ck smoke and exploded. BOOOOOM!! AAAAHHHH!?! I-Its gunpowder!! My eyes!! MY EYES!!! The soldiers dropped the ram and ran away in the direction opposite to the walls. Soon enough, poisoned arrows struck their backs. Fireworks are really the best. I feel like a kid again. Young Master!! Please look at that! Hm? I turn to the direction the Maxwell soldier pointed to and see several four-wheeled turrets advance from the imperial camp in our direction. I smiled, baring my fangs, and raised my right hand. Not a problem! Blow them away!! Yes Sir!! The Maxwell soldiers took the gunpowder pots, set them on fire and threw them at the turrets, one after the other. Loud explosions resounded through the battlefield, as clouds of ck smoke rose to the sky. Volume 2 - Ch 28 Damn that Maxwell and his despicable dirty tricks!! In the First Imperial Armys camp, Lars Baal was beside himself in indignation. In the direction he was facing, the eastern walls of Fort Bryden, the imperial soldiers were being decimated by the Maxwell forces counterattack. Your Highness! We should order the troops to withdraw and reconsider our strategy! As the attacking imperial forces were being pushed back, one of the knights at Lars side hastily proposed a change of ns. Tchtheres nothing else to do, is there! Lars growled a reply, his teeth gnashing and grinding. The destruction caused by the gunpowder weapons was problematic, of course, but the poison was much more damaging. All imperial soldiers wore armor and chainmail, which could prevent injuries from regr arrows, unless they were struck in particrly critical spots. With arrowheads coated in poison, however, even a light scratch could prove lethal. Seeing theirrades writhing on the ground, scraping at their necks, even the still unscathed soldiers would turn weak at the knees. Without a firm will to fight, soldiers might as well be scarecrows: if the attack continued, it would only produce more imperial casualties. Sound the retreat!! Have the soldiers fall back to the camp!! That cannot be done, Your Highness!! The protest to Lars order came from his close retainer, Snowe Halphas. If we order the troops to withdraw at this time, we will just give more momentum to the Maxwell army! Upon learning of this failed attempt, Prince Greed will also take advantage of the situation! We must persist in our attack!! But! More and more soldiers will fall!! They cannot possibly haverge quantities of such deadly poison! If we continue attacking, they will surely run out of poison, thus weakening their offensive! Nonsense! Sir Halphas, have you lost your mind!? The knights protested at Snowes seemingly heartless n. They did not know how much poison and gunpowder the Maxwell forces still had in stock: until they ran out of their reserves, they could lose an unfathomable number of troops. Do the lives of our soldiers mean nothing to you? They all have families waiting for their return!! Hah!! What about that? If they have a family, all the more reason to fight without shame!! Snowe sneered at the knights words and his lips twisted into a grimace. He himself was shaken by the Maxwell forces unexpected resistance. If they wasted any more time, however, the Second Imperial Army or the Imperial Knights might snatch the chance to avenge his brother. Such fears robbed the young Wise General of his judgement. (Who cares about casualties! I will be the one to bring down House MaxwellI, and no one else!!) For Snowe, who plotted to assassinate Lars, a sharp decrease in the First Imperial Armys numbers was actually a wee development. It meant less protection for Lars himself and also an advantage for Grett. To take down Fort Bryden by force while weakening the First Imperial Army Snowe couldnt allow them to retreat now. I repeat. Sound the retreat, immediately. Your Highness!? Yes sir!! As soon as the knight blew the war horn, the soldiers started rushing back to the camp, as if they were waiting for nothing else. They tossed both weapons and siege weapons, just holding theirrge shields over their heads in protection. Surprisingly, as soon as the imperial soldiers started retreating, the rain of arrows from the castle walls stopped immediately. The imperial soldiers who tried rescuing their woundedrades were spared as well. (Intentionally sparing the wounded in order to slow us down, is it? You brazen bastard!) Your Highnessare you truly sure? This will lead us to failure. To concede a temporary defeat in order to reduce our losses is not a failure in my eyes. Our enemy was simply one step ahead of us that is all. .. Lars surprisingly calm judgement left Snowe wide-eyed. What Snowe had not realized prior was that the many failures Lars experienced also allowed him to grow as amander. Hisck of patience and emotional sides still stood out, but he was in no way a worthless leader. (This is going to be more troublesome than I thoughtas a warrior, he might be slightly superior to Prince Grett.) In terms of political decision power and long-term strategy, Grett Baal was clearly more skilled. When it came to making decisions on the field and acting on them, however, Lars Baal was the greater of the two. (If the First and Second Imperial armies ever fought, I always believed the Second would winbut I cannot say so for sure anymore.) Unlike their political disputes, if they were to fight on the battlefield, Lars could probably defeat Grettand if that happened, both my revenge and future glory would vanish into thin air. (Theres no going back anymorebefore any conflict sparks between the two princes, I have to whittle down the First Imperial Army as much as possible) Snowe watched the retreating soldiers with spite, while his mind raced to thoughts no knight would ever even consider. The knights around Snowe looked at him with equal resentment, though the thirst of revenge clouded his eyes too well for him to notice. Thus the first day of the assault on Fort Bryden ended with an overwhelming victory for House Maxwell. Volume 2 - Ch 29 POV: Dyngir Maxwell* *(TL Note: the original usually doesnt list any POV when the perspective goes back to Dyngir, I added it to avoid any confusion) The first day of war between the Margrave Maxwell forces and the Baal Empire ended with a crushing victory for our Maxwell forces. As the sun set, the imperial forces withdrew into their camp. We setup troops to stand guard and spot any night raids, but today the empire would need to reorganize their troops more than us; it was unlikely for them to try anything that night. Well then, lets hear todays reports. With all skirmishes over for the day, I gathered the people in charge of each division in themand room, located in the center of the fortress. Their expressions showed fatigue and tension but did not seem disheartened at all. Anyone ready to report, go ahead and do it. Were on the battlefield, forget about rank or formalities for now. I will start, then. The first one to speak was Salm Silfis, in charge of the fortress northern walls. Nothing abnormal to report on the northern side. The Second Imperial Army attacked persistently from dawn to dusk, but we had no trouble dealing with them, even while preserving our forces. We did not need to use poison or gunpowder either. Nothing to report on the south side either. The Imperial Knights are supposed to be the strongest elites of the empire, but they were nothing special, to be honest. We barely even got started. After Salm, Ladd Efreeta made his report. The old friend in charge of the fortress southern walls crossed his hands behind his head and put his feet on the table quite unbing for the scion of a noble family. The imperial army is weaker than expected, huh. It was pretty easy for me too, even without going all out. Indeed. Their handling of siege weapons was rather poor, I was frankly disappointed. I thought their level of preparation was too low, do they truly n to take down this fortress like this? Nah, its not like theyre weak or anything. Its just a matter of using the right people at the right ces. The Second Imperial Army had been fighting against the northern nomads all this time: tribes that lived in tents, moving every so often, without building towns or castles. The Second Imperial Army troops had little to no experience in sieges. The same thing could be said about the Imperial Knights: their main duty was to defend the royal pce, the capital and its surroundings. They were never meant to invade enemy territory, so many of them had probably never even seen a siege weapon. The Second Imperial Army is most skilled at cavalry battles in open fields, the Imperial Knights at defensive battles. To order them to take down a fortress was a mistake in the first ce. I dont know who proposed that the empires three forces to attack separately, trying to win through numbers, but it was clearly a bad move. If they had all fought together, covering their reciprocal weaknesses, they would surely have be a force to be reckoned with. As long as they kept bickering and getting in each others way, Fort Bryden was never going to fall. I see, that exins their weakness. Gaah, what a drag! Lets trade ces, Young Master! Haha, no way. I killed Bjorc Zagann in thest battle, so the First Imperial Armys scared of me. Theyll be intimidated as long as Im there. Tch, what a pain Ladd swung up and down his feet on the table, out of frustration. Considering he was in the presence of his lord, it was far too disrespectful an attitude, so Salm frowned. Ladd, think of where you are!! Show some respect for our Lord! Hey, they said forget about rank or formalities, right!? That has nothing to do with this! Remember your position as heir to House Efreeta! Such an attitude is Its fine, Salm, hes not going to listen anyway. I shrugged and put an end to their tussle. Ladd puffed his cheeks, annoyed, and Salm looked at him disapprovingly. I looked at them and grinned, exposing my fangs. Dont worry, Ladd, I have a special stage ready for you at the end of this battle. So make you sure you have energy left. Haha, you better remember those words. Ill stay quiet, for now! Before the battle began, I gave one order to Ladd and Salm. Make sure the fortress walls are not breached. But fight while saving as much as possible. The north and south walls too are equipped with poison and gunpowder, but my order implied that I wanted Salm and Ladd not to use them, unless strictly necessary. They followed such unusual orders faithfully: thanks to that, the n I had painstakingly prepared could be finally used against the empire. Im counting on you two. The enemys going to be using trickier strategies starting tomorrow, so stay alert out there. Certainly, Young Master. Leaveem to us. Well kick their assesas softly as possible. Hahaha, looking forward to that. Iughed with my reliable friends, then listened to the other reports. Volume 2 - Ch 30 One week had passed since the conflict between the Maxwell army and the imperial forces began. Throughout that period, the empire never stopped attacking. At times from the front, at times with ploys and traps, they tried to take down Fort Bryden in all sorts of ways, but the Maxwell army repelled each attempt. The imperial allied forces won in terms of numbers, but the First Imperial Army was intimidated by the poison and gunpowder, while the Second Imperial Army and Imperial Knights struggled with sieges a kind of battle they had little experience in and did not allow them to exert their true ability. Amidst such fear, frustration and exasperation, the imperial armys hostility was beginning to shift away from the Maxwell forces I just cantthis is just too strange. In the First Imperial Army camp, the First Prince Lars Baal was biting his nails and growling. The sun had long set past the horizon, but the clouded sky did not show even a glimpse of the moon or the stars. The many bonfires lighting up in the camp, however, illuminated it as if it was noon. Lars red beyond the darkness, towards Fort Bryden, anger and resentment in his eyes. His expression was sterner than ever. Your Highness, please return to your tent. You should rest soon, or tomorrow you may suffer. Leave me be, I need to think. One of the knights escorting Lars urged him to rest, but he refused and resumed his thoughts. What could be vexing you so much, Sire? it has already been one week since this battle started. But only our army has been reporting great losses. After a bit of hesitation, Lars replied to the knights question. He wanted to see if his suspicion was his alone or not. Your Highness, actuallywe have all been wondering the same thing. As expected. I cant shake the impression that the Maxwell forces are being rather reserved against Grett and the imperial knights. The First Imperial Army was attacking the forts eastern walls, but had suffered from the poisoned arrows and gunpowder ever since the first day of battle. They had been fighting with more prudency from the second day forward, which allowed them to contain their casualties, but both fighting power and morale had been gradually decreasing. Thinking that the other armies were surely struggling, Lars sent some men to check on their situation; contrary to his expectations, however, the Second Imperial Army and the Imperial Knights, attacking the north and south walls respectively, reported much lower losses. Apparently, the poisoned arrows and gunpowder were not being used against them: they were instead very surprised by the amount of casualties suffered by the First Imperial Army. I too have heard from the knights who went on the inspection but it looks like the other armies are not fighting seriously. They arent fighting seriously? What does that even mean? Lars frowned and the knight continued. Both the Second Imperial Army and the Imperial Knights possess the same siege weapons we do, but they appear to have barely used them. Or at least, they didnt seem to have been used effectively. How could that be? They must know how to use a siege weapon, dont they? Indeed, Lars had identified the source of the problem: the Second Imperial Army and the Imperial Knights really did not know the proper way to use siege weapons. Yet the seeds of distrust in his heart had already sprouted. It cant be thatthey are colluding with Maxwell? T-that cannot be!! Yetbut The knight tried refuting Lars words, but realized he had nothing concrete to stand on and ended up swallowing his words. Even now Grett Baal, leader of the Second Imperial Army, was a political rival of Lars. In the first ce, it was strange for him to participate as an ally in the military campaign. (For the sake of saving our sister, he saidridiculous. That cold, egotistical man would never act because of familial lovewhich means that he has to have another goal in mind) Another goalthe only thing that came to mind was to target his Lars Baal own life. On the other hand, Lars couldnt think of any reason why the Imperial Knights would oppose him, but at present they were loyal to Rossellia Baal more than anyone else. Maxwell might have used Rossellias safety as a pawn to force them to join his side. If my imagination is correct On this battlefield, there were only enemies. A surefire victory had just turned into an unexpected deadly trap. Sweat lined Lars forehead. N-No, we cant be sure yetwe should hold a war council and talk with everyone first Yes, I believe that is the best course of action. Hmm, then let us call Snowe and You mustnt, Sire!! The knight, who had just nodded to Lars idea, suddenly shouted. Lars, surprised, looked at him: the young knight shook his head with a stern expression on his face. Please forgive me for this disrespect, Sire. But Sir Snowe Halphas is rumored to be colluding with Prince Grett. It would be dangerous for him to know that we have doubts about Prince Gretts actions. How absurd, those are just rumors, are they not? Where there is smoke, there is fire, as they say. The witnesses that saw Sir Snowe enter Prince Gretts office are not just one or two either, Your Highness. I humbly suggest that until we ascertain the truth, we should not let Sir Snowe know of any vital information. Mgh Lars ruminated on the knights words and reflected. The reason why he doted on Snowe Halphas was because he was a promising young talent and also because he was the younger brother of Eis Halphas, who had died five years before in order to let Lars live. Lars believed he had done all he could in order to support Snowe, who strove to surpass his brother, also as a way to repay the loyalty of the man who died for his sake. (Even soI should not let such emotions sway me.) Trusting temporary surges of emotion had led Lars to failure, again and again. Every failure also led to the death of knights who had faith in him. He could not repeat the same mistakes again. I see your pointI do not know if Snowe betrayed us or not, but let us be wary. Tell the other close retainers to assemble in my tent, immediately! Right away, Sire! Lars returned first to his tent, located in the center of the camp. The young knight went to call the other retainers, following his orders. From a distance, someone was observing the movements of the two men. It appears that our chance has matured earlier than expected. Inform the Young Master. Acknowledged. The shadow-like silhouettes faded in the darkness, as silently as they had appeared. What remained was just the light of the bonfires, illuminating the night. Volume 2 - Ch 31 and that is all, Young Master. Oboro, member of the Fangs of Steel next in line for the head position, in fact finished his report and I nodded. I see, good jobtime to set the n into motion, then. Acknowledged. As Oboro disappeared into the darkness, I looked up to the sky. The night sky was mostly covered by clouds, but the moonlight filtered and grew, gradually illuminating Fort Bryden. The light of hope shines throughliterally. Its a bit of a pity that this battle will be over so soon. I snickered to myself, then returned to the office in the center of the fortress. If everything went ording to my expectations, the battle would be over by sunset. A battle to likely remain in the history of the continent. And the winner will be What? A messenger from Prince Grett? Yes, what shall we do? Early morning. Just before he could give orders to start the attack on Fort Bryden, Lars received an unsettling report. I cannot send him away, can I? Have hime to my tent. Certainly, Your Highness. Do not let your guard down, though. Have a number of knights present. Naturally. We will guard you no matter what, Sire. After the knight left, Lars crossed his arms and started thinking. (What does he want, at a time like this? Since its Grett, It cant be anything right, but) Lars had discussed with his close retainers the matter of Gretts possible collusion with House Maxwell just the night before. For Grett to send a messenger right after that seemed far too timely or so Lars couldnt help but conjecture. Hopefully, its not bad news. A vain hope: Lars himself had a vague feeling of dread about the situation, as drops of sweat lined his back. Eventually, a single man appeared before him. Are you Gretts messenger? Lars, sitting on his chair, questioned the knight kneeling before him. The middle-aged man, his breastte decorated with the Second Imperial Armys crest, had entrusted his sword to one of Lars retainers and was now on his knees before Lars, unarmed. The knights and other retainers surrounded him with stern, intimidating expressions. Yes, Your Highness! We humbly bring wishes and felicitations upon Your Noble Highness, Prince Lars, and Cut the pleasantries and get to the point! The struggle against Maxwell left Lars all but jolly: the knights formal greeting sounded like mockery to his ears. Certainly! Allow me to rte Prince Gretts message. The knight, his head still down, paused for a moment and continued. We have been informed that in the assault on Fort Brydens eastern walls, guarded by Dyngir Maxwell, Prince Lars First Imperial Army has suffered severe losses. Prince Grett thus proposes to send part of the Second Imperial Armys troops as reinforcements. Hmmwe are cornered to the point we must seek the Second Imperial Armys assistance. Is that what you are saying? Lars expression twisted in indignation. The First Imperial Armys situation was surely not favorable, but to be offered reinforcements by his political rival was simply repulsive. I implore you to calmly consider the situation, Sire. We are allies in this war against House Maxwell. I am well aware of how this proposal might sound to Your Highness, but this is the time for us to join hands, is it not? .. Lars would wee reinforcements with open arms in this situation unless they came from the Second Imperial Army. In the worst-case scenario, it could mean inviting misfortune among his men. Lars nced at his retainers, which reacted to the situation in various different ways. Some of them expressed displeasure, others seemed to view the proposal as worth considering. Your Highness, Prince Gretts proposal is nothing but a boon for our army. I believe we should ept it. The first one to speak was Snowe Halphas. The young Wise General suggested they ept the proposal, a vaguely smug look on his face. However No, we cannot possibly ept!! Exactly! To borrow the Second Imperial Armys help would be a knights shame!! Our forces will be more than enough to crush a country noble like Dyngir Maxwell!! W-What nonsense!! Why should we refuse reinforcements!? The tide turnedpletely against Snowe. Even the knights who seemed to consider epting the reinforcements now argued vehemently against it. All the retainers present had participated in the secret meeting with Lars the night before. They suspected Snowe was a traitor and would oppose any of his opinions, regardless of their validity. On the other hand, Snowe was utterly unaware of such a background, and looked at the knights with visible confusion. All of them, Lars excluded, looked back at him with brimming hostility. Snowe, realizing they might have found out about his betrayal, panicked internally. ..hmm, I see. After listening to all opinions, Lars made his decision. I am grateful for Gretts concern, but I shall decline. To borrow the Second Imperial Armys assistance in this situation would tarnish our authority. !! Your Highness!! We should Sir Halphas!! You dare question His Highness decision!? Remember your station, youngster!! Kh!! Snowe tried protesting, but was silenced by the other retainers. (You idiots!! Armed boars without an ounce of strategy in your heads!!) Snowe cursed them in his heart, but could only retract his objections. He had studied the art of war since he was very young, so he saw knights who had established their positions only through personal achievements on the battlefield as mere barbarians. For his opinion to be so thoroughly rejected by them was the epitome of humiliation. Duly acknowledged, Your HighnessI suppose there is no other way. The messenger sighed, disappointed. Correct. Give my greetings to Grett. Certainly, Sire The messenger bowed obsequiously once more, then headed towards the tents entrance. The meeting was over, so the knights and retainers breathed a sigh of relief. That very same moment !?! A loud, crashing sound was heard outside the tent. It sounded just like something had crumbled: all the people inside the tent turned towards the direction of the source. Rest in peace! The very instant the attention of all present was directed outside, the man acted. The messenger drew the short sword he had concealed in his sleeves and jumped towards Lars. !! Your Highness!! Ghah!? The retainers shouted one moment toote. The merciless white de had already pierced Lars body. Volume 2 - Ch 32 Ghah!! Your Highness!? The de of the messenger turned assassin had been intercepted by Lars, using his own upper arm. While he had ring faults as amander, he was undoubtedly a first-ss warrior. The training he received since childhood from the Brave General Bjorc Zagann bore fruit: the imperial prince managed to stop the attack with the least amount of damage. Get away from our Prince!! Hah!? Seeing blood spurt from Lars arm, the escort knights tackled the messenger. The man armed with the Second Imperial Armys suit of armor and a short sword was thrown to a corner of the tent. Protect the Prince!! The knights and retainers stepped between Lars and the messenger. They drew their swords and charged the assant. Khdamn you!! The man desperately defended himself with his short sword, but he was at too much of a disadvantage: soon enough, he slumped down to the floor, a sword stabbed deep into his chest. Gahhaah We did it? So whispered a knight, looking at the assassin as he drew hisst breaths. As life gradually left him, the man managed to whisper a fewst words. IfailedyouLordHalphas What!? Hearing the assassin suddenly call his name, Snowe reacted with absolute shock. The young Wise General stood dumbfounded, as the eyes of the knights gathered on him. Sir Halphas, what is the meaning of this? I-I dont know!! I know nothing about any of this!! This isyes!! This must be a ploy by House Maxwell!! To send an assassin in order to trick allies into fighting each other. Snowes intuition was not far-fetched at all, but no one present would believe his words. Snowe was already under suspicion of colluding with Grett: in addition, his disregard for the soldiers lives had earned him a fair amount of contempt from the other officials. Even if Snowe had spoken the truth, the demons of suspicion looming over him had grown too strong. The knights slowly approached Snowe, from all sides. Ready to apprehend him at a moments notice. Wait. We cannot assume the assassin spoke the truth. Y-Your Highness!! Lars words stopped the knights in their tracks. Snowe looked at his master, eyes filled with hope. Lars, however, showed an expression as stern as the other knights, as he looked at Snowe with doubt and suspicion. The suspicion over you, however, is a fact. Snowe, you will be held captive for the time being. T-That cant be!! Snowe shouted as the knights grabbed his arms. You will have to let us search your tent too. If you truly did not betray me, I trust there is no problem, is there? S-Sire!! Snowe grew pale. He really knew nothing about the assassin, but he did have secret ties with Grett. Documents and other proof of his exchanges with Grett could be found in his luggage. (This is bad!! I should have dealt with him sooner!) P-Prince Lars!! I am innocent!! This is all a ploy to eliminate me and drive you to fight Prince Grett! P-Please, reconsider!! Enough shameless acting, Sir Halphas! Gh! One of the knights punched Snowe in the stomach. A fist charged with years of resentment interrupted the young generals speech. H-How dare you! Sir Halphas. When His Highness was attacked just now, why did you not step in to defend him? Wha. One of the knights walked in front of Snowe and questioned him. All the knights in the tent had rushed to Lars aid, standing between him and the assassin. Only Snowe, however, stood where he was, without even trying to help Lars. That isI Snowe could not find any words to justify himself. When Lars was attacked by the assassin, Snowe judged he had been sent by Grett. To try to stop the assassination would mean opposing Gretts ns: Snowe thus could not go to stop the assant and ended up not budging from his position. The doubts upon you cannot be denied! Follow us without resistance! Stop!! Let me go!! Prince!! Prince Lars!! Please help Lars looked at the knights drag out Snowe, silently. Afterwards, documents apparently containing orders from Grett were found in Snowes luggage: his betrayal was verified. The other assassin that had purposely made noise outside the tent in order to attract attention was also quickly found. Cornered, he took his own life: the assassination of Lars Baal was thus foiled. Then Our enemy is at the northern walls! Grett Baal must die!! YES SIR!! Arge-scale civil war broke out within the Imperial Army. The imperial rampage started, with none of the parties aware of who orchestrated it all. The battle of Fort Bryden thus elerated towards its conclusion Volume 2 - Ch 33 On the northern side of Fort Bryden The Second Imperial Army, led by Grett Baal, received the report of a surprise attack. Y-Your Highness!! We are under attack!! W-what!? Did Maxwell move!? Where are they attacking from? No, Sire!! Its our allies! The First Imperial Army!! Whaaat!? The knights report left Grett ck-jawed. He did n to battle the First Imperial Army in the near future, but not before Fort Bryden was dealt with. He had no intention of starting anything before the fortress was conquered. They have already reached the center of our formation!! We urgently await orders!! S-Stop them immediately!! Do not let those traitorse any closer!! The Second Imperial Army boasted twice the numbers of the First, but the sudden attack had destroyed their numerical advantage. After Gretts orders their counterattack finally started, but the heart of the Second Imperial Armys formation had already fallen into a chaotic battle between the soldiers of both sides. SHIIIT! SHIT SHIT SHIT! LARS, YOU GODDAMN IDIOT!!! Gretts enraged yelling echoed from the Second Imperial Armys camp. The battle between the two imperial armies had quickly reached a state of utter chaos: they were both speedily heading to total annihtion. Looking down on them from the northern walls, I spoke to the man standing behind me Oboro. Looks like everything went well. Indeed. Those two must have done a good job. Rightmay their souls rest in peace. I closed my eyes and fell silent for a while, sincerely praying for those who had given their lives for the sake of House Maxwell. Oboro too chanted a prayer for his fallen subordinates. I must say I did not expect things to proceed so smoothly, Young Master. Lars Baal must be rather dull in the head. Well, I guess so. I nodded to Oboros words. The First Imperial Army had suddenly attacked the Second which meant my n had worked. The messenger from Grett who made an attempt on Lars Baals life was actually a Fangs of Steel assassin I had ordered to infiltrate the Imperial Army. He pretended to attack Lars on Gretts orders, to spark a conflict between the two imperial armies. No matter how impulsive and thoughtless Lars Baal might be, If he still retained the ability to make a calm decision, he would have easily seen through this divide and conquer scheme. In thest week of fighting, however, only Lars First Imperial Army was on the receiving end of our poison and gunpowder: his distrust of the Second Imperial Army surely peaked. The frustration from their struggle also helped cloud his vision and hide something he would have normally spotted. We have to say thanks to Snowe Halphas for really double crossing them. An ally turned traitor is a lot more hateful than someone who was an enemy from the start, after all. When our spies in the empire reported about the possibility of Snowe Halphas betrayal, I was so overjoyed I took Sakuyas hands and did a little dance, then and there. Snowe had inherited his older brothers talent as Wise General and was quite the tactician, or so I had heard. If he had remained at Lars side, they might have seen through this n. I did not know the reasons behind his betrayal maybe personal interest, maybe self-preservation. The betrayal of the man trusted as a strategist, however, cost Lars his judgment: the conflict with Grett became inevitable. Brothers that dont get along going to war together were wrong from the start, anyway. In the history book a thousand years from now, Snowe Halphas will be recorded as a rebel who drove the empire to its downfall, I imagine. The fate of a traitorwhat cruelty. Oboro sped his hands and whispered, with pity in his voice. Anyway, he gave us a chance. Lets use it the best we can. I looked down at the fortress. The Maxwell forces were already gathered at the northern gate, ready to strike the enemy at any time. At the eastern walls, Ladd Efreeta was ready to depart too. Once I gave the signal, we were going to catch the First and Second Imperial Armies in a pincer attack. My hot-blooded friend was probably chomping at the bit, waiting for my order. All exciting battles too muste to an endtime for the grand finale! As the war horns blow, the gates open and the Maxwell cavalry bolts outside. I watched them and grin a fanged smile, then jumped down from the walls and onto my trusted steed. I will go too! The Imperial Princes head is mine!! Thus, the war between the Baal Empire and Lamperouge Kingdom drew to an end The victor of this unprecedented battle was! Volume 2 - Ch 34 POV: Rajang Szar The First and Second Imperial Armies were fighting fiercely against each other. The Maxwell forces then joined the fray, plunging the battlefield intoplete chaos. Watching it all unfold from a distance, I sighed. Howhow utterly foolish. Those are the Imperial Princes, supposed to shoulder the future of our empire? I, Rajang Szar, had the position of Captain of the Imperial Knights. Thete emperor Perbiar Baal was an old friend of mine: I was his first retainer. After joining the imperial army, I fought with all I had for the sake of the Baal empire,peting in military achievements with warriors such as Bjorc Zagann, the man who would beter hailed as hero. I was at Perbiars side in hisst moments: before he passed, my good friend gave me a final message or should I say, his will. Please protect my daughter Rosselliaand assist the son who will inherit the throne. (In the end, I could not fulfill either promise. Rossellia is in enemy hands and the two heirs ended up like thatwhat was my life as a knight for?) You seem to be terribly downhearted, dear father. Shana. As I was watching the chaotic battlefield, Shana Szar approached me. My daughter, who had quit the knights and disappeared somewhere several years ago. She had grown past my memories of her, now resembling herte mother more and more. Her bellicose spirit, however, was as bright as ever: the thirst for battle in her eyes and the hand that clenched hernce was clear, as she looked at the fighting soldiers. Father, are you not going to assist Lars and Grett? At this rate, Maxwell is going to trample all over both of them. after receiving something like this, how could I? I had a letter in my hands, delivered a short while ago by my daughter. A letter of usation, penned by Princess Rossellia. The usation stated that Dyngir Maxwell had saved her life from assassins sent by Lars Baal. That Grett Baal had coveted her body ever since she was a child. After learning such things, how could I ever assist either of them? Shana. Is Princess Rossellia truly safe? Do not tell me that House Maxwell has I sincerely wished that she had been threatened by Maxwell, forced to write a letter of lies. Shana, however, dashed all such hopes. She is, Father. I swear on mynce. Dyngir Maxwell has notid a finger on her. I seeif you say you swear on yournce, that has to be the truth. I abandoned all hope and my shoulders dropped. The shadows looming over Princess Rossellia the one person I had to protect were cast by her brothers, Lars and Grett. In addition, she was now in the protection of an enemy of the empire, Dyngir Maxwell. How could I fight against House Maxwell while knowing this? we Imperial Knights will now withdraw. Should either Lars or Grett survive, and be the next emperor? Or will Sloth inherit the throne? I cannot tell anymore. May the heavens decide their fate. I believe that is a wise decision, Father. I shall take my leave, then. Wait. You too are going to fight against the empire? Shana headed for the battlefield, but I stopped her. She was born and raised in the empire, how could she turn against her homnd? Without a shred of hesitation? Do you truly need to ask? I am Dyngir Maxwells bodyguard, nothing more than ance in his arsenal. Does ance choose the target it will pierce? You have no doubts, I see. I envy you, my child. I truly did, from the bottom of my heart. How wonderful would it be to be able to fight the enemy without a second thought, just like my daughter. I was a mere warrior before since when have I been gued by these unnecessary grievances? I suppose it is not possible once you start leading others. I always hated that kind of thing, thats why I decided to be an adventurer. That might be trueShana, please watch over Lady Rossellia. Ande back home every once in a whileat least to visit your mothers grave. Yes, in the near futureI might be able to introduce you to your grandchild then, I trust that is fine with you. Naturally, Ill be looking forward towait, what!? I couldnt help but shout after my daughters shocking revtion. Did she really say what I think she did!? Stay healthy, Father! W-Wait!! Waitwaitwait!! Exin, now!! Who is the man!? Is it Dyngir Maxwell?? Or someone else!? Exin before you goooooo!!! Despite my desperate pleas, Shana rushed to the battlefield without looking back. It would be one whole year before my daughter would finally return home one whole year of apprehension and wringing hands. Volume 2 - Ch 35 I-Its Maxwell!!!! Run!! RUUUUN!!! GET OUT OF THE WAY, SMALL FRY!! The Maxwell cavalry, led by Ladd Efreeta, barged into the First and Second Imperial Armies battlefield. The sudden assault of this third party plunged the already stormy battlefield into even further chaos. We have two heads to take! Lars Baal and Grett Baal! You can smash the rest however you want! YES SIR!! The Second Imperial Army was already shaken by the sudden assault suffered at the hands of their supposed allies, while the First Imperial Army was eager to take them down. Both sides of the Imperial Army, however, were now haphazardly running away from the Maxwell knights. Ladd tore through the battlefield, easily swatting away any stragglers. Whether it came from his judgment as amander or animal instinct, it is not known, but he proceeded straight towards Lars Baal. Gh..! How can they be so fast!? Did Maxwell anticipate our actions!? Lars growled, surprised by the unexpected speed of the Maxwell forces advance. He knew that conflict within the Imperial Army would have given an advantage to House Maxwell; because of that, he nned to take Gretts head in one swift assault, then use the momentum to turn the army around and away from the battlefield. The conquest of Fort Bryden would have to wait, but as long as he could eliminate Grett, Lars could be emperor even without taking down the Lamperouge Kingdom. Lars quick decision was based on this n; he could not foresee, however, that the Maxwell forces would leave the fort to attack them, as if they knew from the start that the First and Second Imperial Army were going to fight among themselves. A chilling premonition ran down Lars back: either theypletely saw through his ns, or he had been manipted. There is no other choicewe must take down both the Second Imperial Army and the Maxwell forces! In a way, the fact that the Maxwell forces had left the fort was also a chance. If Lars forces could ovee this battle, they would triumph over both Grett and House Maxwell. Men, this is a chance like none other! Give it our all!! Yes, my Prince!! The First Imperial Army shall be at Your side, until ourst breath!! Less than one-tenth of the total numbers of the First Imperial Army, however, stood their ground and continued fighting. All of them, however, were elite soldiers ready to give their lives for Lars. Sword andnce in hand, the soldiers surrounded Lars to cover him from all sides, shing against the Maxwell knights head on. The battle between the First Imperial Army and the Maxwell cavalrysted about one hour. YESS!! ITS OUR WIN!!! WOOOOOOHHHH!!! Ladds spear shot in the air as he shouted, followed by his troops victory cry. The corpses of the First Imperial Army soldiers were strewn all around them. Thiscant beII cant lose!! Im thefuture emperor!! The First Imperial Prince, Lars Baal too was among the lifeless bodies. Themander of the losing army was gravely wounded, but still clinging to life. He was lying face up on the ground, muttering under his breath as if he was chanting a spell. Wherewhere did I go wrong? Was Inot destined to be emperor? No point in asking any of that to me, buddy. Ladd scoffed at the wheezing Lars. Who cares about right and wrong? We were stronger, so we won. Not enough of a reason for you? Youbastard! How could a barbarianwithout ambitionhope to understand!? For Zagannfor all the menwho fell before meI have to beemperor!! You royals sure have it tough, huh. Good thing my family is from the countryside, I guess. Ladd shrugged and thrusted hisnce in the ground, drawing his sword instead. They told me I dont have to take you prisoner, but Im not one to torment loserswhat do you want to do? Ill patch you up if youll stay quiet. Gah!! Lars expression twisted in humiliation and he red at Ladd. There was no chance of his fate turning around anymore: he would not be emperor or grasp anything anymore. cut me down. Lars uttered the words, a pained expression on his face. I couldntgrant their wishI couldnt be emperorthento die as equals, on the battlefieldis the least I can do Sure, as you wish. Ladd twirled his sword, pointing the de downwards, and thrusted it in Lars chest without hesitation. Gh You guys lost in the end, but thatst spurt of spirit you showed was pretty impressive. As the Young Master would say, youve earned the right to rest, I guess. Ladd took out his sword and praised Lars though there was no one that could listen anymore. Lars Baal, First Prince of the Baal Empire, had fallen in the enemy territory. The First Imperial Army, sworn enemy of House Maxwell for years, thus met its demise. Volume 2 - Ch 36 H-H-EEEEK! Y-You damned fools!! As if I could die in a ce like this!! In the frenzied battlefield, after the Maxwell cavalrys entrance, a shadow was scurrying away like a rat. How dare you do this to me, Dyngir Maxwell!! Rest assured, Im going to have your head on a tter!! The crazed shrieking was produced by Lars Baal former attendant in the First Imperial Army Snowe Halphas. After his collusion with Grett Baal was discovered, he had been captured, restrained, and locked in a corner of the camp. His pale white body was marked purple by the ropes and the traces of torture at the hands of his formerpanions. Taking advantage of the confusion caused by the battle, Snowe managed to escape. He ripped bloodied clothes from the corpses and used them to camouge himself, sometimes ying dead, in order to evade the Maxwell forces attention. No, I cant die here!! Im going to destroy House Maxwell and surpass my brother! I cant die for a worthless man like that Lars!! Snowe, seething words of poison from his mouth, was trying to get away from the battlefield as quickly as possible. The face of the former finest mind of the First Imperial Army was now twisted by hatred and paranoia. Yesyes, its not over yet! Once I return to the empire, I can! Ill serve Cerros Baal, use my intelligence to make him emperorno no, even better, I could gather all those who resent the empire, create a rebellious force and found a new country! Haha, yes, and Ill be king! Snowe grinned ecstatically while lost in absurd delusions. He dragged his feet away from the battlefield, the cries and shing of weapons fainter and fainter in his ears. Thinking he was out of danger, Snowe smiled. I did it, Im saved! Serves you right, Lars Baal, you hopeless fool!! As if someone like you could kill me!! I will return to the empire, while Maxwell crushes you like the bug you are!! Hyahahaha!! Serves you riiiight!! Snowe cackled as if he had lost all reason. Lars Baal had probably fallen to the Maxwell knights by this time. The man who dared treat him like a criminal was dead, while he was free and alive. Such a reversal of fates filled Snowe with joy. Hyahyahya!! HYAHAAHA! Hyahah? A damp sound was heard from Snowes chest. Terrified, he looked down and found a piece of edged metal poking out. A red stain was gradually growingrger. He realized the lukewarm fresh blood was his own, and screamed. AhahAAAAHHHHH!! Hm? Oh, youre still alive? It was a womans perplexed voice. Snowe fearfully turned around and found a silver-haired maiden. I thought I found a walking corpse, so I decided I had to do the merciful thing and send them to the afterlifebut youre just a survivor, arent you. To point a de at someone whose lost all will to fight is a warriors shamethat was careless of me. Y-Youare Snowe had seen the woman before: she was Shaza Szar, former member of the Imperial Knights and daughter of the current captain. With a sigh, Shana pulled hernce out of Snowes body. Ghah! Well, no use crying over spilt milk. Ill pray for you, so forgive me, all right? Whatare you Blood gushed from Snowes mouth. (NO!! I still havent surpassed my brother!! I havent avenged him!! I cant die in a ce like this!) NnoI dont want todie Hmm, well, thats a problem. The battlefield is the graveyard of those who do not want to die, though, as they say. Just imagine that youve bumped into a grim reaper and give up. NoI cant Tears welled at Snowes eyes. Ambition, revenge, everything vanished like mist, as life abandoned the body of the young Wise General. After offering a silent prayer for Snowe, Shana left to continue her search of the battlefield. Thiscantwhy did I (If it was going to be like thisI shouldnt have betrayed them in the first ce!) Snowe Halphas drew hisst breath, his mind upied by regrets. Shana, her back turned towards him, cocked her head. I wonder who that was, anyway. He kind of acted like he knew mehmm, cant remember. Shana had taken the life of the mastermind behind the assassination of Rossellia Baal, her former master without knowing. Thus fell Snowe Halphas, the historic traitor who sparked the fall of the Baal Empire. Volume 2 - Ch 37 W-Where should I run to now!? In the Second Imperial Army encampment, the Second Imperial Prince Grett Baal was scurrying left and right. The reason why he was still in his armys camp, without running awaywas certainly not because he was resolved to face the First Imperial Army or the Maxwell forces head-on. But the simple fact that fighting had broken out all around the camp, leaving no room for escape. Your Highness, please calm down! Our defeat hasnt been decided yet! If we exert all our powers, we can easily crush those Maxwell peons, and You absolute fool! The First Imperial Army turned against us and for some reason the Imperial Knights wonte to our aid! How can we hope to fight, isted as we are? All hopes for an imperial victory at Fort Bryden were already gone. Grett did not consider fighting to be an option anymore and focused only on how to escape. Aside from his humanity orck thereof , Grett Baal was a fairly shrewd politician. How he quickly gave up on fighting the northern nomads and built the great wall instead, or his ability in making many imperial nobles and merchants his allies, proved that he was a worthy candidate for the throne. His skills as militarymander, however, were the opposite. Unlike Lars Baal, he had received little to no martial training and was now experiencing an enemy attack up close for the first time ever. Thrown into utter disarray by this new experience, Grett had lost what little ability he had to lead his troops. The Maxwell forces are right outside our camp!! We urgently require orders, Your Highness!! E-Eeek!? W-What!? I dont know!! I dont know anything!! Do something about it yourselves!! Gh! Men, we must stop them!! The Second Imperial Army knight quickly realized Grett had bepletely useless and started giving orders to the troops. I-Im not supposed to die in a ce like thishow could something superior like me diein such a stupid way? Grett held his head in his hands, his whole body shaking violently. It wasnt supposed to go like that. The massive imperial allied army should have crushed Fort Bryden, and in the meantime hed have found an opening to kill Lars. Afterwards, he would have traded the fort with Rossellia and returned to the empire in triumph. With his one rival gone, the throne was his for the taking: Grett was going to be the emperor, with the most beautiful woman in the world as his empress. That was the vision he had painted in his mind. A future nowpletely shattered, with the de of death pointed at his throat instead. (There has to be a way to turn this situationyes!!) Grett raised his head, as if he had received a divine revtion. I will return to my tent for the time being. You stay here and contain the Maxwell forces, as long as possible. B-But, sire Was I not clear enough? Hold them off until yourst breath. You are not allowed to retreat or surrender. Now then Grett said what he wanted and immediately entered his tent, without waiting for a reply. The armysmander was thus gone, leaving the knightspletely baffled. Whatare we supposed to do now? The soldiers looked at the vicemander, perplexed. With Grett gone, he was now the armys impromptu supreme officer. whatever you want. If you have loyalty to honor, go out and fight. If you have someone waiting for you back home, run away. You wont be punished, just go! Y-Yes Sir!! In the end, only one third of the total forces remained. The Second Imperial Army, now decisively smaller in numbers, readied their weapons to fight the Maxwell army. I really picked the wrong person to serve. A couple skirmishes and Ill surrender. The vicemander let out a long sigh and tightened the grip on his spear. Yes, this is it! Back in his tent, Grett Baal fervently rummaged through his luggage, eventually finding what he was looking for: a palm-sized purple crystal sphere, a magic tool he had paid a hefty price for. Hahaha! I am fated to survive, after all! The gods have extended a helping hand to save me from danger! Special individuals possess special fates: Grett, who was born as imperial prince and had lived a very special life, firmly believed in those words. As someone chosen by fate, he wouldnt fall in such a pitiful ce. No matter the danger or cmity, he would surely survive in the end. You better remember this day, Dyngir Maxwell!! I shall have the pleasure of destroying you in our next battle. Until then, Rossellia You looking for me, Mr. Second Prince? Eek!? Someone had called his name out of the blue. Grett turned around and shrieked. W-W-W-Who in zes are you!? A Maxwell soldier!? NopeIm not a soldier, nor a knightbut Maxwell himself. T-This cant be!! Grett Baal turned pale as a sheet. The man drew his sword and pointed it at the prince. Dyngir Maxwell, at your service. For the little time you have left, at least. Looking at the cornered enemymander, the man*I* introduced myself. Volume 2 - Ch 38 W-What are the soldiers doing!? How could youe all the way here!? Either knocked out or surrendered. It turns out theyre sick of serving a master that couldnt care less about them. Those useless morons! Grett clenched his teeth so hard they made grinding sounds. The Second Imperial Prince, presently a living impersonation of anger and frustration, had a very thin, almost skeletal physique and aplexion that seemed all but healthy, especially at the moment. (They might be siblings, but he doesnt look like Rossellia at all. Lars was also huge and muscrthe Baal bloodline is prettyplicated, I guess.) After briefly mulling over the mysteries of human gics, I pronounced Gretts judgment. Well then. Asmander of a defeated army, you know what awaits, right? You came here eager to trample Maxwell territory, youre not thinking youll get off scot-free, do you? D-Do you know who youre talking to!? Im the Prince of the Baal Empire! The future emperor!! Theres no way I can die in a ce like If you lose on the battlefield, you die whether youre a prince or a ve, it doesnt matter. The rules of war dont change because of something like bloodlines. RidiculousI have lost to a barbarian like you?! It cant be!! I will never, ever ept it!! Really now. I guess Ill have to make you ept it, then. Im going to use this sword and carve your defeat on your own body. I raised my sword and Grett shook even more. I could hear his teeth rattle in his mouth as he backed away from me. Youre supposed to be themander here, how can you tremble like that just because they pointed a sword at you? You have to be worth at least more than that. S-Silence!! I am not going to die in a ce like this!! I will be emperor and make Rossellia mine!! Grett then raised the sphere over his head. The crystal sphere, colored in a purple so deep it seemed to absorb all light, reflected the princes twisted expression. A magic tool! Haha!! HAHAHAHA!!! I will not die here!! Know your ce, scum!! Tch! I didnt know what effect the magic tool had, but the best solution was to destroy it as soon as possible. I quickly stepped closer to Grett and swung my sword. Hermes!! Siegfried!! My sword was surely going to cleave through Grett, but the crystal sphere let out a dazzling purple glow, which swallowed him. I didnt stop my momentum and cut through the purple light and Grett together. With a sharp sound, the light that filled the tent disappeared. Once it waspletely gone he disappeared? Grett was nowhere to be seen: I was alone in the tent. The purple crystal sphere, rolling on the ground, showed a visible crack. I looked at my sword and found the de stained red. This has to be an instant movement magic tool. He wentto the empire, I guess. I clicked my tongue and picked up the purple sphere. It looked like it would shatter to pieces at any moment, so I thought it unlikely it could be used again. Damn, I really lost himLadds never going to let me live this down I left Gretts tent, cursing under my breath. Well, not everything went as nnedwhats going to happen now? The battle had dealt a heavy blow to the imperial military power. If the empire was going to copse like this, we could take advantage of the confusion and grab more territory. If Cerros Baal became emperor and tried to rebuild what they lost, instead, we could gain financialpensation and more territory via post-war negotiations. Rossellia would definitely be at my side and Cerros is known as a pacifist, so hed probably ept our requests without a fuss. Or at least that was the n: now that Grett has escaped, things might change. With all the pride he has, Gretts never going to let House Maxwell just take more territory. He mighte attacking again instead, to dispel the humiliation he suffered at our hands. I didnt think we were going to lose, but a longer war meant we would use more resources, which was never positive. I really want to settle it in negotiationbut could it work? I sighed, my shoulders dropping, as I headed to rejoin the knights waiting outside the tent. I hopped on my steed and we returned to Fort Bryden, prisoners in tow. Thus, the battle between House Maxwell and the Imperial Allied Army over Fort Bryden ended in a crushing victory for House Maxwell. The First and Second Imperial Armies were both decimated. The Baal Empire saw its power and authority severely diminished, and was now headed on a thorny path towards destruction. or so it was supposed to: the empires circumstances did change drastically, but in a way I had not expected at all. Volume 2 - Ch 39 POV: Grett Baal GWAAAHHH!?! Blood trickled continuously from the wound. I dropped to my knees and clenched my chest. D-DAMN YOU!!! Dyngir Maxwell!! I-Im going to kill you!! Tear you to pieces!! With my own haaands!! I was teleported at the same time of the attack: thanks to that, the wound was not too deep. Never in my life, however, had I ever been hurt in such a manner, so my heart, mind and mouth overflowed with hatred for Dyngir Maxwell. Hermes, the magic tool that I had used to escape, allowed the user to return immediately to a previously visited location. I had spent half of my territories tax revenue to acquire it, but thanks to that I could escape from such a dire emergency. The ce I was transported to was my office in the imperial capital. I staggered to my desk, took a Potion from the drawer and swallowed it in one gulp. Ghhaahshithow could something like that happenthat man, not only did he kidnap Rossellia, he even dared threaten someone as noble as Ihe deserves a thousand deaths!! Thanks to the recovery potion, I could feel the pain disappear rapidly and my mind clear up. I was going to kill Dyngir Maxwell, naturally. Take back Rossellia and make her my bride. The battle was lost because that imbecile Lars lost his mind, but, for the future Baal Emperor, crushing a filthy country noble like that would be childs y. There is no way I could ever lose to the likes of Maxwellyes, this mistake must be corrected. Thankfully, Lars is missing: I will proim him dead, ascend to the throne, and Once emperor, I would have the empires whole military power at my fingertips. The First and Second Imperial Armies have suffered heavy losses, but there still were plenty of reserves in the defense troops. The Third Imperial Army was surely unscathed too: the empire still had more than enough military power at its disposal. There is no time to lose, thenhahajust you wait, Dyngir Maxwell. Ille again for you immediately, and this time you will fall I made sure my wound healed and left my office. The atmosphere in the imperial court was strangely frantic: perplexed, I stopped one of the functionaries running around. You there, stop! Eh? Me? IPrince Grett!? But the campaign to Lamperouge I just returned. More importantly, Lars fell in battle against House Maxwell. I am thus forced to take the mantle of next emperor and That is simply perfect! Oh, its horrible, Sire! The functionary suddenly interrupted me, shouting. Horrible? What is? Could news of our defeat at Fort Bryden have already reached the capital? So I wondered as I pressed the functionary for information, but his answer was wholly unexpected. Rebellion, Sire!! Prince Cerros is leading the Third Imperial Army against the capital!! W-What!? Nonsense!! Shocked and appalled, I shouted to the ceiling. My brother Cerros was the incarnation of sloth: he didnt have a shred of ambition in his body. He was officially one of the candidates for the throne but just in name: There was no real chance he could be emperor. Prince Cerros has already surrounded the capital! The Imperial Knights are holding them back for the moment, but with Captain Szar absent, they wontst long! That cant be! There should be more than enough troops left to defend the capital!! The main force of the Imperial Knights had indeed rode to Fort Bryden, but there should be a good number of defense troops left. Even if the Third Imperial Army attacked in full force, the capital should be able to resist at least one month. N-No, the enemy isnt only the Third Imperial Army, there are soldiers from Huang too!! W-Whaaat!?! The Huang Dynasty, a country located to the east of the empire, was supposed to be an enemy state, which frequently shed against Cerros and his Third Imperial Army. Did he sell the empire to the enemy!? That filthy traitor!! I clenched and gnashed my teeth. I never thought Cerros could be colluding with the enemy. I had severely underestimated thatzy good-for-nothing. Prince Cerros stated that if we surrender the capital, hell spare the lives of all soldiers and citizens. We could open the gates and Absolutely not!! I shouted before even thinking about it. Even if Cerros really nned not to kill the people of the capital, he would surely not spare his rival to the throne. (If that moron catches me, hell have me executed for the world to see! That cannot happenbut what should I?) The capitals defense troops could probably hold the Third Imperial Army at bay for a little while, but not if reinforcements from Huang joined forces with them. However, there had to be a way to turn this situation on its head Yesyes, there is one!! That should still be here in court!! P-Prince Grett!? I shall deal with Cerros! Let everyone know!! So I ordered the functionary, and started running down the court corridor. I did not exercise often, so my lungs quickly wept in pain. Thest time I ran at full speed was probably during my childhood. Hah..hahhahhahahayes!! I am the future emperor!! That gives me the right to use the secret treasure only allowed for the emperor!! I entered one of the courts buildings the imperial mausoleum, where the remains of all past emperors had been buried. I walked down the white marble halls, until I reached the end of the hall and the grave of the first emperor. Hahahahahahahayou are going to regret what you didyou, Cerros, and Dyngir Maxwell tooI will massacre anyone that dares stand in my way!!! Encased on the grave of the first emperor, Zebul Baal, there was a transparent gem. I took out a pocket knife and cut my palm with it, then pressed the wound against the gem. Soon enough, my blood filled the gem, turning it deeply red. A rumbling sound rose in the mausoleum. The marble walls shook and crumbled. Hahaha!! HAHAHAHA!!! I truly am the man chosen to be emperor!! The First Emperor, the whole world, the very gods are celebrating!! What I had activated was a magic tool handed down from emperor to emperor. The greatest magic tool, which the first emperor supposedly imed Shall be used only when the empire is on the brink of destruction. Come, Zeus! Divine Hammer of the Thunder Emperor!! I am your master, I am Emperor Baal!! Thus, the strongest magic weapon on earth was released, to annihte all those who challenged my im to the throne. Volume 2 - Ch 40 POV: Cerros Baal Hmm, one more day and theyll fly the white g, I guess. It all went pretty smooth, thanks to Captain Szar being away. Pretty frail, your capital.. The Third Imperial Army and Huang Dynasty forces had surrounded the capital. Watching over them from the rear, I was leisurely having a cup of tea with Xiao Mao. Three days had already passed since we started our siege. The Imperial Knights couldnt put up much of a resistance, since their main force was away, so nothing stood in our way as our forces surrounded the capital. The morale of the soldiers still protecting the capital was rather low, so they were surely going to surrender soon. You surprised me, though. Since when did you want to be emperor? Xiao Mao looked genuinely puzzled. Until now, I had spent most of my time in the eastern region of the empire, barely participating in the series of session disputes. Yet now, I hade attacking the capital to snatch away the title no wonder she was perplexed. Since never? I have no intention to be emperor, actually. I answered my retainers question withplete honesty. I never wanted to be emperor, and never will. But it doesnt matter which of my two brothers, Lars and Grett, gets the throne our future prospects are pitch ck either way. In order to uphold my current lifestyle good wine, prettydies and fun in general I guess I have to be emperor and get rid of all the nuisances, see? And so, you take it with brute force? Pretty drastic. I wouldnt have done this if those two didnt show me an opening this big. Not only the First and Second Imperial Armies, but even the Imperial Knights are almost all out now! Seriously, its like theyre begging me to steal the throne. I honestly thought so. I didnt know how badly they wanted to take down House Maxwell, but they should have left at least the Imperial Knights to protect the capital. They were the empires greatest defensive force, thest bastion. Mobilizing them was like saying that the empire was finished. I bet no one in court really understood how much despair the capital people felt by seeing them leave. (I did take advantage of this anxiety though, so I guess Im not one to speak.) Gahahaha!! The central authorities are the same bastards everywhere! Always thinking they know everything while they manage colossal failures! The boastful interjection in our conversation came from Ragoh, general of the Huang western forces and my drinking buddy. Even now, he took a big swig from the jar he was holding andughed heartily. They never think they might get involved in war, not until their own asses start burning. Thats why they can give ridiculous orders without thinking of the future! And us, the people on the field, are always the ones paying the price! Right, rightI dont know if the invading army won against House Maxwell, but those soldiers are pitiful too Damn straight! But more importantly, Cerros, you remember our promise, right? Of course I do, Ragoh, my guy. Im the kind of man who always keeps his word. The condition for the Huang forces to join this battle was a secret agreement between Ragoh and me: when he rebelled against Huangs central government and dered the western region independent, the Baal Empire would provide support. Ragoh himself used to serve in central Huang as a general, but he lost some petty political squabble and was demoted to the western regions. He deeply resented it, and was always looking for a chance to secede from Huang. (Which would sit perfectly right by me. If Ragoh bes king of an independent state made by Huangs west region, wed get a buffer zone between Baal and the rest of Huang. Our empire and the dynasty wouldnt sh directly anymore.) Cerros greatest concern in regards to bing emperor was the weakening of the empires military power, which would undoubtedly invite foreign invasion. The nomads in the north were kept out by Gretts wall and the kingdom of Lamperouge was still in disarray due to the young kings coronation. The Huang Dynasty thest menace splitting and falling into a civil war was the best development he could hope for. Friends are mans greatest treasure, as they say. I feel so blessed! As I deeply appreciated the value of friendship, Ragohughed and took a swig, again, while Xiao sipped on her tea with a sigh. A scene far too peaceful to belong on the battlefield a discrepancy quickly rectified by a massive tremor. W-Whoa!? Cerros!! W-What the? The area around the capital was not prone to earthquakes; after the unprecedented shaking, I looked around and saw something incredible over the capital. What the hell isthat? Its atower? Beyond the walls surrounding the capital right where the imperial court was located, now stood a gigantic tower a tower that pierced the clouds higher with every tremor. We could only look up, speechless. Eventually, the earth settled down and the tower was three times taller. can it bethe Tower of BabelZeus? Still dumbfounded, I whispered the towers name. Volume 2 - Ch 41 POV: Cerros Baal Zeus, the Divine Hammer of the Thunder Emperor, also known as the Tower of Babel. That was the name of the magic tool used by the first emperor of Baal to destroy the country that upied thisnd and found his own empire. Before making himself emperor, Zebul Baal was an adventurer: while traveling through the ins in this area, he discovered a new kind of ancient ruins. Zebul explored the ruins with hisrades and found a certain device in the deepest part of the ruins. He managed to activate it and a gigantic tower rose from the earth, which granted him godly powers. Zebul used this overwhelming power to build his own empire, then annihted and annexed the surrounding countries, one after the other. The god-like power, however, required a price to pay: because of this, Zebul dered Zeus a taboo magic tool and hid it deep in the imperial court. Who could have broken the seal? Lars and Grett are both supposed to be away! The seal ced on Zeus required the blood of the first emperor or his descendants, who now numbered four individuals: Lars, Grett, Rossellia and myself. Lars and Grett were both out west, Rosselia had been kidnapped, and I was here. There shouldnt be anyone in court capable of breaking the seal. N-No! Theres no time to think! Order all troops to retreat, now!! What the hell are you saying!? The capital is almost in our hands! Is that tower so dangerous!? Hell yes it is!! If it really has the power the legends say Before I could finish my sentence, a blinding sh shot from the tower. Shortly followed by a rain of thunderbolts on our siege troops. W-WAAAHHHHH!!! T-THUNDER!?! A seemingly endless barrage of thunderbolts rained on the Third Imperial Army and the Huang forces. The troops and battalions crumbled, helpless. Damn! Just like the legends! Zeus, the empires strongest magic tool, made it possible to rain thunder at will. Its power was as devastating as it sounded as we were just forced to witness. No matter what powerful warriors one might lead, there was no way to resist such godlike power. Our two armies were quickly decimated, scattering the surviving soldiers in all directions. Dont stop running!! Throw away your weapons if you must, just run!! And stay alive!! Cerros!! What you doing?? You run too!! I know! Kh!! GWAAAHHHH!! A thunder struck the rear guard, where we were located. Ragoh, standing next to me, was directly struck and copsed on the ground, charred ck. The friend I wasughing with just minutes ago, was gone so easily. They could probably tell I was here. I had no way to escape. I looked at the tower continuously firing its thunderbolts and sighed. Well damnpretty short reign I had. Cerros!!! Xiao Mao shoved me on the ground and covered me. Our ovepping bodies were then struck without mercy by lightning. Volume 2 - Ch 42 One week after the battle of Fort Bryden, I was still busy dealing with the aftermath. Even if it was a crushing victory for House Maxwell, the soldiers and the fortress were certainly not unharmed. The dead had to be properly honored, the fortress repaired, the prisoners dealt with too many things to do, too little time. As heir to the Margrave, I took the lead in organizing all of the above. Finally, when the preparations reached a satisfactory point, I went to my private residence to visit Rossellia. My brother Lars isI see. I cannot apologize to youbut you have my condolences. This battle was started by the empire. I have no reason to bear resentment towards you, Lord Dyngir. Once informed of her brothers death, Rossellia did not lose herposure, but simply lowered her gaze. She was wearing a ck dress, as a symbol of mourning for the fallen imperial soldiers. Her blonde hair cascaded on the jet ck dress, as if rays of light piercing through the darkness. We were alone in the room: her attendants probably trusted me enough to leave us be for the moment. Could it be possible for my brothers remains to be sent back to the empire? I do not desecrate the dead without reason. Once the negotiations with the empire are finished, we will send him back. Thank you very much. I believe he will be able to rest in peace in our homnd. Rossellia paused for a moment, then changed the topic. Do you by chance know the empires current situation? My brother Grett is still alive, yes? Yeah, Im having our spies investigate as we speak. I want to get started with the negotiations alreadyif he epts, though. If Grett is still alive and in powerI doubt he would agree to a truce. Rossellia sighed. Grett always bore aplex toward Lars, who was more of a warrior, and is so prideful toohe would never ept losing to an enemy country. Im afraid he will gather all the remaining soldiers in the empire and attack Fort Bryden again. Thats the most likely oue, huh? I really should have killed him when I had the chance . Words far too cruel to speak in front of family: Rossellias expression was something words couldnt describe. Well, if he tries anything, well take him down for good. By the way, what do you n to do? I Rossellia fell silent for a short while. If possibleif you could allow it, Lord Dyngir, I would like to stay here a while longer Fine by me, but The recent battle was proof that Rossellia couldnt be used as a hostage against the empire. If she wished to return, Id have let her go, but BecauseIm scared to think of what Grett would do to me if I returned. I see. Not that I could ever understand the desire to do such things to your sister I would have been much happier with a brother like you, Lord Dyngiroh, pardon me, what nonsense am I sayinghehe. Hah, Im d were not siblings, though. There are things you cant do between brother and sister, after all. Things you cannot do? What might those be? Hmm, I wonder. Ill tell you when the timees. Very well, I will be looking forward to that time, then. Rossellia smiled sweetly, like a rose in bloom. The impulse of starting my teaching then and there ran through me for a moment, but I managed to suppress it somehow. Gh Lord Dyngir? Are you unwell? Rossellia, probably concerned by my strenuous efforts to hold back my desire, peeked at my face from up close. Her beautiful face was close enough that I could kiss her with ease. (Crap, this is bad) Do it. Just do it. You can think about the consequencester. Eh? Rossellia Lord Dyngir, may I? I was about to embrace the princess, when someone entered the room. I turned around and found a petite woman wearing a maid outfit. My apologies, Milord. It appears I came at the wrong time. .no, its fine. Did anything happen, Sakuya? My personal maid and Fangs of Steel assassin, Sakuya. She had a hawk perched on her shoulder and held a letter in her hands. A message just arrived from ourrades in the imperial capital. Please allow me to report. So, what happened? In brief, thunder. I see, the weather was bad. Why would they even mention the weather? I frowned and waited for Sakuya to continue. Yes. Thunder continues to fall even now. What? And it is likely to continue. Until that man eliminates all those who oppose him. Sakuyas bizarre report left Rossellia and me looking at each other, mystified. Volume 2 - Ch 43 I believe that is the magic tool called Zeus. After Sakuya finished her report, Rossellia spoke with a grave expression. It is said that the founding emperor, Baal Zebul, found it in a dungeon during his time as an adventurer. A divine weapon that allowed him to devastate small countries in the area and build his empire. A divine weapon? Thats a pretty amazing description. It may sound so, but if the legends are true, it deserves such a name. For a tower that can make it rain thunder, the moniker of divine weapon wasnt exaggerated, I thought. The endless thunderstorm could very well look like gods unleashing their fury on foolish humanity. Ive never heard of such a magic tool, though. I dont think theyve ever used it in the battles against Lamperouge. If such a magic tool had been used in the past, there would be imperial gs waving all over the Lamperouge territory by now. Even the impregnable Fort Bryden would have crumpled like paper before attacks from the sky. Zeus cannot be moved from the location it was first installed, so the range of its attacks is limited. The kingdom is probably outside that. Thats a relief, I thought we were done for. Furthermore, Zeus has a major side effector rather, I should say its activationes with a cost. That is why the founding emperor left word that it should never be used, unless the empire was on the verge of copse. A cost? I curiously asked and Rossellia nodded. That magic tool draws power from currents of energy flowing under the earth, transforms it into lightning and releases it. Its prolonged usage will cause trees and nts to wither, destroy harvests and turn the surroundings into a barren wastnd. I see, thats a steep price to pay. Even if you could win any war, if your country turned into a desert you might as well have lost. I too would ban the usage of a weapon that sacrificed thend and people we were supposed to protect. That matches our reports. The spies infiltrated in empire territory noted that the flora around the capital is withering and dying at an unnatural pace. After Rossellias exnation, Sakuya expanded on her report. I saw Rossellia turn pale. If Zeus continues to be used, the empire will copse. The capitalmaybe the whole empire will turn into a desert. The question is, is Grett Baal aware of that I suppose not. He did abandon his own army in order to save himself, after all. I wouldnt expect him to care for his citizens wellbeing. Sakuya nodded to my words. After annihting the Third Imperial Army and the Huang Dynasty forces, Grett Baal is targeting the nobles opposing him and the towns and viges that rebelled against him. Some court officials have attempted to dissuade him, but have all been executed. Oh heavens Thinking of her homnd and the destruction looming, Rossellia trembled. Oh Grettwhat can I do? In my experiencesomeone like him, who sees everyone else as inferior fools, will never listen to warnings or criticism. Either we wait for him to realize his mistakes, or stop him by force. . Well, anything goes for me, as long as he doesnt target House Maxwellbut who knows what will happen. I let out a deep sigh, then looked up at the ceiling. We had just gotten over a pretty bad situation, and an even worse one popped up. I will tell the spies to continue monitoring the situation. I will inform you as soon as we receive new information, my Lord. Im counting on you, Sakuya. I beg of you, please let me know too! I want to know what happens to the empire, to my homnd! Understood. I shall take my leave now. Sakuya left, without a sound, leaving only Rossellia and me in the room. Lord Dyngir, I Dont say any more. I realized what Rossellia was going to say and stopped her. Theres nothing you can do, even if you were in the empire right now. Just wait and see what happens for nowwho knows, the situation might improve even if we dont do anything. yesI shall pray for that to happen Rossellia held her hands together and lowered her head. Were the prayers of this angelic maiden going to reach the heavens? The answer was, indeed, something only the gods could know. Volume 2 - Ch 44 POV: Grett Baal I beg of you, Sire! If thends continue to dry at this rate, the people will starve! The tax collections will also decrease severely, please reconsider I fail to see the problem. Even if a few plebs die, it cant matter much, can it? Inside Zeus on the top floor of the tower of Babel, I was being forced to listen to the reports of my brainless subordinates. Though rather than reports, they were mostly pleas by local lords or the general popce. The two functionaries kneeling before me came for such reasons too. What they all kept saying could be summarized in just a few words: stop using Zeus. (Damned fools. Who would ever give up on divine power?) Zeus, the magic tool discovered by the first emperor and handed down in the Baal imperial family, had caused thend around the capital to dry up, due to its secondary effects. More and more people in the empire called for me to take responsibility, but I had no intention to let go of this power a power perfectly for an emperor. (This power simply begs to be used by me, as the gods chosen his is a weapon to be used by the greatest Baal emperorno, by the man that will be king of the world.) A divine power to rule over all and inflict punishment on whoever dared oppose it. How could I ever cast it away? In the vige of Naarb, to the south, a small revolt even broke out. Your Highness, we implore you to reconsider!! Please, Sire! The revolt might spread to the rest of the empire, and We just need to massacre the rebels, dont we? The vige ofNaarb, yes? I grinned and activated Zeus. Suddenly, a square window-like object appeared in front of me, which showed a map of the empire and surroundings. I searched the vige of Naarb and selected it. Immediately, a thunderbolt shot from the tower, flying southward at incredible speed. I could not physically see where itnded, but I could tell nheless, with absolute precision. The vige of rebels who dared oppose me had disappeared from the empire. The Naarb revolt has been quelled. If you have no other business, make yourself scarce. W-What!? That cannot be!! P-Prince!! How could you be so heartless!! Golem. ACKNOWLEDGED. The statue behind my seat rose in response to my order. The stone giant lifted its axe over the functionaries and struck without mercy. Ghah! Eeek.!! The gigantic weapon cleaved through the functionary, showering the other with blood. The surviving man fell and stared at the mindless executioner, with terror in his eyes. The stone giant was a magic tool called Stone Guardian Golem, ced in protection of this tower of Babel. It cant be taken outside, but it is alone worth more than 10 human soldiers. I will not tolerate more mistakes: I am Prince no more. You will address me as Emperor. M-My deepestapologieso Noble Emperor Very well. I shall not repeat myself any more. You may leave. with Your permission. The functionary scampered away, fleeing down the towers stairs. I watched him go, then leaned back on the imperial throne, which I had moved to the top of the tower. It is rather disheartening to be surrounded by idiots Yes, yes, truer words have never been spoken, Emperor Grett!! Saim Fulcas, one of my close retainers, approached me while rubbing his hands. Thanks to Emperor Gretts divine power, the empire is truly uniting as one. As expected of the founders sessor! I am witnessing history in the making! Hah, that much is obvious. I nodded with confidence. In order to govern the vast Baal empire, it is necessary to wield a power so overwhelming as to erase any will to rebel. And such power must be shown and known to one and all. As all those who revolt against me are purged, the citizens will turn into loyal puppets soon enough. But more importantly Fulcas, how is that matter proceeding? W-W-Well, Your Highnessafter the most recent defeat, it is actually quite difficult to gather more soldiers A defeat against that puny House Maxwell is a blemish on our empire, something that must be erased with the greatest urgency lest the empires glory be tarnished forever. Prepare for the campaign, now. Unfortunately, the Maxwell territory, far to the west from the capital, is outside Zeus range. In order to attack House Maxwell, I am forced to use military power instead of this magic tool. We must annihte House Maxwell and recover Rossellia as soon as possible. The greatest emperor requires the most beautiful empress, after all. Naturally, Sire. However, in order to assemble a great military force we will need rations as well Fulcas words trailed off as he scratched his balding head. I red at the ancient man and issued an order without hesitation. Issue a conscription order for all of the empires young men. Make the viges produce the rations, then take the rest from the Maxwell territories. The soldiers will surely do their utmost, since they will not be able to eat if they dont win against House Maxwell. I see, I see, that is most certainly true. I shall proceed immediately. Conscripting the young men will create a force of about 200,000. Against such arge army, the Maxwell province will be razed in mere seconds. Hahahait is time to pay for making a fool out of me. Dyngir Maxwell! Do not think I will let you die easilyI shall prepare the most gruesome execution just for you From the top of the tower, I red at the western skies, relishing the prospect of torturing and executing my hated nemesis. Volume 2 - Ch 45 and that is all. The empire seems to be in a state of serious confusion. 200,000!? I cant even imagine how Sakuyas report had me hold my temples I felt as if I was getting a headache. In the empire, Grett Baal forcibly made himself emperor and wielded the power of Zeus in, effectively, a dictatorship. The area around the capital was rapidly withering, steadily influencing the crops. In addition, arge-scale conscription order had been issued: all males over 15 years old were forced to apply as soldiers. More than 50,000 had already been gathered, but the final amount was expected to be 200,000. How do they think theyre going to equip all those soldiers? And the rations toono, dont say anything. I got it. I didnt need to wait for Sakuyas answer to know. Currently, there was no way for the empire to feed an army 200,000 strong. Which meant that they would have to find nourishment abroad. That bastard wants to take away ournd!! Damn little!! .Lord Dyngir. I cannot begin to apologize for my brothers actions Sakuya and Rossellia were in the room with me. The first was as expressionless as usual, but Rossellia looked genuinely distraught. They are simply conscripted soldiers, I am sure they cannot measure up to House Maxwells forces. Im not worried about losing, thats for sure. But in war, numbers mean a lot. If 200,000 soldiersno, 200,000 ruffians invade our province, theyre going to cause serious damage. I cant ignore this, can I? The longer we have to deal with that idiot, the more money and soldiers it will cost us. We have to strike first this time. Do you mean to invade the empire? But Rossellia sounded apprehensive. Even if the empire itself was in disarray, Grett still had Zeus by his side. If we attempted an invasion, we would surely be met by a swift and brutal counterattack. With all due respect, I believe an assassination would be the best option. If you give the order Sakuya drew one of her poisoned darts, but I shook my head. Yeah, well go with assassination. But the Fangs of Steel dont need to actGrett Baal. Im going to kill that man with my own hands. What? Both Sakuya and Rossellia looked at me wide-eyed. An obvious reaction, considering the heir to the margrave just announced the intention to embark personally on an assassination. I waspletely serious, however. ording to the Fangs of Steels report, Grett Baal was holed up at the top of the tower and rarely ever left. The tower was patrolled by magic tools called Golems, so even skilled assassins like the Fangs of Steel would have a difficult time reaching him. Lord Dyngir, you mustnt! It is simply too dangerous!! How would you n on going into the empire? There are wanted posters of you all over the empire, and you would have to pass several checkpoints before you can arrive at the capital. You might be able to reach it without being found if you travel through the mountains and ins, but that would take a much longer time. Both girls tried to stop me, in their own way. Maybe because it had been quite a while since Rossellia started living in the Maxwell province, she and Sakuya had started to mesh well together. I know that Im saying something ridiculous, mind you. I bet the old man would get a stroke if he heard me. I imagined the reaction of my apprehensive father and smiled wryly. To tell the truth, however, I had decided to venture into the empire and wring Gretts neck with my own hands a while ago. (I guess Im more of a brat than I thoughtI still cant get over the fact that I let that bastard slip away from me. I wont be satisfied till I personally chase him down and cut his head off.) I truly felt sorry for my old man, but I couldnt be a proper adult just yet. I was going to travel to the empire very soon. In any case, we have to do something about Grett Baal. Half of our travel expenses are already paid, after allwe might as well respond to the invitation. Travelexpenses? Rossellia cocked her head, puzzled. I took out a cloth bundle and put it on the table. That is Something your brother forgot here. Something that should be able to take us to the empire in a sh. A transparent sphere with a crack down the side. The magic tool Hermes, which Grett Baal had used to escape from Fort Bryden. Volume 2 - Ch 46 After deciding to use the magic tool Hermes to sneak into the empire, I called a certain youngdy to my private residence. That youngdy was my former fiancee, Selena Nommes or what became of her: Diviner Kanna of the Fangs of Steel. Who is this youngdy? Rossellia, who saw her for the first time, asked me about Kannas identity. Her white hair and kimono were certainly not amon sight, so Rossellia seemed to be at a loss. Oh, shes my favorite fortune teller. Ive never been on a campaign in another country, you see, so I wanted to know what my fortune would be for the next battle. My name isKanna. I tell.fortunes..meow MMeow? Welldont mind her. I think one of her ancestors was a cat. Kanna sometimes produced strange animal-like voices, a quirk for which I was entirely to me. I-Is that soI never knew there were people that drew blood from cats abroadthis is a learning experience. Rossellia actually took the lie I came up with on the spot seriously and nodded, impressed. Once again, I realized that despite her intelligence, Rossellia was terribly ignorant about the outside world. I worried she was going to be tricked by a sleazy man and have something unspeakable happen to her. (Hopefully, that man will be me.) Putting that asideKanna. I want you to take a look at this magic tool. understood. I gave Hermes, wrapped in a bundle of cloth, to Kanna. She held it and stared at the sphere through the cloth, as if she was going to burn a hole in it. wingedgodHermesteleportationfive personscan goempirebutguide isnecessaryone more timethen break Five people can use it at the same time, but it will break after one more useI suppose? Looks like it. I nodded to Sakuyas summary. We had recently realized that Kanna awakening her talent as diviner also allowed her to appraise unknown magic tools. Magic tools were relics of the lost magic civilization: more often than not, there was no way to know how they could be used. This meant that most magic tools slept unused in storages, and that Kannas appraisal ability was an extremely precious gift. I honestly wondered if it could really work, all cracked like thatbut looks like itll be fine. We can only use it once, though. You wont be able toe back with it, Im afraid. Well just have to walk, or take a ship. Might as well do some sightseeing while were at it. I had my first battle against the empire five years ago, but I have never set foot on imperial soil. It wouldnt be bad to take a look around the enemys stronghold. The real issue is the guide. We have to take someone who has been to the empirewell, I guess Shanas the safest choice I will go! Rossellia interjected, a firm tone in her voice. Surprised, I turned towards her and found an equally serious expression on her angelic face. This wholemotion has been caused by the Baal imperial family. It is only right that it is settled by someone from the same family! I have been raised hidden deep in court and never had a chance to contribute to my country. Please allow me one final chance to do something for my homnd! Thats I paused for a moment. I could see the sad resolve in her eyes. Ive seen people with the same light in their eyes before: all people ready to throw away their lives in order to aplish something. Rossellia. I will not say that you do not have any responsibility in this. All people bear a degree of responsibility rted to their birth. But if youre nning to sacrifice yourself out of responsibility, I wont take you with me. But I If you really want me to take you, consider it a debt. Youll have to pay it back, together with us saving your life and all. Dont even think you can go die on your own, all right? you are certainly right. After you saved my life, I could not possibly die before repaying this debt of gratitude. Rossellias face then brightened in a beautiful smile, like a blooming flower kissed by sunlight. Yes, I will definitely repay this debt. Everything I have now, anything I might obtain in the future, I will offer it all to you, Milord.. Well said, very well said. I am going to reim everyst thing, so look forward to it. Hehe, I certainly will. Rossellia smiled cheerfully; she probably failed to realize the extent of the contract she had just signed. I now had her pledge, though: once the Grett business was done, I was going to savor it to my hearts content. The imperial suicide mission team, then, will be formed by Lord Dyngir, Lady Rossellia, myself Sakuya and I am going too, naturally. If the Princess goes, I will too! The door swung open and two women barged in the room: Shana and one of Rossellias attendants, Estia Sabnach. I wish to go as wellbut I would surely get in everyones way, so I shall pray for your safety here. The other attendant, Luna, was standing in the corridor, a frustrated expression on her face. The three imperial guests were all eavesdropping, apparently. peopleforced to danceancient weapongolemthunderfallscutbe carefulok? Kanna tottered next to me and looked up at my eyes. Looks like she was worried. Sure, thank you, Kanna. Meow, meow. I patted her head and Kanna purred back. Her expressions were as nk as ever, but as a whole she seemed to being together nicely. Hmphthats unfair. Lord Dyngir, I suggest you should pat my head too. Rossellia and Sakuya both approached me, looking dissatisfied. I could understand Sakuya, but Rossellia too? Okay then, time to go on our jolly trip to the empire! The souvenir will be Grett Baals head! Our five-member groups departure was thus decided. The war between the Kingdom of Lamperouge and the Baal Empire had been continuing, on and off, for 150 years. Finally, the curtains opened on the final battle. Volume 2 - Ch 47 Once we decided to use Hermes to infiltrate the empire, the next issue was to decide exactly where to teleport to. How about the imperial court? The room I used to live in should be essible only to my maids. Rossellia modestly raised a hand and made a proposal. Surprisingly Luna, her loyal attendant, expressed disagreement. We do not know how many of those working in court are on Prince Gretts side. Regardless of the circumstances, he is now emperor: we cannot be sure that all maids will be loyal to you, Princess. Why not use the empty lot I used for spear training, then? I went there to hide from my father, so barely anyone ever goes there, but its not too far from the court. Shana gave her own proposal, to which I nodded. Right. I want to see the state of the capital too, so itd be better to teleport outside the court. The location was decided: now we just had to go. We quickly prepared the necessary weapons and emergency rations, and then gathered in the room once again. Counting on you, Shana. Rest assured, Master. I gave Hermes to Shana and pulled her closer. Mph! Excuse me! Whoa, hey. For some reason, Rossellia grabbed my left arm with an annoyed expression on her face. She held it tight, like a child hugging their parents. Lady Rossellia, it might appear unfair to not wait for the others. The early bird gets the worm, as they say! I will not relinquish this spot! Sakuya red at the princess, but Rossellia puffed her cheeks and looked the other way. Sakuya quickly figured out she was really not going to budge and hugged my back instead. Well well, the princess is rather different from how I remembered. AahPrincess, what hase of you Shana looked at Rossellias antics with a warm smile, while Estia looked like a father witnessing his daughter being taken away by a suspicious man. They both then grabbed the edges of my clothes. Be very careful, everyone Meoe backalive Yeah. The old man might ask you all sorts of questions, but bear with him, alright? Well be back soon, Here goes! Shana activated Hermes. The white light emanating from the sphere filled the room. Followed by a cracking sound. The next instant, everything went pitch ck. where are we? L-Lord Dyngir? You are there, yes!? Yeah, I am, but I answered to Rossellia, who held my arm even tighter than before, then looked around. We were surrounded byplete darkness: in addition, we couldnt even move freely, as if we were stuck in a box. Lord Dyngir, this is an unexpected development. We cannot move. ..hmm, this isnt good. Cant see anything either. Eek! Who is touching my behind!? It cant be! Hmm, what a dangerous situation this is..hmm The bodies of four women were pressing against mine: a tender, warm, indescribable feeling of happiness. The smell of their sweat added even more to the already ecstatic experience. For a split second, I thought I wouldnt have minded enjoying it forever. I guess forever would be a bit too long, though! I kicked, with all the strength I could muster. The wall in front of me crumbled and fell, letting light in. A few more kicks made the holerge enough to reveal the scenery behind the wall. This isa storeroom? We were indeed inside a storeroom. We had ended up in a wooden crate, of which there were many more stacked around. Either we went to the wrong ceor they built a storehouse in the empty lot. As it turned out, the location Shana chose had been turned into storage. And we ended up inside one of the crates stored there. which meanswe could have ended up inside a wall? Pretty dangerous development. Indeed, to see a nostalgic ce transformed into thisis kind of sad. Yeah, Im not talking about that I sighed at Shanas mncholic reminiscence. I definitely did not expect something like this to happen: maybe I should have asked Kanna where to teleport. Lord Dyngir, I found a door. Yeah, lets just get out of here We went out of the storehouse and found a series of brick and mortar buildings. Compared to Lamperouge, the architecture seemed to be an older, more traditional style. I would have loved to take a leisurely look around, but something else grabbed my attention. Thats A gigantic building piercing the sky, just like a sword rising from the ground. It was something modern architecture could not create: something that could only be a product of divine intervention. So thats the tower of BabelZeus. I whispered, a mixture of fear and excitement in my voice. The greatest, strongest ancient weapon towered before my eyes. Volume 2 - Ch 48 Looking up at the tower of Babel standing before us, our group of five swallowed our respective breaths. I see, this is definitely a gods weapon of choice. So this isthe legend Incredible Rosselia and the other imperial natives were especially astonished: seeing a legendary talee true before their eyes had left them almost starstruck. I felt my share of surprise, of course, but there was something more concerning. Sakuya noticed the same and pulled my sleeve. Lord Dyngir, the capital is too quiet. Yeah. Even if were at war, it cant be this dead. We went from the back alley to the main street, but there was barely anyone around. I could tell there were people inside the buildings, but all windows were closed, all curtains pulled at noon. I will go inspect the court. Please wait a moment. Sakuya then vanished. In the meantime, I took a better look at the capitals main road. Walking straight down the street supposedly led to the imperial court, but it was unnaturally empty. It felt like the whole city was suppressing its breath, its sounds it was a funerals atmosphere. it feels like this country is about to die. Not because it was destroyed by an enemy or an allybut falling apart from the inside, like a rotten apple I clenched my teeth. It was my first visit to the capital, and I had no attachment to it, nor was it my duty to help. As someone born in the same noble ss, in charge of a province and its citizens, I couldnt help but feel furious with Grett Baal, who let his own country spoil in such a way. The empires already over. What this country needs is not a savior of the people, but a judge and executioner. Lord Dyngir. Rossellia came closer to me. I could have touched her angelic face just by stretching a hand. As the imperial princess, it probably is not my ce to say such a thingbutplease, pass judgment on my brother, Grett Baal. Thats what I came for. I forcefully embraced Rossellia. The beautiful princess fell into my arms without resistance. Princess! How shameful! Oh please, try to read the mood My wonderfulLord Dyngir Estia and Shana both interjected, but Rossellia did not seem to notice: she pressed her face against my chest, an ecstatic look in her eyes. I would have loved to enjoy the moment of bliss a little more, but it ended rather abruptly. I have returned, Lord Dyngir. Sakuya came back from her inspection of the court. Her expression was sterner than ever: clearly, she had no good news to bear. The court is in a terrible state. The gates are thrown open, with conscripted soldiers both inside and outside. It appears they have not been eating properly: some look starved, others are taking food by force from the capital citizens. this ce is really off the deep end. Maybe they would have all starved to death, even if we didnte. That is a possibility. I had no intention of letting the one responsible for ruining a country like this gets away with it by just starving to death, though. I had to properly make him understand what he did, and then deliver the judgment he deserved. In any case, it would be difficult to enter the court from the front. Despite their quality, the quantity of troops is toorge. Half dead soldiers wouldnt be able to stop us, but, if we caused amotion, thunder might start raining from above. I had not seen Zeus power with my own eyes, but it was the empiresst resort: I could not afford to underestimate it. We should use the secret passage, then. Rossellia lifted her head from my chest and proposed an alternative. There is a secret passage in court, to let the imperial family escape in case of emergency. Only the imperial family knows about it, so there shouldnt be any guards. Right A passage only the imperial family knew aboutmeant that Grett Baal should know about it. Too. I doubt he would ever think Rossellia might return of her own free will, so it was likely to be left unguarded. Lets use that to get in, then. Lead the way. Certainly. I followed Rossellia through the capital. We managed to reach our destination without encountering even one person: the capital had be a true ghost town. Volume 2 - Ch 49 The secret passage is down here, but Rossellia led us to an old well located in the outskirts of the capital. All the buildings around it seemed abandoned for years: the area was likely to be poorly frequented long before the capital turned into a ghost town. I see, a perfect ce to hide something, thats for sure. I nodded and was the first to start climbing down the well. It was not very deep and alreadypletely dry. Moving a rock next to the wall at the bottom revealed a passage. I waited for my fourpanions toe down, then stepped inside the passage. After about 30 minutes in the narrow passageway, we ran into a wall. Please search the ceiling, there should be a handle. Yeah, found it. I shone mymp on the ceiling and soon enough found a C-shaped handle. I slid it to the side and light seeped in the dark corridor. Oof, step back. Ill get rid of the dust. I wiped away the dust, soot and cobwebs falling together with the light, then climbed through the opening and found myself pop up from a firece. This is the study father used. No one should havee in here after his death. Yeah, looks like its empty. You can alle out. Yes, pardon me I took Rossellias hand and pulled her up. The other three, adventurer, assassin and knight, did not need any assistance. The masterless study was still and silent. Even the books, neatly lined in their shelves, gave off an air of loneliness. Rossellia gazed at the room in mncholy for a few moments, then spoke. Zeus was supposed to be sealed in the imperial mausoleum. It is very close to this room, actually. Shall we go? Lead the way, Rossellia. Yes! Rossellia nodded enthusiastically and started guiding us. While following her, I paid close attention to any presence nearby. its so quiet. An imperial court of that size should have been teeming with servants. Yet we did not encounter a single soul. Those with enough sense have already left the capital. The people remaining here are either extremely loyal to the empire family or have nowhere else to go. Sakuya answered my doubts. Even those working at court had abandoned the capital and Grett. Even after bing the de facto sovereign of this pce, did he not think anything of it? This country really has one foot in the gravewhat are the imperial knights doing? Rajang Szar has not returned yet from Fort Bryden. He apparently keeps dying their return, for various reasons. Hmm, that is a relief. I wouldnt have enjoyed dueling my father to the death. Shana sighed in relief at Sakuyas exnation. As it turns out, even that beautiful battle junkie of mine would hesitate to fight her father. I havent shown him the face of his grandchild, as promised, after all. I cant kill him before I do. dont kill him after keeping the promise either. Patricide is one of the worst sins you couldmit. Hm, is that so? I always thought a parent would be overjoyed to see their children surpass them. Shana seemed sincerely unconvinced, to my dismay. I let the topic go as we proceeded towards our destination. At the end of a corridor lined with imposing marble columns we found arge door. Here, this is the mausoleumor at least, it was supposed to be. Whatthe The unspeakable view before the door left Rossellia speechless. Estia too swallowed her breath, incapable of uttering a sound. The imperial mausoleum, which hosted the tombs of all past emperors, had turned into a mountain of rubble and debris, which surrounded a gigantic building. So this is the entrance to the tower of Babel? Just like a damn monsterir. I smiled wryly at the towers gate, which was twice my height. Beyond the gate, at the top of the tower, awaited the enemy. Time for judgment, Grett Baal. You better start preparing your flimsy neck. Volume 2 - Ch 50 POV: Saim Fulcas I am Saim Fulcas, a man in service to the Baal Empires former second princethe current emperor. Ghehehehehehahaha! AahRosselliaRossellia!! No.! ! We were now on the top floor of the tower of Babel, the empires most precious treasure, also known as Zeus Divine Hammer of the Thunder Emperor. The ce was used by the founding emperor Zebul Baal to annihte the surrounding countries and establish an empire. A ce now turned into Gretts den of pleasure. Two weeks have passed since Grett summoned the tower of Babel and suppressed all dissent within the empire. All this time, Grett had young blonde girls taken into the tower and indulged in carnal pleasures through them. Just now, he stripped another blonde ve of her clothes and leisurely yed with her immature body. (The end must be near for the empire) I stroked my white beard and sighed, careful not to let Grett hear me. I used to be a merchant, but entered Gretts service around five years ago. He did not have the military prowess or poprity of his older brother Lars, but possessed a calcting intelligence that his brothercked. He was arrogant and clearly dismissive of those below him in rank, but I believed such a trait to be necessary for a ruler. That is why I chose to support Grett, but I realized now that I might have been mistaken after all. (To think that obtaining power would ruin him to such an extentor did the defeat in thest battle affect him to this point?) Grett Baal, born with the enviable status of second imperial prince, had lived all his life fully enjoying his noble privileges. He seemed to possess a shrewd acumen ever since childhood, and had never experienced true failure. While he had failed to subjugate the nomad tribes of the north, he had just given orders and did not participate personally in the military campaign against them, so he did not see himself as part of that failure. (There is no point in sinking together with this ship. I should gather as much money as I can and leave this country, while I still can.) I was Gretts vassal, but, unlike a knight, felt little to no loyalty. I only served him in order to reap the returns once he became emperor. If there was nothing more to gain, I simply had to leave. Your Majesty, I am terribly sorry to disturb your pleasure, but Huuh? What do you want, Fulcas! His time of delight interrupted, Grett was visibly irritated. He red at me, eyes brimming with murderous intent. The conscription is not proceeding as nned, unfortunately. I wish to take direct control of the avable troops and prepare for the invasion of the Maxwell territory as soon as possible. Really. Do what you want. I thus humbly request the grant of finances to be used for such preparations. If I may have permission to ess the court treasury Fine, just go. Grett then swiftly returned to his pleasures. Please take this. Oh, ooh, thank you. The Golem, a soldier of stone shaped after a human female, gave me a gorgeous treasure chest. I opened it and found the key to the treasury inside. (This Golem alone could be worth thousands of gold coinswhat a waste to have it babysit that fool) I sighed again and bowed towards Grett. I shall be back before long, Sire. hahhahaRossellia Noplease!! tch. After one click of the tongue, I activated the tower control functions that Grett had previously shared with me. A magic circle appeared at my feet, which enveloped my body with purple light. I felt as if I was floating for a moment, and the next I was on the first floor of the tower of Babel. Golem defense system, instant transportationthis tower is really a gift from the gods. To think that this incredible power is rotting in the hands of that fool The legendary treasure had been reduced to a childs ything. Even if Icked any loyalty to the empire, I could not help but feel dismay towards the current situation. Oh well, not having to babysit that fool anymore is enough of a load off my shoulderslets see what I can retrieve from the treasury before I go You sure sound in high spirits, old man. W-What!? The tower gates opened before me, revealing a group of five. Among them, a face I recognized. P-Princess Rossellia! Why are you here!? to bring an end to everything. Please do not resist, Saim Fulcas. Oh, so this is Saim Fulcas? Grett Baals vassal, right? W-Who are you supposed to be!? A man was standing next to the princess though he looked more like a beast, with bare fangs and all. Even if I had little to no martial expertise, I could tell that I was face to face with a monster. Dyngir Maxwell. I should be kind of famous even in the empire, right? Y-You!! (To think House Maxwell would retaliate so quickly! How did they pass unnoticed by Zeus lightning!?) I wont be too rough if you just surrender quietlyso? Kh! I had served Grett until now, after all. Even if I was not killed on the spot, I would surely receive a heavy sentence at ater time. Protect me, Golem! Under stood. I used the tower control privileges and summoned the Golems. 10 stone soldiers appeared, blocking the way between Dyngir Maxwell and me. Attack!! Kill them all!! Perfect, a skirmish before the real battle against Grett. Lets do this! Dyngir Maxwell raised his sword and faced the Golems. The battle for the tower of Babel thus began. Volume 2 - Ch 51 Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert! What is it this time!? Why wont anyone leave me alone? An rm suddenly red on the top floor of the tower of Babel. Grett Baal frowned and rose from his bed. Under him, a blonde-haired girly motionless. He had been petting her gently at first, but gradually grew bored and the violence escted. Her face was blue with bruises, blood trickling from her lips. Intruder? Another functionary with a stupid plea, I imagine. Just drive them out. Following Gretts order, the Golem wearing a maid-like dress shook its head. Five Golems attempted elimination but were destroyed. Awaiting orders. What? A single Golem had more fighting prowess than 10 soldiersbined. The tower was thus imprable: several assassins targeting Gretts life had already been neutralized. Nonsense! Show me whats going on! Under-stood. A square window-like object appeared in front of Grett, which showed the first floor of the tower. Ooh!! The next instant, Grett squealed in delight. OOOOOHHH!! Rossellia!! My beloved bride!! The window showed a group of five people. Among them, one man and three women were fighting against the Golems. They all performed superhuman movements as they battled the stone warriors, but Grett was fixated only on thest woman of the group. The woman he loved the most in the whole world, the angelic beauty crafted by the gods, Rossellia Baal. You came to me by yourself, my love! I am so happy! Our love must be mutual after all! We are destined lovers, blessed by heaven! Haha! Hahahaha!! Gretts crazedughter then abruptly stopped. Just like a coin flipping faces, his expression instantly turned into fury. DYNGIR MAXWELL!? How dare you be here!! How dare you step into our nest of love!? Ghah!! Gretts fist forcefully swung down. The blonde girl on the bed was on the receiving end of his tantrum: Gretts bony hand sank into her white stomach, forcing her to gasp for air. How dare you!! Enter!! My line of!! Sight!! You filth!! Stay away!! From!! Rosselliaaaa!!! The fist swung, again, again and again. Ghah! Ppleasestoghah Striking the young girls stomach, again and again. The poor maiden desperately pleaded for Grett to stop, but her voice did not even reach his ears. The brutal disy of violence continued for over five minutes. Finally satisfied, Gretts fist stopped. Haahhaahhaah Gretts shoulders shook, exhausted. In contrast, the abused girl could barely manage to breathe. eliminate them. Use all of the towers Golems if necessary. Tear them all apart, all except Rossellia. Under stood. All Golems activate. The maid-like Golem obsequiously bowed. The Golems guarding each of the towers floors started moving, all at the same time. oh, dispose of this trash too. Im going to see Rossellia. Under stood. kh.. The maid-like golem lifted the girls body from the bed, moved to the window and threw it out. Aah. The instant she was thrown out, the barely conscious girls bruised expression her swollen eyes, reduced to a slit, met the Golems brown pupils. . . A gaze brimming with hate, returned by the maid-like Golem without any emotion. The girls body vanished towards the bottom of the tower, leaving arge red spot on the ground. Mission plete. A mechanical voice announced, and the window of the top floor closed. Volume 2 - Ch 52 The sounds of shing swords and weapons continued without pause. The Golems summoned by Saim Fulcas fell one by one, their stone bodies shattered. This cant be!! What the hell are you people!? Saim, incapable of epting the reality unfolding before his eyes, screamed in a mixture of bewilderment and desperation. Siegfried! My sword shed another Golem. Their sturdy bodies prevented me from cutting all the way through, but Siegfried was a sword that could sever the magic energy of anything it cut. Thanks to this ability, the stone warriors turned into lifeless dolls after one strike, crumbling on the spot. Leviathan! Water Snake! Shana spun hernce, materializing snakes made of water from the tip. The Golems bodies were pierced by the sts of concentrated water, carved as if devoured by a wild animal. Once the torsos armor was destroyed, a shining red gem could be seen from within. As it turns out, that was a fatal weak point for the stone giants: as soon as Shanas water snake shattered it, the Golem slumped to the ground. Looks like thats their weaknesscan you destroy it, Estia? No need! I have my own way of fighting! Estia swung her sword, as if sharply rejecting Shanas teasing. Unlike her formerrade, Estias weapon was not a magic tool. Hah! Haah!! Estias sword struck the Golem once, twice, with precise shes aimed at the stone dolls joints. Just like raindrops boring holes in the rock, the Golems body was gradually whittled down. Eventually, the stone giants joints gave way and copsed, unable to stand anymore. How about this! Heh, your sword arm is as clean and straightforward as always. Estia puffed her chest in triumph, prompting a wry smile from Shana. Estias sword, capable of striking wherever she intended with extreme uracy, was a masterpiece of precision and forthrightness. Seeing the sword that bested her in her knight days, as beautiful as ever, Shana could not help but smile. Keep talking like that, while you can! I will defeat you next time! Oh, Im looking forward to that. Shana and Estia faced new Golems, covering each others backs. Those two seem to be enjoying thisdo they really understand our situation? Sakuya, my personal maid, sighed. Her fighting style, based on poison and needles, was not particrly effective against artificial creatures such as the Golems. Making full use of her speed, however, she could lure the Golems with movements too quick for them to keep up with. The Golems which tried to crush her with their fists ended up seeing her vanish in thin air and hit their brethren instead. Lord Dyngir, I believe its enough. Yeah, the times right. We had managed to knock out most of the summoned Golems: a few remained, but Shana and Estia would take care of them soon enough. I thus left the survivors to them and turned towards Fulcas, still standing there dazed. I cantthose are the guardians of this tower of god! How can they fall so easily? Even if theyre called ancient weapons, theyre just mass produced dolls in the end. If you really thought something like that could stop us, well I pity you, old man. Eek! I approached Saim, sword drawn, and he fell backwards on his butt, trying to back away. P-Please wait!! I was only doing what His Highness ordered me to do!! I didnt want to turn the capital like this, nor to use the lightning!! Hah, rest easy, Im not going to hold someone like you responsible for what happened. Answer my questions, instead. EEEEEEEEEEP!?! I thrusted my sword to the bearded old man and he let out an almost pathetic shriek. Pitiful enough that I would have sheathed my swordif he wasnt Gretts right-hand man. Grett Baal is on the top floor, right? How can we get there? The old man had appeared out of nowhere: I had seen it with my own eyes. The tower was probably equipped with some device simr to Hermes. The tower was probably filled with traps: climbing it floor by floor would be way too troublesome. If there really was a teleportation device, I would definitely use it. I-I just used the tower control privileges Prince Grett granted me!! They make it possible to move from the first floor to the top floor!! Oohand youre going to pass those privileges or whatever to me, yeah? EEEEKKK!!! I lightly pped the mans cheeks with my de, making him shiver like a leaf. I cant!! Ive been trying to go back to the top floor, but it wont workHis Highness must have taken the privileges away from me!! Hm? A sudden light shed, as if to interrupt Fulcas words. The source was a magic circle drawn on the floor. Eh? Princess!? The magic circle had appeared right under Rossellias feet, who was watching over us from the towers entrance. Estia realized something was wrong and rushed to her aid, but was one step toote. Rossellias body was enveloped in purple light. Khdamnit!! I shouted too, but it was toote. When the light dissipated, the beautiful princess was nowhere to be seen. Volume 2 - Ch 53 PRINCESS!!! Estia ran to the space previously upied by Rossellia the sudden disappearance of her beloved mistress left her mind nk. At the same time, one of the Golems knocked down on the floor managed to rise again, its fists swinging towards Estias back. The loyal knight, however, was too devastated to notice. Estia! Behind you!! Ghh!? Shana swung hernce towards the Golem chasing Estia. A sh like a sh of lightning pierced the core nested in the stone giants chest, destroying it instantly. KhIm sorry, Shana. Dont worrybut keep your guard up. However, Shana looked too sternly at the space Rossellia vanished from. For the former imperial knight, Rossellia was a long-time friend: her eyes clearly showed her apprehension. Saim Fulcas!! GWUOAH!? I picked up Gretts retainer, holding his neck with both hands, and looked him straight in the eyes. I did not know what kind of face I was making, but the old man looked paralyzed with fear as he stared back at me, wide-eyed. Where is Rossellia!? Answer me!! I d-dont know!! I didnt do anything!! ANSWER ME, I said!! Ghee!? My grip on the mans neck grew tighter. I barely managed to contain the impulse to snap his neck then and there, and continued to interrogate him. S-She probably is on the top floor, in Prince Gretts chambers How do we go there!? I always went by teleportation, but I cant use it anymorethe only other way is the stairs Saims trembling finger pointed at the stairs in the corner of the room. I clicked my tongue. (I cant even imagine how long itd take to climb a tower this highand I bet well find traps and more Golems too) Lord Dyngir!! Sakuyas warning snapped me out of my thoughts. More magic circles like the one that spirited Rossellia away appeared: 10, 20, 30they increased more and more, summoning new Golems. Saims eyes lit up as the unexpected reinforcements arrived. Ooh!! Prince Grett sent them to my aid!! Hahaha, prepare to d Whoa! One of the Golems that appeared near us swung its arms like a hammer. I managed to dodge instinctively, but the old man was crushed by the stone fist and promptly reduced to a pool of blood. They dont seem to distinguish between friend and foe anymorewhat should we do, Lord Dyngir? good question. I frowned at Sakuyas question. If we fought with all our might, we could probably defeat the dozens of Golems sent to our floor. I didnt want to think, however, at what could happen to Rossellia in the meantime. Leave them to us, master! We will open a path for you to save Rossellia!! I hate myself for saying this, but the Princess is in your hands!! Please go, Dyngir Maxwell!! Shana and Estia took down the Golems in front of them, then shouted in my direction. I could see that they were ready toy down their lives. Shana and Estia. In my generation, they were two of the greatest warriors I knew. I could tell how refined their craft with the sword andnce was so much that it could even be called art. There was no guarantee, however, that they could face so many Golems by themselves and survive. It would be a matter of time till they met an end as gruesome as Saim the stairs I looked beyond the Golem horde, towards the staircase. Was going up the right thing to do? Should I stay instead? (The decision for me to take is) I neutralized the Golem before me and made my decision. You better be safe until I get thereRossellia!! Volume 2 - Ch 54 POV: Rossellia Baal A purple light suddenly appeared all around me, shutting out everything else. The next moment, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. The sofa, carpet, beddingall furniture and effects were of the finest quality, well-fitting the imperial court. Where am I? Lord Dyngir? Estia? Aah, Rossellia!! !? The voice sent a chill down my spine. It was my brother, Grett Baal. I turned around and saw him standing with open arms. Lord Brother Grett. My beloved sister, I am so d to see you safe. Grett approached, as if he wanted to embrace me. Donte any closer!! Eh? I raised my palms and urged him to stop. Grett looked positively baffled to be so clearly rejected. W-What happened to you, Rossellia? Oh, I see! Youre angry because I came to your rescue a bitte! Grett reached a very improbable conclusion and nodded to himself, satisfied. Im sorry, trulyI didnt have enough power and had to leave you with that Maxwell barbarianyou must have been terrified! But well never be apart anymore. I will never leave you again, I promise! Seeing Grett so utterly lost in his misunderstandings left me speechless. His suffocating adoration often inspired feelings of aversion and irritation in me, but I never expected that my opinion of him would fall even lower than that. (how disgusting.) I couldnt even see him as a fellow human being anymore. I knew how disrespectful it was to think of my own brother that way, but I could only see the creature before me as something like a snake, a lizard or better, an insect dwelling under a rock. Lord Brother Grett, there is something I wish to ask you. I decided to buy time through conversation. Lord Dyngir and Estia were surelying to my rescue: I had to ensure my safety until they arrived. W-What is it, Rossellia? Why did you decide to awaken Zeus? This magic tool is a forbidden divine weaponas you surely knew too. That was a question I really meant to ask Grett once I met him. Father had told us about the legend of Zeus and the dangers involved with it. It was unthinkable to use it for personal gain. B-But, you see, Cerros What did Cerros do? Its all his fault!! He revolted!! If I let it happen, he would have be emperor! Cerros, the son of a peasant!! It would have been a stain on our empires history!! So exined Grett, just like a child making excuses after a prank. Right!! Its not my fault!! Its all Cerrosand Dyngir Maxwell!! He humiliated me!! Lord Dyngir? He messed up all my ns! If he didnt kidnap you, if he properly lost at Fort Bryden, I wouldnt have lost everything!! I would have be emperor, unified the whole continent! I would have been known as an esteemed ruler forever!! Gretts paleplexion had be beet red, as he stomped around. I looked at my brothers tantrum I could easily imagine the nk look on my face. Its not my fault! I didnt do anything wrong!! Nothing, nothing, nothing!! Its everyone elses fault for not understanding me!! Im the only one fit to be emperor!! I was chosen by god!! is that all you have to say? The coldness of my voice surprised even me. Ridiculous. Yes, just ridiculous. To think that the empire was brought to this state by such a personwhat a farce it all was. R-Rossellia? Even Grett could tell there was something off with my tone. He stepped backwards, as if intimidated. He looked up at me, like a child about to be scolded. (To think that he is supposed to be a man, like Lord Dyngir. If only he had been one-tenth as manly, I could have respected him as a brother) I let out a small sigh, then looked at my Lord Brotherno, at Grett. Volume 2 - Ch 55 POV: Rossellia Baal Lord Brother Grett, first of all, I must ask you a question. On what basis do you dere yourself fit to be emperor? As you have not met the conditions set in fathers will, at present you do not have the necessary qualifications to be emperor. To release the seal of a magic tool only the emperor is allowed to useis even more unthinkable. Erah Grett, obviously unable to answer, barely managed to sputter sounds. Hearing no response, Rossellia pressed further. Besides, if you truly were a fitting sessor for the throne, all sorts of people would naturally gather around you. Why are you alone, then? Where are your guards? Your retainers? The knights, the functionaries, even Saim Fulcas, his closest aide, had already given up and abandoned the man named Grett Baal. He waspletely alone: he had only soulless Golems at hismand. Was an emperor with no one tomand any different from a chest void of any treasure? Your usage of Zeus has brought suffering to manyto the people you were supposed to protect. How can you still delude yourself to be fitting for the throne? D-Delude? B-ButI am the emperorthis is my country, so I can use it like I wanti-its not different from sending soldiers to war!! That is why I say you are delusional!! Eek!? I shouted with all the air in my lungs. Grett was startled and fell on his behind. Indeed, we are forced to sacrifice our people at times! But that is all for the sake of protecting our homnd, for protecting the people themselves! Not even an emperor has the right to sacrifice the people for his own benefit! Even the most enlightened government, even the most brilliant ruler is forced to make sacrifices. That should always be for the sake of the people, for the sake of the country. The responsibility of those who have power, noblesse oblige. To be born a royal or a noble did not give anyone the right to take whatever they wanted from others without reason. B-But III mean Grett, still sitting on the floor, restlessly nced left and right. He was desperately trying toe up with something. .Ah, yes! R-right!! After pping his mouth open and shut a few times, for some reason his expression turned ecstatic. I had a terrible feeling about it: my already grave expression soured even more. Now I get it, Rossellia! You have been brainwashed by Dyngir Maxwell!! What did you say? Rossellia, my angel, would never use such harsh words with me! This has to be all Dyngir Maxwells fault!! He must be somehow forcing you to say those dirty words!! .. I could not even sigh, and realized that any more words would be pointless. Well, that just means I have to get rid of it! I can do it, I have the power! This must be another trial given by the gods, so that we can finally be one! Grett stood back up eagerly and approached me, ignoring my attempts to keep him away. His eyes were brimming with the twisted light of obsession. Nothing I could say would have any effect anymore. I see. So this is your answer. Dont worry, leave it all to me. Im going to save you, my angel! Solets marry!! . After the sudden, one-sided proposal, Grett tried to embrace me. I closed my eyes and made my resolve. I cannot entrust everything to Lord Dyngir and do nothing, after all. I should finish it with my own hands. Huh? Stab. Ahaaah.aaaaah!?! Pardon me, Lord Brother. But as a member of the imperial family, this is my duty.. A knife pierced Gretts stomach. Father had given it to me, in case of emergencies. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to use it. W-What? Rossellia? This is my noblesse oblige, Lord BrotherGrett. So I dered, as I looked straight at my bleeding sibling. Volume 2 - Ch 56 GhRossellia . Grett, blood dripping from his stomach wound, walked one, two steps backwards. His bloodshot eyes were wide-open in amazement: he couldnt believe what had just happened. Hostility detected ensuring safety. Waah!! The maid-type Golem forced itself between Rossellia and Grett, sending the former rolling on the floor. WhyWHY!?! Rossellia!! What did I do to deserve this!?! Khdo you still ask something like that? Tears trickled down from Rossellias eyes. Despite everything she said, Grett could not fathom why she would ever stab him. All her rage, her pain, her desperation, failed to pierce the shell of egoism that Grett had be. Why? We love each other..weohI seeI must be dreaming. This cant be realits all wrong For heavens sake, open your eyes! You are SHUT UP!! Shut up, shut up, shut up!! Grett interrupted Rossellia, his face red in anger. He forcibly pulled out the knife stuck in his stomach and tossed it away. What do you even know!? I, the emperor, love you this much!! How can you be loved so much and not even try to love me back!?! When Grett pulled out the knife, a puddle of blood fell on the floor. He didnt even seem to notice, however, as he flew into a vehement fit. She nned to take his life with the knife, but unfortunately, the wound was too shallow. For the imperial princess, who had never engaged in any activity even remotely close to fighting all her life, to stab someone fatally with a knife was evidently too difficult. Since I love you this much, its your duty to love me back!! Why dont you understand!? Why dont you love me!? Why do you reject me!? Why do you deny me!?! . Love me!! ept me!! Kneel before me, kiss my feet, beg for forgiveness!! Or else!! I cannot. Wh Rossellia tly refused, pointing a piercing gaze at Grett. I can not love you. Because Ialready have someone else. Ehahnoyourelying I am not. She had been interested in him since the day they met. His disrespectful, arrogant behavior irritated her. His manly resolve sent her heart aflutter. He had saved her life, even. So many emotions she had never felt in her life at court. There is no one else I wish to be with. I have nothing but dislike towards a man as disgusting as you are. Aah. Rossellias rejection couldnt have been more clear. Grett froze in ce, his mouth and eyes opened to their limits. It was his first experience of lost love: his heart had been shattered to pieces. Rossellia, on the other hand, brimmed with resolve and the realization of her affection. HahahaHAHA!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! Eventually, Grett broke into a fit of insaneughter. He howled, holding his sides, uncaring of the blood still dripping from his stomach. HAHAHAHA!!! Enough. I dont need you anymore!! Youll never be my empress now, you whore!! Get lost!! Get out of my sight!! The little reason left in Grett waspletely gone. He was now possessed by pure insanity his violent tantrums now directed at Rossellia. Kill her!! Kill that woman!! Make her disappear from my sight!! Under-stood. Kh!? The maid-type Golem immediately followed Gretts order. It lifted Rossellia from the ground and forced her to stand. Ahgh First emperor bloodline detected. Life will be taken with respect and as little pain as possible. Gently, slowly but surely, the Golems fingers wrapped around Rossellias neck. It might look like a maid, but it was still one of the stone guardians: Rossellias thin arms had no hope to break free of its grip. ..kh. Rossellia was gradually losing consciousness. Everything turned white, her thoughts faded. (Wellrather than being defiled by himI would rather die) In her fading thoughts, Rossellia realized she was really going to die this time Goodbye, my first andst love. I shall have your body preserved forever here, the greatest decoration for my chambers Grett, eyes lined with tears, still uttered nonsense. Rossellia opened her mouth to protest, but her lungs could not expel any more air. (Lord Dyngir.) With herst ounce of strength, Rossellia called for the man she loved. At the very same second, a sh of light struck. Stop rightthere!! Huh? The silver sh had shot extremely close to Gretts weeping face. It had been produced by a single, sharp de, nted right through the back of the Golem choking Rossellia. GRZdamage sustained running diagnosis. ghaah The Golems grip loosened, freeing Rossellia. Her shoulders shook up and down as she desperately gasped for air. You darey your hands on my woman!? You bastards are going to DIE!! What the!? How can you be here!? Aahyoucame! A shout of rage. All eyes in the room focused on the same point. On Dyngir Maxwell, Rossellias love, as he was in the process of entering the room from its single window. Volume 2 - Ch 57 POV: Dyngir Maxwell I was on the first floor of the Tower of Babel, faced with a difficult decision: whether to leave myrades and climb the tower or to fight the Golems alongside them. In the end, the option I chose was neither. I led myrades out of the tower and decided to climb to the top from the outside. Is thateven physically possible? Right, it does sound crazy to me. Sakuya and Shana shot down my n tly. Estia, on the other hand, stood there ck-jawed and wide-eyed. Hey now, whats with those reactions? I thought about this seriously, you know. Im afraid you have not thought enough then. This tower is many times taller than castle Lamperouge. Even if it was possible to climb it, it would take at least half a day to reach the top. And, even assuming you could reach that far, we do not know if there is a way in. Sakuya calmly pointed out the ws in my n. I knew that it was pretty insane, but climbing the tower from the inside, with each floor packed with Golems and traps, would have taken us days. So, even if the climbing itself would be more difficult, I figured it would take less time to do it from the outside of the tower, surely not trapped or guarded by Golems. Furthermore I know where to get in from. We just need to climb there. Thats I pointed at a young girls corpse. Her blonde hair was surely beautiful, when she was still alive: now, unfortunately, she was squashed like a bug in a pool of blood. I dont know what exactly happened, but she must have fallen from really high up. Which means that if we climb from the spot she fell, were going to find an entrance. Thats Sakuya mmed up. She was probably considering whether it was a realistic assessment: soon enough, she nodded. That might be true. Nevertheless, it is extremely dangerous to climb such a tall tower. Maybe someone as agile as I, but Im going to go by myself. Sakuya, you stay here with the others. Isnt that too dangerous, master? Shana cocked her head to the side. I shook my head and took out a magic tool from my breast pocket. Im going to use this. The physical boost it gives should make it possible to climb the tower pretty quickly. Thats!! It was Herakles, a magic tool I obtained from Sullivan, and a treasure of the Lamperouge royal family. It could boost the users physical abilities to their limits and grant near immortal healing capabilities. Im going to climb with this. Sorry, but we dont have any more time for debates. Im worried about Rossellia Wellnothing I can object to that. Please take care, Lord Dyngir. Shana sighed and shrugged; Sakuya politely bowed and wished me good luck. Estia finally snapped back to reality, held my hand between hers and bowed her head. Dyngir Maxwellno, Lord Dyngir! Please save the princess!! Of course. Leave it to me! I motioned a final greeting to the threedies and equipped Herakles. As soon as the armband fit right, it shone in a blinding silver light. Ooh!? It was pretty different from when Sullivan used it; that time, it did not shine nearly as much. Maybe it depends on the user? Whatever, no time for tests now. I kicked the ground and leaped towards the tower. Whoa! Amazing! What leg power!! In just one jump, I had reached the third floor of the tower. I could hear Shanas surprised voice from below. I myself was pretty startled by the tremendous boost. AlrightI can do this!! My lips curved into a grin as I jumped, or rather flew, up along the tower. Thanks to my strengthened physical abilities, I didnt even need to use my hands. I used the dents and decorations here and there on the tower walls as footholds, running vertically upwards. I really felt like a dragon ascending to the heavens. I could probably win against an army of ten thousand soldiers with that power. Whoops, this magic tool drains your life, thoughbetter not get too cocky. I remembered how Sullivan turned into a frail old man in seconds and shook my head. I could understand how he became drunk with power, though. The sense of invincibility that filled your whole body was very addictive. If I dont use it with extreme caution, this magic tool will take over me toowatch out, Dyngir Soon enough, the top floor of the tower was in sight. As expected, there really was a window maybe to let light in, or dispose of the trash. I opened the window and put one leg in. And what I saw forced me to shout. !! Rossellia!! A creature wearing maid-like clothesprobably a Golem, was choking Rossellia. Grett Baal was just looking and, for some reason, crying. Stop rightthere!! I gathered all of my strength andunched my sword. Volume 2 - Ch 58 W-Why are you hebwah! Out of my way!! After entering the top floor of the tower from the window, I ran full speed towards Rossellia. Grett was standing on that path, but I stomped over his body and used it as a foothold to propel myself into the air and used the momentum tond a flying kick on the maid golem next to Rossellia. Hostile presence detected. Maximum alert. Prioritize removal Shut up, you piece of junk! Offensive registered GRZZT My Herakles-boosted kick sent the golem rolling towards the nearest wall. Before it went too far, I made sure to retrieve the sword stabbed in its back. Rossellia, are you okay!? Aahyou reallycameLord DyngirLord Dyngir!! Rossellias frail arms grasped onto me. I returned the embrace and checked her condition. She had been choked, but did not seem to be in mortal danger. It did not look like she had been vited either. Of course I did. How could they treat you like this! Her neck, however, was painfully marked with the strangle hold. I looked at the traces of violence on her pearl-like skin and felt my blood boil. I gently patted Rossellias back, still shuddering under heavy breaths, then red at Grett Baal. Judging from how you treated my woman, I take it you have a death wish? Did you say my woman? Gretts bloodshot eyes, open wide, filled with pulsing hate. So it was you!! You deceived Rossellia!! A filthy mud noble like you, defiled my goddess!?! Actually, the defiling hasnt happened yetnot that a dead man needs to know. Silence, silence, silence!! Golem!! Kill this man!!! Under stood. The maid golem I kicked away stood back up and charged me. Its arms were now equipped with 30cm long des, which it probably had stored within its body. Tch! Remove threat. I stood and faced the Golem, with Rossellia behind me. The way it fought was very different from therge-sized Golems I faced at the base of the tower: they relied mostly on brute force, while the maid Golem was more of a technical fighter. Its des swung with the grace and style of an expert swordsman. I couldnt help but marvel at how the ancient civilization managed to instill such techniques into a stone creature. But its not enough!! GRZT I repelled the des directed at me from both left and right with my Siegfried. Youre fast, but Shana is faster. Sharp, but not as much as Estia. You dont stand a chance against me! GZT Damage registered I struck the maid Golems left arm with my sword, shattering the lower part to pieces. A second rate swordsman might have struggled, but I have already had my fair share of fighting experience. I could have taken down an opponent of this level easily, even without Herakles boost. GZT Damage ratio 27%. Rmence battle. Oh really! I usually treatdies with respectbut Ill make an exception for junk like you! I parried the Golems next swing and nted my foot in its torso, sending it reeling backwards. I immediately followed by slicing its right shoulder. The maid Golem had thus lost the use of both arms: my Siegfried also erased magic power, thus the Golems movements had significantly dulled. The weakness is the core inside the chest part, right? Back to the earth with you! GGZT Damage ratio increase battle functions impaired The maid Golems voice almost sounded pitiful, as I swung the coup de grace. Volume 2 - Ch 59 POV: Grett Baal What in the worldhave I done to deserve this? The maid Golem in charge of my protection was fighting Dyngir Maxwell. They were on equal standing at the beginning, but soon enough the Golem became at a disadvantage: the battle was going to be decided soon. This wasnt supposed to happenI was going to turn this empire into heaven on earth I was chosen by the gods. I cant die in a ce like this. Motherdidnt you always say so too? I recalled a distant memory. From when I was still a child and mother was still alive. Mother was a stunningly beautiful woman especially her golden hair. The emperor fell in love with it, and took her as his first consort. After the marriage, however, she failed to produce an heir for a long while. By the time I was finally born, a concubine had already given birth to Lars. If I had been born first, I would have surely be the sole candidate for next emperor. Many at court, however, still leaned on the practice of the firstborn son inheriting the throne: in the end, my older brother and I ended up having to fight for the throne. Mother, probably out of guilt for giving birth to mete, used to tell me something over and over during my infancy. You are a child chosen by the gods. You are going to be the next emperor and unify the whole continent. Mothers teachings pushed me to strive as hard as I could in order to be emperor. Unfortunately, my frail constitution did not allow me to excel in martial arts. In exchange, I crammed knowledge of economy, politics and adjacent studies in my head. At first, I only wanted to make my mother happy. I wanted to live as she wished. I wanted to see her smile. That was the whole reason why I wanted to be emperor. When mother sumbed to illness, however, something twisted inside me. Hahahahow has ite to this, really The maid Golems right shoulder was torn off. Both of its upper limbs were now gone: it couldnt go on fighting any more. Which meant that I was going to be the next target. I was going to be killed. Without being able to aplish anything all those I loved the most, taken away from me. I was chosen by the godsthere is no way I can die hereyes, I am going to unify the continentthe imperial g will fly high, everywhereand then Take the most beautiful woman in the world as my bride Rossellia The woman I recognized as most beautiful, as perfect. Hair of gold just like mother. Yet she was now next to Dyngir Maxwell, not me. Her gaze towards Dyngir Maxwell clearly brimmed with love and affection. Whywhy are you there? Why wont you look at me? Why Why am I all alone? Not one knight, not one attendant, no one is on my side. Am I in the wrong? It cant be I cant be the one in the wrong. Which meansthat everything, everyone else is. Rossellia, who wont ept me. The world, which wont recognize my value. It was all wrong, from the beginning. Enough!! Who cares about the empire! Who cares about the continent! You can all disappear, for all I care!! I didnt care about anything anymore. I vigorously shouted an order to the Golem facing Dyngir Maxwell. Golem, self-destruct!! Blow everything away!! Under stood. Following my order, the Golem blinked in white and red lights. Secondster, all the energy left in it was going to turn into mes of destruction. Kh! Dyngir Maxwell realized what was going to happen and covered Rossellia with his body. I grinned and gave the coup de grace. Zeus! Maximum output! Destroy this whole floor!! My order activated Zeus lightning production function. The electric energy gathered on the top of the tower. A godlike force of destruction, turned against itself. AHAHAHAHAHA!!! DISAPPEAR!!! YOU, ALL, DISAPPEAR!!! Countless thunderbolts crashed through the ceiling, raining on the top floor of the tower. At the same time, the maid Golem erupted in violent mes. Everything before me became lightning and me then white. Volume 2 - Ch 60 Golem, self-destruct!! Blow everything away!! Under stood. After Grett Baals order, the maid Golem started pulsating in red and white lights. Kh! I clicked my tongue and hesitated for a second. If I could destroy the Golem before it self-destructed, could I prevent the explosion? Maybe I couldmaybe I couldnt. I wouldnt know unless I tried. Lord Dyngir!! Rossellia called my name with a tinge of desperation in her voice. Even if I failed, maybe I could survive the ouebut Rossellia wouldnt be unscathed. I cant gamble with a womans life!! I protected Rossellia with my body and braced for the st. With Herakles activated, I could probably withstand even a Golem exploding. My life span was surely going to be cut, but it was still better than dying there and then. The situation, however, turned even worse than I expected. Zeus! Maximum output! Destroy this whole floor!! What the! Grett Baal yelled at the top of his lungs. My eyes opened wide in surprise. Giving such an order put his own life at risk. In the worst case, the whole tower might copse. If youre going to lose and die, youd rather take us all with you, is that it? You got guts, Ill give you that!! Either he showed some guts at the very end, or he just lost all reason. I didnt know which it was, but the situation was critical for me either way. Guess were up the fucking creek!! Hah, hahaha!! I activated Herakles, and a silver light enveloped my whole body, like armor. Sever all magic!! Siegfried!! I held my trusted sword right in front of me. My life, Rossellias life everything depended on two magic tools. AHAHAHAHAHA!!! DISAPPEAR!!! YOU, ALL, DISAPPEAR!!! Grett cackled hysterically. At the same time, a massive thunderstorm rained through the ceiling. Activate self-destruction. Thank you all for everything. Yeah, you too. Sorry I couldnt smash you with my own hands!! The maid Golem blew up from inside, erupting in violent mes. Right before exploding, I could have sworn I saw it smiling. Raining thunderbolts, approaching mes. I held my stance until the very end, swinging my sword to counter both the fire and lightning. Volume 2 - Ch 61 I cannot remember clearly what happened in the following moments. Before I realized it, I was hurtling through the air. WAAAHHHHH!!! Aaah!? A high-pitched shriek let me snap back to my senses. I had lost consciousness, apparently. What the I quickly assessed the situation. I had been thrown out of the tower: Rossellia was clinging to me, eyes closed and screaming. no serious wounds. How about you, Rossellia? Her clothes were burned and charred here and there, but I couldnt see any signs of wounds. I managed to protect her, though I couldnt remember exactly how. well, were still pretty deep in trouble, though. Rossellia and I were flying through the air: though rather than fluttering like birds, we were dropping straight down like cannonballs. Grett iswhatever. I looked above and saw the tower of Babel, visibly crumbling. The thunderbolts and mes hadpletely wiped the top floor: there was no chance for Grett to have survived. Tchlost him again. Little prick was good at running away till the very end!! I couldnt cut off his head with my own hands, in the end. The feeling that he stole my chance of getting revenge forever made me sick to my stomach. L-Lord Dyngir!! Its all right, Rossellia. Just dont let go! I had never fallen from such a heightobviouslybut we were probably going to hit the ground in ten seconds or so. I could see the corpse of the blonde girl below us. Cant let Rossellia turn like that toookay, lets see what we can do. I made my decision and looked at my left arm. The silver bracelet was still glowing brightly. My lifespan would whittle down even more, but if wended right we might be able to save our lives. Well damnIm not looking forward to getting old! I shouted and activated the magic tool. The bracelet emitted a stronger light and enveloped us like a halo. Lets do this, Herakles!! I rotated in midair and braced for thending. The ground was getting closer and closer at blinding speed. However Sea Drake! Gfuh!? Waah! I was dreading the impact with the ground but suddenly, a column of water engulfed us both. It was a very unexpected kind of impact, and I couldnt help but swallow some water. Hngh!? Nnghhh!? We thus descended towards the ground, tossed about in the rising pir of water. When we could finally emerge and breathe fresh air again, we were promptly smacked against the ground. Gwah! Eeek! Just barely, I managed to act as a cushion to shield Rossellia from the brunt of the fall. Thanks to the water current, the impact was much lighter than expected: a stinging pain pricked my back, but nothing worse. Herakles shed on my arm, sort of pitifully. I did not have to use the immortality-granting powers of this magic tool in this instance, thankfully. Well met again, master. You must be overjoyed you brought me along. Shanahey there Shana smugly looked down at us, her water maniptingnce the source of the water column in hand. Princess!! I am so d to see you safe!! E-EstiaIm sorry for making you worry The princess knight ran up to Rossellia and embraced her tightly. Maybe a little too much, as the beautiful princess seemed to be struggling a bit. Wee back, my lord. You had a rather harsh time, I see. nah, not really. I mean, isnt my life always like this? Though I must say that most of the time, my lord himself is to me for that Sakuya came closer to me, an almost imperceptible frown on her otherwise expressionless face. I guess I made her worry. Feeling a shred of guilt, I gently stroked her ck hair. Anyway, we better get out of here. Or the tower wille down on us. Because of the weight of the debris from the top, the lower floors were crumbling as well. The tower born from divine powers would soon be a pile of ruins. Babel, one of the greatest relics of the empire, fell alongside Grett Baals ambitions. It almost seemed like the gods punished a man who foolishly attempted to reach their heights. The series of tumults involving the Baal empire thus came to an end. It was the conclusion of the war without victors, as it would be called in the middle age annals of the continent. Volume 2 - Ch 62 Some distance away from Dyngirsnding spot In the thicket lining one of the imperial courts gardens, a man was copsed on the ground. I amalive? The second imperial prince, Grett Baal. The man who had taken the throne by force, abusing the power of Zeus, propped his back against a tree trunk. Aahwhathow The thunderboltsunched by Zeus and the mes from the Golems explosion engulfed the top floor of the towerpletely. How could Grett be still alive? It was an unlikely series of coincidences, practically a miracle. The st had flung Grett out of the tower through a gap freshly opened by a thunderbolt. By sheer coincidence, a powerful air current rose upwards at that very same moment, breaking his fall. Carried by the winds, Grett ended up on the branches of one of the tallest trees in the imperial garden. He then slid down along the trunk, bumping against the branches, in a rtively gentle descent. On top of all that, the burns suffered from the explosion also sealed his gaping wound, minimizing his blood loss. A true miracle. A one in a million, perhaps even a billion, chance. Grett Baal managed to escape the reapers scythe. Indeed, I am a man loved by the godsno. Grett, still breathing heavily, gazed up at the sky. In stark contrast, the sky was painted a beautiful, vivid blue not a single cloud in sight. No, that is not itI was allowed to live, in order to atone. Rejected by the woman he loved, abandoned by his vassals and retainers, all he had gained divine power, the title of emperor lost forever. Strangely enough, Grett found no hatred in his heart. There was no more obsession for Rossellia, no more envy of Dyngir Maxwell within himself. He felt only a calm, peaceful breeze. As if the thunder and mes had purified him. How mysteriousonly now that I lost everything, do I realize my foolishness Grett could notprehend how he could have been so blind, so idiotic. To kill his siblings to attain the throne. To fall in love with his own sister and throw a tantrum once rejected. To make a mess of the country he was supposed to rule. Grett truly could notprehend. How could he never realize the foolishness of his actions? How could he believe he was in the right, without a doubt? The present Grett did not have the slightest clue of the reasons behind his past behavior. I seethat must be why I was allowed to live. To understand the weight of my sinsto atone. There was no other exnation for such a miracle. From now on, I shall think of myself no more, but live for the sake of others. I shall atone, for the sake of those I hurt, even if it takes my whole life. Grett made his resolve and pulled himself up. Gh..aah The moment he started moving, his whole body screamed in pain. He had probably broken a few bones: there were no visible wounds, but the pain was real. HahahaI should be thankful just to be alive. If this is punishment, I shall endure it Grett grit his teeth and stood up. He headed for the court, dragging his legs. If he encountered Dyngir Maxwells group, they would surely finish him off. He felt no hostility for them anymore, but could not allow himself to die before he atoned for his misdeeds. I must liveto fulfill the destinythe heavens spared me for Luckily enough, he hadnded rtively close to his private room. There, he could find a Potion to heal his wounds. There was also a secret passage leading out of the court nearby: he could probably escape safely. One day, I will properly apologize to Rossellia and Dyngir Maxwellbut only when I can meet them with my head held high. Until that dayes, I must live. Grett reaffirmed his resolve in his heart as he trudged toward the court. Eventually, he reached his room. Servants, functionaries, all people working at court had fled: he managed to not meet anyone on his way. Grett entered the room and sighed. WellI should be safe for now. The Potion was That instant, something shot up from the desk, towards his chest. Lines of gold streaked at the edges of Gretts sight. Gwah! Grett was pushed backwards and fell on his back. He had no clue what happened though. Ghaah!! Something burned on his chest. He looked down and found a pair of metal chopsticks, the type used to handle charcoal, bright red with heat. Gh! It hurts! Im burning! Whatwha One of Gretts lungs was crushed: he couldnt speak properly anymore. Even so, he desperately tried to produce sounds. I stabbed him. Yes! Y-Youare Grett looked at the aggressor. It was a young, blonde-haired girl, wearing some sort of nightgown. One of the girls Grett had bought from the ve trader. One of the dolls he used to y with. I stabbed him. I really did! You stabbed him well. Well done. Hes weak. Good. Eek!? From behind the desk, behind the bookshelves, behind the pendulum of the wall clock the blonde maidens crawled out, one after the other. Their muddy eyes, burning with resentment and killing intent, all focused on Grett, with no exception. Youyou are Grett whispered, trembling. They too were part of the victims Grett had to atone for. He had used and yed with their bodies to his hearts content, sometimes beat them, choked them, even killed some of them. The blonde maidens surrounded Grett and spoke, their expressions firm and cold. Hes really weak. Yes, weak. He cant get up. Yes, he cant. We can kill him. Yes, lets. Kill him. Lets kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him GHYAAAAHHH!! The doll-like girls sentenced him to death. Their monotone voices wished for his life, in unison. Fear. Terror. Dread. It was just like Gretts sins had taken human form and hade to deliver judgment. S-Stop! Please! Dont!! Grett shouted, desperate. If he died there and then, he could not atone for anything. He would die as someone who aplished nothing, except harming a great number of people. His life had been saved by a miracle: he could not let it go to waste like that. I mustapologize to youI know! I will repent, I will atoneso please Grett was speaking from his heart. His words were born from sincere feelings. Lets kill him. Ghah!! One of the girls lowered her hands, which were holding a wooden object. N-No Kill him. Gweh Another girl kicked his stomach. The nails dug into the wound caused by Rossellia. Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him Kill him DONT!! NOOOOO!!! Gretts feelings might have been sincere, but no one was there to listen. No one was there to forgive him. The girls continued to torment the defenseless Grett. They did not stop, no matter how much he cried or pleaded. S-Stopplease forgive me!!! His desperate screams echoed for about one hour. The girls took their time tormenting Grett to death, but they did not stop even after he died. They sliced him with knives, cutting him into more than one hundred pieces. They then discarded all of them into the firece, as if to erase them from existence. After exacting revenge for their murderedrades, the blonde maidens took everything of value they could find and vanished. The corpse of Grett Baal could never be found in the ruins of the tower of Babel. His pitiful demise remained a mystery for all posterity. Volume 2 - Ch 63 From the writings of a certain historian. The War without Victors can be said to be one of the most significant events of the continents middle ages. The illness and death of emperor Perbiar Baal triggered a conflict between his potential heirs for the throne, which evolved into a full-scale war that also involved the neighboring kingdom of Lamperouge. The struggle for the throne saw the second imperial prince as the winner: Grett Baal, the historical despot presently known as the Cretin Emperor. Emperor Grett indulged in all manners of luxury: his rule onlysted one month, but in this short span, he managed to reduce the empires capitals and assets to less than half. The imperial capital was ravaged, the fields dried of nourishment, and the people plunged into chaos. The already tense situation with the neighboring countries pushed the empire to the brink of copse. What saved the Baal empire from its downfall was the first empress in the history of the empire, the first imperial princess Rossellia Baal. Empress Rossellia led the imperial knights in a surprise attack on the tower where emperor Grett had barricaded himself and sessfully subjugated the tyrant. The Baal empire then proceeded to recover its lost resources and escaped certain ruin. One can hardly imagine how heavy the heart of our beloved wise empress was as she felled her own brotherthe mere thought is simply too painful to even entertain. The fall of the tyrant thus marked the conclusion of the War without Victors. In its wake, empress Rossellia formed a new type of government, with the aid and support of ministers such as Rajang Szar, captain of the imperial knights, prominent local nobles, merchants, and religious leaders. Under the new governments rule, many mored for the Baal imperial family to take responsibility for the tragic events that transpired, and empress Rossellias session to the throne was equally opposed. Appallingly, some even attempted to poison the future empress. One of the reasons for her sessful rise to power was possible was because of empress Rossellias poise and great character, as even members of the factions opposing the imperial family were appointed ministers in the new government but s, few at the time were wise or perspicacious enough to grasp such a fact. The new rule was in danger of copsing soon after its establishment, but such political troubles were then quelled by an unexpected agent. House Maxwell, a prominent noble family of the area, dered itself as guardian of the young empress and officially supported her ascension to the throne. One of the greatest issues of the new government was its rtionship with the neighboring kingdom of Lamperouge. The imperial forces had just shed with House Maxwell in the battle of Fort Bryden: the sparks of war were not far from igniting again. If the coronation of empress Rossellia would also mean avoiding the possibility of war with Lamperouge, no one could deny it was a prospect that the reborn empire could not afford to deny. The new government thus unanimously epted the first new empress. It was the birth of our revered Rossellia I, Her Majesty of Grace and Wisdom. The rebirth and renewed prosperity of the Baal empire can be all said to be the fruit of Rossellias efforts, who befriended House Maxwell during a visit to Lamperouge. Empress Rossellia, blessed by unparalleled beauty and intelligence, could have even predicted what was going to happen from the beginningthough that is mere spection on my part. After her official ascension to the throne, the rule of Empress Rossellia was an age of peace and stability, in spite of the tragic tumults and war it followed. One of the main reasons was the decision to abandon the imperial rule system and adopt a republican form of government. In such a shift of power, the imperial family became but a symbol of governance: a change that also quelled the voices of opposition and revolt against empress Rossellia. The political confusion in the imperial court also subdued, as the former empire focused on rebuilding itself. The internal seeds of conflict were plucked out but what about the external threats? The Kingdom of Lamperouge, to the west, was restrained by the efforts of House Maxwell. The nomad ns dwelling in the north were still deterred by the great wall, built before the war; the Huang Dynasty of the east also saw arge-scale civil war in the same period and had little chance to even consider invading the empire. Not much is known about the causes of the Huang civil war: some researchers propose it was instigated via spies sent by Empress Rossellia, though their ims appear heavily supported by rich imagination much like the delusions of some religious figures, who insist that it was the heavens themselves siding with the empress. There remains one intriguing mystery in the life of Empress Rossellia, savior of the Baal empire. A mystery that puzzled and continues to puzzle historians, as well as provides ample nourishment to the minds of poets and dramatists everywhere: the illegitimate child Rossellia gave birth to. More precisely, the fact that the identity of the father of that child is still unknown. Empress Rossellia could have fallen in love with one of the imperial knights, or she might have even suffered unspeakable violence from enemy soldiers during the war. Some researchers im that one of her three brothers was the father, and the truth was concealed and buried. Even as a fervent admirer of our beloved Empress, I cannot help but wonder about this mysterious father figure, base curiosity it might be. Will the mystery of Empress Rossellias husband ever be revealed? s, only heaven may know. On apletely unrted ount In the aforementioned creations of poets and dramatists, Dyngir Maxwell heir of House Maxwell at the time of Empress Rossellias visit to the Kingdom of Lamperouge is posed as the mysterious father. It is indeed quite enthralling to consider the possibility of such a hero of the times to be the empress lover. There are no records of Dyngir Maxwells presence in the imperial capital, however, in the period in which Rossellia is said to have be pregnant. At present, such a theory is nothing more than pure fantasy. Volume 2 - Ch 64 POV: Rossellia Baal Phewnow I should finally have some time to rest. In a room nestled deep within the imperial court, normally used as the emperors private chamber, Iid my quill on the table and sighed. Idd had little to do with politics or government all my life, yet now I brought paperwork even into my private room: life can be truly unpredictable, I mused. The tower of Babel fell, and all three of my brothers died in battle: I had no choice but to ascend the throne. To be perfectly honest, I never desired the title of empress. Being the princess, I never had a im to the throne in the first ce, so I did not receive any rted education either. Many of those who lost family or loved ones in the recent tumults bore a grudge towards the Baal imperial family: there have already been several attempts on my life. I can somehow take the helm of government only thanks to the aplished people who gathered to support me as ministers and the invaluable help of Estia and captain Rajang Szar. Had I been by myself, I would have been crushed under the weight of this position long ago. I could never thank Lord Dyngir enough I pictured my beloveds face and sighed. House Maxwell has helped us in a number of ways for the sake of quelling the unrest within the empire. The appointment of House Maxwell as my guardian increased the legitimacy of my ascension to the throne, and they also epted a staggered form of payment for the war reparations owed by the empire. Their unconditional release of the imperial soldiers taken prisoner also increased my reputation and was instrumental in silencing many of my dissenters. Some of our vassals are wary of House Maxwells interference in the empires politics, but at the present, we have received nothing but advantages from it. If the empire continues focusing on military matters, as it has done until now, its days might be numbered. We must take a more flexible stance. My ideal is different from my fathers or my brothers. It might even lead to a betrayal of the imperial family. I have painfully learnt, however, how repeated military campaigns can cause so much suffering to the poption. The empires territory is vast enough; our next objective should be not to gain more territory, but to enrich what we have. The first priority is to restore the area around the capital, withered due to Zeusthen call back all the merchants who abandoned the capital. Once the restoration isplete, we should reduce the imperial familys authority to a minimum. The present situation is so unstable that even someone like me was epted, but once things return to normal, people will not be so supportive anymore After a certain point, it could be wise to focus on promoting culture and arts. What the people of the empire need the most right now is for their hearts to find peace and nourishment. You look busy, should Ie again another time? Actually, I have already finished Surprised by the sudden voice, I hurriedly turned around. As it turned out, the person who had entered my room without my notice was none other than the man I loved. The wind blew inside from the window behind him, as the curtains pped wildly. Lord Dyngir!! You called me, and here I amyouve lost weight, havent you? Hehe, looks like being the emperor is an effective diet. I smiled wryly and replied with a joke. Still, for someoneing from outside the empire to infiltrate my room so easilyour security leaves much to be desired. Oh, dont be too hard on them now. I had plenty of free time this past month, so I started hunting for all the secret passages I could find in court. This ce doesnt have a long history for nothing: there are suspicious rooms and hidden paths all over. Lord Dyngir shrugged, then changed the topic. So? What did you call me for? Lord Dyngir has stayed in the capital since the fall of the tower of Babel, one month ago. Officially, Grett was taken down by myself and the imperial knights. Lord Dyngir, who could not possibly be here, has been acting as a hired mercenary. Personally, I wish I could grant him some sort of official award, tell the whole empire how much he has done for us. The recent battle over Fort Bryden, as well as the many conflicts of the past, however, have left a legacy that cannot be easily forgotten. The empire may have been the aggressor, but the people could not be convinced so easily by such a reason. There are also many who disapprove of the fact that I enjoy the backing of House Maxwell, after all. Lord Dyngir, you will be returning to the kingdom shortly, wont you? Well, yeah. I can keep the old man waiting only for so long. Ive done plenty of sightseeing already, anyway. Indeed. I have heard that you have been a great help, so I am very thankful too. Lord Dyngirs tone was yful, but I knew that other than sightseeing, he also took care of the many thieves and bandits who targeted the capital this past month. I also received reports of spies that attempted to infiltrate the imperial court, but were thwarted by unknown agents. Sakuyas doing, most likely. I cannot express my gratitude publicly. I wish, however, to show him my gratitude to the greatest extent. In that case, I shall give you the promised reward. Oh? Lord Dyngirs eyebrows perked up. Under his gaze, I could not help but blush. I looked down and stood up from my chair. As promised, I will give you my everything. Please, do ept it. Following those words, I let my gown fall on the floor. Under it, I was only wearing a white, half-transparent negligee and ck underwear. Abination chosen after extensive debate with Luna and the other maids. Are you sure about this? I cant give it back once I take it. Of course. Please, dye me in your color. Excellent, truly excellentwe shall enjoy this to the fullest. Hn Lord Dyngir picked me up and carried me to the adjacent bedroom. I sighed longingly in the arms of my beloved. I decided I would make you mine the very first day I saw you. And that day has finallye. Hehe, you take the words right out of my mouth, my lord. (Yes, I felt this would happen. Ever since the day I met you) Was it a womans intuition, or maybe instinct? Either way, I felt like I knew from the start. That one day, I would give birth to this mans child. Volume 2 - Ch 65 AahLord Dyngirso vigorous In the imperial bedroom, I was making love to Rossellia. I finally managed to make her mine and the experience was as delightful as expected. Please, please, give me more of your loveLord Dyngir Of course. Im not going to stop anytime soon. Rossellia pleaded for me, an expression of ecstasy on her face. In stark contrast to her usual calm and collected demeanor, she now looked just like a female in heat. (Well damnthis feels really good.) Making love to Rossellia made me feel, other than the obvious pleasure of doing it with a beautiful woman, a rather curious emotion. The Baal empire has been an enemy for generations and now, its highest authority was moaning in my arms. It felt like I had the whole empire in the palm of my hand. Hnmoremore Hey now, if we keep this up, you wont be able to work at all tomorrow! Rossellia, her refined personapletely discarded, sought me without restraint. ItsfineI put in a bit more effort than usual, and took care of one weeks worth of work. The court is guarded by my most trusted maids and knights, so no one will suspect anythingeven if I did not leave my room for one week. Which means, you want me to stay with you the whole week? do not make me say it, please. I dont know when we will meet again, or if we ever willLord Dyngir, please carve more memories onto this poor girl Youre pretty passionate, arent youand I have to say, I like it! Aah!! I was going to grant her request. I savored every nook and cranny of Rossellias body to my hearts content. Noon of the following day. We had continued making love, taking breaks and naps every now and then. Rossellia and I, thus turned into lustful beasts, received a visitor. Master, arent you going a bit overboard? Lord Dyngir, I must say it is unfair for you to upy yourself only with Lady Rossellia. Two visitors, in fact: Shana and Sakuya. Shana shook her head and sighed, while Sakuya looked positively dissatisfied. They were holding a jug of water and some light snacks: they hade to bring us a meal, apparently. We can hear you all the way from the hallway, actually. The younger maids were eavesdropping, red as beets. Aahhow shameful I mean, nothing wrong with the act itself. But maybe keep your voice down a bit. Shanas warning brought Rossellia back to reality, and she hid her face behind the sheets. I started munching on a sandwich and turned towards Sakuya. Im grateful for the food, butwhy are you taking off your clothes? I thought I might as well join you. I have worked my share for Lord Dyngir and Lady Rossellia. Surely I deserve a reward. Well, thats true. This past month, Sakuya eliminated various crooks that tried sneaking into court, dug up weaknesses and dirty secrets of powerful figures that stood in the way of Rossellias rule, and more she proved her worth, and then some. It might be even said that she was a pir of Rossellias rule, in the shadows. She did indeed deserve a reward. Lady Rossellia, you must be exhausted, with all the work she has to do every day. We shall take your ce in entertaining Master Dyngir, so please take a well-deserved rest. Hey, its rare to see you so proactive, Shana. The silver-haired young woman boldly took off her clothes and slipped under the covers. She had never been very forward in such physical matters, so it was unusual for her to act like that. Oh, I just thought its time to show my father a niece or two. Being the knight captain has to be pretty stressful, so I should give him something to be happy about, right? Either that, or he has a stroke I pictured captain Rajangs face and smiled wryly. I kind of pitied the old warrior and how he might suddenly be a grandfather, but I was more than willing to ept Shanas proposal. You have my gratitude for this meal too, then. I let Rossellia rest and switched to the two visitors. Im only here because I promised, all right!? I care little about you, but I wish to let Her Majesty rest. Do not get any funny ideas. The third day, two more interlopers barged in. They were Hestia, one of Rossellias knights, and her personal maid Luna. They both looked rather upset, but were wearing rather shy underwear and got into bed all on their own. Lunas was a sexy purple, while Hestia had a sporty yellow piece. What? You two too? I wasnt sure I ever did anything to make them like me, nor were there any reasons why they would sleep with me. As I said just now, I am only doing this for the Princess. If I left her to a beast like you, she might break down. Luna looked at me and Rossellia andshed out. The loyal maid thus meant to sacrifice herself for the sake of her mistress. I-I dont reallyI mean In contrast with Lunas clear-cut intentions, Hestia was fidgeting, like she couldnt find the right words. It was hard to imagine she was the same person who fought like a tiger at the tower of Babel. Dont worry about Hestia, go ahead and do her. Shana? We made a promise. Well, its her fault for losing the game, anyway. I frowned at Shanas words. I wasnt happy at all to be the punishment for losing a game, but Luna and Hestia were both beauties in their own right. If they asked me to take them, I sure as hell would. Well, dont worry, Im not going to shame you by refusing. Were going to have a good time. Aahwhy is this happening You should rather worry about yourself, you monster. Defiler of princesses! I embraced the two dissatisfied neers and pulled them closer. Under the collective weight of 6 people, the bed wailed loudly. It was the third day of Rossellias vacation: the seven days of the beast had barely begun. Volume 2 - Ch 66 As they say, time flies when youre having fun. That week indeed passed as fast as a shooting star. I made love with five different partners, again and again, enjoying heavenly bliss. Though it has to be said that we did not exactly engage in debauchery 24 hours a day. We also took baths together, washed each others bodies, took walks in the garden, talked about the future of the empire and the kingdomeven made crowns out of flowers and other such childish pastimes. Eventually, the week came to an end. Rossellia and I had to say our goodbyes. Thank you so much. I will never forget you. See you again Yes, see you again. Ourst words were rather mundane. I didnt think we wouldnt ever meet again. I was sure we were going to see each other again hence I kept the farewell short on purpose. Our journey back was not bynd, but by sea. If we used the roads on the west side of the empire, we were likely to meet people who knew me, thus creating unneeded trouble. Are you really fine with this, Lord Dyngir? Fine with what? When we arrived at the empires port town, Sakuya asked me a question. It was only the two of us now: Shana was going to stay at Rossellias side until the empire reached a degree of stability. About the empire, and Lady Rossellia. If you wanted, you could have taken them both. Haha, youre pretty greedy, arent you. Thats what you were thinking? Indeed, after winning the war and saving the empire to boot, some war reparations werent nearly enough. It could be said that it was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the chaos and invade the empire its not like I never considered it. Unfortunately, House Maxwell doesnt have enough manpower to take control of the empire. Even if we gained all thisnd, someone else will snatch it away under our noses without enough soldiers to protect it . The empires territory was more than 10 times the size of the Maxwell province. House Maxwell did not have enough people under itsmand to govern and defend it all. Even if we forcefully annexed it, we were just going to have a civil war or foreign invasion on our hands. The kingdoms central government wouldnt like seeing House Maxwell grow too powerful either; they would definitelye asking for their share. So instead of creating all sorts of troubles, both inside and outside, its better to just be good neighbors. I seestill, that is a shame. No, not really. Now we can deal with the kingdoms central powers without worrying about our back. And I also got more than I expected, in the end. Lady Rossellia, do you mean? You certainly have spent a great amount of effort for a single woman. I recalled her divine looks and grinned. To have been able to make love to such a gem of a woman was a very fortunate urrence more than worthy of risking my life for. I had spent a week in heaven, after all. Besides, if Rossellia really gives birth to my child, the Maxwell blood will get into the imperial familys bloodline! Makes me giddy just thinking about it. The blood of the greatest, most powerful family of the continent the Baal imperial familys bloodline is going to be swallowed by House Maxwell! Hmphthere is no guarantee Lady Rossellia will be pregnant If she isnt, Ill just have to sneak into court until it happens. No matter how many times it takes. My grin widened even more. I had the impression that Sakuyas usual poker face was mixed with a streak of pity. Ah, to be targeted by such a nasty manwill the Princess woes ever end? Well, she had time to think about it before falling in love with a bastard. Toote for regrets. I looked towards the sea. It was a bright, clear day: sunlight reflected on the waves, sshing and scattering gem-like fragments. While we were waging war, the season had turned to summer. The sea brings me nothing but bad memories, though I still like the summer sun and the sound of the waves You do not like the sea, Milord? I did not know that The Maxwell province isnd-locked, so I just never had the opportunity to talk about it. You see, every time Ie to sea, I end up meeting nasty people I was about to recall such bitter memories, when someone called to me from behind. Nasty people? Surely you dont mean me. A cial chill ran down my spine. It felt as unpleasant as a sudden shower of ice cold water. I hurriedly turned around, but all I saw was a swinging fist. Gwah!! The fist was nted square in my face and sent me flying into the water. I could swear I heard my skull crack. Lord Dyngir!! Sakuya called me desperately, then red at the aggressor who, surprisingly enough, turned out to be a petite girl. She was about as tall as Sakuya so roughly one head shorter than me. Her wavy white hair was roughly cut at shoulder level. She was wearing a jet ck dress, decorated with frills and ribbons of whitece. The so-called gothic lolita fashion, certainly not amon sight in a port town. Youre even slower than before!! Stayed up all night with women again, huh!? The girl looked down at me and addressed me arrogantly. Her lovely, child-like features twisted in a feral grin, baring her sharp teeth. Sakuya silently slipped behind the girl and readied a poisoned needle. HAAH! Oh. Not bad. But !? The needle was aimed straight at the girls neck though she stopped it between her teeth. Sakuya let go of the needle and attempted to draw another weapon, but the girl caught and twisted her arms before she could. Too weak, too slow! Youll never hit me this way! Kh! Let me go! Make me! Little assassin! You!! The girlughed at Sakuyas efforts to break free. Sakuya then spat another hidden needle at her face. Ooh!? The unexpected attack from Sakuyas mouth left a streak of blood on the girls cheek. That needle was coated in high density paralyzing poison. You will soon be unable to move, then fall into spasms Nice!! I really didnt expect that!! Ghah!? The girl who was supposed to have been poisonedughed loudly instead, then tossed Sakuya to the ground. The impact with the hard stone pavement left Sakuya gasping for breath. Excellent, excellent! Strong women give birth to strong children, after all! You pass! H-Howcan youmov It would have worked on someone else, but not me! Still, youve got a pretty face, but you sure can kill without hesitation! The girlughed again, her lips curved into a monstrous smile, then raised her right leg. And heres your reward!! Gh!! The girls heel headed straight for Sakuyas face. The momentum made it look like it could split a boulder in two: Sakuya couldnt help but close her eyes. Not so fast!! Hm? I wasnt going to sit and watch forever, of course. I jumped out of the water and swung my sword towards the girls neck. My sh, however, was stopped by the girls bare hands. I couldnt use all of my power, because of the water, but she still stopped a sh that could cut iron with just her hands. Not bad, but nothing special either. Im bored here. What about this, then!! Ooooh!?! My right arm was still equipped with Herakles. My boosted kick struck the girl squarely in her stomach, blowing her minute body away. Just as quickly, however, she spun in the air, regained her bnce andnded on her feet, as if nothing had happened. Excellent! With that, you pass! That kick felt pretty good, as if you had to shorten your lifespan to do it!! How do you fucking know already!? What amazing intuition could one have to figure Herakles out at first nce? Stilldamn it! Now the dress my husband gave me is all muddyhow are you going to make up for this? It doesnt suit you anyway, you shitty hag!! Act your damn age for once!! L-Lord Dyngirwho isthat I was facing the girl, sword in hand, wary of anything she might try. Sakuya pulled herself up and approached me. After her poisoned needles were easily neutralized, her expression was tinged with fear. ShesDraco Omari. The pirate. Draco Omari!? Sakuya couldnt help but shout. She looked at the girl, incredulous. No wonder. Draco Omari was the greatest pirate of the southern seas. He stood atop the ruthless pirate crews who endlessly fought for dominion over the south, he sank 50 imperial vessels, he was the most infamous pirate in history. Who would ever think that Draco Omari was not a he but a little gothic lolita girl? Draco Omari? Since when do you have permission to call me like that? Have some respect, or Ill skin you alive!! Tchdamn it! Mother!!!! Happy now!? Whaat!? Sakuya stared at me, wide-eyed. Yes, finally! This stupid son of mine! My mother Grace D.O. Maxwell then shed the most feral smile imaginable, like a beast standing on a sea of blood. Volume 3 - Ch 1 The southern seas enjoyed a summer-like heat nearly all year long. The intense sunlight pouring from the pure blue skies sparkled on the transparent blue waves. On such a summer day, A lone vessel was riding the sea currents. Pictured on its g were two ck snakes, their bodies entwined together as the heads stretched towards the sky. The ship belonged to the Snakebone Pirates, a newly formed crew that recently started to raid the southern seas. Their main sources of ie were kidnapping and ve trade. They robbed people of their dignity and traded it for money one of the worst kind of ruffians guing those seas. Captain, theres a small boating from the east. One of the pirates called for the captains attention. At the other end of his gaze, the small boat in question was being rocked by the waves. What? A drifter in these parts? There arent any inds nearby. The nasty-looking man addressed as captain frowned and took out a pair of binocrs from his breast pocket. Upon closer inspection, the small boat was flying a g smeared in ck. Thatshah, just some castaway criminal. It was customary in those seas to set up gs painted in ck on the boats used for castaways. The ck g was a signal for unaware sailors not to rescue the drifter. Haha, the boats off the prison inds currentI guess the wind knocked it off the tidal current? Whatre we gonna do, capn? Let it go? Naw, pickem up! I want to know what they did to be thrown out to sea like that! The pirate cackled as he gave the order to his subordinate. The pirate ship then rowed closer to the boat and picked up its single passenger, a man. The castaway was a young man, around 20 years old. His body, tightly tied with ropes, showed various bruises. He likely underwent a brutal interrogation: there were also marks caused byshes. Whoa! Now this is a big find! The captain cheered at the sight of the castaway. Young men fetched a good price on the ve market: the value would go down if he was revealed to be a criminal, but no one would find out if they sold him a few inds away from the current area. If hes useful enough, we might as well make him work on the ship! So? What made you take an ocean cruise all by yourself, boy? The captain sneered as he approached the castaway. Damn, they sure did a number on you, brat. Who did you piss off? .. The castaway looked up at the captain, without a word. His face was pitifully swollen and bruised. Haha, weve got a looker on our hands! Youre gonna be worth something, thats for sure! Despite the bruises, the young man appeared to be quite handsome. As soon as they healed, it wouldnt be difficult to sell him as a male prostitute. Hey, someone cut his ropes! Were going to sell him as a ve. Cool off his wounds, so he doesnt drop in value! Right away, capn! One of the pirates cut the castaways restraints. Thetter, still silent, did not show any sign of resistance. Stand up, boy! lings What? Come again? For the first time, the young man spoke. He had probably spent days without eating or drinking anything: his voice was raspy and dry. I saidno hard feelings. Huh? The young mans right arm, marked by the rope, stretched forward. With a speedpletely unexpected by the pirates, the young man snatched the knife that had just freed him. Ghah!? What the!? What the hell are you doing!? In the blink of an eye, the young man had cut a pirates throat with the snatched knife. Immediately blood started pouring from the shed throat, like a torrent breaking through a dam. I dont have anything against you people. The young man lurched back on his feet, more like a ghost than a human would. His body, drenched in the pirates blood, was reminiscent of the demons in oriental tales. No resentment, ill will, or anything. What Im going to do to you now, is just stress relief. Youre going to die in the process, butno hard feelings, all right? You bastard!! The captain clenched his teeth. The young man was clearly an enemy: yet strangely enough, he couldnt muster any hostility towards him. The hatred and rage for the murder of his subordinate was crushed by an intense fear, robbing him of any will to oppose the castaway. Kill him!! Tear him to pieces!! Nevertheless, the captain shouted, desperately trying to rile himself up as well. The subordinates, equally intimidated by the castaways presence, readied their weapons. Thats the way. If youre armed, youll make it easier for me to kill you. The castaway swayed, knife in hand. KILL HIM!! WOOOOHHH!! DIEEEEE!!! The pirates jumped the young man, all at the same time. The difference in numbers was stark: on top of it, his only weapon was a small knife. The oue of the battle seemed to be decided from the beginning. Hahaha. The castaway, however, showed no fear. He bared a set of deadly fangs and red at his enemies. Safe trip to hell! The castaway swung his knife, shing the pirates necks and wrists, one after the other. The name of the young man covered in wounds and bruises was Dyngir Maxwell. The hero of the Lamperouge kingdoms eastern province, carried by fate to the southern seas. Volume 3 - Ch 2 After several minutes of uninterrupted screams, the Snakebone pirates ship fell intoplete silence. The massacre seemed to have ended. Not long after, another vessel approached the pirate ship turned ughterhouse. On the approaching ship flew a simple skull g. On the mast of the rather drab vessel stood a woman in a red dress. Gahaha!! Looks like the job is already done! The woman in the red dress, her white hair blowing in the wind, was Grace D.O. Maxwell. The captain of the White Demons, thergest pirate crew of the southern seas the infamous pirate known as Draco Omari. Damn, he really took out the Snakebones all by himselfguess he really is grandma and that mans son Therge man who contemted the situation with an impressed sigh was Gourd, vice captain of the White Demons. Gourd then instructed his subordinates to nk the Snakebones ship. Whoa After taking a closer look at the ship, Gourd voiced his surprise aloud. It was drenched in blood, from the deck all the way to the mast. One would be hard pressed to find a spot not painted red. The heavy stench of blood and death hung over the ship, as if to forbid any living beings from stepping on it. On that ghost shipI was standing, alone. Heyits been a while. The White Demon pirates boarded the ship, looking slightly intimidated. I then threw the knife I had snatched from the pirate at the woman leading them. Ooh!? The knife targeted her throat, just as I aimed, but Grace blocked it, as easily as if it was a ball. I had expected that much. So I picked up a sword from a dead pirate and instantly closed in on her. Hah!! Hey now, that was dangerous! Tchdidnt work, huh. I swung the sword in a sh, but Grace caught the de between her fingers, as if it was nothing. Because of the bruises covering my body, I couldnt exert as much strength as Id hoped. Whats wrong, did you mistake me for an enemy? Take a good look, dear, its your dear mother! Yeah, thats why I attacked you, shitty hag!! So I spat out, as I tossed the sword taken from the corpse away. What are you sulking for? Is this your rebel phase? Or are you angry at me for making you act as a castaway to crush the Snakebones? Exactly that, shitty hag!! The Snakebone pirates were not exactly a menace in terms of fighting power. They were very cautious, however, and had eluded the White Demons tracking until now, making them quite difficult to catch. To use a decoy, acting as a castaway, to make them drop their guard was not a bad n by itself. Butwas the torture part really necessary!? I put all my weight on the pivot leg and unleashed a kick with all my might but Grace swayed and dodged it without effort. Bweh!? The kicknded on Gourd, who was standing behind her, instead. The unexpected impact sent him flying into the air, then into the sea. Gahaha, dont be so angry! Mommy will be sad if her son hates her so much! Dont make me hate you then!! I cant even remember you ever acting like a mother anyway!! Grace took all my insults like nothing,ughing loudly as usual. I finally realized that talking to her was pointless and picked up one of the pirates lying on the deck. I left the captain alive, like you said. Interrogation, torture, I dont care, hes all yours. The captain of the Snakebone pirates had suffered de wounds here and there, but still breathed. I kicked him in Graces direction, sending him rolling to her feet. Gahaha!! Thats my boy!! Well done! Dont touch my head!! Seriously Grace tried to pat my head, but I dodged and headed towards the ships cabin. These guys waresI can do what I want with the ves, right? That was the agreement, right? Right! The White Demons dont engage in that kind of trade!! Really nowI hope I can find a good woman, at least After going through something like this, I had to spend some quality time with a woman to cope. Praying that the pirates had captured a beauty or two, I thus went into the cabin, where they supposedly kept their wares. Volume 3 - Ch 3 After going into the cabin, I spotted an area modeled like a prison cell. The Snakebones, kidnappers and ve traders, had built a cell in their hip that could hold about 20 people. However Damn, is it just kids? All I could see inside, trembling huddled against each other, were children about 10 years old. All of them had sun-scorched skin: they were likely abducted from various inds of the Southern Archipgo. Haahwhat am I supposed to do with brats like these There were some good-looking girls among the kids. Unfortunately, however, I was not the kind of gentleman with a penchant for fooling around with children. Eek!! Waah! Seeing me stand in front of the cage, the children shrieked. They were clearly terrified. Feeling a headache creep up, I shook my head. So, erthe pirates that kidnapped you, I killed them all. The kids were shaken, naturally. They looked at each other with hesitation, then peeked at my face. I dont know where they took you from, but Im letting you off at the nearest port. Do what you will then. P-Please wait!! Hm? I turned around and the group of kids parted, revealing the owner of the voice that stopped me in my tracks. Ooh!! I couldnt help it I was instantly fascinated. Among the kids was a girl 17 or 18 years old. ck hair with a bluish hue, a face that even the harshest judge would praise as very pretty. She was definitely a beauty. Her scorched gold eyes and gleaming lips were entuated even more by the exotic charm of her amber skin. Based on skin color, she probably came from an eastern country, like Sakuya, but the girl before me had a darkerplexion, which reinforced her unique atmosphere. I couldnt see her because of the kidsbut hey, this is a really good findthose pirates did a damn fine job. Ehm? Oh, sorry, sorry. How can I help you? Er, were you a pirate? I replied to the girls question with a sarcastic grin. At the momentyeah, you could say that. I dont have any intention to sell you, however, so you can rest easy about that. I stressed thest words I did not guarantee her safety about anything else. We arethese children have been abducted from the Ga Kingdom. Please, could you bring us back to our homnd? Ga Kingdom? If my memory served right, Ga was thergest trading state of the Southern Archipgo, and was located east of the Sapphire Kingdom. It would take 20 days of sea travel from our current location: certainly not somewhere we could just make a quick detour in. Im sorry, miss, but Im not a savior of those in distress, or anything like that. Consider it lucky that youll get dropped off at the nearest port. No, please!! The girls expression twisted painfully. I nced at her from the side and smirked. What do we get from taking you back home? Are you going to pay for the trip? WeWe dont have money, but The girls voice trailed off. She didnt seem willing to give up, however, and her golden eyes pleaded to me. I can pay by workingno matter how long it takes. Please, help these children! Ooh, so youre willing to pay. Excellent, excellent! I took the key hanging from the wall and opened the cell. As I stepped inside, the kids shrieked and dispersed left and right. .!! I walked in front of the girl, who looked at me wide-eyed and swallowed her breath. You said youll pay by workingdo you really know what that means? A ve cant choose their job, you know? Of course! So please, save these children I see, d to hear it. Wah!? I took the girls hand and pulled her up. She had probably not bathed in days: the smell of her sweat was pretty fierce, but I hugged her thin waist without a care. I didnt want to force you, see. So Im really thankful that you consented. Ehmto what? This isnt the right ce, though. Lets go somewhere else. I dragged the girl out of the cell. She kept looking at the kids, worried. Ill have the guys bring them food and waterter, dont worry. I wont tell you to trust a pirate, but theres no one else here to help you right now, so just do as I say. I understand that, butwhere are we going? Hm? The girl looked at me, genuinely puzzled. Could it be that she really had no idea what I was going to do? I meanIm a man, right? Well yes, I can see that? Yup, she didnt have a clue. I looked around at the kids. Even 10 year olds seemed to understand what was going to happen to her: some blushed, others turned pale. In what environment could she have been raised, to be so ignorant of such activities at her age? oh well. After briefly considering the matter, I concluded it was not a real problem. She didnt need to know anything: all that mattered was that I did. Ill teach you in bed. Just think of it as a kind of work women do. Really? Well, I promised, so I will do my best. Yeah, you do that. I left the worried kids and took the girl out of the cabin. I told the White Demons crewmembers to feed the kids, then headed to the captains cabin. What kind of work did I have her do? Her moans, which resounded throughout the night, should be enough of an answer. Volume 3 - Ch 4 I am Ladd, first son and heir to House Efreeta, a small noble family of the eastern province. Our family has served House Maxwell for generations although House Efreeta was bestowed the title of Viscount from the Lamperouge royal family, we are officially a vassal of the royal family. House Maxwell and Efreeta, however, have been fighting as a united front against the empire since before the foundation of the Lamperouge Kingdom. It is the same for me, personally: rather than the royal family, always looking down at us from the capital, without sparing a coin to support us, I feel more loyalty to House Maxwell, our long-standing ally. get over yourself already, man. I was sitting deep on the sofa of my living room, when I spat out such words in an annoyed tone. Please, do not talk to me. From the other sofa across the table came a rather dry reply. Sitting there was Luc Efreeta, my younger brother by 3 years, and a student at the capitals academy. He was hugging his knees, hiding his pouting face from me, restlessly picking on the sofas hairs. He must have been at it for a good while: the bear fur, our father had the sofas nket made of, had gone almost fully bald on the elbow rest area. Lucs mood had been like this ever since he came back home for the summer holidays. Was it really so shocking that you couldnt participate in the battle against the empire? That was the reason for my brothers sulking. Some time ago, a battle over the eastern provinces Fort Bryden broke out. I led the Efreeta forces in that instance, but Luc was not among our troops. Of course it was!! Please do not ask questions when you already know the answer!! Luc red at me, though I could see he was fighting to hold back tears. Being a warrior myself, I could easily understand how frustrating it could be to miss a chance to stand on the battlefield. Would a 15 years old boy cry over something like that, though? I cant ept it!! Theres finally a battle, the empire finally attacked, and I couldnt be on the battlefield with Lord Dyngir!! Eh? The young master? Youre sulking because of something like that? Something like that!? For me it is something extremely important!!! Luc pounded his fist on the table. I hurriedly saved the ss on the table from certain destruction and downed the liquor inside. Lord Dyngir is the hero of our times. He defeated Bjorc Zagann and the empire forces at the age of 12!! That is the kind of person I lost a chance to be on the battlefield with!! Can you possibly understand how dishonorable that is, brother!? Sorry, but noI was with the young master in thest battle, and his first battle too, after all. Is that really so important? AAAAARRRRGGH!! Im so envious!! Luc started twisting and turning on the floor, out of frustration. My dear little brotherwhat is so special about the young master? You speak of him like he was a legendary hero already, but that guy is always thinking about doing women, you know? I licked thest drops of drink in my ss, then kicked Lucs back to stop his writhing. Alright alreadyIll tell you about the young masters exploits on the battlefield, so get over it, will you. L-Lord Dyngirs exploits!? P-Please!!! Luc immediately came up close to me, eyes sparkling and pleading. I stepped backwards the same distance he closed in, then asked something I had to know first. Yeah, yeah, Ill talkbut I want to hear your report about things at the capital first. Have you forgotten your duty? First the crown prince Sullivan loses his mind, then the king dies and the all too young second crown prince ascends the throne. The series of events had plunged the royal capital into chaos. The academy was not exempt either: one third of the students had handed in their resignation and returned to their home provinces. One of the reasons why my little brother was still enrolled at the academy was to gather information in the capital. I have to report everything to House Maxwell, so get on with it. Report to House Maxwellto Lord Dyngir!! Indeed, I must fulfill my duty!! When the young master left the academy, he apparently asked Luc to keep him informed about the situation there. Being the die-hard fan he was, Luc viewed it as a mission to carry out no matter what. there is not much new to report, however. The central province is in the same state of confusion as before. Duke Rosais is always running left and right, trying to contain the situation. Some of the central nobles are apparently trying to take his position, which contributes to the chaos. Fighting among themselves at a time like this? When will they ever learn? Thats why I hate those people Unlike the noble houses of the four outer provinces, the central nobles did not have any particr foreign enemies. They were not exposed to the constant, life-threatening presence of foreign enemies, and had grown ustomed to peace as a result. Little did they know that their kingdom was actually on the brink of copse. All their hostility and antagonism were directed at their fellow nobles, serving only to destabilize the central government even further. No wonder the young masters so fed up with them. Looks like our springtime of youth is closer than expected! Thanks to the peace treaty with the Baal empire, the eastern province did not need to spare as much military strength as before to protect the border: we thus had more leeway to target the central province. (The young master is nning to make House Maxwell independent, butat this rate, couldnt we take over the whole country?) I felt that a new era wasing and couldnt help but grin. Oh, yes, there is one piece of new information. Hm? What? Luc mentioned it in a casual tone, so I thought it couldnt be something too important. His reply, however, waspletely unexpected. Marianne, the daughter of Duke Rosais, apparently turned into a viiness and made herself a harem of men. What the hell!? Volume 3 - Ch 5 POV: Duke Rosais Oh heavens, dear count! You and your jokes Hahaha, oh nothese lips speak nothing but the truth! Hoho, our count Louz is here on a mission! Hahahaha. A group of youths was sitting at a round table, enjoying tea and biscuits. All the men present belonged to powerful noble families of the central province, either as the current head or heirs. In other words, the generation that would one day lead the future of the Lamperouge Kingdom: though right now they surrounded a single woman,uding and singing her praises. what are you people doing? My tone ended up more brusque than I had nned. Even without a mirror, I was sure my stare at that moment had to be chilling. The scene before me was simply that unbearable. Oh? Whatever is the matter, dear father? The woman surrounded by nobles was Marianne Rosais my own daughter. She used to be a role model for noble daughters everywhere, my pride and joy, but she had undergone a drastic change in recent times and started surrounding herself with fawning men. Oh dear, where are my manners? A well-dressed man, whose dazzling suit stood out even among the other nobles, bowed and greeted me with impable form. It has been too long, dear Duke! Truly, I am blessed to meet Your Excellency on such a fine day, I No need for greetings. Instead, may I ask you what you are doing here? Count Louz? The man who approached me was Count Louz: among the men in my daughters entourage, he had the highest title. This man, who had inherited his title at the young age of 20, was from a noble family of the central province, just like us but belonged to our enemy faction. What sort of absurd circumstance had led him to visit my residence, and flirt with my daughter to boot? That is quite a curious question indeed. Do I perhaps need a reason to visit a dear friend? A married man indeed needs a reason to visit another woman, yes. I am afraid Lady Louz would not appreciate seeing you here. The hostility in my words was palpable, but Count Louz did not seem to mind; he instead flipped his hair, in an irritatingly snobbish manner. We were discussing the future of this kingdom, Your Excellency. Our soon-toe age. Your age? What on earth are you talking about? Hahaha, oh my! Our esteemed chancellor cares about the fantasies and dreams of children like us? Now that is a peculiar pastime! You little!! The counts overly polite speech sounded nothing but taunts to me: I felt the veins on my forehead bulge up. What I could tell from his words, however, is that he did not have the slightest intention to switch sides to my faction. The mans words and attitude clearly showed that he saw me as a political enemy. Even if we belonged to opposing factions, I was still His Majesty the Kings representative, the kingdoms chancellor. If I wished to, eliminating a nuisance like that young man was easy work. Dear father, please, that is enough. I was going to threaten Count Louz to put him back in his ce, when my daughter calmly cated my rising temper. They are all friends I personally invited. Any disrespect will bring shame to the host, dont you agree? Mariannewhat are you thinking? Ohohoho Marianne dodged my question, instead covering her mouth with her fan. Her real intentions were hidden behind a coquettish gaze not even I, her father, could see through. Im afraid the mood is goneshall we continue another day, gentlemen? Oh, how unfortunate. I am very much looking forward to next time, o flower of Lamperouge. Gh!! Count Louz made a show of kissing my daughters hand, then shot me an insufferable nce as he left the room. W-Well, we should be on our way too! With your permission, Your Excellency! Until next time, Lady Marianne!! The rest of the entourage quickly followed the count out of the room. Among them awkwardly fleeing young men, I recognized the son of the captain of the knights and the son of a cardinal. The younger brother of one of the capitals most powerful merchants, and various other leading figures. As all the men left, only my daughter and I were left in the room. What is the meaning of this, Marianne!? What exactly are you plotting!? Oh, dear father, why in the world are you so angry? What did you say!? Have you fallen so much that I have to exin something like that!? Marianne replied with a bewitching smile. She crossed her legs, as the daring cut of her dress exposed her bare skin. Her tongue caressed her lips, in a gesture that badly matched a maiden just 18 years old. Fallen? I take offense to that, father. You should say I have grown, advancedmaybe even ascended to greater heights. Grown? You? How is any of this!! Marianne had always been dignified, graceful, virtuous, a daughter to be proud of. Certainly not someone who would befriend a married man. Dear father, I am simply doing my part to protect this country. Protect? What are you saying? Soon enough, you will see, father. You will see that I was right. Marianne did not say anything else: she snapped her fan shut, ending the conversation. She stood up from her chair and left the room, her heels punctuating her exit. Mariannewhat happened to you? I looked at my daughters back, dumbfounded, as anger and hopelessness grew in my heart. Volume 3 - Ch 6 POV: Marianne Rosais Honestly, that father of mine! After being scolded by my father and taking refuge in my room, I leaped onto my bed. I rolled around to let out the stress, not caring about any wrinkles and creases that would form on my dress. Does he really think that I enjoy doing that!? Something as vulgar as seducing men! I vented my thoughts out loud, then buried my face in a pillow. I wasnt satisfied yet, however, so I turned face up and threw the same pillow at the wall. Those men and father were the samewhy can men only see things from their own perspective? I could feel the stress building within me just by talking to them. Father is far too innocent to be a noble. He wont be able to support the country in the next era like that! I respected my father from the bottom of my heart. He was an upright, excellent person, ideal as the kings guardian. His way of doing things, however, would not be suited for theing era. After my former fiance was disowned, Prince Sulley was crowned king, but the young rulers reign was already on the brink of ruin. There was little credibility about the legitimacy of Sulley as sessor to the throne, in the first ce. Before falling to sickness, the previous king stated that Sulley was not his real son. For the central nobles, who value the royal bloodline among anything else, such words could not be forgotten or tolerated. The great majority of the central nobles looked down on Sulley: the number of those who swore sincere loyalty to him could be counted on one hand. Among the families with blood ties to the royal family, there were even some nobles who imed to be the rightful sessor to the throne. Another grave issue was the disappearance of Herakles, national treasure of the kingdom. That magic tool was a symbol of the royal familys authority, and also a weapon the royal family wielded over the other noble families. Its disappearance had caused a great loss of prizing power for the Lamperouge family: it was not far-fetched to say that its actual authority was now close to zero. And The peace treaty with the empirewas the coup de grace I turned over and looked up at the canopy. In my mind, I pictured a map of the kingdom and its surroundings. The threat to our eastern and northern borders had thus disappeared. I did not trust the empire unconditionally, of course, but they needed time to recover from the recent battles, so for the next 10 years, any military conflict against them was highly unlikely. Which also means that House Utgard of the north and House Maxwell of the east are much more free to movefree to attack the capital when they please. The rtionship between the Lamperouge royal family and the Four Houses, unfortunately, was rather poor. The provincial nobles looked down on the central nobles as arrogant weaklings. The central nobles despised the provincial nobles as lowbred barbarians. The royal family stood as a guardian of the central nobles, so the rift with the provincial houses only widened over the years. House Maxwell is especially dangerousbecause of the idiocy of my ex-fiance, their conflict with the royal family has be decisive That idiotbecause of Sullivans insane assassination n of the Maxwell heir, House Maxwell now saw the royal family as an enemy. This country had not a single moment to waste. Father apparently nned to wait until Sulley became of age to start reform, but there is no way the kingdom willst that long. Something must be done, and fast. With any means necessary. And thats why I started ying the viinessbut even if I exined my reasons, I doubt father would understand Those in positions of authority have to use both clean and unclean means at times, but my father leans a bit too much towards the clean side. This country, however, cannot be saved with only clean ways. Not anymore. The leader of the next age will be someone unafraid to sink deep in the mud, someone ready to stain their hands in order to rule. I will use everything at my disposal to unite the central nobles and take control of the kingdom, no matter what. I can do itI have the talent necessary. Thanks to my rtionship with Sullivan, that foolish bundle of pride, I could cultivate my skills in leading men in the direction I wished. It was not a talent I wished to have, but I was going to make full use of it too at this point. The central nobles were split into several factions, but the group I created surpassed and ovepped them. We had already started exchanging information in the group. I was going to use it to keep the factions in bnce and gradually gain enough power in order to control the kingdom from the shadows. If only I could make him an ally, the foundations would be solid, but Gaining control of the central nobles was gradually giving me the political power I needed. The next thing I had to obtain was military power. Yes, if only I could seduce that womanizer hero You people will not do as you please with this kingdom. And you will learn that I, a woman, will be the worst fear for an enemy of women such as you are!! I reaffirmed my resolve and clenched my hand into a fist. In the Kingdom of Lamperouge, which Dyngir Maxwell had temporarily left, all sorts of thoughts and emotions twisted and turned, writhing like a demonic beast. But Dyngir woulde to know of their existence only muchter Volume 3 - Ch 7 Im not familiar with this ceilingor this woman. I woke up and tried to wrap my drowsy head around the current situation. A stained wooden ceiling. A wobbling floor. The sound of waves and cries of seagulls in the distance. The bluish/ck-haired girl beside me was sleeping peacefully. I did know who she was she was the girl I had taken as my ve the day before. A shipright, yesterday I fell asleep like that I was in the ship we had taken over from the Snakebone pirates. On the bed in the captains cabin. I had taken the ve girl to bed as payment for taking her back to her homnd and fell asleep at the end. Ever since Grace, my mother, had kidnapped me one week ago, I had notid with a woman. It was probably my longest period of abstinence: because of that, I really went all outst night. Zzzz How many times did we do it? Anywaythis woman is something else I looked at the sleeping girl and mumbled to myself, as a chill ran down my spine. She was absolutely a virgin: bed-rted arts were aplete mystery to her. This pure and innocent girl, however, had taken my one weeks worth of pent-up frustration. She was my partner all night, without losing consciousness once. Even among my lovers, very few can keep up with me all night on their own. Even Eliza, my personal maid, can barely pull it off. This girl was probably tougher than Sakuya and Shana. I might have found one hell of a beast herehaha, good thing I was the man that discovered her Nhah I caressed the sleeping girls body without restraint, savoring its warmth and softness. She had raw talent, without a doubt. One might even suspect she was a subus. The average man would definitely fall victim to her limitless potential, and taste heaven as his lifeforce was sucked dry. For the average man, she was a sex fiend, an angel and a god of death. Me finding her here is probably a stroke of luck for the rest of the men of the world. If she was sold to a brothel, who knows how many men would be her prey Hnaah.nnh I nodded to myself, while I groped her mounds with both hands. Our encounter was surely destined by the stars, or maybe a blessing granted by the god of the sea. Ahgood morning. The girl opened her eyes, probably because of my pranks. Her scorched gold eyes reflected my figure. Yeahmorninghow does your body feel? My body? I cant exin it well, butyes, I feel very refreshed. The girl cocked her head to the side, as if she was sincerely wondering why. No virgin could have gone through a night like that and act so unfazed the morning after. I couldnt be wrong. The girl before me was a natural-born sex demon. I see. If it really doesnt hurt anywhere, Im d. ? Yes, thank youby the way, do all ves do that kind of work? Even after losing her virginity, the girls eyes brimmed with innocence. If it was all an act, it was a damn good one. But she was probably being honest. Well, yeah, there are a lot of ves that do it. I seeits a tough job, but I will do my best! The girl clenched her hands in front of her chest, showing eagerness toward her new upation. I did my best to keep a smile on my face and patted her back. yeah, but dont push yourself too hard. It might be fatal, you know. This job requires putting ones life on the line, I see. Yeah. Mine, mainly. Excuse me? It was me that decided to take the girl as my ve, but would I be able to survive until we reached her home ind? To spend all my energy and die on the bed was ideal, in a way, but if possible I would have liked to live a while longer. I yanked the bedsheets off me and covered the girl with them, then picked up the clothes scattered on the floor. The ve clothing she had been wearing until the day before were not suitable for a woman of mine. I doubted I would find much womens clothing on a pirate ship, but I wanted to give her at least something clean. Im going to get you some proper clothes and food. Take it easy for a while. In that case, I should Dont go out looking like thatyoull make more victims. Victims? The girl looked adorably confused. I turned around and put a hand on the doorknob, then stopped. ah, sorry. What was your name again? I think I asked herst night, but it was so intense that I forgot. Oh yes. My name is Sue. The girl, Sue, sat politely on the bed, the bedsheets still on her head, and bowed her head deeply. I am in your caremaster. Ahright. Same here. Sues all too earnest attitude, especially considering I was her ve master, took mepletely off guard andpletely soothed my spirits. I could only reply nkly, scratching my head. Volume 3 - Ch 8 I brought clothes and a simple meal for Sue, then went out to the deck. The sea breeze cooled off the heat from my body. The seabirds were crying overhead: we were approachingnd. You sure had funst night, fool of a son! you were on this ship, shitty hag? As soon as I stepped on deck, my mother sitting on the ships bow called out to me. The ship I was on, formerly owned by the Snakebone pirates, was following the lead of the White Demons ship. Grace was the White Demons captain, but, for some reason, she was on this ship instead, her red dress boldly waving in the wind. Because of the way she was sitting, I ended up confirming that her underwear was the same color as her dress. Not that I needed that, or any kind of information about my own mothers underwear. The only thing that crossed my mind is that she was way too old to wear underwear of that color. How could I leave my precious son alone? As they say, children feel more precious the more foolish they are! Hey, nice words. Youre starting to sound like a mother. I replied to her sarcasm the same way, then leaned over the starboard side and looked at the sea. While I was the heir of House Maxwell, my ce of birth was actually in these southern seas. When I gazed at the sea, I had the nostalgic feeling of having returned home. I was raised by Grace D.O. Maxwell in my infancyso let me spare you the details. It was an absurd farce I would not be able to talk about without crying once or twice. Thats a good woman, isnt she? pretty rare for you to praise a woman without trying to kill her first. I stared at Graces face, sincerely surprised. My mother was a battle-loving, murderous lunatic: her basic way ofmunication with others was using her fists. For example, after the battle (nearly) to the death with Sakuya at the Baal empire port, Gracebeled her a good woman. I rarely ever heard her praise another woman without fighting, however, no matter how wise or smart she may be. Yeah. Those ck hair with blue streaks, those golden eyesvery good. And youre even praising her looks? Stranger and strangerdo her hair and eye color have a special meaning? Youre not going to tell me shes a descendant of some royal bloodline, are you? I only lived in the southern seas until I was 7: there was much I did not know about this side of the world. Despite being such a beauty, Sue had been left untouched by the Snakebone pirates: maybe she belonged to a special lineage. If I said everything, Id be robbing my son of a chance to grow! Find out by yourself. Tchwhatever. Grace cackled loudly, refusing to answer. When she talked like that, I knew she really would not say anything. I had to investigate the matter on my own. More importantly, look at that. Ooh! I looked ahead and found a small ind covered in green. On the other side of the ind there was a bay with some buildings made of wood, forming a small settlement. We had arrived at Alexandrite, a small ind of the Southern Archipgo. The home base of the White Demons and also my birthce. Volume 3 - Ch 9 The settlement on Alexandrite ind looked like a small fishing vige at first nce. There was a small harbor on the seaside, where fishermen burned by the sun went back and forth on their boats. Our two pirate ships were anchored at the harbor. Grace and the rest of the White Demon pirates got down the ship and headed for the settlement. Wee back, captain. Good work out there, sister. Im back, folks! Thanks for holding up the fort! Grace walked through the settlement, waving left and right. The fishing vige citizens too weed the pirates return cheerfully. They definitely did not look like helplessmoners tormented by pige or plunder. Rightfully so: they were all White Demon crewmembers, simply camouged as fishermen. Ooh! Young master! When I stepped into the vige with Sue behind me the vigers reacted with surprise. Its really him! Yeahits Dyn! Wee back! Look, hes got a woman too! Gahaha, weve got a heir on the way! You sure got old, guys! Its been a while! The old fishermen who pped my shoulders and old women who gripped my hands were all nostalgic faces. Wow, master, you are very popr Well, yeah, I was kind of born here. Theyre like my family. Sue looked honestly impressed. I gave her a short answer as I briskly walked through the vige. I was headed to one of the oldest houses there, located in the back of the area. This is? The White Demon pirates headquarters. This house? It certainly does not look like it I pulled the perplexed Sues thin arm and stepped into the rickety old house. There was no furniture or anything else inside: only a set of stone stairs leading underground. The stairs were decorated with intricate designs, signaling the fact that they had been built in an ancient age. Ooh? Why? Presented with a scenery in stark contrast with the houses external appearance, Sue opened her golden eyes wide. Its our secret base. Pretty swell, huh? Yes? Very swell, I think? Iughed wryly at Sues shaky way of agreeing and proceeded down the stairs. Grace and the other pirates had preceded me already. Using the torches mounted on the walls as a guide, I followed the spiral staircase below. When we arrived at the end of the stairs, the underground ruins appeared before us. Inside there were manyrge square buildings, dotting thendscape like gravestones. Every single one of the towering buildings emitted a pale blue light: the sunlight did not reach all the way down there, but it was as bright as noon nheless. Woowwhat is this ce!? Its all just likest time It was a magical sight that couldnt be found anywhere else in the world, and Sue reacted with natural wonder. Looking at my homnd, unchanged from my memories, I sighed. Who knew there was a ce like this in the outside world! Amazing, amazing!! Im so moved, master!! outside world, huh What kind of ce did she grow up in? What led to her being abducted by pirates? I was interested, of course, but I shook my head and closed my eyes. The mystery deepensbut I shouldnt pry for now. If I asked, she would probably answer immediately. But I wasnt the kind of frail man that fretted over a womans past. A secret or two makes a woman more attractive. Her past will wait until we arrive at the Ga Kingdom, I suppose. Master! Can I look at this? Here! Hey, dont run off on your own, youll get lost! Wow!! This is so pretty too! I smiled wryly as I looked at Sue, all excited like a child. Resigned, I shrugged and followed her. Volume 3 - Ch 10 After humoring Sues exploration of the ruins for a while, I headed to the building the White Demons used as headquarters. There was a grand total of about 20 buildings inside the ruins, which housed over 5,000 people. Rather than just a pirate crew, it could be said that they were a city-state by now. Before I was born, the White Demons apparently sustained themselves via small-scale raids and piging, but after obtaining arge fortune in a certain event, they expanded their business to marine transport, mercenary trade and exploration of uncharted areas. I entered the building with Sue, and Grace weed us with a grin. Yourete, boy. Were you having a pic out there? You see, I had to escort this youngdy with little knowledge of the outside world. OhI Sue blushed violently: she was clearly embarrassed by her spurt of childish excitement. Incidentally, we left the children, enved together with Sue, to the people in the fishing vige above. There were many children of their age there: they would surely enjoy themselves more than being locked up in a ship cabin. Mother, lend me a ship. Im going on a quick trip to the Ga Kingdom. I cut right to the chase. My mother was the type to think with her fists: there was no need for negotiations with her. If you wanted something, it was always more effective to juste out and say it. For that womans sake? Since when were you so generous? I promised, thats all. And when I can keep my promises, I do. I shrugged and replied. Grace looked at me and her smile deepened. Fair enough, you can go. Take care out there. Eh? I was taken aback: I definitely expected to be refused. Grace had abducted me at Baal harbor, but still had not told me for what reason. It couldnt have been just to take down the Snakebone pirates: I was expecting her to push another task on me any moment. Youre letting me go? Just like that? What the hell are you plotting? Gahaha!! Dont doubt your own mother now! Im the woman who gave birth to you! Thats exactly why Im worried I grimaced and let out a long, annoyed sigh. She wasnt going to tell me anything more, no matter how much I pressed. I had to go along with it, regardless of what ns she was cooking up. Whatever. Im taking the Snakebones ship then. I was the one to take in the first ce, anyway. No objections, right? Sure, but you have to pass by the Sapphire Kingdom, all right? Sakuyas waiting for me there, so I was already nning tobut I shot an interrogating nce at Grace. What was waiting for me at Sapphire? Dont ask a woman to reveal her secrets, son. Theyre part of her charm, right? hearing you say that kind of gets on my nervesanyway, were leaving tomorrow. Hopefully well never meet again. I red at Grace and her whimsical tone, then turned on my heels and headed out. Sue, however, grabbed my sleeve and pulled. Hm? Whats wrong? Ehmmaster. If we leave, it would be better to do so today. Sue looked up at me, with apprehension in her eyes. Hey, whats all the rush? I know you probably want to be back home as soon as possible, but No, that is not ita storm will probably arrive here soon. If we leave today, we should be able to reach the Sapphire Kingdom without encountering it. I furrowed my brow. How could Sue know something like that? I heard the seabirds talk about it. A big storm ising, so we should fill our bellies and hide out somewhere. Youunderstand what birds say? Yes, kind of. Sue lookedpletely serious: she was not joking or lying. Among the Fangs of Steel at my service, there was a priestess capable of predicting the future. Even if the magic civilizations were a thing of the distant past, I knew that there were individuals albeit extremely rare with superhuman abilities in this world. Could Sue be one of them? Blue hair and golden eyesI wonder if shes from a special n, or I nced at Grace: my mother looked away and innocently pretended to whistle, despite her age though I did not know how old she actually was. She was ying dumb. I couldnt help but feel slightly irritated by her childish antics. Fine, lets leave today then. Never wait to do good, they say. I talked to Gourd, borrowed a few sailors, boarded the kids on the ship and left my hometown. I had visited it for the first time in 12 years, but in the end, spent only a couple of hours there. Volume 3 - Ch 11 POV: Sue My name is Sue. At present, I am a ve in the service of my master Lord Dyngir. To be honest, however, I am notpletely sure of the circumstances that led me to be his ve. I was born into a wealthy family but I have no recollection anymore of what kind of family it was, what kind of business it was involved inI cannot even remember its name anymore. Ever since I was a child, for some reason, I was able to speak with birds and animals. Only when I had to leave my family did I realize that it was not a normal thing. One day, father lost his favorite watch and was raising amotion. He had received it from mother before their marriage, so it was a treasure for him. I loved my father very much, so to help find the watch, I consulted my mice friends. Oh, that. The crow building a nest in the garden took it, I saw it. I immediately climbed the tree and asked the crow to give back the watch. The crow cried in a vexed tone for a while, but when it saw the tears gradually welling up in my eyes, begrudgingly returned it. I then giddily hopped over to my fathers ce, watch in hand. He was very surprised to see his silver watch safe and sound, and asked me where I had found it, a slightly stern tone in his voice. He probably thought I hid it as a prank. So I frantically exined what happened. I seemiceand a crow After listening to me, father became very quiet, his face looking like he had just taken a bitter medicine. I was worried I had done something wrong, that I was going to get scolded but father did not say anything. Thenthe next day I had to leave my home and was sent to a monastery. Still a child, separated from my family without as much as a word of exnation, I spent the first few days crying. Thanks to the kindness of the abbess and the other nuns, however, I could pull myself together, and began my new life as a nun. Several yearster One day, the abbess summoned me, 16 years old at the time. Sue, your ce of service has been decided. My ce of service? But why? Some of the nuns would leave the monastery to serve noble or merchant families. Most of the time, they never came back: they would find a partner there and be united with them in marriage. I could not even remember the name of the family I was born in, so for me, the monastery was like my real home. I could not stand being parted from my home again. It is necessary to do this, my dear, for your sake. Please understand I resisted for a little while but seeing the abbess sad expression convinced me to leave the monastery. I am truly sorry, dear. I will pray for your happiness, every day. Thank youthank you for everything. After a tearful parting with the abbess and the other nuns, I was brought to a certain merchant. And Eh? Cmon, get in here!! For some reason, I was led to a ship and put inside a cage. There were many children there already, all huddled down, hugging their knees, some even crying. Its okay, its okay. I could not truly understand what was going on either, but I was the oldest person there. Fortunately, we often took care of children in the monastery, so I was used to it. I continued consoling the weeping children. In the cage, our meals were very frugal. The monasterys meals were rather poor as well, always some sort of bread and soup, but in the cage, it was even less than that. As I dipped the rock-hard bread in water and brought it to my mouth, I reflected. (I wonder whyfor what purpose I was born in this world.) ording to the divine teachings I learned in the monastery, all things, happy and sad alike, had a meaning. Human beings were all tied to a wheel called fate. The fact that I could speak with animals. That I was forced to leave my home. That I entered the monastery. And that I was locked up in this cage. Everything had a meaning, everything followed the path delineated by fate and divine providence. After several days of sailing and such musings, he appeared before me. So, erthe pirates that kidnapped you, I killed them all. The man who appeared in the cage was my current master, Lord Dyngir. His words revealed to me that the men who put me in the cage were pirates. I was raised in a monastery, among women, so it was my first time speaking with a man about the same age as me. I started talking with him, with a pinch of nervousness, and soon after became his ve. That night, I slept in the same bed as him. That night was something I never experienced before in my life. It hurt, it was painful, I felt like I lost something important. But at the same time, it felt pleasant, exciting, as if I was floating. It made me want to hide my face to run around: it was also embarrassing. Thats how my first night with my master was. The next morning was brighter and more refreshing than I had ever experienced before. I was surprised by how light and reinvigorated my body felt. That same day, I visited my masters hometown and saw countless rows of shining towers, a view more dazzling than the sea or the stars in the night sky. I had never seen something so beautiful before in my life. Master has shown me so many first times. As we were walking among the shining towers, I had a realization. This was my destiny. I was born to be my masters ve. (Our next destination is the Sapphire Kingdommaster, what kind of firsts you will show me next?) I was nervous, excited, and eager. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest. I boarded the ship together with my master and headed towards the Sapphire Kingdom. Volume 3 - Ch 12 The port town of Brutos was the entrance of the Sapphire Kingdom. A town burned by harsh sunlight, where the sea winds carried the suffocating smell of the tides. Brutos was a melting pot of people from all over the world, where trade ships came and went without pause. But the port town was not popted only by merchants and sailors. The local taverns and food stalls also sent their crew to hunt down potential customers. I stood on the edge of the ship, looking down at the bustling crowds. Sue, standing next to me, was watching the waves of people running across the city, with sparkles in her eyes. This ces the same as ever toonot one thing changed. You have visited this city before, Master? A few times, when I was a kid, yeah. Now dont leave my side, Sue. Yes, Master!! I strictly told Sue to stick close to me and went down to port. As strong sunlight creates the darkest shadows, cities as bustling as this breed plenty of crooks. A girl as naive as Sue would be kidnapped in seconds if I left her alone. Hey, you two!! Hm? I nned to head straight into the town, but a man wearing half-te armor stopped us. He had two more men in tow, wearing the same kind of armor. The man in thed, skin burned by the sun, probably around 30 years old, gave the impression of a mercenary working as ship escort, but the emblem hanging from his chest revealed his position. As it turns out, he was a guard, hired by the local lord. This ship is yours, yes? It is, is there a problem? It looks just like a ship of a pirate crew on the wanted listdo you mind answering a few questions? The guard red at me with suspicion. (Ahcrap.) The ship we came to Sapphire with was formerly the property of the Snakebone pirates. We removed their g and other telling signs of a pirate ship, but such a surface-level camouge wouldnt trick people with good eyes and memory. Ten years ago the security level wasnt as high, so I had let my guard down. One of the other pirates on the ship, to rescue me from that predicament, jumped down and walked in between me and the guard. Oh, please, officer, lets not make a big deal out of this The short pirate, a devious grin on his face, ced a small leather bag in the guards palm. A bribe, basically. Hmm The guard squeezed the leather bag one, two, three times, checked its texturethen tossed it into the sea. Aah!! You might have gotten away with bribing until now, but now that I am captain of the guards, dont think its going to work anymore! No pirates or illegal drugs are getting into this town!! The guard rebuked the pirate, then red at me even more sternly. Youreing to the guardroom. Weve got a lot to talk about! Tch I clicked my tongue and put my right hand over my face. I could easily cut down the guard, but what would mean not being allowed entry into the port anymore. The problem was not me myself being interrogated, but the other pirates would surely spill the beans with some prodding. It was only a matter of time until they got caught. (This is badshould I kill this guy, ande backter?) In the worst-case scenario, wed give up on resupplying here and head straight towards the Ga Kingdom. Then, just as I was about to resort to that n Wow!! So many people!! Look!! Those people are all ck!! Hahaha!! Seagulls!! Bright, innocent voices echoed from the deck. It was the ve childrens first time in such arge port town, and they couldnt suppress their excitement. They had been ying and running around the ship as we sailed here, as to release all the stress piled up during their imprisonment. Look at those kidshah. The guard looked at the children trying to flick beans at the seagulls and chuckled. Apologies, I guess it was all my imagination. Youre free to port. well now. Thank you for your service. Yeah, make sure the kids dont get lost. Stay out of the back alleys, especially! The guard briskly pped my shoulder and left, followed by hispanions. We managed to get out of the pinch, apparently. Geez, and we just got here Indeed, trouble seems to follow you everywhere, Lord Dyngir. Wyah!! Someone called my name from behind, and Sue let out a curious yell of surprise. I turned around, my face turned into a frown, and protested to the maid who suddenly appeared behind me. dont say stuff like that, Sakuya. This trouble was inevitable, wasnt it? Someone who invites inevitable events without meaning to do so is called a troublemaker, Lord Dyngir. Really nowIll have to remember that. Even under the sweltering sunlight, Sakuya, Fangs of Steel assassin, wore her maid outfit impably. As I replied to her pungent remarks, a wry smile formed on my lips. Volume 3 - Ch 13 On the veranda of a cafe facing the avenue, Sakuya and I sat across from each other. Her maid outfit would sometimes attract curious nces, but Sakuya paid them no mind, her posture straight and proper. A cheerful waitress soon came to take our order and thenid fruit juice topped with lemon slices in front of us. Sorry you had toe all the way here, Sakuya. Not a problem, my Lord. I am sure you have had a more difficult time. Sakuya patiently waited for me to drink my fruit juice, then brought the ss to her lips. The juice, made with freshly drawn well water, was pleasantly cool. The refreshing sourness was a balm under the tropical heat. I waited for Sakuya to drink about half of her ss and take a breather, then started talking. So, how are things over at House Maxwell? After Grace caught me, I asked Sakuya to move on her own and investigate several things in my stead. One of them was the present condition of House Maxwell. I hadnt returned home yet after the wholemotion with the Baal Empire. I was naturally concerned with what was going on, especially considering the aftermath of the Fort Bryden battle. I contacted my brethren in the province, but there does not appear to be anything out of the ordinary going on. The matters rted to the war are being dealt with, so your absence does not seem to be an issue at the moment, Lord Dyngir. is that so. Should Ibe satisfied with that? I was honestly conflicted, as my reply reflected. I was of course d that the Maxwell domain was not in trouble, but if they could take care of themselves even without me, I felt like I was being treated as unnecessary and I did not like that one bit. Wellthe old man is still alive and kicking, and Ive got excellent subordinates and vassalsyeah, lets put it that way. I have reported to His Excellency the Margrave about your Lady Mothers kidnapahem, abductnoseizureI can say that, yes? In any case, I was given this message to ry: Make sure you listen to your mother. The old man is insane, after allwhat makes him trust that shitty hag so much? Did she suck the soul out of him, or something? I grumbled, then downed the rest of my drink to cleanse my pte. I asked a waitress nearby for one more ss, and then listened to the rest of Sakuyas report. Next, regarding the Southern Archipgothere seem to be suspicious movements recently. Suspicious, huhjust the fact that that shitty hag resides in the area is suspicious enough, if you ask me I poured the new ss of juice down my throat and shrugged. Actually, other than the pirate crew led by your Lady Motherby Lady Grace, the White Demons, there is another pirate crew that is expanding its influence in the southern seas. Really. What crew? The Lion King crew. A Pirate crew supported by the Lion Kingdom, a country that sustains itself by raiding and piging the seas. Lion Kingdom I tapped my temple, leafing through my memories. Ive heard that name beforewerent they crushed by the shitty hag a long time ago? Yes, 20 years ago their leader fell in battle, in a dispute with the White Demons. The crew too seemed to have disbanded at the time, but apparently, the former leaders younger brother took over and the crew quietly survived. So this half-dead, ghost of a crew made its grand revival at this time? That mother of mine would never have mercy on her enemies: the Lion King crew should have been crushed to bits. If they survived something like that, I had to give it to them. So, is their new leader worth much? I have no information about the current leader. However, in thest few years the Lion King crew has been absorbing pirates unaffiliated with the White Demons, steadily growing its forces. Recently, several ind countries have been invaded and taken over by them. I seenow I know whats going on The Snakebone pirates, the crew I destroyed, probably belonged to the Lion King crew. The old hag dragged me all the way to the southern seas in order to get me involved with this conflict among pirates. By the way, Lord DyngirI have questions too, if I may? Hm? What? What exactly is that woman to you, Lord Dyngir? Sakuya looked towards Sue, who was touring the avenues street stalls, with the kids in tow. I let her go about freely, with Gourd as guide. Shesmy ve. For a limited time, at least. Hmm Sakuya narrowed her eyes and scowled slightly. I looked at my maids unconvinced expression and cocked my head to the side. Youre jealous? How many women do I have already? I am well aware of your womanizing habits, Lord Dyngir. Even so, every time you pick up a new woman without my knowledge, I cannot help but feel irritated. I wasnt sure I understood her reasoning. Unable to sustain Sakuyas using gaze, I turned towards Sue. Her first visit to a port town made her visibly excited: she was now munching on grilled squid, bought with the pocket money I gave her. The squid was too big to fit in her mouth, so Sue was nibbling on it, like a squirrel. I couldnt help but smile at such an adorable sight. well, how long is she going to be with you, Lord Dyngir? I promised to take her back to her homnd, you see. Were going to the Ga Kingdom. TheGa Kingdom? Sakuya opened her eyes wide. The usually expressionless maid now clearly showed signs of surprise. Lord Dyngir, Im afraid that it is not possible to take her to the Ga Kingdom at the moment. what do you mean by that? Sakuyas grave expression gave me a terrible feeling. I put back my ss on the table and urged her to continue. The Ga Kingdom has been annihted. At the hands of the Lion King crew. Volume 3 - Ch 14 I walked towards Sue, still heartily ying around the street market. Hey, having a good time? Mwuashter! Dhish ish dhelishas! Yeahchew well, swallow, then talk, okay? Sue trotted towards me, all smiles and a mouth full of corn. Her golden eyes were sparkling with joy, just like a small child visiting a town festival for the first time. You got sauce on your face. Nnhah, thank you sho much! I wiped Sues mouth with my sleeve and sighed internally. After discussing the matter with Sakuya, I decided not to tell Sue about the Ga Kingdoms downfall. She was as innocent as a child: what face would she make, were she to learn of her homnds fate? Damnthis is turning out to be more of a pain than expected PwahI am sorry to be a pain, master That wasnt meant for you. I was just talking to myself. I took a bronze coin from my breast pocket and gave it to the salesgirl in exchange for a tropical fruit. I bit onto the vivid yellow fruit whole as Sue and I walked down the avenue. Were going to stay in this town for a while, then head to Ga. You might have to wait a bit, but put up with it. I asked Sakuya to have some Fangs of Steel spies investigate the current state of the Ga Kingdom. We were going to stay a few days in town, until we received their report. Of course! Thank you for your concern! Sue smiled brightly, as expected. The children might have been more of a problem or maybe not. The ve children were cheerfully ying in the market. They had enough energy that their pirate chaperone was struggling to keep up: they should be fine for the time being. Children can adapt way better than adults, after all. If they have enough energy to drive a pirate nuts like that, they can survive anywhere. Thats right, children are truly strong. youre pretty tough yourself. Yes? Sue cocked her head to the side, puzzled. I smiled wryly, then we headed to our lodging for the night. I sent some pirate goons to secure rooms for our whole group: ours was separate from the children. Sakuya was going to stay the night with us too, so they could have ended up hearing noises not suitable for their upbringing. Sakuya was feeling prettypetitive, so you better be ready for tonight. Yes? Im not sure I understand, but I will be ready. I issued an implicit warning to Sues ever-unsullied eyes and went through the markets crowds. Even in a prosperous trading town such as this, one step out of the main roads could lead to much quieter districts. Compared to the bustling market and its racial melting pot, the peaceful scenery of the district made me feel like time had slowed down. Hello there, newlyweds. Do you have a moment? Hm? As we were walking down the quiet street, someone called to us. I turned around and found a young man, using a wooden crate as a seat. The man had draped a small round table with a ck cloth and ced a crystal ball in the center. His face showed purple scars, probably burn marks, partially hidden by ck sses. Dont you want to know your future? I do love fortunes too A fortune tellersorry man, but I dont believe in that stuff. Find someone else. I quickly waved my hand in denial and turned away. However Young man, there is something troubling you. Isnt there? Ah? The fortune tellers words stopped me in my tracks. He didnt miss the opportunity, and started pressing further. You are keeping a grave secret from someone, yes? And thats burdening you with guilt. Isnt it? I see you are nobleor maybe a soldier? You have seen your fair share of battles, and are quite skilled at your craft too. Thedy beside youis not your wife? Shes a servantmaybe even a ve? Youve only met recently, but your rtionship is already deepmaybe even extending to the flesh. youre a fast talker, arent you. I scowled and red at the fortune teller. He didnt seem to be affected at all, however, and simply grinned. Bullseye, yes? Do you believe in fortune reading a little more now? No way. Youre not a diviner, just a scammer. Oh? I stomped closer to the man and mmed my fist on his table. You say youre reading my fortune, but you havent even looked at this crystal ball the whole time. You sure leered at us up and down, though. . Find me someone, anyone, that doesnt have troubles or secrets. I dare you. Youre just spewing stuff that could fit anyone, mixing it with information you got from observing us. Nobles and soldiers have their own peculiar gait, so it wouldnt be difficult for someone used to seeing it to spot them. My rtionship with Sue could also be found out from the distance between us and our facial expressions. well, well. Youre sharp, young man. The fortune teller raised his hands, as if in defeat, then smiled bitterly. A lot sharper than expected. Could you really be from a famous noble family? Why dont you divine that? Hahaunfortunately, I dont have much trust in fortune-telling. My mouth is the only thing I can always rely on. With words no sane fortune teller would ever utter, the man tly admitted he indeed wasnt one. He picked up the crystal ball and ck cloth from the table and unceremoniously shoved them into his bag. Youve piqued my interest, young man. How about we have a little chat? I can at least get you a drink. The diviner then deftly pushed up his sses with his middle finger. Volume 3 - Ch 15 POV: A certain diviner Sorry, I dont date men. Farewell. The man then disappeared from my sight. His servant also bowed in my direction and quickly chased after him. Damn, I really got turned downI thought I was more popr! I covered my sses with my hand and looked up at the sky. My name is Cerros, Cerros Baal. I used to be the third prince of the Baal empire, the feared conqueror empire of the continent. I used to be because I was now a traitor, unable to return to my homnd, for two reasons. In the past, I borrowed the strength of a neighboring country and attempted to wrest the title of emperor from the hands of my brother. This rise to power, however, was thwarted by the awakening of an ancient weapon: I thus had to flee my homnd in order to escape the pursuers. On that fateful day, thunder rained on me from the sky it was a miracle that I survived. I always had a penchant for collecting Pseudo Magic Tools, items of unknown function dug out of the ruins of the ancient civilizations. Thanks to an incredible stroke of luck, one of the pseudo tools I had that day turned out to have the power to shield the owner from lightning hence, I could save myself. I took out the magic tool which resembled a clumsily made childs doll and smiled. Thunder God CharmI only kept it around because it was funny, but to think that itd really save melife can be so unpredictable! Yep! The instant before I was pierced, the name of this doll appeared in my mind and the lightning bolt dodged me and struck the ground instead. My face was burned due to the resulting fire, and the lightning sh robbed the sight of my left eye. Even so, I could still breathe. I was still alive. Luckily enough, my new career as a fortune teller was picking up. Thanks to theplex circumstances of my birth, I spent a lot of my infancy reading the moods of nobles and court officials, so I had confidence in my observational skills. Negotiating with the Huang Dynasty had also improved my speaking skills, so I really felt like fortune telling was a job made for me. Hey, Cerros, what happened? I was still lost in such thoughts when a girl approached me. The young girl, characterized by a petite stature, ck hair and other features of the people of the east, was Xiao Mao. She was my attendant, and had escaped the empire with me. I had lost most of what I had, but she was still at my side. Hey, Xiao, wee backwhat are you eating? Hm? You cant tell? Crab. You know crab? Seafood. Crab? Xiao Mao peeled off the shell of that unfamiliar food and leisurely suckled the contents. If memory served me, crab was a rtively expensive treat, but Sorry, but none for you! I paid 2 silver coins for this. 2 silver coins!? Thats way too much!! I couldnt help but raise my voice. I was earning a bit thanks to fortune telling, but it was always an unstable business. Our lifestyle was still pretty rough: we surely didnt have the leeway to spend 2 silver coins on a single meal. Mmh, cant help itI can give you a little bit. Xiao Mao frowned and gave me a piece of the crabs body. It looked thick and hard, certainly not appetizing by any means. Whoa, whats this smell!? Crab paste, they call it. I dont like it, so eat. Youre just giving me what you dont want to eat!? This thing reeks, I cant eat it! No time to be picky. Were poor, remember? If you know that much, stop wasting money! As we bickered, I prepared to close up shop for the day. The sun was still high in the sky, but this pointless quarrel had drained my willingness to work for the day. You closed already? Poor people must work more. Thats why youaah, whatever. I gave up, shaking my head, then fiddled with my fake crystal ball. I met an interesting man today, so yes, Im done! Satisfied and content!! Really? You should work more, make me have a better life. youre the greatest attendant ever, for sure. Xiao Mao and I headed towards our temporary lodging. I closed the shop when I didnt feel like working, went home, took a bath and went to sleep. That was the lifestyle of a third prince freed from his obligations. Its a shame we had to leave the empire, isnt it. I lost my army and manyrades paid the ultimate pricebut in exchange, I have freedom now. We should enjoy this wandering lifestyle as much as we can. Who wants to wander? Get rich quickly, please. is that so. Xiao Mao, youre a tough little one, arent you My shoulders dropped, but Xiaos small hand held mine. I nced at her and noticed her cheeks were flushing a bit. Heh She was as whimsical and impudent as a cat, but also as adorable. Sometimes I thought of her as a sister, sometimes as a mother, sometimes as a daughter She was the only family I had left. Im a good-for-nothing, but Im going to protect youat least you. Hm? You say something, Cerros? Nope! Not a thing. Must be your imagination. I pushed up my sses to hide my eyes and looked away from Xiao. I couldnt say it out loud. Even so, I wanted to express my feelings of gratitude to her, and was about to hold her hand tighter, when Boom. Whoa!? Aaaahhh!? An explosion suddenly shook the air and ground behind us, sending us flying. Volume 3 - Ch 16 A st roared in the distance. Hm? Gunpowder? Waah! Whats going on, master!? The noise, not too dissimr from distant thunder, made me frown. It was the noise of an explosion caused by gunpowder, something I had heard many times at Fort Bryden. Taken by surprise, Sue was clinging to me. I patted her head to calm her down, while looking in the direction of the explosion. The noise came from the ports direction. A column of ck smoke was rising towards the clear blue sky. The sea winds carried the pungent smell of gunpowder to our nostrils. This is the smell of troublewe cant even have time for some sightseeing? Trouble again, Lord Dyngir? As if to reply to my grumbling, a young girl in a maid outfit emerged from behind a tree. Sakuya had apparently been following us: her re was now directed at Sue, who was still sticking to me. Sakuya? Since when were you here? Since the middle of your date. Is there a problem? I thought I gave you work to do. The investigation of the Lion Kingdom. The Fangs of Steel I called from the Maxwell province are taking care of it. In any case Sakuya peered at the column of ck smoke. We could hear screams from the direction of the explosion, and they were getting progressively louder. We were rather far from the main street, but themotion could be heard all the way here. The moment Lord Dyngir arrives, trouble starts brewing Enough twisting the knife in the wound, all right? Im starting to wonder if its really my fault here. Anyway, Ive decided: as soon as this matter is dealt with, Im going to the sanctuary to order a purification. I really started thinking someone put a curse on me. The moment after I stated my decision, another st was heard from the port. One st. Two sts. Three sts. Three sts, in rapid session. I shook my head and sighed. Well thenhow should we move here First of all, I believe that you should distance yourself from that mosquiahem, from Miss Sue. Waaaah!? Sakuya grabbed Sues arms and pulled her away from me, despite thetters shrieks. Meanwhile, near the Brutos coastline Another explosion shook the air, blowing away nearby buildings and the ships anchored into port. Fragments of wood, stone and bricks scattered everywhere. A pir toppled, threatening to crush the people underneath. Aaaaahh!! Someone help!! Ghgahhelp.. My ship!! NOOO!! What the hell is going on here!? Randy, captain of the Brutos security corps, cursed loudly, his face contorted in a grimace. He forcefully moved the copsed wood and rescued the people trapped under it. His subordinates were also helping the wounded and leading the citizens to safety. Captain!! Look at this!! This isan iron ball? A ck sphere made of iron had crashed through the side of a storehouse. It was warm to the touch, as if it had been roasted over fire. Its origin was still unknown, but there was no doubt that the iron sphere was the cause of the destruction in the port. There!! Those ships did it!! A young security guard pointed towards the sea, towards a group of about 10 pirate ships moored in the bay, and the pirs of ck smoke rising from them. The iron spheres were shot by those ships! That g is The Lion King Crew!! Randy clenched his teeth. On the ships mast flew a bright red lion, the national emblem of the infamous pirate country Lion Kingdom, as well as the g of its own band of pirates, the Lion King crew. Damn pirates! Why would they attack this town!? Randy knew that in recent years, the Lion King crew was expanding its influence and had razed several countries. He would have never expected, however, for them to attack the Kingdom of Sapphire, the greatest trading country of the Southern Archipgo, without even a deration of war. GWAAAAHHH!! Another column of ck smoke rose from the pirate fleet, as another side of the port was bombarded. One of Randys subordinates, caught in the explosion, was blown to pieces and sank into the sea, creating a puddle of red blood on the surface. DAMN YOUUUU!! PIRATES!!! COME DOWN AND FACE ME IN COMBAT!!! Randy roared towards the sea, tossing his trustednce to the ground. He was the most skillednce user of the security corps, but could do little against an enemy out of his weapons reach. The town where he was born and raised was being destroyed before his eyes. The people he swore to protect were screaming in pain. Despite all this, the young captain was powerless. His heart, tortured by anger and grief. Captain!! Watch out!! A shadow towered over the screaming Randy, as another pir copsed. Before he could react, the pir mmed the ground, hiding everything in a cloud of dust. Volume 3 - Ch 17 Meanwhile, the Lion King fleets ck iron cannons once more targeted the city of Brutos. FIIIRE!! The man in charge raised a hand and gave the order. Smoke erupted from the mouth of the cannon, as another ck cannonball flew towards the harbor. The ship housing the cannon waspletely covered in smoke: the man in charge, while waving it away with an exasperated gesture, shouted to his subordinates. Hows the situation in the port? They arent sending ships out, are they!? Aye-aye! No shipsing our way! The damn guards are scampering left and right! Excellent. Suspend fire! Following the mans order, the pirates stopped arming the cannons. The port had been severely damaged by the cannonfire, but showed no signs of retaliation. The situation was utter chaos on the shore: all the security corps could do was lead the people to safe shelter. And this is supposed to be the greatest city of the Southern Archipgo? What a joke! Oh deeear! What else did you expect, honey? The man in charge scoffed, and a deep, gruff voice rose from inside the cabins. The door then opened, revealing the silhouette of a huge, muscr man. This ship here is packing the Overthrower, the newest weapon of the Lion Kingdom, after all!! Theres N-O-W-A-Y we could lose! SSir Bartolo Sir? Bartolo!? How many times did I tell you to call me Cristina!? Honestly! Ah, yes, apologies, Cristina, maam. The man in charge lowered his head, a conflicted expression on his face. The other pirates too exhibited a mixture of awkwardness and difort. The reason was simple: therge man that emerged from the cabin sported apletely bald head thered with white powder, which further enhanced the bright red lipstick. The man spoke with a rather effeminate tone and wore a skimpy ck bikini-like top. Seeing such a burly statue of a man walk while coquettishly swinging his hips was almost terrifying for the crew. Ahemmaam. The cannonfire on the port has been carried out as nned. No signs of counterattack yet. Fantastic! I love it when a n goes without a hitch! Heres your reward! ugh. Therge man sped his hands and winked and one of the pirates barely kept himself from throwing up. The other pirates also shared his symptoms, but no one dared mention them out loud. Therge man was, after all, the shipsmander: Bartolo Blutlied, son of the current ruler of the Lion Kingdom. Maam, the enemy seems to be in a pretty weak state, should we go ahead and attack? Oh, you silly man, you. Whats the point of doing something like that? The pirate, his expression still tense, presented a proposal, but Bartolo now Cristina, sighed and shot it down. Our objective is not to plunder, but to conquer. We might have enough numbers to strip this town and its inhabitants of their valuables, but certainly not to take control of it! Huh? What did we attack it for, then? To make them bow down and offer their town to us! Naturally! Cristina puffed up her bulging chest. The Lion Kingdoms attack on Brutos was meant to turn the port town into their base, and the first step in the conquest of the Sapphire Kingdom. The power of the Lion Kingdoms newest weapon, the Overthrower, had sessfully instilled fear and hopelessness into the hearts of Brutos guards and mercenaries. As long as the towns leader was not an utter moron, the town would surely be relinquished soon. Send a messenger to tell them to surrender, and that well be back at noon tomorrow! Roger that! What should we do if they resist? If they still resist, well rain iron on them until they dont! Naturally! That will teach them what happens to whoever stands in my way, honey! Ugh Whats wrong, darling? Are you feeling sick? N-No! Not at all!! The pirate in charge made a sharp salute, then left to give orders to the rest of the crew. Cristina red at his back as he left, but quickly rposed herself and chuckled softly. You better watch closely! Once I take over Brutos everyones going to fawn over me! Daddy and my big brothers too will praise me lots! And Cristina clenched her teeth, her expression twisted into a grimace. It was a horrible enough transformation to knock unconscious one of the pirates who happened to nce at it, but Cristina paid him no attention. Grace Draco Omari!! Your days of acting as ruler of the seas are numbered!! Soon enough youre going to learn who really is the most beautiful woman of the south!! Cristina raised her fists in the air and let out a hoarse roar. I am the true queen of the seas! And I will build my own queendom, where one and all will sing praises of my beauty and love!! Volume 3 - Ch 18 POV: Brutos Security Corps Captain Randy After the unidentified attack destroyed one of the port storehouses, a pir copsed on me. Captain!! Watch out!! One of my subordinates yelled. I tried to twist my body out of the way, but a sharp pain from my ankle stopped me in my tracks. The instant I spent thinking that I had probably sprained it, the pir had alreadye too close to be dodged. Ghh I pulled back my neck, bracing for the impact, but the pain I expected never came. Now youve fucking gone and done it!! What? A young man, probably in his early 20s, had smoothly stepped between me and the pir. As he swung the sword in his right arm, therge pir was cut in two, just like paper, and tumbled on the ground. I was still stupefied: it took me a few seconds to recognize the man I had mistaken as a pirate, earlier that day. He was alone: the young girl that was with him before was probably somewhere safe. You arebut why? The sheer audacity of it all! If you start this fireworks show right in front of my eyes, it means youre picking a fight with me, right? And they sted my ship too! Makes my blood boil!! The young man ignored mepletely, his piercing gaze pointed towards the sea. He red at the pirate ships at the bay and picked up thence on the ground. Ah, thats my It was my trusted weapon, so I couldnt help but react. The next instant, however, a hair-raising explosion was heard from the pirate ship. G-Get down!! I shouted, then crouched to the ground, holding my head with my hands. The other guards quickly followed suit, but the young man remained standing,nce in hand. You too!! Get down!! Hnh!! Again, the young man ignored me. He held thence aloft, taking a low stance to sink his center of gravity as much as possible, then threw it. My trusted buddy ripped through the air, eventually meeting the cannonball shot by the pirate ship and blowing up into pieces. Thanks to the sacrifice of thence I had bought with my savings, the cannonball did not destroy the port town as intended, and sank into the sea instead. What!? It cant be!! To precisely target a flying cannonball and shoot it down with ance. I could not begin to imagine the technique and visual acuity needed to perform such a feat. At the very least, I was sure I could not do such a thing, even if I tried one hundred times. That was just instinct. Nothing to make a fuss about. So casually stated the young man, who then picked up a brick from a copsed building and threw it. Again, the trajectory perfectly coincided with a flying cannonball, which dropped into the water. When I was a brat, to escape from my mothers pranks I stole a boat and ran away from home. And that damn hag started throwing iron balls at me. Since then, I can kind of tell how these kinds of projectiles fly. The young man then threw another brick. I looked at yet another cannonball fall, speechless. If it works with bricks, then what about mynce? Or so I would have said, but the words stayed stuck in my throat. I owed the young man my life: so I swallowed those words back. Looks like theyre not firing anymore. Hm? I looked up towards the sea, and what the young man said was indeed true: the cannonfire had stopped. The harbor was now so quiet that the earliermotion seemed almost a dream, though we could still hear screams in the distance. Soon enough, a boat left the pirate ship. Rowed by two men, it was heading in the direction of the port. Messengers, Id wager. What could they want, after making all this mess? Nothing good, thats for sure. However I looked over at the destruction in the harbor. Wrecked buildings and ships, debris everywhere: in just a dozen of minutes it couldnt be recognized anymore. Not only the guards, but also the guilds mercenaries were frantically helping those still trapped under the wreckage. (We cannot let them get away with thisbut do we have a chance against them?) If they are capable of this level of destruction without even giving us a chance to fight back, how can we make them pay for what they did? I then gave myself a firm, p, to wipe away the fears welling up in my mind, and headed towards the approaching boat. Volume 3 - Ch 19 The pirates that approached the port simply dropped a set of one-sided demands and immediately sailed back on their boat. The demands could be summarized in the three following points: If the demands werent all fulfilled by noon the next day, the port would be subjected to another iron deluge. The next day, the attacking fleet would be double the size at least ording to what the pirates said. thest demand must be some kind of joke, right? Themander of this pirate fleet must be that Bartolo Blutpeinhes rather infamous for frequenting male prostitutes, and apparently enjoys little boys in particr. a pedophile, huh? Fucking disgusting. I spewed out the words, together with spit, then rubbed the goosebumps on my arm. Randy, the captain of the security guards, also clenched his fist with an expression of indignation on his face. Anyway, dont you need to report these demands to someone? Youre not the one in charge of this town, are you? Thats rightthere is a governor, dispatched by the kingdomI should hurry and take their instructions. Randy left the rescue operations to his subordinates and ran off towards the town center. I did not have any particr goal in mind for the moment, so I decided to follow him. Do you mind if I join you? Im interested in seeing whos running this town. Hmm Randy thought for a moment, without slowing down his pace. You seem quiteposed, despite all that happened. Are you a veteran mercenary, maybe? something like that. Ive seen my share of battlefields. I seein any case, Id be grateful if you came too. I have experience with keeping the town safe and arresting criminals, but Ive never been on an actual battlefield. I would like to hear your opinion too. Understood. My rates pretty steep, though. Ill make sure to let the governor know. We thus proceeded towards the center. The damage to the buildings decreased as we did, but the streets were still packed with wounded survivors and the people carrying them, as well as people gathering their belongings and running away. The town that had been bustling just minutes ago was now as dreary as an area hit by a natural disaster. After about 10 minutes of running, we arrived at our destination. The gates of the towns administration building were wide open: there seemed to be no one inside. Theres no one? Whats going on? I doubt they all went to take shelter, the cannons didnt reach this area Randy frowned and looked around. I too was of the same opinion as him. In case of an attack by piratesthough in this case, it was more like an invasion by a foreign country the Lion Kingdom the governors pce would be heavily guarded, with soldiers and functionaries running around busily. The pce, however, seemedpletely empty: we could not see any functionaries, soldiers or even servants. This cespletely empty, folks! Who is that!? A man appeared from inside the pce. Randy confronted him with a sharp tone, a hand on the sword on his waist. Youre that Hey there friend, nice seeing you again. He was the fortune teller I had met earlier that day. He waved his arms wide at us, to show Randy that he did not have any hostility. What a suspicious fellowa friend of yours? Ive met him beforenothing more, nothing less. How cruel of you! And here I thought we were soulmates, brought together by fate. Or basically brothers? Fortune teller and customer, thats what we are. Though I didnt have you tell me anything, soyeah, wereplete strangers. Something about the word brothers gave me a strange feeling, but I didnt even know the name of the fortune teller: he really was nothing but a stranger to me. The people in the pce have all run off already, by the way. The soldier, the servantseven the governor. Wha Randy was left wide-eyed and speechless. And with good reason: the person in charge of the town had apparently abandoned it, together with its citizens. Whoa, isnt it way too early for a decision like that? What kind of lord ditches their own domain? For a lord, the domain is like a part of their body. Its not something you can cut off so easily: doing so means losing your title, reputation and source of ie as well. I might not be the most serious heir out there, but even I would rather die together with the Maxwell province than to abandon it. Thats the thing. The guy here was not a Lord, but a Governor. The fortune teller answered my doubt, opening his arms wide and shrugging dramatically. There arent Lords in the Sapphire Kingdom, anyways. The whole country belongs to the king, who sends governors to rule over its various cities. The governor is put in charge of a town or vige by the king and takes a cut of the taxes paid by the poption as sry. The termsts 5 years, at the end of which the governor either returns to the capital and takes another role, or they get sent to another location. The governors and citizens have a rather tenuous rtionship, so there is no risk of any one rallying the people to revolt against the king. On the other hand, governors have an equally feeble attachment to thend, so in case of war or other emergencies, it is rare for them to take up arms and fight. Even if it isnt their ownnd, they cant just abandon it and go unpunished, can they? The now ex-governor of this town is the little boy of the finance minister, thoughplenty of room to wipe this scandal, I guess? No matter the country, there were always people who hold positions of power thanks not to their ability, but to their bloodline. The governors pockets were surely lined with gold, thanks to the riches flowing in this trade center and now they escaped without paying a dime of what they owed. If the pirates attacked this town knowing of this possibility, they must have a skilled tactician on their side. I seeanyway, you sure know a lot about this country, are you from here too? Nope? Im a foreigner, just like you, my man. You got to be in the know to be a good fortune teller, right? Information is vital, huhwhats a fortune teller doing in the governors pce, by the way? Well, we wanted to run away too, but were a bit short on funds, see? So we thought we might find some coin here or therebut the governor took everything, as it turns out. So he wasnt a fortune teller, but a looter. Despite the scandalous confession, the security captain was still frozen in shock and unable to react. Weve got invaders at sea, but this ship has lost its captain and the hull is riddled with holeswhat are we supposed to do now? Volume 3 - Ch 20 For the moment, we decided to borrow one of the governor pces meeting rooms and discuss the next course of action. The defense of the city was too important a topic for us to decide on our own: other leading names of the city were summoned as well. As the wall clock showed, the time was already past six in the afternoon. The pirates woulde again at noon the next day: in other words, 18 hourster. Its almost evening Buried deep in his seat, Randy spoke gravely. The 30 year old captain of the guard had visible marks of exhaustion on his face: it looked like he had aged 10 years in one day. The governor had disappeared, alongside his whole entourage, so the highest authority on the defense of the city had be Randy himself. It was a heavy burden that he never asked to carry on his shoulders: his face was twisted in a terrible frown. At present, our city of Brutos is on the brink of annihtion. If someone anyone knows a way we can ovee this crisis, please speak up. Randy looked at the seats around the table, as if pleading. There were 4 people other than Randy in the meeting room at the time. One was me, Dyngir Maxwell. I had no duty to fight to protect the town, but I couldnt sail unless the invading Lion King pirates were defeated, so I had no choice but to cooperate. The second participant was the leader of the towns mercenary guild, Glen Boyle. He was a rugged, muscr man in his 40s, a ssic leader of roughnecks. His tanned body was carved with scars all over. Glen was sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed, silently listening to Randy. The third person was the head of the merchant guild, as well as the person in charge of the market, Sephonne. The old man sporting an impressive, well-groomed beard and mustache, with cold sweats on his forehead, frequently casted nces at the strangers in the room us. Thest one was the fortune teller. He had just introduced himself: apparently, his name was Roh. The self-proimed looter had joined us for some reason: he was the only one in the room with a rxed expression on his face, his hands sped behind his head. Needless to say, this overtlyid-back attitude earned him stern looks from Randy, Glen and Sephonne. It was clear that they were wondering why he was even there, but, because of the desperate situation andck of manpower, they couldnt bring themselves to say it out loud. Nothing? Doesnt anyone have any Randy soundedpletely exhausted. Seeing that no one was going to say anything, I sighed. lets confirm the current situation first. How much fighting power do we have left? Rightone-third of the security guards was wounded during the attack on the port and is unable to fight. Another third fled the town, so we have about 300 left. Only 300 Sighs could be heard from around the room. Considering that a singlerge ship could house up to 100 men, with 10 ships the number would reach three digits. The enemy forces numbered at least one thousand, which could double in the worst case scenario. No, with the mercenary guilds support we should be able to gather more Unfortunately, thats not possible. Glen, a pained expression on his face, spoke for the first time. The mercenary guild will not take part in this battle. W-What!? But why!? We are mercenaries: we only work if there is a reward to be received. With the governor gone, theres no one left to pay us, is there? Glen shook his head apologetically as he stated his cold decision. But! The town is going to fall at this rate! The whole Sapphire Kingdom might Yes, such is war. More than half of the mercenaries in my guild are not from this country in the first ce, they only came here for work. They have no reason to show loyalty to Sapphire. Glenmitted to a realist point of view. After considering what the guild would win and lose from the battle, he decided to abandon Brutos to its fate. (When you work in warfare, youve got to be cut and dry like that, after all) I mentally agreed with Glen. The guild mercenaries fought for money, the security guards to protect their homnd: their motivations couldnt be more different. It wasnt a matter of who was right or wrong: their positions were just different. Hmm, so what youre saying is that youll fight as long as someone foots the bill? Despite his frustration, Randy couldnt retort: yet an unexpected helping hand came from the fortune teller Roh. In that case, why doesnt that merchant over there take care of it? H-Hyeh!? M-Me!? Sephonne, suddenly the center of attention, shrieked in surprise. His pudgy face streamed with copious sweat, which he desperately wiped with a handkerchief from his breast pocket. I-I most certainly would like to protect our city, but in these circumstances Merchants, by nature, are very keen on finding out where their best interests lie. Investing in a battle with little chance of victory was like throwing precious gold coins down the drain. If this trading center of a town ends up ravaged, wont you merchants take the most damage, though? Indeed, indeed, howeverwe would need at least some kind of security Sephonne answered my question while forcefully wiping his brow. Do you realize theres no time for things like that!? Sephonnes excuses fueled Randys impatience and rage. I found them unpleasant as well, and red at the merchant sitting opposite from me. We are a business too, youll understandif Sapphire falls, our next trade partner will be the Lion Kingdomt-though it pains me to say this!! Even while sitting on pins and needles, Sephonne did not discard his position: the priority was their interests, first and foremost. From his standpoint, instead of investing in a losing battle it would be better to cooperate with the Sapphire Kingdom and avoid a conflict with the Lion Kingdom at the same time. Ooh, so youre saying youll invest as long as you have some security! Good to hear!! The fortune teller smiled mischievously and licked his lips. Volume 3 - Ch 21 Dont you have all the securities you want? All over this pce. Roh then pointed at one of the paintings hanging on the wall of the meeting room. You cant meanusing the governors possessions as securities!? Randy shouted in disbelief. The governor had turned tail and ran away, taking the towns tax revenues and other finances stored in the pce, but had left behind antiques and works of art, too cumbersome to carry. Among such leftovers there were vases worth thousands of gold coins on their own: any merchant with a good eye would be salivating to get them. B-But if word got out that we stole the governors possessions The clearly uwful proposal made Sephonne start to sweat waterfalls. Roh, on the other hand, curved his lips in a crescent shape, like a devil trying to trick his opponent in signing away his soul. As long as they dont know who did itisnt it fine? Just say the pirates raided the pce. The governor cant really protest, after running away like that, and you can just sell it all abroad, so no one will suspect a thing, right? Thatmight be so, but Sephonne, unceasingly wiping his sweat, fell in deep thought. He was probably running all sorts of calctions in his head. His handkerchief had turned into a sloppy mess, barely fulfilling its original task anymore. Rather than dealing with untrustworthy pirates and hopefully gain safety, I think investing in yourself has a better chance of sess, honestlyoh, but if Sir Sephonne still thinks its too risky, we should contact another tradingpany and I-I have decided! We will take your proposal! After hearing Rohs vaguely threatening words, Sephonne nodded fervently. I and a tradingpany I am well acquainted with will finance the mercenary guild. In exchange, we will retrieve some of the works of art in the governors pce. Well, that issomething we all should keep for ourselves No problem here~ Hmm, as long as we get paid, the mercenary guild has no objections. Even a thief can be a valuable customer, if they pay well enough. After Roh, Glen expressed his agreement too. Randy nced left and right for a few seconds, then eventually nodded firmly. normally, I should prevent every act of thievery, but I have no duty to uphold towards a fleeing governor. Even if someone picked up the things they threw away, there is no one to be med. Looks like we have reached an agreement. Excellent, excellent. I pped my hands to celebrate the sessful negotiations. Now the mercenary guild will join the security guards as fighting power. Their numbers were still inferior to the pirates, but were at least enough to put up a good fight. Althougheven if we have more manpower, what can we do against that fearsome weapon? Glen, his hands sped on the table, furrowed his brow. To protect the port against attacks too fast for the naked eye is a very difficultno, an impossible task. No matter how much we are paid, theres a difference between a losing battle and a battle you cant win. Thats rightif we could just find a weak point Glen and Randy both started mulling and grumbling. Righto, righto, why dont we ask big bro Dyngir about this? He must be a veteran of countless battlefields, and we all want to see what a true hero is made of, dont we? Roh taunted me, the usual grin stered on his lips. I red back at him and answered his taunt. Youre talking like you know me, Roh. But what do you know, I might know who you really are too. My, what a coincidence! Like we were brothers, separated at birth? Yeah, brothers, just not rted by blood. Ermmy apologies, but what are you talking about? Unable to grasp the meaning behind my exchange with Roh, Sephonne looked at us puzzled. Never mind, its just something between usanyway, I have a good way to handle that weapon, so leave it to me. A good idea? What do you I answered Randys question by pointing my index finger up. We dont need to fight it at all. Lets just abandon the port altogether. Volume 3 - Ch 22 Meanwhile, the Lion Kingdom pirate ships that attacked Brutos were anchored near a small ind not too far from the Sapphire Kingdom. Bartolonow Cristina Blutlied had brought 10rge pirate ships from the Lion Kingdom. Around the small ind, however, a muchrger fleet was gradually assembling. What a splendid sightIm getting wet just by looking is that so. Cristina was enraptured by the sight of the ships surrounding the ind. The subordinate next to her managed to subdue the sheer horror he felt at her sight and utter ament. Along with the ships, the reinforcements sent by the Lion Kingdom were gathering in the ind Cristina used as a temporary base. The fleet now numbered more than 100 ships, of various sizes, manned by over 2000 pirates. Even if Brutos refuses to surrender, we could even crush them with numbers at this rate. Mwahahaa perfect setting for my grand debut! is that sourp urp? Did I hear that right? Apologiesa fly got up my nose. Cristina, decked in heavy make-up as usual, red at her subordinate, then sighed wistfully. If only you men were a bit more useful, we wouldnt have wasted all this time on the Sapphire Kingdom. You better not mess up tomorrow, okay? Certainly. If they surrender, we will capture the governor and all of the towns leading figures, then take control. If they dont, we will blow away the soldiers with cannon fire and take over by force. That is all right, yes? Yes, yes it is!! If you do a good job, I might even kiss you! Eeek!! Anything but that, please!! And what is that supposed to mean!? An irritated grimace rose on Cristinas face. It can be pretty troublesome to be as beautiful as I am, since it can be intimidating for othersis true beauty fated to be never understood bymoners? Truer words have never been spoken, Lady Cristina. So true I feel my urge to kill is rising. Why in the world would you feel an urge to kill!? Youre not making any sense! The subordinate, in order to escape Cristinas ufortable pressure, tried changing the topic. Incidentally, what should we do in case there are no soldiers at the port? Oh? How would something like that happen? Well, they might be scared and run away. Hmph! Just take over the governors pce then! Did you really need to ask such an obvious question? Huffing and puffing, Cristina continued giving instructions to her subordinates. You lot!! Make sure to supply the ming arrows and explosives to the reinforcements! We still dont have enough Overthrowers, remember!! Cristina had brought 10 Overthrower cannons from the Lion Kingdom. They were newly developed weapons, so their numbers were still limited: making just one of these cannons required a massive amount of time and money. I would really love for them to surrender quietly, though. If we mess up the port too much, we wont be able to use it after the town bes ours. Hopefully they will make the wisest choice. The subordinate raised his head and noticed that the sun was setting. The sky looked particrly red that day: as if it sensed the blood that was about to spill. Cristinas subordinate felt a chill run down his spine. What a beautiful sunsetI feel its already celebrating my victory. It must be praising your beauty, Lady Cristinapfft! You better watch out, one of these days I might really kill you And soa long day ended, and the day of the final battle began. Who will emerge victorious in the battle over Brutos the young hero or the abominable monster? why do I feel like someone just insulted me? It must be your imaginationbfft!! Volume 3 - Ch 23 The next day, the Lion Kingdom pirate fleet departed from their small ind base. Over 200 ships had gathered around the ind. Thergest ships could house more than 100 crewmembers, while the smallest ones became cramped with just 5. The pirates numbered more than 2000 in total: beyond a pirate crew, it was a small army at that point. That day, the Lion Kingdom fleet left the ind at dawn and arrived at the Brutos port just after the clock struck noon. Despite their perfectly timely arrival, very unlike what one would expect from a band of pirates, not a single soul was there to wee them to the port. the port is empty? Whats going on? The buildings were still half destroyed because of the previous days attack, while there were no ships to be seen anywhere. In what now looked like the long-abandoned ruins of a port town, the only sounds the pirates could hear were the cries of the seagulls overhead. For the Lion Kingdom crew, it was a very unexpected sight. If Brutos had decided to refuse their demands, the port would be heavily guarded with soldiers and mercenaries, to prevent the pirates invasion. On the other hand, if they had chosen to surrender, they would be eagerly waiting to appease the pirates, to improve their position as much as possible after the takeover. Finding an empty port instead caught the pirates off guard. Why are you dilly-dallying! Send out the scouts! R-Roger!! Prompted by a kick on the butt by Cristina, the subordinate hurriedly gave orders ordingly. A small group of pirates approached the port on a boat. After about one hour, the scouts returned. Looks like all the houses and buildings around the port are empty. The people must have taken shelter somewhere. What? All of them? Aye, so it seems. ording to the scouts report, all of the houses on the port side of the town were deserted. Gates and doors were flung open, with drawers and cupboards emptied as if they had been ransacked: the people had probably packed their belongings as fast as they could. What about the people who got wounded yesterday? They shouldnt have time to bring them out of here, right? I think they were moved to the governors pce. Its the only ce with multiple barricades, and the guards red at us like they wanted to kill us on the spot. Hmph, so they ditched the town to y siege? I suppose they want to buy time until reinforcements arrive from the capital. Cristina traced a finger along her bright red lips, then blew air from her nose, convinced of her conclusion. To abandon the port, the most vitalponent of a trading center, was the epitome of foolishness. From the standpoint of invaders from the sea, however, it was a rather troublesome strategy. They would have tond to attack the governors pce, which meant that taking advantage of the ships firepower the pirates winning strategy would not be possible. Letting go of such a big advantage also meant being prepared to suffer more losses. We might as well start bombarding the port all the same, right? They might panic ande out to stop us. You big idiot, if we do that we cant use the port anymore after we take over. If the pirates only meant to raid the town, the destruction of its facilities would not be an issue. This, however, was an invasion from a foreign power: once they took control of the town, it would be their base. It was in the pirates best interest to keep the damage as low as possible. Besides, BartoloI mean, Mdy Cristina! We found this in town With some hesitation, the pirate pushed this towards his boss. hello. This was a young boy of small stature. He looked about 12 or 13 years old, and had unusually long ck hair covering his ears. His delicate features gave him an almost feminine look: he was just the type Cristina liked the most. Oh my, oh my, oh my! What a polite little man we have here! What are you doing here, dear!? Cristinas expression turned from a frown to a beaming smile. She smiled widely as she approached the boy, uncaring of how her makeup crumbled away. The pressure she emanated was that of a predator eyeing its prey. The boy, as well as the pirates around them, backed away, intimidated. E-Ehmplease take this. The governor told me to bring this to the pirates. Hmm? The boy gave Cristina an envelope, neatly sealed with wax. The name of the sender was indeed the governors name. Cristina frowned and unceremoniously ripped the envelope open. We cannot agree to surrender the town. However, we will send the 10 boy ves to you as soon as we can. In addition, we wish to offer 10,000 gold coins as truce payment. Please take it and leave the town. 10,000 gold coins isnt half bad for a condition. What should we do? Yes, yesisnt this just perfect? Cristinas bright red lips turned up in a grin. Its decided! Lets bring down the pce! The governor has already given up on fighting! We can destroy them with our superior numbers! Aye-aye!! Cristina loudly dered her orders and the pirates agreed. The shipsid their anchors around the port, one after the other, as the bloodthirsty pirates stormed into town. Oh, dont worry, my dear little man. Until the battle ends, well have fun together, okay? Eek!! Cristina took the boys hand and forcibly pulled him into her cabin. The pirates looked at the poor boys back and sped their hands as if in prayer. Howeverthe moment he disappeared inside the cabin, the look in the boys eyes changed to a sharp re. A quick change, which only the seagull perched on the mast seemed to notice. Volume 3 - Ch 24 ATTACK THE PALACE!!! RRAAAAAAHHHH!! The pirates, split in several groups, advanced towards the pce from multiple directions. Of the over 2000 pirates forming the Lion Kingdom fleet, 1500 had disembarked. The remaining 500 stayed on the ships, in case of emergency. The majority of the attacking force was made of low-rank members of the Lion King pirates, but their morale was everything but low. A higher rank within the Lion Kingdom was promised to whoever produced enough results in battle: because of this, they marched through the city with plenty of enthusiasm. theyreing. Randy, the captain of Brutos security forces, heard the rumbling and shoutinging from the ports direction and clenched hisnce tighter. The security guards positioned around the pce numbered about 300. Barely one fifth of the attacking pirate numbers. They had assembled in a formation surrounding the pce and built a makeshift fort, using all the wood and materials they could find. Ironically, thanks to the destruction caused by the previous days attack, they did not struggle to find useful materials from the ruined buildings. The guards ced barricades on all the roads leading to the pce and were standing by in the rear, armed with bows and arrows. Remember, men! One hour!! We just have to resist for one hour!! As long as we can protect this location, victory will be ours!! YES SIR!! After the previous days attack, more than half of the security guards had fled Brutos. Most of the deserters were people who hade to find employment from other towns. In contrast, the guards who remained were born and raised in Brutos, who only wished to protect it. They were determined to fight to the bitter end, even after witnessing the ruthless bombardment the day before. Their morale was even higher than the pirates, convinced they were going to win. They were tightly united, with Randy at the center. Eventuallythe pirates reached the governors pce. ATTAAAAAAACK!!! WRAAOOOOOHHH!! Following themanders order, the pirates roared as they charged the pce in an all-out attack. Kill them all!! Take everything you can!! Dont leave anyone alive!! WAHAHAHA!!! Time to spill some blood!! Steel your guard!! Dont let them advance one step!! The pirates started chopping down the barricades with swords and axes, while the guards attacked them through the gaps withnces. From the rear, volleys of arrows rained over the pirates heads. Take down the barriers fast!! Once were inside, weve as good as won!! Take all the riches!! Rape the women!! HYAHAHAHA!! There are women in the pce!! Well have ourselves an orgy!! WOOOOHHHH!!! The orders might have been crude and vulgar, but they fueled the fire inside the pirates even more. While technically they were the Lion Kingdoms armed forces, in the end they were nothing but ruffians, whose only goal was to kill and pige. Rather than a lofty promise of a future rank, raping the women in front of them sounded much more appealing. Ghfilthy bastards! Looking at the pirates, rushing ahead like horses chasing the carrot dangling before them, Randy grit his teeth and cursed under his breath. The citizens who had no ce to run, the wounded and sick had all taken shelter in the pce. If Randy and the guards fell, a tragic oue would surely await. Well protect the pce to the end!! Dont let anyone through!! WOOHHH!! The guards took advantage of the narrow roads and barricades topensate for their inferior numbers. The pirates, however, attacked wave after wave, with no sign of stopping, while the guards fatigue only piled up. As time passed, the barricades were destroyed, one after the other. Then, some dozens of minutester The security corps finally reached their limit. Sir! We cant hold them back anymore!! Theyre breaking through the west side! Send help! The south side toogwah!! Damn!! Hold on!! Just a little more!! Yes Sir! Randy shouted his orders fiercely, but the guards response grew weaker and weaker. Despite hisck of experience on the battlefield, Randy could tell that it was only a matter of time until all the barricades were destroyed. HYAHAHA!! Keep pushing forward!! Massacre them all!! Kill them!! Rape them!! Khthis is it. Hearing the voices of the approaching pirates, Randy stomped the ground in irritation. (Theyre going to break through at this rateweve got no choice. Its a bit early, but we have to proceed with the n!) Sound the trumpet! Give the signal!! Yes Sir! Randy, a look of frustration on his face, gave the order to a young guard. The guard blew in his military trumpet, making it resound loudly towards the sky. Volume 3 - Ch 25 I was hiding in a building not too far from the governors pce, biding my time. Together with me in the dark room there were Sue, some White Demon pirates and the ve children. We were all waiting for a certain moment toe. already? The faint sound of a trumpet reached my ears and I squinted. There was still some time till we were supposed to act. Sue, whats the time? Itsexactly 50 minutes, Master. Sue checked the wind-up clock and replied. The signal had reallye 10 minutes early. I covered my eyes with a hand, looking up at the ceiling, then sighed. They couldnt even resist one single hour? I guess thats what you can expect from town guards, theyre like soldiers on the battlefield for the first time But Mr. Randy must have done his best, right? Sue, covering for Randy, handed me some dried meat and fruit wine. I grabbed a slice of meat, then flicked her forehead. War means taking responsibility. It doesnt matter what dirty tricks you use or if you dont put any effort into it, if the result is victory the whole process bes positive. On the other hand, even if you try your hardest but lose, themander loses any honor and prestige they might have had. I chewed on the rock-hard meat and washed it down my throat with the wine. In a corner of the room, the children were all huddled together, scared away by the irritated air I gave out. We had gotten rather friendly through the past week, but there still was some rift between us. Well, its still a lot better than stubbornly holding on until the end. I wont give them full marks, but I guess they pass. Young master, the mercenaries started moving. The White Demon pirate standing watch near the window called to me. The n had been set in motion, apparently. Very well then. They might have been early, but they must have drawn out the pirates enough. And nowthe counterattack begins. I took the sword leaning against the wall and put a hand on the doorknob. You all have your orders. Especially you, Sue: youre the most important factor in this battle. Do a good job out there. Yes Sir!! I will follow Masters orders and do my best! Sue clenched her fists in front of her chest, all pumped up. Not sure whether that meant she would be reliable or not, I sighed internally. (Our fateand this towns existence all depend on this one girlthats why I hate being unprepared.) If I was on my home turf, or had the seasoned Maxwell troops with meI wouldnt have to walk on a tightrope like this, and could show them a more brilliant victory. (But theres no point in moping around. Im going to use this meager fighting power and pull off a despicable victory.) Please be careful, Master. Yeah. I gave a short reply to Sue and bolted out of the building, keeping my stance as low as possible. I could hear loud yelling and shing of metal from the direction of the governors pce. The noise of battle was much louder than before, signaling that the n I had ideated was turning into reality. You better do your jobs right! I cant be the only one making a killing here. I grinned, exposing my fangs, and tossed my coat away. Volume 3 - Ch 26 A short while earlier Not all the pirates who had invaded Brutos had also headed towards the governors pce. In every group, there are always people who disrupt order: ruffians such as pirates were especially prone to such behavior. Three pirates had slipped out of the strikeforce going to the pce, and had instead broken into a nearby house. The house had been abandoned and the door left unlocked, so they did not even need to pick locks or any such techniques to go inside. After rummaging through drawers and shelves, one of the pirates kicked the furniture in anger. Damnit!! Cant find a single thing!! Tchshit out of luck. Another pirate spat on the ground and scratched his head. Hey, can we really keep doing this? If they find us theyll make us pay. Whatever, its not like theyll let low rankers like us take credit for anything we do anyway. We might as well make sure we get something good out of this mission. Something good? The pirate who asked the question looked around the room. There were clothes and kitchenware scattered everywhere, but not because of anything the pirates did: the house was in that state before they came in. The former inhabitants clearly left in a hurry, but took all valuables with them nevertheless; there wasnt a bronze coin to be found. If it was going to be like this, we should have raided the town yesterday! Why the hell did we give them time to run away? What the hell is that transvestite thinking!? Man! If someone hears you, youll get turned into shark feed! The pirate tried to appease hisrade, then looked out of the window. The sounds of battle could be heard from outside. A bloody battle had surely broken out at the governors pce by now. well, I wouldnt dream of waging my life in battle anyway. Better to have safe coin than a deadly fortune. The man muttered, then moved towards the door. Creak. .hm? From under his feet, however, he heard a different kind of sound. Is therea basement? The pirate cleared the scattered clothes and found that one of the floorboards could be moved. might as well check it out. The pirate removed the board and peeked inside. That very instant Ghah!? A hand emerged from below, firmly grabbed his neck and pulled him down. The pirates upper body disappeared in the darkness, leaving only his legs iling about on the floor. H-Hey!! Whats going on!? The other pirates noticed theirrades distress and ran up to him, but his legs soon stopped moving. The two pirates pulled the third up with some effort, and noticed bright red hand marks on his neck which had been snapped. Hehes dead! Tch, you found out already? W-Who the hell are you!? Arge man emerged from under the floor, to the great surprise of the pirates. Seriously, Im 60 years old this year, you know? Whod shove an elder under the floor like that? W-What did you do to our!? Shut up! Theyre going to find us! Therge mans right hand moved with blinding speed, as his battleaxe sliced through the pirates neck. Eek Seeing his tworades die before him, the third pirate dropped on the floor, a pool of liquid slowly spreading from under him. Dont take a step on the battlefield if youre going to piss yourself over something like this! Out of my sight! Bwah!? Therge man swung down his axe on the pirates skull, splitting it in two. Blood sshed on the walls and floor therge man was now alone in the room. H-Hey!! For the love of! Mr. Boyle! Force majeure, all right? The poor bastards were just unlucky. A young man came up from the basement. Therge man who exterminated the three pirates was indeed Glen Boyle, leader of Brutos mercenary guild. Boyle, who was hiding with a subordinate in the basement, kicked away one of the pirates corpses and plopped down on a chair. Ow owstaying cooped up in that narrow ce got to my backdamn, I hate getting old Youre still in your prime, guildmasteranyway, looks like there arent any other pirates around here. Yeah, no need to make a fuss. We can continue with the n Suddenly, the ring of a trumpet could be heard from the direction of the governors pce. Boyle cast a sharp nce towards the window, then raised again the hips he had justid to rest. its a bit earlier than expectedbut we got our signal to go. Indeed. Let us go! Time to kick some pirate ass!! Boyles subordinate drew his sword and kicked the door open. Boyle, his trusted battleaxe in hand, headed for the battlefield. Volume 3 - Ch 27 POV: Glen Boyle The trumpet was the signal for the mercenaries toe out of the empty houses they had used to hide. From under the floors, above the ceilings and inside storerooms, the mercenaries gathered tounch a surprise attack from behind the pirate forces. I, Glen Boyle, leader of the mercenaries guild, led the charge against the pirates. W-Who the hell are these people!? Where did theye from!? The pce was going to fall any moment nowat the peak of such excitement and expectation, the pirates were caught unaware and started falling one after the other. that boys got a fearsome mind. So I muttered to myself, as my battleaxe went through the torso of three pirates at once. I was thinking about the young man dressed in foreign clothes who hade up with the n. He was probably a third of my age, yet the cunning n he devised had drastically changed the flow of battle. The n consisted of using the pce and the towns guard as bait to draw the pirates into the heart of the city, for the mercenaries to ambush them from behind afterwards. The pirates overwhelming advantage crumbled as the pincer attack nullified their superior numbers. RRAAAHHH!! You better get out of the way if you dont wanna die!! GWAAH! AAAAAAHHH!!! S-Stop!! Dont push!! AAAAH!! My battleaxe swings down, cleaving another pirate in half. Presented with theirrades gruesome end, the pirates around him scamper and flee. Their only escape route, however, was blocked by the pces barricades, where the guards waited with spears and bows. Dont let the pirates escape!! Kill everyst one of them!! The guards were on the brink of defeat just minutes before, but our reinforcements apparently gave them new life: they were now fighting like tigers against the invaders. Struck down by spears and arrows, the pirates numbers decreased almostically fast. We got one devil of amander, thats for sure! At least he wasnt useless! Abandoning the port prevented the enemy from using their greatest weapon. Leaving the houses open wide on purpose made them seem empty. Defending the pce with small numbers lured the enemy towards an easy victory. The n worked perfectly, and the pirates crushing advantage had now been turned on its head. Even in the eyes of a veteran of the battlefield such as myself, Dyngir was an impressivemander. It wasnt rare for mercenaries to die like dogs because of poor orders from above: this time, however, we had hit the jackpot. Dyngir, huhI doubt its the boys real name, butwho actually is he? Dyngir Dyngir Maxwell was a pretty well known name among us mercenaries. It was the name of the young hero who defended a fortress from the invasion of the Baal Empire, with forces numbering less than half of his enemies. It was a hot topic for a while, on every mercenarys lips. Using that name as a pseudonym was proof of the boys confidence, perhaps. Well, as long as hes valuable who cares about the rest! Better keep focused on the present! Mr. Boyle! The pirates on the north side of the pce have been defeated! Should we chase them down? Damn straight! Dont let even one escape! I shouted back the order to my subordinate and clenched my battleaxe. The battle in the town was smoothly leading to victory. That didnt mean everything was over, though. (Once they realize theyre losing, the pirates will start doing whatever they can to make us paythe problem is, whether we can prevent that or not) The main reason why we could take the advantage was that the pirates were not using gunpowder. In other words, we took advantage of their ns to limit the damage on the towns structures, to use them after taking control. We fed them the illusion that our forces were poor, so they would think they didnt need gunpowder to win. Once the invading forces were beaten back, however, the pirates would start attacking with all they had. ming arrows, explosives, and the mysterious weapon that destroyed half of the port. What did the Dyngir boy n to do to neutralize all of them? The battles still far from over! Looking forward to what the boys got in store for us! Eager to know the results of the uing conflict, I swung down my axe again. Volume 3 - Ch 28 HeheheIm going to get everything ready in a moment, so hang tight, okay? Bartolo Blutliedalso known as Cristina, brought the young boy to her cabin and positioned him on the bed. Cristina sat down in front of the mirror and started leisurely removing her makeup, using water dotted with rose petals, all the while sneaking nces at the boy through the mirror. The ck-haired, delicately handsome boy was sitting still on the bed, looking down. His healthy-looking lips trembled slightly; tears hung from his eyshes. Look at you, all scaredso cute! Dont worry, Ill take you to heaven very soon Cristina hummed to herself, periodically licking the drool leaking from her mouth. She could equally enjoy thepany of older gentlemen or sturdy young men, as long as they matched her visual preferences, but she had a soft spot for boys younger than thirteen. At the age between infancy and adulthood, they were like pupae about to turn into butterflies. One wrong touch and their wings would develop crooked, preventing them from being able to fly straight. Just like Cristina herself, who couldnt fit into the standard man or woman frame of mind. O-K! All ready! Eek! After removing her makeup and doing the proper skin care routine, Cristina pushed the boy down and covered his small body with her muchrger figure. She delighted in the terrified expressions of the huddling boy for a few moments, beaming a full smile. Its okay, youre just going to be an adult. Its something everyone goes through at a point in their life. sted Oh? What is it, dear? The boy whispered something, but his voice was too faint for Cristina to hear. Cristina tilted her neck, putting her ear closer to the boys mouth. I am utterly disgusted. Eh? I said that I am utterly disgusted. The sound of a piercing needle. Drop by drop, the bedsheets were stained red. G-Ghyeah!? Cristina leapt away from the boy and touched her neck. Her fingers soon encountered something metallic: a look at the mirror showed a very thick needle poking out of her neck. W-Whatwhat did you!? I warned you, I am in a terrible mood right now. Can you guess why? Y-You!! The boy stood up from the bed. His eyes were no longer tinted with fear, instead casting a cold, sharp look in Cristinas direction. The killing intent was almost visible: the boy barely seemed like the same person as before. Cristina couldnt help but shriek. The boy rose to his feet, as eerily as a specter, and lifted three fingers towards Cristina. There are three reasons why. One, I was touched by a man other than my master. You might be a woman on the inside, but your appearance is that of a repulsive man. I cant say it was a pleasant experience. One of the fingers bent inwards. Slowly but surely, the boy approached Cristina. W-What are you Cristina, her voice trembling, unconsciously. edged backwards. She hadnt yet fully grasped what had just happened to her. No one other than the boy could have stabbed that thick needle in her neck: it was crystal clear, yet her mind refused to ept it. Two, I had to cut my hair to carry out this infiltration mission. I did propose it myselfbut Lord Dyngir prefers women with long hair. He even has a new woman with him now, and I risked lessening his attention towards me with this idea. Its irritating. The boy bent another finger and pulled out another needle, from who knows where. Threeno one figured out I was a woman. Even if my chest and hips are not toorge, to pass as a boy just because I cut my hair and wore pantsis vexing. Y-You cant be!? It couldnt be true. Cristina wished it was all a lie. Her final prayer, however, was answered without emotion. Yes, I am a woman. What of it? GWAAAAHHHH!!! Cristina screamed as she bolted out of the room. WOMAN!! WOMAN!! WOOOOOMAAAANNNNN!!!! GOD NO!! I touched her!! Filthy!! Gross!! OBSCENE!! For Cristina, a woman trapped in a mans body, other women were nothing but a source of envy, hatred and fear. Especially women blessed with beauty, something she could never attain no matter what, were her number one natural enemy. Cristina ran out as fast as possible, with every ounce of strength left in her, busting the cabins door open in her way. Dont you think you are overreacting a bit? The girl disguised as a boyDyngirs maid and assassin Sakuya had been taken aback by Cristinas sudden and violent change. She looked at her captor scamper away, perplexed. Oh, I lost herwell, the needle was coated in poison, so its only a matter of time anyway, butshould I chase her? Sakuya eventually realized that she had lost sight of her assassination target an uneptable mistake and, while still slightly confused, started tracking her prey. Volume 3 - Ch 29 Haah..haahwhy, why is this happening to me!? Cristina ripped the needle out of her neck and threw it away, while she frantically ran around therge ship. The terror of the cross-dressing girl pushed her to the brink of tears. What did I do to deserve this!? I didnt do anything wrong!! Cristina continued running, dragging her heavy legs, spewing lines that would send the citizens of Brutos into a fit of rage. Her muscr legs were gradually losing feeling; Cristina had lost too much control, however, to realize that the poisoned needle was the cause. Whywhywhy do I have to go through thisdont I have a right to pursue happiness too? Bartolo BlutleidCristina knew that she was a woman at heart, as long as she could remember. During her childhood, she much preferred caring for flowers or dolls than y fighting. There was no one around her, however, who would approve of such characteristics. In the male-centric pirate society, the onlybel she could receive was that of a weakling; both her father and brothers treated her as an undesirable blister. The only blessing she received might have been her naturally robust physique. Cristina crushed anyone who made fun of her, taking by force anything she wanted. Ironically like a pirate would do. (Ive been made fun of my whole lifeI had to suffer so much! So I have the right to receive more happiness than anyone else!) To take from others for the sake of her own happiness. Eventually, that had be Cristinas one belief. I cant die yetI havent achieved anything yet! Im going to be the queen of these seasand show up all the people that made fun of me! Until thenI cantdie!! Dragging her limping body, Cristina climbed or rather, crawled up the ships stairs. The door leading to the deck was before her. The sunlight peeking through the gaps was like a sign of the bright future ahead, in Cristinas eyes. I willsurviveobtain my glory! Cristina leaned against the door, pushing it open. However oh? What, youre still alive? On the deck stood a man, armed with a bloody sword. aheh? Its pretty rare for Sakuya to mess up. Guess she needs some punishment. W-whatyou! Who in the world are you!? Youre not part of my crew, are you!? Seriously? Cant you tell just by looking? The man then kicked something at his feet, in Cristinas direction. Waah!? It was a mans severed head. A face Cristina recognizeda face that belonged to one of her subordinates. Im your enemy. And a target of revenge now, I guess. Aahaaah.!! Cristina looked around and finally grasped the situation. On the deck of the 100-strongrge ship, only the man was still standing. There were no survivors. Youyou guys!! Countless corpses were strewn throughout the deck, shredded by de wounds. Cristina recognized them as her Lion King pirates crew members. Sshes and sprays of vivid blood painted the deck and even the mast red. The suffocating smell contributed to making the scene look even more hellish. The man thenughed, baring his fanged teeth. Youre not looking fine, there. I guess Sakuya did the bare minimum, at least. Ohah Naturally, Lord Dyngir. Eeek!! A chilling voice resounded from behind Cristina. She turned around and found the young girl appear out of nowhere. The poison acted slowly, probably because of the size of the bodybut their time is limited. Soon enough, all their muscles will be paralyzed and breathing will be impossible. Ehah? What are you? Excellent, truly excellent. Well then, pirate captain, you have a choice. You either let the poison kill you, or I do. Which will it be? If you so wish, you may die with another kind of poison too. Snake, scorpion, spider, bee, ant, fish, shellfish, mushroom, flower, potatowe have a wide range at your disposal. A demon in front, a venomous snake in the rear. Stuck in between two inescapable deaths, Cristina lost all hope and fell to her knees. Haahhahahahahahawhy is this happening? Cristina looked up at the sky, as a hollowugh came out of her mouth. There was not a cloud to be seen: the sky was a bright blue, frightfully so. Volume 3 - Ch 30 The Lion King pirates sent onnd to siege the Brutos governors pce had been annihted by the mercenary guilds ambush. On the other hand, the main forces ship, moored at the port, had turned into a bloodbath: the captain, Bartolo Blutleid, also known as Cristina, had been yed too. The winner of the battle was clear: there was no escape anymore. Starting from the ships closer to the stage of the massacre, shock and confusion gradually spread to the 200 vessels-strong pirate fleet. Heywhat are we supposed to do now? Standing on arge ship not too far from Cristinas, a pirate whispered, dumbfounded. He had witnessed the ughter perpetrated on the fellow pirate ship and had utterly lost any will to fight. Facing a man who had mowed down 100 pirates, with a single sword in hand, was sheer insanity. Hell if I knowshouldnt we get out of here? I was thinking the same. The loss of Cristina, the fleetmander, made Brutos capture impossible. There was no reason to fight anymore. The pirates could not be faulted for thinking that escape was their best avable option. The two intimidated pirates, however, were promptly struck by their superiors iron fists. Ouch!?! Quit spewing bullshit! You damn maggots! B-But captain!! The captain in charge of the ship had indeede down to set the two straight. He red at Cristinas ship and snorted spitefully. Just you try going back after this mess. The boss will have our heads on a tter. T-Thats The pirates pictured the Lion King pirate crews suprememander, who was also the king of the Lion Kingdom, and turned pale as sheets. Strength and fear ruled the pirates hierarchy: being seen as weak was a death sentence. After suffering such a defeat, the Lion King pirates would be ridiculed throughout the seas for at least 10 years. Especially because the fleetmander, Cristina, had been killed. It was highly likely that the other pirates would be forced to take responsibility in her ce. If we dont at least bring that mans head back with us, well all be shark feedwe cant run away now! B-Buthow can we kill a monster like that!? The pirate subordinates were visibly trembling. They would hate to be fed to the sharks, naturally, but facing that demon-like swordsman was just as terrifying. You idiots! We dont need to fight him directly. We can just blow him up from here! The captain grinned to his fidgeting crew and pped the Overthrower cannon equipped on his ship. They could st a cannonball on the enemy ship and sink it from a safe distance: even the strongest swordsman could not stand against such an offensive. There was no need to fight fair and square. B-But that ship is one of ours! We cant just destroy it! Were not getting out of this any other way! Its better than being captured, fool! The captain shouted down his frightened subordinate and set up the gunpowder for the shot. Signal the surrounding ships! Were going to blow up that bastard!! A-Aye!! The subordinates hurriedly acted on the captains orders. They waved the signals to the other ships with gs and prepared gunpowder and cannonballs, then ming arrows and other explosives too, to sink the ship that had been stolen from them. The captain confirmed the enemys presence on the ship with his binocrs: he saw a young boy wiping the swordsmans bloody face. It was the boy who had delivered a message to the pirates at the port. Thinking about it now, that boy had probably been sent to locate the ship Cristina was on and assassinate her. look at you, fucking taking it easy, huh? Its gonna cost yer life!! The captain gnashed his teeth and growled. Captain, all ready here!! Good, then lets!? The captain was about to send the signal to attack, but froze in his tracks. Because, through the binocrs, his eyes had met with the swordsmans. , ? The swordsman was looking in his direction. He grinned, shrugged, moved his lips. The captain could certainly not read lips, but nheless understood that he was being insulted. Shootem dead! Blow that man up!!! A-Aye!!! The captain was bright red, fuming. The pirates jolted at his sudden screamed orders, then proceeded to light the Overthrower fuse on fire. But then, mere seconds before they could Hm? ! Beyond the binocrs, the swordsman raised his hands next to his ears and pointed upwards. The captain unconsciously moved away from the lens and looked up. Eh? Several seagulls were perched on the mast. It was not an unusual sight for seasoned seafarers, but the captain felt there was something off this time. He squinted his eyes and noticed that one of the seagulls had something in its beak. The birds cried louder, and the thing dropped; they then spread their wings and flew away. Hey!! How the hell!? As soon as the captain realized what the thing was, a chilling fear possessed him. He desperately stretched his right arm, but there was no way he could reach. Hey!! You lot!! Catch that!! Huh? Whats gotten into you, capn? The captain shouted hysterically, but the subordinates looked at him perplexed. They hadnt noticed the thing yet. The thing was a piece of rope, about 10 cm long. Incidentally, one of its ends was burning red. A piece of rope that had been dropped exactly over a crate filled with gunpowder. And the moment itnded BOOOOOOOM!!! An enormous column of ck smoke rose to the blue sky, as the pirate ship was engulfed in violent mes. Volume 3 - Ch 31 Countless sea birds were flying over the port, mewing, cawing and crying. From their ws and beaks dangled pieces of rope lit on fire, which they dropped over the pirate ships. Some of the birds even carried ss bottles filled with oil, which helped spread the mes further. The fire eventually reached the pirates ming arrows, explosives and gunpowder meant for the Overthrower cannon, setting offrge explosions. Cue a series of deafening sts. GWAAAAAH!?! The pirate vessels were engulfed in mes, one after the other, as columns of ck smoke rose to the sky. The pirates might have been used to handling gunpowder, but they would have never expected fire raining from above. The rain of mes could only be the work of the devil: they did not have the time or presence of spirit to notice that it was instead caused by birds they were used to seeing every day. Screams and fire soon took over the whole fleet. Far from the sea of raging mes, in a residential area close to the port, a young girl was standing at the entrance of one of the houses. The tidal winds yed with the girls bluish hair she was Dyngirs ve, Sue. Good boy, eat your food and go to work, okay? Myeaw! Yes, be careful out there. Meew! Several sea birds were gathered around Sue. They eagerly swallowed the beans in her hands: once satisfied, they grabbed their piece of rope and flew away. cant believe what Im seeingyou can really control birds? The White Demons pirate assigned as Sues escort was ck-jawed, stupefied. He had heard of Sues ability from Dyngir, but seeing her actuallymand the birds was bewildering nheless. Im not controlling them, you know? I just asked them to help. Yeah, thats unbelievable all the samethe sea is really wide The man sighed and slowly shook his head. More importantly, will this really be useful for my master? The young master said it will, so it has to be. Rest assured, hes got to have a n. Really!! I hope my master will praise me Youre sure fond of himlildy, didnt you meet the young master just some time ago? The man looked at Sue with some suspicion, but she held her hands on her chest and beamed an innocent smile. My master learned of my ability and epted meeven my father and the people at the monastery suddenly grew distant after they knew of my strange powers. Moreover, my master has shown me a whole new world. Yeah, well All that mattered to him was that you look goodso the pirate was going to continue, but he managed to stop himself in time. Surrounded by candid birds, Sue looked positively blissful: there was something sacred about her, and he felt it would be wrong to ruin the scene. A flock of pure white birds, dancing and fluttering around a young girl. It was just like an angel descended from heaven. Damn if I know why so many fine women fall for a guy like that The pirate looked away from Sue, a sight a touch too holy for a sea roughneck like him, and grumbled to himself. Then, another low rumbling sound, another pir of ck smoke billowing in the distance. The battle over Port Brutos was reaching its climax and its conclusion. Volume 3 - Ch 32 Another ship was rocked by explosions. Howfearsome. Sakuya was looking at the pirate ship going down in mes, her face paler than usual. After ying all the pirates on the ship wed boarded, we were observing the surrounding vessels. Of the circa 200 ships thatposed the pirate fleet, more than half had already sunk. Before our eyes, anotherrge ship was keeling over, dragging the smaller ships around it to the depths of the sea. Who would have thought that a ve could do something like thisshe is too dangerous. Come on, dont say that. Actually, shes pretty impressive with her clothes off. That is NOT what I am talking about. If that ability is used for espionage or assassination, there is no way to stop it. Sakuya red at me, clearly upset. As a member of the Fangs of Steel, who made assassination and espionage their lifes work, Sakuya too used hawks and owls, but for nothing more than delivering messages much like carrier pigeons. No one could control birds as precisely as Sue did. Indeedbirds for inspection and surveince, cats or mice to sneak poison into the enemys housethere are countless tricks you can pull with an ability like that. Im really d shes not an enemyif possible, why not leave her in the custody of the Fangs of Steel? She would surely be a capable assassin. I considered Sakuyas proposal for a bit, but then shook my head. Not a bad ideabut unfortunately, that girl will be my ve only until we arrive at the Ga Kingdom. I have to keep the promises I can. What exactly is the problem? You can always persuade her to our side with your private techniquesas you always do. Right I smiled wryly at Sakuyas allusion, then looked up at the sea birds dancing in the sky. It was an ability too dangerous to neglect and a beauty much too dazzling to let go. I would eagerly keep her at my side. It would be great if it was possible, butId have to put my life on the line too. What do you mean? Is she frigid? Sakuya tilted her head at me, while asking a question rather close to an insult. She could not know yet, but Sue was even more superhuman in bed. My attempts of winning her over might end up in having my life force sucked out of my body. Youll understand, soon enough. The world is truly widethere are plenty of monsters out there that we have no idea of. Im not sure I understandbut let us leave it at that. What are your ns from now? The pirates who managed to escape the fire and smoke were retreating. They picked up any of theirnding forcerades who managed to reach the port alive and sailed away. The pirates who failed to reach the port in time watched the ships disappear in the distance, shouting curses as they fell to their knees. These survivors, driven into a corner by the mercenaries, could only throw down their weapons and surrender. The battle is over. There is no need to fight anymore. Should we not chase after them? How are we supposed to chase them on the sea? We only have the one pirate ship we took over. We have no chance to win in a sea battle. Understood. Allow me to serve tea, then. Sakuya had changed into her maid outfit where she was keeping it, no one knows and poured me a cup of tea. Please forgive me, it might be slightly lukewarm. Yeah. I briefly replied, and watched the back of my maid, preparing tea on a ship riddled with bloody corpses. As she skilfully continued her preparations, I noticed how her sharp haircut fully exposed her neck. Hmmshort hair isnt bad at all I leisurely observed her nape, grinning to myself. Volume 3 - Ch 33 In a small town located to the north of Brutos The governor put in charge of the port town of Brutos, who had abandoned the city out of fear of the pirates attack a man named Baraquemo Lant was positively delighted by the good news. Ooh! Really, is that so! The pirates attack has been sessfully thwarted? Yes, all the pirates whonded were either beaten back or captured. The rest fled back to the seas. Excellent! Governor Lant gleefully pped his knees and stood up with eager momentum. As soon as he learned that the pirates had started attacking, Baraquemo had used his rtives connections to take refuge in this city. He then fervently sent letters and bribes to the royal functionaries belonging to his faction, all for the sake of bearing as little responsibility as possible for the incident. He was naturally aware that he would not be fully pardoned bu,t now that Brutos security guards had prevailed against the pirates, everything had changed. There was no responsibility for him to bear: on the contrary, he deserved praise and honor for the victory. Baraquemo felt that the goddess of fate was smiling at him. As expected of my security guards! Mettle as precious as the finest gold! I never doubted your victory! We do not deserve such glorious words of praise, Milord, but I am sure everyone will be overjoyed to hear them. Baraquemo smiled widely, giddily smacking the shoulders of the man sent as messenger. Thetter, sporting a smile despite the rather painful smacking, was contemting the hypocrisy of such praise from the man who had fled the town at the first signs of danger. I must hurry on my return to Brutos, then! Without the governor to take the lead, the towns reconstruction cannot proceed! The governor, twiddling his curated mustache, nodded eagerly. The port had suffered severe destruction, but after such an incident, the royal pce could not refuse to provide aid. The reconstruction of the port and its facilities would require the employment of many craftsmen, as well as a great amount of supplies. The governor, naturally, would have to decide which guild will be in charge of the works. A decision that, if made wisely, would result in personal incentives and benefits for the governor himself. (As soon as news of this victory spread to the capital, my ascent in the ranks of court is assured! I should be grateful to those pirates, even!) Baraquemo was picturing a rosy future, a blissful smile on his lips pletely unaware of the messengers cold gaze. With all due respect, Milordthere is no need for that. Hmm? Whatever do you mean? There is no need for you to return to Brutosthat is what I mean. The messenger inly rejected the governors n, also pushing away the overly familiar hand on his shoulder. Whatwhat is the meaning of this!? Would you mind taking a look at this, Lord Governor? The messenger ignored Baraquemos protests and handed him a stack of papers. The governor took them, suspicious, rolled open the parchments and looked through them. Howthis cannot be!! Eventually, he shouted in disbelief, his eyes wide open. The stack of papers was actually a letter of indictment: it used Governor Lant of being in collusion with the Lion Kingdom and having staged the pirates attack on Brutos. The letter even included confessions neatly signed by the pirates caught prisoner: the governors betrayal was described in extensive detail, page after page. Me, a traitor!? This is absolute nonsense!! The names of the users are listed on the bottom. All of them. W-What in the The users were Maios Sephonne, chief of the Brutos merchant guild, other leaders of prominent tradingpanies, andstly Glen Boyle, head of the mercenary guild. Hogwash!! I have no connection with any pirates!! That might be true. Howeverthese men are famous enough to be known in the capital, and they all im you do. Do you think their word will be doubted? Y-You!! Baraquemo finally realized what the messenger was hinting at. The whole town of Brutos was conspiring to use him of crimes he had nevermitted. Do not think you can get away with this!! Once the truth is found out, you will all be executed!! Hahaha, that is troubling indeed. The leader of the merchant guild, the mercenary guilds master, as well as many well-known tradersall executed. Will Brutos be able to function, I wonder? In any case, what will you do? Bring the matter to the courts? Gh Baraquemos words choked in his throat. If Brutos, half destroyed by pirates, had its leaders all sent away for judgment, the whole town risked bing awless area. Something like that would put Baraquemos own position at risk as well. I-I am supported by House Maynast of the royal capital!! I can make this letter disappear with a flick of my finger!! Oh dear, that House Maynast? One of the two greatest influences in the royal court? That is terrifying indeed. The messenger spread his arms wide, dramatically, with affected surprise. Though he realized the bnce of power may have shifted, his behavior retained none of its former politeness. The mans clown-like mannerism irritated Baraquemo to no end. I am thoroughly terrified, so I will send this letter to House Asbart the royal courts famed n, on par with House Maynast. What!?! The name uttered by the messenger left Baraquemo frozen where he stood. Volume 3 - Ch 34 House Asbart, another powerful faction in the Sapphire royal court, boasted authority and influence on par with House Maynast. Eager for a chance to undermine the position of their rival, they would readily set up Baraquemo as a traitor. Kh you dare! Baraquemo tore up the usation letter, rolled the pieces in a ball and threw it on the floor. Oh dear, did you really have to go and make a mess like that? Well, a copy was already sent to House Asbart, so its fine, though. W-WHUUUOAAATTT!?! Baraquemo screamed, his hands pressed against his cheeks, in a very picturesque pose. Once the letter reached House Asbart, his fall from grace was guaranteed. House Maynast would not hesitate to cut him off for the sake of self-preservation. Not only was any prospect of sess gone, his life might even be in danger. Baraquemo dropped to his knees and prostrated. Oh? Are you feeling under the weather, Milord? .. The messenger affected concern in his voice, but Baraquemo had fallen too deep in despair to reply. Seeing himself lose everything and tumble down, with no end in sight, he could only stare silently at the floor. Looking down at the defeated man, the messenger chuckled. Well, I certainly did not expect you to lose all hope so easilyif you so desire, I might intercede with them for your sake? C-Could you truly? A ray of light reached Baraquemo, already in the depths of hell in his mind. He clung to the messenger. If I send word immediately, it should be possible to stop the letter from reaching House Asbart. Convincing the people of Brutos will be difficultbut thankfully, they have trust in me. P-Please! I beg of you! I can pay as much as you want!! As much as I want? The moment Baraquemo uttered those words, the messengers lips curved into a grin. A grin that froze Baraquemo in ce. If a devil that made contracts with humans in exchange for their souls really existed, they would surely grin in the same way. In that case, all you need to do is sign here. The messenger took out a contract from his breast pocket. The single sheet of paper fluttered down to the floor, before Baraquemos eyes which promptly clouded. donate half of my fortune to the reconstruction efforts of Brutos? Transfer the reconstruction rights to the Merchants Guildrelinquish all taxes collected during my term as governor?? Give up the title ofmander of the security guards? W-What kind of absurd conditions are these?!? epting the conditions set forth by the contract would mean losing all privileges and benefits earned as governor of Brutos. Baraquemo would be governor in nothing but name. Are they not to your liking, Milord? You can always refuse. Ah! The messenger picked up the contract with a quick sleight of hand. To have not half, but all of your fortune confiscated, and be executed as a traitor. The punishment for treason extends to six degrees of kinship, as I recall the end of a whole n. But if that is your decision, what say do I have in the matter? W-Wait!! Please!! Wait!! Baraquemo desperately clung to the messenger and snatched back the contract. He held the piece of paper against his body, not to be taken away again. Oh? Have you decided to sign, then? G-Gh Baraquemo nodded, with tears in his eyes. A heart-wrenching sight were he in the body of an innocent maiden. Unfortunately, he was a pudgy man in his fifties, so his pleading just looked mildly disgusting. Nevertheless, the messenger probably pitied the formerly powerful noble, reduced to tears by a youth less than half his age, and offered him somepassion. Please look at it this way, Milord: in exchange for your fortune and privileges, you earn personal safety and the glory of having beaten back the pirates. If you truly are a capable official, you will surely make good use of these advantages to further your career. I am going to sign, so get lost already. For the love of all thats holy, dont show yourself in front of me one more time!! Baraquemos shaking hand signed the contract, then abruptly pushed in onto the messenger. Certainly, looking forward to doing good business with you again in the future. . Baraquemo did not react to the messengers aloof reply, and watched him leave without uttering another word. Before the door closed, however, he suddenly opened his mouth. now that I think about it, I didnt hear your name. Oh? One hand on the doorknob, the messenger peeked from the gap of the nearly closed door. Oh dear, how careless of me. Yours truahem, my name is Roh. Just a fortune teller at the beck and call of his missus Volume 3 - Ch 35 One week after the Lion Kingdom pirates raid I was still in the port town of Brutos, watching it be slowly rebuilt. The battle against the Lion King crew ended in aplete victory for our side; most of the pirates whonded to attack the governors pce were either captured or killed, and more than half of the 200 ships that formed the fleet had disappeared under the waves. The pirates who survived fled to the seabut they did not end safe and sound either, apparently. The day after the raid, the ind was visited by a storm of rare proportions: it wrought havoc on the nearly destroyed port, so it was easy to assume that the runaway pirate ships would have fallen victim to it too. In fact, ship debris floated to the port for several days after the storm. A storm isingnow that I think about it, Sue did say something like that. I recalled the conversation with Sue at Alexandrite ind, as I was looking out of the window of the inn I was staying in. Under the blistering sunlight, people were busily going back and forth, carrying wood, stones and other materials to the port. A number of people hade to Brutos from all over the Sapphire Kingdom, in order to proceed with reconstruction. The worst-case scenario the city being taken over by a foreign country had been avoided, but the damage and losses sustained by Brutos were still considerable. The port, especially, had suffered the brunt of the attack. The pirate ships cannons hadid waste to half of the buildings. In addition, the pirate ships that blew themselves up had left wreckage everywhere, making it impossible for the port to carry out its original function. When the battle ended, countless corpses floated on the water near the port. A real hellscape, which few people knew had been caused by a single young girl. I got nothing left to do here, so Id really like to pack up and leave, butthis might turn out to be a long vacation A holiday in a tropical countryit might sound pleasant, but the towns atmosphere wasnt exactly one for sightseeing at the moment. One wrong step and Id easily get dragged in helping with the reconstruction or forced to go drink with someone who wanted to thank me for protecting the city. I dont mind drinking, but Ill take a pass on having to take care of drunk men Alcohol was something I enjoyed at my own pace, little by little, especially with a beauty at my side. I poured myself a ss of fruit spirit a nostalgic aroma, as I was born in a tropical country myself. I sipped on the taste of home, rolled it on my tongue to savor it fully. We had to stay longer than expectedbut at least we got something out of it! Officially, the hero who led Brutos to victory against the pirates was the captain of the security guards, Randy. The people inmand during the battle, however, know that the defense strategy was devised by me. I didnt tell them about Sues abilities, but I reported that we destroyed more than half of the pirate ships, so we received a pretty hefty reward. The fact that we could take one whole pirate ship was especially valuable. It was arge vessel with a crew of about 100, equipped with plenty of supplies, various weapons and even an Overthrower cannon. I needed manpower to move it, but as soon as the reconstruction ended we could fill up on food and water and set sail anytime. And so I can just rx and enjoy the vacation.but. I filled my ss again, then looked towards the bed. HnhahI wontlose! Hnhahmmh how long are you nning to go, you two? I looked at the two girls, their bodies entwined on the bed, and sighed. Sakuya and Sue were engaged in hot and sweltering wrestling. The homoerotic activities of the two pretty girls were very sensual, to say the least: even if I personally was never interested in the genre, I couldnt help but feel stimted. Even such a tititing sight, however, left me unfazed since it went on for over half a day. Kh! Lord Dyngiras your number one servant, I cannot possibly lose here!! MmhIm not sure what you mean, butMasters ve is me The trigger that started it all was Sakuyas strange hostility towards my new ve, Sue. Once the battle against the pirates ended and things calmed down, Sakuya challenged Sue to a night battle. Sakuya saw herself as the leader of my lovers, so she probably wanted to put the new recruit in her ce. Sues natural resilience, however, turned the tables on her. Ghyou little!! How much energycan you have!? Mmh..haahI still have plenty left, actually. Rrghyou monster!! Sakuya had been my lover since the age of 13: in terms of technique, she was definitely superior. Sues superhuman toughness, however, endured all of her attacks, and eventually Sakuya lost control of the battle. At present, Sue was covering Sakuyas small body with her own, licking extensively her delicate skin. MmhnhI never knew you could do such things between women. Being with Master gives me so many new experiences Yeah, well, thats not an experience I nned for you to have, though Aahnotthere The usually expressionless Sakuya was on the verge of tears. She would not surrender, however: the strength of her pride was shining as well. guess I should help her out. It would be pitiful if she lost to a new recruit, after all. I shrugged and downed my drink. I put the ss down on the table, slipped between the sheets and embraced Sue from behind. EhmMaster? Ive gotten bored of being left out, so Im joining in. Waah! I stopped Sue moments before she reached victory and savored her healthy body to my hearts content. The daily and nightly banquets continued for over one week, until the towns reconstruction ended. Volume 3 - Ch 36 On the western side of the Southern Archipgoy Amethyst ind. Largely dominated by a volcanic area, Amethyst was also home to the pirate state Lion Kingdom and its capital, located on the eastern edges of the ind. 20 years prior, after king Ghad Blutleid died on the battlefield, the kingdom entered an age of darkness until the recent emergence of a new king brought new energy to the country. Ghads younger brother, Gaion Blutleid, proactively employed new weaponry, such as the Overthrower cannon, and seeded in taking over the Ga Kingdom and several other countries. The pirate countrys momentum seemed unstoppable. The kingdoms golden age was almost a realitywhen a certain mother and child threatened to end it before it even started. In Leonsol, the capital of the Lion Kingdom. The royal castle had burst into mes. Ghhahdamnyou!! Inside the castle, in the throne room, an aged man was kneeling on the marble floor, holding his stomach. Despite his advanced age, the mans physique was well-built and robust: he was the Lion Kingdoms current leader, Gaion Blutleid. Blood trickled from Gaions mouth as he cursed the woman standing before him. GraceOmarimy kingdomhow dare you! Gahaha!! What a sorry sight!! Unfazed by the mans gaze, seething with hate, Graceughed heartily, exposing her fangs. All around themy the corpses of Lion Kingdom soldiers, fallen to protect their liege. There was no one else left to protect the king: the castle would fall at any moment. Youre the one who picked a fight with us! You brought this on yourself! Gh! If only the main fleet returnedyoud be squashed like the vermin you are!! The Lion Kingdom had be one of the greatest military powers in the Southern Archipgo yet the capital had fallen with unbelievable ease. The reason was that its pirate fleet, the backbone of the army, had sailed to Brutos in order to start the invasion. The sessful takeover of the port town would have led to the conquest of the once prosperous Sapphire Kingdom, and ultimately to the rise of the Lion Kingdom as ruler of the southern seas Gaions heart was burning with hatred and resentment. Thats a damn shame, because that fleet isnting back! Grace answered inly. Your prized pirate fleet is sinking below the waves by now, thanks to my son! Hes a stupid brat who refuses to grow up right, but hes not so weak as to get killed by yourckeys! Yourson!? Gaions expression twisted. He knew very well the strength of the woman before him: to think that such a monster had given birth to a child was a nightmaree true. You inhuman creaturemay you be cursed forever!! Gahaha!! Are those really your final words!? What a sorry life that must have been!! Ghah!! Grace kicked Gaions chest, to roll him on his back. But theres something I have to know before I kill you!! You better answer me, and fast!! Whothe hellwould ever Oh, you will!! Your women and kids are with my crew, remember! This is yourst chance to give them a better fate! Ghr Gaion grunted under his breath. As the king, he had an extensive harem of concubines, and more than 20 children. Among them, some were still infants. Even the coldest, cruelest pirate would still feel some affection for their family. The thought of his innocent children being ughtered kindled Gaionsst remnants of fatherly love. What should we do with them? Feed them to the sharks? Useem as coal next winter? Or test our kitchen knives on them, carving them from the limbs up? .what do you want to know? Gaion looked away and whispered. Grace looked down at the defeated man and smiled. You should have said so from the beginning! You and your useless pride. . Fine, anywaythere is just one thing I want to know. Graces expression suddenly became grave, her eyes on Gaion sharper than ever. The Overthrowerwho gave you the technology to build that cannon? Volume 3 - Ch 37 TheOverthrower? Why do you want to know about that? Gaion was perplexed. He honestly had no clue as to why Grace would be interested in such a thing. (Could she be nning to mass produce the Overthrowers? Dont tell me that this woman is aiming to conquer the southern seas too?) Such thoughts crossed Gaions mind as he opened his mouth. Thatwas brought to us by a man who joined the crew a few years ago. A man? An odd bird, that onehe was an expert on things we had never even heard about. Like he hade from the future. Gaion snorted augh. Of all the things he knew, only the Overthrower could be recreatedjust barely. Ill be damned if I know where he learned all that where is that man now!? What did he say his name was? Ohoh? Grace, with an unusually determined tone in her voice, pressed the wounded Gaion further. One wrong word could have sent her in a furious frenzy: even a seasoned pirate such as Gaion flinched. H-Hewe left him in charge of the colonythe Ga Kingdom. His name is Gaions voice shook. Drakeat least thats what he said, we dont know if A squelching sound. Grace grabbed Gaions head and forcefully squeezed. The mans cranium and brain were crushed beyond recognition, his torsoid limp on the floor. Aah, capn! We still have things to ask Shut up. Bwah! Gourd, who had been watching over the interrogation from nearby, ran up to Grace, but she unceremoniously kicked him away. He rolled across the throne room, eventually smacking his back against a wall. looks like someones unwilling to go to the afterlife! This time Ill make sure you dont have an ounce of life left in your body!! C-Capn? Grace usually had a smile on her face during her bouts of brutality, but her current expression was surprisingly grim. Gourd knew Grace well enough to understand what it meant, but even he had rarely seen her in such a sour mood. Grace stomped towards the entrance, kicked the door down and went outside. Thest time capn was so pissed, must have been when the young master was taken by House Maxwell Gourd shivered and mumbled to himself. Grace was a walking minefield at the moment. He made hisrge body as small as possible, walking behind her while staying out of her field of sight as much as possible. Outside the castle, the cityid before them in mes. The Lion Kingdoms royal capital had been attacked by the White Demon pirates and their followers, quickly turning the ce into hell on earth. The pirates yed the fleeing popce without mercy, women and children included. When they saw Grace emerge from the castle, the subordinates gathered around her. Boss! We captured some Blutleid family members, trying to escape the town! What should we do with them? Kill them. So Grace ordered, without missing a beat. The white-haired female pirate, standing against a backdrop of raging mes, grinned just like a demon from hell. All the people in this town are either pirates or their family! We dont need prisoners or ves. Kill everyst one of them!! Maam!! Yes maam!! The pirates immediately acted upon their orders, scattering throughout the city. Grace watched them go, then barked an order to Gourd, still tiptoeing behind her. Our next destination is the Ga Kingdom! Were setting sail as soon as the raids over! YAAAAH! The pirates answered with a low-pitched roar. That day, on one side of the Southern Archipgo, a country fell, many of its citizens perishing in the mes. The ill-fated pirate country was utterly annihted, leading to the independence of several of the countries it had taken over. The southern seas had not seen thest of war, however. The former Ga Kingdom would soon be the stage of new raging mes of war. Volume 3 - Ch 38 POV: A certain countrys minister My name is Samuel Lauros, I am a minister of the Ga Kingdom, in the Southern Archipgo. More precisely, I was a minister. Several months ago, the Ga Kingdom was taken over by a foreign country and had been effectively dismantled: my old title had little to no meaning anymore. Ga had been destroyed by the Lion Kingdom, a pirate country. We had always been at odds with the ouw state; in recent years, however, they gained unimaginable military power, enough to defeat and take over our kingdom. We tried opposing them, naturally: the soldiers fought with everything they had, using all the arrows, gunpowder, and everything else at their disposal. Because of this, we were actually sessful in repelling the first wave of invading pirate ships, despite their massive numbers. When that man appeared on the Lion Kingdoms side, however, the situation changed dramatically. The frontlines were breached in a matter of moments: the pirate forces spread to the capital as quickly and relentlessly as wildfire. Eventuallythe royal capital fell, and the whole kingdom was under the pirates control. Ga thus became a colony, but the invaders governance was unexpectedly peaceful. The Lion Kingdom soldiers were well disciplined, almost unnaturally so. There were no episodes of violence or robbery towards the Ga citizens, and the amount of tributes they requested was fairly moderate. On the contrary, the new government even removed all corrupt nobles and dishonest merchants: the rotten underbelly of the kingdom was purified, improving public safety as a whole. The only real problem was in the royal pce the existence of the man left in charge of the new government. WAAAAHHHH!!! A mans scream echoed in the royal halls. This historical building of the Ga royal family, an imposing sanctuary of white marble, had been turned into a chamber of torture. Stop! Someone, anyone, help!!! Kh Hearing such desperate pleas, I couldnt help but grimace. The man, his hands and legs tied, was pinned to the floor in a cross shape,pletely naked. Andon his body slithered several venomous snakes. The snakes came from our kingdoms forests: their poison would inflict paralysis to the whole body, making it impossible to breathe, thus leading to ten minutes of agony, followed by death. With such lethal snakes on his body, the man was obviously scared out of his wits. (How cruel) Is anything the matter, minister? You do not look well. Its n-nothing The man who expressed concern towards my state was none other than the perpetrator of the torture. He was the mastermind behind the fall of Ga, whom the Lion Kingdom left in charge of the new government. A pirate named Captain Drake. Drakes muscr body was scorched by the sun, as expected of a man of the sea: he had curly ck hair, reaching all the way down to his waist. He had well-proportioned, chiseled features, emanating a sort of dangerous charm, like only an ouw could. Sitting on the royal throne with his legs crossed, he was the picture of a barbarian king. This man is truly resilient, I must say. Dont you think his efforts are worthy of praise? Yes. I lowered my head, to hide my expression. I, former minister of the Ga Kingdom, was now a subordinate of this man. Anyone in this kingdom would call me a filthy traitor, yet I did not wish for this position: my family was taken hostage to force me into it. GWAAAHHHH!!! Hmmthats it, huh. Aah! The man tied on the floor was finally bit by a snake. He writhed and squirmed, eventually foaming at the mouth and drawing hisst breath. Drake looked coldly at the man, nowpletely still, then shook his head with a sigh. And another toys brokenget me a new one, and fast. under, stood. What should we do with the next one? Maybe make them drink boiling water. If they can down a whole barrel, Ill spare them. . There was no way they could be spared. I clenched my teeth, desperately suppressing my anger. Under Drakes rule, the former Ga Kingdom was going through a period of rtive peace. If something were to tarnish this mans mood, however, the country would surely turn into hell on earth. In order to appease this man, I am forced to bring him toy after toy, victim after victim. To bring my beloved citizens to torture and inevitable death was a brutal fate for me as well. Governorwhy do you do such things? Hm? Drake turned towards me, squinting his eyes in surprise. Volume 3 - Ch 39 POV: A certain countrys minister What a bizarre question. Is it strange for a pirate to engage in acts of cruelty? No, that is not what Iit seems to me thatyou do not take pleasure in torture, governor. Carefully picking my words, I finally asked the question that had been weighing on my mind. During my tenure as minister, I have had the chance to witness the darkness lying in the hearts of many men and women. Among them, there were those who delighted in the pain and suffering of others. Merchants who whipped ves in their spare time. Nobles who exerted violence on young maidens. Executioners who leisurely tortured prisoners. This country had a fair number of people harboring such darkness in their hearts. Drake, however, did not appear to belong to that group. When he looked at the torture victims, Drakes eyes were as transparent as crystal balls, void of any emotion. He did not enjoy torturing them, nor did he feel any pity. It was like torture was menial work for him. That is correct, I do not do this because I enjoy it. Drake nodded to my words, inly. Then, why do you Minister. This is an act of defiance. Defiance to god. What? Drake turned an emotionless gaze towards me. If I repeat such acts of cruelty, god might punish me one day. Not the evil god who cursed me, but a just one, who might finally kill methat is why I continue this massacre. W-What kind of reason is that? It might also be that I joined the Lion King pirates and brought down this country, because I hope that there might be a god able to kill me, somewhere in these southern seas. . Drakes words exuded an ego I could barelyprehend. I hurriedly closed my mouth, stifling the protests rising from my throat. I was not allowed to admonish him, no matter the reason. Nonsense!! You killed my people for such a reason!? Someone objected in my ce, however. The voice came from under Drakes behind. Hmm? The thrones making some strange noise. Gh! Drake pped the royal throne a couple times, and a guttural voice rose in response. The royal throne where the heartless pirate sat was actually none other than the former king of Ga. The literally royal throne turned his neck towards Drake and red at him. There is no need to engage in these meaningless evil acts, for you will soon face your punishment, you bastard! Devil! Prepare to meet your maker! Your Majesty I couldnt bear to look at what had be of my liege. Ever since Ga was conquered, the king had been forced to take the role of a chair. A royal chair, thus thrhis dark wordy gave Drake the idea, though I could not see the humor in it at all. Wait, you saybut unfortunately, Ive already waited a thousand years. Im not going to wait any longer. Drake shrugged at the kings cursing words, as if he didnt feel particrly fazed. I could not understand what he meant by a thousand years. The fearsome truth hidden in those words, however, chilled my spine nheless. I cannot die, even if I wish to. What worse torture could there be? I cannot stand it anymore. I have no intention to, either. If there is no one able to kill me, I will simply continue to kill others, until they appear. What!! Oh lord of heaven, o supreme god! Grant your divine punishment to my foolish self!! Carry my soul to the depths of hell!! Drake looked up and raised his hands towards the sky, and both the king and I became speechless. Some timeter, a new victim was dragged into the hall. And the game of cruelty started anew. I could only pray, with all my heart, that gods hand of salvation would punish the madman before my eyes. Volume 3 - Ch 40 We waited for the reconstruction of the port to bepleted to board the ship borrowed from the pirates and leave Brutos. We left before dawn, hidden in a cloak of darkness: if we were seen trying to leave the town, we were definitely going to be stopped. Sneaking out in the dark like this makes me feel like a criminalwell, were technically pirates right now, so I really cantin, can I Rocked by the waves, I took a deep sigh. A parade in celebration of the reconstruction was going to be held soon. Naturally, the returning governor, as well as big names from the capital and even members from the royal family had been invited to participate. Randy, the captain of the security guards, had reported about my involvement in excruciating detail, so I ended up being chosen as one of the main guests in the parade. If my identity gets exposed, itll turn into a pain in the assbest thing to do is get out of here as soon as possible. The guests invited from the capital were definitely not fools. Once they knew a foreigner like me was involved, they would definitely have me investigated. Soon enough, they would find out that I was a noble from Lamperouge, and that I had ties with the White Demon pirates. Even in the Lamperouge Kingdom, only very few people were aware of the rtionship between my margrave father and pirate mother. If the fact ever became public knowledge, those who suffered losses due to the White Demons piratical acts might petition House Maxwell forpensation. Fwahso that is whywe have to leave at night Sue, failing to suppress a yawn in a pretty adorable way, came to sit next to me. She was wearing one of my old coats on top of her roomwear. I had thrown it away, since it had gotten too dirty, but she must have picked it up from the trash for some reason. I am a ve, so old clothes like this are just right, hehehe Sue snorted, trying to take in the smell of the coat. It was stained and reeked of bloodyet the girl looked positively happy to bury her face in it. On the deck of our newly acquired pirate vessel, the sailors were working busily. The White Demon pirates who came with me to Brutos were inmand, but the actual work was being done by new recruits we hired at the port. They were sailors who had lost their ships during the Lion King pirates attack. They had also lost all their supplies, as well as a way back home, so they epted this suspicious nighttime departure for the money. And thats all right, butwhy are you here too? Oh, dont be like that, brother, The man who jokingly scolded me was Roh, the fortune teller I met in Brutos. He had sessfully negotiated with Brutos governor, and was nowying the golden coins he received as reward on a wooden chest to count them. Ill say, brother, the smell of money wafts all around you, so let me have a slice of the pie, wont you? Were not going to go do business, though. If you get in the way, youre getting cut up and spread as fish lure, all right? Wow, so scary! Please, dont be so cold! We are brothers in arms, who bravely stood against a formidable foe, arent we? I red at Roh and the fishy expression ever stered on his face. I cant remember seeing you on the battlefield, though. Where the hell were you hiding? Oh, me? I certainly wasnt sneaking around in the warehouses of the tradingpanies who abandoned the city! No sir! guess its time to feed the fish. So I muttered, half joking, and Roh seemed to realize he was in danger: the man started waving his arms frantically. No no no! It was a joke, a joke! Cmon look, my retainer and your maid became fast friends, right? We should get along too! Fastfriends? I followed the fortune tellers gaze and found Sakuya, sitting in front of the woman Roh had brought with himself. Her expression wascking as usual, but her face and the other girls were extremely close, almost bumping foreheads: they seemed to be in the middle of a heated debate. As I said again and again, my master is superior!! He is a master of the sword and an excellent militarymander! Mph! Dont look down on Cerros, you! Hes got a silver tongue and is a great negotiator, and no one can count money faster! As it turns out, Sakuya and Rohs retainer a young girl called Xiao Mao were both gloating about their respective masters. Though I was more surprised by the fact that Rohs real name was stated loud and clear. What was even the point of using a fake one? Ill have you know that Lord Dyngir is extremely popr with women! Justst time, he took 10 prostitutes to his private residence and entertained himself for three days and nights!! Hmph! Cerros not lose either! He looks all shy and acts like a yboy, but he still is a pure vir Aaah! Thats a delicate topic! Dont say anything more! I losepletely anyway! Xiao Maos sudden revtion left Roh foaming at the mouth. The sailors close enough to overhear the conversation nced at him, pity in their eyes. GAAAAH! Dont look at me like that!! I just have high standards!!! Unable to sustain thepassionate looks from the crew, Roh started rolling and thrashing about on the deck. This journey was supposed to be incognito, but had turned already into a noisy mess. This trip is going to be so fun, Master! For sure Sue looked at me, with sparkles in her eyes. I looked up at the sky instead, to find an escape from this reality. with a party like this, Im feeling pretty damn anxious all of a sudden The pirate ship was a vesselrge enough to house 100 people, but now felt like a broken-down raft. Thus we sailed towards the Ga Kingdom Volume 3 - Ch 41 The Ga Kingdom was a small ind state located on the eastern side of the Southern Archipgo. Because of its trade and cultural exchanges with the Huang Dynasty, the country spanning the eastern side of the continent, the unique southern lifestyle of the ind states in Ga blended with Huangs oriental culture. In Gas streets it was possible to find banners and boards both in southern alphabet and Huanzi, a type of characters developed in the Huang Dynasty territories. The fashion style was equally diverse: one could find women exposing everything except chest and hips, as well as men wearing coats with long sleeves, hiding most of their skin from view. Its a port town like Brutos, but the atmosphere ispletely different. Pretty interesting, butsomething feels off. I was looking down on the port while the ship was being anchored, and I couldnt help but feel suspicious. Ga was supposed to have been invaded and turned into a colony, but the scenery from the port was bright and full of life. The typical gloomy atmosphere of a defeated country was nowhere to be seen: the people seemed to be as peaceful as they could be. There werent any signs of fighting or destruction on the buildings, so we even suspected we had arrived at the wrong port. In any case, we should gather information first. I will go first. Right, take care. Sakuya was the first to leave the ship, and quickly disappeared among the crowds. I watched my maid go, then went down myself, with Sue in tow. Its almost disappointing, how easily we got inanyway, what should we do now? Sue, can you show me around the area? Ehm, I was entrusted to the monastery in this city, so I more or less know where the main buildings are. I have never been to the entertainment district, though I see. I guess we should take a look at that monastery first. Dont you want to see what happened to it? Oh, yes! Thank you very much! Sues expression brightened: there were probably people she wanted to meet there. I smiled wryly and stepped into the city. Sue followed me giddily: she clearly hadnt realized that, since we arrived in Ga, there was no reason for her to be with me anymore. The former ve children too followed suit and disembarked. Most of them were overjoyed, with some crying. Others ignored the sailors attempts to stop them and ran off towards the town. Master! This way! Theres a shortcut! I got it, dont run off on your own. Sue sprinted forward, blissfully unaware that we were in enemy territory, and I picked up the pace to follow her. After about 30 minutes, we arrived in a quiet residential district. The bustling atmosphere was no more: the air was calm and peaceful, almost still. I followed Sue in the streets and alleys, and finally caught up with her. Eh? Hm? Whats wrong, are we lost? Sue suddenly stopped in her tracks, so I did the same. She turned towards me, but her expression was twisted in a grimace, on the verge of tears. MMasterthe monasteryis gone. What? It should have been here, butmaybethey moved? I followed Sues gaze, and found an empty lot in the middle of the residential district. There were bits and pieces of wood and stone strewn all over the lot, probably the remains of furniture. There definitely was a building there, at least until recently. Whatwhat could have happened? Where did everyone go? Mother Marysister Reina? Everyone? Eh? Calm down, Sue. I pulled the upset Sue close to my chest, caressing her bluish-ck hair to calm her down. She grabbed on mypel, tight enough to scrunch it up, shaking faintly. I gave a closer look at the surroundings and found something unusual. This was the only areapletely deserted not a soul to be seen. We crossed a number of people as we advanced in the residential district, but as soon as we reached the (former) monastery, the ce became unnaturally empty. I could see people walking in the distance, but they all looked away from us, as if we had broken some kind of taboo. this smell I noticed that the wind was carrying a peculiar, nasty smell, and frowned. Master? . I did not answer Sue, but grabbed her shoulders and gently broke our embrace. We advanced further in the residential district, following the smell. As we did, the number of people we met became fewer and fewer. This is Eventually, we turned a corner and arrived at the source. Aaah..aahnooo.!!! Sue fell to her knees, sobbing. In a square deep inside the district, we found the sisters crucified corpses. Volume 3 - Ch 42 Sue, dont look. Ah Sue was on her knees, inplete dismay. I covered her eyes with my hands, to not let her see the sisters corpses. In the square, about 10 sisters had been affixed, arms wide, on crosses. A considerable amount of time seemed to have passed since their death: the bodies had dried up to the point they looked like ck mummies. Crows had gathered around the crosses, attracted by the stench of dead meat, but the sisters bodies were so dehydrated that there was not much to pluck anymore. When we arrived, the crows hurriedly flew off to the sky. Master.thateveryone Dont think. Dont speak. This is an order. Aaah Sue grabbed onto me, and I held her tight in return, as I looked at the sisters corpses with disdain. Damn infuriating sightwho the hell did this? It was an unbelievably cruel, sphemous end for maidens in the service of god. Their bodies did not show any external wounds. They were probably crucified alive, and left until they starved to death. Thinking about how they must have suffered, deprived of food and water, was infuriating even for a non-believer like me. I dont care much about godsbut treating women like this is!! If you have to kill a woman, do it in bed!! Filled with hatred for the people responsible for this repulsive act, I raised my voice. Sakuya. At your service. You know what to do. Sakuya should have been gathering information, yet she was right next to me but I wasnt going to waste time with such trivial things. I pushed Sues body onto her. Im an atheist, but they deserve to be paid some respect. I might have ignored them if they were men, though. I walked closer to the crosses and offered a quick prayer. There were some young women among the sisters they were surely beautiful creatures, when still alive. I would have loved to meet you earlier. I always thought itd be fun to pay a nightly visit to a maiden in the service of god. May you rest in peace. If we meet in the next world, let me do it just once, all right? After a prayer that would send a god assuming they existed in a fit of fury, I drew my sword and cut the ropes that still bound the sisters. Do not let them down!! What? Someone, however, yelled at me to stop. I turned around, and found an old man ring at me. Other people also came out of the houses around the square, maybe because they heard him. Hey, so there are people living here. No ones gonna notice if you stay shut in yourirs all day. Do not let those women down!! Lord Drake will be furious! Drakeso thats the man behind this? I red back at the man, who was intimidated and stepped backward. He was the people beginning to gather around, however, and spoke again. Yes!! Our governor, Lord Drake, has personally ordered this!! Their sacrifice has allowed this city to be exempt from the heavy taxation put in ce everywhere else by the Lion Kingdom!! Do not get involved in matters that do not concern you, stranger!! Thats right!! If Lord Drake is angered, we will end up like that too!! Get out, foreigners!! The residents followed suit and started insulting us. Increasingly annoyed, I asked him a question. Thats some impressive loyalty you have to this Lord Drake. So, was it you people that followed orders and put these sisters up on the cross? T-Thats The man turned visibly pale. My guess turned out to be right. How terribleif you do such cruel things, youll get punished. You know that? I red again at the man, with a gaze sharper than before. Volume 3 - Ch 43 W-We had no other choice!! Do you even know what happens to those who dare oppose Lord Drake!? Theyre captured, taken to the pce, and tortured without mercy!! We are only trying to protect ourselves here!! The man spat excuse after excuse, trying to justify their position. I sat through his desperate speech, unfazed, then grinned sarcastically. Is that so? I bet these sisters would have liked to save their own lives too, though. T-Thats Not that it does have anything to do with me. I shook my head and lowered my sword. Seeing that I had pointed my weapon down, the man was apparently relieved: he pointed at me andughed. Haha!! Hahaha!! Yes, thats it!! Get out of our city already, foreigner! Dont think you can do as you please and get away with Ha! Eh? I swung up my de, too fast for the untrained eye to follow. The finger pointing at me fell down, hand and all. Aah..aahaah! Myhaaaand!!! Yeah, your circumstances have nothing to do with me. Butyouve killed women that could have be mine, you see? And theres a hefty price to pay for that. GWAAAHHH!! The man grabbed his severed hand and ran off. The other residents too escaped into their houses. What disgusting peopleits just a waste of time to deal with trash like this. So I grimaced, then proceeded to finally take down the sisters corpses from the crosses. I carefullyid down the bodies, barely covered by tattered robes, on the dark ground. Im going to send someone to bury youter. Please be patient, just for a while. M-Masterthank you so much! Sue, who had been clinging onto Sakuya, walked towards me, with uncertain steps. Are you all right, Sue? YesI lost controlI apologize. Sue slightly bowed, then kneeled down next to the bodies. Mother Marysister Reinathis is Mikaaaheven Naiah. O great light in heaven Sue looked at the sisters faces, one by one, holding her hands in prayer. Her words were not obscene like mine obviously but came from the proper rites of her religion. I couldnt bear looking at her pained back, and pulled Sakuya closer. Lord Dyngir Yeah, lets leave her alone for now. More importantly Yes. The enemy? Because of the earliermotion, I could feel countless gazes on us,ing from the houses and surroundings. Among them, one in particr had a clear, distinct air to them. Maybe realizing that they had been found out, an ancient man emerged from an alley. My, my, myyouve noticed me? Who or what are you, geezer? He was clearly not your average old man. Either a seasoned mercenary, or a skilled assassin. Thats the kind of atmosphere that surrounded him. The same that surrounded us. Your swordy just now was impressive, young man. You are surely a master of the art, and for that, I have a request for you. I dont even know your name, what makes you think Id take it? Maybe if you were a prettydyI mentally added, and waved the man away. The old man nodded pleasantly at my dismissive demeanor, then his face wrinkled in a smile. Indeed, indeed. I am in service of Lord Lauros, minister of this Ga Kingdom. The minister? Indeed. The old mans tone grew deeper. He came closer and started whispering he couldnt let his words reach too many ears. I wish to request the assassination of this countrys governor, Captain Drake. Volume 3 - Ch 44 That night, I visited the mansion designated by the old man. The building, located on the outskirts of the town, waspletely dark: no lights were on, as if it was deserted. I had Sue and Sakuya return to the ship first: if anything happened, they were to leave me and escape from the port. I knocked on the backdoor five times, as the old man requested. I have been expecting you. Please, this way. The door was opened by the same old man I met earlier that day, now dressed like a butler. I followed him through the dark corridor, with only hismp as a source of light. Is this a wake or something? Why so dark? Keep your voice down, please. My master shall exin. Sure, sure. I shrugged at the old mans rebuke and observed the corridor. There were vases and paintings decorating the walls, but, even in the faint light, the dust was visibly piled on them. It looked like the mansion hadnt been used in years, so it was hard to believe someone lived there. (Which is the reason why we are meeting here now, I guess.) Please wait in this room. Master will arrive soon. Yessir. I stepped inside the room and noticed that there were already several people inside. Feeling their eyes on me, I raised my hand in a greeting. Good evening,dies and gents. .. Evening! Most of the guests did not deign to reply: the only one came from a young man with a cigarette in his mouth. His left hand was in his pocket, while with the right he deftly struck a match and lit his cigarette. Such bad manners, right? I wonder why assassins have to be so broody all the time. What? These guys are all assassins? Oh? You mean you arent? The young man reacted with surprise, then stretched a hand towards me. The names Jack, by the way. I doubt well see each other much, but pleased to meet you nheless. . I looked at the young mans right hand and scoffed. A mans hand, and a foul-smelling one at that. I didnt feel like returning the courtesy at all. If you want me to shake your hand, get rid of that nasty smell of gunpowder first. Im choking here. Hmmnice intuition you have. The young man took his left hand out of his pocket. In its palm was a round ceramic object, with a fuse sticking out of it. An explosive? Why are you even carrying something so dangerous? Haha, who even calls them like that? This here is a frag grenade, friend. The young manughed as he juggled the bomb. A spark from the cigarette could have caused a disaster, but he seemed to be unaffected by the thrill. Again, my name is Jack. In the underworld, they know me as Jack the Bomber. Names Dyngir. Im a pirate at the moment. As we exchanged introductions, a well-dressed man entered the room. The middle-aged man probably in his fifties looked at the dangerous characters in the room, one by one, then opened his mouth. You have my gratitude for gathering here tonight. I am Samuel Lauros, minister of the Ga Kingdom. We all know you, man. Samuel Lauros the Traitor, right? So Jack jeered the neer. Samuel nced back at him, but continued as if nothing had happened. As you have surely heard from the mediator, what I wish to request you is the assassination of Captain Drake, the governor sent to rule this country. . All of you here tonight are either assassins well-known in the underworld, mercenaries, or people of simr ilk. I ask you to get rid of that inhuman monster, no matter what you have to do. How much is the reward? One of the assassins who had remained silent until then finally spoke. Everything. Hm? Everything I own. My fortunes, my title, my honor. I am ready to pay everything it takes. For real? If I ask for your daughters hand in return, youll take me as your son-inw? Youd even take a criminal in your family? Jack probably meant to make fun of the man, but Samuel answered tly. I have no daughter. She was sent to a monastery some years ago, but Drake destroyed it. All the sisters were killed. Ah. Hearing Samuel speak of such a tragedy without a drop of emotion in his voice, even Jack was reduced to silence, and scratched his head awkwardly. In his stead, I took the opportunity to speak. So is this revenge for your daughter? Thats a daring gamble for someone who betrayed his own country. This is nothing grand like revenge. I have abandoned my daughter not only that, but even looking at the corpses of the sisters, I could not find her. I am a despicable father. Samuel continued, in a self-deprecating tone. Then he turned towards me, and I could see some emotion in them for the first time. I have heard you paid respects to the sisters corpses. I am truly thankful. If your daughters so important to you, couldnt you have done something about those corpses yourself? Why were they left like that? I red at Samuel. The man shook his head, slowly, sadly. I am Drakes subordinate, at least in public. I cannot oppose his orders. That doesnt seem enough of a reason to leave your daughters body out as bird feed. indeed. There is nothing I can say to that. Samuel fell silent. I sighed and looked out of the window. The night sky was covered in clouds, hiding the moon and stars. My somber mood sank even further. Volume 3 - Ch 45 After the midnight meeting was done, I returned to the ship, anchored at the port. In the captains cabin I used as a bedroom, Sakuya and Sue were on the bed. They were both fully naked, for some reason: Sue was lying down, as if in defeat, and Sakuya was on top of her, arms crossed with pride. I have won today. Technique proves superior to power. really. Good for you. Sakuya had exacted her revenge, apparently. Despite her usualck of expression, she gave off a triumphant air. I was very interested to know what exactly they had been up to in my absence, but I decided to sit on a chair and gather my thoughts. What did that minister have to say, then? Hmmright I exined to Sakuya what I heard from Samuel Lauros in the vi. As I spoke, her gaze became gradually sharper. please do not tell me you have epted. Hmmmaybe I did? My memorys kinda fuzzy you really have. Yet again, I am baffled. Sakuya frowned her brows and sighed lightly. What good will it do you to save this country, Lord Dyngir? We should leave immediately, instead. Sakuya questioned my decision in a rather strong tone, very unlike her usual obedient maid self. Our reason foring to this country was to apany Sue here, was it not? That promise has been kept, so there is no reason to stay any longer. No point in exposing us to danger. Rightthat would be the correct thing to do. There were no faults in Sakuyas reasoning. I was the future heir of House Maxwell: the fate of the people of this country was not my business. To get involved in foreign matters and risk getting burnt in the process was not worthy ormendable, especially for someone with a position of responsibility like me. I looked away from Sakuya, turning my eyes up towards themp hanging from the ceiling. I contemted the flickering light, looking for the words that could convince her. well, its not like Im doing it for free, okay? Theres a proper reward. What kind of reward could a conquered country offer? Certainly nothing more valuable than your life, Lord Dyngir!! Sakuya clearly shot down my argument, grabbed my face and forced me to look her in the eyes. You arent going to say that you will do it for Sues sake, will you!? Aah. Or for those crucified women? The prodigy of House Maxwell, swayed by emotion!? I-Its not like that!! Not at all!! Put on the spot, as if I was being used of cheating, I broke free from Sakuyas hold. I would be lying if I said that I didnt feel anything for Sue, born and raised in this country, and the sisters who died protecting their beliefs. I had another reason, however. Captain Draketheres something about that man. The man assigned as governor by the Lion King pirates, yes? Right. I nodded to Sakuya. Ever since I heard that Drake was the target of the assassination, I felt a sort of tingle, something burning inside me. Was it frustration? Irritation? I couldnt be sure, but my mind would always return to that man I hadnt even met yet. Just saying the word fate makes me feel sickbut it feels like this was destined to happen. Like the world is too small for both of us to live at the same timelike we were fated to be rivals. Thats the bizarre connection I feel. A connection? I bet that even if we left this country now, I would have to fight the man called Captain Drake, someday, somewhere. A fated connection with a man is thest damn thing I want, so Im cutting it off here. if you say that, then it cannot be helped. Sakuya sighed deeply, then embraced me from behind. She whispered next to my ears, her tongue flickering in and out. If my Lord Dyngir made his decision, I will follow to the ends of the earth. As my one and only master, my soulmate, my beloved man so wishes. Sorry for the troubleas usual. I turned my neck and pressed my lips against Sakuyas. The first kiss was light, like a greeting, but gradually our tongues started intertwining, our fluids exchanging, in a deeper and deeper kiss. AahamazingMaster and Sakuya are licking each other so much Sue had woken up at some point, and was staring at us from the bed. Her tannedplexion was burning red, her eyes wide open, almost bloodshot. I freed Sakuyas lips and grinned, exposing my fangs. The assassination is nned for tomorrow night. Lets get our spirits up tonight. Hn Waah! Master!? I picked up Sakuya and threw her on the bed, next to Sue. I then flung away my clothes and jumped on them. Volume 3 - Ch 46 The night of the following day I stepped inside the forest close to the pce where Drake usually resided. The sky was heavy with clouds, hiding the moon and stars: the perfect weather for an ambush. Which is all well and goodbut why are you here, again? When Sakuya and I reached the site the minister Lauros had told us about, for some reason Sue, Roh, and even Xiao Mao came after us, despite not being of any help in a fight. Ah, I thought I could show you around the pce Sue timidly raised her hand. Her bluish-ck hair tied at around waist level, she was wearing a maid outfit like Sakuyas, with a ck coat on top. Before I moved to the monastery, I visited the pce several times with my father. Im sure I could act as a guide. I see, that would be helpfulso what about you two? I turned to the two extra guests and red, but Roh spread his arms wide, as aloof as always. I had a hunch thered be valuables to find, so I came! Lets get it on! Alright, retrace your steps and go. Or Ill cut you down right here. Plenty of room to bury a body or two in a forest like this. I put a hand on the hilt of my sword and Xiao Mao butted in. Thats not it. Cerros is an idiot, a sleepwalker, and a pervert, he just came here by mistake! Definitely not to go to the pces treasury, no sir! Excellent, my dear, you justid it all outand even dissed me in the process! haaaa, do whatever the hell you want. Its almost time. The assassins who took Samuels request would gather in this forest before infiltrating the pce. I looked around, and saw an old man in a butler suit emerge from behind a thick tree. I have been expecting you, Lord Dyngir. Wheres the rest? Not all of the assassins who joined the meeting had epted Samuels request. The man who called himself Jack the Bomber, as well as several others, were supposed to have taken it, though. Yes, well, about that matter What? Did something happen? The old man stammered, awkwardly. I kept staring at him, and eventually he continued, apologetically. The others have already entered the pce. What? Its still before the appointed time, isnt it? So I asked, suspicious, and the old man sighed. The other assassins had gathered here slightly earlier than you, Lord Dyngir, but suddenly Jack the Bomber proposed that the first one to take Captain Drakes life would gain the whole reward, so so that is what happened. They n to leave us in the dust. Sakuya frowned, displeased. The old man hurriedly waved his hands and started making excuses. I have tried to stop them! Howeverthe other assassins agreed with Jacks idea, and all entered the pce at the same time,peting against each other Easy, old man, I know youre not to me. Its pointless to hold underground types like that to their word. I shook my head, annoyed, then turned towards the pce. I dont really care about the reward, buthow should we move now? Please rest assured, your share of the reward will be kept separately, Lord Dyngir. Even if you were to turn down the request now, we would not ask you to return the advance deposit. Thats not the issue here at allwhatever, theyre going to reap what they sowed, I suppose. Strangely enough, I had a sort of premonition, a feeling that Drake would not be taken down by the other assassins. I imagined Jack and the others failing their mission and shrugged. Our objective doesnt change. Lets go inside. The gate guards have already been dealt with, so you should be able to go inside without any trouble. Drake should be in the throne room. The throne room? Not his bedroom? The old man nodded to my question. That man stays in the throne room all day, for whatever reason. I have never seen him sleep or even lie down, maybe out of fear for his life. Hmm, thats basically the most troublesome type of target for assassinationIm not good with stealth or infiltration, so its all the same anyway. I see, then let me show you the way Oh, please allow me to. Sue smiled and interrupted the old man. I have visited the throne room many times! I can finally make myself useful to Master! You are!! The old man looked at Sue, his eyes almost out of their orbits. Dont go staring at my woman like that, old man. Turn that filthy leer somewhere else. Y-Your womanLord Dyngir? I stepped in between the old man and Sue, and he grimaced. Sue found his reaction strange, and tilted her head to the side. Ehmhave we met before, sir? I feel like I have seen your face before? Oh, nothat cannot be, er The old man yed dumb, after some hesitation, and then coughed to rpose himself. I-In any caseyou do not need a guide, then. Please be careful, everyone. Yeah. I shortly replied, then led the group toward the pce. The old man watched us go. I had the feeling he especially looked at Sue, but I did not turn around anymore, as we hurried towards the pce. Volume 3 - Ch 47 We arrived at the pces rear entrance and entered without a word from the guards. Following the light of the torches hanging on the walls and Sues directions, we proceeded deeper inside. Samuel, the minister, had probably made sure to keep the guards out: we did not encounter even one on our way to the throne room. And the exact moment we arrived in front of the door, a powerful explosion went off inside. This isgunpowder! I opened the door, leading the group inside, and we were met with a hellishndscape. Tchthey couldnt make it, in the end. There were corpses scattered across the throne room. I recognized their faces, despite the sh wounds: they were the assassins I had met in the ministers mansion. Gahdamnit!! Lord Dyngir, a survivor. Right. Sakuya motioned to a man lying against the wall, and I approached him. He was the explosive specialist that introduced himself as Jack the Bomber. Jack, so you messed up? hey there. Yeah. Pathetic, huh? Jack raised his head and looked at me, but his eyes had already lost their light. The wound across his chest was clearly fatal. He probably couldnt see anymore either. Well, this is the way assassins goat least give me augh, pal. Im not as rotten as tough at someone who died in battle. Anything else youve got left to say? I havent got sh no waitjust one. Jack coughed, spitting blood, then pooled what was left of his strength and grabbed mypel. Turn back and run. That thingis not human. You can cut him, st himbut he doesnt dieno onecan win After these words, the assassin called Jack the Bomber drew hisst breath. . I gently removed his hand from mypel, stood up and looked at the far side of the room. There I saw a man, busy stabbing the back of the body of an assassin lying on the floor. Well damn, you were waiting? I guess youre kinder than the rumors say. Im not so vulgar as to interrupt a mansst words. Allow me to wee you, o nightly guest! Imend you foring to assassinate me! The man had a fairly tannedplexion and was rather handsome. He had a tough physique, ssic for a man of the sea, but his aura was more like a wild beast. He gave the impression that anyone who got too close would be, without a warning, not cut down by a sword but torn to shreds by fangs and ws. His ck eyes looked straight at me, then he tilted his neck, curiously. How strangeI feel like this isnt our first meeting, boy. Boy? Im well past the age to be called that. I have to say I feel the same, though I didnt need to ask: I knew that man was Captain Drake. I looked at the man, standing among a pile of corpses, and felt a kind of nostalgia, as if I had met a rtive for the first time in a while. Drake seemed to feel the same. For a short while, we just looked at each other, silent. Anywaytheres plenty of things Id like to ask, but first of all After a few minutes of ring, or rather, gazing in each others eyes, I was the one to break the silence. Why did you destroy the monastery? What did those sisters do to deserve an end as brutal as that? ..! I could tell that Sue swallowed her breath. She did not make a sound, however, as I had instructed her to do before we entered the throne room. Hm? The monastery? Drake was caught by surprise. He really seemed to not understand why I would ask such a thing. I heard that the ministers sister was there, see. Well, it was just a game, really. Agame? Indeed. Drake nodded, as if it was nothing. I have been trapped in this living hell for more than I can remember. No matter what delicious food I eat, what pleasing woman I take, my heart doesnt feel anything, anymore. The only time I feel alive is when I torment other people, when I spit in the face of god. Drakes iprehensible exnation went on and on, like a curse. He looked ecstatic as he spoke, though, as if he was reciting some arousing poem. The brutal murder of pious sisterswhat greater challenge, what greater insult could there be to god? Seeing how long that wise-acting minister could hold in his anger was a riot, but more than anything, that was the trigger for you people toe, right? Drake spread his arms wide, motioning at the corpses strewn across the throne room. So many gathered here today, to end my life! An asion like this is as delightful as a birthday party! It is a shame that they were not strong enough, but I could enjoy it all the same. Really nowtime to die, then. I picked up the knife lying at my feet and threw it at Drake as I spoke. The knife sank into the mans chest, as if gravitating towards it, and a burst of blood sttered from it. Volume 3 - Ch 48 The only ce to y a woman is on a bed. Only scum would enjoy torturing them. Haha, that stings. The knife had without a doubt pierced Drakes chest, but he pulled it out as if nothing had happened. The wound closed quickly, leaving no trace behind. A magic tool boosting recovery? No, that cant be it. I was familiar with that kind of recovery. I had witnessed it since I was a child, whether I liked it or not. So thats why you feel so familiar. To think there were others of the same species as that shitty hagthis has to be a nightmare. Hmm, youre not surprised? Most people who see me do this are speechless the first time. Drake shrugged, apparently disappointed, then tossed away the knife. He then pulled out his sword, stabbed into one of the nearby corpses, and pointed it straight at me. Sakuya, Sue, you know what to do. Yes, I will provide support. Do not worry about the rear. I will hide and stay out of the wayplease be careful, Master. Sakuya readied poisoned needles in both hands, while Sue scurried away and hid behind a pir. I drew my Siegfried from the sheath. Herakles was already equipped on my arm, shing bright with a silver light. Your eternity or whatever ends tonight. Say thanks and die. Haha! Try me, young one! I stepped forward into Drakes range and shed horizontally. It was fast enough to be a lethal strike, but Drake deflected it with his de. Nice one, youre pretty well trained for your age. Hn!! I ignored Drakes praise and kept shing. Up, down, right, left. Upwards feint, sh downwards. Feint right, slice left. I attacked without pause, mixing dozens of feints, but Drake parried everything, without breaking a sweat. Pretty impressive to reach such a skill level at around twenty years old. Its a shame for a talent like yours to be plucked now. Really now? Sakuya! Pardon me. Hng!? As I continued attacking, Sakuyas poisoned needles flew forward from behind my back. She had quietlye closer to us, using my back as cover. Petty tricks! The poisoned needles were aimed straight at Drakes eyes, but he dodged them simply by flexing his neck. It was the least movement needed, but it still created an opening. Haah!! Ooh!? I swung my sword with enough force to cleave his torso in two. Drake, however, managed to react at superhuman speed: my sword only grazed his arm. Not bad, not bad at all. Youre sure different from the rest of the small fries. TchI wanted to end it with that. Dont feel so down, now. That would have ended anyone else other thanhm? Drake was smiling, pleased, but his face then turned into a grimace. He was looking at the wound on his arm, which continued leaking blood. Unlike the knife wound from a few moments ago, it showed no sign of healing. The wound isnt closing? Could it be!? Drake looked at the sword I wielded, eyes wide in surprise. The cursed de crafted to y the fallen gods, Siegfried!? You have been chosen by that sword!? Drakes expression shifted from surprise, to ecstasy, and finally to crazedughter. Hahaha.HahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAA!! Yes!! Fantastic!! After a thousand years, you return to me as an enemy!! My beloved, supreme sword, the only one capable of killing me!! What are you So you!! You are my fate!! Finally, finally you came! My destiny, gods punishment, sweet grim reaper! I have waited a millennium for you!! !! Drake had discarded his sword and was justughing, his arms wide. The ecstasy and killing intent emanating from his body, however, prevented me from stepping forward. Aah, this is too much! I havent been this happy in centuries! How can I make you understand all these feelings, all this love!? You disgusting freak!! Hahaha!!! I desperately suppressed my fear, approached Drake and shed. The attack wasnt as strong as before, and he parried it easily. Dont be so hasty! I waited for my reaper for so longlet me enjoy this more!! Ghah! Lord Dyngir!! Drakes kick sank into my torso. I managed to regain my bnce in midair as I was thrown backwards, reducing the momentum of the fall. When Inded, Sakuya hurried to my side. I waved, reassuring her I was fine, then readied my sword again. I let his aura overwhelm mepretty pathetic of me. The enemys air changedplease be careful. I know. Drake felt as if he was ying around until moments ago, but that atmosphere waspletely gone now. His tanned, robust physique was clearly covered in fighting spirit. I wasnt sure why, but he seemed to recognize me as an equal opponent. Shall we start, then? Only one shall survive this bout! Let me first test if you are worthy to kill me!! do what you want. Dont think your neck and torso will still be attached when Im done, though!! Hahaha!! Thats the spirit!! Drake put a hand in his breast pocket and took out a locket. He opened the brownish-red lid and threw it on the floor. This is the magic tool Crimson Jar of Sealing. Its just a toy, with only the power to hold living beings inside itnow show me your strength, my sweet destiny!! The locket spewed red smoke, from which emerged a ck beast-like creature. The gigantic ck dog, about twice the size of a lion, red at me with its red eyes, then powerfully kicked the floor with its hind legs and jumped at me. Volume 3 - Ch 49 Tch! I clicked my tongue as I leaped backward. I actually knew what I was facing, though it was my first time actually seeing it: the ck dog-like beast was a Garm, which normally dwelled in the ancient ruins known as Dungeons. It wasnt nearly as strong as a Dragon or a Hydra. Its fangs were powerful enough to pierce armor, however, and its thick hair protected it from most ded weapons, making it a natural enemy of adventurers. Lord Dyngir!! Stay away, Sakuya! I yelled at my personal maid to stop her in her tracks and struck the Garm with my sword. GRAAAAHHHH!!! Damn, it wont go through!! What a pain!! I tried shing the beasts neck with my Siegfried, but I only managed to scratch its hide, barely causing any damage. I ducked, saving my head from the monsters mping jaws, then concentrated power from the bracelet on my right arm, before swinging again. Herakles! GHYEEEAH!?! The response was much different this time. The silver sh from my de shed across the monsters neck, painting its ck fur in red. Gahaha! That wasnt enough to stop the reaper, after all! Just how I wanted it! Gh? As soon as I defeated the Garm, Drake rushed towards me. The tip of his de was aimed at my throat. I hurriedly dodged, almost rolling away to avoid the lethal strike. Lord Dyngir! You!! Haha! Out of the way, woman! Gah!! Sakuya jumped in, trying to cover me, but a spin kick from Drake sent her flying. She was mmed against the wall, then slumped down on the floor. Sakuya! Whoa, is it two-on-one now? How are you going to get out of this predicament, my fated foe? Ghyou bastard GROAAAAAHHHR!! The wounded Garm let out an enraged roar and leaped towards me. Drakes sword from the right, the Garms ws and fangs from the left. I desperately swung my weapon to fend off the attacks, but that was all I could do. I couldnt parry the offensive fully, however, and the wounds started umting. I could heal fairly quickly thanks to Herakles, but the bracelet used my own lifeforce to do so. It could run out of fuel at any time. (Im going to end up just like that fool Sullivan at this rate! I have to change the flow, somehow!) My brain was in full throttle, trying to find a chance for a counterattack. Sakuya was lying down next to the wall, probably unconscious. Roh and Xiao Mao had disappeared, who knows when. The assassins team had already been exterminated: the dead could offer no help. (My remaining moves are) Master!! ..!? No! Donte out! She probably could not bear the sight of me with my back against the wall. Sue jumped out from her hiding spot, behind a pir. The blue-ck-haired girl had never held a sword in her life: her fighting power was negligible. There was no way she could stand against the two monsters I was facing. Hence I hurriedly tried to stop her, but instead witnessed an unexpected development. Stop! Dont bully my master!! Gwan!! Eh? Sues desperate cry stopped the Garms ws from tearing through me. The ck beast,rge enough to crush me with its weight alone, was now sitting, as prim and proper as a trained puppy, happily waving its tail. That hairand..golden eyes!? Drake was as surprised as me, if not even more. He stopped attacking too and stared at Sue, speechless. There were other survivors of the demonic tribe? Or a resurfacing? Now! I had no idea what Drake was saying, but it was clearly a one-in-a-million chance. I stepped closer to him and swung my de toward his unguarded torso. Volume 3 - Ch 50 Haah!! Ooh!? It was definitely a sharp sh, but Drake managed to dodge at thest moment, twisting his body out of the des path. Tchyou and your goddamn instincts! Ha! Hahaha!! Your luck is even more amazing, boy! To think youd have a trump card like this! I continued attacking, before Drake could recover his bnce, but he dodged every single strike with superhuman-like agility. Please! Help my master! GROAAARRR!!! Following Sues request, the Garm materialized by Drake turned against its former master. The battle thus became two-on-one again, but in the opposite fashion. Hey now! Isnt this against the rules? You called this thing, now you deal with it! Its your damn pet! Hahaha!! This is bad!! Really bad! Haha!! HAHAHAHA!!! Thanks to the Garms support, it was Drakes turn to be forced into a defensive battle. Despite the precarious situation, however, the immortal pirateughed even louder. I havent been in a pinch like this for hell knows how long! Haha! HAHAHAHA!!! This is fantastic! I feel like Im in heaven!!! You make me sick, fucking masochist!! Hyahahaha!! Dont say that, now! I havent been driven into a corner once, since I became immortal! However Graur!? Gah! Drakes de became even sharper. His shes gained even more speed, pushing us back and nullifying our advantage. My body was cut up by the consecutive attacks; using the same momentum, Drake blew away the Garm with a kick. You were still saving your strength? Do you even have a limit!? The power I gained in exchange for a thousand years of living in hellyou havent even started tasting it, boy! Drake smiled, in his twisted ecstasy, and licked his lips. His sword and fists did not leave me and the Garm a single chance for counter attacking. Not enough!! Still not enough!! Youve still got one more step to go, before you can deliver my divine punishment! Am I going to survive again!? My fate, my beloved reaper!? You wont grant me the favor of killing me!? Shut your goddamn mouth!! I bared my fangs and growled, out of frustration. I was in a position of unexpected advantage over the immortal monster, but still needed something more to be able to defeat it. Just oneI just need one more! Okey-dokey, leave it to yours truly! Ah? In the throne room, now a scene of carnage, echoed a happy-go-lucky voice. I nced in its direction, all the while keeping an eye on Drake, and found Roh standing in front of the wide open doors. Where the hell were you, Roh! Save the preaching forter, brother! I was looking for the treasury, but found the armory instead. You see where Im going? Roh pranced one step to the side, revealing arge cannon behind him. It looked just like the Overthrower, the cannon loaded onto the Lion King pirates ships, but was twice asrge. Thats Im not too proficient with artillery, but its like the cannons that were on the ships, right? Xiao Mao! Leave it to me, yes! Xiao Mao, who was standing behind the cannon, lit the fuse dangling from it with a torch. The sparks soon burned through the fuse, and BOOOOM! Whoa!? Grauun!! The next instant, a ball of mes shot through the space between me and the Garm. The st and wind pressure pushed me back, but I somehow managed to stay on my feet. Gwoaaaah!? The massive cannonball, almost the size of a human adult, blew past us at blinding speed,nding squarely on Drakes body. Volume 3 - Ch 51 Nnnaaaahhh!! The giant cannonball cleanly struck Drakes torso. The short distance traveled and gunpowder gave the iron sphere terrific power and speed, but even more terrifyingly, Drake managed to stop the cannonball in its tracks. GRAAAHHH!! Ooh!? He then proceeded to deflect it, as if shoving away a human opponent that tried to tackle him. The cannonball smashed against the throne rooms wall, opening arge hole through the marble construction despite losing some momentum. Well damnthats a monster. Why did I evene here? Cant we still run? Cerros? Roh and Xiao Mao stood there, dumbfounded. They sounded overwhelmed, but I grinned and thanked them. Nope, you came at just the right time! Gh I didnt wait for Drake to recover after deflecting the cannonball, and went on the offensive. Even an immortal monster like him couldnt survive such an impact unscathed. His left arm, which had taken the brunt of the cannonballs weight, was bent unnaturally below the elbow: his organs seemed to be damaged too, as bloody foam and spittle leaked from his mouth. It was the perfect chance to cut him down. HAAAHHH!! Ghnot sofast!!! I swung my sword downwards, with as much power as I could, and Drake blocked it with his right arm, The power boosted by my magic tool and the immortal monsters power shed, violently enough to crack the floor at our feet. Eatmyde!! GhGAAAHHH!! The first to reach its limit was not me or Drake, but therge sword in his right hand. The ck steel de shattered, finally allowing my own sword to reach his flesh. Siegfried!! G-Gwaah!! Drakes sun-burned body was shed diagonally. It was deep enough to cut through the bones and reach the organs, and blood started spurting like a fountain. Ooh!! You got him! Lord Dyngir! I heard Rohs cheering voice, and Sakuya calling to me. She had probably regained consciousness since then. However GRAAAH!! Ngh Drake, drenched in blood, kicked me. The previous full-power sh left mepletely open, so I had no way to defend. I took the full brunt of the kick and was blown backward. Ghyou can still movethis much!? How the hell do you die!? Master!! Are you okay!? Gwoof! Inded on the floor and Sue came running to me. The Garm stood in front of her, as if to protect her from Drake, baring its fangs and growling. On the other hand, Drake had been cut by my magic-severing sword: the wound on his chest showed no sign of healing, and continued losing blood. He did not continue to attack me, however, or try to do anything about the Garm threatening him. Drake simply continued gazing at his wound. Gahahahahahahahaha!! Eventually, his lips formed a grin, and he started cackling. Hahafantastic! So this is the reapers de! My life is in danger like never beforethe end of my immortality is approaching! Such a sweet, beautiful sensation! HahahaHAHAHAHA!! He was clearly not long for this world. One more strike, and he would definitely fall. Yet I was somehow entranced by theughing Drake, and could only continue to look at him. Everyone else seemed to be in the same state: we were all immobile, speechless before the bleeding man. Drakes insaneughter continued for a while, then ceased suddenly, as if a switch was flipped inside him. .aah, damn it! Why now, of all times!? Drakes smile waspletely gone. His expression was now of anger, of frustration, of utter hatred. You mad, cursed god!! You stand in my way, again!? I was so..so close!! What the? I reacted to the sudden monologue. Drake looked at me, still too surprised to move, with an emotionless face. My fatedo you happen to be rted to Grace Draco Omari? Shes my mother, yeah That exins it. I frowned, suspicious of the sudden change of topic, but answered before I could think further. Drake nodded, apparently convinced by my words. The son of the woman I loved and hated most in this world, is nowing to kill mehow whimsical and bizarre fate can be What the hell are you sayingyou are her Its over, for now. Youll have to let me go. Drake tossed away his shattered de and proimed his intention to escape. I havent had this much fun in a thousand yearsthat sted gods curse will not let me die even today. Our conclusion will be elsewhere. You bastarddo you really think we will let you run? With that wound? I red at Drake. I had too many things to ask, but there was one thing I could say for sure. I had to kill him on the spot! No way I would let him slip away, to fight another day! Hahadont say that, now. I dont like this either. If only it was possible, Id dly let you kill me, here and now. Drake shrugged, as if I had put him on the spot. The wound on his chest continued bleeding: it was a mystery how he could still be breathing. My beloved reaper, sessor of a cursed bloodlineour conclusion will take ce in my homnd, in Antis! Wait, dammit!! Drake took something from his pocket and threw it on the floor, then turned away. I hurriedly tried to attack, but stopped when I realized what he had thrown. This is!? I never said there was only one. Farewell! Drake jumped out from the hole, opened in the wall by the cannonball, and ran away, faster than any mortally wounded person ever could. What he had thrown on the floor was a Crimson Jar of Sealing, the magic tool he used to summon the Garm. Not one, but three of them. The opened lockets released red smoke, revealing a gigantic snake, a bird monster wrapped in mes and arge monkey covered in white fur. GHEAAHHH!! KWEEEHHH!! Tchbe quiet!! I kicked away the snake, which immediately tried to attack me, and stopped the monkeys ws with my sword. The birds ws too were descending on me from above, so I jumped backwards to dodge. Bad, everybody! Calm down! Sue hurriedly ordered the beasts to stand down, but it was toote. Drake had disappeared into the darkness: there was no way to hunt him down anymore. Volume 3 - Ch 52 Several days passed since our fierce battle with Captain Drake, which ultimately made him abandon the Ga Kingdom. We received word that the Lion Kingdom, which had taken over this kingdom and turned it into a colony, had been attacked by other pirates and annihted. With the loss of a keymander such as Drake and the fall of the home country, the Lion King pirates controlling this country were shaken to the core. The surviving forces of the Ga Kingdom, on the other hand, regained their vigor and momentum: there was no better chance to initiate a counterattack. Thanks to the fact that leading figures such as the king and minister had survived, the Ga Kingdom soon freed itself from the Lion Kingdoms control and regained its independence. Thus, Lord Dyngir, will you go to that Antis ce that Drake spoke of? No way in hell. My answer to Sakuyas question was cut and dry. We were in a room of the Ga royal pce. Having driven away Drake, the main force in control of the country, we had been invited to the pce as royal guests. I would have loved to sneak out unnoticed, as we did in Sapphire, but certain circumstances did not allow us to leave yet. Ugh, these southern tea leaves sure have a weird tastethe teas all ck and has such a strong vor I took a sip of the tea Sakuya brewed for me and grimaced. I often get funny looks when I say this, but Im pretty fond of tea. I can tell where the tea leaves are from with just one taste, if its a famous enough region. I had never tasted something like this, though. Lord Dyngir, that is actually called coffee. Its a kind of tea brewed not from leaves, but from beans. Beans? You mean, like soy!? I put down the cup and stared fearfully at its contents. I had never heard of that coffee drink. How could hard beans create a ck liquid like that? Beans from the southernnds, huhyou cant find any in the Lamperouge Kingdom, and I never drank this when I lived in these parts. Its bitter and ck, and if you tell me its made from beans, I feel almost sick It takes quite a bit of work to cultivate coffee beans, after all. I do not find it strange you were not aware of its existence, as you were raised by pirates, Lord Dyngir My mother, the pirate Grace, was the kind of woman that drank alcohol like water, in the first ce. The other pirates werent too different: not one of them ever enjoyed the luxury of tea and crumpets. Returning to the previous topic, Can we really ignore Drake? Sakuya inquired again. I put the coffee cup on the table, as far away from me as possible. Can we? Cant we? We dont even know if hes still alive or not. With a wound like that, normally youd be dead in a ditch by now. Drake had been deeply wounded by Siegfried. No one could survive with a wound like that, after losing so much blood. It was a miracle that he even managed to escape. I could hardly believe he was still alive. Ive never heard of a ce called Antis, anyway. Even if he says hell wait there, I have no idea where to go. Even in the remote case Drake was still alive, I hadnt the faintest idea of where Antis could be. I tried asking some sailors, but they all looked at me puzzled. There was no way to go, basically. Were going back to the Maxwell province soon, anyway. It doesnt matter if that bastard is alive or dead, we wont see him anymore, anyway. well, I suppose. This country is restoring itself at a good pace too; we dont have anything else to do here. After getting Sues answer, were leaving. Suewhat is she going to do? As we were having such a conversation, the door of our room opened. The youngdy that appeared was d in a pure white dress, her ck hair flowing down her back. A ne of blue gems adorned her neck: she was the picture of the daughter of a noble family. Master, Sakuya, you were here. A pretty smile and a clear, bright voice that belonged to the ve girl Sue. Volume 3 - Ch 53 When I first met her, Sue was wearing filthy, tattered clothes; but now she donned a dress worthy of the finest high-ssdy. Which made perfect sense: Sue was indeed the daughter of one of Gas finest noble houses. Very pretty, is what Id like to saybut I cant get used to seeing you dressed like that yet. I still think you look better in a maid outfit. I think so too. I havent worn a dress since I entered the monastery, after all. Sue blushed, embarrassed, while grabbing the hems of her outfit. I had an inkling things were going to turn out like thisand indeed, Sue was the daughter of Samuel Lauros, minister of the Ga kingdom. Samuel believed that his daughter, put into the monastery, had been killed by Drake, but she had actually been sold to a ve trader and transported abroad before the monastery massacre. Without any survivors, it was not possible anymore to know if Sue had been sold because of an unfortunate coincidence, or a nned conspiracy. Samuel, however, was overjoyed to see his daughter alive, against all odds, and shed tears while repeating words of thanks, over and over. Oh, coffee. Arent you going to drink it? Sue looked at my half-full cup and tilted her head to the side. Ah, yeah, wellits not to my taste, I guess. Really? Allow me, then. Sue took the cup and drank the contents without hesitation. hey, Sue. That tea is made from beans. Hard beans. Eh? Of course. Its coffee. if you know, then its fine. Somewhat miffed by Sues response, I watched her delightfully drink the weird tea. I waited for her to finish, then cleared my throat. Sohave youe up with an answer? Will you go back to being the daughter of this countrys minister, or follow me and continue being a ve? So I slowly, calmly asked Sue, as she sat in the chair in front of me. The reason why we stayed in that country after the battle was to hear Sues decision. Learning of the miraculous return of his daughter, Samuel embraced her and apologized for putting her in the monastery, from the bottom of his heart. He then pleaded with her to return to live with him, as family. It was a rather selfish thing to say, after throwing her out like thatbut it was certainly not a bad prospect for Sue. The monastery, the ce where she wanted to return, was in ruins: she had no one else but her father to rely on. I had promised to keep her as a ve until we arrived in this country, and kept the promise. To go back to being a nobledy was obviously the smarter choice. Yesabout that Sue nodded, a grave expression on her face. Sakuya too, holding a teacup in her hands, was patiently waiting for Sue to start talking. From now on, I AHOY!! Ive arrived, youngsters!! With a loud bang, another young woman entered the room. Not through the door, however: the new guest had opened a hole in the wall to make her entrance. Did you REALLY let Drake go!? Youre disappointing me again, fool of a son!! Gah!! Goddamn youshitty hag!! It was indeed my well-loved and respected asshole of a mother, Grace D.O. Maxwell. She was wearing a jet-ck dress, like a widow for some reason, and, as soon as she came inside, she whacked me over the head and started yelling. Whos the shitty hag!? I told you to call me mommy!! Id rather die!! Have you ever even acted like a mommy anyway!? Why are youing here after its all over! Its. All. Over!? Nothing is over, you poor fool!! Grace bared her fanged teeth and proimed loudly. Dont waste any more time, were going to Antis!! That bastard is definitely there!! Volume 3 - Ch 54 LET ME GO!!! I said let go, shitty hag!!! GAHAHAHA!! This is fun! Whens thest time we had a pic? What pic!? Ill get blisters on my ass if you keep on dragging me like this! Grace had caught me by the scruff of my neck and forcefully dragged me towards the port. The butt of my pants, dragging against the ground, was generating burning amounts of friction. At this rate, they were going to rip open and expose my buttocks to the scorching instead. I desperately moved my legs and twisted my body, trying to somehow get me back on my feet. Lord Dyngir! Master! Please wait~! Sakuya holding up the hems of her maid outfit and Sue riding on the Garm were running to catch up with us. They were followed by the Ga royal knights, who heard themotion. WAIT, YOU LOUTS!! RETURN LADY SUEREINE AT ONCE!!! KIDNAPPERS!! Suereine was Suesplete first name. Sue was what she was called in the monastery, apparently. This is getting out of hand! Well end up charged with abducting the ministers daughter! Pirates and authorities cannot coexist, after all! Look how theyre treating you, after you saved their country! This is all YOUR fault, hag!! During all the bickering with Grace, I managed to get her hands off me. I spun to take a more normal stance and started running behind her. Aah, shit! Why is this happening? Getting involved with you always brings bad luck, shitty hag! GAHAHA! You only have your own fate to me here! He who carries that sword is destined to be involved in conflict! It was the same for Drake too! WHAT!? What the hell did you just say!? It was too shocking a revtion for me not to want to know more, but Grace wasnt going to exin anything else. She ignored me and picked up the hems of her dress, raising her speed. Tchyoure going to exinter!! I spat the words out and elerated too. The soldiers chasing after us were already over one hundred when we reached the port. With this battalion on our tails, I looked for the ship waiting for us to board. Heeeey! Over heeere! From the deck of arge ship on the far side of the port, Roh was waving at us. Xiao Mao was next to him, licking a sort of candy mounted on a stick. You two are already here!? Always one damn step ahead, arent you!? Haha, who do you think youre talking to? None other than Master Roh, the greatest diviner of the southern seas! I knew something like this was going to happen, so I went ahead and got the ship ready to depart! Terrific job, boy! Raise the anchors! Aye! Set sail, men! YEAAH! Xiao Mao bit down on the hard candy, then gave the order to leave. The sailors unfurled the sails and reeled in the anchors from the sea. As soon as we jumped on board, the ship started moving away. AAH!! Lady Suereine!!! Ready the ships!! Dont let the pirates escape!! Gahaha!! Well never be caught by the likes of you!! Grace took one of the logs piled on board and tossed it towards the soldiers on the port. It was just a piece of wood, but the pitcher was a berserker of a woman. The wooden projectile flew at almost the speed of sound, blowing away several soldiers in its path, quickly turning the port into a scene of carnage. this is no different from what the Lion Kingdom did Well, theyre both pirates. I sighed, and Sakuya replied while patting my back tofort me. Are we all here? No one left behind? Woof! Grah! At the center of the deck, Sue was taking attendance with the monsters who ended up on the ship with us. The Garm, the giant ape, the monster bird, the snakewhich were all given the names ck, White, Red, and Blue, with no semnce of imagination. Under the spooked eyes of the tough men of the sea, Sue started feeding jerky to the beasts. Okay! No one forgot anything, I hope! Nothing! All the treasures borrowed from the pce are here too! Fantastic, fantastic! What a sess! In a corner of the deck, Roh and Xiao Miao were meticulously counting their earnings. Their hands were full of gold coins, gems, and the like: more treasure than any normal person could ever earn in one lifetime. So thats why they were ready to escape The real reason why the ship was ready to sail was that they were going to make away with the stolen treasure. Some of the soldiers who chased us probably did so because they noticed the missing fortune, and tried to catch the thieves. Let us depart! For my homnd, Antis! Grace, standing on top of the mast, loudly proimed our next destination. Our ship thus left the Ga Kingdom, heading for the site of the decisive battle Antis. Volume 3 - Ch 55 The ship we boarded soon joined with the rest of the White Demons fleet, waiting not far from the port. Then, following Graces directions, we all headed westwards. After three days of sailing straight west, circling all inds on the way, Grace suddenly made a new announcement. All right, here we are. Herewhere? Were in the middle of the sea. There wasnt the tiniest shred ofnd where Grace pointed to. Only the most cid water surface, without a wave to be seen. I looked at her with suspicion. Could old age have finally gotten to her brain? So I shivered, and was promptly rebuked by her boots heel. Ow! I know youre thinking something very disrespectful! You fool of a son! So yelled Grace, and then jumped on top of me. You need to learn to respect your mother! Time to set you straight! Hey! Wait! What the hell are you- In the blink of an eye, Grace wrapped my body in chains. I desperately resisted, but there was nothing I could do before her absurd strength. Youre saying theres a city in the middle of the sea!! Of course anyone would doubt your sanity! What else can I do? Thats what thepass is saying!! Compass? Grace was holding a palm-sizedpass. She shoved it in front of my eyes: the red and blue needles were spinning wildly. This thing is screwed up, hag! Like your head! Wrong again, fool! Thispass doesnt point north! Mgh Grace pushed thepass against my mouth and yelled in my ears. Antis is a city that moves on the seafloor! Thispass doesnt point north, but to where Antis is moving to! So we are in the right ce! Fine, fine, I get it! So take these chains off already! Hmm? No can do! Grace picked me up and threw me overboard. I dropped straight in the water, with a loud ssh. Whoa!? What the hell was that for, hag!? How many times do I have to say it? Antis is on the bottom of the sea! No fucking way! I had a premonition of what was going to happen, and my face tensed. Grace tied the other end of the chain to the mast, then jumped too in the water, holding an iron weight. Time for some seafloor exploration, boy! Its only going to hurt in the beginning, after five minutes you wont feel anything! Because Ill be dead!! Get off me, hag, well sink Grace and her weight clung to me, dragging me down. Lord Dyngir!! M-Master!! As Sakuya and Sues voices lingered in my ears, my consciousness was dragged in the darkness. Nngh! Nngh! Youll choke faster if you try to speak! Try to rx! Nngh! Nngh..! Nngh! How could the hag speak underwater, as if it was natural? That is what I wanted to shout at her, but obviously couldnt. Our bodies sank to the depths, as the sunlight gradually disappeared, swallowed by the darkness. I desperately struggled, while the crushing pressure of the water robbed me of any air I had left in my windpipes. Soon enough, I could see lights shining on the seafloor. Hngh? There it is. Haha, how nostalgic ! Something resembling a mountain was moving on the seafloor. The lights were shining from the top of that thing. (Is that ahermit crab?) The faint lights revealed the true identity of the mountain. It was a hermit crab,rge enough to upy the entirety of my field of view. The tips of its ws brushed away rocks and soil, opening a path for its 8 legs to crawl on. A bulb of light dangled from its head, not unlike an anglerfish, faintly illuminating its surroundings. The most intriguing feature, however, was on the creatures back. (Its carrying a town on its back?) The gigantic hermit crabs back was covered not by a shell, but by a whole city. It was probably asrge as Fort Bryden: it could easily house several thousand people. Wee to Antis, my foolish son. To my hometown. Ngh! Grace tossed away the weight, then started swimming towards the hermit crab, dragging me with her. The final battle awaits, all right? Face that immortal, cursed by the gods, and put him out of his misery, will you. Grace thus proceeded towards the city crawling on the seafloor. Volume 3 - Ch 56 Mnghbwaah! During our dive towards the city, I felt like we broke through a sort of thin film. I crashnded on the ground, drawing deep breaths to finally fill my lungs with air. Haah..haahtheresair? Haha, yes! Rest easy my boy, you can breathe here! Airat the bottom of the sea? How the hell? Its thanks to a kind of barrier! Basically were in a different world from the outside! Youre screwing with mewhat kind of technology is this? I looked around: the city was formed by rows of rectangr buildings. The unusual shape was very simr to the buildings in the underground area of Alexandrite ind, which is probably why I felt a strange sense of nostalgia. Above our heads, the deep sea scenery enveloped us like a night sky: the hermit crabs dangling light even acted like a moon. The chain wrapped around me stretched through the dark water, like a bridge soaring towards the sky. This is the seafloor city of Antis, resting on the back of the back of the ancient living magic tool Poseidon! Amazing, isnt it!? Amazing!? Hell! Its too damn amazing for words! I waspletely honest. I was floored enough by Zeus, the unreal magic tool in the Baal empire, but this city gave it a run for its money. The worlds damn huge, huhthere are still so many things I have no idea of. The Lamperouge kingdom, the Maxwell provincethis makes me feel like the ces I lived in are so damn small. My ambition of bringing prosperity to the Maxwell province was still the same. Once I had achieved that, however, it wouldnt be bad to go on a journey around the world. Witnessing a town moving along the seafloor, a scenery made of pure fantasy, had thus changed my worldview. Gahaha!! In that case, you gotta kill that bastard Drake first! Graceughed heartily and pped my back. If you let him live, hes going toe after you anywhere, again and again! Hes never let go of his prey, not even once! Having a man chasing me around sounds like a nightmare. Now that Ivee all the way here, the only thing to do is to put an end to all this. Finally freed from the chains, I rotated my arms two, three times, to make sure they moved properly. My body was bruised here and there, but there wasnt any real damage. I could fight without problems. Hes probably in the cathedral, in the middle of town. Hurry up and end this, once and for all! What? Youre noting? If he has chosen you as his killer, theres no point in me showing up too. We said our goodbyes 20 years ago, anyway. Off you go! as selfish as usualwhatever. First she drags me down to the bottom of the sea, then she pushes everything on me. I thought I knew how selfish the hag could be, but I was still stupefied. I shook my head in disbelief, then headed to the ce Grace mentioned. If youve got a message for him, I can ry it, though? Shut up, boy. Brats like you have no business in the world of adults. All right, all right, Im going. I waved as I walked away, using the faint light floating overhead to make my way through the city. Not a single silhouette could be found in the once populous city: it hadpletely changed to a deste ghost town. a citys purpose is to shelter peopleif no one lives in it, even the most gorgeous city just looks dead. Why did the people that lived here even decide to build a city at the bottom of the sea? And what made them leave? As such thoughts went through my head, I walked up a stone staircase. At the top of the long stairs there was a teau, overlooking the whole city. The view was pretty astonishing, but the emptiness of the city still gave me the chills. A city living on, even without its inhabitantsis it waiting for someone to return? Or does it want to be destroyed? Youre kinder than you look, arent you? Youre going to make me cry. I turned around, towards the voice, and found a man standing near the entrance of a church-like building. Captain Drakeso you were really alive. Yeah, a shame, but I still amjust like this ce. The man, his chest marked by a deep wound, weed me with a bright smile. Volume 3 - Ch 57 How the hell did you survive a wound like that? And where should I cut you to kill you for good? Drake responded by shrugging his shoulders, as if what I asked had nothing to do with him. Look, I didnt survive because I wanted to. The curse of immortality put on me by the fallen god wont let me rest in peace, even after going through something like this. Even if I starve myself till I be bones, or I am ground into dust, I end up being revived, whether I want it or not. To put it simply, its torture. Grace told me about you. Youve lived over one thousand yearsand were a hero once. I spoke while ring at Drake, and he returned a slightly sharper look himself. Right, once. I fulfilled my role and have been living aimlessly ever since. The corpse of a hero, basically. I didnt die where I was supposed tojust like this city. Drake grinned sarcastically, then turned away from me. You came all this way, we might as well have a chat. .. Drake walked inside the cathedral, before I had a chance to answer. I considered cutting him down from behind, but then decided to follow him. The air around Drake was different from when I first met him in the Ga kingdom. Maybe because he had returned to his hometown, he didnt emanate a lethal aura like before: he was more like an old man resting in his garden, basking in the sunlight. (How am I supposed to cut down someone like this?) I knew in my head that I had to kill him. If I just jumped and struck down someone without an ounce of killing intent, however, I would forfeit my pride. For the time being, I had no choice but to follow him inside the cathedral. This isimpressive. The scenery inside the building left me baffled, once again. The cathedral, adorned with gold, silver, and tinum, reflected the light filtrating from outside, creating a mystical atmosphere. The windows housed colorful stained ss with flowers and stars, which mutated in glow and color at the whim of the artificial moon. Yet more than anything else, the painting on the ceiling stole my attention. Isnt it something, that painting? The subject is none other than the creation of this world, at the hands of the exalted gods, at the beginning of time. So Drake boasted, as if he had had a hand in it himself. His expression was irritating enough that I wanted to quip something back at him, but the painting was so mesmerizing that I let it go. There was a sun-like ball of light in the center, surrounded by angels with their wings spread out and other god-like beings, carrying weapons and musical instruments. As they approached the edges of the paintings, the god-like figures turned more and more hideous: at the corners of the ceiling, they looked just like demons. once, in this world there were a great number of gods. hm? Where did theye from? Or have they always existed? No one knows. In any case, the gods bestowed the gift of magic unto the people of the surface, who proceeded to build the ancient magic civilizations. As I looked up at the painting, Drake started exining, in a solemn tone. I turned towards him, but Drake was looking up himself yet gazing at something far away. Thanks to the divine gift, the people prospered, triumphed over both illness and pain, eventually even their own lifespan, thus gaining eternal life. They built a paradise on earth, living a life of content under the eyes of the absolute gods, forming eternal peace. One day, however, the gods abandoned the people. They dered humanity a failure. Drake stretched a hand towards the sky, then formed a fist. The gods abandoned humanity and revoked the gift of magic. They left this world, and traveled somewhere else. The earthly paradise crumbled: the evil ones, once distanced by the powers of the gods, were awakened. The evil ones? Malicious beings, also called evil gods. Drake looked at me and grinned. Youve got one with you, havent you? A descendant of the evil gods. The woman with the power to control monsters. Are you talking about Sue? Shes a descendant of the evil gods!? I grimaced. I just couldnt believe that a fluffy, ditzy kitten-purring-in-the-sun girl like that came from a lineage of evil deities. Im not saying shes an evil god herself, but she has their blood flowing in her veins. Judging from her hair and eyes, shes probably a subus. . If I said I had no idea what he was talking about, I would have lied. I mmed up, unable to find a rebuttal. Anyway, the gods disappeared one thousand years ago, and humanity was left with a reawakened menace. The only hope left was that some gods with a shred of conscience left weapons to fight against the evil gods. The magic tools Bingo. A sword that cuts any source of magic and can even kill a god. A bracelet that grants invulnerability. A tower that shoots lightning to protect its city. This Antis too was supposed to be a shelter to hide from the evil gods. .. I broke down and analyzed Drakes words in my head, still a frown on my face. Magic was lost one thousand years ago. The magic tools, weapons found in ancient ruins. Civilizations that fell to ruin, despite their advanced technology. All these dots connected into a single line. Volume 3 - Ch 58 I was born one thousand years ago here in Antis, where the people who fled from the evil gods lived in hiding. I was raised without learning anything of the outside world: for me, this seafloor city was everything. I was deep in thought, going over all I was learning, but Drake continued talking. We lived in peace, all things considered, until the day the evil gods found Antis. The power of the evil gods curses took the lives of most inhabitants. Some turned to ashes, others were transformed into bugs or vermin, others were left to rot alive. Me and my little sister managed to escape the city, with a few others, and decided to take revenge against the evil gods. And then I finally opened my mouth. Were you able to? What do you think? Does this world look like there are evil gods prancing around? I seethere was no need to even ask. I nodded and let out a long sigh. If I were to believe Drakes words, he and hispanions had basically saved the world. He would normally deserve to be treated with respect and admiration, yet I had to draw my sword against him: it all felt senseless. The price we paid for saving the world from the evil god Angra Mainyu, though, was to be cursed with immortality, condemned to the hell called eternal life. So thats how you became immortalbut using this sword, Siegfried, would have allowed you to die, right? Wasnt it yours to begin with? I caressed the sword at my waist. Drake slowly shook his head and grimaced. Its not that easy, boy. Angra Mainyuid two curses on me: one is agelessness and immortality, the other is the inability to take my own life. Which meansyou cant kill yourself? Drake nodded, spitefully. He looked up and red at the painting on the ceiling specifically, the part that depicted the demons. A sword capable of ying gods can kill even immortal beings. The other curse, however, prevents me from killing myself. For one thousand years I looked for someone else capable of wielding Siegfried, with no sess. .. I had already given up on dyingand thought I might as well destroy the whole world, instead. I was starting to put things in motionwhen you appeared. Drake shifted his gaze down from the ceiling, looking straight into my eyes, and smiled. His fanged teeth were bared, an expression I often saw on Graceand myself too. Whod ever imagine that Graces own son would be able to wield Siegfried! What a twist of fate! Whim of the gods! A chance that will nevere again were I to live another ten thousand years! I simply cannot let it pass!! Really now. Its high time we put an end to this, then. I drew my sword and pointed the tip at Drake. The de with the power to y the gods, capable of severing all kinds of magic, now faced the millennial monster. Drakes words did make me reflect over various things. If only we had met in different circumstances even such naive thoughts shed in my mind. Drake and I, however, were both swordsmen. Any further dialogue was to be left to our des. I cannot die of my own volitionbut cornered in a ce like this, I have nowhere to escape to anymore. Nor will I attempt to flee. I will struggle with all my strength, so you better give it your all if you want to kill me!! You dont need to tell me twicehere I go!! The bracelet on my arm shed with a silver light, which enveloped my body like armor, filling me with strength. Come at me, my precious reaper!! Drake readied his sword. I charged at him, faster than the limits my body could allow. In the solemn atmosphere of the cathedral, our des shed in an explosion of sparks. Volume 3 - Ch 59 Our swords collided, sending sparks flying all around. Drake might have been wounded, but he was still a hero who had saved the world. I had no intention of holding anything back from the beginning of the fight. I had put all my strength in that first strike, but Drake managed to parry it. HAAAAAAAAHHH!! SSHAAAAAAAHH!! With shouts that sounded more like roars, I swung my sword two, three times in session. The shing metal shook my eardrums violently. I alternated the nature of my strikes, sometimes pushing forward with brute force, sometimes using feints or trickier angles. I was on the offensive, but every time I showed an opening Drakes de brushed dangerously close to my body. I could not afford to lose focus for an instant. Tchfucking insane! I clicked my tongue and took a step backwards. The monstrous strength that Drake exhibited in our previous battle in the Ga kingdom was no more. The wound caused by Siegfried had probably robbed him of much of his power. In his thousand years of life, however, the former hero had umted astounding experience in battle. It frustrated me to no end to admit it, but in terms of pure skill with the sword, Drake was leagues above me. Whats wrong!? Youre facing a wounded man! Is this all you got!? Shut your damn mouth! That arrogance is going to be your grave! The bracelet on my right arm glowed more intensely, enveloping my body like a suit of armor. It was the boost provided by Herakles: I felt a surge of power from within, as if I had be a lion. Dont you tell me its against the rules, all right? Im going to use everything at my disposal. Of course. This is war, after all. Drake nodded, but then added a however. If you think a little light will fill the gap between us, think again!! .!? Drake vanished for an instant, then reappeared right in front of me. The grinning face of the monster was close enough to give me the chills. Haaah!! Gah.!? Drake, who had taken a defensive stance until now, finally went on the attack. Animated by his godlike technique, his sword shed my body. You are so close!! So painfully close! My beloved reaper! More, entertain me more!! Make me feel death, true death! I saidshut your damnmouth!! Like a coin flipped from heads to tails, the bnce switchedpletely. It was my turn to be on the defensive. In terms of power and speed, the bracelets boost allowed me to have a clear advantage: Drakes skill, however, was far too advanced. I defended myself with all the techniques I knew, but Drakes de slipped through the cracks and struck, like a snake chasing its prey. It took less than a minute for my body to be covered in cuts, as my blood spattered on the walls of the cathedral. Without the regeneration granted by Herakles, I would already be unconscious due to blood loss. Ghdamnyou!! I had to change the flow, somehow. HAAAAAHHH!! Gwoh!? I waited for Drakes attacks to relent and charged him, discarding all defense. My sword managed to sh Drakes body: in exchange, my stomach was deeply shed too, but thanks to Herakles it was healed instantly. Ghhahathat wasnt half bad! Drake stepped backwards, blood dripping from his chest. He was smiling as fearlessly as before: his fighting spirit had not been dampened at all. A cornered mouse will bite even a cat, as they say. Dont you let your guard down! Like hell I would! I cant recover anymore, see? Drake traced the wound with a finger and grinned viciously. I could heal my wounds thanks to Herakles, but Drakes body could not do the same with wounds caused by Siegfried. I thus had the advantage in a battle of attrition. Tchso I have a chance of winning only because of the difference in our weapons? Fucking pathetic! I seethed, frustrated. If we continued like that, my weapon would probably lead me to victory. It would not be my victory as a swordsman, however, but thanks to the good luck of having two magic tools at my disposal. Without such a stroke of luck, I would barely be able to lift a finger against the man before me: faced with such a difference in strength, my expression turned sour. Why the long face? Luck is a part of skill too, isnt it? Damn, now the enemy is trying to cheer me up Drakes words of constion made me sigh deeply. I was slightly dispirited, but he slowly shook his head. Im being serious. To be honest, Im pretty impressed, you know? If we fought one thousand years ago, when I was your age, Im pretty sure I would have lost. Im using all my years of experience to bully the youth here, so Im not exactly worthy of much respect. Drake lightly shook the blood off his sword and shrugged. I only became able to wield that sword in myte twenties. At your age, you already mastered the god-ying sword, boy. Arent you something? Youre showering me with praise now? Whats the deal? I finally met my long-awaited reaper, I think Im allowed to say apliment or two. Drakeughed heartily. For a moment, the cathedral was filled with a warm atmosphere, a poor fit for a duel to the death. Its a pity that you cant use that bracelet to the fullest, though. Looks like you dont know what it can really do. Huh? You mean Herakles? Yeah. It used to belong to myrade, way back then. And he used it a lot better than you. Drakes words of ridicule made me frown, deep in thought. Volume 3 - Ch 60 So theres more to this bracelet? It was very surprising, almost hard to believe. Herakles granted the wearer superhuman physical abilities and regenerative powers. I never even thought there could be more. I dont me you for not knowing, though. You never tried to unleash the full power of that bracelet, have you? Drake grinned and pointed at me. That bracelet borrows the wearers lifeforce and gives miraculous powers. And youre scared shitless of the side effects. Tch I red at the man and clicked my tongue: his words were not far from the truth. Sullivan Nommes, the man who wore this bracelet before me, had aged about 50 years in moments, all because of its side effects. I had witnessed such a transformation with my own eyes, so I couldnt bring myself to fully use the bracelets powers. A weapon is like a woman: she will never bare her heart to a man who wont do it first. As long as you keep holding back, that bracelet will never show everything. Hehto think that Id ever get preached at about how to treat women. Its so disgusting, its almost funny. I spat on the ground, then tapped the bracelet with the hilt of my sword. Its pretty irritating to think that I cant satisfy this littledybut I cant just throw my life away. I have ambitions to fulfill, and plenty of women are waiting for my return. I cant turn into an old fart yet!! Hah! Listen to the boy boast! I havent even touched a woman in three hundred years! Drake bared his fangs and cackled, then continued. Youve got it wrong, son. That bracelet will never turn you into an old man! Huh? What the hell do you mean? I asked back, suspicious. Drake shrugged and poked his tongue out. Wait, do you think youre just human? You can go toe to toe with me in battle, you were born from that monster of a woman, and you still thought yourself human? Dont make meugh! What? I knew it when I saw your face: you inherited the immortality curse from your mother. It might not be as powerful as mine or Graces, but youre never going to die of old age, boy!! .!! Cant me ya for being surprised, though. In normal circumstances, youre just like any other human. If your neck gets cut off, youll die. Same if your heart gets pierced. Youre not an actual immortal. ButI can tell. Youre different from a normal human. Maybe its just 10 or 20%, but the curse is definitely inside you. Ten years from now, youll definitely be able to tell, by how youll age slower than everyone else! Thatsno I was about to say something, then shook my head. Even if its true, nothing changes. Ill be more than happy to live a long life. Im not going to be a walking deathwish like you! Illugh my ass off every day and have a riot of a life!! Hah! Thats rich! Tell me that again after youve lived at least one hundred years, kid! Drake red at me, but this time I grinned back at him. Captain Drake. I understood what you meant now. Basically, since my lifespan is much longer than a normal human, I dont need to be afraid of Herakles side effects. Pretty kind of you to tell me all that, though. Youre going to move me to tears! Haha, I might not look it, but Im pretty good with kids. Ites with age, see? Really now! In any case, I got to thank younow I can really go all out! Ooh!? My body started emitting a bright light, and Drake instinctively jumped away. I had no reason to fear the bracelets side effects anymore: I began to draw as much power as possible. WOOOOOOHHHH!!! More, more, more. More powermoremore, more, more!! As I continued to focus on the bracelets power, eventually its light turned a golden color. It was as bright as the rising sun: gradually, the light enveloped my body, filling me with power, from head to toe. Haha! Hahahahaha!! Yes, thats it!! So you can do it if you try! Why were you holding out on me, little bastard!! The golden light formed a sort of suit of armor, provoking Drakes cacklingughter. Shape of Indrathats how he called it! Hah, I never thought Id ever see it again! Captain Drake. As sweat trickled down my forehead, I made my deration. I cant keep this up much longer. Im going to end thisend you, in one strike. Hah!! Drake grinned at the killing intent in my words. Yes, thats how I want you, my sweet reaper, my sessor! Son of Grace, inheritor of my sword and his bracelet! Sessor of world saviors! Send me with your greatest sh!!! You bet I will. Here goesyourefinished! The golden light gathered in Siegfrieds de. Bearing the burning heat, I swung my sword. The light itself turned into a sh, devouring Drakes body like a gigantic wave engulfing a lone boat. Volume 3 - Ch 61 The golden sh engulfed Drake, then crashed through the wall of the cathedral, causing a wide path of destruction on its way out. It looked like a massive snake had slithered its way out: the stream of destruction also continued outside, breaking through all buildings on its path. Ghahhaahhaah Breathing heavily, I stuck my sword on the ground, to prop my body up. A wave of fatigue washed over me: I barely managed to stay standing without losing consciousness. The shockwave, capable of cutting through the cathedrals walls as if they were paper, clearly exceeded human capabilities. It was an attack almost irrational in nature, before which the concept of battlefield would crumble. HahI cant use this in battle, after all. I wouldnt be able to give orders after this It was the trump card among trump cards, basically. The technique that Drake called Shape of Indra was going to be myst resort. Anyway Ghah Whoa there, dont tell me youre still alive I left through the hole in the cathedrals walls and followed the path of destruction. After walking for a few dozens of meters, I found a man lying on the ground, charred ck. for the love ofhow the hell can you die? Im getting tired of dealing with you, seriously. The man was Captain Drake, obviously. His lower body had been blown off, while the remaining torso was burnt to a ck crisp. The mouth part of the ck lump moved slightly, letting out a raspy voice. Dont youworrythe curse isgoneIm going todiesoon Well, thats a relief. Despite my words, I felt a sort of loneliness in my chest. Now that I was going to part with Drake for good, I realized that I wished for more time. Let metell you somethingDyngirMaxwell Still talking, corpse? What do you want? That swordis made to kill evil gods. The ability to negate magic toolsis just a bonus. I see. So what? Drake nodded slightly. If the sword chose youit might just be thatthere is still someone left to kill The evil godshumanitys nemesismight be still alivesomewhere ..!! I frowned. There was no concrete proof backing Drakes words, but if such a threat to humanity really existed, House Maxwell would be in danger as well. Hahthis is the endfor mebut your battleshave just startedboy Really now So I replied and nodded. I dont care if its a noble, a king, or an evil godIm going to cut down anyone and anything that stands in the way between me and my ambitions. And Im going to take all the women I want and make them mineeven if a hundred or thousand years pass, thats never gonna change. Hahahahow fierceas expected ofGraces Drake closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. Im dI could die hereI can finally joinyou guys Drakes body turned gradually whiter and whiter, then crumbled away like a block of salt, disappearing in the wind. Farewell, Captain Drake. Nouncle. I closed my eyes for a minute, wishing my strongest enemy yet a peaceful rest. BOOOM!! W-What the!? HEY! Wheres that idiot son of mine!? M-Mother!? I heard Graces voice from far away. I hurriedly looked around, and finally found her hanging on the chain that stretched from the seafloor towards the sky. That attack you did destroyed Antis barrier!! The sea water is flooding in, we have to get out of here!! Haah!? Wait a damn minute!! I shouted out of shock, but Grace just started climbing up the chain, with the agility of a monkey. You better hurry up, if you dont want to die!! See you on the ship!! W-Wait, wait, wait, wait!! I can barely move!! Gahahaha!! Spare the rod and spoil the child, as they say!! What!? Damn you, haaaaggg!!! Graceughed loudly as she disappeared upwards. The next instant, the sky cracked, as a torrent of water flowed in the town. GRAAAAHHH!? My body was thus swept by the water and forcefully carried out of Antis. Volume 3 - Ch 62 Swept away towards the depths of the sea, despite my fading consciousness I managed to open my eyes. The sunlight could not reach the seafloor, but the sphere of light on the giant crawfish-like creature Poseidon allowed me to see ahead. Before my eyes, the seafloor city of Antis was crumbling. In the distant past it had even survived the evil gods invasion, but the breach of its barrier made it impossible to withstand the crushing water pressure. GWUOOOOOHHHH A whale-like cry echoed in the depths. A deep, clear voice,ing from the Poseidon creature. Freed atst from the weight of the city, the crawfish-like beast pranced about with enthusiasm. Its shrill cry probably expressed the tion of finally being relieved from the burden of the city, or maybe was meant as a requiem for the souls of Antis citizens. The creature, as old as Drake, disappeared off somewhere, its light bulb trailing away with it. Khah As Poseidon disappeared from my sight, so did thest shreds of air in my lungs. Everything turned white, and my consciousness finally gave out. Ghahwheream I? Oh, master! Are you awake? Sueam Ialive? When I came back to my senses, I found Sue in front of me. My head wasid on something soft: as it turns out, it was Suesp. I turned my neck and looked around to assess the situation: I was in the ship cabin assigned to me, on the bed. There was a lot I had to askbut I decided to enjoy the current situation first. AahI might actually be dead. This feels too good to be true I started rubbing my cheeks against Sues thighs, relishing in thefort of herp pillow. Eeh!? Youre alive, master!! Please believe me! Rx, I was just kiddingwhoa! I sat up on the bed, looked at Sues figure, and couldnt help but yell. What I found sitting on the bed was a rabbit. Sue was wearing a rather provocative bunny suit-like swimsuit,plete with fis tights, even. On her bluish-ck hair, she wore bunny ears too. The size of the suit might have been too small, though: her ample bust barely fit in the costume. Y-Youre lyingyou mean this isnt heaven? M-Master!? Please get a hold of yourself! I sincerely suspected, for a moment, that I had really gone to the next world. Sue grabbed my shoulders and started shaking me, bringing me back to reality. Her body shook at the same time, left and right, her bust looking as if it was desperately trying to break free of the suits binds. A sight that did not allow me to lose consciousness again. Oohokay, Im fine now! Please! Dont surprise me like that! Thats my line, actuallywhere did you even find these clothes? So I asked, while carefully examining her attire again. A bunny suit wasnt certainly something youd find lying about. Especially not in the middle of the sea. Sue, blushing with embarrassment, cocked her head with a lovely smile. How do I look, master? Yourdy mother gave it to me You look great, thats for surewait, the old hag did!? Yes, it appears to be a gift from her husband, but since the size doesnt fit her, she gave it to me Stop, stop!! I shouldnt have asked, dammit!! What the hell are those two doing!? Who gives a bunny suit to his wife at that age!? I barely managed to keep my screams internal, then shook my head to dispel those nasty thoughts. Sorry, I almost lost control there. By the wayhow was I saved? I was ready to drown to my death, but someone obviously saved me and brought me back to the ship. Sue nodded and exined. I asked a friendly whale for help, and she saved you from drowning. Really nowtaking you with us really was the best choice then. It was really close, you know? You werent breathing, andifdy Grace didnt do mouth to mo STOOOP!! Thats more information I didnt need!!! Holding my head in my hands, I curled up into a ball. My own motherthat shitty old hagwhat kind of torture is this!? Since when are you the type to save your sons life, anyway!? Okayenough of that. You dont have to say anything else. Im alive, thats all I need to know Ahn! I hugged Sue on the bed, hoping to wipe away all that horrific new knowledge, burying my face in her fluffy mounds. Sue was surprised at first, then gently patted my head to cheer me up. Aahits finally overIm tired for real, this time So I whispered, while enjoying Sues motherly touch. First Grace kidnapped me in the Baal Empire, dragging me into a conflict between pirates. The battle to protect the port town in the Sapphire Kingdom. The battle against Captain Drake in the Ga Kingdom. And as the cherry on top, the final showdown in the ancient seafloor city. I havent returned to the Maxwell domain in three months, Looking back, this trip has turned out to be pretty long. Lets go back home. To the Lamperouge Kingdomthe Maxwell province. I dont want to do anything, at least for one monthIm going to stay in bed all damn day, with my lovers at my side, and That kind of lifestyle seems pretty fun, too. You bet it will be fun. Even more if you tag along. .. Sue suddenly fell silent. I lifted my head from her chest and looked at her: on her healthy, sun-burned face hung a veil of anxiety. Whats wrong, Sue? Master, I Slowly and gravely, Sue continued. Tears zed her golden eyes. I think I will go back to the Ga Kingdom. My journey with you is over Volume 3 - Ch 63 can I ask you the reason why? After a brief silence, I asked a question to the youngdy d in a bunny costume. In contrast with her attire, her expression was very serious. After seeing the state in which that Drake person left the Ga Kingdom in, I felt a tightening pain in my chest. Sue started talking, with a streak of fear in her voice. The Ga Kingdom is the ce where I lived with father and mother, with the sisters in the monastery. I thought I cannot leave such an important ce in such a ravaged state. I dont know how much I can help, but I have to do somethingthats how I feel. Being with you was always very fun, I could see and learn new things every day, I felt my world expand more and more. If I followed you, Im sure I could live every day smiling andughingbut, thats not right. Tears trickled down Sues face. I wiped a teardrop with a finger and licked it. the taste of resolve. Soyou have chosen your path. Yes Sue nodded and closed her eyes. If I abandoned everything and followed you, master, I feel I could never be stronger than this. I want to be stronger, strong enough to say with pride that I am your veso please, grant me just one year. Sue opened her eyes again, but they produced no more tears. I will do everything I can to restore Ga for one year, and then I will definitely return to your side. I will spend the rest of my life serving you as a ve, master. Its not likeyou need to stay a ve forever, though. I shrugged and smiled wryly, then patted Sues head. Youre free to go. Ill be waiting, all right? Yes, please wait for me. We smiled at each other, then lied down on the bed. Itll take about three days till we reach Ga. You know what that means, right? Yes, with pleasure!! Our lips locked. I was going to enjoy myself to the fullest, until we reached our destination. My hands reached Sues chest, when I felt someones gaze behind me. .. what are you doing, Sakuya? For some reason, my maid/assassin Sakuya was spying on us inside from the closet. She came out when I called her, wearing her usual maid outfit. Thats not fair, Miss SueIm the only one left out I-Im sorry! I was so focused on talking with Master that Oh, so you really forgot about me? I specially let you give Lord Dyngir ap pillow, since you had something important to talk about, even letting you wear the only bunny costume we haveand you forgot about me. Really Aaaah!! Im so so sorry!! Please forgive me, miss Sakuya! Sakuya pouted and Sue hurriedly apologized. Looking at them, I realized they had gotten pretty close in thest few weeks. Thats okay, but in exchangeIm going to take the first move! Mph! Sakuya nimbly leaped on the bed and stole my lips from Sue. She had removed her maid outfit in midair and gotten naked with incredible speed. Aah! No, nothing but that! I wont be able to see Master for a long time, I want to be the first! Hmph! I have no ears for cold women who so easily forgets their friendsbe quiet and count the stains on the ceiling, all right? Ooh! Miss Sakuya! Both women pounced on me, fighting and bickering for the right to my body. I leisurely perused the resulting tender sensations, then sighed to myself. Volume 3 - Ch 64 We spent three days sailing to the Ga Kingdom mainly on the bed. The crew apparently caught the hint: they never even got close to my cabin, so I could enjoy my remaining time with Sue to the fullest. Eventuallywe arrived at Ga, and it was time to say our farewells. Wemunicated our feelings to each other plenty in thest three days, so the farewell itself was rather short and simple. Sue descended onnd, and said goodbye without lingering regrets. I will be back at your side, one year from now. The ship was already too far for her voice to reach it. I could perfectly tell, however, what Sues lips whispered as she waved from the port. Ill be waiting for you, one year from now. So I muttered under my breath, and lightly waved back. Our ship then sailed north from Ga, in the direction of the Lamperouge Kingdom. and thats all. Thats allwhat? How am I supposed to react, after listening to your newest womanizing adventures? Echidna Thunderbird, heir of House Thunderbird, Margrave of the southern provinces of Lamperouge, grimaced. Whoa, I brought you a nice story as a souvenir of my travels, why the cold shoulder? you got yourself a new woman, and had plenty of fun with her. Nothing new about it, is there? Or do you maybe want to know about what I did, with what man, and in which position? Thatd bepretty disgusting. No thanks. I grimaced too and scratched my head. I was now in the guest room of the Thunderbird manor: we hadnded on the southern coast of Lamperouge, so I took the chance to see my old friend. Echidna crossed her legs, widely exposed by the high cut of her dress, and sighed. AnywayI would have never imagined that Lady Grace had an older brother. And he was a hero who fought against evil gods one thousand years ago? Thats a joke, right? He was too damn strong to be a joke, believe me. That man would definitely be able to save a world or two. I took a sip of the ck tea served on the table. I savored the rich aroma of the tea leaves, letting the warm nectar drip down my throat. Yeah, this is how tea should be I remembered the coffee I drank at Ga and frowned. Speaking of Lady Grace, where is she now? I wished to see her The old hag? She didnt even get off the ship. I got no more use for you, so get lost already, she said. Just say hello to father for methe nerve of that woman. She never changes, does sheI really admire her energy. if you became like that, wed be officially strangers. Id never want to see your face again. My, what a shame. And I wanted to give birth to a little boy for you. Stop with that joke, please I never meant it as a joke, thoughso added Echidna, so I looked away to ignore her, and checked the clock hanging on the wall. I arrived at the manor after noon, and it was already evening. I had spent more time than expected. I should get back to the inn soon. Thanks for the tea. Youre free to stay the night, you know? Weve known each other for so long, no need to be so distant. you think I can stay, after what you just said? The female of the praying mantis eats the male after intercourseyou think I didnt know? Actually, I think Id be more like a cute cricketId y a nice song for you, under the covers. I shuddered: she didnt deny she might eat her partner, after all. I best go back, before you swallow me whole. Till next time. Oh, wait! I stood from the chair and headed to the door, but Echidna caught my sleeve and stopped me. Thanks to this adventure of yours, House Maxwell has gained considerable power, hasnt it? House Maxwell has? What do you mean? I pretended not to see the picture and cocked my head to the side. After you drove the Lion King pirates out of the Ga Kingdom, what happened to their weaponry? That gunpowder cannon, the Overthrower, was it? Youre not going to tell me you left it over there, are you? Hm I grimaced, but kept my lips sealed. Echidnas insinuations had hit the mark: after saving Ga, we requested for the Lion King crews weapons in return. The king wasnt very keen on agreeing, but thanks to minister Lauros support, we could take the Overthrower and other weapons back with us. Rightthe Overthrower, the weapon the old hag called a cannon. It would be pretty useful not only to defend a fort, but also in a siege. I already made preparations to carry it to House Maxwell, and sent letters to our best cksmiths so that we can make more. Im one step closer to realizing my ambition now. one step closer to the fall of the Lamperouge Kingdom, too. Echidna put a hand against her cheek and let out a voluptuous sigh. Well, thats fine. House Thunderbird stands where the gold is, after all. The rich should not fight among themselves, as they say. If you will stand against the royal house, Ill do you a favor and stay neutral. Neutral, you sayyou wont be on my side? If you pay enough, I can lend you some mercenaries, you know? Really now. How trustworthy. I frowned, and made to leave again. Before I could turn the knob, however, the door was opened from outside. Whoa. My apologies!! Lady Echidna, may I have a moment!? A young man in a butler suit barged in. He was visibly upset, his forehead sweating. He had probably run all the way here. Can you not see I have a guest at the moment? I will hear youter. Mdy, this is extremely urgent! Is that soit cannot be helped, I suppose. Echidna silently nodded to me, then motioned at the young man toe closer. The butler, in turn, bowed his head to me and whispered something in Echidnas ear. I see. Go immediately report to father. You may leave. YesI beg your pardon. Looks like things will get busy. Ill leave for the Maxwell province tomorrow, let me know if anything happens. I watched the butler leave, then spoke to Echidna. She shook her head, however, and put a finger on her bright red lips. This concerns you too. You better stay and listen. Ah? What? I frowned slightly. Echidna looked outside, an exasperated tone in her voice. On the western border, one of the fortresses of House Sphinx has fallen. The Terror Armies are going to invade this country. .!! I followed Echidnas gaze and looked out of the window. Beyond the darkening evening sky, new mes of war were rising from the west. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!