《Shinwa Densetsu no Eiyuu no Isekaitan》


 Volume 1, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 1, Prologue</h4>


    Editor: ultrabrandon12


    Cheers surrounded the boy. Every cheer was infused with joy and full of congrattions. The people who filled the pce za¨Dthere was nothing but a smile on their faces. The one who monopolizes the gaze of the people is a boy standing on the balcony.


    A country that had been cornered to the brink of destruction at one time has now reached the point where it is called the supreme ruler of the central continent. This is all thanks to the boy who has continued to support the King by his side, oveing despair and difficult circumstances and leading him to victory in many wars.


    ¡°¡­Are you really going to go back?¡±


    The boy showed hesitation before nodding at the young man who showed a sorrowful face.


    ¡°¡­Yeah. It¡¯s a regret, but I have to go back.¡±


    The young man¨Dthe first andst person to speak to the King of this country in such a manner, would be the boy alone. If any other person had spoken to the King in this way, they would surely be punished with death or something close to it for impoliteness. But as the two men were kindred spirits, the King only smiled and did not me the boy.


    ¡°I was hoping you would stay here for a long time because¡­ you are the hero of our country, after all. We¡¯ll even prepare you for the position you deserve. The country will have a period of stability ahead. We¡¯ll have no trouble¨Cand yet, you still want to go back?¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s even better if I¡¯m not here, you know. What this country will do from now on is domestic politics, isn¡¯t it? You will need talented civil servants instead of military officers like me. The sooner you get rid of this useless food-eater, the better.¡±


    When the boy said this, a bitterness spread across the graceful King¡¯s face.


    ¡°Do you have to?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    They even sipped the same muddy water. The humiliation they have suffered is extraordinary. A stubborn man stuck with him¨Da man who stuck with a country on the brink of destruction until the very end. They wererades in arms, best friends, and family. That¡¯s why they know each other¡¯s personalities so well.


    The boy¡¯s feelings are the same, no matter what. The King shook his head slightly as he realized this. He shook his head and said, ¡°Then take this.¡±


    The King randomly tossed a in white card to him. The boy who received it looked at it with a dubious expression on his face. Then the King smiles like a child who has thought of a prank.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, you have to stay.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll take it, but what¡¯s this? I¡¯ve never seen it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out sooner orter. Well, from what I¡¯ve heard about it, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need it in that world.¡±


    When he finished, the King turned away and started walking in the opposite direction of the boy. As the boy continued to walk away, the King stopped and spoke over his shoulder.


    ¡°This is where we say goodbye. You know I dislike gloomy things, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The King hesitated and then opened his mouth again as if to say goodbye.


    ¡°¡­Well, I won¡¯t see you off. Take care.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You too. I had a really good time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I enjoyed it too.¡±


    So the hero¡¯s storyes to an end¨D¨D.


    ¡°¨D¨DI had a dream like that.¡±


    The one who said that with a serious face was Ouguro Hiro.


    He¡¯ll be seventeen this year, a sophomore in high school that can be found everywhere.


    ¡°I-I see¡­ good for you.¡±


    Fukutaro, a childhood friend of Hiro¡¯s, was slightly taken aback by what he heard. Although they were both sophomores at the same high school, Fukutaro¡¯s blessed physique was two sizesrger than Hiro¡¯s.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a dream, right? Even if I believe it, there¡¯s nothing I can do, right?¡±


    ¡°No, well, I guess so.¡±


    As to think it was right¨Dbefore the awkwardness began to flow through the air, Hiro decided to change the subject.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I heard from your mother that you got a rmendation from the university, is that true?¡±


    That old hag¡­ after swearing, Fukutaro shrugged his shoulders and spoke of his confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only just entered high school, you know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder, after all, you¡¯re the hope of the judo team.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still too early. I don¡¯t have any feelings, and I don¡¯t even know what college is called.¡±


    After scratching the back of his head in trouble, Fukutaro gave Hiro a meaningful look.


    ¡°Well, rather than me, what about you? Aren¡¯t you going to start your club activities again?¡±


    ¡°You know it, right? The doctor told me to stop doing strenuous exercise.¡±


    After receiving Hiro¡¯s words, Fukutaro gives him a concerned look.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been over three years since then. Isn¡¯t it about time you did some light exercise? You had a diagnostic day yesterday.¡±


    There is a reason why a doctor is diagnosing Hiro.


    Three years ago, Hiro was involved in a mysterious incident. Until the day before the incident, he hadn¡¯t seemed any different from his usual self. But on the next day, when his mother hade to wake up Hiro, she let out a scream because her son was lyingpletely naked with a horribly emaciated body.


    If that had been all, there would have been no problem. But his body was covered in wounds and mud, and his hair had changed from short to long, so he was rushed to the hospital at once.


    The diagnosis was: dislocated shoulder, torn muscles, a few cracked bones here and there, and although thecerations had been treated first, the sutures were so poorly done that they wouldst a lifetime. He was also diagnosed with several infections and was admitted to the emergency room.


    Unfortunately for the parents, their son had lost his memory of the injury, and the hospital called the police because of the possibility of abuse. They were interrogated about their son¡¯s unusual condition. The parents must have felt an immeasurable psychological burden.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it doesn¡¯t look good yet.¡±


    His memory never came back, but if we talk about his body alone, he has made a full recovery. The doctor in charge has even endorsed that he can withstand strenuous exercise now.


    Nevertheless, due to a certain secret, Hiro does not participate in club activities. Even the doctor doesn¡¯t know about the aftereffects, and even now, three yearster, the aftereffects are still lingering¨Dand when he realized the aftereffects, he didn¡¯t want to give his family and close friends any more worries, he gave up his club activities.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry to hear that¡­¡±


    Fukutaro fell silent for a few seconds, perhaps feeling sorry for himself for being so insensitive. But the next time he opened his mouth, he was back to his usual Fukutaro.


    ¡°But that time, I was surprised. You were a different person. Even your hair was long, like a fallen warrior.¡±


    ¡°It reached all the way down to my waist. My mom was very surprised too.¡±


    ¡°And your body has tightened up a lot. How do you get to that level in a day?¡±


    ¡°I have a special ability. When I sleep for a day, I level up with a cheat level.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    Fukutaroughs and tries to push Hiro. At that time¨Dsomething buzzed in Hiro¡¯s mind. He unconsciously dodged Fukutaro¡¯s fist by moving his foot to the side. Not only that, but he also kicked the ground and dove into Fukutaro¡¯s chest.


    ¡±¡­A-as always, your reflexes are unbelievable.¡±


    And Fukutaro¡¯s lips quivered without hiding his astonishment. Hiro¡¯s fist was perfectly ced on his chin.


    ¡°¡­Ah, S-sorry!¡±


    He moved away in a hurry and¨D¨D.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Hiro noticed something strange. Fukutaro was frozen in a cold sweat, with a surprised expression on his face.


    ¡°Hmm¡­? What¡¯s going on with you all of a sudden?¡±


    Hiro gave a wry smile. It¡¯s a prank that even kids don¡¯t do nowadays. He waved his hand in front of Fukutaro¡¯s face. Still, he doesn¡¯t budge a bit.


    ¡°Forget it; we are going to bete.¡±


    He tried to shake it out of his frustration. But it didn¡¯t work, as it should.


    ¡°How long are you going to be doing that? Stop being so ashamed of yourself.¡±


    Then Hiro looked around and saw a strange sight.


    ¨D¨DThe world had stopped.


    Not only did Fukutaro stop moving, but the passersby around him also stopped moving. Even the crows at the garbage dump. A cat threatening an elementary school student at the side of the road. The sun that was coloring the sky as if it were its own. A white cloud floating in the blue sky.


    The everyday scenery¨Deverything has stopped.


    ¡°¡­¡­..Eh.¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t understand the situation¨Dthere was no way he could, and he had a face that he couldn¡¯t show to others, like his jaw was off. Still, he tried to approach a nearby female student, hoping for a bit of hope.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Is this a prank?¡±


    It was a cliche question. But he couldn¡¯t think of anything else to say.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Of course, there was no way he could get a response. Thinking about it again, there is no point in trying to make a prank on a single high school student on arge scale.


    ¡°In the first ce¡­ why would they do that?¡±


    No matter how many times he looked around, everything was still stopped all the same.


    ¡°Haha¡­ what is this?¡±


    His mind is going nk. His feet are wobbling underneath him, and his chest is palpitating faster. He has to take some action, but there¡¯s nothing he can do about it.


    Anxiety surges through him and tears well up in the corners of his eyes.


    (What would you do at a time like this?)


    My heart is calling to you, who have been through so much battle together.


    (What would you say if you saw me in such a wretched state?)


    Will youugh andfort me? Will you extort me for being pathetic?


    (Who was I speaking of? I don¡¯t know¨D¨D ¡­I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m thinking about.)


    It¡¯s as if drowsiness has set in, and Hiro¡¯s vision is fading.


    ¨D¨DWhen in doubt, rely on me. I will depend on you too. We¡¯re brothers, after all.


    I remember your voice, your face, the words that you once said to me, and theye back to me in rapid session.


    ¨D¨DI am sometimes an older brother and sometimes a younger brother. But no matter what happens, we will always be family.


    The person who resides in that world, the only family I have ever known.


    ¨D¨DLook for salvation. Begging for help. There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.


    (But you¡¯re not in this world. How am I supposed to ask for help?)


    Leaving everything behind, throwing everything away and running back to the world he came from.


    Is it okay for me to seek salvation like that? Such a question shed through his mind.


    ¨D¨DI¡¯m going to go with you. We will face many hardships in the future, yet no one will be able to break our bond.


    As soon as the young man appeared, Hiro lost consciousness.

 Volume 1, Chapter 1 – Encounter Part 1

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 1 ¨C Encounter Part 1</h4>


    Hiro¡¯s consciousness was awakened by a dazzling lighting through his eyelids and stimting his pupils. After creating a shadow with his hand, he slowly opened his eyes, and the first thing that jumped out to his eyes was arge tree that made him feel like an annual ring. Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the branches and leaves that grew haphazardly.


    When he raised his upper body and looked around, he saw countless trees¨Da forest so dense that it was impossible to see beyond. But strangely enough, he didn¡¯t find it eerie. Rather, there was something calming about it. Hence, Hiro wasn¡¯t distraught or crying out, but it was also unpleasant to remain silent¨D¨D.


    ¡°¡­Haha, where is this ce?¡±


    It¡¯s a clich¨¦ line, after all¨Dstill, those are the only words thate to his mind.


    Besides, he must have been walking along the way to school a while ago, but the feel of the bushes to the touch and the natural aromas that the wind brings are so real that it¡¯s hard to believe that it was a dream. And what¡¯s more, it¡¯s not the asphalt that spreads out in front of him, but a dense growth of trees.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a dream, I¡¯ll wake up eventually¡­¡±


    Hiro muttered to himself.


    Soon he would wake up in a familiar room¨Dhe would be writhing with the embarrassment of remembering how scared he had been in his dreams.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to explore until then.¡±


    He forced himself to convince his mind and decided to leave the big tree and proceed through the forest. But no matter how far he advanced, he was unable to get out of the forest. The dense trees still filled his vision, and even if he strained his eyes, he couldn¡¯t see ahead.


    When Hiro¡¯s spirit was about to be frustrated by the fact that he was too exhausted to walk.


    ¨D¨DIt appeared.


    A golden pair of eyes emerged in the darkness, shining like a blur. It stomped the earth forcefully and approached with a loud growl. Drool was dripping from its long, bared fangs as if it was pleased with the appearance of food.


    ¡°¡­A wolf?¡±


    The sunlight spilling through the trees illuminates the beast, and he notices that it has beautiful white fur. It¡¯s probably about the size of a medium-sized dog¡­ it closes the distance as it gouges the ground with ws that extend from its well-honed quadrupeds.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    He braced himself for an attack, but the beast stopped at a certain distance.


    (Is it being vignt?)


    Then¨Dit might be possible to escape. As he recalls, wild creatures are supposed to be afraid of fire¡­ but there¡¯s no way he has anything like that. After that, you don¡¯t have to look away; you don¡¯t have to be afraid; you just have to step back and escape slowly.


    Hiro decided to put into practice what he had heard on television.


    But then as he stepped back, keeping eye contact, the wolf took one step forward. When he took two steps back, it took two steps forward; when he took three steps back, it took three steps forward.


    Ah¨Dthis doesn¡¯t make sense¡­


    He doesn¡¯t even know how far to walk backward or where the exit is in the first ce.


    (Besides, isn¡¯t this wolf going to chase me all the way?)


    Despite Hiro¡¯s confusion, the wolf suddenly sat down on the ground. It opened its big mouth and made one missing movement. It scratched its head with its hind legs, looking bored.


    Without looking away from Hiro, the wolf stretched out like a cat andy down on the spot. Stay alert; if I move, it will bite me. The golden eyes told him so.


    ¡­How much time had passed? The wolf that had been standing still suddenly twitched its pointed ears and stood up. Almost at the same time, a rustling sound could be heard from behind the bushes.


    He didn¡¯t expect to see a new wolf¡­ but the one who appeared in front of Hiro was a beautiful girl.


    ¡°Hmm? Who are¡­you?¡±


    The girl stopped beside the wolf as she wiped her wet hair with a cloth. Keeping her gaze on Hiro¨Dshe put her hand on the wolf¡¯s head and began to stroke it.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    She tilted her head curiously at Hiro, who had been watching the series of actions in silence.


    ¡°Hey ¡­ I¡¯m asking, you know?¡±


    ¡°Eh, ah, aah, you mean you were asking me?¡±


    ¡°Who else is in here other than you¡­?¡±


    I was just fascinated by her¨Dthere was no way he could say that.


    Her red hair reminds him of a me with a silken thread-like sheen. Her well-formed face is young but more beautiful than a ruby, and her zing crimson eyes give off a strong will. Underneath her porcin-white skin, her veins were blue and translucent. It is often said that the heavens do not give you two gifts, so, unfortunately, her breasts are small¨Dbut her charm will not be reduced by half, and she will surely be a woman full of charm in the future.


    ¡°Ahaha¡­ I¡¯m Ouguro Hiro.¡±


    Since he couldn¡¯t stay silent all the time, when Hiro mentioned his name, the girl tilted her head slightly and wandered her gaze.


    ¡°Ouguro Hiro?¡± [T/n: the Author wrote this in English/Katakana, so that¡¯s why I will just put the name in Japanese order.]


    ¡°Yeah¡­ but if it¡¯s difficult to call, just call me Hiro.¡±


    ¡°All right. Then, I¡¯ll call you Hiro, but¨Dwhat are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for a way out, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    With a small frown, the girl¡¯s gaze clings to Hiro¡¯s body, as if she is observing him.


    It was only for a moment¨D¨D.


    ¡°Well, fine. You don¡¯t seem to be a suspicious person. You¡¯re looking for a way out, right?¡±


    This way, the girl said and began to walk away. Hiro hurriedly followed her back. As if to protect the girl, the wolf stepped in between. As he walked, watching the wolf¡¯s tail sway from side to side, he eventually recognized a massive mass of light at the end of the forest.


    That¡¯s the exit that he couldn¡¯t find even after walking around so long. Yet, it was so easy to find, and Hiro felt as if he had been pinched by a fox. [T/n: Being pinched by a fox¡¯ (kitsune ni tsumareru) means being disbelieving one¡¯s eyes because the situation feels surreal like a fox had put a spell on you.]


    (I never thought of finding the exit so easily¡­)


    Although confused, he walked through the trees that were bing speckled, and as he passed through the light¨D¨D.


    ¡°Eh¡­¡±


    Hiro blinked his eyes as he looked at the scene spread out in front of him. When he looked up, the sun was shining on the cloudless azure sky arrogantly looking down on the ground. The sunshine was pouring down on thend in its fullness, and the ears of grass were swayingfortably in the wind.


    While his eyes were drawn to the endless grasnds, Hiro caught a strange group of people at the edge of his vision. A group riding on war horses spread out in a horizontal line¨Dheavy armor, well-kept spears, and swords at their waists. The rude looks directed at him by those on horseback are not very friendly.


    As Hiro bes hesitant, a horsees out of the group. The man on the horse has arge scar on his cheek. The fact that he is wearing armor gives him a warrior-like appearance. The man took a nce at Hiro with his sharp, beast-like eyes and then turned his gaze to the girl.


    ¡°Mdy¡­ are you bathing again?¡±


    ¡°It was so hot after the training, you know?¡±


    ¡°Can you at least bring a bodyguard with you?¡±


    ¡°Ara, I brought a bodyguard, you know? Isn¡¯t that right, Cerberus?¡±


    When the girl called the white wolf¡¯s name and patted its head¨D¨D.


    ¡°Woof.¡±


    Cerberus barked happily. After one breath, the man shook his head in dismay. To a third-person view, he looks like an older brother struggling with his tomboyish sister, but¨D¨D.


    ¡°So, who is this guy?¡±


    Suddenly, the man pointed at Hiro with his thumb.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m just a lost child¡­ so can I go now?¡±


    He said that and then gave an amiable smile.


    ¡°¡­Are you trying to fool me?¡±


    No doubt, it failed because of the vein floating on the man¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°He¡¯s Hiro.¡±


    The girl put her hand on Hiro¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°We met there earlier. We¡¯re already like friends, Right?¡±


    The girl walked around in front of Hiro and looked into his face. Hiro¡¯s face instantly turned red. It may be that he is not used to talking to a girl at such a close distance¨Dbut it is even more so when it is a beautiful girl.


    ¡°M-maybe it¡¯s like a friend, I wonder? I don¡¯t know if we can be considered as friends, though.¡±


    Hiro said that very quickly so that he didn¡¯t realize how shaken he was.


    ¡°Woof.¡±


    Cerberus barked at him. Maybe he agrees with him. Obviously, the man with the cheek scars frowned in disgust.


    ¡°He¡¯s your friend¡­? That would be too suspicious.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t even try to hide his grumpiness as he red at Hiro.


    ¡°And what¡¯s with that unfamiliar outfit? You don¡¯t belong to the Empire, do you?¡±


    Indeed, Hiro is the only person here who wears school uniforms. To begin with, Hiro isn¡¯t used to seeing people wearing armor and holding swords at their waists, but¨D¨D.


    ¡°More importantly, your face and hair color is not like that of the Empire¡¯s citizens. What country are you from?¡±


    After being told by the man who has the cheek wounds, he now realizes that everyone has an unJapanese face. They all have blond or brown hair, but none of them have ck hair like Hiro¡¯s. And on closer look, their features are uniformly chiseled, with high noses and broad shoulders. Compared to Hiro¡¯s body, they are two sizes different.


    When Hiro revealed his confusion, the girl who had moved next to him lightly tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned his head in that direction, the beautiful beauty came close to the tip of his nose.


    ¡°He has such a gentle face; even his eyes are so bright, he looks like a little Cerberus.¡±


    It¡¯s so close that if he pushed his back just a little, their lips would touch. The faintly sweet scent stimtes Hiro¡¯s nostrils. In spite of the fact that Hiro was flustered, the girl put on a carefree smile.


    ¡°I like it, you know?¡±


    ¡°Eh, aah¡­ T-thanks.¡±


    What did she say all of a sudden¡­ my mind is violently disturbed.


    ¡°What are you blushing about? This is even more suspicious. Do you know where you are?¡±


    ¡°Dios. Don¡¯t be so intimidating with this child. You¡¯re frightening him!¡±


    ¡°¡­Mdy. Even if he¡¯s a child, isn¡¯t he still suspicious?¡±


    The words sounded unheard of to Hiro. It was fine for the man called Dios to call himself a child. However, it was strange for a girl¨Dwho was younger than him¨Dto say that he is a child.


    ¡°Why? He¡¯s so cute¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not cute at all¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro raises his hand, interrupting Dios¡¯ words that make him twitch his mouth.


    ¡°U-um~¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    The girl gave him apassionate look. It is deplorable to find out that it was actually directed toward a child.


    ¡°Even if I am like this; I¡¯m still sixteen. Seventeen this year.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a lie, right? You¡¯re older than me?¡±


    Why did she have to look at me like she had been scammed? When she looked at Dios on the horse, he seemed as surprised as the girl, and his mouth was half-open.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you actually about ten years old?¡±


    The girles up to him in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sixteen. I¡¯m definitely not ten.¡±


    Indeed, Japanese people are often seen as being younger than their actual age. Above all, Hiro was 165 cm. He¡¯s small for a sophomore in high school, not much different from a girl. On top of that, he has a childish face, which,bined with his good looks, made him sound less than truthful.


    When Hiro was wondering what to do to make them believe him¨D¨D.


    ¡°Are you some kind of spirit?¡±


    Dios gave him a serious look.


    ¡°Oh, I see! So that¡¯s why you were in the forest. But I wonder if a spirit could get lost¡­¡±


    As soon as the girl is convinced, she tilts her head and grumbles, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    She¡¯s a girl whose expression changes all the time. It¡¯s fun to watch, but when Dios pulled his horse over, Hiro was once again filled with tension.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s take this guy with us.¡±


    ¡°Eh? We can¡¯t. His parents might be looking for him. We¡¯ve got to make sure he gets home.¡±


    ¡°Mdy, this guy is sixteen, isn¡¯t he? A child might have been forgiven, but he¡¯s a respectable adult. He entered the royal family¡¯s private property without permission. I¡¯ll have to interrogate him, just in case.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to worry about. Let¡¯s get him home.¡±


    ¡°He could be an enemy spy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s anything like that, but¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have him ride in my carriage. Is that okay?¡±


    Dios opens his mouth, loosening the wrinkles between his eyebrows at the girl who refuses to give up.


    ¡°¡­Sigh, fine. Then we¡¯ll return to the fort.¡±


    Dios, who had turned his horse, walked back to his subordinates. As if to rece him, a luxurious carriage came in front of Hiro.


    ¡°Come, get in. It¡¯s spacious inside, so you won¡¯t feel cramped.¡±


    Cerberus got in first, and when Hiro looked inside, there was enough room for six people to sit. After avoiding Cerberus, who was lying on the floor, Hiro sat down on the seat provided. The girl who boardedter sat down face to face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for startling you in so many ways.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a dream, so I don¡¯t me you.¡±


    Even at this point in time, Hiro was still not admitting that this was not real. The girl tilted her head in wonder.


    ¡°¡­A dream?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a lot of things that can¡¯t be exined otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t exin what?¡±


    ¡°I was on my way to school a while ago, and then I found myself here. You know how in a dream, the scene suddenly changes, and someone you¡¯ve never seen before appears?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, yeah. But you¡¯re here. I think it¡¯s real.¡±


    Suddenly, the girl floated her hips and approached Hiro. Just as he was wondering, a warm hand was ced on his cheek¨Dhe felt it was soft¨Dand then he was struck with intense pain.


    ¡°It huuuurrrrtttts!¡±


    The girl pinched Hiro¡¯s cheeks as hard as she could.


    ¡°How is it? Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Thoroughly!¡±


    When he shouted an iprehensible word, the girl¡¯s hand moved away, and she sat back down in her original position. Surprised by Hiro¡¯s scream, Cerberus, who was at their feet, rolled his eyes.


    ¡°See. It¡¯s not a dream, right?


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to pinch me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I figured it would be the quickest way to find out.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    There¡¯s nothing I can say when she smiles at me that prettily. What will happen if I wake up with a strange sexual habit? As Hiro silently stroked his throbbing cheeks, the window provided on the carriage was tapped on.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Dios looked at her suspiciously, but the girl replied nonchntly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Hiro told me this was a dream, so I just pinched his cheek.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s an escape from reality, huh¡­ As I thought, he¡¯s a spy.¡±


    With that, Dios moved away from the window. Hiro sighed as he held his aching cheeks. Although he admitted it in the corner of his head, somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn¡¯t give up the hope that it was a dream.


    ¡°What should I do now¡­¡±


    Hiro looked down at his feet and put his hand on his head. He feels shallow for understanding that it¡¯s a different world because of the pain in his cheeks, but¡­ Can he return to his former world, or can he get out of this situation? The anxiety of what to do from now on is flooding in one after another.


    ¡°Hey¡­ are you okay?¡±


    The girl who sat across from him worriedly patted Hiro¡¯s head, who was at a loss.


    ¡±Don¡¯t be so depressed. It¡¯s okay; It¡¯s not like you¡¯re disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m depressed about, but¡­ what do you mean by disrespect?¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s voice, which was uttered weakly, seemed to have failed to reach her ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m Celia Estreya Elizabeth von Grantz, the sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire, and I¡¯ve just turned fifteen. Everyone calls me Liz. Hiro can call me that, too.¡±


    She ced one hand on her chest and smiled gracefully.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    It would certainly be disrespectful if I called a princess by her nickname, wouldn¡¯t it? Maybe I should change my speaking manner as well. I don¡¯t want to be beheaded under such an iprehensible situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Would it be so disrespectful to call you, Liz?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I said it was okay. You see, even Dios can say and do things like that without being disrespectful.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e to think of it, you¡¯re right¡­ I guess I¡¯ll call you Liz, then.¡±


    She was friendly from the moment we met, so maybe she¡¯s a friendly princess.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to be honest. But as expected, even Dios wouldn¡¯t call me by my nickname, though.¡±


    ¡°Uwooooooooo, I¡¯ve been tricked! I knew it was disrespectful!¡±


    Seeing the flustered Hiro, Lizughed with tears in the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t worry about it. But I guess you shouldn¡¯t call me by my nickname in public. Aside from Dios, the people in the fort might get mad if they know about it.¡±


    ¨D¨DWhat is it like to be yed by someone younger than you? She¡¯s having fun andughing and holding her belly, but please don¡¯t y with life and death. But why does she let me call her by her nickname and be nice to me in so many ways?


    ¡°I have a few questions for you¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re alive.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I tilted my head, not understanding the meaning of her words.


    ¡°Could you tell me a bit more clearly?¡±


    With those words, Liz wandered her gaze with a clean finger to her chin, saying, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Cerberus wasn¡¯t biting you, and besides, the spirits weren¡¯t making any noise either.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ what happens if Cerberus was biting me or the spirits were making noise?¡±


    ¡°You have to be dead.¡±


    Liz shrugged her shoulders and continued.


    ¡°The forest from earlier¨DAnfang Forest is inhabited by many spirits. His Majesty, the first emperor, made a contract with them to protect the forest in return for letting the spirits dwell there, and even now, more than a thousand yearster, they continue to protect it with the utmost discipline. That¡¯s why no one other than the royalty is allowed to enter the forest, and they won¡¯t be able to leave alive either.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was in such a dangerous ce¡­¡±


    There was no way to find a way out of there. If I stayed there, I might have actually died. A chill ran down Hiro¡¯s spine as he listened to the horrible story.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I saved you. Are you convinced?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I understand that I was in a very dangerous situation. But why am I alive? I¡¯m not even royalty, you know?¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s weird. So Dios suspected that you were some kind of spirit.¡±


    ¡°Aah, so that¡¯s why¡­ he reacted like that, huh?¡±


    ¡°That is the way it is. So now that I¡¯ve convinced you, can you tell me your story? What were you doing there? Or are you really a spirit?¡±


    ¡°If I knew that, I wouldn¡¯t be in so much trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Amnesia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m just amoner, a sixteen-year-old high school student.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a high school student?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm? The students who attend the school.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ you mean the students at the training school?¡±


    As expected, he couldn¡¯t make her understand the story. There is no way there are high school students in this other world. Thenguage seems to be Japanese, but that doesn¡¯t mean that the words of the world where Hiro was from can be understood¡­


    (No¨Dthis is different.)


    Hiro finally realizes.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m speaking Japanese, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Japanese? I don¡¯t know if there is such anguage.¡±


    Liz tilted her head and snorted.


    ¡°Um, just to make sure, whatnguage am I speaking right now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Grantzian.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Eh, what?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just wondering how I¡¯m able to speak in Grantzian.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean by that. More importantly, just tell me, what is that high school student?¡±


    Liz leaned in and brought her face close to him. This is the second time today, but he still doesn¡¯t get used to it, and Hiro exposed his agitation to the point that his heart almost jumped out of his mouth.


    ¡°So close! You¡¯re too close!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes? You don¡¯t have to yell at me¡­¡±


    When Liz moved away with a dejected look on her face, he felt a chill in his chest and wanted to apologize. But it would be heartbreaking to have her approach him again. In the end, he couldn¡¯t utter an apology, and he had a lot of things he wanted to think about, but Hiro decided to answer her question as if to escape the guilt.


    ¡°Back to the topic¡­ high school students are like students in a training school like you said.¡±


    ¡°Heh! So in the spirit world, it¡¯s called a high school student!¡±


    She sps her hands together like a maiden praying, and Liz turns to him with sparkling eyes. Hiro gave a wry smile, then opened his mouth.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not a spirit. I¡¯m a human like you.¡±


    ¡°As I said before, you have a very young face. Besides, you seem to have a bit higher voice as an adult.¡±


    ¡°In my world, a sixteen-year-old is a minor, though. Anyway, are the spirits you¡¯re talking about also like me?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Spirits do not have a figure or a voice. But His Majesty, the First Emperor, seemed to be able tomunicate with them.¡±


    ¡°So, how do you think I¡¯m a spirit?¡±


    At Hiro¡¯s question, Liz tilted her head slightly with a finger on her thin chin.


    ¡°Umm¡­ It just feels like it somehow? Besides, it makes a lot more sense for you to be a spirit.¡±


    When he was impressed that she really is a girl who can make any gesture look spectacr, Liz suddenly threw a nce across the window.


    ¡°We should be arriving at the fort soon. I¡¯m a bit fussy, but I¡¯ll treat you as a proper guest, so please take your time.¡±


    Hiro turned his gaze in the same direction, and the setting sun was about to sink beyond the horizon, leaving a reddish-red color like an afterglow on the ground.

 Volume 1, Chapter 1 – Encounter Part 2

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 1 ¨C Encounter Part 2</h4>


    The Great Empire of Grantz, the supreme ruler of the Central Continent. Its capital is called the great imperial capital, dius¨Dlocated two days¡¯ walk away from the eastern side of the city, Fort Taoen.


    That fort is recorded in history as the most important fort for the first emperor. The reason for this is that the country was on the verge of ruin, and from here, the country began to march forward.


    The sessivemanders of such a historical and important stronghold were appointed only by those linked to the Grantz imperial family. Right now, Celia Estreya Elizabeth von Grantz, the Sixth Princess of Grantz, holds the grand appointment. She was currently holding a meeting with her entourage in the operationsmand room inside the fort.


    In the center of the room¨DLiz and two men surrounded the desk.


    ¡°All of the luggage is loaded into the wagons. Now all we have to do is figure out when we¡¯re going to leave for Fort Berg¡­¡± said the man with arge scar on his cheek, Dios von Michael, the Hundred Banners chief.


    ¡°We cannot dismiss the possibility of an attack.¡±


    Following Dios¡¯s words, the one who spoke up was Tris von Termier, the Five Hundred Banners Chief. Despite being a senior warrior, he still exuded supremacy from his muscr body even in his old age. He didn¡¯t even try to hide his confusion as he continued to speak, scratching the back of his head.


    ¡±The Princess¡¯s move is known throughout the Empire. There is no guarantee that someone will note up with something insolent.¡±


    ¡°As expected, a hundred cavalry and two hundred infantry aren¡¯t exactly reassuring, huh?¡±


    Liz¡¯s face turned grim as she met Dios¡¯ gaze.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Most of the soldiers in Fort Taoen are the First Imperial Army. We can¡¯t take them with us. Besides, if we go to Fort Berg¡­ Nah, if we go into Margrave Grinda¡¯s Territory, we¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    The Fort Berg in Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory is ruled by Liz¡¯s uncle¨DMargrave Luzen Kiork von Grinda.


    ¡°My uncle would be happy to receive me¡­ But I¡¯m concerned about what¡¯s going on in the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    To the south of the Margrave Grinda¡¯s Territories is the ve state of the Principality of Lichtine. Depending on how the desert starving wolf moves, the future policy will change.


    When Liz¡¯s worried expression appeared on her face, Dios reassured her by saying emphatically.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. I can¡¯t imagine an attack by the Principality.¡±


    The Principality of Lichtine has been under the strong influence of the Great Grantz Empire for many years. Therefore, despite the fact that Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory and the Principality of Lichtine shared a border with each other, it was still a peaceful area that hadn¡¯t seen any conflict in the past few decades.


    ¡°Indeed. This time the problem is with those who have a negative view of the princess.¡±


    Tris joined the conversation and continued with his words.


    ¡°The most troublesome thing is the interference from the other heirs to the throne, I suppose.¡±


    This move was due to the plot of the other heirs to the throne. She was transferred to a fortress in a peaceful area where there is no battle¨Dwhich means that she was cut off from rising to the top because it¡¯s equivalent to not being able to take credit for it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand that. Mdy is the eighth in the order of session, you know. There¡¯s no point in interfering with her.¡±


    Dios avoided stating it explicitly, partly because of Liz¡¯s presence, but it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that she was left out.


    ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ she was bestowed with one of the Five Emperor Spirit Swords.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? It¡¯s just a sword, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    At Dios¡¯s abusive words, Liz gives him an using look.


    ¡°Ara, if father hears you, he¡¯ll put you to death for disrespect, you know. Or maybe you¡¯ll be cursed by the Spirit King.¡±


    ¡°H-Hmph, If I¡¯m afraid of the spirits, there¡¯s no way I can wage war.¡±


    Dios said strongly, but his face was drawn with fear. Trisughed vigorously at the sight of him.


    ¡°Gahahaha, make sure you apologize before you go to bed.¡±


    The Five Emperor¡¯s Spirit Swords. These are the five treasured swords that were refined by the first emperor after receiving power from the Spirit King. It is said that the will of the spirits dwells in the Spirit Swords, as the name implies.


    They will never appear unless they acknowledge you as their owner, and if you try to force them to appear, you will be cursed. However, if you are recognized, you will be given an immense amount of power.


    For that reason¨Dthey were also called a ¡°Gift¡± from the Spirit King.


    The Spirit Sword me Emperor is a sword in which the spirit of fire resides.


    The Spirit Sword Ice Emperor is a spear in which the spirit of ice resides.


    The Spirit Sword Thunder Emperor is an ax in which the spirit of thunder resides.


    The Spirit Sword Wind Emperor is a bow in which the spirit of wind resides.


    The remaining spirit sword has been lost in history for so long that there is no documentation of what kind of weapon it was. It was only mentioned in the legends that the second emperor favored it.


    Among those, the me Emperor was the first emperor¡¯s favorite. However, no subsequent emperor was ever selected as the me Emperor¡­


    A thousand years have passed, and the owner of the Spirit Sword me Emperor finally appears. She is Celia Estreya Elizabeth von Grantz, the Sixth Princess.


    Unable to give the princess who possessed the me Emperor to be married off to another country, her father, the Emperor, gave the Sixth Princess the rank of Major General and appointed her as themander of Fort Taoen, which was under the jurisdiction of the First Imperial Army. So far, it was fine, but there were those who couldn¡¯t sit idly by and let this happen.


    ¨DThe heirs to the throne.


    As the centripetal force of the Sixth Princess, who was chosen as the me Emperor, grew stronger and stronger by the day, and at the same time, the people began to rumor and support her as the reincarnation of the first emperor.


    Deciding that it was dangerous to keep the Sixth Princess near the Great Imperial City, the First Imperial Commander, First Prince Reinhardt Schtobel von Grantz, decided to move her left to the frontier.


    Normally, this is where the other heirs to the throne would be criticized for using the military for personal use, but that was not the case this time. This was because the other heirs to the throne were in sync with the First Prince. They worked together to put pressure on the nobles who had lifted Liz up.


    After losing her backing, Liz ended up as themander of the remote fortress¨Dand along the way, there¡¯s no guarantee that the Schtobel¡¯s faction won¡¯t send an army to try to make her a deceased person. It¡¯s also possible that another heir to the throne will send their private army. So, she would have to pass through those dangers to reach Fort Berg.


    Dios scratched his head and pointed at the map spread out on the long table.


    ¡°There are two roads to the Fort Berg. One that goes straight south, this one can be considered aplete trap. Assassins, troops, thieves, and bandits of all sorts. The other is to the east, beyond Mount Himmel in the ozarm Mountains, on the side of Baum¡¯s small country, into the territory of the Margrave Grinda.¡±


    ¡°We have horsemen, too, you know. They can¡¯t cross Mount Himmel.¡±


    ¡°If we choose to go south, we won¡¯t be able to avoid total annihtion. The only way to improve our chances of survival is to cross Mount Himmel.¡±


    Following Dios¡¯ words, Tris next to him ced two pieces on the map.


    ¡°Let¡¯s split up. We can¡¯t just send all of our men to Mount Himmel; we need a diversion. Dios, I want you to lead the fifty infantry with the cavalry to the Berg. If you meet the enemy on the road, abandon your wagons and do all you can to get assistance from Margrave Grinda. Is that alright with you, Princess?¡±


    Liz looked unconvinced, but after a moment, she gave a small nod. Dios let out a sigh of relief at having sessfully settled on a policy, and turned to Tris.


    ¡°What about you, old man?¡±


    ¡°I will cross the mountain with the princess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an old man, so don¡¯t push yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m not ready to let a greenhorn beat me yet.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? You¡¯ve got a lot thinner around your armstely, you know?¡±


    ¡°What? Really?!¡±


    Liz¡¯s joke brought a bit of brightness back to the operations control room.

 Volume 1, Chapter 1 – Encounter Part 3

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 1 ¨C Encounter Part 3</h4>


    Outside the window¨Dthe sun has gone downpletely, and the stars are twinkling in the night sky. In a room at Fort Taoen, Hiro is there, but he is just sitting on his bed, not doing anything.


    On the table beside him is a te that had been decorated with food just a short time ago. Apparently, Liz wasn¡¯t lying, Hiro was weed as a guest.


    Although he was never interrogated, his actions were restricted, and there was always a soldier standing in front of the door on guard. It was selfish to be vignt, but to Hiro, in a world where he didn¡¯t know left or right, there was no way he would move around without a care in the world.


    However, time passes in vain as he tries to figure out what to do next, without any good ideas. It was around the time that Hiro began to fight his drowsiness¨D¨D.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your rest.¡±


    Suddenly the door was opened, and it was Liz who walked in. As soon as she came in front of the startled Hiro, Liz scratched her cheeks apologetically.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something urgent to do¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re moving out of here, and we¡¯ll be leaving tonight.¡±


    ¡°¡­In other words?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to return this ce to the First Imperial Army, so Hiro won¡¯t be able to stay here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ indeed, a problem.¡±


    He is thrown into a strangend, a ce where he doesn¡¯t know right or left. And at night¨Dthere¡¯s nothing more frightening than this.


    He wanted to think about what to do here, but¡­ he suddenly looked at Liz and saw that she had an impatient look on her face. Maybe there is no time to think about this anymore.


    Then¡­ Hiro decided.


    ¡°Is it okay if I follow you?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Liz blinked her eyes as Hiro gave a wry smile.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a tough journey. You¡¯ll be dead if you¡¯re not careful. You sure you want that?¡±


    ¡°Either way, I¡¯d probably die if I was thrown out alone on a night like this.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t leave you empty-handed, you know. At least I¡¯ll give you a little flexibility and food¡­¡±


    ¡°I owe you a meal, though. There¡¯s a chance that I might return the favor, but¡­ if it¡¯s okay to follow you, I¡¯ll follow you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a strange man, aren¡¯t you, Hiro?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I have been told that a lot.¡±


    ¨D¨DMostly by Fukutaro, though.


    Liz led him out to the central square of the fort, and there, a bonfire lit the area. Looking up at the sky, a full moon peeked out of the clouds, showering the ground with a calming light.


    In front of the main gate of the fort¨Darge number of soldiers were waiting in armor, their armor emitting a dull glow in the moonlight. At the head of them stood Dios and a man in his mid-forties.


    The middle-aged man was approaching Liz by pulling the reins of her horse.


    ¡°Princess. We are ready. We¡¯re ready to leave at any time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Well then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    After receiving the reins from the middle-aged man, Liz gantly mounted her horse. A momentter, there was a burst¨Dand a shout of cheers. When Hiro turned around in surprise, he saw that many soldiers from the fort hade to see them off, regardless of when they had gathered.


    ¡°Celia Estreya-sama, take care of yourself!


    ¡°Long live Celia Estreya-sama!¡±


    ¡°Long live the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°May you have the blessings of the Spirit King!¡±


    ¡°May you have the blessing of the Twelve Grantz Gods.¡±


    ¡°See you again!¡±


    Liz smiled and waved back, and that brought another round of cheers.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving!¡±


    As Liz shouted while turning her horse¡¯s neck, the horn blew, signaling their departure. The soldiers began to move forward in step. Hiro walked behind Liz¡¯s horse to avoid getting too far away from her.


    ¡°When we can no longer see the fort¡­ we¡¯ll split up. Keep following me, so we don¡¯t get separated.¡±


    Liz¡¯s voice came down from above his head.


    ¡°Yeah. I understand.¡±


    After returning the reply, Hiro continues to walk in silence. No one speaks a single word in private. Only the sound of armor shaking the night air. Surrounded by a strange sense of tension¨Dshe suddenly looked back and saw that the fort was shrouded in darkness and out of sight.


    ¡°Tris! You¡¯d better show us the way properly!¡±


    Liz shouted and jumped off her horse.


    ¡°I do wonder if you can keep up with this old man, Princess.¡±


    Tris started running ahead of Liz.


    ¡°Hiro! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Liz grabbed Hiro¡¯s left hand, and they started running without saying a word. Behind them, they were separated from the soldiers who were breaking from the ranks, and those who were advancing without any problems.


    Next to them, Cerberus sprinted along at a steady pace with a rxed look on his face. Slightly envious of the wolf¡¯s agility, Hiro tried his best to keep his legs from getting tangled up, and desperately followed Liz.


    Rather, it would be more correct to say that he was being forced to run¨D¨D.


    When Hiro was nearing his limit, Liz finally began walking.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Liz looked into his face. Her forehead is drenched in sweat, but her breath isn¡¯t disrupted at all. Surprised at her, Hiro gave her a feeble smile.


    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m fine,¡±


    While breathing wildly, and careful not to bite his tongue, he says it, and Liz smiles at him.


    ¡°Is that so? Let me know if it¡¯s too hard. We can take a break for a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that, Princess.¡±


    It was Tris who interrupted the conversation.


    ¡°If you spoil the boy, he will only be a weakling. A man grows by being pushed down from the valley.¡±


    He wanted to retort it, but with his mouth monopolizing the oxygen, he couldn¡¯t do that. As if to mock Hiro, Cerberus was running around happily.


    ¡°Hiro is just a child. If you push him out of the valley, he¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Hm? That boy is 16 years old, isn¡¯t he? That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard from Dios.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s a child on the outside. You have to be nice to him.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? It is true that he looks young at sixteen¡­ but a child? Fumu, I can¡¯t understand.¡±


    Removing his gaze from Tris, who had begun tough, Hiro looked behind him. Arge number of soldiers were following them. Even though their breaths were ragged from the heavy armor¡¯s burden, they didn¡¯t seem to fall off.


    (They must all be well-trained. Still, the most amazing thing is¨D¨D.)


    Once again, looking at Tris, despite being the oldest, he wasn¡¯t even sweating.


    Anyway¨D¨D.


    ¡°Is there anyone left behind?¡±


    Liz said worriedly, and the old soldier looked confident.


    ¡°There is no such thing as a weakling. We are not trained half-heartedly.¡±


    Without any checking, Tris assured her. It seemed that he trusted the soldiers so much, and the trust could be felt from his words.


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s good then¡­¡±


    Liz lets out a sigh of relief, and Tris gives her a good-natured smile.


    ¡°So far, so good. We should be able to set foot in the mountains before sunrise. If we keep this up, it¡¯s likely we won¡¯t be seen by anyone.¡±


    ¡°How do you think Dios is doing?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That guy¡¯s very strong.¡±


    As Hiro listened to their conversation, the sky began to turn white, and he could see the vast mountains in front of them. Liz still held Hiro¡¯s hand. Maybe it¡¯s from fatigue¡­ or perhaps he¡¯s getting used to it, he¡¯s not as embarrassed as he was the first time.


    When they step into the entrance to the mountain path, Lizes closer to his face. Hiro¡¯s face turns red again at the sudden approach, but he decides to wait for Liz¡¯s words in silence.


    ¡°Beyond this mountain, there¡¯s a small country of Baum, and it¡¯s a very safe ce. A beautiful city full of nature. But we don¡¯t have time to stop by this time, however.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could have shown you around. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Liz muttered regretfully and called out to Tris.


    ¡°I wonder if my brother¡¯s hand has reached out to the small country of Baum?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say that there¡¯s no need to worry about that, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s aforting thought. However, we cannot dismiss the possibility that they have discovered our strategy.¡±


    Tris made a problematic face and continued to speak.


    ¡°Besides, since we haven¡¯t notified the small country of Baum this time, we have to head to the Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory as soon as possible without causing any unnecessary inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right. I mean, we¡¯re about the size of apany, so they¡¯ll likely find out pretty quickly.¡±


    ¡°Even if they find out, they can do nothing against the Empire. Though they may swear at us inwardly.¡±


    ¡°It makes me feel guilty that I¡¯m taking advantage of their weakness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send them a letter of apology when things are settled in Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d forgive us if they knew what we¡¯re up to.¡±


    After they finished, Liz turned her gaze upwards. When Hiro looked at her, he saw a gentle hill. The nt-filled path was really a perfect pic spot, and although he had heard it was steep, the air was so peaceful that he felt nothing like that.


    A small animal ran up the mountain path, and as Hiro looked on, his eyes softened.


    ¡°Fufu, looks like you¡¯re having fun.¡±


    Liz called out to him. Hiro nodded with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Yeah. I heard it was steep. I was prepared for it, but it¡¯s a nice hill. I think it¡¯s perfect for a nap.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. Himmel is one of the easiest mountains to climb in the ozarm mountain range. But it¡¯s so riddled with monsters that it¡¯s impassable to peddlers. We¡¯re still okay here, though.¡±


    ¡°Mo-monster?¡±


    He asked back in a hysterical voice.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The closer you get to the summit, the more violent it gets. This time we have to cross that and get to the other side, so it¡¯s going to be tough, you know?¡±


    It¡¯s scary to hear these words that he only hears in games from a beautiful girl. It¡¯s because her face is so well-defined that she is strangelypelling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect you, so you can stand behind me and keep your chest up.¡±


    ¡°Woof.¡±


    Cerberus is barking. I¡¯ll protect you too, bro. That seems to be what he said, looking by his expression. But after a moment or so, they didn¡¯t see the monster, and then¨D¨D.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a break here?¡±


    Liz called out to Tris. And the old warrior nodded while stroking his beard.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ Considering what¡¯s ahead, it¡¯s best to regain some strength.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided! Each of you can rest as you please!¡±


    The soldiers began to lower their shields and swords to the ground, as Liz¡¯s voice was heard. Hiro sat down in the shade of a nearby rock while watching it with a sideways nce.


    (Not as painful as I imagined it would be¡­)


    Perhaps he¡¯s taking it too easy since they¡¯ve only just entered the mountain¡­ but his body is enduring this climb more than he thought it would. The same is true when he ran from Fort Taoen to the entrance of the mountain road. Although not as much as Liz and the others, Hiro was able to keep up with them properly.


    It was amazing that Hiro, who hadn¡¯t even done any club activities, was able to run like the soldiers who trained on a regr basis.


    (Maybe that¡¯s why¡­ I find it enjoyable.)


    When Hiro couldn¡¯t help but smile¨D¨D.


    ¡°Oh, boy. You¡¯re doing great.¡±


    An old soldier patted Hiro¡¯s shoulder and said so.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty solid for someone so young. I thought you¡¯d be scurrying back in an hour or two.¡±


    ¡°Good grief. It¡¯s not so easy, you know.¡±


    A young soldier approached with augh. The old soldier shook his head with an exaggerated gesture.


    ¡°Still, he deserves apliment for following us this far at his age, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Well yeah. That¡¯s certainly a big feat considering his age.¡±


    Somehow¡­ it seems like he may be misunderstood, so Hiro decided to correct it.


    ¡°Just so you know¡­ I¡¯m sixteen years old, okay?¡±


    ¡°Haha, the boy¡¯s got some funny things to say.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You shouldn¡¯t be joking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±


    Liz interrupts the conversation. The two appalled soldiers looked at Liz.


    ¡°No, eh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Do you think I would lie?¡±


    When Liz smiled and nodded, the old soldier looked at Hiro while scratching the back of his head as if he was troubled.


    ¡°No, Princess-sama wouldn¡¯t lie. But, oh boy, it¡¯s too confusing¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, now that I think about it, I guess I can understand that you¡¯re sixteen years old.¡±


    The two soldiers take a good look at him. Hiro was puzzled, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Liz looking at him happily.


    (Ah¡­ maybe she was paying attention to me?)


    An unknown man is apanying them on their journey. Naturally, the soldiers would be tempted to ask who he was. However, due to Liz¡¯s presence, they didn¡¯t erupt in theint. Liz may have interrupted the conversation in an attempt to close such a delicate distance.


    ¡°Well then, the break is over! We¡¯re leaving!¡±


    Moreover, he was interrupted at the most critical conversation. He did not know when the next break would be, but he was sure that the distance between him and the soldiers would be closer than it was now. Hiro stood up, thanking Liz for her help.

 Volume 1, Chapter 1 – Encounter Part 4

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 1 ¨C Encounter Part 4</h4>


    It has been five hours since Hiro made his way to the top of the mountain while forming friendships with the soldiers. The sun had fully risen when Hiro looked up over his head, and the area waspletely bright. When he looked up, he could see the top of the mountain at a distance, but then.


    ¨D¨Dthat guy suddenly appeared.


    A big and ugly face. The two bloodshot eyes moved around as if evaluating Hiro and the others. Seeing from its gaping mouth, you can see the yellow teeth that have fallen out in some ces. The neck is thicker than Hiro¡¯s waist, and the belly bulges out in front like a balloon.


    It was an ugly humanoid monster.


    ¡°What is¡­ that¡­¡±


    And then Lizes closer to Hiro¡¯s ear, who is panicked and speaks up.


    ¡°It¡¯s an Ogle. It¡¯s said that they were originally human, but were cursed by a spirit and turned into an ugly form. It is a monster that was driven out of the human vige and inhabits these mountain ranges, attacking travelers and devouring human flesh.¡±


    [Editor Note: Yes, it is Ogle, not Ogre. I thought it was a typo at first, too, but keep reading and you¡¯ll understand why its not a mistrantionter in this chapter.]


    Liz calmly exins to him, but he can¡¯t concentrate much because her breath tickles his ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s strong but not very intelligent, however, so it won¡¯t be too hard to take it down.¡±


    And as soon as Liz finished speaking, Cerberus ran over.


    ¡°Guruaaahhh!¡±


    He shed his sharp ws at the Ogle¡¯s neck in a sh. Apanied by an eerie buzzing sound, the top of the Ogle¡¯s neck is gone, and the earth is dyed red-ck as blood gushes out.


    Gross¡­ Hiro turned away, but even beyond that, there was a scene that made him want to cover his eyes. Ogle¡¯s head rolled down the rumbling slope.


    As Liz watched the scene, there was a smile on her face as if a flower had bloomed.


    ¡°Look!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°As expected of Cerberus-dono. The invisible wing! It was a wonderful thing to see.¡±


    ¡°Woof.¡±


    Cerberus responded to Tris¡¯s praise by wagging his tail.


    ¡°There are more powerful ones out there than that one.¡±


    A threatening smile spread across Liz¡¯s face as she turned around. Hiro shrugged his shoulders and gave a single sigh.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine that¡­¡±


    After muttering behind Liz¡¯s back, Hiro started walking again, but he felt a dull ache in the soles of his feet.


    (As expected, it¡¯s getting harder.)


    What was once a green mountain path is now a gravel path mixed withrge rocks. Every step he takes causes pain in the soles of his feet. However, if he tried to concentrate on avoiding therge rocks, he would lose his strength.


    Liz looked into Hiro¡¯s face with concern, as if it had been shown on his face.


    ¡°Hiro, are you okay? If it hurts, I¡¯ll carry you on my back, okay?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to let a girl carry me on her back¡­ I¡¯m a man, after all.¡±


    Showing gratitude for her kindness, Hiro turned his attention to the summit. It seemed so close, yet so far away. Still, the change in scenery made him feel that they were making progress.


    Besides, Liz gave them several breaks in between. They can¡¯t allow themselves to be weak. Most importantly, every time the soldiers took a break, she would say, ¡°You are quite gutsy¡± and ¡°Just a little more patience¡±. So it¡¯s more of a pleasant feeling than a painful one. From the bottom of his heart, he¡¯s d to have apanied her on this journey.


    When Hiro was immersed in the sense of fulfillment that he couldn¡¯t get even in his former world, Liz gave him a serious look.


    ¡°There are a lot of monsters from here on out, so you should never leave me, Hiro!¡±


    ¡°Is there still something like the Ogle?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Or rather, there¡¯s a bunch of Ogles here.¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, you know.¡±


    And as Liz imitated Hiro¨Darge amount of rocks rolled in from ahead.


    ¡°Hide behind the rocks!¡±


    When Tris shouted aloud, the soldiers swiftly hid behind the rocks. Hiro also tried to hide behind a rock¨Dbut he couldn¡¯t do it. He couldn¡¯t move because Liz pulled his arm.


    ¡°Liz! We have to run away quickly!¡±


    When he says it with frustration in his voice, Liz turns her calm face to him.


    ¡°No. You should stay here. It¡¯s safer for you to stay close to me.¡±


    ¡°What are you¨D¨D!?¡±


    The ground shook greatly, making it difficult to stand properly. A single rock struck a nearby rock and shattered into pieces on the ground. The debris rained down on the two of them. It would have been fine if that was all, but like a meteor, arge group of rocks tumbled down.


    One of thergest rocks among those fell to the ground.


    We¡¯re not going to make it. I¡¯m going to be crushed. Hiro couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes as he thought that he was going to be crushed. But no matter how long it took, the pain didn¡¯te. When he opened his eyes, he saw arge rock that had broken in half and was now melting.


    ¡°Eh, what¡¯s this¡­¡±


    Hiro looked at it with a stupefied look on his face. However, there was not a single rock. The melted rock was used as a foothold, and with a heavy, dull sound, more rocks flew overhead.


    When therge shadow enveloped Hiro and the others ¨D Suddenly, the rock was swallowed by the powerful mes and crushed. The debris scattered around as if to avoid Hiro and the others.


    ¡°Hiro! Don¡¯t move from here!¡±


    When the stunned Hiro responded to the voice¨DLiz was running towards the rocks. The soldiers, who had been hiding behind the rocks, came to Hiro with impassive faces. Beside them, Cerberus was looking up at the sky and stretching himself absent-mindedly.


    As Hiro is puzzled as to why they have so much leeway, the sound of an explosion shakes the stunned Hiro¡¯s eardrums with a loud bang.


    Looking at the source of the sound, he saw that the red hair was dancing. With the rocks in front of her, Liz waved her arms, and strangely, the rocks exploded one after another¨Dthe debris melted in the air and collided with the ground, causing a burnt smell to stick in the nostrils and white smoke to drift around.


    ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s anything else. Hiro, are you hurt?¡±


    Liz, who had dealt with all the rocks, came back without breaking a sweat.


    ¡°Eh, no, no, but¡­¡±


    Hiro tried to ask her a question, but¨D¨D.


    ¡°There¡¯s a group of Ogles!¡±


    Someone shouted that. Everyone¡¯s gaze came together and turned to the same location. A group of ugly looking Ogles was looking down at them. In the center of the group was a singlerge Ogre, and seven Ogles surrounded it.


    ¡°There¡¯s an Ogre, too. If Dios had been here, he would have been happy.¡±


    Liz next to him, muttered in a nervous tone of voice.


    ¡°Ogre?¡± [T/n: Ogle = ¥ª¥°¥ë (Oguru) and Ogre = ¥ª©`¥¬ (Oga).]


    When Hiro asked back, Liz nodded, keeping her gaze intact.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s that big, creepy one, right? It¡¯s a mutation; it¡¯s more violent and intelligent than the others. That¡¯s why it forms a group and attacks people.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that the rockfall that just happened was¡­¡±


    ¡°Correct. They did that. I guess they thought it would be fun to eat human flesh.¡±


    ¡°¡­But is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°This is not the first time we¡¯ve faced an ogre, so it¡¯s not a problem if we keep our cool. Besides, there¡¯s the fact that Dios has been called the ¡°Ogre¡± because of the number of times he has killed an Ogre.¡±


    ¡°Heh~¡­¡±


    While Hiro and Liz were talking, the soldiers were getting ready for battle. The heavily armed infantry was building a wall with their shields propped up against the ground in front of Hiro. Behind them, the archers were drawing their bowstrings and waiting for the signal.


    Liz, who looked at them, raised her hand to the sky and then waved it vertically.


    ¡°Archers, shoot!¡±


    Countless arrows flew straight at the group of Ogles. In the blink of an eye, countless arrows pierced therge giants¡¯ bodies and seeded in killing four of them at once.


    Two angry Ogles rushed down, enraged by the death of their own kind.


    ¡°Archers, aim for their legs!¡±


    As Liz ordered, the Ogles, who had been struck in the foot with precise aim, rolled down with great force. They mmed into the wall of shields that the soldiers had improvised and stopped their movement, only to be topped off by the spears that extended through the gap.


    The remaining Ogre and a single Ogle seemed to have chosen to escape and were trying to climb the slope.


    ¡°Cerberus!¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    Responding to Liz¡¯s voice, Cerberus jumped over the wall and climbed up the hill at a brisk pace. He quickly caught up with the Ogle and bounced its head off of it, bringing the Ogre to a halt.


    ¡°Heavily armed infantry! Clear the front! Light infantry,e with me!¡±


    ¡°Oooh!¡± the soldiers shouted in unison.


    The shield wall opened up on either side, and it was Liz who took the lead from there. Tris and the light infantry chased after her from behind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down just because there is only one Ogre! It¡¯s a lot more intelligent and powerful than the Ogles!¡±


    The lightly armed infantry unit focused on the Ogre¡¯s feet. They retreated quickly before a counterattack coulde, and then a covering shot was delivered by the archers, but it wasn¡¯t fatal enough. The Ogre continues to rampage even as countless arrows pierced it. It was a back-and-forth battle in front of the Ogre¡¯s incredible life force.


    However, the equilibrium was broken by the hand of the red-haired girl.


    ¡°Stand back! I¡¯ll take care of the rest!¡±


    When things got to this point, Hiro finally realized that there was something in Liz¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh, is that the first time you¡¯ve seen that, kid?¡±


    One of the soldiers tapped Hiro¡¯s shoulder and told him. Hiro held his gaze and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Eh, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Look at the Spirit Sword, the me Emperor.¡±


    His heart¨Dthumping and pulsing.


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­ probably for the first time.¡±


    Hiro pressed his chest and caught Liz dancing against the Ogre. In her hand was a single red sword¨Da beautiful, bright red de like a ruby, with a golden hilt that was even more sparkling in the sunlight.


    The Ogre¡¯s ugly face seemed to be distorted with fear as mes of the hellfire erupted from the tip of the de. The Ogre decides that closebat is dangerous and starts throwing nearby rocks at Liz.


    However, Liz continues to dodge effortlessly, and the inevitable rocks are burned up by the me Emperor¡¯s mes. The moment Liz closes the distance between her and the Ogre unobtrusively, a hot wind blows in the air.


    The next thing that happens is a deafening scream from the monster, and the giant Ogre is engulfed in the crimson lotus. The mes only grew stronger, instead of diminishing, until its body was turned to ashes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve defeated it~!¡±


    After confirming that the monster has died, Liz puts on a full, charming smile and waves her hand towards Hiro. The sight of her walking with the me Emperor¡¯s de pointed at the ground, caught Hiro¡¯s eyes, and glued his eyes to her.


    The beauty that rivals any painting exists in the world. Again, the depths of his chest pulsed with a loud thump, Hiro let out a hot breath as he clutched his chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ what is this¡­?¡±


    His heart is beating fast, and he knows that something is raging within. But then the pretty girl asked him, ¡°Are you okay?¡±, and he was brought back to his senses by looking into her face.


    ¡°Hiyau!?¡±


    ¡°Hiya!?¡±


    Hiro was surprised and made a strange sound. Liz was also surprised and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°What is it? Are you hurt somewhere?¡±


    ¡°S-sorry. I¡¯m not hurt¡­ I mean, you looked so cool! So-!¡±


    As Hiro waved his hands in front of his face as he spoke his thoughts, Liz¡¯s face came even closer and grabbed him by the shoulders, not wanting to miss.


    ¡°Really? Was it that great?¡±


    ¡°Eh, no, I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s kind of¡­ breathtaking; it¡¯s really¡­ it¡¯s just so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Geez, don¡¯t embarrass me like that! You can say that again, though!¡±


    Liz pats Hiro¡¯s shoulder repeatedly while shaking her head in embarrassment.


    ¡°Alright, you guys, let¡¯s go~.¡±


    ¡°Hey, kid, bring some of my stuff.¡±


    ¡°I want you to do the same to mine too.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you can help me too.¡±


    The soldiers who had been so kind to him changed their attitude. A pile of swords, spears, bows, and shields piled up in front of the dumbfounded Hiro.


    (Aren¡¯t these things essential to protect their lives? What is it, even Tris-san is taking advantage of the situation too¡­)


    The tant harassment gave him a headache, and he looked up at the sky, which was turning reddish-brown. Liz had said they would be at the summit by evening, but perhaps ns meant that things didn¡¯t work out the way they were supposed to.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break around here for today, shall we?¡±


    Liz said, and Tris nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. The number of monsters will increase from here on out. I think it would be best to make camp around here.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get our equipment sorted out and get the tent up before nightfall.¡±


    After saying that, Liz skipped the precise instructions, and the soldiers began to move unsteadily. By the time they finished putting up the tent, darkness had utterly swept over the area.


    When Hiro looked back, he saw that the soldiers had pitched the tent for them to sleep in, centered around thergest tent for the Princess¡¯s use only. There were also many bonfires set up to prevent the beasts from approaching or appearing, and heavily armed infantrymen were guarding in pairs of four on all sides to deal with the monsters no matter where they came from.


    ¡°Haah¨D¡­ we¡¯ve managed to get through today, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    Hiro let out a long breath and looked up at the night sky to see the stars shimmering in the sky. After watching for a while, Liz came out from the tent behind him while putting her breath on her hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We have to go to sleep early tonight, you know¡­ or are you hungry?¡±


    Hiro shook his head when she asked him.


    ¡°No, no. I was just looking at the stars.¡±


    There were other reasons¡­


    ¡°Does Hiro like the stars?¡±


    ¡°No, not really. But I¡¯ve never seen them up close before, so it¡¯s unusual.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Liz approached until their shoulders were close enough to touch. To hide the embarrassment and agitation, Hiro looked up at the sky again. The sky was so full of stars that it looked like he could reach out to them with his hand, giving off an overwhelming glow. His exhaled breath turned white, but strangely he didn¡¯t feel cold.


    ¡°I heard about it from my mother a long time ago.¡±


    Liz¡¯s sweet, clear voice pleasantly came to Hiro¡¯s earbuds.


    ¡°When people die, they be spirits, and the spirits¡¯ souls be stars, watching over the world together with the Spirit King. When you feel scared, when you feel sad, when you feel lonely, look up at the sky, because then you will know that you are not alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good saying.¡±


    ¡°Every citizen of the Empire knows this luby.¡±


    Liz smiled shyly and grabbed Hiro¡¯s left hand with white teeth peeking out of her mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the tent and go to sleep before you catch a cold.¡±


    Hiro was pulled without a moment¡¯s embarrassment.


    ¡°W-wait! Wait! I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°W-why, you ask? Because a man and a woman of age, sleeping in the same tent together are just¡­¡±


    That was the reason he was outside.


    When Liz had finished putting up the tent, Liz¡¯s words, ¡°Hiro¡¯s going to sleep here too,¡± made Hiro shudder. He wanted to avoid that¨Dhe nned to pass the time outside and wait for her to sleep first, but it seemed futile.


    ¡°There¡¯s Cerberus, too.¡±


    ¡°No, still¡­¡±


    Inside the tent, Cerberus was already asleep.


    ¡°Come on, juste in,e in!¡±


    Hiro was pushed on his back and stepped into the tent. On top of the tent, a candle-litntern hung from it. It wasn¡¯t bright enough to show the entire interior, but it was bright enough to give it a glow that made his heart beat faster. The ground is covered with a thick nket to keep from hurting from the gravel.


    Cerberus positioned himself in the center, and looking to his left, a nket that looked like a duvet had been prepared for them.


    ¡°It would have been nice if we could have bathed, but I¡¯m sorry if I smelled like sweat, okay?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, I can¡¯t sleep with you, as expected.¡±


    ¡°Eh, do I really smell like sweat¡­?¡±


    Liz began to sniff her own body odor as she moved her smooth, shapely nose.


    (That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. Rather, I¡¯m probably sweating more than you are.)


    When Hiro is unsure of what to say to her, Liz gives him a carefree smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what I smell like. But you know, let¡¯s just sleep without worrying about each other.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to sleep with¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Geez, stopining! I told you we have to be up early tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Gubuh!¡±


    Hiro let out a gasp as he received a strong shock from his back. For a moment, his vision turns ck, and the next time he opens his eyes, he¡¯s already lying down. Liz¡¯s face is close enough that he can see her face at the edge of his vision¨Dhis whole body feels her warmth, so he doesn¡¯t have to bother checking it out with his eyes.


    ¡°Cerberus won¡¯t let me hold him when he sleeps.¡±


    ¨DBut that doesn¡¯t mean you can use me as a substitute instead. Said Hiro inwardly.


    ¡°Fuwaah, I think I¡¯m going to sleep early today¡­¡±


    Hiro¡¯s heart was pounding so loudly that he couldn¡¯t sleep, on the contrary.


    ¡°Fuu¡­nnn¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­What a great sleeper you are.¡±


    ¨D¨DWell, what to do now¡­


    It would be nice if the sheep would show up soon, but all that appears is the devil. Even now, it¡¯s dangerous, but when he looks to the side, he can¡¯t help but develop an evil feeling. Hiro fell into the darkness while dealing with the devils that appeared one after another.


    [Editor Note: sounds like sleep paralysis. Rtable.]

 Volume 1, Chapter 1 – Encounter Part 5

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 1 ¨C Encounter Part 5</h4>


    ¨D¨DAt the same time.


    One hundred cells (three hundred kilometers) southeast of the great imperial capital, dius, there is a small vige called Zegen. Due to the proximity of the Second Imperial Capital, it is a safe area with few bandits and monsters, but it was currently enveloped in a bleak atmosphere.


    A number of tents of various sizes were set up around the vige, and the ones guarding the area were heavily armed infantry. The vigers, either not wanting to get involved or afraid, uniformly shut themselves up in their homes.


    Dozens of heavily armed infantry were on guard around the vige chief¡¯s house. In front of the door was a g with a sword and shield emblem on a purple base, floating in the air as the wind blew.


    Once inside, a well-kept passageway¨Dand by going to the left of it, you¡¯ll reach the guest room. There were two people there, a lovely girl and a young man with a fearless face.


    ¡°Aura-sama. Should I check around this ce for more?¡±


    The young man¡¯s name was Lawrence Alfred von Spitz. He looked at his superior, who was a woman who he adored like a goddess.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Perhaps because of her silver hair and leaden eyes, she looks terribly cold. But it¡¯s also true that her bangs are trimmed at the top of her eyebrows, and perhaps because of herrge eyes, she looks as protected as a small animal. Due to her small and slender stature, the word ¡°lovely¡± fits her well.


    Despite being 17 years old, one might say that this body shape is a miracle.


    (Ah¡­ God-given looks are as good as the princesses of the Grantz imperial family.)


    Aside from her looks, she also has a tremendous background.


    Trea Luzandi Aura von Bunadara. Graduated from the Imperial Training School with the highest grade. She was the youngest person ever to be selected for the Third Imperial Army staff and themander in chief and is now the chief of staff. She became chief of staff when she was 15 years old.


    It was also the year that the third prince, Brutar, who wanted to gain an achievement, invaded Felzen, a great power in the west, which had been engaged in a series of small-scale shes on a daily basis. However, he was forced to fight harder than he had expected and caused enough damage to destroy the trust of the Emperor.


    The Third Prince, Brutar, who had been cornered, gathered his staff and said: ¡°Whoever can devise a n to win this war, step forward! If you speak poorly, I shall have you beheaded.¡±


    Every member of the staff was silenced, and the anger of the third prince, Brutar, was about to reach its peak.


    ¡°Your Excellency. I can lead this war to victory.¡±


    The girl, who had been added to the end of the staff, stepped forward and brought curiosity to the table. The third prince, Brutar, named her chief of staff for her bravery and, since he was disappointed by the fact that the others did note forward, he beheaded all of them except for the children of the most powerful noblemen.


    She was chosen as the chief of staff, and her extraordinary intelligence was soon put to good use. She devised, executed, and seeded in a session of clever and cunning operations, and in the blink of an eye, she began to chip away at Felzen¡¯s territory. Meanwhile, the great power of Felzen would suffer war after war, resulting in many deaths and a rapid decline in national power.


    It was decided that further warfare would lead to the copse of the state, so Felzen offered a ceasefire, which resulted in negotiation.


    The third prince, Brutar, praised her as the ¡°War Maiden¡± for her contribution to the Empire¡¯s victory, in honor of the second emperor¡¯s nickname, the God of War. She is now leaning back in her chair and opening a book.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    The only sound in the room where the silence fell was from the sound of flipping papers. Maybe she didn¡¯t hear it, or perhaps she was ignoring it, but still, Spitz didn¡¯t give up and called out to her.


    ¡°Aura-sama. I would appreciate it if you could listen to what I have to say, instead of just reading the book.¡±


    Whenever she has even a little spare time, Aura has a habit of reading books. Moreover, she always reads a book¨Da book about the life of the second emperor. Probably no one else in the entire Empire would know the second emperor as much as she does.


    ¡°Aura-sama, please listen to me.¡±


    Atst, Aura¡¯s eyes turned to Spitz as she closed the book, perhaps because his voice had reached her. Aha¨Dand Spitz was so moved that he dropped to his knees and prostrated himself.


    ¡°Viscount Spitz. What I am about to say is not an insult to His Majesty the First Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    It¡¯s starting again, Spitzmented inwardly. After reading the folklore, she would alwaysmence with this story.


    ¡°The reign of His Majesty Altius, the first Emperor, was brilliant. But whoid the foundation for it is¡­ His Majesty Schwartz, the second emperor, who brought victory to the country on the verge of destruction and conquered the surrounding countries. Without him, we wouldn¡¯t have the Great Empire of Grantz today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very true, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°After Altius¡¯ death, his brother, His Majesty Schwartz, was over 70 years old when he took the throne. He had little time left. In fact, he passed away after only one year on the throne. If he had been the first emperor, he could have united the world.¡±


    Spitz¡¯s head drooped in a paragraph as he looked at his superior, who was talking passionately with muffled expressions. She¡¯s talking about a story from a thousand years ago¨Dboth of them are now revered and worshipped as the one and two great gods of Grantz. Since the Great Grantz Empire exists, it¡¯s certain that the two of them were real.


    However, the story must have been adapted in many ways. For example, Schwartz, the second emperor, defeated an army of 10,000 men in hisst battle alone. Also, with a single swing of the sword, the city was destroyed in the legends, but even with the five spirit swords, such a feat would be impossible to achieve.


    After all, the wielder is a human being. It¡¯s also a problem in terms of physical strength. Spitz thinks it would be around a thousand people at best. It¡¯s a great achievement, but¡­


    ¨D¨DI would like you to focus on what¡¯s in front of you rather than that right now.


    ¡°How long are you going to stay here, Aura-sama?¡±


    ¡°¡­I still have a lot more to say.¡±


    ¡°A letter from Brutar-sama hase for you.¡±


    When he mentioned the name, she grumbled but listened grudgingly.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ what did it say?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t read it yet.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t just tear open a letter from a member of the imperial family without permission.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just read the folklore of His Majesty Schwartz. I want to enjoy the aftermath of this. So read it, Lord Spitz.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright. Then I will read it for you.¡±


    Spitz took out a fancy decorated envelope.


    On a piece of paper is written: ¡°My dear War Maiden¡±. It has been ten days since you left the castle and I am surprised that the good news has yet to arrive. You do not have to hesitate just because you are dealing with an imperial family. Give the impudent little girl the hammer of death. If you are worried about something, I will send an army to help you, as many as you wish. May the twelve great Gods of Grantz bless you, my ¡°War Maiden¡±.


    ¡°¨D¨DThat¡¯s what it says.¡±


    ¡°¡­A stupid person.¡±


    Aura dered with a disgusted look on her face. Spitz turned a wry smile on her face.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Even though he is the third in the order of session, if something happens to the First Prince, the Sixth Princess, who has the blessing of the Five Spirit Sword Emperors, could take the throne.¡±


    ¡°The twenty-eighth and thirty-sixth emperors didn¡¯t even know how to handle a sword. It¡¯s not about being chosen for the Spirit Sword, it¡¯s about having the qualities of an emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­I hoped Brutar-sama would understand that.¡±


    ¡°If he understood, he wouldn¡¯t be doing anything to incur the Emperor¡¯s wrath. In fact, he didn¡¯t even think that he was endangering his own position.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ he has a short temper.¡±


    ¡°Burn the letters, it¡¯s just disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After throwing the letter into the nearby furnace, Spitz took out a single red paper. As he continued to throw it in, a small pir of fire rose up and turned it into ashes, leaving not a single piece of the letter behind.


    When Spitz looked at Aura again, a difficult color spread across her face.


    ¡±It¡¯s a waste of a spirit talisman to burn a single letter.¡±


    ¡°We have burned the letters from an imperial family. If even the smallest fragment of the letter is left behind, Aura-sama will be in danger. We have to be thorough about these things, or we won¡¯t know what will happen.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ you have a point. I¡¯ll send a letter to the Spirit King¡¯s Templeter. The paper should be charged to Brutar-sama¡­ are 20 sheets enough?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to do that, just a single spirit talisman is no big deal.¡±


    Spitz says so, but one spirit talisman costs three Grantz gold coins. Amoner¡¯s wage per day is three Dratz silver coins. Ten Dratz silver coins are worth one Gratz silver coin, and ten Gratz silver coins are worth one Grantz gold coin.


    Although they are too expensive for the average person to afford, spirit talismans are valued for their ability to cure diseases. Many people, regardless of their status,e to the Spirit King¡¯s Temple to buy spirit talismans.


    However, it is unlikely thatmoners can purchase them. This is because the number of papers that are produced in a day is between eighty and one hundred, and the imperial family and great nobles buy most of them. And if they did asionally appear on the market, most of them would be sold for double the price.


    ¡°And we also have some reserves, so we should have enough for this mission.¡±


    These days they are mainly used when dealing with spirit weapons because they are expensive and rare. So no one uses it to light a letter on fire as they did just now. Even if it¡¯s the imperial family, if they used it like that, their finances would copse, and waiting for them would be ruin.


    The Spitz family is not poor, but they are not wealthy either. Spirit talismans are valuable, but¡­


    (For the sake of Aura-sama, I don¡¯t care if my house falls over.)


    It¡¯s not much of an expense, Spitz thinks,pared to his respected and beloved lord. Looking at her workaholic subordinate, Aura sighed and then turned serious.


    ¡±It¡¯s not that I¡¯m ying around here. This ce is right next to Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.¡±


    If they travel a few dozen cells south of this vige, they can enter the Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.


    ¡°¡­Are we going to invade them?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty. And above all, you don¡¯t have any cause to do that. If you do that, your head will be flying.¡±


    ¡°Then why are we here?¡±


    ¡°To meet with the sixth princess.¡±


    ¡°I doubt they would be willing to be obedient if we met in person, right?¡±


    ¡°Then I will give up and go home.¡±


    If the sixth princess said she didn¡¯t want to, Aura would go home as she said. However, if she did that, Aura would be the one responsible.


    ¡°Brutar-sama wants the sixth princess dead.¡±


    ¡°What do you think will happen if we kill the sixth princess?¡±


    ¡°¡­If His Majesty the Emperor is angry, the worst case scenario is that Brutar-sama will be beheaded.¡±


    ¡°The owner of the me Emperor is rare. I¡¯m sure His Majesty will not forgive his son¡¯s barbarism.¡±


    ¡°But we would be in danger if we disobeyed Brutar-sama¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, we must buy time for His Majesty to return from his campaign. Then Brutar-sama will give up too.¡±


    Currently, the Emperor is not present in the Great Empire of Grantz. This was because the negotiations for a ceasefire with Felzen had broken down, and they were invading again with the first prince. In other words, the third prince, Brutar, was, as it turned out, taking advantage of the Emperor¡¯s absence to turn his sister into a dead person. If the Emperor returned, the third prince, Brutar, would have no choice but to give up, but the anger of his failure would surely be directed at Aura.


    (That much must be avoided.)


    Spitz decided to make it look like he was convinced on the outside.


    ¡°I understand. What do you want me to do now?¡±


    ¡°First, write a letter to the Margrave Grinda. The content is appropriate.¡±


    And then Aura dropped her gaze and went back to her pleasant reading. Spitz exited the guest room and let out a heavy sigh as he leaned back against the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to do it when ites to this.¡±


    When ites down to it, Aura will be stubborn. She wouldn¡¯t move, no matter what. Spitz bowed his head towards the door and started walking out of the house.

 Volume 1, Chapter 2 – Glimpse Part 1

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 2 ¨C Glimpse Part 1</h4>


    Nothing feels longer than the time you¡¯re awake. Nothing feels shorter than the time you are asleep. There was a boy sleeping with his body wrapped up in a nket and only his head exposed.


    ¨D¨DIt was Hiro.


    ¡°Cerberus. Don¡¯t you think he sleeps very soundly?¡±


    ¡°Woof.¡±


    ¡°I feel sorry for him, but I have to wake him up.¡±


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    Though his eyelids are heavy, Hiro¡¯s consciousness is drawn out of the darkness as he hears such an exchange. But he still wants to surrender to this warmth and happiness. So he covered his head with the nket.


    At that moment¨D¨D.


    ¡°Gubooohhhh!¡±


    Hiro¡¯s eyes popped out of his head with a shock that spread from his stomach to his entire body.


    ¡°That¡­is not the reaction I was expecting.¡±


    His belly was in intense pain¨Dbut his body couldn¡¯t move, even though he wanted to dissipate the pain. Hiro could only twitch his mouth like a fish being swept ashore.


    ¡°Fufu, ahahahahahaha.¡±


    Laughteres down like a shaking bell.


    ¡°Hi-Hiro¡­ Why are you making a face like that? Do you want to make meugh in the morning?¡±


    Hiro looked up with teary eyes and saw Liz holding her stomach in front of him.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s my line¡­ what are you doing?¡±


    She stepped over Hiro¡¯s stomach. The ce where he could feel the throbbing pain. The source of the pain is definitely her. When he asked her why she did such a violent thing¨D¨D.


    ¡°B-because I wanted to wake you up!¡±


    ¡°No, but that doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t a more gentle way to wake me¨D.¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. That was because there was a demon standing at the entrance of the tent.


    ¡°¡­You little brat. What are you doing¡­¡±


    It was a muscr, bear-like body, Tris.


    ¡°T-this is different from what you¡¯re thinking!¡±


    Depending on how one looks at it, it looks suspicious, but it¡¯s not really such a sexual story. Liz looked at Hiro with a nk face.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°This is getting tooplicated, can you not talk for a second?¡±


    This was a matter of life and death for Hiro. Tris approached with thumping and bear-like footsteps.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a beast with such a face¡­ Princess, please step away from him. I must cut this bastard to pieces.¡±


    The de that slid out of Tris¡¯s waist glowed dimly, and Liz, not being able to read the atmosphere, tilted her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, but¡­ are we ready to leave?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, we¡¯re ready, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave as soon as we finish our breakfast.¡±


    The weight disappears from over Hiro.


    ¡°Hiro. We¡¯re having bread and soup for breakfast, can you eat it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ I¡¯m fine, but.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s eat quickly, and we can move on to the small country of Baum! Tris, don¡¯t just stand there, go get some breakfast!¡±


    ¡°B-but, guh¨D¨Dkid, I¡¯ll let it pass for the Princess¡¯ sake for now¡­¡±


    With his momentumpletely killed, Tris dropped his shoulders and walked out of the tent. After patting his chest in relief, Hiro grabbed the breakfast that Liz had brought him. While chewing a bit of hard bread, he took a sip of the soup, which had chicken in it and was well salted.


    Cerberus was sitting in front of him looking hungry, and when he shifted his gaze, Liz was changing her clothes.


    ¡°Hmm? So you¡¯re changing¨Dbuhoooh!¡±


    The breakfast that was spat out was sshed on Cerberus¡¯ face as much as possible. There is no time to apologize. Hiro immediately raised his voice to Liz in protest.


    ¡°Wha-, cough, what, cough cough, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯m changing my clothes of course?¡±


    ¡°Why did you change your clothes?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I haven¡¯t bathed yet, so I thought I would at least change my underwear, you know?¡±


    ¡°No, I guess you¡¯re right, but I¡¯m here, you know.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Liz looked at Hiro curiously. As for the matter ofst night, does she not know what a man is like? Doesn¡¯t she have a sense of shame before that¡­ Hiro felt the urge to question the person who raised this girl.


    ¡°You know¡­ men are¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Can we talk about it when I get dressed?¡±


    Liz put her hand on her jacket, and Hiro rushed to stop her.


    ¡°W-wait, wait! Just wait for me to talk!


    ¡°Geez, why is that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll turn around, and you can change while I turn around, okay?¡±


    ¡°No problem¡­ but why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; I don¡¯t mean anything. I¡¯m going to turn around! Okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s okay.¡±


    As Hiro turned his back, only the sound of the rubbing skin and her underwear dominated the inside of the tent. Every second felt so long, and Hiro waited in silence for the torturous time to pass.


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    He was drenched in sweat. He felt exhausted as if he¡¯d been running for a long time. Without knowing about the person in front of her, Liz is starting to get her hands on her breakfast with an unconcerned face.


    ¡°¡­Anyway, I have to eat too.¡±


    When he looked down¡­ he saw only an empty te. Where did the contents of the te disappear to¨D¨D?


    ¡°Looks like Cerberus ate it.¡±


    Liz responds to it. He searched for the thief, and he found it at the entrance to the tent¨DCerberus was out, wagging his tail.


    ¡°¡­It seems so. He was wagging his tail happily.¡±


    As Hiro sighed deeply, a silver spoon was held out in front of him.


    ¡°Here, aah¡«n.¡±


    Did I look so pitiful? Hiro wondered.


    ¡°No, but, as expected, this is¡­¡±


    And when he tried to reject it, gulp¨Dhis stomach raised a white g.


    After an embarrassing breakfast, the white sunshine greeted him as he walked out of the tent. Hiro spread out his arms and took in the fresh air into his body. Then he looked around and noticed that the soldiers¡¯ barracks had been cleaned out.


    The only thing left is the tent that Hiro and Liz had been in until now¨Dand seeing that Liz has started to clear the tent, the soldierse running over. Among them was Tris. Hiro also joined in with them, and once thest tent was cleared away¨Dthe destination after this was the small country of Baum. After descending the mountain, they would head south along the mountain.


    ording to Liz, Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory would take sixteen days on foot. Although he was prepared for this, he didn¡¯t think it would be such a long journey. However, he didn¡¯t regret it. His body was a little sore, but he just had to be patient.


    As they start to descend steadily, halfway down the Himmel mountain, they encounter a new monster. It was neither an Ogle nor an Ogre, but something much bigger than that.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s huge.¡±


    It must be three times the size of Hiro. It has a pale face with no signs of life, and its muscr body is covered with rusty armor. Looking at the upper half of its body alone, it could be considered human¨Dbut its lower half was undting like a snake. The bloodshot eyes of the monster that was looking at them are narrowed like a snake.


    Next, a roar¨Dan unusual dominance was released, and Hiro couldn¡¯t help but retreat in pressure.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Gigas. It¡¯s said that it was originally a spirit, but it was banished to this world due to its rebellion against the Spirit King.¡±


    ¡°So, is it as strong as it looks?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s corrupted, it¡¯s still a former spirit, so it¡¯s strong. Compared to the Ogre, it¡¯s more intelligent and¨D¨D!?¡±


    As Liz was exining, the Gigas approached her with astonishing speed. In front of the astonished Hiro, a huge tail is swung down to where Liz was. With a loud bang, the ground was shattered, and dust rose up with the debris.


    It was so sudden that Hiro couldn¡¯t understand the situation, and he felt his throat tighten.


    ¡°Hiro, stay here!¡±


    Along with the words, Liz came flying out of the dust with the me Emperor in her hand. It was a relief to see her safe and sound, but then she rushed towards Gigas with that momentum.


    ¡°Light infantry, follow the Princess! Archers! Cover the Princess! Heavily armed infantry, build up the formation in the meantime!¡±


    The lightly armed infantry shed at Gigas under Tris¡¯smand. Meanwhile, the heavy infantry formed two lines of shield walls, while behind them, the archers pulled strings and set their target on the Gigas.


    ¡°I will distract it! In the meantime, prepare your spears!¡±


    Liz instructed the light infantry and waved the me Emperor at Gigas. A mass of me appeared and spread out in front of the Gigas¡¯ eyes, and the monster was frightened, albeit for a moment.


    ¡°Now! Throw it!¡±


    Spears were thrown from the light infantry toward the Gigas. Then Tris¡¯s voice echoed out.


    ¡°Archers, unleash!¡±


    The arrows that cut through the air spread out like a parab in the sky. In an instant, a scream came from the Gigas, which became like a needle in the ground. Its tail shattered the ground and rampaged around.


    ¡°Huh? Fall back!¡±


    Simultaneously, as Liz, who sensed the danger, shouted, Gigas¡¯s tail was swung down to the light infantry unit.


    ¡°Guaah!¡±


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    A few light-armed infantry who failed to escape disappeared into the dust.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy some time, so fall back!¡±


    Liz shes at it with the me Emperor¨Dbut the Gigas quickly turns its body around and avoids it. The Gigas begins to counterattack. It swung its huge arms, wrapping the wind around it, and mmed its fists down repeatedly towards Liz.


    ¡±Hah!¡±


    Liz saw through it, and continued to dodge in front of it, and raised the me Emperor. And then, the Gigas¡¯s arm flew through the air while sttering blood, and the mes swallowed the arm.


    As if to drown out the pain, the Gigas went out of control. The light infantry that surrounded it were caught up in it and blown away. The lightly armed infantry was rolled down the slope with tremendous force, possibly swallowed by the muddy stream.


    Seeing the scene, Hiro¡¯s face, which imagined the future of being devastated, was colored with despair.


    And then¨Dhis feet took a step forward.


    (Eeh¡­)


    The action of stepping forward unconsciously and pain in his eyes rushed out at the same time.


    (What is this¡­)


    Hiro groaned, holding both of his eyes.


    ¡°Ugh¡­?¡±


    Information is sent to him that makes him feel like he¡¯s going crazy. And his heart is beating loudly. Something unfathomable speaks to him, telling him to ughter the enemy in front of him and that he is capable of doing it. An iprehensible fighting spirit rises from the depths of his heart.


    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t just stand in a ce like that! The Gigas will get you!¡±


    The heavy infantry led by Tris had finally made it in time and began to build a formation in the front line.


    ¡°Hurry! You are the ones we¡¯re counting on right now!¡±


    Under Tris¡¯s direction, the heavily armed infantry thrust their shields into the ground to create an improvised steel wall.


    ¡°Princess! Over here!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Liz responded to Tris¡¯s voice and took shelter inside the steel wall.


    ¡°Put some pressure on your gut! Dig your feet into the ground! You can¡¯t call yourself a heavy infantryman if you get blown up! Archers, cover the light infantry!¡±


    The lightly armed infantry troops who were retreating were covered up by the arrows from the archers. After surviving the rain of arrows, the Gigas gave a terrifying chase, but only ended up mming its tail against the steel wall.


    ¡°Take the injured to the rear at once!¡±


    The injured soldier was taken to the rear in Liz¡¯s direction. The shield walls of the heavily armed infantry were shaking wildly under the Gigas¡¯ onught.


    ¡°We can¡¯t hold out any longer!¡±


    The heavily armed infantry shouted. The iron shield is beginning to deform due to the Gigas¡¯ forceful attack. It would only be a matter of time before the shield wall crumbled.


    ¡°Princess! We have to do something about that attack first!¡±


    Tris shouted in an impatient voice. Liz nodded and nced at the Gigas through the gap in the shield.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get its attention, and you can use the opportunity to sh its tail off!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! It would be wise to attack with heavy infantry first to create an opening!¡±


    ¡°But that would only cause more damage. It¡¯d be better if I were the one who will distract it!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let anything happen to you, Princess. It would be thest¨D¨D!?¡±


    Tris couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Liz also has a surprised expression on her face. Out of their gaze¨Dthe shield wall on the corner had copsed.


    The Gigas didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and swung its powerful arm into the gap and blew the heavy infantry away. Confident of its victory¨Dthe Gigas let out a furious cry and then grabbed one soldier who fell to the ground.


    ¡°Tris! Cover me, please!¡±


    And before she got her answer, Liz was already running on the ground.


    ¡°Princess! Please wait!¡±


    Tris¡¯s voice should have sounded like a p on her back, but Liz didn¡¯t even turn around. She was only staring at one point, at the Gigas¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Give me my subordinate back!¡±


    Liz leaped with the me Emperor at the ready, but the de never reached it. This was because the tail of the Gigas flew from the edge of her vision.


    ¡°Kuh¨D¨D!¡±


    By the time she realized it, it was toote. Liz¡¯s body, which was hit by the Gigas¡¯ tail, was blown away with ease.


    ¡°Agghh! Ugh!¡±


    Unable to defend herself, her body mmed into the ground with great force, and she rolled over several times. Finally, it stopped¨DLiz immediately tried to get up, but copsed on her knees.


    She clenched her teeth in frustration as if her body wasn¡¯t listening to her.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Liz stabbed the me Emperor into the ground and stood up to use it as a walking stick.


    ¡°Ugh¨D¨D!¡±


    Pain rushed to her head, and as Liz held it in her hands, blood flowed down from the gaps in her beautiful red hair. Perhaps her head was bumped when her body mmed into the ground.


    However, the sight of blood did not diminish her strong will in the slightest. In fact, her crimson eyes were zing with fire.


    ¡°I have to go quickly!¡±


    If anyone could defeat the Gigas, it would be Liz with her me Emperor. She looked at the Gigas, but suddenly, her vision was blocked.


    ¡°¡­Hiro?¡±


    It was the back of a boy. He has a kind face, but a strong core inside him. The unfamiliar mountain paths must have been difficult for him. He must have been afraid of the monsters that attacked them. And yet, the boy¡¯srge back was in front of her as if he had never shown any weakness.

 Volume 1, Chapter 2 – Glimpse Part 2

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 2 ¨C Glimpse Part 2</h4>


    ¡°¡­Hiro? What are you doing?¡±


    A confused voice struck Hiro¡¯s back. A bitter smile appeared on his face. He doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing. There is a hesitation on Hiro¡¯s face. However, he took one step, and then another, and stepped forward forcefully.


    The injured girl that was before him. Only that was enough to give him a reason to fight.


    ¨D¨DI¡¯m not going¡­ to let it hurt you anymore.


    That may sound simplistic and shallow, but whatever. The most important thing is that she helped him without asking for anything when he was thrown out into this world. And now she is falling down, injured. If he doesn¡¯t move here, he can¡¯t call himself a man anymore.


    When Hiro thought that, his hesitation disappeared so quickly, and a faint smile slipped from his face.


    ¡°Hiro, stop it! You won¡¯t¨D¨D.¡±


    Ignoring Liz¡¯s protests, Hiro kicked the ground and ran in a straight line towards the Gigas.


    ¡°From here¡­ I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    The Gigas who noticed Hiro mmed its tail down on him¨Dno, it didn¡¯t hit him, it passed right by Hiro¡¯s nose with a snarl of wind, hitting the ground and creating countless pieces of debris.


    They became sharp des and flew towards Hiro, but¡­


    ¡°Sorry. I can see iting.¡±


    To its surprise, Hiro dodged everything. He literally dodged by moving his head, feet, hands, and shoulders with a slight movement. If he had miscalcted, he wouldn¡¯t even have time to be injured anymore.


    ¡°Liz! I¡¯ll draw its attention so you can take it down!¡±


    Hiro picked up the thrown spear that the lightly armed infantry had dropped. The Gigas threw down the heavily armed infantry he had captured and stared at Hirou as if to say that it had found new prey.


    Liz, who had been dumbfounded, noticed this and changed her expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s reckless! Go back!¡±


    Liz¡¯s voice switched to a scream in the middle of the sentence. She must have imagined a cruel future in her brain. But it was only the exact opposite of what she imagined¡­


    The Gigas waved its arms in the air. Not only did it m its tail, but it alsounched a swift attack seamlessly.


    A single hit would blow away the fragile body of a human being to smithereens. This is even more so if they are not wearing any equipment or anything else.


    However, surprisingly, the Gigas¡¯ attack did not hit Hiro.


    ¡°No way¨D¨D!¡±


    Liz scrutinized the scene with an incredulous look on her face.


    ¡°What does it mean¡­¡±


    With all of the Gigas¡¯ attacks on Hiro, Tris and the soldiers had more room to maneuver.


    ¡±I can¡¯t believe it, is this really the work of a human?¡±


    Tris¡¯ mouth hung open in surprise.


    ¨D¨DAn after-effect of three years ago.


    To Hiro, the opponent¡¯s movements appear to have stopped. To a martial artist, it could be said to be a kind of boundary. It is something that only a handful of people who have spent a lifetime training can obtain. By being able to see the particles they breathe, they can capture the moving air and realize everything.


    Not wanting to worry his family, Hiro hadn¡¯t told the doctor who treated him about this. Even if he had, they must not have known what caused it.


    But the people of Aletia know about this.


    ¨D¨DIt was.


    ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s murmur disappeared into the void.


    ¡°This way!¡±


    The spear that Hiro threw was quickly knocked off. However, he was able to get the Gigas¡¯ attention. The Gigas¡¯s powerful arm roared¨Dand yet, it didn¡¯t even graze Hiro.


    Those who have mastered the martial arts must have sighed in admiration when they saw it. It was such a lean and refined movement, but there was a huge amount of sweat on Hiro¡¯s forehead.


    The exhaustion that umted from climbing the mountain and the extreme tension created by the life-and-death battle. Thebination of these two factors was rapidly depleting Hiro¡¯s strength.


    But even so, Hiro continued to avoid Gigas¡¯s attack¨Da smile appeared on his mouth as if he was bing insane due to the extreme fear.


    ¡°There is also a ferocious wolf over there, too, you know.¡±


    The Gigas, who was being toyed with by Hiro, stopped for a moment. Not sure if it understood the humannguage, but it actually stopped.


    ¡°Guaaaah!¡±


    Cerberus, who had been waiting for an opportunity under his breath, jumped out of Hiro¡¯s side. Its sprinting figure was like a bullet, its sharp ws cutting through space as it crossed paths with the Gigas.


    As soon as Cerberusnded on the ground, blood gushed out of the Gigas¡¯ neck like water overflowing from a faucet. The Gigas¡¯s huge body staggered¨Dand there was no way for the girl to miss such an opportunity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest!¡±


    The me Emperor was d in crimson lotus scorching the air. When the heatwave reached the Gigas, Liz¡¯s figurepletely disappeared from the monster¡¯s sight.


    Boom¨D¨DThe air burst behind the Gigas.


    Sensing that Liz caused it, Hiro picks up a spear and throws it. He picked up another throwing spear and threw it with significant momentum. This time, the two spears were not knocked off, and both spears stabbed into the Gigas¡¯ chest as if they were being sucked in.


    While scattering blood-repulsion, the Gigas be agitated and writhing on the ground. Then suddenly, the monster stops moving. It must have finally noticed.


    ¨D¨DThat only the upper half of its body was moving.


    In the nearby area, what used to be the lower half of the Gigas¡¯s body was engulfed in mes.


    The Gigas screamed. It was a scream that made the air creak. And a nauseatingly strong stench was carried by the wind to where Hiro was.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    When Hiro involuntarily held his nose, he recognized the girl. A leaping Liz was about to swing down the me Emperor with the sun at her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make it easier for you now!¡±


    The me Emperor¡¯s de easily split the Gigas apart. The blood from its body that was cut in half evaporated, and white smoke enveloped its entire body. Without screaming for despair, the monster¡¯s huge body was engulfed in mes as it silently fell to the ground.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    He noticed Liz running up to him and opened his arms to hold her close, but his body wouldn¡¯t listen to him. Hiro didn¡¯t know if it was because the tension had left him all at once, or if he was just tired.


    Like a puppet whose strings had been broken, the strength slipped out of his knees, and he fell to the ground like a crumbling puppet.


    ¡°Hang in there, Hiro! Tris,e here! Hiro is, Hiro!¡±


    Hiro wanted to say something to Liz, who was looking into his face with concern. His mouth was moving, but his voice wouldn¡¯te out. His consciousness grew hazy.


    While feeling theforting sensation of his head being hugged, Hiro sank into the depths of darkness.


    £ª£ª£ª


    At the same time, Dios, who was advancing southward, was presented with a difficult problem. The reason was the presence of an army that appeared in front of him. The heavy infantry spread out in a horizontal line as if to block their movement, and the heavy cavalry was waiting in the rear.


    ¡°They¡¯re already here, huh? Moreover, they bring in 2,000 against us that have less than 200.¡±


    ¡°And they don¡¯t have any gs either.¡±


    Dios nodded at his aide¡¯s words. There was no coat of arms to prove their identity anywhere.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just so that if the great noblesin about it, they have an excuse.¡±


    They will set it up to look like bandits¨Dthough there are too many of them. After a few moments of staring at each other, a messenger came to Dios.


    Perhaps because they cannot let them remember their faces, the messenger is wearing a hood, and they cannot see the expression. As Dios¡¯ eyes turned stern, the messenger¡¯s mouth slowly moved.


    ¡°Is Her Highness Elizabeth present?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you guys are up to, do you think I¡¯ll tell you that?¡±


    ¡°¡­And you are?¡±


    ¡°Dios von Michael.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re the ¡°Ogre¡±, huh?¡±


    Dios red at the messenger, not even trying to hide his displeasure at being called by his alias.


    ¡°Hmph. Is that what you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Huh, right. That didn¡¯t matter.¡±


    The messenger raises his hand.


    ¡°I will be brief. Give us the princess, and the lives of these men will be spared.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand. Do you expect me to nod my head simply?¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t intend to give us the princess, is that it?¡±


    In response to the messenger¡¯s words, Dios snorted and gave a provocative smile.


    ¡°Hey, hey, You just said whatever you wanted to since a while ago, didn¡¯t you? We are the Sixth Princess¡¯ private army. You should know a little bit more about etiquette.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s no need to be polite to someone like you. So tell me about the princess¡­ Oh the Ogre.¡±


    ¡°Bastard. I¡¯ll never let you mumble that name again.¡±


    At Dios¡¯ exasperated words, the messenger¡¯s mouth turned into a cruel smile.


    ¡°Young man. Know your manners.¡±


    The messenger waved his hand down, and the line of infantry in the rear split open, and the cavalry advanced out from between.


    ¡°Ha, you were going to kill us anyway, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I was going to let one of you live.¡±


    ¡°You bastard.¡±


    After swearing, Dios took his gaze off the messenger and looked at the charging cavalry.


    ¨D¨DThere is still some distance between them. Dios¡¯s eyes were filled with madness as he returned his eyes to their original position.


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll make sure you are killed here for sure.¡±


    Although he thrust out his spear with great force, Dios¡¯ attack did not seed.


    ¡°Wha¡­. what?¡±


    It was easily received by the messenger. In the messenger¡¯s hand was a beautiful gold and silver decorated sword.


    ¡°Why are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ a spirit weapon?¡±


    Spirits like clean waters and very rarely produce crystals that contain their own properties. The beauty of these crystals, which have a brilliance no less than that of a gemstone, is why people call them spirit stones with great respect.


    In the Empire¡¯s territory, three to seven spirit stones were discovered a year. That was because the Empire has vastnd, but there were also countries that couldn¡¯t get that many spirit stones.


    Hence, the rarity value of these stones would only increase year by year. With a single spirit stone, one could make enough money to live for the rest of their lives. Even now, only the imperial family, or those who are rted to them, can have it.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you.¡±


    *Bikibiki* A strange sound was heard. When Dios turned his attention to his spear, the spear was frozen from the tip with great vigor.


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    He immediately threw away his spear and drew the sword from his waist. The cavalrymen behind him have already drawn their spears, and the infantry has already drawn their swords in their hands. However, even if they fight like this, it would be difficult against a spirit weapon.


    Although it¡¯s probably due to his original high fighting ability, his physical ability should have been greatly enhanced by the spirit¡¯s blessing as well. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way he would have been able to catch Dios¡¯s spear easily.


    Dios took a breath and pondered. While he was eager to kill this guy, he woulde in contact with the enemy¡¯s cavalry. If that happens, they will not be able to avoid being annihted.


    Dios raised his sword and raised his voice enough to echo across the ins.


    ¡°Bastards! Don¡¯t need to help yourrades if they fall! Don¡¯t look back, always keep running forward!¡±


    ¡°Ooohh!¡± shouted his soldiers in unison.


    ¡°Charge!!!¡±


    With his sword swung down, Dios kicked at his horse¡¯s midsection and was the first to gallop across the in. However, as he passed by the messenger¨D¨D.


    ¡°What, is it done? Huh?¡±


    Dios did indeed hear the boring muttered words. But to be reunited with his Lord alive, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to look back. A feeling of frustration filled him, but he pushed it away. Dios shouted out his regret in his voice as hard as he could.


    ¡°Bastards, follow me like you¡¯re about to die!¡±


    ¡°Uwoooooooooohh!¡±


    With a spirited war cry, he was followed by a hundred horsemen, and fifty infantry with their wagons abandoned. They immediately shed with the enemy¡¯s heavily armed cavalry.


    ¡°Oraa!¡±


    Dios snatched the spear from the enemy and knocked the heavy cavalry off their horses.


    ¡°Captain Dios! We¡¯re separated from the rest of the group!¡±


    His aide, who was running alongside right next to him, shouted. In the rear, the cavalry and infantry were surrounded and overrun one-sidedly by the enemy¡¯s heavy cavalry.


    Their daily training is not half-hearted. He is proud to say that their skill level is as good as that of the First Imperial Army. However, just like their numbers, they are no match for heavy cavalry. It was because they were lightly equipped to take advantage of their mobility.


    ¡°We will leave them!¡±


    Dios had no choice but to make that decision. There was an overwhelmingck of numbers. There was no way to save them. Still, his aide couldn¡¯t seem to give up hope and went a bit back.


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s happening here?¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­ They are our precious private army entrusted by Her Highness!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my men, too! I won¡¯t repeat it!¡±


    He refused to say anything else. No, it¡¯s more correct to say that he couldn¡¯t say anything else. This is because Dios¡¯s face was stained with rage. With a devilish look on his face, he thrust and snapped the approaching enemy¡¯s spear. Each time he snatched the enemy¡¯s spear away from them and killed them.


    ¡°Move! I won¡¯t let a small fry block my road!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Ogre, huh? You¡¯re pretty good! Alright, you will test my prowess!¡±


    There was an enemy approaching Dios with a happy voice. It was a heavily armed cavalryman with a purple cloth wrapped around his arm¨Da hundred banner-chief¡¯s sign.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Dios shifted his spear horizontally and threw it like a projectile with all his might.


    ¡°Giguooh!¡±


    The spear pierced through the helmet and deformed it. A lot of blood flowed out of the helmet.


    ¡°Hiyaaa, the captain is¨D¨D!?¡±


    The head of the heavy cavalryman flies off without finishing his sentence. At the same time, as the blood stter rises, Dios pointed his bright red-dyed sword to the right side.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to charge through the enemy¡¯s left-wing! I¡¯ll open the path! Ignore the small fry and follow me!¡±


    Once they have surpassed the enemy¡¯s heavily armed cavalry, the heavy infantry is waiting for them. Even the archers are waiting. It would be a foolish choice to go all the way into such a ce.


    Dios chose to avoid it by breaking through the left nk. It wasn¡¯t a mistake, but he would have to abandon many of his troops to leave the battlefield. The messenger silently stared at Dios¡¯ back as he struggled against such a solitary army.


    ¡°He¡¯s a military officer that¡¯s too good to kill, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    As the skull of a fallen light cavalryman is trampled to death, the following infantry, who has failed to escape, is crushed to death. Their numbers are too different in the first ce. The damage on their side is minimal, and it will soon be brought under control.


    As the one-sided ughter begins, three horsemen are approaching the messenger¡¯s side. One of the horsemen got off his horse and got down on one knee with his hand on his chest.


    ¡°It seems that about twenty men have breached and the rest of them are left behind. We will kill every single one of those left behind. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Do as you like. And what kind of damage have we sustained?¡±


    ¡°The Sixth Princess was not found among the dead so far. And we have confirmed that one of our hundred banner¡¯s captains and twelve heavy cavalrymen were killed in this battle. We are currently trying to ascertain the fatalities of both the seriously wounded and the lightly wounded.¡±


    ¡°Oh. The damage was pretty bad.¡±


    ¡°Should we go after them?¡±


    ¡°No, leave them alone, not a single one of them will be unharmed. They will be attacked to death by bandits before they enter Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure we don¡¯t need to capture the Sixth Princess?¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t among them. No need to go after them.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that she was in disguise?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not that skillful.¡±


    ¡°So, where is the Sixth Princess?¡±


    There was a slight pause, and then the messenger opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­She must be in the small country of Baum. She may have crossed Mount Himmel.¡±


    ¡°So, are we going to the small country of Baum, too?¡±


    ¡°No, as expected, we¡¯ll be noticed if we make any more moves. Dismiss the army.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    The messenger removed his gaze from the soldier who bowed his head and stared at the ozarm mountain range, his tiger-like eyes shining from the shadows of the hood as it hunted down its prey.

 Volume 1, Chapter 2 – Glimpse Part 3

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 2 ¨C Glimpse Part 3</h4>


    Lynx, the central city of Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory, is a uniquebination of grasnd and desert. The grasnds in the northern district are home to the higher ss citizens, while the desert area in the southern district is home to the lower ss.


    In the northern district, there was the mansion of the lord, Margrave Luzen Kiork von Grinda. The walls were white, with an octagonal tower building in the center of it, and sloping roofs on all sides.


    The two-story wooden mansion, built on the teau overlooking the city, has an air of dignity that befits the name of a nobleman. A high wall surrounds the mansion, and in the center of the wall, in front of the iron gate, a man copses.


    A soldier on guard on either side of the gate rushes over to him.


    ¡°H-hey. What happened?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty bad injury.¡±


    The faces of the soldiers turned pale as they turned the man face up. His body was covered in wounds, and a lot of blood was caked on. The blood had dried, but the wound looked new. The soldiers are impressed that the man is still alive.


    Suddenly, the man grabbed one of the soldiers.


    ¡°C-convey my message to Margrave Grinda immediately.¡±


    ¡°¡­H-hey! I don¡¯t know what happened to you, but let me go!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wounded. Please calm down!¡±


    An unusual amount of force had been applied to his well-trained arms. The two soldiers tried to pull him away, but the man clung desperately to one of the soldiers.


    ¡°P-please! I am Dios von Michael¡­ I serve Celia Estreya-sama¡­ Please, my message.¡±


    ¡°A-all right, all right. Let me go! I¡¯ll report it right away!¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ there¡¯s not enough time¡­¡±


    The two soldiers look at each other with a troubled look on their faces. They have no time to verify the truth. But if it¡¯s a lie, they¡¯re in big trouble, and if it¡¯s the truth, they don¡¯t know what kind of punishment they¡¯ll face if they just let it off.


    Deciding it was too much for them to handle, the soldier grabbed by Dios shouted out.


    ¡°Hey! Notify the garrison captain!¡±


    The other soldier who was about to pull Dios off nodded, and ran towards the mansion. The garrison captain who had sensed the unusual situation immediately came out of the gate.


    He approached Dios and gently tapped him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Grinda-sama will meet you. So will you let that fellow go, please?¡±


    The two sides form a staring contest, and Dios releases the soldier and sits down on the spot.


    ¡°Please¡­ Her Highness Elizabeth is in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I understand. But you need to be treated first.¡±


    Take Dios-dono to the infirmary. The guard captain added at the end.


    With two soldiers carrying him on their shoulders, Dios was led into the infirmary in the mansion. Inside, a man was waiting for him and opened his mouth when he saw Dios.


    ¡°I would like to greet you first, but¨Dwould you mind if I asked you about the situation?¡±


    He is probably Margrave Grinda. He looked as kind as Liz told him. Dios was lowered to the bed to talk as the doctor treated him.


    ¡°There were a hundred and fifty of us¡­ and I¡¯m the only one who survived.¡±


    Dios¡¯ words were tinged with frustration. After leaving the battlefield, the injured soldiers died one by one on their horses. Even more unfortunate, they were also attacked by bandits. How much more could a man who had umted fatigue fight? When he passed through the death line, and his vision became dim, he was alone.


    Hearing Dios¡¯ exnation, Margrave Grinda¡¯s expression twisted in grief.


    ¡°I see. You¡¯ve done a good job. I would like to tell you to get some rest now, but¡­¡±


    He choked on his words and shook his head, and held out a letter to Dios.


    ¡°It arrived yesterday.¡±


    With a curious look on his face, Dios receives the letter.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    After reading the contents, Dios looked at Margrave Grinda with shrinking eyes.


    ¡°It seems to be arge army of two thousand. But don¡¯t worry. I will not betray my niece.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ this is¡­¡±


    ¡°I do know the ¡°War Maiden¡± very well. Even though this is a remote area, I¡¯ve heard that term often. I doubt I¡¯d be able to match her. And even if I wanted to make a plea to the Emperor, he¡¯s currently in the middle of a military campaign.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll hand over the princess?¡±


    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m not going to betray my niece. She¡¯s a memento left by my younger sister, you know.¡±


    ¡°Your opponent is 2,000 strong, how many soldiers are you able to assemble here?¡±


    ¡°Even during wartime, this ce could be said to be free of war. Grinda¡¯s territory has three thousand standing reserves. That doesn¡¯t mean we can gather them all, nor do we have the time¡­ I guess we can gather a thousand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough¡­¡±


    Their opponent is the ¡°War Maiden¡±. She won¡¯t let her guard down just because her opponents are so few in number. She will be out to crush them with all her might. This is proven by her war record so far.


    ¡°I will hold them until the Emperor returns. Even if my opponent is the feared War Maiden.¡±


    ¡°When will the Emperor return?¡±


    ¡°The news of his victory arrived five days ago. He should be on his way back with the First Prince by now. I¡¯ve sent out a messenger, but it will arrive in five days¡­ or three days at the earliest. Until then, we will have no choice but to fight a war we can¡¯t afford to lose.¡±


    ¡°A battle we can¡¯t afford to lose, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. The scouts report that the enemy troops are now moving southward from the Zegen vige to the Grole ins.¡±


    ¡°So, the decisive battle will be on Grole ins?¡±


    Margrave Grinda nodded at Dios¡¯ words.


    ¡°The enemy may be aiming for the borders of the small country of Baum. But we won¡¯t let them. First, we¡¯ll stall them in the Grole ins.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°No, I want you to lead two hundred men to meet Elizabeth at Fort Alto. The fort is not exactly sturdy¡­ but for now, you have to buy yourself some time with a siege or something.¡±


    Fort Alto was built near the border of the small country of Baum, but there are less than a hundred soldiers stationed there because it was not involved in the war. Moreover, it is said that the equipment is old and does not work as a fort.


    The Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory may have enjoyed peace too much. However, Dios had no desire to me him because that would have been normal in peace times. And also, Margrave Grinda had not been lining his pockets but had used the money to help his people.


    ¡°I am sorry. If I had been more firm, we would not have been in this situation.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who came in. So, I¡¯m the one who has to apologize.¡±


    It was Dios who had brought the troublesome spark to the table of all people. If they want to defend their current position, they just have to hand over the princess. Even so, Margrave Grinda is still trying to fight this battle. He¡¯s just grateful that the margrave is willing to help him in a war with no chance of winning.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°The Princess would say the same thing. So please raise your head.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that¡­ I really appreciate it.¡±


    Once Dios thought the margrave had raised his head, he lowered it again. There was no sign of raising his head for any length of time, so Dios decided to change the subject.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving as soon as the soldiers are assembled.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, please take care. I¡¯ve got to go meet the princess and¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send a messenger to Fort Alto. I¡¯ll leave Elizabeth to you.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Until next time¨D¨D.¡±


    Dios offered his hand. Margrave Grinda smiled and held his hand tightly.


    ¡°Umu. I will see you again with Elizabeth.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Certainly.¡±


    Thus, they vowed to see each other again and set about doing what they had to do.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The Third Imperial Army¡¯s camp was pitched eight cells (twenty-four kilometers) away from the Grole ins. The sight of hundreds of tents being pitched was nothing short of breathtaking.


    In the center of it all¨Dinside the ckened tent, a man and a woman were facing each other across a desk. The man tilted his head and then turned his head to the girl who was opening a book in front of him.


    ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Have you heard about it, Viscount Spitz?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know that. It¡¯s one of the three great secret eyes in the world, and even that long-lived and well-informed long-eared race doesn¡¯t possess it, and only the second emperor has ever possessed it in the past and now.¡±


    Then Spitz remembered something and continued to speak.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Speaking of the long ear race, I believe there was one in the staff officer of the First Prince of Schtobel.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I had a few words with that person several times. That¡¯s when I heard about the Heavenly Spirit Eye.¡±


    ¡°With their longevity and knowledge, I¡¯m sure they knew a lot about things.¡±


    ¡°It was very meaningful. He said that the Heavenly Spirit Eye is capable of understanding Heaven and Earth and controlling the battlefield. He said it was a ridiculous and outrageous eye.¡±


    ¡°It was a joke, wasn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t think an eye can have that much power, but¡­¡±


    Spitz shrugged his shoulders in disbelief. However, his expression would soon change. This is because Aura¡¯s cheeks were puffed up with a sullen look.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain it was real. The ¡°God of War¡± is proof. More importantly, this was said by the long ears, who do not like to joke. It¡¯s believable. Do you not think so, Viscount Spitz?¡±


    Although he was afraid to deny the words of the sulky Aura, he still couldn¡¯t believe what he couldn¡¯t believe. So, without any hesitation, Spitz opened his mouth, choosing his words carefully.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just believe it. That would make tactics and strategies meaningless. And victory is grasped by human hands; you can¡¯t gain anything by simply looking at it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not wrong, of course. It is people who grab the heavens, people who tread the earth, and people who manipte people. Just by looking at it, you are no better than a mere bystander. Still, I want to hope. I hope that the Heavenly Spirit Eye is real.¡±


    As Aura said that, her gaze fell on the map spread out on the desk. Spitz followed suit and looked at it as well. Several pieces wereid out on the map. Aura slowly moved her gaze over the map as if to check the terrain and spoke out.


    ¡°Are you sure the number of troops that Margrave Grinda has gathered is 900?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Third Imperial Army¡¯s scouts are excellent. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Considering the size of Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory, they should be able to gather about 3,000 troops¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s because they haven¡¯t experienced a battle for so many years, or perhaps their ability tomunicate on the spur of the moment doesn¡¯t seem to be functioning well. Although one must not be careless, this will be a battle that can be won easily. This is the Third Imperial Army¡¯s pride and joy, the 2000 elite of the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡±.


    ¡°Have you received a letter response from Margrave Grinda?¡± Said Aura. Spitz straightened his posture and held out the letter he had just received.


    ¡°Yes. The contents were as expected. He refused it.¡±


    Spitz said with a sigh. Aura confirmed the contents of the letter and nodded her head in agreement.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious. We should try to make an attempt to exchange messengers tomorrow as well so that things can be done quietly.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Spitz sounded dumbfounded. He thought he misheard it. However, looking at Aura¡¯s face, it seems that that is not the case.


    ¡°P-please wait. Then what is the purpose of the strategy before?¡±


    Leaning forward at the desk, Spitz asked. Although they are not here now, many unitmanders and staff members had heard of Aura¡¯s strategy earlier. If they didn¡¯t n to fight, what was the point of it all? In fact, what was the point ofing here in the first ce?


    In contrast to the flustered Spitz, Aura remained calm and tilted her head cutely.


    ¡°The only purpose is to talk. But if Margrave Grinda is just a fool who doesn¡¯t even want tomunicate, then we¡¯ll have to fight him. The strategy just in case, though?¡±


    ¡°But I suppose a fight is inevitable when ites to this point¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote. We must avoid senseless conflict between the Empire people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    Spitz was unable to take over the second phrase. But this was to be expected. He had thought that his beloved Lord would be reluctant to move on here. That¡¯s why he took the first step. Falsely iming that it was Aura¡¯s order, he has ordered several troops to invade Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory and capture the Sixth Princess.


    Although he didn¡¯t want to move on his own without the Lord¡¯s knowledge, perhaps his decision was correct. Just as the silence was about to be filled¨Da messenger, covered in mud, rushed into the tent.


    ¡°Urgent! The Principality of Lichtine with approximately 15,000 soldiers are approaching the border!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Spitz was stunned as he raised up from his chair. Aura stopped the piece she had been moving on the map and turned her attention to the messenger.


    ¡°Report the details.¡±


    ¡°As per Aura-sama¡¯s orders, the unit that was waiting for Her Highness Celia Estreya near the border seems to have caught a suspicious movement on the part of the Principality of Lichtine, and after sending out scouts to investigate, they have confirmed the movement of the army.¡±


    After hearing the report from the messenger, Aura¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply. On the other hand, Spitz¡¯s heart was on the verge of stopping. This is because Aura has found out about the existence of the unit that was sent to the border area on his own ord.


    ¡°¡­Lord Spitz.¡±


    Naturally, it¡¯s not surprising that Aura is suspicious of something she doesn¡¯t remember. An angry look pierced Spitz. But now is not the time to do that, Aura shook her head, moved her eyes to the messenger and informed him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re tired, but do me just one favor.¡±


    ¡°By all means.¡±


    Aura smiled at the quick reply.


    ¡°I would like you to tell this to Margrave Grinda as well. He would also like to help if he can. I¡¯ll write a letter right away.¡±


    Paper and pen were prepared on the desk. Aura wrote smoothly with ink on the tip of the pen. The sound of the pen¡¯s tip rubbing in this highest-ranking tent hadsted for a while.


    When Spitz, having regained hisposure, wasn¡¯t sure if he should apologize or not, Aura¡¯s eyes, which were filled with anger as she finished writing, turned to him.


    ¡°I should be angry, but I¡¯m not going to question it this time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±


    ¡°If Lord Spitz hadn¡¯t sent the troops to hide on the border, we probably wouldn¡¯t have known what the Principality of Lichtine was doing. So it¡¯s a non-issue.¡±


    ¡°Is it true?!¡±


    Spitz stands up from his chair in happiness. Aura, who handed the letter to the messenger, took a nce at Spitz.


    ¡°But if you don¡¯t get punished, it won¡¯t show the soldiers that you are getting disciplined. And so, I will be rewarding you for your future work.¡±


    After concluding that, Aura picked up the book on the desk and began to read it quietly. Spitz, who had been staring at his Lord with passionate eyes, moved from his chair to the ground and got down on one knee.


    ¡°I will. I will certainly return the favor!¡±


    Spitz vowed, his voice trembling with emotion.

 Volume 1, Chapter 3 – Awakening Part 1

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 3 ¨C Awakening Part 1</h4>


    ¡°I wonder when he¡¯ll wake up¡­¡±


    Liz looked over at the bed with concern and saw that Hiro was sleeping quietly¨Dor rather, he hadn¡¯t woken up once since he passed out. The doctor has examined him but has no idea what¡¯s caused his condition.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll wake up very soon.¡±


    Tris said with a snarl and turned his attention to Liz, stroking his beard.


    ¡°You have to get some rest too, Princess. It won¡¯t do any good if the boy wakes up, and the princess falls over, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡±


    Liz gave a small nod and then threw her gaze out the window. The starry sky was endless, illuminating the ground by providing the starlight to the city below it. This is the only city in the small country of Baum, known as Natua.


    In the center of the city, which spreads out in a gentle basin¨Dthere¡¯s a white box-shaped temple that exudes dignity. The Sixth Princess and her entourage were under the care of this temple, which was also known as the ¡°Spirit King¡¯s Temple¡±.


    ¡°Then I¡¯lle back in the morning to wake you up again.¡±


    Liz patted Hiro¡¯s cheek, which still didn¡¯t wake up, and then left the room. When the door is closed, the silence tries to fill the room with the night air¨Dand it fails.


    A groan escaped from the mouth of the sleeping Hiro in bed. His face is distorted with anguish.


    He was¨Dhe was dreaming.


    It started very suddenly. He was thrown out onto a battlefield filled with corpses as far as the eye could see¡ªa sh between 10,000 troops, a horrendous number of corpses produced from resentment. Blood turns the earth red, and the heavens sadly shake down tiny raindrops.


    In the middle of the melee, there was a boy. His ck robe pped by the wind. His arms moved in sync. The silvery-white sword cut through space, with a light swing that seemed to ward off insects.


    With just that much movement, the heads of five soldiers flew off. The boy¡¯s interest shifted to something else, and he kicked the ground and ran.


    ¨D¨DThe target is the general¡¯s head.


    It¡¯s the most effective way to end the war, and it¡¯s a surefire way to win. But, there is no way for his opponents to let him pass easily. What stands in his way is a thousand well-trained elites.


    The front line is filled with endless walls with no gaps between them, and if it¡¯s for an ordinary person, the general¡¯s head would seem endlessly far away. However, the boy sprinted forward without bumping into any of them, cutting off the enemy soldiers¡¯ heads.


    Every road has an endpoint. It¡¯s the difference between long and short. Imagine how the enemy¡¯s general felt when he saw the boy¡¯s appearance¨D¨D.


    ¡°S-stupid? How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    The enemy general gasped as he looked at the boy¡¯s face, bathed in blood in return. The deep, jet-ck eyes caught the enemy general¡¯s eyes as if it absorbed it.


    ¡°¡­Those obsidian eyes. I¡¯ve heard of them before.¡±


    The enemy general said, his voice trailing off in nervousness or perhaps fear.


    One among the exiled soldiers who were advancing at breakneck speed and growing in strength. The man who could read and understand heaven and earth, a man who had been talked about in the surrounding countries.


    It was a gift given by the Spirit King.


    ¡°I used tough at the ridiculous story of it, but¡­ That¡¯s the Heavenly Spirit Eye, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The enemy general stepped forward. In his hand was a huge ax.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you here and take your eyes as the spoils of war.¡±


    As the enemy general raises his rough hand, enemy soldiers surround the boy.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed amazing that you dare toe here alone, but I can only say that you are a fool.¡±


    Since there is only one opponent, it will inevitably cause some carelessness.


    ¡°You will suffer and die unceremoniously, but¨D¨D!?¡±


    With a thud, the enemy general¡¯s head rolled on the ground covered in mud. The enemy soldiers who were surrounding him were stunned. No one could grasp what had happened except for the ck-dressed boy. The boy lightly kicked the ground with a thump and began to dance.


    Havinge to their senses, the enemy soldiers shed the tip of their spear, but it only ended up passing in front of the boy¡¯s eyes. Several spears are thrust out. However, the boy just leaped, ducked, and cut off the heads of the enemy soldiers.


    When he moved the shimmering white and silver sword as if to caress it, the heads of the enemy soldiers fell to the ground one by one, like ripe fruit falling from a tree.


    A shiver spread through the enemy soldiers¨Dbecause it only happened in the blink of an eye to this point. This was clearly not the work of a human being. It would not be wrong to call him a monster.


    ¡°So fast!¡±


    The silvery-white de, which flicked the raindrops that drenched the earth, split the enemy¡¯s armor from its upper and lower body. Unable to resist, the corpses of the enemy soldiers fall one by one in the puddles. Blood stters erupt like a fountain from all around, and the horrible smell of fresh blood mixed with the rain dominates the air.


    ¡°H-h¨D¨D!?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t even give them time to speak. It didn¡¯t take long for a pile of corpses to form in the vicinity.


    With the loss of theirmander, the enemy was totally destroyed. The enemy forces were overrun by the boy¡¯s allies as if they were crushing feather worms. The battle cry of the defeated enemy forces¨Dand the battle cry of his allies in pursuit of them¨Dechoed across the ins.


    The boy, who had left the screaming and anguished battlefield, had arrived at the main camp.


    ¡°The God of War!¡±


    Whoever said it first, one after another, the soldiers uttered an alias. It soon became a cheer that shook the air.


    ¡°God of War! God of War! God of War! God of War!¡±


    Thousands of soldiers are screaming, echoing to the core of their bodies. It¡¯s as if the earth is shaking, an illusion, and every time the boy takes a step forward, the sea of soldiers splits open.


    That¡¯s what people call it¨Dthe path of the king. A long line of soldiers formed to solidify both sides, and the boy walked valiantly down the center.


    ¡°¡®God of War! God of War! God of War! God of War!¡±


    Then a young man appears in front of the boy. Then he raises one of his hands in the air. Silence reigns in the area as if it has been struck by water.


    He stepped forward and approached the boy, but his well-formed face was filled with anger.


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely unbelievable that my military strategist is going to the front lines¡­¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford any more stalemates. Our lines are too wide open. When this is over, we¡¯ll have to move west, ah?¡±


    The boy¡¯s head was poked as he refuted. When he looks at the young man, the corners of the young man¡¯s mouth curved up, making a mischievous expression on his face.


    ¡°Next, you¡¯ll need to speak to me as well. Let¡¯s rampage together in the front line.¡±


    ¡°That would throw a wrench in the chain ofmand. You just need to stay in the main camp and rx.¡±


    ¡°That would be boring. Well, whatever. It¡¯s pointless to talk about what¡¯s already been done anyway¡±.


    The young man pped the boy on both shoulders.


    ¡°Schwartz¡­ well done. I¡¯m d to see you back safely. I¡¯ve lost a hundred years of my life span when I heard you were on the battlefield. Though hearing that you killed the enemy general did add a hundred years to my life span.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating it, Altius¨Dwell, yes, I brought back the general¡¯s head, what do you want to do with it?¡±


    Schwartz pointed behind him with his thumb, and an infantryman was standing there with a white box.


    ¡°A guy who used to vomit at the mere sight of a corpse brings back a head, huh? I guess familiarity is a scary thing.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯m still not used to it. Killing people, having people die¡­ but then again, if I had to worry about that kind of thing, we¡¯d be in the opposite position.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Nodding with satisfaction at Schwartz¡¯s answer, Altius addressed the soldier holding the white box.


    ¡°There is no need for a physical examination of the head. Send it back to his homnd respectfully. Even if they are enemies, if we forget to show courtesy to the dead, we are no better than mere beasts.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Taking his gaze off the soldier who bowed, Altius put his arm around Schwartz¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s report our victory to our brother, the Spirit King. And then let¡¯s drink to celebrate it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t drink. I¡¯m still a minor, you know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m bringing you some squeezed grapes!¡±


    ¡°You have prepared it well, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    He gave a bitter smile¨Dto him, who will always be the same.


    (Ah¡­ this is a dream. Because I¡¯m not supposed to be here.)


    A dream that recalls a distant and nostalgic memory. It is also a miraculous moment of a chance encounter with those who are unable to meet. It is a glorious memory that will never fade. However, the dream will eventually fade away¨D¨D.


    ¡°Hey, Hiro¡­ are you still not awake?¡±


    Hearing a voice that sounded like it was about to cry, Hiro pried up his heavy eyelids. A beautiful girl with red hair jumped into his view.


    ¡°¡­Liz?¡±


    Hiro whispered softly and raised his upper body, and Liz widened her eyes with delight and hugged him.


    ¡°Thank goodness! I thought you¡¯d never wake up! I¡¯m so d!¡±


    Absentmindedly listening to her words, Hiro looked around the vicinity. This was a room with an atmosphere that felt like it had not been used for a long time. But that doesn¡¯t mean it hasn¡¯t been cleaned. The aged office desk near the window is neat and tidy. And looking at the nearby bookshelves, there are old, yellowed books but there is no dust on them.


    There are two gs hanging near the window. One was a g with a bnce on a white background. The other was a dragon holding a silver sword on a ck background.


    Hiro is sleeping on a bed by the wall near the entrance. Before Hiro could ask where they are¡­ Liz opened her mouth.


    ¡°Is there somewhere you feel pain?¡±


    ¡°U-un. I don¡¯t know if there is any¡­ but anyway, where are we?¡±


    ¡°Um, well, after Hiro passed out, we had to go down the mountain right away¡­¡±


    Liz and the others stopped at a nearby vige to take care of Hiro. However, they were noticed by the small country of Baum and were surrounded by a toon-sized group of knights. But it seems that they weren¡¯t there to capture Liz and the others¨D¨D.


    ¡°You must not befortable here. If you¡¯d like, why don¡¯t youe to the Spirit King¡¯s Temple? The Princess Shrine Maiden wants to see you.¡±


    There is no king in the small country of Baum but is instead represented by a maiden called the Princess Shrine Maiden.


    ¡°Will you please listen to us?¡±


    After being told that by the Knight Commander, Liz readily agreed to do so, considering the wounded.


    That¡¯s why¨D¨D.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for breakfast! You must be hungry.¡±


    After finishing her exnation, Liz pulled Hiro¡¯s arm. Hiro gave a wry smile before nodding.


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go to eat¨D¨D!¡±


    When he stood up, he wobbled, and Liz supported his body.


    ¡°A-are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s fine. I just woke up, so it seems I can¡¯t just stand up suddenly.¡±


    ¡°You can tell me if it¡¯s hard for you. You need to see the doctor properly, okay?¡±


    As she said that, Liz opened the door of the room.


    ¡°Hiyaahh!?¡±


    ¡°Uwaa!?¡±


    The two of them retreated back in surprise. The reason is that there was a woman who was prostrated in front of them.


    ¡°Good morning. Did you sleep well?¡±


    Her smooth skin, which is moist and dewy, shines in the sunlight, and the scent of color lurking in her extraordinary beauty fully enhances her charm. The soothing fragrance that emanates from her is matched with her beauty, which attracts the heart unavoidably.


    Wearing a white kimono and ck hakama, she is¡­


    ¡°I am the Princess Shrine Maiden. I am the representative of the small country of Baum.¡±


    When she bowed her head, her azure hair grew out to the floor, revealing ears that were unusually long and pointed for a human.


    When Hiro looked closely at her.


    ¡°Are you concerned about my ears?¡±


    ¡°Uh, well¡­ it has an unusual shape.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, yes. It must be a rare sight for humans.¡±


    She touched her own ears with augh, not losing her good mood. Liz, who was standing next to Hiro, poked him in the side with her elbow. As Hiro turns his head, Liz brings her mouth close to Hiro¡¯s ear.


    ¡°She¡¯s a long ear race. Their characteristics are their longevity, but the enviable thing is that the long ear race¡¯s people are all good looking~.¡±


    ¡°I-I see. You¡¯re right; she has an unworldly face, but¡­¡±


    You¡¯re no different. There was no way Hiro could say such a sensible line.


    The Princess Shrine Maiden is watching them whispering to each other with a smile.


    ¡°Besides, she¡¯s also very smart. There¡¯s also one that became my eldest brother¡¯s staff member, but that¡¯s still¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Princess! What are you doing here¨D¨Dwait, you again, huh? Little bastard!¡±


    ¡°Eh, eh, I didn¡¯t do anything, you know!¡±


    The big, bear-like man, Tris, approached with an angry look, but his momentum stalled midway through. The reason for that is because the Princess Shrine Maiden was standing in between him and Hiro.


    ¡°Tris-sama. Please be quiet in the Spirit King¡¯s Temple.¡±


    ¡°U-umu¡­ my apologies.¡±


    Tris dropped to one knee and bowed his head.


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    The Princess Shrine Maiden turned her face to the two again and made her way to the side.


    ¡°Come in. Breakfast has been prepared for you. Perhaps we can talk at leisure there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Please.¡±


    ¡°I was hungry. Thank you!¡±


    The two of them followed behind the Princess Shrine Maiden as she led the way, but¡­


    ¡°N-not only once, but twice. Little brat, I¡¯ll remember this.¡±


    Hiro certainly heard that as he passed by Tris, but he ignored it and quickened his steps. As he felt a murderous intent flying through him, he called out to the Princess Shrine Maiden to distract it.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the dining room in the south section. Please follow me, so we don¡¯t get separated.¡±


    The interior of the Spirit King¡¯s Temple is mainly divided into four sections. The middle section is the baptistery where the Spirit King is worshipped¨Da ce where newborn babies and first-time visitors to the Spirit King¡¯s Temple are invited.


    The east section is where apprentice shrine maidens are practicing, and outsiders are not allowed to enter. The west section is the residential area for the apprentice shrine maidens¨Dthe ce where Hiro and Liz used to stay. And the south section is a resting ce, where Tris and the soldiers spent the night.


    On the way to the dining room, the Princess Shrine Maiden stopped and turned her gaze to Hiro.


    ¡°As I recall¡­ Hiro-sama wasn¡¯t baptized yet, was he?¡±


    ¡°Baptism?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t you know that, Hiro?¡±


    He didn¡¯t have any memories of getting baptized aftering to this other world.


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t remember being baptized¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, will Hiro-samae with me to the baptistery?¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be helped. Hiro, you have to make sure the Spirit King likes you.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I hope the brat is cursed.¡±


    The Princess Shrine Maiden then turned to Liz.


    ¡°Celia Estreya-sama, please have your breakfast first. Do you know the way to the dining hall?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been here a few times, so I won¡¯t get lost.¡±


    ¡°Then I will proceed to escort Hiro-sama to the baptistery. Is that all right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Hiro, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of, so go ahead and get baptized in peace.¡±


    Liz disappears into the back of the passage with Tris in tow. The Princess Shrine Maiden watched and suddenly grabbed Hiro¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Thene here. Oh, I tied our hands together so we wouldn¡¯t get separated.¡±


    ¡°I-is that so? T-that surprised me.¡±


    Being told that with a smile full of adult charm, Hiro¡¯s heart raced to the point that it felt like it was going to explode. After that, they walked silently along the corridor, surrounded by white walls for a while.


    Turning from ce to ce, heading down the same looking corridor, so much so that it¡¯s impossible to know the way back. It gradually became darker and darker ahead, and the ce where Hiro was brought in was¨D¨D.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. This is the baptistery.¡±


    ¡°¡­This is.¡± Hiro was surprised to see the Princess Shrine Maiden released his hand and disappeared somewhere else.


    Hiro was not aware of it¨Dhe was so overwhelmed. Then, the pathway was cut off with a tter, as if it had been cut with a sharp de, and forest stretched out beyond it.


    Hiro¡¯s feet were unconsciously advancing. The icy blue air was flowing, and a cool sensation caressed his skin. The chirping of birds spread through the air.


    As he walked through the forest, he found himself in an open area. There was a spring in front of Hiro. It was a shining spring surrounded by pirs. On the other side, there were two huge bronze statues. A white sphere floats between them, emitting a divine light.


    As he sat down and reached out to touch the water, there was a rustling in the grass behind him. Then with a quick snap, Hiro turned around.


    ¡°Thank you for your patience. I would now like to begin the baptism.¡±


    The Princess Shrine Maiden stood there, dressed so thinly that her snow-white skin was visible. Her breasts were faintly visible, and below from the edge of her sexy breasts, was a narrow waist. If one looks further down, the base of the legs and the shade between them is visible.


    The sharpened, white, dazzling female body was in front of Hiro¡¯s eyes. Everything was visible; it would still be better if she weren¡¯t wearing anything.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ well, what is baptism?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to be blessed by the Spirit King.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just do that alone?¡±


    ¡°This is a special case.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡±


    He tried to keep his face down and not look, but he could hear the rustling sound and stomp on the grass. He could tell that the Princess Shrine Maiden was closing the distance.


    ¡°I cannot speak of it myself. But I can give you a clue.¡±


    He found that the Princess Shrine Maiden had squatted down. It was because her lush thighs caught Hiro¡¯s eyes. And then a hand was ced gently on his shoulder, and it moved slowly to touch Hiro¡¯s cheek.


    He was urged to look up, and he couldn¡¯t resist. He and the Princess Shrine Maiden stared at each other at such a distance that their noses were touching.


    ¡°¡­My heart feels iparable pleasure for your safe return.¡±


    A single tear rolled down her cheek from her blue eyes, touching and caressing her moist lips.

 Volume 1, Chapter 3 – Awakening Part 2

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 3 ¨C Awakening Part 2</h4>


    ¡°Tris! Hiro wasn¡¯t there!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Sixth Princess, you mustn¡¯t run around like that.¡±


    ¡°But he wasn¡¯t in the baptistery! He might have gotten lost¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible since he was with the Princess Shrine Maiden¡­¡±


    ¡°So where did he go then¡­ I¡¯m sure he¡¯s crying.¡±


    Liz sat back in her chair and covered her face with her hands. Empty tes areid out on the table in front of her. At her feet is Cerberus, sleeping with a satisfied look on his face. Sitting opposite her is Tris.


    ¡°There is no way that a sixteen-year-old boy is going to cry. Maybe¨D¨D.¡±


    Tris trailed off as a figure caught his eye.


    ¡°Princess, it looks like he¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    When she turned around, she saw Hiro at the entrance. Perhaps it¡¯s because of his baptism, but his expression is slightly tired.


    ¡°Hiro! Over here!¡±


    She waved her hand and called out to him, and then Hiro turned his gaze toward Liz.


    ¡°Geez! You¡¯rete!¡±


    Unable to resist Hiro¡¯s slow walk, Liz ran up to him and pulled his hand and made him sit next to her.


    ¡°Hiro, you look kind of tired, was the baptism that hard?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m exhausted mentally.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know where to look, and I have been touched in so many ways.¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like there¡¯s a lot of people here today. Hiro has a rather cute face, so there¡¯s no helping it if the old men got strange ideas.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Old men?¡±


    ¡°They were old men, right?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    As they both tilted their heads, a shadow fell between them.


    ¡°¨D¨DCelia Estreya-sama. How was your breakfast?¡±


    When they turned around, the Princess Shrine Maiden was standing behind them.


    ¡°Oh, it was delicious. Just as I expected from the Spirit King Temple¡¯s dining hall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. Would you like to stay the night again today?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s all very tempting, but we have to leave soon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I know you¡¯re busy with many things, but I hope you¡¯ll visit us again.¡±


    ¡°I will be back soon. I need toe back to pick up my injured men.¡±


    They can¡¯t take the wounded soldiers with them. Because from this point on, they don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen. It would be difficult to protect them and fight with them if a battle urred.


    Perhaps sensing Liz¡¯s thoughts, the Princess Shrine Maiden gave a small nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. At that time, Hiro-sama is also wee to visit us. I¡¯d be happy to talk to you about many things again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, um, yes. I¡¯ll visit again¡­¡±


    ¡°Hiro? Your face is so red. Did you catch a cold?¡±


    ¡°No, I-I¡¯m fine, okay?¡±


    ¡°Fufu, I guess I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you for everything. I¡¯ll never forget it.¡±


    ¡°It is the duty of a servant of the Spirit King to help those in need. If I can be of service, you can always count on me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve prepared some horses outside. You are wee to use them as you see fit.¡±


    Then, as she bent her waist and bowed, the Princess Shrine Maiden walked away. After watching it, Liz sat down on the chair again and looked at Hiro.


    ¡°Hey, your face is still red, you know?¡±


    Hiro was visibly panicked when Liz pointed it out to him.


    ¡°No, i-it¡¯s just your imagination! Better yet, we need to get ahead of ourselves!¡±


    ¡°H-hmm? What are you so panicked about?¡±


    Liz has a question mark on her face as Hiro pulls on her arm.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get on with it!¡±


    The Princess Shrine Maiden has been watching their exchange from the shadows for a long time. When Hiro and the others¡¯ backs were out of sight, she began to walk. Her feet were heading towards the northern section of the Spirit King¡¯s Temple.


    The area that only the Princess Shrine Maiden was allowed to enter¨Dthe Baptism Pce. There was a dazzlingly bright sphere there. The Princess Shrine Maiden gazed at it intently. She was a beautiful girl with a reputation for never ceasing to smile, but right now, she had an expression that wascking.


    ¡°What are you thinking about now¡­ Why did you decide to summon back that heroic king? O our Father, the Spirit King. Please answer me.¡±


    An eerie silence fell, like being on the edge of the world.


    ¡°Can you please answer me¡­¡±


    With a sigh, the Princess Shrine Maiden turned her attention to the two statues behind the sphere. Everyone who lives in this world is familiar with the two pirs of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz.


    One is a bronze statue of a handsome young man with a sword thrust into the earth¡ªthe lionhearted king who founded the great empire, Leon Welt Altius von Grantz.


    The other is a statue of a man clutching the hilt of his sword with both hands and holding it up to heaven¡ªthe heroic king who established the great empire, Herth Ray Schwartz von Grantz.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty Altius, please protect His Majesty Schwartz.¡±


    £ª£ª£ª


    After leaving Natua, Hiro and the rest of the group were near the border of the small country of Baum. Even though they were less than seventy, the sound of horseshoes stomping on the ground all at once could make one¡¯s heart uneasy. It was Liz, of course, who was leading the way. Skillfully maneuvering her horse, her beautiful red hair fluttered backward. Hiro was clinging to her waist with his arm around her.


    ¡°W-we¡¯re already at the border, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re going to go straight into Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.¡±


    Tris, who was running alongside them, made an awkward face as he had heard their conversation.


    ¡°The advance party has not returned. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening there. In another cell or so, we¡¯ll have to abandon our horses and walk away.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you still think my brother¡¯s hand has reached out to it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say with certainty. There¡¯s no harm in being cautious.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡±


    Liz nodded and looked ahead. The road between the small country of Baum and Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory was a wilderness.


    A third of Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory countryside is barren andcking in water, and although it¡¯s not clear if this is the reason, the area near the border of the small country of Baum is also dry and covered with sand and dust.


    A small hill built of sand. Sandstone crumbling down from a cliff. A desert-likend with no trees or grass. The group abandoned their horses at the entrance to the wilderness¨D¨D.


    ¡°We should be cautious from here.¡±


    Liz began to walk through the wilderness with her eyes on the soldiers. At this rate, in about half an hour more, they would enter the Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory. Hiding behind the cliffs to be inconspicuous, Liz and the others proceeded with a cautious gait.


    ¡±Princess. The advance party has not returned. We must assume that something has happened.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ it could be dangerous if we keep going like this.¡±


    Liz agreed with Tris¡¯s words and started to climb up the rock with her hand. They moved to where they could see the border. Noticing Hiro¡¯s anxious expression, Liz smiled to reassure him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s my uncle¡¯s territory.¡±


    It was as if she was telling herself that. We finish climbing the cliffs where we can see the border, and Tris creeps up to the brink. A littleter, a signal is sent to Liz. The fact that he hadn¡¯t turned back and called for her toe over means that something was wrong.


    Liz approached Tris with a dubious look on her face, and looking down at the ground from the edge of the cliff¨D¨D.


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    Liz hurriedly covered her mouth as she almost shouted out. The scene spread out in front of her was nothing but despair. Unable to believe her own eyes, Liz rubbed her eyelids again and again. Still, the cruelndscape remained the same. Tears came to the corners of Liz¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What has happened¡­¡±


    At the entrance to Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory, ten of the advance party were exposed as miserable corpses. They may have been tortured, and all of them had missing parts of their bodies.


    Behind them were three thousand brown-skinned soldiers. They wore leather armor with brown cloth wrapped around their heads, exposing their arms and shoulders. Hanging from their hips was a scythe with a spear and an oval shield thrust into the ground.


    The wind blowing in the wilderness made the tiger¡¯s crest g swim on the brown ground, propped up at the top of it.


    ¡°Looks like the Principality of Lichtine, huh?¡±


    Tris twisted his face in bitterness and added. ¡°The starving wolf of the desert, the Principality of Lichtine¨Dthe statehood is nothing short of brutal and inhumane. The people of a hostile country have only two choices: to be ves or to be killed. That is why it is one of the countries where very still exists.¡±


    ¡°I know that without being told. But why are the soldiers of Lichtine here?¡±


    It had been under the influence of the Grantz Empire for many years, and there hadn¡¯t even been a skirmish in thest few decades. The reason for this was very.


    The Great Grantz Empire had abolished very, so they could not ransom officers of hostile nations they had captured in war or sold their people to the Lichtine. With its broad battle lines, the Great Grantz Empire was a favorite, and above all, too powerful to be foolish enough to attack. It should have been thought so.


    ¡°Since they¡¯ve deployed their forces here, their objective must be the princess, nine times out of ten.¡±


    Tris gives the enemy forces a sharp look.


    ¡°How they know the princess is passing through here is a mystery, though. For now, let¡¯s go back to the small country of Baum.¡±


    ¡°No. We can¡¯t involve the Princess Shrine Maiden.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they would attack the small country of Baum. If they do, they will incur the wrath of many nations.¡±


    ¡°This is an invasion of a noble territory. Moreover, it¡¯s against the Great Grantz Empire. I don¡¯t think those people would hesitate to destroy the Spirit King¡¯s Temple.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Liz opened her mouth as Tris stuttered beside her.


    ¡°We should force our way through here and join my uncle.¡±


    ¡°If they are here, it means they have breached the Fort Berg.¡±


    To get to this point, they would have to pass through Fort Berg and then Fort Alt in that order. Considering the fact that the enemy forces are closing in on this ce, there is a great possibility that it may have fallen.


    ¡°And they can¡¯t stay in the empire¡¯s territory forever. In time, the Fourth Imperial Army shoulde to rescue us.¡±


    ¡°If they don¡¯t show up, they¡¯ll raid the surrounding viges. They might even invade the small country of Baum.¡±


    Imagining a future where viges and towns were burned, and people were overrun, Liz, who clenched her fist and mmed it into the ground, staring at the enemy army below her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand the idea of innocent people getting hurt because of me.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t win. If anything were to happen to you, Your Highness¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the role of the royal family to fight for their people. No matter the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°¡­Will you not give up?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t. I¡¯m the Sixth Imperial Princess of Grantz.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s no use. I¡¯ll go with you then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Breaking off the conversation, the two of them joined their men who were hiding behind the rocks in the rear. Standing up, Liz forgot to clear the dust and was the first to approach Hiro.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to have a fierce battle. Hiro, go back to the small country of Baum.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Hiro will be a burden from here on out, so¡­ It would be better for you if you didn¡¯t stay with us.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll fight with you.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s resolve seems to be firm. He had never experienced war before. In fact, when he lowered his gaze, his legs were trembling with fear.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Hiro, go back the way you came and run away.¡±


    Liz threw away all personal feelings and shunned him, but Hiro was momentarily frightened, but he bit back.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I help you with the ogre? This time¨D¨D.¡±


    Sensing Hiro¡¯s kindness, Liz¡¯s expression was filled with delight, but it was reced by confusion, which soon turned to determination.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. I get distracted when Hiro is around. So I don¡¯t want you to follow me.¡±


    Hearing that, Hiro¡¯s body staggered as if a heavy object had hit it. Still, Hiro clenched his fists and stepped back. There must be a lot of things he wants to say, but nothinges to mind, and he is desperately trying to spin out words like that.


    Feeling affectionate towards such Hiro, Liz put her hand on his cheek.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll really be fine¡­ I¡¯ll see you againter on.¡±


    As if to reassure him, Liz spun the words exceptionally gently.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ foring here with me.¡±


    If she talked any more, she would surely wish for him to stay with her. Liz stroked Hiro¡¯s cheek as if she was regretting the loss of life and¨D¨D.


    ¡°The journey is over here. This has been so much fun.¡±


    She said her farewell.

 Volume 1, Chapter 3 – Awakening Part 3

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 3 ¨C Awakening Part 3</h4>


    ¡°Are you sure it was the right way to say goodbye like that?¡±


    Tris asked in a gentle voice.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s going to be a tough fight. There¡¯s no need to involve Hiro in it, either.¡±


    The boy was a goody-two-shoes no matter how far he went, and if Liz had told him, he would have fought to the end. That¡¯s why she wants him to live. That kindness is not something that can be scattered here.


    ¡°They¡¯reing!¡±


    When Liz shouted at the ck mass floating in the sky, it dyed the sky like a haze of clouds. The way it falls with force while drawing a parabolic line is like a torrential downpour.


    ¡°Stay low and raise your shield!¡±


    ¡°Yeaahh!¡±


    Instantly, thousands of arrows fell to the ground¨Da roaring sound dominated the battlefield as if arge number of ice blocks had fallen. When the sound left, arge number of arrows pierced the shields of the heavily armed infantry.


    ¡°Build a wall!¡±


    Liz flies in with instructions. It¡¯s wide enough for six adults to pass shoulder-to-shoulder¨Dthe heavily armed infantry thrust their shields and prepare for the enemy charging from the front.


    The ce Liz and the others chose for the battle was a narrow strip ofnd between the cliffs on either side.


    ¨D¨DThe first thing to do is to use the advantages of the ground to ovee the disadvantage of numbers. Even though there are 3,000 of them, they are not able to defeat the cliffs to advance.


    Therefore, it will naturally be a battle between a small number of people. Liz threw a spear at the approaching enemy.


    ¡°Goaaahh!¡±


    Although it hit the target admirably, a new enemy is approaching over the corpse.


    ¡°Archers! Fire!¡±


    As soon as the me Emperor was immediately swung vertically, many arrows passed over her head from behind. The arrows fired at close range hit every single one of them.


    The enemy¡¯s front line had turned into the wreckage, impeding their progress and causing the enemy soldiers in the rear line to fall down. However, by stomping on them, the enemy soldiers didn¡¯t lose their momentum as they pushed forward.


    ¡°Woooooooo!¡±


    An air-shaking yell shook her eardrums.


    ¡°Princess! Get back!¡±


    The heavily armed infantrymen gritted their teeth as they strained their arms. A change in the direction of the wind caused the dust to envelop the heavily armed infantry. A momentter, a thump¨Dthe sound of a collision could be heard, and at the same time, the sound of metal striking each other could be heard as well.


    ¡°Haahh!¡±


    Pushing the dust away from the wind pressure, Liz thrusts out the me Emperor. Feeling the response, Liz pulls it out and swings it to the side. While sensing the presence of the enemy, Liz attacks without pause.


    When the gust of wind blows through the walls and clears the vision, Liz¡¯s surroundings are filled with dead bodies. A short distance away, there is Tris, who cleaves the enemy with his spear.


    ¡°Princess! You¡¯re too far out! Come back!¡±


    ¡°Not yet! I¡¯ll take care of the enemy here as best I can!¡±


    The enemy reaches Liz as they push each other down the narrow passage.


    ¡°Uraaaaahhh!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that attack could hit me.¡±


    ¡°Gobuuuhh!¡±


    She cut down the attacking soldiers with her single sword.


    ¡°Guraaaahhh!¡±


    ¡°Gugaaaaah!¡±


    Cerberus jumped out and cut out the necks of the enemy soldiers with his fangs. He jumped on enemy soldiers one after another, hunting for their lives. Cerberus¡¯ white fur turned red in a sh.


    Liz used her right leg as an axis to swing the me Emperor down to the left.


    ¡°Phew!¡±


    She shes off one of the enemy¡¯s arms that were trying to get behind her.


    ¡°Agaaaaaaaahh!¡±


    Ignoring the small fry that screamed out, she stabbed the enemy at the edge of her vision and killed him. She took advantage of the momentum and twisted her body, dropping the enemy¡¯s head to her left.


    ¡°Agouuuhh!¡±


    Finally, she cut off the head of the small fry that had lost one arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna buy us some time.¡±


    A mass of me was spat out from the Red de and exploded as if it were engulfing the area.


    ¡°Uggaaaahh!¡±


    ¡°Hyii, retreat!¡±


    The momentum that had been pushing through the narrows in a long line was not going to be easily stopped. The majority of the decapitated enemies were burned to death, and the smell of burning began to waft across the battlefield.


    Liz ran out and shed and discarded the divided enemies that were between her and her allies. By the time she joins Tris, the corpse¡¯s pathway has been created.


    ¡°Princess! Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s still plenty of enemies out there. We need to be ready for the next one.¡±


    With a little more time to think, Liz can¡¯t help but think about Hiro. It was a terrible goodbye. When she thinks of Hiro¡¯s agonized face, she is filled with regret. If she could see him again, she would bow to him sincerely and ask him to forgive her. But there¡¯s no point in pondering about that before the battle is over.


    (The battle has only just begun¡­)


    Liz chuckled and patted Cerberus¡¯ head. She decided to worry about it if she could survive properly.


    ¡°The enemy ising!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s kick their asses! Archers, fire! Heavily armed infantry, advance!¡±


    The first row of heavily armed infantry moved forward with their shields at the ready with no gaps between them, under the covering fire of the archers. The faces of the enemy soldiers in front of them all had looks of astonishment on their faces, but they were not allowed to stop. Because if they stopped, they would be trampled by their allies behind them.


    Soon the two sides shed, the heavily armed infantry held on, but the enemy forces were blown away with the following. The spear tips flew out of the gap between the shields, and the heavily armed infantry stopped the breathing of the fallen enemy soldiers.


    When the heavy infantry saw that the ranks had copsed, they opened the walls. Liz, Tris, and the lightly armed infantry charged in between. They finish off the wounded and battle-depleted enemy.


    In the meantime, the second line of heavily armed infantry that was waiting in the rear joined them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep pushing back!¡±


    There is no greater inspiration than amander fighting on the front line. In fact, there is no fear on the soldier¡¯s face, only a willingness to defend their Lord.


    In spite of the numerical disadvantage, enthusiasm precedes fear. From the enemy¡¯s point of view, there is nothing more troublesome than this, and the enemy soldiers are easily dying off.


    However, the scary thing about riding the momentum is that they can¡¯t recognize their surroundings.


    ¡°¡­No way.¡±


    Liz noticed and muttered as she looked up at the sky. Her face was pale. Perhaps because of the momentum, the light infantry started to move forward, leaving their Lord behind.


    Tris, who sensed Liz¡¯s change, turns around with a suspicious face.


    ¡°Princess, are you hurt somewhere!¡±


    ¡°Tris! Above!¡±


    The voice was a disquieting shout that resembled a scream.


    ¡°Hurry up, shield! Cerberus,e here!¡±


    She hugged Cerberus with her left hand and waved her right arm at her allies to signal them, but it was already toote. The light infantry stared up at the sky in a daze; their thoughts stopped.


    A few momentster, a group of arrowheads filled the sky and flew in a heap. The enemy¡¯s attacks, which even involved their allies, made the battlefield chaotic. The arrows that filled the ground and the small needle mounts that dotted the ground in ces were so small that it was barely discernible that they were people, and it was impossible to tell whether they were friend or foe.


    The fact that not a single person moved means that the light infantry unit could be assumed to have been wiped out.


    ¡°Princess, are you all right?!¡±


    A few arrows are stuck in Tris¡¯s back, but from the movement, it doesn¡¯t seem to have reached a fatal wound. The battle situation has changedpletely, and the heavily armed infantry who have grasped the current situation is in a heavy-hearted state.


    Tris opened his big mouth as if he was trying to get some life into them.


    ¡°The heavily armed infantry must immediately regroup! Fortify the entrance and hold off the enemy¡¯s advance!¡±


    ¡°Haa!¡±


    He forgot about the pain of his own wounds as he skipped the instructions and ran up to Liz.


    ¡°That caught us off guard a bit¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s face contorts in pain, and she pulls out the arrow that sticks in her left arm with her right hand and throws it away. As Cerberus looks anxiously at the overflowing blood, Liz pats him on the head to reassure him. A number of heavily armed infantry passed next to them and quickly built up an iron wall on the front line.


    ¡°We have to treat them immediately¡­¡±


    ¡°Just tie him up, and he¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯d rather look at the damage¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to others.¡±


    ¡°Captain Tris!¡±


    One of the heavily armed infantry interrupted the old soldier who was about to scold Liz. Tris turned around in the form of anger at being approached in such an emergency.


    ¡°What is it?!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a change in the enemy¡¯s movement!¡±


    A vein appeared on Tris¡¯s forehead at the off-target report.


    ¡°You need to make a proper report!¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­. look at that!¡±


    The soldier pointed to an iprehensible scene. Two hundred or so Imperial soldiers were lined up in a line, their arms tied around their backs.


    A man from among the enemy forces stepped forward through the gap.


    ¡°My name is Vile Narmel Lichtine, and I have something interesting to show you.¡±


    ¡°What is he going to do¡­¡±


    The man drew the scimitar that he held at his waist and ced his foot on the Imperial soldier¡¯s shoulder, forcing him to bow his head with all his strength. Immediately, a deadly de was swung down, and the Imperial soldier¡¯s head flew off.


    The man kicked the blood sttering corpse and then flicked his gaze to Liz with a smile on his mouth.


    ¡°O, sixth princess! If you are willing to surrender quietly, I will stop executing them. If you still continue to resist, I will cut off the heads of all the Imperial soldiers here!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±


    Tris¡¯s face flushed with anger. Liz listens in silence, looking as if she¡¯s about to cry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care either way. Either way, you¡¯re going to be captured, you know. And you will be a ve. You won¡¯t live a lonely day! I¡¯ll look after you every day! Every day!¡±


    Like a sorting operation, the heads of the Imperial soldiers were sliced off indifferently. It was a show of force to make them lose our will to fight.


    ¡°Come on, make your decision! The Sixth Princess, Celia Estreya!¡±


    The bloody sword gleamed in the sunlight.

 Volume 1, Chapter 3 – Awakening Part 4

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 3 ¨C Awakening Part 4</h4>


    Hiro sat alone on a rock and stared at the ground. The only thing that ran through his mind was his own inadequacy in being some.


    Why did hee to this other world, and why did he have no power? But with the skill of just being able to see well, he can¡¯t even fight for her.


    (What did Ie here for¡­?)


    He was told to flee to the small country of Baum, but he doesn¡¯t feel like moving. Maybe it¡¯s because his feelings are leaning towards her at a distance¡­


    Her sad smile appears in his mind. He wished her to ask him to fight with her. Even if it¡¯s a battle that can¡¯t be won, he hasn¡¯t been able to repay the debt of gratitude for the care he¡¯s received in this world.


    (But¡­ if it came down to a fight, I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be able to stand out.)


    That¡¯s all fine, but Liz, the one who protected Hiro, might get hurt.


    After shaking his head, Hiro looked up at the sky. The strong sunlight shone on the thirsty earth. The gloomy breeze evoked irritation and made him feel indescribably unpleasant.


    (¡­What shall I do now?)


    He gets off the rock and turns around to look at the remnants, and there she is at the end of this road. By now, the battle would have begun. Three thousand in number, against less than a hundred, is hopeless.


    But Liz is strong. Even to the untrained eye, that¡¯s for sure. Please help her to meet Margrave Grinda safely, Hiro prayed to the Spirit King.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He closed his eyes as if to discard his unrequited love and tried to leave quickly. However, he immediately stopped.


    (¡­What? People?)


    The sound of many footsteps could be heard, but it was the voices that were carried by the wind. He hid behind a rock, and then he saw a familiar group of peopleing out of a gap in the cliff.


    ¡°Is this the right way?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this area is in the small country of Baum. If we keep going south along the border, we should be able to get behind the Sixth Princess.¡±


    ¡°Is there a vige around here?¡±


    ¡°Just be patient.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve picked a fight with the Empire. It¡¯s worthless to me unless I can get three ves.¡±


    Although he couldn¡¯t keep track of the number, arge number of soldiers wereing out of the shadows. They are the soldiers of the Principality of Lichtine. All of the men have well-trained bodies, shamelessly exposing their brown skin as they proceed along the path that Hiro came from with a look of their own.


    ¡°After capturing the Sixth Princess, all that remains is to burn down the surrounding viges. Save it for fun.¡±


    ¡°The Sixth Princess¡­ would someone be mad at me if I tasted her?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll just take your head off.¡±


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    Gyahaha, the people advancing with vulgarughter, made Hiro feel angry and involuntarily jumped out from behind the rocks. The sight of the boy¡¯s sudden appearance made the enemy soldiers tense, but they immediately raised their guard. What groundless fear is there in the boy who appeared while shaking his legs in fear?


    ¡°¡­A lost child, huh?¡±


    ¡°A guy, huh? If only a woman.¡±


    The vulgar soldier slumped his shoulders in tant dismay. But they put their hands to their chins and looked at Hiro with a jittery look.


    ¡°But he looks pretty good. I¡¯m sure he will sell well. Should we catch him?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just going to get in the way. Let¡¯s just kill him.¡±


    It would be troublesome if he reported to the small country of Baum. The serious soldier muttered and drew his sword inwardly. But the vulgar soldier stretched out his arm to stop the serious soldier.


    ¡°Wait, wait, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste our time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, well, I¡¯ll do the spats, and you guys can watch. Or do you want to bet?¡±


    Immediately, a joyful voicees from the soldiers in the rear.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a bet.¡±


    ¡°The kid¡¯s dead. Let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spend too much time on it. His Excellency will kill you.¡±


    ¡°I know. Just give me a second.¡±


    The vulgar man grabbed Hiro¡¯s shoulder with his left hand. He stabbed the spear in his right hand into the ground and instead pulled out the scythe and pressed it tightly against Hiro¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Are you too scared to speak? Don¡¯t worry; it won¡¯t hurt. I¡¯ll give you such a fine cut to your neck.¡±


    The vulgar man¡¯s right arm spreads out. He was about to sh it off at a distance and with great vigor. Hiro¡¯s body was trembling in small increments from fear. The man¡¯s smile deepened as he imagined what kind of scream he would hear, but¨D¨D.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hiro muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote to beg for your life now.¡±


    The man tapped Hiro¡¯s shoulder as if tofort him and tried to shake him with all his strength.


    ¨D¨DBut the arm did not move. With a dubious look, the man looked at the ce where his arm had been. He finally noticed that it was lost from his right shoulder onwards.


    ¡°Ah!? Wh-what? Udeaaaaghhh!¡±


    He put his remaining hand on it as if trying to stop the blood that had spurted out. However, the blood poured out of the gap between his fingers and did not stop.


    ¡°Aaaaagaaahhhhh!?¡±


    The man suffering from severe pain rolls on the ground. And there was someone who looked down at it with icy eyes.


    ¨D¨DIt was Hiro.


    In his hand, the arm torn off from the man¡¯s shoulder was clenched. The base of the arm¨Dwith blood trickling down to the ground like it was being sucked into the ground.


    ¡°¡­.Ah.¡±


    Hiro certainly heard it within himself.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    The eerie sound of something breaking reverberates within the body. It will never go back to the way it was. It must have beenpletely broken.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    The sensation of clearing every corner of his head is pleasant. Then Hiro pulled out the spear that pierced the earth.


    ¡°Damn kid!¡±


    He pierced the chest of the approaching enemy. He stole the sword from the waist of his foe as he was about to fall.


    ¡°Oraa¨D¨D!¡±


    He cut off the head of the next enemy. He can feel the power spreading to every corner of his body.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing? Surround him!¡±


    He ughtered another enemy and snatched the spear and cleaved it to the side. The heads of the three enemy soldiers flew through the air. The wall that was suppressing the boy haspletely disappeared.


    He could feel his head getting clearer. He could feel his body bing lighter and lighter. He could feel his five senses being sharpened.


    The boy¨Dhe realized that his former self had returned. As if to confirm this, he sps his hand twice or three times.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    There is no emotion floating in the eyes of the abyss; there is only nothingness.


    Just dark.


    Just deep.


    Just cold.


    ¨D¨DThe curtain of carnage has gone up.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    (Where did I go wrong? What did I do wrong?)


    The man¡¯s head was flooded with those words alone. There was room to spare a moment ago, but there was no such thing now. It was all they could do to escape from the enemy chasing them from behind.


    The man¡¯s name was Karelis, and he would be thirty-four years old this year. He is one of the staff members of the Principality of Lichtine, led by Vile Narmer Lichtine.


    He used to be a ve, but he was freed by developing his own abilities by advancing his knowledge. His life was finally starting to get back on track, but he had encountered some nasty things.


    Besides, where were all those friends that were with him?


    (There were 500 of them. What the hell¡¯s going on?)


    Five hundred men ughtered by a single opponent without so much as a single sword. If this isn¡¯t a dream, then the only monster that can do such a thing is a spirit being.


    Suddenly, the man stopped aftering to that thought.


    (¡­Could it be that it was a spirit kind?)


    He hides behind a rock to catch his breath. After that, he should probably head to report to hismander. Keeping a vignt eye on his surroundings, Karelis decided to clear his head under his breath.


    (That¡¯s right. If it weren¡¯t for the spirits, there¡¯s no way Dagner would have died in such an unnatural way.)


    It makes him shudder to remember it now. Before they could march on, a boy appeared, and Dagner¡¯s arm was torn off as he tried to eliminate him. From there, the unspeakable carnage began. All who confronted him were ughtered, and those who fled were decapitated from behind.


    There was no emotion in the boy¡¯s face as he killed people so easily. The memory of the boy¡¯s face made his body tremble with fear.


    (How did this happen¡­ It should have been an easy job. I just had to get behind the Sixth Princess!)


    It¡¯s not even cold, but his body is shaking, and his teeth are biting together. No sound should be made. The boy will notice him. Karelis presses his mouth down.


    There¡¯s a crack¨Dand a kicking sound of stone. When Karelis closes his eyes, a gloomy wind caresses his cheeks. The fear was so great that it almost drove him crazy.


    (I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die.)


    But¨Dthe despair was not lost on him.


    ¡°¡­I offer you two choices. Take your own life, or let me take your life.¡±


    ¡°Hyii, p-please, forgive me! I don¡¯t know what I did, but it was my fault. So please let it go!¡±


    The boy looked down at Karelis, who lowered his head, with inorganic eyes.


    ¡°Please. What did I do to deserve this? I didn¡¯t do anything! I have lost my friends, what else do you want me to do¨D¨Dgahh!?¡±


    Karelis was grabbed by the neck and lifted up. Karelis¡¯s heart brokepletely at this point, as he didn¡¯t know what kind of power that Hiro¡¯s thin arms had.


    ¡°Please, I didn¡¯t do anything! Please don¡¯t kill me! I don¡¯t want to die yet!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything yet. But you might do something if I let you. That¡¯s worth dying for. Someone might get hurt for letting you get away. And I can¡¯t stand it.¡±


    ¡°W-what¡¯s that¡­ that¡¯s why you¡¯re killing them! Do you really think you¡¯re a god?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess I¡¯m a god now.¡±


    ¡°Ogooh¨Dpubuh?!¡±


    A shimmering de crossed his chest and spat out blood from his mouth. As Karelis¡¯s consciousness faded away, he remembered an old story. It was amon story that parents would read to their children who stayed upte.


    When they stayed upte¨D¨D.


    ¨D¨DThe Endless Despair ising to take you away.

 Volume 1, Chapter 3 – Awakening Part 5

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 3 ¨C Awakening Part 5</h4>


    A man with an exposed upper half and a lower half d in shy silk with gold and silver ornamentation. He was brown-skinned like the other soldiers, but his blessed body and the atmosphere he exuded set him apart from the rest.


    Vile Narmel Lichtine.


    The third son of the principality, he was themander of a detachment of Lichtine¡¯s army¡¯s Principality. His gaze was fixed on the red-haired princess lurking between the cliffs.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite stubborn, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s so intriguing.¡±


    Behind him, two hundred Imperial soldiers were lined up with both knees on the ground. Vile said as he shed off the heads of a few of them without a second thought.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. Kill them all. And bring that guy to me.¡±


    The imperial soldiers were unable to resist, they were stabbed in the chest, their throats were gouged out, and their entire body was sliced off, leaving every single one of them to be killed. The blood flowing from the corpses moistened the drynd.


    And a man with arge scar on his cheek was brought in front of Vile.


    ¡°Dios!¡±


    A voice that resembled the scream of a red-haired girl was heard. Vile¡¯s face contorted with amusement.


    ¡°Kuku, hahaha, aah¡­¡­.good! Isn¡¯t that a wonderful voice? Finally, you¡¯re purring!¡±


    He stomped on Dios¡¯ head, who gritted his teeth in frustration.


    ¡°From the look of that panic¡­ it looks like you¡¯re a member of the Sixth Princess¡¯ aides or something.¡±


    A man who showed an order of magnitude greater strength than the other Imperial soldiers when they attacked Fort Alto. He is blessed with good physical strength, and the fact that he was captured alive, thinking that his very wouldst for a long time, proved to be a sess.


    ¡°It seems that I¡¯ve been lucky, after all,¡± said Vile.


    ¡°I¡¯m finally going to be able to capture the Sixth Princess, thanks to you. What, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of her in front of you!¡±


    ¡°Gahah!¡±


    After kicking Dios in the face, Vile raised his voice at the red-haired girl.


    ¡°If you want this man back unharmed, then you should surrender obediently!¡±


    Although he couldn¡¯t see the Sixth Princess¡¯s expression, seeing that she was being stopped by a soldier, he was sure she was in a temper.


    One more push¡­ Thinking that, Vile swung his sword down on Dios¡¯ shoulder.


    ¡°Uguuh?!¡±


    The arm that was cut off floats high in the sky and falls to the ground while spinning around.


    ¡°Goooooohhh!¡±


    Dios endured, gritting his teeth. He had lost his arm; the pain could have knocked him unconscious. Fresh blood gushed out in a vigorous stream, and Vile moved his jaw towards his men.


    ¡°Stop the bleeding.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Immediately, his men took out a cloth and wrapped it around Dios¡¯ shoulders. He stabbed the fallen arm with his sword and swung it vigorously, throwing it to the red-haired girl¡¯s feet.


    ¡°O, Sixth Princess. If you don¡¯t treat him quickly, your precious subordinate will die!¡¡Hahahahahahaha!¡±


    Now, charge in, surrender, or whatever you want to do, take action. The image of the Sixth Princess crying out was floating in Vile¡¯s mind. Just imagining that was enough to make the pleasure rush through him.


    I¡¯ll torture her, ravish her, and treat her like trash. I¡¯ll let the whole empire see her crying and screaming, thought Vile.


    Vile couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter as he imagined that near future. It didn¡¯tst long, though¨D¨D.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estreya Elizabeth von Grantz!¡±


    Because Dios shouted.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Vile looked down at Dios with a dubious look.


    ¡°Keep fighting! Even if I die, my soul is with you, along with the Grand Empire of Grantz! Make your dreamse true! Make the grand dream you once spoke ofe true!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If that dreames true, then give my soul to the Twelve Grantz God!¡±


    ¡°Shut his mouth!¡±


    ¡°Gunuhh!¡±


    One of Vile¡¯s men kicked Dios in the face, but he didn¡¯t move even slightly. Vile backed away from the sharp eyes, pressurized by the sharpness of Dios¡¯ eyes. After spitting out a clot of blood, Dios continued.


    ¡°The path you are on is hard, and many difficulties will be encountered! But do not ever stop! Reach beyond the many corpses! You must push forward on the High Path!¡±


    ¡°Stop running your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Ugaaah!¡±


    Dios was kicked in the shoulder where he lost his arm, and he fell to the ground. Vile, who was looking down at him in anger, immediately turned his attention to the Sixth Princess. She was about to disappear on the other side of the iron wall.


    ¡°Wait! You don¡¯t care what happens to this guy!?¡±


    He hurriedly grabbed Dios¡¯s hair and made her lookup. But Liz¡¯s back is now hidden behind the cliff.


    ¡°Kuku, that¡¯s a lot of work. Just hurry up and kill me. Mdy will never be your ve.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. Then I will thoroughly humiliate you until I take it away with all my might.¡±


    He mmed Dios¡¯ face into the ground and stomped on him with his heels repeatedly with vigor. He continued to swing his heels down mercilessly on Dios, who didn¡¯t even groan, as if to let out his frustration.


    ¡°Hmph, you can sit back and watch your precious princess get defiled in the afterlife.¡±


    When Dios stopped twitching, Vile shed at his neck and threw him at his men¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Keep it exposed. Expose it so they can see it better.¡±


    Without even a nce at his head, as if he had lost interest, Vile raised his bloody sword and shouted loudly on the battlefield.


    ¡°All troops, charge!¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    ¡°We shall avenge them all! Protect the princess at all costs!¡±


    Tris¡¯s angry voice rang out through the cliffs. The heavily armed infantry silently hammered their shields. The archers fired their arrows and stopped the enemy from breathing down their necks even without instructions. Further back, there was Liz¡¯s figure with her face turned down.


    Her eyelids were red, swollen, and painful. There was no sign of the girl who was so full of energy.


    (¡­Hiro)


    She thinks of the boy with the kindest face. She probably has no idea how reassuring his presence has been on this journey. The unidentified boy who followed her even though he didn¡¯t know what was going on.


    The kind-hearted boy who stayed with her until the end of the trip, without ever expressing weakness. When he said he would fight with her, she almost hugged him out of happiness.


    (¡­I wanted to apologize.)


    There is no more energy left to fight. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of anyone else dying any longer. Only a few of the private soldiers who apanied her on this journey had survived. That would be wiped out in less than a second.


    (Hiro¡­ I¡¯m so tired.)


    She held her knees and buried her face between them, rejecting the world. The girl, whose tears have already dried up, closes her eyes as she falls asleep. Her consciousness fell so deeply that she didn¡¯t even care about the noise of the battlefield.


    Therefore, she didn¡¯t notice.


    ¨D¨DAt the change in the war situation.


    The glittering sunlight poured down on the earth in the wilderness in full force, and amidst the dust mixed with the heat and blood of the battlefield, a lump of deep darkness fell to the ground like a raindrop.


    It fell from the sky and seeded in opening the distance between the two sides. Everyone stopped fighting and looked at it with quizzical faces.


    ck and shiny hair likecquer is dancing in the wind. The eyes were filled with a cold reason and emitted a clear ck light. The boy, dressed in clothes that seemed to embody the darkness, just silently caught the enemy.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    The boy lightly swung the silvery-white sword in his hand. A gentle breeze slips through the brown-skinned enemy forces. A momentter¨Da ssh of blood rises from several soldiers.


    It didn¡¯t take much time for it to cover the entire field of view. The enemy soldiers who have been drenched in theirrades¡¯ blood are uniformly filled with question marks. Their brains seem to have stopped thinking, unable to understand when they see their fallenrades.


    They have no idea why the blood has fallen on them or what has happened. Time on the battlefield had stopped, with the only exception being the boy, who began to walk slowly. Without looking at them, the boy swung his sword to the side, and the heads of the enemy soldiers who had been watching him in amazement flew off.


    Twisting his body, the white de slices off the skulls of the two enemy soldiers. Before a stter of blood could be seen, he took one step forward and cut down one person, and two steps forward and cut down three people.


    The boy reces the white silver sword in his left hand and picks up a spear that has fallen to the ground. He threw it randomly, and it pierced the necks of the four goosenecks as easily as shooting through an apple. Furthermore, he thrusts his left sword through the stunned enemy¡¯s throat and shes the neck of the enemy next to him as if he were caressing his neck.


    Aftering this far, any person woulde to their senses. A yell went up from the enemy soldiers. It¡¯s so loud that the boy¡¯s body is blown away.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s that bastaaarrdd!¡±


    ¡°So fast!¡±


    A shining white de sliced through the air, and the enemy soldier¡¯s torso broke apart and crashed to the ground with a deafening sound.


    ¡°Urraaaahhh!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    He dives into his foe¡¯s chest, who swings his spear and stabs his sword into the chest. The momentum of pulling out reaps the two men¡¯s lives, and the boy kicks the ground and leaps into the sky.


    With a thud¨Dseveral spears stabbed into the ce where they were before. The boy who somersaulted back into the air danced back into the midst of the enemies filling in.


    ¡°Haahhh!¡±


    He waved his arms twice and three times to carve a cross. A number of white lines were created in space, and the enemies in the vicinity turned into corpses all at once without even feeling the pain. The boy overruns the enemy army as easily as if he were crushing ants.


    The battlefield was changing at a rapid pace, and Tris was unable to speak. Tris is not the only one who is silent. The soldiers on their side were also paying attention to the boy so as not to lose sight of him.


    A strange air enveloped the battlefield. A ck mass was slowly eroding the battlefield like water seeping through cloth. The enemy¡¯s front line haspletely copsed. It will be extremely difficult to rebuild from here.


    The faces of the enemy soldiers on the front line were all distorted with fear, and their expressions spoke of wanting to run away now. However, the order to charge was given, and they were not allowed to retreat due to being pushed by their allies in the rear.


    The only thing they can do is to fall prey to the darkness.


    ¡°Is that¡­ the kid?¡±


    Tris tilted his head as he looked at the boy who wasying waste to the enemy lines with a silvery-white sword in hand. Even from a distance, he doesn¡¯t have the same weak atmosphere from him that he had when they met.


    It was as if he had changed as if he was possessed by something.


    ¡°And what was that sword?¡±


    No matter how many enemies he ughters, his sword will never be covered in blood. The beautiful, shining white and silver sword continues to shine with the same brilliant light as it did in the beginning.


    It¡¯s no wonder that Tris doesn¡¯t know about it.


    It is¨Dthat it was once called the Sword of Heroes.


    The sword of a king who saved a country that was on the verge of destruction and conquered the surrounding countries. After a thousand years, the legendary sword was buried in the long history and called the lost sword.


    Herth Ray Schwartz von Grantz, the second emperor of the Great Empire of Grantz.


    In his lore, it is written. There is a sword in the ck king¡¯s hands who controls the heavens, the earth, and the people. The undefeated sword that will surely bring him victory.


    No one here knows what happened in those days.


    But if they were here, they would have been ovee with emotion. The sword is pure white on both the sword¡¯s peak and hilt as if it were covered in snow, without a single stain, and the de boasts a sharpness that shines like countless twinkling stars scattering.


    When held by the ck-clothed boy, what one associates with is the stars floating in the night sky.


    The Five Emperors of the Spirits Sword. It was said to be thest and most beautiful sword¨D¨D.


    ¨D¨DThe Heavenly Emperor.


    It was the moment when he appeared again in this world.


    ¡°The enemy¡­ is retreating?¡±


    Someone in the heavily armed infantry muttered. A change hade to the battlefield that had silently epted the carnage. Maybe the news had finally reached the enemy general.


    While keeping their eyes on Hiro, the Lichtine army slowly retreated from the battlefield. The boy watched the retreating enemy for a while, but then he turned away as if he had lost interest.


    At that moment, Tris¡¯s expression changed and shouted.


    ¡°K-kid! Behind you!¡±


    Countless arrows flew from behind the retreating enemy. His voice didn¡¯t reach the boy, or he didn¡¯t even look in that direction. No, even if he could hear it, Hiro, who had no shield, would not be able to prevent it.


    Thinking it was all over, Tris involuntarily closed his eyes. However, the next time he opened his eyes, Tris couldn¡¯t distinguish between reality and illusion. For like a waterfall breaking, an arrow had pierced the ground, avoiding the boy.


    Tris, who had been watching it with an astonished look on his face, looked into the boy¡¯s eyes and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye, huh¡­¡±


    After a moment of relief, the boy started to run.


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was no wonder he was questioning since he wasing to Tris and the others with all his might. His face was no longer the expression that carried the abyss that he had carried earlier, but the same weak and unreliable look that he had had when they met.


    ¡°T-Tris-san!¡±


    ¡°Ooh!? What?¡±


    Tris is surprised to see Hiro suddenly hugging him, but Tris holds him back.


    ¡°L-Liz! Where is Liz? She¡¯s safe, isn¡¯t she!¡±


    ¡°C-calm down! The princess is resting in the back! You¡¯re the one who we should be worried about, are you okay?¡±


    It could be said to be a useless worry since he is in such good health, but Tris still can¡¯t help but ask. But the boy looked around at his body before saying.


    ¡°It looks like I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m off to Liz¡¯s!¡±


    ¡°N-no, wait, kid! She¡¯s now¨D¨D.¡±


    He extended his hand, but the boy ran straight to the back.


    Hiro couldn¡¯t help but frown. The muffled heat pooled between the cliffs along with the smell of death. How many soldiers were dead, being careful not to step on them, he continued on to the back.


    ¡°Oh, Liz¨D¨D¡­¡±


    When the desired girl is found, he almost smiles, but his smile instantly changes to a sorrowful look. Because the red-haired girl, surrounded by bodies, was sitting on a rock. The atmosphere she wears seems to be breaking down at any moment, and it makes his chest tighten at the sight of her.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    As he climbed up on the rock, Cerberus, who was next to Liz, gave Hiro a look. He patted Cerberus¡¯ head and then put his hand on Liz¡¯s shoulder as her face fell.


    ¡°Liz¡­¡±


    The girl who rejected the world didn¡¯t even notice that she was touched on the shoulder.


    ¡°Liz!¡±


    Hiro let out a loud voice and shook her shoulders.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Looking at Liz, who finally raised her head, Hiro gasped in shock. The lusterless eyes just opened unfocused, and the swollen eyelids were painfully red.


    (Ah¡­ who was the one who hurt you so badly?)


    He gently put his arms around her head and held her close. He couldn¡¯t find the words to say to her, being this exhausted.


    ¡°Liz¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hiro didn¡¯t know why he was apologizing, whether it was that he couldn¡¯t think of the words or that he hadn¡¯t been able toe up with them in time. With a twitch, the red-haired girl¡¯s fingers moved. She grabbed Hiro¡¯s arm and pulled her face away from his chest.


    ¡°¡­Hiro?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know you¡¯re going to be mad at me, but I¡¯m back.¡±


    When Hiro nodded with an embarrassed face, Liz¡¯s hand touched his cheek. Although it¡¯s hot and humid like summer, her hand is chillingly cold.


    ¡°Why did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Because now I know what I can do.¡±


    Taking Liz¡¯s hand from his cheek, Hiro took it and squeezed it gently to warm it. The lightes back to her eyes. Maybe it was the realization that it was real. But Liz¡¯s eyes fall down as a sad expression appears on her face.


    ¡°Dios is dead¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°He was more like an older brother than my real brother. I always thought of him as my real brother.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I couldn¡¯t save him.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°He told me to make my dreamse true.¡±


    Her voice trembled, and her eyes grew moist with tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ uuuwaaahhhhh¨D¨D.¡±


    She buried her face in Hiro¡¯s chest and began to cry, sobbing breathlessly. Putting his arms around her back, Hiro pulled her into a hug. Even if she was a Spirit Sword wielder, she was still just a girl who had just turned fifteen.


    The one she loved like family was killed in front of her eyes. It must have been a thought that tore her heart apart.


    (Ah yes¡­ this girl looks just like you.)


    Although they don¡¯t have the same hair color or facial features, their hearts are exactly the same. He was on the throne at a young age, with grand ambitions, but he was unable to do anything about it because of his position.


    All he could do was watch his country dying in silence.


    (Is that why you summoned me back?)


    As Hiro stroked Liz¡¯s head, he knew why he had returned to this world. It might be wrong. But that¡¯s fine with me, Hiro thinks.


    Tris and the heavily armed infantry looked on painfully as the Sixth Princess cried quietly on the rock. The strong men are crying with tears flowing from their eyes¨Dthey are crying through their teeth without speaking.


    In the midst of all this, Tris never showed any tears but was trembling with rage as a single streak of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.


    Dios von Michael. A young man who was to have turned twenty-eight this year.


    Formerly a mercenary, he had been severely wounded and drifted to the Empire, where Tris had treated him and taken him in. He never missed a day of training and steadily umted achievements on the battlefield. When his strength was recognized and he became a member of the Sixth Princess¡¯ entourage, Tris was pleased as if it was his own matter.


    If Liz was just like his daughter, Dios must have been his son. As if to break the memory of the past, Tris thumped his chest forcefully. Letting a loud ng y out of his armor, he broke the silence and fell to his knees on the spot and shouted.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estreya Elizabeth von Grantz!¡±


    Everyone turns to the loud voice that echoes through the air.


    ¡°There is no time for grief. Dios will not wish for that! The sun is going to set soon. Let¡¯s find a way to get past them!¡±


    It was Hiro who responded to Tris¡¯ angry words.


    ¡°Then, I have a better idea.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There are roughly two thousand enemies, and even if we can get through this, the surrounding viges will be damaged. Liz won¡¯t like to see innocent people get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Hi-Hiro?¡±


    Liz leaked a voice with a hint of dismay. No wonder she was surprised since he remained a normal boy in her mind. Hiro turned a wry smile on his face and continued his story.


    ¡°Then, even if we don¡¯t call it annihtion, we need to reduce the number of enemies as much as possible so that they can¡¯t do anything like banditry.¡±


    ¡°We have only 20 men left. How can we defeat 2,000 men? Are you asking us to kill a hundred enemies for one person?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far. We¡¯re all tired.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened, and he held up his index finger as he got off the rock.


    ¡°It¡¯s a simple strategy that even a child coulde up with.¡±


    A man who was once feared as the ¡°God of War¡± is reborn.

 Volume 1, Chapter 3 – Awakening Part 6

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 3 ¨C Awakening Part 6</h4>


    The Lichtine army had established a camp two cells (six kilometers) away from the cliffs. There were hundreds of barracks within the fenced-in area, and there was a most luxurious tent in the center of it.


    Inside, there¡¯s a meeting in the center, the staff and themanders of the various divisions stood in rows on either side. At the back of the room, Vile, seated on arge chair, is listening to the damage report from the staff members with an angry look on his face.


    ¡°¡­Sixmanders, eight hundred and twelve infantry, two hundred and ny-nine wounded. That¡¯s all.¡±


    After finishing his report, the Chief of Staff returned to the line. Not only were the five hundred soldiers they had turned in to surprise the enemy from behind wiped out, but they also lost a lot of soldiers when the Sixth Princess resisted more than expected.


    ¡°Nearly a thousand soldiers died in battle against an enemy of less than a hundred men!?¡±


    Vile threw his wine on the ground, and the ss shattered loudly.


    ¡°What should I say to my brother? Tell him we lost a thousand men for nothing and failed to capture the Sixth Princess?¡±


    The Chief of Staff stepped forward again.


    ¡°But it¡¯s also because of something unexpected that happened. Your Excellency must have seen it, too. That¡¯s not something you can call a human being by any stretch of the imagination!¡±


    Indeed, it was the man in ck who should be feared. Suddenly, he seemed to burst into the battlefield, and in the blink of an eye, he stroked and cut the soldiers to pieces.


    But¨D¨D.


    ¡°Huh, you want me to tell my brother that one person killed a thousand people? If I do that, my head will fly off!¡±


    Unable to hide his frustration, Vile kicked the chair away. The chair collided with the desk and broke with a loud noise. Still not satisfied with the situation, Vile grabbed onto one of themanders.


    ¡°¡­He indeed had incredible power. But who was it that allowed him to do whatever he wanted? You guys are themanders!¡±


    ¡°¡­After having that much power disyed so ringly and instilling fear in me, I can only retreat!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re beyond pathetic! Yet you are soldiers of the Principality of Lichtine!¡±


    He pushed themander away and then stared at his men¡¯s faces in the tent in turn.


    ¡°As soon as the night dawns, we willunch an all-out assault. You are not allowed to retreat. Anyone who has a problem with that will step forward. I will cut their heads off.¡±


    It was supposed to be an easy fight. Normally, it was supposed to be over in a few hours. That¡¯s why¨Dthey were not prepared for a night battle, and ended up giving the enemy a break like this.


    ¡°None, huh. Well, the council is over. Immediately appoint recements for the deadmanders. You don¡¯t have any time to sleep. Come up with a good idea before dawn, or I will enve the useless ones.¡±


    His subordinates pped their left shoulder with their right hand, got down on one knee, and opened their mouths.


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Shortly after that, a messenger came rolling into the tent with a different expression.


    ¡°Enemy attack! The number is unknown! And now we¡¯re under attack!¡±


    Everyone looked dumbfounded. It¡¯s understandable; the enemy is close to being wiped out, there¡¯s no way they¡¯re going to attack them. Doubting his own ears, Vile asked back.


    ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I repeat! We¡¯re under attack! The number is unknown! And now we¡¯re under attack!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense¡­ The enemy was already at death¡¯s door.¡±


    Vile hurriedly left his tent. The staff officers and themanders of the various units came rushing out next. There was a shout, a scream, a roar of horseshoes, and the soldiers who had been resting were in a panic.


    ¡°What does this mean! Are you telling me that the enemy¡¯s reinforcements have arrived!¡±


    The remaining enemy was supposed to be a unit of mainly infantry and archers. There is no cavalry, and if there were, it could be reinforcements. But that¡¯s impossible.


    ¡°No way¡­ my brother lost?¡±


    Then it urred, he thought.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±


    Vile was quick to deny it. Their main force of twelve thousand should be attacking the Berg Fortress. Unless they are defeated, the enemy will not receive any reinforcements.


    ¡°I heard that the enemy is the War Maiden, but¡­¡±


    It was only two days ago that he organized a detachment of troops to capture the Sixth Princess and arrived here. No matter how much someone is praised as the ¡°War Maiden¡±, she will not be able to trounce twelve thousand men. But if they are not reinforcements, there is no way to judge the situation.


    Besides the confused Vile, the staff officer was flying instructions to eachmander.


    ¡°Return to themand of your respective units! Gather here when things settle down.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Amander tried to run away, but he fell to the ground. Beyond the corpse, a boy approached with a worn-out spear in hand.


    ¡°Thank goodness¡­ I was wondering what I would have done if the military council hadn¡¯t been held.¡±


    Seeing the boy breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Hyiiii!¡±


    One of the staff members screamed and fell on his butt. Throwing away the old spear, the boy took the sword from the deadmander.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s well maintained. It shows that he¡¯s a man with a good work ethic.¡±


    When the boy¨D¨Dquickly swung his sword to the side, the head of the staff member who sat down fell off. The appearance of the boy in ck who had been rampaging around the battlefield. The instilled fear will not be easily removed. And it made the faces of the staff andmanders of the various units turn grim and step back.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you go. If we let you go, some people will be unhappy.¡±


    The boy changes his sword to a horizontal position and throws it. With a thud¨Dit stabbed into the brow of a tearful staff member. A stter of blood rises up, and seeing this, the others scream and try to escape.


    ¡°I told you already. I won¡¯t let you go.¡±


    However, the boy would not be missed. They became flesh and blood as they uttered a prayer for salvation.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    All that remained was Vile, and he hurriedly fled into the tent. And the boy picked up a sword from the inner warp and came after him.


    ¡°Kuku, I don¡¯t know who you are, but you¡¯re as good as a baby in front of this sword.¡±


    Vile¡¯s smile deepened as he held the jewel-studded sword in his hand.


    ¡°A¡­ spirit weapon?¡±


    The boy shrugged his shoulders and swung his sword down on the wreckage of a nearby chair. Swinging down, again and again, the sword spilled over the edge of the inner warp.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±


    Vile raised his eyebrows in disbelief at the boy who started acting out of the blue. The boy turned around, and in his hand was an object to be discarded that could not retain its appearance as a sword.


    ¡°You know what? I learned from my brother-inw that people could be cruel because they¡¯re rational, and I was strangely convinced.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you some questions, and I want you to answer them.¡±


    ¡°I-I said, what the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Vile shouted out, feeling numb to the boy¡¯s inability to engage in conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to start with your fingers, but since I don¡¯t have much time, let¡¯s start with your arms.¡±


    The boy disappears from view. When the figure is spotted again, there is an abyss looking into Vile. Next, he looked at his arm in intense pain. A jagged de, like a saw, was digging into his upper arm.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaah!¡±


    ¡°Question. Did you kill Dios-san?¡±


    ¡°Gaaahh!?¡±


    He was kicked in the face, and his huge body was blown off.


    ¡°Guuuhhh, s-someone¡­¨D¨Dhelp me!¡±


    Vile let go of his spirit weapon and put his hands on his arms, writhing in intense pain.


    ¡°Next, should we go with the ankle? Please, I hope you answer me before you die.¡±


    Vile looked up, and there was nothingness. No emotion came to mind. There was an inhuman being, something that made him wonder if it was even a person. He remembered that the frontline soldiers had gone insane and were repeating the same words over and over again.


    What they were muttering in unison was¨D¡±endless despair¡±.


    ¡°P-please stop¡­ I will surrender¡­ It¡¯s our defeat.¡±


    Brokenhearted, Vile rubbed his head against the ground.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The regtions for prisoners of war under our bteral agreements. Excessive abuse and killing of those who have surrendered¨D¨D.¡±


    Vile¡¯s words of exnation were interrupted midway by the dark-haired boy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not an Imperial soldier, you know. It¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°More importantly, you haven¡¯t answered my question. I don¡¯t have time. Will you talk if I knock your foot off?¡±


    The boyes up to him, talking nonchntly.


    ¡°Aghhh!¡±


    Sinking his de into Vile¡¯s leg, the boy let out an icy breath.


    ¡°¨D¨DDid you kill Dios-san?¡±


    As Hiro stepped outside of the tent, the sky in the east was beginning to lighten faintly. Under normal circumstances, he would have to strain his eyes to watch his step. But now, there was a ce in a part of the wilderness that gave off an overwhelming light source that didn¡¯t need to be.


    It was the camp of the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army.


    Now it was not only disembodied and cruelly destroyed, but it had been swept away by the mes. Many soldiers were burning to a crisp, and a peculiar odor clung to the nose, polluting the air. A riderless horse could be seen galloping around the area, and in the center of the hellish scene, a ck-haired boy¨DHiro¨Dwas staring at the wrecked tent.


    Then a horse runs up andes to an abrupt stop beside Hiro. The girl who was straddling it jumped down, making her red hair dance.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    The girl who jumps at him with a somewhat impatient face¨DLiz, examines Hiro¡¯s body while touching him here and there.


    ¡°Are you injured? Do you feel any pain anywhere?¡±


    When she began to touch his face, Hiro smiled bitterly as his cheeks turned red.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. As you can see, there is nothing to worry about.¡±


    He raised his arms and twisted his body from side to side on the spot to prove that he was okay. Liz¡¯s eyes softened, and she took a breath of relief.


    ¡°Thank goodness¨Dbut why did you go alone!¡±


    A hand flies through the air with blinding speed.


    ¡°Mugu.¡±


    She grabbed both of his cheeks with one hand.


    ¡°Hiyaa, it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about! I demand an apology!¡±


    The force sent from her slender fingers caused her jaw to start creaking. In the first ce, there was no way to exin this, nor could he properly apologize for it.


    ¡°From now on, you must tell me when you will charge into the enemy¡¯s camp. I want to fight with you, too.¡±


    ¡°Fuwaah.¡±


    Looking at Hiro, who obediently nodded repeatedly, Liz finally let go of her hand. While Hiro stroked his aching cheeks, Liz said, ¡°Ah,¡± as if she had an idea.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ Hiro, you can handle a sword, huh?¡±


    The ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± was strapped to Hiro¡¯s belt. Liz crouched down and gave it a price-taking look.


    ¡°Huwaa~¡­ Looking at it closely, it¡¯s a beautiful sword. My ¡°me Emperor¡± is also beautiful, but this one is really beautiful, right?¡±


    Liz pulled out her ¡°me Emperor¡± and began topare them as if she were appraising them. A greasy sweat was on Hiro¡¯s forehead. He didn¡¯t know how to exin it.


    No¨D¨Dthere¡¯s no way he can exin it, it¡¯s now a lost sword or something great, and it¡¯s a hero¡¯s sword from a thousand years ago. There¡¯s no way he can say.


    Eeee, how can I¨D¨Dand after shouting in his mind, Hiro decided to lie.


    ¡°After I left Liz, I found something on the side of the road.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­. you found this?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah. It was kind of beautiful, so I picked it up.¡±


    ¡°Heee, I can¡¯t believe you found this thing in the middle of nowhere, right near the small country of Baum.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, that¡¯s what I think, too!¡±


    Anyone would know it was a lie, but she seemed to believe him; he was not sure if she was really a pure person or a natural airhead.


    Moreover, she said, ¡°I feel the power of a strong spirit¡­ There is something special here¡­ N-no, maybe it¡¯s because of the Spirit King¡¯s strong influence. Therefore¨D¨D¡± she began to worry seriously.


    As for Hiro, the fact that Liz¡¯s breasts are in full view through the gaps in her armor is bing a problem. It may be that this is what they say about ¡°One difficulty after another¡±.


    Since she is looking at the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± while shaking her body, her breasts, however slim they may be, have changed shape enough to show their flexibility. The sweat on her soft white skin aroused his lust, and her figure made him want to let out his uncontroble desire.


    Thinking this was no good any longer, he removed Liz from his sight and looked at therge shadow behind him.


    ¡°K-kid¡­ that must be a great view!¡±


    A muscr man, like a bear on a horse, covered his vision. He felt the heat cool down all at once. In his hand was a sword that glittered and shone. The reason why it is trembling is probably that he is desperately trying to suppress the desire to kill.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°What was wrong? You¡¯re an insolent man who has the princess on your knees and stretched out under your nose!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make her kneel!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you¡¯ve been coveting your virtue since the beginning of our journey, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re jumping the story! Wait! Please listen to me!¡±


    So Liz stood up and turned back to Tris.


    ¡°I know you two are getting along, so calm down. Anyway, what¡¯s going on with the war situation?¡±


    ¡°Mumu¡­ g-getting along? Your Highness, that¡¯s not¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about the situation. Are we in enemy territory?¡±


    ¡°Gunuh! T-thanks to that little boy, as you can see, there¡¯s no doubt that we¡¯re winning.¡±


    Hiro first instructed them to collect the horses that they had abandoned along the way. As expected, it was impossible to collect all of them, so they gathered about sixty horses, divided them into three groups, andunched an assault from three directions. Only a few of the lead men were on their horses.


    The rest had no masters on horseback, so they would sometimes run away in the middle of the charge. If it were daylight, they would be subjected toughter and ridicule, but it would be noughing matter if it were dark. The roar of horseshoes echoing in the silent wilderness, surrounded by darkness, gives the illusion of many people.


    The enemy soldiers were exhausted from the daytime battle. It was a surprise attack when they were unable to make a calm decision. There would be few soldiers who would be brave enough to face the skull-crushing horseshoes.


    ¡°And there are only a few enemies who escaped by killing each other.¡±


    Hiro had a few infantrymen dress up as enemy soldiers and then took advantage of the confusion to sneak into the enemy lines and order them to attack. The misceneous soldiers were left in a panic as theirmander was absent due to a military council.


    None of them wanted to die; they wanted to survive at all costs. That¡¯s why the enemy forces, in a state of disbelief, would kill each other. The rest of the time, Hiro attacked the main tent so that eachmander couldn¡¯t stop the chaos.


    ¡°I see¡­ thanks for your efforts. Keep vignt. There is a possibility that enemy soldiers may be lurking around. Once you¡¯ve searched the area, gather everyone here.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Tris put his hand to his chest and ran through the camp with his horse. Liz, who had witnessed this, turned to Hiro.


    ¡°How was it, Hiro?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Hiro silently pointed a thumb at the tent that had been turned to ashes.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    The silence between them fell for a few seconds before Liz spoke up with a troubled look on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s a part of me that¡¯s happy that my enemy is dead, and a part of me that feels empty. I don¡¯t know what to do with these feelings¡­¡±


    ¡°Someday¡­ you¡¯lle to understand.¡±


    Just like me, Hiro muttered in his heart.


    She¡¯s too pure, for better or worse. That sometimes produces cruel results. If Liz had been there, she would have epted his surrender. Because of the heavy bonds of being the sixth princess, she would have stifled her own feelings.


    That was Hiro¡¯s thoughts, and he didn¡¯t ask her about her feelings. People may call this arrogance, thinking and judging things in a way that suits them. But he does not think it was a mistake to attack the main actor based on his own ideas.


    (You must bury the seeds of your misfortune as soon as possible.)


    In the midst of the dazzling sunshine pouring down from the eastern sky¨Da loud pang sound cut through the sad air. Hiro rolled his eyes and looked at the source of the sound¨Dit was the girl with her hands on her cheeks.


    ¡°Unh! Enough worrying about it!¡±


    Liz, who had closed her eyelids and endured the pain, said with a refreshed look on her face.


    ¡°Hiro, we¡¯re going to meet my uncle!¡±


    A single red flower is blooming in the wilderness. It is more precious and beautiful than any jewel.


    (I shouldn¡¯t have worried about her¡­ She was his descendant, after all.)


    Hiro smiled bitterly, but


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll give you my gratitude!¡±


    She jumped at the confused Hiro.


    ¡°Eeh? Eeehh?¡±


    ¡°Hiro, you made it possible for me to live. I¡¯ll never forget this debt of gratitude!¡±


    A soft touch on his cheek, and when he realized what had touched him, her body moved away.


    ¡°Please keep up the good work from now on!¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ Yeah, leave it to me.¡±


    ¨D¨DAs one would think, you do look good with a smile.

 Volume 1, Chapter 4 – War Maiden Part 1

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 4 ¨C War Maiden Part 1</h4>


    May 28, 1023, imperial year, two days after the nameless battle in the wilderness. Hiro¡¯s group was running eight cells (twenty-four kilometers) away from the frontier city of Lynx.


    At the beginning of the journey, three hundred soldiers had apanied them, but after repeated encounters with monsters and battles with the Principality of Lichtine, their numbers had dwindled to less than ten now.


    Even so, Liz¡¯s waist continued to move forward, and Hiro had his arms around them.


    ¡°When we get to Berg Fortress, I have to train Hiro to ride horses.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t ride them.¡±


    Even a thousand years ago, the first emperor Altius used to be a teacher and trained him day and night, but even though he could straddle them, he couldn¡¯t even make them walk, and so he didn¡¯t make any further progress.


    Since he always used a carriage on the battlefield, he never felt inconvenienced, but he might have to look forward to it.


    There were two reasons why he came to that idea. One was that Tris¡¯s face was terrifying. The other was that the soft breasts would asionally hit him. Thetter was a particrly troubling matter for Hiro.


    A thousand years ago, he used to ride along behind the first emperor, but since the other party was a man, it didn¡¯t cause him any strange feelings. But now the one in front of him was a woman. Although it seems that her breasts are not full enough, in the future, she will be known to the world as an immensely beautiful woman.


    (Why are they so soft¡­ Is it because she¡¯s an imperial princess?)


    As he was thinking a silly thought, Tris, the watcher, pulled his horse over to him. Of course, he doesn¡¯t forget to re at Hiro. It¡¯s called amitment.


    ¡°Princess. Let¡¯s take a quick break once we¡¯ve gone ahead for a while.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to know Lynx¡¯s situation, and Cerberus seems to be having a hard time, and I¡¯d like to give my horse a break.¡±


    Cerberus, who is running alongside them, is galloping along with his tongue, ckly lowered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send a couple of men to check out the city. It¡¯s not toote to go into the city when we hear the reports.¡±


    Originally, they should have been at Fortress Berg by now. But the unexpected events happened in quick session, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be overly cautious.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break in about two more cells. Is that okay with you, Hiro?¡±


    ¡°I think we deserve a break right now.¡±


    It¡¯s not because he¡¯s tired or anything; it¡¯s simply because his butt is sore. Compared to Hiro, Liz doesn¡¯t seem to be suffering, and she looks cooler. Even though her bottom looks soft¡­ he was almost checking to see if it was hard, when he caught sight out of the corner of his eye and shouted.


    ¡°Liz! Stop!¡±


    They reacted immediately, and the horses came to a sudden stop. Tris and the soldiers trailing behind them were slow to notice and passed them before they stopped.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you bite your tongue?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that! There¡¯s a kid being attacked over there!¡±


    He sounded impatient.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good! Where is it? Who¡¯s attacking?¡±


    Liz¡¯s head snapped around the area in a panic.


    ¡°Over there!¡±


    Seeing the tip of Hiro¡¯s index finger-pointing, the tension drained from Liz¡¯s body at once.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a child.¡±


    ¡°Eh? It looks like a human, but¡­¡±


    Was I mistaken? He repeatedly rubbed his eyelids at the thought, but out of the corner of his eye, something that looked like a child was being attacked by a bird species that was twice as big as a vulture.


    ¡°Tris! I know it¡¯s a little early, but let¡¯s take a break.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Liz dismounted from her horse first and extended her hand towards Hiro.


    ¡°You know, the one that looks like a bird is called a Geldem, and the one that looks like a child is a Goblin.¡±


    As he descended with Liz¡¯s help, Hiro tilted his head to look at the Goblin. There were monsters a thousand years ago, but there must not have been any monsters that small.


    A small horn was growing on its head, skin-colored, round eyes, and a childlike face that gave it a charming look. It wore a green outfit with an upper garment and skirt in one piece, and in its hand, it held a twig and waved it at Geldem.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we help it? I feel really, really bad about this.¡±


    Even from a distance, he could see that it was desperate. When it¡¯s that small, it can¡¯t even reach, and it won¡¯t be able to repel enemies attacking it from the sky. Hiro, who looks on anxiously, is about to make up his mind to go to help, but Liz grabs him by the shoulder.


    ¡°If you get too close, you¡¯ll get caught up in it, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to get involved.¡±


    ¡°No, no. You¡¯ll know it when you see it a little.¡±


    Liz then sat down with her knees folded together on the ground. Tris instructed the soldiers, saying, ¡°Go check on the city.¡±


    The two horses rode through the dusty, sparse grass wilderness. Hiro looked at the harassed Goblins, but as soon as he saw it clearly, his face turned pale.


    Goblins wereing out of the ground in rapid session. One Goblin climbed onto the back of itspanion, and then another Goblin jumped on top of it. That¡¯s how a single pir was formed and knocked off the Geldem with a twig.


    ¡°What was that¡­¡±


    ¡°Goblins were originally earth spirits. The spirit king apparently got mad at them for causing too much mischief and made them earth sprites on Aletia. They get along well with dwarves. I often saw them help out with cksmithing.¡±


    The sight of them standing up to an opponent who is two timesrger than their own body is impressive, and they are toying with their opponents with quick movements that leave no room for a counterattack. But because a twig was just tapping it, it was likely annoying at best. Actually, the Geldem did just look annoyed and didn¡¯t seem to be in pain.


    At any rate¨Dthe Goblins are cute, Hiro thinks.


    ¡°If you did jump in to help them, you probably would¡¯ve been struck along with the Geldem.¡±


    ¡°¡­Good thing I didn¡¯t go. That looks like an annoying attack.¡±


    ¡°Fufufu, yes. But the Goblins are scary when they stop using twigs.¡±


    ¡°What do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Tris was almost dead because of it. Some people even call the Goblin¡¯s attack the ¡°Death Meteor¡±. It¡¯s just as expected from a former spirit.¡±


    A blow that would be enough to take Tris¡¯ life, that¡¯s scary. When he felt a chill run down his spine, the Goblin threw down a twig and began to attack.


    But the sight of Geldem enduring it feels even more frightening. Eventually, the fight ended when Geldem couldn¡¯t withstand the Goblin¡¯s attack anymore and flew away into the sky.


    ¡°By the way, the goblins are only female.¡±


    He heard a word that caught his attention, but the soldiers who had gone to check on the city returned just in time. They were apanied by a small, neatly dressed, mature man.


    The man quickly dismounted from his horse and put his hands on his chest and got down on one knee, not caring if he got dirty.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estreya, it is a pleasure to meet you for the first time. My name is Kurt von Termier. I am currently in charge of Margrave Grinda¡¯s deputy in his absence.¡±


    Liz stands up and puts a hand to her chest in return.


    ¡°My name is Celia Estreya Elizabeth von Grantz. The Emperor has bestowed upon me the rank of Major General.¡±


    Since she is the Sixth Princess, her graceful and interesting face is admirable.


    ¡°Acting Lord Termier, where has my uncle gone?¡±


    ¡°Margrave Grinda is in the Fort Berg. Four days ago, the Principality of Lichtine attacked us from across the border. ording to the report, there are twelve thousand of them. And yet, thanks to the War Maiden, the situation remains as a stalemate between us.¡±


    Termier held out a single envelope to her.


    ¡°He said, if his niece ever stops by the Lynx, give her this.¡±


    Liz took it and tore the sealing wax and looked through the sheet of paper. She nodded as she was biting her lips several times and looked at Tris.


    ¡°¡­Tris!¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    The six heavily armed infantrymen, including Tris, fell to their knees on the spot.


    ¡°We¡¯ll head to Fort Berg. But first, let¡¯s go to the Lynx for some rest.¡±


    After a few battles, they rode their horses to this point without sleeping. No matter how well-trained a soldier is¨Dalthough there is no sign of that from Tris and the others¡¯ faces, fatigue must have definitely set in.


    ¡°Do you want to read it, too, Hiro?¡±


    ¡°Is it okay to let me read it so easily like that?¡±


    He looks at Liz with a bit of a surprise. Although there are differences in content, this kind of personal letter is something that should not be shown to anyone.


    At least that¡¯s what Hiro is aware of.


    But, nodding lightly, Liz handed the letter to Hiro. The contents of the letter are¨D¨D.


    My beloved Elizabeth.


    I¡¯m d you made it to the Lynx safely.


    But we shall exchange a hundred words when we meet again.


    I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the Berg Fortress.


    ¡°Acting Lord Termier. What is the strength of the troops in the Berg Fortress?¡±


    ¡°¡­The entire Third Imperial Army brought by the ¡°War Maiden¡± is about 3,000 men.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a huge gap again.¡±


    It was arge army of twelve thousand against three thousand, so it was no wonder Liz had a sinking look on her face. Hiro almost sighed as he pondered what to do. Thinking about it, Hiro had no status in this world. If he were to say, he would be less than amoner. If he hadn¡¯t met Liz, he would have been lost on the streets. If such a person drew up a n of action, there is no way it would be adopted.


    Besides, he¡¯s a hero from a thousand years ago. And even if he said that, no one would trust him.


    (Liz might trust me, but¡­)


    Anyway, he nned to hold off until he could figure out the situation. When the timees, he will think about it; it¡¯s not toote to decide what¡¯s best for the situation.


    When Hiro looked up above him, the azure sky was as clear as day, unaware of the human presence.


    Lynx¡¯s frontier city, a strange city where desert and grasnd coexist, is divided into the northern and southern districts. The South District, the entrance to the city, is located in the desert, and normally the streets would be crowded with street vendors, but due to the signs of war, no one has opened a shop. Even the lower ss citizens who live here have shut themselves away at home. There are only a few people here and there in the inns and bars.


    In the northern part of the city, there used to be a stagecoach for the nobility. Now it is crowded with aristocrats who have packed up their belongings to avoid getting caught up in the war, creating a bleak atmosphere.


    From there, the road will lead you to the Margrave Grinda¡¯s mansion. On the first floor of the mansion, near the passageway that leads to the baths, there is a room filled with the city¡¯s history and the history of the empire.


    The square-shaped room is filled with bookshelves on all four sides, containing both old and new books. Books that didn¡¯t fit in there were ced on the floor. In the center of the ce, also called the library, a long desk, rugged and unadorned, stood like the master of the room.


    Underneath it was Cerberus¡¯s figure, now hiding, not a majestic white wolf, but shaking his body like a puppy drenched in rainwater. A pile of books upied the desk, and by the desk, one man was reading with his hips down to the floor. It was a ck-haired, ck-eyed boy with a face that could be described as both pathetic and meek¨DHiro.


    ¡°Huh¡­ this is embarrassing.¡±


    Hiro put the book he was reading on the desk and then pinched it between his fingers to loosen his brows. It felt as if he was being shown a ck history written in the eighth grade.


    Every book mentioned the first emperor, and of course, with him also in it, with his name that was called Schwartz. For Hiro, it was three years ago; for this world, it was a thousand years ago. They even made himself a deity, and just thinking about it makes his head hurt.


    ¡°But, it¡¯s weird¡­¡±


    Three years ago, at the age of thirteen, he should have returned to his homeworld, Earth, from Aletia. However, all of the lore says that Hiro is living out his natural life as the Second Emperor.


    (Who in the world is this Schwartz?)


    Hiro¡¯s thoughts came to a possibility, but he immediately shook his head to weigh himself.


    ¨D¨DThat was a thousand years ago. No matter what he said now, it wouldn¡¯t change.


    In an attempt to change his mood, he throws a nce out the window. The sunset clouds spreading out from the western sky were ying tricks on the sun that was floating in the background.


    With the lighting in through that window, he pulls out a card from the inside pocket of his uniform. It was given to him by the first Emperor Altius before he returned to his original world.


    ¡°Well, it looks a lot like a spirit card, but¡­¡±


    The book has a list of pictures of simr cards, but they are not in and not thick. He doesn¡¯t know what on earth this is or how to use it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡±¡­¡±


    The Spirit King¡¯s blessing is an ¡°Outer¡± power that exists outside the bounds of human wisdom. When Hiro looked at the empty space, a cracking sound was heard, and a crack appeared.


    A white hilt jumps out from there as if crawling out slowly.


    Looking down at the waist, the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± handle disappeared as if it had been cleanly cut off. When he grabbed the handle that floated in space and pulled it out, the ¡°Heavenly Emperor ¡± disappeared from his waist and appeared in Hiro¡¯s hand.


    ¨D¨DYou¡¯ve won the favor of the Heavenly Emperor.


    And then he remembered what Altius had said when he showed it to him.


    (¡­The spirit sword has a mind of its own.)


    With a wish, the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± materializes through the gate between Aletia and the spirit world. As soon as he released it, it disappeared into the air just before it fell to the ground. As silence falls in the room, a stillness spreads like a ripple.


    Darkness quietly crept out of the room. The sounds of footsteps approach with a thud and a shy sound. A littleter, the door is opened roughly, and a red-haired girl enters, looking angry.


    ¡°Cerberus! I know you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Bufuh!¡±


    Turning towards her, Hiro was startled to the point of spiteful astonishment. Cerberus hid behind Hiro¡¯s back with his pointed ears snapping up.


    ¡°Hey! Come here. Or at least wash your feet.¡±


    Liz approached and reached out to Cerberus, but the wolf only snarled menacingly. Looking into his eyes, they burned as if he had met his nemesis. He was firm in his will not to move an inch.


    ¡°Geez! Why do you hate the baths so much!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ sorry, Liz, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but do you have a minute?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, uh, why aren¡¯t you wearing your clothes?¡±


    ¡°To get Cerberus in the tub. I¡¯d get wet if I kept my clothes on. That¡¯s why I¡¯m taking it off. And I¡¯m properly covered up with a towel, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°No, you know what¡­ that¡¯s not good.¡±


    It was true that the towel hid only the most important part. It was extremely difficult to judge, but Hiro turned half-eyed to avoid looking as much as possible and only focused his gaze on her face.


    That was a pity for his eyes, but for once, he had no choice.


    ¡°Cerberus-san, can you go to the bath for me?¡±


    He had to do something before Tris arrived. As expected, there¡¯s no excuse for this situation.


    Forcing his arm around the wolf¡¯s body, which refused by shaking his head dexterously, Hiro handed him to Liz.


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t go crazy!¡±


    Her towel danced down due to the wayward Cerberus. She didn¡¯t seem to notice and turned her back just like that.


    ¡°¡­..¡±¡®


    Hiro couldn¡¯t say anything, his narrowed eyes widened. A rush of power, which he had never felt even with the Spirit Sword, was gathering in his lower body. At the same time, he forgot to breathe in, and his face turned red in a sh.


    ¨D¨DOxygen.


    It¡¯s the most important thing for people. It could be said to be essential to life.


    ¡°Buhah!¡±


    Hiro was finally able toe to his senses by remembering how to breathe. And from the open doorway, there was a presence watching Hiro.


    ¨D¨DIt was Tris.


    What floats on his face isn¡¯t anger or sadness; it¡¯s something very strange. As Tris slowly approached, Hiro got down on his knees with an immediate decision.


    ¡°Please. I only ask you to save my life.¡±


    ¡°Kid, I need to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything I can to help you¡­ so please spare my life.¡±


    ¡°Life? What is that¡­ what have you been saying for a while now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Are you listening to me?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s face turned down. He realized that the conversation wasn¡¯t engaging. Apparently, Tris¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t about Liz being naked. He was d he realized it on the way. If he had continued the conversation as it was, he would have confessed on his own.


    Hiro looked up with a mended smile on his face.


    ¡°W-what can I do for you?¡±


    Tris looked dubiously at Hiro¡¯s strange behavior, but he immediately fumbled with his mouth in a way that made it hard to say.


    ¡°Well ¡­Nah. There was a lot going on the other day, so it was a bit of a blur.¡±


    As he expected, it wasn¡¯t about Liz. Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief and listened to Tris¡¯ words.


    ¡°Let me ask you a simple question. Kid¨D¨Dwhat exactly is your true identity?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­¡±


    The faint sunlight reflects and glistens, and a cold de snaps against his neck.


    ¡°Depending on your response, you could lose your head.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    He can see in Tris¡¯s eyes that he¡¯s serious.


    ¡°I have trust in you, kid. I¡¯m indebted to you for saving us from the stench of death. But I couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to such a demonstration of power.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯dy my hand on my benefactor if it would be harmful to the princess. So think it over.¡±


    Hiro gulped down his spit and cleared his throat.


    I¡¯m the second emperor. If he said that, his head would probably roll on the floor. But that doesn¡¯t mean he can tell he¡¯s from Earth, too. His head would still fall off if he said that.


    As Hiro was pondering how to respond, Cerberus came running into the room with astonishing speed. His appearance is the same as when he was taken out by Liz¨Din short; he must have escaped.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve changed my clothes so I won¡¯t let you in anymore!¡±


    Liz came into the room too, grumbling andining, and¨D¨D.


    ¡°Tris! What are you doing!¡±


    She noticed Tris pointing his de at Hiro and ran over to him. Just like that, she hugged Hiro¡¯s neck and pushed him down, then looked up and red at Tris.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but that¡¯s indeed too much!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence. And put your sword away.¡±


    In a nomittal tone, Tris dropped to one knee with his sword sheathed. Liz¡¯s body leaves with a faint sweet scent.


    ¡°Tris. Exin to me exactly what happened.¡±


    ¡°Liz. Just in time for you to hear something.¡±


    Hiro also sat up and stood between them.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DAbout who I am. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve wondered about that.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, that¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Seeing her eyes swim, Hiro hesitated a bit before patting her head. Hiro chuckled at Liz, who looked heartbroken, like a child who had been separated from her parents.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just that I felt like saying it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, fine. I¡¯ll listen to what Hiro has to say.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not asplicated as it sounds¨D¨D.¡±


    After a beat, Hiro muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m a descendant of the second Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nuh?¡±


    If he were to be honest about everything, he would have to tell a story from a thousand years ago. But, they had to leave tomorrow, and there was no way he could exin it in half a day or so. So he decided to lie simply.


    ¡°If you ask me for proof, I¡¯d say it¡¯s the color of my hair and my eyes. It¡¯s just a gic inheritance.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Hiro continued, wondering at their silent reaction.


    ¡°By the way, I think I was allowed into the Anfang Forest because of the bloodline of the second Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hiro. Do you know what that means?¡±


    Hiro tilted his head at Liz, who asked with a serious look on her face.


    ¡°Eh, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If that were true, then Hiro would be the heir to the throne.¡±


    ¡°Not true. I¡¯m just a descendant.¡±


    ¡°You mean, the War Hero?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I guess, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll be thest of the Imperial Family. Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the first emperor left thest request.¡±


    ¡°Thest request?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What a weird request, huh?¡±


    Liz looked at Tris, who was silent.


    ¡°If anyone ims to be a descendant of Schwartz, make sure it¡¯s at the Spirit King¡¯s Temple. If he is, give him the status he deserves. The Spirit King will curse those who vite thisst request. And¨D.¡±


    ¨D¨DAltius¡­ What were you doing?


    He¡¯s a smart man. He may have had an inkling of what was going on. Maybe he made sure that no inconvenience would arise whenever Hiro returned to the era. However, he was a terrifying man to have predicted that he would call himself a descendant.


    ¡°So, you could be a member of the Imperial Family. Are you happy?¡±


    A smile appeared on Liz¡¯s mouth as she wrapped her arms around him. If Hiro hadn¡¯t been so insensitive, he might have sensed that she was in love with him. He might have realized that it wasn¡¯t love that arose from different social standings.


    But Hiro made a drawn-out smile at the unexpected turn of events and asked Cerberus for help, asking for any advice he could give him.


    As if he was rooted in what happened earlier, he was ignored as Cerberus pouted and turned away.


    ¡°¡­Fumu, I guess that¡¯s all right for now.¡±


    With an unconvinced expression on his face, Tris stands up with a feeling of disapproval. It¡¯s no surprise that answering his origins doesn¡¯t exin the mystery of his power, but with Liz in front of him, he has no choice but to put up with it.


    ¡°But then again, I didn¡¯t know Hiro was a descendant of the second emperor. Well, I guess it¡¯s a bit of a shame you weren¡¯t a spirit.¡±


    He wanted to tweak it, wondering if he was still going to pull that stuff out, but there were more important things to do.


    ¡°Um, could you please not tell anyone that I¡¯m a descendant of the second emperor?¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. We¡¯re not in that situation right now, and some things are bothering me, too¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ thanks.¡±


    Though he brought this on himself, his lie had made things even moreplicated. This may be what they mean by a crafty schemer drowning in their own scheme. He sighs at the fact that nothing goes his way with his life in this alternate world. Hiro¡¯s mind raced desperately with thoughts of the future.

 Volume 1, Chapter 4 – War Maiden Part 2

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 4 ¨C War Maiden Part 2</h4>


    Berg Fortress is surrounded by wilderness. The nearest vige is a day¡¯s walk away, and two days away by horse is the frontier city of Lynx.


    Although it is said to be the southern frontline, the two countries of the Principality of Lichtine, which utilize its very system and the Great Grantz Empire, have not even had a skirmish for many years, and it could be said that their rtionship is good. Therefore, although the Berg Fortress is well-maintained, it is unreliable and not very robust when looking at a long-term battle.


    On a small hill far from such a fortress¨Dthe Lichtine army was stationed on it. There was an air of easygoingness in the air that made it hard to believe it was wartime. Although some of the guards were standing, most of them were sitting on the ground and indulging in banter.


    The opponents were only three thousand, and the Grantz¡¯ army was confined to a vulnerable fort that would break if they were struck. Perhaps it was only natural for them to think they had won.


    A horse gallops through the soldiers who seem to be able to drink out of such liquor. The person on the horse has a red cloth wrapped around his arm, which is the proof of a messenger.


    The messenger jumped down from his horse in front of the tent for themander of the Lichtine army and rushed to the entrance.


    ¡°Let me pass now! It¡¯s an emergency!¡±


    ¡°No. Even if you are a familiar face, I still have to do a physical inspection.¡±


    Two soldiers stood in front of the messenger. With a hint of annoyance in his voice, the messenger said, ¡°We don¡¯t have time to talk. Something terrible has happened!¡±


    The two soldiers on guard looked at each other as if they were confused by the messenger¡¯s words.


    ¡°I understand. But don¡¯t say that you haven¡¯t been properly checked out.¡±


    The soldier on guard shrugged his shoulders and turned his body to the side. The messenger immediately jumped into the tent.


    There were several men inside. Everyone cast a quizzical nce at the messenger. Normally, he would have been kicked out, but perhaps because he was in a hurry, the messenger opened his mouth unabashedly.


    ¡°Three thousand detached forces have been destroyed! Vile-sama, despite his strenuous efforts, was killed in battle!¡±


    The ce was abuzz with the information the messenger had brought.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Just a shout. With that alone, the ce was quieted. Maybe it¡¯s because of the unusual anger mixed in with the sound of the voice.


    Rayhill Lemaire Lichtine. He is the heir and next in line of the Lichtine household.


    ¡°What happened to the spirit weapon my foolish brother had in his possession?¡±


    He was more concerned about what happened to the precious spirit weapon than his brother¡¯s life. There are no spirits in the Principality of Lichtine. Hence, they cannot obtain spirit stones. It¡¯s not impossible to buy them if they put up a lot of money, but the exchange is the decline for their country.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s in the hands of the Sixth Princess.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ what a mess. That idiot.¡±


    Although he was only training his body and was not very smart, Rayhill didn¡¯t expect his little brother to lose by leading three thousand troops. ording to the information that was brought to him, the Sixth Princess was only capable of holding a few hundred men. Could it be that¡­ he was caught in a trap?¡±


    Rayhill red at the information source, the hooded man.


    ¡°What is it? Do you have something to say to me?¡±


    ¡°You said three thousand would be enough to capture her! And that the Sixth Princess only has less than a hundred guards to protect her!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean to tell me that I¡¯ve brought you false information?¡±


    A killing intent shot out of the man in the hood. Rayhill backed away from the pressure.


    ¡°N-no¡­ I didn¡¯t say that. There must have been a mistake¡­¡±


    ¡°I also told you not to underestimate the Spirit Sword. Although the Sixth Princess has yet to be handled, the original me Emperor could ughter thousands of enemies.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean she has mastered it?¡±


    Rayhill asked, and the man in the hood shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. But it¡¯s something to be concerned about.¡±


    The man in the hood thinks about the situation. And Rayhill sits back in his chair. The n was just to capture the Sixth Princess and hand her over to this man. After that, all they had to do was secure the ves in the Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory and return to their home country.


    (Should I not take the deal?)


    He has known this hooded man for a long time and has exchanged a few letters with him over the years. Recently. He sent him a letter saying, ¡°If you capture the Sixth Princess, I will give you a hundred Grantz Gold Coins and two Spirit Weapons as a reward for your sess.¡± He refused, of course, as he didn¡¯t trust him.


    However, after repeated requests and advance payment for one spirit weapon, Rayhill immediately persuaded his reluctant father to gather the troops.


    (Above all, it was tempting to say that the Fourth Imperial Army would not move.)


    It was also written to indicate that no matter how much they rampaged in the Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory, the Great Grantz Empire would not retaliate against the Principality of Lichtine.


    (If we were to retreat now¡­ it would leave us a bad taste in our mouths.)


    After making a decision, Rayhill turned to the man in the hood.


    ¡°Is the Sixth Princess really not drawing on the power of the me Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think she did. I assure you.¡±


    The man in the hood nodded. Rayhill confirmed.


    ¡°So, the Fourth Imperial Army won¡¯t be moving either?¡±


    ¡°Are you so unsure of my word?¡±


    The man in the hoodughed, his throat quivering. Rayhill hissed in frustration.


    ¡°Of course! Not only have we lost three thousand soldiers, but we¡¯ve also even lost our spirit weapons!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you something.¡±


    With a shrug of his shoulders, the hooded man took a weapon from behind his cloak and ced it on the desk. It was a spirit weapon decorated with gold and silver.


    ¡°If you capture the Sixth Princess, I¡¯ll add another one on top of that. I¡¯ll also give you two hundred gold coins.¡±


    Rayhill stiffened at the reward, which was too unreasonable. Then the hooded man¡¯s hand reached out to him.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll give you this too.¡±


    The man in the hood had a round ball in his hand that looked like a nut.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Well, drink it. It¡¯s a miracle that will unlock the power of your spirit weapon.¡±


    Never heard of such a thing. Rayhill tilted his head as he received the round ball.


    ¡°It¡¯s not poison, is it?¡±


    The hooded man snickered when he looked at him skeptically.


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s what medicine is all about. If you don¡¯t trust it, throw it out.¡±


    Rayhill looked at the spirit weapon on the desk and then lifted the edge of his mouth.


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    He threw the round ball into his mouth and swallowed it. Next, he looked down at his own body.


    ¡°¡®Really¡­ will it work?¡±


    ¡°I think it will take three days for the effect to work.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Is that so¡­ then I should attack the Berg Fortress in three days?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that would be great.¡±


    The man in the hood said and stood up.


    ¡°Then, I shall excuse myself.¡±


    Before leaving the tent, the man in the hood turns around once.


    ¡°If you disappoint me¨Dyou know that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    When Rayhill gasped and looked at the entrance, the man was no longer there.

 Volume 1, Chapter 4 – War Maiden Part 3

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 4 ¨C War Maiden Part 3</h4>


    On the 1st of June, 1023, in the imperial year, when the Sixth Princess and her party reached the Berg Fortress. There was no sign of a siege by the enemy, and the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army was simply setting up their positions at a distance and ring at each other.


    Tris gave a signal to the soldiers on guard, and the iron gate was opened. Once inside, what caught their eyes was the central square. It is mainly treated as a training ground for the soldiers, and when looking to the east, there are the officer¡¯s quarters, while looking to the west, there is a row of tents where the soldiers settle.


    The central tower, which housed the operationsmand center, arge bathhouse, and the mess hall, stood triumphantly to the north. Guided by the soldiers, Hiro and the others stepped into the central tower. After walking up the spiral staircase, a short distance away, they would reach the operationsmand room.


    On the west wall of the room was a map of the central continent, and next to it was a map of the world. There were chairs for ten people in the center of the room, ced across a long desk. A golden lion crest g on a white background and a rose crest g on a brown background was erected by the window overlooking the central square.


    When Hiro and the others appeared, three men and a woman inside stood up from their chairs and saluted them.


    The first to approach was a graceful gentleman with a beard. He wore well-kept armor and hugged Liz with a ttering sound.


    ¡°Good job on reaching here safely. You¡¯ve grown up after not seeing you for a while.¡±


    ¡°Long time no see, uncle Grinda!¡±


    The two of them were happy to see each other again. As Hiro smilingly watched them, he noticed a clinging gaze and turned his head to see a dainty girl standing there.


    Her thin, supple silver hair glistened in the sunlight streaming in through the window. Her face was small, and her eyes were hollowed out, reminiscent of a small animal, making one want to protect her. Her bangs were cropped long enough to hide her eyebrows, further contributing to her youthfulness.


    Perhaps it was the leaden color of her eyes, or perhaps it was her expressionlessness that gave her a cold impression.


    She was even shorter than Hiro, who was aware of his short stature. She wears a ck-based military uniform, but the sleeves are so long that her hands are hidden from view. She was wearing a military uniform sorge that the word ¡°Baggy¡± suited it.


    (I wonder if she¡¯s a soldier. I think she¡¯s too young for that.)


    In her left hand, she was holding a book that looked familiar. Hiro tried to remember it, but his thoughts were interrupted as the girl approached him.


    ¡°¡­.Who are you?¡±


    She said with a nk expression and a dazed look. The girl seems to be looking at Hiro, but not looking exactly at him, and she wears a strange atmosphere.


    ¡°W-what a fool¡­¡±


    He heard a grunt. Next to the ce where the girl was originally from, a handsome man with brown hair was looking at them with a surprised face.


    (What is it¡­?)


    As Hiro tilted his head and wondered, his uniform¡¯s sleeve was tugged on, causing his eyes to return to the girl again.


    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±


    ¡°My name is Hiro. And I¡¯m amoner.¡±


    ¡°Hiro¡­Hiro¡­Hiro? HiroHiroHiroHiro.¡±


    Hiro smiled bitterly at the girl who started to mumble and call his name. Please stop saying people¡¯s names as if it were an animal¡¯s cry.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    The girl nodded and fumbled through her long sleeves before holding out her white hand. On it was something wrapped in paper.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you. The Second Emperor Manju.¡± [T/n: Manju = Japanese steamed cake.]


    ¡°¡­T-thank you.¡±


    He was surprised that there was such a thing as a manju in this world, but he epted it. Warmed by human skin, it¡¯s a bit hard to eat. It might be a reward for a certain kind of human being¡­, actually, the handsome brown-haired guy was ring at Hiro with a force that was about to make him shed blood tears. If he asked for a handshake, a de would likely pop out.


    In front of the bewildered Hiro¡¯s eyes, the girl put her hand on her chest while hanging down her long sleeve.


    ¡°Trea Luzandi Aura von Bunadara. My rank is Brigadier General. Call me Aura.¡±


    ¡°How courteous¡­¡±


    Hiro bowed his head while taking an interest in such a reliable child, and then he raised his head and looked at the girl seriously.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Um, can I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. What is it?¡±


    She tilted her head back with a big smile on her face. It¡¯s an expressionless but endearing gesture.


    ¡°Are you the rumored War Maiden?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She answered immediately without hesitation. Besides, being called the War Maiden is just like a trivial thing for her, but her face seems to have softened a bit, and she became proud. The girl was once known as the ¡°War Maiden,¡± and she admired her nickname.


    The youngest person to be selected as a member of the Third Prince¡¯s staff, and a prodigy who serves as chief of staff at only seventeen years old.


    How could she be so small? To begin with, Hiro was surprised that she was older than him.


    (So this girl was¡­)


    While Hiro was taken aback by the unexpected fact¨D¨D.


    ¡°Oomph!¡±


    Aura disappears from sight with a voice like an old man. When he followed it with his eyes in a hurry, he found Aura being pushed down and being rubbed on her cheeks by Liz.


    ¡°Aaw, So cute! What is this? It¡¯s so soft!¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°So this is the War Maiden. Amazing! I might have lost before this overwhelming cuteness!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    With a depressed look on her face, Aura let herself go to Liz. He wasn¡¯t sure if she didn¡¯t resist because Liz was an Imperial Princess, even if she was depraved, or because it was a hassle, but Hiro decided to stop Liz since Aura didn¡¯t seem to like the situation.


    ¡°Liz. She doesn¡¯t seem to like it, so stop it.¡±


    ¡°But, she¡¯s so soft!¡±


    Oh, I guess I have no choice, then. Hiro muttered and stepped back. It¡¯s not that he was scared because of the bloodshot eyes or anything.


    ¨D¨DSorry. So don¡¯t look at me like that, said Hiro inwardly.


    He apologized inwardly to Aura, who was looking at him with a resentful face and then decided to leave it until Liz got bored. Then the gentlemanly unclees to Hiro¡¯s side.


    ¡°Hello. I believe you¡¯ve heard about me from Liz, but let me introduce myself.¡±


    The uncle extends his hand, and Hiro grasps it back. It looks thin, but it is obvious that his hands are lumpy and notcking in training.


    ¡°I¡¯m Luzen Kiork von Grinda. I¡¯m the margrave of the Grinda territory. Feel free to call me uncle Kiork.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Hiro. Well, I think I¡¯ll just call you Kiork-san.¡±


    How could he call such a dandy person an uncle? Kiork muttered quietly, ¡°It seems it¡¯s still early,¡± but Hiro didn¡¯t hear him.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    And after being rejected by Hiro, Kiork turned his steps to Cerberus and Tris. As if to rece him, a handsome man with brown hair appears in front of Hiro¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°¡­The tension here is bursting at the seams because of you guys. Well, there are 12,000 opponents, so it¡¯s probably better than getting weirdly worked up, but all sorts of things are ruined.¡±


    The handsome brown-haired handsome man held out his hand with a huff and a snort. Hiro squeezed the brown-haired man¡¯s hand, which reacted like a tsundere.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lawrence Alfred von Spitz. A viscount and a second ss military officer. I¡¯m currently an aide to Aura-sama. You can call me Spitz-sama.¡±


    The Great Grantz Empire¡¯s military officers are mainly in the military sector, and there are also civilian officers and administrative officers. The first, second, and third ranks are the higher officers, and the fourth, fifth, and sixth ranks are the lower officers. By the way, Tris is a third-ss military officer.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to call you Spitz then.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind either way.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ alright.¡±


    Hiro thought he was the type of guy who would be desperate to ask him for calling him out with an honorific, but it seemed to be different. He was just a little less mature, that¡¯s what Hiro thought.


    ¡°How could I, a nobleman, be offended by amoner?¡±


    He said it in a sarcastic tone, which made Hiro retract his previous statement.


    ¡°Ah, right¡­ I¡¯ve got something to say to you, the assistant.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be helping Aura?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a nobleman of the Great Grantz Empire. You might not know this as amoner¨Dbut how can I give Her Highness an order?¡±


    He crossed his arms in a pompous manner and said pathetically.


    ¡°And look at the two beautiful maidens intertwined. I am satisfied with that alone.¡±


    This guy doesn¡¯t have an ounce of tension, Hiro thought.


    Anyway, after sessfully pulling Liz away from Aura, each of them settled into chairs along with the long table. Liz was the first to open her mouth.


    ¡°Why is the Third Imperial Army¡¯s War Maiden here?¡±


    Liz tilted her head slightly and asked, and oddly enough, Spitz stiffened himself and swept his eyes with a hint ofxity. Hiro narrowed his eyes at Spitz¡¯s behavior and watched his every move to make sure he didn¡¯t miss anything.


    ¡°L-let me exin that¨D¨D.¡±


    Spitz stood up vigorously, but a long sleeve was smacking him on his face. It was the work of Aura, whose sleeves hung ckly.


    ¡°I will tell them. Lord Spitz, please just sit down.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡±


    With unearthly intimidation released, the strength left Spitz¡¯s knees, and he sat down in his chair. Aura, who was next to him, stood up, took a small breath, and turned her attention to Liz.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to capture Your Highness.¡±


    Did anyone hear the sound of the air being cracked?


    A strange noise that urred in a room filled with silence. It must have sounded deep, but it could have been disposed of as just noise. However, there was only one person who noticed it.


    It was Hiro, the one who carried the abyss. The space in his hand is cracked, and a small light-emitting pommel is sticking out. Depending on how the opponentes out, he will pull out the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡±.


    The expression on Hiro¡¯s face said that, but that opportunity never came.


    ¡°But I have no intention of doing so. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The tension passed from the scene at once. The next to speak was Liz¡¯s uncle.


    ¡°¡­Well, there were a lot of things, but we decided to hold a truce. The reason for this is, as you know, because the Principality of Lichtine attacked us. Shamefully, I only found out about it because Count Bunadara informed me about it.¡±


    Once the words were cut off, Kiork continued.


    ¡°I was surprised. They waved the white g to prove that they would no longer fight. As soon as I wondered, a messenger came to me and told me that the Principality of Lichtine was acting suspiciously.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural. We don¡¯t have time for family quarrels.¡±


    Aura interjected.


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ even if we¡¯re not on the same page, the Great Grantz Empire must always be monolithic in external enemies¡¯ faces. There are some who don¡¯t fit within this framework, though.¡±


    And I gave the War Maiden a failure mark, added Kiork, proudly.


    Aura raised her eyebrows irritably and said, ¡°We didn¡¯t even fight, so we didn¡¯t lose.¡±


    She puffed out her cheeks. It¡¯s an indescribably cute gesture. Hiro gave a wry smile. Liz, sitting next to him, also sent a passionate gaze to Aura, perhaps because she had something to think about, but after a while, she put her finger on her chin and tilted her neck.


    ¡°Huh? Speaking of which, uncle, what happened to the Fourth Imperial Army?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve sent them several letters, but they haven¡¯t responded.¡±


    Kiork, responding to Liz¡¯s words, looked around the room, and suddenly muttered.


    ¡°Come to think of it; I don¡¯t see Lord Dios, however.¡±


    And then the air changed. Not noticing the change, Kiork continued.


    ¡°He was supposed to have gone to Fort Alto to pick you up, Liz¡­ could it be that you didn¡¯t meet him?¡±


    Seeing Liz with a somber face, Kiork seems to have realized his blunder. However, the words that were uttered cannot be undone. Tris raised his brows and jumped in in an attempt to break the awkward atmosphere.


    ¡°There was an ambush by the forces of the Principality of Lichtine near the small country of Baum. At that time¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Kiork¡¯s shoulders slumped as he rested his back against the chair. Kiork must have known that three thousand separate troops of the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s were heading in the direction of Fort Alto, but seeing Liz safe, he might have thought that Dios would be safe as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sworn to meet him again, but¡­¡±


    When Hiro looked at Aura¡¯s face, she too seemed surprised and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°That ¡®Ogre¡¯¡­?¡±


    Aura muttered quietly. Kiork also exudes regret.


    ¡°If we hadn¡¯t missed the enemy¡¯s separate forces¡­¡±


    Spitz, Aura¡¯s aide, responded to this line.


    ¡°Now is not the time to talk about ¡®those.¡¯ We indeed let the other side pass by unchallenged, but it would be suicidal to chase three thousand separate troops with our backs against twelve thousand.¡±


    Everyone agrees on this. If they abandon this fortress and pursue the enemy, they will not only be caught in the rear, but they may be caught in the crossfire.


    The first step is to defeat the twelve thousand men and then pursue them, but that is not a task that can be undertaken easily.


    ¡°But Your Highness has taken care of the 3,000 detached troops.¡±


    Aura continues.


    ¡°The enemy would know about it by now. We know they are very cautious. The fact that they are not attacking us is proof enough.¡±


    Hiro nodded. The opponent would know that Liz had entered the Berg Fortress. As for why they weren¡¯t moving, one would have to wonder if they were still upset that hundreds of soldiers had defeated their number of three thousand, or if they were unable to move due to some other factor.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left, but it looks like we can prepare for a lot of things.¡±


    Several ideas popped into his head¡­ Hiro wasn¡¯t sure how to convey this. However, the hesitation was immediately dismissed because Aura said with a quiet fighting spirit.


    ¡°¡­Now it¡¯s our turn.¡±


    A small fire lit aura¡¯s leaden eyes. Kiork straightened his posture and asked her.


    ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯reing out of Fort Berg.¡±


    ¡°We have only 3,000 men over here. We won¡¯t win if we fight them head-on.¡±


    ¡°Margrave Grinda will remain in the fortress with Her Highness, just in case.¡±


    Then two thousand troops alone would have to deal with arge army of twelve thousand. Hiro thought he heard wrong, but seeing her aide, Spitz nodding proudly out of the corner of his eye, it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.


    Kiork sighed deeply.


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd. We¡¯d be better off fighting together.¡±


    ¡°It will be fine. Just leave it to me.¡±


    Aura did not shake her head. Then, he tried to convince Aura many times, but she continued to refuse stubbornly.


    Hiro somehow realized Aura¡¯s intentions. For one thing, she couldn¡¯t coordinate with Margrave Grinda¡¯s soldiers. There is a difference in skill level, and above all, it is the cavalry that she has brought with her.


    In contrast, Margrave Grinda¡¯s soldiers were mainly made up of infantry. It would be important to fill in their weaknesses without destroying each other¡¯s strengths, but it would be reckless since they had never even trained together.


    The next thing he could think of was that it might be her own way of apologizing. Maybe she feels guilty for causing unnecessary confusion in Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.


    As such, Kirok gave up on persuasion and decided to have another meeting tomorrow, and the military council was dismissed.

 Volume 1, Chapter 4 – War Maiden Part 4

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 4 ¨C War Maiden Part 4</h4>


    (Well, I doubt she can be persuaded.)


    Aura may be stubborn, but she¡¯s probably also possessed with a strong sense of duty. Hiro smiled bitterly and took off his uniform and threw it in the basket.


    (Even so, I¡¯m surprised they have a bath here.)


    A bathhouse existed in the basement of the central tower of Berg Fortress. It seems to be mainly used by the officer ss. Moreover, surprisingly, it seems to be springing from the underground, so it appears to be a hot spring.


    After washing his body and submerging himself in hot water, Hiro let out a sigh of admiration from his mouth, and then¨D¨D.


    ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a lot of steam.¡±


    ¡°It looks hot.¡±


    He heard some familiar women¡¯s voices. Hiro shuddered his shoulders and looked back behind him. It wasn¡¯t just Liz¡¯s unclothed figure; Aura was there too.


    ¡°How¡¯s the water? Isn¡¯t it hot?¡±


    Liz approaches happily.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Aura¡¯s cheeks twitched as she noticed Hiro, and her face was red from shame.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just right. We need to pour some water on our bodies first~.¡±


    Liz bent down, put her hands in the tub, and started pouring hot water over her body happily.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to take a bath.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. I¡¯m in it now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So I thought I¡¯d go in with you.¡±


    He felt like having a hunch that she no longer thought of Hiro as a man, but that was not the case. When he looked at Aura, unlike Liz, she desperately tried to hide her body with her hands while her face was reddened.


    ¡°Hello¡­ Aura wanted to take a bath, too?¡±


    He tried to call out to her, but there was no answer. Out of the corner of his eye, Liz was dipping her body into the tub.


    ¡°Mmm, it feels so good~.¡±


    And when she came up next to Hiro, she poured the hot water over him, saying, ¡°Eiii, eii.¡± No matter how much steam there was, he could still see what he could see.


    ¡°Come in, Aura, you shoulde in too. It feels so good.¡±


    Aura looked at Liz with a look that said she couldn¡¯t believe it, but she decided to make up her mind and jumped into the bathtub with a long jump.


    ¡°Hey! You have to pour hot water on your body first!¡±


    Liz¡¯s misced attention is flown.


    (If Liz is a cat, then maybe Aura is a dog.)


    Hiro thought as he sshed by the water.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The next day¨D¨DAs one would expect¡­ Aura could not be persuaded, and Hiro and the others gave up and were on the roof of the Berg fortress¡¯s central tower.


    This ce is where they can get a full view of the battlefield, but the hot sunshine is a drawback. They are sweating whether they want to or not. To distract his mind, Hiro looked down from the rooftop to the central square and saw three hundred cavalry horses and seven hundred infantry lined up neatly near the main gate.


    If anything happened, they would be on standby toe to the rescue at once. On the other side of the iron gate¨Dthere was an army of two thousand led by Aura in a strange formation.


    ¡°Hey, is everything okay¡­?¡±


    And then a worried voice sound emanated from next to Hiro. When Hiro turned his face to the side, Liz looked down at the ground with an anxious face.


    ¡°I still think it¡¯s best for us to stay in the city.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a bad idea. This fortress is hardly robust from the outside. It could easily fall off if exposed to enemy fire for too long.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we wait for the Fourth Imperial Army to arrive?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a difficult point. In the first ce, we don¡¯t know if the Fourth Imperial Army is reallying. You shouldn¡¯t expect too much.¡±


    ¡°I see~¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s face fell down in disappointment, but she immediately looked up.


    ¡°Well then, can¡¯t we fight with Aura together? I think it¡¯s better to give them a little bit of a win probability.¡±


    ¡°Margrave Grinda¡¯s soldiers and Aura¡¯s soldiers have different skill levels. If they fought together, they could be a drag on the battlefield. But if they fight separately, they will only be destroyed individually.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡±


    ¡°Not so much when you have the same number as your opponent, but this time, as you would imagine.¡±


    But it would be extremely difficult to defeat twelve thousand with just two thousand. If themander were ipetent, they would be wiped out instantly.


    But when Hiro looked at Aura¡¯s strange formation below him, the corners of his mouth hung up and a smile formed on his face. The two thousand soldiers were all made up of heavily armed cavalry. There were five in a horizontal line with one hundred men as one, and three behind them, including the main force of five hundred as one.


    It would be a fool¡¯s errand if they charged at this point, but¡­


    (I see¡­ ¡°Trident¡± formation, huh¡­)


    Seeing the old formation, Hiro felt that he was indeed back in Alethia. The battlefield began to move as the first wave of troops began to act.


    £ª£ª£ª


    From north to south, two thousand ck horsemen were slowly advancing. They are the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± led by Aura, who is imed to be the most elite of the Third Imperial Army.


    The horses are wrapped in armor that raises dust. It waspletely wrapped up to its head in strong iron. The bodies of the knights wearing heavy ck armor on top of them are all huge like bears.


    With the wind blowing, the sword and shield emblem gs fluttered on the purple ground.


    A battle cry filled with tension was delivered from the enemy¡¯s position. It was not unreasonable. At a young age of seventeen, Aura is the Chief of Staff of the Third Imperial Army and is known as the ¡°War Maiden.¡± There was already no one in the Central Continent who didn¡¯t know of her existence.


    The enemy forces had left their archers on the front line, waiting for the Imperial ck Knights to approach. A sneer appeared on their faces. Naturally, their enemy was made up of the only cavalry. Moreover, they were heavily armed cavalry with no mobility.


    Arge number of arrows shot out from the enemy¡¯s bow and instantly covered their vision. There was no way to know what scene appeared in the other side¡¯s mind, whether it was the enemy dying, or the arrows that were being blocked by armor and shields and breaking off cruelly.


    Aura smiled. She thrust her left hand up. A drum beat, and the entire army came to a halt. Arrows rained down in front of the soldiers in the front line. Surprisingly, none of them hit.


    ¡°Now is the chance¨Dvanguard.¡±


    She raised her right hand to the sky and swung it down. Three drums sounded, and the front line galloped out of the wilderness, kicking their horses in the belly as they raised their steel shields.


    The five units stretch vertically to form five lines. Bows were fired from the enemy, but their aim was poor, most of them piercing the ground, and if they did hit, they were blocked by the shields.


    Then shoot the horse. But the horse is also covered with armor. If so, there is no other way but to aim at the eyes or feet, but the enemy squad leaders are confused, and their attacks areckluster.


    ¡°Aura-sama. I¡¯ve passed on instructions to each squad leader.¡±


    Next to Aura, who listened to the roar of the horseshoe, it was Spitz who pulled his horse up next to her.


    ¡°Then advance without being noticed by the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Spitz held up two fingers and waved his arms to the side. Each squad leader made sure of that, and the rear line began to advance. The fact that they are wearing horse armor and are heavily armed doesn¡¯t mean that the arrows won¡¯t hit the soldiers.


    They would inevitably hit if they took a few strikes. A few of the advance teams fell to the ground and became targets for enemy arrows. Seeing this, Aura sniffed unhappily.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make our next move. Prepare the drums.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Spitz raises his right arm, and the cavalrymen in the rear prepare to drum.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take the initiative before they regain theirposure.¡±


    Aura spread her right arm out to the side. Two drums were struck twice, and two gs were raised. Then the two units joined together and began to run in a circle to the edge of the enemy¡¯s left-wing.


    If they could distract and confuse the attention of the enemy soldiers to the right-wing¨D¨D.


    ¡°Next.¡±


    Aura spread her left arm out to the side. Two drums struck twice, and four gs went up. Two more units joined together, and it headed for the edge of the enemy¡¯s right-wing.


    ¡°The end.¡±


    The long sleeves swam in the wind as Aura sped her hands together. Five drums were drummed, and five gs were raised.


    ¡°Take them.¡±


    Thest unit charges into the center of the enemy. At the same time, the attack began from the left and right nks. The enemy forces tried to lower their archers, but they could not do so in time and fell prey to the spears of the heavily armed cavalry.


    Aura sees an opportunity in the confused enemy lines.


    ¡°The whole army charge.¡±


    She pulled out the sword at her waist and released it and raised it high in the heavens. The spirit weapon is reflected in the sunlight. It looked so beautiful. Seeing the figure of his goddess, Spitz pulled out his sword and unleashed it.


    ¡°All troops, charge! Victory to our War Maiden!¡±


    ¡°Uooohhhh!!¡±


    The heavy-armored horsemen replied by striking the hilt of their spears against the shield. Hearing this, Spitz rushed to the front of the line, and the five hundred horsemen followed from behind with an overwhelming sense of intimidation.


    The rear and left and right wings, like the front line, were distanced from the main force in a circle to make a pincer attack. The front line met up in the enemy¡¯s ranks and pushed forward towards the enemy¡¯s main line like a single spear.


    One thousand five hundred horsemen are approaching; the enemy soldiers on the front line will be aware of it. Still, with arge army of twelve thousand, the transmission of information will be dyed.


    ¨D¨Dsh.


    Many enemy soldiers show their backs, where the jaws of the five hundred of the main force bite into them. An enemy soldier is crushed and dies with blood stter. It¡¯s as if a muddy stream washes away the trees, quickly destroying the walls created by the people.


    It¡¯s just a matter of thrusting forward on the path cut by the vanguard, and the wings on either side were also kicking out the enemy to join the main force.


    ¡°Keep pushing forward to the enemy¡¯s main line like this¨D¨Dhuh!?¡±


    Spitz shouted and then looked next to him with a surprised face.


    ¡°Lord Spitz, there¡¯s no room for error. Do you want to die?¡±


    This was because Aura, who was supposed to be in the main camp, was peacefully straddling the horse. While lightly waving her spirit weapon and ughtering the enemy soldiers, Aura was getting ahead of him.


    ¡°What are you doing! It¡¯s dangerous here!¡±


    ¡°I have a spirit weapon. I¡¯m stronger than Lord Spitz now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but! We don¡¯t know what¡¯s out there! You have to turn back now¨D¨D.¡±


    Spitz looked back and noticed that it was already filled with enemy soldiers, not very many, but it wasn¡¯t enough to break through by Aura alone. The left and right nk had already joined up, and all that was left was to join the advance team and overrun the main enemy line.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever leave me, please don¡¯t ever leave me!¡±


    Havinge this far, he has no choice but to go through with it. Besides, at least their morale will be boosted.


    The War Maiden is with us; there is no way we can lose. The joy from the soldiers could be felt. At that time, Aura¡¯s cheeks were drenched, and she looked up at the sky with her eyebrows raised.


    ¡°¡­Not good.¡±


    The sky had turned ck. The sun, which had shone so brightly, was beginning to erode. The lukewarm wind carried the scent of the enemy¡¯s death as well as the signs of rain.

 Volume 1, Chapter 4 – War Maiden Part 5

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 4 ¨C War Maiden Part 5</h4>


    Meanwhile, the central tower of the Berg Fortress. The people on its rooftop also felt something strange in the sky. Crimson hair danced in the wind that was getting stronger. Liz holds her hair with one hand and turns to face Hiro.


    ¡°Aura and the others are amazing¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting them to reach the enemy¡¯s main camp.¡±


    Liz pointed to a trident that would bite into the enemy¡¯s side. Hiro nodded in agreement.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a different way to go, but I think they did a good job.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°If it were true, they would have to pry open the center of the enemy¡¯s side with infantry before they could do so. But Aura pried it open with her cavalry. It¡¯s not easy to imagine. If things go badly, they¡¯ll be wiped out.¡±


    If the numbers on one side are overwhelmingly small, this is not the first warfare method one would choose to use. This should be more of a tribute to a well-trained soldier than apliment given to her.


    After joining up without any disruption, the rush without hesitation, and the explosive poweres from it. After that, when the enemy was distracted by the front line and turned away, Aura¡¯s leadership was brilliant. It was an incredible sight to admire.


    This is something that can be said because they are an ally, but there is something irresistible to the enemy.


    ¡°Can they win?¡±


    ¡°If things continue to go well, I think they¡¯ll win.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t talk about his anxiety. At least things are going well now. They would continue to strike into the main enemy camp, take out the enemy general, and then leave as is.


    The only thing left to do is toy waste to the misceneous soldiers who have fallen into a panic, but there was something that Hiro was concerned about.


    (Depending on the military strength of the enemy general¡­)


    In the past, when he used this strategy, there were fierce fighters who were known as the ¡°Five ck Heaven Generals.¡± It was because they had stood at the forefront of the battle that they could seed in this strategy.


    Whether or not there would be that many fierce men in Aura¡¯s camp.


    (Besides¡­)


    When he looked up at the sky, even more anxiety washed over him. In less than a moment more, the sky will begin to cry and wet the ground.


    The heavy cavalry that is just less mobile, their destructive power will be halved on the rain-soaked ground. When Hiro looked down at the battlefield, the enemy line had been torn apart from the center by the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± led by Aura. It is reminiscent of a ck dragon ascending to the heavens and captivates the viewer.


    ¡°Liz. In the meantime, could you tell Kiork-san just to get ready?¡±


    If something happens, they should be ready to rush to the rescue immediately. People inevitably create gaps in their lives, no matter what the situation. If something unexpected happens, it will be noticeable. A cornered enemy will not miss it; no one wants to die, after all.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Liz agrees without saying a word. In her current position, she has no choice.


    ¡°Thank you. Please.¡±


    Hiro muttered a word of thanks before watching her back as she went to Kiork. When he looked up overhead, he saw gloomy shadows and stormy clouds hanging low.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The battlefield was in turmoil. Even though it was only mid-morning, the high rising sun was obscured by clouds. Below them, the army in the field was being pushed by a group of ck horsemen many times inferior to them.


    The sound of horseshoes hitting the earth trampled the screams of the enemy. A single ck line was closing in on the enemy¡¯s main camp. However, its speed gradually slowed down as small grains poured down from the cloudy sky.


    Before too much time had passed, therge grains of rain had gained momentum and prated the ground, thoroughly crushing the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± momentum.


    The brown-haired second-inmand, Spitz, opens his mouth to his superior officer who is running together.


    ¡°Aura-sama! What should we do?¡±


    ¡°The enemy general is right before us. We will take his head and withdraw. We will escape all the way to the Fort Berg.¡±


    ¡°Is that our only option¡­?¡±


    ¡°I will not fixate on it. If it seems impossible, we will withdraw immediately.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Aura looked at the enemy¡¯s main camp to locate the enemy general. The visibility is not good because of the rain, but she desperately scrutinizes her eyes to pull off a victory.


    She doesn¡¯t even look at the horse armor as it bursts away from the enemy, but just focuses on the enemy¡¯s main camp. A soldier pointed at her with a panicked look. A soldier¡¯s face is drawn up in fear. A soldier waiting with a beastly expression on his face. None of them are the ones she wants.


    Taking everything out of sight¨D¨D.


    Her eyes seeded in catching it like a sh of light.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found it. Follow me!¡±


    Unusually, Aura raised her voice. Not only that, she heroically raised her spirit weapon and kicked her horse¡¯s belly.


    Spitz was appalled, gasping for breath. However, he quickly regained hisposure and chased after Aura with all his might.


    He switched from his sword to his spear.


    ¡°Imperial ck Knights! Follow Aura-sama!¡±


    He shouted as much as he could. The knights replied with a spirited attack instead of a voice. They ughtered the enemy infantry around them and buried the next enemy¡¯s blood flying high in the sky. Aura could feel the spiriting from her back. She could feel the heat building up in her hands, which were cold from the rain.


    Blessed by the blessing of the spirit weapon, Aura cuts down the enemy soldiers protecting the general. The enemy soldiers began to keep their distance to avoid being trampled by the horseshoes.


    They are only soldiers who were drafted. Barbarians whoe to other countries seeking ves. They have no cause and no ambition. There is no room for such people to trample the territory of the Empire.


    ¡°I dedicate this victory to His Majesty Schwartz.¡±


    Aura¡¯s spirit weapon shed. The enemy general¡¯s face was filled with astonishment and despair. The de of Aura¡¯s spirit weapon bit into his neck. An eerie feeling was felt in her hand, and at the same time, she used the momentum of her horse to swing away. The enemy general¡¯s head rolled across the ground, tangled in the mud.


    The figure, which is only big, falls down. Aura, who witnessed the event, raised her spirit weapon high into the sky.


    ¡°I¡¯ve killed the enemy general!¡±


    Cheers erupted from her allies behind her, and agitation exuded from the enemies around her. Aura¡¯s face tightened as she stifled her delight and seemed to loosen up.


    ¡°Lord Spitz! Collect the head at once!¡±


    There was no point in just killing the enemy general to end this war. If his death were hidden, they would have to continue to deal with nearly 10,000 enemies. They must hurriedly recover the enemy general¡¯s head and inform the entire battlefield.


    ¡°Wha¨D!?¡±


    Aura¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as she turned around behind her. This is because she saw the enemy general who had lost his head stand up peacefully and pick up his own head. Aura¡¯s entire body was filled with fear. He was no longer human, moving with the loss of his head.


    Aura¡¯s decision was quick. The word ¡°Withdraw¡± immediately shed in her mind. Her throat tightened, and a scream-like voice came out of her small mouth.


    ¡°Viscount Spitz! Withdraw¨D?!¡±


    Aura couldn¡¯t scream until the end. This is because the enemy general, who tied their necks together, jumped at Aura with his specialized weapon in hand. She quickly brought forward her spirit weapon and repelled the enemy¡¯s attack, which makes a high-pitched sound, and Aura¡¯s body floated in the air. And then vigorously rolled on the ground, covered in mud.


    Her horse lost its head with its entire iron armor and fell on the side, sttering blood from where it was cut off. The viewpoint of the man staring at Aura, who had stopped moving, was not fixed, and he opened his mouth while staring into the void.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away, little girl!¡±


    He approaches Aura with arge stride, with a fancy sword decorated with jewels on his shoulder.


    ¡°Aura-sama!¡±


    Spitz rushed over and thrust his spear out from his horse, but it was caught between the big man¡¯s sides.


    ¡°Wha-!¡±


    As it was lifted up, Spitz was knocked to the ground. Simultaneously, a ssh of water sshed out loudly, but it is an insignificant change in the pouring rain.


    ¡°¡«¡«¡«¡«¡«?!¡±


    The enemy general mmed his heel into Spitz, who was struggling to breathe. Arge number of fresh blood spurts out of Spitz¡¯s mouth as he is repeatedly struck down.


    In order to save the second-inmand who was about to be killed, a heavily armed horseman practiced a spirited assault.


    ¡°Uraaaa¨D¨D!¡±


    ¡°Small-fry!¡±


    The enemy general thrusts his sword into the face of the soldier in the blink of an eye. An unconscious soldier tumbled off the back of his horse. The death of one brave soldier saved Spitz, but he was unconscious and rained down on his back, which caused the blood to spread across his face.


    That¡¯s when Aura finally stood up unsteadily. Her left arm, held by her right hand, was hanging down, and mud was dripping from the cuff. Her arm is broken. The look of pain dominated expression on her face is probably the best evidence of that.


    ¡°¡­Spirit weapon?¡±


    Aura looked at the sword in the big man¡¯s hand with eyes that couldn¡¯t settle on a fixed point of view.


    (If so¡­ what the hell is wrong with this man?)


    There is no blessing in a spirit weapon that can heal the wounds of a human who has been beheaded. If there is such a miracle, is it a spirit sword inhabited by a spirit¨Dor,


    (Or even the five great treasure swords¡­ but that¡¯s a spirit weapon by all ounts. Not that powerful.)


    While she was thinking, the enemy soldiers were encircling Aura. The ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± are drawing a circle to threaten them and keep them in check. But they can¡¯t hold it for long. No matter how much of a threat the horsemen are, they are too slow in the rain.


    Moreover, they are outnumbered. Besides, nothing is easier to hunt than an enemy gathered in one ce. The advantage they had just had waspletely lost.


    The enemy general moved both eyes separately and looked around. The creepy gesture made Aura feel nauseated.


    ¡°Seeing how the soldiers have not abandoned you, you must be the War Maiden, huh?¡±


    The enemy general¡¯s purple lips split into a crescent shape, and his teeth peeked out.


    ¡°Fuumu¡­ It¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re not to my liking. But I¡¯ll still take you with me. I¡¯m not a demon, either. You will be released when I get a lot of ransom.¡±


    When the enemy general waved his spirit weapon, the de cut through space and sent raindrops flying away.


    ¡°Ugohh!?¡±


    The soldier who boldly stood against the enemy general to protect Aura is ughtered.


    ¡°After the soldiers use you as a ything, that is!¡±


    To rescue their Lord, a toon of the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± ising towards them. They would not let the enemy¡¯s single finger touch Aura, and with a spirit that would make them think so, they attacked the enemy general with a furious force.


    ¡°Your Excellency! Just a moment, please! We will lead the way at all costs!¡±


    ¡°Fuhaha, how courageous. Those who want to diee at me first. I¡¯m stronger now that I have a spirit weapon.¡±


    Aura couldn¡¯t believe her ears at the enemy general¡¯s words. This was because although the spirit weapons certainly gave a great blessing, the power felt from the man was never something brought by a spirit weapon.


    However, an unbelievable scene unfolded in front of Aura¡¯s eyes. Even though his wrists were cut off, his chest was pierced, and he had lost his legs, the enemy general did not flinch and killed the ¡°Imperial ck Knights.¡±


    ¡°Oraa! Next! Come on! I will not let anyone beat me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t step back! We will make sure to save Her Excellency!¡±


    Aura¡¯s subordinates continued to fight, raising their voices without fear, even if theirrades were ughtered without mercy.


    ¡°Zeaaahh!¡±


    ¡°Agaahhh!¡±


    Thest soldier was pierced in the chest and fell off his horse.


    ¡°Fuh¨Dhaha¡­ haha¡­ This is tiring indeed.¡±


    The enemy general looks up above his head, shakes his shoulders, and begins to breathe in. There is a pile of corpses in the vicinity, proving that a toon of the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± has fallen to their deaths at every turn. The wounds on the enemy general¡¯s entire body are all fatal, but the injuries are closing up as he looks at them.


    Aura pointed the spirit weapon at the enemy general and questioned him.


    ¡°¡­What is it about that unearthly power you possess?¡±


    ¡°You mean this spirit weapon?¡±


    No spirit stones have ever been found in the Principality of Lichtine. One of the reasons for this is that the whole area is a desert. However, there are many beautiful oases and ces where spirits seem to live. However, people gather at those ces to live.


    For spirits who prefer a quiet ce, there is nothing but pain for them. Above all, the spirit does not like the bleak atmosphere of the ve states.


    Although it is possible that they could have bought it from another country, the Principality of Lichtine doesn¡¯t have the budget for it. The reason being that a single spirit stone would be enough for themoners to live on for the rest of their lives.


    Unlike spirit swords, spirit weapons are consumable items that will eventually break. They can break after a few battles. If they are forged in the wrong way, they will turn into mere stones on the spot.


    Although the power of spirit stones is attractive, it¡¯s better to improve the soldiers¡¯ equipment than to spend the state budget on such things. Hence, even in the mighty Grantz Great Empire, the only people who possess spirit weapons are the imperial family or those who are linked to them.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m interested in how you obtained the spirit weapon, I¡¯m even more concerned about the ¡°power¡± of yours.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about things that don¡¯t make sense. And what do you get for buying time like this?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t realize your own condition, do you? No, even if you are aware of it, you don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything out of the ordinary.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t have a proper conversation with you. No more talking; otherwise I¡¯ll kill you. And look around, your soldiers are getting caught!¡±


    The area was turning into chaos. The ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± are beginning to be dragged down from their horses. They immediately stood up and struggled, but they were outnumbered. They were surrounded and reduced in number one by one and then again. The blood overflowing from the fallen heavy cavalrymen¡¯s wounds is mixed with mud and discolored.


    ¡°It will soon be time for you to gasp in pleasure. I¡¯ll be ying with you until then!¡±


    The enemy general swung his sword to her. Aura caught it with her spirit weapon, but her small body was blown away lightly. She fell from her shoulder to the ground. And then the enemy general¡¯s kick stabbed her in the side.


    Before she could grunt, her mouth was blocked by mud, and she continued to roll on the ground once, twice, three times. When she finally stopped, life was nearly gone from her.


    ¡°Aagh¡­¡±


    Her subordinates are fighting, and as amander, she can¡¯t give up easily. It inspires her. But when she tries to get up on the ground with her hands, she immediately loses strength from her elbows.


    As she dipped her face into the puddle, Aura noticed what was flowing from her eyes.


    Is she crying? She thought, but she couldn¡¯t tell because of the relentless rain. The enemy general is approaching. He grabbed Aura¡¯s hair carelessly and made her look up.


    ¡°What is it, you¡¯re about to lose consciousness? You might be happier that way, though. You¡¯ll be dealing with countless men from now on.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we will treat you gently so we can collect the ransom. So we¡¯ll deal with you just enough so you don¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    Aura doesn¡¯t say anything. She just turns her leaden eyes. When the enemy general let go of her hand, Aura¡¯s head was mmed into the mud. Then he removed his gaze as if he had lost interest and picked up Aura¡¯s spirit weapon that had fallen nearby.


    ¡°I captured the ¡°War Maiden¡± and got two spirit weapons. My foolish brother wasted one of them, but it¡¯s still enough to make the change.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t noticed. No¨Dthere was no way he could have noticed.


    ¡°I must thank the man.¡±


    The enemy general spread his arms as if to express his joy. At the same time, Aura¡¯s spirit weapon fell to the ground with his wrist.


    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡±


    A tremendous amount of blood gushed from the spot where he had lost his wrist. However, he didn¡¯t pay attention to it. His eyes were drawn to the single spirit weapon that appeared in front of him.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the¡­ spirit weapon I gave to my foolish brother? Why is it here?¡±


    Something strange was happening behind the enemy general who was watching in amazement. There is a white light snaking through the battlefield filled with arge army.


    It was as if it was flying through the sky, and ¡°it¡± was closing in on the enemy general. It¡¯s worthy of the name lightning swift. There is no other word for it.


    The radiance of the drawn sword that cuts through the dark and stagnant despair¨D¨D,


    ¨D¨DThe ¡°white thunder¡± gushed over the ground.

 Volume 1, Chapter 5 – Awakening of The War God Part 1

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 5 ¨C Awakening of The War God Part 1</h4>


    The time goes back a little while ago¨D¨D.


    A strong wind was blowing, and heavy rain was pping the skin. On the roof of Berg Fortress¡¯ central tower¨Ddozens of men and women there were unable to utter a word.


    They were feeling suffocated as if the heavy air was adding pressure from all sides. The red-haired girl next to Hiro, looking at the battlefield, raised her shapely eyebrows in concern.


    ¡°Hiro, isn¡¯t this bad¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, they still have the momentum there¡­¡±


    The enemy¡¯s side is in disarray, and the only thing left to do is to defeat the enemy general. Although slowed down by the sudden rain, the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± led by Aura have not lost their momentum.


    (There are about 8,000 enemies left, huh¡­)


    The current situation is also an opportunity for us to catch up with them. There are only a thousand people on this side, but the enemy ispletely distracted by the Imperial ck Knights.


    By hiding in the heavy rain, they should be able to dy the enemy soldiers from noticing us. Even if they realize it, the chain ofmand should be in disarray with all that chaos.


    ¨D¨DWe should strikeout.


    I looked at Liz when I decided to make that decision, but she was no longer next to me. That¡¯s because she was already running up to Kiork.


    Judging from the fact that she was desperately talking about something, she might feel the same way as Hiro. Seeing that Kiork nodded and sent instructions to the soldiers, Hiro turned his attention to the battlefield again.


    ¡°Did they take them down?¡±


    The ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye captured the signs of victorying from the battlefield¡±. But then the ck dragon, split in two as if it had hit arge wall, began to draw a circle in the main enemy camp.


    ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t they leave?¡±


    Hiro puts his hand on the wall and leans up and strains his eyes. He could tell that something strange had happened. But there is a mixture of information, and he cannot capture the exact information.


    (I guess I have no choice but to go.)


    There is no time to hesitate. Climbing the wall, Hiro reaches the brink. Far below, he can see the soldiers moving in a hurry. It¡¯s a height where he can easily die.


    ¡°Fuh¡­¡±


    After taking a breath, Hiro made up his mind and stepped out into the empty space¨Dand fell.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    Liz screams in surprise as she sees Hiro falling from the top of the tower. The sound of rain quickly drowned it out, and Hiro didn¡¯t even notice.


    (¡­If I had to take the stairs down every single time, I wouldn¡¯t make it.)


    Gravity pulls him down to the ground. He felt as if his organs were being pushed upward. Hiro summoned the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± on halfway. As soon as the pommel head appears underneath his feet, he uses it as a foothold and leaps. He summons it again and leaps through the air.


    On the ground, soldiers could be seen jumping out of the gates one by one, heading for the battlefield. Liz and the others would be using the stairs to make their way to the surface by now.


    Hironded on the ground after jumping over the gate a step ahead of them.


    There was a groan from the allied soldiers who hade out of the gate. There was no time or need to bother exining it to them.


    With the silvery-white sword in hand, Hiro kicked up the ground. It was as if he was running through a sunny meadow, running through it smoothly without getting caught in the mud. When he reaches the battlefield filled with enemies, he looks around for an opening.


    This is the path that the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± did their best to pry open. After finding arge gap, Hiro charged at it.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry!¡±


    A sh of light struck the back of the enemy blocking his path. Before the blood sttered, it reaped the life of the next enemy and opened the way. Ordinary soldiers would never notice. The enemy soldier¡¯s head is flying off when the sh of light passes by.


    With the shining sword, Ordinary soldiers die off before they can recognize it.


    ¡°What the hell are you?!¡±


    The enemy squad leader notices him and swings his sword down at Hiro.


    ¡°Fuh!¡±


    He ducked and then shed at the side. The enemy squad leader¡¯s sword snapped in half from the center hand; the de fell to the ground. Simultaneously, the silent squad leader became a corpse and was buried in the mud. The enemies around him were in an uproar.


    Rushing ahead, Hiro again runs out and leaves the enemy unsettled. Thanks to the blessing of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor,¡± this speed is impossible for an ordinary person to achieve.


    By running through the gaps, he was finally able to catch Aura¡¯s figure with his eyes. Looking at the girl covered in mud and copsed, Hiro¡¯s eyes were filled with silent anger.


    As Hiro wished in his heart, the space in front of him cracked open in response. A single spirit weapon emerged from the crack, colored with gems. Without hesitation, he picked up the hilt and threw it. The sharp de sliced through the air and shed off the enemy general¡¯s wrist.


    Hiro instantly crushes the distance between him and the unsettled enemy general to get close to him. Before he was noticed, he shed the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± to the side.


    ¡°Gugoohh¨D!?¡±


    The feeling of the neck being severed from the bone remains in his hand. It¡¯s a surefire way to bring death to the enemy general.


    ¡°But¡­ why is he still alive?¡±


    Hiro stopped and turned to the enemy general as if to ask him a question.


    ¡°Who are¡­ you?¡±


    Hiro is a sudden intruder. It¡¯s no surprise that he gives Hiro a questioning look. Hiro ignores it and looks at the enemy¡¯s neck. He confirmed that it was connected.


    ¡°¡­If I cut you again, I¡¯ll see if I can figure it out.¡±


    Hiro pointed his ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± sword at the enemy general.


    ¡°You don¡¯t intend to tell me your name, huh? But I¡¯ll tell you my name. I think it¡¯s important to know the name of the person who killed you.¡±


    The enemy general smiled ferociously.


    ¡°Rayhill Lemaire Lichtine. I am the next Prince of the Principality of Lichtine!¡±


    Reyhill, who announced himself, swung his sword, a spirit weapon, vertically. Hiro received it with his ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± and flicked it back. A spark is shed between the two.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been pushed back¡­?¡±


    Rayhill, who had backed away from the force, tilted his head back, and a question mark appeared on his face. He then took a nce at his own hand and then looked at Hiro.


    ¡°¡­What is that sword? A spirit weapon?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have obligations to answer you.¡±


    Hiro was inwardly surprised. This was because his opponent¡¯s physical strength was beyond his imagination. Although he pushed him back, Hiro has taken two steps back from his original ce.


    ¡°Kuku, hahaha, good. You don¡¯t need to say anything! After I kill you, I¡¯ll take a closer look at it.¡±


    Rayhill approached Hiro, swinging his sword carelessly.


    Hiro kicked the ground. Keeping up the momentum, he twisted and spun his body and dove into Rayhill¡¯s chest to side-leave the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± with vigor¨Dbut he was easily caught, and a tingling sensation returned to his hand.


    Delight spread across Rayhill¡¯s face.


    ¡°You are indeed formidable. But all you have is only speed.¡±


    With a grin on his lips, Rayhill swung his sword with force. However, Hiro¡¯s body, who tried to repel it with the ¡°Heavenly Emperor,¡± floats lightly.


    (The power is even greater than before!)


    If someone were watching this fight to the death, they would think that the boy would be blown away. However, Hiro deflected his sword de to the side to catch the force and then jumped back to open up the distance.


    Hiro was trying to take control of the situation, but when he turned his gaze forward¨D¨D.


    ¡°¨D¨D!¡±


    Rayhill was right in front of him.


    ¡°Gurraaaahhh!¡±


    ¡°Kuh!¡±


    A few moments after he stooped down, a storm passed over his head from right to left.


    After dodging the attack, Hiro thrusts out the Heavenly Emperor, but Rayhill kicks the de, and the tip of the sword points towards the heavens. As Hiro¡¯s arms were raised, arge opening was created in his arms.


    ¡°Kid! It¡¯s over!¡±


    The sword de that made the air creak as lightning has locked onto Hiro¡¯s head. However, it was blocked by two swords that appeared tearing through space.


    ¡°W-what?!¡±


    The two spirit weapons were stored in the spirit world through the Heavenly Emperor a thousand years ago.


    The two spirit weapons that have done their job have disappeared from this world, and there is nothing left to stand between Hiro and Rayhill.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?!¡±


    Rayhill¡¯s confused expression appeared on his face, not understanding what had happened.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Without any obligation to answer, Hiro thrusts out his ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± sword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make light of me!¡±


    It only resulted in a shallow sh to Rayhill¡¯s side.


    (His reaction time is increased too.)


    If it¡¯s the Rayhill of a while ago, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge it¡­ He gets the feeling that something is off.


    (And what is that extraordinary recovery¡­?)


    The wrist he had cut off was regenerating, and the wound on his side from earlier was instantly closed.


    (A spirit weapon shouldn¡¯t have this kind of blessing.)


    It is possible that the spirit weapons of this era may have evolved, but there is no spirit weapon that gives such a blessing, at least in Hiro¡¯s memory.


    (Perhaps¡­)


    Hiro remembered something, but Rayhill interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°Do you find it strange? Did you think you¡¯d killed me for sure? That¡¯s stupid!¡±


    Rayhill, who ced the sword on his shoulder, pointed to the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± that Hiro held.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that sword is, but I know that¡¯s either a spirit weapon or one of the five great swords. At any rate, the blessings from this weapon will enhance one¡¯s physical abilities tremendously. But the rest depends on the strength of the individual. So¨D¨D.¡±


    After a pause, Rayhill continues.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited after cutting down some small-fries, kid! When a strong man like me appears, a weak man like you will be exposed! If your original power is weak, then ¡°that¡± is just a ¡°useless treasure¡±!¡±


    When he finished, Rayhill¡¯s body transformed, his back swelled up, and his arms became even thicker.


    The ¡°cause¡± of the strength of the enemy general¨Dfinally crossed Hiro¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Hiro mmed the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± into the enemy general¡¯s shoulder and cut him down.


    ¡°Fuhahaha, that won¡¯t work!¡±


    Rayhill didn¡¯t feel the pain, but he swung his sword down with a distorted face in amusement. Catching it with the silvery-white de, Hiro red at Rayhill in as if he¡¯s struggled topete with him.


    ¡°What you said earlier is correct. But, you know, your power right now¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Urraaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°Agh!?¡±


    Rayhill¡¯s kick sunk into Hiro¡¯s sr plexus, and his body was blown away. He rolled on the ground, unable to breathe as he was hit by the intense pain that seemed to tear his entire body apart.


    Hiro finally stopped as he collided with an enemy soldier who was rampaging on the battlefield that bes a turbulent battle. Slowly getting up, Hiro had no longer the cold expression on his face from earlier, but a boyish, human-like expression that was appropriate for his age.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to know why you took in the ¡°demon¡±¡­¡±


    The spear tips of the enemy soldiers who had noticed Hiro¡¯s presence floated around menacingly. After looking around at them, Hiro spoke up as if it didn¡¯t concern him.


    ¡°But you see, once you knew how to use your power, you didn¡¯t have to rely on that thing.¡±


    As soon as Hiro waved his left hand to the side, his sword stabbed into the chests of ¡°all¡± the enemy soldiers surrounding him. Every enemy soldier has a question on their face, but without knowing the reason, they spat out a clot of blood and ttered to death.

 Volume 1, Chapter 5 – Awakening of The War God Part 2

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 5 ¨C Awakening of The War God Part 2</h4>


    The battlefield was in chaos. On the front line, Grinda soldiers led by Margrave Grinda were struggling. In the center of the enemy¡¯s main camp, Hiro was engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy general.


    No¨Dit could be said that Hiro was unterally attacking him.


    A single spirit weapon that appeared after cutting through space. With its hilt in his hand, he shed Rayhill and instantly moved to the blind spot. Then, the space at his hand split open, and a new spirit weapon appeared.


    After shing with it, he vigorously stabbed the two spirit weapons casually. As it was, he kicked the earth and went over Rayhill¡¯s headnding behind him, bringing out a new spirit weapon, and piercing Rayhill¡¯s back.


    ¨DAll of this happened in the blink of an eye.


    From a third party¡¯s point of view, one would only be able to see the white and silver afterglow stretching in all directions, like a spider¡¯s web. Furthermore, Hiro¡¯s attacks were unstoppable, and the spirit weapons were thrusting into the massive body of Rayhill at a furious pace, sttering blood onto the ground.


    Rayhill was struggling in agony as he let out a scream.


    ¡°Ooooooooohhh!¡±


    There were no wounds on his arms, legs, or chest that weren¡¯t fatal as far as he could see. And yet, Rayhill was still alive. A ck and evil aura clung to Rayhill, repairing the wounds in the blink of an eye.


    The spirit weapons that were stuck in the middle fell to the ground and then disappeared. There was a sense of difort from the beginning. And Hiro had seen it all before.


    ¡°¡­The Fallen One, huh?¡±


    It¡¯s a name for the ¡°fools¡± who tried to capture the power of spirits. A thousand years ago, a king, out of curiosity, crushed a spirit stone into a special form called ¡°Seimamaru¡± and gave it to one of his soldiers to drink.


    It is said that when he gave it to one of his soldiers to drink¡­ nothing happened at that time, and the king was disappointed.


    Then in the middle of the night, when everyone was asleep, the man began to suffer. The man¡¯s appearance changed, and he lost his reason and became a monster. The patrolmen, who noticed the change, were the first victims, and then the monster that devoured the king indiscriminately killed everyone in the castle, whether young or old.


    The confusion was exploited, and the country was annexed by another country, and Hiro was involved in the battle.


    ¡°How foolish you are¡­ once the spirit¡¯s ¡°demon¡± has invaded your life, you¡¯ll never be able to return to normal.¡±


    Indeed, the blessings of the spirits may be appealing. But that doesn¡¯t mean that it will be too effective if you take it into your body. It is not a power that can be contained in a human vessel. It doesn¡¯t fit into a human body.


    But even so, Hiro remembered that there was no end to the number of people who had descended into the fallen ones.


    The kings of the countries that were about to be destroyed would drink the ¡°demon¡± to get revenge. There were even people who used this ¡°demon¡± to kill in the dark ages.


    However, not everyone has lost their reasoning, and there are those who can endure it on rare asions. There were those who were able to surpass humans in physical strength while maintaining their sense.


    The people call humans who have endured the demons as:


    Demonkin¨D¨D.


    However, Rayhill¡¯s body, which was already two timesrger than Hiro¡¯s, had swollen right before his eyes to now stand at six times his size.


    He can no longer be called a human. He¡¯s more like an Ogre or a Gigas, or something close to that, a ¡°monster.¡±


    (But that¡¯s a failure.)


    As soon as Hiro raised the Heavenly Emperor, the monster began to move. However, it doesn¡¯t move towards Hiro but instead begins to attack the soldiers of the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°Hyiiii¨DGyaaa!?¡±


    One swing of the arm¨Dthe wind pressure that arose blew away five of the Principality¡¯s soldiers, and the trampled ones sttered their brain cells on the ground.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°Attack! There is a monster!¡±


    ¡°Gugyaa!¡±


    ¡°Where is His Excellency?¡±


    Despite the chaos, the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s soldiers begins their attack. The monster¡¯s rampage is such that it kills every single one of the Principality¡¯s soldiers. What¡¯s more, the Principality of Lichtine doesn¡¯t realize that the monster is Rayhill.


    There¡¯s no sign of Rayhill former self from the monster, so maybe it can¡¯t be helped. Those with bows and arrows in their hands, those who bravely stood up to it, and those who turned their backs on it with tears in their eyes. All were buried by the monster¡¯s hand.


    People died as easily as if they were trampling ants. On top of that, the situation frustrated the hearts of the Principality of Lichtine soldiers. And then a fire broke out in the rear of the main camp.


    ¡°N-no way.¡±


    ¡°Hey, seriously¡­ that ce?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the logistics¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean that it¡¯s burning in this rain?¡±


    A scream came from the enemy soldiers. When Hiro looked at the zing mes, he immediately knew it was Liz¡¯s doing. In this heavy rain, only the me Emperor was able to do such a thing. It would be fair to say that the victory was already decided. After losing theirmander and logistics, all that was left was to retreat or surrender.


    But this is not a situation where they can surrender quietly. If they drop their weapons, they will be killed by the monster. If they had amander¡¯s grade, they might still be able to recover, but Hiro¡¯s hands had killed most of them.


    The only path left for them was to drop their weapons and run away desperately.


    ¡°Retreat! Let¡¯s get out of here! We can¡¯t do this anymore!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll run, too.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, wait! I¡¯ming with you!¡±


    No one wants to die; no one wants to fight recklessly. They immediately set off running towards their own country. Looking down from the sky, it was like an avnche, heading towards the Principality of Lichtine with great force.


    Hiro did not follow after them. It was because there were other things he had to deal with. Hiro closed his eyes and regted his breathing.


    The way he clutched the hilt of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± with both hands and held it up reminds one of the second emperor¡¯s statues. His bangs sway as the monster roars. Hiro quietly looked at the monster and leaped.


    It is not unusual for ¡°monsters¡± to be found in Alethia. It might be said that they are in abundance. They vary in strength, and if they arerge enough, then they are to be defeated by a group. If someone were to take on the challenge alone, people would surely sneer at the recklessness, especially if they are soldiers who have received various training.


    But no oneughed at the boy. The ¡°hero¡± who bravely fights against the monster is no one to be mocked.


    The boy¡¯s name in the battle is Ouguro Hiro. Also known as Herth Ray Schwartz von Grantz. He is the ¡°Hero¡± himself, who was praised as the ¡°War God¡± in Alethia a thousand years ago.


    Nowadays, he is a ¡°mythical¡± hero from legend. After conquering the neighboring countries, he returned to his old world, but he returned to the other world.


    A silver sword is in the hand of the boy who stepped out of the myth. It is a lost sword that has not been recorded in the lore. One of the five emperors of the Spirit Sword¨Dthe ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡± Both the sword¡¯s peak and hilt are pure white and beautiful as if covered in snow, and the sword de shines as if it were dotted with countless twinkling stars.


    ¡°Kuh.¡±


    A huge fist passed by Hiro¡¯s nose. The wind pressure sent his several bangs flying through the air. Hiro twisted his body and shook the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± casually. Blood stter rose from the monster¡¯s arms. But the split wound was instantly closed.


    There is a creature that will not die, no matter how hard it is shed. What would a person do then? Most would probably try to run away. However, there would be rare for a person who would stand up to it.


    Hiro is one of thetter. In his mind, escape is not an option. There was no fear or impatience on his face, but there was irritation.


    (It¡¯s still slow! Still not enough!)


    Craving for it. Not quite the same as it once was. This is not enough to stop the monster from breathing.


    ¡°Whirlpool!¡±


    He wields the Heavenly Emperor in frustration. A giant arm flies up into the air. If it were a human being, it would have been a fatal blow. However, the opponent is a monster that has captured the spirit¡¯s ¡°demon¡± despite itself.


    Although the spilled blood reddened Hiro¡¯s face, he still elerated without fear.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    It¡¯s been three years of nks since he returned to his original world. It could be said that Hiro, who had been enjoying peace, had definitely weakened. But he didn¡¯t want to use that as an excuse. Because of the experience he had cultivated up to that point, the important things to him were still there.


    (I don¡¯t want it to go to waste.)


    Every knot in his body screamed. Gritting his teeth, Hiro endured. After many battles, the boy¡¯s body was reaching its limits. Even so, Hiro continued to sh.


    A sh of silvery-white light disappeared as if sucked into the monster. Each time the monster¡¯s blood dyed the earth, a roar filled with pain made space tremble.


    (You were there. You were all there. That¡¯s why I kept winning.)


    He kneels on the ground and ms his hands down on the earth.


    (¡­Everyone is gone now.)


    Countless spirit weapons appeared around the monster. With the monster rattled, the Heavenly Emperor tossed the weapon high into the air above the monster¡¯s head.


    ¨D¨DI¡¯m going to find victory for the sake of the history you guys have left behind.


    Hiro closed his eyes and began to breathe. Seeing Hiro¡¯s situation, the monster decided to take advantage of the opportunity andunched an attack. If it hits, it¡¯s an instant death blow. It swung down repeatedly from above the boy¡¯s head.


    But, to its horror, it didn¡¯t hit Hiro at all.


    ¡°Now¨Dlet¡¯s begin.¡±


    When Hiro¡¯s eyelids opened, there was no abyss in the eyes that appeared, only pure light. The raindrops returned blood as if to provide healing. The particles mixed in the air increased in brilliance like a blessing.


    The boy saw the breath of the world, and a smile formed on his mouth.


    (Altius¡­ though you are not in this world.)


    Behind him, a red-haired girl watches anxiously.


    (Your will remains. The past and the future are linked.)


    Beginnings are sudden, and endings are inevitable. Even when we are apart, we are still connected, even if we will never see each other again. The world without you. A world without me. I wonder what you¡¯d be like. Would you be happy? Are you sad? I¡¯d like to see you smiling, and I¡¯d like to see you happy. And if you¡¯re thinking the same way.


    ¨DI¡¯ll tell them.


    (Please rest assured.)


    He¡¯s staring at the monster.


    (Don¡¯t worry.)


    The power of the spirit fills every inch of Hiro¡¯s body.


    (I¡¯m having fun.)


    The boy then kicked the ground¡­


    ¨DLeaving the sound of the world behind.


    One, three, eight, fourteen spirit weapons that were floating around the monster disappeared at a frightening speed. The only sound that propagated was the sound of slicing through the air on the rain-drenched battlefield.


    The monster¡¯s flesh was sliced away, and the white shes enveloped the screaming monster, drowning out even its groans. Rather than stopping, the fierce sh elerates further, creating tens of thousands of stars on the ground in praise of a hundred brilliance and a thousand shimmering lights.


    It is a privilege reserved for those who have the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    The boy, who has lost his way, is blessed by the Heavenly Emperor¡¯s blessing, ¡°Divine Speed,¡± whiches into full effect.


    ¨D¨DDivine light sh of lightning.


    A fierce sh unleashed from ultra-high-speed. When all the spirit weapons disappeared, a beautiful sword fell from the sky. Hiro kicked the ground and leaped and grabbed the hilt of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Haaaaaaaaahhhh!¡±


    When the monster¡¯s head was sliced open and swung straight through, the tip of the sword stabbed into the ground. A roaring sound shakes the space. At the same time, it shatters the ground, causing the ground to shake.


    The monster¡¯s body became shredded as if it had exploded, and chunks of flesh scattered around and sank into the mud. In the middle of it all¨Da wildly breathing Hiro looked up above him and took in oxygen.


    The rain had stopped, and the sun shone warmly through the eerily swirling gray clouds to celebrate the hero¡¯s return.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    The red-haired girl¨DLiz, runs up to Hiro and hugs him. Hiro, who has given his all, fell on his buttocks, unable to receive it.


    He¡¯d like to say something, but his mouth doesn¡¯t move as he would like because he thinks oxygen is the priority.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot to say, but I¡¯m d you¡¯re¡­ safe.¡±


    Liz let out a sigh of relief as she pinched Hiro¡¯s face between her hands and yed with it, giggling. As usual, Hiro can¡¯t say anything, so she does what she wants.


    Then Cerberuses to Hiro and rubs his head on his shoulder. Out of the corner of Hiro¡¯s vision, Aura, supported by a soldier, was staring at him. Spitz is still unconscious and receiving treatment from the medic. Tris and Margrave Grinda approached them with excited looks on their faces.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s amazing that you were able to defeat a monster like that all by yourself¡­¡±


    Margrave Grinda pinched his own cheek, wondering if he was dreaming.


    Next to that.


    ¡°Muh¡­ Who¡¯s exactly you are, kid?¡±


    And it was Tris who mumbled. As if that was the beginning of it, jubtion exploded from behind them.


    ¡°Wow¡­ that attack¡­ d-did you saw it?¡±


    ¡°Eh, y-yeah, of course, I saw it!¡±


    ¡°No way. You wouldn¡¯t be a private if you could see it.¡±


    ¡°H-hey¡­ eh?¡±


    ¡°What is¨D¨D!?¡±


    The buzzing soldiers¡¯ excitement quickly subsides. The roar of a horseshoe, which resembles an earth-shaking sound, shakes the space and vites the eardrums.


    Every time the distance is reduced, the pressure of the heart tightens. If it weren¡¯t for the allies, they might have run away. With such an intimidating feeling, therge army appeared.


    ¡°The Fourth Imperial Army¡­!?¡±

 Volume 1, Chapter 5 – Awakening of The War God Part 3

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 5 ¨C Awakening of The War God Part 3</h4>


    Three cells (nine kilometers) to the west of the battlefield where Hiro was fighting. There were severalrge cliffs, and as if hiding behind arge shadow, an army of 20,000 troops filled the wilderness. It was the Fourth Imperial Army of the Grand Empire of Grantz, the dominant force on the Central Continent.


    At the head of the army, astride a horse with a white mane, the one who was slowly advancing was the man inmand. His name is Trey Frien von Loing. His rank is general.


    He is a fierce general and one of the five great generals of the Grantz Empire.


    General Loing nced backward. There, a luxurious carriage was running while shaking due to the uneven ground. Someone important to the general and the Great Grantz Empire was riding in it.


    General Loing turned forward, and one horse came galloping from the front. It was one of the scouts.


    ¡°General! I¡¯m reporting back! The battle is not going well as Margrave Grinda¡¯s soldiers are fighting on the border.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s likely the case. The Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army must be fifteen thousand in number. I don¡¯t know how many Margrave Grinda has, but there¡¯s no way they can win. Or rather, I should praise him for holding them in check until now.¡±


    It¡¯s an area that hasn¡¯t even had a skirmish in many years. Its prowess is impossible to know.


    No matter what kind of ability they have, Margrave Grinda territory¡¯s regr army is at least three thousand. There are also troops that can¡¯t be moved to maintain security. General Loing thought it was around one thousand after being gathered. With just that, he wondered why they had been able to endure fifteen thousand of the enemies until now, and then¨D¨D.


    ¡°It seems the War Maiden is there.¡±


    The scout¡¯s report finally made sense to him.


    ¡°Hoho. So they came all the way from the west to the southern end?¡±


    ¡°But I couldn¡¯t confirm if she was dead or alive; it seems the enemy general has taken her down.¡±


    ¡°So the little girl went to the frontline, huh? Good grief, why didn¡¯t she just stay in the back?¡±


    He thought she was a smart little girl, but he was wrong. So much for mistaking reckless for courage. To such a person, the title of ¡°War Hero¡± would be quite heavy. The whims of the third prince Blutar, who gave her that title, are also troubling.


    Loing thought that he was the one who deserved the title of ¡°War Hero¡± and turned his attention to the carriage again. Then a voice with a hint of menace came from inside the carriage.


    ¡°Loing.¡±


    When his name was called, General Loing slowed his horse and put his face to the carriage window. The interior was dimly lit, and what he could see was a man surrounded by naked women¨Dthe man was the first prince Stobel, who had followed the emperor¡¯s pro-conquest.


    The first prince Stobel, together with the emperor, had recently destroyed Felzen, which was a great power and had a significant influence on the nations until its defeat by Aura two years ago.


    Instead of returning to the great imperial city intact, the first prince Stobel had brought with him his elite guards and even Felzen¡¯s princesses, a byproduct of the victory.


    Perhaps it was because of their pessimism about their future, or maybe it was because they had seen hell, but their hapless forms have lost the light in their eyes like the dead. When the first prince had enough of them, they would soon be sold off as ves.


    Pitying their near future, General Loing replied.


    ¡±What may I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Call your scout here. I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    General Loing looked out for the scout who hade to report immediately. The scout pulled his horse up to the carriage.


    Face to the window. General Loing waves his chin in the air. The scout put his face close to the window with a nervous look on his face.


    ¡°¡­How was Rayhill?¡±


    The scout looked puzzled when Stobel told him that.


    ¡°You have been ordered to check on Rayhill,¡± he said.


    The astonished scout opens his mouth in a hurry.


    ¡°¡­I was surprised that a mysterious boy interrupted the battlefield. However, even the enemy general who is armed with a spirit weapon is not capable of dealing with it¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°A mysterious boy?¡±


    ¡°Ha, he appeared at the enemy¡¯s main camp at an unspectacr speed¨D¨Dguahh!?¡±


    As soon as he said that, the window shattered loudly, and shards pierced the scout¡¯s face. The painful scout¡¯s screams did notst long. This is because arge arm reached out from where the window was, and thatrge hand covered the scout¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ogoo!? Uuh, uugh!?¡±


    The horse ran away from the scout, who couldn¡¯t breathe. But the scout¡¯s feet remained afloat, jittering in the air. Loing sighed, then grabbed the scout by the waist and called out to Stobel.


    ¡°Prince Stobel¡­ please stop ying around. Take your hands off¨D¨D.¡±


    Before Loing could finish, there was a gurgling sound, and the strength from the scout¡¯s body was released. The princesses of Felzen, who were in the carriage, heard the sound and screamed. Loing thought they were losing their emotions, but maybe it was because they remembered something that made their voicese out.


    When Loing released the soldier¡¯s waist whose neck was broken, the wreckage that fell to the ground disappeared straight to the back.


    ¡°¡­Is there something you don¡¯t like about it?¡±


    ¡°His report is inurate. Therefore, I am executing him. Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    His voice was full of frustration and killing intent that would chill anyone¡¯s to the bottom. But Loing just shrugged his shoulders. It could be said that he has quite a bit of nerve.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d listen to me if I told you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk then. But I¡¯m still curious about the dazzling speed. And he says that it is from a boy.¡±


    ¡°If that is not a mistake, then it is possible that he has one of the ¡°Five Great Swords.¡± If that¡¯s the case, even though you gave him a spirit weapon, it¡¯s still a heavy burden for Rayhill to handle.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I gave him that thing to drink.¡±


    ¡°Fumu¡­ then, I¡¯m not sure what would be the result.¡±


    When Loing had once heard of Stobel¡¯s ambition, he remembered his open mouth not being able to close it. At the same time, he wanted to see where this man would end up. Even now, when he recalled it, it made his heart burn with age. Loingughed to himself.


    ¡°Maybe the Spirit King¡¯s curse will be sprinkled on me at some point.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you think the Spirit King can do now?¡±


    Loing could say nothing to Stobel, who said in a disappointed voice.


    ¡°I will certainly be [emailprotected]</a>#[emailprotected]</a>¡±


    Stobel¡¯s muttered words were struck down by the rain, which shook so hard that they never reached Loing¡¯s ears. Or even if they had reached him, Loing must not have been able to say anything to¡­


    When Loing reached the battlefield, the battle was over. There are four men and women in front of him, including the sixth princess. Every eye was looking at him with wariness.


    It¡¯s not hard to understand; at this point in time, they would want to question him as to why he appeared. Whatever the usation, the only thing he has to do is to avoid it.


    He gantly dismounted from his horse and put his hand to his chest. Loing dropped to his knees in front of the sixth princess.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre, I am sincerely sorry for the dy. It seems that the rain that was falling earlier slowed down our march, and we were unable to make it.¡±


    Loing looks up and sees a boy being held by the sixth princess. No matter how badly finished he is, he is still able to defeat a ¡°Demon¡±¡­


    He thought that if someone could defeat it, it would be the sixth princess who possessed the me Emperor. That was only in a group fight, and even then, he didn¡¯t think anyone would be able to defeat it alone¡­


    General Loing was amazed at what a boy not much older than the sixth princess had aplished.


    (This is¡­ interesting.)


    It was a shame that he didn¡¯t get to see the boy fight. Still, the result alone is something that ignites the great general¡¯s instincts. He wants to try it out. To see with his own hands just how strong he is.


    However, Loing clenched his hands so tightly that his blood-soaked through, and he endured. Defeating a weakened opponent is no fun or interesting. He could take care of the boy now with just one hand.


    (Let¡¯s save the fun for now. And that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for this time.)


    And then he noticed¡ªa deadly force emanating from next to him.


    ¡°That was close.¡±


    The one who muttered in a low voice was the first prince Stobel. The figure straddling a horse has an overwhelming presence like the supreme king. His golden hair stands upside down and looks like a crown. And his sharp eyes pierced the boy without hiding his killing intent.


    (Not good¡­)


    Loing twitches his cheeks.


    ¡°He might get in my way.¡±


    ¡°Please wait. In this situation¨D¨D.¡±


    A thunderbolt gushed from Stobel¡¯s hand. It was impossible to follow it with mere eyes. However, the lightning strike, which crawled across the ground, burst out right before the boy.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    A dumbfounded voicees from Loing.


    (Ridiculous¡­ It¡¯s the Thunder Emperor¡¯s thunderbolt of the Five Spirit Swords. How did he stop it?)


    He had no idea what was going on. The boy had done something; he was sure of it. But he had no idea how he had managed to avoid Stobel¡¯s attack.


    ¡°¡­What do you want?¡±


    A voice full of killing intent unimaginable from his mild appearance¨D¨Dwas released. The boy¡¯s pressures swelled as he stood up waveringly, and Loing involuntarily retreated.


    And then he was astonished.


    (For me to be pressurized¡­ by such a child that more than younger than me?)


    The boy is weakened before then. However, he was afraid of the pressure that the boy radiated.


    He has gone through many battlefields and passed through many scenes of carnage, and hasn¡¯t felt fear in a long time. That¡¯s why he is unprepared. He was just ashamed of his unpreparedness.


    Did he think he was called a great general and stand at the top of his game?


    But now, rather than that, he had to admonish his lord. When he caught Stobel with a sideways nce¨Dhe was spilling his amusement from his misfortune-twisted mouth.


    ¡°Kuku, interesting. Who are you? How did you prevent that one?¡±


    ¡°The first prince Stobel. Please wait. Any more outrage will be heard by Your Majesty.¡±


    Loing whispered, but Stobel ignored him, and this time, he pointed his hand at the sixth princess¨Dnot the boy.


    ¡°Try to deflect it.¡±


    The sky rumbled, and the air roared and scattered lightning bolts. An electric bolt of despair shot wildly around the girl.


    ¨DThe boy dances.


    With unimaginable speed, he intercepted the lightning strike to protect the girl. However, the weakened boy couldn¡¯t prevent everything, and when Loing noticed, he could only see the boy soaring like a scrap of paper.


    ¡°Hiro¡­!!¡±


    It was Liz who screamed first. She ran up to the boy as he fell to the ground, getting knocked down.


    ¡°Hold on! Oh no. Why?!¡±


    Stobel jumped down from his horse and approached with a broad gait. In his hand is arge battle-ax¨Dthe Five Spirit Swords ¡°Thunder Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Elizabeth. Get out of there.¡±


    ¡°Stop messing around! Why did you do this to him!¡±


    Liz¡¯s cry echoed with tears in the corners of her eyes. mes rise from the me Emperor¡¯s de as if in response to her anger. The electroshock raged from the Thunder Emperor in response to its favored rival.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t think you can win by pointing your sword at me, do you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I don¡¯t win. I won¡¯t let you hurt Hiro anymore!¡±


    This is what it means to be in an explosive situation, and it¡¯s not surprising if they start killing each other at any moment.


    No¨DLiz will only be torture to death on one side.


    That¡¯s how much difference there is between their abilities.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to get rid of a pest that clings to my pretty sister, you know?¡±


    ¡°Hiro is a pest, you said?¡±


    Loing thinks it¡¯s terrible, but he can¡¯t think of a way to stop it. If Liz were killed here, it would be impossible to hide it from the emperor.


    ¨D¨DThere are too many witnesses.


    And if they killed the me Emperor¡¯s holder here, the throne would be far away for sure.


    He should know that. He must be aware of that.


    (That¡¯s how much of a threat it is!)


    Stobel opened his mouth in annoyance.


    ¡°Is that man that important¡­ Or is there some reason you desperately need to protect him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have. If you kill him, Father will never forgive you, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Maybe it was a hard decision to make. After taking a nce at the lying boy, Liz¡¯s face was tinted with deep sadness.


    ¡°He¡¯s¨Dhe¡¯s the descendant of the second emperor.¡±


    With those words, the sound disappeared from the world for the veryst moment. Everyone was speechless; everyone peeled their eyes. All eyes were focused on the boy who had passed out.


    ¨D¨DThe die has been thrown.


    ¨D¨DThe world begins to move with the boy at its center.

 Volume 1, Chapter 5 – Awakening of The War God Part 4

    <h4>Volume 1, Chapter 5 ¨C Awakening of The War God Part 4</h4>


    Hiro was awakened in a strange ce after being knocked unconscious by Stobel¡¯s lightning strike. A pure white space, a world that had lost its color. Hiro has no idea what has happened, and the confusion on his face is evident.


    Someone called out to Hiiro from behind him.


    ¡°You¡¯re here. So that means¡­ you¡¯re back to Alethia?¡±


    Hiro turned around in surprise to see a blond-haired, golden-eyed young man.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Maybe that¡¯s not really true. I don¡¯t know how many years have passed since you returned to Earth.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, unable to say anything. A gold throne adorned with jewels. It could be said to be tacky. And the young man was sitting on it.


    His well-groomed appearance, as if it had jumped out of a painting, would have caused a high-pitched scream if a woman had seen him. He is such a beautiful young man that even a man would stare in amazement.


    The long, slender, cross-legged, graceful figure made the tacky throne look strangely appropriate. When Hiro finally regained hisposure, he spoke to the golden-eyed young man with a majestic impression.


    [NyX Trantion]


    ¡°You¡¯re Altius¡­ right?¡±


    The young man then gave a sly and nasty smile. Hiro wanted to put up a fight, but he held back. He told himself that he wasn¡¯t so quick-tempered. He looked around to distract himself from his annoyance. As Hiro thought, it¡¯s just a white space that goes on forever.


    Has he disappeared? Then Hiro looked back at Altius, but he was still smiling happily.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a dream.¡±


    Hiro assured himself. He should have been on the battlefield in the first ce. Most importantly, he was a thousand years old and now deceased in Alethia.


    Maybe, just maybe, he is dead, and this is the other side of the world¡­ That would exin why Altius is here.


    As Hiro began to worry, Altius smiled bitterly at him.


    ¡°Hiro. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re confused. I can understand why you want to think of it as a dream. But you know¨D¨D.¡±


    After cutting off the words, Altius pointed to Hiro¡¯s chest. When he looked down at it, a clear, pale light leaked out of his chest.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Unbuttoning his uniform and digging into his inner pocket, he found a single card. This is a in white card that Altius gave him a thousand years ago.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry to ask you in a dream¡­ but is this also a spirit talisman?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s a spirit talisman.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve looked in various references, and I haven¡¯t found a spirit talisman like this one.¡±


    ¡°I received a certain spirit from the Spirit King and made it for you. No wonder you don¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having this weird dream about¡­ what does this have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°I put some residual thoughts in that spirit talisman. That¡¯s why the only thing I have is my memory of those days until Hiro returned to Earth. Your arrival here means that you¡¯ve fulfilled the conditions for triggering this spirit talisman. Something must have gone wrong. And that means I¡¯m not there anymore.¡±


    It was only for a moment that Altius had a sad expression on his face, and then he immediately burst into a joyful voice.


    ¡°In what era were you summoned? You¡¯ve had many surprises, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I got summoned back in a thousand years. How can I not be surprised?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s great! That¡¯s an overwhelming number of years!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not great at all. I still can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ you¡¯ve appeared in a ¡°turning point¡± period.¡±


    ¡°Huh? A turning point?¡±


    Hiro asked back, but Altius ignored him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fun period. I would like to go to the same ce as you, but I don¡¯t have a soul tied up in me, so I can¡¯t go with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me¡­ And I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about. Tell me what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡­ You¡¯ll figure it out eventually.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always like that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my nature, you know. Anyway, I can only tell you what I think is best for you, my friend. That¡¯s all I can tell you!¡±


    Rising from his throne, Altius looked up at the white space and spread his arms out.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big world! That¡¯s why the possibilities are endless! Live the life you want! Don¡¯t make your world so small! Live free. Be greedy for everything!¡±


    Altius approached Hiro and pressed his fist to his chest.


    ¡±My dear brother-inw is no small person. Don¡¯t underestimate yourself. It¡¯s a bad habit of yours. Be mightier than any king. Be more arrogant than any king. Be stronger than any king. And for that, I¡¯ll give you plenty of options.¡±


    Altius says happily and ps Hiro on the shoulder.


    ¡°I will watch it. Let¡¯s see where my brother-inw goes and the future he walks into.¡±


    It¡¯s not as if he was satisfied with the fact that he was able to say whatever he wanted, but Altius sat back on his throne with a pompous look on his face.


    Slowly, he stretched out his right arm and turned his palm toward Hiro.


    ¡°Come on; it¡¯s time to wake up.¡±


    ¡°¡­That was abrupt. I guess you just wanted to say what you wanted to say and say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°You understand me a little better now?¡±


    Hiro shrugs at Altius, who chuckles. He¡¯s been hit by a sore spot. There was no way he could argue with that.


    A thousand years ago, Hiro suddenly decided to return to Earth. Altius desperately tries to stop him, and without giving a reason, Hiro returns. It is impossible for Hiro to me him for this.


    There are several things that bothered him, but if he returned to his original intentions, he would only get sidetracked if he asked. So, he decided to ask the most important question of all.


    ¡°Is this really a farewell?¡±


    ¡°I doubt we can even call it a reunion in the first ce. I¡¯m here because I¡¯m just a residual thought anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll never see each other again. But¨D¨D.¡±


    Altius sighs ruefully as he breaks off the words.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re running out of time.¡±


    As he pointed to the heavens, Hiro looked up above him. ck darkness had appeared in the white space. It gradually increased in speed and dyed the empty world ck.


    Altius smiled and told Hiro.


    ¡°The truth is¨D¨Dyou¨D¨D. ¨D¨Dto mislead¨D¨Dintention¨D¨D, surely¨D¨D.¡±


    It was difficult to hear clearly due to the interrupting words. Hiro¡¯s vision was rapidly going dark. Altius¡¯ figure disappeared like a haze.


    (Goodbye¡­ Brother-inw)


    ¨D¨DHiro opened his eyelids again, and an unfamiliar ceiling pops into view.


    The smell of chemicals hit his nose, awakening his consciousness. The soft sensation that covered his body, and while he regretted it, Hiro raised his upper body.


    When he looked around, he saw that color had returned to the world, and the shelves containing the chemicals were illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the windows.


    After convincing himself that it must be the infirmary or something, he noticed Liz sleeping by the bed with a happy look on her face. He smiles and drapes the nket over his body, and ces it over Liz¡¯s shoulders.


    Hiro thought he had woken up from his dream. He tried to get out of bed, thinking to himself as if it were someone else¡¯s dream. But that¡¯s when he put his feet on the floor. The world wobbled.


    His vision went haywire as he turned his eyes. His back hit the floor hard with a loud noise.


    ¡°Augghh!?¡±


    He stopped breathing and moaned, but he sensed something rising from his chest and pressed his mouth down.


    ¡°Oguhh¡­ ugh!¡±


    Unable to hold it in ce, vomit was spat out. The blood drains from Hiro¡¯s face as his breathing begins to get sluggish.


    (There¡¯s something wrong with my eyes¡­? What¡¯s this¡­)


    A vast rush of information is transmitted to his brain through his left eye. He can¡¯t shut it off. Regardless of his will, he epts everything and pressures his mind.


    Even with his eyes closed, he could still see. He had never felt anything like this before. Although it¡¯s his own body, he has no idea what¡¯s happening to him.


    ¡°Hiro!?¡±


    Liz seems to have woken up when she noticed something wrong. But Hiro didn¡¯t have time to reply. Liz ran up to the struggling Hiro and rubbed his back.


    ¡°Hold on! Please, anyone, pleasee!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Tris, who was waiting outside,es in.


    He looks at Liz and then at Hiro. He immediately realized what was wrong and returned outside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get a doctor right away!¡±


    ¡°Please! Bring them right away!¡±


    Vomit sttered on Liz¡¯s upper body as she held Hiro¡¯s head. However, she didn¡¯t care and ced Hiro¡¯s head on herp.


    Liz takes out a cloth and begins to wipe Hiro¡¯s mouth gently.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Calmly take a breath¡­¡±


    Hiro vomits, but nothinges out. All the food in his stomach may have been vomited out.


    ¡°Hiro, can you listen to me?¡±


    He wanted to divert Hiro¡¯s attention. In fact, Hiro reacts to a voice as clear as apassionate mother¡¯s.


    His bloodshot eyes turned to Liz¨Dthe pupil of his left eye is strangely erged and reddened.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Liz almost screamed involuntarily and held her mouth. The sensation of having her mind looked into sends a shiver down her spine. But she can¡¯t be frightened. She wants to take away Hiro¡¯s pain as much as possible.


    Liz said, trying to be cheerful.


    ¡°I was so surprised when I first met Hiro.¡±


    It was the first time they met in the Anfang Forest. After returning from a quick bath, she saw a boy being intimidated by Cerberus. A ck-eyed, dark-haired boy. It was as if¨D¨D.


    ¡°He looks just like the second emperor I ever imagined.¡±


    The second emperor is the only one of the emperors of all time whose portrait does not exist. It is impossible to know what he looked like. People can only imagine him from what is written in the legends.


    Even the statue of the second emperor was created based on legend.


    ¡°His Majesty Schwartz, which I have always admired.¡±


    She had always been a tomboyish girl, and she was more interested in swords than dolls. Before going to bed, she begged her mother to sleep while listening to the stories of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz instead of fairy tales.


    The poprity of the second emperor had always been tremendous in Grantz¡¯s military state, so it was only natural that she, who wanted to be a soldier, would be interested in the second emperor.


    ¡°I¡¯ve worked hard at my training, no matter what people say about me. I never got any credit for it because I was a woman.¡±


    First, she wanted to be a soldier. Then came the general, then be a great general. With every step she took, the dream grew.


    No oneughed at Liz, but then things started to fall apart.


    ¨D¨DShe was favored by the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    The first person who approached was the Kelheit family¡¯s head, one of the five great Grantz nobles.


    With his influence in the Eastern region, the small and medium-sized nobles all expressed their support for Liz. She became too powerful for the other heirs to the throne to ignore, but the head of House Kelheit was assassinated by someone and instantly copsed. The next thing she knew, Tris and Dios were the only ones left standing with Liz.


    ¡°Then¡­ I was told that I¡¯d been demoted, and I needed a change of scenery, so I went to bathe in the Anfang Forest.¡±


    Then she met a boy¡ªa boy who looks exactly like the second emperor she had admired.


    Liz smiles as she puts her hand on Hiro¡¯s cheek. Hiro is still breathing painfully, but perhaps he has calmed down a bit. The look in Hiro¡¯s eyes had softened a bit, and he looked up at Liz.


    ¡°I, you know. I have a dream.¡±


    That¡¯s when she hears the sound of noisy footsteps from outside.


    ¡°Hurry up! The boy is going to die!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make this old man run!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll carry you on my back!¡±


    ¡°Hyiieeee!?¡±


    Lizughed and put her mouth close to Hiro¡¯s ear to make sure he didn¡¯t miss anything. Muttered words¡­ There was no surprise on Hiro¡¯s face as if Hiro had expected the words that were muttered.


    It¡¯s a tremendous dream. It will never be an easy road. As she moved away from Hiro, the moonlight illuminated her face, making her beauty look even more radiant.

 Volume 1, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 1, Epilogue</h4>


    On the 11th of July, 1023 in the Imperial year.


    Ten days after the battle with the Principality of Lichtine.


    Berg Fortress, Central Tower. Hiro was in the room he was given. It was a bleak room with a bed by the window and a full-length mirror to the right. Naturally, there was no such thing as personal belongings. The only thing he brought with him from Earth is his uniform.


    ¡°Fufu, nice.¡±


    Hiro stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking at his figure. Rather, he was stroking a part of his face. An eye patch covers the left half of Hiro¡¯s face reflected in the sighting. It¡¯s a special eye patch purified with spirit talisman.


    Although he would never get used to the ufortable feeling, thanks to this, he could no longer feel the world out of ce, and he could continue to spend his time as before. If he removes it, the world will spin like before. It makes his brain capture more information than it could burst.


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess I¡¯m used to it. The point is, I just have to get used to it.¡±


    That¡¯s right; it¡¯s just a matter of mastering the Heavenly Spirit Eye. It¡¯s his own eye; he will be able to use it in the near future. And that¡¯s not a bad thing. He feels indescribably mature in himself with the eye patch on.


    Unintentionally, Hiro crossed his arms and lifted his chin to dress up. He¡¯s wondering if he should call out ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± too when he starts to get into the swing of things¨D¨D.


    ¡°Hiro! I¡¯ming in.¡±


    A red-haired girl walked in without knocking on the door. He wanted to say things about privacy and all that, but this situation was worse than that.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    With a big smile, Liz stopped in front of the door. Hiro¡¯s face instantly turned red¨D¨Dhe¡¯s being seen, and it¡¯s very embarrassing. His heartbeat elerated. He could see that the top of his neck was getting hot.


    Hiro hurriedly stuck his arms out in front of him and waved his hands.


    ¡°N-no! This is different!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s different?¡±


    Liz tilted her head and shook her red hair. It was a cute gesture, but Hiro didn¡¯t have enough time to enjoy it. If possible, he wants to run away from this ce right now. But the doorway is blocked by Liz.


    ¡°No¡­ what should I say¡­?¡±


    It would be much easier if he could say that his body was dominated by his middle-grade syndrome*. [TLN: Ch¨±niby¨­.]


    A silence fell. An air of awkwardness flowed through the air. As Hiro was unsure of what to do, it was Liz who moved first.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? For now,e with me!¡±


    She grabbed Hiro¡¯s arm as if she didn¡¯t care about him being flustered.


    After being pulled out of the room by the monstrous force, they ran out of the room and saw a spiral staircase connected to the downstairs.


    ¡°Where are we going to go¨D¨D?¡±


    He was still sick until the other day, but he couldn¡¯t say those words because they started down the stairs at full speed. If they talk in such a situation, they will bite their tongues.


    They ran down the stairs as fast as they could. As they jumped out of the central tower, they were greeted by the central square. The bright sun is baking the ground. They could feel their skin sweating.


    ¡°Aura¡¯s going back to the west, so we have to see her off, okay?¡±


    ¡°T-there¡¯s still time, right! There¡¯s no need to be in such a hurry!¡±


    Aura had stayed at Fort Berg to bury the soldiers who had been killed in thest battle, including medical treatment. Unfortunately, there were many soldiers who could not be found. They were severely damaged, and it was difficult to tell the mud-covered corpses apart, whether they were friend or foe. Even though they were wounded, Aura had been looking around for the corpses of her men until nightfall.


    All the corpses of the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army were gathered in one ce and burned. Due to the fear of a gue outbreak, it was decided to take care of them as quickly as possible with the help of the Fourth Imperial Army. After that, the Fourth Imperial Army scattered to various parts of Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.


    This was because the Lichtine Army¡¯s remnants might remain in Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory and worsen the security situation. The first prince Stobel, who was apanying them, returned to the Great Imperial City with his elite guards.


    (Someday¡­ I¡¯ll have to pay off that debt.)


    As Altius told him that day, Hiro wants to live his life as he pleases. In the meantime, he will pay the first prince Stobel back someday, so he won¡¯t let his anger out now.


    Because there is someone who must be sent off with a smile.


    ¡°Farewell? It wasn¡¯t even necessary.¡±


    A girl with a suspended right arm astride a warhorse¨DAura with the same mortified look on her face as ever. Next to him is Spitz, whose entire body is wrapped in bandages.


    It¡¯s a painful figure, but you can¡¯t help butugh at his somewhatical appearance.


    ¡°Your Highness, and¡­ descendant-dono. Thank you for seeing me off.¡±


    Spitz¡¯s voice sounded deeply disgusted when she said, ¡°Descendant-dono.¡± Hiro can¡¯t see the expression on his face because of the bandages, but he knows what kind of look he is making.


    Liz puts her hands on her hips and says.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been through a lot. We¡¯re both lucky to be alive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The result is a disaster. But a lot of good thingse out of it.¡±


    Aura said, and then¨Dshe stared at Hiro.


    ¡°How are your eyes?¡±


    Hiro gave an affectionate smile at the leaden eyes that seemed to be searching for something.


    ¡°Yeah. I guess it will take a while to heal.¡±


    Only Liz, Tris and the doctor know of his eyes problem. The rest of the people have been told about it as a battlefield injury. So there is no way that Aura could understand, but why did he feel like she knows when she¡¯s gazing at him to observe him?


    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t go blind. But a big eye patch.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The only way to prevent the spirit talisman from being seen was to wear arge eye patch. There was no way to exin it.


    As Hiro was thinking about what excuse to make, Liz sent out a helping hand.


    ¡°He got a big wound! What can I say about it¡­ it was an amazing scar!¡±


    ¡°¡­Will it remain like that?¡±


    Aura gives him a worried look. Hiro opened his mouth brightly, trying hard to escape the guilt.


    ¡°Oh, no, I think it will be fine. It won¡¯t hurt, and I¡¯ll take the eye patch off when the wound heals eventually.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ I hope so.¡±


    Despite the words, those blue-gray eyes are gazing at Hiro¡¯s eye patch with disbelief. No matter how long it takes, her gaze remains to shoot through Hiro.


    Perhaps thinking that this is not going to get anywhere, Liz stands in front of Hiro to interrupt them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you a letter again.¡±


    ¡°And, I will also send you a letter when I get settled again.¡±


    ¡°Aura-sama. It is about time.¡±


    Spitz interrupted the conversation. Behind them¨Dalthough their numbers have been significantly reduced, the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± are lined up.


    Because of the heat, they are not wearing heavy armor but light armor, and the warhorses have also taken off their horse armor. As for where the heavy armor went, it was put on a cart with food and water.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave. Take care, both of you.¡±


    Fluttering her military uniform¡¯s sleeves and circling her horse¡¯s neck, Aura headed for the main gate. After advancing a bit, she turned around. Her gaze is sent to Hiro.


    ¡°¡®Hiryo.¡¯ I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    With that, she never looked back again. A herd of warhorses led by her slowly walked out of the gate. Even though it was so hot, her heart froze, and a chill hit her.


    Liz patted Hiro¡¯s back as he stiffened.


    ¡°Hiro, it¡¯s early, but we¡¯re going to practice riding the horses.¡±


    That was a statement that would make Hiro freeze again. Hiro was exposed to the zing sun, and he was left with more scrapes.


    ¨D¨DTwo dayster.


    An edict from the current emperor reached Hiro.

 Volume 1, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 1, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you for picking up The Otherworldly Tales of a Mythological, Legendary Hero Vol 1.


    I¡¯d like to tell you a story that inspired me to write this work.


    Ever since I was a child, I¡¯ve had the most delusional imagination of anyone in the world, and there were times when I thought about bing a manga artist. But I don¡¯t have the patience. I don¡¯t have the patience; I really don¡¯t. Let¡¯s call it boredom. ¡­There was no way I could be a manga artist, so the years just passed by idly and idly as I plodded along.


    One day, I had a dramatic encounter with a bookstore. It was a light novel, a novel for middle and high school students. Oh¡­ this is the way to do it. Then write the world I want in words. What a great idea! But I didn¡¯t have the ability to write, and more importantly, I couldn¡¯t even write 100 words. I was looking for a good story to write¡­ that would improve my typing speed and my writing skills when I came across the posting site, ¡°Let¡¯s be a novelist.¡±


    Despite the fact that my writing was poor, I received the support of many readers. Thanks to that, I was able to get a call from my editor, S-sama, and we ended up publishing the book. ¡­Honestly, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s too good to be true. I¡¯m scared every day that there¡¯s going to be a bacsh somewhere. I¡¯m writing this afterword, hoping it won¡¯t happen¡­


    There isn¡¯t one, is there? Please, God!


    Yes, God is a myth. There are many myths scattered around the world, and they have had a huge influence on this work. Rather, this work was born due to my desire to write mythology of my own. I wrote this work with the full force of my chuunibyou mind and didn¡¯t hit the brakes, but I hope it resonated with you. I¡¯ve heard that the number of chuunibyou is on the rise every year, so I¡¯m sure it resonates with you.


    Finally, I¡¯d like to give my thanks.


    Thank you to my editor, S-sama, for your efforts in publishing this book. My thanks to Miyuki Ruria-sama for the beautiful cover and the beautiful illustrations, based on myck of taste in appearance and clothing settings. To the readers who have been reading this book since ¡°Let¡¯s Be a Novelist.¡± To the readers who have picked up this book. The editors, proofreaders, and designers.


    My colleagues at work have listened to me, my family, who have supported me to this point, and my grandmother.


    Thanks to all of you, I was able to get my work out there. I want to thank you all.


    I¡¯m going to continue spreading my chuunibyou syndrome with full throttle, so please continue to support me in the future as well.

 Volume 2, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 2, Prologue</h4>


    is flowing. It¡¯s as if it exists in a different space, separated from the noise around it.


    In such a tense atmosphere¨Dtwo men were confronting each other.


    One is a boy wearing an eye patch with a white silver sword, and the other is a man with pale purple skin and arge sword.


    ¡°We¡¯vee this far, and now someone is going to interrupt us again¡­?¡±


    The man brushed his sweat-stained bangs depressingly. His forehead, which had been hidden, appeared, exposing a small purple crystal embedded in it to the outside world.


    ¡°It seems that the man himself is not following me, after all.¡±


    Out of the man¡¯s gaze, the boy stood in a stance so open that one would think he might be caught off guard. But the man sensed it. He could feel the powerful fighting spirit that the boy wore.


    That is not something that can be reached even if you¡¯ve gone through many battles, and only those who have further developed their skills can obtain it¨Dthe fact that this young boy releases it is beyond amazing.


    ¡°Kuku, hahaha¡­ It is a natural talent!¡±


    The man couldn¡¯t suppress augh at the fact that such a fierce warrior was much younger than him.


    ¡±Let¡¯s go out and kill each other to the bitter end¨DHey, ¡°One-Eyed Dragon¡±! Thest one standing is the winner! Simple enough to understand, right?¡±


    The man twisted his body after splitting his dry lips into a crescent shape. Then the cut end of the great sword, which was as tall as he was, was buried in the sand.


    The boy who took one look at it shrugged his shoulders, and¨D¨D.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly amazed at the demon race. You see, I¡¯m not interested in killing each other.¡±


    But despite the words, the boy had a fierce smile on his face. A look that was disproportionate to the young boy¡¯s age¨Dand the man felt a chill at the sight of it.


    ¡°But I¡¯m feeling a little irritated now. You¡¯ll have to be prepared for a certain amount of injury.¡±


    Nothingness takes over the boy. He sank into the abyss and chipped away at all emotions¡­


    The boy also lifted his right arm to his chest and pointed the tip of his silvery-white sword at the man.

 Volume 2, Chapter 1 – The Great Imperial Capital Part 1

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 1 ¨C The Great Imperial Capital Part 1</h4>


    13th of July, 1023, in the imperial calendar. The Berg Fortress, surrounded by the wilderness, was experiencing the same steaming heat as usual.


    ¡°Hiro~!¡±


    In the midst of all this, a girl¡¯s voice that was as refreshing as rolling bells rang out on the third floor of the central tower.


    ¡°Where are you~~~?¡±


    Her appearance reminds one of a mother searching for her lost child. Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz, the sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire. Her serene appearance is undeniably eye-catching. Her red hair gives off a sense of fiery passion, and her well-groomed face would make anyone gasp in admiration.


    ¡°Hi~~ro~~!¡±


    Apart from her appearance, there was something else that attracted people¡¯s attention. It was the red sword at her waist. It is one of the five treasured swords refined by the first emperor who founded the Great Grantz Empire, and it is the first emperor¡¯s most beloved spirit sword, known as the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    For her, who hasn¡¯t been in charge for very long, the Berg Fortress is like a maze. That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard for her to search for each person. It was inevitable that she would clench her fists in frustration. However, that caused the gleaming envelope in Liz¡¯s hand to turn into an indescribable shape.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ since it¡¯s Hiro, I thought he would be on the third floor.¡±


    The third floor of the central tower was mainly a storage room. This is the floor where books, tools, and lumber are stored. It is currently a den of white wolves called Cerberus, and there have been incidents of soldiers being threatened when theye to the third floor without calling out at first.


    ¡°Maybe I should go back to Hiro¡¯s room¡­?¡±


    When Liz muttered that, at the end of the dimly lit passage¨Dthe back door opened. From there, the third floor¡¯s master, Cerberus, the white wolf, and from behind him, a boy with ck hair, ck eyes, and a stern eye patch that didn¡¯t match his meek face¨Dthe Hiro Liz had been looking for¨Dappeared.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    Liz raised her hand and called the boy¡¯s name, and Hiro noticed her and walked over to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you in such a hurry?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter. I was looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I was in my study to do some research.¡±


    Hiro turned around and looked at the room that was filled with the history of this fortress. Hmm, and after taking a nce at the door over Hiro¡¯s shoulder, Liz put her hands on her hips and said.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re so eager to learn, but you should tell me where you¡¯re going properly.¡±


    Liz had be a bit overprotective since Hiro had been suffering from an eye problem. Maybe it should be said that she has be a worrier, or perhaps she can¡¯t be med after seeing Hiro suffer like that¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful from now on. So what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yes. Here, here, I finally got a response to that protest I sent out before.¡±


    Hiro looks dubiously at the letter offered to Liz.


    ¡°It¡¯s wrinkled and tattered, but¡­ this is a letter, right?¡±


    ¡°A letter from my father. Look, the emperor signs it.¡±


    Receiving the elongated and crumpled letter, Hiro unfolded it while making an ominous sound.


    ¡°Why is this¨Dlike trash?¡±


    ¡°I was looking for Hiro, and I ended up with this¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡±


    She sped her hands together and said that with an upward nce. If she uttered an apology in such a cute way, Hiro couldn¡¯t say anything. Hiro had once heard that women are creatures that benefit from being beautiful, and Hiro realized that this was true.


    ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t read it; it¡¯s fine.¡±


    When Hiro looked down at the letter¨D¨D.


    I have learned all about it from my daughter¡¯s letters. I¡¯ve also heard of your battle against the Principality of Lichtine.


    I would like to congratte you on your achievements, but I¡¯m more concerned about something else.


    I want to confirm the authenticity of your im to be a descendant of the Second Emperor.


    Once we are certain that this information is true, we will make sure that the First Prince is punished ordingly.


    In the meantime, I would like you, the person concerned, toe to the Great Imperial City.


    Emperor Greigheit the 48th.


    ¡°Come to the Great Imperial City, huh¡­?¡±


    For the future, Hiro thinks he should make acquaintance with the lords anddies, including the emperor. However, what is that awaits him in there¡­ he must go with that in mind.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get ready to go to the Great Imperial City as soon as possible!¡±


    For some reason, Liz happily tugged on Hiro¡¯s arm.


    ¡°No, this letter doesn¡¯t say that Liz shoulde too, right? So you can¡¯t go, okay?¡±


    Most importantly, if she were to go too, it would be arge group. Unlike before, the emperor is there so that the rival factions won¡¯t take extreme action, but Hiro will still feel morefortable having Liz remain in Berg Fortress.


    ¡°Eeehh¡­ I can¡¯t go?¡±


    Her gesture of protesting with her cheeks puffed out slightly shook Hiro¡¯s heart. Nevertheless, Hiro decided to push away his heart.


    ¡°The area around Berg Fortress is still not safe. If something goes wrong, it wouldn¡¯t be good if themander, you, wasn¡¯t present, would it? And there¡¯s a lot of paperwork umted, as well. You need to sign some of those papers. too¡­ right?¡±


    ¡°Mumumu, Tris will do it for me.¡±


    ¡°Tris-san, huh¡­. you see, he¡¯s a muscle brain¨DI hate to say it, but he¡¯s not suitable for office work or anything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my cup of tea either, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know¡­ I know that, but let¡¯s just try harder. You¡¯re far better than Tris-san.¡±


    Hiro is not very good at the paperwork side of things, either. The Berg Fortress needs an excellent civil servant. It would be rare for anyone to want toe to such a remote ce, but Hiro thought he would ask the emperor for help if the opportunity arises.


    ¡°Well, what if, if I finish my work and everything, can Ie with you?¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes moistened as she looked up at Hiro.


    ¡°O-of course. I think there will be no problem if you finish your work.¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t help but nod his head. Liz jumped up and down, hearing it.


    ¡°All right! That¡¯s a promise! I¡¯m going to go get that paperwork done in a hurry!¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah. But you know, with that much in a day would be¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s words didn¡¯t reach her. It was because the delighted Liz left at an astounding speed.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll apologizeter, and if I get her a souvenir or something, she¡¯ll be in a better mood.¡±


    Just in case it would be troublesome if Liz noticed, it would be better to leavete at night. For now, Hiro turned his feet to his room to prepare for his departure.


    After the evening sun had gently disappeared over the horizon, the time when all but the night watch soldiers had gone to bed. Hiro began to act. First of all, he went to the first floor of the central tower¨Dhe proceeded down the corridor carefully and stopped in front of the office. Peeking inside through the doorway, he could see Liz lying buried in a pile of papers.


    When Hiro¡¯s mouth formed a smile¨D¨D.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing in there?¡±


    Hiro hurriedly moved away as a voice called out from behind him.


    ¡°You¡­ are you trying to attack the princess!?¡±


    The face of the old soldier with amp in one hand went from suspicious to indignant.


    ¡°N-no! No, I¡¯m not! Please be quiet! Liz will wake up!¡±


    The old soldier who illuminated Hiro¡¯s panicked face with hismp made a pouting face.


    ¡°¡­Muh, what is it, it¡¯s you, huh, kid? What are you doing here sote at night?¡±


    He¡¯s an aide working for Liz¨DTris von Termier, a third-ss military officer.


    ¡°You know¡­¡±


    If he hesitated, Tris might im that Hiro was crawling at night or something, so Hiro quickly exined to Tris.


    ¡°Fumu. You mean you wanted to leave after making sure the princess was asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t take Liz with me, can I?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I want the princess to stay here, as well. But you are the descendant of the second emperor, right? And I¡¯m sure you¡¯re allowed for some protection, too. Aren¡¯t you going to take them with you?¡±


    ¡°Many of the lords and nobles, including the emperor, would be more skeptical. Therefore, I have decided that it would be best not to take them along, as the guards might cause unnecessary irritation.¡±


    Until the emperor recognizes him, he is less than amoner. He should be as quiet as possible. If he wants to make Liz¡¯s dreame true, they will need more allies than enemies. When considering the future, he doesn¡¯t want to make a bad impression.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worrying too much about it? Besides, only you, kid, who has ck hair and ck eyes. That alone could be evidence.¡±


    ¡°They can just say that ck hair and ck eyes are just a matter of disguise, you know.¡±


    Hiro is thinking of sending out the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± when the timees, but that¡¯s only if he¡¯s out of options.


    In the event of an audience with the emperor, there is a good chance that the first prince Stobel will be there. If he sends out the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± in front of the emperor, he will be called an assassin, and he will be attacked without warning. That would be a recipe for disaster. Stobel will be the hero who protected the emperor, and Liz will be executed for sending the assassin.


    The ce where Hiro is headed is the imperial pce, where all sorts of desires are swirling around¨Dno harm in worrying about it too much.


    ¡°Well, since I¡¯m running out of time, I¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡±


    ¡°All right. You¡¯re sure you don¡¯t need a bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t ride a horse, can you? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯m going to visit Kiork-san on foot.¡±


    There must have been a stagecoach in Lynx. So Hiro thought he would go to the Great Imperial City by that.


    Fumu¡­ Tris snorted and pretended to think about it.


    ¡°In case it¡¯s worth a try¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I got something for you, kid. Follow me.¡±


    With that, Tris turned his back and walked away. Hiro followed him, wondering. He was led to a stable¨Dit¡¯s not actually a stable, but a vacant lot some distance away.


    ¡°This one.¡±


    Tris tapped on a sturdy cage. Something stirred inside it and emitted a strange squeal.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°This is¨D¨Da swift dragon!¡±


    At Hiro¡¯s question, Tris gave a nasty smile with a grin.

 Volume 2, Chapter 1 – The Great Imperial Capital Part 2

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 1 ¨C The Great Imperial Capital Part 2</h4>


    As the sun begins to rise in the sky with a slight drift of light clouds, the Berg Fortresses to life again.


    ¡°Uumu¡­¡±


    After seeing Hiro off, Tris was in the officer¡¯s messroom. Although he was an old soldier, the heroic atmosphere radiating from his well-trained body was as strong as that of a young man.


    The man who was feared as a demon instructor was now ringing off the hook and had aplicated expression on his face.


    ¡°¨D¨DWhy, theeennnn!¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ gazes were focused on Tris as someone suddenly began to scream. However, Tris is so distracted by something that it doesn¡¯t bother him. A girl is so depressed that one might think she is a ghost¨Dthe sixth princess, Liz, appears.


    ¡®I¡¯ve been abandoned¡­ Hiro has dumped me.¡±


    While mumbling, Liz sat across the long table from Tris, face to face. Liz, who was so adorable that it didn¡¯t hurt to look into her eyes, looked like she was about to die.


    As expected of Tris, he couldn¡¯t help but call out to her.


    ¡°Mu, is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t find Hiro.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°I think he probably went to my uncle¡¯s ce. Hiro can¡¯t ride a horse, so I think he¡¯ll use the stagecoach.¡±


    Horses are very good at reading human emotions. If they don¡¯t like you, they will make fun of you, and if the rider is afraid, they will try to dissuade you from riding. But if you give them love and affection, they will do what you want to do, making them a reliable partner.


    In Hiro¡¯s case, there are no technical problems. He was able to ride with such natural movements that it is evident that he had practiced a lot. It¡¯s just that the horse doesn¡¯t listen tomands. If he were shaken off, the horse would run away from him.


    ¡°Oh, speaking of horses¡­¡±


    Tris decided to share her worries with him just fine. It¡¯s not only about horses; it¡¯s also about Hiro.


    ¡°Have you ever ridden a ¡°swift dragon,¡± Princess?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. They¡¯re of the dragon lineage. They have a difficult personality, and I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be willing to let a human ride on their backs. I¡¯ve heard that only a few of the beastmen who can talk to dragons can ride them.¡±


    That¡¯s right, but Hiro showed Tris that he could ride it right in front of him.


    Moreover, it seems that the ¡°swift dragon¡± had lowered its head from the side to make it easier to ride.


    ¡°By the way, wasn¡¯t there one in this fortress? Like the one we captured earlier in the vige that was rampaging.¡±


    ¡°There was, but the kid rode off with it.¡±


    ¡°Heh, even Tris can make a joke now.¡±


    ¡°This is not a joke! I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the kid leaving here, riding on the swift dragon before the sun came up. I¡¯m not joking!¡±


    After he said it with a snort, Tris seemed to realize that he had blundered.


    ¡°I would like to hear that story at length.¡±


    The blood drained from Tris¡¯s face at the sound of Liz¡¯s voice, which was gentle in tone but filled with anger.


    ¡°Hyii¡­ please forgive me.¡±


    A few moments after a small scream escaped Tris¡¯ mouth¨Da loud scream echoed through the officer¡¯s messroom.


    £ª£ª£ª


    14th of July, 1023, on the imperial calendar. The light was pouring down relentlessly on the greenery from the sun floating on a cloudless, clear sky. There was a creature running, cutting through the air of the grasnd filled with such nts¡¯ scent.


    Although it is smaller in stature than a horse, its speed is iparably more incredible. The one riding on its back is a boy dressed in a ck uniform¨DHiro.


    (Even I can ride it¡­ and it¡¯s so fast!)


    The wind tapped against his cheeks, making the petals flutter backward. It¡¯s as if he is one with nature.


    The creature that Hiro is riding on is the ¡°Swift Dragon¡± that Tris gave him. It is a non-native species that originally inhabited the Shaitan Inds located in the east of the central continent.


    About three hundred years ago, adventurers captured a number of them from the Shaitan Inds, and they escaped, which led to their proliferation on the central continent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just charge through to Kiork-san¡¯s mansion!¡±


    After feeling better, Hiro ordered the swift dragon to run down the street of Lynx. The central street is lined with many people, and stalls have been lined up since early in the morning.


    The war has passed, and the town seems to have regained some of its liveliness.


    When Hiro arrived at the mansion, he jumped down from the swift dragon and ran to the person standing in the doorway.


    ¡°Hiro-sama, thank you for your hard work on this long journey.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Um¡­ you¡¯re Kurt-san, right?¡±


    Kurt von Termier, he¡¯s Kiork-san aide, who was taken care of during Hiro¡¯sst visit. He is also the steward who oversees the servants of the mansion.


    ¡°Yes. It has been a long time. Although I have a lot to talk about, pleasee this way. The Lord is waiting for you, earnestly.¡±


    Kurt rushed Hiro into the mansion and led him to the guest room on the first floor.


    White walls without a single stain surrounded the mansion on all sides, and the windows on the west side overlooked the northern part of the house, where the senior citizens lived. Hiro settled into the low-resilient L-shaped sofa in the room.


    Kiork was sitting across the table from him on the other side of the room.


    ¡°Stagecoach to the Great Imperial City, huh¡­?¡±


    Hearing Hiro¡¯s request, he took a sip of the tea the maid brought and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it for you right away. When are you nning to leave?¡±


    ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like to leave today¡­ Would that be okay?¡±


    ¡°Are you in such a hurry? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with taking a day off, though.¡±


    ¡°Even though the emperor¡¯s letter didn¡¯t mention a specific deadline, I thought it was best to hurry as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s certainly true.¡±


    Kiork nodded, then smiled, and pped his hands together in a small way.


    ¡°Kurt, get me a pen and a piece of parchment.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After bowing, Kurt quietly closed the door and disappeared from the room. After seeing that, Kiork began rummaging through his pockets in front of Hiro.


    ¡°Now¡­ even if you use the express carriage, it will still take five days to get to the Great Imperial Capital. I don¡¯t think you can just go without food and drink during that time.¡±


    One humble sack was ced on the table by Kiork.


    ¡°Here, stock up on food and water.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t have you do that much¡­¡±


    Before leaving, Hiro had received a little bit of money from Tris to finance the trip. A total of eight silver drats¨Dit¡¯s not extravagant, but it¡¯s enough to get to the Great Imperial City. However, the small bag Kiork took out had more than that, no matter how one looked at it.


    Just as Hiro was about to decline politely, Kiork held out his hand.


    ¡°No, no, there¡¯s no need to be shy. I¡¯m indebted to you for all your help, and most importantly, for saving my niece¡¯s life. Well, I don¡¯t think I can repay you for that, though. What do you think? Can you ept it?¡±


    Kiork is smiling, but there is a firm intention not to give up. If it¡¯s only going to be a pushover, it¡¯s better to take advantage of the favor here.


    ¡°¡­Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°And considering your rise in the world, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take care of things.¡±


    Hiro smiles bitterly. Kiork has expressions of ulterior motives that are unbing of a gentleman.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to live up to your expectations.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±


    Then Kurt came back. He ced the pen, ink, and parchment in front of Kiork. Kiork flipped the pen out in a smooth, familiar manner.


    ¡°Give this to the stagecoach attendant.¡±


    Since the ink is not dry, the parchment is handed to Hiro without rolling it up.


    ¡°They¡¯ll get you the fastest carriage avable. Well, it may not be the mostfortable carriage, though.¡±


    The street on which the stagecoach runs is called the imperial road because it is mainly administered by the state. In addition to regr maintenance, there are rest stops at regr intervals, where street vendors sell food and water.


    Besides, the neighboring forts are always patrolling with guards to protect against bandits and monsters, which is why the people like it so much as a safe ce to travel.


    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t worry about the swift dragon. We will take good care of it.¡±


    Actually, he could have ridden the swift dragon to the Great Imperial City, but considering the risk of getting lost, Hiro decided it was better to use the stagecoach.


    ¡°Thank you. Well, I¡¯ll be off then.¡±


    After being sent off by Kiork, Hiro left the mansion and began to walk towards the station. The strong sunshine shone as if it burned his skin, but the cool breeze caressed his skin as if it was soothing. Passing through the iron gate between the white walls and down a long hill, he found himself in the northern district where the senior citizens lived.


    First, he passes the inn and then turns the corner of a tavern full of citizens excited by the recent victory. Then he saw an open area¨Da high fence enclosing awn.


    Inside are dozens of robust horses bred for carriages. Farther away from that, he could see arge log station with a red-painted roof.


    Stepping into Lynx¡¯s station, Hiro handed the station attendant a parchment from Kiork. Then, in not much time, a seven-horse carriagees in front of him.


    (The Great Imperial Capital, huh¡­ thousand years ago it was called the royal capital, but I guess a lot of things have changed.)


    How things were changing, Hiro got into the carriage, his heart bouncing with anticipation.

 Volume 2, Chapter 1 – The Great Imperial Capital Part 3

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 1 ¨C The Great Imperial Capital Part 3</h4>


    On the day when Hiro left for the Great Imperial Capital, something strange was happening in the southernmost part of the Principality of Lichtine¨Da port city called Ilnis.


    The city is crowded with fishermen because of the abundance of seafood, but it also has a bleak atmosphere. The reason for this is that ships carrying vese to Ilnis from all over the world.


    Away from the many ve ships moored in the harbor, fishermen gather on the shore in small boats.


    But in the rocky shore, which is one of the fishermen¡¯s resting ce, is upied not by fishermen but by six mercenaries with a boisterous acquisition in their hands.


    ¡°The Prince¡¯s family has lost his eldest son and the third son as a result of picking a fight with the Great Empire.¡±


    ¡°If the Grantz Empire retaliates, even though this is the southernmost point, it might be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s the other way around. I heard that the foolish Prince is nning to invade the Empire again to avenge the murder of his heir. Rumor has it that he¡¯s gathering up the troops.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what are you people doing resting so carefree?¡±


    The mercenaries all looked in the direction of the voice that had interrupted the conversation.


    A well-dressed, fat man¨Dtheir employer, a ve trader¨Dwas dripping with sweat as he ran along the sandy beach. Out of the corner of their eyes, a brown-skinned girl was running with a desperate look on her face.


    The mercenaries cowered their shoulders and let out a collective sigh and said, ¡°Again, huh.¡± It was not an unusual sight in the Principality of Lichtine. This is because sold-out people and downgraded citizens often run away from the ve traders. The brown-skinned girl must have escaped in the same way.


    ¡°Hey, my precious goods have escaped! Get her right away!¡±


    Following those words, the mercenaries turned their attention to a man.


    ¡°Leader, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s our client, so get over there and catch her.¡±


    The man lying in the shade stood up and motioned with his chin to the mercenaries around him. Then the mercenaries began to run down the sandy beach with swift movements as if they were used to it.


    They overtook the sweating ve trader and caught up with the girl before she could even see them. Surrounded by the strong mercenaries, the girl¡¯s legs stopped, and her face twitched in fear.


    ¡°P-please¡­ please let me go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my life on the line.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so wasteful. You¡¯d be so much more beautiful when you grew up.¡±


    Girls who are enved nevere of age. This is because most of them die without ever reaching adulthood due to the hard life they have to endure. Still, they are treated the same. They are just ves, and when they die, a new ve can be bought.


    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ phew¡­ you damn ve, stop making it so hard for me!¡±


    The ve trader finally caught up with the girl, grabbed the girl¡¯s hair randomly, and pushed her down.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The ve trader stomped on the girl¡¯s head and pressed her face into the sun-heated sandy beach.


    ¡±Uuughh!?¡±


    The girl was struggling desperately to escape the heat. But it was impossible for the helpless girl to escape the heat when a burly, well-built ve trader held her down.


    ¡°Next time you run away, I¡¯ll kill you! Remember that! You hear me?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, that¡¯s a little too much¡­¡±


    The mercenary called out for him to stop, but the ve trader sneered.


    ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s my goods. You have no right toin to me.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m just saying, if you like it, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    The mercenaries distorted their faces in displeasure at the ve trader¡¯s argument.


    And then the mercenaries¡¯ leader eyes came from behind them while yawning.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve captured the escaped ve.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if you guys would¡¯ve just chased after her, I wouldn¡¯t have to go through all this trouble.¡±


    ¡°Huh, don¡¯t say that. You¡¯ve caught her, after all.¡±


    The leader snorted at the ve trader¡¯s frustration and flushed it away.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get the hell out of here. It¡¯s too hot in here.¡±


    And when the leader turned around¨D¨D.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Suddenly arge shadow appeared in front of him.


    ¡°¡­What is it, you?¡±


    A man who was taller than anyone else in the scene was standing there. The leader reflexively braced himself with his sword in his hand.


    (¡­Fumu. What an imperfect body. Humans, huh?)


    ¡°What are you talking about? Whatnguage is that?¡±


    (As expected, this is¨D¨Dcentral continent.)


    The man brushed back his bangs depressingly as if to distract himself from the heat. The small purple crystals were exposed to the outside world and reflected the sunlight.


    (The central continent was mostly using Grantznguage, wasn¡¯t it?)


    ¡°¡­Hey, you big guy, are you listening?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. How about this? Do you understand?¡±


    The big man spoke in Grantz with a strong ent.


    ¡°You, are you from the empire?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like a human to you?¡±


    The leader knit his brow and observed the man. His mouth tugged up slightly.


    ¡°¡­No way.¡±


    The man is more endowed with pale purple skin and a better physique than humans. More importantly, the small purple crystals embedded in his forehead gave him an answer¨D¨D.


    ¡°A demon!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct, human.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    It was the ve trader who shouted in surprise.


    ¡°Hey, if that¡¯s true, I¡¯ll triple your reward. So, catch this guy!¡±


    A thousand years ago, the demon swept the central continent. In order to fight against the growing demons, the confederation of four races¨Dhumans, dwarfs, long ears, and beastmen¨Dfiercely fought and seeded in destroying the demon country, but they were unable to eradicate the demon blood.


    After the war, it is said that the demons crossed over to the southern archipgo, located in the south of the central continent, to escape from persecution. There is no way to know for sure now, as the raging sea makes it inessible. However, not all of the demons crossed over to the southern archipgo, and at least a few remained in the central continent.


    ¡°Since the Great Grantz Empire now protects them. It¡¯s not easy to find them on the ve market. Even if you can find them, it¡¯s doubtful that they are demons; they look like blood-thin squeezed scum. I think this guy has strong demon blood from the looks of it. If I sell him as a ve, I will be rich in no time!¡±


    In the northeast of the Great Grantz Empire, there is a country called the Levering Kingdom. It is a country of demons founded to save their fellow countrymen from persecution, but now the Great Grantz Empire had made the Levering Kingdom a vassal state under the guise of protection.


    ¡°Sir. If you understand, three times is too little. It¡¯s possible that this guy is a pure-blood who has never mingled with any other races. Five times as much or else¨D¨Dboof!?¡±


    Before he could finish, blood spurted out of the leader¡¯s torso. Drops of blood are incessantly pouring out of the cut wound, and with a crunching sound, the guts are scattered on the sandy beach.


    ¡°Good grief¡­ ves, money, and all the other stuff that you can think of. It¡¯s just the same as in any other country. But you don¡¯t even know the difference in strength. Do you think these guys can capture me?¡±


    A great sword was clutched in the hand of the demon race, which was sighing in annoyance.


    ¡°L-leader!?¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    The other mercenaries attacked the demon with their own gains at the ready.


    ¡°Huh, the less you know about your own prowess, the more often you bark.¡±


    With a light swing of the great sword¨Dthe three mercenaries¡¯ bodies were blown apart, and their entrails were sttered on the beach, killing them. The two remaining mercenaries saw the scene and, perhaps realizing they were no match for him, cast an eye at him and ran away.


    ¡°H-hey, wait! Do you people not want your money?¡±


    ¡°No money is better than life! I can¡¯t deal with a monster like that!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all mercenaries, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t get away from me.¡±


    The demon got down on one knee on the sandy beach and mmed his hands on the beach. Strangely, the sand rose up and tangled the mercenaries¡¯ feet and rolled them over.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something in my leg¡­¡±


    Immediately afterward, a cloud of dust rose in front of the mercenaries, who fell down with a loud sound¨Da dust cloud rose in front of the mercenaries¡¯ eyes. The greatsword cut through the dust and decapitated the two mercenaries. Massive amounts of blood stained the sandy beach red.


    ¡°Humans are really soft, aren¡¯t they? Well, be that as it may, it looks like it¡¯s just you that¡¯s left.¡±


    Stepping over the mercenaries¡¯ corpses, the demon with a great sword on his back walked up to the ve trader.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you ten times more than what these people get paid. Don¡¯t you want to be my mercenary?¡±


    The demon¡¯s hands covered the ve trader¡¯s disgusting face, and his feet were in the air. Underneath his feet is a brown-skinned girl¨Dher face is bright red, and she is unconscious.


    After taking a nce at the girl, the demon turned his cold eyes to the ve trader.


    ¡°¡­You are an irredeemable idiot.¡±


    ¡°Ogyuu!?¡±


    Blood gushed out of the ve trader¡¯s eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and every hole. The demon, bathed in the returned blood, didn¡¯t change his face and threw down the ve trader who had turned into a lump of flesh.


    ¡°It would be nice to start from scratch again.¡±


    After muttering to himself, the demon kneeled down beside the brown-skinned girl. The demon then holds up the girl as if to tenderly touch her swollen red cheeks as if to help her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a life that was lost once. It¡¯s not a bad idea to test here to see how far my power can go.¡±


    The demon holding the girl began to walk on the sandy beach without a destination.


    £ª£ª£ª


    In the small country of Baum¨Dthe Spirit King Temple. The country is represented by a woman of the long-eared race called the Princess Shrine Maiden. There is a spring filled with an azure color with a thin mist drifting in the air in the midst of a dense forest.


    This is a sanctuary that only the Princess Shrine Maiden is allowed to enter¨Dthe Spirit King¡¯s Temple¡¯s innermost baptismal pce.


    The maiden, who had sunk down to her waist in the fountain, quietly opened her eyes. The light floating in her eyes, bluer than ultramarine, scattered in a speck of light and then disappeared.


    ¡°¡­Is thending of the demon tribe something that you have orchestrated?¡±


    The Princess Shrine Maiden turned her gaze to the shining sphere between the two statues.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    No reply. As usual, the Spirit King won¡¯t tell her anything.


    ¡°Then, I will do what I can to help.¡±


    Arge ripple spread across the fountain. Water flowed down from the corbone of the standing Princess Shrine Maiden and was sucked into her ample bosom. The thin cloth was tightly attached to her body, and her waving limbs took on an enchanting atmosphere. The Princess Shrine Maiden grabbed a kimono from the water¡¯s edge and stepped forward, putting it on as quickly as she could. Hurrying through the lush trees, a familiar passage appears.


    After walking silently through the white-walled corridor for a while, she reaches a hall where a group of shrine maiden knights, made up entirely of women, are waiting.


    ¡°Bring me a pen and ink and some paper at once.¡±


    Tension appeared on the faces of the waiting shrine maiden knights when they heard the sound of the Princess Shrine Maide¡¯s voice containing anger.


    ¡°Have them ready at once.¡±


    When a shrine maiden knight sends a hand signal to her subordinate apprentice knight¨D¨D.


    ¡°Ha! Right away!¡±


    The apprentice knight left a pleasantly good reply and quickly disappeared to the back of the passage.


    ¡°Princess Shrine Maiden-sama. What on earth is the matter with you in such a state?¡±


    The captain of the shrine maiden knightined bitterly.


    ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter.¡±


    ¡°Did you see something?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I must inform the Emperor immediately.¡±


    Then the apprentice knight came back, out of breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought it! Hii¡­ Fuu¡­ Fuhee¡­¡±


    ¡°Fufu, thanks for your hard work.¡±


    The Princess Shrine Maiden smiled at the apprentice knight who was tired after running as fast as she could, along with her exertions. However, the captain of the shrine maiden knight put her hands on her hips and swelled with anger.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t ck off in front of the Princess Shrine Maiden-sama. That¡¯s why you¡¯re still an apprentice!¡±


    ¡°E-even so, t-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Let her rest.¡±


    When she said that, the Princess Shrine Maiden looked around, and the shrine maiden knight, recognizing her gesture, held out a wooden chair to her. The Princess Shrine Maiden put down a piece of white paper and opened her mouth as she flipped out a pen.


    ¡°Do you hear me? Give this to the spirit knight and tell them to leave for the Great Imperial City as soon as possible.¡±


    After biting her thumb and seeing a ball of blood float away, the Princess Shrine Maiden pressed it against the white paper. As the blood bled, a change came to the white paper. It emitted a faint light and naturally curled up.


    She handed it to the shrine maiden knight who was waiting next to her; the shrine maiden knight replied with, ¡°Excuse me!¡± And then she ran off down the corridor. The Princess Shrine Maiden looked away from her back and muttered quietly.


    ¡°That¡¯s as far as I can manage. The rest is up to you, Your Majesty¡­ Schwartz.¡±

 Volume 2, Chapter 1 – The Great Imperial Capital Part 4

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 1 ¨C The Great Imperial Capital Part 4</h4>


    19th of July, 1023 of the Imperial Calendar. On the fifth day of the journey to the Great Imperial Capital, it was not afortable journey for Hiro.


    The carriage that Kiork-san had prepared for Hiro was designed for speed, so every time it went over a step, his body would float, and his head would always hit something.


    In other words, the ride was terrible.


    ¡°Ouch¨D¨D.¡±


    Thest day also caused Hiro to wake up in severe pain.


    ¡°Aah¡­ it¡¯s the worst. I¡¯m totallyck of sleep.¡±


    As he stroked the sore spot, Hiro sat up and looked around the inside of the carriage with a deep sigh. While the express carriage is not the mostfortable, it is spacious enough for Hiro to stretch out.


    As he looked out the window on the right side of the carriage, he could see a grassy field, and as he watched in a daze, the front window was opened from the outside.


    ¡°Hey, young man. Are you awake?¡±


    The one who looked in was the coachman operating the express carriage. Then Hiro raised his hand to reply to the coachman.


    ¡°We are almost at thest stop, get ready to get off.¡± said the coachman.


    The carriage shook with a tter as the coachman closed the window. Hiro began to get up and prepare to get off. The express carriage was not going directly to the Great Imperial City. It would stop at the station one cell (three kilometers) away from it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Arriving at the station, Hiro gets out of the carriage¨Dhe is surprised by the number of people.


    ¡°I see¡­ this is a city. There was a reasonable amount of people at the Lynx station, but there¡¯s more in here.¡±


    The station was crowded with people of all professions, from nobles andmoners to mercenaries and adventurers.


    The pleasant breeze and the scent of green leaves tickled Hiro¡¯s nose as he stepped out of the crowded station. There was a horse-drawn carriage for the Great Imperial Capital nearby, but Hiro decided to walk to it because of something that bothered him.


    (Someone¡¯s following me.)


    It¡¯s troublesome if someone is going to attack him here. He wants to avoid involving unrted people as much as possible. Hiro then entered a shallow sidewalk on the road¡¯s side and counted the suspicious presence following him from behind.


    (Three¡­ six¡­ eight people?)


    The fact that the presences are easy to find makes them seem like amateurs, but it¡¯s too early to tell.


    (Anyway. I¡¯d better get moving first.)


    Hiro could wait for his opponent to attack, but if the guards heard themotion, they woulde. Hiro, who had no proof of his identity, would be taken away if he was questioned.


    Even if he could prove his identity, there was no telling how long he would be detained if the guards worked under someone else¡¯s control. This is not the time to waste on such things.


    (Okay¡­ who¡¯s the better one.)


    After searching for the nearest presence, Hiro looked back with vigor. At the same time, the space in his hand cracked open, and a single dagger¨Dthe hilt of a spirit weapon¨Dflew out.


    Pulling out the spirit weapon, Hiro instantly moved behind the flustered man.


    ¡°If you act out, I will kill you. If you understand, I want you to tell your friends.¡±


    He pressed the cutting edge against the man¡¯s back and quietly dered.


    ¡°I-I get it, please don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    The man shed a nce at hispanion disguised as a traveler sitting on the rocky shore¨Da man with a scar on his cheek. Then the man with the scar on his cheek raised his arms and crossed them over his head several times. After confirming that several presences were moving away, Hiro pushed the suspicious man¡¯s back and urged him to move.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you some questions. You don¡¯t have to answer them if you don¡¯t want to, I¡¯ll just kill you and ask someone else.¡±


    He moved the pressed cutting edge down. The blood drained from the man¡¯s face as his dirty clothes were cut.


    ¡°P-please stop; I¡¯ll say anything you want.¡±


    It was just a threat, but it seemed to be very effective.


    (He¡¯s an amateur, after all¡­)


    While observing the man with trembling legs, Hiro continued to ask questions.


    ¡°Who do you work for?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. They just suddenly gave me money and told me to¡­ attack you.¡±


    ¡°Hee¡­ can you tell me more about the situation at that time?¡±


    ¡°I-I just finished working in the field, and a strange man showed up at my door.¡±


    ¡°Strange man?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t recognize his face because he was wearing a hood, but his voice was a man.¡±


    Hiro spun the dagger around in his hand and pressed the hilt head against the man to urge him on.


    ¡°I-I was told to throw you out to the guard as a pretext. I wasn¡¯t going to do it, but I was given two Grantz gold coins.¡±


    The man was just dazzled by the money¨Dthe other people around him are from the same vige.


    ¡°W-who wouldn¡¯t want that? Right? So forgive me. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    There is no indication that the man is lying. Further questioning doesn¡¯t seem to yield any more information.


    ¡°You can go. But if you show any unusual behavior, I¡¯ll kill you. And don¡¯te in front of me again. If I see you anywhere, I will kill you. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°I-I understand. I¡¯ll never show up in your face again.¡±


    After nodding several times vigorously, the man ran off the sidewalk and across the in without looking back even once. Several men, who must be his friends, followed his back in a hurry.


    Hiro watched them until they were out of sight and then decided to continue on towards the Great Imperial City.


    (They will be killed by their client, even if I don¡¯ty my hands on them.)


    The pay is extraordinary for an easy job¨Dwhich means they must seed. If they don¡¯t realize that and fail, they will be killed by their client, which they deserve.


    (Though I do wonder why they used peasants.)


    If the opponent had been a skilled fighter, Hiro would certainly have fought. Then it was just a matter of time before he was caught by the guards who heard themotion.


    (Let¡¯s think about thatter¡­ For now, let¡¯s enjoy the capital city after a long time¨Dno, the Great Imperial Capital.)


    Breaking off his thoughts, Hiro stopped in his tracks. Ahead of his gaze was the Great Imperial Capital¡¯s majestic main gate.


    Looking up overhead, Hiro was enveloped in the intimidating feeling of the massive city walls looking down on him. When he looked into the deep moat surrounding the city wall, water drawn in from the Kendell River in the north is pooled and inhabited by various underwater creatures.


    The bridge on the other side of the river was filled with people. When he crossed the bridge and had his luggage inspected in front of the main gate, he was greeted with¨D¨D.


    ¡°Aah¡­¡±


    The scene before him was overwhelming. Extending from the main gate was aplete, stone-paved path. At regr intervals on either side were giant statues that pierced the heavens¨Dexquisitely sculpted colossal statues of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz.


    The gods looked down at the street as if to wee visitors. Stalls were lined up at their feet. Every store was packed with people, and street vendors were shouting to attract customers.


    ¡°¡­The buildings are taller than they were a thousand years ago, and most importantly, there are a lot more people here.¡±


    Hiro begins to walk around, looking around busily. He found a group of people making a lot of noise in front of a liquor stall in the middle of the day, with liquor bottles in hand.


    ¡°Our nemesis, Felzen, has been destroyed! Bring the booze, bring the booze! What¡¯s the point of not celebrating!¡±


    ¡°We should also congratte the sixth princess for defeating the rural principality!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I heard that the descendant of His Majesty the Second Emperor was there!¡±


    After passing through the noisy streets overlooked by the gods, a magnificent fountain garden wees the visitor. The column of water spouting out of the fountain and the clouds behind it create a mysterious atmosphere, and the sound of the water sparkling and touching the earbuds gives a feeling of elegance.


    The fountain area is filled with people of various purposes, fromdies with children to drunk men to students reading books. Also, unlike in front of the main gate, there was a peaceful atmosphere here. The one thing that hasn¡¯t changed is the smiles on everyone¡¯s face.


    Perhaps the lingering effects of the two victories over Felzen and Lichtine still linger throughout the entire people.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the descendant-dono?¡±


    When called from behind, Hiro looked back and saw Aura¡¯s subordinate¨DSpitz.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. What are you doing here? I thought you were returning to the west¡­¡±


    ¡°That should be my line. Why is the descendant-dono here?¡±


    ¡°I was summoned by the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Surely there is no reason not to be summoned.¡±


    ¡°So, Spitz, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Before returning to the west, my superior was summoned by His Majesty, so I guess I got caught up in it.¡±


    ¡°Aura?¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s the higher one¨Dthe third prince. Blutar-sama.¡±


    And as Spitz began to walk, Hiro naturally followed him.


    ¡°The third imperial army¨Dthe ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡±¨Dwas caught moving in private. It was while His Majesty was on a military expedition, so¡­ that must be questioned in many ways already.¡±


    ¡°I feel like he deserved it, though. I mean, he tried to get Liz.¡±


    ¡°We ended up fighting together, though, so I think the punishment is less severe inparison.¡±


    The problem will be the treatment of the first prince, Spitz adds.


    ¡°It¡¯s a huge problem in the Imperial Pce. An attempt on the life of the sixth princess, or an attempt to kill the descendants of His Majesty the Second Emperor, that¡¯s a big deal that goes up and down.¡±


    ¡°Hee¡­¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, he has the ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± and, above all, behind the first prince is a family of five great nobles, the Krone family. The treatment of the first prince, who has the support of thergest faction, must be treated with great care. His Majesty must be bothered by that.¡±


    Then Spitz turned his attention to Hiro and shook his head in annoyance.


    ¡°And the fact that the descendant-dono has appeared in the Great Imperial Capital, that¡¯s another big deal.¡±


    When Spitz began to look at the sky with distant eyes, Hiro asked him with a bitter smile.


    ¡°So, where are you headed?¡±


    ¡°I can tell you, but it is a special ce, so I thought you might as well look forward to it.¡±


    Hiro and Spitz were currently walking down East Grand Avenue.


    Unlike the central street, several stores lined up on the side of the road, including cksmiths, weapon shops, and tool shops. This is why there are many adventurers, mercenaries, and other types of people to be seen here, and the atmosphere is rough and tumble. As Hiro was looking on with interest, Spitz entered the alley between the guardhouse and the inn, and Hiro followed Spitz as he walked down the dimly lit street.


    Soon after, they were greeted by dazzling sunshine and slipped out into a ce where an old temple stood.


    ¡°As you can see, Aura-sama is there.¡±


    Spitz pointed to Aura, who was sitting in the shade of a tree¨Dreading a book dexterously with only her left hand while hanging her right arm, which was broken in the battle with Lichtine.


    Near her, a group of knights in ck armor was surrounded by arge group of children.


    Despite their stern appearance, the soldiers had arge number of sweets on their arms, and the children seemed to be flocking to them for it.


    ¡°They are war orphans, you know. These are the children who were taken in by the Spirit Temple.¡±


    ¡°So there are a lot of children¡­ But why is there a temple in this ce?¡±


    The people of the central continent¨Despecially in the Great Grantz Empire, there are many people who believe in the Spirit King, and there will be no end to the number of people who worship him. So why is a temple built in such a deste ce?


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the ce favored by the spirits.¡±


    What Spitz said made Hiro feel enlightened.


    This ce is full of nature as if isted from the highly developed city. The temple¡¯s surrounding area was covered with grass, and flowers of various colors, red and white, caught the breeze pleasantly. Watching the glow of the temple in the sunlight seemed to cleanse the heart.


    ¡°With the city¡¯s development, the east sector has be a noisy ce full of adventurers and mercenaries. The authorities have tried a few things, but it has not worked.¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t just kick the adventurers and mercenaries out of the eastern sector now, can they?¡±


    The bacsh will be tremendous if you try to break something that¡¯s already rooted.


    ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s why they also built a guardhouse to protect the children.¡±


    It was built before we came here, says Spitz.


    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s now home to the ¡°Imperial ck Knights.¡± The previous officer in charge was not the most dedicated man. Aura-sama has kicked him out and put him in charge of maintaining the security of the eastern sector.¡±


    When Spitz proudly said that, Aura seemed to notice us and approached away from the shade of the tree.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s an unusual person here.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Aura, it¡¯s been a while¡­ though, it¡¯s not so long.¡±


    ¡°¡­Un. I just sent you a letter yesterday, too¡­ Apart from that, what¡¯s bring you here?¡±


    ¡°The Emperor has called me.¡±


    Hiro lowered the bag on his back to the ground, opened it, and stuck his hand in it randomly. There was a letter in his hand that came out.


    ¡°This is, but.¡±


    ¡°¡­Garbage?¡±


    It¡¯s certainly true. It¡¯s even worse than when it was handed by Liz.


    After reading the letter that was handed to her, Aura tilted her head.


    ¡°¡­I understand more or less. But how do you get into the Imperial Pce?¡±


    ¡°With this ck hair and ck eyes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good now. The Imperial Pce currently has a fight between factions. The guards won¡¯t take you seriously.¡±


    ¡°If I show this letter to them, they will¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­No one thinks this garbage is a letter from the Emperor.¡±


    Aura returned the letter to Hiro and put her hand to her forehead, and shook her head in distress.


    ¡°The letter from His Majesty the Emperor is a precious thing that you may or may not receive in your lifetime. It is unheard of to mistreat it and trash it. Even if this is the only way to get through, you will be executed for disrespect.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡±


    ¡°No choice. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°If we go together, I can get Hiro through.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that, but¡­¡±


    When I look behind her, I see that before I knew it, children had gathered. Further back, the third imperial army¡¯s elite, ¡°Imperial ck Knights,¡± are being pushed down by the children.


    ¡°Aura nee-chan! Where are you going?¡±


    A lisping little girl tugged at Aura¡¯s sleeve. Aura patted the girl¡¯s head and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the Imperial Pce. Lord Spitz will y with you while I¡¯m away.¡±


    It must not be a mistake for Hiro to see that Spitz had a perturbed look on his face. Aura ignored him and said to Hiro, ¡°Follow me,¡± and began to walk.


    ¡°P-please wait! Aura-samaaaaaa!¡±


    The unrestrained children rushed to Spitz. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from sight.


    ¡°S-stop. I¡¯m a noble! Do you think it¡¯s okay to do this?¡±


    ¡°I am His Majesty Schwartz, the man who will bring down the frivolousd!¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m General Ray!¡±


    ¡°Then I am His Majesty Altius!¡±


    ¡°W-what, stop! Don¡¯t touch that part!¡±


    Spitz says something to them, but the kids won¡¯t listen to him. Encouraged by Spitz¡¯s screams, Hiro and Aura headed back the way he came and headed north on the central street. Along the way, Aura called out to Hiro.


    ¡°The ce we¡¯re heading to is considered by the world to be a morous world where only the chosen can live. That¡¯s not wrong. But you must not forget that this is a dangerous world of jealousy and desire. Don¡¯t let your guard down. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Be extremely cautious of those whoe in contact with you. Don¡¯t just follow them when they call you. Be especially careful with women, because, in the past, even the emperor has destroyed himself with women.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±


    That¡¯s why I thought she was so talkative today, but Aura red at me.


    ¡°Shut up and listen.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t help you all the time. You¡¯re the only one His Majesty has called.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Well, the etiquette is a bit dubious, but I think I can handle it, though?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, but¡­¡±


    They were silent for a while, and then both of them just went on their way.


    As they walked up the gentle slope, an iron gate, five times as tall as Hiro, appeared. It¡¯s an iron gate with a pointed tip like a spear that evokes a sense of gravity.


    When the guards saw Aura, they came running up to her.


    ¡°Brigadier General. What can I do for you today?¡±


    ¡°The Emperor hasmanded me to take this person to the Imperial Pce.¡±


    Aura pointed at Hiro. The guards opened their mouths, looking at Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such amand. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t let you pass.¡±


    Hiro carved a deep crease between his eyebrows. That¡¯s impossible. Since the Emperor had sent a letter to Hiro personally, there was no way he hadn¡¯t told the guards that Hiro woulde.


    It is highly likely that someone¡¯s scheme has stopped Hiro¡¯s matter from happening at some point. Or, it could be that the guards are under the control of someone else.


    ¡°¡­Then, can you tell me your name and your affiliation?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You doubted my words as a close associate of the third prince, Blutar. You will receive the consequences that you deserve.¡±


    In other words, the threat of losing a job if he didn¡¯t let them pass.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The guard¡¯s face was twisted in bitterness. It¡¯s clear that there is a fierce conflict in his mind. After a while, the guard, whose cheeks were covered in sweat, let his head droop.


    ¡°Please go through.¡±


    Hiro felt a little sorry for the guard¡¯s depressed state, but as an elegantly colored Aura passed through the gate, Hiro hurried to chase after her.


    As he stepped into the vast grounds, he recognized a toon patrolling the area.


    While they stared at him for any suspicious activity, Hiro walked down a wide path surrounded by a rose garden. In a straight line, there is arge fountain, and the road is divided into crosses.


    The west side is lined with the mansions of influential nobles. The east side is home to the elite ¡°Golden Lion Knights¡± of the First Imperial Army and their training grounds. The north side is the national center of the Great Grantz Empire, the Imperial Pce of Venezine. As Aura exined this to Hiro, she suddenly leaned closer to him.


    ¡°The pce guard from earlier is probably one from the Krone family. They support the first prince, so be careful.¡±


    Aura whispered to Hiro, and he gave a small nod.


    ¡°Do you know about the case of the death of the head of the Kelheit family?¡±


    The Kelheit family is the great noble family that unites the eastern nobility. Having lost the head of the family about three months ago, his wife is now acting in his ce. Although it is publicly stated that the death was an idental fall from a horse, in reality, it is more likely to be an assassination.


    ¡°I suspect it was the work of the Krone family. I don¡¯t have any proof, but they¡¯re nning to take over the family by suggesting a marriage proposal to the Duchess of Kelheit, who has just lost her husband. They would not hesitate to poison Hiro in the Imperial Pce with such audacity.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll be careful with the Krone family.¡±


    After thanking Aura, Hiro arrived at the Imperial Pce and took a deep breath. He was struck not by the beauty of the pce but by a sense of nostalgia that welled up in his chest.


    Although it had been reconstructed several times, it was still reminiscent of the pce of a thousand years ago.


    (¡­It feels likeing home.)


    It was the first ce he visited after being summoned to this world. It is the ce where he made the pact of brothers-inw with Altius, weed many friends, and went through a war-torn world.


    This is thest ce where the empire was born, the war is over, and he said goodbye to Alethia.


    The ce where it began and where it will end.


    (Whatever lies ahead, I will not stop.)


    With the prospect of a new story, a new beginning, Hiro steps into the pce again. Upon entering the Imperial Pce, Hiro was given a physical examination by the guards, and Aura was given an examination by a female officer.


    After they are found to be safe and sound, Aura looked at Hiro.


    ¡°They¡¯reing for you.¡±


    When Hiro looked behind Aura, a man in his prime came in.


    ¡°Thank you foring all the way. I am Byzant Gils von Schaum, Prime Minister of the Great Grantz Empire. I am relieved to see that you have arrived safely at the Imperial Pce.¡±


    The man with the bowed head looks up and says with a cool smile on his face.


    ¡°Are you Hiro-sama?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m Ouguro Hiro.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re imed yourself to be a descendant of His Majesty the Second Emperor, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is true.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick, but we would like to ask you to prove it first. Please follow me.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils turned away and began to walk away, and Hiro and the others followed. On the right wall of the aisle, circr windows at the top are lined up to the back to show wealth and power.


    On the ceiling, there was a magnificent picture of the Spirit King and the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz, and a ck-robed warrior, believed to be the former Hiro, was standing against the enemy forces.


    ¡°There have been many people iming to be descendants of His Majesty the Second Emperor, but none of them were real. Still, there is no shortage of people pretending to be.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils¡¯ voice came through Hiro¡¯s eardrums through his back.


    ¡°Therefore, even with the words of Her Highness Celia Estre, I cannot trust you without proof that you are a descendant of His Majesty the Second Emperor. To tell you the truth, I¡¯m not sure how I feel about this again.¡±


    If someonees along who pretends over and over again, it¡¯s no wonder they get tired of it.


    ¡°The Great Grantz Empire is a military state. There are many people who believe in the God of War. Of course, I am one of them. You imed to be a descendant, and if it were a lie, it would be beyond discouraging. It would make me tremble with gut-wrenching anger.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils stopped in front of a room and turned around.


    ¡°I hope that Hiro-sama is the real one. I believe so for Her Highness Celia Estre¡¯s sake.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils unlocked the door and walked in. Hiro and Aura followed suit.


    The walls were painted white on all sides, and there were no windows. There is a coat of arms in the center of the room, and a ck cloak was hanging there. No other objects are present in the room.


    Prime Minister Gils walked forward and beckoned to Hiro when they arrived at the cloak hanger.


    ¡°There are over two thousand people who have imed to be descendants of the ¡°God of War¡± so far. Every one of them died the moment they wore this robe.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils carefully unfolded the ck cloak in his hand.


    ¡°This is the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± that was once worn by the God of War. It is inhabited by a spirit, and as the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, it chooses its master¨D those who are not recognized will be cursed by the spirit and lured to death when they handle it. However, even if it is not recognized, as long as they are descendants with the Spirit King¡¯s blessing, they will not die. This is the only way to prove it.¡±


    Are you ready? Said Prime Minister Gils, and Hiro nodded.


    (This brings back memories¡­)


    A friend who has run through many battles together. Therefore, there is no tension, and Hiro felt his cheeks loosening with nostalgia. Then Hiro tried to take the ck Princess Camellia, but it slipped from Prime Minister Gils¡¯ hands and fell to the floor. The fall of the ck robe in the absence of wind caused wrinkles to appear between Prime Minister Gils¡¯ eyebrows.


    He didn¡¯t drop it on purpose. Hiro is well aware of that.


    (I guess she is sulking now.)


    The ck cloak is a unique spirit, andpared to the other five major spirits, she¡¯s more obedient to emotions and difficult to handle. Besides, since she has been neglected for a thousand years, Hiro can¡¯t me her for being angry.


    (I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for making you wait so long.)


    After apologizing to the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± who fell to the floor, Hiro then reached out his hand to her, but¡­ the ck robe slipped through Hiro¡¯s hands and rose softly into the air.


    Prime Minister Gils rolled his eyes at the scene; on the other hand, Aura looked at it with interest.


    The moment Hiro looks puzzled, as he thought that he is still not forgiven¨Dthe darkness swells up and entwines itself around Hiro¡¯s limbs. In the blink of an eye, Hiro¡¯s entire body was wrapped up as if dragging him in.


    Prime Minister Gils and Aura¡¯s eyes widened without words at the sudden event.


    The sudden appearance of the mass of darkness, as if it were swallowing something, repeatedly expanded and shrunk.


    ¡°As expected¡­ he¡¯s an imposter.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils muttered to himself, revealing his disappointment. It must have been a scene that he had seen many times. But before his eyes, a further change begins. It¡¯s like a flowering of darkness.


    ¡°¡­This is, no way.¡±


    In front of the astonished Prime Minister Gils, a calm and youthful Hiro appears in a transformed uniform. It is the old imperial ck uniform, with a jet-ck cloak over it, and a gold dragon design on the shoulders that make a strong presence.


    It is a ck robe that is blessed by the spirits and is a relic left behind by the ¡°God of War.¡±


    The ¡°ck Princess Camellia,¡± which exudes mystery and grace, is called in some regions as¨D¨D.


    ¨D¨D¡±Royalty.¡±


    ¡°Haha, this is¡­ no doubt.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils, who had been looking at Hiro dumbfounded, knelt on the spot and took a vassal¡¯s courtesy.


    ¡°I am sorry for my numerous rudenesses. It is a great pleasure to meet the descendant of His Majesty, the Second Emperor.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just a descendant; you shouldn¡¯t be afraid of me. It¡¯s not actually me.¡±


    It is actually him, but if Prime Minister Gils finds out about it, he would have a stroke.


    In any case, Hiro felt perplexed if he was awed by the older man like this.


    When he turned his gaze to Aura for help, she looked at Hiro with a devouring look.


    Judging that she can¡¯t be relied upon, Hiro says a few words to Prime Minister Gils, who keeps bowing his head.


    ¡°¡­Um, is this going to prove everything?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, after this, you will go to the Spirit King¡¯s Temple.¡±


    After regaining hisposure, Prime Minister Gils took several breaths and opened his mouth.


    ¡°If anyone ims to be a descendant of Schwartz, go to the Spirit King¡¯s Temple to find out whether he is a descendant of Schwartz or not. If he is, give him the status he deserves. Those who break this testament will be cursed by the Spirit King. Do you know this testament?¡±


    As Hiro nodded, Prime Minister Gils stood up and headed for the door.


    ¡°Normally, I would ask you to go to the Spirit King¡¯s Temple first, but I cannot let someone who is not sure if he is real or not meet the Princess Shrine Maiden. If something happens to her, we will be criticized both at home and abroad. Therefore, after considering the importance of her safety, it was decided that the person in question would first be identified with the ¡°ck Princess Camellia.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils said, ¡°This way,¡± and urged Hiro to go out into the corridor.


    ¡°The only thing left to do is to go to the Spirit King¡¯s Temple, and if the Princess Shrine Maiden recognizes you, then¨D¨D.¡±


    Noticing the guards running from ahead, Prime Minister Gils stopped talking.


    ¡°Schaum-sama! A spirit knight just visited us, and he has a letter for His Majesty from the Princess Shrine Maiden!¡±


    ¡°From Princess Shrine Maiden to His Majesty¡­? Okay. I¡¯ll be right there. You go ahead and let the spirit knighte through.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    The guards saluted and then went back the way they came, and Prime Minister Gils looked back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have an urgent matter to attend to. Could you please wait for a moment?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but should I just wait here¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, please wait in the noble¡¯s room. I¡¯ll ask the¨D¨D.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils was about to call out to a nearby maid, but Aura raised her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show him the way.¡±


    ¡°Then please, Brigadier General Aura. I¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    After seeing off the back of Prime Minister Gils as he galloped away, Hiro began to walk with Aura.


    ¡°It¡¯s unusual to have a letter directly from the Princess Shrine Maiden¡­ to His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Un. When the Princess Shrine Maiden receives an oracle from the Spirit King, it is almost always addressed to the Prime Minister. The fact that it is addressed to His Majesty means that she has received a very important oracle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Prime Minister Gils looked somewhat impatient.¡±


    ¡°If it is a matter of national security, then it is a matter of life and death. The letter will be delivered to His Majesty immediately.¡±


    Then, suddenly Aura stopped. In front of her was a double door. Aura pushed them open in a familiar way with her hands and walked in.


    As she sank into the sofa, Hiro sat down across from her and opened his mouth.


    ¡°I wonder how long it will take Prime Minister Gils to finish his work.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it will be that long. It depends on the contents of the Princess Shrine Maiden¡¯s letter, though.¡±


    ¡°I hope everything is okay.¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders and looked around, and noticed something.


    ¡°By the way, there are no visitors among the nobles, huh?¡±


    ¡°This is mainly a ce where the nobles who do not have a mansion on the Imperial Pce sitee. But the small and medium-sized nobles refrained and rested in their estates or inns built in the city. So the rooms are rarely used.¡±


    ¡°Does Aura also have a mansion here too?¡±


    ¡°I have one. I don¡¯t use it these days because I sleep in the guardhouse when Ie to the Great Imperial City.¡±


    After the idle conversationsted for about half an hour, instead of the Prime Minister Gils, a high-ranking official appeared in the noble¡¯s room.


    ¡°Hiro-sama, I¡¯m sorry, could you pleasee to the throne room right away?¡±


    ¡°There should be an interrogation of third prince Blutar and first prince Stobel now. Is it over already?¡±


    At Aura¡¯s question, the high-ranking official nodded his head.


    ¡°Yes, it was finished without any problems. All that remains now is to wait for His Majesty¡¯s decision, but before that, His Majesty asked me to bring Hiro-sama to him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can shee along with us?¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister Gils said that Aura-sama could go in either way. However, she will enter through the back door, and Hiro-sama will enter through the front door.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Then you shoulde too, Aura.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aura also sat up at Hiro¡¯s urging as he got up from the sofa.


    ¡°Then, please follow me.¡±


    Hiro and the others left the room, rushed by the high-ranking official.

 Volume 2, Chapter 1 – The Black Prince Part 1

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 1 ¨C The ck Prince Part 1</h4>


    The throne room featured a vaulted ceiling and a marble floor¨D¨Da red carpet extended in a straight line through the center of the room. On the left and right, colonnades lined up to the throne, and the lords and nobles were lined up to fill in the gaps. There was also a familiar face among them¨Dthe first prince, Stobel.


    The one sitting on the throne is so young that it¡¯s hard to believe that he¡¯s over 60 years old, and next to him is Prime Minister Gils.


    The throne room is filled with a heavy atmosphere that would cause an ordinary person to swoon, but Hiro, without fear, moves forward on the carpet, swinging the hem of the ck Princess Camellia.


    ¡°¡­Is he really the descendant of His Majesty the Second Emperor?¡±


    ¡°He is so young. Isn¡¯t he still a child? Even so, is that¨D¨Dperhaps, the ck Princess Camellia?¡±


    ¡°Hou¨D¨Dthat young man has indeed possessed the style of a King, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no tension and no indication of being overwhelmed in this tense atmosphere. I didn¡¯t know how he could walk so confidently. Then again, is he really a big shot, or is he just insensitive?¡±


    Words spilled out of the nobles in a whisper.


    Hiro stopped a short distance away from the Emperor and fell to his knees, tapping his left chest with his right hand. The movement creates a breeze. The hem of his cloak swooped up and fell to the floor.


    ¡°¨D¨DBegin.¡±


    The Emperor said as he looked down at Hiro with eyes like a true jade. Prime Minister Gils solemnly stepped forward and unfolded a sheet of parchment.


    ¡°The first prince Stobel, third prince Blutar, your treatment has been decided. Come forward.¡±


    The huge body of the first prince Stobel kneeled on the right side of Hiro and bowed. He was followed by the third prince, Blutar, a man with a bald head and evil-looking eyes. He got down on one knee on the left side of Hiro.


    ¡°First, the third prince, Blutar. You are hereby dismissed.¡±


    Oooh, said the delighted voices of the nobles supporting the third prince, Blutar.


    ¡°Next, the first prince, Stobel, you are deprived of your achievements in Felzen. You are hereby sentenced to three months¡¯ house arrest.¡±


    There was a sigh of relief from the nobles who supported the first prince Stobel for the light punishment.


    Even the opposing faction of the third prince, Blutar, did notin. This is partly because Blutar¡¯s punishment was also light, and if theyined, it could be retracted. However, there was a murmur from the factionless nobles.


    ¡°Ridiculous. He tried to kill the sixth princess!¡±


    ¡°Is it because he still has the Thunder Emperor?¡±


    ¡°He should be demoted in the order of session or deprived ofmand of the First Imperial Army.¡±


    Amidst the slowly growing discontent, Prime Minister Gils raised his voice.


    ¡°Quiet! You are in the presence of His Majesty!¡±


    Silence reigned as if struck by water, but the hatred and rage spreading in the throne room could not be contained.


    (Now¡­ I wonder what they are thinking. If this continues, there will be great dissatisfaction.)


    The punishment for both princes was too light. It¡¯s no wonder that the factionless nobles thought badly about it. It¡¯s a different story if they could deal with that much of a spark right away.


    ¡°Next, Hiro-dono. You will be made a third-ss military officer for your achievements in the war against the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    Hiro thought it was appropriate, but Prime Minister Gils¡¯ words did not end there.


    ¡°Furthermore, in ordance to the testament of His Majesty the First Emperor, you are hereby epted as the fourth prince of the Grantz imperial family and will be the fifth in line in the session to the throne. Depending on your future achievements, you will be promoted in the order of session.¡±


    Hiro almost looked up at the unprecedented treatment. It¡¯s because he had always thought that he would be weed at the end of the imperial family and given a share of the frontier territory.


    A silence filled the throne room. No one was able to speak.


    While everyone was dumbfounded, Prime Minister Gils pulled out a piece of paper¨D¨Da white piece of paper that was not illuminated by anything but shining.


    ¡°I have received proof from the Princess Shrine Maiden that he is indeed the descendant of His Majesty the Second Emperor. And to add to that, the ck Princess Camellia also recognized him.¡±


    The nobles¡¯ gazes busily moved back and forth between the letter of the Princess Shrine Maiden and Hiro.


    ¡°Hiro-dono. You will henceforth be known as Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.¡±


    As soon as the Prime Minister pped his hands twice, several handmaidens appeared and unfurled a huge banner. The g was ck with a dragon holding a white silver sword.


    You are authorized to use the coat of arms of His Majesty the Second Emperor. You shall serve in honor of your ancestors.


    Most of the items that once belonged to him were returned to him. Hiro can only smile.


    (They got me¡­)


    If the princes had been deprived of their session rights or demoted in rank, the nobles who supported the first and third princes might have had a civil war. However, the unexpectedly light punishment discouraged them from doing so. Furthermore, the birth of a new prince throws their thoughts into confusion.


    The two choices thate to the nobles¡¯ minds are: should they switch to the new prince, or should they continue to wait and see?


    Because the new prince even has the title of ¡°God of War¡± descendant. If they carry the boy, they could gain tremendous support from the people.


    (I see, it¡¯s all been pointed at me¡­)


    In this regard, the factionless nobles who were unhappy with this punishment could easily approach Hiro. They could outmaneuver the powerful nobles who were trapped by factional ties and control the momentum. Their minds would be upied with how to outmaneuver the other nobles rather than rebel against the Emperor.


    (But¡­ this is an opportunity for me too.)


    In the future, people with all sorts of agendas will be approaching Hiro to take advantage of him.


    (Then, let¡¯s use it to my advantage, too.)


    Hiro lifted the corners of his mouth in amusement.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s continue with the banquet. The lords and nobles should enjoy it to the fullest.¡±


    After saying that, Prime Minister Gils left the hall with the Emperor.


    The first prince Stobel and the third prince Blutar also left the hall with their respective subordinates. In turn, the servants came in to begin preparing for the banquet.


    Then Aura walks in to see Hiro, who is left unupied.


    ¡°Have you experienced something like this before¡­?¡±


    Aura gives him a somewhat probing look.


    ¡°Eh, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­Anyone would be nervous to walk in such a tense atmosphere under the gaze of the powerful nobles of the Great Grantz Empire. But the way Hiro walks is like something that has happened in the past¨D¨DI felt like you were used to it.¡±


    ¡°No, I was pretty nervous about it too, you know? M-maybe it¡¯s because of the eye patch. You can¡¯t see my expression.¡±


    ¡°If you insist, that¡¯s fine with me.¡±


    Perhaps the intelligent woman recognizes Hiro¡¯s true identity. Hiro sighed and lowered his voice.


    ¡°What would happen if someone from the past suddenly appeared in the future?¡±


    With narrowed eyes, Aura paused for a beat and opened her mouth to choose a few words.


    ¡°¡­Is that hypothetical?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Hypothetically, what do you think will happen, Aura?¡±


    ¡°For example, if the great ¡°Hero of a thousand years ago¡± showed up today, a lot of people would think that he would be a hindrance.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    To Hiro, who agreed, Aura continued to speak in a matter-of-fact, unassuming manner.


    ¡°The people will be delighted. But for those in power, he is nothing more than a nuisance. Such a dangerous presence is inevitably going to be crushed. To avoid that, it is reasonable to hide your power¨D¨Dor call yourself a descendant. That way, the people surrounding can find it eptable.¡±


    ¡°eptable, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Having said that, most people wouldn¡¯t believe you if you said that you¡¯re a god.¡±


    [T/n: Schwartz is considered to be the god of war.]


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly true.¡±


    ¡°But you never know what will happen in the future. It¡¯s wise to be prepared for anything that mighte out at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡±


    As Hiro brought determination into his eyes, a nasty look came through Aura¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a hypothetical. You don¡¯t have to look that serious.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­T-that¡¯s right. Hahaha.¡±


    Aura smiled at Hiro, who was scratching his head to fool her.


    This is where a pleasant melody touches the earbuds. The musician¡¯s performance was beginning to y in the hall. When Hiro looked around, the servants had finished their preparations and were standing back by the wall.


    Next, the hall entrance¨D¨Darge number of nobles entered through the open door.


    Hiro looked at the scene and then took a deep breath repeatedly.


    (This is a battleground. I have to find out who can and cannot be trusted.)


    For the future, it would be better to contact the Krone family as well.


    (Still, I should wait for them toe to me.)


    If I contacted them first, it could start a new rumor.


    If a rumor started that the Second Emperor¡¯s descendants had supported the Krone family, it would be a lost cause.


    (Well, I guess that they won¡¯t be at this banquet.)


    The faction of the first prince Stobel could not possibly participate in this banquet, leaving behind the first prince Stobel who was under house arrest. Besides, the ground they thought was rock solid is beginning to shake. This is not the time to get drunk in front of an emergency. They had to make the best move, or they would fall down in the blink of an eye. They must be scratching their heads in a desperate attempt to figure it out by now.


    (But I¡¯m sure the third prince Blutar and the western nobility will join in.)


    As he pondered, his sleeve was tugged.


    ¡°Hiro¡­ is it okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Hiro paused in his thoughts and turned his attention to Aura, who was looking up at him from below.


    ¡°If we stay together any longer, it will be suspicious, so I have to go now.¡±


    Since she is a staff officer, of course, Aura belongs to the faction of the third prince Blutar. If she were with Hiro, who became the fourth prince, there would be a lot of spection.


    She might be suspected of having switched from her own faction. This is the perfect opportunity for those who have been loath to take her position. They will be using her of something here and there.


    ¡°That would be better; I would not want to put you in a bad position, after all.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mm. See youter.¡±


    Hiro looked away from Aura, who was walking out with regret.


    (The third prince, Blutar, is easily misled by the words of his vassals. It could be said that he¡¯s easy to manipte. I guess that¡¯s probably why his faction grew.)


    When he saw the third prince Blutar earlier, he thought that he is a very suspicious person.


    That¡¯s an advantage for Hiro. This is because if Hiro¡¯s words can deceive him, the third prince will do what Hiro wants. If there¡¯s an obstacle, it would be the powerful nobles on his side.


    (How do I approach him?)


    A thousand years ago, he used to escape from these annoyances. He was always on the front lines and returned to the castle only a few times. The cost of continuing to escape was great, so he dropped everything behind and returned to Earth.


    However, there is no way to escape now. Although he may make some painful mistakes due to hisck of experience


    (I sowed it myself. I have to finish it properly now.)


    After settling his thoughts, he grabbed a ss of water brought by the waiter and headed for the long table where a luxurious meal wasid out.


    Seeing this, several noblemen approached Hiro. Everyone is wearing gorgeous jewelry and fancy clothes.


    (¡­These people look like they have a lot of desire to show themselves off.)


    Well, that¡¯s about the first impression. And then a nobleman of high rank emerged from the group.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro Schwartz. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¨D¨D.¡±


    As they shook hands, the man¡¯s lengthy self-introduction began to resemble a speech.


    ¡°¨D¨DThat¡¯s it. Best regards in the future.¡±


    A simple summary is that he is a noble who has a territory in the west. The western nobles support the third prince Blutar. Although it¡¯s something not questioned this time, He is unsure what will happen in the future.


    So, he guesses he¡¯d like to get to know them, at least for now.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll remember your name and face very well.¡±


    As an untrustworthy person, the word ¡°untrustworthy¡± was stored in Hiro¡¯s mind. From that point on, the nobles gathered one by one. He was surrounded by a variety of greedy nobles, such as those who suggested marrying their daughters or those who rmended their sons as subordinates.


    It was not until half an hourter that he was able to escape from the situation¨D¨D.


    Trying not to show his exhaustion, Hiro rested his back on the sofa near the wall.


    (I¡¯m surrounded by more than I ever imagined¡­)


    He gulped down a ss of water in one go and let his gaze roam the hall. There were a lot of nobles spying on his situation. It seems like he¡¯s still going to be repeating the greetings.


    (But then again, the central noble house, which is organized by the Krone family, did not participate at all.)


    He is not surprised because it was as expected. Still, it was also disappointing because he was prepared for a lot of things. Also, the mostmon nobles who approached him were the eastern nobles.


    (They seem to have lost their cohesiveness due to the loss of the head of the Kelheit family.)


    What he sensed in the eastern nobles¡¯ words was their dissatisfaction with the acting head of the family, the Duchess of Kelheit. On the other hand, there are many who are siding with the Duchess as well, and the two are on the verge of splitting in two with each other.


    (That¡¯s where the Krone family, who support the first prince Stobel, took advantage of the situation.)


    The Krone family is said to be in the clutches to take over the east. The Kelheit family, which has lost its head, is likely to be taken over by the Krone family in the near future.


    If I just sit back and watch, the first prince, Stobel, will get his hands on the throne.


    (¡­Now, what to do.)


    A shadow falls over Hiro¡¯s head as he ponders.


    ¡°Excuse me, would you mind if I sat next to you?¡±

 Volume 2, Chapter 1 – The Black Prince Part 2

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 1 ¨C The ck Prince Part 2</h4>


    ¡°Excuse me, would you mind if I sat next to you?¡±


    When Hiro looked up, a woman in a red dress was standing there.


    Her wavy blonde hair was tied back in a bun, flowing down from her right shoulder to the front, while her lustrous blue eyes looked down at Hiro. The well-proportioned and ample body is sure to catch anyone¡¯s eye.


    Her skirt is boldly slit from the thighs, and the beautiful legs peeking out from the slit are enticing and fascinating.


    However, it was not her appearance that bothered Hiro; it was the surrounding nobles¡¯ buzz that bothered him. The woman, wondering about the reaction of her surroundings, closes the distance between Hiro and her.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. My name is¨D¨DMiste Calliara Rosa von Kelheit. Formerly the third princess, and now the acting head of the Kelheit family. Henceforth, it shall be known to you.¡±


    After a brief introduction, the Duchess of Kelheit gave a captivating smile.


    ¡°I see. I can certainly see why Liz would be so enthusiastic. You have an unusual look, as does the color of your hair and eyes.¡±


    Hiro did not show surprise on his face, but the turmoil was squeezing his heart.


    (It¡¯s so early. Why¨D¨Dwhy did she appear at this time?)


    He was expecting her to contact him eventually, but not now, muchter.


    (Could it be that they¡¯re really being cornered that far?)


    There is no time to think for long. He couldn¡¯t let her realize that Hiro was thinking.


    Even though she is Liz¡¯s sister, she is now the acting head of the Kelheit family. There is no doubt that she is approaching Hiro to take advantage of him. The more Hiro gets nervous, the more she gets her way.


    Not wanting to let her take the initiative, Hiro, feigningposure, indicated the next to him with his hand.


    ¡°Go ahead; there¡¯s no one else around, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice to hear.¡±


    Rosa ced one of the sses she was holding in both hands, the one filled with the red liquid, on the table in front of Hiro. It¡¯s probably wine or something, but because of the possibility that it might be mixed with something, Hiro decided to refrain from drinking it.


    ¡°Um, I don¡¯t drink alcohol, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t know that. Then you can rest assured, this one is just water.¡±


    And then she reced it with a clear liquid¨D¨Da ss of water.


    The scent of roses tickled Hiro¡¯s nostrils as soon as Rosa sat down next to him.


    ¡°What does Liz¡¯s sister want with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that my sister wrote about you in her letter. And since you¡¯ve done so much for her, so I thought I¡¯d drop by and say hello.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s indebted to Liz. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet her older sister.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Your Highness Hiro, you don¡¯t need to talk so formally. Let¡¯s take it easy on each other. Above all, you are in a higher position than me. That would be an example to others.¡±


    ¡°Understood¨D¨Dah, I mean, okay. Is this good?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all right. You should know your ce in the world a little better.¡±


    She smiled happily and drank the wine, then chuckled and tilted her ss.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that you can¡¯t drink wine as good as this one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at it.¡±


    It¡¯s not because he¡¯s a minor¨D¨Din this world, one considered an adult at the age of fifteen.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity. You¡¯ll gain a lot of benefits from drinking in the future.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good time to drink, though, because things are so crazy these days.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, are you being cautious or timid? I wonder which one you are?¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s because I¡¯m a coward.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this ising from a man who was so imposing in his audience with the Emperor. May I ask why you have such low self-esteem?¡±


    Hiro made a cold face as she looked at his profile with interest.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of regret. For example, on the battlefield¨D¨Dno matter how much they cry and scream, no matter how much they beg for their lives, I will not forgive them. If I let them off the hook, someone else might be unhappy. Still, unless it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­.¡±


    She looked dumbfounded because the boy¡¯s expression had changed, or perhaps because she realized the madness that lies deep inside him. Rosa pours a ss of wine, empties it, and then calls the waiter and asks for a new wine. After enjoying the aroma of the white wine the waiter brought, she asked Hiro.


    ¡°How old are you this year?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m 17.¡±


    ¡°You are terribly distorted for your age. It¡¯s arrogant, even. Kuku, I¡¯m curious about your past.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not much of a past. I¡¯ve just been through a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? So what if¨D¨Dfor example, I be your enemy here at this moment?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything. I¡¯ll draw the line, but if you cross it, I¡¯m going toe for your head.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t kill me now?¡±


    ¡°If I do that, I¡¯m just being barbaric. I¡¯m not that short-sighted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking straight, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If I lose reason, I¡¯m no better than a beast. It will only make more enemies, and it won¡¯t do me any good. It will only cause trouble for mypanions, and above all, it will only make me regret it.¡±


    A hint of regret passed through Hiro¡¯s distant eyes, but it was only for a moment, and Rosa did not seem to notice.


    She repeatedly nodded as if she were evaluating Hiro¡¯s words and then crossed her arms to emphasize her breasts.


    ¡°Hmm. Like Stobel?¡±


    Hiro pondered Rosa¡¯s words, but there was no clear answer.


    ¡°I can¡¯t assume. But I think he¡¯s more distorted than I am.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a good answer. He used to be a man with the backbone for an Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°Stobel was favored by the ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± when he was 18, and he has changed from that moment on. He can no longer consider the feelings of the weak. He truly believes that the strong are righteous, and the weak are evil. That¡¯s why he is extremely afraid that someone stronger than him will appear.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s also distorted.¡±


    ¡°There is no end to man¡¯s desire. When you have a lot of power, it bes even more pronounced. It can even change a person¡¯s character. You had better watch out for it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    In response to Hiro¡¯s words, Rosa licked her lips and then lifted the corners of her mouth.


    ¡°Now¨D¨DThe time is running out, so let¡¯s get down to business.¡±


    It¡¯s happening. If Hiro were not careful, this female panther would bite his head off.


    (A gut-wrenching battle would give the opponent more time to think.)


    Then¨D¨Din order to take advantage of our conversation, Hiro decided to cut in boldly.


    ¡°Since the Kelheit family is in dire straits, you want to talk about it?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s words caused Rosa¡¯s eyes to be frighteningly sharp momentarily.


    ¡°Have you noticed¡­ you are very eager to learn? No, I guess it¡¯s because I¡¯m not good enough.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have known if the eastern nobles had been organized.¡±


    ¡°If you know so much, there¡¯s no need to hide it. As you can imagine, the eastern nobility is on the verge of a division. In an era where men are strong, having a woman as the acting head of the family is a bit of an inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°The nobility of the Grantz Empire is supposed to be a male line of session. Even the five great nobles shouldn¡¯t be unconnected with each other.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I¡¯m having trouble getting all kinds of men to make a move on me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a great opportunity to make a name for their house. Especially since they will have exactly what the Kelheit family has been building up.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to have the second son from another family that might as well be a scum.¡±


    ¡°I think some of them are better than others, don¡¯t they?


    ¡°Maybe there are some. But I need someone who isn¡¯t breathing down anyone¡¯s throat.¡±


    ¡°¡­Therefore, you can¡¯t get the results you want by having me as your groom.¡±


    Rosa shakes her head at Hiro¡¯s words, denying it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you to be my groom. And I don¡¯t think you have any intention of doing that.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re going to take advantage of the position of the fourth prince? I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have enough say in the matter right now to interfere in your house.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. But there is only one solution.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    She did not answer Hiro¡¯s question but looked around as if she were wary of her surroundings.


    There may be someone somewhere listening in. There must be only a few people who can do that kind of dexterity in such a crowded venue¡­


    Hiro sighed and looked at the ss on the table. Rosa had ced it on the table for him, but he didn¡¯t sip it, judging that it was likely to be mixed with something.


    (But I don¡¯t want to continue to y this useless game and let the time pass¡­)


    Having made up his mind, Hiro picked up the ss and drank the water in one go. Slight numbness in his throat is the only change in his body. However, should it be okay just to confirm that there is something mixed in?


    ¡°I just want to ask you, what was in it?¡±


    Rosa rolled her eyes when she saw Hiro¡¯s unconcerned face.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing. An ordinary person wouldn¡¯t even be able to speak¡­¡±


    Then she gave a little throatyugh and sighed deeply as if she thought the deception was futile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a powerful numbing drug. I tried to muddle your consciousness, but it seems to have been in vain.¡±


    ¡°A puff of smoke in a public ce like this will only make you look bad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just one drunk guy in front of me. How does that make my situation worse?¡±


    ¡°I see. You¡¯ve been thinking about it, haven¡¯t you? And what about the future?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s all for naught, though. How can you be that strong¡­ Are you really human?¡±


    Hiro smiles at Rosa¡¯s question.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just a bit of a sturdy person.¡±


    ¡°Haha¨D¨D¡­ I should have prepared a drug like the one used for monsters¡­¡±


    They were going to have a private conversation that they didn¡¯t want anyone to hear. Rosa drops her gaze to the floor with a heartfelt look of disappointment. It seems that the fact that she wouldn¡¯t walk away even if her ns were exposed was a game-changer for her.


    So, in order to regain herposure, Hiro decided to help her out.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to be depressed. Will you keep going with your n?¡±


    When Hiro said that, Rosa looked up in surprise.


    ¡°Are you sure? I didn¡¯t mean to aim for your life, but¨D¨Dugh?¡±


    Hiro pulled Rosa¡¯s body closer and whispered with his face close to her ear.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve eaten poison, lick the te*, is what they say. I want to hear your story first. Is that okay?¡±


    [T/n: It¡¯s Japanese saying that means that once you¡¯vemitted a crime,mit to it, in for a penny, in for a pound.]


    ¡°¡­How much of a beast lurks within that cute little face of yours?¡± Rosa said happily and then pulled Hiro¡¯s head into a hug.


    Her ample breasts were pressed against Hiro¡¯s face, and the hall was filled with a buzzing noise like a beehive of bees in a daring embrace that took ce in the public eye.


    ¡°It seems that His Highness Hiro has gotten drunk. I¡¯ll let him rest in my mansion. Someone help me.¡±


    Threedies and two male nobles responded to Rosa¡¯s voice. They approached with movements that showed no hesitation as if they had been discussed beforehand. There is no doubt that Rosa¡¯s breath is on the line.


    ¡°Poison is poison, but it¡¯s sweet poison. You¡¯ll love it.¡±


    Rosa whispered in Hiro¡¯s ear as the male nobles held him captive. From the perspective of others, the scene looks like they are helping a drunkard.


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Rosa turned around and saw Aura standing there.


    ¡°Well, well, you are¡­ the famous Lady Bunadhara, what can I do for you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Where do you want to take Hiro?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have time to exin. We¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    Rosa snapped her fingers, and threedies surrounded Aura.


    ¡°Come,e, let¡¯s have a chat with us over there.¡±


    ¡°Muh, get off.¡±


    ¡°Hohou, you mustn¡¯t go wild.¡±


    With no spirit weapon in her possession, much less a broken arm, she couldn¡¯t resist and was easily trapped by thedies.


    ¡°Now that there are no more people in the way, let¡¯s head to my mansion.¡±


    Her beautiful fingertips slide down Hiro¡¯s eye patch.


    Hiro was taken out of the hall and thrown into Rosa¡¯s mansion on the Imperial Pce estate.


    They are alone in a room bathed in moonlight. Rosa was sitting on a decorated chair, and Hiro was lying on a huge bed that could amodate five adults.


    ¡°I apologize for the rough treatment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, but I¡¯d like an exnation.¡±


    ¡°I know. But you¡¯ve noticed by now, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­More or less.¡±


    After a hot embrace in public, the drunken prince disappeared with the widow into the mansion. The two of them have concluded that the rtionship between them would be extraordinary.


    ¡°The other family would hesitate to offer a marriage to a woman who has be the handmaiden of a prince.¡±


    ¡°It can buy you some time, but sooner orter, you¡¯ll have to take in a husband from another family.¡±


    ¡°Just to buy some time, huh?¡±


    The moonlight in the dark night sky shone through the window, illuminating her beautifully.


    ¡°I wonder what would happen if ¨Din this body¨DI were to carry your child.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    ¡°In order to escape from the clutches of the Krone family, I have concluded after much deliberation¨D¨Dto be your mistress. You are the descendant of His Majesty the Second Emperor, the fourth prince, and use your title to unite the eastern nobility. Then I will bear your son and make him the head of the Kelheit family. I told you¨D¨DI need someone who has not had anyone¡¯s breath on him.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t satisfy the Kelheit family. If you gave birth to my child, it would be like you took over the Kelheit family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to agree with that. The blood of His Majesty, the Second Emperor, will be in the Kelheit family.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, that¡¯s¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t say a rebuttal. The reason is that he saw Rosa¡¯s delighted face.


    ¡°There is no need to worry about the blood being cut off. Give the newborn child a daughter from a family connected to the Kelheit family. The Kelheit family¡¯s blood will continue, and they will also get the blood of His Majesty the Second Emperor. Who canin?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°The payback for you is great. You¡¯ll have my body as you please, and you¡¯ll also have the eastern nobility on your side. That sounds like a good deal.¡±


    It¡¯s certainly not a bad idea for the future. Aside from Rosa¡¯s body, what Hirocks right now is contacts and money. The Kelheit family would be able to solve both of those problems.


    ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t want a child right away. I¡¯m no longer pure either. I¡¯d be grateful if you could give me a little time. But that¡¯s just for my convenience, and it¡¯s irrelevant to you. So I don¡¯t mind if you want it now.¡±


    What should I do? Said Hiro, he¡¯s at a loss for a response when someone asked him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind joining hands with you, but I¡¯d rather not have kids.¡±


    ¡°Kuku, that¡¯s fine for now. I¡¯m sure there will be Liz before me.¡±


    She gets up and climbs into bed, making the bed creak and getting closer and closer.


    ¡°As such, it¡¯ste already. Let¡¯s get to sleep now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to sleep in bed together. I can sleep on the couch if you want.¡±


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t make any sense. I want the fact that we slept together without sexual activity.¡±


    She smiled mischievously and came next to Hiro and hugged him.


    ¡°I have no intention of doing so, but if you can¡¯t stand it, I don¡¯t mind if you attack me. I won¡¯t resist.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just sleep separately?¡±


    ¡°Hoaamm¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a great sleeper, just like her sister.¡±


    Thinking that he had experienced something simr before, Hiro fell into a deep sleep. Surrounded by the soft feminine touch, Hiro began to breathe in her sleep.

 Volume 2, Chapter 2 – The Black Prince Part 3

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 2 ¨C The ck Prince Part 3</h4>


    The room was decorated with huge paintings all over the walls and furnishings from all over the world. The room is a symbol of power, with every piece a work of art. This is the emperor¡¯s chamber, the ce where the emperor lives, and it is also a hidden room that only his aides know about.


    Prime Minister Gils was there. Sitting in front of him was the 48th Emperor Greyheit.


    ¡°Do you have something to say?¡±


    With a ss of wine in his hand, the emperor turned his keen, hawk-like eyes on Prime Minister Gils.


    ¡°Is that the correct way to treat the first prince? If you were going to use Hiro-sama, there would have been no problem in demoting the other princes in the line of session.¡±


    ¡°That would have interfered with our future ns, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the first step is to weaken the Krone family.¡±


    ¡°The old nobles think only of their own self-preservation. The corrupt Krone family is a typical example. But even if it is an old dog, if it bites you, you would still get hurt. Then you have to throw it in a cage, take away its food, weaken it to the fullest extent, and then strangle it.¡±


    ¡°It would be better if it just stayed in its cage¡­¡±


    ¡°Therefore, let them think they are taking the initiative. Don¡¯t let them know our intentions and slowly lure them to their deaths. If the old nobles fall, new nobles will emerge, and the Grantz Empire will be further revitalized.¡±


    Smelling the aroma of wine, the emperor dropped his ss on the floor. The ss shattered loudly, and the red liquid spread its stain on the expensive carpet. The Emperor¡¯s smile deepened as he watched the scene.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like stagnation, you know.¡±


    The emperor stopped Prime Minister Gils with his hand as he tried to clean up the debris.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just ignore it. More importantly, do you know how capable my new son is?¡±


    ¡°That being said¡­ perhaps this person will know better.¡±


    As Prime Minister Gils pped his hands, a man dressed as a traveler quickly appeared behind him.


    The man spoke as he dropped to one knee.


    ¡°¡­To be honest, I could not have guessed it myself.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils¡¯ eyebrows twitched. The man disguised as a traveler is one of the most powerful in the Schaum family secret organization, the ¡°Secret Neck.¡± How could he not even be able to estimate the strength of the others? Prime Minister Gils spat out a few words with disappointment.


    ¡°Is there really that much of a difference in power¡­?¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    The man¡¯s head hung down in regret. He spent his days training to the point where he wandered between life and death, devoting everything he had to refine his skills until his Lord gave him a mission in person.


    His first task was to check the boy¡¯s strength, which should have been an incredibly simple request for a man who had been through so many rough patches.


    ¡°When the boy disappeared, the farmer who I hired was captured. That¡¯s all I know.¡±


    ¡°Enough. We¡¯ll deal with itter. For now, get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    He disappeared as if assimted into a shadow.


    Prime Minister Gils sighed and bowed to the Emperor.


    ¡°It seems that I have chosen the wrong man. I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I know very well what the Secret Neck is capable of.¡±


    The Emperor closed his eyelids and let out a small breath.


    ¡°Let the Secret Neck infiltrate the Berg Fortress. Make sure it does not fail this time.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    With that, Prime Minister Gils left the Imperial Chamber.


    £ª£ª£ª


    ¨D¨DThe next morning.


    Hiro, who was sleeping in bed, was awakened by the morning sun illuminating his face. There was no sign of the room owner he was sleeping next to, who seemed to have gone out early in the morning.


    (Where am I supposed to wash my face¡­?)


    He approached the door to the hallway to find a ce to wash his face. However, the door was opened from the other side. The person who appeared was Rosa, who exuded a seductive atmosphere, her breasts pressed tightly into her military uniform.


    ¡°Mmm, you¡¯re already awake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just woken up. And now I need to wash my face.¡±


    Rosa pointed her thumb behind her back at Hiro, who was asking for the location.


    ¡°But first, you have a visitor.¡±


    He tilted his head at her curiously and looked behind Rosa. There stood a man with a long, thin face¨DPrime Minister Gils.


    ¡°I apologize for the early intrusion.¡±


    As he bowed, Hiro felt a question mark appear on his face.


    ¡°Why is Prime Minister Gils here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver a letter from the Emperor. I knew I couldn¡¯t leave it to anyone else, so I took the trouble toe to you.¡±


    ¡°A letter from His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Here it is. Please read this alone.¡±


    After handing over the letter, Prime Minister Gils took one look at Rosa, bowed and left.


    As Hiro watched him go, he noticed Rosa looking at the letter.


    ¡°Do you want to see it?¡±


    ¡°Only if you think it¡¯s worth showing.¡±


    Shrugging her shoulders, Rosa started walking down the corridor and quickly turned around.


    ¡°When you¡¯re done reading, could youe to the dining hall? Breakfast is ready. And if you need to wash your face, the well is in the courtyard.¡±


    Waving her hand behind her back and saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting in the dining hall,¡± Rosa turned the corner of the hallway. Hiro looked down at the letter and let out a single sigh. The content of the letter is almost predictable.


    (¡­I guess I should wash my face first.)


    When Hiro arrived at the courtyard, he walked over to the well and washed his face. However, he realized that he had no towel. He looked around for something that looked like a cloth, but couldn¡¯t find anything.


    (I guess I¡¯ll just leave it like that¡­)


    Having half given up, he walked towards the cafeteria when he felt something soft on his head. He picked up the white towel and wiped the droplets of water from his face before he could see who had given it to him.


    ¡°Thank you. It helped¨D¨D.¡±


    He tried to say thank you but couldn¡¯t finish. Because Aura was standing there, looking very angry.


    ¡°ck Prince¡­ did you have fun yesterday?¡±


    There were many things he wanted to ask Aura about why she was here, but¡­


    ¡°¨D¨DWhat is the ck Prince?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what a lot of the nobility are saying about you.¡±


    ¡°About me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They say the ck Prince took advantage of a young widow and brought her to the mansion.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s bullshit¡­ Besides, I¡¯m the one who was taken in, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It was just my thought.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Actually, they call you the ck Prince for seducing the steel woman.¡±


    ¡°The steel woman?¡±


    ¡°The Duchess of Kelheit¡¯s alias. She is called that because she kept turning down engagements from other families by various means.¡±


    Aura looked at me with disdain.


    ¡°You were able to seduce her in a short time and disappeared into the mansion. It¡¯s no wonder it became a rumor. Many of the nobles want to learn from you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know such a thing had happened.¡±


    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t expect it. But he didn¡¯t think it was that far of a leap to say they wanted to be taught like that. Hiro holds his head, wondering what to do.


    Then Aura came up to him and looked up at him with leaden eyes.


    ¡°I told you yesterday to be careful with women.¡±


    ¡°You did¡­ Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°It was the Kelheit family that spread the rumor so quickly. No other family would have said anything to lift Hiro up. If it were me, I would spread the rumor that Hiro was a foolish prince seduced by a widow and ruin his reputation.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that either.¡±


    ¡°But she did the opposite, spreading rumors and raising her reputation. I want tomend her for her skill¨Dbut I send you my scorn.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t me you for thinking that. I¡¯ll take it in stride for now.¡±


    ¡°From now on, be really careful.¡±


    Aura sighed and looked at the ck Princess Camelia.


    ¡°What was the ck Princess Camelia doing after that? Doesn¡¯t it work when the Lord¡¯s virtue is at stake?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to listen to me for a while.¡±


    ¡°I thought the ck Princess Camelia had a spirit in her.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Well, if she feels that my life is in danger, she¡¯ll protect me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very twisted spirit.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    A thousand years ago, before the Heavenly Emperor¡¯s favor, she listened to me rather well. However, it seems that the ck Princess Camelia has be more and more selfish since the Heavenly Emperor appeared in front of Hiro.


    (And I left her alone there for a thousand years.)


    When he thought about it, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she had strangled Hiro to death, and it might be a miracle that he was even able to wear it now. When Hiro looked down at his military uniform, Aura noticed the letter in his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a letter from the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t read it yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to ovee my drowsiness. I thought I¡¯d wash my face first. Besides, I have a pretty good idea of what the letter is about.¡±


    Aura nodded at Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°It should have said to attack the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t retaliate, the people will call us weak, and the nobles willin. The worst thing that could happen is that some countries will join the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    Taking over Aura¡¯s point, Hiro took out the letter from the envelope. The words on it were as expected, but there were a few things that caught his attention.


    ¡°¡­Fumu.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you expected?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I guess it¡¯s to make me earn an achievement.¡±


    ¡°A suitable opponent for Hiro¡¯s first battle.¡±


    The Principality of Lichtine can be said to be in a state of suffocation since its defeat the other day. While mobilizing as many as 15,000 soldiers, they were unable to produce any results. As a result, the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s power of appeal must be in decline. With just a few threats, the nobles of the principality would surely choose the path of surrender.


    ¡°It seems that General Kylo, the newmander of the Fourth Imperial Army, is leading 10,000 troops to march on the Principality of Lichtine. It looks like Liz is joining them.¡±


    As a result of his recent blunder, General Loing was ced under house arrest, as was the first prince Stobel, and it seems that themander has been reced.


    ¡°What about you, Hiro?¡±


    ¡°It says to join up with them as soon as possible and join the staff. Well, I guess it¡¯s my job to make a difference in a weakened Principality of Lichtine while General Kylo weakened it further.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if it¡¯s all set up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He wants me to take control of the northern part of the Principality of Lichtine and use that as leverage to make peace with them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reasonable. If we destroy the Principality of Lichtine, there will be no country left to engage in the ve trade.¡±


    ¡°I feel sorry for the Principality of Lichtine that it has to live just for that.¡±


    Shrugging his shoulders, Hiro took another look at the letter. What is bothering him is thest sentence that he did not say to Aura.


    (That¡¯s why Prime Minister Gils told me to read it alone, huh?)


    He didn¡¯t think that Aura would tell the others, but he didn¡¯t know where it would leak from. He put the letter away, trying not to let his innermost thoughts be known.


    Then Hiro said something that he had been wondering for a long time.


    ¡°Why is Aura here, anyway?¡±


    She is the chief of staff of the Third Prince Blutar. There was a possibility that a rumor would be started that she wasing to the Kelheit family¡¯s house.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what Hiro thinks is going to happen.¡±


    ¡°Did youe here in secret?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to do any of those little tricks.¡±


    Aura replied to Hiro, who tilted his head.


    ¡°The Imperial Pce is now abuzz with rumors about Hiro. It¡¯s no problem for me to visit the Duchess of Kelheit¡¯s residence.¡±


    ¡°You mean there is no time to worry about that?¡±


    ¡°You could say that. For example, if it is rumored that I have switched to Hiro, everyone will have to defend me that this is impossible for a girl like me. Otherwise, the indecisive nobles might flow to the Kelheit family.¡±


    Aura¡¯s influence is strong. Her achievements in pushing down Felzen, as well as her outstanding war record, are dazzling in the eyes of the nobles. That¡¯s why they can¡¯t start any strange rumors right now. The reason for this is that it might induce a change of heart in the nobles who are watching the situation unfold.


    ¡°It may have been yesterday, but today is a delicate time. No one is going to be poking around in the bushes.¡±


    Aura continued in an indifferent tone.


    ¡°The reason I¡¯m here, by the way, is because I¡¯m leaving in half an hour. So this is a farewell greeting.¡±


    ¡°¡­To the west?¡±


    ¡°Correct. Felzen¡¯s remnants are rampaging all over the ce. His Majesty has given me orders to crush them.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping you could show me around the capital, but it looks like we¡¯re both too busy for that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that will have to wait for another time.¡±


    Aura bowed her head and left, saying, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll send you a letter again.¡±


    Hiro wanted to say goodbye to Spitz as well, but he would have to prepare for his departure, and Hiro would have to head for the Berg Fortress immediately. Deciding on another time, Hiro returned to the mansion and asked the maid where the dining hall was and went there. A servant was standing in front of therge door, and when Hiro nodded, she opened it for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You can sit down here.¡±


    Rosa shook her head and motioned him to the chair next to her.


    As soon as Hiro was sat down, Rosa pped her hands, and the maids came out of the west door¨Dwhich connects to the kitchen¨Dwith food in their hands and noiselessly arranged the food. Hiro turned his head to Rosa before putting his hands on the food.


    ¡°The letter said that I should join the attack on the Principality of Lichtine. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to leave immediately after eating.¡±


    ¡°Fumu, I see that is the case¡­ then I¡¯ll have to send you off magnificently.¡±


    Without asking why, Rosa nodded as if she knew in advance.


    After finishing breakfast, Hiro walked out of the mansion and was greeted by arge number of nobles. The moment Hiro appeared, all the nobles in line fell to their knees at once. The fact that all the famous nobles bowed down to a single boy was something that stunned everyone. In fact, the guards who had been observing from afar were looking at the scene with surprised expressions.


    To keep the confusion from showing on his face, Hiro turned his attention to Rosa, who was standing next to him in her military uniform.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I just gathered the eastern nobles who stayed in the great imperial capital.¡±


    ¡°¡­It seems like there are too many of them, though.¡±


    If she hadn¡¯t called out in advance, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to gather such arge number of people. Hiro wondered when Rosa had been preparing for it, and he admired her skill in moving so many nobles around and not letting the other families know about it. Rosa puts her hand on Hiro¡¯s shoulder as he is confused.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. ck Prince.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s face tightened at the words he had heard somewhere before. A luxurious carriage appeared in front of Hiro. One of the nobles stood up and opened the door for him.


    ¡°Please get in. Your Highness.¡±


    Hiro sat down on the sofa and spat out the words with a sigh.


    ¡°I have a question for you.¡±


    There was only one person to whom he turned his gaze. It was Rosa, her ample body wrapped in a military uniform. She sat down on the opposite side of the carriage, crossed her legs with a calm face and tilted her head.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Any gesture is a refined movement and looks beautiful in her hands. She is the former third princess, after all.


    ¡°I wonder how long you have been nning such arge scale?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s eyes were shining sharply as if schemes and deceptions would not work. Rosa, who had a bitter look on her face at that, shrugged.


    ¡°That was on the same day I got a letter from Liz. I figured it was an opportunity. The annoying marriage talks would be over, and the Kelheit family could be saved.¡±


    ¡°And what were you going to do if I wasn¡¯t a descendant?¡±


    ¡°I was prepared to support Liz again then.¡±


    ¡°And what about the husband?¡±


    ¡°I was going to take in an orphan under the pretense that he was my husband¡¯s illegitimate son. I told you, I must not be so unprincipled.¡±


    ¡°So you decided to support me for more than just the reasons we discussed yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Have you noticed that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The fact that you¡¯ve prepared so meticulously indicates that there are other reasons.¡±


    When Hiro looked out the window, the scenery had changedpletely.


    It seems that Rosa had instructed them in advance, and the private armies of the eastern nobility had joined them. All of the soldiers wore armor with their lord¡¯s noble house¡¯s emblem, and many of their banners swam in the wind.


    However, the one that stood out the most was Hiro¡¯s banner, which depicted a dragon holding a silver and white sword on a ck background. The dragon¡¯s g floating in the clear, cloudless sky was nothing short of breathtaking.


    ¡°What do you think of the Grantz Empire today?¡±


    Rosa had a serious expression on her face when she looked back into the carriage.


    ¡°¡­I think they¡¯re strong. It¡¯s just that they¡¯re overextending their reach.¡±


    ¡°However, His Majesty is aiming to unify the central continent. The territory will continue to expand.¡±


    ¡°I think our current territory is enough. If we expand further, the emperor¡¯s authority may not reach the frontier. No, I¡¯d say it already has.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the previous emperor, my grandfather, insisted. But the current emperor is keen on bing the thirteenth of the twelve great gods of Grantz.¡±


    ¡°You think he wants to be deified?¡±


    ¡°History is made by people¡¯s hands. Gods are no different. However, deification is not granted for half-hearted achievements. Even if it¡¯s for an emperor.¡±


    ¡°So the condition for that is the unification of the central continent?¡±


    ¡°The first emperor became the First God for founding the empire, and the second emperor became the God of War for ending a turbulent world. For a variety of other reasons, all of these emperors have contributed greatly to the empire.¡±


    There are some exceptions, though, who were not emperors but became goddesses. Rosa added, continuing her words.


    ¡°A feat that sessive emperors have been unable to aplish. By aplishing that, the current emperor intends to be a god.¡±


    ¡°Does that connect to why Rosa is supporting me?¡±


    ¡°The emperor, however, does not live forever. He may fall in the middle of his dream. You don¡¯t know what will happen then. I¡¯m just preparing for it now.¡±


    Rosa spread out her arms and spoke the root of her reason for supporting Hiro.


    ¡°There is more than enoughnd in the Empire. Even if we were to expand our territory, it would be extremely difficult to maintain it. We shouldn¡¯t hope for more because sooner orter, there will be a breakdown somewhere along the line. It will be the spark that ignites a civil war in the Empire.¡±


    Feeling suffocated, Rosa undid the first button of her military uniform.


    ¡°What this country needs now is stability. It needs people who look inward, not outward. So myte husband turned his attention to Liz. She was still young and not yet mature. However, he saw the future of the Empire in Liz¡¯s pure and innocent heart. Although there were some dangers, as long as strong people nked her, there would be no problems. Then, my husband was assassinated.¡±


    Rosa made a regretful fist and stared out the window at the imperial pce.


    ¡°They took advantage of the fact that the factions were copsing, and Liz was transferred to the other side. I was dismayed at my own inadequacy. That¡¯s why I¡¯m grateful to you for saving my sister from being trapped. When I read the letter from Liz, I was so happy I cried. And then¨D¨DI got the idea to use you.¡±


    ¡°To put Liz on the throne, you mean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯d appreciate that.¡±


    Because Hiro never had any ambition to be emperor himself. There is a possibility that he will be sent back to Earth. If such a person were to take the throne, it would cause unnecessary confusion.


    Rosaughed at the understanding Hiro.


    ¡°But. Whether you want it or not, emperors are also created by people¡¯s hands.¡±


    A white fingertip was pointed at Hiro.


    ¡°When the timees, be prepared.¡±


    At the same time, the windows of the carriage shuddered audibly. Rosa rolled her eyes and peered out the window. The people were smiling and waving their hands, shouting, ¡°ck Prince!¡± at the top of their lungs.


    People were lined up on both sides of the central street, andrge amounts of flower petals were flying through the air. Even the street vendors had abandoned their work to join the line, and everyone was jumping up and down to get a glimpse of Hiro, waving and shouting to get his attention.


    ¡°Once again, I¡¯m amazed at the poprity of the God of War. Even if you are a descendant, it seems that your poprity has not diminished.¡±


    Rosa said proudly, but Hiro couldn¡¯t help but be surprised that the name ¡°ck Prince¡± had spread to the people, rather than therge number of people who had gathered.


    (No, it was a setup. Even so, if one person calls out the name, others will do the same.)


    As Hiro had predicted, the chorus of ¡°ck Prince¡± began in no time at all. The cheers without a hint of evil were pleasant. It¡¯s always the same, Hiro thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, isn¡¯t it? But that¡¯s as far as the intoxication goes.¡±


    Rosa looked at him with a serious face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the future.¡±


    ¡°¡­As for me, I want to head to Lynx and then join the attack on the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about Liz?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s part of it. But I¡¯m also worried about something else.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about Liz, you should head east to the Lynx. I think you can¡¯t hire a private army yet, so I can give you an escort¡­ what do you think?¡±


    Even though Hiro is the fourth prince, he doesn¡¯t have a territory as an ie source. He will be given a territory depending on his future achievements. Until then, the military officer¡¯s sry will be his immediate source of funds, but it will be paid at ater date. Also, he would have to hire a private army, which he would not be able to afford with a third-rate military officer¡¯s sry.


    If he asked Prime Minister Gils, he could probably get a loan from the national treasury, but he didn¡¯t want to be in debt.


    That¡¯s why he decided to use Rosa¨Dthe Kelheit family.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need an escort. I just need you to provide me with a carriage.¡±


    ¡°The security in the east is better than in other parts of the country, but that doesn¡¯t mean there are no bandits or monsters. If you¡¯re worried about money, I can take care of everything.¡±


    ¡°If I have an escort, I¡¯ll bete getting to Lynx. I want to catch up with Liz as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you insist, I guess I have no choice. I¡¯ll have our fastest carriage ready. I will also give you some money; for the time being, you will need it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s very kind of you. I¡¯ll repay you in time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I already have enough for my needs. What are you going to do now?¡±


    She must be referring to the future, after the attack on the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°I will gather people I can trust and establish myself in this country.¡±


    ¡°Fumu. Then, if you are in need of money or troops, feel free toe to me.¡±


    Seeing that Rosa held out her hand, Hiro smiled and grasped it.


    ¡°From now on, we¡¯re in this together. Don¡¯t you dare to die, okay?¡±


    Hiro nodded at Rosa¡¯s words and then decided to ask her what was bothering him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s change the subject; what does Rosa think about the attack on the Principality of Lichtine this time?¡±


    ¡°I expect it to be an easy fight¡­¡±


    It¡¯s as Hiro expected, and he sighed. No matter who he asked, he was sure to get the same answer.


    ¡°We¡¯ve defeated 15,000 enemies once. Wouldn¡¯t anyone have thought so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t let your guard down. It¡¯s a battle we can¡¯t afford to lose, considering the future.¡±


    Rosa echoed Hiro¡¯s sentiments.


    ¨D¨DIt¡¯s a fight that they can definitely win.


    He had seen many a time in the past when people who let their guard down because they thought they could win the fight were caught t-footed.


    (That¡¯s why there¡¯s no harm in worrying too much.)


    Hiro¡¯s thoughts wandered to the events taking ce far away. The Grantz Empire has many enemies, and in order to prevent other countries from taking advantage of them, it is absolutely necessary to avoid a hard fight.


    In the meantime, the time is limited, and there are few moves that can be made.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need Rosa¡¯s help with.¡±


    In order to secure a certain victory, Hiro began to take action.

 Volume 2, Chapter 3 – Incident At The South Part 1

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 3 ¨C Incident At The South Part 1</h4>


    Azubakar, the capital of the Principality of Lichtine. In the Golden Pce, the symbol of their power, the nobles were rushing around, whispering to each other and voicing their dissatisfaction with the prince¡¯s family.


    Last month, the Principality of Lichtine had suffered a painful defeat in a battle against the Grand Empire of Grantz, losing its legitimate son and third son. In addition, in the south, the demon race, which isposed of ves and mercenaries, is running rampant under the pretext of emancipation, led by a former ve girl, and there is nothing that can be done about it.


    No one took the initiative to suppress the situation, and the prince himself, having lost his nerve, led a total of 4,000 camel cavalry, 2,000 light infantry, and 1,000 ve infantry into battle four days ago.


    In the absence of the Lord, the throne room of the Golden Pce was filled with nobles with anxiety on their faces. It was about time that the sh results between the rebels and the prince¡¯s army arrived.


    Then a messenger rushed in, breathing heavily.


    ¡°My apologies, sir. The rebels have destroyed the prince¡¯s army!¡±


    The nobles groaned. They thought it was a victory report. One of the nobles then stepped forward and confronted the messenger.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s a lie, isn¡¯t it¡­? It¡¯s not true, is it? It can¡¯t be possible.¡±


    His face was pale, and he shook his head repeatedly in disbelief.


    It¡¯s no wonder he can¡¯t believe it. The number of rebels rampaging through the southern region is less than two thousand. In contrast, the prince¡¯s army is made up of the best and brightest. Although morale was low afterst month¡¯s painful defeat, it has been raised to a perfect level by the prince¡¯s own leadership. In addition, the people surrounding him were all great nobles with actual battle experience, so there should have been no problem with the chain ofmand.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    ¡°The ves¡¯ infantry turned to the rebels, and the great nobles were all killed. The prince has fought hard, but his efforts have been insufficient!¡±


    ¡°T-the ves, you say¡­¡±


    The noble moved away from the messenger with a look of bitterness on his face, bent his knees on the spot, put his forehead on the floor, and began to sob. Some of the surrounding nobles even copsed. Some were muttering that this country was finished, while others were making ns to go into exile. Everyone imagined that the Principality of Lichtine would soon fall, but there was someone who stopped such despair from spreading in the hall.


    ¡°Calm down. There is no time to grieve. We need to discuss the future. We can¡¯t let the rebels do as they please.¡±


    The nobles¡¯ gazes focused on the person who stepped into the hall. The man stopped in his steps, perhaps because of the indignant stares, but he soon began to walk on the red carpet.


    He was thin and frail, and his pale face looked as if it might copse at any moment. He is the second son of the prince of Lichtine, a young man whom no one wanted as an heir because of his weakness. His name is Karl Olk Lichtine. His title is Count.


    As he walked to the center of the nobles, he turned his pale, untanned arms toward the entrance.


    ¡°And he finally came, too.¡±


    Marquis Ranquille, the guardian of the northwest border, entered the hall with an arrogant attitude. He snickered at the frightened nobles in a somewhat rude manner.


    This man, now 34 years old, is a hero of the Principality of Lichtine, having defeated a 30,000-strong army of Steichen from the neighboring country two years ago. However, despite his talent, he was kept away from the center of the country due to his difficult personality and was left to guard the northwest border.


    ¡°I am very sorry to hear of the death of the Prince of Lichtine, but there is no time to grieve. Count Karl should take the name of the prince immediately.¡±


    Marquis Ranquille, who had suddenly appeared on the scene and had the audacity to say whatever he wanted, was met with an angry outcry from the surrounding nobles.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Karl-sama is too weak to unite the country¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t want to speak ill of the people who died, but the prince was a man who only sought profit and didn¡¯t care about the country, and his rewards and punishments were not fair, and he only looked to the big nobles. Furthermore, the legitimate son is a foolish man with a fierce temper who easily falls into the enemy¡¯s hands. The third son was also a mere breadwinner with no distinguishing characteristics whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°You! You¡¯re just insolent beyond belief!¡±


    The nobles¡¯ faces turned red with anger, and they closed in on Ranquille.


    ¡°Haha, I just told you the truth. And I¡¯m sure you all are actually happy about it, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°W-what do you mean¡­?¡±


    Do you really want me to tell you everything? You should know it.¡±


    In the prince¡¯s army that went to suppress this time, along with the prince, many of the great nobles who can be said to be the cause of this country¡¯s decline were present. The disappearance of those nobles means that the remaining nobles can take their ce.


    (Well¡­ I won¡¯t let them do whatever they want.)


    The time hase to finally normalize the country. Even if the prince had not died, this country¡¯s future was destined to be destroyed by civil war. There had always been a hint of it, but it had only been suppressed by force. It was inevitable that this time a rebel army was born.


    (However¡­ how can the situation change two or three times in such a short time?)


    The heir and the third son, who was taken in by sweet words, died in battle, and besides, the rebels defeated the prince. Ranquille felt that he could have given a prize to the rebels for saving the country.


    ¡°But fortunately, the prince¡¯s family still had some excellent people left. Karl Olk Lichtine, who cares for his people, respects his soldiers, and loves his men.¡±


    ¡°But as you can see, I¡¯m weak. I could die at any moment. How can I unite the Principality of Lichtine?¡±


    Marquis Ranquille smiled and nodded his head at the strong will in Karl¡¯s words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor, so I don¡¯t know much about your body, but in this day and age, you never know when you¡¯re going to die, and it seems to me that the healthier you are, the sooner you die.¡±


    The most promising eldest son died, and the prince, who was in good health, died before the second son, who was ill and weak.


    ¡°Haha, that is certainly true¡­¡±


    Count Karlughed out loud at the irony of his father and brothers.


    ¡°Then, it might not be a bad idea to try being a prince until the end of my life. But will the people approve of me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that either. If you defeat the rebels who defeated the prince, the people will have to ept you.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will be a prince after I have defeated the rebels.¡±


    Marquis Ranquille, who nodded his head enthusiastically, looked around at the nobles, muttering about his seriousness.


    ¡°Now, it seems that Karl-sama has made up his mind. What about you, gentlemen?¡±


    ¡°If Karl-sama has made his decision, then we have no choice. But how can we deal with the rebels who have defeated our elite?¡±


    The nobles have forgotten how to think independently, and it¡¯s disheartening to see how corrupt they have be.


    (I¡¯d like to kill them quickly, but I still have other uses for them. First, I have to squeeze the wealth they¡¯ve amassed.)


    Marquis Ranquille, who shrugged his shoulders, opened his mouth.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to go head to head with the rebels.¡±


    ¡°Marquis Ranquille¡­ can you tell us more about it?¡±


    In response to Karl¡¯s words, Marquis Ranquille said, ¡°Please wait a little longer.¡±


    A few momentster, a man came running into the hall.


    ¡°I have something to report! The Fourth Imperial Army is gathering at the Berg Fortress, and I believe they are preparing to attack us!¡±


    It was this report that he was waiting for. At this moment, Marquis Ranquille was convinced of his victory.


    A man of unparalleled wisdom, a man that other nations had said, was too much for Lichtine. Marquis Ranquille¡¯s smile deepened with joy at the opportunity to test again the wisdom that the prince had shunned out of fear.


    However, this is not the case for the lords. The lion that dominates the central continent is about to attack. The hall was filled with murmurs and trepidation.


    As if to reassure them, Marquis Ranquille raised his voice.


    ¡°Calm down! I have a n!¡±


    Marquis Ranquille was also skilled at controlling people¡¯s minds.


    If there had been even one old noble here, he would have revealed his defiance towards Ranquille. However, they had followed the prince and died in battle. Therefore, the only ones left here are the nobles who have becent. No one wants to lose their current position. More than that, they want to save their lives. That¡¯s why, although they wereining earlier, they now have no choice but to obey Marquis Ranquille.


    ¡°Karl-sama. We can leave it to the rebels to deal with the Fourth Imperial Army.¡±


    ¡°¡­You mean we should use the rebels against the Fourth Imperial Army?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I mean. There¡¯s nothing difficult about it. ording to my secret agent¡¯s report, the Fourth Imperial Army will be led by the infamous shadow general. He is just an ordinary general who became a general with the generosity of General Loing. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to toy with him.¡±


    Ranquille dug into his pockets and spread a sheet of paper¨Da map of the Principality of Lichtine¨Don the red carpet.


    ¡°Now, first of all, I would like to ask the lords to gather their troops from the forts and cities. We can¡¯t start anything without soldiers.¡±


    Hearing this, the nobles hurriedly left the hall to call for their private troops that they kept in their territories. In times like these, those who move first will gain the most. However, those whog behind will end up with a little reward. Having dealt with great nobles, they were well aware of this, and they were trying to win Count Karl¡¯s favor by leaving the hall ahead of the others.


    In contrast, those who brought soldiers but did not follow the prince, or nobles who did not have soldiers, would do nothing but throw away their private fortune. In no time at all, the hall was empty, leaving only the two nobles and the soldiers guarding them.


    ¡°Now that there are no more disturbances. Please do not tell anyone about what we are about to discuss. This is an important strategy for winning the war. Is that clear?¡±


    Marquis Ranquille¡¯s sharp gaze made Count Karl nod his head, clearing his throat.


    ¡°First of all, we have to guide the Fourth Imperial Army to meet the rebels.¡±


    ¡°Will the Fourth Imperial Army be easily led?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ll deliberately create a path for them. If we make the fort¡¯s defenses thin, we can show them that they can march more safely this way, and the shadow generals who want to take credit will bite. Then we can lead them deeper into the territory.¡±


    Count Karl¡¯s face did not clear up even though Ranquille said confidently.


    ¡°He is a general of a great empire, right? Wouldn¡¯t a general of a great empire be able to see through such a n?¡±


    ¡°Human greed has no limits. If you flick the bait at them, they will bite. All you have to do is make them think that they are on a good track. An enemy with momentum is a scary thing, but an enemy army with momentum can be cooked any way you want it to be.¡±


    Marquis Ranquille continued as Carl nodded.


    ¡°Next, we will see who wins and then attack the exhausted winner.¡±


    ¡°Fumu. We¡¯re going for the fish out of the water¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, so far, it will certainly seed. After that, it will be up to the soldiers to decide whether we can win or not¡­ but there is one thing that bothers me more.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It seems that the Republic of Steichen and the Grand Duchy of Dral have reached a truce. The fall of Felzen may have been a factor, but the death of the head of the Steichen Republic is most likely the main reason.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s going to be another problem, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°The Steichen Republic seems to be losing its unity. There is no guarantee that there will not be people who will attack us in search of an advantage.¡±


    The Principality of Lichtine lost a lot of soldiers in its two defeats. As a result of this, their defenses outside of critical areas have be thin.


    ¡°The rebels, the Grantz Empire, the Steichen Republic. Our Principality of Lichtine is very popr, even though it is despised as a ve state by many countries.¡±


    The Principality of Lichtine is a barrennd covered with the Zigur desert, but there are many people who have coveted thisnd since ancient times. The reason for this is the existence of beautiful oases scattered throughout the Zigur desert. Spirits do not approach oases where people live together, but in other words, as long as there are no people, spirits wille them. If one could get their hands on an oasis, they might be able to gather spirits and obtain spirit stones. However, they could not bypass it. This is because the Principality of Lichtine is firmly connected to the Great Grantz Empire through the ve trade.


    It was onlyst month, and now the rtionship between the two countries has be cold.


    ¡°Therefore, this battle will be short-lived.¡±


    Bandits and monsters are attacking the viges. If the people¡¯s resentment explodes, a second or third rebel army will appear. If that happens, it won¡¯t be easy to maintain the appearance of the country. Whether it is an invasion from outside or a copse from within, the Principality of Lichtine will disappear from the map.


    In order to avoid this, the only way would be to have a short war instead of prolonging it.


    ¡°Is it possible for Marquis Ranquille to do that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is possible. Therefore, I would like you to leave everything to me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Marquis Ranquille said confidently to reassure Karl, but¡­


    (We are in an extremely difficult war situation.)


    The number of soldiers that the Principality of Lichtine can gather now is probably around five thousand at best. This is not only less than half of the Fourth Imperial Army but also inferior to the rebel armies that are advancing with more troops in various ces.


    ¡°Even so, I will definitely bring victory to you.¡±


    This is a country where he was born and raised. He wanted to keep it alive at all costs. Marquis Ranquille began to formte a strategy with determination in his heart.

 Volume 2, Chapter 3 – Incident At The South Part 2

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 3 ¨C Incident At The South Part 2</h4>


    July 23, 1023rd of the Imperial Calendar. It was early in the morning when the fog had yet to clear. The metallic sound of armor and the neighing of horses were folded dozens of times into the sky.


    In front of the main gate of Berg Fortress, a huge number of cavalry and infantry were lined up. Everyone was filled with vitality and had a fierce look of tension and thrill on their faces.


    Of the 20,000 troops of the Fourth Imperial Army, there were 10,000 soldiers from the Great Grantz Empire¡¯s southern guardians. The left nk of 2,000 ismanded by Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz, the ¡°me Emperor¡± holder.


    ¡°Tris, I haven¡¯t heard much about this General Kylo, but what about his abilities?¡±


    Next to Liz was an old soldier with a majestic atmosphere¨D¨DTris.


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder the princess doesn¡¯t know about General Kylo; he¡¯s a shadow. His name is never heard all the way to the center. Moreover, there is a monster among General Kylo¡¯spetitors. He has never been able to see the light of day because he is always on the same battlefield as that monster.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ General Loing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Because of his extraordinary talent, General Kylo was deprived of all his major achievements. Even so, thanks to his steady umtion of achievements, he was promoted. Still, now he is known as the shadow general.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also true¡­ but if he went through that much trouble, he should have no problem inmanding.¡±


    Tris groaned at Liz¡¯s words.


    ¡°Fumu¡­ I wonder.¡±


    ¡°Is there something bothering you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that General Kylo tends to dislike talented people because he¡¯s been relegated to the shadows.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean he prefers hard workers to the talented?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, to put it kindly. But to put it worse, he puts off the talented.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case and it works for us, then I don¡¯t see the problem, does it?¡±


    ¡°If you keep the talented people away, you will narrow the scope of your strategy. It¡¯s only natural since you can¡¯t get a better opinion than yours.¡±


    Tris looked at Liz with worry in her eyes.


    ¡°And, Princess¡­ do you remember?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°The princess is the type of genius that General Kylo hates the most, and that is what bothers me the most.¡±


    ¡°Haha, no, no. If I were a genius, I wouldn¡¯t be practicing every day.¡±


    Liza waved her hand and denied it, but her cheeks rxed as if she were happy to be called a genius. Tris sighed deeply and pointed to the ¡°me Emperor¡± on Liz¡¯s waist.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the me Emperor. Isn¡¯t it cute?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, putting aside if it¡¯s cute or not¡­ how many spirit swords are there in the world?¡±


    ¡°Five. But one of them was lost, so now there are four.¡±


    ¡°There are only four spirit swords in the world, and one of them is on the princess¡¯ waist.¡±


    ¡°But just because I have the me Emperor doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m gifted, right?¡±


    ¡°There is always a reason why the me Emperor has chosen you. There must be some talent that even you unaware of. That¡¯s why General Kylo will make you his enemy.¡±


    ¡°Commander of the Fourth Imperial Army. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll show such childish emotions¡­¡±


    ¡°Still, you should always be cautious. Be very careful.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Tris¡¯s advice was something Liz decided to take to heart.


    (Hiro said something like that, too.)


    It reminded her of the boy with the eye patch that covered half his face. It had been ten days since he had left the ce¨D¨Dand it was two days before his departure.


    As usual, Hiro was holed up in his study at the Berg Fortress. Liz went to pick up Hiro, who had not eaten breakfast and was absorbed in reading.


    ¡°Liz. What do you think is necessary for war?¡±


    As soon as Liz entered the room, Hiro suddenly threw out a question.


    ¡°Um¡­ soldiers, food, and¨D¨D¡­ oh, and information!¡±


    ¡°Certainly, those three things are important. But don¡¯t forget that you can only start a war if there is a cause.¡±


    Hiro smiled bitterly and looked straight at Liz.


    ¡°In the meantime, let¡¯s talk about the causeter, and let¡¯s talk about the information now.¡±


    The childishness that had been there earlier was gone from Hiro¡¯s expression.


    (This face again.)


    This boy has many faces. He usually has a weak face suitable for his age, but on the battlefield, he has a ruthless expression that makes you wonder what he¡¯s thinking. And when he is using his wits, as he is now, he has an interesting expression on his face. She wondered what his true face was, and if possible, she hoped that it was the usual Hiro of his age. Liz listened to his story, hoping for the best.


    ¡°¨D¨DUntil the timees, we should let the spies hide in the enemy country for years or even decades. Based on the information umted, we canpare it with the recent reports and start preparing for war.¡±


    Hiro closed the book he was holding in his hand.


    ¡°We have gained the support of the people for our cause. The training and morale of the soldiers are perfect. We¡¯ve got enough food and drink, and we¡¯ve got information about the enemy. All that was left was to start the war.¡±


    But, after a pause, Hiro said.


    ¡°There are times when you can have all of these things and still lose. It¡¯s when themander can¡¯t make use of the information.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what the staff is for?¡±


    ¡°A man who keeps a self-disciplined staff around him is proof that he is well aware of his own shorings. I think such people are capable of. But don¡¯t forget that not allmanders are like that. There aremanders who keep away those who are better than them and gather those who are less talented than them.¡±


    There aremanders everywhere, from all times and all ces, whose only title is honorable. Ordinary generals are often jealous of the talents of others. Therefore, if a talented person is not blessed with a superior, they will not appear on the stage but will be nipped in the bud and disappear. As a woman, Liz is favored by the ¡°me Emperor¡± and has the chosen bloodline of the Grantz Imperial Family, which would not be attractive to them at all.


    ¡°Liz¡¯s rank is Major General, so you can be givenmand, but you can also be added to someone¡¯s staff. So be careful not to deny it in front of the staff, no matter how wrong themander is. Amander with a bruised ego will put you through many trials.¡±


    ¡°But if you don¡¯t point out when they¡¯re wrong, there will be consequences.¡±


    ¡°So be prepared. You should be prepared for anything. You¡¯ll be in close contact with your unitmanders.¡±


    ¡°But will they ept me?¡±


    ¡°Use your title as the sixth princess to your advantage. You also have the me Emperor, so they¡¯ll be happy and excited to hear from you.¡±


    Hiro quietly opened his hands, his dark eyes shining.


    ¡°The soldiers will certainly listen to your words since you are the favored of the me Emperor. It will be effective in the time toe.¡±


    ¡°When ites?¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes widened, and she looked at Hiro, but he only smiled and did not give her an answer.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about the cause,¡± Hiro said smoothly.


    (The conversation ended just as the sun was setting¡­)


    Her head starts to hurt just thinking about it. Liz shook her head and looked forward.


    ¡°Tris.¡±


    ¡°Yes. What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°I need you to look up the names of the thousand, five hundred, one hundred and ten g captains.¡±


    Tris tilted his head. The name of the captain of each of the two thousand troops she was leading should be in her memory. Then Tris pondered and suddenly seemed to realize and turned her gaze to Liz.


    ¡°You mean the entire army?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We have to be ready in case General Kylo makes a mistake.¡±


    It would be nice if it were all for nothing, but anything can happen on the battlefield.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you. Tris.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Understood. I¡¯ll look into it right away.¡±


    Tris hung down his head, reverently on his horse, then turned his head and disappeared into the waves of soldiers.


    As Liz watched, she grasped the handle of the me Emperor.


    A number of drums were beaten from the main camp, and the sound rushed through the soldiers. Arge number of heraldic banners fluttered into the sky from the main camp. Liz watched and raised her hand to signal the g bearers.


    The heraldic g with lilies on a red background is flying in the wind, and the lion on a gold background g of the Grantz Imperial family is also raised at the same time. Thus, all the troops quickly began to march towards the Principality of Lichtine.


    £ª£ª£ª


    July 26, 1023rd of the Imperial Calendar¨D¨Dthree days after Liz and the others began their march.


    Hiro had arrived at the frontier city of Lynx.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.


    In front of the mansion, Kiork was waiting for Hiro with a friendly smile on his face. Next to him was Swift Dragon, who looked unhappy at being woken up so early in the morning.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting for me this early?¡±


    It hadn¡¯t even been a second since the sun had risen. In the first ce, Hiro had not even informed him of the expected arrival date, so it was no wonder that Hiro was surprised. When Hiro wondered how long he had been waiting for him, he was filled with apology. However, Kiork shook his head, saying there was nothing to worry about.


    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s natural since it¡¯s the Imperial family that ising to my house. I sent representatives to pick you up at the station as well, but it seems they got mixed up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    After giving a wry smile to Hiro, who shrank back, Kiork went through his pockets and pulled out a letter.


    It was a letter that Hiro had sent using the Kelheit family¡¯s messenger.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done what you wrote in your letter. But is this all you needed?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is enough. Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you bow to me so many times. You¡¯re a prince now, so I should be one who is grateful for the orders that you gave me.¡±


    ¡°That was, as expected¡­¡±


    Hiro¡¯s cheeks tightened as he realized that there was no way he could say anything. Kiork nodded his head in agreement, then tapped him on the shoulder as if to say, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what you are.¡±


    Hiro was slightly taken aback by Kiork¡¯s strangely high mood from this morning. Kiork noticed this and scratched his head with an embarrassed look on his face.


    ¡°Aah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been up all night, and I¡¯m d you¡¯ve been recognized as a descendant. I was a little too familiar with you. It¡¯s not polite to do this to a prince.¡±


    It was probably Hiro¡¯s fault that he had been up all night. So he can¡¯t say anything about it, and Kiork is a good-natured person, so a tap on the shoulder won¡¯t offend him. If it had been the first prince Stobel, he would have been annoyed.


    Before the silence fell between them, Hiro decided to change the subject.


    ¡°Has Liz gone off to war?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The letter just arrived the day before yesterday. She¡¯s probably making her way through the Lichtine territory by now.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll excuse myself¡­¡±


    Kiork stopped Hiro, who was about to step on the Swift Dragon, in a hurry.


    ¡°You¡¯re going without breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Yes, something is bothering me¡­¡±


    One of the things written in the emperor¡¯s letter¨D¨Dthe appearance of the demon race. The current demon race that exists in the central continent is a mix of other races, and there are no purebloods.


    However, the fact that they took the trouble to report it means that the demon race that has appeared in the Principality of Lichtine is most likely pure-blooded.


    Hiro had fought for supremacy with the demon race a thousand years ago, and he knew firsthand how strong they were.


    (If it¡¯s a half-decent demon, Liz can probably handle it, but if it¡¯s the one with the demon stone, it would be dangerous.)


    The demon race possesses a mysterious power called magic. Some of them have little magic power, while others have an excessive amount. The only way to distinguish them is to see if they have a crystal somewhere in their body.


    Magic power that cannot be contained within the body umtes outside the body and crystallizes. The name ¡°Demon Stone¡± has been established because it exerts a power simr to that of a spirit stone.


    It¡¯s not hard to imagine that it would be a very dangerous situation if it were toe into contact with Liz.


    Although he may not have understood Hiro¡¯s thoughtfulness, Kiork put a wry smile on his neat face.


    ¡°Then you should buy some food and water in the town. Perhaps when you take a break along the way¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro called out to Kiork, who had begun to rummage through his pockets again, and stopped him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve got food and water here.¡±


    He then twisted his body to reveal the jute bag on his back.


    ¡°I see. Well, then, go ahead and be careful. I¡¯ll be here waiting for good news.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    After saying goodbye to Kiork, who was smiling like a mother, Hiro stepped onto the Swift Dragon and pulled on the reins. When the Swift Dragon jumped up and ran, it stamped its feet on the ground with great strength.


    In the blink of an eye, the mansion was far away. A strong wind pped Hiro¡¯s cheeks and made his ck coat flutter.

 Volume 2, Chapter 3 – Incident At The South Part 3

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 3 ¨C Incident At The South Part 3</h4>


    After invading the Principality of Lichtine, the Fourth Imperial Army continued to advance at an astonishing speed. Even if the enemy¡¯sck of resistance was one of the reasons, the fortresses fell one after another in less than half a day.


    They are currently twelve cells (thirty-six kilometers) away from Azbakar, the capital of the Principality of Lichtine.


    The Fourth Imperial Army had just fallen two more forts today and had halted their advance to give their soldiers and horses a rest. In their main camp, a military council is being held to decide the future course of action.


    A simple tent surrounded the camp. Inside of it, General Kylo was in the top seat, and Liz was on his right. Amidst the tense atmosphere, one of the staff raises his hand.


    ¡°May we begin the next topic?¡±


    ¡°Umu. Sure, start it.¡±


    With General Kylo¡¯s permission, the staff stood up with the reconnaissance unit report in their hands.


    ¡°A rebel army has appeared south of the Principality of Lichtine. It seems that they are currently moving northward and heading towards us. If this continues, a sh is inevitable.¡±


    General Kylo snorted in disgust as he received the report from his staff. He looked at the map spread out on his desk and the pieces on it.


    ¡°How many rebels are there?¡±


    ¡°About four thousand. It seems that they have kicked out the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s defensive forces and are hiring mercenaries and incorporating the surrounding ves into their army one after another. By the time they encounter us, there will probably be more than six thousand of them.¡±


    ¡°Fumu. What about the movements of the Principality of Lichtine?¡±


    ¡°ording to the reports from my informants, they have gathered their troops and are holed up in the capital. The report from the secret agent is the same, so it must be true. I think they are preparing for a siege.¡±


    ¡°Hunkering down like a turtle, it seems like a cowardly wind has blown. But it is all settled¨D¨D.¡±


    General Kylo held up his hand generously over the map.


    ¡°First, we must defeat the rebels who stand in our way. Let¡¯s incorporate them into our army. But we only need the mercenaries. Cut off all the ves¡¯ heads. After that, let¡¯s capture the capital and return to our homnd in triumph.¡±


    There was no objection from the staff. General Kylo nodded in satisfaction, but he noticed that Liz was staring at the map in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Princess, is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°The soldiers and horses are exhausted from the reckless march so far.¡±


    They¡¯ve destroyed several forts. The defenses are thin, and they¡¯ve won many battles in a row. It can be said that they are doing frighteningly well. Thanks to this, the morale of the soldiers is high.


    However, even though they were able to trounce them, there was inevitably no small amount of resistance. The battle still continues. Whether defeating the rebels or dropping the enemy¡¯s capital, they need to rest.


    Just thinking about the consequences of umted fatigue is frightening.


    ¡°If the rest is not possible, then we should stick to our n and negotiate for the northern oasis city of Bruno.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand it, Princess.¡±


    There was an echo of mockery in General Kylo¡¯s tone of voice. Liz was aware of this, but she listened in silence.


    ¡°You can¡¯t treat the Fourth Imperial Army the same way you treat other countries¡¯ soldiers. They¡¯ve been training hard and building up their strength for this moment. They won¡¯t get tired from a half-hearted assault.¡±


    ¡°But they are still humans. It¡¯s impossible for them to keep fighting.¡±


    ¡°ording to the n, we only need to do two more attacks¨D¨Ddestroy the rebel army and capture the capital of the Principality of Lichtine. If we do that, we¡¯ll have half of the Principality of Lichtine, not to mention the whole northern part of it.¡±


    ¡°The Emperor doesn¡¯t want to destroy the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°Just because the capital fell doesn¡¯t mean it will be destroyed. Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll leave the south for them. The ve ships won¡¯t be able to dock there.¡±


    With a hint of disgust at General Kylo¡¯s triumphant mood, Liz spoke up in rebuttal.


    ¡°If we do that, the Fourth Imperial Army will be glued to the Principality of Lichtine. If the south¡¯s defenses are thin, there is no telling what the Steichen Republic will do. Besides, the Principality of Lichtine will be eager to take back the capital. If the stability in the south copses, it will be a disaster we can¡¯t even imagine.¡±


    ¡°At that time, we can just destroy the Principality of Lichtine. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Then General Kylo lifted the corners of his mouth and looked at Liz.


    ¡°The Princess is tired. That is why you keep saying such cowardly things. You can return to yourmand now that the military council is over. You can stay in the rear if you want.¡±


    Liz was tempted to shout at him, but she clenched her fists and restrained herself. But the anger didn¡¯t go away easily. General Kylo¡¯s second-inmand, Kigui, saw the anger on her face and reproached her for it.


    ¡°You are a member of the staff now. Your status as a princess has nothing to do with this. Showing emotion is not admirable. You should also be careful about what you say that could afflict His Excellency. You should control yourself.¡±


    ¡°Kigui, you shouldn¡¯t say that. The princess is still young and has only been a soldier for a short time. It would be unreasonable to expect her to know the rules of the military right away. It is best if she learns it slowly from now on.¡±


    Isn¡¯t that right? General Kylo asked his staff, and they nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Princess. Don¡¯t worry. We will give you a chance to make your mark.¡±


    General Kylo gave a small smile and turned his attention to the map. It may be a gesture to indicate that he was not going to talk anymore.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Then I¡¯ll take your word for it and rest.¡±


    If she vented her frustration here, it would only make her position worse. The only people around were the bootlicker staff officers. When Liz stood up from her chair, she walked out of the tent with a resentful stride.


    Then Tris brought her beloved horse to a halt in front of her.


    ¡°Princess. Is the military council over?¡±


    ¡°General Kylo seems to have no idea what¡¯sing next.¡±


    Liz, astride her beloved horse, turned her horse¡¯s head toward her own camp.


    ¡°Fumu¡­ As expected, there was no way to change his mind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are going to defeat the rebels and invade Azbakar.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s full of ambition. I thought he was a cautious man.¡±


    ¡°Yes. How are the preparations going?¡±


    ¡°Sixty percent, I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll write another letter for him.¡±


    When she returned to the camp, Liz looked up at the sky. The wind was blowing hard, and the dust was rising heavily, obscuring her vision.


    ¡°There¡¯s something unnatural about this. Why the wind all of a sudden¡­?¡±


    This was the first time something like this had happened since they had invaded the Principality of Lichtine. If it were a gust of wind, it would be impossible for a storm-like wind tost forever.


    It was then that Liz suddenly noticed that the ¡°me Emperor¡± was trembling slightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Princess? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Liz didn¡¯t answer Tris¡¯s question but squinted ahead. Then the wind suddenly disappeared with the dust. And then¨Din front of her eyes¨Dthere was a massive army of camel cavalry.


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous¡­ Why is the enemy getting so close? What were the watchmen doing?¡±


    Tris shouted in agitation. The soldiers around him were also upset by the sudden attack of the enemy.


    ¡°Calm down! Get into position! Blow the horn to notify the main camp!¡±


    Liz was calm. She drew her me Emperor from its sheath and raised her voice.


    ¡°Tris! Can we move now?¡±


    ¡°The first cavalry battalion is ready to go. The second cavalry battalion may take a while.¡±


    ¡°All right! Then bring the first cavalry battalion forward!¡±


    As Liz kicked the horse¡¯s belly and moved forward, Tris shouted in surprise.


    ¡°Princess! Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you some time so you can get ready!¡±


    Moving through the gap between the cavalry, Liz stopped her horse a short distance away. Arge cloud of dust was rising in front of her. It was closing in on Liz like a wave.


    The distance was about 90 roos (270 meters).


    She gripped the hilt of her ¡°me Emperor¡± tightly as she looked at the camel cavalry.


    When the camel cavalry approached at a distance of 37 roos (111 meters)


    ¡°No need to hold back. I¡¯ll burn them to the ground!¡±


    At that moment, mes erupted from the tip of the ¡°me Emperor¡± de. The mes scorched the air, and a dry heat spread throughout the area. The mes spread rapidly to the sides, forming arge wall thatpletely cut off the two sides.


    Cheers erupted from the allies at the fantastic sight.


    ¡°The enemy will avoid the mes and spread out to the left and right!¡±


    With her horse¡¯s head turned, Liz headed for the front line of the first cavalry battalion.


    ¡°The first cavalry battalion will be the first to go. First Cavalry Battalion, follow me!¡±


    ¡°Princess!¡±


    Tris is riding up to her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°The second battalion is ready!¡±


    ¡°Then instruct them to nk the enemy! Send word to the main camp, tell them to bring the reserve cavalry to the rear! We¡¯ll surround them and destroy them!¡±


    ¡°Very well! May the Twelve Grantz Gods bless you!¡±


    ¡°You too, Tris! The first battalion, let¡¯s go!¡±


    As Liz looked forward, a startling sight unfolded. A wave of sand was attacking the me wall.


    ¡°No way¡­ How?¡±


    The me wall was buried entirely in the sand even while she was caught off guard. Arge number of camel cavalry jumped out of the sand smoke high in the sky.


    Liz, regaining herposure at the sight of them, swung the me Emperor forward, and shouted.


    ¡°Kuh, don¡¯t let the enemy gain momentum! First Cavalry Battalion, charge!¡±


    She pulled on the reins and kicked the horse¡¯s belly. Behind Liz, who jumped into the lead with great vigor, a thousand cavalrymen were shouting, ¡°Follow Her Highness!.¡±


    Liz intersected with the leading group of the enemy. As Liz lowered her body, a spear passed over her head. She quickly wielded her ¡°me Emperor¡± to cut through the enemy¡¯s body.


    ¡°Gobuhh¡­!¡±


    She took one look at the enemy as he fell from the camel, blood sttering all over him, and then she created a mass of mes from the de of her me Emperor and shot it forward. In the blink of an eye, the mes engulfed many enemy soldiers, causing them to scream.


    Many of the camel cavalries could not evade the fire in time, their bodies burning and reeking as they rolled in the desert. A cloud of blood covered the battlefield as horseshoes crushed the bodies.


    ¡°They copsed! Don¡¯t give them time to get in line! We¡¯ll crush them like this!¡±


    The camels that had lost their riders were beginning to il in fear of the hot wind. The enemy¡¯s ranks had begun to fall into disarray. There, the cavalry attacked at a furious pace, their spearheads shing as they pierced the enemy soldiers.


    Liz also unleashed a series of shes, killing the enemy soldiers, whose faces were drawn up in fear. The stench of death invaded the air, and the more corpses there were, the thicker the odor became.


    ¡°There¡¯s a fearless little girl here!¡±


    The one who shouted this was the one who jumped over the corpses from the front and rushed forward. He lightly lifted arge sword as tall as his body with one hand and kicked the cavalrymen in his path, cutting them in half and scattering them.


    When Liz saw the man with the pale purple skin, tension shed across her face.


    ¡°¡­Why are the demon here?¡±


    The man on the back of the camel leaps. Bloody dust flew up in front of Liz¡¯s eyes. The man¡¯s big sword roared in the wind. Liz quickly readied her ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    A momentter, Liz¡¯s sword collided with the big sword with a loud spark.


    ¡°Guh!?¡±


    Liz¡¯s body floated in the air with her horse. The demon¡¯s power is unbelievable for an average person, but Liz, who is pushing it back, is not umon either.


    ¡°Haaaaaaah!¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Although it may have been received by the big sword, the demon¡¯s expression changes when it is pushed back. The demon who took a distance from Liz turned his gaze to the me Emperor and opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­Spirit Sword?¡±


    ¡°Ara, I wonder.¡±


    Liz hid the numbness in her hands and smiled so as not to be recognized.


    ¡°You can¡¯t have this kind of power with a body as slender as a little girl¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s too early to judge from that.¡±


    In response to Liz¡¯s words, the demon stabbed his greatsword into the ground.


    ¡°There is no point in trying to hide it. Mine is one of the five demon emperor sword, the Creation Demon. There are only a limited number of swords in Alethia that can take on the Demon Emperor Sword.¡±


    The Demon Emperor¡¯s Five Swords.


    These are the five treasured swords that were refined by the demons a thousand years ago in order to counter the five emperors of the Spirit Sword.


    They contain the souls of demons and, like the spirit swords, have a will of their own. The sword owner is chosen differently, and sometimes a person other than the demon race is selected, in which case it is said that some kind of curse will befall them.


    ¡°You know what I mean. You know that when they meet their long-time nemesis, they resonate with each other.¡±


    The demon told her, and Liz looked down at the ¡°me Emperor.¡± The red de emitted enough heat to distort the space. To urge her to fight quickly.


    Liz red at the demon in front of her as she soothed the me Emperor.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right, this is the me Emperor, one of the five emperors of the Spirit Sword.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the first emperor¡¯s favorite sword, the ¡°me Emperor,¡± it¡¯s well written in the lore. It¡¯s an honor to meet you. I believe it is said that its blessing was Extraordinary Strength?¡±


    A strong wind blew as the man swung his greatsword.


    ¡°The Creation Demon¡¯s blessing is ¡°Shock.¡± The proof is in the fact that the little girl¡¯s hands are numb. However, since we are both in a hurry, why don¡¯t we cross des?¡±


    The demon twisted his mouth in amusement.


    ¡°My name is Ghada Meteor. I am the second-inmand of the Liberation Army.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.¡±


    Liz jumped off the back of her horse and readied her me Emperor. At this time, the Fourth Imperial Army was decimating the rebel army. It¡¯s not only that they are outnumbered, but the second cavalry battalion is biting them from the nks, and the reserve cavalry is trying to get around behind them.


    Ghada must have noticed. He looked around and then turned to Liz.


    ¡°It looks like we don¡¯t have much time. Why don¡¯t we settle this quickly?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be in such a hurry. I¡¯ve got plenty of time!¡±


    Liz jumped at Ghada as if she were dancing, but her attack was easily caught. He¡¯s a demon sword wielder, so Liz doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s easy to get ahead of him.


    ¡°Do you know, I can even create mes.¡±


    ¡°Hou~?¡±


    The red ripples emerged, and the me snake attacked Ghada. Ghada, who repelled the red de, ducked down and put his hands on the ground. The sand, which is controlled by magic power, rose up and became a wall, blocking the me snake.


    Liz mmed her fist into the wall of sand.


    ¡°Haahh!¡±


    Liz¡¯s arm pierced the wall with a frighteningly monstrous force.


    ¡°Wha¨D¨DGoohhh!?¡±


    The fist hit Ghada¡¯s face, which caught him by surprise, and he was blown away by the sheer force of the fist. Liz smiled and told Ghada, who stopped after spinning around on the ground one, two times.


    ¡°Ara, did you forget about the blessings of the me Emperor?¡±


    Ghada wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his smile deepened.


    ¡°An ordinary man would have been knocked unconscious!¡±


    Ghada instantly crushes the distance between them and skillfully maniptes the Creation Demon, swinging it over Liz¡¯s head.


    ¡°Guh!?¡±


    Liz was able to receive it by raising her ¡°me Emperor.¡± Her ankles were buried in the sand from excessive power.


    ¡°You should not think that you can stop me with that!¡±


    Liz immediately kicked out her right foot. However, Ghada easily catches it with one hand. Liz levitated her body and used her left foot to kick the upper part of Ghada¡¯s sr plexus.


    ¡°Fuguh!¡±


    Ghada retreated, holding his stomach, and threw away Liz¡¯s right leg, which he had grabbed. Liz, who had adjusted her stance nicely while flying through the air,nded with her left hand on the ground.


    Shended on the ground with her left hand, but there was no ¡°me Emperor¡± in her hand, and it dropped to the ground. She looked down at her trembling right hand with a frown on her face. She¡¯s numbed by the ¡°Shock¡± of the ¡°Creation Demon.¡±


    ¡°¡­What a troublesome animal strength¡­ but when it¡¯s numb, it won¡¯t give you any strength.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it rude to call a weak girl like that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, too. For someone who has been favored by the Spirit Sword, it was a bit rude.¡±


    Both of them stared at each other for a little while, but suddenly Ghada removed his gaze and looked around. There was a shadowy mix of screams and yells. Many of hisrades had be corpses, their flesh and blood coloring the desert. Ghada wrinkled his brow in displeasure.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say sorry and let us get serious. But that will have to wait for another time.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to let you get away with this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself. Are you going to fight with your hands like that?¡±


    As Ghada had pointed out, Liz¡¯s hand was still numb.


    Ghada jumped on the camel and looked down at Liz.


    ¡°You have talent. If you continue to train at this rate, you will surpass me in five years.¡±


    Just as Ghada said that, one of the rebel camel cavalrymen came running up.


    ¡°Leader! We can¡¯t hold it any longer!¡±


    ¡°I know. We¡¯ve achieved our goal. We¡¯re retreating!¡±


    ¡°P-please wait!¡±


    Liz picked up the me Emperor and readied it, but Ghada only nced at her and left the battlefield.


    ¡°Princess! Are you okay?¡±


    Tris came to Liz, who was ring at Ghada¡¯s back in frustration.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s the damage?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard any reports yet, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s been much damage. The princess has attracted a troublesome demon. Shall we pursue him?¡±


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t need to pursue him. Let¡¯s leave the rest to General Kylo. The horses and soldiers are tired from the long ride, so let them rest as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Liz sighed deeply, and her strength drained from her body.


    ¡°Tsk, I¡¯m not yet enough, huh?¡±


    I¡¯m not as good as Hiro yet. Said Liz with a weak smile.

 Volume 2, Chapter 3 – Incident At The South Part 4

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 3 ¨C Incident At The South Part 4</h4>


    The radiant sun, rising from the eastern sky, was beginning to light up the horizon as it tilted to the west and turned into the setting sun. Soon, the ck curtain would be lowered, and night would take over the earth.


    A dragon was running through the desert where the hot wind was blowing.


    Its legs are not entangled in the sand, and it is running gracefully and sometimes robustly like the wind. Riding on the dragon¡¯s back was Hiro, a man who could not ride a horse, but somehow he could ride the dragon and control it without being thrown off.


    The destination is just around the corner, but considering¡­ the swift dragon, they need to take a break.


    ¡°There should be a vige around here.¡±


    He slowed the dragon down and took out a sheet of paper from his breast pocket¨Da map of the Principality of Lichtine. He looked around in the distance and spotted a small shadow on the horizon.


    ¡°Can you hang on just a little longer?¡±


    The dragon nodded its head and started running again.


    The shadows grewrger andrger until they were within sight of a row of earthen houses. Hiro immediately sensed something was wrong. No, even if it weren¡¯t Hiro, one would have noticed something strange in the small vige. Hiro stepped down from the swift dragon and walked into the vige, looking around. The vige was filled with a strange silence, and all the people looked anxious.


    Hiro immediately pulled the hood of the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± and put it over his eyes.


    ¡°Um, excuse me. Is there something that happened?¡±


    Hiro called out to a nearby farmer. The farmer was startled by Hiro¡¯s appearance and opened his mouth with an rmed look on his face.


    ¡°¡­Are you a traveler?¡±


    It was hard to imagine how he would react if Hiro told him that he had entered the country from the Great Grantz Empire. So Hiro introduced himself as a traveler from the Steichen Republic, a neighboring country of the Principality of Lichtine.


    The Principality of Lichtine was initially a part of the neighboring Steichen Republic until two hundred years ago. Perhaps it was because of this, but the farmer¡¯s expression faded slightly in rm.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯vee this far away from home. But it seems that you havee at a troublesome time.¡±


    He was probably referring to the fact that the Great Grantz Empire had attacked. There is another possibility¡­ but Hiro wanted to get some information, so he decided to listen to the conversation in depth.


    ¡°It appears that the Great Grantz Empire is invading.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just that. In the south, ves are on the rampage. The prince¡¯s army has been defeated, and even the survival of the country is at stake.¡±


    ¡°¡­The prince¡¯s army was defeated?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why the young prince Karl stood up. He started to gather soldiers again to defeat the rebels. Because of that, the area around here is fragile. Bandits are running rampant here and there. Not only that, but even the monsters have started to swarm. And then the Empire¡¯s army came along. I heard they¡¯re moving south at breakneck speed and closing in on the capital.¡±


    ¡°The capital¡­?¡±


    The emperor¡¯s order was to seize the northern part of the country and then let the Principality of Lichtine negotiate with them. Why is it that they are closing in on the capital on their own?


    (Have they lost their minds?)


    The Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s role is to take possession of the oasis cities in the north and then watch the other countries¡¯ movements bordering the south. The current Great Grantz Empire doesn¡¯t have time to worry about the Principality of Lichtine.


    The emperor¡¯s focus is currently on the Felzen territory, and the nobles in the center of the empire are searching for various interests. If you report that you have destroyed the Principality of Lichtine, you may bemented, and you won¡¯t be appreciated.


    (¡­And what if they lose?)


    No matter how strong the Fourth Imperial Army is, it will not be easy. The other side¡¯s resistance will be fierce to prevent the destruction of the country, and the war may be prolonged. This means that the south will be worn out, leading to a decline in national power. Furthermore, military supplies are not avable for free. There is a limit to what can be procured in enemy countries.


    (If there is a shortage of food, there is only one thing to do. I hope Liz didn¡¯t sh with hermanding officer.)


    The farmer called out to Hiro, who was thinking silently.


    ¡°You¡¯d better get the hell out of here before you get caught in the crossfire.¡±


    ¡°You people aren¡¯t running away?¡±


    Hiro thought it was a stupid question, but he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°What will happen if we abandon ournd and run? We don¡¯t have any savings. There are no reserves, and we will starve to death. Besides, when the war is over, the soldiers wille back.¡±


    The farmer picked up the rusty sword at his feet and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Other countries may call us a ve state or barrennd, but this is thend where I was born and raised. No matter what hardships we face, we will endure until the soldiers return.¡±


    His attitude was strong, but if you looked at his legs, you could see that his knees were trembling.


    The nobles with deep pockets should just go into exile in another country. However, they can¡¯t afford to do so, and only a handful of them can survive away from their birthce.


    Hiro was about to open his mouth to advise such a healthy farmer. Then a viger shouted at them from the entrance of the vige.


    ¡°It¡¯s a disaster! There¡¯s a group of bandits heading this way!¡±


    The man was pointing to a cloud of dust that was spreading out horizontally. It was getting closer and closer, and the vigers were in an uproar.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same people who have attacked us before?¡±


    ¡°Shit, those bastards¡­ we¡¯ll pay them back!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m ready to fight this time too! This is our chance to get the kidnapped child back!¡±


    Hiro listened to the vigers¡¯ words and then called out to the farmer in front of him.


    ¡°Have you ever been attacked before?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The prince invaded the Great Grantz Empire. The bandits took advantage of that. For bandits, if the garrison doesn¡¯te to the rescue, the vige is a good feeding ground. Every vige is the same, and many women and children are kidnapped.¡±


    The farmer¡¯s expression tightened as he pped his cheeks with his hands. ¡°My children, too,¡± he said regretfully.


    ¡°Get the women and children to my house! Men, take your weapons! Don¡¯t let them have any more control over us!¡±


    The farmer raised his voice and then turned to Hiro.


    ¡°You should get the hell out of here.¡±


    Hiro shook his head several times. It¡¯s not only the Principality of Lichtine that caused this to happen but also the Great Grantz Empire that took revenge. The people of other countries must not be harmed unnecessarily. Even if the empire doesn¡¯t do it directly, they still have a part to me, so Hiro thought he must fight.


    ¡°¡­Let me handle this.¡±


    ¡°H-hey. What are you¨D¨D?¡±


    As soon as Hiro walked out of the vige, he was surrounded by bandits.


    ¡°Are you a representative of the vige?¡±


    Three of the bandits were astride camels. In the back, there were seventeen shabbily dressed bandits.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m asking you.¡±


    The man in the center is probably the leader of the bandits. He was wearing a silver armor that stood out from the rest of the bandits and shone in the evening sun. The two men on either side of him had lesser equipment, but they seemed to be more robust than the rest of the bandits around them. Hiro¡¯s voice trembled as he acted as if he was frightened.


    ¡°Um¡­ Is there any way to negotiate? We¡¯ll pay you some money.¡±


    ¡°There is no negotiation. We will take every single thing from your vige.¡±


    ¡°I see¨D¨Dthen I have no choice.¡±


    As soon as Hiro summoned the Heavenly Emperor, he thrust it into the ground and spread his arms. A gust of wind pped the hem of his ck robe and tossed the hood that hid Hiro¡¯s face, revealing his face.


    ¡°Who wants to die first?¡±


    The bandits around him burst intoughter at his words.


    ¡°You¡¯re a funny kid, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I think I just heard the best joke of the year.¡±


    ¡°Wait, this could be a new kind of negotiation. Hey, kid! Let me die first!¡±


    A manes forward with tears in his eyes.


    ¡°You first.¡±


    From the men¡¯s point of view, there was no sign that Hiro had moved. Even the sound of wind could not be heard, and the silver sword was still stuck in the ground. But the man who approached Hiro lost his head, and a spray of blood dyed the sky redder than the setting sun.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What the hell is happened¡­?¡±


    The men could not sense the change in the situation even though they were covered in theirpanion¡¯s blood. The blood spattering the desert dyed it vermilion and the body of the man who lost his head copsed.


    Then Hiro once again, in the same position as before, with his arms outstretched, ruthlessly said:


    ¡°Who wants to die next?¡±


    His hair, which was as deep as the darkness, seemed to embody the darkness, and his eyes of the same color could bepared to obsidian. The light that shines in the depths of his eyes is as cold as the snowy Graozam Mountains, even in the hot and humid desert.


    ¡°Hyiii¡­¡±


    A voice that could not be described as a scream came out of the back of the throat of a timid-looking bandit. He backed away and turned away, but before he knew it, his head was lying on the sand.


    The sound of falling bodies drew everyone¡¯s attention to it.


    ¡°Now, are you still going for it?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s voice sent shivers down their spines, and the bandits¡¯ faces tightened in unison. The bandit on the camel let out an inaudible scream and raised his sword. Hiro didn¡¯t look like he was swinging his hand, but this bandit also lost his head.


    But¨Dthe boy has done nothing. That¡¯s how it looks to the bandits.


    ¡°¡­I will let some of you live. So that you can tell the whereabouts of the people you kidnapped.¡±


    Hiro grasped the handle of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± and twisted his body. The ck robe spread out in front of the bandits¡¯ eyes. It was jet ck, a symbol of darkness, and a sign of fear.


    Everyone was appalled and stiffened at the sight. One of the bandits was cut down. The bandit next to him has kicked away with a loud blow through the body. Immediately after that¨Dthe figure of Hiro in the middle of the bandits disappeared, and a silvery-white line easily passed through the bandits¡¯ bodies.


    It was as if they were wearing no armor at all. The bandits were cut down as easily as if they were ripping silk. With a single swing, everyone¡¯s life light was extinguished, and their blood was sucked out by the desert.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaah!¡±


    The bandits fell into a panic as they saw theirpanions dying. They didn¡¯t know what kind of attack they were under, so it was understandable. The bandits reacted in various ways. Some fled. Some bravely stood firm. Some were too terrified to move from the spot. But those who turned their backs were cut in half, those who stood firm were decapitated, and the deadly de struck down those who could not move.


    ¡°¡­What the hell is happening?¡±


    No other words cane to mind that can describe this. The expression of the leader says so.


    ¡°I-is it a dream¡­?¡±


    The leader¡¯s eyes blinked as he looked at the corpses that had just been alive a short while ago. Then one of his subordinates, whose face had turned pale, approached him.


    ¡°Boss! We should run! That guy is a monste¨D¨D!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish what he was saying and drowned himself in the sand as if he were offering his body. The screams of the bandits spread through the quiet space and fear took over the ce.


    ¡°Damn it, you guys, let¡¯s run!¡±


    The bandit leader tried to escape by turning the camel¡¯s head around. As soon as he was in a position to escape, Hiro kicked the ground, grabbed the bandit¡¯s head, and pulled him off the camel¡¯s back. Hiro, without hesitation, mmed his fist down on the face of the fallen leader.


    ¡°Agaahh, Higuhh!? Ooo!?¡±


    After swinging his fist down several times, Hiro finally struck the leader¡¯s face with his leg, causing him to faint in agony.


    Then, Hiro dexterously rotated the hilt of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± in his opposite hand and positioned it horizontally. One of the bandits was pointing the tip of the sword at him, and he let go of the weapon and burst into tears. He was trying to sh Hiro from behind but failed.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me! I will not¡­ attack the vige again!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°R-really?¡±


    ¡°Only if you can escape from here, though.¡±


    ¡°Eeh¨D¨DAgaahh!?¡±


    The man¡¯s face lit up with hope. But then, a de was thrust into his neck, causing his life to end.


    As soon as the man copsed with a lot of blood pouring out of his mouth, the rest of the bandits threw down their weapons and scattered in all directions to escape. Hiro coldly looked at the back of the bandits, shed his white silver, and left the scene.


    The vigers who had been watching were in a state of shock. In the blink of an eye, a group of twenty bandits had been destroyed without even striking the vige, a fact that left the vigers speechless.


    Then Hiro approached the vige. In his hand, he grabbed the leader¡¯s head. Hiro threw the unconscious leader to the vigers.


    ¡°He is the leader of the people who plundered your vige. I leave it to you to deal with him.¡±


    Hiro turned his back on the bewildered vigers and approached the swift dragon, who was resting in the shade of a tree.


    ¡°I¡¯m keeping him alive, so if you can get him to tell you where their hideout is, you can find out where the women and children that were taken are.¡±


    If they were to see the power that out of the ordinary people had, they would feel a sense of repulsion, no matter how much they were indebted to him for saving their vige. Hiro was about to leave the vige with that thought in mind, but¡­


    ¡°Wait a minute. You don¡¯t have to tell me that, but it gets cold at night in the desert. Do you have somewhere to stay?¡±


    The first farmer he met stopped Hiro.


    ¡°Yeah¨D¨DI know someone a little further down the road, and I was thinking of staying there today.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ then¨D¨Dplease wait a minute.¡±


    The farmer turned on his heel and disappeared. Then he returned quickly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much, but I want you to take this.¡±


    He had a nket and a lot of food in his hands.


    ¡°I hope it will help you on your journey.¡±


    ¡°No, but this is¡­ everyone¡¯s¨D¨D.¡±


    The farmer shook his head, interrupting Hiro¡¯s hesitant words.


    ¡°We would have given you some money for it, but¡­ we¡¯re a poor vige. I apologize, but we can¡¯t afford to do that.¡±


    If that were the case, food would be a preciousmodity. It¡¯s a shame to give up even a single nket. Especially after being attacked by bandits¡­ But the farmer smiled and pushed the load he was carrying to Hiro.


    ¡°We would have been dead. And we probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to eat. But thanks to you, we¡¯re still alive. So let us express that joy in this way.¡±


    The farmer¡¯s eyes told Hiro that he would not give up. Hiro sighed with a bitter smile.


    ¡°¡­I understand. I¡¯ll take it gratefully. Well¨D¨D.¡±


    Suddenly, he realized that he had never heard of the farmer¡¯s name.


    The farmer smiled as if he could see through Hiro¡¯s expression.


    ¡°My name is Kukuri. I¡¯m the chief of this vige.¡±


    ¡°I am Hiro. Kukuri-san, I will never forget this favor.¡±


    ¡°That should be our line.¡±


    When he bowed deeply to the smiling Kukuri, Hiro flipped his ck robe and headed for the swift dragon.


    Let¡¯s end this war as soon as possible. At this moment, many viges are still being sacrificed. With a new resolve in his heart, Hiro was about to leave the vige when¡­


    ¡°Thank you! Next time I¡¯ll prepare a sumptuous meal for you, and then you can rx!¡±


    When he looked back at the cheers, he saw the vigers waving at him, with Kukuri in the lead. Hiro smiled and pulled on the reins. The proud roar of the swift dragon echoed in the sky.


    The destination was a fort nine cells (twenty-seven kilometers) away from the vige¨Da ce that would take less than a second to reach with the strength of the swift dragon¡¯s legs.


    As the stinging cold began to cover the desert, Hiro reached his destination, the fort. It was once magnificent. But now, it had been burned to a crisp by the Fourth Imperial Army.


    However, such a ce is perfect for hiding¨D¨Done can hold a secret conversation without anyone knowing.


    ¡°Your Highness. We have been waiting for you.¡±


    A soldier appeared in front of Hiro without a sound. He is a private soldier of Kiork, the unit leader that Hiro had sent a letter to in advance.


    ¡°Is everything ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As you ordered, we have prepared everything. This way, please.¡±


    Hiro followed the unit leader, who started walking ahead. Hiro threw a few words towards his back.


    ¡°Where are the other soldiers?¡±


    ¡°They are hiding in this fort, sir.¡±


    Stopping at the waiting area, the unit leader opened the door and pointed his hand inside, urging Hiro to enter. There were five soldiers in armor inside, and they all stood up from their chairs at once and saluted.


    Hiro turned his hand to them and told them to make themselves at ease, then walked over to the long desk in the center.


    ¡°Where is the Fourth Imperial Army now?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t know for sure until the scouts return, but it¡¯s probably around this ce. It would take about a day to get there from this fort. If you are in a swift dragon, it will take half a day.¡±


    ¡°What about the rebels?¡±


    ¡°ording to the information from four days ago, they are here.¡±


    The leader pointed to a point 32 cells (96 kilometers) away from this fort.


    ¡°What about the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army?¡±


    ¡°There is no movement from the capital. Perhaps they¡¯re trying to defend themselves, gathering soldiers from all over the country, and the gs of the nobles on the city walls seem to be increasing every day.¡±


    ¡°gs on the city walls¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is there something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just a little.¡±


    Hiro picked up a piece from the desk and ced it on the map.


    ¡°Is there any information about Fort Arzuba here? It¡¯s a fort located close to Azbakar.¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ eyes were drawn to the point, and the leader muttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but¡­ there are about 2,000 soldiers stationed there. It seems that they didn¡¯t try to reduce the number of soldiers there because it¡¯s a key military location where they can watch over all sides.¡±


    Hiro stared at the map in silence. He positioned himself in Lichtine¡¯s generals¡¯ shoes and formted a series of ns in his mind.


    (Lure the enemy into a dead zone and cut off their supply lines for water and food. In that case, there was no telling what kind of action the enemy army would take. Then, they could either corner the enemy in a suitable fort and let them starve to death in an enduring battle, or they could disperse them and destroy them individually. But the Principality of Lichtine doesn¡¯t have much time left to waste.)


    Therefore, the options are limited.


    (They don¡¯t have enough time, and they don¡¯t have enough soldiers. There is also a concern about the movements of other countries. Considering the future, a short-term battle is preferable. If they were able to force the Grantz Empire to retreat, other countries would be reluctant to move forward. If that¡¯s the case, the best way to do it with a small force is to throw the rebels against the Fourth Imperial Army and crush them while their formation is in disarray. That would be the best option.)


    In that case, where will the war start, and what will the terrain be like?


    (If something goes wrong in the capital, the only ce suitable for rushing to and observing the two armies is Fort Arzuba. The gs growing on the capital¡¯s walls were no doubt a smokescreen.)


    Having collected his thoughts, Hiro looked up.


    ¡°Do you know the leading general of the Principality of Lichtine?¡±


    ¡°It seems that most of them were killed in the battle against the rebels.¡±


    ¡°So there are no famous generals left?¡±


    ¡°No, there is only one. His name is Ranquille Calig Gilberrist.¡±


    ¡°What was his war record?¡±


    ¡°His name only became known about two years ago. About two years ago, the Steichen Republic invaded the Principality of Lichtine with an army of 30,000 men. Because of his victory despite being outnumbered, he is known as the ¡°Raging Eagle of the Turning Sun.¡±


    ¡°I guess his talent was not appreciated, and he was dismissed from his position?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. As you say, it seems that he was subjected to a variety of difficulties. Because of this, he seems to have be themander of a frontier regiment on the border of the Steichen Republic. However, it is an important ce, so he was the right person for the job.¡±


    (He is popr with the people and soldiers but hated by the nobles, huh.)


    There may be an opportunity to take advantage of this. It may be possible to destroy the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army. Hiro pulled a piece of parchment and ink from nearby and flicked the pen.


    ¡°Here are the instructions for the future.¡±


    Hiro handed over the parchment, the unit leader, who had checked the contents, turned to look at him.


    ¡°Are you going to join the Fourth Imperial Army now, Your Highness?¡±


    If Hiro rode the swift dragon right now, he would be able to meet up with Liz by noon tomorrow. The future strategy is written on the parchment. It won¡¯t be a problem if he¡¯s not present.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be leaving soon. Can you take care of the rest?¡±


    ¡°No need to worry, sir. I will make sure that your orders are carried out.¡±


    ¡°Then, please take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Please give my regards to Her Highness Celia Estre.¡±


    Hiro was seen off by the soldiers and went outside. A chill tried to envelop his body, but he did not feel the cold thanks to the ¡°ck Princess Camelia.¡±

 Volume 2, Chapter 4 – One-Eyed Dragon Part 1

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4 ¨C One-Eyed Dragon Part 1</h4>


    Under the zing sun, the Fourth Imperial Army confronted the 6,000-strong Liberation Army. The Liberation Army set up a spearhead formation. The first and second lines were made up of ve infantry. While the main and rear lines were made up of camel cavalry¨Dmainly mercenaries. The formation resembled the tip of a spear.


    In contrast, the Fourth Imperial Army greeted them with the Dragon Wing Formation. The first line consisted of 2,500 soldiers in the central defense, followed by 1,000 in the mainline, and the 2,000 on each wing yed an important role in encircling the enemy.


    On either side of the mainline are the third line with 500 and the fourth line with 500 soldiers. The remaining 1500 are in reserve, waiting in the rear.


    ¡°Release the arrows!¡±


    Shouted the man inmand of the first line of the Fourth Imperial Army. He¡¯s General Kylo¡¯s second-inmand, and his name is Kigui Markar von Zuraki.


    ¡°Give those hungry ves a meal to their heart¡¯s content!¡±


    Kigui waved his arm to signal the g bearer. Arge g was raised. With that, arrows from the first line of archers were released and rained down on the enemy forces.


    Many of the enemy soldiers were buried in the sand, but that did not stop their momentum, and soon the sound of sword fights rang out on the front lines. However, the shabby equipment of the ve infantry was useless against the Fourth Imperial Army. They were ughtered one after another in front of the well-honed swords.


    However, the ves also seemed to have a will of their own, and they pushed open the center of the first line with their spirit.


    ¡°They were only ves. What are you waiting for?¡±


    Kigui watched with a bloodthirsty face as the center was pried open. At this rate, the camel cavalry of the Liberation Army wille pouring in.


    ¡°Hold them off at all costs!¡±


    But Kigui¡¯s voice failed to reach the front. The camel cavalry was pouring into the front line. The camels were crushing strong, heavily armored infantrymen. The shouts of the ves were getting closer and closer. Kigui pulled out a bundle of spirit talismans from his pocket and kicked his horse in the belly.


    ¡°If this turns out like this, I¡¯ll stop them myself!¡±


    A camel appears in front of him. Riding in it is arge man with pale purple skin¨Da demon race.


    ¡°Is he the demon that the princess was talking about?!¡±


    Kigui should have run away immediately. He should have retreated. But his decision was clouded by the fact that he was carrying the spirit talismans. When he threw a red spirit talisman, a fireball appeared.


    ¡°Huh. What is it?¡±


    The demon¨DGhadaughed and crushed it.


    Kigui is agitated, but he threw another spirit talismans. An ice block falls, wind erupts, and lightning rains down from the sky to the ground. But Ghada blocked all of them with just one hand.


    ¡°Is that all you got?¡±


    ¡°What, no way¡­ Are you a monster?¡±


    Ghada then closed the distance between himself and Kigui and swung his greatsword sideways.


    ¡°Fuu¨D¨DD-demon.¡±


    It was thest word that can be heard from Kigui. His head flew up into the air, drawing fresh blood, and his body slid off the horse¡¯s back. Ghada didn¡¯t even look at him, as if he wasn¡¯t interested.


    ¡°I will break through the center and take themander¡¯s head!¡±


    A lot of Grantz cavalrymen stood in front of Ghada as he looked forward. Everyone has an angry expression on their face as they sh at him from all sides.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Ghada swung his ¡°Demon Creator¡± lightly as if to blow on it. Swing it to the right, thrust it forward, take it back to the left, and then swing it out vertically. In the blink of an eye, five cavalrymen lost their lives. The Grantz cavalrymen could not hide their agitation, but they did not retreat. They were proud to be the elite of the Grantz Empire. The camel cavalry rushed to the Grantz cavalry to support Ghada.


    ¡°¡­Now, let¡¯s go grab victory! Follow me!¡±


    Ghada raised his voice and was about to devastate the Fourth Imperial Army. At that very moment, from the edge of his vision, a bullet-like red me struck out at him.


    ¡°Hmm, little girl. I will not go easy on you like I did yesterday, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return your words to you exactly as they were!¡±


    Liz disappeared from her horse and flew through the air in an elegant motion.


    ¡°That¡¯s very brave of you. I have no taste for killing children. I could still let you off now.¡±


    A sh wasunched from her as she passed over Ghada¡¯s head. But Ghada swung his greatsword and repelled it.


    Sparks fly between the two and then disappear. As he dodged, Ghada kicked the camel¡¯s back. He aimed for the moment Liznded. He flew right in front of her and snapped his greatsword across her face.


    She barely managed to catch it but was flung away, and the distance between them widened.


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote. If you want to run, then run. I won¡¯t chase you. I know you don¡¯t want to die in a ce like this.¡±


    Ghada warned her, but Liz only smiled wryly and continued to shake her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. So I¡¯m not going to die.¡±


    Ghada¡¯s eyes widened as Liz took a more rxed stance. It wasn¡¯t fear or contempt that came from her. The only thing that showed on the red jade was a determination that was akin to a sense of duty.


    ¡°You can¡¯t guess the difference in power between us, can you? I think it¡¯s reckless.¡±


    ¡°If I run away now, I¡¯ll be running away every time I encounter a big obstacle. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t run away.¡±


    Liz brushed her red hair back from her shoulders and readied her me Emperor.


    ¡°I see. I understand. I think I understand why you were chosen to be the Spirit Sword wielder at your age.¡±


    She has a noble, beautiful, and pure heart. Even if she encounters difficulties, she doesn¡¯t think that running away is an option. That¡¯s why it¡¯s such a waste. It is not the kind of life that should be scattered in a ce like this.


    However, Ghada had his own reasons for not retreating.


    ¡°So let¡¯s settle this, shall we?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about that for a while now, but don¡¯t get carried away!¡±


    Liz buried her toes in the sand and swung her foot up. Sand smoke was blown by the wind and took away Ghada¡¯s vision. Liz then swung her ¡°me Emperor¡± at Ghada¡¯s neck to take advantage of the opportunity.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it cowardly. But you must be punished appropriately for your bad behavior!¡±


    Ghada lowered his head to avoid the de. It was an agile evasive maneuver that did not suit his stature.


    Liz has an astonished look on her face. In the meantime, Ghada put his hands on the ground and released his magic power.


    The sands entangled around Liz¡¯s legs. She lost her bnce and fell forward. Liz tried to get up, but her feet were buried in the sand, and she couldn¡¯t break free.


    ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    Arge shadow fell over Liz¡¯s head. When she looked up, she saw that Ghada had raised his greatsword.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yeeet!¡±


    When Liz screamed and mmed her fist into the ground, arge amount of dust flew into the air. Ghada¡¯s greatsword, caught off-guard by the sudden action, swung down on the spot far away from Liz.


    Liz, having escaped, leaped over Ghada¡¯s head and came up behind him.


    ¡°Haaaaa!¡±


    Liz shes at Ghada¡¯s back with her me Emperor.


    ¡°Mmm, not once, but twice now!¡±


    As soon as Ghada sensed it, he immediately turned around and intercepted it. A momentter, the two des shed, and a loud scream was heard.


    ¡°I¡¯ll finish you off here!¡±


    As if in response to Liz¡¯s spirit, mes erupted from the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Ghada tried to take a step back, but Liz took advantage of the opportunity and attacked with a series of feints. Sometimes she used her fists, sometimes, she tried to avoid the attack, and when she failed, she stepped forward and shed at him. Ghada sighs in admiration at her lean and refined movements.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a great opponent. Your movements have changed since yesterday.¡±


    The more powerful the owner¡¯s wish is the more power the spirit sword will give, and the better the ¡°heartfelt wish,¡± the more pronounced the effect. The only way to draw out the spirit¡¯s power is to see how much it resonates with your heart.


    In other words, the girl must have made her first step.


    She is still struggling to break out of the shell of an ordinary person, but she has definitely taken a step forward. Liz has definitely started on the path to bing a hero.


    ¡°I never thought that you could grow up in such a short time; that¡¯s why humans are so scary. They can easily surpass all expectations.¡±


    But Ghada had a reason he couldn¡¯t give up. He must win at all costs.


    ¡°I can t afford to lose! It¡¯s also for the sake of Mirue!¡±


    Magic power is released from Ghada¡¯s body, and the magic stone on his forehead emits intense light.


    ¡°Wha¨D¨D.¡±


    Liz¡¯s movements stop, and her expression changespletely. This is because Ghada¡¯s body had grown a sizerger.


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn now. If I take too many times at this point, the Liberation Army will be annihted.¡±


    Ghada swung his greatsword down with all his might. Liz barely avoided it, but the ce where she used to be was heavily caved in by the greatsword strike.


    ¡°Look at the power of the demon race that once swept the central continent!¡±


    Ghada began to wield the Demon Creator with all his might. Liz attempted to attack in desperation but was unable to diminish the greatsword¡¯s power and began to be thrown back by the sheer force of the greatsword.


    Her cheek was cut shallowly by the wind pressure alone. It was only a minor cut because of the spirit sword¡¯s protection, but normally, it would have torn her face to shreds.


    The Grantz soldiers in the vicinity were caught in the wind, which was no different than a de, and their bodies were cut to pieces.


    ¡°You should only aim at me!¡±


    Liz had no regard for her own safety as she charged forward. As she closed in on Ghada, she held out her me Emperor.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me with that.¡±


    Ghada easily caught the de of the red me with his hand.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just beat you!¡±


    Liz¡¯s fistnded on Ghada¡¯s cheek. A dull sound, as if she had struck iron, echoed through the air. But Ghada was looking down at Liz with an amused expression on his face.


    ¡°I told you it was useless, didn¡¯t I? And you¡¯re less powerful than before. Have you been aware of that?¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes were filled with agitation. She was probably not aware of it, though her high spirits may have made her so.


    Her body has an enormous amount of power. The power of the spirit is wasted and dispersed. Each of her attackscked finesse. In other words, she was fighting with her faucet open. Wasted movement contributes to the exhaustion of physical strength, and a tremendous amount of power can overwork the body.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity. If you knew how to handle your power¡­ you might have surpassed me.¡±


    As he spoke inly, Ghada was unleashing his attacks. Liz continued to resist, but she eventually fell to her knees on the ground, sweating profusely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it easy for you.¡±


    Ghada wielded the Demon Creator. Liz barely managed to block it with her me Emperor, but she was easily blown away.


    ¡°Not yet¡­ Ugh¡­¡±


    Liz tried her best to get up, but her knees lost their strength, and she fell to the ground. When Ghada approached her, he raised his ¡°Demon Creator.¡±


    ¡°I have no taste for killing women and children¡­ but I suppose that¡¯s what war is all about.¡±


    My apologies, Ghada muttered, and he swung the Demon Creator down¨D¨Dbut he was unable to do so.


    ¡°¨D¨DWha!?¡±


    A strong chill ran through his back. Ghada hurriedly looked back behind him. It was broad daylight, but there was a darkness in front of him that made the world lose its light. It ate up all the light around it and transformed into a disastrous ¡°darkness.¡±


    A glimmer of light appeared in the darkness. With the sound of footsteps in the sand, something came out.


    A cold sweat ran down Ghada¡¯s cheeks as he quickly readied himself.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±


    It was a boy with a soft face and a disproportionate eye patch that appeared in the darkness. Without answering Ghada¡¯s question, the boy approached with a miserable smile on his face.


    ¡°Would you mind stepping away from Liz?¡±


    When the boy¡¯s muttering shook his eardrums, a shock ran through Ghada¡¯s abdomen.

 Volume 2, Chapter 4 – One-Eyed Dragon Part 2

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4 ¨C One-Eyed Dragon Part 2</h4>


    Removing his gaze from the demon that was blowing away, Hiro walked over to Liz.


    ¡°Liz, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Hi¡­Hiro¡­¡±


    Liz was breathing heavily as if the spirit¡¯s power was running rampant in her body. Hiro softened the corners of his eyes and put his arms around her neck, holding her upright.


    ¡°All right, calm down and take in a breath. Just take your time and think about¡­ something fun.¡±


    This ¡°Realm¡± was still too early for her. Even Altius, who was touted as a prodigy, took two years to endure this ¡°Realm.¡±


    What is the ¡°me Emperor¡± thinking? ¡­Hiro res at the red sword that falls beside her.


    ¡°Hiro¡­ I¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to say anything. You should just keep your determination close to your chest.¡±


    If it makes her stronger, It¡¯s better for Hiro not to listen to it. If she wanted to draw out the power of the Spirit Sword, she had to keep it to herself.


    Hiro sat Liz down on the ground, as her breathing calmed down.


    ¡°Just leave the rest to me. I¡¯ll have it done in no time.¡±


    Hiro stood up and looked behind him.


    ¡°Who the hell are you¡­?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened creepily as he saw the demon getting up and approaching him.


    ¡°Hee~, you¡¯re pretty strong, aren¡¯t you? Then how about this!¡±


    The hem of Hiro¡¯s ck robe danced in the air, and he half-twisted his body and mmed the silver de down with all his might.


    ¡°Gunu!? I¡¯m asking, who are you?¡±


    As Hiro¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t fast enough, the demon was able to evade him with enough room to spare.


    ¡°What!¡±


    Next, Hiro drew a precise trajectory and aimed his sharp de at the demon¡¯s vital point. However, that attack is also avoided, but it seeded in cutting the demon¡¯s skin shallowly and making the blood spurt.


    The demon counterattacked, but Hiro turned his body to the side to avoid it. The greatsword that was swung down vertically ended up just passing through the tip of his nose. Then Hiro immediatelyunched an attack on the astonished demon.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    ¡°Gnuhh!?¡±


    The demon was being toyed with by Hiro¡¯s slow and steady attack. However, there was nothing he could do to stop it; if he ckened off, his head would be chopped off. The demon had no choice but to catch up with Hiro¡¯s attack desperately.


    Then a roundhouse kick from Hiro hits the demon¡¯s cheek. His huge body staggered but refused to fall; the demon wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth and red at Hiro.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Just when I think I¡¯vee this far, and someonees to interfere yet again¡­¡±


    The demon brushed his sweat-stained bangs up in annoyance.


    ¡°It seems that I am not a lucky guy.¡±


    He showed the embedded purple crystals on his forehead, which had been hidden, and exposed them to the outside world.


    On the other hand, Hiro rxes his body and looks natural. His stance was so rxed that one would think he was letting his guard down.


    But the demon must have sensed the powerful fighting spirit that the boy wore.


    It won¡¯t be possible to reach it even after many years of fighting, and only those who have studied it further can achieve it. In fact, it is surprising that a young boy would be able to radiate it.


    ¡°Kuku, Hahaha¡­ This is what you call a natural talent!¡±


    The demon couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter at the fact that such a fierce warrior was so much younger than him. Then he swung his greatsword, which was as tall as him as if he were waving a twig.


    The greatsword that roared through the air caught the dust and headed for the boy with the eye patch. Hiro responded with a small movement, just lifting his silvery-white sword. de-to-de, sparks flew as the great sword slid over the white de.


    ¡°Hou, you did it, boy!¡±


    The demon was about to have a huge opening when it was blocked. However, the demon used the greatsword¡¯s momentum tounch a punch at Hiro¡¯s eye patch.


    It was supposed to be a blind spot for the boy, but¡­


    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s not a blind spot. I can see you.¡±


    Hiro managed to avoid it by twisting his body. However, therge movement created an opening for Hiro. If this had been a normal person, he might have jumped at the opportunity. However, the demon seemed to have realized that it was an invitation.


    ¡°If so, then I¡¯ll make you blind!¡±


    He dug his toes into the sand and swung his legs up as if to lift himself up. Arge amount of sand flew up in front of Hiro¡¯s eyes. In the meantime, the demon kicked the ground and jumped backward to get some distance¨Dbut he felt ufortable and looked down at his right arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t take you up on your invitation¡­¡±


    It was the first time he had ever experienced such a thing. When he raised his gaze again, the dust that had covered Hiro¡¯s vision was swept away in a sh.


    Sweat slipped down from the demon¡¯s forehead and flowed down his cheek. He lifted his shoulders and wiped them, then lifted the edge of his mouth.


    ¡°I admire you even though you are my enemy. How can you reach the peak of martial arts at such a young age? However, I can¡¯t stay in admiration for long. I must change this situation.¡±


    The gazes of both men crossed. They read one move ahead, then two moves ahead. The winner will be the one who can anticipate his opponent¡¯s next move. That¡¯s why they can¡¯t make any easy moves. Both of them concentrate on getting the first move by wearing out their nerves.


    ¡°Hahaha¨D¨Dthis is good. I haven¡¯t felt anything like this in a long time. I can¡¯t help but enjoy the struggle for life and death! I¡¯ve never felt such joy from the bottom of my heart!¡±


    A warrior¡¯s tremor struck the demon¨D¨Dhis body trembled with joy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s kill each other once and for all¡­ Hey, ¡°One-Eyed Dragon¡±! Thest one standing is the winner! It¡¯s easy to understand, isn¡¯t it? My name is Ghada Meteor. Let¡¯s y this straight!¡±


    The demon cracked his dry lips into a crescent shape and then twisted his body. Then, the tip of his greatsword, which was as tall as his body, was buried in the sand. Hiro took one look at it and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m deeply puzzled by the demon race. But, I¡¯m not interested in killing each other.¡±


    But contrary to his words, Hiro had a fierce smile on his face.


    The expression on his face was too disproportionate for a young boy of his age¨D¨DLiz saw it and looked worried. Hiro looked at her sideways and suppressed a little bit of his killing intent.


    ¡°But I¡¯m a little irritated right now. You¡¯ll have to be prepared for some degree of injury.¡±


    Next, nothingness overtook the boy. He sank into the abyss and stripped away all emotion¡­


    Hiro lifted his right arm to the front of his chest, raised his silvery-white sword horizontally, and pointed the tip of the sword at the demon. A momentter¨D¨Dsparks fly between the two. A high-pitched sound echoed throughout the battlefield.


    Neither of them likedpeting with each other and kept aiming at their opponent¡¯s vital points. Gradually, however, the difference in their abilities began to be apparent. Ghada began to slow downpared to Hiro¡¯s speed. Perhaps judging that it was too dangerous to go any further, the demon once took a distance.


    ¡°¡­What is that? I can see a torrent of immense power that is being cleverly concealed. But there is no mention of that sword in any literature or history. At least that¡¯s what I¡¯ve read and seen.¡±


    The demon¡¯s well-trained body is filled with magic power, and his eyes seem to pierce through the heart.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon¡­ I ask you again, what is that thing you have?¡±


    ¡°The blessing of the ¡°Demon Creator¡± is a shock. The ¡°me Emperor¡± is ¡°Monstrous Strength.¡± Each of the world¡¯s five great treasures has its own special blessings. No two are alike. Then you should be able to figure it out.¡±


    Hiro continued with a look of reminiscent on his face.


    ¡°Then, let me show you.¡±


    After taking a small breath, Hiro held up the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± to the sky and kicked the ground.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ghada was startled for a moment, but then a divine sh of light struck him.


    Divine sh of Lightning¨D¨Dan intense onught from super high speed. The ¡°Divine Speed¡± brought about by the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± leaves the sounds of the world behind.


    In order to surpass it, Ghada put the ¡°Demon Creator¡± in front of him, but his right arm jumped up, spurting blood. Before he could suffer from the intense pain, Ghada was hit by the next sword light.


    It was not possible to stop or avoid it, and his strong body was stained with blood in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Mugaaah!¡±


    Ghada tried to counterattack, but there was no way he could hit an enemy he couldn¡¯t see. Even so, he wielded his ¡°Demon Creator¡± and desperately chased after Hiro¡¯s afterimage. However, the afterglow¡¯s radiance only increased as if it was mocking him, and the number of cuts on Ghada¡¯s body increased.


    ¡°Behind you.¡±


    Hiro came up behind Ghada and threw a powerful kick towards his back. He was about to be blown away, but Ghada gushed out his magic power and twisted the sand around his leg to resist the impact.


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    As Ghada clenched his teeth and flipped his body vigorously, the de of ¡°Demon Creator¡± sliced away the murky air. But before he could get close, Hiro leaped to avoid it.


    ¡°Hah! You can¡¯t move when you¡¯re in the air!¡±


    As if he was waiting for him, Ghada thrusts his ¡°Demon Creator¡± towards Hiro.


    ¡°Unfortunately not. I can still move.¡±


    Hiro makes a spirit weapon appear under his feet. After using it as a foothold, he positioned himself in the air and swung down with great force.


    ¡°¨D¨DTch!¡±


    Ghada was forced to switch from attack to defense. He was once again being toyed with by Hiro¡¯s unpredictable swordy. Even if he stopped his sword, fists would fly at him. Even if he avoided the fist, the kick would hit him in the stomach. If he catches the kick, the sword will be aimed at his neck.


    ¡°Damn it¨D¨Dif it continues like this!¡±


    As Ghada spat out his frustration, he desperately tried to attack. But there¡¯s no point in shing in the wrong direction.


    In this zing sun, repeated violent movements will only reduce one¡¯s strength. Within a few moments, Ghada was sweating profusely and bleeding from his cuts, and he fell to his knees as if he had reached his limit.


    Hiro noticed that Ghada was breathing hard and repeatedly and pointed the tip of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± de at the ground.


    ¡°¡­I think this is enough, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I can still fight!¡±


    It¡¯s too bad; Hiro sighed in disappointment when he got an immediate answer.


    ¡°I see¡­ I sincerely hope you will give up and surrender.¡±


    After wiping the sweat from his face, Hiro took a moment to catch his breath and look around.


    ¡°Uraaaa!¡±


    A Grantz soldier was ughtering enemy soldiers while shouting. They were dragging the enemy down from their camels and surrounding them in groups, killing them. The initial momentum that the rebels had had waspletely lost.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be intimidated! We have the blessings of the God of War!¡±


    In their heavy armor, they represent the courage of all people¨D¨Dthe Fourth Imperial Army, the protector of the southern part of the Great Grantz Empire.


    The second-inmand of the first group, Kigui, was killed in battle by the demon. However, they are not distraught as they have been through many battles before and are fighting hard to push back the rebels as if to dispel the gloom. Furthermore, the two wings of the Fourth Imperial Army werepleting the encirclement of the rebel army.


    Next, the shouts and screams of the enemy soldiers reached the ears, and the smell of death and blood mixed with the wind in the nose.


    Turning away from the hellish ce, Hiro told the demon.


    ¡°Moreover, you have not been able to draw the power of the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword.¡±


    Hiro had fought against a former user of the Demon Creator in the past, but he was not an opponent he could beat as he pleased. He was a fierce man who skillfully used the ¡°shock¡± to stop Hiro¡¯s movement and counterattack. Even though the Heavenly Emperor¡¯s protection has boosted Hiro¡¯s physical abilities, there is no way that Hiro can defeat him as easily as this. The opponent¡¯s physical ability was also enhanced by the protection of the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword. After considering that, Hiro made a guess and mentioned it to the demon in front of him now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is about you that attracted the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword, but I think we can assume that you are losing it. I don¡¯t have to tell you, but you know it better.¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed, I was thinking of giving up. I know exactly the reason. But I still have to keep fighting.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat me if you can¡¯t even draw the power of the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword.¡±


    Aside from a thousand years ago, the central continent is currently dominated by spirits.


    There are no spirits in the Principality of Lichtine, but even so, magic power mixed with particles is extremely thin as well. No matter how many magic stones he possessed, he would not be able to show his true ability on this continent.


    Besides, if he can¡¯t draw out the power of the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword, he won¡¯t be able to beat Hiro.


    ¡°So, I want you to surrender. I won¡¯t do anything to hurt you.¡±


    That¡¯s a lie. Depending on the future development of the situation, he would have to mistreat those who surrendered. If he told them that truthfully, they would be stubborn, and resistance would increase.


    Whether he saw through the lie or not, Ghada didn¡¯t nod but replied with a wry smile.


    ¡°Hmph, then try it with all your might. If you think you can beat me, it should be easy.¡±


    Hiro was expecting him to say that, so he thought of his next move. That is to break Ghada¡¯s will to fight. In order to do that, he needed to shake him up.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been worrying about your back for a while now, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Ghada remained expressionless, but Hiro did not miss the moment when his shoulders twitched.


    ¡°Is it possible that there is someone important in your main camp?¡±


    There had been several times during the battle when Ghada¡¯s concentration had broken down. It was the same now. Even though his life was in danger, he kept his eyes on his back.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Ghada red at him, not even trying to hide his anger. It was as if he had just confessed.


    Hiro instantly thought about it and strained his voice.


    ¡°Liz! Can you stand up?¡±


    ¡°Eh, yeah, I¡¯m fine¡­ I think I¡¯m much better than before.¡±


    ¡°If so, I want you to go to the enemy¡¯s main camp and get the girl who is serving as their leader.¡±


    When Hiro said that, as expected, the reaction of the demon returned.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you?¡±


    Ghada¡¯s fighting spirit swelled, and the space around him began to distort. Hiro felt a tremendous torrent of magic power. His skin felt as if the heat was burning it.


    Hiro was more than a little surprised. Because it was unusual for Ghada to care so much about other races. Basically, the demon race looked down on any race that was not pureblood as an inferior race.


    At least a thousand years ago, the discrimination against races by the demon race was very prominent. Other races were ves and objects of scorn. They imed that the demon race was the supreme and absolute superior race. It could be said that it was because of this arrogance that the Four Race Alliance destroyed them. The possibility that Ghada is an odd one cannot be discarded, but if he cares about the girl, he must do something quickly.


    ¡°Liz. I want you to leave everything here to me.¡±


    The main camp of the rebel army is surrounded. If this continues, the life of the leader girl will be in danger. If his driving force is the girl, the demon will not choose to surrender if something happens to her. So the battle would continue until either side was annihted.


    In the grand scheme of things, this is not desirable. The Principality of Lichtine must have been informed that the battle has already started here. If they catch up to the nk now, even the mighty Fourth Imperial Army will not be able to withstand it.


    (To score points, we must avoid significant damage.)


    In order to do that, a victory is necessary that the nobles in the center have no room for objection. So the first priority is to get the rebels to surrender. The best thing to do is to intercept the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army afterward.


    ¡°Liz, please.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    She jumped on the back of her horse and rode towards the enemy¡¯s main camp.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you go!¡±


    Ghada was about to chase her, but Hiro stood in front of him and pointed the tip of his Heavenly Emperor sword at him.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to let you chase her as well? I will capture you here.¡±


    His motivation was known. Liz would do well to catch the girl.


    ¡°Hmph, if you want to catch me, you¡¯ll have to chop off both my legs!¡±


    Hiro ducked into the side of the charging Ghada.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. Can you just sleep for a while?¡±


    Hiro, having closed in on the Ghada, ms his fist into his face. He grabbed the demon by the neck, pulled him back, drove his knee into his stomach, turned him around, and mmed his heel into his neck with great force.


    ¡°Ogouaahh.¡±


    Hiro grabbed the staggering demon by the face and knocked him down. Arge amount of yellow dust flew up. He raised his legs to sweep away the dust and dropped it on the demon¡¯s sr plexus, causing the demon¡¯s huge body to sink into the desert.


    With the unconscious demon at his side, Hiro told a nearby soldier.


    ¡°Tie him up tightly so that he cannot escape.¡±


    Then, grasping the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± handle tightly, Hiro attacked the rebels who were still resisting.


    ¡°Hyii!?¡±


    ¡°H-he¡¯sing!¡±


    When they saw that Ghada had been defeated, the rebels trembled greatly. Some of them tried to run away, but they couldn¡¯t do it when they were surrounded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare run away! I¡¯ll get your head!¡±


    If they couldn¡¯t escape, they had no choice but to resist, but there was nothing they could do against an enemy they couldn¡¯t see, and they were cut down in the blink of an eye.


    Every time a sword wind was created, there was a scream, and blood sttered. Many blood pools formed in the desert, and as the enemy sank, Hiro¡¯s allies shouted with joy.


    By the time the pile of corpses was built over, a battle cry had gone up in front of the second line. Perhaps realizing their defeat, the rebels in the surrounding area began to weaken in their resistance.


    ¡°¡­Now I just have to wait for Liz to bring her in.¡±

 Volume 2, Chapter 4 – One-Eyed Dragon Part 3

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4 ¨C One-Eyed Dragon Part 3</h4>


    ¡°¡­Now I just have to wait for Liz to bring her in.¡±


    The general situation has been decided, but there are still those who refuse to admit defeat. In order to get the Liberation Army toy down their weapons, they will need Ghada and the leader girl.


    Hiro walked past the rebels who hadid down their weapons and started to surrender and made his way to the ce where Ghada had been. However, the soldiers of the Empire surrounded Ghada, and Hiro could not see him.


    They are on the watch to make sure that the rebels don¡¯t get him back. But the numbers are way toorge for that.


    As Hiro weaved his way through the soldiers to get to the center¨D¨D,


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that a demon race can survive in this world against a human race.¡±


    A son of a nobleman wearing fine armor was kicking the demon. There were other soldiers who took advantage of the situation and assaulted Ghada.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the First God¡¯s generosity, you would have been eradicated by the War God. You¡¯re an ungrateful lowly race that forgets that favor and turns on the human race!¡±


    It was no wonder they felt that way. They could not help but be emotional since many of their friends had been killed. Hiro might have let them off the hook if they had thought it through.


    However, it waspletely unforgivable for someone to act in such a way that would interfere with the entire army just to relieve his grievances for a moment.


    ¡°You should stop there.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s stern voice was met with an impassive gaze.


    ¡°You little brat. Who are you talking to?¡±


    ¡°You and your followers.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, so you¡¯d better tell me. Are you a famous general leading a unit?¡±


    ¡°I lead the 26th unit. Daniele von Edward, a captain.¡±


    Lord Daniele was in the rear of the first group¡­ and if he had witnessed Hiro¡¯s fight, he would not have taken such a pompous attitude. The soldiers around him, who knew how Hiro fought, retreated, their faces are drawn together.


    He might havee up here after receiving the news that the demon had been captured. It is not possible to overlook military discipline vitions, including arbitrary actions and excessive mistreatment of prisoners.


    ¡°¡­You little shit, choose to die or be a ve.¡±


    It¡¯s an affordable position to tighten up discipline. For the future, his life would be no better than the Ghada¡¯s. After much deliberation, Hiro concluded that he did not need this man for his future ns.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t give you a choice. I can always rece you as the squad leader.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I said your life is not worth it.¡±


    ¡°What are you¨D¨D?¡±


    Lord Daniele¡¯s head fluttered in the air as he tried to grab onto Hiro, trailing a trail of fresh blood. His head fell to the ground with an angry look on his face, spreading the blood.


    ¡°Ah, my apologies. You were worth it. By dying here.¡±


    With everyone at a loss for words, Hiro approached Ghada and crouched down.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°It was just right to wake me up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die. I won¡¯t let anyone touch you again. You can rx.¡±


    ¡°You make me feel like I¡¯m better than these people.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    By the way, said Hiro while he stretched his back and looked around.


    The soldiers finally regained theirposure and put their hands on the hilt to draw their swords.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s better not to draw your sword. You don¡¯t want to be used of disrespect, do you?¡±


    The swift dragon approached Hiro, threatening the soldiers.


    Hiro took one of the sticks hanging from the dragon¡¯s side and thrust it into the ground. The wind blew, and the cloth that had been wrapped around it spread wide under the sky.


    It was the coat of arms g that had once been flown by a man.


    Nowadays, it is only preserved in folklore and can only be seen in the world of paintings. This is how sacred it is to the people of the Great Grantz Empire.


    ¨D¨DIt is a g with a dragon holding a silver and white sword on a ck background.


    This is the divine g that the second emperor and one of the Grantz¡¯s twelve great gods, the ¡°God of War,¡± raised.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were wide open. As if they had just witnessed a legendary being, they alternately looked at the g and Hiro, only to open their mouths wide, unable to utter a word.


    It was Ghada who broke the silence.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha, now it all makes sense!¡±


    Hiro looked suspiciously at Ghada, who suddenly startedughing. Ghada roared into the sky.


    ¡°You used me! Did you let me live just for this? Is this what you wanted?¡±


    You¡¯ve got to be kidding me, said Ghada atst. At that moment, the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword took on a glow and disappeared as if it were melting into the air. It took a moment for Ghada to notice, his face contorting in frustration, and he immediately broke into a grin that seemed to be both sincere and sorrowful.


    ¡°¡­What a faithful thing.¡±


    His expression made Hiro think. The Demon Emperor¡¯s sword had given up on Ghada.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re just a demon. But you still have the magic stone, so you¡¯re probably strong enough.¡±


    ¡°Are you satisfied?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. For me, I¡¯d be happy either way.¡±


    Even if Ghada was abandoned by the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword, it would not hinder his future ns. Then Hiro looked over at the soldiers. They seemed to bepletely bewildered and stunned as they looked at Hiro. How long are they going to stay in this stupor?


    Hiro sighed and threw a few words at the soldiers.


    ¡°My name is Hiro Schwartz von Grantz. I am a descendant of the second emperor, who is also the God of War. I have be a member of the Grantz Imperial Family as the fourth prince.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it sounded clear even in the midst of the noise.


    ¡°As a member of the imperial family, I cannot allow anyone to disrupt our military discipline. Earlier, Lord Daniele had mistreated the prisoners excessively. I¡¯ve punished him for it, but if anyone has any objections, please step forward.¡±


    The voice was not particrly beautiful, but it still had the power to make those who heard it obey.


    ¡°There are none, huh? Then capture those two.¡±


    Hiro pointed to the people who had been viting Ghada along with Lord Daniele. The soldiers who were pointed out to Hiro retreated with a shocked look on their faces, but they were restrained by the soldiers who followed Hiro¡¯s orders.


    ¡°L-Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? The demon killed my friends! You must hate him too!¡±


    Since Lord Daniele was punished, they should not be pardoned. It would be bad for morale, and the soldiers would not understand and would be frustrated.


    They must be punished ordingly.


    ¡°Take them to the rear. And the rest of you, notify your units. No excessive mistreatment of surrendered personnel.¡±


    Hiro looked down at Ghada as the soldiers began to move swiftly with the orders.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time that the girl you care for was brought here.¡±


    ¡°I will kill you if there is even a scratch on her.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is she that important to you? If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to know why.¡±


    After a bit of hesitation, Ghada opened his mouth, as if he realized that there was no point in fooling around.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a little inconvenient for a demon to lead a human race. And so I used her. In spite of my selfishness, she obeyed me. I wanted to send her back home safely, at least, but with the way things are going. That¡¯s not going to happen.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I have a proposition for you.¡±


    ¡°A proposition?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If you obey my orders from now on, I will send the girl home safely.¡±


    Hiro continued to tell Ghada, who frowned suspiciously.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s not a bad idea. It¡¯s not easy for you to rescue the girl and escape from the battlefield when you¡¯ve lost your magic sword, and you¡¯re probably not foolish enough to take such a simple step.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, how do you n to prove it? There is no guarantee that you will be able to deliver her safely.¡±


    ¡°I swear to the Spirit King.¡±


    Hiro turned his eyes to the south after saying so. A horse ising towards him. The one who was riding it was Liz. She slowed the horse down and pulled the reins to a stop in front of Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯ve captured the girl.¡±


    A girl with a ck hood was sitting in front of Liz.


    ¡°Thanks for the effort. So she is?¡±


    ¡°Mirue,mander of the Liberation Army.¡±


    The girl in the ck robe replied. Hiro walked up to her and looked into her face and was struck by a sense of deja vu.


    ¡°Oji-san!¡±


    While Hiiro was puzzled, Mirue jumped down from the horse and hugged Ghada.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just couldn¡¯t do it¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No. That Onee-san protected me.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Hiro looked at Liz as they rejoiced in their reunion.


    ¡°Before we talk about the future, can you tell me what¡¯s going on at the front?¡±


    ¡°By the time I reached the rebels¡¯ main camp, all that was left was the girl¡¯s personal guard.¡±


    ¡°Only the guards?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the others left the battlefield as soon as the war started. It seems that some of the troops in the enemy¡¯s main camp also fled immediately. So the resistance was small, and I was able to capture Mirue easily.¡±


    ¡°Do you know which way they ran?¡±


    ¡°I heard it was east.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much. I understand now.¡±


    Hiro looked to the east. The rear of the rebel army fled in the direction of the Arzuba fort. It¡¯s a gentle climb, and it is impossible to see through to the other side. Hiro turned his attention back to Ghada.


    ¡°Ghada. Did you organize the rear with mercenaries?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and a few ve infantrymen as well.¡±


    That¡¯s settled. The rearguard has certainly been bought by the Principality of Lichtine. It is no time to think about when and where. It¡¯s a fact that the rearguard has disappeared, and therefore it is necessary to deal with it.


    ¡°Liz, I believe you¡¯re inmand of two thousand men now, but are you leaving Tris in charge now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    After hearing Liz¡¯s reply, Hiro called out to the two cavalrymen astride their horses.


    ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask you to take the ce of the messenger, but I need you to go to the left nk and tell Lord Tris. Tell him to deploy his troops to the east. Tell him it¡¯s an order from Her Highness Celia Estre. He¡¯ll understand it.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Also, I want you to go to the main camp and tell General Kylo. Tell him to send a reserve unit to the east, where the Principality of Lichtine will appear. You can tell him that this is an order from the fourth prince.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir!¡±


    Then Hiro turned to Liz.


    ¡°Liz. I want you to hurry up and meet up with Tris and takemand of the left nk.¡±


    ¡°What about Hiro?¡±


    ¡°The enemy will be charging at us, so we¡¯ll have to beat them to the punch. I think I can buy us some time.¡±


    Hiro grabbed his own g and jumped on the swift dragon.


    ¡°What should Mirue and I do?¡±


    Ghada interrupted the conversation.


    ¡°Mirue should go with Liz, and you should follow behind them on a camel.¡±


    Hiro swung his silver sword and cut the rope that tied Ghada.


    ¡°You want me to go free? I might just kill that little girl over there and escape.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat Liz now that you¡¯ve lost the Demon Emperor¡¯s sword. You can¡¯t take Mirue and run away from here, as I said before.¡±


    And besides, who knows what will happen if Hiro is just left them here. He didn¡¯t want them to escape, but he also didn¡¯t want them to be killed. He had no choice but to do this. And Hiro doesn¡¯t think that Ghada will escape.


    Because of Mirue¡¯s existence, if he leaves her in Liz¡¯s care, Ghada won¡¯t be able to make any inappropriate moves. He will follow her quietly.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m off.¡±


    At the top of a gentle slope, arge amount of dust rose into the sky from the other side. Hiro tightened his expression, kicked the swift dragon¡¯s belly, and ran across the sandy in.

 Volume 2, Chapter 4 – One-Eyed Dragon Part 4

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4 ¨C One-Eyed Dragon Part 4</h4>


    The Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army was within a stone¡¯s throw where the Fourth Imperial Army was engaged with the rebels. They numbered five thousand. A thousand camel cavalry on each wing, a thousand ve infantry in the advance line, and a total of two thousand light infantry in the main and rear lines.


    This army is led by the second son of the Prince family, Karl Olk Lichtine. And supporting Karl as his second-inmand is Ranquille Calig Gilberrist.


    The face of the two of them was dark as they rode their horses¡¯ side by side.


    ¡°¡­I was not expecting the nobles to be so afraid,¡± said Marquis Ranquille, frustrated.


    It was only yesterday thatst-minute news arrived. The news was that a detachment of the Fourth Imperial Army was burning viges to the ground. This was only natural since they were invading deep into the territory. However, the nobles, who wanted to protect their territories, became weak-kneed.


    They started screaming that they should surrender to the Grantz Empire and that they should negotiate with them. It took some time to persuade them, which dyed their arrival here.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame. We¡¯ve brought this on ourselves.¡±


    However, all of the nobles at the time who decided to start a war with the Grantz Empire were killed in battle against the rebels. And even if surrender is out of the question, the Fourth Imperial Army must be crushed in order to negotiate. In order to maintain the appearance of a nation, they must obtain better conditions. If they chose to lose without a fight, they would beughed at by other countries.


    ¡°Karl-sama. This is a critical moment for us.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll leave everything to you. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Ranquille nodded. Then a message came rushing to his side.


    ¡°Your Excellency! Some of the rebels are heading this way.¡±


    ¡°So, it looks like the mercenaries were able to get away.¡±


    ¡°Should we let them join us?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯ll work as a separate unit.¡±


    In order to make up for the dy, they could not afford to slow down the march by joining up.


    In the first ce, Ranquille does not trust mercenaries. It is not for the good of the country or anyone else that they go into battle. It¡¯s all about money. Then there is no telling when they will betray the country or when they will run away. If those people are allowed to join the army, they will only get in the way.


    ¡°The situation of the war over there also concerns me. I want to talk to the mercenary leader. Can you bring him here?¡±


    ¡°Certainly!¡±


    A short time after the messenger left, a man in light armor arrived.


    Dried blood sticks to his armor and his dirty facecks any trace of intelligence. Even if he is a mercenary, he is no different from a bandit. Ranquille frowned as he observed the man¡¯s appearance. On closer inspection, the mercenary was wearing the armor of the Principality of Lichtine.


    The dried blood showed that it was not recent and that a long time had passed. It was easy to guess that the mercenary originally belonged to the rebel army.


    Perhaps it was the spoils of war that they had acquired in the war in which the Prince had lost so badly. This did not sit well with Ranquille. He felt anger welling up in his heart.


    ¡°Well, well, thanks for your patronage.¡±


    Without realizing that he had offended Ranquille, the smiling man scratched the back of his head and bowed his head on his horse. Ranquille wanted to cut down the man who had no sense of decency at this moment, but he did his best to suppress his anger by exhaling heavily.


    Karl, who was standing next to him, noticed his presence and replied instead.


    ¡°Thank you for your time. I am Karl Olk Lichtine. It is my pleasure to have you fight with me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well, I¡¯m d to hear that. I¡¯ve been paid a lot of money, so I must do my part properly.¡±


    ¡°So, how¡¯s the war going?¡±


    ¡°Well, the rebels are being pushed back. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they surrender.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good. Marquis Ranquille, we have to hurry.¡±


    Karl¡¯s words brought Ranquille back to his senses, and he answered with a nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Hey, mercenary.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Take the lead to the battlefield. Our scouts don¡¯t know that much about it. Bring us to the ce where we can nk the Fourth Imperial Army.¡±


    Karl tilted his head at Ranquille¡¯s words. It is understandable because the reports of their scouts are continuallying in. More importantly, they have information on where the Fourth Imperial Army and the rebels are fighting.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Aye, leave it to me, I¡¯ll give them a run for the money!¡±


    After watching the mercenaries leave, Karl called out to Ranquille.


    ¡°Why did you say something like that?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying about the lie?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That mercenary must have beenughing in his head. He must think that the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s scouts was not capable.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, they won¡¯t lead us the way.¡±


    ¡°Even if it was a humiliation for us?¡±


    ¡°The fate of our nation is at stake in this war. There is no greater shame than the destruction of a nation. Let those who want tough do so.¡±


    ¡°Fumu¡­ I see. Marquis Ranquille is indeed skilled in controlling his emotions. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to divide it up easily.¡±


    Ranquille snorted at Karl, who still looked unhappy, and then spat out his words.


    ¡°More importantly, did you notice that the armor the mercenary was wearing belonged to our country?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It was dirty, but there was no way I could mistake it. It must have been bought from some merchant.¡±


    ¡°No, he must have ripped it from the corpse when he defeated the Prince.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°It was made of high-quality iron. It probably belonged to a distinguished noble. I couldn¡¯t identify it because it was too dirty to see the crest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unforgivable. When this war is over, they must be punished.¡±


    Karl snorted in anger. He gripped the reins tightly and red at the mercenaries who were out of sight. When he saw Karl, Ranquille appeased him.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I let them lead the way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The mercenaries must be the first to fight. That¡¯s why I decided to dispose of them as arrowheads. If they are lucky enough to survive, we can punish themter.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s a good idea!¡±


    ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve got it all wrong, Karl-sama.¡±


    ¡°Wrong?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, you said earlier that I have excellent control of my emotions, but I am not a very noble person.¡±


    Shrugging his shoulders, Ranquille continued.


    ¡°Even I myself am not someone without anger. I wanted to chop his head off at that moment, but when I look at therger picture, even scum have their uses. So I thought putting them on the front lines might take my mind off it a bit.¡±


    Karl was taken aback by Ranquille¡¯s evil smile. He was surprised to learn that even this man could be driven by passion.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m impressed by your resourcefulness in trying to use it to your advantage. I would not have been able to do that. I would have killed that man.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit embarrassing. I hope you will not praise me further. If you can, save it for when we win this war.¡±


    Ranquille rubbed his neck and looked troubled. The anger had finally passed, and Karl let out a smallugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, too. We have to win first.¡±


    With determination in his heart, Karl raised his head and looked forward. Ranquille nodded his head in satisfaction, and both of them proceeded with their horses. It was only a matter of time before they were relieved to find that something was wrong with the mercenaries they had been leading.


    There was a fierce sound of swords being shed. The air was shaken by the shouts of the mercenaries who were carrying their spirit in their voices. The mercenaries mmed their swords against their shields to intimidate their opponents and shouted at the top of their lungs.


    However, the battlefield envisioned by the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army was still a long way off.


    As Ranquille was wondering, a messenger came in, looking flustered.


    ¡°The battle has begun!¡±


    ¡°What¡­? What do you mean?¡±


    Ranquille¡¯s brow wrinkled deeply as he looked ahead. But the dust and sand prevented him from grasping the details of the front line.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s only one man.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Ranquille couldn¡¯t help but let out an exmation of dismay. He thought he had misheard, but his mouth twitched, and he repeated.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you the number of people we¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    ¡°Only one, sir. Suddenly, he appeared in our path and charged into the mercenaries who were leading the charge!¡±


    ¡°A one-man assault against a thousand?¡±


    What a stupid idea to buy time. What can a single person do?


    They might be hiding an ambush somewhere. There was also the possibility that he had done something reckless like charging in alone to distract attention. Ranquille smiled at the thought.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    If the Fourth Imperial Army makes any strange moves, the scouts will be able to detect it. It¡¯s not easy to evade surveince, especially in the desert where you can get a good view. Although his mind was confused by the situation he didn¡¯t understand, he came to his senses by pping his cheek. Perhaps the purpose of this is to confuse them.


    If their goal is to slow down the march by buying time, then they have a pretty good n, Ranquilleughed.


    ¡°Well done. If it hadn¡¯t been for me, many of the generals would have been rmed and stopped the march. Or perhaps I should say that it was because I was cautious that I took notice¡­¡±


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    Karl asked with a worried look on his face. Ranquille nodded and exaggeratedly spread his hands to reassure. No matter what the purpose of the opponent, he will be able to read through it. Above all, what can one person do?


    ¡°There is no problem. Let¡¯s proceed with the army. There is no need to worry about ambushes.¡±


    However, Ranquille¡¯s confidence was shattered. A few momentster, the advance troops came to aplete halt. Leaving Karl to wait in the main position, Ranquille went to join the advance line.


    ¡°What are you doing? There¡¯s no time to rest! Keep moving!¡±


    Ranquille shouted, but he noticed something strange in the atmosphere of the advance line. All the ves¡¯ faces were pale and bloodless as if they were about to copse.


    Ranquille pulled his horse over to a nearby ve and asked loudly.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    A ve in the front row answered with a shiver in his voice.


    ¡°¡­Endless Despair.¡±


    The eerie words made Ranquille feel a chill in his heart.


    It was an old story that parents would read to their children to discourage them from staying up toote. No one knows when the story was first told to the world. Without knowing it, it had spread widely from the nobles to themon people and even to the ves. It is said to have been handed down by a nameless minstrel or derived from the fairy tales of the Knight Kingdom of N, located in the southwestern corner of the central continent.


    ¡°Nonsense. What is that endless despair bullshit? That¡¯s just an old saying.¡±


    Ranquilleughed it off, but deep inside his body, a warning bell was ringing. The air should be hot now, yet the sweat flowing down his body is getting colder and colder, and he can feel his body temperature being drained. Ranquille cleared his throat and gasped as he moved his gaze fearfully forward. Something was dancing on the battlefield, swirling with heat.


    As if inviting, as if drawing him in¨D¨D,


    ¨D¨DA ck crow was spreading its wings.


    ¡°ck Crow¡± is the name of a god in fairy tales. It is also known as the ¡°ck God¡± and is said to be the god of death and destruction, leading the world to its end.


    ¡°What¡­ is this real?¡±


    One by one, the mercenaries who were cleaved by the enraged wings sent fresh blood soaring high into the sky, spreading arge amount of blood on the sand before copsing. What Ranquille hears are the cries of mercenaries crying out in grief. Some of them must have been famous ruffians. Some must have excelled in swordsmanship. But all of them were nothing but child¡¯s y in front of the ck Wings.


    The mercenaries wielding their swords against him would only end up wasting their lives. Although he had thought of using them, he felt pity for them when he saw them killed so cruelly. However, Ranquille did not feel the urge to help. Having witnessed an unidentifiable being, fear had bound his body, and he was unable to move. A head flew at the feet of Ranquille, who was unable to speak.


    It was the head of the mercenary leader, whom he hated so much he wanted to kill.


    But Ranquille¡¯s gaze was fixed on a single point. It was partly because of his obsession that he would die if he were distracted¡­ but the main reason was that the boy who cut off the head of the mercenary leader was looking at him. He could not determine that it was a boy from this distance, and there was no way he could see his expression. Perhaps his brain was hallucinating. Or maybe he was so terrified that he couldn¡¯t think straight.


    But Ranquille was sure that he had seen it.


    ¨D¨DHe saw the boyughing.


    The mercenaries began to run for their lives. Ranquille can see them running towards him, looking for help.


    ¡°Release the arrows! Keep those mercenaries away from here!¡±


    The archers were faithful to Ranquille¡¯s orders. More than a thousand arrows flew, splitting the air and struck the mercenaries in a parab. The mercenaries who were exposed to the rain of arrows struggled and died out. Of course, the arrows rushed at the boy in ck as well, but surprisingly, he was unharmed.


    ¡°Is he a monster?¡±


    Ranquille could only imagine that the boy was the ck God from fairy tales. If not, how can he exin it? How can he call him human?


    Then Ranquille noticed the situation around him. The ves were kneeling around him, begging for forgiveness. Some of them were even doing penance. The advance guard was losing their will to fight.


    ¡°¡­This is not good. We can¡¯t go on like this.¡±


    Ranquille opened his mouth wide with all the strength in his belly to stimte himself. Then he closed it quickly. The boy flipped his ck coat and turned away. Ranquille thought it was an excellent opportunity. Now that the boy had his back to him, he thought, he could hit him with one of his arrows. No one has eyes in their back, after all. Otherwise, he would be able to confirm whether the boy was human or some kind of monster.


    ¡°Now! Fire the arrow again!¡±


    He swung his arm forward with great force. A massive rain of arrows once again took over the sky. The arrows were so dense that not even a mouse could escape, but they were all repelled by the boy¡¯s ck coat.


    Ranquille was stunned, but then a series of heavy sounds reached his ears, causing him to look around. The ves were lying on their backs with gaping holes in their chests.


    From the looks on the faces of the dead, they probably didn¡¯t even know what had happened. Fear, despair, awe¡­ the expressions on their faces were all different, but none of them seemed to be in pain. On second thought, it might have been a blessing to have passed away without feeling any pain.


    Ranquille was stunned, but a sharp pain in his cheek brought him back to his senses. When he put his hand on his cheek, he felt a slippery sensation.


    ¡°¡­Why am I bleeding?¡±


    When he looked at the blood on his trembling fingertips, Ranquille was startled and looked at the boy. However, there was no sign of the boy there. There was nothing but the bodies of the mercenaries lying there in a cruel state.


    A hot breeze blew through, and his body regained its temperature. When his head regained its rity, he was struck by a shiver that made him want to scream. His heart was beating loudly. In order to quell the sound of his pulsating heart, Ranquille pressed his fist against his chest.


    ¡°Kuhahaha¡­ I see. So that¡¯s the man in ck that was reported.¡±


    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t know. He was only judged by the ipetent nobles who lost their legitimate son and third son and lied in order to avoid being used of losing the war. He still couldn¡¯t believe it, but now that he had seen it with his own eyes, he had to believe it. Instead of dismissing it as a lie, he should have kept it in the corner of his mind.


    It¡¯s toote to talk about it now, but either way, countermeasures against the man in ck will be necessary. He wanted to consider it carefully, but the enemy would not wait for him. Besides, the ves are trembling, muttering the names of the gods. This is sure to be a problem in the future.


    ¡°So¡­ I shall stop him. No war is waged alone.¡±


    For the moment, Ranquille decided to retreat. If he didn¡¯t do something about the unsettled ves, there was nothing he could do. The beginning of a war is crucial. If they stumble here, the future is uncertain.


    Ranquille instructed the entire army to retreat and returned to the main camp.

 Volume 2, Chapter 4 – One-Eyed Dragon Part 5

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4 ¨C One-Eyed Dragon Part 5</h4>


    The left-wing of the Fourth Imperial Army had finished its deployment facing east, but the morale of the soldiers was extremely low due to the forced march and the battle with the rebels so far. Even so, there was no sound of dissatisfaction, and the troops were lined up in an orderly fashion, undisturbed. If they had been conscripted, they would not have been able to deploy so quickly, and there would have been no end to the number of people who would have deserted out of fear.


    On the left nk, where such a tense atmosphere was flowing, the sixth princess was in charge. As dazzling as the sun, her red hair was covered in dust and showing signs of weariness. But that didn¡¯t detract from her charm, and her coquettish appearance, like a warrior maiden, helped to halt the decline in morale.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Liz sighed in annoyance. She¡¯s like a wife who waits for her husband to return from the battlefield¨D¨Dor like a mother who waits for her child to return.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Onee-san. That Onii-san is strong, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    In front of her, there was a young girl. She had brown skin, but it was hidden by arge robe. In addition, the hood attached to the robe cast a shadow over her face, making it impossible to see her expression. The girl was the leader of the rebel army, the Liberation Army. Therefore, there were many people who held grudges against her, and the Principality of Lichtine would have hated her to the point of wanting to kill her. The Fourth Imperial Army is no exception. That¡¯s why Liz, the sixth princess, is working to protect her from the insolent people.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m just worried about him because he¡¯s a reckless person. I hope Hiro¡­ isn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about for that little boy.¡±


    Tris responded to Liz¡¯s words.


    ¡°I¡¯d say there¡¯s nothing to worry about him either. I¡¯ve been your enemy, so I¡¯ll let you decide if you can trust my word¡­¡±


    Next to Tris was Ghada. In terms of appearance alone, he is in his early twenties, but the truth is that he is a demon, and he is over a hundred years old.


    ¡°But stopping the enemy¡¯s advance by himself is just absurd, no matter how much you think about it.¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t finish her sentence, as she was worried because the boy who had been the cause of her concern had returned. There was still some distance between them, but the boy¡¯s face showed signs of fatigue.


    Liz grabbed her water bag and said.


    ¡°Clear the way. Let him through!¡±


    Not long after, Hiro came over to Liz. Liz silently handed him the bag of water, and after thanking her, Hiro sipped the tip of the bag.


    When Liz saw Hiro drink it down in one gulp, she eximed, ¡°Ah.¡±


    It was her own water bag that Hiro was now holding, and she had sipped on it many times. Perhaps the meaning of this urred to her, and her face flushed, as did her hair color.


    ¡°Um~~~~?¡±


    Liz was holding her head in embarrassment as she let out an inaudible scream. Hiro had a dubious expression on the face of the princess, who showed a strange reaction.


    However, he immediately noticed the killing intent and looked next to her. Tris was ring at Hiro with an overtly unhappy expression. Hiro gulped in confusion. He wiped the moisture from the corners of his mouth and looked around as if to pretend something.


    ¡°H-huh, is this all we have?¡±


    ¡°Eeh?¡±


    Liz did not seem to understand the meaning of his words.


    ¡°Ah, you need more water! I¡¯ll go get some right now!¡±


    She said her misunderstanding and went to get more water. Hiro hurriedly stopped her.


    ¡°No, no, wait! That¡¯s not it. There¡¯s still some left, so it¡¯s enough for me, okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­I-I knew that. I was just kidding.¡±


    Liz took her hand off the reins and began to stroke Mirue¡¯s head, who was sitting in front of her.


    Mirue, who had been quietly letting her head be stroked, must have reached the end of her limit when her neck was bent in a strange direction. After a little while, she raised her voice in protest.


    ¡°Onee-san, it hurts!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! But your head looked so itchy!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not itchy at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡±


    Liz didn¡¯t listen to her and was still scratching Mirue¡¯s head through her hood. Although Hiro can not see the expression hidden in the hood, he can easily understand what the girl is thinking by the rough handling.


    He could not help but notice the shameful state of the sixth princess.


    ¡°Ahem! Princess, the little boy is probably asking if this is the only number of soldiers we have.¡±


    Tris cleared his throat and gave Liz a helping hand.


    ¡°O-of course. I knew it!¡±


    Liz released Mirue¡¯s head and pointed a finger at Hiro.


    ¡°I guess it was just too hot for me!¡± said Liz.


    Hiro smiled bitterly and shook his head.


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s my fault that I didn¡¯t exin it properly.¡±


    ¡°¡­You guys are really tense, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Hiro pretended not to have heard Ghada¡¯s scathing words. And then he asked the question again.


    ¡°So¡­ this is all we could gather? Where are the reserve soldiers?¡±


    It was only the left-wing that had formed a nking formation and was preparing for a raid.


    Before leaving here, Hiro should have sent a message to General Kylo, asking him to send a reserve unit. However, there was no sign of the reserve unit. Behind the left nk, soldiers took weapons from the prisoners and gathered them in several ces. Many of them were sitting down and resting.


    ¡°If anybody has any ideas¡­ I don¡¯t mind, but.¡±


    It¡¯s not that they do not have a n to make it look like they are letting their guard down, but they are so full of themselves that it¡¯s hard to believe they are receiving such instructions.


    Liz opened her mouth to Hiro with a doubtful expression on her face.


    ¡°Um, you know¡­ he said that since he¡¯s themander, he can¡¯t take orders from the fourth prince.¡±


    Liz pinched the fingertips of her hands together and made an apologetic face.


    ¡°I also sent out a few messages, but I was told that 2,000 cavalrymen would be enough for the weak troops of the Principality of Lichtine. I couldn¡¯t persuade him¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s not your fault. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    Liz seemed depressed and drooped her head, probably because of how bluntly Hiro said it. Hiro can feel Tris¡¯s anger in the air. He is going to pull out his sword at any moment.


    Hiro didn¡¯t dare to confirm whether it was in response to his reply or to General Kylo¡¯s rude response.


    ¡°¡­Liz. For now, let¡¯s go to the main camp. I think it would be better to meet General Kylo face to face. And it¡¯s going to be difficult to get a meeting with the general without you. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Liz was d that Hiro was counting on her.


    ¡°Yeah, leave it to me!¡±


    Liz smiled as if she were a flower. Hiro was relieved and patted his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to show him all the good things about you.¡±


    ¡°No, just a quick introduction would be fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to take Mirue with you?¡±


    Ghada¡¯s frustrated voice carried on the wind.


    ¡°From what you guys have said, I don¡¯t think General Kylo is a man to be trusted. Isn¡¯t it dangerous to take Mirue to such a ce?¡±


    ¡°But if we don¡¯t, you might run away with her.¡±


    Liz red sideways at Ghada, and her gaze was cold with disgust.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you for taking advantage of a little girl. So I¡¯m taking her with me. I don¡¯t want you to start another war with her.¡±


    Ghada shrugged his shoulders, muttering, ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡±


    And Hiro was the only one who noticed Mirue¡¯s condition. From Hiro¡¯s perspective, he could see Mirue¡¯s mouth. Her mouth was bent into a crooked shape, looking sad, but she didn¡¯t say anything, as if she felt that Liz was right. She¡¯s a smart girl for her age, Hiro thought.


    Hiro decided to go on with the conversation so as not to make the atmosphere any more awkward.


    ¡°Tris-san, please instruct the soldiers to take a rest.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? The Principality of Lichtine may attack us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the other way around. If the rest of the army is resting and only the left-wing is alert, they will know that the chain ofmand has been disrupted and will attack us.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ but if we¡¯re not on alert, won¡¯t they attack us even more?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible. If they are brave enough, they will charge at us, but this time the opponent seems to be a very calm person, so let¡¯s buy some time by making them suspicious at best. Besides, as for the soldiers¨D¨Dlet the horses get some rest.¡±


    The fact that he had fought once to keep them in check also helped. If the Grantz¡¯s army doesn¡¯t make a move, they will be cautious. It was a miscalction on General Kylo¡¯s part to be reluctant to send out the reserve troops, but on the other hand, it was effective in raising the alertness of the opponent. When Tris was convinced, Hiro lightly tapped the swift dragon on the neck.


    ¡°Well then, I will be counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Mm. I¡¯ve been entrusted with this task. Go and give General Kylo a good talking to!¡±


    Tris pped Hiro on the back as hard as he could. He decided to go for the main camp, coughing up the old-fashioned spirit.

 Volume 2, Chapter 4 – One-Eyed Dragon Part 6

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4 ¨C One-Eyed Dragon Part 6</h4>


    The hot sun was shining down on the main camp of the Fourth Imperial Army. However, the air there was calm and peaceful. Some soldiers could be seen chatting andughing, and the scene was so joyous that it was hard to believe that the enemy had been spotted nearby. In the center of the room, a curtain was set up to keep out the dust.


    Inside was a simple desk with a map spread out and General Kylo and his staff surrounding it.


    ¡°The scouts report that the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army is retreating¨D¨D.¡±


    One of the staff put a piece on the map.


    ¡°It seems that they are waiting here to see what happens. The enemy seems to be sending out scouts as well, which means that our situation is being ryed to them.¡±


    The staff officer looked up and saw General Kylo.


    ¡°Is that all right, sir? The fourth prince¡¯s order was to send a reserve unit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t need to listen to the orders of someone whose identity is not certain. What if it is the work of an enemy spy?¡±


    ¡°But it is certain that the army of the Principality of Lichtine hade to this ce. Two thousand cavalrymen may not be enough.¡±


    ¡°You are a worrier. If it were Kigui, he would not have said such a thing.¡±


    Kigui is the name of the second-inmand who was assisting General Kylo. He recklessly confronted the demon and died in battle. When General Kylo learned of his death, he was so angry that he almost forgot himself, but his staff members did their best to calm him down, and he was able to avoid the situation.


    ¡°And the fourth prince was flying the coat of arms of the second emperor, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    ¡°If the man is truly a descendant of the second emperor, then he will be able to work ording to the legend.¡±


    ¡°If he leads 10,000 men, he is without equal in the heavens. If he leads 1,000 men, he is without equal on the earth. The God of War strategy controls the whole world¨D¨DThat¡¯s what it said, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. It sounds ridiculous, but if he is a descendant, 2,000 is enough. He will have no enemies on earth.¡±


    General Kylo chuckled. It was clear that he was mocking Hiro.


    One of the staff seemed to think that the general was making a bad joke, but he just frowned and said calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a myth, and we don¡¯t know what it really was. Above all, what if he really was a descendant of the God of War? Not to mention the citizens, many people in the Fourth Imperial Army believe in him. If they find out, General Kylo¡¯s position will be in jeopardy.¡±


    It was clear from his words that this staff member was one of the believers.


    General Kylo¡¯s smile faded, and his anger swelled.


    ¡°Shut up. What is your rank, Driks?¡±


    ¡°Second ss military officer, sir.¡±


    ¡°If you understand that, you may step back now.¡±


    General Kylo waved his hand grandly, urging the staff officer he had called Driks to leave.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to leave now. The air here is a little heavy for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Excuse me.¡±


    The other staff members looked away from Driks, feeling sorry for him. However, Driks, who was urged to leave, could not go out.


    Because¨D¨D,


    ¡°Second-grade military officer Driks, you are allowed to remain here.¡±


    A girl was standing at the entrance of the curtain¡ªa girl with red hair. The staff members all bowed their heads as the ¡°me Princess¡± appeared. General Kylo bailed lightly and gave an amended smile.


    ¡°What brings you to a ce like this? I thought you were selfishly moving your left nk in preparation for a raid by the Principality of Lichtine?¡±


    Liz frowned at the sarcastic remark.


    ¡°I want to talk to you about that. Why is it that despite repeated requests, you have not sent a reserve unit?¡±


    ¡°You are not themander of the Fourth Imperial Army. There is no better reason than that.¡±


    General Kylo snickered at the little fool and noticed the presence of a boy next to the sixth princess.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of having an outsider in a ce like this. Even if you are a member of the royal family, this is not eptable behavior.¡±


    Upon closer inspection, he noticed that there was another person behind the sixth princess. He can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a man or a woman by the hood, but judging by the height, it could be a child or a woman.


    General Kylo red at the three of them sullenly.


    ¡°I would have punished you severely if you were a soldier, but unfortunately, you are a member of the royal family. I will dismiss the matter. I hope you will be careful in the future.¡±


    He sighed deliberately, then waved his hand as if to scare away a dog.


    ¡°If you understand, go back tomanding the left-wing. This is not a child¡¯s yground.¡±


    ¡°General Kylo, you¨D¨D.¡±


    Liz was about to close in, but someone put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.


    ¡°Liz, wait. Let me handle this.¡±


    General Kylo looked at him suspiciously when the boy called the sixth princess by her nickname. But without being able to find an answer, the boy walked up to him.


    ¡°Hello, nice to meet you; you are General Kylo, correct?¡±


    ck hair, ck eyes. In the Grantz Empire, it¡¯s called twin-ck, a color that doesn¡¯t exist among the people of this world. Even more bizarrely, an eye patch covered more than half of the boy¡¯s face, and his body was wrapped in a ck robe, reminiscent of the mythical ¡°God of War.¡±


    ¡°My name is Hiro Schwartz von Grantz. The fourth prince of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    Hiro held out his right hand for a handshake.


    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s right. Even though I am the fourth prince, my rank is a third-ss military officer.¡±


    Hiro took a nce at Driks, who had been asked to leave, then returned his gaze to General Kylo and said happily.


    ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t shake your hand because I¡¯m lower in rank.¡±


    ¡°N-no, that¡¯s¡­ not true.¡±


    The suspicion was still strong, but General Kylo shook his hand and then opened his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but do you have any proof?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say this hair and eyes, but if you say I¡¯m in disguise, then¡­ I guess this ck robe will be the proof.¡±


    Hiro tapped his chest¨D¨Dat the ¡°ck Princess Camelia,¡± and the hem of it poked out like an arrow, sending General Kiro flying.


    The suddenness of the event made it impossible for him to catch the attack. General Kylo¡¯s body hit the ground hard, and he let out a heavy breath. Because of his trained body, General Kylo stood up immediately, but his body staggered as if he couldn¡¯t breathe, and his face was contorted in pain.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡±


    In response to General Kylo¡¯s anger, the staff reached for the sword¡¯s hilt at their waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, it seems I was in the wrong ce at the wrong time and took a belligerent attitude. Besides, the ck Princess Camelia is a timid person. Once she pulls out her weapon, she can¡¯t control herself. Even I, the master, can¡¯t stop her.¡±


    Chuckling, Hiro looked around at the staff.


    ¡°Do you want to try it?¡±


    None of them nodded. Everyone in the room, except Hiro, who seemed to be familiar with the name ¡°ck Princess Camelia,¡± was transfixed by the ck robe. They seemed stunned to see the ¡°royal power¡± that only the second emperor was allowed to wear up close.


    Hiro saw to it that the murderous intent was gone from the air and reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, or even the ck Princess Camelia, you might want to read this.¡±


    General Kylo approached with cautious steps. It seemed ridiculous to him that he had been so overbearing, and then suddenly, he was so quiet. But after such an attack, it was only natural that he would adopt this attitude.


    General Kylo frowned as he picked up the parchment. He must have realized that the letter was from the emperor. He quickly nced at it and lost all color as soon as he saw it.


    Slowly, General Kylo looked up and stared at Hiro, appalled.


    ¡°¡­This is.¡±


    There is no way to describe it¡­ and General Kylo had a hint of agitation in his eyes. Hiro lightly patted General Kylo on the shoulder. Then he asked for the emperor¡¯s letter back and said with a clear face as he rolled up the parchment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ordered by His Majesty to transfer themand to me if you are unsessful. I¡¯m thinking of cing Celia Estre, the sixth princess, as the newmander, and I¡¯ll be her assistant¡­¡±


    ¡°D-don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±


    General Kylo, whose body trembled with anger, interrupted Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°To give themand to a young man like you?¡±


    ¡°Not to me, but Celia Estre, the sixth princess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing!¡±


    Although the heat was sticky, General Kylo¡¯s overheating made the air even hotter. He was even more agitated than when the ck Princess Camelia had attacked him.


    The staff members were cowering and looking at each other with trepidation.


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders, raised his right hand, and put his index finger to General Kylo¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Silence. You can¡¯t change anything by screaming. Take it in stride.¡±


    ¡°Wha¨D¨D! T-there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to ept this kind of humiliation¡­! I won¡¯t ept it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to shut up.¡±


    A shimmering white line shes through the air. The de was attached to General Kylo¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve given you many opportunities. And all you¡¯ve done is act like a fool by dragging your feet. Don¡¯t talk back to me, you ipetent bastard.¡±


    ¡°W-wha¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know what happens to youter. This is not the right time.¡±


    As soon as Hiro put the Heavenly Emperor back in its sheath, he looked from General Kylo to his staff.


    ¡°You are just as guilty if you just follow yourmander without admonishing him. If you just nod, there is no need for staff.¡±


    The boy was much younger than they were. However, the intimidation that he radiated was that of a great warrior. The staff members all gasped for breath, fear filling their faces as they apologized.


    General Kylo¡¯s ns for his career may have gone awry, but he was stunned by the younger Hiro¡¯s harsh words. Then Hiroes in to finish him off.


    ¡°You may go outside to cool down.¡±


    General Kylo¡¯s face turned red, and he silently fell to the ground.


    ¡°General? Please get a hold of yourself!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you to a military physician!¡±


    General Kylo was carried away on the shoulders of two staff members. He didn¡¯t expect to be so agitated that he would faint, but he shouldn¡¯t be broken.


    Then Hiro gave Liz a look, and she gave a small nod and walked over to the desk.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start the military discussion. Don¡¯t be afraid. Would you be willing to offer your opinions?¡±


    At Liz¡¯s deration, the rest of the staff tightened their expressions and straightened their backs.


    As soon as Hiiro walked out of the military meeting, he was hit by bright sunlight. Outside, arge number of soldiers were moving about hurriedly. The ground had been trampled over and over, causing sand to mix with the air and scatter with the wind.


    The wind yed with the banners held by the g bearers in the sky, causing the hem of his ck robe to sway mischievously.


    Then Hiro noticed a change in the crest g.


    ¡°They work fast.¡±


    All of General Kylo¡¯s heraldic banners in the main camp had been taken down, and in their ce were the banners of the sixth princess¨D¨Da lily on a red background. This meant that Liz had taken over themand from General Kylo. However, even if she took over themand, it would be meaningless if she could not win this battle.


    ¡°Hiiirooo~!¡±


    As Hiro was lost in thought, a woman hugged him on his back. He didn¡¯t have to look back to know who it was. Hiro smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Liz, what¡¯s up all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other. Shouldn¡¯t you be more than happy to see me?¡±


    Liz¡¯s mouth twitched in frustration as she put her strength into her arms to protest.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, something is missing here. Yeah, Hiro¡¯s words arecking. It¡¯s okay to be more aggressive, you know? Just show it with your actions.¡±


    Somehow she was in a good mood and twined herself around Hiro¡¯s body, but Hiro couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about the soldiers¡¯ gazes. Liz didn¡¯t seem to care, and as if that wasn¡¯t enough, she rubbed her cheek against Hiro¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Liz¡­ There¡¯s a lot of people looking at us here, so let¡¯s not do that.¡±


    It¡¯s not that Hiro doesn¡¯t like it, but he¡¯s embarrassed. When Hiro gently told her, Liz pulled her body away.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, too. Then we¡¯ll continue thister tonight!¡±


    She was as whimsical as a cat, going from passionate to easily separate.


    ¡°No, um¡­ why are¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro was about to ask back.


    ¡°Everyone is probably tired, but let¡¯s just hang in there a little longer!¡±


    Liz took Mirue and walked into the group of soldiers who were filling bags with sand.


    ¡°Princess, we can handle this kind of chore by ourselves¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m doing this because I want to. Don¡¯t worry about it, just keep working.¡±


    ¡°Understood¡­¡±


    The captain¡¯s body shook with emotion, and he let out a loud voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the princess¡¯s hand be troubled by you! Let¡¯s get this over with right away!¡±


    Chuckling at sight, Hiro caught sight of a figure out of the corner of his eye. As Hiro approached him, he called out to him.


    ¡°May I have a moment?¡±


    ¡°I-is it me?¡±


    The man with the straight back was a staff officer named Driks, who was about to be kicked out for speaking out against General Kylo. He was saved by Liz¡¯s appearance just before he left.


    He seemed to be more nervous about meeting a descendant of the second emperor than about being approached by the royal family. Hiro smiled cheerfully and patted him on the shoulder to get him into a morefortable posture.


    ¡°There is something else I would like you to do, apart from what we have just discussed.¡±


    Hiro had just ordered a quick retreat in the military council. That¡¯s what Liz and the others are working for. The retreat would be after they had made some ns in case the opponent noticed them.


    While there were ways to win without retreating, it would cause more than a little damage to their side. What Hiro wants is aplete victory¨D¨Dhe must fight to bring his opponent to his knees, to make them believe that they cannot win, and to chain them together.


    ¡°What is it, sir?¡±


    ¡°May I have the report addressed only to General Kylo?¡±


    Driks expression tightened as if he realized what Hiro was trying to say.


    ¡°¡­I understand. I¡¯ll bring it to you right away.¡±


    After watching Driks¡¯ back as he walked away, Hiro walked forward. He wanted to help Liz and the others with their work. It¡¯s not only themander but also the one who stands at the top who must set an example, and people will not follow just by giving orders. If they marched deep into enemy territory, it would be very important as they did this time. They must eatter than the soldiers and do their duty quietly withoutining.


    It is a simple but important matter that affects morale. It¡¯s not something visible, but it will have a dramatic effectter on.


    ¡°Liz, I¡¯ll help you too.¡±


    Liz stopped her work and turned around. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and tilted her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have other things to do, Hiro?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve notified the captains of each unit of the change ofmand and sent them instructions for the future. And as far as I can see, there¡¯s no confusion. All we have to do is wait for the scouts toe back.¡±


    From what Hiro had heard, Liz had been in close contact with each of the captains. He didn¡¯t know what was going through their mind, but anyway, thanks to that, no one showed any defiance.


    Even from here, he could see that they were working as ordered. All that was left was to wait for the scouts to return, and until then, Hiro would have nothing to do.


    Lizined as if she was still not convinced.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to rely on Hiro from now on. I hope you have some energy left in you, but¡­ you¡¯ve been through so much fighting. You must be a little tired, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t tired, but I¡¯m the only one not doing anything.¡±


    Liz made a troubled face at Hiro, who shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Hmm, I guess if I force you to take a break, you¡¯ll work somewhere else. I think it¡¯s safer to keep you within my sight.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m not a child anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Hiro is always disappearing when I take my eyes off him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Now, stop talking and get to work.¡±


    If he continued to poke around in the bushes, he never knew what woulde out. Hiro deceitfully joined the soldiers and began to work. Not long after that, a scout came back to Hiro.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro. As you ordered, I¡¯ve been spying on the enemy army.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts.¡±


    Hiro handed him a bag of water and waited for the scout to catch his breath.


    ¡°As Your Highness Hiro predicted, the ves embedded in the enemy army seem to be losing their will to fight.¡±


    ¡°Did they seem unable to move quickly?¡±


    ¡°No, the ves have been ced in the rear, and the camel cavalry has been brought to the front. They seemed to be ready to charge at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Will they bite us if we show an opening?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    ¡°But they don¡¯t seem to have a firm n. Our preparations areing to an end; let¡¯s shake them up.¡±


    Hiro raises his hand. He signaled to the soldier with the drum. The drums were beaten loudly. The sound of the drums shook the air and traveled through the air to the soldiers.


    The first to move was the cavalry on the left nk. They began to march eastward. The cavalry of the right-wing, which had been bypassed behind them, followed.


    Hiro carried on his back what he had made earlier, and when he called out for the swift dragon, he stepped on its back.


    ¡°Liz, the rest is as exined in the council.¡±


    ¡°All right. Be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll entrust it to you.¡±


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s get to work, everyone! Act fast!¡±


    As if buoyed by Liz¡¯s voice, Hiro drove the swift dragon eastward.


    ¡°Yeah. The wind is blowing nicely.¡±


    Hiro smiled as he listened to the sound of the drums beating in the sky.

 Volume 2, Chapter 4 – One-Eyed Dragon Part 7

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 4 ¨C One-Eyed Dragon Part 7</h4>


    The Principality of Lichtine¡¯s camp was in a panic at the sound of drums echoing from the Fourth Imperial Army.


    ¡°Enemy attack! The enemy¡¯s cavalry ising!¡±


    ¡°Bring the ves forward to form a wall! And send the archers forward to shoot their arrows!¡±


    Marquis Ranquille looked over the bloodthirsty nobles in disgust and then gnashed his teeth in annoyance.


    ¡°They took the initiative¡­¡±


    It was about a second ago that he learned that themander of the Fourth Imperial Army had been reced. So Marquis Ranquille tries to know the enemy general. The first thing he did was put his camel cavalry in front of them to see how they would react. Then, when he realized that the enemy was unguarded, he tried to hit them with a small number of troops to get a feel for the enemy¡¯s situation, but just as he was about to do so¨D¨Dthe enemy¡¯s cavalry began to advance.


    ¡°Is the tide in our favor?¡±


    They were ahead of the enemy at the perfect time. If this were the sixth princess¡¯s ability, it would be terrifying. Even if this is not the case, it is clear that a knowledgeable person has joined them.


    As expected of the Great Grantz Empire, the dominant power in the world, they have a wealth of talent. However, there was no time to remain impressed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Deploy the camel cavalry to the left and right!¡±


    No matter what the enemy¡¯s intentions are, they must avoid being surrounded.


    ¡°Bring the archers forward! The enemy hase all the way out here. This is a good opportunity!¡±


    Then he realized that the man at the front of the cavalry was that very man.


    ¡°As I thought¡­ you came.¡±


    The wounds left by the man in ck are still deep. It¡¯s not just the ves but also the regr soldiers who have been told the story and have fear stered on their faces. The only way to wipe it away is to give them confidence. As if to crush his anxiety, Ranquille said to himself that he would take advantage of the situation at all costs.


    ¡°Archers ready!¡±


    As he gave the order, a strange scene unfolded in front of him. The enemy cavalry had spread out and dispersed. Arge cloud of dust rose up, tinting the sky brown.


    ¡°Downwind, huh¡­?¡±


    The cavalry disappeared in a cloud of dust. Only the roar of horseshoes and shouts could be heard. The situation is not very pleasant, but he is d that the man in ck is no longer in sight. The majority of the soldiers were unaware of his presence.


    ¡°Anyway, are they nning to hide in the sand and set up a siege? If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ve been underestimated.¡±


    Ranquille looked around in all directions and then raised his voice.


    ¡°Left nk, right nk forward! The first group, retreat!¡±


    Ranquille gave the order to set up a reverse siege.


    Sometimeter.


    ¡°¡­No enemying?¡±


    He noticed something strange. But the sound of drums, the battle cry of soldiers, and the roar of horseshoes still shook his eardrums.


    ¡°No¡­ Are they moving away?¡±


    By the time he thought he had been conspired against, it was toote. By the time the dust had cleared, the cavalry was gone. He was about to ponder what the purpose of all this was when he was interrupted by the voice of a soldier.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s the man in ck! He¡¯s here again!¡±


    Such a voice came from the front row. Confusion blew through their army and spread rapidly.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡±


    It doesn¡¯t even give him time to think. When Ranquille looked up in surprise, the area was in an uproar, and there was a breakdown in the ranks. Not only that, but the soldiers hade to aplete halt.


    Ranquille felt a headacheing on and ran his hand over his forehead, looking at the same ce as the soldiers.


    A man in a fluttering ck robe was standing there.


    The sight of a thousand soldiers being ughtered came back to his mind. His body trembled with fear. However, Ranquille was not foolish enough to stop thinking.


    After pping his own cheek to regain hisposure, Ranquille took a small breath and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t break ranks! It¡¯s only one man, after all. What are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°B-but that man can take out a thousand men by himself!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. We are prepared for this.¡±


    In order to deal with the man in ck, they gathered a hundred skilled men and made a squad. For those who can take on 1,000, even though they are elite, 100 is not enough, but as long as they can buy time, there is no problem. While the man in ck was glued to this spot, they would kick out the exhausted Fourth Imperial Army.


    After all, they are outnumbered, and there is no way that a single person can chase after a dispersed enemy.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get what you deserve.¡±


    Ranquille drew his sword from his waist and pointed it at the bannerman. A hundred camel cavalrymen were selected to spearhead the attack. After a short distance, the whole army started to advance again.


    ¡°When the battle between the spearhead troops and the man in ck begins, we will attack the Fourth Imperial Army. Until then, we¡¯ll follow the spearhead team without being detected.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll notify the troops.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Thank you.¡±


    However, the battle did not begin for any length of time. A messenger came back to Ranquille, who wondered what was going on.


    ¡°It was a fake! The man in ck is a fake!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­? What do you mean, fake?¡±


    ¡°It was just a log strapped to a bag of dirt and covered with a ck cloth.¡±


    There was a heavy thud. It was the sound of something the messenger had dropped from his back. It was, as the messenger had said, just a log with a ck cloth over it.


    ¡°¡­Huh, what the hell is this?¡±


    He was so shocked that he could not speak. Perhaps he was so terrified that he fell for this childish trick that he mistook for the real thing.


    ¡°The same things are still up ahead.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    This was the ce where the Fourth Imperial Army and the rebel army had fought. There was arge depression in the ground that could be looked down on from all sides. In the midst of the corpses stood many logs covered with ck cloth, as if they were tombstones.


    ¡°I feel like a fool.¡±


    But it was a very effective strategy. Everyone knew that the man in ck was good at what he did, but there was no guarantee that he wasn¡¯t hiding behind the logs or that the real man was mixed in. Many people think the same way. That¡¯s why they hesitate to do so.


    ¡°I wondered if the whole purpose was to get out of here, or if they wereying down troops on all sides. Either way, I never thought we¡¯d be so well outmaneuvered.¡±


    Across the road from the graveyard, the Fourth Imperial Army was retreating, showing their rear. It¡¯s the perfect bait that makes them want to chase it. If they were going to attack them, they would have to go straight through here. If it was a trap, not only would they lose the advantage of thend, but they would also go to their deaths.


    Furthermore, if the man in ck was hiding, there was no way they could see him. It would be a losing battle for sure.


    ¡°If we bypassed this ce and pursued the opponent¡­¡±


    It¡¯s not only that the opponent will take an intercepting stance, but there¡¯s also the possibility that their ranks will be disrupted, and they¡¯ll move into battle. It was very cleverly thought out and beautifully executed, as an example.


    ¡°Even though this is the enemy¡¯s territory, to be able to manipte the battlefield in such a way as to change it so freely, it seems that¡­ the opponent has a monster like the God of War.¡±


    After a smallugh of self-mockery, Ranquille looked up at the sky. The nightfall is about to descend. If they let go of the heavenly time, the only thing that awaits them will be destruction.


    Ranquille¡¯s expression was gloomy. The road to victory was now darkly closed. The army¡¯s will to fight is waning, and morale is declining. If they didn¡¯t find a way out of this, they would lose.


    Ranquille could see an invisible wall loomingrge in the distance.

 Volume 2, Chapter 5 – War God’s Plot, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 5 ¨C War God¡¯s Plot, Part 1</h4>


    The sun was setting. The wind, which had been so hot that it burned the skin, was beginning to turn cold.


    There was a ce where many bonfires were lit. There were more than five hundred tents huddled together like a city. This was the encampment of the Fourth Imperial Army. In the center of the camp was arge tent with a lily g on a red background. However, there was no sign of the leader inside¨D¨Dthe sixth princess, Liz, was currently working hard to raise the soldiers¡¯ morale.


    A short distance away from the tents, there was a tent where military discussions were held.


    Seated at the top of the long desk in the center was the fourth prince, Hiro. Also seated around the desk were General Kylo and his staff, who were assisting him. And the first to open his mouth was Hiro.


    ¡°The reason for the gathering is¡­ as you may have guessed.¡±


    The staff members¡¯ color turned pale as Hiro tapped the stack of reports and spoke in an insolent manner. No one would lookup. They knew what was about to happen.


    ¡°General Kylo.¡±


    General Kiro looked at Hiro in shock, as if he hadn¡¯t expected to hear his name called.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°The report states that you have instructed several units to loot rations from neighboring viges.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a basic rule of warfare to procure food from the enemy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed. But that is on the premise that you have to pay the price. Looting is a poor policy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful thing to say¡­ But every country does it.¡±


    ¡°Grantz Empire respects military discipline. If you have the rank of general, you have to keep that in mind. Your actions contrary to that are very uneptable.¡±


    Hiro continued his words without hesitation.


    ¡°Therefore, I am removing your rank as general from you.¡±


    ¡°N-no, even though you are a member of the royal family, you do not have the right to make such an appointment! What authority do you have to do such a thing!¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. But if I report it to the Ministry of War, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll take the same action.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want that, you¡¯ll have to poison me or kill me without a trace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you wouldn¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    General Kylo¡¯s face tightened. It was a reaction that showed that he knew exactly what Hiro was talking about and that Hiro could see right through him. Hiro thought that he was an easy man to understand, but he nodded his head without showing his mockery.


    ¡°Sure, it was a little excessive. I¡¯m sorry, please forget it.¡±


    ¡°I hope you will not underestimate me. I would never do such an insolent thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, you would. You are an honorable man.¡±


    Hiro, for a change, praised General Kylo.


    ¡°You must be aware of that. That¡¯s why you must have noticed that the only people here are the staff officers who followed your orders.¡±


    General Kylo¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked around at the faces of his staff as if he hadn¡¯t realized it until he was told.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Then you understand what I¡¯m trying to say.¡±


    ¡°¡­O-of course.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem to understand. His eyes swam in confusion. Hiro was dismayed at General Kylo¡¯sck of understanding but decided to help him out in order to move the conversation forward.


    ¡°You won¡¯t trust me unless I tell you¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro smiled, raised his hand, and held up his index finger.


    ¡°If you follow my instructions in the future, I will be happy to drop the matter.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s not a bad deal. Depending on your future achievements, I can encourage you to be invited to the center. In other words, I can even promote you to be a great general.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that true?¡±


    ¡°It would be a shame for an excellent general like you tonguish in a remote ce like this.¡±


    Hiro, who sighed deliberately, shook his head.


    ¡°However¡­ the number of vitions of military discipline this time is not something that can be hidden very well. It seems that word has spread from the unit you ordered.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m sorry, General Kylo, but I need you to lead the vanguard in tomorrow¡¯s decisive battle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    General Kylo showed obvious dismay. The casualty rate for vanguard units is high. If you are inmand of it, you will be targeted by many enemies. It is not possible to just ept it lightly.


    So, Hiro decided to give him a push.


    ¡°There are more of us here. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s not that I want to assign you to the vanguard unit without thinking. I want you to take the credit. Tomorrow¡¯s decisive battle will be a victory for sure. But you won¡¯t be able to take credit for it if you stay in the safe rear. And I can¡¯t invite you to the center either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, too.¡±


    ¡°You have to understand. I want a man of your caliber to be my general.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Make sure His Majesty hears you.¡±


    ¡°I promise you. I promise I will tell him.¡±


    The words ¡°report that he was killed in action¡± was bottled up, and Hiro smiled and held out his right hand. General Kylo grasped it happily.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re convinced. Let¡¯s let bygones be bygones.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    After sitting back in his chair, Hiro said to the silent members of the staff.


    ¡°You will be joining the vanguard unit. Is that clear?¡±


    General Kylo would be leading the vanguard unit. There was no way they could say no.


    ¡°In two months, all of you here will be weed as heroes in the Great Imperial City.¡±


    This was the deciding factor. The staff members were hesitating and then nodding. Hiro tried to hold back, but he couldn¡¯t and broke out into a thin smile¨D¨Dhe stroked his eye patch to cover it up.


    ¡°Then, you should all get some rest for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯ll definitely take credit for this for His Highness Hiro!¡±


    General Kylo exited the tent with a cheerful voice. The staff followed suit. With no one else in sight, Hiro turned his eyes to a corner where darkness had settled. Gradually, the outline of a person became apparent, and a man appeared. It was Driks, a former member of General Kylo¡¯s staff. As he approached Hiro, he knelt down.


    ¡°We have sessfully infiltrated the enemy camp. We¡¯ve also prepared 150 camels outside the camp as instructed.¡±


    ¡°Right on schedule. How is the security situation here?¡±


    ¡°There is no problem there either, sir. We have them on high alert and have made some holes.¡±


    ¡°Have any enemy intelligence infiltrated?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve received reports of four infiltrators so far.¡±


    ¡°Then instruct our men to apprehend them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Hiro stopped Driks as he was about to leave.


    ¡°Do you need anything else?¡±


    ¡°Can you spread the word among the soldiers that General Kylo and his followers are at rest?¡±


    ¡°Definitely.¡±


    His expression told Hiro that he would have done so without being told.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    This time, there really was no one left. Hiro let out a deep breath and closed his eyelids. The notoriety of General Kylo for resting before the soldiers would spread quickly. Liz, on the other hand, is not resting and is working hard for the soldiers. This is sure to reduce the number of people who are dissatisfied with Liz. This will lead to an improvement in morale. In other words, unity. Everyone will continue to fight for Liz, sparing no expense.


    ¡°Now I just need to get the enemy numbers down.¡±


    Hiro stood up and went outside. The night breeze shaking the bonfires caressed his cheeks. He turned his feet to the ce where Ghada was being held.


    Many soldiers were on guard outside the tent. Hiro gave them a word of encouragement and went inside.


    The demon, Ghada, who noticed Hiro, raised his head from his hiding ce.


    ¡°Are you alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. I have something important to tell you. I can¡¯t talk about it openly when someone is looking at me, can I?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re so dark I wouldn¡¯t be able to see anything if I looked into your insides.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, is Mirue all right?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve got her pretending to be a maid, and she¡¯s following Liz.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ I hope she¡¯s doing okay. What is it that you want to talk about?¡±


    Hiro looked at Ghada for a while and then cut the rope that bound him. Looking at the rope that has fallen to the ground, Ghada gives a suspicious look to Hiro.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even talk to you in that state.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re strange. You are very bold with your prisoners.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    Hiro sat down on the ground and took a bottle of liquor from inside his ck coat.


    ¡°Is that a magic trick?¡±


    ¡°I have a talent for storage.¡±


    Hiro shrugged and tossed the bottle to Ghada. Ghada was tilting his head and blurted out:


    ¡°You don¡¯t drink, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t drink. Oh, and before you get suspicious, I didn¡¯t poison you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. because, even if you don¡¯t take such a roundabout way, you could just as easily cut off my head with your strength.¡±


    Ghada, who opened the bottle¡¯s lid, gulped down the drink with gusto and then opened his mouth.


    ¡°And what do you want? What kind of difficulties are you trying to pose?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me saying, the Liberation Army will be participating in tomorrow¡¯s battle.¡±


    As if he had been expecting it, Ghada was unfazed and spoke up in response.


    ¡°There is no way we can work together. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll be in your way¡­ What are you up to?¡±


    Ghada gave him a sharp look. Hiro brushed it off with a rxed smile before opening his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to avoid any further damage in the future.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re only going to let the Liberation Army fight? If you do that, not only will some of them run away, but they might even turn on you.¡±


    ¡°No, the vanguard of the Fourth Imperial Army will fight first. There will be about a thousand of them. Then there will be fewerints.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fumu.¡±


    ¡°And I have something in return for you. When the battle is over, I will free the ves. And the mercenaries, too. I¡¯ll even give them a ce to live.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s such a good deal. There must be something behind it.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. But it won¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    ¡°It depends.¡±


    After cing the bottle on the ground, Ghada looked at Hiro seriously, trying not to miss his every move. Hiro took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Ghada.


    ¡°I want you to kill General Kylo and his followers who are leading the vanguard troops in the confusion of the melee. The details are on the paper.¡±

 Volume 2, Chapter 5 – War God’s Plot, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 5 ¨C War God¡¯s Plot, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°I want you to kill General Kylo and his followers who are leading the vanguard troops in the confusion of the melee. The details are on the paper.¡±


    ¡°¡­..This is insane.¡±


    ¡°If possible, it would be preferable if the entire vanguard unit was wiped out. In the meantime, I want to make sure they disappear.¡±


    ¡°May I ask why?¡±


    ¡°General Kylo hasmitted too many crimes. That¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°¡­..For burning down neighboring viges.¡±


    ¡°Did you know that?¡±


    General Kylo¡¯s report contained details of the looting of neighboring viges and even the names of the troops he was trying to get rewards from. So, in order to get rid of them quickly, Hiro made up the vanguard troops with the troops that did the looting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve beenmanding the Liberation Army, you know. Such information is readily avable to me.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s easy to talk about. As for me¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro smiled, but his eyes were not smiling. Hiro muttered to himself with a chill running down his spine.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to allow anyone to hurt innocent people.¡±


    A brief moment of silence falls. A sigh escaped from his mouth as Ghada, eyes downcast, picked up a bottle of liquor.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to take care of it yourself than to leave it to others.¡±


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d get into trouble if I did it myself.¡±


    General Kylo¡¯s Nickle family is one of the most prestigious families in the southern nobility. If Hiro kills the family¡¯s current head, there is a risk that the southern nobility will be enemies. Hiro doesn¡¯t want to provoke them unnecessarily right now.


    ¡°Is it a hindrance if you punish him and let him live, or if you kill him with your own hands? So you¡¯re going to let him die on the battlefield and then¨D¨Dsigh, I see¡­ You¡¯re going to put all the me on General Kylo, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s pretty much it.¡±


    What Ghada said was not wrong. But that¡¯s not the whole story.


    The first thing to do is to have General Kylo bear all the me for the war¡¯s failure. By making him dead, the Nickle family¡¯s position in the south will be jeopardized since they lost their leader. Then, Hiro could offer a helping hand to the weakened Nickle family and use them as puppets to gain control of the South.


    ¡°Can you cooperate with me on that?¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine. I¡¯ll make sure their heads are cut off.¡±


    As soon as Ghada said he was ready, he threw the bottle to Hiro.


    ¡°The next time, bring me a good bottle.¡±


    Ghaday down with his arms around the pillow. The conversation must be over now. As Hiro was about to leave the tent, Ghada remembered something and turned around to face him.


    ¡°I tried to fall asleep without a second thought, but am I going to be able to do that?¡±


    ¡°You can go on and rejuvenate yourself. Tomorrow you¡¯ll have to work to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡±


    Hiro went outside and called out to the soldiers on guard.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t go inside until I arrive in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Hiro then walked to his tent. On his way, a lightly armored infantryman ran up to him. He saluted Hiro and kneeled down, his breathing in gasps as he spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve captured the enemy¡¯s secret intelligence, sir.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Please bring them to my tent.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    As he watched the soldiers leave, Hiro stopped in his tracks and looked up. The stars were shining in the night sky like jewels. The gentle moonlight shining on the ground made him feel warm even though he was under the cold sky.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    Hiro let out a white breath and smiled gently.


    ¡°This is the one thing that will never change in a thousand years.¡±


    The woman who had once spoken so passionately about the night sky shed through his mind.


    ¨D¨DIn the midst of her confusion, a dream is born, and reality is colored.


    She was a wise woman. She was like a goddess who was always thinking of her people.


    ¨D¨DBut the world will be filled with falsehoods, and the human race will live without knowing the truth.


    The human race, which she loved so much, is now the most prosperous race in the world. The five major races are the human race, the ear-long race, the dwarf race, the demon race, and the beast race.


    In addition, there are the three barbarian races called the Barbarians, and Alethia continues to swell. However, the signs of warfare that shemented showed no signs of abating.


    ¡°There are many foolish kings in the world, and the heavens are not yet settled.¡±


    That¡¯s why, although it is a small light now, when it bes a bright light, it will be pushed up to the sky, and the ¡°me Princess¡± will be the sun that shines on all people. Hiro reached out his hand to the sky, and before long, the moon that decorated the night sky was covered by thick clouds.


    ¡°Until then, I will protect you so that no one will find you.¡±


    The current Hiro didn¡¯t have enough strength to do that. He could not aplish this with his own military strategy. A thousand years ago, there were the Five Generals of the ck Sky and the Raven Army.


    He was surrounded by excellent people. He was able to ovee any difficulties. The giant jaws that ate the heavens were able to swallow up the earth.


    ¡°I must have it again.¡±


    Time of heaven, the advantage of earth, harmony of people. Everything iscking. When she has all of them, she will be even more glorious.


    Just as the full moon, shining brilliantly in the night sky when the darkness has cleared, rules the heavens with the stars, so she will rule the earth with the people. Hiro turned his eyes to Liz¡¯s tent.


    ¡°Not too far in the future. But¡­ now, there is no need to get caught up in unnecessary ties.¡±


    As Hiro turned himself around, the hem of his ck robe pped the night air and made a loud noise. Returning to his tent, which was shaken by a cold wind, a strong wind roared as if a beast was howling outside.


    Feeling the temperature dropping, Hiro grabbed The ck Princess Camelia¡¯s cor and lifted her up, hoping that the cold air would be a bit better. Then a man was brought in. He wore a suit of armor that resembled the Fourth Emperor¡¯s Army¡¯s armor, but it waspletely different and an borate imitation. If it had been daytime, one would have noticed the oddity, but now that the sun had set, it was impossible to tell the difference.


    ¡°You¡¯re an intelligence agent of the Principality of Lichtine, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The man did not answer Hiro¡¯s question, but the soldier next to him nodded instead. He put his elbows on the chair and rested his chin on his hands. Hiro observed the man carefully. What he read in the man¡¯s demeanor was a death-defying expression¨D¨Da look of mastery.


    ¡°By the looks of it, you are loyal to the Principality of Lichtine, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Hiro picked up a pouch from the pile on his desk. He held up one of the pouches and showed it to him.


    ¡°It contains Grantz gold coins. I don¡¯t think you will have to work for two years with this.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not trying to bribe you. I just wanted to reward you for your loyalty.¡±


    Hiro threw the pouch, and it hit the man in the chest. The contents scattered to the ground with a loud ng.


    ¡°You can take it and return to report. And give my regards to the general over there.¡±


    His smile deepened, and Hiro rose from his chair, approaching the spy and cing a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you should just go¡­ and say yes, so I¡¯ll give you some information as well. You don¡¯t have to go to the trouble of checking out the Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s positions. I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you nning?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you. You can believe whatever you want.¡±


    Hiro sat down on the spot and kept his voice low.


    ¡°We are going tounch a night raid towards you. That is why we have fifteen hundred camel cavalry outside. Also, the Fourth Imperial Army is more fatigued than you thought, so if they attack at night, they won¡¯t be able to fight. That¡¯s why we¡¯re giving them a break to make it look like they¡¯re under heavy guard.¡±


    In front of the dumbfounded spy, Hiro picked up the Grantz gold coins one by one and put them back into the pouch.


    ¡°When you report back, don¡¯t say you heard it from me, or you¡¯ll arouse suspicion¡­ Oh, and if you want, you can check out our camp for as long as time allows. That way, you can trust that I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    Shoving the pouch into the spy¡¯s pocket, Hiro sat back in his chair.


    ¡°Let him go, please.¡±


    The soldier choked out with a surprised expression when I sent the order flying.


    ¡°A-are you sure, sir? We should just kill him here¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Just because I don¡¯t have eyes doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to let you touch him. Please escort him out of the camp.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Yes, sir.¡±


    A soldier with a bowed head mouthed the words ¡°Follow me¡± and led the spy outside.


    Hiro sat deep in his chair and waited for the next spy to be brought in.


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    The one who appeared without a sound was a staff officer who had been neglected by General Kylo¨D¨Da second-grade military officer named Driks.


    Hiro¡¯s eyes were filled with suspicion as he nced sideways at the figure. It¡¯s not clear to Hiro that Driks¡¯ skill as a bureaucrat is to hide his presence and blend in with the darkness that hovers around the four corners of the tent.


    Above all, he is too loyal. He is acting without any doubt about what Hiro has said. The fact that Hiro¡¯s a descendant of the second emperor is almost too much of an excuse.


    However, Hiro replied, trying not to let him know that he had such doubts.


    ¡°It¡¯s too difficult to bribe that spy, so it would be a shame to kill him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any problem in killing him. We still have three men in custody.¡±


    ¡°That would reduce the number. If Marquis Ranquille over there is to believe their reports, the more, the merrier.¡±


    ¡°Fumu¡­ but what will you do if you make them believe you? Marquis Ranquille may see an opportunity and attack.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made preparations for that, and I need them to attack. So, all we need to do is breathe the same words to the rest of the spy. Oh, but¨D¨Dthere will be only one sacrifice¡­ well, I guess it¡¯s the same thing since they will all end up the same in the end.¡±


    There was a short pause for thought, and then Driks seemed to be convinced.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re trying to sow suspicion on Marquis Ranquille?¡±


    ¡°If there is a discrepancy in the report, a cautious person will feel ufortable and try to confirm it.¡±


    Hiro stroked his eye patch and looked at Driks.


    ¡°What would you think if all three of them said the same thing and only one of them said something different?¡±


    ¡°¡­I would suspect that they have been taken in by the enemy.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s where this bes important.¡±


    Hiro turned to the three small pouches on his desk.


    ¡°What if you found gold coins in the pocket of the spy?¡±


    ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d chop off their heads. But there are times when you need to hide things. Above all, what would you do if they were clean? They could just throw it away on the way back to the camp.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I made them obsessed with life. Those who are prepared to die will feel secure in the knowledge that they are alive. This can lead to an unbearable attachment to this world. Giving them gold coins would be even more effective. It¡¯s too much money to hide somewhere or throw away, so they¡¯ll probably keep it with them.¡±


    ¡°The same goes for the opposite¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly. The result is the same either way. In addition, the Principality of Lichtine is on the brink of extinction. Even if they win against us, there will be nothing but uncertainty in the future. With that in mind, they won¡¯t be throwing away any gold coins.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    He may ask questions, but he will not deny them. He¡¯s getting a lot out of Hiro and putting it into his head. It can be said that he is passionate about his work, but that is hardly the only reason.


    Hiro muttered to Driks, who was lying face down in thought, with a disturbed look on his face.


    ¡°Second ss military officer Driks.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡±¨D¨DCan you bring the next person to me?¡±


    There is not enough time or evidence to question him here. Hiro just has to let him swim until the timees.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Also, would you please ask someone to bring the swift dragon to me?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Driks saluted and walked out.


    (I have a pretty good idea who¡¯s behind him. There¡¯s no problem in leaving him alone for now.)


    Hiro sighed heavily and rested his body on the back of the chair. The morale of the opponents had bottomed out during the daytime battle. There must be deserters by now. Now all he had to do was to push the hesitant enemy soldiers back and reduce their numbers.


    The war will be over when General Kylo and his followers are eliminated in tomorrow¡¯s battle.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have to send word to them, too.¡±


    They should be here by now. This is the n he had in mind when he came here. It¡¯s finally time for it to see the light of day.


    ¡°The end is near.¡±


    Stroking his eye patch, Hiro looked at the entrance to the tent.

 Volume 2, Chapter 5 – War God’s Plot, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 5 ¨C War God¡¯s Plot, Part 3</h4>


    A gloomy atmosphere prevailed in the main camp of the Principality of Lichtine. Marquis Ranquille and his staff had a dark and somber look on their faces, and a few of them were even blue in the lips from the cold.


    It was not that there was no warmth; there were a few heating devices in the tent. However, the battle¡¯s disadvantageous situation and theck of bright signs made the cold even more painful. In the midst of it all, a shivering staff member looked at Ranquille.


    ¡°Marquis Ranquille. It seems that most ves have escaped. If this continues, the regr soldiers may be affected as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­I thought I sent out a warning that they would be severely punished.¡±


    It is obvious that the man in ck is affecting them. There is nothing that can be done about it.


    The only thing that can be done is to alleviate the fear, but even that is limited in a battlefield like this, and the only option is to give them alcohol. But that was not an option when there was no way to know when the enemy would attack at night.


    ¡°What I am thinking is also what the enemy is thinking.¡±


    Above all, night raids are a staple of warfare. It¡¯s an excellent way for a small army to defeat arge army. The opposite is also true, and there is no way that the experts who presented such a great n would not understand it. So, he allowed his soldiers to rest but not to take off their armor. The reason is that they do not know when the enemy will attack at night.


    ¡°It¡¯s so horrible, but¡­¡±


    He knew that he was overly cautious. But one wrong move, and the country is doomed. It is not easy to take bold action. It¡¯s the same with deserters. Even though they will be severely punished, it will create discord in the army if they are killed as an example. Even if they were captured, they would be a hindrance, so there was no choice but to let them go. This is further fueling the anxiety of the soldiers.


    ¡°¡­In any case, we have to wait for the spy toe back.¡±


    Whether or not to conduct a night raid depends on the report from the spy. The location of the enemy position was known from the scouts¡¯ reports. However, the enemy position was unexpectedly heavily guarded. Even if theyunched a night attack, they would not be able to achieve much. Not only that, but there was a risk of damage to themselves.


    ¡°It¡¯s frustrating, though.¡±


    A few hours ago, he sent out a few spies to check on the enemy positions. The information they could get in a short time would be limited, but they might be able to find some light.


    ¡°Will we be able to get ahead of them?¡±


    Two thousand camel cavalrymen were waiting outside the camp, awaiting word. The only thing left to do was to assess the opportunity upon the return of the spies. A thought urred to him, and he broke off his thought and called out to his staff.


    ¡°What are Karl-sama doing now?¡±


    ¡°He seemed unexpectedly tired, so he¡¯s resting.¡±


    He is the second son of the prince, who was raised after the sessive deaths of the prince¡¯s heirs. He has not had many opportunities to go out due to his weakness, and it seems that he has finally reached his limit due to the sudden departure.


    ¡°I want you to increase the number of guards in case of an emergency. If anything happens to Karl-sama, it will be the end of this country.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    He wanted to boost the morale of his troops, but he couldn¡¯t force them. If he were lost, this country would be annexed by another country.


    ¡°But how is it that humans, when cornered, are so incapable of thinking¡­?¡±


    He felt more threatened than he had ever felt in the past when the neighboring country of Steichen attacked. At that time, even if he died, there were still some great noblemen around, although they were less capable. There was no need to worry about the future. It was only when he lost them that he realized how important they were.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good. If themander is like this, the soldiers will be eager to leave.¡±


    Heughed to himself and then turned his head to conclude.


    ¡°Did you find the location of the Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s logistics?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s probably somewhere around here, but¡­ we haven¡¯t found it yet.¡±


    The location pointed out by the staff member who looked down at the map was the area around the fort that had fallen to the Fourth Imperial Army¨Dif they could destroy the logistics, they could avoid a long war. The morale will be lowered, and the tide will be drawn in their direction. On the other hand, there is something that worries him. In fact, it may even strengthen the enemy¡¯s unity.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a tough call. It is better to destroy the logistics if we are to gain any advantage.¡±


    They¡¯re grasping at straws right now. It was also necessary to boost their morale.


    ¡°Yeah, plus it would be nice if we could take in the rebels.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. We can¡¯t coordinate with a bunch of untrained ves. They¡¯ll just get in the way. If it were up to me, I¡¯d just kill them.¡±


    ¡°But the Fourth Imperial Army did not do so. I think it¡¯s best to assume there¡¯s something behind it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that a few times myself. How to use the rebel army to gain an advantage in the battle. However, from the enemy¡¯s perspective, there is no need to bring them in since they are numerous. Even if they are used as a wall, if they escape in the middle of the battle, they might disrupt the formation.¡±


    Ranquille crossed his arms and snorted.


    ¡°The need to capture those who will only get in the way no matter how it goes. I can¡¯t seem to think of one.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they are not thinking about it at all.¡±


    In an attempt to lighten the mood, the staff officer said jokingly.


    Normally, the staff officer should have been asked to leave the room, but he was trying to clear the gloomy atmosphere. He should have thanked him for his spirit. So Ranquilleughed, forgave him, and replied seriously.


    ¡°I doubt it. If their goal is to confuse us, a daytime battle will suffice. There is no need to bring in something as dangerous as a rebel army themselves.¡±


    At this point, Ranquille shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped to worry about it. The more we think about it, the more we fall into their hands. Let¡¯s not talk about it here. Now we must wait for the return of the spy to see if we canunch a night attack.¡±


    There¡¯s no need for them to get themselves into trouble.


    A few momentster, they received a report that the spy had returned. A man appeared in the doorway and kneeled down as Ranquille asked him to let him through. Ranquille gave him a word of encouragement and then urged him to report.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a report to deliver.¡±


    The spy bowed his head and said in a gruff, unhurried voice.


    ¡°When I sneaked into the enemy¡¯s camp, the soldiers were given alcohol to improve their morale, their armor was removed, and they were resting as if they were not worried about a night attack. The enemy army was more tired than I had imagined and seemed to be in no condition to fight. On the other hand, they are also preparing for a night attack and have 1,500 camel cavalrymen waiting outside their camp.¡±


    ¡°They are also preparing for a night attack, huh¡­? Do you think it will be a problem if weunch a night attack too?¡±


    ¡°The security seems to be tight, but it¡¯s only a facade. I believe the night attack will be a sess.¡±


    ¡°Fumu. I understand. All right, go get some food and water. You may leave now.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Excuse me!¡±


    As soon as the spy had left, the staff officer approached Ranquille with a look of delight on his face.


    ¡°It seems that the enemy is also preparing, so I think it would be better for us to take the initiative and make the first move.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to be so hasty. It would be better to hear from the others to make a decision.¡±


    If they don¡¯t hear from the rest of the spies, they won¡¯t be able to make a decision. If they overlooked something, it would quickly lead to a lost battle. His reasoning told him that he should be cautious here.


    ¡°Bring the next one.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    The staff member looked unconvinced but nodded honestly. Not knowing how he would feel about it, he decided to go for it. In the daytime, a single man is ying with them with fewer soldiers than them, and there is no end to the number of deserters. But if there is a trap, it cannot be a mistake. The fate of the nation is at stake.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s still time. It won¡¯t be toote after we hear all the reports.¡±


    He realized that hesitation was forming in him, but he shook his head as if to blow it away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought him here.¡±


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s hear the report.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Another man dropped to his knees and mouthed the report.


    ¡°When we infiltrated the enemy position, the soldiers were standing by with spears and torches in their hands, ready for a night attack. They may be a little tired, but their morale is high, and the sixth princess, theirmander, is inspiring them, so it won¡¯t be easy to attack.¡±


    The expressions of the staff members turned pale. Some of them even whispered that the report was wrong. Ranquille put his hand on his forehead and let out a small breath.


    ¡°Were there any camel cavalry outside?¡±


    ¡°There were, but no riders. I think they¡¯re screening the elite.¡±


    ¡°All right, get back.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    After watching the spy¡¯s exit, Ranquille slumped into his chair as if he was tired. A staff member handed him a ss of water.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°However, this is a difficult situation. If it was a minor difference, we could have overlooked it, but when there¡¯s this much difference between the two reports, we can¡¯t simply pass judgment.¡±


    ¡°Fumu¡­ that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s ask the rest of them. Then we can discuss it together.¡±


    The third and fourth were weed, but only the second spy was reported differently. Ranquille called the second spy again and questioned him.


    ¡°Do you know why you were called in?¡±


    ¡°N-no, sir, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Your report was very different from the others.¡±


    The spy had a look of astonishment on his face, but Ranquille cursed him in his heart for being a good actor.


    ¡°Examine this man¡¯s body. He must have been bribed.¡±


    The soldier at the entrance had him pinned down, and the staff began to examine his body in unison.


    ¡°Ah, there it is! There¡¯s a pouch full of Steichen silver coins, sir!¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s settled.¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s different!¡±


    The agent, who had lost his blood pressure, shouted. Ranquille asked with cold eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being bribed! They are really under heavy guard!¡±


    ¡°Then what is this? Why is there a small pouch of Steichen silver coins in your pocket?¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The spy is hesitant to say anything, and Ranquille announces with contempt.


    ¡°Behead him.¡±


    ¡°W-wait! It¡¯s really not! Forgive me, Marquis Ranquille, forgive me!¡±


    The de swung down on the head of the spy and was rolled on the ground. In the blink of an eye, a spray of blood stained the tent red. Ranquille stomped on the cooling pool of blood and spat viciously.


    ¡°How dare you confuse a national crisis with something like this!¡±


    He threw the contents of the pouch at the corpse, and the contents scattered loudly.


    Ranquille raised and lowered his shoulders, snorting.


    ¡°Set up a night attack. The enemy is resting!¡±


    ¡°But it seems that the enemy is also ready tounch a night attack¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. That¡¯s why we require our soldiers to wear armor. Notify all troops to remain vignt and prepare for a night attack.¡±


    After looking at the map, Ranquille guessed the enemy¡¯s path.


    ¡°If they were tounch a night attack from behind, they would have to make arge detour. There are 1,500 of them. It would be useless if they could be detected by sound. I don¡¯t think they¡¯lle from behind, but I¡¯ll put many bonfires behind to check them¡ªtriple the fences on both sides. We¡¯ll lure them to the front. Have your bows and spears ready.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    The staff members hurriedly ran out of the tent. This was the moment of truth. Then Ranquille suddenly remembered the presence of the man in ck.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Ranquille stopped one of the staff members and said.


    ¡°Prepare a special team to guard Karl-sama in case of the man in ck attacking.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir!¡±


    With all that bravery, it would be easy for him to lead them to the center of the field single-handedly. While protecting Karl, he could crush 1,500 camel cavalrymen, which would surely boost the troops¡¯ morale.


    If the night attack is sessful, the man in ck will be alone, and he can be cooked any way he wants.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish him off here.¡±


    In this way, the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army was fully prepared¨Dor so they thought.

 Volume 2, Chapter 5 – War God’s Plot, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 5 ¨C War God¡¯s Plot, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s about time our night attack seeded.¡±


    Hiro muttered under the cold sky where thick clouds covered the stars. Behind him, without making a sound, two hundred light infantry were waiting. They all kept their mouths shut, and the area was dark and silent. In the midst of such a breathless group¨Dnext to Hiro, a second-grade military officer Driks, who is bending down, asked.


    ¡°Are you sure the enemy army ising from here?¡±


    ¡°This is why I suggested a night attack. The enemy also wants the night attack to seed, so they won¡¯t be foolish enough to cross paths with us. The more cornered a person is, the more short-sighted their thinking bes. They want to get a quick result, so they will choose the shortest way to attack. So this is the only way.¡±


    When Hiro finished, Driks let out a sigh of admiration.


    ¡°How old are you, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I am sixteen now, but I will be seventeen soon.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so thoughtful at such a young age¡­? It¡¯s a terrible thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading a lot of books.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, that¡¯s not all. It¡¯s not only that but the blood of the ¡°god of war¡± does not seem to fade even after a thousand years. His Majesty, the second emperor, must be very happy to have left behind such an excellent descendant.¡±


    Although he is the person himself¡­ Hiro couldn¡¯t say anything about it and just nodded, and then he noticed a faint noise and lowered himself down. Driks seems to have noticed it too and lowered himself down.


    ¡°ording to the report of the spy that we have released, there is two thousand camel cavalry. On the other hand, we have 500 lightly armored infantry, even though we are hiding in the dark. We can¡¯t win if we take them seriously.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take it seriously. If the camel cavalry and I start to fight, please sound the drum. Just that will confuse them. Then shoot the arrows all at once.¡±


    ¡°All right. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Please handle the rest.¡±


    Hiro pulled on the reins of the swift dragon and made it stand up. Then Driks shouted in surprise.


    ¡°W-what do you mean by that? There¡¯s a chance of you getting hit by an arrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure the ck Princess Camelia will protect me.¡±


    Hiro pped his chest proudly and disappeared into the darkness. For a while. Driks was dumbfounded, but he immediately began to give instructions to the soldiers. Then, under the cover of darkness, the sounds of sword fights and shouting ovepped, and an invisible battle began.


    ¡°Drum loudly. And don¡¯t forget to raise your voice!¡±


    The sound of shing through the night air was one of the loudest sounds. Then the sound of the drums came from all four sides. A hundred soldiers wereying low on each of the other three sides.


    It was still too early to shoot arrows. Driks looked into the darkness. The silvery glow of the night was drawing lines in the darkness and then disappearing. It was as if a meteor was raining down on him, and he couldn¡¯t help but admire the fantastic sight. When a soldier tapped him on the shoulder and brought him back to his senses, Driks hurriedly squeezed out his voice.


    ¡°A-all right. Stop beating the drums. Release the arrow into the sky!¡±


    Then, with the sound of the wind, the arrow disappeared into the darkness. There was a pause and then another arrow. As if on cue, arrows were fired from the bows of the soldiers in rapid session. There were many loud screams.


    ¡°All right, we hit them. Keep firing arrows!¡±


    There was no sense of distance. The archers just kept moving their hands. As the arrows began to run out, the enemy shouted, ¡°Run away! from the enemy.¡± If the sun had been shining, they would have been able to see the enemy soldiers fleeing for their lives, and it was a pity that they couldn¡¯t see the painful scene.


    Not long after that, Hiro came back astride the swift dragon. His whole body was ck from the start, and it was hard to tell if he was injured in the darkness.


    Driks ran up to him and immediately called out.


    ¡°Your Highness. Are you injured?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. So, how many of the enemy have you been able to reduce?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact number, but since there were some fights¡­ I think I did more than I expected. I hope they don¡¯t go back to their positions and run away somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a situation like that. Some of them might not be able to go home even if they wanted to.¡±


    Running away in the dark is like drowning in the ocean. There was no way to know whether to go left or right. It¡¯s hard to think properly when you¡¯ve been taken by surprise and are confused. Some of them would probably freeze to death because they lost their sense of direction. If they were injured, their chances of survival would drop significantly. Driks stopped to think about how many of the two thousand would be able to survive. As the sun rose, he would know for sure.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the campter to reward the soldiers.¡±


    Hiro responded to Driks¡¯ words with a nod.


    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s get some rest in preparation for tomorrow. Also, for those of you who participated in this battle, I will allow you to drink as much as you can without it affecting your performance tomorrow.¡±


    There was an exmation of delight. The soldiers¡¯ feet lightened as if their fatigue had been blown away. Hiro¡¯s mouth fell open. But when Driks approached, he quickly retracted it.


    ¡°The enemy must have realized that they were deceived by now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they will. We don¡¯t have enough men or time tounch another night attack. Above all, this is not the time to be thinking about it.¡±


    Then Driks remembered something and asked a question.


    ¡°But why was only one of the enemy spies given the Steichen silver coin?¡±


    ¡°¡­What would you do, Second Grade Military Officer Driks, if you were asked a series of questions?¡±


    Doubting that he was being dodged, Driks answered honestly.


    ¡°It would be exasperating, wouldn¡¯t it? Would I be disgusted, though I would still try to find the answer?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing. You confuse them by giving them too many questions. Don¡¯t give them time to think. That¡¯s what the Steichen silver coins are for. They are probably racking their brains right now.¡±


    ¡°And before they find the answer, the next problem will arise?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing.¡±


    ¡°Do you ever think about failing?¡±


    ¡°I do, but I can¡¯t do anything if I¡¯m afraid of failure. Besides, the n has been sessful so far without any problems. Now, all we have to do is give them hope and let them know what despair is, so they don¡¯t run away.¡±


    What Hiro said so inly made Driks stop, feeling a chill.


    ¨D¨DEverything is in the palm of his hand. Every person on this battlefield is dancing on the boy¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Hahaha, a ¡°Royal Talent¡± indeed. No, I don¡¯t know if that title will be enough¡­¡±


    He¡¯s only 16 years old, but he¡¯s a terrific talent. Furthermore, the enemy is the raging eagle of the sky. He¡¯s a hero of the Principality of Lichtine, who once defeated 30,000 of Steichen¡¯s army. Instead of being cautious against it, he has been sessful with all his bold measures.


    Therefore, heroes are nothing but childish jokes, and even the old masters are nothing but children.


    Driks wondered how far this boy could ¡°see¡± and whether his distant ancestor, the ¡°God of War,¡± could have had the same kind of depth of thought. A mere ordinary man like himself cannot know the intrigues of extraordinary people like them.


    He cannot reach the depths of what they are looking at and what their goals are. That¡¯s why he wanted to see where the¡­ interesting¨Dand the boy¨Dwould end up.


    £ª£ª£ª


    ¡°Give me the status report.¡±


    Ranquille said as he looked at the burning camel¡¯s body. Dead camels were lying all over the camp. None of them had riders, and all of them had been killed by arrows.


    ¡°The damage is minor. A few people were injured, but no one was killed. The rampaging camels set a few of the tents on fire, but we were able to extinguish them before they spread.¡±


    The regr soldiers and ves sat there breathing heavily, probably from exhaustion. Thanks to their efforts, the enemy¡¯s night raid had ended in failure. Or perhaps it could be said that they seeded. They were able to take away the strength of the soldiers. Ranquille turned his gaze away and walked to the tent where the military council was being held. His staff followed behind him.


    ¡°Give the soldiers a rest.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir.¡±


    ¡°And one more thing.¡±


    He stopped once and looked back at Ranquille. Everything was in ce. But what appeared was 1500 camels without their riders. It was not a human being that he had fought so hard against, but a group of camels moored together by ropes¨Dit was beyond ridiculous.


    ¡°Get everything you can out of the spies, and then cut off their heads.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    ¡°Is this what happens when I jump at the bait after being told not to hurry?¡±


    All the measures they¡¯ve taken so far are just trickery. But they are all very effective. A hundred techniques, a thousand ideas. The depths of his recklessness are astonishing. It is possible that a famous person¨Dor even a new star¨Dhas been born in the Great Grantz Empire. When times change, when generations change, one cannot help but be reminded that one has grown old.


    ¡°I thought I was still capable, but¡­¡±


    There is no more room for growth for me, Ranquille said. He is neither young enough nor resourceful enough to get the spark to ovee this situation.


    Maybe he was conceited. Was it that he had be conceited after being called the ¡°Raging Eagle of the Sky¡±? After entering the tent, Ranquille sat down deep in his chair. The light was gone from his eyes.


    ¡°We should retreat.¡±


    But if he fled back to the capital, he would be betrayed by the nobles and be killed himself. He had encouraged them to believe that they could win, only to find out that they had been outmaneuvered and that they would never be able to obtain forgiveness since the nobles had ostracized them.


    ¡°Even if they don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    There will always be nobles who will try to turn against him. If they stay in the capital, it won¡¯t take long for the city to fall due to rebellion. It seemed like there was no point in doing anything, and he was getting tired of thinking about it.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡±


    A staff member appeared at the entrance. He walked up to Ranquille and ced three small pouches on the desk. Ranquille turned his cold gaze to the staff officer.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°These belonged to our spies.¡±


    ¡°Did they talk?¡±


    He opened the three pouches, which did not matter now.


    ¡°No, sir. They say it¡¯s all true.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    When he knew and understood what was in the bags, Ranquilleughed.


    ¡°You still want to deceive me¡­ How greedy can you be?¡±


    Every bag contains Grantz gold coins. The spy who reported the lie had Steichen silver coins. He tried to contemte what the intentions might be.


    ¡°Marquis Ranquille!¡±


    Another staff member entered the room, his voice filled with disquiet.


    ¡°The night attack has failed! Less than five hundred camel cavalrymen have returned!¡±


    He had expected this. It was only natural that they had been so well outmaneuvered. It¡¯s just that they were lured in from the start.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    ¡°In other words¡­ with only 3,000, the Fourth Imperial Army has defeated more than 13,000, including the rebels.¡±


    It¡¯s the same number as when the Steichen Republic was defeated in the past. However, even if they were annihted at that time, the Principality of Lichtine still had power left over. They were able to gamble without worrying about the consequences. But now, it was different. If they were wiped out, the Principality of Lichtine would have no way to defend itself against the Fourth Imperial Army. There was no time left to gather the troops again.


    The invisible de pierced deeply into his body. It was trying to reap the life out of them without making them feel any pain.


    ¨D¨DRetreat¨D¨D.


    That¡¯s when the words popped into his mind.


    ¡°Marquis! Marquis Ranquille! We have good news, sir!¡±


    The one who rolled into the tent was a messenger. Everyone¡¯s gaze pierced the room at once. But that¡¯s not the point. As if to say, the messenger is only looking at Ranquille. Ranquille furrowed his brow quizzically.


    ¡°Calm down; what¡¯s going on? Tell me, what is the good news?¡±


    ¡°W-we¡¯ve discovered the enemy¡¯s logistics, sir!¡±


    ¡°W-what did you say? Are you serious?¡±


    It was a staff member who raised his voice. Ranquille leans back from his chair.


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    The messenger who rushed to the long desk pointed to a point on the map. It¡¯s the fortress that the Fourth Imperial Army had captured, as spected from the beginning.


    ¡°We have discovered that supplies are being brought in here.¡±


    ¡°And the guards? Do you have a number?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, but I¡¯d say between 800 and 1,000.¡±


    ¡°What was the condition of the fort?¡±


    ¡°The main gate was burned down, and the back gate was also destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Fumu, there¡¯s no need for a siege.¡±


    Ranquille put his hand to his chin and pondered.


    ¡°¡­We will leave the camp as it is, raid the fort with all our forces, burn off the rations at dawn, and hit the demoralized enemy on the nk. Do you think we can do it¡­?¡±


    The enemy will know that they don¡¯t have the luxury of time. This is why the attack on the logistics must be unexpected. It is possible to overwhelm them before dawn and burn them down when they notice to induce unrest. With his hands on his desk, Ranquille looked at his staff slowly.


    ¡°Let me know if you have any questions.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain the camp should remain as it is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. It will take a long time to get rid of the camp. Besides, there is no point in clearing out the camp just to attract their attention.¡±


    The staff nodded, satisfied with the exnation, and Ranquille lowered his voice.


    ¡°But I forbid anyone to talk about it. There may be enemy spies lurking around. Tell your men to withdraw, ostensibly. If the spy is sneaking in, that would be an advantage.¡±


    In order to nk the enemy, they must think they are here without being detected. If a spy is sneaking in, at best, let him report that they have escaped. Ranquille¡¯s expression tightened, and he let out a powerful voice.


    ¡°As for attacking the fort, that¡¯s between us. If you understand, then start moving.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir!¡±


    The eyes that had been trapped in the darkness regained their light, and the head that had been hazy became clearer.


    ¡°Finally, I think I can drive the wedge in.¡±

 Volume 2, Chapter 5 – War God’s Plot, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 5 ¨C War God¡¯s Plot, Part 5</h4>


    ¨D¨DThe next morning.


    The Fourth Imperial Army, which had cleared the camp, was facing north in a nk formation. A thousand vanguard troops set out at dawn andpleted their formation at a distance of one cell (three kilometers).


    Behind them, the Liberation Army, consisting of 3,000 ves and mercenaries, formed up.


    ¡°The mes have risen, huh?¡±


    As Hiro muttered this, ck smoke began to rise high into the sky from the destroyed fort further ahead than the vanguard troops. Then the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army appeared with a shout.


    Their morale must have been boosted by the burning of the enemy¡¯s logistics. However, the Fourth Imperial Army was not shaken. Rather, they were wondering why such a ce was on fire.


    Because the Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s real logistics are elsewhere, the burning fortress only contained food and weapons that Hiro had brought in to lure the enemy.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting how well the n works.¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders at Driks¡¯ words and sat down in the simple chair that had been set up for him.


    ¡°They were cornered. So, if you flick the bait at them, they will jump on it.¡±


    He stroked the head of the dragon that was lying on the ground beside him and then looked at Driks again, who was looking forward with joyful eyes. The vanguard troops shed with the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro. The enemy thought they had burned our rations, and morale was perfectly high. The vanguard troops alone will probably not be able to win. Above all, their numbers are different. Suppose the vanguard troops are destroyed, and the Liberation Army behind them is also defeated. In that case, their morale will rise even higher. They may use that momentum to charge at us. If that happens, it might be a little inconvenient.¡±


    Hiro held up his left hand to interrupt Driks¡¯ words.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen.¡±


    ¡°Hou¡­ have you prepared any other ns?¡±


    ¡°Even if it is a winnable battle, if you are not careful, you will be caught off guard. You need to change the situation so that you have the upper hand, depending on the situation¨D-that is if the morale of the opponent continues to be that high.¡±


    The Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army is undoubtedly umting fatigue. What¡¯s more, they have been set up to do so. Without giving them a break, they were constantly on edge, trying to wear down their physical strength.


    ¡°The Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army has indeed been working hard since midnight, so I am looking forward to it.¡±


    When Driks rubbed his chin and smiled, Hiro gave him a disturbing look and then waved his left hand. The g bearer raises the g. It¡¯s the g of the lily on a red background¨Dthe g of the sixth princess, Liz.


    Receiving the signal, the cavalry on both wings slowly began to advance. The formation of the Fourth Imperial Army is transforming without a single thread of disruption. After confirming this, themander pulled his horse over to Hiro.


    ¡°Hiro, is it starting?¡±


    She is a beautiful girl. Her me-red hair suits her well. The dirty battlefield did not diminish her beauty, and she even exuded a certain elegance.


    ¡°Yes, Liz. It¡¯s about time.¡±


    ¡°Well, then¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Liz, you have to stay here. Okay?¡±


    She knows she doesn¡¯t need to hear the end of it. She wants to go to the front. But if themander moves carelessly, the chain ofmand will be disrupted. There are times when it is necessary to go to the front, but not now. Hiro smiled at Liz, who puffed out her cheeks as if sulking, and turned his hand to the maidservant sitting in front of her¨DMirue in disguise.


    ¡°Do you n on taking her with you to the front lines?¡±


    ¡°Hiro should¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t. I think she hates me.¡±


    She¡¯s been ignoring Hiro ever since she found out that it was his order to send the Liberation Army to the front. It may not be that she hates him, but she¡¯s certainly be more cautious.


    ¡°Is that so? I think she¡¯s just nervous because she was told that you are the descendant of the second emperor.¡±


    Liz followed up, but Hiro didn¡¯t hear her and thrust his arm forward. At his fingertips was a battle between the vanguard troops and the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army. When the Liberation Army gives the signal, have the right and left nks head at full speed to nk them.


    ¡°What about the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s rear? If we attack from three sides, they¡¯ll probably run away from us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve prepared for that as well. There is no way out. After all, they¡¯re already trapped from the start.¡±


    Even before this war started, it was over when they invaded the Grantz Empire. In terms ofnd, military power, resources, and poption, the Grantz Empire was superior. With no allies and no reinforcements, invading the empire would be the same as destroying their own country.


    Whether the odds were in their favor or not, it was uncertain. The people who made the decision were all killed in battle. Hiro feels sorry for Marquis Ranquille, who was given a white feather in his cap when the ranks were thin.


    (What would I do if I¡¯m in his position¡­?)


    I would have taken the same path as Marquis Ranquille without even thinking about it, said Hiro. In fact, he chose that path a thousand years ago. It could be said that he couldn¡¯t even make the right choice. Anyway, retreating in such a situation will only lead to destruction. Rather than sit and wait, they should move forward and open a new path.


    (Even so, it seems that the situation was not exactly the same as mine.)


    The Liberation Army defeated the foolish prince, the great nobles have all fallen, and the only ones left are the nobles who can do nothing but parasitize. Despite this, Hiro appreciated his attitude of standing up to them instead of abandoning the fight.


    Above all, the n to lure the Fourth Imperial Army deep into the territory and collide them with the Liberation Army and strike them when they are exhausted¨Dalthough it failed, it was a great idea.


    If he had seeded, they would have returned triumphantly to the capital by now, and he would have been celebrated as a hero once again. He would have been known throughout the world as the one who defeated the Grantz Empire.


    That¡¯s why it would be a shame to kill him. The loss of his brain is unbearable.


    (It¡¯s worth using. Still, the premise is that if he¡¯s still alive¨DI won¡¯t stick with it.)


    It¡¯s difficult to capture him alive on the battlefield, and if you insist on it, you¡¯ll end up causing damage to yourself. If you die in this battle, it means you are no more than a dead man. At that point, there¡¯s no choice but to give up. So Hiro has not told Liz or anyone else that he wants to capture him.


    (Will the heavens let him live, or will he be killed¡­? Or¨D¨D.)


    Hiro stood up and waved his right arm to the side. A single crest g appeared on the battlefield and pped wide as if to sweep away the dust. It was the g of a ruler, with a dragon¡¯s image holding a silver and white sword on a ck background.


    Cheers erupted from the soldiers. It was understandable. For a thousand years, the banner had never been used. The g was buried in history and could only be seen in books. What would happen if it were to appear in front of them in reality? The hearts of the soldiers with strong faith would be filled with excitement. Hiro smiled, grasped the handle of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor,¡± and pulled it out with vigor.


    The soldiers stopped cheering when they saw the silvery-white sword pointed at the heavens, and the tip of the sword turned seven colors in the sunlight.


    ¡°All troops, march!¡±


    No rhetoric, just a statement of purpose. It was simple, and the voice was insignificant¨Dnot something that could be heard throughout the entire area.


    But the voice must have been heard. The first, second, and main lines of soldiers began to ng their spears against their shields and raise their voices.


    The first emperor, Altius, once said of the boy:


    He is the perfect son of war.


    He is the transcendent of authority.


    Therefore, even though the god of war does not speak, his mere presence can move the hearts of others.


    ¡°Fuh¡­¡±


    Hiro put his fingers in his cor and pulled and was released from the suffocation. It was the first time in a long time that he had been nervous about an order, and his breathing was a bit ragged. He wondered if he hadn¡¯t done something wrong, and when he looked at Liz, her mouth was agape as she held up the ¡°me Emperor¡± and gave instructions to the soldiers.


    (It¡¯s going well, isn¡¯t it?)


    Hiro patted his chest. The way she was acting, it seemed that she was satisfied. Just as he was relieved, a horn was blown.


    The soldiers¡¯ shouts became a profound melody, shaking the space like the roar of a dragon, and the entire army began to move forward without a stitch of hesitation. If it was supposed to be Liz, themander, she should have done it.


    ¡°It¡¯s Hiro¡¯s first battle, so I¡¯ll leave it to him. Also, since you¡¯re going to be the center of attention, you should at least fix your sleeping habits.¡±


    It was at a military conference before dawn that he was given a bit of motherly advice.


    ¡°Hiro, are we going to attack the enemy lines like this?¡±


    Liz asked, interrupting his thoughts.


    ¡°No, we just need to close the distance and wait. After that¡­¡±


    He stopped talking. He noticed arge cloud of dust rising from the front line.


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s started.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The end is near.¡±


    Hiro stroked his eye patch and his smile deepened with amusement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve given you hope; now you must know despair.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s hand tightened around the front as he held out his arm.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The front line¨Dthe vanguard troops of the Fourth Imperial Army¨Dwas in turmoil. The dust was blocking their view, and they were unable to grasp the situation around them.


    ¡°Damn it, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    As General Kylo swung his sword down, blood sprayed high into the sky from an enemy soldier¡¯s chest te. The enemy soldier coughed up blood and fell to the ground. He raised his sword and shouted loudly.


    ¡°Watch out for friendly fire! We¡¯ll have better visibility in a while!¡±


    If the enemy had prated this sincerely, he would have had to retreat in order to regain his footing, but General Kylo looked back behind him and gritted his teeth. He could not withdraw even if he wanted to. The Liberation Army is involved in the battle.


    ¡°If they had just stayed quiet, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡±


    In order to make it to the center, they could not afford to make any blunders, and they had to produce results, but they kept getting in the way. General Kylo shed his sword as if to let out his anger. There were a scream and a ssh of blood. The tip of the sword plunged through a gap in the enemy¡¯s armor. The enemy soldiers were ughtered one by one as the sword struck them at the vital points.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡±


    He was proud of the fact that he had risen to the rank of general. He has been through numerous campaigns and battlefields. He even once wandered between life and death. Nothing iscking as a warrior.


    ¡°Your Excellency! The enemy¡¯s numbers are increasing! I think it would be better to retreat from here, sir!¡±


    ¡°¡­Guh, but¡­¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to die here!¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. I don¡¯t have to tell you that, but I can¡¯t let the ves get in my way.¡±


    ¡°They are ves, after all. No one willin if they are killed. Why don¡¯t we just cut down those who are in our way and create a path for ourselves?¡±


    ¡°However, His Highness Hiro would not forgive you if you abandoned your men, killed the ves, and ran away.¡±


    ¡°In this dust, it is impossible to distinguish friend from foe. I think we should tell His Highness that.¡±


    ¡°Fumu, I guess that¡¯s all we can do.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it is impossible to give instructions in this dust¡­ There is no choice. The main force will now leave.¡±


    General Kylo finished with a depressed look on his face.


    ¡°Understood, sir. Then, the next is¨D¨D?¡±


    The body of the staff member who was about to take action was blown away.


    ¡°A-are you okay?¡±


    General Kylo hurriedly approached the fallen staff member on the ground, but the arrow had pierced his head, and he was dead. Blood dripped from the tip of the arrowhead and was sucked into the sand.


    ¡°Damn¡­ this is not good.¡±


    At the moment¨Darge number of arrows came pouring down through the dust cloud. General Kylo, his face scrunched up, quickly picked up his shield and bent down, but the soldiers and staff around him could not react and fell one after another. He thought it was an attack from the enemy, but oddly enough, it came from behind them. It was hard to believe that the enemy had gone around to the back because the Liberation Army was waiting behind them. Then, the identity of this arrow was obvious. They belong to the Liberation Army.


    ¡°Do the ves not know how to use arrows?¡±


    When the rain of arrows stopped, General Kylo stood up, threw away his shield, and pulled out the arrow that was stuck in his arm.


    ¡°Guh¨DI-is there anyone here?¡±


    As he took a step forward to walk, General Kylo stopped in his tracks. A huge body appeared in front of him. Arge man with a familiar pale purple skin. In his right hand, he was holding a bloody sword. In his left hand was a spear of the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Arge man, a demon, approached him silently.


    ¡°Say something. You were supposed to be in the back in the first ce¨D¨D.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t finish the words as to why the sword was painted with blood. A shock went through his chest. Something hot was rising in his throat. He held his mouth to endure, then pulled his chin back and looked down to see a spear piercing his body.


    ¡°Gobuh¡­ W-what are you doing?¡±


    Fresh blood spattered from the cracks in his fingers. General Kylo¡¯s knees buckled as his legs rxed, and he put his hands on the ground. Arge shadow falls over General Kylo¡¯s head. When he looked up, his bloodshot eyes were mostly agitated, but there was also a hint of frustration.


    ¡°You look distressed; can¡¯t you breathe?¡±


    It was impossible to tell anything from the demon¡¯s expression. There is no joy, sorrow, anger, or sadness, just a nk stare down at General Kylo.


    ¡°It¡¯s your own fault. You should have been a little more humble.¡±


    The demon who pressed his sword against General Kylo¡¯s neck said.


    ¡°I have a message for you from the One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a heavy responsibility that you have recklessly incorporated uncoordinated ves into your troops in your desire for achievement, causing unnecessary confusion in the army, and to add to that, your repeated vitions of military discipline up to now are outrageous. Therefore, you are hereby demoted.¡±


    General Kylo, who had been forced to bear the full brunt of the war¡¯s disgraceful consequences.


    ¡°Aaah¡­¡±


    He opened his mouth to speak, but he didn¡¯t seem to be able to utter a single word of resentment, and only frothy blood spilled.


    ¡°Goodbye. General Kylo¨Dor was it a second ss officer?¡±


    Unable to beg for his life, unable to utter a curse, General Kylo¡¯s head danced in a tail of fresh blood high in the sky. The demon who threw away his sword¨DGhada, turned his back on the corpse and joined the mercenary group that was waiting for him at a remote location. He pulled on the reins of the camel that had been prepared for him, and as he jumped on its back, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. Our task is over.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just run away?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but we¡¯ll have to make a spectacr escape.¡±


    ¡°Give me a break!¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I will leave it to you. All right, then. Sound the drum.¡±


    ¡°Whoa! Let¡¯s get out of here! Follow my lead!¡±


    The camel that Ghada was riding took off at full speed. The mercenaries also followed, trying to stay close. The ve infantry, noticing the sound of the drums, began to disperse as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shake your ass too much at the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army! They have no regard for men or women!¡±


    The mercenary ran alongside Ghada, surrounded by vulgarughter thatcked any sense of tension.


    ¡°How is it? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s very much like a mercenary group.¡±


    Ghada sighed in annoyance. Then he looked at the ce where the Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s main camp was located. He had done everything that needed to be done. All that remains is to wait for the final touches.


    The hero of the Principality of Lichtine, Ranquille, might have noticed this by now.


    ¡°I named him the One-Eyed Dragon, but¡­ might as well be the Hero Eater.¡±


    If the whole story of this war is known, the neighboring countries will surely be shaken.


    ¡°In any case. Let¡¯s just focus on getting away for now.¡±


    If they don¡¯t escape before the dust clears, their lives will be in jeopardy. The dust this time was created by Ghada.


    ¡°With the Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword¡­ there was no need to worry about the depletion of magic power.¡±


    Now that he had been abandoned, it had be difficult to sustain it. The depletion of magic power will not kill him, but it will make him faint. If someone were to fall asleep in the middle of a battlefield like this, it would be directly rted to death.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve done my job. Now let¡¯s just rx.¡±


    He snorted, thinking of the boy¡¯s scornful face.

 Volume 2, Chapter 5 – War God’s Plot, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 2, Chapter 5 ¨C War God¡¯s Plot, Part 6</h4>


    The Lichtine soldiers¡¯ morale is so high that not even the vanguard troops of the Fourth Imperial Army can stop their momentum. And yet, what is this nagging uneasiness in his heart? Years of experience sound the rm bells. As the dust rose, Ranquille noticed something strange.


    ¡°Is it likely that this is another trap¡­?¡±


    ¡°General, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Karl reacted to Ranquille¡¯s words. He smiled reassuringly and called his staff.


    ¡°What do you need, sir?¡±


    ¡°Send Karl-sama back with about a hundred camel cavalry.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? There is no need to run away. We¡¯re pushing them.¡±


    Ranquille put his hand on Karl¡¯s shoulder as heined.


    The situation is still undecided. Even if we destroy the Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s vanguard, there are still more than 8000 enemies left.


    ¡°But with our current momentum, don¡¯t you think we can win?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but it¡¯s more likely that we¡¯ll lose.¡±


    ¡°Fumu¡­¡±


    ¡°In case of emergency, flee to the capital with a hundred guards. It will buy you some time.¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and draw them away. As for Karl-sama¡­¡±


    ¡°Hostiles in the rear! About three to five thousand in number! They seem to beposed mainly of cavalry.¡±


    The report from the messenger sent shockwaves through the main unit. Everyone held their breath and looked behind them. Arge cloud of dust wasing towards them. Indeed, arge number of gs could be seen scattered everywhere.


    ¡°Are they ambushers from the Fourth Imperial Army?¡±


    Ranquille asked his messenger.


    ¡°That¡¯s the heraldic g of the Grantz Empire and the Eastern Nobility.¡±


    ¡°Eastern nobility¡­?¡±


    ¡°There are also banners of the Kelheit family. No doubt they are the reinforcements of the Eastern Nobility.¡±


    ¡°The head of the family is supposed to be absent there. Have they taken in a new husband¡­?¡±


    When he heard that the head of the Kelheit family, which unites the eastern nobility, had died, he expected that the Grantz Empire would finally split internally in a struggle for session, but he remembers that nothing happened and he was disappointed.


    ¡°T-then, how should I put it¡­?¡±


    ¡°What? Speak up.¡±


    ¡°The second emperor¡¯s coat of arms, a dragon holding a silver and white sword on a ck background¡­ was also spotted.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    Everyone who lives in this world knows it. Nowadays, it¡¯s one of the twelve great gods of Grantz, worshipped as the ¡°God of War¡± and the divine g of the man who onceid the foundation of the Great Grantz Empire.


    ¡°¡­If that¡¯s the truth, then we¡¯re in trouble.¡±


    The blood flowing through his body is freezing. His fingertips lost sensation, and the thoughts in his head nearly stopped. Ranquille, whose voice trembled as an unountable chill struck him, asked again.


    ¡°Is it confirmed?¡±


    ¡°If the history books are true¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you saying that the blood of the second emperor had not died out?¡±


    The man praised as the ¡°heroic king of the twin ck¡± died without a wife and child. After that, the second emperor¡¯s coat of arms was never used even once. It was forbidden to use it carelessly. Anyone who tried to use it without permission would be executed, regardless of rank. There is no telling why they are so thorough about it. Perhaps they were afraid of incurring the wrath of the Spirit King, or perhaps they were doing so out of respect for the Hero King who had be a god. Either way, the fact that he came out in the open, it¡¯s highly likely that the Hero King¡¯s bloodline has been found.


    ¡°Would it be better to avoid running from behind?¡±


    It is better to deal with the Fourth Imperial¡¯s Army, which is still a bit tired, than the reinforcements, which have more than enough strength. Above all, if an unknown person appears, it is safer to avoid them even more. He must take the initiative before the cavalry on both sides of the enemy pin them down.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use staying here. Let¡¯s charge with the whole army!¡±


    With morale and momentum high, even if they couldn¡¯t break through the center, they could at least let Karl escape. As soon as the enemy appeared behind them, this battle was a dead end. No matter how high their morale was, they would be annihted if they were attacked from all sides.


    ¡°The fault lies with my inability to reach the heights of wisdom. The me lies entirely with me.¡±


    If that is the case, let¡¯s disperse in splendor to avert the stigma. I am a warrior, and I have walked around the battlefield with only a sword for a while since my first battle. It would not be a bad idea to return to my roots, said Ranquille.


    ¡°Karl-sama, we will clear a path for you! Please run away from there with your guards as shields!¡±


    There was no need to reply. Above all, there is no need to ask.


    ¡°Listen carefully, Karl-sama! I have a final n for you!¡±


    The rest is in Karl¡¯s hands.


    ¡°The burning of the rations has made it impossible for the opponent to wage a prolonged war. After this, if the Fourth Imperial Army is going to loot, we will surprise them from behind. If they are dispersed, we will destroy them individually. If we are bastions ourselves, we must continue to provoke them and exhaust them! Then we will choose the path of self-destruction!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you all of a sudden¡­ what are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you to do the rest!¡±


    He pulled out the sword at his waist and sted the soldiers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! Raise your voice! Give the enemy a defeat!¡±


    Ranquille shouted through the dust.


    And then¨Dhe knew despair.


    ¡°¡­Nonsense!¡±


    The soldiers who had gone through the dust before him were all buried in the sand. There were countless arrows lodged in their bodies, and no one within Ranquille¡¯s sight was breathing. His feverish body was rapidly cooling down. The camel¡¯s feet came to a halt at the unusual situation. It also meant that the army had to stop. Karl, who had been running with them, turned pale, wrinkled his brow, and held his mouth.


    ¡°¡­Dragon grasping a silvery-white sword on a ck background?¡±


    The Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s headquarters¨Daverting their eyes from the emblematic g swimming in the sky with a light breeze, and looking left and right, the cavalry wasing at them with a mighty rush. Looking behind over his shoulder, he saw the enemy reinforcements with their mouths wide open, ready to devour his prey.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s quite a siege they¡¯ve put together. We can¡¯t even let Karl-sama escape.¡±


    In the foreground, the Fourth Imperial Army¡¯s archers and their mixed troops of heavy and light armor are lined up in an orderly fashion. Even though they are the enemy, their leadership skills are something to be admired. Ranquille thought it would be fun to lead the well-trained soldiers in battle. On the other hand, the soldier is exhausted, no different than an old, skinny dog.


    ¡°Looking back¡­ there were several strange things from the start.¡±


    If he came up with a brilliant n, it was only what he expected; if he thought he had taken advantage of an opening, he was only following his own n; in short, he was dancing in the palm of someone¡¯s hand.


    ¡°¡­Then, I guess he knows what I¡¯m going to do.¡±


    They can¡¯t afford to lose Karl here. The only person to me for the defeat is Ranquille himself.


    ¡°¡­Lay down your weapons. Wave the white g.¡±


    The sword slipped from the hand of the man known as the ¡°Raging Eagle of the Sky¡± and was buried in the sand, scattering dust. The soldiers sat there helplessly. As if to remind them that they were defeated, the weapons they had thrown away reflected dully in the sunlight.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand the purpose. What did he want by hunting me down this far?¡±


    He stroked the scar on his own cheek and stared at the divine g of the ¡°God of War¡± as it swam effortlessly in the main camp of the Fourth Imperial Army.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The sun¡¯s rays pouring down from the clear sky are unobstructed by any obstacles. It continues to send out heat to take away the energy of the creatures living on the ground. Looking at the ground, the sand stretched out endlessly, suggesting that this was a ce without a trace of coolness.


    This is the Principality of Lichtine¨Da country dominated by the scorching desert. How the story will be told to future generations remains to be seen, but right now, on a nameless battlefield, a war ising to an end.


    Wearing armor forged with craftsmanship and holding swords and spears manicured only for the purpose of killing, soldiers with brave faces were lined up in an orderly fashion. They are warriors born for battle, the Fourth Imperial Army, the guardians of the southern part of the Great Grantz Empire. In the center of the line¨Din the heavily guarded main camp¨Dwere themander, Liz, and her strategist, Hiiro.


    The sun was shining so brightly that Liz formed a visor with one hand. Heraldic gs are standing in disarray in front of her gaze.


    ¡°The Kelheit family¡¯s¡­ could be my sister? But why are they here?¡±


    It¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s wondering. It would take quite a few days for the eastern nobles toe here through the southern nobles¡¯ territory. It would be even more so if they had a full army. Hiro approached the puzzled girl to give her the answer, but Liz, who had noticed his presence, opened her mouth first.


    ¡°Hiro. My sister¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°It looks like that to you, too, Liz?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because the g of the Eastern nobility is¡­¡±


    ¡°Fufu, yes. Yes, there are a lot of gs of the Eastern nobility.¡±


    Liz looked at Hiro.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s with that look?¡±


    She made a quizzical expression with her neatly groomed eyebrows at the boy who gave her augh.


    Hiro put his hand over his mouth to hold back hisughter. The gesture seemed to aggravate Liz, and her cheeks puffed up a little. Hiro mouthed an apology and then threw some words at her.


    ¡°By the way, do you have any idea how many there are?¡±


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s see, it¡¯s about three thousand.¡±


    She seemed to be unhappy, but she answered in a dutiful manner, which was endearing.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s five hundred.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just trying to make it look like a big army. And the reinforcements aren¡¯t Eastern nobles. Those are Kiork-san¡¯s private army that he had hidden there beforehand.¡±


    ¡°My uncle¡¯s private army?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But those banners belong to the Eastern nobility.¡±


    ¡°I asked them to deliver the g in advance.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the g belongs to the Eastern nobility, but the people there are my uncle¡¯s private army?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s a pretty good n for an instant!¡±


    Hiro suddenly gets a pinch on his cheek by Liz, and his speech goes haywire.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you were smiling when you saw me confused.¡±


    ¡°Fuwaahh.¡±


    ¡°Are you satisfied?¡±


    As Hiro struggled to choose his words, Liz quickly told him.


    ¡°It¡¯s hurt me a lot. I demand an apology.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Good. Buy me something to make up for it.¡±


    After pinching Hiro¡¯s cheek, Liz¡¯s hand fell away.


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not too expensive¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh? You have a lot of money, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I have to save it for the future.¡±


    The money given by the widow of the Kelheit family must be saved for the future.


    First of all, there¡¯s a need to get a private army and pay their sries; the money can¡¯t be wasted. Although he had given away a lot of gold during this mission, he was going to ask the Principality of Lichtine to repay it, and he had to keep his expenses down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I won¡¯t buy anything that expensive.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know how much the royal family¡¯s ¡°so much¡± would be worth. So it¡¯s best to have an insurance policy, Hiro muttered, feeling like an unworthy husband.


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not any kind of jewelry¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. I don¡¯t wear jewelry.¡±


    Lizughed and waved her hand to the side. Hiro said, ¡°Is that so?¡± While tilting his head, he observed Liz. Although she was still a little young, her vibrant smile was reminiscent of a blooming flower, and her well-proportioned figure would make anyone gasp in admiration. If she hadn¡¯t chosen a career in the military, the men of the world would have been all over her to get her attention.


    (Come to think of it¡­ there are only a few pieces of jewelry that would look good on her.)


    Everyone nodded in agreement that she didn¡¯t need to dress up. Even a stone on the side of the road may turn into a jewel if she wears it.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get settled and go to the Lynx.¡±


    ¡°A promise. If you lie, I¡¯ll make you taste the Fire Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯ll be dead for sure.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll only give you heartburn.¡±


    The two of them were having a friendly conversation, and Driks, a second-ss military officer, watched.


    ¡°When I look at them from a distance, they appear to be boys and girls of appropriate age.¡±


    One is a girl who has been chosen as one of the five emperors of the Spirit Sword, and the other is a descendant of the second emperor.


    Do they know what that means?


    ¡°At the very least, the world will be celebrating the return of the Twin Spirit King.¡±


    ¨D¨DThe Twin-Spirit King.


    This is a nickname in honor of the first Emperor Altius and the second Emperor Schwartz. A thousand years have passed, and the two bloodlines are about to cross again.


    The first emperor, Altius, had a wise man, Schwartz, who helped him to conquer the world. The sixth princess, Liz, not only possesses unparalleled intelligence but has also added a noble descendant of the God of War to her ranks. It¡¯s getting interesting, Driks thought.


    The First Prince¡¯s weing of the Long-Ear tribe into his fold was fresh in his mind, and the Third Prince has begun to umte achievements with the acquisition of a talented woman known as War Maiden.


    ¡°Whether this will lead to prosperity or decline depends on the leadership of the emperor¡­ I suppose.¡±


    In the future, the struggle for session will be more active. If handled poorly, it could spark a major uprising. It also means that the Empire will be divided.


    ¡°Driks-sama.¡±


    When he turned around, he found a messenger on one knee.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We have captured themanders of the Principality of Lichtine¡¯s army, Count Karl and Marquis Ranquille.¡±


    ¡±You have done well. Be sure to treat them with the utmost respect.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    As the messenger ran off, Driks approached Hiro and kneeled down.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro. It seems that themander of the Principality of Lichtine has been captured.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start negotiating right away. Please prepare a tent for it.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Your Highness. We¡¯ll begin preparations immediately.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After bowing again, Driks turned back and began to make preparations.

 Volume 2, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 2, Epilogue</h4>


    Under the fresh and green sky, a line of people and horses were marching through the hot desert. Their faces were all radiant, their hearts filled with thoughts of their distant homnd.


    September 4th, 1023rd year of the Empire¡¯s calendar, the Fourth Imperial Army was on its way home.


    Various military gs were disyed in several ces. The most conspicuous were probably the banners of the sixth princess and the fourth prince. Underneath those military gs, the royal family of the Great Grantz Empire was present.


    ¡°¡­I hope Cerberus is doing well.¡±


    Said Liz, the red-haired princess who was on horseback.


    ¡°I hope he¡¯s not sulking. Should I buy him something?¡±


    The fourth prince, Hiro, is riding alongside her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been away for more than a month before, so I don¡¯t know how to handle it.¡±


    Liz¡¯s bewilderment was short-lived, and her smile quickly became florid.


    ¡°But I think it will be okay. I¡¯ve been trying to keep Cerberus upied for a while now.¡±


    ¡°¡­What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve appointed him as themander of the Fort Berg until I return.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Eh, Cerberus is the temporarymander?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He seemed happier than I thought.¡±


    ¡°No, amander is not just a decoration; it¡¯s a job.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent a letter to my uncle about it. He will take care of the paperwork.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­ No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good thing, though.¡±


    He has a lot of sympathy for Kiork, but he loves his niece like his own daughter, so maybe it¡¯s not so hard for him. The problem is Tris, for that matter. It was the role of an aide to stop Liz from running amok. What was he doing? He asked usingly.


    ¡°Cerberus-dono is a finemander. I¡¯ve never known an animal with as much spirit as he does.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    He is indeed a spirited animal. Hiro thought to himself. But Tris is a little too tolerant of Cerberus, which is a problem.


    ¡°Haha, I see you¡¯re having a hard time.¡±


    The second-grade officer Driks joined the conversation,ughing.


    ¡°Rest assured. I will be with you from now on. I¡¯m very good at paperwork.¡±


    As Hiro was about to open his mouth, Tris happily pulled his horse closer to Driks.


    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring! I¡¯m counting on you!¡±


    ¡°Guboh!¡±


    A strong p was delivered to Driks back.


    ¡°No, unfortunately, I¡¯m not very good at paperwork. Most of the paperwork was done by His Highness Hiro, and I felt bad about that.¡±


    Not most of it, but all of it. Hiro was tempted to shout, but he bottled up just in time.


    ¡°U-um, he has a higher rank than you. Why do you sound so familiar with him¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a taste for alcohol?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, more importantly¨D.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Driks leaned back with a stern look on his face.


    ¡°W-well, I¡¯m not a drinker, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, when we get back to Fort Berg, we¡¯ll have a wee back party and drink it all up.¡±


    Tris¡¯sughter was carried away by the wind. Liz looked on happily, and Hiro put his hand to his forehead as if he had a headache.


    ¡°I need a civil servant¡­¡±


    Arge shadow fell on Hiro, who looked down.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon, what¡¯s going on with Mirue?¡±


    When he looked up, he saw Ghada.


    ¡°There is no problem with that. There is a vige on the way back to the city, so I will send an escort to take her there.¡±


    Hiro added, looking at Ghada¡¯s still worried expression.


    ¡°Oh, and if you¡¯re afraid of her identity being discovered, don¡¯t worry about that either. I¡¯ll have Liz select someone trustworthy for her, so you can rest assured.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it will be okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course. From now on, her vige ¨D Suresh Vige ¨D will be part of the Empire¡¯s territory. The number of bandits and monsters will be reduced, and since Fort Berg is close by, we¡¯ll be able to rush there immediately if anything happens.¡±


    When Hiro heard that Mirue was from Suresh Vige, he realized the true nature of his strange feeling when he saw her.


    Suresh Vige was the vige that Hiro had saved from bandits before joining the Fourth Imperial Army. Even though he had defeated the bandits, the good man who had provided supplies to the unknown man was Mirue¡¯s father, the vige chief, Kukri.


    ¡°And yet, you¡¯re even more of a worrier than I thought.¡±


    ¡°If I may say so myself, I¡¯ve put herself in a lot of danger, but I want to make sure that Mirue gets back to her parents safely. I want her to live a peaceful life without anyone knowing who she is.¡±


    Ghada looked behind her. There was a carriage with Mirue in it.


    ¡°I thank you for providing her with a carriage.¡±


    This heat is too much for a young girl, and staying on horseback for long periods of time is nothing short of torture.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. You owe me one.¡±


    Hiro chuckled. Mirue is the daughter of his benefactor. There was no way he was going to treat her badly.


    ¡°So, what should I do now?¡±


    Ghada posed the question. He had nowhere to go.


    He was a demon from a southern ind nation, the Southern Archipgo. Currently, the southern archipgo seems to be in a state of chronic conflict. It has entered a period of warfare with dozens of lords vying for supremacy. Among them, Ghada seems to have been the ruler of several subdivisions. Still, he was defeated in a battle against a powerful ruler. While he was trying to revive himself, his subordinates betrayed him, and he ended up dying.


    He thought he was going to die, but when he woke up, he was drifting to the Principality of Lichtine. There, he saw the current situation of the ves and set up a new ambition under Mirue¡¯s leadership, but he was defeated here as well, and here he is now.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it a lot.¡±


    Even though he has lost the knowledge he gained as the lord of the country, and his magic sword, his fighting ability as a warrior is beyond reproach. Since he defeated the Prince of Lichtine, hismand of the troops will not be a problem.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything bad to you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so looking at your face¡­¡±


    Leaving a sullen look on his face, Ghada moved back to the rear carriage.


    Hiro, who showed a bitter smile, looks forward. He thought of the great imperial capital in the far distance.


    (I¡¯ll be invited soon. I wonder what they¡¯ll make me do next¡­)


    When he thought about it, he felt depressed. If he couldn¡¯t solve the problems that were being thrust upon him, the people who thought less of Hiro would surely me him for it.


    But a part of himself enjoys scheming about how to ovee this.


    (I have to be careful not to get too worked up. It¡¯s a bad habit of mine.)


    The only thing he can do is to make achievements and move up thedder. As a soldier, his rank is 3rd ss military officer. Although he has the title of the fourth prince, it is still unstable. The road to his ultimate goal is long. He has only just reached the starting point.


    (Speaking of which¡­)


    Hiro suddenly remembered and took out a single card from his pocket. It was handed to him by the first Emperor Altius before he returned to Earth. At first, it was white and in, but now it was ckened about a third.

 Volume 2, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 2, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you very much for picking up ¡°The Otherworldly Tales of a Mythological, Legendary Hero Volume 2¡±. It has been a long time for those of you who have read it continuously since volume one. If you¡¯ve picked up the second volume, it¡¯s a pleasure to talk to you.


    The first volume was based on the concept of having the main character fight and feel exhrated, and the second volume was based on the concept of having the main character y an active role through military strategy.


    I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you did, I would be dancing with joy.


    This volume has many characters, including mob characters, because I pushed the war story element to the forefront. In my case, the number of male characters increased instead of female characters, and the editor in charge, S-sama, hasined about this. I am really sorry about this. For some reason, the number of men increases without understanding it myself.


    However, the number of men in the story has decreased to a simr level, so I¡¯m going to make some excuses and add more attractive women to the story, so I hope readers will look forward to it.


    Oh¡­ and did you know that there is an ¡°afterword note¡± on the official website of Ovep Bunko? There, you will find the stepbrother Altius ying an active role. If you¡¯re curious about it, please visit it right now!


    I¡¯ve been writing as much as I want, and now there are only a few lines left. I¡¯m not used to writing afterword, so this is the end of my solo story.


    Now, I would like to express my gratitude.


    I would like to thank Miyuki Ruria-sama for the many beautiful illustrations and attractive characters in this volume, my kind-hearted editor S-sama who always says there is no problem when I makest-minute changes to the text, everyone in the editing department, proofreaders, designers, and everyone else involved in this work.


    I would also like to thank all the readers who have continued to read this book since the first volume and the readers who read it from ¡°Syousetu,¡± without whom I would not have been able to publish the second volume. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I¡¯ll be spreading more chuunibyou in the future, so please keep your eyes open for me.


    I hope to see you again in the near future.

 Volume 3, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 3, Prologue</h4>


    There were no stars in the cold sky. The thick clouds obscured the glow of the moonlight. There was no light reaching the ground, and the strong wind roared like a beast with its roar.


    ¡°Quickly, this way!¡±


    A girl¡¯s hurried voice cut through the air as snow blended with the freezing wind covered one¡¯s vision. The boy in ck looked up, but the blizzard obscured his expression. The girl rushed over to him and held out her hand.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    The boy¡¯s gait was heavy. It would be understandable after such a long battle.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s move on. If we stay here, we¡¯ll freeze to death.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Even if we can escape from our pursuers, in this blizzard, we¡¯ll be stuck anyway¡­¡±


    The boy took the girl¡¯s hand. It¡¯s getting very cold. There seems to be little time left.


    He didn¡¯t have the luxury of staying warm, but at least he would have to find a ce to shelter from the wind. Once the blizzard is over, the next step will be to escape from their pursuers.


    Until then, they should conserve their strength as much as possible.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there. No one seems to be working there at this time of night.¡±


    The boy pointed to the cowshed, where they could maintain a reasonable body temperature and avoid the wind.


    ¡°Aah, but if you don¡¯t like it, we can go somewhere else¡­¡±


    The boy blurted out his words. The girl is a member of the royal family, after all. Her pride would not allow her to spend the night in a cowshed. That¡¯s what he thought ¨D but the girl tightened her grip on the boy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. No one would believe that a princess slept in a cowshed.¡±


    The girl took the initiative and began to walk away, putting her fingers to her mouth and smiling.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a secret. The people would have a stroke if they knew.¡±


    ¡°Of course I understand.¡±


    After a wry smile, the boy shrugged his shoulders. No matter what difficultiesy ahead, he would have to move forward with the girl. However, as if to ridicule the two, the snowstorm grew more powerful.

 Volume 3, Chapter 1 – A New Problem, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 1 ¨C A New Problem, Part 1</h4>


    Fort Berg ¨D the keystone of the southern part of the Great Grantz Empire. The fortress was built on the border with the Principality of Lichtine and is surrounded by high walls in preparation for external enemies.


    The most conspicuous feature is the central tower where themand center is located. On the third floor, there is a room called the study. The room was illuminated by the morning sun shining through the window ¨D and a boy was waking up from there.


    He has ck hair and eyes, and his soft face is well-groomed. However, the eye patch covering more than half of his face gives a distorted impression to those who see him.


    Beforeing to this world, his name was Hiro Ooguro. He was adopted by the Grantz imperial family and was given the grand title of the fourth prince. He is currently known as Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.


    ¡°Fuwahh¡­¡±


    At the same time as he was yawning, a small bird¡¯s chirp hits the window and strikes his earlobe. When he raised his upper body, the book slid off his body with a thumping sound.


    The books that had been piled up like a mountain range around him copsed like an avnche.


    ¡°I must have fallen asleep here¡­ again. Liz is going to be mad at me.¡±


    Hiro looked at the mess in the room and scratched his head with a miserable expression on his face. It has be a routine for him to spend his meals and sleep in his study. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have a room; he had a room on the second floor. But since the study is on the third floor, it¡¯s a hassle to go back and forth.


    ¡°¡­I have a lot of research to do.¡±


    He said this excuse to no one in particr, and the pile of books under his feet copsed. What appeared from the pile was a white-furred wolf named Cerberus.


    She¡¯s a rare creature that doesn¡¯t exist in the central continent, but Liz picked her up when she was a child after she was washed ashore from the Eastern Inds, and Liz has been raising her ever since. ording to Liz, they are like sisters.


    [T/n: I guess I have to change the pronoun for Cerberus to her from now on.]


    ¡°I guess Cerberus slept here too.¡±


    The third floor is mainly a yground for Cerberus, so it¡¯s not unusual for her to be here. In fact, it could be said that she is bing the master of this ce. The soldiers can¡¯t even set foot in here without Cerberus¡¯ permission.


    ¡°Are you keeping me warm, so I don¡¯t freeze to death?¡±


    Cerberus¡¯s only reply was a wag of her tail from left to right. After observing Cerberus for a while but getting no answer, Hiro stood up, shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡°Now¡­ I¡¯ve got to get back to my room before Liz finds me.¡±


    He put his ear to the doorway of the room ¨D a heavy wooden door ¨D to make sure that the corridor was empty.


    ¡°Cerberus, please be quiet.¡±


    Hiro turned around and put a finger to his mouth. Cerberus, behind him, opened her mouth wide and let out a single sigh. The gesture could be taken as a sign that it was useless and should be stopped.


    ¡°It¡¯s breakfast time. Liz should be eating in the dining hall. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll make it.¡±


    After patting Cerberus on the head, Hiro smiled. The noble white wolf looked up at Hiro with a frown, but she sighed heavily when she twitched her nose. Hiro was puzzled as to what this meant, but he soon learned the answer.


    ¡°Hiirooo! How many times do I have to tell you that you can¡¯t sleep in the study again? You¡¯ll catch a cold!¡±


    The sound of hurried footsteps came from the corridor as she uttered a motherly line.


    ¡°¡­What should we do?¡±


    He asked Cerberus for her opinion, but the white wolf ttened her ears. Betrayed by his friend, Hiro looked at the window. He thought about cracking it open and running away, but he questioned whether he should go that far to escape ¨D and it would have been a fatal time for him.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    The door was thrown open loudly. A chill, characteristic of the morning, entered the study. A beautiful girl was standing in the corridor with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.


    She has ming red hair, and her red eyes are filled with light like jewels. Her eyes and nose are as well-defined as if a famous artist sculpted them, and her smooth white skin is an eye-catcher for young and old alike.


    Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz, the sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire andmander of the Berg Fortress. Those who are close to her call her Liz.


    Hiro gave Liz a mended smile.


    ¡°G-good morning¡­ what do you need?¡±


    ¡°Yes, good morning.¡±


    Liz returned the greeting with a refreshing smile. But then she turned around and made a difficult face and swelled with anger.


    ¡°So, what do I need, you ask? That¡¯s not it. Why don¡¯t you sleep in your own room? There is no bed in the study, so you have to sleep on the floor. Your back will hurt, and you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±


    Liz sputtered and looked down sadly.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. I¡¯m worried that Hiro will catch a cold and suffer.¡±


    ¡°B-but it¡¯s surprisingly warm when you¡¯re wrapped up in a book.¡±


    ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes narrowed. When Hiro thought he had chosen the wrong words, it was toote. Liz¡¯s hands reached out to touch Hiro¡¯s cheeks. He braced himself for extreme pain, but¡­


    ¡°I won¡¯t listen to any excuses. From now on, you sleep in your room.¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    The only thing he felt was a gentle tug on his cheek. His heart was filled with guilt. He¡¯d rather be beaten up. If he has been warned so gently, he can¡¯t refute or disobey her.


    ¡°Good. Be really careful from now on.¡±


    Liz stroked Hiro¡¯s cheek a few times.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go and have breakfast!¡±


    She smiled as usual and started walking forward.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Hiro smiled and left the study with Liz and Cerberus.


    The dining room of Berg Fortress was located on the first floor. At present, it is crowded with the soldiers of the Fourth Imperial Army who have finished their morning training, and thedy of the dining room is busy running around the kitchen. With that in the background, Hiro and Cerberus headed for the officer¡¯s table.


    There, Tris was sitting, staring sadly at the cold food.


    ¡°Kid¡­ my food is getting cold.¡±


    The old soldier noticed Hiro and red at him grudgingly. He is Tris Von Termier, a third-ss military officer. A veteran soldier who has served Liz since she was a child.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    That was said by Driks, a second-ss military officer who appeared from behind.


    ¡°It was Sir Tris¡¯s fault for not knowing what wasing.¡±


    Driks sat down next to Tris with a te of food in his hand.


    ¡°Good morning. Your Highness, Hiro.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good morning.¡±


    Driks looked at Hiro¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I see you haven¡¯t eaten yet. I can get you some if you like.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Liz will get it for me.¡±


    ¡°Kid, do you think the princess is a waitress or something?¡±


    Tris is trembling with anger. Then Driks tapped him on the shoulder and told him to quiet down.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for people who have the right to inherit the throne to dispute with each other. Compared to that, isn¡¯t it wonderful that they get along so well?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    Although they have only known each other for a short time, Hiro is surprised that Driks, who sat face to face with him, knows how to treat Tris. Then Liz came to the table with a bowl in both her hands.


    ¡°Hiro, I¡¯ve brought it. Come on, eat up.¡±


    There was a huge pile of meat on the table in front of him.


    ¡°It is indeed too much. My stomach will be upset if I eat this much.¡±


    ¡°Hiro¡¯s food is often snatched by Cerberus, so I¡¯ve included some for that purpose as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Cerberus has indeed been stealing his meals for a while now. If there were such arge amount of food, even Cerberus would not be able to finish it. Perhaps it was thanks to the fact that he had been making her learn the art of war regrly that she had anticipated this.


    Hiro was impressed by Liz¡¯s growth.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take it with gratitude.¡±


    As Hiro sped his hands together, Tris and Driks also began to eat. After a while, Driks stopped and spoke to Hiro.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro. Your Highness Celia Estre. I have a report on the matter of the former ves.¡±


    The former ves ¨D the ves who fought for the Liberation Army. They are currently living in temporary housing outside the Berg Fortress, and Liz and the others are providing them with food and other necessities. But it¡¯s impossible to feed them forever. They must be independent as soon as possible. Hiro had entrusted Driks with a series of tasks to achieve this.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent the documents along with a letter from Your Highness Celia Estre to Margrave Grinda.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. My uncle will not do anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too worried about Margrave Grinda.¡±


    Driks reacted to Liz¡¯s words and turned his gaze to Hiro.


    ¡°However, it might be dangerous to assume that part of the territory taken from the Principality of Lichtine will be given to Margrave Grinda. I believe it would be unwise to assume that.¡±


    Driks picked up a goblet filled with water. He quenched his thirst with a gulp, then pursed his lips and continued.


    ¡°There is a possibility that it will be shared out to other southern nobles. If that were to happen, our ns would be thwarted, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°I understand your concern, but I assure you, we will get thend we want.¡±


    Hiroughed at Driks¡¯ concerns and gave his reasons.


    ¡°The southern nobles will be busy from now on. They are busy trying to figure out how to get their hands on the territory of the Nickle family.¡±


    The Nickle family is the household name of the now-deceased General Kylo.


    His territory is located in the south, but the climate is close to the center. However, due to the south¡¯s strong influence, it is an arid zone with little precipitation. As a result, the grasnds with almost no tall trees are suitable for pasture. The southern aristocrats, whose livelihood is selling stagecoaches and warhorses due tock of resources, are thirsty for thisnd.


    ¡°Does it attract the attention of the southern nobles¡­?¡±


    Hiro nodded in response to Driks question.


    Hiro made General Kylo take all the me for the mismanagement of thest battle. So the Nickle family can¡¯t escape the responsibility, and with no head of state, they can¡¯t get around.


    The southern nobles will take advantage of this weakness and whip the dying Nickle family. At best, the punishment would be a small fief; at worst, confiscation. Either way, it is inevitable that they will not be safe.


    ¡°Besides, the nobles are paying attention to the oasis city that was transferred from the Principality of Lichtine. On the other hand, thend that we want is deserted, so no one will pay attention to it.¡±


    Thend that Hiro and the others wanted was bordered by the Great Grantz Empire, and the Principality of Lichtine had not taken any action to avoid unnecessary disputes until today.


    Although thend was in disrepair, it would be possible to revive it if the water supply could be improved. They could draw water from Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory and give part of thend to the freed ves to cultivate. Another option would be to have them dig wells or excavate for ore.


    ¡°We can hire the freed ves as workers, and my uncle¡¯s territory will be richer, so we can kill two birds with one stone.¡±


    Liz echoed Hiro¡¯s sentiments, but that wasn¡¯t all. The more power Kiork gained, the better his position in the southern nobility would be. It would go around and be Liz¡¯s power, bringing her closer to the throne. There was only one thing that bothered him, though.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take some time.¡±


    Instead of voicing his concerns, Hiro simply nodded.


    ¡°So, with that as a premise, I¡¯ll be in close contact with Margrave Grinda to make preparations.¡±


    With that, Driks lowered his face and returned to his meal. Hiro also began to chew his meat in silence but stopped when he noticed a piercing gaze from the side.


    Liz had been staring at him the whole time. He couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. After swallowing the food in his mouth, Hiro opened his mouth to Liz.


    ¡°Um¡­ do you want some?¡±


    ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I had a feeling you would.¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking how delicious it looks.¡±


    ¡°I see. Here you go.¡±


    He offered Liz the meat.


    ¡°Ahhh.¡±


    The meat disappeared into her mouth, where her teeth were beautifully aligned. As he watched, Hiro noticed the stares around him. Tris was clutching his chest to the point where he thought he was hyperventting. Driks shook his head in disbelief, and the officers seated around him whistled.


    ¡°Hiro, Hiro, one more!¡±


    Liz clung to his arm like a little bird begging for food. But Hiro didn¡¯t have the courage to share his meat again under such a rain of stares. Whether she didn¡¯t realize it or knew it, she hurriedly said, ¡°Hey, hey, one more piece.¡± What to do, he thought. Liz would see through any poorly conceived n.


    But if he treats her carelessly, Tris¡¯s thunderbolt will pierce Hiro.


    (I¡¯m cornered, aren¡¯t I?)


    But the man who was once called the ¡°God of War¡± came up with a strange idea. The noble white wolf, Cerberus, had appeared beneath his feet.


    (I leave the rest to you)


    Their gazes crossed. No words needed to be said. This was all that was necessary for both of them to understand each other. Cerberus jumped onto the long table and started to pounce on Hiro¡¯s food.


    ¡°H-hey! Cerberus, what a bad attitude you have there!¡±


    ¡°Well, well, Cerberus was hungry, too. You¡¯ll have to forgive her.¡±


    ¡°Amu!¡±


    He seeded in shoving thest piece of meat into Liz¡¯s mouth to shut her up. In the meantime, Cerberus, who had finished off the pile of meat,nded on the floor and dashed off.


    ¡°Geez, it can¡¯t be helped¡­ I¡¯ll eat too.¡±


    There was nothing she could do if Cerberus ran away. Liz gave up, took a seat, and began to eat. Although he didn¡¯t get to eat much breakfast, Hiro was relieved that he was able to ovee his predicament. However, Liz¡¯s next action caused Hiro to shudder.


    ¡°Hiro, here¡¯s your meat back. Ahhh.¡±


    ¡°Ehh¡­¡±


    The hardship was not over yet. Thus begins a noisy day for Hiro.

 Volume 3, Chapter 1 – A New Problem, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 1 ¨C A New Problem, Part 2</h4>


    After finishing breakfast, Hiro left Liz and walked to the courtyard. As he approached the courtyard, he could hear a cheerful voice. It wasn¡¯t just one voice, but hundreds of voices thatbined to form a chorus that shook his eardrums. Soon after, he stopped in his tracks and caught sight of a group of soldiers wielding swords in an orderly formation.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s pretty neat.¡±


    Those engaged in mock battles. Those learning pole arts. There are also some who are learning how to use a bow. The equipment also varied from light armor to heavy armor and even robes.


    However, perhaps because of the uniformity of the ck color, it created a bizarre scene. There was a singlemander in charge at the front of the soldiers, which were divided into several small groups. Themander was standing on a tform away from the soldiers, giving them a stern look.


    Hiro walked up to the stage and looked up at the figure there.


    ¡°It looks like things are going well.¡±


    The man wearing full body armor ¨D ck grooved armor ¨D looked down at Hiro and leaped to the ground with his huge cowl.


    ¡°They used to be a mercenary. They have got the basics down.¡±


    The soldiers in the courtyard were former mercenaries of the Liberation Army. Hiro epted all the volunteers from among those who had been brought in as prisoners of war.


    However, soon after the training began, more than half of them asked to be discharged due to the training¡¯s severity. There are only about three thousand of them left now.


    ¡°But was it necessary to match the colors of the equipment?¡±


    Theplete set of equipment he had given them had been purchased with support money from the Kelheit family¡¯s widow. However, their equipment did not have Hiro¡¯s crest engraved on it. There were several reasons for this.


    No matter what kind of master craftsman he was or what kind ofrge workshop he had, there was no ce that could produce thousands of pieces of armor within a few days of ordering the equipment. This is even if it is the work of engraving a coat of arms. So they started by buying ck equipment ¨D or something simr ¨D from neighboring cities.


    ¡°If the enemy sees the uniformed equipment, that alone will make them wary of us. If this was an elite group, we could do the opposite and expand our tactics.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s words were harsh. They can¡¯t be a force to be reckoned with if they¡¯re not skilled. That¡¯s what he¡¯s saying. The man inmand neither denied nor affirmed, but he lifted the corners of his mouth as if to say something ironic in his helmet.


    ¡°I will soon make them more elite than the Fourth Imperial Army, or even the best in the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very encouraging. The equipment they had when they were mercenaries is in storage. They were hoping that they will have the time to use them again.¡±


    ¡°It wille soon.¡±


    The man¡¯s face was revealed by pulling up his armor. It was a pale purple ¨D a skin color unique to the demon race. His sharp eyes make even the bravest warriors hesitate, and although his armor hides his strong body, there is no hiding the supremacy that exudes from his huge body.


    He is a pure-blooded demon from the southern archipgo, Ghada Meteor.


    The kingdom of Levering, located in the north of the Great Grantz Empire, is called thend of the demon race, but even the royal family is no longer pure blood because they have been intermingled with other races throughout their long history.


    In other words, to be precise, there are no pure demon races in the central continent. After considering Ghada¡¯s personal safety, Ghada chose to cover his entire body with armor in order to hide the magic stone on his forehead and skin color even in the heat.


    ¡°That being said¡­ if they were to go into battle from now on, would these guys be of any use?¡±


    ¡°It depends on the skill level of the opponent, but if they move alone, there will be no problem. But if they are fighting in coordination with the Fourth Imperial Army, it will be difficult.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess it won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are there any signs of war?¡±


    Hiro passed Ghada¡¯s question with a calm face and looked up above him. White clouds that color the clear sky. The sunlight peeking through the gaps was pouring down on the earth. The breeze, which still feels cool at the moment, will soon turn into a steaming hot breeze.


    Hiro smiled as he turned his gaze back to Ghada, knowing that it would be another hot day.


    ¡°It¡¯s basic to be prepared for emergencies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, but¡­ my guess is as good as yours, though?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little concerned about something. I don¡¯t have any proof, but I guess it depends on time.¡±


    It was a bit cryptic, but Ghada nodded without pursuing it too deeply.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s train them as long as time permits.¡±


    Ghada lowered his armor and looked at the soldiers who were training. If someone who was not familiar with the scene saw arge number of soldiers thrusting their spears with a shout, they would be overwhelmed and think they were sharp soldiers. But a skilled soldier would not miss the rough edges.


    But it is themander¡¯s skill that fills in the gaps ¨D it is up to him to make the best use of them.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you. I¡¯m hoping that you¡¯ll be able to meet my demands, even if they¡¯re as absurd as possible.¡±


    ¡°If you want to strengthen them in a short period of time, the only way is through actualbat, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It is only in life and death battles that one can realize one¡¯s potential.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s lips formed a crescent moon as if he were a child who hade up with a devious idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told that bandits and brigands ¨D deserters from the Principality of Lichtine ¨D have joined forces to form a bandit gang in the neighborhood.¡±


    ¡°Is the location close?¡±


    ¡°It seems that they have taken advantage of the chaos of the recent war to set up strongholds in caves and narrow passages in the wastnd.¡±


    Hiro held out two pieces of parchment to Ghada.


    ¡°I want you to choose one of them. The remaining one will be taken by the Fourth Imperial Army.¡±


    Seeing that Ghada was checking the contents, Hiro continued.


    ¡°The first is a cave about a day¡¯s walk east of here, with about fifty caves. The second is near the vige of Suresh, where Mirue lives, a day¡¯s walk south of there, in a narrow path in the wilderness, about three hundred in number. I heard that this one includes deserters. There is no end to the number of people who will join up with them even now¡­ and there may be more than three hundred when we face them¡­ What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already decided. Let¡¯s take down the bandits at the narrow passage. Is there a deadline or conditions?¡±


    ¡°We want to do this as quickly as possible¡­ We¡¯ll take 800 with us too. We¡¯ll be back in two days. Since the horses will have to take a break, we¡¯ll only be able to fight for about three hours at most.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡±


    ¡°You have to limit yourself. Otherwise, you won¡¯t get any experience.¡±


    ¡°So, One-Eyed Dragon, how are you going to defeat them?¡±


    ¡°There are only three hundred of them. I will go in alone and¨D¨D.¡±


    He swallowed the words ¡°exterminate.¡± This is because Ghada was ring at him. It seemed as if it was telling him that he alone was the problem. But Hiro pretended he hadn¡¯t seen it and corrected his words.


    ¡°Joking aside, the enemy is holed up. Although we have the advantage in numbers, it will be meaningless if we can¡¯t take advantage of it.¡±


    Hiro moved his mouth, showing signs of thinking.


    ¡°And it¡¯s the ce where they¡¯re based. They know the area¡¯s topography, so they should think that they have the advantage of the ground. If we are not careful, we may suffer unexpected damage. So, if it were me, I¡¯d drag them out and turn the tables on them.¡±


    When he finished, Hiro put a finger to his mouth and smiled.


    ¡°Well, the sooner you see it, the better. Can you get ready for it?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you will be amazed at the movements of the soldiers I have trained. They look better than they did when they were mercenaries.¡±


    Arrogance ¨D a frank attitude towards the imperial family. If someone who was loyal to the Grantz imperial family had heard this, they would have pulled out their sword and unleashed it on Ghada. If Driks, who has always been known for his calmness, had heard this, he would have fallen into a rage.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m d to hear that.¡±


    However, it didn¡¯t matter what their feelings were because the person in question didn¡¯t think anything of it. If anything, this tolerance and friendliness have solidified his poprity in the Fourth Imperial Army, second only to Liz.


    That said, it would undoubtedly be unbing if he behaved like this in front of the soldiers. Ghada seems to understand this, and if anyone around overhears him, he treats them with a condescending attitude that gives one goosebump. It was an interesting scene, but after all, if he wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk, he would only do so when there was no interruption.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let them rest a bit, and then we can depart.¡±


    Hiro was about to leave when he suddenly remembered and turned to Ghada.


    ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ I also decided to take some of the old equipment that was stored in the warehouse with us.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Ghada seemed to be searching for the meaning of the words, but he seemed to understand and gave a small nod after a while.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll have them prepare it for you.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get ready too.¡±


    As he waved his hand behind him and began to walk away, he heard Ghada¡¯s loud voice giving the soldiers rest.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Eight hundred cavalry galloped through the wilderness in a cloud of dust. With only one cell (three kilometers) to go to their destination, Hiro¡¯s private army, the Raven Army, stopped its march to hide behind a cliff. They are still not well trained, but they are no less powerful than the Fourth Imperial Army.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s draw out the bandits.¡±


    Hiro gave a signal to the rear. Then the line of cavalry cracked open to reveal a hundred soldiers dressed as mercenaries. There were another twenty or so dressed as farmers, and they were pulling a cart.


    They headed for the narrow road ahead, surrounded by cliffs ¨D the narrow road where the bandits had their stronghold.


    ¡°Then the first and second cavalry should also begin to move.¡±


    After receiving Hiro¡¯s order, the soldiers marched off to the left and right, hiding in the dust created by the carts. The remaining 100 cavalrymen aremanded by Hiro and his aide, Ghada.


    ¡°I hope it goes well, but they¡¯re not amateurs. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be so easily fooled.¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly, people can be easily fooled. In some cases, even the most experienced are often inferior to amateurs.¡±


    After telling Ghada, Hiro narrowed his eyes as if looking into the distance. Ghada, too, was caught up and looked at the same spot. In front of both of their eyes, the troops dressed as peasants had stopped just before the narrow path.


    ¡°I suppose they¡¯re being questioned by now. What do you think they¡¯ll do when they see the bait?¡±


    ¡°Many will be suspicious that it¡¯s a trap.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the cart is for. The cart has a lot of armor on it.¡±


    The cart is loaded with armor and swords. If bandits see it, they will want it desperately. They don¡¯t have enough money to procure the equipment, nor do they have the means to plunder it. They would need armor if they were to continue to plunder for food on a regr basis.


    That¡¯s why Hiro had his men pose as peddlers.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t one hundred too many for an escort?¡±


    ¡°It was necessary in order to avoid suspicion.¡±


    ¡°What if they are too cautious and don¡¯te out of the narrow passage?¡±


    Ghada had a good point. There are only about three hundred of them. If they knew that there were a hundred guards, there was a chance that they would be too timid to make a move. Even so, a few of them would probably jump out of the narrow path and threaten us. They would probably say that they had more men than us and threaten to send the carts to them.


    ¡°I have instructed them to attack without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Hoo¡­ and after that?¡±


    ¡°I told them to run straight to us after they provoked the bandits.¡±


    Then the bandits, inmed by theirrades¡¯ loss, came running out of the narrow passage in pursuit of their fleeing prey. Then, the first and second cavalry units, which had been diverted, came up behind them, blocked the entrance and exit, and attacked.


    ¡°Here we go. We should go too.¡±


    The battle began. The wind carried the sounds of sword fights to this location. The carriage carrying Hiro slowly started to move. Ghada, who was riding alongside, pulled on the reins of the horse while looking ahead. Hiro and the others, with the remaining one hundred cavalries, slipped out from behind the cliff.


    ¡°It seems that the enemy acted exactly as I expected.¡±


    ¡°They are so easy to fall for this kind of trick¡­ No wonder the Principality of Lichtine was defeated.¡±


    ¡°Still, they are stronger than most bandits. You can¡¯t let your guard down just because we¡¯ve surrounded them.¡±


    After saying that, Hiro instructed the remaining 100 cavalries to join the battle. Upon receiving the order, they acted swiftly and began their assault, leaving Ghada and Hiro behind.


    By the time Hiro and the others arrived, the battle was probably over.


    ¡°You were supposed to let those who surrendered live, but¡­ are you sure you want to do that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d order everyone to be killed. That¡¯s why I¡¯m wondering why you let them live, even the ones who surrendered.¡±


    ¡°Aah, that¡¯s very simple. If we wipe them all out, the corpses will attract more monsters. Then the neighboring viges would be affected, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±


    Whether the bandits¡¯ corpses are buried or burned, the smell of blood will attract the monsters. They will live in the narrow passages, and when they lose their food, they will start attacking the neighboring viges. If the bandits were taken care of, but the monsters spread, it would be the worst thing that could happen. That¡¯s why he instructed all the soldiers not to attack those who showed their willingness to surrender.


    ¡°They¡¯ve just lost the war. They¡¯ll surrender soon.¡±


    When Hiro and the others reached the battlefield, most of the bandits had surrendered, as expected.


    However, not a few of them fell prey to the cavalry. The number of bandits had dwindled to around two hundred. The corpses were loaded on carts and were to be disposed of by a separate team at a distant location. Those who were captured would be punished ordingly. He nned to leave the matter to the second-ss military officer Driks, who stayed at the Berg Fortress.


    ¡°It looks like we didn¡¯t need three hours. It was all settled so easily.¡±


    Hiro smiled and nodded at Ghada¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t expect it to be a hard fight, but the Raven Army did more than he expected.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a moment and then return to the Berg Fortress.¡±


    Hiro said, and Ghada gave the order to the soldiers. As Hiro watched, he looked up above him. The clouds are flowing gently in the sky ¨D the sun¡¯s rays piercing through and lighting up the wilderness like steam.


    (I will be called to the Great Imperial City soon. What should I do with the ¡°Raven Army¡± then?)


    It would be a waste of time to have them march through the streets in peace. Then it would be better to let them spend their time training until Hiro returns.


    (But if they ask me to go to Felzen, I want to take them.)


    A letter arrived from Aura the other day, but it seemed that Felzen was still unpredictable, and there was a great possibility that the Emperor would get fed up and order him to go to Felzen.


    It would be the perfect opportunity for the ¡°Raven Army¡± to gain some experience.


    (Well, there¡¯s no point in thinking about it now¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just have to figure it out depending on the situation at the time.)


    Hiro loosened his cor and wiped the sweat from his cheeks. He then closed his eyelids and began to breathe softly in order to regain his energy.

 Volume 3, Chapter 1 – A New Problem, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 1 ¨C A New Problem, Part 3</h4>


    It was the next day when they returned to the Berg Fortress. As the ¡°Raven Army¡± led by Hiro approached the Berg Fortress, the main gate opened quietly. The one who came out of the gate was themander, Liz. Next to her, there was Cerberus as well.


    ¡°Wee back!¡±


    Liz came running up with a carefree smile on her face. Hiro got out of the carriage and first stroked the white wolf¡¯s head before approaching Liz.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting for me, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You werete.¡±


    Hiro smiled bitterly at her pouting.


    ¡°I had intended to return earlier than scheduled, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Still,te iste.¡±


    The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder through the main gate to the courtyard. On the way, Hiro spoke to Liz.


    ¡°I finished without any problems, but how did it go with Liz?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was able to manage it pretty easily. So I was able to get back before Hiro did.¡±


    Liz puffed out her chest proudly.


    ¡°Fufu, I won!¡±


    ¡°I guess I lost¡­ What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I disguised myself as a town girl and went in front of the bandits. Then the color of their eyes changed, and they tried to rip me off.¡±


    A beautiful girl like Liz would indeed be rare to see in such a remote area. It¡¯s unfortunate, but her appearance dazzled them, and they were all over her.


    ¡°That must have been very depressing for you.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It was a frustrating fight because they weren¡¯t very strong.¡±


    Liz¡¯s footsteps thumped loudly as if she were venting her frustration at theck of response.


    Then Ghada appeared from behind Hiro and spoke to her.


    ¡°If you have that much energy, I¡¯ll take care of youter.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m going to lose a single match today, but are you ready to get hurt?¡±


    Liz said provocatively, and Ghada smiledfortably.


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll take you on without causing you injury.¡±


    ¡°Well said¡­ You don¡¯t want to regret this, do you?¡±


    Between the two, who scattered such sparks, Hiro ended up cowering.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d take it in moderation.¡±


    The two of them are currently evenly matched. In the beginning, Liz, who had the blessing of the spirit sword, had won many times, but Ghada, who had been through a lot, was not so easy to deal with. He hade up with a way to deal with the intuitive Liz and brought the score back to 50-50.


    Of course, Liz is aware of her own shorings and is trying to ovee them. When she ovees this obstacle, she will be able to make even greater progress. Hiro was looking forward to the future.


    As the three of them entered the courtyard, a sigh of relief could be heard from the soldiers behind them.


    ¡°Really, we got caught off guard at thest minute, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Ghada saw this and stepped back. He saw the soldiers straighten up from the strain. Then Hiro saw Driksing out of the central tower in front of him.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro, first of all, I would like to express my heartfelt congrattions on your safe return.¡±


    Driks knelt down on the ground with a condescending attitude and turned his attention to Liz, who was standing next to Hiro.


    ¡°So, did Her Highness Celia Estre give it to His Highness Hiro?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What?¡±


    Driks twitched his cheek in response to Liz, who tilted her head.


    ¡°No, that¡­ whatever ¨D it¡¯s the letter that I just gave you.¡±


    ¡°Aah! That, huh¡­? I do have that letter.¡±


    Liz was convinced of something and held out the letter to Hiro. Hiro received the letter with a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, as he had seen something like this before.


    ¡°So this is the letter¡­ it¡¯s all wrinkled up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s from my father.¡±


    Liz said casually, but the blood drained from Driks face when he saw the crumpled letter. Hiro felt sorry for him, but it was Driks fault for giving the letter to Liz.


    Hiro had a general idea of the letter¡¯s contents, so he honestly didn¡¯t think anything of how the letter was handled. But when he sees that Driks is about to cry, he decides that it is better to read it properly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ It says toe to the Great Imperial Capital. They want to praise us for our achievements in attacking the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    That was the content of the letter, which was full of rhetorical flourishes. Driks¡¯s face broke out in happiness as if he had regained hisposure after hearing Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good to hear. Let¡¯s start preparing to leave right away.¡±


    Driks stood up, brushing off the dust. Hiro nodded, then opened his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get ready to leave here tomorrow, shall we?¡±


    There are many things that must be prepared for a triumphant return. For example, they need to know how many soldiers to take with them, how to calcte the route and the amount of food they will need to eat, and they will also need a letter of intent to enter the territory of the surrounding nobility.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take about 5,000 soldiers with us. Can I ask you to calcte the supplies?¡±


    Although they intend to use the well-developed city roads, the more soldiers they have, the slower the march will be. More importantly, considering the maintenance of security in and around the Berg Fortress, the maximum number of soldiers that can be taken is 5,000.


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll make arrangements right away, but is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll summarize the details, so pleasee to my roomter.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll leave you to it then.¡±


    Driks is leaving while calling out to his subordinates. Hiro turned to Liz and spoke to her.


    ¡°You should look into a couple of dresses.¡±


    ¡°Hiro¡¯s going to wear them?¡±


    Hiro wondered why such an idea¡­ He was so confused that he was at a loss for words. But if he thought about it, Liz had never experienced a celebration where she was the center.


    That¡¯s why she reacted strangely. It is easy to imagine how the nobles and lords have treated her. Hiro felt his anger boiling up.


    However, Hiro suppressed his anger and smiled gently at Liz.


    ¡°No. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to wear it.¡±


    There was no doubt that she would be the center of the banquet that would be held in the Great Imperial Capital this time.


    On the way to his room, Hiro exined that, and Liz looked puzzled.


    ¡°B-but it¡¯s mostly Hiro¡¯s achievement. I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You did a great job asmander. I was only there to assist you, but it was your poprity that led the soldiers to victory.¡±


    It was because she had always kept in close contact with each of the unitmanders that she was able to proceed smoothly without causing any disruption to the soldiers even when themand changed hands.


    Hiro only gave the winning strategy to the army.


    ¡°You see, the better you are, the less visible your achievements are.¡±


    ¡°If nobody can see it, nobody can appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°On the spot, yes. But when youpile a report, you can see who the key figure is in this army. Even if the reports are destroyed, the soldiers will be able to testify. You can¡¯t control what people say, you know.¡±


    Hiro paused as he said this. While he was talking, he had reached his room. He opened the door, walked in, went to his desk, took out some paper and pens, and sat down in his chair.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m pretty sure I wouldn¡¯t look good in a dress¡­ so military uniform would be fine.¡±


    Liz said this as she hopped into the bed and hugged a pillow.


    ¡°Still, make sure you have a dress or two.¡±


    ¡°Hmm~¡­ I think I had a couple of dresses that Rosa-aneesama gave me.¡±


    Liz¡¯s words reminded Hiro. He would have to ask for Rosa¡¯s cooperation as well.


    As well as the gifts to the emperor, he wanted to make a grand triumphant return. The nobles, princes, and the people need to be able to see the rising star that is Liz. Rosa will do well in that area. Hiro decided to write a letter to Rosa as soon as possible.


    For a while, the only sound in the room was that of the pen tip rubbing the paper. As time slowly passed, a knock at the door made Hiro look up.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    It was Driks who came in. He bowed and walked over to the desk.


    ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for the supplies. Here are the documents. I would appreciate your approval.¡±


    Hiro looked over the documents that Driks handed him and signed them. Then he put the letter to Rosa in a white envelope, sealed it with wax, and stamped it with his seal. The letter was presented to him along with a set of documents, and Driks frowned suspiciously.


    ¡°Oya, who do I deliver this to¡­?¡±


    ¡°I need you to deliver it to the Kelheit family.¡±


    Hiro didn¡¯t miss the strong glint in Driks¡¯ eyes for a moment. However, Driks immediately mended his expression and gave him a searching look while scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m surprised. So, you were acquainted with the Kelheit family?¡±


    ¡°I had a chance to exchange words with them when I visited the Great Imperial Capital before. Besides, they helped me in many ways during the recent battle, so I thought I would ask them to participate in our triumphant return as a way of thanking them.¡±


    It was nothing to hide, so Hiro simply stated his reasons.


    ¡°I see. I think that¡¯s a great idea. I¡¯ll send it with the first horse as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    As Hiro watched Driks leave, he suddenly noticed that Liz was quiet. He turned his attention to the bed, where Liz was hugging a pillow and breathing happily. Hiro smiled, got up from his chair, walked over to the bed, and pulled the nket over Liz.


    ¡°Well, you can choose your dress tomorrow¡­¡±


    The number of soldiers that will be taken with them is 3000 from the Fourth Imperial Army and 2000 from Hiro¡¯s private army, the Raven Army. All the aides, such as Tris and Ghada, will also be taken along.


    In the meantime, he would ask Kiork to takemand of Berg Fortress until they returned.


    ¡°There is nothing left to do¡­ I think I¡¯ll go to bed as well, but¡­¡±


    Hiro choked back a sigh of relief as he looked at the happy sleeping Liz and wondered where he should sleep.


    £ª£ª£ª


    September 15th, 1023rd year of the Empire¡¯s calendar. The morning fog had lifted, and the sun was pointing toward mid-heaven when a cool breeze blew through the streets of Lynx.


    The central street is bustling with people because it¡¯s lunchtime, and there driving down the street is a two-horse carriage with Hiro, Liz, and her uncle Luzen Kiork von Grinda, the margrave, in it.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Looking out the window, Hiro noticed that the city had changed. It was just as crowded as thest time he visited, but there were more people, including street vendors.


    Hiro looked at the outside curiously. Kiork noticed this and opened his mouth.


    ¡°The talk of your arrival at the Berg Fortress spread quickly. It seems that the number of merchants who consider the southern region important has increased, and many people have started to visit.¡±


    Hiro felt a little embarrassed and scratched the top of his nose at Kiork¡¯s happy words. Then Liz, who was standing next to him, leaned in close to him and looked out the window.


    ¡°There used to be nothing. There were no street vendors in the old days, only one or two people selling on the street. Right, Uncle?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been guarding this ce since my grandfather¡¯s time, but there have never been this many people visiting. Not even the merchants of the Principality of Lichtine came here because of the proximity of Sunspear.¡±


    Sunspear, arge city in the south, is ruled by one of the five great noble families, the Muzuk family.


    No one supports the right of session to the throne, and the great nobles are watching to see what happens.


    He had heard that the head of the family was young. However, although he is young, he seems to be apetent man, and his entourage is said to be full of excellent people.


    ¡°But we¡¯ll be fine from now on. Hiro hase to Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory! Uncle territory will be even richer, and it will be a great city that can rival Sunspear!¡±


    Liz said confidently, and Kiork looked at his niece with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to have to work hard for that, too. I¡¯ll keep my eyes open while you¡¯re away from here, and I¡¯ll make sure I do my part.¡±


    That was the reason why they were here. Hiro and the others hade to Lynx to ask Kiork to take charge of the Berg fortress and other areas while they were away from the south.


    Of course, Kiork dly epted. He was riding in a carriage to see Hiro and Liz off to meet up with their men who were waiting for them on the outskirts of Lynx.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay not to be so uptight. The Principality of Lichtine is unlikely to make any strange moves, and the security around the Berg Fortress has improved considerably, so I don¡¯t think anything wille up that will bother you.¡±


    ¡°Hiro is right, Uncle. You¡¯re old enough to know better, so don¡¯t be reckless.¡±


    The two of them said something that dampened his spirits, and Kiork turned his face down in disappointment.


    ¡°¡­Do I look so unreliable?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s misinterpretation of Hiro¡¯s words led to a strange situation. In order to change the atmosphere, Hiro desperately searched for a word in his thoughts.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Liz suddenly raised her voice and lifted her back from the chair.


    ¡°Coachman-san! Stop the carriage! Hurry, hurry!¡±


    The carriage came to an abrupt halt as Liz ordered the coachman by tapping on the window at the front. Hiro felt his body being trapped in zero gravity for a moment. And when he adjusted his stance, he ran out of the carriage door with Liz pulling him by the arm.


    ¡°Li-Liz? What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Just follow me quickly.¡±


    Pulling on the confused Hiro¡¯s arm, Liz stopped in front of a street vendor. She stopped in front of a street vendor selling ornaments with intricate detailing. They sold bracelets and rings at reasonable prices.


    ¡°You said it before. You promised to buy me something as an apology.¡±


    He remembered that he had made such a promise at the end of the battle with the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°Yes, I do remember saying that, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, can you buy this for me? I saw it earlier when we were crossing the street. I thought it was cute.¡±


    What she held in her hand and showed to Hiro was a silver bracelet. The design is exquisite. Perhaps that was why the price tag was so high.


    As Hiro stared at the price tag, Liz spoke to him in a whisper as if refraining.


    ¡°Mmm? It¡¯s too expensive. Should I get something else?¡±


    Liz said regretfully, but the price was reasonable and not out of reach. This is not what Hiro was worried about, but whether it was a cheap gift for her. It can¡¯t bepared to jewels which have a higher price. It would be a little disproportionate for her to wear as an imperial princess.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Just to confirm, are you sure this is what you want?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Why?¡±


    ¡°No, I just thought you¡¯d look better with this ring or ne.¡±


    Hiro pointed to something more expensive than a silver bracelet, but Liz shook her head.


    ¡°No. I like this one.¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t say anything more as he hugged her tightly, so he approached the store owner and bought the bracelet. He also found three other things to put in a bag.


    ¡°What did you buy, Hiro?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret. We should get back to the carriage as quickly as possible.¡±


    When Hiro looked around, he saw that the people had noticed Liz and the others and were beginning to crowd around. It was only natural that they would find out since they were not disguised.


    ¡°We¡¯ve gotta get out of here. Hiro, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Liz ran towards the carriage in a panic.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be the only one to run away first¡­ No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    It¡¯s not like they are surrounded by a mob. Hiro slowly tried to follow her.


    ¡°Fufufu, so Liz chose the bracelet?¡±


    Hiro stopped in his tracks when someone called out to him from behind.


    ¡°¡­How long have you been here?¡±


    When he turned around, he saw Kiork, who had been down there for some time.


    ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m not sure how long I¡¯ve been here. But that¡¯s not the point. You¡¯ve already bought your gifts. Let¡¯s go back to the carriage.¡±


    Kiork patted Hiro on the shoulder and started to walk ahead of him. But not long after, he turned around with a grin on his face.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you may not know this. In this area, it is customary to start with a bracelet when giving a gift to a loved one.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an old custom. Liz¡¯s mother used to say it all the time, so I guess she follows it faithfully.¡±


    ¡°Liz¡¯s mother, huh¡­? But why the bracelet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just bracelets; anything that goes in a circle is meant to chain. But the most important thing is that the bracelet has a wisteria flower on it. That¡¯s the answer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I missed thest part.¡±


    The people started to make a fuss, so Hiro didn¡¯t hear thest thing Kiork said.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t hear it. It was not for me to say.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, that¡¯s all. Come on, Liz is waiting for us in the carriage. If the people surround us, it will dy your journey to the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    Hiro started walking again, hurried by Kiork. Unable to get a satisfactory answer, Hiro got into the carriage in confusion.

 Volume 3, Chapter 1 – A New Problem, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 1 ¨C A New Problem, Part 4</h4>


    September 20th, 1023rd year of the Empire¡¯s calendar: Near Horen in the Central Region¡¯s eastern part.


    Hiro and the others, seen off by Kiork, moved along the streets off Schein¡¯s Grand Highway to the east. It was to meet up with the widow of the Kelheit family.


    ¡°It has been quite some time since I met Rosa-aneesama. We¡¯ve been exchanging letters, though.¡±


    As the carriage began to shakefortably, Liz spoke to Hiro.


    ¡°Rosa seemed very happy when she talked about you.¡±


    ¡°Really? That makes me happy. My educator was Rosa-aneesama. Maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s always been so fond of me.¡±


    Apparently, for women in the Grantz imperial family, the older sister serves as the educator for the younger sister for a certain period. As for the male members of the family, it is said that they do not do so in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts due to issues such as the right to inherit the throne.


    That¡¯s why the sisters are said to be quite close to each other ¨D the first princess suffers from weakness and is currently undergoing medical treatment in a local temple, and the second princess died early in her childhood, so they don¡¯t know each other. The fourth and fifth princesses are twins and are close in age to Liz, but they share a mother with the third prince Blutar, so they became distant as soon as Liz gained the me Emperor¡¯s favor.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I only exchange letters with Rosa-aneesama now.¡±


    There was a hint of sadness in Liz¡¯s voice.


    She has lost so much and gained so little since receiving the favor of the me Emperor. However, depending on how she moves in the future, she will have the opportunity to get back what she lost. For that reason, Hiro wants her to reunite with her sister first so that she can get back what she lost, even if it¡¯s just a little.


    ¡°If so, you should be looking forward to meeting Rosa. You¡¯ll be able to meet up with her soon, and you can tell her what you couldn¡¯t tell her in your letter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have a lot to tell her. I¡¯m sure a day or two won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    ¡°That would be great. I¡¯m sure Rosa has a lot to tell you as well.¡±


    When Hiro said this, the carriage stopped, and the window was tapped. When Hiro looked at the window, he saw the second-grade military officer Driks peeking in.


    ¡°A messenger from the Kelheit family is asking for permission to join us here.¡±


    ¡°So Rosa-aneesama hase! Permission granted. Allow them to join us at once.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    As soon as Driks left, Liz opened the window.


    ¡°Look, Hiro! It¡¯s full of eastern noblemen¡¯s banners!¡±


    There was another road in front of Liz¡¯s eyes. The march there is the army of the Eastern nobility, led by the Kelheit family. Hiro and the others got off the carriage at the intersection of the two roads and greeted Rosa.


    A hundred or so cavalrymen from the Eastern nobility army separated and approached Liz and the others.


    The one at the front of the line is Miste Caliara Rosa von Kelheit. She is a great woman who lost her husband at a young age and is the acting head of one of the five great noble families, the Kelheit family.


    Astride a white horse, she looked more majestic, perhaps because she was wearing a military uniform with a purple base color. In addition to this, her refined beauty has never waned, and thebination of her beauty and charm has further enhanced her unparalleled good looks.


    ¡°Oh, Liz! Long time no see!¡±


    As soon as Rosa got off her horse, she immediately hugged Liz.


    ¡°How have you been? Did you ever get sick? The letter said you were fine, but there are some things I can¡¯t understand until I see you up close.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m totally fine. I¡¯m d to hear that Rosa-aneesama is also doing well.¡±


    The two exchanged greetings, embraced for a while, and then separated.


    Then, Rosa suddenly nced at Hiro.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re looking well, too. Did you miss me when you were away?¡±


    Her ample breasts pressed down on Hiro¡¯s face, and she gave him a crushing blow. It was a spur-of-the-moment event, but Hiro tried to take evasive action. However, he decided not to disturb the atmosphere and gave up and raised his arms to be hugged in Rosa¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Your body odor is as thin as ever. Many Grantz people have a smell that sticks out even from a distance, but yours doesn¡¯t bother me at all.¡±


    Hiro smiled wryly at Rosa as she sniffed his neck and other parts of his body.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve often heard that Japanese people have a light body odor.¡±


    Hiro wasn¡¯t sure about his own smell because he was used to it, but Rosa¡¯s smell was well perfumed andbined with her sexiness, it made his head spin.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s not be too happy about this reunion.¡±


    As Rosa pulled away, satisfied, she put her hands on her hips and put on a serious expression.


    ¡°I have a few things to report. Let¡¯s go back to the carriage first.¡±


    When Rosa pointed to the carriage behind them, Liz and Hiro nodded curiously and turned to walk to the carriage. Of the three who sat in position, Rosa was the first to speak up.


    ¡°There is no need to be too serious about this, but I heard that the northern nobles are going to hold arge-scale military campaign.¡±


    The Great Grantz Empire is divided into five regions: North, West, East, South, and Central. It¡¯s alsomonly referred to as the five major territories. While the emperor governs these territories, it¡¯s the archdukes known as the five great nobles who are entrusted with its management.


    ¡°Do you mean that the head of the Sharm family has made a move?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the second prince who is behind them.¡±


    The second prince¡¯s mother is from the Sharm family ¨D that¡¯s why the northern nobility supports him. However, the second prince does not move outwardly because of his weak health, and he rarelyes to the center, as if he is not interested in the struggle for the session to the throne.


    ¡°I wonder what kind of change of heart he had.¡±


    ¡°Well, even if he wanted achievements, the only country that borders the north is the Levering Kingdom. Even though the emperor is aiming to unify the central continent, he is not going to attack a country that has been a long-time ally.¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, what is the purpose? The second prince, who had never moved before, suddenly started to move. There must be a meaning to it¡­ but there is too little information about the second prince.


    (For the time being, we can only wait and see.)


    Hiro shook his head and interrupted his pondering, and Liz pped her hands next to him as if she remembered something.


    ¡°Ah, yes, speaking of the Levering Kingdom, wasn¡¯t the princess¡¯ adult ritualing up soon?¡±


    The Levering Kingdom, also known as the Land of the Demons, is a race that dominated the central continent a thousand years ago. However, when the human race rebelled against the tyranny, other races followed suit, leading to the war ¨D and the demons were defeated and driven to the southern archipgo.


    However, some of the demons have chosen to stay in the central continent in order to save their brethren, who failed to escape.


    Those remaining demon tribes founded the Levering Kingdom. However, due to the fact that they have been intermingling with other races for a long time, most of the children born nowadays do not have any magic power ¨D even the royal family does not have pure blood ¨D and the current situation is that they are bing closer to the human race as the generations progress. The more generations thate, the more human they be.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve also heard that she is very beautiful. They call her the Purple Silver Princess. By the way, I envy her; I hear her skin is as white as snow.¡±


    Rosa reacted to Liz¡¯s words and gave Hiro a meaningful look.


    ¡°As a descendant of a former ally and a beautiful woman, you must be interested in her as a descendant of the God of War.¡±


    A thousand years ago, there were five ¡°ck Heavenly Generals¡± who gathered under Hiro, who was known as the Hero King. One of them was Rox Van Levering, a kind-hearted demon who sided with the human race. Hiro is also interested in the country that he created, but when he sees Liz¡¯s pouting face, there is no way he can talk about the beautiful princess.


    After looking at Hiro¡¯s puzzled face, who was at a loss for words, Rosa changed the subject.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s leave the northern part of the country alone for the time being, and let¡¯s talk about the central nobility next.¡±


    ¡°Is there any movement?¡±


    ¡°It was a mistake to expect anything from the Factionless. They were intimidated into silence. Even those with a certain amount of power are failing to get on the same page, only criticizing.¡±


    As if to say that she is disappointed, Rosa sighed deeply.


    ¡°By the time I¡¯ve finished bringing the eastern nobility together, the Krone family will be in a more solid position than before. Of course, I don¡¯t intend to just watch with my fingers in my mouth, but I¡¯m also certain that there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±


    Although Rosa is the acting head of the Kelheit family, which is in charge of the East, she has not yet gained the trust of all the East¡¯s nobles, even though she has borrowed the name of Hiro.


    Even if they wanted to use other families, the western nobles are concentrating on fighting the Felzen Remnant Army, so they don¡¯t have time to interfere with the central nobles. The southern nobility shows no signs of moving, and the northern nobility is engaged in military campaigns at a critical time.


    This is the reason why the Krone family, which unites the central nobility, is leisurely tightening their faction.


    ¡°I have prepared the next move. This is why I decided to go through Viscount Wurst¡¯s territory.¡±


    When Hiro threw out his words with confidence, Rosa sharply nced at him.


    ¡°I believe¡­ you are going to bother his mansion today, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Viscount Hans von Wurst. He has one town and three viges in his territory. He seems to be imposing heavy taxes on his people. Therefore, I¡¯m going to ask for improvements while visiting the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a good idea, but do you think Viscount Wurst will listen to it obediently?¡±


    Liz waved her hand in dismay as if to say that she was worried.


    There is no way he will listen. Although the center has recently begun to fall apart, the Krone family¡¯s influence is still alive and well. Well, if you could get hold of one of his weaknesses, you could break him down from there.¡±


    ¡°This is where the weakness of Viscount Wurstes into y. I sent letters to the central nobles and the leading nobles in the area before I left Berg Fortress. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll make some sort of move.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm, mm? Maybe you want them to pull each other¡¯s leg?¡±


    Hiro squinted at Liz¡¯s words. Rosa also looked at her sister with great interest. As Liz may have noticed a change in the atmosphere. She showed embarrassment on her face.


    ¡°Oh, did I say something strange? I¡¯m sorry then.¡±


    As she began to apologize, Hiro hurriedly shook his head.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re right; the central nobles are going to have to pull each other¡¯s legs.¡±


    The letter also stated that he would be resting at Viscount Wurst¡¯s mansion, and the central nobles who read it suspected that Viscount Wurst might turn and would likely do something to stop him. There was also a possibility that factionless nobles or the archdukes who ruled other territories would try to sabotage the situation.


    Hiro had predicted this, but he hadn¡¯t expected Liz to realize his real intentions.


    ¡°Neesan d to see that Liz is growing up!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Rosa-aneesama, that¡¯s terrible!¡±


    Hiro smiled at the sisters and then muttered to himself.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to take advantage of the movement of the noble lords to make a move on the central nobility.¡±


    ¡°But is it going to be that easy?¡±


    Liz pushes her sister back and turns to face Hiro.


    ¡°I can understand it, so I¡¯m sure there are other people who can see through it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure there are more than a few who realize the true meaning of the letter. But there are also many who can¡¯t decipher it. Especially the corrupt nobles who only think about themselves regrly.¡±


    Even if no one makes a move, there¡¯s no chance of failure because it¡¯s insured.


    ¡°Well, we should be arriving at Zuik soon.¡±


    When Hiro looked out the window, he could see Zuik, the city ruled by Viscount Wurst. Zuik is a medium-sized city that was built after the five major territories were established.


    Because of its proximity to the Great Imperial Capital, Zuik has never been involved in wars, and for this reason, it has expanded without building walls to its current state. It also flourished as a satellite city, with many adventurers and merchants stopping by on their way to the Empire¡¯s capital, so the streets were filled with people even at night.


    The mansion of Viscount Wurst, the feudal lord, is located in the center of the city, which is built in a circle.


    When Hiro and the others, apanied by an escort of about a hundred cavalrymen, arrived at the mansion, a band of musicians began to y spectacr music from a protruding tform on the second-floor mansion.


    ¡°Your Highness, Celia Estre, we have been expecting you!¡±


    There was a person who weed Hiro and the others with open arms.


    ¡°I am Hans von Wurst, the emperor¡¯s representative in charge of Zuik.¡±


    Viscount Wurst, a middle-aged man, adorned with jewels, bowed as a vassal before Hiro and the others. He was surrounded by many servants, all of whom were handsome men and beautiful women.


    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    Liz gave a slight exmation and walked past him without a nce. She was followed by Cerberus, who had just joined her. Then she stopped and looked at Viscount Wurst while patting Cerberus on the head.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to prepare a meal and a bath for me if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Without seeming to be offended by Liz¡¯s coercive tone, Viscount Wurst stood up happily.


    ¡°Of course! All the preparations for the dinner party have been made without a hitch! Now, this way, please.¡±


    While Hiro watched the exchange between the two, Rosa put her hand on Hiro¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°He seems to be a very persistent man. I was afraid he might show his dissatisfaction with Liz¡¯s attitude.¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just used to it. I think he thought Liz was easy to control.¡±


    Although it is not clear what he thinks secretly, a man like Viscount Wurst is very skilled in the art of dealing with people. The fact that the servants around him are all handsome and beautiful is probably not so much a hobby of his as it is a way to cajole influential people.


    ¡°Is there a girl you like? Though they are two or three steps inferior to me.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s words sounded brazen, but she wasn¡¯t wrong either, so Hiro said straightforwardly.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a prettier girl than you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re honest, then let¡¯s share a bedroom today.¡±


    That means that Liz must be included.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Hiro stepped into the mansion, pondering how to escape the crisis.


    Viscount Wurst led them to the great hall, where a sumptuous meal wasid out on a table covered with clean sheets. There were servants at each of the chairs, and the wee was also very enthusiastic.


    ¡°Please take your seats. I have gathered all the specialties of central specialties. Please eat before it gets cold.¡±


    Viscount Wurst said, and Hiro and the others took their seats¡­


    ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t this strange?¡±


    Hiro said aloud without a second thought. He sat down in the middle of the table, leaving the upper seat open for Liz, but she seated herself right next to him, and even Rosa sat next to him on the left.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It is the same as always.¡±


    ¡°Eh, but if we keep this up¡­¡±


    In the past, the handsome men and beautiful women prepared by Viscount Wurst would have sat down to fill the gap between Hiro and the others. Therefore, they were bewildered, and their confusion was evident.


    Viscount Wurst was also flustered, but he quickly regained hisposure, dismissed the handsome men and beautiful women, and sat down opposite Hiro and the others.


    Cerberus then took the vacant upper seat. As Liz¡¯s favorite pet, he could not get rid of her, and Viscount Wurst opened his mouth with a twitch of his cheek.


    ¡°W-we shall begin the banquet. First of all, I would like to thank the twelve great gods of Grantz for allowing me to meet your highnesses, and then I would like to thank the Spirit King for bringing the Grantz Imperial family and our Wurst family together.¡±


    With a ss of wine in his hand, Viscount Wurst began his lengthy speech.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to hear such a heartless speech. The gods would have rotted their ears if such a man thanked them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating, Rosa-aneesama. Although it is indeed long and annoying.¡±


    ¡°Liz is also surprisingly blunt. Well, he¡¯ll be drunk in less than a second.¡±


    Hiro and the others began to eat the food while listening to the words of Viscount Wurst.

 Volume 3, Chapter 1 – A New Problem, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 1 ¨C A New Problem, Part 5</h4>


    The banquet ended without any problems. Aside from Viscount Wurst¡¯s useless talk, it was generally satisfactory. After showing Hiro and the others to their rooms, Viscount Wurst went back to his room in a good mood.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s decide where we¡¯re going to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Why does Rosa-aneesama have to sleep with us?¡±


    ¡°No, because it¡¯s not right for Liz to sleep here too.¡±


    Currently, Hiro was sandwiched between two sisters who were fighting over where to sleep.


    ¡°As the room master-dono says. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other, so Liz and I should sleep together. Besides, we have an early day tomorrow, so it¡¯s better for the three of us to sleep in peace here.¡±


    Hiro never said anything like that, but before he could interrupt, Liz spoke up.


    ¡°Mu¡­ I guess that¡¯s true too. So, does Rosa-aneesama still prefer the window side?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s nice to sleep in a ce where you can see the night sky.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I think it¡¯s better to sleep by the door, so I can react in case something happens¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, then I guess we¡¯ll have the room master in the middle.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think that¡¯s fine.¡±


    The two of them climbed up on the bed, and eachy down and looked at Hiro.


    ¡°Oh, I have some things to do, so you two can go to bed first.¡±


    ¡°Fuaah¡­ Is that so? Well then, I guess I¡¯ll just go ahead and get some rest.¡±


    Because they are sisters, they are simr, and when they get under the covers, they fall asleep fast. Liz is already sleeping happily. They were both tired from the long trip, but also from the alcohol they had consumed, and their bodies probably prioritized sleep.


    After confirming that they were asleep, Hiro quietly walked out of the room. Then, looking at the darkness that lingered in the passage, Hiro opened his mouth.


    ¡°So, how did it go?¡±


    In response to his voice, the sound of ovepping steel could be heard in the darkness.


    ¡°It is the worst. If it was only a heavy tax, it could still be saved.¡±


    What appears is the big body, Ghada ¨D his face can¡¯t be seen because of the dark surroundings, but from the sound of his voice, Hiro can tell that he¡¯s not pleased.


    ¡°Huh, what kind of stupid thing did he do?¡±


    Hiro had ordered Garda to investigate the area around Zuik in advance.


    ¡°After he squeezed the tax money out of them, he had his soldiers pose as bandits and raid the viges.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is there any proof?¡±


    ¡°When we stopped by the vige, there were people monitoring the ce. It was a bit rough, but I let it slip. But it¡¯s too early to assume that it was Viscount Wurst who did it.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s forcefully bring those people together with Viscount Wurst.¡±


    ¡°I assume they¡¯ll keep their ignorance to a minimum?¡±


    ¡°There are many ways to get them to talk.¡±


    After saying that, Hiro was about to head for Viscount Wurst¡¯s room when he noticed something unusual and stopped.


    ¡°Ghada, take the back.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Hiro summoned the Heavenly Emperor and leaped into the darkness. A momentter, sparks flew. The high-pitched sound of sword fights echoed in the corridor in thete evening.


    The sound of des cracking echoed in the hallway, and with a deafening sound, something fell. However, Hiro didn¡¯t stop; he twisted his body and shed the Heavenly Emperor to the left.


    ¡°Gaahh!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m letting you live. I need you to answer a few questions for me.¡±


    As the moonlight from the window illuminates the corridor, the figure of the man who was trampled by Hiro appears. At his side, the torso of another man, missing from the neck up,y spewing fresh blood.


    ¡°Nice work.¡±


    Ghada came over to Hiro with an admiring look on his face.


    ¡°I took care of one over here, too. It looks like there are only three assassins.¡±


    Hiro nodded at Ghada¡¯s words, moved his foot away from the assassin who had lost his left arm and looked into his face.


    ¡°If you can provide us with some useful information, you won¡¯t lose anything more. What do you want to do?¡±


    The assassin shuddered at the chilling sound of the voice, and a smile formed on his face, though his mouth twitched.


    ¡°Our ¡®Father.¡¯ Give the fools the pain of eternal damnation. Our ¡®Father¡¯ gives the fools eternal torment. Give peace to the saints!¡±


    Fresh blood spurted from the man¡¯s face as he suddenly shouted, losing strength from his neck and falling headfirst into the hallway. A puddle of blood spread out on the floor as Hiro watched.


    Hiro¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, and he immediately checked to see if the assassin was alive or dead, but the assassin was dead.


    ¡°¡­These aren¡¯t just ordinary assassins, are they?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right; they are an assassination group known as the ck Land of the Dead.¡±


    When Hiro looked in the direction of the voice ¨D at the end of the corridor ¨D he saw Driks, the second-grade military officer, standing there.


    ¡°It¡¯s been about three hundred years since their name first came to light. There was the greatest famine in the Great Grantz Empire at the time. The nobles and lords imposed heavy taxes on their people, provoked revolts, invaded other territories, and other misdeeds were rampant ¨D and the emperor was assassinated.¡±


    As Driks approached Hiro, he sat down with his back against the wall.


    ¡°This is the only time in the history of the Great Grantz Empire that an emperor has been assassinated, so the name ¡®ck Land of the Dead¡¯ spread throughout the central continent.¡±


    When Hiro saw Driks sweating profusely, he frowned.


    ¡°Are you injured anywhere?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been injured, but it¡¯s only a scratch. The reason for this sweat is because of my desperate escape from the ck Land of the Dead.¡±


    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t us they were after, but the second-grade officer Driks?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. When I was searching for various things, I ran into them. They seemed to have the same goal and attacked me out of the blue.¡±


    Driks threw Hiro a bundle of paper tied with rope as he came over.


    ¡°It seems that Viscount Wurst has received contracts with the ve traders, records of human trafficking, and even bribes from the merchants, and there are many other things that can be found if you look through them.¡±


    With all this evidence in hand, Hiro could use it to sway Viscount Wurst. It will be easy to reach his goal. Hiro tried to thank Driks, but a scream that cut through the darkness shook his eardrums.


    ¡°Could it be¨D?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s heart pounded, and he kicked the floor, making an instant decision.


    ¡°Ghada, you¡¯reing with me. Second-grade officer Driks, go wake up Rosa and Liz!¡±


    Running in the direction of where the scream came from, they eventually saw the light illuminating the dimness. It seems that the door to Viscount Wurst¡¯s room is open, and light is leaking out.


    When Hiro got there, he found a servant sitting on his back with a pale face in front of the door.


    ¡°Toote, huh¡­?¡±


    When Hiro stepped into the room, he saw that Viscount Wurst was dead horribly.


    ¡°His both eyes were crushed, and his brain was destroyed at the same time. That¡¯s quite a dexterous thing to do.¡±


    Ghada, who had caught up with Hiro, said, and he opened his mouth again, catching his breath.


    ¡°Shall we lock down the city? Perhaps it wasn¡¯t the three guys from earlier who did this.¡±


    ¡°No, there are no walls in this city, so they can get out from anywhere. It¡¯s just a waste of time.¡±


    Hiro draped a cloth over Viscount Wurst¡¯s body ¨D and found something falling beside it. It was a headless y doll, which Hiro picked up and looked at with a suspicious expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Can you tell me, Ghada?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a y doll made by Viscount Wurst¡¯s child?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any children.¡±


    Even if a child made it, it was eerily borate.


    While they were looking at the y doll, they heard hurried footstepsing from the hallway. Not long after, Rosa appeared. Behind her were the soldiers guarding her and Driks.


    ¡°You! Are you alright?¡±


    Rosa looked very panicked ¨D she suddenly hugged Hiiro.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay. You don¡¯t seem to be hurt. Are you in any pain?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Why are you so panicked?¡±


    ¡°I heard about the ck Land of the Dead. Driks-dono told me about it.¡±


    Rosa was checking to see if Hiro was injured or not, but then she caught sight of the y doll. Hiro noticed and lifted the y doll and asked Rosa.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a y doll that imitates the ¡®Father,¡¯ who is worshipped as a god by the ck Land of the Dead. They¡¯re very assertive. They always leave it at the scene of a murder as proof that they killed someone.¡±


    If so, it doesn¡¯t seem to make sense to keep it. However, although he had expected that the noble lords would try to sabotage something, he hadn¡¯t expected them to go to such extreme measures.


    What to do from now on¡­ the n has certainly gone awry. Originally, the n was to use Viscount Wurst as a puppet by taking advantage of his weaknesses and set up a n to destroy the central nobility.


    ¡°But Viscount Wurst was killed. This means that a new lord will be elected from the central nobility.¡±


    Rosa said anxiously, so Hiro patted her shoulder to reassure her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, thanks to Driks; we still have the upper hand.¡±


    The assassination was a sess, but they failed to destroy the evidence.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be so easy in the first ce. They hired the ck Land of the Dead to assure us that they were serious. It¡¯s not all bad.¡±


    The reason why they hired the ck Land of the Dead instead of using one of their prot¨¦g¨¦s was probably that they were afraid of being traced, but also to increase the certainty of the assassination and the destruction of evidence.


    ¡°Ghada, Driks.¡±


    When Hiro called out their names, they came closer and dropped to one knee on the floor.


    ¡°Ghada, I want you to join the army that¡¯s setting up camp outside and prepare to leave.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Ghada stood up and turned on his heel to run down the hallway.


    ¡°Driks, I want you to go ahead to the Great Imperial Capital with the guards. I want you to make a report of this on the way and give it to Prime Minister Gils.¡±


    Hiro handed Driks a bundle of paper bound with string, the weakness of the central nobility.


    ¡°I will deliver it to him, even if it costs me my life.¡±


    With a tightened face, Driks also ran down the hallway with a few soldiers.


    The only people left in the room were Hiro, Rosa, and the soldiers guarding her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Liz, by the way?¡±


    ¡°As soon as she woke up, she took the soldiers and went out to patrol the mansion. She was worried about you but said she had other things to do.¡±


    As Rosa said this, Liz came into the room with Cerberus.


    ¡°I¡¯ve woken up all the servants and gathered them in the hall. I¡¯ve also sent a team of four soldiers to patrol the mansion. If there is anyone suspicious, they will report it immediately.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s very helpful. I¡¯ve sent Ghada outside, so there should be backup soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­Hmm, you don¡¯t seem to be hurt ¨D I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Looking at Hiro¡¯s body, Liz confirmed that he was unhurt and hugged him.


    ¡°I really wanted to help you here, you know?¡±


    Hiro smiled at the pouting girl.


    ¡°I was fine here. So I¡¯m d you could put up with it.¡±


    If Liz had made such a decision toe to Hiro¡¯s aid, he would have scolded her for neglecting to ensure the safety of the servants, even though she had no idea what was going on.


    ¡°Hiro, do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t, but you do act like one sometimes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awful¡­ Is that what you really think?¡±


    Obviously, since she is a member of the imperial family, it does not mean that she does not have qualities. Her quality is also sufficient for Hiro to see. It is not inferior to the great general that she once tried to be.


    ¡°Sorry, I was just kidding.¡±


    Hiro chuckled, and Liz puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.


    ¡°Mmm, that¡¯s fine, but¡­ what are you going to do now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave this ce in the hands of Zuik¡¯s secretary, and we¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning. We need to leave before strange rumors arise. Of course, we¡¯ll still keep an eye on things¡­¡±


    If it were true, he would have preferred to leave the temporary lordship to one of the Eastern nobles, but that might have given unnecessary irritation to the central nobles. It would be better to leave the decision of personnel to Prime Minister Gils.


    ¡°Then, you twodies should go to bed for tomorrow. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Liz, let¡¯s be lenient here. If you don¡¯t get some sleep, you won¡¯t be able to put on makeup properly.¡±


    Hiro nodded to Rosa¡¯s words.


    ¡°When you make your triumphant return to the Great Imperial Capital, you will be seen by many people, so you should not make a bad impression byck of sleep.¡±


    Hiro urged them to leave and was left alone in the room.


    ¡°¡­¡¯ck Land of the Dead,¡¯ huh?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s gaze turned to his own hand. There was a y doll that the assassin had left behind.

 Volume 3, Chapter 2 – A New Mission, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2 ¨C A New Mission, Part 1</h4>


    The sky is bright and endlessly blue. Stretching out beneath it is one of the main roads that connect to the Great Imperial Capital ¨D the Schein Grand Highway.


    A group of people and horses are marching there in an orderly and unhurried fashion. The armor worn by the strong soldiers shone brightly in the sunshine. Swords and shields, as well, were shining brightly, sweeping thend with the sound of military boots. The banners they fly are pretty varied.


    The g of the sun, the g of the lily, the g of the ck dragon, the g of the rose. There are no less than tenrge gs that stand out and more than forty, including small and medium gs.


    There was one ce that had threerge gs: the sun, the lily, and the ck dragon. Running beneath them were four gaudily decorated carriages. Inside one of the carriages was one animal and three men and women.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost reaching the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    Rosa, who had been looking out the window, opened her mouth as if she had remembered something.


    ¡°I forgot to tell you that I¡¯m sending the small and medium nobles to the Great Imperial Capital ahead of us.¡±


    As Rosa crossed her arms, her breasts rose up as if to assert herself. Her military uniform, which emphasizes her ample body unsparingly, attracts the attention of the opposite sex. However, if one were to approach her casually, they would be severely reprimanded.


    ¡°I spent a lot of money on this. They will wee Liz and the lord with great fanfare.¡±


    ¡°Aside from Liz¡­ I don¡¯t need a fancy wee either.¡±


    It was Hiro who made theint in response to Rosa¡¯s words.


    Although he was already making noise as a descendant of the ¡°God of War,¡± histest nickname, ¡°One-Eyed Dragon,¡± has been spreading rapidly. Liz needs to be in the limelight more than Hiro, but this is not how to go.


    When Rosa saw Hiro sighing deeply, she tilted her head, wondering what was going on.


    ¡°Are you going to say that with your appearance?¡±


    Not only did she point out his ck hair and eyes, but she also pointed out his old imperial military uniform, which is no longer in use, and his ck cloak with a dragon design.


    ¡°I¡¯m a descendant of the God of War, so pay more attention to me. It seems to me that you are saying that with that appearance of yours¡­¡±


    Hiro was at a loss for words. Indeed, as Rosa said, it could be seen as a way of iming to be the descendant of the God of War. Or it could be an extreme fan in disguise.


    ¡°If you took off the ck Princess Camellia, wouldn¡¯t you be able to divert some attention?¡±


    Rosa suggested. But Hiro shook his head.


    He did not intend to take it off just because he was worried about the curious stares. The ck Princess Camellia may be fickle, but she will never betray Hiro. From a thousand years ago to today, there is no end to the number of crises she has saved him from. He believes that this will continue to be the case.


    So¨D¨D.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to take it off.¡±


    Hiro said clearly. But the ck Princess Camellia, perhaps feeling uneasy, squeezed his cor as if to protest. Hiro smiled and tapped her gently on the chest. He told her that he did not intend to do so. When Hiro felt his cor loosen, he suddenly remembered.


    ¡°¡­..Liz?¡±


    She would normally interrupt the conversation, but she was strangely quiet.


    When Hiro looked next to him.


    ¡°¡­..Suh.¡±


    What he hears is a faint sleeping breath. The red-haired princess was curling her back. Her sleeping face looks very happy, perhaps because she is using Cerberus as a pillow.


    Kuku, a giggle was heard stealthily.


    When he looked over, he saw Rosa looking at Liz with a smile on her face.


    ¡°She must be tired. Well, it¡¯s understandable.¡±


    On the way here, many nobles hade to greet Liz. Perhaps it was because she struggled to remember the names and faces of the people she was meeting, but when she was released, she looked as if she hadn¡¯t slept for a week.


    ¡°I think she¡¯ll be even more tired when we get to the Great Imperial Capital since there will be an audience and a banquet.¡±


    When Hiro said this, Rosa nodded her head.


    ¡°I guess so. I¡¯m sure the nobles will approach you and Liz with all sorts of agendas.¡±


    Everyone has their own agenda, especially if they are noblemen.


    It¡¯s a duty thates with being a noble. There are many things that they have to take care of, including their own people and their own territory, and they will even use the imperial family to protect them. If they were exposed, they would be beheaded, but noblemen are all people with something in their bellies, and they won¡¯t simply grab their tails.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave Liz to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to?¡±


    ¡°Well, I learned a lot since thest time.¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders. What Rosa didn¡¯t know was that Hiro had been through a lot a thousand years ago. There would be some changes in manners and etiquette, but it would be nothing to worry about.


    ¡°Anyway, take care of Liz for me.¡±


    Liz is an imperial princess. She¡¯s probably been to a few social events. But today¡¯s banquet is different from that. She used to be a princess, but now she will be treated as the heir to the throne.


    Those words would carry weight. It would no longer be the small talk of an imperial princess but the political affairs of the heir to the throne. If she didn¡¯t choose her words carefully, she would immediately be used by the nobles.


    Rosa nodded enthusiastically as if she understood what Hiro was thinking.


    ¡°What are you going to do after that?¡±


    Not understanding the meaning of the question, Hiro put a question mark on his face. For good measure, she moistened her mouth with her tongue in a seductive manner. It was a terribly lewd sight.


    ¡°After that, you and I are going to sleep in the same bedroom, and I was wondering how you¡¯re going to exin that to Liz.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Of course we¡¯re going to sleep separately; there¡¯s nothing to exin.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re not going to hold me?¡±


    To Rosa, who looked terribly surprised, Hiro held his eyes and let out a big breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said before that I want you to wait a little longer.¡±


    ¡°You know how long it¡¯s been since then? I¡¯m ready for you now.¡±


    When Rosa said this with confidence, Hiro¡¯s mouth twitched.


    ¡°You see¡­ Liz is no different, but do you have any shame?¡±


    Liz is Liz, and her knowledge of sexuality ispletely missing. He would like to question how the education of the imperial family in the Great Grantz Empire is organized.


    ¡°¡­..Hmm?¡±


    Rosa looked puzzled as to why he brought up Liz there. It was a moment of hesitation, and then her eyes wandered as if she were thinking of something.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m¡­ responsible for all of Liz¡¯s problems.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been the one educating everyone from the fourth princess onwards.¡±


    Hiro, who had heard such a thing from Liz before, nodded his head.


    ¡°Well, you know what? I wanted to have an innocent little sister, so I taught them to lie thoroughly. But I couldn¡¯t take care of them forever. When it came time to get tutors, I had a hard time. I wondered how I was going to get them fired.¡±


    It was fun, Rosa added atst, but then sighed a little ruefully.


    ¡°The fun didn¡¯tst long, though. First of all, the fourth princess saw through the lies and told everyone that her anee-sama was the worst! She hasn¡¯t shown herself to me since. As for the fifth princess, she didn¡¯t want to be with me in the first ce, and at some point, she came up with a reference, so I exined to her that men are such creatures.¡±


    Rosa looked at the window with a distant look in her eyes.


    ¡°The only person who seemed to enjoy listening to me was Liz. I guess I took advantage of her kindness. I got carried away and told her all kinds of lies.¡±


    She was trying to make it sound like a good story, but it was difficult to make it sound emotional no matter how she tried.


    When Hiro looked at Rosa with a suspicious look in his eyes, she waved her hand in panic.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ve taught her well in that area so that strange men won¡¯t fool her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so when I look at Liz.¡±


    To Hiro¡¯s dismay, Rosa tilted her head. Then she pped her hands as she looked back and forth between Hiro and Liz.


    ¡°Oh¡­ so that¡¯s it¨D¨D.¡±


    As Rosa was about to open her mouth to continue, the window was tapped.


    ¡°We have almost arrived at the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    A soldier¡¯s voice ¨D not too small, not too loud, but just the right tone ¨D echoed through the room. Rosa put her finger to her lips and made a gesture like, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it another time,¡± before calling out to the soldier.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to switch the carriage. Tell the rear to bring the triumphal carriage.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The presence of the soldier outside the window moved away as Rosa gave instructions to him. Rosa closed the curtains attached to the window.


    ¡°You go wake up Liz. I¡¯ll change first.¡±


    She unbuttoned her military uniform and began to undress. Her delicate, white skin was exposed to the outside world. Her breasts were exposed, and she took off everything she was wearing, leaving herpletely naked.


    Why did she need to take off her underwear as well? There were many things Hiro wanted to say, but there was no sense of shame whatsoever. It was a dignified thing to do. It was as if she had absolute confidence in her own body. She bent down and opened the case containing the dress.


    Hiro sighed. It was not an exmation¡­ though it probably contained resignation.


    Hiro wanted to wait for her outside, but if he rushed off, a soldier would look at him suspiciously. What kind of man in the world would run away after seeing his mistress naked?


    ¡°Fufufu, I don¡¯t mind if you look at me. In fact, I¡¯m more than happy. Well, I¡¯m very sorry, but¡­ can you please wake Liz up now?¡±


    With a sweet voice, as if to seduce, Rosa asked Hiro, and he shrugged his shoulders and indicated. It is a lie to say that there was no ulterior motive at all, but he was just thinking about it, not staring at it. It was obvious that he would be taken advantage of if he tried to make excuses.


    So Hiro decided to give up on his protest and looked next to him to wake Liz up.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m awake already.¡±


    Her red eyes were staring at Hiro. Hiro stiffened like a frog stared at by a snake. He wanted to ask when and from where, but his mouth wouldn¡¯t move as fast as he wanted.


    Meanwhile, Liz¡¯s hand reached out to Hiro¡¯s face in slow motion. After stroking the eye patch covering half of his face with a clean finger, the finger moved away and pointed to a spot.


    ¡°Hiro¡­.. you have a lewd look on your face.¡±


    Then Hiro involuntarily covered his face with his hand.

 Volume 3, Chapter 2 – A New Mission, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2 ¨C A New Mission, Part 2</h4>


    The Great Imperial Capital of dius ¨D the most prosperous metropolis in the Central Continent. Those who visit the city for the first time would first be overwhelmed by the height of the outer walls surrounding the city.


    Next, therge number of people filling the central streets or the number of street vendors will make their eyes roll. Or maybe they will be weed and pressured by the giant statues of the twelve Great Grantz Gods.


    If one were to look up at the azure sky to calm the mind, the Imperial Pce woulde into view. The imperial pce, which has remained unchanged for a thousand years, is a majestic sight for the people living in the city below and awe-inspiring for visitors from other countries.


    September 24, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The central street was busy with peopleing and going, but that was only under normal circumstances, and now soldiers were blocking the street as a wall. Because of this, people are forced to the edge of the street, but there is no sign of dissatisfaction orint on their faces. On the contrary, there was a mixture of anticipation and nervousness, and they were all gazing towards the main gate.


    When Hiro and the others went through the main gate, they were greeted with heartwarming cheers and gentle shouts of joy. Hiro and the others were riding in what was called a triumphal carriage, pulled by two white horses.


    It had no roof and no windows. The only thing it had was a handrail to prevent people from falling. For a carriage that carries the imperial family, the luster was kept low, and the decoration was rather in.


    There is a reason for this: the main actor is the rider, not the carriage. That¡¯s why the carriage was designed to be inconspicuous and modest toplement the rider.


    There were three people on the carriage, one man and two women, waving to the crowd. The one wearing a red dress was Liz, and the one wearing a ck dress was Rosa. Sandwiched between them, sitting on a chair, is Hiro.


    (Wow¡­ I feel like there are more people than before.)


    Both sides of the road were filled with people, people, people, and people. He couldn¡¯t find any gaps. The central street was filled with people of all ages, men, and women, to the point where they had to p their hands above their heads.


    ¡°Celia Estre-sama~. You¡¯re so cute~!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    What surprised Hiro the most was Liz¡¯s poprity. The first thing the people said was her name, followed by Hiro.


    Rosa seemed to be popr mainly with men, and their enthusiasm was tremendous. The men of the Imperial Capital were all making sloppy faces at the widow¡¯s sex appeal.


    ¡°Fufu. Look. Those men¡¯s disgusting faces.¡±


    Rosa said with a smile on her face as if she were a demon king. And then Liz¡¯s eyes darkened ¨D she seemed to have heard her sister¡¯s misspoken words and condemned her.


    ¡°It¡¯s rude to talk like that. They¡¯re here for us.¡±


    When her sister warned her, Rosa shrugged her shoulders like a child who has been caught ying a prank.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡±


    They have one arm full of gifts from the people. All of them had been handed over after passing through the soldiers. They are mainly bouquets of flowers, but there are also boxes of various sizes inside ¨D perhaps containing jewelry ¨D and the letters attached to them suggest that nobles and merchants are among the people. They may be mixed in with the people.


    As for Hiro¨D¨D,


    ¡°Look, you got another one.¡±


    Rosa happily handed him a bouquet of flowers. Hiro smiled as he received it. There were no more ces around him where he could ce the bouquet.


    Hiro¡¯s surroundings were filled with flowers in various colors: yellow, blue, purple, and white. However, most of them were covered with dirt or missing petals and were not the kind of flowers you would find in a store. They were wildflowers, like those blooming on the side of the road.


    ¡°These are gifts from those who will support the future of the empire. Take good care of them.¡±


    Rosa said, looking a little envious. Surprisingly enough, Hiro was overwhelmingly popr with the children. In other words, most of the bouquets of flowers around Hiro were given to him by children.


    When Hiro blushed to hide his embarrassment, Liz turned to look at him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t lose too!¡±


    Liz¡¯s head was adorned with a flower crown, probably given to her by a child. Hiro¡¯s face lit up as he smiled at Liz¡¯s attempt to fight back.


    He then turned his gaze to the people ¨D and caught sight of a girl. She was dressed in dirty clothes. In her small hands was a single red flower. With a fidgety gesture, the girl threw a nce at Hiro.


    She was trying to get closer to the carriage, but she was blocked by a wall of adults when she took a step forward.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Hiro said to the coachman. Liz and Rosa gave him a dubious look. But without exnation, Hiro grabbed the rear handrail, flipped his ck robe, and jumped off the carriage.


    The people murmured and threw nces at him. Hiro waved his arms to the side as if to restrain them. The area quieted down as if it had been hit by water. The people closed their mouths so easily.


    It wasn¡¯t as if he had used magic to force them or that the power of the spirits had worked. It was the people¡¯s admiration for Hiro¡¯s majestic appearance.


    A cool breeze blew through the quiet central street.


    It swept over Hiro¡¯s bangs and gently caressed the eye patch that covered the left half of his face. As soon as the wind died down, the soldiers in the guard began to surround Hiro as if they had just noticed him.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro. Please return to the carriage¨D¨D.¡±


    Before the soldiers could finish, Hiro silenced them with his hand. Then he stepped in front of the people.


    ¡°Please give me some space.¡±


    One by one, the people made space for him. It took a few moments, but there was enough space for one adult to walk through.


    A dirty girl was standing with a puzzled expression on her face when her vision opened up. As if to reassure her, Hiro smiled. He invited the girl with his hand and bent down.


    He looked at the girl as she walked up to him and said with a smile.


    ¡°Could you give me that beautiful flower?¡±


    ¡°¡­Y-yes!¡±


    After a short pause, the girl broke into a smile and held out the red flower. He stood up and patted the girl on the head.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After thanking her, the girl turned away and ran into the alley as if to hide her embarrassment. After watching her go, Hiro returned to the carriage and sat down on a chair.


    Instantly, the people exploded in cheers. Commoners, nobles, and royalty, despite the differences in status, they are all human beings.


    It may seem natural, but the imperial family is as important as a god in this situation. That¡¯s why, in some way, they are thinking about it in their hearts.


    ¨D¨DThe world they live in is different.


    The fourth prince, who is also a member of the imperial family, noticed a poor girl that evenmoners would avoid. He epted the flower, which was covered in dirt, and thanked her and patted her on the head ¨D a gesture that was so natural and beautiful. This kind of miracle only exists in the world of fantasy.


    It was no wonder that people could not stop their excitement when they were shown this in reality. When Hiro responded to the people by raising his hand, an even louder cheer erupted.


    As the triumphant carriage drove off again, Rosa turned her gaze to him with a rxed expression on her face.


    ¡°Really¡­ why? I think that¡¯s a great characteristic.¡±


    Deep affection permeated the tone of her voice. As if to suppress the urge to hug the boy, she embraced her own body with both arms. Hiro didn¡¯t say anything but quickly made a barrier with a bouquet of flowers. Then he noticed that Liz was staring at the red flower.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ this is.¡±


    ¡°Liz, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The flower is called ¡®lotus.¡¯ It¡¯s a flower that only blooms in certain ces. It¡¯s very rare.¡±


    After the exnation, Liz tilted her head and groaned.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ but that¡¯s weird. This is¨D¨D.¡±


    Her words were cut off by the voices of the people. Hiro almost opened his mouth to ask her back. But he closed his mouth when he saw the main gate of the Imperial Pce.


    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Rosa had already begun to move.


    ¡°The audience with the Emperor will be in the evening as nned. When it¡¯s over, we¡¯ll probably go into the banquet.¡±


    Rosa informs them quickly. Hiro responded with a nod and then looked overhead. The sun was still high in the sky. It would be another two hours before the sunset.


    Now, what to do until then¡­


    ¡°Ugh~¡­¡±


    There was a groan from Liz next to her. When Hiro looked at her, tension was spreading across her well-toned face. She may be reminiscing about the time she was transferred. But now she has an older sister she can rely on. Hiro doesn¡¯t think she should be too nervous, but¡­


    It is human nature to feel uneasy, and so, Hiro decided and patted Liz on the shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s not going to be what you think. In fact, the opposite might confuse you.¡±


    Liz frowned as if she didn¡¯t understand the meaning of the words.


    ¡°Well, just enjoy it.¡±


    As Hiro smiled and muttered, the main gate of the imperial pce opened solemnly in front of them. Many people were waiting to greet them. From their uniforms, one could guess that they were high-ranking officials working at the Imperial Pce. And the man at the head of the crowd stepped forward.


    Byzan Gils von Scharm, Prime Minister of the Great Grantz Empire. He has a serious appearance, and perhaps because of his silver-rimmed sses, he gives off a somewhat cold impression.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz. I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you again.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for weing us. You must be busy with many things.¡±


    Hiro got off the carriage and held out his hand to Prime Minister Gils.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much for me to do since many talented people are working in the imperial pce.¡±


    After shaking hands with Hiro, Prime Minister Gils turned to Liz with a cheerful smile.


    ¡°Your Highness, Celia Estre. I¡¯ve heard a lot about your feat. And you¡¯ve grown a bit taller, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Only a little. By the way, Gils, you still keep growing that beard, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You once advised me to stop growing my beard because it doesn¡¯t suit me. But since it¡¯s grown so long, I thought I¡¯d try a little harder, but it¡¯s still grown very fast.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils rubbed his chinnguidly. The beard that had grown halfway was no stubble. Hiro was not particrly interested in it, so he just assumed that the Prime Minister was too busy to shave it off.


    Hiro doesn¡¯t know when Liz told Prime Minister Gils that it didn¡¯t look good on him, but after a couple of months, he might as well have shaved it off. He wondered if he should say something or not, and then he decided to talk.


    ¡°Erm¡­ is the audience scheduled as nned?¡±


    Hiro concluded that each person is different and should not get too involved.


    ¡°Yes, it is scheduled for two more hours in the evening. Until then, you are free to spend your time as you please.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I will be free to spend my time until then.¡±


    ¡°I will dispatch a messenger when the time is up, so please wait a while.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils told Hiro, bowed, and returned to the imperial pce with the dignitaries.


    As he walked away, Liz clung to Hiro¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Hey, hey, let¡¯s go to the city!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I was originally nning to go to the city, so that¡¯s fine, but¨D¨D.¡±


    When Hiro, who had slurred his words, looked back behind him, he saw thatrge baggage was being unloaded from the carriage one after another.


    ¡°Please take it down carefully; it¡¯s an important item to present to the emperor.¡±


    It was Rosa who instructed the soldiers in the midst of the dust and sand.


    ¡°By the way, what is that baggage Hiro brought with you?¡±


    Most of the baggage was gathered in one ce, but the one Liz was pointing to was ced a little further away. Hiro smiled like a child who hade up with a prank.


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret. You¡¯ll find out when you get to the city.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell me?¡±


    ¡°If I tell you now, the surprise might be reduced by half.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ is that much?¡±


    When he saw Liz confirming it, he thought, what if it¡¯s not so? Anxiety upied his heart.


    ¡°¡­..M-maybe.¡±


    Hiro wasn¡¯t confident, and Liz, who had left his arms, looked into his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting you. If you don¡¯t surprise me, I¡¯ll make you drink the Fire Emperor, so be prepared.¡±


    With these horrible words, Liz ran to Rosa. Then she turned around.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s help! Hurry up and get here too, Hiro, before Rosa-aneesama yells at you!¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders, cutting his gaze and looking down as if to chain it together. Looking down from the imperial pce, built on a small hill, there was a colorful city spread out.

 Volume 3, Chapter 2 – A New Mission, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2 ¨C A New Mission, Part 3</h4>


    After unloading their baggage, Hiro and the others left Rosa to take care of the rest and headed for the Spirit Temple in the east district. As on Hiro¡¯s previous visit, the east street was still filled with adventurers and people who looked like mercenaries.


    On the way, they passed between a guardhouse and an inn and walked down an alleyway shrouded in darkness. As they do so, they are greeted by the beautiful white glow of the Spirit Temple, lit up by light pouring down from the sky. In the courtyard, there were children happily running around and ying.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful! There is so much nature!¡±


    Liz eximed happily.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been here before?¡±


    Hiro tilted his head and asked, and Liz opened her mouth to speak.


    ¡°I tried to escape the pce a few times, but Rosa-aneesama kept a close eye on me. And I couldn¡¯te here by myself because it wasn¡¯t so safe back then.¡±


    And I didn¡¯t have the ¡°me Emperor¡± yet. Liz added andy down on thewn.


    ¡°I see. Then it would be best if you had fun today. I¡¯m sure the children will wee you.¡±


    Then Hiro looked back behind him at the two figures.


    ¡°Hi-Hiro-sama. Can I stay here now? As expected, I¡¯mpletely exhausted¡­¡±


    The man who had been carrying arge amount of baggage said and sat down on the ground.


    His name is Munin. He has brown skin, and his face is covered with scars. Despite his appearance, he has an aloof personality andcks a sense of urgency ¨D yet when he was in the Liberation Army, he was active as one of Ghada¡¯s right-hand men, and his sword skills are solid, and his abilities are impable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say anything pathetic! Do not show your shamelessness in front of the wise elder brother!¡±


    Hugin, Munin¡¯s determined younger sister, was the one who showed her anger. In the Liberation Army, she was guarding and taking care of Mirue, the girl who was the leader of the ves.


    She specializes in archery and wears light equipment to keep herself mobile, but she has made special modifications to her equipment to make it more agile. She is a strong woman, but her muscrity gives her a strong sense of healthy beauty rather than sexuality.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired, too! Though I took the job lightly, it was harder than I expected! But I did my best withoutining! But this brother, this brother is!¡±


    ¡°Stop kicking an unarmed man! I didn¡¯t raise you to be such a brutal girl!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Hiro smiled wryly at the usual sibling bickering.


    The bup sack they had lowered to the ground contained sweets and toys. They were meant to be distributed to the war orphans taken in by the Spirit Temple. The amount of food for dozens of people is not light, and it¡¯s quite a distance from the Imperial Pce to here. No matter how well trained they were, it must have been hard.


    With such arge load, even Hiro initially tried to use a carriage.


    ¡°Hehe, what do you think we are, Hiro-sama? This is the time to use us for heavy work! There¡¯s no need to use a carriage for this kind of load. It¡¯s a waste of money!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem with this level, just like on the right. So please take me with you, too!¡±


    Said the sibling while bowed their heads and pleading to Hiro. It¡¯s a good idea to bring them along as well since it feels bad to reject them outright¡­


    When he looked at them again, he could see the fatigue on their faces.


    ¡°Um¡­ the two of you must be tired, so I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    After that, Hugin put the baggage on the ground and rushed to Hiro in a panic.


    ¡°No, W-we didn¡¯t mean it like that! We¡¯re not tired at all! We still have plenty of energy left that we can even fly now!¡±


    Hiro didn¡¯t understand what she meant, but that seemed to be the case.


    Then Muninughed in response to her sister.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be tough on your beloved Hiro-sama, can you?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden? Wise elder brother is important, but it¡¯s not about that, no, but it¡¯s also about that a little bit ¨D Wait, what do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°I told you to stop kicking my ass! Your brother¡¯s ass is already at its limit!¡±


    When he was relieved since they seemed to be more energetic than he expected, Hiro took his eyes off the noisy two and looked forward.


    ¡°No one can escape from you with those legs!¡±


    ¡°You have great legs, Onee-chan!¡±


    The appearance of Liz ying with the children is reflected in his vision.


    ¡°¡­You get along with them so fast.¡±


    As Hiro was amazed by Liz¡¯s adaptability, he noticed a tug on the hem of his cloak.


    ¡°Hey, hey, Onii-chan.¡±


    There stood a young girl who looked familiar, although her face was dirty from ying in the dirt. It was the girl who Aura had patted on the head thest time Hiro visited here.


    ¡°Hmm? What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Aura-neechan?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ she couldn¡¯te because she was busy today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s too bad.¡±


    Seeing the girl so tantly depressed, Hiro¡¯s conscience ached, and he patted her on the head. Then he raised his hand and pointed his thumb behind his back.


    ¡°Onii-san and Onee-san over there will give you sweets and toys.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, and she jumped up and down on the spot with her hands in the air.


    ¡°Yes. You can take it and ¨D ah¡­ she left already.¡±


    The girl ran away without hearing Hiro¡¯sst words.


    ¡°Oppai-neechan, give me some sweets!¡±


    ¡°Hii, a girl covered in dirt attacked me!¡±


    Hugin screamed as she was suddenly hugged.


    ¡°Please give me some sweets. Please!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you; I¡¯ll give it to you! So stop to take off my clothes! Where did you learn that technique?¡±


    ¡°Hoho, that¡¯s a bonus.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking smile at me!¡±


    ¡°Higyii?¡±


    Hugin, who exposed her true colors, kicked Munin¡¯s butt.


    And so, perhaps because they hear the words sweets from the girl, arge number of children rushed to Hugin¡¯s side.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Hyii, it¡¯s too much work dealing with just a little girl! Don¡¯te over here!¡±


    Despite their words, the children were not treated roughly. In the past, Hugin and Munin were in a simr situation as the children.


    ¡°Give me some sweets too!¡±


    For some reason, a red-haired girl was hugging Hugin, but it must have been an illusion. Hiro pretended he hadn¡¯t seen her and stepped inside the temple.


    In contrast to the outside, the inside was quiet. When he breathed, the clean air filled his lungs. Hiro looked around, feeling a pleasant sensation of being cleansed inside his body.


    There were a few people here and there in the temple, praying with their ovepping hands on the pedestal of the Spirit King. In one corner, there was a shrine maiden who was watching over the worshippers.


    The shrine maiden seemed to have noticed Hiro and quietly approached him, skimming across the floor.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro. Thank you for taking the trouble toe.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for the intrusion. I thought I¡¯d give you this¡­¡±


    Hiro dug into his pockets and snatched up a pouch.


    ¡°Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.¡±


    The shrine maiden wrapped the pouch carefully in her hands. The pouch clinked. It was the sound of the gold and silver coins inside rubbing against each other.


    The main source of ie for the Spirit Temple is donations from the worshippers ¨D the rest is subsidies from the Great Grantz Empire and the small country of Baum. However, these are all for the temple¡¯s upkeep and do not include food for the children. Therefore, the shrine maiden had to cut back on her own sry to pay for the children¡¯s expenses, and when Hiro learned that she could not afford to do so, he decided to donate money regrly.


    ¡°As Princess Shrine Maiden said, you are a very noble person.¡±


    The shrine maiden moistened her eyes and squeezed Hiro¡¯s hand as if to say she was impressed.


    ¡°May the blessings of the Spirit King be upon you, Your Highness Hiro¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro smiled at the shrine maiden as she began to pray and then told her why he hade here.


    ¡°Have you received any letters from the Princess Shrine Maiden?¡±


    Hiro had sent a letter to the Princess Shrine Maiden before leaving the Berg Fortress, and he was supposed to receive a reply here. The shrine maiden tilted her head, fell silent, and then nodded repeatedly with a small p of her hands.


    ¡°Yes, yes, there is indeed a letter for you. The spirit knight brought it herest night.¡±


    The shrine maiden let go of Hiro¡¯s hand and disappeared somewhere, returning with a gleaming envelope in her hand.


    ¡°This is it. Don¡¯t worry; I haven¡¯t read what¡¯s inside.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The contents are nothing to worry about.¡±


    How did Ghada appear on the central continent? The southern archipgo was blocked by raging waves, making it impossible to enter or leave. If he were an ordinary person, he would have died. However, he was washed up alive onto the Principality of Lichtine. He didn¡¯t seem to know what was going on, and Hiro had relied on Princess Shrine Maiden¡¯s abilities to help him solve the mystery.


    ¡°Hopefully, my prediction will be wrong¡­¡±


    If it were a being outside the frame of reference that couldn¡¯t be recognized, it would be a matter beyond the Princess Shrine Maiden¡¯s control. With that in mind, Hiro ripped open the seal and looked at the letter inside.


    Unfortunately, as expected ¨D it could not be detected. The letter was short and to the point.


    ¡°As expected, she could not detect it. Still, if they can fool her eyes, it¡¯s going to be troublesome.¡±


    Princess Shrine Maiden has a special eye. It is one of the three most secret eyes in the world and is known as the ¡°irvoyant Eye.¡± Each generation of Princess Shrine Maiden inherits the ability from the previous generation through a special ritual.


    However, even Hiro is not aware of the ritual contents, as it is kept secret from the public.


    ¡°I think I should go to the Spirit King Temple soon.¡±


    It would be better to talk to the Princess Shrine Maiden in person so that they could examine it in more detail.


    Hiro put the letter in his pocket and bowed to the shrine maiden.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me. I have to return to the pce soon.¡±


    ¡°Ara, is that so? Wouldn¡¯t you at least like some tea?¡±


    ¡°No, I have people waiting for me outside.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ So, tea will have to wait until another time.¡±


    Saying goodbye to the disappointed shrine maiden, Hiro went outside again.


    In the courtyard, children were ying with the toys that had been handed out ¨D away from them, Liz and the others were sitting down as if they were tired of ying. Hiro walked up to them and called out.


    ¡°Did you finish handing them out?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they all seem to have been well received.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to the pce. Hugin, Munin, is it okay with you?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes! I can always be ready to run!¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to run. There is still plenty of time.¡±


    Hiro smiled cheerfully at Hugin, who, unlike her brother, gave him a cheerful reply.

 Volume 3, Chapter 2 – A New Mission, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2 ¨C A New Mission, Part 4</h4>


    The Imperial Pce Venezine ¨D but some people may refer to some part of the grounds. On the eastern side of the vastnds, there is a residence and training ground for the elite ¡°Golden Lion Knights¡± of the First Imperial Army. It is a ce where mock battles are held regrly and where the loud voices that shake the air can be heard all day long as if they are venting their frustration.


    They are knights under the emperor¡¯s direct control, and except for military expeditions, they protect the Great Imperial Capital during peacetime.


    However, the Great Imperial Capital has not been exposed to warfare for almost two hundred years. Then, no matter how good they are, they will be corrupted. It is no wonder that they are criticized forcking in actualbat. A lion that doesn¡¯t know how to hunt is nothing to be afraid of.


    That is why the emperor uses the name ¡°military expedition¡± to remind the lions of hunting by releasing them into the wild.


    As someone once said.


    There is nothing more frightening than a lion unleashed from its cage. The king has no enemies.


    This is why they are so fearsome on the battlefield.


    Today, they spend all their time training in order to defeat an enemy they have yet to see. There was a person watching the ¡°Golden Lion Knights.¡± He has golden hair like a lion, and his short hair stands up like a mane. His loose-fitting nobleman¡¯s clothing hid his well-developed muscles, but there was no hiding the intimidation he radiated.


    He is the first prince, Reinhardt Stobel von Grantz, who is under house arrest.


    ¡°You look bored.¡±


    The person who said this was not Stobel, but someone approaching from behind him. It was Tray Fleen von Loing, one of the five generals.


    ¡°May I sit next to you?¡±


    When Stobel didn¡¯t say anything, Loing sat down on an empty chair of his own ord. The old general is fifty-seven years old this year, but he has a youthful air about him that makes it hard to believe.


    ¡°I believe your granddaughter hase of age¡­ Are you sure you want to be here?¡±


    Loing had a son, and his son¡¯s youngest daughter hade of age yesterday.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been under house arrest, as has Your Highness Stobel. How could I possibly participate in a celebration like that?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t see how anyone canin to the greatest general in the world.¡±


    When Stobel sniffed and said, Loing stroked his beard in annoyance.


    ¡°My wife¡­ She refused to let me do anything that would interfere with my granddaughter¡¯s future.¡±


    ¡°You mean you would prefer to work in the south?¡±


    Loing nodded at Stobel¡¯s words. It¡¯s no wonder he refused to attend the celebration. Loing was themander of the Fourth Imperial Army, but he lost that position as well as his house arrest.


    Even so, his birthce is in the south ¨D he is still a southern nobleman.


    In the south, the Fourth Prince and the Sixth Princess¡¯s influence is growing day by day. And yet, the head of the Loing family is in close contact with the First Prince Stobel, who is supported by the central nobility.


    Because of this, the Loing family may be feeling a bit on the short side ¨D even if that¡¯s not the case, it will be a reality if the Muzuk family, which unites the southern nobility, expresses their support for the Fourth Prince and the Sixth Princess.


    ¡°If I were to talk to her, it would be possible to assign her to the central, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    But the old general shook his head. After a while, he faltered as if he was having a hard time saying it.


    ¡°It¡¯s because¡­ my granddaughter admires the Sixth Princess Celia Estre.¡±


    Stobel was convinced. This is the reason why it could be a hindrance to her future. In other words, she wants to be assigned to the Berg Fortress, where the Sixth Empress is located.


    It seems that her character is simr to that of the old general in that she wants to go to the frontier of her choice.


    ¡°The fact that she likes adversity is just like you, isn¡¯t it? She must be very confident in her skills.¡±


    ¡°Only in personality¡­ Her face did not resemble mine.¡±


    The appearance was not like him, but Loing said happily. Stobel also agreed. He knew exactly what Loing was thinking. If this old general became a woman, it would not only be unsightly; it would look like a monster.


    Loing raised his arm as if he were holding a sword. After a pause for breath, he shed at the empty space.


    ¡°There is also one other thing that¡¯s not like me; she can¡¯t wield a sword. It appears that she wants to be assigned as a civilian officer.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. I understand about your granddaughter¡¯s situation.¡±


    Enough with the small talk, Stobel cut off his words.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get down to business. You didn¡¯te here just to make small talk, right?¡±


    The old general had never visited him on such personal business.


    ¡°I was hoping I could distract you a little¡­¡±


    ¡°It helped to pass the time. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    After saying that, Loing¡¯s good-natured expression changed, and he took on the air of a great general. The atmosphere changes. The tension crushed the mild cheerfulness.


    It was Loing¡¯s high spirits that stimted Stobel¡¯s skin as if it was burning.


    ¡°There seems to be a disturbing movement in the Levering Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Who is trying to make a move?¡±


    ¡°I heard that the Crown Prince Fraus is plotting something.¡±


    ¡°Huh, that ipetent.¡±


    About two years ago, he had a chance to talk to Crown Prince Fraus once.


    It¡¯s distorted. Although on the surface it is a disguise, what is hidden inside is an evil thought. While not as bad as the Grantz Imperial family¡­ the Levering royal family also has its own share of problems.


    ¡°However, that ipetent has no power to that extent. It would be best if you thought that someone is behind this. That being said, where did you get this information?¡±


    ¡°[Nameless] showed up at my detached residence yesterday.¡±


    ¡°That guy, huh¡­¡±


    Stobel clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Nameless¡± was a man from the Long-Ear race that Stobel was said to have recently added to his staff.


    He never speaks his name, and his whereabouts are unknown. From time to time, he would appear at military meetings, give advice, and then leave. The next thing everyone knew, Stobel had made the Long-Ear race into his staff, or so people thought.


    It was too much trouble to deny it, so he let it go¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust him, but should we trust his work?¡±


    Stobel said with irritation, and Loing nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with the information that the ¡°Nameless¡± has given us so far.¡±


    ¡°In any case, I can¡¯t do anything while I¡¯m under house arrest. I¡¯ll just stay on the sidelines for now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s also unpleasant to know and yet do nothing.¡±


    ¡°That old fox ¨D the emperor. He must have received such information.¡±


    It¡¯s hard to fool the emperor¡¯s ¡°wind.¡± Otherwise, Stobel would not be put under house arrest so quietly. Stobel snorted in disgust.


    ¡°But the house arrest is not so bad. Now I can get on with what I couldn¡¯t do before.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too dangerous to do such a thing under the watchful eye of His Majesty the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°No one can do anything ¨D nothing can stop me now that it is known.¡±


    Stobel stood up and looked at the imperial pce, which was celebrating the triumphant return of the Fourth Prince and the Sixth Princess.


    ¡°But it is also troublesome to be disturbed. I¡¯ll have to rough things up a bit.¡±


    Then Stobel cast his gaze to the western sky.


    ¡°I see that you¡¯re trying to make a name for yourself. I¡¯ll give you a little help.¡±


    Hiro and Liz are steadily umting achievements. The Third Prince Blutar also seems to be working hard in the Felzen region.


    ¡°You can¡¯t win too much of anything. It sounds good to be undefeated, but¡­ it¡¯s not a good way to die.¡±


    There is only one way forward for the Great Grantz Empire. Just as the sun rises and the moon sets, no one can change the inevitable course of events.


    £ª£ª£ª


    Hiro and the others had returned to the Imperial Pce when the horizon was tinged with madder red. They were currently in Liz¡¯s room in the Imperial Pce, where the two women were preparing themselves.


    ¡°Liz, Rosa, are you still not ready?¡±


    Hiro asked, and the two women blinked.


    ¡°That should be our line.¡±


    Rosa folded her hands in exasperation. Her thin fingers were covered with a ring that Hiro had given her.


    In the middle of the ring is a crystal that is inferior to a jewel. However, when worn by Rosa in her red dress, it shines as if it were worth more than a jewel.


    ¡°Um¡­ I think Hiro is the one who needs to get ready early.¡±


    Liz brushed her side-hair back and smiled bitterly.


    She¡¯s dressed in a dress that¡¯s not a military uniform ¨D which is unusual for her ¨D but one that¡¯s ck with red trim, and around her neck is the ne that Hiro gave her.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine with this. Shall we go then?¡±


    The women gave him a cold stare, and Hiro couldn¡¯t help but take a step back.


    ¡°You know¡­ are you going to go with that?¡±


    ¡°You should at least trim your hair a little bit, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The two women, who sighed with great regret, got up from their chairs and approached Hiro. When a sweet scent reached Hiro¡¯s nose, Liz and Rosa began to y with him as they pleased.


    ¡°You can wear the ¡°ck Princess Camellia,¡± but the problem is your fragrance. At the banquet, the wives of the nobles will alsoe. You should improve the impression as much as possible and get their support.¡±


    As Rosa grumbled, she walked away from Hiro and began to rummage through the box near the dresser, then came back with many bottles.


    ¡°Should I put on some trendy perfume? No, they won¡¯t like it.¡±


    Next to Rosa, who asked a question and answered it herself, Liz was reaching out and stroking Hiro¡¯s side-hair.


    ¡°Hmm. I wonder if the hair is curly¡­ It¡¯s pretty tough.¡±


    ¡°There will be no time to dry his hair now if you spray water on his head.¡±


    Rosa said with a hint of dismay at his appearance as she finished selecting the perfume.


    Then, without saying a word, she flipped up Hiro¡¯s coat ¨D exposing his well-toned abs to the outside world ¨D and brought the tip of the bottle close to him, spraying the perfume around his waist. The soft scent stimted her nostrils, and the fresh smell mixed with the air.


    Next, Rosa pulled her face close to Hiro¡¯s chest.


    ¡°This way, there¡¯s no unpleasantness. Yeah. I guess you could say it¡¯s calm. As expected of Evelyn¡¯s perfume.¡±


    While sniffing, Rosa nodded her head in satisfaction.


    ¡°If anyone asks where the perfume is from, tell them it¡¯s Evelyn Ishtark¡¯s ¡°Silence¡± from the East.¡±


    A calcting smile spread across Rosa¡¯s beautiful face as if she was thinking of making a fortune.


    Hiro gave an ambiguous smile and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    He then looked sideways at Liz.


    ¡°Okay, the weave isplete.¡±


    After hearing Liz¡¯s words, Hiro stroked her own side-hair and received an uneven texture. Only the right side of his hair was weaved in, which created a strange atmospherebined with his severe eye patch.


    ¡°Umu. I like it. This is good. It would be best if you kept weaving your side-hair in from now on.


    Rosa put her hand on her cheek and threw an enraptured nce at him.


    ¡°Right, right. I¡¯ve always thought it looked good on him.¡±


    Liz¡¯s voice sounded happy, and she clung to her sister¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Fufufu, it suits him!¡±


    ¡°Umu. I¡¯m looking forward to the banquet tonight.¡±


    The picture of two sisters getting along is something that makes people smile. However, it cannot stay like this forever. They must tighten their loose feelings.


    They would be dealing with the emperor, and the conversation would not be as pleasant as it was with Liz and the others.


    (I need to finish my work first so that we can have a happy banquet.)

 Volume 3, Chapter 2 – A New Mission, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2 ¨C A New Mission, Part 5</h4>


    The throne room looked much the same as it had a thousand years ago. The ceiling was still vaulted, and the red carpet stretched in a straight line across the marble floor.


    The vast space was lined vertically with white chalk pirs upying both sides of it. Standing to fill the gaps were influential nobles. While exposed to their curious gazes, you can have an audience with the Emperor, who is sitting on his throne once you reach the far end.


    In front of the Emperor, Hiro dropped to one knee and bowed his head. Liz, who was next to him, did the same, bowing as a vassal. The Emperor remained silent and slowly raised his hand.


    Then, Prime Minister Gils, who was standing next to him, stepped forward.


    ¡°We will now begin the conferral of honors.¡±


    His imposing voice spread to every corner of the hall, where silence reigned. The leading nobles straightened their postures and looked at Prime Minister Gils.


    ¡°The Fourth Prince Hiro Schwartz, the Sixth Princess Celia Estre, raise your heads.¡±


    Hiro and Liz look up together. In front of their gazes was Prime Minister Gils, dressed in a nobleman¡¯s uniform richly decorated with gold and silver threads. In his hand was a piece of parchment, which he raised to his chest and began to speak heartily.


    ¡°First of all, Major General Celia Estre. In the battle against the Principality of Lichtine, you overcame General Kylo¡¯s mistakes and united the Fourth Imperial Army. In recognition of your achievements, I officially appoint you as themander of the Fourth Imperial Army and grant youmand of the Knight Order of the Rose.¡±


    ¡°I humbly ept.¡±


    Liz bowed her head, and as if to throw a stone in the quiet waters, arge ripple spread across the throne room.


    ¡°¡­¡­ What, she has been given a Knight¡¯s Order?¡±


    ¡°More importantly, what about Great General Loing? Originally, he was supposed to be themander.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. If this continues, the Sixth Princess¡¯s influence will grow stronger in the south.¡±


    The voices of the nobles and lords were in a panic. Hiro was listeningfortably, but inwardly he was a little surprised.


    The Rose Knight is one of the most elite units in the Great Grantz Empire, specializing in agility. The Second Imperial Army, led by the Third Prince, isposed of light cavalry, just as its elite, the Imperial ck Knights, areposed of heavy cavalry.


    However, even Kylo, who was a general, was not given themand of it, and the Rose Knights did not participate in the battle against the Principality of Lichtine. It would be a bold move for a major general to be given such amand.


    But this is fortuitous. There is no doubt that Liz will be an invaluable asset.


    ¡°Next, Hiro Schwartz, a third-ss military officer. I¡¯ve heard of your sess in leading us to victory in the battle against the Principality of Lichtine. However, due to the oath made between His Majesty Altius, the First Emperor, and Princess Shrine Maiden, this is not possible. Therefore, as a special exception, you will be promoted to the second rank, made a first-ss military officer, and given one hundred gold Grantz.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you very much.¡±


    It started with someone¡­ then, the pping hands began. It started out sparsely but gradually became louder and louder, filling the hall with overflowing momentum.


    Perhaps he felt that it was wrong to stop it, but Prime Minister Gils kept silent and closed his eyes. The Emperor was also silent for a while, watching the proceedings. However, after a while, he raised his hand as if he felt that it would not go any further if it continued.


    There was an overwhelming sense of dominance, authority, and glory, and even though the windows were not open, a cold wind blew through the room. In an instant, the hall was silent; the heat was crushed ¨D instead, a thread of tension ran through it. Then the Emperor looked at Prime Minister Gils.


    Realizing what was happening, Prime Minister Gils hurriedly took out a new piece of parchment.


    ¡°W-we will now begin our review. The agenda is the Felzen region.¡±


    With that, Hiro and Liz stood up. When the discussion was over, they would normally stand aside like the other noble lords.


    ¡°Nervous?¡±


    When Hiro asked Liz in a whisper, she made a difficult face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the atmosphere here. I feel like I can¡¯t breathe.¡±


    The throne room was a whirlpool of jealousy, hatred, envy, and many other things. Although she was a woman, she was favored by the ¡°me Emperor¡± and was selected as themander of the Fourth Imperial Army.


    There must be a lot of people who spew out their resentment and bitterness towards her. That¡¯s why the apuse was so unexpected.


    ¡°Fufu, you two were quite the sight.¡±


    As they made their way through the nobles and lords, they saw a woman sitting in a chair. Besides, the Eastern nobility is surrounding her as if to protect her.


    ¡°It¡¯s Anee-sama, isn¡¯t it? You were the first one to p hands.¡±


    When Liz said this with her mouth agape, Rosa closed one eye and put a finger to her lips.


    ¡°Fufu, when people around p their hands, it happens naturally. The nobility is a calcting creature. No matter how hostile they are, they can¡¯t choose to be stubborn about it ¨D it would make them look bad. So I created a situation where they had no choice but to apud.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s throat quivered, and she gave a smallugh.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that pleasant? They are the ones who have been making fun of Liz all this time. Those who have made fun of my lovely sister. I¡¯m not going to let them get away with this alone.¡±


    ¡°Geez, you¡¯ll be in troubleter if you keep making more enemies.¡±


    When she said that, then Liz is quite a bit better than that¡­ The line was muttered in his heart. If Hiro says it, it is certain toe back to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have more allies now. Well, when the timees, the prince will help us.¡±


    Rosa threw an enthusiastic nce at him. Hiro nodded straightforwardly. Here, he does not know what will happen if he hesitates. Perhaps it was the stagnant air in the hall that gave him a strange sense of tion.


    Anyway, Hiro turned his attention to the throne.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to remind you of this once and for all. They¡¯reing at us because we¡¯re trying to make things easy for them!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? If we devote more forces to Felzen, it may cause unnecessary irritation to neighboring countries. We should make peace with the remnants of Felzen and share the territory with them.¡±


    Some of them are belligerent, some are cautious, and some of them, of course, express their opinions based on profit and loss.


    ¡°There are already no survivors of the royal family in Felzen. We don¡¯t need to share our territory with the Felzen remnants, who are no better than bandits without a master to look up to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ s right. Originally, thatnd belonged to the Grantz Empire. They took it in the confusion of the past dark period.¡±


    There are many opinions about the Felzen region, but none are conclusive.


    (If you destroy it by force alone, of course, this will happen. It becameplicated because we didn¡¯t prepare an escape route for them.)


    If there are any survivors of the Felzen royal family, we can change the current situation. However, all of the royal family was executed in the recent invasion.


    There are only three ways left for the Grantz Empire. It can either overrun the remnant army with its overwhelming force, temporarily retreat and prize the remnant army, destroy them all at once, orpletely retreat and use agents to incite the people to cut down the remnant army.


    (It is difficult to make peace¡­ and above all, the Emperor has no intention of letting go of Felzen.)


    If he let it go at this point, the west¡¯s stability would be shattered, which could affect the Grantz Empire. If that happens, the Emperor¡¯s ambition ¨D the unification of the central continent ¨D will vanish into thin air.


    (I believe he will be sixty-seven this year¡­ Not that he has much time left.)


    Even for the Emperor of the Grantz Empire, his life is limited, and death is inevitable. This is why he went into battle himself to destroy Felzen and create a foothold from which he could expand to the west.


    Just as Hiro was thinking this, the door to the hall was opened. A civil official entered. He quickly walked past the noble lords¡¯ impudent gazes, went underneath Prime Minister Gils, and put his mouth to his ear and whispered something to him.


    ¡°¡­All right. Now you can step back.¡±


    As the Prime Minister said with a mysterious look on his face, the civil servant bowed and then stepped back. Then he turned around and approached the Emperor, exchanging a few words with him. The Emperor¡¯s expression turned grim. Is it an illusion that his anger seems to have swelled?


    After receiving the Emperor¡¯s words, Prime Minister Gils gave a slight nod and turned his body to the nobles, but his face showed signs of distress.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just received word that the Grand Duchy of Dral is gathering troops.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    There is no telling who said it, but the words caused an uproar.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they just sign an armistice with the Steichen Republic the other day?¡±


    ¡°I doubt they have that much power, but isn¡¯t this an opportunity? If they invade the west, it will give us a good reason. We can just destroy them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd. There¡¯s no way the west can afford to do that when they¡¯re concentrating on Felzen.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, sending troops from outside the west will be sufficient.¡±


    ¡°But who will send the troops?¡±


    ¡°The central nobility, of course. They have always been reluctant to send troops, so this is the time they should do so.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. If you¡¯re talking about that, then so are the Eastern nobles!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make us the same as you. Indeed, we do not have troops, but that is unavoidable due to the distance. That¡¯s why we bear the cost of warfare and support food. In contrast, what about the central nobility? They are not even providing money.¡±


    There was a sudden sound of air bursting in the throne room. The sudden burst of sound caused the hall to be silent, and a strange atmosphere enveloped the room.


    In other words, it was as if a de of air coated with murderous intent was being thrust at them ¨D an uncanny sense of pressure, as if a thin needle were painlessly prating their bodies. As Hiro soothed the raging ¡°ck Princess Camellia,¡± he looked around and saw the noblemen and lords cowering, their faces scrunched up.


    (As expected of an emperor¡­ But he¡¯s still not as good as Altius.)


    When Hiro turned his attention to the throne, the Emperor was standing up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear what you have to say. If anyone has anything to say, please step forward.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s voice reverberated through the throne room ufortably. Everyone was forced to listen.


    (Just one more push, I guess.)


    At this point, he¡¯d like to see someone more forceful to push the Emperor¡¯s back. Whether his prayers were answered or not, the First Prince Stobel stepped forward.


    ¡°I would like to ask you for your opinion.¡±


    Arge, muscr man. He wears a loose-fitting nobleman¡¯s uniform, but even though it hides his body, it can¡¯t hide his overflowing, mischievous presence, and whenever he takes a step, the air creaks. But the Emperor took it coldly, without moving an eyebrow.


    ¡°¡­Hmm. Speak.¡±


    ¡°The other day, the remnants of Felzen¡¯s army became active, and at the same time, the Grand Duchy of Dral and the Steichen Republic signed an armistice, and now they are showing disturbing movements. It is obvious that they are responding. The situation is such that there may be other countries that are in agreement. We shouldpletely destroy the Felzen remnants to show the neighboring countries what will happen if they go against the Grantz Empire.¡±


    Stobel, who was on one knee, bowed his head.


    ¡°Your Majesty, make your decision.¡±


    The Emperor closed his eyes thoughtfully and leaned back on his throne.


    ¡°Is there no one else who has an opinion?¡±


    ¡°Then, Your Majesty. I have a suggestion.¡±


    In the tense air, Hiro stepped forward and said. The Emperor¡¯s mouth twisted in amusement ¨D but it happened so fast that no one noticed.


    ¡°I allow it. Speak.¡±


    ¡°It would be premature to assume that just because the Grand Duchy of Dral is preparing for war, they will attack us.¡±


    The Emperor nodded. It may be that he is urging him to continue. Hiro spun his words.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we can ignore them. If so, it doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a small number of troops; if we can check them by sending out troops, they won¡¯t move carelessly.¡±


    ¡°Fumu¡­ so what about the Felzen remnant army?¡±


    Hiro smiled and said to the Emperor, who frowned a little.


    ¡°Send a new army to work with the Second Imperial Army. I think we should attack from two sides. If Felzen¡¯s remnant army seems to be hiding, it will take some time to recruit those who are cooperating with them.¡±


    The Emperor remained silent for a while and then opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­..I understand. I shall adopt the opinion of Hiro Schwartz, the Fourth Prince.¡±


    The decision was made. There was no more room for objection. If someone is going to bend what the Emperor has decided, they need to be prepared to do so. If he failed to persuade him, he would be humiliated for generations toe.


    (Now, all that¡¯s left is to rmend Liz as themander.)


    As he pondered his next move, Prime Minister Gils looked around and moved his mouth.


    ¡°Now then, about themander of the strike force¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro tried to speak, but


    ¡°I would rmend Celia Estre, the Sixth Princess.¡±


    Surprisingly, Stobel gave the answer that Hiro wanted.


    What are you up to¡­? Hiiro frowned and looked at Stobel. Perhaps noticing his gaze, Stobel turned his eyes to Hiro, but his smile deepened, and he turned his gaze back to the Emperor again.


    ¡°The recent growth of Celia Estre, the Sixth Princess, has been remarkable. Let¡¯s leave this one to her. There are probably some nobles and lords who are unhappy with her.¡±


    ¡°The First Prince Stobel is right. It would be a good idea to leave it to Her Highness Celia Estre.¡±


    ¡°However, she does not have much experience in leading an army. It seems like a risky move to leave her in charge, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°However, Her Highness Celia Estre has shown remarkable growthtely.¡±


    In the midst of the noble lords whispering to each other in hushed tones, Stobel spoke up.


    ¡°And I will go to the Grand Duchy of Dral. If you relieve me of my house arrest, I believe we can achieve a satisfactory result.¡±


    Hiro decided that he should intervene in this regard. Although he did not yet know what Stobel was thinking, he could cause unnecessary confusion if he became themander.


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s impossible to lift your house arrest. No matter what the reason, we can¡¯t entrust such an important task to someone who would vite the Emperor¡¯s decision.¡±


    Hiro smiled coldly at Stobel.


    ¡°There is no guarantee that we won¡¯t end up with a repeat of Felzen.¡±


    ¡°Kid¡­ don¡¯t tell me.¡±


    A piercing gaze shot out from Stobel.


    When Hiro took it head-on, he spun his voice as if to caress Stobel¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°Oh, you want to y ¡®surprise¡¯ again?¡±


    A momentter, the two men¡¯s murderous spirits collide.


    The air in the area was crushed by the heavy pressure of their mixed murderous intent. The thunderbolts from Stobel¡¯s body crawled across the floor, gouging, grinding, crushing, and rampaging.


    Hiro, on the other hand, was a natural. He is just standing there. However, the space around them ¨D cracking, cracking, cracking ¨D emitted an eerie sound, and cracks began to appear one after another, and even though there was no wind, the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± began to spread dense darkness fluttering its hem.


    Most of the people were clearly intimidated by the supreme energy that both of them released. However, some of them were transfixed by the inexplicable phenomenon that was happening around Hiro.


    When the glow flooded out in all directions of Hiro¡­


    ¡°¨D¨DThat¡¯s enough!¡±


    The majestic voice of the Emperor interrupted them. The deadly atmosphere that had dominated the hall instantly dissipated.


    ¡°I will not tolerate any more violence in my presence. You two need to cool down.¡±


    ¡°I think I got a little carried away.¡±


    Hiro stroked his eye patch and dropped to one knee. Stobel was also in the same position nearby.


    ¡°But this time, Hiro Schwartz, the Fourth Prince, has the right idea.¡±


    Therefore, the Emperor deres.


    ¡°Celia Estre will be in charge of the new troops to be sent to Felzen, and Bakish, one of the five generals entrusted with the western defense, will be in charge of controlling the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepens as he keeps his face down, having been able to pull the current together.


    (Now I¡¯ve made one more advance to where I want to be)


    There were probably many more excellentmanders than just Liz. The Grantz Empire is not that short of human resources. However, in this situation, it was best to give themand to the Sixth Princess, who ostensibly had no backing or support from anywhere ¨D above all, she had not only defeated the Principality of Lichtine, but had also forced them to surrender, so there would be noints.


    The stage is now set. Now all that was left was to win and aim for the next level.


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz. I have a new mission for you as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°There will be aing of age ceremony for Princess udia in the Kingdom of Levering. You will go there as an envoy.¡±


    Hiro looked up in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you dissatisfied?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ I respectfully ept.¡±


    He had expected to be assigned as Liz¡¯s assistant. Hiro, whose n had failed, gnashed his teeth.


    (Did I overdo it¡­?)


    Sinceing to this world, Hiro has been steadily umting achievements. He was the same in the previous battle with the Principality of Lichtine. Now he has the support of the eastern nobility, and the situation is bingpletely uninteresting for the nobility of the rival faction. With so many fires smoldering outside the country, the Grantz Empire will continue to fall apart if there are more dissenters inside the country.


    If they were to think about the future, it was only natural that they would separate Liz and Hiro.


    (No problem. All I had to do was return immediately and join up with Liz.)


    Organizing things in his mind, he turned his gaze to the Emperor. Then the Emperor spoke loosely.


    ¡°The Kingdom of Levering was founded by one of the Five Generals of the ck Heaven, who gathered under your ancestor, the God of War. The bond between them is inseparable. That¡¯s why I want to leave everything to you.¡±


    Hiro felt ufortable with the Emperor¡¯s words. But he did not show it on his face and hung his head.


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    The Emperor nodded in satisfaction when he heard Hiro¡¯s reply.


    ¡°And as for Zuik, it will be under my direct control for the time being. If you have anyints, please let me know.¡±


    There was no way he couldin. If Viscount Wurst¡¯s crimes were to be public knowledge, it is inevitable that a lot of central nobility would lose their positions and that this would lead to a bacsh. This is the time when the nobles and lords, including the Emperor, have no choice but to remain silent. From now on, nothing will happen on the surface, but behind the scenes, the ugly political battles between factions will begin.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing, huh? Then, this is the end of the review.¡±


    The Emperor announced, and Prime Minister Gils took over.


    ¡°Then Hiro Schwartz, the Fourth Prince, and Celia Estre, the Sixth Princess, will receive official imperial orders from the Emperorter. In the meantime, enjoy the banquet at your leisure.¡±


    With that, Prime Minister Gils brought the discussion and evaluation to an end. The rest of the day was spent celebrating the victory over the Principality of Lichtine.


    The Emperor and Prime Minister Gils left the throne room. The nobles and lords who had been waiting for his departure seemed to have loosened their tensions, and the hall suddenly became noisy.

 Volume 3, Chapter 2 – A New Mission, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2 ¨C A New Mission, Part 6</h4>


    No matter what the situation, a banquet brings joy to the hearts of people. For example, whether there is an upheaval in the west or a cmity in the north, the people living in the center of the country are not aware of it.


    This is an indicator of how strong and powerful the Grantz Empire is. However¡­ it is also true that the repeated bad news gives people no small amount of anxiety. But if they get panicky, it will affect their reputation as a nobleman.


    This is the reason why many people try to expand theirwork of contacts by participating in the banquet while keeping a low profile.


    ¡°¨D¨DSo, I look forward to working with you in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, see youter.¡±


    After watching the back of the little nobleman leave, Hiro sat down on the sofa by the wall.


    (Did I manage to handle it?)


    Hiro looked down at the stack of letters in his hand. Many nobles had contacted Hiro on the pretext of his daughter¡¯s love letters. The mostmon is the eastern nobility, followed by the central nobility ¨D there are also calls from merchants who want to reach out to the south and offer financial support.


    (Is this a sign that the Krone family¡¯s centripetal power is waning in the center?)


    Turning his gaze to the hall, he saw manydies and gentlemen gathered there, and everywhere he looked, he saw nobles chatting happily.


    The most exciting ce of all was probably the ce where the Sixth Princess was.


    Maybe because Liz isn¡¯t used to it, she¡¯s a bit confused, but thanks to Rosa¡¯s good handling of the crowd, things seem to be going smoothly.


    (It¡¯s all going toe to a head sooner orter. I need to do a thorough background check.)


    After this, he¡¯ll need to be selective. He will have to think about who to rece and who to discard, just in case, he gets the center. However, there is a saying that haste makes the world go round.


    First of all, he had to deal with the immediate problem of the Felzen region.


    (What will the First Prince Stobel do from now on¡­?)


    After all the checks and bnces that have been put in ce, it¡¯s unlikely that Stobel will make any moves down the road. From now on, he must act cautiously and try to outsmart Hiro.


    (Also, the Second Prince holed up in the north is giving me the creeps.)


    He also wondered how the northern nobles who supported the Second Prince would react.


    (None of them participated in the banquet this time as they didst time)


    They have remained eerily silent as if they have no interest in seeding to the throne. Because of this, there was ack of information about the northern nobles. But that didn¡¯t mean that if Hiro had moved, he would have taken the initiative, and if he had shown an opening, he would have fallen behind.


    With no way to deal with them, he had no choice but to wait for the Second Prince to make contact with him.


    (Things are not going as nned. It looks like it¡¯s not going to be a simple matter from now on.)


    But¡­ Hiro stroked his eye patch, and his smile deepened.


    (This is why it is so interesting. The more formidable the opponent, the more I can grow as well.)


    He stood up and walked over to Liz, who was drinking water with an exhausted look on her face. Rosa noticed and turned her blue eyes with a wry smile.


    ¡°Our princess seems to be at her limit.¡±


    ¡°It seems so. But this is where it all begins.¡±


    The banquet has just begun, which means that the nobles¡¯ and lords¡¯ greetings have just about finished. Currently, only therge nobles and those close to them havepleted their greetings, and there are still many small nobles left.


    When Liz looked back at him in surprise, Hiro gave her a sympathetic look.


    ¡°Do your best. You may be a great noble in the future from among the small nobles. Above all, there may be some who will be excellent subordinates. For that reason, you have to listen to what they have to say. That is the duty of those who aspire to be kings.¡±


    That¡¯s what the first emperor said. And finally, he muttered in his mind. Liz gave a slight nod and a smile as if she had a thought in her mind.


    ¡°¡­..I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°You look like a stranger, though.¡±


    Rosa tapped Hiro on the shoulder.


    ¡°There are a lot of small nobles itching to greet you as well, it seems.¡±


    When he was told, he looked around and saw people ncing at him. Something beats ¨D if someone were to take the lead, an avnche of them woulde in an instant.


    ¡°¡­No, I already said hello to them before. Not for today.¡±


    After saying that, Hiro tried to run away, but Rosa grabbed him by the shoulder.


    ¡°There are more nobles here thanst time. You don¡¯t know most of them, do you? Besides, didn¡¯t you just say that there are duties for those who aspire to be king?¡±


    Hiro is the fourth in line of session to the throne. The throne is certainly within reach.


    ¡°You can rest assured. If they have decency, let¡¯s deal with it here.¡±


    Then Rosa looked at Hiro¡¯s hand and took away the love letters that the nobles¡¯ daughters had given her.


    ¡°Hmph¡­ it looks like some of the eastern nobles are among these.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s mouth twisted into a lecherous grin when she saw the sender of the love letter. Hiro involuntarily retreated. He may have to hide it.


    ¡°It seems that I was a little overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the audience. I¡¯m going to go get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Hou¡­ as expected of the ck Prince. I¡¯ve heard a lot of people say that they prefer the color of heroes, and it seems to be true.¡±


    Rosa sighed with deep emotion and leaned deliberately on her table.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough to just seduce the me Princess, take advantage of the widow¡¯s weakness, and devour her body; you also want to y with the hearts of the innocent noblewomen and even try your hand at other things?¡±


    She exined to him at length. It was a very unpleasant thing to hear. In the first ce, he had never seduced Liz, nor had he taken advantage of Rosa¡¯s weakness. He tried to argue with her but could not do so because Rosa held his mouth with her fingers.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say. I think you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re the man who also inherited the Second Emperor¡¯s nickname ¡®The Woman Killer.''¡±


    ¡°Huh? He has that nickname?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in a drama.¡±


    Hiro had never heard of it. If anything, the First Emperor ¨D Altius ¨D should have been the most popr with women, but history may have been distorted, mainly by individuals¡¯ hands.


    ¡°I-I heard that the First Emperor was a womanizer, but I never heard that the Second Emperor was one too.¡±


    ¡°It seems that His Majesty Altius also seduced the queens and princesses of the countries he conquered. However, it is written in his journal that he is no match for his brother.¡±


    That bastard¡­ did. Although he was swearing in his heart, he knew that snakes woulde out if he poked at the bushes any longer. Hiro tried to keep his agitation out of his face and kept silent, not to say anything unnecessary.


    However, when it came to Rosa, her mouth slipped as if it had been oiled.


    ¡°If your ancestors are like that, then so are the descendants. I guess you inherited not only appearance but also personality from your ancestors. Good grief, it¡¯s so sad that such a true nature is hidden behind a face that looks like it won¡¯t kill a bug¡­¡±


    Rosa clung to Liz andmented. For the overt gesture, Hiro can onlyugh dryly.


    ¡°Rosa-Aneesama, are you drinking a little too much?¡±


    Liz put her arm around her sister¡¯s head and pointed her chin toward the exit. She wanted her to go while she still could. Thanks to her concern, Hiro headed for the door.


    ¡°Mmm, my dear little sister, I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±


    ¡°M-my skull is screaming, is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk already.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink too much¨D¨D.¡±


    There was a deadly sound, like bones creaking. He looked back over his shoulder, but the door was closed.


    (Well¡­ I guess it¡¯s my own fault)


    Hiro walked straight into the courtyard. There were many people in the hall, but there was no one here, and it was quiet. It was a simple ce with just a fountain ¨D Hiro sat down on the edge of the fountain, taking in the night breeze.


    ¡°¡­.. I¡¯ve been feeling it for a while.¡±


    Hiro took out a talisman from his pocket, a talisman in which ck and white were beginning to blend together miserably. This eerie talisman was handed to him by Altius.


    ¡°Altius, what do you want?¡±


    Hiro looked up at the night sky and muttered to himself. There was no reply, only the wind caressing his ears and the soft touch of his eardrums.


    When Hiro closed his eyelids¡­


    ¡°Oya¡­ you have something unusual.¡±


    ¡°!?¡±


    When Hiro closed his eyelids, he instantly sharpened his senses and prepared himself.


    ¡°Oya, did I startle you?¡±


    ¡°How long have you been there?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a funny thing to say. I¡¯ve been here since the beginning.¡±


    The robed figure in front of him ¨D his voice made it impossible to tell if he was a man or a woman. It¡¯s a very different existence, one that seems to vanish if touched and one that seems vague in some way.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be. I couldn¡¯t feel even a shred of your presence.¡±


    Hiro took a deep breath and readied himself to fight at any moment.


    ¡°Shall I have your answer as to what you are?¡±


    ¡°I think it might be necessary to introduce myself to ease your guard.¡±


    The robed figure nodded several times with deep emotion, then bent at the waist and bowed gracefully.


    ¡°I can¡¯t show you my face, but I am a member of the staff of the First Prince Stobel, who is also a Long-Ear race.¡±


    He put his hands on his hood and extended his forefinger, which he thought looked like an ear.


    ¡°So, what do you want from me?¡±


    Driks had told him there was such a person, but¡­


    ¡°No, I was just curious to see what you had that was so unusual.¡±


    The Long-Ear race guy smiled happily and pointed at the talisman before turning his back to Hiro.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have a chance to talk soon.¡±


    Hiro, who had a dubious expression on his face at the unconnected words, was about to open his mouth when¡­


    ¡°Hiro~~~? Where are you~~?¡±


    It¡¯s a girl¡¯s voice ¨D Liz¡¯s presence momentarily distracted him.


    ¡°¡­..You¡¯re not just a person, are you?¡±


    By the time he returned to where he had been, the Long-Ear¡¯s figure had vanished without a trace.


    ¡°Ah, there you are!¡±


    Liz rushed up to Hiro, who still had not let down his guard.


    ¡°I was worried when you didn¡¯te back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. So, the banquet is over?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was over while someone else was taking a break.¡±


    ¡°¡­So did Rosa get drunk?¡±


    She was carrying Rosa in one hand with a strength that was unbing of a girl.


    ¡°Yes. she has fainted since Hiro went. Rosa-Aneesama is really exaggerating, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Hiro twitched his cheek when he was told this with a smile.


    ¡°I-I see¡­ Well then, let¡¯s go back to Rosa¡¯s mansion and rest for the day.¡±


    Hiro carried Rosa on his back instead of Liz and headed to the Kelheit family mansion. Rosa¡¯s mansion was located on the grounds of the imperial pce. She is a former Third Princess, so her mansion is fancier than otherrge noble families.


    Her private army was on guard 24 hours a day, and even within the safe confines of the pce, there was no room for carelessness.


    When he opened the luxurious door of the mansion and entered, he was greeted by the servants.


    ¡°Oh, Hiro, I¡¯m going to go change my clothes.¡±


    Liz said, waving her hand behind her as she walked away from Hiro and the others.


    ¡°Then, pleasee this way, Masters.¡±


    The servant led them to the same bedroom as before. Hiroid Rosa down on the bed.


    ¡°Fuh¡­¡±


    He sat down on a nearby chair and took a breath, and then a deadly sigh came from the bed.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s with the sigh; you think I was heavy!¡±


    The drunk was awake. Rosa red at Hiro in frustration.


    ¡°If you were awake, then walk.¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not every day that I get to be carried on the back of the ck prince that¡¯s the talk of the town. I have to enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s nice, right. I should have gotten drunk too.¡±


    A voice came from the doorway of the room. When Hiro turned his eyes, he saw Liz standing there in her nightgown with the door closed behind her.


    ¡°Fufufu, this is what I call adult privilege. Liz can¡¯t do it; she¡¯s a little girl, after all.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m an adult now. I am not a child.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not sexy enough.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right; I don¡¯t have breasts, but¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes twisted sadly as she looked alternately at Rosa¡¯s breasts and her own. Then Rosa pped her hands as if she had thought of something.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that if a man squeezes them, your breasts will swell.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The simple-minded Liz seemed to have taken her beloved sister¡¯s words. Hiro was too dumbfounded to say anything.


    ¡°Hiro! Rub it!¡±


    This girl, Hiro sighs ¨D and then he turns his dumbfounded gaze to Liz, not forgetting to re at Rosa, who holds her mouth and holds back herughter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. And above all, don¡¯t say that a girl can¡¯t be rubbed easily.¡±


    When he responded thoughtfully, the two looked at him with bored eyes. In other words ¨D this is the difference between being drunk and being in. It makes the scene nd.


    ¡°Hmm. Hiro doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    Liz, who was sulking, jumped straight into the bed. Rosa also lies down with a dumbfounded expression.


    ¡°¡­.. It¡¯s difficult.¡±


    Hiro wasn¡¯t satisfied with the female mind¡¯splexities, but no matter what his personal feelings were, the night went on.

 Volume 3, Chapter 2 – A New Mission, Part 7

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 2 ¨C A New Mission, Part 7</h4>


    ¨D¨DThe next day. The sun, shining majestically in the eastern sky, was dazzling, and a soft breeze flowed over the ground. Spreading out on the surface was the Great Imperial Capital of dius, a city worthy of the word magnificent.


    At its northern gate, a line of warhorses was lined up in an orderly fashion. In the center were 2,000 horsemen in jet-ck armor. On the west side of the line were 5,000 reserve soldiers of the First Imperial Army with gold cloth wrapped uniformly around their shoulders and 3,000 cavalrymen of the Fourth Imperial Army with red cloth wrapped around their shoulders.


    Further to the east, more than 5,000 soldiers of the Eastern nobility were lined up, and the g bearers running through the gaps in the army line were sending up streaks of dust. Morale uplift, reaffirmation ofmand, and many reasons for this, but the effects are also varied.


    Uplifting and tense, the two elementsbined to create a strange atmosphere in this ce. The citizens who were watching from the city walls were overwhelmed by the majesty of the city and watched with bated breath.


    ¡°Hiro, don¡¯t do anything rash. If even a scratch gets infected, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡±


    The one who was stroking Hiro¡¯s cheek with concern was the Sixth Princess, Liz. Hiro nodded with a wry smile at Liz, who was as overprotective as ever.


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯m taking the doctor with me, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand, that¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you. You might get attacked by bandits or something along the way. I know Hiro is a great warrior, but you never know when something might happen.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡±


    Hiro is overwhelmed by Liz¡¯s close proximity to him and replies vaguely.


    ¡°Geez, you really should listen to what I have to say!¡±


    She puffed up her cheeks in a cute way. Perhaps because of this, the widow, Rosa, who was standing next to her, intervened.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s it. I don¡¯t want to be made a widow again before the wedding ceremony is over. As Liz said, don¡¯t do anything rash.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Yes, before the wedding ceremony is over ¨D Eh?¡±


    In the middle of her words, Liz looked at her sister. With her smile, Rosa put a hand on her sister¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The wedding ceremony, you say¡­¡±


    ¡°The neighing of the horses are too loud. You must have heard wrong. I don¡¯t remember saying anything like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I-is that so?¡±


    It may be revenge for having fainted yesterday. Rosa is pleased to look at her bewildered sister.


    ¡°I¡¯m a concubine, after all.¡±


    ¡°Huh? A concubine?¡±


    ¡°Because the prince is always looking out for the east. I don¡¯t want him to die.¡±


    ¡°Geez, Anee-sama is always talking about money¡­¡±


    Seeing Rosa ying with Liz, Hiro sighed deeply. Freeing her up to do whatever she wants can be dangerous, so Hiro decides to change the subject.


    ¡°Be careful, Liz. And Rosa too.¡±


    In response to Hiro¡¯s voice, Liz turned her red eyes that were blurred with tension.


    ¡°Y-yes. Leave it to me; I¡¯ll make sure to get the results.¡±


    ¡°And Rosa, if you can, make sure you surround yourself with skilled people.¡±


    ¡°I knew you would say that. I¡¯ve already asked them. Go ahead, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Rosa patted him on the shoulder as if to reassure him. Hiro smiled in satisfaction.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going soon, then!¡±


    Hiro took an involuntary step back. Liz¡¯s beautiful face approached him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be riding a fast horse, so make sure you reply. You have a long journey ahead of you, so make sure you eat well.¡±


    Liz ced her index finger on the tip of Hiro¡¯s confused nose.


    ¡°And, as I said before, don¡¯t be reckless. If you are in danger, run.¡±


    She sounded like a mother, and Hiro¡¯s mouth twitched. He tried to say that he was worrying too much, but Rosa interrupted him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back to the east soon. If you need money or food, let me know, and I¡¯ll have it delivered to the nearest nobleman. I can send soldiers without telling the emperor. I can just say that I¡¯m maintaining security in the East.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re both worrying too much.¡±


    The journey is well paid for, and there are a hundred elite guards with him. There is no problem with food and drink, and a safe journey is almost guaranteed.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro. We¡¯re ready to go.¡±


    The one who appeared from behind was Ghada. He was d in ck armor, which gave him the air of a warrior, but his unparalleled dominance was unmistakable.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Ghada asked in a whisper. Hiro nodded and reminded him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to worry about me, but take care of Rosa. I want her to get to the east safely.¡±


    There was little chance that the rival factions would go to extremes, but it was worth being cautious with the existence of the ck Death.


    ¡°Leave it to me; I¡¯ll make sure she gets there safely.¡±


    ¡°Then return to the south and train at Berg Fortress, will you?¡±


    ¡°All right, but¡­ I have a condition.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Hiro tilted his head at Ghada, who spoke strangely.


    ¡°Driks will be going with you to the Levering Kingdom. If so, take Hugin and Munin with you as well.¡±


    Before he could ask why, Ghada spoke up.


    ¡°They are excellent. I¡¯ve known them since the Liberation Army¡¯s time, and they are perfectly capable of defending themselves. They¡¯lle in handy.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t take them with you. I could abandon them if the need arises.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. They¡¯re ready for it. But don¡¯t underestimate them. Those siblings will do what they have to do.¡±


    When he looked into Ghada¡¯s piercing eyes through his armor, he saw that he was determined not to give up.


    ¡°All right. Then I¡¯ll take them with me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go talk to them. Be careful on the way.¡±


    After watching Ghada¡¯s back go away, Hiro turned to Liz and the others again.


    ¡°Liz, the Felzen region is still unstable. Listen carefully to Aura¡¯s words and take action.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll follow Aura¡¯s instructions properly. I¡¯m good atmanding, but I¡¯m no good at nning.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn slowly. Just take your time. Just be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, good luck Hiro.¡±


    They hugged each other and then patted each other on the back and pulled away. Liz smiled embarrassedly. Hiro smiled at her. But the uneasiness that lingers in his heart will not go away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back from the Levering Kingdom as soon as I can, so don¡¯t be reckless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, really. You¡¯ll be amazed at how much I¡¯ve grown when we meet up!¡±


    In front of Hiro, who was trying to convince her, Liz put her hands on her hips and sniffled.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s great. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Then she turned to look at Rosa, and a soft shock came to her face.


    ¡°If you get lonely, jump on the fast horse. I¡¯lle to get you whenever I can.¡±


    She hugged him out of the blue and said something that sounded like she was just a sweet mother.


    ¡°No, if I do that, the emperor will be angry with me¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you even if you lose your position, don¡¯t worry. You like that kind of thing, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never been a fan of that kind of life.¡±


    Hiro smiled bitterly as he pulled away from Rosa.


    ¡°I¡¯m off then.¡±


    He turned his back on them and started walking to the carriage.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Hiro-sama!¡±


    Munin opened the door for him. He thanked him and went inside, where Hugin bowed to him.


    ¡°I will definitely do my duty as the wise brother¡¯s bodyguard!¡±


    Hiro sat down in the chair provided, thinking that both of them were being overzealous. He looked out the window attached to the door and saw Liz and Rosa waving at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s really okay. We¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    He was not overwhelmed. His mind was calm. His head was clear, and his thoughts were flexible. No matter what awaited him, he would not be defeated. No one would stand in his way.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He told the coachman, and the carriage began to drive slowly.

 Volume 3, Chapter 3 – Come To The North, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 3 ¨C Come To The North, Part 1</h4>


    September 30th, the 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    This was the fifth morning since their departure from the Great Imperial Capital. The envoys, including Hiro, had arrived at the northern border with a hundred guards.


    The northern part of the country is ruled by the northern nobility, led by the Sharm family, one of the five major noble families.


    The main headquarters is the ¡°White Silver Castle¡± located in the center. The temperature is very low in the north. As a result, the region suffers from severe cold. On the other hand, the southern part of the region is rtively warm, so the people mainly live there, and the wealth of the Sharm family is supported by the fertile ck soil that spreads all over the southern part of the region.


    After a physical examination at the northern border, Hiro and the others were led to the outer gate.


    ¡°I apologize for the rudeness of examining a member of the royal family, but please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°No matter what one¡¯s position, a border guard can¡¯t be said a soldier if he treats people differently.¡±


    Hiro replied from the carriage and looked to his right. There was a man on horseback, the chief of the guard station, who was in charge of the guard station. He is a middle-aged man who wears a nket over his heavy armor, and his beard is stained white from the cold.


    ¡°It would be a great help if you said so.¡±


    Exhaling a white breath, he dismounted and walked up to the gate in front of him.


    ¡°Raise the gate!¡±


    The gate slowly went up, emitting a thunderous sound as if the ground was shaking.


    ¡°There was nothing but snow on the ground, but I wished you a good trip.¡±


    The carriage carrying Hiro and the others stepped through the gate and into the north.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡±


    Hugin said excitedly.


    ¡°Cold, cold, cold!¡±


    Behind her, Munin was shivering under four nkets. Looking at her brother, Hugin quickly got out of the carriage and returned to pick up the snow.


    ¡°Brother. Eat this and shut up.¡±


    ¡°My dear sister. That¡¯s indeed a death ¨D gobohh!¡±


    The snow was shoved into his mouth, and he rolled around on the ground in agony. Hugin returned next to Hiro, looking down at her brother with eyes colder than snow.


    ¡°Wise brother, this is the first time I have seen snow. It¡¯s so cold!¡±


    Hugin was impressed as she looked at her wet, melting hands. Hugin¡¯s voice sounded excited. But as for Hiro, he couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about Munin, whose face was pale.


    ¡°No, Munin is about to die¡­ Is he going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Wise brother, I¡¯ve never seen snow before. It¡¯s so cold!¡±


    Hiro could not believe his ears as he heard the same words as before. Hiro decided not to mention Munin¡¯s case and decided to go along with Hugin¡¯s talk.


    ¡°Aah¡­ Yes. Haven¡¯t you ever been outside of the Principality of Lichtine before, Hugin?¡±


    ¡°I used to be a mercenary, but I only went as far as the Steichen Republic and the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then I guess it¡¯s understandable that you are surprised by the snow.¡±


    Normally, a reaction like Munin¡¯s would be typical for a normal person, but maybe, since she is a maiden, she forgets about the cold when she sees something beautiful. As they drove along the snow-covered road for a while, talking about such trivial things, they noticed people standing in the way.


    If it had been just one or two people, they would not have cared.


    ¡°¡­..Wise Brother, those are¡­¡±


    Hugin grabbed a nearby weapon with caution.


    ¡°Hiro-sama, what should we do?¡±


    Munin also sharpened his eyes and put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.


    In front of Hiro and the others, a huge army that filled the entirendscape was lined up in an orderly fashion.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that g belongs to the Second Prince.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s eyes grew stern, but he motioned for them to put away their weapons. He then looked at Driks for his opinion, but his mouth quivered with nervousness.


    ¡°Yes, a silver wolf on a white background ¨D indeed, that is the Second Prince¡¯s coat of arms g. There are also other gs of powerful nobles scattered around. I don¡¯t know what their purpose is, but¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to go to extremes.¡±


    There are too many of them, but they should not attempt to do anything. Even so, Hiro didn¡¯t expect them to try to make contact with him in such a spectacr way¡­


    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll have to get closer to find out.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? If they intend to harm the wise brother¡­¡±


    As Hugin said with concern, Hiro rxed his cheek to reassure her.


    ¡°If that were the case, they would have done it long ago.¡±


    It¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to war, so they can approach without hesitation. There is no point in staring at each other in silence. They can¡¯t move forward until they hear what the other side wants.


    ¡°I was wondering¡­ if the other side had the same idea.¡±


    About 20 horses from the army, a unit of horses separated from the army and approached Hiro.


    The leader of the group is a person with an androgynous face, with an eye-catching appearance. The color of his eyes is different ¨D blue on the left and gold on the right ¨D and this gives a strange impression. His blue hair, reminiscent of the sky, was as soft as silk, and his body was thin and covered in brown fur, with silver and white armor peeking out from underneath. His dismounting figure was wless, and his walk had the air of a champion. With his hands on the hilts of the swords on his hips, the person let out a white breath and smiled elegantly.


    ¡°Werwolf Sharm Selene von Grantz, the Second Prince of the Great Grantz Empire. I¡¯ve heard that there is a new brother of mine here¡­¡±


    Selene looked around at the group, and his eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Hiro.


    ¡°ck hair, ck eyes ¨D the twin ck, I¡¯m surprised it exists. But I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I apologize for thete greeting. I¡¯m Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.¡±


    As soon as Hiro got out of the carriage, he approached Selene and held out his hand.


    ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s nice to have a good and polite boy like you as a brother.¡±


    Selene shook his hand back.


    ¡°And you know, your name has been heard all over the north.¡±


    I wonder about that? Hiro smiled slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of rumors those are, but they tend to be traced from all over the world.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so modest. I have seen your n to defeat the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°I was just lucky, you know. I think it went too well for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose so. Well, I think it was very convenient that General Kylo was killed in action.¡±


    Selene, who has a brisk demeanor but a keen eye, wraps his arms around Hiro¡¯s neck.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should stand around talking, so why don¡¯t we take our time and talk in the carriage?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ I have to go to the Levering Kingdom now. Couldn¡¯t we just talk another time?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m well aware that you areing here as an envoy. It would be difficult to shift the schedule, so I thought of this. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ if you take thatrge army with you, the schedule will be significantly dyed.¡±


    Hiro pointed to therge army that filled the snowfield. Even a light estimate is over 30,000 soldiers.


    ¡°Oh, then you can rest assured. I¡¯ll apany you with about twenty cavalrymen, including myself.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t offer much in the way of hospitality, you know. It¡¯s cold, and the food won¡¯t be luxurious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I have a better tolerance for the cold than you do, and you can¡¯t be amander if youin about the food in the army.¡±


    Selene walked Hiro to the carriage and forced him to get into it. As Selene exchanged greetings with Hiro¡¯spanions, he finally looked at Driks, and his voice shed.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Driks. How¡¯s uncle doing?¡±


    Munin and Hugin looked at Driks in surprise at those words. As for Hiro, he was not surprised because he had predicted it beforehand since Driks was originally from the north.


    Driks awkwardly lowered his eyes and made a vassal¡¯s bow to Selene.


    ¡°Gils-sama is¡­ he¡¯s in good health. He was lonely, you see. Why don¡¯t you go to the Great Imperial Capital sometime?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in going to that uptight ce.¡±


    With one hand wandering in the air as if he was annoyed, Selene came to sit next to Hiro.


    ¡°Above all, there¡¯s Stobel. The central nobility is also full of unsavory people. It¡¯s more meaningful to run around in the snowfield than to get caught up in political disputes like that.¡±


    Selene, with one eye closed, said mischievously, isn¡¯t that right? He asked Hiro to agree with him.


    ¡°But you are the fifth in line of session to the throne. You cannot stay out of the political fray. If you continue to be selfish, it will eventuallye back to you.¡±


    Although he was the Second Prince, he was the fifth in line of session, and that was because he was confined to the north instead of going to the center. In other words, he doesn¡¯t want to be bound by the throne; he just wants to enjoy himself as he pleases.


    ¡°Do you want to be an emperor?¡± Selene asked Hiro.


    ¡°¡­That is.¡±


    Seeing Hiro at a loss for an answer, Selene continued without hesitation.


    ¡°The Grantz Empire is alreadyplete. It indeed stands on an unstable foundation, but it has survived for a thousand years. Now that it has experienced prosperity, slowdown, degeneration, and stagnation, there is not much this country can do.¡±


    Holding up his index and middle fingers, Selene waved his hand repeatedly.


    ¡°The lion is still wandering around looking for food. There are only two ways left for a starving lion. Either it eats the world and lives, or it starves and dies ¨D I prefer thetter, by the way.¡±


    His bold statement left everyone in the carriage speechless, sensing the disquiet that lurked there. Selene¡¯s voice grew feverish as he looked around with amusement at these people.


    ¡°Even for an old lion, you should have a lot of power if you want to be its owner. But it¡¯s only if you can keep the pack together. Even though you are an absolute king, you will die with your shoulders narrowed, paying attention to the faces of many nobles. I don¡¯t want to be that kind of weakling.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better keep that between us.¡±


    Hiro warned him. If this conversation gets to the center, many of the nobles will turn against him. It was such a dangerous statement. And considering that Hiro would use it, he shouldn¡¯t have said it here. However, Selene smiled cheerfully as if it were just another matter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if the people in the center know about it.¡±


    What he had in mind was not pride but absolute confidence.


    ¡°If they threaten the north, 200,000 northern armies, including the Fifth Imperial Army, will take care of them.¡±


    This is a word that backs up the fact that Selene is inplete control of the north.


    It¡¯s a tough one, Hiro thinks. Except for Hiro, the rest of the people were swallowed up by the strange atmosphere created by the intensity of the statement, which was simply a statement of fact without any pretense.


    ¡°Ah ¨D that was a bit out of line. I hope you don¡¯t mind. I just wanted to let you know that I have no ambition for the throne.¡±


    After patting Hiro on the back a few times, Selene turned his attention out the window.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to build an encampment. It gets really cold in the north after the sun goes down.¡±


    Then, shifting his gaze to Hiro, he narrowed his eyes sharply, like a wolf hunting its prey.


    ¡°And above all, it¡¯s dangerous at night when monsters are wandering around.¡±

 Volume 3, Chapter 3 – Come To The North, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 3 ¨C Come To The North, Part 2</h4>


    Building the encampment took much longer than expected. Aside from the bonfires and fences that had been added as a precaution against monsters, the cold was making their hands too numb to work.


    By the time the camp was set up, the sun had already set, and after a quick meal, there was no time to rest as the soldiers patrolled the area. Now, the soldiers patrolling the area were rubbing their hands together in their winter gear.


    Beside them, Hiro was lying down on the snowfield, looking up at the night sky. Earlier, Munin and Hugin had been with him as guards, but they had returned to the tents, unable to bear the cold.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro, if you stay here, you will freeze to death. Please return to your tent¡­¡±


    This was the fifth warning. This is how many times the soldiers have told him to return to his tent.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just want to look at the stars for a little while longer.¡±


    He felt warm as if he were surrounded by spring air, thanks to the protection of the Heavenly Emperor as well as the fact that he was wearing the ck Princess Camellia, so Hiro didn¡¯t have to worry about the cold.


    ¡°Is that so¡­? Then please return as soon as done.¡±


    The soldier, with a quizzical expression on his face, turned around several times and went back to his patrol.


    Hiro tried to look up again.


    ¡°Do you like the night sky?¡±


    Hiro sat up and turned his eyes in that direction.


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt your private time. I just wanted to talk to you in private when no one else was around.¡±


    Selene was standing there. As soon as he approached Hiro, he sat down next to him.


    ¡°So I ask you again, do you like the night sky?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ve always liked to look at the stars.¡±


    ¡°I see; I don¡¯t like it so much. The stars are beautiful, but they only shine for a limited time. So I don¡¯t like them very much because they seem so fleeting.¡±


    Selene raised one hand to the sky and looked at the stars with a distant look.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re like that. You¡¯re standing on a precarious equilibrium.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure? You don¡¯t know anything about me.¡±


    ¡°I do. I know because your story is well known up here in the north. Those who punish troops for looting in the Principality of Lichtine and abuse prisoners of war are not tolerated, even if they are nobles. The strictness of your military discipline is rumored to even among the northern nobility.¡±


    At the same time, Selene lowered his eyes sadly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a hard way to live, I guess. You¡¯re doing it for the people, for the country, for someone else, it sounds good, but it¡¯s all for the people, and that doesn¡¯t include you.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s what a member of the imperial family, a person who stands above others, should be doing¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it; your words are too pure. There is no contradiction; there is nopromise.¡±


    Selene stood up, stretched, and sighed heavily.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t make the same mistake as your ancestor, the God of War. He was an idealist just like you, but he was too pure-hearted to be broken.¡±


    It is a truth that is not recorded in history, a stain that was buried in the dark a thousand years ago.


    ¡°I do not know the details of what happened. One day, he changed his mind andunched a brutal strategy, conquering his enemies with a vicious attack.¡±


    Selene continued to look up at the night sky, his voice quivering with sadness.


    ¡°He was nicknamed ¡°The ughter King,¡± and now, a thousand yearster, he is feared by other nations as The Endless Despair.¡±


    Hiro closed his mouth as he tried to ask why Selene knew about this.


    (¡­..This person is also different and may stand in front of me one day.)


    Hiro can¡¯t show his weakness.


    ¡°I may be making this up, but I did give you a heads up. Well then, I think I¡¯ll go rest.¡±


    Hiro stared at the two swords on his hips until Selene¡¯s figure disappeared into the darkness.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather lose and lose something ¨D so I¡¯ll keep winning no matter what.¡±


    Hiro muttered as he stood up and walked over to the tent. Once inside, the warmth enveloped him. Hiro looked around and saw two figures in his obsidian eyes.


    Leaning against the entrance, Munin and Hugin were asleep.


    Hiro smiled and climbed into the nket that had been prepared for him and began to sleep. As Hiro fell into a deep sleep, something strange began to happen to his chest.


    To be precise, a talisman hidden in his chest ¨D handed to him by the First Emperor Altius ¨D began to overflow with evesting darkness, as if a miasma were spewing from it.


    The darkness, which had been blending into the air without anyone noticing, began to wrap itself around Hiro¡¯s sleeping limbs and swelled rapidly.


    Then ¨D it enveloped the world.


    £ª£ª£ª


    It was on a cliff, with rain pouring down. The droplets of rain that hit the earth and sand seeped into the ground. With the void dominated by clouds, no moonlight reaches the ground.


    ¡°Oh¨D¡­ It¡¯s a lie! Why, why! How could you?¡±


    As the rain sounded, a young man¡¯s wailing rang out in the dark night.


    The young man was holding a woman in his arms, her beautiful golden hair losing its shine as it was covered in mud. More importantly, her face was as pale as a dead person¡¯s, and blood was dripping from the edge of her mouth, which had turned purple. The boy pulled out the spear that pierced her body and shouted to the sky.


    ¡°How can this be! How could this happen!¡±


    The sky did not respond. The only thing that happens is that the thunder rumbles, and the rain gets stronger.


    ¡°¡­She didn¡¯t do anything; why should she be sacrificed?¡±


    The ck-d young man pulled the woman into his arms, buried his face in her neck, and cried out. He repeatedly apologized and regretted his stupidity in not being able to save her.


    ¡°O, King! Our king! Now is not the time to grieve. For her sake, we must proceed!¡±


    The five generals kneeling behind the young man ¨D one of them trembled in his voice. The reason his body was shaking was not because he was cold or because the rain had drenched him.


    It was because the murderous energy radiating from the young king had pierced his body.


    ¡°O, King! Please calm your anger now. Don¡¯t let your judgment be clouded.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, Rox. I¡¯m quite calm, even to my own surprise.¡±


    The next thing he knew, the woman had disappeared from the young man¡¯s arms. The only thing left in his hand was a ck sword.


    The five generals were taken aback by the strange event, but they quickly came to their senses.


    ¡°What the hell is a peaceful solution¡­? Haha, this is what you get for making concessions.¡±


    The man called Rox stiffened when he saw the young man¡¯s face as he stood up. The young man wasughing, crying, tears streaming down his cheeks, a thin smile on his face; it¡¯s so distorted.


    ¡°I will carve into every single one of their bodies who they have offended and who they have dealt with.¡±


    ¡°P-please wait! You can¡¯t do that¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Rox, I understand how you feel, but I have no more words to say.¡±


    ¡°Please, have mercy on them! Please, please, I beg of you! Your Majesty Schwartz!¡±


    The young man started to walk away from the voice that tried to stop him. And then he stopped. When he looked down from the edge of the cliff, he saw that arge army, probably more than 100,000 strong, was waiting for him.


    ¡°God of war! God of war! God of war! God of war! God of war!¡±


    The soldiers who recognized the young man¡¯s figure pped their swords and cheered. The cheers, which had once been invigorating, were now only empty.


    ¡°God of War! God of war! God of war! God of war! God of war! God of war!¡±


    The light was fading from the young man¡¯s eyes. Deep sadness took over him. His heart would never be filled again; it would never be moistened; it would continue to thirst.


    ¡°The path of kings has been cut off. All that is left is the path of supremacy.¡±


    The young man with the ck sword raised swung his arm down vigorously and held it horizontally, issuing the king¡¯smand.


    ¡°My army, the Raven Army. Quench your thirst with the blood of the enemy!¡±


    The boy pointed the tip of his sword at the capital of the enemy nation and smiled a cruel smile.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    £ª£ª£ª


    Ever since his conversation with Selene, Hiro has been having trouble sleeping. He had vivid dreams. The memories of what happened were frightening to the point of being terrifying.


    When Hiro pried open his heavy eyelids, he could see the scenery outside the window. The earth waspletely white. It was covered with snow.


    Hiro narrowed his eyes. The snowfield reflected the morning sun, making the light even more intense.


    October 9, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Hiro and the others had crossed the border of the Levering Kingdom as nned. Currently, they are staying a little further away ¨D near the border.


    ¡°I think I will take my leave here. It¡¯s been a short but very enjoyable journey.¡±


    Selene said.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a good time, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching for your future ns.¡±


    Hiro felt slightly ufortable with these words, but he remained silent and waited for the rest of the conversation.


    ¡°I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, and I present you with this.¡±


    Selene held out a red flower to him as he exited the carriage.


    ¡°It¡¯s a special flower that only blooms in the north. It¡¯s called ¡®lotus.''¡±


    As Hiro¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, Selene climbed onto the back of the horse and turned it around.


    ¡°See you next time. I¡¯ll invite you to my pride and joy, the White Silver Castle.¡±


    Just as he had done when he first appeared, Selene galloped away. Hiro cut his gaze from Selene¡¯s back and sighed deeply when he saw the lotus given to him.


    ¡°A flower that only blooms in the north¡­¡±


    ¡°Wise brother? It seems that yourplexion is not good. Are you feeling bad?¡±


    He shook his head in response to Hugin¡¯s concern for Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Hiro hid the lotus in his pocket and ordered the coachman to depart. Eventually, they arrived at the Levering Kingdom¡¯s security checkpoint, but an unexpected person was waiting for them.


    ¡°Envoy from the Great Grantz Empire, thank you foring all the way from the Great Imperial Capital. We will be your escorts from here on out.¡±


    His body was much bigger than that of a human, and his armored figure reminded one of a warrior. His skin is white, and his demon blood is thin, but the magic power that permeated through his body was unfathomable.


    ¡°I am Haniel Van Wenzel, one of the Three Demon Generals.¡±


    The Three Demon Generals are the guardians of the Levering Kingdom and the general term for the most powerful warriors. Their extraordinary fighting prowess is known as far south as the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°I am the protector of the demons.¡±


    He knelt down in front of Hiro and pulled out the sword he had at his waist. He grasped the hilt with his left hand and lifted it high above his head with the de in his right hand.


    ¡°It is a great pleasure to meet the descendant of the God of War, whom our ancestor King Rox van Levering worshipped as his king.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor for me to meet one of the three famous demon generals.¡±


    Then, after telling him to ease up, Haniel put his sword back on his hip and stood up. Hiro smiled cheerfully and then looked at the sword at his waist.


    ¡°Is that the rumored demon sword that is given to the three demon generals?¡±


    The three demon generals, who are the guardians of the Levering Kingdom, are given a national treasure ¨D a special weapon called a demon sword.


    ¡°This is the demon sword, Auto ire.¡±


    Haniel proudly tapped the hilt of his sword. Arge purple crystal, which is the source of magic power, is embedded in the sword¡¯s hilt. The magic power felt from Haniel must have been supplied from there.


    ¡°It has a strange shape, huh?¡±


    There are threerge cavities on the sword. There was arge cavity in the center of the de, one at each end of the nge.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s the oldest demon sword ever created. So it seems to have some unique characteristics.¡±


    Hiro narrowed his eyes and only muttered, ¡°I see.¡± Haniel doesn¡¯t seem to know the final form. However, Hiro, who remembers those days, knows the final form of the demon sword Auto ire.


    There was no way he could forget his former subordinate, Rox, with whom he had fought through the turbulent times.


    (It¡¯s not for me to say. If this is the way it is now, then so be it.)


    If the original form is not conveyed, Hiro¡¯s pointing out will bring unwanted quarrels to the Levering Kingdom. It was not his intention to disrupt the country that his former subordinate had founded. As the conversation died down, Haniel started to string his words together.


    ¡°His Majesty is looking forward to meeting the descendant. I apologize for rushing you, but¡­ we should be leaving soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are ready to go.¡±


    When Hiro looked around, Driks nodded.


    The carriages carrying the high-ranking officials started to run towards the entrance one after another. Hiro also got into the carriage where Munin and the others waited and gave the coachman instructions to depart.


    ¡°The weather is fine today, so we should be in the capital by evening at thetest.¡±


    Haniel, who had peeked in through the window, said.


    ¡°I understand. Please take care of us until then.¡±


    ¡°I assure you that the journey will be safe. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    Haniel left. Then Driks opened his mouth.


    ¡°Fumu, one of the three demon generals, is going to be your guide¡­ So you¡¯re treated as a guest of honor.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not surprising since the wise brother is a descendant of the God of War!¡±


    It¡¯s not Hiro who said it, but Hugin.


    She has a very belligerent attitude towards everyone but Hiro. Because her attitude is so tantly obvious, many people say that she is cocky when she has the ability to do so. In fact, Driks red at Hugin in disgust when the words thatcked character were thrown at him.


    ¡°Hugin-dono, you are a woman, you should have a little more discretion¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, the only people who can give me orders are the wise brother and my older brother.¡±


    ¡°What is your rank¨D¨D?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in wise brother¡¯s private army, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Guh¡­¡±


    Driks gnashed his teeth in frustration. Next to him, Munin bowed his head apologetically. It would be a problem if the atmosphere were to turn sour, so Hiro decided to proceed with the conversation.


    ¡°Well, the truth is, you were probably skeptical.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Hugin tilted his head. Hiro replied in a low voice.


    ¡°If it were just a high-ranking official, there would be no need for the three generals toe. The three demon generals have the support of the people. The king trusts them, and their status is that of prime minister. So, if it were just a high-ranking official, it would only be a matter of sending someone of a certain rank to pick them up.¡±


    Hiro said, and Driks agreed.


    ¡°If the descendant of the ¡®God of War¡¯ that the Ancestor King Rox served ¨D and if the royal family is reallying, they probably thought it would be rude not to have a Prime Minister level as a representative.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Although a person from the Grantz imperial family hase to the country, if it is treated indifferently, it will not only incur the wrath of the people of the Grantz Empire but may also affect the surrounding nations.


    The Levering Kingdom is currently in a state of excitement because the princess¡¯ing of age ceremony is approaching. They don¡¯t want to put a damper on that situation.


    ¡°There should be no such thing as bad treatment. Let¡¯s just hope it all goes well.¡±


    Hiro looked out the window. It was a quiet scene with only a nket of snow. However, the uneasiness that had been building in his heart only grew and would not go away.

 Volume 3, Chapter 3 – Come To The North, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 3 ¨C Come To The North, Part 3</h4>


    After an hour of swaying in the carriage, snow began to fall from the overcast and unstable sky. By the time the strong wind hit the windows, the temperature inside the carriage had begun to drop rapidly.


    Unable to bear the cold, all the passengers except Hiro had started to put on their winter clothes.


    ¨D¨DIt was right after that that something strange happened.


    The outside suddenly became noisy. However, strangely enough, the soldiers of the Great Grantz Empire did not seem to be in a panic. There seemed to be some kind of problem on the side of the Levering Kingdom.


    ¡°Please stay on board, envoys! Don¡¯t worry; there¡¯s no problem!¡±


    It¡¯s human nature to be concerned when told that something is wrong. Hiro got off alone, leaving Hugin and the others in the carriage, and headed for the front of the carriage, where something strange had happened.


    The Levering soldiers around looked at him in surprise, but perhaps they thought it impolite to stop Hiro, the envoy, and the Fourth Prince, so they just looked at him and did not act.


    (It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve walked on a pile of snow.)


    The sound of stomping on the snow felt good. Hiro¡¯s footsteps were light as he exhaled a white breath and arrived at his destination.


    ¨D¨DAnd then he gasped.


    In the reddish snowfield, a girl was standing with a bloody sword in her hand.


    Five corpses were lying around the girl. All of the robust bodies were shed, and judging from the shabby equipment, they were probably bandits, but he didn¡¯t know why this terrible scene was happening. However, there is no doubt that the one who created this situation is the girl.


    ¡°udia-sama! Why are you alone in a ce like this!¡±


    Haniel, who looked panicked, shouted angrily when he confirmed that the girl was safe. The girl giggled and put the back of her hand over her mouth, making her voice sound happy.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I slipped out of the castle alone. And then I was surrounded by bandits.¡±


    Her silvery-purple hair, which reached her waist, rippled in the wind, and she looked so out of ce in this situation, with her charming, gentle eyes and well-developed nose. Her delicate face is both magical and beautiful. The most striking thing about her was the whiteness of her skin.


    Hiro instantly understood.


    She was the princess known as the ¡°Purple Silver Princess¡± of the Levering Kingdom.


    ¡°I think we need to review our security measures. So that the peddlers can travel the streets safely ¨D ara?¡±


    Perhaps udia noticed that Hiro was looking at her in a daze and turned her violet eyes towards him.


    ¡°Could it be that that person is¡­¡±


    Abandoning her bloody sword, she approached Hiro, smiled gracefully, and bowed on the spot.


    ¡°I am udia van Levering, the First Princess of the Levering Kingdom.¡±


    She then looked up and observed Hiro for a moment, then stiffened. Hiro, unaware of the change in udia¡¯s appearance, offered his hand.


    ¡°Hello, I am Hiro Schwartz von Grantz, the Fourth Prince of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°I-I apologize for my behavior. I was surprised to see that you look as good as rumored. So the twin cks are real.¡±


    After clearing her throat once, udia held his hand in return. Her cheek was dyed red with embarrassment, and she looked up at Hiro.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m very sorry to bother you, but¡­ may I apany you to the royal capital?¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t ask the princess to go back herself, and when she asked him, he had no choice but to nod. Hiro nodded in silence, and udia¡¯s eyes shone with happiness.


    ¡°Thank you very much! Then please let me hear your story in the carriage until we reach the royal capital!¡±


    As if in a state of excitement, udia headed to the carriage where Hiro was riding.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Descendant-dono. I really apologize for making you go along with Princess udia¡¯s selfishness.¡±


    ¡°A journey is more fun with more people. So I don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    As Hiro smiles, Haniel is about to open his mouth when a horsees galloping up behind him.


    ¡°Haniel-sama, a message has just arrived¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    After exchanging a few words with his subordinates, Haniel threw a few words to Hiro in a panicked tone.


    ¡°I wanted to guide Descendant-dono to the royal capital, but an urgent matter hase up. Please take the liberty of relying on Princess udia from here on out. I apologize for the urgency of this matter on horseback!¡±


    As soon as he said that, Haniel went to udia¡¯s side, and then, with about ten cavalrymen, he broke away from the army line and ran across the snowfield at full speed.


    When Hiro came back to the carriage, udia bowed to him.


    ¡°I apologize. It seems that a problem has urred in Haniel¡¯s territory.¡±


    udia said with a serious look on her face, so Hiro shook his head and then smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be concerned about. I¡¯d like to know more about the Levering Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Yes! There are many good things about it. Let¡¯s start with an exnation of the royal capital!¡±


    udia had a big smile on her face and began to talk happily about the royal capital.


    Thergest fortress city of the Levering Kingdom, the ¡°Purple Snow City,¡± has a deep moat to protect its people from outside enemies, double walls to protect the inside, and a suspension bridge as the only entrance and exit, making it entirely defensible. The streets, covered with snow, are a beautiful chalk white that instills dignity in the people¡¯s hearts. If the weather had been fine, the sunlight would have illuminated thendscape and enchanted all who saw it.


    Overlooking the city from the hillside inside the enclosure is the royal pce called the ¡°Purple Silver Pce.¡±


    When Hiro and the others arrived at the pce, udia led them to the royal hall.


    Gorgeous lights suspended from the ceiling illuminated the interior. Hiro walked on the red carpetid in the center of the floor, followed by the dignitaries with offerings in their hands.


    Despite the stares of the Levering nobles on either side of him, Hiro¡¯s stately walk seemed to impress the nobles, and there were sighs of admiration from everywhere.


    Soon after, Hiro kneeled on the floor and bowed in Grantz¡¯s manner.


    ¡°Your Majesty, thank you for inviting me here today.¡±


    ¡°Wee, thank you foring. I am the king, Suvorov van Levering. I believe that my ancestor Rox would be pleased to have the descendant of the God of War here.¡±


    ¡°My ancestors would be pleased to hear that too. And please ept this small gift.¡±


    Hiro sent instructions to the dignitaries. The gifts were arranged in front of the king.


    ¡°I thank you. Please give my regards to Emperor Greiheit.¡±


    After thanking him, the king softened the corners of his eyes with a smile and opened his mouth to Hiro.


    ¡°By the way, do you have a wife, Hiro-dono?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure this is just a coincidence. If you don¡¯t have a wife, I was wondering if you could make a match for someone here.¡±


    As Hiro was pondering how to refuse, a person who had been standing by the king¡¯s side stepped forward.


    (¡­..Huh)


    The moment their eyes met, rm bells rang out from within his body.


    The man¡¯s gaze was filled with jealousy, hatred, murderous intent, and all sorts of negative emotions, and Hiro¡¯s eyes darkened as well. However, the man only approached the king with a frivolous smile.


    ¡°Father, that can wait for another time. Hiro-dono must be tired from his long journey. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if he got some rest first?¡±


    He is the prince of the Levering Kingdom and is expected to be the next king, Fraus van Levering. It seems that he will exceed thirty years of age this year, which is considered old for a human, but perhaps the blood of the demon race is still strong in him; his appearance is youthful, and he does not appear old at all.


    ¡°Fumu, that¡¯s also true.¡±


    The king nodded deeply as if he epted Fraus¡¯ opinion and then turned his eyes to Hiro.


    ¡°Hiro-dono, I hope you have a good rest today. And I would like you to attend my beloved daughter¡¯s celebration tomorrow, if that is all right with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, by all means, I shall be there.¡±


    Hiro bowed to the king, then stood up and turned away. He left the royal hall, surrounded by the apuse of the nobles and lords.


    The servant led him to a guest room in the Purple Silver Pce. He sat down at a nearby desk and took out two pieces of paper from his pocket. It was the organization chart of the Levering Kingdom and a report from a spy who was investigating the country.


    ¡°Rox¡­ your country may be undergoing a major change after a thousand years.¡±


    The current king is weak ¨D not a tyrant, but not a great one either. He is very ordinary and does not even have the supremacy to attract others. He does not have the dignity of a king, as Hiro found out when he met him.


    ¡°There were only a few people who would follow such a king. Even his son disrespected him.¡±


    He remembered Fraus¡¯ gaze ¨D a gaze he had only experienced on the battlefield.


    The overbearing attitude of an ambitious man is a peculiar habit of those who have been pampered to the fullest.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about leaving the country in the hands of the current king, and it might be even more dangerous to let Prince Fraus take over the throne, so¡­ what¡¯s left to do?¡±


    As if to interrupt his pondering, the door was knocked lightly from the outside.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    It was Driks who came in. His face was dark and somber.


    ¡°It seems that the result was not pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose we could say that this is already wartime. Even though the nobles from all over the country gather, there are too many of them.¡±


    Driks was in contact with a spy who had infiltrated the Levering Kingdom. He took out a report from his pocket.


    ¡°The soldiers are gathering one after another from all over. The number is probably over 10,000 now. I expect the number to continue to increase.¡±


    ¡°Is the reason for this avish military exercise to celebrate the princess¡­?¡±


    Hiro finished reading the report and leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°Do you know who is gathering the soldiers?¡±


    ¡°One of the three demon generals, Baal Van Bitenia. He has been in service since the time of thest king, and is trusted by the present king, and is greatly supported by the people.¡±


    Such a person is gathering soldiers from all over the country in the name of military exercises. The king would not doubt it. There is nothing to it ¨D he must be convinced of that¡­


    ¡°What is the purpose of this? I don¡¯t think he wants the throne now; it¡¯s too sudden a move.¡±


    The report said that the man named Baal had only moved in thest few weeks.


    If the throne is not the goal, then attacking the Grantz Empire ¨D that would also be reckless. The standing army in the north is said to be 100,000, while the Levering Kingdom is less than 30,000 in peacetime. Even if they drafted an army, 50,000 would be the limit.


    ¡°It would be reckless to align with the Felzen remnants, and the neighboring countries would not align with them either.¡±


    The fact that the Principality of Lichtine surrendered earlier than expected has made neighboring countries that have a grudge against the Grantz Empire hesitate to take action. Besides, Liz is leading her troops to Felzen. If she and Aura join forces, the remnant army will be suppressed in no time.


    ¡°But still, it¡¯s better to be on guard.¡±


    Hiro finished his pondering and opened his mouth to the door.


    ¡°Are Munin and Hugin here?¡±


    The two of them walked in immediately. As soon as they entered, they noticed the air in the room and the tension on the faces.


    ¡°The second-grade officer, Driks, will continue to investigate Baal¡¯s whereabouts with the spy who is hiding.¡±


    When he turned to look at Munin and Hugin, they fell to their knees and gulped.


    ¡°I need you to do something for me, too. So listen to me for a moment.¡±

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 1</h4>


    October 10, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    It was a very cold day. The sun rising in the eastern sky was blocked by clouds, unable to reach out to the earth. As if a beast was roaring, a strong wind was blowing up the snow that had fallen, hitting the walls of houses.


    The central street, usually lined with stalls, was closed and deserted with no people passing by. This was because the people were holed up in their houses, saying their prayers and holding their hands over the firece, waiting for the blizzard to pass.


    However, in contrast to the situation in the city, the ¡°Purple Silver Pce¡± was filled with heat.


    The faces of the people bathed in the scattered light in the hall were dyed with joy, various dishes wereid out on the more than twenty long tables, and the silver goblets were spilling out intricate and fascinating light from the light source. Surrounding the table are the nobles chatting with wine in hand.


    ¡°Well, well, I¡¯m surprised. A blizzard struck on such a festive day.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take it badly. Maybe it¡¯s a blessing from the heavens.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It is said that the day we demons were born, it was a disaster that split the earth.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, perhaps today is a good day, considering that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the anniversary of Princess udia¡¯s sixteenth birthday.¡±


    As one of the nobles said that, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the princess sitting near the king.


    ¡°Her beauty would rival that of the Sixth Princess of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen her before?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve only heard rumors about her.¡±


    In the midst of the nobles talking about such mundane things, Hiro was alone, looking around with a meal in his hand.


    (Although the air is calm¡­)


    When he looked overhead, he saw a band of musicians ying a melody from an overhanging tform. When he looked at the hall wall, he saw soldiers with noisy equipment standing there with weapons in their hands, as if to say that they were fully protected.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro, you don¡¯t seem to be enjoying yourself much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    It¡¯s not that he¡¯s not enjoying it. He felt very out of ce, sipping water while everyone else was drinking.


    ¡°Hiro-dono, are you enjoying yourself?¡±


    A man with a thin face called out to him. He wore a luxurious cloak that gave him an air of nobility and dignity. His appearance gave the impression of maturity, but looking at his figure alone, he looked like a young man.


    Fraus van Levering. He is the heir of the Levering Kingdom. Hiro bailed lightly and opened his mouth.


    ¡°The Crown Prince Fraus, I have enjoyed my time here very much.¡±


    ¡°But from a distance, you seemed to be bored.¡±


    After jokingly saying that, Fraus drank the wine in one gulp, walked over to the desk, and returned to Hiro with the bottle in his hand.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink. If you don¡¯t enjoy it, the Ancestor King Rox will be saddened.¡±


    Fraus tipped the bottle to him, but Hiro shook his head.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t drink alcohol, but I¡¯m grateful for your kindness.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s too bad. Then we¡¯ll have to do it another time.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this security unusual for a banquet?¡±


    Hiro pointed out, and Fraus¡¯ face distorted grimly for a moment.


    ¡°We are weing the royal family of the Great Grantz Empire. Naturally, security will be tight.¡±


    With an exaggerated hand gesture, Fraus continued his exnation.


    ¡°We have a thousand soldiers inside the pce and more than a hundred here as well.¡±


    Fraus said, turning his head to look around.


    On the first floor, the guards kept a watchful eye on the walls for any intruders, and on the second floor, the musicians were ying elegant music with their instruments. Behind them, a pair of royal guards were on the lookout.


    Nothing to be afraid of. Fraus nodded in satisfaction and gave Hiro a gentle pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the three demon generals are in charge of the security, so not even a mouse can sneak in.¡±


    ¡°I see, so if anything unusual happens, it won¡¯t be known to the outside world?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know such details.¡±


    Fraus smiled wryly at Hiro¡¯s words.


    In the meantime, a cheer went up from the right, and the grand doors connecting the hall and the corridor were opened.


    ¡°It seems our hero has arrived.¡±


    As Fraus said this, a tall man approached.


    ¡°Wee. Are you sure about the security?¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine.¡±


    The man put one hand on the hilt of his sword. Arge purple crystal, the source of magic power, is embedded in the hilt.


    (¡­Heh, that¡¯s an old magic stone.)


    It¡¯s a shape that he had seen a thousand years ago, a magic stone left behind by one of the demon lords, the king of the demon race. The owner of the stone was beheaded by Hiro with his own hands a thousand years ago.


    ¡°Hiro-dono, this is one of our heroes, the three demon generals, Sir Garius Van Sarzand.¡±


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.¡±


    When Hiro held out his hand, Garius happily shook it back.


    ¡°Oh! You are the descendant of the God of War! Your bravery and valor are known all over this remotend as being worthy of your ancestor.¡±


    ¡°Rumors tend to run wild, you know. Don¡¯t believe too much in them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest. By all means, let¡¯s see what you can doter!¡±


    Garius is about to pull out his sword, and Hiro looked fed up with his attitude.


    ¡°Garius, that is enough.¡±


    Fraus intervened as if he could not bear to see it.


    ¡°You¡¯re troubling Hiro-dono. How¡¯s the security situation?¡±


    Although dissatisfied, Garius pulled away from Hiro and opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think any bandits will get in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s encouraging. And why are the three demon generals here? You guys don¡¯t like this kind of ce much, do you?¡±


    ¡°We thought we¡¯d take the opportunity to have some fun. It seems that that guy was originally nning to join in, too.¡±


    Garius¡¯ gaze fell on a certain person. He was wearing a hood, and his expression was unrecognizable. It¡¯s just that he is standing eerily by the wall.


    ¡°He is Baal Van Bitenia, one of the three demon generals. He is the master of the title of Discerning Eye Demon and is also the wielder of the magic bow Fail Note.¡±


    Fraus noticed that Hiro was looking at him suspiciously, so he exined to him.


    ¡°I see, so it¡¯s him¡­¡±


    As Hiro nodded, the musicians began to y a loud sound. The atmosphere in the royal hall rippled wildly as the music shifted from quiet to boisterous.


    ¡°Time flies, doesn¡¯t it? I must go and greet my father soon¨D¨D.¡±


    Fraus snorted and took a sip of wine. After a short pause, he ced the goblet on the desk as if to m it down.


    ¡°You are wee to join me, Hiro-dono.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was just thinking that I should be going as well.¡±


    Both of them began to walk shoulder to shoulder. Hiro looked sideways at the expression of Fraus but could not read what he was thinking at all.


    ¡°What do you think of this country, Hiro-dono?¡±


    As they walked up the stairs to the throne room, Fraus asked him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good country, I think. The people are cheerful, and the king is a good ruler. If I had anyint, it would be the cold.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­ yes.¡±


    Fraus stopped with an ironic smile on his face.


    ¡°You can go on ahead, Hiro-dono. I will wait until after you have finished your greetings.¡±


    ¡°All right, then. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    After bidding him farewell, Hiro walked up the stairs. The king was seated on his throne, and Princess udia was sitting next to him, smiling elegantly.


    ¡°Oh, Hiro-dono, you¡¯re here!¡±


    The king, who was in a strangely good mood, probably because of the alcohol in his body, weed Hiro with open arms.


    ¡°I apologize for the dy in greeting you. Thank you for inviting me here today.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal. I hope you are enjoying yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m having a very good time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Forget about work today and enjoy yourself to the fullest!¡±


    ¡°I will do so. Then, I hope that the friendship between the Great Grantz Empire and the Levering Kingdom will continue for a long time toe.¡±


    Hiro bowed lightly and turned on his heel. At that time, he caught udia bidding him lightly out of the corner of his eye. As he began to walk, he passed by Fraus. His expression was distorted with unconcealed anger. He was ring at the king with fixed eyes.


    He was about to turn around when he felt a stir in his heart.


    ¡°Oh! Fraus! The banquet you organized for us seems to have been a great sess!¡±


    ¡°Haha, Father. This is all for udia¡¯s sake, to show the authority of our Levering Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Fumu. Hiro-dono was enjoying himself.¡±


    The conversation is going on happily. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Hiro was about to go down the stairs.


    ¨D¨DAt that moment.


    A loud sound of something falling struck his eardrums. The eerie sound reverberated, creating a cacophony of sound along with the melody yed by the musicians.


    ¡°¡­..Wha!¡±


    What Hiiro saw when he turned around in a panic was¡­


    ¡°Father. You are not a great ruler, nor are you a bad ruler. You were simply an ordinary king. In a peaceful world, that might have been a good thing.¡±


    Fraus, holding a blood-soaked sword, looked down at the headless king on the floor. There was a groan from the nobles who sensed the abnormality, and the tense air made their bodies heavy.


    ¡°However, the time toe is different. It¡¯s not just a matter of following the orders of the Grantz Empire. We, the demon race, must be independent. This is the only way to do so. I know it¡¯s a shame, but I¡¯m sure¡­ father will understand.¡±


    Fraus covered his face, which was distorted with pleasure, with one hand, and bent his body into a crooked shape and gave a loudugh.


    ¡°Hahahaha, I can¡¯t tell you how happy I am! For atst, the throne is in my hands!¡±


    Slowly, Fraus¡¯s head moved, and her bloodshot eyes turned to Hiro.


    ¡°Pfufufu, hahaha, Hiro-dono! You¡¯re still here. What¡¯s that look on your face? Are you surprised?¡±


    Fraus continues tough madly with his back slumped. Simultaneously, a scream came out of Princess udia¡¯s mouth, and she cried out as she hugged the body of the king. However, it is drowned out by the screams of the nobles.


    When Hiro looked around the hall, he saw that the royal guards were attacking the nobles.


    From a soothing ce, the royal hall was filled with tyranny.


    ¡°The king, our parent, is just a piece of meat when ites to this. No different from livestock. Don¡¯t you think so, udia?¡±


    ¡°Brother¡­ As I expected, you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault for spouting nonsense like that. I will have to do something about it. You are the one who made me cross thest line!¡±


    ¡°Brother¡­ you really are a fool, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that line straight back at you.¡±


    Fraus approached udia and pulled her hair wildly.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°You will not be lonely. Your father is gone, but I am here. You may not be free, but you are not alone.¡±


    ¡°Hyi¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave everything to me. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°Leave everything to me. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±


    Fraus smiled a vulgar smile. His eyes were dominated by lust. He forced udia to stand and put his arm around her slim waist, pulling her close.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be together from now on. We will have¨D¨D.¡±


    Fraus¡¯s words were cut off mid-sentence. His eyes caught sight of the ne on udia¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Why ¨D why do you have it?¡±


    A low, gruesome voice came from Fraus. He was staring at the ne as if to burn it into his eyes. udia took advantage of the opportunity and pushed Fraus away.


    When the distance between the two opened up, udia tightened her grip on the ne to protect it.


    ¡°B-brother. What is the meaning of all this?¡±


    ¡°Give it to me. It¡¯s no use for you to keep it.¡±


    ¡°Answer me! Why did you kill father? And why did you kill the lords like this?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. You just do as I say and keep quiet.¡±


    ¡°D-don¡¯te¡­¡±


    Fraus approached udia, who was stepping back but stopped halfway.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop there?¡±


    This is because Hiro stood in between them.


    ¡°Hiro-dono¡­ what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I saw your face; it was so ugly and unbearable to look at.¡±


    With udia at his back, Hiro raised his right hand to protect her. Then, the Heavenly Emperor appeared out of thin air, and the tip of the sword was perfectly positioned on the face of Fraus.


    Seeing the sudden appearance of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor,¡± Fraus panicked and moved backward.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    Hiro dropped to his knees. With his sword held horizontally, he twisted at the waist and ced his left hand on the de.


    In the face of his graceful movements, Fraus showed obvious dismay as he realized that he was serious.


    ¡°Hiro-dono, wait. I need you to be my prisoner. We will not mistreat you; we will treat you like a guest. You must serve as a bargaining chip for the Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, there is no need for me to put down my sword.¡±


    It was a quick move, and the stab was delivered. Fraus was unable to avoid it, and his right arm flew through the air, trailing a tail of fresh blood.


    ¡°Agaaaaaaaahhh! M-my arm¡­ a-aaaahh!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unsightly. There¡¯s no limit to how ugly you can be. If you are the Crown Prince of a country, clench your teeth and endure.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll never forgive you, you bastard. I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    ¡°I will let you live. Because you are valuable as a hostage.¡±


    Fraus is definitely the one who caused this situation. It would be possible to get out of this situation by taking the mastermind as a hostage.


    As soon as Hiro took a step forward, a disembodied head flew from his left side. The head bounced off the floor several times before gravity pulled it to a stop.


    Four heads, twisted in pain. Both Hiro and Fraus were familiar with them. They were the heads of high-ranking officials of the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Why did you kill the envoys?¡±


    Surprisingly, it was Fraus who spoke up. Judging by his dismay, it was probably not his order.


    ¡°I apologize. I tried to evacuate them politely, but they resisted, so I had to cut off their heads.¡±


    ¡°W-what the hell are you doing¡­ are you trying to get into trouble with the Grantz Empire?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we captured a few of them alive, so they won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! If you kill even one of them, you will definitely incur the wrath of the Grantz Empire!¡±


    Fraus continued to scream, but the tall man ¨D Garius ¨D ignored him and came up the stairs. With blood all over his body, he looked like a demon. However, he would not be in such a bad state after beheading only four people. As long as he didn¡¯t go out and stter himself with blood, it was clear that he had taken care of everyone except the envoys.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll deal with you from here. I would like to say that, but, Hiro-dono.¡±


    Hiro braced himself suspiciously for Garius, who had stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°No, no. Behind you.¡±


    ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    Hiro quickly repelled one of the arrows that came flying at him. The second arrow flew right between his eyes. He seeded in avoiding it too, but Garius jumped on him.


    ¡°Hahaha! As expected of the descendant of the God of War! You will certainly give me a good time!¡±


    Hiro dodged Garius¡¯s attack and turned his attention to the entrance of the hall. Arge door was thrown open, and arge number of soldiers came avnching in. They shed the tips of their spears and made the des in their hands glow dully as they shed at the nobles without hesitation.


    The nobles, who were not wearing swords and were too drunk to resist, had their lives scattered in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Baal¡¯s skill with the bow is first-rate. Even in a crowded ce like this, he is able to hit the target urately. Avoiding them won¡¯t be an easy task!¡±


    Garius replied to Hiro, searching for the arrow source from the ce that had be an acrimonious scene.


    ¡°Fuh, how long are you going to stay on the defensive? I¡¯m getting tired of this!¡±


    After avoiding Garius¡¯ de by turning his body upside down, Hiro turns to attack. They struck each other with one, two strikes, dodged the flying arrows, and then struck again.


    (This is bad¡­ It¡¯s hard to protect Princess udia when dealing with two of them.)


    The hem of the ck Princess Camellia flipped and repelled the three arrows that came at Hiro in rapid session. The flying arrows were not aimed at Hiro but Princess udia.


    Baal probably thought that¡­ Garius¡¯s skill is inferior to Hiro¡¯s, and he has switched his target to Princess udia to block Hiro¡¯s movement.


    (I have to find and y this Baal fellow¡­)


    Princess udia¡¯s life will be lost. There is no hesitation in the trajectory of the arrows; they are being fired to take away her life for sure.


    While he was pondering this, many nobles were being killed in the royal hall.


    Screams, shouts, exmations, and all the negative cries in the world dominated the hall. Besides, the royal guards, who had their hands free, wereing towards the throne.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re hesitating to attack! You¡¯ve got a lot of leeway against me!¡±


    ¡°I simply decided that it was enough to deal with a man like you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Look, you¡¯re losing your footing.¡±


    ¡°Wha¨D¨D?¡±


    It was toote for Garius to notice. He was already cornered toward the stairs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve identified the location of the person named Baal. I can protect Princess udia if I stand in the path of the arrow.¡±


    Hiro kicked one of Garius¡¯s legs.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s call a truce. I don¡¯t have enough time to deal with wild boars.¡±


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Garius stepped off the stairs, and his stance copsed. He couldn¡¯t overlook therge gap that was created, and immediately Hiro threw a front kick at Garius¡¯ body.


    ¡°Gaahh?¡±


    Garius tumbled down the stairs with tremendous force. At a nce at the figure, Hiro turned himself around and rushed to udia.


    ¡°Princess udia, we need to get out of here as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­B-but.¡±


    ¡°There is no time for hesitation. What are you going to do if you stay here? There¡¯s nothing you can do now. You have to get away to avenge your father¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    udia hesitated for a moment, then stood up with a powerful light in her eyes.


    ¡°This way!¡±


    udia took Hiro by the hand, and they arrived at the back of the throne. A curtain with the country¡¯s coat of arms had been pulled down on the wall, and when udia carelessly flipped it open, an iron door appeared.


    However, the door had no handle, and there was no space. It seemed as if it was just wedged into the wall.


    ¡°I-isn¡¯t this a closed door?¡±


    There was no time left to pry it open. Then, next to Hiro, who began to search for a forceful way to escape from the doorway, udia took out a ne from her chest.


    ¡°No, my father taught me to use this to open the door.¡±


    udia showed him the purple crystal on her ne. Despite the situation, Hiro narrowed his eyes at the nostalgic feeling of the magic stone.


    (Oh¡­ I thought I¡¯d seen it somewhere. Rox, it¡¯s your magic stone.)


    He felt as if he had met an old friend. Arade in arms that he had given up hope of ever seeing again.


    Hiro felt his eyes burning.


    This is not a relic of the demon but a magic stone left by the first king of the Levering Kingdom, Rox van Levering. It¡¯s called ¡°precious jewel¡± because it will be passed on to the next generation of kings, and it¡¯s also called ¡°golden purple crystal¡± because it takes on a vivid color depending on how the light shines on it. It is also called gold and purple crystal and is highly valued among magic stones.


    udia put the gold and purple crystal into the hollow in the center of the door. Then the door naturally opened with a heavy sound.


    ¡°Where does this¨D¨D.¡±


    Hiro tried to ask where it connects to, but he pushed her back hurriedly. This is because many arrows wereing through the gap between the approaching guards.


    Hiro shed his Heavenly Emperor. He knocked down all the arrows and shed at the guards.


    ¡°You guys are getting a little carried away.¡±


    He chopped off the head of one of them and then shed the neck of the second one. When he slipped his de through a gap in the armor, it pierced the body of the guard and sent a spray of blood flying through the air. Before the spattered blood could stick to the floor, Hiro crossed his white and silver light to build a pile of corpses.


    ¡°You still want to do it?¡±


    Hiro smiles fearlessly as he stands at ease in the midst of a cloud of blood.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The momentum of the guards came to aplete halt when they were shown an overwhelming disy of military might.


    ¡°Ugaaaaaaahhh! How dare you humiliate me!¡±


    Garius cut through the soldiers and rushed toward Hiro with his sword in his hand, his temper swelling.


    ¡°No need to apologize. I¡¯m not going to forgive you either.¡±


    A momentter, Garius¡¯ sword and the Heavenly Emperor¡¯s de exchanged sparks.


    ¡°I want you to rest assured that I will take your head. So just keep it clean and wait.¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Hiro punched Garius in the face, then turned on his heel and turned away.


    ¡°See youter.¡±


    On the other side of the open door, Hiro¡¯s figure disappeared into the darkness. The door closes. Immediately, several arrows were shot back by the iron wall, and the guards who hade to their senses rushed in.


    ¡°There¡¯s no handle!¡±


    ¡°Put the tip of your sword in the crack and pry it open!¡±


    ¡°No! I can¡¯t see any opening!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Then how the hell did they get it open?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Why don¡¯t you chase them quickly!¡±


    Fraus¡¯s shout rang out. He was breathing hard, partly because he was angry but also because he had lost one of his arms. As the guards cleared the way, Fraus stood in front of the iron door.


    ¡°What the hell is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°It seems that no one without the precious jewel can open it.¡±


    Garius said from behind him as he touched the door suspiciously.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never heard of something like this.¡±


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s something that can only be passed down from one generation of kings to the next.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, if we let udia go, our n will fail! She even took the precious jewel with her! How much time did I spend to get to this day!¡±


    Fraus kicked the door to let out his frustration. Garius stood behind him and whispered to him to quiet him down.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be a failure.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°Calm down. If you get too worked up, you¡¯ll bleed to death.¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing this in the first ce?¡±


    Fraus turned around in anger. It wasn¡¯t Garius who was there, but a hooded demon. In his hand, he holds a magic bow, the Fail Note.


    He¡¯s one of the three demon generals, Baal Van Bitenia.


    ¡°When you have lost your way, all you have to do is make one. There is only one destination.¡±


    ¡°L-lord Bitenia.¡±


    Baal wears an unfathomable atmosphere, Fraus is pressurized, and his anger disappears.


    Baal has never exposed his true face to anyone. He wears a hood all the time to hide himself from the public eye, and his people are divided in their assessment of him: either he is hideously ugly, or he has a face like the gods that dwell in the heavens. Not a few people considered it dangerous to have such an unknown person in the country¡¯s center. Despite this, he has remained in the position of the three demon generals because his unparalleled wisdom has always been used for the prosperity of the country.


    ¡°The first thing to do is to exin to the people. The longer they wait, the more suspicious they will be.¡±


    Fraus was no exception, and he had faith in Baal¡¯s wisdom.


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°Before you do that, you should get your arm treated.¡±


    Baal told the guards to fetch a doctor and instructed Garius to look for ces where loopholes could be connected.


    In the meantime, Fraus sat down on the throne and called for the royal guards. He instructed them to bring him wine and fruit and urged Baal to continue.


    ¡°So, what do you want me to exin to the people?¡±


    ¡°Right. The envoys of the Grantz Empire and several of the great nobles work together to assassinate the king and kidnap the princess. This will turn the public¡¯s attention outward, at least for a little while.¡±


    ¡°¡­What about udia?¡±


    ¡°If we can catch her before she leaves the country, all the better. But if she escapes, she will most likely head to the Grantz Empire. That¡¯s the only way left for her.¡±


    ¡°It would be bad if she escaped to the Grantz Empire. She has the precious jewel.¡±


    ¡°If that happens, the Grantz Empire will have a good reason to invade.¡±


    ¡°The people will call me the usurper! Many of the country¡¯s nobles will turn on me!¡±


    ¡°We must take action before that happens.¡±


    ¡°Can we do that?¡±


    Baal¡¯s lips parted into a crescent shape, and he gave a slight nod.


    ¡°We should first attack the southern part of the country, which is an obstacle and then invade the Grantz Empire. We can then gather our troops on the border and demand the return of the princess, making a big show that the reasonable cause is ours.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous¡­ fighting the Grantz Empire?¡±


    ¡°Oya, are you afraid?¡±


    After taking a sip of wine, Fraus¡¯s lips quivered at Baal¡¯s somewhat provocative tone.


    ¡°Of course. I had no intention of taking up arms against them in the first ce. There are 100,000 troops of the Fifth Imperial Army in the northern part of the Grantz Empire. I¡¯ve heard that the total number of the standing army is 200,000. In contrast, we can only prepare 40,000. There¡¯s no way we can win!¡±


    ¡°This is only true if they are concentrated in one ce. It¡¯s meaningless if they¡¯re scattered. The northern side is more focused on the ¡°Spirit Wall¡± in the west. It will take some time for the main force of the Fifth Imperial Army to rush over.¡±


    ¡°You think we can win?¡±


    Although Fraus¡¯ eyes were filled with anticipation, Baal spoke the reality without hesitation.


    ¡°It depends on our tactics, but first, we have to get rid of Haniel, who is in the way in the south. Otherwise, there will be no point in gathering our troops here.¡±


    Fraus expressed his dissatisfaction because it was not the answer he wanted, but he gave a slight nod after a while.


    ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll leave it all to you.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DLeave it to me, but first, let¡¯s eliminate all the envoys of the Grantz Empire and their guards.¡±


    Baal snorted and twisted his mouth into a lecherous grin.

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 3</h4>


    ¡°I apologize for this. I never thought my brother would act out like this.¡±


    udia bows her head in apology. The light from the torch illuminates udia¡¯s profile. Tears streaked down her cheeks.


    Hiro looked around in all directions. There were torches on the walls, and they seemed to be leading to the exit.


    After closing his eyes, Hiro took a long, deep breath and opened his mouth to udia.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use just to stand here. Let¡¯s head for the exit first.¡±


    Hiro grabbed one of the torches from the wall and started walking, lighting the torches evenly distributed on the wall. udia followed silently behind him.


    ¡°Do you know where this connects to, Princess udia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the exit ahead leads to a vige called Carilus. My father has told me this many times, so I am sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Prince Fraus doesn¡¯t know about this, does he?¡±


    ¡°Only those who possess the precious jewel are allowed to enter this ce, so father must not have told brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­..I see.¡±


    The king may have anticipated this situation before he died. Now that the king is dead, it is impossible to know his true intentions. So, what they had to do now was to figure out how to stop Fraus from getting out of control.


    As they continued to walk in silence, they eventually reached the exit.


    The stone door was dimly illuminated by light. There was no moss as if it had been well cared for. Hiro made udia step back and opened the door by pressing his shoulder against it.


    Dust flew around, and pieces of stone fell down on their heads. As they entered, they found rusty farming tools ced all over the room. Hiro made his way to the exit of the room without making a sound.


    He looked around for any sign of people outside, then turned around.


    ¡°¡­..Huh?¡±.


    He couldn¡¯t help but make a dumbfounded sound. This is because udia had taken off her dress and was now in her underwear.


    ¡°¡­Um, I¡¯d appreciate it if you would refrain from looking.¡±


    udia¡¯s cheeks turn red. Hiro then sighed and looked forward.


    ¡°If I may ask, why are you taking off your dress?¡±


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d change since the dress would make me stand out¡­¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s true now that you mention it.¡±


    If he went outside with udia in her dress, the soldiers would immediately find her. Hiro looked down at his own figure and then picked up a bup sack that had been ced nearby.


    ¡°To create a blind spot. Guess I¡¯ll have to hide mine too.¡±


    The ck cloak was especially noticeable in this snowynd. Hiro tore off the sack, spread it wide, and put it on over the ck Princess Camellia.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Hiro-sama, let¡¯s go.¡±


    When he turned around, he saw udia standing there in farmer¡¯s clothes. Her purple-silver hair was covered with a cloth, and her clothes were dotted with small holes.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take off your eye patch, Hiro-sama?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m injured. I can¡¯t take it off because the cold would hurt the wound.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Then let us take the most secluded road possible.¡±


    After udia¡¯s words, they both walked out of the room at the same time. There were no stars in the cold sky. The thick clouds obscured the moonlight. No light reached the ground, and the strong wind roared like a beast.


    ¡°Hurry up, this way!¡±


    udia¡¯s hurried voice cut through the air as the snow blended with the freezing wind covered her vision. However, she was caught in the snow and fell to one knee.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s move on. If we stay here, we¡¯ll freeze to death.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if we can escape from our pursuers, in this blizzard, we¡¯ll be freezing to death anyway¡­¡±


    Hiro took udia¡¯s hand. It¡¯s very cold. It seems that there is not much time left. There is no need to be extravagant about keeping warm, but they should at least find a ce to shelter from the wind. Once the blizzard is over, the next step will be to escape from the pursuers.


    Until then, they should conserve their strength as much as possible.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there. No one seems to be working there at this time of night.¡±


    Hiro pointed to the cowshed, where they could maintain a reasonable body temperature and avoid the wind.


    ¡°Yeah, but if you don¡¯t like it, we can go somewhere else¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. No one would believe that the princess slept in a cowshed.¡±


    udia took the initiative to start walking and smiled with a finger over her mouth.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a secret. If the people knew, they¡¯d have a stroke.¡±


    ¡°Of course I understand.¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders and smiled. And there is a reason why he chose the cowshed, which he did not tell udia.


    He chose the cowshed because Driks and the others who had been hiding in the city beforehand were supposed to have taken refuge in this vige. The decision they made was quite simple: if something happened to the royal pce, they would leave the city and go into hiding in a nearby vige.


    (It¡¯s this cold. Hugin and the others would not be able to withstand it.)


    In a small vige like this, outsiders would be conspicuous. So the only ce to hide would be in a ce where they would not be seen but where they would not lose their body heat. Considering the fact that there were very few people going outside in this blizzard, including the time of day, the answer naturally came to mind.


    Hiro stopped and looked above him ¨D a barn with a red triangr roof stood before him.


    After opening the sliding door, Hiro walked inside with udia at his back. There were three signs of life, and although they were hiding well under their breath, they were not yet fully trained.


    ¡°It¡¯s me. I need all three of you toe out.¡±


    In response to his voice, two men and a woman came out. They knelt down in front of Hiro and bowed their heads.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe, wise brother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If anything happens to Hiro-sama, Chief Ghada will be angry with us.¡±


    Hugin and Munin approached him in a friendly manner, and Driks stood up before he could thank them.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m d to see that you¡¯re okay. But we don¡¯t have much time left, so why don¡¯t we check on each other¡¯s situation first?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I also have several things I want to know. We don¡¯t know much about the situation in the royal capital.¡±


    ¡°Well, first of all, we were able to escape from the capital easily.¡±


    When Hiro was caught up in the conspiracy surrounding the throne, it seems that something strange was happening in the city. It is said that arge number of soldiers came and went along the streets, heading for inns and noblemen¡¯s residences.


    However, no tight security was put in ce and the soldiers who had reached their goal headed out of the royal capital. And then, one after another, the nobles rode out from the royal pce, including Fraus and the others.


    ¡°Very well. I guess the next one¡¯s on me.¡±


    Hiro gave a word of encouragement to Driks, then turned his hand to udia and introduced her to the three of them.


    ¡°I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. I had no idea that my brother would rebel.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re d that Princess udia is safe.¡±


    Driks said while shaking his head and looked at Hiro again.


    ¡°And, Your Highness Hiro, have you noticed anything in the vige?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which¡­ I didn¡¯t see any soldiers after we escaped.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. The security around this ce is as good as empty, so it seems that most of them have joined the army of Crown Prince Fraus and headed south. The number of them may have exceeded thirty thousand.¡±


    ¡°Not to the Grantz Empire¡­ but the south?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand that part.¡±


    Driks shrugged his shoulders. Hiro interrupted, trying to think. Then udia approached him.


    ¡°My brother is probably going to attack the south.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to her as udia spoke up.


    ¡°The one ruling there is Haniel, one of the three demon generals. He is loyal to my father, so he is sure to fight them if he hears about this. Above all, there are many nobles and people in the south who adore him, so I think my brother has decided that Haniel is a hindrance.¡±


    ¡°Does Princess udia know how many troops the south can mobilize?¡±


    When Hiro asked, udia opened her mouth without hesitation.


    ¡°It¡¯s about 10,000, but it¡¯s mostly civilians¡­ including the elderly.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, I think we should seek help from the Second Prince Selene. It¡¯s fortunate that they were practicing near the border, andbined with the southern part; we should be able to overwhelm the army of Crown Prince Fraus.¡±


    Driks¡¯ suggestion wasn¡¯t a bad one, but¡­


    (So that¡¯s what this is about¡­)


    Hiro remembered thest words that the second prince had said. The answer is created by the chain of ufortable feelings that led up to this point in his mind.


    ¡°It seems that the Emperor saw through this situation.¡±


    ¡°You think he knew there would be a civil war?¡±


    There are many things that could not be exined otherwise. It¡¯s not only that the second prince is near the border, but also that Hiro, who continues to make remarkable achievements, would not be sent as an envoy to a peaceful country.


    If Hiro¡¯s presence is bothersome to them, they can just throw him into an appropriate battlefield and use him. Perhaps they were trying to deal with the civil war in the Levering Kingdom before it reached the Grantz Empire. They may be trying to save Hiro and the others from captivity, or they may be using the murder of the envoys as a pretext tounch a short battle with the overwhelming military power of the north.


    (I won¡¯t let them do what they want. This is Rox¡¯s country. I can¡¯t let them destroy it.)


    Hiro mobilized all the knowledge he had gained a thousand years ago and desperately searched for a way to prevent the Levering Kingdom from being destroyed. Then, looking at udia, a strange idea popped into Hiro¡¯s head.


    ¡°Second-grade military officer Driks. I want you to go to the Second Prince immediately and tell him. No help is needed. The envoy was killed, but it was a rebel outburst, not the intention of the Levering Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir. But what are you going to do now that you mention that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to join Haniel with Princess udia. Then we will put down the rebellion.¡±


    Hiro stroked the eye patch covering half of his face, and a thin smile appeared on his lips.

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 4</h4>


    October 16, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    A storm of tyranny was brewing in the southern part of the Levering Kingdom ¨D mainly in the outskirts of Halm.


    The rebel army led by Fraus was merciless. They plundered, ughtered, burned every scattered vige, and cruelly destroyed the city.


    The men were thoroughly tortured, the fleeing women became an outlet for their lust, and even the children were no exception, having their heads cut off in front of their parents and left to rot in the ground.


    The stench of decay covers the southern part of the country, and once again, a vige is being burned to the ground today. Houses were burning down, and ck smoke rose from the fields, mixing with the stench of death and rising to the sky.


    Small mes smoldered around the houses, which were filled with burnt people.


    ¡°If we were a ve nation, we¡¯d take the women back with us.¡±


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about that. There are still plenty of women in the south. In fact, you might as well worry about them dying out.¡±


    The soldiers spoke their thoughts amidst a swirl of vulgarughter here and there. Their hands were clogged with plunder. The soldiers strolled through the vige, listening to the screams of the women as if they owned the ce.


    ¡°I never thought we¡¯d be able to plunder the south.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that the people in the south have a lot of human blood, but they are still citizens of the same country. More importantly, the southern part is ruled by one of the three demon generals, Haniel.¡±


    ¡°He was the same three demon generals as Baal-sama. But, even though they¡¯re the same, he was no match for the wisdom of Baal-sama. I¡¯m d I sided with the crown prince Fraus.¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡±


    Afterughing at each other, the soldiers stopped in their tracks. A horse came galloping up from the front. A blue cloth was wrapped around its arm, the sign of a messenger.


    The horse neighed and came to a stop in front of the soldiers, sending up a cloud of dust.


    ¡°Join the main army at once! This is a strict order from the crown prince Fraus!¡±


    The soldiers looked at each other and grumbled as they lifted their shoulders.


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. The reconnaissance mission is not over yet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re not scheduled for return yet, are we?¡±


    It was no wonder they wereining. It¡¯s only the second day since they were plundered in the name of reconnaissance.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been told to join up by tomorrow! I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t listen to the orders, but be prepared for your heads to fall to the ground in return!¡±


    The messenger turned his horse¡¯s head back to the road he hade from and galloped off over the horizon, his horses¡¯ hooves echoing.


    ¡°What the hell was that all about?¡±


    ¡°Damn it. I haven¡¯t had enough of this yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use. Let¡¯s go scavenge for a woman who hasn¡¯t been killed yet.¡±


    The soldiers dumped their loot on the ground and walked in the direction of the screaming women.


    A day away from the burned down vige was the main camp of the rebel army. In the center of the camp were a shy tent and the g of the Kingdom of Levering fluttering in the wind.


    Once inside, after passing through the tight security, Baal, one of the three demon generals, and his advisors were holding a military council.


    ¡°Seven viges, two cities, men¡¯s heads chopped off and lined up on the city walls, every inhabitant, women, and children, killed. The inhabitants of the surrounding viges and towns are said to be so frightened that they are moving south as refugees.¡±


    As one of the staff members announced, the surrounding staff members were at a loss for words as they heard the insurgents¡¯ rampage reports. In the midst of this, one of the unitmanders shook his voice.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much? This will turn the south into a wilderness. It will be a problem in the future.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve ordered all reconnaissance units to return. Let¡¯s make sure they refrain from doing so from now on.¡±


    Baal responded by waving his hand lightly in an annoyed manner. The staff member, perhaps irritated by the gesture, raised his voice.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, hurting your own people?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice but to do so for the sake of future operations. Although the casualties were a little high.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is the purpose of this operation?¡±


    When asked by the staff officer, Baal sighed in exasperation.


    ¡°What do you think will happen if those who have lost their homes move south?¡±


    This is the southern part of the kingdom of Levering, but another 60 cells (180 km) to the south connects to the eastern part of the Great Empire of Grantz. The chased people will go south to the east, not to the north of the Grantz Empire, where the rebel army will invade after pacifying the south.


    ¡°That will be epted by the Eastern nobles.¡±


    ¡°There. That is my purpose.¡±


    Baal stood up from his chair and grabbed the edge of his hood to increase the shadows hiding his face.


    ¡°If it were someone unrted to them, they might treat them with disregard, but they are our longtime allies. They will not have the option of not epting the refugees.¡±


    Baal began to ce the pieces on the map spread out on the desk.


    ¡°Humans need sustenance to survive. Food, clothing, and shelter are all essential. However, when the number of people increases rapidly, the stored gold, silver, and food must be unloaded. Inevitably, there will be discord. Those who have lived in the region since the beginning will feel ufortable with the refugees.¡±


    What they hadbored so hard to deliver to their lords was being devoured by those who hade from othernds.


    Exactly ¨D it was an invasion without malice.


    When discontent turns to hatred and resentment is directed at the ruler, there is no stopping it when it explodes. The beginning of a rebellion, a civil war in a great country can destroy a country in either direction.


    ¡°The Grantz Empire is powerful. It has arge poption. That¡¯s what makes it so deadly.¡±


    Rebellions broke out all over the country in a chain reaction. The dissatisfaction that had built up over the years spread throughout the Grantz Empire. Then they can take advantage of the chaos to invade the north and chip away at the territory.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we plundered. A massacre for that. It¡¯s like an example. The purpose is to show them how horrible we are so that it will be easier for us to conquer the northter.¡±


    However, even after listening to the exnation, the anxiety on the faces of the staff and unitmanders could not be removed.


    ¡°There must be people who can read our moves, and there will be nobles in the East who will not ept refugees.¡±


    ¡°That would be a blessing in disguise. If the refugees are forced on each other, there will be discord among the nobles.¡±


    Baal thrust a small sword into the desk.


    ¡°A wedge will be driven in. Be like the Grantz Empire, which thinks it stands at the top of the world.¡±


    The staff fell silent at the spirit that Baal had unleashed.


    ¡°This is the end of the military council. We will reopen the meeting when the reconnaissance unit returns. Stand by until then.¡±


    Baal looked at the people around the table and then left themand center.


    He was now headed for a ce not too far away: the tent of Fraus. The soldier on guard, recognizing Baal, stepped back to make way for him.


    Once Baal was inside, a strange smell clung to his nose. The room was filled with a foul odor that would have made any normal person nauseous. The smell came from the center of the room, from a bunk wrapped in clean sheets.


    In the middle of the room, there was the changed figure of Fraus, his face pale and discolored.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Isn¡¯t it Lord Bitenia? What happened?¡±


    Fraus, who noticed Baal¡¯s presence, raised his upper body. However, he immediately lost his strength and looked up at the ceiling. Baal quietly approached and looked down at Fraus, who continued to breathe raggedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°I-is that so¡­?¡±


    He was a young man, full of life, but now he had wrinkles all over his face, and his body was emaciated like an old man. It¡¯s not even a week since the king¡¯s murder. The abnormality urred three days ago, when he copsed in the middle of a military council, coughing up blood.


    He became thinner and thinner from then on, and every part of his body was slowly rotting away. He had also lost his right eye, and the sight in his remaining left eye was fading. Now he can¡¯t even stand by himself.


    ¡°Fuh, kuku¡­¡±


    Thus ¨D Baalughed. The good thing is that he can¡¯t see, so he breaks his creepy purple lips into a crescent shape and shakes his throat.


    And then ¨D Fraus¡¯s chapped lips moved.


    ¡°Where¡¯s udia? Have you found her yet?¡±


    ¡°No. We haven¡¯t heard anything yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ what is she doing when her brother is in this state?¡±


    Tears flowed from Fraus¡¯ eyes. He raised his hand, which was rotting away, and only three fingers remained.


    ¡°Lord Bitenia¡­ bring udia to me. I need her power.¡±


    ¡°Oh ¨D Fraus-sama. You must not move. Your fingers will fall off again.¡±


    Baal was about to burst outughing, so he shoved his hand into his mouth and struggled to hold back hisughter.


    ¡°Leave Princess udia to me and take today¡¯s medicine.¡±


    The careless lifting of Fraus¡¯s head elicited a kind of scream from his mouth, but it was not loud enough to be heard outside, and no one appeared to help Fraus. After a few moments of watching Fraus¡¯ face contort in extreme pain, Baal reached into his own pocket.


    He took out a small golden vial and brought the tip of the bottle to Fraus¡¯ mouth.


    ¡°Here, drink it. Bitterness will be sweetness, the pain will be a pleasure, and anxiety will be hope.¡±


    ¡°Oh, goh! Guboh!¡±


    A strange liquid was poured into Fraus¡¯ mouth.


    ¡°We must surrender ourselves to our King. And we will surely be blessed.¡±


    The cold darkness was gathering. The air was thick and stagnant and swirling. In this isted world, Fraus continued to suffer and struggle.

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 5</h4>


    There was a soft breeze blowing. Grass and flowers peeked out from the snow and swayed pleasantly. The chirping of birds touched the ears, and the breezy air erased any sense of tension.


    Feelingfortable in such a cheerful atmosphere, Hiro and the others made their way toward their destination. However, when they stepped into the southern region ¨D the world changedpletely.


    Everyone gasped at the strange sight. All of their eyes were fixed on an object. On both sides of a well-developed road, X-shaped boards were lined up like tombstones. There, women, old men, and children ¨D the people of the south ¨D were crucified.


    They stretch for miles along the road as if they were part of thendscape. The dead bodies were not saying anything, but it was easy to guess how they had been killed.


    Hiro and the others were at a loss for words in front of the cruel scene. They stopped in their tracks as if they were rooted to the earth. If only time would pass and their minds couldprehend the situation.


    ¡°This is what they do to their own people!¡±


    Hugin said, not hiding her anger.


    ¡°This is terrible! They even put their hands on children and women¡­¡±


    Munin covered his eyes with his hands at the tragic scene while udia bent her knees in prayer.


    Hiro watched the brutal scene with his own eyes¨D¨D.


    ¡°Munin.¡±


    ¡°Yes. What is it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving. The refugees told me that the rebel army has set up camp nearby.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After Hiro¡¯s words, Munin and the others began to walk.


    It¡¯s a shame to leave the body unattended, but there¡¯s no time left for the burial. Above all, the four of them would not be able to handle such arge number of bodies.


    ¡°There are still many people in the Levering Kingdom who hold to the supremacy of the demon race. There are also a lot of humans living in Haniel¡¯s territory, and they probably don¡¯t think of them as their own people.¡±


    That¡¯s why they canmit such atrocities. udia said.


    ¡°My brother also holds the supremacy of the demon race. He has been criticized many times by my father for his dangerous ideas.¡±


    If you¡¯re not a demon, you¡¯re not a person ¨D that¡¯s demon supremacy. This is a word left behind by arrogant and abominable people that cannot be forgotten even if desired.


    Many people were sacrificed, a lot of blood was spilled on the ground, and a lot of resentment ruled the heavens. If it still remains even now, a thousand yearster, then it is already a kind of curse.


    ¡°However, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the only reason why they would go to such an extreme, isn¡¯t there another reason?¡±


    When Hiro asked, udia hesitated and then opened her mouth.


    ¡°Actually¡­ on the day of the tragedy, my father was supposed to dere that he would abdicate the throne to me.¡±


    ¡°So the Crown Prince Fraus knew about it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Somewhere along the line, my brother must have found out. It is possible that his anger was not satisfied with the murder of father and that he has turned it against the people of the south.¡±


    udia¡¯s eyshes quivered sadly, and she let out a white breath as she lowered her eyes.


    ¡°I am truly sorry for bringing Hiro-sama and the others into this situation.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind it. It¡¯s because of my convenience that I¡¯m trying to get involved.¡±


    udia, who was walking next to me, looked at Hiro with a curious expression.


    ¡°Why are you so nice to me?¡±


    Hiro smiled silently at udia. He decided that he shouldn¡¯t say anything.


    Why does he help out¡­? He wanted to save the country that his former subordinate had founded, and there was no way he could abandon it. Besides, there is also a calcting feeling that the Levering Kingdom is indispensable for his future ns.


    ¡°Wise brother! That seems to be the encampment of the southern army.¡±


    Hugin happily ran up to Hiro. When Hiro turned his eyes in the direction she was pointing, he saw a row of white tents. They were probably preparing a meal, and a lot of smoke was rising from there, swirling in the wind.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go meet Haniel-san.¡±


    Hiro and the others approached a soldier standing guard near the entrance of the encampment. When they were about to reveal their identities, the soldier recognized udia first and stiffened his body.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Princess udia, thank goodness, you¡¯re safe!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. I would like to see Haniel. Do you know where he is?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    The soldier was stunned by udia¡¯s question.


    ¡°Can you pleasee this way first?¡±


    The soldier turned around and told a nearby soldier to take his ce. The soldier then began to walk silently. Hiro, who was following behind him, noticed the heavy atmosphere around him.


    Soldiers with dark, stagnant expressions were hurriedly moving around, loading supplies onto wagons. The air was heavy with dust as if they were preparing to retreat.


    Soon, they reached a tent, and Hiro narrowed his eyes.


    (Not a curtain for themander, but¡­ for medical use?)


    He felt a stirring ¨D a sticky, eerie sense of danger pressing down on his heart. Inside the medical tent, there was a single simple bed. The clean, wax-white sheets were unnaturally puffy, forming bloody patterns in ces. The smell of chemicals in the air was mixed with a faint odor of decay.


    ¡°¡­Princess udia?¡±


    A middle-aged man who had been lying face down near the bed stood up when he noticed the presence of Hiro and the others. He bent his knees as he wobbled closer and began to cry out loudly.


    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re all right!¡±


    ¡°Lift your head. Where is Haniel?¡±


    udia put her hand on the man¡¯s shoulder and urged him to stand up. But he put his face close to the ground and pressed his forehead against it.


    ¡°Forgive us for our unworthiness! Haniel-sama has been killed in the battle!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    ¡°He had been tricked by the enemy! It was a trap, and Haniel-sama was ambushed; he fought hard but was outmatched ¨D I am sorry!¡±


    ¡°So Haniel is the one in there?¡±


    udia turned her eyes painfully to the bed. When the man gave a small nod and started sobbing again. Hiro sighed at the sight of them both.


    (So they start preparing to retreat¡­)


    It was hard to believe that Haniel was the only one who had gone to negotiate. There are many others in the entourage who would have followed him. If there are no more people to give orders to, even arge army will be a ragtag bunch.


    ¡°Excuse me, how many soldiers are left?¡±


    ¡°¡­About five thousand. That includes the wounded.¡±


    The man frowned at Hiro¡¯s abrupt approach but replied politely.


    ¡°The enemy hasunched an all-out attack on us as we are reeling from the loss of Haniel-sama and the others.¡±


    However, without theirmander, they were unable to establish a chain ofmand. Not only did they lose more than 5,000 soldiers, but they were also defeated without being able to strike back.


    ¡°Princess udia, there is something that Haniel-sama told me to give you before he passed away.¡±


    The man went to a corner of the curtain and came back with something wrapped in cloth in his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s the magic sword Auto ire. Please ept it.¡±


    The cloth was untied, revealing the magic sword. udia held her mouth, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°Please guide us on behalf of Haniel-sama¡­¡±


    As silence gave way to stillness, the curtain was filled with heavy air. udia silently picked up the magic sword and went straight to Haniel¡¯s side.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can handle such arge task, but it is my duty as a member of the royal family to put an end to this chaos¡­ and I will do my best.¡±


    udia stabbed the sword into the ground, pressed her forehead against the hilt, and turned her face down. Hiro sees her expression and closes his eyes. He suppressed the anger that was boiling up from the depths of his heart.


    ¡°Hiro-sama, could you please lend me your help?¡±


    Hiro opened his eyelids quietly as udia called out to him.


    ¡°If it¡¯s something I can help with, then yes. Princess udia, what is it that you want?¡±


    ¡°To avenge my brother, the usurper. I will not tolerate any more violence.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. I will do everything to help you.¡±


    However, the situation was terrible. Even if they were to take it seriously, they would not stand a chance. The other side has a very clever man. They use sweet bait to catch the enemy, and when the enemy is stuck, they use it against him. He has a cunning and brutal mind.


    (Besides, most of our moves have been crushed.)


    The corpses that had been exposed on the way here ¨D they were not meant to provoke anger, but to be shown to the defeated soldiers, and if they were shown such atrocities, they would be dominated by anger on the surface, but deep down, they would be instilled with fear.


    Morale is at an all-time low, the soldiers have no energy, and they are outnumbered¡­


    ¡°The first step is to reorganize the troops. I want you to gather the unitmanders to themand center.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    udia nodded.


    ¡°Can you gather the survivingmanders now?¡±


    When udia instructed the man, he immediately ran outside.


    ¡°So, Hiro-sama, do you have a n?¡±


    Hiro smiled confidently at udia as he turned to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult ¨D but first, let¡¯s talk to the unitmanders. ¡°

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 6</h4>


    The survivingmanders were gathered in a tent in the center of the main camp. They were called together urgently, and all of them had a question mark on their faces. They would be caught in a storm of tyranny if they didn¡¯t withdraw quickly. All of them were restless, perhaps because they were panicked.


    Then, Hiro arrives with udia. The unitmanders stood up in unison and saluted.


    ¡°I apologize for having you gather at such short notice.¡±


    udia returned the salute and sat down on a chair prepared for her.


    ¡°And here is Hiro Schwartz von Grantz, the Fourth Prince of the Grantz Empire, who will be assisting me as my military advisor.¡±


    Themanders rolled their eyes in surprise but gradually began to tense up as if they understood the situation.


    With a calm face, Hiro brushed aside the impassive gaze of themanders and ced the maps and documents on the desk before bowing lightly. Then he sat down next to udia.


    ¡°Please make yourselffortable.¡±


    He pointed his hand at the chairs provided for themanders and urged them to sit down, which they did.


    (I guess everything is fine.)


    It¡¯s not that they trust him, but there¡¯s no mockery, and they seem to be listening to Hiro with an open mind, although there¡¯s a lot of reserves involved.


    ¡°The first thing that needs to be mentioned is that we have to suspend the retreat. If we allow the rebel army to wreak any more havoc, the reconstruction of the south will be difficult. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve decided to intercept the Crown Prince Fraus.¡±


    Although they didn¡¯t say it out loud due to udia¡¯s presence, themanders¡¯ expressions showed their dissatisfaction. Hiro, deciding that he should first ease their anxiety and frustration, took a small breath and announced his intentions.


    ¡°The situation is not good, but we still have a chance to win. In order to save the people under fire and avenge the dead soldiers and officers, we must rise again.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s words, full of confidence, brought a little light back into themanders¡¯ eyes. Above all, the words of the descendant of the ¡°God of War,¡± who was said to be unbeatable, resonated with them more than anything else.


    However, Hiro felt a little disappointed. It would have been better to have someone with a rebellious spirit to smooth things over. However, since they had lost so badly, it was probably inevitable that they would be deted. First of all, he should get them motivated again.


    ¡°Then I want to ask you what you want to do in the future. If there is anyone who wants to suggest your own n, please speak up and let me know.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Hiro-sama must have some kind of n, right?¡±


    udia interjected in a frightened manner.


    Hiro gave a slight nod and said generously.


    ¡°Of course, I have several things in mind. But first, I want to hear the opinions of the people here.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s words were met with a look of surprise from themanders. It¡¯s understandable. There is no way that they would be able to speak positively when asked if they had a n.


    ¡°¡­Why is that?¡±


    Hiro let out an exasperated sigh, feeling terribly disappointed that there were some who didn¡¯t want to speak up. In other words, they were nning to follow Hiro¡¯smands from the beginning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need amander who simply follows along without being able to express their own opinions.¡±


    The heroes of tomorrow may be here today. For the future, therefore, it is necessary to find and nurture their seeds. If there is even one more talented person, more people will be saved.


    ¡°There is no need to be hesitant due to some grand title, such as ¡°royal family¡± or ¡°descendant of the god of war. If you have a good opinion, I will consider it.¡±


    What worries him is fear. If there are people who look to their superiors, their judgment will be clouded, and more people will die in battle. If things go badly, the result will be a defeat. The fate of the nation may even depend on the destruction of a single unit.


    Therefore, attrition is unnecessary in war. They should be removed as soon as possible.


    ¡°T-then, will you please listen to my opinion?¡±


    In the quiet tent, a stern voice of amander sounded weakly.


    Hiro smiled. It didn¡¯t matter if it wasn¡¯t an excellent opinion.


    ¡°I will allow you to speak.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    The sternmander stood up. He was nervous and had a lot of sweat on his forehead.


    ¡°I think we should take advantage of our geographical advantage andunch a surprise attack, since we are outnumbered.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡±


    And anothermander with a thin face interrupted.


    ¡°The enemy keeps staying in the same ce. They probably know the geography by sending out scouts in the vicinity. Even if we can get behind them, there is a high probability that they are aware of us.¡±


    ¡°But we are outnumbered. There is no way to win except by surprise. Are you saying that we should fight them head-on? I can only imagine a total annihtion.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. We should try to catch them off guard before we surprise them.¡±


    ¡°And how do we do that?¡±


    The sternmander asked, and the thin-facedmander fell silent. The othermander, unable to see this, began to ce pieces on a map on the desk.


    ¡°How about this? Divide the army in two, use the first army as a diversion from the front, and the second army from behind, then we canunch a pincer attack.¡±


    ¡°Wait. The enemy is more numerous than us. Then they will destroy us individually, and we will be annihted.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for everyone to join in the discussion. As the atmosphere began to heat up, the military discussion became more heated. However, the conversation remained on a parallel track.


    None of the opinions were conclusive. Hiro decided to bring the discussion to a close.


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying. Let¡¯s just calm down and drink some water.¡±


    Not wanting to ignore Hiro, themanders let out a ragged breath and took their seats. When he saw that everyone was seated, Hiro left his seat. Themanders also hurriedly tried to get up.


    ¡°I want you to stay where you are and listen to what I have to say.¡±


    Themanders sat back down with quizzical expressions on their faces. Hiro looked around at the faces of the people and then gently began to speak.


    ¡°As a descendant of a former ally, I¡¯m d to see that everyone was thinking about the country and devising a n.¡±


    After uttering the Fourth Prince¡¯s words, Hiro spoke with an exaggerated gesture.


    ¡°All of the suggestions are excellent, and none of them should be discarded. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡±


    Someone clears their throat. Someone gulped and thought, ¡°My n might be adopted.¡± If that n is sessful, it will surely leave a mark in the history of the Levering Kingdom. Everyone was looking at Hiro, forgetting even to breathe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s adopt all of your ns.¡±


    Naturally ¨D everyone was taken aback. They looked as if they couldn¡¯t understand what Hiro was talking about.


    Hiro, who had anticipated this reaction, smiled slightly.


    ¡°None of these moves are bad. Besides, we can¡¯t treat everyone¡¯s feelings for the country so disrespectfully.¡±


    No one would be downhearted just because their opinion was not reflected. However, Hiro was aiming for unity by adopting everyone¡¯s n. He wanted to use the power of the whole force to defeat the opponent, not the power of the individual.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fix what¡¯s wrong. Use the odd; use the positive. y with the enemy and go for the victory.¡±


    Suppose the rebel army hadn¡¯tid a hand on the people. In that case, they might have been able to get away with it peacefully because of Princess udia. However, the enemy used the vilest and vicious means.


    It was something that could not be overlooked and could not be forgiven.


    ¡°It is better to hunt them down slowly so that they can understand us. We have to let them know firsthand who they¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    With his hands on either side of the desk, he let out a breath of boiling anger. Hiro looked around at themanders. In the depths of their eyes, a fierce fire raged.


    ¡°¨D¨DWe will surely give them despair.¡±


    Everyone trembled at the murderous spirit that seeped into his words.

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 7

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 7</h4>


    A small hill a short distance from where the rebel army had established their camp. Now that darkness had settled in, not even the light of the stars could reach this ce, which was surrounded by woods.


    In the shade of the grass, four men were hiding under their breath as if buried in the snow, watching the southern army. They were dressed in white so as to blend in with the surrounding scenery, and clumps of leaves could be seen all over their bodies, perhaps to mimic their surroundings. They even smeared mud on their faces.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Shouldn¡¯t we leave while we can before they figure out what we¡¯re up to?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we still observe them? In the meantime, Let¡¯s send one man to report back.¡±


    As the two men argued, another man who has a big body lying on the ground opened his mouth, choking back a sigh.


    ¡°There is no need to be hasty. The enemy is five thousand strong. I think it would be the same even if we didn¡¯t report it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true; we have 30,000. It is not a difference in strength that can be overturned no matter how hard they try.¡±


    The other one, an old soldier, snickered at the southern army¡¯s encampment as he sipped his plundered wine. As the two soldiers continued to stand guard, the old man leaned over a barrel of wine.


    ¡°You guys ought to rx with the watching and have a drink. There is no meat, though.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of meat on the streets, though.¡±


    It was human meat, though, the big man added with a sly grin.


    However, the two guards didn¡¯t seem to move until the shift change and didn¡¯t show any reaction. The old soldier cleared his throat and sighed boringly.


    ¡°You kids are so damn serious and annoying. Do you want to keep on guard forever until you get old?¡±


    ¡°Well, old man. We¡¯re on a mission, so you should keep things in check. We have to escape if we are discovered.¡±


    The old soldier sniffed in amusement as the big man poured some wine into a wooden cup.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who can¡¯t even stand up, so don¡¯t get too cocky.¡±


    ¡°Gahahaha, it¡¯s all right. I¡¯m young, after all, and unlike you, old man. I can fight if necessary.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re talking out of your ass, young man. Anyway, I wonder when ourmander will be back from taking a piss.¡±


    ¡°He must have fallen asleep somewhere. He¡¯s been drinking a lot, too.¡±


    ¡°In this cold weather, he might have frozen to death somewhere. That¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re too weak to drink.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t give up on alcohol on a boring mission like this.¡±


    The big man with a weird ent stood up abruptly and raised his hand to the old soldier who was giving him a suspicious look.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pee for a minute and look for themander.¡±


    ¡°Be careful; you might slip and hit your head and die.¡±


    ¡°Old man, you better not be freezing when I returned, okay?¡±


    As soon as he was told, the big man slipped and fell to the ground.


    ¡°Look. I told you, right? You¡¯re not leaking it in your pants, are you?¡±


    ¡°It hurts ¨D of course not. I just got my feet caught in the mud¡­¡±


    When the big man rubbed the ground, a persistent grinding sound was heard.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    He raises his hand above his head, relying on the moonlight spilling through the trees.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡±


    From his wrist to the tip of his hand, it was stained red. Besides, a drop of liquid falls on the big man¡¯s cheek. He wiped his cheeks with his arm depressingly and then looked back to see that the old soldier had disappeared.


    ¡°Huh? Hey, old man?¡±


    He turned his head around. The two soldiers on guard were still there, but only the old soldier had suddenly disappeared.


    ¡°Hey, you guys, where¡¯s the old man¡­?¡±


    He grabbed the guard by the shoulders and tried to turn to look back, but gravity pulled them down.


    ¡°No way, hey.¡±


    The two guards were cut off from the neck down. The big man backed away in fear, and the ground was wet with blood.


    ¡°What is this? I must be drunk¡­¡±


    The man was so drunk that he didn¡¯t know if it was real or not.


    The big man ran through the woods with unsteady steps, hoping that it was a dream.


    ¡°Shit¡­ I really don¡¯t understand.¡±


    His instincts told him that he shouldn¡¯t be here. He felt his drunkenness sinking into him. But the body doesn¡¯t. The big man ran desperately to the ce where he had left his horse, falling down several times. He gets more scrapes and bleeds all over his body, but when he reaches his destination¡­


    ¡°¡­Hyiu.¡±


    A small, disgusting scream rises from his throat. The sight that met the man¡¯s eyes was the corpse of an old soldier hanging from a tree.


    At the base of the tree sat a young man in ck. His ck eyes, darker than the darkness itself, were fixed on the big man.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    He immediately tried to pull out the sword at his waist. But he could not move his arm, and when he looked at it, he saw that it was missing from his shoulder. The big man¡¯s screams burst into the dark night, and his big body rolled around on the ground.


    ¡°Now, I suppose there¡¯s not much information I can get from a low-level guy like you.¡±


    The young man stepped on the snow and approached ¨D but then he disappeared from the big man¡¯s sight.


    ¡°The night is long. I¡¯d be happier if you were less reluctant to talk.¡±


    The big man was kicked in the back and rolled over, hitting his face on the ground.


    ¡°How much do you know about the three demon generals? Especially I want to know about the guy named Baal.¡±


    The big man¡¯s sword was clutched in the young man¡¯s hand as if he had stolen it at some point. When he saw it out of the corner of his eye, the big man waved his remaining arm to stop the young man.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait! What are you going to do?¡±


    A flickering de sliced through his arm. A ssh of blood, followed by the man¡¯s scream, rang out.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurting my ears.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    The big man¡¯s head rolled around, making a path of blood on the ground, and stopped when it hit someone¡¯s toe. The person was the man that the old soldier and the big man had called theirmander.


    He was tied up with a rope and had a cloth over his mouth.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ve sobered up by now.¡±


    The young man, Hiro, removed the cloth covering themander¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°W-what do you want to know? I¡¯ll tell you anything I know!¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s start with the man called Baal.¡±


    ¡°No one knows the true identity of Baal-sama. I-I¡¯m not lying! Probably not even the Crown Prince Fraus knows.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then such a man is your chief strategist?¡±


    ¡°He was trusted by the previous king. Above all, for the sake of the country, Baal-sama continued to work with all his might. He¡¯s very popr in our country now.¡±


    ¡°I know that much. Is there anything else?¡±


    Themander¡¯s lips quivered as he gnashed his teeth when Hiro flicked the de of his sword at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know anything about him. It¡¯s impossible for a meremander like me to provide any details!¡±


    ¡°I see, now for the next question. Why did you attack the south?¡±


    ¡°You started it, didn¡¯t you? You killed the king and kidnapped the princess! It¡¯s enough reason to start a war. And the southern part of the country is full of humans, many of whom are cooperating with the Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°Did you see the king being killed? Did you see the princess being kidnapped?¡±


    Themander became speechless and silent at Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°You just heard about it, didn¡¯t you? Baal, or Crown Prince Fraus, exined that an envoy from the Grantz Empire killed the king and kidnapped the princess. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The old nobles also had informants.¡±


    ¡°And what about those who became informants?¡±


    ¡°I heard that they were killed on the spot, but some of them were thrown in jail.¡±


    ¡°I see. So they took the ones they could use as hostages and killed the ones they didn¡¯t need.¡±


    The man didn¡¯t seem to understand what Hiro was muttering, and he had a quizzical expression on his face. Hiro lifted his sword silently as if he did not intend to exin.


    When themander saw the sword emitting a dull light, his blood changed.


    ¡°Wait! Please don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I still have a few questions I want to ask you.¡±


    ¡°A-ask me anything you want!¡±


    ¡°Well, let me ask you this¡­ who gave the order tomit such a barbaric act to harm the people?¡±


    ¡°It was Baal-sama.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever taken part in plunder?¡±


    ¡°No. I swear it. Most of the people who plunder are criminals.¡±


    Although the demon race in the Levering Kingdom is thin-blooded, long-lived people make up more than half of the poption. Criminals are no exception to this, and many of the facilities that house them are on the verge of being overrun.


    That¡¯s why they took advantage of this war to incorporate about five thousand of them into the army.


    ¡°Many of the regr soldiers have been influenced by them and are taking part in the plunder because of the orders of Baal-sama. But an honorable demon like me would never plunder¡­¡±


    Themander couldn¡¯t finish what he was saying. His head fell to the ground.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re lying.¡±


    Hiro threw away his sword and took a nce at the corpse with his frosty eyes before walking away.


    ¡°More and more, there was no reason to keep Baal or the Crown Prince Fraus alive.¡±


    As if melting into the darkness, and even the moonlight sank, Hiro quietly disappeared.

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 8

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 8</h4>


    The next day ¨D it was early in the morning, just after dawn. On a in dotted with forests, the southern army led by Hiro and the others seeded in catching up with the rebel army.


    The rebel army, standing calmly in three horizontal lines, did not seem overwhelmed. The archers were ced at the front of the first line, ready to fight at any time, and the cavalry behind them was arranged to take advantage of any opening. The infantry formed a tight formation in the center.


    ¡°A spearhead formation. It looks like they don¡¯t intend to make a move from there.¡±


    It¡¯s also called the turtle formation, and it waits for the shells to be struck from the outside. It is a formation in which they are confident that they will not be crushed, and when the bait approaches, they stretch out their necks and tten it.


    ¡°I thought they would attack in numbers, but I guess they¡¯re not too conceited, and they¡¯re not too careless¡­¡±


    They know the art of war. They don¡¯t just leave it to the numbers and dare to charge in blindly.


    They used a formation in anticipation of the small number of people in the area. This would mean that Hiro¡¯s army would have to initiate the attack, but¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s a way to do it, but it¡¯s no fun if we just do it the normal way.¡±


    Hiro muttered and stepped out of the carriage.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    udia was chasing after him. Hiro turned over his shoulder and lifted the edge of his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of rmending a surrender.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you talking about? How can they ept such a thing?¡±


    udia made a dubious face and galloped her horse to stop Hiro, blocking the way in front of him.


    ¡°Would you please step aside?¡±


    ¡°You have to exin first. There is no way they will listen to a surrender order.¡±


    Fraus¡¯s army was 30,000 strong, while ours was only 5,000. There is no way they will ept surrender. But that was Hiro¡¯s goal.


    ¡°We have to upset them a little. They¡¯ll be surprised.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that just make themugh?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, which is why we need to provoke their anger so that they will take the bait.¡±


    ¡°¡­In other words, you want to go to them as an envoy and go on a rampage?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not going to be that easy. I won¡¯t be able to get close to them. So I¡¯ll ask them out from a distance.¡±


    udia sighs in resignation as if she is tired of understanding Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°Fuh¡­ I understand. What should I do then?¡±


    ¡°Can you prepare a hundred horsemen for me? Make sure you tell them to follow my instructions.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°Please have the cavalry depart immediately, and the rest will proceed as nned.¡±


    udia¡¯s face tightened as she heard Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to make even a single mistake. So the tightrope battle begins¡­¡±


    With a hint of nervousness in her voice, udia said extravagantly, but there was no need to take it so seriously.


    If the n that is about to be implemented fails, it can be simply utilized. As long as it avoids total annihtion, it can be revived. However, there is no need to break the appropriate tension by saying unnecessary things. It would be a problem if they got too worked up, but it would also be a problem if they got too rxed.


    So, Hiro nodded his agreement to udia.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest to you, then.¡±


    As Hiro said this, he extended his hand toward udia.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Can you give me a bow and an arrow?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but¡­¡±


    udia tilted her head curiously at Hiro, who was checking the bow.


    ¡°What are you going to use it for? Are you sure you only need one?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough; you¡¯ll just have to watch.¡±


    With a soft smile, Hiro began to make his way towards the front.


    The hem of his ck robe fluttered behind him, pping the air as he moved through the tense soldiers. Feeling the cold, tense breeze flowing through the battlefield, Hiro made his way through the front ranks.


    When his vision opened up, 30,000 soldiers were lined up in an orderly fashion on the snowfield. The enemy army was buzzing with excitement at the sight of just one person ¨D the one who hade out of nowhere.


    However, they seemed to have decided to watch Hiro¡¯s every move and did nothing.


    ¡°Attention, rebel soldiers! It¡¯s not toote. Surrender!¡±


    Hiro¡¯s voice echoed across the snowfield. But as expected, the opponent¡¯s reaction was tough in disgust.


    ¡°You should talk in your sleep while drinking from your mother¡¯s breast!¡±


    The cold wind carried the cursingughter.


    Hiro grabbed the hilt of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± at his waist.


    ¡°By all means! Then let¡¯s fight until the veryst!¡±


    As Hiro pulled out the Heavenly Emperor, a hundred horsemen rushed from behind him in a horizontal line as a signal. As the archers in the front of the enemy army took their stance, Hiro waved his arms to the side.


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    The cavalry horses that were galloping at full speed came to an abrupt halt, sending up arge amount of powdery snow. At the same time, the arrows fired from the enemy side filled the sky.


    Hiro, looking at the scene with a calm face, put the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± back in its sheath and reced it with a bow. At that moment, there was a loud and chilling sound, as if earth and stones were raining down.


    Arge number of arrows pierced the snowfield all at once. However, there was no damage to the cavalry, and surprisingly, everyone was unharmed. If that were the case, the enemy army would naturally be upset.


    Seeing this, Hiro did not miss the opportunity and shouted out loud.


    ¡°As expected of a renowned demon race! Even if you were to search the entire continent, you wouldn¡¯t find a race as ineffective as yours! You can only deal with women and children, so your arrows can¡¯t reach us!¡±


    As Hiro sarcastically spoke at the top of his voice, the front line of the enemy army was disrupted and a troop of cavalry ¨D a hundred of them ¨D came charging out.


    ¡°Then I will deal with you! Experience the horror of the demon race for yourself!¡±


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing easier to catch than a fool.¡±


    Hiro murmured to himself, then drew an arrow from his bow and squeezed it. When he measured the distance and released his hand, the arrow flew in a straight line, snarling the air. It pierced the enemymander right between the eyes.


    The next moment ¨D with a loud noise, the enemymander turned into a silent corpse.


    Hiro pulled out the enemy¡¯s arrow that was sticking into the ground and continued to fire. The arrows hit the unsettled enemy soldiers, and another one became a corpse. When he had killed five more in the same way, the enemy cavalry stalled, perhaps because they had lost theirmander and judged that it was indeed dangerous.


    Hiro turned around and gave an order to the waiting cavalry.


    ¡°Commence the operation. We¡¯ll crush them thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    A hundred cavalrymen shouted in unison as they pulled up from the front line. Hiro turned his attention to the enemy troops, who were still puzzled. They arepletely isted, far from the front line.


    ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s no more use for you, so please disappear in peace.¡±


    After pulling out the Heavenly Emperor, Hiro began to run, sending the falling snow flying behind him. When approaching them with lightning speed, he sliced off the head of an enemy soldier as if stroking his eyes.


    He dodged a spear thrust by an enemy on horseback by twisting his neck and leaped by kicking the ground. He turned himself around high above the enemy soldier¡¯s head and slit his throat with the tip of his ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    The fresh blood that spurted out stained the white earth a speckled red.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote!¡±


    As soon as Hironded on the ground, he took arge step and cut down the enemy soldier in front of him along with his horse. In addition, Hiro tossed and turned the enemy soldiers at an invisible speed. He jumped to the side, sometimes retreating backward and then stepping forward to shower them with shes. Atst, perhaps sensing the abnormality, the first group of the enemy made a move. They began to move forward to save theirpatriots.


    Hiro stroked his eye patch and made a thin smile.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re toote.¡±


    He cut down the oing enemy soldier with a single sword and blew a sound when he put his finger in his mouth.


    ¡°Hiro-sama! Over here!¡±


    He grabbed Munin¡¯s hand and jumped on the horse.


    ¡°From here onwards, it¡¯s an abyss¡­ break them up, break them down, and burn them up with the fires of shame.¡±


    The first line of the enemy was approaching. He smiled, pointing his hand to crush the scene.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun.¡±


    The murmur of delight was drowned out by the roar of horseshoes that shook the earth.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The enemy¡¯s first line numbered about five thousand. The initial turtle-like formation had undergone a transformation. The cavalry spread out to the left and right as if drawing wings and the infantry ran in the center without bothering with their heavy armor.


    One ck eight formation ¨D the dragon wing formation.


    It is the most frequently used formation in warfare and is favored by many nations because it is easy to change from the spearhead formation.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve set up a siege tactic, huh? That is quite impressive.¡±


    With a bit of admiration, udia muttered and looked over her army¡¯s formation from her horse. The soldiers waiting for the enemy in a nk formation were more excited than nervous due to repeated provocations.


    ¡°¡­If we continue to sh like this, the difference in numbers is likely to cause a breakdown.¡±


    The number of soldiers here is 5,000, the same number as the first group of the opponent ¨D that¡¯s if, including the injured, the real number is about 4,000.


    The number has been faked so that the enemy won¡¯t know about it, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before they find out.


    ¡°The rest is just a matter of how much momentum you can give them to put their weight in the center¡­ Also, we need to figure out when to move the cavalry.¡±


    udia looked around at the surrounding terrain and gave a small snort. Hiro instructs her, but whether she seeds or not is up to udia, and she can¡¯t make a decision easily.


    ¡°Princess! I know theposition of the enemy¡¯s first team!¡±


    udia was troubled, but Hugin pulled his horse closer.


    ¡°The cavalry on either side totals two thousand. The infantry in the center is three thousand. The enemy¡¯s second line doesn¡¯t seem to be moving. Maybe it seems like the first group is acting on its own.¡±


    It¡¯s possible that they misunderstood their own abilities because of their overwhelming military prowess against the people or lost control because they didn¡¯t restrict their actions such as plundering or that the number of 30,000 may have contributed to their conceit. udia put her hand on her thin, pointed chin and smiled broadly.


    The enemy is arge army, but it¡¯s not a deadly one, and it¡¯s not as if they think it¡¯s an easy fight; there¡¯s no resolve there. udia made a decision and pulled out the magic sword Auto ire on her hip.


    ¡°Raise the g. Let the operation begin!¡±


    The heraldic banners of the Levering Kingdom rose one after another in the main camp, and the horn blew high in the sky. The cavalry on the left and right began to march forward, raising a cloud of dust.


    The infantry, including the main camp, was in a position to wait for the enemy. The wind blew, the gs swept through the air, and the woods made a quiet sound, but the boots of the army crushed them all.


    ¡°They¡¯reing! Don¡¯t let them overwhelm you!¡±


    udia shouted, and at the same time, the front line shouted and shed with the enemy army. Swords shed with swords in the front line. Sparks flew, blood mist danced, and spear points shed.


    The cavalry also seemed to have started fighting just out of sight, and dust rose high in the sky.


    ¡°Princess! The center is still being pushed!¡±


    Hugin informed her, straining her eyes on her horse. When udia looked in that direction as well, she saw that the center of the army had been pushed back significantly and was beginning to retreat. Taking advantage of this gap, the enemy forces were concentrating their attacks heavily on the center. However, udia was not in a hurry. Rather, a small smile appeared on her face.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. Hiro-sama is there, you know.¡±


    ¡°Wise brother?¡±


    The center is made up of militia in order to break down deliberately. ording to Hiro, the whole thing is a ploy to win. In other words, it¡¯s all about pretense ¨D to lure the opponent in and to minimize the damage to their side.


    ¡°Many of the soldiers were losing confidence. If they get used to retreating, it will affect their future strategies. So Hiro-sama decided to put on a show. Using the militia is a bold move, but¡­ it may help the soldiers regain some confidence.¡±


    It must have chilled their nerves¡­ After saying that, udia looked at the front line.


    ¡°I¡¯m really impressed. Is he really the descendant of the ¡°God of War¡±?¡±


    The enemy soldiers on the front lines are probably shivering in fear right now. They must be desperately resisting to avoid being swallowed by the darkness. udia kept her gaze on the front line with such a premonition in mind.

 Volume 3, Chapter 4 – The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 9

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 4 ¨C The Fire Hidden In The Blizzard, Part 9</h4>


    The center was copsing. The enemy was pouring inward. The soldiers were struggling to push back, but the enemy attack was so fierce that they could not stop it. In charge of the center were the militia, the people who had been conscripted.


    They have no experience of regr warfare, and most of them have never been in a war. That¡¯s why they fall apart so quickly. There are several major gaps in experience, tension, and skill level, but they are most noticeable immediately after the war begins.


    (We need to push back as soon as possible. The morale is at its lowest point. We don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll run away.)


    This is where they need to build their confidence. If the militia struggles, the regr soldiers will start to show their strength as well. Then the army will be even more united and strong.


    In order to create a friendly rivalry, Hiro included this as a strategy in his n.


    It would not only motivate the fearful soldiers and make up for theck of strength in the militia, but it would also lure in the enemy.


    ¡°Get out of the way, you little shit!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity like this. You can¡¯t afford not to take advantage of it, right?¡±


    ¡°Gofuooohh!¡±


    Hiro cut off the head of the enemy soldier who was approaching. The corpse copses, spewing blood from its neck.


    ¡°For the sake of my future ns, I¡¯ll let you guys be the food for the militia.¡±


    Arge number of angry enemies filled his vision, and a fierce yell shook the air. When Hiro lightly waved the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± in an annoyed manner, the heads of the enemy soldiers flew off one after another, and red blood rained down on the earth.


    ¡°This is the price for doing as you please. You should know what true fear is.¡±


    When he stepped forward, the enemy stopped moving in the face of his overwhelming dominance.


    ¡°Uraaaaaa!¡±


    The militia charged in with swords in their hands. On the battlefield, hesitation can cost lives. Enemies were cut down, and their corpses were cruelly crushed. However, the enemy was a demon race, even if they were rotten. Some of them were so skilled that it was hard to believe they were soldiers.


    ¡°You half-breeds! How dare you defy the demon race!¡±


    Arge sword that is taller than the demon who wields it blows away the bodies of his allies and scatters their guts. Didn¡¯t want to kill the momentum. Hiro took a light swing to catch therge sword.


    Not with his sword, but with his fingers.


    ¡°It¡¯s light. If it were pureblood, my fingers would be gone.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­ what the hell is¡­ you?¡±


    The demon¡¯s face was not enraged, only astonished.


    ¡°You¡¯re also a half-breed, after all.¡±


    When Hiro released his finger, the big sword was freed, and the giant body staggered. Hiro quickly swung the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    A soft breeze wrapped around the demon¡¯s body¨D¨D¡­


    ¡°¡­..Ah?¡±


    The neck that left the body was pulled by gravity and mmed into the ground with a dull sound.


    ¡°Now¡­ who¡¯s going to be my next opponent?¡±


    When the Heavenly Emperor¡¯s cutting edge circled around them, the enemy soldiers retreated in fear. Hiro nced at the scene as if he were bored and then kicked the ground.


    The enemy soldiers put up a desperate resistance, but in vain, only corpses were left on the road where the light de had passed. Following the path of blood, the militia began to shout and push back the enemy forces at a furious pace. It became an inspirational message that spread to the entire army.


    When he had built up arge pile of corpses, Hiro finally stopped.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish off this move first. With your death.¡±


    Thest of the bloody path was the enemy¡¯smander ¨D one of the three demon generals, Garius Van Sarzand. He widened his smile happily and leaped from his horse, andnded on the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful¡­ to see how you managed to turn things around by going to the front lines yourself. It¡¯s very impressive.¡±


    Garius pulled his sword from his waist and held it aloft, exhaling quietly.


    ¡°That is why you are the descendant of the God of War. That¡¯s what makes me excited!¡±


    ¡°Fearlessness lures the god of death, does it not?¡±


    ¡°Then let me y you with it and show the world that I am a true warrior!¡±


    Garius, who has opened his legs into a fighting stance, res at Hiro.


    ¡°And you are no different. Because you are overconfident in your own power that youe out to the front like this, isn¡¯t it? If you think you can¡¯t be defeated, you¡¯re no different from me. That too is conceit.¡±


    Garius¡¯ sword sliced through the cloudy air, but the attack did not hit Hiro.


    ¡°Thank you for your advice. But you¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯ve never been conceited. That¡¯s what hurt me in the past.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right! First, I¡¯m going to cut off your beautiful face!¡±


    He stomped on the ground and attacked in all directions with his anger on his de.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so simple and easy to manipte as you. Normally, I would have let you off the hook for your stupidity, but s, not this time.¡±


    When he pulled his head back, the de passed right under his nose. He pulled his body back, twisted his body to avoid the thrust. He avoided the sword that came from the lower part of the body by kicking the trajectory. This will allow him to have more time to think, and he will be able to foresee and dodge the next attack.


    In the face of an onught of attacks, Hiro continued to dodge without moving a step.


    ¡°¡­Hah, wh-what¡¯s that?¡±


    Garius is getting tired, and his movements are slowing down.


    ¡°How much of a difference does this make?¡±


    Although there may be fatigue, the attack of Garius, which contains a lot of irritation, isckluster. Therge sword sank into the ground, and Hiro stepped on the de¡¯s tip and swung the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you for doing as you pleased at the banquet. Even the three demon generals are like this when ites to one on one.¡±


    As Hiro shed his sword diagonally from the shoulder, the de shattered Garius¡¯s corbone. It tore through his organs, causing him to bleed profusely. But he didn¡¯t let himself fall; he stomped on the ground and endured.


    ¡°Gah, T-to think that I can¡¯t even hit a single strike is just¡­ ridiculous!¡±


    Perhaps he has reached the limit of his endurance; he spits out arge amount of blood from his mouth and sinks to the ground.


    ¡°Ba-Baal, this is not how it works¨D¨D¡­¡±


    The light faded from Garius¡¯ eyes. Cheers erupted from the surrounding allies.


    Hiro turned his gaze to the second line of the enemy army. Did they detect something unusual? They were making a move.


    ¡°We won the first battle. All that remains is¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡±Wise brother! The enemy¡¯s second and third lines are moving! They¡¯reing towards us!¡±


    It was Hugin who came riding up under Hiro. She reached out her hand to him. Hiro grabbed her hand and climbed onto the back of the horse.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s retreat slowly. Have you brought the g?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The g that Hugin carried on the belly of the horse ¨D the g of the Levering Kingdom ¨D was waved, and the drums were beaten with horns from the main army, which was far away. The sound of sword fights that had been urring in various ces quietly subsided. Then there was a change in the movement of the enemy¡¯s first line ¨D they began to retreat now that Garius had been killed.


    ¡°We will also retreat to form a line. Also, let¡¯s tell the troops that they don¡¯t need to pursue.¡±


    The distance to the enemy¡¯s second line was sufficient. After that, if the troops who are impatient with the sess of the battle do not go after them, they can retreat with enough time to prepare for the next battle.


    In addition, the greater the number of surviving enemies, the greater the impact on future battles, and by taking advantage of this, they will have the opportunity to try new strategies.


    ¡°Right away!¡±


    Leaving behind a cheerful reply, Hugin immediately turned her horse¡¯s head around. On the way, Munin came riding along in a good mood. His whole body is red with blood, probably because he was rampaging in the front line.


    ¡°Well, even demons are no different from humans. If they get wounded, they bleed and fall down easily.¡±


    Hiro inwardly muttered that he could rely on him and put his gratitude into his words.


    ¡°I bet the first one will be Munin.¡±


    ¡°Really? I won¡¯t have to worry about Chief Ghada getting mad at me now!¡±


    Munin happily raised his spear and let out a shout.


    £ª£ª£ª


    ¡°The rebel army began to rest as they built their encampment at a distance.¡±


    Said a low-ranking soldier. Hiro, who had returned to the main camp, was now reading a report. The soldier was not sure if Hiro was listening. He looked uneasy but continued to speak.


    ¡°It seems that they have sent out the scouts¡­ what should we do?¡±


    Hiro turned his gaze away from the report and looked directly at the soldier. As the setting sun illuminated the ground, the snow that had fallen was tinged with red, and the armor of the soldiers gave off a color like a lingering fire.


    It was not only the setting sun but also the blood that had been spilled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some troops down on the perimeter and capture them. Tell that to themanders of the seventh and tenth units.¡±


    That¡¯s it for the first battle. They now had to prepare for a night battle, but they probably didn¡¯t intend to.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    To the soldier who responded by pping his right chest, Hiro put the report away in his pocket and spoke again.


    ¡°Aah¡­ and instruct the troops to keep a vignt eye on the surroundings.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir!¡±


    After watching the soldiers leave, Hiro turned to the ce where the military council was to be held.


    ¡°I was hoping to cut another two or three thousand.¡±


    The southern army was camped in an area that was covered by forest to the west and east. The ce was designated in case the rebel army came after them, but it seemed to have been in vain.


    He had thought that they would charge in anger, but it seems that there was some calm left in their hearts.


    The soldiers were able to get some rest early, which is not so bad¡­


    ¡°Above all, our morale is up. And now we need to make our next move before they try to turn the tide.¡±


    Hiro muttered to himself and entered the tent, where udia, Munin, and Hugin were waiting for him.


    First of all, the three of them and four others, including Hiro, will hold a military council. After that, the unitmanders wille to report on the damage to their units.


    ¡°Oh, stay put. Let¡¯s check the situation right away, shall we?¡±


    Munin and the others were about to salute, but Hiro interrupted them and walked over to a table in the center of the room. A map of the south was spread out. The pieces that dot the map are where the traps are set.


    ¡°The first line should have lost about two thousand. If we include the lightly and seriously wounded, the number will exceed three thousand. On the other hand, we have about 1,000 injured and about 3,000 people who have the energy to fight.¡±


    udia ces one of the pieces on the ground where Hiro and the others are now.


    ¡°ording to the intelligence report, the enemy¡¯s main position is the same as it was when the war began, and there is no sign of movement.¡±


    A little farther away, in an open area, a piece is ced. This is where Fraus¡¯s main camp is located.


    ¡°They won¡¯t break their stance to intercept us. They may have be more cautious after seeing the defeat of the first line.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s no sign of any movement from the enemy army since we arrived here. They have been sending looting units to various ces, but¡­¡±


    Hugin said, and udia snorted in annoyance.


    ¡°I see¡­ Then, do you think they have some ulterior motive?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to think that way¡­ It¡¯s too unnatural for arge army not to take advantage of it, and I think it¡¯s reasonable to assume that they are nning something.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they are nning tounch a night attack?¡±


    As udia gave him a look, Hiro shook his head slightly.


    ¡°If the opponent doesn¡¯t seem to have made a move, then we¡¯ll have to wait and see. But then they can¡¯t move arge army because they would be detected. I don¡¯t think a night attack is an option.¡±


    Above all, the enemy army is being forced to reorganize after the copse of the first line, so there is no time left tounch a night attack. Then, even if the second or third line is unharmed, they will not be foolish enough to reduce their numbers if they are nning for the future.


    ¡°If they attack us by surprise, we are ready for a night battle and have prepared some traps.¡±


    There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Things are going well. It¡¯s time to make the next move.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, shall weunch a night attack?¡±


    ¡°I believe the opponent has taken countermeasures as well.¡±


    udia responded to Hiro¡¯s words.


    It¡¯s a strategy that has been used since ancient times to overturn the difference in numbers ¨D tounch a surprise attack.


    But, of course, if the opponent is aware of it, it is meaningless.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to lose our numbers. All we have to do is make some noise and make them upset.¡±


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s the purpose of exhausting them, we don¡¯t have the numbers; we don¡¯t have the luxury of being able to rece them.¡±


    On the other hand, they might be too tired to be effective in battle. The opinion was reasonable, so Hiro nodded and gave his reasons.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; they won¡¯t have to fight tomorrow. I¡¯ll let the troops that worked through the night rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re not going to fight?¡±


    As udia frowned suspiciously, Hugin interrupted her.


    ¡°W-what do you mean by that?¡±


    The fact that she looked somewhat flustered was probably because she didn¡¯t understand what Hiro was trying to say. He could have told her the answer, but she would have stopped thinking for herself if he did. He wanted her toe up with the answer on her own as much as possible.


    As Hiro was pondering what to do, an unknown soldier came rushing into the tent.


    ¡°¡­I apologize for interrupting the military council.¡±


    The soldier said quickly, breathing hard, and took two letters out of his pocket, faltering. Hiro acknowledged them and then looked at his right arm ¨D there was a white cloth wrapped around it.


    The number ¡°5¡± was embroidered on it.


    ¡°Is it a message from the Fifth Imperial Army?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Fifth Imperial Army, a direct order from the White Wolf Knights.¡±


    The Second Prince is themander of the White Wolf Knights, which means that he is the Second Prince¡¯s direct messenger. The two letters that were presented to Hiro as the messenger bowed were probably from the Second Prince, his master.


    Hiro took the letters, unfolded one of them, and smiled.


    ¡°It seems that only your name is written on it?¡±


    There was no content in the letter ¡ª only the messenger¡¯s name, indicating that he was genuine. When Hiro presented it to the messenger, the messenger¡¯s face had turned pale, and he pressed his forehead against the ground.


    ¡°H-he wants me to wait until we meet before telling you.¡±


    Perhaps it was because he was plotting against Hiro, a member of the royal family, but his voice trembled like a sinner awaiting his death sentence.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about anything. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡±


    Hiro sat back in his chair and sighed. It¡¯s a nk sheet of paper ¨D that¡¯s what it means; it¡¯s asking whether Hiro wants reinforcements or not.


    ¡°So where is the Second Prince now?¡±


    ¡°He is massing his forces near the border of the Levering Kingdom. We are ready to move at any time upon His Highness Hiro¡¯s signal.¡±


    ¡°If I ask for reinforcements¡­ how long will they be here?¡±


    ¡°Probably within the next eight days.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then I have something to tell you.¡±


    Hiro asked udia for a piece of paper and handed it to the messenger.


    ¡°The rebel army has been destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­?¡±


    It¡¯s not just the messenger, but udia and Hugin and the others were stunned.


    Hiro walked up to the messenger and tapped him on the shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie or anything. It¡¯ll be over by the time you arrive at the Second Prince¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    The messenger looked puzzled in disbelief.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave right now. You can have a meal, recover from your fatigue, and then return.¡±


    That was all Hiro said, and then he called out to the guards as he headed out.


    ¡°What can I do for you, sir?¡±


    ¡°Give him some food. And get him a healthy horse.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, thene this way, messenger-dono.¡±


    With a puzzled look on his face, the messenger walked out of the then, urged on by the soldiers on guard.


    When Hiro turned to udia and the others, they stared at him with a face that seemed to want him to exin.


    ¡°I¡¯m open to questions. So let¡¯s see how they react first.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened as he looked at the map spread out on the desk.

 Volume 3, Chapter 5 – Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 5 ¨C Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 1</h4>


    The main camp of the rebel army ¨D the headquarters ¨D was dominated by silence.


    The main reason for this was that the first line had been destroyed, but the humans, whom they had looked down upon as inferior ¨D especially the militia ¨D had shown their strength, and they were shaking with fear.


    ¡°The details are being hastened, but more than half of the first line will not be able to participate in the battle.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d take that kind of provocation.¡±


    ¡°This line is made up of criminals, after all. There is no concept of discipline. All they care about is satisfying their own desires.¡±


    ¡°But how should we reorganize? Losing the first line here is a big deal, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    In the middle of the room, the staff members discussed, but all of their faces were filled with bitterness. Even if they wanted to reorganize the first line, most of the unitmanders, including Garius, had been killed in action.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to temporarily raise the ranks and leave it to the junior officers.¡±


    ¡°Even if we do that, who will be in charge of the first line?¡±


    ¡°We have only inexperienced men. If we entrust it to such a person, we will be annihted next time.¡±


    The Levering Kingdom, which had been under the protection of the Grantz Empire for many years, had never experienced war. Therefore, many of the young demons only have experience in defeating bandits and monsters.


    ¡°Even so, where is Baal-sama going? It¡¯s too much for us to handle alone.¡±


    One of the staff members asked a question, and an old demon opened his mouth.


    ¡°He has disappeared since the first line was outmatched.¡±


    ¡°Where has he gone?¡±


    ¡°Well, he has been acting strangely ever since he saw how the descendants of the God of War fought.¡±


    ¡°The descendant of the God of War¡­ The fact that the descendant of the God of War did not flee and joined up with the southern army is a problem. Above all, that fearsome archery was beyond the bounds of humanity.¡±


    ¡°The soldiers say that he also took the head Garius-sama¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, he¡¯s only a human, we¡¯ll figure out how to deal with himter, but first, we need to reorganize.¡±


    When someone says that, a silence falls in the tent.


    And then¨D¨D.


    ¡°The first line will be moved to the rear as a backup. After that, we can use them differently and destroy them. We can incorporate them into other units, but none of them will want criminals, will they?¡±


    The man who appeared at the entrance was Baal, one of the three demon generals. The staff members all saluted him. Baal gave a slight nod, walked to the center of the room, and looked down at the map spread out on the ground. The hood still covered his face, so it was impossible to see his expression, but no one in the room had any doubts.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°I went to report to the Crown Prince Fraus, who is lying ill.¡±


    ¡°Under such circumstances?¡±


    When the staff looked at him usingly, Baal lifted his mouth from the shadows.


    ¡°It was necessary to lose the first battle in order to tighten up the army ¨D not to affect the second line. Besides, there would have been no need for mymand there. And I don¡¯t think you would have needed me there; your decisions were sufficient.¡±


    ¡°So it was as you expected.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did not expect Garius to be killed, but the impact would have been minimal. He was hated for being a little too belligerent.¡±


    ¡°The first line was also made up of criminals and was considered a nuisance by the regr soldiers.¡±


    ¡°The only thing we didn¡¯t anticipate was that the descendant of the God of War would not flee and lend a hand to the southern army¡­ Other than that, things are going as we nned.¡±


    The old staff officer stroked his graying beard and looked at Baal.


    ¡°What do we do now, then?¡±


    ¡°From now on, no one will be so foolish as to dare to charge without listening to orders. Then the strategy will be the same as it was in the beginning. All we have to do is to defeat the southern army first.¡±


    ¡°Then, just like that¨D¨D.¡±


    Just as the staff member was about to finish his sentence, a drum sounded outside.


    ¡°Enemy attack?¡±


    The staff members turned bloodthirsty and tried to go outside to see what was going on.


    ¡°Wait, if we rush out, the soldiers will distrust us. As a senior officer, you should not panic under any circumstances.¡±


    With that, Baal began to walk in front of the staff.


    Outside the tent, the sun hadpletely set. Darkness wasing from all sides, but the night sky was bright with stars and many bonfires so that they could see where they were going. Within sight, there was a flurry of soldiers craning their necks in all directions.


    However, there was no fireing from anywhere in the main camp, and there was no sign of an enemy attack.


    ¡°Hmm, I see. So that¡¯s what you did.¡±


    Baal stopped one of the unitmanders who was passing in front of him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take it seriously. First of all, stop making a fuss; it¡¯s far too pathetic.¡±


    He calmly assessed the situation and gave instructions.


    ¡°Also, triple up the fences and increase the number of bonfires. Take turns every other second. Also, notify all troops to fire arrows at any ce where they hear a sound. That will serve as a check.¡±


    ¡°At once!¡±


    As the soldier walked away, an old staff officer approached Baal.


    ¡°What do you think they¡¯re up to?¡±


    ¡°Well, either our guards are more heavily guarded than expected, and they¡¯ve switched to a strategy to exhaust us, or they¡¯ve taken advantage of the chaos to infiltrate our ranks with spies. That¡¯s all I can think of right now.¡±


    His words did not waver, as if he was absolutely sure of his own spection.


    ¡°You should rest now. As long as you don¡¯t get provoked, there won¡¯t be a night attack.¡±


    Baal tugged at the edge of his hood before turning his back from the staff.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To the Crown Prince, Fraus. He must be anxious because of all themotion.¡±


    After answering the question, Baal began to walk.


    ¡°There are two atmospheres he wears. More importantly, I could definitely feel the presence of ¡°him.¡± So the blood of the God of War has not diminished.¡±


    Baal gulped and started to dig up his past memories.


    ¡°And the way he provoked was simr. It¡¯s just like Schwartz. The time has finallye for us to avenge the grudge of a thousand years. The descendants of the God of War must be killed here in order to fulfill the longing of our King.¡±


    By the time the confusion of the soldiers was over, Baal had arrived at Fraus¡¯s tent.


    Inside, darkness reigned, and the air was eerily gloomy.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    He asked, speaking to the hovering mass in the darkness¨D¨D.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Baal nodded, satisfied with the short answer.


    ¡°You have endured well. You are now the King of the Dead Soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Am I really dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and¡­ 13,000 people were sacrificed to bring your soul to life.¡±


    It¡¯s a human, but¡­ In addition, it was Fraus whoughed happily.


    ¡°Kukakaka, I don¡¯t care how many die as long as they are not my people. But to be given the power of the primordial for such a small sacrifice?¡±


    Baal¡¯s words were met with an eerie smile, but he made no response, his body wavering in the darkness.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    When Fraus asked his question, Baal shook his head through the darkness.


    ¡°Nothing, but I have a report. The Second Prince seems to be gathering troops from all over the country near the border. It¡¯s about 50,000 or so. If the Fourth Prince requests help, they will be here within eight days.¡±


    ¡°¡­We have 30,000 ¨D less than that, since the first line suffered damage.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve read every n they cane up with. All we have to do now is to do nothing and slowly wait to see what they do.¡±


    The sound of joyfulughter reverberated. The air creaked and swirled, bing deeply muddy.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The stars twinkled in the night sky as if they were scattered jewels. The moonlight was gentle against the bone-chilling cold wind, and by its light, Hiro was reading a letter. This was the letter that the messenger had brought along with the Second Prince¡¯s letter.


    The sender was the Sixth Princess, who was on her way to Felzen with an army of 20,000 strong.


    A well-developed road makes the enemy invade faster, but the reverse is also the same ¨D Liz will be able to join Aura in three days.


    (I¡¯m also concerned about the Felzen remnants, but¡­ I should finish my own work first.)


    There are a lot of things that are not clear. It was difficult to determine this in a single day. If possible, he should evaluate all of his opponent¡¯s ns by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at thetest.


    (They should be able toe up with more ns, though.)


    Hiro returned to his tent and sat down, spreading out the map on the ground.


    (I¡¯d like to make some kind of move, but¡­ what should I do?)


    As he looked at the map, Hiro noticed the border. The Second Prince is gathering his troops there. But this move is far too dangerous. It¡¯s a move that would take the breath out of the Levering Kingdom.


    (But even a flicker of it in the back of my mind can induce an opening in my opponent.)


    Hiro gave a small snort, stroked his eye patch, and let out a small breath.


    (I should try to shake it¡­ That way, I can get an answer.)


    If theye on board, it will be easier to annihte the enemy by trapping them. Hiro dropped his consciousness further into the depths. Then heid out several pieces on the map, envisioning and discarding many strategies.


    ¡°Wise brother.¡±


    Hugin called out to him, and when he looked up, Hugin was down on one knee.


    When Hiro wondered how long she had been there, Hugin spoke up¨D¨D.


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally responded. That¡¯s the fifth time already.¡±


    Hiro was surprised that he had been concentrating so hard, causing Hugin to smiled bitterly.


    ¡°What if it was an assassin? Just because we¡¯re close by, that doesn¡¯t mean you can just skip out.¡±


    As expected, he would notice the presence of an assassin. Even if they erase it, the ck Princess Camellia will react to it, so there is nothing to worry about.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Hugin, at this time of night?¡±


    ¡°Since the light was still on, I brought you some food for the night.¡±


    The ce where Hugin was resting was not far from Hiro¡¯s tent. Since there were not many women in the army, Hiro was concerned and had her set up a tent nearby. Her brother, Munin, also spends time with her there, and it seems that all the men around are envious of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s only light soup and bread.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it; I was actually hungry.¡±


    As Hugin sat down in front of Hiro, she looked at the map spread out on the ground, probably because she had nothing to do.


    ¡°Wise brother, do you always spend a lot of time thinking about strategy?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I guess. Sometimes I go to bed without thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°Is it different today?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep when I have something on my mind.¡±


    ¡°Well, do you want me to sleep with you?¡±


    Hiro has no idea how she came to that conclusion.


    ¡°¡­..No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already eaten ate-night meal, and I¡¯ll be asleep soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll sing you a luby to help you sleep better!¡±


    Hiro felt a headache and put his hand on his forehead, wondering why she hade to that conclusion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll refrain from doing that because it would not be good for the soldiers.¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders and declined, but Hugin scowled and red at Hiro.


    ¡°Lies. The great brother said that some of themanders surround themselves with women to show their capability.¡±


    Hiro nodded while inwardlyining to Ghada for giving her unnecessary wisdom. It is true that there are those who do so. They want to make the soldiers think that themander can afford it. However, that may be a good thing or a bad thing ¨D it is a custom that is uneptable in the current situation.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m fine for today, Hugin; you should go back to your tent and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m here because I¡¯m worried about wise brother!¡±


    It seemed that nothing he could say would help. She might just want to stay here.


    Hiro sighed deeply and came up with a strange idea.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Then let¡¯se up with some strategies together.¡±


    There are some strategies that are inspired by listening to the opinions of others.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Hiro nodded to her as he ced the pieces on the map, her eyes shining with happiness.

 Volume 3, Chapter 5 – Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 5 ¨C Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 2</h4>


    The following day, the southern army led by Hiro faced the rebel army again. There was no disruption in the main camp of the southern army with Hiro, and although they were outnumbered, no one was afraid of the enemy.


    The enemy troops facing them were also full of energy and had been shouting since early in the morning. It is a sign that they are ready to fight at any time. They may also be trying to discourage the enemy¡¯s motivation.


    ¡°¡­What would Hiro-sama do in a situation like this?¡±


    As the strong wind passed, a beautiful voice shook Hiro¡¯s eardrums.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    Hiro in the carriage tilted his head and looked next to him; udia was looking at the enemy troops with a stern look in her eyes. When Hiro was also looking at the same ce, he saw that the enemy army was waiting in horizontal formation, just as it had been yesterday.


    ¡°What would you do if you were in their shoes, Hiro-sama?¡±


    Hiro nodded to udia, who asked him again, and then opened his mouth.


    ¡°If I were in the opponent¡¯s position, I would try to show a bit of an opening and see how the opponent reacts. There¡¯s a chance it might turn out to be a blunder, but it¡¯s no fun to just stare at each other in silence.¡±


    ¡°So what do you think is the reason why they don¡¯t do that?¡±


    ¡°I think they¡¯re either just looking out for us, or they might have a n.¡±


    When Hiro answered, udia nodded strongly as if she had a sh of inspiration.


    ¡°A surprise attack ¨D they might try to get behind us.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, they should be provoking us more. Besides, this is a good vantage point, so it¡¯s not the best ce for a surprise attack.¡±


    If there were any suspicious troops moving across the snowfield, their scouts would immediately notice them. The only ce to hide a surprise force would be in the woods. But that would mean that the enemy would have to lure them in. Hiro looked around again, having made that decision.


    ¡°There are no signs of troops hiding anywhere. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re nning on making any moves.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t win by just staring at each other.¡±


    udia stared at the enemy camp with suspicious eyes.


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders and said¨D¨D.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of our business. We¡¯ll just do what we want here.¡±


    He then summoned a nearby messenger.


    ¡°Are you calling for me, sir?¡±


    ¡°I want you to tell the advance troops to move forward. The rest of the troops are to follow the n.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The messenger leaves with a salute. Hiro then called for Munin. He exchanged a few words with the approaching Munin and then handed him a letter with a certain message written on it.


    Munin carefully hid the letter in his chest and bowed to Hiro.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless.¡±


    ¡°I have confidence not only in my skill but also in my ability to run away.¡±


    ¡°But if something happens, don¡¯t stick to the n and run. It¡¯s not that important.¡±


    ¡°All right. Well, I¡¯m off.¡±


    Munin also left with a salute.


    The first party moved at the same time, causing arge amount of dust to rise. In the midst of this, udia mounted her horse and approached Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make my move, then. Is everything really alright here?¡±


    udia looked worried as she checked. Hiro lifted his shoulders in an aloof manner.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re more important than me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ if they notice, it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°At that point, we¡¯ll just charge in and get the hell out of here.¡±


    ¡°Well, that should make for a very amusing sight.¡±


    Giggling, udiaughed funnily and then turned her head.


    ¡°Then the time is right, and we will move as nned.¡±


    The first stage has beenpleted.


    As she disappeared, Hiro looked ahead at the snowfall.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the end of the first stage. I¡¯ll just have to keep running, then.¡±


    Hiro muttered happily and signaled the g bearer to raise the giant g of the Levering Kingdom. Then the whole army started to move.


    They didn¡¯t move forward, they didn¡¯t scatter to the left and right, but they slowly began to retreat. At that moment ¨D a messenger approached the carriage through the snow smoke that enveloped the battlefield.


    ¡°Your Highness, it seems that there is no sign of movement in the enemy army. In addition, the advance troops have finished deploying to the left and right to join the first line.¡±


    ¡°Then tell them to fall back. Once the distance is open, we¡¯ll set up camp and rest for the day.¡±


    There¡¯s no need to waste energy. There was no need for unnecessary exhaustion.


    Seeing the southern army getting farther and farther away, the enemy army began to close the distance. They thought it was not good anymore. However, they did not go on the offensive but stayed on the defensive.


    Of course, there were threats and provocations, but Hiro did not take advantage of them and continued to open the distance. The two armies continued to move in and out of each other¡¯s way until night fell.


    £ª£ª£ª


    ¡°I see they made another shy night attack today.¡±


    Baal, the rebel army¡¯s leader, said.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the same as yesterday, only with sound.¡±


    He was now in a tent pitched in the middle of the encampment. Around him, the staff members remained with anxious expressions on their faces, even though the military council was over. They were frightened of the enemy¡¯s attack and were extremely afraid to return to their tents.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do something about this noise, Baal-sama? It¡¯s making me tired. The soldiers are worried.¡±


    He could understand why the staff members wanted toin. The enemy was only making loud noises, such as drums and horns, and showed no signs ofunching a night attack. This would only wear out their mental strength, and they would never be able to recover from their fatigue.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken measures. Nothing more needs to be done. You may return to your tents in peace.¡±


    Even if they were to take advantage of their opponent¡¯s intentions, they would only be able to escape, and if they were not careful, they would only be struck back, reducing their numbers.


    ¡°There is no need to waste your energy chasing after them. We should just sit back and rx.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Although they understood the words, they were not convinced. The expression on the faces of the staff members told the same. Even if they were told to rest easy, they would not be able to rest easily under these circumstances.


    That said, there was no way to deal with the situation other than wearing earplugs.


    ¡°There is no opportunity for them tounch a night attack on us. If you have any more questions, I will personally stuff your ears with cotton and put you to sleep.¡±


    Baal said dismissively, then looked down at the map spread out on the desk. There was a lot of unnatural movement by the opponent today. The first advance had sent up a huge cloud of dust, and at the same time, more than a thousand southern troops had disappeared.


    Of course, he sent out scouts to the surrounding woods to check for any potential ambushers. However, there was no sign of the enemy anywhere. The distance between them only increased, so they advanced in pursuit of their opponents while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings, but to their dismay, nothing happened.


    It¡¯s not that they¡¯re unprincipled¡­ it¡¯s just that without a purpose, there will always be an opening. But this morning, the enemy¡¯s retreat was uncontrolled, and there was not even an opening for an attack.


    ¡°If they are stalling for time intending to join up with the Fifth Imperial Army near the border, it will be easier for us.¡±


    If they join up with the army led by the Second Prince, the enemy will outnumber them. If they are just stalling for time to do so, they are a bit shallow, he must say.


    ¡°If they do want to join up with them, I¡¯ll crush them before they do.¡±


    It¡¯s still uncertain to what extent the descendant of the God of War is capable, but it would be troublesome to have him lead arge army. Baal was thinking about that, but his eyes suddenly narrowed as he looked at the map.


    ¡°¡­Fumu. If we continued south, we would be close to the Schnee Fortress.¡±


    By gaining time by holed up there, they might be nning to sandwich the rebel army with the Fifth Imperial Army. Otherwise, there is no chance for them to win. More importantly, all the best strategies they can develop are in his hands, and Baal will always have the initiative.


    ¡°Baal-sama. It seems that the scouts have found this one.¡±


    One of the staff members presented him with a letter. Baal paused in his thoughts and let the staff member check the contents of the letter. The letter asked for reinforcements from the Fifth Imperial Army.


    ¡°Hmm, under what circumstances did the scouts obtain it?¡±


    ¡°They found a suspicious person and tried to capture him, but he ran away and dropped this.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I didn¡¯t expect such an important letter to be dropped at such a convenient time.¡±


    Baal¡¯s smile deepened. This is intimidation or subterfuge ¨D there is no greater blunder than this. Baal couldn¡¯t help but smile¡­ at the joy that came over him at the thought of his own blunder.


    ¡°It¡¯s stupid. I know that you wanted to insure yourself, but this has the opposite effect.¡±


    He may have been nning to divert attention from the Fifth Imperial Army by deliberately passing the letter to him. Or perhaps they were trying to switch the target to the Fifth Imperial Army¡­


    ¡°But thanks to this, I now know that the Fifth Imperial Army is nothing to worry about.¡±


    Even without such a move, Baal always kept the Fifth Imperial Army in the back of his mind. He seems to be in a great hurry to dig his own grave.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite conceited. Do you think that you can win with only less than three thousand? Hmph, it¡¯s easy to kill such arrogant people.¡±


    Baal narrowed down the strategies he hade up with. He wondered which one would be the most effective and which one would be the most likely to drive his opponent into a corner.


    ¡°¡­If they are going to challenge us to a decisive battle at the Schnee Fortress.¡±


    It would be like a surprise attack from behind by a separate force after being holed up there to attract attention. And given their small numbers, it is certain that their attack will take ce at night.


    ¡°The actions that suggest a night attack are probably intended to distract us.¡±


    Baal had made his decision. After that, he would eliminate the descendant of the God of War, who had lost his way of escape, and intercept the Second Prince to overrun the north. If he did so, the copse of the Grantz Empire would be imminent.


    ¡°Soon¡­ the demon race will once again reign supreme in the central continent, after having been humiliated in the past.¡±


    Until then, he will keep thempany. Until the face of the descendant who ys with shallow schemes is stained with despair.

 Volume 3, Chapter 5 – Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 5 ¨C Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 3</h4>


    October 25, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar ¨D On this day, the two armies were still only facing each other.


    Hiro, who is in the main camp, sighed and looked at the rebel army spread out in front of him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no sign of movement today either. It¡¯s easier for us, but we have no time to rx.¡±


    Even though it was a battlefield, there was no bloodshed, and not a single sword fight could be heard. The only thing that is going on is a sideshow of soldiers hurling abuse at each other. In the near future, this will change from angry shouts to military chants. As Hiro was lost in thought, one of the staff members approached him.


    ¡°Your Highness, what do you want to do now that the time hase?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat as we did yesterday. If the enemy seems to be pursuing us, we will shower them with arrows and turn our forces to intercept them.¡±


    In such a situation, it is possible to use the advantage of being small in number. If a prey weaker than themselves turns and attacks, the opponent will shudder and break ranks.


    This would create a ripple effect that would spread to all the troops. If this happens, the damage will be enormous, and when the troops are reorganized, their faces will turn pale.


    ¡°If there are too many of them, they will inevitably be arrogant. No matter how many warnings the upper management gives, it isn¡¯t easy to make them reverberate all the way to the end. Especially when military discipline is in a state of disarray like theirs.¡±


    If they think that hurting innocent people and burning viges to the ground is a victory, their arrogance will be even greater.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, shall we retreat as nned?¡±


    Hiro told hismander and signaled his g bearer to retreat as he had done yesterday. The rebel army showed no signs of pursuing, and the southern army opened up afortable distance.


    Again, the two sides just stared at each other, and the sun set without exchanging a sword. When the sun sets, the moon rises, and night falls, as is the natural order of things.


    The southern army, which had set up camp, was to remain vignt and take a rest. As they were allowed to drink a little alcohol, there was a lively atmosphere in the encampment. Soldiers chatting andughing could be seen here and there.


    In the center of the camp, in a ce called the main camp, Hiro had called themanders of each unit. All the warriors were gathered around a simple long desk. All of them looked at Hiro, who was sitting at the upper seat, with a tense look on his face.


    ¡°I have been watching our opponent all day today, and I have been able to make some predictions.¡±


    When Hiro said this lightly, as if making small talk, the unitmanders looked surprised.


    ¡°That means¡­ you were able to read their strategy?¡±


    One of the unitmanders said. Hiro nodded with a confident smile on his face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but it should not be wrong.¡±


    ¡°So, shall we switch our strategy?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll stick to our original n and use everyone¡¯s strategies to get things done.¡±


    Hiro is not going to break his promise. He wanted to show them the light of day with the n that they hade up with. However, one of the unitmanders opened his mouth anxiously with a hint of shadow on his face.


    ¡°¡­But if we stick to the n, there is a possibility that we will be wiped out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to prevent that from happening. I will definitely lead us to victory.¡±


    Hiro held up his hand to the map on the desk, then picked up one of the pieces in the corner.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we will retreat to Schnee fortress. We will retreat while pretending that we areying a trap.¡±


    Guided by Hiro¡¯s hand, the piece headed west. And it eventually reached a fortress.


    ¡°And this is where the battle will take ce, and all of our ns wille to fruition.¡±


    At that moment, the ground turned red. It will be as bright and colorful as a blooming flower.


    ¡°Until then, we will continue to run away, avoiding unnecessary battles. But it¡¯s no fun just to run away. Like yesterday, we will send out some troops and make them exhausted by smelling a night attack, which will encourage them to be conceited and crush them at once.¡±


    Someone gulped under the pressure of Hiro¡¯s determined spirit.


    ¡°U-understood. We¡¯ll follow your instructions, Hiro-sama.¡±


    ¡°If anyone has any questions, I will be happy to answer them. If you don¡¯t feelfortable saying it here, pleasee to my tentter. Don¡¯t worry; I will tell you everything without hiding anything.¡±


    Hiro slowly looked at the people¡¯s faces in this tent, took a small breath, and continued to speak.


    ¡°So let¡¯s end the military council now, shall we?¡±


    With these words, all the unitmanders saluted, straightened their postures and left. At the same time, the temperature inside the room began to drop drastically as the number of people decreased.


    Hiro sat down in his chair, leaned his elbows on the desk, folded his hands, rested his chin on them, and turned his gaze to look down at the map.


    ¡°If you believe you¡¯ve won, I¡¯ll prove you wrong.¡±


    Hiro gave a small smile, stroked his eye patch, andid out several pieces on the map. Some schemes popped into his mind, and his left eye pulsed with an aching desire to try them out.


    ¡°When I was done here, I had the Felzen region, the Grand Duchy of Dral, the Steichen Republic, and many more countries waiting for me further west. Not all of them will be the enemy, though¡­¡±


    Once there is no one left to fight on the central continent, he will advance to the northern continent across the sea or the western continent. However, he is sure that they will invade from there before that.


    ¡°Oh ¨D¡­ There was also the Eastern Archipgo.¡±


    It¡¯s and inhabited by beast peoples, and it¡¯s a magicalnd where monsters are rampant. The beast people are a belligerent race, but they can¡¯t move for one reason or another.


    So, unless they are provoked, they are not likely to make a move.


    ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on right now, which makes me anxious.¡±


    Even so, there are many options to choose from, and the opportunities to test one¡¯s abilities will continue to increase. As Hiro knocked down the pieces he had lined up, he stopped and looked at the one still standing piece.


    ¡°¡­Grantz Empire.¡±


    A thousand years had made the country huge. It has be more powerful and dominant in the central continent than even Hiro could have imagined. Unless the surrounding countries united, no country could stand toe-to-toe with the Grantz Empire. However, this does not mean that there is no cause for concern.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that the emperor doesn¡¯t have power, but the nobles and lords are getting too powerful.¡±


    If they don¡¯t look inward rather than outward at the right point, things may get out of hand before realizing it. Eventually, the five major noble houses will need to be bnced.


    ¡°To destroy the central nobles, it would be fine to create a new power from factionless and have thempete with each other, but that could lead to a one-power era.¡±


    The momentum of an emerging force is a scary thing. It can swallow up rival forces in the blink of an eye.


    If the ship is mismanaged, the country will copse at once. In order to prevent this from happening, the only way is to move forward steadily, one step at a time. In order to do so, the power of the nobles in the east must be strengthened to a reasonable degree.


    ¡°There is much to be done. I can¡¯t afford to waste my time here.¡±


    Hiro knocked over all the pieces and stood up. He flipped the hem of his ck robe and started to walk out.


    ¡°The first thing I want to do is end this pointless war. I have no intention of being bound by the fate of the past.¡±


    With a single loud footstep, Hiro stroked his eye patch and walked outside. The only sound left in the empty tent was the sound of the wind.


    Then ¨D a shadow hovering in the four corners stirred eerily.


    It eventually formed the shape of a person and danced around happily with a lurid smile on its face. The darkness continued to spread quietly, unnoticed by anyone, like water soaking into cotton.


    £ª£ª£ª


    October 26, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar. In the evening, the southern army showed a different kind of movement than before.


    ¡°Hou¡­ It¡¯s blinding.¡±


    There is a roofless carriage in the center of the rebel army¡¯s main camp. The one riding it is Baal. Arge amount of powdered snow is flying in front of his eyes. It was enough to cover the entire southern army.


    ¡°They really like to y in the snow. I will not be the one to fall for such a transparent trap, though.¡±


    Baal pulled the map closer. Then he red at the pieces, ying with them with both hands. The Schnee Fortress is just around the corner, and he has sent scouts to check it out, but it is not solid.


    ¡°I¡¯ve built a few castle-breaking battering rams. The vulnerable gates should be easy to destroy.¡±


    Now, if only the enemy would behave as expected, it would not be in vain.


    Baal guesses that the enemy will be moving away from them at full speed in a cloud of snow. If he tried to chase them, they would turn around and attack him.


    It¡¯s possible to destroy the enemy here, but this is not the time to be bothered by that three thousand men. This is because there will be a battle with the Second Prince¡¯s army after this.


    ¡°Baal-sama! The enemy has begun to move away at full speed!¡±


    That¡¯s what the messenger said. Baal¡¯s smile deepened. After this, the enemy will flee into the Schnee Fortress and hide like turtles.


    ¡°And if we rush after them, they¡¯ll probably surprise us from behind.¡±


    About a thousand of them must have been away when they first met. They probably must be hiding somewhere. It would be a terrible thing if the enemy took them by surprise from behind when they were attacking the Schnee fortress.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to leave an intercepting force behind.¡±


    If that move was read, it was inevitable that the intercepting force would be pinned down. If they can¡¯t gain much time, they will only lose troops in vain.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s destroy that n. There¡¯s no need to bother with it. Let¡¯s leave it at that for today.¡±


    Baal beckoned the messenger over with his hand.


    ¡°Notify all troops. Tell them to watch their backs after we surround the Schnee fortress.¡±


    ¡°Ha, understood, sir!¡±


    As he watched the enemy army retreating towards the Schnee fortress, Baal pondered in his mind.


    (The only thing left for them to do now is to attack at night.)


    A number of stones have beenid out for this purpose. Baal had been trying hard to catch them off guard by repeatedly indicating that they would attack at night. The soldiers at the end of the line are bing less and less cautious.


    If they were tounch a night attack, it would be easy for them to copse.


    (Well, if I hadn¡¯t read it, that is. Let¡¯s get back at them.)


    The enemy hase up with various measures to deal with any situation that may arise. It¡¯s as if they¡¯re looking at a textbook. On the other hand, it can be said that it is easy to understand¡­


    (Boring. He¡¯s only a descendant, after all. It looks like he couldn¡¯t get past the God of War.)


    By falling the night attack, the enemy¡¯s morale will be lowered, and when they escape to the fortress, strike them. Convinced that the final battle would be this evening, Baal went to report to Fraus¡¯ carriage.


    ¡°I heard that the southern army has fled to Schnee Fortress. Is it safe to assume that everything is going ording to your n?¡±


    Fraus, who may have noticed Baal¡¯s presence, spoke up.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. Even if he is the descendant of the God of War, he is still just a human with a shallow mind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right then. So when should I show up? Isn¡¯t morale starting to drop?¡±


    As Fraus had pointed out, the rebel army¡¯s morale was dropping.


    The enemy is outnumbered, yet they do not attack. In addition, the fact that they have been subjected to disastrous night raids and other sham attacks, yet they are still ying poorly, is one reason for the drop in morale.


    ¡°The morale will naturally rise. Besides, the moment to show off will surelye, so I suggest you wait until then.¡±


    Once the night attackers were defeated and driven back to the Schnee fortress, all that was left to do was serve them as they wished. At that point, Fraus will be given the task of dealing with the most troublesome man dressed in ck.


    This is where the results of the experiment will be tested. If it fails, Baal will give up on this country and return to his home country. If the Crown Prince is lucky enough to survive, the n will continue, and hisrades will surely agree with Baal¡¯s idea.


    ¡°The demon race will once again dominate the central continent. It will happen.¡±


    When he saw that Baal let out a lowugh, Fraus also cleared his throat happily.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ll build a huge nation that can match the Grantz Empire!¡±


    Baalughed inwardly as he left the carriage. In the cold wind, Baal stopped walking and looked back at the carriage only once.


    (We, the demon race, have no ce for you.)


    There is no pure blood in the Levering Kingdom, even though it is called the demon kingdom. There are some who have thick blood, but all of them have the blood of other races mixed in.


    (The demon race does not need half-breeds. You are ves ¨D just as the human race once was.)


    A thousand years have passed since the powerless human race began to spread across this continent. They have only continued to undermine the central continent. Nothing that the human race has brought has been harmful to this world.


    ¨D¨DDark Period.


    (That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s happening today.)


    Baal¡¯s mouth twisted in hatred, and he kicked the ground and started walking again.

 Volume 3, Chapter 5 – Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 3, Chapter 5 ¨C Superior And Inferior Measures, Part 4</h4>


    Schnee Fortress ¨D one of the fortresses that the Levering Kingdom had built in the past to strengthen its control over the south. After establishing its control over the south, it had be less important and was now a wreck.


    Hiro walked between the busy soldiers to themand center.


    (It¡¯s a fortress in name only, isn¡¯t it? I wonder if such a fragile fortress canst a day.)


    Throughout history, Schnee Fortress has only been turned into a battlefield once, when the neighboring nobles raised an army in discontent with the king of the time. Since then, the fortress has not been exposed to warfare and has only been periodically repaired to repair decayed parts, with no preparations being made to protect it from outside forces.


    Stepping into themand center, Hiro looked at the people inside in turn.


    They immediately stood up and saluted him. Hiro also returned the salute and asked them to sit down. Hiro walked over to the desk and took the upper seat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    One of the unitmanders stood up with a nervous look on his face. He had some documents in his hands.


    ¡°As we expected, the enemy has surrounded the Schnee fortress. Princess udia, who had been diverted to the rear, has informed us. They are fully prepared and willunch a night attack at any time upon our signal.¡±


    Of the three thousand, one thousand have gone around to the rear of the enemy. The purpose of this was tounch an all-out attack on the enemy¡¯s main camp.


    If the main camp falls, even if it is arge army, the chain ofmand will be disrupted, and they will have no choice but to run away.


    In addition, when the southern army broke through the enemy¡¯s first line, they took about three hundred pieces of equipment. The soldiers disguised with them were supposed to provoke the rebel army to fight each other. There¡¯s no omission. Everything is going ording to n.


    Hiro nodded in satisfaction and instructed the unitmander to spread out the map on the desk. The pieces wereid out. udia¡¯s current position, the rebel army¡¯s main camp, and the army¡¯s position led by the Second Prince.


    ¡°There seems to be no sign of the Fifth Imperial Army moving. I think they¡¯re going to sit back and watch until our victory or defeat is decided. And it seems that Munin-dono has safely met up with Princess udia.¡±


    ¡°I see. It seems to be going well.¡±


    Hiro smiled and urged the unitmander to take a seat while he himself stood up from his chair.


    ¡°As per the n, in another hour or so, I will send a signal to Princess udia tounch a night attack against the rebel army.¡±


    ¡°ording to the reports, the enemy has tightened up the security behind them to guard against a night attack. There is a possibility that this will not be very sessful¡­ Can¡¯t we just send out spies to do a preliminary investigation first?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. We¡¯ve already infiltrated the enemy¡¯s camp with a lot of spies. Whether they can read us or not, we will seed. The night attack will surely seed.¡±


    Hiro smiled fearlessly and took down the rebel pieces. Everyone fell silent, and in the surging silence, there was a slight sound of knocking.


    £ª£ª£ª


    The night sky was shrouded in thick clouds, the stars were shut out, and the world was shrouded in darkness. Under normal circumstances, not even arge stone falling to the ground would have been visible.


    But the rebel watchtower ¨D Baal stood there, looking out behind the main camp.


    Below him, arge number of bonfires were being lit, illuminating the area so brightly that he could see beneath his feet. Many soldiers were stationed there, their eyes glowing eerily from the mes.


    The only thing they were looking at was the darkness, where no light could reach, and waiting for the enemy to attack.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s about time¡­¡±


    ¡°Are they reallying? I think that with this kind of vignce, they won¡¯t try anything.¡±


    ¡°Prince Fraus is a worrier. The enemy will surelye. Look, you can see it.¡±


    Baal said to the man next to him ¨D Fraus. His gaze went to the tip of Baal¡¯s hand. As his blue eyes looked over, he saw that some of the soldiers were chatting.


    ¡°There¡¯s a sense of calm in the air, even though the enemy might attack at night. And it¡¯s not just them¡­ There are many others who are less cautious.¡±


    When Frausined, Baal onlyughed, surprisingly happy.


    ¡°This is what they are trying to do. It¡¯s not just that they¡¯ve been trying to get our soldiers tired; it¡¯s that they¡¯ve been trying to get us to drop our guard and let our guard down. And tonight is the culmination of that.¡±


    The southern army is going to attack at night. In order to make it look like they were going tounch a night attack, they had to put the enemy on high alert and exhaust them. By repeating this process over and over again, they have been able to loosen up the guard on them.


    If counting the other small and medium-sized useless and insignificant measures, there are probably more than eight. Totaling all of them up, it can be said that they seeded in lowering the morale of the rebel army. Then there was onest thing left to do.


    What is going to happen now ¨D first of all, they are going tounch a fake night attack.


    ¡°The enemy wille at us from the front, making a loud noise.¡±


    ¡°Hou¡­ what does that mean?¡±


    When Fraus asked, the sound of horseshoes roared from ahead.


    An enemy attack! A soldier¡¯s urgent voice reached the watchtower.


    However, Baal formed a quiet smile and instructed his troops to release their pre-prepared messengers to the various locations.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lure. It¡¯s an obvious trap. There is no need to dance around it.¡±


    ¡°You mean we don¡¯t need to worry about this noise?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s also very well thought out. It will be a stepping stone for the next move.¡±


    The next move was to use the sound as a signal to attack the rear using a decoy. The decoys are probably criminals who have gone on a rampage of their own ¨D people who will sooner orter be put to death ording to thews of the Levering Kingdom.


    ¡°We¡¯ve lost contact with some of the plundering units. There is a strong possibility that the southern army has captured them.¡±


    There was no room for sympathy, considering the ruthless actions they had taken in the south. The enemy will not hesitate to use them as bait.


    ¡°¨D¨DEnemy shadow from the rear!¡±


    ¡°See, I told you it would happen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing. How is it that you can read their movements so well?¡±


    And thanks to therge number of bonfires burning, they were able to spot the enemy¡¯s shadow with ease.


    ¡°Release the arrows! And don¡¯t fall prey to their schemes. Deal with them calmly, and you won¡¯t have any problems!¡±


    Following Baal¡¯s instructions, the archers released their arrows. They hit one after another, but some of the horses seemed to have escaped the rain of arrows, and they crashed into the horse fence, making it impossible for them to prate. Baal immediately sent a detachment to investigate to see who the horsemen were.


    In the meantime, Baal and Fraus descended from the watchtower.


    ¡°Nextes a powerful attack from the front.¡±


    ¡°In other words, the attack is supposed to be from the front, but it¡¯s really from the rear, and even that is a lie.¡±


    Baal¡¯s smile deepened at Fraus¡¯s words.


    ¡°Indeed, in other words, it¡¯s a wave attack. More importantly, it¡¯s a bad idea to attack the rear, where security is tight. Even a man who does not know the art of war would not make such a foolish move.¡±


    Even a child could understand that. What is hard to understand is why the enemy would do such a thing. They were probably trying to spread out their forces as much as possible. However, if their intentions were readily apparent, it would have been easy to deal with them.


    A messenger rushed up to the mounted Baal and Fraus.


    ¡°Baal-sama, when we examined the corpse of the enemy that came out from behind, we found a criminal mark on his shoulder. It seems that he was not only tied up with ropes but was also tied to a horse so that he could not move.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it seems that nothing is out of the ordinary. Then blow the horn as nned! We¡¯re going to crush the enemy forcesing at us from the front!¡±


    He told the messenger, and not long after, horns were blown from around the area.


    At the same time, the shoutsing from the front began to intensify. The battle must have begun on a full scale. Baal decided that the real battle was in front, and he began to give the order to move on.


    ¡°Now, ughter them. Behead everyst one of them.¡±


    That line died out. At the same time, Baal¡¯s face lit up. The reason is ¨D fire spewed out from the surrounding area, sting into the sky with tremendous force.


    At the same time, ¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack!¡± A voice with a hint of frustration rang out from somewhere.


    ¡°It looks like the battering ram is on fire!¡±


    Baal red at his flustered entourage and shouted to calm the flustered soldiers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic; this is just another ploy by the enemy to disperse our forces! There is no need for siege weapons anymore! Keep the fire going, and don¡¯t hesitate to head for the front! Concentrate your forces on the front!¡±


    The southern army is carefully preparing ¨D they are trying to deceive and disperse as much of the rebel army¡¯s forces as possible.


    This is probably the work of an operative who took advantage of the opportunity to hide in in sight when the rebel army was distracted by the night attack on the first day. It¡¯s a brilliant move, but it¡¯s just a desperate ploy.


    The winner has already been decided. Baal¡¯s victory was undeniable.


    ¡°If he had just stayed in the siege and yed his little tricks, he might have survived a little longer.¡±


    Baal¡¯s expression was one of disgust, and Fraus opened her mouth grimly.


    ¡°It seems that I am not going to be able to help you here either. When will I be able to test this power?¡±


    ¡°We have many battles ahead of us. There is no need to be disappointed.¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders, kicked his horse in the stomach, and began to move forward.


    When he met up with the rear troops on the front line, a fierce battle was underway as the enemy seemed to be forcibly attempting to break through the center. However, thanks to the preparations they had made for a possible night attack, and more importantly, if the difference in the number of soldiers were in their favor, it would be easy to push back the southern army.


    There was no disruption in the chain ofmand here. Coordination between the various troops seemed to be in ce, and the rebel army, not wanting to miss out on the advantage, was bravely and boldly shing at the southern army.


    Pressed by the momentum, the southern army retreated. They would soon escape to the Schnee Fortress.


    ¡°I know you wanted to seed at all costs, but this is the end of it¡­ Let¡¯s crush them to the ground.¡±


    The enemy¡¯s lines will soon copse. All that remains is to ughter the fleeing enemy soldiers without fail.


    ¡°Notify the entire army. Crush the enemy army!¡±


    He ordered his entourage at his side, and the drums and horns sounded loud. Fraus, next to him, looked contentedly at the front line, which reeked of death.


    ¡°This is the end¡­ It seems that the descendant of the God of War was not much of a problem.¡±


    ¡°Even though he is a descendant, he is a descendant of a short-lived human race. Their blood is extremely diluted.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ if we can defeat the descendant of the God of War, we can let the world know that the demon race is reborn.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¨D¨D.¡±


    Baal¡¯s body was blown forward as he was about to open his mouth to reply. Baal couldn¡¯t react to the sudden event. When he got up without understanding the situation, shouting came from all directions.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening¨D¨D?¡±


    Baal lost his bnce after shouting and fell to one knee. Turning his gaze downward, he saw that an arrow had pierced his back and side.


    ¡°Where did thise from¡­?¡±


    The blood trickled down the arrowhead and was sucked into the ground. His face was more confused than painful. Fraus rushed up to him with a surprised expression.


    ¡°Lord Bitenia, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is no more than a scratch. I¡¯d rather check the situation ¨D but I guess it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    He noticed that arrows had also wounded the soldiers around him. Some of them were dead or not moving at all. Baal gritted his teeth, stood up, put his arm behind his back, and pulled out the arrow that had pierced him.


    He then slowly turned around and shouted out augh that he couldn¡¯t suppress.


    ¡°Fufu, hahahahaha, I see¡­ the real target was the rear!¡±


    Arge number of cavalry were avnching in from the rear. The momentum is like a muddy stream, and the soldiers in the rear, who are thin, can not stop it.


    The initial decoys had rendered many of the horse fences useless. The enemy soldiers were riding into the main camp through the broken parts. Then, arge number of bonfires were lit by the enemy and burned the tents.


    The enemy cavalry trampled down the fleeing infantrymen.


    ¡°¡­You dare to choose a poor strategy.¡±


    ¡°Baal-sama! Not only has the enemy attacked from behind¨D¨D.¡±


    The messenger rushed over with a look of frustration on his face.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    He was pierced by the spear of a Grantz cavalryman who came from behind and bounced off the ground several times before disappearing from Baal¡¯s sight. At the same time, the sound of sword fights from the left and right, along with the screaming of allies, is sounded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a brilliant side-attack you made here. In the dark, it¡¯s impossible to get an urate count. Even a small number will have a tremendous effect.¡±


    The siege waspleted. There was no room to deal with attacks from all sides, as all the soldiers here concentrated on the front as if they were in heat.


    Baal, who looked on from the sidelines as if he were a spectator to a screaming battlefield, was inundated with enemy cavalry.


    ¡°Fuh, I¡¯ve been fooled, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    When Baal picked up his magic bow, the Fail Note, he fired three arrows in quick session. It seeded to pierce the throat of the enemy soldiers and kill them.


    ¡°¡­It looks like it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    Baal grabbed the flustered Fraus by the shoulders.


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s your turn? In this situation?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t turn the tide of battle, but you can break away from it.¡±


    Baal told Fraus as he nonchntly ughtered the approaching enemy.


    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s retreat once. We can¡¯t afford to get hung up on victory here.¡±


    If they reorganize now, they can still maintain more than 10,000 troops.


    ¡°Most importantly, even if the night attack is sessful, the enemy will not be unharmed. They will probably lose a lot of soldiers in this battle. Considering that, we can still make aeback.¡±


    Baal said as if he was talking about something else, but Fraus¡¯ face turned red, and her anger swelled.


    ¡°You said that you could win!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. Now think about getting out of here as quickly as possible.¡±


    In response to Baal¡¯s words, Fraus roared in frustration as he cut down the enemy soldiers around him as if he were exploding in anger.


    ¡°The main force is now leaving!¡±


    ¡°That is good.¡±


    If they stay here any longer, they will not be able to reduce the enemy¡¯s momentum. This defeat is a blow, but it doesn¡¯t change the n, and more importantly, it¡¯s going as nned.


    ¡°We still have a n. All we have to do is win in the end.¡±


    There is no need to win constantly. Even if they continue to lose, even if they continue to have their ns overlooked, they will always be the winners if they can pull off a victory in the end.


    ¡°So let¡¯s hurry back to the capital to reorganize the army and start over.¡±


    Baal said and pulled his horse to leave the battlefield. Immediately after that, there was an eerie sound. It was a very, very small sound. It was a tone that had never been heard in this war situation.


    It never left the ear, leaving behind an eerie feeling that persisted forever.


    ¡°I have ovee many hardships. I¡¯ve stepped over many corpses. I have abandoned many hopes.¡±


    It approaches quietly as if drawing him into the evesting darkness.


    ¡°When someone who has never known despair speaks of a better n, it makes me sour.¡±


    There are no ups and downs in his voice. And yet, there was a weight that prated deep. Baal and Fraus immediately prepared themselves and looked in the direction of the voice.


    Surrounded by many corpses, a boy with an eye patch covering half of his face stood there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about running away.¡±


    His gentle face tightened sharply.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be my bread and butter here. I won¡¯t give you a second chance.¡±


    The boy grasped his silver sword with ease.


    ¡°Now ¨D it¡¯s time to teach you despair.¡±


    The darkness around him deepened, distorting the space and filling it with deadly energy.

 Volume 3, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 3, Epilogue</h4>


    October 28, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Schnee Fortress ¨D the courtyard.


    Hiro and the others were getting ready to leave. Munin and Hugin were loading food and water onto a wagon. As he watched them work, Hiro sat in the courtyard and looked at the sky.


    Then he heard the sound of snow being stepped on, and he turned his head.


    udia was standing there, her side hair brushed by the wind.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take it a little slower?¡±


    ¡°No, I have a lot of things to be concerned about. I¡¯ll excuse myself now.¡±


    ¡°Then there is no reason to force you to stay. I wish you a safe journey.¡±


    ¡°Well, I just heard from a soldier. It looks like you¡¯ve regained the royal capital.¡±


    ording to the soldier, it was only yesterday that he received the news. The faction that supports udia has freed the captured nobles and driven the rebel army out of the city. With thepleted magic weapons in her possession, her throne is now unassable.


    ¡°Yes, I will return triumphantly once the post-war process is over.¡±


    ¡°As the descendant of a former ally, I hope you will make this country prosperous.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will make it rich enough to rival the Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°I have high hopes for you.¡±


    Then Hiro smiled cheerfully at her.


    ¡°Are you satisfied now that everything is going ording to your n?¡±


    The tone of Hiro¡¯s voice was sharp and pointed, though it was delivered with the ease of small talk.


    udia smiled, a little unexpectedly, yet with interest.


    ¡°Heh¡­ where did you start noticing that?¡±


    ¡°From the beginning. It was unnatural from the moment I met you, but I became convinced when the crown prince Fraus murdered the king.¡±


    When he first met udia, she had single-handedly destroyed a band of bandits. And yet, instead of standing up to Fraus, who had no great ability, she was crying over her father¡¯s corpse. Anyone would be sad to lose a parent, but whates after sadness is anger.


    And yet, she just stood there, stunned and motionless, waiting for Hiro toe and save her.


    ¡°Not only that, you need to do a better job of acting. You wereughing when you saw Haniel¡¯s body. I was so angry that I almost forgot myself.¡±


    ¡°Ara, I thought I¡¯d hidden it, but did you see it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not so easy to fool my eyes, you know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see, I forgot the existence of the Heavenly Spirit Eye.¡±


    ¡°Do you really want the throne so badly? You¡¯ve lost so many loyal subjects.¡±


    ¡°My father and brother were not fit to be kings. Above all, if you care for your people, if you care for your soldiers, if you respect your country, you must make some sacrifices. The most important thing is that I, the one who caused this tragedy, cannot remain unharmed.¡±


    For the sake of the country, even parents and siblings be enemies. Hiro thought that she was a very cruel and terrible woman.


    ¡°What would you have done if I had not been sent as an envoy?¡±


    ¡°At that time, I would have used the Fifth Imperial Army. All that would have happened is that Hiro-sama¡¯s current position and the Second Prince would have been swapped.¡±


    ¡°The Second Prince will not be easily taken advantage of. I¡¯m sure the Levering Kingdom would have been destroyed.¡±


    ¡°So be it. I guess that means I am not fit to be a king either.¡±


    Hiro sighed. He thought she was a strong woman. She has a core that will not be broken.


    ¡°Are you nning something this big by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes. First, I told my brother, who was jealous of me, that I would seed on the throne. Then, as expected, he went on a rampage, murdering the king and bing a traitor.¡±


    The rest is easy, udia said, smiling confidently and holding out her arms.


    ¡°Garius had always disliked my father¡¯s conservative ways, so it was obvious that he would cooperate with my brother. Baal had also been his educator, and he had always told him the wrong stories. Haniel is a loyal general. He will never forgive my brother for killing my father. It wouldn¡¯t have been so difficult if you hadn¡¯t steered him wrong.¡±


    ¡°But no matter how jealous he may be, the crown prince Fraus is probably not stupid enough to n a rebellion just because of that. There must have been some other reason.¡±


    After saying that, Hiro narrowed his eyes sharply and looked at udia.


    ¡°Maybe they knew you were an elf.¡±


    udia¡¯s calm face changed to a frozen expression as she stared at Hiro.


    ¡°Do you know about this?¡±


    ¡°It was more than a thousand years ago. A heretic was born into the demon race. The skin is white as snow, the magic power is immense, and it can even use legal power that it was not born with, so it was called ¡°elfinization¡± and was abhorred.¡±


    As their numbers grew, they came to be persecuted by the demon race, and in order to escape the threat, they migrated to the western continent and began to call themselves a new race, the Long-Ear races. As the generations passed, the magic power disappeared, and eventually, the ¡°elfinization¡± stopped, though it should have faded away in the long history.


    (I guess it¡¯s atavism. This is why the king hesitated to give up the throne to the crown prince Fraus. udia took advantage of this and had her brother kill the king.)


    ¡°Fufufu, when my brother found out that I was an elf, his face was truly terrifying. It was then that he started advocating for the supremacy of the demon race.¡±


    She smiled happily, tilted her head, and continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of this that Hiro-sama decided to use me. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°May I ask why you think that?¡±


    ¡°I am a descendant of a former ally and popr among the people, so there is no problem in appointing me as a king. The most important thing is that I am an elf. I can be used as a pawn in case something goes wrong. Isn¡¯t that what you decided?¡±


    As she said, Hiro was nning to let udia take over the throne the day he had an audience with the king. Even if the rebellion did not ur, even if the king were still alive, he would have used various schemes to dethrone him.


    ¡°Even so, I would not have resorted to such disastrous measures. That¡¯s the difference between you and me. I would never have sacrificed innocent people to have you take over the throne.¡±


    ¡°But the means are different; the goal is still the same. As a result, I inherited the throne.¡±


    So¡­ udia put her hand on the hilt of her magic sword, the Auto ire.


    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful to you for that, Hiro-sama, but I have no intention of being your puppet.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to obey me. Not unless you want to corrupt history.¡±


    ¡°Ara, I thought you were going to use force, but you¡¯re letting me off the hook?¡±


    ¡°Whatever your ultimate goal is, our interests are still aligned. Besides, as long as you don¡¯t get in my way, you can do whatever you want.¡±


    As Hiro quietly ced his hand on the hilt of the Heavenly Emperor, he looked at udia.


    ¡°If our goals are repulsive to each other, then we will simply eat up all of those ideals.¡±


    ¡°Then let us look forward to that time. I think that Hiro-sama is on my side.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no idea what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Do you like the current Grantz Empire, Hiro-sama?¡±


    udia reached out and touched Hiro¡¯s silent cheek.


    ¡°That¡¯s not really true, is it? If you knew what happened to your distant ancestor, the God of War, and the children of the five ck Heavenly Generals who gathered under him after the death of the second emperor. There would be no more love.¡±


    As udia said, the five generals known as the ¡°Five ck Heavenly Generals¡± ¨D except for Rox¡¯s descendants ¨D were falsely used by the third emperor, who feared their fame, and their families were beheaded. In addition, those who were part of the ¡°Raven Army¡± left behind by Hiro were also considered a threat due to their high fighting strength and were defeated in deception for plotting a rebellion. It is recorded that they were defeated.


    ¡°The honor was regained when the fifth emperor formally apologized, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that they died in regret.¡±


    udia covered her mouth with her hand as if she wasmenting and gave him a provocative look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to avenge the stain on the history of your ancestors?¡±


    ¡°Even so, your goals and mine may intersect, but they will never ovep.¡±


    ¡°Gentleness alone is not enough for a nation, Hiro-sama.¡±


    ¡°Still, I will follow my own path.¡±


    Hiro quietly brushes udia¡¯s hand away and stands up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you when I have the chance.¡±


    ¡°Hiro-sama will surelye to my side. I¡¯ll see you then.¡±


    With that, udia also began to walk in the opposite direction of Hiro. Hiro walked towards Hugin and the others.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Wise brother! We can leave at any time!¡±


    Hugin answered innocently, and then the main gate of Schnee Fortress opened. A loud noise drew the attention of Hiro and the others. A horse was galloping towards them. The rider on the horse was someone familiar.


    ¡°Your Highness! Please return to the Great Imperial Capital as soon as possible!¡±


    It was the second-grade military officer Driks, who had been sent to the second prince. He jumped down from the back of his horse and kneeled down in front of Hiro.


    ¡°Brigadier General Aura is isted in Felzen region! Her Highness Celia Estre, who was on her way to rescue her, was also raided and defeated by the Grand Duchy of Dral!¡±


    He wanted to ask many questions, such as why Aura was isted, what happened to the Third Prince Blutar, and why the Grand Duchy of Dral was in the Felzen region, but first and foremost was the safety of the two of them. Hiro spun his words while desperately trying to quiet his mind.


    ¡°¡­..Are the two of them safe?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ¨D the safety of both of them is unknown!¡±


    Hiro clenches his fists tightly, exhales deeply, and closes his eyes.


    ¡°Send a fast horse to Ghada. After meeting up with the Raven Army in the Great Imperial Capital¡­ we¡¯ll go to Felzen region.¡±


    No, Hiro shook his head gloomily as he thought about the future.


    ¡°No ¨D our target is the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    Not knowing the meaning of his words, everyone looked at him and was taken aback.

 Volume 3, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 3, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you very much for picking up a copy of ¡°The Otherworldly Tales of Mythical, Legendary Heroes 3¡±. For those of you who have continued reading from the previous volume, it¡¯s been three months since west met (pretty fast).


    If you¡¯ve been reading since volume three, this will be your first time, and I¡¯m honored to meet you.


    There¡¯s a lot I want to talk about, but¡­ well, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have enough lines!


    So, I¡¯d like to make a quick speech of acknowledgment.


    Thank you very much, Miyuki Ruria-sama, for the many beautiful illustrations in this volume and drawing the characters so attractively. Your sweet illustrations have been a greatfort to me.


    S-sama, the editor in charge, I really apologize for the inconvenience this volume has caused. I can¡¯t thank you enough. I look forward to working with you in the future. Thank you very much to the editorial staff, proofreaders, designers, and everyone else involved in this work.


    I would also like to thank all the readers who have been reading this book since thest volume. I will continue to send out more never-ending chuunibyou, so please continue to support me.


    I hope we will have the opportunity to meet again.

 Volume 4, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 4, Prologue</h4>


    The battlefield was covered with a huge number of dead bodies. The trees were scorched, ck smoke painted the clear sky, and the smell of smoldering iron rust filled the air.


    ¡°Haaaaa!¡±


    In such a hellish battlefield, a girl with red hair was dancing beautifully. She danced as if she were slicing through a nightmare scene, scattering the smell of death in the air.


    Each time she danced, screams, shouts, and all sorts of vindictiveness were created. But no matter how many enemy soldiers she cut down, no matter how many piles of corpses she built up.


    ¨D¨Dthis desperate situation would not change.


    The girl let out a ragged breath and stabbed her burning red sword into the ground.


    ¡°¡­I wonder if this is what it means to be surrounded by enemies on all sides.¡±


    She looked at her surroundings, but she could not find any of her allies.


    The escape route is already blocked. The soldiers who had followed her to the end had also died. With only a little bit of strength left, it was unlikely that the girl would be able to break through the encirclement.


    The girl looked up at the sky and tightened her face as the blood smoke obscured her vision.


    ¡°But I promised to meet him. I can¡¯t give up so easily.¡±


    Remembering the promise she made to the twin-ck young man, the girl tightened her grip on the hilt of her red sword again. She promised to show him that she had improved and that they would meet again.


    ¨D¨DThen there was no way she would bend her knee.


    The girl waved the tip of her sword sideways as if to intimidate the enemy soldiers surrounding her.


    ¡°Now,e at me. I¡¯m not going to die here.¡±


    Even if her arms are cut off, even if she loses her legs, she will definitely make it to where the twin-ck young man is waiting and seeing his smile again. The girl raises her sword strongly, powerfully, to face the enemy soldiers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine; I won¡¯t end up in this ce!¡±


    The girl smiles at the boy that flickers in her mind and starts to rush.


    To the ce where the tip of the spear fills the field of her vision. As she runs to the young man ahead of her, she runs past him. With a certain determination in her red eyes, the girl boldly shed into the rushing group of enemies.


    She didn¡¯t need to aim, and even if she closed her eyes, she could still sh and hit them. It was only a single strike ¨D and with that, a ssh of blood dyed the ground red, and a scream covered the sky.


    As if in response to the girl¡¯s spirit, the red sword shone brightly, spreading the mes of hellfire.


    The girl continued to ughter the enemy soldiers with all her might, but she felt a strange presence and stopped moving.


    ¡°¡­..What?¡±


    The sound of drums wasing from the surroundings. Exuberance shot up from the enemy army. The shouting shook the ground, and the stamping of feet gripped the entrails.


    A wave of people broke through, covering the entire field of vision, and a female knight appeared between them.


    ¡°I really admire the way you continue to fight back even though the odds are stacked against you.¡±


    The woman¡¯s clear voice melted into her eardrums as shouts of joy surrounded her.


    ¡°But you¡¯re still outnumbered. Let¡¯s bring the curtain down here.¡±


    With a smile like that of a loving mother, the woman dexterously swung her blue spear with one hand.


    With just one swing, the ground was shattered in the aftermath. With the woman at the center of the dust, the generated thousand waves released an overpowering force that made space creak.


    ¡°Never look away. Always keep your eyes forward.¡±


    There was the sound of air popping.


    ¡°Otherwise ¨D you will die.¡±


    The next thing she knew, the female knight was right in front of her. When the girl hurriedly held the red sword in the upper part of her body, a terrible shock pierced her body.


    ¡°Guh¡­!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. But you misjudged me.¡±


    She felt an intense chill irritating her skin and a cold air drifting from the blue spear she had received. She noticed the change and turned her gaze towards it: the de of the red sword that caught the spearhead was beginning to freeze.


    ¡°So, what would you say?¡±


    The girl took a forward bent posture to push away and swung the red sword with all her might.


    ¡°This is where it starts!¡±


    But no matter how strong her heart is, her attacks willck finesse if she is once discouraged, no matter how much spirit she has. Even so, the girl continued to attack boldly. Even when the cold waves from the blue spear froze the sweat on her forehead, even when her dry lips split open and bled, she continued to fight desperately to reach her destination.


    ¡°But this is as far as you go.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    It was only one breath. The next breath that was taken tounch the next attack had fatal consequences. The girl¡¯s beautiful face twisted in pain as the tip of the spear sliced through her soft skin.


    ¡°Ouch¨D¨D!¡±


    The next time the spear pierced the girl¡¯s shoulder, fresh blood sttered backward. Distracted by her intense pain, the girl stops movingpletely.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s over.¡±


    The female knight thrusts the blue spear into the ground and raises one hand. Then, realizing the opportunity, the enemy soldiers desperately jumped on the girl.


    The red sword, which sensed the danger, emitted strong light, but it was immediately enveloped by the cold air emitted by the blue spear and dissipated.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let this end just yet¡­¡±


    Her eyes still have a strong will in them, but there is no way to prevent the storm of violence for a girl who has lost her hand.


    ¡°¡­..Hiro.¡±


    In the midst of it all, the girl reached out her hand towards the young man she hoped to see again. But hope never came, and in an instant, the girl was swallowed up by the waves of enemy soldiers.

 Volume 4, Chapter 1 – The Beginning of Turbulence, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 1 ¨C The Beginning of Turbulence, Part 1</h4>


    The golden leaves falling on the streets are a reminder of theing of autumn. The wind rustled the branches and leaves, and the leaves rubbed against each other as if muttering to themselves about the cold. In this ce filled with the sounds of nature, there was a paved road.


    The road was named after the five great noble families of the time, the Schein family, who established it in the early days of the Grantz Empire. Today, the road is managed by the government, and stations are set up at regr intervals. However, due to the fact that it was early in the morning, there were few peopleing and going, and the number of stagecoaches in motion could be counted on one hand.


    There were four horse-drawn carriages running at full speed through the quiet streets. A brown-skinned woman sat at the front of the carriage, skillfully controlling it as it continued to run at a remarkable speed.


    ¡°Wise brother! We almost arrived at the Great Imperial Capital!¡±


    The wheels crushed the stone, and the carriage shook, the brown-skinned woman said.


    Her name was Hugin ¨D a woman who used to be a mercenary in the Principality of Lichtine. In the Liberation Army, she had served as the assistant deputy. She is a strong woman who is now working as Hiro¡¯s private soldier.


    ¡°I understand. Please continue to the Imperial Pce.¡±


    Hiro said simply, his usual gentle face fading into a grim expression. He clutched his chest to calm his anxious mind and repeatedly took deep breaths.


    (There is no point in panicking. First of all, I need to have an audience with the emperor and talk to him¡­)


    The content is about Liz and Aura, whose safety is unknown in the Felzen region. A week has already passed since Driks informed him about it in the Levering Kingdom.


    He should be able to hear more details. Maybe even be able to confirm their safety. But the calm part of himself was telling him that it would not work out that way.


    ¡°Her Highness Celia Estre has the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, the me Emperor, and Brigadier General Aura has unparalleled intelligence. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll both be fine.¡±


    Driks, who was sitting next to him, tried to soothe Hiro¡¯s anxiety. But it was no constion. But he couldn¡¯t deny what he thought of himself, and he was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would shout in anger, so he just nodded.


    ¡°Wise brother, they¡¯re checking our luggage.¡±


    When he looked up in response to the voice, he saw that Hugin had opened the coachman¡¯s window and was peeking into the carriage.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll talk to them.¡±


    Hiro sat up from the sofa and peeked out of the window on the side.


    Currently, Hiro¡¯s carriage is running on the bridge that connects to the Great Imperial Capital.


    Walking there were vigers from the neighborhood, mercenaries with a noisy atmosphere, merchants from other countries smiling to make a profit, people with various purposes and upations.


    The destination where they are all heading is the huge main gate that connects to the Great Imperial Capital ¨D underneath the gate, soldiers are checking luggage, and it is necessary to show a pass.


    ¡°Stop the carriage there! Which country are you from?¡±


    Several soldiers rushed up to Hiro¡¯s carriage. The expression on their faces could be taken as one of increased caution, giving off a somber air that would have put most people off.


    Hiro didn¡¯t want to be disturbed by the people, so he didn¡¯t disy the g that indicated his affiliation. This seemed to have the opposite effect on the soldiers, and Hiro¡¯s carriage was quickly surrounded.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need to be rmed.¡±


    When Hiro looked out of the window, the person who seemed to be the head of the luggage inspection darted his eyes.


    ¡°For the time being¡­ people may recognize my face. At any rate, if I show you the letter with the emperor¡¯s signature on it, will you let me through?¡±


    He took out the letter with the emperor¡¯s seal and held it between his fingers, fluttering it around.


    ¡°T-this is! Your Highness Hiro Schwartz!¡±


    He opened his mouth to speak and then stood upright and saluted. It was so loud that the people around could hear it, and the ce was instantly in an uproar.


    This is dangerous. The soldiers around desperately trying to hold them back, but the waves of people are roaring around the carriage to get a glimpse of Hiro.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry this time, so I¡¯d rather head to the pce quietly if possible.¡±


    Hiro pointed his index finger upward near the ceiling of the carriage. He gave the gesture to guess why he did not raise his crest g.


    The chief luggage inspector noticed this and looked around in tant dismay.


    ¡°I-I apologize. We¡¯ll get this under control right away!¡±


    The chief luggage inspector¡¯s forehead was covered with sweat as he made exaggerated hand gestures.


    ¡°Disperse, disperse! It was just someone else¡¯s! There¡¯s no way His Highness Hiro Schwartz is here! This was just a street performer¡¯s carriage!¡±


    It was a half-desperate cry, but not bad for a spur-of-the-moment move. Immediately, the people around seemed to be convinced and returned to the luggage inspection line, mutteringints.


    ¡°Apologies for the inconvenience! The carriage there will be given priority!¡±


    The chief luggage inspector said, and his subordinate broke into the crowd to clear the way for the carriage to run. As the carriage started up again, Hiro looked out the window in the back.


    He recognized the chief luggage inspector bowing his head repeatedly ¨D his face pale to the point of feeling sorry for him as if he was expecting to be punished. He was only fulfilling his duties, and there was no way that Hiro would be offended by that¡­


    (I¡¯ll send a messengerter to give him a word of appreciation¡­)


    As soon as the gate was opened, Hiro and the others were able to go through the main gate. From here on, it was the main street.


    From the noblewomen in their fancy clothes, to the intellectuals flocking to the pottery brought in from other countries, to the chefs examining the various colored spices, to the children flocking to the smell of the fragrant meat from the stalls, even though it was early in the morning, the main street was full of activity. People were happilying and going from the stalls.


    It seemed as if they didn¡¯t care about the strange events that had urred in the Felzen region.


    (I thought they were deliberately blocking the information, but¡­)


    It¡¯s probably because they simply haven¡¯t received any information yet. If they had gotten the information, it would have been all over the news in the Great Imperial Capital.


    Above all, it is impossible to put a door in someone¡¯s mouth. Even if it were an event in a region beyond the west, it would be nearly impossible to shut down information in the capital, where many peddlers from other countries visit.


    (It may not be now, but it will be tomorrow or the next day.)


    The poprity of the ¡°War Maiden¡± and the ¡°me Princess¡± in the Great Imperial Capital is tremendous. What will be the reaction of the people when they find out that they have been defeated?


    (The only ones who will benefit from this are the neighboring countries who are eyeing the Grantz Empire as an enemy, vigntly waiting for it to weaken¡­ It is dangerous to be too distracted by the Felzen region.)


    Obviously, if the remnants of Felzen¡¯s army are not suppressed as soon as possible, the west will copse. If that happens, there will be no more talk of unifying the central continent.


    (Now¡­ what is the emperor thinking?)


    As if to crush his anxiety, Hiro looked out the window and saw that the carriage had passed through the main street overlooked by the twelve great gods of Grantz and ran through Fountain Square.


    If they continued north from here, they would arrive at the majestic and towering Imperial Pce of Venezine.


    ¡°Munin.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    When Hiro called out his name, a man with scars all over his face straightened his posture. The man sitting in front of him was named Munin. He¡¯s the older brother of Hugin, who is operating this carriage.


    About three months ago, in the Principality of Lichtine, located to the south of the Grantz Empire, a rebel army was formed with the goal of freeing the ves. Munin had been serving as second-inmand there, but when his superior, Ghada Meteor, was defeated by the Fourth Imperial Army, he too fell under Hiro¡¯smand.


    ¡°While I have an audience with the emperor, can you go to the east district and find out what¡¯s going on with the Golden Lion Knights?¡±


    The vast grounds of the Imperial Pce of Venezine are divided into four districts, with the Rose Garden at the center. The east district houses the residences and training grounds of the elite ¡°Golden Lion Knights¡± of the First Imperial Army.


    The south district is a strict entrance with watchtowers and guardhouses, and the north is the imperial pce of Venezine, the center of the nation, and thest district to the west is lined with the mansions of powerful nobles.


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll look into it thoroughly.¡±


    Normally, Munin is aloof, but this time he nodded emphatically with a mysterious attitude.


    ¡°Next, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like you to do for me, Driks.¡±


    ¡°Yes, whatever you wish.¡±


    ¡°I want you to go and check on the First Prince Stobel. If you can¡¯t, I¡¯d like you to find out what he¡¯s been up totely, even if it¡¯s something trivial.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you both to it then.¡±


    ¡°¡±Understood.¡±¡±


    Hiro opened the carriage door and stepped out onto the ground after receiving a colorful reply from both of them.


    ¡°Wise brother! What do you want me to do?¡±


    Hugin was the one who called out to him. Hugin¡¯s face clearly showed her confusion, whether she was unhappy that she was the only one not being ordered to do anything or whether she was worried.


    ¡°Hugin should stay in the carriage. You¡¯ve been working as a coachman for a long time. You¡¯re probably tired, so I want you to have a rest.¡±


    ¡°R-resting?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Resting is part of the job. Hugin will stay in the carriage until Ie back.¡±


    As Hiro tried to persuade Hugin, he could see Munin and Driks dispersing to their various locations toplete their assigned tasks out of the corner of his eye. Hugin looked at this with a grudge, but then she sighed in resignation and shifted her gaze to Hiro.


    ¡°U-understood. I¡¯ll take your word for it if that¡¯s what you want¡­¡±


    Hugin nodded obediently, though he seemed to disapprove.


    ¡°Good. Well then, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    Hiro waved his hand behind his back to Hugin and walked towards the imperial pce.


    When he went up the dustless marble staircase, he saw an opulent door. On either side of the door were the brave-looking gatekeepers. They bowed respectfully to Hiro, and both put their hands on the door.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz. Prime Minister Gils is waiting for you.¡±

 Volume 4, Chapter 1 – The Beginning of Turbulence, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 1 ¨C The Beginning of Turbulence, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz. Prime Minister Gils is waiting for you.¡±


    As Hiro approached, the gatekeeper moved at the same time and opened the door. The sweet scent that had been pressed inside was released slightly outside, and the warm air enveloped Hiro. The smell of an old building is always soothing. When the air is so close to what it was a thousand years ago, it¡¯s no wonder that Hiro¡¯s eyes narrowed with nostalgia.


    (I have a lot of memories here. It really makes me feel like I¡¯m back.)


    When he entered with such a feeling of nostalgia, he found arge crowd of people waiting for him. At the head of the line was Prime Minister Gils, and surrounding him were probably the high-ranking officials in his entourage.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz, we have been waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Prime Minister Gils.¡±


    After a brief exchange of greetings, Prime Minister Gils turned to the side and bowed with an encouraging attitude.


    ¡°Please continue to the throne room, where His Majesty the Emperor is waiting.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Hiro began to walk, urged on by Prime Minister Gils¡¯ hand. Prime Minister Gils followed behind him. Many footsteps reverberated in the corridor, probably because the dignitaries were also following him.


    Hiro couldn¡¯t help but wonder why they needed to follow him.


    ¡°Prime Minister Gils, I have a petition from the people of the central region. They want you to do something about the nobles who are forcing people to pay heavy taxes, but they¡¯re distant rtives of the Krone family¡­¡±


    ¡°You are to be very careful with them in my name. It would be a shame to have an armed uprising at a time like this.¡±


    ¡°The son of the Nickle family has requested an audience with the emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just leave it alone. You don¡¯t have to deal with them because their treatment will never be reversed. Don¡¯t bother me with such matters.¡±


    ¡°This is from a northern nobleman who has discovered a new mine, but due to the steep canyon, it is infested with monsters, and he is asking the government to bear part of the cost of subjugating them.¡±


    ¡°What on earth is that¡­? The details are not put together. Send a fast horse and bring the person in charge to me.¡±


    The dignitaries handed out reports in rapid session, and Prime Minister Gils sent precise instructions.


    ¡°I am sorry, Your Highness, Hiro. It¡¯s not something we should be doing in a ce like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. None of the information I¡¯ve heard seems to be ssified.¡±


    He must have taken time out of his busy schedule to see Hiro. That¡¯s why he is busy with his work even while he is walking.


    Hiro has a thinly veiled sense of the reason for this.


    Probably because of the priority given to Felzen¡¯s matters, other things have been put on the back burner. That is the job of the high-ranking officials, but all of the matters that Hiro just heard about are very difficult to judge, so they may not have been able to decide on their own.


    However, the busy schedule of Prime Minister Gils was of no concern to him. Hiro didn¡¯t care and opened his mouth, looking forward.


    ¡°I heard that Aura, who was on a mission in Felzen, was not only isted but also defeated when the Grand Duchy of Dral raided the army led by Liz.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely it. Her Highness Celia Estre seems to have moved her troops to save the isted Brigadier General Aura, but it seems that the Grand Duchy of Dral intercepted them¡­¡±


    While being irritated by Prime Minister Gils¡¯s unreasonable way of speaking, Hiro interrupted him to hurry up.


    ¡°What is the safety of the two of them?¡±


    ¡°It seems that Brigadier General Aura has fled to a nearby fort¡­ but unfortunately, Her Highness Celia Estre has been captured by the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    The weight in his voice ¨D Hiro felt it and fell silent.


    Even so, his past experience and the knowledge he has cultivated instantly formte a tactic in his mind. What would be the best, and what would be necessary to rescue her?


    If she were captured by the Grand Duchy of Dral, then he would have to prepare the appropriate materials for trade. However, if he is dealing with Felzen¡¯s remnant army, their demands will probably go up.


    They probably want the Grantz Empire to retreat from Felzen, but there is no way that the emperor would approve of them giving up the territory they have worked so hard to acquire. If that were the case, Liz¡¯s safety would never be guaranteed.


    If so, then there is another way: find out who is dissatisfied with the Felzen remnant army and arrange for it to copse from within, but this will require a great deal of effort and time.


    It was bad¡­ He thought.


    Every n that came to mind was being destroyed one by one. It didn¡¯t take long for him to realize that all the knowledge he had umted so far was useless.


    (No, there is one. I can use the strategy I had in mind from the beginning. But this is¡­)


    That strategy was the one he was going to implement once Liz was safely on the run. However, considering that Liz was captured, this strategy would be dangerous for her.


    Hiro felt himself getting stuck like an insect trapped in a spider¡¯s web.


    Just before his thoughts becamepletely clouded, Hiro punched himself in the leg.


    (This is when I should keep my cool. There¡¯s no need to corner myself in selfish imagination.)


    Although Hiro forcibly broke off his thoughts, his face was filled with a dark shade, not as bright as usual, and he was only growing impatient.


    ¡°Please ask His Majesty Greyheit for details.¡±


    Hiro was jolted back to reality by the voice of Prime Minister Gils.


    In front of him was an opulent double door ¨D it seemed that he had arrived at the throne room while he was thinking.


    A soldier on guard opens the door for him.


    As he stepped into the throne room, Hiro noticed that there were no nobles or lords in sight.


    Not only that but there was no sign of the imperial guard that protected the emperor. Frowning with suspicion, Hiro walked on the red carpet to the throne.


    ¡°The Fourth Prince Hiro Schwartz. Good to see you back safely.¡±


    The emperor sitting on the throne, who was sixty-seven years old this year, was full of youthful vigor, and his heroic supremacy was remarkable. However, his voice is filled with anger, and his expression is a little more stern than usual.


    ¡°First of all, let me praise you for quelling the civil war in the Levering Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°No, Princess udia is the one who fought hard; I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Hiro said without any particr emotion and then dropped to one knee and bowed his head. The emperor, who was looking at the situation with great interest, opened his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you to give a verbal report on the status of quelling the civil war in the Levering Kingdom¡­¡±


    Raising his face, Hiro turned his dark eyes to the emperor.


    ¡°In the meantime, let¡¯s talk about the Felzen remnants and the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    With a hint of annoyance in his voice, the emperor began to talk about the details without hesitation.


    Aura, who was acting independently of the Third Prince Blutar, fell for the enemy¡¯s ruse and was isted and surrounded by the Felzen remnant army. However, Liz sees this as an opportunity. She moves her troops to intercept the enemy, but at the same time, the Grand Duchy of Dral begins to march into the Felzen region and attack the fighting Grantz troops. In the face of this tremendous offensive, Liz decided to retreat.


    It is said that Liz felt guilty and served as the rear guard, but she could not stop the enemy¡¯s momentum and her troops were destroyed ¨D the enemy captured her.


    ¡°Celia Estre must be rescued. She is the first holder of the me Emperor since the first Emperor Altius. She is too precious to be abandoned.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean¡­ you will abandon Brigadier General Aura, who continues to fight in istion?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the n. The Third Prince Blutar and his entourage were eager to save her, and they wrote letters about it. But the empire is full of people who are as good as the War Maiden. It¡¯s not worth the sacrifice to save her, and I don¡¯t see the need for it.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Brigadier General Aura¡¯s talent can reach even the God of War. She is still young, and her talents have not yet blossomed, but I think it is premature to discard her simply.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that we should chalk up this blunder to youthful indiscretion?¡±


    The ring emperor took out a sheet of paper from his pocket. The emperor threw it down to Hiro and motioned with his chin for him to read it.


    As he unfolded the paper ¨D the amount of damage written on it was enough to bankrupt a small country.


    However, it was unlikely that this level of damage would disrupt the stability of the west, but it would have some impact. The emperor may be nning to have one girl, Aura, take the brunt of the dissatisfaction of the nobles and lords before it erupts.


    ¡°My ancestor, the God of War, must have made a blunder or two. But even so, the first Emperor Altius forgave him with a generous heart. Thanks to that, my ancestor is still loved by the people as the Hero King of the Twin ck.¡±


    Aura should indeed be punished ordingly if her own rashness caused this event. However, if the cause of this incident is correct, it is because the emperor cornered Felzen.


    It would be too short-sighted to put the me on one girl and abandon her.


    ¡°The Fourth Prince Hiro Schwartz. Are youparing me to the first emperor?¡±


    A voice that made no effort to hide its displeasure came from the emperor¡¯s throat.


    The first emperor, Altius, left behind outstanding achievements. In contrast, the current emperor has never achieved any historical feats, and even his achievements are inferior byparison. Compared to Altius, his self-esteem would be hurt, and his gaze wasced with murderous intent.


    (I guess he¡¯s in a big hurry. Well, I guess it¡¯s understandable when all the countries are against the Grantz Empire.)


    While inwardly dumbfounded, Hiro¡¯s expression was quite serious, and he shrugged his shoulders without answering.


    Immediately after that ¨D a wind blew.


    Even though the window was not open, the cold wind grazed his cheek, and he felt an invisible de against his throat. Even so, Hiro¡¯s eyes did not waver at all, only looking at the emperor.


    As the air began to creak with pressure, the two red at each other and did not say a word.


    The emperor¡¯s eyes were sharp as if he could see into the depths of his heart. Hiro, on the other hand, had a calm face and a faint smile on his lips.


    They stared at each other for a while, and then the emperor smiled thinly.


    ¡°Interesting. For your courage, I will amend the punishment of Brigadier General Aura. If only my courtiers had eyes like yours, I could sit on my throne in peace.¡±


    The emperor leaned his back against the throne and let out a deep breath.


    ¡°Let me hear your opinion. There must be some reason to make me change my mind.¡±


    ¡°Then I have a question before I give you my opinion.¡±


    ¡°I will tell you what I know.¡±


    ¡°Has there been any request from the Grand Duchy of Dral regarding Liz?¡±


    She has a high value as a hostage simply because she is the Sixth Princess of the Great Grantz Empire. Her value is immeasurable as the holder of the ¡°me Emperor.¡± There must be a reason why they captured her alive instead of killing her, and there is no way they won¡¯t demand something from her.


    ¡°There are no demands from the other party yet.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Hiro showed his disappointment and put his face down so that his anger would not be noticed. There is no way there is nothing. Perhaps it was an inconvenient request for the emperor ¨D even if it was a hundred percent true, it was only if the other party was unaware of Liz¡¯s value.


    However, as a holder of the ¡°me Emperor,¡± her appearance is known in the surrounding countries. She even led the army and served as itsmander, so there is no way that the Grand Duchy of Dral and the Felzen remnant army do not know about it.


    However, even if he were to persist here, the emperor would not say anything. Or he might even be offended. This is something he wants to avoid so as not to interfere with future operations.


    He decided to make apromise and forcibly end the topic with the intention of giving the emperor a favor.


    ¡°Then, let me tell you my opinion.¡±

 Volume 4, Chapter 1 – The Beginning of Turbulence, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 1 ¨C The Beginning of Turbulence, Part 3</h4>


    ¡°Then, let me tell you my opinion.¡±


    Hiro had no choice but to present the strategy that he had been envisioning from the beginning. If he were considering the future of Liz and Aura, this would be the only way.


    (The rest is a race against time. I¡¯ll settle this in as short a time as possible.)


    Hiro took a deep breath to quiet his mind and then looked at the emperor again.


    ¡°I think we should invade the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean the Grand Duchy of Dral instead of the Felzen region?¡±


    Hiro exined to the frowning emperor with hand gestures.


    ¡°If we deal with both the Felzen remnant army and the Grand Duchy of Dral at the same time, the reconstruction of the Felzen region will be dyed by ten or twenty years. If that happens, the unification of the central continent that His Majesty the Emperor has in mind will be nothing more than a dream.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure? I may abandon the Felzen region and reach out to the Grand Duchy of Dral or the Steichen Republic in order to expand westward.¡±


    Isn¡¯t the current situation the result of not being able to abandon the Felzen province? Hiro was tempted to ridicule him for it, but he held it in and then developed his own theory.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that. No, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    He instantly organized the information he had obtained so far in his mind. Optimizing the information to the emperor¡¯s satisfaction, he came up with an answer.


    ¡°The anger of the Felzen remnant army will not subside even though we abandon the Felzen region. Rather, they will attack the west to take revenge. And if we were to start a war not only with the Grand Duchy of Dral but also with the Steichen Republic, the western part of the country that borders the three countries would copse unbearably. If that were to happen, it would lead to a situation that could shake the very foundations of the Grantz Empire. If that happens, we won¡¯t be able to talk about unifying the central continent.¡±


    ¡°If you know that much, why do you need to invade the Grand Duchy of Dral? It will only add unnecessary trouble.¡±


    That¡¯s the most important thing¡­ The emperor let out a heavy breath.


    ¡°We can¡¯t devote any more strength to the west due to the repeated battles.¡±


    The first conquest of Felzen ¨D the third prince Blutar invaded Felzen.


    Aura, who has an unparalleled intellect, joined the general staff, and as a result, they were able to win the battle, but due to the Third Prince Blutar¡¯s blunders, the damage to the troops was enormous.


    This was followed by the second conquest of Felzen, in which the emperor personally invaded Felzen and Stobel made outstanding achievements, but it is said that arge number of troops were deployed in order to bring down the royal capital of Felzen. In addition, the army that Liz led this time ¨D a percentage of which came from the nobility in the west ¨D and the defeat this time would have rendered many soldiers useless.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that there¡¯s no time left for the central nobility to send soldiers.¡±


    Hiro took over the emperor¡¯s point and stood up, putting strength into his legs.


    ¡°While we are gathering soldiers, the fort where Brigadier General Aura is holed up may fall. And above all, we can¡¯t be sure that Liz is safe in captivity.¡±


    ¡°If you understand that, then give up. If we lose the me Emperor, we can¡¯t be so foolish as to attack the Grand Duchy of Dral. You will join the Third Prince Blutar in the Felzen region.¡±


    ¡°That is why it is the right time to take the initiative, and now is the perfect time to do so.¡±


    Hiro brushed off the emperor¡¯s words. He stomped his foot to make him listen.


    ¡°The Grand Duchy of Dral and the remnants of Felzen¡¯s army both believe that this is their moment to strike. There is no margin for error. The Grand Duchy of Dral has just made a truce with the Steichen Republic, and they must have pushed themselves to go to war this time. The remnants of Felzen¡¯s army have lost their leaders, and the people¡¯s hearts are breaking up, and the soldiers are physically and mentally exhausted from repeated battles.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s confident words dominated the space. His voice was fervent as he refused to be contradicted, and the way he expressed his opinion was imposing in front of the emperor, even giving off the air of a king.


    ¡°This is where we have the upper hand. If you want to expand further west, please leave it to me.¡±


    The emperor narrowed his eyes as if observing Hiro, then spoke out in a stern voice.


    ¡°As I said earlier, what about the troops? There is no room in the west. If there is no time to let the central region gather troops, then the same can be said for the distant east. If you want to call it the south, then I have tough. It borders the Steichen Republic. There is a possibility that they will be reluctant to leave. We don¡¯t have much time left to persuade them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to invade the Grand Duchy of Dral with only my private army.¡±


    Even the emperor was appalled by these words. It¡¯s no wonder ¨D Hiro¡¯s private army is less than three thousand, and even with the addition of new recruits, it¡¯s only about five thousand.


    The Grand Duchy of Dral did not march its entire army into the Felzen region.


    Even had signed an armistice with the Steichen Republic, they would still be on alert and have many defenders left. Even if it is estimated lightly, only no more than 50,000 troops could be mobilized.


    When they heard that they were going to be attacked by only 5,000, even the clown would have a serious look on his face. It was an insane thing for anyone to say.


    ¡°The Grand Duchy of Dral will be just as surprised as you are. However, that is the normal way of warfare. By exploiting their weaknesses, I will upset them and make them anxious so that the Grand Duchy of Dral will withdraw from the Felzen region.¡±


    As if to say, ¡°Laugh if you want,¡± Hiro pointed his hand at the emperor and said forcefully.


    ¡°I will then defeat the returning Grand Duchy of Dral in one fell swoop and force them to sit down for negotiations.¡±


    Hiro stroked his eye patch, then smiled fearlessly.


    ¡°In the meantime, I think His Majesty should wait and select a diplomat.¡±


    It was more than an opinion, it was a provocation, a verbal de that pierced the emperor. For a while, the emperor was taken aback, but then his throat began to tremble a little.


    ¡°Kukuku, kuhahahahahahaha! You dare to say that in front of me!¡±


    Hiro was also surprised to see the emperor, who did not usually shake his emotions,ughing loudly and blinking his eyes. It took a while for the emperor to say his next words.


    Eventually, the emperor¡¯s smile faded, and he looked at Hiro happily as if he was impressed by his boldness.


    ¡°Fuh, very well¡­ if you insist, you may do as you please. I¡¯ll just sit back and rx.¡±


    ¡°Now, before I leave, there are a few things I need your approval on¡­¡±


    ¡°No need. I told you I¡¯d leave everything to you.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    As soon as Hiro confirmed, the emperor nodded broadly and pointed his hand at him.


    ¡°The Fourth Prince Hiro Schwartz. Now you have dared to speak in front of me; you must bring a satisfactory result. Then there is no need for you to ask for my approval in the future.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. So, I¡¯m going to be leaving right away because I don¡¯t want to waste any time.¡±


    Hiro bailed out lightly, then quickly turned on his heel and left the throne room.


    Things are going to get busy. He had several letters to write. But there is no time to write them in his room, so he will do them in the carriage.


    He would leave the arrangements for the horses to Driks. He will be suspicious when he hears the destination, but there will be no problem when it is reported to his higher authority. It will be known to himter.


    (Now, let¡¯s head west to the borders of the Grand Duchy of Dral and meet up with Ghada.)


    When Hiro gathered his thoughts and walked out of the imperial pce, Hugin and the others waited for him in front of the carriage.


    ¡°Wise brother! Have you finished the discussion?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It went off without a hitch.¡±


    Hiro smiled at Hugin as she ran up to him and then got into the carriage. Hiro took his seat and spoke to Munin, who got in after him.


    ¡°So, have you had a chance to look into it?¡±


    Hiro asked Munin what he had ordered before entering the imperial pce.


    ¡°In the east district, there was no sign of the Golden Lion Knights. It was really quiet and deserted. The servants told me that they had been gone from the Grand Imperial Capital for about two days now. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t tell you where they went.¡±


    Munin bowed his head apologetically, scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s enough. Thank you.¡±


    After all¡­ it seems that the emperor has moved the elite ¡°Golden Lion Knights¡± of the First Imperial Army.


    Hiro is worried about what the emperor is nning to do, but he will not interfere. The emperor will want to minimize damage to the Golden Lion Knights as much as possible and will want to keep them out of the way as much as possible because the Golden Lion Knights exist to protect the Great Imperial Capital.


    ¡°And how were things going with you, Driks?¡±


    As Hiro looked to the right of Munin, he saw Driks wiping his sweaty forehead.


    ¡°There were no results here either. Prince Stobel, after his house arrest was lifted, said that he would return to his own territory and led a small force to disappear from the capital. It seems that General Loing was also present there.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Suppose the whereabout of the released Stobel is unknown. In that case, he could have joined up with the Golden Lion Knights, who disappeared at the same time, but this is highly unlikely.


    Stobel¡¯s credibility with the emperor has fallen to the ground. If anything, he must be harboring a considerable grudge against the emperor for having been ced under house arrest. It¡¯s hard to believe that such a dangerous person would be entrusted with themand of the Golden Lion Knights.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder if I should be thinking about this more¡­ But, the first priority is to take care of the Felzen region.¡±


    It¡¯s best to be vignt, but there¡¯s nothing that can be done when the direction is unknown.


    ¡°Speaking of which, wise brother, a nobleman from the east came by a while ago and asked me to give you this letter.¡±


    Hugin said so and held out an envelope with a faintly sweet scent. The sender was Rosa. Hiro quickly broke the seal and took out the sheet of paper.


    It began with a lengthy love note. He apologized inwardly, saying he would read itter, but as he skimmed it, he arrived at the true meaning of the letter. The letter¡¯s content was that while Hiro was away from the Grantz Empire, the rift between the Krone family and the emperor had deepened, and there had even been an event that made the conflict between the two clear.


    (Heh¡­ the direct territory of Zuik was handed over to the Mark family?)


    Zuik is a territory that came under the direct control of the emperor after the death of Viscount Wurst.


    It was handed over to thergest noble family among the factionless ¨D the Mark family. However, the Krone family could not remain silent and demanded that the emperor reconsider his decision, but he refused. Still, they couldn¡¯t give up and proposed to the emperor again to set up a ce for discussion, but he refused.


    (This is a big move¡­ Is the emperor nning to let a new nobleman rise to power?)


    Hiro put the letter in his pocket and looked at Driks.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to write a couple of letters now, and I need you to prepare a fast horse.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll get you one right away.¡±


    Driks turned to him just before he got out of the carriage.


    ¡°It will be toote for that, so I¡¯d better get going now. I¡¯ll catch up with you soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to impose on you such a troublesome task.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m used to this kind of work.¡±


    Driks left a single smile and went off running. Next to Hiro, who watched him go, Hugin took out the writing utensils and arranged the ce so that he could write his letter quickly.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    In the throne room after Hiro left, the emperor was quietly sitting in a chair with his eyes closed. His limbs were weak, and he could not move a single finger ¨D it was as if he had lost consciousness.


    As Prime Minister Gils approached him with a pained expression, the emperor¡¯s mouth twisted in amusement.


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz¡­ interesting. For some reason, even with my ¡°wind,¡± I cannot read his thoughts. No, there is some kind of obstacle, or should I say wall¡­ that prevents me from touching the true heart that lies deep within.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ I think it would be dangerous to go any deeper into His Highness Hiro.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils did not hide his uneasiness, and the emperor raised his eyebrows suspiciously.


    ¡°If you are so sure, there must be some reason for it.¡±


    ¡°I did some research on His Highness Hiro, and I¡¯m sorry that I did it without Your Majesty¡¯s permission, but¡­ I did everything in my power to find out who he is.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be offended by that. So¡­ did you find out anything?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m ashamed to say I couldn¡¯t find out anything about him. Although he inherited the appearance of the second emperor, there were no such rumors left behind.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils shook his head in disbelief, and his voice shook with seriousness.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange? I am the Prime Minister of the Grantz Empire, and despite my best efforts, I still don¡¯t know who he is. Wasn¡¯t it too early to wee him into the imperial family?¡±


    ¡°All we needed was the added value of being a descendant of the God of War. Compared to that, his background and ability would not be a big problem.¡±


    ¡°However, His Highness Hiro is more capable than I had expected. If we steer the ship wrong, the God of War may turn on us.¡±


    ¡°At that time, we may do as you please. We can move him to the frontier, or we can use him up. If he wants to do something against us, all I have to do is bury him with my own hands. What do you have to worry about?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    Prime Minister Gils had aplicated expression on his face as if he had something caught in his back teeth. The emperor sighed one sigh of exasperation and then opened his mouth again.


    ¡°If you want to say something, you can say it clearly. You know I¡¯m not that long-winded, don¡¯t you?¡±


    As soon as he heard these words, Prime Minister Gils made up his mind and looked straight at the emperor.


    ¡°Should we put the cor back on His Highness Prince Hiro? The more people we have to protect, the more of a burden it will be. After all, it was a mistake to separate Her Highness Celia Estre from him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I tightened the loose cor this time. The same is true when I mentioned Brigadier General Aura. His expression was extremely calm, but he could not hide the irritation that seeped from within. He was clearly looking at me as an enemy.¡±


    The emperor then took out a sheet of report and fluttered it in the air.


    ¡°Above all, there are many interesting things awaiting us in the Felzen region. It will be possible to put new constraints on him. From now on, let¡¯s discipline him as a good pawn.¡±


    The emperor snickered, but Prime Minister Gils¡¯s expression never cleared up.


    ¡°His Highness Prince Hiro will certainly turn against you if he finds out that you are behind all this. Isn¡¯t it too dangerous with the First Prince Stobel showing signs of disquiet?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, Hiro Schwartz will be put under new constraints. There is nothing wrong with Stobel. My wind sees through everything.¡±


    The emperor rose from his throne and handed a letter to Prime Minister Gils.


    ¡°Send a fast horse to Selene; we need insurance in case Hiro Schwartz fails.¡±


    ¡°For the Second Prince Selene¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought about using the Golden Lion Knights but decided to call them back. If I think about the future, I want to avoid any losses.¡±


    ¡°Very well. So about the future Your Majesty talking¨D¨D.¡±


    Prime Minister asked the question, but a gust of wind made him brace himself. When he opened his eyes fearfully, he found that the emperor was gone, and only the throne was left without its master.


    ¡°¡­You are always like that. You think everything is going your way.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils, who sighed in distress, had Stobel¡¯s presence in his mind. He was a pathetic man who had been used by the emperor¡¯s ambitions. He was broken, and what he wanted was not status, honor, or power. He only wants to take the emperor¡¯s life and continues to umte strength.


    He may be trying to use Hiro as a counterbnce, but Prime Minister Gils feared that he might create a new lion.


    ¡°Even your wind is not omnipotent. It has its blind spots.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils looked down at the letter handed to him by the emperor.


    ¡°The reason why the First God Altius didn¡¯t fall out with the God of War Schwartz is because their powers were in opposition to each other, and they had a solid bond, which is rare in times of chaos.¡±


    He then took out a red talisman ¨D a spirit talisman ¨D with his left hand from his pocket, piled it on the letter, and crushed it. Then, fire erupted from the gap between his fingers, and the emperor¡¯s letter in his right hand was destroyed by fire.


    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor ¨D you¡¯ve grown old. If you were another ten years younger, or even twenty, things would have gone your way.¡±


    As the unpleasant smell of burning flesh filled the air, Prime Minister Gils¡¯s smile deepened as he stared at his burned palms ¨D then the sound of suspicious footsteps filled the hall.


    His eyes, lit with caution, turned to the source of the sound. Beyond his gaze ¨D the man¡¯s steps on the red carpet were light but somewhat hesitant.


    ¡°¡­..Driks ¨D no, my eyes. Is there a problem?¡±


    When Prime Minister Gils called out the man¡¯s name, he bowed before him in the manner of a vassal.


    ¡°I¡¯vee to ask you for further instructions.¡±


    Driks turned his eyes to Prime Minister Gils with a coldness that was unthinkable in his usual appearance.

 Volume 4, Chapter 2 – The Captured Flame Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 2 ¨C The Captured me Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 1</h4>


    The Felzen region was once a major power that rivaled the Grantz Empire.


    With the Anfini Sea to the north, it had a thriving fishing industry due to its abundant seafood, and it was also a key point in the east-west trade route between the six allied nations to the west and the Grantz Empire to the east, and it flourished through a trade before its demise.


    However, after the defeat in the decisive battle against the Grantz Empire, the country¡¯s security deteriorated drastically, and merchants began to avoid Felzen. The fertilend has be deste due to repeated wars. The royal capital, which used to be a ce where variousnguages were spoken and traders thronged, has be a miserable sight and has been reduced to ruins after numerous battles between the Felzen remnant army and the Grantz Empire.


    Forty-five cells (135 kilometers) to the southwest of the royal capital was the main camp of the Grand Duchy of Dral, which had marched into the Felzen region.


    Currently, white smoke was rising from everywhere in the main camp as they began to prepare their meals. There was no sense of rm, and the soldiers could be seen taking off their equipment, chatting andughing, bottles of wine in their hands.


    ¡°Never has there been a more joyous day!¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s hard not to drink, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    They were all smiling, perhaps because they were still reeling from the victory.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re letting yourself go too easy. It¡¯s not time to drink yet.¡±


    A serious soldierined, and the drinking soldiers looked at each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve defeated the Grantz Empire. This kind of reward should be allowed, right?¡±


    Yes, the reason why they are so happy is because they defeated the army led by Celia Estre, the Sixth Empress of the Grantz Empire. Furthermore, the fact that they captured her, the Five Emperors of Spirit Sword wielder, it¡¯s no wonder they¡¯re so excited.


    ¡°So, where is the princess we captured?¡±


    ¡°In Pupchen-sama¡¯s tent.¡±


    ¡°Even though we¡¯ve been on the lookout to make sure the Sixth Princess doesn¡¯t get snatched back, Pupchen-sama is enjoying himself.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s as beautiful as the rumors say. I can understand why he couldn¡¯t resist.¡±


    As the soldiers continued their vulgar conversation, an earnest soldier approached them with a difficult look on his face.


    ¡°Well, I guess things didn¡¯t go so easily.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°About six soldiers were burned to death.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange indeed.¡±


    ¡°How did that happen?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. But I hope it won¡¯t provoke the wrath of the gods.¡±


    The soldier¡¯s fearful gaze was directed at arge tent. The one in it is the legitimate heir of the Grand Duchy of Dral ¨D Pupchen von Dral.


    He picked up the silver cup on the desk and brought it to his mouth with a graceful motion. This gesture alone shows that he has a high standard of education. Above all, as a legitimate heir to the Grand Duchy of Dral, he exuded an air of nobility.


    However, his muscr and well-trained body showed that he prioritized training over education, which amplified his wildness and created a savage atmosphere.


    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s nothing better than a drink after a victory.¡±


    Pupchen looked at the red wine in the silver cup with an air of arrogance and then turned his unreserved gaze to an object. This is a ce where furniture and bedding would normally be ced. But strangely enough, an iron cage was ced there.


    That¡¯s not the only strange thing about it. The cage was wrapped with arge number of spirit talismans.


    ¡°I used up all the spirit talismans I brought from your home country to hold you captive.¡±


    Pupchen sighed heavily, looking particrly disappointed.


    ¡°The cost of this war will be enormous. It¡¯s enough to cover two cities¡¯ worth of tax revenue¡­ But on second thought, it¡¯s probably not a loss at all since we were able to capture you with only that much loss.¡±


    Turning his attention to the cage, Pupchen¡¯s mouth twisted in amusement.


    ¡°Hey, are you listening? Which do you think you are?¡±


    In the cage, where Pupchen was looking down, sat a girl bound with iron chains. She is the Sixth Princess of the Grantz Empire, Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.


    She is known throughout the neighboring countries as the holder of the ¡°me Emperor¡± since the first Emperor Altius. In addition, rumors abound that the girl has made remarkable progress by adding a descendant of the ¡°God of War¡± to her ranks.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care about any of that.¡±


    Liz bluntly said, but the words are not powerful, and the beauty of her face is shaded, perhaps because she is exhausted. To add to the reason, her military uniform was torn in a shy manner, and a blood-soaked bandage was painfully peeking out from the gap. Her arms and legs, exposed to the open air, were dotted with countless wounds, and the cause of her exhaustion was obvious.


    However, her will seems to be strong, and she red at Pupchen with hatred.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t look so frightening. You¡¯ll ruin your beautiful face.¡±


    Pupchen said, pulling out a wooden box from under his desk. Inside the wooden box was arge collection of small andrge stones.


    He grabbed one of them, a fist-sized stone, and gave Liz a creepy smile.


    ¡°It seems that the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword will protect the wielder under certain conditions. In the case of the me Emperor, for example, anyone who tries to harm you will be engulfed in the mes of purgatory.¡±


    A few soldiers, dazzled by her beauty, snuck into the tent to try their hand at her, only to be burned to death. There was no sympathy for them because they deserved it, and if they had seeded, Pupchen would have chopped their heads off.


    ¡°But ¨D yes, but. What do you think would have happened if I hadn¡¯t been malicious?¡±


    Pupchen muttered something strange, and Liz¡¯s face showed a question mark. And then Pupchen¡¯s arm went hazy, and a dull, heavy sound rang out in the tent.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    And then Liz¡¯s head bounced back, and she copsed with the same force.


    ¡°¨D¨D?¡±


    Liz let out an inarticte scream and rolled around on the floor. Pupchen picked up a new stone from the wooden box, staring at it with cold-blooded eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s like throwing a stone into a pond. What would happen if there was no emotion? What would happen if there was no desire to kill?¡±


    Pupchen¡¯s arm swung down with great force. At the same time, a dull sound like a hammer hitting the ground sounded.


    ¡°Guh!?¡±


    Liz¡¯s back bent into a crooked shape from the intense pain. But before she could suffer, the next stone was released.


    ¡°¡­Hyiuu!¡±


    It doesn¡¯t even give her time to scream. Liz is struck by a shock that seems to gouge out her internal organs, and the eerie sound of shattered bones reverberates through the tent.


    ¡°It¡¯s an overly simple and ridiculous attack, but stone-throwing has a terrifying ability to kill.¡±


    Stone after stone flew into the air and mmed into her thin body without mercy.


    ¡°Even a small stone can kill you if it hits the right spot.¡±


    Again and again, as long as there were stones, Pupchen kept throwing them at Liz.


    ¡°Human beings are strange things. If the body decides that it cannot bear the pain, it will lose consciousness. But if they are half-heartedly strong, as you are, they will suffer in prison forever.¡±


    Although he exined simply, Pupchen did not weaken his hand in throwing the stone. Rather harshly and fiercely, the momentum increased as he exhaled wildly.


    ¡°Higuhhh¨D¨D!¡±


    Fresh blood sttered from Liz¡¯s forehead, staining the floor red. She was bound by iron chains and could not even cover her face. If there were no help for her, she would have to be exposed to a one-sided rain of violence.


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary to humiliate you and make you submit, is it?¡±


    The stone that Pupchen threw hit Liz¡¯s body precisely and mercilessly as she struggled with intense pain.


    ¡°If I give you pain and make you do what I tell you to do, if I show you who is above you, you will obey me no matter if you are the wielder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.¡±


    Pupchen stopped when the stone began to run out.


    ¡°In other words, I thought that brainwashing through fear was the way to obtain the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.¡±


    Pupchen got up from his chair and approached the cage. The bloody Liz was lying on her back, breathing unevenly. Looking at her swollen face, Pupchen stuck out his tongue and licked her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough, huh? I¡¯m going to hurt you so badly that even your beautiful face will be as ugly as a pig¡¯s.¡±


    He must have intended to break her strong mental strength by making such a deration. However, Liz¡¯s eyes were empty, but deep within them was a firm will.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the defiant eyes? I don¡¯t like it. Do you realize the position you¡¯re in?¡±


    Pupchen pulled another wooden box with his toes, grabbed a stone, and threw it at Liz. The inevitable Liz gritted her teeth, but the pain did not hit her. This is because the Fire Emperor¡¯s blessing was activated, and the flying stone was burned away.


    ¡°It seems that¡­ I let my emotions overwhelm me a bit. I am sorry, but we will have to do this again tomorrow.¡±


    Pupchen snorted boringly, sat back in his chair, and took a sip of wine.


    ¡°It seems that the me Emperor does indeed have a will. But where is the source of its power?¡±


    He traces the rim of the silver cup with his finger and turns his gaze to Liz.


    ¡°The Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword are capable of causing supernatural phenomena, but I do not believe that they have any function on their own. If so, then the source of its power will inevitably be its wielder, and it is natural to think that it is in your mental or physical power, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He chuckled and wrinkled his eyes in amusement as he watched Liz¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Then, if I push you to the limit, the blessing will disappear. Although I cannot do it now, I will be able to touch you when the protection weakens.¡±


    Pupchen was intoxicated by the sight of Liz bleeding and enduring pain. So his tongue moved well. He was in a good mood and talkative.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for that time. I¡¯ll bare my nails, smash my fingers, chop off your ears, gouge out your eyes, shave off your nose, and send you to the Grantz Empire.¡±


    Then he suddenly remembered and sat up with his eyes shining.


    ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ll make sure to send your head to the descendant of the God of War. As long as he can identify you as the Sixth Princess, though ¨D Hmm?¡±


    As he said that, Liz¡¯s expression, which had been feigning no reaction, changed.


    ¨D¨DA small smile formed on her face.


    Pupchen couldn¡¯t contain his irritation, and his anger grew. He ran from his chair to the cage, not caring if the wine spilled, and spewed his hatred.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny? Why don¡¯t you show at least a little tears like a woman!¡±


    It doesn¡¯t matter if the protection is activated or not. He clenched the stone in order to instill fear into her thoroughly.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Before Pupchen could throw the stone, a calm voice interrupted him. He turned around with a surprised expression and saw a woman standing at the entrance to the tent.


    ¡°Lord Pupchen, I will ask you one more time. What are you doing here?¡±


    As the woman approached, she turned her slightly upturned eyes toward Pupchen. But Pupchen didn¡¯t seem to take offense and cowered as he let go of the stone.


    ¡°You should not look so threatening, Lord Skaaha¡­ I was just having a little chat with the Sixth Princess.¡±


    [T/n: The Katakana for her name is ¥¹¥«¥¢¥Ï, I thought about giving her a name like the female warrior from the Celtic Mythology¡¯s Ulster Cycle, but the Katakana for Scathach is ¥¹ ¥« ¥µ ¥Ï, it¡¯s a little different, so I gave up on that, and gave her the name Skaaha instead. If anyone knows a proper name for this, please let me know. Thank you.]


    Pupchen took a step back and looked at her again when she suddenly appeared.


    Haran Skaaha de Felzen.


    She is a beautiful woman. She is probably about seventeen or eighteen years old.


    Her blue-green hair was silky and shiny. Her hair was tied back in a bun. Her eyes and nose are as delicate as sswork, and her skin as white as pottery is so gorgeous that it seems to shatter if it is touched. By wrapping her slender limbs in heavy armor, she exudes an atmosphere of serenity and tranquility that is at once bleak and distorted, bringing out the charm of a war goddess.


    And as her name implies, she is a survivor of the Felzen royal family. ording to the Grantz Empire¡¯s announcement, every single member of the Felzen royal family has been executed.


    (Good grief, the Grantz Empire is so clueless.)


    In fact, the now deceased King Felzen had seeded in deceiving the eyes of the Grantz Empire and allowing only one person to survive.


    ¡°Talking is it¡­? It doesn¡¯t seem like that at all, though?¡±


    The only surviving member of the Felzen royal family, Skaaha, checked on Liz and gave Pupchen a sharp, criticizing look.


    ¡°I just got a little emotional. I¡¯m sorry for treating your captive this way.¡±


    Pupchen smiled affectionately and uttered an apology without a shred of sincerity. At that moment, the wind reared up, and a sharp pain hit Pupchen.


    ¡°Guahh!¡±


    At the same time, he felt his cheeks heat up, and when he touched it with his finger, a warm feeling returned.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡±


    Pupchen looked at his fingertips, which were wet with blood, and then his voice trembled.


    ¡°She¡¯s an important prisoner, and I hope you¡¯ll be careful how you treat her in the future.¡±


    Without hiding her anger, Skaaha red at Pupchen.


    (Chivalry and all that ¨D she¡¯d be a good woman if she could fix that fastidiousness.)


    Pupchen muttered in his mind and lifted his mouth in sarcasm. She must have noticed that. As Skaaha held her blue spear, she looked at Pupchen with zero-degree eyes as if to condemn him.


    If there is a next time, She may get emotional and cut off his head.


    ¡°A-alright. I¡¯ll be careful in the future.¡±


    It seemed that he had provoked her too much. Pupchen hurriedly dropped to his knees and hung his head on the spot.


    It was frustrating, but the hierarchy was clear. Pupchen was no match for the strangely powerful Skaaha and because it was the Grand Duchy of Dral that had offered cooperation in marching into Felzen.


    For Pupchen, this march was also a matter of calction. As a substitute for his ailing father, he wanted to solidify his position as the heir to the Grand Duchy of Dral¡­ There were many other reasons, but the most important was his desire for achievement.


    If he and Skaaha were toe to grips with each other at this point, everything would be for naught. If he returned to his country without gaining anything, what awaited him would be a bacsh from the nobles and lords.


    (Compared to that, bowing to a woman like her and trying to curry favor is no small feat.)


    Pupchen¡¯s face fell, and her lips twisted in a scornful smile as he decided it was time for patience.


    ¡°I hope you understand.¡±


    Skaaha lowered the blue spear she was holding and turned to Liz.


    She is also not in a position to be too aggressive with Pupchen. She failed to capture the War Maiden, and the Second Imperial Army, led by the Third Prince Blutar, still has power left. For Skaaha, who leads the Felzen remnant army, it would be painful to have the Grand Duchy of Dral, which is a barrier to the Second Imperial Army, back off at this point.


    ¡°Then we have to cure her. Lord Pupchen, please call on the military doctor.¡±


    Because of their mutual interests, Skaaha is unable to demand Pupchen¡¯s extradition even though he has treated her precious hostage, Liz, in this way.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have a female doctor in our army. Do you mind if it is a man?¡±


    Obviously, their personalities did not match, but he still had to listen to her opinion for now. In order to continue to work together smoothly against the Grantz Empire, apromise was necessary.


    ¡°No, my troops are waiting outside. Please ask for the female doctor there.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll get her right away.¡±


    Pupchen gave a short reply and left the tent, turning his back on Skaaha. Skaaha saw him off to the side and approached the cage, opening her mouth to Liz, who was crouching painfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Skaaha bowed her head. She apologized as if she was genuinely sorry. And because of her sudden apology, Liz was taken aback, as if she had forgotten the pain.


    Skaaha, with a wry smile on her face, continued to speak.


    ¡°My purpose is not to hurt you. Of course, it is not to humiliate you either. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can release you¡­¡±


    Skaaha is full of thepassion of a holy mother as she speaks kindly to Liz while expressing her regret for exposing the weakness of her position.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Lord Pupchen not to do this in the future.¡±


    ¡°T-then¡­¡±


    As Liz moved, the iron chains around her made a strange noise.


    ¡°¡­What on earth do you want?¡±


    Liz said, her face contorting in pain as if the mere sound of her voice was enough to send a rush of pain through her body. Still, her red eyes never wavered, and she stared straight at Skaaha.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trivial wish. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m hoping for the whole world. It¡¯s really a very small wish.¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s emotions were in turmoil. The tip of the blue spear in her grip was trembling slightly.


    ¡°Above all, I am not as corrupt as the Grantz imperial family.¡±


    With killing intent rising from her body, Skaaha quietly let her anger seep into her words.

 Volume 4, Chapter 2 – The Captured Flame Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 2 ¨C The Captured me Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 2</h4>


    It was a clear day. There was not a single cloud in the sky, yet strange ck shadows dotted the sky.


    The shadows were too far away for anyone to catch them urately, but they were definitely some kind of monster. On the ground, the budding grass was spreading all around, and the flowers and grass were dancing happily in the gentle breeze. Looking beyond the horizon ¨D the Travant Mountain Range, the natural boundary of the six allied nations to the west, was adding some color to the majestic scenery.


    November 12, 1023rd year of the Empire¡¯s calendar ¨D the suburbs of Raonen in the northwestern part of the Western Region.


    An army of horses, men, weapons, and armor, all dyed ck, moves through the grasnds in an orderly and unhurried fashion. In the middle of the army line, a carriage is running, and inside it, Hiro is discussing the current situation and future ns after joining up with Ghada.


    ¡°The Berg Fortress is at peace itself. Aside from Kiork-dono¡¯s heartache, that is.¡±


    With a wry smile, Ghada held out a letter.


    ¡°This is a letter from Prince Karl of the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°As soon as Hiro received the letter, he checked the contents and smiled.¡±


    ¡°It looks like he¡¯s going to do exactly what we want.¡±


    ¡°You sent him a letter before you left the Great Imperial Capital, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I told the Principality of Lichtine to gather troops on the border of the Steichen Republic to keep them in check.¡±


    ¡°If they do start a war, what are the chances of us able to help them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a gamble, but¡­ it should be fine. The Steichen Republic is not in a position to invade another country to fight for session. If they were to start a war, they would have to deal with the Ravenous Eagle. He can at least buy enough time for us toe to his aid.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Ghada nodded deeply but then tilted his head.


    ¡°What happened to the Levering Kingdom, by the way?¡±


    ¡°The new ruler is quite a strong figure. In a good way, you can expect a lot from her. In a bad way, she can be tricky. And now that she has all of the magic weapons, I doubt anyone will be able to stand against her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, magic weapons¡­ I¡¯ve heard of them a few times when I was leading the Liberation Army.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a weapon that is based on the magic stones of the monsters that once rampaged through the central continent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it a few times when I was a kid. I have no special weapon since the Five Demon Emperors Swords abandoned me. If the opportunity arises, I would like to have it.¡±


    It¡¯s not something that can be expected. Hiro shrugged his shoulders and then decided to change the subject.


    ¡°Now that the exchange of information is over, let¡¯s talk about the Felzen region and the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much information avable from the Berg Fortress. Kiork-dono cooperated with us, but due to the fact that the locations are so far apart, we only received information about the capture.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in the same boat. If we can locate Liz, we cane up with a rescue n. As for Aura, she seems to be stalling for time by holing up in a fortress called Fort Mitte.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯d better hurry on both matters.¡±


    When Ghada said with a serious look, Hiro nodded his head to show his agreement.


    ¡°For that reason, we need to talk to General Bakish.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s either the general who failed to act as a check, or he¡¯s an ipetent who allowed the Grand Duchy of Dral to march into the Felzen region.¡±


    Hiro shook his head seriously at Ghada¡¯s harsh words.


    ¡°It¡¯s still too early to make that judgment. I¡¯ll have to hear what he has to say first.¡±


    Hiro turned his gaze to the window. On the other side of the window, he could see a solid fortress.


    The cornerstone of the border with the Grand Duchy of Dral is the Fort Tutry. The walls, built in a multiyered ring, are equipped with turrets that serve to stop enemy attacks from all sides. In front of it is a heavy iron gate that opens into a courtyard, where the cavalry standing by can prate the nks of the enemy troops who are holding back against the high walls.


    The soldiers on the watchtower at the main gate were clearly shaken when they saw the ¡°Raven Army.¡± When Hiro got down from the carriage, the watchtower became even noisier, indicating that the soldiers were surprised.


    Eventually, the iron gate was slowly pulled up, and a man arrived with a guard. He was of medium height, with no distinguishing features, and had a somewhat ordinary appearance.


    ¡°I apologize for keeping you waiting!¡±


    The man who looked flustered approached Hiro and took a vassal¡¯s bow.


    ¡°I¡¯m Bakish von Hass, the man in charge of Fort Tutry assigned by His Majesty Greyheit. I am delighted to wee the Fourth Prince Hiro Schwartz.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s eyes widened when he heard his true identity. To be precise, it was the high spirits that exuded from his body. His behavior was ordinary, but his dominance was unimaginable, given his appearance.


    ¡°Please make yourselffortable. I¡¯d like to hear the details of the Felzen region and the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯ve checked everything that was written in the letter that Your Highness Hiro gave me.¡±


    Bakish took out a piece of paper from his pocket. It has Hiro¡¯s signature on it.


    ¡°Pleasee inside; it¡¯s not appropriate for us to talk here.¡±


    As Hiro and the others were urged by Bakish to go through the gate, the ¡°Raven Army¡± followed one after another. The people living in the fortress rolled their eyes when they saw the scene.


    ¡°What the heck is going on here?¡±


    ¡°The abyssal armor means it¡¯s the Second Emperor¡¯s Imperial ck Knights!¡±


    ¡°No, no, they¡¯re the army that replicated it.¡±


    One of the residents replied to the ignorant resident. The next thing he pointed to was the banner of the ck Army.


    ¡°The only army that can raise the Divine Banner of the God of War is the Raven Army.¡±


    A thousand years ago, the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky¡± gathered under the ¡°God of War,¡± and theymanded the battle-hardened ¡°Raven Army.¡± They defeated the demon race, rescued the human race from the world of chaos, and brought peace to the world.


    However, after the second emperor, the ¡°God of War,¡± passed away, the third emperor, who feared their power, tried to stigmatize them and destroyed the Raven Army. Because of this, the ¡°Raven Army¡± was disgraced for a while, but the fifth emperor restored the honor. Since then, the ¡°Raven Army¡± has been spoken of as a brave and valiant army led by the ¡°God of War.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ who leads this army?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the descendant of the God of War, the One-Eyed Dragon, of course.¡±


    The feverish words of the residents were quickly passed on to the surrounding residents. It¡¯s like a game of word of mouth ¨D exaggeration creates anticipation, which leads to joyful shouts.


    The armor the soldiers were wearing vibrated as the cheers filled the Tutry Fortress. Even so, the ¡°Raven Army¡± didn¡¯t seem particrly proud of themselves, and without breaking ranks, they proceeded with Hiro¡¯s carriage in the lead.


    The end of the journey was the end of the residential area ¨D Gehirn Castle, which was built on a small hill overlooking the whole of Fort Tutry. Hiro and Ghada were the only two allowed to enter the castle, while Hugin and Munin were ordered to wait in the courtyard with the ¡°Raven Army.¡±


    Themand center of the famously impregnable Fort Tutry was located on the second floor of Gehirn Castle. Perhaps to increase secrecy, there were no other rooms on the second floor except for themand room, and soldiers guarded the only entrance on a 24-hour guard.


    When Hiro entered themand room, he took his ce in the upper seat, while Ghada stood on the right side and put his hand on the hilt of his sword, ring at Bakish and his subordinate to check them from making any suspicious movements.


    ¡°Haha¡­ you seem to have a subordinate with a lot of work ethic.¡±


    Bakish said, his cheeks twitching, and he ordered his second-inmand to take the bundle of reports.


    ¡°I will now report to you what Your Highness Hiro Schwartz has ordered me to do.¡±


    Bakish was the first to speak up.


    ¡°The first is that Brigadier General Aura, who is isted in Felzen region, after learning of the defeat of Her Highness Celia Estre, seems to have taken refuge in Fort Mitte in the southwest of Felzen region. There is no information that the fortress has fallen, so I assume that she is safe. However, I don¡¯t think they can hold out much longer.¡±


    There are also concerns about food and supplies. The number of soldiers is also limited. If they didn¡¯t get rescue as soon as possible, Fort Mitte would turn into a hell filled with dead bodies. As Hiro put his hand to his chin and pondered, Bakish asked if he could continue. Hiro nodded and urged him to continue.


    ¡°It seems that the Third Prince Blutar is trying to rescue them, but the results are not good, and the Dral army is blocking them from moving as they wish.¡±


    The Third Prince Blutar, who had lost Aura, would not be able to develop a n of action. Until he added Aura to his staff, he was a man who always said that war is about numbers. He doesn¡¯t have the power to break through the current situation. The Second Imperial Army is like a snake without a head, without a mouth to bottoms up its prey, without poison to kill its victims.


    ¡°And the Grand Duchy of Dral has prepared a negotiating table with the Third Prince Blutar. As long as we¡¯re able to ept their demands, they¡¯ll hand over Her Highness Celia Estre and guarantee the safety of Brigadier General Aura.¡±


    Judging by Bakish¡¯s expression, he must have been forced to do some impossible task that he could not overlook. It was easy to imagine what kind of result it would lead to.


    ¡°The condition was the withdrawal of the Grantz Empire from the Felzen region. They demanded 20 spirit swords, 100 spirit stones, 2,000 gold coins from the Grantz Empire, and more than that; they demanded territory in the west.¡±


    ¡°The negotiations have broken down, have they¡­?¡±


    Hiro sighed after saying that.


    ¡°Yes, and since then, it has been a back and forth battle, and nothing has changed.¡±


    With Liz, Aura, and the country in the bnce, no one would ept such a demand. But it¡¯s a good thing that Aura is still alive and well, although it¡¯s hard to say if it¡¯s a blessing or not. As Hiro was thinking this, he suddenly noticed that Bakish was making a difficult face.


    ¡°Is there something else on your mind?¡±


    ¡®Yes¡­ it¡¯s about Her Highness Ce Estre. The Third Prince Blutar offered to send a messenger to confirm her life and death, but the other party stubbornly refused.¡±


    Is it because they are afraid of them taking her back, or is she already dead?


    Assuming the worst, the Grand Duchy of Dral may have handed over Liz to another country. Since she is the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords, other countries want her as much as they can get their hands on her.


    In addition to this, there is also the possibility that she may have been handed over to one of the six nations in the western alliance. But it¡¯s still not out of the realm of expectation, and there¡¯s not enough information to be certain.


    ¡°Can I entrust you to gather information about that as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, leave it to me.¡±


    To Bakish, who saluted, Hiro decided to ask about the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear about the internal situation of the Grand Duchy of Dral. Why did they decide to march into Felzen this time¡­? If you know that, it will be easier to deal with them.¡±


    ¡°The total number of Dral troops that have marched into the Felzen region this time is about 30,000, and the one leading them is Pupchen von Dral, the legitimate heir. The Archduke is ill, and his legitimate son has already taken control of the situation. But that was only until he signed a truce with the Steichen Republic, and that foundation has recently been shattered.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Are you aware, Your Highness, that the Steichen Republic is currently divided over a session dispute?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details, but I¡¯m pretty sure two major noble houses are fighting over it¡­ I see.¡±


    When Hiro said that much, he realized what had happened to the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    ¡°In other words, the noble and powerful lords of the Grand Duchy of Dral are not convinced that the truce was signed despite such an opportunity. Is that what you mean?¡±


    ¡°As expected of Your Highness Hiro, you are correct. And since it was at the sole discretion of Lord Pupchen, the dissatisfaction seems to have been even greater.¡±


    After a pause, Bakish opened his mouth again with the report in his hand.


    ¡°In the meantime, a faction has emerged that has chosen the second son as the sessor, who is easier to manipte.¡±


    The Grand Duchy of Dral is also falling into a state of near division. Why did they decide to march on Felzen despite the situation? The answer came naturally to Hiro¡¯s mind, and he found an opening to take advantage of, his ferocious mood surging wildly. In the end, the Grand Duchy of Dral was the one to attack. He even regretted that there was no map in this ce.


    ¡°So what are you going to do now, Your Highness Hiro?¡±


    ¡°I will now lead the ¡°Raven Army¡± to attack the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    ¡°¡­From what I saw, it seemed that there were only about five thousand of you. Are you nning to reuniteter?¡±


    ¡°No, the soldiers I brought today are all I have.¡±


    ¡°It sounds more reckless than unreasonable, but¡­ If you want, I can lend you a few thousand from my private army. You may want to reconsider that.¡±


    ¡°No, that feeling alone is enough; my private army is fine.¡±


    Hiro then asked Bakish¡¯s second-inmand if he had any maps.


    ¡°A map?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a map of the Grand Duchy of Dral. It doesn¡¯t need to be very detailed.¡±


    ¡°Very well. One moment, please.¡±


    The second-inmand approached a waist-high jar in the corner of the room. He returned with a piece of parchment in his hand.


    ¡°Excuse me, let me spread it out on the desk.¡±


    The second-inmand spread the map out on the desk in front of Bakish, who had a questioning look on his face, as he was used to doing. Hiro stood up from his seat and walked over to the map, grabbing some of the nearby pieces.


    ¡°Then I will exin it to you.¡±


    Hiro ced one of the pieces in the southern part of the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    ¡°Even though the Grand Duchy of Dral and the Steichen Republic have signed a truce, the seeds of war are still smoldering near their borders, so both countries must be on alert and devoting a lot of resources to the fight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true what Your Highness Hiro said, but¡­¡±


    ¡°So, the Grand Duchy of Dral cannot afford to leave the south untouched. Then, the obvious ce to start taking soldiers is from the north.¡±


    Hiro ced another piece in the northern part of the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    ¡°In addition, if the legitimate heir of the Grand Duchy of Dral is declining in power, it is possible that he is conscripting the people. In the end, the northern part of the Grand Duchy of Dral is stretched thin. Even with an army of about five thousand, you can still achieve amazing results.¡±


    As Bakish looked down at the map as well, Hiro took out a piece of paper.


    ¡°But for added certainty, I need your help with a few things. It¡¯s not difficult; it¡¯s simple. I just need you to do what is written here.¡±


    Bakish frowned quizzically, but his eyes widened when he opened the paper to see what it said.


    ¡°T-this is¡­ are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am serious.¡±


    ¡°Unless I¡¯m reading this wrong¡­ it says burn the vige?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    When Hiro told him clearly, Bakish paled. His second-inmand also gave Hiro a look of disbelief. But Ghada, who had heard about it beforehand, was not shocked at all, and his expression did not change at all.


    ¡°Please read to the end.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    Bakish, pressured by Hiro¡¯s powerful eyes, proceeded to read on. He was busy running his gaze over the paper with a problematic look on his face but eventually ced it on the desk and exhaled deeply.


    ¡°I can¡¯t simply ept this kind of¡­ order from Your Highness Hiro, no matter how it may be. If I fail and am held ountable, my head will fall to the ground.¡±


    ¡°General Bakish will not be held ountable. His Majesty has already given his permission. If you fail, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. I did this on my own, so please feel free to carry out what is written there.¡±


    In order to win, various measures had to be taken. This was the only way to save Liz and Aura. It was different from the time when he could not save anyone in that time of chaos. He has definitely grown since that time. He felt that he had acquired enough power to save as many people as he could hold in his tiny hands.


    ¡°¡­..I understand. I¡¯ll be happy to help.¡±


    As themand center was enveloped in silence, Bakish finally gave a colorful reply. Hiro¡¯s smile deepened in satisfaction, and he stroked the eye patch covering the left half of his face.


    ¡°Oh, and General Bakish. There¡¯s something else I need your help with.¡±


    Hiro invited him with his hand. Bakish obeyed honestly, though with a dubious expression on his face. Then Hiro whispered a couple of words in his ear and put his hand on Bakish¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Then, can I leave the rest to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it will be difficult to prepare what is written on this paper today. I would prefer to wait until tomorrow if possible?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    Although he really wanted to defeat the Grand Duchy of Dral without any help, it was indeed difficult for Hiro and the others to prepare everything from scratch. It¡¯s not a bad idea to borrow a favor from General Bakish here if nothing else. It¡¯s just a matter of handing over some of the credit.


    ¡°So, since we¡¯re running out of time, I think we should get ready too.¡±


    Hiro took Ghada with him and left themand center.


    He was able to get Bakish¡¯s cooperation. After that, he needs to attack the Grand Duchy of Dral and skillfully guide the other party to get them to the negotiating table.

 Volume 4, Chapter 2 – The Captured Flame Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 2 ¨C The Captured me Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 3</h4>


    At dawn, the ¡°Raven Army¡± left Tutry Fortress afterpleting their preparations.


    It was November 13, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    After leaving Fort Tutry, the ¡°Raven Army¡± crossed the border in an instant and began their march to the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    For a start, Hiro instructed the ¡°Raven Army¡± to take advantage of the darkness and surround the neighboring viges. Capturing all the vigers, women, children, and elderly alike.


    ¡°Hand them over to General Bakish¡¯s soldiers who are camped on the border.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s order was carried out solemnly. The vigers lined up and were sent to Bakish¡¯s camp in the rear. They were so terrified of the ¡°Raven Army¡± that they did not put up any resistance.


    It could be said that they realized that they were no match for the mighty soldiers, but what most of them were feeling was confusion. This was because, although there were a few conflicts when they showed resistance, they were never subjected to any violence other than that, and they were treated with an attitude of sincerity that made it hard to believe that they were invaders.


    Therefore, confusion upied most of their hearts, and they were taken to the rear with a question mark on their faces, saying they didn¡¯t understand what was going on. In this way, the people of Dral were unable to flee from the sudden invasion of the Great Grantz Empire, and the vigers near the border were all captured.


    And at the time when the sun¡¯s rays were tearing the blue sky and pouring down on the earth, Hiro and the others were on their way to Hanatigal Fortress, which guarded the border on the side of the Grand Duchy of Dral ¨D the Lesuende vige on its outskirts.


    ¡°Wise brother, is this thest vige?¡±


    Hugin¡¯snguid voice struck his ear. Hiro, who had been looking at the map in the roofless carriage, looked up. There was a sense of urgency in the air as he looked around; soldiers in ck equipment surrounded the vige and gathered the vigers in one ce.


    Their faces were blue with despair, and they were tearfully begging for their lives. Hiro turned his gaze away from the vigers and looked at Hugin, whose brown skin glowed dazzlingly in the sunlight.


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s make this vige ourst stop. We¡¯re way behind schedule.¡±


    Hiro then called out to the soldiers guarding the vige and instructed them to raise a smoke signal. Immediately, the troops surrounding the other viges would begin to move as Hiro had instructed.


    ¡°There are seven viges near the border. We¡¯ve only managed to surround four of them, including this Lesuende vige.¡±


    Hugin grumbled, but the fact that they were able to surround four viges in such a short time should be enough. Hiro saw no obstacle to the n.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll seed. I have a few tricks up my sleeve for that.¡±


    There was no need to think too hard about the ruse. It¡¯s very simple and clear: the one who keeps on deceiving wins. In the past, his brother-inw, the first Emperor Altius, hadined that it was difficult, but Hiro hadughed it off, saying that anyone could do it.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    As if to pull the thorn out of Hugin¡¯s still anxious heart, Hiro put a smile on his face and put his index finger to his lips.


    ¡°Of course. Do you not believe me, Hugin?¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s not like that!¡±


    Hugin¡¯s face turned red, and she waved her hands in a panic.


    ¡°W-well then, I¡¯ll trust my wise brother and go scouting!¡±


    As if to hide her embarrassment, Hugin, who had left behind her cheerful words, turned her horse¡¯s head and galloped off in a cloud of dust. Hiro was stunned to see her off, but suddenly arge shadow fell over her head.


    ¡°We are ready.¡±


    When he turned his head toward the voice, he saw Ghada, his second-inmand. He had the same grim expression with wrinkles between his brows as usual, but today he was somewhat less resolute.


    Hiro tried to figure out what had happened, but he soon arrived at the cause. Perhaps, like Hugin, he was worried about being so far behind schedule. He might be feeling responsible for the fact that he¡¯s the one who trained the ¡°Raven Army.¡±


    Hiro sighed and stood up in the carriage, saying that he had no choice.


    ¡°If so, just let a few of them go.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    At Hiro¡¯smand, Ghada handed out instructions to his men. Then several young men were freed from the ropes. Their faces showed a real sense of confusion. It was understandable. It wouldn¡¯t make sense if they were released as soon as they were captured.


    ¡°You are to report to the Grand Duchy of Dral. I will release you only for that purpose.¡±


    Hiro pointed to the g bearer with his left hand. Then arge g spread in the wind.


    The vigers all gasped when they saw the emblem on it.


    ¨DA ck dragon holding the silver and white sword.


    It is the coat of arms of the second emperor, who was once praised as the heroic king of the twin ck.


    ¡°Then, I want everyone to pay attention to the rear here.¡±


    When Hiro said more, the youths and soldiers all turned to look behind them. ck smoke was rising high into the sky from everywhere. The source of the smoke was where the vige was located.


    It was as if a ck dragon was feeding on its prey, vigorously painting the sky ck. There were screams from the vigers. They cried out, wondering if their vige would be next.


    As the resentment shook their eardrums, Hiro looked down at the vigers with cold eyes.


    ¡°Tell them all, people of Dral. Tell them that the Great Grantz Empire has attacked.¡±


    Hiro spread his arms wide, and the wind blew. The hem of the ck Princess Camellia was flung backward with a flourish, pping the air again and again with grace and wildness.


    ¡°And remember, the Raven Army, once led by the God of War, was called¡­¡±


    The vigers¡¯ bodies trembled as Hiro solemnly announced, stroking his eye patch.


    ¡°On the path of the Raven Army, even the Demon King is no different from the trees and grass.¡±


    It was a tribute to the brave and courageous army that they had once been. It was considered dangerous because of its bravery and was buried in the dark by the third emperor.


    ¡°Do not forget these words.¡±


    Hiro motioned with his chin for the young men to run andy down in the carriage.


    ¡°What an actor you are. Why don¡¯t you quit being the Fourth Prince and join a theaterpany?¡±


    Ghada¡¯s sarcastic words hit his ear. Hiro smiled and pointed his hand to the sky.


    ¡°The first step is nowplete. It¡¯s time to make the next move. As soon as the vigers are handed over to General Bakish, we will begin our march.¡±


    ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll also call back the troops that are surrounding the other viges.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please. By the way, have you brought the swift dragon with you?¡±


    The ¡°swift dragon¡± is a non-native species of dragon that lives mainly in the Shaitan Inds.


    A few adventurers captured a few of them from the Shaitan Inds about 300 years ago, and they escaped to breed in the central continent. For some reason, Hiro happened to catch one of them rampaging in a vige four months ago, and although he couldn¡¯t ride a horse, he was able to ride the swift dragon.


    ¡°Yeah, I was told that. It should have been rxing in the back¡­¡±


    After saying that, Ghada called Munin.


    ¡°What do you need, chief?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were supposed to be taking care of the swift dragon; where is it?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ um¡­¡±


    Munin¡¯s gaze wandered as he scratched the back of his head. Ghada¡¯s hand sped his shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re not letting it escape, are you?¡±


    ¡°N-no, don¡¯t be absurd! It¡¯s just that Hugin took it on a reconnaissance mission!¡±


    Ghada was taken aback by Munin, who got down on his knees right on the spot to apologize.


    ¡°Hugin was able to ride the swift dragon?¡±


    Swift dragons have a strong sense of pride because of their descent from dragons. Therefore, it doesn¡¯t like to have people on its back. This is why the fact that Hugin went with it on a reconnaissance mission caught Ghada by surprise.


    ¡°No, she can¡¯t ride it, but they seem to get along strangely well¡­ They went on a reconnaissance trip together.¡±


    ¡°What was she thinking, scouting with such a creature¡­?¡±


    Ghada held his forehead and looked up above his head in annoyance, but suddenly he heard Hiroughing and narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Haha, you siblings are really funny. Despite the situation, you make me feel at home.¡±


    ¡°Is this the time to beughing? This incident is really too much to take in. I¡¯ll have to reprimand her when shees back.¡±


    Hiro raised his body, softened the corners of his eyes, and shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s much better than being overwhelmed. The more room you have, the more sessful the strategy will be.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro, the vigers have been handed over. And we can execute the n at any time.¡±


    When Hiro turned his attention to the voice that interrupted them, he saw a soldier standing there.


    ¡°Then notify all units. We will now begin our march.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    The soldier left with a salute and mounted his horse, turning his head and waving arge g.


    ¡°Then I will return to themand of the troops.¡±


    Munin also rode up to the troops he was leading.


    Dust began to rise from the hurried formation of the Raven Army. There were loud shouts from themanders around them. Satisfied with the scene, Hiro turned his gaze to the Hanatigal Fortress, one cell (three kilometers) away. Even from a distance, he could see that it was buzzing with activity. They must have realized that their vige was being burned when they saw the ck smoke rising from various ces. But they didn¡¯t make a move, probably because of their loss of nerve.


    ¡°All troops, advance! Don¡¯t break ranks!¡±


    Ghada¡¯s booming voice shook the air, and a moderate sense of tension spread among the soldiers. As the carriage began to move, Hiro raised his right hand in a small gesture.


    ¡°Ghada, it¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s show the enemy holed up in the Hanatigal Fortress the reality.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ghada nodded and pointed his sword at the g bearer.


    ¡°Set it on fire! Let them know the threat of our Raven Army!¡±


    Soon after, ck smoke began to cover the vige of Lesuende. The whole area turned ck as if it had been spilled with ink.


    With this cruel scene behind them, the ¡°Raven Army¡± began to march in an orderly and unhurried fashion. Keeping their distance from the Hanatigal Fortress, Hiro and the others moved southward and passed by it. There was not enough time for them to deal with the besieged army. Above all, the situation was changing every second. There was no time to waste.


    And when they were 89 roos (267 meters) away from the Hanatigal Fortress, they saw a flurry of movement in the enemy army.


    ¡°They¡¯re on the move¡­¡±


    A message came rushing up to Hiro, who muttered to himself.


    ¡°The main gate of Hanatigal Fortress has been opened! The enemy is expected to move out!¡±


    ¡°Maybe they were waiting for us to pass by, or maybe their egos wouldn¡¯t allow them to miss the enemy in front of them.¡±


    Hiro looked at Fort Hanatigal and saw that it was covered in dust. If they were to be attacked from behind, they would suffer tremendous damage. The only way to avoid this is to turn the Raven Army around and face them head-on.


    ¡°How many are there?¡±


    ¡°Unconfirmed! But ording to intelligence reports, there are less than four thousand of them stationed at the Hanatigal Fortress, and it is certain that their numbers will never exceed our own!¡±


    If they sh head-on, they will not be able to avoid damage to their troops. If so, it¡¯s time to use the first strategy, albeit quickly.


    (There¡¯s no need to be conservative. It¡¯s better to take the fight to them at once.)


    Hiro stroked the eye patch covering the left half of his face and pointed his hand at the messenger.


    ¡°Instruct the bannermen,rge g to the right, all troops reverse at full speed and crush the enemy forcesing from behind.¡±


    The messenger nodded and headed for the g bearer. Next, Hiro called out to Ghada, who was running alongside him.


    ¡°Does Munin seem okay?¡±


    ¡°The weather is good today. The view is excellent. He won¡¯t miss a thing.¡±


    Hiro followed Ghada¡¯s gaze as he nced at him. There was a lone figure on the in, far from the main army. He¡¯s holding up the ck dragon¡¯s coat of arms g ¨D it¡¯s tilted to the right.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to takemand of the first squad. Leave the front line to me.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll be heading to the front this time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ghada, who was about to kick the horse in the stomach, turned around with a surprised expression.


    ¡°For the future, I want to make sure she learns a lot.¡±


    With a smile on his face, Hiro¡¯s fingertip pointed to his right-hand side. At the same time as Ghada¡¯s gaze turned to it, an innocent voice sounded.


    ¡°Wise brother! I¡¯m back! I¡¯ve found out theposition of the enemy army!¡±


    Hugin was the one on the horse. And next to her, the swift dragon is running. Hiro jumped down from the carriage, directly kicked the ground, and jumped again ¨D he got on the back of the approaching swift dragon and pulled the reins.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the front now. Hugin,e with me. We¡¯ll talk about it on the way.¡±


    ¡°Hey! What am I supposed to do?¡±


    Ghada, looking flustered, raised his voice. Hiro looked back over his shoulder.


    ¡°You takemand of the main force. I will go kick the enemy to pieces.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Hiro patted the swift dragon on the head and urged it to run. Hugin was desperately trying to keep up with him.


    ¡°Wise brother! The enemy seems to be over three thousand, two thousand of which are made up of infantry.¡±


    ¡°Then, as soon as the first line is in ce, let¡¯s charge. We¡¯ll use the momentum to prate the center of the enemy.¡±


    When Hiro reached the front line, the front of the first line faced the enemy, but the middle and rear lines were still in disarray. They were not slow to turn, but they were not fast either.


    ¡°The middle and back rows were still in disarray. But if we wait for the middle and back rows, we won¡¯t make it in time¡­¡±


    The enemy is running at full speed to get behind them. The only way to crush their momentum is to hit them with everything possible and take advantage of their weaknesses. Above all, there was a reason why he wanted to keep their attention on him. The only people who can move quickly are less than a thousand; Hiro made a quick decision.


    ¡°Attention, first line!¡±


    Hiro raised his voice high in the air.


    ¡°The front line will now begin the assault on the enemy army!¡±


    The heavy bass of horseshoes kicking the ground and the reverberations of ovepping armor created a mor. Even so, Hiro¡¯s voice resonated well. His unique voice prated deeply into their eardrums, making everyone listen.


    ¡°As soon as the middle and back rows are ready, start moving in sequence!¡±


    As if in response to Hiro¡¯s wishes, the soldiers nged their spears into their shields, one by one. In the end, it was apanied by a loud roar that created an earth tremor that shook the entire battlefield.


    ¡°Raise your swords if you want victory. To deny defeat, raise your shield.¡±


    Hiro quietly pulled out the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± at his waist.


    ¡°With a single blow ¨D offer victory to the twelve great gods of Grantz!¡±


    Hiro¡¯s voice echoed across the in, and he took the lead at a brisk pace. Following him were a thousand ck horsemen. The enemy forces, who had thought they could take the back, were clearly shaken.


    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s push through them like this.¡±


    The rest of the battle was a contest of spirit and simple strength. The Raven Army, led by Hiro, has a much higher level of morale than ever before. On the other hand, what about the Dral army? They were angry that their vige had been burned, but many of them were also terrified. In a situation where each individual¡¯s feelings are disturbed, misalignment is bound to ur. Fear would cause some of them to put their strength into the reins and start to slow down.


    If this happens, there will be no such thing as a formation.


    ¡°We¡¯re going in from the right side!¡±


    As soon as Hiro saw the gap, he rushed into the gap of the Dral army with great speed.


    ¡°Stop them at all costs¨D¨D!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote!¡±


    Hiro, who decapitated an enemy soldier whose face was twisted in fear, sent the masterless horse spiraling out of control and crashed into another enemy horse. When the enemy soldier who lost his stance was kicked off his horse, the enemy soldier was crushed by the following cavalry.


    ¡°Push them back! We can¡¯t afford to lose to those atrocities who burned our vige!¡±


    In spite of the obvious difference in strength, there was an enemy soldier who was unafraid toe forward.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do our best to respond to their splendid spirit!¡±


    Therefore, he paid the utmost respect to those who were brave and bold enough toe at them. He would reap the life out of them with great skill, take their spears and throw them. It easily pierced the necks of several enemy soldiers and rained blood all over the area.


    ¡°Push open the center! The goal is only the enemymander!¡±


    ¡°Follow His Highness Hiro!¡±


    As if in response to Hiro¡¯s shout, a private soldier shouted with vigor. This was the catalyst for the shouting from all sides.


    In the face of the beastly roar, the enemy¡¯s momentumpletely stalled ¨D and then the middle and back rows, which had been in formation, joined in and swept the enemy forces away like a muddy stream.


    ¡°Retreat! We¡¯ll join up with the heavy infantry and get back in formation! We¡¯ll be annihted if we continue like this!¡±


    When Hiro turned his gaze in the direction of the voice, he saw a middle-aged knight in fancy armor holding up a sword. Unlike the other soldiers around him, he wore conspicuous armor, probably because he was themander.


    Hiro pulled on the reins and let the swift dragon¡¯s head spin, determined not to let him escape. However, his feet did not go to the enemymander because the enemymander slipped from his horse.

 Volume 4, Chapter 2 – The Captured Flame Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 2 ¨C The Captured me Emperor And The March of The God of War, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°Lord Beyaen!¡±


    ¡°Where did the arrowe from?¡±


    The voices of the surprised enemy soldiers hit his ears. When Hiro looked next to him, he saw Hugin with a bow in her hand, wearing a proud look on her face.


    ¡°Wise brother, you have to give credit to your men once in a while.¡±


    Hugin¡¯s happy tone made Hiro shrug his shoulders and gave a smallugh.


    ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s exactly what Hugin said. That¡¯s a great archery technique, as always.¡±


    Hiro tapped her on the shoulder after he said that.


    ¡°Go ahead and make a name for yourself. Let¡¯s make today your day.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hugin puffed out her chest proudly and raised her bow high in the sky.


    ¡°I, Hugin, the first disciple of the wise brother, has defeated the enemy general! I¡¯ve shot the enemy general down!¡±


    ¡°For such a little girl! If we don¡¯t avenge Lord Beyaen, the name of Dral nobility will be ruined!¡±


    The enemy soldiers, bent on revenge, rushed towards Hugin in unison. Even in the face of this spectacle, Hugin did not panic. Rather, she held her bow with a fearless smile on her face.


    ¡°On the battlefield, only the powerful survive! Yourmander did not have enough strength to survive!¡±


    ¡°What a cheeky bitch! Do you think you¡¯re going to win by identally killing Lord Beyaen?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, women and men have nothing to do with the battlefield! Or will you use it as an excuse for your defeat?¡±


    ¡°You bitch¨D¨D!¡±


    The enemy soldiers were furious, but after being shot in the forehead by Hugin, they disappeared from their horses.


    ¡°We are the Raven Army! We are the children of the God of War!¡±


    Hugin shouted, and as if in mockery, she ughtered the enemy soldiers with her terrifying archery.


    ¡°Damn it, retreat! Retreat! Retreat!¡±


    The enemy¡¯s second-inmand, who was confronted with such technical prowess, pulled back on the reins in astonishment.


    ¡°Fall back, regroup!¡±


    The enemy¡¯s second-inmand began to give orders at the top of his voice in a desperate manner. However, his decision was toote. Because Munin, who was leading a separate force, was attacking the enemy forces from the rear.


    ¡°H-how the hell did they get behind us? What happened to the heavy infantry?¡±


    The enemy¡¯s second-inmand was dismayed.


    ¡°Shit, shit, the whole army must get out of here at all costs!¡±


    The spear of the ¡°Raven Army¡± appeared from the rear with great force and cruelly pierced their bodies.


    If not mistaken, it was Munin. He kicked the enemy soldiers away with his excellent spear-handling. When he noticed Hiro, he proudly raised his spear with both hands.


    ¡°Thispletes the pincer attack.¡±


    He had left the other team to Munin and had hidden them in the ck smoke of Lesuende vige. He was prepared for the possibility that the enemy might strike back, and he did a fine job of it.


    The enemy¡¯s heavily armed infantry, which had missed the battle, had probably been devastated by the troops led by Munin.


    ¡°Now we have won the first battle.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ my brother¡¯s sess is overshadowing my sess.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Hugin¡¯s first sess is unassable.¡±


    The youngest sister, who took down themander, and the older brother, who attacked in time with the breath of themander, remind everyone that they are excellent siblings.


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m the best?¡±


    ¡°Of course, so I hope you don¡¯t look worried.¡±


    Hiro nodded with a bitter smile and looked around.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not hunt down the enemy too much so as to avoid damage.¡±


    There was still fierce fighting going on around them. Some of the enemy soldiers had turned their backs on them and were running away. Hiro raised his voice to the troops who were trying to chase them.


    ¡°There is no need to pursue! Leave those who flee behind and bring down the hammer mercilessly on those who turn on us!¡±


    The more enemies that flee, the more the presence of the Raven Army will be known to the Grand Duchy of Dral. Witnessing defeated soldiers running for their lives will cause the inhabitants of nearby viges to begin evacuating.


    This would make it easier for them to get their goal ¨D the Grand Duchy of Dral ¨D to the negotiating table.


    Still, it feels far away. The distance was so great that it was impossible to catch sight of Liz.


    (It¡¯s no good. I can¡¯t show my soldiers how I feel.)


    Even though they had just won a victory, it would affect morale if themander looked unhappy. Now is the time to concentrate on the battle and not think about anything else.


    And just when he thought that¡­


    ¡°Wise brother? What¡¯s wrong? You look really scared.¡±


    Perhaps it was still showing on his face because Hugin called out to him in concern.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­?¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking, that¡¯s all.¡±


    He reflected that he had been too self-conscious. Hiro had formed a self-deprecating smile, even though he had always told himself that there was no point in being in a hurry.


    And then¨D¨D,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too careless when the battle is still going on?¡±


    Ghada appeared with a disgruntled look on his face. The armor is covered in blood, the face is as red as an asura, and fresh blood is dripping from the bloody tip of the sword.


    ¡°Well, it may be impossible to concentrate on an opponent who has no response like this.¡±


    His body reeked of death, but his expression seemed to indicate that it was not enough.


    ¡°The fight is still on; there is no need to waste your energy here. I hope you can save as much strength as you can for the time toe.¡±


    ¡°When I lose my strength, I¡¯ll take a rest in the rear. In the meantime, leave it to me and you, One-Eyed Dragon, keep your strength in reserve.¡±


    Ghada pointed to a roofless carriage behind them. Hiro decided to take advantage of his words and jumped from the swift dragon to the carriage.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble. There won¡¯t be any fighting for a while, so you should rest now.¡±


    He patted the dragon¡¯s head, and it squealed happily.


    ¡°Ghada, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. I¡¯ll think about what to do next.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    After receiving Hiro¡¯s instructions, Ghada turned his horse¡¯s head and threw himself into the area where the battle was still going on. Then Hiro turned to Hugin and urged her to report the results of her reconnaissance.


    ¡°From the reports of my men, it seems that the neighboring nobles have gathered young men from the cities and viges and are preparing to intercept us. Even so, it seems that many of them followed the legitimate heir of the Grand Duchy of Dral to the Felzen region, and they were not able to gather arge number.¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°Six thousand, a respectable number, but since most of them are peasants, many of them can¡¯t ride horses, and I suspect they¡¯ll be using a formation consisting mostly of infantry.¡±


    Hiro was impressed with how they were able to assemble 6,000 people, even if they were mixed with farmers. Although the death toll in this battle is likely to be low, there are likely to be several hundred injured.


    If that¡¯s the case, the number of people who can fight will be over four thousand. The next battle should be minimized as well, as there is no telling how many troops the second son of the Grand Duchy of Dral will send against them.


    (Tactics may change depending on the enemy¡¯smander, but the terrain can¡¯t be changed either.)


    Hiro took out a map from his pocket and spread it out on the floor of the carriage, and stared at it. He predicted the path that the allied forces, made up of the nobles of the Grand Duchy of Dral, would choose.


    The battlefield¡¯s terrain was the same as here, the ins, but there was no ce with a good vantage point to hide the troops. Suppose the Raven Army continues to advance at this rate, and no problems arise on either side. In that case, they will probably sh with the noble coalition tomorrow.


    (A normal sh would be a sh of power against power. That puts us at a disadvantage because we¡¯re outnumbered.)


    The enemy will probably want to make sacrifices to stop Hiro and the others and buy some time.


    Until the return of the legitimate heir of the Grand Duchy of Dral, who went to the Felzen region, or until the second son, who is in charge of his absence, rushes to reinforce. In either case, in order to cut off any lingering doubts, the Grand Duchy of Dral¡¯s noble alliance must be defeated once and for all.


    Hiro looked up from his map and surveyed his surroundings.


    ¡°Is it over¡­?¡±


    There were shouts of victory from allies all around. Countless swords and spears were being thrust up into the sky. The sound of sword fights had died down, and the enemy forces were fleeing without a second nce, looking hapless.


    ¡°Hugin, I want you to call Ghada.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Not long after Hugin went to call him, Ghada came to Hiro¡¯s side.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What do you need?¡±


    ¡°It seems that shes with neighboring nobles are inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Fumu, Hugin has told me about it. Six thousand troops, including peasants.¡±


    ¡°I want to minimize the damage to our side if possible.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to devise a n. But there are only a few things that can be procured in the enemy territory. But since we don¡¯t have much time left, we have no choice but to go straight for it, so what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to set up a siege tactic. I¡¯d like to keep close coordination, so let¡¯s gather the one thousand to five hundred cavalry captains this evening and have them listen to the n. Also, I¡¯ll leave it to General Bakish to decide what to do with the Hanatigal Fortress, so can you send a message to him?¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    While looking sideways at Ghada calling for the messenger, Hiro called out to Hugin, who had nothing to do.


    ¡°And Hugin, I¡¯m going to rest for a while, so you take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me! No one will interrupt my brother¡¯s sleep!¡±


    ¡°No, wake me when it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    Hiro muttered with a bitter smile and closed his eyes to keep his energy up.

 Volume 4, Chapter 3 – The Encounter Between The Flame Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 3 ¨C The Encounter Between The me Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 1</h4>


    The former de jure territory in the southwestern part of Felzen is an oddbination of wilderness and ins. The reason why it took on this appearance goes back to the previous King of Felzen.


    The King of Felsen at the time wanted to acquire the spirit stones in order topete with the Grantz Empire, and this led torge-scale development of thend. However, the intense cold wind blowing from the Travant Mountains killed the trees and nts that had been nted, and thend became a deste ce where spirits could note near.


    The people left thend as if they were driven out, but instead, they were reced by monsters. As a result, the west side of the old de jure territory became overrun with monsters, which began to make the Travant Mountains their home, descending the mountains and attacking the neighboring viges at night.


    Eventually, the scope of the monsters¡¯ activities extended to the east, and the country, realizing the seriousness of the situation, took serious action and built Fort Mitte. Fort Mitte has such a long history, but now that the Felzen Kingdom has fallen, it is managed by the Grantz Empire.


    It was November 14th of the 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    When the sun was pointing to the open sky, a fierce battle was taking ce in Fort Mitte. The remnants of the Felzen Army surrounded the area on all sides, and fierce attacks were being repeated.


    As the rain of arrows poured down from Mitte, the Felzen remnants were beginning to ascend vigorously usingdders while raising their shields above their heads. However, the walls of Fort Mitte were high, and the gates were thick and solid, as it had been built for the purpose of fighting monsters.


    Therefore, it would not fall with a half-hearted attack. Unless it were attacked with full force, it would be easily bounced back. However, it is also true that some things don¡¯t add up with that exnation.


    In fact, the fact that Fort Mitte functions as a strong fort is made possible by the brain of a genius general.


    The upper part of the main gate of Fort Mitte ¨D the breastworks there is equipped with a small tower. It would have been used as a watchtower in normal times, but now it was being used as the headquarters of the Grantz Army.


    ¡°There are too many wounded for us to handle on our own. Isn¡¯t there any unit that has an extra hand?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got our hands full! If you need bandages, tear up some cloth or something and use it instead!¡±


    There was a flurry of soldiers moving around. They were trying their best not to waste time.


    In the midst of this bleak atmosphere, a fresh-looking, handsome young man came running in.


    ¡°Aura-sama! There¡¯s a banner calling for reinforcements from the western wall!¡±


    A rough voice came to the ears of the girl standing in front of the desk.


    ¡°No need to rush, Lord Spitz.¡±


    The sharp gaze from her leaden eyes pierced Spitz.


    Her expression is so devoid of the subtlety of emotion that a third party would get the impression that she is very cold. However, the way her bangs are trimmed just above her eyebrows makes her look dainty. Her eyes arerge and petite, making her look like a small animal, which makes people want to protect her.


    One man said that she was a miracle, an angel at seventeen.


    Her name was Treya Luzandi Aura von Bunadhara.


    With her unparalleled intelligence, she has attained the rank of brigadier general at a young age and is called the ¡°War Maiden¡± by the soldiers in honor of the ¡°God of War.¡±


    She is the most promising girl in the Bunadhara family, one of the top five families in the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Send in a reserve unit to the west wall. The east wall is also in danger, so reinforcements are needed as well.¡±


    ¡°Very well!¡±


    Spitz is running away. Aura looked down at the map spread out on the desk beside her.


    It is a map that shows the details of Fort Mitte. On top of that, several pawns were lined up to look like troops. And from the small tower built into the upper breastwork of the main gate, she could see the walls on all sides and determine where reinforcements were needed.


    ¡°¡­..We should still be able to hold out.¡±


    To tell the truth, the path of this battle was not clear. It would not be like the previous battles. It was like a winding maze, and it was impossible to see beyond it.


    And yet¡­


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not going to whine about it.¡±


    The aides and soldiers are relying on Aura. As a superior officer, there¡¯s no way she can say she can¡¯t protect them or that it¡¯s impossible. She borrowed the name of the ¡°God of War¡± above all. As long as she carries the title ¡°War Maiden¡± on her back, she can never do anything to stain the reputation of the God of War.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Aura reached out her nervous, trembling little hand to the book on the desk. The book is called ¡°The Book of ck,¡± and it contains the life story of the second emperor.


    Her father had given it to her as a birthday gift when she was a child. Since then, she has been reading it continuously. She carried it with her wherever she went. Whenever she felt lost, in pain, or wanted to cry, she continued to read it. She is proud to say that she is the only person in this world who knows the Second Emperor so thoroughly. Aura closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, hoping to get a little help from him to relieve her tension.


    ¡°©¤©¤My mind is clear, and my thoughts are flexible.¡±


    These were the words that the second emperor Schwartz used to say when he felt uneasy. ording to the Book of ck, it was said that he received it from someone else, but the person is a mystery. It is said that it was his educator or that the first emperor muttered it on the spur of the moment to ease his tension. In other words, there are many theories.


    It was interesting, Aura thought, but she wasn¡¯t in a situation to think about it. She decided to end her thoughts and opened her eyes. She looked at her hands and saw that they had stopped shaking. The tension seemed to have dissipated considerably. Aura sped her hands repeatedly in satisfaction and tapped her chest several times.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Nodding as if to herself, she looked at the walls on all sides and moved the pieces on the map.


    ¡°Lord Spitz.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°Reinforce the south wall. Send in two reserve units.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯ll get word to them right away!¡±


    In the midst of this chaos and confusion, a man was lying face down under his desk with a frightened look on his face.


    It was the Felzen Regional Governor, Booze von Krone. As his title suggests, he was the man in charge of governing the Felzen region.


    Originally, he was in the service of the Felzen royal family, but on the condition that he was added to the ranks of the five great noble families of the Krone family, he turned to the Grantz Empire and brought about the copse of the Felzen royal family from within. But when the resistance of the Felzen remnants became fierce, he forgot about his post and fled from the royal capital to take refuge under Aura.


    Booze stood up as he crawled out from under his desk, watching his surroundings.


    ¡°Lord Bunadhara. When will the reliefe? Will this fort be able to hold out until then?¡±


    Aura frowned, annoyed by the series of questions.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Wha?¡±


    Booze was taken aback by the way the girl, who was twice younger than him, treated him roughly. Aura ignored his reaction and moved one of the pieces from the center to the east wall and called Spitz.


    ¡°Next, put a section of the army on the east wall.¡±


    Aura had poured all of her knowledge into this siege. Whenever there was a gap in her knowledge, she read the literature or consulted past military history to fill in the gaps. With all this work, there was no way she could take time to rest. It can be said that Aura has not slept properly for the past couple of days.


    Of course, her aides were concerned and suggested that she take a nap at least. However, their advice was not heard.


    Aura¡¯s nerves had been sharpened, and she had put all her energy into the battle.


    ¡°It should be fine for a while.¡±


    ¡°A-are you sure it¡¯s safe? The enemy¡¯s attacks are only increasing! Hyii!?¡±


    Booze cried out, but the sound of arrows fired by the enemy startled him, and he cowered.


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy. It¡¯s safer in the courtyard than here. Get out.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I will do that.¡±


    Booze said, unsteadily making his way to the exit. It was then that a chill went through Aura¡¯s back.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Aura approached the peephole in the small tower and looked down at the ground. She could see that the enemy had stopped attacking and was beginning to distance themselves from Fort Mitte. And everyone was throwing their gaze to the sky in unison. Aura was also caught and sent her gaze to the sky as well.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    An eerie ck cloud was swirling and spreading rapidly in the sky above. It bottoms out the sun in the blink of an eye. What the heck is going on¡­? She felt a sense of disgust, but there was nothing she could do about the weather. Aura had been staring up at the sky in a daze, but the rumbling of thunder brought her back to her senses.


    ¡°I have to do what I can now.¡±


    This is not the time to be confused by mysterious phenomena. Aura tried to rethink her n for the future since the enemy had gone to the trouble of retreating, and she couldn¡¯t let it go to waste.


    She tried to walk to the desk but failed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¨D¨DThe desk shattered with a crash.


    A single blue spear was sticking out of the dusty ce. Aura was stunned, and as she approached the spear, she tilted her head and extended her hand.


    ¡°Aura-sama! Please get down!¡±


    At the same time, an urgent voice was delivered, but as if to paint it over, a roaring sound deafened her.


    No ¨D it¡¯s too warm to be described as a sound, but it¡¯s a shock that almost blows away her body.


    Aura felt as if she were trapped in weightlessness. The next thing she knew, a ringing in her ears sounded in her head. It was at this moment that she realized that she had fallen.


    In her blurry vision, an ice spear was piercing through the soldiers, killing them. At their feet, some of them seemed to have lost their breath or were not moving at all. The only difference between Aura and the others is that they haverge holes in their abdomen and are bleeding profusely¡­


    As she was thinking of something else, a familiar face popped into her field of vision.


    ¡°Aura-sama! Stay with me, please!¡±


    It was Spitz. He was also bleeding from his shoulder as if he too was injured. He seemed to be desperately trying to appeal for something, but it didn¡¯t reach Aura¡¯s ears.


    Aura didn¡¯t know what she was doing or where she was because it had be vague. Just when she was beginning to think that it was okay to let go of her consciousness, an object jumped into Aura¡¯s sight. It was the Book of ck, which she had carried around with her since she was a child.


    (Stupid me. What am I thinking?)


    Aura stretched out her arms toward the book as if she was trying to regain a part of herself.


    (I need to be strong¡­)


    When her fingertips finally touched the corner of the book, she felt as if her vision was clearing from a thin haze. She could clearly hear the shouting, the screams, and the mixed emotions.


    ¡°Aura-sama! Please hold on!¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all right. Thank you for your concern.¡±


    Aura stood up after telling Spitz that, hugging her book carefully. When she did, her petite body tilted, and she almost fell. But Aura put all her strength into her legs and held on, leaning against the wall with her hands.


    ¡°Aura-sama, you have hit your head hard. You should not move.¡±


    Spitz desperately pleaded with her to rest, but Aura shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather check the damage quickly and watch out for enemy movement.¡±


    If they attacked in this situation, Fort Mitte would surely fall. While holding her aching head, Aura gave precise instructions to Spitz and the rest of her entourage.


    ¡°Bring lightly damaged reserve troops to the four walls, evacuate the wounded to the walls and then treat them, and if there are not enough doctors, have the lightly wounded help with treatment, and bring new desks and maps.¡±


    The aides, including Spitz, were taken aback by the rapid session of orders. Aura pped her hands and appealed to them with her leaden eyes to hurry up and go, and they came to their senses and began to move in a hurry as if they were scattering spiders.


    Aura then looked around the small tower and then caught sight of a man and pointed her index finger at him.


    ¡°¡­That noisy one there is distracting me. Get him out.¡±


    Aura pointed to the figure of Booze, who had lost an arm and was rolling around.

 Volume 4, Chapter 3 – The Encounter Between The Flame Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 3 ¨C The Encounter Between The me Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 2</h4>


    The sky was calm. It was so clear that if one stretched out their arms, they could almost be sucked into it. The air was so fresh and clean that it was hard to believe that people were fighting for supremacy on the ground.


    Even so, Hiro¡¯s stern eyes never softened as he gazed into the sky.


    ¡°Do you have a grudge against the sky?¡±


    Said Ghada. Hiro shifted his dark eyes from top to bottom and turned to the owner of the voice.


    ¡°No, I felt a strong presence¡­¡±


    He felt a familiar presence from the northwest. Hiro turned his narrowed eyes to the northwest once more. But he could no longer feel the chill that sent shivers down his spine as before.


    ¡°I can understand why you¡¯re worried, but I¡¯d rather you focus on what¡¯s in front of you right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s just focus on the enemy in front of us for now.¡±


    Hiro smiled and nodded his head in agreement with Ghada¡¯s words.


    His vision was filled with soldiers in heavy equipment that cut through the calm air as he looked ahead. On the other side of the orderly line of his own private army, a ck shadow is stirring at a distance.


    A coalition of nobles from the Grand Duchy of Dral was standing in the way, leading soldiers from the neighborhood to stop the advance of the ¡°Raven Army.¡±


    ording to the intelligence report, the number of soldiers was 7,000, which was more than Hugin had reported ¨D the formation was centered on the militia, with the main force of regr soldiers in the front row, and the middle position formed like a thrust.


    In addition, cavalry was deployed on both wings. It¡¯s called the dragon scale formation, and it¡¯s an effective formation for breaking through the center.


    ¡°Well, this is the only formation left for them to choose from, I guess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to make a conscripted militia understandplex tactics in a short period. So they probably chose the simple and easy-to-use dragon scale formation.¡±


    In contrast, Hiro¡¯s army formation was a bit different.


    The center of the line is lowered to a shallow position with light infantry dismounted from horses, and the main cavalry is ced on both wings, stretching out toward the enemy like a dragon spreading its wings. This is a formation to wait for the enemy¡¯s assault ¨D the dragon wing formation. With this as the first line, the cavalry troops positioned behind it formed the second line, which was hidden behind the first line in a vertical formation. These two formations together are known as the Fishing Iron Formation.


    ¡°The time hase to test the results of Ghada¡¯s training.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only known you a short time, but I think I have a good grasp of your character, One-Eyed Dragon. I¡¯m teaching the Fishing Iron Man to handle even the most reckless requests.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    Then, after taking a single breath, Hiro waved his right arm to the side to signal the horseman.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    The great g of the ck dragon fluttered in the wind. The horn was blown, and the soldiers on horseback began to beat their spears against their shields.


    The shy sounds made by the soldiers made the air ring with excitement. At the same time, it incites a sense of tion. The battle cry echoed deep in their stomachs, energizing their bodies.


    ¡°Morale is high¡­ so I¡¯m going to distract them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll leave you in charge of this one. I know this is unnecessary, but be careful.¡±


    Hiro waved his hand behind his back to Ghada and then looked at Hugin.


    Then¡­


    ¡°A separate unit will be sent out! Those who disrupt the formation will be punished severely!¡±


    Hugin, who understood his intentions, raised her voice. Hiro ordered the swift dragon to start moving forward, and the cavalry followed one after another, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    In this way, the other five hundred troops separated from the main force, but the enemy army easily spotted them because of the clear view of the ins. However, they could not read their movements, or perhaps they were too cautious about making any move on them.


    ¡°Hugin, shall we continue to make arge detour to get behind the enemy?¡±


    ¡°Yes! But¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll let us get behind them so easily, will they?¡±


    ¡°There is no need to force ourselves to get behind them. Because the role of this separate unit is already over.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡±


    Before answering the question, Hiro sent a signal to the g bearer to wave arge g. As soon as they received the signal, the main force led by Ghada began to move forward in a cloud of dust.


    ¡°All we have to do is just flick it off in the corner of their minds that there is a separate unit.¡±


    That¡¯s enough to make them hesitate. Whether to organize a separate force or to prioritize defeating the main force of the ¡°Raven Army,¡± this hesitation, even if only for a moment, would have fatal consequences on the battlefield. The longer they wait to make a decision, the more they miss out.


    ¡°Then the ordinary ones will try to defeat the enemy¡¯s main force with a simple idea of recovering from their failure.¡±


    Hiro said, and the Dral army advanced. They started to head straight for the main force of the Raven Army.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see for a while. We¡¯ll observe their movements from here and figure out how we should move.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Wise brother, I have a question.¡±


    Hugin said, showing signs of hesitation.


    ¡°What is it that you don¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    Hiro tilted his head at the inarticte words.


    ¡°You can ask me anything you want without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Err, umm¡­ ugh¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Hugin lowered her head, looking flustered as if she felt she had offended him.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not mad at you¡­ What¡¯s really going on?¡±


    Hiro smiled at her as he admonished her for losing herposure. Hugin, whose eyes were wandering, looked up at Hiro while fiddling with the reins.


    ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t like, you don¡¯t have to answer me.¡±


    Hiro nodded and waited for her to speak.


    ¡°Why did you attack the Grand Duchy of Dral? It would have been better to head to the Felzen region and rescue Liz-neesan¡­ With Wise brother¡¯s military tactics and prowess, it would have been possible.¡±


    So that¡¯s what she wanted to ask. The question was perfectly natural and nothing to hide, so Hiro decided to exin it to Hugin.


    ¡°The first has political implications. The reason is that I didn¡¯t want the western nobles to take credit by cooperating with the Third Prince Blutar.¡±


    Hiro pointed his hand at Hugin and held up his index finger, followed by his middle finger.


    ¡°The second is to make up for Liz and Aura¡¯s blunders. In order to do that, we can¡¯t convince the emperor with half-hearted achievements. We needed a spectacr strategy that would be easy to see.¡±


    Finally, muttering¡­ Hiro held up his ring finger.


    ¡°The third was the need to attack the Grand Duchy of Dral for future nning, this is not confirmed, but it wille into yter.


    ¡°¡­Y-yes, I see.¡±


    When Hugin gave her reply, she made a difficult face and fell silent. It can be seen that she was making an effort to understand. If that¡¯s the case, it was worth the effort to exin. Hiro looked away from her and turned his attention to the battlefield.


    The two armies were shing vigorously. The wind carried the sound of sword fights and the shouts of both armies to Hiro. Next, a violent cloud of dust rose up and began to cover the battlefield with a mixture of blood and smoke.


    ¡°I wonder if we¡¯ve managed to turn the Dral army¡¯s attention to the front.¡±


    ¡°I think it went well. But, isn¡¯t it possible that some of the troops that noticed it in the middle of the battle ran away?¡±


    ¡°Some people may be aware of our intentions, but an army of thousands is like a muddy stream. It can¡¯t be stopped abruptly.¡±


    In addition, it was time for the Fishing Iron formation toe into y. The thin center of the formation lures the enemy deeper in ¨D which means that their attention is further concentrated on the front.


    This creates an illusion on the Dral front lines. They think they have the upper hand and that if they keep pushing, they will win.


    ¡°And unaware that they are being lured, the prey rushes to the open center.¡±


    But what awaits the emboldened Dral army is the second line of the Raven Army, a vertical formation of cavalry. They begin their assault from the center, which the Dral army desperately tries to push open.


    This assault wouldpletely destroy the front line of the Dral army.


    The only way to avoid total annihtion was to retreat, but the two wings of the first line were already blocking the way on both sides. Above all, once the momentum is gained, it is not easy to stop. The Dral militia in the rear and the cavalry of the Raven Army in the front crushed the Dral¡¯s main infantry troops.


    ¡°Hugin, are you going just to watch the Dral army crumble like this?¡±


    Hiro called out to Hugin next to him. She looked at him and blushed, ashamed that she had been watching the war progress as Hiro had described it.


    ¡°I apologize! I showed you my unworthy appearance!¡±


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± victory would not be shaken even if the separate unit did not move. However, there is a high possibility that the cornered Dral army will put up fierce resistance. They are desperate to protect their country and their families. They will want to stop the Raven Army here at all costs.


    ¡°So let¡¯s give the order. It¡¯s time for the separate unit to move in order to discourage the enemy.¡±


    Since they were in a situation where they could get behind the enemy, there was no way they could miss it to minimize the damage.


    ¡°Separate unit! Charge! We¡¯ll break through the enemy from behind!¡±


    Hugin galloped her horse with a dependable shout. Hiro also ordered his swift dragon to ride alongside Hugin. Behind them, the separate unit, with their spears at the ready, followed with an air of heroism.


    ¡°Hugin, the right-wing of the opponent, has moved. It seems that there is apetent and bravemander there.¡±


    Perhaps realizing that the separate unit was about to set up an encirclement, about 400 cavalrymen moved away from the right nk of the Dral army. It¡¯s not a bad decision, but for once, it¡¯s not the right one either.


    When Hiro looked over at Hugin next to him, her temper was rising, probably because of the blunder she had just made.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    Hugin¡¯s spirit swelled.


    ¡°Soldiers of Dral! Burn the emblem of the ck Dragon in your eyes! We have the blessing of the God of War!¡±


    Hugin shouted as she released the reins and stood up on her horse. She drew several arrows from her quiver in that position, drew her bow, and released them in rapid session.


    The number of arrows that cut through the air in a straight line shot the enemy soldiers right between the eyes, killing them.


    In response to her immense skill, the well-trained separate unit shed the tips of their spears and dexterously pierced the gaps in the armor of the Dral soldiers, causing them to fall from their horses.


    ¡°Hyii¨D¨DGyaahh!?¡±


    Some of them were lucky enough to escape death, but they were trampled down by the horseshoes that followed. Even so, the onught of the separate unit did not stop. Blood sttered in the air, polluting the atmosphere with the smell of death.


    After prating the blood mist, the separate unit attacked the rear of the Dral army with a fierce force.


    Thepletion of the encirclement and annihtion tactic ¨D in the end, it was also the beginning of the ughter.


    A picture of hell was being created, and the enemy no longer had the strength to resist. Enemy soldiers running for cover fell prey to spears, blood-sucking swords colored the ground, and the ground turned red.


    The only way to end this tragedy was to wait for the enemy to surrender. In order to hasten this process, it was necessary to capture themander, so Hiro and the others ran to the enemy¡¯s main force to urge them to surrender.


    When they finally reached it, a white g was raised on the ground.


    ¡°Hugin, you¡¯rete. Where have you been wandering?¡±


    A man with a sarcastic expression on his face stood under the white g. Behind him, Munin rubbed his nose with pride.


    ¡°Hiro-sama! I¡¯ve captured the Dral nobles!¡±


    In front of them, the Dral nobles, bound by ropes, were lined up in a horizontal line on their knees.


    ¡°N-not only great brother, but also¡­ big brother.¡±


    Hugin, who recognized Ghada with a surprised face, was stunned to have her biggest credit stolen from her. Hugin fought hard to redeem herself, but Ghada was probably better than her.


    Or if the initial move had not been dyed, the position might have been reversed¡­ but there is no use in talking about it. Hiro pushes her back as if tofort her.


    ¡°Hugin, there is still much fighting to be done. You will have the opportunity to make your mark.¡±


    ¡°¡­Next time, I¡¯ll be ahead of even great brother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. You will surpass Ghada in no time.¡±


    Hiro said, and Ghada repeatedly nodded as if in agreement.


    ¡°You¡¯re a quick learner, you know. You will soon surpass me.¡±


    ¡°As expected, it won¡¯t be easy for me to surpass great brother!¡±


    Hugin shook her head apologetically as if she couldn¡¯t bear to be lifted up by the people around her.


    ¡°I will train you again when we return to the south. Be prepared for that.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll be counting on you!¡±


    Seeing Hugin¡¯s cheerful smile, Ghada narrowed his eyes dazzlingly. Then, he threw a disgusted nce at Hiro.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon, I wanted to take credit for this once in a while. Unfortunately, I got the first prize.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see everyonepeting like that; it makes things easier for me.¡±


    Hiro said casually, letting Ghada¡¯s provocation slide. He looked at his surroundings.


    With the white g raised from the main forces of the Grand Duchy of Dral and the Union of Nobles, more and more soldiers were beginning to give up their weapons and surrender. Then, out of the corner of his eye, Hiro caught sight of something.


    A crest g, cruelly covered in mud. It belonged to the Dral army, but it was not the g of the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    Originally, the grand g flown on the battlefield was the emblem of the imperial family in the Grantz Empire or the emblem of the family itself. In the case of the Grand Duchy of Dral, it is the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Dral that they raise, but the grand g covered in mud was unfamiliar.


    In other words, it did not belong to the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    (Why didn¡¯t they raise the Lord¡¯s g?)


    Hiro stepped down from the swift dragon and walked up to the captured nobles to wipe away his difort.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.¡±


    Before introducing himself, he throws a question to the nobles, who roll their eyes in surprise at the sight of Hiro.


    ¡°You are the nobles of the Grand Duchy of Dral, correct?¡±


    Looking at the face of the nobles, he checked the emblems on their armor, but none of them had the emblems he had seen earlier.


    ¡°I see¡­ so you¡¯re the descendant of the God of War¡­¡±


    One of the Dral nobles said.


    ¡°Yes, I am often as surprised as you are.¡±


    ¡°You can bask in the afterglow of your victory for now. If we die here, I¡¯m sure Hunthaven-sama will avenge us.¡±


    ¡°Second son of the Grand Duchy of Dral, huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is on his way with an army of 20,000 to bring down the hammer on you.¡±


    Hiro meant it differently, but the Dral nobleman seemed to have misunderstood.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask him directly.¡±


    Without the need to point it out, Hiro said aloofly without losing his generous smile.


    He was thinking of questioning him about the legitimate heir who marched into the Felzen region, but if the second son who is in charge of his absence cane here directly, there is nothing to ask from the nobles.


    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t have to interrogate them anymore.¡±


    That¡¯s good. Hiro added atst and called Ghada over.


    ¡°Take them as captives. Can you extract some information about the second son for me? Don¡¯t do anything rash and treat them with respect.¡±


    ¡°Politely, huh¡­ It isn¡¯t easy, but I understand. Is that all you need?¡±


    He¡¯s probably asking if the information about the Felzen province, or Liz, is sufficient.


    ¡°Apart from what¡¯s going within the territory of the Grand Duchy of Dral, the information they¡¯re getting at this remote location is likely to be minimal. It will only make things more difficult and less profitable for us. So, I¡¯m going to ask Hunthaven directly.¡±


    Then Hiro instructed Munin to take up a position, his eyes narrowing sharply as he looked up at the murky ck sky to the northwest.

 Volume 4, Chapter 3 – The Encounter Between The Flame Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 3 ¨C The Encounter Between The me Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 3</h4>


    It was evening, and the sky was overcast, and it was starting to rain. The temperature had begun to drop rapidly due to the cold air blowing from the Travant Mountains.


    The soldiers who had been preparing the bonfires stared at the sky with resentment and covered the coals with tanned leather to keep them dry. They were not the only ones in a panic. The soldiers who had been preparing the meal were also busy moving around now that the fire was out.


    This was the main camp of the Felzen remnants, three cells (nine kilometers) away from Fort Mitte.


    A woman was awake in a tent pitched in the center of the camp.


    Haran Skaaha de Felzen.


    Her face was pale and lifeless as if she was in poor health. As her eyes wandered aimlessly, she noticed the presence of a man standing in the doorway.


    ¡°Skaaha-sama, you¡¯re awake¡­¡±


    The man who breathed a sigh of relief was Rach de Fairtra. He was a formermander of the royal guard when the Felzen family was still alive and well.


    ¡°I was worried that you might not wake up anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ I must have passed out¡­¡±


    Skaaha remembered something and slipped out of her bedding, holding her aching head.


    ¡°You should still rest. First, you need to eat and regain your strength.¡±


    Rach approached her in a panic, but Skaaha stopped him with her hand.


    ¡°I need to get some fresh air. I¡¯d rather see the results with my own eyes.¡±


    Rach tried to lend a hand to Skaaha as she hobbled toward the doorway, but she refused, saying that her pride would not allow it. And once outside, she took in the fresh air into her lungs and turned her head to look around.


    ¡°¡­It seems that we still haven¡¯t managed to bring down Fort Mitte.¡±


    She looked up and saw a solid fort standing in the drizzle.


    ¡°We started our offensive after that, but unexpectedly, theirmand system was not disrupted, and we could not take advantage of the opportunity. I am truly sorry for wasting the opportunity that Skaaha-sama risked her life to create!¡±


    ¡°No, the one to praise is the enemy¡¯smander. As expected, the ¡°War Maiden¡± is a great military strategist, just as the rumors say ¨D or even better than the rumors say.¡±


    A blue spear appears in the right hand of Skaaha, who spoke in a self-mocking manner. Despite the sudden appearance, there is no surprise on the face of Rach, who is standing behind her. It¡¯s a familiar sight for him, probably.


    ¡°Skaaha-sama, please don¡¯t use that kind of power anymore.¡±


    Rach closed the distance between them with a hint of anger in his voice.


    ¡°The side effect is that you will lose consciousness, which will also shorten your life span.¡±


    ¡°I know that¡­ but I couldn¡¯t resist seeing that man.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Rach frowned suspiciously, and Skaaha gave him a sad look.


    ¡°Booze von Krone.¡±


    Skaaha only told the name briefly, and Rach gnashed his back teeth.


    The blood dripped from his tightly clenched fists and melted into the mud. His eyes were bloodshot, and his breathing was ragged, but he was still trying desperately to control himself.


    ¡°Even you would react in such a way. Then how could I possibly control my anger?¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s long eyshes trembled as she looked up at the cloudy sky and shed a single tear.


    ¡°It was the man who had betrayed my father and tortured my mother and brothers to death, and my mind went nk.¡±


    Skaaha did not see Felzen¡¯s demise in her eyes. She was studying in the Six Kingdoms to the west under royal orders. She tried many times to return to the country in times of crisis, but her aides stopped her, and she was unable to do so. The king ordered her, and so she was asked to endure.


    However, when Felzen was destroyed, the Six Kingdoms, which had been on friendly terms with her, felt that it was dangerous to keep Skaaha around and sent her away. And what awaited her on her return was a harsh reality.


    The royal capital, which had been famous in the surrounding countries for its beautiful cityscape, was in a state of ruin. Burnt houses lined the streets, the stench of corpses polluted the air, and the people were oppressed like ves by the Grantz soldiers.


    The end of a defeated nation ¨D it was not something Skaaha could bear.


    ¡°If I had not met you there, I would have recklessly fought the Grantz army alone.¡±


    A desire for revenge drove Skaaha, but Rach, who had infiltrated the city, stopped her and saved her. After that, she was told the details of what the royal family had been through.


    Her mother, the queen, sacrificed herself to Booze Von Krone to rescue her younger brothers, and her father gave up his head in exchange for the safety of his people. But the man did not keep his promise; he chopped off the heads of her brothers in front of her mother and then, of course, tortured her to death as she cried out in front of their bodies.


    ¡°How much pain my brothers, my mother must be in, I hear them night after night asking me to avenge them. My mother and brotherse to me in dreams, begging me to kill that man.¡±


    The sound of the rain drowned out Skaaha¡¯s sobs. But the anger would not go away, and the fires raged behind her tear-stained eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let that man get away with this.¡±


    In order to avenge her mother and brothers, she decided to lead the Felzen Remnant Army. She swore to herte father and brothers that she would drive the Grantz Empire out of Felzen¡¯s territory.


    ¡°But you held back well when you captured the Sixth Princess. I thought you would chop off her head.¡±


    Rach¡¯s words made Skaaha raise her eyebrows unhappily.


    ¡°I am a member of the honorable Felzen royal family. I have no taste for killing women and children like the Grantz imperial family.¡±


    She said in a dignified tone and then continued to tell Rach about her concerns.


    ¡°But what do you think about leaving the sixth princess in the hands of the Grand Duchy of Dral?¡±


    ¡°It would be better to take her into our custody, but considering the current state of our military, it would be painful to have the Grand Duchy of Dral pull out. I think we have no choice but to endure.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that man. In addition, even without my feelings, I feel that it is dangerous to cooperate with that man. There is a strong possibility that he is nning to use us for his own purposes.¡±


    ¡°Using us¡­?¡±


    Rach put his hand on his chin and snorted as if it didn¡¯t ring a bell.


    ¡°Skaaha-sama, are you trying to tell me that the reason why Pupchen-dono offered to cooperate with us is not just to get credit for solidifying his position in the Grand Duchy of Dral?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was a small difort at first, but¡­ now that suspicion is growing stronger.¡±


    Skaaha questioned, reaching out from behind the tent to feel the light rain.


    ¡°Why did Pupchen-dono have to cooperate with us?¡±


    ¡°Because he signed an armistice with the Steichen Republic. He could not immediately break the agreement and invade, and the quickest way to silence the rebellious nobles would be to make a name for himself in Felzen.¡±


    ¡°That said, it would be foolish to challenge the Grantz Empire in battle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I think it¡¯s natural to think that he didn¡¯t have much of choice.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that a man who is vulnerable to the opposition of the nobles would go to such lengths to destroy his country?¡±


    ¡°That is certainly¡­ the case. Then, perhaps, someone is behind Pupchen-dono.¡±


    Rach nodded deeply as if he was convinced but then turned his face to Skaaha with a look of surprise.


    ¡°Could it be that the Six Kingdoms are pulling strings behind the scenes?¡±


    Six Kingdoms is a confederation of six nations ¨D located in and called Krim in the west of the Felzen region. The Six Kingdoms, with a unified king at the top, and his bloodline ruling the other nations, are engaged in a daily political battle to be the next unified king,peting with each other to increase their own power through various means.


    ¡°Maybe or maybe not. We don¡¯t know for sure¡­¡±


    All things are conveniently going in favor of the Six Kingdoms.


    For example, suppose Felzen¡¯s remnants are victorious. In that case, the Six Kingdoms will extend a helping hand despite the fact that they kicked out Skaaha. It¡¯s hard to say whether they have the strength left to fight it off, and there¡¯s a high possibility that the Six Kingdoms will ravage thend they¡¯ve reimed again.


    Even if the Grantz Empire is victorious, thebined forces of the Six Kingdoms will be able to wipe out the exhausted western nobility from the Felzen region in the blink of an eye. If the two countries start a war, the battlefield will be in Felzen, and the Six Kingdoms will not suffer any damage to their territory, and if all goes well, they will be able to cut off the western part of the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°And the Grand Duchy of Dral¡¯s offer of cooperation was too good to be true.¡±


    To tell the truth, it was the Felzen remnants who should have lost at that time. The only thing to be feared is the ¡°War Maiden¡±¡®s talent.


    At that time, she had used herself as a decoy. She holed herself up in Fort Mitte and pretended to be isted in order to round up the Felzen remnant army.


    Lured by this, Skaaha gathered all her forces, which had been hiding underground and waging a guerri war, into one ce. By the time she realized she had been outmaneuvered, it was toote, and Celia Estre, the sixth princess, hadunched a pincer attack.


    ¡°But the Grand Duchy of Dral was able to get behind the Sixth Princess Celia Estre, and we managed to win the battle without being wiped out. We may have missed the War Maiden, but we certainly managed to survive.¡±


    ¡°And now we are in a position where we have no choice but to cooperate with the Grand Duchy of Dral, and we cannot even demand the extradition of Celia Estre, the Sixth Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Maybe Pupchen-dono is trying to use the sixth princess as a bargaining chip with the Six Kingdoms. Or perhaps he is nning to hand over thend of Felzen as a souvenir.¡±


    It is not out of the realm of expectation, but it is better to keep it in the corner of the mind.


    ¡°It is possible that even this is part of the Grantz Empire¡¯s n.¡±


    Rach sighed, rxing his brows at the difficult look on Skaaha¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to bring peace to Felzen, but it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s going to be easy anymore.¡±


    Skaaha nodded her head in silence. At first, it seemed simple enough. It was supposed to be a simple matter of expelling the Grantz Empire from Felzen. But even if it were aplished, the chaos would not be contained, and a new battle might have been called for.


    ¡°But even if that had been the case, it might not have made much difference to the current situation.¡±


    As soon as she realized it, various thoughts enveloped Felzen. The darkness is so deep that it tangles andplicates a single rope, making it impossible to unravel.


    ¡°The rain may have stopped, but it will never clear my mind.¡±


    Skaaha looked up into the sky and saw a ray of light shining through the clouds. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was falling into the depths.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped¡­ Let¡¯s prioritize Booze von Krone¡¯s head first.¡±


    Skaaha, looking at Fort Mitte, where the ¡°War Maiden¡± is caged, just before her thoughts became cloudy, pped both her cheeks, and regained herposure.


    ¡°The only way is to proceed steadily, step by step.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s put the future aside for the moment. We¡¯ll talk about it when we reach our goal.¡±


    ¡°The situation is such that we don¡¯t know what will happen. I want to capture Fort Mitte as soon as possible.¡±


    Various countries, such as the Grantz Empire, the Grand Duchy of Dral, and the Six Kingdoms, have their hands in the Felzen region. In such a situation, she can¡¯t just leisurely deal with the ¡°War Maiden.¡±

 Volume 4, Chapter 3 – The Encounter Between The Flame Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 3 ¨C The Encounter Between The me Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°We¡¯ll beunching an all-out attack soon. In the meantime, I want you to check the area around Pupchen-dono. That way, if he shows any strange behavior, we can deal with him immediately.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    As Rach bowed his head, he heard amotion on his right.


    ¡°What is it? Is it a fight?¡±


    ¡°What are they thinking at a time like this¡­? I¡¯ll have to punish them severely if they make too much noise.¡±


    Skaaha and Rach wondered what was going on and walked in the direction of the cursing and taunting. There is a strange atmosphere in the air. The air blew wildly with confusion.


    After walking between the tents where the soldiers slept, they eventually came to an open space where the soldiers ate. There was Pupchen, apanied by his bodyguards. With exaggerated hand gestures, he was talking loudly to the Felzen remnant soldiers.


    ¡°Haha, is there anyone who wants to throw a stone? The rains have just brought us some mud, so we can throw it at her! It¡¯s not every day you get an opportunity like this, soe forward!¡±


    Behind Pupchen was a familiar cage ¨D no, there was no mistaking it.


    ¡°Let me throw it. My family is dead because of those Grantz Imperials!¡±


    ¡°Me too! Those Grantz soldiers killed my wife. I¡¯ll give her the same pain!¡±


    The house was burned. Sister was taken away. Father was falsely used and tortured, etc. The soldiers began to surround the cage where the sixth princess, Liz, was being held. In the meantime, Pupchen seemed to have spotted Skaaha and rushed his horse over to her.


    ¡°How about you, Skaaha-dono? Wouldn¡¯t you be able to cut off a finger with your strength?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here, Pupchen-dono?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so stern! I was taking the Sixth Princess around to improve the morale of my army. And I thought it would raise the morale of your army as well.¡±


    He dismounted from the horse¡¯s back and picked up a stone from the ground with a childlike smile.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s getting used to the pain, but she doesn¡¯t react well. Why don¡¯t you use your power to make her scream?¡±


    Pupchen held out his hand with a stone in his grasp, but Skaaha did not hide her anger and brushed it away.


    ¡°What kind of taste is it to make a spectacle of a prisoner of war?¡±


    ¡°What are you angry about? In fact, it has boosted the morale of your soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. Do you have no sense of chivalry?¡±


    Skaaha walked past Pupchen and angrily walked over to the soldiers surrounding the cage.


    ¡°What are you doing? Are you still proud soldiers of Felzen, hurting your prisoners?¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s shout was enough to shake the atmosphere, and the soldiers began to move away from the cage as if they were being bounced. And when Skaaha looked at Liz in the cage, she was astonished.


    ¡°Wha¨D¨D!?¡±


    The first thing she did was doubt her eyes. The cage was full of stones and bottle fragments of all sizes, and it was as if there were people in it. In the middle of the cage, buried and crouched, was probably the sixth princess, Liz.


    ¡°What a miserable sight¡­¡±


    Rach, who came from behind, also involuntarily held his mouth and opened his eyes.


    Liz¡¯s military uniform was torn over arge area as if she had been dressed in rags. On her back, there was arge, painfulceration that made one want to turn away. It was not just one or two. There were probably scars all over her body.


    And when Skaaha approached the cage, she was in a terrible state. She was crouched on the ground with her back curled up, and her cheeks, which were visible from this position, looked very thin as if she had not been fed.


    In addition, her ragged breathing and the way her shoulders are bouncing up and down suggest that she may be suffering from a fever caused by an infected wound. An average person could have died. The treatment was so horrible that Skaaha could not continue to speak.


    ¡°Skaaha-dono, isn¡¯t it amazing? Even with this, she is still alive. The owner of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword is quite a monster!¡±


    ¡°Why did you let this happen?¡±


    ¡°In order for the Spirit Sword¡¯s blessings to disappear, it was necessary to break her strong mental power. But she would not yield to a half-hearted attack. I continued to torture her to the point where the blessing would not activate.¡±


    Pupchen began to talk happily.


    ¡°And to my surprise, the protection of the Spirit Sword is still active. Even in this disgusting state, she still refuses to let me touch her, which is quite impressive.¡±


    However, when her resistance was soon over, Pupchen gave an innocentugh.


    ¡°The blessing of the Spirit Sword was more powerful than I imagined, but it seems that it can be very hard on her body at times. In fact, I tried sacrificing a soldier who was no longer useful, and the power of the protection was much weaker than before, to the point where it was no longer life-threatening.¡±


    The vile smile on Pupchen¡¯s face made Skaaha feel fear beyond disgust.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Really? I thought I exined it to you in a way that was easy to understand¡­ Well, I expect that in two more days, the Spirit Sword will remove its blessing for her safety. After I¡¯ve had my fun, you can do whatever you want. You can even cut off her head.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ hold a grudge against the Sixth Princess Celia Estre, to the extent?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have a tremendous grudge. I am sure you feel the same way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hah, you know what I mean, a little girl who has been spoiled and brought up without any hardships is praised as a hero just because she was chosen to be the Spirit Sword holder. She has risen through the ranks without knowing the hardships of life, and yet she doesn¡¯t understand the feelings of ordinary people. The most unforgivable thing is that shees out on the battlefield with her own face, looking down from the top and spouting her high opinion. She just wields a sword that the first emperor used and takes all the credit for it! All she has done is embody the resentment of the world!¡±


    ¡°That is just backhanded resentment¡­ Are you insane?¡±


    ¡°I am sane! Hyaahahaha! I¡¯ll y with her until I¡¯m bored!¡±


    Pupchen continued tough maniacally as he turned his inferiorityplex gaze towards Liz.


    ¡°But I suppose when I get bored, that¡¯s the moment you¡¯ve been waiting for! Surely you can see her face as she cries out!¡±


    Pupchen said that the holder of the Five Emperors Spirit Sword was a monster.


    (If that¡¯s the case, then what the hell did he think with the person in front of him now?)


    Skaaha was dumbfounded, wondering how a human being could be so disgusting.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    Darkness swept over the four corners of the tent. A cold, chilly night had fallen. An unpleasant wind rang in the ears.


    Recently, he had been having trouble sleeping. He couldn¡¯t feel sleepy. His body must be refusing to sleep. And he knows why. He¡¯s afraid that if he falls asleep, he¡¯ll stop being himself.


    ¡°¡­Or maybe I just don¡¯t want to have that dream.¡±


    He smiled to himself and looked at the map spread out on the desk. Then, relying on the candlelight, Hiro took out ink and pen and wrote a letter.


    As he finished writing, the sound of him putting down the pen echoed quietly in the darkness. While the ink dries, Hiro closes his eyes and begins to meditate.


    As he breathed deeply and repeatedly to suppress the madness welling up from deep within him, he felt a faint presence and opened his eyes.


    ¨D¨DThe candles had been extinguished.


    The darkness inside the tent was overwhelming, leaving only the sound of the wind blowing outside.


    Then ¨D a strong wind blew, and the doorway of the tent shook violently. It made a faint opening, and all that came in was a ray of moonlight.


    He suddenly noticed an object. Looking at the desk illuminated by the moonlight, Hiro slowly stroked his eye patch. The talisman that Altius had handed him had appeared on the desk without his knowledge.


    The talisman was jet ck as if it had been dipped in ink, with only a few white areas remaining.


    The atmosphere was bizarre. ording to Altius, it was a kind of spirit talisman, but he still didn¡¯t know how to use it. He looked up various documents but found nothing that could be used as a reference.


    When he regained the power of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± that day, Altius appeared to him in a dream and told him that a spirit resided in this. The fact that it appeared on its own like this, there must be some kind of will in it.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s not a lucky charm, but I don¡¯t think Altius would give me such a thing.¡±


    He can¡¯t do anything about it if he doesn¡¯t know how to deal with it. But he has a vague sense of what it is that he is reacting to that is turning ck.


    When it turns all ck, what kind of results it will produce ¨D there is no telling.


    ¡°Good grief, he gave me somethingpletely troublesome.¡±


    Thinking of his brother-inw, Hiro smiled to himself and put the talisman in his pocket. And then, as if looking into the distance, he would only stare into the darkness.

 Volume 4, Chapter 3 – The Encounter Between The Flame Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 3 ¨C The Encounter Between The me Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 5</h4>


    It was heavy rain. The thunder roared incessantly, and what sounded like screams shook the world.


    Countless dead bodies were lying around, and numerous broken swords were rooted to the ground. In front of them stood a majestic castle that had once been so beautiful.


    There was a reason why it¡¯s described like that.


    The gates had been severely destroyed, and the walls were crumbling in various parts. The symbolic castle was engulfed in mes, making a roaring sound that caused people to shudder.


    Liz was in such a ce. The way she looked around showed her confusion.


    ¡°Eh¡­ What is this ce?¡±


    She was supposed to have been held captive by a cruel man called Puppchen. She looked down at her own body and rolled her eyes in surprise. She was unscathed ¨D there was not a single scar from that man on her body.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a dream, right?¡±


    It¡¯s a vivid dream, then.


    The eerie feeling of mud on the soles of her boots, the chilly wind caressing her skin, the stench of blood in her nose, the heat from the mes in front of her, it all seemed so real.


    There was no way she could understand, and she didn¡¯t even know what to do.


    The thought that it was a dream and the thought that it was real jostled in her mind, confusing her. Furthermore, the surrounding scenery added more confusion to her mind. It¡¯s hard to keep her thoughts straight when it¡¯s disrupting her concentration. And then ¨D the sword at her waist quivered.


    When Liz looked down with a surprised expression on her face, she saw the Five Emperors of Spirit Swords ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    As if to appeal to her to be firm, it was emitting a red light. Immediately afterward, the light turned into a line and stretched towards the castle as if to guide Liz.


    ¡°Are you asking me to move?¡±


    She tried to ask the me Emperor, but there was no sign of a response.


    ¡°I understand. You want me to go, right?¡±


    Liz shrugged her shoulders in resignation and decided to follow the red light path.


    Strangely enough, she felt no anxiety at all. Maybe it was because she thought she was dreaming, or perhaps she had a premonition somewhere in her mind of what was waiting for her.


    Once she passed through the burned-out main gate, she could see the entrance to the chalk-white castle.


    In what seemed to be a courtyard, a pool of blood had formed. The grass and trees were stained red with blood, and the fire had spread from the mes that enveloped the castle to the trees, causing them to burst loudly. It was like a picture of hell, Liz thought.


    No one was breathing; only the dead were grudgingly reaching for the heavens. There were several things that bothered her, but the most important was the absence of the person who had created this horrible scene.


    ¨D¨DIn other words, there are no living people in this world.


    All things are subjected to equal death. They were being exposed to relentless attacks and killed. This did not change as Liz stepped into the castle, avoiding the crumbling rubble.


    When she eventually arrived at what appeared to be the throne room¡­


    ¡°Eh¡­?¡±


    Liz gasped for breath.


    The only survivor of this world was there ¨D and he looked familiar.


    There is no mistaking his glossy ck hair, obsidian ck eyes, and soft face that seem to be unable to kill even insects. From every angle, he looked exactly the same. His appearance and the fact that he has an expression on his face make it hard to tell what he is thinking.


    ¡°¡­..Hiro?¡±


    Without even realizing it, she speeds up her steps. She wanted to see if it was really Hiro.


    ¡°Why, why is Hiro here?¡±


    Eventually, however, Liz¡¯s legs stalled as she ran toward the young man.


    ¡°Hi-Hiro?¡±


    She was aware of the strange atmosphere the young man wore.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    She couldn¡¯t say a word. She forgot even to breathe. Liz¡¯s eyes widened, and she looked at the young man¡¯s hands with a frightened look in her eyes.


    ¨D¨DA head.


    Yes, in the young man¡¯s hand was a head that belonged to no one in particr, a head with a face contorted in pain.


    Eventually, Liz suddenly became aware of a strange and frightening noise.


    Liz¡¯s gaze, which had been searching for the source of the noise, was drawn to the young man¡¯s feet.


    Arge amount of fresh blood was spreading all over the area. There, drops of blood were falling from the head, creating a quiet dripping sound.


    Normally, such a trivial sound would not have been audible. The surrounding environment was a noisy cacophony, like charcoal popping in a brazier. However, as if separated from the rest of the world, only the sound of the young man¡¯s voice lingered strangely in her ears.


    At the same time, augh spilled from the young man¡¯s thin, opened lips.


    ¡°Haha¡­ ha¡­ haha.¡±


    Even though he wasughing, his voice was sorrowful, as if he was crying. The more she wanted tofort him, the more the young man kept leaking out his sorrowful voice.


    The young man kept shivering so coldly that she wanted to hug him.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Suddenly, the young man¡¯s eyes turned to look at her, and Liz felt her heart being grabbed.


    ¡°You¡¯vee, huh¡­¡±


    The young man¡¯s voice was extremely cold. It was followed by a visceral, crushing pressure.


    ¡°Even though I¡¯ve destroyed countless castles, even though I¡¯ve killed countless people with my hands¡­¡±


    The young man was crying ¨D crying as if to let out his pain.


    ¡°My heart will never be satisfied.¡±


    The light is gone from the young man¡¯s eyes. His mind had beenpletely destroyed.


    ¡°I knew it, I knew it. I knew this would never fill me up.¡±


    In the depths of those tearful ck eyes, there was nothing but darkness.


    ¡°Then ¨D I don¡¯t know what to do anymore.¡±


    She could see that the young man was trapped as if he would disappear at the mere touch of her.


    Liz could not imagine what horrible things had happened to the young man. Even so, she wanted to at least say something warm to him.


    ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯m going to be strong; I¡¯m going to be strong enough to support you.¡±


    Just as she was about to say, ¡°You don¡¯t have to cry anymore.¡± A huge tremor struck her.


    Liz felt a shock that made it impossible for her to stand up.


    ¨D¨DThe world had begun to copse.


    White smoke billowed from the debris that had fallen from the copsed ceiling. Sparks of fire flew up and were about to cover her vision. In the midst of this, Liz hurriedly reached out her hand to the young man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll protect you! Give me your hand quickly ¨D Kuh!¡±


    However, Liz¡¯s hand mercilessly cut through the sky. The violent shaking created by the rubble caused her to lose her position. She turned her gaze, which had been stolen by the ground, back to the young man, but it had already turned into a sea of fire, burning fiercely before her eyes.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Liz raised her voice. She could feel the young man¡¯s presence slipping away.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    She shouted his name, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was really him.


    ¡°Please wait!¡±


    She tried to run after him, but her feet were stuck on the ground as if they were rooted. She tried her best to reach him, but she could not reach the boy who had his back turned.


    ¡°Good grief, why won¡¯t I move at a time like this?¡±


    She spat out her frustration and red at her own legs with a grudge.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t give up and called out his name several times, but he disappeared into the sea of mes without ever looking back. After tapping her foot in frustration, Liz looked up and searched.


    How can she help the young man?


    She thought desperately.


    ¡°What, have you given up?¡±


    Suddenly, a strange voice came from behind her. In a world full of death, a voice that sounded almost arrogant stuck in her ears.


    Fearfully, Liz turned around.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ever give up.¡±


    An arrogant, self-satisfied, calm, and indescribable man was standing there. The gold and silver decorations on his old imperial-style military uniform can only be described as tacky.


    However, the fact that it strangely suits him makes her feel annoyed.


    ¡°¡­..Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Leon Welt Altius von Grantz.¡±


    The man¡¯s grin widened, and he spread out his arms and made a showy announcement as if to emphasize his presence.


    ¡°I¡¯m the first emperor of the Grantz Empire, which is famous throughout the three thousand worlds.¡±


    It was a joke, but somehow it struck a chord within her.


    The sound of his voice.


    His gestures.


    His movements.


    All of them give off the air of a ruler. The lion, the absolute king, was standing right in front of her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so stunned, little girl. We don¡¯t have much time left.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­.. It¡¯s because you said you¡¯re the first emperor?¡±


    ¡°Listen, little girl. The young man from earlier¨D¨D!?¡±


    ¡°Yes! It was Hiro! He looked so sad!¡±


    Liz, who had somehow been able to move her legs, ran up to Altius and grabbed both of his shoulders as hard as she could, and shook him.


    No ¨D Altius didn¡¯t make the slightest movement, just let a wry smile form on his neat face.


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re an interesting girl.¡±


    ¡°This is not the time to beughing! We have to save him as soon as possible!¡±


    ¡°Umu, I¡¯m well aware of that. That¡¯s why I want you to calm down.¡±


    Altius put his hand on Liz¡¯s flustered head and gently admonished her.


    ¡°I will only say this once.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DYou have to save him.¡±


    It was a short word. But the words were full of emotion.


    For some reason, a heartbreaking sense of regret surged through Liz¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t do it myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­But how can I save him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see. You will eventually get there; you will catch up to him.¡±


    Altius patted Liz on the head and smiled as he stepped back.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡±


    Altius smiled mischievously as if he didn¡¯t need any more words to say.


    ¡°W-wait! Are you just going to say what you want and then disappear?¡±


    Liz shouted, and Altius gave her a sincere look.


    ¡°It¡¯s a selfish wish, but I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    He had a very sad look on his face, even though he was smiling. Liz could see that he was grieving for some reason. He was crying that there was nothing he could do.


    ¡°He¡¯s my precious younger brother-inw.¡±


    Yes. He¡¯s just like Hiro. He tries to push down his emotions and keep his sense of normalcy, just like Hiro.


    However, the world did not give Liz enough time to think about such things. She sensed a tremendous amount of power gathering around her waist and turned her gaze downward.


    ¡°me Emperor?¡±


    A momentter ¨D a huge me erupted from the red de. The st of fire spread out as if it were filling the area.


    It was clear that the me Emperor was trying to drive Liz out of the copsing world. But there was something left to do. She couldn¡¯t just walk away from this world yet.


    ¡°Wait, I need you to do something about ¨D Eh?¡±


    She realized that the young man who had been there earlier was gone, and the ce where he had been was filled with rubble.


    Liz red at the ¡°me Emperor,¡± thinking that everyone is selfish.


    ¡°Please wait! I want to save him! That¡¯s why you have to wait!¡±


    However, her voice went unheeded, and an immense light shone out from the me Emperor.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The blinding light was unbearable, and Liz crossed her arms to cover her eyes. But the blinding light only grew more intense, stimting her eyeballs through her eyelids as if to say that it was useless to cover her eyes.


    But then, suddenly ¨D she felt the light suddenly focusing on her.


    Liz opened her eyelids with trepidation.


    ¨D¨DThe darkness was spreading.


    Abyssal darkness stained the world, so much so that she wondered if she had actually opened her eyes. It had been so noisy, but now all that was left was the buzzing of insects.


    ¡°¡­Was it all a dream?¡±


    It¡¯s hard to believe, but she remembers the man¡¯s grief-stricken face, and the words he muttered to her still choke her. In the first ce, it is unclear whether it is even real that she is here now. In order to confirm it, Liz put her hand on the floor to get up, but


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    A sharp pain shed through her fingertips. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, and she gritted her teeth to endure the pain. She felt like she was being pulled back from a dream. Even the slightest movement was enough to send pain shooting through her body.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Liz looked at her hands. She gazed at her fingertips, relying on the faint flickering light. There was a bandage wrapped around it. She knew she had woken up from a dream when she saw the blood on her fingertips.


    The fingernails that Puppchen had peeled off reminded her that she hade back to reality.


    ¡°Ugh¨D¨D!¡±


    Liz groaned for a few moments as the extreme pain hit her whole body.

 Volume 4, Chapter 3 – The Encounter Between The Flame Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 3 ¨C The Encounter Between The me Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 6</h4>


    ¡°I see you¡¯re awake.¡±


    She gasped for breath and flinched when someone called out to her. The thought of being subjected to another round of torture made her feel faint.


    But she couldn¡¯t give up; she couldn¡¯t lose, so she raised her head.


    ¡°¡­..Huh?¡±


    Liz was taken aback. The person in front of her was not Puppchen.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve mistaken me for Lord Puppchen.¡±


    The fire of themp moved through the darkness and illuminated a single woman. Liz wondered if that was why she only had a slight glimpse of her hand and felt as if she were someone else.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t need to look so scared.¡±


    She remembers that her name is Haran Skaaha de Felzen. She is a survivor of the Felzen royal family.


    She still looked dignified as ever, but her expression was tired and dull.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Even though she had a hint of caution in her eyes, Liz maintained a resolute attitude, refusing to show any weakness. In contrast, the smile on Skaaha¡¯s face was one of bitterness.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be cold tonight. I thought I¡¯d bring you a nket.¡±


    She put her hand inside the cage and held out a warm nket.


    ¡°What do you intend to do?¡±


    Liz watched her face, trying to figure out what Skaaha really wanted. However, no matter how much she looked at her, she only smiled slightly and seemed to have no other intentions.


    It seemed that she was really acting out of concern for Liz¡¯s safety. Incredulous, Liz¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    Thest time they had met, she would have thought nothing of it. She would have epted the favor offered to her without hesitation.


    ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡±


    But now that she knew about Skaaha, she had doubts about her sincerity. She had heard of the cruelty that the Grantz Empire had inflicted on the Felzen Kingdom and the atrocities they hadmitted against Skaaha¡¯s family.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to treat you badly. Even if you are a member of the Grantz imperial family, you will be treated no differently than any other prisoner of war.¡±


    Skaaha tilted her head and looked at Liz with a frown.


    ¡°You have a look on your face that says you disagree.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from that guy called Puppchen.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ So I can¡¯t me you for being suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Yes, because I¡¯m sure you have a lot of resentment towards the Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°¡­You are being very persuasive. What are you trying to say?¡±


    With a sigh, Skaaha left the cage once and immediately returned with a chair in her hand. As she sat down, she turned her greenish-blue eyes to Liz as if to urge her onward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me for being a member of the Grantz imperial family?¡±


    There¡¯s no need to go overboard. Liz said simply and straightforwardly.


    ¡°To be honest¡­ I do hate you more than anything. But if I vent it on you, I won¡¯t be able to forgive myself.¡±


    She must have a noble spirit. There seems to be no lie in those words. At least Liz could see that she was sincere in her attitude.


    ¡°And torturing you won¡¯t make me feel any better. My intentions are not with you but with other people.¡±


    ¡°Who are those people?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do now that I¡¯ve told you? Are you going to punish them for what they did to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you.¡±


    She knows she can¡¯t be persuasive when she is in captivity, but if she is released, she will gather information based on what she has been told and provide as much support as possible to the Felzen region. Of course, she will punish the soldiers and theirmanders for not following the military code.


    ¡°You are so kind. Even though you were born into the Grantz imperial family, you have a pure heart.¡±


    Skaaha gave her a look of admiration, but she shook her head to indicate her rejection.


    ¡°But even so, my strength is not enough. I still have to improve my position. If I want to punish those who have done the most treacherous things, I have to stand at the top and change everything.¡±


    ¡°In other words¡­ is that all you¡¯re fighting for?¡±


    If the only way to do that is to stand at the top of the Grantz Empire, then her ultimate goal will be obvious.


    ¡°Or are you prepared to abandon your current position and rebel against the Grantz Empire?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Liz was at a loss for an answer. She didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°There are things that can be solved with kindness alone. But there are some things that can only be solved with violence. If you don¡¯t have the courage to do so, don¡¯t say you¡¯ll lend a hand so easily.¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s words weighed heavily on her. If her vengeance is as Liz imagined, then there is no way but to turn against her. But that would be like destroying everything that had been built. It would be a hard road that would involve everyone close to her.


    The current Liz was not strong enough, nor did she have the courage to sacrifice Hiro and the others. There was no way she could punish those who broke the military code with her weakness.


    She could not do anything about it, even though she said so. Liz gritted her teeth and turned her face down.


    ¡°The Sixth Princess of the Grantz Empire, Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.¡±


    When someone called her name as if she were quietly throwing a pebble into the water, she looked up from her position.


    Skaaha was on one knee on the ground. She bowed her head towards Liz.


    ¡°I apologize for my words and actions that may have upset your feelings. At the same time, I ask that you keep your pure and noble heart intact.¡±


    Skaaha smiled.


    ¡°There is no need for a girl like you to get dirty yourself by helping someone like me.¡±


    It was a charming smile, as lustrous as a flower in a meadow.


    ¡°Above all, I want to take my revenge with my own hands.¡±


    It was only for a moment, and Liz couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.


    While Liz was surprised, Skaaha continued, trying to keep a serious expression on her face.


    ¡°Even if you were the emperor, I would have rejected you.¡±


    She then closed her mouth, walked over to a nearby desk, and returned with a wooden bowl in her hand.


    ¡°I have nothing more to say to you. And you do not need to say anything more either.¡±


    She extended her arm through the bars and held out the bowl to Liz.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little cold, but you can eat it. You must be hungry.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    There was no abuse, just a one-sided apology, and after being cut off from the conversation, Liz had no second thoughts.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no poison in it ¨D but you wouldn¡¯t trust me if I told you that, would you¡­?¡±


    Skaaha looked at the soup in the wooden bowl and slumped her shoulders in disappointment.


    ¡°Apparently, we don¡¯t have any silverware, so we¡¯re using wood, which is horrible to eat with.¡±


    Misunderstanding the reason for Liz¡¯s silence, Skaaha scratched her head and looked puzzled.


    ¡°No. I will eat it.¡±


    And then, as if to snatch it halfway, Liz picked up the wooden bowl.


    ¡°????¡±


    She took the bowl in one gulp, which irritated the wound in her mouth.


    ¡°Haha, what an interesting girl. You should eat calmly. No one is going to take it from you.¡±


    Skaaha sat back in her chair and smiled at Liz as she sipped her soup.


    ¡°I had a sister your age. She was very tomboyish and gentle, too.¡±


    Skaaha softened the corners of her eyes as if reminiscing about the past. Liz could not say anything. Her sister was already dead ¨D she must have been murdered in the most brutal way possible.


    She wondered how much hatred she would feel and whether she would be able to bear it, but time passed without her being able to give an answer.


    ¡°¡­..Thank you for the meal.¡±


    ¡°Do you want a refill?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s enough. Thank you.¡±


    When Liz returned the wooden bowl, the conversation between them ceased, and silence fell.


    The silence took over the tent. But Skaaha didn¡¯t walk away, and she gave Liz a somber look.


    ¡°¡­There is one thing I would like to confirm with you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want you to tell me what you were dreaming about earlier.¡±


    When Skaaha asked her a question, Liz instantly knew she had to cover it up. Although she didn¡¯t know for what reason she was asking, it was best not to bring up the subject of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword as much as possible.


    Above all, since the First Emperor Altius, the me Emperor is a rarity, and many people are interested in it, and there are many people like Puppchen who are interested in studying it.


    ¡°¡­..I can¡¯t remember it.¡±


    ¡°I see; if you don¡¯t want to tell me, that¡¯s fine too.¡±


    Even though the story was skipped, Skaaha didn¡¯t seem to be particrly offended and proceeded without hesitation.


    ¡°If you dive too deep, you won¡¯t be able toe back. That¡¯s the only thing to be careful about.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying that to me¡­?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m also the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, just like you.¡±


    Skaaha confessed easily and swept her right hand in the air. Then mysteriously, fine particles swirled around her hand, and a blue spear appeared with a particrly bright light.


    It was a beautiful spear. The handle is dyed blue, and the spear¡¯s tip is glittering as if it were studded with jewels.


    ¡°As expected¡­ I had a vague feeling about it; was it the Ice Emperor?¡±


    Liz looked at the blue spear with a bit of surprise.


    In history, the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword have never chosen a person from another country. No, it¡¯s just that it hasn¡¯t been confirmed, and there may have been some, but at least the only people whose names appear in literature are from the Grantz imperial family.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I was chosen¡­ but right now, it¡¯s not about that; it¡¯s about your dream.¡±


    She changed the subject, but in the middle of the conversation, as if she remembered something, she gave a small snort and put her hand on her chin, and looked at the me Emperor and Liz alternately.


    ¡°But first, you know that the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword have a will, right?¡±


    Liz wondered if she should answer and then sighed in resignation. If she were chosen by the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, too, there would be no point in hiding it.


    ¡°Yes¡­ My ¡°me Emperor¡± is a mischievous girl.¡±


    The Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword refers to the five treasured swords that the first emperor, Altius, created after receiving power from the Spirit King. As the name suggests, the will of the spirits resides in the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.


    ¡°But I can only understand what she is thinking; I can¡¯t interact with her yet.¡±


    The Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword will not reveal themselves unless the wielder is recognized as the master and will be cursed if forced to manifest. However, if the wielder is recognized, they will be given immense power.


    This is why they are called ¡°gifts¡± from the Spirit King.


    ¡°I see, my ¡°Ice Emperor¡± is a bit entric. He¡¯s hard to handle because he sulks easily.¡±


    However, it is said that the stronger the owner¡¯s wish, the more power the spirit sword will give. The effect is even more pronounced if the wish is of the utmost ¡°heartfelt wish.¡± In other words, drawing out the power of the spirits is a matter of how much their hearts resonate with each other, but in order to do that, you need to understand the spirit sword and build a rtionship of trust, not just wish for it unterally.


    ¡°The Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword can give you tremendous power, but it also means that you have to endure an enormous amount of power. The power is too much for a human vessel to handle. Just one use of it can be extremely draining¡­ That¡¯s as far as it goes.¡±


    Skaaha checks on Liz, who snorted with difficulty.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine. I kind of understand it.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get back to the topic. To put it bluntly, it¡¯s best not to dive too deep.¡±


    ¡°Are you going further into the realm than I am?¡±


    ¡°Probably, so I would advise you. The deeper you go into the realm, the more the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword will sometimes show you the memories of their former owners. This is necessary in order to understand the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, but there is also a danger that it will take your mind away and make you a disabled person.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen it yourself?¡±


    ¡°I have. In order to master the power, it is quicker to look at the memory of the former owner. In the case of the Ice Emperor, the memories of several people were mixed together. It¡¯s not much of a burden because you can jump from one scene to the next, but in your case, it¡¯s just one person, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­The First Emperor Altius?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried about you. To see memory is to understand it, to make it a part of you. If it is the First Emperor Altius, he will have knowledge that ordinary people cannot understand. If you were to see it, there is a possibility that you would develop a disability.¡±


    ¡°But all of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword were originally in possession of the First Emperor Altius. If so, can you see his memories too?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t. To be precise, his memories were not in the realm that I could enter at this stage.¡±


    It is said that the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, except for the me Emperor, who was only the first emperor, and the now-lost Heavenly Emperor, have changed masters throughout their long history and that the more distant the past holder, the deeper into the realm they have to go to find their memories.


    ¡°The previous holder before you was the First Emperor Altius. It¡¯s like a demon king standing in the way of your entrance. So I believe that it is more difficult for you to draw out the power than the other Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.¡±


    If Skaaha¡¯s words are to be believed, then the young man who looked exactly like Hiro in the dream was the Second Emperor Schwartz. And the point of view that Liz was looking at became Altius¡­ What happened between the two? It did not seem as if they had fallen out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider your advice. I¡¯ll be careful in the future.¡±


    Liz reacted to the words that Skaaha had muttered.


    ¡°Hey, why did you think I was dreaming?¡±


    ¡°When I stepped in here, the me Emperor was about to go berserk.¡±


    ¡°¡­..No way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I had to use the Ice Emperor to force you to wake up.¡±


    Liz was surprised that such things had happened, and when she opened her eyes, she felt the presence of people outside, and her body tensed up with caution. Did Skaaha also notice it? She clutched the Ice Emperor.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    When she called out with a hint of murderous intent, the sound of gravel being trampled echoed.


    ¡°It¡¯s Rach. Skaaha-sama, Pupchen-dono wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    The tent was instantly fogged with rm, but the mention of the abominable man¡¯s name caused Liz to re at the entrance to the tent. Skaaha notices and smiles at her.


    ¡°You can rest assured. I will never let anything like that happen to you again.¡±


    With the pride of a knight, Skaaha threw a nket over to Liz.


    ¡°So, for now, you should rest and recover your strength.¡±


    Then, I¡¯ll leave you now, she said and rushed out of the tent.


    Liz wrapped her body in a nket and closed her eyes.


    (Hiro¡­)


    He must be worried about Liz. She felt sorry for all the trouble she had caused. So the next time she met him, she would be sure to smile and hug him, leaving behind the pain of her scars.


    She doesn¡¯t want him to look as painful as in that dream. She didn¡¯t want him to be dominated by sadness.


    She needs to be stronger. From now on, she will train herself thoroughly so that she will not cause Hiro any trouble. Just as the First Emperor Altius once fought side by side with the Second Emperor Schwartz, Liz renewed her determination to fight side by side with Hiro.


    (Cerberus needs to take a bath too.)


    The water-hating white wolf was probably not bathing now that Liz was gone. Since Tris spoils Cerberus so easily, it¡¯s impossible that he would take a bath.


    (I hope they¡¯re both okay¡­)


    They should be fine since they were taken off the battlefield first.


    She entrusted Cerberus to Tris, who had a strong sense of responsibility, and left him in charge of the troops who were too injured toe back. She gave strict orders to join up with the Third Prince Blutar safely.


    (And then there¡¯s the improvement of the Felzen region.)


    She had a lot of things she wanted to do. If she hadn¡¯t been captured, she probably wouldn¡¯t have known about it. Perhaps the Spirit King took her prisoner in the Grand Duchy of Dral in order to learn about the dark side of the Grantz Empire.


    (Even if the other party is my father.. the mistake must be corrected.)


    She was at a loss for an answer when asked by Skaaha, but her mind was already made up. Liz sank into a slumber, thinking that she might be able to get some decent sleep today.

 Volume 4, Chapter 4 – Wrath of The God of War, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 4 ¨C Wrath of The God of War, Part 1</h4>


    November 17th, the 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Twenty thousand troops led by the second son of the Grand Duchy of Dral ¨D Hunthaven ¨D entered the Feine Fortress, three cells (nine kilometers) away from where Hiro had set up their main camp.


    The fact that they haven¡¯t attacked even though they¡¯ve been monitoring them suggests that they¡¯re either watching the situation or are just being cautious, but either way, they¡¯ve certainly been given time to think ¨D And now, Hiro was sitting alone in the chair at themand center, pondering what to do.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Hiro tilted his head and opened one eye. The voice sounded familiar, but he was startled by the respectful tone of it.


    Looking at the entrance of themand center, he saw Ghada standing there, just as he had imagined. However, there were only a few times when he would be condescending to Hiro. It was only when he was surrounded by soldiers or in the presence of dignitaries or royalty.


    On either side of him are the siblings Hugin and Munin. And behind them was the cause of Ghada¡¯s serious behavior.


    He was an unfamiliar figure, but from the way he was dressed, he wasn¡¯t wearing the uniform of the Grantz Army. His appearance suggested that he was from another country.


    Perhaps because Hiro didn¡¯t react, Ghada bowed low again and let out a low voice.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz, a messenger from the Grand Duchy of Dral has arrived.¡±


    I see, said Hiro¡­ Hiro allowed him to enter with some surprise.


    ¡°Excuse me. I am a general in the Grand Duchy of Dral. Exe von Martina. I am Hunthaven-sama¡¯s vassal and have been admitted to the lowest ranks.¡±


    As soon as he entered the tent, the man on one knee on the ground hung his head reverently.


    ¡°It is an honor to meet Your Highness Hiro Schwartz von Grantz, the fourth prince of the Grantz Empire, whose valor is well known even in this remote region.¡±


    ¡°Please raise your head. We¡¯re indeed an enemy now, but we¡¯re on equal footing.¡±


    By the way¡­ Hiro continued.


    ¡°What does General Exe want with me?¡±


    Hiro told him briefly, and then Exe nodded sternly and widely and stood up.


    ¡°The other day, I believe you captured several noblemen from the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are indeed some of them among the captives.¡±


    ¡°Would you please return them to us so that we can pay the ransom?¡±


    A sheet of folded paper is handed to Hiro by Exe.


    Hiro raised one eyebrow as he unfolded it with a dubious look on his face. The ransom is quite a bit of money written on it. No matter how much they want to get their own nobles back, they can¡¯t just offer this amount of money to one person for whatever reason¡­


    ¡°We will have it for you by tomorrow. Until then, we will notunch any attacks from our side.¡±


    Above all, he seems to be a courageous man toe into the enemy camp alone.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro Schwartz, what is your response?¡±


    It also showed that he had been trusted a lot. In addition to the amount of money, the letter also stated that if the messenger suffered even a single wound, they would immediatelyunch an attack.


    Now, what¡¯s in it for them, and why would they want to pay such a high ransom to get their nobles back?


    Hiro, who had been studying General Exe¡¯s expression, suddenly realized.


    The coat of arms on the general¡¯s chest was the same as therge g that had been covered in mud during the recent battle. And given that he was serving the second son.


    ¡°General Exe, is that the coat of arms of Hunthaven-dono?¡±


    When Hiro pointed to his chest, Exe wrinkled his brow in displeasure at being sidetracked. However, he nodded honestly, as if he felt that ignoring it was not a good idea.


    ¡°Yes. This is the coat of arms of my master, Hunthaven-sama; what is this about?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve seen it a few times before.¡±


    Something shed in his mind. The noblemen who were captured ¨D therge g that they were carrying was the same as the one on Exe¡¯s chest ¨D probably belonged to a faction that supported the second son.


    If that¡¯s the case ¨D their faction will be weakened if they are taken to the Grantz Empire as hostages. For the faction that supports Hunthaven, this is not something they can ignore.


    That¡¯s why they are trying to get the nobles back by giving arge amount of money here.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t return them to you.¡±


    Exe was tantly dismayed by these words and approached Hiro, his face turning red.


    ¡°Why? Do you think this amount of money is uneptable?¡±


    ¡°If youe any closer to His Highness Hiro, I will have you thrown out.¡±


    Exe tried to close in on him but was held back by Ghada and Munin on his way.


    It was fortuitous. Hiro stroked his eye patch and deepened his smile; it was a good decision to let him live instead of killing him.


    ¡°I think such important matters should be decided between themanders.¡±


    ¡°You mean you want me to bring Hunthaven-sama to this ce? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible. There is no way we can do that because he could be harmed. And that is why I havee on his behalf!¡±


    Hiro pointed his hand at Exe, who raised his voice to silence him.


    ¡°I never said anything about that. I¡¯lle to your ce myself.¡±


    Even Exe made a dumb face as if unable to keep his mouth shut.


    When he became silent, Exe looked straight at Hiro as if trying to read his thoughts. Then, as if unable to realize anything, he sighed deeply, as if giving up.


    ¡°I just want to ask you one question¡­ Are you insane?¡±


    Hiro covered his mouth with his hand to hold back hisughter and shook his head.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m quite sane¡­ Is there something wrong with that?¡±


    Exe¡¯s face dropped as he pondered, and then he turned to him with a puzzled look on his face.


    ¡°It is not possible for me to decide on such a serious matter on my own. I apologize, but I would like to return to Fort Fiene to consult with Hunthaven-sama.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but can you give me a reply by this evening?¡±


    ¡°Understood. Then, I will be leaving as soon as possible.¡±


    Exe, who had bowed low, walked out of the tent in a hurry.


    Then, Ghada gave Hiro a sharp look.


    ¡°Do you want to kill yourself? You want to go into a ce filled with enemies all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Is there something wrong with that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Wise brother is indeed strong and handsome, but I think you¡¯re being too reckless this time¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Why don¡¯t you at least take an escort with you?¡±


    Hugin and Munin also made aint. Hiro didn¡¯t argue but shrugged his shoulders.


    Ghada brushed his fingers across his brow to relieve his fatigue.


    ¡°I can understand that the capture of the sixth princess is distracting you, but this time it is too dangerous, even for you, One-Eyed Dragon. There are 20,000 opponents. You can¡¯t kill them all, can you?¡±


    The air was not conducive to joking about challenging one¡¯s limits.


    All three of them were giving Hiro a serious look. He could see that they were genuinely concerned about his well-being. If that¡¯s the case, he would have to convey his sincere feelings to them.


    Hiro sighed and confided his true feelings.


    ¡°To be honest, there is a part of me that wants to rush. I think I¡¯m being reckless. But I can¡¯t take any more time. If you ask me why, I can only say that I have a feeling¡­ So please don¡¯t ask me any questions.¡±


    ¡°But the enemy will always bare their fangs at you. What if you are captured in the same way as the sixth princess?¡±


    ¡°They may be willing to negotiate with me face to face. If they try to capture me, I¡¯lle back with Hunthaven¡¯s and Exe¡¯s heads.¡±


    ¡°If you insist so much, there is no point in trying to persuade you, is there?¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m just stubborn like that.¡±


    Hiro said, and Ghada sat down on a nearby chair, crossed his arms, and quietly closed his eyes. He looked unhappy, indicating that he was not convinced, but he seemed to have given up trying to convince Hiro.


    Hiro feels sorry for him, but this is the only thing he can¡¯t give up¡­


    And Hugin, with her eyebrows furrowed, approached the determined Hiro.


    ¡°You should be really careful. I¡¯ll be ready to move quickly if anything happens to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you then.¡±


    But Hiro was confident that he would seed in this negotiation.


    The Grand Duchy of Dral would think that Hiro might be nning to barge in. So he must go and correct that mistake.


    (I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to have to feed them all my schemes.)


    Hiro narrowed his eyes ferociously and spread his lips into a crescent shape. His face is that of a scheming military strategist and a predator who is out to get his prey.


    Yes, a snake indeed.


    A momentter, Hiro received a messenger ¨D not from Exe, but from a high-ranking official of the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz, they havee for you.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ so can I assume that they¡¯ve set up a negotiating table?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz, I am here to wee you. Please leave the safety of the road to me.¡±


    It¡¯s a bit unreasonable to be at ease with an escort provided by the enemy.


    When Hiro had aplicated look on his face, Ghada whispered to Hiro.


    ¡°Be careful out there. I¡¯ll be ready to fight in case something happens to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡±


    At the invitation of the high-ranking official, Hiro climbed into the carriage that had been prepared for him.


    By the time Ghada and the others had seen him off, the sun was setting over the undting horizon. The carriage continued to drive along the streets, relying on the faint reddish light.


    Soon, the encampment of the Dral army came into view.


    The soldiers who had not been able to enter the fort seemed to be camped outside, chatting with wooden bowls in their hands, perhaps because it was mealtime. He could see enthusiastic figures working hard on their training and cleaning their armor. As he approached Fort Feine, the peaceful atmosphere gradually began to give way to a noisy scene.


    ¡°What an enthusiastic wee! I suppose they won¡¯t let me leave if the negotiations fail.¡±


    The soldiers were lined up in a line across the road where the carriages ran. In their hands, their sharpened weapons emitted a dull glow, and they were heavily armed, determined not to let him leave.


    Eventually, when Hiro reached the main gate of Fort Feine, he was dropped off from the carriage in front of the gate alone.


    A groan arose from the soldiers on the watchtower of the fort. They probably didn¡¯t think Hiro would actuallye. Everyone was staring at him with wide eyes.


    (I see some of them are hiding behind the breastworks with their bows at the ready. It¡¯s an insurance policy in case I escape.)


    Then, looking over his shoulder, he saw a line of heavily armed infantrymen with spears at the ready. The air was so tense that a battle would start immediately if he made even the slightest noise.


    In the midst of such tension, the gate opened, and a person appeared with an offering.


    With Exe at his back, the man was quite obese. His arms and legs are short, and his belly is as bulky as an ogre. His personality, judging from his plump face, seems kind at best and unreliable at worst. He is probably Hunthaven, the second son of the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re actuallying.¡±


    ¡°I am Hiro Schwartz von Grantz from the Grantz Empire.¡±


    He smiled cheerfully and held out his hand, saying that he would be pleased to make his acquaintance.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s my pleasure! I am Hunthaven von Dral of the Grand Duchy of Dral!¡±


    Hiro noticed that Hunthaven¡¯s hand was trembling slightly the moment they shook hands, but he pretended not to notice and smiled at him.


    ¡°So, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, would you like to negotiate?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. It¡¯s not the right ce, so pleasee inside the fort.¡±


    He was about to get behind Hunthaven, who had turned on his heel when someone intervened.


    ¡°I apologize, but I can¡¯t let anything happen to him.¡±


    Exe said, gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist. As a matter of course, Hiro just nodded and followed them.


    As soon as they went through the main gate, the wind pressure hit Hiro from behind. The back of his hair fell into disarray, and the hem of his ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± pped wildly.


    ¡°¡­What does this mean?¡±


    Hiro turned around and checked that the gate was closed for the time being.


    Then, when he looked at the scenery around him again, he saw that the soldiers who had been hiding behind the castle walls had begun to surround him with long spears. As he looked up, he saw that there were hundreds of arrows pointing at him from the breastworks.


    ¡°Y-Your Highness, Hiro Schwartz, let¡¯s negotiate here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. First, let¡¯s hear your demands.¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t resist, we won¡¯t treat you harshly. You¡¯ll be a hostage for me to get my men back.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s response was unexpected, and Hunthaven was surprised and widened his eyes.

 Volume 4, Chapter 4 – Wrath of The God of War, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 4 ¨C Wrath of The God of War, Part 2</h4>


    Hiro¡¯s response was unexpected, and Hunthaven was surprised and widened his eyes.


    ¡°W-what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re going to hold me hostage over something like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­G-General Exe. What should we do?¡±


    After some hesitation, Hunthaven called for help from Exe next to him. Hiro sighed deeply, as if in disgust, and pointed his index finger at Hunthaven.


    ¡°Hunthaven-dono, I¡¯m negotiating with you.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    This was yet another picture of a vulnerable young man. He was always looking at other people¡¯s faces and could not make any decisions for himself. It¡¯s no wonder some factions support him.


    Not only is he easy to manipte, but someone could even run the country from behind the scenes.


    Then, who is giving orders to Hunthaven now¡­? That is the first person he is asking for opinions from, and it is someone who has a certain position in the country.


    For this moment, there is only one person. It was General Exe who stood next to Hunthaven, holding his forehead and shaking his head.


    ¡°You are free to try to capture me, but before you do, there is something I want you to read.¡±


    Hiro dug into his pocket and pulled out a letter. He threw it horizontally with great dexterity, and it flew to Exe¡¯s feet.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Exe looked at Hiro as if to say, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I want you to read the letter first.¡±


    Exe curved his mouth and looked down at the letter suspiciously. He picked up the letter and handed it to Hunthaven in an annoyed manner.


    ¡°You may read it first, Hunthaven-sama.¡±


    ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Having received permission, Hunthaven began to read the letter quietly.


    ¡°Wa¡­¡±


    His eyes widened, and he looked at Hiro with a surprised expression.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°G-General Exe, please look at this.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Huh, what¡¯s this?¡±


    After receiving the letter from Hunthaven, Exe, whose eyes were moving quickly, snorted.


    ¡°So let¡¯s start negotiating. It would be nice if we coulde to a mutualpromise.¡±


    Then Hiro smiles fiercely and raises one hand, like a fierce beast revealing its true nature. Then, out of nothingness, the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± appeared, emitting a dazzling light. In addition, the air around it burst into a rushing sound, and a storm blew.


    Many cracks were created in the void, and the hem of the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± began to dance joyously.


    ¡°What I¡¯m asking for is what¡¯s written on the paper. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a bad deal, right?¡±


    The soldiers around were taken aback by the sudden change in the young man. No, everyone was staring at Hiro in a daze, as if he had been transformed into a fox.


    ¡°General Exe! What the hell is this?¡±


    Hunthaven was frightened by the wind that was blowing inside the fort. The soldiers were calling for instructions, but their voices were not heard. Turmoil spread like a ripple from the uproarious enemy soldiers.


    The soldiers who had been holding their bows above Hiro¡¯s head disappeared behind the wall as if they were afraid of slipping off the breastworks.


    ¡°Hyii, hyiii, what the hell is that guy?¡±


    Seeing the fantastic scenery and the overwhelming supremacy, arge amount of sweat gushed out from Hunthaven¡¯s forehead. And Exe, who is standing next to him, seems to have regained hisposure and is ring at Hiro with a trembling hand on the hilt of his sword.


    ¡°We have more numbers! Don¡¯t panic! There are more than 10,000 troops waiting outside. What do you to fear from just one person!¡±


    Exe sted at the soldiers. Hunthaven was frozen in ce.


    Hiro walked up to the frightened man and dropped some words directly on his face.


    ¡°I want to hear it from you, Hunthaven-dono. Do you ept or reject this negotiation?¡±


    ¡°A-all right! Yes! I ept it, so please stop your strange tricks!¡±


    He was desperate. It makes him think that no matter what he does, it will be useless. That is how powerful Hiro was.


    ¡°So, I guess we¡¯re done negotiating?¡±


    He bent down on the spot and put his hand on Hunthaven¡¯s head.


    ¡°Y-yes¡­ but there is one thing I need to check¡­?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize andpensate us for burning down the viges near the border, we won¡¯t be able to convince the people and the soldiers.¡±


    Even if his head is chopped off, he tells him in a trembling voice that he can¡¯t give up this one thing. It was only natural. Hiro showed his understanding, then put his hand into Hunthaven¡¯s side and lifted his obese body lightly to stand up.


    ¡°But unfortunately, I don¡¯t remember burning down the vige.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh, t-that¡¯s, huh?¡±


    His eyes swam with iprehension, and Hunthaven looked to Exe for help.


    ¡°There is no way. We have testimonies from vigers and soldiers! They say that you ruthlessly burned their viges to the ground!¡±


    The furious Exe turned to Hiro with eyes that looked as if they were about to curse him to death. But Hiro, looking back at him with a calm face, waved one hand in disgust.


    ¡°Did you really see the vige burning?¡±


    ¡°W-what? In fact, the report shows ck smokeing from¨D¨D!?¡±


    He paused in his speech, and from the look in his eyes, he seemed to have noticed.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure everyone has seen nothing but ck smoke.¡±


    ¡°E-eh?¡±


    Hunthaven didn¡¯t seem to understand and looked at Hiro and General Exe alternately, revealing his confusion. So, Hiro decided to give him an exnation.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, Hunthaven-dono. It¡¯s just a distraction.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t burn down the vige; we burned down something else. By now, the captured vigers should have been released and returned to their normal lives.¡±


    It is against his principles to harm innocent people. Therefore, it was not his intention to burn the vige from the beginning.


    So, he worked hard to remove all the people from the area and made it look as if he had burned the vige. Then, when those who escaped from the vige told the neighboring viges about the cruelty of the Raven Army, and when the defeated soldiers fled to the city, the fear spread.


    ¡°Once I¡¯vee this far, I don¡¯t care if people find out I¡¯m lying. It was all about drawing out Hunthaven-dono and the others, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­..The whole thing was a disguise to lure us into this situation.¡±


    Exe¡¯s body trembled with anger as he realized that he had been tricked from the start. Hiro smiled and put his index finger on his mouth as if to caress his emotions.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, all to get you guys to the negotiating table.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡±


    Exe shed the tip of his sword with an outpouring of murderous intent. He ran to Hiro in a straight line while shouting with enthusiasm.


    But it is too slow.


    It was an incredibly slow movement.


    ¡°Gah, gah!¡±


    Hiro knocked the sword out of Exe¡¯s hand and knocked him down.


    ¡°Now, what can you do?¡±


    While holding down the resisting Exe, Hiro looked at the situation around him.


    The soldiers were holding back and looking at each other as if they were asking Hunthaven to make a decision. However, there was no way he could make a normal decision when he was so panicked.


    Or so he thought.


    ¡°P-please wait. Your Highness Hiro, please forgive General Exe for his outrage.¡±


    With both knees trembling and his throat quivering with tears, Hunthaven bowed to Hiro. Not only Hiro but also Exe rolled his eyes in surprise at this.


    ¡°¡­..Hunthaven-sama.¡±


    ¡°He is my loyal vassal. If you are going to take his life¨D¨D.¡±


    Hunthaven raises one hand and points it at Hiro.


    ¡°T-this means that negotiations have broken down¡­¡±


    The archers¡¯ arrows all aimed at Hiro at once.


    ¡°But¡­ what about you, General Exe?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    When the tip of the Heavenly Emperor¡¯s sword was pressed against his throat, Exe¡¯s face twisted in frustration.


    ¡°If Hunthaven-sama has made his decision¡­ I will only follow his decision.¡±


    Hiro loosened up and moved away from Exe, and put his hands on his hips, and bent his back to the back.


    ¡°I¡¯m d it didn¡¯t turn into a bloody affair. After all, negotiations should be resolved peacefully.¡±


    He cleared his throat and nodded wordlessly.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to ask you about the sixth princess who your brother captured. If you know anything about her, please tell me.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know all the details. I¡¯ve only received one letter from him saying that he was happy to have captured the sixth princess, but he hasn¡¯t mentioned her in any of his subsequent letters.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Puppchen-sama has always had a tendency to monopolize new toys when he gets them.¡±


    Exe replied on behalf of the cowardly lord while holding his sore neck.


    ¡°He was especially strict with his brother, Hunthaven-sama. He wouldn¡¯t let his brother touch her, not even with his fingers. I mean, it¡¯s possible that he¡¯s that obsessed with her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ So?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll keep ying until he gets bored, just until it breaks. If you want to rescue the sixth princess, you¡¯ll have to hurry. Puppchen-sama is missing something important as a human being.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Hiro tried to remain calm as much as possible, but impatience and tension were swirling inside him.


    ¡°So he¡¯s still in the Felzen region?¡±


    ¡°N-no, my brother wrote a letter saying that he wasing back here to intercept Your Highness Hiro Schwartz.¡±


    Then there is a possibility that Liz will be brought to the Grand Duchy of Dral. If so, he should wait for Puppchen and take her back.


    ¡°How many troops does he have at hismand?¡±


    ¡°H-he used to have over thirty thousand, but the battle with the Third Prince Blutar reduced that number, and now he has about twenty thousand.¡±


    ¡°You want to be the next Archduke, don¡¯t you, Hunthaven-dono?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes¡­ That¡¯s what I was hoping for¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I need your help with something.¡±


    I will not ept your refusal. The smile on his face said it all.

 Volume 4, Chapter 4 – Wrath of The God of War, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 4 ¨C Wrath of The God of War, Part 3</h4>


    At the same time, the battle for Fort Mitte was bing more fierce and was about to reach its climax. Arge number of arrows were released from the archers and spread out in a fan shape. However, it seems that the results are not as good as expected, perhaps because themand system of the Grantz army is solid.


    Even if they could get over the breastworks, thedders would be immediately intercepted and knocked down.


    ¡°It was my fault for underestimating them. Maybe I was too confident in my abilities.¡±


    She had started so well that she had not been aware of the siege at all. She thought that she would be able to take down the fort where the exhausted enemy had fled in three days.


    No, if it weren¡¯t for the War Maiden, they would have taken the fort down long ago.


    And by now, they might have had a decisive battle with the third prince Blutar and driven the Grantz army out of thisnd. With that much thought, Skaaha dropped her shoulders and shook her head.


    ¡°I must not be timid. There are many soldiers who believe in me and are fighting instead of running away.¡±


    Thanks to the efforts of the soldiers, the fort was finally on the verge of falling.


    ¡°If we had met differently, we could have discussed tactics with the War Maiden.¡±


    ¡°Skaaha-sama, it seems that it¡¯s impossible to bring the fort down today.¡±


    Rach stared at Fort Mitte with his mouth agape in frustration.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to fall¡­ Is it impossible to attack with such ferocity?¡±


    What kind of magic is used to endure this much? The number of opponents, including the wounded, is less than five thousand and counting the damage done so far, there are only about two thousand soldiers who can fight. And all of them are wounded.


    ¡°The sun will be setting soon. We couldunch a night attack, but there¡¯s a good chance it would be¡­ useless.¡±


    Every night, the enemy is always on the alert, with bonfires burning inrge numbers and lining the walls and soldiers patrolling the area. Skaaha had no idea what kind of training would allow them to stay awake and keep fighting. If they were to nt themselves in such a high-security ce, the attackers would be at a distinct disadvantage. They would lose soldiers for nothing, and they would not have the strength to fight the Third Prince Blutar.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not a situation where we can afford to waste time.¡±


    Skaaha was in a hurry. There was no time left for a leisurely drop.


    ¡°How long will it take for the Third Prince Blutar to get here?¡±


    Earlier today, she had received a report from the spy that the Third Prince Blutar was on the move.


    ¡°It depends on the work of the separate unit, but I¡¯d say four days at thetest, two days at the earliest. The Third Prince Blutar has narrowed the number to fifteen thousand in order to hasten the rescue.¡±


    Rach, the senior vassal next to her, looked unwell. It contains obvious irritation.


    ¡°We have less than 13,000, including the wounded ¨D no, less than 10,000 if we exclude the extra troops, and we are finally outnumbered.¡±


    The Felzen remnants thought they had cornered the enemy, but it was actually them who was cornered.


    The result might have been different if they had not stuck to the War Maiden and challenged the Third Prince Blutar to a decisive battle when they could still maintain their 30,000 troops.


    ¡°No, the War Maiden used us as bait to lure us in to prevent that from happening.¡±


    It¡¯s a shame, but the enemy is one or two steps ahead of them. It¡¯s a great strategy that makes one want to apud it, no matter how much one has read about it.


    ¡°But if the Grand Duchy of Dral had not fled, we would have captured Fort Mitte.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. They have a country to protect, so there¡¯s no way we can hold them back.¡±


    The descendant of the God of War is marching on the Grand Duchy of Dral ¨D closing in on the capital at breakneck speed. Please return home as soon as possible. It was four days ago that they received the news.


    Puppchen, who was begged to return from his home country, was dismayed. The enemy was the One-Eyed Dragon, the descendant of the ¡°God of War,¡± so it could not be helped.


    Not wanting to lose his home country, Puppchen immediately decides to return home. As a result, the wall that would hold back the Third Prince Blutar was lost.


    Although they have ordered a separate unit to disrupt the situation, it is unclear how much time they will be able to buy.


    ¡°At any rate, we need to take down Fort Mitte by tomorrow or the next day¡­¡±


    If they don¡¯t take down this fort as soon as possible, it will be their side that will be annihted by the pincer attack.


    Skaaha would like to avoid letting Felzen¡¯s soldiers die needlessly without being able to take revenge.


    Skaaha looked down at the blue spear in her hand.


    If she used her power as she did back then, she would be able to bring down this fort. She thought so, but¡­


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±


    Rach stopped her.


    ¡°If you lose consciousness as you did back then, we will lose ourmander. That would be like giving them more time. After all, you were in aa all day.¡±


    ¡°But if I use my power, I can bring down Fort Mitte. That way, we can prepare for the confrontation with the Third Prince Blutar.¡±


    ¡°If you use it this time, you might sleep for two or three days. If that happens, it will interfere with the uing battle against the Third Prince Blutar. Please don¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do? If we can¡¯t force it down, then all we can do is to attract them out¡­¡±


    After saying this much, a n shed through Skaaha¡¯s mind. But it was also something that the Felzen royal family did not want to use.


    ¡°Skaaha-sama? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rach is worried about Skaaha, who has suddenly fallen silent and calls out to her. But Skaaha, who did not show any reaction and was hesitating what to do, said


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡±


    She turns her determined eyes to Rach.


    ¡°So you are against the use of force?¡±


    ¡°No. First of all, today¡¯s battle is over. Get all the troops back.¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    Skaaha began to exin to the suspicious Rach.


    ¡°I¡¯vee up with one n that I don¡¯t like to use, but it¡¯s a way to demoralize and discourage the enemy.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter. Anyway, tell the whole army to fall back. Then please give the soldiers some rest. I¡¯ll even allow a little alcohol. Tomorrow they¡¯ll have to work harder than today.¡±


    ¡°Very well. You will have to exin it to meter.¡±


    Rach said as if to remind her and gave instructions to the whole army, turning around several times.


    Skaaha lowered her head towards his back.


    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s all necessary for us to win.¡±


    Skaaha pulled the reins of her horse, jumped on its back, and headed for a ce. It was the main camp of the Felzen remnant army, next to the tent where Skaaha was sleeping.


    Skaaha dismounted from her horse and tried to walk past without saying a word to the guards.


    ¡°How can I help you, Skaaha-sama?¡±


    Normally, the guard would just salute her, but the guard called out to her because of the thoughtful look on her face. Skaaha felt guilty, so she looked down.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to check on the prisoners. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Ha, there is no problem!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Then let me pass.¡±


    Skaaha went through the entrance of the heavily guarded tent. She walked in silence and eventually arrived at her destination. It was a strange room with a cage in the middle.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Skaaha approached the cage and spoke to the red-haired girl resting inside.


    ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m feeling much better.¡±


    The bandaged figure was still as painful as ever. But thanks to the treatment, her blood color is getting better.


    ¡°So, what do you want?¡±


    Her carefree smile was dazzling. She is an attractive girl who was born in the Grantz imperial family.


    Yes, she is the Sixth Princess Celia Estre.


    Why is she here? ¨D Because she has taken custody from Pupchen, who decided to retreat. Of course, he resisted the idea of letting her go, but Skaaha silenced him with her strength.


    ¡°What¡¯s really wrong with you? You look so scared.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know I won¡¯t be forgiven for something that I will do.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Liz tilted her head in wonder as Skaaha bowed her head with a heartfelt apology.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    For some reason, she couldn¡¯t get the words out of her mouth. It was as if the words ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you now¡± had vanished from her head, and she couldn¡¯t get them out of her throat.


    ¡°Oh¡­ so that¡¯s what you mean.¡±


    Liz seemed to have realized something from Skaaha¡¯s behavior. And¡­ without asking any questions, she smiled, which was surprising.


    ¡°Thank you for rescuing me from that man.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to bepletely over it. She must have a lot of regrets in this world. She must have had some things she wanted to aplish. She is trying to keep herposure, but the fear of death must be upying her mind. And yet, she smiled at her cheerfully.


    ¡°I was prepared for this when I chose this path. So feel free to go ahead and do it.¡±


    Unbelievable. It can¡¯t be true. If she had just spit out one word of resentment, she would have made Skaaha feel better, but why would she say thank you?


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s hard to do when you¡¯re staring at me.¡±


    She waved her hand adorably and let out onest smile, then closed her eyes and became expressionless. As a member of the imperial family, she will not show her disgraceful appearance, and she will be noble to the end without any dismay. Touched by Liz¡¯s heart and soul, Skaaha felt so small that she turned her gaze away from her as if to flee.


    ¡°¨D¨DIce Emperor, grant her eternal sleep.¡±


    When Skaaha held up her blue spear, the ¡°Ice Emperor,¡± a strong cold air spread inside, it was freezing cold, and the inside of the tent turned white. The cage in which Liz was trapped gradually began to be covered with ice.


    Just as her feet began to freeze, the protection of the ¡°me Emperor¡± was activated. However, perhaps out of concern for Liz¡¯s safety, the mes were not strong enough to melt the ice.


    In the blink of an eye, Liz is immersed in ice, and the mes quickly dissipate.


    ¡°Skaaha-sama!¡±


    She heard her name called from behind her. She didn¡¯t have to turn around to see it. It was probably Rach standing at the entrance.


    ¡°You¡¯re not desperate, are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Just because we¡¯re outnumbered doesn¡¯t mean you want to kill her, does it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then I want you to exin exactly why you did this.¡±


    The tone of his voice was filled with anger. She couldn¡¯t look Rach in the face.


    There was no way she could criticize Puppchen while she was like this. She was no different from Puppchen since she was the one who ended up killing her.


    ¡°I decided to expose the iced sixth princess in front of Fort Mitte to shake the holed up Grantz army.¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed, they may be eager to retrieve her corpse.¡±


    ¡°Even if they don¡¯t, anger, grief, either way, the Grantz army will not be able to keep their cool. That way, we will be able to take advantage of the battle.¡±


    Without turning to face Rach, Skaaha approached the weapon stand in the corner of the tent. She made a running start with a single sword in her hand and plunged it into the icy Liz with great force.


    ¡°Skaaha-sama! What are you doing? You can¡¯t just humiliate a corpse like that!¡±


    A voice flies to stop her. Even so, she doesn¡¯t care and thrusts her spear and sword into the iced Liz one after another. But all of them stop just before they touch Liz.


    ¡°I know that I can¡¯t dishonor a corpse. However, seeing the sixth princess in such a state, the enemy would probably be agitated. They can imagine how she was treated and tremble with anger.¡±


    That¡¯s what happened to Skaaha when she saw the corpse of her family. She didn¡¯t want to think about it, but she couldn¡¯t help but picture it in her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever abuse and ndere my way. I know I¡¯m being cowardly myself.¡±


    Even if the road ahead is difficult, she has no intention of stopping until she avenges her rtives. Even if the end of the road is hell, she is prepared to push forward with the Ice Emperor.


    ¡°My country was destroyed, my people were oppressed, my soldiers were scorned, and my family was tortured.¡±


    Compared to that, the damage to her self-esteem is not a big deal.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if my pride is shattered as long as I can redeem the humiliation they have suffered.¡±


    Finally, she thrust the Ice Emperor into the ground and smashed her forehead against the ice wall.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask for forgiveness. I do not fear death. What I fear is that the firestorm of revenge will be extinguished.¡±


    As Skaaha began to sob, she bent her knees as if in prayer to the gods.


    ¡°It is the only thing that my family has left for me¡­¡±


    If she lost, she would lose everything. But if she won, she would enjoy semi-permanent happiness. One of two things, the front and the back, that¡¯s the only difference.

 Volume 4, Chapter 4 – Wrath of The God of War, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 4 ¨C Wrath of The God of War, Part 4</h4>


    November 20th, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The Dral army that had been marching into the Felzen region had returned to the outskirts of Fort Feine. It took them only two days of a forced march to get there. It was a miraculous march that showed their determination to protect their country.


    But the price was high. The ranks were in disarray, the formation was broken up, and the army was divided. Of the 20,000 soldiers in the Dral army, only 5,000 were able to keep up with the main army.


    At the head of the line was the carriage carrying themander, Puppchen.


    ¡°Perhaps we should take a rest somewhere?¡±


    A passenger advised him. Puppchen, who was lying on the sofa, unpleasantly twisted his nose and red at the passenger.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it. The enemy numbers are only five thousand, after all.¡±


    ¡°If the Dral nobles were on the defensive, their number would be reduced considerably.¡±


    ¡°Then there is nothing to worry about.¡±


    Puppchen pulled out a basket under his seat, grabbed an apple from it, and bit into it with vigor.


    ¡°Do you want some?¡±


    Puppchen offered it to the passenger, but he shook his head in refusal.


    ¡°In the first ce, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for me to be here, is it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you should be leaving as soon as possible. It¡¯s not safe for you toe any closer to that man.¡±


    At those words, Puppchen snorted, threw his half-eaten apple on the floor, and opened his mouth as if he suddenly remembered.


    ¡°Oh¡­ what did you call yourselves again¡­? Was it the Eye of the ck Death or something?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t appreciate such mistakes. We are the Secret Neck.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. I hear you¡¯ve got some pretty good people in your group.¡±


    Puppchen even took out a bottle of wine and brought it to his lips without preparing a ss.


    This is the best way to drink, Puppchen said with a lowugh.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay with you any longer. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.¡±


    The man who called himself the ¡°Secret Neck¡± walked out of the door without a sound.


    From outside, the noisy voices of the guards could be heard. It was early in the morning, just after dawn, and a man like that would have been conspicuous. Puppchen snickered at the fact that there was a mboyant group of secret agents.


    ¡°But the Grantz Empire, how could they abandon them so easily?¡±


    Puppchen smashed the wine bottle on the floor in frustration. The ss sttered with a loud crash and grazed his arm, causing a shallow cut. His shoulders heaved up and down as he exhaled wildly.


    ¡°Puppchen-sama, we have confirmed that the Grantz army has surrounded Fort Feine.¡±


    A report came from outside in a panicked voice.


    ¡°How many were they?¡±


    ¡°About three thousand.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to slow down the main army and join up with the detached troops as we head for Fort Fiene. First, form an advance team to attack the Grantz army.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir. I will notify each unitmander.¡±


    The morning chill is so intense that it blows away the sleepiness. Puppchen pulled the nket over his head,ining about the cold.


    ¡°Damn you, Hunthaven, for bothering me with a mere three thousand enemies.¡±


    He had thought that arge army had invaded the city because of the call for help.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that Descendant of the God of War? Don¡¯t he have any shame in dancing around with a title like that?¡±


    In this case, he wished he had stayed behind in the Felzen region with only about 5,000 troops. Then, by this time, he should have had the sixth princess in his hands.


    ¡°It was a shame, after all. I shouldn¡¯t have let her go. If that woman hadn¡¯t interfered¡­ everything would have been perfect.¡±


    She was a disgusting, chivalrous woman.


    He regretted that he should have taken the remnants of Felzen¡¯s army by surprise and taken back the sixth princess instead of retreating quietly. However, it¡¯s not toote. He can go back and annihte the Felzen remnant army from now on¡­ Pupchen thought about this, but then he felt a presence on the other side of the window.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The Grantz army has begun to retreat from Fort Feine.¡±


    ¡°What? Did the advance troops alone finish the battle?¡±


    ¡°No, the Grantz army escaped without a fight¡­¡±


    He noticed a hint of confusion in the voice of the messenger. Puppchen did not understand what was going on but opened the window in the carriage.


    Looking out of the window, he could see ck shadows moving in a cloud of dust from Fort Feine. That¡¯s the ¡°Raven Army¡± that people have been talking abouttely¡­ He had heard that it was a ruthless, devilish army.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that they¡¯re running away without a fight.¡±


    If this is the end, it¡¯s a disappointment. He didn¡¯t know what he wasing back for. What¡¯s more, where did the descendants of the God of War go, and weren¡¯t they always unbeatable?


    ¡°Rumors tend to be exaggerated, after all.¡±


    He closed the window and sat down in the carriage, muttering, ¡°Boring.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll continue on our way to Fort Feine. I have to reprimand my useless brother.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Eventually, Fort Feine came into view. An encampment had been set up around it. The fire was still burning, and the pots and pans had been thrown away, indicating that the Raven Army had fled in a hurry.


    ¡°Hmm, this kind of scenery makes me feel like I¡¯m getting stronger.¡±


    As the sun rose above his head, Puppchen reached the main gate of Fort Feine. A gentle breeze was blowing on the ground, and the morning dew on the grass and flowers was glistening in the sunlight.


    The march of the Dral army had stopped, and after some time had passed, Puppchen noticed something strange.


    ¡°Hey, are the gates still not open?¡±


    He turned his irritated voice outward, and a soldier came over with a puzzled look on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ve been calling out to them repeatedly, but¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell does that Hunthaven think he¡¯s doing?¡±


    Puppchen dismounted from the carriage to see if he could go to him directly. His aides, who recognized his appearance, dismounted and followed him in a panic. If they were to mount their horses and chase after Puppchen while he was on foot, lightning would surely strike.


    If they provoked the anger of the future Archduke, he might confiscate theirnds. It was with a sense of self-preservation that they followed Puppchen.


    ¡°Hunthaven! Open the gates; your brother has returned to help his unworthy brother!¡±


    Looking at his brother¡¯s heraldic banners lined up on the breastworks, Puppchen¡¯s feet hit the ground repeatedly in frustration. Given the presence of soldiers on guard, it was unlikely that there was no one there.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Why don¡¯t you just open the gate! Do you want to get your head chopped off!¡±


    Sensing Puppchen¡¯s anger, his aides turned pale. They, too, appealed desperately for the gates to be opened.


    Eventually, a man appeared on the watchtower.


    ¡°Wee back, Puppchen-sama.¡±


    The man bowed his head reverently, but his hood hid his face, so it was impossible to read his expression. The only thing that could be discerned from his voice was that he was a young man.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the chambein to Hunthaven-sama.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is he doing? Why doesn¡¯t hee directly to me?¡±


    ¡°Huntthaven-sama is ill.¡±


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t read anything about that in his letter the other day.¡±


    ¡°It was only yesterday, so it¡¯s not surprising that Puppchen-sama didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it can¡¯t be helped. Open the gate so that I can visit Hunthaven.¡±


    Puppchen tried to end the conversation, but the hooded man did not move an inch.


    ¡°What happened to the sixth princess?¡±


    ¡°Why should I tell you such a thing? It doesn¡¯t matter; just open the gate!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. What happened to the sixth princess?¡±


    This guy is ridiculous. Didn¡¯t he know who he was talking to? The aides are swearing at one another.


    There¡¯s no need to inform everyst soldier about the sixth princess. Puppchen, who had made that decision, remained silent but shook his shoulders in annoyance.


    ¡°Puppchen-sama, are you not going to answer about the sixth princess?¡±


    At the hooded man¡¯s words, Puppchen finally gave a look of anger.


    ¡°You bastard, didn¡¯t you know who you were talking to?¡±


    He was so angry that his aides began to distance themselves from him in fear.


    ¡°I will open the gates immediately and cut off your head myself!¡±


    Just then, a mor erupted from behind him.


    As his aides turned to see what was going on, Puppchen red at the hooded man on the watchtower. He muttered something about how he would definitely kill him and finally drew his sword from his waist.


    ¡°Oy!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t call for you. I¡¯m talking to the soldiers around you!¡±


    Puppchen looked at the soldiers around the hooded man in turn. His bloodshot eyes fluttered, and his lips twisted in torment.


    ¡°Whoever cuts off the head of that man there shall be rewarded.¡±


    But no one moved. Rather, it is theughter thates with the wind.


    ¡°More than that, Puppchen-sama. Please look behind you. You¡¯re in big trouble.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Puppchen turned around as he was pointed to the back.


    ¡°He gasped when he saw the strange sight.¡±


    A sandstorm was raging in the rear of the Dral army, even though there was no wind. The next sound was a deafening shout, which was quickly reced by a scream.


    ¡°Puppchen-sama! An enemy shadow behind us! It seems the battle has already begun!¡±


    An aide reported bloodily.


    ¡°How many of them?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t tell because of the sandstorm!¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¨D¨D!?¡±


    A light sound rang out. It was a simple sound, like the sound of cutting fruit. Puppchen opened his eyes and looked at the copsing aides. A single arrow pierced the forehead of the white-eyed, fallen aide.


    ¡°Puppchen-sama, it¡¯s dangerous to look away.¡±


    At the sound of this voice, Puppchen turned his attention to the watchtower. There was an unfamiliar g on the breastwork.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­ that is¡­?¡±


    Puppchen groaned and pointed his trembling fingertips at the coat of arms g. Everyone has at least once seen it.


    In some countries, it is immensely popr; in others, it is a symbol of fear.


    ¨D¨DA ck dragon holding a silver and white sword.


    ¡°The Divine Banner of the God of War?¡±


    Puppchen muttered in dismay.


    In the meantime, the gs of Hunthaven were thrown to the ground one after another, and the g of the ck dragon was set up in their ce. The next to appear was arge number of archers.


    ¡°W-wait, who are you pointing your arrows at?¡±


    The archers lined up in a row on the castle wall, aiming at Puppchen.


    The wind whistled.


    As soon as the sound of cutting through the air was heard, the surrounding aides screamed.


    The soldiers in the guard noticed something was wrong and tried to rush underneath Puppchen with their shields raised. However, arge number of arrows fired from Fort Feine spread out like a fan and shot every single soldier in the guard. It was all hell from there.


    An unrelenting rain of arrows rained down, and the aides and soldiers scattered to their deaths with ease. Puppchen was so appalled by the sudden event that he could not even move.


    ¡°Puppchen-sama, the gates are open.¡±


    It should have been the long-awaited opening of the gates, but what came out of the gates was heavily armed cavalry. His aides, who had somehow managed to survive the rain of arrows, were mercilessly crushed.


    ¡°Pleasee in. If you can, that is.¡±


    Those who fled were pierced by spears in the back, and those who begged for forgiveness were mercilessly swung down by swords.


    Of course, no one could stand up to such a situation. There was no way anyone could escape, and they died screaming.


    Puppchen, who had been so vigorous, also chose to flee. As his aides were being taken out, he ran desperately, his knees trembling with fear.


    ¡°Puppchen-sama, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Y-you are¡­¡±


    The hooded man appeared in front of him. He was the man on the watchtower, iming to be Hunthaven¡¯s chambein.


    ¡°Puppchen-sama, what happened to the sixth princess?¡±


    ¡°¡­..Who are you bastard!?¡±


    He knew without asking. He just didn¡¯t want to believe it. He was probably just as Puppchen had imagined him to be.


    He had heard so much about him. No matter which party he attended, the topic of conversation was always him. Everyone calls his name with awe; everyone calls his name with fear.


    ¨D¨DHiro Schwartz von Grantz.


    The man took off his hood, and his true face was exposed in broad daylight. The wind gusts snatch the hood away and take it far, far away into the sky.


    ¡°You are the One-Eyed Dragon?¡±


    His soft face, unsuitable for the battlefield, made him even more terrifying.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of seeing that reaction. I¡¯d like to see a reaction that defies expectations for a change.¡±


    Hiro smiled cheerfully. It¡¯s an out-of-ce, innocent smile.


    ¡°So, can you tell me what happened to the sixth princess?¡±


    ¡°What will you do once you know?¡±


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t know until I hear it.¡±


    One after another, jet-ck horsemen gathered behind Hiro, blocking the way. Hiro¡¯s head turned to look around them, and finally, he turned his gaze to Puppchen.


    ¡°This won¡¯t take long.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to ask anything. Puppchen¡¯s army was without amander, and all of his aides had been shot to death with arrows. In short, the chain ofmand was as good as torn asunder. The 20,000-strong army quickly became a ragtag group, unable to coordinate in any way, and was overrun by the ck Army.


    ¡°It seems that you¡¯ve been running hard from the Felzen region. You must have been exhausted. It¡¯s not a situation in which you can fight properly.¡±


    The most important thing is, Hiro, muttered and continued to speak.


    ¡°If it¡¯s an arrogantmander like you, you probably won¡¯t give them a break at all.¡±


    That was true. Puppchen had forced the soldiers toe this far without giving them a break.


    ¡°Well, let me ask you again. What happened to the sixth princess?¡±


    He could have remained silent, but if he had remained stubborn about it, he would have been tortured. If that were the case, it would be better to tell the truth and be treated as a prisoner of war.


    Puppchen smiled fondly as he made that decision.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve handed her over to the Felzen remnants.¡±


    ¡°I see. Let¡¯s hear the details.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah ¨D Gaah!?¡±


    As he nodded obediently, a shock rushed to the back of his head. Before he knew the pain, Puppchen¡¯s consciousness was pulled down to the depths of darkness.

 Volume 4, Chapter 4 – Wrath of The God of War, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 4 ¨C Wrath of The God of War, Part 5</h4>


    Looking down at the copsed Puppchen, Hiro kicked him in the leg and rolled him over onto his back. He then pulled the sword from his waist and sat down on his back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get him to wake up, shall we?¡±


    Hiro spun the hilt of his sword around, held it upside down, and swung it down with great force. The tip of the sword pierced the back of Puppchen¡¯s hand and buried itself deep into the ground.


    ¡°Aah? Wh-wha ¨D Gyaahh!?¡±


    Hiro grabbed Puppchen by the hair and mmed his face into the ground, causing his nose to bleed vigorously.


    ¡°Tell me more about the sixth princess. If you lie or anything, it would hurt you more than now.¡±


    ¡°Hyiuuu, hyiuu, stop it.¡±


    ¡°Keep it short; I don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°I-I did capture the sixth princess, but since she¡¯s the princess of the Grantz Empire, I had to take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make any sense. I heard that the Third Prince Blutar asked to see her to confirm her safety, but you refused.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s because the conditions were bad! I was afraid that he would take her back. She was important for me to negotiate with.¡±


    ¡°So, where is she now?¡±


    ¡°She was taken by the Felzen remnants. They¡¯re not human; they¡¯re demons. You never know what they will do to the sixth princess. That¡¯s why I refused to hand her over to them, but I couldn¡¯t resist when they used their strange powers.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Strange power?¡±


    ¡°The woman uses a strange spear. She can freeze things around her and manipte the weather to make it rain spears.¡±


    ¡°Heh, that¡¯s an unusual woman.¡±


    What exactly is this woman, and how can she even control the weather¡­? The only thing he remembers from his memory is a single spear.


    (¡­And since she can freeze things, it must be the Ice Emperor.)


    He thought it was the Five Demon Emperor¡¯s Sword, the Blue Demon, but it was a double-edged sword, not a spear. If so, it must be one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, the Ice Emperor.


    It is not surprising that the spirit sword would choose a person from another country since spirits are originally the protectors of humans, although he did not think that they would have left the Grantz Empire.


    (The Grantz Empire is only favored by the Spirit King among the humans.)


    ¡°Moreover, the woman is a survivor of the Felzen royal family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a troublesome owner indeed.¡±


    In the past, the Ice Emperor has been a bit of an oddity, but it makes sense that he would go out of his way to favor a person from an enemy country¡­ The Ice Emperor is the most entric of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.


    ¡°That woman hated the Grantz imperial family. If you think about the safety of the sixth princess, you¡¯d better help her as soon as possible. Unlike me, she will not be kind.¡±


    ¡°How was Liz when you handed her over to the Felzen remnants?¡±


    ¡°I tried to be as hospitable as possible, but it seems that the life of a prisoner of war was painful for the princess, who had lived a life of luxury. She demanded a lot of things and abused me.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ I understand.¡±


    Hiro nodded and pulled the sword out of Puppchen¡¯s right hand. Puppchen moaned as if in pain, but his expression was somewhat relieved. Hiro saw this with his icy eyes and stabbed the sword into his left hand with renewed vigor.


    ¡°Aah ¨D Hyiaaaaa!?¡±


    ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°W-where¡¯s your proof? I¡¯m not lying!¡±


    ¡°Liz lives a life of luxury? You don¡¯t know what she¡¯s going through, so don¡¯t speak nonsense about her.¡±


    Hiro released a chilling voice and twisted the handle to increase the pain.


    ¡°When she was chosen as the me Emperor, many people approached her to take advantage of her. But they soon abandoned her, and she was left with only two aides and a wolf.¡±


    Being chosen as one of the wielders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword has given her a checkered life. If the me Emperor had not chosen her, she would have lived a happy life as an imperial princess. She would have never had to train, go to war, or be taken prisoner.


    ¡°Do you think that those who work hard in secret do not get rewarded?¡±


    She never ignored her own shorings, and even though she suffered many setbacks, she never ran away from her lonely suffering.


    Liz was always looking forward. She neverined, never stopped smiling, and never stopped trying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult her like that.¡±


    Hiro pulled the sword out of Puppchen¡¯s hand again and pointed the tip of the sword at the back of his head.


    ¡°What have you done to Liz? If I find you lying, I will have your head smashed in immediately.¡±


    ¡°W-wa-wait!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up. An army led by your brother is on its way here. We don¡¯t have enough strength left to deal with them. So, if you tell me the truth, I will not take your life. I¡¯ll take you as a prisoner of war and hand you over after I¡¯ve negotiated with Hunthaven-dono.¡±


    ¡°R-really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why I want you to answer honestly.¡±


    In order to reassure him, Hiro smiled and gave Puppchen a gentle pat on the shoulder. Then Puppchen sighed deeply and started to talk about it.


    ¡°In order to test the power of the Five Emperors¡¯ blessings, I had to try various things. I didn¡¯t know how far it would react, so I started by throwing small stones and then changing their size. Towards the end, as the power of the blessing weakened, her nails¨D¨D.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Enough.¡±


    ¡°But I neverid a finger on her! That¡¯s the truth! I swear it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Wa¨D¨D!?¡±


    Hiro swung his sword down with powerful force. The tip of the sword stabbed into the ground, cutting Puppchen¡¯s cheek slightly.


    ¡°Hi-hi-hiyaaah¡­¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve been so honest with me, I¡¯ll take you as my prisoner.¡±


    Hiro stood up and backed away from Puppchen¡¯s back.


    ¡°I-I appreciate it. Thank you so much!¡±


    With tears and snot staining his face, Puppchen clung to Hiro¡¯s legs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your flimsy thanks. I¡¯m going to have to restrain you for now.¡±


    Okay? Puppchen nodded several times vigorously as he asked for consent. Then the soldiers, under Hiro¡¯s orders, began to tie Puppchen up with rope.


    Among them was Hugin. She was ring at Puppchen without hiding her anger.


    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting that someone like you is still alive.¡±


    Hugin swore, and Puppchen lifted the edge of his mouth.


    ¡°Can you tie me up a little more gently? And treat me; I¡¯m festering.¡±


    Hiro, who had been quietly watching the exchange between the two, told Munin, who was nearby, to get the swift dragon.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go get it right away.¡±


    As Munin disappeared into the crowd of soldiers, Ghada came to rece him.


    ¡°Most of the Dral army has fled. We don¡¯t need to pursue them, do we?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Now that we know where Liz is, let¡¯s head for Felzen.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to let that man live?¡±


    Ghada pointed to Puppchen, who was being treated for his wounds.


    ¡°I will. I¡¯m a man of my word.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Garda had been giving him an observant look, but finally, he looked convinced.


    ¡°So we¡¯ll just stick to the n then?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I want all the wounded to go to General Bakish.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll send instructions to themanders.¡±


    Ghada leaves.


    After watching his back, Hiro approached Puppchen, who was bound by ropes.


    ¡°We are going to the Felzen region. I would like you to follow me as my prisoner.¡±


    ¡°What? Then contact my brother at once. I will have him prepare a ransom¨D¨D.¡±


    Before Puppchen could finish, Hiro motioned with his hand for him to shut up.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to take too long. It¡¯s going to be a forced march.¡±


    ¡°Hiro-sama, I¡¯ve brought the swift dragon here.¡±


    Munin returned to Hiro¡¯s side.


    As soon as the swift dragon next to him spotted Hiro, it rubbed its head against Hiro¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Also, Puppchen-dono, unfortunately, your horse is not ready.¡±


    ¡°T-then let¡¯s negotiate further¨D¨D.¡±


    After seeing the look on Hiro¡¯s face as he stroked the dragon¡¯s neck, Puppchen couldn¡¯t say another word.


    ¡°Yes. After we returned from the Felzen region.¡±


    Hiro smiled cheerfully and picked up a piece of rope that had fallen to the ground. The end of the rope connects to Puppchen. He tied the rope to the neck of the dragon.


    ¡°Now, run as fast as you can.¡±


    ¡°Wa?¡±


    He approached the stiffening Puppchen and lightly tapped him twice on the shoulder.


    ¡°If you¡¯re still alive, I¡¯ll release you.¡±


    Puppchen¡¯s face turned blue with despair when he saw Hiro smiling cruelly at him.

 Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 1</h4>


    November 22, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Aura, holed up in Fort Mitte, was faced with a difficult decision. She¡¯s in a small tower on the breastwork above the main gate.


    ¡°This fort will fall today.¡±


    In the midst of the heavy tension, Aura¡¯s brief announcement was met with a sigh of regret from the staff. But there was no one toin.


    It was only because of Aura that they had been able to endure to this point.


    ¡°Then what should we do? It¡¯s a shame for a Grantz soldier to sit around and wait for death.¡±


    One of the staff members said, and an older staff member made a bitter face.


    ¡°You mean to say that we should be prepared to fight to the death?¡±


    The soldiers who had fought so hard for so long were indeed exhausted. There is no one who is not injured. The food supply is almost depleted, and there is no way to replenish it, nor is there any hope of rescue. With the soldiers¡¯ strength running low, it was probably not a good idea to hunker down. However, even if theyunched a desperate attack, they would not be able to inflict much damage on the enemy army.


    ¡°We have no choice but to fight on. As a Grantz people, we must fight to honor our ancestors.¡±


    ¡°Even if it means dying in vain?¡±


    ¡°It will not be in vain. We shall surely be called to the service of the Twelve Great Gods.¡±


    ¡°Surely, the Third Prince Blutar will rescue us. We must not give up too soon.¡±


    The staff members were divided into two groups: those who wanted to continue the siege, relying on a little hope, and those who wanted to break the siege and fight like soldiers. It was left to a girl named Aura to decide which one to choose.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go outside for a while to think about it.¡±


    Aura looked down from the breastworks, wondering what she should do¡­


    She can see the encampment of the Felzen remnants that surround Fort Mitte. Then as she turned her gaze back, she caught sight of a spot one cell (three kilometers) away from the main gate.


    A woman had been iced and was exposed to the sun. It was someone Aura knew well.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Aura clenched her fists. The fact that she was powerless to help her made her angry. She didn¡¯t know by what means they had created such a scene.


    However, the Felzen remnants have advised her to surrender if she does not want to end up like Liz. It was only in thest two days that they started talking about it.


    ¡°Something is happening. But what¡¯s it about?¡±


    The impatience of the Felzen remnant army was palpable.


    But in a situation where information was cut off and being surrounded to the point where not a single rat could escape even if they tried to release a spy, it was impossible to find out the enemy¡¯s true intentions.


    ¡°¡­I wish I could help her at least.¡±


    She looked at the frozen Liz again. She doesn¡¯t know if she¡¯s alive or dead, but as a servant of the Grantz imperial family, it makes her angry to be subjected to such a spectacle.


    ¡°¡­I will not be forgiven.¡±


    It¡¯s a result of her own blunder.


    The ck-haired, ck-eyed boy will never forgive her for what she did. Aura chewed her lips regretfully as if to warn herself why this had happened.


    ¡°At first, things were going well.¡±


    In an attempt to round up the Felzen remnants hiding in the vicinity, Aura fled to Fort Mitte under the pretense of being in a tight spot. Then, when the Felzen remnants surrounded them, those who realized the opportunity came out one after another and flooded into Fort Mitte.


    Judging from the fact that the number of the army swelled to over 30,000, the operation must have beenrgely sessful.


    It was supposed to be that Liz, who had received a new order from the emperor, would fight with Aura to pinch off the Felzen remnants and seize victory and that the Third Prince Blutar would sweep away the fleeing Felzen remnants, but she could not read the movements of the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    This is why Liz was captured by the enemy, which was because of her blunder. She had to admit that she hadn¡¯t read the situation very well. She had neglected the most important information.


    It was an irreversible mistake that she couldn¡¯t even begin to regret.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    She found her thoughts muddled. She could not see any light, and the tactics she had drawn in her mind were foggy and dull. She was convinced that no matter what she did, it would be futile. In other words, she was afraid of failure.


    Since there was no end in sight, it was not an easy decision to make. The next move Aura makes will determine whether they would survive or be wiped out.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let their lives be in vain.¡±


    Aura looked at therge number of soldiers sitting on the walls. The only reason they were able to endure until this day was because they believed in Aura and fought for her.


    In the beginning, there were more than five thousand soldiers, but now there were less than a thousand. Everyone was tormented by their wounds, unable to even sleep due to the intense pain, and some even became emotionally unstable from fear.


    As she was thinking about what to do¡­ she caught sight of a figure out of the corner of her eye. He was arge, muscr man, but he looked incredibly small as he looked down from the breastwork at the world below.


    His gray beard rippled in the wind as he stared at the frozen Liz.


    Aura rushed over to him.


    ¡°¡­Lord Tris. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­Aura-dono, huh? I was watching the princess.¡±


    He had never spoken much, but when they had met before in the Berg Fortress, he was more of an old soldier bursting with life. But now, he was as lifeless as a dead man.


    ¡°Go back to the infirmary. You¡¯re not fit enough to walk.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s all right. I couldn¡¯t even save the princess¡­ and put her through that.¡±


    In the battle in which Liz was captured, Tris safely withdrew his unit and returned on foot tounch a single-man assault on the Grand Duchy of Dral to recapture the captured Liz.


    The old soldier must have found a ce to die in that battle. But there was a reason why he could not.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Cerberus?¡±


    The reason why the old soldier had refused to die that day and had taken refuge in Fort Mitte was because of the presence of the white wolf.


    ¡°If it¡¯s Cerberus-dono, he¡¯s still unconscious.¡±


    Aura asked, and Tris clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth.


    Aura remembers that day very well. Tris came running to Fort Mitte with a white wolf in his arms, looking desperate.


    Even though he himself was seriously injured, he asked Aura to prioritize treating the white wolf without considering his own safety. There, he, too, lost consciousness. It was only the other day that he woke up.


    ¡°¡­I knew you¡¯d charge in when you woke up.¡±


    ¡°As expected, I cannot leave Cerberus-dono behind.¡±


    pping the back of his head, Tris smiled in annoyance.


    ¡°The princess would be furious with me if I did.¡±


    ¡°Cerberus is Liz¡¯s favorite pet animal?¡±


    ¡°The two of them have known each other longer than I can remember.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°So, until Cerberus-dono wakes up¡­¡±


    When she looked up at Tris¡¯s face, she saw that he was bleeding from the corner of his mouth.


    With blood running through his eyes, he is looking at the frozen Liz with a devilish expression. He looked as if he was going to throw himself out of there at any moment.


    ¡°You should go back to the infirmary.¡±


    Aura tapped Tris on the waist with all her energy. Tris¡¯s anger dissipated, and she looked at Aura questioningly.


    ¡°What are you doing to an injured man¡­?¡±


    ¡°Cerberus, he might wake up. You¡¯d better get back to the infirmary.¡±


    Aura¡¯s eyes softened, and she pointed to the stairs, the excess sleeves of her military uniform fluttering in the wind.


    ¡°Liz will be very upset if you don¡¯t get better.¡±


    ¡°Gnunu¡­¡±


    As expected, when Liz¡¯s name is mentioned, Tris has no choice but to obey and nodded obediently.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take your word for it and have a rest.¡±


    Tris smiled and quietly descended the stairs leading to the infirmary.


    Aura, alone in the dusk, looked at the encampment of the Felzen remnants spread out on the ground.


    ¡°Attack, crush, pulverize, destroy, annihte.¡±


    She tried to put it into words, but none of them seemed to fit. Should they attack and disperse or give up and sit down and die? She didn¡¯t know which way was right.


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    Suddenly, she saw the encampment of the Felzen remnants buzzing. Aura, who had climbed up on the breastwork, scrutinized the situation with her eyes. Then, a female knight approached the main gate with a leisurely gait.


    ¡°Attention Trea Luzandi Aura von Bunadhara of the Great Grantz Empire!¡±


    There was a loud voice that shook Aura¡¯s eardrums. Aura climbed down from the breastwork to hide herself, and looked down through the gap.


    A beautiful and noble female knight is looking around Fort Mitte.


    One of Aura¡¯s miscalctions ¨D a survivor of the Felzen royal family. It¡¯s Haran Skaaha de Felzen.


    ¡°This will be yourst notice! Surrender, lest your men die in vain!¡±


    They didn¡¯t think she was still alive. She had heard that the entire family had been beheaded by the Emperor, or rather by the First Prince Stobel.


    ¡°If you refuse to do so, then we willunch an all-out attack! What is your reply?¡±


    Skaaha thrust her blue spear into the ground. A silence fell. No one spoke out. Making a disappointed expression, Skaaha¡¯s shoulders dropped heavily.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll notify the Grantz Army.¡±


    With the setting sun about to set and the afterglow all around her, Skaaha directed her words sincerely.


    ¡°If you hand over the custody of Trea Luzandi Aura von Bunadhara and Booze von Krone, I will make sure that the soldiers can step on the soil of their homnd without being taken prisoner.¡±


    In other words, she was saying that she would let them go. Aura was surprised by this. She had thought that none of them would be allowed to return alive.


    ¡°I will give you some time. All you have to do is give us those two people. I want you to think it over!¡±


    Aura¡¯s mind wavered. If only she surrendered, she would be able to send the injured back home as well. They can receive proper treatment. She might even be able to save those who were wandering between life and death.


    But Booze von Krone, who is hiding in the underground warehouse, will stubbornly refuse.


    Aura, who had decided that she had no choice but to restrain him and forcibly drag him out, quietly closed her eyes, made up her mind, and left the walls.


    When Aura returned to the small tower, she was greeted by the aides who had followed her this far. Among them was Lord Spitz, who was covered in bandages.


    Their faces were gloomy. Perhaps they realized their defeat.


    ¡°I will surrender.¡±

 Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°I will surrender.¡±


    At these words, the faces of her aides turned angry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! You want us to give up our superiors to survive?¡±


    ¡°Think about it. It¡¯s not as if you can¡¯t imagine what you¡¯ll be going through.¡±


    The older aide shook their head in refusal.


    Considering what the Grantz army had done to Felzen, there was no doubt that Aura would be humiliated. In fact, the sixth princess, Liz, was in such a state.


    There was no way she could be treated properly as a prisoner of war.


    ¡°Aura-sama, rather than give you up, we are prepared to break our hearts and go to meet the Twelve Great Grantz Gods.¡±


    Spitz said with a gentle look on his face.


    ¡°If it were only Booze von Krone, I would give him up.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, considering what he¡¯s done.¡±


    As they all said, Booze¡¯s governance was atrocious.


    It is said that the nobles who followed the Felzen royal family were beheaded, and their beautiful daughters and wives were sold into very. Furthermore, he turned the beautiful royal capital of Felzen into a hideous sight.


    In order to gain favor with the nobles of the Grantz Empire, he had given them the privilege of doing whatever they wanted with the royal capital of Felzen.


    By the time Aura was dispatched to Felzen on the emperor¡¯s order, the royal capital was in ruins. Aura remembers that the Third Prince Blutar was very angry, which was unusual.


    ¡°Well then, Aura-sama, now that the enemy has given us some time, let¡¯s think of a winning tactic.¡±


    As Spitz walked to the desk in the center of the room, the others began to ce pieces on the map as if they had no choice. The reserve troops are exhausted. The food supply is running out, the soldiers¡¯ strength and morale are at their lowest point.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing that we can fight until we run out of everything.¡±


    The older aide said in a joking tone, and the others nodded in agreement.


    Aura looked at her subordinates and felt something hot rising in her chest. They said they still believed Aura, who had broken down and tried to surrender.


    ¡°Should we still try to attack?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we pretend to go out and rescue Her Highness Celia Estre?¡±


    ¡°Aura-sama, we can¡¯t make this decision on our own, so please join us for this military council.¡±


    They were still going to continue fighting under Aura¡¯smand. If that was the case ¨D then she should make up her mind. Since she had such subordinates, she should continue to resist without giving up hope.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go out with the determination to destroy them.¡±


    Aura walked lightly over to the desk and ced the pieces on the map.


    ¡°The enemy has the upper hand, and yet they are showing impatience.¡±


    There¡¯s something there. There must be an opportunity there.


    If so, they would survive today¡¯s attack and tomorrow, and the day after that, miserable as they were, they would survive. As long as they remain alive, they will find a way to survive. They must not abandon their lives.


    ¡°Live to the fullest. And win.¡±


    Aura thrusts her fist out firmly and deres victory. No one denies it. The rest of the aides nodded vigorously, saying it was just what they wanted.


    ¡°First, we must survive today¡¯s attack.¡±


    Aura could feel her mind bing clearer. She was no longer lost in thought. She has no more fear; she instructed her aides with an expressionless but lively color.


    The aides dispersed energetically to different parts of the castle. They were in directmand of the walls on all sides.


    Some of them would probably never see each other again. However, without saying a word, they ran out of the small tower with a gait that made no trace of such anxiety. Aura, who had finished her instructions, walked with Spitz to the courtyard.


    ¡°Aura-sama, are you sure you want to do this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go directly to each wall for support.¡±


    The sun had already set, and Aura shivered as the air began to turn cold. However, a ray of moonlight was stretching through the clouds, illuminating Aura warmly.


    When Aura appeared in the courtyard, the waiting soldiers looked at her anxiously. Everyone was bandaged up and soaked in blood.


    Aura thanked each and every one of them for fighting so hard. That would soon be over. There were less than a hundred of them in reserve.


    ¡°I may be in the way, but I¡¯m willing to fight too.¡±


    The old soldier, Tris, appeared. Although he had wounds, his body was full of energy.


    Aura was about to ask him what had happened, but Tris spoke up first.


    ¡°Cerberus-dono has just awakened a while ago.¡±


    Aura¡¯s face flushed with happiness, but then she turned and tightened her grip.


    ¡°So, in order to protect Cerberus-dono, I can¡¯t let this fort fall.¡±


    ¡°¡­Best regards.¡±


    ¡°If Tris-dono joins us, we will be a hundred strong.¡±


    Aura nodded her head, and Spitz shook hands with Tris happily. All around them, the reserve soldiers were singing happily shoulder to shoulder, as if inspired by them.


    As time went on, however, everyone became tenser and tenser. No one wasted time talking. The courtyard was covered with a sense of oppression that seemed to crush their organs.


    And then ¨D a shout came from outside Fort Mitte along with the footsteps of the enemy army. The sound of military boots, dozens of times more than before, is being carried up into the night sky.


    ¡°Your time is up! We will nowunch an all-out attack! We won¡¯t go easy on you!¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s voice could be heard. It was a voice that came through loud and clear and lingered in the ears. There is no doubt that she has the qualities of amander. Aura made up her mind and pulled out the spirit weapon on her hip.


    Immediately after that, the main gate shook and let out a roar.


    It may have been the start of an enemy attack, but Spitz turned his gaze upward.


    ¡°What are they doing to the north wall?¡±


    There should be archers attacking from the walls, but there are probably not enough of them. It¡¯s easy for the enemy to push their way to the gate and attack.


    ¡°Get down!¡±


    Aura instructed shortly and raised her shield above her head. Spitz also raised his shield in a panic.


    The next thing that happened was a loud noise in the courtyard as if stones were falling.


    ¡°The enemy is concentrating their attack on the north wall.¡±


    Aura, noticing the unusual situation, said briefly and instructed the reserve troops to proceed.


    ¡°¡­The gate is already damaged.¡±


    The gates are swinging wildly as if they had been built for a siege mechanism. There was an eerie crushing sound that made the dust fly.


    Aura stepped out to head for the gate to provide reinforcement but fell over violently.


    ¡°¡­..Guh, why?¡±


    She looked up as she hit the ground and saw a strange man standing in front of her.


    ¡°You have to die. I¡¯m sorry, but I have to take your life.¡±


    The man, dressed as a subordinate, said that and sharply drew the sword he had at his waist.


    ¡°Aura-sama! Please run away!¡±


    Spitz¡¯s impatient voice flew as he noticed something was wrong. There was a desperate distance between him and Aura, even if he tried to help her.


    Aura red at the man who raised the tip of his sword, but it had no effect. As the de glowed in the moonlight, arge, hulking figure slid in between them.


    ¨D¨DIt was Tris.


    ¡°¡­..Eh?¡±


    When Aura let out a confused voice, a loud ssh of blood went up from Tris¡¯ back. Fresh blood spread like a crimson stain across the starry sky. The same despair spread across the courtyard.


    Everyone bared their eyes and looked at Tris.


    ¡°Gofuh¡­ wh¨D¨D.¡±


    A heavy, dull sound shook the night air, and the huge body fell to the ground with a loud thud. But strangely enough, it was the assassin behind Tris who fell.


    ¡°Just in time, I guess.¡±


    The voice was thrown from further behind.


    ¡°Nu? You¡¯re¡­¡±


    Tris turned around with a surprised expression and rolled his eyes at the sudden intruder. There was a brown-skinned man who was basking in the warmth of the moonlight.


    ¡°Who the hell are you? Where did youe from?¡±


    Spitz shouted angrily at the new intruder.


    ¡°No, it was nothing suspicious.¡±


    The man waved his hands in front of his face, desperately insisting that he was not suspicious.


    ¡°I¡¯m Munin, Hiro-sama¡¯s private army! I¡¯ve been ordered to bring a letter to Aura-san!¡±


    He¡¯s got scars all over his face and a fierce look on his face, but he¡¯s got an air of aloofness about him. He was clearly out of ce in this tension-filled Fort Mitte.


    ¡°Lord Spitz.¡±


    Aura makes Spitz lower his sword. Although discouraged, Spitz solemnly obeys.


    Then Aura approached Munin and looked up at him.


    ¡°Munin. Who¡¯s thating?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Hiro-sama.¡±


    Munin¡¯s vibrant smile was dazzling. It was the most unbelievable thing he had ever said.


    Hiro is here. When was thest time she had exchanged letters with him? Thest time was when he wrote to her that he was leaving for the Levering Kingdom, it seems.


    ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°One thousand five hundred ¨D the most elite of the Raven Army.¡±


    Aura shuddered. In an instant, she felt her body temperature rise sharply. It¡¯s just that she hadn¡¯t expected to hear the name in this day and age.


    ¡°On the path of the Raven Army, even the Demon King is no different from the grass and trees.¡±


    Aura muttered and hugged the book of the second emperor in one of her hands.


    Isn¡¯t it scary to bepared? Many of the events of a thousand years ago have been exaggerated, and for better or worse, the Raven Army has be a legend. It¡¯s hard to rewrite that.


    The creator of the name was probably Hiro, but it seemed like a big deal.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not the ¡®Raven Army¡¯ of the ¡®God of War¡¯, is it? They can¡¯t defeat the Felzen remnants then, can they?¡±


    Spitz interjected from the side, but neither of them was listening to him.


    ¡°And here¡¯s the letter from Hiro-sama. He wants you to do what is written in this letter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Hiro-sama will take care of the rest. Just wait with pride.¡±


    Aura read the letter with the help of the moonlight, and a faint smile appeared on her expressionless face.


    ¡°Aura-sama? Did you find anything interesting in the letter?¡±


    But Aura shook her head, saying it was nothing. She was just smiling because she was happy.


    However, Aura immediately tightened her loose cheeks.


    ¡°Lord Spitz, get all the troops to the north wall and build a lot of bonfires.¡±


    ¡°W-why? It¡¯s not too risky to gather the troops only on the north wall.¡±


    ¡°Just do it quickly.¡±


    Spitz stood bolt upright as a cold, leaden gaze was directed at him.


    ¡°Ha! Right away.¡±


    Aura turned her gaze to Munin as Spitz ran off, leaving a salute behind.


    ¡°Munin, are you staying?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I believe in Hiro-sama.¡±


    Muninughed heartily.

 Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 3

    <h4>Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 3</h4>


    While the warm moonlight pours down on the ground, the freezing de wind is also blowing on the ground. On top of a small hill, amidst the strong winds, there is a group of people reflecting the ck light from the moonlight.


    The young man at the head of the group, Hiro, stretches out his hand to the full moon, his smile deepening.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice full moon. It¡¯s a perfect day for a surprise attack.¡±


    When he looked down, he could see Fort Mitte and the Felzen remnant army surrounding it.


    Hiro came from the Grand Duchy of Dral to the Felzen region in just one day. There is a reason he could get here in such a short period, a journey that would normally take three days.


    It was because he had instructed General Bakish to prepare horses for the transfer in advance. The number of people who were able to follow this forced march was 1,500 out of 3,000, which was quite impressive.


    ¡°Hugin has infiltrated the enemy lines. We are ready to charge at any time.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Now all the conditions for rescuing the girl are met.


    ¡°We¡¯vee this far. It has been so long.¡±


    Hiro called out for the Heavenly Emperor. The silvery light in the dark night illuminated the soldiers as if to relieve their fatigue. Hiro grasped the hilt of the Heavenly Emperor as he slowly descended.


    ¡°All we have to do is wait for the signal.¡±


    His instructions to Aura were simple. The idea was to disperse the enemy¡¯s forces and also to keep their eyes glued to Fort Mitte.


    ¡°Aura has made her move, and it seems that Munin has sessfully infiltrated.¡±


    He could see arge number of bonfires being lit on the north wall of Fort Mitte. At the same time, the enemy was attacking the other walls, which had been thinly defended. From Fort Mitte, the sound of drums rang out, carrying through the air to Hiro¡¯s ears. It must have been a provocation to attract their attention.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯m honored that you¡¯ve followed me this far.¡±


    Hiro quietly drew the Heavenly Emperor from its sheath and turned to look behind him. He looked at the faces of the soldiers as they waited for the order. Thanks to the moonlight, he could clearly see their strong expressions. A feeling of gratitude welled up from deep within, and Hiro naturally smiled.


    ¡°Let us dedicate our victory to the Spirit King.¡±


    Turning to face the front once again, Hiro pointed the tip of his Heavenly Emperor sword at the night sky. Someone let out a sigh of admiration. With the moonlight at his back, he is unmistakably the Hero King of the Twin ck.


    There is no one here who doubts that he is the ¡°God of War¡± revived in the present age. Therefore, they believe that victory is guaranteed.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    There is no need for words to ughter the enemy. And no terms of beauty are needed to go into battle.


    What do they want, what do they need, what are they trying to say? All that is necessary is to look at his back.


    He is the epitome of conflict.


    He is the transcendent of authority.


    Therefore, even if the God of War doesn¡¯t speak, his mere presence can move the hearts of others.


    ¡°¨D¨DAll forces, charge.¡±


    Hiro swung down the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± and ran down the hill first. The other horsemen were unable to keep up with the speed of the swift dragon, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    They were concentrating on Fort Mitte and were not paying any attention to the rear. If that were the case, there would be no problem even if there was a slight dy. The surprise attack will surely seed.


    The Felzen remnants must be thinking that this is their moment to seed. Thanks to that, they can easily prate their bellies.


    ¡°Where the hell did theye from?¡±


    The enemy soldiers noticed the sound of horseshoesing from behind and turned around. But it was toote.


    ¡°E-enemy¨D¨D!?¡±


    With a single swing of his sword, Hiro cut off the enemy¡¯s head and shed into the enemy ranks with his swift dragon. The cavalry that followed avnches in one after another, and the ¡°Raven Army¡± pushed forward at a furious pace.


    Armor was crushed by horseshoes, and the distorted sound of heavy steel cut through the night air, reverberating eerily.


    Unable to put up any kind of resistance, the Felzen remnants were dying out. Like a sharp needle, the ¡°Raven Army¡± runs in all directions, ughtering the enemies it passes without fail.


    The Felzen remnant army, which had been designed only for siege warfare, consisted mainly of lightly armored infantry.


    In other words, there were no shields to stop the rushing power of the cavalry. Therefore, the ¡°Raven Army¡± could not be stopped. Even if they wanted to use archers, the Raven Army was already in the front line.


    There are also long spearmen, but all of them have a throwing role, so they are often deployed at the front of a siege.


    Even if they are in the rear, they are reserve units. Aligned thorns are painful, but sparse thorns are not. They were often rxed, and it was easy to crush them if the cavalry was in high gear.


    If the battle bes a melee with a mixture of friend and foe, themanders cannot make decisions and be confused. They are unable to see things calmly and go to their own deaths due to impatience and frustration.


    And with no superior to look up to, the troops begin to run amok, and now that night has fallen, they invite each other to fight. Shouting, screaming, crying, shrieking, and various vindictiveness intertwine to be a battlefield of the dead.


    ¡°Wise brother!¡±


    A voice was heard. Hiro narrowed his eyes and looked around to find Hugin waving a torch to announce her location.


    How reckless of her¡­ That would even lure in the enemy.


    But when he reached her, he realized that his fears were unfounded. Every single enemy soldier who may have attacked her had been shot in the forehead by her unparalleled archery skills.


    ¡°You go and fight with Ghada.¡±


    He jumped down from the dragon and patted its neck, then turned to Hugin.


    ¡°¡­Wise brother.¡±


    ¡°Did you find Liz?¡±


    When Hiro asked, Hugin cast arge shadow over her face and lowered her eyes.


    ¡°Eh, yes¡­ I found her.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Seeing as how they are not together, she might be injured. Liz likes to surprise people, so she might jump out and hug him, but¡­ that¡¯s unlikely in this situation.


    ¡°Right there.¡±


    Hugin pointed to ¨D a block of ice.


    Hiro choked up when he saw who was trapped inside it.


    She always seemed to enjoy modifying her military uniform. There had even been days when Hiro had been asked about what had changed in her uniform. Her pride and joy, her red military uniform, had been torn in a shy way, and what was peeking through the gaps were probably bandages. The bandages were wrapped around her body like a mummy. There werecerations on her forehead and many scratches on her cheeks and mouth.


    ¡°A-ah¨D¨D¡­¡±


    It was the moment he had been waiting for, but he hadn¡¯t wanted this kind of reunion.


    Slowly, he approached the frozen girl. He reached out his hand. But he couldn¡¯t touch her. A cold, icy wall blocked his way. Even in this form, the bitterness and resentment did not disappear, and many swords are stuck in the ice.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    No words came out. Even if he touched the ice, he could not feel any of her vitality. Even when he tried to ask the ¡°me Emperor¡± a question, he got no response.


    Hugin couldn¡¯t say a word to Hiro, who sat there and looked at Liz in a daze.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m always sote.¡±


    Or maybe if he had scrapped the whole n and just focused on her, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.


    ¡°Wise brother, there must be a way to get Liz-neesan out of¨D¨D.¡±


    Hugin was about to offer her opinion, but she closed her mouth and stepped backward.


    ¡°¡­..Wise brother?¡±


    Disastrous darkness was spreading around Hiro. A deep, deep jet ck was rampaging around him. It was just a bizarre sight. Just looking at that somber figure was enough to crush one¡¯s heart.


    The Heavenly Emperor in Hiro¡¯s hand was flickering.


    ¨D¨DThe silvery-white sword that had been shining so beautifully had begun to turn ck and stagnate.

 Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 4

    <h4>Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 4</h4>


    The time goes back a bit¨D¨D¡­


    The front line of the Felzen remnant army surrounding Fort Mitte was enveloped in heat. There were many bonfires burning around the area, swaying and illuminating the faces of the angry Felzen remnant soldiers.


    Their gazes were cast uniformly to the front wall, where manydders had been erected.


    ¡°Message from the main camp! Second line, charge! I repeat, second line, charge!¡±


    Horns were blown from various ces. Cutting through the night air and shooting up into the night sky.


    ¡°The fall is imminent! I hope you will all put up a good fight!¡±


    A feverish voice came from themander of the first line. The second line shouted in response and began to advance. The cold air blowing from the Travant Mountains was crushed by the heat waves released by the Felzen remnant soldiers.


    ¡°Release the bows! Cover fire!¡±


    Arge number of arrows shot from the bow disappear into the dark night. Only the sound of arrow feathers pped eerily. However, it definitely drew an arc and fell into Fort Mitte, and several screams rose up from the fort walls. As if propelled by the screams, the second line ran up thedder with great force.


    However, the enemy was not without resistance. They were dropping rocks, removingdders, pouring boiling water, and using every means at their disposal to defend Fort Mitte.


    ¡°But it¡¯s only a matter of time before it falls.¡±


    Skaaha, who was watching the front line at the main camp of the Felzen remnant army, muttered.


    While Skaaha was looking at the map prepared on her desk, her aides around her were quickly giving instructions to their respective messengers.


    ¡°What is the status of the third prince Blutar?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re on their way here right now, but it looks like the separate unit¡¯s diversion was sessful, so it¡¯ll be at least three days before they get here.¡±


    Rach said, clenching his fists. He was probably delighted that they were able to buy some time. Still, they mustn¡¯t let their guard down. It is always the case in the war that anything can happen.


    ¡°I see¡­ then, we can lower the rearguard by one level and send those soldiers to the front.¡±


    When Skaaha motioned to the waiting messenger, he gave her a salute and immediately ran off into the darkness. Then Skaaha threw a nce at Fort Mitte.


    ¡°¡­It seems that the enemy has noticed that we are concentrating our forces in front.¡±


    There are many bonfires set up on the front walls. From the way the ck shadows are moving in a hurry, it seems that the enemy has noticed their intentions and is gathering their soldiers.


    ¡°Well, there was nothing to hide, and more importantly, it would be toote for them to notice. We¡¯ve already got our hands on the walls.¡±


    Rach said, and the surrounding aides nodded in agreement.


    ¡°We¡¯ve made a makeshift battering ram and put it on the front line. It¡¯s a regret that we couldn¡¯t build a siege tower ¨D we¡¯re sorry we couldn¡¯t live up to Skaaha-sama¡¯s expectations.¡±


    The aide who was in charge of the operatives bowed his head apologetically. However, Skaaha grabbed him by the shoulders and shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be concerned about. You deserve praise just for making it here today.¡±


    ¡°Skaaha-sama¡­¡±


    ¡°But above all, the battle is not over yet. It¡¯s too early to be distracted.¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s face tightened into a grimace, and she looked at her aides in turn.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down just yet. Our enemy is the War Maiden. She mighte up with some kind of n. If we show an opening, we will be the ones who get eaten.¡±


    ¡°¡±Understood!¡±¡±


    The aides returned a vigorous voice. Skaaha nodded in satisfaction and then sent out the messengers to check on each of the walls.


    ¡°As soon as the messenger returns, we will destroy Fort Mitte with all our forces, sparing no expense.¡±


    ¡°Understood ¨D but, what about the Grantz soldiers holed up in the fort?¡±


    ¡°Those who surrender will be captured, and those who continue to resist will not be tolerated.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll notify the troops to do so.¡±


    Rach nodded vigorously and was about to run out of themand center.


    But¨D¨D.


    ¡°Urgent message! This is an urgent message!¡±


    A messenger rushed into themand center, out of breath. The aides who had been moving around stopped and turned their gazes to the entrance.


    Skaaha also raised her eyebrows and turned her stern eyes on the messenger.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Ha! There is an enemy attack from the rear! Themander of the rear forces has informed me that he needs reinforcements!¡±


    ¡°¡­Enemy attack from the rear?¡±


    When Skaaha muttered in a daze, the messenger who was dominated by frustration mmed the ground.


    ¡°The g is ¨D a dragon that grasps a silvery-white sword on a ck background!¡±


    The messenger opened his mouth vigorously with a burst of spit.


    ¡°It must be the One-Eyed Dragon, the descendant of the God of War!¡±


    In themand center, the aides were in a panic. One by one, their faces turned pale, and they started shouting.


    ¡°Nonsense! Isn¡¯t he supposed to be attacking the Grand Duchy of Dral?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Lord Puppchen withdrew his troops from Felzen!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken? I¡¯ve heard reports that less than 5,000 troops invaded the Grand Duchy of Dral. The Grand Duchy of Dral, on the other hand, has an army of over 30,000. The difference in strength is obvious.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no mistaking it! The g they¡¯re raising is definitely the divine g of the God of War!¡±


    Even though he was exposed to the verbal assaults of the aides, the messenger was desperately trying to convey the gravity of the situation.


    But there was no way that the aides could be easily convinced. They were on the verge of victory, but when they suddenly heard that the new attacker was the descendant of the God of War, they could not help but be confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s nighttime; you must have mistaken it! Go and check again. Then you¡¯ll understand!¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to check.¡±


    ¡°Skaaha-sama¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you let your imagination get the better of you and make a big deal out of it, that¡¯s exactly what the enemy wants. Let¡¯s talk about it calmly.¡±


    The quiet fighting spirit of Skaaha¡¯s words silenced the aides.


    ¡°In the first ce, what are you people upset about? What¡¯s up with the descendant of the God of War?¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­ rumors of him have spread to thisnd as well.¡±


    ¡°Rumors are rumors. Don¡¯t let them bother you.¡±


    Skaaha mmed her hand on the desk and red at her aides.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by the names of your enemies. Don¡¯t lose sight of your purpose. What we need to do is to stop the Grantz army from advancing to the rear, or at least to defeat them once and for all.¡±


    Without hiding her indignation, Skaaha picked up her blue spear and started walking. Rach sighed and followed her back. Then the aides returned to their senses and followed her.


    ¡°Skaaha-sama! W-where are you going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious; I have to stop the enemy that has appeared in the rear.¡±


    Skaaha told him briefly and called the messenger.


    ¡°Do you know the number of the enemy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too dark to get an urate count, but I¡¯d say there are more than a thousand.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation in the rear?¡±


    ¡°The enemy is attacking so fiercely that¡­ one by one, ourmanders are being killed, and we are on the verge of copse.¡±


    After hearing the words of the messenger, Skaaha sent a nce to the rear. Then she heard the sound of sword fights that were not supposed to be heard.


    The roar of horseshoes that shook the entrails, the battle cry that seemed to pierce the eardrums. A huge fire erupted with a force that turned the sky red, probably from the burning of the tents.


    ¡°How many can be moved quickly?¡±


    Skaaha asked Rach.


    ¡°We have about a hundred cavalry since we put most of them in the front line, so this is all we can take.¡±


    With the main camp deeply encroached upon, a mere hundred cavalries wandering around in the dark, avenging and annihting any enemy that mighte out of nowhere. It¡¯s just impossible.


    Skaaha turned her distant eyes to the night sky. The stars were twinkling in the night sky, oblivious of humanity.


    ¡°¡­Is there still a possibility of reversing the situation?¡±


    If so, she decided to do everything she could to help.


    ¡°¡­Lord Rach. I want you to bring me a horse.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Rach rode off into the darkness, avoiding the waves of soldiers. After watching his back, Skaaha turned her body to her aides with a quiet face.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you all for your patience with my selfishness.¡±


    As if they saw Skaaha¡¯s resolve, they all dropped to one knee in nervousness.


    Looking at her loyal subordinates, Skaaha lowered the corners of her eyes before opening her mouth.


    ¡°The fact that we havee this far is due to each of your efforts.¡±


    One by one, Skaaha carefully added a word of gratitude and patted the shoulders of each of her aides. When she thanked thest of them, she turned her hand to the bowed figures.


    ¡°I entrust the future operation to you. I want you to deliver just one word from me to the entire army.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I¡¯ll follow you with my life in any way I can!¡±


    The aides must not have doubted the following words from Skaaha. They must have thought that she would order them to throw away their lives for the sake of Felzen and to continue to resist to the end for the sake of Felzen¡¯s rebirth.


    But¨D¨D,


    ¡°Run.¡±


    Just one word. That was enough to make the aides¡¯ faces contort pitifully. It was not what they were expecting to hear. They looked at Skaaha as if to say so.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    It¡¯s not just one person who has that question. It was something that everyone had on their mind.


    ¡°We¡¯ll fight alongside you, Skaaha-sama!¡±


    ¡°Yes! There is no way I¡¯m leaving you behind!¡±


    One after another, the aides spat out words that sounded like they were crying out for help. Still, as if to push them away, Skaaha¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply, a change from earlier.


    ¡°As a survivor of the Felzen royal family, this is myst order as your leader.¡±


    The royal family¡¯s orders are absolute. But undaunted, the aides thrust their swords into the earth one after another.


    ¡°Then, let our heads fall here!¡±


    ¡°Exactly. If we are to be a burden to you, Skaaha-sama, we will die here.¡±


    ¡°Do not underestimate us! Do you think that we will choose to flee just because we are outnumbered?¡±


    Skaaha retreated under the pressure of the aides.


    Then Raches back with a horse in tow.


    ¡°I think it would be better to give up, Skaaha-sama.¡±


    ¡°Lord Rach¡­?¡±


    ¡°You are the only king we revere, and you are the only king we follow.¡±


    Rach shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile.


    ¡°In addition, Skaaha-sama told us earlier that we should not lose sight of our goal and that we should stop the Grantz army.¡±


    Rach handed the horses over to her. As Skaaha took the reins in dismay, Rach too dropped to one knee, as did the other aides.


    ¡°Our king. Please give us your orders. Pleasemand us to destroy the enemies that are against Felzen.¡±


    ¡°You fools¡­¡±


    Skaaha muttered quietly, let out augh, and jumped on the back of her horse.


    ¡°Then, you should stay here and concentrate on taking down Fort Mitte without thinking about anything else.¡±


    ¡°Wa? Please wait! Isn¡¯t that the same as before?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just leave themand center in the dust. You¡¯ve disobeyed orders once; you¡¯ll have to put up with that much.¡±


    A sound argument. The words were irrefutable, and the aides fell silent, helpless to do anything about it. They nodded their heads withplicated expressions as if it was a good thing that they were allowed to fight on the same battlefield.


    ¡°I will go alone to the rear and take the head of the One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    This was met with some displeasure by Rach.


    ¡°Please wait. At least take this Rach with you. What will you do without an escort?¡±


    ¡°No need. The rear line is in a melee with a mixture of friend and foe. Even if I took an escort there, it would not only get lost; it might even provoke a fight.¡±


    Therefore, a single-armed assault ¨D She who has the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword ¡°Ice Emperor¡± can do it.


    ¡°Lord Rach. You will stay here and defend the main camp. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°¡­..Understood.¡±


    ¡°Then leave the rest to me!¡±


    When she pulled on the reins, the neighs of the horse echoed. The air rumbled as if to announce Skaaha¡¯s presence to the heavens.


    The horse began to gallop at full speed, and in a sh, the main camp was enveloped in darkness. Shortly after that, Skaaha arrives at the battlefield where the decapitating screams are roaring.


    A hellish scene of screaming and shouting spread out in front of her, where enemies wereing at her from all directions.


    The rear line had been devastated by the fierce attacks. Some of the allies were running for their lives, while others were burning in mes and dying at the end of their screams.


    The unceasing rain of death was pouring down on this ce.


    ¡°Gyaaahh.¡±


    ¡°¡­How can the enemy be this close?¡±


    Twenty-eight ¨D that¡¯s the number of enemy soldiers she has ughtered up to this point. If they¡¯re allowed to advance this deep, the enemy¡¯s des may already be closing in on the main camp.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your head!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in my way.¡±


    ¡°Gogaahh.¡±


    After piercing the enemy¡¯s throat with a single thrust, Skaaha devilishly kicked her horse¡¯s belly and stepped over the corpses of her allies. There is no time to deal with small fry. She had to find the One-Eyed Dragon. But in this darkness, on this vast battlefield, it would be extremely difficult to find a single man.


    ¡°Has my n failed?¡±


    Most of themanders in the Grantz Empire just sit back and watch the war unfold. But she had heard that there were some who preferred to fight on the front lines.


    ¡°There is a possibility that the One-Eyed Dragon is thetter¡­¡±


    Skaaha clicked her tongue and tried to turn her head, but her gaze fell on a spot.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    In the darkness, a few torches flickered. Skaaha turned her horse towards it as if she was drawn to it with a little bit of hope.


    If her memory serves her right, that is where she put the frozen sixth princess. And as the distance closed, a hint of understanding dawned in Skaaha¡¯s eyes.


    The figure of a man sitting in front of the frozen Liz, surrounded by multiple cavalrymen. She feels a sense of supremacy that sends chills down her spine.


    She had never seen anyone radiate such overwhelming supremacy before. That¡¯s why she was so sure. There is no doubt in her mind that he is the One-Eyed Dragon.


    ¡°Found you!¡±


    Skaaha, who shouted happily, readied the Ice Emperor, bent forward on her horse, and started running across the in at full speed. Of course, if she made such a loud noise, the enemy would be aware of her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am the one who will give you a peaceful death!¡±


    She kicked the back of her horse and leaped into the darkness as the torches were all aimed at Skaaha. A spear was thrust toward Skaaha, but she managed to avoid it by twisting in midair. She then shed the tip of her spear, pierced the enemy¡¯s throat, kicked the corpse, and leaped.


    The enemy soldiers were stunned by her acrobatic skills ¨D she swung the hilt of the ¡°Ice Emperor¡± at their heads and crushed their skulls. As the brain sma sttered all over the ce, Skaaha thrust one of them to death and knocked the second one away with a counterattack. As for the third, she pulled him down from his horse using only her arm strength and trampled him to death with the horseshoe of the soldier¡¯s beloved horse.


    ¡°Hugin-sama! Take Hiro-sama and run¨D¨D!?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let that happen?¡±


    A bolt of blue lightning pierces the body of the fourth enemy soldier who is confronting her.


    ¡°Ah¨D¨D¡­ Gofuh!?¡±


    An enemy soldier with arge hole in his stomach slipped off the back of his horse and fell silent. Finally, Skaaha stopped moving as she stabbed the Ice Emperor into the ground.


    ¡°It is against chivalry to kill women and children. So can you please lower that bow?¡±


    Skaaha inted her supremacy and red menacingly at the woman who was pointing her bow at her.


    It¡¯s a brown-skinned woman. From the looks of it, she exudes a cheerful atmosphere. She could see that her hands were trembling. She was as frightened as a small animal targeted by a predator.


    Even so, the fact that she did not run away might mean that she adored the One-Eyed Dragon.


    Even if she loses her life, even if she dies in misery, she will not regret it, and in her fright, there is a brave determination. When Skaaha looked at such a healthy girl, she could not bear to let her life be scattered.


    That¡¯s why ¨D Skaaha exploded with anger.


    ¡°Are you intending to hide behind a woman¡¯s back for any length of time?¡±


    The brown-skinned woman¡¯s limbs tensed up at the sound of the voice that sent electric currents through her body. Most importantly, it was a voice that could be heard by many as it traveled across the battlefield.


    In other words, it was like telling the enemy where you were. Immediately, words began to fly around to confirm the safety of the One-Eyed Dragon.


    Even so, Skaaha could not control her emotions. Many soldiers lost their precious lives to protect the One-Eyed Dragon. The brown-skinned woman decided to confront her, even though she knew she was outmatched.


    ¡°And yet, what a disgraceful appearance!¡±


    Lethargy ¨D despite the overwhelming supremacy, there was not even a hint of energy.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to fight, I¡¯ll take your head!¡±


    Skaaha pointed the tip of the ¡°Ice Emperor¡± at the young man who wore an extraordinary atmosphere.

 Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 5

    <h4>Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 5</h4>


    He felt like a wall was being taken down. But it must be something that should not be lost. It was something that existed as thest protection for human beings to be human.


    Still, once he saw the scene in front of him, it was nearly impossible to suppress the urge that welled up from the bottom of his gut.


    Hatred turns to anger. Anger turns into sadness. Sadness turns intoughter.


    After going around and around like that, what lies ahead is nothingness. However, human emotions are strange things and do not necessarily disappear. They remain somewhere. They are forever smoldering in a ce that he¡¯s not even aware of.


    Theye out of nowhere. They produce results that are sorge that even he himself is surprised. Reason disappears and bes a beast while instincts areid bare.


    ¨D¨DPeople call it the urge to kill.


    ¡°Wise brother¡­?¡±


    Hugin was aware of the unusual murderous intent radiating from Hiro.


    ¡°¡­How long do you intend to remain unresponsive?¡±


    Said a female knight who was near Hugin.


    She suddenly appeared and sent Hugin¡¯s subordinates to the underworld in the blink of an eye.


    Hugin knew that it would be impossible for her to defeat the female knight with her own abilities after she had shown her spearmanship to such an extent. That is why there are things that cannot be understood.


    ¡°Hey, you! Don¡¯te any closer!¡±


    Hugin held up her bow and pointed the arrowhead at the female knight. She did not want her to provoke Hiro any further. However, she ignored Hugin and stepped closer to Hiro.


    ¡°I am Haran Skaaha de Felzen. I shall ask you your name, who are you?¡±


    Of course, Hiro made no response. He was just staring at Liz with his empty eyes.


    ¡°Hey, I told you to stop!¡±


    Hugin clicked her tongue. She cursed her in her mind for not listening to her. How could she be so capable and yet be so oblivious to Hiro¡¯s condition?


    Hugin¡¯s feelings were not conveyed to her, and the female knight red at Hiro with a wave of swelling anger.


    ¡°I¡¯ve given up my self-respect to fight this war, and I¡¯ve finallye to the point where I can take my revenge, and you stand in my way and won¡¯t even tell me your name!¡±


    The sound of an irritated voice rang out in the surrounding area. However, Hiro did not turn around.


    ¡°Fuh, don¡¯t make fun of me!¡±


    Skaaha, who had lost her nerve, picked up her spear and jumped at Hiro.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you dare touch my wise brother!¡±


    Sensing the attack, Hugin fired her arrows, but they were all knocked away.


    ¡°If you are to challenge the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword ¨D the Ice Emperor, you should be prepared to die.¡±


    Skaaha warned Hugin.


    ¡°¡­Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, you say?¡±


    Hugin had heard a bit of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword from Hiro. Hiro advised her to run for her life if she encountered them. That¡¯s when Hugin suddenly realized something.


    Perhaps the Ice Emperor had slowed down her ability to deal with danger.


    ¡°It¡¯s a disgrace for a knight to attack from behind, but there¡¯s no need to hold back when ites to those who don¡¯t know the etiquette.¡±


    After kicking the ground, Skaaha jumped. The spear dropped from the top to the bottom ¨D as if to thrust directly into the ground. If it were a normal person, they would not be able to avoid it, and its power would blow their body away. However, the hem of the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± not only flipped and bounced off the tip of the spear but also, frighteningly, sharpened and struck back strongly.


    ¡°Tch, what the heck is that?¡±


    Skaaha turned around and seeded in avoiding it by sacrificing a slight of her cheek skin. Still, before she had time to adjust her stance, the ck spear was released. Skaaha jumped back with a bloody face. Despite this, she still managed to avoid the ck spear that was closing in on her with paper margin, and even though she jumped backward, the rain of attacks never stopped.


    ¡°What a strange cloak you have¨D¨D!¡±


    If you¡¯re intimidated, you die; if you¡¯re hesitant, you die; if you¡¯re afraid, you die. So a battle of defense unfolds, not even tolerating a single blinking of the eye.


    Skaaha, who continues to handle the ck spear that is released at a tremendous speed without dy, is also like a monster. Skaaha repelled the ck spear strike in front of her heart andnded on the ground, raising a cloud of dust.


    ¡°Hah, hah¡­ hah, what¡¯s that?¡±


    As Skaaha, who is repeatedly breathing, looked up¡­


    ¡°W-when did you¡­¡±


    Hiro stood in front of her. In the blink of an eye, the distance between them was reduced at an rming rate. But strangely enough, neither of them showed any signs of attacking.


    Skaaha was ring at Hiro, her mouth twisted in bitterness.


    Hugin was a warrior herself. She knew why Skaaha had stopped moving.


    ¨D¨DIt¡¯s because of the ck eyes.


    ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s the Heavenly Spirit Eye, huh?¡±


    As someone who devotes her life to martial arts, this is a kind of extreme. It is a realm that only a handful of people who have spent their entire lives training can reach.


    The ability to see breathing particles, to catch the moving air, to realize everything.


    ¡°How much power do you have in such a small body¡­? Are you really a human being?¡±


    When Skaaha muttered with a touch of sorrow, Hiro painted his lips with an eerie smile.


    Silence ¨D No, in the oppressive feeling of being forced to be silent, Hiro announces his name in a voice without intonation.


    ¡°Hiro Rei Schwartz von Grantz¡­¡±


    He raises his right hand and touches the eye patch that covers the left half of his face.


    The atmosphere is unbearable and bursts as the hegemony swell. A huge amount of power presses down on the surroundings. Malice and murderous intent mixed together and began to create a unique and distorted space.


    In the midst of this, Hiro spun words that seemed to melt into the darkness.


    ¨D¨DThat¡¯s the name of the person who will kill you.


    Immediately after that, the ck, stagnant Heavenly Emperor swung with all his might. Skaaha was able to catch the sh that was unleashed at close range, but the impact was so great that the ground caved in.


    ¡°Guh!?¡±


    Next, Hiro¡¯s right leg flew from the edge of Skaaha¡¯s vision. Skaaha raised her left arm to catch the blow, but she could not withstand the fierce blow and blow away like dredging dust.


    ¡°Not bad¡­ now it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    As soon as shended on the ground, she kicked the earth and counterattacked when she came face to face with Hiro. The tip of her spear was precise and ruthlessly aimed at the vital point, but Hiro deftly flicked it all away.


    For some reason, Skaaha never stopped smiling, even though her attacks were all blocked.


    ¡°Hmph, let me show you my power!¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s voice was high-pitched and calm, clear as the wind.


    The ¡°blessings¡± of the ¡°Ice Emperor¡± ¨D ¡°Special Attack.¡± The clouds were rapidly swallowing up the stars in the sky, and a storm of tyranny was sweeping across the sky.


    ¡°The Ice Emperor told me that you are the user of the Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    An ice spear, which could even change the weather, was created in the atmosphere and covered the sky. As a result, the temperature began to drop drastically.


    The unusual change in the environment caused everyone on the ground to stop and look at the sky.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to take it easy! Ice Emperor, stab the entire thing to death!¡±


    As Skaaha swung her arms down, a torrential rain of ice spears rained down on thend. A cloud of white smoke enveloped the area, shattering the ground and causing the earth to shudder as it tried to engulf Hiro.


    However, Hiro only looked at the scene as if it was someone else¡¯s problem and did not make any pretense of running away.


    ¡±Wise brother! Please run away!¡±


    Hugin¡¯s scream rang out as the clouds turned the sky ck. But it was pointless. The area where Hiro had been was already filled with disorderly ice spears.


    Hugin copsed in shock on the spot, but Skaaha let out a sigh of admiration.


    ¡°He¡¯s not dead yet. But I¡¯m surprised. That Special Attack doesn¡¯t work.¡±


    As the wind blew away the white smoke, clearing the vision and dispersing a cold air that would freeze the lungs if breathed in, Hiro appeared horrifyingly unharmed. It was as if a hole had been left in the ground around him, and not a single ice spear existed.


    ¡°¡­..I see. Is that the ck Princess Camellia?¡±


    Skaaha distanced herself from Hiro while catching her breath.


    ¡°Even so, that¡¯s a tremendous power. How deep have you reached¡­? No, how can you stay sane when you use the conflicting powers of the Heavenly Emperor and the ck Princess Camellia?¡±


    As usual, Hiro does not respond to Skaaha¡¯s soliloquy, nor does he move a muscle.


    The only thing he does is look straight at Skaaha. Skaaha shivered as if she had felt a chill in her body as if she had felt a strange presence that seemed to be chasing her everywhere.


    ¡°And there¡¯s something else. I thought it might be the Heavenly Spirit Eye, but unfortunately, the Ice Emperor denied it. So what are you really?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    As before, Hiro did not answer anything. Skaaha shrugged her shoulders in resignation and readied the Ice Emperor.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s hear it directly from your body. Do not think that the ck Princess Camellia can prevent this.¡±


    Cold air began to flow from the blue spear. The gray smoke fell to the ground and dyed the world.


    ¡°There is nothing that the Ice Emperor cannot pierce.¡±


    ¨D¨DDivine Piercing.


    An explosion of high energy. The ice spear from Skaaha flew towards Hiro like a bolt of lightning.


    However, Hiro skillfully manipted the ck Princess Camellia to block the ice spear, and the ck cloak spread its jaws and swallowed the ice spear. Skaaha was appalled and stared at him in disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s merely a disguise ¨D in fact, the one above your head is the real one.¡±


    She smiled and pointed to the sky.


    When Hiro looked up above him, he saw that the Ice Emperor was heading straight for him, emitting a powerful sonic wave that froze the air where it had passed. The ck Princess Camellia was still digesting the ice spear, so Hiro, now defenseless, tried to take evasive action.


    ¡°Unfortunately, your feet are frozen due to the ¡°Special Attack¡±¡­ It is impossible to escape.¡±


    Said Skaaha gaspingly. She had used too much energy, and her beautiful face showed signs of fatigue. Still, she let out a ragged breath and pointed her fist at Hiro.


    ¡°It¡¯s my victory.¡±

 Volume 4, Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 6</h4>


    ¡°It¡¯s my victory.¡±


    ¡°The Ice Emperor¡± hits Hiro as if to crush him. It made a loud explosion sound and created arge cloud of dust. Hiro was blown away in the aftermath of the impact and collided with the ice block in which Liz was trapped, instantly bing entangled in the dust and disappearing from sight.


    ¨D¨DThe awakening was instantaneous.


    Hiro let out a heavy, leaden breath due to the intense pain that surged from his side.


    ¡°Agh, guahh¡­¡±


    His eyes, which had been cloudy earlier, rapidly cleared, and he felt the darkness that had been dominating his mind dissipate. Leaning his body against the thick wall behind him, Hiro looked down at his side. A tremendous amount of blood was pouring out. It was as if a faucet had been twisted all the way open and fresh blood was gushing out.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve bled.¡±


    It¡¯s probably a punishment for being so dominated by anger that he neglected to adjust. But thanks to that, he woke up.


    If anything, the cool feeling on his back took the heat out of his burning body. He felt as if someone was trying to tell him to calm down.


    He looked over his shoulder and saw Liz trapped in an ice cage.


    ¡°¡­..Thank you. You brought me back to my senses.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s eyes twisted with sadness, and he stood up.


    Already ¨D the gaping wound in his side has been closed. Hiro felt vaguely uneasy at the sight of his tremendous healing power.


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ really turned into a monster, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    He wondered where he had taken a wrong turn, where he had left his emotions behind. The question of whether he was really human shed through his mind.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re still alive after receiving my full force?¡±


    He heard a voice that sounded terribly surprised.


    When Hiro turned his eyes in that direction, he saw that the dust had been dredged up by the cold wind and had cleared away.


    Skaaha looked at Hiro suspiciously, and in her eyes, there was astonishment that she could not hide.


    ¡°Why are you still alive? Are you really a human being? It¡¯s as if you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything else. I¡¯m just a little more durable than others, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Hiro silenced Skaaha and approached her with a leisurely gait. In his hand was a silver and white Heavenly Emperor.


    Skaaha made a quick decision and raised the ¡°Ice Emperor¡± above her head.


    The next thing she knew, a shock hit her. The ground shattered loudly, and Skaaha was buried up to his ankles.


    ¡°Now, here¡¯s the real show.¡±


    Hiro raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the surrounding space begins to distort. A crack appeared, and as a signal, cracks began to form in the space one after another. What emerges from the cracks are spirit weapons.


    The spirit weapons that floated in the night sky filled the ground like stars. In front of the magical scene, Skaaha was dumbfounded as if fascinated by it.


    It is as if the heavens and the earth have been reversed, and the gentle light is very warm.


    ¡°I see¡­ you are a strange man.¡±


    Skaaha held up the Ice Emperor.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it our all.¡±


    Hiro, on the other hand, held up the Heavenly Emperor.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t have a lot of power left. So I shall use this one attack.¡±


    Skaaha leaped backward and held the Ice Emperor at her back. Her supremacy swelled, and she made a sound as if the air were being torn apart.


    The Ice Emperor¡¯s ¡°blessing¡± ¨D ¡°Special Attack.¡±


    The water around Skaaha froze, and arge number of ice spears appeared. All of them were aimed at one particr young man, Hiro.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Hiro, on the other hand, was simply standing there in his natural state. There was no self-consciousness; there was only nothingness. However, the supremacy that radiated from his body was extraordinary.


    When Hiro took a step forward, the ground erupted, unable to withstand the enormous power.


    The Heavenly Blessing of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± ¨D ¡°Divine Speed.¡±


    The spirit weapons summoned around him emitted a violent, bright light. They were all aimed at one particr woman ¨D Skaaha.


    And then ¨D the world shook.


    The victory or defeat was instantaneous ¨D in a matter of seconds. But Hugin, who was witnessing it, felt that it was almost an eternity.


    Hundreds, tens of thousands, and hundreds of millions of battles unfolded in front of her eyes.


    The supremacy and supremacy created by the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword ¨D the aftermath of the impact created by the collision of the two would reverberate throughout three thousand worlds. The only way to capture it is with your senses. It was not a speed that could be tracked with the eyes.


    It was an absolute realm that no ordinary person could reach. This is the battle between the holders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.


    Hugin didn¡¯t even know who had the advantage or the disadvantage. When Hugin realized, the winner had been decided.


    ¡°¡­I lose?¡±


    Skaaha was lying on her back. The sky had returned to its normal starry state.


    ¡°There are no fatal wounds¡­?¡±


    There are cuts all over her body, but none of them are fatal.


    Then I can still fight, she said, gritting her teeth and trying to stand up.


    ¡°I have things to aplish. I can¡¯t just copse here yet¡­¡±


    But then she fell to the ground face first. She had no strength in her limbs. She began to cry out in frustration and mmed her head into the ground.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s so frustrating.¡±


    Seeing Skaaha starting to sob, Hiro quietly approached her. When Skaaha heard the sound of the ground being trampled, she looked up and gave Hiro a look.


    ¡°Do you want to kill me?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Without saying a word, Hiro pointed the tip of the Heavenly Emperor at Skaaha.


    ¡°I want you to tell Booze, the Felzen Governor, and the First Prince Stobel.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to tell them?¡±


    ¡°That I will kill them even if it costs me my life.¡±


    The hatred that sent chills down his spine made Hiro curious.


    ¡°Can I ask what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not pleasant.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine. We all have parts of our lives that we don¡¯t want to hear about.¡±


    Skaaha stared at Hiro for a moment, then lowered her eyes sadly and began to speak.


    ¡°I was studying abroad, so I escaped danger¡­¡±


    Skaaha, who was studying in the Six Kingdoms, escaped the disaster, but what awaited her on her return was the ruined royal capital. The surviving people were overrun by Grantz soldiers, who treated them like ves, and her brothers were all beheaded. Her sisters had been humiliated and taken away by Stobel, and their heads had been salted and sent to her at ater date.


    ¡°See, there¡¯s nothing pleasant about that, is there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly¡­ true.¡±


    ¡°Well then, that¡¯s enough of that. You can have my head.¡±


    Skaaha offered her head. It¡¯s a very graceful thing to do.


    ¡°You have such a strong desire for revenge, yet you choose to die so easily.¡±


    ¡°You must have your own reasons for wanting to kill me.¡±


    Skaaha looked at the frozen Liz. Hiro also looked in the same direction but quickly returned his eyes to their original position.


    ¡°Yes. If she had died, I would have killed you.¡±


    But Liz is alive, no doubt about it. If Skaaha had really intended to kill her, there was no need to put her on ice. It would be too ineffective as an example.


    People are not disgusted by beautiful things but tend to look away from ugly things. In other words, seeing her with all her body parts intact would not convey cruelty.


    Anger cannot be sustained in a situation where there is no confirmation of life or death. If she wanted to incite anger, if she wanted to build up resentment, the most effective way would be to cut off Liz¡¯s head and send her back.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t do that. Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no interest in killing women or children. I have nothing against her, to begin with. Therefore, it would be uneptable for me to take her life as a member of the Felzen royal family.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s a matter of self-esteem?¡±


    Skaaha nodded at Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°As thest surviving member of the Felzen royal family, I must uphold the pride of being a member of the royal family.¡±


    And above all ¨D she said, turning her sincere eyes to Hiro.


    ¡°The pride left by my parents will not be tarnished by anything.¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t help but smile when he heard those words. He felt that she was just like her.


    The way she tried to protect what was left behind by those closest to her, the way she was vengeful but still clumsy with a sweet side ¨D she really was just like her.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. It just brought back a few fond memories¡­¡±


    Hiro apologized and then put on a serious face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you live.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders as Skaaha looked at him with a surprised expression.


    It¡¯s not that he wanted to keep her alive out of pity or that he chose to help her out of respect for her feelings. It was just that it wasn¡¯t funny ¨D it seemed truly ridiculous to take her life because of the Emperor¡¯s and Stobel¡¯s intentions.


    He just couldn¡¯t stand the fact that the people who were responsible for this were living happily and still smiling. He just couldn¡¯t forgive the situation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why do you forgive me? I¡¯m the one who put the sixth princess through all of this. Not only that, I¡¯ve hurt countless of your soldiers with my hands. I¡¯ve brought so many people into misery. Are you really going to forgive me for that¡­?¡±


    Skaaha was tantly flustered.


    It¡¯s not that she¡¯s happy that her life has been saved, but a kind of wishful thinking is evident in her voice.


    ¡°I see¡­ you are¡­¡±


    Hiro realized that she wanted to die. She had lost her parents; she had lost her siblings. She had no home to go back to and no ce to belong.


    She must have gathered her formerrades and kept her ego intact, thinking only of revenge. In order to punish herself for not being able to save her rtives and to atone for the crime of involving soldiers and people in her revenge, she is seeking a ce to die.


    If that¡¯s the case, then¡­


    ¡°We all live at some cost. If you want to atone for it, then you can choose death. But it¡¯s an escape, nothing more than self-satisfaction.¡±


    Hiro then approached her and put his mouth close to her ear.


    ¡°If you still wish to die, then I will take your life with me. From now on, you will continue to work as my hands and feet.¡±


    These were words that bordered on arrogance. Skaaha eximed in disbelief. However, if he didn¡¯t say so, she would choose death ¨D she would choose suicide.


    Therefore, he also gave her hope.


    ¡°When the timees¡­¡±


    The following words were cut short by the cheers of the Grantz soldiers as they shouted in triumph.


    However, they must have reached the ears of the wide-eyed girl. As time went by, her mind began to understand, and her eyes regained their brightness, and she nodded vigorously.

 Volume 4, Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 7

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 7</h4>


    November 25, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar ¨D Three days have passed since the siege of Fort Mitte. On that day, many of the Felzen remnants, realizing their defeat, took advantage of the darkness and disappeared.


    There will be no major battles from now on, but there will be frequent skirmishes in various ces. The people of Felzen¡¯s resentment will not disappear just because they lost, and as long as they¡¯re oppressed, they will not be able to regain their peace.


    It will be a long, long time before peace is restored to Felzen. The Grantz Empire will have to continue to spend huge amounts of money on Felzen.


    The Felzen region has also been exhausted by repeated wars. The people have nowhere to live, and the soldiers have nowhere to go. There are thieves, bandits, insurgents, and others, but before long, there will be rampant looting in many ces, and monsters that smell blood will attack the viges.


    When that happens, a massive military force will be deployed again to restore security.


    (But it¡¯s not like the west can afford that.)


    Then what will happen ¨D Hiro sighed deeply as he concluded.


    He was currently in a temporary infirmary in the courtyard of Fort Mitte. A bed with clean sheets was ced in front of him.


    The one breathing quietly on it was Liz. Hiro squeezed her hand gently.


    ¡°Yes, Tris and Cerberus are safe. Both of them are injured, but the military doctor said that they are in good health. They¡¯ve eaten a lot of food, and they¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    There was no answer. Hiro cast his eyes down sadly.


    ¡°©¤©¤¡­ All that¡¯s left is you, and everyone is waiting for you to wake up.¡±


    Hiro continued to speak, trying his best to hold back the emotions that were threatening to overflow from his throat.


    ¡°It¡¯s the opposite of what happened that day. I remember how worried you were about me that day.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s consciousness became clouded as he could not withstand the vast amount of knowledge that flowed into his mind as a reaction to the use of the ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye¡± when he was brought back to this world. She was the one who took care of the young man who she had just met and was probably did not even have any feelings for him. When he woke up, the gentle girl¡¯spassion soaked into him.


    That¡¯s why when he learned of Liz¡¯s situation, he vowed to himself to support her. He will never forget the vow she made to him that day. But the feelings are far away.


    ¡°Liz¡­ what do you think I¡¯m trying to achieve now?¡±


    He wondered what she would think when she found out about his true goal, which he hadn¡¯t told anyone about. In Hiro¡¯s mind, the conclusion has already been reached. It will probably never change.


    So¡­


    ¡°Please, when the timees, it will be your¨D¨D.¡±


    With a self-mocking smile, Hiro gently stroked Liz¡¯s hand, which still bore a fresh scar.


    And then¡­


    ¡°¡­Please tell me Liz¡¯s condition.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    He was suddenly called out from behind, and Hiro turned around with a surprised expression.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    At the entrance of the infirmary. Aura was standing there. The bandages on her head were a painful sight.


    ¡°How long have you been there?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I just arrived.¡±


    Aura¡¯s words were unclear as she looked from Liz to Hiro, her leaden eyes filled with shame.


    ¡°I apologize for this.¡±


    Aura suddenly bowed her head to Hiro.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not something that can be forgiven with an apology.¡±


    Aura sped her hands tightly and turned her eyes to him with all her might, trying not to shed a tear. It¡¯s rare for the usually expressionless Aura to reveal her emotions so strongly.


    ¡°I take full responsibility for everything.¡±


    Therefore, she is prepared to ept any punishment or reprimand.


    She may also be one of those who have received indelible scars from the recent battle. There is nothing that can be said to her. There was no point in offering words offort.


    So Hiro just smiled at her and opened his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay, too.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    Aura¡¯s eyes looked down as she clenched her lips together to hold back tears.


    ¡°Aura¡¯s n was not wrong. I think it was a good and well thought out n.¡±


    But that doesn¡¯t change the oue. Aura¡¯s n failed and caused a great deal of damage to the Grantz Empire.


    Although Hiro¡¯s advice will probably change the punishment, it is certain that she will not be unaffected.


    ¡°The future is bleak. Your position is on a precarious bnce.¡±


    Aura nodded knowingly as if she understood this. Her eyes told him that she was prepared to ept any oue.


    ¡°But it¡¯s harder for Hiro than it is for me.¡±


    It¡¯s not only he who makes the Grand Duchy of Dral that has withdrawn from the Felzen region. Not to mention the fact that he has been assured that the Grantz Empire will bear a portion of the losses from this battle.


    Above all, he rescued Liz, the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, and even saved Aura from being isted. His achievements must be immeasurable.


    The central nobility, led by the Krone family, would not remain silent. The First Prince Stobel and the other heirs to the throne, who had been plotting behind the scenes, would alsoe to the stage.


    ¡°I know. But I won¡¯t let my guard down, and I won¡¯t becent.¡±


    And Hiro renews his determination to protect everyone so that nothing like this will happen in the future. Aura sensed Hiro¡¯s intentions and nodded in agreement.


    Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Aura tilted her head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve called¡­ The Felzen Region Governor Booze to themand center.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Then, since it is bad to keep him waiting, I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile, I entrusted Liz to you. The doctor said she should be awake soon.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe it¡¯s okay to keep Booze waiting.¡±


    ¡°No, I want to get this over with before Liz wakes up.¡±


    After saying that, Hiro left the infirmary, leaving Aura to handle the rest. The sunrise greeted him as he stepped outside. The soldiers were busy running around.


    They were cleaning up Fort Mitte to prevent the spread of disease, disposing of bodies, and other tasks that made them feel like turning away. Still, they did notin and were absorbed in their work.


    On the way to the walls from such a hectic ce, Hiro called out to some of the patrolling soldiers and instructed them to follow him.


    Themand center was located above the main gate, in a small tower built into the breastworks.


    Many men were waiting at the entrance, and one of them stepped out in front of Hiro.


    ¡°I have been waiting for you.¡±


    It was Spitz, one of Aura¡¯s aides.


    His handsome face, which would elicit high-pitched screams if he walked the streets, was shaded by fatigue andck of sleep. In the vicinity, Aura¡¯s aides were standing around, looking nervous.


    ¡°They¡¯re all brought him there.¡±


    Spitz pointed his thumb at the door behind him.


    He then straightened his posture, dropped to one knee, and bowed his head. Aura¡¯s aides in the surrounding area repeated the same gesture as if they were following Spitz¡¯s lead.


    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for your help.¡±


    This was a rare and sincere attitude for Spitz. This indicates how dangerous the battle was.


    Hiro patted Spitz on the shoulder and shook his head, saying there was nothing to be concerned about. However, Spitz still remained bowed at the waist and did not raise his head.


    ¡°I would like to make a plea regarding Her Highness Celia Estre. I know this may seem like a convenient thing to say, but could you please give Brigadier General Aura your warmest consideration? The me for this debacle lies not with her but with us for failing to make it a sess.¡±


    They seemed to be saying, ¡°We¡¯ll give up our own heads for that.¡± They gave off the vibe like that.


    ¡°By all means, I beg Your Highness Hiro to intercede with His Majesty the Emperor!¡±


    Her subordinates really cherish Aura, Hiro thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. She may not be able to escape punishment, but she should be able to avoid severe punishment.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    When Spitz raised his head in surprise, Aura¡¯s subordinates shouted in delight.


    ¡°Yes, so don¡¯t worry, you can go back to work. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Please take care of Aura-sama!¡±


    They bowed deeply again, and Hiro made them step back with a wry smile.


    Then, after knocking on the door of the small tower twice, he stepped in with the guards.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    ¡°Inside, Felzen Region Governor Booze von Krone was sitting on a chair with a nervous look on his face.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Highness Hiro!¡±


    As soon as Booze recognized Hiro, he stood up from his chair and saluted him. Hiro looked at Booze quietly without returning the salute and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Do you know why you have been summoned here?¡±


    ¡°¡­..N-no, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Booze is confused. He really doesn¡¯t seem to understand.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s have a look at him first so that you can know why you were summoned.¡±


    Hiro pointed his hand at one of the guards he had brought with him.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time¡­ Lord Booze.¡±


    The guard ¨D Rach, took off his helmet and red hatefully at Booze.


    ¡°Wha, y-you¡¯re¡­ why are you here?¡±


    It is natural for Booze to be surprised. Rach is a man who served Skaaha, the leader of the Felzen remnant army. Prior to that, he was themander of the royal guard that protected the Felzen royal family.


    In other words, he¡¯s an enemy ¨D someone who shouldn¡¯t be here.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro! What is the meaning of this?¡±


    Hiro put on a calm expression when Booze raised his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to cooperate with them. I had to hand you over to them so they wouldn¡¯t think I was just making promises.¡±


    ¡°D-don¡¯t be ridiculous! What are you saying ¨D hey, what are you doing?¡±


    Soldiers other than Rach, who was serving as Hiro¡¯s guard, restrained the shouting Booze. They are also soldiers belonging to the Felzen Remnant Army.


    After the battle was over, Hiro had Rach and a few other soldiers infiltrate Fort Mitte.


    Things were easy. Aside from his rank, no one would be suspicious of Hiro¡¯s actions as a member of the imperial family. He had sent them to patrol Fort Mitte under the guise of the Raven Army.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro, if you kill me, you¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡±


    Hiro sniffed mockingly, annoyed by Booze¡¯s screaming.


    ¡°Can I ask you to be more specific?¡±


    ¡°If I disappear, the Krone family will surely be suspicious! Naturally, they will be suspicious of you, who is supported by the Eastern nobility. If that happens, you¡¯ll be making enemies with the central nobility!¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°Huh, what?¡±


    Booze was speechless. Hiro looked at the soldier who had pinned Booze down.


    ¡°Gaahh!¡±


    Booze, who had received a blow to the back of his head, fell to the floor with white eyes. Hiro looked down at him with cold eyes and let out a small breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m running out of patience, you know.¡±


    Wherever he is, the vicious behavior of the Krone family is on his nose. It¡¯s not only annoying, but they¡¯re even trying to kill him.


    ¡°The Krone family will fall soon. They will soon follow in your footsteps.¡±


    Hiro dered as he watched Booze being stuffed into a bup sack.


    Then Rach approached him.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro, thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still too early for that. I haven¡¯t fulfilled my promise yet.¡±


    ¡°It is only a matter of my feelings. I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°Then I suggest you leave this fort before Booze¡¯s men notice anything unusual. I don¡¯t want this opportunity to go to waste.¡±


    Rach nodded and ordered his men to carry the bup sack containing Booze on their backs.


    In normal times, the appearance would be suspicious, but in Fort Mitte, where people are busy disposing of the bodies, there is no reason to be suspicious. They would be able to escape from the fort without being detained.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Please pass on any information you get from him to me.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I will be sure to extract some useful information from him.¡±


    After bowing, Rach left with his men. Hiro saw them off, then left themand center and walked silently down the stairs of the walls.

 Volume 4, Chapter 5 – The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 8

    <h4>Volume 4, Chapter 5 ¨C The Heavenly Emperor And The Ice Emperor, Part 8</h4>


    (I think it¡¯s time for the Krone family to leave the stage.)


    And if that¡¯s the case ¨D the First Prince Stobel won¡¯t remain silent.


    He will definitely stand in front of Hiro. If that happens, there is even a possibility that Hiro wille into conflict with the emperor. No matter where he starts, the situation may continue to be unpredictable.


    (I¡¯ve got a certain amount of cards in my hand¡­ If I y them well, I have a chance of winning.)


    Hiro went not to the infirmary where Liz was sleeping but to the outside of Fort Mitte.


    The scars of war are still fresh. The bodies in the vicinity had been prioritized to avoid disease, but there were probably still many who had been buried under the burned-out tents.


    This is the encampment left behind by the Felzen remnants.


    Swords and spears were thrown on the ground, surrounded by the silence of ruins. Smoldering fires scorched the green leaves, creating an unpleasant smell that mixed with the air.


    Arge number of crows were wandering around in search of food, probably attracted by the faint smell of blood mixed in there.


    Eventually, Hiro stopped at a ce. It was a tent that wasrger than the tents abandoned around it.


    If he had to say where it was, it was in the center of the encampment ¨D themander¡¯s tent. Hiro stepped inside without hesitation.


    ¡°As I thought, you¡¯re here.¡±


    He stepped inside therge space at the back of the tent, where a woman was sitting with both knees together.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, huh¡­¡±


    She turned around and it was Haran Skaaha de Felzen.


    ¡°I have just been informed that Rach has captured Booze.¡±


    Skaaha puts her hands on the ground and bows her head.


    ¡°I thank you for keeping your promise.¡±


    ¡°As I told Rach-san, you don¡¯t need to thank me because I haven¡¯t fulfilled my promise yet.¡±


    ¡°Even if that were the case, I would not have been able to take Booze into my custody. My gratitude will never end.¡±


    Thinking of him as a courteous man, Skaaha turned her back on Hiro. There were a dozen boxes in front of her ¨D Hiro was about to open his mouth to wonder what they were.


    But Skaaha, noticing this, took the initiative.


    ¡°These contain the heads of my family members.¡±


    She said that some of them were not intact, but they were still the remains of her beloved family members. Turning to face the box again, Skaaha put her hands together and began to pray, tears streaming down her face.


    It was the ¡°poem¡± that the first Princess Shrine Maiden had once offered to the Spirit King.


    It is a poem that appealed to the Spirit King with tears, saying that she could not save the people tormented by the tyranny of the demon race, nor heal the wounded in a world of constant strife, and that the fires of war were only spreading, and she was powerless to do anything about it.


    After she had finished her prayer, Hiro asked her why she had kept Liz alive.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me that again¡­ I¡¯ve told you that before.¡±


    ¡°But that leaves me with an unnatural point.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°At the time, I was convinced by my own imagination and assumptions, but now that I think about it again, there¡¯s no need to put her on ice.¡±


    ¡°I told you, I have no taste for killing women and children.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it. If you believe that, then you didn¡¯t mean to kill Liz in the first ce. If that¡¯s the case, then I wondered why you put her on ice. You can¡¯t see the situation clearly, and you can¡¯t provoke the soldiers¡¯ anger holed up in the building. I thought it would be more effective to expose her injured and exhausted.¡±


    And when Hiro quickly exined, Skaaha turned around with her shoulders slumped as if she had given up.


    ¡°To put it simply, we were cornered at that time. However, we have the trump card, the sixth princess. I needed to put her on ice to prevent the soldiers who noticed it from going out of control.¡±


    In other words, she was acting to protect Liz. With so many people holding a grudge against Liz, it was impossible to keep her safe. Above all, as a woman, she might not have wanted her to suffer such humiliation.


    ¡°Besides, I nned to let her go as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to use her to demand from the Grantz Empire the custody of the First Prince of Stobel and an apology from the emperor.¡±


    The n was to capture Booze, who had escaped to Fort Mitte, secure the custody of Aura and the Third Prince Blutar, and demand that they withdraw from Felzen on condition that they hand them over.


    However, the emperor did not send any reply, let alone an apology.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Lord Puppchen has set up his own negotiations with the Third Prince Blutar.¡±


    Hiro put his hand on his chin and kept his eyes down in thought. When he had an audience with the emperor, the emperor said that the remnants of the Felzen army had not made any demands.


    What was the reason for his silence? Perhaps because he expected that Hiro would advise him to ept their demands. If he refused, it would have created a clear rift between Hiro and him.


    The only way to avoid this would be to obey the demand, but there was no way the emperor would apologize.


    (If I had to think of another reason, it would be¡­)


    It is unlikely that he felt pity for Skaaha and was afraid to let her live or that he wanted to prevent the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword ¡°Ice Emperor¡± from bing Hiro¡¯s pawn. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t tell Hiro. He withheld as much information about her as possible so that Hiro would not hesitate to kill her.


    That being the case, he must have been aware of Liz¡¯s situation. He must have been working with General Bakish to seal off all the information.


    (It looks like he¡¯s cooperating, but he¡¯s actually manipting me behind the scenes¡­ what a cunning man.)


    Emperor Greyheit is much stronger and more cunning than expected and maybe the most troublesome enemy of all.


    ¡°Hiro-dono¡­¡±


    Hiro was brought back to reality when a voice called out to him. In front of him was the figure of Skaaha, kneeling on one knee. She turned her gaze to Hiro with a devout look on her face.


    ¡°I shall now be your spear.¡±


    She summoned the Ice Emperor, ced the hilt in her hands, and raised it above her head.


    ¡°I am the spear that follows you. I am the spear that will pierce the heart of every enemy. I will thrust this spear into the hearts of all those who have malicious intent against you.¡±


    The oath to serve as vassal proved with the utmost courtesy.


    Seeing her determination, Hiro summoned the Heavenly Emperor.


    ¡°This is only the beginning, and I am still far from my goal, but I will definitely fulfill my promise.¡±


    Contracts, pacts, constraints, countless words can be used. But this oath was made by the spirits of both parties.


    A dazzling light shone from both of their weapons. The air is heavy because the spirits are shing with each other to establish a hierarchy.


    ¡°Will you give me what I want?¡±


    ¡°I will certainly give you what you want.¡±


    ¡°Will you be true to your word to me?¡±


    ¡°I will certainly fulfill my promise.¡±


    ¡°Then, from now on, all that I am shall be yours.¡±


    An oath ¨D a promise of master and servant. It was a curse that was engraved on Skaaha¡¯s body.

 Volume 4, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 4, Epilogue</h4>


    After their oaths were done, they looked out at the burning tent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely avenge them¡­¡±


    As her eyes reflected the scene of the tent burning down with a loud noise, Skaaha muttered a few words. Although he sensed the deep sadness in her words, Hiro had no intention of offering words offort.


    She would continue to move forward without him saying anything. She would not stop until she got her revenge.


    However, Hiro was thinking about the future. If she got her revenge, he wanted her to find her own path and pursue it.


    (Until then, I will guide her. I believe that she and Liz will have a good rtionship.)


    It will surely be a good stimulus for both of them to improve each other as the holders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.


    ¡°¡­Now that I have nothing left to regret. For now, let¡¯s say goodbye to the past.¡±


    Skaaha said with her back to the burning tent.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to Fort Mitte.¡±


    As Hiro began to walk, Skaaha solemnly followed behind him. Her identity is known to many people. So she hid her face with her hood.


    She must have lived in inconvenience for a while. Hiro apologizes for that, but she will have to put up with it.


    (But that¡¯s only for a little while.)


    From now on, the eyes that have been looking outward will turn inward. He will have to decide where to start to break it down, and since any shy move might be detected, he will have to stay quiet on the surface.


    However, in order to stop them from breathing, he is nning to hunt them down slowly.


    (First, let¡¯s get Liz back on track¡­)


    And then, just before Fort Mitte, Hiro stopped in his tracks. He felt he heard a familiar, very warm voice. But when he looked around, he could only see soldiers at work, and he thought he was hallucinating.


    ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯m really d.¡±


    Hiro looked up and saw a girl he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time.


    ¡°Hiiiiirooooo!¡±


    The beautiful melody that he had been looking forward to more than anything else was carried by the wind and gently caressed his ears. Although her injuries are not fully healed, she is climbing the walls with a dangerous gait.


    Every once in a while, her face would contort, probably because her wounds hurt. Nevertheless, Liz appealed to Hiro with exaggerated movements as if to assert to him that she was safe.


    Hiro could onlyugh dryly in amazement. Skaaha, next to him, rolled her eyes in surprise.


    ¡°Hiiiiirooooo!¡±


    The red-haired girl calls out his name over and over again ¨D and next to her, the silver-haired girl is also in a panic.


    ¡°Hmm, I see; she¡¯s really an energetic girl.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get along.¡±


    Hiro said, and Skaaha nodded vigorously.


    ¡°I know that. I¡¯ve only known her a short time, but¡­ she has already touched my heart.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s go before she falls from the walls.¡±


    Hiro quieted his fluttering heart and walked lightly to the moment he had been waiting for.

 Volume 4, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 4, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you for picking up the book ¡°The Otherworldly Tales of Mythological, Legendary Hero vol 4¡±!


    For those of you who are still reading from the previous volume, it¡¯s been three months. For those of you who have been reading since volume 4¡­ is there any? As expected, none, right? So, if there are any of you out there who read it, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.


    Now, from the reader¡¯s perspective, three months can seem like a very long time, but when I¡¯m writing like this, three months seems like a very short time. In other words, it¡¯s been less than a year from the release of the first volume to the fourth volume.


    It¡¯s been a dramatic year ¨D and it¡¯s gone by really fast. If I wanted to talk about it, I could probably write a whole book about it.


    If I were to talk about my memories ofst year, I would say that the most memorable moment was when I saw my book in the bookstore. After that, the rest of the year was a blur of busyness, and the new year came quickly.


    This year, I received a fan letter early in the new year, which made me feel very happy. I also participated in a party. Although I wondered if I should participate in it, I am d that I did because it gave me many valuable experiences.


    I have nothing to say if I can continue to spend my time happily in the future, but many things happen in life, so I would like to live my life without being careless.


    Now, let me give my gratitude.


    Miyuki Ruria-sama, thank you so much for drawing the characters, including the new ones, so attractively in this volume. I always wait with excitement for the rough sketches toe.


    To the editors in charge, S-sama and D-sama, I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the previous volume and this one as well. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be bothering you again in the future, but please ept my best regards.


    Thank you very much to the editorial staff, proofreaders, designers, and everyone else involved in this work. I look forward to working with you again in the future. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all my colleagues for causing tremendous inconvenience again.


    And to the readers who have been reading this story since thest volume, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for making it this far.


    I will continue to send out more of my never-ending chuunibyou in the future, so please give me your support.


    I look forward to the day when we can meet again.

 Volume 5, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 5, Prologue</h4>


    The floor was covered with a huge number of dead bodies. Wounded corpses were lying on the floor. Burned corpses were lying on the floor. Mutted corpses were lying on the floor.


    All of them were so damaged that it was obvious at a nce that they had lost their breath.


    This ce is filled with blood that cannot be stopped. The flowers of death were blooming so brightly that they dyed the world red. The ceiling copsed with a loud crash, sending up a cloud of dust and turning the red world gray.


    The throne room, the symbol of prosperity, was about to copse.


    In a space filled with a strange smell, the air was dominated by the stench of decay, and the pervasive smell was that of death.


    In the midst of such a hellish space, there is a woman buried in the rubble.


    Her blue-green hair, which had lost its luster due to the dust, was dyed bright red, and fresh blood was dripping from the edge of her mouth. It was hard to tell if she was alive or dead.


    A little farther away, a red-haired girl was leaning against a pir and copsed. Her whole body was covered with painful wounds. The only thing that could be understood was that she had been in a fierce battle.


    However, it was impossible to grasp what had happened to her.


    At the far end of the room, on the glittering throne that symbolizes this country, there was a headless corpse. The corpse, d in a feathered robe of gold and silver threads, belonged to the emperor who reigned at the top of thend.


    The lost head of the emperory at the feet of a man.


    ¡°¡­..Don¡¯t you know that one after the other, those worthless people, are useless?¡±


    The man spitting out vindictive words while holding his face ¨D he was the man who was called the First Prince.


    In front of him, a gentle-looking twin-ck boy is standing leisurely.


    The boy¨D¨D,


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¨D¨DA ferocious smile appeared on his face.

 Volume 5, Chapter 1 – The Growth of The Flame Princess, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 1 ¨C The Growth of The me Princess, Part 1</h4>


    The season is winter ¨D December 9th, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The ins are swirling with a cold wind. The grass and flowers were withering, and the golden leaves that colored the trees were dancing on the road as the strong winds scattered them.


    One of the main roads of the Great Empire of Grantz, the Grand Highway of Schein ¨D vigers were walking there with their cattle. Another child was happily waving a branch as if it were a sword. A mother connected her hands together and smiled as she watched the scene.


    It was a typical scenery, a typical day, a typical happy family scene that could be seen anywhere.


    However, the air is filled with an unsettling tone that is out of ce ¨D a bass that resonates in the pit of the stomach and shakes the body as it travels from the ground to the feet.


    What appeared in front of the vigers was an army d in heavy iron.


    At the front of the army, bathed in the light of the sun swimming in the offshore sky, fluttering in the wind was the ck dragon¡¯s crest g.


    The vigers rolled their eyes as the army appeared and bowed their heads in panic as they moved to the side of the road. There were three thousand of them marching in front of them. It was an army led by ¡°One-Eyed Dragon,¡± the ¡°God of War¡± descendant. In addition, there are other gs that prove their existence, such as a red g with a lily flower on it and a purple g with a sword and shield on it.


    As a result, the soldiers belonged to various groups. Except the 800 out of 3000 troops known as the ¡°Raven Army,¡± was a group of guards sent out by western nobility.


    ¡°Fuwaahh¡­¡±


    A child stands up, his eyes shining with happiness, and unconsciously takes a step forward.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    The mother hurriedly pulled the child¡¯s body to her ¨D but her action was too slow. The horse neighs loudly, and at the same time, a luxurious carriage stops right in front of them.


    ¨D¨DThey interrupted the imperial family¡¯s march.


    In other words, they could have been sentenced to death. The mother¡¯s face turned pale with pity.


    ¡°Do you know whose march you¡¯ve interfered with?¡±


    The soldier¡¯s voice flew in anger. The soldiers¡¯ voices were filled with such rage that they wanted to cover their ears. The vigers around them barely managed to hold back their screams, but their faces were pale with despair.


    ¡°Please forgive me! I did not mean to offend!¡±


    The mother sped her hands together and desperately apologized. The vigers begged for forgiveness for the mother and child. However, the anger of the screaming soldiers did not abate.


    He knew that if anything happened to the imperial family, he would be punished as well. It would be better if he only lost his job. If he were not careful, his life would be in danger because of his responsibility.


    The soldier¡¯s face flushed with anger, and he lifted his arms high above his head, whip in hand.


    ¡°No! You people¨D¨D!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I hope you can forgive them.¡±


    The voice of restraint flew. With startled expressions, the vigers and soldiers turned their attention to the location. The window of the carriage had been opened. A boy with ck hair and eyes peeked out of the window.


    Seeing his unusual color ¨D a color that people in this world cannot have, everyone was taken aback and threw a rude nce at him. But it was only for a moment because a soldier stood in front of the boy, blocking the gaze of the vigers.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro! But they¡¯re interrupting the march¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re so dedicated to your work. But you¡¯ll have to forgive them this time.¡±


    The soldier stifled a sigh of relief.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see the imperial family in a ce like this. It¡¯s not surprising that the children were surprised by the curiosity. It was not something we could have expected this time. I hope you can forgive them for that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°Also, I want you to give this to the kid.¡±


    Hiro handed him a small package. The soldier rolled his eyes as he checked the contents through a small opening.


    ¡°Is it¡­ candy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a bribe for the children who will support the future of the Grantz Empire.¡±


    Hiro smiled at the soldier.


    ¡°Ha¡­ I¡¯ll go give it to him.¡±


    A strange imperial family. While looking at the soldier, he turned his body quizzically and handed the sweets to the child. The child who received it thanked the soldier, his eyes shining with happiness.


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not from me; it¡¯s from His Highness Hiro.¡±


    The soldier alternates his gaze between Hiro and the child with a puzzled expression on his face. Hiro smiled and pointed his fingertips to the end of the road.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ um¡­¡±


    It was clear that confusion upied his heart. The soldier had aplicated expression on his face. Still, there was no way he could disobey the imperial family¡¯s orders.


    The soldier seems to have immediately changed his mind and saluted Hiro.


    ¡°Ha! Right away!¡±


    The soldier¡¯s cheerful reply brought the heat to the cold air.


    ¡°Thank you very much! Thank you!¡±


    After receiving further shouts of thanks from the vigers, Hiro pulled his face back. As the carriage began to move forward again and his body began to shake, Hiro took another look around the interior.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see, where were we before?¡±


    Hiro asked the people in the carriage, and one of the girls raised her hand.


    ¡°¡­To the letter of His Majesty.¡±


    There was no expression on her face. Her face, which showed no trace of emotion, was one of uncaring.


    She is Brigadier General Trea Luzandi Aura von Bunadhara of the Great Grantz Empire. She belongs to the western nobility, but for some reason, she was currently on her way to the Great Imperial Capital with them.


    (It would have been better if Liz had recovered, but¡­ this arrived and could not be ignored.)


    Hiro looked down at his hand. There was a letter from the emperor ¨D a letter of summons. It said that Aura¡¯s punishment had been decided and that Liz was to be med for the blunder.


    (At best, it¡¯s a house arrest, at worst, it¡¯s a demotion, and if it¡¯s anything other than that, it¡¯s deprivation of the right to inherit the throne.)


    After all, the fact that she had led an army of 20,000 troops and lost the battle must have left a bad taste in people¡¯s mouths. It¡¯s true to say that there was no way to avoid it, but the fact that she suffered a loss doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t be med for it. Since she¡¯s the sixth princess, the noble lords mayin about her. This is the reason why a suitable punishment is necessary. It¡¯s the same for Aura.


    Still, a severe punishment could be avoided. That¡¯s why Hiro attacked the Grand Duchy of Dral.


    (Whatever the case, it¡¯s up to the emperor to decide what to do with the two of them.)


    Hiro sighed and looked at Liz, who was sitting to the right of Aura.


    She usually has a pleasant smile on her face, but at the moment, she seems to have something on her mind and is snarling with a stern look on her face. However, her injuries seem to be fine, and apart from the ripped nails, the wounds are healing at an rming rate thanks to the protection of the spirit sword.


    ¡°So what was written in the emperor¡¯s letter?¡±


    In response to the voice, Hiro looked to the left of Aura and saw a woman wearing a hood. She¡¯s a strong woman and a former princess who led the Felzen remnant army and hunted down Aura.


    She is Haran Skaaha de Felzen.


    Although her face was hidden in the shade, her mouth was twisted with hatred, as if she was notfortable when she heard the word emperor. Hiro didn¡¯t bother to mention it and decided to pretend he hadn¡¯t seen it.


    ¡°Yeah, it would be quicker if you read the emperor¡¯s letter¡­¡±


    It was sent to Hiro, but the contents were quite normal, and there was nothing to hide. When he opened the emperor¡¯s letter in front of the three of them, they huddled together and peered at it.


    Aura was the first to react. Perhaps it was something she had anticipated, but she cowered and leaned back. After that, Liz stared at the letter with a somber expression but soon began to clench her fists and nod as if she had made up her mind.


    Only Skaaha was repeatedly breathing as if to quiet her mind. She began to take on a dangerous air as if she would jump on the emperor if she met him.


    ¡°So, I¡¯d like to discuss the future.¡±


    Hiro opened his mouth with a wry smile at the three different responses he had received.


    ¡°I think that depending on the situation; the rival factions will me Liz and Aura for their failure.¡±


    They will surely call for severe punishment. It would be the perfect opportunity to eliminate Liz from the struggle for the throne¡¯s session and kick Aura, who had been making great strides, to the curb. There was no way they would let that pass.


    Then, in order to avoid that, they would have to change their point of view.


    ¡°The Krone family, the ones who hadmitted such treasonous acts in Felzen, were just around the corner. Let¡¯s use them to our advantage.¡±


    By exposing their crimes in broad daylight, they can turn the tables on the rival factions. The conclusion Hiro reached was to condemn all those involved and weaken the Krone family, but first, he wanted to hear the opinions of the three of them.


    ¡°I agree with that¡­ but that¡¯s not enough.¡±


    Liz looked straight at Hiro with determination in her eyes. The light is still wavering, but it is still searching for the best move, and it is still worrying and trying to arrive at the right answer.


    ¡°The Krone family should also bear the cost of Felzen¡¯s reconstruction.¡±


    Hiro nodded in satisfaction at Liz¡¯s answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Exactly. They need to get what they deserve.¡±


    It is important to showpassion not only to one¡¯s own people but also to the people of other countries. In order to stand at the top of the Grantz Empire, one must not take things from a small perspective.


    ¡°You can rest assured; Rosa will take care of that matter.¡±


    Surely, when they reach the Great Imperial Capital, they will encounter an interesting sight.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I believe I have chosen the right person. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be able to handle it.¡±


    Hiro smiled and then looked at Liz, who began to thinknguidly again.


    ¡°Then¡­ all that¡¯s left is¡­ my responsibility to my father¡­¡±


    Responsibility as a member of the imperial family. Duties as a citizen. Responsibilities thate with aiming to be emperor.


    (I see¡­ she really started to walk.)


    Whatever the impetus, Liz began to walk her own path.


    (Royal road, supreme road. Where will Liz go¡­?)


    No matter which way she chooses, the sadness of leaving her own hands will overwhelm her heart. It was a good sign, and at the same time, Hiro thought, it would allow him to advance his own goals.


    (For the time being, I will act to put Liz on the throne.)


    But he couldn¡¯t keep doing that. He had to achieve his own goals at the same time. But he didn¡¯t want Liz, Rosa, or anyone else in the Grantz Empire to find out about it. This n is something that even Ghada, his confidant, does not know about.


    (I¡¯ve asked her for her cooperation, but I¡¯m not sure I can trust her.)


    At the moment, Hiro¡¯s path and hers ovep. Their interests coincide with each other. Therefore, he asks for her cooperation, but it is too dangerous to trust her, even if he can trust her.


    Hiro looked out the window at the whitish north.


    (Still, it¡¯s better to take advantage of it while it is avable. It is better to have as many pawns as possible because if you keep ying it safe for fear of danger, you will never be able to make a move on your side. Even if it¡¯s originally ck, it¡¯s white for now.)


    While Hiro was pondering this, Aura was looking at Skaaha with great interest.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    But Aura didn¡¯t say anything; she just stared at Skaaha.


    ¡°Ugh¡­..¡±


    Skaaha is ufortable and shaking her shoulders, and her body movements are very confused. Liz didn¡¯t seem to notice the two of them, and as if she had made up her mind, she looked up and turned her red eyes to Hiro.


    ¡°Hiro¡­ there is something I want you to ask you when we get to the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    Her voice was full of determination, and Hiro knew that she had set her course. Whether that was an important turning point or not is remained to be discovered.

 Volume 5, Chapter 1 – The Growth of The Flame Princess, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 1 ¨C The Growth of The me Princess, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°¡­I understand. But there is still time for you to think about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But I¡¯ve decided not to hesitate anymore.¡±


    Her determination was unshakeable. Hiro could sense that.


    ¡°I see¡­ Then, I¡¯m looking forward to that time.¡±


    Hiro muttered and looked at the three of them again, trying not to forget the scene.


    Liz is about to start walking away by herself. Aura seems to have found a new path after the battle in Felzen, and Skaaha dreams of rebuilding Felzen after achieving her revenge. She may be consumed by anger and hatred at the moment, but once she has achieved her goal, she will have time to think.


    (These girls¡¯ future¡­ is not something to worry about, I see.)


    Even if Hiro is no longer with them, they will surely believe in their own path and go forward.


    When a person makes up their mind, they will take a great leap forward. They grow at an astonishing rate. It was the same for Hiro, and it was the same for Altius.


    He swam around freely like a fish in water, and that led to the Grantz Empire.


    And then, when the girls have grown up, there will be no more use for Hiro.


    (And then it was time to move on.)


    As far as he can predict, there is no doubt that the Grantz Empire will be in trouble. There is even a possibility that it will cause a war involving the surrounding countries.


    (For a thousand years, the Grantz Empire has reigned as the ruler of the central continent. But now it is an old lion. Its power is not as strong as it once was.)


    Although its fangs are still intact, its eyes are clouded, its internal organs are rotting, and its bones be brittle.


    Everything that has a form will eventually crumble.


    The weak will be ughtered by the strong, and the natural order of things cannot be changed, even in the midst of prosperity. In other words, when the crisis of existence arises, that¡¯s when it will be his turn.


    (I wonder if Altius was referring to this¡­)


    When he returned to this world, Altius¡¯ words that he had met in his dream passed through his mind.


    ¡°I see¡­ a ¡°turning point¡± wille in that era.¡±


    But after that, he didn¡¯t reply to Hiro¡¯s words but told him to be free and have fun, saying whatever he wanted. At the end of the sentence, his voice trailed off, and he couldn¡¯t be heard.


    (What the hell do you want me to do?)


    Hiro pped himself on the chest as if to crush his anxiety. The card Altius had given him had already disappeared. He had predicted that it would have disappeared when he saw Liz injured during the battle with the Felzen remnants and forgot himself.


    But strangely enough, there was no change in any part of his body.


    No ¨D the change wasing. It was steadily beginning to eat away at Hiro¡¯s body.


    (Maybe this is the punishment I¡¯ve been sentenced to.)


    Hiro smiled self-mockingly and quickly shook his head to erase the anxiety from his mind.


    For now, he had to deal with the matter at hand without thinking about anything else. After that, he could think about himself.


    ¡°First, I think I¡¯ll try to seize power from the Krone family in an audience with the emperor.¡±


    Hiro decided to give Liz a push. He assured her that he had no hesitation in prioritizing others¡­ so that she would not be deted. However, he was sure that there was still some hesitation in the corner of her head because she was kind. She would have to clear her mind of it.


    ¡°While the noble lords are in a panic, I intend to have her umte the power of the eastern nobles.¡±


    From here on, he would tell Rosa to switch from Hiro to Liz.


    But he won¡¯t tell Liz about it now. Not because Aura belongs to the western nobility, and of course not for the trivial reason that Skaaha is present. The only reason is to avoid giving Liz unnecessary confusion by making her strongly aware of it.


    ¡°And then I¡¯m going to make the central nobility even more suspicious and plot to turn them over to the eastern nobility. And if the First Prince Stobel drops out of the struggle for the throne, the Krone family will fall.¡±


    Because of Aura, he avoided making a clear statement to the western nobility¡­ but he believes that they are no match for the eastern nobility now. Because the battle in Felzen has weakened the western nobility, unfortunately for the Third Prince Blutar, he too will have to give up his right to the throne. The rest of the enemies are the northern nobility who support the Second Prince Selene and the southern nobility who don¡¯t support anyone. There¡¯s no one eerier than those who are still sitting idly by. There is even a possibility that they will try to take advantage of the situation. Above all, it would be troublesome if they were to collude with them.


    But from now on, Rosa and the rest of the east will have to deal with the center and the west. It would be terrible to make them deal with the north and south as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I should rely on Kiork-san.¡±


    He is certainly increasing his status in the south. But that doesn¡¯t mean that he canpete with the five major noble families, the Muzuk family, who control the southern nobility.


    ¡°My uncle is indeed excellent. I do not doubt his ability, but I¡¯m pretty sure he can¡¯t do it alone.¡±


    As Liz said, Kiork is not powerful enough, and if he fails, he could lose his status as margrave of the Grinda territory. Although he wanted more help, he had been involved in so many wars that he hadn¡¯t been able to do much in the way of politics. However, there is no time left to look for a coborator or someone he can trust.


    (If I take my time here, I¡¯ll be stabbed in the back.)


    That¡¯s what the other countries are doing ¨D if they think that Hiro¡¯s power has weakened, those who are cooperating with him will turn into his enemies.


    (Maybe this is where one person¡¯s power is limited.)


    Of course, Rosa and Kiork are doing their best, but they are the only non-military coborators in the country, and it is impossible to take on all of them. If it had been 1,000 years ago, he would have been able to interfere in politics, but now he doesn¡¯t have the power that the heroic king of the twin cks had back then. And then, Aura raised her hand in front of Hiro¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°¡­I have one reassuring ally.¡±


    ¡°Reassuring ally?¡±


    Aura nodded her head in agreement with Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°In the far east, there is a small country that has tremendous influence.¡±


    With those words alone, Hiro could guess the answer.


    At the eastern edge of the central continent, there is the small country of Baum. There is a mausoleum dedicated to the Spirit King, and the influence of the priestess, The Princess Shrine Maiden, extends to the surrounding countries. It is so immense that even the Grantz Empire cannot ignore it.


    If they could use her power, they would be able to get one step ahead of any of the opposing nobles.


    It is true that the Princess Shrine Maiden ¨D the small country of Baum ¨D will fully cooperate with Hiro.


    (But¡­ I¡¯d rather not do that. That country can¡¯t withstand war.)


    It has influence, but because it has been under the protection of the Grantz Empire for so many years, it has no military power whatsoever. If he asks for cooperation in a situation where all sides may be enemies in the future, the small country of Baum, caught in the crossfire of war, will disappear from the map in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea, but¡­ it¡¯s something that needs to be judged carefully.¡±


    Still, it¡¯s always a good idea to have insurance. He thought to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll have to write a letter asking for her support at least.¡± Aura, who nced at the window, called out again to Hiro as he decided.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to arrive at the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re earlier than expected. But the audience is tomorrow, right?¡±


    Liz¡¯s words interrupted the conversation. Hiro nodded in affirmation.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to stay at Rosa¡¯s mansion today. I think she¡¯ll be waiting for us since I sent out a message earlier.¡±


    Rosa has already arrived at the Great Imperial Capital. She has already arrived in the capital, having received word that Liz had been captured and was stationed in the capital, leading her troops so that they could move at any time.


    ¡°What about Aura, by the way?¡±


    Hiro suddenly said something that caught his curiosity.


    ¡°I will stay at Lady Kelheit¡¯s mansion too.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bad idea?¡±


    Aura¡¯s faction ¨D the western nobility ¨D might say something. There is a possibility that her life will be in danger. In addition, the Bunadhara family belongs to the West. Wouldn¡¯t it cause trouble for her rtives as well? However, Aura shook her head and denied it.


    ¡°My family intends to be part of Liz¡¯s faction.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ also new to me. Do you mind if I ask why?¡±


    Aura nodded cutely at Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°The west has been torn to shreds.¡±


    Due to the repeated battles in Felzen, the western nobility has no more funds to spare, and the central nobility has been interfering with them, causing them to be distrustful. So they¡¯re worried that Aura¡¯stest blunder will be med on the west as well.


    ¡°There¡¯s also a reason why I¡¯m working with Hiro.¡±


    Aura sadly lowered her eyes and turned them to him, which had an apologetic color in them.


    ¡°The western nobles would have abandoned me.¡±


    That¡¯s why her father, who was also the head of the Bunadhara family, had told her to go under Hiro¡¯s protection for her own safety. He might have decided that she would not be in danger if she came under Hiro¡¯s protection.


    Aura straightened her back and bowed her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not telling you.¡±


    It was a result of her own blunder. Aura would have been willing to ept any punishment. That¡¯s why she felt bad about dragging Hiro and the others into this mess.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    Hiro said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no need for Aura to apologize!¡±


    ¡°Ubuh!¡±


    As if tofort Aura, Liz hugged her vigorously and began to pat her head. Aura was left to her own devices, although she looked unhappy because of her weakness.


    Hiro watched the exchange between the two with a smile on his face, but suddenly a shadow fell on his face, and he muttered to himself.


    ¡°But still¡­ The west has lost its luxury to that extent?¡±


    Aura, who is equipped with unparalleled intelligence, is cut down. It¡¯s also a way of saying that they can¡¯t protect her. They may have their hands full with their own, but even so, it seems that they have made the wrong choice.


    ¡°Things should be okay for a while.¡±


    But¡­ Aura said, turning her face down.


    ¡°Several powerful nobles will be leaving the Third Prince Blutar¡¯s camp in theing days.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the western nobility will be divided¡­ or the leading noble will be reced.¡±


    The leading noble house in the west is currently the Munster family, the family of the Third Prince Blutar.


    ¡°The ample funds that kept the western nobles chain together have run out.¡±


    The end of the money is the end of the rtionship. It¡¯s the same in every world. However, Aura must feel no small amount of debt to the Third Prince Blutar.


    Can she really decide to fight him when they be enemies¡­? Hiro thinks that this is what worries him. She is very loyal. There must be some hesitation somewhere in her heart.


    Today¡¯s enemy is tomorrow¡¯s friend and vice versa. This is what war is all about¡­ but it can¡¯t be helped, Hiro sighed.


    ¡°¡­This is getting more and more unpredictable.¡±


    The Krone family, the leading central nobility, has lost the trust of the emperor. The Munster family, the leading western nobility, is also on the verge of being abandoned by the emperor. Is this just a coincidence, or is someone else¡¯s n at work? If so, how far is that person taking it?


    The only thing he can think of is that it could be a southern or northern nobleman. Of course, it could also be Rosa¡¯s eastern nobles, but she can¡¯t be expected to act without telling Hiro.


    (The situation on the board is starting to get rough from what I overlooked.)


    However, when he thought about it again, he realized that his actions could be aiding that person. Henceforth, he will have to act with caution.


    Besides, there is an unsettling atmosphere in the central continent, including the surrounding countries.


    Moreover, it seemed as if only the Grantz Empire was dealing with the situation.


    (Everyone is working for their own interests. If they see that they are losing money, they will be cut off.)


    Even the people with whom Hiro has established a cooperative rtionship are in a situation where they may turn their back on him at any moment.


    Besides, there are still a few countries in the Central Continent that are known as major powers. They are probably living peacefully and steadily building up their armies. It¡¯s a shame that there is no information about the countries in the distant west, but what is certain is that they are vigntly targeting the Grantz Empire.


    If they continue to wage war, the Grantz Empire will only be exhausted, and the country left behind by Hiro¡¯s friends will be tarnished and crumbled by foolish people. That is something he cannot allow to happen. Their ¡°history¡± must be left to future generations.


    (But leaving it behind is not an easy task.)


    The path to the copse of the Grantz Empire has already beenid out. If this is a part of someone¡¯s n, then he needs to take action as soon as possible, but just as he thought earlier, Hiro¡¯s power alone is not enough to reach that point. He didn¡¯t want to be on the back foot, but he was already in a situation where he couldn¡¯t make the first move.


    (But that¡¯s why it¡¯s interesting. If everything went the way I wanted, it would be boring.)


    He had the cards in his hand. He told himself that he would be fine. If his opponent was one move ahead, he just had to be two moves ahead of his opponent.


    (I will definitely achieve my goal. No one will stand in my way.)


    Just let them cut as many thinyers of skin as they want. Then, all he had to do was cut off the bone.


    In front of Hiro, who was quietly deepening his smile, Liz was happy that Aura joined the curtain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about military strategy. If you have any tactical books that you think I should read, please let me know.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Aura¡¯s face is expressionless, but she seems to be happy.


    ¡°By the way, here is the best rmendation.¡±


    Aura held out the ¡°ck Book¡± out of nowhere. Hiro¡¯s cheek twitches. Liz also had a slightly ufortable expression on her face.


    But only Skaaha was looking at it with interest.


    ¡°Hou, the ck book, huh¡­ It¡¯s very rare, and I heard that it¡¯s not avable anymore.¡±


    Aura nodded vigorously with shining eyes when Skaaha paid attention to her.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a book about the life of the God of War up until he got the throne. But that¡¯s not all; it also contains things that were never mentioned in the other books, such as the tactics he used to y the enemy¡¯s armies and the strategies he used to feign defeat in order to ensure victory in the end. In other words, the knowledge of the God of War is packed into this one book. But that¡¯s not all. It also exins how he became the second emperor and fills in the gaps in his life that are not mentioned in the literature. That alone is worth reading and will make you feel as if you have lived a lifetime. If you don¡¯t read it, you will regret being born.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ I¡¯ll read itter too.¡±


    Aura suddenly began to speak more eloquently, and Skaaha was taken aback.


    ¡°You should definitely read it. It¡¯s a book that will make you love the second emperor. You should read it as soon as possible; you will feel d to have been born in this world. It¡¯s that addictive. You don¡¯t need to eat food. This one book will feed you for two weeks.¡±


    As if to say it¡¯s been proven, Aura puts her heart on the line. Aura¡¯s face showed a momentary expression of dismay, but she quickly hid it and feigned admiration.


    ¡°I-is that so¡­? That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°Read it right now. And let me know what you think.¡±


    ¡°N-now? N-no, I would rather not do that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°W-why, you ask, I can¡¯t answer that¡­¡±


    Hiro smiled at the sight of Aura¡¯s eyes, which had even begun to take on the cold air, and at the sight of the panic-stricken Skaaha. Liz was looking out the window as if she did not want to get involved.


    (Even so, the ¡°nk period.¡± That was after I returned to Earth.)


    Incidentally, Hiro had also read that part of the book. It was written in detail as if he had seen it up close. There was no sense of ¡°falsehood¡± in it.


    Hiro was convinced that the ck Book had been written by the person who had been involved.


    Then the question arises.


    How did it get out into the world when the person who wrote it had died a long time ago?


    ¡°Who is the author? It seems that only the title is written in the book.¡±


    Skaaha tilted her head curiously at the title on the back of the ck Book.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either.¡±


    Aura shook her head regretfully and held out the book to Skaaha.


    ¡°But I want you to read it.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Skaaha looked at Hiro as if asking for help. Hiro threw his guilt-filled eyes out the window to escape.


    (I only know one person. This is the work of someone who wanted to make me ¡°emperor¡± until the end.)

 Volume 5, Chapter 1 – The Growth of The Flame Princess, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 1 ¨C The Growth of The me Princess, Part 3</h4>


    Outside, the sun was setting. Darkness was beginning to form on the reddish horizon. He could see arge city that had created a huge shadow on the in at the edge of such a vision.


    It was the Great Imperial Capital of dius, a city that had grown evenrger than it was a thousand years ago.


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    As if to escape from Aura¡¯s passionate speech, Skaaha shouted in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been to the Great Imperial Capital before?¡±


    Liz was the one who reacted.


    ¡°Felzen and Grantz have been skirmishing since before I was born. I¡¯ve never been to the area, partly because of the danger.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, I¡¯ll show you around when we get some free time.¡±


    Liz smiled, and Skaahaughed as she muttered something about asking for help. When Hiro looked over at Aura, who was sitting between the two of them, she had a question mark stered on her face and was beginning to groan as she shook her body.


    ¡°Aura, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    As Hiro was curious, he asked, and Aura looked around the room cautiously, as if in rm.


    ¡°¡­Is she Skaaha?¡±


    Hiro looked puzzled at the whispered words, which were almost drowned out by the sound of the wheels. The other passengers also rolled their eyes and looked at Aura.


    What¡¯s this reaction? Aura raised her eyebrows and gave him a quizzical look.


    ¡°Um, didn¡¯t I introduce you?¡±


    ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t heard.¡±


    ¡°Liz, have you told Aura about Skaaha?¡±


    ¡°I thought Hiro had exined it to her¡­¡±


    Hiro assumed that Liz had exined it to Aura, but it seems that the other side thought the same way.


    ¡°So, Aura-dono has been looking at me strangely for a while now¡­¡±


    She crossed her arms and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me sooner?¡±


    It¡¯s been days since they reached this point. Aura put her index finger to her chin.


    ¡°I thought I shouldn¡¯t ask.¡±


    Hiro pointed his hand at Skaaha, thinking that the girl was being reserved strangely.


    ¡°You know her well; she was the leader of the Felzen Remnant Army. For some reason, I¡¯ve asked for her cooperation. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could keep this between us.¡±


    The only other people who knew about it were Ghada, Munin, and Hugin.


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to get along.¡±


    There may be mixed feelings between the two who faced each other on the battlefield, but they must bear with it.


    But¡­


    ¡°I have no grudge.¡±


    Aura offered her hand to Skaaha without any hesitation and asked for a handshake.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡±


    This made Skaaha look surprised.


    ¡°It is true that many of my men have lost their lives in battle. But it¡¯s the same for her.¡±


    It¡¯s more than that¡­ Aura said, with shame in her eyes.


    ¡°The policy that Booze implemented has left the Felzen royal capital in a cruel state.¡±


    Aura apologizes, saying it was her fault for not being able to do more. Perhaps she feels responsible. The direct cause of Felzen¡¯s downfall was Aura¡¯s victory in the first conquest of Felzen.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    A soft smile appeared on her face, and she tightened her grip on Aura¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Best regards from now on. Your tactics were excellent. I hope you can teach me some of your strategies.¡±


    ¡°¡­Leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°Right. There¡¯s just one thing I¡¯d like to ask you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want you to tell me why you were able to keep your watch on the walls every night during that battle.¡±


    Hiro had heard that story too. In the battle against the Felzen remnants, Aura never neglected to be vignt, night and day, strictly patrolling the walls to prevent the enemy from entering.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t use any strategy.¡±


    Aura said that they just put the armor of the fallen soldiers on the wooden sticks that looked like people. It¡¯s just a pretense to stop the night attack of Skaaha.


    ¡°¡­I-I see, I have been deceived cleverly.¡±


    As if to say she hadn¡¯t noticed, Skaaha put her hand to her mouth and expressed her surprise. It¡¯s no wonder they couldn¡¯t see through the trick. The Felzen remnants were in a hurry.


    Conceit creates gaps, anger narrows one¡¯s vision, and impatience encourages failure.


    (When one is in a hurry, one has two choices: be bold or be cautious. With the next battle in mind, Skaaha would have wanted to avoid damage.)


    So, it was thetter. However, Hiro was surprised to see Aura so easily expose her hand. If Skaaha became an enemy again, the same strategy would not work. Aura noticed his gaze, and her eyes glittered with pride.


    ¡°I just have to find a better strategy than that.¡±


    ¡°I bet you do.¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the Krone family get away with this! They¡¯ve forgotten the pride of the Grantz!¡±


    A shout that shook the window echoed through the room.


    ¡°Protect the me Princess! Protect the War Maiden!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just one or two. Instead, the words that came from dozens of people ovepped and popped the air, and anger took over space with a stomp that made the carriage shake.


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Hiro nodded at the coachman¡¯s words and opened the window to look outside. While they were conversing, the carriage carrying Hiro and the others seemed to have reached the Great Imperial Capital.


    Then, out of the corner of Hiro¡¯s eye, he could see the central street crowded with angry people through the main open gate.


    As Hiro squinted at the scene, a guard came riding up from the front.


    ¡°I am pleased to see you have arrived safely, Your Highness. However, it is currently very dangerous to enter from here, so if possible, we would like you to enter through the west gate¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay. But what are they screaming about?¡±


    ¡°It all started when the people in the Felzen region found out about the atrocities of the Krone family. From there, rumors began to circte, and even false stories about¡­ the ¡°me Princess¡± and ¡°War Maiden¡± being framed for their crimes spread, and the protests became more and more active.¡±


    ¡°I see. I understood well. We¡¯ll enter through the west gate.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I apologize, but please do!¡±


    The guard turned his horse¡¯s head and started running towards the crowd. Hiro looked behind him, then closed the window and turned his attention to his fellow passengers.


    ¡°Rosa seems to have done a good job.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it too effective? I think they¡¯re on the verge of a riot¡­¡±


    As Liz turned pale, Hiro spun his voice quite calmly.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true, but I think the protests will die down before they turn into a riot.¡±


    Although it would depend on the punishment of Liz and Aura, it was as if it had been decided that their punishment would be lightened ¨D they would have to be grateful for Rosa¡¯s work.


    The Great Imperial Capital, where people from other countriese and go, is like a country¡¯s symbol. Therefore, if the city¡¯s people were to be a riot, they would want to avoid being underestimated by the surrounding countries.


    This is why the emperor has no choice but to lighten the punishment for Liz and the others.


    ¡°Once you have the people on your side, you can then use your arguments to your advantage.¡±


    When Hiro said that the game would start from there, Liz nodded curiously.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll make it work.¡±


    Liz didn¡¯t seem overwhelmed. Thest time she visited, she had a stomachache, but now she seemed calm and collected.


    There is nothing scarier than a person who is prepared. If it turns out that the kitten is actually a lion, the nobles and lords will be surprised to see how they react to Liz¡¯s change.


    Hiro was looking forward to that time.

 Volume 5, Chapter 1 – The Growth of The Flame Princess, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 1 ¨C The Growth of The me Princess, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°Your Highness, Hiro, we have arrived at the Kelheit family mansion.¡±


    As soon as he heard the coachman¡¯s words, the carriage came to a slow stop. He looked at the passengers in the carriage again and then put his hand on the door.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s be happy to see Rosa again. She¡¯s been looking forward to it, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    He then opened the door of the carriage and was confronted by a pair ofrge breasts.


    ¡°Buh!¡±


    In an instant, the air in front of his eyes dispersed, and darkness took over. But, as always, the wee was enthusiastic.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness you¡¯re okay! It¡¯s good to see you!¡±


    A gentle, pleasant tone of voice touched his ear.


    Hiro smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see you too, Rosa. And I¡¯m d to hear that everything is okay with you too.¡±


    Hiro felt the warm embrace that enveloped his whole body ¨D the sweet scent of which he regretted, but he slowly pulled away and looked at her again.


    ¡°Fufufu, how are you doing? Have you been eating properly?¡±


    Myste Cagliara Rosa von Kelheit.


    She¡¯s the acting head of the five major noble families, the Kelheit family, which has a great deal of influence in the Grantz Empire.


    She is also the former third imperial princess, and her distinctive blond hair and blue eyes remind one of her strong Grantz bloodlines. In addition, her seductive limbs and the curvaceous figure will make women forget their jealousy, while men will be captivated by her eyes.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it toote? I was waiting for you to arrive.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still ahead of schedule, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point¡­¡±


    But when she saw the person who came down after Hiro, she choked on her words. Then, when he looked at her, her blue eyes began to moisten rapidly.


    ¡°Oh! Liz!¡±


    ¡°Heh ¨D whoaa!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t avoid the sudden attack and was trapped in the darkness of the embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to sleep a day after hearing that the Grand Duchy of Dral captured you!¡±


    She must have been relieved to see Liz safe and sound. Rosa¡¯s tears were in the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°Ane-sama¡­ I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay. Kiork-dono was also worried about you.¡±


    The sisters are happy to see each other again, and Cerberus appears at their feet.


    ¡°Cerberus¡­ I¡¯ve heard about you, too. You¡¯ve done well.¡±


    Rosa stroked the bandages wrapped around Cerberus¡¯s body and gave her a word of encouragement.


    ¡°Oh yeah, Ane-sama, Aura is going to be on our side!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Lady Bunadhara is also here?¡±


    ¡°¡­Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Umu. You¡¯re wee. I hope you can teach Liz a thing or two.¡±


    Rosa held out her hand, and Aura tried to respond.


    ¡°Leave it to me ¨D whoa!¡±


    Aura¡¯s face is buried in her ample breasts as her wrists are pulled.


    ¡°Mmm, mmm!¡±


    Aura¡¯s arms and legs are short for her age, and the way she jiggles and ils around is something that makes one smile. And unfortunately, her power could not escape the darkness of Rosa¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought you were cute. You¡¯re making me want to be like a sister that pranks her little sister.¡±


    Hiro was tempted to say that it wasn¡¯t much different now, but he closed his mouth and watched as Liz moved again out of the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Ane-sama, and this is¡­ err¡­ a mysterious woman.¡±


    She tried to introduce the hooded woman, Skaaha, but with the guards¡¯ eyes on her, her words were stilted, and the end of the sentence was small and faded into the wind.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I know who she is. I¡¯ve heard so much about her from my lord¡¯s letters.¡±


    Rosa released Aura and quietly walked over to Skaaha.


    Everyone was rendered speechless by the calmness ¨D or rather, the anger ¨D of her appearance. Skaaha is the woman who is partly responsible for Liz¡¯s injury. It is easy for those who know why this is to guess what kind of action Rosa will take.


    ¡°Ane-sama, wait¨D¨D!?¡±


    Liz tried to intervene between the two, but Rosa¡¯s re halted her steps. Skaaha didn¡¯t move a muscle and just waited for Rosa to do what she would do.


    But¡­


    ¡°You can take your time.¡±


    She hugged her, saying only that.


    ¡°Wa¡­¡±


    Although Skaaha¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t be seen, it¡¯s obvious that she was feeling unconcealed agitation.


    (You are that kind of person, aren¡¯t you?)


    After losing her husband at a young age, she took over a huge family of five noble families. Despite being a woman, she has been able to cross into male society. Therefore, she knows the consequences of hatred. She knows what kind of results grief can produce.


    In other words, Rosa¡¯s own apology as a member of the royal family. No matter what words she threw at him, they would be meaningless to Skaaha. That¡¯s why she thought she had no choice but to show it through her actions.


    After a while, Rosa left Skaaha and smiled calmly.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s getting cold. The meal is ready, so let¡¯s go into the mansion.¡±


    The audience will take ce tomorrow around noon, she added, pointing her hand toward the mansion entrance and urging them to enter with a graceful motion.


    ¡°What¡¯s for dinner today, Ane-sama?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a secret. You can look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°¡­I want something sweet.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve prepared a lot of things for you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Then Rosa turned her body to Skaaha, who still could not hide her surprise.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°¡­..Anything warm is fine.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Then let¡¯s all eat together before the food gets cold.¡±


    Then Rosa looked at Hiro sideways.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to go ahead; I need to talk to my subordinates.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Come on, before Cerberus eats everything.¡±


    With a hand wave behind her back, Rosa took the three girls and one dog into the mansion. After watching their backs, Hiro turned around to look behind him.


    There, the three of his subordinates, Ghada, Munin, and Hugin, stood quietly waiting. Except for Spitz, the rest of Aura¡¯s aides are also apanying her on this journey, and they will be sleeping with Tris at the Bunadhara mansion ¨D in other words, Aura¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon, I¡¯ll be on guard duty here with Munin.¡±


    ¡°All right. Then let¡¯s set up a camp in the garden of the mansion so that we can deal with any problems that may arise.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Next to Ghada, Munin looked ufortable, but he did not seem to have a singleint in front of Ghada. Hiro smiled at his reaction and turned his attention to Hugin.


    ¡°Hugin should stay at Rosa¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°Eh, no, no, I¡¯ll stay with my big brothers.¡±


    Hiro could see that she was trying to be tough. Although she¡¯s a skilled archer who can overwhelm men with her archery skills, she has reached her limit of exhaustion due to repeated battles. Besides, Hugin is a hard worker. She never misses a day of training, no matter how tired she is, because she doesn¡¯t want to be outdone by men. Therefore, it was the wish of Hiro, Ghada, and her own brother, Munin, that she should take it easy this time.


    He knew that she would refuse, so he prepared a good reason.


    ¡°I want Hugin to be Rosa¡¯s bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°A bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is no safe ce in the Great Imperial Capital nowadays. An assassin could appear anywhere. That¡¯s why I want Hugin to make sure that Rosa is safe. Especially in mansions or banquet halls where people get loose.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. If wise brother says so, then I will be in charge of the protection.¡±


    ¡°You can leave the guarding of the outside to your brother¡­ and the younger sister can stay in the house and have hot soup. It¡¯s really enviable, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Munin is about to start messing around with Hugin with a grin on his face, looking like a little boy who has just thought of a trick. Hugin frowned in annoyance as if she had sensed her brother¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°Wise brother gave me a job as a guard because of my skills! So if you¡¯re frustrated, you can dress up as a woman and run around town!¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ isn¡¯t that just in perverted?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, brother is a pervert in his own right. He¡¯s a pervert who takes pleasure in teasing his sister.¡±


    ¡°So, the perverted brother will show you one of his sister¡¯s habits. The sublime little sister-sama watches Hiro-sama¡¯s sleeping face at night ¨D Gofuh!?¡±.


    ¡°I-if you say anything else, I¡¯ll punch you!¡±


    ¡°Y-you already punched me¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Hiro took his eyes off the little sister, who was arguing with her brother, no, in fact, beating him unterally, and approached Ghada, who was staring at them as if in a daze.


    ¡°Ghada, about the future¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm, what is it?¡±


    ¡°I want you to have Munin sneak into the central nobleman¡¯s mansion. There are several nobleman¡¯s mansions that I want you to break into¡­ The list is on this piece of paper.¡±


    Hiro held out the paper, but as expected, Ghada¡¯s mouth curved into a grimace of dissatisfaction.


    ¡°The security is tight everywhere. Isn¡¯t it too dangerous?¡±


    ¡°All I want is for you to leave a trace that there was an intruder ¨D although that doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t a risk to life.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that there are many members of the central nobility who are dissatisfied with the Krone family?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s no wonder there are some of them among the nobility, seeing as how the people were protesting earlier.¡±


    ¡°So what would happen if there were intruders only in the homes of disgruntled nobles?¡±


    With that exnation, Ghada¡¯s smile deepened in amusement as he epted the paper from Hiro.


    ¡°You want to make them aware that the Krone family is on the lookout for betrayal?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the people on the paper are central nobles who areining about the Krone family ¨D so what happens if there¡¯s a string of intruders?¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s an interesting thought. I understand well. I¡¯ll let Munin know about it.¡±


    And then, Ghada continued.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°That depends on what happens next. You will have to do a lot of work, I think. I¡¯ll tell you more when the time is right. In the meantime, I want you to concentrate on security for today.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Then Hiro turned to Hugin, who was still arguing with Munin.


    ¡°Hugin, shall we go into the mansion now?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s leave my brother alone and go to the mansion!¡±


    Hugin smiled cheerfully at Hiro but bared her white teeth menacingly at her brother, Munin. In contrast, Munin also countered with a joking expression.


    Hiro smiled at the exchange between the two.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Well then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Then he turned to Ghada and the others again.


    ¡°Ghada, Munin, take care of the rest.¡±


    After telling them that he would bring them some foodter, Hiro took Hugin into the mansion.

 Volume 5, Chapter 1 – The Growth of The Flame Princess, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 1 ¨C The Growth of The me Princess, Part 5</h4>


    Once Hiro entered the mansion, the servant led him to the dining room. In the center of the room, there was a circr table covered with a white sheet, with dishes arranged all over the table. In addition, the table was decorated with beautiful flowers and candlesticks that were slowly glowing.


    The women were seated on finely decorated chairs. There was no seat of honor. Everyone faces each other as equals, which is one of the advantages of a circr desk.


    Hiro wondered where he should sit.


    ¡°You can sit here.¡±


    Rosa pointed to the chair between her and Liz.


    But this time, he had apanion ¨C Hugin. When he looked at her from the side, he saw that it was her first time in this kind of situation, and as expected, she was looking around, her eyes moving busily, showing her confusion.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Hugin,e here.¡±


    It was Liz who gently called out to her. Her thin, white fingers rested on the chair between Aura and Liz.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Hugin stepped forward with a tense look on her face. Her body was tense as well. Liz, who could not help but notice her condition, opened her mouth again.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about etiquette and manners. As long as you enjoy the food, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, thank you, Liz-neesan¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, have a seat. I¡¯m starving, and I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hugin let out a slightugh at Liz¡¯s joke and took a seat.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Rosa pped her hands after confirming that everyone was present.


    Then the door connected to the kitchen was opened. The servants came into the dining room with a sumptuous meal in their hands.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought in specialties from all over for this asion.¡±


    Rosa said proudly.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡±


    Hugin rolled her eyes at the sight of a meal she had never seen before.


    ¡°Fumu, this is amazing. It looks delicious.¡±


    Skaaha, who was supposed to be a former princess, also expressed her surprise, clearing her throat and her sparkling eyes.


    ¡°There¡¯s alsomb, which Cerberus likes. I¡¯ll share it with youter.¡±


    Liz spoke to Cerberus, who was sitting at her feet. Aura was seated nearby, wrapping an apron around her neck in a familiar gesture to keep it clean.


    (Oh¡­ I thought I¡¯ve seen this scene somewhere before¡­)


    Hiro remembered the family restaurant on ¡°Earth.¡± Aura reminded him of children sitting in small chairs with their families. There¡¯s no doubt that Aura would be upset if he mentioned it, so Hiro watched the food beingid out without saying a word.


    ¡°Now that the preparations are over¡­¡±


    As the servants finishedying out the food, Rosa raised her arm lightly with a ss of wine in her hand.


    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s give our gratitude to the Spirit King for bringing us all here safely. Then we will report to the twelve great gods of Grantz that we have defeated the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    Following these words, each of them grabbed a ss of water or wine that had been prepared for them and said, ¡°Cheers.¡±


    After the toast, the women began to chat andugh as they tasted their favorite dishes. In the midst of the bustle, Rosa put her face close to Hiro¡¯s ear.


    ¡°There have been reports that the Krone family is showing signs of disquiet.¡±


    At the ominous words, Hiro stopped his silver spoon from scooping up the soup. Then he ced it quietly on the dish and nced at Rosa.


    ¡°Heh¡­ what are they trying to do?¡±


    ¡°It seems that they¡¯re desperately trying to recruit young men from the viges and towns to do some kind of tricks.¡±


    ¡°I can only think of one thing.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve heard that orders for equipment from the city cksmiths have increased dramatically in thest few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea who they¡¯re nning on targeting?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to fight anyone. It¡¯s probably just an attempt to threaten the emperor.¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s an insurance n in case they are held ountable for their actions in Felzen. However, it¡¯s too early to start preparing. If it were something that was predicted beforehand, it would be a different story, but if it were to avoid being held ountable, they wouldn¡¯t take such a hard line as threatening the emperor with an army.


    (Then again¡­)


    There is a territory called Zuik that came under direct control after Viscount Wurst¡¯s death. However, before Hiro left for the Grand Duchy of Dral, it was transferred to the unaffiliated central noble family, the Mark family. The Krone family demanded that the emperor reconsider his decision, but the emperor did not take any action, and the rift between the two sides deepened.


    ¡°I assumed it was because of the Zuik incident, but¡­ is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. It¡¯s also a major trading point. It¡¯s a territory that the Krone family would like to reim.¡±


    Rosa continued to speak.


    ¡°I predict that the emperor will not budge and will try to weaken the Krone family in tomorrow¡¯s conferral of honors.¡±


    ¡°That would be nice and all, but¡­ it won¡¯t happen, will it?¡±


    ¡°The weakening of the Krone family will be what we are aiming for, but we don¡¯t know where to go from there.¡±


    With a deep sigh, Rosa crossed her arms and made a difficult face.


    ¡°The Emperor is nning to bring down the Krone family and make the new Mark family the leading central noble family, but even if they be one of the five major noble families, they will not support you or Liz. Because that would mean kneeling before me.¡±


    The reason for this was that Hiro already had the eastern nobility behind him. Furthermore, due to the war with the Grand Duchy of Dral, everyone knew that Hiro was behind Liz.


    ¡°But I can assure you that for the time being, the Mark family will not be hostile. For the time being, we¡¯re stuck here, and we¡¯ll just have to sit back and watch.¡±


    The western nobility supports the Third Prince Blutar, and the northern nobility supports the Second Prince Selene, so there is no room for them to enter. So then, it would be the other heirs to the throne, but their ranking would be extremely lowpared to Liz and Hiro. The closest would be the nephew of the previous emperor, but there was no telling that he would live to see the end of his days. Then Hiro suddenly had a question.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ are there any younger brothers of the current emperor?¡±


    If there is, their presence will be a hindrance.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡±


    Rosa affirmed. The current emperor used to have five older brothers, but all of them passed away due to idents or illness.


    ¡°Of course, suspicion has been cast on the current emperor. But there is no proof.¡±


    All of the incidents took ce in the imperial pce and when the current emperor was away from the pce. Therefore, it was thought that he had hired assassins, but his suspicions were soon confirmed.


    Since there was no faction supporting the current emperor, it was decided that he was not powerful enough to do something of such magnitude.


    (It¡¯s an interesting story.)


    All five brothers are dead. Although he seems to have been able to hide it well, it is safe to assume that the current emperor is involved. But how did he do it? Although he is very curious, there is no point in identifying him as the culprit now.


    (Still, I¡¯d like to find some weakness. I¡¯m hoping he¡¯ll reveal himself at the audience.)


    Tomorrow, when Hiro is in front of the emperor, he will be able to see the emperor¡¯s intentions. And he will know the details of the newly rising Mark family.


    ¡°Do we know which nobles will be participating in tomorrow¡¯s conferral of honors?¡±


    ¡°The Mark family, the Krone family, and the ones that have been rumored recently will certainly appear. And also, the head of the Muzuk family, one of the five major noble families that unite the southern nobility, has announced his participation for the time being.¡±


    ¡°He announced?¡±


    There¡¯s no need to announce if you want to participate. In fact, if it¡¯s the head of the five great noble families of the Muzuk family, there is no way that it will be rejected.


    Rosa shrugged her shoulders in disgust and took a sip of wine before letting out a heavy breath.


    ¡°¡­He just wants to stir things up by confusing people with his thought-provoking statements. The head of the Muzuk family is a cunning man. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to participate, but if I show any signs of breakdown, they¡¯ll bite me at once, so it¡¯s best to be on guard.¡±


    But more than that, Rosa said.


    ¡°The one you should be most wary of is the Second Prince Selene. He¡¯se to the Great Imperial Capital with a whole bunch of his followers.¡±


    The wolf from the north, who had kept silent until now, began to move. Hearing this, Hiro¡¯s heart was not at ease, but since the purpose of the other party was not clear, he could only watch in silence.


    Even so, the feeling that welled up from the depths of his heart was not frustration but joy.


    ¡°Heh¡­ this is getting interesting.¡±


    He wondered what kind of change of heart the Second Prince Selene had, although he had said he was not interested in the struggle for the session to the throne.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting to smell bad.¡±


    Rosa said.


    ¡°The Second Prince Selene has led an army of 20,000 to the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    The southern nobility has a division of 10,000. The eastern nobility led by Rosa is said to have a brigade of 8000. It seems that the western nobility has note to the Great Imperial Capital this time.


    ¡°¡­Because the west can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    Aura interrupted the conversation, wiping her lips with a white cloth as they glistened with meat fat.


    ¡°The west must be going through a tough time right now. I hear they¡¯re struggling to keep the factions in line.¡±


    Aura¡¯s eyes shed with sympathy.


    ¡°¡­Yeah. The Munster family¡¯s centripetal force is next to nothing.¡±


    The Third Prince Blutar is the third in line of session to the throne and is able to hold it together, but if he were to drop out of the race for the throne, the western nobility would quickly fall apart. Although there is no me to be ced on the western nobility in tomorrow¡¯s conferral of honors, things will have to be handled more carefully in the future. Hiro¡¯s n is not to let the western nobility go under yet.


    ¡°Well, I guess our priority should be the Krone family.¡±


    First, they have to crush the central nobility, which has the most corrupt nobles. This is the reason why they are showing disturbing movements because they know that. When they are held ountable in the conferral of honors, there is a possibility that they will really move the army they have gathered for the purpose of intimidation.


    ¡°That¡¯s why the emperor didn¡¯t set a limit on the number of troops when he summoned the nobles. I guess it¡¯s just in case the Krone family chooses the worst option.¡±


    In case the central nobility revolts¡­ Hiro wondered if it was necessary to hunt them down to the point of resorting to such measures¡­ But, on the other hand, he probably thought that if he could get the support of the people now, he could put them down as soon as possible.


    However, the emperor¡¯s will seems to be firm.


    When he looked at Rosa, there was a hint of resignation in her eyes.


    ¡°I estimate that the central nobility can mobilize about 50,000 troops at that time, but if it were the Krone family before you were weed into the imperial family, it would have exceeded 100,000 at most.¡±


    ¡°If they can gather at least 50,000, they¡¯ll have to join hands with others topete.¡±


    With thebination of the troops gathered in the capital, their strength can finallypete.


    ¡°In fact, even if the central nobility rebelled, it is unlikely that they would join forces.¡±


    Rosa said. Hiro agreed with her.


    All of them want to make a good impression on the emperor. They must want to keep the credit to themselves. If that were the case, they would not cooperate with each other, and if they were not careful, they would be defeated individually.


    Even so, the emperor would certainly make a move to weaken the Krone family. If not, he would have set a limit on the number of nobles in the army.


    ¡°In any case, it will depend on what the emperor says tomorrow.¡±


    Rosa smiled as she sipped her wine.


    ¡°No matter what happens, everyone except the Krone family is prepared for anything. This will not shake the foundation of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    Rosa assured him. However, Hiro doubts that this is really the case. The decision is risky in the midst of so many intertwined agendas. There is nothing uglier than political strife. It is always the people on the inside that destroy a country.


    If the Krone family is weakened, the next target will naturally be the Kelheit family.


    This is because they have two heirs to the throne, Hiro and Liz.


    (More importantly, there is also the possibility of outside interference.)


    It¡¯s better to be vignt, but how to prevent the fingers from being extended from the darkness?


    As Hiro pondered this, the night naturally drew to a close as he savored his meal.

 Volume 5, Chapter 1 – The Growth of The Flame Princess, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 1 ¨C The Growth of The me Princess, Part 6</h4>


    After finishing his meal, Hiro was in the room he had been provided. The women had gone to take a bath together, and now Hiro was alone.


    Hiro went to the window and brought out a book relying on the moonlight.


    The book is called ¡°The White Book.¡±


    It was a book about the life of the first emperor, Altius. The book describes thest years of his life ¨D his loneliness and sorrow.


    ¡°¡­..If I had stayed, you would not have suffered.¡±


    If Hiiro had remained in Altius¡¯ service instead of returning to Earth, perhaps he would not have suffered from loneliness. Perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have been so sad, and his regrets began to overwhelm him.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    A chilly breeze blew through the room, even though the windows were not open. Every time he flipped the pages, all that swirled in his heart was nothing but sadness.


    ¨DThere is no happy ending here.


    Altius, the man who saved the world from the demon race, did not have smooth sailing in his life as the first emperor. Whaty ahead for him were conflicts, jealousies, and battles among the human race.


    After reaching his goal, he finds himself in a war that he will fight until the day he dies.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it too much?¡±


    This is not the way to reward Altius for his efforts to end the war.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the kind of future we wanted when we defeated the demon race.¡±


    Hiro closed his book and clenched his fists in frustration. Then Cerberus, who couldn¡¯t take a bath because of her injuries, crawled under his feet, making a sad voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He murmured, patting Cerberus on the head.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Anee-sama, why are your breasts so big?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be the one to ask. Why are your breasts so small when we are sisters?¡±


    ¡°If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have any trouble!¡±


    When he heard Liz and Rosa¡¯s voicesing from the hallway, Hiro put the White Book away inside the ck Princess Camellia. Then their footsteps disappeared in front of the room, and the door was opened without a single knock.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still awake¡­?¡±


    Rosa, who noticed Hiro standing by the window, shouted in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened at thiste hour?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing; I thought you were asleep.¡±


    Haha, Rosaughed dryly and leaned her back against a nearby chair. Then, while wondering about her evasive words, Hiro turned his attention to the other visitor.


    ¡°¡­So, what brings Liz here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ um.¡±


    Liz jumped into the bed with a vague smile on her face. Hiro crossed his arms and tilted his head at the strange reaction of the two.


    Then¨D¨D,


    ¡°Madam, I brought you the wine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, put it here.¡±


    ¡°Then excuse me.¡±


    The servant bows his head in a refined motion and exits the room.


    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±


    After watching his back, Rosa opened the wine and began to pour the red liquid into the ss. She smiled gently as she enjoyed the aroma of the wine.


    ¡°Liz, how long are you going to keep doing that?¡±


    At Rosa¡¯s gentle words, Liz¡¯s shoulders twitched as she slumped down on the bed.


    ¡°If you have something to say, now would be a good time to say it when you won¡¯t be interrupted.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. Thank you, Anee-sama.¡±


    As if encouraged by Rosa¡¯s voice, Liz got up from the bed.


    ¡°Um, I have something to talk to Hiro, but¡­¡±


    When Hiro looked at her, she awkwardly averted her gaze and opened her mouth.


    ¡°I want to hold my father ountable. And I want to convince him to support Felzen.¡±


    Then Liz looked at Hiro with a strong will in her red eyes.


    ¡°I know that Hiro is working hard for me. If I provoke my father¡¯s anger, it might ruin everything that has been achieved. I know that it could put Hiro and Anee-sama¡¯s position in jeopardy. But still! I can¡¯t just leave it at that!¡±


    ¡°Liz¡­ you¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it no good?¡±


    She may have thought that she had offended Hiro, but she tilted her head adorably and asked it anxiously. For a few moments, Hiro was looking at Liz with a surprised look on his face, but then he suddenly became curious about Rosa¡¯s condition and looked at her. She was happily sipping her wine repeatedly.


    She must have been happy that Liz had started to walk on her own ord.


    Of course, Hiro also feels the same way.


    Therefore¡­


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°Eh, really?¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s more where that came from, isn¡¯t there? Will you tell me?¡±


    Havinge to that conclusion, she must have thought of many other things.


    ¡°Y-yeah.¡±


    After taking several tense breaths, Liz clenched her fists tightly and began to talk about the rest of the story with her hands on her chest.


    ¡°You see¡­ the Krone family.¡±


    The first thing to do is hold the Krone family ountable for their actions in Felzen and raise funds for reconstruction. Also,pensation for war orphans and those who were injured and lost their jobs. The throne room will probably be in turmoil. In confusion, she demanded an apology from the emperor for Felzen.


    ¡°The sins of the Grantz Empire will never be erased, but I hope to gain some forgiveness from the people of Felzen.¡±


    ¡°I see. But I¡¯m sure the emperor won¡¯t just nod his head.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to make a decision right then and there. So while the argument is raging, I will also rmend that Stobel be deprived of his right to the throne for executing the Felzen royal family.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do about the responsibility of the emperor? It will be left hanging in the air.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. I believe there will be rumors among the people¡­ I just want the fact that I demanded an apology from the emperor first.¡±


    In other words, use public opinion. Just as Hiro used the public¡¯s voice to condemn the Krone family, Liz is probably nning to use the public¡¯s backing to get the emperor to apologize.


    There are still some rough edges, but it¡¯s not a bad move.


    The next question would be asked while the other side was still reeling, adding to the confusion and making it impossible for them to make a normal decision. Nevertheless, it was quite a thoughtful idea. And Liz¡¯s suggestion was generally in line with Hiro¡¯s idea.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea. I¡¯ll cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, I¡¯m d to see that my sister is growing up.¡±


    Rosa also praised Liz with open arms. Her cheeks were stained red as if she were drunk.


    ¡°Is it really okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can do whatever you want.¡±


    That¡¯s the way it should be for anyone who aspires to the throne. One must think flexibly and lead the country with a firm will.


    (¡­It¡¯s really remarkable growth.)


    This means that even if she is left alone, she will be fine.


    No, she is not alone.


    Rosa and Aura, as well as Tris and Cerberus. There are many other allies. It¡¯s not the same as before she met Hiro.


    (This means that¡­ things should be fine now.)


    Hiro felt that he should speed up his n.


    If Liz demands an apology from the emperor, then he shall go along with the idea. Of course, now that he had the eastern nobility on his side, now that he had achieved so much, there would be no problem.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Happy that her n had been approved. She gave a blooming smile.


    Hiro, who was staring at Liz dazzlingly, put his hand on the White Book that was stored in the ck Princess Camellia.


    (If it¡¯s her¡­)


    Liz will be able to protect Altius¡¯ legacy.


    ¨D¨DThat was the night that he was convinced of this.

 Volume 5, Chapter 2 – The Flame Princess’ Sunny Stage, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 2 ¨C The me Princess¡¯ Sunny Stage, Part 1</h4>


    The pleasant morning sun shines through the window, and the chirping of birds pleasantly caresses the eardrums. Yet, in the midst of all this, an ominous sound cut through the calm air and raced across the sky.


    The spirit of the people ovepped each other, and with an intense spark, they disappeared into the sky with a shout.


    Using this as an rm, Hiro woke up from the darkness.


    ¡°Morning, huh¡­¡±


    Hiro lowered his feet from the bed to the floor and stood up.


    As he stood up, he rubbed his eyes, which were still sleepy, and saw teardrops on his fingers.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    A bitter smile appeared on his face. Apparently, he had been having the usual dream. Hiro shook his head repeatedly to shake off the nightmare and approached the window overlooking the courtyard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet!¡±


    ¡°Reckless, you are mistaking foolhardiness for bravery.¡±


    In the courtyard on the other side of the ss, Liz, who is still recovering from her injuries, is currently training with Skaaha.


    In the center of the courtyard, surrounded on all sides by mansions, was a fountain. It was surrounded by flowerbeds with brightly colored flowers and nts. There were also low trees nted around the perimeter.


    The two of them were training in the man-made nature ¨D Skaaha toying with Liz with her quick spear-handling, and Liz, perhaps because of the pain of her bared nails, jumping into Skaaha¡¯s bosom with her bare hands to attack. Even with bare hands, Liz has the natural blessings of the me Emperor to provide her with tremendous strength, so a hit would undoubtedly be painful.


    ¡°Kuh, the pressure of the fist alone is enough to take away one¡¯s consciousness.¡±


    Therefore, it seems that Skaaha is taking the mock battle seriously.


    Near them, Aura was sitting in the shade of a tree, reading a book.


    ¡°What are you doing here all alone in the morning?¡±


    As Hiro gazed at the scene, Rosa leaned down from behind him.


    ¡°Do you feel lonely about Liz¡¯s growth?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good sign.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­? I¡¯m a little sad. It¡¯s like a baby bird leaving the nest, or something like that¡­¡±


    From over Hiro¡¯s shoulder, Rosa is looking at Liz with a mixture of joy and sadness.


    And to her¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m going to elerate my n. I want you to change your support from me to Liz in the near future.¡±


    ¡°Is that really what you want?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the best choice.¡±


    When Hiro said that, the weight disappeared from his back. At the same time, the soft-touch disappeared.


    ¡°But if the consensus of the people is different, I will switch back to the ck Prince.¡±


    At Rosa¡¯s unexpected words, Hiro couldn¡¯t help but turn his head.


    ¡°And it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I want to have a baby.¡±


    Rosa ¨D who had a well-defined face ¨D approached him with both hands on the wall, blocking Hiro¡¯s escape route. However, the seductively moist lips snatched Hiro¡¯s cheek and carried it to his ear.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away with this.¡±


    The sound of her voice,ced with a hint of seductiveness, and her sexy breath, touching his earlobe.


    Hiro smiled at her and then shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°After the verdict, I¡¯ll be working on depriving Stobel of the right to inherit the throne in order to weaken the Krone family.¡±


    ¡°Understood. But what about the other five noble families?¡±


    ¡°The northern nobility, the Sharm family ¨D the faction of the second prince Selene ¨C is very united and not easy to deal with. So let¡¯s ignore them here. When the eastern nobility gains strength, they can be defeated head-on.¡±


    ¡°Fumu, no need to worry about the western nobles. They are destined to disappear naturally. They¡¯ll be the first to disappear in the power struggle.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want them to leave too soon, so I¡¯d better make some changes. But just like you, I¡¯m not worried about the western nobility either.¡±


    The remaining southern nobles, the Muzuk family, would preferably be added to this camp. In the south, there is Margrave Grinda. It would be unbearable if they were to send soldiers to them. Above all, Liz and Hiro¡¯s base is the Berg Fortress.


    As he exined this to Rosa, she rubbed her head against Hiro¡¯s neck.


    ¡°If you lose the Berg Fortress, you cane to the east. You¡¯re always wee in the east.¡±


    Rosa says casually, but Liz¡¯s throne would be far away if the eastern nobles were to be attacked from three sides. He wants to avoid this, and it is too dangerous to have all eyes on the east.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of the existence of the Six Kingdoms. They will certainly take advantage of the chaos to set something in motion.¡±


    The barrier to that is the western nobility, but their current strength is not enough to withstand the attack of the Six Kingdoms. If the western nobility were to be destroyed, the country¡¯s center could be overrun at once. In addition, there are many other countries that are trying to get a foothold in the Grantz Empire.


    It is a situation where a thousand years of umted resentment is waiting to be released. If the Principality of Lichtine and the neighboring Steichen Republic were to join forces with the Six Kingdoms and attack from the west and south, there would be no time to talk about the throne.


    The Grantz Empire would be in a crisis of survival.


    ¡°In the end, the war with the Six Kingdoms is inevitable no matter what?¡±


    Hiro nodded nonchntly to Rosa, who had a gloomy expression on her face.


    If possible, he would like to bring the Muzuk family, which rules the south, into his camp.


    Then, he would try to strengthen the country¡¯s power while increasing Liz¡¯s influence and let the emperor steer the war with the Six Kingdoms to victory. The ultimate goal is to put the me on the emperor and pull him down from his throne to make Liz the emperor.


    To avoid bing a usurper, she will ostensibly do so by the consensus of the people.


    ¡°So, for the time being, Rosa¡¯s job is to discredit the emperor. I want you to manipte public opinion so that when the timees, we will be able to take the fight to them.¡±


    ¡°Fufufu, I¡¯m good at that kind of thing, you know?¡±


    Rosa nodded confidently and said to leave it to her.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Hii¡­roooo¡­!¡±


    Liz noticed that Hiro was awake through the window and called out to him.


    ¡°Good morning! Hurry up ande downstairs, Hiro! Let¡¯s train!¡±


    ¡°Oh, ck Prince, is that what our princess wants?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better get going so as not to upset her.¡±


    Hiro waved to Liz as she sent her morning greetings and turned to the doorway.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go after I get some more sleep.¡±


    Rosa, biting back a sigh, sank down on the bed.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    Hiro waved his hand behind his back and stepped forward to head downstairs to Liz and the others.


    ¡°Wise brother! Good morning!¡±


    When he reached the hallway, Hugin was waiting for him. As usual, Hugin had a vivacious smile on her face, exuding an atmosphere as dazzling as the sun. She was probably waiting in the hallway to escort Rosa.


    ¡°You can take charge of the escort in the room. Rosa won¡¯tin about that.¡±


    ¡°N-no, I can easily detect any suspicious signs here¡­¡±


    Rather than being strangely distant¡­ her eyes are swimming unusually. There must be some reason for this¡­ and Hiro opened his mouth.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with Rosa?¡±


    ¡°Eh? I-it¡¯s nothing!¡±


    No matter how it looks, he can¡¯t help but think that something happened to her. Hiro put his hands on his hips and sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it to interfere with the mission. I want you to tell me if possible.¡±


    It would be toote if something happened to Rosa. He will have to deal with it while he can, or he will regret it.


    For a while, Hugin showed signs of hesitation, but then she dropped her shoulders as if giving up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not very good with that person.¡±


    ¡°Not very good?¡±


    This was a rare excuse for Hugin, who never put her personal feelings into a mission.


    ¡°Yes, we¡­ took a bath together yesterday, and she rubbed my breasts.¡±


    Hiro sighed deeply, put his hand on his forehead, and looked up at the ceiling.


    He didn¡¯t have to hear the whole story. They were talking about that sexually harassing witch. The more Hugin disliked it, the more she touched his chest. The more the other party dislikes it, the more she develops a taste for it. Above all, she loves beautiful things and pretty things. It doesn¡¯t matter if the object is a human being.


    ¡°W-well, sometimes she has a childish side, you know¡­?¡±


    He cannot follow up any further. He can¡¯t think of any more words.


    ¡°And besides, if you are a skilled assassin, you may be able to mask your presence. I think it¡¯s better to keep a close eye on them, considering that.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Hugin began to growl. Maybe she is weighing her duties and self-sacrifice.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m doing this for wise brother. So I will carry out my mission.¡±


    Hugin¡¯s head slumped down, and she walked slowly to the door, putting her hand on it with a displeased look on her face.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡±


    Hugin walked briskly into the room.


    ¡°Oh, I was just looking for a pillow. You can be substituted for my Lord.¡±


    ¡°Heh? Nooooooo!¡±


    While apologizing to Hugin in his mind, Hiro pretended not to have heard and turned his back to the door.

 Volume 5, Chapter 2 – The Flame Princess’ Sunny Stage, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 2 ¨C The me Princess¡¯ Sunny Stage, Part 2</h4>


    When Hiro reached the courtyard, he found Liz lying on her back on the grass, breathing heavily. Near her was the figure of Skaaha, sitting on a brick in the flowerbed.


    She was wiping away her sweat briskly with a towel.


    ¡°Good morning, Hiro-dono. The weather is beautiful today as well, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She greeted Hiro in the morning.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Good morning. So, what¡¯s the result¡­?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask.¡±


    In response to his voice, he turns around to see Aura standing behind him.


    ¡°Good morning¡­¡±


    ¡°Aura, good morning.¡±


    After returning the greeting, Hiro looked again at the fallen Liz. The wounds sustained in the recent battle were fading to the point of being unnoticeable.


    Thecerations on her back and other parts of her body were probably only thinly visible. Even so, the healing speed is much faster than that of a normal person. It must be due to the protection of the me Emperor, but even so, only the nails seem to be slow to grow.


    ¡°Hiro! You are finally here! Come and join us!¡±


    ¡°No, you need to get some rest.¡±


    Hiro was bewildered by the energetic Liz.


    What¡¯s more¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve just had a quick look at you from above, and you look even better than before.¡±


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯ve just recovered from an injury?¡±


    Liz smiled bitterly as she fluttered her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you move better than when you fought in Felzen. You look like a different person.¡±


    Skaaha agrees with Hiro.


    (Then that means I¡¯m not mistaken.)


    He didn¡¯t know what kind of change had taken ce in Liz¡¯s life, but it was clear that she had found some kind of trigger in Felzen, just likest night.


    ¡°It¡¯s as if she has set her mind to something. Each attack is heavy. There was a surprising amount of determination attached to each attack. If her hand had not been injured, if she had carried a sword, I might have lost.¡±


    Skaahamented, but Liz¡¯s cheeks only flushed red.


    ¡°It¡¯s only your imagination, only your imagination.¡±


    She pped her arms as if to hide her embarrassment and looked at Aura as if to ask for her agreement.


    ¡°Hey, Aura, you think so too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not su¡­ Ugh¡­!?¡±


    Aura tilted her head, and Liz grabbed her thin arm and pulled her close.


    ¡°You think so too, don¡¯t you? Of course, it¡¯s only their imagination, right?¡±


    Liz stroked Aura¡¯s head while she was acting suspiciously. Aura looked up at Liz with irritation.


    ¡°¡­Ouch. I demand to be released.¡±


    Aura grumbled.


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t! I¡¯m stroking you gently!¡±


    ¡°Higuh!¡±


    Liz, forgetting her own monstrous strength, strokes Aura¡¯s headnguidly. Aura¡¯s head will be twisted off if she continues like this.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s have breakfast; everyone is hungry, right?¡±


    Hiro quickly suggested, and Skaaha stood up.


    ¡°I guess so. I¡¯ve been moving around a lot, and I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s stop training for now and eat!¡±


    Liz also agreed and let Aura go.


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Aura stood up with a discouraged expression, holding her aching neck. The four of them together stepped into the dining room.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    When they arrived at the dining room, Rosa had already taken her seat. Next to her, the teary-eyed Hugin squeezed her lips together, and her face turned red.


    ¡°Uuh¡­ I¡¯ve never been rubbed¡­ even by wise brother.¡±


    It¡¯s probably best not to ask why. She has fulfilled her role as an escort admirably.


    ¡°¡­..Hmm?¡±


    There was a round table set up a little further away that wasn¡¯t there yesterday. Men are sitting at the table. There were three of them, Tris, Ghada, and Munin.


    That¡¯s why there was no sign of them in the courtyard, Hiro thought.


    Still, it was only one day, but somehow he felt nostalgic for the men¡¯s group.


    ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡±


    For this reason, his feet naturally began to move in that direction as he greeted them.


    But¡­


    ¡°Hiro, over here.¡±


    Liz grabbed him by the arm from behind, and with her formidable strength, he was integrated into the group of women.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s start eating.¡±


    Rosa pped her hands as she had donest night, and the servants began to serve the meal.


    ¡°Today¡¯s verdict is going to be rough.¡±


    Rosa chuckled happily and shifted her gaze to Liz.


    ¡°Uuh? Fuam?¡±


    Liz tilted her head as she chewed on a chicken wing, probably because she was so hungry. Rosa rolled her eyes at the unexpected reaction as if she thought she was nervous.


    ¡°¡­Our princess doesn¡¯t seem to be nervous. You¡¯ve really grown up strong.¡±


    Rosa put the back of her hand over her mouth and stifled augh, looking lovingly at her sister.


    ¡°By the way, what am I supposed to do until the verdict is done?¡±


    Skaaha pointed the skewer with the sliced meat at Hiro.


    ¡°Can you stay in the mansion with Ghada and the others?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple enough. I was expecting to be told to go and get the heads of one or two of the rival factions.¡±


    It is true that with her power, most people would be no match for her and would fall prey to the Ice Emperor. But if she did that, it would definitely be war.


    ¡°There will be a war soon. Until then, wait quietly.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Whenever you need my spear, just let me know. I will pierce any enemy that stands in your way.¡±


    Skaaha said with a happy face while biting into the skewered meat.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ Rosa, how are the other nobles doing?¡±


    ¡°It seems that they have already entered the imperial pce. We¡¯ll probably be thest ones.¡±


    The second prince Selene and the first prince Stobel, who had disappeared, were also there.


    ¡°Then, as soon as breakfast is over, let¡¯s head for the pce.¡±


    ¡°I think that would be better. We don¡¯t need to make any more enemies by beingte.¡±


    But then Rosa stopped eating as if she suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°And it looks like the southern nobles are not participating. I heard from my subordinates that none of them showed up for the meeting.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not them we¡¯re dealing with this time. It¡¯s the central nobility.¡±


    Yes, the moment they had been waiting for had arrived. The time has finallye to kick the Krone family out.


    (They are the ones who corrupted the Grantz Empire. There¡¯s no need to go easy on them.)

 Volume 5, Chapter 2 – The Flame Princess’ Sunny Stage, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 2 ¨C The me Princess¡¯ Sunny Stage, Part 3</h4>


    The throne room. Arge number of nobles stood in the shadows of the pirs that supported the ceiling, looking as if they were flooding the room. Among them were not only Rosa but also the First Prince Stobel and the Second Prince Selene. Above all, three of the five great noble families were present here.


    If you included their followers and the small and medium-sized nobles who were trying to win them over, the number would be no less than two hundred.


    The Krone family is the leader of the central nobility.


    The Sharm family is the leader of the northern nobility.


    The Kelheit family is the leader of the eastern nobility.


    And then there¡¯s the Mark family, thergest factionless noble family.


    All the great nobles representing the Grantz Empire were gathered in one ce. Therefore, the intimidation that filled the throne room was immeasurable. Everyone sensed that this was not going to end as usual.


    In the midst of such a heavy atmosphere, the elegant and graceful melody yed by the musicians was quietly flowing ¨D a beautiful sound that calmed the mind, but it seemed to have no effect in such a situation, and the air became heavier and heavier.


    Everyone was watching with bated breath. To witness the page of history that was about to happen.


    All eyes were on the three men and women walking on the red carpet in the throne room.


    ¡°This may be the end of the House of Bunadhara. Judging by the absence of the western nobleman, it seems that all the me will be ced on her.¡±


    ¡°The western nobles have been forced to spend unnecessarily. They have to get rid of the people who are slowing them down. Well, it might be unfair to me her exclusively.¡±


    The aristocrats¡¯ impudent gazes are focused on Aura.


    Aura, however, did not look down and walked proudly on the red carpet.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just Brigadier General Bunadhara. The sixth princess, Celia Estre, would be in a precarious position.¡±


    ¡°This is what happens when you leave things to a woman, much less a child.¡±


    They whispered, pointing at Liz, who had made the mistake of bing a prisoner of war.


    ¡°It¡¯s unheard of for a princess of the Grantz to be captured by the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Haha, what kind of disease did you get, you dirty princess?¡±


    When a voice sneered at Liz, Hiro stopped walking.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    He simply red at the nobleman who had insulted Liz.


    That was all there was to it, but the murderous intent that was unleashed was extraordinary.


    ¡°Hyii!?¡±


    He can¡¯t allow someone who is not even determined to ridicule her. The mere presence of these pests in the same space makes him sour, as they have never aplished anything and continue to undermine this country.


    (How much more rotten can they get¡­? I¡¯d like them to show a little bit of the spirit of the Grantz.)


    Hiro gave himself a few ps on the neck, then formed a small smile and started walking again. The nobleman who insulted Liz was so afraid that he fell on his butt and started shaking.


    The atmosphere was unpleasant. No one is happy that Liz and Aura are safe. The hostile nobles are looking forward to seeing how they can make them take responsibility.


    Frankly, it makes Hiro sick.


    (¡­So it can¡¯t be helped, right?)


    Hiro was sickened from the body without hiding it. The hegemony that mixes with it begins to make space creak. The nobles who noticed this closed their mouths one after another and looked down at their feet with heavy sweat floating on their foreheads. All the prey fell silent to avoid being targeted by predators.


    Therefore, a strange atmosphere prevailed in the throne room.


    As they walked leisurely, they reached the throne room. Sitting there was the emperor, who was still filled with youthful energy. When Liz and Aura kneel down in the vassal¡¯s salute, Hiro pauses for a beat, ps his right breast in the Grantz style salute, and then drops to one knee.


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts in traveling so far.¡±


    The emperor¡¯s words of encouragement were spoken.


    ¡°Celia Estre. I am d to see you are safe.¡±


    The solemn sound of a voice echoed through the throne room. It was not a loud one, but it was still low enough to be heard by all.


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz. Your achievements are immeasurable. You may look forward to your reward.¡±


    The emperor raised his right hand. Then Prime Minister Gils, who had been watching the proceedings from nearby, stepped forward.


    ¡°We will now begin the proceedings.¡±


    Byzan Gils von Sharm. He has a thin face and seems to be in constant trouble, but do not be deceived by his appearance.


    He is the Prime Minister of the Grantz Empire and the former head of the Sharm family, one of the five great noble families. It is said that he abandoned his position as head of the family when he chose to be Prime Minister in order to avoid unnecessary disputes, but there are rumors that he is still in control of the family.


    Hiro also believes this to be true. The fact that he is using various secret agents to spy on people, there is no doubt that he is nning something.


    (Speaking of which, Driks hasn¡¯t shown up.)


    Hiro was suspicious of him from the start, so he didn¡¯t entrust him with any important work. Instead, he was given only menial tasks. However, the fact that he was no longer in front of Hiro meant that he might have been assigned some other task. It would be best to be on the lookout for him, but if it¡¯s only Driks, there¡¯s no problem leaving him alone.


    ¡°First, Trea Luzandi Aura von Bunadhara.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡±


    ¡°As of this moment, you will be relieved of your duties as Chief of Staff of the Third Imperial Army of the Grantz Empire. In addition, you will be deprived of themand of the Imperial ck Knights and ced under house arrest for three months.¡±


    ¡°¡­I respectfully ept.¡±


    In other words, she lost all her roles and became independent. There is no point in protesting. There was no one here to take her side, so crying and screaming would only cause trouble for her birth family.


    But it¡¯s not all bad. Now she could belong to Liz¡¯s camp without any grudge.


    The punishment is better than death. She was about to be beheaded at first.


    There were noints from the nobles either. The poprity of the War Maiden is tremendous in the Grantz Imperial Capital. Therefore, it would be more convenient for her to be unaffiliated so that they can recruit her to their own faction.


    ¡°And then, Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    ¡°You will be under house arrest for six months.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Liz looked up in surprise. There was a scream from the eastern nobles. Hiro¡¯s mind was not at ease with this result.


    (¡­They got me.)


    Public opinion does not want Liz to be severely punished. To not let their emotions run rampant, they had no choice but to lighten Liz¡¯s punishment.


    (I didn¡¯t see¡­ thising at all.)


    If the people only heard the word ¡°house arrest,¡± they would probably lower their spirits. She will not be relieved of her post asmander of the Fourth Imperial Army, nor will she be deprived of hermand of the Order of the Rose. If there is no demotion in rank, there is no reason for dissatisfaction.


    (However¡­ She will be far behind in the political sense.)


    In the future, the battle for the right to seed to the throne will be more active, and a six-month house arrest is tantamount to being deprived of the right to the throne.


    (Well thought out. The people are happy that the punishment is too light, and the rival factions can no longerin.)


    But there is no need to be pessimistic. The situation is on her side. For the moment, she should ept her house arrest.


    (This is not the end of the story¡­ There are still moves to be made, so don¡¯t be hasty.)


    Hiro looked at Liz with prayer, hoping that she would not be desperate and would not just refute it. Whether this was understood or not, Liz let her head hang down again.


    ¡°I humbly ept it.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s heart sank with relief. Then he noticed that Liz¡¯s lips were pursed in regret.


    (Liz¡­ I will create a situation where you can let out that frustration, it¡¯s not over yet)


    Hiro exhaled quietly and looked at Prime Minister Gils with eyes filled with darkness.


    ¡°And now, Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Ha!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not only a victory over the Grand Duchy of Dral, but also the suppression of a rebellion in the Felzen region. Above all, your skill in rescuing the Sixth Princess Celia Estre is admirable. Some people say that you should be given a share of the territory as before, but this is not possible due to your pledge to the small country of Baum. Therefore, you will receive 1,000 gold Grantz and promotion from first rank military officer to lieutenant general.¡±


    Two promotion ranks ¨D the new title given to Hiro, Lieutenant General, is alsomonly known as Shogun. In the event of an emergency, he could be given an army of 30,000 soldiers.


    As a natural result, no one was surprised. That¡¯s because Hiro has achieved so much.


    However, it was up to the emperor to decide whether he couldmand an army or not. As Hiro has no territory, the number of soldiers he can gather is limited, so for the time being, things will continue as before.


    ¡°I respectfully ept.¡±


    ¡°And now, let¡¯s begin the proceedings¨D¨D¡±


    As Prime Minister Gils was about to end his speech, Hiro let out a sharp light from his eyes.


    (I won¡¯t let it end like this¡­)


    Hiro mmed his fist on the floor with great force. It¡¯s a quiet space, to begin with. This is why the loud sound reverberates through the throne room.


    Everyone rolled their eyes and focused their impudent gaze on Hiro.


    (Now, let¡¯s make a counterattack!)


    Hiro smirked as he looked out at the stares focused on him. One of them was Liz, and Hiro gave her a look as she rolled her eyes.


    (You can tell them what¡¯s on your mind. Let your presence burn in the minds of the noble lords.)


    Then Liz, whose eyes were instantly lit with understanding, stood up on the spot with great vigor.

 Volume 5, Chapter 2 – The Flame Princess’ Sunny Stage, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 2 ¨C The me Princess¡¯ Sunny Stage, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°Brius Percus von Krone!¡±


    The name that came out of her mouth was the head of the Krone family.


    ¡°You should also be punished right here!¡±


    The words were delivered with exaggerated hand gestures and were heated.


    ¡°For all the evil you¡¯ve done in Felzen, you¡¯re partly to me for this rebellion!¡±


    In addition, the sixth princess, whom they thought was a kitten, suddenly bared her fangs. The noble lords who had underestimated her were so upset that they could not afford to interrupt her.


    ¡°Brius Percus von Krone! The loss you¡¯ve brought to the Grantz Empire is immeasurable!¡±


    Everyone was taken aback. Everyone stared in amazement at Liz, who had changed into a leopard.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Please give him a chance to atone for his sins. The people want it too!¡±


    The words she said resolutely must have reached all of them.


    (How would they react?)


    When Hiro turned his gaze to the ce where the central nobles were gathered, those who understood the meaning of the words were all staring at Liz with bitter faces. And the nobles who wish to see the Krone family fall have also changed their eyes and are looking at Liz with anticipation.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re just talking nonsense, little girl.¡±


    ¡°Dammit, I didn¡¯t expect the¡­ sixth princess to make a move on us.¡±


    The central nobles were upset. It¡¯s probably because the thing they were afraid of has happened. One of the central nobles stepped forward, perhaps hoping to break the negative flow.


    ¡°With all due respect, Your Majesty, there is no need to listen to her. Her words are iprehensible as to why the Krone family should be punished for the failure of the western nobility to govern when the rebellion broke out in the Felzen region.¡±


    Starting with his story, the central nobles came out in defense of the Krone family one after another.


    ¡°In the first ce, if the Sixth Princess, Her Highness Celia Estre, has been ced under house arrest, she should not be allowed to speak here. I think it would be better if she knew her ce.¡±


    ¡°She must not have recovered from the pain of being mistreated as a prisoner of war. It would be better to let what she said go and give her a break¡­ Oh, no, I¡¯m sorry. She was already under house arrest.¡±


    The central nobles mocked Liz one after another.


    ¡°If you¡¯d just shut up and listen, you would understand! You don¡¯t understand the kind heart of Her Highness, the Sixth Princess Celia Estre! How rotten can you be?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in saying anything to the central nobles whose only concern is lining their own pockets.¡±


    And perhaps they couldn¡¯t take it any longer; the eastern nobles seemed to have caught fire and cursed the central nobles.


    ¡°Hmph, aren¡¯t the eastern nobles mistaken? Do you think you¡¯re in a position to say anything to us since you¡¯re the furthest away from Felzen?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always the same with you central nobles. You¡¯re all talk but no action. How can you be so high and mighty when you¡¯re just hiding behind the Krone family?¡±


    As the hall filled with noise, Hiro turned his attention to the head of the Krone family. He just closed his eyes quietly and didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of controlling the situation.


    The most important thing to remember is that, as one of the five great noble families, he has reigned at the top of the Grantz Empire for a long time, and he seems to have a calm face on the surface. As expected of a man who can¡¯t catch a tail, he¡¯s a good actor. Although he is probably boiling with anger inside¡­


    After that, Hiro was suddenly curious about Stobel¡¯s condition.


    When Hiro gazed at Stobel, he noticed his gaze and gave him a deep smile. He is nning something. But it waspletely unreadable from the expression on his face as he stood leisurely.


    Stobel is making a creepy im by pping himself on the neck¡­


    (Is he going to set something up in this situation¡­?)


    No, it¡¯s more like¨D¨D


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Ministry of the Interior is receiving nothing butints about the central nobility. There are many people who have lost their homes and are migrating to the east. What do you and the central nobility think you¡¯re doing to the people?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand anything. If the capital were in the east, it would be filled with theints of the eastern nobles!¡±


    As both sides were in non-negotiable positions, excitement and disgust created aplicated board. The situation had be so noisy and heated that it could have developed into a fistfight.


    If left unchecked, the situation would be uncontroble.


    (For us, this is the way we want it to go¡­ What about them?)


    When he looked at the emperor, he frowned in annoyance.


    And¡­


    ¡°Quiet.¡±


    With just one word, the nobles who had been arguing fell silent, unable to bear the pressure.


    A cold wind blew through the quiet throne room. Everyone must have felt like a de was being held to their throat. Everyone must have noticed that there was a hint of murder in the air, a stirring of irritated and uncontroble emotions.


    Although Hiro had suspected it for a long time, the emperor¡¯s hand was wavering because of his emotional outburst. He could see that something invisible was being held in his hands.


    (The five emperors of the Spirit Sword ¨D Wind Emperor¡­ It¡¯s been a long time.)


    Hiro was convinced that the reason why the emperor kept his youthful appearance despite his age was because of the ¡°blessings¡± of the ¡°Wind Emperor.¡± If the emperor wanted to, he could turn the throne room into a sea of blood in an instant.


    (Well¡­ that¡¯s about the extent of his power ¨D a power he can only boast about against ordinary people.)


    After all, old age diminishes power. No matter how great the power is, it cannot stop the flow of time. One can only imagine what the emperor would have looked like in his prime, but he would have retained more power than he does now.


    ¡°Brius Percus von Krone, step forward.¡±


    The emperor solemnly called out the name of the head of the Krone family.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    The head of the Krone family left his followers, knelt down near Hiro and the others, and bowed his head. As expected of the head of one of the five great noble families. His calm demeanor gave a sense offort.


    ¡°Do you remember the name Booze von Krone?¡±


    The existence of the Krone family is a hindrance to the emperor¡¯s efforts to bring a new noble family to power. The emperor is happy to be in a situation where he can punish the Krone family, even though he pretends to be unconcerned. This could be sensed from the atmosphere the emperor wore.


    ¡°I am well aware of that. It is the name of the one who has been added to the ranks of the Krone family.¡±


    In contrast, the head of the Krone family, a man who has been active in the Grantz Empire, has a calm face if you only look at his expression. But his eyes were colored with hatred for the emperor.


    ¡°I believe he was the Governor of Felzen. I wonder what happened to that person?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve received various reports about Booze¡¯s behavior. The most incriminating of these was the granting of inhumane permits to certain nobles to plunder. As a result, the royal capital left behind by the Felzen royal family has be a wreck, and the people have also grown resentful of the Grantz.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s another thing that disgusts me as a human being.¡±


    ¡°Is that enough of an excuse?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for him, but I can¡¯t judge him when he¡¯s not here.¡±


    And besides, the head of the Krone family continued.


    ¡°As you may know, he disappeared during the battle against the Felzen remnants, and we are unable to verify the facts. If he is not here to atone for his crimes, then¡­¡±


    As if to interrupt the words of the head of the Krone family, the emperor¡¯s hand moved in a horizontal line as if caressing the air. That gesture alone was enough to make him shut his mouth.


    It¡¯s not like he did anything special. It wasn¡¯t that the power of the five emperors of the Spirit Sword had worked. It was just that he had to focus all of his nerves in order to stay conscious and withstand the pressure that the emperor had unleashed.


    ¡°Brius Percus von Krone.¡±


    Like a torrential downpour, the murderous intent in the emperor¡¯s voice pierced the head of the Krone family.


    ¡°H-ha!¡±


    ¡°The Krone family shall bear the full amount of Felzen¡¯s reconstruction funds.¡±


    The emperor¡¯s words seemed to ease the discontent of the central nobility. If the damage is not to your own house, it is a fire on the other side of the river. Therefore, no one would argue about it.


    The head of the Krone family also did not say anything unnecessary. If he tried to argue in vain here, he would not be able to halt the decline of his centripetal force. He probably thinks it¡¯s time to be patient. In addition, the slight smile on his face suggests that he can afford to pay his bills with the resources he has umted.


    ¡°In addition, the threends that were given to the Krone family, such as Heilung, Mithrite, and Grolle, were confiscated, and from now on, they will be administered under my direct control.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DWha?¡±


    The head of the Krone family also turned pale. All of them are the names of thends that have supported the prosperity of the Krone family. An essential source of revenue ¨D in other words, the heart of the economy has been ripped out.


    ¡°W-wait, thosends have been in the family for generations¡­¡±


    No matter what the means, the Krone family has brought a great deal of profit to the Grantz Empire to this day. Their achievements are immeasurable. In addition to that, they may have thought that the emperor would not be any more forceful because they are gathering troops by threats.


    ¡°Also, for the next one year, you are strictly ordered to pay sixty percent of your tax revenue to the Grantz Imperial Family.¡±


    Ignoring the words of the head of the Krone family, the emperor gave further pursuit.


    Everyone needs money.


    The Krone family is arge noble family, one of the five major noble families, and they have many soldiers and are involved in a variety of businesses. If the tax revenue is taken away by 60%, it is as if they are being told to die.


    (Haha, that¡¯s good. That¡¯s a pretty strong attack.)


    The nobles were stunned by the harsh treatment, and the head of the Krone family was appalled. However, the head of the Krone family gradually began to understand, and his face began to turn bright red.


    ¡°Huh, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡±


    The head of the Krone family fell on his face and expressed his anger.


    It was not loud enough to reach the emperor¡¯s ears, but it did reach Hiro¡¯s ears.


    (It¡¯s about time¡­ If it gets out of control, all the good opportunities will be wasted.)


    Hiro decides that he should intervene in this situation.


    (It¡¯s the emperor¡¯s turn next.)


    Hiro twisted his mouth wildly and tried to say the sins of the emperor to make the scene even rougher.


    But¨D¨D


    ¡°I would like you to hear what I have to say.¡±


    It was not Hiro¡¯s voice. Reacting to a voice that was not his, Hiro looked around. Eventually, he caught sight of a spot.


    There stood the owner of the voice, the First Prince Stobel.


    ¡°Very well. I allow you.¡±


    The emperor¡¯s smile deepens. It was as if he had known what he would say before he said it, and he admitted it without any hesitation.


    ¡°The rebellion in Felzen is partly due to the fact that I have eradicated the Felzen royal family. It was also the result of my indifference to my rtives, as I could not contradict my grandfather¡¯s wish for further development of the Krone family. That¡¯s why I turned a blind eye to my grandfather¡¯s misdeeds in Felzen, even though he weed Booze as one of his own.¡±


    ¡°Stobel, what are you talking about¡­?¡±


    The head of the Krone family is looking at Stobel with a shocked look on his face.


    (What¡­ is he trying to do?)


    Hiro was also struggling to understand what Stobel was saying and doing.


    ¡°I¡¯m just as guilty as Brius Percus von Krone.¡±


    There is no room for interrupting. No, it¡¯s Hiro who will be med if he interrupts when he doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on.


    ¡°I hereby dere that I will take responsibility for the series of incidents that urred in Felzen and abdicate my right to seed to the throne.¡±


    For example, if you throw a stone on the surface of quiet water, it will create a ripple with a loud ssh. It¡¯s the same thing.


    In the throne room, the stone released by Stobel caused the nobles to shout in surprise. However, the surprise was short-lived, and Stobel proceeded to speak without hesitation.


    ¡°When I reflect on the crimes I havemitted, it would be a shame to be named alongside the emperors of the past. In order not to impede the progress of the Grantz Empire, I will gracefully step down.¡±


    The first in line of session to the throne left early. The next emperor was the focus of attention not only on the surrounding countries but also on the entire world. For the time being, this topic would color the world.


    (What does it mean to give up the right to the throne¡­? Will Stobel gain anything from this?)


    The story is unfolding fast. It was hard for him to keep up with the fast-changing situation. However, there is one thing that is certain.


    There is no doubt that the emperor and Stobel had a meeting beforehand.


    (¡­This is the situation I wanted, but it¡¯s not going to turn out the way I wanted.)


    Nevertheless, the Krone family has lost the Stobel name. This means that the Krone family will not be able to stop the decline in their centripetal force.


    Above all, the treatment of the Krone family will undoubtedly lead to their downfall in both name and reality. In fact, the head of the Krone family was so shocked that he just stood there.


    It would be difficult for him to recover from this.


    Because the topic of Stobel¡¯s resignation from the throne has captured the attention of all the noble lords.


    The head of the Krone family has slipped off a cliff. Before he had time to put his hand anywhere, his body had fallen into the abyss.


    (Thanks to that, my hands are sealed, too. This means I can¡¯t pursue charges against the emperor. Maybe that¡¯s what he was trying to do.)


    If I say something unnecessary in this situation, all the me could be directed at me.


    (Well, it¡¯s not all bad¡­ but it¡¯s still a problem.)


    After calming down, Hiro felt the need to rethink his n a bit. He would have to discuss it with Liz and Rosater. He decided that holding the emperor ountable should be carried over to ater date.


    Still, he didn¡¯t expect Stobel to abandon his right to seed to the throne.


    (Sooner orter, I was going to have Stobel decline¡­ Is there any point in stepping off the stage himself, or is he just trying to confuse us?)


    As Hiro continues to ponder this, the emperor throws a quiet voice into the throne room.


    ¡°Very well. Your wishes have been heard. You will continue to serve me as a good and loyal vassal.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    With this, the faction of the Krone family will probably break away at once. In ce of the Krone family, which has held the central nobility together for many years, the Mark family, arge noble family that has continued to umte power while remaining factionless, is sure to emerge.


    ¡°Then, this concludes the verdict.¡±


    Some of the noble lords may not be convinced, but if Stobel had said it himself, there was no room for argument. Therefore, the stagees to a close.


    No matter whether the problem is resolved forcibly or whether there is still a big standoff.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you, Stobel, and Emperor¡­¡±


    Hiro did not miss the disturbing words muttered by the head of the Krone family.


    (Not bad. We need to revise our n, but it¡¯s turning out the way¡­ we want it to.)


    Hiro put a deep smile on his face as he imagined the problems that would arise in the future.

 Volume 5, Chapter 2 – The Flame Princess’ Sunny Stage, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 2 ¨C The me Princess¡¯ Sunny Stage, Part 5</h4>


    Once the verdict was over, a small banquet was held to celebrate.


    No matter how rough the verdict was, the fact that they had defeated the Felzen remnants and defeated the Grand Duchy of Dral would not change. It¡¯s a memorable day, for sure, and since it¡¯s a matter of prestige for the Grantz Empire, the banquet will be held no matter what.


    ¡°So, I would like to invite you to my residence. My wife is also looking forward to meeting Your Highness Hiro Schwartz.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I shall be happy to visit her if the opportunity arises.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, see youter.¡±


    Hiro took a break from dealing with the greetings of the many noblemen and turned to Liz. She sat down on the sofa by the wall and looked depressed.


    ¡°Liz, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Hiro, concerned, called out to her.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get my father to pay for his crimes in Felzen.¡±


    Liz said regretfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so downhearted. You¡¯ll get another chance.¡±


    It was the person behind Hiro who threw the cheering words, and when he turned around, Rosa was standing there. There were two sses in her hand. It seems that she had gone to get a drink.


    ¡°I think so too. And I think it¡¯s a good job we were able to get the Krone family to take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Well, have a drink and calm down.¡±


    Rosa said, offering the water she had brought to Liz.


    After thanking her, Liz sipped on the water. She took a breath and turned her head down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to apologize to Skaahater.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll me you, either. Don¡¯t get too worked up.¡±


    Hiro nodded his head in agreement with Rosa¡¯s words, but he could not help but understand Liz¡¯s feelings. She had put so much energy into this. It¡¯s no wonder she feels responsible and depressed.


    It would be solved with time. First of all, she had to try not to let herself think about it too much. As Hiro tried to divert the topic, he suddenly noticed that Aura was not present.


    ¡°Speaking of which, where is Aura?¡±


    ¡°She was here a while ago.¡±


    ¡°Lady Bunadhara has gone to get some food.¡±


    It¡¯s toote for that. When Hiro looked around, he saw that Aura was surrounded by many nobles, as expected. The fact that she was frowning in a troublesome manner indicated that she might be invited to join a faction or something. Aura¡¯s brilliant mind is something that every faction would love to have.


    However, Aura treated the nobles poorly and came over to Hiro and the others, making cute footsteps as she walked.


    ¡°Good work.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thanks.¡±


    Aura also drank a ss of water when Hiro offered it to her.


    ¡°It seems that even Lady Bunadhara could not easily escape from the wave of nobles.¡±


    Rosa gave Aura a wry smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to ignore them when they call out to you since they have no malicious intent¡­¡±


    Maybe it was because she had been like thatst time, but Liz looked at her with sympathy.


    ¡°¡­..I want to go home.¡±


    Aura started to say something like a child.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re still waiting for the nobles to greet us?¡±


    Liz said, pointing to a group of nobles who were ncing at her.


    ¡°¡­Enough. I¡¯ll leave that one to Liz.¡±


    Aura gives a disgusted look. There was even a hint of exhaustion in the nk expression.


    Hiro smiled bitterly.


    At that moment¡­


    ¡°!?¡±


    A chill ran down Hiro¡¯s spine. A hostile gaze, an unconcealed killing intent, was directed at him. Turning to the ce that caused it, the First Prince Stobel was standing there.


    (¡­..What do you think you¡¯re doing?)


    He smiled meaningfully and walked out the door.


    ¡°I think I drank a little too much water. I¡¯m going to go do a small errand.¡±


    Hiro turned his back on Liz and the others and followed Stobel without waiting for a reply. He weaved his way through the crowd to the door, ducked through, and went down the hallway.


    Then there was an obvious rush of blood, perhaps to let him know where he was.


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened happily, and he pushed his way through the darkness without hesitation. There was a ce with a fountain garden ¨D and there stood Stobel looking up at the night sky.


    When Hiro deliberately stepped into the fountain garden, Stobel slowly turned to look at him.


    ¡°What do you want, kid?¡±


    ¡°That should be my line. I¡¯ll have to ask you to tell me why you¡¯ve been sending out such obvious killing intent.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re being too self-conscious. You¡¯re the one who came along on your own.¡±


    Then Stobel spread his arms and opened his mouth again to Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a little time on my hands. Maybe I can tag along with you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ time, huh?¡±


    Hiro tried to figure out what his intentions were.


    ¡°There is nothing to be cautious about. I¡¯m not going to set anything off yet.¡±


    Stobel muttered, clearing his throat happily.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sickened by the existence of this country ever since I can remember.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°I want to know if I am the only one who feels this way or if you also feel the same way, just like me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so far-fetched that I don¡¯t understand the question.¡±


    ¡°Really? You actually know what it means, don¡¯t you?¡±


    A smile spreads across Stobel¡¯s mouth as he basks in the moonlight.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t deny it, then you are affirming it.¡±


    Hiro looked at Stobel and said.


    ¡°Then what? Even if our goals were the same, I would not join forces with you.¡±


    ¡°Neither am I going to join forces with you.¡±


    Stobelughed at him.


    ¡°But there is one thing I have to tell you.¡±


    A cold wind blew between them. The hem of the ck Princess Camellia danced and yed with Hiro¡¯s bangs.


    ¡°No matter what path you choose, you will not be able to stop the corruption in this country.¡±


    ¡°That may be true.¡±


    That¡¯s why the existence of Liz will be essential for this country.


    As if reading Hiro¡¯s inner thoughts, Stobel¡¯s face showed a hint of amusement.


    ¡°You can keep on struggling while I go on ahead.¡±


    ¡°Go where you want. It¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    ¡°Kukuku, stagnation is rotten. New seeds are sown, but they don¡¯t change; they corrupt everything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it from a prime example.¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders and said sarcastically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to be told by a representative of that. You¡¯re on this side too, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Stobel snickered and turned his head abruptly.


    ¡°The wind is getting stronger¡­¡±


    Hiro could feel on his skin that the heat of the killing intent between the two was rapidly cooling down.


    ¡°Hah, the old man¡¯s persistence seems to have put an end to our pleasant conversation.¡±


    Stobel turned his back on Hiro and stepped into the darkness where the moonlight did not reach.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue when the wind is gone.¡±


    With that, Stobel disappeared into the darkness.


    The buzzing of insects and the roaring of the wind ¨D the only thing that was left was an unountable sense of oppression. Hiro let out a small sigh and walked back to the hall where Liz and the others were waiting.


    When he returned to the hall where the banquet was being held, he found a joyful atmosphere with light music.


    Hiro¡¯s head turned, and when he spotted Liz and the others, he approached them.


    However, someone blocked his way.


    ¡°Hello, Hiro. It¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    It was the Second Prince Selene. His cheeks rxed happily, and he put his hand on Hiro¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    When Hiro gave a curt reply.


    ¡°Geez, that¡¯s a pretty curt response.¡±


    Selene exhaled deeply and put his hands on his hips in frustration.


    ¡°If you just want to say hello, then excuse me.¡±


    And Hiro tried to head down to Liz and the others.


    But¡­


    ¡°Well, well, maybe you should listen to me for a while.¡±


    Selene came around in front of Hiro as he started to walk. He then grabbed Hiro by the shoulders again and put his mouth close to his ear.


    ¡°You¡¯d better be careful. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been to the Imperial Pce, but I didn¡¯t realize how dangerous the situation was.¡±


    A strong warning bled through the neutral voice. Hiro raised his eyebrows suspiciously.


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There are definitely people involved. You really should be careful.¡±


    Selene said and then distanced himself from Hiro.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve said what I wanted to say, I¡¯ll take my leave. I don¡¯t want to stay in this ce too long.¡±


    Despite his words, Selene walked past Hiro with a refreshing smile on his face.


    When Hiro turned around hurriedly, he said.


    ¡°See youter.¡±


    With a wave of his hand behind his back, he walked out of the hall with his followers.


    (Warning? People? Be careful with what¡­?)


    As Hiro pondered the meaning of Selene¡¯s words¡­


    ¡°Hiro! You came back toote!¡±


    Before he could find an answer, Liz and the others seemed to notice him and approached him.


    ¡°Anee-sama got drunk. So I think we should go back to the mansion.¡±


    Looking next to her, Rosa, who had been leaning on Liz¡¯s shoulder, had a flush on her cheeks.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I feel like biting your neck.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, and let¡¯s not do that in public, shall we?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s cheeks twitch as Rosa gives him a disturbing look.


    How is it that she likes to drink but is weak at it?


    ¡°It¡¯s bad.¡±


    Aurained, but the drunkard would not listen.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Shall we go back to the mansion?¡±


    Just before he turned on his heel, Hiro took another look at the hall. There are many noblemen left, but there is no sign of the leading noblemen.


    Most of the nobles were factionless, and some were central nobles who had abandoned the Krone family. Then Hiro looked at the ce where many people had gathered.


    There was a man who was chatting andughing ¨D the head of the Mark family, thergest factionless noble family.


    Although he didn¡¯t get a chance to greet him at this banquet, he would have to talk to him in the future. With this premonition, Hiro looked away from him.


    ¡°Hey, Anee-sama, walk properly!¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ give me your shoulder.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, yes.¡±


    Hiro smiled at Rosa, who hugged him, and decided to take her back to the mansion.

 Volume 5, Chapter 2 – The Flame Princess’ Sunny Stage, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 2 ¨C The me Princess¡¯ Sunny Stage, Part 6</h4>


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back, wee back.¡±


    When Hiro and the others returned to the mansion, they were greeted by Skaaha.


    ¡°Did you enjoy the banquet ¨D well, looking at how drunk Rosa-dono is, I guess there¡¯s no need to ask?¡±


    Skaaha smiled at the drunken Rosa, whose forehead was covered with sweat-like condensation.


    ¡°Did you just practice?¡±


    When Hiro asked, Skaaha turned her face away to hide her embarrassment and nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing for a while. When I¡¯m moving my body, I don¡¯t have to think about anything else.¡±


    There were the other guys in the mansion ¨D Ghada and the others, but they were still not close enough to greet each other. The fact that Liz and the others were gone and she was alone probably gave her time to think about things. In the midst of all this, being in an imperial pce with an enemy who she has a grudge against may have made it difficult for her to be at peace.


    Therefore, Hiro couldn¡¯t help but think that she was throwing her unnecessary thoughts out of her mind by moving her body ¨D no, it seems that there was another person with the same problem.


    ¡°Skaaha!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Skaaha hurriedly held Liz as she jumped into the air.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s the matter all of a sudden, Liz-dono?¡±


    ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    A thin, small voice. But the trembling sound of her voice prated deeply into the ears.


    ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t keep my promise.¡±


    As if she had guessed by that word, Skaaha, who had been rolling her eyes, smiled kindly for a change.


    ¡°As I said to you that day¡­ that feeling is enough for me.¡±


    That day is probably referring to the incident where Liz was taken prisoner in Felzen. Hiro had been told fragments of what had happened between them, but he did not know the details.


    However, it is clear from the outside that the bond between them was strengthened because of that event.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. I¡¯ll definitely keep my promise.¡±


    Liz shook her head in disapproval.


    ¡°I thought I told you that I wanted you to remain who you are.¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s gentle pat on Liz¡¯s back was full ofpassion.


    ¡°You should prioritize your own goals. You don¡¯t have to worry about someone like me. You don¡¯t have to worry, okay?¡±


    ¡°Still, I will make it happen!¡±


    ¡°Fufu, I see. Then I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±


    Skaaha smiled slightly as if she had lost her patience with Liz, who never bent her beliefs.


    A solid bond that ties the two together. It¡¯s dazzlingly brilliant. Just looking at the two of them caring for each other fills the heart with happiness.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Liz is cheated on me.¡±


    Even though it was a beautiful scene, strange words shook the eardrums. The owner of the voice was next to Hiro ¨D the drunken Rosa.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m just sad to see my little sister leave me. It makes me sad to think that you are all I have left.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, please don¡¯t use strange words¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the ramblings of a drunken freak. Don¡¯t worry about it. Let¡¯s just strengthen our bond, shall we?¡±


    And then, the drunken Rosa leaned on Hiro.


    ¡°Wait, it¡¯s hea ¨D Aah¡­¡±


    Hiro unintentionally said and was in a panic.


    ¡°Did you just say that I¡¯m heavy?¡±


    A fighting spirit rose from Rosa¡¯s body.


    ¡°No, it was a figure of speech¡­ or something like that¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t heavy at all. With the blessings of the five emperors of the spirit sword, it can be said that the weight is light now ¡ª it just something thates out of the mouth naturally in terms of the convention.


    ¡°Haha, do you want to try suffocating to death by my chest?¡±


    But now that he had said the forbidden words, it seemed that he would not be able to stay safe.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad.¡±


    Aura said in exasperation after hearing the exchange between Hiro and Rosa.


    ¡°Do you need help getting her to her room?¡±


    Skaaha, who could not bear to see Hiro struggling with Rosa, approached him.


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary!¡±


    Rosa strongly refused. The resentment of having her sister captured is considerable. Hiro sighed deeply and looked at Skaaha.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this drunkard with me. Isn¡¯t Skaaha going to take a bath?¡±


    The reason why Skaaha was near the entrance was probably because she had finished her training and was on her way to the bath. She happened to run into Hiro and the others who had just returned from the banquet.


    Hiro just guessed it, but he wasn¡¯t wrong, and Skaaha nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely correct. Indeed I do.¡±


    ¡°Then you should go. Liz and Aura, too.¡±


    Hiro looked at Skaaha meaningfully and suggested. It was only a momentary gesture, but Skaaha seemed to understand and nodded her head deeply.


    ¡°I understand. Liz-dono, Aura-dono, shall we enter together?¡±


    Skaaha put her arm around Liz and Aura¡¯s shoulders and pulled them close.


    ¡°Eh, wait! What happened to you suddenly, Skaaha?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­!?¡±


    The two who were forced to walk rolled their eyes in surprise.


    ¡°No, it was quite a while ago that I had the bath heated. If we don¡¯t hurry, the water will get cold. And it¡¯s better for the three of us to take a bath together, so the water doesn¡¯t go to waste.¡±


    After watching their backs as they hurriedly walked down the hallway, Hiro lent Rosa his shoulder and began to walk.


    The room that was assigned to Hiro was located in the middle of the second floor. In the room, there is a bed, a desk, and a separate chair, and on the wall, there is a g with the Kelheit family¡¯s crest on it, as well as the g of the ck dragon that Hiro raises.


    Rather than an assigned room, it would be more urate to say that it had been prepared in advance.


    When Hiro came back to the room, he said,


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Hiro returned to the room and called out to Rosa, the woman who was acting drunk next to him.

 Volume 5, Chapter 2 - The Flame Princess’ Sunny Stage, Part 7

    Volume 5, Chapter 2 - The me Princess¡¯ Sunny Stage, Part 7


    ¡°Fuh¡­ pretending to be drunk is also a bit tiring, you know?¡±


    Rosa gave a sigh of exhaustion.


    Then, without showing any hesitation, she stood in front of Hiro with good posture.


    ¡°Did you really need to put on an act?¡±


    ¡°I just want to be a strong sister in front of Liz.¡±


    She sat down on a nearby chair, rested her back against it, and looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°The emperor got the jump on us¡­¡±


    It was obvious that she was also disappointed that she had missed her chance to win. Although she acted bravely in front of Liz, she herself may have felt the most responsible.


    That¡¯s why Hiro noticed it on the way and pulled Liz and Aura away from Rosa by giving Skaaha a look.


    ¡°If I had realized the emperor¡¯s intentions earlier, the flow would have been all in our favor.¡±


    Muttering in frustration, Rosa clenched her fists tightly on the armrest. There is no point in offering words offort when the emotions are unstable like this.


    The words of denial are sure toe back. But if he tried to sympathize with her, he would be burdened with the same negative emotions as her. Then he would be stuck in a quagmire, and the whole thing would fall apart.


    So what to do? People feel better when they express their dissatisfaction. By speaking out, they feel mentally relieved. Therefore, it is best to say somethingforting.


    ¡°It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault. Stobel¡¯s movements were unreadable.¡±


    ¡°But I still think I could have done something for Liz.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s no fun to win all the time, you know. You have to have something to look forward to. You¡¯ll get tired of things going your way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true too¡­¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not like we¡¯ve lost yet. It¡¯s still early in the game, the board is getting moreplicated, but the flow is not bad.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened; he stroked his eye patch and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy both failures and sesses. If you don¡¯t, you won¡¯t be able to sustain yourself until the end.¡±


    ¡°¡­Even if it¡¯s life or death, can you enjoy it?¡±


    Rosa asked.


    Hiro nodded happily and then said.


    ¡°Ye¨D!?¡±


    ¨D¨DHe was taken aback.


    He stroked his lips with trembling fingertips, thinking back to what he was about to say.


    (What am I¡­)


    A chill ran through him as he remembered the meaning of the words that were stuck in his throat, the rage that fueled his struggle.


    (What was I going to say¡­?)


    The pleasure welling up from the bottom of his heart ¨D he clutched his chest and struggled to hold it in.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Perhaps reading such conflicts from Hiro, Rosa had a worried expression on her face.


    It¡¯s nothing ¨D Hiro shakes his head with a face so pale it¡¯s hard to believe.


    Rosa had one of her eyebrows raised suspiciously, but she didn¡¯t pursue it and changed the subject as if she was concerned in her own way.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that we can¡¯t move forward if we¡¯re depressed. Let¡¯s think about the central nobility for now.¡±


    It would not be possible to separate the two ¨D perhaps her pride as the acting head of the Kelheit family would not allow her toin any further, but her eyes changed color as if she were abandoning her indulgence.


    ¡°It is the central nobility that has suffered the most this time. It¡¯s not only that they¡¯ve lost their supporters because Stobel abandoned the right to inherit the throne, but the Krone family, who they look up to as their masters, have even had their territory taken away.¡±


    Rosa was thirsty and reached over to a nearby desk to pick up a ss bottle of water. She also grabbed a ss with her free hand and started pouring water into it.


    ¡°If the Krone family continues to sit on their hands, the central nobility will fall apart. And the Mark family will rise in their ce, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    After slurping down a ss of water, Rosa moistened her lips with her tongue and became more talkative.


    ¡°If the Krone family remains silent, it is likely that they will take extreme measures, but unfortunately, the emperor has seen through their intentions.¡±


    The noble lords, including Rosa, are gathering in the great imperial capital with their military forces. It¡¯s the Krone family that will suffer the consequences if they turn against the emperor. However, if they remained silent, they would be scorned by the nobility and ridiculed by the people.


    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s not going to be an easy road for the Krone family, is it?¡±


    Hiro sat down on the bed and replied to Rosa in a matter-of-fact manner.


    The instinct is still raging in his mind like a storm. But the bottom line is that the anxiety about the future is what brings on the strange feelings he forced himself to say.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think Stobel would give up his right to the throne, though.¡±


    As Rosa said, who would have thought that Stobel would be the first to be eliminated at that moment? No one who was there would have thought it, except for the emperor¡­


    ¡°I was surprised too, but he¡¯s going to have a hard time moving on. He has done something that will make it hard for him to move on.¡±


    If you lose your position, you lose your power. Losing power means not being able to live in an aristocratic society where evil demons are rampant.


    ¡°What do you think the First Prince Stobel is up to?¡±


    Hiro asked Rosa; she sighs and then shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Who knows¡­ It¡¯s rare to find someone as unpredictable as him. It¡¯s a big deal because even if you send a spy on him, you won¡¯t even be able to catch his tail. The only thing we can do now is not to show our backs to him.¡±


    Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Rosa showed signs of thinking.


    ¡°There was one piece of information that caught my attention, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that former General Loing, who was always working with Stobel, is nowhere to be found.¡±


    ¡°¡­Former General Loing? He¡¯s not a general anymore?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¨D¨D¡±


    Rosa nodded and began to exin.


    In fact, behind the big event of Liz bing a prisoner of war, there was a major event happening in the Grantz Empire. As soon as the news of Liz¡¯s capture in Felzen reached the Great Imperial Capital, a letter was sent from Loing to the emperor, stating that he would give up his position as general.


    ¡°His Majesty epted, but in a fit of anger at his selfish behavior, he demoted General Loing to the rank of a soldier.¡±


    His son banished him from the family in order to avoid being held ountable.


    ¡°In those days, there was a lot of spection in the Great Imperial Capital due to the confusion of information regarding Liz¡¯s case. It was hard to know what was true and what was false.¡±


    Above all, because of the Krone family, Loing¡¯s case naturally became a lower priority.


    ¡°I apologize for bringing this to your attention now.¡±


    Rosa bowed her head. Hiro shook his head and replied that there was no need to apologize.


    ¡°It was inevitable. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±


    At the time, Hiro was so preupied with Liz that he didn¡¯t know if he had time to even think about Loing¡­ Above all, giving information that may or may not be true will only cause confusion.


    ¡°Your judgment is not wrong.¡±


    The only thing he could say about Loing was that he was stupid. He wondered if it was necessary for him to give up the rank of general at the cost of losing his home.


    (I guess I can¡¯t me him for his personal preferences¡­)


    Hiro is more worried about the unpredictability of Stobel¡¯s movements than anything else.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you said that.¡±


    Rosa put on a relieved expression. Hiro responded with a smile and then tilted his head.


    ¡°¡­So, when did he disappear?¡±


    ¡°After Stobel disappeared from the Great Imperial Capital, the former General Loing disappeared as well, you know?¡±


    ¡°The one you wrote in the letter your man gave me before I left for the Grand Duchy of Dral.¡±


    ¡°It was only the other day that Stobel returned to the Great Imperial Capital, and there was no sign of General Loing. Now there are rumors that the two have fallen out. That was roughly over a month ago.¡±


    ¡°With that much time, I think they could prepare a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°Of course, they must be up to something. Unfortunately, I¡¯m still trying to find out what they¡¯re up to, but I haven¡¯t been able to get a lead.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Hiro could have sent Munin and Hugin to look into it, but they couldn¡¯t get any information, even though Rosa¡¯s spy was supposed to be excellent. In light of that, there was no way to send them on a dangerous mission.


    If they fail and lose their lives, there will be no room for regret.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s put together a n for the future. I think we should continue to give priority to the Krone family.¡±


    ¡°I agree with you. If the situation is turned upside down from here, it will all be for nothing.¡±


    Next, the emperor ¨D as for his apology to Felzen, there is no choice but to spread rumors in the city and let the people know about Felzen¡¯s current situation. If Hiro can stir up public opinion to sympathize with Felzen, even the emperor will have no choice but to act. As for Stobel and others, he could not read their movements, and if he decided on his own, it might hurt himself, so he had to leave them alone.


    Hiro let out a dark cloud of sighs and pulled himself up to the window.


    ¡°But, we still have to do what we can. If Stobel can¡¯t get a hold of his tail, we¡¯ll sneak a spy into his entourage, his close nobles, and his favorite people. And while we are at it, can you look around the Second Prince Selene?¡±


    ¡°Understood. I will give strict orders not to overlook even the slightest thing.¡±


    When Rosa nodded, Hiro felt the presence of people in the hallway.


    As soon as he nced at the door, the handle made a metallic sound.


    ¡°Hiro, that was nice hot water.¡±


    It was Liz who opened the door and walked in. At her feet, Cerberus was with her.


    ¡°You shoulde in too¡­¡±


    She was about to say this when she realized the heavy atmosphere in the room and not only shut her mouth but stopped. A strange atmosphere fills the room, and a stunned Liz looks at them.


    ¡°Eh¡­ what¡¯s wrong with no lights on? And you¡¯re awake, Anee-sama?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah! My beloved sister is gone, and I¡¯ve sobered up. Your Anee-sama almost died of loneliness!¡±


    Rosa, raising her voice exceptionally, got up from her chair and hugged Liz.


    Hiro rolled his eyes at Rosa¡¯s strange behavior.


    It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t want Liz to know about the conversation they just had¡­ it¡¯s just that Rosa was afraid of being med, or perhaps she felt guilty and tried to hide it as much as she could.


    Anyway, to appreciate Rosa¡¯s unusual appearance for a while, Hiro decided to tell Liz the detailster.


    ¡°¡­Anee-sama, are you still drunk?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know why I acted like this. Oh, my beloved sister, I don¡¯t really know either. Could it be that I am really drunk?¡±


    ¡°Anee-sama, you are definitely drunk.¡±


    Hiro watched the friendly exchange between the two of them with a smile on his face. He couldn¡¯t help but think that he wished they could stay like this forever.


    Even if the future is bleak, Hiro hopes that the sisters will be able to ovee the rough seas together, hand in hand, and build a country where they canugh together forever.


    (In that future, will I be living the same days like them,ughing with them?)


    Hiro smiled self-mockingly and suddenly cast his gaze to the night sky. The stars twinkling in the sky were covered by clouds.


    The moonlight was hidden in the sky as if to conceal its malice, and its gentle light would never reach the earth.


    (No, by that time¡­ I won¡¯t be here.)


    The next thing he knew, it had started to rain.

 Volume 5, Chapter 3 - Rain of War, Part 1

    Volume 5, Chapter 3 - Rain of War, Part 1


    December 16th, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The rain that had begun to fall in earnest on the tenth day of the month continued to envelop thend without stopping. Even though it was morning, the skies were gray, and even the farthest reaches of the sky were dyed ck as if to eradicate the light from the world.


    dius, the capital of the Grantz Empire, is no exception. Even the grand and graceful metropolis had lost its old glory after being drenched by the rain.


    Surrounded by such huge walls, the city¡¯s always bustling central street was sparsely popted. It was a cold winter day, and the rain was forcing the people to stay indoors. Nevertheless, whether the people are confined to their homes or the temperature drops rapidly and it¡¯s piercingly cold is of no concern to the nobles.


    The center of the Grantz Empire, the Imperial Pce Venezine.


    On the west side of the grounds, which are divided into four sections, are the residences of the influential nobles.


    The ce was enveloped in a heat that was aplete contrast to the city. There was a ce where arge number of nobles were gathered amidst the chilly wind blowing.


    It was in front of the mansion of the Kelheit family, one of the five major noble families.


    The reason for the gathering of the nobles is not difficult to understand. They were here to see off the fourth prince and sixth princess who were returning to the Berg Fortress in the south on this day. Naturally, their eyes were on the members of the imperial family who appeared at the door. Cheers that could cancel out the rain enveloped the entirepound, filling the world with pure goodwill without malice.


    The red-haired princess who appeared with Hiro - Liz, who was affectionately called ¡°me Princess,¡± rolled her eyes in surprise. However, she gradually came to understand, and a big smile bloomed on her face.


    ¡°Thank you for sending me off!¡±


    Waving her arms so vigorously that they made a buzzing sound, Liz climbed into the carriage. At her feet was a rare creature from the Eastern Archipgo, the white wolf Cerberus.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hiro silently raised his right hand in response and followed Liz and the others.


    From behind him, Rosa¡¯s voluptuous body was cramped into her military uniform, and on either side of her were Aura and Skaaha. The nobles cheered as the girls climbed into the carriage one after another. While receiving such cheers from behind, the imperial family departed from the great imperial capital.


    ¡°The carriages, however spacious, were indeed cramped with so many people on board.¡±


    When the carriage began to move, Rosa said, loosening the cor of her military uniform as if she was struggling to breathe.


    ¡°For the time being, the eastern nobles will do their best to cut down the Krone family¡¯s ranks.¡±


    A week after the banquet ¨D the Krone family had eerily made no move at all. Hiro had expected them to run amok, but it seems he was mistaken.


    From now on, Rosa would be in charge of dealing with the Krone family. Her subordinates remained in the Great Imperial Capital to make impressions and cut down the central nobility.


    ¡°Liz and the others should go back to the south and wait for good news. The Krone family may or may not make a move, but either way, we¡¯ll need to increase our forces, right?¡±


    The Raven Army¡¯s strength has indeed been greatly reduced due to the fact that they had to deal with the Grand Duchy of Dral and the Felzen Remnant Army in session. The death toll was low, but the number of wounded was high. Now, their numbers have been reduced to around 800. They would have to bring in new recruits and have Ghada train them hard again.


    Most importantly, Rosa said in a hushed voice with a suspicious glint in her eyes.


    ¡°You need to take care of the southern nobility as well.¡±


    The southern nobility is led by the Muzuk family, one of the five major noble families. Although they had visited the capital for a while, they had not shown up for either the conference or the banquet.


    Hiro has a vague sense of the reason for this.


    (He was probably gathering information. Who¡¯s dangerous and who¡¯s easy to control.)


    In other words, he was using this event to tighten up his faction. Arge number of nobles had gathered in the Great Imperial Capital. Seeing that, there would naturally be some who would want to join the banquet. There would also be those who would meet with the rival factions that they were working with. The point was to determine who would betray them and who would be worthy of having their backs.


    Perhaps they have achieved their goal, but two days ago, the southern nobility, led by the Muzuk family, returned to their respective territories.


    (It would be better to meet the head of the Muzuk family face to face when we return to the south.)


    Hiro might as well consider whether to let him live and use him or kill him and rece his head at that time.


    Hiro propped himself up on one elbow by the window and put his cheek against his hand to look out. The raindrops that were pouring down so hard were being canceled out by the ss and were hitting the window in defeat.


    The amount of rain was so heavy that it blocked out the sound of the wheels ¨D this would slow down the horses as well as the coachman¡¯s vision. It also made the horses more mentally and physically fatigued than when the weather was fine. Once the horses¡¯ legs start to slow down, the mud will hinder the path. This would definitely dy their return to the south.


    ¡°Rosa, I¡¯m sorry. You might be the slowest to get back to your home base.¡±


    Hiro apologized to Rosa.


    The reason why she is riding in the carriage with Hiro and the others is because she is nning to return to the east via the south. Hiro wanted her to stay with them as long as possible, partly because he wanted to ensure her safety. When Hiro felt sorry for her, Rosa shook her head andughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s fun to travel for so long with others like this.¡±


    The acting head of the Kelheit family. She is also one of the five major noble families, so everyone knows how busy she is. There are many problems that are dyed by her absence.


    Therefore, if she returns to her home base, the Twin Passes in the Graozam Mountain Range ¨D and the Iron Eagle Castle in the valley, she will face days of sleeplessness.


    ¡°Sooner orter, I won¡¯t have time to ck off because I¡¯ll be too busy. I¡¯m sorry for the men I¡¯ve left behind at the castle, but I¡¯d like to spend a little more time with my sister.¡±


    ¡°Anee-sama¡¯s entourage is full of talented people, so I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine even if you¡¯re a littlete getting home.¡±


    ¡°Some of them have a lot on their minds, though, so I can¡¯t let them off the hook.¡±


    Rosa continued in a happy tone of voice, adding to Liz¡¯s words.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re still good people who want to enrich the East.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to have subordinates who are willing to do that, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Liz looked at her sister with sparkling eyes. She wanted to say that she respected Rosa once again.


    ¡°A person with virtue has the makings of a great ruler, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Skaaha murmured with deep emotion as if she were saying to herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to be a king. Anyone with power and authority can be a king. If your parents are kings, you naturally inherit their power, so it¡¯s not particrly amazing. It¡¯s only after the crowning that a king can be a king. It isn¡¯t easy from there. Those who arepassionate to their people, considerate to their soldiers, and considerate to their country are praised as great kings. Those who do not have any of these qualities will either be known as foolish kings or will be the cause of the destruction of the country.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ Aura knows a lot of difficult words for such a small girl.¡±


    Liz stroked Aura¡¯s head in admiration, muttering, good girl, good girl.


    It doesn¡¯t seem that difficult to begin with¡­ but Aura is older than her.


    Hiro thought that Aura would be dissatisfied, but surprisingly, Aura proudly threw out her chest, and the expression on her face was filled with joy.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to this, Liz; you should read it.¡±


    Aura suddenly summoned the ck Book out of nowhere. Hiro wondered why Aura was in such a good mood and was so talkative.


    ¡°Hyii¨D¨D.¡±


    And Skaaha, who was being baptized, let out a small scream and quickly turned her face away.


    ¡°Eh ¨D no way¡­¡±


    Liz stopped stroking her and paled when she saw the ck Book. It was a form of escape that failed.


    ¡°If you were born in the Grantz Empire, if you are a member of the imperial family, you should have read it at least once. No, rather, you should read it a hundred times. It has a horrible addictive quality to it, so you¡¯ll probably end up reading it, which is surely a worry if you don¡¯t, but don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be enlightened after about the second hundredth time.¡±


    What¡­ no one is talking about it. It was because they didn¡¯t want to get involved.


    Liz was gazing around the carriage, teary-eyed and looking for help. Her red eyes were pleading for help, but no one was reaching out to her.


    Seeing Liz¡¯s gesture, Aura tilted her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll let Liz read it now. Also, write me your impressionster.¡±


    ¡°Eeh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you wanted to read it so badly.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Liz shook her head, but it would be impossible to escape from her in the carriage. She would be forced to write a huge book report. If you don¡¯t praise it, you will be forced to rewrite it over and over again¡­ Skaaha, who has already experienced this hell, is trying to kill her presence and be one with the wall. She had tears in the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°Fufu,pared to the past, Liz¡¯s expression has be richer. Before you got transferred, although you were still smiling, it was a stiff smile. I guess this is all thanks to you.¡±


    Rosa narrowed her eyes smilingly and leaned in close to Hiro¡¯s shoulder. Maybe she was happy to see her sister enjoying herself.


    ¡°You look at her like you¡¯re looking at your grandchild.¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t help but blurt out.


    ¡°Hohou? I don¡¯t even have children yet.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s beautiful mouth twitches as she wraps her arms around Hiro¡¯s neck.


    ¡°You still want to try suffocating to death on my chest? Isn¡¯t that what men want?¡±


    Rosa threw her words with anger, shaking her twin hills, which could be used as a weapon.


    ¡°S-sorry.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s face twitches as he utters his apology. Still, Rosa¡¯s anger didn¡¯t seem to dissipate, so Hiro thought to divert the topic.


    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s right. There was something I wanted to give to Rosa.¡±


    He took out an envelope from his pocket, pretending as if he suddenly remembered.


    ¡°Hmm? A letter?¡±


    ¡°On your way back to the East, I want you to send a messenger to deliver this to the Princess Shrine Maiden.¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡±


    Rosa took the letter and then whispered into Hiro¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got about three thousand hidden away with the help of someone who belongs to the central nobility.¡±


    As she said this, Rosa tightened her grip on Hiro¡¯s hand. A crumpled paper fell in his palm. When Hiro looked down, he saw a piece of paper in his hand, with the names of the coborators written on it.


    ¡°If you are ever in need, please get in touch with them.¡±


    It seemed that Rosa was already in the process of cutting down.


    ¡°Thank you. I really can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It is only natural to be devoted to your future husband.¡±


    When Hiro thanked her, Rosa gave her a mischievous look.


    (I¡¯m sure the Krone family will soon know that we¡¯ve left the capital.)


    Hiro thinks. When will the central nobility start to move? Hiro predicts that they will make a move quickly. He guessed that they would turn on the emperor now while they were still able to maintain their strength and influence.


    (Still, it seemed like a foolish move ¨D a terrible move.)


    But they were cornered, and that was the only move they had left. No, the emperor had made it that way.


    (Truly, human desire is bottomless. The more power they gain, the more they be unsatisfied with the status quo.)


    Still, there is no way to avoid questioning the current emperor¡¯s policy.


    Is the unification of the central continent so attractive that he wants to achieve it even after making so many enemies?


    Hiro denies it.


    If it had been Altius, he would have snickered at the ridiculousness of it.


    A thousand years ago, he and the others had never dreamed of unifying the central continent. More importantly, they did not want the Grantz Empire to grow to this size.


    Hiro cast his gaze at the window to distract himself from his feelings of depression.


    The rain didn¡¯t seem to be stopping. The sky was rumbling with thunder, and tears were pouring down on the ground.

 Volume 5, Chapter 3 - Rain of War, Part 2

    Volume 5, Chapter 3 - Rain of War, Part 2


    Everyone knows that the Grantz Empire possesses a vast territory. Since it took on its current form, the emperor¡¯s eyes have often failed to reach the frontier.


    The current emperor, the 43rd emperor, feared that the frontiers would fall apart, so he divided his vast territory into five regions: the north, the west, the east, the south, and the center.


    Although the emperor is the ruler of the five territories, the archdukes, known as the five great nobles, are the ones who actually run the territories.


    Among them, the Krone family has been one of the five great noble families for many years. Their house has existed since the early days of the birth of the Great Grantz Empire. With their stable history and noble lineage recognized, they had been entrusted with the country¡¯s center, where the capital, dius, was located.


    The headquarters of the Krone family is located 30 cells (90 kilometers) away from the capital. The wealth of the Krone family is supported by the fertilend in the Trident River basin, and their position in the center of the country is solid because they have several trade routes to other countries.


    As if to symbolize this, the Krone family¡¯s stronghold, ¡°Twin w Castle,¡± has be so prosperous that it could be mistaken for the capital. Beyond the iron gates of the city walls are the city center. The market is bustling, and you can see people conversing andughing. If you continue through the gate, you will be greeted by the high walls again. The castle, with its watchtowers, had the appearance of a fortress within the city.


    Inside the castle, Stobel was in the room of the head of the Krone family.


    ¡°The emperor has done you a great favor. Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°That senile emperor has forgotten all that we have done for him and has cut us off.¡±


    In contrast to Stobel, who was smiling happily, the head of the Krone family was throwing abusive words.


    ¡°The history of the Krone family is the history of the Grantz family. These two are inseparable. That emperor doesn¡¯t understand anything. Who do you think has supported his reign so far?¡±


    The head of the Krone family has a boiling murderous spirit rising from his body.


    Then Stobel gave him a cold stare.


    ¡°Grandfather, why don¡¯t you calm down a little?¡±


    ¡°Stobel¡­ do you really think this is a situation where I could stay calm?¡±


    The head of the Krone family turned red and confronted Stobel in anger.


    ¡°In the first ce, what did you think when you abandoned the right to inherit the throne, and if this continues, it will be the end of the Krone family.¡±


    ¡°Fuh, I suppose.¡±


    Stobel was calm. Rather, he snorted and made fun of his panicked grandfather.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of your existence that we have been able to chain the hearts of the nobles to this day¡­ and what are we going to do now?¡±


    The daughter of the head of the Krone family is married to the emperor, and Stobel is the son of the emperor and his daughter ¨D in other words, he¡¯s his grandson. However, Stobel¡¯s mother, who was an empress, died an untimely death on the day Stobel came of age, and as if by coincidence, the Krone family was cut off from distant rtions with the Grantz family.


    ¡°Grandfather, you¡¯re too old to get angry; you¡¯ll break the blood vessels in your head.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ the one who¡¯s always trying to upset people¡¯s emotions.¡±


    The head of the Krone family let out a breath of disgust and turned his cloudy eyes on Stobel.


    ¡°In the first ce, what about the soldiers I brought in from all over? It¡¯s a good thing I took your instructions and gathered them as a threat, but they didn¡¯t have any effect, did they?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t even med for your crimes, so who cares?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, I ended up with more shame. It¡¯s hard enough to feed forty thousand soldiers who have nowhere else to go, and now the emperor has not only to confiscate ournds, but we have to pay for the reconstruction of Felzen.¡±


    ¡°You were able to collect 40,000¡­? That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    And Stobel narrowed his eyes sharply when he heard the number of troops with an unconcerned face.


    ¡°And yet, the number was less than I had expected. I¡¯ve heard that some idiot has been breaking into the homes of those who are suspicious of me. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t been able to get as many coborators as I had hoped.¡±


    The head of the Krone family was holding his temples as if he had a headache.


    ¡°But there¡¯s no need to be troubled. With that many troops, we will be able to invade the Great Imperial Capital. We might even be able to pull the emperor down from his throne. Isn¡¯t it time for grandfather¡¯s dream toe true?¡±


    The head of the Krone family looked suspiciously at the disturbing words spoken by Stobel.


    ¡°If I do that, the Krone family will really be finished. It¡¯s not just a dreame true; it¡¯s a catastrophe. Stobel¡­ what are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Hah, now that you mention it¡­ it¡¯s already over.¡±


    Stobel¡¯s voice is suddenly low.


    The eyes of the head of the Krone family twisted in difort.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know, grandfather. Three hundred years ago ¨D the truth about the emperor¡¯s assassination.¡±


    The head of the Krone family gulped as if frightened by the strange presence of his grandson in front of him.


    ¡°The old things must be weeded out. The rotten fruit must be smashed to pieces in order for new seeds to bloom. Just as the rotten world was once reborn.¡±


    Stobel smiled wryly and said that the Grantz Empire was no exception to this rule.


    ¡°Silent, and listen to me¡­ you are making a joke of yourself, and what is a noble without a country?¡±


    The head of the Krone family, who is swollen with anger, extends his arm to Stobel with a voice of reprimand.


    But Stobel was the one who took the initiative.


    He grabbed his old grandfather¡¯s arm with his strong arm strength.


    ¡°Aagh!¡±


    A bone-crunching sound reverberated through the room, and the head of the Krone family, unable to bear the pain, dropped to the floor on both knees.


    ¡°Stobel, you bastard!¡±


    The head of the Krone family red at Stobel with an expression that was a mixture of intense pain and anger.


    But it had no effect, and Stobel rose from his chair without a care in the world.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. It was grandfather who made the first move, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°D-do you think you can get away after doing this to me¡­?¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to? You¡¯re just an old man who lost his power?¡±


    An electric current flowed from Stobel¡¯s body as if in response to his anger. The next thing that happened was that a raging storm raced through the room in all directions.


    The walls were gouged out. The floor was shattered. The ceiling was scorched, and an overwhelming amount of light dominated the room.


    ¡°Grandfather¡­ or should I say loser?¡±


    Stobel¡¯s face twisted in amusement as he held up one hand. His eyes glistened with delight as if he were ughtering livestock that had been waiting to be fattened.


    ¡°You are no longer needed. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll carry on your dream, and I¡¯ll mourn for you by releasing your grudge against the emperor.¡±


    ¡°W-wait¡­ Stobel. You want to kill your own grandfather?¡±


    ¡°I have never thought of you as a grandfather, okay?¡±


    The head of the Krone family, who had been subjected to a cold-blooded sentiment that was unbelievably human, stared at Stobel in dismay, as if recalling his past sins.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but dust that corrupts the world.¡±


    Stobel turns his eyes, devoid of all emotion, towards the head of the Krone family.


    A momentter ¨D a thunderbolt pierced the body of the head of the Krone family.


    There was no scream. The thunderbolt pierced him like a spear, and in an instant, the old man¡¯s life was cut short. The smell of smoldering flesh filled the room. It was a sickening odor that seemed to linger in the nose and clings to the body.


    ¡°Fuh, even in death, you still make me feel ufortable; what a piece of garbage.¡±


    Stobel sniffed and sat back down in his chair with a grimace.


    And then¨D¨D


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    There were several knocks on the door.


    ¡°You seem to be finished.¡±


    Without waiting for an answer, the person who had entered the room was Stobel¡¯s right-hand man.


    He was a muscr old soldier. It is obvious that no one in the Grantz Empire does not knows his name. One swing of his sword could split a river, and one stroke of his spear could bring down a city wall.


    In his youth, he was feared as a ¡°demon¡± as he crossed the borders of many countries.


    He was a former general named Trey Fleen von Loing.


    He looked down at the body lying on the floor without a shred of emotion.


    ¡°He was a man of great ambition, but when it came down to it, he was a small man blown about by a cowardly wind.¡±


    ¡°But he left us a lot of things. I must thank him for that.¡±


    Stobel sipped the wine on his desk andughed loudly.


    ¡°Loing, my grandfather was assassinated by someone. It must have been the emperor.¡±


    After a beat, however, he seemed to be able to understand the intent of his words.


    ¡°¡­Then we shall have to avenge him.¡±


    Loing¡¯s voice took on a joyful tone as it melted onto the body of the head of the Krone family.


    ¡°Send a messenger. The old man has scrambled to gather an army of forty thousand men.¡±


    ¡°What shall I do?¡±


    ¡°Write that the emperor has cruelly assassinated a man who has contributed greatly to the development of the Grantz Empire. If you do that, the angry people wille to the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    What follows is the copse of the Great Grantz Empire. When he imagined the Imperial Capital, which had flourished for a thousand years, burning down, Stobel threw his ss on the floor, chuckling.


    ¡°Finally. It¡¯s been a long road to get here, but now I don¡¯t have to keep ying the clown.¡±


    ¡°But the emperor is aware of our ns. In fact, the noble lords have gathered at the Great Imperial Capital with their soldiers.¡±


    ¡°It all ended in vain, though. A week of silence, which eliminated the tension and made the noble lords careless. Now all of them are on their way back to their headquarters.¡±


    The tide is in their favor.


    Stobel wanted to say so, but Loing¡¯s expression did not clear up.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same on our side. There are forty thousand of them gathered, but now that they¡¯ve lost their centripetal force, only half of them will move, won¡¯t they?¡±


    But Stobel brushed aside Loing¡¯s fears.


    ¡°There is no need to worry about that. That¡¯s why I use my anger. The head of the Krone family was a selfish old man, but many people still felt indebted to him. Above all, there are probably some nobles who are unable to escape the rapidly changing situation. I estimate that about 30,000 will gather. I¡¯ll leave it to you to lead it.¡±


    When Stobel muttered that¡­


    ¡°Then, as a military strategist, I will be acting as Lord Loing¡¯s second-inmand.¡±


    There was no presence. And yet, a voice other than theirs reverberated in the room.


    ¡°!?¡±


    Loing¡¯s face tensed up, and he opened his legs into a fighting stance. Stobel stood up from his chair as if a bullet had hit him, and his whole body was electrified.


    The two men turned their deadly gaze on the sudden intruder.


    ¡°Yaya, did I startle you? It¡¯s me. Nameless.¡±


    The hooded figure raised his hand in an easygoing tone as if he were a spectator.


    ¡°You¡­ Have you been here all this time?¡±


    Vignce and irritation twisted Stobel¡¯s mouth. Loing, too, put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist and red at the Nameless.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I came here to hear you say something that anyone could say.¡±


    What do you think? Nameless spun his words as if he were a merchant trying to negotiate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Mr. Stobel, who is not very good at socializing, has a lot of helpers. The old soldier there may not be able to help you in any way. That¡¯s why I wanted to help in a small way¡­ Well, I don¡¯t want to force you, but¡­¡±


    The Nameless shrugged his shoulders aloofly, and Loing showed a vein on his forehead.


    ¡°Did you just insult me¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I was just stating a fact.¡±


    The air between the two of them was filled with bitterness. There, a thunderbolt flew through the air as if to cut through it.


    Their gaze turned to Stobel. He sniffed annoyingly and sat down in his chair with vigor.


    ¡°¡®Loing, I don¡¯t think this is the time for a fight.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha, sorry about that.¡±


    Stobel took one look at Loing as he bowed his head and shot a sharp look at Nameless.


    ¡°Nameless, whatever you are nning is useless in the face of my ns, but if you make any strange moves, I will expose your soft neck to the wild and feed it to the ravens.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s scary. I will be careful.¡±


    Despite these words, Nameless¡¯s voice was bouncing happily.


    Loing stared at the Nameless as if he were looking at a suspicious person.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do about it, Your Highness Stobel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Stobel tapped his own head with a twinkle in his horrified eyes.


    ¡°Reorganize the chaos ¨D take the head of the old lion.¡±

 Volume 5, Chapter 3 - Rain of War, Part 3

    Volume 5, Chapter 3 - Rain of War, Part 3


    The rain that had been pouring down on the ground for so long had stopped. The sky was clear and cloudless. It was as clear as if the rain of the other day had not happened.


    A gentle breeze carrying cold air rushed across the ground, and the budding flowers and grass danced gently.


    December 23rd, the 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar, near Fairalert in the north of the southern region.


    After parting ways with Rosa, Hiro and the others were resting in a camp about 25 cells (75 kilometers) from the Berg Fortress. A tent for themander was built in the center of the camp. Around it, on all sides, were built the tents of Hiro, Skaaha, Aura, and others.


    A little further away from there, in an open area ¨D Liz and Skaaha are training.


    ¡°Haaaa!¡±


    Liz swung her wooden sword down from the top. Skaaha catches it with her wooden sword. The two wooden swords struck each other with great force and made an eerie sound.


    However, both of them seem to be conscious of the enemy in front of them and do not show any signs of concern.


    ¡°From here!¡±


    Liz released a fist to distract Skaaha, then bent forward and put her hands on the ground and gave her a solid kick to her ankle.


    ¡°Mmh!?¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s stance crumbled. However, she quickly thrust her wooden sword into the ground and then raised her body tounch a counterattack with a jumping kick.


    ¡°Raaaa!¡±


    Liz jumped in there without hesitation and mmed her fist into Skaaha¡¯s powerful kick to counteract it.


    Skaaha was pushed back by her unbelievable arm strength. However, Skaaha did not want to go against the force and used the impact to turn around in the air andnded on the ground.


    ¡°Wa!?¡±


    Liz, having been carried away by the momentum, stepped on her foot bellows, and Skaaha kicked the ground with great vigor and came close to her.


    ¡°I got you!¡±


    Skaaha swung her wooden sword, but Liz twisted her body in a copsed position and flipped it back with great strength. Reading that, Skaaha quickly tried to m her fist into the right side of Liz¡¯s head but was easily swept away by Liz.


    ¡°Kuh, I¡¯ll lose in a simple contest of strength!¡±


    Then, as if to say that she is superior in terms of skill, Skaaha¡¯s attack is centered on shing.


    Liz calmly manages the attack and thrusts out her fist when she finds an opening. If even one of those fists hits Skaaha, she will fall into darkness due to the ¡°monstrous power¡± that is a blessing of the ¡°me Emperor. Even if Liz had lost her weapon, she would still be able to reap her opponent¡¯s life with her bare hands.


    Hiro was quietly watching the mock battle performed by these beautiful women. The ground was covered in mud from the rain, so he sat on a simple chair to watch.


    ¡°Aura, who do you think will win?¡±


    Hiro called out to the girl next to him, who was also watching. She took her gaze off the ck Book in herp and turned her leaden eyes, which did not show any subtlety of emotion.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    It may be better just to say that she is not interested. In the first ce, her consciousness was on the ck Book, and she was not looking at Liz and the others at all. Even now, she keeps ncing at the ck Book, as if she¡¯s bothered by Hiro, and doesn¡¯t pay attention to the heated battle between Liz and the others.


    Hiro smiled bitterly, thinking that he couldn¡¯t understand her.


    ¡°But, Aura, if the timees when you have to make the decision to put these girls in charge of a unit, you¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble if you don¡¯t know what each of them is capable of.¡±


    As there is a right person for the right job, there is also a right person for the right position on the battlefield. If they work well together, a small number of people can defeat arge number of people, and if they don¡¯t work well together, no matter howrge the army, they will lose.


    ¡°¡­You have a point.¡±


    Aura, who nodded her head, still only stared at Hiro¡¯s face.


    He knew that she was trying to find out something about it. Aura was trying to touch the inside of Hiro¡¯s mind.


    ¡°W-what is it?¡±


    Hiro was a little overwhelmed by the spirit radiating from the petite girl. Aura tilted her head as if searching for words and opened her mouth while shaking her shoulders.


    ¡°¡­Where is your ce?¡±


    When Hiro realized what Aura was thinking with just one word, he forgot to breathe. Aura reached out and touched Hiro¡¯s chest, who was lost for words.


    She looked up at him and gave him a look that contained a hint of mncholy.


    ¡°¡­Where is your heart?¡±


    Hiro fumbled for an answer. Her thoughtfulness is truly something to be feared. He admired it.


    There was no point in keeping quiet. Just as Hiro was about to speak¡­


    ¡°Emergency! I have an urgent message! Where is His Highness Hiro?¡±


    An impatient voice rang out from the right side of the ce. Hiro turned to look in the direction where the rush wasing from.


    Then, a man was running, looking around in a panic.


    ¡°His Highness Hiro! Where is His Highness Hiro?¡±


    Liz and Skaaha were distracted by the loudness of his voice and stopped their hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the Kelheit family¡¯s messenger.¡±


    Hiro muttered to no one in particr and waved his hand to inform him where he was. The man who noticed him came running straight to Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my rudeness! It was an emergency, after all!¡±


    As soon as he said that, he held out a letter and opened his mouth again.


    ¡°The head of the Krone family has been assassinated.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    Hiro sat up in surprise. Aura was also looking at him in astonishment.


    ¡°When a false rumor is circted that the mastermind behind it is the emperor, the nobles, driven by revenge, raise their troops and begin to march on the great imperial capital.¡±


    His voice trembled as the messenger continued to speak.


    ¡°Themander is former General Loing, he asked the nobles from all over the country to respond, and it seems that they are approaching the Great Imperial Capital while joining the nobles who agreed. The number will probably swell to around 30,000!¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand perfectly.¡±


    Hiro nodded and told a guard to bring water to the messenger, but he suddenly stopped the guard who was about to run.


    ¡°Oh, please wait. I also need you to bring Ghada to me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Ha, understood!¡±


    The guard who had been stopped saluted and then started running.


    Cutting his gaze from the back, Hiro told the messenger to rest.


    Then a letter was handed to him ¨D the sender was a central nobleman who had a cooperative rtionship with Rosa.


    Hiropared the contents of the letter with the words the messenger had just said.


    ¡°Hiro!¡±


    Reacting to Liz¡¯s voice, Hiro turned his gaze upward to face her. There was a tense look on Skaaha¡¯s face as she stood next to Liz. From the look on her face, she must have heard the conversation that had just taken ce. However, just to be sure, Hiro decided to check.


    ¡°Liz, did you hear the conversation earlier?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I heard it. I never imagined that the head of the Krone family would be assassinated.¡±


    Liz shrugged her shoulders and sighed, not knowing what to think. It¡¯s no wonder. She thought it was only the Krone family that was making a move.


    But why would the emperor take such a step to assassinate the head of the Krone family?


    No, it was an effective way to quickly undermine the Krone family¡¯s power, but it was too forceful a measure. It would only show other countries an opening, and that would not be beneficial.


    ¡°¡­Do not misread the truth.¡±


    It was Aura who muttered quietly. Skaaha nodded her head in agreement.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Aura. If you take a narrow view of things, you¡¯ll never be able to recover.¡±


    To confuse people so that they don¡¯t see the truth of things. It¡¯s a trick that has been used by everyone, from ancient times to the present.


    It is impossible to read the intentions of others. Therefore, true intentions are not something that can be hidden in the dark. That is why people are misled by words. They focus only on what they want to believe.


    (What if that is the goal? If it is in the intention of someone else, then¡­)


    This is not good. Hiro decides that he should return to the Great Imperial Capital immediately.


    ¡°Liz, let¡¯s go back to the capital right away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    If Hiro were to dy any longer, the situation would be irreversible.


    Never believe only in the words of others. You should face reality with your own eyes and listen to the truth with your own ears. Then, you should take action right away.


    ¡°Liz, you¡­¡±


    Hiro tried to give Liz instructions.


    ¡°Prepare to leave immediately! We¡¯re leaving the camp intact, and we¡¯re leaving out the rations! Act quickly!¡±


    Without showing any signs of hesitation, Liz gave the soldiers the order without hesitation.


    ¡°¡­We can¡¯t fight a war without food.¡±


    Before long, Aura had picked up a pen and paper and was walking along with Liz.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If the problem is happening in the enemy country, we can¡¯t throw it away, but the problem is happening in the territory of the Grantz Empire, we can ask for help from influential people along the way, or if they refuse, we can buy it from the city.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm, you pass.¡±


    Aura must have been testing her. She nodded her head in satisfaction when she heard Liz¡¯s answer.


    ¡°And also. Could you please ask the nearby nobles to clean up the camp and collect the rations?¡±


    If they abandoned the unbroken camp, it would be a bed for bandits, and the discarded foodstuffs would not only attract monsters but would also cause unnecessary disputes as vigers in dire straits rushed to the camp.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Leave the arrangements to me, and Liz can concentrate on the instructions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! And instead of heavy armor, let¡¯s switch to light armor. I think it will speed up the march and reduce the effects of the mud.¡±


    ¡°¡­Bury the equipment we leave behind to prevent it from being seized.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll have to arrange that.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Hiro was looking at the two of them with dazzling eyes. It was as if he was reminiscing about the old days, and a nostalgic feeling welled up in his heart.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon, you called for me; what do you want?¡±


    When he turned his attention to the low voice, he saw Ghada standing there, wrapped in ck armor.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the distracted look on your face¡­? Do you have a situation where you can rx?¡± Said Ghada.


    ¡°Fufu, Hiro-dono must be surprised. Because Liz-dono¡¯s recent growth has been remarkable.¡±


    Skaaha said with a happy smile; she turned her attention to Liz and the others. Ghada nodded in agreement as if he was thinking about it.


    ¡°Certainly¡­ that¡¯s true. He was at a loss for words, but I feel like he has been blown away.¡±


    She had talent from the start. There is no wonder since she was chosen as the ¡°me Emperor¡± in the first ce. She just had lost sight of the path she should take.


    Her hesitation was stifling her talent, making it difficult for her to grow. She just needed a chance toe out of her shell, and that was what Felzen¡¯s battle had given her.


    She never ceases to amaze him. That¡¯s why he wants to take good care of her.


    (I believe that Liz is the one who will carry on your will.)


    Once the baby bird learns how to fly, it will spread its wings everywhere. It will fly to the sky, high in the sky, forever and ever.


    Hiro looked at Liz¡¯s back one more time and then shifted his gaze to Ghada.


    ¡°The opponent is thirty thousand, and we are only eight hundred.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hopeless situation, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s obvious that we will be annihted.¡±


    ¡°All eight hundred can operate as a cavalry unit, but even that won¡¯t be enough to ovee them.¡±


    ¡°But I see by your face that you have a n?¡±


    ¡°The power gap is obvious. The first step is to close that gap as much as possible.¡±


    He¡¯ll use the 3,000 that Rosa left in the center, though it¡¯s too soon to tell. In addition, the only way to get more soldiers is to ask for the cooperation of other nobles to gather soldiers.


    ¡°I also need you to send out a messenger.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°To the central nobility. Most of them will be very opportunistic.¡±


    There would be many who would remain silent until victory or defeat was decided. But they would not allow themselves to be so naive. They will have to decide which side they are on.


    ¡°Besides, this is the only time we¡¯re going to need a n to win. There is something I want you to prepare for them. I¡¯ll write them a letterter, and I want you to be ready to send a messenger at any time.¡±


    ¡°All right. Then I¡¯ll go and get them for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After calling out to the back of the departing Ghada, Hiro looked down at the ground. The rain had already stopped, but there was no doubt that the mud would hinder the march.


    Even so, since there are only a few of them here, and they are lightly armed cavalry, they will be able to reach the great imperial capital quickly. The conditions are the same for the opponent as well, and considering the time it will take for the rebels to join up, they should not be close to the capital yet.


    Above all, the emperor has the Golden Lion Knights. The first imperial army is scattered in various ces for protection, but they must still be in the center. It¡¯s not that easy to attack the great imperial capital.


    (No matter how you look at it, the rebels don¡¯t stand a chance¡­)


    If Hiro and the others received the news, then the other nobles must have heard about the sudden change in the situation. So, the people who were on their way back to their home base will being back in droves.


    Even if the rebels were lucky enough to capture the capital in a short battle, they would surely be destroyed by the forces of the noble lords who rushed to support.


    (They must be hiding something. What they want to aplish even if they are annihted¡­)


    Hiro put his hand on his chin and thought silently. There is nothing that they can gain by being wiped out.


    No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t seem to get an answer: whether there was a way to ensure the fall of the great imperial capital or a way to drive back the noble lords who rushed to reinforcements.


    There was not enough information. It was too risky to make a decision under such circumstances.


    For the time being, he should keep it in the back of his mind.


    Hiro gathered his thoughts and looked around. The soldiers were moving around in a hurry. Despite the sudden departure, not a single one of them looked dissatisfied.


    Horseshoes were roaring through the gap. Unitmanders were running around to return tomand their own units or to call their men.


    As far as he could see, there was no drop in morale. Everyone was getting ready to leave with a good sense of urgency. Hiro decided that this would be fine.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Liz! I want to talk to you!¡±


    Hiro called Liz. She seemed to be having some kind of conversation with Aura, but when she noticed Hiro¡¯s voice, she came running up to him with light steps and a somewhat happy expression.


    ¡°What? Did you call me, Hiro?¡±


    If she had a tail, she would be wagging it so hard it would make the wind roar.


    Hiro opened his mouth with a wry smile.


    ¡°If we know about it, it must have reached the ears of the noble lords.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, do you think it could be over by the time we get there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be that easy. We will definitely be the first to encounter the rebels.¡±


    Hiro and the others led only eight hundred of the ¡°Raven Army.¡± In addition to this, there are several other factors to consider. Even with that, the speed of their march was iparable.


    Above all, the army led by the Second Prince Selene is arge force of 20,000. They can¡¯t just throw away food like Hiro and the others, and it will probably take a long time to turn back.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, do you want to join up with Anee-sama? If we wait a couple of days, we can meet up with them.¡±


    It¡¯s not a bad decision, but Hiro rejected it by shaking his head.


    It is true that if they join up with Rosa, they will have more than 10,000, and the gap in strength will close quickly.


    But now that time is at stake; it should be eliminated as an option.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send a messenger, but we won¡¯t join up. If we were to join up with Rosa, it would increase our strength, but it would also take a few days to reorganize, and our marching speed would be significantly reduced. If that happens, we might reach the great imperial capitalter than the other noble lords.¡±


    If he thought that the noble lords would join themter, he would not want to give up the lead in order to strengthen Liz¡¯s position. Above all, it is important to instill in the people¡¯s minds that Liz was the first toe to reinforcements.


    ¡°But is it safe with just eight hundred people¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, Rosa has drawn some of the central nobles into her camp. Even so, at this point, I can say for sure that it¡¯s only about 3800.¡±


    It¡¯s still¡­ Liz muttered to herself as she looked at the Heavenly Emperor on Hiro¡¯s hip.


    But as soon as she looked back at Hiro¡¯s face, she frowned nervously.


    ¡°We have two of the Five Emperors, but it¡¯s hard to deal with 30,000 people. The rebels, led by the Krone family, must have many spirit weapons.¡±


    Spirits love clean waters and produce crystals that contain their own properties on rare asions. The beauty of the crystals, which shine no less than jewels, is why people call them spirit stones with respect.


    In the Great Grantz Empire territory, only three to seven spirit stones are discovered each year. Spirit weapons are made from these spirit stones and a special manufacturing method.


    Because they contain a small amount of spirit power, they can be used to improve physical abilities. This is why they are so rare and valuable, and it is possible to live an unencumbered life with just one spirit stone.


    Even now, only the imperial family or those who are rted to them can have one.


    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising that they have them. But there should be around ten of them at most ¨D that¡¯s enough to pose a threat, but only if ordinary soldiers have them. Even so, they¡¯re not enough to take on you or Skaaha.¡±


    As soon as a person with a spirit weapon is found, the head should be cut off on a priority list. It¡¯s hard to imagine a single soldier having one in the first ce, and if they do, it¡¯s likely to be amander. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s unlikely that the central nobility will go to the front lines, given their temperament.


    ¡°So don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    Hiro put his hand on Liz¡¯s shoulder and looked her straight in the eyes.


    ¡°You have to show that you fight well. You don¡¯t have to think about winning the first fight. It doesn¡¯t matter as long as you win in the end. When you do, many nobles wille to your aid.¡±


    There are many ways to achieve this. Hiro¡¯s head is filled with the knowledge he has gained from his past battles.


    ¡°The difference in strength can be overturned. The time of the heavens, the reason of the earth, and the harmony of humanity ¨D even the three sacred treasures are with you.¡±


    The look on Hiro¡¯s face made Liz look worried, but


    ¡°¡­¡­I understand. I trust Hiro.¡±


    She looked away from Hiro¡¯s gaze and gave a slight nod.


    ¡°So let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    Liz began to walk next to Hiro, ncing at him to see how he was doing.


    Aura was staring at the two of them.


    ¡°Aura-dono, I¡¯ve brought the horses.¡±


    Skaaha leads two horses and walks up to Aura, who does not move a muscle.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯sughing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Who?¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s face lit up with a question mark as she was told something that she didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Ride! The Raven Army is now on its way to the Great Imperial Capital!¡±


    Hiro shouted so loudly that it overcame the crowd of soldiers¡¯ boots.


    ¡°Right. When I hear that voice, I feel strangely reassured.¡±


    Skaaha muttered with a hint of admiration and mounted her horse.


    ¡°Well then, Aura-dono, why don¡¯t you get on your horse? Or you¡¯ll be left behind.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? You¡¯re not like usual, Aura-dono.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hiro wasughing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No, forget it¡­ It was probably just my imagination.¡±


    He seemed to be smiling the whole time he was trying to convince Liz.

 Volume 5, Chapter 3 – Rain of War, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 3 ¨C Rain of War, Part 4</h4>


    When Hiro and the others began to move toward the Great Imperial Capital, arge army had set up camp on the northern border of the Grantz Empire.


    There were 20,000 of them.


    In the center of the camp was a white g with a silver wolf emblem. The ornate g wore an air of greatness and floated gracefully in the freezing wind.


    White smoke was rising to the sky from everywhere in the camp, probably because it was mealtime.


    Some were chatting with liquor bottles in their hands, others were having a drinking contest and making a lot of noise, and even some were singing and dancing with their upper bodies naked even though the cold wind was stinging their skin.


    There was no gloom in the air but a cheerful air that brought the heat to the frozen earth.


    It would have been expected that there would be amotion if such a noisy army were standing around, but there was no confusion in the surrounding towns, viges, and border forts that were on guard.


    Themander of therge army was a man they knew well.


    Werewolf Sharm Selene von Grantz.


    He is the second prince of the Grantz Empire and fourth in line of session ¨D the people call him the ¡°King in the North¡± and ¡°Twin Wolf¡± and adore him.


    ¡°Fuah¡­¡±


    Selene choked back a sigh and looked around him.


    He was surrounded. Selene is surrounded by four strong soldiers.


    In their hands, they were holding dangerous weapons.


    The de reflected the sun¡¯s rays in a dull glow, and the sharpened tip glowed with rainbow colors. Even a single sword strike would surely be a fatal blow.


    ¡°Hehe, general. Today is the day I¡¯m going to put a scar on your beautiful face.¡±


    ¡°Finally, the time hase to settle a long-standing grudge.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been too busy to hang out with ustely, general.¡±


    ¡°But are you sure you want to do this? Four of us is a lot to handle, you know?¡±


    To the recruit who was concerned about his safety, he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got time on my hands. You shoulde at me with the intention of killing me.¡±


    Selene smiled coldly.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ beautiful. It¡¯s a shame you¡¯re a man.¡±


    ¡°No, I wish I had been born with a face like that.¡±


    ¡°No way. That face is not gender specific.¡±


    Selene is often said to be beautiful. The reason for this was his appearance.


    His blue hair, reminiscent of the sky, is as soft as silk, and his body is thin and fair, with a clear nose and eyes. In other words, he has a neutral face that attracts people¡¯s attention.


    However, in Selene¡¯s case, his eyes stand out more than his appearance.


    His left eye is blue, and his right eye is gold, also known as ¡°Distinctive Eye,¡± a physical characteristic that can be said to be a heroic quality possessed by legendary figures.


    This is why the figure of the man standing leisurely has the air of a champion, no different than the legendary figures.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s not waste time talking; let¡¯s start training.¡±


    With both hands on the hilts of the swords on his hips, Selene let out a white breath and smiled elegantly.


    A momentter, Selene¡¯s figure disappears without a sound.


    ¡°Tsk, here hees! Watch ¨D Goh!?¡±


    One of the soldiers was blown away as if a bull had hit him. The next soldier next to him fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth without saying a word. The third soldier randomly shes the space, but it has no effect, and he copses from the impact on his cheek.


    ¡°Eh, eh? Se-senpai ¨D Goaahh!?¡±


    As if struck by something invisible, thest remaining recruit rolled over and over on the ground and fell silent.


    ¡°It¡¯s not even close to a warm-up exercise.¡±


    Selene looked at the unconscious soldiers and sighed in disgust.


    A momentter ¨D a cheer erupted.


    ¡°When did that happen¡­?¡±


    When Selene looked around in surprise, he saw that the soldiers who had been observing the event were making an uncontrolled noise. Where did they hear it from? There must not have been a single spectator before it started.


    At any rate, Selene waved his hand in response to their cheers.


    ¡°Oh¡­ at this rate, we¡¯re going to run out of booze today.¡±


    Selene shrugged his shoulders and took a step forward, wondering if he would have to buy from a nearby town.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing ying?¡±


    A man noiselessly appeared in front of him. He was not trying to hide his features today but was exposing his true face.


    ¡°Oh, Driks, you still look as sullen as ever.¡±


    He is a subordinate of his uncle, Prime Minister Gils, and belongs to the ¡°secret neck.¡± He was also a former employee of Hiro until recently.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t care about my appearance right now. More importantly, what are you doing ying in a ce like this, Your Highness Selene?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Or do you have some business with me?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve sent you many letters. Have you not read them?¡±


    Driks gave him an angry look. However, Selene took it in stride and tilted his head.


    ¡°Letter?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There were several letters from Prime Minister Gils!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I remember. Do you mean this one?¡±


    Selene took out a letter from his pocket. The seal on the letter is the crest of the Sharm family. It¡¯s the one he held on to without reading it, thinking it was just his usual quip.


    ¡°From your reaction, it sounds like you have something important to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very important. You must read it immediately!¡±


    When Driks responded with a shrug, Selene cut the seal and took out the contents.


    It was a well-written letter with a well-defined message. The most important thing is that there are no small words written in the letter, so it is easy to understand the content.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    Selene smiled as he read on.


    ¡°The head of the Krone family was assassinated? And it was father who did it? The fact that the Krone family is angry about it and revolting is¡­ a little too fast, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°The situation is urgent. Prime Minister Gils would like you to turn back the troops to the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°I see. If this is true, it is indeed a national crisis.¡±


    ¡°The rebels¡¯ des may have already reached the capital. Let¡¯s immediately turn the army around and defeat the rebels!¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Selene muttered in a serious tone.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    He tore up Prime Minister Gils¡¯s letter with a smile.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    Driks said stupidly as he followed the scraps of paper flying in the wind with his eyes.


    Selene muttered while giving the upset Driks a cold look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ I¡¯m only concerned with the safety of the north.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of national importance!¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? There is a Spirit Wall in the north. Isn¡¯t it more important to protect it?¡±


    ¡°B-but if¡­ the Great Grantz Empire is shaken, the north will also be in danger. Also, the Marked People have been quiettely, haven¡¯t they?¡±


    In this world, in addition to the five major races of Humans, Long-Ears, Dwarfs, Demons, and Beastsman, there are also barbarian races called the Three Barbarians.


    One of them is the world¡¯s prevalent ¡°monster.¡±


    The remainder is a violent race called the ¡°Lethal¡± and the ¡°Marked.¡± These two races only live in the central continent, and they have established their own state in a certain area without any interference from anyone else.


    That is the uncharted territory on the other side of the Spirit Wall.


    ¡°They¡¯re just waiting for us to show them an opening. Their eyes are watching us, thinking about how to get over the wall.¡±


    ¡°¡­But even so, Your Highness Selene still has to go to the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°For the throne?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Driks fell silent at Selene¡¯s sharp point.


    ¡°I have always said that I have no interest in the throne.¡±


    ¡°Then you are saying that you are willing to suffer if it is not the people of the North?¡±


    The conversation is not coherent. This is the reason he is in such a hurry.


    If Selene does not rush to the capital, the other heirs to the throne will take on the rebels. If they were to win, they would be able to consolidate their position as the next emperor. This is something that those who want to make Selene the emperor would like to avoid.


    His uncle, Prime Minister Gils, has always been very keen on having Selene on the throne. He knows that some of the northern nobles are of that opinion.


    ¡°Your Highness, the people of the central are waiting for you. They want to be saved.¡±


    Selene sighs deeply in disgust at Driks¡¯ unseemly emotionalism.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fun for me to walk the path that others have set for me. If he wants to bring the throne to the Sharm family so badly, he should be the one who bes emperor. No, I don¡¯t mind if Stobel bes the emperor, either.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane? If the First Prince Stobel bes emperor, the Grantz Empire will copse.¡±


    ¡°How can a man who has been involved in political conflicts since he was a child be sane?¡±


    If one thinks about it, Stobel is pathetic. From a young age, he was used by his grandfather, the head of the Krone family, and from the time he was chosen as the ¡°Thunder Emperor,¡± he was used by the emperor, and to top it off, he broke his heart. When you think about his life, you can¡¯t help but feel sorry for him.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s.¡±


    Driks choked on his words as he quickly added a rebuttal.


    Selene looked at him as if he were bored.


    ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡±


    Selene held his chin with one hand and turned his face away.


    He has been thinking about Hiro for a while now.


    (I wonder what he¡¯ll do¡­)


    Hiro didn¡¯t seem to have any ambitions, but Liz probably did. Although he¡¯s not interested in the throne, he¡¯s very excited to see where they go.


    Selene changed his mind a bit about what moves he would make against the rebels this time and invited one of his aides to join him by the hand.


    ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°¡®I want you to organize a detachment. About four thousand is enough.¡±


    At these words, Driks, who was on one knee on the ground, raised his head. His eyes were full of anticipation, and he looked as if he was happy as if he was trying to caress Selene¡¯s emotions.


    Selene looked away from him ufortably and listened to the words of his aide.


    ¡°What about the rest?¡±


    ¡°I want you to head to the Spirit Wall. Then we can slowly make our way to the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir. I¡¯ll go make the preparations as soon as possible.¡±


    As the aide backs away, Selene turns his gaze to Driks again.


    He looked relieved that Selene was ready to go.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re expecting. I¡¯m not going to do what you want.¡±


    Driks raised an eyebrow as if to say he was stubborn.


    ¡°¡­..What is the purpose of your journey to the Great Imperial Capital?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just visiting. It¡¯s the theater of the future of this country.¡±


    cing his hands on the hilts of the swords on his hips, Selene smiled and said he was looking forward to it.

 Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Awakening of The Flame Emperor x Soaring of The Flame Princess, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 4 ¨C Awakening of The me Emperor x Soaring of The me Princess, Part 1</h4>


    December 26th, 1023rd year of the Empire¡¯s calendar: The ins of Hope in the southern part of the Central Region.


    Rows of people and horses move about hurriedly. A group of soldiers, their armor creaking, their spears glittering. The sun¡¯s light sits in the offshore sky, pouring down on thend and brightly illuminating the future of the people living on the ground.


    The g fluttering in the gentle breeze is the coat of arms of the ck dragon, and fluttering next to it is a g with a lily flower on a red background ¨D the g of the fourth and sixth princes and princesses of the Great Grantz Empire.


    Soldiers are running around under the great historical g. No one was talking idly, and they were quietly working to carry out their duties.


    In the orderly formation, there was one ce that stood out. It was themand center where all the important people were gathered.


    Inside, the air was filled with seriousness as they waited for the military council to begin. Everyone was looking at the person sitting on the seat of honor with a nervous look on their face.


    The sixth princess, Celia Estre. Standing next to her was the fourth prince, Hiro.


    ¡°Now that everyone seems to have gathered, may I ask for a report?¡±


    Hiro threw a question. The other end of the line is the central nobility with whom they have a cooperative rtionship.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Perhaps it was the result of extreme nervousness, but one of them replied with a backward voice, and he stood up. He pointed to the central map with a trembling fingertip and moved his mouth to choose his words carefully.


    ¡°It seems that the rebel army, led by General Loing and assisted by ¡°Nameless,¡± has stopped its march right in front of the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°Have there been any demands from the rebels?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, sir. However, the nobles in the vicinity have received threatening letters.¡±


    If you do not take sides, remain calm. If you are on the wrong side, we will destroy you in one fell swoop. The former general Loing¡¯s military prowess is well known throughout the Grantz. Everyone must be terrified of him. Above all, in the central, where there are many greedy nobles, there are few who have the spirit to rebel against General Loing.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be difficult to attract the nobility of this area to our side.¡±


    There are three thousand and eight hundred here. It¡¯s like throwing a stone into a muddy stream when your opponent has 30,000. Anyone would imagine that they would be swallowed up in an instant.


    ¡°It¡¯s a difficult situation. The nobles in the vicinity are afraid of being attacked and destroyed, but they remain holed up and show no signs of moving. If they realize that the rebel army is at a disadvantage, they will be happy to jump out, but as it stands, they will continue to stand idly by.¡±


    Hiro let out a sigh of disappointment as he listened to the words.


    ¡°Then, do you know the movements of the nobles outside the central?¡±


    ¡°The other day, I received news that the second prince Selene is on his way here. The western nobility may have received the information around today, although they will not be able to do anything about it because of the security and reconstruction activities in the Felzen region.¡±


    The central nobleman, who coughed, continued to speak.


    ¡°As for the southern nobility, we don¡¯t have enough information to know for sure, but they don¡¯t seem to be making any moves at all, so we think they¡¯re nning to remain quiet.¡±


    Rosa sent Hiro a letter yesterday saying that the remaining eastern nobles were heading towards them at full speed. But even so, they won¡¯t be able to make it in time for Hiro and the others to sh with the rebels.


    ¡°In other words, we were able to get ahead of all the other camps.¡±


    There was no way to miss this opportunity. He looked at Liz, and she nodded vigorously.


    ¡°We should rest here for a couple of days to prepare for the uing battle. During that time, I¡¯ll send another letter to the surrounding nobles. If we appeal to their enthusiasm, some of them might move.¡±


    Liz¡¯s decision was not a bad one.


    Aside from the 3,000 soldiers from the central nobility who cooperated with them, the 800 raven army came here from the south on a forced march. They should be fully relieved of their fatigue before going into battle. Even if it is only eight hundred, they can still have an impact on the war situation.


    There is still time for them to rest since they were the first ones to arrive here.


    ¡°Still, we¡¯d better be on our guard.¡±


    The former general Loing would know that Hiro and the others hade to this ce.


    Therefore, they should be wary of night attacks. A man who has risen to the pinnacle of military service in the Grantz Empire should not be taken lightly. He will be the first to try to crush them with all his might.


    ¡°Yes. If the rebels don¡¯t crush us, they will have their backs exposed.¡±


    Hiro nodded his head to Liz¡¯s words.


    If they want to attack and destroy the great imperial capital, they must do everything in their power to do so. If so, they will not spread out their forces but will use all of their strength to destroy Hiro and the others.


    ¡°But then, why don¡¯t we cooperate with the Golden Lion Knights who are guarding the Great Imperial Capital? While we are fighting, the Golden Lion Knights can get behind the rebels.¡±


    Liz asked a perfectly natural question.


    Hiro tried to answer, but before he could, Aura stood up from her seat.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Aura began to exin, moving the pieces on the desk as Liz tilted her head curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what General Loing is after.¡±


    If the rebels start fighting with Hiro and the others, their backs will be turned to the great imperial capital. It will look so attractive that they will want to bite it.


    If that were their goal, to get the Golden Lion Knights out of the Great Imperial Capital, it would be a disaster beyond belief.


    ¡°If it were me, I would organize a separate force. I would pass through the outraged Golden Lion Knights and attack the open Imperial Capital.¡±


    Then massacre the people, set fire to the buildings, demolish the imperial pce, and steal all the treasures.


    Once the center of the Grantz Empire is paralyzed, the plot will bepleted as other countries wille to attack and copse. Therefore, they had no choice but to take a siege. That is the best course of action.


    ¡°Ugh, then it seems dangerous to expect the Golden Lion Knights to fight.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. It¡¯s best not to include them in the war effort.¡±


    In other words¡­


    (In this battle, the Golden Lion Knights can¡¯t move until the winner is decided.)


    On the contrary, as long as they don¡¯t go along with General Loing¡¯s n, the Grantz Imperial Capital will not be engulfed in war. If the emperor were strong, he would make a move, but if he knew that the noble lords would rush to support him, he would not make such a strong move.


    (It¡¯s too reckless, even after thinking about it again.)


    If the city is besieged, the armies of the five major noble houses, excluding the Krone family, will rush to reinforce them in the meantime. In addition, even though the Great Imperial Capital has not been exposed to warfare for many years, its walls are always maintained, and it is renowned for its high fortification.


    (The rebels are already at a loss. Even though they can see they are losing¡­)


    Anyway, if they fight, they might be able to see what the other side is thinking. Hiro had no choice but to change his mind. First of all, he should think about how to fight with three thousand eight hundred.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s talk about the future.¡±


    Hiro muttered and walked over to the desk, and the people sitting in the chairs stood up at once.


    ¡°First of all, where is the ce where former General Loing will set up his main camp?¡±


    Hiro shot a sharp nce at the central nobleman. He cleared his throat and moved his piece.


    ¡°He has encamped two cells (six kilometers) away from the great imperial capital.¡±


    There¡¯s nothing around there. There seems to be no ce to hide.


    It¡¯s not the best ce for a surprise attack, but even if there were a ce to hide, the rain the other day would have made it impossible to approach quietly with the sound of mud rushing past.


    So how do they defeat 30,000 people? They would need an ingenious n.


    ¡°Has anyonee up with a better n?¡±


    Hiro looked at the people around the desk in turn.


    ¡°Hey, Hiro, do we really need to win?¡±


    That was enough for Hiro to understand what Liz meant. It was not that he had not expected it, but he had dismissed it as a fool¡¯s errand. However, if he denied her at this point, she would have shriveled up. She was finally gaining enough confidence to express her own opinions.


    Hiro felt pleased with Liz¡¯s growth and decided to wait in silence for her to continue.


    ¡°There are only thirty thousand of them, aren¡¯t there? There won¡¯t be any other reinforcements, will there?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. Depending on the future situation of the war, there may be some people who will side with the rebels, but as of now, they only have thirty thousand people to fight with.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re only three thousand eight hundred now, but if we join up with the other noble lords, that number will grow rapidly, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think it will be more than 20,000 at least.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t think we need to take them seriously. I think we should just skirmish to avoid losing, keep in touch with the other nobles, and finally surround and eradicate them¡­¡±


    Hiro smiled and replied to Liz, who was looking up at him to see how things were going.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea. I think it¡¯s a good move.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    It¡¯s not a bad idea. Determined to exin without hurting her feelings, Hiro began to speak in a calm tone.


    ¡°But Liz¡¯s n would work if the Grantz Empire was monolithic.¡±


    It¡¯s really not that bad. If it were possible, he wanted to show her the light of day, but the situation would not allow it.


    ¡°If this battle had simply been between the rebels and the Grantz Empire, there would have been no problem.¡±


    This is where the issue of the right of session to the thronees into y.

 Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Awakening of The Flame Emperor x Soaring of The Flame Princess, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 4 ¨C Awakening of The me Emperor x Soaring of The me Princess, Part 2</h4>


    For example, if you join up with other nobles, the other heirs to the throne will take the initiative to take the lead in order to take credit. In other words, there will be apetition for the credit. There is even a possibility that this will lead to quarrels.


    If political disputes are brought into the battlefield, there will not be a day of peace but a day of fear of the assassin¡¯s de. This is an excellent opportunity for the heir to the throne to gather in one ce. It would create a situation where they could take out all their rivals at once.


    If that happens, they won¡¯t be able to work hand in hand to destroy the rebels. They would be suspicious and unable to trust anyone.


    (If I were a rebel, I¡¯d take advantage of that opportunity. Mislead them with false rumors and divide them.)


    Make a lot of betrayals and exhaust the mind. If this happens, they¡¯ll be nothing, and they won¡¯t pose any threat. In such a situation, it is difficult to say whether they can fight the rebels head-on. If they are not, they may be destroyed.


    ¡°Then¡­ We have no choice but to go for victory with three thousand eight hundred.¡±


    Liz sighed deeply in regret and began to look at the map again with a groan.


    Hiro looked at her lovingly and then looked at the others.


    ¡°Anybody else has any ideas? How about Aura?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm, I¡¯ll think about it some more.¡±


    ¡°What about Skaaha?¡±


    ¡°I think a surprise attack is the only way to go. The ground is indeed muddy because of the rain, but I still think that taking advantage of the darkness to attack the enemy will be more effective than fighting head-on.¡±


    Skaaha crossed her arms and turned her greenish-blue eyes to Hiro.


    ¡°I think we should do some things before that. They¡¯re all soldiers brought in by noblemen who have lost their cool in anger. I doubt there is any loyalty there. If they¡¯re in a situation where they might die, there will be deserters.¡±


    If it had been a nobleman with no name, Hiro would have agreed with Skaaha¡¯s story.


    But the other party was former General Loing. There are many noblemen who bow down to his dignity, and there are many soldiers who envy him when they think back on the war record he has left behind.


    A half-hearted attempt would not work. If it fails, it may strengthen the unity of the rebel army. Hiro thinks that things should be done carefully. Former General Loing must have several moves in mind. The key to victory or defeat lies in how far both sides are able to read each other¡¯s moves.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know how great this Loing guy is, but I still don¡¯t think he reads any deeper than Hiro-dono, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe so, but¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any harm in worrying too much about it.¡±


    ¡°You have a point, but¨D¡­¡±


    Skaaha was still trying to think of something to say.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s stop here.¡±


    After seeing Hiro for a while, she closed her mouth and fell silent. The strange reaction caught Hiro off guard.


    ¡°Do you have an idea, Hiro?¡±


    When Aura called out to him, his sense of difort was pushed to the corner of his mind.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I do.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened as he looked down at the ground.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll use mud.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mud?¡±


    Aura blinked her eyes and tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t understand what he was trying to say.


    Hiro picked up one of the pieces on his desk and ced it on the map.


    ¡°ording to the reconnaissance unit¡¯s report, several swamps have formed here.¡±


    This was six cells (eighteen kilometers) north of the in of Hope, where Hiro and the others had set up camp ¨D four cells (twelve kilometers) south of the main rebel camp.


    ¡°The first step is to draw the rebels here. We are going to set up traps and try to win the battle at once.¡±


    Hiro looked at Liz and Skaaha with a strong gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also apply your n. You¡¯ve put a lot of thought into this, and it would be a shame to let it go to waste.¡±


    Liz¡¯s expression was a mixture of surprise and delight. The only response from Skaaha was a twitch of her beautiful eyebrows.


    ¡°So, each of you will have an important role to y from now on.¡±


    Hiro looked at the people gathered in themand center with exaggerated hand gestures and spoke cheerfully.


    ¡°First, I want you to buy up as much oil as you can from nearby viges and towns.¡±


    Hiro exined, cing piece after piece on the map.


    ¡°After that, we¡¯ll make it look like mud and set the oil on fire.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fire?¡±


    Aura¡¯s question was met with a nod from Hiro, who then pointed to the map.


    ¡°After that, I want you to cut down some light trees from the nearby forest. I intend to ce them between our forces and the enemy¡¯s to form a wall.¡±


    Then it was time to procure arrows, figure out who would y what role, which would lead the troops, and how much time they would need to prepare, apply Skaaha¡¯s n, incorporate Liz¡¯s n, and find a n that would satisfy everyone.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a theory. Not everything will go as nned.¡±


    They just need to be prepared to fail.


    Hiro then looked up from the map and smiled.


    ¡°If we fail, I¡¯ll turn it into a sess. I want you to go into battle with peace of mind.¡±


    That was thest thing he said.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s start nning.¡±


    Hiro said to disband.


    ¡°Then leave the rest to me and wait for the good news, Hiro!¡±


    Liz was the first to leave the tent to do her part.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m worried; I¡¯m going to check on her.¡±


    Aura, perhaps anxious about leaving everything to Liz, left with a subtle expression on her face. After that, Ghada and the others also left the tent to fulfill their respective roles.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro, what should we do?¡±


    The central nobleman who was going to help them in this war asked with a look of confusion on their faces.


    Hiro took out a bag full of gold coins from his pocket.


    ¡°I¡¯ll spare no expense, so I want you to make a ssh.¡±


    When the bag of gold coins was ced on the desk, a loud jingling sound echoed through the tent.


    ¡°I want you to share Liz¡¯s heroism with the people and nobles living in the center.¡±


    ¡°Is that all you want? Is there anything else about the rebellion?¡±


    ¡°No, just Liz. If other rumors are spread together, the information may get mixed up and cause confusion. Just tell them about Liz, that¡¯s all.¡±


    With only three thousand eight hundred soldiers, she rushed to the national crisis. The people¡¯s hearts will surely boil when they hear the story of Liz, who went into battle to relieve the people¡¯s anxiety, and no one will spare her praise. Eventually, bards will write songs, and dancers will dance to the tunes in the taverns.


    ¡°Very well, sir. Then let us get ready.¡±


    Then the central nobleman muttered that they didn¡¯t need the gold. They politely declined, muttering that it was an investment in the future.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll leave you now.¡±


    Hiro threw a word of thanks at the back of the departing nobleman and then turned his attention to the woman who had remained until the end.


    ¡°Skaaha, what do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°¡­..Hmm, well, let¡¯s just say I have something to do.¡±


    In a slurred tone, Skaaha walked up to Hiro, patting the back of her head in a confused manner. She stopped and looked into Hiro¡¯s face with her green-blue eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bear it too much on your own. You have many friends, and you should trust them a little more.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Hiro¡¯s face was puzzled, and Skaaha flicked the tip of her nose in embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡¯m new here, so it¡¯s natural that I can¡¯t be trusted. I think you should say something to Aura-dono and Liz-dono. It seems like you¡¯ve been bothering them a lottely.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Liz and Aura?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to understand you these days. You can set up a meeting with them after this battle is over. You don¡¯t want to regret¡­ talking to them then, do you?¡±


    Skaaha patted Hiro on the shoulder.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go and help Liz-dono with that.¡±


    She left the tent briskly, leaving only her advice to fulfill her role. There was a weight to it. Words that could only be said by a woman who had lost her family. When he wanted to talk to her, she was gone, but her face was still there in his heart.


    Instead of regretting it for the rest of your life, tell me what¡¯s on your mind. Maybe that¡¯s what Skaaha wanted to say. But she doesn¡¯t have the words to say it now.


    ¡°Sooner orter, even if I confide in them, it will depend on what kind of oue this battle will have.¡±


    Hiro knocked down one, two, or three of the pieces on the map and then turned his face down.


    There was one thing he hadn¡¯t mentioned at the military council. One thing that he thought would be troublesome if people found out. Hiro did not dare to mention the name of ¡°him¡± in the military council.


    ¡°Ha¡­ haha.¡±


    It was unconscious.


    ¡°Huh, ha, hahaha!¡±


    Pleasure welled up from the depths of his heart.


    An uncontroble frenzy was raging in his chest.


    ¡°Fufu, haha ¨D guh!¡±


    But for a change, Hiro¡¯s expression became pained, and his forehead began to sweat profusely. His heart was beating fast, and he clutched his chest to show his resistance.


    As if trying to regte his breathing, he leans back against the backrest and stares at the ceiling with vacant eyes.


    ¡°Liz¡­ sorry.¡±


    The madness inside him wants war. He could feel his evil mind stirring. He could feel himself bing less and less himself as the darknesstched onto his consciousness.


    Hiro looked at the map on his desk as if to escape from such pain. He stared at the pieces that showed the positions of the various forces.


    ¡°If things go as expected¡­¡±


    The world will be exactly as he wants it. So, he couldn¡¯t suppress his pleasure ¡ª the craving for war.


    It was not something that could be managed with logic. Reason had no use for it.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I can take it anymore.¡±


    In spite of his words of resignation, Hiro formed a deep smile, stroked his eye patch, and searched for signs of his surroundings. He could hear the sounds of soldiers moving hurriedly as they began to prepare for battle.


    However, themand center was enveloped in a strange silence, as if it was separated from the world.


    Hiro looked up at the heavens and narrowed his Heavenly Spiritual Eye.


    The stars were twinkling in the night sky. They were still shining as they had a thousand years ago.


    ¡°Finally¡­ finally.¡±


    Hiro put his hand on the edge of the eye patch and pulled it off without hesitation.


    ¡°Altius, the heir to your will has appeared.¡±


    An eerie light spilled from Hiro¡¯s left eye.


    And yet ¨D there was a darkness of sorrow that struck a person¡¯s heart.


    It creaks.


    The atmosphere creaked.


    Space couldn¡¯t withstand the immense force and began to make a popping sound around the surroundings.


    The noise that had been ringing in the corner of his head for so long.


    ¡°Rey, the heir to your dreams has arrived.¡±


    ¨D¨DIt was a clear sound.

 Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Awakening of The Flame Emperor x Soaring of The Flame Princess, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 4 ¨C Awakening of The me Emperor x Soaring of The me Princess, Part 3</h4>


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    Stobel stood up from his chair vigorously and ran outside with a devilish look on his face.


    But it was quiet outside.


    Soldiers were patrolling the gaps between the barracks with torches in their hands. On a cold night like this, there seemed to be very few soldiers wandering around outside, so there was not much activity.


    As usual, there was a in and unremarkable camp in front of him.


    ¡°¡­..Damn it.¡±


    But Stobel did not remove the color of caution from his eyes. He nces around as if he is ring at the surroundings.


    Looking up at the sky, the sun had set, and the moon with a warm light was floating in the sky.


    It was only because he was in possession of one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword that he felt this way, but for the soldiers who had no protection, it would not provide warmth, nor would it soften the cold wind that stung their skin.


    ¡°Is something wrong? Your Highness Stobel.¡±


    A familiar voice came from behind him. Without turning around, he could tell. It was former General Loing.


    He must have been worried about Stobel, who suddenly ran off and followed him.


    ¡°I felt a simr presence. No ¨D not quite the same.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything¡­ It must be just your imagination.¡±


    Loing speaks lightly as he puts his hand on the back of his neck.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking, and your drunkenness may have caused you to hear things.¡±


    This old soldier always speaks without fear and without choosing his words carefully. He has forgotten how to be attentive. Stobel was used to it, so he was not annoyed, but he was more concerned about the unidentified presence that he had just felt.


    ¡°Hmph, that was a lot of power to blow away the drunkenness.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡±


    When Stobel returned to the tent and sat back in his chair, Loing muttered to himself as if it were something else, biting back a sigh.


    ¡°In any case, I¡¯m looking forward to having more strong people. It means that I will still have the opportunity to test my strength.¡±


    Loing picked up a bottle of beer and began to drink vigorously. However, no matter how much he drinks, his cheeks do not flush, and his posture does not slouch, indicating that he does not appear to be drunk.


    ¡°¡­Liquor, women, war. In the past, this was all a man needed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough of your old stories to rot my ears.¡±


    Stobel snorted, but the old soldier kept his good-natured smile on his face and continued to speak.


    ¡°If you have lived a free and easy life, you will eventually seek rest in a certain ce. It is inevitable, I suppose.¡±


    Loing gave a distant look of nostalgia.


    ¡°Your Highness, we all grow old. There is no escaping that fate. I hope you will find a tree to live in before then. Family is a good thing.¡±


    ¡°You were kicked out of your tree, though¡­¡±


    The old soldierughed at Stobel¡¯s sarcastic remark.


    ¡°You are right. I have lived long enough to know that the loss of my home will not hurt or itch me. In any case, I became the top of the Grantz Empire ¨D the Five Generals Army, so my life was not bad.¡±


    The empty liquor bottles were piled up like a mountain in Loing¡¯sp. Suddenly, the old soldier¡¯s gaze fell on the empty bottles.


    A hint of sadness shaded his eyes, which were filled with the light of a heroic warrior.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Without saying a word, Stobel sipped his beer.


    ¡°And well, I¡¯m off-topic, but can you still feel that strange presence you mentioned earlier?¡±


    He may not have noticed Stobel¡¯s gaze, but Loing said in a deceptive tone. So, Stobel did not mention it but said sarcastically as usual.


    ¡°What do you care if you hear it? Can you understand the power of the primordial that I could not capture?¡±


    ¡°That kind of power is not something my old bones can withstand. I¡¯ve already fallen, so I hope you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    When Loing uttered his apologies in a heartfelt manner, Stobel snorted and decided to change the subject.


    ¡°How are the troops organized?¡±


    ¡°There is no problem with that. The ¡°Majin Corps¡± is almostplete.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they will be useful in a real battle?¡±


    ¡°They follow our instructions, so they may not be useless, but as forbat, I don¡¯t know much. We¡¯ll see how they fare in this battle, so I suggest you wait and see.¡±


    But still¡­


    ¡°One thing is for sure; they are very strong.¡±


    When Loing happily stroked his beard, Stobel also lifted his mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s just fortunate that the holders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword are all here. We can use them as test subjects.¡±


    ¡°So we should not attack the Great Imperial Capital, but we should deal with Her Highness Celia Estre¡¯s army?¡±


    ¡°Yes, give them all you can; it¡¯s easier to fool the wind. Once we¡¯ve achieved our goal, let¡¯s get rid of this rotten country.¡±


    ¡°¡­..Yes.¡±


    When Loing nodded with a gloomy face, Stobel¡¯s words intensified as if to condemn him.


    ¡°What is it? Are you still attached to this country?¡±


    ¡°No, now that I am in this body, I have no regrets. If I remain loyal to Your Highness Stobel until the end of my life, I will have no regrets.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Stobel didn¡¯t say anything more. He could sense the determination in Loing¡¯s words. Then they continued to drink in silence, and eventually, Stobel stood up.


    ¡°I should be leaving now. Can I leave the rest to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will risk my life to make sure that our nes to fruition. Your Highness, do not worry about us at all and concentrate on your great task ahead.¡±


    With these powerful words, Stobel turned away and began to walk.


    When he stepped out of the tent, the wind-tossed dead leaves were flying in the sky.


    The bonfires that have been built evenly throughout the camp illuminate an inadequate area, and the mes are flickering against the wind. The only thing cutting through the night air was the sound of Stobel¡¯s footsteps on the mud and the asionalughter of soldiers still drinking.


    The sky was clear and cloudless as if the storm of the other day had never happened. After the storm had passed, a full moon was floating in the sky as if it were asserting its dominance.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Stobel began to shake his shoulders happily.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯vee this far ¨D just as I nned.¡±


    He stopped and extended his hand towards the night sky.


    ¡°What could be more boring than a world full of humans?¡±


    It was as if he was asking someone a question, but the answer never came.


    ¡°The strong survive, and the weak die.¡±


    A thousand years ago, that was the norm.


    ¡°Then, I have no choice but to bring chaos to this world again.¡±


    A wild supreme energy was released from his entire body. The space that could not withstand the pressure became distorted.


    The buzzing of the insects disappears.


    The mes of the bonfire rippled violently.


    The wind roared and blew in all directions.


    ¡°I will take the ce of the gods who have lost their power.¡±


    Stobel¡¯s fists clenched as if she were crushing the full moon.


    ¡°I will be a Majin and stand in the sky.¡±

 Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Awakening of The Flame Emperor x Soaring of The Flame Princess, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 4 ¨C Awakening of The me Emperor x Soaring of The me Princess, Part 4</h4>


    December 31st, 1023rd year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Former General Loing led thirty thousand rebel troops. Three thousand eight hundred allied forces led by Liz and Hiro.


    The two armies faced off on the ins of Hope.


    The sky was clear, and the air was free of groundless fears. It even made one feel refreshed. But what swept over the ground was a wild, blood-curdling hot wind.


    The season is winter, yet the heat emanating from both armies is causing the temperature to rise violently.


    The main army was filled with strange tranquility, while the encouragement of the troop leaders flew from various ces.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro, it appears that Her Highness Celia Estre is in position.¡±


    A messenger on one knee looked up. There was a roofless carriage parked there.


    The one sitting down on it, on its floor, watching the surroundings, is Hiro.


    ¡°Then, we will raise the crest.¡±


    ¡°Ha, immediately.¡±


    When Hiro looked at the guard, his reply came back with vigor.


    ¡°Raise the g! Show the rebels the divine g of our ¡°God of War¡±!¡±


    As the g bearer of the main army raised arge g, Hiro¡¯s crest gs were raised one after another from various ces. The soldiers were suddenly buzzing, and a horse approached Hiro.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re ready.¡±


    It was a man wearing full body armor ¨D ck armor with grooves. He is Hiro¡¯s second-inmand and is also a pure-blooded demon, which is rare in the central continent.


    Therefore, due to its rarity, he had to cover his head with armor to protect himself from curious nces.


    ¡°Ghada, have you prepared everything?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve left that to Munin. We are ready.¡±


    Hiro nodded in reply and looked at the battlefield again.


    The other 2,000 were left to Liz and were positioned one cell (three kilometers) away. They seemed to have noticed that Hiro¡¯s side was raising a g, and arge g from Liz¡¯s side was floating gracefully in the air, driven by the wind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice that morale is low. Also, it¡¯s obvious that they are nervous.¡±


    Ghada¡¯s point was sharp. Even if you are experienced ¨D or even ayman ¨D you can see that the soldiers Hiro is leading are straining their bodies.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s understandable in this situation.¡±


    Anyone would feel deted in the face of an army that filled their field of vision.


    In the first ce, they are not the ¡°Raven Army¡± trained by Ghada.


    The soldiers¡¯ Rosa had left behind ¨D their homnd was far away in the east. No one wants to die in a strangend. So they are not prepared, and their faces are so pale that if you shouted in their ears, they would faint.


    Above all, the other side ismanded by a living legend, former General Loing.


    The desperation and pressure must not be half as great as it seems. The only thing Hiro could think of was that it was better that they didn¡¯t run away.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon, take a look over there. There¡¯s a big difference between here and there.¡±


    In contrast, the morale of the rebels was visibly high. They were beating their drums and blowing their horns to inspire the soldiers.


    Every time a shout was released from the enemy forces, the soldiers on Hiro¡¯s side would get scared.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take action soon?¡±


    Hiro shook his head at Ghada¡¯s advice that he should inspire his allies as much as his opponents.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll stick it out until thest minute. Half-hearted enthusiasm will quickly cool off.¡±


    Since yesterday, he had been trying to maintain morale. He had allowed a small amount of alcohol to be consumed, worked hard on the soldiers, and spread the rumor that there would be a huge reward when things were done.


    To prevent deserters, he also spread lies that the battle was aimed at deceiving the other side and that there would be no real fight. Seeing that all the soldiers are here without a single one escaping, there is no doubt that it is working.


    (Now, all that remains is the final touch.)


    The best time to do this is right before the war starts.


    ¡°Wise brother! I have just gone to scout the enemy army!¡±


    The pleasant sound of a cheerful, trembling bell touched Hiro¡¯s ear. When Hiro shifted his gaze from the battlefield to the bottom of the carriage, he saw a brown-skinned woman on one knee with a fearless smile on her face.


    ¡°Hugin, thank you for your work. I¡¯ll listen to your report as we head to the front.¡±


    Hiro gave her a word of thanks and beckoned to the Swift Dragon, who was standingfortably next to Hugin.


    Hiro jumped on the back of the Swift Dragon, who approached the carriage with just a gesture.


    ¡°Wise brother, it seems that the enemy army has split into two groups. The number of the enemy forcesing towards us is about 15,000. They have 5,000 cavalry and horses in the front line and have taken a horizontal position.¡±


    Hiro put the head of the Swift Dragon around the front line and listened to the report of Hugin, who was riding alongside him.


    ¡°In addition, in the middle of the enemy¡¯s army of 8,000, there seems to be the figure of former General Loing.¡±


    ¡°Former General Loing has arrived here¡­ and it looks like he won¡¯t take it easy on us.¡±


    Above all, the formation with the cavalry in the front row ¨D if the war begins, the appearance will be transformed. Out of the eight ck formations, he envisioned a few that would be suitable for arge army on the ins.


    ¡°He¡¯s a tough opponent.¡±


    Ghada blurted out his honest opinion.


    ¡°Do you think so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it would be sweet if they were more cautious and wary of our tactics, but their lineup seems to have no regard for tricks.¡±


    Part of it is probably due to the fact that there are so few of them, but the other side is not afraid to take damage. Even if it is only three thousand eight hundred, a collision is sure to cause damage.


    Depending on the skill of themander, many soldiers would lose their precious lives.


    ¡°He¡¯s not thinking about the rest of the battle at all ¨D or maybe he thinks he can think about it after he wins.¡±


    Ghada snorted, making an unhappy face atop his horse.


    They¡¯re not going to let their guard down ¨D they¡¯re going to do everything they can, even if the numbers are small. It is possible to judge that they appreciate them as a difficult enemy, but they are unlikely to have enough reinforcements to replenish their dwindling ranks.


    ¡°And even if they defeat us, there are still the Golden Lion Knights in the Great Imperial Capital. I think they want to keep their losses to a minimum, but judging from this bullish lineup, they¡¯re going to try to beat us to the punch.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible that they¡¯ve seen through our n, and that¡¯s why they¡¯re taking such a strong stance.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ that might be a very good possibility.¡±


    After designating this ce, which is dotted with swamps due to the rains, as a battleground, Hiro bought up as much oil as he could from nearby viges and towns. He also bought as many arrows as possible and gave his soldiers as many as they could carry.


    The formation also followed the same pattern, with archers in the front row and cavalry in the middle and back rows, forming a shape like an arrowhead. The archers would bare away the thick walls of the enemy army, and when they saw an opportunity to open up to the left and right, the cavalry would charge forward and bite through the bellies. It was a formation designed to break through the center.


    This is one of the eight ck formations ¨D the spearhead formation.


    ¡°¡­It is safe to assume that the fire n has been read. Otherwise, they would not havee to this ce.¡±


    ¡°No, I think they should be half-confident.¡±


    In order to raise suspicion as to whether or not they were really going to set off a fireworks disy, Hiro bought up more oil than necessary. That information must have immediately reached the ears of the opponent. And the ce he chose for the battlefield was a ce dotted with swamps. If he were a simple man, he would have decided to use the oil as a swamp to set up a fire n. However, his opponent was a fierce warrior who had risen to the rank of one of the five great generals.


    He would have suspected that there was an ulterior motive and would havee to make sure that the bait hanging in front of him was not poisoned and that it was safe to eat.


    ¡°Whatever the case, we¡¯ll win this battle if Liz and the others survive.¡±


    Reaching the front, Hiro looked around.


    There were oil-soaked horse fences surrounding the 1,800-strong army from left to right and back. In front of them, there were no horse fences, and 20 roos (60 meters) away from the front row, there was an unnatural number of short, easily surmountable trees lying on top of each other.


    ¡°Ghada, I leave you in charge of the other eight hundred.¡±


    The battle this time has been entrusted to the eight hundred ¡®Raven Army¡¯ and the six hundred cavalrymen out of the one thousand led by Hiro.


    ¡°Yes, I understand, but¡­ be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I want you to concentrate on your role, Ghada.¡±


    He¡¯s prepared to be wiped out. It¡¯s not a problem as long as Liz and the others survive. The result will be resented, scorned, and even abused.


    (I¡¯d rather ept it all than regret it.)


    That¡¯s what war is all about. Above all, he has abandoned his naivety in the past.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest up to you, but make sure you don¡¯t misjudge.¡±


    ¡°I know what my priorities are. I don¡¯t have any personal feelings about it.¡±


    Hiro nodded in response to Ghada¡¯s strong words and then looked ahead.


    ¡°They¡¯re moving¡­¡±


    A battle cry rang out from the enemy troops as if torrential thunder was raining down on them.


    It is not righteous for the emperor to use such despicable means! Those who participate in it are equally guilty! Bring down the hammer without mercy! The Spirit King will surely smile upon us!


    The sound of drums shot up into the sky, and the shout of horns stimted the eardrums as if to pierce them.


    The first group charges! Show our anger to those who tremble in fear!


    The footsteps of military boots rang through the air, and the impact of horseshoes shook the earth.


    ¡°Kuh, here theye¡­¡±


    ¡°Are we really going to fight¡­?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we can win against those numbers¡­¡±


    Shouts of agitation and dismay came from the allies.


    Anxiety, suspicion, grumbling, frustration, and negative emotions spread rapidly.


    As he looked out at the buzzing soldiers, Hiro saw that their will to fight had begun to drop rapidly.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time¡­ let¡¯s get started too.¡±


    Hiro drew the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± from its sheath and pointed the sword¡¯s tip at the sun.


    A strong, seven-colored glow covered thend, illuminating it.


    ¡°Everyone, is there any need to be afraid?¡±


    The voice resonated well ¨D it was a natural quality.


    The words, which could be called the voice of a king, rushed through the soldiers in all directions.


    ¡°The opponent is only 15,000. There is no need to fear anything.¡±


    Hiro smiled quietly.


    ¡°Victory always lies in the name of the God of War. Therefore, I offer the promised victory to the Spirit King.¡±


    Silence.


    After Hiro finished, an indescribable silence filled the battlefield. Everyone stared at Hiro nkly, as if they had forgotten how even to breathe.


    Gradually, however, people began to understand. They must have begun to feel the heat smoldering deep inside their bodies as they were brought back to reality, to the meaning of the words.


    A momentter ¨D a shout went up.


    Spears, bows, and swords were thrust into the sky, and an unstoppable battle cry erupted. Morale rose violently. A tremendous heat began to envelop the area.

 Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Awakening of The Flame Emperor x Soaring of The Flame Princess, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 4 ¨C Awakening of The me Emperor x Soaring of The me Princess, Part 5</h4>


    ¡°¡­Your acting skills are as good as ever. Why don¡¯t you join a theaterpany or something?¡±


    Hiro brushed aside Ghada¡¯s sarcasm with a calm face and pointed the tip of the Heavenly Emperor forward. There was the first group of enemies approaching with tremendous speed.


    ¡°Prepare the ming arrows!¡±


    From the way they wereing straight at them, they were probably trying to climb over the short, ovepping trees at a distance of 20 roos (60 meters).


    Some of the archers, perhaps pressured by the angry shouts of the enemy forces, faltered. The roar of the horseshoe from the enemy forces created a sense of urgency that spread to the others, causing them to be tense.


    (If this had been the ¡°Raven Army,¡± there would have been no problem.)


    However, it was expected ¨D there was still some distance to go. It was not a situation to panic.


    Hiro didn¡¯t say anything. He decided to wait for them to finish their preparations.


    At a time like this, if he rushed them, he would invite more mistakes. That¡¯s why he gave strict orders to the unitmanders not to reprimand them unless there was a serious problem.


    And¡­


    ¡°Wise brother, the g-bearer gives the signal! The archers are ready!¡±


    Reacting to Hugin¡¯s voice, Hiro also saw the ck dragon¡¯s crest g waving at the edge of his vision. Hiro raised his left arm high in the air and swung it down with great force. Hundreds of arrows shot out from the archers at once. The sight of the ming arrowheads flying through the sky was reminiscent of the night sky, even in the daytime.


    However, the rain of fire arrows did not head for the oing enemy army but stalled and fell on the ovepping trees 20 roos (60 meters) away. The trees, soaked with oil, burned well. The fire erupted with great force, creating a wall of me in the blink of an eye.


    However, the first group of the enemy did not seem to be shaken. They began to slow down as if they knew what they were doing. Even so, some of the enemy soldiers were unable to stop their momentum, and more than a few of them fell off their horses when they got too close to the mes and were frightened.


    ¡°Fire the second shot.¡±


    Hiro quickly gave the order, and the arrows that cut through the air were released one after another.


    The arrows spread out in a fan shape and flew into the enemy army.


    The next moment ¨D they rained down mercilessly on the fallen enemy soldiers, plucking the life out of them.


    Some of them raised their shields to protect themselves, but their legs were caught in the mud, and they lost their stance, causing the arrows to pierce their throats. Some were trapped underneath their horses, begging for help as they sumbed.


    However, the damage to the enemy forces was still minimal. Only a few dozen lives were swallowed up by the mud.


    ¡°Wise brother, the enemy has split in two from the center. They¡¯re dodging the trees and heading towards us!¡±


    It seemed that he couldn¡¯t reduce the enemy¡¯s momentum.


    Then make one more move, deeper.


    ¡°Next.¡±


    As soon as Hiro gave the signal to the bannermen, the ¡°Raven Army,¡± a detachment of cavalry horses waiting at the edge of the army, began to run vigorously. However, the direction was the opposite of the enemy.


    ¡°Prepare for the third shot.¡±


    Hiro instructed the archers. Ahead of them, in the burning trees, there was a change in the ground.


    A rope that had been submerged in the mud appeared. It is tied to the burning trees, connecting to the cavalry that has begun to move. It was only natural that the rope should be taut, and the enemy soldiers who could not avoid it in time fell one by one, their legs entangled.


    ¡°Release!¡±


    Arrows were released with great force. The arrows pierced the fallen enemy soldiers without mercy, killing them one after another.


    The screams, groans, and throat-slitting screams of the enemy soldiers shot up into the sky.


    The spattering blood and mud mixed together and dyed the earth ck, and the blood smoke produced by the soulless lumps of flesh polluted the air.


    And then¡­


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s first line seems to be bypassing us! They¡¯vepletely read our move!¡±


    ¡°Good gracious, they¡¯ve read this too?¡±


    Originally, the enemy¡¯s damage would have been enormous. It should have been able to inflict enough damage to cripple the enemy¡¯s first line of defense.


    ¡°I see; this is the power of former General Loing.¡±


    The enemy¡¯s first line seems to have been split in two due to the turmoil, but the coordinated movements show that they had intended to do so from the start.


    In fact, the dragon wing formation had beenpleted. The first group of the enemy, split into two, opened its mouth wide to surround them. The fact that the wings are wider than usual is probably because oil has been nted in the dark-colored ground scattered about.


    ¡°Haha¡­ that¡¯s great. He seems to have a flexible mind.¡±


    He is able to assess the situation carefully and yet make bold moves.


    He is a good warrior who has both flexibility and strength. There is no stagnation there at all. There is no hesitation in the army led by the former general Loing¡­ who may have earned the trust of the past war history.


    They are trying to minimize the damage and reap the enemy¡¯s life with all their might.


    ¡°I admire you. I can¡¯t help but admire you.¡±


    All of the traps that Hiro had set had been activated, and Loing had sessfully seen through them.


    He has avoided only the most important trap and is trying toe for Hiro¡¯s head.


    This would make the oil he had set up to look like mud meaningless.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hiro apologized and turned his face down, and began to shake his shoulders. It was then that the wind blew.


    His silky ck hair dances in the sunshine, emitting a glow.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Hiro raised his face from the ground.


    ¡°Trickery ¨D The oils were never set up in the first ce.¡±


    Quietly, silently, heughed.


    Yes, there is no such thing as oil in the first ce.


    The only reason why they designated this ce as a battlefield and why they bought up all the oil was to make people think that there would be a fire gauge there. Above all, if they set up such a trap, they would be harmed themselves.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened as he held down his eye patch to suppress his aching left eye.


    ¡°Ghada.¡±


    ¡°I know! But I can¡¯t do this for long!¡±


    Hiro called out his name, and Ghada, who had jumped down from his horse to the ground, answered him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. If you can distract them for a moment, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯ve got me all worked up!¡±


    He mmed his hands on the ground,ining.


    ¡°Hurry up. A sandstorm won¡¯t do you much good if there¡¯s mud on the ground!¡±


    Ghada¡¯s whole body radiated fighting spirit, and the magic power released from his hands hit the ground.


    Then, a strange phenomenon urred in front of Hiro¡¯s gaze.


    The ground under the control of the magic power rose up, and a sandstorm containing mud rolled forward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my part then!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please!¡±


    Hiro called out to the back of the mounted Ghada and gave Hugin a look.


    Hugin shouted loudly, sensing Hiro¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Burn the horse fence! Make way for the front line! Cavalry, prepare to charge!¡±


    The order was faithfully carried out. Archers shot fire arrows one after another at the horse fences on both sides. The oil-soaked fences spewed out mes and ck smoke, rapidly painting the blue sky ck.


    While the sky was dyed an eerie color, Hiro and the others on the ground were quietly beginning to move.


    ¡°Wise brother! We¡¯re ready. We can go at any time!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go and see the former General Loing.¡±


    With a slow movement, Hiro pointed the tip of the Heavenly Emperor forward.


    The sandstorm still showed no signs of abating. Hiro narrowed his eyes and looked at the raging wind.


    It was as if he was aiming at the unseen one on the other side.


    ¡°Attention, all troops¡­¡±


    Just one word.


    With that, the sound disappeared from the world.


    The voice of the enemy, the voice of the wind, the voice of the earth, the voice of the heavens, all was lost.


    Except for one thing ¨D the young man¡¯s voice.


    Everyone is forced to listen. No one could resist the allure of the young man¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be frightened, and if you are cowering in fear, look forward.¡±


    Everyone looked at Hiro in dismay.


    Perhaps they remembered the nostalgia of their childhoods. It was a heroic tale that anyone born in Grantz must have heard.


    ¡°Just follow my back. Victory will always be there.¡±


    A thousand years ago, there was a young man who possessed a color that no human could have. It is said that everyone looked at the young man with an eye of avoidance because of his unusual appearance.


    But eventually, people began to praise the young man for his courage and bravery.


    Because he never retreated, he never knew ¡°defeat,¡± and his military prowess was unmatched.


    Because he never escaped, he never knew how to run away, and his strategy was flexible.


    He did not know defeat because he never lost a battle, and his military strategy is unparalleled.


    When he leads 10,000, there is no enemy in the heavens, and when he leads 1,000, there is no enemy on earth.


    Therefore, people praised him as such.


    ¨D¨DHe is the undefeated hero king.


    ¡°Everyone, under the banner of the God of War, defeats the rebels and offers victory to the twelve great gods of Grantz.¡±


    As soon as Hiro finished, the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± shone brilliantly. The g of the ck dragon swept away the dust and floated gracefully under the sky, beating the air.


    At that moment, a battle cry erupted. The loud volume of the spears nging against the shields shook the atmosphere.


    Furthermore, the soldiers stamped their feet and loudly stomped their war boots as if to intimidate the enemy army.


    Hiro hears them, wears their heat, and stokes the mes of his heart with firewood.


    ¡°Quick battle, quick decision ¨D all troops charge!


    He gave a fierce order with a voice from the heavens that echoed far and wide.


    Hiro kicked the Swift Dragon lightly in the stomach, and it began to run across the in with a brave cry.


    ¡°The only thing I want is the head of the enemy general, former General Loing.¡±


    A huge amount of light overflowed from the shining de of the Heavenly Emperor, creating a line that seemed to illuminate the road. The five hundred cavalrymen that followed at a furious pace were followed by warriors who had switched from bows to spears and swords. The weapons in their hands were different, but all of them had the fearless look of warriors.


    Although the enemy forces had been dispersed, they were only down a few hundred and still had a little over 14,000 soldiers left. And yet, not a single one of them showed any fear. They believe that if they follow this man, they will be victorious.


    ¡°The only thing that will determine whether we are reckless or not is the result.¡±


    In front of Hiro¡¯s eyes, the sandstorm that had been raging earlier cleared up as if it were a lie.


    Even so, Hiro could see through the dirty ck smoke that the obstacle ahead had been removed. The separate ¡°Raven Army had pulled down the trees that had been engulfed in a ze of fire,¡± and the wall had been removed. This removed the obstacle that had been blocking the center and instead opened up the front for Hiro to see the surprised expression on Loing¡¯s face.


    ¡°Did you really think you could take on an army of 15,000?¡±


    He may not have heard him, but Hiro couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°No need to be surprised. Dispersing the enemy¡¯s forces is the first step in tactics, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Currently, the first 8000 enemy troops were divided into two groups, scattered to the left and right, and were running at full speed to surround Hiro and the others. The enemy¡¯s second line of 5,000 is moving in pursuit of the rear, and now that the burning trees that separated the two armies ¨D the wall ¨D have been removed, the enemy¡¯s main force ispletely naked. Still, the gap in numbers had not narrowed. The real battle of flesh and blood would begin here. Although the enemy had been thwarted, this did not mean that their overwhelming inferiority had been overturned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to go easy on you since we¡¯re running out of time.¡±


    ¡°Wha!?¡±


    A sh of lightning struck the neck of a soldier defending the main force of the enemy. Hiro ughtered enemy soldiers one after another with the same momentum.


    Losing their momentum, the cavalry also attacked, running in a straight line without looking aside from the enemy that existed in a straight line. Even if it was only five hundred cavalries, they could not endure the harsh attack like sharp needles.


    The blood spurting from the enemy soldiers poured all over the area, and the eerie sound of horseshoes crushing the massive breastte reverberated. In addition, screams and cries of anguish were sewn together, and the enemy¡¯s main force, which had begun to be killed, turned into hell like a feeding ground for ferocious animals.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eradicate them before their ranks grow thicker¡­¡±


    They have only peeled off a thinyer of skin. If the dispersed enemy forces return, they will be wiped out at once. Still, the sharp needle can reach the heart now.


    Then, let¡¯s plunge our fangs into its throat and devour it without leaving a single piece of its soul. Tear its flesh, crush its bones, crush its organs, and dere victory in high spirits.


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re not very good at hiding, are you? I found you.¡±


    Hiro shouted in excitement and flew away from the Swift Dragon.


    ¡°Hello, former General Loing, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have met you here, but I¡¯ll take your head!¡±


    He swung the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± down on the surprised Loing¡¯s neck.

 Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Awakening of The Flame Emperor x Soaring of The Flame Princess, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 4 ¨C Awakening of The me Emperor x Soaring of The me Princess, Part 6</h4>


    Meanwhile, Liz and the others were having a hard time. Swords were nging furiously, and sparks were twinkling furiously everywhere. Shouts of anger drowned out the screams, and shouts were released one after the other from the two struggling armies.


    The blood plume from the crushed bodies obscured the view. The stench of death polluted the air, contaminating the lungs to the point where it was no longer possible to breathe.


    Still, the two armies continued to fight without stopping. They chopped each other¡¯s flesh and crushed each other¡¯s bones with their battle-axes and then swung their swords to determine their next prey.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Aura-dono! There¡¯s a signal from the right wing to retreat!¡±


    Tris, a muscr old soldier, shouted as he cut down the enemy soldiers. Although his wounds from the recent battle have not yet healed, his sh was so powerful that it did not make him seem injured in the slightest.


    Now, under the onught of the 15,000 rebel troops, the 2,000 soldiers led by Liz were gradually losing their strength. It was only because Aura was calmly assessing the battle situation and issuing orders that they were able to continue to endure.


    ¡°No, not now. Send two hundred reinforcements to the right nk and hold them off.¡±


    Aura sends a signal to the g bearer, and in the blink of an eye, two hundred troops break away from the rear of the main force.


    ¡°Lord Tris. The frontline in the center is falling back, so push it up. If we don¡¯t, Liz and the others will be isted.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me! Follow me, you people!¡±


    With his spear in hand, he charges forward, the enemy rushing in. The troops led by him fought hard and kicked away the enemy soldiers who tried to block the center. Aura followed close behind, keeping her distance from the enemy. At that moment, a g went up from the left wing, calling for reinforcements.


    Aura¡¯s beautiful eyebrows twisted, and a look of anguish spread across her face.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Detach a hundred from the main force and reinforce the left nk.¡±


    ¡°Aura-dono! If we divert any more soldiers from the center, the battle line will copse.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    As Tris said, the enemy has already prated deep into the main force. As expected, they are not able to devote any more strength to the war effort. But if the left wing is destroyed, the front line will copse anyway. Then there is no way left but to send reinforcements.


    ¡°We have to leave the rest to Liz and the others.¡±


    Aura looked ahead as if she were praying. It is a harsh ce where only those with strong instincts can survive on this battlefield.


    In the front line, where friends and foes mingle, even a moment¡¯s ckness can kill them.


    In such a ce ¨D the red-haired girl was leaping her body as if she was dancing.


    ¡°Haaaaaa!¡±


    The mes that erupted from the red sword enveloped the ground in red. Enemy soldiers d in ming armor are falling to the ground in vain, screaming with intense pain. The ones who couldn¡¯t die in a single breath stumbled around on the ground, falling prey to the spears and dying.


    ¡°Stop Her Highness Celia Estre! If we stop her, we win!¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    A fierce blow was unleashed from Liz with a voiceced with anger.


    Gaaahh!¡±


    The enemy soldiers sink to the ground with their bodies split open and fresh blood sprinkled all over.


    Without even taking a nce at it, Liz took a step forward and turned her back, dodging the spear that was thrust out from the side.


    After narrowly avoiding the tip of the spear, which passed right under her nose, she twisted her body and swung the ¡°me Emperor¡± with great force. The enemy soldier¡¯s spear was cut in half as easily as if it were a fruit.


    ¡°¨D¨DWha, mm, bfuh!¡±


    After piercing the body of a shocked enemy soldier, Liz slid the drawn de horizontally and cut off the head of the second soldier. She cut off the third soldier¡¯s arm with her return hand and smashed the fourth soldier¡¯s face with her bare hand.


    ¡°Open the front! I won¡¯t go easy on you!¡±


    She threatened the enemy with her supreme energy. When the fearful enemy soldiers retreated, she boldly cut into them, not wanting to miss her opportunity. Even with her overwhelming military prowess, her red eyes were dominated by an emotion akin to frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re in my way!¡±


    She sprinted towards the enemy soldiers swarming in front of her, scattering mes as she flew into a rage. She was so determined that she would not let any of them go behind her.


    Her attention, however, was elsewhere. Her eyes were always on the road ahead.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was underestimating them. But the enemy soldiers that filled her field of vision were where she wanted to be, and they were the cause of Liz¡¯s frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯ming right now; just hold on!¡±


    A strong blow.


    Always one blow, always one kill.


    Arge number of corpsesy on the road that Liz ran down. No one can stop her momentum.


    It is a world where if you don¡¯t kill, you will be killed. Liz shows no hesitation in taking a life.


    Everyone, including Liz, goes to the battlefield with that resolve. So, in order to protect those who need to be protected and save those who need to be saved, there is no room for indulgence.


    ¡°Skaaha!¡±


    Liz called out the name of her istedpanion.


    There was no reply. All that was left was the melody of death as the sound of des nging created a scream.


    Originally, Liz and the others should have been in the Great Imperial Capital by now.


    However, although things had been going well at the beginning of the war, the situation quickly turned upside down when some people broke into the battlefield. In order to restore the crumbling front line, Skaaha was the one who took the bait against the assants.


    Liz, biting her lower lip, hurried to her side as she finished off the enemy. Soon, the enemy soldiers who showed their backs began to appear sparsely. It was obvious that there was something ahead that would catch their attention.


    ¡°Clear the way!¡±


    Liz kicked the ground forcefully. Of course, there was no way the enemy soldiers would let her through so easily.


    ¡°Surrender! Celia Est¨D¨D!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of hearing that line.¡±


    With the tip of her sword, she pierced the throat of the enemy soldier and killed him. She then mmed the ¡°me Emperor¡± hilt into the helmet to crush the skull of the enemy who hade behind her. As the iron cracked with a loud noise, the enemy¡¯s brain sma scattered and dyed the earth red.


    Liz attacked the stunned enemy soldiers, cutting through the deadly terrain through personalbat alone. With her de flicking threateningly at the enemies around her, she struck the enemy soldiers who had lost their will to fight, knocking them into a stupor.


    Then she looked forward again, but¡­


    ¡°!?¡±


    She noticed a presence flying towards her, breaking through the waves of enemy soldiers.


    ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    Liz hurriedly put out her hands to hold that person. But she couldn¡¯t kill the momentumpletely, and she rolled over and over on the ground with the flying object. With mud curling up and dust rising violently, Liz, who had been tossed about by the impact, stopped moving.


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡±


    Liz jumped up when she heard a moan.


    In her arms, a woman with blue-green hair was in agony.


    ¡°Skaaha! Stay with me!¡±


    When Liz tapped her cheek to confirm her consciousness, Skaaha opened her eyes vaguely.


    ¡°¡­Oh, it¡¯s you, Liz-dono.¡±


    ¡°A-are you okay?¡±


    There was no noticeable injury. However, there was arge amount of sweat on her forehead.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I was saved. It¡¯s just that I used too much power.¡±


    Skaaha thanked her and got up on her feet. She then held the Ice Emperor at the ready and red ahead. Liz was also caught up in this and looked over to see a group of creepy people standing there.


    A vacant eye that doesn¡¯t know where it¡¯s looking. No matter how many times they were cut, their strong bodies instantly repaired the wounds. What appeared in front of Liz¡¯s eyes were four huge, hard-looking monsters that looked like ogres.


    ¡°Liz-dono, you¡¯d better be careful¡­¡±


    With a note of caution, Liz realized what Skaaha was saying.


    She had seen something like them once before, if not more. When she had first met Hiro, the heir to the Principality of Lichtine had been transformed during the war.


    ¨D¨D¡±Fallen Angels.¡±


    It is an abominable name for the fool who tried to possess the power of the spirits.


    More than 1,000 years ago, a king of a certain country, out of curiosity, crushed spirit stones and created a special process called ¡°Spirit Demon Pill.¡± It was a tragedy that led to a soldier drinking it out of curiosity.


    The ¡°Spirit Demon Pill¡± was not a drug with immediate effects. It was something that would transform over time, depending on the individual. The man who was given the drug began to suffer in the middle of the night when everyone else was asleep, and his appearance changed, and he lost his reason and became a monster.


    The patrolmen who noticed the change became the first victims, and the monster, having tasted flesh and blood, ate the king next. Then, not satisfied with that, it attacked indiscriminately the old and young in the castle.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Fallen Angels, huh¡­? I¡¯ve heard rumors about them, but I¡¯m surprised they really exist.¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t respond to Skaaha¡¯s words.


    This was because more confusion than she was experiencing was hitting her.


    ¡°Why are the Fallen Angels¡­ in such a ce?¡±


    She knew that the method of making the drug had been passed down quietly and was still in existence.


    The blessings of the spirits are indeed attractive. However, it is not something that works too well if it is taken into the body. It is not a power that can be contained in a human vessel by nature. It will instantly make someone less of a person. Because of its characteristics and dangers, people called it ¡°Spirit Demon Pill¡± or ¡°Demon Drug.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s forbidden to produce it in the Grantz Empire¡­ but who on earth would¡­¡±


    It¡¯s not that everyone has lost their reason, but there are a few who can withstand it ¡ª a person who gains physical abilities that far surpass those of humans while retaining reason.


    This is what people call a transcendent person who has endured a devil.


    They call them ¡°Majin.¡±


    An eerie roar emanated from the ¡°Fallen One.¡± The air trembled as if to split the space. Liz and Skaaha instantly took up a fighting stance and prepared their respective weapons.


    ¡°Liz-dono, it would be better to think about itter.¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    The enemy is not only the Fallen One. There are many enemy soldiers surrounding them. With the tip of their spears gleaming dully, they were aiming at Liz and Skaaha under their breath.


    It was here that Liz noticed a strange feeling.


    ¡°Speaking of which, thest time I saw the Fallen One, it was attacking friend and foe alike¡­¡±


    The four Fallen Ones in front of them were not attacking their allies but were ring at Liz and Skaaha with a menacing growl.


    ¡°Come to think of it, these four don¡¯t attack allies, but the one I just killed did attack an ally.¡±


    So she used her power to eliminate it first. Skaahaughed bitterly, saying that it caused her to fall into an inferior position, and she had to fly to Liz¡¯s side.


    At that moment¨D¨D


    ¡°They¡¯reing! Avoid it!¡±


    Skaaha shouted and jumped to the side. Liz raised the me Emperor above her head.


    One of the ¡°Fallen Ones¡± moved with unimaginable agility given its massive size, closing the distance to Liz. When the arm like a big tree swung down, a tremendous shock went through both arms and ran through my whole body.


    ¡°Haaaaaa!¡±


    Liz pushed back the Fallen One with her natural blessing of ¡°monstrous strength¡± and shed it sideways.


    She created more mes and shot them forward with great force. The st rushed in all directions. Some of the enemy soldiers couldn¡¯t hold on and were blown away. The mes scorched the air, and the dry heat spread around.


    ¡°You¡¯re merciless¡­¡±


    Taking in the tremendous heat, Skaaha muttered her thoughts as she kept her distance. But her expression tightened immediately.


    The reason for this was because she saw four shadows moving in the sea of mes.


    ¡°¡­Good gracious, that¡¯s a hell of a regeneration ability to survive in that. The only way to win, it seems, is to tear them to pieces, huh?¡±


    Skaaha looked sideways at Liz for confirmation.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, but¡­ you said you took one down earlier, didn¡¯t you? How did you defeat it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve always heard that the best way to kill a monster is to cut off its limbs. I froze it in ce with a ¡°special attack¡± and crushed it.


    Skaaha shrugged her shoulders and pointed to the spot where she had just been fighting. There was arge and small chunk of ice buried in the mud at the ce where she pointed.


    ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll just have to let the mes explode directly inside their bodies.¡±


    Liz licked her tongue seductively and put all her strength into her hand, gripping the hilt of her sword.


    ¡°If they jump out of the mes, let¡¯s take the fight to them at once. If we stay like this, we¡¯ll never make it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ This isn¡¯t the only battle we¡¯ve had.¡±


    Liz looked around in all directions and saw that her allies were still fighting in the middle of the enemy soldiers.


    They tried to keep the battle line alive by shing their swords with each other and putting their spirit into it. They were fighting in small numbers against the majority to prevent Liz and the others from being surrounded.


    But it was only a matter of time. There are not enough of them to deal with through emotion. They would be surrounded and annihted soon enough.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    When she looked back at the wall of mes, the four Fallen Ones jumped out in a movement like setting a fire aze.


    Liz kicked the ground and started running. Next to her, Skaaha also held up her spear and charged.


    A fist was unleashed with vicious speed, and the wind pressure caused the red hair to dance.


    As Liz avoided the attack by sliding across the ground, she heard the sound of the ground shattering behind her. She slowed down with her hands on the ground and swung the ¡°me Emperor¡± to cut down the ¡°Fallen One¡¯s¡± leg without hesitation. However, the wound was instantly healed. But Liz didn¡¯t bother and struck a powerful blow to cut it offpletely.


    The ¡°Fallen One¡± screams in extreme pain, kneels on the ground, and stares at Liz.


    Liz stared back at it with cold eyes, as if she were looking at dust.


    ¡°I can¡¯t forgive the Fallen One just as much as Hiro can.¡±


    With light footsteps, Liz leaps into the air. When she passed over the head of the Fallen One, who let out a sickening scream, she twisted her body and shed the tip of her de. The head flew off with a ssh of blood. Next, he shed at the Fallen One¡¯s shoulder and thenunched a barrage of shes in all directions.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    In the end, she sank the me Emperor¡¯s de into the body, and a sh of red light flooded out of the Fallen One and exploded. Even though her cheeks were covered with guts and arge amount of fresh blood poured onto the ground, Liz did not change her expression as she gazed at the Fallen One as it fell to the ground with a hole in its body.


    ¡°Next¡­?¡±


    The other three, two of which Skaaha was holding back, were attacking their allies as they fought the enemy forces.


    ¡°What, don¡¯t be afraid! Fight! This war ¨D Agh!¡±


    ¡°If I can be of any help to Her Highness Celia Estre¡­ Ggaah!¡±


    One by one, the distraught allies sank to the ground, blood dripping from their bodies. Even so, they didn¡¯t run away but stood up to it boldly.


    ¡°Your opponent is over here!¡±


    Liz, who had started running, instantly closed the distance between her and the ¡°Fallen One¡± and shing her sword diagonally from her shoulder. As she exhaled irregr breathing noises, her eyes were zed over with a creepy re.


    ¡°Get away from my people!¡±


    Liz punches the giant, who is many timesrger than she is. The Fallen One rolled across the ground with as much force as arge rock tumbling down a hill.


    ¡°Liz-dono! There¡¯s one in your direction!¡±


    Whether it rushed to the danger of itspanions or instincts detected a good enemy, it is not certain, but the Fallen One ran up to her and unleashed a fist into her face.


    ¡°Kuh!¡±


    She seeded in avoiding it, but her feet were caught in the mud, and she lost her stance. Then the Fallen One that she just blew away attacked her from behind.


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Liz deliberately slipped her foot and mmed her back into the ground. She used her hands to jump up and down as she survived the storm of attacks from the Fallen Ones.


    ¡°You¡¯re too slow!¡±


    She quicklyunched an attack. She counterattacked, dodging the storm of attacks.


    But what could be a fatal blow to a normal person is not even a scratch to the Fallen One. She clicked her tongue and tried to create a mass of mes to adjust her stance.


    ¡°Liz-dono! Behind you!¡±


    ¡°Eh¨D¨D?¡±


    She tried to turn around in response to Skaaha¡¯s words, but she couldn¡¯t do it.


    For a brief moment ¨D she didn¡¯t know what had happened. One of the Fallen Ones was taken care of by Skaaha, while the other two were right in front of her.


    ¡°Kah!¡±


    A violent shock transmitted from the back forced all the breath out of her lungs. The next thing she knew, her eardrums were filled with the sound of cracking and creaking bones all over her body.

 Volume 5, Chapter 4 – Awakening of The Flame Emperor x Soaring of The Flame Princess, Part 7

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 4 ¨C Awakening of The me Emperor x Soaring of The me Princess, Part 7</h4>


    After the great impact, Liz took a step forward to try to hold on, but her knees gave out, and she fell face-first into the ground.


    The recoil made the light body bounce. Liz¡¯s body bounced off the ground as she was mmed down twice, three times, four times.


    ¡°Oh¡­!¡±


    Her vision went dark. She found herself in a daze.


    As Liz¡¯s vision flickers repeatedly, she sees that Skaaha has begun to fight against four of the Fallen Ones. One of them had a windpipe in its stomach. She thought that she had killed it the first time, but she soon realized that she had not.


    ¡°Liz-dono! Are you okay?¡±


    Liz moved her fingertips as she heard Skaaha¡¯s voice confirming her safety. But she couldn¡¯t get her strength back enough to stand up. She looked up, biting her lower lip in frustration.


    ¡°Liz-dono! Wait for me!¡±


    Skaaha unleashes a spear technique in anger. She thrusts it through the throat of the first Fallen One, kicks it in the shoulder, and leaps. She swung the hilt of her ¡°Ice Emperor¡± at the head of the second one, crushing its skull. Just as the brain sma stters all around, Skaaha reaps the third one with a return blow. As for the fourth one, she knocked it to the ground with only her arm strength. Her appearance was just like a demon god, and her martial arts skills were such that even the enemy soldiers surrounding her were taken aback.


    ¡°I will kill you all at once!¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s high energy rapidly exploded as her body released an umonly murderous intent.


    Liz realized that she was going to use her ¡°power.¡± Even though she was already exhausted, her consciousness would be clouded if she used it again and again. If she was not careful, she might lose her life. That¡¯s not good. Liz tried to speak up, but¡­


    ¡°Not again! I can¡¯t bear to lose anyone else!¡±


    So, don¡¯t stop me, she said, as if to argue with Liz. It was a powerful voice, and it sounded as if it were trying to reassure her.


    And then Liz¡¯s consciousness was cut off, and Skaaha¡¯s lonely battle began.


    ¡°Prepare yourself. There is nothing that the Ice Emperor cannot pierce.¡±


    The cold air of the ¡°Ice Emperor,¡± who rules the sky, dyes the world with gray smoke. In the face of such overwhelming power, anyone would be prepared to die.


    The living and the dead alike cower in fear in the face of the Ice Emperor.


    ¨D¨DDivine Piercing.


    The ice spear from Skaaha flew like a bolt of lightning, freezing the surrounding area and flying in a straight line to the ¡°Fallen Ones.¡± One of the Fallen Ones was blown to smithereens, and the ice spearnded backward without stopping its momentum ¨D it burst through the ground.


    But there are still three of them left.


    ¡°Ice Emperor! Give me your power! The power to crush the enemy in front of me!¡±


    As if in response to her request, an azure light shot out from the Ice Emperor. However, even though the spirit is sufficient, the fatigue on Skaaha¡¯s is very apparent.


    ¡°Fuh¡­ I can still endure.¡±


    The sound of the atmosphere creaking rang out around her. The temperature had begun to drop rapidly. White smoke enveloped the area. The countless water vapor in the atmosphere began to freeze and create ice spears.


    Countless ice spears were floating around Skaaha.


    ¡°My name is Haran Skaaha de Felzen.¡±


    Skaaha red at the three ¡°Fallen Ones¡± as she put her hand on her chest and caught her breath.


    ¡°I will destroy you all with the pride of the royal family.¡±


    ¨D¨DThe Ice Emperor¡¯s blessing ¨D¨D Special Attack.


    Skaaha kicked the ground and ran with great force. With her face contorted in pain, she charged forward with her ice spear floating around her.


    The tips of the spears, which run in all directions, create snowkes that fly around.


    Even though one of the Fallen Ones was frozen from the feet down and unable to move, Skaaha thrust out her ice spear without showing any sympathy. Even when they are reduced to a needle in a haystack, the rain of attacks does not stop. Skaaha continued to attack without mercy until its body was reduced to dust.


    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ hah¡­ I¡¯m not done yet!¡±


    There are two more. Skaaha took a step forward, repeating her breathing raggedly.


    At that moment ¨D the ice spears that were floating around the area shattered at once. The fragments rained down on the ground.


    Looking at Skaaha, who was looking at the scene in a daze, it was probably against her will.


    ¡°A-agh¡­¡±


    Her physical strength was running out. Her remaining strength was at its lowest point.


    She dropped to one knee and still tried to stand.


    ¡°Fuh¡­ fuh¡­ A little more. Liz-dono, I¡¯ll soon be able to treat you. Just give me a moment.¡±


    She smiled at the fallen Liz and stood up, thrusting the ¡°Ice Emperor¡± into the ground. However, as she stood up, two of the Fallen Ones stood in front of her unceremoniously.


    ¡°¨D¨DUgh!¡±


    The first blow ¨D a powerful fist ¨D was released, and Skaaha¡¯s body was lifted into the air. However, her strong and well-trained body will not let her lose her mind easily.


    ¡°Ugh ¨D Ggaah!¡±


    Her legs were grabbed, and she was mmed into the ground like a toy. She was at the controls of a vicious force with no strength left to resist. Some soldiers tried to help her, but the enemy forces immediately surrounded them, and they could not reach her.


    The sound of flesh striking flesh continued to shake the atmosphere, blending in with the sounds of sword fights that made one want to cover their ears.


    Eventually, the ¡°Fallen One¡± who had been holding Skaaha¡¯s legs stopped moving, threw her into the air like a juggler, and grabbed her by the neck.


    It then opened its big mouth and tried to bite her head off.


    But¨D¨D


    ¡°¡­Is that all you got? That¡¯s¡­ not enough to put me to sleep.¡±


    After enduring a great deal of pain, Skaahaughs, even though her head is bleeding profusely and the edge of her mouth is bleeding.


    ¡°Then shall I fight back¡­?¡±


    While her neck was gripped, Skaaha brought the Ice Emperor to her right hand and slipped the tip of her spear into the wide-open mouth of the Fallen One.


    ¡°You are an ardent seducer¡­ but I have not married yet. And I have the right to choose my husband.¡±


    A blue glow shot out, instantly freezing the head of the Fallen One who was trying to prey on Skaaha. The power of the stranglehold on her neck weakened, and she seeded in escaping.


    When she finallynded on the ground, she took one look at the Fallen One, who had been frozen in the head.


    ¡°Kuh¡­ still alive?¡±


    Skaaha muttered in frustration when she saw that the head had begun to repair itself. And when she noticed a shadow falling over her head, she looked up and saw it.


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re already there¡­¨D¨D!¡±


    A strong blow sent Skaaha tumbling to the ground. Still, she stood up, and even though she was covered in wounds, she carried a single spear and boldly stood up against it.


    Even the enemy turned away from such a painful scene.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Liz groaned.


    ¡°Ah¡­ ah!¡±


    She was awakened and in front of her was the figure of Skaaha falling down, exposed to the merciless attack. She wanted to help her, but her body was unable to move. She couldn¡¯t protect the woman who had protected her.


    Even now, when she is about to be crushed by shame, two of the Fallen Ones are drooling and setting their sights on their dying prey ¨D Skaaha.


    ¡°¡­Hiro.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but call for help, her face turning red with shame. Then, biting her lower lip, Liz mmed her head into the ground.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t grown at all!¡±


    This is no different than when she was taken prisoner in Felzen.


    She¡¯s weak, she¡¯s all talk, and she¡¯s still clinging to others; she¡¯s rotten and being spoiled by others.


    ¡°I swore to him¡­ that I would stand next to him¡­¡±


    She told herself that she shouldn¡¯t ask Hiro for help, that she shouldn¡¯t rely on him all the time.


    ¡°I will fight beside Hiro!¡±


    Liz stood up. She put all her strength into her legs and clutched the me Emperor in her trembling hands. Her ears were ringing badly. The blood flowing from her forehead was getting into her eyes.


    Without caring about it, Liz looked around her.


    She could see that everyone was fighting without giving up. In the rear, Aura, protected by her bodyguards, is desperately shouting orders to the troops.


    Skaaha, who was lying on the ground, also fought to protect Liz from the ¡°Fallen One.¡±


    Then what have I done? She thought.


    She couldn¡¯t even defeat one of the Fallen Ones and risked Skaaha¡¯s life. And then she passed out helplessly, leaving Skaaha to deal with all the trouble.


    When she woke up, she asked Hiro for help and gave up, saying she couldn¡¯t get up independently.


    ¨D¨DShe¡¯s just a burden to others.


    ¡°Fuh¡­ Ugh, ahhhhh!¡±


    Liz clenched her fist and punched the ground. A crack appears vertically in the ground.


    The shock that shook the ground turned the consciousness of the Fallen Ones to Liz.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Liz exhaled quietly. Her zing red eyes are dominated by anger.


    It¡¯s not about the enemy, it¡¯s about her own naivety, and she couldn¡¯t stand it.


    ¡°me Emperor, lend me your strength.¡±


    She remembered how she had vowed to do her best to stand next to Hiro that day.


    No need to be afraid of failure. No fear of death. Believe in herself that she had vowed to be strong.


    ¡°Give me the strength to ovee this predicament!¡±


    Liz spat out the raging passion in her chest.


    As if in response, the ¡°me Emperor¡± emitted a dazzling red light. From the depths of her burning heart, power welled up. A tremendous amount of power flowed into every corner of her body.


    At that moment ¨D Liz heard a voice inside herself; she was sure of it.


    ¡°¡­..This is¡­¡±


    An unquenchable me was raging inside her body. As long as the mind is strong, the me will gain momentum and bloom into a great me.


    ¡°¡­This is¡­ the first emperor¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but smile as she felt a pleasant sensation of the corners of her head clearing up.


    ¡°Guooooo!¡±


    As if frightened by an unknown force, one of the Fallen Ones attacked her.


    ¡°Get out of my way. You¡¯re hindering me.¡±


    She pierced the chest of the approaching ¡°Fallen One¡± with the ¡°me Emperor¡± and chopped off its head with just one swing.


    ¡°Ugoaaaaa¨D¨D!¡±


    But they are monsters. The super fast regeneration instantly connects the neck.


    ¡°Annoying.¡±


    Liz gave it a cold stare, and as if to say that it was useless, she shed her red de.


    The head falls, engulfed in mes. The head of the ¡°Fallen One¡± hit the ground with a deafening sound.


    The more time seems to slow down, the more she feels the power spread to every part of her body.


    ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaah!¡±


    Thest one was closing in on Liz.


    However, she picked up a spear that had fallen to the ground and cleaved it to the side. The huge body split in half and crumbled to the ground.


    The ¡°Fallen One¡± looked at its own spilling guts in wonder. After stomping on its shoulder, Liz doused the tip of the spear with a blue me and thrust the spear into the head of the Fallen One, destroying its brain.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    She could feel her mind clearing up.


    She could feel her body getting lighter and lighter.


    She could feel her senses sharpening.


    Liz felt an enormous rush of power. She clenched her hands together two or three times, amazed at her own power.


    ¡°Finally¡­ on Hiro¡¯s back¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s red eyes shine. There was a certain joy in them.


    But even if it¡¯s rotten, her enemy is the Fallen Ones. Arge shadow fell over Liz¡¯s head.


    The super-speed regeneration once again confronted her.


    ¡°I have to treat Skaaha. Can you please step aside?¡±


    When Liz took a step forward, mes erupted from beneath her feet, and the ground exploded.


    The blue transparent scorch ¨D blue mes wrapped around her body as if to give her wings.


    The ¡°me Emperor,¡± the most beloved of the first Emperor Altius, shows its full potential.


    Its mes are prison.


    Its mes are hell.


    Its mes are purgatory.


    ¨D¨DThe ¡°me Emperor¡± was finally born.

 Volume 5, Chapter 5 – Black Dragon King, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 5 - ck Dragon King, Part 1</h4>


    The horizon was being dyed by the setting sun. Darkness, like water soaking into cotton, was establishing its dominance in the sky.


    As the dominion of the sky is about to change, the battle on the ground is also reaching its climax.


    Shouts of anger and vindictiveness swept the ground. Thinking only of defeating the enemy, thinking only of their own survival, everyone continues to fight with single-minded devotion.


    In the midst of all this, a young man with ck hair and ck eyes was quizzically looking down at his hands.


    ¡°As I thought¡­ I had a strange feeling about it.¡±


    A hand that was still numb, there was a definite response. But when he turned around, Loing was standing there, unharmed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think someone as good as you could be ¡®corrupted¡¯¡­¡±


    His difort was quickly answered, but there was much he could not understand about why someone as powerful as Loing wanted the power so badly.


    When Loing heard Hiro¡¯s question, he smiled in a way that didn¡¯t look out of ce on the battlefield.


    ¡°Is there something on your mind, Your Highness Hiro?¡±


    He expressed his emotions abundantly, which showed that he was inplete control of his power.


    It may be that the five great generals are different from ordinary people.


    ¡°Uraaaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°Guahh!¡±


    After ughtering the attacking enemy soldiers with a single swing, Hiro turned his head to Loing once again.


    ¡°Can I ask why you¡¯ve be the Fallen One?¡±


    There was a battle going on around them. There should be no time to talk about it when the situation is so disturbing. But even so, he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    A man of his caliber ¨D recognized by his country, his family status is not inferior to the five great noble families. He even has a family to support. He couldn¡¯t understand why he would throw away his happiness and fall into a state of depravity.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro is very kind. But at the same time, it¡¯s a very cruel word.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hiro didn¡¯t answer but urged him to continue.


    ¡°I love my family. However, since I was born a man, I want my ce of death to be on the battlefield. I guess you could say that¡¯s my responsibility for having risen to the rank of one of the five great generals.¡±


    ¡°So why did you take such a step¡­? If you have fallen, you will never be human again. You have to live as a monster forever.¡±


    ¡°For eternity¡­ if I can live as a warrior, I will be happy.¡±


    Loing gave a slight chuckle and then pulled out the spirit weapon on his hip.


    ¡°If I tell you more, I might be ovee with emotion.¡±


    He held the weapon up high.


    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate. You made the wrong choice.¡±


    Hiro, who sighed deeply as if in sorrow, suddenly changed his attitude andughed. And before Hiro could even set up his ¡°Heavenly Emperor,¡± Loing moved.


    In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance and came in closer. The tip of the sword cut off Hiro¡¯s bangs with tremendous force. Taking a step back, Hiro thrusts out the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± with blinding speed.


    Sparks flew.


    Hiro¡¯s de tip shot up into the sky, and Loing¡¯s sword tip aimed at his heart.


    Hiro, who had shifted his body half a step to the side, easily dodged the powerful thrust and spun his body to sh the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡± But Loing catches the sh and throws a fist at him.


    The air roared in his ears. Hiro quickly mmed his palm into Loing¡¯s jaw.


    ¡°Ugh, nuaaaaa!¡±


    Hiro looked at Loing¡¯s counterattack even though he was dazed.


    (¡­It¡¯s quite hard)


    The de that was released sharply continues to aim at Hiro¡¯s vital point. He was able to avoid it with small movements, but Hiro started to counterattack to get back the flow.


    ¡°Aah!¡±


    Now that Loing had been ¡°corrupted,¡± it was safe to assume that his physical strength was inexhaustible. If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s best to use a moderate counterattack in order to keep him from taking the initiative.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Hiro drew a precise trajectory and slid his sharp de into the gap between the armor. But Loing, who sensed it beforehand, flicked it with his gauntlet and shed at it with the dagger he had nted there.


    Hiro turned around to avoid it and tried to shake off Loing, who was chasing him with the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    However, he swung his foot into the ground, causing sand to roll up and take away Hiro¡¯s vision. The sh that went through it with tremendous force cut through the thin skin of Hiro¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    ¡°It is better not to be too careless. I¡¯ve been on the battlefield for a long time. I know how to win.¡±


    Of course, he didn¡¯t mean to be careless, but he also didn¡¯t mean to be easy on himself. It¡¯s just that he hasn¡¯t been able to adjust his power properly.


    If he used that power here, Liz and Skaaha would surely find out about it.


    He wanted to avoid that.


    (At least¡­ if I can take off my eye patch¡­)


    When he first came to this world, he could not withstand the vast amount of knowledge that was pouring in.


    Therefore ¨D in order to suppress the power, he had to wear an eye patch with a spirit talisman, but now that his body can withstand it, it has the opposite effect. It¡¯s because he¡¯s suppressing his power so much that he¡¯s having trouble adjusting it.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Just a little, only for a little while.¡±


    Hiro muttered to himself and surrendered himself to the frenzy. With half of his body submerged in darkness and with an eerie smile on his face, he let the tip of his de run wild.


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    ¡°W-wha!?¡±


    After receiving a strong sh, Loing retreated as if he was going to burst. He looked down at his numb hands in astonishment and then looked at Hiro with a happy expression.


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had such a good opponent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it. Then let me give you more pleasure.¡±


    The two sides shed again as they readied themselves. When the sound of sword fights rang through the air, the earth cried out, unable to withstand the vibrations. There are many wounds on Loing, and fresh blood stters all around. Some of the wounds could have been fatal.


    However, he has be the Fallen One. So the wounds instantly healed.


    ¡°It¡¯s just one step at a time. May I take my time?¡±


    ¡°Certainly¡­ there is no end to this.


    Shrugged his shoulders, Hiro stopped and cut his gaze from Loing and looked around him.


    Everyone was fighting desperately to survive. The soldiers on Hiro¡¯s side didn¡¯t have the luxury of being intimidated by the difference in numbers; they were just slitting the enemies¡¯ throats that appeared in front of them like animals.


    He wondered how long he would be able to keep that up. If the first or second group of dispersed enemies came back, they would be annihted in the blink of an eye. Above all, he didn¡¯t know if he would be able to maintain his strength until then.


    ¡°If themander is defeated, no matter how many there are, they will just be a bunch of crows.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then you may defeat me. The rebel army will surely fall apart. But that doesn¡¯t mean I will die for nothing.¡±


    Hiro gave a quizzical look to Loing, who kept afortable smile on his face.


    At the same time ¨D someone had fallen off a horse somewhere, and the horse, which had lost its rider, began to run wildly across the battlefield, and unfortunately, was struck by a stray arrow and the neighs of the horse fell on both sides.


    On the battlefield, humans, animals, and nature are all equally equal.


    A great deal of death is sucked into the ground, and a great amount of blood stains the earth red. Yet, the battle never ends. Unless one side surrenders, the killing will never stop.


    ¡°It¡¯s reckless. This war is reckless from the beginning.¡±


    Loing, realizing the intent of Hiro¡¯s words, pped the back of his head in annoyance.


    ¡°It¡¯s true; there is no battle as reckless as this one. If I were to win here, I would inevitably find myself under siege. If I were still one of the five great generals, I would have disbanded the army and sent the soldiers home long ago.¡±


    The old general suddenly raised his voice and amusingly cleared his throat.


    ¡°But I am here because I found hope in a reckless battle. Above all, there are those who follow me because they think we can win, and I will not give up so easily.¡±


    Hiro had to agree with him on that.


    There are those who still believe in Hiro and are fighting for him. Fifteen thousand against one thousand eight hundred ¨D if the separate units are not included, only one thousand are left here.


    At the edge of Hiro¡¯s vision, Hugin was fighting with a bow in her hand, giving orders.


    She, too, believed that Hiro would win, so she stayed here and kept out of the way. With Hiro in the line of battle, the enemy¡¯s resistance would be futile.


    However, Hiro is sure that she could get to him faster than he could finish off Loing.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Do you still have a n?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a cloud of dust rising behind us. If you listen closely, you can hear it, can¡¯t you?¡±


    It wasing from the rear of the rebel army, which was stretched thin as it rushed to support the main camp.


    The sound of sword fights never ceased. Arge cloud of dust rolled up from the rear, where no enemy was supposed to be, and no battle was supposed to take ce. But the sound that was gradually bing clearer and clearer was the death call of the rebel army.


    ¡°Enemy attack! The enemy attacked from the rear.¡±

 Volume 5, Chapter 5 – Black Dragon King, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 5 - ck Dragon King, Part 2</h4>


    A messenger from the rear rushed across the battlefield, but Hugin¡¯s arrow killed it. The horses, having lost their masters, fled at once to leave the battlefield.


    ¡°How did¡­ you get the army to the rear? No way. Her Highness Celia Estre is¡­¡±


    ¡°No way. If you take into ount the distance, time, and other factors, it should be obvious¨D¨D¡±


    Hiro¡¯s voice is cut off. Because the screams of the enemy painted over it. The rebels who had been rushed from behind seemed to have been so focused on them that they had not paid any attention to the rear.


    The reason for this was that Ghada, who had sunk his fangs into the rebels¡¯ rear, had appeared there.


    The appearance of the evil demon ¨D bathed in red blood and clothed in demonic energy ¨D is precisely that of a demon.


    ¡°Looks like he managed to get there before the whole thing went down!¡±


    Ghada swung his greatsword and cut down the unsettled enemy soldiers, scattering their bodies on the battlefield.


    ¡°The only target is themander! Aim relentlessly and kill only themander!¡±


    A thousand troops led by Hiro, who had been on the verge of copse, came back to life as another force, the 800 Raven Army, poured in at a furious pace. It¡¯s no secret that they have regained enough momentum to be able to leave the battlefield, even if only temporarily.


    ¡°¡­So you¡¯re saying this was a setup from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was.¡±


    After Ghada created the sandstorm, he hid behind it and separated the detachment from the main force. The rebels were so distracted by the sandstorm that they didn¡¯t notice it, and their attention waspletely drawn to Hiro and the others who had prated the center. The rebels, who had lost their wall, hurriedly sent reinforcements from the rear to the main camp, but this caused the formation behind them to thin out, making it a perfect feeding ground.


    Then, another force led by Ghada bypassed the battlefield and took a bite out of the rear. However, there was still a clear difference in numbers. But the momentum ispletely on Hiro¡¯s side.


    ¡°But I guess we¡¯re both on the same side, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Loing sighed in admiration of Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°You seem to know what we¡¯re trying to do.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have it all figured out, but I think I have a pretty good idea.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a terrible person, after all. That day ¨D the day we first met, I now understand why the First Prince Stobel said you were dangerous.¡±


    Loing holds up his spirit weapon and looks at Hiro.


    He must want to settle this. If the battle is prolonged, victory is certain, but it is clear that he is really a warrior and truly loves warfare.


    Hiro also moved away to settle the matter.


    ¡°Shall we begin?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s high spirits swelled. The wind was blowing wildly, and the ck Princess Camellia danced happily. Loing¡¯s eyes narrowed as the silver sword, the Heavenly Emperor, began to emit a ck light.


    ¡°I see. His Highness Stobel knows about this¡­¡±


    Loing gave a slight nod, giving off a somewhat convinced vibe. Loing gave Hiro, who was frowning, a good-natured smile and took a step forward.


    The high energy that no ordinary person can have risen from his muscr body.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s y out the final battle to the death!¡±


    A warrior with a long history of fighting ¨D perhaps his five senses made him do so, but he caught Hiro¡¯s sh even though he couldn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°Your reaction time is also quite good.¡±


    ¡°Gah!?¡±


    But then Hiro unleashed a fierce kick to Loing¡¯s sr plexus. Losing his grip on his stomach, Loing retreated.


    Hiro kicked the ground lightly, and with tremendous momentum, Hiro thinned out and unleashed a sh.


    A high-pitched sound echoed throughout the battlefield as they began to exchange blows.


    Even so, the difference in speed gradually began to appear. One after another,cerations were created on Loing¡¯s body, and he wore an agonized expression.


    ¡°Guh, gaaaahh!¡±


    Loing gave a fierce cry, but in front of Hiro, his body was cut into pieces like a child¡¯s y. With high-speed shes that can¡¯t be reproduced in time.


    ¡°Haaahh!¡±


    Hiro stabbed Loing in his chest. He felt a definite response. Hiro tried to pull out the ¡°Heavenly Emperor,¡± thinking that he would tear off the limbs and finish him off.


    ¡°Gobuhh¡­ I¡¯ve finally got you.¡±


    Loing lifted his mouth and grabbed Hiro¡¯s arm while arge amount of blood flowed out of his mouth. Hiro has cut off the flesh and cuts off the bone, and by the time he realized that he had been invited, it was toote.


    ¡°¨D¨D!¡±


    Loing¡¯s sh struck down on Hiro¡¯s shoulder. But a different scene than he imagined was reflected in his eyes.


    ¡°Guh¡­ The ck Princess Camellia, huh?¡±


    Loing said as he spat, his face distorted with regret.


    His de would probably have given Hiro a fatal wound if it weren¡¯t for the ck Princess Camellia.


    Hiro gave a front kick to the discouraged Loing and pulled him off.


    Loing blows up, which activates the fast regeneration of ¡°Fallen One.¡±


    ¡°As I thought, you are a strong person even if you do not rely on the Fallen One.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Highness Hiro, a blessed person should not say such a thing.¡±


    His face is very sad and weak as if he is about to disappear.


    ¡°You are still young. You have never been afraid of growing old, have you?¡±


    The Grantz Empire is arge country, and as such, it is full of talented people. No matter what kind of person you are, the day will surelye when you grow old, and they will overtake you.


    ¡°The only way to reach your potential is to fight. What should I do when that dayes? Should a man who could only find his potential by fighting just live out his life on his bedside table with his family watching over him?¡±


    ¡°I think that would be the happiest thing for me.¡±


    A thousand years ago, people fought against the tyranny of the demon race in order to obtain that peace.


    It¡¯smonce happiness, but Hiro knows it¡¯s the happiest thing of all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about anything; I can just leave this world surrounded by my family. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything more to it than that.¡±


    ¡°A difference of opinion, then.¡±


    He simply refused. It was not the answer the warrior wanted. Then it is impossible to sympathize. Hiro and Loing are different.


    ¡°You will have to stay with me until the end. To this old man¡¯s big moment!¡±


    Since they were fundamentally different, there was no way they could agree on anything.


    ¡°Ughaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Loing suddenly shouts out. His body bes huge, as if it is expanding. It seems that Loing has let go of his consciousness to the devil. His eyes were bloodshot, drool was dripping from his mouth, and his appearance was bing uglier and uglier as one wanted to cover their eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s a mistake to abandon reason¡­ You can¡¯t gain power just by letting your instincts rule you.¡±


    Hiro muttered, dexterously turning the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± hilt in his hand and holding it in the opposite hand.


    The sound of space cracking echoed. An enormous amount of light began to illuminate the ground as if to moisten it.


    The spirit weapons that appeared were not just one. There were two, five, ten, twenty, and so many spirit weapons that they filled the space.


    Hiro¡¯s feet caved in under him, unable to withstand the supreme energy, and a vicious presence was thrown into the void, seeking domination.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this.¡±


    Kicking the ground lightly, the young man¨D¨D


    ¨D¨DHe left the sounds of the world behind.


    All that was left was the eerie sound of the wind cutting through the air. Tens of thousands of stars are born and fall to the ground with a hundred sparkles, a thousand twinkles, and ten thousand brilliant lights.


    This is a blessing and a privilege reserved for those who possess the Heavenly Emperor.


    ¨D¨DDivine Lightning and Fire


    This is an absolutely inevitable sh that is unleashed from the speed of light. A divine line of lightning runs across the earth in all directions.


    Each time the afterglow passes by, arge amount of blood sshes up from Loing¡¯s body.


    Even so, Loing did not stop chasing his prey, Hiro.


    However, the man who had be a pathetic beast lost an arm, a leg, his throat was slit, and his heart was gutted.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hiro plunged the tip of his sword into Loing¡¯s head in an attempt to finish him off. Then a strange phenomenon urred.


    In a matter of seconds, Loing¡¯s body began to shrink and regain its original form.


    Hiro watched the scene with wide eyes.


    Loing looked satisfied, wearing a smile on his wrinkled face.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness Hiro.¡±


    Amid his ragged breathing ¨D Loing muttered quietly.


    ¡°¡­Thank you very¡­ much. Now I can go¡­ without any regrets.¡±


    In the meantime, Hiro posed a question to Loing, who let out a snatched breath along with blood.


    ¡°I just want you to answer one question. Where is Stobel?¡±


    He was unable to betray his loyalty to his lord until the end; he had nothing to say until the light was gone from his eyes. But silence is like an answer.


    Then, there would be only one thing for him to do.


    (The rest is¡­ up to Liz and the others.)


    In front of Hiro, who had made up his mind, Loing¡¯s body disappeared as if the wind snatched it.


    Hiro looked up at the sky with ck eyes that were not lit with emotion.


    Darkness was about to begin its invasion at the edge of the sky, which was dyed with the color of fresh blood. Unlike the quiet sky, the ground was swirling with wild winds. The screamsing from everywhere were superimposed on the shouts, creating an unusual atmosphere.


    Themander, General Loing, was dead. And yet, his remaining men were still trying to fight on. Vengeance, chivalry, and self-respect are all intertwined, and their will may be unbreakable.


    Hiro throws himself into the battlefield again. In order to save as many people as possible who had followed him, he attacked behind the enemy soldiers surrounding his allies with the de of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± flying.


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even give them time to scream. Hiro cut down the enemies in the vicinity with a single sword.


    At that moment, the cavalry jumped out from the side of his sight. The enemy soldiers around Hiro fell to the ground, falling prey to the spears as if they were being reaped. They were crushed by the horseshoe, and before they had time to scream, they were suffocated by the shing tip of the spear.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon! What happened to former General Loing?¡±


    Suddenly, a horse pulled up in front of Hiro. The owner of the horse was Ghada.


    Hiro pulled out the Heavenly Emperor from the throat of the enemy soldier and let the fresh blood fly into the sky.


    ¡°I killed him. I didn¡¯t get the head, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ then, there¡¯s no need to stay long. Let¡¯s get the hell out of here!¡±


    He kicked the approaching enemy soldiers, and with a single stroke of his sword, he ended their lives and pointed his greatsword at the bannerman.


    ¡°Sound the victory call! Beat the drums and blow the horn! Tell the entire battlefield that former General Loing is dead!¡±


    Now all that remains is to get out of this ce.


    With no one left to fight, the enemy army would slowly begin to understand the situation. Now that they have be a bunch of crows, the only thing left for them to do is to surrender.


    ¡°Wise brother! We can escape at any time!¡±


    Hugin pulled her horse closer. The quiver on her hip was empty, and a bloody sword was clenched in her hand. Next to her was the Swift Dragon, who was covered in blood from their fight together.


    Hiro pulled on the reins and jumped on the saddle of Swift Dragon.


    That¡¯s when it happened.


    As the allies cheered, mes shot up into the sky from the west, where Liz was positioned.


    ¡°Wha ¨D that¡¯s¡­¡±


    It¡¯s a dragon.


    Someone on the battlefield muttered.


    The ming dragon, which was ascending the sky with great force, was pouring down as if it were ttening its prey on the ground. The sound of explosions that drowned out the sound of the battle there roared out into the world.


    An overwhelming sense of supremacy coursed through the air, making Hiro¡¯s body tremble. The next thing he heard was a scream. He knew that it was not an ally but an enemy that was screaming.


    ¡°It¡¯s a familiar feeling.¡±


    That was exactly what Altius was capable of. In other words, the power created by the me Emperor, Liz, had moved into a new realm.


    He could not help but be curious as to what made her grow.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. If she¡¯s not careful, she won¡¯t be able to leave the battlefield.¡±


    Too much power drains one¡¯s strength rapidly.


    ¡°Ghada! As soon as you gather the troops, get out of here!¡±


    He shouted to the back of Ghada, who was still cutting down the resisting enemy.


    The rebels have no choice but to surrender now that Loing is dead, but the current situation, with the chain ofmand in disarray and information mixed up, doesn¡¯t give the enemy any room to think.


    They will lose control and continue to fight. If that happens, not only will soldiers die in vain, but they might also be annihted.


    So, they should immediately leave the battlefield and rmend the rebels to surrender.


    ¡°Hugin, tell the lie that the nobles¡¯ reinforcements are on their way here. It will speed up the enemy¡¯s surrender.¡±


    If Loing is dead, there should be no one left who has the backbone to rebel.


    ¡°Very well!¡±


    Hugin left with a cheerful reply, and Ghada came riding up, out of breath.


    ¡°What are you going to do, One-Eyed Dragon?¡±


    ¡°I have no more business here.¡±


    If so, there¡¯s only one ce to go: upward to the sky, where the ming dragon was floating; Hiro kicked lightly at the belly of the swift dragon and ran across the in.

 Volume 5, Chapter 5 – Black Dragon King, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 5 - ck Dragon King, Part 3</h4>


    There was nothing but dead people everywhere. There was nothing but wreckage in her surroundings.


    A foul smell polluted the air, and chunks of burned flesh were scattered around. It was as if the ce had been heavily bombed, and there was not a single body with all five parts intact.


    However, only the girl at the center of it was allowed to exist in that world. And the strong wind caused the red-haired girl¡¯s body to fall forward. But the girl didn¡¯t want to fall over, stepping forward as if to reject it.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ guh¡­ agh¡­¡±


    Everyone could see that the girl was fading in and out of consciousness.


    The girl¡¯s body was swaying like a dead tree agitated by the wind as if it could copse at any moment. Her hollow eyes look around and see that the blue mes are burning the ¡°Fallen One.¡±


    ¡°¡­Terrific.¡±


    A blue-green-haired girl, Skaaha, is dragging her feet and spilling her thoughts.


    ¡°Liz-dono¡­ Are you alright?¡±


    She called out to Liz, concerned for her safety, but the girl did not respond.


    Skaaha gritted her teeth and put her hand on Liz¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°¡­How far have you dived into recklessness?¡±


    There is still a residue of power in the air. How deep did she reach in one breath? If she¡¯s not careful, she could end up being a cripple.


    ¡°Ice Emperor, lend me your strength. I¡¯ll bring her back.¡±


    As if in response, the Ice Emperor emitted a blue light.


    The only way to bring her will back was to apply force from the outside.


    ¡°Liz-dono, forgive me if this is a little rough.¡±


    But the hand on Liz¡¯s shoulder was wrapped up.


    ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Liz turned around. She was breathing unevenly, and her face was pale, but she had a satisfied smile on her face. In her hand, she was holding the me Emperor, which was glowing with red light.


    ¡°I¡¯m d¡­ I¡¯m really d. I thought you weren¡¯ting back¡­¡±


    Skaaha hugged Liz, her voice quivering. She smiled and thanked her, rubbing her back.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay, Skaaha¡­¡±


    However, a look of rm immediately appeared on both of their faces. This is a battlefield. Weak prey will be the first to be targeted.


    There was no time to share the happiness. In the blink of an eye, the two were surrounded by enemy soldiers.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre, I ask you to surrender.¡±


    One of the knights suggested without fear.


    Liz brushed a strand of hair from her shoulders and smiled.


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ we have no choice. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to be rough with you.¡±


    The knight muttered and drew his sword. When the knight drew his sword from its scabbard, the other enemy soldiers held their spears and swords in the same manner. But judging by the trembling tips of the spears floating around them, they are definitely afraid of the power of the two girls.


    ¡°It looks like we still have to fight.¡±


    Liz swung the tip of the me Emperor¡¯s de menacingly.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s breakthrough here and meet up with Aura-dono in the rear.¡±


    Skaaha held up the Ice Emperor with a powerful light in her eyes.


    The enemy soldiers, who saw the resolve of the two, showed obvious dismay.


    That is when it happened.


    ¡°Princess! I¡¯ll save you now!¡±


    Tris¡¯s loud voice rang out, and the roar of horseshoes cracked the air. From the rear of the surrounding enemy soldiers came the ng of des and the sh of swords.


    The enemy soldiers, in a panic, began to break apart, and in the blink of an eye, the ranks fell apart.


    It was less than twenty horsemen who broke out of the ranks.


    One of the horses pulled up under Liz and the others.


    ¡°¡­¡­Are you two okay?¡±


    It was the petite girl who muttered nonchntly while shaking off the blood smeared on her spirit weapon.


    ¡°A-Aura! You were safe too!¡±


    When Liz¡¯s face broke out in happiness, Aura nodded with a nk expression.


    ¡°¡­I am d that Liz and Skaaha are also safe.¡±


    ¡°Aura-dono, how is the war situation?¡±


    ¡°Nameless has escaped. There¡¯s no need to fight anymore.¡±


    For some reason, despite the fact that they had the upper hand, the second-inmand of the rebel army, Nameless, fled the battlefield with a small force. When Aura finished her exnation, she had one of her guards bring in two horses without riders.


    ¡°Most of the troops have left. All that remains is here.¡±


    At the same time that the mes were covering the entire area, Aura sent out a message to everyone. Saying that further fighting was pointless and that they should leave the battlefield immediately.


    ¡°I see¡­ If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯d better get out of here right away.¡±


    The rebels have more than 10,000 troops. Now that they have abandoned their respective fronts, there is a possibility that the remaining Liz and the others will be swarmed by the enemy.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s run through it all at once. Follow me!¡±


    The mounted Liz turned her horse¡¯s head and swung the ¡°me Emperor¡± forward. Aura felt that it was useless to tell her to rest, so she sighed and sent instructions to the troops while waving her spirit weapon.


    ¡°¡­Retreat with great intensity.¡±


    At the sight of Aura, Skaaha climbed into the saddle and shook her voice with enjoyment.


    ¡°Aura-dono, there is nothing to worry about. Fighting retreat is one of my specialties. Leave it to me.¡±


    Wrong. It is not that she is worried, but she is more just dumbfounded.


    Aura turned her leaden eyes to the two of them, but to no effect.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re both injured.¡±


    ¡°Aura, follow behind me.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Normally, it would be the other way around, but Aura¡¯s shoulders slumped as if she was tired of arguing. Not caring about such an atmosphere, Liz turns her gaze to the ce where Hiro is positioned.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s okay over there¡­?¡±


    ¡°Right ¨D Mm¡­¡±


    Skaaha is about to say something and closes her mouth. And then she had a smile on her face.


    ¡°It seems to be all right.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Then, let¡¯s go that way.¡±


    Aura also seemed to notice, and Liz, who saw the tip of her fingers, also showed understanding in her eyes.


    A cloud of dust is rising from the east. It was gradually getting closer.


    ¡°Follow me!¡±


    Liz and the others galloped their horses in unison toward the ce where the noise was rising. It¡¯s only a few dozen cavalries, but their assaulting power is not to be taken lightly.


    A wall of infantry is instantly crushed. Above all, running in front of them were the two wielders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.


    Everyone was terrified.


    The following horsemen thrust their spears into the backs of the fleeing enemy soldiers, suffocating them.


    As they pushed forward with all their might, they arrived at a ce where screaming and shouting echoed. In its center, a man in ck was riding a strange animal and cutting down enemy soldiers.


    Each time the silvery-white sword dispersed a particle of light, a cloud of blood stained their vision red, and the reverberations of their screams were sucked into the ground, mass-producing corpses.


    Enemies whose swords had been repelled had their throats crushed, and those whose spears had been snapped had their skulls shattered. There was no such thing as armor. In front of him, the tip of the sword pierced through the body as if everything was paper.


    It was only one horseman, but his brute force, which rivaled a thousand, was so terrifying that it gave one a chill.


    ¡°¡­¡­Liz?¡±


    Aura tilted her head. This was because Liz, who had been vigorously kicking the enemy around, had stopped moving. This means that the path that has been opened for them is now closed. The soldiers guarding her were also puzzled as they shed at the enemies around her.


    Aura did not ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    She knew the reason.


    (That Hiro is not Hiro.)


    On the battlefield, Hiro stifles his emotions and ys his enemies without hesitation.


    Sympathy would lead to fatal results. The regrets linger forever. If you don¡¯t kill, you will be killed. It is because he has thrown himself into such a world that he is able to separate the two.


    That¡¯s why he keeps alive those he can use and cuts down those he doesn¡¯t need.


    Even so, he never found any enjoyment in it.


    But¡­ Aura thinks.


    The Hiro of now is not the same. His mouth was twisted into a hideous smile as he shed down the enemy soldiers.


    Those who lost the will to fight had their heads chopped off, those who fled were stabbed in the back, and his deadly de killed even those who surrendered. Eventually, Hiro¡¯s gaze turned to them as he destroyed the head of an enemy soldier who was crying out, perhaps having noticed the presence of Liz and the others.


    ¡°¡­Looks like everyone¡¯s okay.¡±


    There is nothing to see in those ck eyes. It¡¯s just that the darkness is spreading.


    But the atmosphere on his body was sad. It¡¯s filled with a heart-wrenching sadness, like a child who has lost his mother and is at a loss for words.


    ¡°I¡¯m really d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Hiro smiled coldly. The blood dripped from his bloodied hands and was sucked into the ground. The painful sight made Liz tighten her grip on the reins as if she was feeling something. She was about to open her mouth to say something, but shook her head, smiled, and approached Hiro, trying not to let her anxiety be noticed.


    ¡°Hiro, I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay too.¡±


    Aura thought that Liz was a strong girl, as she said in a cheerful voice. Even though there were many questions that she wanted to ask him¡­


    And Hiro had a soft expression on his face that did not show the slightest hint of the previous mood.


    ¡°Yeah, but we don¡¯t have time to be happy about each other¡¯s safety.¡±


    ¡°Um? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It seems that the First Prince Stobel has invaded the imperial pce to take the life of the emperor.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ is that usurpation?¡±


    Liz¡¯s expression tensed up. Next to her, Skaaha was getting irritated when she heard the name of the person she was going to take revenge on. Aura tilted her head and pointed her leaden eyes at Hiro curiously.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s usurpation. No one would follow him if he took the emperor¡¯s life under such circumstances. The only thing that awaits him when he bes the naked king is beheading.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s also true¡­ Then what does Stobel intend to do¡­?¡±


    ¡°Liz-dono, it¡¯s better to think about itter. Let¡¯s get out of here first, and then we¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    Aura watched the three of them talking from afar. There was something about it that didn¡¯t make sense to her.


    (Why¡­ Hiro went to the trouble?)


    Aura¡¯s suspicions were aroused, but she was in no position to interfere.


    ¡°Anyway, Liz, you must go to the Imperial Pce immediately. Skaaha can follow along with you.¡±


    It was time to fulfill his promise, Hiro said atst. Aura didn¡¯t know what kind of promise had been made between the two of them, but seeing as how Skaaha had nodded emphatically, it seemed certain that they would go.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take care of this, and you two head for the pce.¡±


    ¡°What about Hiro? You¡¯re noting with us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind you. Once I¡¯ve ravaged this ce.¡±


    The area was surrounded by enemy soldiers. The thick walls are closing the distance as if they are pressing in. It¡¯s not going to be easy to escape now that the momentum has been killed.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll meet up with youter! Hiro, you muste!¡±


    ¡°Hiro-dono, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯d like to help you, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You should put your feelings first. You should take care of Liz.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take care of her!¡±


    Forgetting about their own wounds and fatigue, Liz and Skaaha let their horses run. Beyond that, there is a wall of enemy soldiers, but the two of them with the Five Emperors of Spirit Sword will be able to breakthrough.


    ¡°Aura, what are you doing? You should take your guards and follow the path that Liz and the others have opened.¡±


    Hiro was right; there was no time to stay long.


    Therefore, Aura put the question straight to the point.


    ¡°¡­Who told you about Stobel?¡±


    ¡°From former General Loing. He told me about it on hisst breath. He said that by renouncing his right to the throne, Stobel was trying to divert suspicion away from him and keep the eyes glued to the battlefield ¨D it didn¡¯t matter whether he won or lost, from the beginning, Stobel was only after the emperor¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°Aura, we don¡¯t have time to talk about this. You must go quickly.¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ See youter.¡±


    Aura turned her head and started to gallop away.


    And the moment she passed Hiro¡­


    ¡°What?¡±


    When Aura turned around, she could only see arge number of enemies filling the rear.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Aura-sama! The enemy is closing in! Please hurry!¡±


    Aura was rushed by the soldiers guarding her.


    ¡°¡­Hiro.¡±


    Aura turned around one more time and then started to gallop.

 Volume 5, Chapter 5 – Black Dragon King, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 5 - ck Dragon King, Part 4</h4>


    The sun had set, and the waiting moon was peeking through the clouds. The ground was dominated by darkness, and the insects hidden in the flowers and grass were buzzing as if they were blending into the night air.


    At such a dark time, Liz and Skaaha had arrived at the Great Imperial Capital.


    Upon recognizing the sixth princess¡¯s figure, the soldiers immediately opened the city gate and invited them in.


    There were no signs of enemies hiding in the surroundings. Above all, they couldn¡¯t send away their ally, Liz. It was rumored among the people that she had rushed to the capital with a small force to save the city. If she were to be driven out, a mob might break out.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre!¡±


    Themander of the Golden Lion Knights salutes her. Liz returned the salute and called out to him from her horse.


    ¡°The battle isn¡¯t over yet. There are still many enemies left. Keep your guard up.¡±


    ¡°So, what brings you here, Your Highness Celia Estre?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to make sure my father is safe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not necessary. The gates of the Great Imperial Capital on the east, west, north, and south sides are tightly closed, and our Golden Lion Knights are on the defensive. In addition, the Imperial Pce is guarded by the royal guards¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait. You mean the royal guard is the only one who protects my father?¡±


    When Liz looked over at themander of the Golden Lion Knights with a surprised look, he simply affirmed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ There are also several other high-ranking officials and their knights who are also on the defensive.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s like beingpletely naked¡­¡±


    If Stobel is invading the imperial pce, the royal guards are no match for him. The private armies of high-ranking officials are far inferior to those of the royal guard. There must have been less than a hundred soldiers with all of them.


    ¡°Assemble the troops immediately and send them to defend the imperial pce.¡±


    Themander made a sullen face at Liz¡¯s order. The shadows created by the torchlight danced on his expression.


    ¡°The Emperor has ordered us to fortify the walls. Therefore, if I were to form a force and send it to the imperial pce without permission, I would get nothing but a severe reprimand.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! If father¡¯s decision is wrong, you won¡¯t receive a reprimand at all!¡±


    Themander of the Golden Lion Knights cowered from Liz¡¯s anger.


    ¡°The first emperor, who created the Golden Lion Knights, would be ashamed of himself. If you are truly soldiers of the Empire, then immediately organize a separate force and send them to the Imperial Pce.¡±


    I¡¯ll take full responsibility. That¡¯s what Liz dered. Themander looked dumbfounded, but he quickly put on a serious face and gave a salute.


    ¡°¡­Very well.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll head to the Imperial Pce first!¡±


    Liz nodded in satisfaction and kicked her horse¡¯s belly as she headed for the imperial pce.


    ¡°It¡¯s quiet, huh¡­¡±


    Skaaha, who was riding alongside her, said.


    The city is quiet, as she said. Everyone is confined to their homes because they don¡¯t want to know what¡¯s going on outside. Liz felt a gaze on the strangely quiet street and noticed the presence of people hiding in the buildings. Their eyes were tinted with fear as they peered out the window.


    Liz smiled and tried to tell them it was okay.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! The rebels will be subdued in no time!¡±


    She waved her hand exaggeratedly and ran down the street to reassure them. The usually bustling central street was only echoed by the sound of Liz and her horses¡¯ footsteps. It was almost as if they had wandered into an abandoned city.


    However, due to theck of obstacles, they were able to reach the imperial pce at a frightening speed.


    ¡°¡­This is strange.¡±


    However, when they arrived in front of the main gate of the Imperial Pce, Liz sensed something strange.


    ¡°Fumu¡­ is it really this quiet? Isn¡¯t there a guard on duty in the first ce?¡±


    Skaaha seemed to have guessed as well.


    They checked their surroundings from horseback but could not find any sign of people.


    There was no sign of the gatekeeper either.


    Even when they stepped inside, the ce was shrouded in darkness. Passing through the rose garden that gave off an eerie feeling, Liz jumped off her horse in front of the Imperial Pce Vain.


    As she rushed to the door, she found a royal guard, who must have been on guard duty, lying in a pool of blood.


    There was no need to check if he was dead or alive. He had lost his head.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s terrible.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Liz looked at Skaaha and held up the me Emperor. Skaaha was also wary and held up her Ice Emperor.


    ¡°I think we¡¯d better be careful. You never know where an arrow mighte from.¡±


    Liz answered with a nod and pushed the door open. The air that had been trapped inside was expelled outside.


    Liz frowned at the strange smelling breeze. Skaaha also held her nose and raised her eyebrows. A few momentster, the rotten smell of the wind melted into the darkness of the night.


    ¡°It looks like no one is breathing¡­¡±


    ¡°This is really bad. The stench of death fills the air.¡±


    Stepping inside, they found a vast number of corpses lying in a heap.


    High-ranking officials had been murdered atrociously. Some of them may have been their families, but the women in their gorgeous dresses were dead regardless. Some of the bodies were of the royal guards who may have offered resistance. Everyone¡¯s armor and clothes were scorched, and some were still burning in the remaining fires.


    The sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor, making things strangely unsettling. It was so quiet that it was hard to believe that this was a noisy imperial pce where people were always running around, no matter what time of day or night.


    ¡°There seemed to be no survivors. Still, they couldn¡¯t afford to go outside to call for backup?¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s question was understandable. But it was the holders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword who were able to do so ¨D they had all been killed before they could report this unusual situation. As they proceeded down the corridor dotted with corpses, their throats moring with tension, they came upon the following.


    ¡°¡­The throne room is here.¡±


    Liz stopped and put her hand on therge door.


    The doors of the throne room, which invited people from other countries, were full of dignity. The door was gleamingly decorated with the emblem of a lion and a ck dragon ascending to heaven.


    ¡°It is certainly easy to protect¡­ but if you are the emperor of the Grantz Empire, don¡¯t you think you should take refuge somewhere in case of emergency? Isn¡¯t it too conspicuous in the throne room?¡±


    Skaaha tilted her head in front of the door.


    ¡°It is. If my father didn¡¯t have the power, he¡¯d probably run underground¡­¡±


    ¡°Is he by any chance the wielder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword?¡±


    ¡°Correct. Only a few members of the royal family and the heads of the five major noble families know about it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Nodding her head in agreement, Skaaha made a thoughtful gesture.


    ¡°And¡­ I think we didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else. I¡¯m sorry¡­ we should get going.¡±


    ¡°Yes, then, are you ready?¡±


    Skaaha nodded her head, and Liz nervously touched the handle.


    ¡°What are you sneaking around for?¡±


    ¡°¨D¨D?¡±


    The two of them hurriedly jumped away from the door and set up their respective weapons. A familiar voice was heard from the other side of the door.


    ¡°Kuku, don¡¯t be so rmed. I won¡¯t take you by surprise, soe on in.¡±


    It was Stobel¡¯s low voice.


    ¡°Skaaha, let¡¯s go. Keep your eyes open!¡±


    Liz kicked open the door and stepped into the throne room.


    And then¡­


    The throne room, a majestic and elegant space that had not decayed for a thousand years, a symbol of power, was filled with blood as red as hell.


    The smell of rusty iron stung their noses. The unpleasant smell of burnt flesh made them nauseous.


    Fighting back the gastric juices rising in her throat, Liz made her way to the throne.


    The throne at the far end ¨D a sacred ce where only sessive emperors were allowed to sit.


    There, Stobel sat with an air of arrogance about her.


    Unbeknownst to others, Liz was angry. However, it instantly dissipated.


    She noticed a figure fall down in front of Stobel.


    ¡°F¡­father?¡±


    ¡°Wha, is that the emperor¡­?¡±


    Skaaha was dumbfounded as if her brain couldn¡¯t keep up with the situation.


    Liz was also shocked and frozen in ce.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    The body was headless. But it was still her father and the emperor. He wore glittering ornaments and carried a golden cloak that only the emperor was allowed to wear.


    ¡°You¡¯rete. A little sooner and this old man¡¯s head would have remained attached.¡±


    There was a head at Stobel¡¯s feet. It was the emperor¡¯s head, his face contorted in pain.


    ¡°But you¡¯vee at a perfect time, haven¡¯t you? It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve measured it.¡±


    Stobel¡¯s smile widened as she stomped on the emperor¡¯s head.


    ¡°I had no choice. There was no right or wrong. I only cut off his head because he resisted.¡±


    ¡°Stobel, do you know what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    Liz said in a shaky voice, and Stobel opened his mouth annoyingly.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who has no idea about anything. Why don¡¯t you rejoice in this historical moment?¡±


    The air of misery began to surround Stobel¡¯s body as he rose from the throne.


    ¡°My sister. Rejoice, for a new god is born.¡±


    The current came from Stobel¡¯s right hand. In his hand, the Thunder Emperor is clenched. In his other hand, his left hand, a strange wind was swirling.


    Stobel pointed her left hand, which was swirling with wind, at Liz and the others.


    ¡°There is nothing more wonderful than the power of the primordial. Even the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword have no choice but to follow.¡±


    ¡°Wind Emperor? But how can it choose you, the one who murdered father¡­?¡±


    The Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword will not reveal themselves unless they recognize the bearer as their master, and if one tries to force them to manifest it, they will be cursed. That¡¯s what the biography says. If that¡¯s the case, then the Wind Emperor, who was favored the emperor, would not have chosen Stobel, who had killed him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve indeed been foolish enough to stand up to him, but now that I have the power of the Primordial, it has no choice but to surrender to me. Or should I say, I¡¯ve forced it upon me?¡±


    ¡°A-are you crazy¡­? Even spirits have a will!¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? Even if they have a will, they are just tools for killing people.¡±


    Stobel let out an exhausted gasp and gave her a piercing re as if to say no questions asked.


    ¡°What are you going to do now? Will you join me, or will you be my enemy?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s obvious!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Liz¡¯s angered words did not reach Stobel¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want to be under you, even if it kills me!¡±


    The murderous intent from her red, zing eyes pierced Stobel.


    But Stobel, who took it with a stern attitude, snorted.


    ¡°Fuh, you foolish sister. Like when I picked up a stray dog with a different coloration, you really don¡¯t look like royalty. But I can say for sure that you and this old man have the same blood!¡±


    Stobel kicked the emperor in the neck, and a sneer appeared on his face.


    ¡°The same was true when the old man picked up your mother. The love affair between the daughter of a poor nobleman whose only im to fame is her appearance and the emperor who rules the central continent would have been touching if it had been a revue, but in reality, it is tragic. Temporary affection can only bring tragedy to a person. They don¡¯t know that hypocrisy will destroy them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t you have anything to say? She may have died like a rag, but she was still your mother.¡±


    A silence coiled between the two. But what was lurking there was anger.


    A smile deepens on Stobel¡¯s face as he notices this.


    ¡°Oh¡­ well, I¡¯m sorry. I forgot.¡±


    Stobelughed cruelly and repeated the provocation.


    ¡°She¡¯s just a piece of meat ¨D you couldn¡¯t be sure she¡¯s your mother, could you?¡±


    A loudugh rang out. The unpleasant sound of his voice reverberated through the throne room, which felt deafening.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Liz, who had been shaking her shoulders, raised her tear-stained face.

 Volume 5, Chapter 5 – Black Dragon King, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 5 - ck Dragon King, Part 5</h4>


    Liz raised her tear-stained face while her shoulders trembled.


    ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡±


    With an angry roar. Liz kicked the floor while her red eyes were filled with mes of rage. The tears from the corners of her eyes flew backward, reflecting the light of the red me.


    The red de of the ¡°me Emperor¡± struck down with such force that it shattered the marble and sent a tremor through the throne room.


    ¡°Fuh, fuh, fuh¡­ do not insult my mother!¡±


    A roar and scorching mes were created in the surroundings. The heat was so intense that just touching it would cause burns to the skin. However, after avoiding Liz¡¯s attack, Stobel shook his shoulders happily.


    ¡°Hah, you¡¯re even stronger than before, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°The usurper Stobel! I will execute you right here and now!¡±


    When Liz made the deration with tears in her eyes, but in a resolute manner, Stobel snickered.


    ¡°I have no interest in such things. If you want the throne, I can give it to you, my little sister.¡±


    A thunderbolt strikes. It gouged out the floor and made a destructive sound with a rush of cold air, heading straight for Liz. But the mes that spewed out from the me Emperor quickly swallowed it up.


    There was no surprise in Stobel¡¯s eyes. Rather, a sneer appeared on his face.


    ¡°If you want a country with only one person in it, I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±


    An invisible de was unleashed. The sharp de cut the objects around Liz, one by one.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. You can¡¯t kill me with that.¡±


    Liz¡¯s feet, which have a tremendous amount of supremacy in them, exploded. Blue mes wrap around her body as if to protect her, and at that moment, all of the invisible des are scorched away by the blue me.


    Stobel narrowed his eyes in fascination.


    ¡°Hou¡­ you¡¯ve reached even greater depths.¡±


    Stobel muttered with an admiring tone.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn. It¡¯s time for me to show you just how great the power of the primordial is.¡±


    Stobel tried to take a step forward but was unable to do so. Strangely enough, his feet were frozen under him. The ice, which exudes cold air, was imbued with a sense of supremacy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me.¡±


    Skaaha was standing at the edge of Stobel¡¯s vision.


    In her hand, she clutched the Ice Emperor, which emitted a pale blue light. Stobel¡¯s eyes widened with an unusually surprised expression.


    ¡°Who the hell are you? And that spear, could it be¡­?¡±


    ¡°Haran Skaaha de Felzen. One who has a grudge against you.¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯re Felzen¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the name of the person who will kill you.¡±


    Cutting off Stobel¡¯s words, Skaaha kicked the floor and threw an ice spear at him.


    ¡°Wha¨D¨D!?¡±


    White smoke enveloped the area with a strong roar, and a huge block of ice appeared through the smoke.


    During that time¡­


    ¡°Skaaha, is your leg okay?¡±


    Liz called out to Skaaha in a caring voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, of course. I¡¯m finally going to avenge my sisters¡¯ death. All the pain is gone.¡±


    After licking her beautiful lips, Skaaha red at the white smoke while catching her breath.


    ¡°Liz-dono. Don¡¯t let your guard down. He¡¯s still alive.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    As the two of them retook their stances, a gust of wind swept away the white smoke. The one who emerged from it was Stobel, unharmed.


    ¡°Come at me, you little girls. Show me your futile efforts.¡±


    Stobel¡¯s posture was asposed as ever.


    ¡°You can leave the stalling to me, Liz-dono, and just focus on killing him. I¡¯ll be your backup.¡±


    Although she had said earlier that the pain was gone, if she actually stood and fought next to Liz, her injured leg would slow her down. She knew this and red at Stobel, biting her lips in frustration.


    So without saying a word, Liz held up the ¡°me Emperor¡± and started to run.


    ¡°Okay. I will definitely defeat Stobel!¡±


    She elerated further as if she were cutting through the air.


    In an instant, the distance between the two of them was reduced, and she slipped her legs under Stobel¡¯s legs as she closed in on him.


    From there, she quickly thrusts the ¡°me Emperor¡± into Stobel¡¯s jaw.


    ¡°Guh!?¡±


    Stobel barely managed to avoid it, but Liz¡¯s foot strike knocked Stobel out of his stance and knocked his huge body to the floor.


    ¡°Haaaaaaa!¡±


    Liz swung her fist down. Stobel tried to avoid it, but his lower body was frozen and became one with the floor.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    Stobel clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the initiative. I¡¯ll ept the first one.¡±


    He hung up his mouth without showing any evasive action as if to say he would endure it.


    ¡°Do you remember the Blessing of the me Emperor?¡±


    With her charming smile, Liz twisted her fist with great power into Stobel¡¯s robust body, which was caught off guard. The impact of the pration caused the floor to cave in.


    As dust rises, Stobel¡¯s face twists in pain.


    ¡°Ogohh!?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more toe!¡±


    She added a follow-up attack. She hit him without a moment to rest. Even though blood sttered all over the area, the vicious fists did not stop. She also swung her heel down on Stobel¡¯s face. The crushing sound of bones cracking and the eerie sound of flesh tearing resounded.


    ¡°I will burn you to the ground!¡±


    Liz¡¯s attack did not stop. The ¡°me Emperor¡± responded to her unusual anger. A huge mass of mes was created above her head and rained down on Stobel.


    There was a violent shaking that caused the throne room to copse.


    By this time, Liz had distanced herself and was watching the sea of mes from a distance.


    As dust flew down from the ceiling, a sudden gust of wind blew.


    ¡°Liz-dono!¡±


    When she heard Skaaha¡¯s shout.


    ¡°Eh¨D¨D?¡±


    Liz lost consciousness for a moment.


    ¡°Aah, kahah¨D¨D!?¡±


    By the time she realized it, she was buried in the rubble.


    With the taste of iron in her mouth, Liz vomited blood and stained the floor red.


    ¡°Liz-dono, are you okay? Stay with me!¡±


    Skaaha shook her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­ but, what in the world was that?¡±


    As she stood up and looked ahead, she saw something standing in front of her. Arge man with burns all over his body is ring at Liz with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Little girl¡­ don¡¯t get carried away.¡±


    It took her a few seconds to figure out who it was.


    The skin was a deep purple like that of a demon, the hair was white as snow, and the eyes were red and glowing. His muscr body had begun to expand.


    Evil supremacy is mixed with magic power, creating tremendous power. A chill ran down Liz¡¯s spine when she saw the way he had transformed his appearance.


    ¡°Stobel¡­ What have you done?¡±


    ¡°This is the power of the primordial! This is the power of the king who plunged the world into chaos a thousand years ago!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    With just one voice, a dizzying amount of supremacy flies through the air.


    ¡°Haha, it would be hard for you, little girls who have just learned how to use your power.¡±


    He slowly steps forward. The air around Stobel is distorted just by that. When he took another step forward, a sound like a space ripping apart echoed.


    Another step forward, and the floor shatters, and the rubble is transformed into grains of sand.


    ¡°In addition to the power of the primordial, I also have the power of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, the Thunder Emperor, and the Wind Emperor.¡±


    The joy spread. Stobel¡¯s face was colored with joy.


    ¡°With all this power, I can destroy a country all by myself.¡±


    The wind swirled and swelled with electric shocks, feeding on the supreme energy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you for starters and theny waste to every single citizen in the Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    Liz clenched her teeth and endured the murderous intent that was released.


    ¡°You are just a frog in a well. There are men like you everywhere.¡±


    Liz smiled provocatively as if she despised him to no end.


    ¡°Well said. You¡¯re exactly right, Liz-dono. That was only a facade.¡±


    Skaaha joined in and gave Stobel a look as if to make fun of him.


    ¡°Fuh¡­bark as much as you want, bitches.¡±


    Stobel walked towards Liz and the others with a leisurely movement.


    ¡°Look, Liz-dono, he¡¯s moving way too fast.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ and it seems he has more strength than me.¡±


    Liz agreed with Skaaha, wiping the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand.


    ¡°Liz-dono, let¡¯s go all out no matter what.¡±


    Both of their bodies are screaming from repeated battles. Above all, they don¡¯t have much strength left. But if they don¡¯t go all out, Stobel will kill them.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s an ugly fight. They say that winning is winning, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­All right.¡±


    ¡°Then ¨D¨D let¡¯s go!¡±


    The two of them started running at the same time.


    mes covered their vision. After being cleaved by the wind, ice spears rained down on the ground. There is no time to check if Stobel is alive or dead. There was no time for that, the two attacked with all their might.


    As soon as they closed the distance, the ice spear pierced Stobel, and Liz quickly thrust the ¡°me Emperor¡± into his stomach and blew it up from the inside.


    ¡°Gobuhh!?¡±


    As his internal organs were scorched, fresh blood flew out of Stobel¡¯s mouth with gray smoke. A shadow falls on Stobel¡¯s face as he opens his jaw toward the ceiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s hot, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll cool you down right now.¡±


    At that moment, the Ice Emperor in Skaaha¡¯s hand pierced Stobel¡¯s throat.


    And then Liz came around from behind and shed Stobel¡¯s arm as hard as she could, and the impact of turning her body against the momentum caused the red de to sink into Stobel¡¯s leg.


    And then, as Stobel¡¯s body copsed.


    ¡°Liz-dono! Get off from him!¡±


    Skaaha jumped up and held the Ice Emperor at her back, and unleashed a burst of supreme energy.


    ¨D¨DDivine Piercing.


    The Ice Emperor crashes into Stobel with a tremendous wind shing sound.


    In the blink of an eye, the huge body that had been pierced by the wind was covered in ice. The white smoke created from the zero-degree ice cubes slid across the floor. But then, it cracked ¨D and cracked. Stobel¡¯s eyes, trapped in the ice world, goggled and moved eerily.


    And then¡­


    ¡°You little bitches¡­¡±


    A thunderbolt shot out from Stobel¡¯s body. An invisible de rained down in all directions.


    As Liz and Skaaha dodge, Stobel¡¯s wounds begin to heal.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s useless?¡±


    The Thunder Emperor is swung down. The ground cracked, and countless cracks appeared on the wall with just one swing.


    The Wind Emperor creates the wind, and the invisible de goes wild. It rampaged across the floor, ceiling, and pirs, inflicting sharp wounds in all directions. However, Liz and Skaaha were not intimidated and avoided the storm of Stobel¡¯s attacks and attacked again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve had enough.¡±


    Stobel threw away his hand to catch the me Emperor and his other arm to catch the Ice Emperor. Fresh blood spurted out, but he did not feel any pain, and his face showed no emotion.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    He grabbed Liz by the chin and lifted her up, stomping on the ¡°me Emperor¡± that had fallen to the floor. He also grabbed Skaaha¡¯s leg, which was still in midair, and mmed it down on the floor.


    ¡°Gaaahh!?¡±


    Stobel looked down at Skaaha, who was writhing in agony, and swung his foot down on her back as she tried to stand up ¨D¨D with enough force to crush her.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    The girl¡¯s slender body bent into a crooked shape, and arge amount of blood spewed out of her mouth.


    ¡°As I recall, your name is Skaaha¡­ and you are a survivor of the Felzen royal family.¡±


    ¡°If so, then¡­ what¡¯s the matter¡­?¡±


    ¡°Have you managed to reunite with your sisters?¡±


    Didn¡¯t I send their heads back to you? Stobel said and shook his throat happily.


    ¡°Y-you bastard!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you bitch!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Bufuh.¡±


    Skaaha was driven by rage but was silenced by Stobel¡¯s attack that swung down again. Still not satisfied with the results, he grabbed the legs of the unconscious Skaaha.


    ¡°Liz, this bitch is going to die, do you mind?¡±


    Skaaha, whose limbs are limp and stretched out, is lifted up, and the drops that flow from his mouth make a pool of blood on the floor.


    ¡°Fuguu!?¡±


    Liz can¡¯t speak with her jaw gripped. With tears in the corners of her eyes, Liz struggled to resist by pping Stobel¡¯s arm. She was no better than a mosquito, Stobel snickered.


    ¡°Do you want me not to kill her?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, mgh!¡±


    Of course not, Liz¡¯s eyesined. She tried to move her chin again and again.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Stobel smiled gently but with such cruelty.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s kill you both.¡±


    ¡°!?¡±


    He threw Skaaha against a pir with great force and then mmed Liz¡¯s face into the floor.


    With a loud bang, Skaaha went through two pirs and disappeared into the rubble covered in dust. Liz, who had been knocked to the floor, also did not move a muscle. The blood that slowly flowed out only spread.


    ¨D¨DQuietness.


    The throne room was once again filled with silence.


    Stobel stepped away from the me Emperor, grasped the hilt, and raised it to the ceiling.


    ¡°You shall be my sword. The sword that the first emperor used is finally in my hands¡­¡±


    As if to show its resistance, a red light leaked from the me Emperor, but Stobel opened his mouth with a look of ecstasy. He¡¯s trying to crush it, take it into his body, and swallowed up its power.


    But just before he did, Stobel¡¯s body tilted and fell to the floor. As a result, he lost the ¡°me Emperor¡± and hurriedly tried to reach for it.


    ¡°!?¡±


    But he was unable to do so.


    A hand reached out from the side and grabbed his arm.


    The sound of the bones in his arm shattering reverberated through the throne room, eerily like a tree snapping.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing to my me Emperor?¡±


    Liz, who has blue mes rising up from her entire body, is ring at Stobel with an intense gaze.


    ¡°You have been attacked so much, and you¡¯re still alive¨D¨D!?¡±


    Stobel tried to stand up, but he finally noticed that his leg was broken. When Stobel realized that it was because of this that he had copsed on the floor, a terrible pain shot through his entire body.


    ¡°Wha, guoo!?¡±


    The bones in the arms and legs that Liz crushed are not regenerating. Upon closer look, blue bruises appeared on his skin.


    ¡°W-what is this¡­?¡±


    As the bruises faded, the wound began to repair itself. As the pain eased, Stobel was able to spare some time for thought.


    ¡°Liz¡­ what are you doing to me¨D¨D¡±


    As Stobel furrowed his brow ¨D his face exploded.


    At the next moment, the blue me wrapped his face.


    ¡°Agaaaaaaaaa!?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Next to Stobel, who¡¯s in extreme pain and stumbling around the floor, Liz quietly retrieves the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    She raises her arms targeting the back of the moaning and groaning Stobel in pain.


    But the Thunder Emperor, sensing the danger, unleashes a tremendous thunderbolt that sts her away.


    She hit the pir with her back and slipped and fell to the floor, probably unconscious.


    ¡°Damn it, damn it; the pain won¡¯t go away, the wound won¡¯t heal. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Stobel started to scream, but suddenly he looked down at his feet and realized. The burn had spread across his face, reflected in the marble.


    Stobel rolled his eyes, unable to understand.


    Then ¨D the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the throne room.


    ¡°¡­¡­Rumbling things one after the other, don¡¯t you know that¡¯s useless?¡±¡±


    As he held his aching wound, he looked hatefully at the source of the sound.


    A ck-haired young man with a soft face and dark eyes was standing leisurely.


    The young man¨D¨D


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¨D¨DWas smiling ferociously.

 Volume 5, Chapter 5 – Black Dragon King, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 5, Chapter 5 - ck Dragon King, Part 6</h4>


    It was unexpected.


    He couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment at the results, which were far beyond his expectations. Things were going well at first. The n to put Liz on the throne had been going smoothly.


    Stobel renounced his right to the throne, the Krone family rebelled, and a crisis loomed over the Great Imperial Capital.


    The events unfolded as he had generally expected. Now all that was left was the emperor¡¯s death, and the n would have beenplete.


    He sets up Stobel as a usurper and has Liz take him down to gain the support of the nobles.


    He thought that Liz, with her newfound power, could do it. Having Skaaha as an insurance policy was probably not a mistake either. But ¨D It was broken at thest minute.


    ¡°¡­I should havee with her if this was the case.¡±


    ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡±


    Stobel turned his bloodshot eyes on him. Hiro let out a sigh of disappointment at his new appearance.


    ¡°If I were here¡­ the girls would not have been hurt. They wouldn¡¯t have been hurt by someone as stupid as you.¡±


    The oue would have been different if he had fought alongside them without fear of being exposed to the darkness. This was the result of a weak mind, and he should have dealt with things in a more cold-blooded way.


    ¡°Since that day, all I¡¯ve done is regret¡­¡±


    The Heavenly Emperor in Hiro¡¯s hand had lost its silvery glow and had begun to turn ck and stagnant.


    Even though the windows are not open, the wind blows wildly. The hem of the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± began to dance vigorously as if filled with anger.


    ¡°You¡­ who are you?¡±


    Stobel said as he covered his face with his hands to tend to his wounds. Seeing that gesture, Hiro¡¯s mouth twisted in amusement.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that wound will never heal.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the me Emperor¡¯s blessing ¨D¨D Purification.¡±


    Silence followed. After a pause, Stobel opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­What kind of nonsense is that? The me Emperor¡¯s blessing was supposed to be Monstrous Strength.¡±


    ¡°You should remember that a thousand years ago, the first Emperor Altius was fighting against something.¡±


    ¡°¡­Everyone knows that¡­?¡±


    Stobel shivered in astonishment. A look ofplete understanding passed over his eyes.


    Stunned by his ignorance, Hiro shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Now you know why he was so fond of the me Emperor, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Then¡­


    ¡°You, who have taken in the demon, will suffer forever and will never be cured.¡±


    Hiro tightened his grip on the hilt of the Heavenly Emperor and raised it to his chest height.


    ¡°Now ¨D that¡¯s the end of the story.¡±


    Without hesitation, Hiro picked off the eye patch that covered the left half of his face. What appeared from underneath it was a left eye that was spilling out a disastrous light.


    And then, his left eye moved.


    Even in the dark, the shining eye is something that no ordinary person can have.


    The eye, colored with a tremendous pigment, is something that no human being can possess.


    This is what people used to call it with reverence.


    ¨D¨DHeavenly Spirit Eye.


    It is the mark of a hero and is praised as the eyes of a champion. A thousand years have passed, and it is still spoken of as one of the three most secret eyes in the world.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give it my all. You don¡¯t need to go easy on me, okay?¡±


    Hiro sharpened his senses and took a nce at the ce where Skaaha and Liz had fallen.


    ¡°It seems to me that Liz and Skaaha will not notice me now.¡±


    A fierce fighting spirit rose from Hiro¡¯s body. With thebination of supremacy, the color changed and oppressed the space.


    And then¡­


    ¡°The time of awakening hase.¡±


    Hiro muttered to the ck and stagnant Heavenly Emperor. He whispered in a voice that was as gentle as it could be and as clear as it could be.


    The next moment, the de cracked in order from the tip to the handle. It split. It shattered.


    As if shedding their old shells, the fragments fell to the floor, popped, and disappeared.


    The transformation from white to ck. It transformed like a sinner fleeing from fate.


    ¡°Eat it all up, Dark Emperor.¡±


    Deep darknesses over the world.


    There is no light at all. All that spreads is despair and desperation.


    Stobel watches in amazement as the world changes. In front of him, Hiro is standing calm andposed.


    He looks as natural as ever. Still, there was one thing that had changed.


    The silver and white sword was gone, and in Hiro¡¯s hand was a ck sword.


    The ded, the hilt, the tsuba, everything is ck ¨D¨D jet ck as if to embody darkness.


    ¡°Kuku¡­ hahahaha!¡±


    Theughter was not from Hiro ¨D¨D it was somehowing from Stobel.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    When Hiro asked, the corner of Stobel¡¯s mouth lifted up to the point of splitting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that sign before.¡±


    Stobel prepared himself with the Thunder Emperor in his right hand and the Wind Emperor in his left.


    ¡°It seems that you, like me, have taken in the power of the primordial!¡±


    The words were fatal. It was a word that stroked the young man¡¯s emotions.


    Then, the sound disappeared from the world as if cold water were choking it.


    And then¡­ and then¡­ and then¡­


    The air rang out. It chirped.


    Unable to withstand the pressure, it was torn apart by the kill and devoured by the power.


    ¡°To mention that name, your recklessness is frightening¨D¨D¡±


    In the freezing cold darkness, the ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye¡± was wriggling zingly. Even though there was no wind, the hem of the ck Princess Camellia pped the air repeatedly as if unable to control her anger.


    ¡°¨D¨DStop your chattering, small fry. Shall I kill you with your false image?¡±


    His skin was peeling away. The young man revealed a part of his darkness that he had never shown to anyone.


    ¡°If you think you can kill me, go ahead and try!¡±


    Stobel jumped in happily and swung the Thunder Emperor down. However, there was no sign of Hiro, and his battle-ax only smashed the floor violently.


    He caught sight of Hiro shimmering in the rising dust.


    ¡°Let me test your strength!¡±


    He swung the ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± as lightly as if it were a twig. The lightning de drew a precise trajectory as it approached Hiro. Without moving, Hiro simply raised the arm that held the ¡°Dark Emperor.¡±


    The two des shed, sparks flying as they met. A deafening scream like a shriek echoed through the throne room. As the wind blows mercilessly in all directions, the wind roars with thunderbolts and strikes Hiro as a de.


    ¡°Too slow. I can see iting.¡±


    Hiro took a step back and, terrifyingly, avoided all the attacks.


    He twisted his neck, stepped forward, waved his hands, deflected his shoulders, and avoided them all with a few simple gestures.


    ¡°Hou! You¡¯re good!¡±


    Stobel¡¯s face was dyed with joy, but there was astonishment that he could not hide.


    Even so, he still attacked Hiro without pausing for a breath.


    Countless sparks flew between the two.


    One, two, three shes were exchanged for what seemed like an eternity.


    ¡°Not yet! I can go on! I can kill you and reach even greater heights!¡±


    The excitement heightened his will to fight. The rage swelled his muscles, and his supreme energy created an inexhaustible supply of physical strength. Intricate patterns of warning began to appear on Stobel¡¯s body.


    Growth, evolution, blossoming. In the battle against Hiro, Stobel¡¯s body is about to transform into the most suitable body for battle.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    It was the first time that Hiro showed a hint of frustration in his sharp expression.


    He dodged arge swinging battle-ax, flicked off a wind de that tried to cut through his skin, deflected a thunderbolt aimed at his leg with a single sh, and leaped backward, kicking at the void.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Hey, Fourth Prince. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fun? Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something to be found in a battle where lives are cut short?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s sharp eyes pierced through the distance. Stobel was shaking his shoulders happily. He had an arrogant smile on his face, and his mouth hung up in an eerie way. It was a face of such misery that it was hard to believe he was human any longer.


    ¡°And finally, I will stand in heaven. I will trample down every single person who stands in my way.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stand in the heavens ¨D no, I won¡¯t let you.¡±


    Shrugging his shoulders, Hiro sighs in exasperation.


    ¡°There is only one person who can stand in heaven. And it¡¯s not you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Stobel frowned. On the other hand, Hiro nonchntly drew a crescent moon around his mouth.


    What dwells in those ck eyes is not something as simple as murderous intent.


    His eyes were filled with a murderous intent that pierced Stobel to the point of making his hair stand on end.


    ¡°¨D¨DI will devour the heavens.¡±


    With eyes filled with deep darkness, he let his whole body radiate a strong fighting spirit, like a sharp de.


    ¡°Until the day the sun rises again, no one will have the heavens.¡±


    Hiro held the ¡°Dark Emperor¡± horizontally and pointed the tip of the de at Stobel.


    ¡°Every life is equally lured into emptiness.¡±


    ¨D¨DDark Mirror Corpse Water.


    There was no change. The air just became more intimidating.


    The only thing in front of him was the same young man standing leisurely as before. There was also a distance between them. That¡¯s why Stobel was not paying attention.


    ¡°Wha?¡±


    A ssh of blood flew up into the air from Stobel¡¯s chest. He dropped to one knee on the floor while looking at the fresh blood sttered on the floor. He didn¡¯t know what it meant, and his expression showed his confusion.


    At that moment¡­


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    A rage was spat out. A roar of anger that shook the space was released from Stobel.


    The wound does not heal. Just like the wounds that he received from Liz, something was wrong with Stobel¡¯s body. The pain was overshadowed by anger, and Stobel stood up with his face colored with rage, spreading blood on the floor.


    ¡°Gaaaaaaaah!¡±


    With a beastly roar, Stobel rushed at Hiro with furious force.


    The thunderbolt rages, and the wind de mercilessly cuts the surrounding area. As if to show his overwhelming strength, Stobel released a tremendous amount of magic power.


    On the other hand, Hiro quietly closed his eyes and stood in the darkness as if he was trying to hide his breath.


    There was no emotion on his face. What was there was nothing. There was no frustration, no rage, not even supreme energy.


    He just had a lot of sweat on his forehead.


    ¡°It seems that you are still not able to handle your power. If you lose your reason, you¡¯re no better than a beast.¡±


    Hiro put his hand on the de of the Dark Emperor and dropped his waist into an iai stance.


    ¡°If so, I¡¯ll get rid of you here so you won¡¯t be a problemter on.¡±


    ¨D¨DThis was when he dered that.


    The sound of a bell rang out from nowhere.


    For a brief moment, the sound caused a distraction.


    He immediately looked back, but the figure of Hiro in front of Stobel had disappeared.


    ¡°Cursed King Sword, Dark Emperor.¡±


    The sound of the bell propagated through the air louder than before.


    The darkness around Hiro has swept away, disintegrating like confetti and being carried away by the wind.


    ¡°Disaster King Sword, Dark Emperor.¡±


    When another sound of the bell echoed, something wrapped around Hiro¡¯s body and restrained him. The invisible chain tightened around his body like a vise.


    ¡°¡­Who is that?¡±


    Hiro put all his strength into his limbs to destroy the invisible chains, and his gaze condensed with anger.


    Eventually, his eyesnded on a spot. Stobel was lying on the ground.


    A hooded figure of indeterminate gender stood over him.


    ¡°O King. Please calm your anger.¡±


    The voice was neither high nor low. The person who spoke in a neutral tone of voice reached out into the empty space. The back of his hand, which was hidden by his sleeve, was exposed to the outside world, revealing a blue crystalline stone.


    The crystalline stone gradually became illuminated, and when it emitted a particrlyrge light, it diffused into the surroundings.


    ¡°He still needs to be kept alive. It would be a shame to waste all the power he¡¯s taken in, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    As the light converged, a tin staff appeared in his hand, and the hooded figure thrust it to the floor.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Oya, I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯m the Long-Ear race, Nameless.¡±


    He put his hands on his hood and extended his index finger as if it were an ear.


    ¡°So I¡¯d like to negotiate with you, but¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use. I¡¯ll finish Stobel off here.¡±


    Hiro jumped ¨D kicked down the distance in an instant, and attacked Nameless.


    The de dug into his body. There should have been a loud ssh of blood. However, just as the illusion wavered, the figure of Nameless disappeared.


    ¡°You¡¯re belligerent now, aren¡¯t you? Or should I say, it¡¯s your true form?¡±


    When he turned around in response to the voice behind him, ¡°Nameless¡± was sitting on the throne.


    At his feety Stobel.


    With his arm resting on the armrest, Nameless held up two fingers and pointed them at Hiro.


    ¡°Two. I can provide two useful pieces of information to you, King. So why don¡¯t you let me go?¡±


    Hiro put his hands on his hips, exhaled heavily, andughed in response to this suggestion.


    ¡°¡­Fine. I¡¯ll take the information.¡±


    He decided to take the offer. He decided that there would be no problem if he could eliminate him after getting some useful information. Then the Long-Ear¡¯s mouth twisted in amusement.


    ¡°Well, first of all, I have a cooperative rtionship with the ck Death Vige, and they want to revive the ¡°Father.¡± This is part of the reason why His Highness Stobel took this form. They¡¯re amazing. They¡¯re everywhere and nowhere, so they¡¯re impossible to catch.¡±


    The Long-Ear continued, his voice quivering with amusement.


    ¡°Second, the camp to which they belong is the Six Kingdoms, and they will soonunch arge-scale invasion against the Great Grantz Empire. In addition, the first prince Stobel has sold this country¡­ They say you can¡¯t choose your parents, but you can¡¯t choose your children either. I have a lot of sympathy for this.¡±


    How about this? Nameless said proudly with his arms outstretched.


    ¡°Is there nothing else?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve already told you what I can tell you.¡±


    Then there was no more need. Hiro moved his shoulder to attack.


    ¡°Is that okay? The first emperor¡¯s throne will be broken.¡±


    Then Hiro¡¯s hand stopped for a moment.


    Namelessughed heartily when he saw Hiro quickly stop his attack.


    ¡°You can¡¯t destroy it, can you? I have no idea what kind of material it¡¯s made of, but there¡¯s no way the King can destroy the throne that has reigned here for a thousand years without decay.¡±


    Nameless stood up, stroking the armrest with a lustful hand.


    ¡°O King. Let me give you one piece of advice for your kindness.¡±


    Nameless bent at the waist with an elegant motion, grabbed Stobel by the neck and lifted him up.


    ¡°The real enemy is the one you cannot see. They hide in the dark and wait patiently for their prey to weaken. You see, they say that the real enemy appearster.¡±


    ¡°If you put it that way, the allies of justice will appearter too, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°¡­Was that so? Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter, does it?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that someone set all this up?¡±


    ¡°I wonder? Well, you¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    When Nameless struck the floor with his tin cane, the sound of a bell rang out across the world.


    ¡°See you soon. We¡¯ll meet again after the Great Grantz Empire copses.¡±


    The air swirled and bottled up the darkness, creating a huge crack in the space.


    ¡°Fufu, goodbye.¡±


    ¨D¨DThe ck Dragon King.


    And with that, Nameless disappeared with Stobel.


    Quietness. All that was left was the sad air that consumed the solitude.


    But this is shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps echoing from the corridor.


    ¡°Find the survivors! Stay alert! The enemy may be lurking!¡±


    Ghada¡¯s voice echoed from behind. After that, soldiers came into the hall one after another, and the area was filled with noise at once.


    ¡°Liz-neesan!? Skaaha-san! Medic! Treat the two of them immediately!¡±


    As Hiro stood there, a girl appeared in front of him.


    ¡°¡­Hiro, are you hurt?¡±


    Aura looked into Hiro¡¯s face with concern.


    But her voice didn¡¯t reach him.


    The only words swirling in Hiro¡¯s head were.


    ¨D¨DThe ck Dragon King.


    It was the name of the ¡°King¡± who had once spread fear throughout the world.

 Volume 5, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 5, Epilogue</h4>


    A gentle wind is blowing. It was warmer than the wind in the north, and it didn¡¯t feel cold.


    Looking away from the moon hidden in the clouds, there is arge city shrouded in darkness.


    Here, on top of a small hill, one cell (three kilometers) away from dius, the capital of the Grantz Empire, four thousand troops were lined up in amanding position, led by a single figure.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s over.¡±


    The second prince Selene let out a white breath and smiled.


    ¡°What will the awakening of the King bring to the world¡­?¡±


    Laughing happily and putting his hand over his mouth, the second prince Selene looked down.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Driks?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m concerned about the safety of Prime Minister Gils.


    Driks mmed his fist into the ground in frustration and turned his eyes to the Great Imperial Capital.


    Selene shrugged his shoulders, thinking that he was very loyal.


    ¡°That man will survive. He¡¯ll show up soon¡­ He¡¯s as persistent as a snake, after all.¡±


    When Seleneughed¡­


    ¡°Urgent news! This is urgent news!¡±


    An out-of-breath messenger rushed in front of Selene.


    ¡°The Six Kingdoms are advancing! The Six Kingdoms have begun their march towards the west!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Driks¡¯ face paled with surprise and despair, and he sat up.


    They moved so quickly; it was as if they had measured their attack at a time like this.


    ¡°How many of them?¡±


    ¡°One hundred thousand! One hundred thousand, sir! But there is still no telling how many more will join the army and how far they will grow!¡±


    Closing his eyes quietly, Selene scowled and snorted.


    ¡°Crisis after crisis, what can this country do now that it has lost its emperor¡­?¡±


    When he opened his eyes again, Selene raised his hand above his head and reached for the moon.


    ¡°Now ¨D which option will you choose?¡±


    Selene brought a smile to his beautiful face.


    ¡°¡­ck Dragon King-sama.¡±


    On the 1st day of January in the 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar ¨D the year of chaos begins.

 Volume 5, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 5, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you very much for picking up the copy of ¡°Otherworldly Tales of a Mythological, Legendary Hero Volume 5.¡±


    If you are continuing to read from the previous volume, I am d to see you again.


    Did you enjoy this volume? If anyone says they enjoyed reading it, I¡¯ll be so happy that I will shout out the window. I might even howl at the moon at around 2 am.


    Aside from being such a nuisance to the neighborhood, this volume is a book that returns to its roots in many ways.


    The characters, the story, the battles, the setting, and the cover are all going back to the roots.


    The story has been moving a lot since this volume, and the next volume will be moving forward at an even faster pace, so I hope you will enjoy it along with Hiro¡¯s past and his transformation.


    And as I mentioned earlier, the ¡°cover¡± of the book has an incredibly cool Hiro. But even more than that, I¡¯m sure that the readers¡¯ eyes have been burned by Liz¡¯s interesting and beautiful figure.


    Especially Liz¡¯s thighs! Her thighs! I want to frame it and hang it up!


    Her poprity is sure to skyrocket, and she¡¯s sure to have as many fans as Hiro. And udia¡¯s poprity is so high that it surprises me. Skaaha is in hot pursuit of her, and by the way, the most popr character in my circle was Aura.


    I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future, but I hope to report back to my readers soon.


    Now, let me express my gratitude.


    Miyuki Ruria-sama, I always look forward to the arrival of your rough sketch. Your beautiful illustrations, which never betray my expectations, have be a source offort to me.


    To my editor, S-sama, I apologize for the inconvenience I have caused in every volume. The next volume is already on my mind, so I look forward to working with you again in the future.


    To the editorial staff, proofreaders, designers, and everyone else involved in this work, this work waspleted thanks to your help. Thank you very much.


    To my colleagues, I am sorry for the trouble I have caused you. I know you must have a lot on your mind, and I hope you will forgive me.


    Also, to the readers who have been reading since the previous volume, I have been able toe this far thanks to your support. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.


    I will continue to send out more of the never-ending Ch¨±ni, so please support me.


    I look forward to seeing you again soon.

 Volume 6, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 6, Prologue</h4>


    A huge me was spreading. Strands of mes were erupting from everywhere.


    The world was enveloped in a storm of a red, cloudy, disastrous fire.


    Hiding in the background was a strange odor that was driving one¡¯s sense of smell crazy.


    In addition, the sky was covered in ck smoke, and a sea of blood dominated the ground.


    As far as the eye could see ¨D it was endless and went on forever.


    The flowers and grass that had sprouted on the ground were dying out endlessly. Beside them, corpses that were still in their original form were burning and smoldering.


    The corpse, pierced with countless swords, is suddenly crushed by horseshoes.


    ¡°Is there anyone still alive?¡±


    The soldier on the horse was running with arge amount of fresh blood dripping from his side. He stepped over the corpses of his friends who hadughed with him yesterday and continued to run away. Even though he looked around desperately, what he saw was a in covered with dead flowers.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Why, why!¡±


    Deciding that it was too dangerous to go any further, the soldier threw himself forward and started to run as fast as he could.


    But life is cruel. There are no miracles for those who are trapped.


    ¡°Hey, the remnant soldier. Where are you running to?¡±


    A girl appeared in front of him with a fan in her hand, looking out of ce on this battlefield and, one might add, very out of ce.


    ¡°Will you tell me? How can you escape in such a disgraceful state?¡±


    ¡°Hyii!?¡±


    ¡°Well, there is no need to be afraid. I am a kind woman. I will kill you painlessly.¡±


    With a bottomless smile, the girl spits out cruel words and takes just one step forward.


    That was enough to break the soldier¡¯s mind.


    The core of the soldier, who had been through many death rays and had ovee many difficult situations, was broken instantly. He lost all hope of living, his face turned pale, and his spirit copsed.


    At that moment¡­


    ¡°Hyaaaaaaahhh¨D¨D!?¡±


    He exploded.


    It¡¯s not a metaphor. Just as the words say, without a second notice, the soldier¡¯s body exploded from within.


    The deafening sound shook the air, and fresh blood poured onto the ground along with pieces of flesh.


    However, without getting a single drop of blood on herself, the girl who opened up her fan smiled lustrously.


    ¡°You have done nothing wrong.¡±


    It¡¯s all copsing. The great empire that has kept out all foreign enemies is about to copse.


    ¡°You are not at fault ¨D except for the misfortune of your birth in thisnd.¡±


    No one can stop this flow.


    ¡°Just being born in Grantz is enough to deserve death.¡±


    No human being can stop a raging storm. All they can do is wait for it to pass. The weak are left with no choice but to hide behind doors and hide their breath.


    ¡°Overrun it. Annihte. Conquer!¡±


    The girl¡¯s prayerful murmur was apanied by a series of grievous cries around her.


    It was not just one or two. There were dozens of them, piling up and echoing as if they were splitting the air. No one could survive. Even a single breath was enough to send out dozens of spears. There was no way to escape the beasts that were relentlessly targeting their prey.


    Even so, there were some who bravely stood up to them.


    ¡°Stand up! Anyone who can stand up, follow me!¡±


    The way he mass-produced corpses with a single swing was truly one of a kind.


    The way he sprinkled fresh blood on the ground was just like an evil demon.


    His martial prowess is so overwhelming that it is hard to imagine from his ordinary appearance.


    ¡°Do not allow those people to trample on thend of Grantz!¡±


    One of the great heroes, known as the Five Great Generals, began his assault with the remaining defeated soldiers in tow.


    ¡°You must be Bakish, one of the five great generals who protects the west. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to have your head.¡±


    A woman with blood all over her body smiled miserably in front of the hero. In her hands, she holds a giant hammer that is well over her height.


    ¡°Stop joking around¡­ You don¡¯t want to get your sickening face smashed in, do you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll crush your body.¡±


    The moment the woman stomped on the ground, the winds of the world converged and exploded.


    ¡°Wha ¨D Nnggh.¡±


    ¡°As expected of one of the five great generals who have made a name for themselves in the world, I was going to spare only your neck, but you are quite sturdy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°R-ridiculous¡­¡±


    Bakish knelt on the ground and vomited blood when he saw therge hole in his stomach.


    ¡°It seems you have high vitality to spare. Then perhaps you will entertain me a little?¡±


    The woman raised her hand, and her soldiers smiled sneeringly and took out their daggers.


    ¡°Gghhh, what are you doing¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much more pain you can endure, but it has to be torture, of course.¡±


    In spite of the cruel words, the woman revealed a refreshing smile.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll rip out your nails, shave off your ears, and cut off your nose.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fuhahahahaha ¨D you rotten bastards!¡±


    Bakish kicked the ground with his sword in his hand with all the strength he could muster.


    But fighting back was a foolhardy and childish act.


    The sharp de only cut through the thin skin, which reminded him of the futility of resistance.


    Surrounded by a vast number of enemy soldiers, Bakish was swept up in a storm of hatred.


    There are no exceptions on the battlefield, no matter how famous a person is.


    There is no mercy. Everyone was dying by the de.


    Eventually, the head of the general whose limbs had been torn off was exposed, and shouts of joy erupted from all over thend.


    ¡°We have defeated one of the five great generals, Bakish! Let it be known throughout thend that the heads were exposed on the streets! Let them know that we, the Six Kingdoms, are the strong ones, and let them fear us by telling them who has attacked them!¡±


    Still, they did not stop. They didn¡¯t end the war even after taking out the general.


    ¡°Eradicate them! Let none of them live! Give them an equal death, regardless of their status!¡±


    In response to the voice, an inexhaustible amount of dead people were created as if to release the umted resentment.


    Even surrounded by such a horrible situation, the girl did not stop smiling.


    ¡°Now is the time to take revenge for our ancestors.¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 1 – Calm Before The Storm, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 1 - Calm Before The Storm, Part 1</h4>


    January 4th, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    On this day, a cold wind blew with a sharp pain that stung the skin.


    Once outside, it was so cold that it was impossible to stop shivering. The Great Imperial Capital was experiencing a cold wave that could freeze people to death if they were not careful. However, even in such a harsh environment, the capital of the Grantz Empire, dius, was strangely filled with a strange kind of enthusiasm.


    The central street was filled with people, so many that there was no ce to step.


    And strangely enough, there was a sense of urgency on their faces as they all headed towards the main gate withrge bags in their hands. It was as if they were frightened of something, as if they were running away from something as if they were in such a hurry that it could be called panic.


    ¡°Hurry up! If we stay here, we¡¯ll die! The Six Kingdoms are going to attack us!¡±


    There was a merchant who tried to break into the long line of people. Normally, this would be a meworthy situation, but in the current situation, no one med him because there were many people around him who were trying to break into the line and get through the main gate.


    Some people were ring at them with resentment.


    Although they didn¡¯t say a word, what they spat out in their hearts must have been vindictiveness.


    They must be cursing them as heartless people.


    Watching the people running away from the city from afar were the people who had originally settled in the Imperial Capital.


    They can¡¯t abandon thend they¡¯ve lived in for so many years just because the empire is in danger, and more importantly, there¡¯s no way they can afford to move to another country.


    Even if they had enough money and were fortunate enough to escape the war, if they lost their country, they would not be able to live their lives as before.


    In other words, whether they stay or flee, it is the same either way.


    So, unlike the merchants who never settled down, they could not move from this ce.


    ¡°What a heartless bunch. What about the Six Kingdoms? This is the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°But is everything alright? They say that the emperor was seriously injured in a battle with bandits who invaded the imperial pce?¡±


    ¡°Moreover, it is rumored that the Six Kingdoms have 150,000 troops. We¡¯re arge country, so our forces are dispersed throughout. Because of that, we can¡¯t gather our forces as quickly as they can.¡±


    The Grantz Empire has divided its vast territory into five regions, bordering on hostile countries. Skirmishes were an everyday urrence, and the majority of troops were deployed and dispersed along the borderlines. If they tried to unify, there would be a breakdown somewhere soon enough.


    That¡¯s why the existence of the five great noble families, who are in charge of managing each territory, stands out in times of crisis, but that was only if they were still standing on their feet.


    ¡°The rebellion started by the Krone family has temporarily cut off the logistics. Because of this, no one will go near the capital for fear of danger. And before the chaos was over, the barbarians from the Six Kingdoms invaded the west.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can stop them?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ It looks like the Mark family is going to take over the Krone family¡¯s ce, but those central nobles have started a rebellion, so we can¡¯t count on them. The only thing left to do is to hope that the western nobility can hold out, but how long can they?¡±


    ¡°It is rumored that not only the Steichen Republic but also other countries have begun preparing for war. If we start a full-fledged war with the surrounding countries, it will really be the end of the Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going to happen¡­ now that the new year has passed.¡±


    The people turned their anxious gaze to the imperial pce.


    With the sun shining in the cloudless blue sky, the imperial pce is shining brightly again today, unaware of the feelings of the people living on the ground.


    At that moment, all the important people of the Grantz Empire were gathered in the pce.


    Since the throne room was no longer avable for use by the First Prince Stobel, a temporarymand center had been set up in the antechamber. It was in the antechamber that the imperial family, including Hiro and other influential figures known as the great nobles, gathered to determine the future course of action.


    ¡°What should we do now that we¡¯ve lost His Majesty and so many high-ranking officials?¡±


    It was exined to the people that former General Loing started the previous rebellion with the help of first prince Stobel.


    The fact that the first prince Stobel had invaded the imperial pce and killed the emperor and his entourage was kept secret so as not to confuse the people. It was only reported that the emperor was injured by the bandits and that there were casualties among the high officials.


    ¡°It was an unprecedented event. No, there was only one simr incident three hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s nothingpared to three hundred years ago. It wasn¡¯t like 150,000 troops invaded like this time.¡±


    That era was a time of turmoil, and every country had simr events. Above all, there is no mention in the literature of a single emperor being killed and the damage done to the high officials.


    ¡°We¡¯ve managed to keep the emperor¡¯s death a secret from the people, but we can¡¯t do that forever.¡±


    An announcement will have to be made sooner orter. However, this will only happen when the next emperor is chosen.


    In order to counter the threat to the Six Kingdoms, it was necessary to prevent the heirs to the throne from fighting over the throne. Therefore, there was no choice but to shelve the situation temporarily.


    Even if a temporary emperor were to be chosen, the noble lords who were dissatisfied with the interim emperor would support their own heir to the throne, which could lead to a joint rule.


    This would lead to the division of the Grantz Empire.


    (First, we have to win the war against the Six Kingdoms. The next emperor will probably be elected after that. That is if the neighboring countries don¡¯t invade¡­)


    The Grantz Empire rests on an extremely precarious bnce.


    The Six Kingdoms to the west and the Steichen Republic to the south. There were other small and medium-sized states around.


    If they were to join forces, the territory would be cut down in the blink of an eye, and the Grantz Empire would disappear from the map without recovering any lost ground.


    (In order to avoid this¡­ we must get rid of the nobles who fatten their own pockets.)


    Betrayal begets betrayal. Many of the nobles who are obsessed with power will not want to give up their current positions. There is no such thing as patriotism.


    Therefore, there will always be those who are misled by sweet words.


    It is easy to change one¡¯s mind if one is promised relief of territory.


    (But a simple approach will lead to inducement. I have to be very careful, but with the Six Kingdoms invading, there¡¯s no time to becent ¨D if that¡¯s the case, the only way is to take forceful measures¡­)


    Hiro sighed and quietly looked at the people gathered in the antechamber.


    Everyone has a pained expression on their face as they think about their country.


    Among them, there was one person who was watching over the scene with a calm face.


    The second prince Werewolf Sharm Selene von Grantz.


    He has a huge following among the people of the north and is called the ¡°King of the North¡± and ¡°Twin Wolf.¡± He has a neutral face and an eye-catching appearance, but what stands out even more is that his eyes are different in color. It is called ¡°Distinctive Eyes¡± and is a physical characteristic that can be said to be a quality of heroes possessed by legendary figures.


    The second prince Selene has a blue eye on his left and a gold eye on his right, which gives him a strange impression. His blue hair, reminiscent of the sky, is as soft as silk, and his body is covered in thin brown fur, with silver and white armor peeking out from underneath.


    He seems to have no intention of being hostile at the moment, but it is unclear what he is really thinking.


    He¡¯s not interested in the throne, but he¡¯s obsessed with the northern part of the country, which he protects.


    He was prepared to go to any length to protect the north.


    If they were to be enemiester on, he would be the first to be eliminated.


    (But it would be a shame to dispose of him in a situation where he has value. We still need the second prince Selene to do his best. At least until Liz¡¯s position is established¡­)


    Hiro turned his gaze to Liz, but her neat form was covered in deep shadows.


    There was no doubt that her defeat by the first prince Stobel was still lingering. The fact that Skaaha was seriously injured in that battle and has yet to regain consciousness is also a factor.


    (She lost to Stobel, but there were benefits¡­ She was able to encourage the awakening of the ¡°me Emperor.¡± But there are some things to be concerned about. She is too mentally immature to be an emperor.)


    Then, she would not be able to win the support of the nobles and lords.


    The sun is the ruler of heaven that shines on all people. It is not allowed to shine only on certain people.


    If one is grieving for someone, one must grieve for all.


    You must havepassion for your people, respect for your soldiers, and love for your country.


    (These are emotions that many rulers have forgotten and abandoned.)


    She would be able to feel heartache for the unnamed.


    Hiro also knew well that Liz was a kind girl.


    (But¡­ that¡¯s not what she needed right now. She should not be swayed by her emotions.)


    If the emperor were still alive and well, less than a month ago, she would have been able to take the throne despite her naivety. But now¡­ with the loss of the emperor and the invasion of other countries, it won¡¯t be easy.


    (What the next emperor needs to do is to make a calm decision. Only those who can assess the current situation without being influenced by emotions can be considered as the next emperor. Liz¡¯s growth has been remarkable, but she hasn¡¯t yet mastered the ability to stifle her emotions.)


    Not bound by anyone. Not controlled by anyone. Not to be dictated by anyone.


    That¡¯s what an emperor, someone who aims for the top of the Grantz Empire, should be.


    Although she is powerful enough, she does not have the dignity of a lion or a champion.


    (There are other problems, too¡­)


    Hiro loosened his cor and let out a deep breath, catching Rosa out of the corner of his eye.


    Her bewitching beauty had a stern expression on her face. The reason would not only be that the emperor was dead. It was also because she was forced to revise her n to put Liz on the throne.


    (My presence is getting in the way. I should have changed my support to Liz earlier.)


    With this incident, the order of session to the throne had shifted significantly.


    The first prince Stobel rebelled and was deprived of his right to the throne.


    Next would be the third prince Blutar, but the power of the western nobles has weakened.


    The second prince Selene was not interested in the throne, and he rarely came to the central. He was considered a low-ranking sessor to the throne because of his weak health. So, who among the people in this room is the highest in the line of session ¨D if asked, all of them would point to Liz.


    However, this brings up the issue that concerned him earlier.


    There is no faction that supports her. In short, there is no one to support her.


    Then, even if the order of session is high, it is meaningless. It¡¯s just a title, a treasure trove. The next highest in line of session, Hiro, would be a hindrance to Liz.


    He has the support of the eastern nobility and is popr among the people because he is a descendant of the ¡°God of War.¡±


    Above all, Hiro¡¯s aplishments since he was adopted into the Grantz family, ording to Altius¡¯s will, are also impable.


    (There¡¯s no one who can stop me even if I forcefully dere that I¡¯m going to be the emperor here.)


    Nevertheless¡­


    (There would be a split. They won¡¯t let me take the throne so easily.)


    Hiro looked at the powerful nobles, including the Mark family.


    The central nobles who have begun to look up to the Mark family as their leader in ce of the Krone family, which has lost its power, are fed up with their lightness of foot. These central nobles are whispering to each other with anxiety on their faces.


    Some of the whispers were directed at a certain person.


    ¡°Why did he show up now¡­?¡±


    ¡°Where was he before? He was supposed to be with the emperor.¡±


    Their eyes were fixed on a thin, unhealthy-looking man.


    Bizan Gils von Sharm.


    He is the former head of the Sharm family, one of the five great noble families, and the emperor¡¯s right-hand man ¨D he is also the uncle of the second prince Selene.


    The other day, he suddenly appeared with an unconcerned look on his face and took part in today¡¯s meeting.


    ¡°Prime Minister Gils¡­ how could you survive in such a situation?¡±


    Perhaps thinking that it was useless to whisper to each other, one of the nobles said straightforwardly.


    The fact that his words were a bit harsh was probably due to the possibility that Prime Minister Gils was linked to the first prince Stobel. But Prime Minister Gils opened his mouth without changing his expression.


    ¡°What is it that you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Many of those who were in the imperial pce had been attacked by the deadly de and had died. The only ones who survived were the women and children who had hidden in the hidden rooms beforehand. In such a situation, you, who had always worked together with the emperor, survived. It¡¯s a question that anyone would ask themselves, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Prime Minister Gils shrugged his shoulders at the nobleman¡¯s persuasive tone.


    ¡°At the time, I was away from the throne room at the behest of the emperor.¡±


    ¡°What kind of order was that?¡±


    ¡°I was ordered to increase the security of the throne room. So I went to the door to send some of my knights to guard it and was attacked and wounded by the first prince Stobel.¡±


    From there, it all happened in a blink of an eye ¨D and Prime Minister Gils¡¯s body shook with fear.


    ¡°Everyone had foolishly let their guard down. It¡¯s safe to say that everyone was relieved when the first prince Stobel, the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, showed up.¡±


    However, they soon learned that it was a mistake.


    ¡°The ughter began. All of them died without realizing what had happened. By the time I realized it, I had lost one of my arms.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils tightened his grip on his left sleeve. The sleeve creased as if to indicate that it was hollow.


    ¡°I then decided to flee in shame to inform His Majesty of the emergency. But I lost so much blood that I fainted in the process. But fortunately, a maidservant saved me, and¡­ I am now safe and sound ¨D or rather, miserable.¡±


    ¡°Do you think such an exnation will convince us?¡±


    One of the noblemen stood up, pping the desk with both hands.


    ¡°The enemy is the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword. In fact, no one other than you has survived an attack by the first prince Stobel. What does that mean!¡±


    Following the angry nobleman, the others alsoined as if they were not satisfied.


    ¡°In the face of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, ordinary people are like babies. Encountering a natural disaster and being able to escape at the cost of only a single arm is¡­ unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°You were working with the first prince Stobel, weren¡¯t you? It would make sense that you sacrificed your left arm to avoid suspicion, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    Hiro also generally agreed with the questions of the nobles.


    The Prime Minister is second in rank only to the emperor. He is the most important person after the emperor.


    If someone were nning to overthrow the country, they would not let Prime Minister Gils go.


    (Since Stobel is powerful enough, he can take out Prime Minister Gils with little effort. But I have no proof. I guess I¡¯ll just have to leave it at that.)


    More importantly, a man as strong as Prime Minister Gils would not easily show his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous. You should be ashamed of yourself for framing me as an informant for such an unfounded reason!¡±


    The voice of Prime Minister Gils was filled with anger. It was a rare disy of emotion for a man who usually embodied calm and collected.


    The whispering of the nobles stopped as Prime Minister Gils mmed his right hand on the desk.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the time to be arguing. As we speak, the sacred territory of the Grantz Empire, given to us by the Spirit King, is being trampled upon by the barbarians of the west.¡±


    He had a point. There is no time to waste in denouncing something that does not have any proof; there are other priorities.


    He was putting himself on the shelf, but it was a good argument. This is why the nobles fell silent.


    ¡°Now is the time for us to unite, but this is not good for the emperor! If you want to frame me, you¡¯d better get rid of those barbarians in the west first!¡±


    Hiro inwardly muttered that this was shameless, but it was fortunate that the Prime Minister of the Grantz Empire was still alive. With the loss of the emperor, there is no doubt that he is the head of the country, and it will certainly be easier for him to organize future policy.


    ¡°Then¡­ Could we move the topic to the Six Kingdoms?¡±


    A nobleman, the facilitator who had been watching the barren dispute, said in exasperation.


    He then confirmed that there was no one to object and asked the civil servant for data.


    ¡°ording to the report of the spies, reinforcements are being sent one after another from their home countries, and it is possible that the final number will exceed 200,000.¡±


    The nobleman in charge of the proceedings read the report he had received from the civil servant without hesitation.


    In contrast, the nobles who had been quietly listening to the report shouted in surprise.


    ¡°If such arge army were to flow into the Central, it would be impossible to stop them.¡±


    ¡°What about the reinforcementsing from outside the Central?¡±


    ¡°It will take a month or two for the reinforcements from each region to gather at the central, and¡­ three months at the earliest to prepare for an interception.¡±


    ¡°Will the western nobles be able to withstand the threat¡­ for such a long time?¡±


    No one could answer thest question. A serious atmosphere filled the antechamber.


    The nobleman who was in charge of the meeting spoke, looking at the quiet people in the room.


    ¡°The Six Kingdoms that are currently invading the west seem to have divided their forces into several groups and are advancing through the western territories. ording to reports, they are rampaging through the country, sinking forts and cities one after another.¡±


    ¡°What is the army that was doing security work in Felzen doing? Why did they allow the invasion to happen so easily¡­? What is the third prince Blutar doing, and where is he?¡±


    ¡°In addition, I believe that one of the five great generals Bakish is in the west; what is he doing?¡±


    When the nobleman in charge of facilitating the meeting was questioned, his lips pulled back in frustration.


    ¡°The main force of the western nobility ¨D the army led by the third prince Blutar ¨D seems to be stranded in the Felzen region. In addition, general Bakish, who fought hard to defend the borderline between the Felzen region, was killed in the battle¡­¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 1 – Calm Before The Storm, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 1 - Calm Before The Storm, Part 2</h4>


    The five great generals are the great militarymanders that represent the Grantz Empire.


    The emperor has personally entrusted them with the guardianship of their respective regions, and as thest bulwark, they have been able to exert a re on other countries.


    It is not hard to imagine what happened to his corpse. It will be greatly used as an example to encourage the western nobles to surrender.


    (Even so, Bakish-san was killed in battle¡­?)


    General Bakish von Hass, the guardian of the West. Although they were not particrly close, he still helped Hiro during the attack on the Grand Duchy of Dral. If it weren¡¯t for him, Hiro¡¯s n wouldn¡¯t have seeded, and he wouldn¡¯t have been able to get Liz back.


    ¡°The border garrison was less than 10,000, so it must have been a very tough battle. Above all, the Imperial ck Knights are also apanying the third prince Blutar, so even one of the five great generals would not be able to withstand the onught of the Six Kingdoms¡­¡±


    ¡°So, how did the Six Kingdoms manage to get arge army into the west? How could they have overlooked a number of 150,000? If they are able to move around without us knowing, they may have already invaded the Central. Considering that, we must take countermeasures.¡±


    The nobles, frightened by the invisible enemy, raised their voices as if to make a show of bravado.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ they were blending in with the Felzen remnant army.¡±


    Seeing that the conversation was not going anywhere, Hiro pointed to a map in the middle of the desk.


    ¡°The 150,000 were divided into small groups and gradually separated from the Felzen remnants. After that, it is reasonable to assume that they joined up in several ces and then invaded the west.¡±


    In the Felzen region, there are plenty of towns, viges, forts, castles, and hiding ces that have been ruined after several major battles. By using them, it is possible to hide arge army.


    However, even with Hiro¡¯s exnation, the nobles seemed unable to believe it.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro, with all due respect. Sending a number of 150,000 in small groups ¨D that would take an uncanny number of years. Moreover, they must be very careful not to be noticed. Doesn¡¯t sound very realistic, does it?¡±


    ¡°Doing something unrealistic ¨D that¡¯s how serious they are.¡±


    Before Hiro could retort, the second prince Selene leaned one elbow on his desk and said cheerfully.


    ¡°They have been preparing this for years. It may have been years ago¡­ or it may have taken a huge amount of time, even decades. They¡¯ve been preparing meticulously so as not to be noticed by us ¨D isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    The second prince Selene smiled at Hiro as if seeking his agreement.


    ¡°Yes, it also means that there was an opening in the Grantz Empire.¡±


    It was an borate and grandiose n to destroy the Grantz Empire.


    The Granz Empire was so proud of its great power that it only invaded other countries and overlooked it. This is the reason why the current situation is so irreversible.


    ¡°I wonder why we have to bear such a grudge.¡±


    The young nobleman said with a grieved expression.


    ¡°There are many people who resent our country because it is a great country and has a long history.¡±


    The old nobleman who knew the root of the reason why the Six Kingdoms had invaded this time let out a deep sigh. It¡¯s not that the ignorance of the young nobleman dumbfounded him but that he was thinking of the karma that the Grantz Empire had borne.


    ¡°Especially the resentment of the Six Kingdoms is considerable. To borrow the words of the second prince Selene, it can be said that the Six Kingdoms have been under preparation for a thousand years.¡±


    The oppressed past, those who crossed over to the west because of persecution. They are the descendants of the families that once worked tirelessly for the Grantz Empire or their rtions.


    This was the Six Kingdoms, founded by the descendants of the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky,¡± who were Hiro¡¯s subordinates.


    As the name implies, the Six Kingdoms are a confederation of six royal families.


    The unity of the Six Kingdoms is based on the unshakable unity of the unified king at the top, but three of the royal families have the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky ¡± as their founders. There are many different races, beastman, long-ear, dwarves, and human, and the characteristics of the people are also unique. Of course, none of the nations have forgotten the bitterness of their ancestors.


    Even though their honor has been restored, the descendants of the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky¡± are still treated as if they never existed in the Grantz Empire. The resentment of those who had been erased from history was immeasurable.


    Therefore, this invasion was inevitable.


    In the antechamber, where silence fell, the person who had been watching the event opened his mouth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s think about the future first, shall we?¡±


    The sixth princess, Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.


    She has red hair reminiscent of fire with a silky luster. Her zing red jade eyes give a strong sense of will. She has an interesting face that is still young, but her appearance, which reminds of the tranquility of a sculpture made by a master sculptor, is irresistible to people.


    ¡°What we should be discussing right now is what to do about the Six Kingdoms that are invading us.¡±


    Liz was taken aback by the back-and-forth, off-topic military discussions.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s continue the discussion.¡±


    The nobleman who was facilitating the meeting cleared his throat, then unfolded the parchment in his hand and muttered.


    ¡°Most of the 30,000 soldiers who participated in the rebellion have surrendered, but it would be difficult to have them apany us if they are mentally unstable and going on a counter-offensive. In addition to that, considering the punishment of the nobles who were involved in the rebellion, the number of troops in the Central has been greatly reduced ¨D I estimate that only about 50,000 can move immediately.¡±


    However, security has been deteriorating as desperate fugitive soldiers have been running rampant in various ces, and bandits have appeared to take advantage of the chaos at the Central.


    The number of 50,000 can only be gathered if those factors are ignored, he said.


    ¡°So, considering the maintenance of public safety, we can only gather about 20,000 at present.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough to push back an army of 150,000. Do we have to wait for reinforcements from all over?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice but to do so. The west has no choice but to endure. For now, we should bring in forces from the north, east, and south.¡±


    ¡°That is also difficult.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils said with a face full of bitterness.


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    The nobles questioned, but at this point, Hiro stood up and pulled out a letter.


    ¡°I received a letter from the Muzuk family.¡±


    The mention of the names of the five major noble families that ruled the south caused a slightmotion to rise in the antechamber.


    Hiro tapped the letter with an exaggerated hand gesture and urged the nobles to silence.


    ¡°This letter describes a tense situation in which the Steichen Republic is deploying troops on the border. Their number is unknown at this stage, but it is said to be no less than ten or twenty thousand.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous. The Steichen Republic is not in a position to intervene in another country¡¯s struggle for session.¡±


    ¡°I agree, but it¡¯s true. The Muzuk family has written to me requesting me to move the Fourth Imperial Army.¡±


    The sixth princess has the right tomand it.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze is directed at Liz at once, but she makes a difficult face and sighs.


    ¡°The Fourth Imperial Army is ready to move. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be ready in no time¡­ But if I do, you won¡¯t be able to count on any reinforcements from the south.¡±


    Whether to fight until the Steichen Republic retreated or make peace, it was clear that it would take some time either way. Moreover, since themand of the Fourth Imperial Army was in Liz¡¯s hands, no orders other than her own would be epted. In other words, Liz herself would have to head south to deal with the Steichen Republic.


    ¡°The only current holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword in the Grantz Empire is Her Highness Celia Estre. How is it possible to send her to the south? Right now, the Six Kingdoms to the west are far more of a threat than the rural south republic. I hereby insist that the Muzuk family should endure.¡±


    As one nobleman expressed his opinion, the noble lords nodded one after another as if to show their agreement.


    But¡­


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll ask Liz to head south. We don¡¯t want to make the Muzuk family feel unhappy here. If we make enemies with them, it will be the end of the Grantz Empire.¡±


    If the west is about to fall apart, and the south is about to fall apart as well, the Grantz Empire will truly copse.


    ¡°Then¡­ what are you going to do about the west, Your Highness Hiro?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll head there myself. I¡¯ll be taking 20,000 troops with me.¡±


    ¡°Hiro, wait. What are you going to do with only twenty thousand?¡±


    Liz interrupted the conversation with a surprised look on her face.


    Hiro smiles at Liz as he scratches the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; I¡¯m not going to do anything crazy. I¡¯m just trying to stall them from pouring into the Central.¡±


    ¡°Stall them?¡±


    Hiro nodded at Liz¡¯s response.


    ¡°The opponents are a huge army of 150,000. If all the nobles don¡¯t join hands, we won¡¯t be able to break through the desperate situation. If that is the case, we should gather our forces in the Central and challenge the Six Kingdoms to a decisive battle.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to intercept the Six Kingdoms in the Central?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry for the people in the west, but they will have to endure. Right now, we have to concentrate on building up our forces.¡±


    But as time goes by, the casualties in the west will continue to increase.


    Many noble lords and princes will distrust the Grantz Empire, which could lead to informers.


    To avoid this, Hiro himself will go to the west and use 20,000 soldiers.


    ¡°The people of the West might be disappointed if they find out that the reinforcements are only twenty thousand.¡±


    Hiro took his gaze off Liz and looked around at the people participating in the military council.


    ¡°But if I, a descendant of the God of War, head out asmander, I can alleviate some of the anxiety.¡±


    If Hiro, who is an important figure in the Grantz Empire, rushes to the aid of the army, he can convince the western nobility and people that the home country has not abandoned the west.


    ¡°And the third prince Blutar is to remain in the Felzen region. Let him regain his wits in preparation for theing day, and when the timees, we will pinch the Six Kingdoms and defeat them once and for all.¡±


    It¡¯s an empty theory with no sense of reality, but it must be conveyed with confidence. It was also meant to discourage the nobles and lords who were harboring double-mindedness from thinking anything improper.


    ¡°I would like the acting head of the Kelheit family to head to the east, gather as many troops as possible, and return to the Central. The second prince Selene will remain stationed in the great imperial capital to consider countermeasures against the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    When Hiro looked at Rosa and the second prince Selene, they all nodded.


    Hiro continued to speak one after another.


    ¡°We need to reassure the merchants to avoid further dissatisfaction among the people and further damage to the economy. I hereby propose that we change the unstable trade routes in the west.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but¡­ do you have a n?¡±


    Prime Minister Gils interjected a question, and Hiro nodded as if to say it was obvious.


    ¡°Let¡¯s work with the Grand Duchy of Dral to avoid economic stagnation. We will also strengthen our trade with the Levering Kingdom in the north, and take in their abundant ore at twice the price of what it used to be, and have it flow to us on a priority basis. It will be temporary, but we will use it to stimte the market until the war is over.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils held his chin and fell silent. After a few moments of silence, he nodded vigorously.


    ¡°¡­Fumu, you want them to think that it is in their interest to join forces with the Grantz Empire?¡±


    The first priority is to stop other countries from invading the Grantz Empire. If the neighboring countries believe that this kind of situation will not shake the Grantz Empire, the Six Kingdoms will be impatient because they will not be able to get any help.


    While some of the nobles were convinced, Liz twisted her lips in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°I understand about revitalizing the economy. You mean that in anticipation of a prolonged war, right? But I don¡¯t think that will be enough to break the current situation. We¡¯ve already been attacked in the west. The Six Kingdoms may stabilize the west and invade the Central before we are in a perfect state.¡±


    Her beautiful voice has no stagnation and is full of confidence.


    Liz didn¡¯t show any signs of hesitation and spoke her opinion with an air of authority.


    ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that the west will be able to endure while I¡¯m dealing with the Steichen Republic. Even if you say that you can stop them with 20,000 troops, they have 150,000 troops, and if they organize a separate force, on the contrary, you might be the one to be stopped.¡±


    Is there any way to stop them? Liz added at the end, looking at Hiro.


    Hiro, who had been listening to her silently, forgot the atmosphere of the ce and made a dumbfounded face.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Liz to point this out to him.


    It seems that the nobles had noticed that he was trying to distract their attention from the problem and had made it vague by muddying the scene.


    (No¡­ It¡¯s no wonder. Originally, Liz¡¯s growth had been remarkable.)


    Recently, he had heard that Rosa had been teaching her politics and Aura had been teaching her military strategy.


    It wasn¡¯t something that someone had told her to do. It was because she had thought about it herself and had questions that she offered her opinion.


    Her growth was admirable, and Hiro fought to keep his cheeks from loosening.


    (Then I have to respond to this growth of yours¡­)


    After regaining hisposure, Hiro began to exin in order to dispel her fears and even suspicions.


    ¡°That question is natural, I guess. But the Six Kingdoms have no choice but to remain in the west for a while. I¡¯ll exin some of the reasons now.¡±


    Hiro pointed to the map and then traced it around.


    ¡°First of all, the Six Kingdoms have not yet established their logistics. I don¡¯t know how long it took them to do it, but they don¡¯t have enough food to feed an army of 150,000 people. Nevertheless, they cannot just loot the cities and viges.¡±


    ¡°Why not? If they have a grudge against the Grantz Empire, why don¡¯t they just loot them?¡±


    Hiro smiled mildly at Liz, who tilted her head to express that she didn¡¯t know honestly.


    ¡°Now that the winter season has arrived, looting could lead to people starving to death, and the bacsh from the locals could lead to an armed uprising. When considering the future of governance, including expansion into the Central, such a blunder should be avoided.¡±


    If you are not too ipetent, you will not allow looting. If a defeat is imminent, there is no telling how they will respond, but as it stands, the Six Kingdoms have the upper hand, so they will not do anything reckless.


    ¡°¡­Y-yeah.¡±


    Looking at Liz, who was nodding her head several times to try to understand, Hiro spun his words slowly.


    ¡°One more thing, if they cross the Felzen region, the logistics with their home country will be fully extended. They have their coborators in Felzen, but they also have their enemy, the third prince Blutar. For now, the priority for him is to find and destroy the supply routes, and he will remain as an obstacle until our forces are ready.¡±


    War cannot be waged without food. Without people, food cannot grow. Withoutnd, people cannot be born. These are three things that cannot be ignored when thinking about what will happen after the invasion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they will invade the Central right away because of these concerns. I believe that they will challenge us to a decisive battle after they have made all preparations.¡±


    Since they have gathered arge army of 150,000, they will want to avoid defeat.


    ¡°So we have plenty of time to prepare our forces.¡±


    However, deep down, Hiro is convinced that they will attack very soon.


    (What we¡¯re thinking, they must be thinking it as well. They must have some sort of countermeasure in ce ¨D just like the seasons; they want to settle this in a short period after moving arge army.)


    In the meantime, Hiro gave Liz a look while he pondered.


    She was not satisfied with the results¡­ yet she groaned with a sense of reluctance.


    (This will ensure that she can go down to the Muzuk family.)


    After patting his chest, Hiro looked at the council members and asked if there were any other opinions.


    No one wanted to say a word.


    After confirming that there were no objections, Hiro sat down in his chair.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s discuss our respective roles.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils stood up in his ce and proceeded with the topic without hesitation.


    (This is how it will be¡­)


    Hiro dropped his gaze to his hands and stared at the letter sent from the Muzuk family.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    Now that the meeting was over, Hiro stepped out of the antechamber into the hallway and began to walk in silence.


    Many nobles were hurriedly running past him and then running away. There was a variety of fervour that could be felt from the people in this hallway.


    The Central nobles with territories close to the west were in a state of agitation, while the northern nobles who lived far away from the Central nobles had a heavy gait as if it was none of their business.


    (There¡¯s a huge atmosphere difference when ites to this war.)


    Until now, they have only fought localized battles.


    This is the first national-scale war involving all of the Grantz, and most people think it¡¯s just a fire on the other side of the river. People do not feel threatened until they themselves are affected, so the nobles do not panic unless there is a danger to their territory.


    This is why there is such an atmosphere difference.


    In other words, the nobles who have enjoyed peace for so long do not have a sense of crisis.


    (In short, they are spoiled by peace.)


    That is why they are too stupid to deal with national crises. They have bex in their thinking.


    When Hiro found the group of nobles chatting, he became even more grumpy.


    Hiro tried to leave the ce quickly, but¡­


    ¡°Hiro, wait!¡±


    The voice drew him to look behind him, and he saw Liz standing there with her hands on her hips. She had a puffy but charming face that soothed the anger raging in Hiro¡¯s chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just what¡¯s wrong me. Are you sure you can manage with only twenty thousand?¡±


    ¡°As I said in the military council, I¡¯ll just buy some time until we can gather our forces.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Liz closed in on him. Hiro retreated, startled by the beauty that loomed before him.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m serious. As you can see, it¡¯s a bit brutal to go up against 150,000 people.¡±


    As Hiro stroked his eye patch to hide his embarrassment, Liz poked her finger at it.


    ¡°You must not do anything dangerous. When I¡¯m done with the Steichen Republic, I¡¯ll definitelye back, and you can wait quietly until then.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡±


    Hiro smiled, but Liz¡¯s eyes were fixed on him as if she were looking at a suspicious person.


    Liz has be more suspicious of Hirotely.


    It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t trust him. It¡¯s just that she doesn¡¯t take Hiro¡¯s words with as much conviction as she used to. After examining and thinking things through in her own way, she began to say her own thoughts instead of agreeing with them outright.


    That¡¯s good for the future, but it¡¯s not good for this situation.


    ¡°Oh, yes. When you head south, I want you to take Ghada and the others with you.¡±


    ¡°Hugin and Munin too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Of course.¡±


    Liz frowned quizzically at that. Hiro smiled and told her the reason.


    ¡°The Raven Army is currently returning to the Berg Fortress, recovering from their injuries. I want you to bring them with you when youe back to the Central.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just bring them. I think it would be better if Ghada and the others stayed with Hiro.¡±


    ¡°The Raven Army was originally mercenaries. You know they¡¯re made up of roughnecks. They might not listen to Liz. I want you to take Ghada and the others with you in case that happens.¡±


    Inwardly, he thought of the exact opposite but didn¡¯t say it.


    ¡°Also, I want you to mediate between the Fourth Imperial Army and themanders of the Raven Army. That way, they will feel more secure in knowing that they can rely on you, and it will be easier for them to work together.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll buy you some time until then.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    Liz nodded and made a difficult face. She looked up at him as if she wanted to say something as if she had something on her mind. Hiro sensed that and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. You can surely defeat the Steichen Republic. You¡¯ll be fine even without me.¡±


    He gave her his approval, but Liz¡¯s mouth twitched in frustration.


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    After all, she was still reeling from her defeat against the first prince Stobel. The most important reason why she does not haveplete confidence in herself ¨D in order to get rid of it, it will be necessary to take forceful measures.


    (Don¡¯t worry. I have an idea¡­ I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get over the hardship.)


    Hiro kept his thoughts to himself and decided to dodge the subject.


    ¡°I think so. So, you just keep walking and don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Let¡¯s make a path for that. Give her enough confidence to break through her doubts. That¡¯s what Liz needs for the day she rises to the sky and bes the sun.


    Liz couldn¡¯t hide her anxiety, but Hiro assured her that any further words would be meaningless.


    If it was the actual battle that made her lose her confidence, then it was only the actual battle that could make her regain it.


    ¡°By the way, how is Skaaha¡¯s condition?¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t regained consciousness yet, though the doctor told me that she would wake up soon. Also, the wound seems to be healing well.¡±


    ¡°Then I want you to tell her to remain here when she wakes up. She might say she¡¯ll have to go with you, but you have to force her. She needs to prioritize her recovery.¡±


    Skaaha was badly injured in the battle against Stobel and the Fallen Ones.


    She was not fatally injured because of the protection of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, but if she had been an ordinary person, she might have been bedridden.


    When she woke up, she would say that she would go with Liz since she had made a pact with Hiro.


    ¡°She¡¯s a stubborn person and won¡¯t easily give up, but if Liz can convince her, I don¡¯t think Skaaha will be able to say no.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Skaaha needs to be healed first, but¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Hiro gave a smallugh and then patted Liz on the shoulder, forcing the conversation to end.


    ¡°Then I can¡¯t waste any more time. There are people in the west who are still being tormented by the Six Kingdoms as we speak. Let¡¯s get ready right away.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m ready to leave.¡±


    After Liz¡¯s puzzled reply, Hiro walked past her.


    He then turned his back on Liz and began to walk down the hallway.


    ¡°¡­Hiro?¡±


    Her sad voice never reached Hiro but melted into the empty silence.

 Volume 6, Chapter 1 – Calm Before The Storm, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 1 - Calm Before The Storm, Part 3</h4>


    In the Grantz Empire, there are several ces that only certain people are allowed to enter.


    One of them is the site of the former Imperial Pce ¨D a vacant lot behind the Imperial Pce Vain.


    The building was torn down after a horrific incident that urred fifteen years ago. Even now, nothing is being built, and there is a gaping hole in the vastnd.


    The other is the tomb of the emperors. It is rumored to be located under the Imperial Pce.


    (Is this an area that only the current and next emperors are allowed to enter¡­?)


    In the evening, in the corridor where the horrific incident urred, the sound of footsteps echoed uneasily, perhaps due to theck of people passing by.


    When Hiro arrived in front of the ce he was looking for ¨D the guest room, two men appeared and bowed to him.


    One was Prime Minister Gils, and the other was the leader of the tomb guard.


    ¡°Thank you foring, Your Highness Hiro.¡±


    The reason Hiiro hade here ¨D he had been summoned by Prime Minister Gils, who was standing right in front of him.


    ¡°So, there were intruders in the emperor¡¯s cemetery?¡±


    ¡°It seems that someone has taken advantage of the chaos to infiltrate.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils said as soon as he raised his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m really ashamed of myself. I will take whatever punishment I can get for this blunder.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard, who was standing next to Prime Minister Gils, fell to his knees and apologized.


    ¡°Please take me to the emperor¡¯s cemetery first. Can you tell me about the damage along the way?¡±


    ¡°Very well. Right this way, sir.¡±


    As the leader of the tomb guard stood up and turned away, Prime Minister Gils turned to face Hiro.


    ¡°I will take my leave here, then. Only members of the royal family are allowed in the cemetery.¡±


    ¡°I see, I understand. Thank you for your efforts, Prime Minister Gils.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils bowed and left.


    Hiro was staring at his back ¨D or rather, his lost shoulder.


    (That clown¡­ I wish I could cut his head off right here and now.)


    The urge to kill, the anger rising from the depths of his heart, almost painted his head. However, by beating his chest and repeating his breathing, he was able to release the heat and catch his breath.


    (If I beat him here, the body would escape. He¡¯s only a tail, after all.)


    The first prince Stobel, Prime Minister Gils, and many others are corrupting this country.


    But even they, who are at the center of the nation that dominates the central continent, are just the tail. There is no end to the curiosity of what is going on with the body covered in darkness and the head that lies beyond it.


    (I will definitely drag them out. Until then, you can wait andugh.)


    Hiro smiled eerily and stared into the darkness that pervaded the depths of the passage.


    ¡°Now, Your Highness Hiro, this way, please.¡±


    Hiro came back to his senses when the leader of the tomb guard called out to him, and he followed him.


    The underground cemetery where sessive emperors areid to rest is located in the corner of the imperial pce called the ¡°Passage of Nothingness.¡±


    There are several hidden doors, and some rooms have traps for intruders, making it a ce that cannot be entered carelessly. Above all, it was impossible to even set foot in the ce without the emperor¡¯s permission. But now that the emperor was dead and the ¡°Wind¡± was gone, no eyes were watching.


    ¡°Please do not touch the walls. I can¡¯t guarantee your life.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard warned Hiro, who was looking around curiously.


    Hiro withdrew his hand from the wall and smiled.


    ¡°I see; there are traps in the wall as well.¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t know the trap¡¯s power, it would be better not to touch it.


    Hiro, who was protected by the ck Princess Camellia, would be safe, but the thought of what would happen to the leader of the tomb guard who was caught in the trap frightened him.


    ¡°Here we are.¡±


    Eventually, the leader of the tomb guard stopped in front of a in wall.


    A heavy sound echoed through the air when he touched it, and the cold air blew against the skin.


    The next thing Hiro knew, a staircase leading to the basement appeared in front of him. The walls were covered with torches, dimly lit but bright enough for him to see his feet.


    The leader of the tomb guard led the way down the stairs, and after following his crooked back, a long passage appeared. The darkness enveloped them, and it was hard to see whaty ahead, but the leader of the tomb guard proceeded without hesitation.


    On the way, there was a heavily damaged corpse lying on the ground, probably from a fierce battle.


    Seeing that Hiro had noticed it, the leader of the tomb guard opened his mouth.


    ¡°They¡¯re my subordinates, the tomb guards. They were killed by intruders.¡±


    There was more than one corpse. There were two, then five, then eight more as they walked down the passageway.


    Hiro suddenly noticed something strange.


    ¡°Not a single body of the intruders?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a disappointing story¡­¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard muttered in frustration.


    Hiro didn¡¯t know the capabilities of the people under hismand, but since they were entrusted with guarding the cemetery where sessive emperors wereid to rest, they must bepetent. However, they were defeated without being able to defeat any of the intruders.


    As the leader of the family that has guarded the cemetery for generations, he must feel nothing but shame.


    The damaged corpse gave Hiro a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, and the existence of a group of assassins hiding in the darkness came to his mind.


    (ck Death Vige, the assassination group that once had the emperor in its clutches)


    He recalled that the man who was the lord of the satellite city of Zuik had been killed by the same means. The method of gouging out both eyes and destroying the brain was so cruel that it made him want to throw up, and beside the body was a creepy mud doll without a head.


    (Imitating the figure known as ¡°Father.¡±¡­)


    Although he doesn¡¯t know what this means, he feels that something appeals to him.


    The emotions that seep out are rage, hatred, and obsession. But he can¡¯t find the answer. It was as if he had lost his way in the bushes and could not grasp anything.


    Unable to find the answer, Hiro eventually exited the passage.


    It was a vast space.


    Even if he looked up, he could not see anything beyond the darkness. Only the area where the torches could reach shone brightly, and the ce where the light could not reach was an abyss, as if once entering, one could nevere out again.


    ¡°A thousand years ago, ording to mythology, this ce was ruled by one of the Five Great Heavenly Kings.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard told Hiro as he looked around.


    ¡°The lone and most fearsome ¡®ck Dragon King¡¯ who has spread fear throughout the world. When he appeared to the world, everyone shuddered in fear, and every race was on the verge of extinction in the face of his overwhelming power.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard began to walk slowly as he spoke.


    ¡°However, the most fearsome of them all, the ck Dragon King, was defeated by a single hero. Since then, this ce has been ruled by the human race, and a capital city has been set up on the surface. Later, the first emperor, Altius, who realized his own mortality, designated the crypt as the resting ce of the emperors.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard added at the end that it was the most sacred ce in the Grand Imperial Capital.


    Perhaps that¡¯s why it¡¯s so much warmer underground than it is above ground, where winter has arrived. Was it because the power of the ¡®King¡¯ still lingered, or was it the air created by the strange hills that lined the vast space?


    ¡°¡­¡­By the way.¡±


    Hiro muttered in a voice that did not show any emotion and then changed the subject.


    ¡°May I ask why I was called here?¡±


    ¡°As a descendant of the God of War, Your Highness Hiro has the right to know.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard shook his head.


    ¡°No, it has to be Your Highness Hiro, a descendant of the second Emperor Schwartz.¡±


    ¡°The right to know¡­?¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard stopped and moved his arm in front of Hiro¡¯s question mark.


    ¡°Has Your Highness noticed the hills that dot the emperor¡¯s cemetery?¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard pointed out, and Hiro looked around again.


    As he had been told, the ground had risen in many ces, forming a kind of hill.


    ¡°ording to folklore, the hills were named ¡°Thousand Hills¡± in the hope that the prosperity of the nation wouldst for a thousand generations, and on each hill, the emperors of the past have slept.¡±


    And behind us ¨D said the leader of the tomb guardian, turning around and bowing his head.


    ¡°This is the tomb of the second emperor.¡±


    There was a hill covered with grass. The grass was neatly trimmed, and it was clear that it had been tended regrly.


    There was arge fence around it, decorated with glittering jewels.


    At what seemed to be the entrance to the hill was arge hollow.


    However, the area around it was extremely unnatural.


    For some reason, only the entrance was blocked by rubble, while the surrounding area was neatly organized. At a nce, it was obvious. Someone had wrecked the ce.


    ¡°Originally, there was a door and a coffin inside¡­¡±


    If it had been destroyed artificially, the scene would be exactly what he imagined when he entered.


    ¡°Is this some kind of grave robbery to take advantage of the chaos on the surface?¡±


    Hiro concluded, but the leader of the tomb guard tilted his head suspiciously.


    ¡°At first, I thought it was the work of grave robbers too, but the strange thing is that nothing was stolen, except for one thing.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard rifled through his pockets and offered him something.


    ¡°The body of the second emperor was the only thing that was stolen, not a single piece of jewelry. Instead, this was found in the coffin.¡±


    On top of his wrinkled hands was a headless mud doll.


    ¡°What about the other cemeteries? Has anything been stolen?¡±


    Hiro looked at the mud doll with his cold eyes and then looked at the leader of the tomb guard.


    ¡°No, the rest of the cemetery is safe. Only the tomb of the second emperor was vandalized.¡±


    They didn¡¯t take any jewelry, but only the body of the second emperor. It seems that this was not a crime of grave robbery.


    But before that, he was still alive and had not been in the tomb. There was nobody in the coffin.


    If there was a body, it probably belonged to someone else who was ced there as a substitute.


    What is more mysterious is why they targeted the tomb of the second emperor.


    (Is it the ck Death Vige, plotting to resurrect the Father¡­?)


    Hiro looked again at the mud doll in his hands.


    At that moment, a chill ran down his spine, and he instantly took a sharp look at his surroundings. The space begins to creak under the pressure of the enormous amount of energy being dispersed.


    He took threatening action in case there were any hostiles present, but the leader of the tomb guard was unable to withstand it. He pressed his chest in agony and fell to one knee on the ground.


    ¡°Oh¡­ I apologize.¡±


    After Hiro confirmed that there was no one lurking in the darkness, he suppressed the murderous intent at one level. But he never let his guard down.


    Slowly, slowly, Hiro repeated his breathing and stopped his gaze at a particr ce.


    ¡°¡­W-what is it?¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard also looked at the same ce, but there was only space.


    The sudden release of murderous intent caused arge amount of sweat to appear on the face of the leader of the tomb guard.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Hiro said it was nothing, but his ck eyes did not waver one bit. They were pointed at the same ce the whole time.


    Darkness coiled quietly there, dark and somber as if refusing intruders.


    Hiro¡¯s murderous intent was more subdued than before, but¡­


    ¡°W-what have you found?¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard asked as if he was suspicious, seeing that Hiro was still as alert as ever.


    Hiro checked his expression with a sideways nce, then muttered quietly.


    ¡°Where is the cemetery of the first emperor?¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 1 – Calm Before The Storm, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 1 - Calm Before The Storm, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°Where is the cemetery of the first emperor?¡±


    At this question, the leader of the tomb guard pasted tension on his wrinkled face. Hiro wondered at the strange reaction but finally returned his gaze to him.


    ¡°I ask you once again, where is the cemetery of the first emperor?¡±


    No falsehoods are allowed. As he said this, his voice was filled with murderous intent.


    The leader of the tomb guard bowed his head and spat out the words in a shaky voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know. It is said that the cemetery of the first emperor appears only to the one who is chosen to be the next emperor.¡±


    He did not lie. His body trembled from extreme nervousness, and there was no sense of deception. He must have been telling the truth. If he didn¡¯t know, there was no point in questioning him.


    Then, the only thing to do would be to go and check out the strange presence he¡¯s been feeling for a while now.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to check for any other traces of intruders. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, of course.¡±


    As if sensing from Hiro¡¯s words that he wanted to be left alone, the leader of the tomb guard stood up, took a moment to catch his breath, and then paused to think about what he was going to say.


    ¡°I-I apologize, but I must take my leave now. I have to dispose of the bodies of my unworthy disciples and establish a new security system.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ve learned the way, so I¡¯m fine. You can go outside first.¡±


    ¡°If you need anything, just call out to me, and I¡¯ll be here as soon as I can.¡±


    The leader of the tomb guard bowed repeatedly and walked away quickly.


    After watching his bent back, Hiro began to walk to investigate the identity of the gaze.


    Without hesitation, he walked into the darkness ¨D towards the presence he had felt earlier.


    Soon, arge rock appeared in front of him.


    The height was probably three times Hiro¡¯s height, and the width was so wide that he couldn¡¯t see the edges.


    ¡°This is strange¡­ I have not seen such a huge rock before, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    He looked back over his shoulder and saw that he was surrounded by darkness. He looked around, and the result was the same.


    It didn¡¯t seem like much of a walk, but¡­ was there some kind of force at work?


    ¡°¡­Though it is not surprising that Altius would have some strange tricks up his sleeve.¡±


    Hiro chuckled and held out his hand to the rock.


    The moment the fingertips touched, a strange thing happened.


    An erratic white light appears on the rock¡¯s surface, flows towards the ground, falls, and pops.


    It was weak like raindrops, yet it was divine, and it was repeated over and over again.


    Light and dark alternately flickered across the world, striking a mncholy note in the hearts of all who saw it.


    Eventually, the light began to change colors.


    From ck to white, from white to red, from red to gold.


    The dazzling gold color covered Hiro¡¯s vision and stained the darkness of the world with gold.


    ¡°You¡¯re still¡­ fancy as ever, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    While closing his eyes against the brightness, Hiro couldn¡¯t help but rx his mouth in nostalgia. He felt the light converging on him. The darkness covers the world again, just as it did before.


    When Hiro opened his eyes again, what appeared in front of him was a void.


    Even if he looked into it, he would not be able to see beyond. But the feeling that welled up in his chest was not fear but a sense of relief that somehow put his mind at ease.


    ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s see what that gaze is all about.¡±


    Hiro stepped out without hesitation and went inside.


    The view of the world changes.


    No, it¡¯s aplete change.


    It was as if he had wandered into a different world, and the scene that unfolded before him was mysterious.


    ¡°¡­¡­How can you create a space like this?¡±


    It was a field of flowers. The entire area was covered with brightly colored flowers in full bloom.


    When he looked up, the sun¡¯s rays were streaming in, enveloping the world in a dazzling array of colors.


    But there was one thing in particr that drew his attention.


    Buried among the flowers, it stood out in the center of the room.


    ¨D¨DA golden coffin.


    ¡°Haha, what a bad taste. It¡¯s just like you, though.¡±


    As Hiro unconsciously said the words, a gentle wind blew.


    As the wind dances away, caressing the body, he feels a slight sense of regret.


    ¡°¡­¡­You came, huh?¡±


    He felt a presence and turned around to see a young man standing there, looking as if he was in peace.


    Leon Werth Altius von Grantz.


    He¡¯s the first emperor of the Grantz Empire, and he¡¯s Hiro¡¯s brother-inw. However, it was clear that it was not him, despite the resemnce in appearance.


    His entire body emitted a faint glow. When captured by the ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye,¡± it was clear that he was a collection of spirits.


    ¡°I wonder how you found this ce. It¡¯s not a ce you can find with half-hearted determination.¡±


    Altius began to speak indifferently, his voice sounding machine-like.


    ¡°There are a lot of residual thoughts in this ce. Strong feelings, no matter how many years pass, do not fade and remain forever. Therefore, by taking them into themselves, the spirits express the thoughts and wishes of the emperors and pass them on to future generations.¡±


    The theatrical tone of voice,bined with theck of expression on his face, made him seem somewhat ridiculous.


    From Hiro¡¯s perspective, even though he knew the person himself, he could not help but feel ufortable, even though he was a collection of spirits.


    Without noticing Hiro¡¯s feelings, Altius, still expressionless, spread his arms to emphasize his presence.


    ¡°You have been chosen for a severe ordeal. You have been chosen as a person who is worthy of inheriting the thoughts of the emperors of the past, of carrying on the work of the Grantz Empire, of the inevitable fate of the emperor.¡±


    Altius pointed to a ce.


    When he looked over, a man was hanging his head in front of a golden coffin.


    His profile reminded him of Altius. Hiro tilted his head at the familiar face, but his thoughts stopped when he noticed the tears rolling down his cheeks.


    ¡°Father¡­ please forgive me. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m¡­ His Majesty Schwartz, please forgive me¡­¡±


    In addition, a little farther away, a red-haired man holding four treasured swords that looked like the Five Emperors of Spirit Swords was standing proudly, staring at the golden coffin with a fearless look on his face.


    ¡°In this chaotic time, many thoughts are swirling around. It seems to be foolishly trying to consume everything else. If this is karma, then let me y it all and lead the Grantz Empire to greater heights.¡±


    Another man appears next to the man who made the heroic statement.


    Hiro had seen him before.


    How could he forget?


    He was Liz¡¯s father, the previous emperor who had been assassinated, Greyheit himself.


    ¡°Aah¡­ why¡­ Why¡­?¡±


    He slumped back and sobbed. He exudes fragile supremacy that is unbing of an emperor.


    In his arms, a baby with red hair was asleep.


    ¡°Liz¡­ oh¡­ Liz¡­ forgive me¡­ for not protecting your mother¡­ please forgive your foolish father¡­¡±


    He stroked the baby¡¯s cheek lovingly, his eyes twisted with sadness. Hiro could feel the love and affection that was unimaginable when he was alive.


    ¡°His Majesty Altius, please don¡¯t choose this child as your only choice¡­ please give her a life free from war, please give her a life of peace and tranquility.¡±


    It was filled with anguish, like a cry of the soul ¨D an outpouring of thoughts from the bottom of the heart.


    ¡°If a sacrifice is necessary for that, I will bear the brunt of it and offer my body. Please, please protect my daughter.¡±


    There were those who spoke of repentance, those who dered their power, and those who offered prayers.


    A variety of residual thoughts is gathered here. Hiro had a headache and fell to his knees on the ground.


    Anger, sadness, joy, hatred, and a host of other emotions mingled, knotted together and melted away. There was an enormous amount of information in this space where the first Emperor Altius slept.


    Even Hiro, who possessed the ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye,¡± could not process the number of emotions flowing into his mind.


    ¡°Those who step into this ce have the right to know everything.¡±


    Hiro held his aching eyes as he looked at Altius, who was a collection of spirits.


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you how much you know and how much you can read, but I want you to be prepared for theing ¡®turning point.''¡±


    They are very simr in that they say whatever they want and then try to disappear, even though it is not the person himself. Hiro didn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because the spirit is impatient or just because the words to say are predetermined from the start. Either way, the exnation was insufficient to understand the situation.


    ¡°I want you to take over my will, please. That¡¯s all I want.¡±


    With thesest words, the collection of spirits dispersed.


    A gust of wind erupted into the sky with a loud roar as it blew through the passage.


    Hiro looked at the sky to see it off, but when he loosened his cor, he let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Huh¡­ but I still have to do something to get it.¡±


    Although he was groping¡­ he had to find the answer.


    This is not fate but inevitability.


    A thousand years ago, he parted ways with this world, and now he has returned, and by his presence, he must bear the responsibility of distorting the logic of this world.


    Feeling his eyes tingling less than before, Hiro stood up and walked to the golden coffin. It was a in coffin with only a few borate decorations to show its majesty.


    ¡°Should I open it? I don¡¯t want to see Altius¡¯ mummy, though.¡±


    As Hiro struggled to decide what to do, a strange object appeared at the edge of his vision.


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    There was an old book on the table.


    He took it in his hand, examined the contents, and found that the power of the spirits was flowing into it.


    It seemed to have been incorporated into the book itself so that the paper would not decay.


    ¡°Incidentally, he was practicing his handwriting in case he wanted to leave something for the future¡­¡±


    Hiro traced his finger over the masterful handwriting with a wry smile.


    Altius¡¯s handwriting ¨D in short, the journal of the first emperor.


    At first, the contents were familiar to Hiro.


    However, as he continued to read, Hiro noticed the strange timeline, and eventually, a book came to his mind. Hiro took out the ¡°Book of White¡± that he had stored in the ck Princess Camellia.


    ¡°¡­¡­Two books make one book. I guess that means it¡¯splete. I should have kept the Book of ck with me.¡±


    Hiro spread the two books out on the golden coffin and slowly turned the pages as if topare them.

 Volume 6, Chapter 1 – Calm Before The Storm, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 1 - Calm Before The Storm, Part 5</h4>


    At the same time, when Hiro is pondering deep underground.


    In the Felzen region, in the southwestern part of the former De jure territory, at Fort Mitte.


    The sky, which had been clear and sunny, is now dominated by clouds. The world was covered with low, mousy clouds that made one¡¯s heart uneasy.


    The old De jure territory was the battleground where, a few months ago, Princess Skaaha of the Felzen Kingdom and Aura, known as the ¡°War Maiden¡± of the Grantz Empire, had fought a fierce battle.


    And the most fierce battle ground was at Fort Mitte.


    Fort Mitte was built to protect the people from the monsters that spread in the foothills of the Travant Mountains, but it lost sight of its original purpose after the fall of the Felzen Kingdom.


    However, even after many battles, the sturdy fortress did not copse and continued to stare westward, but its function as a bulwark waspletely lost due to the invasion of the Six Kingdoms.


    Its cruel appearance could be described as a pile of rubble.


    Completely copsed walls, burning buildings, and arge number of burnt corpses filled the surrounding area.


    The smell of burnt iron and rust dominates the area, and new bodies are thrown into the piles of corpses that have been built. The ground, unable to absorb the blood, had formed arge puddle of blood.


    Yet, the battle continues because there are still people everywhere who continue to resist.


    They know that their futile resistance will soone to an end.


    But still, a girl couldn¡¯t help but speak out.


    ¡°What a foolish thing to do when all that awaits them is suffering.¡±


    The girl who was looking at the dust rising from the battlefield said unhappily. Surrounded by strong soldiers, the girl unfolded her iron fan as if to ward off the smell of death.


    ¡°What a waste of time!¡±


    ¡°They are that desperate. They don¡¯t want to give up control of Fort Mitte, which they took from the Felzen remnants. Well, it hasn¡¯t been preserved in its original form.


    Her aide, a young officer, smiled at her. As he looked out at the horrific battlefield, his smile seemed cruel.


    ¡°The third prince of the Grantz Empire, I was expecting you to be a very determined man, but you¡¯re so boring and disappointing.¡±


    The tone of her voice showed her dissatisfaction without hiding it. The contempt in her gaze was directed at the man sitting in front of her.


    ¡°You¡¯re not very strong. You are neither good nor bad, and you are not the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords. You¡¯re making up for yourck of ability with your head, yet you¡¯re just brutally attacking with brute force. I can¡¯t hide my disappointment. Why do I have to deal with such a boring man?¡±


    The girlmented as she stroked the iron fan in her hand.


    ¡°Oh, the third prince Blutar?¡±


    A mboyantly dressed, bald man ¨D the third prince Blutar ¨D makes a bitter face.


    If the nobles in the great imperial capital saw his shabby appearance, tied up with a rope, they would be speechless. They might fall over in disgust or in anger born out of loyalty.


    However, the third prince Blutar stared stoutly and fiercely, as if he would not lose his dignity even if he was captured, and then looked at the coat of arms g with a snake on it beside the girl.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that g before. You¡¯re from Anguis, aren¡¯t you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know that? Then do you know the name of the current king?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know, I can hardly remember the name of the frontier king who lives in the far west.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, this is amusing. A frontier king is a funny thing to say¡­¡±


    The girl smiled happily, but her eyes were not so kind.


    ¡°Gogaahh!?¡±


    As soon as the girl¡¯s arm went hazy, the third prince Blutar¡¯s body was blown away. He bounced several times on the ground, spewing blood and vomit as he rolled along the ground.


    The girl rose from her chair and approached the third prince Blutar, who was covered in dust.


    ¡°Then I will tell you my name. You may imprint it on your body along with the pain.¡±


    The girl instructed the soldier with her chin and made the third prince Blutar, who was suffering from extreme pain, stand up.


    ¡°Lucia Levia de Anguis. I am the queen of Anguis, one of the six countries you ridicule as a frontier.¡±


    She spread her iron fan to cover her mouth, and her beautiful eyebrows raised in amusement.


    Her appearance is very queenly and full of divine atmosphere.


    ¡°Kukuku, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t notice that you were one of the frontier kings. I thought you were just a prostitute blending in with the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­You fool, watch your words.¡±


    ¡°Gofuhh!?¡±


    The third prince Blutar¡¯s jaw shot up in an unseen and rapid attack. From his open mouth, several teeth covered the sky, along with fresh blood.


    ¡°Oaahh, gfunnuhh!¡±


    He may have tried to clench his teeth to endure the pain, but a great deal of blood poured out of the gap between his missing teeth. As his knee was not strong enough to resist gravity, the third prince Blutar slumped to the ground.


    ¡°Guh ¨D You bastard¡­¡±


    The third prince Blutar red at Lucia with indignant eyes while his face was distorted by intense pain.


    ¡°Hah, you¡¯ve made a good face; I like it better.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen Lucia, you should refrain from ying with him; he¡¯s a valuable prisoner.¡±


    ¡°Fumu, it¡¯s so annoying. So annoying to have to keep such a petty man alive.¡±


    When the young officer rebuked her, Lucia tapped the tip of her iron fan against her brow in annoyance.


    ¡°There is no point in holding me as a hostage. It¡¯s not like my father needs me.¡±


    The third prince Blutar muttered hatefully and then sneered at Lucia and the others.


    Luciaughed uncontrobly at this. It was the kind ofugh that could have sent her rolling if the ground hadn¡¯t been covered in mud.


    ¡°Fukukuku, kuhaha, what are you saying? How lucky are you that you don¡¯t know anything!¡±


    Lucia wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingertips and replied, still choking up.


    ¡°The emperor is dead, you know?¡±


    ¡°Wha?¡±


    What are you saying? The third prince Blutar made a dumbfounded face as if to say so.


    It¡¯s not unreasonable. It was known to him that the Krone family, one of the five great noble families, had risen in rebellion, but the higher-ups had concealed the emperor¡¯s death. However, the result would have been the same even if they hadn¡¯t hidden it because there was no way they could spare him the news of the battle against the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s not something for me to hide, I can exin it to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t! My father is dead, you say? What kind of nonsense is that? That man, that man! He¡¯s the emperor of the world¡¯s most powerful country, the Grantz Empire! He can¡¯t be defeated by anyone!¡±


    The third prince Blutar interrupted Lucia¡¯s words and let out his emotions. The straightforwardness with which he thinks of his father is dazzling, but the fact that he ces such absolute trust in him is just a pity.


    Even though he is an emperor, he is still a human being.


    They are the most vulnerable of the five major races, with a short lifespan, a fleeting peak, and a high probability of dying from a minor injury.


    ¡°He¡¯s the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords! Chosen by the Spirit King, the noblest person in the world!¡±


    His belief in spirits could only be described as blind faith. The Spirit King is one of the ¡°Five Heavenly Kings,¡± but he is not an all-powerful god.


    Spirits are beings that stay close to people, live with people, and protect people¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°To put it simply, the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords give power to their bearers in response to their thoughts. But that power is nothing more than a waste of treasure if the owner¡¯s strength wanes.¡±


    Emperor Greyheit¡¯s prowess as a young man was well known to everyone. He was keen to achieve great things in hister years, but even a hero is no match for old age.


    ¡°I heard that the first prince Stobel beheaded him, you know?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ my brother did?¡±


    ¡°ording to the words of the imperial gift, the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords is the person chosen by the Spirit King, but isn¡¯t the first prince Stobel the same?¡±


    The third prince Blutar was so shocked that he looked down at the ground with a pale face.


    Lucia¡¯s words seem to have fallen on deaf ears.


    ¡°I was expecting more of a rant. I was expecting you to scream more.¡±


    Lucia had already received word that the emperor had been defeated and killed by the first prince Stobel. What was more curious was the existence of the descendant of the God of War.


    It was astonishing. After a thousand years, the descendant of a hero has been discovered, and despite being vague, she feels that the times are beginning to move.


    The abominable ¡°Nameless¡± reports that he is sure it is him, but it is hard to believe.


    ¡°¡­I thought the pact was already over.¡±


    Lucia looked down at the translucent veins in her arm. Bloodlines are a tricky thing. Even if it was a long time ago, it is imprinted.


    ¡°What to do¡­ There is nothing more difficult to deal with than the descendant of the hero.¡±


    Will he be the one to usher in a new era, or will he be the savior who brings back the past?


    At that moment ¨D the snake¡¯s crest g, stirred by the wind, brought Lucia¡¯s consciousness back.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m a little deep in thought. I¡¯ll think about itter. I think I should decide what to do with you now.¡±


    Lucia smiled self-mockingly and unfolded her iron fan to cover the lower half of her face.


    Her cold gaze is directed at the third prince Blutar, who is kneeling on the ground.


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen Lucia, have you decided on the treatment of the third prince Blutar?¡±


    The young officer asks without losing his smile. Lucia nodded in response to him.


    ¡°We are going to the west of the Grantz Empire, so there will be times when we can use his value. You can interrogate him for a while and try to squeeze out some useful information.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    The young officer gave a look to the aides, and the third prince Blutar was held from both sides.


    ¡°Be prepared¡­ it¡¯s not a simple matter. The Grantz Empire is a great champion.¡±


    The third prince Blutar asserted even though his face was distorted by intense pain. His strength of mind is dazzling, but his baseless confidence is irritating.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope we can pass the boredom.¡±


    Lucia sat down in her chair and said goodbye to the third prince Blutar.


    ¡°The existence of the third prince Blutar is useful. I¡¯ve heard that there are still some nobles in the west of Grantz who are resisting fiercely. To remind them that it¡¯s useless, why don¡¯t we cor him and let him walk around as a spectacle during the march?¡±


    ¡°Seleucus, can¡¯t you do something about your bad taste?¡±


    Lucia red at the young officer Seleucus in a disturbed manner, but he cowered aloof.


    ¡°I thought it was a good idea, but¡­ many people hold the Grantz family sacred. If they see a prince being treated like a ve, there¡¯s a good chance they¡¯ll show reverence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ept that as an option. So, what¡¯s the status of the war?¡±


    ¡°The control of the area around Fort Mitte is almostplete. The prisoners are probably close to 30,000. What should we do, take them with us?¡±


    ¡°It will only slow down the march, it won¡¯t benefit us.¡±


    Keeping up with Seleucus¡¯ jokes, Lucia put her iron fan to her chin and snorted.


    ¡°Umu, yes. We¡¯ve got to get rid of the heads of those who are connected to the Grantz family. Since the third prince Blutar is in our custody, we don¡¯t need them.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Then what should we do with the rest?¡±


    ¡°Contact the home country. Those who can be ransomed will be taken away, and those who cannot will be sold as ves to other countries. The rest can be executed as an example.¡±


    Lucia, her eyes shining with determination, unfolded her iron fan.


    Then she pointed to the Grantz Empire in a distantnd.


    ¡°Then we will march, proiming the liberation of Felzen, and win the support and cooperation of the people.¡±


    ¡°And then, will you rejoin the infamous Urpeth siblings?¡±


    Lucia nodded lightly in response to Seleucus¡¯ question as if to confirm.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about leaving it to them.¡±


    ¡°I hope the western part of Grantz has not been burned to the ground. The older sister is calm and collected, but the younger brother is too belligerent and troublesome.¡±


    ¡°The ability of the Urpeth siblings is certain. There is no doubt about it. That¡¯s why we let them work together. And they won¡¯t be too reckless. They know their position very well.¡±


    ¡°The stolen throne, huh¡­¡±


    Seleucus¡¯s muttering was small. It was so small that it was overshadowed by the sounds of the battlefield.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Urpeth siblings are geniuses. However, they are only ordinary geniuses¡­ The real genius is that woman.¡±


    The person whoes into Lucia¡¯s mind ¨D a military skill and an intellectual ability no one else can match. She is the closest person to the unified king in the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°In front of her, the people who are praised as geniuses be ordinary people in general. The transcendent figure that reduces a genius to an ordinary person ¨D that existence itself is¡­ a foul.¡±


    Seleucus also made a bitter smile, perhaps thinking of the same person, and sighed.


    ¡°Even me, who was said to be the next unified king, was forced to lick her wounds. She deserved what she got for sitting on herurels, but it¡¯s ridiculous that she¡¯s be so hungry for battle results.¡±


    The four royal families have already supported her. If all goes ording to n, she will be the next unified king.


    Lucia stood up and looked at the eastern sky.


    ¡°Would you like to leave immediately?¡±


    In response to Seleucus¡¯ question, Lucia clutched her iron fan and replied.


    ¡°Umu. If we neglect the siblings for too long, I won¡¯t get any more achievements for myself.¡±


    ¡°After all, isn¡¯t Your Majesty Queen Lucia thinking the same thing¡­?¡±


    Seleucus chuckled, and Lucia mmed her iron fan on his shoulder, making a loud noise.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve got no more worries about the future, let¡¯s go see the ¡®old king¡¯ in all his glory.¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 2 – A Lie In The Darkness, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 2 - A Lie In The Darkness, Part 1</h4>


    January 6th, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The Imperial Pce Vian ¨D ostensibly, it was getting back to its usual noisy days.


    Many dignitaries were visiting, nobles were exchanging words, and soldiers were keeping a close watch. It seemed as if the scene before the rebellion had returned.


    However, the interior was still intact, and the long corridor leading to the throne was covered in blood. Not wanting to be reminded of the horrific scene, people tended to avoid this corridor.


    At the end of the corridor, there was a faint sound of noiseing from the entrance.


    But it was soon drowned out by the sound of the armor of the patrolling soldiers.


    In the midst of this, Hiro was walking down the long corridor that connects to the entrance.


    There is still a strange smell lingering in the air. The blood of the nobles who were killed during Stobel¡¯s Rebellion was sticking to the walls.


    (I wonder if they will temporarily seal off the passage and rece the wallpaper. Or will it be left as a warning¡­? No, it¡¯s the next emperor¡¯s job to think of that.)


    Hiro traced the bloodstains with his fingertips and pondered the future n.


    (Now, there are plenty of ways to defeat the Six Kingdoms. But even if I could do that. The mastermind will nevere out on the stage. I need bait to draw out those who are hiding in the dark.)


    What kind of future does the mastermind not want? What kind of future does he crave?


    It¡¯s obvious that there is insufficient information to make a decision.


    Then a decoy will be needed to make it clear.


    (What they want is¡­)


    Hiro paused. He found himself at the entrance of a heavily guarded building.


    There was a familiar face in there ¨D Liz, looking around as if searching for someone.


    When her red eyes caught sight of Hiro, a smile bloomed on her face, and she ran over to him.


    ¡°Where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you!¡±


    She threw herint without hiding it, and Hiro gave her a wry smile and scratched his head.


    It was hard to say that he had been at the Emperor¡¯s Cemetery just like the day before yesterday. He didn¡¯t want her to know about it yet. It would be too much trouble for her to track him down, so he decided to lie quickly.


    ¡°Some noblemen have approached me for advice.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really¡­? Hiro is bing very popr nowadays, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Liz was easily convinced. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s lying about being asked for advice by a nobleman, either.


    It seems that the nobles see Hiro as the closest to the throne and are trying to contact him, talk to him, and offer him a marriage proposal. Thetter, however, gave up with an apology when he told them that he wanted them to go through the Kelheit family, which unites the Eastern nobility.


    ¡°More importantly, have you prepared everything, Liz?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve left the preparations to Aura.¡±


    Hiromented, without showing it, that this girl had thrown her duties away again. As if sensing the delicate atmosphere, Liz hurriedly waved her hands in front of her face.


    ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not it. The two of us discussed it and decided on it. Aura told me to leave the rest to her. It¡¯s true, you know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    Hiro stroked his chest in relief. If they have decided on their roles properly, there is nothing to say.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already grown up, you know? You can trust me a little bit¡­¡±


    She pouted her lips in frustration and made a kicking gesture at the floor. She emphasized, ¡°I¡¯m going to sulk, I¡¯m going to sulk if you don¡¯t apologize.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. From now on, I¡¯ll listen to you before I make a decision.¡±


    ¡°Yes, good. Then listen to me!¡±


    Her index finger was pointed at the tip of Hiro¡¯s nose, and he replied with a gentle smile.


    ¡°Yeah. In the meantime, I¡¯d like to hear what Liz and Aura have decided after discussing the situation.¡±


    ¡°Then, since we can¡¯t just stand here and talk about it, and since it¡¯s not a secret either, so¡­ let¡¯s talk about it over there!¡±


    Liz pointed to a couch in front of the entrance and grabbed Hiro¡¯s arm. After being forced to walk, Hiro narrowed his eyes at the sight of Liz¡¯s back, still as energetic as ever.


    When he reached the chair, he was thrown into it and sat down next to her, who then put her finger on the tip of her chin and looked at the ceiling. It¡¯s a gesture she makes when she remembers something.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to limit the number of guards I take to around three hundred because of the urgency and speed of the march. You see, we might have to start a war with the Steichen Republic, so we¡¯d better hurry and go to the south.¡±


    Liz began to exin, bending one of her fingers and making a counting gesture.


    ¡°And if I can get to Fort Berg, there will be 20,000 of the Fourth Imperial Army¡­ and if I can get the cooperation of the southern nobility ¨D depending on the Steichen Republic ¨D there could be over 50,000 of our troops by the time I arrive back.¡±


    Liz¡¯s voice was bouncing happily and beginning to heat up. She wanted to tell Hiro that she was being helpful. Hiro nodded with a smile on his face.


    (After all, the time it takes to get back to the center is too delicate.)


    Even if things go ording to Hiro¡¯s n, it will take roughly two months.


    (Even if I move in ordance with the n, how much time can I gain against the Six Kingdoms¡­)


    Hiro turned his face down and began to worry. In his field of vision, something passed by with great force.


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    Hiro snapped out of his thoughts and saw Liz¡¯s white hand swaying in front of him.


    ¡°Hey, Hiro¡­ you didn¡¯t hear what I said, did you?¡±


    A low voice struck his ear. A chilly sensation ran up his spine.


    This is not good. Hiro hurriedly tried to make up an excuse.


    ¡°N-no, I heard you fine. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no problem with that.¡±


    He cowered deliberately, but Liz¡¯s face was as indifferent as if she were a con artist.


    ¡°Hmph¡­ that¡¯s a pretty nd answer.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t have anything to point out. I think it¡¯s unavoidable that the answer would be like that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. If you don¡¯t want to hear it¡­ then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    She threw him off. It¡¯s toote to regret what he has done.


    Hiro¡¯s shoulders slumped, and he was thinking about how to apologize when suddenly arge shadow appeared above him.


    When he turned his gaze upward, he saw a knight standing there, his entire body wrapped in ck armor.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you, One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah, Ghada.¡±


    This is not the time to be dealing with him. He could feel the anger flowing from Liz next to him. He knew that his life was in danger.


    ¡°What¡¯s that react¨D¨D¡±


    And then, Ghada abruptly cut off his words and nodded as he looked alternately at Liz and Hiro. Although the helmet obscured his expression, he seemed to have grasped the current situation.


    ¡°Did you get into a fight?¡±


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t fight. It¡¯s just that Hiro wasn¡¯t paying attention to what people were saying.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see, that¡¯s the One-Eyed Dragon¡¯s fault.¡±


    He suddenly appeared, interrupted the conversation, and instantly understood the situation.


    Hiro¡¯s eyes appealed for help as well as he thought he was an intelligent demon.


    ¡°¡­Hah, why don¡¯t you apologize anyway? That should make the little girl feel better, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. When Ie back from the south, I can forgive you if you apany me to the city to have some fun.¡±


    It was a very specific and lengthy request. Whether there would be time left to y or not, he wondered. But if he refused, it would be like pouring water on a fire.


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go to the city together when Lizes back. I¡¯ll buy you something else.¡±


    ¡°Really? Can you promise?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The next time I see Liz again, we¡¯ll definitely go into the city together to do some shopping.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Well, I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±


    Despite her words, Liz¡¯s mood seemed to have improved, as her cheeks rxed with satisfaction.


    Even though she¡¯s developing, she¡¯s still got the little girl parts that go with age.


    ¡°Now that the dogfight is over, why don¡¯t you listen to what I have to say?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Hiro shifted his gaze to Ghada, letting his sarcasm wash over him. Liz also listened with interest.


    ¡°Why do you think I have to go to the south too?¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯m sure Liz told you, I want you to bring the Raven Army with you. If you add in those who have been healed and those who are practicing on their own, there will be around 3,000 to 4,000.¡±


    ¡°In that case, send Hugin and Munin, and there will be no problem. I¡¯ll be working with you, One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    ¡°No. If we have to fight the Steichen Republic, your knowledge and experience will be needed. And if the Raven Army is to join in, yourmand is absolutely necessary.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ You¡¯re going to fight the Six Kingdoms, aren¡¯t you, One-Eyed Dragon? I think that¡¯s where you¡¯ll need my help the most.¡±


    Even though Hiro clearly rejected him, Ghada was still stubbornly reluctant to admit it.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a way to buy time. I¡¯m not going to start a full-scale war until the Grantz Empire¡¯s forces are in ce. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to have you head south.¡±


    Hiro said forcefully as if he did not want to say anything.


    ¡°¡­Are you sure you¡¯re okay with this?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s mouth twitched as the stubborn Ghada refused to budge.


    Whether it¡¯s Liz or Ghada, it seems that¡­ they don¡¯t trust him¡­


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay; it¡¯s not a problem. So I want you to get ready to leave, Ghada.¡±


    It¡¯s a waste of time to ask and answer any more questions. With no intention of giving in, Hiro decided to change the subject forcefully.


    ¡°Liz, how are Aura and Rosa doing?¡±


    As Hiro¡¯s attention turned to other issues, Ghada could not say anything more and fell silent.


    Suddenly, Liz, who had been asked to speak, opened her mouth in a panic.


    ¡°Um, it looks like Aura is headed to the spirit temple in the city. She said she was going to say goodbye to the children. Rosa-aneesama is having a meeting with her entourage.¡±


    Then Liz pped her hands loudly as if she remembered something.


    ¡°Oh yeah, Skaaha regained consciousness. She wanted to see Hiro.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡±


    ¡°Well, she hasn¡¯t regained her strength yet¡­ She also has some difort in her legs.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for her to go with Liz and the others.¡±


    ¡°But is it really okay to take her with me¡­?¡±


    Liz crossed her arms and tilted her head.


    ¡°The more she rests, the faster she will recover¡­¡±


    Hiro could sense that Liz was concerned about Skaaha¡¯s well-being from her words.


    ¡°I think so too. But there is no one to protect Skaaha in the imperial pce to ensure her safety.¡±


    If it were just her, it would be fine, but there would be a high possibility of ugly political disputes in the Imperial Pce. There¡¯s no guarantee that Skaaha won¡¯t get caught up in it. There is nothing more troublesome than the issue of session to the throne. However, whether it¡¯s Hiro, Liz, or the second prince Selene, the people involved don¡¯t have time to think about such things. However, even if they don¡¯t intend to do so, they are certainly in a situation where the people at the end of the line could go out of control.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to think about who will be the emperor now, though. I guess for those who don¡¯t go to war; politics is war.¡±


    There was no need for Liz to bother with such small matters. For now, her priority should be to gain experience and aplishments. Hiro sees this period of turmoil as an opportunity. He was convinced that it would encourage her to grow even more.


    ¡°Yes, I agree. Now the heirs to the throne must join hands.¡±


    Liz nodded her head in agreement with Hiro¡¯s words.


    At that moment¡­


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre!¡±


    A voice called out to Liz, and the three of them, including Ghada, had their attention drawn to it.


    A soldier was standing there.


    The three of them looked at him at once, and he stopped as if he had shrunk. He was so nervous that he could not continue to speak but only moved his mouth.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you need something?¡±


    When Liz called out in a calm tone, the soldier saluted her with a panicked look.


    ¡°Yes! Lord Bunadhara wants to see you. She wants to ask for permission to bring in her luggage!¡±


    Lord Bunadhara is Aura.


    The Bunadhara family is a prominent family that has produced many excellent counselors known as the Five Counselors, and they reside in the west. Currently, they have switched factions, so their daughter Aura has taken refuge under Liz.


    (It doesn¡¯t look like the Six Kingdoms are closing in on Bunadhara territory yet¡­)


    It¡¯s only a matter of time. If he considers the future of the west, he doesn¡¯t want them to do anything rash.


    (In the meantime¡­ it is better to nail them and send them a letterter¡­)


    While Hiro was pondering, Liz stood up vigorously.


    ¡°All right. Please tell her to wait for me; I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°Understood! Lord Bunadhara is supposed to be waiting for you at the Kelheit family mansion!¡±


    The soldier who had fulfilled his role as messenger bows to Hiro and Ghada and then leaves.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll talk again at dinner today.¡±


    Liz waved her hand towards Hiro and started walking.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll see you at night.¡±


    After hearing Hiro¡¯s reply, Liz turned away to go.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get ready.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and give my regards to Hugin and Munin.¡±


    Hiro carved out a small smile as Ghada blended into the crowd flooding the doorway.


    The calm air that had been hanging in the air earlier was gone.


    Instead, Hiro wore a ruthless expression of wild madness.


    ¡°She¡¯s about to make her move¡­ and it¡¯s time for me to make my move in earnest.¡±


    The image of the ck-hearted queen who is steadily building up her power in the northes to mind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to fail from here.¡±


    Start the lie of a lifetime.


    It¡¯s a tightrope walk of life, to the abyss if one step is missed.


    ¡°Eat or be eaten¡­ Only God knows.¡±


    Hiro thenughed happily.

 Volume 6, Chapter 2 – A Lie In The Darkness, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 2 - A Lie In The Darkness, Part 2</h4>


    A freezing wind was blowing. The snow was raging so fiercely that it was nearly impossible to go outside.


    The Levering Kingdom ¨D thergest fortress city, ¡°Purple Snow City.¡±


    In order to protect its people from outside enemies, it is surrounded by a deep moat, and its interior is fortified by double walls.


    The only entrance and exit, a suspension bridge, is now closed, and the city is fully guarded.


    Overlooking the city from the hillside inside the wall is the royal pce called ¡°Purple Silver Pce.¡±


    Decorated with snow, the purple and silver castle became chalk white and looked down on the city.


    Many nobles were gathered in the throne room. However, none of them chatted with each other.


    The queen¡¯s authority was so powerful that it was hard to resist her majesty.


    The nobles focused their slightly tense gazes on the glittering throne. Seated on the throne is the newly crowned Queen udia.


    She has a gentle face, but lurking behind it is the face of a cunning schemer.


    When she first took the throne after many twists and turns, many of the Levering nobles underestimated her.


    However, they would soon be shown a sore spot.


    Countless nobles had been stripped of their titles and had their houses demolished. Most of these were self-inflicted due to collusion with merchants, embezzlement, and heavy taxation to oppress the people.


    The people were happy, but the nobles shuddered.


    Fear breeds rebellion. For a time, many people, especially the great nobles, criticized udia, but she challenged the great nobles to fight without fear and used intrigue to win and establish a solid system. In about three months, she found herself reigning unchallenged as queen.


    ¡°Fufu¡­¡±


    When theughter that exuded a bewitching atmosphere echoed in the throne room, the nobles shook their shoulders and looked at her in unison. When udiaughs, everyone¡¯s heart buzzes. She is the queen who can sentence people to death byughing. The condemned nobles call it the ¡°smile of death,¡± and they are hanged on the gallows.


    ¡°U-um¡­ Queen udia, what was written on it?¡±


    A nobleman summoned his courage and asked the question. Her gaze was fixed on the letter in her hand. It¡¯s a letter of friendship from the fourth prince of the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Fufu¡­ I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, and I think it¡¯s finally arrived.¡±


    udia put her hand over her mouth andughed heartily in an amusing manner.


    ¡°The time has finallye for the Levering Kingdom to join the ranks of the powers. How can I notugh and be excited about this?¡±


    Many of the nobles raised their eyebrows, wondering at udia¡¯s reaction. But udia was unconcerned and continued tough.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Her Majesty Queen udia!¡±


    A soldier enters the throne room with an air of dignity. It was a soldier with a face that the nobles would recognize. He is the captain of the queen¡¯s guard, which was established when udia ascended to the throne, and he is a military veteran who udia went there herself to appoint.


    He walked up to the throne, dropped to one knee, and bowed his head.


    ¡°The army¡¯s preparations areplete. We are ready to sortie at any time. And I just received a message from the other party saying that we can run to our destination without being disturbed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. As expected of His Highness Hiro, he does everything with finesse.¡±


    The nobles raised their eyebrows in disbelief at the conversation between the two, but some of them looked pleased. udia stood up after watching their reactions with amusement.


    ¡°The time of silence is over. It is time for the demon race to once again stand on the central continent!¡±


    udia deres, leaving the throne and descending the stairs with graceful movements.


    The way she walked on the red carpet was majestic and fascinated people.


    Several nobles, who were beaming with joy, followed her. The nobles, who had not grasped the situation, bowed their heads in question as they watched the queen depart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started. From here on, we are in the dark. Only those who believe in me will be able to follow me.¡±


    udia drew her sword, which her ancestor, Rox, had left behind, and left the throne room majestically.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    January 7th, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Hiro was in the imperial pce¡¯s noble guest room. Seated opposite him was the second prince Selene.


    There was no one else in the room. However, the atmosphere that both of them emitted was heavy, and the guest room was dominated by a strange sense of oppression as if arge number of people were crowded together.


    ¡°I never thought that you would threaten me¡­¡±


    The second prince Selene, looking at the map, spoke up first.


    ¡°I just want to ask if you will cooperate or not.¡±


    Hiro gave a cold look to the second prince Selene.


    The second prince raised his hands and smiled as if to show his surrender.


    ¡°I will, of course, cooperate with you, my lovely little brother. Our interests are aligned, you know. Above all, if I don¡¯t help you here, your scary friends will go on a rampage in the north, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°No, they won¡¯t. As long as you cooperate.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to threaten me to get my unconditional cooperation, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. First of all, I want to thank you for your wise decision.¡±


    Hiro spoke inly and then looked at the second prince Selene. To be precise, he was interested in the swords on his hips.


    ¡°What is the reason why you don¡¯t want to be emperor?¡±


    ¡°Do I have a right to answer that?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just confirming.¡±


    Hiro smiled coldly and stood up from his chair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to break your promise. I¡¯d like to eliminate as many sources of anxiety as possible.¡±


    Approaching the second prince Selene, Hiro looked down at him with cold eyes.


    ¡°I like that. That cruel look¡­ is very intriguing. But I wish you would smile like you do when you treat Liz.¡±


    ¡°When I¡¯m sure you¡¯re on my side, then I¡¯ll wee you into Liz¡¯s camp with a smile.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s harsh. But don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of antagonizing you just yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡±


    Hiro mended his ruthless smile and turned his feet to the door, carrying his luggage under his arm from the desk.


    ¡°Liz will be leaving soon, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    The moment his fingertips touched the handle¡­


    ¡°You are truly a sad man, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Hiro was stopped in his tracks by the words of the second prince Selene.


    ¡°You have to be careful, you know. The enemy is everywhere. If you look around, you¡¯ll see that we¡¯re under siege, and we have to make sure we don¡¯t get caught in the middle. They¡¯re really¡­ nasty people.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    Hiro immediately responded to the second prince Selene¡¯s advice, turned the handle, and stepped into the hallway.


    Today is the day that Liz and the others will be leaving. He must see them off in good spirits.


    Considering the high possibility that they were already waiting for him at the entrance, Hiro walked quickly down the hallway, but he recognized the figure of Prime Minister Gils walking in front of him.


    ¡°Her Highness Celia Estre was waiting for you at the door, Your Highness Hiro.¡±


    ¡°Oh, as I expected¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    After exchanging light bows, Prime Minister Gils walked past Hiro.


    At that moment ¨D an unfathomable chill ran down his spine, and he turned around.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just his imagination. Hiro put his hand on the back of his neck. The only time he has ever experienced that feeling of electric current flowing through him was on the battlefield. Certainly now, Prime Minister Gils has unleashed a murderous intent.


    ¡°They are really¡­ nasty people.¡±


    Hiro muttered to himself without hiding his displeasure and then started walking again.


    It¡¯s a straight corridor that leads around a corner ¨D a ce where many high-ranking officials lost their lives in the rebellion.


    Looking at the back of the corridor, he could see many people gathered there.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting colder, so make sure you don¡¯t get sick. Wear as many nkets as you can when camping.¡±


    When he reached the entrance, he found Rosa muttering a motherly remark.


    Liz looked slightly annoyed as if she had been told repeatedly.


    However, this changed when she recognized Hiro, and she smiled.


    ¡°Oh, Hiro! You finally came!¡±


    She waves to him, bouncing on the floor.


    Aura was behind her, her gaze looking down as she read her favorite book, The ck Book. As Hiro approached the girls, he said some parting words.


    ¡°Be careful on the road.¡±


    With the emphasis on marching speed, there were less than three hundred guards.


    It is unlikely that any ruffians would attack Liz right now, but it is important to keep an eye out.


    ¡°I have crossed Mount Himmel with as few men as I have today, remember?¡±


    Liz mentioned the first time she met Hiro.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ right. I was a real slow learner back then.¡±


    But even so, Liz and the others did not abandon him and continued their journey with Hiro. He wondered if he had been able to repay even a small part of that debt. Hiro felt deeply moved and vaguely aware of how fast time had passed.


    Seeing his expression, Liz withdrew her smile and turned serious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless, okay? I¡¯ll be back as fast as I can; just don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be waiting for your return.¡±


    Hiro nodded, trying not to let his inner thoughts be noticed.


    ¡°Be more careful with the head of the Muzuk family. He¡¯s a very sharp man. You never know what he¡¯s up to. If you have to make an important decision, I¡¯ll leave it to your judgment.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine. Like I said before, you can trust me.¡±


    Liz smiled in annoyance. Hiro was worried about her, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°Yes, it will be thest time. The only thing I want you to remember is to follow your heart, not the hearts of others. Do you understand?¡±


    Hiro reminded her. The air was not conducive to joking.


    Liz nodded nervously as if she sensed this.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not going to give up my feelings on anyone. I¡¯ll do what I want.¡±


    Hiro made a cheerful expression at Liz¡¯s honest nod.


    ¡°I believe in you. Go and do your best.¡±


    He patted Liz on the head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spend all your time reading, Hiro. If you¡¯re skinny when I get back, I¡¯ll make you eat a lot of meat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not healthy!¡±


    Before Hiro could finish, Liz was hugging him.


    The soft smell of her hug passed through his nostrils, and he could feel her gentle thoughts.


    The warmth is calming and soothing.


    ¡°You really should stop being so reckless.¡±


    Her voice sounded as if it was about to fade away, and although he wanted tofort her, he couldn¡¯t think of any words to say.


    In the first ce, it would only make her look foolish if he were to say anything to her, having made her look like this.


    Feeling a sense of regret, Hiro pulled away from Liz and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°Next time we meet, let¡¯s meet again with a smile.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    Pulling his gaze away from Liz¡¯s slight nod, Hiro looked at Aura behind her.


    She also looked slightly unhappy about leaving Hiro alone.


    ¡°I want you to support Liz. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Leave it to me.¡±


    Hiro smiled at Aura as she hugged the ck Book tightly, and then he approached the person he saw out of the corner of his eye. He saw the figure of Skaaha on the couch set up at the entrance.


    Skaaha was sitting there, looking pale, as if she was still not feeling well.


    She noticed the presence of Hiro approaching and turned her gaze to him.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of more help.¡±


    Skaaha lowered her head, saying so at the beginning of her speech. She seemed to be ashamed of her helplessness, biting her lower lip in frustration.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to feel responsible. I just want you to heal and get back on your feet.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your concern.¡±


    ¡°The vibrations from the carriage may affect your wound, but I would appreciate it if you could bear with it.¡±


    ¡°The Ice Emperor¡¯s blessing will take care of that. If anything, I have dragged you down, and I believe I deserve at least that much.¡±


    Skaaha replied with a shrug. She tends to self-deprecate. For better or worse, she is hard on herself. Her main goal is to avenge her rtives. That¡¯s why she has always kept herself strictly disciplined on the battlefield, not taking advantage of others. If she continues to fight like that, she will break down one day.


    ¡°¡­I know it. Someday you¡¯ll find it ¡ª the purpose of your life.


    Hiro wanted her to walk towards the goal she had found for herself, not the one that was forced upon her. He patted her on the shoulder and told her something meaningful, then turned to his subordinates.


    ¡°Ghada, I wish you a safe journey.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll pray for your safety too, One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I wish I could be with my wise brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. She¡¯s been nagging me about staying since yesterday.¡±


    Hugin is teary-eyed, and her brother Munin is puzzled and scratching the back of his head.


    Hiro let out a chuckle and patted Hugin on the head.


    ¡°Be good to each other. And don¡¯t fight too much and cause trouble for Ghada.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Then Hiro untied the luggage he was carrying under his arm. When the cloth was opened, it revealed two spirit weapons. They were a pair, and they were rare among spirit weapons.


    ¡°Well, take these for the two of you¡­¡±


    He was about to hand them to Hugin and Munin, but they opened their mouths in a panic.


    ¡°We can¡¯t ept these! Spirit weapons are too much for us!¡±


    Hugin shook her head, but her cheeks were loose, and her hands clenched the handle.


    ¡°¡­Oh, if I sell it, I can live happily for the rest of my life¡­¡±


    ¡°You stupid brother! If you do that, I¡¯ll chop your head off!¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ It has a name, which is unusual. For Hugin, it¡¯s ¡°Kogarasumaru,¡± and for Munin, it¡¯s ¡°Nukemaru.¡± The shape is a bit unusual, but I think you can handle it well.¡±


    These two weapons were made by Hiro¡¯s acquaintance, a ¡°dwarf man,¡± a thousand years ago when he was calling himself Schwartz. They are in the form of Japanese swords, which Hiro once used.


    ¡°Mine is the Kogarasumaru. It¡¯s the first weapon my wise brother has given me!¡±


    Hugin looked as if she was about to dance with joy. She looked like a child who had just been given her first toy. On the other hand, his brother Munin also looks at the de and lets out a sigh of admiration.


    Hiro then looked away from the impressed siblings and saw Ghada giving him a strange look.


    ¡°Do you have any questions?¡±


    ¡°I have none.¡±


    ¡°If I give a demon race a spirit weapon, won¡¯t they get burned?¡±


    Hiro whispered, and Ghada sighed regretfully, saying that it was difficult.


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to make do with this for a while.¡±


    Ghada showed Hiro therge sword on his back.


    ¡°I believe you will be able to use any weapon you want.¡±


    There are only a handful of people who can defeat a pure demon race. He would be able topete with any strong man with an ordinary weapon. He¡¯ll need his own special weapon at some point, but there¡¯s no time for that now, so he¡¯ll have to give up.


    ¡°Well then, Hiro, we¡¯d better get going.¡±


    When he turned around, Liz was standing behind him.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and buy me something when I get back, okay?¡±


    She pointed at Hiro and ran out of the entrance with a fresh smile on her face. She seemed to be envious of Hugin and Munin. The next to follow was a petite girl named Aura.


    ¡°¡­I want you to buy me one too. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    Aura followed Liz with an expressionless face that did not allow for rebuttal.


    ¡°¡­Fumu, I wonder what you want to buy me.¡±


    With a bloodlessplexion, Skaaha also left with a few words.


    Before Hiro could say anything, Ghada and the others also went out, and the entrance became quiet at once.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re going to be spending a lot of money.¡±


    A hand on his shoulder caused Hiro to shift his gaze to the person next to him. Rosa was standing there with a nasty look on her face.


    He decided to take the initiative before she could say anything and pulled out two letters from his pocket.


    ¡°This one is for Liz, and the other one is for Ghada. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could give them to me when they get back.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but¡­ are you going to start nning under these circumstances?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s situations like this that I can¡¯t help but take advantage of. I had to make some major adjustments, but it should work out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rosa didn¡¯t say anything. She shook her shoulders slightly and looked anxiously down at the ground.


    When the silence fell between them¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t die.¡±


    Rosa said as she couldn¡¯t stand the silence.


    ¡°Yeah. I know¡­ Like I told Liz, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Hiro smiled cheerfully and took out a spirit weapon from the ck Princess Camellia.


    ¡°It¡¯s called the ¡°Lion King.¡± You see the lion¡¯s emblem on the hilt?¡±


    This is the spirit weapon that the first emperor Altius used until he acquired the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords.


    Rosa¡¯s eyes widened and her mouth half-opened as she had noticed the preciousness of the item.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to protect yourself from now on.¡±


    She thought it was too much for self-defense, but her cheeks twitched.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t ept that. There are several spirit weapons in the Kelheit family. I¡¯m going to use that one. So why don¡¯t you just keep this one?¡±


    ¡°You can keep it; I don¡¯t care if it has a name, though.¡±


    In the past and present, naming things, not just weapons, sometimes works miracles, as if they have a will of their own. People generally say that it is because the soul dwells in it, and it is no different with spirit weapons. In other words, a weapon grows with its user. Hiro thought that there was a difference between having a name and having nothing.


    ¡°You have to be a user worthy of the Lion King. If you do, he will surely respond to you.¡±


    Hiro held out the sword to Rosa once more.


    ¡°Are you prepared for it?¡±


    Rosa looked at the Lion King and Hiro alternately, as if she was in doubt.


    However, as Hiro seemed to have lost his patience, Rosa slumped her shoulders in resignation.


    ¡°Who do you think I am? I am the acting head of the Kelheit family, one of the five great noble families.¡±


    Rosa snickered, took the sword, and hugged it as if it were dear to her heart. Then the tip of the de waspletely buried in the cleavage of her chest, which could be considered a deadly weapon.


    Hiro, who looked away involuntarily, scratched the tip of his nose as he spoke.


    ¡°I-I have some preparations to make, so I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    Hiro turned his back on Rosa to hide his embarrassment and started walking.


    ¡°Ah, hey, what¡¯s the matter with you all of a sudden?¡±


    Rosa threw a surprised voice at him, but Hiro didn¡¯t have the courage to look directly at that scene again.


    ¡°I really need to hurry! I¡¯ll see youter!¡±


    He goes down the corridor almost at a run. It wasn¡¯t like he was lying.


    There really is something he needs to do.


    (It¡¯s from here. Once Liz and Ghada are outside the Great Imperial Capital, all that¡¯s left is him.)


    Hiro¡¯s steps naturally became more leisurely, and the atmosphere he wore began to change.


    (¡­There is no guarantee that we will meet again, but it is a strange creature that makes people smile and say goodbye. Because a while ago, we wereughing and talking¨D¨D)


    Hiro stopped and looked back. The empty corridor is quiet; not even a single sound can be heard.


    (¡­Oh, that¡¯s right. It was like this that day, too.)


    The ck eyes that do not allow light to pass through reflect nothing. It¡¯s just an abyss that forbids everything.


    Hiro¡¯s calm nature gives way to a sharp, deadly presence, and he starts walking again.


    His destination was the noble guest room, a room that weed guests from all over the world.


    In front of the door stood the head of the Mark family, with a thin face that could be considered somewhat frivolous.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro, the preparations are in order. I would like to ask for your decision on what to do?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts. Then let¡¯s have a strategy meeting right away.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir. The central nobles who agreed to the n are waiting in the room.¡±


    The head of the Mark family opened the door of the guest room and bowed.


    ¡°So let¡¯s get started.¡±


    After confirming the departure of Liz and the others, Hiro headed to the west to defeat the Six Kingdoms.


    He was not going just to stop them. He will have to deal with 150,000 enemies with only 20,000 troops.


    (Liz, I¡¯m breaking my promise to you.)


    Hiro prayed for Liz¡¯s safety and stepped out strongly to carry out his purpose.

 Volume 6, Chapter 2 – A Lie In The Darkness, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 2 - A Lie In The Darkness, Part 3</h4>


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Beirut territory in the northwest of the Western Region.


    The main camp of the Six Kingdoms was built on the border between the west and Felzen.


    The ground was filled with tents.


    It was a ce where as many as 50,000 soldiers would stay and sleep. The camp was formed like a kind of city.


    As the sky was about to turn scarlet, the soldiers were hurrying around as if they were preparing for something.


    At the center of it all is themand center, the heart of the Grantz conquering army.


    Inside, people are crowded together. Even though it¡¯s winter, the heat emanating from the people is enough to make a heater unnecessary.


    This is where the generals in charge of the divisions and themanders of the regiments are gathered.


    A thin woman sitting at the honorary seat quietly raises her hand.


    She is Luca Mamon de Urpeth, the actingmander of the Grantz conquering army.


    She is a woman full of talent from the Urpeth royal family, one of the six kingdoms, and she is also the person who was expected to be the next king. At her instruction, the man standing by her side stepped forward.


    This man is Eagle de Urpeth, the younger brother of Acting Commander Luca.


    He is a tall and attractive young man with a beautiful face, just like his sister, but he has a wild and dangerous atmosphere.


    ¡°Everyone, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules toe here. Let¡¯s start the regr report.¡±


    Eagle tapped the desk with hismand stick and began to knock over the pieces on the map.


    ¡°General McRill, give me a status report on how the armies are doing.¡±


    ¡°Ha, excuse me for being presumptuous, but let me exin.¡±


    The old general stood up and began to arrange the disarrayed pieces on the map.


    ¡°The first and second conquering forces are currently invading the western nobility, advising them to surrender. You can see the effect of this by looking at these bundles of letters of intent.¡±


    General McRill ordered his subordinates to ce the bundles of letters he had received from the western nobles on his desk.


    ¡°And the third and fourth conquering forces are attacking the surrounding forts. They are also doing well, probably because the main force has left for Felzen, and the defensive strength of the Grantz side is greatly reduced.¡±


    After taking a breath, General McRill put down hisst piece.


    ¡°The fifth conquering army has attacked the strongholds of the nobles who did not ept the surrender and is on a rampage, mainly looting foodstuffs.¡±


    When General McRill looked at the people gathered here, everyone nodded in satisfaction.


    Both Luca, who was sitting on the honorary seat, and her second-inmand, Eagle, had smiles on their faces.


    ¡°How is the damage status?¡±


    ¡°The fifth conquering army is by far the biggest. The statistics show that the number has decreased by about 7,000¡­ The Felzen front army ¨D once Lucia-sama returns, there will be no problem.¡±


    If the 50,000 of the Felzen army were to join forces, an unprecedentedlyrge army of 200,000 would bepleted.


    If the damage is around 7,000, there will be no problem. It¡¯s the kind of damage that won¡¯t earn a reprimand from their home country.


    The biggest problem is¡­


    ¡°What about food?¡±


    The food problem. To feed an army asrge as 200,000, a half-hearted amount would not be enough. Even if they were to send food from their home country, it would cost an enormous amount of money. That¡¯s why it¡¯s imperative to procure food locally, but now that the winter season has arrived, it¡¯s not going as well as expected.


    ¡°The stockpile is probably about two months, and we¡¯re having people loot it, mainly for food, but if we have to feed 200,000 soldiers, the western part of the Grantz Empire will be filled with people starving to death.¡±


    Even if they tried to buy from the locals, there was no way they would release their reserves tost the winter.


    Then they would have to resort to looting, but if they went too far, it might affect their ruleter on. That¡¯s why they¡¯re currently looting only the strongholds of rebellious nobles and not taking anything from those who have surrendered.


    ¡°There will be no problem. You should continue to act as nned. Lucia-sama is going to bring us some food, so let¡¯s leave this issue forter.¡±


    Luca was the one who spoke up. She tapped her fingers on the armrest and looked at the map.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not all. General McRill, how are the people in the west? Are they doing what we want them to do?¡±


    ¡°Ha, I think it¡¯s fine there.¡±


    General McRill ced pebbles on the main road to the west that was drawn on the map.


    ¡°The main roads to the west seem to be filled with people evacuating from their viges and towns to the central.¡±


    Roads are important. They are essential for smooth logistics, preparation for the invasion, economic development, and national stability.


    If a country is invaded by another country, that particr country must immediately rush to the scene. However, if the roads are blocked, there will be a fatal dy. It would be faster for the invading country to destroy it, but they would be in trouble after their rule if they did so. But that doesn¡¯t mean that they can afford to carry huge rocks.


    So, what would they use instead?


    Those who help and those who run away use the road equally. The more people who flee, the more damage they can do to the country. In other words, reinforcements from the Central of the Grantz Empire would surely be dyed. Above all, it will also y a role in preventing the western nobles from escaping.


    ¡°It¡¯s just as we nned.¡±


    Eagle chuckled. He gave Luca a sideways nce, and she nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s all going well, just as our country ordered.¡±


    ¡°The fact that the operation went so well must be due to the fact that we defeated one of the five generals.¡±


    Many of them bowed their knees without a fight.


    At first, the western nobles were bullish, but once they were exposed to the corpse of one of the five generals, they began to surrender.


    ¡°The Great Grantz Empire has fallen. Where has the lion that dominates the world gone?¡±


    When Luca muttered regretfully, her younger brother Eagle raised his voice in a joyful tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see that the old lion is no longer scary. The less resistance, the less damage we suffer. First, let¡¯s tear the west to shreds.¡±


    ¡°I agree with you, but I¡¯m afraid of what might happen if we get too violent.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I don¡¯t know what you mean, Eagle asked, and Luca sniffed unhappily.


    ¡°Eventually, the west will belong to the Six Kingdoms, but the people will not easily follow if there is a disaster when we rule.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re using the whip and the candy. As General McRill said earlier, it seems to be going well.¡±


    Looking at the map, Eagle continued.


    ¡°We forgive those who obey us, and we punish those who turn against us. The point is, we are looting to make an example of them. What¡¯s wrong with that? In fact, I think that if we burn down the viges and towns that we see and instill fear in them, they won¡¯t rebel as much.¡±


    Eagle pointed this out to Luca, but she immediately shook her head and denied it.


    ¡°Excessive aggression can cause hatred. It can be passed onto the next generation, and in time it can be a bug in the lion¡¯s den and be a factor in the destruction of the country.¡±


    People are valuable only if they are kept alive. It is people who produce food, clothing, and shelter. Weapons, money, and evennd cannot be obtained without people.


    ¡°And now is the time when we need fame and achievement more than infamy.¡±


    Luca emphasizes. Her tone was as if she was rebuking him for making such a mistake.


    ¡°I understand. That¡¯s why we are following the instructions from our home country, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Crossing his arms behind his head, Eagle leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling in frustration.


    ¡°If we need achievements¡­ what is our future n? It seems that Lucia-sama is already on her way here, and with her numbers, the army that will conquer the Grantz will be asrge as 200,000.¡±


    General McRill is implying that joining Lucia will make it harder for them to earn achievements.


    The main army is still on standby, divided into six armies, even though it leads 150,000 people.


    In this situation, they cannot earn anything.


    ¡°Are we going to keep waiting like this? Or should we head to the Central before them?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we should attack the Central. It seems that there are no strong-willed men in the west. I think we should leave this ce to the others and head for the Central alone.¡±


    Although Eagle, who wanted to fight against the strong, argued bloodily, Luca seemed to remain calm.


    ¡°We should not be in a hurry. First, we need to cut down the west and stop worrying about the future, and then join Lucia-sama to attack the central.¡±


    ¡°My dear sister¡­ aren¡¯t you a little too cowardly? You have obeyed the orders of the higher-ups in our country. I think you should be free to do the rest.¡±


    ¡°If we do something wrong, we¡¯ll be finished. Do you realize that there is no end in sight for us?¡±


    ¡°¡­I know. But the point is, even if it is arbitrary, the point is to win. We should beat the Grantz Empirepletely so that they can¡¯tin about anything.¡±


    ¡°In the first ce, if we, who do not know thend, attack the central without a n, we will not be able to gain the advantage of thend. Above all, it is winter now. You could even say that we are leaving the time of the heavens behind.¡±


    Luca dismissed her brother¡¯s belligerence with a disgusted look and mmed hismand stick down on the map.


    ¡°The first thing to do is to send out scouts to gather information about the Central. Read and understand the movements of the Grantz Empire, do things carefully, and umte achievements after reaching the original goal.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. I¡¯ll follow your lead, sister.¡±


    Eagle is unhappy with this, but unable to disagree with Luca¡¯s opinion; he fell silent.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to be patient. If we fail here, that woman wille out and take all the good things from us. That¡¯s why we have to endure for now. Do you understand?¡±


    After looking at his brother lovingly, Luca gently admonished him.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I know.¡±


    Eagle nodded obediently, losing his earlier bravado.

 Volume 6, Chapter 3 – Unquenchable Hatred, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 3 - Unquenchable Hatred, Part 1</h4>


    January 10th, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D the Imperial Pce Vian¡¯s guest room.


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s invasion is much faster than I expected.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s heavy words were spat out during the daily military discussions.


    ¡°Yes, it seems that two-thirds of the western part of the country has already fallen into the hands of the enemy.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils muttered in frustration as he held the map in front of him. The sleeve of his lost left arm was shaking slightly as if his body was trembling from anger.


    But he wasn¡¯t the only one. Everyone was revealing their disappointment. Some of them cursed the western nobles for their unworthiness.


    Prime Minister Gils took a deep breath before cing the pieces on the map once again.


    ¡°The streets are blocked as many of the people have fled to the Central. It seems that the Six Kingdoms are deliberately driving them away. It¡¯s also reported that the third prince Blutar has been captured, although this information has not been confirmed.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ Blutar has been captured?¡±


    The second prince Selene, who could not hide his surprise at this, lifted himself from his chair.


    ¡°Blutar is cautious. I thought he had secured a perfect escape route¡­¡±


    Rosa also covered her mouth with her hand in disbelief and dropped her gaze.


    (Aura¡¯s absence is the only reason for this result¡­ and I¡¯m not surprised because he¡¯s a worse fighter than expected.)


    But even if he is ipetent, he is the prince of the Grantz Empire. The value of his use is immeasurable. That was probably one of the reasons why the enemy invasion was elerated. Above all, with the death of one of the five great generals, Bakish, the guardian of the west, the only hope for the west was the third prince Blutar. If he were captured, the chain ofmand in the west would have copsed, and if he was to think about the future, he should have chosen the path of self-determination rather than live in shame in captivity. If he had done so, the vengeful nobles of the west would have been able to weaken the enemy¡¯s momentum through their struggles.


    (It¡¯s better to think that the Felzen region also fell into the hands of the Six Kingdoms.)


    For the people living in Felzen, the Grantz Empire is nothing more than an invader.


    If the Six Kingdoms had defeated the Grantz Army, iming to be liberating them, their poprity would have been unstoppable. Probably, there must be defectors from the Felzen remnant army as well.


    As a survivor of the Felzen royal family, Skaaha was like a hostage of the Grantz Empire. If they say that they will take her back, many people will follow the Six Kingdoms.


    (Are the clouds getting worse¡­?)


    There is an excellent chance that the past events wille to the surface, and things are taking a turn for the worse.


    The me for all of this will lie at the heart of the Grantz Empire, which has made many blunders.


    Many of the people who should be held ountable died in the rebellion started by the first prince Stobel, although it could be said that they deserved it because their great power intoxicated them. If it were another country, Hiro wouldugh it off, but the Grantz Empire is a country left behind by his friends, who are now deceased.


    (As long as I¡¯m here, this country will definitely have to remain¡­)


    It is thest chain that is left by his friends.


    Whether it is someone¡¯s intention or not, he will not allow them to do as they please. No matter what it takes.


    ¡°The first thing to do is to move forward. It is important to find a way to save the West.¡±


    The Prime Minister¡¯s statement brought Hiro back to reality.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to belittle the life of the third prince Blutar, of course, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s in any danger from his position. Whether it¡¯s a ransom or a demand for territory, we¡¯ll have to wait until the Six Kingdoms make their move.¡±


    After confirming that there were no objections, Prime Minister Gils coughed loudly and straightened his cor.


    ¡°So, I would like to hear about the progress of each of you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll report back then. Can I have the permission to speak?¡±


    The one who raised his hand was Rosa. Prime Minister Gils responded with a nod.


    As soon as she stood up with the report in her hand, the eyes of the nobles focused on her.


    ¡°I have ordered my subordinates to gather forces in the east, but¡­ it is going to take about a month for them toe to the central. But I have strict orders to send out the troops that are ready at any time¡­¡±


    Rosa shrugged her shoulders and growled dourly.


    ¡°The power of war is only effective when it is assembled. If you send them out one by one, not only will they not be much of a fighting force, but if you send them to the battlefield, they will be wiped out.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It would be better to wait until we are fully prepared. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard and get as many people as you can before you leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡±


    After expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Gils, Rosa whispered to one of his aides.


    After two or three words, the aide bailed out and quietly left the guest room.


    After Rosa finished, Prime Minister Gils turned to the second prince, Selene.


    ¡°Next, what is happening in the north?¡±


    ¡°As you all know, there is a Spirit Wall in the north. The Marked People have been quiettely, but we must stay alert. They probably know that the Grantz Empire is in turmoil.¡±


    About five hundred years ago, a strange race of people was discovered in the northern part of the Grantz Empire. They scavenged for dead flesh, and the people named them ¡°Flesh-eaters¡± and hated them, so they began to kill them. However, they were defeated because they possessed physical abilities beyond those of ordinary humans.


    A sub-race called the ¡°Marked People¡± was born from the subjugation team. They possessed intelligence and physical abilities that far surpassed those of the ¡°Flesh-eaters.¡±


    When the ¡°Marked People¡± began to overtake the Flesh-eater, they began to invade the north. However, the emperor¡¯s power of the time, a man whoter became one of the Grantz Twelve Great Gods, and thebined power of the spirits pushed them to the western edge of the north. ¨D¨DThe north seeded in driving them into an ¡°uncharted territory.¡±


    However, they could not bepletely destroyed, and the emperor of the time built a ¡°Spirit Wall¡± to contain them in the ¡°uncharted territory.¡± Five hundred years have passed since then, but they are still watching vigntly on the other side of the wall, looking to expand into the northern regions.


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen the advance troops, the Flesh-eaters, near the wall. They are probably hoping that our defenses will be thin. We can¡¯t afford to move arge army for that reason. We have 26,000 - 30,000 in total since we brought 4,000 to the Great Imperial Capital. Although they don¡¯t have much experience in actual warfare, they are well trained. I think I have assembled an elite force. I do hope you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°No, everyone is aware of the situation in the north. The instability of the situation. But when will the remaining 26,000 arrive at the Great Imperial Capital?¡±


    ¡°It will take about a month for them to reach the capital, just like Rosa.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ So, what about the Mark family next?¡±


    Prime Minister Gils couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment and popped the question to the Mark family.


    The man who would be joining the five great noble families stood up proudly.


    Orl¨¦ans Longwill von Mark.


    They were originally merchants, but after their grandfather invested a huge amount of money in the previous emperor and put him on the throne, he became a baron of the Grantz Empire. Therefore, the history of the Mark family is rtively short, and it is not a venerable and famous family.


    Nevertheless, they have achieved a great deal over the past three generations and have risen to be one of the five great noble families.


    By using the negotiation skills he inherited from his grandfather and the imperial knowledge he received from his father, Orl¨¦ans was able to be the head of the family at a young age.


    There is no doubt about his skill, and his ability is well known.


    ¡°Due to the lingering effects of the rebellion, we can¡¯t gather as much as we hoped, but many nobles have offered to help us.¡±


    That¡¯s not surprising. Since the Six Kingdoms have already prated deep into the west, the nobles who have territories in the vicinity have no choice but to cooperate.


    ¡°Even so, the number that can be moved is around 20,000. If all of them were to join forces, it would be more than 40,000, but we decided that it would be better to use them to defend the central and maintain public order until reinforcements arrive.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans said and then picked up a report.


    ¡°The security situation is worsening because people from the west are fleeing to the Central. Bandits have started to attack the people in the west, and I think that is one of the reasons. Above all, the report says that the winter has brought a shortage of food and that monsters are targeting the people in the west.¡±


    If this is one of the measures that the Six Kingdoms havee up with, it is safe to assume that they have quite a few military strategists.


    They are definitely trying to contain their movements and cut down the west.


    (The assassination of the head of the Krone family, one of the five great noble families, followed by the rebellion of Stobel, the death of the emperor, the invasion of the west, the march to Felzen, the damage to the refugees¡­ And we lost two of our five great generals. I can¡¯t deny the decline in war potential.)


    There is a high possibility that they are still trying to do something else. Although it needs a way to contain them, the Grantz Empire continues to be on the back foot before it has a chance to gain a foothold. Everyone is aware of this fact. The heavy air swirling in the guest room was a clear indication of this.


    ¡°We can only hope that Her Highness Celia Estre will return from the south as soon as possible.¡±


    What the Grantz Empire needs now is time. They need to buy time in order to build up the strength to defeat the Six Kingdoms. But if they leave it to luck, it will nevere true.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep hoping.¡±


    Hiro stood up and spoke his mind.


    ¡°As I said before, it¡¯s imperative that we buy some time now. For now, we should head west with only those who can move quickly ¨D 20,000 troops.¡±


    ¡°I have heard of that idea, but it is too dangerous. If the third prince Blutar is captured and the fourth prince Hiro is also captured, it will not make a good impression on the surrounding countries¡­ There will be people who will ridicule the fact that the era of the Grantz Empire is over.¡±


    One of the nobles said sorrowfully.


    However, now is not the time to be concerned about face-to-face meetings. If anything, his statement seemed too pessimistic. Hiro thought about reprimanding the weak noble to get the moment going, but he changed his mind, thinking that it would lead to unnecessary friction.


    ¡°I understand your concern. But if we keep our hands to ourselves, the west will surely be cut off. If the Six Kingdoms get a foothold in the Central, it will be extremely difficult to retake the west.¡±


    ¡°You are right. However, I think that it is not right for Your Highness Hiro to be sacrificed just to buy more time. More importantly, isn¡¯t it easier to retake the west if we gather the power of the Grantz Empire?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. As long as the current situation can be maintained, it will certainly be easy to retake it. However, the political situation is changing every moment. The more time that passes, the more likely it is that someone will have second thoughts. This was also the case during thest rebellion. It¡¯s also meant to be a check by making a clear move here.¡±


    ¡°There are certainly many people who harbor double-mindedness, but such people can be found in any country. But, you see, the Grantz Empire is not so weak or naive as to be defeated by the intentions of such people.¡±


    The great lion nation that dominates the world has survived for a thousand years.


    There have been several times when the country has been in turmoil to the point of copse. In the long history of the country, there have been more than one or two rebellions. There were times when the country was split in two by ugly battles between the heirs to the throne.


    Repression, massacres, dictatorships, invasions, assassinations, the list goes on and on.


    However, in every era, the power of the ¡°king¡± still remained.


    (Good grief¡­ I can¡¯t feel the Spirit King¡¯s power anymore.)


    The spirits still remain in the world and watch over people. But, Hiro couldn¡¯t feel the presence of the Spirit King, the creator of the spirit, since he came to this world.


    It would be fine if Hiro¡¯s senses were merely dull and unaware, but if he put his faith in wishful thinking, the nation would copse.


    If anything, the Spirit King¡¯s departure from the world would exin the various problems that have erupted and the repeated wars that have urred. If the existence of the Spirit King is really gone from the world, it means that from now on, people must walk the path of their own thinking and open up the era only with their own power.


    (That¡¯s why I need insurance. An insurance policy that will ensure the survival of the Grantz Empire.)


    The preparations have been made. All that remains is to put it into action. No one can stand in their way.


    Hiro exhaled a sigh and smiled fearlessly.


    ¡°Weakness andxity have nothing to do with it. Repeated wars have put pressure on the finances of the Grantz Empire. We have to renew our armor, pay our soldiers, build and repair our forts, and so on. This time, with the gathering of troops from other regions, the treasury will be further depleted.¡±


    War requires a huge amount of resources. There have been many countries that have perished due tock of funds because they started wars without a n.


    Wars are waged for political purposes, whether they are beneficial to the country or not.


    It is up to the parties involved to decide where the threat is directed, within or without¡­


    (For the Six Kingdoms, this war is worth fighting.)


    If they know they will lose ¨D they won¡¯t start a war.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean. Do you want us to give the Six Kingdoms the West? It¡¯s a contradiction in terms of what you just said earlier, isn¡¯t it¡­? Give them territory without fighting back and protect your existing wealth.¡±


    ¡°Will you please listen to me until the end¡­?¡±


    Hiro didn¡¯t even attempt to hide his anger at being interrupted and red at the nobleman who had spoken without permission.


    Looking at the silent nobleman, Hiro revealed the uneasiness that was coiled in his chest.


    ¡°Once again¡­ Due to the repeated wars, the prices of goods have skyrocketed, the economy has stagnated, life has be impoverished, and the people are bing increasingly dissatisfied with the unstable situation. In such a situation, the people¡¯s anger would reach its peak if we let the outrage of the Six Kingdoms go unchecked. In other words, to leave the west behind is tomit a foolish act and is equivalent to abandoning the support of the people.¡±


    It would be uneptable to stand idly by and not help the west until the forces are ready. The people will think that their country has abandoned them. There is a high possibility that the western nobles will turn on them.


    The effect of this will be felt throughout the entire Grantz.


    ¡°So now is the time to go to the west and fight the Six Kingdoms, even if it is only 20,000.¡±


    The Grantz Empire, which had been forced to fight, would have to weigh the sacrifices it would have to make against the benefits it would receive. Whether to conclude a peace treaty orunch a thorough counterattack, it is necessary to assess the value.


    (We shouldunch a counterattack. Even if we are few in number¡­ we should fight to protect the dignity of territory, people, and authority ¨D these three.)


    Among them, the biggest concern is that there will be riots. It¡¯s easy to suppress them with force, but it¡¯s not an act to ease the discontent; it¡¯s an act to add fuel to the fire. It may be a temporary solution, but it is not a solution. What lies ahead of the crackdown is the copse of the nation.


    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but¡­ what can you do with only 20,000?¡±


    ¡°I have a n. If you leave it to me, I¡¯m sure I can live up to your expectations.¡±


    Hiro said with confidence and without hesitation.


    ¡°A n that would allow a mere 20,000 to take on an army of 150,000? Is that what Your Highness Hiro says?¡±


    The nobleman¡¯s eyes shone with some expectation. It¡¯s not just one or two people. Most of the people gathered in this room have that glow in their eyes. Hiro smiled inwardly at being able to draw interest.


    ¡°Not only will it buy us time, but it will also reduce their strength.¡±


    Everyone responded with surprise at these words. Once he had the atmosphere of the ce under control, all he had to do was to make things go his way. Hiro cross-referenced the report and ced the pieces.


    ¡°The Six Kingdoms are dispersing their forces and attacking to the west. It would be very troublesome if they were all together, but now that they are dispersed, we can bring them into equal numbers.¡±


    If the danger is too great, they will retreat gracefully, but they will strike fiercely if they think they can win.


    ¡°In order to win a war, it is important to understand the situation of the battlefield and its characteristics, as well as the skill of themander. If you can detect the foreseeable dangers in advance, winning is not that difficult.¡±


    When dealing with arge army, you have to devise a n, but when dealing with dispersed individual forces, the difference in themander¡¯s intuition and experience will determine the winner.


    ¡°If we can turn back one or two of the enemy¡¯s armies, I think we will have a chance to win.¡±


    Before he could get to the bottom of the matter with an exaggerated hand gesture, he spoke next.


    ¡°I expect you to cooperate. This is a time when we need everyone¡¯s cooperation, across factions.¡±


    It¡¯s something he¡¯s wished for many times. In order to deal with this extraordinary situation, everyone needs to be on the same page in order to defeat the Six Kingdoms. If the nobles, which are not concerned with the situation because it is happening in a remote ce, do not wake up, there is no future for the Grantz Empire.


    Of course, if they are told that, there is no one who can say no to a matter of national importance.


    However, there were a few people who looked at Hiro suspiciously.


    Among them, the one who looked at him strangely was Prime Minister Gils, but the one who was even more curious was Orl¨¦ans, the head of the Mark family. Hiro sensed a hint of strangeness from him, but after giving him a quick nce, he didn¡¯t pay any attention to it and began to exin without hesitation.


    ¡°The point is, we just need to buy some time. If we can keep them in the west for a long time, we will win. After that, we will join forces with reinforcements from various regions, challenge them to a decisive battle, and use that momentum to push them back to Felzen.¡±


    After regaining the west, they pushed forward to establish their control again. Once they had defeated the Six Kingdoms, which had attacked with arge army, the surrounding countries, which had been very noisy, would have no choice but to remain silent.


    Hiro looked at the faces of the surrounding nobles.


    ¡°The first thing I want you to do is to agree to attack the Six Kingdoms with the minimum number of troops.¡±


    He added, ¡°Please raise your hands.¡± One by one, the nobles raised their arms.


    ¡°Fumu¡­ I see no one is opposed.¡±


    The Prime Minister said in an emotionless voice.


    ¡°It is truly wonderful. Your Highness Hiro¡¯s dedication will be remembered for generations toe. We of the Mark family and the central nobility will give you our wholehearted support.¡±


    It was Orl¨¦ans who poured out his praise. He was nodding his head with apuse.


    A strange feeling of difort swirled in Hiro¡¯s mind at the sight of him, but he didn¡¯t feel the need to devote his precious time to a formless object, and he immediately pushed it to the corner of his mind.


    (If he¡¯s up to something, I can just crush him as soon as he tries it.)


    For the time being, they were able to proceed ording to Hiro¡¯s intentions. He should be happy about that for now.


    ¡°So¡­ let¡¯s start the strategy meeting to defeat the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    Hiro smiled and began to ce the pieces on the map.

 Volume 6, Chapter 3 – Unquenchable Hatred, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 3 - Unquenchable Hatred, Part 2</h4>


    Arge number of soldiers had begun moving near the eastern border of the Felzen region. They numbered fifty thousand ¨D a huge army that could shake the ground.


    Their armor glittered in the sunlight, and the tips of their spears shone brightly as if to show their prowess. The unhurried march of men and horses was powerful enough to make anyone who saw it marvel.


    The g bearers were running through the gaps between the soldiers, raising a cloud of dust.


    The g disyed a snake emblem g painted on a red and ck background.


    It is the g of Anguis, one of the countries of the Six Kingdoms.


    It was a royal family that once produced many unified kings, and the current queen was expected to be the next unified king. However, one incident brought her glory days to an end, and now she walks in the shadows as the one farthest from the throne.


    She was currently sitting in a carriage running near the center of the march, her body shaking.


    ¡°Lucia-sama, we expect to meet up with the Urpeth siblings in about four days.¡±


    ¡°Fumu, I see¡­ It¡¯s been awfully long getting there.¡±


    Lucia nodded absent-mindedly in response to her aide, Seleucus.


    There¡¯s a big box in her hands. She hugged it carefully as if it were a fragile object. Seleucus, who was alert to the strange object, tilted his head.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a souvenir. I got some rare ingredients in Felzen. The Urpeth siblings will be pleased to receive it.¡±


    ¡°You are unusually thoughtful, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    When Seleucus said something to the queen, Lucia¡¯s smile deepened, but she did not me him.


    ¡°In Felzen, I did not meet a general worthy to enhance my reputation, but in the west, will I meet a skilled one?¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she licked her lips, but Seleucus did not even raise his brow at thescivious gesture. Lucia frowned as if her dignity as a woman had been hurt by this.


    ¡°Fumu¡­ Am I really incapable that my sex appeal doesn¡¯t work?¡±


    It¡¯s also a rumor in the royal capital of Anguis. It seems that the noblewomen have all tried to seduce him at the banquet, but no one could get him toe to their room. A runaway noblewoman once broke into his room, but not only did he turn her away butter delivered aint to her parents, which made the woman aughingstock and meet a dead end. Nowadays, it is said that he is a homosexual, and only strange rumors stick around Seleucus. It is because of this that he is able to serve as Lucia¡¯s aide¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re saying something ridiculous. If I were to make a move on the bted Your Majesty Queen Lucia, I would be sucked dry to the bone, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from a family of snakes, after all¡­ Well, joking aside, I guess I¡¯m just not a very attractive woman. It¡¯s just that no one ising on to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had a few proposals, but they all fell through, didn¡¯t they? Didn¡¯t you destroy one of those houses some time ago?¡±


    ¡°That was because he touched me lightly on the shoulder. I am not a cheap woman, you know.¡±


    Lucia puffed up her cheeks like a child, her mouth pouting.


    Seleucus sighed sorrowfully.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. It is the reason why no onees up to you. They can¡¯t afford to have their house destroyed just because of one little touch. I think the only way out of this is to get a groom from another royal family, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m done talking about this. Why should I be med by you?¡±


    Lucia threw her gaze out the window, not amused.


    Seleucus scratched his cheek in exasperation and smiled again, just as he always does.


    ¡°So, when you said earlier that you wanted a general who would enhance your reputation¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, are there any?¡±


    ¡°There is only one¡­ It seems that one of the five great generals has already been defeated, but the other famous one in the west is Aura, the ¡®War Maiden¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ve heard that name before as well. She¡¯s said to be quite a knowledgeable general.¡±


    With a twinkle in her eye, Lucia threw an expectant nce at Seleucus.


    ¡°Well, she was banished from the west and is now working in the central, so it is unlikely that we will be able to meet her soon ¨D so, unfortunately, there is no one who can satisfy you, Your Majesty Queen Lucia.¡±


    After raising her expectations, he drops her into despair. It is rude to treat the queen like that, but he can be forgiven. If he had been ipetent enough, Lucia would have immediately cut off Seleucus¡¯ head.


    ¡°You are really¡­ fearless, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    It¡¯s unfortunate, but there is no more capable assistant in Anguis than him. So she doesn¡¯t care if he speaks casually.


    It was annoying, but Lucia had noints as long as he waspetent.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s boring. Can¡¯t I just fight with a strong one yet? Shouldn¡¯t I just attack the Central at once instead of dealing with the west?¡±


    Lucia, who expressed her disappointment without exuding anger, can also be said to have a wide range of abilities. No matter how capable they are, there are kings all over the world who would cut down a disrespectful vassal. There is no doubt that there is a bond of master and vassal between the two.


    ¡°Unlike Your Majesty Queen Lucia, I don¡¯t like to meet strong people¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    Lucia giggled mockingly, but Seleucus did not deny it and nodded frankly.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine that the Grantz Empire will strike back any time soon. There are no forces in the surrounding countries that can respond to us. If they push us back, the surrounding countries might turn on us, and that would be a chilling situation.¡±


    In terms of national stability, there is nothing more unstable than the Six Kingdoms. It was a coalition of six nations, so stability was not something that could be expected.


    Although they are technically longtime allies and mooring their hands together, they still have a sword clutched in one of their hands. They are in a situation where they could stab each other at any moment.


    In order to prevent this from happening, there is a unified king, but in recent years, their power has been waning.


    ¡°There is no need to worry; the Grantz Empire has expanded its territory too much.¡±


    This is the reason why the war power is dispersed, and even if they want to unify, there is the barrier of the five major noble factions.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to get together. And even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t be able to work together, would they?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same for us.¡±


    After cutting off her words, Seleucus loosened his cor and opened his mouth again.


    ¡°We, the conquering army, are made up of the armies of four nations. We have different tactics and weapons for each country. Our skills are different, and so is our training. There is no way we can coordinate with each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the conquering forces have been given different roles in the invasion. Even if my lovely Anguis army were to join up with them, they would only be the first or second team, and they would not y an important role together.¡±


    If they joined forces, it would be arge army of two hundred thousand. There is no way they can push back with half-hearted numbers.


    Just as the waves thate in cannot be stopped, any nation can be blown away by the violence of numbers.


    ¡°But if the enemy is inept, that is.¡±


    Even if it is rotten, the opponent is the Grantz Empire. Because of their vast territory, they have an abundance of human resources.


    The western part of Grantz was not blessed with human resources, but it had rich and fertilend. As a specialty of cotton and sesame, it dominates the market, and if it could be obtained, the nation¡¯s finances would be further enriched. However, that is not Lucia¡¯s goal.


    She would like to acquire it if she can, but the other countries will not stand by idly. She doesn¡¯t want to start a political war.


    If nothing else, that woman is sure to take all the goodies.


    ¡°My purpose is different. While the rest of the world is arguing over how to deal with the West, I will have to get rid of my humiliation.¡±


    ¡°However, it will not be a simple matter from now on. The rumored descendant of the God of War has yet to emerge. Although it is unlikely that he will appear under these circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Do you still think that the Grantz Empire will abandon the West?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is difficult to gather the numbers in a short period. But that doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t intercept us with a small number. It¡¯s not going to do them any good if they¡¯re just going to show up looking like fools. I don¡¯t think they would bring out the descendant of the hero king under such circumstances.¡±


    Then after a short pause, Seleucus nodded as if he had remembered something.


    ¡°I forgot about the Grand Duchy of Dral. As I recall, the descendant of the God of War attacked in small numbers. I¡¯ve read some fragments of it in the reports of our spy.¡±


    ¡°I have read it myself. It was impressive, I must say. No, it can be said that the defeat resulted from being carried away by the title¡­ Well, before that, the Grand Duchy of Dral had no man with the backbone to take on the descendant of the God of War.¡±


    It was a foolish country that chose to surrender without a fight, despite the overwhelming difference in strength.


    Lucia smiled deeply as she unfolded her iron fan, wondering if it would be a good idea to attack and destroy the Grand Duchy of Dral once she obtained the west.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go through the trouble of dragging out the descendant of the God of War. If possible, I would like him to go to the West on his own. That way, the first prize in this war will go to me.¡±


    ¡°Looking at his war record so far, he seems to be quite a belligerent man, so let me revise my opinion that there is a high possibility that he will appear. Hopefully, he¡¯s good enough to entertain Your Majesty Queen Lucia.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. If he doesn¡¯te out, it would be interesting to avnche into the Central. It would be even better if we could destroy the Grantz Empire straight away.¡±


    ¡°I hope it works out that way. As for me, I¡¯m afraid that we will be confronted with the fact that a lion is still a lion.¡±


    ¡°It will work out. That is why I am here, you know.¡±


    After closing her iron fan, Lucia dered with an attitude that could be described as arrogant.

 Volume 6, Chapter 3 – Unquenchable Hatred, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 3 - Unquenchable Hatred, Part 3</h4>


    January 12th, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    It was winter, and the rising sun did nothing to ease the dry, cold air. Still, this was the only day when people were not confined to their homes but were out in the heat of the day.


    The central streets of the Grantz Empire were filled with cheering people.


    Under a sky of mixed white and blue, confetti made of paper was flying through the air. The air was shivering with incessant apuse and resounding cheers.


    The crowds upied both sides of the road, and marching in the center were a group of strong men.


    Hiro, a descendant of the ¡°God of War, ¡± was leading the way,¡± astride his swift dragon. He waved to the crowd with a cheerful smile on his face.


    ¡°Glory to the Great Grantz Empire!¡±


    ¡°May the twelve great gods of Grantz bless you!¡±


    The people spoke words of farewell to the fourth prince. They werebined with the graceful music yed by the musicians to form a chorus. This heroic march inspired the hearts of everyone, including the soldiers.


    The wind blows. It was a gentle breeze that seemed to bestow blessings on the soldiers who were going into battle. The g that swept gracefully across the sky was the emblem of the ck dragon ¨D the ¡°divine g¡± that only the God of War could raise.


    Sighs of admiration flew out of the mouths of the people. The eyes of those who gazed at the elegantly fluttering g were filled with pure respect.


    There was no such thing as high ss or low ss there.


    The twin-ck hero-king who built the foundation of the Grantz Empire.


    Soldiers of all ranks were saluting Hiro with the greatest of admiration.


    The number of soldiers following Hiro was 20,000 ¨D made up of the private armies of the central nobility.


    The soldiers mentioned earlier belonged to the eastern nobility and would not be apanying Hiro on his mission.


    The reason for this was that Hiro insisted on using only the central nobility in order to emphasize cooperation.


    Hiro removed his gaze from the people and looked at the breastwork built above the main gate.


    (¡­¡­I¡¯ve asked you to do the rest.)


    The person who had opposed Hiro¡¯s argument until the very end was reflected in his eyes.


    It¡¯s Rosa.


    She gave a small wave of her hand and a stiff smile. It¡¯s an unusually mncholy attitude for someone who has always acted so stoutly.


    Hiro narrowed his eyes and formed a caring smile, but she didn¡¯t smile back.


    He knows why. They even arguedst night, which is a rare urrence. At the end of the night, there was no way to convince her.


    (When everything is over¡­ I¡¯ll be back.)


    Hiro felt his hair stand on end, but for now, he tried to look ahead and failed. The reason is that he spotted a curious sight out of the corner of his eye.


    ¡°That girl is¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but shout.


    He spotted a girl in the crowd with her hands held up, and her voice raised.


    He remembers it well. It¡¯s an event he couldn¡¯t possibly forget.


    The first time he made his triumphant return to the Great Imperial Capital, she had presented Hiro with a red flower.


    Today, the flower is in her hand again. However, there was no sign of her approaching.


    He thought selfishly that she might have been put off by the noisy crowd, but then he realized that the atmosphere she wore was different from that time. She was staring at Hiro sadly ¨D or perhaps resentfully.


    Hiro¡¯s whole body felt like it was burning at the sight of such an outpouring of emotion that was not typical of a child. But before he could speak to her, the girl disappeared into the darkness that pervaded the alleyway.


    ¡°¡­¡­Am I making the wrong decision?¡±


    As if asking someone, Hiro looked up at the sky and muttered to himself. But there was no one to answer him. Even he himself could not find a clear answer.


    As Hiro smiled to himself, the swift dragon passed through the main gate.


    A loud cheer erupted from behind him.


    With a quiet fighting spirit, Hiro pulled out the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± from his waist.


    ¡°Glory to the Great Grantz Empire, and may it be blessed in our path.¡±


    The brilliant radiance of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± shone down upon the ground, and the flowers and grass danced with joy.


    (Until we meet again¡­ please be healthy.)


    After saying goodbye to the girl he had in his mind, Hiro looked forward.


    There is no stopping him when he starts to move. His heart is boiling, and he pursues the battlefield. His hungry heart yearns for war, where his flesh and blood boil and dance.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be able to fight alongside the descendant of the God of War.¡±


    In response to the voice that came from next to him, he looked over to see Orl¨¦ans, the head of the Mark family, wearing silver armor, riding a horse. The way he clutched the reins without bending his back was quite a sight to behold.


    ¡°I will do my best to assist you so that you won¡¯t be slowed down.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to get too worked up. It¡¯s just a way to stall for time, after all.¡±


    Hiro gave Orl¨¦ans a cold stare as if he were looking at a scandalous person.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro must have a n, don¡¯t you? It has already been rumored among the nobles that you will create a new legend that will rival that of your ancestor.¡±


    His mouth moved as if it had been greased, and Hiro was not happy with his brusque manner of speaking.


    He can¡¯t figure out how serious he is about this¡­ frivolous attitude.


    It¡¯s endearing if he¡¯s just ttering Hiro for fame and achievement¡­ but there¡¯s no way a man like that can rise to the level of the five great noble families. He must be nning something, for sure.


    ¡°Even if there is a groundbreaking n to defeat 150,000 with 20,000, the chances of failure are higher. How can youe along with such a reckless battle?¡±


    Hiro made a light probe. It¡¯s more of a check and bnce¡­


    ¡°If there¡¯s even a ten percent chance of winning, I¡¯ll go along with it no matter what.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tightrope fight. If we¡¯re not careful, we¡¯ll be wiped out.¡±


    ¡°But if we win, our name will be engraved on a page of history. The central nobility, who are dissatisfied with me as a neer, will dly join mymand.¡±


    ¡°Is that your goal, to use this war to establish your position¡­?¡±


    He may have meant it, but Hiro didn¡¯t think he¡¯d revealed all of his innermost thoughts. He is still hiding something. How can Hiro fish out his true feelings that have sunk to the bottom of his dark belly?


    ¡°Of course. If there is no profit and only loss, no one will follow me. Everyone goes to war because of the potential for huge profits.¡±


    ¡°Some of these soldiers care about their country. Not just people like you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are, but most of them want to make a name for themselves.¡±


    Hiro heard Orl¨¦ans¡¯ words and came to an ufortable answer. He realized that he was fundamentally ipatible with this man and that there was a definite difference between them.


    This man has no need for a country. It¡¯s just a business partner for him to make money.


    (He¡¯s a merchant at heart. I¡¯d be reassured if the situation was stable¡­)


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you one of them?¡±


    Orl¨¦ans asked Hiro.


    ¡°I¡¯d say forty percent.¡±


    Hiro is not a saint, so he is not giving free allegiance to the state. He also has more than a little of his own personal feelings mixed in.


    However, he is not neglecting his country like Orl¨¦ans.


    ¡°So, what is the position of this war in your mind, Your Highness Hiro?¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll let you find that out in the battle.¡±


    Hiro smiled coldly as he pushed him away painfully.


    In contrast, Orl¨¦ans also smiled, but his eyes were not smiling.


    ¡°I see¡­ I haven¡¯t gained Your Highness¡¯ trust yet, have I?¡±


    ¡°It also depends on the future of the battle.¡±


    Hiro replied nonchntly and crossed his gaze with Orl¨¦ans. There was a chillyugh as they probed each other¡¯s insides.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to leave it at that¡­¡±


    When they looked at the interrupting voice, Driks was running alongside them with a dumbfounded expression.


    He¡¯s a spy sent by Prime Minister Gils, and he has no intention of hiding it anymore. Or is it better to think that other spies are using him as bait to blend in?


    Anyway¡­


    ¡°I would appreciate it if you wouldn¡¯t question it in front of the soldiers. If word gets out that themander and first officer don¡¯t get along, it could affect morale in the future.¡±


    It¡¯s a fair point, but¡­ they didn¡¯t expect to be warned by him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. I¡¯ll be careful in the future.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans hits the back of his head and says his apologies in a deliberate manner.


    Hiro pulled the swift dragon away from Driks.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. This is fine¡­¡±


    When he muttered as they passed each other, Driks raised an eyebrow as if he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°More importantly, how are the roads? Can we use it for the march?¡±


    ¡°Due to the overflow of refugees, the army is not in a position to use them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still not possible, huh¡­?¡±


    But that¡¯s to be expected. This is because there is a way to take advantage of an opponent¡¯s weakness by using an odd path rather than the right one.


    ¡°We will continue into the west by deviating from the road. Before that, can you send out scouts to check the position of the enemy army?¡±


    In terms of alertness, the enemy is probably stronger than them. They should be able to see where gaps are being created. Hiro¡¯s army is still at the backfoot. The first thing they need to do is to get behind the opponent by avoiding the road, and they need to get a better position to catch up.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After hearing Hiro¡¯s order, Driks saluted on his horse and then left. His obsidian-like eyes were removed from his back, and Hiro looked up above him.


    Looking at the clear blue sky, he let out a smile.


    (I¡¯m ready. I can see the path to victory. What remains to be seen is how my opponent will react.)


    He must fight resolutely. Act cautiously so that the opponent does not understand.


    ¡°Then, Your Highness, Hiro, I will lead the advance party ahead of you.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    When Hiro replied, Orl¨¦ans bailed lightly and left with his guards. All that remained was a few of his entourage, who had been left behind for the purpose of monitoring Hiro.


    ¡°Fufu¡­ Hahaha.¡±


    The situation of having enemies both inside and outside is so funny that it makes himugh.


    (Now, if my prediction is correct¡­)


    The Six Kingdoms will either retreat without a fight or retreat after two or three battles. They¡¯ll probably lure Hiro deep inside to make sure he can¡¯t escape.


    (I¡¯ll use you¡­ as a springboard for all my goals.)


    In order to make the millennium¡¯s grand ne true again, Hiro tightened his grip on the reins as if to show his determination.

 Volume 6, Chapter 3 – Unquenchable Hatred, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 3 - Unquenchable Hatred, Part 4</h4>


    January 14th, the 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The Grantz Empire ¨D Beirut territory in the northwest of the western region.


    The Grantz conquering army from the Six Kingdoms ¨D the main army ¨D still hadn¡¯t made a move.


    There were a few soldiers here and there who were drinking in the daytime. They had set up desks outside in the cold and were engrossed in gambling.


    It was difficult to be vignt when the people around them had already shown their intention to surrender and no orders had been given. In addition, the screams of women could be heard everywhere, as they were the spoils of war from the burning of rebellious viges and towns ¨D gifts from the western nobility who had shown their willingness to surrender.


    The main camp of the Six Kingdoms is a whirlpool of various desires, but there is one ce where the atmosphere is different.


    It was themand center where the executive officers of the Six Kingdoms were gathered.


    Of course, there is no one who is drunk. What permeates the air is a strict atmosphere.


    There is a sharpness in the air that can burn the skin.


    ¡°To choose to surrender without a fight¡­ Lord Kyrthia, a nobleman of the West, is shameful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The actingmander, Luca Mamon de Urpeth, spoke with a tone of mockery in her voice. In front of her, about a dozen western nobles hung their heads and prostrated themselves.


    ¡°How does it feel about going from being an absolute winner to a loser?¡±


    The Grantz Empire used to boast of its great power, and its overwhelming power extended to the surrounding countries.


    However, that was a thing of the past, and the western nobles of the Grantz Empire, which had been victorious in a series of battles, bowed their heads in unison. This foreshadows the end of an era.


    ¡°But we can¡¯t just ept your surrender. Considering what you have done to us, you will have to pay a suitable punishment ¨D a reasonable sacrifice.¡±


    The back of the western nobles trembled as they felt the clear murderous intent in the cruel words.


    ¡°If it is food, we will assist you. We have said that we will agree to all of your demands¡­¡±


    ¡°That is not enough. There are many people who have died in this battle. They were supposed to eventually be the people of the Six Kingdoms and give their allegiance to the unified king. However, they died unexpectedly, and their rtives hold a great grudge against the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    As Luca sighed in regret, Lord Kyrthia closed his mouth.


    Luca was happy to see that reaction and spun her words as if she were ying with him.


    ¡°I want to nip the rebellion in the bud as much as possible when I think about what will happen when we annex. I want to soothe the anger of the people as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Give one of your daughters, sons, or other blood rtives to the people. Then watch them being tortured and killed. Then the Fairy King, our King, will be rid of your evil thoughts.¡±


    ¡°T-there is no way I can do that!¡±


    Luca gave Lord Kyrthia a frozen stare as she stood up in anger.


    ¡°You think you can remain unscathed at the expense of others, Lord Kyrthia?¡±


    ¡°That is why I surrendered! And you want me to kill my blood rtives?¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Luca looked at her subordinates. A soldier who sensed her intentions suppressed the screaming Lord Kyrthia.


    ¡°Let me go! Are you going to vite those who have surrendered?¡±


    ¡°Shut up and die!¡±


    Eagle slipped his sword into Lord Kyrthia¡¯s neck with great force, seemingly annoyed.


    Blood spurts out violently, instantly creating a pool of blood. A few western nobles sobbed as if they were nauseated by the rapid filling of the smell of iron rust.


    The executives of the Six Kingdoms standing by the wall also had grim expressions on their faces, but they didn¡¯t take any action and watched the situation in silence.


    In the meantime, Eagle stomped on the head of Lord Kyrthia, who was lying on the ground.


    ¡°Sister¡­ that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re wasting your time, you know?¡±


    ¡°I still wanted to y, but¡­ You¡¯re so impatient, Eagle.¡±


    Luca sighed while shaking her head in exhaustion.


    ¡°If Lord Kyrthia had a daughter, she would be afort to the soldiers; if he had a son, he would be tortured and then beheaded. As for his wife and other rtives, we will leave them to his people. Let¡¯s strip him naked and throw him out into the streets¡­ If he truly ruled with his people in mind, they would take good care of him.¡±


    ¡°What if he didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°In the absence of the lord, the city will be burned and looted for the injustice done to his people.¡±


    In front of Luca, who was nonchntly uttering cruel thoughts, the remaining western nobles had regret on their faces. Some of them even fainted from the extreme tension caused by thebination of cold and fear.


    ¡°Well, what about the rest of you? For my part, I¡¯d like you to nod your head honestly¡­ What do you need to be confused about? The sacrifice of just one person will protect your current position, right?¡±


    There is no way they can say no to that. Even though they were not convinced, everyone had to show their approval.


    People are creatures that fight to the end when cornered. However, if they have a way out, they will not choose to die. Moreover, the fact that only one person was sacrificed as an example had a psychological effect on them.


    When their thinking ability was dulled, they had no choice but to take the sweet bait.


    ¡°So, the entertainment is over. Themander will be back soon. If you offend her, she¡¯ll chop your head off immediately, so be careful with your attitude. Unlike me, she¡¯s not gentle.¡±


    Luca made a final gesture as though she were brushing off a dog with a sigh. She meant to say that she had no more use for them and that they should leave, but surprisingly it was her brother Eagle who stopped her.


    He stepped forward and looked down at the western nobles with contempt in his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you people have any pride as nobles? Even if your people are tortured, even if your friends die, even if your family is murdered, do you not even bother to dirty your clean hands?¡±


    The words were harsh. It was harsh, so harsh that it shattered their self-esteem.


    However, the western nobles just bowed their heads without saying anything. A few of them were still biting their lower lips in frustration and dripping blood.


    In response, Eagle added a further provocation with a smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to know if you want to keep your current position even after being ridiculed like this and how attractive it is. From now on, no matter how proud you people are or how much you dignify the surrounding countries, you¡¯re still losers, okay?¡±


    He stomped on the head of the western noble and sometimes kicked them hard in the cheek, making himugh loudly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that there¡¯s a ring around your shabby neck. From today on, you are ves of the Six Kingdoms. Don¡¯t expect to be treated as human beings.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Luca scowled at his brother.


    ¡°But¡­ sister, these people¡­¡±


    ¡°Step back now.¡±


    She made him step back with a stern gaze, and she herself stood up and looked down at the western nobles.


    ¡°Those of you who have lost your pride, those of you whose fangs have rotted away, those of you who have be cats instead of lions, your sins are serious, but if you go down to the Six Kingdoms, you can assert yourselves like cats. Give thanks to the generous fairy king.¡±


    She may be trying to use the whip and the candy, but it¡¯s not going well because these siblings are too devilish at heart. Their true intentions are hidden in every word they say. The other members of the entourage were looking at the two of them with subtle expressions.


    At that moment¡­


    ¡°Hahahahaha, the ungrateful siblings are as funny as ever.¡±


    The sound of hurried footsteps with loudughter came from outside. Everyone in the room turned their gaze to the entrance of themand center at once.


    A beautiful woman was standing there with a halo on her back from the sunlight streaming in from outside. Everyone was taken aback by her unusual attire, which could be described as bizarre.


    They threw rude nces at her, but she smiled more happily than angrily.


    ¡°I am Lucia Levia de Anguis.¡±


    She is a woman who likes to stand out from the ordinary. She likes to act entric, wear shy clothes, and behave roughly. But even so, her dignified demeanor, befitting a queen, fascinates all who see her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Has my beauty blinded you?¡±


    She became queen at a young age because of her father¡¯s early death, but perhaps it was because she was a people-pleaser that she received the loyalty of her subjects, was popr with the soldiers and was fervently revered by the people of Anguis for her unparalleled military skills.


    ¡°I do apologize. It was so sudden¡­¡±


    In response to Lucia¡¯s point, Luca smiled and dropped to one knee.


    When Eagle and the entourage all kneeled down at once, the western nobles also turned their bodies and bowed their heads. Lucia looked around contentedly and began to walk inside the tent.


    ¡°Umu, no need to be so tight.¡±


    She sat down on the honorary seat and carelessly threw a box in her arms.


    ¡°A gift for you.¡±


    Luca was the one who questioned this.


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen Lucia, with all due respect¡­ it¡¯s not for us, is it?¡±


    Luca¡¯s statement sounded brazen, but it was also a natural statement in the circumstances.


    Strangely enough, the box was thrown down to the western nobles. There were an endless amount of questions as to why there were souvenirs for the western nobles who had chosen to surrender rather than achieve anything, but Lucia just smiled happily, as if she had no intention of answering.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you open it. As for me, I would love to have the western nobles open it.¡±


    Lucia waved the tip of her iron fan at Seleucus, her aide at her side, and gave him instructions.


    ¡°Now, let him open it.¡±


    She pointed to a western nobleman who was watching Lucia and the others with a suspicious look on his face.


    ¡°Ha, right away.¡±


    Seleucus asked the guards to put the box in front of the nobleman.


    ¡°W-what do you want me to do with this?¡±


    Lucia smiled coldly at the western nobleman who cast a frightened look at her.


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    There was a gurgling sound. They could hear the western nobleman¡¯s throat so clearly that a strange atmosphere prevailed in themand center.


    ¡°What are you doing? Why don¡¯t you open it?¡±


    Perhaps realizing that there was a hint of anger in the urging words, the western nobleman hurriedly put his hand on the box. He lifted his arms, trembling with fear, and opened the box hesitantly.


    ¡°Oh? Eh? Huh?¡±


    A number of question marks emerged from the western nobleman. His eyes darted around as if he couldn¡¯t understand, and he looked around as if he was asking someone for an answer.


    Lucia began tough, holding her stomach at the sight of the ridiculousness of the situation.


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha! Good! That¡¯s good! That¡¯s a really great face!¡±


    Tears welled up in her slitted eyes as she repeatedly mmed her iron fan against the armrest.


    Luca, perhaps puzzled by this reaction, checked the contents of the box¡­


    ¡°Fu, fufufufu, I see¡­ So that¡¯s what it is; it¡¯s terrible taste.¡±


    She sighed in exasperation and shook her shoulders as if trying to hold in herughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s a masterpiece, isn¡¯t it? Come on, Eagle, you can show it to the rest of the people.¡±


    ¡°What? Why do I have to¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know it when you see it.¡±


    Eagle approached the box, clicking his tongue at the mischievous glint in her eyes.


    He looked down and saw an astonishing sight, and his mouth lifted up in the same way as the two wicked women.


    ¡°Hah, this is ridiculous!¡±


    When Eagle kicked up the box, the contents rolled on the ground with a sound.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened.


    Some held their mouths and turned their faces away, while others vomited on the spot, without shame or remorse. Others cried out inmentation and shedrge tears.


    ¡°Ohhhh¡­ Your Highness Blutar! Your Highness Blutar!¡±


    A western nobleman shouted and crawled out of the ground in a hapless state as if he had no strength in his legs and feet.


    A head with a painfully twisted expression was lying on the ground in front of his gaze.


    It was the head of the third prince Blutar.

 Volume 6, Chapter 3 – Unquenchable Hatred, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 3 - Unquenchable Hatred, Part 5</h4>


    ¡°Oh, oh¡­ W-why did he end up like this¡­¡±


    The western nobleman hugged the head of the third prince Blutar and red angrily at the Six Kingdoms group. The others were stunned in disbelief, their mouths half open as they gazed at each other, but no one said a word.


    ¡°It was an order from our home country. Those rted to the Grantz family are to be killed without mercy, including women and children. The same thing was done to the Six Kingdoms by you, so I guess it¡¯s karma, right?¡±


    Lucia, who had her arm resting on the armrest, turned serious as if satisfied with herughter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll soon follow in the path of the third prince Blutar.¡±


    When Lucia snapped her fingers, armed soldiers came rushing in from the entrance.


    ¡°Y-you people! This is not what you promised!¡±


    A series of screams came from behind the glum western nobles.¡±


    ¡°You cowards! To do this to an unarmed opponent ¨D Guh!?¡±


    An axe is swung down mercilessly, and the brain fluid sshes. Some of them tried desperately to resist the attack, but without a sword, they were powerless.


    No ¨D they would only suffer longer if they were using swords.


    ¡°Think it over. The only thing that awaits us is betrayal when we wee you, the greedy ones, into our camp.¡±


    Lucia said, but she didn¡¯t give them time to think it over.


    A sharp, well-honed de mercilessly pierced their hearts from behind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to write a report, saying you were killed in action. That way, your honor will be protected. Be thankful that a pest like you can die with the honor of your nation.¡±


    While Lucia muttered calmly, one by one, the western nobles fell to the ground under the deadly de. They copsed while shouting curses. The western nobleman who was holding the head of the third prince Blutar also died of heartbreak as his neck was chopped off. In the blink of an eye, themand center became a sea of blood, and a strange smell dominated the space.


    None of the soldiers who had created this horrible situation had not been bathed in blood. However, they didn¡¯t seem to be frightened, and their expressions didn¡¯t even move slightly.


    They simply created a horrific scene with their vacant eyes.


    Blood sprinkled from the swords in the hands of the soldiers whose armor was dyed reddish-ck.


    Even when their targets were all dead, their insane and abnormal behavior did not end.


    ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡±


    Suddenly, they let out a yell and thrust their swords into the corpses one after another. They began to attack relentlessly, even though the victims were already dead. With grudge-like malice on their faces, they were cutting up the corpses of western nobles. Some of them even began to feed on the corpses while shedding tears of blood.


    Even Lucia couldn¡¯t help but frown at this.


    ¡°Enough! That¡¯s enough!¡±


    With Lucia¡¯s angry voice, a loud sound rang out. The iron fan was snapped off when she mmed it against the armrest. The empty eyes of the soldiers reacted to the sound and turned on her all at once, but Lucia red back at them without fear and quietly opened her mouth.


    ¡°They¡¯re already dead. There is no need for more.¡±


    Lucia turned her face down and put her hand on her forehead as if she were trying to hold back a headache.


    ¡°Thanks for your efforts. You can go now, someone, bring the western nobles who are waiting outside here.


    Lucia pointed her iron fan at the entrance and urged the soldiers to leave.


    In the midst of the sound of metal nging together¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen Lucia, can you exin this situation?¡±


    Luca, who had been looking at the brutal situation that could be called a massacre, walked up to Lucia. The cold look in her eyes was slightly reproachful.


    ¡°Hmm¡­? Yes, of course, because you don¡¯t seem to be satisfied.¡±


    A wry smile appeared on Lucia¡¯s face as she held an iron fan to her mouth to catch her breath.


    ¡°Do you recognize any of the soldiers from earlier?¡±


    ¡°No, are they an elite guard or something? It¡¯s not a very tasteful choice for that, but¡­ In the first ce, we do not belong to Your Majesty Queen Lucia¡¯s country, so there is no way we can know what kind of troops they are.¡±


    The sarcasm that confronts the obvious fact, while answering at least in part, is the nature of the Urpeth royal family. They pretend to be intuitive in order to induce you to let your guard down, but at heart, they are a cunning and unusual royal family that takes supreme pleasure in kicking others down. The g they disy is the fox, and they are also known as thend of greed.


    ¡°They¡¯ve just been established, and I call them the Ghost Corps.¡±


    ¡°Their eyes were indeed all dead, but¡­ was there no other name?¡±


    ¡°Because they were as good as dead.¡±


    They had lost rtives in the wars waged by the Grantz Empire. They had all been subjected to unspeakable cruelty by the Grantz soldiers. They can¡¯t bear the reality of what happened before their eyes and are despairing of the world. They are wandering around in this world with indelible scars in their minds and bodies just to take revenge.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why it¡¯s the Ghost Corps¡­ huh? Exploiting the passions of these people who are consumed by grief is not something I would call noble, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not exploiting them. I gave them a purpose in life. But if you say so, does that mean you can handle them better than me?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I would ease them after giving them the same despair.¡±


    Luca said with a smile on her face; she was truly enjoying herself. What swirled in her eyes was a frenzy.


    ¡°The pain-twisted face and hatred-infused eyes will surely have an irreceable beauty ¨D oh, but it will be fun to feed and keep such people.¡±


    Lucia raises her eyebrows ufortably, wondering who has the more twisted taste.


    Then Eagle looked at the two of them with a dumbfounded look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your conversation, but¡­ I¡¯ve brought in the western nobles who were waiting outside.¡±


    He walked in front of them, grabbing the hair of one of the western nobles. He¡¯s as vicious as his sister in that he makes them step on the corpses of their friends.


    Behind him were about seven noblemen with their arms bound and following him.


    ¡°Here, it¡¯s your beloved lord!¡±


    Eagle made the western nobles sit down in front of the carelessly rolling head ¨D the changed figure of the third prince Blutar.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Uugh!?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, look at it properly. Can you make sure it¡¯s him?¡±


    Eagle pped the cheek of the western nobleman, who turned his face away and refused.


    ¡°Remember that if you go against the Six Kingdoms, this is what happens. It¡¯s not just you, but your family as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that, Eagle. Unlike the previous western nobles, they are the people that the Six Kingdoms need. Threatening them unnecessarily will make it harder to do soter on.¡±


    After mming her iron fan into her hand, Lucia stood up and walked over to the western nobles.


    ¡°I n to cut off the heads of all the members of the Grantz Imperial family, whom you worship. Those of you who are not prepared to ept this, you may offer your heads here and die.¡±


    Lucia said in an especially gentle voice.


    ¡°If you do not want to die, follow the Six Kingdoms. Those who lie there are all ipetent, and we have disposed of them, but we value your abilities so much that we won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you.¡±


    Her gentle smile was full ofpassion as if she were a mother telling her child. However, in this reddish world, it is more like the smile of a demon than an angel.


    In fact, the western nobles were gnashing their teeth. It may have been because of the cold, but fear naturally made their bodies shake more.


    Eventually, with twitching faces, the western nobles began to bow their heads as if to show their vassge.


    ¡°That¡¯s honest and ttering. Then there is nothing for me to say. We¡¯ll return you to your home safely.¡±


    The bewildered western nobles were taken out, unable to grasp the situation as the punishment was decided so easily. Lucia watched in silence, but then she noticed the figure of a messenger who hade in to rece them.


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen Lucia¡­ I have a report for you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    As Lucia tilted her head, the messenger put his mouth close to her ear. After muttering a few words, he handed her the letter and quietly left the room. Behind her, Luca looked away quizzically and walked up to her.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Umu ¨D I¡¯d like to talk to you about it, but¡­ everyone else should leave this ce first.¡±


    ¡°Me too?¡±


    ¡°No, you can stay, Eagle.¡±


    With Lucia¡¯s instructions, the entourage obediently followed her lead and headed outside themand center.


    After a while, there was only a pile of dead bodies and the three of them inside the room.


    ¡°It seems that the descendant of the God of War has begun to move. He moved with 20,000 soldiers, and they didn¡¯t intend to take things seriously, but¡­ how much should I believe this letter? This insider is not exactly trustworthy.¡±


    Lucia, who was reading the letter, said, and the Urpeth siblings looked surprised. In response, Lucia cleared her throat in delight.


    ¡°Whatever his intentions, it seems that what he wanted came all the way from there.¡±


    ¡°Give me 30,000. I will get his head.¡±


    Eagle pressed Lucia, but she shook her head without a hint of hesitation.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ept that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Eagle red at her angrily, but surprisingly, the rebuttal came from next to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    Eagle looked at Luca with surprised eyes, perhaps not expecting to receive a scathing rebuke from his sister. It was a harsh word, but Lucia agreed with it.


    ¡°You can¡¯t defeat him with half-hearted strength. Even if you can beat him, if he escapes, there is no way you can chase him. We do not yet haveplete control of the west. We have to be mindful to lure him deeper¨D¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Lucia stopped speaking and looked at the ground to see a rolling head.


    A masterpiece of a n came to her mind.


    In the bloodyndscape, Lucia makes a vicious expression as if she hase up with a devious n.


    ¡°Did youe up with a better n with that face?¡±


    Lucia nodded deeply at Luca¡¯s point and unfolded her iron fan to cover her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯vee up with a very amusing n.¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 4 – A World That Begins To Creak, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 4 - A World That Begins To Creak, Part 1</h4>


    24th January, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The southern part of the Great Grantz Empire is warm even though the season is winter.


    This is because the vast expanse of the empire has resulted in a drastic shift in the sense of seasons from region to region. As a result, the temperature differs significantly from region to region, making it easy for those who are not used to traveling to get sick.


    That¡¯s why a book called ¡°A Beginner¡¯s Journey¡± is selling well in the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Hmm, be careful of the monsters in the south¡­ And there seem to be more bandits than in other areas. Is it because of the heat that they get impatient? I sometimes get frustrated too.¡±


    The red-haired girl nodded her head in admiration as she read the Beginner¡¯s Journey.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same everywhere, isn¡¯t it, Liz-dono?¡±


    The woman with greenish-blue hair smiled bitterly, but she looked pale as if she wasn¡¯t feeling well.


    The silver-haired girl sitting next to her nodded in agreement, but her gaze was fixed on the book in herp.


    ¡°It¡¯s like Skaaha said, they¡¯re everywhere.¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess you could say that.¡±


    Liz closes the book with an indescribable expression and ces it on the chair.


    The girls were currently in a carriage. When she looked out the window, she saw and of green and brown mixed together.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve almost arrived at Sunspear.¡±


    Sunspear is arge city in the south ruled by one of the five great noble families, the Muzuk family.


    Among the five regions, the southern region was the hottest, with half of thend upied by wastnds and deserts due to the arid climate. However, in the north part of the region, thend is fertile and habitable for people. Sunspear is built on thend to the north.


    ¡°Sunspear is¡­ famous for its trade, but also for its gold, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s amazing. There are many specialties thate from all over the world. Even the Great Imperial Capital can¡¯t beat it. I think Sunspear is better in terms of mour. You would be surprised to see the pces built with gold.¡±


    It connects to the Great Imperial Capital in the north, the Principality of Lichtine and the Steichen Republic in the south, the Third Imperial Capital in the west, and the Iron Eagle Castle in the east. It¡¯s also a gold-producing region, where the wealthy of the Grantz Empire are concentrated. There are many other merchants and get-rich-quick schemes in the area.


    ¡°What the Steichen Republic is targeting may be the interests in that area.¡±


    Liz tilted her head at Skaaha¡¯s words.


    ¡°¡­But there is something wrong with it. Aren¡¯t they a little calm for that?¡±


    When they entered the south, Liz decided not to head to the Berg fortress but to go to Sunspear in order to prioritize the meeting with the Muzuk family. That¡¯s why she¡¯s on her way at full speed with about thirty guards in tow. Incidentally, the rest of the soldiers are on their way to the Berg Fortress with Ghada.


    However, Liz had a strange feeling. The closer she got to Sunspear, the stronger it became.


    ¡°¡­The atmosphere is definitely strange.¡±


    ¡°Do you think so too, Aura?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s see what¡¯s wrong with it.¡±


    Skaaha said in a low voice and pointed out the window.


    ¡°We have arrived at Sunspear.¡±


    In front of the main gate, where merchants wereing and going, soldiers were checking luggage.


    But the guards of Sunspear, perhaps noticing the g that Liz¡¯s carriage carried, saluted her. He then approached the carriage, exchanged a few words with the coachman, and peered in through the window.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre, wee to Sunspear!¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    Liz responded with a smile, but her expression was tense.


    Something is wrong after all ¨D she can¡¯t believe the soldier¡¯s rxed attitude.


    As soon as they get past the main gate, their doubts are confirmed.


    ¡°Aura¡­ are you sure the Steichen Republic is invading?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aura, who had been asked the question, only snorted nervously and did not answer. She also looked at Skaaha, but she also crossed her arms and tilted her head.


    Liz looked over the letter of intent that the head of the Muzuk family had sent. He had sent several urgent letters while Liz was on her way.


    After all, no matter how many times she looked at it, she could still see the impatience of the head of the Muzuk family.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ why? The Steichen Republic is supposed to be closing in on the city.¡±


    Thest letter said that an army of about 60,000 troops was about to surround the city. However, when they looked out the window at the city, no one looked as if war was imminent.


    The streets were filled with people, just as they had been when she had visited in the past. Above all, there were people dressed in shy clothes, probably in high spirits because of the new year. No matter who she looked at, there was a smile on their face. The atmosphere was so cheerful that it was hard to believe that we were in a time of war.


    Before long, Liz was confronted by a pce built entirely of gold.


    The vainglory of the Muzuk family was apparent as if they were showing off their power.


    The carriage stopped, and the doors were opened, filling the interior with dazzling sunlight.


    ¡°Thank you foring.¡±


    As Liz set her feet on the ground, she saw a man bowing his head.


    Vetu R¨¹ger von Muzuk. He was the young head of the Muzuk family, one of the five great noble families.


    He took over the position of head of the family at the young age of twenty-seven after the previous head passed away due to illness.


    Over the next four years, he disposed of the corrupt nobles and contributed to the development of Sunspear by working hard to attract merchants from neighboring countries to establish trade routes.


    He is a shrewd young man, but he is a man of great ability, and his entourage is also full of talented people.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dreame true to have Your Highness Celia Estre in my pce.¡±


    A shy woman was standing next to Vetu. She was dressed so lightly that her underwear showed through, perhaps to keep out the heat.


    However, perhaps because of the hot climate, she did not give the impression of being indecent, and the lines of her body were clearly visible, indicating that she was a woman of artistic beauty.


    ¡°My name is Selvia Sephone von Muzuk. I¡¯ve only met Your Highness Celia Estre once. Do you remember me?¡±


    Liz made a smile as she responded to Selvia¡¯s offer of her hand with a handshake.


    ¡°Of course I remember you. I hope you are well, Madame Selvia.¡±


    When Liz came of age, she had been the first to congratte her. She seems to be on good terms with her sister, Rosa, and they have been exchanging letters.


    ¡°The weather has been getting coldertely, making it easier to spend the day. Oh, by the way, how is Rosa-sama? She seems to be busy, so we don¡¯t exchange letters as much¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s doing fine. I think it would be good if my sister came here at least once.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. She is the acting head of the Kelheit family, after all. She¡¯s in a position where she can¡¯t move around as easily as she used to, so when things settle down again, I¡¯ll pay her a visit.¡±


    ¡°By all means, do that. I¡¯m sure my sister will be delighted to see you.¡±


    Liz replied with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little early, but the meal is ready. The weather is getting colder, so let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    The head of the Muzuk family, Vetu, interrupted the conversation.


    Aura and Skaaha, who hid her face from the public, stood near Liz as they finished their greetings.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mean to talk too long here. Shall we go inside?¡±


    Even as she said this, Selvia approached Aura and the others and began to greet them.


    Vetu gave Liz a wry smile as they watched the scene with dismay.


    ¡°We should go inside first; the food is getting cold.¡±


    ¡°But first, I¡¯d like to ask you a few questions about the Steichen Republic¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s question was interrupted. Because of Vetu¡¯s hand urging her to enter the pce.


    ¡°We can talk about that during the meal because you never know who might be listening in here.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, too. Can you show me the way, please?¡±


    ¡°This way, please.¡±


    Vetu bent at the waist in a graceful gesture and began to walk ahead of her.


    Surprisingly, the entrance to the pce was a wooden door. Even so, it was made of the finest wood, and its luxury was not inferior to that of the imperial pce.


    ¡°Oh, are you surprised? Why aren¡¯t the doors made of gold?¡±


    ¡°¡­just a little.¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t help but touch her own cheek to see if it was showing on her face.


    ¡°It was heavy. When you make a door out of gold, it takes a lot more manpower and time than you think to open it. My wife discarded it as a waste of money and time.¡±


    The reason was even more trivial than expected. And it was a reason to which she was not sure what to say in reply.


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Liz smiled lovingly and decided to cover it up appropriately.


    While they were having this conversation, the door opened, and the air inside was expelled outside.


    Liz tried to step in but failed.


    At the entrance to the hall, she found many people on their knees, bowing to her.


    ¡°When they heard that Your Highness Celia Estre wasing, they insisted that they should greet you.¡±


    They were all southern nobles. Liz raised her eyebrows suspiciously at the enthusiastic wee. However, she could not get the words out of her throat as the head of the Muzuk family moved on before she had a chance to question him.


    ¡°I am very sorry, Your Highness Celia Estre. I warned my husband to stop, but he insisted that this was the one thing he would not give up, and I could not stop him.¡±


    In short, he was showing off his power of control to Liz. By iming that the southern part of the country revolves around the Muzuk family, he emphasizes how important a position he holds.


    If Hiro had been present, he would have said sarcastically, ¡°Thanks for your useless actions.¡±


    But unlike Hiro, Liz could not be ruthless. She felt that she should say a few words of gratitude to the people who had gathered for her.


    As she passed by the southern nobles, she gave them a few words of appreciation.


    When she had finished talking to thest one, she looked behind her with a tired expression.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s eat quickly.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, yes.¡±


    Liz was looking at Selvia, who was smiling at her with a hand on her cheek, looking at her lovingly.


    ¡°Come on, this way.¡±


    Liz was led to the dining room by Selvia, who pushed her back.


    In the room, servants were lined up against the wall, waiting. Vetu was smiling near the long table where the food was ced.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre, pleasee this way.¡±


    He turned his hand to the honorary seat. Liz gave a slight nod before taking the seat. The others followed suit and sat down in their chairs. Then Vetu raised his silver cup.


    He nced at Liz as if he was asking her to propose a toast.


    (I¡¯m not very good at¡­ this kind of atmosphere. I guess I¡¯ll just have to get used to it.)


    Liz sighed, trying not to be noticed.


    She then raised the silver cup and looked around to make sure everyone had it.


    ¡°First of all, I¡¯d like to thank Lord Muzuk for this opportunity¡­ and the twelve great gods of Grantz for bringing us together¡­ Oh, and the Spirit King?¡±


    The atmosphere was awkward. Her red eyes swam as if to ask for help ¨D but there was no help in sight.


    Aura¡¯s face is expressionless, and as usual, it¡¯s hard to read what she¡¯s thinking.


    Skaaha has a motherly look and a satisfied smile on her face. Liz felt like holding her head in her hands, but she decided to raise her silver cup proudly and let it pass.


    ¡°C-cheers¡­¡±


    Everyone responded with a cheerful toast. It was as if they were trying to cheer Liz up. However, there was no time to be crushed by regret and reflect on the situation.


    She quickly changed her mind, put the silver cup on the desk, and looked at the head of the Muzuk family.


    ¡°I have a few questions I¡¯d like to ask you.¡±


    The sweetness disappeared from Liz¡¯s face, and the air changed as her expression became serious. As if sensing this sensitively, Vetu finished her drink with a sip and gave her a sharp look.


    ¡°By the way, you seemed to want to ask me something earlier.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was wondering what on earth is going on here.¡±


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s so strange about it? We have made all the necessary preparations to wee Your Highness, the Princess of the Grantz Empire.¡±


    Liz¡¯s temper red as she mmed a stack of papers on the desk.


    ¡°The letter repeatedly emphasized that the Steichen Republic was invading ¨D oh, who wrote that ¨D and you don¡¯t have to dodge that. Can you just tell me?¡±


    When Liz got up from her chair in anger, Vetu felt that it was not a good idea to deceive her, so he let out a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°¡­As it turns out, it wasn¡¯t my idea to deceive you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes grew cloudy, and she began to feel a rush of emotion. Vetu put his elbows on the table and covered his mouth with his hands, wondering if he should answer.


    That¡¯s when the sound of a crash echoed through the dining hall.


    Liz turned her attention to the source of the sound.


    ¡°¡­Aura?¡±


    Aura¡¯s figure standing there jumped into view. Behind her, a chair had fallen over.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aura did not respond to Liz¡¯s words, her face pale and trembling. Next to her, Skaaha seemed to have noticed something as well, gritting her teeth in frustration and angrily shaking her shoulders.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre. The contents of the letter are all lies.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    When Liz slowly returned her gaze to its original position, what came into view was a man with a cunning smile on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s just a lie. Because we have already negotiated with the Steichen Republic.¡±


    Liz was astonished. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Her clenched hands trembled as if she was trying to suppress her murderous intent. It was as if she was telling herself to stay calm.


    ¡°I-if that¡¯s the case, why did you send me so many letters¡­ asking for reinforcements?¡±


    In Liz¡¯s mind, there was a desperate assumption that he was in cahoots with the Six Kingdoms. She summoned the me Emperor and prepared for battle, ready to fight at any time.


    ¡°You know that the Six Kingdoms are invading, right? You know that this is not the time to y around. This is not a joke, is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke, and it was a request from someone.¡±


    ¡°Someone? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s not the Six Kingdoms¡­?¡±


    Her patience was at an end.


    A clear murderous intent gushed out of Liz and pierced into Vetu. An ordinary man would be intimidated by the situation, but a man who has been through a lot of painful situations is able to handle it calmly.


    ¡°It was an order from His Highness Hiro.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    In an instant, her murderous intent and rage dissipated. Instead, what appeared was agitation.


    ¡°W-what are you talking about? Hiro¡¯s orders? Why should he do this?¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes were twisted with grief as if she was about to scream that it was a lie. She couldn¡¯t find the words as the mystery swirled around in her head, fueling her confusion.


    ¡°No wonder you¡¯re surprised. I was surprised, too, when His Highness Hiro asked me to write you a false letter.¡±


    Vetu¡¯s voice was tinged with sympathy, but his words did not reach Liz.


    ¡°Why, why¡­?¡±


    Liz said.


    It wasn¡¯t directed at Vetu, but at the image of the young man in her mind.


    But Vetu took it as a reply and tried to open his mouth.


    But¨D¨D


    ¡°I believe he didn¡¯t want to put Your Highness Celia Estre in danger.¡±


    It was his wife, Selvia, who took the initiative.


    ¡°Eh, me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the current central government is dysfunctional, so there is no point in having Your Highness stay there, and it is natural to send you to the south in search of strength. But even so, he doesn¡¯t think that the Six Kingdoms will just end up rampaging in the west. He probably wanted to evacuate you to a safe ce in case of an emergency.¡±


    ¡°Evacuating me¡­ won¡¯t stop the Six Kingdoms, will it? If the central falls, they will invade the south as well. Then it is better to fight them together¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why His Highness Hiro decided to buy you some time until you can build up your forces by using himself as bait. But he did not tell you the truth. Because you would surely have stopped him from going to his death.¡±


    Selvia echoed Hiro¡¯s sentiments, her long eyshes quivering with sadness.


    ¡°Rosa-Aneesama¡­ won¡¯t allow that to happen. She¡¯ll stop him even if I¡¯m not there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. All of us know the truth, except you.¡±


    When Vetu turned hispassionate eyes on her, a tremor ran through the long table where the food was ced.


    Liz had struck it. It was not anger but sadness.


    ¡°Then, are you trying to tell me that this is something that Rosa-Aneesama nned together with you?¡±


    With tears in the corners of her eyes, Liz¡¯s appearance was painful.


    ¡°As a result¡­ but Rosa-dono also made a painful decision¡­¡±


    Vetu cut off his words in the middle of the sentence and called out again to Liz, who had left her seat.


    ¡°Are you nning on going?¡±


    ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no reason for me to stay here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to make it. A messenger arrived before Her Highness Celia Estre did. By now, he will have shed with the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll join up with the Fourth Imperial Army right away and head west.¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 4 – A World That Begins To Creak, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 4 - A World That Begins To Creak, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll join up with the Fourth Imperial Army right away and head west.¡±


    Once Liz started walking, Skaaha and Aura followed suit. They seem to feel the same way and will not listen to what Vetu has to say.


    ¡°I should have known this, but¡­ it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    With a sigh of exasperation, Vetu snapped his fingers.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The door that connects to the hallway swung open and armed soldiers rushed in.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Liz looked at him and drew her me Emperor from her waist. Aura also has a spirit weapon in her hand, but Skaaha beside her is empty-handed for fear of revealing her true identity. When Liz and the others indicated that they would not back down, the soldiers, sensing that their lives were in danger, quickly readied their weapons.


    ¡°Please listen to me. We have no intention of fighting.¡±


    ¡°Then let the soldiers go.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I would never break my promise. I believe that trust is more important than life. So, will you pleaseply obediently?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just have to force myself to leave.¡±


    Both Liz and Vetu stared at each other, both determined not to give up.


    Tension was building between them.


    ¡°What are you going to do now that you¡¯ve taken the Fourth Imperial Army?¡±


    Selvia was the one who broke the silence.


    ¡°The opponent has swelled to an army of 200,000. Even with the Fourth Imperial Army with only 20,000 troops, the result is obvious. Above all, are you going to let His Highness Hiro¡¯s resolve be for naught?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ but with Hiro¡¯s n, we might be able to win.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But the chances of winning are close to zero. Your Highness Celia Estre must know that. There is no point in rushing for reinforcements now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Liz¡¯s lips tighten in frustration, perhaps because she knew what she was getting into. The me Emperor let out a small burst of me as if to represent Liz¡¯s emotions.


    Liz¡¯s gaze wandered around, desperately trying to find something to deny, but it created impatience.


    ¡°¡­that¡¯s right. Blutar is in the Felzen region! We should contact¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°It seems that the Third Prince Blutar has been captured.¡±


    Selvia said without hesitation.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    The one who raised her voice was not Liz. It was Aura who was behind her. She was looking at Selvia with eyes wide open in surprise, which was unusual for her.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard that the army of the Third Prince Blutar, which was deployed in the Felzen region, was destroyed by the Queen of Anguis, one of the countries of the Six Kingdoms. In the meantime, we have received reports that many of the western nobles have shown their vassge to the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°¡­We have to inform Hiro!¡±


    ¡°He already knows about that, you know?¡±


    Liz was about to run when Vetu blocked her way.


    ¡°Please stand down!¡±


    ¡°His Highness Hiro is aware of this. It was he who reported the capture of the Third Prince Blutar.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°His Highness Hiro has 20,000 troops, and you have 20,000, for a total of only 40,000. If you go now, you won¡¯t make it. Now is the time for you to save your strength. Or do you have a secret n to defeat an army of two hundred thousand?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ But I feel like I have to go.¡±


    Liz felt like she was going to lose sight of Hiro¡¯s back. She was finally able to grasp it, but fear crept up her toes as if she could never catch it again. A cold sensation enveloped her entire body as if her body was sinking.


    She couldn¡¯t keep herposure as she couldn¡¯t understand what Hiro was thinking.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    When Vetu saw Liz shivering even though she was not cold, he felt something and lowered his eyes.


    ¡°I now understand why His Highness Hiro did not tell you the truth.¡±


    Vetu¡¯s eyes, which had once again been staring straight at Liz, were not lit with any emotion.


    Liz narrowed her eyes and red at Vetu.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the reason.¡±


    And Vetu lifted his hand sluggishly.


    ¡°You are a little too intuitive, as His Highness Hiro wrote in his letter. It¡¯s all well and good to be impetuous, but if you go too far, you¡¯ll be overzealous, and disaster will befall you.¡±


    Vetu continued to talk about Liz¡¯s shorings indifferently.


    ¡°His Highness Hiro is using himself as a pawn to further your development. Your personal feelings are secondary to his desire for the well-being of the nation.¡±


    Vetu stroked his chin curiously with a mysterious light in his eyes.


    ¡°But then ¨D how far does he look ¨D no, does he mean it?¡±


    Liz¡¯s expression stiffened as Vetu lowered his face and began mumbling to himself. But he was unconcerned, entering more and more into his own world.


    The strange silence soon passed. Suddenly, Vetu looked up happily.


    ¡°¡­I see. Your Highness Celia Estre, I havee up with a n that will allow you to rush to reinforcements right now. Moreover, we may be able to drive back the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes were filled with anticipation for a moment, but when she looked into Vetu¡¯s eyes bared with desire, she felt a chill run down her spine. She thought she had caught a glimpse of this man¡¯s true nature.


    ¡°But on one condition.¡±


    A creepy hint of a grip around his throat emanated from Vetu.


    ¡°If you will take my son as your husband, I will lend you a hand in this war against the Six Kingdoms. If you ask me to assemble them right now, I can gather about thirty thousand. If you can give me some time, I can get you more¡­?¡±


    ¡°Can you help me¡­ if I ept your conditions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, if you be my son¡¯s wife, I will give you my full cooperation. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Political marriages are not umon nowadays.¡±


    Aura, who was listening to the conversation between the two behind Liz, moved.


    ¡°Well ¨D Mm!?¡±


    However, she was unable to move forward and was dragged backward. Skaaha tried to rescue her as quickly as possible, but Selvia, who had blocked Aura¡¯s movement, put her index finger over her mouth.


    That was all it took for her to realize her intentions ¨D for Skaaha, she pulled back straightforwardly and looked at Liz with pleading eyes.


    ¡°Right¨D¨D¡±


    She seemed to have made up her mind. There is no hesitation in her eyes. She stared straight at Vetu and opened her mouth without hiding her difort.


    ¡°I refuse. Don¡¯t joke with me.¡±


    Liz brushed her sideburns off her shoulders and put her hands on her hips.


    Her eyes darted to Vetu, who tilted his head.


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you just tell me not to be so impulsive?¡±


    ¡°As an aspiring emperor, I can¡¯t give in to the threats of my subordinates.¡±


    Liz dered proudly.


    Vetu held his temples as if he had a headache.


    ¡°If the country copses, how can you talk about being emperor?¡±


    ¡°But as a member of the Grantz Imperial family, I cannot ept such a demand.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ that was well thought out, wasn¡¯t it? How can you help His Highness Hiro?¡±


    ¡°Hiro would be furious if I rushed to his aid under such conditions.¡±


    Before leaving, Hiro told Liz to follow her heart. Then, there was no way she could follow through with Vetu¡¯s unreasonable demands.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean by ¡®furious¡¯¡­ Hahaha, to be rejected for such a reason.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, dear.¡±


    His wife interrupted him from behind theughing Vetu.


    ¡°You should stop teasing Her Highness. It might put you at a disadvantage in the future.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Right.¡±


    Vetu smiled and had the soldiers put away their weapons.


    ¡°Her Highness Celia Estre¡­ please forgive my rudeness.¡±


    Selvia, who approached Liz soundlessly, bowed her head.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We have no sons. We do have daughters, but the eldest one is just two years old. Therefore, my husband¡¯s suggestion of a political marriage was a jest.¡±


    ¡°I-is that so? I thought he was serious¡­¡±


    ¡°Your quick decision is refreshing, Your Highness, but at the same time, it is also dangerous. In the future, you should take your time and think before you make a decision.¡±


    Selvia advised her with a smile.


    ¡°But since the fault lies with us, we shall listen to Your Highness¡¯ request.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hey, Selvia, don¡¯t just decide that yourself!¡±


    Vetu shouted at his wife, who was trying to get a hold of him.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    The re he gets instantly turns him off.


    Silence coiled between them for a while.


    ¡°Huh¡­ it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Vetu gave up. He showed a slight hesitation, but then he knelt down in front of Liz with a look of instant determination on his face.


    ¡°The preparations are already in ce. The southern nobles will now stand up to save the Grantz Empire from danger. It would be a shame to our ancestors if we let the savages from the west go unchecked.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Liz let out a silly voice, unable toprehend the situation.


    It was Selvia, after all, who gave her a helping hand.


    ¡°Originally, it was a promise we had made to His Highness Hiro to cooperate with Your Highness Celia Estre, but things gotplicated when my husband got greedy and went out of control.¡±


    Liz didn¡¯t know it, but Hiro and the Muzuk couple had made a secret pact. Vetu agreed as it was in the best interest of both parties. This is why it was decided from the start that they would cooperate.


    ¡°R-really?¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t understand it yet, but she could only reply dryly.


    ¡°Then, I would like you to add 50,000 troops under yourmand. Oh, it won¡¯t take long. We¡¯ll be ready to go in about a week.¡±


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say it was thirty thousand?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, we have been making preparations since we decided to cooperate with His Highness Hiro. Although the marching speed of 70,000, including the Fourth Imperial Army, is slow, I think it is enough to provide reinforcements.¡±


    Liz was momentarily taken aback but gradually understood and smiled.


    ¡°I thank you for your generous cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Then please give your orders.¡±


    Just like her husband, Selvia dropped to one knee on the floor. The soldiers and servants followed suit and knelt down on the floor.


    Liz regained herposure with a single cough and stomped across the floor, raising her arm and pointing her palm at them.


    ¡°After joining up with the Fourth Imperial Army, we¡¯ll take on the Six Kingdoms in a decisive battle to save the Grantz Empire! We may be outnumbered, but I¡¯m convinced that the quality of our soldiers is superior. We are the dominant lions of the central continent, and we must know that defeat is not an option!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±¡±Yes!¡±¡±¡±¡±


    All of those who knelt in front of Liz gave her a pleasant reply in unison.


    ¡°I shall head to the Berg fortress and make preparations. I¡¯ll join youter.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    When Vetu looked up, he could only see the back of the princess as she left.


    Vetu smiled at the now tiny lioness.


    ¡°She is a healthy girl, don¡¯t you think? Fate is a cruel thing since His Highness Hiro will no longer be in this world when she runs to him.¡±


    Standing up, Vetu followed Liz¡¯s now invisible back with his eyes.


    ¡°We will not be in time, not even close. His Highness Hiro¡¯s n was brilliant and wless. Losing him would be a great loss for the Grantz Empire, but it would be good news for the enemy¡­ as Her Highness Celia Estre would be easy to control.¡±


    ¡°But it is unlikely that you will be able to do as you please.¡±


    And when Selvia warned him, Vetu frowned ufortably.


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°That girl will get stronger. Although I¡¯ve never met His Highness Hiro, but¡­ I¡¯m sure he will stand in your way as even more of a nuisance than he was before.¡±


    ¡°Whose side are you on?¡±


    Waving his hand in the air as if to say it was deafening, Vetu summoned his entourage.


    ¡°Whatever, let¡¯s just go along with it for now.¡±


    As her husband began to walk toward the entrance, she watched his back and put her finger on her chin.


    After a beat, she immediately beckoned one of the servants with her hand.


    ¡°¡­What can I do for you?¡±


    She looked down at the servant kneeling in front of her with eyes that were not lit with emotion. She gave off a far different vibe than before and lifted the edge of her mouth in a grin.


    ¡°It would be best to take out insurance. Contact Rosa-sama.¡±


    Then she cast a nce at her husband¡¯s back.


    ¡°Women will do what they please. The men should just shut up and kneel down.¡±


    Here she was, smiling a bewitching smile befitting her appearance.

 Volume 6, Chapter 4 – A World That Begins To Creak, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 4 - A World That Begins To Creak, Part 3</h4>


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Mark territory at the western end of the central region.


    On the borderline connecting the central and western regions, 20,000 troops led by Hiro had formed a camp. They are investigating the movements of the Six Kingdoms from here.


    There are many coborators. Vigers whose viges had been burned, nobles who had been expelled from their cities, soldiers who had been defeated.


    Hiro told them to report any information to him, no matter if it was false or not.


    Even now, another messenger was galloping his horse in a hurry toward the center of the camp.


    Beyond him, the ¡°ck Dragon¡¯s Banner¡± was raised at the top of the tent. The imposing majesty of the banner fascinates the hearts of those who see it. It seemed to have an unbreakable faith.


    ¡°We have discovered an enemy scouting party three cells (nine kilometers) away. The g shows that they are definitely the Second Conquest Army. This is consistent with the testimony of the vigers.¡±


    ¡°The Fifth Conquest Army is a little too far away. It seems that they are using the city of Serus as their main base, and they are dispersing in all directions to loot the vige. The city of Serus is twenty cells (sixty kilometers) away from here.¡±


    ¡°The Fourth Conquest Army, perhaps aware of our presence, has deployed its forces on the Larix ins and is waiting for us. I couldn¡¯t get a grasp of theirmander, but judging from the situation, I¡¯d say he¡¯s belligerent.¡±


    Inside the tent, people wereing and going rapidly. The civil servants who processed the information were sweating profusely as they sorted through it.


    However, it was unimaginable to deal with the never-ending reports of messengers.


    One after another, bundles of reports piled up on the desk. They were more than the reports that the civil servants had scrutinized. The central nobles around the desk were scratching their heads at the ever-increasing number of parchments.


    Not that it was anything too much trouble. They were in despair over the extent of the damage.


    Hiro, who was sitting at the honorary seat, also nced at the pile of parchment with a problematic look on his face, sighed, and then turned his attention to Orl¨¦ans, the head of the Mark family, who was sitting nearby.


    ¡°The damage is much greater than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Apparently so¡­ I don¡¯t know where to start with this.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans nodded curiously, then picked up a piece of parchment.


    ¡°The enemy has divided its 150,000 troops into six armies ¨D five armies excluding the main army ¨D and is invading. They will be merciless to those who stand against them, merciful to those who follow them, and fearful to remind those who are ambiguous.¡±


    ¡°¡­More importantly, any confirmation of the rumor that the third prince Blutar has been executed?¡±


    ¡°It appears to be true. The report of the third prince Blutar¡¯s death seems to have had enough of an effect to discourage minds, and the western nobles are showing their willingness to surrender one after another.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans mmed his fist down on the desk,menting the unworthy western nobles.


    The shy sound of it brought about a moment of silence. Everyone stared at Orl¨¦ans with surprised faces, but they immediately got on with their own business with a re.


    In the midst of the renewed noise, Hiro waited for him to calm down before addressing him.


    ¡°So, are there any western nobles who have not shown any intention to surrender and are still resisting?¡±


    ¡°The son of Lord Kyrthia, a western nobleman, has asked for reinforcements. The city of Sabelt seems to be under siege by the Six Kingdoms¡¯ Second Conquest Army. The city has suffered considerable damage, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before it falls.¡±


    ¡°The son asked for reinforcements?¡±


    ¡°It seems that his father, Lord Kyrthia, lost his life in the battle against the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Where is the location?¡±


    ¡°Please wait. The report should have juste through.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans fished through a stack of scrutinized reports to find what he was looking for.


    ¡°This is it, yes. It¡¯s a little under-reported in some areas, but¡­ shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°If so, can you give me a rough idea of the position of the Second Conquest Army, along with the other armies? You can put the pieces on the map behind me.¡±


    ¡°Ha, understood.¡±


    The desk in the center was overflowing with reports, so Orl¨¦ans ced the pieces on the map prepared behind Hiro. Hiro stood up, turned around, and walked over to the map.


    ¡°It seems that the Second Conquest Army is two days away from here ¨D the one closest to it is probably the Third Conquest Army, and the one deploying its forces a little further away is the Fourth Conquest Army.¡±


    ¡°¡­Have the surrounding nobles surrendered?¡±


    ¡°Regardless of what their true intentions are, at this point, I think they are likely to turn.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re doing as they please, huh?¡±


    ¡°No one wants their territory to be destroyed. Therefore, the situation seems to be that they are forced to run for protection. In addition, it is unavoidable now that they have lost the third prince Blutar. It¡¯s not something that can be forgiven, though.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans muttered regretfully.


    ¡°Is the Third Imperial Capital safe?¡±


    ¡°The number of garrisoned troops is not veryrge, but they are strong, and it will be difficult to bring them down with the Six Kingdoms dispersing their forces. Even if they try to take the war to an endurance battle, the Six Kingdoms will be in trouble with food, and I think the Six Kingdoms won¡¯t be dealing with them in this war.¡±


    And if they¡¯re aiming for the Central, it¡¯s best to ignore them. Forced attacks will only result in the death of more soldiers for nothing. Maybe the idea is to create a siege situation by forcing the surrounding allies to surrender and then have them raise the white g when they are isted to minimize the damage¡­


    ¡°If they¡¯re safe, it¡¯s fine to leave them alone for now¡­¡±


    ¡°So what do you want to do? We could head to the Third Imperial Capital and join them in the siege?¡±


    Orl¨¦ans pointed out, Hiro shakes his head to deny it.


    ¡°There is no point if we are not taken seriously. If we are not careful, we could be surrounded and trapped.¡±


    But most importantly ¨D Hiro said in advance.


    ¡°The purpose of our mission is to drive the Six Kingdoms out of the west. There is no point in staying in the Third Imperial Capital. So let¡¯s keep in mind that we have to destroy the Second Conquest Army that is besieging the city of Sabelt. Since the enemy is dispersing, for the time being, it¡¯s fine to adopt a policy of destroying them individually.¡±


    The strategy to eradicate the Second Conquest Army is to use a pincer attack. In order to do that, they must get in touch with Lord Kyrthia¡¯s son in the city of Sabelt.


    ¡°Can you instruct him to strike when we attack from behind?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how big the siege will be, but I¡¯ll send out a skilled secret agent.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you fail. If that is impossible, I will think of another way. But please do that first.¡±


    Hiro returned to his chair and looked at the central nobles who were struggling with a stack of reports.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s decide on the roles of each of you.¡±


    Hiro told them.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Hadrian¡¯s Border Fortress at the northern end of the central region.


    The border fort that connects the central and northern regions was visited by an unusual force.


    The number of them is five thousand. It was eerie to see them march in silence, without revealing their faces, wrapping their huge bodies in armor, and without exchanging even a single word. Moreover, the gs they were carrying were unfamiliar, which made the people look even more uneasy.


    The families of the soldiers living in the border fort looked on with anxious faces.


    Two sharp horns on a purple background ¨D the g is the emblem of the demon race that once plunged the world into chaos.


    Surprisingly, however, no matter what the family members thought, the soldiers were not afraid.


    The reason lies in the other g.


    This g depicted a white horse with a single horn growing out of a purple background. It was the banner of the great general Rox Van Levering, once called the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky.¡±


    The g of a general who served the God of War. Even though they respected the army led by the descendant of the general, the soldiers of the Grantz could not be rude.


    ¡°Certainly¡­ the seal of the fourth prince Hiro and the second prince Selene are stamped on it.¡±


    The guard captain in charge of the border received the letter and examined it for anything suspicious. However, when he saw that the royal family¡¯s seal was affixed to the letter ¨D and that it was written in their joint names ¨D he immediately broke into a salute.


    ¡°Her Majesty Queen udia, wee to the Great Grantz Empire. You may pass.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience. I was in a hurry, so I hope you¡¯ll forgive my rudeness.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯m grateful to the Spirit King for allowing me to meet the descendant of Rox-sama.¡±


    She smiled at the bowing captain and kicked the horse¡¯s belly. The captain of the guard shouted uncharacteristically loudly at the back of the horse.


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen udia! If you¡¯re going to stay here for a while, you can stay at the mansion!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m in a hurry at the moment, so I¡¯ll just take your kind offer.¡±


    udia skillfully maneuvered her horse and raised her hand to the captain of the guard to show her affection.


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    The guard captain sat down on the ground from the waist down as if he had lost his back in the face of that charming smile.


    udiaughed happily as she increased the speed of her horse and headed for the front.


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen udia!¡±


    One of her aides rushed her horse to the front of the group.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°The messenger we sent to Hiro-sama has returned. It seems that the situation is not good after all.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    udia put her finger on the tip of her chin and slightly lowered her eyes. Then an aide presents her with a letter.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a letter from His Highness Hiro as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    She took the letter from him and looked it over quickly.


    ¡°Fufufu¡­ you can think of something quite amusing, huh?¡±


    udia smiled a girlish smile for her age and looked up at the sky.


    ¡°You intend to deceive everyone¡­ Are you going to be a pawn for that? Really¡­ you really are a horrible person.¡±


    udia is shivering alone, and her aides are making quizzical expressions.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stop cooperating after all? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we were to cut down the northern part of the country and build up our forces on our own?¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand the meaning of udia¡¯sugh, and when his aide asked a question, she red at him with frozen eyes. It didn¡¯t take long for the aide to realize that he had chosen the wrong words when he noticed that she was filled with such murderous intent that she could have killed him with just a nce.


    ¡°M-my apologies!¡±


    udia looked away from the aide, who bowed down in panic, and raised one hand to the sky.


    The purple crystalline stone glowed brightly in the sunlight.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get much by jumping to such a short-term gain. Look at the big picture. Don¡¯t look at the bait that is offered to you, but at the one who holds the bait that is offered to you.¡±


    She formed a fist with her raised hand and pointed it in the direction of the Great Imperial Capital.


    ¡°This is the way for the demon race to survive. There is no king among us.¡±


    In order to get the sun shining in the sky again, they must grab it with their own hands.


    ¡°Ara¡­ You don¡¯t look convinced, do you?¡±


    The unhappy look on the aide¡¯s face seemed as if he was afraid to say anything as if he knew it would upset udia.


    ¡°If you think that I am a dictator who does not listen to her subordinates, then leave this ce right now. If not, then as a vassal, you will speak out to remonstrate with the ruler that she is wrong.¡±


    ¡°W-with all due respect¡­ we do not have the power to fight the Six Kingdoms. With the current state of warfare, I thought it would be more¡­ convenient to cooperate with the Six Kingdoms in some way.¡±


    udia let out a sigh of dismay when she heard the words that were more unconvincing than she expected.


    ¡°It will only make you a puppet. Big favor over small favor, in order to make the Levering Kingdom an even bigger power, it will only be a loss if you follow the Six Kingdoms, right?¡±


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be the same if we lost even if we joined Hiro-sama?¡±


    The aide persisted.


    ¡°In all honesty, the Six Kingdoms have no regard for the Levering Kingdom. They don¡¯t see the value of a country that is located in the far north, where resources are scarce¡­¡±


    There was nothing more irritating than to demean one¡¯s own country, but udia felt that this was the best way to convince and inspire her aides.


    ¡°If we cooperate, we will only be used as a stepping stone and then annexed. It¡¯s no different from a vassal state of the Grantz Empire. How can you ask your people to be ves once again?¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The aide fell silent at the painful words. udia saw that and smiled.


    ¡°This is why we have decided to cooperate with Hiro-sama. We, the demon race, are going to use the Six Kingdoms to let the world know that we have returned to the central continent.¡±


    The conditions that Hiro had offered were even better than that. If they followed the Grantz Empire, they would get what they wanted. It was a valuable item that could not be obtained by joining the camp of the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°Very well, Your Majesty. I will follow all of Your Majesty Queen udia¡¯s instructions. Please forgive me for asking such a trivial question.¡±


    ¡°No matter. If you have any doubts, you can always ask.¡±


    udia looked up above her head, narrowed her eyes, and smiled lustily.


    Now that she has be queen, she will never again allow the demon race to be relegated to the shadows.


    Always under the sun ¨D if that¡¯s the case, she¡¯ll take it easy and make a name for herself as a foolish monarch.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m curious.¡±


    Thest sentence in the letter suddenly came to her mind.


    All in one ¨D what on earth does that mean? Since it¡¯s Hiro, it seems to have a deeper meaning, but she can¡¯t think of anything now.


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess we¡¯ll find out when we meet, Hiro-sama.¡±


    She would have gotten what she wanted by then. This is the reason why she moved her army like this because she had that condition.


    ¡°Even so¡­ this is going to be fun. The times toe are unpredictable.¡±


    udia struggled to hold back herughter at the mayhem that was about to ur.

 Volume 6, Chapter 4 – A World That Begins To Creak, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 4 - A World That Begins To Creak, Part 4</h4>


    6th February, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The news came in the morning. Not a moment had passed since the morning sun had begun to shine on the world.


    Perhaps because of this, only a few soldiers could be seen starting their morning exercises, and the main camp of the Six Kingdoms was so quiet that the sound of footsteps could be heard. A woman was walking through the camp in her underwear.


    Perhaps she was absolutely confident in her body, but she showed no signs of shame in her gait. She was so regal that the soldiers were afraid to look away for fear of looking directly at her.


    When asked who was the most dazzling woman in the Six Kingdoms, everyone would say her name ¡ª Commander Lucia Levia de Anguis ¨D also the Queen of Anguis.


    She stepped into themand center with loud footsteps as if she couldn¡¯t hide her annoyance.


    In the room, there were already staff members and even the Urpeth siblings.


    When they recognized Lucia, they stood up and saluted her at once, but several of the staff members blushed at the sight of Lucia. Even though they tried to turn their faces away, the sexy atmosphere she exuded was enough to draw their attention.


    However, they are no different from stones on the roadside to Lucia, even if they look at her fondly. No matter what kind of feelings they have for her, she is an existence above the clouds that they cannot even talk to her outside of a meeting.


    Anyway¡­


    ¡°At ease.¡±


    Lucia was woken up from a fitful sleep, and her eyes were fixed on the floor as though she were in a foul mood. The staff in their chairs turned their faces down in tension. The only ones who kept the same attitude were her assistants, Seleucus, and the Urpeth siblings.


    ¡°Heh, are you trying to seduce me?¡±


    Eagle said with his arms over the back of his head and lust in his eyes.


    But Lucia red at him, not with embarrassment, but with murderous intent.


    ¡°¡­Do you want to die?¡±


    Eagle hurriedly straightened his posture, unable to speak a word, and his whole body hair stood upright. The gravity in the room has obviously increased by some percentage. Arge amount of greasy sweat poured down from Eagle¡¯s forehead.


    As the surrounding nobles groaned, Luca stood up.


    ¡°Please forgive my brother for his rudeness. This fool was only trying to lighten the mood.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that, report the situation.¡±


    Lucia waved her hand as if she had just lost her temper, and the deadly atmosphere that filled the room dissipated.


    Seleucus stood up from his chair in response to Lucia¡¯s words.


    ¡°Then let me exin it to you.¡±


    He picked up one of the pieces and ced it on the map. It is the ce where the Second Conquest Army is deploying its forces. Lucia looked at Seleucus with a quizzical expression, wanting to know what he meant.


    ¡°The descendant of the God of War hasunched a full-scale campaign.¡±


    The others were particrly astonished as Lucia¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest at his words.


    ¡°Se-Seleucus-dono¡­ is that true?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? How is it possible for reinforcements to arrive so quickly?¡±


    Themand center buzzed noisily.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯ve just received a report that the Second Conquest Army has been destroyed.¡±


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    Themand center shuddered in astonishment as the staff officer shouted.


    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t there a report until it was destroyed?¡±


    ¡°What were the scouts doing? Are they scouting deep in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°All of you ¨D stop screaming.¡±


    After banging on the desk to silence the noisy people, Lucia red at her surroundings and then opened her mouth again.


    ¡°Seleucus¡­ exin the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°You all know that the Second Conquest Army has surrounded the city of Sabelt, right? However, the Second Conquest Army may have been careless and easily raided from behind by the Grantz Army under darkness. In addition, the Lord of the city of Sabelt struck out,pleting the pincer attack. Themander¡¯s loss added to the confusion, and they were annihted.¡±


    ¡°Why did they fall for such a straightforward n?¡±


    ¡°There were tributes from the surrounding viges and towns, and they were having a feast with the alcohol.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t even say that I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    ¡°In addition, a letter of praise for themander of the Second Conquest Army was received from the lord of Sabelt, and the euphoria must have caused him to let his guard down.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ What about that guy?¡±


    Luciaughed dryly and showed a form of anger as if she would kill him right now with her own hands. Seleucus, on the other hand, was not intimidated and continued to read the report without hesitation.


    ¡°It seems that whether he was captured or killed in battle, we have not been able to confirm that.¡±


    ¡°If he has returned alive, bring him before me. I¡¯ll strangle him to death with my own hands.¡±


    Lucia repeatedly struck her hands with her iron fan and breathed hard, perhaps to unify her mind.


    ¡°¡­The tribute was probably a trap designed by the ¡°Ancient King.¡± What country is he from? How can he make such a mistake in the time of war?¡±


    ¡°Urpeth Kingdom, yes. Do you recognize the name General Lekigmaev?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, that¡¯s our guy¡­ Hah, he fell for such an obvious trap.¡±


    Eagle covered his face with one hand and shook his broad shoulders in shame.


    ¡°I¡¯m so ashamed¡­¡±


    He exuded anger as he said this, and Luca, who sat next to him, quietly raised her hand.


    ¡°In order to regain our honor, we will defeat the Descendant of the ¡®God of War¡¯ ourselves. Seleucus-dono, how many soldiers does the enemy have?¡±


    ¡°Including the soldiers of the surrounding nobles, I¡¯d say more than 30,000.¡±


    ¡°Then 50,000 troops should be enough. Her Majesty Queen Lucia, may I have your permission to go into battle?¡±


    ¡°You should stop, I understand your desire to redeem yourself, but if this is part of the Ancient King¡¯s scheme, you will be jumping into a deadly situation.¡±


    ¡°But, you see¡­ I cannot leave my country in disgrace.¡±


    ¡°Just give up for now. It was all about our superior numbers, which led to our carelessness and the destruction of the Second Conquest Army. We may have the upper hand in the war, but we can¡¯t afford to becent.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be careless!¡±


    Eagle mmed his chair to the ground in a rage. Unfortunately, some of the debris hit a few of the staff members, and they lost their strength and fell down.


    ¡°Her Majesty Queen Lucia. Can¡¯t you leave this to us?¡±


    Stepping on the wreckage of the chair, Eagle, with a blue vein on his forehead, gives a twitching smile. He wanted to jump out of the chair right now, but his reasoning seemed to be holding him back.


    ¡°You have a very short temper, you know. Or would you like to have some fight with me?¡±


    Lucia red at Eagle again and smiled venomously as she ordered the fallen staff member to be taken to the infirmary.


    ¡°It would be a lot less bloody, wouldn¡¯t it?


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Then stop barking. It¡¯s only a loss of twenty thousand. The remaining 180,000 are still alive and well, so if the Grantz Army were to attack in the darkness, they would only be defeated individually.¡±


    Lucia stood up and pointed to the map with her iron fan.


    ¡°Above all, the wedge has already been driven.¡±


    Lucia smashed the pieces of the Second Conquest army and poked at the pieces of the Third Conquest army nearby.


    ¡°You are certain that the Third Conquest Army is the one closest to the Ancient King?¡±


    When she asked Seleucus to confirm, he nodded.


    ¡°If so, let them strike the Ancient King two or three times and then join up with the main army. The remaining three armies should do nothing and join up with the main army as well.¡±


    ¡°You mean to bait them?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Listen, give strict orders to the Third Conquest Army not to make any serious moves. It will only encourage them. There is no guarantee that the western nobles who surrendered will not change their minds if they lose. So don¡¯t take any chances. All they need to do is to repeat the provocation.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±


    Luca asked while patting his grumpy brother on the head.


    ¡°You must regain your wits and keep in mind that the Ancient King must be defeated.¡±


    Lucia also instructed them to change their supply routes and to disband the army temporarily.


    ¡°But why now? I don¡¯t mind changing unitmanders, but disbanding the entire unit and reorganizing it will disrupt the chain ofmand.¡±


    Lucia wrinkled her nose when she saw that Seleucus was trying to say that it was a bad idea.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, spread the word that the Six Kingdoms have not established a chain ofmand. You can also spread rumors about the Urpeth siblings and me not getting along.¡±


    To prevent any escape, they lured the ¡°Ancient King¡± deep into the west. It¡¯s a tant invitation, but if the entire army is forced to retreat temporarily, they will have no choice but toe after them. Then, many western nobles who have been freed from the threat will join the Ancient King.


    That¡¯s when the Ancient King will be finished, and he will swallow the time bomb and explode.


    ¡°If you understand, you must act immediately.¡±


    Lucia said, and her staff and subordinates rushed out of the room.


    In the hustle and bustle of themand center, Lucia stopped one of the men.


    ¡°Eagle, wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I have to follow my sister, or she will get angry with me.¡±


    ¡°You still love your sister, don¡¯t you? But don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Lucia looked at the shining blue crystalline stone in Eagle¡¯s left hand and cleared her throat.


    Her eyes glistened like a ferocious predator that had found its food.


    ¡°Are you ¨D are you prepared to die for your sister?¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 4 – A World That Begins To Creak, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 4 - A World That Begins To Creak, Part 5</h4>


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D near Sabelt in the middle of the western region.


    Hiro had moved his main camp to this location and was receiving reports about the Six Kingdoms movements.


    Around themand center, the staff and nobles were busily running around. They were busy making arrangements for the transport of prisoners of war, checking broken swords and armor, and calcting food rations for the increased number of soldiers since the Second Conquest Army had been destroyed.


    Messengers were constantlying and going through the tent. Priority was given to reports from the scout troops on the enemy¡¯s movements, the status of the security of the camp, and the discovery of supply routes.


    After that, the status of the roads and the locations of bandit and monster outbreaks were reported to the western nobles, who were mainly supporting the rear with a small number of troops.


    If they can¡¯t handle the situation, they are ordered to contact the central.


    ¡°It seems that the Fourth Conquest Army, which has been deploying troops in the Larix ins, has made a move.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans, the head of the Mark family,es to Hiro with a report in his hand.


    ¡°It seems that they are acting in response to the destruction of the Second Conquest Army.¡±


    ¡°I see. Instruct the soldiers to increase their surveince and remain vignt. They will probably try to set us up. More importantly, what about the damage here?¡±


    ¡°Do you want the details?¡±


    ¡°No, just a rough estimate.¡±


    ¡°The damage is minor. Three hundred cavalry and one thousand infantry. But thanks to the western nobles gathering and joining forces, our numbers have swelled to 30,000.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ but there is something that concerns me.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans holds out a sheet of report.


    Hiro looked over it quickly. The names of the nobles who died in the war were written on the parchment.


    ¡°Some of the central nobles have been killed ¨D I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the right word.¡±


    ¡°¡­The cause of death was all stray arrows?¡±


    ¡°And they were from our side. It¡¯s too much of a coincidence. Seven people killed by stray arrows, it can only be the work of assassins sent by the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s raise the guard by one level. I¡¯d like to let as many people as possible rest, but we can¡¯t afford to turn our backs on them.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Is morale still low?¡±


    Hiro asked. Orl¨¦ans patted his chest and said not to worry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; morale has been boosted by the destruction of the Second Conquest Army. Saving the city of Sabelt seems to have helped, too.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s move on to the next phase.¡±


    The enemy is consolidating their forces that had been dispersed, and it was going ording to their expectations.


    But for some reason, Orl¨¦ans¡¯ forehead is sweating from anxiety.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it really troublesome to rally the opponents?¡±


    ¡°They are indeed tougher when they are concentrated than when they are dispersed, but concentrating together on the battlefield can sometimes be fatal. If you can¡¯t establish a chain ofmand, you¡¯re no better than a mob. If we take advantage of that gap, we can easily overturn the difference in numbers.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm, I believe such a report came in.¡±


    It seems that there is a quarrel between themander and the deputymander in the Six Kingdoms. In addition, it seems that they have been disbanding and reorganizing their armies, perhaps because they feel uneasy about the armies they have taken over due to suspicion. If the scattered troops are drawn there, the chain ofmand will be inplete disarray.


    (¡­Is it working roughly as I expected?)


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened, and he walked over to the map behind him to further ensure his n.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about the next part.¡±


    Looking sideways at Orl¨¦ans with a piece in his hand, he nodded silently and urged him onward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the middle of the line to the western nobles who have joined us. If we send them to the front, once they have sumbed to the Six Kingdoms, they may immediately disrupt the formation and cause it to copse.¡±


    The color of defeat, once ingrained, would never fade. The fear that has been kneaded into them is enhanced as if it were a beautiful memory. It was not hard to imagine what would happen if they were sent out into the battlefield.


    (Well, their morale was low ¨D they should be sent to the rear support.)


    If it had been a battle that they could afford, Hiro would have sent them to the front again and won the battle. That way, they could regain not only their morale but even their confidence. However, the situation of this battle was hopeless from the start ¨D in such a situation, there was even a sense of distrust in the upper echelons of the military among the soldiers.


    (I think we could have removed this by eradicating the Second Conquest Army, though.)


    The soldiers that Hiro led are no longer a problem, but the defeated soldiers of the western nobles who joined them are not. They have beenpletely subjugated once. Some of them may be burning with vengeance, but not enough to affect the whole.


    Then why ¨D why did he incorporate them into the army?


    (Now, Orl¨¦ans, what kind of response would you give me?)


    If possible, he would have liked to see a reaction that would have made him confident.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it good? As expected, Your Highness Hiro, you are brilliant.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans praised Hiro¡¯s choice excitedly. Hiro felt his emotions cool down at once. He desperately suppressed the impulses running through his body and tried to maintain hisposure.


    However, his ck eyes were filled with an abyss.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, please proceed as such. The same goes for the western nobles who will be joining us in the future.¡±


    He was able to grasp a part of the anxiety that he had been harboring since the war with the Six Kingdoms began.


    He was sure of it. It was something that had been on his mind for a while, but now he could do it without any problems.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯ll ce the central nobles at the front and leave the rear to the small and medium nobles. I¡¯ll also takemand at the front.¡±


    ¡°Then I will act together with Your Highness Hiro.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans happily expressed his opinion, to which Hiro responded with a ghastly smile.


    ¡°It will be reassuring to have you as my assistant.¡±


    Hiro turned on his heel and strode toward the entrance.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be leaving here in two days. I will leave you in charge of the rest.¡±


    ¡°You want to go now?¡±


    ¡°I will rest for today.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then. let me take care of the rest.¡±


    Feeling the presence of a bow behind him, Hiro waved his hand and went through the entrance to return to his tent. Once outside, the air, monopolized by the cold air, froze the skin.


    For Hiro, it felt like a gentle spring breeze, thanks to the ¡°ck Princess Camellia.¡±


    Hiro was walking silently in the dark night when he suddenly stopped.


    ¡°¡­Some things never change, even after a thousand years.¡±


    Looking up above him, he saw that a star-filled sky dominated the world. The light of the full moon was shining down on the earth, apanied by the colorful stars dancing in the darkness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who it was¡­ Who was it who said that the stars are the souls of people?¡±


    When a person dies, they be a spirit, and the spirit soul bes a star and continues to watch over the world with the spirit king. So when people feel fear, sadness, or loneliness, they can look up at the sky and know they are not alone.


    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. It was Liz.¡±


    Hiro heard about it when they were camped at Mount Himmel. He was struggling to keep up with the fast-paced changes in the situation, and his memory had begun to fade.


    ¡°¡­I was so happy at that time. I felt like you were really talking to me.¡±


    But now, he no longer feels the warmth of a hug nor the tenderness of being wrapped up in it.


    Hiro stretched out his hand to the night sky as if he regretted the distant past.


    ¡°But I made a choice. A thousand years ago, I was afraid to walk, so I chose a path that I could shamefully run away from.¡±


    Hiro turned his face down sadly and raised his right arm, running his fingertips over his eye patch.


    If Liz and the others aren¡¯t here, he doesn¡¯t feel the need to conceal it anymore.


    ¡°I could be wrong, but¡­ I finally found it.¡±


    Slowly, he removed his eye patch, revealing eyes of sorrow.


    ¡°I will go. In order to be more arrogant than anyone else, more powerful than anyone else, more of a king than anyone else.¡±


    ¨D¨DI will devour the world.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame I won¡¯t be able to watch her grow until the end¡­¡±


    He smiles a wistful little smile. However, it is broken in an instant.


    The next thing that appeared ¨D the face that peeked out from the abyss was a face of disaster.


    ¡°¡­Let us end an era for a new myth.¡±


    Hiro muttered a prayer and began to walk again. He stomped on the ground silently, yet forcefully, with unconcealed killing intent.


    The sound of insects muffled, the cries of the wind disturbed, and the sound disappeared from the world.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a pawn for that.¡±


    Hiro ducked through the tent¡¯s entrance that had been prepared for him and looked around the room. His gaze immediately stopped. A man was waiting for him with his head bowed.


    ¡°¡®Hiro-sama, I have been waiting for you.¡±


    Behind him was a chair, on which someone was sitting, tied up with a rope. A cloth had been bunched around his mouth, perhaps to prevent him from screaming.


    Hiro walked forward and looked down at the man¡¯s head, who knelt on the ground and gave him a word of encouragement.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. And thank you for assassinating the central nobles.¡±


    ¡°No, I failed to kill one of them. I apologize for that.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. It seems that you brought the one who you failed to kill with you.¡±


    Hiro looked at the person who was raging behind the man. He was desperately trying to plead for something, but the biting cloth made it difficult to hear him over the animal-like snarl.


    ¡°How many others are infiltrating?¡±


    ¡°There are only ten, including myself.¡±


    Hiro had made a deal with udia to cooperate with him before he started his n.


    One of the things that Hiro wanted was to have an assassin kneeling in front of him. The assassin¡¯s skill was impable. He could tell from his presence that he was quite a skilled assassin.


    ¡°And here is a letter from Her Majesty Queen udia.¡±


    Hiro took the proffered envelope, pulled a nearby chair, and sat down. He took out the letter, looked it over quickly, and lifted the edge of his mouth.


    ¡°Yes¡­ It seems that everything is generally fine.¡±


    Hiro stood up, flicking the letter around, and walked over to a desk in the corner of the tent.


    As he nced at the map spread out, he picked up a pen and began to fill out the words on the paper.


    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry to ask you to bring him here, but can you please get rid of him? Now that I have proof, there¡¯s no need to torture him to get him to talk.¡±


    Without even a nce, Hiro pointed his pen at the captured central nobleman.


    He got confirmation from the exchange at themand center earlier.


    The head of the Mark family, Orl¨¦ans ¨D in all probability, he is connected with the Six Kingdoms.


    Or maybe it¡¯s the ck Death Vige¡­ Either way, Orl¨¦ans is guilty.


    ¡°I wonder how he¡¯ll react if he loses his entourage again. Will he be anxious and wary, or will he be dazzled by the opportunity before him?¡±


    It would be nice if he felt even a hint of fear when he learned that an assassin was working in the dark within the camp.


    Next, Hiro sighed ¨D a deep one that contained sorrow.


    The nib of the pen that had been busy on the paper stops. Then he takes out a new piece of paper.


    (¡­Liz, you will definitely take the throne.)


    Even though he couldn¡¯t get rid of all Liz¡¯s opponents, if Rosa and the others supported her, the hardship would not be a problem. And the political strife would strengthen her mind, and she would finally have the strong spirit of an emperor.


    (And I hope she will save her strength for the battles toe.)


    There will be times of frustration. There may be days when she wants to cry.


    But Hiro believes that she will be able to ovee them.


    Sadness can make a person grow. Anger gives people energy. Joy gives people happiness.


    (I pray that your thoughts will bloom in the world.)


    Hiro put his pen on the desk and turned around.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to need your help with a few things.¡±


    Hiro looked at the assassin sent by udia.


    ¡°W-whatever you need.¡±


    The assassin nodded curiously, but his voice trembled in the face of the enormous amount of supremacy radiating from Hiro.

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 1</h4>


    Under the clear skies ¨D there was a group of horsemen riding briskly through the sunlit streets.


    A lily on a red background was painted on their banner.


    It was the g of Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz, the sixth imperial princess.


    10th February, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar. In the capital city of the Great Grantz Empire, dius, Liz was returning with a small group of guards.


    People looked back to see what was happening, but her back was already too far away to see.


    The echoing roar of horseshoes left a reverberation everywhere along the way, but it ceased once they reached the imperial pce. Liz jumped off her horse and headed for the entrance of the imperial pce.


    However, the door opened first, and a familiar figure stepped out.


    ¡°Rosa-Aneesama!¡±


    ¡°My dear sister. You¡¯vee back safely!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t go back to the east?¡±


    Liz jumped into Rosa¡¯s chest with her arms outstretched and looked up at her sister.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Well¡­¡±


    As Rosa awkwardly averted her face and scratched her cheek, Liz narrowed her eyes and backed away from her sister.


    ¡°I heard about Hiro from the head of the Muzuk family.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ so there¡¯s no need to hide anymore.¡±


    Rosa let out a tired sigh, looked up at the sky, and began to mutter clerically and indifferently.


    ¡°It¡¯s all the truth. I¡¯m sorry that we deceived you, but it was all necessary for you to take the throne.¡±


    ¡°Why¨D¨D¡±


    Liz closed in on Rosa.


    ¡°¡­what¡¯s that?¡±


    She frowned at the envelope that Rosa suddenly presented to her.


    ¡°My lord gave it to Liz.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    Rosa smiled as if she was troubled as Liz took the letter from her.


    Then she looked around and opened her mouth.


    ¡°Where is Ghada-dono?¡±


    She asked Liz, but she seemed to be too busy reading the letter to hear her. Another chuckle escaped Rosa¡¯s lips, and Tris came over to see whether he had heard her.


    ¡°The Raven Army ising with the Fourth Emperor¡¯s army. Of course, the Muzuk family¡¯s army is alsoing with us.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ so you¡¯ve seeded in persuading the Muzuk family to join?¡±


    ¡°They will reach the Great Imperial Capital in about a week.¡±


    ¡°The soldiers from other regions are gathering in the capital one after another. It looks like we can finally fight back.¡±


    Rosa patted Liz¡¯s head happily, but she was still concentrating on the letter and was left to her own devices. She took her hand away from Liz¡¯s head and pulled out a separate letter from the one addressed to Liz.


    ¡°I wanted to give it to Ghada-dono as soon as possible¡­¡±


    She shook her head as if she had no choice but to hurry.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Liz, are you hung¨D¨D!?¡±


    Rosa¡¯s words were cut off in mid-sentence, and her beautiful eyes suddenly widened. This is because there was no sign of Liz in the ce where she had just been.


    She looked around hurriedly to find her and found that she was just about to jump into the saddle.


    ¡°Liz! Where do you think you¡¯re going? Hold on!¡±


    Rosa shouted unusually loudly, but Liz was turning her horse¡¯s head and would not stop.


    ¡°Tris-dono, you have to stop her too!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Princess! P-please wait!¡±


    The two of them ran towards Liz¡¯s back, but there was no way they could catch up to the horse with their human legs.


    As soon as they see it, they are separated from each other. Rosa continued to call out to Liz during that time, but she stubbornly ignored her, not even looking back.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going by yourself, are you? Damn it; if that¡¯s what you¡¯re nning to do, I¡¯ll stop you with all my might.¡±


    She clicked her tongue and stopped in her tracks. Realizing that she couldn¡¯t catch up, she thought about moving her troops to capture Liz. But there was no need for that.


    ¡°¡­Selene-Aniisama?¡±


    Selene appeared leisurely in front of Liz, who was galloping at high speed.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to stop you, you know, Liz? You¡¯re being too reckless!¡±


    The blood drained from Rosa¡¯s face as she recognized Selene¡¯s figure with his arms outstretched. There was no sign of Liz slowing down her horse. On the other hand, Selene doesn¡¯t seem to have any intention of giving way either.


    A horrible scene appears in Rosa¡¯s mind, but there is nothing she can do about it.


    Even as she ponders, the distance between them is closing.


    And then ¨D they collide.


    A violent cloud of dust rolls up. Due to this, she was unable to grasp the situation.


    ¡°Liz! Selene-Aniisama!¡±


    The dust was blown away by the wind in front of Rosa, who hurriedly approached the scene.


    The next thing she saw was a surprising sight.


    It was not the sight of Selene being hit by a horse, nor was it the scene of Liz falling off her horse and fainting in agony.


    Rather, she was being pinned to the ground by Selene. The horse, which had lost its rider, was whinnying anxiously, turning its head around, seemingly unaware of what had happened.


    Rosa, too, was filled with confusion, but she stroked her chest and began to walk, relieved that he could stop Liz for the moment.


    As she closed the distance between them, she could hear their conversation drifting through the wind.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt the horse, so I had to take a rough approach.¡±


    ¡°¡­Selene-Aniisama? Why?¡±


    ¡°That should be my line. Right now, we should wait for the nobles to arrive from all over.¡±


    Liz put all her strength into trying to escape the restraints, but Selene didn¡¯t move an inch.


    ¡°W-what¡­!?¡±


    Liz was astonished. Her physical abilities have been enhanced by the ¡°blessings¡± of the me Emperor, one of the Five Emperors of Spirit Swords. An ordinary person should be no better than an infant in this regard. And yet, no matter how much effort she put into it, she could not free herself from Selene.


    ¡°Step back! Selene-Aniisama! I have to go!¡±


    ¡°Liz, I know how you feel, but let¡¯s calm down first.¡±


    Liz red at Selene, who tried to warn her with a smile.


    And Liz¡¯s eyes moistened when she saw Hiro¡¯s letter shimmering at the edge of her vision.


    ¡°There is no way I can calm down! Get out of my way!¡±


    Liz tried to hold back her tears and failed. Tears flowed down her cheeks and onto the ground, dampening the soil.


    ¡°Ugh, hey, please let me go to the west¡­¡±


    Liz pleaded with Selene, letting out a sob.


    Selene¡¯s eyes twisted sadly as he recognized his sister¡¯s painful appearance.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. If I did that, his resolve would be wasted.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need his resolve¡­ Let it go to waste!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably confused, so I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear that gibberish. We have to wait until we have the strength to do it. It¡¯s the only thing we can do.¡±


    ¡°If we wait, Hiro will die! I can¡¯t let that happen!¡±


    The murderous intent of Liz¡¯s body is increasing in pressure to an umon degree.


    Selene¡¯s face was tense as he restrained her, perhaps because her power was getting stronger and stronger. But even so, Selene pushed her to the ground with all the strength he could muster.


    ¡°Is that what the letter said?¡±


    When Liz nodded hesitantly in response to Selene¡¯s question, a shadow fell over their heads.


    ¡°Liz¡­ please respect my lord¡¯s decision.¡±


    Rosa bent forward and gently stroked her sister¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°You too, Anee-sama! Why didn¡¯t you stop Hiro?¡±


    ¡°Even if I could have stopped my lord, the Great Imperial Capital would have been besieged by a 200,000-strong army by now.¡±


    Considering the speed of the invasion of the Six Kingdoms, the prediction was not wrong. If the Great Imperial Capital were to be surrounded, its authority would be destroyed.


    The reinforcements gathering from all over the world would have no ce to go, and the Grantz Empire would have copsed.


    There would also be a betrayal by the nobles in search of their own interests, and some would even turn to other countries.


    In fact, an investigation has shown that many of the central nobility are linked to the Six Kingdoms. It seems that they were originally linked to the Krone family, but the First Prince Stobel solidified it.


    ¡°My lord, he went into battle to expose those people. If they stay hidden, there¡¯s nothing we can do. He said that if we show them an opening, the traitors will bite us.¡±


    ¡°¡­But that doesn¡¯t mean why should Hiro have to sacrifice himself?¡±


    Liz, who had lost the will to resist, was released from Selene and sat on the ground.


    ¡°He was the best person for the job. For the enemy, the descendant of the God of War is a great way to increase their prestige, and for the traitors, he is a nuisance. However, there was no way that they would easily turn tail on him in a straightforward attack. That¡¯s why my lord bought himself as a decoy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­isn¡¯t that too much to go on. Hiro didn¡¯t have to use himself as bait.¡±


    ¡°I know. But we have to trust him now.¡±


    Rosa put her arm around Liz¡¯s shoulders, her eyes red and swollen, and held her close.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure my lord wille back alive. He would return with his usual aloofness. We can¡¯t trust a letter written by a naughty young man.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s voice trembled as if she were saying to herself.


    Behind her, Selene stands idly, looking at his sisters.


    ¡°¡­¡­is this a prank?¡±


    Selene frowned and tilted his head at Rosa¡¯s words and actions.


    However, he quickly smiled to mend the situation.


    ¡°Go back to your room and get some rest. Liz is probably tired from running in so early.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ get some rest first. Then we¡¯ll talk again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    With Rosa pushing her back, Liz turns her feet towards the imperial pce.


    The gait is heavy and unsteady, so weak that it looks as if she might copse at any moment.


    The old soldier, Tris, bowed to Selene and followed the girls.


    Selene responded by raising his hand and looking after the girls.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I wonder what it is. I can¡¯t get it off my chest.¡±


    He tilted his head and wracked his brain, but no answer came out.


    Sighing in resignation, Selene approached the horse that Liz had left behind.


    ¡°Driks, are you there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Driks, who had been hiding in the blind spot, appeared as if in the shadow of the horse.


    But the sudden appearance of Driks didn¡¯t seem to surprise him, and Selene stroked the horse¡¯s neck and mumbled a few words to himself.


    ¡°Have you received anything from Hiro?¡±


    ¡°¡®I have a letter for you, sir.¡±


    The brown envelope slid across the ground and stopped under Selene¡¯s feet. He pretended to pick up the reins and the envelope at the same time.


    ¡°Do you think my uncle knows about this?¡±


    The brown envelope contained a single letter with a brief message.


    ¡°I reported it to him, so he knows.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ he would have checked the contents. My uncle loves to snoop, you know. Did he say anything to you?¡±


    There was a pause ¨D a moment of hesitation for Driks, but the meaning behind it was profound.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s notified everyone that he¡¯s going to start the n.¡±


    ¡°It is just typical of him, but¡­ there is something wrong with this.¡±


    Selene tilted his head, eyeing Hiro¡¯s letter with suspicion.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been able to verify the content, but I haven¡¯t tampered with it in any way. What¡¯s so strange about it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say for sure. At the moment, it just feels strange.¡±


    Selene shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile and headed towards the imperial pce, pulling the horse.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see my uncle first. He might be plotting to undermine the stability of the north.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe Gils-sama would do such a thing¡­¡±


    Driksined, but Selene did not listen to him and turned his fierce eyes on him.


    His right eye ¨D the one with the golden color ¨D made Driks stand still there, forgetting to hide himself. And then he sat down as if his back was shattered.


    And then ¨D Driks held his throat and began to suffer.


    ¡°A-agh¡­ W-what are you¡­ doing?¡±


    As if he had run out of oxygen, Driks face turned red as he watched.


    ¡°I¡¯m just venting my anger to you. But if you get too carried away, I¡¯ll kill you next time.¡±


    Selene tapped Driks on the shoulder happily, and Driks began to breathe frantically as if he had been relieved of his suffering. Arge amount of sweat poured down from his face and was sucked into the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s all one ¨D if this is true, then my uncle is¡­¡±


    Selene begins to walk with a grim expression on his face as he rereads Hiro¡¯s letter.


    The sun is setting. Along with the deep, piercing wind.

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 2</h4>


    The world was shrouded in darkness. The sky was covered with clouds, and the stars had lost their brightness.


    The moonlight had failed to reach the ground, and the cold wind was blowing relentlessly.


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D the Larix ins in the northwest of the western region.


    The main camp of Hiro and the others were set up in a circle here. There was no sign of any soldiers in the camp due to the cold. On such a quiet night, the sound of metal often echoed with the footsteps of the patrol.


    The soldier on guard noticed the sound and turned to look. He was breathing into his sped hands but stopped and turned to salute the patrolman.


    The patrolman returned the salute and then walked past the guard, keeping a sharp eye on his surroundings. Just as the guards were rxing, they saw a figure walking in front of them.


    ¡°Is everyone assembled?¡±


    Orl¨¦ans Longwill von Mark.


    He was the head of the Mark family, who had sessfully taken over after the fall of the Krone family.


    ¡°They are already gathering.¡±


    The soldier on guard took a nce behind him before replying. Orl¨¦ans, who nodded in satisfaction, stepped forward. The soldier on guard hurriedly opened the entrance curtain, and Orl¨¦ans walked in without saying a word of thanks.


    The room was filled with warm air, which enveloped Orl¨¦ans¡¯ body. There seemed to be a heating system in ce. Also, the temperature in the room must be high due to therge number of people gathered there.


    ¡°Gentlemen, thank you for gathering here.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans called out, and the nobles who had been looking at the map in the center of the room stood up at once. There were eight of them ¨D all of them loyal to Orl¨¦ans.


    ¡°I was surprised to be called upon at this hour, sir.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯tin; I wanted to let you know as soon as we were ready.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans handed his jacket to the approaching nobleman and went to his seat.


    ¡°But, won¡¯t His Highness Hiro notice us if we are seen?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have changed the patrolmen¡¯s schedule. The security will be thinner during this time. Well, besides, not many people will be out in this cold weather.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans sat back in his chair with vigor, leaned his left elbow on the desk, and rested his cheek on it.


    ¡°Make yourselffortable.¡±


    He turned to his right and shouted for the nobles to take their seats. He waited until they were all seated before he opened his mouth.


    ¡°We¡¯ll skip the greetings. I know some of you are anxious, so I¡¯ll keep it brief: the n is working. His Highness Hiro is unaware of this.¡±


    A sigh of relief escaped from the nobles at his strong words. They all lifted their cheeks to express their joy as if they had won a battle.


    ¡°How is the reaction of the other side?¡±


    ¡°They are fine. We¡¯ve been in constant contact with them. The response has been excellent, so I¡¯m sure the treatment won¡¯t be too bad. Above all, the first prince Stobel is over there.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we must act more carefully. If our ns are exposed here, the whole thing will go down the drain.¡±


    The nobleman¡¯s opinion was reasonable, so Orl¨¦ans nodded in agreement. But the nobleman¡¯s expression took a turn for the worse.


    ¡°If there is only one thing to worry about, is our position really secure? Isn¡¯t a verbal promise too risky?¡±


    ¡°I can understand why you are worried, but as I said earlier¡­ the first prince Stobel, is also there, so you can rest assured. Even after the fall of the Grantz Empire, our territory will not be ravaged. As long as we continue to cooperate, that is.¡±


    ¡°¡­but you must hand over His Highness Hiro¡¯s head to them. He has a huge following among the people, and many of your subjects adore him, don¡¯t they?¡±


    The nobleman looked around as if to ask for agreement, and everyone nodded in agreement, though their expressions were bitter.


    ¡°If it were known that we had betrayed him, we could be forced out of our position as lords.¡±


    What he meant was that the Six Kingdoms would be able to take advantage of their weakness. In peacetime, the nobles treat the people like ves, but they are always on the lookout for a rebellion in times of war. If a disgraceful rumor were to circte that they had betrayed the immensely popr Hiro and turned to the Six Kingdoms, their downfall would be inevitable.


    ¡°¡­The Six Kingdoms would not do such a thing to ensure smooth governance.¡±


    ¡°Originally, we were supposed to be the ones attacking and destroying the Great Imperial Capital¡­¡±


    A heavy atmosphere filled the room as another nobleman spoke up.


    ¡°I was happy to see the Krone family¡¯s old man dead, but¡­ what followed was worse. I didn¡¯t think that His Highness Hiro would be able to defeat the rebels. He really went the extra mile for us.¡±


    The n needed to be revised from there. If the rebels had persisted a little longer, the Six Kingdoms would have flooded into the center of the country by now, and together with the rebels, they would have brought down the Great Imperial Capital.


    It was the nobles, including Orl¨¦ans, who were gathered here, who were supposed to be in agreement with that. There were others, but they were killed by stray arrows in the battle against the Six Kingdoms¡¯ Second Conquest Army.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we can beat the Six Kingdoms, but then again, patriots are really a pain in the ass.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans looked at the map on his desk.


    Repeated skirmishes with the Third Conquest Army have lured the Grantz Army deep into the west. ording to the scouts¡¯ report, the number of soldiers of the Six Kingdoms that had joined the entire army had swelled to 180,000. In the beginning, there was some confusion, but it had already been settled, and the reorganization of therge army had beenpleted.


    ¡°And besides, it¡¯s not as if we can turn back now that we¡¯ve said something.¡±


    There is no turning back now. There was no turning back from the day they decided to betray the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°That anxiety will end with tomorrow¡¯s battle. With the death of His Highness Hiro.¡±


    The battle will be over soon. They were happy to see Hiro on the front lines.


    After he is defeated by the Six Kingdoms, the arrangements for their surrender will be made. After that, they will return home as defeated soldiers in a disgraceful state, and if the Six Kingdoms attack the Central, they will turn to tears for the sake of their people.


    And if they aplish the historic feat of bringing down the Great Imperial Capital, their stigma will be blown away, and they will be remembered for generations toe.


    ¡°However, His Highness Hiro is a descendant of the God of War, so isn¡¯t there a possibility that killing such a person will bring about a curse? I¡¯m afraid of incurring the wrath of the Spirit King.¡±


    The one who said those pathetic words was Lord Kyrthia, the lord of Sabelt and a western nobleman.


    His father had expressed his willingness to surrender to the Six Kingdoms but had apparently made a mistake at the meeting and had his head chopped off. As a result, he was invaded by the Second Conquest Army as an example, but it was the Grantz Army that saved him from that predicament. However, it seems that all of this was a ruse by the other side, and he, who seeded his father, also turned on the condition of his own safety.


    ¡°There is no such thing as a curse. As the first prince Stobel had said. The power of the gods has already been lost. What is there to be afraid of? Tomorrow, we will deliberately run for our lives and give His Highness Hiro¡¯s head to the Six Kingdoms, and that will be the end.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans mmed the desk in frustration. Surprised by this, Kyrthia shook his shoulders.


    ¡°Lord Kyrthia, you¡¯ve got a cowardly wind up here!¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, for the future, your decision to join the Six Kingdoms is not wrong.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans, who repeatedly mmed the desk, urged Kyrthia to look at the map.


    ¡°Be prepared to use the Six Kingdoms to your advantage. Then we will definitely have the central region in our hands. But that¡¯s not the end of it. With the power of the Six Kingdoms behind us, we will attack and destroy the east, north, and south. We can be the new rulers of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°I-I understand. I¡¯m sorry for saying such a trivial thing. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Haha, it can¡¯t be helped. He has just taken over the position of the lord. You can¡¯t me him too much, Lord Mark.¡±


    Another nobleman put his arm around Kyrthia¡¯s shoulders andforted him as he was overwhelmed and frightened.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Forgive me, Lord Kyrthia. But I hope you will consider my words for the sake of your people¡¯s peace.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry I made Lord Mark ufortable by saying something unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose we are both to me¡­¡±


    And the nobleman who had his arm around Kyrthia¡¯s shoulder fell back with a loud thud. With the sudden and iprehensible event, everyone¡¯s thoughts stopped.


    The map spread out on the desk turned red. A head rolled there with a smile on its face.


    ¡°Ah, ah, Uooghh¨D¨D¡±


    Kyrthia took a good look at the head rolling around on the desk ¨D the severed part ¨D and vomited.


    The nobles widened their eyes in surprise. Orl¨¦ans also stood up from his seat in astonishment.


    ¡°You seem to be enjoying your conversation.¡±


    A t voice interrupted the stunned nobles. Everyone felt a chill run down their spines at theck of emotion in the voice, and all eyes turned to the entrance.


    ¡°I got a tip-off from an anonymous person. Some fat livestock has taken over one of the tents.¡±


    He had ck hair and dark eyes, and his soft face looked young for his age, perhaps because he was not wearing an eye patch.


    However, despite his gentle appearance, the expression on his face is a cruel smile.


    Everyone was taken aback by his calm and natural appearance.


    ¡°Food is precious. That¡¯s why I¡¯vee to ughter them myself before they escape.¡±


    Hiro, his voice trembling with enjoyment, took one look at Kyrthia and quietly walked away.


    ¡°I want to be a part of this historic meeting that will bring down the Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°Anyone on guard¨D¨D¡±


    A nobleman was about to speak up, but his head instantly fell to the ground. A dull thud, like a bag of dirt being mmed, echoed through the tent, and the headless body copsed.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the guards are here.¡±


    A new head was ced on the table.


    The soldiers were killed without being able to figure out the situation, but a tight smile remained on their faces.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss, livestock. If you utter even a single word, I will kill you without a second thought.¡±


    Hiro put his index finger to his mouth and formed a gentle smile. It was eerie to see that his eyes were not smiling at all.


    Everyone was stiff with fear and stood still. There was no way they could say a word.


    Hiro nodded in satisfaction and walked over to the head of the Mark family.


    ¡°Hello, Orl¨¦ans. Are you doing well?¡±


    ¡°¡­how long have you been aware of this?¡±


    Orl¨¦ans¡¯ voice trembled as he turned pale.


    Hiro showed signs of thinking andughed innocently.


    ¡°It¡¯s from the beginning. I¡¯ve been struggling to hold back myughter since you¡¯ve been acting exactly as I expected.¡±


    Hiro tapped Orl¨¦ans on the shoulder in amusement as he spoke.


    ¡°The reason I turned to the central nobility and appointed you as my second-inmand was all for this moment.¡±


    Orl¨¦ans¡¯ expression changed as he watched. He gritted his teeth in frustration as he understood.


    ¡°It was easy to see through your shallow schemes.¡±


    Hiro turned behind Orl¨¦ans and red around at the nobles with a deepening smile.


    ¡°But there might be one way for you to survive.¡±


    ¡°W-what is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°It is for that reason. Orl¨¦ans, you¡¯re going to help me out a bit.¡±


    When Hiro stretched his right arm into the empty space, a crack appeared, and the hilt of a sword popped out.


    It was not a spirit weapon. It was an inwardly curved sword, a favorite weapon of the southerners.


    However, it had no shape as a weapon and was rusted and covered with mud.


    In addition, the de had a saw-like shape and was not in a condition to be used as a weapon. It looked as if it would break immediately upon impact.


    ¡°Here, clench your teeth.¡±


    Hiro thrust the rusty sword into Orl¨¦ans shoulder without hesitation.


    ¡°Aghh, fumuhh¨D!?¡±


    The moment Orl¨¦ans opened his mouth wide, Hiro reached out and covered his mouth. Orl¨¦ans struggled to move his arms and legs, but Hiro didn¡¯t budge an inch. The central nobles cowered in fear and gnashed their teeth.


    ¡°I will torture Orl¨¦ans now. If I can extract useful information from him, I will forgive whatever you¡¯re up to. But if he doesn¡¯t give anything up until he¡¯s dead, I¡¯ll get information out of each and every one of you.¡±


    Hiro pulled out the rusty sword and found a piece of flesh stuck to the chipped de.


    ¡°Do you know what tetanus is?¡±


    This made Orl¨¦ans¡¯ eyes widen with tears, and his body tremble.


    ¡°This sword is called the Bnce of the Vile. It was named after the second son of the Principality of Lichtine, who used it as a torture weapon. And I heard that tetanus has a mortality rate of five to one, so I named it Bnce.¡±


    Hiro put his mouth to Orl¨¦ans ear, adding at the end.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take my hand away from your mouth, but if you make a single sound without my permission, I¡¯ll cut off your right arm with the Bnce of the Vile. But this thing is not as durable as it looks. So I¡¯ll use it as slowly as I can.¡±


    Hiro said in a calm tone and then removed his hand from Orl¨¦ans¡¯ mouth. He sank his teeth into his lower lip so hard that blood dripped from it.


    He kicked the ground with both feet over and over again, trying his best to distract himself.


    ¡°And you know what, I don¡¯t need you for my n. Kyrthia is all I need.¡±


    When he whispered this in her ear, Orl¨¦ans stiffened as if he had forgotten the pain.


    ¡°C-could it be that¡­ everything was your¨D¨D¡±


    As he was about to say this, Hiro covered Orl¨¦ans¡¯ mouth again.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a pity. You spoke without my permission. I¡¯m going to cut off your right arm.¡±


    This night is short, and there was no time left to torture everyone gathered here.


    (If I don¡¯t start moving soon, I¡¯m not going to be on time¡­)


    In order to make sure that he would be able to speak quickly, Hiro moved the ¡°Bnce of the Vile¡± with a wish.

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 3</h4>


    At the same time, in the main camp of the Six Kingdoms, the final preparations for tomorrow¡¯s decisive battle were being made.


    Three people, a man and two women are in a tent set up in the center of the main camp.


    ¡°We have not heard from the head of the Mark family. Isn¡¯t it possible that his scheme has been exposed?¡±


    Luca said with a serious expression, and her brother Eagle sat next to her, biting his nails in frustration.


    In contrast, Lucia was smiling with a rxed smile.


    ¡°There is no problem. I have prepared several measures, and if one of them copses, it won¡¯t hinder the operation. And what about the military formation?¡±


    ¡°If things go ording to n, there will be no problem. But if they get caught in the cracks, that¡¯s pretty bad.¡±


    Eagle tossed the report to Lucia.


    It seems that the formation could not bepleted in a short time after all. The report in Lucia¡¯s hand stated that there was a breakdown in many areas.


    It seemed that the reason for this was that they tried to avoid friction with other countries as much as possible.


    The Six Kingdoms, as the name implies, is a union of six nations.


    Although they have been allied for many years, they do not work hand in hand in a friendly manner.


    The current situation is that everyone is checking each other for supremacy in the Krim region.


    For example, the Anguis Kingdom of Lucia is not on good terms with the Urpeth Kingdom of the Urpeth sibling.


    When the previous king of Urpeth was still alive, it was not unusual for the nobles of both countries to marry each other. In other words, it could even be said that they had a close rtionship.


    However, when the previous king copsed, the throne that should have gone to the Urpeth siblings was taken away from them.


    If they had seeded to the throne without any problems, the friendly rtions between the two countries would have continued.


    However, since the previous king and the current king ¨D the friendship that had been built up over the past two generations ¨D had been destroyed, the rtionship between the two countries had grown cold. This kind of problem exists in every country, no matter how small. That is why, when ites to arge-scale invasion like this, problems such as disobedience to someone from that country erupt. That¡¯s why at first, they divided their army into several groups to invade.


    In the name of the unified king, each of them had a different role in order to avoid conflicts.


    ¡°This will be a minor problem. It should serve as bait to attract the God of War.¡±


    They need an element that makes them think they can win.


    It must not be known that they are tampering with the rules of victory without being noticed. That¡¯s because it will lead to their retreat.


    ¡°And the ¡°Ancient King¡± was biting it. It is not for nothing that we have not heard from the head of the Mark family. It ties into the fact that the poison has been introduced into the body.¡±


    Lucia was honestly happy that the head of the God of War was at hand, but for the Urpeth sibling, it was a different story.


    ¡°¡­Although it¡¯s possible that we invited the poison instead. As for us, we would have preferred to let the five armies invade and take the west for the certainty.¡±


    If they had just let the five armies run amok, the war might have been prolonged. Even the western nobles who surrendered did not necessarily swear allegiance. If the Grantz Empire hadunched a counterattack, they probably would have betrayed them immediately.


    Above all, they took the initiative, but they have been on the back foot since the descendant of the God of War went into battle.


    Perhaps the Urpeth sibling is unaware of this.


    (It¡¯s just brilliant¡­ only 20,000, but despite that, it¡¯s an action that gives hope to the western nobility. If they had continued to fight, the war would have been prolonged.)


    The secret of war is speed ¨D how to win without letting the opponent resist.


    However, with Hiroing into battle, the speed will slow down. Therefore, in order to gain the upper hand in future battles, they sacrificed the Second Conquest Army.


    Gaining the greater than the less. Rather than choosing a local victory, it is far better to have a big-picture victory.


    (Besides, I¡¯m not interested in the territory.)


    This is where Lucia and the Urpeth siblings are definitely different.


    The Six Kingdoms have not expanded their territory in over 400 years. No country has the ability to manage the territory it has taken. As expected, even if they acquired the western regions, it would be difficult to manage them due to theirck of experience. In addition, even if they were to acquire the western regions, they would have to deal with the issue of ceding them to other countries. In addition, there is still the issue of Felzen.


    Lucia would really like to avoid such troublesome problems.


    (¡­Let¡¯s see what happens first.)


    Some countries will fail to govern, while others will seed.


    After observing them and taking their governing skills, she can take a part of the west from other countries. That¡¯s why she¡¯s aiming for a certain achievement right now: the descendant of the God of War.


    ¡°If the Ancient King is defeated, the strength of the Grantz Empire will be greatly reduced. If we don¡¯t get rid of as many capable people as possible, we will be the ones who will be corneredter on.¡±


    The enemy, despite its rottenness, is the Grantz Empire. It¡¯s not only thend but also the quantity of goods and the far different number of soldiers.


    They could create the current situation because they invaded without giving any time for the Grantz Empire to prepare their forces.


    In other words, there is no guarantee that they will continue to be outnumbered in the future.


    There is a high possibility that they will have more troops than the Six Kingdoms. The problem of food and supplies has not been solved yet, and if the situation bes prolonged, they will surely be defeated. The Six Kingdoms will be driven out of the west and will be left with nothing but enormous losses.


    (We have to find apromise somewhere.)


    In order for the negotiations to go in their favor, it was necessary to show their strength.


    As a queen, she looks ahead to the future for the peace of the nation. She should not only think of victory but also the worst-case scenario, which is defeat.


    ¡°In the first ce, he is a descendant of the God of War. His value is immeasurable. It¡¯s an achievement that the united king will recognize. Perhaps you could even get your throne back with her help?¡±


    ¡°That is, if Your Majesty Queen Lucia doesn¡¯t monopolize the credit.¡±


    ¡°Do you not trust me? Didn¡¯t we once y together and grow up together?¡±


    ¡°When we were young, we were still pure and could y without suspicion. But now that we are grown up, we know the horror of the snake.¡±


    Luca threw a stern look at her. Lucia shrugged her shoulders without denying it.


    Their gazes sparked, and Eagle, caught between them, kept his eyes downcast.


    A moment of silence drifted through the room.


    Lucia couldn¡¯t take it any longer, and she broke the silence with a loud bang of her iron fan.


    ¡°Then it would be good for you to cut off the head of the Ancient King and return. With that, you will trust me, will you not? Is that not enough?¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°If it makes you feel better, then fine. As long as it is to our credit, I have no problem with it.¡±


    The Urpeth siblings were delighted to hear this.


    ¡°I understand. Then we will continue with the mission.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with that if you¡¯re okay with it.¡±


    ¡°Then the discussion is over. Tomorrow, you will take the head of the Ancient King, so you¡¯d better rest up.¡±


    ¡°What about Your Majesty Queen Lucia?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll act as a decoy to draw the Ancient King away.¡±


    Lucia unfolded her iron fan and smiled. Luca tilted her head in disbelief at this behavior.


    ¡°Could it be that¡­ do you want us to fight alone?¡±


    ¡°If I think you¡¯re going to lose, I¡¯ll help you at least a little.¡±


    At Lucia¡¯s provocative words, Luca¡¯s expression became more and more intense. It was probably because she could tell from her words that she nned to use the Urpeth siblings as a stepping stone.


    ¡°That¡¯s¨D¡±


    The chair copses with a rumbling sound as Luca stands up vigorously.


    ¡°You can take it as a parasitic statement that you will take the best part?¡±


    Luca¡¯s eyes, filled with anger, began to glow with a red lotus me. But that anger instantly dissipated.


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen Lucia, you will have no role to y.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eagle? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, sister.¡±


    Eagle, who had no say in the matter, thrust out his arm as if to restrain Luca.


    ¡°We¡­ the Urpeth siblings will triumphantly return with the head of the God of War. That¡¯s all you need to know.¡±


    Without hiding his anger, Eagle made his way to the entrance with high-pitched footsteps.


    ¡°W-wait! Eagle! What¡¯s the matter with you all of a sudden?¡±


    Luca¡¯s expression was bewildered as she chased after her brother¡¯s back in a panic.


    It was clear that she was confused by Eagle¡¯s sudden change in attitude. The attitude of a younger brother who rarely rebelled against his older sister. Luca¡¯s back was looking forlorn as she walked out of themand center like a child clinging to their parents, forgetting the anger she had just felt, for fear that feels akin to hostility might be directed at her as well.


    ¡°Kukuku, fumu¡­ it¡¯s a good feeling of dependence.¡±


    The Urpeth siblings have been fighting the adults around them alone since the throne was taken from them. Even if they are from the royal family, when they lose their power, they merely be toys for the nobility.


    The humiliation and hatred that the nobles had suffered from the king were all directed at the two of them.


    ¡°Luca¡¯s eyes were dead back then.¡±


    Lucia, who felt sorry for the treatment of the Urpeth siblings, advised the unified king, and although she was the youngest, she was once again recognized as a member of the royal family and was able to lead a decent life.


    Her talent had always been good, and she rose to fame at a breakneck pace, but her dream of regaining the throne has yet toe true.


    ¡°The dream remains a dream¡­ and you will be happier for it.¡±


    The Urpeth siblings will never be able to regain the throne.


    The woman is the closest thing to a unified king and has the power to do anything she wants.


    It¡¯s not something that can be surpassed by hard work ¨D Lucia gnashed her teeth in frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to use you¡­ for my ambitions.¡±


    In the name of the queen, she must take advantage of all those she can. The management of a nation is not a charity. The national interest must always be the top priority.


    Personal feelings are secondary.


    Unless one can overpower their emotions and punish even their parents and siblings, they cannot be a king.


    ¡°You have too many weaknesses. You show too much emotion.¡±


    The Urpeth siblings are dependent on each other. If either one of them is missing, it will break the other¡¯s heart.


    That¡¯s their biggest w asmanders. There is no room for personal feelings in war. It¡¯s a kill or be killed world.


    ¡°¡­Many people die defending others, though.¡±


    In a world of bloodshed, a good story is certainly a glorious thing. In a war, they can be used for propaganda purposes. After the war, they can be hailed as saints and inscribed in history.


    ¡°They can die ugly and disfigured, or they can die beautiful and miraculous¡­¡±


    She should at least be given that option.


    ¡°Let her die as a pawn for me.¡±


    It¡¯s pathetic. It¡¯s just so pathetic.


    There is no life more miserable than being born into a royal family and ending your life as a puppet.


    ¡°Now, what will happen to the ones left behind¡­? It¡¯s going to be really fun.¡±


    Lucia spread out her iron fan and continued tough while her face was agitated.

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 4</h4>


    11th February, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The darkness was being lifted from the sky. The sun rose in the east, giving the world a kaleidoscopic glow of color.


    The sky was a deep blue, with white clouds adding color, and the sky was filled with peaceful scenery.


    On the ground, however, the atmosphere was bleak and deste.


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Larix ins in the western region.


    Among the many gs moving about, the one that stands out the most is the ¡°ck Dragon¡± banner.


    A vigorous shout roared out. It was so loud that it almost broke the air.


    The soldiers raised their weapons high above their heads and offered words of honor to the sky in praise of the nation.


    The enthusiasm was directed at the enemy troops facing them. The main camp of the Six Kingdoms was set up not too far away.


    In the center of the main camp of the Six Kingdoms, which was set up in a position that overlooked the battlefield, was a simplemand center, where Lucia and the Urpeth siblings, as well as the heavyweights and bureaucrats of each country, had gathered.


    There was a shy bed in the higher part of the room, on which Lucia was lying.


    ¡°Oh¡­ their morale is quite high, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She grabbed an apple from a basket of fruit and bit into it.


    The entrance to the tent was wide open, giving a good view of the battlefield.


    A cold wind came in and brushed her hair. Her body, which had been heated up by the murderous intent of the enemy, was rapidly cooling down.


    ¡°Your Majesty Queen Lucia, it seems that the entire army is ready for battle.¡±


    ¡°Then give the order. Let them surround and annihte the enemy.¡±


    They had 180,000 troops on their side and 40,000 on the enemy¡¯s side. The difference in strength is obvious. However, even though there are many of them, the people gathered in this ce will not let their guard down.


    ¡°Why are you so quiet?¡±


    Themand center was filled with a strange silence. It was almost suffocating. No one foolishly thought that they could win the battle easily. It was the tension of the possibility of losing that created the strange atmosphere.


    The enemy was the Great Grantz Empire, which had reigned as the ruler of the central continent for a thousand years.


    Furthermore, themander is the fourth prince, the descendant of the mythical ¡°God of War¡± who had left behind many legends.


    But unfortunately, none of the people present had ever seen him before.


    Those who live in the distant Krim region have only heard of his wisdom through hearsay.


    ¡°¡­I have never been so afraid of forty thousand men.¡±


    A member of the staff muttered nervously. Everyone nodded gravely as if to say they agreed.


    Lucia wondered if she should threaten him with pity but decided that there was no point, as it would only make him shrivel up further. And she could not help but feel uneasy. She was not sure whether her n would seed or not.


    (¡­The House of Mark has beenpletely destroyed.)


    There was nomunication from Orl¨¦ans, who had been linked with her secretly. It is safe to assume that the fourth prince has found out about the plot.


    (But well¡­ I still have a hand to y.)


    At the very least, they seeded in dragging the fourth prince to this point, which is something she should be happy about.


    Lucia looked at the bundle of letters on her bedside table.


    When she was about to take one of them, a horn blew loudly.


    Lucia squinted her eyes and listened carefully, trying not to forget the sound. It was the overture to a battle that would be remembered for generations toe.


    Themand center became a little noisier. The tense atmosphere from earlier had disappeared.


    ¡°The first group is moving ¨D the first and second cavalry corps have moved first.¡±


    Hearing the report of the staff officer looking at the battlefield, the aides hurriedly ced the pieces on the map.


    The first line of the Six Kingdoms has taken a dragon wing stance. It is the most suitable formation for encircling the enemy.


    Their first cavalry corps is 20,000, and the second cavalry corps is also 20,000.


    And the first infantry corps, which upies the center, is made up of 30,000 highly trained soldiers.


    The total for the first group was 70,000. This alone was more than the 40,000 soldiers of the Grantz Army.


    ¡°What about the enemy¡¯s formation?¡±


    ¡°This is also¡­ a formation that is difficult to react to.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ amon formation with a bunch of people who can¡¯t even coordinate.¡±


    Lucia was impressed, but inwardly she could not hide her surprise at the enemy¡¯s daring, even reckless, leadership. It is a strange formation in which the troops are arranged diagonally.


    It was named ¡°Ryuko-jin¡± because it resembles a dragon swimming in the sky, and it can transform into dragon wings and dragon scales. However, it is a formation where coordination is most important, and no one likes to use it with a hodgepodge of troops. It has the feature that all the troops can fight immediately, but because of this, it is not suitable for enduring battles, and it was even reckless in the face of such arge army.


    In other words, the fact that they were using it meant that they were most likely nning something.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope for the first group first. We¡¯ll know soon enough what they¡¯re up to.¡±


    Lucia narrowed her eyes and looked to the front lines.


    The first and second cavalry corps are about to bite into both wings of the enemy army.


    A fierce sound rang out. The rumbling of the ground reached the main camp. Screams could be heard, and shouts of anger wereunched.


    Swords ovep, sparks fly, and to demonstrate their strength, they cut off the heads of their opponents.


    Blood smoke rises violently as the five organs are scattered.


    Over time, tens, hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of lives will be scattered across this ground.


    ¡°¡­wonderful.¡±


    Lucia thought it was a beautiful sight.


    It is in these life-and-death battles that the inner workings of human naturee to life.


    This is the moment when the ugly and the beautiful are all brought out without hiding.


    There is no mercy. There is no malice. There is only a pure heart ¨D the desire to live.


    They crush each other with it. In order to live, they pluck the lives of their opponents with their childish hearts.


    ¡°I can say nothing about it¡­ Fufufu, it¡¯s a privilege allowed to humans.¡±


    Lucia looked ecstatic and licked the edge of her mouth, which was covered with apple juice.


    ¡°But when will they do it?¡±


    The more time passes, the more conspicuous the inferiority of the Grantz Army bes.


    But the enemy is also desperate. They¡¯re trying their best not to die, and they¡¯re putting up a desperate resistance.


    ¡°The second group of fifty thousand has begun to move. I¡¯m afraid this will be the end of the Grantz Army.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ are you nning to annihte them like this ¨D no, that¡¯s not possible.¡±


    Lucia picked up one of the letters thaty on her bedside table. It was a letter from a different informant than the head of the House of Mark, Orl¨¦ans.


    It was written that the fourth prince Hiro was thinking of a raid operation.


    (Hmm¡­ could it be that he too has been exposed as an informant?)


    Lucia crushed the letter in her hand and stood up.


    ¡°Seleucus, how is the reconnaissance going?¡±


    At the call of his name, the handsome assistant approached with a grin and a frivolous smile, as usual. It was indeed annoying under the circumstances, and Lucia red at Seleucus, making no attempt to hide her annoyance.


    ¡°Your Majesty Lucia, your gaze is frightening.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an emergency. I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear you say that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. So, the reconnaissance was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°ording to the reconnaissance unit¡­ there were no suspicious shadows around. But we¡¯re not familiar with the geography of the western regions, so we think there are a few ces to hide.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Lucia put her hand on her chin and stepped out of the tent. The main camp is built in a high position, so it is easy to see the state of the battlefield.


    There was nothing that seemed like a plot by the Grantz Army, and there were no traps to speak of. They just continued to fight like savages on the spot and suffered many casualties.


    ¡°The third group of 30,000 should be sent out to thin out the enemy lines.¡±


    ¡°Are you still not satisfied with just winning?¡±


    Seleucus spoke to her. Lucia turned around, anger rising in her voice.


    ¡°How can you speak like that after serving me for so many years?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Seleucus retreated, holding on to his smile in response to the unhuman-like form of rage he had just seen.


    A wild wind swirled around Lucia, gouging the ground as if to express her anger.


    ¡°I apologize for my mistake¡­ Please forgive me. And I believe that the descendant of the God of War will be appearing.¡±


    Seleucus said slowly, choosing his words carefully as if his life was in danger. Lucia¡¯s eyes widened, and for the first time, she realized that he was mistaken.


    ¡°Are you certain that the Ancient King will attack here?¡±


    Seleucus¡¯s smile faltered at this statement, and his eyes darted around in a dazed expression.


    ¡°And what is it that angers you, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too responsive.¡±


    ¡°Wha?¡±


    Ignoring the absent-minded reply, Lucia pointed her hand at the battlefield.


    Her fingertips pointed towards the Grantz Army.


    ¡°Why do they continue to fight? Who¡¯s in charge?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the descendant of the God of War, but he¡¯s hiding in in sight to raid the main camp, so by process of elimination, we followed him. ¨D¨DWait, who are the ones giving the orders?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange? You can¡¯t me me for being angry, can you?¡±


    The central nobility that followed the fourth prince Hiro in the Grantz Empire ¨D most of them are those who turned to the Six Kingdoms. But Lucia is convinced that they were exposed as informants and were executed by Hiro. If the central nobility were still alive and well, they would be raising the g of the Six Kingdoms and shing at their allies right now.


    ¡°Then¡­ Isn¡¯t it the western nobility?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense¨D¨D¡±


    That¡¯s impossible ¨D that word was lost in the screams that came from the battlefield.


    When Lucia turned around to see what was going on, the people in the tent came running out with surprised expressions on their faces.


    A strange scene was unfolding on the battlefield.


    Several familiar gs were raised from the dying Grantz Army.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Anguis Serpent banner, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Luca, who had been standing next to Lucia for some time, said in a whisper.


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    It¡¯s impossible. The central nobility who nned the betrayal must have died. No, even if they are still alive, they should have taken action earlier in the battle.


    ¡°Seleucus! What are the instructions for the first groupmander?¡±


    ¡°Since we were prioritizing reorganization, we put off¡­ rescinding the instructions.¡±


    Lucia had given strict orders not to attack if the central nobility turned. If it were faithfully carried out, they would be showing their backs to the enemy.


    ¡°Then immediately¨D¨D¡±


    Lucia thought about sending a message to revoke the instruction, but that would have disrupted the chain ofmand. It was a very rudimentary mistake, and Lucia¡¯s mouth twitched.


    ¡°¡­We have no choice but to withdraw them temporarily.¡±


    Victory is at hand, but if they persist, the damage to them will be enormous.


    Lucia calmly made a decision and opened her mouth to give instructions.


    ¡°S-stupid¡­ What are they doing¡­?¡±


    However, what came out of Lucia¡¯s mouth werepletely different words.


    Below her eyes, an unimaginable scene was unfolding.


    Some troops began to charge into the backs of the first and second lines that were surrounding the Grantz Army. Everyone was speechless at this. It was definitely not the Grantz ambushers or reinforcements. It was definitely the Urpeth cavalry, one of the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°Hey, hey! It¡¯s not Urpeth. We didn¡¯t make a separate force!¡±


    The one who denied it was Eagle, the youngest member of the Urpeth royal family.


    ¡°¡­¡­Is he going toe here and use the ploy?¡±


    Things get confusing. It is hard to keep up with all the problems being thrown at them one after the other.


    However, there is one thing that is certain. If this continues, it will provoke another battle.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t the Urpeth cavalry, soldiers from the Ezell Kingdom are actually being attacked.


    This is very troublesome ¨D the harmful effects of the allied forces wille to the surface.


    Even though they have been cooperating with each other for many years, they are still just a mixture of different countries.


    There are no family ties to be formed there. Nor will they be able to form bonds of friendship. Arge army of 180,000 people, not all of whom knew each other.


    If the Ezell soldiers fought back against the fake Urpeth cavalry under such circumstances, the Urpeth soldiers, mistakenly thinking that their allies were being attacked, would attack the Ezell.


    ¡°Order the army to retreat immediately.¡±


    If they were not careful, the situation could be irreversible. They did not expect that they would attack each other when it was not even dark yet.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    One of the staff members ran to the g bearer in a panic.


    What to do next ¨D Lucia couldn¡¯t get her thoughts together. The sensation of a de being held to her throat kepting back to haunt her. But if she didn¡¯t regain herposure here, she would fail as amander.


    ¡°Calm down¡­ It¡¯s only the first battle. There is still a chance to make up for the blunder.¡±


    Lucia said to herself. She didn¡¯t want to be humiliated like that again and to beughed at by that woman if she exposed herself like this.


    She didn¡¯t want to cry out like a little child.


    ¡°No! I will not be defeated again, no matter who it is.¡±


    She stared at the battlefield with indignant eyes and struck her own cheek with her iron fan.


    ¡°¡­It is a trivial matter. If we can deal with it properly, we can solve it.¡±


    This is the purpose of the enemy, to make them upset. The enemy¡¯s n was like a child¡¯s trick. It was an event that could be resolved by calming her anger and assessing the situation.


    However, Lucia had spent too much time trying to unify her mind. In addition, she has been so busy dealing with repeated problems that she has forgotten one important thing.


    ¡°¡­Wait, why did theye up with that n after all this time?¡±


    As soon as it became clear that the enemy was going to be defeated, why did they choose to wreak havoc on the battlefield by ying one trick after another?


    Lucia looked around and noticed that everyone¡¯s eyes were glued to the front lines.


    ¡°Is this what you want? God of War!¡±


    And then¨D¨D


    ¨D¨DThe world was covered in darkness.

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 5</h4>


    Screams can be heard. It is a pitiful voice that cannot hold back the pain and tearfully appeals to others.


    Unable to avoid the torrential downpour, one by one, they plummet to the ground.


    However, the momentum of the arrows that painted the sky ck did not stop. The arrows pierced mercilessly and took their breath away.


    ¡°Focus on themand center. Do not miss the opportunity that the opponent has taken the trouble toe out of their walls.¡±


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D the fourth prince Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.


    He has ck hair and dark eyes that stand out on the battlefield ¨D a unique characteristic that only one person in the world possesses.


    His gentle face is not adorned with the usual eye patch.


    ¡°Fuh, it¡¯s a nice view. It¡¯s a scene worthy of the end of the foolish people.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s left eye had been released, giving off an eerie glow that gave people chills.


    ¡°It was hard to get here. The security was pretty tight.¡±


    Hiro straddled the swift dragon and smiled at themand center of the Six Kingdoms from the top of a small hill.


    Last night, Hiro had decided to take 2,000 cavalrymen and go around the back of the enemy army. Hiro knew geography better than the enemy. However, he wanted to be sure to get behind them, so he appointed Lord Kyrthia, a western nobleman, as his guide and bypassed the battlefield. In other words, what he saw below him was the main camp of the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°War requires elegance. Just one eye-catching tactic is enough for the historians of the future to praise it. They will beautify history on their own.¡±


    The tone of the man¡¯s voice was lighthearted, but there was a hint of joy in it.


    ¡°Where is the unnamedmander of the Six Kingdoms ¨D the one who will be my stepping stone?¡±


    Hiro narrowed his eyes and began to search happily, but he could not find anyone who looked like themander.


    In the meantime, archers have been firing arrows over and over again.


    As a result, the ground is now a hellscape of screaming and agonizing cries.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡±


    Horns were blown from all over the ce to announce the enemy¡¯s attack. The brave sound echoed throughout the battlefield. The first and second lines of the enemy must have noticed.


    Still, the order to retreat had not been given. They had no choice but to continue fighting.


    Turning over, fighting each other, confusion in the main camp ¨D before they knew it, the situation had be irreversible.


    ¡°If a single decision is dyed, it can be fatal on the battlefield. Themander of the Six Kingdoms seems to be slow in making decisions on the spur of the moment.¡±


    This is how Hiro intended it to be, but he wondered how the enemy would feel about it.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get going; it¡¯ll be troublesome if they fortify their defenses.¡±


    Hiro drew his silver sword from his waist and released it. The soldiers behind him paid attention as the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± glowed in the sky.


    ¡°All troops, mount up!¡±


    The soldiers who had been firing their bows all lowered their arms and jumped into the saddles of the horses beside them.


    Hiro, who sensed their presence at his back, held the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± horizontally.


    The g with the ck dragon on it fluttered in the wind.


    It is a magnificent g that was once famous throughout the world as the ¡°divine g¡± of the ¡°God of War.¡±


    ¡°Eat up the fear in your own jaws, and bite down upon your enemies with fangs that boil with rage!¡±


    They will bring the hammer down on the savages who trample theirnd.


    ¡°In the name of the ¡°God of War,¡± all troops charge!¡±


    As if pushed by the shout, Hiro kicked the belly of the swift dragon.


    Perhaps noticing the group of cavalrymen galloping down the hill, Hiro saw the enemy archers readying themselves.


    Hiro waved his ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± to the right and encouraged the entire army.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! Don¡¯t be a coward! Put your heads down in front of your shields and keep moving!¡±


    The sound of the wind breaking was heard in their ears. And then, just as Hiro thought, several soldiers fell off their horses behind him.


    Hiro clicked his tongue and swatted away the oing arrows with one hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re in my way!¡±


    After kicking the back of the swift dragon, Hironded in the middle of the enemy army.


    ¡°Ko ¨D Goaahh!?¡±


    With a single thrust, he crushes the enemy¡¯s throat and uses the momentum of his pull to chop off the head of a nearby enemy soldier. He twisted his body to dodge the spear thrust by the enemy, and in an instant, kicked down the distance and thinned out.


    ¡°Hyii!¡±


    After delivering a reverse shoulder sh to the enemy, who let out a small scream, he picked up the dropped spear and threw it at the enemy soldier who was about to fire an arrow. The spear continued to fly vigorously, shattering the skull.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s clear the way.¡±


    As Hiro leisurely announced, the cavalry that had finally caught up with him blew away the enemy soldiers.


    In the blink of an eye, the wall of humans built by the enemy soldiers crumbled.


    Horseshoes crushed screams, the tips of spears burst into cries, and a rain of blood poured into the sky.


    Hiro steps over the corpses and begins to walk.


    Without a single nce at the oing enemy, he cut them down with a single sword and walked like a king.


    ¡°¡­There are more of them than I expected.¡±


    As if they had anticipated the attack, the enemy¡¯s main camp has deployed their forces to the rear.


    The cavalry was rampaging, but some of them began to be dragged down in front of the enemy soldiers, who appeared one after another. Still, without giving up, the Grantz soldiers are on their feet, determined to win.


    With spears in their hands, swords in their hands, and shields raised, they continue to fight for their families. Until the end of their lives, they will never retreat.


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hiro smiled weakly and said he was sorry for the scene.


    Human desire knows no bounds. They take advantage of good intentions by painting them with bad intentions.


    It is¨D¨D,


    ¡°I¡¯m no different.¡±


    Hiro waved the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± at the approaching enemy group. It was only a simple movement, but it posed an unbearable threat to the average person.


    They could not scream, and they were not allowed to suffer. They are lured to death without even realizing it.


    What lies there is a mad dance of absolute death.


    The ckness paints over everything in the world.


    Life, death, and even light cannot assert themselves in the face of the darkness.


    ¡°Endless despair.¡±


    Someone muttered in fright, but unfortunately, it was impossible to identify the person.


    Because every single enemy soldier around Hiro was dead.


    Hiro¡¯s re was enough to cause everyone to take a step backward.


    After releasing his supremacy as a check, Hiro put the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± on his shoulder and opened his mouth to the people around him.


    ¡°Soldiers of the Grantz. Gather together, don¡¯t scatter¨D¨D!¡±


    The shock that struck his back forced Hiro to close his mouth. As if a torrential downpour had fallen on him, his eardrums were violently shaken by the roar.


    There was no pain. Thanks to the ck Princess Camellia, all threats have been removed.


    However, the suddenness of the event did not erase the shock, and Hiro took a step forward.


    ¡°I see¡­ it was here, huh?¡±


    There was not a single scratch on his body, but Hiro felt the pain and held his chest.


    When he looked around¡­


    ¡°As expected¡­ it¡¯s hard to be betrayed by an ally, even if you already know it.¡±


    With the enemy soldiers, those who were on his side were pointing their spears at him now.


    The banner of the ck dragon is thrown to the earth one after another, and the banner of the snake is dancing in the sky instead.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I need your life.¡±


    Receiving clear hostility, Hiro turned to the back.


    ¡°First of all, let me ask you what you mean by that ¨D Lord Kyrthia?¡±


    ¡°¡­Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear an apology. Exin what you mean.¡±


    Hiro tried to approach Kyrthia with a deadly glint in his eye but was immediately attacked. The soldiers around him thrust their spears at Hiro.


    Hiro swung his ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± and lightly flicked the tip of the spear, which was filled with murderous intent.


    With his left hand, he took the spear and severed the carotid artery of the enemy soldier in front of him. He thrusts the hilt at the enemy soldier behind him and cuts his throat. As he swung the spear around in the dust of war, several heads were flung away. When Hiro threw away the spear, the impact of the fall caused a spray of blood to bloom from the ground.


    ¡°Shut up and wait.¡±


    Hiro told them, holding his forefinger over his crescent-shaped mouth. It was a small gesture, but it made the soldiers¡¯ faces tense up, and they stopped moving.


    ¡°Now, can you exin to me¡­ Lord Kyrthia?¡±


    Perhaps unable to endure the horror, Kyrthia dropped to his knees with a broken smile on his face, as if he had forgotten how to express his joy, anger, and sorrow.


    ¡°Forgive me! Please forgive me! Your Highness Hiro, please forgive me!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m asking you why you did this?¡±


    ¡°My people! They are being held hostage!¡±


    In the face of a young man who is more than a year older than his son, the sight of a good old nobleman shedding tears, his eyes painted with shame, and his back arched is pitifully small.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you told me that Orl¨¦ans was a traitor, to gain my trust.¡±


    ¡°F-forgive me¡­! I have no reason to be ashamed!¡±


    Rubbing his forehead on the ground, Kyrthia uttered an apology.


    Looking down at his head with cold eyes, Hiro quietly turned his back.


    ¡°I knew it, actually. I know you¡¯ve been connected to the Six Kingdoms since the beginning.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? You knew that?¡±


    ¡°Protecting the people? Don¡¯t lie to me. You¡¯re just trying to save your own life.¡±


    Hiro turned around with great vigor and shed the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    Arge amount of blood was sprayed into the sky from the base of Kyrthia¡¯s neck.


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m done with you. The only reason I kept you alive was to create this situation.¡±


    Hiro takes a nce at the rolling head with a frozen expression. He then looked up vaguely, with the sound of the world crumbling behind him.


    ¡°Your Highness Hiro! Please run away! At least you alone!¡±


    The soldiers who hadn¡¯t been turned over tried to break through the encirclement to let Hiro escape.


    However, some were stabbed in the back, some were pierced in the chest, some had their arms cut off, and one after another died a cruel death.


    ¡°You were raised by the Grantz, were you not? I will not forgive you, traitor! I will not forgive you!¡±


    The blood-curdling cries of the soldiers that resembled curses did not reach them. One after another, spears were thrust out to scatter their lives. But they still wielded their weapons.


    ¡°Spirit King, bring death to the traitors! Glory to the Grantz!¡±


    The reason they decided on this betrayal was for their own protection. If they showed any hesitation, they would be killed immediately.


    That¡¯s why everyone closes their hearts and kills the friends they had yesterday.


    Heartbreaking cries echoed in the surroundings.


    The screams of those who were betrayed by their allies echoed ceaselessly.


    Hiro smiled a self-mocking smile, but his face instantly twisted into a grim expression.


    It was because he heard the angry voice of a creature that had no ce on a battlefield.


    When he looked around, he saw the swift dragon surrounded by arge number of soldiers.


    ¡°Tch, it¡¯s so stubborn. Let¡¯s kill it now!¡±


    Many spears pierced the dragon¡¯s scales and tore into it. A scream of grief wasunched into the sky.


    One after another, the soldiers surrounding it were kicking and tossing it around.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see a swift dragon. Their skins sell for a lot of money, don¡¯t they?¡±


    However, no matter how violent or unreasonable the attacks, the swift dragon boldly stood up to them.


    ¡°Hah, we¡¯d better use it ourselves. Even so, I don¡¯t know why it would blend into a battlefield like this.¡±


    ¡°Do not let it escape. Be sure to choke it out. We have to take care of this pest.¡±


    They certainly had a point.


    But even so, they are humans, and there are always limits to what they can do.


    ¡°There¡¯s too much trash in this world.¡±


    Hiro kicked at the ground with such anger that it made his head boil.


    Dark and stagnant supremacy rises from his whole body.


    ¡°Hey¡­ don¡¯t mess with my familiar.¡±


    After cutting off the head of the soldier who was grabbing the head of the swift dragon with a single swing, Hiro immediately attacked the enemy soldiers surrounding it. No one who hurt the swift dragon was left behind, and those who cursed the swift dragon were mercilessly decapitated, and then, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, the other enemy soldiers around the swift dragon were also decapitated.


    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±


    Hiro approached the swift dragon, which was looking at the bloody world in a daze.


    ¡°I waste to help you.¡±


    He gently stroked the swift dragon¡¯s neck and rubbed its head against his chest.


    Hiro smiled at its loyalty to him.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all right. Now, you should just run away.¡±


    After gently stroking its neck, Hiro left it regretfully. At that time, he picked up the banner on the side of the swift dragon.


    ¡°Your legs will get you off the battlefield.¡±


    He smiled and took out a letter from his pocket and ced it on the saddle on the back of the swift dragon.


    ¡°I want you to deliver it to Liz.¡±


    With a cute squeal, the swift dragon tilted its head.


    There was a strong feeling in its eyes that it was going to be with him forever, that it was going to follow him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Hiro put his hand on the swift dragon¡¯s neck and pulled its head back, resting his forehead on it and smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯ll being after you¡­ can you wait for me under Liz?¡±


    Hiro said with a gentle voice and a youthful smile that suited his age.


    As soon as Hiro left the swift dragon, it heeded his wish and began to run. However, in the middle of the run, the swift dragon stopped, looked back, and let out a small cry.


    Hiro smiled and waved his hand, a sad sound like a lifelong farewell.


    Only a few people could stop a swift dragon that started running at an incredible speed. If it were only to escape without a fight, it would be able to get out of the battlefield safely.


    Witnessing this beautiful scene, the enemy soldiers forgot even to attack and stood there in a daze.


    ¡°Thank you for waiting for me.¡±


    Hiro held up his ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± and stabbed the ¡°ck Dragon Banner¡± into the ground.


    The sight of a dragon swimming through the sky on the wind is a sight to behold.


    It¡¯s just a g, but the enemy soldiers retreated as if pressured by it.


    When Hiro looked around, there were only enemy soldiers ¨D including former allies ¨D left.


    But when he listened carefully, he could hear the sound of sword fights. It was being created by the soldiers who were still resisting somewhere. Every time Hiro took a breath, the sound would fade into thin air.


    Hiro let out a deep breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin; this is what you wanted.¡±


    He snaps his fingers with a show of ir.


    The surrounding space begins to distort. It cracks, emitting a dazzling light.


    It was a privilege reserved for those who possessed the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    A great number of spirit weapons filled the space, and tens of millions of stars were born on the ground. Even though it is daytime, the starry sky created on the ground shines as bright as the sun.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    It sounded like a death sentence, and everyone¡¯s face was filled with fear.


    If he had been an ordinary young man, the soldiers would haveughed it off. But the young man standing in front of them, radiating a strange atmosphere, was no ordinary person.


    He exercises a power equal to that of a God and shows glimpses of cruelty simr to that of a devil.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t make any unnecessary moves. You don¡¯t want to die in pain, do you?¡±


    ¨D¨DThe young man¡¯s figure disappears.

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 6</h4>


    At that moment, the battlefield fell silent, as if the sound had disappeared from the world.


    As if they forgot even to breathe, the soldiers looked at only the ¡°ck Dragon Crest g¡± in a daze.


    ¡°Eh ¨D hey, what¡­?¡±


    The beginning was abrupt.


    One soldier copsed without any notice as if his back was shattered. Two soldiers fell, five fell, six fell, ten fell, eleven fell, twenty fell. It all happened in the blink of an eye, and yet the number of casualties was visibly increasing. Without understanding, the soldiers were dragged into the darkness.


    ¡°Hyii, hyiiaaaaaah!¡±


    The panic and the mental breakdown of the soldiers were simultaneous.


    Everyone threw down their weapons and ran for their lives. They were unaware of where to run.


    One after another, the soldiers of the Six Kingdoms fell to the ground while they were lost.


    Soldiers who had prayed to the Gods with their backs to the ground had their throats ripped out. Those who turned their backs and fled were mercilessly pierced through the heart. Those who dared to stand up to it were mercilessly beheaded.


    ¡°The ck Raven. The one who heralds the end will appear.¡±


    As the silvery glow passed over the necks of the Six Kingdoms soldiers, fresh blood spurted from their necks.


    One, three, eight, fourteen spirit weapons floating in space disappear at an rming rate. Only the sound of the air being cut through propagated in the battlefield where the one-sided ughter urred.


    The white shes cut through the screaming soldiers, drowning out even their moans.


    The fierce shes did not stop but elerated further.


    It was a ¡°privilege¡± and a ¡°divine speed¡± allowed to those who possessed the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    ¨D¨DDivine sh of lightning.


    The heavens fall, and the world turns silvery white.


    Everything in sight was dyed white with a light intensity that burned out the eyeballs.


    Eventually, when the ground was filled with corpses, no one left could speak in vain. The ground was ckened by the blood of the dead as if a cloud had covered the sun.


    In the midst of this hellish situation, swimming gracefully in the center of it is the ¡°ck Dragon¡¯s Banner.¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess this is it.¡±


    Hiro stopped quietly under the g, which was surrounded by dead bodies. However, the enemy soldiers who were watching Hiro from afar closed the distance with their weapons at the ready.


    Their eyes were filled with tant fear. But even so, none of them are running away, as if they are trying their best to keep their spirits up.


    ¡°It¡¯s very impressive; I¡¯ll give you that.¡±


    Between the two staring at each other, a bright sound of voice poured out of ce.


    The crowd of soldiers that filled Hiro¡¯s eyes split in two like a wave breaking.


    A woman walked from the center of the crowd, pping her hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re a wonderful man, not even hiding your power.¡±


    Her skin is as smooth and white as ss. Her eyes, as clear as amber, have the coldness of red copper in them, and her long, slit eyes give the impression of sharp des. Still, this does not diminish her charm, and her fine features with an interesting character will make anyone who sees her sigh in admiration. However, what makes her appearance stand out is the fact that she is wearing an entric and shy kimono that is not appropriate for the horrific battlefield.


    It¡¯s a look that would normally be considered insane. She was not wearing armor, which is a way to protect herself from threats such as arrows and swords. Her body was so thin that it would likely break if struck, and a normal person would mistake her for a noblewoman who had wandered into a battlefield.


    (It means that she possesses some kind of power¡­)


    Hiro let out a sigh of relief that he had finally met someone he really desired.


    ¡°I am Lucia Levia de Anguis.¡±


    She proudly announced her name and pointed her iron fan at Hiro.


    She then smiled a bewitching smile, like a snake seducing a human.


    ¡°You must be Hiro¡­ the descendant of the ¡°God of War,¡± right?¡±


    The word ¡°majestic¡± suits her well. Even in the face of Hiro¡¯s supremacy, she didn¡¯t choke on her words but rather looked calm and smiled fearlessly.


    ¡°Yeah ¨D I¡¯m Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to meet you¡­ I really, really wanted to meet you.¡±


    She moistened her lips with her tongue and smiled lustfully, her face as sinister as a snake that has found its prey.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. Coincidentally, I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you, too.¡±


    ¡°I feel a twinge of dread. Your deadly eyes make me want to cry.¡±


    She hugged her body happily, her cheeks flushed, and Lucia breathed hard.


    ¡°If I had a woman as beautiful as you staring at me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to move either.¡±


    ¡°Is it like a snake and frog? You don¡¯t seem like the kind of guy who would do something that encouraging.¡±


    Their words were strangely empty, and their gazes crossed in an eerie, gut-wrenching way.


    ¡°However, you cut down Lord Kyrthia¡¯s son without hesitation, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Whatever the reason. I won¡¯t let anyone whomits betrayal to get away.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. The report said you were ruthless, and that¡¯s exactly what you are.¡±


    ¡°ording to his ims, he put his people first, not his family. I would have let him live, but I could see in his eyes that he was lying.¡±


    He had the eyes of a man on the verge of self-preservation. He never acted with the people¡¯s best interest in mind. There is no reason to keep such a man alive, and if considering the future, it would be better for the world if he were beheaded there.


    ¡°Despite all your pretty words, what you¡¯re doing is relentless.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any regrets.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a graceful man. I don¡¯t hate men who make quick decisions like that, you know?¡±


    Lucia threw a licking nce at Hiro as if she was judging him. Hiro felt a chill run down his spine, and Lucia seemed to have noticed this and cleared her throat happily.


    ¡°Do you remember the Master?¡±


    Hiro shook his shoulders.


    How could he forget? He was one of the people who had been good to him a thousand years ago. He was like a grandfather to Hiro, who had just been summoned to this world and had taught him many things.


    Above all, the ¡°Master¡± is one of the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky.¡± Even if he wanted to forget, there was no way he could.


    Hiro frowned at the strange question. Lucia saw his reaction andughed in amusement.


    ¡°Really, only a few people who know the ¡°God of War¡¯s¡±¡­ old Master.¡±


    ¡°Then what will you do?¡±


    ¡°Will youe with me?¡±


    Hiro was at a loss to reply to the unexpected words that were thrown at him.


    It was unknown what Lucia thought of Hiro¡¯s attitude, but she held out her hand with a calm expression.


    ¡°You must know about this, don¡¯t you? You know the truth behind the founding of the Six Kingdoms. I believe that you are on our side, as you should be.¡±


    ¡°What if I say no?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your head. I feel bad for my ancestors, but I can¡¯t help it.¡±


    She answered immediately. There was not a hint of hesitation.


    ¡°Then there is no choice but to fight. I will never abandon the Grantz.¡±


    Hiro smiled sadly and held up the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    As if to respect his intentions, Lucia also replied in a sincere voice.


    ¡°¡­I apologize for asking such a trivial question. I hope you will forgive me.¡±


    She turned her eyes down, as if ashamed of herself, and spread her iron fan to cover her mouth.


    ¡°So there¡¯s no need for further questions and answers, is there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are right. Let¡¯s begin¡­¡±


    ¡°Show me yourst effort against thirty thousand. Then, you may disperse in splendor as the God of War.¡±


    As Lucia pointed her iron fan at Hiro with great force, two figures jumped out from behind her.


    ¡°Hey, hey, Queen Lucia! It¡¯s not toote to call us!¡±


    ¡°Eagle, I¡¯ll be sure to crush your tongue. I¡¯ll make your impudent mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ What is this, so suddenly.¡±


    It was a strange pair of men and women who jumped on Hiro.


    Hiro instantly judged that they were skilled, and from the start, he did his best to intercept them.


    ¡°Haha, you little sh*t! You won¡¯t be able to withstand my attack!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so noisy.¡±


    The ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± that was raised above his head caught the man¡¯s weapon, and a powerful force was transmitted to him.


    The ground could not withstand it, and it caved in violently as if it had been crushed.


    Hiro leaped backward to gain distance as a cloud of dust rose.


    ¡°Ara, too bad it¡¯s a dead end.¡±


    Hearing a voice behind him, Hiro switched the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± from his right hand to his left through his back.


    He then held it vertically and defended himself with his right hand on the de, barely blocking the oing attack.


    However, he could not kill the impact, and Hiro rolled on the ground.


    The two men and women in front of Hiro, who stood up instantly, were leisurely holding their weapons.


    ¡°Luca Mamon de Urpeth. Please make your acquaintance.¡±


    Although she politely bent down to greet him, he could see that she was somewhat scandalous and had an insidious personality.


    In addition, despite her slender body, the weapon she used was arge hammer.


    ¡°Eagle de Urpeth. That is the name of the one who will kill you!¡±


    The man had short hair and a neat face. However, his unconcealed arrogance gives him a sense of intimidation. On his shoulder was a three-section club that emitted strange particles.


    However, what is clear is that both of them are d in the supreme energy that only the strongest of warriors have.


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz von Grantz.¡±


    Hiro kicked the earth and started running.


    First of all, he waved the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± lightly to measure the strength of his opponent.


    ¡°Hah, you¡¯re too slow!¡±


    Three-section club wriggled like a living creature, cking its joints and flicking back the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    Arge hammer flies from the side, roaring the air. Hiro rolled up the dust with his foot, ensured that the hammer¡¯s trajectory had deviated, and thrust the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± into the dust with great force.


    A dull sensation came back to him, indicating that his opponent blocked him. Hiro twisted his body around his right leg on the spot and mmed his left heel into Eagle¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Aghh!¡±


    After ncing at Eagle as he rolled on the ground, he stepped forward and unleashed a palm strike.


    ¡°Ughh!¡±


    He threw it at Luca¡¯s jaw, causing her to back away as she stomped her foot bellows.


    He struck it with the intention of breaking her jaw, but her physical structure was sturdier than he thought.


    ¡°¡­Is that the World¡¯s Five Greatest Treasured Swords?¡±


    Hiro doesn¡¯t remember what weapons the two of them are carrying, but if they can keep up with Hiro¡¯s attacks, they must be the World¡¯s Five Greatest Treasured Swords, which are the same as the ¡°Heavenly Emperor.¡± If they were a pure demon race like Ghada, they would not be limited to that, but if they were from the Six Kingdoms, they would most likely be the equivalent of a human race with their mixed blood.


    ¡°You know very well. As you said, this is the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords ¨D the Vajra Mallet. By the way, the three-section club that Eagle has is also the same and is called the ¡°Holy Destroyer Club.¡±


    [Note: I don¡¯t know why they called these weapons as swords when one is a mallet and the other is a club, but I may be mistaken the name for these too :D]


    The Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords.


    It¡¯s the five treasured swords that were refined when the ¡°Human Race¡± and the ¡°Long-Ear Race¡± were in a cooperative rtionship.


    However, they were created not by the Spirit King but by the Fairy King.


    The spirits of those who have been converted into fairies are contained in the holy principle swords, and just like the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords, they have a will of their own. Compared to the other five treasured swords in the world, there are no restrictions on the owner¡¯s choice, and if they like the sword, it will appear in their dreams and give them the weapon with immense power.


    (I guess I should have asked for more details.)


    A thousand years ago, Hiro had only met the holder of the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords ¨D the one chosen by the Pure Phantom Mist. In those days, the holders of the World¡¯s Five Greatest Treasured Swords would have been dispatched to various parts of the world to stop the ¡°Demon Race¡± invasion. By the end of the war, the Human Race and the Long-Ear Race became enemies and never made contact again.


    ¡°So, your weapon is also the World¡¯s Five Greatest Treasures Sword?¡±


    Luca tilted her head and asked. Eagle looked at the ck Princess Camellia, but he didn¡¯t need to ask; he just red at Hiro.


    Hiro decided that there was no need to hide anymore. His time for deceiving people was over.


    No ¨D he had to let them know for the sake of his future ns.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords, the Heavenly Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DReally¡­?¡±


    The one who was surprised was the person behind the Urpeth siblings, Lucia.


    She covered her mouth with her hand as if ashamed of herself for trembling with astonishment.


    ¡°They say that no matter how many enemies you ughter, your sword will never be stained with blood.¡±


    A beautiful, shining silver sword is a sign of a hero.


    This is the royal sword that saved a country from destruction and conquered the surrounding countries.


    ¡°The undefeated sword that swung by the twin ck king who controls heaven, earth, and people, and will surely bring victory.¡±


    The legendary sword was buried in the long history of the world and is now called the lost sword.


    ¡°Fufufu, I knew it was suspicious, but¡­ this gives me the confidence to win.¡±


    Hiro could see Lucia giving Eagle a look.


    Before he could find out what she was nning, Luca was approaching right in front of him.


    ¡°Kuh!¡±


    ¡°Let me see that power! The power that the hero king used!¡±


    Therge mallet ¨D Vajra ¨Des at him with a roar of the wind. Hiro repelled it but felt a strange sensation in his hand. But before he could be sure, Eagle rushed at him.


    ¡°Hah, it will be hard when there are two people who possess the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords against you, won¡¯t it?¡±


    The three-section club moved erratically and caught Hiro in the cheek.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can see you.¡±


    He avoided the attack and drove his fist into Eagle¡¯s nose. He rolled around on the ground several times and was blown away but stopped forcibly by flexing his arms and standing up.


    For some reason, his expression was tinged with rage.


    ¡°Why did you only use your fists from the beginning? Get serious!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just ying, you know.¡±


    The air froze when he said it clearly, and Hiro tilted his head, shaking his shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a question for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Why should I use all my strength to kill just one ant?¡±


    nkness, silence, stillness, closure. There was an inexpressible silence that coiled between them.


    ¡°Hah, Hyaa!¡±


    Eagle¡¯s face turned creepy.


    ¡°Hihihahahahaha! You bastard!¡±


    It was not a simple matter of killing. Eagle¡¯s clear intent to kill exploded.


    In contrast, Hiro narrowed his eyes calmly and then smiled provocatively.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your words are terribly difficult to hear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    The distance between the two was reduced in an instant, and Eagle came right up to Hiro¡¯s nose. He bent down to avoid a blow aimed at the back of his head. Eagle, who deliberately lost his stance, swung his toe toward Hiro¡¯s left eye with great force while his hand held down the left knee that was immediately thrown at his face.


    Hiro mmed his fist into the ground, forcing his body to twist. In a brief moment of sessful evasion, he saw Luca swing her Vajra down from the edge of his vision.


    Hiro tried to kick Luca¡¯s ankle, but the ck Princess Camellia took a defensive reaction before he could. This turned Hiro¡¯s attention to Eagle only. At the same time, ¡°Vajra¡± and ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± shed violently.


    Arge amount of dust flew up due to the violent shocks caused by the battle between the three.


    The sound of fierce sword fights rang out, and sparks bloomed and then scattered. This was repeated over and over again.


    At the end of the fierce battle, two shadows emerged from the dust.


    They were Luca and Eagle. Both of them had scratches all over their bodies, and they were breathing on their shoulders, staring at the beast lurking in the dust.


    Eventually, when the dust cloud is blown away by the wind, Hiro appears, standing unharmed.


    ¡°Huh¡­ Are you done?¡±


    Hiro smiled, though he was breathing a little harder.


    The Urpeth siblings purse their lips in frustration as the overwhelming martial prowess is shown.


    ¡°Against the two of us¡­ you monster¡­ are you really a human?¡±


    To Hiro, who could not get even a single attack hit him, Luca¡¯s eyes fluttered as if he could not hide her surprise.


    Whenever he hunted down an enemy¡­ he would always get the same line.


    Hiro¡¯s really annoyed with it, and he let out a sigh of disgust.


    ¡°¡­Of course, I¡¯m just a slightly more sturdy person.¡±


    A thousand years ago, he set it upon himself that he should work harder than anyone else. There were people he wanted to protect, so he spent all his time training, even to the point of death. He struggled to be stronger and gain more power.


    The fact that he obtained the ck Princess Camellia and the Dark Emperor was part of that process, not because he used foul techniques. It¡¯s the result of trying to be stronger than everyone else that connects to what he is today.


    ¡°But I always failed to make it in time. I always lose something important.¡±


    While muttering in an indifferent tone of voice, Hiro smiled miserably.


    ¡°Hey¡­ tell me, when will my heart be full?¡±


    They knew that Hiro was not looking for an answer.


    However, they were confused by the sudden question, and more importantly, the Urpeth siblings werepletely dyed in their initial response to the sudden change in atmosphere.


    Hiro, d in madness and with the agility of a beast, attacked the Urpeth siblings.


    ¡°Buh!¡±


    A strong blow to the cheek and blood spewed from Eagle¡¯s mouth.


    As his white teeth bounce off the ground, Luca tries to fight back, but a fierce kick hits her in the abdomen.


    ¡°Ugh~~~!¡±


    Luca held her stomach and tried to kneel on the ground. But Hiro¡¯s clutch on her chest pulled her to him and mmed her back down to the ground without pausing for breath.


    ¡°Gahah!¡±


    With his left hand on her thin neck, Hiro dexterously rotated the hilt of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± in his right hand and swung it backward with great force into Luca¡¯s chest. However, the de bounced off the ground in the middle of the swing, and the trajectory deviated so that the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± was thrust into the ground, only giving a small cut on Luca¡¯s cheek.


    The one that interferes is the three-section club that extends from the side ¨D the Holy Destroyer Club.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you touch my sister!¡±


    Hiro kicked the ground and jumped backward, putting all the strength in his legs. The Urpeth siblings are also more cautious now that they are outmatched and move away from him to start over.

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 7

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 7</h4>


    ¡°¡­You have no one on your side. How long are you going to fight?¡±


    Eagle said as he wiped away the blood dripping from the edge of his mouth. Next to him, Luca is catching her breath and only gives Hiro a resentful re.


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    He looked around but could not see any of his allies.


    All that surrounded Hiro were enemy soldiers with spears, swords, and bows at the ready. Even the soldiers on his side, who were desperately resisting, had been defeated or had lost their vigour. In the first ce, due to the betrayal of the western nobleman Kyrthia, it is as if there were no allies from the beginning.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean¡­


    ¡°It would be wrong if I gave up.¡±


    In a desperate situation, a normal person would have given up and prepared for death. However, Hiro was not equipped with the soft feeling of being frightened.


    ¡°Why are you being so rxed¡­? Do you think you have a way to escape from this deadly ce?¡±


    Eagle was unhappy with Hiro¡¯s attitude; he didn¡¯t even try to hide his annoyance and distorted his eyes.


    Victory or defeat has been decided. There was no power left in the Grantz Army that could reverse this situation.


    Even so, even in a situation where he is under siege from all sides, Hiro¡¯s calm andposed stance makes him unable to shake off his anxiety, and Eagle¡¯s sharp eyes were shaken with agitation.


    (A little more¡­ I think I need to show a few more gaps.)


    Hiro loosened his cor and let out a breath. He had been purposely provocative in order to prevent people from realizing his purpose, but he was now in the finishing stages.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem if I just want to escape. I alone should be enough, you know?¡±


    Hiro took a step backward and nced behind him to check the situation.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you escape!¡±


    Eagle rushed in with a blue vein on his forehead.


    Hiro provoked him repeatedly, and if he showed an intent to escape, Eagle wouldunch a desperate attack.


    Hiro looked at his left hand as he epted the heavy blow that resonated in his guts.


    ¨D¨DA blue crystalline stone.


    The crystal, which bathes in sunlight and spills blue skylight, is a mass of principle power.


    It is also known as a principle stone, and it contains the miraculous power that is characteristic of the Long-Ear Race.


    If the magic stones that the Demon Race carried on their bodies are the power of domination, the principle stones that the Long-Ear Race carried on their bodies are the power of healing. In fact, the small wounds on Eagle¡¯s body have already been healed.


    However, he does not have the pure bloodline of the Long-Ear Race. However, since the Krim region where the Six Kingdoms are located was originally home to many Long-Ear Race, their blood must have flowed deeply in Eagle¡¯s veins. This was also true of his sister.


    ¡°Eagle, I have kept you waiting. Let¡¯s crush this guy right here.¡±


    As Hiro dealt with Eagle¡¯s attack, Luca jumped when there was a gap between them, swinging her big hammer. There was no scar on her but beautiful white skin that radiated luster.


    A violent quake ¨D the Vajra shattered the ground.


    A cloud of dust obscures her figure as she is caught up in a violent gust of wind, but it is clear that Luca has healed her wounds with the principle stone.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. That is as expected of the holder of the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords. It wouldn¡¯t be fun if you died easily.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been so noisy for a while now ¨D can you just shut up, you little sh*t!¡±


    Eagle couldn¡¯t even give him a single blow. Not even a single blownded. So it¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s so frustrated.


    (Now, let¡¯s get to work.)


    Hiro shook off the dust with one hand, dived into Eagle¡¯s chest, and held the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± at the underside.


    It¡¯s a distance that will certainly reap a life, and when he showed an opening, Eagle¡¯s face twisted pathetically.


    He didn¡¯t want to die, and his expression was like he wanted to say something, and he looked at his sister as if he was about to cry.


    ¡°Wait¨D¨D!¡±


    When he heard Luca¡¯s stopping voice¡­


    A small, light sound is heard.


    ¡°Heh, ah, eh?¡±


    Eagle made a dumbfounded sound.


    He must have noticed theck of pain ¨D the chain around his neck. He put his hand on his slightly reddened forehead, keeping his eyes open.


    ¡°Are you really prepared to die?¡±


    Hiro said with a heartfelt joy in his voice. His left hand was making a gesture of curling his middle finger inwards.


    Even though he could have certainly killed him, Hiro only struck a blow with his finger on Eagle¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Wha¡­ what is that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you so.¡±


    Hiro smiles provocatively and arrogantly.


    ¡°¨D¨DI¡¯m just ying.¡±


    ¡°Hihi¨D¡­ hihihahahahaha!¡±


    Eagle¡¯s voice twitched, and he opened his eyes. The unbearable shamepletely broke his heart.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!!¡±


    Eagle¡¯s principle stone was swollen with rage and shone with a sh of dazzling brilliance in response.


    Hiro narrowed his eyes and watched the scene.


    ¡°Atst¡­¡±


    A considerable amount of power that could make the atmosphere swirl was about to overflow from the principle stone.


    ¡°Sister! Please take care of the rest!¡±


    Eagle shouted and turned his gaze to Lucia, who was standing still.


    ¡°You should not break your word!¡±


    As soon as he said that, he recklessly charged at Hiro.


    The three-section club drew an irregr trajectory and aimed at Hiro¡¯s head. Hiro twisted his head to avoid the first blow and blocked the second blow with the hilt of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor,¡± but the momentum of the impact caused the chain of the connecting part to wrap around his arm. His right arm was bound as if it were caught in a vise, and Hiro was pulled with tremendous force.


    At that moment, Hiro let go of the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± from his right hand, handed it to his left hand, and thrust the tip of his sword vigorously toward Eagle. However, the de aimed at his neck only ended up slicing through the skin of his left cheek. As he dodged, a look of joy appeared on Eagle¡¯s face.


    At the same time, a hidden de shaped like a sicklees out of the club he¡¯s clutching.


    ¡°I got you, you little sh*t!¡±


    He kicked up the ground and unleashed a strike with all his might.


    Hiro clicks his tongue. His right arm is restrained, and he can¡¯t get any distance. If there was no time to avoid it, it was only natural that the ck Princess Camellia would react to her Lord¡¯s crisis, and just as the de was about to pierce his neck, the ck robe entangled and stopped it. It only took a moment, but Eagle stopped moving in shock.


    A really short blink of an eye ¨D but it¡¯s a deadly moment.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let an opening go by.¡±


    There was no way that Hiro would let such an opening go by, and the ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡¯s¡± de mercilessly pierced through Eagle.


    Eagles¡¯ left arm flew up into the air, staining the sky red.


    ¡°And then what?¡±


    With a devilish look on his face, Eagle pulled Hiro in with only the strength of his right arm and head-butted him.


    The collision between their foreheads caused Hiro¡¯s vision to waver.


    However, Hiro wasn¡¯t going to be beaten silently.


    ¡°Bufuh¡­¡±


    The ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± was pierced deeply into Eagle¡¯s side.


    ¡°You little shiiiitt!¡±


    The intense pain contorted his face, but he fought back with the expression of a young man. The de that pierced his own side was of no concern to him. With his undiminished strength, the three-section club caught Hiro in the face. Hiro didn¡¯t even show any sign of avoiding it and left his partner, the ck Princess Camellia, to defend him.


    ¡°I knew it. I knew that the ck Princess Camellia would get in the way!¡±


    It was as if he had been waiting for the ck Princess Camellia to make a move, and he opened his mouth wide with a glint in his eye.


    ¡°Give me back my left arm!¡±


    He threw away the ¡°Holy Destroyer Club¡± and hit Hiro, who fell to the ground and got on his stomach. At the same time, his left arm came swinging from the sky.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you. Eat this!¡±


    With his left arm still bleeding profusely from the cut surface, Eagle mmed it into the ck Princess Camellia.


    ¨D¨DIt was then that something strange happened.


    The ck Princess Camellia stopped moving, and the ck robe flowed down to the ground.


    ¡°Looks like the lore was true, huh?¡±


    Eagle¡¯s fist mmed into Hiro¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hah, if it¡¯s made of ¡°that,¡± as the lore says, it can be sealed with a principle stone!¡±


    His right fist swung down again and again. Hiro epted the impact while still in the ¡°´ó¡± position.


    ¡°I¡¯ll torture you to death like this! I¡¯ll clear up the humiliation¨D¨D!?¡±


    Eagle suddenly stops moving. His body stiffened like a frog stared at by a snake.


    The moment he swung his fist down, he ¡°saw¡± it.


    He can see the evil smile and the eyes of the abyss that swallow up everything.


    ¡°That¡¯s the extent of it, huh? Disappointing!¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DNnhh!?¡±


    A single blow, a fist filled with unusual power, was released by Hiro.


    Eagle¡¯s huge, well-trained body flew through the air, but he twisted his body dexterously to adjust his stance andnded cleanly. However, he immediately copsed to the side, agitated by the wind.


    It was no wonder. It was strange how he was able to stay conscious.


    Arge amount of blood was gushing out from his left shoulder due to the loss of his arm, and fresh blood was pouring out of his side at an unstoppable rate. Even so, he was determined to keep fighting.


    ¡°Eagle, you need to rest. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    The ¡°Vajra,¡± arge hammer disproportionate to Luca¡¯s slender form, was mmed into the ground. And then, lifting the huge weapon lightly, Luca kicked down the distance in an instant. Hiro stepped forward to take evasive action, but


    ¡°¡­Can you hold it down this far?¡±


    He didn¡¯t move. No, he could not move.


    There was no response from the ck Princess Camellia. She waspletely silent. The next thing that happened was that a fierce blow pierced through Hiro¡¯s body.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t even kill the impact and was mmed into the ground. He tried to stand up immediately, but his body was as heavy as steel.


    ¡°The ck Princess Camellia has taken in my beloved brother¡¯s principle stone. If you don¡¯t break your vow with the ck Princess Camellia, it will affect you, the contractor, as well. Well, all you have to do is break the vow¡­ but it¡¯s not that easy to break it, is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Fufu.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°No, I think we¡¯re finally even now.¡±


    When Hiro turned his gaze upwards, he saw Luca¡¯s mouth twitching.


    ¡°What a joke!¡±


    Hiro was kicked in the stomach and rolled around on the ground. Luca was right in front of him as he used his momentum to sit on the ground.


    ¡°Die ¨D leave only your head and spill your guts!¡±


    Her eyes were filled with joy as she imagined the tragedy toe.


    The ¡°Vajra¡± was swung at Hiro¡¯s head.


    Immediately, Hiro turned around, but he could not avoid it.


    He heard the sound of something being torn apart. There was a surge of pain as if his own body was being torn apart.


    Before he could confirm the meaning of it, Eagle jumped out from the edge of his vision.


    ¡°Haha! Oraaaaaaaaa!¡±


    His vision goes dark. Only the sound of gravel yed on his eardrums. But he was still conscious.


    With the following action in mind, Hiro tried to put his hands on the ground and failed.


    ¡°Agh¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t feel anything. It was as if there was a hole in the ground, restricting Hiro¡¯s actions. He looked at his right arm with vacant eyes and saw that it was missing from the shoulder down.


    ¡°Die, you bastard!¡±

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 8

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 8</h4>


    ¡°Die, you bastard!¡±


    Hiro¡¯s face was lifted forcibly into the sky, and the eerie sound of jaws shattering echoed in the air.


    ¨D¨DHe could hear the sound of the world copsing.


    ¡°Ah¨D¨D¡±


    He saw a blue sky.


    The azure sky ¨D the ultramarine sky ¨D turned red.


    As a warm sensation touched his cheek, an arm wrapped in a ck robe fell from the sky.


    ¡°Haha, it serves you right ¨D you can¡¯t be too careless, you know¡­¡±


    In the reddening world, a man shouted in triumph.


    What makes him so happy¡­? Hiro wants to look at his face covered with tears of despair. The woman next to him was also looking at Hiro with a look of triumphant relief on her face.


    He wants to see her crying face that would surely bring great joy to him.


    ¡°One more thing¡­¡±


    Hiro unconsciously spat out a few words and tried to stand up.


    But¡­


    ¡°You can¡¯t move because of the ck Princess Camellia, right? You¡¯ve lost your dominant arm, so be quiet.¡±


    Hiro was kicked furiously by the man who wasughing happily and sat down helplessly.


    ¡°My sister will now be the queen, and I will be her assistant. I¡¯ll take your head to end the arrangement.¡±


    He snorted excitedly and lifted the corners of his mouth as if he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.


    ¡°Hey, ¡®God of War,¡¯ do you have anyst words?¡±


    The sound of a thud shook his eardrums. The warm sensation of spurting blood poured down from above Hiro¡¯s head.


    Next, a dull tone like a bag of dirt being mmed into the ground rang out in the quiet battlefield.


    Hiro moved his nk eyes to look at the head that was rolling aimlessly on the ground.


    ¡°¨D¨DDon¡¯t whisper in my ear. It makes my hand go out of control, you know.¡±


    Instantly ¨D a scream was heard.


    ¡°NOOOOOOOOOO¨D¨D¡­!¡±


    Anger was painted over by sadness, and sadness was stitched together by confusion as a scream.


    Hiro turned his attention to the source of the voice.


    There, covering her face with her hands, was Luca, trying to distract herself from reality.


    ¡°Pride creates gaps. That advice is meaningless if you¡¯re dead, though.¡±


    Hiro stood up, his smile deepening.


    ¡°¨D¨DLet¡¯s all hope for the next life.¡±


    The ¡°Heavenly Emperor¡± is now gone from Hiro¡¯s left hand, and the ¡°Dark Emperor¡± has appeared, emitting evil darkness.


    The ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± is still silent, but the blood loss from his right shoulder has stopped. His senses were bing dull, but he was able to carry out his purpose.


    ¡°¨D¨DKill, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    An explosion could be heard. When Hiro turned his attention to the source, he saw Luca ring at Hiro with the expression of a demon. Her supremacy swelled, and her feet caved in ¨D arge amount of dust flew up.


    For some reason, Hiro hung up the edge of his mouth in an eerie way as he felt Luca¡¯s fury on his skin.


    ¡°It gives you hope, feeds you despair, hangs a sliver of hope in front of your eyes, and knocks you into the abyss.¡±


    That is how to make the principle stone more powerful.


    It shines more beautifully than any other jewel in the world and transforms into a principle stone with immense healing power.


    Those who possess the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords will have a principle stone with unimaginable power.


    ¡°That¡¯s the condition. You can finallyplete the second one.¡±


    As Hiro held up the Dark Emperor, Luca jumped at him with an ugly, twisted expression.


    ¡°Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, I will kill yooouuuuu!¡±


    In contrast to her left hand, which was embedded with a beautifully shining principle stone, her face was stained with ugliness, turning her into a pathetic beast that was unbearable to look at.


    ¡°You can hate me all you want. I¡¯ll take all of that.¡±


    Hiro smiled at her, lowered his hips, and ¨D with a sh ¨D shed Luca¡¯s left arm.


    For a moment, Luca¡¯s body floated, but it didn¡¯t stop her momentum, and a violent wind hit him.


    ¡°Aaaaaaah, Give me back! Give me back! Give me baakk!¡±


    It was too big and full of gaps, but the current Hiro couldn¡¯t avoid it, so he took the hit.


    He could hear the sound of bones shattering. It¡¯s not clear how many bones were broken, but Hiro endured the intense pain without falling.


    ¡°¡­A person bes strong only after losing something. I can guarantee you that you will also be stronger.¡±


    As Hiro made a slight movement with his left arm, Luca jumped back as if sensing the danger.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. You can¡¯t escape the darkness from a distance like that.¡±


    ¨D¨DDeadly fear.


    Luca¡¯s movements stopped ¨D no, only her eyes were tinged with surprise.


    All the living things around her have forgotten the ticking of time. The grass, the wind, the insects, the horses, the people, everything was frozen in ce.


    ¡°Killing time is the blessing of the Dark Emperor.¡±


    Hiro held the ¡°Dark Emperor¡± horizontally and pointed the tip of the de at Luca.


    ¡°All life is equally lured into emptiness.¡±


    ¨D¨DDark Mirror Corpse Water.


    No change wille. The time in the world has been standing still for a long time.


    And yet, the sense of intimidation only increases. The world is enveloped in an eerie atmosphere of fear.


    At that moment, a ssh of blood sshed into the air from Luca¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Eh, ah?¡±


    As she watched the fresh blood sttering in the air, Luca fell to the ground with a nk stare.


    After seeing that, Hiro also fell to one knee and vomited blood.


    ¡°Guh¡­ Is it too shallow?¡±


    Hiro narrowed his eyes with a pained expression and looked at Luca. He could tell she was still alive by the way her back was moving slightly.


    ¡°Medic! Treat Luca immediately!¡±


    A loud and vigorous voice rang out. The order was immediately carried out, and Luca¡¯s treatment began in front of Hiro¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You really are¡­ a monster, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The person who had been hiding revealed herself.


    The way she spread out her iron fan and smiled elegantly is truly worthy of great beauty. However, her smile was distorted like a snake chasing down its prey.


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to lose her yet. I¡¯ll deal with you from here on out.¡±


    ¡°Huh, now you¡¯re going to show up¡­ and take away their achievements?¡±


    ¡°On the battlefield, life and death depend on one¡¯s abilities. They were not good enough to get the credit ¨D that¡¯s all, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lucia smiles fearlessly, showing no sign of shame.


    Hiro smiled and stood up, thrusting the ¡°Dark Emperor¡± into the ground.


    ¡°So¡­ are you going to y with me now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want your head.¡±


    She smiled seductively, giving off a dark, demonic vibe that would seduce any man.


    The name ¡°wicked woman¡± is appropriate for her. Whenpared to this woman, udia is nothing more than a child.


    ¡°But, you know, even if you resist, you won¡¯t stand a chance. I don¡¯t want to hurt your pretty face, you know.¡±


    She took out a glittering principle stone.


    Judging by the blood on it, it must have been from Luca¡¯s left hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter what condition your corpse will be in, I will love it.¡±


    Her arm went hazy, and she thrust her hand into Hiro¡¯s stomach like a sharp de.


    ¡°Gaaaah!¡±


    Hiro screamed unbearably at the feeling as if his internal organs were being stirred up.


    Lucia, with her flushed cheeks, embraces him lustfully.


    ¡°I was watching you fight, and my body started to heat up.¡±


    With a look of ecstasy on her face, she bites Hiro¡¯s ear as if she can¡¯t bear it any longer. Her sweet breath shook Hiro¡¯s eardrums, and her wet tongue crawled around coquettishly.


    It was at that moment that the ¡°ck Princess Camellia,¡± whose power had been sealed away, tried to move with all her might.


    ¡°Oh¡­ it still moving?¡±


    Lucia frowned in annoyance and unfolded her iron fan.


    With that simple movement, the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± fell silent once again.


    ¡°Well, let me tell you something. I am also the holder of the Five Destructive Holy Principle Sword.¡±


    Lucia slowly removed her hand from Hiro¡¯s stomach as if to emphasize her presence.


    ¡°Aghhh¡­¡±


    An eerie sensation came over him as if his internal organs were being pulled out. It¡¯s as if he had lost something fundamental.


    But nothing was lost ¨D in fact, she left the principle stone as a souvenir.


    ¡°Fufu, don¡¯t look so sad. Are you feeling sofortable with my hand?¡±


    Hiro was about to say something, but as he moved his mouth, all that came out was fresh blood.


    While watching Hiro¡¯s face turn pale, Lucia licked her bloody hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious¡­ It tastes terribly immoral.¡±


    She licked the blood dripping from the back of her hand like a cat and looked down at Hiro.


    ¡°Is this how you ate the Formless King?¡±


    Just after that ¨D Lucia¡¯s body was blown away.


    She glided across the ground with great force and plunged into a group of medics who were treating Luca. The impact was so great that it created a violent dust storm.


    In the midst of the mor, a voice sounded as if confirming Lucia¡¯s safety.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hiro shook his shoulders unsteadily. His face was as pale as a dead man¡¯s.


    But what dwells in his eyes is a raging passion ¨D wrath.


    Hiro took a step forward, lost the strength in his knees, and fell to one knee on the ground.


    ¡°¡­I see, so that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Hiro noticed that his right shoulder was bleeding profusely. The hole in his stomach shows no signs of closing, and a great amount of blood is being sucked into the ground.


    The power of the principle stone hadpletely sealed off his high-speed regeneration.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯d love to know how much you know.¡±


    As Hiro red at her, Lucia was standing there unharmed and rxed.


    ¡°I know all about it. As I said in the beginning, that ¡®woman¡¯ told me everything about who you are and how you ended up in your pathetic state.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯d definitely like to know. Who was that?¡±


    For some reason, Lucia looked surprised at Hiro¡¯s question.


    ¡°She said she had met you several times, though?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Nameless?¡±


    She was the one who created this situation. She¡¯s the one who connected with the ck Death Vige, which is nning to revive the ¡°Father,¡± and manipted Stobel into a rebellion.


    ¡°For now, the target has been set¡­¡±


    The small murmurings did not reach anyone, and Hiro stood up, encouraging his trembling knees.


    At that time.


    ¡°All troops, take the head of Hiro Schwartz von Grantz!¡±


    An angrymand was heard.


    It wasn¡¯t Lucia. Yet another ¨D Hiro instantly understood.


    Luca, who was still in the healing process, was being supported by a soldier and ring at Hiro with a grudge-filled look in her eyes.


    ¡°What are you ordering them to do?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I must avenge Eagle¡¯s death!¡±


    The soldiers looked puzzled at the two arguing superiors.


    However, Lucia was the one who broke down, and after a single sigh of exasperation, she raised her hand.


    ¡°You may kill him as long as he can still be identified.¡±


    For Hiro, this was a ruthless order.


    ¡°Farewell, ¡®ck Dragon King¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Kill!¡±


    At the same time as Luca¡¯s hatefulmand resounded, a violent tremor hit from the ground. The soldiers that filled the field of vision started to run, causing the ground to shake violently.


    Hiro looked around with a pale face that had lost its bloodlust.


    (¡­There seems to be no way to escape. I guess I won¡¯t be able to keep my promise to her after all.)


    It is not out of heroism that he took on the role of decoy. He just wants to return the favor he received a thousand years ago. That¡¯s what he genuinely wanted.


    He just wanted to return the kindness he received from his former friends through Liz.


    People mightugh when they hear that. They might snicker and say it was a trivial reason.


    But still, for Hiro, it was a good enough reason.


    It was the most important reason, the most non-negotiable reason, worth risking his life for.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll keep fighting. I want them to know through her.¡±


    Hiro said quietly as he stared at the 30,000 enemies surrounding him. And that¡¯s when the image of her popped into his mind.


    (Liz¡­ please forgive me for being clumsy and only being able to convey my feelings in this way)

 Volume 6, Chapter 5 – The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 9

    <h4>Volume 6, Chapter 5 - The Sun Will Rise Again, Part 9</h4>


    Hiro looked at the sky with a gentle smile on his face.


    (I¡¯m going to die here so that my n can be fulfilled.)


    Even though many people have sacrificed their lives on the ground, the sky remains clear and unconcerned.


    The heavens will not hold anyone back, nor can the heavens hold anyone in its grasp.


    The azure sky that stretches out endlessly is truly the one and only ruler of the world.


    (I bought some time¡­ I left a way for the Great Grantz Empire to survive.)


    Hiro challenged this battle by imposing a discarded pawn on himself.


    (Liz¡­ i hope you¡¯ll forgive me for saying goodbye to you through a letter.)


    With a self-mocking smile on his face, he looked down at the ground again, and the noise around him faded away.


    (This is a test of your capabilities as an emperor. So, please don¡¯t overlook the options that lead to victory. If you make one or two mistakes, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve left countless possibilities open.)


    Hiro picked up his own coat of arms g that had fallen to the ground and set it up again.


    ¡°Now ¨De.¡±


    Hiro formed a fierce smile like a beast and clutched the ¡°Dark Emperor¡± with his left hand again.


    Standing in a ce where there were no allies, he stared at the enemy who was approaching, stepping over the corpses of his dead allies.


    The enemy was clearly agitated. They were shaking with astonishment as though it was reckless.


    ¡°Try to see if you can surpass despair.¡±


    He gave a sh to the approaching enemy. It was a light swing, but the power that went into it was extraordinary.


    In the blink of an eye, a number of red blossoms bloomed in the sky.


    Before they had time to scream, multiple heads hit the ground, making an eerie sound.


    ¡°He¡¯s on the verge of death! There is no time to be distracted, just kill him quickly¨D¨D!?¡±


    He dropped the head of the enemy that was buzzing around his ears.


    (¡­¡­Around here?)


    Everyone was aiming for Hiro¡¯s head, so it was like there was no formation at all.


    ¡°So, now that I have recovered, I think I¡¯ll go on a rampage.¡±


    He tried to be tough, but to tell the truth, both of his knees were trembling as if they were about to break. His physical strength had already been depleted. But that didn¡¯t mean he could give up so easily.


    There were people waiting for him, so Hiro kicked the ground with all his might.


    ¡°M-monster!¡±


    He only aimed at themander ss and only killed the soldiers in his path that were in his way.


    (This situation is¡­ not good. I need to be more conspicuous.)


    He was surrounded by more enemies than he expected. This is going to hinder his ns.


    ¡°Enough, just give up already!¡±


    Themander tried to draw his sword from his waist, but Hiro instantly kicked it away from him.


    ¡°You¡¯re unarmed; aren¡¯t you afraid for your life?¡±


    ¡°Guh, damn it¨D¨D!¡±


    Without giving themander time to draw another sword, Hiro kicked the hilt and jumped.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t let your guard down on the battlefield.¡±


    He twisted himself in midair and vigorously chopped off the head of themander.


    Then, with a natural motion, Hironded on the ground and looked around him.


    What came into view was enemy soldiers holding their bows at a distance. A great number of arrowheads were pointed at him. Even so, Hiro did not stop smiling coldly.


    ¡°Good. Your decision is not wrong.¡±


    People made weapons to defeat monsters because they could not win with their own strength. The bow is a prime example. You can overwhelm your opponent with the number of moves you can make.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not something you can fire at close range, is it¡­?¡±


    When Hiro muttered in exasperation, the enemymander¡¯s order was followed by a storm of arrows sting the ground.


    If he took evasive action, the arrows would pierce the enemy soldiers swarming behind him. He thought it was pathetic and even felt sorry for them.


    In order to defeat just one person, how many people must be sacrificed to make it worthwhile¡­?


    But themander who can make a ruthless decision is strong and knows that hesitation creates an opening.


    ¡°Hah, what a good decision. There is no hesitation in that¡­ you are definitely nning to kill me.¡±


    Now that the absolute defense of the ck Princess Camellia has been sealed, there is only one way to prevent the oing arrow.


    With only one of his arms left, he could only use the single sword in his hand to repel the barrage of arrows.


    In other words ¨D it was all he could do to avoid a fatal wound.


    When the violent storm passed, the ce where Hiro was standing was filled with so many arrows that he had no ce to step.


    ¡°Haha¡­ not yet¡­¡±


    Moving his feet, which were sewn into the ground, Hiro took a step forward.


    (Did they take my right eye¡­?)


    He rubbed the dark haze with the back of his left hand and got a slimy, eerie feeling back.


    But he still had his left eye. There was no problem as long as he could see, so long as he could move his left arm even if he lost his right.


    (No, I can¡¯t even feel my hand, can I?)


    That¡¯s not all. Hiro realized that he had lost other things as well.


    (If there is no pain from the wound¡­ then this is definitely¡­)


    ¡°Now! Draw your sword!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so happy¡­¡±


    ¡°My troops are first in line! You¡¯ll be rewarded handsomely! Let¡¯s finish him off¨D¨D!?¡±


    ¡°As I said, don¡¯t be so happy. It makes me want to resist, you know?¡±


    Hiro encourages his weakened body and kicks the ground, sending themander¡¯s head flying.


    He attacked nonchntly like a machine repeating its work.


    He stroked the head of the agitated enemy soldier and shed it open, crushed the skull of the unsettled enemy soldier with a single swing, and then plucked the life out of them one after another with the ¡°Dark Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DKuh!?¡±


    He suddenly lost the strength in his knees and fell down on the ground helplessly.


    ¡°Ah ¨D¨D so this is where it ends¡­ huh?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t move a single finger. With his face pressed against the ground, Hiro felt his vision narrowing.


    ¡°Take his head! Take his head off!¡±


    They grabbed him by the hair and forcibly lifted his head. The faces that shed into his hazy vision all had expressions of greed on all of their faces.


    When the de was pressed against his neck¡­


    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll chop his head off!¡±


    Luca appeared in front of him, breaking through the wall of soldiers.


    ¡°Good grief¡­ you¡¯re really not cut out to be amander, stealing the show from your subordinates.¡±


    Lucia appeared next to Luca, stepping on the gravel.


    ¡°But then again, your struggle is in vain, is it? You can¡¯t run away, and you can¡¯t overturn a losing battle even if you go on a rampage.¡±


    Lucia raised her eyebrows as if she were looking at a strange creature.


    Hiro snickered in response.


    ¡°No¡­ the Six Kingdoms are losing, you know ¨D can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything. Have you gone crazy from dying?¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe, I don¡¯t know. But I can hear the sound of the Six Kingdoms copsing.¡±


    ¡°I can see your life fading away.¡±


    ¡°Then ¨D I won.¡±


    He knew Lucia¡¯s n from the beginning.


    He was aware of the fact that the head of the Mark family and other central nobles were in cahoots with her, as well as the fact that she had the western nobles, including Kyrthia, in her corner.


    It was obvious that their existence would be a hindrance in the future, but if he killed them without showing evidence, he would surely be criticized, so how could he get rid of them at the same time?


    As a result, the Grantz Empire was able to buy enough time to prepare its forces.


    ¡°I thank you for that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I knew you were reading this. But I¡¯m satisfied with the situation since my goal was only to get your head.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy with the situation, too.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Lucia¡¯s smile froze, and Hiro sneered.


    ¡°My n will bepleted with the death of the hero.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you think I wouldn¡¯t cut off your head if you threatened me?¡±


    It is a fact that warriors of great renown are often deified after death. If a person is praised as a war hero, he is likely to be revered as a god of war.


    In the military state of the Grantz Empire, Hiro¡¯s death would be used to great effect in the future.


    Hiro¡¯s death will help the people understand the war, and his deification will boost the soldiers¡¯ morale. It could also work to the advantage of diplomacy with neighboring countries.


    ¡°Even at the cost of all this, the head is still more valuable than the rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s fine. It is necessary for the fulfillment of my n.¡±


    ¡°You never stop talking, do you¡­?¡±


    Lucia sighed in exasperation and closed her iron fan.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, then! Queen Lucia, stand down!¡±


    Luca approached with high footsteps, his sharpened de resting on Hiro¡¯s neck.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, you know?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Luca¡¯s intense anger caused Hiro to drop his gaze to the ground.


    Hiro carved a wild smile as he looked at the small stone that shook slightly.


    ¡°¨D¨DYou¡¯re reallyte.¡±


    Immediately afterward, a de swung vigorously down on Hiro¡¯s neck.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    ¡°Hey, hey, Hiro? Are you listening?¡±


    On top of a hill at sunset, she looked into his face, holding his sideburns.


    ¡°Eh¡­ what was it?¡±


    ¡°Geez! As I said. Why do you want to help me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a reason to help people.¡±


    She smiled bitterly and shrugged her shoulders, grabbing his cheek gently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cheat!¡±


    ¡°Fuwa¡­¡±


    Her physical punishment is prating the heart.


    His mind is filled with guilt from being punished without pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m not very smart, you know. I think I¡¯m probably causing Hiro a lot of trouble. You see, I get angry easily and move without thinking things through.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re right. You were able to analyze yourself properly, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sad that you don¡¯t deny it, you know?¡±


    She twitched her mouth as if she was expecting him to deny it. But she quickly regained herposure and put her arms behind her back, and folded her hands.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, anyway, that¡¯s why, Hiro, you should find out what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that¡­ what¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°If Hiro really, truly, truly believes that I am worthy of the throne, then I need your help.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to be strong. I want to be smarter, too, so I can lessen Hiro¡¯s burden, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    Seeing Liz¡¯s embarrassed smile, Hiro narrowed his eyes sadly.


    (Even though they don¡¯t look alike, her heart and soul are just like Altius¡¯.)


    He wondered what he would say if he came back to this time and saw Liz.


    He would be surprised.


    He would be shaken with emotion to see a girl who looked just like him.


    (Even though they don¡¯t have the same personality, she looks exactly like Rey.)


    The future envisioned by his friends may not be the same as this world.


    But¡­ it will never fade away.


    There was always good and evil in every era.


    The world he lived in a thousand years ago is no different from the world he lives in today.


    (Surely¡­ the future you wanted is beyond her.)


    Hiro narrowed his eyes as he watched the setting sun.


    (¡­Until the day her will is sprouted¡­)


    He had to protect her from all malice and keep her safe from all threats.


    This is the mission that has been imposed on him, and it is the redemption of a man who has abandoned his past.


    ¡°¡­The roar of the ck dragon distorts the world¡¯s logic, while the roar of the lion brings order to the world.¡±


    Hiro stretched out his still unreachable hand to the heavens.


    ¡°Let the world roar.¡±


    ¨D¨DMay her name reach you all.

 Volume 6, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 6, Epilogue</h4>


    The crowd was cheering.


    In the midst of the violent dust, a cry of victory echoed around the world. The g with the ck dragon on it was burned and turned into ashes that flowed down the ground.


    Many corpses with the lion¡¯s emblem engraved on their chests were being trampled by the frenzied soldiers.


    Forgetting the military code, they were all gazing at the same ce.


    One woman was holding a head up to the sky.


    Some are quietly gazing at such mor. Blending in with the soldiers, nobody could see them, but the air was clearly different here.


    There is a chill in the air like cold air cowering and tearing at one¡¯s guts.


    Even though the soldiers around them were screaming with joy, their expressions did not change at all.


    ¡°The king¡¯s presence is gone. The ¡°usurper¡± is definitely dead.¡±


    ¡°Then what do we do now?¡±


    There was no joy on their faces, no sadness in their voices, no anger in their bodies.


    Just the facts, spoken in a voice with no inflection.


    ¡°The time hase for us to emerge from the abyss.¡±


    The wind trembled, and the air creaked.


    A definite change ¨D and yet no one notices.


    No one will notice the changes in the isted world.


    ¡°Our Father. Give the fools eternal torment. Our Father. Give peace to the saints.¡±


    And with that, they disappeared unnoticed.

 Volume 6, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 6, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you for reading ¡°The Otherworldly Tales of a Mythological, Legendary Hero Vol 6¡±.


    For those of you who have continued to read it from the previous volume, it¡¯s been a while.


    I hope you enjoyed this volume as well. And If you feel that your left eye is tingling, thanks to this, congrattions! Now you too can be a great ¡°Heterochromatic Eye¡± ¨D¨Dlet¡¯s find a way to the other world.


    Now, this volume is going to be the next step ¨D a volume that will go on the offensive, including the cover.


    Now that the stage is set, it looks like I¡¯ll finally be able to write the story I wanted to write the most.


    In the next volume and onwards, I n to develop the story from various perspectives, including Hiro¡¯s past, and elerate the chuunibyou further, so I¡¯ll be paying close attention to that part of the story.


    Liz is also developing into a heroine, beautiful and noble, worthy of the throne.


    Still, there are characters with various agendas, and the situation is not straightforward.


    There is one more thing I would like to talk about: Lucia, a new character who appeared in this volume.


    I think she is an erotic character whose likes and dislikes are clearly divided.


    By the way, I do like her. I love her, including her underboob. So, although it may not be necessary, I dare to cast a mysterious spell to increase her fans.


    Actually ¨D Lucia¡¯s pants are actually missing. She¡¯s not wearing pants.


    Her underboob draws the eye, but the shocking fact is that she hides the important part with a snake ornament.


    Oh, did anyone just check the cover? Did you think, ¡°Seriously?¡±


    If you did, you¡¯re the same as I was when Miyuki Ruria-sama told me (with a smile).


    Now, let me give my gratitude.


    Thank you, Miyuki Ruria-sama, for always exceeding my expectations with your illustrations, which are both a feast for my eyes and afort to my soul. Thank you very much.


    S-sama, the editor in charge, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I¡¯ve caused with every volume. Although I¡¯ve done a lot of other things, I¡¯d be happy if you could continue to watch over me warmly.


    I-sama, also the editor in charge, thank you for your help with this volume. I¡¯m sure there are many things I haven¡¯t done right, but I would appreciate it if you could continue to help me and not give up on me.


    To the editorial staff, proofreaders, designers, and everyone else involved in this book, it is thanks to you that this book has beenpleted, and I look forward to your continued support.


    And to the readers who have been reading since thest volume, I have been able toe this far thanks to your support. Thank you very much. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.


    I will continue to send out more of the never-ending Chuni, so please support me.


    I look forward to seeing you again soon.

 Volume 7, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 7, Prologue</h4>


    There was a stench of death in the air. A stench so dreadful that it drove the sense of smell crazy and so fishy that it burned the chest, eroding the air.


    The grasnds were covered with burnt corpses of soldiers, all gasping in agony. When the wind blew, the hot air that was left over from the battlefield spread all around.


    ¡°Are you going?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    In a scene filled with mute wreckage, the person answered the silver purple girl.


    There is no way to see the expression on the face of the person who picked up the remnants of the g that had fallen to the ground.


    The person¡¯s face was covered by a mask.


    ¡°This is just the beginning.¡±


    The voice with no inflection suggested that it was a man. But whether he was sad orughing, it was impossible to sense any joy, anger, or sorrow.


    In the ruins of a battlefield filled with death and hatred, the masked man turns his head around to look around.


    In the depths of his mask, his right eye, which was shrouded in darkness, was filled with golden light.


    ¡°A thousand years of stagnant time has begun to move.¡±


    The masked man quietly took a step forward. He stomped on the weeds that were ckened with blood and walked with ease and without hesitation.


    No one in this world can stop his steps.


    In a world where the flowers of death are in full bloom, it is as if the living cannot exist except him.


    ¡°The world is in turmoil; a turning point hase.¡±


    It was not a voice speaking to anyone. Yet his voice trembled as if he wanted someone to hear him.


    However, no one in this ce could give him a reply.


    ¡°The endpoint is fixed.¡±


    The masked man raised his hand to the sky and gripped the sun tightly.


    ¡°¨D¨DBecause everything is one.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 1 – Gears Begin To Go Haywire, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 1 - Gears Begin To Go Haywire, Part 1</h4>


    It¡¯s early in the morning ¨D just after the sun has risen, and the edges of the sky are still as dim as a haze.


    Morning fog envelops the area, and the city disappears as if it were sinking to the bottom of the water.


    While the ground was obscured from view, far to the east was the majestic ozarm Mountains, bathed in the chilly morning sunlight and glistened with the white snow umted on their peaks.


    In such a fantastic world of white smoke, a sound disproportionate to the silence rang out.


    It was a noisy, chilling sound that rushed through the air, shaking the atmosphere far away.


    A storm of violent metallic sounds that shook the divine world swirled in the sky.


    Beneath the azure sky, where mystery and noise are intertwined, a metropolis worthy of the name of luxury and splendor sits on its haunches.


    It was dius, the capital of the Grantz Empire, also known as the Great Imperial Capital.


    It is one of the most ancient cities in the world, still standing after a thousand years.


    Centered on the magnificent imperial pce of Vian, the city is surrounded on all sides by a richly scendscape, with solid walls protecting it.


    At its main entrance ¨D the so-called main gate ¨D more than 100,000 troops were lined up in an orderly fashion.


    This was the source of the strange noise that had just been made and the cause of the early morning atmosphere.


    Therefore, there was no such thing as silence on this day ¨D the Great Imperial Capital was covered with a disproportionate amount of noise.


    It started with a shout.


    ¡°God of War!¡±


    It was unclear who shouted it first. Even so, the thoughts in a loud voice were certain, and they were filled with sincere sadness.


    ¡°God of War! God of War!¡±


    The heat that blew away the fog was spreading rapidly.


    One person shouting became two, three became four, and so on. At some point, one person¡¯s cry became a chorus, shaking the world, shaking the ground, and piercing the air.


    ¡°God of War! God of War! God of War! God of War!¡±


    The temperature was more like freezing than chilly, but the heat that never cooled down wasunched into the sky one after another.


    ¡°Revenge! Revenge!¡±


    In the face of the overwhelming mass difference of the raging screams, the heavens cede control to the people. The air was shaken with a loud voice, and the clouds were torn apart by angry voicesced with hatred.


    ¡°Revenge! Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!¡±


    As the soldiers continued to shout vigorously, the drums beat in response.


    ¡°This is a war of revenge! Let¡¯s bring the hammer of our anger down on the Six Kingdoms!¡±


    Arge number of soldiers beat their swords against their shields, and the droplets of mist that clung to them flew apart. The glittering droplets reflected the faces of the soldiers stamping their feet in rage.


    ¡°You people! We should be offering silent prayers right now!¡±


    Unable to bear the sight of the rowdy soldiers, the superior called out to stop them, but the momentum did not stop. As if to add fuel to the fire, the heat of their anger only increased visibly.


    ¡°Let our anger roar! Let our grief roar!¡±


    March 8, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    On this day, shocking news came to the Great Grantz Empire.


    It was the death of Hiro Schwartz, the fourth prince, on the Larix ins in the west.


    The people shed tears, the soldiers revealed their anger, and the nation¡¯s spirit sank to a low point.


    ¡°O Spirit King! Hear us in our anger! Embrace our grief and soothe it!¡±


    Several bannermen raised their banners and raised a cloud of dust. As they weaved through the gaps in the ranks, they raised the ¡°Lion¡¯s Banner¡± into the sky.


    ¡°Twelve great gods of Grantz! Illuminate our path and dispel the darkness!¡±


    The Great Grantz Empire, the ruler of the Central Continent for a thousand years, was in turmoil.


    Two months have already passed since the Six Kingdoms, which control the Krim region on the western edge of the Central Continent, invaded the west.


    The threat was growing day by day, and the damage was immeasurable.


    Firstly, people lost their homes, and refugees were created, and secondly, security deteriorated as bandits and monsters ran rampant.


    Secondly, the loss of two of the five great generals, the nation¡¯s symbols, weakened the nation¡¯s power.


    Thirdly, the central chain ofmand waspletely paralyzed due to the sessive deaths of the emperor and the royal family.


    However, even with all these sacrifices, the Great Grantz Empire was still unable to move. Because of its vast territory, the Grantz Empire continued to be on the back foot.


    ¡°Let the heavens punish the Six Kingdoms! Let the thunder of our anger rain down upon their heads!¡±


    The anger of the soldiers must have been directed at the nobles, who remained silent.


    ¡°Revenge war against the Six Kingdoms! Let our glorious emperor challenge us to a war of revenge!¡±


    The soldiers began to shout, praying for the hope of a long neck crane towards the Great Imperial Capital.


    With eyes filled with anger, they red at the giant castle perched on the horizon.


    By this time, the fog that had been covering the entire area had cleared.


    The sun was peeking through the clouds, allowing the beautiful Great Imperial Capital to be seen as usual. However, the air surrounding the Great Imperial Capital seemed to be stagnant.


    Whether it was due to the tragic news or the will of the heavens considering the feelings of the angry soldiers, unfortunately, no one could understand the true meaning.


    Once through the main gate of the Great Imperial Capital, visitors are greeted by the central street, where stalls are set up. Now that the Six Kingdoms have invaded, all the merchants have fled the city. Although it¡¯s not as empty as it used to be, it¡¯s not as prosperous as it used to be, and it¡¯s deserted.


    Still, there were a few people who opened stores.


    However, in contrast to the soldiers outside, they offered silent prayers without raising their voices, even abandoning their merchant¡¯s temperament.


    Beyond that line of sight, the colossal statues of the twelve great gods of Grantz stood on either side of the street, ring at the people. The most popr among them is the one called the ¡°God of War.¡± It is the bronze statue of the ¡°Heroic King of the Twin cks¡± and the ¡°Second Emperor¡± who built the foundation of the Great Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Our God of War¡­ bring back the spirit of the fourth prince Hiro.¡±


    People were kneeling in front of the ¡°God of War¡± as they gathered around.


    The season of spring is approaching, but the cold weather is still continuing.


    Their breath was white, and their hands were too cold to move as they wished. Just looking at them, one can feel the cold. However, the central street was filled with people kneeling on the ground praying.


    No one¡¯s face was contorted in pain, and everyone¡¯s eyes were wet with sorrow.


    A statue of the ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± stood a short distance away. She is the only one of the twelve great gods of Grantz who is not an emperor, and she is one of the pirs of the gods.


    At the goddess¡¯s feet, people were also bending their backs in prayer with their arms outstretched.


    ¡°Please¡­ Your Highness Hiro¡­ first Princess Shrine Maiden¡­ please, please.¡±


    Some were praying to the gods.


    ¡°What are they doing? It appears that His Highness Hiro led only forty thousand!¡±


    ¡°The Grantz Empire is full of ipetents who sent him into this reckless battle!¡±


    ¡°Even ayman can understand what the emperor is thinking¡­¡±


    Some did not even try to hide their dissatisfaction with the Grantz family, and they wereining to the imperial pce.


    In such a pce, an urgent military meeting is about to be held.


    ¡°¡­¡­The people¡¯s anxiety is growing by the day, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    A woman who had been watching the city from a window looked back behind her with a shade on her lustrous face. The leading nobles gathered in the room ¨D their faces dominated by a somber expression.


    (It¡¯s reasonable¡­)


    The news of the death of a man amid his strengthes as a great shock. A heavy air of mourning and moaning drifted through the antechamber.


    The woman let out a small exhale and sat down on the chair that had been prepared for her.


    ¡°Then let us begin the war council.¡±


    She dered in a solemn tone, Myste Cagliara Rosa von Kelheit.


    She is a woman who exudes a bewitching atmosphere of seductiveness in her beautiful face. At the same time, she also possesses the arrogance of a great noblewoman who is not ashamed of her title as acting head of the Kelheit family, and the strength of herpetitive spirit shines behind her lustrous blue eyes.


    But now that sharpness has faded, and she¡¯s showing a lot of exhaustion.


    ¡°The forces we have called in from all over are in ce. Now we just need to figure out when we are going to depart¡­¡±


    Once she finished her speech, Rosa looked into the face of the noble lords to see what was going on around her. In the end, her blue eyes caught sight of a pale, thin, unhealthy-looking man.


    ¡°But first, I have one question for you.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils raised his right hand, shaking the sleeve of his left arm.


    When Rosa silently urged him to go on.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see Her Highness Celia Estre; what is she doing?¡±


    At this point, the other nobles and lords began to look around the room with curious faces.


    When the emperor and the other princes were alive and well, no one showed any sign of caring whether Liz was present or not. However, she was always very alert at times like this, so Rosa naturally had to put on a frown.


    ¡°She seemed to have fallen a bit ill, so I¡¯m letting her rest for the day.¡±


    Rosa said, careful not to let anyone notice what she was hiding inside.


    This made Prime Minister Gils tilt his head to indicate his suspicion.


    ¡°Is she all right? Asmander, she has to conquer the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine then¡­¡±


    With the immediate answer, Prime Minister Gils closed his mouth.


    There is no sign that the nobles and lords are going to pursue the matter. He didn¡¯t want to give Liz a bad impression byining or grumbling here.


    ¡°The doctor has examined her and says she will recover after some rest.¡±


    Rosa tried to keep as calm as possible, but the anxiety in the back of her mind was getting bigger and bigger. She didn¡¯t know if Liz would be able to go to war or not.


    (I thought love, affection, and the like¡­ were still too early and out of touch for Liz¡­)


    When Liz heard that Hiro had been killed in action, she could not bear the shock and started hyperventting.


    Rosa had tried to calm her down but to no avail. She was so upset that she hit her head hard in the process, which caused her to pass out. ording to the doctor, her inability to wake up was mainly due to her mental state.


    (At that time, I¡¯ll have to think of another way, such as doubles or¡­)


    Right now, Aura and Skaaha are taking care of Liz at the Kelheit family mansion.


    Above all, Rosa could understand what Liz was going through. She wanted to cry and scream as well.


    (Even so, my position does not allow me to do so¡­)


    In the near future, Liz would have to let go of her grief. The ce she is aiming for will not allow her to reign with her naive feelings.


    That¡¯s why Rosa has to give her time, just for now¡­ just for now.


    (Liz¡­ cry a lot, and be sad. You won¡¯t be able to do that eventually¡­)


    Rosa¡¯s gaze falls on her own waist. She looked at the ¡°Lion King¡± that Hiro had given her before leaving and exhaled as she clutched the handle.


    (I¡¯ll hate you.)


    After muttering in her mind, Rosa turned her gaze to the people around her again.


    ¡°So, as I said earlier, when should we go into battle¡­?¡±


    ¡°I suppose we¡¯d better go into battle tomorrow. The soldiers can¡¯t be held back any longer. We don¡¯t know what will happen if we postpone any longer.¡±


    Rosa reacted to Prime Minister Gils¡¯s words and voiced her opinion.


    ¡°No, can¡¯t you make it in two days?¡±


    The other nobles snorted at this as if to show their disapproval. This was because they were already ready to go, and there would be no problem if they went into battle tomorrow.


    However, it would be very difficult to go into battle tomorrow when it was uncertain when Liz would wake up. Above all, if she needs a double, she needs to secure as much time as possible.


    That¡¯s why ¨D while keeping the real reason a secret ¨D Rosa said the next important thing to do.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m waiting for a letter from Her Majesty Queen udia.¡±


    ¡°You mean the Levering Kingdom¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. ording to the letter I received the other day, something is going on in the Six Kingdoms camp. The next letter that arrives should contain the details.¡±


    As Rosa exined, one of the northern nobles opened his mouth.


    ¡°What is Her Majesty Queen udia doing?¡±


    Everyone gathered here knows that she has rushed to reinforce the army. However, instead of stopping at the Great Imperial Capital, her troops went off the road and disappeared.


    ¡°It seems that Her Majesty Queen udia is heading west with her own army alone to deal with the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­ how can that be allowed to happen?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. This is the Great Grantz Empire, not the Levering Kingdom. What are those lowly demons doing running around as if it were their own garden?¡±


    ¡°It seems that they don¡¯t understand their own position. Let us make a serious protest here.¡±


    When one of them exploded with emotion, the rest of the nobles spewed out verbal abuse. Even though a thousand years have passed, the fear of the demon race among the human race has notpletely disappeared.


    Above all, it was natural for them to be restless when they were running around freely in their own country.


    ¡°I understand how you feel, but¡­ now is not the time.¡±


    A heavy, stern voice came from Prime Minister Gils. The fact that he was slightly dismayed is probably because he saw the unworthy appearance of the nobles and lords who were upset just because they were demons.


    ¡°Above all, through the arrangement of the fourth prince Hiro and the second prince Selene, they were given freedom of action. It¡¯s not something that we can say anything about.¡±


    The fourth prince who gave the special privilege died in battle, but it would cause unnecessary anger if he were med. The other one, the second prince, did not appear at the war council, nor did he apany them on the mission. Nevertheless,ining to him would only lead to the creation of many enemies, and they were afraid to mention the names of the two princes, no matter what the noble lords thought of them in their hearts.


    After watching the noble lords fall silent, Prime Minister Gils threw a nce at Rosa.


    ¡°So, will the letter arrive tomorrow or the day after?¡±


    She nodded vigorously in response to his question.


    ¡°There is a high probability that depending on the content of the letter; the n will be reconsidered. It would be better to go to war in two days.¡±


    The other nobles seemed to be in general agreement.


    After confirming that the other nobles were generally in favor of the idea and that there were no objections, Prime Minister Gils continued to speak.


    ¡°Also, regarding the fourth prince Hiro¡¯s death in battle, the Six Kingdoms are spreading so widely¡­¡±


    ¡°Is the report of His Highness Hiro¡¯s death credible?¡±


    Prime Minister Gils replied to the southern nobleman¡¯s question.


    ¡°There is a possibility that it is a lie from the Six Kingdoms, but seeing as there has been no word from His Highness Hiro, I would say it is highly likely.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­ it is better not to get our hopes up too high.¡±


    The southern nobleman sighsmentably ¨D and the good-looking southern nobleman next to him chains his words together.


    ¡°It¡¯s the reason why the people are criticizing the military. There¡¯s a lot of resentment in the country, and you never know when it might break out. In addition, a series of blunders by the central nobility has greatly reduced the strength of the central government.¡±


    ¡°Sir, you are right; the unrest of the people is indeed a cause for concern.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Prime Minister Gils who replied.


    It was Vetu, the head of the Muzuk family, one of the five great noble families that led the southern nobility.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to think of a way to deflect the discontent in order to ensure the smooth operation of the state.¡±


    His words were full of confidence, and he knew not the slightest doubt about his subjectivity.


    Prime Minister Gils frowned in annoyance and gave a tant shrug of his shoulders.


    ¡°Lord Muzuk¡­ shouldn¡¯t we first deal with the Six Kingdoms that are running amok in the west?¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister Gils, may I ask why?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask. In fact, the Six Kingdoms are on the rampage in the west. If we don¡¯t defeat them, the very existence of the Grantz Empire will be in jeopardy. The people¡¯s dissatisfaction is of secondary importance.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what are you talking about¡­?¡±


    Vetu shrugged his shoulders in disgust.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to go into battle in two days, we should at least try to ay some of the public discontent.¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t get rid of the Six Kingdoms, we will never be able to find peace. The people will just have to put up with it for now.¡±


    ¡°No, there is only one way to ease the discontent.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 1 – Gears Begin To Go Haywire, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 1 - Gears Begin To Go Haywire, Part 2</h4>


    When Vetu spoke with a self-satisfied look on his face, Prime Minister Gils looked at him skeptically.


    ¡°What kind of method is that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be saying this in this situation, but¡­¡±


    For some reason, Vetu turned his gaze to Rosa.


    ¡°Since Rosa-dono doesn¡¯t say it, I¡¯ll just say it myself¡­¡±


    The way he said it drew all the interested eyes to Vetu.


    ¡°It seems that she is pregnant with a child.¡±


    Silence.


    No one was able to stop their mouths from dropping open. The only sound in the room was the sound of breathing as the stunned faces looked at Rosa.


    However, Rosa, the person involved, was also struck with astonishment.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    It was because she could not understand what Vetu was saying.


    Vetu smiled at her, but his face was far from serene. He was squinting happily, like a predator who had found its prey.


    ¡°I think it would be better for Rosa-dono to speak.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Rosa frowned suspiciously, but Vetu moved his tongue unconcernedly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so embarrassed¡­ You said that you were carrying His Highness Hiro¡¯s child, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    At that moment ¨D all human movement forcibly stopped.


    It was breathtaking, and everyone looked at Rosa, forgetting to even blink because of the sheer shock.


    It was not for nothing. It was a well-known fact that she was the fourth prince¡¯s lover. And if that were the case, the people would be happy.


    No ¨D that is not going to be enough.


    It is not hard to imagine that her child will be a buffer not only for the country but also for the surrounding countries.


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    The eastern nobleman said to Rosa with a bit of excitement.


    Now that Hiro is most likely dead, her child would be the descendant of the ¡°God of War.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes color changed. It was also to prevent the worst possible oue, the severing of the bloodline.


    Rosa, who had be the center of attention, looked flustered and pretended to stand up from her seat.


    Before she could open her mouth, however, Vetu spoke up.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re hoping for the best, but we¡¯ve got a long way to go, and now is the time to let the mother rest.¡±


    Vetu looks around at the noblemen as he continues to spit out his words.


    ¡°We should not make a fuss and put an unnecessary burden on her. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    The eastern nobles, who were supposed to be on Rosa¡¯s side, seemed to agree with Vetu¡¯s statement and began to hold their tongue. As if to convince her, Vetu turned her gaze to Rosa with a smile.


    ¡°You should wait for the results of this war in the Great Imperial Capital. If the situation is not stable, the worst possible oue may ur.¡±


    But Rosa¡¯s mouth dropped open at this, and she instantly changed her mind, mmed the desk down hard to show her denial and anger, and got up from her seat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you got this rumor from, but I am not carrying a child.¡±


    As if time had stopped, a chill flowed through the air, and the nobles and lords cowered and stiffened. There was a nkness in the air that made Rosa, who strongly denied it, feel pressured.


    But¡­


    ¡°Rosa-sama, I understand that this is a difficult time for you, and you want to hide it, but I don¡¯t think you need to be so embarrassed.¡±


    Starting with these words, a calm atmosphere filled the room.


    Rosa¡¯s strong denial seemed to be a reason to support the truth.


    ¡°The public will be happy to hear a bright topic after so many years of gloom and doom.¡±


    Lies are twisted into facts, leaving the people involved out of the loop.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. You don¡¯t have to hide the fact since this is a happy asion.¡±


    Without pausing for breath, the nobles threw words of congrattions one after another.


    It was obvious that the Muzuk family had a hand in this.


    When ites to the eastern nobility who are on her side, their eyes shine with childlike joy that it¡¯s true. The good news has clouded their suspicions. She doesn¡¯t realize that this is what he wants.


    When she saw the smirking Vetu, she knew that she had been conspired against.


    It was all a move to remove Rosa from the army. It was a forceful move, but it was the most effective way to manipte those who wanted to cling to hope.


    In other words, she hadpletely lost control of the war council to Vetu.


    (I don¡¯t know what to say at this point¡­)


    The situation would have been different if there had been even one person who doubted that she had a child, but everyone was led to believe it. Even if she desperately denied it, they would not believe her. It was toote to regret that she had been manipted.


    It was all Rosa¡¯s fault for misjudging the other party¡¯s n.


    (But¡­ what is the purpose? What is he thinking?)


    This would only increase the number of supporters for the eastern nobility and not benefit the southern nobility.


    Even if the result is to remove Rosa from this war and remove all of her achievements in the Battle of the Six Kingdoms, she doesn¡¯t seem to have any more value than having the child of the ¡°God of War.¡±


    (What is he nning¡­?)


    Rosa red at Vetu, but he only gave her a mocking nce and stood up.


    As if to assert that the stage was now his, he strained his voice with arge hand gesture.


    ¡°Her Highness Celia Estre is not here. This is the end of today¡¯s war council, and we¡¯ll continue tomorrow. Above all, Rosa-dono has been extremely busytely. I don¡¯t want to put an unnecessary burden on her here.¡±


    With a flurry of caring nces at Rosa, the war council naturally disbanded.


    The noble lords who were leaving their seats couldn¡¯t contain their excitement and quickly left the antechamber. Rosa, who had been watching the scene with an air of superiority, suddenly recognized Vetu out of the corner of her eye as he walked out of the entrance and quietly followed his back.


    As Vetu walked down the corridor with his entourage, Rosa caught up with him at a run and tapped him hard on the shoulder in annoyance.


    ¡°¡­Oh, Rosa-dono, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    When Vetu turned around, his face was filled withughter, as if he had expected it.


    As soon as she saw him, Rosa almost cursed out of her throat, but she fought it back and put on a clear face.


    ¡°Lord Muzuk¡­ what did you mean earlier?¡±


    Vetu¡¯s entourage retreated, pressured by Rosa¡¯s unconcealed indignation.


    Vetu motioned for them to go ahead and then turned to Rosa again.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do? I was doing it for you.¡±


    Vetu cleared his throat with a provocative smile while maintaining his rxed demeanor.


    ¡°If you understand the current situation in the Grantz Empire, you will be grateful instead ofining.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Vetu closes the distance to Rosa, who frowns.


    ¡°As for me, I don¡¯t want the eastern nobility to fall.¡±


    For now, at least¡­ Vetu mumbles and lifts his shoulders wide as if to make fun of her.


    Rosa snorted at Vetu¡¯s actor-like gesture but waited silently for him to speak.


    ¡°If His Highness Hiro is indeed killed in battle, it is inevitable that Rosa-dono¡¯s position will be jeopardized.¡±


    Rosa is the wife of the former head of the Kelheit family, and her body does not have any Kelheit blood flowing through it. Therefore, those who consider bloodline to be important were not happy with her existence. The only reason she remained in the position of acting head of the Kelheit family was because of the presence of Hiro, and now that she has lost that, her position is in serious jeopardy.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rosa gritted her teeth and sharpened her gaze as she was hit with a sore spot.


    Vetu is obedient to the piercing gaze, as if to say that he is amused.


    ¡°It is only because of His Highness Hiro that the eastern nobility has been united. But once he¡¯s gone, the question of session wille up again.¡±


    Vetu began to walk lightly around Rosa. The only sound was his unpleasant footsteps in the empty hallway.


    ¡°In other words, your presence will be a distraction. You are a woman who has no Kelheit blood in your veins and will not ept a husband from that family. It must be annoying to be the acting head of the family ¨D no, you are just a hindrance.¡±


    The possibility of having a child with Hiro, and the proximity to the throne that he had, made Rosa¡¯s existence worthwhile. If she lost both of them, the only way left for her was to lose her position.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    As Rosa closes in on him, Vetu stops and looks back at her.


    ¡°I am only thinking about the future of the Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to get me away from Liz so you can take control of the military¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hah, I see¡­ That¡¯s a good suggestion. I¡¯ll take control of the military; that¡¯s an excellent idea. And it¡¯s possible for me to do it now. But only if we win a big victory over the Six Kingdoms, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I will let you do what you want?¡±


    ¡°If so, will you apany me in this war?¡±


    Vetu¡¯s smile deepened as he looked down at Rosa and stretched his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to break the hopes of the expectant eastern nobles, though.¡±


    Vetu used a vague expression, but it was a clear threat.


    What would happen to those whose hopes had been betrayed if they were now told that she had not been blessed with a child?


    ¡°¡­Are you satisfied with using my weakness?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve got a weakness. I thought that Rosa-dono might be tired, so I took care of you.¡±


    Vetu put his hand on Rosa¡¯s shoulder and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°But even though you look exhausted, your beauty has not changed one bit. And you are too smart to be carried around as a decoration.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you say?¡±


    Rosa did not try to hide her disgust but shook Vetu¡¯s hand off her shoulder and moved away.


    ¡°I value you. I¡¯d rather go hand in hand with you if I can than remain hostile.¡±


    Vetu¡¯s mouth hung open as he patted Rosa¡¯s shaken hand.


    ¡°I have a suggestion for you; why don¡¯t you take in a husband from the southern nobility?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°There is one man in the south who has the blood of the Kelheit family running through his veins. If you want to protect your position, I would like you to take him in. It is fine if it is just a formality. All you have to do is to act as a couple. As long as you don¡¯t divorce, you can do whatever you want with the rest.¡±


    She¡¯ll let her do what she wants as before. In return, he implied that she should obey the southern nobleman.


    It¡¯s not easy for Rosa to nod when asked to live as a puppet from now on. However, knowing that she would be angry, this man is saying this as a provocation.


    It was a natural consequence of being mocked to this extent that anyone would feel anger.


    There are no exceptions to the rule, and Rosa quietly opened her mouth with anger in her blue eyes.


    ¡°I have to say no.¡±


    Rosa pushed Vetu away and started walking.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let the Muzuk family do what they want. Don¡¯t regret making me your enemy.¡±


    She gave Vetu a murderous look and then passed him.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s very exciting.¡±


    She stomped her feet on the floor and walked away.


    Vetu stretched out his arm to stop her, though she would not turn around.


    ¡°In the end, it wille down to you and me.¡±


    Vetu continued to call out to her until her back was out of sight as she disappeared around the corner of the hallway.


    ¡°Well¡­ that is, if you live to see it.¡±


    For many, the news that she was carrying the child of the God of War was wee news.


    But for some of the people, it will be an unpleasant matter.


    The security of the Imperial Pce will be thinner, and in the worst-case scenario, it will be more dangerous than going to the battlefield.


    ¡°I hope you will be careful about the assassination. If possible, I hope it won¡¯t be as horrific as it was in the past in the Imperial Pce¡­¡±


    Vetu put his hand on his forehead as if toment that he had caused this situation himself.


    ¡°If it does, Her Highness Celia Estre will be hurt again. Imagine losing her sister after her mother¡­ Fuh, kuku, kukuku¨D¨D¡­¡±


    In the empty corridor, Vetuughs as he shakes his bent back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to support you if your heart is broken. Things are going to get busy from now on.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 2 – Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 2 - Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 1</h4>


    A bloody world.


    A hell where everything in sight is dyed red, and only the sound of screams of grief reverberates.


    A brutalndscape where people are ughtered in the relentless rain.


    Whether or not to feel sympathy for them is questionable. Because it was a battlefield overrun by evil spirits of rivers and mountains.


    Kill or be killed.


    If you pity them, you will be a wreck, and the only thing that can prevent disaster is your own strength.


    She understands that this is not a world where a weak heart can survive.


    Yes ¨D Liz understood.


    ¡°What¡­ where is¡­ Ugh?¡±


    A sudden, intense pain struck her as if she had been hit in the head with a hammer.


    It was at this point that Liz realized something was wrong. It was raining, but strangely enough, there was no mud sshing around and not a single sound.


    In a strange thought, she saw that the ¡°me Emperor¡± at her waist was glowing with a blue me.


    ¡°Again¡­ are you the one who brought me here?¡±


    This is where her brain tried to make sense of it all.


    But no matter how many questions Liz asked, the me Emperor would not answer any of them. The only thing it wanted to do was to burn this cruel world in her eyes, and it let out a violent burst of blue me.


    ¡°!?¡±


    When she turned her gaze upward in surprise¡­


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah!¡±


    A familiar young man was standing in front of Liz.


    He turned his face up to the dark sky and epted the torrential rain like a penitent. Liz¡¯s chest tightened with grief as she watched him try to cover up the tears flowing down his face.


    ¡°¡­Hiro.¡±


    The young man lowered his face to look at her, perhaps because she had called his name.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The moment she saw those ck eyes, Liz felt a chill of fear run down her spine.


    There was nothing in the reflection. There was nothing there. There was no scene, no atmosphere, no emotion, nothing but emptiness in those ck eyes.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Hiroes closer to Liz.


    As Liz watched in amazement, the young man drew a ck sword from his waist.


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    The surprise was short-lived as the deadly de swung down on Liz. She closed her eyes as quickly as she could, but the pain didn¡¯t get to her.


    There was no time to be sure what had happened, and before she couldprehend it, a groan went up behind Liz.


    When she opened her eyes and looked back, she saw a purple-skinned person lying on the ground, with the de of the ck Sword mercilessly piercing his neck.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty Schwartz! Your Majesty Schwartz!¡±


    As if to cancel out the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, a man rushed up to Hiro. As soon as he saw that Hiro was turning around, he dropped to one knee and bowed his head.


    ¡°A white g has¡­ appeared from the enemy¡¯s main camp, indicating a total surrender.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    An icy voice sounded as if a block of ice had been forced down his throat.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in further engagement¡­ and I think the enemy would like that¡­ so I think we should send a messenger.¡±


    His voice was trembling with fright.


    The soldier kept his face down as if he had foreseen what he would say and refused to hear it. However, contrary to expectations, Hiro¡¯s decision was not unexpected.


    ¡°Well¡­ let us ept their surrender.¡±


    The brightness returned to the soldier¡¯s face like a clear sky. But then, for a change, his face stiffened and turned pale.


    The young man with the thunderstorm on his back looked down at the soldier with a nk expression.


    ¡°But that¡¯s a disappointment.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Hiro turned and began to walk, leaving the dumbfounded soldier to his own devices.


    ¡°You can¡¯t see very far when it¡¯s raining like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­S-so, what should we do?¡±


    At this point, Hiro stopped.


    A few captives are lined up in front of him with both knees on the ground, dressed in chains wrapped around them.


    (¡­Demon race?)


    Liz concludes.


    Although she could not see their faces because of the rain, she could guess from their well-endowed physique and skin color that they were demons.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any white gs, and by the time I realized it, it was toote.¡±


    Liz gasped at the cruel words. Maybe she even forgot to breathe. She couldn¡¯t believe what he had done next.


    ¡°You think so too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Hiro muttered to his captive, and with a sh of lightning, one of the heads fell easily to the ground.


    The head, covered in mud, rolled in front of Liz.


    ¡°Hyi¨D¨D!?¡±


    Liz¡¯s throat tightened.


    She was used to seeing dead bodies. It¡¯s not surprising since she¡¯s been through many battlefields. But the situation that was created before her eyes was beyond hermon sense.


    This is because the head that was distorted in agony was missing both eyes, and there were traces of gouging on the forehead where the ¡°magic stone¡± would have been. There were countless scars on the headless torso, so there was no doubt that he had been tortured. She wondered how much anger it took to inflict such cruelty and held her mouth to keep from throwing up.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, tell me where he is.¡±


    Ruthlessly, with an emotionless expression on his face, he cut off the head with a brutal maneuver.


    ¡°Please¡­ please, tell me where he is.¡±


    How many times has he shed tears? How many times has his heart been broken? How many times does he have to repeat his mistakes before crying andughing like an ordinary boy?


    ¡°H-hyii¡­ stop!¡±


    Even if she desperately tried to reach him, she could not reach him. Even though she grasped the illusion, she couldn¡¯t hold the young man¡¯s thoughts in her hands.


    ¡°A-aaah¡­ Aaah!¡±


    The only thing that came out of Liz¡¯s throat was an inarticte voice.


    ¡°At first, it was painful¡­ I couldn¡¯t ept the reality that I had killed someone, and I couldn¡¯t sleep for days.¡±


    The young man wipes the blood from his cheeks andughs.


    ¡°But therees a time when you realize that no matter how many beautiful things you say, there is no right or wrong on the battlefield.¡±


    There was no sense of killing. There was no sign of any intent to kill. But he swung his merciless sword down on the captives.


    ¡°When you lose someone you care about, you understand. You don¡¯t hesitate to kill people.¡±


    Liz doesn¡¯t want to see this. She didn¡¯t want to see the young man like this.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean the cruel scene will disappear if she closes her eyes. Even if she covered her ears, the persistent sound would not cease.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ uuuughh.¡±


    There is nothing that she can do to stop him. This is a past event, a fact that is over.


    ¡°So, I abandoned justice.¡±


    A heart-rending passion poured into the scene. A chest-bursting explosion was raging inside her body.


    She was about to be crushed by the grief that would burst her brain and the hatred that she could not bear.


    At that moment¨D¨D


    ¡°There are beautiful parts and ugly parts to war.¡±


    ¨D¨DThe scenery changes drastically.


    The sky cracked as if the ss shattered, emitting a snow-like glitter. Ripples flowed across the ground, swelling rapidly and shattering the ground as if it were about to burst.


    Humans, nts, animals, and all living things were mercilessly torn to pieces.


    The world disappears.


    And all that was left was white.


    ¨D¨DIt was a dazzling light that filled the empty space.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Liz was looking ahead with her red eyes.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re going to do when you see the ugly part, little girl?¡±


    There was no need to look for the owner of the voice. The overwhelming presence was right in front of her.


    A chair decorated with gold and silver work ¨D a one-of-a-kind throne decorated with jewels gathered from all over the world. However, she did not know who was sitting on it.


    For despite the white world, the face was mysteriously shrouded in shadow.


    ¡°Answer me, little girl.¡±


    The voice sounded strange, with the deep charm of an old man and thetent courage of a man of mature years. The intimidation emanating from the thin body was full of the heroism of a young man and the youthfulness of a boy. She instantly understood that this was no ordinary person.


    ¡°Disillusioned? Desperate? Rage?¡±


    Liz had a blinding shadow on her face at the iprehensible situation. Her brain couldn¡¯t keep up. Yet, for some reason, the words naturally poured out of her mouth.


    ¡°I was sad.¡±


    Liz touched her lips with her fingertips and was surprised at the words that flowed out naturally. But before she had time to calm down, the person appeared in front of her and asked her a question.


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know, but¡­ But I wanted to help him.¡±


    ¡°Fuh, fufufu, I see¡­ you want to help¡­ That¡¯s a strange answer.¡±


    ¡°It looked really painful¡­ but there was nothing I could do.¡±


    Liz¡¯s lips tightened in frustration.


    ¡°Hiro¡­ looked so painful¡­ but I¡­¡±


    Hiro¡¯s face was coated with terrible grief. He was trying hard to keep the tears out of his eyes, And Liz couldn¡¯t say a kind word or offer anyfort.


    She didn¡¯t know how he felt when he made that decision.


    But she knew that it was not the answer that Hiro wanted from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°It was an irresistible instinct of a living being. We act out of fear of loss. The fear of regret causes us to act abnormally. Fear easily overrides reason¡¯s appeal for restraint.¡±


    The man spun his words without hesitation, but then he sighed as if in sorrow.


    ¡°Humans are greedy creatures. We pursue big ideals, and when we don¡¯t get them, we break our hearts ¡ª the bigger the difference, the more pronounced the swing. Therefore, we live by supporting each other. However, those who do not get support quickly fall apart.¡±


    If that¡¯s the result, how much loneliness has he suffered?


    ¡°There was nothing I could do. Neither to save nor to heal, only to hunt him down.¡±


    He held up his index finger.


    ¡°But there was one thing left to hope for.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hope?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no ident that you ended up here, little girl.¡±


    He then pointed his index finger upwards.


    ¡°It¡¯s inevitable.¡±


    Liz looked up and saw arge gate floating above her.


    It¡¯s not as shy as it sounds, and aside from the intricately carved patterns, it¡¯s far from gorgeous. In a word, it was in ¨D a circr wooden gate with no ornamentation whatsoever.


    However, the unique atmosphere of the gate overwhelmed the viewers like a beautifulndscape.


    ¡°Be prepared for theing ¡®turning point¡¯.¡±


    ¡°A turning point?¡±


    Liz felt the weight of the words and felt her tongue dry up from nervousness.


    Then, an intense, piercing gaze shot out, and her body stiffened.


    ¡°If you seek justice, if you hold up an ideal, keep a strong heart.¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of the words with her current knowledge. Or maybe she didn¡¯t even need to understand.


    The man in front of her didn¡¯t seem to have any expectations.


    ¡°I leave everything to you.¡±


    A momentter, the sky screamed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Liz looked up and was astonished.


    The door opened wide and fell down. There was a roaring sound as it came towards the ground, raising an unidentifiable dust cloud.


    Liz quickly closed her eyes and crossed her arms above her head. A gust of wind blew wildly through her hair, blowing past her toward the ground.


    But that¡¯s all ¨D the impact didn¡¯te for any length of time.


    Liz, who had untied her arms in doubt, opened her eyes fearfully.


    ¡°Liz-dono, are you okay?¡±


    It was not a door that suddenly appeared but a human face.


    ¡°Eh¨D¨D?¡±


    A familiar woman ¨D the memory linked her form and name together on its own.


    ¡°¡­Skaaha.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, but¡­ did I startle you?¡±


    Skaaha pulled away from Liz apologetically, and the bunk creaked noisily in response.


    Liz shook her head as if to deny her words, then raised her upper body.


    Then¨D¨D,


    ¡°Aura was here too¡­¡±


    Aura¡¯s figure could be seen over Skaaha¡¯s shoulder. Her petite body rested on a chair against the wall, her posture open, perhaps because she was reading a book.


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    Liz sighed ¨D not from relief, but with a lot of regrets.


    She had a lot of questions she wanted to ask the man who had appeared in her dream.


    Seeing Liz¡¯s disappointment, Skaaha calls out to her in confusion.


    ¡°I thought you were having a nightmare, but suddenly what happened? Did you have a bad dream?¡±


    ¡°No, it was a sad dream.¡±


    She could have sworn it was.


    Liz hugged herself, feeling a pain that would tear her body apart if she remembered the contents of the dream.


    At that moment ¨D the door of the room made a noise.


    The three people in the room turned their sharp gazes toward the entrance, their faces tense with rm.


    A few momentster, the door separating the corridor from the bedroom opened, and a chilly breeze came in from the corridor.


    ¡°Rosa-Aneesama?¡±


    It was Liz¡¯s sister who appeared.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡­ I¡¯m back now.¡±


    Rosa, who was usually full of confidence, was dejected to the point that it was obvious she was discouraged. In addition, her hair and skin tone looked a little dull, as if she had lost all her energy. The people in the room were surprised to see Rosa in such a state of disarray.


    ¡°¡­Rosa-Aneesama? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Liz, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    As soon as she said that, Rosa kneeled on the floor and lowered her head.


    ¡°W-wait a minute, Rosa-Aneesama¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    Liz hurriedly tried to rush to her sister, but perhaps because she suddenly got up, her body lost its bnce, and she almost fell.


    However, Skaaha quickly lent a hand and helped her out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to move suddenly. It hasn¡¯t been long since you woke up, you know.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you.¡±


    Liz approaches her sister after thanking the dumbfounded Skaaha. However, Rosa kept her head down and wouldn¡¯t look up at all.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know what to do if you kept your head down, Aneesama. Can you exin it to me?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡±


    Rosa, who had straightened up on the spot, opened her mouth regretfully.


    She reported that she was at the mercy of the head of the Muzuk family in the war council, that she had been manipted in the war council ording to the wishes of the other party because she had been slow to switch tactics, and that she would not be able to apany them in this war.


    ¡°He is a much more clever person than I thought. No, it is the result of my carelessness¡­ Damn, it is a blunder that I regret no matter how much I repent. It¡¯s too cruel to be beaten at will under such circumstances.¡±


    As Rosa mmed her fist on the floor, a silver cup was thrust out from the side.


    ¡°Drink some water and calm down a bit.¡±


    ¡°A-ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    After receiving the water from Aura, Rosa drank it all down and licked her damp lips.


    ¡°Liz¡­ I¡¯ve been beaten up pretty badly, so I¡¯d say, be careful with him.¡±


    ¡°You are not going to keep quiet about this, are you, Rosa-dono?¡±


    When Skaaha asked that, Rosa nodded with an exhausted face.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve managed to find a few ways out of this. While he¡¯s on the battlefield, I¡¯ll be saving my strength. I¡¯ll make sure he regrets using me.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s my sister. But maybe you should get some rest.¡±


    Rosa is also mentally exhausted from the loss of Hiro.


    It can be seen at a nce on the face that reflects the dark fatigue and the swollen eyelids that are hidden by makeup.


    Liz understood this painfully and reached out to her sister to help her.


    ¡°Aneesama, let¡¯s get some rest first. I was asleep until a while ago, so I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    Rosa looked at Liz, who made a joke with a wry smile on her face and made a dumbfounded face. Then, after a short pause, she let out a breath of relief and took her sister¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It seems to be a relief for the moment¡­¡±


    Rosa muttered and stood up as Liz pulled her along.


    ¡°Liz, it has been decided that the departure will be in two days.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    After patting her sister¡¯s head, who nodded curiously, Rosa told her in a grave tone.


    ¡°Depending on Her Majesty Queen udia¡¯s letter, there could be a change in n. The letter should arrive tomorrow, so Liz should get some rest while you can.¡±


    With that, Rosa jumped into the bed where Liz had been sleeping.


    As Rosa immediately began to sleep, Liz looked at Skaaha and smiled bitterly.


    ¡°¡­¡­I have to work hard too.¡±


    Turning her gentle gaze to her sister once again, Liz took a series of deep breaths in an attempt to renew her mind.


    It¡¯s not just herself and Rosa who are suffering.


    Aura and Skaaha also have the same pain in their hearts. And yet, they were doing their best to keep their heads calm and do their best. At a time like this, if she were to be depressed, their efforts would be for naught.


    It wasn¡¯t as if they had confirmed Hiro¡¯s body.


    (It¡¯s not a definite thing yet. Maybe¡­ he is still alive and safe.)


    Liz decided to believe that Hiro was still alive. Even so, the mere thought of him brought tears to her eyes. But crying and screaming are not going to make things better.


    (I can¡¯t let what Hiro left me to go to waste.)


    She clutched her hands tightly and decided to look forward for now.


    ¡°Rx.¡±


    Skaaha tapped her on the shoulder and told her so.


    ¡°It will be fine¡­ It will be fine.¡±


    She would not believe it until she saw it with her own eyes. She nodded again and again, rubbing the corners of her eyes.

 Volume 7, Chapter 2 – Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 2 - Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 2</h4>


    The wind that had been blowing yesterday had stopped, and the air was so calm that it was lulling.


    The ck masses dotted on the ground lit up by the setting sun were the tents where the soldiers slept. Now that dinner was about to be served, steam was rising from various ces to cover the sky.


    Still, it was quiet, a far cry from yesterday.


    It was hard to believe that more than 100,000 soldiers had gathered here, and the ground was solemnly dominated. The city was the same way, the voices of the merchantscked vigor, and the people walking the streets were somehownguid, and their steps were heavy.


    The capital of the Great Grantz Empire, dius, was ruled by such gloom.


    The imperial pce, Vian, which overlooks the city, is tinged with red as if caring for the soldiers and people. In the antechamber of the imperial pce, Liz, Rosa, and the others were holding a war council before their departure tomorrow.


    The people seated around them were all powerful nobles who held tremendous power in the regions. All of them had gathered here with their ambitions to serve the next emperor.


    Now that Hiro, the fourth prince, has disappeared from the world, all they can see is Liz.


    Therefore, in an attempt to make a good impression, many nobles came forward to join this war. The decline of the central nobility and the western nobility. The more achievements they make, the more territories they gain.


    The root of this war is not to get rid of the enemy, the Six Kingdoms.


    The reason why the nobles gathered together was to see how they could increase their own territory after driving them out and the huge rewards they would receive.


    A country cannot grow without profit, and even the nobles will turn against it if there is no profit. If there is too much loss, it is necessary to y tricks to win the people¡¯s hearts, but if there is too much gain, people will gather without ying tricks.


    How to win the hearts and minds of the people depends mainly on the ability of the individual.


    (The qualities of a champion ¨D this will be an issue for the future. For now, though, she should keep her focus on the war.)


    Anticipating the events that Liz would face in the future, Rosa let out a small sigh.


    Eventually, she would have to face the ugly side of political strife. It is a path that cannot be avoided if one is to walk as emperor.


    ¡°Rosa-dono, have you received the letter from Her Majesty Queen udia yet?¡±


    When Prime Minister Gils asked her a question, Rosa pulled back from her thoughts and nodded simply.


    ¡°Yes, but she said that she did not receive any solid information about His Highness Hiro¡¯s death.¡±


    Some of the nobles looked dour as she read out a short sentence written on the parchment.


    They were the noble lords who had never supported Hiro. For them, the fact that Hiro¡¯s life and death were unknown was not something to be overlooked, and theymented the fact that his ¡°death in battle¡± had not been determined.


    For those who considered the Grantz family to be special, Hiro was an eyesore.


    In ordance with the will of the first emperor, he was recognized by the previous emperor, Greyheit, and was named to thest seat of the Grantz imperial family, but he was still an unknown man with an unknown identity. There were more than a few people who avoided the idea of such a man on the throne.


    They were afraid that the venerable lineage and sanctity of the Grantz, which had continued since the first emperor, would be destroyed. But even so, they couldn¡¯t criticize him outwardly because he was recognized as a descendant of the ¡°God of War¡± and because of the existence of five powerful noble families, the Kelheit family, in the background.


    ¡°As for the confirmation of the life and death of the fourth prince Hiro and the third prince Blutar, we will make a decision after requesting negotiations for their return from the Six Kingdoms that im to have secured their bodies.¡±


    Rosa agreed with Prime Minister Gils¡¯ words, and the other nobles did not raise any objections.


    At this point, there was a man who tried to change the flow of the situation.


    ¡°What about the Six Kingdoms? Is that what we should be asking?¡±


    The person who said this was Vetu, the head of the Muzuk family, one of the five major noble families, and the southern nobility leader.


    Rosa sensed a mysterious atmosphere, as if he was nning something else, and responded with caution.


    ¡°ording to the letter, a disagreement has arisen between themander and the second-inmand.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°There is no other new information.¡±


    As Rosa shrugged her shoulders in a dignified manner, Vetu opened his mouth, making no effort to hide his disappointment.


    ¡°I guess it wasn¡¯t worth it to postpone our departure for a day.¡±


    ¡°Not really, is it?¡±


    Liz, who had been watching the proceedings, stepped in between them.


    ¡°We can¡¯t win if we¡¯re not well informed.¡±


    Vetu¡¯s face tensed up as if he was upset to be interrupted from an unexpected ce.


    Liz¡¯s gaze narrowed sharply as if it were a sharp de.


    ¡°The disagreement between themander and the second-inmand, that information is valuable. If it¡¯s part of the enemy¡¯s n, we need to take countermeasures, and if it¡¯s true, we can expect to divide the enemy. If it is, we must move to keep the disruptions in the chain ofmand from converging.¡±


    There was no hesitation. She is clearly stating her opinion. The nobles around her were stunned to see such an imposing figure.


    ¡°From now on, let¡¯s send out scouts to observe the situation in the Six Kingdoms. Depending on the results, it will be possible to move the other party ording to our intentions. It will be of great help in retaking the west.¡±


    The cold air that had been flowing through the war council suddenly became heated. A soft yet strange sense of oppression enveloped the noble lords. Everyone could feel firsthand that the flow of events was about to change. In the midst of this situation, Vetu quietly raised his hand. His eyes, glowing with a mysterious light, showed a hint of eeriness as he probed.


    ¡°There¡¯s a good chance we¡¯ve wasted a day of our time. The faster we retake the west, the faster our people will be relieved of their suffering. What do you think about that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that rushing the soldiers¡¯ minds will solve anything. If we take the foolish step of fighting despite theck of information, the west will suffer further tragedy. What we need is to liberate the west with a sure victory, there is no other shortest way, and we cannot free our people from suffering.¡±


    Both of them were right, but Liz¡¯s statement captured the hearts of the noble lords.


    Liz¡¯s immediate response made a smile appear on Vetu¡¯s face.


    What was he smiling about? It was hard to tell what he was really thinking from the strange atmosphere that Vetu radiated.


    (But still, Liz won¡­ she¡¯s grown up, hasn¡¯t she?)


    Rosa was deeply moved. Liz must have been watching Hiro closely. The way she said things were very simr. Liz had a calm perspective on things. She was flexible and spoke her mind in a way that did not allow others to argue with her.


    Vetu, on the other hand, seemed to be speaking out of emotion. There was ack of information in his words. He may have wanted to induce Liz¡¯s opinion into his pocket, but he was in a difficult position because he had given away too little information. Vetu probably didn¡¯t intend to start a war of words, but he must have been very unhappy that he was talked out of it when he objected. If he were to say anything here, there was a possibility that the other noble lords would ostracize him in this mission.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to remain silent.


    ¡°So, there is no change in the strategy, and we will go to the west as nned, is that correct?¡±


    When Prime Minister Gils confirmed this, Liz nodded her head.


    ¡°In the meantime, eachmander should return to his post and assumemand from this day forward.¡±


    The war council came to an end, and Prime Minister Gils announced the dismissal.


    As the nobles and lords hurriedly left the room, Rosa left her seat and approached Liz.


    ¡°Today is the day that Ghada-dono is scheduled to leave. I will go and bid him farewell, but what about you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to visit Hugin and the others¡­¡±


    Liz rose from her seat.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre, may I have a moment of your time?¡±


    A nobleman walked up to her with an apologetic look on his face. After that, arge number of nobles rushed to Liz¡¯s side.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you about our future ns if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Eeh?¡±


    The nobles are trying to make a connection with Liz for a variety of reasons, such as to consult with her about troop operations.


    Liz looked at her sister and the nobles alternatively and then made an upward nce at Rosa as if to ask for help.


    ¡°You can send a letter to Ghada-dono and the otherster. I¡¯ll send your regards to Hugin-dono.¡±


    If she refused the noble lords¡¯ request unconditionally, it would leave a bad taste among them.


    Rosa gave aplicated smile and tapped Liz several times on the shoulder to encourage her.


    ¡°All right¡­ then please.¡±


    Liz nodded ruefully and turned to the nobles, and surrendered herself to the waves of conversation.


    Rosa left the room with Liz surrounded by people.


    She went to the Kelheit family mansion where Ghada and the others were waiting for her.


    (If Ghada and the others leave Granz, our war potential will be greatly reduced.)


    They also received the news that Hiro was killed in battle. However, that was not the only reason why they decided to leave the Grantz Empire.


    It was the letter that Hiro had left for Ghada that had spurred them to action.


    Rosa didn¡¯t know what was written in it. She wished she could have read it again, but she chose not to, which is why Hiro left the letter to Rosa.


    (You¡¯re really good at ying on people¡¯s minds.)


    Rosained and walked down the hallway and through the heavily guarded entrance.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    When Rosa arrived at the Kelheit family¡¯s mansion, she found Ghada and the others waiting at the entrance, ready to leave.


    A man who looked like a traveling merchant was kneeling in front of Ghada, who was wearing ck armor with grooves to hide the color of his skin. She saw Ghada handing him a letter.


    Rosa tilted her head at the sight, which made her feel uneasy, but she approached.


    As Ghada and the others seemed to have noticed Rosa¡¯s footsteps, they bowed to her. At the same time, the traveling merchant ran vigorously past Rosa. After taking a nce at his back, Rosa walked up to Ghada and the others.


    Ghada¡¯s face was still covered by a helmet, so it was impossible to read the subtleties of his emotions, but Hugin and Munin, who were behind him, were making dark expressions that showed they were discouraged.


    ¡°Are you leaving already?¡±


    Rosa asked, and Ghada looked up at the sky.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to stay here anymore.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    She knew that they would not change their minds. She couldn¡¯t think of any reason to stop them, so she gave up on that.


    However, there was one thing she wanted to know before they left.


    It was the contents of the letter that Hiro had left.


    So, in an attempt to guide the answer out of the conversation, Rosa asked the question with an inclusive tone.


    ¡°More importantly, just now, was that man a spy dressed as a traveling merchant?¡±


    ¡°That guy was one of the merchants who asked for an escort. The Raven Army is mainly made up of former mercenaries. Now that we are free, we¡¯ve decided to return to mercenary work.¡±


    Returning to the mercenary business, he began by guarding the merchants. It was understandable since it made sense, but it didn¡¯t wipe away the doubt in Rosa¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Have you decided where you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°There is a small country in the far east.¡±


    ¡°¡­Small country of Baum?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a small country founded by the twin ck hero-king, the ancestor of the One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    Rosa wondered if it was a coincidence that their destination was the small country of Baum, but if it was Hiro¡¯s order, she was strangely convinced. Rosa was unsure of what to say next, but there was no point if she was left in the dark. The best way to read someone¡¯s emotions is to ask a simple, clear question, and the most effective way to sway someone¡¯s mind is to be direct.


    So, after a pause for breath, Rosa cut straight to the chase.


    ¡°Is that an order from your lord?¡±


    She kept her eyes on Ghada, not wanting to miss a single move.


    Ghada gave a slight shake of his shoulder and looked Rosa straight in the eye as if to prevent her from realizing his emotional turmoil.


    ¡°Well¡­ I wonder about that. But the times are certainly beginning to move.¡±


    Rosa admitted that Ghada¡¯s pause for breath muddled her thoughts, but the implied words left her with too much to think about to narrow down her options. Was it about Hiro¡¯s death, or the situation in the Grantz Empire, or even the Six Kingdoms? In order to narrow it down, Rosa decided to ask the next question.


    ¡°The times are indeed moving, not only in the Great Grantz Empire, as you say, but does that include the small country of Baum?¡±


    Ghada didn¡¯t answer Rosa¡¯s question but pulled on the horse¡¯s reins and jumped into the saddle.


    ¡°The roar of the ck dragon distorts the reason of the world; the roar of the lion brings order to the world.¡±


    Ghada referred to the abrupt phrases written at the end of the ck Book and the White Book.


    Historians im that it is a single line of text written to conclude the story in praise of the twin ck hero-king who saved the people from the tyranny of the demons and the Lionhearted King who led the human race to peace.


    ¡°Give my regards to Her Highness Celia Estre, okay?¡±


    Ghada turned his head, not bothering to hide his uneasy smile.


    ¡°¨D¨DAnd that I look forward to our next meeting.¡±


    Unable to understand what the words meant, Rosa shot the words at the back of the huge body.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Is he implying that he will eventuallye back to Liz¡¯s camp?


    Or is it¡­


    Ghada waved his hand to his back but did not reply.


    Only the sound of hooves drifted between them.


    Rosa had no choice but to stare nkly at his back as they departed.

 Volume 7, Chapter 2 – Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 2 - Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 3</h4>


    9th March, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar. Beirut territory in the northwestern part of the western region of the Grantz Empire.


    The Six Kingdoms have withdrawn their troops from the Larix ins, where they fought the Fourth Prince Hiro, and have once again lowered their front line to the border connecting the West and Felzen ¨D Beirut territory.


    The reason for this is that they suffered more damage than expected in the battle against the Fourth Prince Hiro. The soldiers¡¯ morale was high due to the victory over him, but they lost many of theirmanders instead.


    With a report detailing the damage, Lucia mmed her iron fan down on the desk.


    ¡°¡­What should I do?¡±


    The army, which initially numbered 200,000, is now down to about 160,000. As she turned the page, she also read the report that the Grantz Army had prepared its forces. The number was 130,000.


    It was less than she had expected. However, since they were able to gather such arge number in just two months, it was safe to assume that the Grantz Empire still had a lot of power left.


    Thinking about it from a long-term perspective, the odds are even worse for the Six Kingdom side.


    ¡°I think it would be better to retreat to Felzen.¡±


    Staying in the west and destroying the economy of the Grantz Empire may be interesting, but if they get too attached, they will lose the war. If they are reckless, they may want to attack the country¡¯s central region, searching for achievements. If she wanted to do things carefully, staying in the west would be dangerous.


    In addition, Lucia¡¯s interest in the Grantz Empire hadpletely waned.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good thing that we were able to take out Felzen.¡±


    Lucia sighed tiredly and rubbed her brow to relieve it.


    ¡°The first thing we must do is to secure our safety. The stage is about to change.¡±


    The wheels of events had begun to turn when she had let the ¡°Ancient King¡± escape.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s payback for forgetting my position as queen and running around like a little girl.¡±


    Leaning back in her chair, Lucia stared at the ceiling of the tent.


    Just before the young man¡¯s head was about to be cut off¨D¨D,


    ¨D¨DThat¡¯s when everything went wrong.


    Everyone had been looking forward to that moment. They were waiting for the moment that would make their names in history.


    It had been a long time since the cries of the enemy soldiers, who had shown desperate resistance, had ceased.


    All that was left was to kill a living legend. But on the battlefield, there was no room for carelessness at any time.


    Forgetting the most important thing, Lucia was carried away by a strange excitement.


    It started with the horse¡¯s neigh, followed by the roar of horses¡¯ hooves, and she realized something was wrong.


    Then arge amount of dust rose up in front of her, and she was distracted by the sound of creaking air.


    After the fatal gap, Lucia noticed that something was wrong with Luca.


    ¡°Gaah¨D¨D¡­ Aaa!¡±


    She was rolling around on the ground, struggling for breath. She was still clutching her sword, her eyes bloodshot as she tried to kill the ¡°Ancient King.¡± But despite her efforts, the de never reached him. The left half of her body was frozen in ce.


    ¡°Fufu, there are so many gaps¡­¡±


    A sudden murderous intent was felt.


    Lucia¡¯s right hand rose up as she twisted her body as quickly as she could and threw out her iron fan to her left hand.


    ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    As the dust of war envelops the world, an Urpeth cavalryman jumps down from a horse. And then took off the helmet as if feeling hot and sweaty. The soldier shook the head, letting the purple-silver hair swing wildly in the air, and what appeared was a woman of immense beauty.


    Despite possessing an interesting and pure atmosphere, she exudes a bewitching and beautiful scent despite her appearance. Even those of the same sex were attracted by the sharp beauty that made one feel a chill.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t let this person die yet.¡±


    The woman with purple and silver hair smiled elegantly as she sheltered the ¡°Ancient King¡± who was dripping with fresh blood.


    But then¡­


    ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ll take care of him from here on out.¡±


    She easily grabbed the ¡°Ancient King¡± and threw him on the horses approaching from behind with her slender arms.


    In a moment of stunned disbelief, Lucia immediately began to act.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Lucia, who had unfolded her iron fan, tried to run.


    However, an ice wall suddenly appeared to block her path. Just before reaching her body, Lucia felt an unpleasant premonition and stopped, but the cold air attacked her limbs and entangled them.


    ¡°What¨D¨D!?¡±


    When Lucia swung her iron fan, the cold air split into two, as if a waterfall were breaking. Lucia¡¯s surroundings, including her feet, froze as the strange wind passed by.


    ¡°Fufu, are you surprised?¡±


    The woman¡¯s lips twisted in amusement as she stroked the crystal-clear de.


    ¡°This is a magic sword called ¡®Cannibalism.''¡±


    Lucia instantly understood that it was not just a magic sword.


    It¡¯s a disastrous sign that can distort space. She recognized that a huge amount of ¡°magic power¡± was flowing from the de of that sword. It was so dense that it sucked in one¡¯s consciousness, and in the face of such immense power, Lucia felt the hair on her body stand on end.


    ¡°¡­¡­Well done.¡±


    Lucia clicked her tongue lightly.


    It¡¯s because the horseman carrying the ¡°Ancient King¡± was seen out of the corner of her eye as he galloped out of the dust.


    But she never turned her eyes away from the purple and silver woman. She knew that if she turned her attention away, she would instantly be lured to her death.


    ¡°You¡­ who are you?¡±


    She knew the woman was no ordinary person because of the ¡°magic power¡± that burned into her skin. But how did a person who doesn¡¯t have one of the world¡¯s five most treasured swordse to have such a powerful magical power?


    ¡°I¡¯m udia Van Levering, Queen of the Levering Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Royalty, huh¡­? A near-pure-blooded ¡°Demon race¡± with¡­ looking at that skin tone¡­ Elvenization, huh?¡±


    ¡°Fufu, you¡¯re very knowledgeable.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes fixed on udia, who put her hand over her mouth with happiness.


    ¡°You¡¯vee all the way from the northern frontier¡­ but are you a descendant of King Rox?¡±


    As a ¡°Demon race¡± with strong characteristics, in addition to being elvenized, a descendant of the ¡°Five ck Heavenly Generals,¡± there is a high possibility that she canpete with the holders of the ¡°Five Great Treasures of the World.¡±


    In fact, it¡¯s probably not a wrong assumption, considering how powerful her magical power is.


    However, there¡¯s one thing that doesn¡¯t add up.


    ¡°What is this weird ¡°magical power¡±? It¡¯s a mixture of various signs.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the power of Cannibalism, the perfected form of the magical artifacts left behind by the Ancestor King Rox.¡±


    Lucia remembered that her ancestors had written something like that in the documents they left behind. However, due to the great purge that took ce during the time of the third emperor, many historical books were lost, and there were few descriptions in the documents left by her ancestors, so she had no interest in looking into them.


    ¡°A sword to kill one¡¯s own kind, how could such an ancient relic have been left behind?¡±


    ¡°The Great Purge caused the loss of many documents¡­ No, it would be better to say that they were intentionally hidden during the purge. That¡¯s why no one could find it. It was right in front of my eyes, and no one noticed, so I guess you could call it a lighthouse.¡±


    It was a cursed sword that had killed many demons, fed on their ¡°demon stones,¡± and increased their power.


    Although Lucia has no idea how effective it is, it¡¯s easy to imagine that it¡¯s a dangerous sword because simply confronting it like this shows how powerful its magic power is.


    But even so, Lucia does not have the soft heart to retreat.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you go after the Ancient King?¡±


    It¡¯s not toote. The soldier who took the ¡°Ancient King¡± was disguised as an Urpeth cavalry, but running through a battlefield filled with soldiers from the Six Kingdoms was no easy task. If she chased after udia with all her might after striking her, she could secure the custody of the ¡°Ancient King.¡±


    As Lucia was pondering this, udia looked around and then looked at Lucia again.


    ¡°Right. It looks like I don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯m going to leave like this.¡±


    udia said casually, but there was no way she could make it through more than 30,000 soldiers unscathed. With onemand from Lucia, she was trapped as if she were standing on a sheer cliff.


    Lucia frowned at her quizzically but then noticed that something was wrong with her.


    (Why is she constantly paying attention to her surroundings?)


    udia, who had blocked Lucia¡¯s path, did not make any further moves.


    It was as if she was hesitant tounch an attack and was paying attention to avoid affecting her surroundings as much as possible. Why should udia be so concerned?


    ¡°Could it be¡­ you¡­¡±


    ¡°Ara, did you notice it?¡±


    udia swept one hand into the empty sky as if to stir the air. Arge amount of dust is about to disappear due to the sudden wind that blew.


    ¡°Did you really think I would let you go?¡±


    ¡°If you had only realized it earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have managed it.¡±


    udia smiled happily, and then¡­


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    When udia smiled happily, the high-pitched sound of a horn echoed throughout the battlefield.


    ¡°Now¡­ thanks for the time that you¡¯ve given me. You can do as you please from here on out.¡±


    udia pulled on the horse¡¯s reins and jumped into the saddle. She cut through the dust drifting in front of her and then nced at Lucia.


    ¡°There is only one way to protect your honor.¡±


    udia gave a mocking sneer and started running across the battlefield. The next thing that rang out was a shout of victory.


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz von Grantz has been defeated!¡±


    udia said and disappeared in a cloud of dust.


    ¡°Victory for the Six Kingdoms! Let the entire battlefield know! Raise the big g and let your voice ring out loud!¡±


    As if in mockery, she sounded the drum and shouted loudly as she moved away.


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Lucia clicked her tongue as she realized what the other party was nning. She looked around with an impatient look on her face and immediately shed the neck of a soldier who had copsed nearby.


    She mmed it once on the blood-ckened ground to disguise the color of the hair. As the dust cleared, she raised the head to the sky in triumph.


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz von Grantz has been defeated!¡±


    It was nothing short of pathetic.


    The situation was so ridiculous that she could not help butugh at the fact that she had hunted down her enemy and let him escape, leaving her no choice but to do what the enemy wanted.


    Although she had thought she had put a lot of thought and effort into this war, it may have been a set-up from the beginning.


    She thought she had been ying into Hiro¡¯s trap even before this war began.


    She had plotted to turn the central and western nobles over to her and had been buoyed by the fact that things were going her way. By the time she had cornered the ¡°Ancient King,¡± she had thought she had surpassed the ¡°God of War.¡±


    But it was all just dancing in his palm.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a shame, really. What is the big picture¡­? I can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Just because of a moment¡¯s ckness, she let him escape¡­ even though she had him cornered to that point.


    She must get rid of this grudge. She must not allow those who deny her existence. She must not let those who disgraced the dignity of the queen live.


    She bit her lips hard in frustration, causing fresh blood to drip from her mouth. Even so, she was more controlled by anger than pain.


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you. I¡¯ll kill you for sure¡­¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 2 – Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 2 - Holding Hope And Sunk In Sorrow, Part 4</h4>


    The inside of Lucia¡¯s tent was bing filled with murderous intent.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Then a woman¡¯s voice rang out to break the murderous intent. A figure entered the tent before Lucia could give her permission to enter.


    The person had no left arm. Rather, the left side of her body was severely damaged, giving her a painful appearance that made everyone who saw her want to turn away. She looked as if she was about to break like a fragile piece of ss, exuding a piercing presence.


    There was not a single vestige of the girl who had once been revered as a beautiful princess.


    Anyone who saw her would have felt the same way.


    Her eyes are deadly pale, and her skin, pale as a ghost, gives others an intense chill.


    Her name is Luca Mamon de Urpeth ¨Dmander of one of the countries in the Six Kingdoms, Urpeth Kingdom, and second-inmand of the army that conquered the Grantz.


    ¡°I was taking care of Eagle, so I¡¯mte.¡±


    She said this to Lucia with eyes that did not show any signs of embarrassment or emotion.


    Her brother had been beheaded by the fourth prince in a previous battle. However, she did not ept his death but brought back his body and was seen eating and sleeping with his head,ughing happily. In addition, the creepy conversations that could be heard from her tent at night, and the guards who heard them, became mentally ill, and many transfer requests were sent to Lucia.


    After the death of his brother, Luca¡¯s mind has copsed and continues to wander the line between reality and fantasy.


    ¡°I have to take care of Eagle because his wounds have not healed yet. If you need something, could you please tell me quickly?¡±


    Lucia sighed silently and pointed her iron fan at the seat in front of her. She urged her to sit down, but Luca refused, refusing to leave the entrance.


    Lucia¡¯s shoulders slumped, and she gave up and began to exin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think things will get any better if we stay here. We will retreat to Felzen.¡±


    Then Luca came briskly up to her and looked silently down at Lucia.


    ¡°Are you dissatisfied?¡±


    She nodded her head slightly.


    ¡°Of course. What do you think you are doing? You let the fourth prince escape. There¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s lurking around here. I will find him and cut off his head.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too hung up on it. He¡¯s dead. I have no desire to stay here any longer, okay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re trying to convince yourself. When the soldiers realize the truth, and more importantly when the home country realizes such a blunder, both you and I will be punished.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true¡­ but he¡¯s noting forward even though he¡¯s alive. Then it would be inconvenient for them to know that he is still alive.¡±


    Although it was regrettable, it was a unity of interest that transcended the boundaries between friend and foe.


    The only thing she could do was to y clown, as the one who had defeated the ¡°Ancient King.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of leaving thisnd. I will stay here until I get his head, even if it means taking a bite out of it.¡±


    ¡°You are themander of 100,000 troops¡­ aren¡¯t you?¡±


    It is best to retreat. With the chain ofmand in disarray, future battles will be difficult. After all, they seeded in neutralizing the west. They should be satisfied with that for now.


    What awaits the Grantz Empire in the future is the restoration of normalcy in the west. They have to deal with the noble lords who change their minds and take measures to prevent the refugees from causing a riot. There are many other problems that need to be dealt with, and the usual course of action is to take advantage of the gap in the Grantz Empire, which is busy trying to solve those problems and destroy them once and for all.


    ¡°So, for the sake of your dead brother¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Eagle is not dead!¡±


    The spirit radiated was like that of a demon ¨D a monster of sorts.


    ¡°He is just resting in the tent, for now, waiting for the right moment!¡±


    This is the kind of expression that only a ghost trapped in deep hatred can make.


    Lucia thinks that it is hard for the God of War to be resented this much as if it were someone else¡¯s problem.


    ¡°¡­If you say so, that¡¯s fine. But how about involving the soldiers in the path of revenge?¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I am themander. The soldiers are obliged to follow me.¡±


    ¡°You will lose the throne, you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. As long as I can kill him¡­¡±


    Luca¡¯s head slumped down as she bit her thumbnail in frustration.


    ¡°I will kill him with my own hands. I must condemn him to eternal torment.¡±


    Lucia spread out her iron fan to cover her mouth as she looked into the eyes that had a dimmed light in them.


    ¡°Night after night¡­ Eagle is crying. He cries for help from his sister, he cries that his neck hurts, he cries that he has no arms, he cries out in blood and tears for that man to be killed.¡±


    Luca breathes out wildly like a beast, appealing desperately without looking away from Lucia. The vindictiveness of Luca, who wore a poisonous air that could be called miasma, did not stop.


    ¡°Then, I have to make it happen¡­ Yeah, because I¡¯m his sister¡­ I¡¯m going to tear off that man¡¯s arms, gut him, aha, pull out his intestines, wrap them around his neck, twist them off, mess them up, and kill him.¡±


    Her face was devoid of any emotion as she stared into the emptiness and mumbled to herself. Even though the tone of her voice was joyful, an endlessly empty cry rang out in the tent.


    ¡°Yes, right, that¡¯s right, I¡¯m going to kill him, kill him? Kill him? Kill, kill, kill!¡±


    The curse created by the vindictiveness was so terrible that it led to despair.


    ¡°Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.¡±


    It was too sudden.


    Like a broken doll, she kicked the ground, again and again, shaking her wobbly head.


    She kept her eyes on the ground and kept screaming.


    Eventually, she jumped as if she was hit by something.


    ¡°Hah ¨D hah. I-I¡¯m sorry! S-stop¡­!¡±


    Suddenly, she retreated back to the corner of the tent, hugging her body, and her eyes widened as if in a panic, and she began to look around with a frightened face.


    ¡°A-ah¡­ if you¡¯re satisfied¡­ I¡¯ll take my leave now. Eagle wants to see me.¡±


    Luca hurried out of the tent as if running away from something.


    Lucia, who was looking at the unsteady back in a disturbed manner, closed her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve broken in the wrong direction.¡±


    She let out a deep, sorrowful sigh, and a smile appeared on her face.


    ¡°Now¡­ how should I use her?¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    ¡°General McRill, the reconnaissance unit reports that they have found the encampment of the Levering Kingdom Army¡­¡±


    In a noisy tent, a person in a superior position lifted his head in response to the report from the staff.


    It was McRill de Pius, the general of the Urpeth Kingdom, one of the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°Where have they been hiding?¡±


    ¡°Near the center of the west, in a ce called Fort Tullus.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little too far away¡­ If we organize a separate force, can we take it down?¡±


    ¡°We are still unsure of their numbers. I think we should wait for new information.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    General McRill slumped back into his chair with a sigh.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t get some results, we can¡¯t avoid Luca-sama¡¯s punishment¡­¡±


    Compared to other countries, the damage to the Urpeth Kingdom is too great. Not only were the 20,000 that surrounded the city of Sabelt destroyed, but their equipment was also seized by the enemy and used in the fight against the Fourth Prince Hiro, which was criticized by other countries. Ifpensation were to be paid, Luca¡¯s achievements would not only be stripped away. There is a high possibility that her life itself will be taken away.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t avoid that¡­ we will not be able to repay His Majesty Kratos.¡±


    Although the previous king ¨D Kratos, had many enemies, he was like a parent to General McRill. That¡¯s why, when the king died, and the Urpeth Kingdom was taken over, General McRill was pained by the treatment of the siblings who were his remnants.


    But at the time, General McRill had no power to save them and could only watch. Nevertheless, the siblings were able to endure their disadvantage and quickly surpassed General McRill and came forward to fight in this war.


    But then, Eagle was killed in battle, and his sister was broken-hearted by the loss of her beloved brother.


    ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s pathetic, they call me general, but I haven¡¯t contributed anything.¡±


    General McRill crosses his arms in distress, and a staff memberes to his aid.


    ¡°Deputy Commander Luca-sama wants to see you. She wants you toe to her tent as soon as possible¡­¡±


    General McRill is ovee by a mncholy mood. It was excruciating to see Luca now. Rumor had it that she was sleeping with her dead brother¡¯s head in her arms. There were evenints from the soldiers about the stench wafting from themander¡¯s tent.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    But he still had to see her even though he didn¡¯t know what kind of reprimand he would receive.


    Hoping that it would only be a reprimand, General McRill headed for the entrance with a somber expression on his face.


    Once outside, he felt a chill run through him and shivered involuntarily. General McRill cocks his head and begins to walk with a scowl on his face.


    Luca¡¯s tent was not too far from the main tent of Urpeth.


    He could reach it by walking silently through the camp where he could hear cheerful voices.


    Then, the soldier guarding Luca¡¯s tent saluted him with a tense look on their faces. When the entrance to the tent was opened, the soldier¡¯s hands were shaking, whether it was because they met General McRill or because they were afraid of the evil that was going on inside.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Suppressing the urge to run away now, General McRill dove through the entrance.


    Once inside, a strange odor stung his nose. The stench was so nauseating that General McRill had to cover his mouth. As he walked forward with heavy steps, he saw Luca sitting in the middle of the room. The strange sight overwhelmed him, but when Luca silently urged him to sit down, General McRill hurriedly put his knees on the ground.


    ¡°A-are you calling for me, Luca-sama?¡±


    His voice trembled from fear. He looked up, fearful that he might have upset her.


    Then, with an expression devoid of any emotion, the Lord turned to him with eyes as cloudy as muddy water.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you greet Eagle as well?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Eagle is angry. Please greet him properly.¡±


    She turned to offer him her brother¡¯s head.


    The head was covered with dried flesh, the skin was peeled off, and the eyes were rotting.


    General McRill¡¯s face went down as he swallowed what wasing up from his stomach, triggered by the strange odoring from the air.


    ¡°H-ha! I¡¯m d to see you looking so well, Eagle-sama!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t watch any longer. An eerie sensation of sinking into the mire crept up from beneath his feet. General McRill¡¯srge body shivered as he felt an unountable chill.


    ¡°Eagle, what should we do?¡±


    Luca hugged the skull carefully and spoke happily.


    ¡°Is that so¡­? Is that what you want? Fufu, Eagle is kind.¡±


    She urged him to look up.


    General McRill lifted his head, his bones creaking as he forced his nerves to twist in rejection from fear.


    Luca smiled thinly at the faint light source in the dimly lit tent.


    ¡°General McRill has been loyal to us since our father¡¯s time, so we¡¯re going to drop the matter this time.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t say who. Once he said that, General McRill¡¯s head would fall to the ground.


    ¡°Yes, thank you, I am very happy, and I will continue to serve you both with all my life.¡±


    General McRill expressed his gratitude without hesitation.


    ¡°So, the reason I called you here¡­¡±


    ¡°You may order me to do anything you wish.¡±


    General McRill was about to prostrate himself again when an unbelievable statement shook his eardrums.


    ¡°You must burn down all the viges you see in the surrounding area. And fondle the refugees flooding the streets and expose them in in sight. Not a single Grantz should be allowed to live. Find them by the roots of the grass and behead and kill everyst one of them.¡±


    The order was so fearsome that General McRill¡¯s body stiffened and confusion swirled in his head. But he could not remain silent for long, so he opened his mouth.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t do that¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°It would cause unnecessary resentment. It might affect our future battles.¡±


    ¡°¡­General McRill, raise your head.¡±


    His heart skipped a beat and began to beat rapidly as if water in the middle of winter was pouring down on him from above. Feeling his emotions churning, General McRill breathed in and out wildly.


    Time seemed to slow down as his brain could not ept the iprehensiblemands, and his body refused to ept them. He realized that he felt as if he was wandering in a darkness that he could not escape forever. But everythinges to an end sooner orter.


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    There was not even a scream from General McRill as he looked up. The surprise was pushed to the back of his throat by fear.


    Luca was there, right on the tip of his nose.


    Her pupils dted as she stared at General McRill, holding up the skull of her beloved brother next to her wounded face.


    ¡°Kill all the Grantz who made Eagle look like this.¡±


    When he first met her, she was a beautiful girl. After the previous king¡¯s death, her beauty became a cmity that befell her, and she became a toy for many nobles.


    After enduring and enduring hellish days, she was finally freed, but now she is holding herte brother¡¯s neck with a big burn on the left side of her body. Her eyes, which had been as clear as amber, were now cloudy to the point of disaster.


    General McRill bites his bottom lip in frustration, wondering if this is all his own fault for being so ungrateful. He realized that he could no longer refuse her orders.


    ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s make those who stand in our way ¨D the Grantz ¨D bleed.¡±


    The only thing that awaited Luca in the future was a ruin. There would be no one who would follow her. If that¡¯s the case, devoting the rest of his life to her might be a way to repay his debt to the previous king.


    ¡°Then I grant you an army of 20,000. Burn down the viges, demolish the cities, and turn castles, forts, and anything else in sight into rubble.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 3 – Beyond Despair, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 3 - Beyond Despair, Part 1</h4>


    The world was filled with white.


    It was hard to tell if he was looking up or down. His sense of equilibrium was unclear, he was not sure whether he was looking to the right or the left.


    But at least he knew one thing.


    (Oh, here I am again.)


    Hiro had visited this ce only once before. It was an event that he had never forgotten, and it was etched in the corner of his mind.


    Therefore, he was surprised, but strangely, he did not panic.


    He felt as if he was in a slumber, and the warmth of the embrace made him feel nostalgic.


    It was only for a short while that he was dominated by the feeling of floating in his dazed consciousness.


    As his senses begin to circte through his body, he realizes that he is lying face down on the floor.


    ¡°¡­As expected, it seems that there are no answers from the beginning.¡±


    A voice poured down from above him, and it was also a familiar voice.


    In order to match the style of the image in his head, he put his left hand on the ground and put strength into his arm.


    He lifted his heavy head and raised his body to see a gleaming chair in front of him.


    As he looked upward, he saw a majestic young man sitting on the throne, just as he remembered.


    The wind was blowing.


    He felt a gentle caress on his skin, which brought peace to his heart.


    The next thing he knew, he felt a soft touch on his back. He looked down to check the strange sensation, and before he knew it, he was sitting on the jet-ck throne.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even get mad at you for being so stupid.¡±


    As if caught by the voice, he turned to the front.


    ¡°Altius¡­¡±


    ¡°My sister would be mortified. If she knew that you hadn¡¯t changed at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t regret it. It was the most effective thing I could have done.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­ You always argue like you know everything.¡±


    After holding his forehead as if he were suffering from a headache, Altius gave a deep sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bad habit of yours. You always believe that you are right, and you put yourself in danger by sticking to yourself.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve saved more lives than I can hold in my hands.¡±


    ¡°Hah, you just think you¡¯re saving them.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s eyes blinked in bewilderment, wondering what he was talking about.


    ¡°Have you seen what happens to the people you save from bandits? Did you see the end of those you saved from the tyrannical nobles? Have you ever seen the end of those you saved from monsters?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t find any words to reply.


    His thirst was growing rapidly. He felt a strange pressure in his throat as if it was tightening.


    Altius was right; he had never seen any of this through to the end.


    The ce where Altius had arrived, the end of his dream ¨D he had disappeared without even seeing it.


    ¡°I have to say. It¡¯s a bit selfish of you. You decide the end as you see fit. It¡¯s just a matter of self-satisfaction, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Before he could say anything else, Altius interrupted Hiro with his hand.


    ¡°You can¡¯t rely on anyone; you can¡¯t trust anyone; you can¡¯t open your heart to anyone. And to top it all off, you put your own life in danger and think you¡¯ve saved it. That¡¯s nothing short of arrogance.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it was a thousand years ago¡­ Arrogant or not, I¡¯ve got the power to do it.¡±


    ¡°Is that what this is all about?¡±


    Altius¡¯ golden eyes caught Hiro¡¯s right arm and gave him a look of mockery.


    Hiro is ashamed to admit it, and he puts his face down and bit his lips.


    ¡°¡­The situation was so bad that the country would copse if I didn¡¯t do something about it.¡±


    There was more he wanted to say, but he couldn¡¯t put it all together, and the conclusion he spat out with a shaky heart disappeared as if it had been snatched into the void.


    No, it was blown away by a single snort.


    ¡°Hah, if a fragile country can be managed by a single person, why not destroy it?¡±


    Hiro shouted at the simple decision ¨D and the overly selfish statement.


    ¡°Hey, we all fought hard and sacrificed a lot to build this country!¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Altius, with a calm face, brushed aside Hiro¡¯s passion.


    He then smiled coldly and tapped his fingers once hard on the armrest of his chair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t want a country like that, a country that would require the sacrifice of my brother-inw.¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡­ is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you¡­¡±


    Altius crossed his legs and smiled fearlessly, folding his hands in hisp.


    ¡°I¡¯m the first emperor, remember?¡±


    With a smile as innocent as a child¡¯s, Altius stuck out his chest without any sign of shame.


    He was as confident as ever, and Hiro had no idea how to respond. As if he had looked directly into the sun, Hiro let his gaze drift down to his feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re too selfish¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to be selfish. That¡¯s what an emperor should be.¡±


    He was born to be a king, arrogant as a lion, self-important as a tiger, and his confidence never wavered from his bold demeanor.


    ¡°You are always taking things too hard. You put someone else first and stifle your emotions. I¡¯ve always been dissatisfied with that.¡±


    After cutting off his words, Altius pressed his fist against Hiro¡¯s chest.


    ¡°¨D¨DI¡¯d like to punch you in the face.¡±


    After closing one eye in a mischievous manner, Altius leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°But, for once¡­ that¡¯s not my role.¡±


    Altius said with a sad look on his face.


    The past and present, two eras that no longer intersect.


    Altius¡¯ role ended a thousand years ago. Whether it was happiness or unhappiness, he could not decide, but his time hade to an end.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so itchy in my life. There is nothing more frustrating than having to watch my brother-inw suffer. If I had been there, even if I could not save you, I would not have made you look like that¡­¡±


    It¡¯s no use talking about it, but it¡¯s true that with Altius in his prime, many of the problems surrounding the Grantz Empire today could be solved. He would have reaped all the benefits of his mighty arm.


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to give up on that one.¡±


    With an aloof attitude, Altius threw away his regrets and took out a ck card from his pocket.


    It¡¯s the ¡°spirit talisman¡± that Altius handed to Hiro just before he returned to Earth.


    As time passed, it turned ck, and every time it reacted to something, the erosion rate increased.


    It had disappeared from Hiro¡¯s hand at some point¡­


    ¡°Thest triggering condition was met. The fact that Hiro was as self-sacrificing as ever is sopletely predictable that it¡¯s not funny.¡±


    Altius said dumbly and then made a serious face.


    ¡°You were really reckless¡­¡±


    Hiro smiled bitterly when he was told in a somewhat using tone.


    ¡°You¡¯re always trying to go down dangerous paths. Like amandment, you continue to live with a curse on yourself. Isn¡¯t that hard for you?¡±


    ¡°¡­To be honest, it¡¯s hard.¡±


    The title of ¡°Twin ck Hero King¡± is too much to bear, and the title of ¡°God of War¡± was established based on many sacrifices.


    He was so overwhelmed by responsibilities that he felt like he would be crushed.


    ¡°But I cannot allow myself to be weak.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because it would disappoint me?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not afraid of being disappointed now. I just don¡¯t want to have any regrets.¡±


    Hiro looked at his own trembling left hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a repeat of what happened a thousand years ago¡­¡±


    He wondered if he could understand the horror of his loved ones wandering on the fuzzy border between the living and the dead, of their body heat disappearing, of their hearts beating but their breaths getting shorter. The fear he felt when he realized that all he had left was a mere shell in a moment of time that would never be rewound ¨D he wasn¡¯t sure he could endure the despair of that moment again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to feel like that anymore. I don¡¯t want to lose anyone, and I don¡¯t want to be unable to protect anyone.¡±


    ¡°My sister would never want that. She will never approve of the way you are.¡±


    Altius muttered quietly, and silence fell between them. The two of them were unable toe up with a topic, and a subtle pause was created.


    After such a suffocating silence.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not the same anymore. It¡¯s time for you to go your own way. It¡¯s time for you to be free to move and live as you please without being bound by anyone. You¡¯ve done enough for Grantz.¡±


    Hiro didn¡¯t answer anything. He turned his face down and remained silent.


    Altius sighed and yed with the ck card as he continued to speak.


    ¡°That day, just before you returned to Earth.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s shoulders shook. He looked at Altius with a surprised face.


    ¡°Did you think I didn¡¯t know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°No, because I¡¯ve never told anyone about it¡­¡±


    Altius snorted frowningly.


    ¡°I¡¯m your brother, you know. Of course, I would notice.¡±


    He looked dumbfounded, but his face was full of affection, and his tone was not usatory.


    ¡°I was surprised when I found out that you had challenged the Faceless King, but I still thought it was typical of you. You were going to take all the me, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    And yet, he failed ¨D the result of maniacal rage.


    He always aspired to be ruthless, was willing to be defiled, challenged, fought, and pursued the heavens in a single fell swoop ¨D but his hands never grasped anything, and in return, a curse was ced on his body.


    When Hiro clutched his hands regretfully, Altius smiled.


    ¡°As I told you before, I had many options for you.¡±


    As Altius said this, three books suddenly appeared out of thin air.


    All of them were familiar to Hiro. The three books were ¡°The First Emperor¡¯s Memoirs,¡± ¡°The White Book,¡± and ¡°The ck Book.¡±


    Altius picked up one of them, the first emperor¡¯s handbook.


    ¡°When I realized I was dying, I wondered if there was anything I could leave behind for Hiro.¡±


    He was aware that Altius wanted something from him. In order to find out what it was, he had been holed up in his office since he was re-summoned, researching various things.


    The more he studied history, the more he realized how irresponsible he had been, how the things he had left behind had affected future generations.


    That cursed work has now been passed on to Liz, who is now suffering from a sad fate.


    In the end, he could not find out the true intentions of Altius and ended up being shown the truth of the world.


    ¡°What did you want?¡±


    ¡°I wanted only one thing, and my wish was always one thing.¡±


    Altius picked up the ck Book and smiled wickedly.


    ¡°So, in order to make my wishe true, the first thing I did was to give Hiro the position that everyone wanted. Selfishly, I turned into you and took the throne as the second emperor.¡±


    He noticed that too. As a prankster, he would have happily disguised himself.


    But it was out of the ordinary.


    Who would have thought that the emperor of a superpower would take action to distort history himself?


    ¡°Why would you do such a reckless thing?¡±


    When Hiro threw a reproachful nce at him, Altius stered a look of helplessness on his face.


    ¡°I am your brother-inw, and you are my brother-inw. The only family that survived that horrible war ¨D even if we do not have blood together, the bond between us is not thin.¡±


    Altius put on a cheerful face but created an air of loneliness and looked like he was about to cry. The face that he only shows to his family, the certain affection that resides in it, is an unchanging feeling.


    ¡°It is a sin for an emperor who has conquered the world to desire only the happiness of his brother-inw?¡±


    He felt that these words contained all of Altius¡¯ desires, his sincere wishes.


    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t grab it, don¡¯t give up, take the path you like, and pursue the distant ideal once again. I have left everything for you.¡±


    Altius smiled as he covered his right eye with the ck card.


    ¡°Next¨D¡­ No, that¡¯s a big deal.¡±


    Muttering as if to himself, Altius shook his head and then smiled.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll just give you one more piece of advice.¡±


    A voice full of dignity ¨D A voice he had heard many times before from a face full of mystery.


    The quality of his voice, essential for a champion, contained a sense of intimidation that he could not hide even if he tried.


    ¡°When you get the truth, you will understand everything.¡±


    He didn¡¯t force it. His words came naturally to Hiro.


    Altius was born with such a deep and fascinating voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make the wrong choice. I can no longer help you.¡±


    Altius gets up from his chair and spreads his arms to tell him how big the world is.


    Even though he reigned supreme over the entire race, his hands could not grasp the world.


    Yet, there is no regret in his hands, no regret, just a sense of satisfaction.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. My will remains, and I am sure it will help you.¡±


    He looked up to the heavens and gave aforting smile.


    He turned to Hiro with a radiant expression on his face as if to say that he had nothing left to think about.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s vision was quickly enveloped in light, but strangely he did not feel the re.


    Without closing his eyes, Hiro looked at Altius standing in front of him.


    ¡°¡­I wonder if I can find it?¡±


    The words had no context and lost their subject. However, Altius nodded vigorously.


    ¡°Yes, you will find it.¡±


    As he smiled calmly, Hiro rxed his shoulders and looked up at the sky.


    ¡°I see¡­ then I¡¯ll¨D¡±


    He did not say thest word until the end.


    But he was sure that Altius knew what he was talking about, even if he didn¡¯t say it.


    Therefore¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 3 – Beyond Despair, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 3 - Beyond Despair, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again.¡±


    That was all Hiro said and closed his eyes.


    As the light illuminates the world, the darkness grows. The two are inextricably linked. Like the sun and the full moon, they always stand close together, watching over the world.


    When his consciousness awakened ¨D when he felt the gravity in his body, Hiro quietly opened his eyes.


    What popped into his vision was a wooden roof.


    There was a light fixture hanging from it, but the light was too weak to dispel the darkness in the roompletely. After taking a breath, Hiro sat up and checked his surroundings.


    He saw a woman standing at what appeared to be the entrance.


    Her waist-length purple and silver hair was illuminated by the lights. The shadows around her charming, gentle eyes and the pale pink lips caught his eye as they passed over the bridge of her well-developed nose. Her delicate face is fantastic and beautiful even in the dark, and once you see her, you will never forget her.


    The queen of the Levering Kingdom, udia Van Levering.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    udia asked, and Hiro put his hand on his neck and tilted it.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. How many days has it been since then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been about a month. It¡¯s now the twelfth of March.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been asleep that long, huh¡­?¡±


    If Hiro was honest, he was surprised.


    ¡°I thought you might never wake up again, but I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    As udia approached Hiro, she frowned at him suspiciously.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your eyes?¡±


    Hiro tilted his head at the sudden question.


    udia took out a hand mirror and pointed it at Hiro. The reflection was of a golden right eye, and she also noticed that the right arm that had been cut off had been regenerated. Strangely enough, the wound on his side has also been closed.


    (¡­Altius?)


    Thest activation condition was met, Altius had said. It¡¯s still unclear what benefits it has brought to his body, but there is no doubt that one of them is the recovery of this wound.


    (¡­It¡¯s going to take some groping, but I¡¯ll just have to see for myself.)


    As Hiro strokes his right arm with his left hand, udia calls out to him.


    ¡°¡­Even the ck Princess Camellia has turned white. When I came to check on you about an hour ago, I didn¡¯t notice any changes.¡±


    udia looked over Hiro¡¯s body with great interest.


    ¡°It must be the effect of the Principle Stone.¡±


    When the youngmander of one of the Six Kingdoms, the Urpeth Kingdom, Eagle, took in his left arm, the power of the ck Princess Camellia was sealed. Even the rough technique of high-speed regeneration was no longer functional.


    Even now, his Principle Stone is still having a profound effect on the ck Princess Camellia, leading to this transformation into a white robe ¨D and here, Hiro noticed something else that caught his attention.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, the Principle Stone is missing from my side. Is that your doing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry to do that to you, but I¡¯ve had it removed.¡±


    udia does not seem to be offended, and Hiro shrugs his shoulders to show his approval.


    When udia held out her hand to him, he questioned.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There are two conditions.¡±


    Hiro chuckled at her audacity.


    But right now, he couldn¡¯t let the ck Princess Camellia return to her original form.


    After all, Eagle¡¯s Principle Stone is essential for the future.


    (I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll encounter a situation where I¡¯ll need it¡­)


    This prediction would be a reality. Hiro felt certainty in his heart.


    However, there was no way that udia would be convinced by a single Principle Stone. If she couldn¡¯t meet the conditions, she would immediately turn to the Six Kingdoms with Hiro¡¯s head as a souvenir. Or, she could take him into custody and use him as a bargaining chip with the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I still need the Principle Stone.¡±


    In front of udia¡¯s suspicious eyes, Hiro began to explore the bosom of the ck Princess Camellia with a nonchnt look.


    ¡°Can we just say that the conditions have been met?¡±


    Hiro then held out a ¡®magic stone¡¯ that gave off a depressing vibe.


    ¡°May I have a look at it?¡±


    Perhaps showing interest, udia took the ¡°magic stone¡± and let out an exasperated sigh. Her cheeks flushed as if she had noticed that it was a highly pure ¡°magic stone.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡±


    udia looked at the magic stone with a weak light source, unable to hide her excitement.


    ¡°I had a chance to enter the treasury, and I thought it was rare, so I asked the emperor to give it to me.¡±


    Of course, it was a lie, but udia would not be convinced unless he said so.


    Everyone knows that there is no pure blood of the ¡°demon race¡± in the current Central Continent, and the means to obtain highly pure ¡°magic stones¡± are limited.


    It was said that after the war a thousand years ago, the demon race moved to the southern archipgo south of the central continent to escape persecution. Nowadays, there is no way to know if this is true. This is because the raging sea does not allow them to enter. However, not all of the demon races had crossed over to the southern archipgo, and there were a few that remained in the Central Continent. One of them was udia¡¯s ancestor and one of the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky,¡± a man named Rox van Levering.


    ¡°So, what do you think, have I convinced you? As for me, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing inferior to the Principle Stone.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it. The pact is now made. From now on, I will be of assistance to you, Hiro-sama.¡±


    udia put away the ¡°magic stone¡± with a satisfied look and bowed gracefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    When Hiro said this, udia also gave him a mended smile.


    If either of them were to fall into a position of inferiority, they would be enemies and would have to fight each other until the end of their lives. In short, it is a cooperative rtionship because both sides have value.


    ¡°And yet¡­ you¡¯re reallyte.¡±


    Hiro changed the subject in a tone as if to criticize.


    ¡°I was expecting help toe sooner since I had you hidden in the midst of those who turned.¡±


    ¡°I think that was the best time for Hiro-sama¡¯s n to seed since they were at their most rxed.¡±


    When udia looked at him usingly, she put his hand on her forehead and shook her head repeatedly, as if she was in constant distress.


    And in that chaotic situation, she thinks she deserved a medal for getting there in time.


    udia¡¯s words wereced with frustration as if she were spitting out a grudge.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking for too much, Hiro-sama.¡±


    After Hiro eradicated the Urpeth army besieged the city of Sabelt, he instructed his army to seize their equipment. In the decisive battle against the Six Kingdoms, they disguised themselves as the Urpeth cavalry to induce the enemy to fight each other and even disguised their best scouts as central nobles to takemand.


    ¡°Of the 5,000 I brought with me for this war, 2,000 have been kept in the rear, but the 3,000 soldiers who took part in the surprise attacks and various other roles have been reduced to 1,000 thanks to you.¡±


    udia reports the damage, but there is no hint of regret in it.


    It¡¯s just that there were fewer pieces, only that they were a little better.


    ¡°I hope it was well worth it to lose them.¡±


    udia gives him a sarcastic look. He could have taken it harshly, but he didn¡¯t feel the need to waste time with useless conversations.


    ¡°Anyway, how are things going in the Six Kingdoms?¡±


    When he forced the topic to change, udia answered with a frown.


    ¡°ording to the spy that I have sent to infiltrate, it seems that they have a party every day and every night now that Hiro-sama has been defeated. They seem to be in a state of high spirits.¡±


    ¡°So most people don¡¯t know that I escaped, huh?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to my good direction, you can generally think that way. Hiro-sama has been treated as a dead man.¡±


    udia praised herself. Hiro responded with a snort of exasperation.


    udia lightly ignored such a reply and picked up a sheet of report.


    ¡°It seems that many of themanders were killed during Hiro-sama¡¯s surprise attack, and the higher-ups are in great confusion. For this reason, the Six Kingdoms have been divided into two opinions: themander of the Anguis army, Lucia, and the deputymander of the Urpeth army, Luca.¡±


    Luca appealed for a thorough fight, while Lucia insisted that they should retreat to Felzen and prepare their positions.


    Both sides are not wrong in their arguments. What remains to be seen is which side their subordinates will support.


    Even so, Hiro expects that the Six Kingdoms camp will not split in two.


    Human greed is not something that can be measured in depth. If it is a situation where sweet bait is hung, everyone will crave for achievements.


    It¡¯s not easy to get rid of the achievement that you want so badly because Hiro has nted the ¡°lie¡± for it.


    ¡°So they¡¯re dancing just like we want them to.¡±


    ¡°The situation of being forced to move while understanding that is probably the most painful.¡±


    udia, perhaps having imagined the dismay of the Six Kingdoms, her voice fluttered with joy.


    ¡°And what are you going to do about it? In the meantime, the world knows that Hiro-sama was killed in battle. There is a way to boost the soldiers¡¯ morale by appearing there and taking advantage of the poprity of the people?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that. Above all, the morale of the Grantz soldiers who heard of my death in battle will be boosted by their desire for revenge. If I raise their morale too much, they will be upset. It¡¯s meaningless.¡±


    If Hiro showed himself, everything would be for nothing.


    In that case, he would not know what he had chosen to deceive the people for.


    Above all, if Hiro showed up, there was a good chance that Liz would not be able to take the throne.


    If the people knew that Hiro was alive, they would worship him. The soldiers will rejoice and praise him.


    They will loudly proim that the descendant of the God of War is immortal and that he is the one who deserves the throne.


    After losing the emperor, the first prince, and even the third prince. The remaining second prince is only interested in the north. The only ones left are the fourth prince and the sixth princess, who was even said to be the seconding of the first emperor.


    If Hiro had stayed in the Grantz Empire, the country would have been split in two sooner orter.


    Even though he is a descendant of the God of War, it is the bloodline of Altius that has been running the nation.


    The people who don¡¯t care about Hiro have no regard for the situation, but instead, they will raise Liz and start a civil war that strokes the emotions of the people. The Eastern nobility will also be caught in the middle and fall apart. If another civil war breaks out during this period of turmoil, the Grantz Empire would definitely have copsed.


    (That was the only thing that had to be avoided¡­)


    udia opened her mouth when she saw Hiro in thought.


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking what I imagine you¡¯re thinking, then you¡¯re reading a little too much into it.¡±


    Hiro looked up and gave udia aplicated smile.


    Actually, not really.


    In fact, a thousand years ago, a faction that supported Hiro and a faction that supported Altius fought against each other. They spent all their time in a power struggle, oblivious to the feelings of the people involved.


    They selfishly decided that Schwartz should be the first emperor rather than Altius, and no one listened to Hiro when he said he was not interested in the throne.


    Hiro didn¡¯t want to get involved in the pce¡¯s affairs, so he always stayed silent on the battlefield.


    That was probably a bad thing. It made things worse.


    People who are obsessed with power can go out of control at the slightest opportunity.


    As the battle against the demons reached its climax, people began to turn their attention to the next battle ¨D against their own people. Disagreements between nobles turned into plots, assassinations, and poisonings. Altius tried to mediate, but he could not extinguish the fires, and soon the whole country ¨D even the lives of the people - were affected. Some people began to advocate a two-headed government, and as the political situation became chaotic, Hiro decided. He decided that he did not want any more turmoil in the country and destroyed all of his previous achievements.


    He gave up his position as a general and transferred themand of the ¡°Five Generals of the ck Sky ¡± to Altius and set up a country in the eastern end of the territory ruled by Altius¡¯ sister, Rei. The country was named as the small country of Baum, and now it prospers as a sacred pilgrimage ce where the spirit kings reside. Of course, there were many who held a grudge against Hiro for giving up his identity so easily, but this was resolved when the second Princess Shrine Maiden took refuge under him.


    (I can¡¯t let that happen again¡­)


    Hiro is not from this world.


    It¡¯s impossible to carry arge country on one¡¯s shoulders when anything can happen. This is why he took the risk to solve the problem on the front page this time.


    (Can I rest easy for a moment¡­? Now I have to deal with the ¡°truth¡± lurking behind the scenes.)


    The stronger the light, the bigger the shadow.


    If the dark side of the Grantz family¡¯s glorious past were to erupt, Hiro can¡¯t imagine what kind of consequences would be waiting for him. Therefore, before such a situation arose, it was necessary to solidify the foundation of the Grantz Empire, albeit by force.


    Hiro sighed.


    ¡°Is there anything I can use to hide my face?¡±


    It would hide his true identity, and he would be using it for a long time.


    udia crossed her arms, tilted her head, and then gave a slight nod.


    ¡°As I recall¡­ there was something that looked like a ritual tool¡­ Please wait a moment; I¡¯ll take a look.¡±


    She turned around and walked out of the room quickly.


    After confirming that her presence was distant, Hiro pulled a desk nearby.


    He rifled through ck Princess Camellia¡¯s pockets and pulled out a human skull. He ced it on the desk, took out other ¡°magic stones¡± from his pockets, andid them out.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s only a matter of time before the ck Death Vige starts to move.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s murmurings are dark, stagnant,tainted with horror, and they crawl to the ground.


    ¡°Atst¡­ I can hold it in my hands.¡±


    There is one thing he has not told udia.


    It¡¯s not just to get her cooperation to get the Principle Stone.


    The reason why he faked his death was also to solidify the foundation of the Grantz Empire, based on the events of the past.


    But that¡¯s just a pretext.


    ¡°¡­The real intentions are different.¡±


    He mmed his fist down on the desk and directed his hateful gaze at the skull.


    ¡°Your legacy still remains in this world¡­ How can I overlook that?¡±


    He could feel its effects beginning to show in the world day by day. And the curse carved into this body is also starting to eat him away.


    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t fail this time.¡±


    He had to make sure that not even a speck of dust was left.


    With the help of the Principle Stone, he was able to hide. The ck Death Vige can¡¯t sense Hiro¡¯s presence and must think he¡¯s dead.


    ¡°Now, show yourself.¡±


    The ¡°magic stones¡± on the desk emitted a mysterious light that illuminated Hiro¡¯s face. His eyes were filled with rage, and he continued to stare at the skull.

 Volume 7, Chapter 3 – Beyond Despair, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 3 - Beyond Despair, Part 3</h4>


    It was after dark when udia returned.


    She brought the masks with dinner. She apologized and said that she had urgent business to attend to.


    Hiro was aware of this, so he looked out the window as he ate his dinner.


    ¡°It looks like we¡¯re surrounded by enemies.¡±


    ¡°Yes, were you aware of that¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing a lot ofmotion for a while now.¡±


    Hiro said, sipping his soup in a calm, chitchat-like manner.


    ¡°I thought it was only a matter of time, but¡­ it seems that they found us earlier than expected.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, where are we?¡±


    Hiro asked with a cloudy face, forgetting to ask the location.


    udia pulled out a nearby spare desk, took out a map, and unfolded it.


    ¡°We are in the middle of the western part of Grantz. Here is a fort called Tullus.¡±


    ¡°Is it well fortified?¡±


    ¡°No, it would fall easily against arge army.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s check it out first.¡±


    Hiro stood up, forcing the food udia had brought down his throat.


    ¡°Here, there will be no point if you forget this.¡±


    udia offered Hiro the mask.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Hiro put on the mask with ease, as if he were putting on an eye patch, and opened the door to the room.


    ¡°This fortress is called Fort Tullus, huh? I don¡¯t know much about it, so can you show me the breastworks?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big enough fort to show you, though.¡±


    udia shrugged her shoulders and began to walk in front of Hiro.


    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the exit of the building, and when they stepped outside, they were greeted by moonlight.


    Hiro was in a wooden mansion, which seemed to be thergest building in the fort.


    Around the mansion, there were row houses that were probably the soldiers¡¯ sleeping quarters, and he recognized the soldiers of the Levering Kingdom busily running around with torches in their hands.


    ording to what udia had told him earlier, 2,000 of the 3,000 were waiting in the rear, and the remaining 1,000 were following them to Fort Tullus.


    It was probably because of the small size of the fort that it felt cramped despite the small number.


    Even from the range of the bonfire, the walls were so low that they could be reached by adder and would be easily crushed by siege weapons.


    At best, Fort Tullus is easily defended by a small number of people; at worst, it is so vulnerable that it can be easily shattered.


    Clearly unsuitable for a siege, Hiro and udia walked past the patrolling soldiers and climbed the stairs to the breastworks. A strong wind swirled around them, caressing udia¡¯s hair wildly.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, they approached me to surrender, but I refused after only provoking them.¡±


    There was no need to provoke the enemy at all, but considering udia¡¯s character, it was to be expected, so there was no surprise. In fact, it might be a good thing that she is not so passive that she chooses to surrender.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just like you¡­¡±


    Hiro replied without expression and then looked around to check the situation below him.


    It¡¯s not just the lights floating in the darkness but the bonfires that light up the sky and spread across thend.


    The fort waspletely surrounded.


    And with arge army, Hiro naturally felt a shiver of excitement.


    ¡°This is also ¡­ how do we get out of this?¡±


    udia tilted her head, putting her hand on her cheek as if in trouble.


    It felt so nd because there was an air of enjoyment on her face.


    (Is she enjoying the war¡­ or does she not think this situation is a crisis?)


    There was no need to ask why. She must havee up with her own n to get out of this critical situation.


    If that¡¯s the case, then why isn¡¯t she moving, which means she¡¯s trying to test me.


    ¡°I¡¯m really in trouble. What would you do in a situation like this, Hiro-sama?¡±


    ¡°You should have known that by now.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, that doesn¡¯t make sense. I do not forget the time you saved the Levering Kingdom, but things are different now than they were then. I would like to know the capabilities of those who will be working with me in the future.¡±


    It seemed that she wanted to see Hiro¡¯s military strategy up close and to reconfirm whether his abilities had declined or not. Another reason may be that her subordinates are looking at her suspiciously.


    A mysterious person was suddenly sitting next to the queen. She asked them to get along with him, which would not be easily epted. In other words, he had to show his ability not only to udia but also to the Levering soldiers and make them believe that it would be beneficial to cooperate with Hiro.


    (Well, considering what¡¯s toe, it¡¯s only natural that they would want to test me¡­)


    They are trying to determine Hiro¡¯s true value here. Hiro could sense it intensely from the glint in her eye that she gave off. If so, he¡¯s going to meet those expectations.


    ¡°Do you know the enemy¡¯s strength?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    udia¡¯s mouth curved up in a smile with a suspicious glint in her eyes.


    ¡°We have one thousand, and the Six Kingdoms have a huge army of twenty thousand.¡±


    It would be nice to know what kind of person themander is, but it is certainly not a situation where they can be extravagant. So, what to do? Hiro put his hand on his chin and thought silently. udia took one look at his profile and looked in all directions.


    ¡°As far as I can see from here, their security is tight. It seems that there is no opportunity tounch a night attack. In addition, there are a lot more bonfires than you might think¡­ and they are not going to let us sleep.¡±


    What udia is trying to say is that the enemy is preparing for a night battle.


    If it is determined that they are not vignt enough, arge-scale offensive will begin. On the other hand, if it is determined that they are on high alert, the enemy will choose a method that does not allow them to rest.


    (If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll need a shy and bold n. I¡¯d like to show the enemy army what I can do.)


    It is necessary to remind them of the difference in strength. This is necessary for the future.


    In a world where those without power are weeded out, there are barriers that cannot be ovee.


    The strong will win, and the weak will lose.


    It is a simple and clear natural order that will not change in a hundred years or even a thousand.


    In a world of life and death, only victory or defeat can be overturned, no matter what.


    ¡°Let¡¯s shake things up a bit.¡±


    As Hiro thought of his many ns, udia looked at him sideways.


    ¡°¡­Shake them up?¡±


    ¡°First of all, I want to find out what kind of person the enemymander is. I want to find out if he¡¯s a belligerent or a passive one, and then I¡¯ll narrow down my strategy.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯vee up with¡­ a way to defeat a 20,000-strong army?¡±


    udia¡¯s expression seemed to indicate that Hiro has several ways to go about it.


    Her beauty was tinted with astonishment, and her eyes were wide with disbelief.


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t tell you if I didn¡¯t. As long as you have the right steps in mind, there is only one word waiting for you: victory.¡±


    It¡¯s easier said than done ¨D even if there is a good n in mind, it is extremely difficult to make it work.


    It is always the case in war that a winning battle can turn into a losing battle when various factorse together.


    However, Hiro said with confidence.


    ¡°There is such a thing as emotion in human beings. Everyone has them. No matter how high up in the clouds you are, no matter howrge an army you lead, you are still human. There are many kinds, but there will always be gaps.¡±


    This is why war can be manipted as desired if you don¡¯t misjudge it.


    It is important to know the enemy¡¯s emotions so that you can read their thoughts and how to seed in your n. If you can move your opponent as you wish, you will never lose.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s just an empty theory that I¡¯m exining right now¡­ so let¡¯s give it a try.¡±


    Rather than exining with words, he must first put things into action and let them witness the miracle.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. First, I need you to extinguish all the bonfires on the city walls.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you insane?¡±


    udia looked at Hiro with an incredulous look in her eyes.


    ¡°It is said that if you do not enter the tiger¡¯s den, you will not obtain the tiger¡¯s cub. The bolder the n, the more carefully the opponent will try to assess it. Regardless of whether they are capable or ipetent, it is instinctive to be wary when someone suddenly offers you food. But it¡¯s in our nature as creatures to check for poison.¡±


    Hiro opened his mouth with a sigh and continued to speak.


    ¡°We should also reduce the number of soldiers on guard. Today we will rest as many soldiers as possible.¡±


    ¡°What will you do if the enemy attacks?¡±


    ¡°In that case, I will have the remaining soldiers on the breastworks shoot arrows at them, and the resting soldiers will be given stones of various sizes¨D¨D¡±


    At this point, Hiro paused in his speech and looked down at his feet, showing signs of thinking.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯ll have you collect at least ten or so; they¡¯ll be rtively easy to find in the courtyard.¡±


    Hiro smiled at udia, who had fallen silent.


    ¡°It will be fine. Just trust me.¡±


    udia looked skeptical, her mouth moving ufortably as if she was choosing her words.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m d you don¡¯t have any doubts, and trust me.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    udia slumped her shoulders in resignation and called one of her aides over to give Hiro¡¯s exact instructions. A few momentster, the orders that had been sent out were faithfully carried out.


    One by one, the bonfires on the breastworks were extinguished.


    The mes that had illuminated the ground beneath their feet were now extinguished, and thick darkness had settled over the entire area.


    ¡°¡­I think this was when the enemy noticed. What will happen from here?¡±


    udia muttered in the darkness.


    Hiro replied while staring at the mes floating in the darkness ¨D the enemy encampment.


    ¡°First, themand center will be confused. The next step is to formte countermeasures, but opinions will be split in two. Some will argue that they should attack because they are ready for a night battle, while others will say that it is a trap for the enemy. That¡¯s all it takes for a military discussion to get heated and time to pass in vain.¡±


    As if to say that it was natural, Hiro continued his exnation without hesitation.


    ¡°They can¡¯t conclude, so they send out a few spies. If we don¡¯t know what they¡¯re thinking, the only way to find out is to investigate.¡±


    It¡¯s the kind of situation that would make anyone think of a possible trap. It¡¯s a situation that¡¯s sure to dete the enemymander.


    If they were to suffer damage while attacking with an army of 20,000 troops in a fort where only 1,000 were holed up, they would be cursed beyond excuse. The things that they had spent their lives building up would alle crashing down. When udia heard Hiro¡¯s exnation up to this point, she snorted ufortably.


    ¡°If the enemy¡¯smander is ipetent, what will you do if theye at you with bloodthirsty enthusiasm for an opportunity?¡±


    ¡°Attack or not, it¡¯s the same either way.¡±


    Hiro said, then held out his hand to the empty sky.


    Darkness is terrifying for everyone. You can¡¯t see what¡¯s ahead, and you don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for you.


    That is why people keep wandering in search of light.


    They keep looking into the abyss as far and as deep as their hearts can take them.


    ¡°No matter how hard they try, they will break. One cannot endure fear in a world without light.¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The night air dominated the ground, causing the wind to roar and the cold air to roll in.


    The light from the torches wavered violently, sparks flying up like stars in the night sky.


    The main camp of the Six Kingdoms Urpeth Detachment ¨D themand center was located in the center of the camp.


    In front of the entrance, General McRill confirmed that Fort Tullus had disappeared into the darkness.


    ¡°It¡¯s been about an hour since the bonfires went out¡­¡±


    General McRill frowned as if he couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    One of the staff members let out a cold breath as he spoke of a report from a spy.


    ¡°There seems to be no sign of the enemy on the breastworks. I think now is the time to attack with all our forces.¡±


    But General McRill responded to his advice with a stern look.


    ¡°It is not toote to decide after the reconnaissance unit returns. If the enemy is hiding and waiting for us, what will you do?¡±


    ¡°We have 20,000 troops here. There will be no problem with the resistance of such a fragile fort. I believe it will be settled soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to be optimistic. Certainly, they will be outnumbered. Our morale is impably high. Well, if you think about it simply, it might be easy to settle this.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s give the order right¨D¨D¡±


    General McRill stopped the staff member who was about to say this with one hand and said in a calm voice.


    ¡°But if we can¡¯t bring it down, won¡¯t we be in a very dangerous situation? We have already received reports that the Grantz Empire has finished preparing its forces.¡±


    If they can¡¯t capture Fort Tullus by the time the Grantz Empire rushes in to reinforce, the army¡¯s morale will be visibly lowered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if that¡¯s all, but if we lose the war, we¡¯ll have no excuse.¡±


    ¡°But if we surround our prey and miss them, we¡¯ll be theughing stock of the surrounding nations.¡±


    The staff officer who persisted seemed to be concerned about public opinion, and General McRill sighed deeply as if to deny it.


    ¡°If they want tough, let themugh. There can be no greater shame than to lose.¡±


    The winner of this battle would be determined by whether or not they could capture Fort Tullus.


    If they challenge it and fail, or if they do not challenge it and fail, their reputation will bepletely different. How to finish the battle without leaving any impact on future battles is the most important priority.


    If a fort of 1,000 men could not be defeated by 20,000, the impact would be immeasurable. It would not be a problem if it only lowered the morale of the detachment, but if it affected the main army, it would not be able to withstand the counterattack of the Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Our cause is being lost. While we imed to be liberating Felzen, the reality is that we¡¯re just repeatedly looting the west of Grantz. There is no doubt that we will soon be criticized by neighboring countries.¡±


    For these and other reasons, General McRill expects the fighting to continue to be tough.


    What has been a victory may turn out to be a defeat.


    ¡°Our morale is good because of our many victories, and we have plenty of men left despite our many casualties. We have plundered enough food and supplies. If we ignore the shortage ofmanders, we can say that it is almost ideal. But therein lies the pitfall.¡±


    Pride ¨D the fact that they kept winning against the Grantz Empire has caused them to overestimate their own strength. They think they can beat any opponent thates along. That¡¯s not to say that this is a bad thing. It is just that they are getting carried away with their current situation that is the problem.


    Moreover, they lost many of theirmanders in the battle against the Fourth Prince Hiro. And because of this, there are not enough superiors to chastise the soldiers, and it has been difficult to remove their hubris.


    ¡°Well, the unitmanders of each country are also eager to make a mark in this war. It may be impossible to remain calm in such a situation. They are all scheming how to kick down their allies so that they don¡¯t lose their achievements.¡±


    That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t want to suffer any damage in a small battle. That was General McRill¡¯s true intention.


    ¡°So, do you think we should do things carefully?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it would be unbearable to have to endure the bait being hung in front of us, but we can¡¯t expect any results if we push too hard here. The decision to attack or not will depend on the reconnaissance unit¡¯s report.¡±


    General McRill let out a white breath and looked up at the night sky.


    The sky, which had been clear enough for the stars to shine nearby, was now covered with thick clouds.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll be hiding in the cold until the moon. I wonder which side it is on tonight.¡±


    It¡¯s the perfect time for a night attack. The darkness can deceive the eyes of the opponent. Under normal circumstances, General McRill would have given the order to attack. However, in the corner of his mind, hesitation arose. The enemy has gone even deeper into the darkness and is watching the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling out of sorts¡­¡±


    General McRill muttered bitterly, and a staff member picked up his words with a keen ear.


    ¡°Out of sorts?¡±


    ¡°Umu, maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m getting old, but my intuition seems to be getting dulltely¡­¡±


    General McRill halted his speech as the sound of heavy footsteps cut through the night air.


    He put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist and looked into the darkness ¨D it all happened so fast.


    The staff smiled at his fluid movements.


    ¡°Your instincts have not dulled, have they?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    General McRill shrugged his shoulders, took his hand off the hilt, and crossed his arms.


    He tried to put on a frown as if ashamed that he had overreacted to the noise.


    Eventually, within the range of the bonfire¡¯s light, the visitor¡¯s figure appeared out of the darkness.


    ¡°¡­Reconnaissance failed?¡±


    The reconnaissance unit that had been sent to check on Fort Tullus had returned.


    However, they are less energetic than when they left and are as weak as dust.


    Some were holding back bleeding from their stomachs, some were bleeding from their heads, and some were limping with empty eyes.


    Most of all, they all had arrows lodged deep in their bodies.


    ¡°As I thought, it was an invitation.¡±


    Looking at their wounded figures, General McRill deres.


    ¡°I-I also apologize¡­¡±


    The leader of the reconnaissance unit hung his head at General McRill¡¯s feet.


    ¡°In order to know the movements of the opponent¡­ we poked the nest, and as a result, we have caused unexpected damage.¡±


    This was the result of ignoring General McRill¡¯s orders.


    There was no order to attack Fort Tullus. However, the reconnaissance unit was only there to see how the fort looked and if there was a way in.


    Perhaps the reconnaissance unit wanted to get credit too.


    But he didn¡¯t mean to me them. It would only make them feel miserable if he scolded those pathetic soldiers with several arrows in their backs and blue bruises on their faces.


    ¡°Was it a trap?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It seemed that they were waiting for us to attack, and arge number of arrows were fired from the darkness.¡±


    There is nothing more frightening than the sound of arrows in the dark.


    Even if you raise your shield above your head, the sound of the wind slicing through your eardrums will only add to your fear. This makes it easy to get defensive and fall prey.


    All they had to do was to shoot arrows at random in the direction of the moaning voice. There was nothing left for them to do but drown in the darkness, pawing and scratching their way to their deaths.


    General McRill thanked the wounded soldiers foring back and then sent instructions to his staff.


    ¡°It seems that the enemy is still waiting for us on the breastworks, breathing down our necks. From now on, we will switch to a method that does not allow the enemy to rest.¡±


    Until tomorrow morning, they will be drumming and shouting ceaselessly to keep the enemy on alert, and they will not let them rest even for a moment.


    ¡°Very well, sir. I¡¯ll send instructions to the unit captains.¡±


    The staff officer who had given the salute turned away and ran off.


    Even so, General McRill judged that it would be ineffective. It may work on less-skilled soldiers, but the ones holed up in there won¡¯t care about the sound.


    ¡°I think we should attack in the morning. Either full force or¡­¡±


    General McRill told his staff to assemble in themand center, and after a quick nce at Fort Tullus, he disappeared into the tent.

 Volume 7, Chapter 3 – Beyond Despair, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 3 - Beyond Despair, Part 4</h4>


    The next day - as the sun began to rise. Hiro was looking down at the gate from the breastwork.


    ¡°The sound is shy, but the result is in¡­¡±


    A strong wind swept through his hair.


    The wind bothered him as it tried to freeze his skin; Hiro looked at the scenery in front of him with a nk expression on his face. In front of the gate, the enemy soldiers with arrows stuck in them were lying down. He could count the number with just one hand, and he could also see that many stones had fallen on some parts of the ground.


    When Hiro saw this, he gave a smallugh.


    ¡°It seems to have been effective enough.¡±


    When you can¡¯t see what¡¯s ahead, sound is the best way to judge things in the dark.


    The enemy must have heard the sound of small stones crashing to the ground and mistakenly thought that many arrows were raining down on them.


    That¡¯s what created the strange scene in front of him.


    ¡°Ara, you¡¯re already awake, I see.¡±


    When Hiro turned around in response to the voice, he saw the purple-silver queen, udia, standing there with a refreshing smile.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°I was able to get a good night¡¯s rest thanks to a rather fancy luby.¡±


    ¡°It seems that Hiro-sama¡¯s n was a sess, thank you very much.¡±


    udia walked up to him after expressing her admiration.


    ¡°Did you get a sense of themander¡¯s personality?¡±


    ¡°To a certain extent, yes. At best, he is a goodmander who takes things calmly; at worst, he is a fool who misses an opportunity.¡±


    If he were to evaluate themander as a whole, he would be an ordinarymander ¡ª a tasteless, odorless mediocremander who is neither good nor bad.


    ¡°Now, udia, there are a few holes in this n. The enemymander seems to have overlooked them, but do you understand?¡±


    Hiro looked down again and asked udia a question.


    She did not protest, nor was she dubious, but simply followed his words and put her hands on the breastworks, looking down at the ground.


    She squinted her eyes as if thinking of the situation on the battlefield where a one-sided attack would have taken cest night.


    ¡°First of all, the number of dead bodies is low. That means there are a lot of soldiers who have returned back.¡±


    Judging from the bodies, it seems that they were lightly armed, but their heads were well protected, and none of them died from small stones. There may have been a few whose brains were shaken by the impact, but seeing as there are no bodies without arrows sticking out of them, it seems that none of them were dumb enough to die from a pebble and were able to escape safely.


    ¡°Then there was the fact that they couldn¡¯t make use of the information from the soldiers who had escaped.¡±


    If themander had been able to get details from the soldiers or check the extent of their injuries, the fort would have fallen by now.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the point. There is no way to judge¡­ whether the fort has fallen or not.¡±


    udia muttered quietly, then returned to the subject.


    ¡°Anyway, the enemymander is calm, but he is not a man who gathers information from trivial things, and he seems to have no power to assess the situation.¡±


    ¡°You are correct. I mean, now that morning hase, the enemymander must have realized that he was being schemed against.¡±


    By now, he would have noticed the state of the fort or heard the report from his spy and would have been ovee with anger.


    If his ego is strong enough, he¡¯s sure tounch an attack.


    The preparations for that had already been madest night.


    Hiro looked at the enemy troops with an amused look in his eyes, wondering when they wouldunch their attack.


    ¡°Well, he behaves just as I imagined.¡±


    A drum sounded from the camp of the Six Kingdoms. The army began to move forward, shouting and inspiring their own troops. When the horn was blown, the enemy forces surrounding the four sides began to move in unison. There was also a glimpse of siege weapons nearby.


    ¡°So let¡¯s open the gates ¨D are you ready?¡±


    udia nodded as Hiro told her.


    ¡°Yes, and the morale of the soldiers is high since they have had enough rest.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get started.¡±


    When Hiro raised his hand, the g bearer responded by waving arge g.


    And then the ground beneath Hiro¡¯s feet shook. The traps underneath the gate were opened.


    The unexpected action caused an uproar from the enemy forces.


    However, the advance did not stop. Perhaps they hadn¡¯t been ordered to stop. The front line was clearly baffled, but they still had no choice but to keep walking until they got the order.


    ¡°How do you think the enemy will react?¡±


    ¡°If it turns out to be an empty fortress n, the enemy army will retreat temporarily.¡±


    ¡°And if they don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°If they think they¡¯ve read my n, they¡¯ll order an assault.¡±


    Last night, they fell for the trick. The enemy, eager not to be fooled again, will read too much into it. The fact that they had been fooledst time made it impossible for them to make a favorable decision.


    Moreover, they had to immediately give orders to the front line in order to avoid dampening the momentum of the first group that had started to move. However, there was no way to disrupt the chain ofmand so that it would change two or three times. And if there were no time left to think about it, the thought would run away at an immediate and straightforward order that could be given to the entire army.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but whether they choose to charge or retreat, my victory is unassable.¡±


    As Hiro gave a pitying look, the first group of the enemy made a big move.


    They ran off in a cloud of dust.


    ¡°It seems to have been an assault¡­ Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to leave.¡±


    Without waiting for Hiro¡¯s reply, udia descended the stairs that connect to the courtyard.


    Without even a nce, Hiro held his mask and gave the enemy troops a wry smile.


    ¡°I should have put things in perspective. Being able to give simple orders doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re quick-witted. It¡¯s the result of abandoning your thoughts ¨D it¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re upset.¡±


    Hiro lifted the corner of his mouth as if in mockery and raised his hand toward the g bearer.


    At the same time, the first group of enemies dove through the gate and avnched into the courtyard.


    However, there was no smile on the face of the enemy soldiers who had made it in without any resistance. This was because there were no Levering soldiers in the courtyard.


    ¡°They abandoned the defense?¡±


    ¡°The walls! Go up there; they must be hiding there!¡±


    They were not allowed to stand still as they attacked. Above all, since the back is blocked, they have no choice but to force their way forward.


    Then, many of the enemy soldiers began to slip and fall for no apparent reason.


    ¡°What, mud? Watch your step!¡±


    The horses overturned, neighing in distress, and the people on the horses mmed into the ground.


    There was a shout of agony, and the soldiers of the Six Kingdoms looked panicked and desperately tried to get up.


    This is because the unprotected state is an easy target for the archers hiding behind the breastworks.


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re pathetic. They¡¯re too reckless.¡±


    As soon as he saw that the enemy soldiers could not grasp what had happened, he waved his hand to the g bearer again. Then the archers who had been hiding behind the breastworks appeared and started shooting arrows.


    The arrows were covered with intense mes.


    It cut through the air and pierced the muddy ground where the bewildered enemy soldiers were. The air shrank, and mes erupted.


    ¡°H-hyiii, h-help!?¡±


    A desperate cry roared out ¡ª the enemy soldiers, unable to endure the heat and struggled to escape.


    Forgetting to fight, they threw away their swords and even tried to take off the armor that protected them.


    However, as the horses were engulfed in fire and ran wild, many of them were jumped by the horses¡¯ legs and sometimes crushed by the horses¡¯ hooves.


    Of course, not all the enemy soldiers were engulfed in mes.


    Those who escaped the hellish scene ran up the stairs provided in the walls.


    However, they stopped with a startled look on their faces, their eyes glued to the burning soldiers.


    Then, a rain of arrows quickly shot out.


    ¡°Gaahh!?¡±


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s a trap! The bottom¨D¨D!?¡±


    As they slid down the stairs, the enemy soldiers were shot down.


    ¡°Cavalry, charge!¡±


    udia¡¯s boisterous voice rang out amidst the screams.


    At the same time as the roar of horseshoes shook the courtyard, the cavalry led by udia thrust spears into the backs of enemy soldiers who had given up the fight and fled, killing them like a muddy stream.


    ¡°We will drive them back! Brave men, follow me!¡±


    Raising her sword high into the air, udia mercilessly ughtered the enemies swarming the main gate.


    The first line of the enemy¡¯s line broke down in the face of irregr attacks and traps set fluidly.


    ¡°Now, will they save their outnumbered allies or not?¡±


    A horn was blown from the enemy camp.


    When Hiro looked over at the enemy¡¯s main camp, he saw that the second line was moving to save the first line.


    His eyes were cut off as he slowly made his way down the stairs that connected to the courtyard.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bad move. They should have ordered a retreat, not a rescue.¡±


    When Hiro reached the gate, udia, who had kicked out most of the enemy soldiers around her, came riding up. udia¡¯s shoulders are bouncing with excitement.


    ¡°It seems that the enemy¡¯s second line has begun to move.¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do about the main enemy position behind it?¡±


    udia would like to use this momentum to run through to the enemy¡¯s main camp. It¡¯s not that she can¡¯t do it, but it¡¯s just too risky.


    The enemy¡¯s first line was estimated to be roughly five thousand, but not all of them were burned to death inside the fort. It was probably only about eight hundred that were burned by fire. udia charged in to take advantage of the confusion, but even so, the total damage must have been less than two thousand. The scale of Fort Tullus was too small. If it had beenrger, the damage to the enemy would have been enormous.


    ¡°As it was, it was too weak to be a decisive factor, so we had toe up with a n.¡±


    ¡°What do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s behind the enemy¡¯s main camp?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ where they keep their rations, but it¡¯s heavily guarded.¡±


    udia¡¯s face suggested that this was more reckless than attacking the main camp.


    ¡°We¡¯re not at that stage yet.¡±


    Hiro gave a small smile.


    ¡°Can you arrange a hundred or so archers¡­ on the breastworks?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do with just that?¡±


    ¡°I will go and capture the second line¡¯s captain.¡±


    It could have been the first line captain, but he was lucky to have escaped and would have been moved to the rear by now. It¡¯s not easy to catch the prey after it has been trapped. There was no point in wasting time on such an annoyance, and he had no choice but to target the second line captain, who was driven by momentum.


    ¡°You seem to be serious¡­¡±


    udia looked at Hiro with a dumbfounded expression before calling one of her aides over.


    ¡°I¡¯m off then.¡±


    Hiro raised his hand lightly as if he was going for a walk and walked out proudly.


    He walked out of the fort through a gap in the heavily armed infantry that blocked the entrance.


    The second line of deadly enemies was charging at them, their eyes changing color as they tried to take their achievements.


    Hiro¡¯s eyes caught the scene.


    ¡°Archers, fire!¡±


    His voice was muffled by the mor, so quiet that it sounded like he was really muttering.


    Still, Hiro¡¯s voice resonated well. It shook the eardrums from the storm of sword fights.


    Faithfully, without the slightest dy, the archers around him shot their arrows into the sky.


    First, a warning shot ¨D the archers standing side by side on the breastworks also attacked.


    The enemy cavalry¡¯s speed slowed down, and their momentum was reduced, causing a disruption in the formation.


    Hiro took another step forward.


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s a prominent captain¡¯s head here. There¡¯s no time to stand still.¡±


    Hiro tapped his own neck to provoke his opponent.


    With the appearance of a strange man wearing a mask, the enemy soldiers fighting on the front line were momentarily taken aback.


    However, those who were quick to notice the noble-looking form of the man changed the color of their eyes tantly.


    ¡°The enemy general ising out! Take him down! Don¡¯t bother with the small fry. Set your sights on him alone!¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 3 – Beyond Despair, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 3 - Beyond Despair, Part 5</h4>


    The enemy soldiers, with shields raised to block the arrows, drew their swords and rushed at Hiro.


    In order to protect Hiro, the heavily armed infantry of his allies stepped forward, and a sword fight ensued.


    The sound of metal rumbled violently, and sparks scattered in countless numbers.


    Armor cracked, and fresh blood sprayed, and brain fluids sprayed up into the sky with a spectacr disy. The yells were swallowed up by the screams, and the screams were crushed by the murderous intent.


    The enemy cavalry, not wanting to be deprived of their achievements, began to charge before they could get into position. It was a mistake, a mishmash, and the enemy¡¯s rankspletely copsed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find the captain.¡±


    Hiro smiled coldly and drew his ck sword.


    ¡°Do not try to block my path.¡±


    He cut down one of them with a single sh and moved forward. As if weaving through the enemy¡¯s disordered ranks, he moved forward with light footsteps.


    In the meantime, arge number of soldiers rushed under Hiro.


    But ¨D it was all futile.


    The spears that were thrust out were dodged, the battle axes that were swung down shattered the ground, and the swords that were mmed down only cut through the air. All that was left was a pile of corpses that had been cruelly killed.


    The enemy soldiers were dismayed by his unconventional swordsmanship.


    Hiro, standing on top of the puddle of blood, is not trying to do anything. He was just walking forward.


    ¡°Fear is hesitation, rage is stagnation, grief is suspension, tion is a burden.¡±


    He told the approaching enemy, pierced their throats, and with the momentum of his turn, cut off their heads. The hem of his white robe, which had not received a single drop of blood, fluttered into the sky along with the fresh blood.


    As if to intimidate them and urge them to give up, an overwhelming fierce technique unfolded.


    ¡°It is better to have only one emotion on the battlefield, whether it is fear, dread, anger, or sadness.¡±


    ¡°Goaa!¡±


    As he stepped on a fallen enemy soldier, he shattered the helmet with the hilt of his ck sword and told the others.


    ¡°There is no need to hesitate. The battlefield is not a ce to rx, always keep your nerves sharp and ughter the enemy.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s ruthless advice, and his clear intention to kill now, was unleashed on the enemy soldiers.


    ¡°Now ¨D eat the despair.¡±


    The stabbing thrusts, the storm of fresh blood that dances in circles, the shing that knows no bounds, the mass production of corpses, and the galloping across the battlefield in pursuit of new prey. No one has the courage to stop the brutal scene that is being shown to them.


    The feeling of pressure was something that no ordinary person could resist or endure.


    Eventually, the momentum of the enemy soldiers began to weaken. It was inevitable since they were not allowed to run away or move forward. It was the captain¡¯s duty to break the stalemate.


    ¡°What are you doing? Attack, attack, attack, the enemy has left the gates open! They¡¯re making you look like a fool, so what are you doing here?¡±


    It was a bit awkward for a pep talk, and the voice was not tense nor of a quality that would raise morale.


    The person shouting on the horse is dressed in shy armor and has a jeweled sword raised to the sky. Looking at the well-groomed coat of his horse, it was not hard to imagine that he was the captain of the second line.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    Hiro let out a cruel smile and swayed his body.


    The enemy soldiers on the front line were already possessed by fear. They only pointed their trembling sword tips at Hiro.


    Hiro started to run across the battlefield with vigor. He ran at full speed, caressing and shing the heads of the enemies who foolishly turned on him.


    There was only one target: the enemy captain who was shouting in front of him.


    When the enemy captain recognized the protruding figure of Hiro, his mouth tore into a smile of joy.


    ¡°My name is¡­¡±


    The enemy captain was about to say his name, but


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to tell me. Your fate is already in my hands.¡±


    The surrounding guards attacked to protect their lord.


    Kicking at the ground, Hiro leaped. As he drew an arc in the sky, he cut off two heads of enemy soldiers, and as his feet touched the ground, he picked up a discarded sword and threw it, slicing off the arm of one of the enemy soldiers who was shaking in surprise, and cutting off the head of the one who was trying to counterattack under a single sh.


    In the blink of an eye, Hiro beat his fist into the face of the captain who had lost his escort and was panicking on his horse.


    ¡°Fuh.¡±


    The enemy captain, whose consciousness was cut off, could not maintain his bnce and fell to the ground.


    Hiro grabbed him by his neck and let out a sigh of relief as he threatened the soldiers of the Six Kingdoms who crowded around him.


    ¡°Do you want to do it?¡±


    There were so many gaps, so much weakness that if they fired their arrows, thrust their spears, or swung their swords, Hiro¡¯s slender body would be torn to pieces. And yet, the enemy soldiers could not move.


    It¡¯s because the spirit that radiated from his slender body surged through the air, and the golden eyes that shone from the depths of his mask exuded an inexplicable sense of intimidation.


    ¡°Your captain, I¡¯m taking him as a prisoner, now what are you going to do?¡±


    There was no one who could say yes or no when asked that question. When someone insults you, your pride as a warrior will not allow you to run away.


    No matter how powerful the enemy is, the enemy soldiers have the will to fight in their eyes.


    ¡°Return Weike-sama!¡±


    The enemy soldiers rushed forward, blowing away their fears with their shouts.


    Taking the captain called Weike as a hostage, Hiro had the option of returning to the fort, but he wanted to bury the spirit of the enemy soldiers. They deserved praise for not abandoning their captain and running away, even if it meant death.


    ¡°Let me show you what despair is.¡±


    With a stroke of the mask, a gust of wind blew, the white robe danced gently, and the figures on the ground began to dance freely. The sticking sound struck the earlobe, and the scream wasunched into the sky. The screams, driven to the brink of death, are mercilessly extinguished with the light of life in front of a single man.


    There is no way to block his march.


    The very act of blocking his way was reckless, and he was reamed out with overwhelming force, like a divine judgment.


    The only thing that matters is that he walks, and that is all that is needed to create a path.


    By the time Hiro reached the fort entrance, the captain in his hands was stained red with blood. Yet Hiro¡¯s white coat was not even dusty, and his eerie mask showed no signs of having been exposed to any blood.


    The soldiers of the Levering Kingdom who greeted him were in awe.


    The expression on the faces of the soldiers of the Six Kingdoms who were rushing to Hiro¡¯s back was also dominated by fear, and with tearful faces, they were closing in to get their captain back.


    But mercilessly, their pleas went unheeded.


    They were killed one after another by arrows fired from the breastworks.


    Hiro told the Levering soldiers to fall back and pointed the tip of his ck sword at the g bearer.


    With a screeching sound, the gates closed with furious force.


    A fierce whirlwind blew through the courtyard.


    In front of the closed gates, the stunned figures of the enemy soldiers paled as if they had checked behind them and realized that the gates were closed.


    ¡°I want you to capture them. If they resist, I don¡¯t mind if you kill them.¡±


    Hiro instructed, and the Levering soldiers started capturing the trapped enemy soldiers.


    There was no resistance.


    When Hiro looked behind him over his shoulder, he saw an enemy soldier who had given up his weapon, kneeling on the ground.


    After handing over the captured enemy captain to his allies, Hiro approached udia, who was sipping tea in the shade of a tree.


    ¡°How can you be drinking tea under such circumstances?¡±


    ¡°Would you like a cup of tea, Hiro-sama?¡±


    In the midst of a courtyard littered with the bodies of the dead, some burned to death, others with arrows through their heads, and others with five or six organs scattered about, the corpses of friend and foe filled the ground, and a sliver of pleasure passed over her elegantly smiling face.


    She is either a thick-skinned woman, or she is suppressing her emotions; if it is thetter, she may be cute, but if it is the former, shecks human emotions.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m thirsty from all the running, so I think I will have a drink.¡±


    When Hiro sat down nearby, she quietly began to prepare a cup of tea.


    ¡°What do you n to do now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m thinking about it¡­¡±


    From now on, the enemy¡¯s attacks will be less borate. The people¡¯s morale is very low because of the trap, and themander will make them retreat once to encourage them.


    ¡°I see¡­ Let¡¯s hope for the best.¡±


    udia pours tea into a silver cup, perhaps to prove that it is not poisoned.


    Then, a messenger appeared at her side.


    ¡°The Six Kingdoms have begun withdrawing their troops.¡±


    ¡°I see, there is still time, but it seems they have given up for today.¡±


    The sun was still pointing towards mid-heaven when the time came.


    The shouts of victory from the Levering soldiers began to rise in various parts of Fort Tullus. It was only natural since they had defeated 20,000 attackers with only 1,000.


    However, if looking at the battle situation calmly, they were still surrounded on all sides, and not a single rat could escape.


    The gap in strength hadn¡¯t narrowed either. The enemy still had more than 15,000 troops.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say that we are back to where we started, but I have some unfortunate news to share with you.¡±


    After offering Hiro a cup of tea, udia sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that we¡¯re back to the beginning. Shall I call in the troops we have waiting in the rear?¡±


    The first battle was won, but with little food reserves, a long siege was impossible.


    There is a limit to how long they can continue to fight on morale alone.


    There are only 1,000 of them, and depending on how many were injured in the first battle, their strength will drop drastically.


    It doesn¡¯t take much thought to realize that they won¡¯t be able to withstand the battles of tomorrow and the next day.


    ¡°We have no rations. No food, no soldiers. All we have are our feelings¡­?¡±


    As he quietly sipped his tea, the steam flickering in the air, Hiro¡¯s left eye bled a light of sorrow.


    ¡°There is no other option; let¡¯s end the war today.¡±


    After being beaten at will by a mere 1,000 men, the enemy had to back down even further.


    The morale of the Six Kingdoms would be at a low ebb. Inevitably, they will turn to theirmanders to vent their frustrations.


    If dissatisfaction is concentrated on themanders who were led astray by the enemy¡¯s schemes, their superiors are likely to vent their anger on the soldiers. They will call him soft and weak for not being able to take down the vulnerable fort despite the overwhelming difference in troop strength. The end result of this exchange of vituperation would be a rupture and discord.


    If that happens, no matter how many people they have, they will be a bunch of crows. But for now, the situation is still barely connected, and that one thin rope must be broken.


    In order to do that, it will be necessary to discourage the mind.


    ¡°I will wait for the night and release the soldiers we have just captured.¡±


    Hiro gazed at the courtyard, which was dominated by the stench of death, mixed with the smell of blood.


    Eventually, his golden eyes caught sight of the soldiers of the Six Kingdoms sitting by the wall.


    ¡°I think we should blindfold the prisoners over there until we release them and dispose of about twenty of them.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s lips moistened like a snake lurking in the dark, and he spoke of fierce punishment fiercely and boldly.


    udia was not perplexed to see Hiro in such a state but turned her eerie gaze on him. Eventually, she closed her eyes and showed signs of thinking, but an unconcealed joy appeared on the edge of her mouth.


    ¡°I will do everything as you wish.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 3 – Beyond Despair, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 3 - Beyond Despair, Part 6</h4>


    ¡°That¡¯s just in unbing.¡±


    The desk shook.


    An old general mmed his fist with a loud bang, causing a mixture of deadly energy and violent noise.


    No one said a word.They could only silently wait for the anger to pass.


    ¡°There were 1,000 cavalry, 2,000 light infantry, and more than 4,000, if you included the seriously wounded. This is a lot of damage against just one thousand. Despite having 20,000 troops¡­ this is the result.¡±


    General McRill was devastated to have been caught in the enemy¡¯s traps one after the other.


    ¡°They seem to have a lot of wisdom. Let¡¯s deal with them calmly tomorrow and capture Fort Tullus. The soldiers who had been buoyed by this battle may have pulled themselves together.¡±


    Perhaps trying to soothe General McRill¡¯s anger, the staff members were desperately trying toe up with excuses with frustrated faces. But none of them would meet General McRill¡¯s eyes, and their mouths slid together as if they were greased.


    ¡°I found in a past report that Fort Tullus was once upied by our forces. It seems that it was abandoned just before the decisive battle with Fourth Prince Hiro, and they didn¡¯t have time to destroy the fort, but it says that they seized all the rations and other supplies from the warehouse. So, in light of this, the opponent is not able to withstand a prolonged battle, and if we attack steadily, victory is certain.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that you can make up for this blunder by bringing down that fragile fort?¡±


    This time, instead of pulling themselves together, most of the soldiers were demoralized and useless. Even if the battle goes on for a long time, if the reinforcements of the Grantz Empire rush in, it is their side that will be outnumbered.


    ¡°Once again, I ask you¡­ will your honor be restored if you really drop that fragile fort?¡±


    No one answered because it couldn¡¯t be regained.


    Rebuke is inevitable ¨D no, it was a vile blunder that could have brought their heads down.


    ¡°So, first of all, we need to settle the matter. I have to take responsibility for this battle.¡±


    Victory is a prerequisite, and defeat is worthy of death.


    General McRill had three options in front of him: tounch a night attack, to fight carefully in tomorrow¡¯s battle, or to join the main army and wait for decapitation.


    There was no more room for a blunder.


    With the forces of the Grantz Empire closing in, if the fortress could not be taken down even in tomorrow¡¯s battle, the time frame would be tight.


    Even if they were tounch a night raid, if they failed, their honor would never be restored, and even their superior, Luca, would be held responsible. Although the general was willing to lose his life, he didn¡¯t want Luca to be punished. So, if they retreat without gaining anything, they should at least guarantee her safety.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear your opinion. What do you all think?¡±


    As the heavy air filled the tent, the entrance was suddenly opened. It was the soldiers on guard who entered, and the gloomy gazes of the staff members shed in unison.


    ¡°General McRill, may I speak¡­¡±


    The soldier on guard came to General McRill with a nervous look on his face.


    ¡°The soldiers who had been taken prisoner have been released and have returned.¡±


    General McRill frowned as a new challenge was thrown at him. What kind of n is it to take the trouble to capture them and then immediately release them¡­?


    It was a strange feeling, but at first, General McRill rose from his seat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Where are they?¡±


    It was tempting to dispose of the weaklings who had made the mistake of being captured without even seeing them, but it was difficult to do so when the soldiers were so frustrated. If themander were to show generosity, there was a chance that unity would improve. If he tried to reprimand them, morale would drop, and General McRill would quickly lose his grip on power.


    ¡°They are in front of themand center, sir.¡±


    As General McRill began to walk, his staff followed behind him.


    Outside, a chill clung to his body. General McRill exhaled a white breath as he approached the group hanging their heads.


    ¡°You¡¯vee back well. I am d to see you are safe.¡±


    After a few words of encouragement, General McRill asked a question.


    ¡°Now, can you exin to me what the situation is and why you were released?¡±


    General McRill¡¯s gaze fell on the figure of the group leader.


    It was Weike, the captain of the second line.


    His face was bandaged, probably from the treatment he had received, and his arm was hanging, possibly broken. Behind him, General McRill noticed that the same captives were bowing their heads in pain. Not a single one of them seemed to be unharmed.


    In the midst of this, Weike, his blood-soaked bandages wrinkled, opened his mouth bitterly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We were released blindfolded without being questioned. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, and we have no reason to believe that we can satisfy General McRill.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡­¡±


    Unable to hide his disappointment, General McRill unconsciously let out a deep sigh.


    Weike noticed this and pressed his forehead against the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of more help. Please, please spare my life!¡±


    There was no ange,r thanks to the prevailing dismay, but Weike began a desperate plea as if he thought he would be beheaded.


    ¡°I think it would be best to be generous and forgive him for his unwanted advice. There are soldiers who are watching the situation, and I would appreciate it if you could calm your anger.¡±


    An official leaned in close and whispered in the general¡¯s ear.


    Originally, he had no intention of punishing them. But when he looked around again, he saw that arge number of soldiers had indeed gathered. If he didn¡¯t show tolerance here, he might end up sowing suspicion in the minds of the soldiers.


    ¡°Get them some food. The rest of you can concentrate on healing your injuries. It will help you in the future.¡±


    He threw a warm look at Weike, who gave him a surprised look.


    ¡°There will be no punishment?¡±


    ¡°No need; it¡¯s my fault that you¡¯re in such a state.¡±


    General McRill kneeled down on the ground and looked at Weike.


    ¡°Thank you! I will repay this debt on the battlefield!¡±


    Shaking with emotion, Weike bowed his head and began to mutter words of loyalty. General McRill had a smile on his face. If word gets out, it will restore some of the lost wills to fight.


    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s get your wounds treated first.¡±


    General McRill pulled Weike¡¯s hand and tried to get him to stand.


    But¡­


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    General McRill shouted dumbly.


    What came into his eyes was¡­


    ¡°Goaah ¨D Buhh!¡±


    Weike was spitting out arge amount of blood from his mouth.


    On his back was a ck sword that pierced him deeply and was darker than the darkness.


    ¡°I will slow down your thinking by using trickery, and in the end, I will attack and destroy you in one fell swoop.¡±


    As Weike sank into a pool of blood, a masked man untied his bandages and spoke. A brilliant golden light overflowed from his right eye, shining brilliantly even in the dark night.


    A chill ran down the General¡¯s spine. His whole body stiffened, alerting him that this man was dangerous. The masked man took off his bloodstained cloak, exposing his white military uniform to the outside world.


    ¡°The essence of tactics, the ironw of victory, is the Art of War.¡±


    The ck sword pulled out from Weike¡¯s back sprinkled the ground with fresh blood. A bonfire, flickering lights in the wind, and an eerie shadow dancing on the mask.


    The figure, even wearing a white coat, repeatedly hiding, gives off a vague hint of being lost in the darkness. General McRill shuddered at the indistinct presence as if it had been there all along as if it had suddenly appeared, or even as if it had never existed.


    ¡°I need your head.¡±


    Slowly, the man raised his right hand to his face.


    ¡°So disperse spectacrly.¡±


    Holding up his index finger, he pronounced death upon General McRill.


    ¡°Draw your swords.¡±


    The soldiers who had been lying t behind the man stood up and drew their swords.


    ¡°Devour the enemy in front of you, and dedicate your souls to the heavens.¡±


    While the soldiers were dumbfounded, they were shed by the surrounding soldiers that looked like them.


    The sound of tearing flesh echoed in the dark night. They were not given time to scream, and without understanding what had happened, their throats were pierced, ripped, gouged, crushed, and made to die.


    However, seeing their allies fall down, those who had regained their senses began to show desperate resistance.


    The mor was supposed to be the sound of an enemy attack.


    A momentter ¨D an explosion that echoed deep into the pit of their stomachs roared.


    Feeling an intense light shining on his back, General McRill turned around and looked at it.


    ¡°Wha¡­?¡±


    A pir of fire was shooting up into the sky with great force.


    If he remembered correctly, that was where the rations were stored.


    The fierce ze was proof that the devil had descended at the moment when the rations turned to charcoal.


    He forgot to breathe, and he was out of breath.


    ¡°Wh¡­ what happened¡­?¡±


    The question popped out of his mouth as he stopped thinking about the situation he couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°The first strategy is to humiliate, the second strategy is to inflict blows, and the third strategy is to discourage.¡±


    He heard the sound of gravel being trampled. Amidst the mor of the armored soldiers, he shuddered at the sound of a powerful presence quietly approaching him.


    ¡°You were never good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­ hah, hah¡­ haaah, ha.¡±


    His breathing was unsteady. The pressure felt as if his heart was being clenched.


    The masked man standing in front of him shows no signs of emotion, and his pure white robe, agitated by the wind, glitters dazzlingly.


    ¡°The battle is over. It will beplete with your death.¡±


    The condescending attitude strangely did not make him angry. His petty hopes of not losing were shattered in an instant.


    Even so, General McRill could not break the core that was boiling in his heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    He has an existence to protect. This alone was enough to inspire him, and he drew his sword from its sheath.


    As the de glowed dimly in the bonfire, a muffledugh echoed from the masked man.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ept your spirit.¡±


    He was defenseless, and no matter where he shed from, he would be hit. The opponent was so huge.


    ¡°I shall give victory to Luca-sama!¡±


    General McRill swung his sword with all his might, with a broken spirit.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±


    A single muttered word did not even reach General McRill¡¯s eardrums. His head was already rolling on the ground. He didn¡¯t even notice that he was dead. He was staring at the sky with a determined look on his face.


    ¡°Let me apologize¡­ you were not an ordinary general. You were a brave general.¡±


    ¡°General McRill! You¡¯re not going to get out of here alive¨D¨D!?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy.¡±


    A violent swing ¨D an impact that gouges the ground ¨D gushed out in a straight line.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing you can do about it.¡±


    The masked man kicked the ground and shed at the surviving officials.


    ¡°Hyii!?¡±


    ¡°F-fight until the end, we¡¯ll avenge General McRill!¡±


    Such counterattacks are nothing more than child¡¯s y.


    The masked man casually shes down the officials and robs them of their hope.


    In the surrounding area, the fire from the overturned bonfires had spread to the tents.


    The sparks were carried by the wind and spread around, causing the damage to spread even further.


    A clear voice reverberated in the world that had begun to show signs of chaos.


    ¡°There¡¯s a traitor!¡±


    ¡°Beware of those who have turned to the Levering!¡±


    The food supply has been burned, the Grantz reinforcements have arrived, and if they don¡¯t want to die, they should run.


    Information is mixed up. It shook the night air, which was tinged with grief and added confusion.


    Most of the captains had gathered in themand center. Having been attacked there by the masked man, they were naturally not in a position to fly orders.


    There was a breakdown in the chain ofmand. There is nothing more pathetic than an army that has lost a superior to ask for instructions and a captain to rely on. All that is left to do is to throw an enemy disguised as apatriot under the feet of a person who has fallen into a state of suspicion and anxiety, and with that act alone, the outrage of killing yesterday¡¯s friend can be aplished.


    There is nothing more troublesome in warfare than syncretism. Preparing for night raids had also turned out to be a bad idea, and there are many shootouts in various ces by soldiers who cannot understand the situation.


    In the chaos of the battlefield, the masked man stood quietly.


    ¡°The human mind is weak¡­ and is quickly overwhelmed by fear.¡±


    As he drew his ck sword, which was impaled on a corpse, a group of horsemen approached below him.


    ¡°This is enough for you, isn¡¯t it? Any more than this and the damage to us will be ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Then let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s retire to the fort and look forward to tomorrow morning.¡±


    The masked man took the outstretched hand and jumped to the horse the woman was riding.


    The masked men proudly pulled away from the main camp of the Six Kingdoms Urpeth detachment, which was screaming in grief.


    What was left behind was a horrible scene of wailing and shouting.


    One by one, the tents were aze, soldiers were on fire, and frightened horses were galloping around the camp.


    The main camp of the Six Kingdoms Urpeth detachment burned to the ground, with screams cutting through the night.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The sky was clear, the floating white clouds swam gracefully, and the birds glided in the background.


    Birds soared above the ground, wading through the ck smoke that steamed the sky, wandering in search of the smell of burning flesh.


    Swords on the ground, charred corpses still smoking, the heat of the battlefield still dominates the area. The devastation was so graphic that it made you want to cover your eyes.


    Even from a distance, one could smell the stench of death.


    Looking away from the burned-out tent, Hiro nced sideways at the person standing next to him.


    udia¡¯s face was devoid of any emotion as she gazed at the battlefield with her hands on the breastworks.


    ¡°I guess tomorrow is our day, huh?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But if you feel sorry for them, it was us who would have ended up like that.¡±


    Hiro once again looked at the main camp of the Six Kingdoms Urpeth detachment, which had been left in ruins.


    There is no sign of the living.


    All that was left were monsters devouring the corpses, wild dogs fighting over the guts, and birds trying to get a piece of the action.


    Last night¡¯s surprise attack had left many of the enemy¡¯s soldiers to die; their lives sucked out by the ground.


    Still, a little over 10,000 soldiers should have survived, but they chose to flee in disgrace, and none of them remained.


    ¡°Well done. My soldiers would have to approve of you, Hiro-sama.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I wanted to be on good terms with you for the future.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡±


    udia asked him.


    ¡°There are other armies of the Six Kingdoms that are on the rampage in various ces. I¡¯d like to take out as many of them as possible before joining up with the Grantz Army¡­¡±


    ¡°There are only about six hundred troops left in the fort. Including the 2,000 that are waiting in the rear, there are only a total of 2,600. As you can see, I¡¯d rather not take any more damage than that.¡±


    Hiro smiles at udia, who offers an honest opinion.


    ¡°I understand. Now let¡¯s just deal with the Six Kingdoms and wait for the Grantz Army.¡±


    ¡°ording to the letter I just received, the Grantz Army is expected to arrive in a few days.¡±


    udia shows him the letter. The sixth princess¡¯s seal was stamped on the envelope.


    ¡°Atst, Liz ising to this ce¡­¡±


    Hiro touched the mask with his right hand, seemingly to adjust its position.


    ¡°¡­I have decided to change my name.¡±


    He¡¯ll be foolishly honest about his name and not reveal his true identity. Until this n is fulfilled, he will have no choice but to be a false ¡°king.¡±


    The time hase to abandon the new name and reim the old one.


    ¡°From now on, you may call me Surt.¡±


    udia surrendered her body to the tremors of the warrior and gave him a look that was a mixture of admiration and envy.


    She could not contain her excitement, and her smile widened with delight.


    ¡°As you say, our king. Our beloved lord.¡±


    udia bowed deeply and took her vassal¡¯s bow with a bewitching light in her eyes.


    ¡°Everything is as you wish it to be.¡±


    There was once a jet-ck king, a king of the past and present.


    He shone more sublime than the sun, just like the gods.


    His figure, shining with morepassion than the full moon, is just like a glittering demon.


    The midnight sun that has devoured the darkness of three thousand worlds.


    His name is ¨D¨D ¡°The ck Dragon King.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 1</h4>


    March 17th, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    As if guided by the sun¡¯s rays, the troops were leaving Beirut territory. The heraldic banner raised was the serpent ¨D the g of Anguis.


    A total of 30,000 troops were advancing on the roads that connect to Felzen.


    In the middle of the road is a carriage carrying themander.


    Inside the carriage, Lucia was looking out the window with a disgruntled look on her face. There¡¯s also a man who looks frivolous, sitting in front of her. He is Seleucus, who is Lucia¡¯s second-inmand.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t seem to be feeling well.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t think there were so many foolish people here.¡±


    Staying in the west any longer won¡¯t help the war effort. And yet, many of them came to support Luca. It¡¯s just that human greed has taken a turn for the worse.


    The fact that they had defeated the descendant of the ¡°God of War¡± had made many of them blinded by their obsession with that one point, unable to assess their own strength.


    ¡°Well, if you only look at the result, it may be inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s just unfortunate for the soldiers to have such people as their superiors.¡±


    When themanders of the various countries heard that the Grantz Empire had gathered 130,000, they advised that they could win.


    They overestimated themselves without paying attention to the fact that an army of 200,000 had been reduced to 160,000 against 40,000.


    This was a statement based on an understanding of the current situation, and Lucia couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut.


    ¡°So the name of ¡®God of War¡¯ is better than 100,000?¡±


    Lucia said sarcastically in disgust.


    ¡°With a thousand, he has no enemy on the ground; with ten thousand, he has no enemy in heaven. So, the military strategy of the ¡°God of War¡± rules over three thousand worlds. I think it¡¯s natural to get carried away.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you remembered well, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    They were so proud that they thought that 130,000 was no match for them because they had defeated a descendant of a man who had created many legends. It was so foolish, and knowing the fact that that descendant was actually able to escape, they looked like a bunch of clowns dancing around.


    ¡°If Luca was at least sane, we could have retreated without any problems.¡±


    It was expected that she would break down when Eagle died, but she broke down in a much worse way than expected. It was unexpected that the n to turn Luca into a puppet to fill the void left by the loss of Eagle went awry.


    ¡°Everything can go wrong.¡±


    ¡°We had no choice. We attacked the Grantz Empire, you know.¡±


    The country that had dominated the central continent for many years. It¡¯s not unreasonable to be misled by a series of victories against such arge country.


    ¡°And since most of the people with the right to inherit the throne are no longer with them, it¡¯s easy to see how the Grantz Empire is weakening.¡±


    ¡°If we remove the title of the imperial family, they have only lost four humans. It¡¯s not as if we¡¯ve gained much of an advantage in the big picture.¡±


    Even though the Central and Western regions had copsed, the rest of the country was still alive and well, and the number of 130,000 was immediately gathered. It is obvious that the war will be prolonged from now on.


    If they remained robust even after attacking with all their might, they should have watched them rot away.


    Right now, the Six Kingdoms¡¯ sides are united because they have amon enemy, but what lurks in the pit of their stomachs is how to kick down the others. If they hadn¡¯t forced themselves to attack, the Grantz Empire would have fallen apart on its own over time.


    ¡°It is certain that we have misjudged the point at which this war will end.¡±


    If they go any further, there will be no turning back. The first priority should have been to consolidate the ground by retreating to Felzen. If the Grantz Empire were in the midst of a power struggle, there would have been many more insiders on hand. Human greed is unfathomable, and there will always be an opening. This was the time to wait for it.


    It was the only way to be sure of victory.


    ¡°There is always an order to everything. There are many paths that lead to the right answer.¡±


    If it is difficult to aplish something even with careful preparation, just think of another way.


    If you give up thinking, your country will not prosper. It will only perish.


    ¡°If I were to let my soldiers die in vain here, it would all be for naught.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you give Luca-sama the Ghost Corps? There was no need for you to give them away as well, was there?¡±


    Lucia responded to Seleucus¡¯ question with a snort.


    ¡°They are too much for me to handle. I knew I had to get rid of them somewhere.¡±


    But when it came to dealing with other countries, the insanity of those people, who bite anyone and everyone, could not be overlooked.


    ¡°I thought it would be more convenient to give them to Luca so they could be killed.¡±


    ¡°I believe it was the wrong time to discard them, but I think there will be times in the future when they will be needed in battle.¡±


    ¡°As long as they continue to harbor their madness. But if it¡¯s removed, they¡¯ll be useless.¡±


    ¡°¡­Removed, you mean?¡±


    Seleucus tilted his head in wonder as if he could not grasp the meaning of the words.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s too much trouble to exin.¡±


    Lucia shunned her second-inmand and nced at the window again.


    ¡°My battle has already turned to the next. There is nothing left to gain in Grantz.¡±


    ¡°The next battle is in the Felzen region¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have the honor of defeating the descendant of the God of War. While the rest of the world¡¯s attention is focused on the Grantz, I will intervene in Felzen as quickly as possible and outmaneuver them.¡±


    ¡°I hope that person doesn¡¯t get in the way¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the Nameless. It seems that she is busy training her dog. There is nothing she can do until the adjustment isplete.¡±


    Lucia tapped her iron fan against her forehead with a triumphant look on her face.


    ¡°Mmm¡­?¡±


    The carriage came to an abrupt halt just as amotion was heard from outside.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    It was not a fight between soldiers. There was a more tense voiceing from outside. However, there was no clear answer from the jumble of voices.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out.¡±


    Lucia stopped Seleucus from leaving his seat with her hand and listened carefully.


    ¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Enemy attack from the right!¡±


    ¡°Hou¡­¡±


    But Lucia didn¡¯t panic; she narrowed her eyes with interest.


    The first thing that came to her mind was where the attack wasing from. Then, thinking about the possibility of bandits or monsters attacking, she shook her head as if to deny it.


    ¡°Lucia-sama, let¡¯s go outside first¡­¡±


    Seleucus was knocked unconscious, leaning against the wall in a sitting position. Lucia did not react and quietly shifted her gaze to the side.


    ¡°Oh my, oh my, you¡¯re not even panicked, are you?¡±


    A voice sounded out of ce and cheerful in the tense air.


    Next to the unconscious Seleucus ¨D a hooded figure was sitting.


    ¡°¡­Nameless, huh? It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    And when Lucia muttered, her mouth, hidden by the hood, lifted up in an uncanny grin.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lucia-san. How are you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of you riding in someone¡¯s carriage without permission. How long have you been riding?¡±


    ¡°Since the beginning, I guess?¡±


    When Lucia tried to sit up, a cane appeared out of nowhere and was thrust at her.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t move. I don¡¯t like it because it¡¯s a little bit ipatible with your mand.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this all about? Are you trying to set up a fight with Anguis?¡±


    She sat back in her seat, pointing her iron fan at the cane that hade so close to touching her chin.


    ¡°Good gracious, I have a deal for you. I¡¯vee to ask for the body of the Fourth Prince Hiro.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Deal?¡±


    ¡°You know it. It¡¯s the ck Death Vige. They said they really wanted the body of the Fourth Prince Hiro. It¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t know each other, and they offered me so much that I couldn¡¯t say no¡­ I was in real trouble.¡±


    ¡°If the Unified King finds out that you¡¯re still connected to those people, you might¨D¨D¡±


    Lucia closed her mouth as the Nameless thrust a hand at her.


    ¡°So let¡¯s make a deal.¡±


    The Nameless held up an index finger and waved it to the side.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut about letting the Fourth Prince Hiro escape.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Hou.¡±


    A killing intentes from Lucia¡¯s sharp eyes. The hand that gripped the iron fan was trembling from anger. Seeing this, Nameless bounces her shoulders as she clears her throat in amusement.


    ¡°Are you wondering how I know all this?¡±


    Lucia didn¡¯t answer. The Nameless was even more delighted to see her.


    ¡°I am not ying a trick on you. In fact, I¡¯ve been watching it since the beginning, so I know about it. Well, before that, the difference in ability between you and him was obvious, so even if I hadn¡¯t seen it, I would have suspected it from the start.¡±


    Sensing the mocking air, Lucia¡¯s body swelled with a clear intent to kill.


    A touch of excitement ¨D the temperature in the carriage began to drop rapidly.


    ¡°So you want me to let you take the body of the Fourth Prince Hiro?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s not so bad. It would be better to have the fake corpse taken away so that the lies can¡¯t be exposed. Besides, you have the real arm, and you can present it to the King as evidence.¡±


    ¡°If you know the truth, why are you taking such a hard line?¡±


    ¡°Once this deal is over, the people of the ck Death Vige have no use for me. Therefore, after I give them the fake corpse, they will give me what I want, and our cooperation will be terminated. There¡¯s no need to tell them the truth.¡±


    ¡°There is no way the ck Death Vige will let a deal go bad¡­ Are you nning to die?¡±


    ¡°Haha, no way, unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any suicidal tendencies. And even if they send an assassin, I have a watchdog, so it¡¯s no problem.¡±


    The light-hearted tone of voice was annoying as if it was hitting a nerve.


    Lucia wanted to snap Nameless¡¯s neck right now, but in a small space with a de against each other¡¯s heart, Lucia would not be safe either. Although she felt frustrated, Lucia gritted her teeth and tried her best to quiet her uncontroble feelings.


    ¡°What do you want ¨D a weakness to keep me away from the unified king¡¯s throne?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m simply doing as our King wills. Rest assured, I am not interested in a little throne called the unified king.¡±


    Just as before, the Nameless suddenly disappeared, blending into the air.


    Lucia was not surprised. In fact, anger was more prevalent.


    ¡°¡­Fuh, Kuku, kukakaka, you think the unified king¡¯s throne is small?¡±


    She wanted that little seat and cut off several things. She even used others to go this far. It is not pleasant to be told that there is no interest in it.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t try¡­ I¡¯m going to kick you to the bottom.¡±


    As she made a new determination, Lucia felt the presence of people outside and became alert.


    ¡°Her Majesty Queen Lucia! The cart that was carrying the body of the Fourth Prince Hiro has been attacked!¡±


    It seemed to be an ally, not an enemy, and Lucia immediately deted her limbs.


    ¡°And what happened to it?¡±


    ¡°It was taken! I¡¯m sending a squad to recapture it immediately.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Leave it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If you go after them, the whole squad will be wiped out.¡±


    If it¡¯s the ck Death Vige, the odds are against them. Even if they organize a chase team, it will be very difficult to retrieve the body. And if they have Nameless, the soldiers will just die in vain.


    Although she was curious about the ck Death Vige that had begun to move in earnest, she was also curious about the purpose of Nameless.


    There are a lot of other things to be concerned about as well¡­


    ¡°In any case, it seems that the first thing I have to do is eliminate the problems that lie ahead of me one by one.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 2</h4>


    March 18th, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Mark territory at the western end of the Central Region.


    In the middle of the road leading to the Western Regions, 130,000 troops of Grantz led by Liz had spread out their encampment. In the center of the camp was a hugemand center with a lion¡¯s banner, and surrounding it was a shy tent that emphasized its own glory.


    The reason why Liz and the others are staying here is because the Six Kingdoms have rallied all their forces and set up camp on the Larix in. It was the ce where Hiro was rumored to have been executed and the remains of the battlefield where many bodies were still exposed on the ground.


    By coincidence, the ce where Liz had set up her camp was the same ce where Hiro had built his camp before the battle with the Six Kingdoms, and she and Aura were now walking through the camp as if they were following in his footsteps.


    ¡°I heard that the reconnaissance team came back from the Larix ins.¡±


    As Liz spoke to Aura, she noticed a soldier with a nervous look on his face who turned to salute her.


    The nervousness was probably due to the fact that he had met Liz, but the main reason was probably because he was expecting a battle soon. After bowing to the soldier, Liz looked around.


    Like the soldiers before her, the soldiers around her looked tense and absorbed in their duties.


    The entire Grantz encampment was in a kind of tense state.


    Even so, there was no sign of preupation, and if anything, the air was moderately tight. This would allow them to act immediately in case of an emergency.


    Then Liz looked again at Aura, who was reading the report.


    ¡°Hmm, the enemy has been reduced from 160,000 to 100,000.¡±


    Themander, Lucia withdrew, but it seems that they lost a significant number of troops due to the fight with Hiro and the resistance they encountered when looting in various ces. However, morale is high due to the looting, and they have plenty of food reserves.


    ¡°Still, they are losing control. The Six Kingdoms are not able to control theirrge army. They¡¯re not just looting; they¡¯re attacking the unarmed people.¡±


    Liz frowned at Aura¡¯s report.


    There have been repeated one-sided massacres in various ces. The target of these massacres included the territories of western nobles who had turned. If they protested, their cities were razed to the ground and burned to the ground.


    ¡°There was no mercy. The western nobles who had turned were also executed, everyst one of them. It seems that the Six Kingdoms have decided to destroy the Grantz thoroughly.¡±


    They must have been caught off guard by the fact that they turned. They may have been overconfident that the Six Kingdoms would not attack. But as soon as they opened the gates and let them in, the ughter began.


    ¡°It seems that some of them seeded in repelling the attack.¡±


    This is the reason why the number of people who have been killed is so high.


    This is not a report that can be taken lightly, however. There were countless casualties. Thinking about those who are still being sacrificed somewhere else, Liz is struck by a heartbreaking sadness.


    ¡°The west is¡­ going to have difficult times ahead.¡±


    Aura said in a serious tone. Liz gave a slight nod and clutched her chest.


    The people who have lost their homes, the bandits that appear, the rampaging monsters, even after the war is over, resentment continues to be created. It will take a great deal of time for the people of the west to enjoy peace and quiet. It¡¯s war; it¡¯s inevitable. How much easier would it be if they could see it that way?


    ¡°Let¡¯s win first.¡±


    When Aura lowered her eyebrows andmented, Liz gently patted her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll get the beautiful west back, I promise.¡±


    She said cheerfully, but her smile was hard because of thebination of depression and responsibility.


    From now on, Liz would be faced with a lot of challenges. It was only natural, considering the pressure. That may be why Aura nodded obediently.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Aura made a fist and looked up at the sky. In her eyes, there was a simple and beautiful sense of mission to ovee the difficulties.


    ¡°Aura¡¯s father is in the west, isn¡¯t he¡­ is he okay?¡±


    Aura nodded and took out a letter.


    ¡°They managed to defend the siege.¡±


    When asked about the details, he said that Hiro had sent the letter in advance, and he chose to endure the enemy¡¯s provocations instead of taking them, so he was safe. Is Liz good ¨D he never mentioned it.


    If he did that, the people who lost their lives in this battle would not be rewarded.


    Some people lost their lives for their country. Some lost their lives for their families. Some lost their lives in the hope of saving their friends.


    This is a turbulent time when lives are at stake for the nation¡¯s well-being.


    It would be arrogant of the living to say that life has meaning only if you live. Not everyone goes to the ce of death because they want to die.


    ¡°Aura¡¯s father has to do his best, too. He is the one who raised Aura, so I¡¯m sure his knowledge will be of great help.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can use him like a horse and cart.¡±


    Liz smiled at Aura¡¯s reply.


    ¡°Now that everyone is waiting, let¡¯s go to the war council.¡±


    ¡°Let them wait.¡±


    It was a quick answer. Aura replied without hiding her grumpiness. Liz gave a wry smile because she didn¡¯t understand Aura¡¯s attitude either.


    She probably feels ufortable about the fact that the five great noble families, the Muzuk family, which unites the southern nobility, are speaking as if it were their own. If Rosa had been there, there would have been no problem, but due to Vetu¡¯s scheming, she could not apany them in this battle. Because of this, the eastern nobles, who lost their lord, are being pushed back by the momentum of the southern nobles.


    ¡°If my sister were here, things would be a little different.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Muzuk family is nning to take territory from the five great nobles who lost their power.¡±


    Aura¡¯s concerns weren¡¯t misguided, though.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let Vetu do whatever he wants.¡±


    The battle against the Six Kingdoms was changing the power structure of the five great noble houses.


    The Mark family, which had taken the ce of the fallen Krone family to unite the central nobility, was losing its centripetal force after its leader was killed in the war against the Six Kingdoms. One of the reasons for the loss of power was the fact that many rebels were born during the civil war, and the leading nobles were conquered.


    The same is true for the Munster family, which held the western nobility together. After the death of the third prince Blutar, many of the western nobility changed their minds and turned to the Six Kingdoms. It was a factor that led to their downfall, and they died in the disaster.


    The remaining family is the Scharm family, but the current head of the family is a puppet of the second prince Selene and never appears on the stage. They do not seem to have any ambition to invade from the north, which is why they do not have the support of the noble lords. Because of this, the five great noble houses, which are of the same rank as the Muzuk family, did not participate in this battle, and Vetu began to work to win over the small and medium-sized noble houses in each region, taking this opportunity to build up arge power.


    This is why the content of military discussions was often biased towards the ideas of the Muzuk family.


    ¡°Disappointing¡­ me more.¡±


    Liz struggled to think of something to say to Aura, who felt unusually vulnerable.


    At that moment¨D¨D


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Liz quickly reached for the ¡°me Emperor¡± on her hip.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Aura also seemed to have noticed and looked in the same direction as Liz.


    A mor erupted at the point where their gazes stopped. They heard impatient voices shouting at each other.


    ¡°Is it a fight¡­? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Liz hurried towards the ce, apanied by Aura.


    Many of the soldiers heading to the battlefield are often overzealous. Themander would try to deepen the friendship by giving them alcohol to avoid discord as much as possible, but the bloodthirsty people often don¡¯t do what they want.


    ¡°Get out of the way! What are you screaming about!¡±


    Liz raised her voice to match the noise of the soldiers.


    At the recognition of themander ¨D the sixth princess, the soldiers looked perturbed, and the path was easily made. But there was no one to exin. Liz waded through the waves to find out what on earth was making the noise and to find out the cause.


    Eventually, Liz arrived at a puddle of blood on the ground.


    ¡°¨D!?¡±


    Liz choked on her breath. Arge creature was lying in a pool of blood. Around it, soldiers were frantically tending to it.


    ¡°Get more bandages! What the hell is the doctor doing here?¡±


    A soldier was shouting while stopping the spurting blood with a cloth.


    ¡°Hey, get some bandages right away; you go get the doctor too!¡±


    A soldier walked past Liz at a brisk pace. His face was so agitated that he didn¡¯t even notice her.


    Liz approached therge creature with a stunning gait and bent her knees beside it.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m d you¡¯re back.¡±


    When she touched the skin, she felt a rough texture. The warm blood stained her hands red.


    The soldier, who may have seen her, opened his mouth in anger.


    ¡°Hey, you dare to¨D? Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing, ma¡¯am!¡±


    He immediately noticed Liz¡¯s true identity, turned his head away, and began to treat the creature silently.


    Liz was oblivious to the soldier¡¯s condition and continued to gently stroke the creature¡¯s skin, not caring if it bled.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve endured well.¡±


    She was about to burst into tears when she saw the many arrows piercing the hard scales, but she tried her best to hold back. She could not afford to cry in front of the soldiers.


    Aura was sitting at the edge of her moistened vision, cing a cloth over the spot where the arrow had pierced.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hiro¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the swift dragon. She¡¯s got all these wounds¡­¡±


    It is a difficult creature that is said to be unfriendly to humans. But for some reason, this girl was the only one who liked Hiro, which surprised Liz very much. She never let her ride on her back, but she got along well with Liz. She had been a ymate of Cerberus, and they used to run around together, but now she looked so weak and frail that there was nothing left of the old days.


    ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯m specialized in humans, okay? I¡¯ve never treated a swift dragon before. Don¡¯t be absurd.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t just leave her there; she¡¯s Hiro¡¯s swift dragon.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    When she saw the military doctor rushing to the scene, Liz stood up.


    She couldn¡¯t stay with the swift dragon now that the war council was about to begin. She had to do what she had to do. If Liz stops here, it will all be for nothing.


    ¡°¡­Aura?¡±


    She called out to the petite girl, but she was stiff with her hands on the saddle of the swift dragon.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She was about to put her hand on her shoulder, but Aura stood up just before her. She was taken aback by Aura¡¯s unusually agile movements.


    ¡°Liz, we have a war council.¡±


    Liz tilted her head at Aura, whose normally expressionless face was disturbed by dismay, but before she could check, the petite girl turned away and began to walk.


    ¡°W-wait, Aura, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The life force of the swift dragon is not just for show. I¡¯m sure she will recover soon, but for now, you should concentrate on the war council, so please don¡¯t think about anything else and just concentrate on the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    Aura, unusually talkative, walked quickly in front of Liz. She was so focused on her reaction that she didn¡¯t notice the ¡°letter¡± that Aura had hidden in her sleeve.


    There was someone watching their backs as they walked away. If Liz hadn¡¯t been distracted by Aura, she might have noticed his strange appearance.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    A man in a white coat with a mask covering his face. The man with the pure white robe flipped his gaze away from their backs and approached the group of soldiers who were continuing to treat the swift dragon.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, can you let me through?¡±


    The mere act of speaking made the air heavy. He became more and more intimidating, and the soldiers could not protest against the pressure, so they naturally made way for him.


    Those who felt his supremacy retreated, their faces scrunched up in fear or awe.


    There was no one to confirm his identity. They werepletely pressured into speechlessness.


    If there was no one to stop him, it was inevitable that he would end up under the swift dragon.


    ¡°¡­Thank goodness. I¡¯m really d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    The masked man kneeled down on one knee, patting the head of the swift dragon while his shoulders quivered.


    ¡°H-hey, you can¡¯t touch it like that¨D¨D¡±


    The doctor tried to warn the man, but his eyes bugged out when he witnessed a strange scene.


    ¡°Wha¡­ no way¡­?¡±


    A pale light enveloped the dragon and healed her wounds in a matter of seconds ¡ª the mystery of nature, out of the box, miraculous maniption.


    The soldiers who witnessed this uncanny power were just as stunned as the military doctor watching the scene. The masked man ignored the appalled crowd.


    ¡°¡­¡­Are you recovered?¡±


    He stood up and confirmed that the saddle had been removed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her with me.¡±


    ¡°Y-you can¡¯t do that. This is the Fourth Prince Hiro¡¯s swift dragon¨D¨D¡±


    The masked man grabbed the doctor¡¯s shoulder with his left hand and held his right hand out to still him in front of his face.


    ¡°¡­No, I¡¯m sorry, but you have to give it up.¡±


    A golden light overflows from the depths of the mask. The soldiers around him, sensing an unusual presence, reached for their swords. When the masked man looked up at the sky in annoyance, a stick flying from the sky pierced the ground and caused it to cave in.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you. Even though you¡¯ve confirmed that she¡¯s safe, you shouldn¡¯t get excited and bring in unnecessary disputes.¡±


    A cheerful woman¡¯s voice sounded out of ce amidst arge amount of dust rising from the caved-in area. A wave of soldiers cracked open, and walking between them was a woman in purple and silver.


    ¡°udia, even so, she¡¯s my familiar. It¡¯s only natural that she should be protected, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°As I said, you brought her with you to assert your legitimacy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that what you thought?


    ¡°What did you think I was going to do?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were going to attack her.¡±


    Apart from the two who were conversing with each other, the soldiers were stunned and rigid. It wasn¡¯t because of the appearance of the strange duo.


    It was because they recognized the stick stuck between them -¨D the coat of arms g swimming in the sky.


    A coat of arms g with a bnce on a white background.


    It is the symbol of a small country but a major power that exerts tremendous influence on the central continent.


    No one has ever seen it on the battlefield. This is because it has always maintained its neutrality and formed a culture that is separate from the mundane world, never appearing on the stage.


    When it appears in front of them, everyone is at a loss for words.


    ¡°Oh, everyone seems to be surprised.¡±


    The woman called udia smiled as she put the back of her hand over her mouth as if she had noticed the appearance of the soldiers.


    ¡°This is¨D¨D¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 3</h4>


    At the same time, a military council was about to be held at the headquarters of the Grantz Empire.


    The atmosphere was not peaceful, but neither was it too heavy. It was filled with a moderately solemn atmosphere. Under such circumstances, the noble lords looked expectantly at the girl sitting on the honorary seat.


    ¡°It has just been reported that Her Majesty Queen udia has arrived.¡±


    The nobleman in charge of the proceedings broke the silence, and the atmosphere changed with that statement. It was because udia¡¯s name had been heard constantly until she arrived here.


    Stories of how she had saved refugees from bandits, how she had saved a city from being attacked by the Six Kingdoms, and even how she had defeated a 20,000-strong army with only 1,000 men were being reported by the refugees in the west. Eventually, the minstrels would write songs about it, and listening to it, people would drink malt liquor in the taverns and their eyes would light up as they watched the dancers dance.


    ¡°Let us give her our thanks. Without her, the West would be in a much worse situation.¡±


    Of course, considering her aplishments, it would take more than a simple thank you, but even if the reward came at ater date, Liz, as themander of the Great Grantz Empire, had to express her gratitude.


    ¡°Her Majesty Queen udia will be very satisfied. It¡¯s always good to have a neighbor you can rely on.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is true. But I¡¯ve heard that the Levering Kingdom¡¯s army has also suffered heavily.¡±


    Many Levering soldiers sacrificed themselves to save the people of the west. The reward that will be given at ater date will have to includepensation towards the families of those soldiers who sacrificed their lives.


    ¡°First of all, let¡¯s wee the Levering Kingdom into our camp with sincerity.¡±


    There was no one to refute Liz¡¯s words. No matter what the inner thoughts of the leading nobles were, udia had rescued many people in the west before anyone else here, so there was no way they couldin or be jealous but be grateful.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s start the military council.¡±


    With Liz¡¯s words, the atmosphere in the room tightened up. After looking at the leading nobles with satisfaction, Liz looked at the nobleman who was in charge of the meeting.


    ¡°Can you exin the current situation to me first?¡±


    ¡°Very well, ma¡¯am.¡±


    The nobleman in charge of facilitating the meeting ced the pieces on the map spread out in the center of the desk.


    ¡°Our troops are currently staying in the Mark territory, gathering support supplies from nearby nobles in preparation for a decisive battle. At the same time, we¡¯re sending reconnaissance units to various locations to see what¡¯s going on with the Six Kingdoms, and ording to a report the other day, they¡¯ve set up camp on the Larix in.¡±


    After checking the report at hand, Liz looked up and looked at the head of the Muzuk family.


    ¡°Lord Vetu, how is the situation in the Six Kingdoms? I thought you were responsible for scouting the main army of the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is no doubt that the Six Kingdoms are encamped in the Larix ins.¡±


    Exuding confident energy, Vetu stood up and saluted.


    ¡°The scouts report that there are 100,000 of them, and while I have my doubts that their numbers are lower than they were at first, it seems unlikely that they are lurking around the perimeter. There is also information that the group has split up, so we havee to the conclusion that 100,000 is a reasonable number.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the disagreement between themander and the second-inmand, but¡­ I wonder how it¡¯s affecting them. Are they losing morale and will to fight?¡±


    ¡°Morale seems to be high, and will to fight has not diminished due to the repeated looting of various areas.¡±


    The tone of Vetu¡¯s voice seemed to indicate that it was not going to be easy and that the opponent would be tough.


    However, Liz felt something strange in Vetu¡¯s expression. For some reason, she was unsure if she should say anything or not because his face was full of bitterness. It was obvious that there was some other reason.


    ¡°Is there something on your mind, Lord Vetu?¡±


    ¡°No, um¡­¡±


    Vetu¡¯s words trailed off as if he was afraid to speak.


    ¡°The report may have repercussions forter battles. It could be good news or bad news.¡±


    As Liz¡¯s words intensified, Vetu read out the report with a determined look on his face.


    ¡°¡­The fourth prince Hiro¡¯s ¡®ck Dragon Banner¡¯ is raised; they seem to be calling him a ¡®fallen hero king. There are reports that they are forcing captured refugees to step on the banner and chop off their heads.¡±


    The noble lords froze, forgetting to even breathe. They stopped thinking because of the content.


    The ¡°ck Dragon Banner¡± is sacred to the Grantz, and it doesn¡¯t matter if they dislike Hiro or not. The ¡°God of War,¡± one of the twelve great gods of the Grantz, was a god that all the people of the military nation of Grantz would worship. Forcing the people to trample on it was an act of unimaginable evil.


    But strangely enough, rather than anger, the faces of the nobles and princes were filled with confusion.


    Their bodies were stiff, their foreheads sweating profusely, and their gazes were fixed on their feet. The reason for this was because ¨D a terrifying murderous energy filled the room in an instant.


    During the silence, there was a sound like something snapping.


    Everyone cowered at the eerie sound.


    They looked towards the source of the sound, hoping that they would not be angered by it. It led to a red-haired girl sitting in the honorary seat.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Blood was flowing from the corner of Liz¡¯s mouth.


    She was pressing her fist against the desk as if to hold back her rising emotions as if she were about to pull out her sword and run into the enemy lines. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at Vetu. Vetu, as expected, broke out in a cold sweat and desperately wiped the greasy sweat from his forehead. He must have felt horrible because the anger was directed at him, even though he had nothing to do with it. As he snuck through various situations, he was able to put together a devious n, but perhaps he can¡¯t take it anymore, so he turns away from Liz.


    ¡°By using such vile means¡­ you are boosting morale.¡±


    It¡¯s not apliment, but it¡¯s an excellent strategy. There are many people who are fascinated by the God of War and are angry, like Liz.


    However, Liz¡¯s anger surprised and chilled everyone¡¯s heart. She was not the kind of girl who would show such passion.


    On a day-to-day basis, Liz had a gentle temperament, which was rare in the Grantz Imperial family.


    The nobles who thought that she was more of a kitten than a lioness must have changed their minds. The lion¡¯s cub is still a lion, and her anger distorted even space.


    ¡°We¡¯ll resume our march the day after tomorrow. In the meantime, let¡¯s keep scouting the surrounding area and destroy the enemy on the Larix in.¡±


    Everyone was forced to nod in agreement to Liz¡¯s low, chilly voice. The surface of the water was rippling violently, but deep down, there was a heavy deep sea.


    No one spoke a word and remained silent; thus, silence dominated the military council.


    The nobleman in charge of facilitating the meeting also forgot his role, perhaps out of fear, and the meeting came to aplete halt. Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on the nobleman who was in charge, but it had no effect.


    In the ufortable atmosphere, it was the silver-haired girl who made a move.


    She was standing behind Liz, but when she made a gesture that seemed to explore her sleeve, she approached Liz with a gait that showed no hesitation.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness Celia Estre, here.¡±


    She held out a white cloth and pointed to the fresh blood dripping from the edge of Liz¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, thank you.¡±


    Finally realizing her current situation, Liz put the white cloth over her mouth with a scowl on her face.


    The noble lords breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that the sternness that had been hanging over Liz had eased.


    It was then.


    They heard a noisy noise from outside.


    ¡°We are in the middle of a military council, so please wait a moment!¡±


    ¡°Oh, but if you don¡¯t allow me to participate in the council, how will I participate in future battles?¡±


    ¡°Please wait until you have permission. I will get back to you immediately!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to waste time like that, can we?¡±


    Cutting through the noisy air and stepping into the world of silence was a beautiful woman.


    There¡¯s a lot to be said for a woman who¡¯s not afraid to speak her mind.


    ¡°I am udia Van Levering, Queen of the Kingdom of Levering. Pleased to make your acquaintance,dies and gentlemen of the Grantz Empire.¡±


    udia gracefully bent at the waist to greet them, but several nobles stood up at her overly rude attitude. Many of them are the nobles who saw Liz earlier and decided not to offend her.


    ¡°Why is a small country like yours interfering with an important military council?¡±


    ¡°Get out. You should be ashamed of yourselves for making such a tactless gesture with such a small contribution.¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    When Liz¡¯s words were heard, the nobles immediately fell silent.


    Then Liz stood up from her seat and bowed to udia.


    The fact that the head of arge country bowed to a small country caused an uproar.


    ¡°Please forgive my subordinate for their rudeness. Thank you for your assistance.¡±


    Liz looked up and smiled daintily.


    ¡°I am Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.¡±


    udia was amused by the sixth princess, who bowed her head straightforwardly.


    She probably thought that she would provoke her if she took a high-handed attitude.


    udia waspletely caught up in her thoughts because of Liz¡¯s unexpected move.


    But then again, she was a woman who had risen to the position of a queen by making full use of her maniptive skills, and she was quick to switch gears.


    When Liz showed her sincerity, udia got down on one knee and made a vassal¡¯s bow.


    ¡°I apologize for any rudeness on my part.¡±


    She said her apologies with the utmost courtesy. She turned her face down as if ashamed of her childishness.


    ¡°It is my sincere hope that the friendship between our two countries will continue to grow and that our ties will never falter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s let bygones be bygones.¡±


    Liz was about to say, ¡°Sit down,¡± when she was rendered speechless by a figure that appeared behind udia.


    It was a person with a strange appearance.


    The person wore a mask that made it impossible to read any subtleties in his expression, and yet he wore a pure white robe that gave off an air of innocence. On his waist was a ck sword that gave off a hint of evil.


    Liz was appalled by the distorted appearance of the bnce of darkness and light, and the noble lords also trembled with astonishment.


    ¡°¡­And you?¡±


    udia, with a smile on her face, answered Liz, who asked with an inquiring look.


    ¡°This is the second king of the small country of Baum ¨D His Majesty the ck Dragon King.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The one who raised his voice was unexpectedly Vetu.


    The air of the ce converged on the masked man.


    As if it was natural, his overwhelming presence fascinated everyone.


    With a golden light overflowing from his right eye, his left eye was filled with an abyss darker than darkness.


    The masked man who had attracted so much attention bailed out lightly, remaining silent.


    And then¨D


    ¡°We also have a letter from the Princess Shrine Maiden.¡±


    udia took out a piece of paper with letters that glowed.


    It is a spirit letter that can only be written by a shrine maiden.


    ¡°It is said that His Majesty the ck Dragon King decided to go into battle because he was greatly distressed by the damage done to the country of his former ally, His Majesty the Lionhearted King.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of¡­ a king ascending the throne in the small country of Baum.¡±


    Vetu was incredulous and protested, but udia¡¯s expression does not waver at all, and remains unfazed. In fact, she even sneered at Vetu.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fact, so it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    She handed Vetu the letter from Princess Shrine Maiden.


    It¡¯s not something that can be forged. Spirit letters are sacred and can only be written by those who are loved by spirits. Vetu looked like he didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he had to ept it, and his shoulders slumped with great disappointment.


    ¡°Ce-certainly¡­ this is a spirit letter. It is something that only a princess shrine maiden can write¡­¡±


    Vetu sank back into his chair as if he had lost the will to argue.


    While this exchange took ce, Liz never once averted her gaze from the masked man and, with a dubious expression on her face, pointed at him with a reproachful nce.


    ¡°Is ck hair also a sign that you are a descendant of the first king of the small country of Baum, the ¡®hero king of the twin ck¡¯?¡±


    Even as she asked udia, her gaze never left the masked man¡¯s grasp.


    To block the persistent gaze, udia shifted her body half a step to the side and nodded slightly as she turned her back on the masked man.


    ¡°As expected of the famously knowledgeable Your Highness Celia Estre. That¡¯s absolutely correct.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, so that¡¯s it¡­¡­ It¡¯s fine then.¡±


    Liz narrowed her eyes with a quiet smile and brushed her sideburns away annoyingly.


    ¡°Then may we join you for the rest of the military council?¡±


    udia said, and Liz readily agreed.


    ¡°Yes, there are some things I would like to ask about the Six Kingdoms, including the opinions of His Majesty the ck Dragon King¡­ so I would be delighted if you could join us.¡±


    ¡°Then, if I may be so bold, I would like to join you at the end.¡±


    udia and Liz¡¯s gazes crossed.


    Aura, who had been watching the sparks fly, let out a small sigh and closed her eyes.

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 4</h4>


    The sun is about to set.


    The horizon was tinged with madder red, and in the distance, the tops of the ozarm Mountains glowed with the light of lingering fires.


    In the Great Imperial Capital, too, the people were beginning to fade from the vibrant city.


    ring down at the masses was the Imperial Pce Vian, a structure with a thousand years of history.


    On the east side of the pce, in the section where the nobles have their residences, there is a mansion that stands out.


    It¡¯s the mansion of the Kelheit family, one of the five great noble families that control the East.


    ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s gotten quiet, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Rosa looked at her bedroom, which seemed unnecessarilyrge, and smiled.


    The days have been noisy until recently.


    Liz was chasing after Hiro, Skaaha smiling at the scene, Aura reading all the time without concern, a young man loyal to the demons camping in the courtyard looking down from the window, and a mercenary woman clinging to Rosa, protecting the master¡¯s life.


    It was a dense, fun, and noisy day that she would never forget.


    ¡°I thought it wouldn¡¯tst forever, but I guess somewhere I was expecting it to.¡±


    As if to distract herself from the destion, Rosa lets out a sigh and rests her weight on the back of her chair, looking up at the ceiling. As she did so, Cerberus nuzzled under her feet.


    ¡°Did you not want to follow your master?¡±


    When she said this to Cerberus, she tilted her head and sneezed.


    She had lost more of her wildness than when she first came to the Great Imperial Capital. No, she had be apletely domesticated dog.


    It must have been the result of the servants¡¯ pampering.


    Originally, it was a creature that inhabited the Eastern Archipgo. It seems that every beast tribe that has its stronghold in the Eastern Archipgo has its own white wolf, and they say that they are sacred animals that only the royal bloodline is allowed to keep them.


    No one knows how she ended up in the Central Continent, but she was very surprised when Liz found her.


    Rosa stroked Cerberus¡¯s belly, bringing back fond memories.


    ¡°You¡¯re a female; you should be a little more concerned about your appearance.¡±


    Recently, she has been getting more fleshy. If she is not taken on hunting trips, her noble name of ¡°White Wolf¡± will be lost.


    ¡°When I have some free time, let¡¯s go hunting; I used to take Liz with me.¡±


    As she smiled wryly, the door to her bedroom made a noise.


    The sound was too heavy for a door m, and Rosa¡¯s eyes sharpened as she realized there was an unnecessary noise in the mix. She grabbed the Lion King that was nearby and called out to the door.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    After Liz had left, Rosa had tightened the security of the mansion.


    Two strong soldiers must have been guarding the other side of the door. But there was no reply. Rosa let out a deep breath to regte her breathing.


    When she looked out the window, she saw that the sun hadpletely set and the world was covered in darkness.


    As the moonlight tried to fill the room, Cerberus lowered herself and let out a roar.


    ¡°¡­¡­I knew they¡¯de.¡±


    She had expected it, but she didn¡¯t want it toe true.


    ¡°Good grief¡­ If I really had a child, I wouldn¡¯t be staying in the dangerous Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    If it were true, she would not have stayed in the imperial pce, where security was thinner due to the war with the Six Kingdoms. By now, she would have returned to her home base and set up a security system that was tighter than a prison cell.


    ¡°Now, I wonder which nobleman sent the assassin¡­¡±


    The story that she was pregnant with Hiro¡¯s child spread quickly.


    The Grantz Empire tends to ce a high value on bloodlines due to the fact that its history hassted for a thousand years.


    If it were the child of a ¡°God of War,¡± it would be weed, but it would not be unconditionally weed by those who opposed it. Even before the child is born, he or she will have to bear the prestige of the nation as the next emperor. If this happens, the mother and her rtives will have a lot of power.


    In other words, there was a high possibility that Rosa¡¯s life would be threatened as she carried the precious seed.


    That¡¯s why Rosa has tightened the security of the mansion.


    ¡°There should be a pretty good defense from the entrance to here.¡±


    Even Rosa has some knowledge of martial arts. However, she is still only as good as an average man.


    ¡°A higher-ranked person than I expected hase to try to take my life¡­¡±


    The door slowly opens, emitting a creaking sound. The person who stepped into the room had an eerie appearance and was dressed entirely in ck.


    ¡°¡­Alone, huh?¡±


    But from the way he carried himself, she judged him to be quite skilled. If not, he would not have been able to reach this point.


    She grasped the hilt of the Lion King and stomped on the floor, letting the energy of her entire body pervade her.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I was expecting an assassin to be sent.¡±


    She was well prepared for that.


    ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve prepared a feast for you.¡±


    Rosa smiles wryly and snaps her fingers.


    From the corridor, from the shadows, from the door to the next room, soldiers came into the bedroom one after another, carrying their weapons.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out who the client is, capture him!¡±


    Rosa shouted, and at the same time, the soldiers shouted and rushed towards the assassin. But the mouth that emerged from the shadows of his bare face, hidden beneath the hood, drew an eerie crescent moon.


    ¡°Gopuh!¡±


    It¡¯s a one-hit kill. A soldier was easily pierced through the heart, and he died.


    The assassin uses his right leg as a pivot point to stab the second soldier with great force. As soon as he pulled it out, he slid the de through the gap in the soldier¡¯s helmet, exposing the third soldier¡¯s brain fluid to the outside world. As soon as the fresh blood sttered on the floor, he easily gouged out the armor of the fourth one and shed him diagonally from the shoulder.


    One after another, the soldiers were struck in their vital points and died out, and this is what it means to happen in the blink of an eye. Unable to moan, the soldiers fell to the floor. It was an unreasonable and overwhelming difference.


    A one-sided ughter ¨D not long after, the soldiers sank into a sea of blood.


    In front of Rosa¡¯s eyes was the figure of an assassin who hadn¡¯t moved an inch from the entrance, just like when he had appeared.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    Rosa drew the Lion King from its sheath, but the assassin¡¯s figure disappeared from her sight.


    ¡°Wha, gaah!?¡±


    There was a shock to her abdomen, and the oxygen in her lungs was instantly expelled.


    Even so, she clenched her hands, which were losing strength, and sent the ¡°Lion King¡± into a frenzy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless.¡±


    The ¡°Lion King¡± is easily knocked off, and Rosa, who was hit on the cheek, blows up.


    A fist pierced Rosa¡¯s abdomen as her body mmed into the wall and almost fell, but the assassin closed the distance and held her up.


    ¡°Kuh.¡±


    The assassin grabbed her by the head to cover her mouth as she twisted her face in extreme pain.


    ¡°Fuh¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of death?¡±


    Her head was mmed against the wall, and her consciousness was momentarily cut off, but she would not allow that to happen, and another shocking blow was applied to her abdomen.


    ¡°Come on, breathe. I¡¯m not going to kill you yet.¡±


    ¡°Fuh, augh!¡±


    Just as Rosa gasped for oxygen, the assassin grabbed her thin neck and squeezed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lie. Just don¡¯t breathe.¡±


    A tremendous force of arms lifted Rosa¡¯s body, and her feet left the floor. Rosa struck the arm holding her neck with all her might but to no avail.


    Ineffective power is no match for release.


    ¡°Aah, gaaahh!¡±


    The moonlight shining through the window illuminated both of them, and one of the shadows was iling violently on the floor.


    Her messy golden hair was swaying, giving off a healthy glow in the moonlight. Its radiance was not dimmed by the storm of tyranny.


    ¡°It¡¯s so soft to the touch. You must be very beautiful.¡±


    When the assassin muttered this, the pressure on her neck suddenly disappeared, and she was released from her suffering.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Gahah.¡±


    With both knees on the floor and her back arched, Rosa desperately took oxygen into her lungs.


    The assassin reached for her head and grabbed her by the hair with all his might.


    ¡°Higagh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very well-groomed. There is no way to mistake it for anything else. I¡¯ll send everyst one of it to him.¡±


    ¡°You bastard¡­ Fuguh.¡±


    She was mmed face-first into the floor with great force.


    ¡°Agh! Auh, ah, ugh!?¡±


    Again and again, and again, and again, it was repeated over and over again, relentlessly.


    Rosa was fading in and out of consciousness, but her strong mental strength would not allow her to lose consciousness.


    ¡°Your hair is tough. It doesn¡¯t fall out easily.¡±


    He was indifferent. His voice held only a quiet hatred, and there was no hint of vulgarity in his tone.


    The assassin continued to harm Rosa matter-of-factly as if he were dismantling livestock.


    She is punched in the face, repeatedly kicked in the stomach, and knocked to the floor.


    Still, he does not let go of her hair.


    He grabbed it and held on to it like he was determined not to let it go until it fell out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bare the flesh of your head if I have to; I¡¯m sorry if I break your arm.¡±


    cing his foot on Rosa¡¯s thin left arm, the assassin tugged at her hair with all his strength.


    ¡°Fuguh¡­ Gaaaaaahh!?¡±


    With the sound of bones cracking, Rosa¡¯s scream echoed through the room.


    But it still didn¡¯t stop. The one-sided abuse continues solemnly.


    ¡°Is this not enough? The next time, it will be the fingers and the feet, or maybe the nose will be in the way, if I shave it off, or maybe the eyes, if I hollow them out neatly¡­?¡±


    Cerberus, who had been hiding behind the assassin, saw an opening and jumped at him.


    ck and white shadows danced furiously in the darkness as they intertwined with each other.


    As the blood spurted out of her mouth, Rosa stood up, putting all her strength into her trembling legs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. You lowly assassin¡­¡±


    She picked up the Lion King, her face drenched in blood and her blue eyes lit with rage.


    ¡°I¡¯m a former third princess, and I¡¯m not going to be killed easily. I have the blood of the Grantz in my veins, you know.¡±


    Rosa, her face contorted by intense pain, made a desperate attack on the assassin, but the de was stopped just in time.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of that. I won¡¯t forgive you for that.¡±


    Cerberus, who had been bitten on the assassin¡¯s back, was pulled off.


    She was kicked hard and crashed into the wall. Even so, the noble white wolf was not intimidated and bared her fangs and jumped at the assassin.


    ¡°Get out of my way. You dog!¡±


    The assassin¡¯s hand mped down on Cerberus¡¯ mouth, grabbed her tail, and knocked her to the floor.


    The assassin mercilessly swung his fist down at the white wolf, which was shaking and panting, and then, as if he hadn¡¯t had enough, he crushed the white wolf with his heel.


    ¡°Guu!¡±


    But his foot didn¡¯t reach Cerberus. It¡¯s because his heel was caught in Rosa¡¯s back. Rosa was covering the white wolf to protect her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you kill her¡­ She¡¯s my precious family.¡±


    Rosa smiled provocatively at the assassin, who was looking down at her with a sharp glint in his eye.


    The assassin¡¯s murderous intent swells. He shook his body as if unable to hold back.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, die. Die with the child in your belly.¡±


    The assassin grabbed Rosa¡¯s head and threw her against the wall.


    ¡°Fuguh.¡±


    Her back mmed hard against the wall, and Rosa slid down and hit the floor.


    Still gritting her teeth, she mmed her fist into the floor and tried to get up, enduring the intense pain.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough; that should be enough. Give it up; I¡¯ll inflict the same pain on you.¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    The assassin¡¯s hand reached out to Rosa, but it froze.


    Not metaphorically ¨D the arm exposed to the moonlight has turned into a block of ice.


    ¡°That¡¯s as far as you can go.¡±


    Even in the dark of night, her green-blue hair was silky smooth, and shiny. Her face was as delicate as ss work, with a quiet fighting spirit swirling around it, and her thin limbs were wrapped in heavy armor, exuding an atmosphere of bleakness and distortion in the midst of purity and tranquility.


    Haran Skaaha de Felzen was standing at the entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rosa-dono. The others have taken up too much of my time.¡±


    Skaaha stepped forward, anger radiating from her body that she could not hide.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    The assassin¡¯s voice wasced with emotion for the first time. His dismay was a pathetic waver from the imposing look he had just given.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll kill you right here.¡±


    Skaaha instantly kicked down the distance and closed in on the assassin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can die easily.¡±


    The assassin clicked his tongue and tried to distance himself.


    ¡°Unfortunately, no one can escape the cold air of the Ice Emperor.¡±


    The assassin¡¯s legs froze, and with a flick of her spear, one of his arms disappeared.


    ¡°I took your arm because I didn¡¯t want to risk anything if you got out of control. I¡¯ll try to stop the bleeding. It might rot.¡±


    ¡°Hah, Agh, Guuoooooaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    The assassin stumbled around on the floor as the wound froze, flooded with fresh blood.


    ¡°Will you tell us who gave you the order?¡±


    Skaaha swung her foot down with great force and stepped through the assassin rolling around on the floor.


    ¡°Gobuoh!¡±


    ¡°I must warn you; I am not gentle. I¡¯ll never forgive those who would choose such vile means.¡±


    The hood of the squirming assassin flows from his head to the floor. The assassin¡¯s true face was exposed to the moonlight streaming in from outside the window.


    Skaaha gasped.


    The assassin¡¯s face was badlycerated as if he had been tortured. Both of his eyes were missing, and there was a hollow space on his forehead that looked as if something had been gouged out of it.


    But most importantly¡­


    ¡°That skin color¡­ are you a demon?¡±


    The assassin stopped moving slightly, possibly because he heard Skaaha¡¯s words.


    And then he smiled wickedly.


    ¡°Our father. Give the Fool the pain of eternal damnation. Our Father. Give peace to the saints!¡±


    At the same moment, blood spurted out from every hole, and he lost strength from his neck and limbs as he threw himself on the floor. A puddle of blood spread out on the floor as it was seen.


    Skaaha¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment, and she immediately checked to see if he was alive or dead, but the assassin had lost his breath.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be that¡­ hemitted suicide?¡±


    Rosa came up to the surprised Skaaha.


    ¡°Thank you, Skaaha-dono. You¡¯ve done well, Cerberus.¡±


    The white wolf sits down beside Skaaha, and Rosa pats her on the head.


    Skaaha regained herposure and bowed her head in front of Rosa.


    ¡°I apologize for the dy. I didn¡¯t expect them to be so skilled¡­¡±


    Rosa shook her head at Skaaha¡¯s apology.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s good that we¡¯ve been able to manage it safely.¡±


    Rosaughed, saying that her hair had not fallen out much, thanks to its strength. It can be seen that she is forcing herself to smile.


    Because her face was drained of blood and sweat, she was sweating profusely.


    ¡°Even so¡­ The ¡°ck Death Vige,¡± huh¡­?¡±


    Rosa stroked the white wolf¡¯s head and looked at the assassin¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°Do you know these people?¡±


    ¡°No, I only know about them like anyone else¡­ But I¡¯m pretty sure they hate the Grantz Imperial family.¡±


    After saying this, Rosa shook her head.


    ¡°No, they resent the God of War¡­¡±


    They resented the bloodline of the God of War to an unusual degree. The fact that she was punched and kicked in the stomach relentlessly is proof of this. Rosa patted her own stomach. Her face twisted grimly as she felt intense pain.


    ¡°Some ribs were damaged as well¡­ and if it had been known that it was a lie that I had a child, I would have died immediately, so I might as well consider it a blessing in disguise.¡±


    No ¨D maybe they never targeted her in the first ce.


    If that¡¯s the case, Rosa guesses that the other party¡¯s purpose lies elsewhere.


    ¡°Subsequently¡­ this is a difficult road ahead.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s muttering was cut short by a noisy noise. What echoed from the hallway was a noisy mass of metal nging.


    ¡°Rosa-dono, the soldiers seem to have heard themotion. Let¡¯s get some medical attention first.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ we¡¯ll think about itter.¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 5</h4>


    Arge number of soldiers were running in crowds to the mansion of the Kelheit family.


    Many bonfires had been lit in various ces, making it as bright as midday even as the world was enveloped in darkness. A number of shadows watched the scene from the city walls. A presence thicker than the darkness and thinner than the flowing air gazed down with a pouting face.


    ¡°Did we fail¡­? I never thought they would leave the Ice Emperor behind¡­¡±


    As he muttered in the night breeze, someone else spoke up from next to him as well.


    ¡°What should we do? Shall we take care of it ourselves?¡±


    ¡°No, no need. It¡¯s only a diversion. Our purpose lies elsewhere.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils let go of the object he was holding in his left hand. It rolled around on the ground with a sticky sound that lingered in the ears forever.


    ¡°There is no time to waste. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils turned on his heel and began to walk.


    With all eyes drawn to the Kelheit mansion, the security of the imperial pce has been thinned. We will be able to reach our destination undisturbed.


    Apanied by several shadows, Prime Minister Gils proceeded to trample down the moonlit road. Even though there was no rain, the ground made a sound like mud, eating away at the silence of the night.


    But¨D¨D


    ¡°May I ask you to take me with you?¡±


    Even in the darkness, there was a mighty presence, a figure walking toward them with a golden light.


    Prime Minister Gils responded with a casual, easy-going raise of his hand.


    ¡°Well, well, well¡­ Second Prince Selene, what are you doing here sote at night?¡±


    ¡°That should be my line. What are you doing here, Uncle?¡±


    With a refreshing smile, the second prince Selene put his hands on the hilts of the swords on his hips.


    His smiling face was filled with supreme energy as if he would not let them go any further.


    They stopped their steps and stared at each other.


    ¡°May I ask what you¡¯ve been up to with these mysterious people?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been fraternizing with them.¡±


    Selene raised his eyebrows when he saw Prime Minister Gils outstretched his arms.


    However, without pointing out the difort, he looked around.


    ¡°¡­They don¡¯t seem to be very friendly to me.¡±


    There were about five hooded people surrounding Selene.


    ¡°Yeah, you haven¡¯t even introduced yourself yet. I guess that¡¯s inevitable.¡±


    ¡°I see, so they should have introduced themselves, too, right?¡±


    The moonlight shining into the ground exposed the area around Prime Minister Gils.


    The whole area was stained red. No, it was ck and eerie as it mingled with the soil.


    There were more than just one or two dead bodies. The people that had been horribly cut up and left on the ground numbered more than double digits.


    With a smile on his face, Prime Minister Gils pointed to a head on the ground. It was the head he had been holding in his hand a moment ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s the fault of the second-rank military officer, Driks. If he hadn¡¯t been so inquisitive, his life wouldn¡¯t have been taken.¡±


    ¡°Their patriotism was nurtured by you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    The corpses lying on the ground were members of an organization called the ¡°Secret Neck,¡± an assassination squad that Prime Minister Gils had nurtured with great care.


    ¡°You people go ahead, I¡¯ll take care of this one.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils looked at the group of hooded men around him, and they disappeared without a sound. The second prince Selene did not show any signs of chasing after them. He was looking at Prime Minister Gils with a bitter face.


    Clearly, the atmosphere had changed.


    A dense magic power condensed around Prime Minister Gils, binding him as if he were trapped. In the face of the immense power that burned his skin, the second prince Selene had no choice but to concentrate on the enemy in front of him.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, you wanted to know why I destroyed the Secret Neck, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    As if to say, ¡°Let me answer that,¡± Prime Minister Gils looked up at the night sky with an arrogant attitude.


    ¡°I ended them myself because their position would have been worse from now on.¡±


    He looked at the second prince Selene again, and his face was distorted.


    Joy, delight, rapture, and ecstasy ¨D his face was contorted as if he was enjoying everything in this world. Joyful heaven, joyful earth ¨D so bright that it was out of ce, he wasughing as if he was about to dance.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a parental duty to kill them?¡±


    The second prince Selene lifted the corners of his eyes grimly in displeasure.


    ¡°What is your purpose ¨D or rather, who are you?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I will tell you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you talk. I will do everything in my power to avenge Driks and the others.¡±


    With quiet anger, his supremacy boils over like ripples on the water. A torrent of immense power, an irresistible killing spirit, creaked the space.


    ¡°Our enemy has appeared¡­ ¡°Gan Jiang and Mo Ye.¡±¡±


    [Note: Gan Jiang (Chinese: ¸ÉŒ¢; pinyin: G¨¡n Ji¨¤ng) and Mo Ye (Chinese: Īа; pinyin: M¨° Y¨¦) were a swordsmith couple, discussed in the literature involving the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. Some aspects of this material may be considered historical; others are certainly mythological. A pair of swords was forged by and named after them. ]


    When the second prince Selene pulled out his two swords, Prime Minister Gils wracked his neck in annoyance.


    ¡°It seems that you are serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go out with style. If I run out of steam, the elites of this country will hear themotion and rush here immediately.¡±


    ¡°Are you a pawn? Like that man?¡±


    ¡°No way, I can¡¯t be like him. I don¡¯t like to lose.¡±


    The unchanging will to not give in flows loudly from the second prince Selene.


    Prime Minister Gils snorted wildly. He put his hands on his hips and let out a heartfelt, exasperated sigh.


    ¡°¡­Fool.¡±


    Prime Minister Gils stripped his entire body of all emotion.


    There was no emotion on his face as if he were looking at an insect.


    ¡°Do you know about the demon womb?¡±


    A huge amount of magic power gushed out, splitting the sky and gouging the earth.


    ¡°Embrace the fear, cry out in rm, and scrutinize the threat.¡±


    The ground shattered, the space cracked, and the supreme energy of the world swelled.


    ¡°Throw the world into a panic ¨D ¡°The Creation of Heaven and Earth.¡±¡±


    The atmosphere trembled.


    The heavens choked as they cracked, and the ground cracked as if begging for it. Chaos begins to consume the world.


    ¡°My name is¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear it!¡±


    The second prince Selene ran across the ground, kicked down the distance, and swung his two swords with fierce force. However, the attack was easily repelled, and the tip of the spear scratched his cheek.


    ¡°¡­¡­Be honored by the King¡¯s generosity in dealing with his servants.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the title of ¡®King yer¡¯ for that!¡±


    The second prince Selene wiped the blood from his cheeks and unleashed a fierce second blow with all his might once again. The man who intercepted him had a look of joy on his lips as he took a calm andposed stance.


    A momentter, the two collided violently.


    The sky roared unbearably in the face of the ferocious storm, and the ground cried out, unable to absorb the impact.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    March 21st, 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The camp of the Levering Kingdom was set up in the corner of the main camp of the Grantz Empire.


    Hiro¡¯s tent was also set up there.


    In the middle of the tent, Hiro was staring at a map spread out on a desk.


    Nearby, udia was elegantly quenching her thirst with a cup of tea.


    Also present were a man dressed as a traveling merchant and the captain of the Queen Elite Guard, who served as udia¡¯s aide. udia called out to Hiro, who repositioned his pieces on the map.


    ¡°It seems that we will be ced in the central army.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be in the rear as an independent army, though. Themander is Aura, so there is not much cause for concern. If there is any concern, it¡¯s themanders on the left and right whomand the walls of the central army of the Grantz.¡±


    When Hiro said that, he shifted his gaze to the parchment on the edge of the desk.


    The names of themanders are written on it.


    udia¡¯s interest was piqued as she peered at the parchment and opened her mouth.


    ¡°I heard that themander of the right army is a man named Bassianus¡­ do you know him?¡±


    Hiro chose his words as he groped through his memories.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only met him once, at a banquet.¡±


    He was a general belonging to the eastern nobility, a man who fought with a ferocity befitting the military state of the Great Grantz Empire. He has not made any significant achievements, so it is likely that his family of origin has helped him rise in his career.


    ¡°The second-inmand is a calm person, so I think he will manage the right army well.¡±


    Rather than that, there is one thing that concerns him.


    What on earth happened to Rosa, the acting head of the Kelheit family? Originally she should have been the one in this position. In addition, the second prince Selene also seems to be absent, which gives Hiro a strange feeling of uneasiness.


    udia called out again to Hiro, who seemed to be in such an uneasy mood.


    ¡°The second-inmand of the right army is¡­ Decius Etor von Bunadhara, huh?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Aura¡¯s father. He has no experience in leadingrge armies, but he is the man who raised the War Maiden, so he should not be inferior to her. I don¡¯t think it was a wrong choice.¡±


    The left army of the Grantz will have nothing to worry about.


    Aura¡¯s position as Chief of Staff was taken away, and Vetu is now inmand.


    He may be dissatisfied, but he¡¯s not the kind of person who¡¯s going to give in to a situation like this.


    His second-inmand was Luzen Kiork von Grinda.


    udia tilted her head at Hiro, who smiled happily at the mention of Kiork¡¯s name.


    udia tilted her head.


    ¡°No, I was just thinking how high he has risen. He¡¯s Liz¡¯s uncle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also¡­ a dangerous thing to do with a family member, isn¡¯t it? Is there a problem with themand?¡±


    ¡°In the past, he¡¯s only fought small battles, but he¡¯s a solid fighter. I think it¡¯s a safe choice for this fight.¡±


    It¡¯s not that Kiork has any outstanding achievements. It would not be surprising if people thought that he was taking advantage of his position as the uncle of the sixth princess.


    In order to eliminate such dissatisfaction, he must show his ability.


    (I hope he will do his best¡­)


    Once he makes a name for himself, there will be no problem. If he bes a warlord who is said to have gained fame from that battle, no one willin and will follow him in silence.


    ¡°Do you think this battle is going to be easy?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It depends on the enemy¡¯smander.¡±


    Lucia handed over themand to Luca and left the ce.


    Although there is no way to know everything about Luca, when Lucia acted as actingmander, the management of the army was superb. When ites to managing arge army, it would be better to think that the enemy is a cut above.


    This was the first time Liz and Aura have led arge army. The fact that this was new territory for them was a cause for concern. If that¡¯s the case, the central army will be the key to this battle.


    ¡°So, what are we going to do?¡±


    The one who said solemnly was the captain of the Queen Elite Guard.


    He is a military man of solid character and integrity, with a spirit that will not tolerate injustice.


    It is strange that such a person is following udia, but there must have been something that tugged at his heartstrings.


    ¡°I intend to faithfully follow the orders of the Grantz.¡±


    After Hiro¡¯s words, the captain of the Queen Elite Guard turned his attention to udia.


    When he saw that udia nodded silently, he fell silent, as if the Queen had approved. Then udia took over the words.


    ¡°Do you intend to follow orders, even if it means losing the war?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I intend to.¡±


    This war is an excellent opportunity to witness Liz¡¯s growth. In the past, Hiro had taken her work away from her.


    The situation was beginning to improve, but it still felt like she was growing too slowly.


    (Originally¡­ Liz would have awakened much earlier.)


    The cause of the dy was him.


    Hiro was also filling in for what was originally Liz¡¯s role. By not being too generous with her abilities, he stunted her growth.


    And this was the result of epting her indulgence and taking too much care of her talent.


    (Standing next to her and fighting¡­ sounds good, but it won¡¯t help her get over the wall)


    It is only when they be equal, determined not to be defeated, no matter who they are, that they can stand next to each other and fight. If one is satisfied with just catching up, one cannot grow.


    (Drawing a tiger is like drawing a dog¡­ I was not a good example.)


    There is no point in just copying. It¡¯s not just about imitating them; it¡¯s about understanding them and incorporating them into one¡¯s own life.


    As Hiro moved away from Liz, she would gain an understanding of the meaning, not just imitation.


    Eat the strong, then eat the next strong enemy, then eat the champion. In this way, after oveing many corpses, what awaits is an immovable throne.


    (The high road ¨D those who can make merciless decisions will rise to the top.)


    udiaughs when she sees Hiro¡¯s thoughts unfolding.


    ¡°You are overprotective, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Hiro cowered without answering and then looked down at the map again. Then udia wrapped her arms around Hiro¡¯s waist and hugged him.


    She pressed a soft object against his back and began to speak, breathing into Hiro¡¯s ear.


    ¡°You say you will follow them faithfully, but you have your own tactics in mind.¡±


    udia wriggled her hands seductively and crawled over Hiro¡¯s upper body.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried, aren¡¯t you? You must be anxious. Why don¡¯t you just be honest?¡±


    When Hiro didn¡¯t answer, udia pressed her stringy nose against the back of his ear and let out a warm, heartbreakingly sweet breath.


    ¡°Now you have a n for when the girls fail. You say things that push them away, but if they are in danger, you will try to rush to them, even if it is all in vain.¡±


    With a lusty gesture, as if caressing, udia traces her lips down Hiro¡¯s neck. The captain of the Queen Elite Guard looked on appalled, and the traveling merchant looked ufortable. But udia didn¡¯t care and continued to speak.


    ¡°You¡¯re so single-minded. It makes me jealous.¡±


    ¡°You care too much.¡±


    Hiro turned his body away from udia and looked at her.


    ¡°They¡¯re not that weak. She¡¯s probably no weaker than I am.¡±


    People are creatures that grow. There is no such thing as stagnation as they age, although individual differences exist.


    This war will be a great leap forward for them. They will gain fame, increase their wealth, and increase their power.


    Beyond that¨D¨D¡­


    (You¡¯ll need a stepping stone to get there. That¡¯s the only reason I exist.)


    Hiro begins to walk. udia called out to him as he walked away.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take advantage of the night breeze.¡±


    Without waiting for udia¡¯s reply, Hiro left the tent and found the area enveloped in darkness. The lights from the bonfire flickered in the night breeze. Sparks scattered from the firewood that had burst.


    The unreliable light danced with a masked expression of nothingness, creating shadows and emitting heat.


    Hiro dropped his gaze and looked at his own hands.


    His hands were bloodstained ¨D he had put countless people in his hands.


    (Rey¡­ I¡¯ve been blessed.)


    Looking up at the sky, the stars were twinkling in the sky.


    (Altius is here, you are here, and many friends have supported me.)


    They gave a hand to a naive, helpless man who knew nothing.


    (Maybe that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t deal with it¡­ after I lost you.)


    It¡¯s still the same today. Hiro smiles bitterly at himself.


    (But when I was summoned back to this world, I found someone to protect.)


    Hiro reached out his hand, unable to reach the full moon, but still desperately continued to reach out.


    (I¡¯ve found the world to protect.)


    It was different from the past when he could not grasp the heavens.


    Once he had abandoned it, he might be ridiculed for what he was doing now.


    Now that the opportunity has presented itself again¡­


    (If you can, pleaseugh at my ridiculous appearance.)


    I hope you can see how it ends.


    Please, please, please watch meugh at my defiance of fate.


    That¡¯s all Hiro wished.


    (That day, that time, that happiness¡­)


    Hiiro pressed his chest and let out a small breath.


    (I will return it to you through her.)


    ¨D¨DUntil the time when this body rots away.

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 6</h4>


    At the same time.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    When Liz returned to the tent after the military council was over, she found Aura standing there all alone. She tilted her head, cing her index finger on the tip of her chin at the unusual appearance.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°¡­There was something I wanted to ask your permission for.¡±


    But Aura shook her head and gazed at Liz closely as she approached her.


    Feeling mysterious intimidation from the petite girl, Liz retreated from the pressure.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Are you getting enough sleep?¡±


    Her heart skipped a beat at the directness of the question. She was about to spit out a few honest words, but she held back and hurriedly made up for it.


    ¡°W-why? I¡¯m sleeping just fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­You have dark circles under your eyes.¡±


    Aura pointed to Liz¡¯s eyes. She was startled by this point and touched her eyes with her hand. She thought she had used makeup to cover it up, but it seemed to have been immediately detected.


    However, without ming Liz for lying, Aura looked up at her with concern.


    ¡°Are you still afraid to sleep?¡±


    She raised her hands to show her resignation at the certainty of her words. It seems that there is no excuse.


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    After hearing the news that Hiro had been killed in action, she began to have sad dreams.


    Although she doesn¡¯t remember the dream¡¯s content clearly, when she wakes up, she is left with a deep sense of pity and unbearable tears in her eyes. Eventually, Liz became terribly afraid of going to sleep.


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m a grown woman¡­ I¡¯m still only a child.¡±


    She tried to say it jokingly, but Aura snorted with a serious expression on her face.


    Liz hurriedly gestured as if to say she was fine.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll sleep fine today.¡±


    Aura¡¯s expression remained grim as she shook her head several times as if she was trying to think of a way to deal with sleep, but then she came up with a good idea and stood still.


    ¡°Then you can sleep in peace today.¡±


    She then sat down on a nearby chair and began to read the ck Book.


    Liz thinks that this is the kind of thing that the older sister would do.


    ¡°Anyway, did you have something to do with me?¡±


    ¡°Liz¡¯s priority right now is to sleep and not think about anything else.¡±


    She told Liz to go to sleep.


    That was harsh, Liz thought with a bemused sigh. But it is no wonder she reacted the way she did. The current Liz is themander in charge of the entire Grantz Army.


    It can be said that she is the one who determines the fate of the country.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.¡±


    Liz mouthed an apology and then went to her bed. She reminded herself that she could not go on like this forever.


    She needs to be strong. She didn¡¯t want to be weak.


    Be strong¡­ be strong¡­ be strong¡­


    She wished to be strong enough to be unfazed by anything ¡ª a heart of steel, like her mother¡¯s.


    Liz has heard that her mother was a beautiful woman.


    It is said that her lineage goes back to the man known as the ¡°God of Military Arts¡± - the 22nd Emperor.


    He was a rare emperor who sessfully defeated the Flesh-eater Tribe and the Marked Tribe and drove them to the northern edge of the country, and for this achievement, he was revered as the ¡°God of Military Arts,¡± one of the twelve great gods of the Grantz.


    Perhaps because of this ancestry, her mother was very brave and even inherited the red hair that was a characteristic of the 22nd Emperor. Today, that hair color has been passed on to Liz, and her ¡°characteristics¡± have been passed on as well. But that¡¯s when things went awry.


    Everything fell apart.


    Everyone she cared about was disappearing from her life.


    Her mother died to protect Liz, and Dios, who had been like a brother to her, also died for her.


    And she even lost Hiro.


    It was because of her¨D¨D


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so hard on yourself.¡±


    Liz opened her eyes as she was interrupted by a thought.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    A colorful scene of blooming nts and flowers spread out in front of her. A gentle breeze was blowing. The clean, crisp air filled her lungs.


    The negative feelings that had been smoldering in the depths of her heart earlier were rapidly disappearing.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    No words came out. But she could feel that it was a dream. Even so, an ambiguous feeling ran through her body, as if she was in between a dream and reality.


    ¡°W-why, this is¡­ because, this too¨D¨D¡±


    An outpouring of emotions that even she couldn¡¯t understand ¨D joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure ¨D exploded in her heart all at once.


    The sudden rage ran through her whole body, apanied by a pain so intense that she felt as if she would burst, and Liz, unable to bear it, hugged her body as if she were shutting herself in a shell.


    ¡°You should take it easy.¡±


    She felt a gentle weight on her back. The softness of the weight on her back, as if it were tracing her spine, took away the pain.


    ¡°Have you calmed down?¡±


    When she looked up in response to the caring voice, she saw a beautiful blond-haired, blue-eyed woman bent over and looking at Liz. Her golden hair sweptfortably in the breeze, and her pointed ears peeked through the cracks. It was a face she had seen somewhere before, and it made Liz¡¯s mind restless and agitated.


    ¡°Um¡­ Long-Eared Race?¡±


    ¡°My father is a human. But my mother is from the Long-Eared people.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ where are we?¡±


    When Liz asked the question, the Long-Eared woman giggled as she put her index finger on the tip of her chin.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a very deep ce. It is a ce where one would not normallye.¡±


    When she held up her hand, the me Emperor appeared out of the empty space.


    ¡°She¡¯s as naughty as ever, isn¡¯t she? It seems that she brought you here because you were feeling depressed, and it seems that she really hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡±


    The woman smiled kindly and stroked the de of the ¡°me Emperor.¡± mes gushed out of it, happily clinging to her body.


    Liz looked up in surprise at the behavior of the dour and rarely friendly me Emperor.


    ¡°Is it possible that these are the memories of the previous owners?¡±


    If so, that would exin the feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu she had just experienced.


    The more power the Five Emperors Spirit Swords draw out, the more visible the memories of their past owners be. Skaaha had told her that the more power she drew out of the sword, the more she could learn how to use it, and the more knowledge she gained, the more power she could draw out of it.


    However, the woman from the Long-Eared Race smiled vaguely, as if troubled.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. This is not the Realm. It¡¯s a different ce.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then where¨D¨D¡±


    Before she could finish, a white finger closed Liz¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°You already know. So I guess I don¡¯t have to tell you.¡±


    Her fingertips slid from her mouth to her chest, and her outstretched hands pressed against her chest.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t say anything when she smiled a smile that was pure and simple, and Liz nodded, not knowing the true meaning behind the kindness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to pave your own way.¡±


    The woman handed Liz the me Emperor. The mes were still clinging to her as if bidding her farewell. As she gently unwraps it, the Long-Eared woman smiles at Liz.


    ¡°Please take good care of Hiro-sama.¡±


    The words were spoken without hesitation as if they were a greeting. But the earnestness in her words made Liz¡¯s heart ache.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a thousand years. It¡¯s been a long, long time.¡±


    The woman looked up at the clear sky and felt a sense of relief as she thought about the distance. Liz had no idea why she looked that way. But the only thing that burns in the back of her mind is what she¡¯s thinking, what she¡¯s holding, what she¡¯s worried about.


    ¡°But I was finally able to catch his back.¡±


    But she couldn¡¯t catch him. It became impossible for her to walk next to him.


    She smiled softly at Liz as if she had heard her heart.


    ¡°What are you saying? All you have to do is pass him.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be troubled. But don¡¯t stop moving.¡±


    The woman continues to stand there, not even stopping her hair from being tossed by the wind. It was as if she had been sewn in ce, not moving an inch from her spot, just looking at Liz tenderly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You will be able to save him.¡±


    She was right in front of her, but somehow she felt her presence slipping away.


    ¡°W-wait!¡±


    Her vision was rapidly narrowing. A severe headache hit her like a ringing bell.


    Still, Liz gritted her teeth and endured.


    There are so many things she wants to talk about. She wanted to share many memories with her.


    She wanted to hear about a young man named Hiro that she hadn¡¯t known.


    Liz tried her best to reach out, but she could only grasp at the void.


    ¡°Please, wait, there¡¯s so much more I want to ask you!¡±


    She continued to reach out, struggling, pawing, and scooping up the void over and over again.


    And so, in a world of many glowing lights, she gently wrapped her wandering hand around it.


    As if it was natural for her to be there, as if she insisted on being there at all times, with a very gentle smile, she grasped Liz¡¯s hand tightly, as if to say it was natural.


    ¡°How, if I save him, will he ¨D Hiro will¡­ Hiro will¡­¡±


    She was gone from Liz¡¯s sight. No, the truth is that she¡¯s watching over her from somewhere. There was a part of her that had such faint hopes. She continued to hold on to her uncontroble feelings of iprehensible emotional outbursts, and she was unable to hold on to her raging emotions of anger and sadness. She couldn¡¯t decide what to believe or what to dere as lies anymore.


    So, squeezing it out of her throat, she screamed.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do!¡±


    ¡°Just hit him.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    Liz made a dumb sound as the answer returned more oblique than she had imagined.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a habit of his.¡±


    She smiled and put her fingers to the corners of both mouths.


    As if embarrassed by such a gesture, she formed a smile with her fingers, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.


    ¡°When things go ording to n, he has a habit ofughing under all circumstances.¡±


    The sound of her embarrassedughter echoes through the air. It became a pleasant sound that shook the world.


    ¡°He has waited a thousand years for this, so don¡¯t hesitate to hit him.¡±


    Liz¡¯s vision went dark as she saw the woman¡¯s face change from gentle to angry.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    As soon as she reached out, she was hit with a sense of weariness.


    Feeling the weight of her body, she choked for a moment but held her throat and looked up.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    A dull ache rushed to her temples, probably due to the forcefulness of her movement.


    She crouched down, pressing her head down, and the covers that had been draped over her upper body slipped noisily to the floor. At the same time, she heard light footsteps and felt someone¡¯s hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡±


    When Liz looked to the side to check the owner of the voice, she saw that Aura was peeking out at her.


    ¡°A-Aura?¡±


    ¡°Another scary dream?¡±


    She could assure her that it was not.


    ¡°¡­It was a gentle dream.¡±


    Everything was wrapped up gently ¨D yes, she noticed a sense of security spreading in her chest as if she was being hugged by her mother.


    Liz clutched her chest, not wanting to let the feelings of affection in her heart cool down.


    Who is she? Why did she have that dream? A cloud of emotions swirled in her chest. But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯te up with an answer.


    As if giving up, Liz leaned back on her bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep for a little while longer.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Without saying a word, Aura sat down on the edge of the bed and began to read the ck Book.


    Liz smiled at her petite figure.


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    Staring at the light fixture hanging from the ceiling, Liz plunged back into the darkness. She had been so afraid, but now, somehow, happiness had taken its ce.


    It was a vague feeling, but she had a feeling that she wouldn¡¯t have any nightmares.


    She had a feeling that she would sleep well today.


    The moment shepletely surrendered her consciousness to the dream, Liz thought she heard a voice.


    The voice waspassionate, gentle, and said something that soothed her pain.


    Somewhere, someone was telling her that she was going to be okay.

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 7

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 7</h4>


    March 23rd, the 1024th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D the Larix ins in the northwest of the Western Region.


    It was a battleground.


    It was an abominable ce where a fierce battle had once been repeated and where vindictiveness had been endlessly generated.


    The damage to the bodies that weren¡¯t recovered ¨D not a single one was in perfect condition.


    They have been devoured by monsters, rotting away, unable to survive the winter, and even their broken armor has been taken by battlefield marauders. Only corpses, stripped of all their valuables, adorned the Larix ins to the point of being overly decorative.


    Such a hellish ce was once again about to be a battlefield.


    The horizons to the east and west were filled with people, and the sky was filled with banners. All of the banners were fluttering in the air as if to show off their pride.


    Arrayed to the east were the 130,000 troops of the Great Grantz Empire.


    In the rear of the central army was a peculiar force.


    It was the army of the Levering Kingdom, led by udia. Since they were from another country, they were treated as a volunteer army, but as expected, they were not weed with open arms.


    First of all, the main reason was that they couldn¡¯t work together. And since the Levering Kingdom army had umted a lot of achievements so far, the higher-ups of the Grantz wanted to avoid any situation that would give them more credit, including sowing discord.


    ¡°Thanks to that, we were able to position ourselves in a position where we could overlook the battlefield.¡±


    Hiro said while holding back a sigh on his four-headed chariot. udia, who was next to him, responded while making a cup of tea.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that after such a long journey, the only thing we can do is observe.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have more than two thousand men, so it¡¯s inevitable.¡±


    As a result of repeated battles until the Grantz Army arrived in the west, the number of the Levering Kingdom Army was visibly decreasing. The number of soldiers that had originally numbered 5,000 was now just over 1,000. However, their sacrifice was not in vain. The number of the army of the Six Kingdoms had also decreased in proportion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be forced to stand on the front lines.¡±


    Considering the fatigue umted from the past battles, it was good that the Levering soldiers could rest.


    ¡°So, how do you think this battle will go?¡±


    Hiro turned his gaze to the map spread out beneath his feet in response to udia¡¯s question.


    The Grantz Army and the Six Kingdoms Army pieces were ced and moved, respectively.


    The right army of the Grantz Army was 50,000, with the main emphasis on cavalry. The left army was also 50,000, also with a lot of cavalry.


    The central army of 30,000 is mainly infantry and is poised in a passive position.


    In contrast, the Army of the Six Kingdoms had fewer cavalry.


    The 30,000 on the right and 30,000 on the left are mainly infantry, while the 40,000 in the center are mainly cavalry, mixed with infantry.


    The formation was also simr for both armies, with the formation focusing on encirclement and annihtion tactics.


    ¡°The Grantz are thinning out the center, but aren¡¯t they indeed too unbnced?¡±


    udia stretched out her head from next to him and peered at the map.


    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s like answering what tactics you¡¯re going to use against the enemy. Maybe she¡¯s thinking about something ¨D Aura is a military strategist who prefers offense to defense¡­ so based on that, this could be seen as a provocation.¡±


    The center of the Grantz Army is thin, while the right and left armies form a thick wall.


    The key will be to find out where they will move first.


    The number of reserve troops ¨D the pawns they have ¨D is greater in the Grantz Army. The Six Kingdoms will have to start the process of cutting down on them. Under normal circumstances, the Six Kingdoms would be in an inferior position, but that would only be the case if they were unprepared.


    ¡°What would you do in this situation, Hiro-sama?¡±


    ¡°I would take the challenge. And then I would crush them to the ground and make them regret it.¡±


    Hiro said, looking up from the map and looking at the front line.


    The long and short battle that would go down in military history was about to begin.


    In a matter of seconds, his lungs will be filled with the choking scent of blood, the smell of rust will scorch the ground, and the smoke of the battlefield will paint the clear sky red.


    On the battlefield, good and evil do not exist, but victory and defeat are equal, and the two armies create an isted world with fiercemands. It will be a hellish picture of evil spirits roaming around.


    ¡°It has begun.¡±


    The signal for the start of the war came from a horn blown over the battlefield.


    With the sound of the horn, the two armies raised their gs. It was a deration of mutual pride to kill each other fairly and honestly.


    Which one of them will sink the banner into the pool of blood that dripped on the ground?


    ¡°The first to make a move will be the¡­ Six Kingdoms.¡±


    The right army of the Six Kingdoms began to advance.


    The roar of horseshoes can be heard in the rear of the central army of the Grantz ¨D even to the Levering Kingdom soldiers who are in the distance.


    It was a roar that shook the bottom of the stomach.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that morale is good enough. Then it¡¯s up to you to respond¡­¡±


    Hiro turned his attention to the main camp of the Grantz, where Aura was probably suffering from heavy pressure at the moment.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    Aura was distressed, as Hiro had predicted.


    ¡°¡­¡­Mmm.¡±


    This is a future option that everyone canugh at, with no remorse and no regrets. Whether or not she can really win with this strategy, everything will be decided by her ownmand.


    It is difficult for Aura, who is not yet mentally mature, to turn around the enormous pressure.


    Still, she knows that it is a battle that cannot be lost.


    ¡°Chief of Staff Aura, the enemy right army has started advancing!¡±


    ¡°I know. We¡¯re advancing on the left.¡±


    Both sides want to set up an encirclement attack. Therefore, although the details were different, simr formations ovepped each other.


    As soon as Aura signaled to the g bearer, the left army of the Grantz began to advance vigorously.


    ¡°Let us set up a reverse encirclement.¡±


    Aura immediately sent a signal to the g bearer, ordering the right army to advance. The g was waved, and the right army immediately sent a reply and started advancing.


    This gradually created a gap between the center army and both wings.


    Since the two wings of the Grantz army were mainly cavalry with an emphasis on speed, their speed was tremendous, and this operation was also an encirclement and annihtion tactic that took advantage of the strength of the Grantz cavalry.


    ¡°I think it would be dangerous to create any more gaps, but what about the central army?¡±


    Aura shook her head at the words of the staff officer. It was still too early to make a decision.


    ¡°I want to wait and see what the enemy does.¡±


    The numbers are in their favor. It was time to use the reserves, but there wasn¡¯t enough room for them yet.


    The right army of Grantz shed with the left army of the Six Kingdoms even while they were assessing the time.


    Perhaps it was because the central army was quietly waiting for the right moment, but the sound of their sword fights reached them.


    Cavalrymen were being shot to death by arrows, and warhorses were neighing in grief at the loss of their masters. Swords shed with swords to tear flesh, spears crossed with spears to pierce the heart, and blood smoke rose from the battlefield on the right.


    ¡°The left army is¡­¡±


    The left army, which had started to act earlier than the right army, had yet to start fighting.


    In the meantime, the right side of the Grantz Army has not yet started fighting.


    Judging by the rising dust, they must be running as fast as they can, but they can¡¯t seem to catch a glimpse of the enemy. In the meantime, the right army of the Grantz was surging forward at full speed.


    This caused the thick walls on either side of the central army to bepletely lost.


    ¡°C-Chief of Staff Aura, this is not¡­¡±


    The staff officer called out with a bloodied face, shaken with agitation.


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    Aura narrowed her eyes and desperately stretched her neck from her horse to look at the enemy¡¯s main camp.


    Several gs were fluttering in the sky. The sound of drums beating furiously rose into the sky.


    When she could see the dust rising.


    ¡°¡­They¡¯vee.¡±


    Aura clutched her chest tightly to contain her impatient thoughts.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The main camp of the Six Kingdoms ¨D under a sky dyed brown.


    The person in charge of the 40,000-strong main army is Luca Mamon de Urpeth.


    Even as she listened to the reports that came in one after another, she was nk, and her empty eyes dropped to the ground.


    On top of her crossed legs is a skull that resembles her dead brother.


    While patting his head, Luca watched the procession of ants running on the ground.


    ¡°Eagle, ants and soldiers are very simr, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Luca nodded repeatedly and smiled brokenly as ifprehending, even though there was no reply.


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s a very good point. Indeed, even amander is still a pawn. It¡¯s like ants that are forced to work forever.¡±


    Even though she seemed to have abandoned her ability to think, the truth was that she understood her role very well. Even as the bureaucrats ran past Luca in a flurry of dust and sand, her cloudy eyes remained fixed on them.


    Sometimes, when a staff member stopped to read out a report, she would give the minimum instructions as amander. She was so precise that no one could say anything to her, as long as she could do her job, even if she were broken.


    Above all, there is no way that the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords holder can be dragged down from their position ofmand.


    ¡°It seems that the right army of Grantz has been caught brilliantly.¡±


    While stroking Eagle¡¯s skull, Luca turned her unfocused eyes to the staff member.


    This alone is enough to take his breath away, but perhaps not wanting to spoil her good mood, the bureaucrat kept his cheeks tight but still gave a full report. But he did not look at Luca¡¯s hand at all.


    ¡°What about our right army?¡±


    ¡°As per our n, we have seeded in separating the Grantz left army and the Grantz central army.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Then go call General McRill.¡±


    The staff member could not raise his bowed head. The man Luca had mentioned had already been killed in action.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Um¡­¡±


    When he looked up, he found a woman waiting for him, as dazed as an empty shell.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°G-General McRill is¡­¡±


    But still, he had to point it out. If he could not bring him in under false pretenses, his head would not be safe.


    The staff member coughed several times to disguise his nervousness and agitation.


    When he was ready, he mmed his fist on the ground and opened his mouth with all his might.


    ¡°General McRill has been killed in action! He died the other day at the battle of Fort Tullus with twenty thousand men!¡±


    This is an unprecedented event. Twenty thousand troops were destroyed against only 1,000.


    Even if the history of the Six Kingdoms is unraveled, General McRill is the only one who has ever achieved such an impressive result.


    To be precise, it was not that 20,000 people died.


    About three thousand soldiers returned to the main army exhausted and depressed.


    The rest may have changed their jobs to bandits or thieves, or they may have been hunted, but their whereabouts are still unknown.


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh, so General McRill has passed away.¡±


    As Luca began to walk unsteadily, she ordered the guards to pull on the horse¡¯s reins.


    The staff member stood up and rushed over to her, but he kept a short distance away and called out to her.


    ¡°Luca-sama, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°If General McRill is not here, then I will have to take the lead.¡±


    ¡°T-there are other excellentmanders. Why don¡¯t you leave it to them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust them. I have no one left but Eagle.¡±


    Without giving a second thought to the opinions of the staff, Luca straddled her horse with amazing leg strength and smiled as she rubbed her cheek against Eagle¡¯s skull.


    ¡°¡­Now is the right time. We will begin our assault.¡±


    The wall that protected the central army of the Grantz was ripped down by the two wings of the Six Kingdoms.


    In anticipation of therge number of Grantz troops, Luca expected that they would use a strategy of encirclement and annihtion. So she moved the right army of the Six Kingdoms to show them that she would use the same encirclement and annihtion tactics. Then, just as she had expected, the opponent bloody-mindedly made a big move to set up a reverse encirclement.


    ¡°All of this is a stepping stone to thin the defense of the central army of Grantz.¡±


    Thus, the Grantz left army of 50,000 was greatly separated from the Grantz right army of 50,000.


    In other words, the central army of Grantz, which had the smallest number of troops at 30,000, lost its wall and was left empty.


    And since the Six Kingdoms had originally nned to break through the center, their central army outnumbered their opponents by 40,000.


    ¡°With the Ghost Squad in the front line, the light cavalry would be the first line and the heavy cavalry the second. Leave the infantry here and hold off the right army of Grantz that is encircling us. In the meantime, I will take the head of the Sixth Princess.¡±


    After instructing the staff in rapid session, Luca kicked the horse¡¯s belly and headed for the front.


    ¡°Eagle, watch your sister¡¯s battle. I¡¯ll make sure to tear the people of the Grantz family to pieces.¡±


    Despite being on a swaying horse, Luca dexterously stroked the head of the skull.


    The soldiers in the escort were creeped out by the sight of her, but when they reached the head of the line, their petty feelings dissipated.


    The reason was that there was a line of cavalrymen with a strange appearance.


    ¡°These people are the Ghost Squad, huh? ¡­They¡¯re creepy as hell.¡±


    In addition to the guards who were talking as if they were trying to make a show of bravado, Luca could sense the smell of the surroundings and exhaled ecstatically as if she were intoxicated.


    ¡°I should be grateful to Lucia-sama.¡±


    The ¡°Ghost Squad¡± that emits a strange odor is not an object of fear for her but an existence that stimtes her thoughts of torment, as she can sense from her expression.


    In the past, the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± was a direct unit of Lucia, but just before leaving for Felzen, she somehow left them behind as a parting gift for Luca.


    She had no reason to refuse, so she dly epted, and judging from the guards¡¯ reaction, she was right.


    ¡°This will allow me to take advantage of their weakness and run through to the enemy¡¯s main camp.¡±


    It¡¯s too warm to be silent, too hot to be solemn, and just too bizarre to be anything other than a scene. The armor they wear is stained reddish-ck with dried blood, and the sun¡¯s rays have discolored it to the point where its original color is unrecognizable.


    The air smelled of rotting flesh, and their bodies emitted an animal-like body odor. The odor emitted from their bodies attracted small flies to swarm around them. The swords had not been cared for and were rusty, with bits of meat stuck in the gaps where the des had spilled.


    Above all, the eyes of those who belonged to the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± were as dead as Luca¡¯s.


    They¡¯re just like the walking dead, like ghosts wandering in this world, a group of dead people who don¡¯t feel alive.


    ¡°W-what are¡­ these people¡­ Ugh.¡±


    One of the guards vomited up the contents of his stomach, unable to bear the nausea he felt.


    ¡°That¡¯s rude. It¡¯s disrespectful to brave men like them.¡±


    Luca, who had seen this, looked up at the sky and muttered to herself, still not paying attention to the guards.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you kill them. After all, they didn¡¯t even say hello to Eagle.¡±


    The members of the Ghost Squad faithfully obeyed Luca¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Hyi, w-wait! You¡¯re insane!¡±


    They pulled the surprised soldiers from their horses and crushed their heads.


    Some had their throats bitten out in desperation, some were trapped under the horses with their limbs severed, and some were simply beaten to death.


    The ¡°Ghost Squad¡± devoured every single guard with such hatred that it crushed their screams. Luca¡¯s face remained in ecstasy as she watched the tyrannical scene from the corner of her eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it? After all, humans should live ording to their instincts.¡±


    After gently cradling the skull between his thighs, Luca tugged on the reins and shouted at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°We¡¯ll now eradicate the blood of the Grantz! Eat every single one of those stupid goosenecks you see lined up in front of you!¡±


    With the ugly expression of a starvation-stricken beast, Luca turned her stagnant eyes toward the central army of the Grantz.


    ¡°All troops charge!¡±


    Luca ran at the front with vigor.


    Apanying her are monsters that drool in front of their prey ¨D people who are human but no longer human.


    Even the rain of arrows from the Grantz central army didn¡¯t stop the momentum.


    ¡°Despise me as vile; call me vicious! My name is Luca Mammon de Urpeth!¡±


    The ¡°Ghost Squad¡± led by Luca pierced the central army of the Grantz with great precision.


    ¡°Wha ¨D Gogyaah!?¡±


    The infantryman¡¯s head instantly burst open. The brain fluid scattered mboyantly, but there is no one in the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± who would be frightened. The power of the Ghost Squad, led by Luca, is tremendous, and the Grantz are put off by their spirit.


    ¡°Stop them! Stop them at all costs ¨D Higyaah!?¡±


    The fatigue and tension umted from the march up to this point seem to have exhausted the bodies of the Grantz soldiers. Therefore, the Ghost Squad was like a fish that found water and ran around freely.


    On the other hand, the Grantz army was caught in the gap, and their ranks were thrown into disarray, easily destroying the first line of the central army.


    And then ¨D the one-sided ughter would begin.


    ¡°Twist, strangle, chop, and kick everyst person who stands in front of you!¡±


    The army led by Luca gained momentum and pressed down on the central army of Grantz.

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 8

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 8</h4>


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre, it appears that the main army of the Six Kingdoms has attacked and destroyed the first line.¡±


    ¡°¡­All right.¡±


    When Liz heard the report, she nodded vigorously and turned her horse¡¯s head around. Behind her were light cavalrymen in vermilion armor.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for us to go! The day hase to make the name of the Rose Knight Order known to the world!¡±


    The ¡°Rose Knight Order,¡± which belongs to the Fourth Imperial Army, is one of the most elite and agile units in the Great Grantz Empire. The Third Imperial Army, which Aura once led, is made up of heavy cavalry, as are its elite, the ¡°Imperial ck Knights,¡± while the ¡°Rose Knight Order¡± is made up of light cavalry.


    In order to maintain the security of the unstable southern region, it had been impossible for them to apany Liz in her battles, but now that a war had broken out involving all of Grantz, they were finally able toe to her aid.


    ¡°When you are in doubt, look ahead! When you feel scared, look forward!¡±


    The Rose Knight Order, led by its originalmander, was at its most battle-hungry on this battlefield.


    ¡°If you feel lost, look ahead! I¡¯ll be there!¡±


    She pulled the me Emperor from her waist and pointed it at the azure sky.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take away all of your fears!¡±


    At that moment, the atmosphere explodes.


    The Rose Knight Order responded with a shout. They nged their swords against their shields, raised their spears high in the sky, and shouted heroically.


    ¡°Bless our ¡®me Princess¡¯ with the blessings of the Spirit King!¡±


    Morale was high, spirits were high, and Liz, who was leading the excited soldiers, was also in high spirits.


    The time hade.


    She breathed deeply as she set her eyes on the clear sky and the banner of the rose that was raised from the main camp.


    ¡°We will now attack the main army of the Six Kingdoms!¡±


    She pulled on the reins of her beloved horse and galloped off at a brisk pace.


    The goal is to annihte the main army of the Six Kingdoms ¨D those who have bitten the central army of the Grantz.


    Liz and the others, who were waiting on the left-wing of the third line, were in a position to rush to the second line¡¯s predicament by the shortest way.


    (So far, everything has gone ording to Aura¡¯s n.)


    As expected of a ¡°War Maiden,¡± Liz praised her. All that remained was for Liz to do what she had to do. And, surprisingly, the moment came quickly.


    She was supposed to attack the main camp of the Six Kingdoms, which was supposed to be engaged with the second line.


    ¡°¡­What does this mean?¡±


    She caught sight of the enemy army pushing forward vigorously to the side. Liz was taken aback by the sight of the enemy troops advancing with overwhelming crushing force.


    In the rear, away from there, there was the main army of the Six Kingdoms desperately chasing after her allies.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre, it seems that a portion of the enemy is closing in on the center of the second line.¡±


    When a soldier called out to her, Liz seeded in bringing back the consciousness that had been coated with thoughts. Yes, there is no doubt that the enemy is advancing at speed faster than expected.


    If they are not stopped here, the speed of their advance will hinder future operations.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to hold off that enemy force!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Our role is to nk the enemy¡¯s main army.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but if they keep up the momentum, their fangs will reach our main camp.¡±


    ¡°That will be difficult. There is no way they can reach the main camp with that many people, is there?¡±


    Liz thinks so too, but a warning bell is ringing in the corner of her mind that it could be dangerous.


    If they were that capable, she would surely regret it.


    ¡°Eradicate the enemy forces on the right!¡±


    She waved her ¡°me Emperor¡± to light the way, and the ¡°Rose Knight Order¡± faithfully followed.


    They could prate the second line through a thin area and caught the rear of the enemy troops, who gave off a strange atmosphere. After they passed by, there were bodies lying around, twisted in agony.


    The dead and dying were spread out in an unbearable mess.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stop them here at all costs!¡±


    As soon as she caught up to the rear of the enemy troops, she kicked the saddle, leaped, and cut off the head of the cavalryman running in front of her with a single swing of her sword. She didn¡¯t stop there, using the enemy¡¯s warhorse to leap through the air and instantly slice through the enemy¡¯s vitals one after another.


    At this point, the Rose Knight Order caught up with Liz and attacked the enemy troops from behind, shing their tips. Their martial arts skills, honed over many years, exploded. They pierced the enemy¡¯s vitals with admirable precision.


    But¡­


    ¡°Wha ¨D are these people sane?¡±


    The voice of one of the allied soldiers wasced with astonishment. The enemy soldier fell to the ground with the spear stuck in his side, engulfing him.


    The two of them disappeared in a cloud of dust and smoke.


    ¡°Be sure to stop them from breathing! If you can¡¯t do that, leave immediately ¨D Gaah!?¡±


    An enemy soldier, realizing that he was dying, jumped from his horse and disappeared into the dust while hugging a Grantz soldier. As if caught up in this, the following cavalrymen whose legs were caught in the corpse fell one after another. There was no hesitation on the part of the enemy to destroy them, and the momentum of the ¡°Rose Knight Order¡± was weakened by their spirit.


    If I¡¯m going to die, I will take as many Grantz soldiers with me as possible. And Liz felt a chill run down her spine as she sensed such persistence.


    What drove them to that point, and how much resentment they had to harbor to choose the path of self-destruction, was something that Liz could never understand.


    But she couldn¡¯t let any more soldiers die in vain.


    Liz¡¯s decision was swift.


    ¡°Speed up¡­¡±


    She muttered halfway through, and the rest of the words never left her throat.


    It was because her opponent had suddenly turned around.


    With a heavy cloud of dust rising, the army of the Six Kingdoms forcibly changed direction while involving the surrounding Grantz soldiers, not caring that they would fall off their horses.


    ¡°Ooo, oooooohhh!¡±


    A screeching voice ¨D no longer a word, but a sound wave that made one want to cover one¡¯s ears.


    Hearing the iprehensible sound of desperation mixed with fear, the warhorse that had been trained primarily to fight on the battlefield stopped in fear.


    A brief pause ¨D a strange void between the two.


    It is not of a restful nature. It¡¯s a detached disgust.


    ¡°Ooooooh!¡±


    The soldiers of the Six Kingdoms charge forward, crushing their fallen allies as if they don¡¯t even know the difference between friend and foe.


    ¡°Push them back!¡±


    Liz also gave a fiercemand and kicked the horse¡¯s belly.


    The soldiers in bloodstained armor ¨D red and vermillion ¨D crossed each other.


    They thrust their spears with their own resentment and swords with their own pride. The two armies jumbled together, red flowers hit the sky, and red rain poured down on the ground.


    In the blink of an eye, it became a battlefield of corpses, mountains, and rivers of blood, and countless dead were created.


    ¡°¡­¡­What the hell?¡±


    After cutting down the opposing enemy, Liz was ovee by a chill when she looked into the eyes of the dead who had built up a grudge against her.


    As she looks at the bloodyndscape with vacant eyes, she has no words to speak and does not mutter a single word of resentment. The only thing they are obsessed with is ¡°killing the enemy¡± in the name of everything.


    Liz couldn¡¯t hide her confusion at the appearance of an enemy who was only directing one-sided hatred at her.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean¨D¨D¡±


    She let out a sigh of relief as she spoke the words.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡±


    A firm will shine in the back of her eyes. There is no such thing as sympathy on the battlefield.


    If the enemy has something they can¡¯t give up, then Liz also has something important to protect.


    ¡°So I will do my best to deal with you.¡±


    She kicked the saddle with unusual spirit and shed at the enemy, whose eyes were as vacant as a ghost¡¯s. The wind pressure from the powerful skill made the space scream. Even so, the ghost in front of her is not intimidated and responds. A sh that contained a fierce impact from Liz, but there were no sparks, and a st of me enveloped the enemy soldiers with more power than that.


    ¡°Aa ¨D¨D¡­ Aa¡­ Aaa.¡±


    The enemy is sinking into the mes, screaming inaudibly.


    The wave of mes that spread all over the area ¨D creating a serpent-like raging sea ¨D swallowed the surrounding enemy soldiers. The mes, which boasted an absolute amount of heat that could not be prevented, mysteriously did not bite any of the allies. It only preyed on the enemy.


    ¡°Your Highness Celia Estre! A portion of the enemy force has further split up and is heading towards the main camp unabated!¡±


    Reacting to the soldier¡¯s words, Liz cut her gaze from the sea of mes and looked ahead.


    Arge amount of dust was rolling up. The flowing brown steam was heading towards the main camp with great force.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be that¡­ I¡¯ve cut them off, stranded from the source?¡±


    If the repeated acts of self-destruction and sudden reckless reversals were all part of a strategy to deceive them, the images projected in front of them were proof of that.


    If they were only concentrating on taking down the main camp, they would not be able to do so.


    ¡°Kuh, we will follow them right away!¡±


    Regardless of whether Liz, the leader of the banner, is safe or not, if the disgraceful news of the fall of the main camp is notified to all the troops, the war situation will have the worst possible ending, no matter the advantage.


    And then¡­


    ¡°¡­¡­I found you.¡±


    A sticky voice shook her eardrums as if she were crawling out of the depths of aa.


    It was as if someone was talking to her over her shoulder, and though she hurried to check her surroundings, she could not find the other person anywhere.


    No, no, no, the other person is right in front of her.


    A huge hole was drilled in the ground with a destructive force that was out of the ordinary.


    A gust of wind that pierced the skin blew, and the me snake that Liz had created was cut into pieces.


    After the dust rushed into the sky with the wind, a woman appeared.


    She had burns on the left side of her body that made Liz want to turn away from her, and her left arm had a sleeve that swayed in the wind, indicating a hollow space. She had a thin, well-proportioned figure, but she wore the dense abomination of a distorted form.


    ¡°Eagle, I found her. The girl with the red hair, the red sword, the red soldiers, all dyed in red, she must be the sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    The cloudy eyes that had captured her skull turned to Liz.


    Liz choked on her breath when she saw the eyes full of despair and without hope.


    It was simr. She had seen it many times. There was no way she could forget it.


    The nightmare of being dragged in and not being able to make a difference, no matter how much she refused, was still burned into her mind. At the end of the hell that kept showing up forever, where she wanted to help but couldn¡¯t, where she wanted to save but couldn¡¯t, there was a young man with the same kind of eyes.


    ¡°Eagle, stay here and watch.¡±


    The woman ced the skull on top of the charred corpse, leaving the upset Liz to her own devices.


    ¡°This corpse is still warm, so you won¡¯t get cold, okay? I¡¯ll finish it before you get cold.¡±


    The iprehensible situation muddled Liz¡¯s thoughts. But the roar of the murderous voice forced her to switch her mind.


    ¡°N-no way he¡¯s still alive¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Ohhhh!¡±


    The white bones peeked out from under the burnt skin, and the melted armor was burning the flesh. The white smoke that covered the entire body swayed in the wind like a grudge.


    The very sight of it¡­


    ¡°The Ghost Squad¡­ are my cute little toy soldiers.¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice reached her through the fierce friction of the sword¡¯s fierce sound again.


    When Liz looked back at the voice owner, she saw a woman with a hammer in her handughing in a deted fashion.


    She is dead while living. Patheticp dogs, living and dead at the same time. She was ring at Liz, looking both close and far away.


    Whether or not the person in the back of her eyes is really her, Liz has no answer.


    ¡°And I am its owner, Luca Mamon de Urpeth.¡±


    With a single swing of the hammer, a tremor shook the earth.


    ¡°Now ¨D shall we drink blood and surrender ourselves to the sweet pleasures?¡±

 Volume 7, Chapter 4 – Those Who Have Hope, Part 9

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 4 - Those Who Have Hope, Part 9</h4>


    ¡°Chief of Staff Aura! The enemy¡¯s momentum is unstoppable!¡±


    In the main camp of the Grantz Empire, the staff members were shouting out a cry that was simr to a scream. Whenever a report arrived from the messenger of each unit, the staff members lose color from their expressions.


    ¡°¡­¡­I know.¡±


    Aura, who had been watching the battlefield, dismounted and stared at the miniature map of the battlefield spread out on the desk. Moving her eyes busily, she moved the pieces around and sorted out the current situation in her mind.


    Therge hole that had been opened in the central army of the Grantz could not be filled.


    Liz seemed to have done her best to reduce their numbers and was unable to reduce the enemy¡¯s momentum. However, since the main army of the Six Kingdoms had not been able to break through the second line, the problem at hand would be the protruding enemy forces.


    ¡°There is still a reserve army waiting in the rear.¡±


    ¡°Rather than moving the reserves, shouldn¡¯t we move the main camp further back?¡±


    ¡°Well, the more cards we have, the better. The war may not be over today, and we should save our reserves forter.¡±


    Aura nodded to the staff members who were voicing their opinions.


    ¡°What is the status of the armies?¡±


    Aura ignored the previous opinions and tilted her head.


    ¡°O-on the contrary¡­ we must first deal with the crisis approaching the main camp¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the status of the war?¡±


    With her unmistakable gaze, Aura asked again, and the staff members gasped. When the staff members did not respond, Aura¡¯s shoulders slumped, and she pointed to one of them.


    ¡°What¡¯s the war situation?¡±


    ¡°¡­The Grantz right army is in control, and the Grantz left army has entered a state of battle.¡±


    It¡¯s not the most up-to-date information, so the situation will probably be different now, but it shouldn¡¯t be that different. The two wings of the Six Kingdoms originally existed in order to make them lose their walls.


    In other words ¨D a decoy.


    It¡¯s a prerequisite to winning, but if it¡¯s difficult, they¡¯ve taken on the mission of prolonging the battle.


    ¡°As I suspected, the opponent was trying to break through the center.¡±


    Aura¡¯s prediction was not wrong, as the right and left armies of the Grantz are separated from the central army, and the main army of the Six Kingdoms has been biting the central army.


    Above all, Aura knew that the other side would not use encirclement and annihtion tactics.


    The enemy also knew that the Grantz would rely on their superiority in numbers to use encirclement and annihtion tactics.


    That is why they made such tant advances. They reduced the number of the Grantz central army and made the walls thicker.


    In preparation for other cases where the enemy would be wary, they would reverse the deep psychology and set up a reverse encirclement to induce the enemy to break through the center.


    They were given the opportunity so that they would not hesitate so that they would not feel ufortable in their thinking.


    This is how the current situation came to be.


    So far, things were going ording to n, although there were some unnned events.


    It was time to make the next move.


    ¡°Activate the next move.¡±


    This move was not really necessary, as the situation was such that they could win if they proceeded straightforwardly.


    The Grantz Empire is ahead of the Six Kingdoms in terms of military strength.


    In the current situation, winning is the natural oue, so that would not be a spectacr war result for Liz.


    The real test for this battle is to leave behind a result that will surprise the surrounding countries.


    ¡°We will end this battle with the least amount of damage.¡±


    Aura took out a piece of ¡°letter paper¡± from her cuff.


    This was thest letter that Hiro had left in the saddle of the swift dragon. She didn¡¯t realize it was addressed to Liz and regretted reading the contents.


    However, as she continued to read it, she was relieved that it had not fallen into Liz¡¯s hands.


    It was a letter that listed Hiro¡¯s origins and the many ns he had left behind. She stopped reading the part about his origins halfway through and cut it out for safekeeping.


    She concluded that Liz¡¯s mental state would not be able to take it in.


    In fact, that decision was not wrong.


    When Aura showed Liz the part of the letter that contained the n, she was terribly upset and was afraid to read it. So Aura decided to keep the clipped part until the time came, although she did not know when that would be.


    And then¡­


    (I won¡¯t let Hiro¡¯s n go to waste.)


    That was what she and Liz had decided. They would make good use of what he had left them.


    ¡°g Bearer.¡±


    The staff members tightened their faces when they saw the coat of arms g raised at Aura¡¯s signal.


    The staff, who had been in such a hurry, became as fearless as the warriors of the past. It was as if a person had changed.


    No ¨D now that they have seen the g, they have to change.


    It was a g that would never be raised again.


    The silver and white sword floating in the jet-ck darkness, the dragon roaring in the sky.


    It was the ¡°divine g¡± of the man who was once feared as the ¡°God of War.¡±


    A horn was blown so loudly that it filled the entire battlefield. Even as the oxygen in his lungs was being expelled, a heroic tone was yed that never faded.


    ¡°Everyone, listen up.¡±


    Aura¡¯s words caused the staff to stand still.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to make our move.¡±


    This is a critical moment, and they will do everything in their power to seize victory.


    ¡°First, we must destroy the enemy forces approaching the main camp.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to leave them on the loose any longer.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    In fact, the situation is not so dire as to be a crisis.


    The enemy troops are indeed trying to prate the second line at a terrifying speed, but the third line is waiting ahead of them. Certainly, considering the momentum, they might reach the main camp, but from Aura¡¯s point of view, it was only a minor problem that she could deal with.


    It was unnned, but it was not unexpected.


    ¡°So, should we move the reserves?¡±


    ¡°No, it will be Her Majesty Queen udia.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you only want the Levering Kingdom Army?¡±


    The staff may want to ask whether they can stop the enemy troops.


    Even Liz could not stop them. She could understand their anxiety, but on the other hand, the fact that Liz had missed them meant that the strong were still with her.


    If that¡¯s the case, it would be more reliable to leave it to the Levering Kingdom army, which has a lot of actual battle experience against the Six Kingdoms, even though they are tired from repeated battles.


    There were other political implications as well.


    The Levering Kingdom¡¯s army has contributed a great deal to this war. If they were left to rot in the rear, the surrounding countries might criticize the Grantz Empire for being too narrow-minded to let the Levering Kingdom take the credit.


    It¡¯s a big debt to owe ostensibly, but it¡¯s also a big debt to the Levering Kingdom, which is despised as a vassal state for its diplomacy.


    ¡°Signal the Levering Kingdom army.¡±


    Aura pulls out the spirit weapon on her hip and points its tip at the g bearer. She watched as the g of the Levering Kingdom was raised, and then Aura sent instructions to the staff.


    ¡°Next, notify all units; this is the critical moment, do not leave your position. Stop the enemy¡¯s advance with all your might.¡±


    ¡°Immediately!¡±


    The staff began to rush around.


    One by one, messages were sent out to each unit.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Aura looked around the noisy main camp when she suddenly turned on her heel and looked behind her.


    The g of the Levering Kingdom army was fluttering as if to show Aura a reply.


    This country is ruled by a ¡°demon race¡± that once ruled the central continent but was driven to the northern edge. They live in and of extreme cold, and some even call them criminals locked up in prison.


    When Aura saw Her Majesty Queen udia, she was amazed that there could be such a beautiful woman. And despite her appearance, Aura was impressed by her innocence that did not hide her inner cunning that she showed at the military council and when she caught a glimpse of the fervor of ambition that lurked there.


    ¡°Aura-sama! Smoke is billowing from behind the main camp of the Six Kingdoms!¡±


    When Aura recognized the figure of the staff member who was informing her of the unusual situation on the battlefield, she cut off her thoughts and looked up at the sky far to the west.


    ck smoke rises into the sky and shakes violently as if to convey its will.


    Aura shuddered. She covered her mouth with her long sleeves and opened her eyes. She knew she would never be able to see them again.


    She had also given up the idea that she would ever be able to see their bravery with her own eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡­Thank goodness.¡±


    In the Felzen region, the survival of the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± was confirmed. This is something that was written in Hiro¡¯s letter.


    There is a man named Rach de Fairtra in the Felzen region.


    He was the captain of the guard when the Felzen royal family was still alive and well, and he was the second-inmand of the liberation army led by Skaaha. It was the day before yesterday that the Imperial ck Knights were reported to have crossed the Felzen region, although the number is unknown due to his guidance ¨D an event that could be called good news in the midst of a series of bad news.


    However, it is also true that it was difficult to handle.


    The historical defeat in the Felzen region, the great blunder of the capture of the third prince Blutar by the enemy, and the fact that they survived without dying could be seen as a disgrace in the military state of the Grantz Empire. This is the reason why the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± have been hiding underground with the help of Rach, hoping to find a ce to die.


    However, Hiro had written a letter exining the importance of them.


    They are looking for an opportunity for revenge, and they have never escaped.


    Please give them that opportunity, it was Hiro¡¯s wish.


    (Many possibilities¡­ options were left by Hiro.)


    When Aura learned of Hiro¡¯s thoughts and felt the bliss and excitement in her heart, she felt fear coiling deep within her.


    She wondered how far he had been looking, and when Aura realized Hiro¡¯s military strategy of reading the future, she felt fear bordering on awe.


    If this situation had been created by him, it was truly an act of God. He haspletely overstepped his bounds as a human being.


    (But¡­ I¡¯ll definitely go beyond.)


    Since she was given the name ¡°War Maiden,¡± she was not allowed to give up or break.


    She wanted to look at the scenery he was looking at.


    The twin ck hero-king dreamed of an unprecedented feat; what did he want to aplish beyond that?


    (Surely there is the truth there.)


    She raised her spirit weapon with just that thought in her mind.


    ¡°The time hase for all reserve forces to be notified, now divert the battlefield and crush the main army of the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    Slowly, she lowered her arm and pointed her cutting edge at the ck smoke flowing far to the west.


    ¡°All troops are notified. Victory is at hand, but do not underestimate it. Give it your all.¡±


    The staff members saw the shadow of a young man in the girl¡¯s bravemand. Their eyes burned as they gazed up at the sky, a simmering desire deeply rooted in the tranquility.


    As if ashamed of their panic, they wiped the corners of their eyes, which were blotted with tears.


    ¡°O Spirit King, Great Father, praise our king¡¯s greatness.¡±


    One by one, the staff members fell to one knee and hung their heads.


    ¡°Our king¡¯s justice pierces the blue heavens, our king¡¯s majesty pierces the earth, our king¡¯s trajectory splits the ocean, and his mighty deeds illuminate the three thousand worlds.¡±


    While the world was shaking with noise, only here, as if time had stopped, an isted silence began to flow.


    Seeing the staff members bowing their heads, Aura put her hand on her chest and as she uttered thest words.


    ¡°Give honorablebat to the God of War.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Equally, quietly, wildly, and with a firm fighting spirit, the staff members stood up.

 Volume 7, Chapter 5 – Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 5 - Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 1</h4>


    A group of horsemen was running.


    It was an army that had been deployed as an independent unit on the battlefield.


    The g disyed was the sign of the demon race - two sharp horns crossed on a purple background.


    Next to it, a coat of arms g with a white horse with a single horn on a purple background is running gracefully through the sky.


    With the same g raised at the main camp, the third line of the Grantz central army is led by the Levering Kingdom army.


    In the lead group, four-headed chariots were running.


    With the wind blowing from the front, the queen of the Levering Kingdom, udia, with her purple and silver hair fluttering in the sky and a whip in her hand, is the queen of the Levering Kingdom.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fatal not to be able to ride a horse on the battlefield?¡±


    udia asked, dexterously handling the reins as the chariot shakes violently.


    The masked young man was looking up at the sky with his armsfortably draped over the edge of the chariot.


    ¡°So far, I haven¡¯t had much trouble with the swift dragon.¡±


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you on it? Aren¡¯t you currently protecting the swift dragon?¡±


    ¡°Even though the wound is healed, it will open up again if she does anything rash. So I can¡¯t let her push herself too hard.¡±


    Hiro said, unfolding the map and cing the sword nearby as a paperweight.


    But when he saw the map rippling violently in the wind, he crossed his arms in annoyance.


    ¡°What are you doing looking at a map in this situation?¡±


    ¡°There was something I wanted to check. It¡¯s easier to imagine if you have a map in front of you.¡±


    While they were talking, the map was torn by the strong wind and disappeared far behind Hiro¡¯s cheek. udia sniffed in disgust at what she saw.


    Hiro muttered indifferently, not wanting to argue.


    ¡°It seems that the Imperial ck Knights have seeded in burning their rations.¡±


    udia snorted as she heard the unconnected story. Whenever Hiro suddenly brings up a topic that seems to test udia, she always wonders what it means. He always throws out difficult questions, no matter what the situation is, in order to make her think about what it means.


    ¡°Did you treat Her Highness Celia Estre in this manner?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    There was no answer, but udia concluded that it must be no different.


    ¡°When this battle is over, shall we have a word with her?¡±


    It reminded her of the girl who had filled her with a divine atmosphere when they first met at the military council.


    Although she was born into the Grantz Imperial family, the Red Princess was unusually born with a mysterious impression of purity and tranquility at the same time. Her well-proportioned limbs were graceful yet moderately toned, and her perfected form was so eye-catching that it reminded udia of a sculpture created by a master.


    udia¡¯s first impression of her was so strong. Their conversation was sure to be lively and enjoyable.


    ¡°I would definitely like to get to know her better for the future.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­If you get the chance, do so.¡±


    udiaughed happily when she was told without hesitation. The reason for this is because the eyes, which had sunk to the depths of the mask, showed human emotion.


    Knowing that the means to get him is hidden there, udia feels her heart burning deep in her chest. But first, she needed to avoid upsetting Hiro and antagonizing him.


    udia looked at the west side of the field, thinking that she should quickly mention the answer she had just given.


    As for this problem, it was not so difficult. There was a definite change.


    ¡°If that smoke is a sign of burning rations, then the battle situation will change quickly from here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Hiro remembered that the letter he had left for Liz had disappeared from the swift dragon.


    It was noted that there were remaining ¡°Imperial ck Knights.¡± They had been hiding in Felzen for a long time, watching the movements of the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°The Six Kingdoms were in too much of a hurry for results. If they had hunted down the remnants, the oue would have been different.¡±


    Or if they had changed their logistics ¨D the location of their supply troops ¨D the tragedy might not have happened. However, there is no point in talking about what could have been, and since it was a real problem that had to be faced, there was no choice but to ept it with open arms.


    ¡°The ck Knights¡¯ ability to get things done without fail is nothing short of amazing.¡±


    The ck smoke rising from the west means that the n has been activated, proving that the surviving ck Knights have burned the enemy¡¯s rations.


    ¡°It seems that Aura did not miss this opportunity and started to move.¡±


    When he looked at the Grantz¡¯ main camp, there were many gs and a small cloud of dust.


    Aura seemed to be nning to take the game to the next level by sending a message to themanders of each unit.


    ¡°The morale of the Six Kingdoms will be lowered from now on, but they will stillunch a desperate attack.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. So, this will be the critical moment.¡±


    The Six Kingdoms will be upset that their expected breakthrough through the center has been discovered.


    Then, what to do ¨D at this point, there is no choice but to reopen the door.


    There was no way left but to move forward. The hole in the Grantz central army had been opened.


    Then, they will try to prate itpletely. The main army of the Six Kingdoms will probablyunch a desperate attack to choke off the central army of the Grantz.


    ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t backfire¡­ because the momentum is still with the Six Kingdoms. They say the trapped mouse will bite the cat, and there¡¯s nothing scarier than cornered prey.¡±


    ¡°You know that very well, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s why we are here, right?¡±


    In order to prevent the Six Kingdoms from finding out about it, the neck is tightened slowly, like water soaking into cotton, and when they find out, the neck is twisted off in a single breath.


    That is the inevitable and required result to achieve the best victory.


    ¡°We¡¯re just buying time until the encirclement and annihtion tactic isplete¡­ and we¡¯ll be rewarded handsomely.¡±


    udia stopped the chariot as she spoke.


    They have reached the front of the third line ¨D in other words, the ce where they wanted to be.


    Around them, the Grantz soldiers lined up nervously.


    They stood in an orderly line, all of them looking fearlessly at the Levering Kingdom army. Perhaps theirmanders were well informed, but they did not seem upset when Hiro and the others appeared.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be pessimistic about.¡±


    Hiro jumped down from the chariot and called out to udia as he felt the ground.


    ¡°You have entrusted me with an important role in order to reward me.¡±


    In order to live up to those expectations¨D¨D


    ¡°We have to get rid of those guys, though.¡±


    Looking at the back of the second line, where the soldiers were jostled, arge dust cloud of cavalry appeared.


    Like an evil demon, they kicked and crushed the Grantz soldiers blocking the way in front of them and were pushing forward.


    udia frowned ufortably at the appearance of the unusual group, and the Levering soldiers following behind her took up fighting positions with their spears at the ready.


    ¡°¡­¡­They¡¯re a creepy bunch, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    udia muttered without hiding her disgust.


    ¡°I think they¡¯re called the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± or something like that. I think it was a private unit led by the formermander of the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    When Hiro responded with a curt response, udia listened with interest.


    ¡°You know a lot about them, don¡¯t you? Have you ever fought with them?¡±


    ¡°No, unfortunately not. I have only heard of them in reports before. It¡¯s not that I know much about them. I don¡¯t even know what they¡¯re capable of, but since they¡¯vee this far¡­ I¡¯d say they¡¯re probably pretty strong.¡±


    It is said that they are like beasts, ughtering Grantz people without regard.


    It would be in bad taste to send such dangerous people into battle.


    Still, there were endless questions as to why the formermander¡¯s private unit was still around, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t figure out the answer, and even if he did, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to affect the oue.


    If they appear as enemies, they must be exterminated.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go on from here. You know that, don¡¯t you, udia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no problem. No one in my troop is so weak-minded as to be intimidated by the evil spirits of rivers and mountains.¡±


    ¡°Then no worries. Let¡¯s beat the living hell out of them, shall we?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s lips twisted with intense pleasure deep within his mask. udia raised her clear-blue sword with a condescendingly clear face as a signal.


    ¡°You are in the presence of the King. It is not polite to look down from above.¡±


    udia smiled coldly at the Ghost Squad and waved her arm lightly. This is the only thing that is far from encouragement; it was an arrogantmand.


    Despite this, the Levering Kingdom army¡¯s will to fight exploded.


    ¡°To the Ancestor King Rox! Let the prestige of our Queen reach them!¡±


    Kicking the horse¡¯s belly, the Levering soldiers rushed forward with their backs to the ground.


    The tips of their spears, bathed in sunlight, shed, shone, and glowed.


    Every time the horseshoe stepped through the ground, the body bounced on the horse, making the armor creak.


    With a squeeze of their sides, they held their spears in ce and prepared for the impact of the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± approaching from the front.


    A momentter, the two armies crossed paths.


    Blood sttered, heads bounced, arms flew. Their helmets broke, their bodies caved in, and their internal organs ruptured.


    Even as blood spurted from their mouths, they clenched their teeth and pierced the throats of their enemies.


    A blood-curdling sh, tearing at each other¡¯s flesh, crushing their bones, crushing their souls.


    ¡°Raaaaah!¡±


    They surpassed the fear of death and jumped into their own death zone with a scream.


    All for the sake of the Queen, the Levering Soldiers ughtered their enemies with pride in their hearts. But no matter how determined they are, there are times when they miss.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the back; go wild. I¡¯ll hold them off.¡±


    With a look of ecstasy on her face, udia attacked the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± that had survived the onught.


    ¡°Dance madly and kneel before me.¡±


    The snow fluttered around her, and under the clear sky, she unleashed a wild sh like a blizzard.


    ¡°Twist your ugly face, root your petty mind, and let me reap your miserable soul.¡±


    Unimaginable swordy.


    It didn¡¯t matter if she was on a horse or not. The enemies that appeared in front of her were quickly split in two.


    The sophisticated sword dance raises the morale of not only the Levering soldiers but also the surrounding Grantz soldiers. In the midst of such a blood-curdling battlefield, there was a ce that made one feel as if they had wandered into an extremely cold ce.


    ¡°Will you let me eat that despair?¡±


    ¡°A¡­ aaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so slow it makes me sneeze. Too weak to make me stay awake.¡±


    A man who nonchntly shes down the Ghost Squad and attacks them without taking a single step from the spot.


    ¡°You can¡¯t get revenge with that level of ability. Nothing can be obtained with that level of ability.¡±


    With just one sh, the enemy in front of him fell to the ground like a puppet with broken strings.


    An overwhelming fear that cut through the hatred that was floating around the battlefield was about to take over the battlefield.


    ¡°Ooohhh!¡±


    With a roar that seemed to spit out hatred, the members of the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± jumped from their horses, drew their swords, and charged at Hiro with great force.


    ¡°You¡¯re not ready. What do you think you¡¯re doing, and why have you taken on despair?¡±


    In front of the masked man, a sword driven by a slight desire for revenge is nothing more than child¡¯s y. It¡¯s not like the ground can¡¯t absorb the fresh blood and spit it out, but even so, there¡¯s no way he can get blood stuck on his white coat.


    On top of the puddle of blood, Hiro attacked relentlessly, wearing a tremendous air of supremacy.


    ¡°If you lose something, if something is taken from you, if something is broken, the feelings are all different ¨D no one is the same.¡±


    Hiro rolled his eyes downward.


    He slipped in a puddle of blood and red at the fallen enemy soldier with empty eyes and then thrust the ¡°Dark Emperor¡± into his neck without the slightest hesitation as he tried to stand up.


    ¡°Aaagghh!¡±


    Hiro looked around as he pulled out his ck sword from the poor wretch, sinking into a pool of blood.


    ¡°But despair is equal.¡±


    He walked up to the retreating enemy soldiers and shed them with a single sh.


    As he gazed coldly at the crumbling enemy soldiers and spurting fresh blood.


    ¡°If you resent the absurdity of the world, you should have grasped the sky and hoped for change.¡±


    Hiro looked up at the azure sky, wondering to whom these words were directed.


    No one can see the expression hidden behind the mask.


    Amid the ceaseless mor, Hiro reigns over the pool of blood with a weak figure. Even to the untrained eye, Hiro¡¯s appearance was full of gaps, and his presence was as fragile as a dead tree that could fall over with just a poke.


    However, the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± surrounding Hiro did not move at all, as if they were tied up in a golden binding.


    In fact, some of them retreated even though it was a good opportunity.


    ¡°¨D¨DGoaah!?¡±


    A spear pierced their backs. The Ghost Squad was so focused on Hiro that they neglected to take precautions, and their hearts were pierced by the Grantz soldiers who crept up behind them.


    The deaths of theirrades brought the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± back to their senses.


    ¡°Aaaaaaa¡­ Aaa¡­¡±


    There were no more people possessed by grudges there anymore. There was just the pathetic figure of a human screaming for death.


    ¡°Oooohh, oooohhh!¡±


    The ¡°Ghost Squad¡± retreated for some reason, shouting with enthusiasm and life in order to survive.


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s why I said you weren¡¯t prepared.¡±


    It is a foolish idea to think that they can escape unscathed after being so entrenched in the central army of Grantz that they can reach the third line ¨D it¡¯s mind-bogglingly ridiculous, and Hiro has no words for it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a letdown.¡±


    They were just weaklings barking at the top of their lungs, with the bluster of a beast in their skins.


    ¡°Congrattions. You were unmistakably human.¡±


    He slit the throat of a falling enemy soldier with a precise trajectory and bisected the skull of an enemy soldier who let out a small scream.


    ¡°You were a human being who used the most cowardly and vile means possible.¡±


    Hiro stabbed an enemy soldier who was trying to surrender by letting go of his weapon.


    ¡°Gahh ¨D A, aah¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if you ask for forgiveness, I will never forgive you.¡±


    In order to avoid mass hysteria, Hiro ughtered those who tried to surrender first.


    Many people were tormented. Many people died of disappointment.


    They were killed by the ¡°Ghost Squad,¡± who had a twisted cause called revenge.


    They were merciless even to those who begged for their lives, and they did not hesitate to kill women and children, and they gleefully attacked those who did not resist. In addition, they took pleasure in eating the flesh of the dead and ying the role of a murderer.


    ¡°I would never leave any of you alive, you know.¡±


    ¡°Aagh¡­ Hyii, aaaaaagh!¡±


    After decapitating one of them, Hiro threw his head down towards the ¡°Ghost Squad,¡± who continued to resist in vain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to say anything else. It was all for nothing.¡±


    With his de tip scraping the ground, Hiro shouldered his sword and red at the Ghost Squad.


    That was enough to make them all stop in their tracks.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    The Ghost Squad must have realized this.


    They began to shake their bodies and fall back as if in rejection, saying that they could not win against this man even if the heavens and earth were turned upside down.


    They don¡¯t show their backs because they instinctively know that they can¡¯t.


    They were thieves lost in a cage of ravenous beasts, so to speak, and they would throw away their lives at that moment.


    Hiro moves forward.


    He moved forward twice as much as the enemy soldiers had moved back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start from the top.¡±


    Blood spurted from the neck of the stunned enemy soldier as the tip was lost. As soon as he was done, Hiro muttered to himself.


    ¡°Next one down.¡±


    He swung his ck sword lightly to the side with his next target in mind. The enemy soldier¡¯s upper body and lower body were split apart.


    ¡°Right.¡±


    It¡¯s not that Hiro¡¯s sword technique is fast or heavy. It was lighter than a child swinging a wooden sword. Hiro¡¯s attacks were visibly slow.


    But none of them could avoid the attack, and they fell to the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not enough. So please don¡¯t give up and resist.¡±


    They didn¡¯t even know why they were being attacked. It seemed that no one understood how to prevent or stop the de.


    ¡°Will you continue to resist until my craving is satisfied?¡±


    The right eye of the mask ¨D a golden light-filled with a hair-raising sharp wariness is shooting through the world.


    Even when it¡¯s right under the sun, the glow doesn¡¯t blur one bit.


    If it were only his right eye, he might have been able to dismiss it as a ¡°different color eye.¡±


    However, even from the remaining left eye, the pupil filled with deep darkness was spewing out murderous intent like a sharp de.


    The ¡°Ghost Squad¡± is clearly frightened by the eyes that seem to invade the depths of their hearts.


    These two lights will never live together. Even if history is unraveled, there will never be a single person in this world who possesses both.


    If there is such a thing, it would be outside the realm of human understanding, or in other words, outside the realm of human beings who possess a power equal to that of a god.


    Therefore, when the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± soldiers saw the miraculous coboration, they stiffened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t block my path with that level of determination.¡±


    There is no holding back at all. Even if he weren¡¯t in position, he would unrelentingly sh.


    Of course.


    There is no option for forgiveness in Hiro.


    The one-sided ughter would not stop until the enemy was exhausted.


    ¡°Aaa¡­ aaaaaahh.¡±


    Just by confronting them, the difference in power is obvious.


    If someone were to confront the two different eyes, they would be struck with a horror that cut into their soul.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Not even a scream is allowed.


    Their hearts break as they realize that their resistance is futile in the face of God¡¯s condemnation.


    The hatred of the Ghost Squad waspletely cut off, and their bodies were cut into pieces without even mercy.


    ¡°H-hyiih!?¡±


    Their hearts, which had been bnced only by hatred, werepletely broken, with their throats clenched and full of despair.


    ¡°Ara¡­ I thought they really had a deep-seated grudge against the Grantz.¡±


    udia said in a dumbfounded tone when she saw the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± abandoning their weapons and running away.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a dreadful ending.¡±


    udia rxed her weapon as if she had lost the will to fight.


    She followed the back of the Ghost Squad with a cold look as if she were looking at trash and suddenly tilted her head as if she remembered something.


    ¡°But can they escape the wrath of the King?¡±


    The words that udia muttered without any emotion were directed at a young man.


    His right eye exuded an unusually solemn air. His left eye was emitting a huge amount of deadly energy as he stared at the ¡°Ghost Squad.¡±


    Hiro, who reached for the blue sky, formed an eerie smile deep within his mask.


    ¡°Do you know what despair is?¡±


    With that one word, the sky swirled wildly, and the ground shook and rumbled like a scream.


    A vast torrent of power ¨D intimidating to friend and foe alike.


    ¡°Weep with pessimism, shed tears of disappointment, enjoy this despair.¡±


    The ground caved in heavily.


    The space cracks unbearably.


    Everything is painted with awe, and despair spreads all around.


    ¡°Feed on their souls, Dark Emperor.¡±


    Sound disappears from the world. Silence fell over thend as if the concept of sound had never existed in the first ce.


    ¡°My name is the ck Dragon King.¡±


    A sense of intimidation swelled up, and a mysterious sense of oppression took over the surroundings.


    There was no way to escape the tyrannical silence.


    While everyone was terrified, Hiro held the Dark Emperor horizontally as if to aim.


    ¡°He is the one who invites all life equally into emptiness.¡±


    ¨D¨DFear of death.


    Time stopped ¨D no, only the sound of the heart rang through the world.


    All living things in the surrounding area forgot the ticking of time. Whether friend or foe, horse, bug, or even grass, no matter who they were, all living things had stopped moving.


    ¡°Now ¨D let¡¯s see how death ys out.¡±


    As if he were the God of Death passing judgment on the condemned, Hiro put his hand on his mask and said.


    ¨D¨DDark Mirror Corpse Water


    A jet-ck jaw was manifested and fell into the world as if spitting out a curse.

 Volume 7, Chapter 5 – Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 5 - Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°-¨D¨D?¡±


    A chill ran down her spine, and she looked towards its direction with a surprised face. A jet-ck dragon fell from the sky, apanied by an air of misery like ck smoke.


    Liz wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed it. The soldiers around her also forgot to fight and watched the extraordinary scene.


    A mass of malice that ruthlessly covered the sky was dominating the sky. Everyone could feel the horrible atmosphere on their skin.


    ¡°This presence¨D¡­!¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes narrowed in difort, but she noticed the deadly atmosphere of the battlefield and raised her me Emperor.


    At the moment, a powerful impact rang throughout her entire body, and her feet caved in heavily.


    ¡°You have a lot of leeways¡­ to get distracted against me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    A lifeless, monotone voice slipped through the gaps between the hammer and the red sword as theypeted.


    Liz couldn¡¯t confirm the identity of the darkness that floated in the sky and red at Luca for interrupting her. In contrast, the lifeless eyes take it head-on.


    ¡°¡­Are you that worried about that thing?¡±


    Luca nced at the sky as if to confirm and then strengthened the force on her hammer to crush Liz. Liz was forced to use her legs to push back.


    ¡°I mean, who wouldn¡¯t be curious if they felt some kind of unseen power?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out ¨D do you really think you can?¡±


    While Liz was searching for her next move while their weapons shed against each other, Luca gave a strange response, as if she was trying to distract Liz¡¯s mind.


    Confusion surrounded her, but Liz remains calm and unconcerned.


    ¡°Right¡­ That¡¯s why I wanted to make sure.¡±


    In response to the anger lurking in Liz¡¯s words, mes erupted from the red de that intercepted the hammer.


    Luca clicked her tongue and jumped back and distanced herself from Liz.


    ¡°¡­What troublesome mes. It¡¯s as persistent as a snake.¡±


    Luca nced at the left sleeve of her burnt clothing and snorted in annoyance.


    Liz took her gaze away from her and looked up at the sky as she had just done. But there was the same sky as usual, and the signs of the disaster had faded.


    She could guess where it was by the faint residue, but she could not identify the person.


    ¡°So, will you die when your troubles are over?¡±


    Luca gives a refreshingly fake smile while muttering these disturbing words. Needless to say, her eyes are not smiling.


    Liz crushed the turmoil boiling in her heart and began to measure the distance between her and Luca, slipping away so that she would not notice it.


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not going to die.¡±


    With extreme caution, Liz closed the distance between her and Luca. All the while, she was staring into the void and talking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like your baseless confidence. I also hate your beautiful appearance, which knows no hardship.¡±


    With dull eyes, Luca never stopped smiling, letting her devastated emotions emerge.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ I know nothing of hardshippared to you.¡±


    Liz couldn¡¯t deny it. She knew that she was blessed.


    When she thought back on the events that had taken ce since she was born, it seemed like many bad things.


    But the only thing that has kept her from rotting away has been the help of so many people.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you admit it. For someone with such a big title as the sixth princess, you¡¯re quite honest.¡±


    ¡°My sister told me that I was too honest, but I can¡¯t help it because it¡¯s my strong point.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t realize that it was her pure heart that had nurtured her ¡°charm.¡±


    To put it another way, it was because she was ¡°honest¡± that she had difficulty getting allies. She would have gained more supporters if she had shown the ugly side of humanity when everyone else was trying to beat everyone else down.


    If she had learned a few tricks, she might have been able to solidify her position without ever meeting Hiro.


    Of course, Liz had her fair share of jealousy, anger, and hatred. But such things were minor whenpared to the malice of adults.


    In a court of adultery, intrigue, conspiracy, and vengeful spirits, it was uneptable to be as fastidious as Liz.


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh, you really are beautiful, aren¡¯t you? You are like a newborn baby, untainted. You are pure, noble and absolutely, a brutally white, beautiful light.¡±


    Luca¡¯s murderous intent began to flood throughout her body. The malevolent intent that was generated caused the air pressure to change, tightening the space.


    ¡°Ha ¨D haha, haha¡­ ha¡­¡±


    Luca began to shake her shoulders as she cleared her throat with a raspy voice.


    ¡°Ahahaha¨D¡­ No.¡±


    For the first time, Liz saw her expression change. It¡¯s hard to describe it as human; it¡¯s so far removed from the evil face.


    Luca¡¯s face contorted to the point that tears of blood began to flow, and she howled throatily.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ept¨D¡­!¡±


    The ground exploded, unable to withstand the vicious energy Luca unleashed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ept that there is such a thing as a human being!¡±


    With arge amount of dust behind her, Luca rushed towards Liz with great force.


    Liz, who had been measuring the distance and assessing the time, did not hesitate to take a step forward and thrust out the ¡°me Emperor.¡± The sword¡¯s precise trajectory drew a red line in the sky and stretched out to Luca.


    Perhaps, Luca saw through the cutting edge that came close to her nose, and she lightly turned her head to the side to avoid it.


    The wind pressure generated by the attack tore through the skin of her cheek, gouging out the air in front of her with great force.


    ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    Immediately changing her footing, Liz moved her right foot back and twisted her body to pull her arm back.


    ¡°I knew you were up to something.¡±


    There, Luca managed to shake off the threatening blow from the red sword, but the momentum from the hammer caused her feet to move off the ground and her body to float in the air.


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    A storm of wind is blowing.


    The giant hammer closes in on Liz as it gouges the ground in all directions.


    Luca¡¯s physical strength was astonishing, as she could easily manipte the weapon with one hand, but what was even more astonishing was her attack, as she was able to unleash such attacks at will.


    While it seemed as if she was swinging down on her head, she was actuallying at Liz from the right with great force.


    While Liz was at the whim of the giant hammer that repeatedly behaved strangely, she responded to everything with a single breath.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    She mmed her left fist into the red de, forcing the de to shield her.


    In order to pass the impact, she removed her left arm that was attached to the de and dodged the blow with perfect timing. Next, she mmed her right foot as hard as she could at Luca,due to therge gap that was created due the recoil of the hammer.


    But Luca, who was in front of her, caught the kick head-on, twisted her right wrist, and thrust the hammer up from below with great force.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to st your guts out!¡±


    Realizing that evasion was no longer an option, Liz threw her body into the hammer as she copsed.


    While Luca frowned at what appeared to be a resignation, Liz mmed the tip of her de into the hammer as if to pierce it with the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    The friction of the opposing forces created a huge spark.


    ¡°Oh, a contest of strength?¡±


    ¡°No way,it¡¯s just you alone.¡±


    As soon as she replied to Luca, Liz loosened her grip on the handle altogether. The equilibrium was broken, and the me Emperor wasunched into the sky with great force.


    It was a surprise, and Luca¡¯s eyes were filled with astonishment as she looked up with a dumbfounded expression at the sight of the ¡°me Emperor¡± flying into the sky. Next, Liz mmed her body into the ground and twisted her waist on the spot using her right hand as a support to sweep away Luca¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Wha¨D¨D¡±


    Luca was thrown to the ground and lost her posture.


    Recognizing this, Liz stood up vigorously and gave her a fierce kick to the abdomen.


    ¡°Gofuh!?¡±


    As if tumbling down a cliff, Luca¡¯s body bounced off the ground, covered with a heavy dust cloud. Luca disappeared into the dust, creating a whirlwind in the blood-saturated battlefield.


    Liz, who had been staring at the scene, suddenly nced at the sky and raised her hand.


    ¡°¡­Wee back.¡±


    The ¡°me Emperor¡± returned to Liz¡¯s hand, spewing mes of protest from the red de.


    She then took a moment to catch her breath as she looked at the still rising cloud of dust.


    By listening to the mor around her, she could see that most of the ¡°Ghost Squad¡± had already been defeated, and the little game was about to end.


    This was the result of the ¡°Order of the Rose¡± not retreating from the pressure of intense hatred.


    ¡°¡­It will be over soon.¡±


    Whether it was because of the battle against the strong or because she was more in tune with the ¡°me Emperor,¡± her senses were sharpened to the point where she could sense the air of the battlefield.


    The atmosphere of the entire battlefield was about to changepletely.


    Some of the enemy troops that had been closing in on the main camp seemed to havepletely stopped in their tracks.


    Therge hole that had opened up in the Grantz Central Army did not seem to be filled, but on the contrary, it acted like a pit, trapping the main army of the Six Kingdoms that had attacked.


    The Grantz reserve army attacked from behind and seemed to encircle them.


    ¡°The rest is up to the right and left armies¡­¡±


    When she looked to her left and right, she recognized the raging dust of war in the distance.


    It seems that the battle is still going on.


    The sounds of the sword fights drowned out any sounds from the other side, but there were probably just as many dead bodies piled up as here, forming a sea of blood.


    In order to minimize that, she must¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­¡­I must defeat you, right?¡±


    The woman who was slowly approaching ¨D had a painful scar on the left side of her body that made people want to turn away, and her sleeve flopped in the wind to further emphasize her missing left arm.


    But what bothered her more was the expression she had on her face.


    ¡°¡­¡­Eagle, Eagle, please lend your strength to your sister.¡±


    She bent down in front of the skull, her vacant eyes wandering like a lost child searching for her mother.


    She mumbled to herself as she brushed off the dust.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, this will be over soon. It won¡¯t take long, so¡­ please wait here.¡±


    With thepassionate expression of a holy mother and the muddy eyes of a devil, she stroked the skull wholeheartedly. Each time, a piece of dried flesh fell out of the skull.


    ¡°Are you cold? You¡¯ll only have to endure a little.¡±


    Many people suffered from mental disorders caused by longsting warfare.


    Liz had never seen someone as broken as Luca before, although their reactions varied greatly.


    Liz searched for the reason why she had put herself on the battlefield ¨D the hatred that drove Luca.


    Many thoughts came to mind, whether she was led by revenge, seeking a ce to die, or searching for a purpose in life, but Liz decided that none of them were true.


    ¡°I¡¯ll eradicate the blood of the Grantz, and I¡¯ll fill your heart with it.¡±


    After giving the skull a lingering pat, Luca sat up and turned to face Liz.


    ¡°It is about time you die for Eagle.¡±


    ¡°¡­You have nothing.¡±


    There was nothing in her mind.


    Liz concluded that Luca had been broken from the start, that she had only returned to her true self after losing Eagle, though she did not know who the man was.


    She didn¡¯t know when, where, or why, but she was who she is now.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re wandering, aren¡¯t you? Because you lost your ce.¡±


    The loss of her dependent existence had brought her back to her true self.


    In the beginning, she was a living corpse, and she had no hope in this world. Even though she despaired about the world and wanted to die, she survived because of abination of factors.


    Her happiness was the opposite of Liz¡¯s ¨D or perhaps it was her misfortune.


    Although she was born as a cursed child, she was saved by many people. Luca was born as a blessed child but was abused by many people.


    And both of them survived to this point, whether they wanted to or not.

 Volume 7, Chapter 5 – Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 5 - Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 3</h4>


    ¡°Did you get any satisfaction from exposing people¡¯s emotions?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I think I know a little bit more about you than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Now that you understand, what do you want? You and I are ipatible.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right¡­¡±


    Liz replied regretfully.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s kill each other, shall we?¡±


    The corner of Luca¡¯s mouth lifted to the point where her lips parted, and the mucous membrane extending into her mouth was cut off by the wind.


    ¡°Just like Eagle ¨D give me your head!¡±


    Luca kicked at the ground and flew through the sky.


    The hammer fell from the sky, emitting a sharp sound.


    As Liz jumped to the side to avoid it, the ground caved in fiercely, sending up a cloud of dust.


    Luca, who had prated the dust cloud, immediately gave chase.


    ¡°Hate, hate hate, hate hate hate!¡±


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    Although sheid down the red de to catch the hammer, Liz could not kill the impact and was mmed into the ground.


    ¡°Gah!?¡±


    ¡°I need to rip off that beautiful skin and give it to Eagle!¡±


    She swung the hammer down with a force that would not leave a speck of dust, regardless of herplexion.


    Liz punched the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.


    Deprived of her vision, Luca¡¯s weapon deviated its trajectory and crashed into the ground.


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Clicking her tongue, she swung the hammer down again, but there was no sign of Liz at that spot.


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to lose here.¡±


    Liz, who was behind Luca, wielded the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    Luca turned her body sideways to avoid Liz¡¯s attack and swung her right leg up to counterattack. She put all her strength into her foot, stepped through the ground, and threw herself back with vigor.


    The sole of Luca¡¯s foot, roaring with air, went past Liz¡¯s nose, but out of the corner of her eye ¨D from the right side ¨D she saw a giant hammer flying at her.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Liz gritted her teeth and twisted her body to intercept it with her ¡°me Emperor¡± at full force without adjusting her stance.


    A sh ¨D the red de and the hammer bounced off each other without any struggle.


    Both of them quickly adjust their stance to reap the life out of the other and collide again.


    One, two, and three¡­ sh at each other as they hit each other with all their might.


    Sometimes they went for the legs, sometimes for the fists if they missed, and sometimes for the abdomen with a frontal kick.


    Liz attacked with all the strength she had.


    However, Luca saw through all her attacks and dodged them with quick movements, and then sheunched a constant counterattack.


    It was an exchange of irregr attacks and varying quick attacks.


    The air roared, the wind swirled and pulled in, and the sharp des attacked both sides.


    Cheeks shed, cuts heated up and forgetting even the aching pain, the two of them put all their strength into each other¡¯s fight. They fought with all their might until their physical strength was exhausted, until their energy was depleted, until one of their souls shattered.


    But finally, the time arrived when the bnce was broken.


    ¡°Persistent, persistent¨D¡­!¡±


    As if out of breath, Luca opened her mouth to the sky and took in some oxygen.


    Liz decided to take advantage of the opportunity and quickly shed her sword.


    But¡­


    ¡°¡­An invitation.¡±


    Luca¡¯s snickering voice said.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Liz replied in a sarcastic tone.


    She intercepted the blows with a sh and swung her right hand up to scoop up the ¡°me Emperor¡± from the lower position. When the hammer swung down from above her head, she shifted her body half a step to the side to avoid it.


    The reaction caused the trajectory of the red sword to shift as well, and it ended up only making the wind roar.


    There was no room for pessimism. When she saw that the hammer was still buried in the ground beneath her feet, she shouted, not wanting to miss this opportunity.


    ¡°Next!¡±


    She let out a breath of air and took a step forward.


    But¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°Eh ¨D buh?¡±


    There was no sign of anything. There was no premonition of any kind of difort. And yet, the tremendous shock that pierced through the five organs of the body, the sound of bones cracking all over the body reverberated within the body.


    She put all her strength into her legs to avoid copsing, but arge amount of fresh blood spurted out of her bitten mouth.


    Dripping speckled blood on the ground, Liz fell to one knee, holding her right side.


    ¡°Wha¡­ what is that?¡±


    When she looked up with a shocked expression, she saw Luca above her, looking down at her with vacant eyes.


    ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t I tell you that¡­?¡±


    Stroking the handle of the giant hammer affectionately, Luca said without a hint of malice, despite her words.


    ¡°I¡¯m the holder of one of the World¡¯s Five Greatest Treasured Swords ¨D the holder of Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords, the Vajra Mallet.¡±


    Liz groaned and stood up, although she had never thought of Luca as an ordinary person.


    ¡°Kuh¡­¡±


    Still, Liz was convinced that she was better than Luca in terms of ability.


    That said, there was no such thing as conceit, no such thing as pity, no such thing as carelessness.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    She tried to ask Luca a question, but she couldn¡¯t formte the right words. All that flowed out of her mouth was fresh blood.


    ¡°Ah, I see. So you¡¯re confused as to why you¡¯re in this position?¡±


    Luca took one look at the Vajra and then looked at the confused Liz.


    ¡°The Vajra¡¯s blessing is called the Holy Offering. There are several conditions, but in exchange for offering your power, you can slow down the perception of your opponent.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­So, I was wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes, by the time you perceived it, the Vajra was no longer there.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ But why did you tell me?¡±


    Liz hasn¡¯t given up on this fight yet. It is a fatal disadvantage to have taught her the blessing, considering that she will be fighting for it.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve given you enough of my Pure Offerings in return. There¡¯s no harm in letting you know.¡±


    Then Luca put her hand on her chin and tilted her head in a funny way.


    ¡°But for some reason, it didn¡¯t work on that guy, which puzzled me. Well, it seems to have worked on you, though.¡±


    Liz¡¯s body trembled. She knew what the words meant.


    When she saw her denial reaction, Luca let out an inarticte joy and fell into oblivion.


    ¡°Do you want to hear it? The young man¡¯s name¡­¡±


    Do not listen. She knew it would be a bad idea. Still, her body would not ept rejection. Her brain cut off the signal for her to answer.


    ¡°Do you want to hear the story of a man who hung his head on the ground in disgrace and died with his head chopped off?¡±


    Like a maniptive con artist, Luca enjoyed Liz¡¯s reaction with her disingenuous tone of voice. She observed Liz¡¯s progress as she struggled, struggled with her feet, grief, and broke down in despair at the world. Perhaps that¡¯s why Luca revealed her blessings to Liz.


    ¡°¡­¡­Who?¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to know, and she didn¡¯t want to believe her, but her emotions got the better of her, and she asked.


    Forgetting that she was even on the battlefield, she just wished she could hear the name.


    ¡°Hiro Schwartz von Grantz, of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh¨D¡­¡±


    There was no sense of reality when she heard it. Her vision became hazy as she asked herself why she was asking.


    A bitter feeling overflowed from the depths of her heart.


    She felt a dull feeling spreading in her chest.


    It ate up all the hope of living, and the despair of dying would not stop.


    When a single tear flowed from Liz¡¯s cheek¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to break.¡±


    ¡°Gah!?¡±


    A moment of ckness. Luca took advantage of the opportunity to attack, and Liz¡¯s body crashed into the ground.


    Luca swung her heels down on the choking Liz. She was struck in the abdomen, and her body bent over and coughed up blood.


    Even so, her heart was more painful than the physical pain.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ ah¨D!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the same ce. You won¡¯t be lonely then, will you?¡±


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    Liz¡¯s body was blown away by a kick to the side.


    Luca caught up with her with tremendous speed and swung her giant hammer down, gliding on the ground with immense force.


    ¡°Goodbye, you sweet princess,won¡¯t you like to know a little bit of pain?¡±


    She saw the Vajra that was about to smash her body in her hazy vision.


    The approaching hammer seemed awfully slow.


    In her mind, various events repeated like a runningntern. Many thoughts mixed together, and emotions that could not be settled into one ran rampant.


    In andscape that repeated over and over again, in a heart that kept breaking over and over again.


    ¨D¨DLiz ¡°saw.¡±


    She pursued him again and again, yearned for him again and again, and tried to cling to him again and again.


    ¨D¨DThe young man¡¯s back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not yet¡­ giving up.¡±


    She had cried enough.


    She had fretted enough.


    She had regretted enough.


    She had already made enough excuses.


    Then ¨D there was no need to repeat it.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡­ that¡¯s enough.¡±


    A clear view was etched in her mind, and Liz felt her senses return.


    In the midst of this, she saw the hammer approaching in front of her.


    She instantly adjusted her stance in the air, put her feet on the ground, and released her fist.


    A violent sound was heard. The sound that echoed across the battlefield was frightening as if she had struck steel.


    Normally, anyone would have guessed that Liz¡¯s fist had shattered. But Liz was still in the punching position, and Luca was being pulled backward by the giant hammer that had been flung wide.


    ¡°Wha!?¡±


    Luca¡¯s face was tinged with astonishment as she bounced back against a mere fist.


    ¡°¡­¡­I promised to hit you.¡±


    She was about to ask him for help again when he broke her half-hearted resolve. She had told him over and over again that it would not work.


    But her heart was still spoiled, and she was about to give up on walking on her own feet again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡±


    She said as if she was scolding herself and angrily shed at Luca.


    But Luca, who unleashed the hammer, anticipated the entire trajectory and struck first.


    ¡°Your side hurts, doesn¡¯t it? Your attacks arecking in finesse.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    The two sides went head-to-head in a fiercepetition of sword fights.


    ¡°By the way, I am the one who killed the fourth prince Hiro. Do you hate me? Do you want to kill me so badly?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Gaah!¡±


    A strong fist pierced Luca¡¯s right cheek as she was distracted by the red de.


    Even though she was hit so hard that the ground beneath her feet exploded, she did not fall down and stopped in a tilted posture. Her eyes were cloudy, but Liz stared straight back at her.


    ¡°I believe in him.¡±


    The ¡°me Emperor¡± roared at the fierce will in those unshakable eyes. The clear red mes flowed down into the world, emitting blue light.


    When Liz stepped forward, mes erupted from beneath her feet and shot up toward the sky.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to stray anymore.¡±


    The blue light scorches her body as if to give her wings.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to be misled anymore.¡±


    Liz holds the me Emperor in her opposite hand and raises it to eye level.


    The blue mes erupted when she stroked the red de and enveloped the world.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use all my strength.¡±


    With that day¡¯s vow to be stronger, and with that day¡¯s wish in mind¡­


    That fire is a prison.


    That me is hell.


    That ze is purgatory.


    ¡°Bloom wildly¡­ me Emperor.¡±


    ¨D¨DNew flowers blooming in profusion.


    The me Emperor disappeared from Liz¡¯s hand, and the world was enveloped in red and blue.


    The change also appeared in her body.


    A blue me wrapped around Liz¡¯s entire body, healing all her wounds in an instant.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    A sweet voice came out of Liz¡¯s throat.


    It was not as brave as it had been in the past. There was no fearlessness or brutality in her voice.


    There is a clean, lustrous voice, and thest thing anyone wanted was to have their brain numbed by that beautiful voice.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Wha¡­ Eh?¡±


    Luca was stunned, her mouth twitching as she looked down at her Vajra. And then a scene jumped into the edge of her vision.


    ¡°E-Eagle?¡±


    The skull she had imed as her brother was engulfed in mes.


    ¡°Eagle!¡±


    Luca jumped in dismay but couldn¡¯t make it in time.


    Without a moment of hesitation, she plunged her hand into the mes, but the skull disappeared into ashes.


    ¡°A-aah, aah, aaaaaaaahhh!¡±


    She desperately tried to gather them up, but her hands grasped the void, and her sorrowful voice never reached them.


    The red lotus me burned through everything. Luca mmed her fist into the ground as she looked up at the ckened sky.


    ¡°Why, why, why¨D¡­ why!¡±


    When she looked up, she began to sprint towards Liz with fierce hatred, as if possessed by a devil.


    ¡°Why do you people keep getting in my way!¡±


    Liz waved her right hand without answering anything. The mes around her shielded her as if to protect her.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡±


    With a roar like a beast, Luca repeated her tremendous attack over and over again.


    But it was pointless.


    Everything was useless.


    The mes that writhed like a living creature refused to leave Liz and blocked all of her attacks. Even so, Luca boldly continued her single-minded attack.


    ¡°What did I do! I only wished for happiness! How dare you treat me like this! I just wanted to live happily with my brother! That¡¯s all I wanted!¡±


    Liz¡¯s eyes twisted sadly as she looked at the hammer that had been caught in the mes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ the answer to that question now.¡±


    Liz held her hand over the hammer. With that simple movement, the blue me enveloped the Vajra.


    In the blink of an eye, the mes engulfed even the handle.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Unable to endure the intense heat of the scorching mes, Luca let go of the weapon with a grimace.


    ¡°But you¡¯ll find out.¡±


    The blue me that wrapped around Liz began to expand. Eventually, it took shape and decorated the lion with a mixture of red and blue.


    Its length exceeded that of a giant monster, and its tail hovered long in the air like a snake.


    Drools of me dripped from its sharp fangs onto the ground. The wed mes that stepped on it gouged out the ground.


    ¡°Hah¡­ what¡¯s that¡­¡±


    In the face of the overwhelming presence, Luca put both knees on the ground as if to give up.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t¡­ anyone help me?¡±


    When Liz raised her hand to the blue sky, the lion roared and jumped on Luca.


    Perhaps she was exhausted from her efforts, but she did not show any sign of fleeing as she stared at the attacking lion.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Eagle.¡±


    Luca looked at the scene in amazement, and a single tear fell from her cloudy eyes as if she had caught a glimpse of something.


    ¡°Onee-chan couldn¡¯t avenge you.¡±


    The tears were swallowed up by the fire. The mes of the explosion spread all over the area.


    The ground shook, and even the ck smoke was wiped out as the fires of hell raged across thend, burning away all life.


    Eventually, the mes weakened and disappeared, leaving behind a faint smolder.


    Liz stared nkly at a point.


    A woman ¨D Luca, who had suffered various hardships, was lying on the ground in front of her gaze.


    Liz could not kill Luca.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    She thought she was being naive. However, she couldn¡¯t just kill her. But she had vowed not to hesitate.


    She decided to follow her heart and go ahead with it, even if it meant making the wrong choice.


    This was the first step, and Liz didn¡¯t know what she could do to her. But now that she was alive, she had a responsibility to support her.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s atone for your sins. Then¡­ we can find a goal together.¡±


    When she called out to the unconscious Luca¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re going to choose that path, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    A p sounded in the still isted world.


    In order to prevent outside enemies from entering, the ¡°me Emperor¡± should have closed the area with a wall of fire.


    As Liz turned her piercing gaze to the scene, she saw a man standing out of nowhere.


    He wears a strange mask, a white robe, and a wicked ck sword hanging from his waist.


    ¡°This is the path that not even the first emperor¡­ not even the second emperor, not even any of the previous emperors had chosen.¡±


    The man approaches, his voice trembling with some happiness.


    ¡°But this time, I will respect that choice.¡±


    The man stopped in front of Liz and shifted his gaze to Luca.


    ¡°So, give her over to¨D¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s words trailed off as he looked at Liz again.


    Because¨D¨D,


    Liz had a smile on her face.

 Volume 7, Chapter 5 – Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 7, Chapter 5 - Despair That Crawls Out of the Darkness, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°Don¡¯t use words like you know everything!¡±


    The impact seemed to rush to his face, and the next thing he knew, he was looking up at the sky.


    The shock hit him in the abdomen faster than he could feel the pain, faster than he could understand what had happened. The reason for this was obvious. Liz had gotten on top of him.


    ¡°No one is going to be happy with what you¡¯re doing! No one!¡±


    Hiro¡¯s chest was clenched, forcing his upper body to rise.


    ¡°You¡¯re just being selfish!¡±


    His head was shaken, and he could not put his thoughts together. He wanted to say something, but he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°But why do you always try to solve everything by yourself?¡±


    When he saw the anger in her face, he couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to rely on anyone?¡±


    Hiro was pushed and mmed to the ground.


    Seeing Liz bursting with emotion while holding back tears, Hiro remembered Altius¡¯ words.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    It was as Altius had said. He thought maybe everything he had done was just for his own satisfaction.


    Because Liz has not been saved from anything, and now she is ming Hiro.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t decide for yourself!¡±


    The hand that reached out to Liz¡¯s cheek was flipped away, and she headbutted him down instead.


    He even forgot to groan. When he saw her crying face, he couldn¡¯t feel anything anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m so stupid; I won¡¯t understand if you don¡¯t tell me!¡±


    Liz buried her face in Hiro¡¯s neck, her hands trembling as she clutched his chest.


    ¡°Hey, tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°¡­Am I weak?¡±


    The voice that began to sound muffled shook Hiro¡¯s eardrums, and the overflowing tears wet his neck.


    ¡°Am I really that weak that you can¡¯t rely on me¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    When Hiro was unable to continue, she began to sob.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ I¡¯ll get stronger!¡±


    She put her arms around Hiro¡¯s neck and hugged him with feeble strength.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be stronger than anyone else.¡±


    She lifted her head, her face contorted in an effort not to cry, a firm light in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be strong enough to help you carry your burden¡­¡±


    Tears were falling.


    A very warm and gentle warmth of rain falls on Hiro¡¯s face.


    ¡°¨D¨D¡­Just wait until then.¡±


    Liz touched his cheek with a gentle hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there to pick you up, and I¡¯ll take everything you¡¯ve carried with you.¡±


    She stroked Hiro¡¯s swollen cheek apologetically as she continued to shake her bell-like voice.


    ¡°So¡­ until then, you can do what you want.¡±


    The pain tingling in Hiro¡¯s cheeks faded, the steaming heat receded.


    ¡°But if you feel you can¡¯t bear it, if you feel you can¡¯t handle the pressure, thene back to me.¡±


    She smiled as she burst into tears and sobbed.


    ¡°Even if the world has abandoned you, I will be with you until the end.¡±


    Feeling embarrassed, Liz smiled as she wiped the corners of her eyes, which were wet with tears.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t understand after all this, then¡­¡±


    She stood up, and the weight was removed from Hiro¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°I will definitely surpass you.¡±


    It was the words of her passion that came down from above Hiro¡¯s head.


    ¡°Wait with high expectations.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s shoulders shook as he felt her presence leaving him.


    ¡°Ah¨D¨D¡­¡±


    Hiro covered his face with his hands. The strength of her words resonated in his heart.


    There¡¯s a connection ¨D albeit a faint one.


    If she had said something vindictive, Hiro would not have been able to argue with her. Even if all of the resentment had been ced in his fist, Hiiro would not have been able to fight back.


    That¡¯s how much he deserved it.


    However, she said that she forgave him and that she would leave him a ce to stay.


    A feeling of joy welled up in his chest. It was an unbearable joy that filled his heart.


    She was no longer looking at Hiro¡¯s back. She looked ahead and began to walk.


    (What could be more joyful than this¡­?)


    She was no better than a spoiled child.


    Unlike himself, who stopped walking a thousand years ago, she began to move forward.


    She was so strong that he could genuinely respect her.


    (Then I¡¯ll start moving forward, too.)


    It was not a goal.


    Hiro stood in front of her as an opponent to be surpassed.


    Hoping to be proud and return to that ce¨D¨D.


    (I¡¯ll be waiting for the day when you surpass me.)


    Hiro put on the mask that had fallen to the ground again.

 Volume 7, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 7, Epilogue</h4>


    When she woke up ¨D it was all over.


    The disgusting stench that made her sense of smell go crazy forcibly awakened her consciousness.


    When she raised her upper body, she saw the burnt corpses of soldiers covering the grasnd.


    ¡°Guh¡­ why am I still alive?¡±


    At that time, she should have been surrounded by mes and turned to dust. But there was no pain anywhere in her body, only a dull ache from the beating that echoed inside her.


    There was someone who called out to her in such confusion.


    ¡°¡­You are awake?¡±


    The figure was nothing short of bizarre.


    He was wearing an eerie mask and a white military uniform, sitting majestically in a world full of death.


    ¡°¡­¡­Who are you?¡±


    She tried to keep her eyes sharp and put on a determined face, but the strange presence of the man who sat in front of her made her feel pressured to the point of surprise.


    She couldn¡¯t stop sweating. Her body begins to tremble with fear. She felt as if her life was being cut away ¨D her soul was gutted as easily as if her flesh was being chipped off.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re fine. It would have been a waste of her resolve if you died.¡±


    Every time the masked man opened his mouth, an unusually fierce fighting spirit burned her skin.


    ¡°There are two ways you can go now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You can either wait to rot on the old battlefield, or you can walk to the new battlefield.¡±


    Which one will you choose? Said the man. The man¡¯s eyes were all over her as if he was judging her.


    Thirst was rapidly advancing, and her lungs were raging for oxygen.


    There was a long moment of silence between the two, and then the masked man sighed and moved.


    ¡°Two choices ¨D it¡¯s difficult to decide. But after you choose, it¡¯s simple.¡±


    The man said and slowly, slowly raised his arm.


    ¡°Kuh¡­¡±


    She reacted and braced herself.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to overreact so much.¡±


    The man approached quietly, putting his hand on the mask covering his face.


    And then¨D¨D,


    ¡°Do you want a rebirth? Or do you want the end?¡±


    After removing the mask, the man¡¯s true face was revealed.


    At that moment, her mind wentpletely nk.


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    What came out naturally was a clear intent to kill.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you hope.¡±


    The manughed in a way that was not only refreshing but even frightening.

 Volume 8, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 8, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you for picking up this copy of ¡°The Otherworldly Tales of a Mythological, Legendary Hero 7¡±.


    It¡¯s been a long time since thest volume. This volume is also a full-fledged chuunibyou, but I hope you enjoyed it.


    This 7th volume is a milestone and is positioned as thepletion of the first part.


    The next volume will be the start of the second part, and it will be a work filled with chuunibyou as before. Also, the ¡°Dwarf Race¡± and ¡°Beast Race,¡± which have yet to appear in the story, may or may not appear. So, I¡¯m going to raise the bar and put some pressure on myself.


    Now, dear readers, I¡¯m sorry, but let¡¯s have a look at the cover.


    Did you see it? If so, I think you know where I want you to pay attention.


    Did you see the cool Hiro? When someone stares at you with golden eyes, there are only two choices: either you lose the will to resist or fall in love with them. The main character is getting better and better looking with each volume. But this time, it¡¯s not just about that. There is more to it than that.


    It¡¯s udia¡¯s belly button and stomach. Is it just me, or does it look really erotic?


    When I received the illustration, the first thing that caught my attention was udia¡¯s belly button.


    The tight abdominal muscles and the beautiful curve of the groin areabined to make her belly button stand out. It was a sight to behold. I was almost drooling as I stared at her.


    Of course, the breasts and thighs are nice, but I have to say that I¡¯m going to go with the belly button.


    What would you rmend, dear readers?


    Now, let me give my appreciation.


    Thank you, Miyuki Ruria-sama, for your beautiful and cool illustrations, which awaken new possibilities that lie deep within me. Thank you very much.


    Dear Editor S and Editor I, as always, I know that there are many things that I have failed to do, but I hope that you will continue to help me in the future. To the editorial staff, proofreaders, designers, and everyone else involved in this work, thank you for your continued support.


    And to all the readers. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all of you for your support that has brought me this far.


    I will continue to send out more never-ending Chuni, so please support me.


    I look forward to seeing you again soon.

 Volume 8, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 8, Prologue</h4>


    It was raining that day.


    The endless rain continued to fall until the end of the day when the thunderbolt roared.


    ¡°Aa¡­ Aaahh! Liar, liar, liar!¡±


    The sky was raging, the ground was shaking with the roar, and the roaring wind oppressed the world.


    A young man¡¯s voice was crushed as he cried out. But he continued to raise his voice despite the thunder.


    ¡°Why, why, why are you¡­?¡±


    But his voice did not reach out. The wind drowned it out, the raindrops bounced it, and it disappeared into the sky.


    The rain that pounded the young man¡¯s body, exposed to the violent wind, had an effect simr to poison. It gradually drains the young man¡¯s body heat, and eventually, his breath turns white, and his face turns pale from the cold.


    The cold air was about to cover the ground as if he was trapped in an ice world.


    Then it is natural that the woman he is holding will also have her body heat scraped away in the same way.


    ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t ¨D don¡¯t hurt her anymore.¡±


    His desperate plea was also mocked as it was bounced by the rain and dissipated. The relentless freezing raindrops kept pouring down on the woman.


    The young man tried desperately to protect her, but his small back could not keep her safe.


    ¡°Rey¡­ Rey¡­ open your eyes. Please¡­ I beg you. I want to hear your voice.¡±


    There were probably many other things he wanted to say.


    If he had remained calm, if he had maintained hisposure, he would have had more to say than he could say. But when he realized that the light of her life was fading, his mind was filled with nkness, and everything was gone.


    ¡°Why is this happening to me? Why does she have to be sacrificed?¡±


    The young man held her close to him as if to chain her soul together, even though he knew it was useless. He buried his face in her neck and cried inartictely like a child who did not want to be separated from his mother.


    ¡°Someone¡­ someone¡­ Please.¡±


    No one responds. But still, he couldn¡¯t help but pray.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything¡­ Someone¨D¡­¡±


    No one could help him. But still, he couldn¡¯t help but pray.


    ¡°Please save her!¡±


    No one can help her. Even so, he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Even if his prayers ended in vain, even if his wishes were cruelly shattered, the young man never gave up and kept asking. There must be a way to save her. He continued to search desperately.


    ¡°R-right¡­ Spirit king! You must be able to save her. Spirit King, you¡¯re looking at me, right? Save her! It¡¯s not hard for you to chain a soul to this world!¡±


    But the moment he looked up at the sky, he knew there would be no miracle.


    ck clouds swirled in the sky and looked down at the ground, and the storm that was brewing grew more and more threatening.


    As if in inverse proportion, the woman¡¯s chest rose and fell shallowly ¨D the blood overflowing from the wound disappeared with her breath as it was washed away by the rain. The young man¡¯s face is stained with despair, and the lightning strikes light up his face.


    ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t want it, I don¡¯t want it, I don¡¯t want it!¡±


    His throat ripped open with a cry, his windpipe clogged with his breath, and his breathing stopped with a sob.


    His heart raced for oxygen, but he wed at his chest, and the young man refused to live.


    ¡°Ah, aah, aaah¡­ ¨D ah!¡±


    He swore to live with her. Therefore, his heart was broken.


    He swore that he would rescue her. That¡¯s why his soul was broken.


    The young man wailed in order to deny the uneptable reality, the uneptable truth, everything.


    ¡°Ah, aah, ah, aaaaaaahh!¡±


    That day ¨D the young man¡¯s soul died.

 Volume 8, Chapter 1 – The Small Country of Baum, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 1 - The Small Country of Baum, Part 1</h4>


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s time to wake up.¡±


    Hiro jumped off his bed before he could even open his eyes when he heard a loud voice.


    At that moment ¨D the sound of destruction shook his ears. The terrifying sound was so powerful that it shook him to his core.


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Hiro couldn¡¯t hear the person¡¯s clicking tongue. It¡¯s because he was being driven by the st and was rolling around on the floor with vigor.


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    Hiro stopped when his head mmed into the wall and opened his eyes in the same position.


    In front of his gold and ck iridescent eyes, he saw a woman with stagnant eyes standing there with a giant hammer in her hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s you again¡­¡±


    Hiro sat down on the floor, patting his head, and gave the woman a disgusted look in the dusty room. However, she didn¡¯t seem to take offense and stood there looking down at Hiro.


    ¡°You dodged it well, didn¡¯t you¡­?¡±


    With the bed shattered behind him, Hiro sighed pitifully and stood up.


    ¡°It¡¯s been two years now. It¡¯s about time you gave up¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe the condition for working with you was that I could try to kill you at any time.¡±


    Her words wereced with sternness, and her whole body exuded a cat-like wariness that she had no intention of getting along with.


    ¡°I did say that, though, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    It was understandable, as it was not unreasonable considering her feelings. But he could at leastin about the disturbance to his restful sleep.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not easy to rx when your life is threatened like this every morning.¡±


    Hiro reached into the shattered bed and probed for his mask but was kicked away.


    ¡°¡­Why did you kick it?¡±


    ¡°Because there was a mask there.¡±


    ¡°¡­You seem to have an unusual hobby.¡±


    He smiled at her with a straight face, then went to the window to pick up the mask that had flown away.


    ¡°The weather is beautiful. Though it wasn¡¯t the most refreshing morning.¡±


    He suddenly looked through the window and saw that the sky was as blue as the ocean.


    A flock of birds swam gracefully in the clear sky. They must be heading west, east, and eventually across the sea. As if to ridicule those who are bound to the ground, they fly freely and unobstructed, resting on their fancy, aiming for a new heaven and newnd.


    It was May 20th, the 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Hiro, who had parted ways with the Grantz Empire two years ago, was hiding out in the small country of Baum on the eastern edge of the central continent. He was staying in a room in a temple called the ¡°Temple of the Spirit King¡± in the only city in the small country of Baum, a medium-sized city called Natua ¨D the room where Hiro once spent time with Liz.


    ¡°Please return Eagle to me. And then I¡¯ll disappear from your sight.¡±


    The woman who had been acting aggressively towards Hiro since a while ago was Luca Mamon de Urpeth.


    She was a former general of one of the six nations located on the western edge of the central continent, the Urpeth Kingdom.


    Two years ago, during the invasion of the Great Grantz Empire, her brother was killed in battle and trapped by a desire for revenge; she went on a rampage to the point of copsing the western part of Grantz. In the end, however, she was prevented by Liz, and the hatred simmering deep in her belly had nowhere to go.


    Hiro took advantage of her emotions and brought her into his group, but there was no way she could remain calm in the face of the person who killed her brother, and as such, she came back to try to kill him every day.


    So, for the past two years, she has beening to kill Hiro every single day nonstop.


    ¡°Well, I did say that if you can¡¯t stand it, you can kill me and take my life, though.¡±


    He never expected to have his life threatened at all times.


    Hiro smiled and walked over to Luca, brushing the dust off his white cloak.


    ¡°I told you that I would give you hope when the time came.¡±


    He smiled at her, close enough for their noses to touch. Despite this sudden event, Luca¡¯s expression does not change at all. In fact, she red straight at Hiro.


    ¡°Until then, you have to follow my orders. That¡¯s one of the conditions. Do you understand?¡±


    As Hiro said with a smile, Luca¡¯s eyes became even sharper.


    ¡°I know that. I don¡¯t need to be told that over and over again. I¡¯ve been following all your instructions for two years now.¡±


    ¡°I am grateful to you for that. Keep up the good work.¡±


    Hiro patted Luca on the shoulder and put on the mask with a practiced hand.


    In the meantime, the giant hammer in Luca¡¯s hand ¨D the Vajra Mallet, one of the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords refined by the Fairy King ¨D has disappeared.


    ¡°So you¡¯re not just here to kill me, are you?¡±


    Hiro looked at Luca again. As a former princess, she is a beautiful woman.


    However, half of her body was burned to the point that one would want to turn away from her, and one of her arms was also lost in a fight with Hiro two years ago. With that in mind, it made sense that she would continue to target her hated enemy, Hiro, every day.


    But unfortunately, she had not been able to inflict even a scratch on Hiro.


    ¡°Fuh, 90% of my goal was to do so, but I have a message from the shrine maiden knight.¡±


    In spite of the harsh tone of voice, she honestly fulfilled the role of messenger, and Hiro was certain that she was serious at heart. In the past two years, she had faithfully obeyed orders, albeit with the aim of killing Hiro.


    ¡°Today, goodwill ambassadors from all over the world are visiting us again, without having had enough. The shrine maiden knight wants you toe to the king¡¯s hall as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Goodwill ambassadors¡­ huh? Then, I¡¯ll let Ghada handle it. What¡¯s he doing now?¡±


    When Hiro was re-summoned to this world, he was confronted by the demon Ghada Meteor.


    The Principality of Lichtine, located in the south part of the Grantz Empire, was where Hiro met Ghada as an enemy. After the two sides cut each other to bits and Hiro eventually won, he decided to make use of him, and Ghada also joined his side as their interests coincided.


    Two years ago, Hiro abandoned his position as the fourth prince and took on the name of the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± and Ghada followed suit, taking up residence in the small country of Baum.


    With the Levering Kingdom close by, he decided that he no longer needed to hide his true identity, and now he does not hide his purple skin, a characteristic of the ¡°demon race,¡± and has been entrusted with the task of assisting the king in dealing with the various countries.


    ¡°He has been on an inspection tour of the surrounding viges. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of monsters in the area, and I have heard that many petitions have been received from the residents.¡±


    ¡°If Ghada isn¡¯t here¡­ then it can¡¯t be helped. I guess I¡¯ll just have to deal with them myself.¡±


    He could leave it to Luca, but since she was originally from Urpeth and treated as a deserter, he didn¡¯t want to expose her openly for diplomatic reasons.


    If that were the case, the only other people who could be entrusted with the job would be the siblings, Hugin and Munin, but they were obviously not of the same caliber, which would not sit well with the goodwill ambassador.


    In other words, if he wanted to avoid unnecessary friction, Hiro would have to go himself.


    (I could also leave it to Princess Shrine Maiden, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to bother her with such a small matter.)


    Hiro gave a small sigh of resignation and walked towards the entrance.


    Luca followed close behind. After a few steps, Hiro could feel the unconcealed murderous intent of Luca on his back. He could tell that she was trying to bite him at every opportunity.


    ¡°Could you please walk in front of me? I don¡¯t want to waste time getting attacked on the way.¡±


    When Hiro opened the door to the room and urged her with his chin to go ahead, Luca let out a tant sigh and then gave him a disdainful look.


    ¡°You want to walk while looking at a woman¡¯s ass? I see that His Majesty, the ck Dragon King, has a taste that the people of Baum wouldment if they heard about it.¡±


    Luca started walking in front of him, her footsteps ringing loudly in a sarcastic tone.


    ¡°Follow me closely. The Spirit King¡¯s Temple is like a maze.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with it¡­ I¡¯ve lived here for two years now.¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders and followed Luca down the corridor past the bowing shrine maiden knights.


    (Before that, I used to live here, albeit for a short time.)


    Hiro¡¯s footsteps sounded lightly on the marble floor in the silent, white corridor.


    Hiro gazed dazzlingly at the sunlight streaming in between the pirs and then thought about it as he gazed at the well-kept flowerbeds.


    (I never thought that¡­ I would be holding the throne of this country again, but¡­)


    The small country of Baum has had a king only once since Hiro founded it a thousand years ago.


    However, the young king of the emerging nation had only been on the throne for a short time, and since Hiro¡¯s abdication, the second Princess Shrine Maiden, who had been his backer, had taken over the running of the small country of Baum.


    (Originally, the small country of Baum was supposed to be destroyed. The reason it has survived to the present day is probably thanks to the sessive generations of Princess Shrine Maiden.)


    Whether they had foreseen this would happen or not, it was impossible to know, but whatever their feelings and true intentions were, the people of Baum had mixed feelings about the enthronement of Hiro.


    Comints and grievances, praise and apuse, what the future holds for the country¡­ even the gentle people of Baum were united in their anxiety.


    (They may think it¡¯s in their best interest to have the Raven Army stationed there to fight off the monsters, but they can¡¯t afford to be a stranger when the fire ising down on them. Well, we won¡¯t know how much of a result it will have until the timees.)


    As he continued to walk in silence, pondering, he slipped out of the white passageway and came to an open-air garden.


    There was a semicircr fountain, flower beds in full bloom, and trees overflowing with fresh greenery. It was a ce that had not been used for its original purpose for a long time, though it had been tended to, and thest time it had been used for its intended purpose was a thousand years ago when Hiro had decided to leave this world.


    This ce wasndscaped to entertain the eyes of the dignitaries of various countries, but now it is not used for political purposes, and it is said to be a ce of rxation for the shrine maiden knights, including Princess Shrine Maiden, and their apprentices.


    As he walked along the path surrounded by various kinds of flowers, he was greeted by a different corridor from the one he had just walked down. In front of him was a wooden door that was muchrger than the rest of the rooms, and it was very old. At each end stood a spirit knight with a helmet covering his face, and when he recognized Hiro, he quietly bowed his head.


    Luca, who was walking ahead of him, turned to Hiro.


    ¡°You will be on your own from here on out, and I will be waiting in the other room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unusual for you to follow me everywhere. I will handle this, so it won¡¯t be a problem if youe with me.¡±


    Even if it was a goodwill ambassador of another country, it¡¯s just a casual greeting and a few nd words. It wasn¡¯t like they were discussing anything important, so there was no problem with Luca being there. However, she shook her head with disgust stered on her face.


    ¡°Are you ufortable being alone? You¡¯re like a baby. I would say that, but the person on the other side of this door is the ambassador of the Vanir Three Kingdoms. It would be better if I didn¡¯t go, in case they recognize me. Even though I was brought here by force, I¡¯m still a deserter. There is no guarantee that this will not turn into a diplomatic incident.¡±


    ¡°I know exactly what you mean¡­ But then again, I do have some unusual guests.¡±


    The Vanir Three Kingdoms are the three western nations located south of the Six Kingdoms: the Vanaheim Theocracy, the N Knightdom, and the Kvasir Priestdom.


    It is said that the Vanaheim Theocracy, which is ruled by the Long-Eared People who worship the ¡°Fairy King,¡± the N Knightdom, which was founded by those who were given the highest rank by the Pope, and the Kvasir Priestdom have formed a strong alliance.


    Therefore, in the west of the Central Continent, there was a strong belief in fairies due to its proximity to the Western Continent, where the sacrednd of the Long-Eared People is located.


    The Six Kingdoms, located to the north of the Vanir Three Kingdoms, had also been greatly influenced by this and are rapidly converting from the ¡°spirit belief¡± and eliminating heresy. This is why the invasion of the Grantz two years ago was spected to be due to pressure from the Vanir Three Kingdoms, but the truth was still unknown.


    ¡°¡­How dare theye all the way to the heathen stronghold? Are they trying to persuade us to convert, or are the fairy believers just daredevils?¡±


    It was not an easy journey across the Grantz to reach here. If the true identity of the ambassador were toe to light, there was a chance that some of the Grantz soldiers who worshipped the ¡°Spirit King¡± might even capture them. A thousand years ago, the two sides had joined forces to defeat theirmon enemy, the demon race, but the gulf that had grown over the past thousand years has only deepened, not bridged.


    ¡°You know what I mean. The country hase tough. When they heard that the Grantz were on the verge of copse, they heard that the belief in spirits was beginning to waver, and in the midst of such signs of copse, a new king was born in the small country. In other words, as pompous as it sounds, I suppose they came to see your face.¡±


    Luca unleashed her words with a mixture of sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek, and Hiro was impressed that she can be so far-fetched in her exnation. But her words only made him feel more irritated when he asked for her opinion. The only thing to do was to ignore her, considering the possibility of an argument.


    ¡°Looks like the grudge was not forgotten even after a thousand years¡­¡±


    ¡°For the short-lived Human Race, it¡¯s in the distant past, but for the long-lived Long-Eared People, it¡¯s in the recent past, and their grandparents, who had a falling out with the Human Race, must have told them a lot about it.¡±


    The conflict between the ¡°Human Race¡± and the ¡°Long-Eared Race¡± urred during the war against the ¡°Demon Race¡± a thousand years ago.


    A certain nobleman of the ¡°Human Race¡± was dazzled by the beauty of a woman who was royalty of the ¡°Long-Eared Race¡± and kidnapped her.


    Naturally, the ¡°Long-Eared Race¡± was furious. When Altius realized what had happened, he retrieved the woman, but the anger of the ¡°Long-Eared Race¡± did not diminish, and they attacked the territory of the nobleman who had kidnapped the girl, burning down the viges and executing the mastermind.


    This provoked the anger of the Human Race, and the two sides were on the brink of an all-out war. In order to avoid war, Altius prepared a negotiating table and formally apologized, but he could not repair the broken friendship.


    The ¡°Long-Eared Race¡± withdrew their troops and returned to their territories, although an all-out war between the two races was averted. This was what Hiro, who was on the front lines at the time, was told.


    (And the discrimination they had suffered over the past thousand years had amplified their hatred of the ¡°Human Race.)


    It¡¯s not easy to get rid of something that has umted and taken root.


    And yet, for a self-respecting ¡°Long-Eared Race¡± toe into the stronghold of the ¡°Spirit King,¡± the object of their hatred, would be a disgrace that would make them want tomit suicide.


    ¡°It seems that they don¡¯t just want to see my face¡­¡±


    Hiro put his hand on his mask and let out a gloomy sigh.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have time to worry about it, why don¡¯t you just meet them?¡±


    Luca said coldly and turned away to leave. She must be nning to hide somewhere. But she¡¯s right; it wouldn¡¯t help if he stayed here and thought about everything.


    Hiro made up his mind and took a few deep breaths before standing in front of the door.


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    He ordered the two spirit knights, and they bowed their heads reverently and put their hands on the door.

 Volume 8, Chapter 1 – The Small Country of Baum, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 1 - The Small Country of Baum, Part 2</h4>


    The inside of the ¡°Spirit King Temple¡± was ostensibly divided into four sections, and five sections if you included the area that only the Princess Shrine Maiden was allowed to enter.


    The central section was where the Spirit King was enshrined, the Baptismal Vige ¨D a ce where newborn babies and those visiting the ¡°Spirit King Temple¡± are invited for the first time.


    The east section was a ce where apprentice shrine maidens are trained, a ce where men are forbidden, and outsiders are not allowed to enter. The west section is the residential area for the shrine maiden knights and their apprentices, and this is where Hiro slept. The south section is a resting ce open to the public, with lodgings and eating ces for pilgrims and travelers, as well as a hall where ambassadors from surrounding countries are invited.


    Finally, the north section.


    It was located inside, yet outside at the same time, and once you pass through the only entrance, another world spreads out.


    Trees grew thickly, small animals chirped happily, and the sound of the stream caressed your eardrums. If you raised your head, you would squint at the re of the sun pointing to midheaven.


    This was the Baptismal Pce, a sacred ce that only certain people were allowed to enter.


    In an open area near the entrance, there was a white desk. Tea utensils were ced on top of it, and a pile of sweets was ced beside it. In the midst of such an atmosphere of an afternoon tea party, two women were facing each other across the desk.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d find a ce like this in the Spirit King Temple ¨D clean air, pleasant breeze, warm sunshine, delicious tea ¨D it¡¯s like I¡¯ve wandered into another world.¡±


    The woman with purple and silver hair smiled elegantly as she smelled the fragrance of tea. The gesture mixed with a hint of mour could make even the same sex¡¯s heart beat faster, but in her case, it was more of an absorbing beauty than an attractive charm.


    ¡°Ara, is my tea not to your taste, Princess Shrine Maiden-sama?¡±


    The gentle air, simr to a spring breeze, flickered with sexuality around her charming and gentle eyes, caressed the bridge of her well-developed nose, and finally passed over her pale pink lips that were drawn in an arc.


    Her delicate face was fantastic and seductive - but it was her white skin that caught the attention more than anything else. Fairy ¨D a heretic child who was forced to live as one of the Long-Eared People while being born as a Demon. There was only one such person in the Central Continent.


    She was udia Van Levering, Queen of the Levering Kingdom.


    ¡°No, it has a refreshing aroma but a deep vor. It¡¯s very delicious.¡±


    The one who responded with a bit of confusion was a woman with an innocent atmosphere.


    As with udia, the smooth, lustrous skin that covered her ample limbs had a lustrous sheen from the sunlight. Her unparalleled beauty was enhanced by the scent of her sex appeal, and the soothing fragrance that emanated from her beauty was irresistible to the eye. Her long ears, a characteristic of the ¡°Long-Eared Race,¡± were hidden from view by her sideburns, which were agitated by the wind. She was the guardian of the ¡°Spirit King Temple¡± and the fourth generation of Princess Shrine Maiden, who was allowed to talk with the ¡°Spirit King.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, as expected of Princess Shrine Maiden-sama, she knows everything. By the way, this leaf is one of the specialties of our country. If you are willing, I can arrange a deal with the ¡°Spirit King Temple.¡± There seem to be a lot of women here, so I¡¯m sure they would be very pleased.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, the apprentice shrine maiden will be delighted¡­ I will positively consider it.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to your favorable response. If I may say so, our country also produces silver and copper. What do you think is necessary for the current small country of Baum?¡±


    udia started off casually as if making small talk, but it clearly had a diplomatic element to it. It would normally be done in an official setting ording to formality, but udia¡¯s real intention was probably to get a statement on this asion.


    The princess shrine maiden frowned for a moment but quickly put on a calm face, took a sip of tea, and after a short pause, a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have the authority to do that since the Spirit King Temple is partly borrowed from the small country of Baum.¡±


    As soon as Hiro took the throne of the small country of Baum, he separated the ¡°Spirit King Temple¡± from the framework of the country. The ¡°Spirit King Temple¡± had its own army of spirit knights, but they numbered less than a thousand. Hiro¡¯s private army, the ¡°Raven Army,¡± numbered about five thousand. If they were attacked from all sides, they would be helpless.


    To the east of the small country of Baum, beyond the great sea, was the Eastern Archipgo, ruled by the Twelve Tribes, the founders of the Beast Tribe.


    To the north was the Levering Kingdom of the Demon Race, which was gaining momentum under the leadership of udia.


    To the west was the Great Grantz Empire, which is still the dominant power in the Central Continent, though it had been exhausted by repeated wars.


    To the south, there was the ve state of the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°I see, so that¡¯s why he created such a troublesome system?¡±


    udia then nodded her head in agreement and looked at the princess shrine maiden.


    ¡°The Spirit King Temple is always neutral. I apologize, but we are not allowed to get involved in any disputes.¡±


    When Hiro ascended to the throne of the small country of Baum, the surrounding countries all criticized him at once.


    The Grantz Empire, a long-time friend of theirs, was no exception.


    The ¡°sacrednd¡± of the ¡°Human Race¡± that had been snatched away from them was to be reimed. In order to avoid the invaders who had gained a good cause, Hiro had separated the ¡°small country of Baum¡± and the ¡°Spirit King Temple.¡±


    In order to prevent it from bing a weakness for the country and prevent it from being used by other countries, he made the ¡°Spirit King Temple¡± independent and gave it autonomy, creating a strange structure.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll just have to give up now that you¡¯ve said that much. I¡¯ll be patient and try to persuade His Majesty the ¡®ck Dragon King.''¡±


    Either she didn¡¯t have any expectations from the start, or she wanted to make sure, but either way, udia quickly backed down.


    There was a faint noise between them, the sound of awn being trampled, and they turned to look at each other.


    ¡°¡­We have another unusual visitor, don¡¯t we?¡±


    He is wearing a white cloak, an emotionless mask, and a ck sword at his waist.


    He removed the mask with his right hand and revealed a soft face.


    His appearance was no different from two years ago; his face was so young.


    His height has not increased at all, even though he was still growing.


    It was as if he was the only one who had stopped the march of time, and nothing had changed.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the ¡®ck Dragon King¡¯ is looking as young as ever. I have Demon blood in my veins, so I age at a slower rate than humans, but¡­¡±


    udia said and lifted her breasts up as if she were scooping them up.


    ¡°And yet, my breasts never stop growing. Even as a Demon, I have probably grown in ces I¡¯m not even aware of. Butpared to that, you have not changed at all. Is there a secret to this?¡±


    udia¡¯s gaze is lustrous, and her wet eyes look up at him invitingly. But deep down, she had the light of a bird seeking its prey.


    ¡°Who knows, maybe it¡¯s best to stay upte, eat as much as you can, and stay in your room beingzy. There¡¯s no secret to it except to bezy.¡±


    It¡¯s best to stay indoors. Hiro shrugged his shoulders and put on his mask again.


    udia¡¯s shoulders slumped in resignation as she tried to figure out whether tough or be taken aback by the response.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to ask you about that in the future¡­ but then again, she¡¯s still very attached to you, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    udia¡¯s gaze turned to the shade of the tree behind Hiro. There was a figure of Luca sitting on the roots of a tree that rose from the ground.


    If it were just that, udia would not have said anything.


    However, Luca was mumbling something and watching Hiro from behind the tree. The sight was beyond creepy; it was simply terrifying.


    ¡°Hmm? You mean Luca?¡±


    And Hiro¡¯s unconcerned reaction, despite being subjected to such vindictiveness, had to be called abnormal as well. udia looked at Hiro as if she had discovered a mysterious creature.¡±


    ¡°Could it be that¡­ you prefer sticky women like that?¡±


    udia¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she looked into Hiro¡¯s face. Her expression was bloodless as if she were a wife who had discovered her husband¡¯s infidelity.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve known something was wrong for a while. I¡¯ve been wondering if you have any unusual hobbies, such as not paying attention to women whoe near you, reading books without ever leaving your room, asionally going outside to join sweaty men to kill monsters, or keeping women who want to kill you close by.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Hiro snorted in response to the verbal assault and then opened his mouth to change the subject.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point now. Why are you here? I told you to wait for me in the visitor¡¯s room if you had any business. How did you get here in the first ce?¡±


    As if she knew she wouldn¡¯t get much of a response, udia shrugged her shoulders and started to answer Hiro¡¯s question.


    ¡°I had been to the Spirit King Temple about an hour ago, but the shrine maiden knight told me that His Majesty the ck Dragon King was in the audience room. So I decided to take a stroll since I didn¡¯t want to just wait around, but I have more senses than most people, don¡¯t I? I sensed the strange atmosphere and walked on and found such a beautiful ce.¡±


    udia said this nonchntly, and sipped her already cold tea.


    When Hiro saw this, he put his hands on his hips and looked up at the sky in annoyance.


    ¡°So you met Princess Shrine Maiden, and you¡¯re drinking tea here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it happened.¡±


    And it was the princess shrine maiden who nodded her head as if to say that she was right.


    ¡°Then, I think you¡¯re done here. We can talk further in my room.¡±


    Hiro turned his attention to Luca.


    ¡°Luca, please show udia to my room.¡±


    ¡°Why do I have to show this thieving cat around?¡±


    Luca red at Hiro resentfully, biting her thumbnail.


    There was a root of misfortune between Luca and udia that they couldn¡¯t get rid of.


    This was nothing more than the fact that udia interfered with her best chance to cut off Hiro¡¯s head in the battle two years ago. If Luca¡¯s first wish was for Hiro¡¯s death, then her second wish was for udia¡¯s head.


    ¡°If she goes somewhere else again, you can do whatever you want.¡±


    It was a joke, but Luca knew it wouldn¡¯t go over well with her, so she jumped up and approached Hiro and the others.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, then. If you don¡¯t want to be disciplined, then shut up and follow me.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, it would be interesting to discipline a wild dog with its fangs pulled out in reverse.¡±


    Both of them had a lot to say. They started to walk side by side as if they were checking each other out, creating an acrimonious atmosphere that could lead to a fistfight.


    ¡°You two go on ahead. I¡¯ll catch up with you soon.¡±


    They stared at each other, regardless of whether they heard it or not, as they disappeared down the hallway. As soon as the two of them were out of sight, Hiro turned his gaze to the princess shrine maiden.


    ¡°You¡¯ve ¡°seen¡± it from the start. What do you think their purpose is?¡±


    Even though the question came out of the blue, the princess shrine maiden nodded in understanding and opened her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say at this stage, but¡­ I¡¯m sure they¡¯vee to check something out.¡±


    The goodwill ambassadors of the Vanir Three Kingdoms, whom Hiro had just met, surprisingly enough, were really just here to greet him. It¡¯s hard to believe that they risked their lives toe all the way from Vanir Three Kingdoms in the southwestern corner of the country to the small country of Baum in the eastern corner just to greet someone. And she must have been ¡°watching¡± the audience from here while she was with udia. This was because she had a special ¡°eye.¡±


    It¡¯s one of the world¡¯s three most secret eyes that have been handed down through generations of princess shrine maidens ¨D ¡°irvoyant eyes¡± ¨D a mysterious pair of eyes that can see into distant ces, capture people¡¯s emotions in color, and have the power to see into the future.


    ¡°¡­Is it reasonable to assume that they came to see if the Spirit King is still here?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. No, I think it¡¯s very likely.¡±


    Hiro stroked the tip of his chin and exhaled heavily, feeling annoyed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want the Vanir Three Kingdoms to find out about this yet¡­¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t something that could be hidden from the beginning. The power of the Spirit King was so great that it was almost a miracle that it could be concealed until now.¡±


    The Princess shrine maiden¡¯s words of constion did not lift Hiro¡¯s gloomy spirits.


    ¡°Luca was able to get into this ce. It looks like the Spirit King hasn¡¯te back after all.¡±


    Normally, udia would not have been able to visit this ce. But that was only on the condition that the Spirit King¡¯s power was still at work.


    ¡°Yes¡­ He¡¯s still in hiding. I¡¯ve been trying to call out to him several times, but he¡¯s never responded.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly¡­ the ¡°Spirit King¡± was already gone when I was summoned again. I believe so. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re right. When Your Majesty the ck Dragon King was re-summoned, the Spirit King no longer responded to my attempts to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Were you able to do so before that?¡±


    ¡°Just to some extent¡­ No¡­ right.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden hesitated and turned her face down, making her speech unusually slurred.


    ¡°It may be better to be honest with you, Your Majesty the ck Dragon King.¡±


    She looked up as if she had made up her mind, and her expression was somber.


    ¡°The power of the Spirit King was weakening as the poption of the Human Race increased. Just before he re-summoned Your Majesty the ck Dragon King, he only had a little power left.¡±


    After summoning Hiro again, the ¡°Spirit King¡± had probably used up all of his power, but he no longer responded to attempts to talk to him. At the same time, the people who had been hiding in the underground started to move boldly, most likely because the ¡°Spirit King¡± was no longer an obstacle.


    ¡°But before that, there must have been a trigger. The reason why the Spirit King¡¯s power was weakened.¡±


    In the days just before Hiro¡¯s return to Earth, the power of the Spirit King was not weakened by an increase in poption.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been researching something ever since I came to this world, and I¡¯ve noticed something.¡±


    ¡°¡­You have noticed something?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve noticed two periods. The first is 500 years ago, and the second is 300 years ago.¡±


    Five hundred years ago was the year of the discovery of the new races, the Flesh Eaters and the Marked People. And three hundred years ago was the year when the emperor was assassinated in an unprecedented incident, and the ck Death Vige became known as such.


    ¡°I suspect that the Spirit King¡¯s power weakened around 500 years ago and that he used up most of his power 300 years ago. Otherwise, there would have been no such incident as the assassination of the emperor.¡±


    Hiro affirmed, holding up his index finger and looking at the princess shrine maiden.


    ¡°There is a more interesting story. From the time the Grantz Empire was founded until the emergence of the new race, the number of emperors was twenty-two. But for some reason, the remaining five hundred years saw an increase in the number of emperors with short reigns. And starting with the assassination of the emperor three hundred years ago, only a few of them have lived to the fullest.¡±


    The more he investigated, the more he found out about the dark side of the Grantz family.


    ¡°In a certain ce, I saw a man with red hair.¡±


    In the tomb where Altiusy, he encountered the visions of the former emperors throughout the world, where a vast amount of information circted. Among them, the four treasured swords that the man with the red hair was holding were burned into Hiro¡¯s mind, and he could not get them out.


    ¡°I was really¡­ surprised. He had the me Emperor with him.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden¡¯s eyes widened, and her shoulders trembled greatly.

 Volume 8, Chapter 1 – The Small Country of Baum, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 1 - The Small Country of Baum, Part 3</h4>


    May 21st, 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    A flock of birds crossed the clear sky like a cloud. Swimming happily in the obstacle-free sky, the birds glided over the people who live and work on the ground.


    A huge city, surrounded by walls on all sides, overflowing with people in neatly lined stalls, finishing their business and returning to the cramped rows of buildings. In the center of the city stood a pce with a majestic appearance worthy of its name of luxury and splendor.


    This was the Great Imperial Capital, dius, the capital of the Grantz Empire, one of the most ancient and prosperous metropolises in the Central Continent.


    Overlooking the metropolis, which was dominated by an atmosphere full of history, is the Imperial Pce Vian.


    Unlike the heat that flowed from the cityscape below, the vast grounds were filled with a solemn silence that makes one hesitate to say a word. In the center of the site, the Imperial Pce reigned like a king.


    At the huge entrance stood a strong soldier, and nearby was the soldiers¡¯ quarters where a group of soldiers slept. This had been newly set up in response to a series of break-ins by bandits two years ago.


    Once inside the strict entrance, you will be greeted by strong soldiers again. At the entrance, luggage was searched, and a thorough physical examination was conducted. The nearby waiting room was filled with noblemen and lords from various countries. From there, it was straight down a long corridor, past the throne room, and around a few corners to enter a section of the pce that only the most important figures of the nation were allowed to enter.


    This was once the home of those associated with the Grantz Imperial Family, but it was also the site of the tragic murder of most of them in the First Prince¡¯s rebellion two years ago.


    Because of this, many of the rooms were unupied, and some of them still smelled of blood.


    Further on, there was a ce guarded by female soldiers.


    This was the entrance to therge bathhouse set up for the emperor, and the women guarding it showed a strong desire to keep even the rats from entering.


    This was no surprise, as the woman who was currently inmand of the Grantz Empire was bathing there.


    In therge bath filled with steam, many beautiful women were standing around, d in light silk. Some of the women were carrying swords, and the atmosphere was a bit noisy.


    Their eyes were fixed on a huge bathtub. There was a giant lion statue in the center, with hot water spewing out of its tough-looking mouth, and the sshes of hot water filling the tub were glistening in the sunlight streaming in through the windows in the ceiling.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    In the bathtub, there was a girl with red hair without a stitch of clothing. Her well-proportioned limbs are reasonably tight, and the graceful sexiness that exudes from them colors the steam ¨D the sweat that flows down her pearly skin shines like jewels, further enhancing the fragrance of her luster. The perfected form of the woman made everyone feel as if they were in a fantasy created by the gods. That¡¯s how attractive she was to the eye.


    Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.


    She was the sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire, the holder of the ¡°me Emperor,¡± and was considered to be the next emperor.


    She was in a state of meditation.


    She closed her eyes and repeatedly took deep breaths as if she was trying to reach the bottom of the water. She was aiming for the deepest ¡°realm¡± in order to draw out the power of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    (I can still dive¡­ still¡­ still¡­)


    The feeling of being able to breathe but not being able to take in oxygen was what diving into the ¡°realm¡± is all about. She groped her way to a ce shrouded in darkness, the memory of the past holders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword. Then, the next thing she knew, the area was enveloped in light, and when she opened her eyes, an enormous amount of information was created in an explosion. In front of Liz, an overwhelming scene was unfolding over and over again.


    (Not here¡­ I¡¯ve already seen this ce. There¡¯s got to be more.)


    Cutting off the view that was forcibly burned into her retina, Liz continued to dive for the deepest part. Her breathing gradually became ragged, her chest repeatedly rose and fell violently, and her face began to contort in pain.


    (More¡­ Guh.)


    She clenched her lower lip and tried to endure the pain, but it was too much.


    A new light exploded at the end of her hand as she struggled to find oxygen.


    ¡°Ah, gahah¡­ Not¡­ not yet¡­ I can¡¯t proceed from here, right?¡±


    Liz looked up as she bent her back and pouted in agony as the ground sucked in a great deal of sweat.


    The cloudy sky was so stormy that it looked like it was about to start pouring.


    As if to add to the anxiety in the sky, the ground was dotted withrge holes that had been gouged out.


    The remains of a battlefield ¨D yet there was only one dead body.


    In such a strangendscape, there were two figures.


    One is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man, and the other is a dark-haired, dark-eyed young boy.


    ¡°¡­Still not enough.¡±


    Liz mmed her fist into the ground in frustration, then stood up, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and began to walk. This is the second time she has been to this ce; this is the memory of the first emperor Altius, the former holder of the ¡°me Emperor.¡± And the blond-haired, blue-eyed young man who appeared in front of her was the ¡°First God,¡± one of the twelve great gods of Grantz.


    If the people who believed in the twelve great gods of Grantz saw him, they would have fainted in surprise. The nobles and lords might shed tears of joy. But Liz¡¯s interest was not in him.


    Her gaze caught only one thing: a scarred boy lying near a headless corpse.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hiro.¡±


    He was breathing so thinly that he looked like he was about to give out, and there was a hole in his chest that looked like it had been pierced by a spear. There was so much blood flowing that any normal person could have bled to death.


    Moreover, arge amount of blood had been spat out from his mouth, and it was covered in blood bubbles. Liz reached out her hand to wipe his mouth, but she couldn¡¯t touch him as if she was grasping a mist.


    ¡°Why¡­ why didn¡¯t you leave? ¡°Hiro,¡± you don¡¯t have to take on this kind of responsibility. But¡­ why¡­?¡±


    When Liz looked up, she saw Altius on his knees, tears streaming down his face.


    ¡°Forgive me, forgive your ungrateful brother-inw, forgive me for not being able to do anything for you.¡±


    Altius took out a white talisman from Hiro¡¯s ck robe.


    It looks like a spirit talisman, but Liz judges it to be different from the atmosphere she senses.


    It was easy to imagine that it was something else, something that had been prepared just for Hiro.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I could have seen thising, but I let my personal feelings take precedence because I didn¡¯t want you to forget me. After all, I should have wiped your memory and forcibly sent you back to ¡®Earth¡¯.¡±


    While cing the white talisman on Hiro¡¯s forehead, Altius repeated his apology over and over again as if he was repenting. In the meantime, Liz saw that the white talisman was glowing and began to remove something from Hiro¡¯s head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest. You go back to your world¨D¨D¡±


    Just then, a gust of wind blew.


    Liz felt a strange sensation in her throat, an eerie feeling that made the hairs on her body stand on end. It was as if she was trapped in a dungeon, and the eerie air clung to her body.


    ¡°My curse has taken hold of you, and you¡¯re still alive? You¡¯re a stubborn little bastard.¡±


    It was not real, but it¡¯s overwhelming presence pierced Liz¡¯s entire body.


    She didn¡¯t know who it was. It was because its form was invisible. But even so, she could sense that something unpredictable had appeared in front of her.


    Perhaps Altius could see it since he stared straight into the void and gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Do you really wish to fight me again in such a form, Formless King?¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve lost my body, I¡¯m no match for you. Let us have another chance.¡±


    ¡°Then be gone. And regain your strength, for next time, my fangs will pierce you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, three hundred, five hundred, seven hundred, and even a thousand years from now, if you are alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­The age of the gods will end in my generation. I¡¯ll be sure to find you and destroy everyst bit of your soul.¡±


    ¡°Fuh, kuku, that is also impossible. You can¡¯t fight me on that either, as long as your brother-inw is still around.¡±


    The sound of mockingughter quivered in the air and disappeared. The only thing left behind was Altius biting his lips in regret, having lost the ability to say anything in response.


    Eventually, after a suffocating silence, something strange happened to Hiro¡¯s body.


    Therge hole in his chest was beginning to close up.


    When Altius saw this, he patted his chest with relief and expressed his gratitude.


    ¡°Hiro, my brother-inw. It¡¯s really goodbye now.¡±


    Altius smiled regretfully and began to walk through the wilderness with Hiro in his arms.


    ¡°I will leave everything to you. Will you forgive your brother-inw for leaving you with nothing but his power?¡±


    Liz followed behind them, trying not to be left behind, and listened to Altius¡¯ words.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been through a long war, lost family, lost friends, and yet we kept running together, believing that there was hope. And yet, all that was left was a ttering ¡°power¡±¡­ and nothing of importance took shape. This is the result of our mutual struggles.¡±


    He stopped and looked up at the sky and then finally looked at Liz.


    ¡°It¡¯s ironic, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe. But it¡¯s not for nothing.¡±


    Altius nodded in satisfaction, though it was unlikely that Liz¡¯s response had been received.


    ¡°You are my sessor. Keep walking the path you believe in. Have no regrets.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    When Liz answered without hesitation, Altiusughed with a face that seemed to be on the verge of tears for some reason.


    That¡¯s where the memory ended. The world began to copse, filled with rubble.


    A dazzling light covered Liz¡¯s vision, but she didn¡¯t even blink, just staring at a single point.


    ¡°Hiro¡­ I will surelye and take all of you.¡±


    It was a sign of the determination that had grown over the past two years. These are the words that strengthened the girl who once threw a challenge in front of the boy, a determination that continues to boil with a heat that never cools down.


    ¡°¡­¡­Fuh.¡±


    When she opened her eyelids, she saw the usual bathhouse.


    The smell of sulfur instantly filled the depths of her nose as she took in oxygen to her lungs.


    When Liz stood up quietly, her smooth skin sshed with the hot water, and the hot water that had umted on her corbone flowed down to wet her long, shiny belly button.


    The pcedies in attendance let out a gasp of admiration at the sight, but they instantly came to their senses and rushed to Liz¡¯s side with clothes in hand.


    However, from a third person¡¯s point of view, each of her gestures was a sophisticated move.


    As she left her wet body in their hands, she recognized the figure walking toward her.


    ¡°Liz, the Prince of Lichtine, has arrived.¡±


    She is a woman who exudes a bewitching atmosphere of seductiveness with a hint of bewitchment in her beautiful face.


    Her hair, gathered in a single bun, was swept forward from her right shoulder and bounced over the twin hills that adorned her ample limbs.


    The dress she wore had a bold cut around her thighs, and the beauty of her legs peeking out from there was lustful and sensual and greatly aroused sensual desire.


    ¡°You seem to be nervous, so don¡¯t suddenly do anything rash.¡±


    Myste Cagliara Rosa von Kelheit.


    She was the former third princess, the acting head of the Kelheit family, and Liz¡¯s half-sister.


    ¡°It depends on the attitude of the other party. I will not make any concessions because the lives of my people depend on it.¡±


    Liz told the pcedy to bring her military uniform and rolled her eyes at her sister again.


    ¡°Rosa-aneesama, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rosa, who had her hand on her chin, looked at Liz¡¯s body as if she were licking it.


    ¡°No, because the number of people who apply to be pcedies for this body is increasing every year. It¡¯s so troubling that it¡¯s putting pressure on our country¡¯s finances. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    When Rosa asked the pcedy who was wiping Liz¡¯s body to agree, she turned her cheeks red and lowered her face.


    ¡°What a foolish thing to say¡­ She¡¯s in trouble, too.¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no end to the number of marriage proposals from the nobility. They know that it¡¯s useless considering the position that Liz is in right now, but they still show their disappointment when rejected; it¡¯s a sinful appearance.¡±


    Then, Rosa stroked Liz¡¯s corbone with her index finger and slid her finger through her chest. She keeps her mouth open, unconcerned about her sister¡¯s cold stare.


    ¡°As I thought, maybe it¡¯s because your breasts have grown a bit in thest two years.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±


    After walking past her sister in dismay, Liz left the bathroom, sat down on a special chair in the dressing room, and once again entrusted her body to the pcedies.


    As the acting emperor of the Grantz Empire, she needed to look presentable since she was about to have an audience with Prince Lichtine. It was outrageous to show up with hair that was still wet.


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown taller, and my hair has grown longer, so it¡¯s starting to look shiny. Even as a woman, I can¡¯t help but feel something tingling in the back of my mind.¡±


    As if to show her dismay that she was still going on, Liz propped her arms up on the armrests of her chair and rested her chin on them.


    ¡°Look, he was here before. You know, the shameless merchant who brought a mountain of gold coins to share with us for one night. Liz was horrible that time.¡±


    As if she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she pointed at Rosa with a re.


    ¡°Prime Minister Myste Cagliara Rosa von Kelheit, if you have nothing to do, then leave.¡±


    The ranks of the Grantz Empire have changed over the past two years.


    No, it had to change. Two years ago, the emperor was killed in the First Prince¡¯s rebellion, and the Six Kingdoms¡¯ invasion resulted in the loss of the Third and Fourth Princes. Taking advantage of the confusion, a mob of bandits attacked the imperial pce. Rosa was injured in the attack, the second prince was also seriously injured in a battle with the intruders, and Prime Minister Gils lost his life to them.


    The Great Imperial Capital was plunged into chaos as a series of unprecedented incidents urred.


    Then, it must have been an unexpected event for the head of the southern nobility, Rosa¡¯s rival faction, the Muzuk family, Vetu.


    While Vetu was away with Liz, Rosa took advantage of the opportunity andunched her attack. The central nobility, who lost their authority due to the rebellion, and the western nobility, who were exhausted by the repeated wars, were brought into the fold with the financial power of the eastern nobility behind them, and also by making the most of the lie that she had conceived Hiro¡¯s child through Vetu¡¯s trickery.


    When Vetu came back after the post-war process was over, Rosa fortified her irond defense and sessfully won the position of Prime Minister as the sessor to Prime Minister Gils.


    ¡°¡­You used to follow me around saying sister, sister, sister.¡±


    When Rosa made a sulky gesture with her mouth agape, Liz sighed as she changed clothes.


    ¡°So, you should do something that is typical for the Prime Minister.¡±


    ¡°All right, all right. Don¡¯t be so harsh. If Liz doesn¡¯t like me, I will cry.¡±


    She shrugged her shoulders without seeming to be offended.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get down to business.¡±


    After changing to a more serious look, the pcedies who were taking care of Liz left the room.


    After she finished changing her clothes, Liz sat back in her chair and looked at Rosa, who switched from her sister to the Prime Minister.


    ¡°I received a letter from the Muzuk family ¨D Vetu.¡±


    Vetu lost the battle for the Prime Minister with Rosa, but with his achievements in the conquest of the Six Kingdoms, he was promoted to Secretary of the Ministry of Military Affairs to prevent the decline of the power of influence.


    The emperor had the right to appoint him, but the previous emperor, Greyheit, had died during the rebellion of the first prince. Although it was announced to the world that he was ostensibly lying ill, Vetu took advantage of the gap created by suchplicated circumstances and took the position of Secretary of the Ministry. However, since Rosa had also forcefully obtained the position of Prime Minister, she could not strongly criticize Vetu.


    For the past two years, Vetu had kept his representative in the Great Imperial Capital and himself in Sunspear, his headquarters.


    ¡°I thought he¡¯d make a move by now, but finally, he has.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been working behind the scenes to get Liz as his puppet.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s in the letter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a request to Liz, the sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire. He requests that you go to the Steichen Republic to reinforce the Jotunheim faction.¡±


    ¡°Why in such a ce?¡±


    The Steichen Republic is a federal state that was originally divided into a number of countries.


    About 500 years ago, three countries that were fighting for control of the southern part of the central continent ¨D the Principality of Lichtine, Jotunheim Kingdom, and the Nidavellir Kingdom ¨D formed an alliance in order topete with the Grantz Empire.


    Eventually, the Principality of Lichtine became independent from the Republic, and the two remaining powers ran the Steichen Republic, but three years ago, the situation began to change a bit.


    After the death of the Supreme President of the Senate, the next Supreme President was to be elected, but the Jotunheim candidate was poisoned to death by the Nidavellir faction.


    Some of the Jotunheim faction then retaliated by killing the Nidavellir candidate. This series of events deepened the conflict between the two camps and turned the Steichen Republic into a civil war.


    ¡°But I thought it was clear that the Nidavellir faction was going to lose because so many senators had turned to the Jotunheim faction.¡±


    ¡°It seems that this is not the case¡­ and that the Nidavellir faction has begun to regain strength since the beginning of this year. We¡¯ve received reports from our spies that the situation is quite tense. The investigation is not going as well as expected. But what is certain is that there is someone behind them.¡±


    After hearing that much, Liz seemed to get it, leaning back in her chair and raising one hand.


    ¡°¡­So Vetu is trying to sell a favor by cooperating with the Jotunheim faction and use it for diplomacyter on.¡±


    ¡°On the surface, yes, but I think Vetu¡¯s true intentions lie elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°His true intentions?¡±


    ¡°He wants me gone. He wants Liz to reinforce the Jotunheim faction and lose to the Nidavellir faction. Then he will me Liz for her failure and try to undermine my power.¡±


    Rosa shrugged her shoulders and stared at the floor as she continued.


    ¡°But I¡¯d like to have a track record in this area. In the past two years, we have been pushing for reform by looking internally. Many nobles are dissatisfied with our policies.¡±


    Vetu must have known this, and that¡¯s why he threw out this difficult problem.


    ¡°But if the Jotunheim faction wins, it will show Liz¡¯s power inside and outside the country, and it will also break Vetu¡¯s nose. I don¡¯t like being taken for a ride by Vetu, though.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. If I can¡¯t ovee that many obstacles, I won¡¯t get the throne.¡±


    Liz answered immediately. Rosa rolled her eyes in surprise but quickly narrowed them in a dazzling way.


    It was because Liz was full of confidence. She nodded her head several times and smiled.


    ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll take care of the preparations.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s have the meeting with the Prince of Lichtine next.¡±


    Liz got up from her chair and called the pcedies back.


    Without being ordered to do anything, they began to carefully rinse and trim Liz¡¯s hair.


    When Rosa noticed that Liz¡¯s hair was beginning to look better than when she had first been embarrassed, she softened the corners of her eyes in deep emotion.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    Through the skylight at the top of the atrium, the sun peeked out in all its dazzling glory. The marble floor peeking out from the red carpet shines with reflected light from the brilliant sunlight pouring down from the ceiling.


    The chalk columns that upied both sides of the vast space were lined up vertically to the throne.


    Standing to fill the gaps were the Grantz nobles.


    This is the throne room in the center of the Grantz Empire, the Imperial Pce Vian.


    (Ge-General Ranquille¡­ It¡¯s still too much for me.)


    The young prince of Lichtine, Karl Olk Lichtine, had a tense look on his face.


    The civil servants supporting him in the back are also shrinking under the gaze of the Grantz nobles. The reason they were here was because the deadline for the non-aggression pact they signed with the Grantz Empire had passed. Although he had visited the Grantz with his civil servants to sign a new treaty, Karl waspletely overwhelmed by the difference in rank.


    (Obviously, we people from Lichtine are out of ce¡­)


    Even if the quality of the clothes they wore was the same,pared to the Grantz nobles who have adopted thetest fashions, they seem to be somewhat lower in grade.


    (I¡¯m reminded of the difference in national power when Ie here.)


    As Karl was feeling depressed, a drum was beaten.


    Perhaps this was the signal for the start of the festival, but the musicians began to y a heroic tune.


    But Karl didn¡¯t have time to rx and listen. He was nervous, but more than that, he was transfixed by the beauty of the woman who appeared in front of him.


    (Could it be¡­ Her Highness Celia Estre¡­?)


    No, it¡¯s probably her sister ¨D Karl mistakenly believed that it¡¯s her sister, but he¡¯s trying to regain his memory of two years ago.


    (There¡¯s no doubt that¡­ the atmosphere she wore was a remnant of that time, but with the disappearance of her childhood.)


    She was a beautiful girl even then, but how could she change so much in just two years?


    Karl is not only astonished but also terrified.


    (Terrifying¡­ If she hadn¡¯t been chosen as one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, if she had been born as an ordinary princess, she would have surely left her mark on history as a leaning beauty.)


    All the kings would have started a war over her. They must want to keep her with them even if they have to fill the ozarm Mountains with Grantz¡¯s gold coins.


    His imagination was stirred up from too much agitation, but the next thing he knew, the performance was over, and Liz, who was described as a leaning beauty, was sitting on her throne, ring at Karl and the others.


    (Oh no¡­)


    Karl hurriedly got down on one knee and bowed his head. Even behind him, he could feel the civil servants moving hurriedly over his back. They seemed to have frozen when they saw the sixth princess.


    ¡°I am Karl Olk Lichtine, Prince of the Principality of Lichtine. I am here to sign a new treaty with your country. I have brought with me a small gift of the specialties of the Principality of Lichtine. I also brought some of our own medicines for His Majesty Greyheit, who is recuperating.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Prince Lichtine; I¡¯ve heard that your medicines are very effective. I am sure that His Majesty Greyheit¡¯s condition will improve.¡±


    Karl bowed again. The sixth princess threw a word at his head.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get down to business. Prince Lichtine, tell us about the new treaty you wish to conclude.¡±


    Karl¡¯s back trembled from the extreme tension and fear that was building up in him. The sixth prince¡¯s words contained a cold air that seemed to push him away.


    ¡°It¡¯s really selfish of me, but I have a favor to ask of you, even though I know you¡¯re being generous. I would like to ask you to return the northern part of our country to the Principality of Lichtine, which was transferred to the Grantz Empire two years ago.¡±


    Karl could not raise his head.


    He didn¡¯t have the courage to take on the anger that had been forced on him by that beauty. Still, there was a moment when the atmosphere changed.


    When Karl finished ¨D though it was faint, it was clear that there was anger in the air from the sixth princess.


    ¡°A great deal of money has been invested in that area over the past two years. With the cooperation of the indigenous people, a policy of resettlement is underway. How can you expect us to give it back now?¡±


    For many years, the northern part of the Principality of Lichtine had been barrennd.


    However, that was only until two years ago, and now it has been reborn with better water management. The technology and skill of the Grantz Empire to aplish this in such a short period of time is something to be admired.


    This is why there was dissatisfaction within the Principality of Lichtine.


    They began to criticize Karl and Marquis Ranquille for their arbitrary decision two years ago to hand over the property to the Grantz Empire. Karlined in his mind that the country would have been destroyed if he hadn¡¯t done so, but he was selfish and then spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying for free. If you return it to us, we will give you eighty percent of the tax revenue from the northern part of the country for the next two years, as well as the lease on the nearby mines.¡±


    These should not be bad terms. The money invested so far can be recovered from the mine alone.


    And if they could get eighty percent of the tax revenue from the northern area for another two years, all the work they had done so far would not be in vain.


    But¡­


    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, the migration policy is being implemented with the cooperation of the natives. Some of the people of Grantz have already started living in the northern part of the country. Prince Lichtine, are you going to ask them to abandon their homes and return to their homnd again? How cruel can you be?¡±


    The sixth princess¡¯s anger swelled to the point where it turned into murderous intent.


    Arge amount of greasy sweat appeared on Karl¡¯s forehead as he received a piercing gaze.


    Karl gritted his teeth in fear as he realized that he had stepped on the tiger¡¯s tail after all this time.


    (I-it¡¯s as they say¡­ it seems that it¡¯s true that the sixth princess puts her people first.)


    Among the sessive Princes of the Principality of Lichtine, Karl was on the side ofpassion for the people. It can be said that he was a rare kind of person in Lichtine, where the ve trade is the main business.


    However, perhaps because he measured the value of human beings by money, he could sympathize with the feelings of the sixth princess, but he could not understand them.


    ¡°Prince Lichtine, I know that your country is suffering from famine.¡±


    Karl didn¡¯t want to show his country¡¯s weakness to other countries, so he didn¡¯t say it, but the Principality of Lichtine was facing the biggest famine in history. More than half of the country was covered by desert, and sincest year there had been no rain at all. This had not only prevented crops from growing but had also led to rampant fighting and looting between nobles in the oases scattered throughout the country.


    When the Steichen Republic learned of this misfortune, they dammed the waters of the Zale River, which flowed into the Principality of Lichtine, further elerating the famine.


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you want the water in the northern part of the country, where the water supply has improved. But the Grantz Empire is not going to give up the northern part of the country while neglecting its people.¡±


    Karl gave up trying to argue with the cold stare he was receiving. If he tried to be selfish any longer, he could be beheaded right here and now.


    That¡¯s how angry the sixth princess was, and the pressure on Karl was immeasurable.


    ¡°¡­¡­V-very well.¡±


    ¡°If your country wishes, the Grantz Empire will provide as much support as possible. I will send a civil servant to youter, so you can discuss and decide.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you.¡±


    ¡°Prince Lichtine, a small banquet has been prepared. Take your time and enjoy it.¡±


    And with that, the sixth princess ended the conversation and rose from her throne to leave.


    (General Ranquille¡­ I¡¯m sorry. It was too much for me after all.)


    There were no results, just a reminder of the pure difference in power between a girl who was younger than him.


    (¡­The actors were too different.)


    Karl bites his bottom lip in frustration at the disappointing result. He was so intimidated by the sixth princess that he could not look up even once.

 Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 1</h4>


    May 24th, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    A time when the sparks of war continued to smolder in various parts of the world.


    No one could afford to be a stranger anymore. But that did not mean that ordinary people had the power to solve the problem. People continued to wait, tormented by the devil¡¯s conception, to see when the mes would spread across the central continent. There was nothing else they could do but spend their days in a state of fear and anxiety, worrying about tomorrow.


    Perhaps because of this, the number of pilgrims visiting the small country of Baum exploded over the past two years.


    Those who wished for the safety of their sons and husbands who had gone to war, those worried about the future that was shrouded in darkness, and even the chief ministers of neighboring countries came to visit the ¡°Spirit King¡¯s Temple¡± withrge amounts of gold coins in their hands, seeking spirit talismans in preparation for the days toe.


    Although the small country of Baum was overflowing with such people, there was only one town in the country.


    It was a medium-sized city called Natoa, spread out in a gentle basin. In the center of the city, filled with pilgrims, a white box-shaped temple radiates majesty.


    A room in the temple radiates a divine radiance.


    A gentle breeze blew into the room through the open window. A nce at a nearby bookshelf revealed only old, yellowed books. Still, there was no dust on the shelves, as if they had been well cleaned.


    This was the room that Hiro used when he stopped by the small country of Baum when he was re-summoned, and it was also the ce that he used as his room a thousand years ago. The interior was the same as it was then. Two gs were hung by the window, as they had been for a thousand years.


    One was a white g with a scale-bnce on it. The other was a ck g with a dragon holding a silver and white sword.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    A voice leaked from an old office desk ¨D a ce upied by a pile of books.


    (ording to udia¡­ the second prince¡¯s power has weakened, and the northern nobility was in danger of falling apart, but I guess the attack of two years ago is still lingering.)


    Two years ago, the center of the Great Grantz Empire ¨D the Imperial Pce Vian was attacked by bandits.


    It was said that Prime Minister Gils fell victim to a deadly de, and the second prince was also seriously wounded.


    Hiro heard that Prime Minister Gils¡¯ funeral was held with great pomp and grandeur. The second prince did not attend the funeral and returned to his home base in the North to recuperate.


    (Loss of authority due to loss of power¡­ people fall in an instant.)


    The loss of the two great leaders who wielded immense power in the North shattered the solidly-connected unity of the Northern nobility.


    (The future of the North will be rough. It is easy for us, but for the Grantz, it is a problem they cannot overlook.)


    Still, nothing could be done at the heart of the Great Grantz Empire. The reason was that while the Central and Western regions were exhausted by repeated wars, the North remained quiet, unruffled, and continued to build up its strength. In times of war, it was said that the number of troops that could be mobilized exceeds 200,000.


    (Even though there is no unity, the power is still strong¡­ and if you make a bad move, it will cause argemotion, like poking a bee¡¯s hive.)


    Hiro stroked his chin in annoyance, then stood up and approached the bookshelf.


    ¡°As I recall¡­¡±


    In everything, there must be a slow and steady pace. In history, war, politics, and even diplomacy, if you ck too much, you will be caught underfoot; too much haste and you will be caught off guard.


    In other words, if the past situation in the North were loose, the current situation in the North would be sudden.


    (If this is the case, what wille to the North after this is a surprising calmness ¨D a ckening of the situation. And then, the final one will be sudden.)


    This was by no means a natural phenomenon. No one could have done such a big thing without someone or something having an agenda.


    Hiro was convinced that this was the work of the ¡°ck Death Vige¡± in all probability.


    (What they are aiming for is control of the North¡­ or perhaps something beyond the copse of the Great Grantz Empire.)


    Hiro picked up a book.


    It describes the events rted to the ¡°Spirit Wall,¡± a huge wall built in the northern part of Grantz.


    (The Red-Haired Emperor¡­ the ¡°ck Death Vige¡±¡­ and then Liz¡¯s mother.)


    Hiro was about to continue reading the book when a strange sight appeared in his vision, and he stopped turning the pages. His eyes, which had been on the book, drifted to the side and focused on the bed.


    A woman was sleeping, breathing peacefully.


    The sunlight filling the room made her brown skin glisten with night sweats.


    ¡°I wonder if Hugin is not having trouble sleeping¡­ with her equipment attached again.¡±


    Because of her work, she wore her own equipment, which was specially modified with light equipment to allow her to move lightly and with agility. Because of this, there are many parts of her skin exposed. However, she exudes a healthy beauty, perhaps due to her muscrity without a hint of sex appeal.


    Hugin, who was brimming with such charm, was a strong woman who came to serve Hiro after the civil war that broke out two years ago in the Principality of Lichtine filled with twists and turns.


    She was currently extremely busy with her brother as a liaison with intelligence agents in various countries, but when she had a spare moment, she visited Hiro¡¯s room and took rest.


    ¡°What are you doing here¡­?¡±


    And it was not to the sleeping Hugin that Hiro called out.


    It was to Luca, who was poking Hugin¡¯s cheek with wholehearted devotion.


    ¡°¡­As I thought, she looks a lot like Eagle. The same is true for this defenseless, strong-willed cheek. Could it be that Hugin is the reincarnation of Eagle¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­The ages do not match, though, do they?¡±


    Hiro expresses his doubts, but Luca pinches Hugin¡¯s cheek without blinking.


    ¡°Fufu, kufufufu, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle.¡±


    Once Luca entered her own world, no voice could reach her. This was something Hiro had learned over the past two years. If she was disturbed, she would go crazy ande back to reap your life.


    ¡°¡­¡­Well, do it in moderation.¡±


    Having given up trying to persuade her, Hiro decided to leave Luca alone and returned to his seat with a book in hand.


    Then, as if by coincidence, the door to the room rang out with a heavy tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, Ghada entered.


    He was the superior officer of Hugin, who was sleeping on Hiro¡¯s bed, and he was also one of those who joined Hiro¡¯s camp after the civil war in the Principality of Lichtine. In his hand, which he silently held out to Hiro, was a letter.


    ¡°Who sent you this letter?¡±


    When Hiro asked, Ghada just shrugged his shoulders and handed the letter to him.


    He is a taciturn man by nature, but such ack of response is unusual.


    With a quizzical look on his face, Hiro decided to check the contents of the letter.


    The sender is one of the spies who are conducting espionage activities in various countries and is undercover in the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°Oh, the Principality of Lichtine is gathering troops on the border with the Grantz Empire, huh?¡±


    ¡°The number is 30,000 ¨D it is a good number. I would say that most of them will be made up of ves. I don¡¯t know what they will do, though.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s brow wrinkles as Ghada emphasizes ves.


    He was once a man who led a rebellion in the Principality of Lichtine to free the ves.


    It was not surprising that he has feelings about the Principality of Lichtine, which has not abolished very¡­ but it seems that rather than being concerned about the treatment of ves, he abhors their behavior.


    Hiro could have asked him why, but he was not the kind of man who puts his personal feelings first, so it would be better to wait until he speaks up on his own. Hiro decided to proceed with the main issue.


    ¡°What do you think they mean by making a move at this time of the year?¡±


    ¡°It must be because of the famine. It hasn¡¯t rained in the Principality of Lichtine since the beginning of this year. Without water in their own country, they have no choice but to buy it from other countries or take it away.¡±


    Water was the lifeline of a desert country. Buying water from other countries does not mean crops will grow. If the water source is cut off, the country will inevitably perish. It was said that looting was rampant in the oases scattered throughout the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Here, Hiro guessed the reason for the impatience on Ghada¡¯s face.


    If they didn¡¯t have water, they could just take it - after all, the Principality of Lichtine was probably targeting the northern part of the country, which was handed over to the Great Grantz Empire two years ago. There was a vige where a girl named Mirue lives, who was carried by Ghada as the figurehead of the emancipation army.


    The vige was located on the border between the Great Grantz Empire and the Principality of Lichtine, and if war broke out, it would surely be involved. Ghada must probably try to avoid that.


    (To be honest¡­ I don¡¯t want to intervene in the affairs of Lichtine and Grantz right now.)


    For two years, the Great Grantz Empire has been focusing its strength inward, not outward.


    Rosa, who had taken the position of Prime Minister, first punished the noble lords who hadmitted injustice.


    She took away some of their property, confiscated their territories, reverted their titles, and many of the nobles were unable to endure the harsh punishments and fell into poverty. Naturally, there was not a little opposition, but by punishing the tyrannical nobles, Rosa seeded in gaining the support of the people, who were depressed by the repeated wars, and she pushed forward with reforms using forceful methods.


    However, Hiro expected that this, too, will be the end of the road.


    (It¡¯s about time they had a chance to show their power inside and outside the country¡­ If that was the Principality of Lichtine, there was no more affordable opponent. I¡¯d dare to leave things alone here.)


    If Grantz and Lichtine start a war, Mirue¡¯s safety can no longer be guaranteed. It was also unknown what kind of action Ghada would take if she were in danger.


    (Above all, I am also indebted to Mirue¡¯s father in no small way¡­)


    Although he wanted to save them, he felt it was appropriate to leave them alone, given the national situation.


    ¡°Excuse me. Is big brother Ghada here?¡±


    A new visitor appeared in the room. He was a strong-looking man with scars all over his face. His muscr body shows no refinement or elegance but was rather rough. He was a young man with an air of a bandit or pirate that fit him well.


    His name was Munin. He used to be the right-hand man of Ghada and a second-inmand in the Emancipation Army.


    Incidentally, he was also the brother of Hugin, who was sleeping on the bed.


    Ghada looked back over his shoulder with doubt stered on his face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you wereing back. Is something wrong?¡±


    Munin was hiding in the Steichen Republic. He rounded up and returned to his post without reporting it to his superior ¨D Ghada, which might mean that some kind of problem had urred.


    ¡°I thought about writing a report, but I thought it would be quicker to ask for instructions directly¡­ since the matter was rted to His Majesty¡¯s government, after all.¡±


    Munin looked as if he had something stuck in his back teeth, and then he looked at Luca and showed an air of concern. Munin reacted strangely, to which Hiro nodded nonchntly. It didn¡¯t matter if Luca heard it. She was not interested in Hiro¡¯s personal affairs but only in his life.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anyway. Can you tell me?¡±


    ¡°So, then¡­ you may be aware that the Steichen Republic is divided into two warring factions.¡±


    The Steichen Republic was ruled and administered by the Senate.


    The two major forces in the Republic are the Nidavellir faction, which was led by the ¡°Dwarves,¡± and the Jotunheim faction, which was led by the ¡°Beastman.¡±


    At the time of Hiro¡¯s re-summoning, the supreme chairman of the Senate had died, and the Steichen Republic was in turmoil over the question of session.


    ¡°It was said that the Jotunheim faction was likely to win, but I have heard that the Nidavellir faction is beginning to make aeback here. I also hear that the surrounding countries are panicking because of this unexpected turn of events.¡±


    Those who did not doubt the victory of the Jotunheim faction had not made any offer to the Nidavellir faction. This has not been a good thing for the Jotunheim faction, and the story goes that many panicked countries are now visiting the Nidavellir faction to curry favor with them.


    ¡°Well, the dualistic diplomacy of the neighboring countries is appalling, but there is a reason why the Nidavellir faction has apparently been able to regain power.¡±


    ¡°Besides the money and armaments that each country is providing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one reason, but there is a story that the leader of the Nidavellir faction, a man named Utgarde, is a descendant of the first emperor of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    Hiro was a little surprised by Munin¡¯s words but immediately shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. If it were true, there would have been rumors long before now. If that were the case, the Steichen Republic would have been his by now ¨D too weak to be a reason. I think it¡¯s nothing more than a rumor with no roots.¡±


    Although Hiro denies it, Munin looks at him as if something serious was going on.


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, isn¡¯t it? I also confirmed that Utgarde, to prove that he is a descendant, is in possession of the ne of the first emperor, which is a magnificent article decorated with lions in gold and silver. The first emperor¡¯s seal was also engraved on it.¡±


    Munin was not a man who would lie. Hiro knew this well. If he confirmed it, there was a good chance that the ne was genuine.


    ¡°¡­The first emperor¡¯s ne, that would certainly prove that the ne is of his blood. It¡¯s not something that would be sold in other countries.¡±


    Still, Hiro thought it was odd. With such a trump card in his possession, he was curious as to why he made it public only after he was cornered.


    ( Using the ne to¡­ lure. If so, I wonder if it¡¯s Liz.)


    If the other party¡¯s purpose was to kill Hiro, he should im to be a descendant of the ¡°Second Emperor.¡±


    (But when he lured Liz to the Steichen Republic¡­)


    The purpose was not known. But there was no doubt that someone or something was behind the Nidavellir faction.


    That said, pondering this here and now will not yield an answer. Hiro made up his mind as he adjusted the position of his mask.


    ¡°Munin, I will increase the number of spies in the Steichen Republic to about thirty¡­ yes, about thirty.¡±


    ¡°¡­T-thirty people?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s mostly for intelligence¡­ and possibly different assignments.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    From Munin, who bowed his head, Hiro shifted his gaze to Ghada.


    ¡°I want you to prepare three thousand horsemen. I also need to pass through Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory, so could you get permission for me to do so?¡±


    ¡°Principality of Lichtine¡­ No, you¡¯re going to cross over and head for the Steichen Republic.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if the Principality of Lichtine wants to block my progress, I will not tolerate it. If they try to interfere, I will kick out the Lichtine forces that are gathering along the border with the Grantz.¡±


    Hiro smiled wryly, and Ghada gave a smallugh.


    ¡°I understand. I will get things ready right away.¡±


    Seeing Ghada off to the outside of the room, Hiro stopped as he was about to open a book.


    He noticed Munin, who was still in the room, approaching the bed.


    ¡°What is my sister doing in Your Majesty¡¯s room?¡±


    Munin tried to wake Hugin up, but somehow his body was blown away.


    ¡°Gahah, guh¡­ fueeh?¡±


    Crashing into the wall, Munin crawled on the floor, his eyes wide with a look of iprehension. In front of Munin¡¯s eyes, a woman was smiling with her mouth hanging open.


    ¡°You bandit scum, disturbing the sleep of sweet Eagle¡­ Do you want me to kill you?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­? Eagle, who? Luca-neesan, what do you mean ¨D hyii!¡±


    Luca¡¯s foot swung down with a force that shattered the floor, causing Munin to jump back from the spot with tears in his eyes.


    ¡°¡­You should not run away from me. I¡¯ll scatter your bodily fluids all over the ce.¡±


    Lucaughed at him, and Hiro looked away from them and down at his book.


    (No need to stop them. Munin wouldn¡¯t die¡­)


    Compared to the old Luca, who used to treat others as if they were pebbles, she had made some progress, and taking an interest in others was a good trend for the future.

 Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 2</h4>


    dius was the capital of the Great Empire of Grants ¨Dmonly known as the Great Imperial Capital.


    It has been the capital for a thousand years since the first emperor moved the capital to this ce when he began his imperial reign a thousand years ago. Therefore, the history of the Imperial Pce Vian, which overlooks the city, is also old.


    However, even if things are treated with care, they would eventually decay.


    The Imperial Pce Vian is no exception to this rule, and while parts that had deteriorated over the years were repaired, areas deemed dangerous were demolished, and new spaces were added each time.


    The exterior of the Imperial Pce Vian had not changed much from a thousand years ago. However, the interior structure has be moreplex as sessive emperors have repeatedly remodeled it to keep up with the times.


    Rooms lined with traps in case of intruders,rge baths where only the emperor was allowed to bathe,byrinthine corridors, andrge halls for enclosing prostitutes were all crammed with objects that matched the colors of the times. Among all these ces, there is only one that has never been touched by sessive emperors.


    That ce is an endless corridor with no rooms, no decorations, and few lights.


    If anyone should wander into the ce, they would no doubt turn back with the impression that it was just a dead-end or in the process of being erged.


    However, this was a ¡°passageway of nothingness¡± that only a limited number of people could visit, and it was a path that led to a ce sacred to those belonging to the Grantz Imperial Family ¨D the cemetery where emperors of the past rested.


    ¡°ording to the diary kept by the chief grave keeper, thest person to visit the cemetery was the Lord.¡±


    Two women were walking down such a corridor.


    ¡°But why was Hiro in the emperor¡¯s cemetery?¡±


    The red-haired princess ¨D Liz, stopped and turned to her sister.


    ¡°I heard that when Stobel revolted, someone took advantage of the chaos and broke into the emperor¡¯s cemetery. Father was killed at that time. It seems they chose the Lord to be the one to make the decision, but¡­ ording to the diary, the most likely reason is that the tomb of the second emperor was vandalized.¡±


    Rosa answered her sister¡¯s question as she rolled up the book in her hand.


    ¡°The second emperor?¡±


    Rosa nodded to Liz, who asked back.


    ¡°Yeah, somehow only the tomb of the second emperor was destroyed and his body taken away, the chief grave keeper wrote in his diary. But the rest of the tombs were untouched, apparently.¡±


    Strange story. There is no reason whatsoever thates to mind why they would want the body rather than the treasure.


    ¡°But I suppose we can proceed with our investigation now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess we¡¯ll find out what condition he was in this journal.¡±


    The emperor¡¯s cemetery had been ransacked once during the rebellion of the first prince Stobel. The chief of the grave keepers reviewed the security system, but just then ¨D two years ago ¨D the emperor¡¯s cemetery was attacked again by bandits. However, only the family members of the grave keepers and the emperor were allowed to enter the cemetery, so it was impossible to ascertain the extent of the damage.


    Moreover, his family, including the chief grave keeper, had been annihted in the two attacks. So, until today, the investigation had been carried out by hand, but just a few days ago, they found a diary left by the chief grave keeper, and they were finally able to grasp the whole picture of the emperor¡¯s cemetery.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go downstairs.¡±


    Rosa said, and after putting away the book, she lit the western-stylemp on her waist, took out a map, and started walking ahead of Liz.


    The hallway ahead was dark. There was light from a western-stylemp hanging on the wall, but it did notpletely dispel the darkness that was spreading underfoot. She was anxious that they might fall, but they could not move along the walls. This was because the day after the attack by the bandits, when the soldiers investigated, the trap that had been set was triggered, and a number of people were injured.


    ¡°But it is a corridor designed to protect the emperor¡¯s cemetery. We couldn¡¯t just remove the traps for future use. It took two months just to investigate the suspicious ces, with the help of Skaaha-dono.¡±


    After the injuries were reported, Liz led a survey of the trap locations, focusing on the entrance leading to the emperor¡¯s cemetery. The map in Rosa¡¯s hand marked the location of the traps.


    If the trap is triggered, the ¡°me Emperor ¡± will protect Liz, and she would be safe, but if Rosa is caught in the trap, she would not be safe. So, relying on the map Rosa had made, Liz had no choice but to follow her back silently toward the entrance.


    ¡°Thanks to the diary left by the chief grave keeper, we now have a general idea of where the traps are located. From now on, I¡¯d like to conduct arge-scale investigation using soldiers¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult.¡±


    It is a sacred ce where past emperors have beenid to rest. They do not want an unspecified number of people to know their whereabouts.


    Even now, the existence of the emperor¡¯s cemetery is only rumored among the nobility. Even Liz was not convinced of the existence of the cemetery until after the attack by the bandits.


    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll just have to take our time and find out.¡±


    Rosa raises the western-stylemp high and stops in front of the destroyed wall.


    The light beneath her feet reveals a staircase leading downwards. She descended down the stairs, lighting the torches that were evenly distributed on the wall.


    ¡°This is my third time here, but Liz has been here several times, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve lost count of the number of times I¡¯ve gone to¡­ to check out the tomb of the second emperor.¡±


    She could feel over her back that Rosa was smiling bitterly. But no words of reprimand came out. It was probably because of Liz¡¯s repeated visits to this ce that they were able to locate the traps.


    ¡°Well, Liz always liked the ¡®God of War,¡¯¡­ so what did you get out of it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­ but empty space, as if it had been empty, to begin with.¡±


    ¡°If only the bodies hadn¡¯t been stolen. We would have felt differently¡­¡±


    Not so ¨D and before Liz could say anything, the staircase came to an end.


    From here, there is one long passageway ¨D a lot of blood is left on the floor.


    The walls are covered with countless shes and sttered blood, probably from the battle between the tomb guard and the intruder.


    Passing through the passageway where the scent of blood still lingers, they are greeted by vast space.


    Deep, deep darkness pervades the imperial cemetery. Even if they looked up above their heads, they would not be able to see anything beyond the darkness.


    The light from the western-stylemps illuminates the surroundings with a faint glow, driving away the darkness that creeps up under their feet.


    ¡°So, what is it that you want me to see?¡±


    Rosa turned around, and the darkness covering Liz¡¯s face was dispelled.


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I¡¯m really curious about.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    epting the western-stylemp from Rosa, who tilts her head, Liz begins to walk in front of her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been around a few times and found a few oddities ¨D one of which I couldn¡¯t figure out.¡±


    A number of gently sloping mountains were built around it. In each and every one of them, emperors of the past have beenid to rest. They were arranged in a circle in a vast space, with a huge rock ced in the center.


    ¡°The rest of the site is neatlyndscaped, but such arge rock is left here, strange, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Liz tapped therge rock that appeared in front of her with the back of her hand and turned back to Rosa.


    ¡°¡­So you brought me here because of¡­ ¨D Or did you need the diary written by the chief grave keeper?¡±


    Liz nodded in response to Rosa¡¯s reply and headed to the other side of therge rock.


    ¡°There¡¯s an entrance. I don¡¯t know for what purpose it was built, but there is a space created in the rock where something was ced.¡±


    ¡°¡­So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s a tomb?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I believe it is the tomb of the first emperor.¡±


    Behind her back, she felt Rosa gasping for air.


    ¡°Why, oh why, did they build a tomb here, in the middle of a huge rock? I want to know why.¡±


    Since discovering this ce, Liz had visited the emperor¡¯s cemetery many times, but she could not find the tomb of the first emperor alone. However, she felt something strange about the huge rock ced in the center of the tomb, and while investigating, she found what looked like an entrance.


    ¡°But the interior had been ransacked and destroyed in spectacr fashion. Perhaps this is what the bandits were after?¡±


    As she said this, Liz stepped into the rocks.


    A field of withered flowers spread out all around. Fishbones littered the small, dried-up spring.


    In the center, what appeared to be a pedestal, perhaps a coffin,y in rubble.


    Every time they stepped out, the sound of dead leaves echoed hollowly, and on the brownish ground, something asionally shone in the light of the western-stylemps. Rosa noticed it and crouched down on the ground.


    ¡°Red jade and¡­ yellow jade, or is that a ring falling over here ¨D hmm, that is¡­?¡±


    Liz could shine a light on her hand.


    ¡°Looks like the remains of a book. It¡¯s burned up, but was there a book on it?¡±


    Rosa snorted with difficulty and stood up.


    ¡°If these were intended for the dead, there should have been a coffin¡­¡±


    ¡°There is no such thing. Not even a coffin, let alone a body. So I want you to see if there are any references to this ce in the diary left by the chief grave keeper.¡±


    ¡°You want to know if it really was the first emperor¡¯s tomb, and if so, was the ce broken from the start, or did someone take the body of the first emperor for some purpose?¡±


    Liz nodded strongly in affirmation of Rosa¡¯s reasoning. Rosa, however, made a bitter expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not going to live up to your expectations on that one. I have read through the diary written by the chief grave keeper since I discovered it, and I have found no mention of this great rock. Moreover, there was only one sentence that mentions the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°Only one sentence?¡±


    ¡°The first emperor¡¯s tomb ¨D only the next emperor could enter, that¡¯s all it said.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean this is not the first emperor¡¯s tomb?¡±


    ¡°No, it is too early to draw that conclusion. We have no proof of what this ce was.¡±


    Rosa looked around, but she shrugged her shoulders when she looked back at Liz.


    ¡°I guess what I¡¯m saying is that we¡¯re out of options right now. There may still be some sort of hidden room somewhere in this room. We won¡¯t know for sure until we look into this.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s find out.¡±


    Liz held the western-stylemp high in the air, and Rosa grabbed her by the shoulder.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s toote today, so let¡¯s not do this.¡±


    ¡°But since we¡¯re here, we can at least do a little bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave the rest to me¡­ you¡¯ll be leaving for Sunspear tomorrow. You shouldn¡¯t put any extra burden on yourself right now.¡±


    Liz is scheduled to leave the Great Imperial Capital tomorrow to go to Sunspear. On the way, she is scheduled to meet up with the elite ¡°Knights of the Rose¡± of the Fourth Imperial Army. After that, she will meet with Vetu, the head of the Muzuk family, one of the five great noble families, in Sunspear, and then depart for the Steichen Republic.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand why you are in such a hurry. But seeking answers when you don¡¯t know what you are looking for will only lead to unnecessary confusion. Let¡¯s be cautious and resolve everything first, one thing at a time.¡±


    The Muzuk family, the five great noble families, who are vigntly seeking the position of the prime minister; a rival faction that is active behind the scenes; a fire that continues to smolder in Felzen; an unstable center; and the west, where the wounds of war have not yet healed, a variety of problems and spections are enveloping the Great Grantz Empire.


    The matter of the emperor¡¯s cemetery is not a problem that can be overlooked, but at this stage, it is not a high priority. At present, it was a small matter that Liz, the acting emperor, would not have to deal with.


    ¡°If so, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you, Rosa-aneesama.¡±


    Two years ago, Liz would not have nodded her head because of her stubborn nature.


    But in the past two years, she had developed flexibility that bordered on senility.


    With the death of the previous emperor and the sessive deaths of the heirs to the throne, Liz was put in the firing line and thrown into the devil¡¯s domain of political strife without any advance preparation. With no time to feel busy, dealing with the problems that arose one after another led her to grow by leaps and bounds.


    ¡°Yeah, leave it to me. I¡¯ll start looking into it in earnest tomorrow. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I find out anything.¡±


    Rosa responded strongly, puffing out her chest, and Liz gave a wry smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind doing the researchter. Even Rosa-aneesama has a lot of problems to deal with, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ the Principality of Lichtine. Why would they move at a time like this at all?¡±


    Yesterday, a fast horse came in from Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory.


    He told them that the Principality of Lichtine was gathering troops on the border of the northern part of the country, which had been handed over to the Grantz Empire. Lichtine, which is suffering from famine, is probably trying to use thest resort. They would have liked to assemble an army immediately, but the south is under the jurisdiction of the five great noble families, the Muzuk family. Therefore, they could not move without a formal request for reinforcements from them. If Liz and her army moved on their own initiative, it would give the Muzuk family an unwanted pretext and might give them an opportunity to cut off Liz¡¯s camp.


    ¡°When I arrive in Sunspear, I will try to get Vetu to promise to move the army. But in case I can¡¯t get there in time¡­ I¡¯ll probably get an army from the Eastern nobility.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I have instructed the Eastern nobility to gather their troops so that they can move at any time. Don¡¯t worry about us. If Vetues within a footstep of us, give him a good beating. We¡¯ll take care of it, and you can go to the meeting without any worries.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m not going to give in.¡±


    Liz brushed her hair to the side, and her confident eyes sparkled.

 Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 3</h4>


    May 30th, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    A region called Kaktos exists in the south of the Great Grantz Empire. It is located to the south of Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory and is the northern region formerly ruled by the Principality of Lichtine.


    Therefore, Kaktos also has scorching winds throughout the year, and shimmering mes rise from the steaming ground.


    Although the water supply has improved since the area was handed over to the Grantz Empire, it is difficult to say that the emaciatednd has beenpletely revitalized. Still, the famine-stricken Principality of Lichtine was in desperate need of thend.


    Thend, illuminated by the intense light of the summer sun, filled with camps.


    At the center of it was a tentrger than any other ¨D amand center.


    The banner disyed was that of the Principality of Lichtine.


    ¡°General Ranquill, the messenger reports. It appears that Karl-sama will be arriving here shortly.¡±


    The words of the staff officer were directed to the person seated at the honorary seat.


    Ranquill Calig Gilberist.


    This man, who will be thirty-seven this year, is a hero of the Principality of Lichtine and is feared by the surrounding countries as the Raging Eagle of the Turning Sky. However, despite his talent, he is not well-liked by the nobles and lords because of his personality.


    ¡°I see¡­ Let me know when Karl-sama returns.¡±


    Ranquill gave a curt reply and then re-folded his arms.


    He is struggling with a question ¨D whether or not they should attack the Great Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Still can¡¯t make up your mind?¡±


    In response to the bureaucrat¡¯s voice, Ranquill let out a loud snort as he stared at the map.


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°But there is no longer any strength left in our Lichtine to withstand it. It is not the people or the nobles that are the problem. It is the starving ves who have reached their limits.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean. I never thought the evils of very would erupt in this way at all¡­¡±


    Without water, crops cannot grow. Without food, people starve and be emaciated.


    Then, what happens to those who have not been fed enough, to begin with¡­? Can they stay quiet, knowing that they will starve to death?


    No. All the hatred that has ever taken ce will be directed at their owners.


    ¡°Lichtine has more ves thanmoners. It is easy to imagine thewlessness that would ensue if they were outnumbered and unleashed en masse.¡±


    ¡°Then there is no need to hesitate, is there? The only way to survive now is to rob other countries.¡±


    There is no water, and food is scarce.


    This led to anger among the ves, which in turn fed the discontent of the people and elerated the tyranny of the nobility.


    ¡°At this rate, Lichtine will be destroyed in a year, or at the earliest, six months.¡±


    Civil war is not the only factor that can destroy a country. Starving people means starving soldiers, which leads to a decline in national power and allows other countries to invade.


    ¡°I can only think that Lichtine is cursed. The government was finally under the leadership of Karl-sama, but it has been thwarted.¡±


    The only way to avoid a pitiful end is to invade other countries and take their territory.


    With the cause of regaining the entire northern region, Ranquill wondered if he should invade Grantz. However, if they lose, they will not be able to regain the north, and if they have to pay reparations, their treasury will run out of money. But if they do nothing, either a famine will cause a civil war, or the Steichen Republic to the west will invade.


    As if lost in a maze, the Principality of Lichtine was in a situation where it could not see the future.


    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we switch to the Steichen Republic here? We will have water if we free the Zahle River, which they dammed up. They started it in the first ce, so we have a good reason.¡±


    ¡°I thought about that too¡­ considering the sacrifices and duration, Grantz is still easier to attack.¡±


    At first, they intended to attack the Steichen Republic, which had dammed the river. This was because it was the Nidavellir faction that was guarding the border. However, the Nidavellir faction, which was supposed to have fallen behind, had recently regained its strength and increased its military force, and its security was bing stricter.


    Inparison, the Great Grantz Empire had just begun to take control of the northern part of the country and was finally getting back on track, with many forts still under construction, and there were several openings for attack.


    It would take less time to regain the northern part of the country than to ovee the wall built to the west of the Principality of Lichtine.


    Therefore, with an army of 30,000 men, they had reached the border, but the decision ahead was too heavy to risk the fate of the nation, Ranquill asked himself.


    ¡°Then let us first await the arrival of Karl-sama. There is a possibility that he will return with good news.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Ranquill nodded without hiding his disappointment at the optimistic statement of the bureaucrat.


    Like him, Ranquill does not have high hopes for the future.


    The answer was already there.


    ¡°Good grief¡­ Things don¡¯t always go as nned.¡±


    Ranquill¡¯s gaze falls on a letter on the edge of his desk.


    It is from Karl, telling him that diplomacy had failed. But the failure of the negotiations were to be expected. Still, there was certainly a small part of him that had hoped for it.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t expect them to return it, then¡­ we¡¯ll just have to wait and see when the time is right.¡±


    He has not yet informed the staff about this matter. This is because, under the circumstances, some of the Grantz might jump ahead of them. They are willing to tolerate a little looting, but they do not want to uproot anything. If they take what they want to take, their cause will be a joke. Moreover, considering the future, they do not want to lose their workers, and an army without leadership is no better than a ragtag mob. After taking back the territory, the key is how quickly the chaos is brought under control and maintained.


    ¡°For the time being, we should be d that we were able to give Karl-sama some experience¡­¡±


    If he had gone himself, the negotiations would have failed.


    If it had failed, either way, it was not wrong to choose the right people in terms of giving them experience. Above all, it would be easier for someone as timid as Karl to make a mistake and not make the other party feel bad about it.


    ¡°General Ranquill, we have received a letter of protest from Margrave Grinda¡­¡±


    ¡°Again¡­ well, it¡¯s natural to feel uneasy when you have an army of 30,000 troops close to your borders.¡±


    Ranquill smiled bitterly and put his fist on the tip of his chin, and snarled.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ let¡¯s say that we are here to wee Karl-sama because of the unstable situation in the country and that we have no other intentions.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir. But shouldn¡¯t we move before Margrave Grinda gets his forces in order?¡±


    ¡°I know. But the southern part of the Grantz Empire is also unstable.¡±


    ¡°Unstable?¡±


    The bureaucrat looked at Ranquill with a curious expression, as if it didn¡¯t ring a bell.


    Those who only see the outside of the Great Grantz Empire naturally react in this way.


    However, an examination of the internal situation reveals that the surrounding circumstances are more serious than those of Lichtine.


    The new prime minister has been pushing for reforms with authority, and this has created a huge bacsh.


    ¡°He cannot gather his troops so easily. Margrave Grinda seems to be more in favor of the prime minister. He cannot expect support from the southern nobility. If that is the case, he can gather only about 5,000 at best. If it is that much, there will be no problem.¡±


    The problems thate with being a major power are not small.


    What should be noted is the movement of the Kelheit family, or prime minister, who unites the eastern nobility, but this too is not a situation in which an army can be easily moved. With the power struggle with the southern nobility at a standstill, if unnecessary sparks are created, fire will erupt from everywhere.


    ¡°Then, while the two sides are checking each other, we will surely take possession of the northern part of the country.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just be ready to march in at any moment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but don¡¯t rush the troops too much. Keep a firm hold on the reins of the ves, for if we fail to do so, we shall be defeated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The staff went outside, and the messenger entered the tent breathlessly in his ce.


    ¡°Urgent report! About 3,000 troops are on their way here!¡±


    Ranquill looked at the map with one eyebrow raised and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Margrave Grinda¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°N-no, we have also identified a g with the emblem of a bnce, and beside it a dragon on a ck background.¡±


    ¡°Small country of Baum!¡±


    Ranquill sat up in surprise and looked at the messenger as he leaned over his desk.


    Those in the tent were also looking at the messenger, seemingly unable to hide their surprise.


    ¡°Yes, sir, they areing straight at us, sir.¡±


    ¡°¡­Where are they?¡±


    When Ranquill urged the messenger to look at the map with his chin, the messenger approached the desk with a panicked look, his eyes busily moving.¡±


    ¡°They are marching two cells (six kilometers) from here.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you notice until it was this close?¡±


    ¡°I apologize, sir. We were only focusing on the movements of Margrave Grinda, so we didn¡¯t have enough manpower to discover the small country of Baum.¡±


    ¡°Neglect ¨D or perhaps no one was paying attention to that side.¡±


    The small country of Baum has remained neutral until now.


    If you peruse the history of this small country, you will not find any record of military operations until you go back to the founding of the country. It is only natural that they would not move. So it is not surprising that they would overlook it.


    ¡°¡­But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that it was a blunder.¡±


    mping his fist down on the desk in frustration, Ranquill was ashamed of his naive thinking.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told myself over and over¡­ how foolish it is to think that something should be there, or should not be there ¨D but I must remind myself once again.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. No one could have predicted that the small country of Baum woulde here and make a move.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s form up the troops right away.¡±


    Ranquill nodded at the advice of his staff and turned his attention to those gathered at the table.


    ¡°We have not yet decided to fight. First, we will send an envoy to buy time. In case a battle does break out, we will first line up three thousand ve infantry in the front ranks as a wall while weplete the formation of the entire army.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Watching the staff members as they began to scurry about, Ranquill¡¯s gaze once again fell on the map.


    ¡°¡­What are they thinking, moving here?¡±


    There is too little information about the other party. They knew that a king had eded to the throne in the small country of Baum.


    At the same time, he had sent out several spies to find out what was going on inside the country, but they had nothing useful to offer Lichtine. No ¨D to be more precise, none of them ever came back.


    ¡°I guess the situation is the same in other countries. I don¡¯t think they got much information. It¡¯s scary when you can¡¯t get any information like this¡­¡±


    It seems that they had a dispute with the Great Grantz Empire at one point, but the alliance remained the same.


    This is only natural considering the value of the spirit stones and spirit talismans produced in the small country of Baum and the great existence of the ¡°Spirit King.¡±


    ¡°It is a small country, but also a great country.¡±


    Ranquill smiles a self-deprecating smile as he now realizes the difference in the rank of that countrypared to his own.


    ¡°First, though, the objectives of the small country of Baum¡­¡±


    There must be some thought behind the move at this juncture.


    However, it is unlikely that the purpose of the small country of Baum is in Lichtine.


    With their small but fertilend, there is no reason for them to want the barrennds of Lichtine. Even with resources, they would be able to receive arge amount of support if they were to give the word to the Grantz.


    Once again, there is nothing in Lichtine that Baum wants.


    ¡°Hah, I have no idea.¡±


    Ranquillughed at the conundrum that was thrust in front of him.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t understand it, we don¡¯t need to think about it. If we want to get an answer, we have to find out for ourselves.¡±


    The smell of war for the first time in a long time ¨D Ranquill¡¯s smile deepens at the tension that envelops his body.


    He had the map spread out on the desk put away and reced it with one detailing the terrain.


    ¡°Now, let us put aside our idle thoughts and deal with the problem that has presented itself before us.¡±


    He looks down at the map, ying with the pieces in the palm of his hand and squinting like a predator catching its prey.


    Ranquill was ted at the prospect of the struggle toe, but then a staff member approached him.


    ¡°A military envoy from the small country of Baum has arrived.¡±


    Ranquill¡¯s hand stops, ring at the bureaucrat who has just informed him of the situation. The intimidation caused the bureaucrat to back away. Seeing the bureaucrat¡¯s reaction, Ranquill pinched his finger between his eyebrows and looked up over his head to suppress his anger.


    ¡°Phew¡­ I don¡¯t like it. They are trying to test us as if they want us to fight them.¡±


    They have 30,000 here and 3,000 there, so the difference in strength is obvious. But the small county of Baum is trying to provoke them, and it seems as if they are mocking them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go through them and ask them what they are trying to do.¡±


    As soon as Ranquill said this, the military envoy of the small country of Baum came over.


    It was a woman with beautiful ¨D no, creepy stagnant eyes.


    Half of her body was severely burned, and even a man would have been put off by her appearance. She gave the eerie impression of a ghostly apparition who had no hope in this world and was dead while living. Her left cuff was swaying in the breeze that came in through the tent¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°We are on a visit to Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory in the Great Grantz Empire. I would like you to exin to me why you have gathered your forces on the border and why you continue to act provocatively.¡±


    There is no greeting. The attitude was straightforward, putting themselves on the shelf, saying and doing things that provoked the other party¡¯s anger, and even refreshing in a way that was beyond rude.


    In the first ce, the fact that the military envoy was a woman was something that Ranquill would like toin about.


    Even though the military envoys are by nature in a position to be protected, their lives could easily be lost depending on the other party¡¯s attitude. Above all, it was insane to send her into the middle of a murderous enemy camp.


    Even so, the woman did not seem upset, and apart from her rude attitude, she struck Ranquill with a good feeling that she was a woman with a lot of guts.


    ¡°I am Ranquill Calig Gilberist. We have no intention of antagonizing you, Envoy of the small country of Baum. I am ashamed to say that the situation in my country is unstable, and I am only waiting here to wee my lord, but I have no other intention. I hope you will understand.¡±


    ¡°I see, then you may exin directly to His Majesty the ck Dragon King.¡±


    It was a reply that made him want to ask back.


    However, without time to ask back, the military envoy of the small country of Baum left the ce at a quick pace.


    What was left was an indescribably strange atmosphere.


    ¡°¡­What do you want to do about this? No matter how much they want to, that kind of attitude is uneptable. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to make an example of them and cut off her head?¡±


    Ranquill looked at the staff member¡¯s advice with dismay.


    ¡°No, that would give the other party a good cause. They may be looking for an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°An opportunity? What do you have to fear when there are only 3,000 people on the other side?¡±


    ¡°Fools, they have the Great Grantz Empire behind them.¡±


    Ranquill¡¯s words brought a look of aghast reaction from the bureaucrats.


    Finally, he seemed to have realized. Because Margrave Grinda is on the prime minister¡¯s side, he cannot receive support from the southern nobles. However, if the small country of Baum asked for reinforcements, he would have to lend a hand regardless of the feelings of the southern nobles.


    ¡°Remember the words, ¡°A small nation, but a great nation.¡± If they wanted assistance, Grantz would have to lend a helping hand, regardless of the feelings of the southern nobles. That is why we could not make a move, even if we objected to the king¡¯s ession to the throne. The name ¡°Spirit King¡± is such a heavy one.¡±


    Feeling ufortable, Ranquill sat back in his chair and crossed his arms before vigorously gnashing his teeth. The staff member called out to him, feeling ufortable with his appearance.


    ¡°Then what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing else to do but wait. Be ready to greet them.¡±

 Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 4</h4>


    There was a talk on the Central Continent when he eded to the throne of the small country of Baum.


    Yet they have never seen him. A king who hid his hideous face behind a mask. He hides his face so that other countries will not be jealous of his good looks. A heavenly being who is as young and ageless as the ¡°Long-Eared Tribe.¡± Many strange rumors circte, but none of them are credible.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good opportunity. Let¡¯s take this opportunity to see the face of His Majesty the ck Dragon King.¡±


    Ranquill gets up from his seat and steps out of the tent.


    The sky was maliciously blue, and the intense sunlight steamed over the ground, baking his skin.


    ¡°It¡¯s an abomination. If it rains too much, thend swells, and crops don¡¯t grow; if it doesn¡¯t rain, thend doesn¡¯t fertilize, and crops don¡¯t grow. It¡¯s as if the sun-drenchednd needs to be fed with human blood.¡±


    Making shadows with his hands on his face, Ranquill looks up at the sky and whines as he stares at the sun.


    ¡°General Ranquill, a group from the small country of Baum has arrived.¡±


    Nodding at the bureaucrat¡¯s words, Ranquill shifted his gaze to where the dust was rising.


    A group of cavalrymen was approaching with a cloud of dust characteristic of desert areas.


    Leading the group was a medium-sized horse-drawn carriage decorated with glittering jewelry. The carriage had no walls, perhaps to improve venttion, and the ceiling was supported by pirs extending from the four corners.


    Behind the carriage were knights in ck armor.


    ¡°I had heard through the wind that the ¡°Raven Army¡± ¨D after the death of their master, the fourth prince of the Great Grantz Empire, had left Grantz and taken refuge in the small country of Baum.¡±


    Ranquill nodded in agreement. The ck-uniformed army was marching without any disorder among men and horses, and it was a sight to behold. Above all, they were able to make their opponents wilt. Ranquill could see that the ves, whose armaments were not in the right shape, were feeling a bit intimidated. And it was obvious at a nce that at least a few of them had undergone rigorous training. The intimidating atmosphere was something that did not exist in Lichtine at the moment.


    ¡°The ck color is a symbol of bad luck and defeat for our army.¡±


    No matter which way he goes, he is reminded of the defeat he suffered two years ago. The humiliating past casts a shadow over Ranquill¡¯s expression. For him, too, ck is proof of a defeat that cannot be wiped away.


    Soon, the carriage stops in front of Ranquill, and the masked man gets out.


    The first thing that surprised him was not only the strange mask but also his youth.


    What peeked out from the lower half of the mask was a face that still had the appearance of a child. His height was also shortpared to his surroundings, so he must have been around 14 to 16 years old.


    (And he has ck hair¡­ I guess I¡¯m unlucky at all.)


    For a moment, the soft face of the fourth prince passed through his mind.


    The possibility that it might be him came to his mind, but it fizzled out in an instant.


    The reason is that he is not the same age as the masked man in front of him. Despite the difference, people are creatures that grow up.


    It would have been understandable two years ago, but the man who hasnded in front of him does not seem to have aged. Above all, the color of his eyes, which had sunk deep into his mask, shone with a golden light, and he had no choice but to deny it.


    The other eye seems to be ck, but the fourth prince had both eyes jet ck.


    Behind him was a female soldier without one arm ¨D Ranquill looked on with a perplexed look.


    (Isn¡¯t that the military envoy from earlier¡­?)


    The stagnant eyes were staring at Ranquill ¨D a gaze that could curse him to death at any moment.


    ¡°Luca, don¡¯t be so threatening.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, because a man of stature only res at me.¡±


    The woman called Luca hid behind the masked man, biting her thumbnail.


    Ranquill was bewildered by the appearance of these strange people, but he instantly changed his mind.


    ¡°I have the rank of marquis of the Principality of Lichtine. I am Ranquill Calig Gilberist,mander-in-chief of this army. Forgive my rudeness in inviting His Majesty the King of Baum to such a ce.¡±


    The masked man simply nodded quietly as Ranquill offered his condescending offer.


    ¡°The second king of the small country of Baum, the ck Dragon King,¡± the masked man said.


    It was brief, but Ranquill sensed the weight of the king¡¯s name and was struck by an unknowable pressure.


    (Does he y on the name of the Ancient King¡­?)


    The ¡°world¡± was once created by a single god.


    However, the godmented that the ¡°world¡± was a failure, created five alter egos of his own, and disappeared, leaving them to rule the ¡°world. This was the birth of the ¡°Five Great Heavenly Kings¡±-the beginning of the ¡°age of the gods.


    (But how could he call himself the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± in a country where the ¡°Spirit King¡± resides¡­?)


    He knows that it is not a grievous offense in aplicated and intertwined history.


    Ranquill knew that if he were to call himself that, he would be better suited than the ¡°Spirit King.¡±


    Even so, the name ¡°ck Dragon King¡± is far too heavy for a single person to bear.


    (Is he so confident, or is he bluffing¡­?)


    That will be clear when they speak. Even if he does not speak his mind, he will not be able to hide his feelings from the world. No matter what the situation is, they will seep out. A single small movement can change the atmosphere.


    ¡°The sun is shining brightly today, so I have set up a small meeting for us to discuss the situation.¡±


    ¡°Come this way,¡± Ranquill led the way to a simple tent that he had ordered his staff to prepare.


    Once inside, a cool breeze caressed their cheeks. Using precious ice at the four corners of the room, ves were incessantly fanning the space with huge fans.


    Ranquill sat on a chair, and the masked king sat opposite him. Behind him, a woman called Luca stands close enough to stick around.


    ¡°I have prepared some wine for you. Let us also prepare water for your men who are waiting outside.¡±


    Ranquill ps his hands, and ves bring in water and liquor. But the masked king did not touch any of it when it was ced in front of him, staring at Ranquill with his eerily shining golden eyes.


    ¡°The Principality of Lichtine must withdraw its troops from this ce at once.¡±


    Through the wine that the ve poured into a silver cup, Ranquill looked at the masked king, his face tinted purple.


    He seemed to have made an abrupt start and then gave the order to retreat without a second thought.


    Ranquill was tempted to ask if anyone would say, ¡°Yes, I see,¡± and retreat after being told that. However, Ranquill did not show his inner unhappiness on his face, and his mouth formed an arc as he tasted the wine.


    ¡°As soon as my lord, Karl Olk Lichtine, returns, we will withdraw from this ce.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do when that promise is vited?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t exchanged any formal written agreement. It is only an oral agreement. I don¡¯t know what the future holds, so there may be a few skirmishes.¡±


    Ranquilll¡¯s eyes sharpened, and his words were mixed with provocation.


    ¡°Then let us hasten that future a little.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I dere that thisnd will be dyed red with your soldiers.¡±


    The masked king¡¯s intimidation grew as he lightly tapped the desk with the back of his fist.


    Ranquill shuddered at the presence he had felt somewhere before. It was two years ago when he confronted the fourth prince, and he felt the same way at that time.


    But he was dead.


    He concluded that earlier as well. But what was the reason for the chill running down his back?


    ¡°General Ranquill, Karl-sama has returned.¡±


    A soldier who opened the entrance to the tent and peeked in said. Inwardly, Ranquill clicked his tongue and was about to open his mouth, but the masked king quickly interrupted him with a voice full of gravity.


    ¡°Just as well, I shall ask your Lord to make a decision.¡±


    The masked man spoke without a pause, and Ranquill could only nod his head with a superficial air of nonchnce.


    ¡°Alright. Bring Karl-sama here.¡±


    Not long after Ranquill¡¯s words, Karl arrived looking puzzled. He must have sensed the heavy atmosphere in the tent. Karl¡¯s eyes were shifting as if he was recoiling from the situation.


    (This vice is the main reason why Karl-sama¡¯s growth has been hindered¡­ and why he has not been able to gain the trust of the noble lords.)


    Karl is quick to reveal his upset and shrivel up when unexpected events ur. If he had possessed even a little bit of the guts of his predecessor, he could have removed the distrust held by the noble lords, and the Principality of Lichtine would have behaved stoutly even in the face of famine.


    ¡°Karl-sama, this is His Majesty the King of the small country of Baum.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ why is such a man in this ce?¡±


    Being surprised is not the way to move on. Feeling slightly irritated, Ranquill tried to exin the situation briefly, but it was the masked king who took the initiative.


    ¡°Karl-dono, it seems that your negotiations with the Great Grantz Empire have failed.¡±


    Karl stiffened at the abrupt suggestion, and Ranquill turned his hate-filled eyes toward the masked king.


    ¡°The only way out of a maze with no way out, a road with no way ahead, is by violent means. Which will your country choose, to destroy it or to change it?¡±


    A wry smile appeared on the mouth of the masked king as he looked at the two men who made no answer.


    ¡°The hungry beast¡¯s choice is always plundered. Whenever the hungry beast chooses to plunder, it does so with a reason of its own: to take back thend that was stolen from it by the Grantz. The northern part of the country is undergoing Grantz¡¯s migration policy. Steel, timber, water, food, and plenty of supplies are being brought in. Enough to sustain a herd of starving beasts.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡­ isn¡¯t that irrelevant to the small country of Baum?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite the case.¡±


    The ¡°ck Dragon King¡± let out a sigh of exasperation, propped his elbows on the desk, folded his hands, and rested his chin on them.


    ¡°As a result of the Great Grantz¡¯ immigration policy, many of the Grantz¡¯ people have found a home in the northern part of the country. They are the subjects of the ¡°Spirit King Temple.¡± For the small country of Baum, which worships the ¡°Spirit King,¡± we cannot just stand by and watch them get hurt.¡±


    ¡°What, then, do you propose to stop 30,000 starving beasts with a mere 3,000 emaciated sheep?¡±


    ¡°It is an ancient tradition ¨D to measure the strength of one¡¯s survival instincts by the struggle. If you wish, I will test you here in thisnd.¡±


    The ¡°ck Dragon King¡± turns his golden eyes straight at them with an emotionless voice.


    An unidentifiable fear creeps up Ranquill¡¯s spine, and he breaks out in an endless stream of cold sweat.


    Karl, too, shrank back and let his gaze wander down to his feet.


    The ¡°ck Dragon King¡± smiled wryly at the sight of them. Then the strange tension disappeared.


    ¡°But we cannot let the famine in the Principality of Lichtine go unnoticed. There are people who worship the ¡°Spirit King¡± among the people of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were trying to say earlier. What are you trying to do?¡±


    When Ranquill asked, the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± stood up and looked down at them.


    ¡°I give you mercy. Mercy to you who have been ovee by hardship.¡±


    The words of the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± never stop.


    ¡°The only water source is an oasis, but it cannot be distributed to all the people. Then, there is a choice: plunder from other countries, or free the dammed Zahle River.¡±


    That¡¯s what Ranquill had in mind. But with the Nidavellir faction thriving, it is no match to cross the border wall. That was why he had nned to attack Grantz.


    ¡°If you know that much, then you know why I¡¯m here, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course. So I will use my military might to free the dammed Zahle River.¡±


    ¡°¡­I find it hard to believe. Above all, it would not give you what you want.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s for free. I¡¯d like to take a mine or two.¡±


    ¡°¡­That would be fine with me.¡±


    Originally, they had nned to give it away if the negotiations with Grantz had been sessful. The loss of it would not be a blow, but it would not be amensurate condition for a country that is starving for water and dying.


    Ranquill tried to see through the hidden plot, but the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± would not give him the time to think about it.


    ¡°If so, we have a deal. We will exchange a formal written contractter.¡±


    ¡°The long wall between Lichtine and Steichen is a fortress of iron walls. Our country has crossed des with Steichen many times, but to this day, we have never crossed the wall. I see that the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± has about 3,000 soldiers under hismand, which is indeed too reckless, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Then lend me 10,000 men from your country. Not ves, but a regr army.¡±


    ¡°Only 10,000 ¨D 13,000 whenbined with the 3,000 you brought with you ¨D and that¡¯s not going to be enough to bring them down. If it were possible, we would not be in this ce now.¡±


    ¡°Marquis Ranquill, a head-on attack is not the only way.¡±


    The ¡°ck Dragon King¡±ughed as he put his hand on his mask.

 Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 2: Mixed Feelings, Part 5</h4>


    4th of June, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D everyone mentions the name of Sunspear when ites torge cities in the south.


    If the great imperial capital is a morous city, then Sunspear can be said to be a cheerful city.


    However, it is not the ruling Muzuk family that had given birth to such a free and open-minded disposition. It was because Sunspear was a stopover point for merchants from many countries and a ce where various exotic goods flowed in, so much so that it was called a port onnd.


    The region was connected to the Great Imperial Capital to the north, the Principality of Lichtine and the Steichen Republic to the south, the Third Imperial Capital to the west, and the Iron Eagle Castle to the east. The region was also a gold-producing area, so those who dreamt of making a fortune came to this region. Above all, it was and where the wealthy of the Great Grantz Empire were concentrated.


    Therefore, a cheerful atmosphere was always in the air.


    ¡°This is the fifth time I have visited Sunspear, and it is as lively as ever.¡±


    An old soldier on horseback stroked his white-bearded chin and muttered.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Maybe it¡¯s because of the presence of merchants from other countries¡­ but it¡¯s brighter than the great imperial capital.¡±


    The red-haired Princess, Liz, who was riding alongside him, gazed dazzlingly at the cheerful people from her horse.


    Following her were two thousand elite ¡°Knights of the Rose,¡± the elites of the Fourth Imperial Army, which was in charge of protecting the south.


    The crowd waved their hands as if nking them as they upied the street, sometimes scattering confetti, while dancers performed dances to Liz and the others with the sounds of musical instruments. Each time, the crowd cheered, and the name Liz was praised by the people.


    ¡°The crowd was overwhelmed by this enthusiastic wee, but what I fear is the underlying financial power of the Muzuk family.¡±


    Liz nodded in agreement with Tris¡¯ words. Everything in politics is based on money.


    But exceptions also existed. Even with wealth, if it did not rain, it could destroy itself, as it did in the Principality of Lichtine. Although human beings are powerless in the face of the forces of nature, there are still many who believe that wealth could make everythinge true.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s wrong. I don¡¯t deny it, but if you lose money, everything disappears in an instant.¡±


    The point is that if you make the wrong judgment, even if you have enormous assets, they will melt away and disappear in an instant.


    ¡°If used for nothing, it will end up wasted. But if you spend it beneficially, it will not necessarily increase.¡±


    Rosa, Liz¡¯s older sister, also used the financial power of the Kelheit family to unite the central and western nobility and quickly rose to the position of prime minister. However, it was also heard that she sacrificed half of the assets that had been umted so far. Moreover, even with such sacrifices, the center and the west can hardly be said to have stabilized, and it is still some time before she can recover the money she invested ¨D until then, the Kelheit family¡¯s assets would continue to decline in the near future.


    ¡°The Muzuk family has used their money well. Sometimes, the pageantry can be a pressure point to intimidate your opponents.¡±


    The wee by the entire city was a warning to Liz.


    One was to show off the financial power of the Muzuk family. The second was to show that the Muzuk family is the ruler of the South. Three, it was intended to intimidate by using cheers without malice.


    ¡°And so they are waiting for us. In that golden, shining pce ¨D that makes it seem like an abyss.¡±


    Tris¡¯s words were aptly phrased.


    Liz turned her gaze forward and saw her destination ¨D Grythnir, a tasteless pce built entirely of gold. At its entrance, Vetu was waiting for her with a big smile on his face, and next to him stood a beautiful man she had never seen before.


    Liz dismounted right in front of them, and they bowed to her together with the soldiers escorting them.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness Celia Estre, for your visit. We have been expecting you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for weing me.¡±


    As he raised his head, Vetu smiled affectionately and ced his hand on the shoulder of the beautiful boy next to him.


    ¡°Let me first introduce him to you. He has been away from the area for many years but has just recently returned.¡±


    ¡°I have served Vetu-sama since I was a child. My name is Rozl Frey von Ingnal.¡±


    He is a slender man who does not look suited for battle.


    However, his behavior is refined, and each graceful gesture is no less than that of thedies-in-waiting who work in the imperial pce. Unlike the dark-skinned people of the south, his skin is dazzlingly white ¨D or rather, pale. It is almost to the point of morbidity. Perhaps because of this, his presence stands out more than the others. This may be partly due to the high spirits that seemrger and more powerful than those of his master, Vetu.


    ¡°I have heard of Your Highness Celia Estre¡¯s great fame. Wherever I was, all I heard was talk of the now-deceased Fourth Prince.¡±


    Rozl looked up at the sky, created a sad expression, and continued to speak.


    ¡°Everyone was talking about it. That the two of you are the seconding of the Twin Spirit Kings and that you will bring more prosperity to the Great Grantz Empire¡­ We have truly lost someone who will be greatly missed. I am deeply sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your concern. I am sure his soul will be healed from his fall along the way.¡±


    Liz had no choice but to ept his words with some subtlety, knowing that one half, the seconding of the Twin Spirit King, was still alive. However, she couldn¡¯t let her attitude show, so she thanked him with a pained air on the surface and turned to face Vetu once again.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner first. Then I would like to know more about the Steichen Republic.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Vetu nodded and continued to speak happily.


    ¡°My wife is very excited to hear that Your Highness is here. She has prepared some of the dishes herself, and I hope you will enjoy them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. I have had Madam Muzuk¡¯s cooking several times in the Imperial Capital, and it was all delicious.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, in the Imperial Capital?¡±


    ¡°Yes, together with Prime Minister Rosa.¡±


    Liz nodded, then turned around and signaled to the carriage that was following ¨D to the gentleman driving. Vetu put his hand on his chin and narrowed his eyes as he watched her back.


    ¡°I see¡­ that¡¯s good.¡±


    There was something contained in his words, but the skillfully painted atmosphere prevented Liz from noticing his change. Then Vetu uttered the question with a smile that was propped.


    ¡°¡­Is there anyone else with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she doesn¡¯t like the heat, so I let her stay in my carriage.¡±


    As Liz said this, a white body descended from the carriage. She runs down to Liz with great force.


    Vetu¡¯s eyes caught sight of a white-furred wolf that radiated a noble atmosphere.


    Liz smiles as she strokes the head of the white wolf ¨D Cerberus ¨D that has rubbed up against her leg.


    ¡°Lord Vetu, may I have this child with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­ we¡¯ll have a meal ready for her right away.¡±


    Vetu, having been caught unprepared, turned away and began to walk away with a stunned expression on his face.


    Liz and the others followed his back and stepped into the pce.


    And then¨D¨D!


    ¡°We are honored to wee Your Highness Celia Estre for the second time in Grythnir.¡±


    Vetu¡¯s wife ¨D Serpina Sephone von Muzuk ¨D appeared from the end of the corridor and greeted her with a bow.


    ¡°The food is ready. Pleasee this way.¡±


    And without her husband¡¯s approval, she turned on her heel and moved her feet.


    Vetu looked on in dismay as she watched their backs, and his aide, Rozl, was taken aback by the sight of the two of them.


    Liz and the others followed Serpina without saying a word. Liz then took the honorary seat in the dining room, with Cerberus sitting down neatly by her side.


    On the long table, a sumptuous meal was lined up in a narrow space. Liz noticed that there was an overabundance of fruit on the table.


    ¡°Women love fruit, after all. I would like Your Highness Celia Estre to try the date palm, which is very popr in Sunspear.¡±


    Serpina¡¯s mouth breaks into a happy smile as she puts her hand on her cheek. Unable to say no, Liz gave a small gesture of approval with her chin.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s skip the formal greetings and eat it before it gets cold, shall we?¡±


    Serpina pped her hands happily and said, and the servants began to move in unison.


    The mead was poured into silver cups, and everyone began to help themselves to the meal.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I see that Lady Aura is not with you.¡±


    And the first voice was from Vetu.


    ¡°Yes, she is in the west.¡±


    The Great Grantz Empire was nning to recapture Felzen in the near future, and Aura was on assignment in the west for that purpose. For her own safety, Aura is apanied by Skaaha.


    ¡°I see, so Aura-dono has gone to serve Lord Bunadhara ¨D her father?¡±


    ¡°Yes. To retake Felzen.¡±


    Aura¡¯s father became one of the five great nobles for his achievements in the war against the Six Kingdoms that took ce two years ago.


    The Munster family lost its centripetal force after the death of the third prince Blutar, and the western nobility is now led by the Bunadhara family, of which Aura¡¯s father was the head. For this reason, the n to recapture Felzen is proceeding smoothly.


    ¡°There seems to be an increase in skirmishes near the border with Felzen. If Aura-dono goes there, it will be a little less of a burden for Lord Bunadhara.¡±


    ¡°But what will Your Highness Celia Estre do after retaking Felzen?¡±


    It was Rozl who submitted the question.


    ¡°It is, of course, the rebirth of the Felzen Kingdom.¡±


    In order to check the Six Kingdoms¡¯ growing dominance in Felzen, the Great Grantz Empire announcedst year that they were protecting Skaaha, the survivor of the royal family of Felzen.


    However, the Six Kingdoms criticized the Grantz Empire for using Skaaha. From there, both sides began a war of criticism, and the feelings of the people of Felzen were left behind.


    ording to Skaaha¡¯s second-inmand, who is working to liberate Felzen, the people of Felzen want Skaaha to return, but they do not want to invite the Great Grantz Empire back.


    However, even after two years had passed, the Six Kingdoms were still quarreling over who would rule theirnds, and under their leadership, reconstruction was not possible, and some say the people want them to be kicked out.


    ¡°It¡¯s a rough road. It is not easy to rebuild a country that was once destroyed. Three years is far too short a time for a copsed city, an exhausted people, and oppressed hatred to disappear.¡±


    Shaking his head in deliberatementation, Rozl continues.


    ¡°If we are to recapture it from the Six Kingdoms, the people will be drawn into another war. Resentment will only grow, and even if we seed in rebuilding the country, there will be nothing but ruin awaiting Skaaha-sama.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re making preparations right now to ensure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, then, let me help you in my own small way.¡±


    When Rozl suddenly stepped forward next to her, Liz stopped her meal, revealing her disgust.


    Rozl smiled at her. It was a chilly smile with a hint of calction.


    (This guy¡­ gives me the creeps.)


    His eyes are not smiling. Yet, the hot gaze caught Liz¡¯s and did not let go. Liz feels a terrible chill run down her spine. Rozl wears an eerie, serpent-like atmosphere as if he is waiting for his prey to weaken in resistance.


    ¡°How do you like it, Your Highness Celia Estre? May I be of some assistance?¡±


    Rozl asked again. The cunning that lurks on his handsome face, which does not seem to kill any insects, reveals a hint of intrigue.


    Liz instantly raised her guard to the utmost. She must not give up her progress to this man. Her heart was beating fast, warning her of danger.


    ¡°I may eventually ask Lord Rozl for help. But that is still a long way off, and many other problems remain for now. We will discuss them again at ater date.¡±


    Liz smiled back at Rozl, trying not to let him know, and then changed her target.


    ¡°I would like to ask you about the Principality of Lichtine, which is closing in on Margrave Grinda¡¯s territory, Lord Vetu. Why aren¡¯t you making a move?¡±


    Although the question was sudden, Vetu was in no hurry and stopped eating to look at Liz.


    ¡°We have collected about 40,000 so that we can move at any time. But if we cause any unnecessary provocation, we could end up in an entanglement with the Principality of Lichtine. So I was in a situation where I couldn¡¯t move¡­¡±


    Shaking his head with an exaggerated gesture, Vetu continued.


    ¡°Just the other day, we received word that the Principality of Lichtine had retreated.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t know why they retreated¡­ but I¡¯m sure they did. I guess we can say that they backed off.¡±


    The entity that would eliminate the southern obstacle, Margrave Grinda, had suddenly withdrawn. All the various calctions that had been made must have been in vain.


    Vetu¡¯s voice wasced with a disappointment that he could not hide.


    ¡°The news must have reached Prime Minister Rosa in the capital. I am sure that a quick horse will be sent from the Imperial Capital to Your Highness Celia Estreter on.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ the Principality of Lichtine retreated¡­¡±


    Liz is unintentionally relieved, but there is a hint of uneasiness, perhaps because it is unclear.


    Vetu lied. The possibility that this is the case will have to be investigatedter. However, if it were true, her worries would disappear, and she could concentrate on the problems of the Steichen Republic.


    (The rest should be well handled by Rosa-aneesama¡­ then what I can do is¡­)


    Liz decided to cut to the chase.


    ¡°Then the next question is about the Steichen Republic.¡±


    ¡°Let me exin that to you. Vetu-sama, may I?¡±


    When Rozl asked for his approval, Vetu made a gesture of raising his hand to say he would leave it to him.


    ¡°Is Your Highness Celia Estre aware of the current situation in the Steichen Republic?¡±


    Rozl gives her a tangled look.


    Liz answered the question without losing her guard.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there are two factions: the Jotunheim faction, which is mainlyposed of Beastman, and the Nidavellir faction, which is mainlyposed of Dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Until recently, the Jotunheim faction had the upper hand, but now the Nidavellir faction hase back to the scene, and we are in trouble.¡±


    What was said in a light tone did not seem very urgent. As if toying with the other party, Rozl¡¯s words are difficult to grasp the subtleties of his emotions. Liz was puzzled because she could not read what he was thinking at all.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The Grantz Empire had supported the Jotunheim faction with a view to the future, but our ns were misguided. Simply put, all the investment that had been made could now be for naught.¡±


    ¡°But why did the Nidavellir faction suddenlye to the scene?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a very strange story, because this year, word began to circte that Utgarde, the leader of the Nidavellir faction, is a descendant of the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°You mean the bloodline of the first emperor¡­ of Grantz? But I¡¯ve never heard of such a story.¡±


    ¡°I find that hard to believe, but ording to him, he also has proof of this, and from his own research, it was certainly an article of the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I guess I¡¯d better cooperate with the Nidavellir faction, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Liz said so, and Rozl snorted with difficulty.


    ¡°Utgarde is not very qualified to serve as supreme president of the senate. He is not popr with the people at all, and if he were to win over the Jotunheim faction, it would plunge the Steichen Republic into a multi-party war, as it once was.¡±


    This trend will likely affect the southern part of Grantz ¨D and eventually all of Grantz.


    Currently, the Great Grantz Empire is going through a delicate period. It is not stable, but it is not as if there is an opening for other countries to take advantage of.


    In the meantime, with Liz at the helm, Rosa is managing the situation well.


    However, if the Steichen Republic were to once again enter a period of warfare, the nobles, who have been forced to suffer under Rosa, would be inspired to overthrow her.


    (Then, the southern nobles will lend a helping hand, and Rosa-aneesama will lose her position¡­)


    Although it is a matter of conjecture, if the Steichen Republic were to break up in earnest, there would be no need for the South to worry about retrospect. They would be able to attack the Central with all their forces.


    If Rosa is defeated, Liz will lose the ability to oppose Vetu and his men. Then she would eventually be forced to marry a man of their choosing and live as the emperor¡¯s consort.


    (That¡¯s the one thing I must avoid¡­)


    Even as Liz pondered, Rozl¡¯s words did not stop.


    ¡°Inparison, despite her difficult personality, Skadi of the Jotunheim faction is highly regarded by the people and has a good reputation in the Senate. In order to prevent the copse of the Steichen Republic, I thought it would be better for the future if she were to be installed as the supreme president¡­ and with the approval of His Majesty Greyheit, I had been supporting her.¡±


    ¡°I understand why, but does it necessarily have to be me?¡±


    It seems to Liz that it doesn¡¯t have to be her who reaches out; it could be Vetu or Rozl, either way, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    In fact, it would be more convenient for them. It would be up to them to win or lose.


    However, Rozl shook his head and denied it.


    ¡°It is certainly a matter that Your Highness Celia Estre does not need to go out of her way for. But please understand that the greater the favor, the greater the return.¡±


    In other words, if the Jotunheim faction wins, they should gain an advantage over the other nations. That must be Rozl¡¯s true intention. Liz could understand a little of what he was up to here.


    (So he wants to ensure that they will be in a better position no matter which way it goes.)


    If the Jotunheim faction wins, there will be enormous profits for Vetu and the others who have supported them.


    If the Nidavellir faction wins, Vetu and his followers intend to take control of the Grantz by forceful means.


    (We¡¯re not going to let them do whatever they want¡­)


    For this to happen, the Jotunheim faction must be allowed to win. If they go for support and lose, Liz¡¯s position will be bad anyway.


    (First of all, I must seize victory, and after that, I must reduce the power of the Muzuk family.)


    Liz had made a new resolution, but then she suddenly mentioned something that bothered her.


    ¡°I understand why I¡¯m going. But¡­ But what about Utgarde? If he really is of the lineage of the first emperor, I would not want to punish him, despite his character.¡±


    ¡°The story has not yet spread to the Grantz. It is not yet a rumor, so I will leave it to the judgment of Your Highness, who is the legitimate head of the family, to decide whether to let him live or die. If they are to be protected, they should be given a fiefdom on the frontier of Grantz.¡±


    Perhaps that was part of the reason why they chose Liz.


    Even if Utgarde were to be executed, there would be no problem with Liz, who was considered to be the next emperor.


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯ll leave the matter to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I look forward to working with you.¡±


    Finally, sparks flew between the two parties, and the conversation came to an end.


    Vetu, who had been watching the conversation, opened his mouth happily.


    ¡°How would you like to spend the evening? I have a room ready for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a sign of goodwill. We¡¯ll leave as soon as we¡¯re ready, and I¡¯ll rest outside in the encampment tonight.¡±


    ¡°I will be happy to help you. And please bring with you 3,000 Grantz Cavalrymen, even if it is only a small force. Not as many as the Knights of the Rose, but I have gathered the best of them.¡±


    Then ¨D muttered Vetu, handing the letter to a servant, which was then carried down to Liz.


    Vetu opened his mouth again to Liz, who was handed a in white envelope and a question mark on her face.


    ¡°The name of the person who has infiltrated the Jotunheim faction is written on it. Please join them there. They will be of some help to you. If you are in need of any help, please ask them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. Whatever you wish us to do, we will do it.¡±


    Here a hand pped. All eyes are on the source of the sound ¨D Serpina, Vetu¡¯s wife.


    ¡°Now that the difficult talk is over, let us resume our meal. We have prepared this meal for Your Highness Celia Estre, and if we don¡¯t eat it while it¡¯s still warm, the ingredients will weep.¡±


    ¡°We shall do that, Madam Muzuk, and can you tell me what you rmend most?¡±


    ¡°I would say date palms, but I think stewed palms are best.¡±


    The two of them repeat their idle conversation. The atmosphere is calm, a far cry from the atmosphere they were in earlier.


    However, there was someone watching them with cold eyes.


    It was Rozl.


    He looked at the two of them with a wary gaze, but no one noticed it. It was because, like a snake deftly vanishing its presence, the killing spirit that had been slowly aiming at its prey vanished in an instant.


    No¨D¨D


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not always as easy as it seems.¡±


    Only one person, the old soldier Tris, sensed something was wrong.

 Volume 8, Chapter 3 – Dwarf And Beastman, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3 - Dwarf And Beastman, Part 1</h4>


    13th of June, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The sky over Lichtine continued to illuminate thend as brilliantly as a summer day. A line of war horses were marching westward through the wilderness. Even under the zing sun, there was no sign of disorder in the ranks.


    At the head of the line was an open-air carriage.


    The rider was a young man with ck hair and a strange mask.


    ¡°It is almost at the border with the Steichen Republic¡­¡±


    The young king of the small country of Baum ¨D Hiro tilted his head absentmindedly.


    A wilderness filled his field of vision as far as the eye could see. The withered grass and flowers had turned brown, and the ground was cracked.


    It was proof that rain had not fallen for a long time. It was a ce that could be described as barren, but a glimpse of what appeared to be a human figure could be seen at the end of the horizon.


    ¡°It¡¯s turned into an ugly patch ofnd, but they say that here, untilst year, there were farms stretching as far as the eye could see. The Lichtine must have been reminded that nature has given them life.¡±


    Luca answered about the identity of the shadows, adding a wry one-liner.


    ¡°¡­Do the people cling to hope and try to grow their crops even without water?¡±


    For those who have been kept alive by the crops grown here, it is not easy to give up even if thend bes barren. They probably came here every day, believing in the hope that they will be able to live in thisnd even if it bes barren.


    They are waiting for a miracle while holding on to the fear that they may die at any moment and passing many sleepless nights.


    ¡°That is why it ispassion. When those who are tormented by the fear of death hold in their hearts the miracle of life connecting them to tomorrow, that great debt of gratitude is deeply engraved in their hearts.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile deepened as he ced his right hand on his mask, and Luca expressed her disgust at the gesture.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing short of patronizing while taking advantage of a person¡¯s weakness.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an ancient tradition. That¡¯s how the rulers have controlled the hearts and minds of the people.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you are releasing the dammed river¡­?¡±


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders at Luca¡¯s question.


    ¡°That¡¯s only one answer. What I want is something beyond that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Beyond that?¡±


    Luca looked at Hiro with a sideways nce as if to spy on him but was naturally prevented by his mask, which showed no emotion whatsoever. Perhaps not getting an answer was the source of her disinterest, and she dropped her gaze to the floor.


    ¡°You can think about it carefully. There is still time left.¡±


    Hiro then looked ahead. A huge earthen wall crossed the horizon and continued to the edge. In the vicinity, ves could be seen hauling dirtbags. Perhaps they were reinforcing it in case of an attack. It was possible that the wall was still under construction.


    ¡°The walls are of different colors, giving a distorted impression. It is obvious where the walls have been attacked in the past.¡±


    Watchtowers were set up in those areas, and many soldiers were seen guarding through the gaps in the breastworks.


    (Many of them have chapped cheeks¡­ Are they not getting enough rations?)


    As Hiro had this impression, he saw a gate made of wood and ironbined. It must have stopped the enemy invasion many times.


    He recognized blood and grease that could not be washed away, as well as countless cuts.


    From this point forward, we will be unable to apany you.¡±


    A Lichtine soldier announced as he drove alongside the wagon.


    This is where they will part ways with the 10,000 troops entrusted to them by Marquis Ranquille.


    Of the 3,000 ¡°Raven Army¡± brought from the small country of Baum, 2,500 were to be left here as well.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Now, you can wait for the good news at your leisure.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I wish you good luck.¡±


    When Hiro raised one hand in response to the Lichtine¡¯s soldier, the gate in front of him was opened with a heavy sound like an earth tremor.


    ¡°From this point forward, two hundred will be ced in the front line, and the remaining three hundred will form the backline. Do you have any objection to that?¡±


    On the way through the gate, Ghada approached.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be attacked.¡±


    They have already notified the Steichen Republic ¨D the Nidavellir faction ¨D that they will be visiting.


    Their reply was, ¡°You are wee.¡±


    However, they were still only allowed to take 500 of the 3,000 members of the ¡°Raven Army¡± with them.


    The others were Ghada and Luca, who were to apany Hiro.


    ¡°What about Munin and Hugin?¡±


    ¡°I just received a message from them. It seems they were able to infiltrate sessfully. They are going to proceed with preparations.¡±


    ¡°Well, good. Now, all we have to do is find out who this Utgarde guy is.¡±


    The cavalry armor blocking the front of the carriage was bathed in sunlight, and the reflection of the light caused Hiro¡¯s eyes to narrow. As he looked around to avoid it, he saw traces of the battle all over the area.


    This was the border gap between the Steichen Republic and the Principality of Lichtine, where many battles must have been fought over a long period.


    Rusty swords lie on the ground, and unrecovered armor is buried in the ground. Abandoned bodies were reduced to bones, and a scrawny creature stared at Hiro and the group with a human bone in its mouth.


    The sky was blue, but the scenery looked stagnant, perhaps because of the battlefield, which was filled with death and resentment.


    ¡°The river has dried up wonderfully.¡±


    Luca muttered to herself as she looked at the moat-like area.


    This must be the Zahle River, which connects the Steichen Republic to the Principality of Lichtine.


    Arge number of bones were lying by the river, perhaps in search of water to quench their thirst.


    ¡°No wonder only monsters could survive. It seems only a matter of time.¡±


    The emaciated monster he saw earlier will soon die out if it loses its food supply. With the loss of water, all living in this area were about to cease, along with the nts and flowers.


    ¡°And once we pass through thisnd of death¡­ we will reach the Steichen Republic.¡±


    Ahead of Hiro and the others was the sight of a huge wall of protection lined up to the side.


    The wall, much taller than that of the Principality of Lichtine, boasted a massive mass that was worthy of the name ¡°impregnable.¡± Perhaps in preparation for an invasion, solid fortifications have been built at key points, and if attacked poorly, a heap of corpses would beid in an instant.


    ¡°No wonder they want to attack the Grantz side. It would take more than half a force to ovee such an iron wall. Especially if the majority of the army is made up of ves.¡±


    As they approached the Steichen Republic¡¯s defensive wall, a soldier emerged from the watchtower.


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    Arge number of archers emerged from the breastworks. All the arrowheads were aimed at Hiro and the others at once.


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± also surrounded Hiro¡¯s chariot with shields raised and bows in hand, ready for battle.


    The area became quiet as if hit by water.


    The slightest sound would cause a storm of tyranny to erupt over thend.


    Hiro kept smiling and raised one hand to open his mouth even under such tense circumstances.


    ¡°I am the second king of the small country of Baum, the ¡°ck Dragon King.¡± I have your permission to pass through, but can you tell me whether your country is ignorant of the art ofmunication or whether it is a barbaric country that reneges on its promises?¡±


    Before leaving the Principality of Lichtine, Hiro had sent a letter to Utgarde, the lord of Garza, the stronghold of the Nidavellir faction, and had received a pass with his reply.


    ¡°Here, you may check it out.¡±


    Hiro took out a permit with Utgarde¡¯s seal stamped on it.


    However, the Steichen soldiers did not lower their bows. Nor was anyone sent to check the permit. Hiro carelessly tossed the permit to the floor in disgust.


    ¡°I heard that the Steichen Republic has been in frequent skirmishes with the Principality of Lichtine, so it may have somehow turned into a battle between the ¡®Dwarves¡¯ and the ¡®humans¡¯.¡±


    ¡°So this harassment¡­¡±


    Sighing deeply at Luca¡¯s words, Hiro plopped down on the built-in couch provided.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait for a little while. If we let our anger get the better of us, that¡¯s exactly what they¡¯ll want us to do.¡±


    ¡°What if it goes off at any moment?¡±


    When Luca looked around again, he saw that the soldiers were ring at each other under the zing sun, not even wiping off the sweat that was breaking out but in the tense atmosphere. However, they were staring at each other for not so long. Soon after, the massive gate was opened as if to break the silence.


    A figure emerged from the space dominated by shadows.


    The figure was of short stature, much shorter than Hiro. His face is aged, and his beard is neatly tied around his chin. The muscles peeking through the gaps in his armor suggest that he is no ordinary man.


    From the outward appearance, there is no doubt that he is a ¡°Dwarf.¡±


    The fact that he was wearing better quality armor than the others made it easy to imagine that he must be a captain.


    Hiro raised his upper body and looked down at the person who had approached the carriage.


    ¡°I apologize for the rudeness. I have heard from Utgarde-sama. Pleasee through.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Torkil, I am in charge of the border garrison.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, Torkil-dono, I have a word of advice for you.¡±


    ¡°W-what is it?¡±


    ¡°You must do better from now on. If you are so tant about it, it could be a problem between nations. In the current situation in the Steichen Republic, narrow-mindedness is a recipe for disaster. It would be better to avoid foolish actions that could make enemies of other nations.¡±


    When Hiro sarcastically told him, Torkil turned on him with eyes that could not hide his hatred.


    (I see, his hatred for the ¡°human race¡± is considerable¡­)


    When Hiro looked down at him with cold eyes, Torkil seemed to notice the emotion seeping out of him and bowed his head in a concealing manner.


    ¡°I appreciate your advice. I will keep it in mind.¡±


    Torkil then showed his back and began to walk ahead.


    A nce at the breastworks showed that arge number of archers from earlier had disappeared.


    Hiro signaled the g bearers to advance.


    There was some trouble, but they could finally enter the Steichen Republic.


    Once through the sturdy gates, Hiro and the others were surrounded by 3,000 Steichen soldiers. The most conspicuous among them were those on small horses - the ¡°Dwarves.¡± They are d in armor far more massive than that of ordinary soldiers and carry swords with jewelry on their waists. On their chests, they all had the design of Nidavellir. And the eyes that looked at Hiro and the others contained a contempt that could not be hidden. They were determined to attack if they saw any strange movement.


    ¡°The troops, mostly ¡°Dwarves,¡± are giving me the most fervent nces.¡±


    ¡°The Steichen Republic ¨D an elected army of the famous Nidavellir of the East. It is an annoying country.¡±


    Luca spat this out and, unable to suppress her irritation, bit her thumbnail and began to mutter bitter words while kicking at the floor.


    ¡°The ¡°Dwarves¡± are a race said to have the hand of God. When ites to making swords, there is no one better. That is why many of them are arrogant, and although they are held in the pce, they are driven out because of their rough personalities.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any personal grudges against them?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t stand it when some ¡°Dwarves¡± who are too good at what they do in other countries are touted as their own by those who are holed up in their own countries, sucking the sweet nectar from people who are no more useful than a spoonful of salt.¡±


    ¡°I see, and that leads directly to the current disturbance¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an asshole system.¡±


    Luca¡¯snguage gradually bes rougher and rougher. It¡¯s time to stop talking to her. It will be a problem if she gets out of control in a ce like this.


    Even though she has burn scars, she was a beautiful woman in normal circumstances, but because of this, not only men but even women don¡¯t approach her. She is said to be fond of children, but of course, she never goes close to them, so this is just wishful thinking.


    ¡°But then again, they are elected army¡­¡±


    I had heard rumors about the existence of a special privileged ss in the Steichen Republic ¨D Nidavellir territory.


    It was an institution that only those whose grandfathers, fathers, or themselves had contributed to the nation could enter.


    ¨D¨DElected army.


    Half of the Senate is made up of ¡°Dwarves,¡± but all of them are from the Electorate, also known as the Nidavellir faction, which has long been responsible for managing the Steichen Republic.


    At first nce, the elected army seems to be a wonderful system, as it is based on merit, regardless of one¡¯s origins. However, a contribution must be recognized by someone.


    However, it is the elected army that determines whether a person has made a contribution or not, and although they say that their origins are irrelevant, the only people in the elected army are the ¡°Dwarves.¡±


    In other words, in the Steichen Republic - Nidavellir territory, no matter how many aplishments you have made, if the elected army does not recognize you, everything wille to nothing, and if you are not a ¡°Dwarf,¡± you cannot hope to advance in the world. The system is designed for those who wish to rise in the world, have no choice but to go to other countries and make their mark.


    I remember reading this in a book I once read. In the Steichen Republic, the ¡°human race¡± is bred as ves. The ¡°Beastman¡± is used as livestock; the ¡°Long-Eared race¡± is decorated as an ornament. Even the lower sses of the ¡°Dwarves¡± were oppressed.


    Creating a privileged ss like the elected army would not fail to create fissures.


    That is what sparked the recent uproar in the Steichen Republic.


    ¡°Well, how could a representative of such a group call himself a descendant of the first emperor?¡±


    ¡°The politicians are all people who think that they are the most important people in the world. When they are about to lose their position, they will use whatever they can get their hands on.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so simple and clear that I can¡¯t think of a better answer.¡±


    Hiro smiled bitterly, and his thoughts turned to the future.


    ¡°Now, what should we do¡­?¡±


    He is limited in what cards he has in his hand, but that¡¯s all he has to choose from.


    Which will be more efficient and generate huge profits?


    ¡°Come to think of it; I hear the Great Grantz Empire is also on the move.¡±


    It was Luca who sidetracked his thoughts.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard reports of that.¡±


    ¡°And I hear the little red-haired girl is inmand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I heard that Liz went directly to the Jotunheim faction for reinforcements, is something bothering you?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    With that said, Luca once again enters her own world.


    Seeing her unusual reaction, Hiro tilted his head, but thinking about it did not bring an answer, so he quickly dismissed it out from his thoughts.

 Volume 8, Chapter 3 – Dwarf And Beastman, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3 - Dwarf And Beastman, Part 2</h4>


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Muzuk territory, Sunspear.


    The golden pce was bathed in the evening sun, emitting a seven-colored glow that illuminated the city.


    In one of the rooms, two men were drinking together.


    They were Vetu, the head of the Muzuk family, and his right-hand man, the beautiful young man Rozl.


    ¡°Now, how do you think Her Highness Celia Estre is going to ovee her difficulties?¡±


    Vetu leaned on his chair, making it squeak with his weight. His gaze was fixed on Rozl, who sat opposite him, his calm face deepening into a smile as he sipped his wine.


    ¡°Right. I have a certain idea about her personality to some extent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did you find out?¡±


    When Vetu asked with interest, Rozl looked out the window and squinted at the beautiful sunset.


    <sub></sub>


    ¡°I guess you could say she¡¯s straight as an arrow, clumsy¡­¡±


    After saying this, Rozl shook his head as if to deny his own words.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s still a very intelligent person. She has a keen intuition and is not slow-witted. To some extent, she seemed to understand all of my ideas when I let her read them to me, and above all, I could see that she is still trying to grow. It¡¯s frightening that she still has room to grow.¡±


    ¡°She certainly grew up beautifully. I was amazed at how she looked like a ¡°Long-Eared Race.¡± That¡¯s why it¡¯s a pity. If she had been brought up as an imperial princess, she could have been exchanged for a country or two.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m only joking ¨D after all; it¡¯s her appearance that proves she¡¯s the real deal.¡±


    ¡°Over the course of a thousand years, the Grantz imperial family has mixed many different kinds of blood, so it is rare that someone like her is born who is so beautiful that she stands out from the rest.¡±


    Once he broke off, Rozl¡¯s mouth teared open as he smelled the aroma of the wine.


    ¡°Still, no one would have guessed that she would be born with red hair.¡±


    ¡°The only ones who were aware of it were Histe Majesty Greyheit and the other five great nobles.¡±


    ¡°No, there were others.¡±


    At Rozl¡¯s response, Vetu frowned and ced the silver cup on the desk.


    ¡°The First Empress?¡±


    ¡°You are half right and half wrong. She was just a poor woman who was used. Thanks to her, our country no longer has an empress.¡±


    A pause is often created when indicated that this was an incorrect answer.


    Eventually, ah ¨D and Vetu spoke up.


    ¡°¨D¨DThe ck Death Vige.¡±


    As if satisfied with the answer Vetu had arrived at, Rozl¡¯s mouth dropped open in delight.


    ¡°Yes. And it is also the reason why His Majesty Greyheit started invading other countries. It is a matter of fate that the ¡°ck Death Vige¡± is always involved in the disturbances of the Grantz imperial family. We will have to deal with it sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°But first, we need to see if Her Highness Celia Estre can ovee this problem.¡±


    ¡°As I said earlier, she has grown tremendously. Moreover, she is notcent about it and is still aiming higher. I think we are at a crossroads, whether she will be able to stave off the problems that are urring in the Steichen Republic this time or whether she will break down.¡±


    That¡¯s something to look forward to. As if to say so, Rozl downed the wine in one gulp.


    Seeing him, Vetu, who had a scowl on his face as if he had suffered from heartburn, held his own silver cup filled with wine away from him.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯veid a few traps. Will they work?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I wonder about that?¡±


    ¡°As expected, I can¡¯t let the fox of Kelheit have her way any longer. If we don¡¯t kick her out, our Muzuk family will end up second best.¡±


    Pouring the wine into Rozl¡¯s empty silver cup, Vetu expressed his concern.


    ¡°That can be done at another time. It is not yet time to rush. This time, more than any other, is meant to be a test for Her Highness Celia Estre.¡±


    ¡°A test?¡±


    As question marks appear on Vetu¡¯s face, a silver cup filled with wine is vigorously thrust into his hand.


    ¡°Yes. Whether or not she is capable of solving the problem on her own. Looking at her history, it seems that she has had some of the best men with her, and this is no way to know how good she really is.¡±


    Perhaps sobering, Rozl leaned his elbows on the desk and picked up a te of fruit.


    ¡°Well, if all else fails, just drag Rosa-dono down from her position as prime minister.¡±


    With a hint of madness in his eyes, Rozl bit into the apple in his hand.


    ¡°Whether the Jotunheim faction or the Nidavellir faction wins, it will benefit us either way. The winner has been decided from the start, so all we have to do is suck on the sweet nectar and look on from a high ce.¡±


    Then Rozl mmed his apple on the desk as if to say that his amusement had cooled and looked at Vetu with a grim look on his brow.


    ¡°Rather, may I ask what the story was about two years ago? I heard that the position of chief of staff for the conquest of the Six Kingdoms was given to the daughter of the Bunadhara family, so what were the other members of the entourage, including you, Vetu-sama, doing?¡±


    Vetu¡¯splexion changed just as the main topic arrived. He looked embarrassed and turned his face away from Rozl¡¯s sharp gaze. But Rozl relentlessly cut to the chase.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not all. Why didn¡¯t you call me back when you and Rosa-dono fought over the prime minister¡¯s position?¡±


    It had been about three years, but Rozl had plotted various schemes in the Steichen Republic.


    He hastened the death of the supreme chancellor, assassinated candidates on both sides, and divided the Steichen Republic. He also lobbied the Nidavellir faction to dam the Zahle River and elerated the famine in the Principality of Lichtine. After witnessing the sess of these long-standing schemes, Rozl returned to Sunspear, where he was told of Vetu¡¯s many blunders.


    ¡°You were a little bit lenient.¡±


    ¡°I can honestly admit that I was overconfident, so¡­?¡±


    With a slight tremor in his voice from humiliation, Vetu answers with pride and dignity.


    ¡°Right, I overestimated my own abilities. I thought I could handle the Kelheit family on my own, even without you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s appalling. You finally realized that after being deprived of real power in the center and the west, and not even being able to obtain the position of prime minister?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am defeated beyond excuse. I am sorry.¡±


    In response to the harsh words, Vetu bowed his head honestly and without rebuttal. Perhaps this was a sign of lowered blood pressure, and the anger faded slightly from Rozl¡¯s face.


    ¡°What has happened can¡¯t be helped. It seems that you have honestly admitted defeat and are sorry for your loss, so I will not pursue this matter any further. Now that you have be the Secretary of the Ministry of Military Affairs, it would be interesting to see how you can turn things around from here.¡±


    The seeds for this have already been sown.


    ¡°I look forward to seeing what role the ne of the first emperor will y.¡±


    Rozl cleared his throat. Vetu¡¯s face, which had been clouded for a moment, brightened as if he was in a better mood, and he lifted his head vigorously.


    ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t that right? Besides, haven¡¯t we always been used to adversity?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I forgive you. I am asking you to refrain from bragging in the future. Besides, there are still blunders that remain. Why did you make your wife the Acting Secretary? If the role were to keep her in the imperial pce as a hostage, it would be understandable, but she travels back and forth between Sunspear and the great imperial capital. That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Vetu¡¯s face paled as if he had been hit in a sore spot again and had run out of juice.


    ¡°¡­She wanted to be a deputy. As you can imagine, I can¡¯t resist her.¡±


    For Vetu, always a confident person, his words were weak, and his voice was tinged with mncholy.


    Whenever this kind of talkes up, Vetu always minces no words.


    ¡°Is this what you call being weak due to love?¡±


    Rozl¡¯s mouth twitched in exasperation, and Vetu let out a disappointed sigh and slumped her shoulders.


    ¡°How good it would have been if that had been the case¡­¡±


    Vetu looked at the window with eyes that seemed to dwell on the distant past. The sun had already set, and the darkness covered the world.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The night air trembled with the howling of wild dogs. After the sun had set, the air in thend had a different quality than in the daytime.


    Disturbing noises that incite uneasiness, the darkness that fosters fear, and the smells have changed to something more distinctive. But on this day, there was a different kind of uneasiness mixed in.


    There was a group of people walking along the moonlit road.


    It was an army of 5,000 men led by the sixth princess Celia Estre of the Grantz Empire.


    Apanying the vanguard of the group was a red-haired princess with an old soldier and a white wolf nearby.


    ¡°Princess, it seems we have finally arrived.¡±


    An old soldier, Tris, spoke to Liz from his horse.


    In the darkness, the torchlight cast a dancing shadow over Liz¡¯s beauty.


    ¡°Yes, the sun is setting, and it is getting cold, so once we cross the border, we will contact the Jotunheim faction and ask them to let us rest in the fortress.¡±


    Liz looked ahead.


    Ahead of her gaze, lights were floating in the air.


    There were several of them floating side by side evenly, shimmering in the wind.


    ¡°It was too dark to see, but considering the height of the torches, they were quiterge.¡±


    It connects the two countries of the Steichen Republic and the Great Grantz Empire. It was the first time Liz visited the border fortress built there.


    ¡°The Steichen Republic is a country of many races. As there are many ¡°Dwarves¡± in the country, the buildings are solid, and the fortifications are said to be impregnable.¡±


    ¡°So this is why the other countries are using the aid method instead of invading.¡±


    ¡°That is true. No matter how chaotic Steichen is, it is difficult to attack. The city is surrounded by high walls, and the fortifications are so solid that it is impossible to defeat them without arge force. I have heard that the border wall between Steichen and the Principality of Lichtine is particrly impressive.¡±


    ¡°Has Tris ever visited the Steichen Republic?¡±


    ¡°Once, with Dios.¡±


    Tris mentioned the name of a young man who had died in a battle with the Principality of Lichtine. His torch-lit face was sorrowful, and he looked nostalgically toward the fortress.


    ¡°I returned to Grantz immediately, so I don¡¯t know the details¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Liz did not inquire further into the matter than a brief reply. She did not ask any more questions because the atmosphere around Tris was very fragile.


    No topic of conversation came and went between the two, and only silence coiled up between them.


    The sound of horses¡¯ hoof beats shook the night air, and the scraping of armor made the air tremble.


    The torchlight that was visible in front of them gradually became brighter and brighter as they went on their way, letting the noisy sounds take over their lives. The fortress, which had been submerged in darkness, was also revealed by the moonlight.


    After halting their march, they were greeted by


    ¡°Wee to the territory of Jotunheim in the Steichen Republic. I apologize for your fatigue, but where is your superior officer? I¡¯d like to say a few words.¡±


    She was a strong-looking woman in a revealing ¨D and ethnic ¨D outfit.


    Around her waist hung a sharp-looking axe, a bow, and a rabbit that had been drained of its blood. Following behind the wild woman were muscr warriors in animal pelts.


    They were a bizarre group that gave the impression of bandits, perhaps because of their rough atmosphere.


    ¡°The Great Grantz Empire, Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz!¡±


    As Liz dismounted and advanced on the woman, the woman¡¯s face, illuminated by the torchlight, was startled.


    ¡°What a beautiful woman. You must be the princess of the Great Grantz Empire, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    She looked at Liz from the top of her head to her toes with curiosity.


    Liz tilted her head with a puzzled look on her face at the woman who approached her in a familiar manner.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Me? My name is Skadi Vestra Mikhael. I am in charge of Jotunheim territory in the Steichen Republic.¡±


    Skadi says while sniffing at Liz.


    ¡°¡­I take it you represent the Jotunheim faction?¡±


    Liz took a step back from Skadi, who did not stop sniffing her.


    ¡°Oh, feel free to call me Skadi.¡±


    She closed the distance again and sniffed her up close. Liz looked at her suspiciously as she made a somewhat animal-like gesture, and then Skadi seemed to notice her gaze and turned her attention to Liz.


    Liz looked into her eyes and realized what the difort was. Her sclera was ck, not white. And upon closer inspection, she spotted what looked like goat horns on top of her head.


    [NyX Trantion]


    ¡°Are you¡­ a ¡®Beastman,¡¯ by any chance?¡±


    At Liz¡¯s question, Skadi nodded with a dazzling smile.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, princess; I am a Beastman.¡±


    Before the founding of the Steichen Republic, the country was divided into nine nations.


    ¡°It is said that there was a country of ¡°Beastman,¡± a country of ¡°Humans,¡± and a country of ¡°Dwarves.¡±


    The most powerful of these nine countries were Lichtine, the country of ¡°Humans,¡± Jotunheim, the country of ¡°Beastman,¡± and Nidavellir, the country of ¡°Dwarves.¡± The three countries formed an alliance to oppose the Great Grantz Empire, which was the beginning of the Steichen Republic.


    It is said that the distribution of races in each country has changed over the generations, but many still choose areas with many of their own kind, and the original races seem to be in the majority in each power.


    ¡°I appreciate your cooperation. The Nidavellir are persistent, you know. We were just about to have a hard time with them.¡±


    Skadi reaches out to shake Liz¡¯s hand.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know if I can help you, but¨D¨D¡±


    Liz tried to shake Skadi¡¯s hand but failed because she crouched down and looked at Liz¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Oh, so this is the ¡°me Emperor¡± I¡¯ve heard so much about¡­ but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen one in person.¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess you never listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of my Beastman blood. I¡¯ve been told I¡¯m impatient and restless.¡±


    That being said, all Liz could say was, ¡± Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t stay here forever, so why don¡¯t youe with me?¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, she puts her hands on her head and starts walking. But she stopped immediately.


    ¡°Oh, yes ¨D I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    Skadi turned around.


    ¡°Hey, how did my brother Dios die?¡±


    A cold wind blew. The me of the torch flickered wildly, and its light flickered away from Skadi.


    This made it impossible to see her expression, and Liz could only stand there with a stunned look on her face. Behind her, Tris was also shaking in astonishment at Skadi¡¯s words.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 8, Chapter 3 – Dwarf And Beastman, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3 - Dwarf And Beastman, Part 3</h4>


    15th June, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    Steichen Republic ¨D Garza, Nidavellir territory.


    It was not long after dawn.


    The normally quiet ce is dominated by the noise of a battlefield.


    The ground shook violently as 3,500 troops ran through the streets, and drops of morning dew slid off the leaves and were absorbed into the ground. Startled by the sound of roaring horseshoes, birds flew out of the trees, and animals that had been hiding in the shadows of the grass jumped up and scattered in all directions at once.


    Hiro sat up, watching the scene from afar. The nket, still warm from his body heat, slid down his body to the floor.


    Rubbing his drowsy eyes, he looked around the carriage and saw Luca wrapped in a nket and sleeping with her back curled up like a cat. Next to her, Hugin was sleeping with a pained expression on her face, as if she was having a nightmare. The cause of this was probably Luca¡¯s arms entangled around her neck.


    ¡°¡­Why is Hugin here?¡±


    She should have been undercover in the city of Garza. Moreover, if he was not mistaken, before bedtime ¨D when he changed to the currentrge carriage ¨D Hugin was not in sight.


    <sub></sub>


    ¡°She joined us before daybreak. She seemed tired, so I let her rest in the carriage. I have received the report. Now what?¡±


    Perhaps hearing Hiro¡¯s mutterings, Ghada peeked into the carriage through the coachman¡¯s window.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll ask Hugin directly after she wakes up. And what about Munin?¡±


    ¡°He is holding the reins next to me. I told him to rest in the carriage, but he can¡¯t sleep in the presence of his natural enemy. Thus, he is doing his best in his tiredness.¡±


    ¡°If I go near Luca-neesan, she¡¯s very likely to beat me up¡­¡±


    It was Munin who followed Ghada with a voice that contained a lot of fatigue.


    ¡°If I am not careful, I will be asleep forever.¡±


    Hiro nodded sincerely. Apparently, Luca was not convinced that Munin was Hugin¡¯s brother. He was not sure if she was joking or serious, but she tried to turn him into a dead man at every turn.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll kill you, though, due to Hugin¡¯s presence.¡±


    As Hiro bit back a sore remark and replied, he heard Munin¡¯s small gasp.


    Next to him, Ghada was smiling a little.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough tormenting Munin. I¡¯m d you woke up just in time. The city of Garza is in sight.¡±


    ¡°Phew, finally, the long journey is over¡­ I miss my bed at Baum,¡± said Munin.


    Hiro opened his mouth again as he stretched his upper body with his arms raised above his head.


    ¡°Right. When we get to Garza, Munin can rest for a while.¡±


    ¡°Eh, Your Majesty, seriously?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be moving for a while. While we wait and see what happens, you can take your time and get your strength back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, iing, iing, I will spend some time in the tavern! I found a nice bar. They have delicious mead, and the dancers are cute. The bard¡¯s voice is so bitter that it makes my heart tremble. Though the asional brawl can be a pain in the ass!¡±


    ¡°Just do it in moderation¡­¡±


    Munin was usually aloof, but it was rare to see him burst with joy like this. Perhaps he had been up all night too long, and his thought process was disorganized.


    ¡°But anyway, how are the soldiers doing?¡±


    ¡°The Raven Army should be fine. We have marched for three days and three nights without sleep.¡±


    During the day and a half from the border to here, Hiro and his group had never built an encampment. They have marched without a single break. This was also due to the elected army that surrounds the ¡°Raven Army.¡± It seemed that the elected army didn¡¯t want Hiro and the others to get a wink of sleep. It could be called insidious harassment, but in a sense, it was bing a battle of endurance since they, too, were marching on without a wink of sleep.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember them resenting me that much.¡±


    Hiro tilted his hand around his neck.


    ¡°Ah¡­ that guy. That is because of thatmander named Torkil. Ever since then, they seem to hate the ¡°humans,¡± and it is rumored that Torkil was the first to agree to the damming of the Zahle River.¡±


    Hiro snorted in agreement with Munin¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°If it was a revenge thing¡­ a revenge for the murder of a family member, I could understand it.¡±


    ¡°Even the ¡°Dwarves¡± have a lot of self-esteem. If it¡¯s an elected army, that¡¯s even more so. So, once you damage their honor, it can be troublesome. Even if it is a grudge, they will not forget it until they die, even if it is against their own people.¡±


    Even in a bar, when they were like that ¨D as Munin said, their tongues moved a lot. The words seemed to flow out of them endlessly, and it was almost impossible to keep from listening to them.


    Against the backdrop of Munin¡¯s strangely uplifting list, Hiro looked out the window at the city of Garza.


    First of all, he was overwhelmed by the high city walls. The walls were so far up in the sky that even if you looked up over your head, you could not see the top without the back of your head touching the ground.


    The walls of the great imperial capital are also high, but evenpared to them, these were overwhelmingly tall.


    ¡°As expected of a city built by Dwarves¡­ it is difficult to attack.¡±


    Invaders would be discouraged from attempting to conquer the city just by looking at these high walls.


    The siege towers do not reach the breastworks, anddders are out of the question.


    Even if they tried to attack the walls, they would not be able to smash the thickly piled-up walls as hard as the earth, even if they used stone-throwers, bnced-weight stone-throwers, or giant crossbows. Even if they aimed at the gates with castle-breaking hammers, a huge number of fire arrows would surely fly from the watchtowers built at the top.


    ¡°There is also the option of hiring talented ¡°Dwarves¡± to build new siege weapons or be on the safe side,ying siege and starving the people inside.¡±


    A full-scale attack would be a long-term battle with arge military force. It would not be possible to crush them with a half-hearted effort.


    ¡°No, a water invasion would also be effective because of the proximity of the Zahle River.¡±


    If the country had enough money, it could hire people from the surrounding area, borrow ves from the Principality of Lichtine, and carry out civil engineering work to draw water, and it will soon be an isted ind onnd.


    ¡°Even so, it would be a waste to destroy it, considering the future governance of the country. It would be better to create an infiltrator and let the city copse from within so that it can be reused.¡±


    As he devises one scheme after another, Hiro continues to dive alone into the sea of his thoughts.


    ¡°The trouble is that we have to assume a long-term battle.¡±


    ¡°Why are you assuming that you are on the offensive?¡±


    Luca, who had been awake for some time, looked at Hiro with a haggard gaze.


    ¡°Oh, no, I was looking at the ramparts and felt as if I was being provoked to try to conquer them. Above all, isn¡¯t it a man¡¯s romance to climb over such high ramparts and crush the enemy?¡±


    ¡°Only you would reach such disturbing ramblings.¡±


    Still holding the sleeping Hugin from behind, Luca threw sharp words at Hiro.


    No ¨D Hugin was awake and asked Hiro for help with her thin eyes. She seemed to be unable to swallow the situation of being hugged by Luca and pretended to be asleep due to fear.


    As Hiro smiled at her, Ghada again peeked out of the window.


    ¡°It seems that only the elected army will lead the way from here on out. We were told to leave the ¡°Raven Army¡± behind, except for about ten cavalry escorts.¡±


    ¡°We will ept their request. I¡¯ll leave it to Ghada to sort out the guards. The rest of the men will set up camp and stand by.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Even if it was only 500, the army of another country might not be willing to let them enter the city. This was in case any problems arose, and since all countries are simr in this respect, there was no difort. However, since they had built such a wall, it would have been nice to see them show some tolerance rather than setting a limit of 10 cavalrymen to enter the castle.


    ¡°Well, whatever the case, I am d that we could get inside so easily.¡±


    Hiroughed eerily deep inside his mask.


    Luca saw this and looked out the window with a snort.


    The main gate, which was fitted to bore through the overwhelming city walls, revealed a stone city. Most of the buildings were made of piled stones, and the stumpy, massive buildings came into view.


    ¡°¡­I guess I¡¯ll have to retract my previousment. This looks like an easy ce to conquer.¡±


    Hiro, observing the city, muttered something, but Luca did not respond, as if her interest was not there.


    Still, the strange sight seemed to have aroused her curiosity.


    ¡°There are a lot of ¡®Dwarves¡¯ here.¡±


    ¡°The country used to be mainly popted by ¡°Dwarves.¡± Even so, most of them must have been half-human.¡±


    However, there are no other races in sight. The town was full of ¡°Dwarves,¡± and the atmosphere was not lively enough for the home of the Nidavellir faction.


    ¡°No wonder there are so many cksmiths, and it smells greasy.¡±


    ¡°It is said that everything they make is of first-ss quality. When a master craftsman reforges a weapon, it is said to beparable to a spirit weapon. There are even stories that they are as good as spirit weapons.¡±


    Hiro then pointed to the stalls lining the street.


    ¡°And you see, when they polish the ss, it shines like a jewel.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s quite a feat, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The stall¡¯s wares glowed like a kaleidoscope of colors in the sunlight, but they were absorbed by Luca¡¯s stagnant eyes and disappeared into the darkness. It seems that even the technology of the ¡°Dwarves¡± was unable to make her eyes shine.


    ¡°There seem to be a lot of empty houses. And all the stores on the streets seem to be run by the Dwarves.¡±


    ¡°It seems certain that other races are marginalized. The people who set up a store here must be rted to the ¡°elected army¡± or something.¡±


    Several stores had been cruelly destroyed in the streamingndscape. Traces of dried blood could also be seen. Whether it was looting by soldiers or a public uprising due to discrimination, either way, it is clear that a tragic event took ce.


    ¡°War can create suspicion, but it can also create unity. But in the Steichen Republic, which is a multicultural country, the former aspect seems to have been more pronounced.¡±


    Many of the stalls were selling shiny items, perhaps for tourists. However, no one was buying them, and the stalls were deserted. Also, the variety of goods began to change with each passing street. Weapons, armor, tea utensils, tableware, ornaments, and household goods are widely avable.


    However, if no one was to buy them, they are no different from stones lying on the roadside.


    ¡°There are a lot of wooden buildings around here. And they look gloomy.¡±


    The carriage had left the street and was now driving down a slightly rougher road.


    Around them was a series of what appeared to be wooden row houses where the people lived. They were in the process of being torn down.


    It seemed to be the center of the town, but as one might expect, the only people outside were ¡°Dwarves.¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps the city is being built with the war in mind. The areas close to the city walls are made of stone so that they will not burn even if shot with fire arrows.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anyone who can hit a fire arrow that can get over that wall¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for humans, but there¡¯s only one race that can do it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ those muddy guys¡­ Surely those Beastman could do it.¡±


    The western side of the Steichen Republic was mainly upied by the ¡°Beastman.¡± And the Jotunheim faction, which the Nidavellir faction opposed, belonged to the west side, which was naturally dominated by the ¡°Beastman.¡± With their amazing physical strength, they could easily shoot arrows to ovee the wall.


    ¡°But it is surprising that they have regained power after being persecuted to such an excessive degree. The ne of the first emperor is only effective against other races.¡±


    ¡°If ¡°other races¡± are an object of contempt for the Nidavellir camp, being told that you are a descendant of the first emperor is a reason to dislike you but not a reason to support you. In fact, there is a strong possibility that the number of people who are hostile to the emperor will increase.


    ¡°It seems there was less bacsh due to the intervention of other countries.¡±


    Hugin, who had given up pretending to be asleep, exined.


    ¡°Utgarde, who represents the Nidavellir camp, seems to have bribed senators to support him and strengthen the unity of the camp.¡±


    Many people in other countries worship the first emperor of the Great Grantz Empire. If he could attract their interest, it would be easy to get them to aid him. Then, if the money raised could be distributed among the greedy and influential, there would be few who would have second thoughts.


    ¡°As you saw in the city earlier, it seems that they have strengthened their ranks by forcibly conscripting other races and rebellious people. Those who resisted were thoroughly oppressed, and those who still refused to obey were executed, along with their families, by the elected army.¡±


    However, executions were carried out in the early days, and today, families were being held hostage and forced to obey. Some of the Nidavellir senators were ¡°Dwarves¡± who had grown tired of Utgarde because of the inhumane nature of the executions, and many of them supported the Jotunheim faction, but they too were forced toply because their families had been taken hostage.


    ¡°No mercy for one¡¯s own kind is¡­ the worst possible oue for those obsessed with power.¡±


    It is not the ¡°Dwarves¡± who have corrupted this country. It is the privileged ss of the elected army ¨D and Utgarde beyond them ¨D that was the root of all evil.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more annoying than a dictator with his wits about him¡­ it is truly iprehensible.¡±


    By using the prestige of the first emperor to attract the attention of the nations and to subdue those who rebelled by force, the Nidavellir faction was able to force its way back to power.


    (But the politics of fear does notst long. It always breaks down at some point. What follows repeated purges is the copse of a culture, the decline of a nation, and its destruction.)


    But the Jotunheim faction was still resisting. If they could prevail over the Nidavellir faction, the Steichen Republic would avoid copse and start over.


    ¡°Utgarde also let the Wise Brother into the country easily because he thinks a new financial supporter has appeared. If he invites Wise Brother as arade, the neighboring countries will also move to help him. He really is a very disgusting man.¡±


    Hugin¡¯s prediction would not be wrong.


    The Nidavellir camp must have invited Hiro with that intention from the beginning.


    ¡°Wise brother¡­ You won¡¯t be a part of the Nidavellir camp, will you?¡±


    Hugin¡¯s eyes were filled with anxiety. She probably knew that she didn¡¯t have to ask, but she still asked the question, probably because she knew of Hiro, who was adamant about the first emperor.


    As Hiro shifted his gaze, he saw Luca hugging Hugin from behind, exerting silent pressure on him. After giving a wry smile to Luca, who was ring at him, Hiro opened his mouth with a friendly air.


    ¡°You can rest assured. I have no intention of lending a hand to the Nidavellir camp. Even if this Utgarde is a descendant of the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s a relief to hear!¡±


    Hugin¡¯s happy smile blossomed, and Luca¡¯s murderous intent fizzled out along with it.


    ¡°I would like you to find out the whereabouts of those who are being held hostage. We can¡¯t release them unless we know where they are being held.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I will tell my men to look into it, along with the true identity of the descendants of the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    When Hiro nodded his head in satisfaction.


    ¡°Hah¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Good for you, Eagle.¡±


    ¡°Hoee!?¡±


    Hugin tried to reply cheerfully, but for some reason, Luca pushed her down on the floor and began to rub her cheeks. The tension that had been building up until a few minutes ago vanished without a trace.


    Hiro¡¯s gaze turned away from the flirtatious girls and upward to the coachman¡¯s window.


    A huge pce with the sky in the background jumped into his eyes.


    It was a magnificent structure made ofrge trees and rocks, like sculptures. Around the low white walls surrounding the pce, arge number of soldiers were patrolling, perhaps in preparation for a riot.


    The soldiers guarding the iron gates were signaled to open them with a heavy thud.


    The carriage of Hiro and the others drove off down the open road without any hesitation.


    When the entrance to the pce came into view, a crowd of people had gathered. Everyone was dressed as if they were wealthy.


    The ce shone with a vulgar light as if to say that the wealth of the world had gathered here.


    ¡°Jewelry is also very selective. When they wear them, those jewels be cloudy like stones on the roadside.¡±


    As Hiro was thinking this, Munin, who was sitting next to Ghada, peeked in through the window frame provided.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it looks like they are senators from the Nidavellir faction and some influential people from the neighborhood.¡±


    ¡°How spare they look, after being pushed around by the Jotunheim camp until recently!¡±


    ¡°It seems that the more power-hungry ¡°Dwarves¡± be, the more they like to adorn themselves. It is rumored that they have lost their pride and have forgotten how to fight. There is an underground tavern in the city where the persecuted gather, and it seems that even the ¡°Dwarves¡± who are not in the ¡°elected army¡± don¡¯t think well of the Nidavellir camp.¡±


    Then Munin let out a small groan and then hummed a song.


    ¡°Nidavellir has lost its pride, adorning itself with jewelry instead of oil, counting gold coins with its hammering right hand and grasping jewelry with its left hand that holds a pair of tinder chopsticks. It is a trick they can perform because they do not know the lives of those who live in the lower sses. How unafraid they were to sing at the top of their lungs!¡±


    Munin wiggled his reddened cheeks in embarrassment, but such gestures were not cute when made by a strong man with a face full of scars. Perhaps feeling the same way as Hiro, Hugin¡¯s face turned pale when she saw her brother¡¯s embarrassed face. Luca even began to emit miasma.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s appalling that even though people hate it that much, it doesn¡¯t get any better.¡±


    Hiro said it in a roundabout way, including a warning to Munin, but he was humming the words without meaning.


    ¡°Even if you call them ¡®Dwarves,¡¯ most of them are half-human, half-beastman. The privileged ss system, which only collects pure blood, is too old-fashioned. In fact, there seems to be little racial discrimination among themoners.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s include that in our use, shall we?¡±


    As Hiro was lost in thought, the carriage stopped at an inopportune moment.


    As soon as the door was opened, the sun was shining strongly.


    When Hiro quietly stepped outside, he was greeted by a group of ¡°Dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, His Majesty the ck Dragon King, our old ally! You have risen to save your friends from peril and havee here to defend the old pact!¡±


    The voice echoes with exaggerated movements as if it were theatrical. Coupled with their mboyant appearance, it was as if they were performing a vaudeville show.


    The representative of the ¡°Dwarves¡± came forward and kneeled down on one knee with his hand on his stomach.


    ¡°It is my first time meeting you. I am Utgarde, Lord of Garza. And I am a descendant of His Majesty Altius, the first emperor of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    Hiro showed his disgust by adding a wrinkle to the bridge of his nose, which was hidden by his mask.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 8, Chapter 3 – Dwarf And Beastman, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3 - Dwarf And Beastman, Part 4</h4>


    Steichen Republic ¨D Jotunheim Territory Trillheim.


    The country once prospered as thend of the ¡°Beastman,¡± and the majority of the poption was ¡°Beastman¡± in terms of racial distribution. Jotunheim was located on the only ins in the Steichen Republic, and there was a clear horizon stretching out in all directions.


    To the west, the fertilends of Jotunheim are fertile granaries, and to the east was the fortified city of Gastropnir, which manages thergest hunting grounds in the world. There, horse breeding was being promoted to take advantage of the terrain, and the horses were exported to other countries, supporting the wealth of Jotunheim and, ultimately, the economy of the Steichen Republic.


    In other words, if the ¡°Dwarves¡± were masters of forging, the ¡°Beastman¡± were masters of breeding.


    The ¡°Dwarves¡± who make the best weapons and the ¡°Beastman¡± who raise the best ¡°warhorses¡± coexist.


    This was the reason why the Steichen Republic was able to bring stability and survive as a powerful nation.


    However, that was a story of the past, and now the two sides were engaged in an ugly conflict that hade to a gruesome end.


    It was in such a situation - on 17th June, the 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    Liz, the 6th princess of the Great Grantz Empire, had arrived in Trillheim, the stronghold of the Jotunheim territory.


    <sub></sub>


    ¡°The stars seem so close.¡±


    The sun has set, and the sky was ckened by a darkening ledger covering the world.


    As if to show their resistance, the stars shone frantically to inform people of their whereabouts.


    On the ground overlooking the stars that emphasized their presence, a banquet was being held at the pce in the city of Trillheim.


    Arge tree that had been incorporated into the center of the garden was burning fiercely.


    Around it, people were dancing happily or enthusiastically with drinks in their hands.


    Although the war was in progress, everyone smiled merrily without worrying about tomorrow.


    This was a characteristic of the tribe. The ¡°Beastman¡± enjoyed everything. They are happy to be on the front lines in wars, and even at funerals, they seem to send off the deceased with a smile on their faces.


    They are physical people who try things out physically before thinking about difficult things.


    ¡°The white wolf is an unusual creature. I thought they only lived in the Eastern Archipgo.¡±


    Skadi, who united the Jotunheim faction of the Steichen Republic, threw the meat on the bone to Cerberus.


    Using her amazing leg strength to fly through the air, Cerberus sessfully bites into the bone¡¯s meat.


    ¡°Have you ever been to the Eastern Archipgo?¡±


    When Liz, who was sitting next to Skadi, posed the question, she shook her head with a barley wine in her hand.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never been there. The Twelve Tribes that rule the Eastern Archipgo only ept pure-bloods. I¡¯ve heard that other tribes are driven away by force.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever wanted to go?¡±


    ¡°I thought about it in the past, but¡­ I don¡¯t know about now. It¡¯s a fantasynd now, a thousand yearster. No one can be sure if it really exists or not. The Southern and Eastern Archipgos will nevere back in this lifetime.¡±


    After slurping down her barley wine, Skadi turned her reddened cheeks to Liz. Even though it was only the first ss, the look in her eyes was not that of a weak drinker. It would be better not to drink yet.


    ¡°You can ask me a question if you like, princess. But can you answer my question first?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    ¡°Look, how did you get that white wolf?¡±


    Skadi pointed to the Cerberus, which was chewing on a bone.


    ¡°There¡¯s not exactly an inspiring tale that you can rejoice in. It¡¯s just that I happened to find her washed ashore, injured and I picked her up.¡±


    ¡°How could it be such a coincidence?¡±


    After raising her eyebrows dubiously but saying, ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s okay,¡± with an air of ease, Skadi downed the rest of the barley wine from her silver cup in one gulp. She then proceeded to eat the meat dishes with great gusto. On the other hand, Liz was quietly eating a pile of vegetables. She looked at the people dancing in the center of the garden as if she would not be able to finish her vegetables if she watched Skadi any longer.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s amazing. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a cheerful country.¡±


    Even though she doesn¡¯t mind a noisy meal, there was no way to dance around naked.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Aren¡¯t you having fun?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m having a great time. Just watching is really enough.¡±


    Noticing Skadi¡¯s action as she came to take her arm, Liz shifted her hips and moved away from her.


    ¡°Hmm, I guess ¡°Human¡± princesses have a strong sense of shame, huh?¡±


    ¡°Not that it matters if you¡¯re a princess or not, but besides, you have ¡°Human¡± blood in you, too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess. I am from a diverse family, so I have some ¡°Long-Eared¡± and ¡°Dwarves¡± in my blood. But my ¡°Beastman¡± blood is stronger, so I tend to prioritize fun over shame.¡±


    Tapping the horns on her own head with a steady finger, Skadi smiles.


    ¡°Well, like you, we¡¯re happy just to watch the noise.¡±


    Pouring more barleywine, Skadi squints and watches her subordinates dancing around the mes.


    Then she casually cut to the chase as if making small talk.


    ¡°Three days from now, I¡¯m leaving here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going with you. That¡¯s why I came here.¡±


    ¡°This time, I intend to invade the city of Garza, the stronghold of the Nidavellir faction.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure this is the right ce to talk about this?¡±


    Liz looks around to see if there are any spies lurking around, but Skadi¡¯s mouth turns up in a grimace.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m a good reader of signs, and I have a wild intuition. Besides, if someone were to overhear us in the middle of a ruckus like this, we¡¯d know it, wouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Then I wonder if it¡¯s safe¡­¡±


    She was so confident that Liz was strangely convinced.


    Especially because the topics of conversation switched from one to another and thereforecked a sense of urgency.


    ¡°Oh, your old man is being lifted up.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    She followed Skadi¡¯s gaze and saw Tris soaring high into the sky, surrounded by ¡°Beastman.¡± Every time the old soldier¡¯s body floated up, a drop of tears would spray out of his eyes.


    Liz couldn¡¯t help but burst out.


    ¡°¡­Fu-fufu, Tris looks so happy.¡±


    ¡°Eh, is that what you call crying with¡­ joy?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just afraid of heights.¡±


    Normally, she would have helped him out, but she often looked at him with a somewhat distant look in his eyes sinceing to the Steichen Republic. He had be less talkative and was often seen pondering.


    So, Liz had hoped for something like this to distract him somewhere along the way.


    Therefore, there was no stopping him. She was willing to leave Tris alone as long as he wouldugh, cry, get angry, and return to his normal, energetic self.


    ¡°He was scared and crying¡­ He¡¯s an old man with a big figure, but he¡¯s got a small heart.¡±


    Skadi tilted her silver cup and poured barley wine down her throat with Tris¡¯s crying face as a side dish.


    ¡°He has a surprisingly small heart.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, have you known him long?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s served me since I was very young.¡±


    Along with the now-deceased Dios, he served the sixth princess well, who was not expected to do so.


    Even though Liz had known him for a long time, she did not know what to give him to make him happy since he was not a person who wanted money.


    Seeing Liz in such a state, Skadi scratched her horns and sighed.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine to take care of your subordinates, but if it¡¯s from an early age, I can well understand your desire to spoil them. But you know, no matter how strong he is, he can¡¯t beat old age. Sometimes, like my father, you can be killed by assassins.¡±


    Skadi continued to speak, looking up at the night sky from where she sat.


    ¡°We can¡¯t fight together all the time. It is the duty of a superior to tell them that they are out of the war, so don¡¯t let them make the mistake of pulling out at the wrong time. Above all, he is a loyal retainer who is irreceable, so you should take even better care of him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll tell him eventually.¡±


    ¡°Well, from what I¡¯ve seen of the old man, he¡¯s well-trained and not likely to die.¡±


    You never know what will happen if you stand on the battlefield. Young and old are all equally lured to death in war. The weak live and the strong die, and vice versa. Dios, a brave general, was also a strong and robust young man, but he died in battle at a young age.


    ¡°Are you talking about Dios¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh¡­ well, I guess I just heard about it, and it didn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    Skadiy down on the spot and looked into the torchlight, biting back a sore throat.


    ¡°I have five brothers and sisters, all half-siblings. Among us, only Brother Dios has a ¡°Human¡± mother. So there is a difference in power between us. He felt quite small in the family.¡±


    Naturally, all living creatures, regardless of race, instinctively have a sense of self-respect.


    However, his self-esteem was shattered by the fact that he was born as a ¡°Human¡± in this country.


    ¡°Jotunheim is a region where there is less discriminationpared to Nidavellir, but it is different when you are the legitimate son of the chief of the ¡°Beastman.¡± Everyone was expecting Brother Dios to be a member of the Beastman. But when they found out that his physical abilities were mediocre, they were selfishly disappointed. But Brother Dios was stillpetitive, so he tried his best¡­ but the natural differences are not easy to fill. The expectations and pressures of those around him crushed him.¡±


    It was amon story,something that happened everywhere.


    A boy born into a prominent family with a strong sense of responsibility could not bear the weight of that responsibility.


    That¡¯s all there is to it.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t get along with our father, and he ran away from home and disappeared soon after. Our men tried to look for him, but my father told them to leave the family¡¯s disgrace alone. Well, my father was assassinated three years ago, and my brothers and I got involved. Since Brother Dios is no longer with us, we have taken over Jotunheim.¡±


    Liz was surprised to learn that Dios was in a simr situation to her. Could it be that Dios reached out to Liz because he saw his childhood self in her? No matter how much she thought about it, no clear answer woulde to her. The living can¡¯t know the thoughts of the deceased.


    ¡°Hey, princess, did you justpare your situation to his?¡±


    Liz¡¯s shoulders jumped in surprise when her mind was read. But then, she remembered that she had said earlier that she was good at that kind of thing.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s also called wild intuition?¡±


    When Skadi geot up, she waved her hand in front of her face and smiled.


    ¡°No, no, no, the princess¡¯s circumstances are well known. I just know it well.¡±


    Skadi stuck her index finger up Liz¡¯s nose.


    ¡°So again, Brother Dios ran away, but the princess didn¡¯t. It¡¯s totally different, so don¡¯t everpare yourself with him. You¡¯re amazing enough that you didn¡¯t run away.¡±


    Then Skadi, who let out a deep sigh of sorrow, looked at Liz with a sideways nce.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to ask you¡­ Ran away, ran away, ran away, and where he ran away, Brother Dios¨D¨D¡±


    Serious eyes turn to Liz. Her wolfish eyes gleamed in the moonlight.


    ¡°¨D¨DHas he gone as a warrior without running away?¡±


    A gust of wind blows. A gentle breeze seemed to take away the tears from Skadi¡¯s grief-stricken eyes.


    It caressed Liz¡¯s hair, stroked Skaasi¡¯s head, and blew past into the night sky.


    Liz looked up to follow it and noticed that the loud singing around her had be distant.


    The stars scattered over the night sky shone stronger than before and seemed so close that they were dancing down to the ground.


    Liz let out a smile and turned to Skadi with a serious face once again.


    ¡°Yes, an honorable end for a warrior.¡±


    Not to be missed, Liz said forcefully, without being drowned out by the mor around her.


    Perhaps her sincere words were understood, and Skadi¡¯s mouth was tearing into a smile of happiness from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡°I see ¨D a warrior, huh?¡±


    Shaking her back, Skadi raised the silver cup vigorously into the night sky as if exploding with unbearable joy.


    ¡°Then I have nothing more to say. For the Beastman, there is no greater pride than to die as a warrior.¡±


    ¡°Is that right¡­? It was my fault he¨D¨D¡±


    Liz could not get thest word out.


    Skadi grabbed her by the chin.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my enemy or anything. It doesn¡¯t matter if I hate you or not.¡±


    ¡°Defuh¨D¡±


    ¡°What I wanted to ask from the beginning was whether or not Brother Dios was able to die as a warrior. Don¡¯t take it so seriously.¡±


    Skadi¡¯s words were rough, but her voice was packed with gentleness.


    ¡°Nod if you understand, or I¡¯ll crush you in my grip like this.¡±


    She had serious eyes that could not be taken as a joke. Liz¡¯s confused jaw creaked as if to scream.


    She may have been drunk, and she must have been mistaken about the degree of her intoxication.


    Puzzled, Liz nodded, and her jaw finally released.


    As Liz checked to see if the bones were intact, Skadi gave her a gentle look.


    ¡°A man died a warrior, so you send him off with a smile on your face. You may not understand it, princess, but that is the custom in Jotunheim.¡±


    Then she thrust the silver cup into the night sky with renewed vigor.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very instinctive and animalistic way of thinking.¡±


    With that, Skadi stood up and began to undress.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s dance too. Only today is special. We have to celebrate my brother Dios.¡±


    The clothes were so ufortable to wear that they easily covered up the healthy, toned skin ¨D just in front of the skin.


    Liz pulled up a cloth from the desk and tossed it to Skadi.


    ¡°You are a woman; you should be modest.¡±


    Liz uttered the same line that someone, somewhere, had said.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    Steichen Republic ¨D Garza, Nidavellir territory.


    It was after midnight, and the streets werepletely empty of people. The chirping of insects was very noisy at this time of night.


    In the midst of the buzzing night air, the town was quiet as if it were a vigil.


    In contrast, Garza¡¯s pce was morous and bright as day with flickering torch mes.


    In such a pce, Hiro and his group were killing time in a room that had been prepared for them.


    Hiro was sitting on his bunk. In front of him, Ghada was sitting cross-legged.


    Luca was by the window, sitting in the moonlight, with a nket over her head in a triangr position, looking at Hiro.


    ¡°Where are Munin and Hugin?¡±


    Hiro asks Ghada.


    ¡°Hugin was in touch with the spies that have infiltrated into this city. As for Munin, you gave him a leave of absence, didn¡¯t you? He¡¯s probably drinking at one of the illegal bars in town right now.¡±


    Ghada, arms crossed, looked up at Hiro, who was sitting on the bunk.


    ¡°Have you been able to be more certain than that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know because I haven¡¯t seen it in my hand. But I think that ne belonged to the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°Then does that mean he really is a descendant?¡±


    And at Ghada¡¯s question, Hiro tilted his head and groaned.


    He was a man who had a lot of colorful affairs to the extent that he would make a move on the queens and princesses of the countries he invaded.


    It would not be surprising if he had a ¡°Dwarf¡± partner.


    ¡°What would you do if he¡¯s telling the truth about the lineage of the first emperor?¡±


    ¡°Hugin asked me the same thing, but as for me, I¡¯m not going to help him. But if he is a descendant of the first emperor, there is still a possibility that he could live as one of the pawns.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do if it goes wrong?¡±


    ¡°Then, of course, he will get what he deserves.¡±


    ¡°Then we can only hope that Hugin will return with some information.¡±


    If you don¡¯t have any doubts, there¡¯s no problem. Then, as if to say so, Ghada shrugs his shoulders and changes the subject.


    ¡°I have just received a report that the little girl has joined up with the Jotunheim camp. Furthermore, I hear that soldiers are gathering one after another from all over the country in Jotunheim headquarters, Trillheim.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just sit tight until things get moving. We can do nothing if Utgarde doesn¡¯t make a move.¡±


    After hearing Hiro¡¯s words, Ghada nodded and stood up to go out of the room.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d have a drink with my men who are camped out. We should give them a little extra care, and we can¡¯t give special treatment to Munin alone.¡±


    ¡°Then you can spend your war funds as you wish and serve the soldiers their drinks.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be on my way then, but call me right away if you need anything else.¡±


    As Ghada put his hand on the room door, Hiro threw a word that he had forgotten to say to him.


    ¡°Yes, yes, just be prepared, please. No more changes to the n.¡±


    ¡°¡­Got it.¡±


    And then Ghada announced and left the room, and Hiro, who had seen him off,y down on his bunk.


    He was deep in thought. How do they connect, how do they connect, and how do they rte to reaching their goal?


    Before that, an essential thing came to mind.


    (If Utgarde was not a descendant of Altius, I wonder who was behind him and¡­ how the first emperor¡¯s ne was obtained and handed to him.)


    A relic of the first emperor was not an easy thing to obtain.


    It was possible that the crime wasmitted by someone rted to the Grantz family ¨D or even one of the five great nobles.


    Also, two years ago, on the day that A deadly de killed prime Minister Gils ¨D he had heard that intruders had appeared at the emperor¡¯s gravesite at that time as well. So what was stolen on that day would be known only to Liz, the next emperor, and Rosa, the newly appointed prime minister?


    (Is there a possibility of ck Death Vige¡­?)


    Thanks to the concerted efforts, some information on the ¡°ck Death Vige¡± has been gathered.


    Above all, it was a great sess that they were able to sense the presence of ¡°him.¡± If not, Hiro¡¯s faking his death in the battle against the Six Kingdoms would have been in vain.


    (He still went into hiding underground again, but¡­ he¡¯s good at hiding at all. So I¡¯ll find him, and next time I¡¯ll use my hands¡­).


    Hiro brought his own hand in front of his face and removed the mask before touching his right eye.


    (Altius¡­ what you left me has helped me a lot.)


    The candlestick fire had somehow gone out.


    The small, faint light illuminating Hiro¡¯s face came from a candle on a stand beside his bunk.


    Only his golden eyes, which shone brightly in the dark night, continued to flicker in the darkness with the air of a king.


    ¡°Do you not sleep?¡±


    A low, icy voice was heard. Its source was under Hiro¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you sleep?¡±


    Moving awkwardly, like a broken mechanical doll, the one-armed Luca was crawling up Hiro¡¯s body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it a bit before I go to bed. But, then, you can sleep too.¡±


    Luca, covered with a nket, stops moving. She turned her eyes, which were darker than darkness and filled with the abyss, toward Hiro.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in me going to bed before you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, too. Or else you can¡¯t kill me¡­¡±


    Hiro smiles bitterly. Seeing him, Luca tilted her head with a nk expression on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Hiro¡¯s speech became weak.


    Perhaps he was more tired than he had thought, or perhaps he was rapidly bing drowsy.


    ¡°Fuh¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help butugh at how carefree he was, even though his life was in danger.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I just think it¡¯s a really strange situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have iting? You created this situation?¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ Ah, yes, Luca¡­ that question you just asked.¡±


    Hiro smiled to himself and replied,


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know how I, too, can die¡­¡±


    Slowly he sank into the darkness.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 8, Chapter 4 – News from the Wind, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 4 - News from the Wind, Part 1</h4>


    Steichen Republic ¨D Trillheim, Jotunheim Territory.


    It was just after dawn when the morning mist had yet to clear, and a great number of soldiers were lined up at the main gate of Trillheim.


    They were the soldiers that the senators of the Jotunheim faction had called in from all over the region in preparation for the decisive battle against the Nidavellir faction. They were a diverse array of people of all kinds of armor and race, all of them fearless in their anticipation of the future as they awaited the word of their departure for battle.


    Some of them had suffered severe torture by the elected army. Some had had family members killed and wished for revenge; some had decided to join because they were concerned about oppression, some were seeking advancement, and the armycked any semnce of unity.


    However, the passion that wells up in their hearts may not be strong, but it is overflowing with a spirit that more than makes up for it.


    A short distance away from Jotunheim¡¯s army, the forces of the Great Grantz Empire were forming a line. Liz was at the head of an army of 5,000 men, including 2,000 Order of the Rose, which is said to be one of the finest soldiers in the Fourth Imperial Army, and 3,000 Grantz¡¯s cavalrymen lent by the Muzuk family.


    Next to her was Tris, mounted, and on the ground, Cerberus was scratching her neck with her hind legs.


    Then a man arrived.


    ¡°Her Highness Celia Estre, I am sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Brutus.¡±


    <sub></sub>


    This man, Brutus, who saluted her with a Grantz-style salute, was introduced to her by Vetu, the head of the Muzuk family. Liz felt ufortable with the man¡¯s slender physique and somewhat graceful appearance.


    ¡°Do you have a title?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±


    The answer was immediate. There was no change in his expression. There was no indication that he was lying.


    Still unable to shake off the strange feeling of difort, Liz asked him a series of questions.


    ¡°Do you have any siblings?¡±


    ¡°I have no parents or siblings. They were killed by bandits about two years ago. I lost my house, my farm, everything at that time.¡±


    The fire of vengeance burned deep in Brutus¡¯ eyes. Liz felt as if it were directed at her, and she felt her whole body militate.


    ¡°But, Lord Vetu picked me up when I was on the street. I feel ted that I can repay that great debt by being of service to Your Highness on this asion!¡±


    Brutus snorted wildly and gripped the hilt of his sword with a trembling hand as if to suppress his emotions. Then, feeling guilty for bringing up a heartbreaking memory, Liz utters an apology.


    ¡°I made you tell me a painful story. Forgive me.¡±


    ¡°No, I hope you don¡¯t mind¡­ But, more importantly, as you have probably heard about this matter, Lord Vetu has asked me to assist Your Highness in any way I can, including showing you the way. May I have your permission to apany you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Vetu has told me all about it. Soe and join our ranks.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to risk my life to aplish this mission.¡±


    Someone intervened between them.


    ¡°Message to Celia Estre-dono! This is a message from Skadi-sama. Where is Celia Estre-dono?¡±


    ¡°Over here!¡±


    Liz responded by raising her hand, and the messenger approached with vigor.


    ¡°We will be leaving shortly. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°No problem. Could you tell Skadi-dono that, please?¡±


    ¡°Yes, definitely.¡±


    The messenger turned his horse around and rode back under Skadi, raising a cloud of dust.


    ¡°Tris!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to move out. Keep your spirits up. The Grantz Empire is on this side, and we cannot afford the dishonor of defeat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the morale of the soldiers is perfect. They are not overawed, and I expect they are feeling just the right amount of tension, for this battle is an opportunity to show the power of our Grantz!¡±


    This was a battle that will make the power of the Great Grantz Empire, which had been silent for two years, known to the rest of the world once again. The other countries knew that the ground of the Great Grantz Empire was shaking due to the deaths of the imperial family members with the right to seed to the throne one after another in battle. Furthermore, after the announcement to the world that the emperor had fallen ill in order to conceal his death, the other countries began to target the territory of the Grantz Empire aggressively. One of the reasons why the other countries were still standing by and not moving was because of the misinformation and false reports that have been spread by a series of incidents that urred in the Great Grantz Empire. In order to keep a check on such foreign countries, a defeat was uneptable. Above all, they must bring victory to Jotunheim in order to defeat the intentions of Vetu, who was aiming for power.


    When Liz¡¯s red eyes shed with a hint of supremacy, a horn was blown.


    Unlike Grantz¡¯s style, it was high-pitched. A shout of enthusiasm was also released from the Jotunheim army. Their exploding emotions split the air to the point of irritating the skin as theyunched a loud sound that pierced through the clouds.


    Liz took several deep breaths to calm her mind as she listened to the raging sound that echoed far and wide. Then, with a sideways nce, she saw Jotunheim¡¯s army moving.


    ¡°March.¡±


    She gave the order, vigorously drew the ¡°me Emperor¡± from its sheath.


    As soon as Liz made her move, the Grantz soldiers moved without a stitch of disruption, quietly,pared to the mboyant Jotunheim army. But the tion that enveloped them was simmering in the silence.


    From now on, they would be heading for Garza, the stronghold of the Nidavellir faction, which was known to be impregnable.


    Liz called out to Tris, who was running alongside her.


    ¡°Tris, are you nervous? It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve been on the battlefield, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m getting heated up despite all my age.¡±


    Trisughed, tapping the back of his head in embarrassment.


    Liz looks at Tris with concern. Perhaps it was because she had felt the atmosphere of war for the first time in a long time, but she felt that Tris was too preupied.


    Even so, she could not tell him not to be reckless.


    She had known Tris for a long time and was familiar with his personality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take credit away from the young soldiers by being overzealous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ hard to say. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been on the battlefield.¡±


    Tris muttered sadly with a distant look in his eyes, and his mouth tightened in frustration.


    ¡°I was unable to participate in the battle against the Six Kingdoms. That is why I will notpromise this time.¡±


    Two years ago, Tris¡¯s high spirits began to diminish rapidly.


    Compared to his peak years, there is a huge difference.


    The reason is obvious: old age.


    Tris used to be such a strong and tough old soldier that even a bunch of active-duty soldiers could not match him. It is impossible for him to keep up with Liz¡¯s rapid running now.


    Liz had witnessed Tris training alone on several asions.


    Still, he was losing strength, and his muscles were getting weaker as the months went by.


    That must be what makes him itch. When asked to apany her on this expedition, Tris has repeatedly wished with ghastly expressions on his face that she would take him along, even if it meant staying at the back of the line.


    This continued until the day before they left when Liz finally relented and allowed Tris to apany them.


    It would be nice if this battle could restore his confidence, but Liz thought it wouldl be no match for him.


    The other side was an army of mainly ¡°Dwarves.¡± It would be a difficult opponent for Tris, who was beginning to show signs of decline among the ¡°Humans.¡± Tris smiled wryly as if he could sense that Liz was thinking like that.


    ¡°Princess, there is no need to hesitate. Treat me as you would any other soldier. I know very well that I am useless to you now.¡±


    Being old, he is no longer a match for standing and fighting next to Liz. But that doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t fight.


    ¡°I am a third-ranked military officer andck the experience and rank to live as amander.¡±


    In Tris¡¯ case, rank and treatment were out of proportion.


    Although he is a close associate of Liz, who is considered to be the next emperor, his rank is that of a third-grade military officer. This discrepancy makes the 500- and 1,000-banner chiefs, who are higher in rank than Tris, shrink away from him. Therefore, he could not be assigned as a unitmander, nor could he stand and fight next to Liz because of his old age. That said, he was not a self-serving man who wanted to use Liz¡¯s power to advance his career.


    ¡°I was prepared for this. I don¡¯t care if I can¡¯t be on the front line.¡±


    Tris drew the sword at his waist. He must have never missed a day of cleaning it.


    Not a speck of dirt, not a chip on the de, reflecting the sun¡¯s rays as it poured down to the earth.


    ¡°I leave everything to your decision, Your Highness.¡±


    Although Liz did not want to see a timid Tris, there was nothing she could do to stop time for him.


    No one can resist. Only God can stop the flow of time.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Liz nodded emphatically to Tris and looked forward.


    Despite her feelings, the sky was clear, and the hot sun was shining.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 8, Chapter 4 – News from the Wind, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 4 - News from the Wind, Part 2</h4>


    20th June, 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Steichen Republic ¨D Garza, Nidavellir Territory.


    The city was quiet as usual, but the pce was unusually hectic.


    Many people with pale faces came and went between rooms and then ran out withrge bags in their hands. Instead of doing their assigned tasks, the servants were running down the corridors in a hurry, carrying their furoshiki (wrapping cloths) and other things. Many carriages were parked in front of the pce, and people were boarding them as if they were being sucked in, and horses were neighing as they departed.


    In the middle of the pce, where even such angry voices were flying around, there was a room where a cloud of dust was rising.


    A boy with a strange mask on ¨D Hiro shook his head, still drowsy.


    ¡°Huh¡­ it¡¯s morning already?¡±


    He sat upon the rubble of his bunk and yawnedzy and absent-mindedly. His eyes, still hazy, turned to the window, where a group of small birds were resting their wings.


    It seems like a peaceful start to the day, but a loud noise from outside caused all the birds to p their wings in unison.


    <sub></sub>


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    It is not about the shattered bunk but about the hectic pce.


    Hiro¡¯s gaze was fixed on a woman standing by the wall in a room that had been the scene of a horrific crime scene, with a nk expression on her face. It was Luca, who, shaking the sleeve of one of her lost arms, let her expressionless face drift away forever.


    ¡°Who knows¡­ I was only looking at you, so I don¡¯t care about anything else.¡±


    Had her cheeks been dyed red as well, any man might have misunderstood her and developed a colorful love affair.


    But Luca said this expressionlessly with eyes that had lost their light.


    Moreover, her voice was filled with murderous intent. This would never be mistaken regardless of how it was interpreted.


    ¡°No, if the corridor was so noisy, wouldn¡¯t it bother you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me at all?¡±


    There is no room for argument. Having been prodded, Hiro had no choice but to fall silent.


    Just as the air was beginning to feel somewhat delicate, not to say awkward, a flurry of activity could be hearding from the corridor. Luca, who had heard the sound of armor, tried to get into a fighting stance, but Hiro stopped her with his hand.


    At the same time, the door was opened vigorously.


    ¡°Oh, our old allies,rades bound together by firm bonds! We are sorry for making such a fuss. It must have made you uneasy!¡±


    It¡¯s Utgarde, as usual, appearing as if in a vaudeville performance. However, unlike thest time Hiro met him, he was dressed in shining golden armor and had a sword at his waist that was richly adorned with jewels. Behind Utgarde, wearing such tacky gear, were two other soldiers, also heavily armed, and Torkil, the border guard captain who had escorted Hiro and the others to the pce.


    (Gold armor¡­ It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s capable, but this just makes him a target.)


    It¡¯s not bad for amander to stand out. If it stands on the front line, the troops will be inspired. However, it is not as if a man like him, who seems to have never held a sword before, is standing on the front line.


    ¡°Utgarde-dono, judging from your attire, will you be standing on the front lines?¡±


    When Hiro asked the question, Utgarde lifted his shoulders in surprise.


    ¡°No way, I¡¯ll just stay in the back and wait for the victory, but it wouldn¡¯t be an honor to be on the front line like the ¡°Humans¡± and the ¡°Beastman,¡± right?¡±


    Then he should be calmly equipped and confined to the main camp as if he were attending a funeral.


    (It would only demoralize the soldiers if you were the only one in a safe ce.)


    That said, Utgarde would only be outraged. So, Hiro only looked at him with cold eyes, as if he were staring at a stinking person.


    ¡°But, ck Dragon King-dono, what is the matter with this room? It looks as if you were attacked by someone or something¡­?¡±


    Utgarde looked at the devastation in the room and gave him a doubtful look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I broke it when I got into an argument with her. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to get a new bunk.¡±


    When Hiro unhurriedly lied in hushed tones, Utgarde looked at Luca and thenughed hysterically.


    ¡°Hahaha, you seem to be quite an intense person. Very well, I will have one of my servants prepare it for youter.¡±


    There was not the slightest doubt about Hiro¡¯s words. It would be fair to say that he was a ¡°Dwarf¡± who did not care about details, but it would be more urate to say that he did not have time to worry about such trivial matters. Utgarde, who had stopped smiling, looked at him with a hint of impatience.


    ¡°But more importantly, ck Dragon King-dono, it seems that the Jotunheim people have begun their march. So we, the Nidavellir, are going out to intercept them.¡±


    Hiro listened to Utgarde¡¯s words in silence.


    Everyone knows that he used the authority of the first emperor to raise money and seize people¡¯s hearts. It is the pathetic hunk of gold standing before him who is overconfident in his own abilities.


    If that is the case, his next words were predictable.


    ¡°What about ck Dragon King-dono? If possible, I would like you toe with me.¡±


    Advertise to other countries that the small country of Baum is on their side. Others may want to use Hiro¡¯s presence to cut off the Jotunheim camp.


    If the small country of Baum had something to gain, Hiro would have been happy to lend a helping hand, but there was nothing to gain but it would only lower their reputation in the region. So, after a moment of contemtion, Hiro shook his head.


    ¡°No, let me refrain from doing so. The number of soldiers we have brought with us is only five hundred. Even if I borrowed soldiers from Utgarde-dono and led them, I don¡¯t think they would follow me.¡±


    When he gave a clear reason, Utgarde¡¯s face fell, and he thought about it.


    Still, he wanted Hiro to follow him, which was conveyed through his shadowed, invisible face.


    ¡°We are here to negotiate trade, not to cooperate with you. But, above all, our escort of five hundred will only slow down the brave ¡°Dwarves.¡± So let us wait here to hear your report of the victory.¡±


    Hiro inwardly wished that he could lift Utgarde as much as possible and get the hell out of there.


    It is not clear whether he understood this or not, but Utgarde nodded repeatedly as if delighted about it.


    ¡°Then, please wait for me at the pce. We will return soon after we have made a bloodbath of those fools. But now that we are in a time of war, I cannot allow you to move freely.¡±


    Utgarde put his hand to his forehead with an exaggerated hand gesture and made amenting gesture.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but may I suggest that you allow us to monitor you and restrict your movements while you are staying at the pce?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s as it should be; I have no objection.¡±


    ¡°Then I will leave him here.¡±


    Utgarde pointed to Torkil. He was still ring at Hiro in a rude manner. Still, he remained calm on the surface, and after bowing reverently to Utgarde, he turned to Hiro.


    ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s my pleasure.¡±


    After throwing a few words at Torkil, who bowed to him, Hiro asked Utgarde a question.


    ¡°By the way, the pce seems to be noisy from a while ago, is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Since war is about to begin, we are in the process of removing those who are in the way and preparing to evacuate the influential people in the neighborhood here. Therefore, it is not for you to worry about.¡±


    After waving his hand in front of his face, Utgarde turned on his heel.


    ¡°Then, ck Dragon King-dono, I will leave you here. The war council will be starting soon.¡±


    Utgarde and his party leave the room in the same hurry as when they arrived.


    When the door was closed ¨D Hiro was eerily emotionless under his mask.


    ¡°I¡¯m speechless with dismay that they would send their servants away¡­ just to evacuate the influential people, even though they are not an elected army.¡±


    As he positioned his mask to suppress his anger, Hiro felt a presence behind him and turned around.


    ¡°Well, what were the results?¡±


    ¡°It is written here. Perhaps the result is as Wise Brother had imagined.¡±


    In front of Hiro, Hugin was on one knee with her hands raised above her head.


    On top of both hands was a sheet of the report, which Hiro picked up and quickly read through.


    ¡°Huh¡­ I see.¡±


    Hiro gave a smallugh and shifted his gaze to Hugin, who was waiting for the gist of it.


    ¡°It was a good job. Tell your men to continue to do the same.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    He patted Hugin¡¯s head, who smiled happily and put his hand on the tip of his chin, letting the thoughts flow out of his mouth without hesitation as he went over the next steps in his mind.


    ¡°Hugin, I want you to head down to Ghada, who is encamped outside the city walls, and tell him to start the n.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°From here on, it¡¯s a race against time. So tell Munin that, too.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    After sending a cheerful reply, Hugin jumped out of the window of the room.


    ¡°You look very sad, huh?¡±


    As Hiro watched Hugin off, Luca, who had been silent up to this point, approached.


    ¡°Does it look that way to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what did the report say?¡±


    Luca asked if she was curious about the letter¡¯s contents, but Hiro only smiled back.


    ¡°It was very funny and amusing.¡±


    But Hiro¡¯s eyes never smiled.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 8, Chapter 4 – News from the Wind, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 4 - News from the Wind, Part 3</h4>


    26th June, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The sky was clear and refreshing. There was no sign of rain and not a single cloud was in sight.


    A strong wind was blowing through thend, and birds were pping their wings, letting the air currents do the work for them.


    The Steichen Republic - near Locke. This ce wouldter be noted down as the historical turning point of Steichen. However, it was still a nameless ce with sparse forests, and no one knew which way the victory would turn out.


    Arge amount of dust was rising from the ground. They were splitting to the west and the east as if they werepeting to make the most smoke and were turning the sky an endless brown.


    ¡°We got a good spot.¡±


    Holding down her wind-tossed sideburns with one hand, Liz looked out over the battlefield from the top of a small hill.


    Her aide, Tris, an old soldier, stood next to her with a stern look on his face.


    ¡°The view is good, but¡­ there are a few blind spots that stand out.¡±


    <sub></sub>


    There were a few ces where they could not see from the hill due to the sparse forests.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to form a scouting partyter and have them search the area.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It is a good thing we can still see Jotunheim¡¯s main camp.¡±


    Jotunheim¡¯s main camp was one cell (three kilometers) away from Grantz¡¯s main camp, to the right.


    The enemy, Nidavellir, was also well prepared, and the battle cry could be heard from their main camp built on a hill about three cells (nine kilometers) away. However, Nidavellir¡¯s main army, which was spread out a short distance below, was quiet, with no disorder in its ranks, but morale was visibly low.


    ¡°There seems to be a significant difference in morale between the main camp and the main army of Nidavellir. Could it be that the main army of Nidavellir has been organized by those whose families were taken hostage?¡±


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a strong possibility. But we must not have any sympathy for them. If they do not win, they will not be able to liberate their families.¡±


    ¡°¡­You are right. Above all, they will fight hard for the sake of their families. Even if their morale is low, we can¡¯t let our guard down.¡±


    Liz said, and she and Tris entered a simple tent that was surrounded on all sides.


    Around the long table, the thousand g captains stand with their staff, leaving the honorary seat empty.


    After returning their salutes, Liz walked to the top and looked around at those gathered.


    ¡°Are any of you feeling self-conscious?¡±


    Liz made a confirmation gesture, and the thousand g captains, including the staff members, who had a fierce atmosphere, straightened their posture. They seemed to be nervous, but they were not overawed, and they were filled with just the right amount of enthusiasm.


    ¡°Good, then, let¡¯s begin the war council. I¡¯ll leave it to you, Tris, to be the facilitator.¡±


    Liz called out to Tris, who was standing behind her.


    ¡°Very well. I, Tris von Tarmier, will be the one to exin.¡±


    He stepped forward reverently and tapped the tip of his baton against the map spread out on the long table.


    ¡°First of all, our friends in Jotunheim report that the Nidavellir army is about 30,000 strong, of which 20,000 are in the front line, and the remaining 10,000 are in the main camp. Since the army is mainly made up of ¡°Dwarves,¡± it is expected that heavy infantry will make up the bulk of the force and that they will use a formation simr to that of the main army.¡±


    Tris quickly set up a piece for the Nidavellir army and then a piece for Jotunheim¡¯s army.


    ¡°Jotunheim, on the other hand, has about 20,000 troops. They are expected to throw almost all of their forces into the main battlefield. Since they are mainly cavalry, they will make the most of their mobility.¡±


    Thest piece ced was Grantz¡¯s army. Tris moved his piece eastward in time with his words.


    ¡°Let me begin by exining the role of our army, the Grantz army. The Jotunheim side has requested that we bypass the battlefield and first drop the enemy¡¯s main camp, then use that momentum to break into the main battlefield and smash the unsettled enemy main army from behind.¡±


    Liz spun words to supplement Tris¡¯s words.


    ¡°While Jotunheim¡¯s army is drawing Nidavellir army, Grantz army should drop the enemy¡¯s main camp and raid the enemy¡¯s main army from the rear ¨D and then cooperate with Jotunheim army tounch a pincer attack, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. They are going to let us have some flowers for future diplomacy, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Liz nodded as she listened and opened her mouth, tracing the map with her finger.


    ¡°Then, let me take your word for it. We will bypass the enemy¡¯s main camp as requested and drop the enemy¡¯s main army. Then we will make a pincer attack on the enemy¡¯s main army to change the battle situation at once and end the battle.¡±


    Once she had cut off her words, Liz requested a new piece from Tris and put it on the map.


    ¡°Before we do that, as a matter of course, we don¡¯t know much about geography. So if they take advantage of our blind spot and try to get behind us, we will be in trouble.¡±


    If the enemy forces were to bypass their main army ande after the main camp, there was a good chance that they would encounter the Grantz army. In addition, there may be other ambush soldiers hiding in the forests scattered around the area. In that case, they would want tounch a preemptive attack.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s get the scouts ahead of them first. As soon as we spot enemy forces, we will aim for the enemy¡¯s main camp, with the intention of destroying them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have the Jotunheim side send someone who knows the geography.¡±


    One of the staff members suggested this, and Liz nodded her head in approval.


    ¡°Let¡¯s also organize a scouting party and have them watch out for the area around the Grantz main camp.¡±


    Liz was about to select a few people to lead the scouting party.


    ¡°Your Highness, could you please leave this to me?¡±


    Brutus came forward. He was the one whom Vetu had sent to help them.


    ¡°We can¡¯t ask Jotunheim to send a guide just for the purpose of scouting, can we? In that respect, I am familiar with this area, and I think there will be no problem in terms of personnel selection.¡±


    Although Liz was a little uneasy about entrusting him with a unit because of his uncertain abilities, he certainly knew the geography of the Steichen Republic better than anyone else present at the meeting. However, Liz sensed something dangerous about him. He had been sent by Vetu, and it seemed dangerous to put her trust in him. But it was also true that she could not turn her back on him.


    Tris, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward in front of Liz, who was about to open her mouth after much deliberation.


    ¡°I will lead the scouting party. Besides, I have more battle experience than anyone here.¡±


    Tris took one look at Brutus, then looked at the map and opened his mouth again.


    ¡°We have a good idea of where the enemy might be hiding, but being on the safe side, would you be willing to assist me, Brutus-dono?¡±


    Tris smiled wryly and meaningfully as if he had seen through Liz¡¯s expression.


    ¡°¡­Well, then, I¡¯ll leave you a hundred soldiers. Brutus will be your assistant.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Tris, happy to be of service to Liz, gave his first high-spirited reply in a long time. He then turned to Brutus and held out his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you, Brutus-dono.¡±


    ¡°You can count on me. I have been here long enough to know the roads that are not marked on the map.¡±


    Liz saw Brutus and Tris shake hands and threw a few words at them.


    ¡°Tris, Brutus, I¡¯ll leave you two to it. If you sense anything out of the ordinary, raise the signal.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    They sent a brisk reply and then dropped to one knee and bowed their heads in ce. Liz nodded in satisfaction, then instructed one of the staff members to hurry up and organize a scouting party.


    ¡°Then, Tris, Brutus, you too must get ready at once.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Tris and the others quickly left the tent.


    After seeing them off, Liz opened her mouth to themander of the Fourth Imperial Army.


    ¡°Are the Knights of the Rose ready?¡±


    ¡°They are ready to go out at any time.¡±


    ¡°Then, as originally nned, the 2,000 Knights of the Rose and the 1,000 Grantz Cavalry will head for the enemy¡¯s main camp. The rest of the 1,900 cavalry will hold the main camp.¡±


    Liz then sent instructions to the staff one after another and gave words of encouragement to the thousand g captains.


    This time, Liz would not go to the front. Instead, she wouldmand from the main camp.


    If Aura had been here, she would have gone to the front, but there were no military officers present who could take charge of the main camp.


    ¡°The war council is now over. Themander should return to hismand with the thousand banner captains. As soon as the Jotunheim army moves, we will begin our march.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Those who received the order from Liz started to move at once. The surroundings became hectic at once, but Liz sat quietly in her chair in the midst of it all.


    ¡°It makes me feel indescribable to just wait for the oue.¡±


    This was just a battle that the Steichen people wanted to stabilize their country, and the Grantz intervened on their own to use it for their own power struggle. Although it was something she did not like to think about, she would y a supporting role so that she could remain unaware in the event that the war is lost.


    ¡°I have to thank the Skadi for that.¡±


    Even though she knew what they were trying to do here, she had given Grantz a mission so important that it would affect the war situation in order to make Grantz bloom. She was aw-abiding woman who could have simply let them rot in the rear without being told anythingter ¨D or perhaps she was a person ofrge capacity.


    ¡°But then again, she¡¯s a bold woman.¡±


    For Grantz, Steichen was a foreign country, and they¡¯re not familiar with the geography.


    That being said, there was no way they would be able to coordinate with each other even if they were incorporated into the Jotunheim army.


    ¡°Therefore, Skadi decided to operate the Jotunheim and Grantz armies separately.¡±


    Skadi, who had given such an important mission to the Grantz, to raid the enemy¡¯s main camp, was either bold or rough, and even though it had only been two weeks since they had met, it was clear that she trusted them so much that it made them embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll live up to her expectations ¨D but¡­¡±


    It is also true that because she was in a foreign country, she felt a strange sense of excitement. That is why Liz chose not to move from the main camp.


    Liz looked again at the map spread out on the long desk.


    ¡°The terrain is suitable for hiding and moving¡­¡±


    The Nidavellir army, the enemy, has low morale, probably because they were forcibly conscripted, and although they are well equipped, their skill level iscking.


    In contrast, the Jotunheim army is united and mobile. Although they are a hastily prepared army and thusck skill, their individual abilities are high, and their morale is perfect.


    ording to the staff¡¯s opinion, Jotunheim will win, but miracles even happen on the battlefield when a peasant defeats a brave general who has fought many battles. In war, you never know how the oue will turn out.


    ¡°You must be careful. Skadi, I wish you the best of luck.¡±


    At that moment, a high-pitched tone was heard.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 8, 3 – Dwarf And Beastman, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3 - Dwarf And Beastman, Part 2</h4>


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Muzuk territory, Sunspear.


    The golden pce was bathed in the evening sun, emitting a seven-colored glow that illuminated the city.


    In one of the rooms, two men were drinking together.


    They were Vetu, the head of the Muzuk family, and his right-hand man, the beautiful young man Rozl.


    ¡°Now, how do you think Her Highness Celia Estre is going to ovee her difficulties?¡±


    Vetu leaned on his chair, making it squeak with his weight. His gaze was fixed on Rozl, who sat opposite him, his calm face deepening into a smile as he sipped his wine.


    ¡°Right. I have a certain idea about her personality to some extent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did you find out?¡±


    When Vetu asked with interest, Rozl looked out the window and squinted at the beautiful sunset.


    ¡°I guess you could say she¡¯s straight as an arrow, clumsy¡­¡±


    After saying this, Rozl shook his head as if to deny his own words.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s still a very intelligent person. She has a keen intuition and is not slow-witted. To some extent, she seemed to understand all of my ideas when I let her read them to me, and above all, I could see that she is still trying to grow. It¡¯s frightening that she still has room to grow.¡±


    ¡°She certainly grew up beautifully. I was amazed at how she looked like a ¡°Long-Eared Race.¡± That¡¯s why it¡¯s a pity. If she had been brought up as an imperial princess, she could have been exchanged for a country or two.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m only joking ¨D after all; it¡¯s her appearance that proves she¡¯s the real deal.¡±


    ¡°Over the course of a thousand years, the Grantz imperial family has mixed many different kinds of blood, so it is rare that someone like her is born who is so beautiful that she stands out from the rest.¡±


    Once he broke off, Rozl¡¯s mouth teared open as he smelled the aroma of the wine.


    ¡°Still, no one would have guessed that she would be born with red hair.¡±


    ¡°The only ones who were aware of it were Histe Majesty Greyheit and the other five great nobles.¡±


    ¡°No, there were others.¡±


    At Rozl¡¯s response, Vetu frowned and ced the silver cup on the desk.


    ¡°The First Empress?¡±


    ¡°You are half right and half wrong. She was just a poor woman who was used. Thanks to her, our country no longer has an empress.¡±


    A pause is often created when indicated that this was an incorrect answer.


    Eventually, ah ¨D and Vetu spoke up.


    ¡°¨D¨DThe ck Death Vige.¡±


    As if satisfied with the answer Vetu had arrived at, Rozl¡¯s mouth dropped open in delight.


    ¡°Yes. And it is also the reason why His Majesty Greyheit started invading other countries. It is a matter of fate that the ¡°ck Death Vige¡± is always involved in the disturbances of the Grantz imperial family. We will have to deal with it sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°But first, we need to see if Her Highness Celia Estre can ovee this problem.¡±


    ¡°As I said earlier, she has grown tremendously. Moreover, she is notcent about it and is still aiming higher. I think we are at a crossroads, whether she will be able to stave off the problems that are urring in the Steichen Republic this time or whether she will break down.¡±


    That¡¯s something to look forward to. As if to say so, Rozl downed the wine in one gulp.


    Seeing him, Vetu, who had a scowl on his face as if he had suffered from heartburn, held his own silver cup filled with wine away from him.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯veid a few traps. Will they work?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I wonder about that?¡±


    ¡°As expected, I can¡¯t let the fox of Kelheit have her way any longer. If we don¡¯t kick her out, our Muzuk family will end up second best.¡±


    Pouring the wine into Rozl¡¯s empty silver cup, Vetu expressed his concern.


    ¡°That can be done at another time. It is not yet time to rush. This time, more than any other, is meant to be a test for Her Highness Celia Estre.¡±


    ¡°A test?¡±


    As question marks appear on Vetu¡¯s face, a silver cup filled with wine is vigorously thrust into his hand.


    ¡°Yes. Whether or not she is capable of solving the problem on her own. Looking at her history, it seems that she has had some of the best men with her, and this is no way to know how good she really is.¡±


    Perhaps sobering, Rozl leaned his elbows on the desk and picked up a te of fruit.


    ¡°Well, if all else fails, just drag Rosa-dono down from her position as prime minister.¡±


    With a hint of madness in his eyes, Rozl bit into the apple in his hand.


    ¡°Whether the Jotunheim faction or the Nidavellir faction wins, it will benefit us either way. The winner has been decided from the start, so all we have to do is suck on the sweet nectar and look on from a high ce.¡±


    Then Rozl mmed his apple on the desk as if to say that his amusement had cooled and looked at Vetu with a grim look on his brow.


    ¡°Rather, may I ask what the story was about two years ago? I heard that the position of chief of staff for the conquest of the Six Kingdoms was given to the daughter of the Bunadhara family, so what were the other members of the entourage, including you, Vetu-sama, doing?¡±


    Vetu¡¯splexion changed just as the main topic arrived. He looked embarrassed and turned his face away from Rozl¡¯s sharp gaze. But Rozl relentlessly cut to the chase.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not all. Why didn¡¯t you call me back when you and Rosa-dono fought over the prime minister¡¯s position?¡±


    It had been about three years, but Rozl had plotted various schemes in the Steichen Republic.


    He hastened the death of the supreme chancellor, assassinated candidates on both sides, and divided the Steichen Republic. He also lobbied the Nidavellir faction to dam the Zahle River and elerated the famine in the Principality of Lichtine. After witnessing the sess of these long-standing schemes, Rozl returned to Sunspear, where he was told of Vetu¡¯s many blunders.


    ¡°You were a little bit lenient.¡±


    ¡°I can honestly admit that I was overconfident, so¡­?¡±


    With a slight tremor in his voice from humiliation, Vetu answers with pride and dignity.


    ¡°Right, I overestimated my own abilities. I thought I could handle the Kelheit family on my own, even without you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s appalling. You finally realized that after being deprived of real power in the center and the west, and not even being able to obtain the position of prime minister?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I am defeated beyond excuse. I am sorry.¡±


    In response to the harsh words, Vetu bowed his head honestly and without rebuttal. Perhaps this was a sign of lowered blood pressure, and the anger faded slightly from Rozl¡¯s face.


    ¡°What has happened can¡¯t be helped. It seems that you have honestly admitted defeat and are sorry for your loss, so I will not pursue this matter any further. Now that you have be the Secretary of the Ministry of Military Affairs, it would be interesting to see how you can turn things around from here.¡±


    The seeds for this have already been sown.


    ¡°I look forward to seeing what role the ne of the first emperor will y.¡±


    Rozl cleared his throat. Vetu¡¯s face, which had been clouded for a moment, brightened as if he was in a better mood, and he lifted his head vigorously.


    ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t that right? Besides, haven¡¯t we always been used to adversity?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I forgive you. I am asking you to refrain from bragging in the future. Besides, there are still blunders that remain. Why did you make your wife the Acting Secretary? If the role were to keep her in the imperial pce as a hostage, it would be understandable, but she travels back and forth between Sunspear and the great imperial capital. That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Vetu¡¯s face paled as if he had been hit in a sore spot again and had run out of juice.


    ¡°¡­She wanted to be a deputy. As you can imagine, I can¡¯t resist her.¡±


    For Vetu, always a confident person, his words were weak, and his voice was tinged with mncholy.


    Whenever this kind of talkes up, Vetu always minces no words.


    ¡°Is this what you call being weak due to love?¡±


    Rozl¡¯s mouth twitched in exasperation, and Vetu let out a disappointed sigh and slumped her shoulders.


    ¡°How good it would have been if that had been the case¡­¡±


    Vetu looked at the window with eyes that seemed to dwell on the distant past. The sun had already set, and the darkness covered the world.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The night air trembled with the howling of wild dogs. After the sun had set, the air in thend had a different quality than in the daytime.


    Disturbing noises that incite uneasiness, the darkness that fosters fear, and the smells have changed to something more distinctive. But on this day, there was a different kind of uneasiness mixed in.


    There was a group of people walking along the moonlit road.


    It was an army of 5,000 men led by the sixth princess Celia Estre of the Grantz Empire.


    Apanying the vanguard of the group was a red-haired princess with an old soldier and a white wolf nearby.


    ¡°Princess, it seems we have finally arrived.¡±


    An old soldier, Tris, spoke to Liz from his horse.


    In the darkness, the torchlight cast a dancing shadow over Liz¡¯s beauty.


    ¡°Yes, the sun is setting, and it is getting cold, so once we cross the border, we will contact the Jotunheim faction and ask them to let us rest in the fortress.¡±


    Liz looked ahead.


    Ahead of her gaze, lights were floating in the air.


    There were several of them floating side by side evenly, shimmering in the wind.


    ¡°It was too dark to see, but considering the height of the torches, they were quiterge.¡±


    It connects the two countries of the Steichen Republic and the Great Grantz Empire. It was the first time Liz visited the border fortress built there.


    ¡°The Steichen Republic is a country of many races. As there are many ¡°Dwarves¡± in the country, the buildings are solid, and the fortifications are said to be impregnable.¡±


    ¡°So this is why the other countries are using the aid method instead of invading.¡±


    ¡°That is true. No matter how chaotic Steichen is, it is difficult to attack. The city is surrounded by high walls, and the fortifications are so solid that it is impossible to defeat them without arge force. I have heard that the border wall between Steichen and the Principality of Lichtine is particrly impressive.¡±


    ¡°Has Tris ever visited the Steichen Republic?¡±


    ¡°Once, with Dios.¡±


    Tris mentioned the name of a young man who had died in a battle with the Principality of Lichtine. His torch-lit face was sorrowful, and he looked nostalgically toward the fortress.


    ¡°I returned to Grantz immediately, so I don¡¯t know the details¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Liz did not inquire further into the matter than a brief reply. She did not ask any more questions because the atmosphere around Tris was very fragile.


    No topic of conversation came and went between the two, and only silence coiled up between them.


    The sound of horses¡¯ hoof beats shook the night air, and the scraping of armor made the air tremble.


    The torchlight that was visible in front of them gradually became brighter and brighter as they went on their way, letting the noisy sounds take over their lives. The fortress, which had been submerged in darkness, was also revealed by the moonlight.


    After halting their march, they were greeted by


    ¡°Wee to the territory of Jotunheim in the Steichen Republic. I apologize for your fatigue, but where is your superior officer? I¡¯d like to say a few words.¡±


    She was a strong-looking woman in a revealing ¨D and ethnic ¨D outfit.


    Around her waist hung a sharp-looking axe, a bow, and a rabbit that had been drained of its blood. Following behind the wild woman were muscr warriors in animal pelts.


    They were a bizarre group that gave the impression of bandits, perhaps because of their rough atmosphere.


    ¡°The Great Grantz Empire, Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz!¡±


    As Liz dismounted and advanced on the woman, the woman¡¯s face, illuminated by the torchlight, was startled.


    ¡°What a beautiful woman. You must be the princess of the Great Grantz Empire, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    She looked at Liz from the top of her head to her toes with curiosity.


    Liz tilted her head with a puzzled look on her face at the woman who approached her in a familiar manner.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Me? My name is Skadi Vestra Mikhael. I am in charge of Jotunheim territory in the Steichen Republic.¡±


    Skadi says while sniffing at Liz.


    ¡°¡­I take it you represent the Jotunheim faction?¡±


    Liz took a step back from Skadi, who did not stop sniffing her.


    ¡°Oh, feel free to call me Skadi.¡±


    She closed the distance again and sniffed her up close. Liz looked at her suspiciously as she made a somewhat animal-like gesture, and then Skadi seemed to notice her gaze and turned her attention to Liz.


    Liz looked into her eyes and realized what the difort was. Her sclera was ck, not white. And upon closer inspection, she spotted what looked like goat horns on top of her head.


    [NyX Trantion]


    ¡°Are you¡­ a ¡®Beastman,¡¯ by any chance?¡±


    At Liz¡¯s question, Skadi nodded with a dazzling smile.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, princess; I am a Beastman.¡±


    Before the founding of the Steichen Republic, the country was divided into nine nations.


    ¡°It is said that there was a country of ¡°Beastman,¡± a country of ¡°Humans,¡± and a country of ¡°Dwarves.¡±


    The most powerful of these nine countries were Lichtine, the country of ¡°Humans,¡± Jotunheim, the country of ¡°Beastman,¡± and Nidavellir, the country of ¡°Dwarves.¡± The three countries formed an alliance to oppose the Great Grantz Empire, which was the beginning of the Steichen Republic.


    It is said that the distribution of races in each country has changed over the generations, but many still choose areas with many of their own kind, and the original races seem to be in the majority in each power.


    ¡°I appreciate your cooperation. The Nidavellir are persistent, you know. We were just about to have a hard time with them.¡±


    Skadi reaches out to shake Liz¡¯s hand.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know if I can help you, but¨D¨D¡±


    Liz tried to shake Skadi¡¯s hand but failed because she crouched down and looked at Liz¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Oh, so this is the ¡°me Emperor¡± I¡¯ve heard so much about¡­ but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen one in person.¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess you never listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of my Beastman blood. I¡¯ve been told I¡¯m impatient and restless.¡±


    That being said, all Liz could say was, ¡± Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t stay here forever, so why don¡¯t youe with me?¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, she puts her hands on her head and starts walking. But she stopped immediately.


    ¡°Oh, yes ¨D I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    Skadi turned around.


    ¡°Hey, how did my brother Dios die?¡±


    A cold wind blew. The me of the torch flickered wildly, and its light flickered away from Skadi.


    This made it impossible to see her expression, and Liz could only stand there with a stunned look on her face. Behind her, Tris was also shaking in astonishment at Skadi¡¯s words.

 Volume 8, 3 – Dwarf And Beastman, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3 - Dwarf And Beastman, Part 3</h4>


    15th June, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    Steichen Republic ¨D Garza, Nidavellir territory.


    It was not long after dawn.


    The normally quiet ce is dominated by the noise of a battlefield.


    The ground shook violently as 3,500 troops ran through the streets, and drops of morning dew slid off the leaves and were absorbed into the ground. Startled by the sound of roaring horseshoes, birds flew out of the trees, and animals that had been hiding in the shadows of the grass jumped up and scattered in all directions at once.


    Hiro sat up, watching the scene from afar. The nket, still warm from his body heat, slid down his body to the floor.


    Rubbing his drowsy eyes, he looked around the carriage and saw Luca wrapped in a nket and sleeping with her back curled up like a cat. Next to her, Hugin was sleeping with a pained expression on her face, as if she was having a nightmare. The cause of this was probably Luca¡¯s arms entangled around her neck.


    ¡°¡­Why is Hugin here?¡±


    She should have been undercover in the city of Garza. Moreover, if he was not mistaken, before bedtime ¨D when he changed to the currentrge carriage ¨D Hugin was not in sight.


    ¡°She joined us before daybreak. She seemed tired, so I let her rest in the carriage. I have received the report. Now what?¡±


    Perhaps hearing Hiro¡¯s mutterings, Ghada peeked into the carriage through the coachman¡¯s window.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll ask Hugin directly after she wakes up. And what about Munin?¡±


    ¡°He is holding the reins next to me. I told him to rest in the carriage, but he can¡¯t sleep in the presence of his natural enemy. Thus, he is doing his best in his tiredness.¡±


    ¡°If I go near Luca-neesan, she¡¯s very likely to beat me up¡­¡±


    It was Munin who followed Ghada with a voice that contained a lot of fatigue.


    ¡°If I am not careful, I will be asleep forever.¡±


    Hiro nodded sincerely. Apparently, Luca was not convinced that Munin was Hugin¡¯s brother. He was not sure if she was joking or serious, but she tried to turn him into a dead man at every turn.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll kill you, though, due to Hugin¡¯s presence.¡±


    As Hiro bit back a sore remark and replied, he heard Munin¡¯s small gasp.


    Next to him, Ghada was smiling a little.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough tormenting Munin. I¡¯m d you woke up just in time. The city of Garza is in sight.¡±


    ¡°Phew, finally, the long journey is over¡­ I miss my bed at Baum,¡± said Munin.


    Hiro opened his mouth again as he stretched his upper body with his arms raised above his head.


    ¡°Right. When we get to Garza, Munin can rest for a while.¡±


    ¡°Eh, Your Majesty, seriously?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be moving for a while. While we wait and see what happens, you can take your time and get your strength back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, iing, iing, I will spend some time in the tavern! I found a nice bar. They have delicious mead, and the dancers are cute. The bard¡¯s voice is so bitter that it makes my heart tremble. Though the asional brawl can be a pain in the ass!¡±


    ¡°Just do it in moderation¡­¡±


    Munin was usually aloof, but it was rare to see him burst with joy like this. Perhaps he had been up all night too long, and his thought process was disorganized.


    ¡°But anyway, how are the soldiers doing?¡±


    ¡°The Raven Army should be fine. We have marched for three days and three nights without sleep.¡±


    During the day and a half from the border to here, Hiro and his group had never built an encampment. They have marched without a single break. This was also due to the elected army that surrounds the ¡°Raven Army.¡± It seemed that the elected army didn¡¯t want Hiro and the others to get a wink of sleep. It could be called insidious harassment, but in a sense, it was bing a battle of endurance since they, too, were marching on without a wink of sleep.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember them resenting me that much.¡±


    Hiro tilted his hand around his neck.


    ¡°Ah¡­ that guy. That is because of thatmander named Torkil. Ever since then, they seem to hate the ¡°humans,¡± and it is rumored that Torkil was the first to agree to the damming of the Zahle River.¡±


    Hiro snorted in agreement with Munin¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°If it was a revenge thing¡­ a revenge for the murder of a family member, I could understand it.¡±


    ¡°Even the ¡°Dwarves¡± have a lot of self-esteem. If it¡¯s an elected army, that¡¯s even more so. So, once you damage their honor, it can be troublesome. Even if it is a grudge, they will not forget it until they die, even if it is against their own people.¡±


    Even in a bar, when they were like that ¨D as Munin said, their tongues moved a lot. The words seemed to flow out of them endlessly, and it was almost impossible to keep from listening to them.


    Against the backdrop of Munin¡¯s strangely uplifting list, Hiro looked out the window at the city of Garza.


    First of all, he was overwhelmed by the high city walls. The walls were so far up in the sky that even if you looked up over your head, you could not see the top without the back of your head touching the ground.


    The walls of the great imperial capital are also high, but evenpared to them, these were overwhelmingly tall.


    ¡°As expected of a city built by Dwarves¡­ it is difficult to attack.¡±


    Invaders would be discouraged from attempting to conquer the city just by looking at these high walls.


    The siege towers do not reach the breastworks, anddders are out of the question.


    Even if they tried to attack the walls, they would not be able to smash the thickly piled-up walls as hard as the earth, even if they used stone-throwers, bnced-weight stone-throwers, or giant crossbows. Even if they aimed at the gates with castle-breaking hammers, a huge number of fire arrows would surely fly from the watchtowers built at the top.


    ¡°There is also the option of hiring talented ¡°Dwarves¡± to build new siege weapons or be on the safe side,ying siege and starving the people inside.¡±


    A full-scale attack would be a long-term battle with arge military force. It would not be possible to crush them with a half-hearted effort.


    ¡°No, a water invasion would also be effective because of the proximity of the Zahle River.¡±


    If the country had enough money, it could hire people from the surrounding area, borrow ves from the Principality of Lichtine, and carry out civil engineering work to draw water, and it will soon be an isted ind onnd.


    ¡°Even so, it would be a waste to destroy it, considering the future governance of the country. It would be better to create an infiltrator and let the city copse from within so that it can be reused.¡±


    As he devises one scheme after another, Hiro continues to dive alone into the sea of his thoughts.


    ¡°The trouble is that we have to assume a long-term battle.¡±


    ¡°Why are you assuming that you are on the offensive?¡±


    Luca, who had been awake for some time, looked at Hiro with a haggard gaze.


    ¡°Oh, no, I was looking at the ramparts and felt as if I was being provoked to try to conquer them. Above all, isn¡¯t it a man¡¯s romance to climb over such high ramparts and crush the enemy?¡±


    ¡°Only you would reach such disturbing ramblings.¡±


    Still holding the sleeping Hugin from behind, Luca threw sharp words at Hiro.


    No ¨D Hugin was awake and asked Hiro for help with her thin eyes. She seemed to be unable to swallow the situation of being hugged by Luca and pretended to be asleep due to fear.


    As Hiro smiled at her, Ghada again peeked out of the window.


    ¡°It seems that only the elected army will lead the way from here on out. We were told to leave the ¡°Raven Army¡± behind, except for about ten cavalry escorts.¡±


    ¡°We will ept their request. I¡¯ll leave it to Ghada to sort out the guards. The rest of the men will set up camp and stand by.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Even if it was only 500, the army of another country might not be willing to let them enter the city. This was in case any problems arose, and since all countries are simr in this respect, there was no difort. However, since they had built such a wall, it would have been nice to see them show some tolerance rather than setting a limit of 10 cavalrymen to enter the castle.


    ¡°Well, whatever the case, I am d that we could get inside so easily.¡±


    Hiroughed eerily deep inside his mask.


    Luca saw this and looked out the window with a snort.


    The main gate, which was fitted to bore through the overwhelming city walls, revealed a stone city. Most of the buildings were made of piled stones, and the stumpy, massive buildings came into view.


    ¡°¡­I guess I¡¯ll have to retract my previousment. This looks like an easy ce to conquer.¡±


    Hiro, observing the city, muttered something, but Luca did not respond, as if her interest was not there.


    Still, the strange sight seemed to have aroused her curiosity.


    ¡°There are a lot of ¡®Dwarves¡¯ here.¡±


    ¡°The country used to be mainly popted by ¡°Dwarves.¡± Even so, most of them must have been half-human.¡±


    However, there are no other races in sight. The town was full of ¡°Dwarves,¡± and the atmosphere was not lively enough for the home of the Nidavellir faction.


    ¡°No wonder there are so many cksmiths, and it smells greasy.¡±


    ¡°It is said that everything they make is of first-ss quality. When a master craftsman reforges a weapon, it is said to beparable to a spirit weapon. There are even stories that they are as good as spirit weapons.¡±


    Hiro then pointed to the stalls lining the street.


    ¡°And you see, when they polish the ss, it shines like a jewel.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s quite a feat, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The stall¡¯s wares glowed like a kaleidoscope of colors in the sunlight, but they were absorbed by Luca¡¯s stagnant eyes and disappeared into the darkness. It seems that even the technology of the ¡°Dwarves¡± was unable to make her eyes shine.


    ¡°There seem to be a lot of empty houses. And all the stores on the streets seem to be run by the Dwarves.¡±


    ¡°It seems certain that other races are marginalized. The people who set up a store here must be rted to the ¡°elected army¡± or something.¡±


    Several stores had been cruelly destroyed in the streamingndscape. Traces of dried blood could also be seen. Whether it was looting by soldiers or a public uprising due to discrimination, either way, it is clear that a tragic event took ce.


    ¡°War can create suspicion, but it can also create unity. But in the Steichen Republic, which is a multicultural country, the former aspect seems to have been more pronounced.¡±


    Many of the stalls were selling shiny items, perhaps for tourists. However, no one was buying them, and the stalls were deserted. Also, the variety of goods began to change with each passing street. Weapons, armor, tea utensils, tableware, ornaments, and household goods are widely avable.


    However, if no one was to buy them, they are no different from stones lying on the roadside.


    ¡°There are a lot of wooden buildings around here. And they look gloomy.¡±


    The carriage had left the street and was now driving down a slightly rougher road.


    Around them was a series of what appeared to be wooden row houses where the people lived. They were in the process of being torn down.


    It seemed to be the center of the town, but as one might expect, the only people outside were ¡°Dwarves.¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps the city is being built with the war in mind. The areas close to the city walls are made of stone so that they will not burn even if shot with fire arrows.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anyone who can hit a fire arrow that can get over that wall¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for humans, but there¡¯s only one race that can do it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ those muddy guys¡­ Surely those Beastman could do it.¡±


    The western side of the Steichen Republic was mainly upied by the ¡°Beastman.¡± And the Jotunheim faction, which the Nidavellir faction opposed, belonged to the west side, which was naturally dominated by the ¡°Beastman.¡± With their amazing physical strength, they could easily shoot arrows to ovee the wall.


    ¡°But it is surprising that they have regained power after being persecuted to such an excessive degree. The ne of the first emperor is only effective against other races.¡±


    ¡°If ¡°other races¡± are an object of contempt for the Nidavellir camp, being told that you are a descendant of the first emperor is a reason to dislike you but not a reason to support you. In fact, there is a strong possibility that the number of people who are hostile to the emperor will increase.


    ¡°It seems there was less bacsh due to the intervention of other countries.¡±


    Hugin, who had given up pretending to be asleep, exined.


    ¡°Utgarde, who represents the Nidavellir camp, seems to have bribed senators to support him and strengthen the unity of the camp.¡±


    Many people in other countries worship the first emperor of the Great Grantz Empire. If he could attract their interest, it would be easy to get them to aid him. Then, if the money raised could be distributed among the greedy and influential, there would be few who would have second thoughts.


    ¡°As you saw in the city earlier, it seems that they have strengthened their ranks by forcibly conscripting other races and rebellious people. Those who resisted were thoroughly oppressed, and those who still refused to obey were executed, along with their families, by the elected army.¡±


    However, executions were carried out in the early days, and today, families were being held hostage and forced to obey. Some of the Nidavellir senators were ¡°Dwarves¡± who had grown tired of Utgarde because of the inhumane nature of the executions, and many of them supported the Jotunheim faction, but they too were forced toply because their families had been taken hostage.


    ¡°No mercy for one¡¯s own kind is¡­ the worst possible oue for those obsessed with power.¡±


    It is not the ¡°Dwarves¡± who have corrupted this country. It is the privileged ss of the elected army ¨D and Utgarde beyond them ¨D that was the root of all evil.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more annoying than a dictator with his wits about him¡­ it is truly iprehensible.¡±


    By using the prestige of the first emperor to attract the attention of the nations and to subdue those who rebelled by force, the Nidavellir faction was able to force its way back to power.


    (But the politics of fear does notst long. It always breaks down at some point. What follows repeated purges is the copse of a culture, the decline of a nation, and its destruction.)


    But the Jotunheim faction was still resisting. If they could prevail over the Nidavellir faction, the Steichen Republic would avoid copse and start over.


    ¡°Utgarde also let the Wise Brother into the country easily because he thinks a new financial supporter has appeared. If he invites Wise Brother as arade, the neighboring countries will also move to help him. He really is a very disgusting man.¡±


    Hugin¡¯s prediction would not be wrong.


    The Nidavellir camp must have invited Hiro with that intention from the beginning.


    ¡°Wise brother¡­ You won¡¯t be a part of the Nidavellir camp, will you?¡±


    Hugin¡¯s eyes were filled with anxiety. She probably knew that she didn¡¯t have to ask, but she still asked the question, probably because she knew of Hiro, who was adamant about the first emperor.


    As Hiro shifted his gaze, he saw Luca hugging Hugin from behind, exerting silent pressure on him. After giving a wry smile to Luca, who was ring at him, Hiro opened his mouth with a friendly air.


    ¡°You can rest assured. I have no intention of lending a hand to the Nidavellir camp. Even if this Utgarde is a descendant of the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s a relief to hear!¡±


    Hugin¡¯s happy smile blossomed, and Luca¡¯s murderous intent fizzled out along with it.


    ¡°I would like you to find out the whereabouts of those who are being held hostage. We can¡¯t release them unless we know where they are being held.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I will tell my men to look into it, along with the true identity of the descendants of the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    When Hiro nodded his head in satisfaction.


    ¡°Hah¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Good for you, Eagle.¡±


    ¡°Hoee!?¡±


    Hugin tried to reply cheerfully, but for some reason, Luca pushed her down on the floor and began to rub her cheeks. The tension that had been building up until a few minutes ago vanished without a trace.


    Hiro¡¯s gaze turned away from the flirtatious girls and upward to the coachman¡¯s window.


    A huge pce with the sky in the background jumped into his eyes.


    It was a magnificent structure made ofrge trees and rocks, like sculptures. Around the low white walls surrounding the pce, arge number of soldiers were patrolling, perhaps in preparation for a riot.


    The soldiers guarding the iron gates were signaled to open them with a heavy thud.


    The carriage of Hiro and the others drove off down the open road without any hesitation.


    When the entrance to the pce came into view, a crowd of people had gathered. Everyone was dressed as if they were wealthy.


    The ce shone with a vulgar light as if to say that the wealth of the world had gathered here.


    ¡°Jewelry is also very selective. When they wear them, those jewels be cloudy like stones on the roadside.¡±


    As Hiro was thinking this, Munin, who was sitting next to Ghada, peeked in through the window frame provided.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it looks like they are senators from the Nidavellir faction and some influential people from the neighborhood.¡±


    ¡°How spare they look, after being pushed around by the Jotunheim camp until recently!¡±


    ¡°It seems that the more power-hungry ¡°Dwarves¡± be, the more they like to adorn themselves. It is rumored that they have lost their pride and have forgotten how to fight. There is an underground tavern in the city where the persecuted gather, and it seems that even the ¡°Dwarves¡± who are not in the ¡°elected army¡± don¡¯t think well of the Nidavellir camp.¡±


    Then Munin let out a small groan and then hummed a song.


    ¡°Nidavellir has lost its pride, adorning itself with jewelry instead of oil, counting gold coins with its hammering right hand and grasping jewelry with its left hand that holds a pair of tinder chopsticks. It is a trick they can perform because they do not know the lives of those who live in the lower sses. How unafraid they were to sing at the top of their lungs!¡±


    Munin wiggled his reddened cheeks in embarrassment, but such gestures were not cute when made by a strong man with a face full of scars. Perhaps feeling the same way as Hiro, Hugin¡¯s face turned pale when she saw her brother¡¯s embarrassed face. Luca even began to emit miasma.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s appalling that even though people hate it that much, it doesn¡¯t get any better.¡±


    Hiro said it in a roundabout way, including a warning to Munin, but he was humming the words without meaning.


    ¡°Even if you call them ¡®Dwarves,¡¯ most of them are half-human, half-beastman. The privileged ss system, which only collects pure blood, is too old-fashioned. In fact, there seems to be little racial discrimination among themoners.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s include that in our use, shall we?¡±


    As Hiro was lost in thought, the carriage stopped at an inopportune moment.


    As soon as the door was opened, the sun was shining strongly.


    When Hiro quietly stepped outside, he was greeted by a group of ¡°Dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, His Majesty the ck Dragon King, our old ally! You have risen to save your friends from peril and havee here to defend the old pact!¡±


    The voice echoes with exaggerated movements as if it were theatrical. Coupled with their mboyant appearance, it was as if they were performing a vaudeville show.


    The representative of the ¡°Dwarves¡± came forward and kneeled down on one knee with his hand on his stomach.


    ¡°It is my first time meeting you. I am Utgarde, Lord of Garza. And I am a descendant of His Majesty Altius, the first emperor of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    Hiro showed his disgust by adding a wrinkle to the bridge of his nose, which was hidden by his mask.

 Volume 8, 3 – Dwarf And Beastman, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 3 - Dwarf And Beastman, Part 4</h4>


    Steichen Republic ¨D Jotunheim Territory Trillheim.


    The country once prospered as thend of the ¡°Beastman,¡± and the majority of the poption was ¡°Beastman¡± in terms of racial distribution. Jotunheim was located on the only ins in the Steichen Republic, and there was a clear horizon stretching out in all directions.


    To the west, the fertilends of Jotunheim are fertile granaries, and to the east was the fortified city of Gastropnir, which manages thergest hunting grounds in the world. There, horse breeding was being promoted to take advantage of the terrain, and the horses were exported to other countries, supporting the wealth of Jotunheim and, ultimately, the economy of the Steichen Republic.


    In other words, if the ¡°Dwarves¡± were masters of forging, the ¡°Beastman¡± were masters of breeding.


    The ¡°Dwarves¡± who make the best weapons and the ¡°Beastman¡± who raise the best ¡°warhorses¡± coexist.


    This was the reason why the Steichen Republic was able to bring stability and survive as a powerful nation.


    However, that was a story of the past, and now the two sides were engaged in an ugly conflict that hade to a gruesome end.


    It was in such a situation - on 17th June, the 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    Liz, the 6th princess of the Great Grantz Empire, had arrived in Trillheim, the stronghold of the Jotunheim territory.


    ¡°The stars seem so close.¡±


    The sun has set, and the sky was ckened by a darkening ledger covering the world.


    As if to show their resistance, the stars shone frantically to inform people of their whereabouts.


    On the ground overlooking the stars that emphasized their presence, a banquet was being held at the pce in the city of Trillheim.


    Arge tree that had been incorporated into the center of the garden was burning fiercely.


    Around it, people were dancing happily or enthusiastically with drinks in their hands.


    Although the war was in progress, everyone smiled merrily without worrying about tomorrow.


    This was a characteristic of the tribe. The ¡°Beastman¡± enjoyed everything. They are happy to be on the front lines in wars, and even at funerals, they seem to send off the deceased with a smile on their faces.


    They are physical people who try things out physically before thinking about difficult things.


    ¡°The white wolf is an unusual creature. I thought they only lived in the Eastern Archipgo.¡±


    Skadi, who united the Jotunheim faction of the Steichen Republic, threw the meat on the bone to Cerberus.


    Using her amazing leg strength to fly through the air, Cerberus sessfully bites into the bone¡¯s meat.


    ¡°Have you ever been to the Eastern Archipgo?¡±


    When Liz, who was sitting next to Skadi, posed the question, she shook her head with a barley wine in her hand.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve never been there. The Twelve Tribes that rule the Eastern Archipgo only ept pure-bloods. I¡¯ve heard that other tribes are driven away by force.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever wanted to go?¡±


    ¡°I thought about it in the past, but¡­ I don¡¯t know about now. It¡¯s a fantasynd now, a thousand yearster. No one can be sure if it really exists or not. The Southern and Eastern Archipgos will nevere back in this lifetime.¡±


    After slurping down her barley wine, Skadi turned her reddened cheeks to Liz. Even though it was only the first ss, the look in her eyes was not that of a weak drinker. It would be better not to drink yet.


    ¡°You can ask me a question if you like, princess. But can you answer my question first?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    ¡°Look, how did you get that white wolf?¡±


    Skadi pointed to the Cerberus, which was chewing on a bone.


    ¡°There¡¯s not exactly an inspiring tale that you can rejoice in. It¡¯s just that I happened to find her washed ashore, injured and I picked her up.¡±


    ¡°How could it be such a coincidence?¡±


    After raising her eyebrows dubiously but saying, ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s okay,¡± with an air of ease, Skadi downed the rest of the barley wine from her silver cup in one gulp. She then proceeded to eat the meat dishes with great gusto. On the other hand, Liz was quietly eating a pile of vegetables. She looked at the people dancing in the center of the garden as if she would not be able to finish her vegetables if she watched Skadi any longer.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s amazing. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a cheerful country.¡±


    Even though she doesn¡¯t mind a noisy meal, there was no way to dance around naked.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Aren¡¯t you having fun?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m having a great time. Just watching is really enough.¡±


    Noticing Skadi¡¯s action as she came to take her arm, Liz shifted her hips and moved away from her.


    ¡°Hmm, I guess ¡°Human¡± princesses have a strong sense of shame, huh?¡±


    ¡°Not that it matters if you¡¯re a princess or not, but besides, you have ¡°Human¡± blood in you, too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess. I am from a diverse family, so I have some ¡°Long-Eared¡± and ¡°Dwarves¡± in my blood. But my ¡°Beastman¡± blood is stronger, so I tend to prioritize fun over shame.¡±


    Tapping the horns on her own head with a steady finger, Skadi smiles.


    ¡°Well, like you, we¡¯re happy just to watch the noise.¡±


    Pouring more barleywine, Skadi squints and watches her subordinates dancing around the mes.


    Then she casually cut to the chase as if making small talk.


    ¡°Three days from now, I¡¯m leaving here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going with you. That¡¯s why I came here.¡±


    ¡°This time, I intend to invade the city of Garza, the stronghold of the Nidavellir faction.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure this is the right ce to talk about this?¡±


    Liz looks around to see if there are any spies lurking around, but Skadi¡¯s mouth turns up in a grimace.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m a good reader of signs, and I have a wild intuition. Besides, if someone were to overhear us in the middle of a ruckus like this, we¡¯d know it, wouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Then I wonder if it¡¯s safe¡­¡±


    She was so confident that Liz was strangely convinced.


    Especially because the topics of conversation switched from one to another and thereforecked a sense of urgency.


    ¡°Oh, your old man is being lifted up.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    She followed Skadi¡¯s gaze and saw Tris soaring high into the sky, surrounded by ¡°Beastman.¡± Every time the old soldier¡¯s body floated up, a drop of tears would spray out of his eyes.


    Liz couldn¡¯t help but burst out.


    ¡°¡­Fu-fufu, Tris looks so happy.¡±


    ¡°Eh, is that what you call crying with¡­ joy?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just afraid of heights.¡±


    Normally, she would have helped him out, but she often looked at him with a somewhat distant look in his eyes sinceing to the Steichen Republic. He had be less talkative and was often seen pondering.


    So, Liz had hoped for something like this to distract him somewhere along the way.


    Therefore, there was no stopping him. She was willing to leave Tris alone as long as he wouldugh, cry, get angry, and return to his normal, energetic self.


    ¡°He was scared and crying¡­ He¡¯s an old man with a big figure, but he¡¯s got a small heart.¡±


    Skadi tilted her silver cup and poured barley wine down her throat with Tris¡¯s crying face as a side dish.


    ¡°He has a surprisingly small heart.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, have you known him long?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s served me since I was very young.¡±


    Along with the now-deceased Dios, he served the sixth princess well, who was not expected to do so.


    Even though Liz had known him for a long time, she did not know what to give him to make him happy since he was not a person who wanted money.


    Seeing Liz in such a state, Skadi scratched her horns and sighed.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine to take care of your subordinates, but if it¡¯s from an early age, I can well understand your desire to spoil them. But you know, no matter how strong he is, he can¡¯t beat old age. Sometimes, like my father, you can be killed by assassins.¡±


    Skadi continued to speak, looking up at the night sky from where she sat.


    ¡°We can¡¯t fight together all the time. It is the duty of a superior to tell them that they are out of the war, so don¡¯t let them make the mistake of pulling out at the wrong time. Above all, he is a loyal retainer who is irreceable, so you should take even better care of him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll tell him eventually.¡±


    ¡°Well, from what I¡¯ve seen of the old man, he¡¯s well-trained and not likely to die.¡±


    You never know what will happen if you stand on the battlefield. Young and old are all equally lured to death in war. The weak live and the strong die, and vice versa. Dios, a brave general, was also a strong and robust young man, but he died in battle at a young age.


    ¡°Are you talking about Dios¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh¡­ well, I guess I just heard about it, and it didn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    Skadiy down on the spot and looked into the torchlight, biting back a sore throat.


    ¡°I have five brothers and sisters, all half-siblings. Among us, only Brother Dios has a ¡°Human¡± mother. So there is a difference in power between us. He felt quite small in the family.¡±


    Naturally, all living creatures, regardless of race, instinctively have a sense of self-respect.


    However, his self-esteem was shattered by the fact that he was born as a ¡°Human¡± in this country.


    ¡°Jotunheim is a region where there is less discriminationpared to Nidavellir, but it is different when you are the legitimate son of the chief of the ¡°Beastman.¡± Everyone was expecting Brother Dios to be a member of the Beastman. But when they found out that his physical abilities were mediocre, they were selfishly disappointed. But Brother Dios was stillpetitive, so he tried his best¡­ but the natural differences are not easy to fill. The expectations and pressures of those around him crushed him.¡±


    It was amon story,something that happened everywhere.


    A boy born into a prominent family with a strong sense of responsibility could not bear the weight of that responsibility.


    That¡¯s all there is to it.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t get along with our father, and he ran away from home and disappeared soon after. Our men tried to look for him, but my father told them to leave the family¡¯s disgrace alone. Well, my father was assassinated three years ago, and my brothers and I got involved. Since Brother Dios is no longer with us, we have taken over Jotunheim.¡±


    Liz was surprised to learn that Dios was in a simr situation to her. Could it be that Dios reached out to Liz because he saw his childhood self in her? No matter how much she thought about it, no clear answer woulde to her. The living can¡¯t know the thoughts of the deceased.


    ¡°Hey, princess, did you justpare your situation to his?¡±


    Liz¡¯s shoulders jumped in surprise when her mind was read. But then, she remembered that she had said earlier that she was good at that kind of thing.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s also called wild intuition?¡±


    When Skadi geot up, she waved her hand in front of her face and smiled.


    ¡°No, no, no, the princess¡¯s circumstances are well known. I just know it well.¡±


    Skadi stuck her index finger up Liz¡¯s nose.


    ¡°So again, Brother Dios ran away, but the princess didn¡¯t. It¡¯s totally different, so don¡¯t everpare yourself with him. You¡¯re amazing enough that you didn¡¯t run away.¡±


    Then Skadi, who let out a deep sigh of sorrow, looked at Liz with a sideways nce.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to ask you¡­ Ran away, ran away, ran away, and where he ran away, Brother Dios¨D¨D¡±


    Serious eyes turn to Liz. Her wolfish eyes gleamed in the moonlight.


    ¡°¨D¨DHas he gone as a warrior without running away?¡±


    A gust of wind blows. A gentle breeze seemed to take away the tears from Skadi¡¯s grief-stricken eyes.


    It caressed Liz¡¯s hair, stroked Skaasi¡¯s head, and blew past into the night sky.


    Liz looked up to follow it and noticed that the loud singing around her had be distant.


    The stars scattered over the night sky shone stronger than before and seemed so close that they were dancing down to the ground.


    Liz let out a smile and turned to Skadi with a serious face once again.


    ¡°Yes, an honorable end for a warrior.¡±


    Not to be missed, Liz said forcefully, without being drowned out by the mor around her.


    Perhaps her sincere words were understood, and Skadi¡¯s mouth was tearing into a smile of happiness from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡°I see ¨D a warrior, huh?¡±


    Shaking her back, Skadi raised the silver cup vigorously into the night sky as if exploding with unbearable joy.


    ¡°Then I have nothing more to say. For the Beastman, there is no greater pride than to die as a warrior.¡±


    ¡°Is that right¡­? It was my fault he¨D¨D¡±


    Liz could not get thest word out.


    Skadi grabbed her by the chin.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my enemy or anything. It doesn¡¯t matter if I hate you or not.¡±


    ¡°Defuh¨D¡±


    ¡°What I wanted to ask from the beginning was whether or not Brother Dios was able to die as a warrior. Don¡¯t take it so seriously.¡±


    Skadi¡¯s words were rough, but her voice was packed with gentleness.


    ¡°Nod if you understand, or I¡¯ll crush you in my grip like this.¡±


    She had serious eyes that could not be taken as a joke. Liz¡¯s confused jaw creaked as if to scream.


    She may have been drunk, and she must have been mistaken about the degree of her intoxication.


    Puzzled, Liz nodded, and her jaw finally released.


    As Liz checked to see if the bones were intact, Skadi gave her a gentle look.


    ¡°A man died a warrior, so you send him off with a smile on your face. You may not understand it, princess, but that is the custom in Jotunheim.¡±


    Then she thrust the silver cup into the night sky with renewed vigor.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very instinctive and animalistic way of thinking.¡±


    With that, Skadi stood up and began to undress.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s dance too. Only today is special. We have to celebrate my brother Dios.¡±


    The clothes were so ufortable to wear that they easily covered up the healthy, toned skin ¨D just in front of the skin.


    Liz pulled up a cloth from the desk and tossed it to Skadi.


    ¡°You are a woman; you should be modest.¡±


    Liz uttered the same line that someone, somewhere, had said.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    Steichen Republic ¨D Garza, Nidavellir territory.


    It was after midnight, and the streets werepletely empty of people. The chirping of insects was very noisy at this time of night.


    In the midst of the buzzing night air, the town was quiet as if it were a vigil.


    In contrast, Garza¡¯s pce was morous and bright as day with flickering torch mes.


    In such a pce, Hiro and his group were killing time in a room that had been prepared for them.


    Hiro was sitting on his bunk. In front of him, Ghada was sitting cross-legged.


    Luca was by the window, sitting in the moonlight, with a nket over her head in a triangr position, looking at Hiro.


    ¡°Where are Munin and Hugin?¡±


    Hiro asks Ghada.


    ¡°Hugin was in touch with the spies that have infiltrated into this city. As for Munin, you gave him a leave of absence, didn¡¯t you? He¡¯s probably drinking at one of the illegal bars in town right now.¡±


    Ghada, arms crossed, looked up at Hiro, who was sitting on the bunk.


    ¡°Have you been able to be more certain than that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know because I haven¡¯t seen it in my hand. But I think that ne belonged to the first emperor.¡±


    ¡°Then does that mean he really is a descendant?¡±


    And at Ghada¡¯s question, Hiro tilted his head and groaned.


    He was a man who had a lot of colorful affairs to the extent that he would make a move on the queens and princesses of the countries he invaded.


    It would not be surprising if he had a ¡°Dwarf¡± partner.


    ¡°What would you do if he¡¯s telling the truth about the lineage of the first emperor?¡±


    ¡°Hugin asked me the same thing, but as for me, I¡¯m not going to help him. But if he is a descendant of the first emperor, there is still a possibility that he could live as one of the pawns.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do if it goes wrong?¡±


    ¡°Then, of course, he will get what he deserves.¡±


    ¡°Then we can only hope that Hugin will return with some information.¡±


    If you don¡¯t have any doubts, there¡¯s no problem. Then, as if to say so, Ghada shrugs his shoulders and changes the subject.


    ¡°I have just received a report that the little girl has joined up with the Jotunheim camp. Furthermore, I hear that soldiers are gathering one after another from all over the country in Jotunheim headquarters, Trillheim.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just sit tight until things get moving. We can do nothing if Utgarde doesn¡¯t make a move.¡±


    After hearing Hiro¡¯s words, Ghada nodded and stood up to go out of the room.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d have a drink with my men who are camped out. We should give them a little extra care, and we can¡¯t give special treatment to Munin alone.¡±


    ¡°Then you can spend your war funds as you wish and serve the soldiers their drinks.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be on my way then, but call me right away if you need anything else.¡±


    As Ghada put his hand on the room door, Hiro threw a word that he had forgotten to say to him.


    ¡°Yes, yes, just be prepared, please. No more changes to the n.¡±


    ¡°¡­Got it.¡±


    And then Ghada announced and left the room, and Hiro, who had seen him off,y down on his bunk.


    He was deep in thought. How do they connect, how do they connect, and how do they rte to reaching their goal?


    Before that, an essential thing came to mind.


    (If Utgarde was not a descendant of Altius, I wonder who was behind him and¡­ how the first emperor¡¯s ne was obtained and handed to him.)


    A relic of the first emperor was not an easy thing to obtain.


    It was possible that the crime wasmitted by someone rted to the Grantz family ¨D or even one of the five great nobles.


    Also, two years ago, on the day that A deadly de killed prime Minister Gils ¨D he had heard that intruders had appeared at the emperor¡¯s gravesite at that time as well. So what was stolen on that day would be known only to Liz, the next emperor, and Rosa, the newly appointed prime minister?


    (Is there a possibility of ck Death Vige¡­?)


    Thanks to the concerted efforts, some information on the ¡°ck Death Vige¡± has been gathered.


    Above all, it was a great sess that they were able to sense the presence of ¡°him.¡± If not, Hiro¡¯s faking his death in the battle against the Six Kingdoms would have been in vain.


    (He still went into hiding underground again, but¡­ he¡¯s good at hiding at all. So I¡¯ll find him, and next time I¡¯ll use my hands¡­).


    Hiro brought his own hand in front of his face and removed the mask before touching his right eye.


    (Altius¡­ what you left me has helped me a lot.)


    The candlestick fire had somehow gone out.


    The small, faint light illuminating Hiro¡¯s face came from a candle on a stand beside his bunk.


    Only his golden eyes, which shone brightly in the dark night, continued to flicker in the darkness with the air of a king.


    ¡°Do you not sleep?¡±


    A low, icy voice was heard. Its source was under Hiro¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you sleep?¡±


    Moving awkwardly, like a broken mechanical doll, the one-armed Luca was crawling up Hiro¡¯s body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it a bit before I go to bed. But, then, you can sleep too.¡±


    Luca, covered with a nket, stops moving. She turned her eyes, which were darker than darkness and filled with the abyss, toward Hiro.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in me going to bed before you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, too. Or else you can¡¯t kill me¡­¡±


    Hiro smiles bitterly. Seeing him, Luca tilted her head with a nk expression on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    Hiro¡¯s speech became weak.


    Perhaps he was more tired than he had thought, or perhaps he was rapidly bing drowsy.


    ¡°Fuh¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help butugh at how carefree he was, even though his life was in danger.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I just think it¡¯s a really strange situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have iting? You created this situation?¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ Ah, yes, Luca¡­ that question you just asked.¡±


    Hiro smiled to himself and replied,


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know how I, too, can die¡­¡±


    Slowly he sank into the darkness.

 Volume 8, 4 – News from the Wind, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 4 - News from the Wind, Part 1</h4>


    Steichen Republic ¨D Trillheim, Jotunheim Territory.


    It was just after dawn when the morning mist had yet to clear, and a great number of soldiers were lined up at the main gate of Trillheim.


    They were the soldiers that the senators of the Jotunheim faction had called in from all over the region in preparation for the decisive battle against the Nidavellir faction. They were a diverse array of people of all kinds of armor and race, all of them fearless in their anticipation of the future as they awaited the word of their departure for battle.


    Some of them had suffered severe torture by the elected army. Some had had family members killed and wished for revenge; some had decided to join because they were concerned about oppression, some were seeking advancement, and the armycked any semnce of unity.


    However, the passion that wells up in their hearts may not be strong, but it is overflowing with a spirit that more than makes up for it.


    A short distance away from Jotunheim¡¯s army, the forces of the Great Grantz Empire were forming a line. Liz was at the head of an army of 5,000 men, including 2,000 Order of the Rose, which is said to be one of the finest soldiers in the Fourth Imperial Army, and 3,000 Grantz¡¯s cavalrymen lent by the Muzuk family.


    Next to her was Tris, mounted, and on the ground, Cerberus was scratching her neck with her hind legs.


    Then a man arrived.


    ¡°Her Highness Celia Estre, I am sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Brutus.¡±


    This man, Brutus, who saluted her with a Grantz-style salute, was introduced to her by Vetu, the head of the Muzuk family. Liz felt ufortable with the man¡¯s slender physique and somewhat graceful appearance.


    ¡°Do you have a title?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±


    The answer was immediate. There was no change in his expression. There was no indication that he was lying.


    Still unable to shake off the strange feeling of difort, Liz asked him a series of questions.


    ¡°Do you have any siblings?¡±


    ¡°I have no parents or siblings. They were killed by bandits about two years ago. I lost my house, my farm, everything at that time.¡±


    The fire of vengeance burned deep in Brutus¡¯ eyes. Liz felt as if it were directed at her, and she felt her whole body militate.


    ¡°But, Lord Vetu picked me up when I was on the street. I feel ted that I can repay that great debt by being of service to Your Highness on this asion!¡±


    Brutus snorted wildly and gripped the hilt of his sword with a trembling hand as if to suppress his emotions. Then, feeling guilty for bringing up a heartbreaking memory, Liz utters an apology.


    ¡°I made you tell me a painful story. Forgive me.¡±


    ¡°No, I hope you don¡¯t mind¡­ But, more importantly, as you have probably heard about this matter, Lord Vetu has asked me to assist Your Highness in any way I can, including showing you the way. May I have your permission to apany you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Vetu has told me all about it. Soe and join our ranks.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to risk my life to aplish this mission.¡±


    Someone intervened between them.


    ¡°Message to Celia Estre-dono! This is a message from Skadi-sama. Where is Celia Estre-dono?¡±


    ¡°Over here!¡±


    Liz responded by raising her hand, and the messenger approached with vigor.


    ¡°We will be leaving shortly. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°No problem. Could you tell Skadi-dono that, please?¡±


    ¡°Yes, definitely.¡±


    The messenger turned his horse around and rode back under Skadi, raising a cloud of dust.


    ¡°Tris!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Princess, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to move out. Keep your spirits up. The Grantz Empire is on this side, and we cannot afford the dishonor of defeat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the morale of the soldiers is perfect. They are not overawed, and I expect they are feeling just the right amount of tension, for this battle is an opportunity to show the power of our Grantz!¡±


    This was a battle that will make the power of the Great Grantz Empire, which had been silent for two years, known to the rest of the world once again. The other countries knew that the ground of the Great Grantz Empire was shaking due to the deaths of the imperial family members with the right to seed to the throne one after another in battle. Furthermore, after the announcement to the world that the emperor had fallen ill in order to conceal his death, the other countries began to target the territory of the Grantz Empire aggressively. One of the reasons why the other countries were still standing by and not moving was because of the misinformation and false reports that have been spread by a series of incidents that urred in the Great Grantz Empire. In order to keep a check on such foreign countries, a defeat was uneptable. Above all, they must bring victory to Jotunheim in order to defeat the intentions of Vetu, who was aiming for power.


    When Liz¡¯s red eyes shed with a hint of supremacy, a horn was blown.


    Unlike Grantz¡¯s style, it was high-pitched. A shout of enthusiasm was also released from the Jotunheim army. Their exploding emotions split the air to the point of irritating the skin as theyunched a loud sound that pierced through the clouds.


    Liz took several deep breaths to calm her mind as she listened to the raging sound that echoed far and wide. Then, with a sideways nce, she saw Jotunheim¡¯s army moving.


    ¡°March.¡±


    She gave the order, vigorously drew the ¡°me Emperor¡± from its sheath.


    As soon as Liz made her move, the Grantz soldiers moved without a stitch of disruption, quietly,pared to the mboyant Jotunheim army. But the tion that enveloped them was simmering in the silence.


    From now on, they would be heading for Garza, the stronghold of the Nidavellir faction, which was known to be impregnable.


    Liz called out to Tris, who was running alongside her.


    ¡°Tris, are you nervous? It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve been on the battlefield, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m getting heated up despite all my age.¡±


    Trisughed, tapping the back of his head in embarrassment.


    Liz looks at Tris with concern. Perhaps it was because she had felt the atmosphere of war for the first time in a long time, but she felt that Tris was too preupied.


    Even so, she could not tell him not to be reckless.


    She had known Tris for a long time and was familiar with his personality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take credit away from the young soldiers by being overzealous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ hard to say. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been on the battlefield.¡±


    Tris muttered sadly with a distant look in his eyes, and his mouth tightened in frustration.


    ¡°I was unable to participate in the battle against the Six Kingdoms. That is why I will notpromise this time.¡±


    Two years ago, Tris¡¯s high spirits began to diminish rapidly.


    Compared to his peak years, there is a huge difference.


    The reason is obvious: old age.


    Tris used to be such a strong and tough old soldier that even a bunch of active-duty soldiers could not match him. It is impossible for him to keep up with Liz¡¯s rapid running now.


    Liz had witnessed Tris training alone on several asions.


    Still, he was losing strength, and his muscles were getting weaker as the months went by.


    That must be what makes him itch. When asked to apany her on this expedition, Tris has repeatedly wished with ghastly expressions on his face that she would take him along, even if it meant staying at the back of the line.


    This continued until the day before they left when Liz finally relented and allowed Tris to apany them.


    It would be nice if this battle could restore his confidence, but Liz thought it wouldl be no match for him.


    The other side was an army of mainly ¡°Dwarves.¡± It would be a difficult opponent for Tris, who was beginning to show signs of decline among the ¡°Humans.¡± Tris smiled wryly as if he could sense that Liz was thinking like that.


    ¡°Princess, there is no need to hesitate. Treat me as you would any other soldier. I know very well that I am useless to you now.¡±


    Being old, he is no longer a match for standing and fighting next to Liz. But that doesn¡¯t mean he can¡¯t fight.


    ¡°I am a third-ranked military officer andck the experience and rank to live as amander.¡±


    In Tris¡¯ case, rank and treatment were out of proportion.


    Although he is a close associate of Liz, who is considered to be the next emperor, his rank is that of a third-grade military officer. This discrepancy makes the 500- and 1,000-banner chiefs, who are higher in rank than Tris, shrink away from him. Therefore, he could not be assigned as a unitmander, nor could he stand and fight next to Liz because of his old age. That said, he was not a self-serving man who wanted to use Liz¡¯s power to advance his career.


    ¡°I was prepared for this. I don¡¯t care if I can¡¯t be on the front line.¡±


    Tris drew the sword at his waist. He must have never missed a day of cleaning it.


    Not a speck of dirt, not a chip on the de, reflecting the sun¡¯s rays as it poured down to the earth.


    ¡°I leave everything to your decision, Your Highness.¡±


    Although Liz did not want to see a timid Tris, there was nothing she could do to stop time for him.


    No one can resist. Only God can stop the flow of time.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Liz nodded emphatically to Tris and looked forward.


    Despite her feelings, the sky was clear, and the hot sun was shining.

 Volume 8, 4 – News from the Wind, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 4 - News from the Wind, Part 2</h4>


    20th June, 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Steichen Republic ¨D Garza, Nidavellir Territory.


    The city was quiet as usual, but the pce was unusually hectic.


    Many people with pale faces came and went between rooms and then ran out withrge bags in their hands. Instead of doing their assigned tasks, the servants were running down the corridors in a hurry, carrying their furoshiki (wrapping cloths) and other things. Many carriages were parked in front of the pce, and people were boarding them as if they were being sucked in, and horses were neighing as they departed.


    In the middle of the pce, where even such angry voices were flying around, there was a room where a cloud of dust was rising.


    A boy with a strange mask on ¨D Hiro shook his head, still drowsy.


    ¡°Huh¡­ it¡¯s morning already?¡±


    He sat upon the rubble of his bunk and yawnedzy and absent-mindedly. His eyes, still hazy, turned to the window, where a group of small birds were resting their wings.


    It seems like a peaceful start to the day, but a loud noise from outside caused all the birds to p their wings in unison.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    It is not about the shattered bunk but about the hectic pce.


    Hiro¡¯s gaze was fixed on a woman standing by the wall in a room that had been the scene of a horrific crime scene, with a nk expression on her face. It was Luca, who, shaking the sleeve of one of her lost arms, let her expressionless face drift away forever.


    ¡°Who knows¡­ I was only looking at you, so I don¡¯t care about anything else.¡±


    Had her cheeks been dyed red as well, any man might have misunderstood her and developed a colorful love affair.


    But Luca said this expressionlessly with eyes that had lost their light.


    Moreover, her voice was filled with murderous intent. This would never be mistaken regardless of how it was interpreted.


    ¡°No, if the corridor was so noisy, wouldn¡¯t it bother you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me at all?¡±


    There is no room for argument. Having been prodded, Hiro had no choice but to fall silent.


    Just as the air was beginning to feel somewhat delicate, not to say awkward, a flurry of activity could be hearding from the corridor. Luca, who had heard the sound of armor, tried to get into a fighting stance, but Hiro stopped her with his hand.


    At the same time, the door was opened vigorously.


    ¡°Oh, our old allies,rades bound together by firm bonds! We are sorry for making such a fuss. It must have made you uneasy!¡±


    It¡¯s Utgarde, as usual, appearing as if in a vaudeville performance. However, unlike thest time Hiro met him, he was dressed in shining golden armor and had a sword at his waist that was richly adorned with jewels. Behind Utgarde, wearing such tacky gear, were two other soldiers, also heavily armed, and Torkil, the border guard captain who had escorted Hiro and the others to the pce.


    (Gold armor¡­ It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s capable, but this just makes him a target.)


    It¡¯s not bad for amander to stand out. If it stands on the front line, the troops will be inspired. However, it is not as if a man like him, who seems to have never held a sword before, is standing on the front line.


    ¡°Utgarde-dono, judging from your attire, will you be standing on the front lines?¡±


    When Hiro asked the question, Utgarde lifted his shoulders in surprise.


    ¡°No way, I¡¯ll just stay in the back and wait for the victory, but it wouldn¡¯t be an honor to be on the front line like the ¡°Humans¡± and the ¡°Beastman,¡± right?¡±


    Then he should be calmly equipped and confined to the main camp as if he were attending a funeral.


    (It would only demoralize the soldiers if you were the only one in a safe ce.)


    That said, Utgarde would only be outraged. So, Hiro only looked at him with cold eyes, as if he were staring at a stinking person.


    ¡°But, ck Dragon King-dono, what is the matter with this room? It looks as if you were attacked by someone or something¡­?¡±


    Utgarde looked at the devastation in the room and gave him a doubtful look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I broke it when I got into an argument with her. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to get a new bunk.¡±


    When Hiro unhurriedly lied in hushed tones, Utgarde looked at Luca and thenughed hysterically.


    ¡°Hahaha, you seem to be quite an intense person. Very well, I will have one of my servants prepare it for youter.¡±


    There was not the slightest doubt about Hiro¡¯s words. It would be fair to say that he was a ¡°Dwarf¡± who did not care about details, but it would be more urate to say that he did not have time to worry about such trivial matters. Utgarde, who had stopped smiling, looked at him with a hint of impatience.


    ¡°But more importantly, ck Dragon King-dono, it seems that the Jotunheim people have begun their march. So we, the Nidavellir, are going out to intercept them.¡±


    Hiro listened to Utgarde¡¯s words in silence.


    Everyone knows that he used the authority of the first emperor to raise money and seize people¡¯s hearts. It is the pathetic hunk of gold standing before him who is overconfident in his own abilities.


    If that is the case, his next words were predictable.


    ¡°What about ck Dragon King-dono? If possible, I would like you toe with me.¡±


    Advertise to other countries that the small country of Baum is on their side. Others may want to use Hiro¡¯s presence to cut off the Jotunheim camp.


    If the small country of Baum had something to gain, Hiro would have been happy to lend a helping hand, but there was nothing to gain but it would only lower their reputation in the region. So, after a moment of contemtion, Hiro shook his head.


    ¡°No, let me refrain from doing so. The number of soldiers we have brought with us is only five hundred. Even if I borrowed soldiers from Utgarde-dono and led them, I don¡¯t think they would follow me.¡±


    When he gave a clear reason, Utgarde¡¯s face fell, and he thought about it.


    Still, he wanted Hiro to follow him, which was conveyed through his shadowed, invisible face.


    ¡°We are here to negotiate trade, not to cooperate with you. But, above all, our escort of five hundred will only slow down the brave ¡°Dwarves.¡± So let us wait here to hear your report of the victory.¡±


    Hiro inwardly wished that he could lift Utgarde as much as possible and get the hell out of there.


    It is not clear whether he understood this or not, but Utgarde nodded repeatedly as if delighted about it.


    ¡°Then, please wait for me at the pce. We will return soon after we have made a bloodbath of those fools. But now that we are in a time of war, I cannot allow you to move freely.¡±


    Utgarde put his hand to his forehead with an exaggerated hand gesture and made amenting gesture.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but may I suggest that you allow us to monitor you and restrict your movements while you are staying at the pce?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s as it should be; I have no objection.¡±


    ¡°Then I will leave him here.¡±


    Utgarde pointed to Torkil. He was still ring at Hiro in a rude manner. Still, he remained calm on the surface, and after bowing reverently to Utgarde, he turned to Hiro.


    ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s my pleasure.¡±


    After throwing a few words at Torkil, who bowed to him, Hiro asked Utgarde a question.


    ¡°By the way, the pce seems to be noisy from a while ago, is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Since war is about to begin, we are in the process of removing those who are in the way and preparing to evacuate the influential people in the neighborhood here. Therefore, it is not for you to worry about.¡±


    After waving his hand in front of his face, Utgarde turned on his heel.


    ¡°Then, ck Dragon King-dono, I will leave you here. The war council will be starting soon.¡±


    Utgarde and his party leave the room in the same hurry as when they arrived.


    When the door was closed ¨D Hiro was eerily emotionless under his mask.


    ¡°I¡¯m speechless with dismay that they would send their servants away¡­ just to evacuate the influential people, even though they are not an elected army.¡±


    As he positioned his mask to suppress his anger, Hiro felt a presence behind him and turned around.


    ¡°Well, what were the results?¡±


    ¡°It is written here. Perhaps the result is as Wise Brother had imagined.¡±


    In front of Hiro, Hugin was on one knee with her hands raised above her head.


    On top of both hands was a sheet of the report, which Hiro picked up and quickly read through.


    ¡°Huh¡­ I see.¡±


    Hiro gave a smallugh and shifted his gaze to Hugin, who was waiting for the gist of it.


    ¡°It was a good job. Tell your men to continue to do the same.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    He patted Hugin¡¯s head, who smiled happily and put his hand on the tip of his chin, letting the thoughts flow out of his mouth without hesitation as he went over the next steps in his mind.


    ¡°Hugin, I want you to head down to Ghada, who is encamped outside the city walls, and tell him to start the n.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°From here on, it¡¯s a race against time. So tell Munin that, too.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    After sending a cheerful reply, Hugin jumped out of the window of the room.


    ¡°You look very sad, huh?¡±


    As Hiro watched Hugin off, Luca, who had been silent up to this point, approached.


    ¡°Does it look that way to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what did the report say?¡±


    Luca asked if she was curious about the letter¡¯s contents, but Hiro only smiled back.


    ¡°It was very funny and amusing.¡±


    But Hiro¡¯s eyes never smiled.

 Volume 8, 4 – News from the Wind, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 4 - News from the Wind, Part 3</h4>


    26th June, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The sky was clear and refreshing. There was no sign of rain and not a single cloud was in sight.


    A strong wind was blowing through thend, and birds were pping their wings, letting the air currents do the work for them.


    The Steichen Republic - near Locke. This ce wouldter be noted down as the historical turning point of Steichen. However, it was still a nameless ce with sparse forests, and no one knew which way the victory would turn out.


    Arge amount of dust was rising from the ground. They were splitting to the west and the east as if they werepeting to make the most smoke and were turning the sky an endless brown.


    ¡°We got a good spot.¡±


    Holding down her wind-tossed sideburns with one hand, Liz looked out over the battlefield from the top of a small hill.


    Her aide, Tris, an old soldier, stood next to her with a stern look on his face.


    ¡°The view is good, but¡­ there are a few blind spots that stand out.¡±


    There were a few ces where they could not see from the hill due to the sparse forests.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to form a scouting partyter and have them search the area.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It is a good thing we can still see Jotunheim¡¯s main camp.¡±


    Jotunheim¡¯s main camp was one cell (three kilometers) away from Grantz¡¯s main camp, to the right.


    The enemy, Nidavellir, was also well prepared, and the battle cry could be heard from their main camp built on a hill about three cells (nine kilometers) away. However, Nidavellir¡¯s main army, which was spread out a short distance below, was quiet, with no disorder in its ranks, but morale was visibly low.


    ¡°There seems to be a significant difference in morale between the main camp and the main army of Nidavellir. Could it be that the main army of Nidavellir has been organized by those whose families were taken hostage?¡±


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a strong possibility. But we must not have any sympathy for them. If they do not win, they will not be able to liberate their families.¡±


    ¡°¡­You are right. Above all, they will fight hard for the sake of their families. Even if their morale is low, we can¡¯t let our guard down.¡±


    Liz said, and she and Tris entered a simple tent that was surrounded on all sides.


    Around the long table, the thousand g captains stand with their staff, leaving the honorary seat empty.


    After returning their salutes, Liz walked to the top and looked around at those gathered.


    ¡°Are any of you feeling self-conscious?¡±


    Liz made a confirmation gesture, and the thousand g captains, including the staff members, who had a fierce atmosphere, straightened their posture. They seemed to be nervous, but they were not overawed, and they were filled with just the right amount of enthusiasm.


    ¡°Good, then, let¡¯s begin the war council. I¡¯ll leave it to you, Tris, to be the facilitator.¡±


    Liz called out to Tris, who was standing behind her.


    ¡°Very well. I, Tris von Tarmier, will be the one to exin.¡±


    He stepped forward reverently and tapped the tip of his baton against the map spread out on the long table.


    ¡°First of all, our friends in Jotunheim report that the Nidavellir army is about 30,000 strong, of which 20,000 are in the front line, and the remaining 10,000 are in the main camp. Since the army is mainly made up of ¡°Dwarves,¡± it is expected that heavy infantry will make up the bulk of the force and that they will use a formation simr to that of the main army.¡±


    Tris quickly set up a piece for the Nidavellir army and then a piece for Jotunheim¡¯s army.


    ¡°Jotunheim, on the other hand, has about 20,000 troops. They are expected to throw almost all of their forces into the main battlefield. Since they are mainly cavalry, they will make the most of their mobility.¡±


    Thest piece ced was Grantz¡¯s army. Tris moved his piece eastward in time with his words.


    ¡°Let me begin by exining the role of our army, the Grantz army. The Jotunheim side has requested that we bypass the battlefield and first drop the enemy¡¯s main camp, then use that momentum to break into the main battlefield and smash the unsettled enemy main army from behind.¡±


    Liz spun words to supplement Tris¡¯s words.


    ¡°While Jotunheim¡¯s army is drawing Nidavellir army, Grantz army should drop the enemy¡¯s main camp and raid the enemy¡¯s main army from the rear ¨D and then cooperate with Jotunheim army tounch a pincer attack, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. They are going to let us have some flowers for future diplomacy, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Liz nodded as she listened and opened her mouth, tracing the map with her finger.


    ¡°Then, let me take your word for it. We will bypass the enemy¡¯s main camp as requested and drop the enemy¡¯s main army. Then we will make a pincer attack on the enemy¡¯s main army to change the battle situation at once and end the battle.¡±


    Once she had cut off her words, Liz requested a new piece from Tris and put it on the map.


    ¡°Before we do that, as a matter of course, we don¡¯t know much about geography. So if they take advantage of our blind spot and try to get behind us, we will be in trouble.¡±


    If the enemy forces were to bypass their main army ande after the main camp, there was a good chance that they would encounter the Grantz army. In addition, there may be other ambush soldiers hiding in the forests scattered around the area. In that case, they would want tounch a preemptive attack.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s get the scouts ahead of them first. As soon as we spot enemy forces, we will aim for the enemy¡¯s main camp, with the intention of destroying them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have the Jotunheim side send someone who knows the geography.¡±


    One of the staff members suggested this, and Liz nodded her head in approval.


    ¡°Let¡¯s also organize a scouting party and have them watch out for the area around the Grantz main camp.¡±


    Liz was about to select a few people to lead the scouting party.


    ¡°Your Highness, could you please leave this to me?¡±


    Brutus came forward. He was the one whom Vetu had sent to help them.


    ¡°We can¡¯t ask Jotunheim to send a guide just for the purpose of scouting, can we? In that respect, I am familiar with this area, and I think there will be no problem in terms of personnel selection.¡±


    Although Liz was a little uneasy about entrusting him with a unit because of his uncertain abilities, he certainly knew the geography of the Steichen Republic better than anyone else present at the meeting. However, Liz sensed something dangerous about him. He had been sent by Vetu, and it seemed dangerous to put her trust in him. But it was also true that she could not turn her back on him.


    Tris, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward in front of Liz, who was about to open her mouth after much deliberation.


    ¡°I will lead the scouting party. Besides, I have more battle experience than anyone here.¡±


    Tris took one look at Brutus, then looked at the map and opened his mouth again.


    ¡°We have a good idea of where the enemy might be hiding, but being on the safe side, would you be willing to assist me, Brutus-dono?¡±


    Tris smiled wryly and meaningfully as if he had seen through Liz¡¯s expression.


    ¡°¡­Well, then, I¡¯ll leave you a hundred soldiers. Brutus will be your assistant.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Tris, happy to be of service to Liz, gave his first high-spirited reply in a long time. He then turned to Brutus and held out his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you, Brutus-dono.¡±


    ¡°You can count on me. I have been here long enough to know the roads that are not marked on the map.¡±


    Liz saw Brutus and Tris shake hands and threw a few words at them.


    ¡°Tris, Brutus, I¡¯ll leave you two to it. If you sense anything out of the ordinary, raise the signal.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    They sent a brisk reply and then dropped to one knee and bowed their heads in ce. Liz nodded in satisfaction, then instructed one of the staff members to hurry up and organize a scouting party.


    ¡°Then, Tris, Brutus, you too must get ready at once.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Tris and the others quickly left the tent.


    After seeing them off, Liz opened her mouth to themander of the Fourth Imperial Army.


    ¡°Are the Knights of the Rose ready?¡±


    ¡°They are ready to go out at any time.¡±


    ¡°Then, as originally nned, the 2,000 Knights of the Rose and the 1,000 Grantz Cavalry will head for the enemy¡¯s main camp. The rest of the 1,900 cavalry will hold the main camp.¡±


    Liz then sent instructions to the staff one after another and gave words of encouragement to the thousand g captains.


    This time, Liz would not go to the front. Instead, she wouldmand from the main camp.


    If Aura had been here, she would have gone to the front, but there were no military officers present who could take charge of the main camp.


    ¡°The war council is now over. Themander should return to hismand with the thousand banner captains. As soon as the Jotunheim army moves, we will begin our march.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Those who received the order from Liz started to move at once. The surroundings became hectic at once, but Liz sat quietly in her chair in the midst of it all.


    ¡°It makes me feel indescribable to just wait for the oue.¡±


    This was just a battle that the Steichen people wanted to stabilize their country, and the Grantz intervened on their own to use it for their own power struggle. Although it was something she did not like to think about, she would y a supporting role so that she could remain unaware in the event that the war is lost.


    ¡°I have to thank the Skadi for that.¡±


    Even though she knew what they were trying to do here, she had given Grantz a mission so important that it would affect the war situation in order to make Grantz bloom. She was aw-abiding woman who could have simply let them rot in the rear without being told anythingter ¨D or perhaps she was a person ofrge capacity.


    ¡°But then again, she¡¯s a bold woman.¡±


    For Grantz, Steichen was a foreign country, and they¡¯re not familiar with the geography.


    That being said, there was no way they would be able to coordinate with each other even if they were incorporated into the Jotunheim army.


    ¡°Therefore, Skadi decided to operate the Jotunheim and Grantz armies separately.¡±


    Skadi, who had given such an important mission to the Grantz, to raid the enemy¡¯s main camp, was either bold or rough, and even though it had only been two weeks since they had met, it was clear that she trusted them so much that it made them embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll live up to her expectations ¨D but¡­¡±


    It is also true that because she was in a foreign country, she felt a strange sense of excitement. That is why Liz chose not to move from the main camp.


    Liz looked again at the map spread out on the long desk.


    ¡°The terrain is suitable for hiding and moving¡­¡±


    The Nidavellir army, the enemy, has low morale, probably because they were forcibly conscripted, and although they are well equipped, their skill level iscking.


    In contrast, the Jotunheim army is united and mobile. Although they are a hastily prepared army and thusck skill, their individual abilities are high, and their morale is perfect.


    ording to the staff¡¯s opinion, Jotunheim will win, but miracles even happen on the battlefield when a peasant defeats a brave general who has fought many battles. In war, you never know how the oue will turn out.


    ¡°You must be careful. Skadi, I wish you the best of luck.¡±


    At that moment, a high-pitched tone was heard.

 Volume 8, Chapter 5 – The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 5 - The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 1</h4>


    The sun began to tilt to the west. In another hour, the sun would set, and cool air would arrive.


    Even so, the hot wind that was blowing on the ground had not abated in the slightest. The mixture of blood and sweat emitted a peculiar smell, and a foul odor that made one feel nauseous continued to smolder.


    In the main camp of the Grantz, things were a bit hectic now that the battle was reaching its climax.


    The messengers, who traveled back and forth between the tent and the battlefield, visited and left reports in rapid session. The officials who had scrutinized the new information were cing pieces on the map. Furthermore, they werepiling reports and handing them over to the person in the upper ranks.


    ¡°Your Highness, the victory or defeat of the main battlefield will not be overturned. I believe victory is assured.¡±


    The official presented the report to Liz, who brushed her sideburns before reading through the document.


    The official¡¯s cheeks flushed red at the somewhat sexy gesture. But then, he looked at the white wolf sleeping at her feet.


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts; so did the Grantz army reach the enemy¡¯s main camp?¡±


    ¡°No, it seems they have not yet reached the enemy¡¯s main camp. ording to the messenger¡¯s report, they found an enemy ambusher and engaged them, but they defeated them without difficulty. Still, it seems that it has taken some time to correct the disorganized formation ¨D they are behind their original schedule.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ it looks like it will be done by the end of the day.¡±


    The battle, which began with 30,000 against 25,000, was likely to be settled in a single day.


    Even though the morale of the Nidavellir army was low, to begin with, it was the fighting power of the Jotunheim army that should be praised. They easily broke through the wall of Nidavellir heavy infantry, which was famous throughout the world.


    Reports say that Skadi continues to im the top ranks one after another, and the morale and momentum of Jotunheim¡¯s army show no signs of slowing down. More importantly, they had destroyed the enemy¡¯s surprise attack force that had appeared on the left nk. Even so, on the main battlefield, the Jotunheim army was pushed back due to themander¡¯s temporary and reckless desertion. However, Skadi immediately joined up with them, and they were able to regroup,due to hermanding ability.


    ¡°The Beastman are a fighting race. They were born to fight.¡±


    For better or worse, the Beastman were straightforward people. In this respect, they were not good at tactics.


    The battle this time showed that it was so. The main camp was thinly defended, and almost all the soldiers were deployed on the main battlefield. Although they had noticed the presence of the ambush soldiers with their innate sixth sense, if they had made a mistake, Jotunheim¡¯s main camp would have been burnt to the ground by now.


    On the other hand, the Dwarves are craftsmen by nature, but they also have the temperament of merchants. The Steichen Republic has been established by the sessful intery of these two races up until now.


    ¡°The future is uncertain.¡±


    The era of the Dwarves who had been in control until now hase to an end, and it remains to be seen what path the Beastman that reced them will take.


    ¡°I hope the senate functions well since that is what it is there for¡­¡±


    It would be nice to have a diverse group of people running the senate instead of having the same corrupt Dwarves upy it.


    ¡°But first, we must be on our guard¡­ and make sure we win this battle.¡±


    Once again, Liz looked at the map spread out on her desk. It would be very difficult for Nidavellir¡¯s forces to turn the tables from here. It would not be easy to cut off the Jotunheim army¡¯s momentum. But that does not mean that the Nidavellir army, which has been forced into a position of inferiority, will just sit back and be annihted.


    There is still the option of withdrawing from the situation, holding up in their stronghold of Garza, and then urging the lords to rally to their feet and make a fresh start. There may be few who will follow them due to the oppressive regime that has been in ce until now¡­


    ¡°But if we do go into a siege, we will have to be prepared for a long war.¡±


    That would not be wee on the Grantz¡¯ side. The reason is that there was no emperor in the Great Grantz Empire. The heir to the throne had died one after another, and the absence of Liz for an extended period is something to be avoided. If possible, they really wanted to capture Utgarde here and bring the war to an end.


    ¡°¡­Fumu.¡±


    Liz stopped thinking, lifted her brows and turned her attention to the officials.


    ¡°Any word from the scouting party?¡±


    Liz wondered about Tris¡¯te return.


    ¡°No, there hasn¡¯t been, ma¡¯am. They should be back by now¡­¡±


    Tris was a cautious man, so it was possible that he had headed off to some faraway ce. However, he is by no means the kind of man who would neglect regr contact. Liz, who was holding her fluttering chest, was beginning to think about organizing a new unit.


    Just then¨D¨D


    ¡°Message! Message! Message!¡±


    A soldier covered in mud and blood, smeared with dust, rolled into the tent.


    The workers¡¯ hands stopped, and all eyes turned to the intruder.


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s shadow is on the right rear of the main camp, numbering about 2,000! The number is about 2,000!¡±


    ¡°What do you say¡­ an ambush!¡±


    The officials rose from their seats and trembled in astonishment.


    Liz did not get up but stared wide-eyed at the young soldier. Cerberus jumped up and down at her feet at the noisymotion. Liz put her hand on Cerberus¡¯ head to distract her from her vague anxiety.


    Meanwhile, the officials jumped on the map and began to bombard the new soldier with questions.


    ¡°How long ago did you find it?¡±


    ¡°About half an hour ago, sir.¡±


    ¡°Then it must not have moved that much, and I¡¯m sorry, I know you¡¯re tired, but take a look at the map and tell me exactly where you found it.¡±


    The young soldier nodded at the official¡¯s words and walked over to the map with the help of the others.


    ¡°We found them in the woods about two hundred rou (six hundred meters) to the right rear of the main camp. They number about 2,000 and are mounted only.¡±


    ¡°Tell the watchmen to check it out. If they are taking advantage of our blind spots, they should be able to predict our path to some extent. So don¡¯t miss even a tiny speck of dust!¡±


    Several people rushed outside after receiving the order.


    ¡°There are 1,900 left in the main camp. We can fight them even if we have to.¡±


    ¡°Give orders to themanders of each unit to be ready to move at any time. Be ready to deal with them no matter where theye from.¡±


    So far, there was no information about Tris¡¯s safety. Still, Liz closed her eyes and listened in silence. Her hands were clenched so tightly that they bled. Perhaps sensing Liz¡¯s concern, Cerberus rubbed the tip of her nose against Liz¡¯s leg. Liz gave a slightly wry smile to the gentle white wolf. Themander cannot be distraught. The one who should be the emperor should not put her personal feelings first and ask about Tris¡¯s safety.


    ¡°But what about the others? Why are you alone?¡±


    One of the officials questioned. The young soldier who was exining the situation twisted his face.


    ¡°It seems that Brutus-dono has been in contact with Nidavellir¡­ We were ambushed in the woods, where we found the enemy forces. The other scouting parties were probably wiped out!¡±


    ¡°Wha-¡­¡±


    The officials were at a loss for words.


    It would have been extremely dishonorable to have someone on the inside working for another country.


    ¡°I was lucky that Tris-sama helped me escape¡­¡±


    Silence fell.


    As if struck by lightning, the officials stiffened and turned their concerned gazes toward Liz.


    They knew exactly who Tris was.


    Although he was only a low-ranking officer, he had been rumored among the soldiers as a loyalist who had supported Liz since the days when she had been treated coldly.


    Unsure of what to say to her, the officials simply looked at Liz in amazement.


    Then they received the more sad news.


    ¡°A message! Request for reinforcements from the Jotunheim main camp! They are being ambushed!¡±


    The officials, their eyes peeled back, held their mouths as they grunted. The shock was so strong that their hearts almost jumped out of their mouths.


    The officials, who had almost lost their train of thought, quickly regained theirposure when they saw Liz¡¯s condition.


    ¡°One after another ¨D where did theye from?¡±


    ¡°They seem to have appeared from the front left of Jotunheim¡¯s main camp.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. Did they miss them? How could they be so foolish as to assume that they had destroyed them without even checking?¡±


    The official mmed the desk down angrily and turned his attention to the messenger again.


    ¡°Do you hear the numbers? We have a surprise attack force closing in on us as well. We don¡¯t have any extra men.¡±


    ¡°The number is six hundred, but Jotunheim¡¯s army has put almost all of its forces into the main battlefield, and the main camp is so thinly defended that it will not be able to hold out for long.¡±


    ¡°Two thousand six hundred¡­¡±


    The remaining strength in Grantz¡¯s main camp is only 1900 men. The only way to deal with both is to spread out.


    ¡°Or we could abandon Jotunheim.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. That would ruin Grantz¡¯s reputation.¡±


    ¡°Victory on the main battlefield is assured. If that is the case, the fall of Jotunheim¡¯s main camp will not have much of an effect. The Jotunheimmander seems to be on the front line. Therefore, they should be able to regroup easily.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t there a possibility of things getting awkward with the Jotunheim side?¡¡Considering the future of diplomacy, we don¡¯t want to tarnish their goodwill.¡±


    Opinions are hard toe to terms with. Perhaps it was because they had been doing surprisingly well up to this point that their thinking ability was not working properly due to the huge gap between the two sides. Moreover, with the time limit approaching every minute, impatience was beginning to dull the decision-making abilities of the officials.


    ¡°The enemy is closing in on our main camp even now! What is there to hesitate about? We should strike now and destroy the ambush force in the right rear. There is no greater dishonor than the fall of the Grantz¡¯ main line!¡±


    ¡°If we weremitted only to victory, that would be fine. But if we think about the future, abandoning Jotunheim¡¯s main camp will be theughing stock of the nations.¡±


    The heated exchanges of words that had almost escted into a fistfight were now doused with cold water.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    It was a zero-degree stare ¨D the officials held their breath at the unusual air emanating from the sixth princess.


    ¡°This is not the time to be fighting amongst yourselves. Stop showing yourself in such a disgraceful manner that the soldiers will distrust you.¡±


    ¡°¡­B-but¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I-I apologize¡­¡±


    The words were sharper than a de, and the official¡¯s forehead broke out in a profusion of greasy sweat.


    In the silent tent, Liz stood up from her chair and began to move the pieces of the map.


    ¡°Send a thousand men to the relief of Jotunheim¡¯s main camp.¡±


    The faces of the officials stiffened in surprise, but Liz continued speaking without concern.


    ¡°Four hundred men will be ced in the main camp, and the remaining five hundred will attack the ambush force that has appeared in the right rear. I will takemand.¡±


    Saying this, Liz tossed on her cloak and began to walk. Cerberus followed without making a sound.


    One of the officials saw her back and called out hurriedly with a pale face.


    ¡°Your Highness, I beg you to reconsider. It would be extremely dangerous to spread out our forces here.¡±


    Liz stopped at the entrance and spoke to the officials over her back.


    ¡°If Jotunheim¡¯s main camp falls, the enemy wille at us with full force. Furthermore, the ambush force discovered to the right rear will attack in unison. If that happens, the main Grantz camp will be surrounded.¡±


    ¡°T-then, shouldn¡¯t we intercept the enemy at the main Grantz camp?¡±


    Liz turned to the official who was still persisting.


    ¡°If Jotunheim¡¯s main camp falls, it will set off a huge firestorm in the Steichen Republic.¡±


    Nidavellir¡¯s army¡¯s aim was to make it a painful defeat for us. Despite being outnumbered, they would have to use a deceptive strategy to bring down Jotunheim¡¯s main camp and then half destroy the Grantz¡¯ main camp ¨D and if they made a beautiful story and spread the word, new supporters would gather under Utgarde¡¯s wing.


    In the face of the brilliance of a miracle, people of all races would be drawn together.


    ¡°Above all, the main battlefield has not yet been won or lost. If there is a sense of gloom in the rear, no matter how superior the position, morale will visibly drop due to anxiety.¡±


    The sun would soon set. It was not difficult to imagine what would happen to Jotunheim¡¯s army, which had lost its main camp if the battle was not settled by the end of today. However, the expressions on the faces of the officials told that Liz¡¯s exnation, though understandable, was uneptable.


    ¡°There is only one n. So, why don¡¯t you trust me here?¡±


    Liz turned her body to the officials again and smiled.


    ¡°I believe that with you, we can ovee any difficulties.¡±


    A wind blew.


    The entrance shook, and the sunlight streamed through the cracks, making Liz shine brightly.


    Everyone closed their mouths and became mesmerized by her divine appearance.


    Soon, without anyone saying a word, the officials straightened their posture and saluted in unison in a Grantz-style salute.


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Liz¡¯s presence was beginning to stand out.


    Who could have imagined that a girl who was born into the imperial family, but was unwanted by all, would grow up to be this good? Then there was no one to underestimate her as a little girl anymore.


    The officials must have realized that the person in front of them was the next emperor whom they should revere. Then they tightened their faces and began to act swiftly.


    ¡°Hurry up with the formation of units, contact themanders of each unit, and send reinforcements to the Jotunheim main camp first.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the contact from the watchmen? Did they find the ambush force lurking in the right rear?¡±


    They were all excellent men from the start. The Grantz do their best to do what they are assigned to do.


    Liz nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave the tent.


    ¡°Your Highness, what about the scouting party? We know where they are, so we have to consider the possibility that there may be survivors¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°¡­Not necessary. Just focus on the enemy in sight.¡±


    Liz left the tent after saying that.

 Volume 8, Chapter 5 – The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 5 - The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time we took advantage of the blind spot¡­?¡±


    This was said by Kaet, the second-inmand of the elected army, who was heading toward the Grantz¡¯ main camp from the left side of the Nidavellir camp. He was a young, thick bearded Dwarf, approximately twenty-four years old this year.


    ¡°Ando-sama, I think we¡¯vee far enough.¡±


    Kaet said to themander who was running alongside him.


    ¡°Yes. If we can get this close, we should have no problem. All we have to do now is see how much they will be distracted.¡±


    Themander, Ando, looking at the Grantz¡¯ main camp built on top of a hill that could be seen from behind a forest,ughed.


    ¡°I just received a message from the main camp, and it seems that the main battle has not yet been settled.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we would be in trouble if the battle was settled so quickly. Besides, the main armyprises people who have their families taken hostage. They will fight desperately.¡±


    When Ando cleared his throat in amusement, Kaet smiled happily as well.


    ¡°But if they find out that their families have been sold into very, they will be very angry.¡±


    ¡°Then I will have to return the human women in my custody.¡±


    Kaet remembered the time he visited his mansion.


    If his memory was not mistaken, there were no hostages in his mansion.


    ¡°Was there any hostage? It didn¡¯t seem like anyone was there when I visited before.¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re in the ground.¡±


    Commander Ando pointed to the ground from his horse.


    ¡°You¡¯re keeping them underground, huh¡­? well, considering the possibility of them escaping, that might be better.¡±


    Kaet was convinced alone, but Commander Ando waved his hand in front of his face that it was different.


    ¡°They cried and screamed, so I buried them in the ground.¡±


    He was smiling so fiercely that even Kaet couldn¡¯t stop himself from opening his mouth.


    Even Kaet, a member of the ¡°elected army,¡± did not like other races.


    However, he didn¡¯t really hate them either. Above all, he did not possess a shred of the brutality of themander, Ando. Ignoring Kaet¡¯s reaction, Commander Ando became talkative.


    ¡°So there is no point in getting angry because they won¡¯t being back. Besides, they are doomed to die anyway, even if they survive. If they want to resent us, they should resent their parents for not giving birth to them as Dwarves.¡±


    His voice was filled with taunts, and he sounded so amused that it was hard to believe that he waspletely sane.


    Kaet had no sympathy for the poor fellow, but he was afraid that if he listened to themander any longer, he would lose control of himself, so he decided to refrain from the private conversation and return to his duties.


    ¡°I just received word that we have just destroyed the Grantz¡¯ scouting party, sir.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well done. The Grantz would never think that there could be an informant in their ranks.¡±


    ¡°But, s, it seems that the informant was killed in action.¡±


    ¡°¡­The human race is a fragile creature, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Perhaps Kaet was not interested; he did not say anything further.


    ¡°I heard that General Gormo is trying to make this battle a bitter one.¡±


    Kaet asked, and Ando nodded in an exultant tone.


    ¡°Umu. The main army is going to end up with a sloppy result. General Gormo must be grieving as well. But, as expected of General Gormo, he has used a bold move to obtain an informant from Grantz and then use the main army as bait.¡±


    ¡°I believe it is a very effective strategy against such a passionate Beastman.¡±


    ¡°They are foolish to bite their masters when they should be wearing cors. But this battle will show who¡¯s better.¡±


    And then Ando reached for the handle of the axe on his back.


    ¡°Then we must be on our way, for any further dy may result in a reprimand.¡±


    Commander Ando¡¯s eyes lit up, and his fighting spirit was full of enthusiasm.


    His lips were moistened as he spoke, and it was clear that he was truly eager to enjoy the battle.


    He was a man who has never known defeat and has left behind many deeds of valor.


    ¡°I shall thank them. Those Grantz soldiers came all the way here for my honor.¡±


    This battle is an opportunity to prove one¡¯s strength ¨D an enormous reward awaits beyond that.


    Then there was no reason to enjoy the war. In fact, the only person who could show more prowess than he could was General Gormo, if only in the elected army. If that was the case, there is no way that the ¡°human¡± Grantz could win.


    ¡°My arm is ringing. I can¡¯t wait to break the thin necks of the human.¡±


    Commander Ando swung his axe several times to familiarize his hand with it and then ced it on his shoulder.


    ¡°We will nowe out of the shadows and attack the enemy¡¯s main camp in one fell swoop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I will notify the entire army.¡±


    Kaet signaled to the g bearers, and Commander Ando raised his axe.


    ¡°Let the banner rise, to our glory! Strike our strength on the Grantz from afar!¡±


    As soon as Commander Ando finished, Nidavellir¡¯s army rushed out of the shadows of the forest.


    The roar of horseshoes shook the earth, eclipsing the silence that had prevailed earlier.


    The sunlit armor reflected and scattered the light.


    ¡°Haha, our victory is¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°All troops charge!¡±


    ¡°¨D¨DWhat?¡±


    Immediately afterward, the Nidavellir assault force was hit by a violent blow from the right side.


    A ming sword beheaded Commander Ando while his eyes rolled back in surprise. As the head whirled and soared, the skin melted, the flesh was charred, and the blood evaporated. When it hit the ground, the skull was reduced to a crisp piece of wood and vanished, snatched away by the wind.


    Kaet was brought back to his senses when the headless torso of Commander Ando fell from his mount to the ground. He instantly shed his sword to defend himself and tried to catch the oing enemy de.


    ¡°Hyiee¨D¨D!?¡±


    His neck, which was covered in mes, was struck up. His sword was broken in half, and the sword¡¯s tip was thrust into the ground.


    The faces of the Nidavellir soldiers who had been chasing after themanders were distorted with grief.


    An unfamiliar cavalryman jumped out one after another from the woods on their right. Behind them, the lion¡¯s banner was fluttering in the wind. The number of them exceeded their own, and the fear of death gripped the Nidavellir soldiers.


    Unfortunately, it was not easy for the Nidavellir ambushers, who were running as fast as they could toward the Grantz¡¯ main camp, to change direction. The two thousand Nidavellir ambushers were split apart instantly by a hard blow to the side of their heads.


    ¡°M-move! Quickly! The enemy ising!¡±


    They were supposed to ambush, but instead, they were ambushed. There was nothing more terrifying than going from being the hunter to being the hunted. Their brains refuse toprehend it. To protect their fragile self-esteem, they blocked out reality and dyed their next move.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the way. Move aside.¡±


    ¡°Gaahh!?¡±


    There was a shadow running freely through the chaos of the Nidavellir ambush force.


    The red hair fluttered in the wind while red mes scattered behind her.


    A goddess-like woman was dancing on horseback. Everyone was transfixed by the sight. Regardless of whether they were in the presence of death, their eyes were drawn to the scene.


    Even in a world of blood and smoke, she was as beautiful as a rose when she was at the center.


    Her every swing was as gentle as a spring breeze.


    Yet ¨D fierce.


    Even a sword forged by a master craftsman would be smashed, and even armor will be easily pierced. The corpses of Nidavellir¡¯s soldiers piled up on the path she had taken, their faces stunned.


    Corpses are being created inexhaustibly.


    ¡°Be in full bloom ¨D me Emperor!¡±


    Suddenly, a whirlpool of mes centered around her soared into the sky. A hot wind blew up, and the excessive heat distorted everyone¡¯s face.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±


    Driven out of his fear, a Nidavellir soldier delivered a fierce blow to the oing woman.


    However, the technique he had spent his life mastering cut through the air.


    ¡°Tsk¨D¨D!¡±


    He was unable to deliver a second blow. His torso had already fallen to the ground.


    At this point, the red-haired woman ¨D Liz ¨D stopped her horse.


    Her escort, the Grantz soldiers, surrounded her in the blink of an eye, creating an irond defense.


    The g bearer raised the lily flower, the g of the sixth princess. It was followed by the lion¡¯s banner.


    ¡°That is.


    ¡°Eradicate!¡±


    Liz pointed her ¡°me Emperor¡± in her hand at the sky and swung it down in a single stroke.


    As if to show her support, screams erupted from everywhere.


    The Grantz¡¯ forces numbered a mere 500, while Nidavellir¡¯s were 2,000.


    The difference in strength was obvious, but from a few moments ago, all that could be heard was Nidavellir¡¯s screams.


    ¡°Give victory to our Rose Princess!¡±


    After losing theirmander first and then their second-inmand, the Nidavellir were in a state of confusion.


    Therge number of gs waving in the woods on the right misjudged the number of Grantz soldiers, and the Nidavellir soldiers were killed one after the other without being able to grasp the situation. No matter how much difference there was between the two races, if one loses one¡¯smanding officer and control, they be nothing more than a headless crowd.


    Naturally, the headless serpent was no match for the lionized Grantz. The line was in disarray, and the Nidavellir soldiers struggled to save their own lives. Once the battle began, everyone was desperate to survive. That said, the Grantz soldiers were not careless, nor were they overconfident. They ughtered the Nidavellir soldiers without fail.


    The lion was rushing ¨D there was nothing the Nidavellir could do in the face of such a threat.


    Theirst resort was the unitmander, whom they all revered as their superior officer. However, with even the ranks in disarray, the unitmanders were easily defeated.


    ¡°Ah, aaahh¡­¡±


    There was no way to win. It took no time at all for them to realize this. In the face of life, self-esteem is a distant memory. The Nidavellir soldiers threw down their weapons and began to flee.


    ¡°Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, don¡¯te.¡±


    Throwing their shields, swords, and other forms of resistance, the Nidavellir soldiers turned their horses¡¯ necks and galloped across thend.


    After their hearts were broken, what awaited them was fear. They had to flee while feeling the enemy approaching from behind. In contrast, the brave Nidavellir soldiers, who did not consider escape an option and were abandoned by theirrades, were all trampled in their souls by the Grantz. The Nidavellir ambush force was instantly broken up, but further tragedy befell them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go after them. Overrun them thoroughly.¡±


    Liz made a quick decision. It was necessary to instill fear in them so that they would not stand in front of them as enemies again in the future. Seeing Liz running over the corpses, the Grantz soldiers could not help but chase after her. They cut down the Nidavellir soldiers who had lost their will to fight andunched a pursuit battle.


    ¡°T-they areing! Run!¡±


    The Nidavellir soldiers were running away in a panic, screaming, while the Grantz chased after them like lions relentlessly chasing their prey.


    The Grantz soldiers, led by Liz, disyed several times more strength than usual. They themselves must have asked themselves why they were filled with so much vitality. No, the Grantz did not harbor even a shred of such futile questions. They were simply surrendering themselves to the fire burning deep inside, and their thoughts were dominated by the thought of eliminating their master¡¯s enemies.


    ¡°Bow down to our Rose Princess, you foolish dwarves!¡±


    With tremendous force, a Grantz soldier thrusts out a spear. The Nidavellir soldier, who had thrown away his shield and even his weapon, had no choice but to catch the spear¡¯s tip with only his now inadequate armor. The dwarves whose backs had been pierced were pushed from their horses to the ground one after another.


    As the Nidavellir ambushers scattered in all directions like baby spiders, a cry of triumph rang out from a distance. Then the red-haired girl finally stopped chasing after the enemy.


    ¡°¡­Skadi seems to have won.¡±


    Liz exhaled deeply as she looked out at the northern sky, tinted red by the setting sun.


    The stench of choking blood wafted through her nose as she let the oxygen rush back into her lungs.


    ¡°¡­Stop pursuing. Tell everyone to be on the lookout.¡±


    Liz ordered her subordinates and silently advanced her horse, looking around the battlefield.


    The surrounding area was a sea of blood, and a silent mass of flesh sank into the ground. The horse that had lost its master neighs sadly as it passes by. Soon the color of the ground became familiar.


    ¡°Cerberus, let¡¯s go back. We don¡¯t need any more chases.¡±


    Liz called out to the white wolf who had grown up with her since she was a little girl and considered her a little sister.


    Her white fur was stained crimson from the blood that had spilled on her, and she was almost ck from the setting sun.


    ¡°Cerberus?¡±


    The white wolf sitting on the ground was not responding to Liz¡¯s call from earlier, her nose swimming in the air.


    Liz wondered if she was injured, but Cerberus suddenly began to run.


    ¡°Wait! Cerberus!¡±


    Her formidable legs instantly created a distance between her and Liz.


    Liz also kicked the horse¡¯s belly and ran out across thend.


    ¡°Your Highness! Where are you going?¡±


    The soldiers escorting her made panicked voices, and Liz immediately felt a presence at her back that was chasing after her.


    Liz kept running, staring only ahead so as not to lose sight of the white wolf.


    Eventually, at a point well away from the battlefield, Liz slowed her horse.


    ¡°¡­This ce.¡±


    There was a forest in front of Liz.


    Liz caught a glimpse of Cerberus disappearing into the thick grass with a sideways nce.


    ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness, wait, where are you going?¡±


    The Grantz soldiers caught up with Liz and brought their horses up to her.


    ¡°Your Highness, is something the matter?¡±


    Liz did not reply when her subordinates asked her.


    She just looked silently at the woods ahead. Then, when she reached the entrance, she dismounted her horse.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s dangerous. Please go back.¡±


    Even though she heard a voice on her back telling her to go back, Liz silently continued to the inner part of the forest.


    Staring straight ahead, she was being guided by something.


    It is not a deep forest.


    The trees were so lush and easy to walk through that she could see the light on the other side.


    After stepping through the weedy ground, Liz eventually stopped walking.


    She had been able to enjoy the scent of nature earlier, but from this point on, the smell of blood filled the air, perhaps due to the poor cirction of the wind. That was no wonder, for many dead bodies were lying on the ground.


    Not a single one of them was breathing.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness¡­ this is¡­¡±


    The silence was broken by the nking of the guards¡¯ armor who had followed from behind.


    They saw a broken sword, an axe biting into a tree, and blood-soaked weeds buried in the ground as if they had been trampled on many times. Is the eerie sounding from the soles of their feet the mud, or is it the blood soaking into the ground?


    The only thing that can be said is that there was definitely an epic battle.


    Away from the main battlefield, a nameless battlefield that will never be etched in history.


    There must have been a battle that no one cared about.


    It is a ce where brave warriors, outnumbered but willing to take on the challenge and then scatter in order to let just one man escape.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Liz offered a silent prayer to the bodies on the ground, but she did not see any familiar faces among them.


    There was no time for faint hopes, for she heard the mournful cry of Cerberus.


    The only tree in the forest was illuminated by the setting sun.


    An old soldier leaned against its trunk ¨D a white wolf poking at his arm with her nose.


    Liz began to walk quietly.


    She walked up to him without making a single sound as if afraid to disturb his sleep.


    ¡°¡­I had so many things I wanted to say to you.¡±


    Liz got down on both knees on the ground and looked into the old soldier¡¯s face.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Liz reached out her hands to touch the old soldier¡¯s cheeks, and her mouth broke into tears.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say anything if you look at me like that¡­¡±


    Tris, whoy without breath, but with a satisfied smile on his face.

 Volume 8, Chapter 5 – The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 5 - The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 3</h4>


    The 29th of June, the 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    Steichen Republic ¨D Garza¡¯s pce.


    A cold wind was flowing under the stars.


    In contrast to the bright sky, the city spread out on the ground is sinking into darkness.


    The city of Garza once prospered as the capital of cksmithing, but now, due to persecution and forced conscription, it has fallen out of favor, and its poption has significantly declined.


    In such a declining town, there was a ce where arge number of lights had been turned on.


    It is the pce where Utgarde, the lord of Garza, lived.


    However, Utgarde had moved westward to fight a decisive battle against the Jotunheim faction and was currently absent. His absence was being guarded by influential people who have gathered from all over the country.


    Unlike the quietness of the city, the pce was noisy.


    A merry song could be heard outside as if a banquet was being held.


    The dwarf soldiers patrolling the pce looked at it reproachfully and returned to their guard.


    In one of the pce rooms, there was the king of the small country of Baum, Hiro.


    ¡°It¡¯s so noisy.¡±


    Hiro listened to the noise leaking from the corridor on his bunk, breathing hard.


    After touching his ear annoyedly, Hiro looked again at the person in front of him.


    A strong-looking man ¨D Munin ¨D was bowing to Hiro.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it seems that Nidavellir has lost.¡±


    There was no surprise. It was something that was known even before the war started.


    The leading figures of the Nidavellir faction, who did not understand this, took refuge in Garza, which would be the battlefield in the future. Moreover, taking advantage of the absence of their lord Utgarde, they had been holding banquets without permission and consumingrge amounts of food in vain. And judging from the fact that they were still feasting today, it seems that they had not yet received the news of their defeat.


    ¡°So, what is going on with Utgarde?¡±


    ¡°ording to the reports of the spies, he managed to escape. However, as a sacrifice, his right-hand man, General Gormo, and the other officials who apanied him in this battle were all killed. This is information from three days ago, but if he was not yet captured, he should being back soon.¡±


    It seems that the ipetent survived and thepetent ones scattered on the battlefield instead.


    It was amon story but not a pleasant one to hear.


    ¡°But General Gormo was a harsh man, wasn¡¯t he?¡±


    Even if they were holed up in Utgarde, they wouldn¡¯t be able to defend the city.


    Moreover, the pce¡¯s reserves had been devoured by parasites, making a prolonged siege next to impossible.


    Other soldiers were on guard in frustration. Naturally, morale was low, and with the current state of grumbling, if push came to shove, they would offer Utgarde to Jotunheim without hesitation. Since the city has already copsed from within, even Garza¡¯s high walls would not be able to stop the invasion of Jotunheim¡¯s army.


    ¡°Nidavellir seems to have reached a dead end.¡±


    Then, as for Hiro, there was no reason to stay here any longer.


    All that remained was to meet Utgarde and then return to the small country of Baum, having achieved his objective.


    ¡°And there is one more thing¡­¡±


    Munin looked ufortable, mumbling as if something was stuck in his back teeth.


    Hearing his hesitation and wondering why, Hiro decided to give him a push.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°O-old man Tris was¡­ killed in the battle.¡±


    At that moment, he choked.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The shock was so great that Hiro could not utter a single word.


    Theplicated emotions swelled, and something copsed noisily within his body on the beat.


    Once he understood the meaning of the words, uncontroble emotions erupted.


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    That was shouted by a shadow that crossed Hiro¡¯s vision ¨D the shadow was jumping on Munin.


    ¡°You are lying! Old man Tris is dead? No way¡­ there must be some kind of mistake!¡±


    It was Hugin. She hade to visit Hiro to report on another matter one day earlier than Munin.


    Her face was pale as if she had been thrown into an extremely cold ce, and her bloodshot eyes were wide open in disbelief.


    ¡°T-that man couldn¡¯t have died. Do you know how strong old man Tris is, Brother?¡±


    Her hand on Munin¡¯s shoulder was trembling, unable to hide her agitation. Munin turned his eyes to the floor as if to escape from Hugin¡¯s fearsome gaze.


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I checked it many times, too. But it¡¯s a fact¡­¡±


    ¡°N-no way¡­ I don¡¯t believe¡­ that old man Tris¡­ died¡­¡±


    As if the tension had been drained out of her, Hugin¡¯s whole body lost its strength, and her shoulders trembled as she rested her forehead on the floor and held back the sobs that were pouring out of her. Luca put her hand on her head and began to stroke it gently.


    Hiro looked up at the ceiling and sat down on the bunk.


    ¡°I see¡­ he¡¯s dead, huh?¡±


    He was a stubborn man. But he was also strict and gentle.


    Hiro remembered that Tris often trained with the young soldiers.


    ¡°He could have been a general¡­¡±


    His achievements are innumerable. The only reason it hadn¡¯t been publicized was that he was Liz¡¯s subordinate.


    It is a well-known fact that Liz was shunned by everyone around her from an early age.


    This became even more pronounced after she was favored by the ¡°me Emperor.¡± She was forced to move to the left due to a plot by a rival faction that felt threatened, and she was trapped and put in mortal danger many times. This was no exception for Tris, who was her direct subordinate, and yet he continued to serve Liz without betraying her.


    ¡°I see¡­ that Tris was killed in action¡­¡±


    When was it that Liz once told him a story about her childhood?


    After losing her mother, Liz was always ying by herself. It was Dios and his superior Tris who gave her a helping hand.


    They taught her the sword ¨D the art of living ¨D knowing that it would cut off their career paths, even though the nobles would shun them.


    (Did hee to see me that day¡­?)


    Hiro looked at the window and saw the full moon covered by a book of darkness in the sky.


    (Did hee to tell me something¡­?)


    Hiro was no longer able to know the answer to that question. No one can know the thoughts of the deceased.


    Hiro knows that best.


    (Tris-san¡­ were you angry, sad¡­ orughing?)


    Hiro bowed once to the window, adjusted his mask, and got up from his bunk.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    Just one word uttered changed the quality of the air.


    Rather than an alteration, it was a transformation ¨D the killing intent released by Hiro forcibly distorted the space.


    All gazes turn to Hiro as they feel ominous darkness spreading through the room.


    ¡°¡­¡­Your Majesty?¡±


    Munin called out unexpectedly, but Hiro did not react, just staring at the ceiling.


    After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Hiro stomped on the floor.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s raining.¡±


    In response to Hiro¡¯s mumbled voice, Munin¡¯s gaze was thrown out the window, but the night sky was silent and colored with stars.


    ¡°¡­Raining?¡±


    While Munin was puzzled, unable to gauge the meaning of the words, Hiro was walking to the door.


    ¡°Since that day ¨D the sun has remained hidden.¡±


    The door was opened vigorously, and Nidavellir soldiers rushed to the door with surprised expressions on their faces.


    ¡°What are you doing, ck Dragon King-dono? You should ask permission from Torkil-sama before you leave the room.¡±


    Hiro gave a stern look to the two Nidavellir soldiers who had stopped him.


    ¡°You are in my way.¡±


    Hiro drew his ck sword and, without hesitation, decapitated them.


    It was a blink of an eye - the Nidavellir soldiers were made to roll their heads into the hallway without even knowing what had been done to them. Next, a heavy sound echoed loudly down the hallway. The bodies of the Nidavellir soldiers fell with a spray of blood. A ck stain spread across the red carpet in the hallway. Munin and Hugin took one look at it and dropped to one knee behind Hiro.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ please give us yourmand.¡±


    Munin spoke from behind Hiro, and Hiro opened his mouth as he searched for the presence of the people in the surrounding area.


    ¡°The n has begun ¨D so inform everyone.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Munin replied and disappeared without a sound.


    ¡°Hugin, takemand of the men hiding in the city.¡±


    Hugin looked up at him with red, swollen eyelids, and he patted her on the head.


    ¡°You got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hugin bowed her head deeply and disappeared, as did her brother.


    Meanwhile, Luca, wavering, stuck to Hiro¡¯s back.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Luca whispered in his ear.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head for the throne room.¡±


    Hiroughed and then began to walk, stomping on the rolling corpses.


    Perhaps hearing the sound, the Nidavellir soldiers came from in front of and behind Hiro and Luca.


    There were six of them. Hiro, who was sandwiched between them, faced forward while Luca moved in behind him to protect him.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up ¨D Dark Lord.¡±


    A ckness denser than darkness began to invade the hallway.


    The air, the space, the world ¨D it cracks. Splitting. Shattering.


    Evesting darkness overflows like bubbling mud, deep and dark to the end.


    The transformed darkness eats the world, and despair and craving are born.


    Startled by this scene, the soldiers of Nidavellir stopped in their tracks.


    ¡°W-what the hell are you doing? ck Dragon King-dono, have you gone mad?¡±


    ¡°The concert has begun!¡±


    Hiro put his index finger to his mouth and listened carefully.


    ¡°Listen quietly. This is a requiem for Tris-san.¡±


    Hiro narrowed his eyes like a snake deep inside his mask.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    It was a full moon night.


    The light was solemn, chaste, and maidenly, illuminating the ground.


    The roar of horseshoes broke through the atmosphere, and the sound of heavy armor tore through the night air.


    ¡°How many are left!¡±


    The man galloping with all his might was Utgarde, the representative of the Nidavellir faction who had fled the battlefield after losing the decisive battle against the Jotunheim faction.


    ¡°Three men! The others couldn¡¯t keep up!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s all General Gormo¡¯s fault we¡¯re in this wretched mess!¡±


    Utgarde slowed his horse down and spat out abusive words as he controlled his breathing.


    ¡°Hah, damn it, I¡¯ll burn General Gormo¡¯s territory to the ground. And his family will be executed for this defeat!¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. General Gormo stayed on the battlefield to let Utgarde-sama escape, you know. It is too much to me the family of a general who has shown loyalty¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Utgarde, with the color of indignation in his eyes, cut down his aide, who hadined to him.


    Having lost its master, the horse neighed and ran away in the darkness.


    Utgarde saw the horse off with a snort and turned to the two remaining soldiers.


    ¡°Do you boys want to preach to me too?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ we have not the faintest idea of such fearful things.¡±


    ¡°Good, because if you speak nonsense, I will also cut you down.¡±


    Utgarde swung his sword, sending the blood stter flying, and put it away in its sheath. Then he silently held out his arm and demanded water from the soldier. The soldier handed him a canteen of water, and Utgarde drank it down in one gulp.


    ¡°Ah ¨D lukewarm, but delicious. Why should I have to go through all this?¡±


    ¡°It is still possible to recover, and the influential people in the neighborhood are still alive and well, so we can assemble an army from theirnds. There is also the ck Dragon King with us; if we use him, we can collect money from all over the world.¡±


    Utgarde nodded with a smile as his eyes caught the moonlit walls of the castle.


    ¡°We must make full use of him. First, we will buy time in the castle to rouse the nobles and lords. Then we need to give the bandits some money, burn down the estates of the Jotunheim senators, and show them which side they would be better off on.¡±


    As long as they buy time, there will be no problem.


    The gold they had lost would be recovered by the ne of the first emperor and the sweet nectar of the ¡°ck Dragon King.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, the heavens haven¡¯t given up on me yet. The problem will naturally be solved if I can just stand on my high horse in this impregnable city.¡±


    Utgarde approaches the gate, admiring the high walls of Garza.


    But he immediately noticed something unusual and stopped his horse.


    ¡°Ah? Why is the gate open?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange. There seem to be no guards.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s on duty¨D¨D!?¡±


    Then suddenly, the horse reared and Utgarde was knocked to the ground.


    ¡°Agh? W-what?¡±


    Utgarde was shaken off, but he had no time to be surprised. The horse was on its feet, and Utgarde noticed that it was falling toward him. Although he was upset, he quickly ran to the side and was able to avoid being pinned under the horse.


    ¡°What happened suddenly¡­?¡±


    He was not given another moment to confirm what had happened. A series of loud noises behind him caused him to turn around.


    When he turned around¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­What the hell are you people?¡±


    Arge number of ¡°other races¡± were standing there. Swords, spears, axes ¨D even a shabbily dressed man with a hoe in his hand. They stared at Utgarde like beasts, their eyes zing. Two soldiersy in a pitiful state at their feet, unable to even groan.


    ¡°This one seems to be a man of high rank. But, more importantly, he¡¯s a dwarf; let¡¯s kill him!¡±


    They shouted and jumped at him.


    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing, you lowlifes?¡±


    Unable to grasp the situation but fearing for his life, Utgarde quickly drew his sword and stabbed one of them. He then shed the arm of the second, causing the ruffians, startled by Utgarde¡¯s swordsmanship, to move away from him.


    ¡°T-this guy!¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can beat me, you peasant!¡±


    Utgarde took advantage of the frightened crowd and fled into the gate. He sneered at those who were shouting behind his back, but his cheeks immediately twitched.


    ¡°What in the world is going on?¡±


    Unusually, the town was full of people. But it was an odd sight. Everyone was walking around with blood-soaked swords in their hands. They carried bottles of wine, food, and other jewelry in their hands.


    Their gazes turn to Utgarde with torches.


    ¡°Oh, a surviving fancy soldier!¡±


    Utgarde looked down at his golden armor, which caught the torchlight with a pale face.


    ¡°You had a good one with the money you took from us, eh?¡±


    A look of hatred shot through his heart. Utgarde swung his sword at the people surrounding him, but none of them flinched as if they had steel in their hearts.


    ¡°What are those bastards in the pce doing¡­ what¡¯s with this situation¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ha, you haven¡¯t even noticed. Those people are in the middle of a feast, as they always are, day after day, night after night.¡±


    ¡°Feast, you say ¨D buh!?¡±


    Shock shed across Utgarde¡¯s cheeks as he looked up at the pce. He was beaten by the people who approached him.


    Utgarde fell to the ground and groaned, and another kick hit him directly in the face.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! With what you took from us!¡±


    ¡°S-stop. Who are you people trying to ¨D Gah!?¡±


    In the face of the violence that came one after another, Utgarde desperately covered his body with his arms and hands, but it was meaningless in the face of the violence of numbers.

 Volume 8, Chapter 5 – The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 5 - The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 4</h4>


    In the pce of Garza ¨D in the throne room, a banquet was being held, oblivious to the strange happenings in the city.


    Everyone had a silver cup filled with wine in their hands, and their arms were wrapped around the necks of their amorous partners. The other arm was positioned around the waist of a different woman.


    Their cheeks were uniformly red, their movements were slow, as they indulged themselves in intoxication.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Senator Phris¡­ I heard you got another new hostage?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thest one was too much for me, so I broke them. So now Senator Perillos¡¯ family is staying as ¡°hostages¡± in my mansion. Well, except for the son, who I sold to a ve trader.¡±


    ¡°So when he returns home from the war, he has only his son.¡±


    ¡°He must be rather moved and pleased to know that his legitimate son is safe and sound.¡±


    Such conversations are repeated everywhere. In other ces, there were even people who gathered the ¡°hostage¡± children of good families in one ce and sold them on the spot. Some tortured them with the pleasure of a new toy, while others took them to a corner of the room for a taste. The drunken ones knew no limits. Tomorrow morning, several corpses would be removed from the throne room.


    But there was no one to me. Torkil, who was entrusted by his lord Utgarde to look after the pce, also felt somewhatfortable in this space where the cries and shouts mingled together.


    ¡°No one is hurt when someone mentions the word corruption. Because this is the privilege of those who have reached the top.¡±


    The strongugh, and the weak are tortured. This was the natural order of things, and this was a natural scene.


    If you don¡¯t want to be in the same position, you must always be on the winning side.


    ¡°Senator Phris, please don¡¯t forget about what we discussed.¡±


    Torkil whispered in his ear, and he nodded his head in an exultant manner, his face in a good mood.


    ¡°You have given us such a banquet. I will certainly advise Utgarde-sama to wee you into the senate when he returns in triumph.¡±


    ¡°I am relieved to hear that. In return, I will give you a sturdy hostageter.¡±


    ¡°Kuku, I¡¯ll be looking forward to it. But then again, you are also a worrier.¡±


    Senator Phris, shrugging his shoulders in dismay, looked up at Torkil.


    ¡°Have I once broken my promise to¨D¨D!?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    A lukewarm liquid sshed onto his face, and Torkil touched his own face in dismay.


    ¡°What¡­ the hell is this?¡±


    He looked down at his sticky, reddened hands and then at Senator Phris, who was covered in brain fluid.


    There, his vision was enveloped in a cloud of dust ¨D and screams were heard from all around him.


    The sound of shattered dishes rang out.


    The sounds of trampled foodstuffs and cries of agony reverberated in the throne room.


    ¡°S-sh*t ¨D anyone, guards?!¡±


    Torkil eximed, simultaneously falling to the floor. Then something whizzed past his head.


    The dust made it impossible to see anything. But the sound was clear. Around him, confused people were hurriedly moving about, and their very loud screams added to his uneasiness.


    ¡°First of all, I have to do something about this dust¡­¡±


    Torkil stood up with determination and started to run, picturing the structure of the throne room in his mind.


    The goal was therge window leading to the balcony ¨D if he could open it, he would have a clear view.


    Torkil stepped through the eerie feeling in the soles of his feet and sometimes pushed a figure that appeared in front of him. Then, without slowing down, he ran in a straight line and mmed into the window. With a loud thud, the double-zed window was opened, but the ss was broken by the impact. Torkil rolled on the balcony.


    ¡°How¡¯s it¡­?¡±


    Looking inside, dust swirled around the ceiling like a tornado and was sucked outside. At the same time, the aromatic smell of grape wine scattered on the floor and the scent of rusty blood filling the floor mingled together, creating a nauseating stench that irritated the nostrils.


    And then¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­what are you doing here?¡±


    Torkil let out a voiceced with astonishment when his vision clearedpletely.


    In the throne room, surrounded by arge number of corpses ¨D the leading figures ¨Dy with expressions of despair on their faces.


    In the center of the room was a man holding a jet-ck sword that seemed to embody the night, and his pure white cloak, unblemished by the horrific scene, was dancing in his hands.


    It was as if the sun kept floating even in the middle of the night.


    ¡°White Night King¡­¡±


    Oddly enough, it means the opposite of his name.


    Torkil¡¯s eyes are seared with the image of a man standing in the center of the hall, on top of a corpse.


    ¨D¨DIt was the image of a ¡°king¡± reigning over a sea of blood and pieces of flesh.


    ¡°ck Dragon King, you bastard, what are you doing here?¡±


    Torkil shouted angrily, and what he got in return was a scornfulugh.


    The ck Dragon King raised his shoulders exaggeratedly and opened his arms.


    ¡°No, I thought I¡¯d join the banquet¡­¡±


    As the ck Dragon King turned his head, Torkil also checked the room.


    The survivors were hiding in the shadows, their faces stained with tears and snot.


    Seeing them, the ck Dragon King smiled kindly, as if out of ce.


    However, there was an eerie presence behind the smile, as if he was hiding something sinister.


    ¡°If the country is ugly, the banquet is also ugly, and I can¡¯t even attend it in this state.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You are the one who did this!¡±


    There was no need to question him. The shes on the corpse and the calm demeanor of the ck Dragon King were all evidence of this. Then, with anger swelling in his heart, Torkil stomped on a fallen apple and drew his sword from his waist.


    ¡°What are you angry about? About the ugliness of your banquet?¡±


    The ck Dragon King asked in a questioning tone, but his words were definitely filled with provocation.


    ¡°You must be¡­ insane to kill our people in such a heinous way.¡±


    Tolkir put his feet on the floor and glided to close the distance between him and the ck Dragon King.


    The smoothness of his footwork was so smooth that it gave his opponent no difort, and his quiet movements were magnificent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t put yourselves on the shelf. What about the hostages of other races? What have you done to the same dwarves¡¯ hostages?¡±


    The ck Dragon King pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and began to read.


    It listed what the elected army had done, how many sacrifices they had made to maintain their power in this country, their crimes against their own people, persecution of other races, ve trafficking, and so on.


    ¡°Shut up! What do you know?¡±


    Torkil stared at the ck Dragon King in disgust, frothing at the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°You know nothing about our country. In this country, the elected army has the right to do anything. But you are from another country. If you do this, the other countries will not remain silent, and you know what will happen to a small country like yours, which will disappear in an instant!¡±


    His reply was a cold smile. The ck Dragon King¡¯s face was filled with ck emotion.


    ¡°Unfortunately, your hope will not be heard. Sooner orter, this was destined to happen. The people will judge you, burn your house, and kill your family. I merely hastened it.¡±


    Torkil¡¯s expression of doubt came to his face as he responded in a way that seemed to mesh but didn¡¯t.


    Afterughing at Torkil, the ck Dragon King put his hands over his ears and closed his eyes, which were sunken deep into his mask.


    ¡°Look, can you hear it? It is creeping up on you¡­¡±


    A thunderous sound was heard.


    A powerful explosion shook the air, but it did note from within.


    ¡°¨D¨DIt is the footsteps of the copsing Nidavellir.¡±


    One, two, three, and four explosions, which showed no sign of abating.


    Torkil turned around involuntarily. He leapt out of the window he had opened onto the exposed balcony.


    The influential people who had been hiding rushed to the balcony to see what had happened.


    ¨D¨DThe city was on fire.


    The city, which had been submerged in darkness, was now emitting an enormous amount of light and bursting into mes with a one-time mboyant re.


    The ck Dragon King threw a sneer at the backs of the confused dwarves on the balcony.


    ¡°No one will think that I am responsible for the armed uprising by those who escaped from the forced conscription. You had iting.¡±


    The ck Dragon King ¨D Hiro, who was walking as he spoke, stopped when he reached the throne.


    ¡°¨D¨DScorch yourself with the mes of the karmic fire that you brought upon yourself.¡±


    Without hesitation, Hiro sat on the throne, his gaze fixed on the woman standing at the entrance.


    ¡°Luca, kill the rest of them.¡±


    The crowd on the balcony turned around with a perplexed look on their faces, no doubt because they had heard the words.


    But before they could leave the balcony, Luca reached the window, and with a mighty swing of her arm, she pulled out the Vajra. The poor five or so influential men in the back row were struck with a powerful blow.


    The sound of flesh exploding through the air was heard.


    And then, a distant scream, as if some of them had fallen off the balcony, unable to withstand the storm.


    Luca¡¯s body was also taken away by the momentum of the Vajra, but she pulled herself back up with her abominable physical strength, and the doubled destructive power was concentrated on the influential people again.


    A scream and a groan filled the hall, and the Vajra was immediatelyunched into the sky.


    Luca raised her Vajra above her head for thest time and struck a fierce blow to the balcony.


    ¡°Ah? Eh?¡±


    The influential people stared at the cracked balcony, their mouths twitching. Their spirits were broken by fear. They formed aplicated expression, like a half-smile. Luca gave them a florid smile.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    At the same time, the balcony copsed, and the influential people disappeared into the darkness that dominated the ground.


    ¡°Oya¡­¡±


    Luca tilted her head and peeked out the window, the border to the sky, at the ground with her feet close together at that point.


    There was Torkil, his hand on the window sill in a desperate gesture. The wind was driving him, and he was about to fall, but when he saw Luca, who looked pleased, Torkil¡¯s face contorted as if he were about to cry. He must have thought he was going to be dropped, but Luca let go of the Vajra and grabbed his wrist, pulling him up.


    ¡°The toy was alive.¡±


    Torkil was mmed hard to the floor. He grunted in pain as he exhaled the oxygen in his lungs, but Luca tossed him off the floor as easily as if he were a ything.


    ¡°Aghh!? Ugh!¡±


    He rolled to the front of the throne, hitting his head repeatedly on the floor.


    Luca stomped on the floor, approaching and grabbing Torkil¡¯s leg, who was in great pain.


    ¡°H-hyihh!?¡±


    What he thought of Luca, who looked down at him with a nk expression on her face, was evident on Torkil¡¯s face. He stretched his arms to the limit as if to escape. However, the fear of death made him forget the pain, and he clung to Hiro¡¯s leg with a tear-stained face.


    ¡°S-save me¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it if you¡¯re worth keeping alive.¡±


    ¡°Wha-¡­¡±


    ¡°Equivalent exchange. Offer me something for the life you now so desperately seek to chain together.¡±


    ¡°I-if you save me, I¡¯ll make sure you get out of this country in one piece! The pce guards will be here soon. I will persuade them to let you escape safely!¡±


    ¡°¡­Look outside. Do you see the city burning? Do you really think the guards wille to the rescue of a bunch of people making a fool of themselves in a situation like this?¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­ t-then! I¡¯ll give you the treasure. I¡¯ll tell you where the treasure is that the Utgarde-sama has stored up! It¡¯s so great; there¡¯s enough treasure to buy a city or two!¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, there is none left.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Hiro dropped a contemptuous smile at the stunned Torkil.


    ¡°We needed the money to stage an armed uprising.¡±


    In fact, some of Utgarde¡¯s treasures were transported to Hiro¡¯s treasury forter use.


    (Spoils of war for the victors ¨D much to their credit.)


    But there was no need to tell Torkil about that fact.


    ¡°Since it was originally something you took from the people, I suppose you could say that I gave it back to the people.¡±


    Hiro kicked Torkil in the face as he clung to his leg.


    ¡°Ngghh!¡±


    Torkil¡¯s nasal bone broke, and blood gushed out. He grunted, holding his face in intense pain, but then realized that Luca was dragging him, and he wed at the floor desperately.


    But that would not be enough to stop it. Torkil pulled away, leaving his peeled fingernails and drawing ten thin blood trails on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything! I¡¯ll change my mind. From now on, I¡¯ll put the people¨D¨D¡±


    Torkil could not finish his sentence.


    Hiro was ring at him with an expression so cold and impassive that he could almost be described as cold and stern.


    ¡°¡­Go into the abyss with your repentance in your heart.¡±


    ¡°A-ah, n-no, I don¡¯t want to die¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¨D¨D¡±


    Torkil disappeared into the darkness, where neither moonlight nor city lights could reach.


    ¡°S-stop, no! Gaaaah! Higii!?¡±


    What followed was the sound of bones breaking, the echo of a shrill scream, and the eerie sound of flesh tearing, tingling in the ears. Mixed in was the sound of a woman¡¯s giggle. It was a woman humming a tune, like a housewife happily cooking a meal.


    ¡°Come over here, you dwarves hiding in there!¡±


    Hiro turned his eyes to the darkness on the other side where Torkil had vanished and let out a few words.


    There was no reply, but he could feel a tremor in the presence of fear.


    ¡°If you don¡¯te out, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

 Volume 8, Chapter 5 – The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 5 - The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 5</h4>


    ¡°If you don¡¯te out, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Hiro announced this with murderous intent, and several young women and a middle-aged dwarf appeared.


    Hiro¡¯s brow furrowed, but he motioned with his finger for them toe to the throne.


    As they approached, he saw that the women were dressed in dirty bup sacks, while the middle-aged dwarf was a picturesque noble adorned with jewelry.


    ¡°Arge family, huh? Parents and children?¡±


    When Hiro asked, the middle-aged dwarf nodded vigorously.


    In contrast, the women¡¯s faces were downcast. That attitude alone gave him some idea of what was going on.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    It¡¯s a big banquet. There may have been nobles who called for prostitutes, but these women seemed to be different.


    The women were not wearing make-up and gave the impression of being somewhat in and simple. They were probably kidnapped from somewhere. The fact that they treated even their own race in this way made them even more irredeemably rotten.


    Hiro beckoned the middle-aged dwarf with his hand and grabbed him by the neck as he approached.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you live.¡±


    At this, the dwarf¡¯s eyes lit up with hope in the midst of his pain.


    ¡°But on one condition. The guards will hear themotion ande. So I want you to keep them at bay and, if possible, remove them from the pce under the guise of providing security.¡±


    The dwarf nodded, but Hiro snapped his neck with all his strength.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I lied.¡±


    Once Hiro let go of his hand, the dwarf copsed to the floor like a puppet with broken strings. Several small screams emanated from the women. When Hiro turned to look at them, they fell silent with their mouths mped shut.


    ¡°The uprising crowd is concentrated near the north gate.¡±


    It is where the mansions of the nobles are concentrated. There, looting must have repeatedly been happening. It is not difficult to imagine what would happen if they headed for such a ce.


    ¡°So, you should run away from the south gate. The gate is open, so it will be easy for you to escape. You can take some of the money and goods of the influential people here and return to your family. Oh, and when you leave the pce, use the back gate, where there are no soldiers patrolling.¡±


    The dwarf women ran out of the entrance, picking up jewelry from nearby corpses. Some of them, perhaps more dazzled by the jewelry than by their lives, even took a long time to gather it up and carry it in their arms as they fled. As one might expect, even Hiro was taken aback by this, but even if they could not escape because of it, he could not care for them that much.


    After the women left, it was quiet, and the empty night wind caressed the corpses of the looted influential people. Then Luca came to Hiro. Wiping the blood from her cheeks, she licked her lips and moistened them glossily. Finally, she sat down at Hiro¡¯s feet and puts her head on hisp.


    ¡°Were you satisfied?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was quite sturdy.¡±


    Luca¡¯s lightless eyes wandered through the room, and Hiro smiled at her.


    Then he looked around. The fire spread from the fallen candlestick to the corpse, and with the help of the liquor that filled the floor, the fire spread violently. The light of the mes leaped over the mask and created shadows.


    ¡°Two years have passed since the baby bird left the nest.¡±


    It is not something to say to anyone.


    Hiro stretched his arm over the zing fire in the moonlit, bloodstained world.


    ¡°How have you grown? Are youughing or crying?¡±


    In the world¡¯s silence, Hiro rested his back against the throne and looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°Liz, is the sky still clear for you?¡±


    The azure sky is no longer reflected in Hiro¡¯s eyes. Instead, the world is dark and stagnant.


    The wind wasing in through the broken window that connected to the balcony. The stifling smell of blood that filled the room was taken away, and the mes gained momentum from the wind.


    ¡°Show me how you¡¯ve grown.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s smile widened amidst the popping sparks.


    Infinite possibilities spread into the future of the red-haired princess.


    From now on, theing age swells, and the age of ughter is upon them.


    ¡°The world that had stood still will begin to move.¡±


    The wheels of a thousand years have begun to turn with a tter. All races will once again be on the move on the central continent.


    No one can remain unaffected.


    ¨D¨DNot even God.


    ¡°It has been repeated over and over again. Failure has been repeated over and over again.¡±


    Hiro thrust out his fist as if to tighten his grip on the great me spreading before him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a turning point.¡±


    Luca looked up at Hiro, who cleared his throat happily, with vacant eyes.


    Hiro noticed the somewhat sad look in Luca¡¯s eyes, but he could no longer allow himself to stand still.


    He has no choice but to keep moving forward. There was no turning back from the moment he chose this path.


    ¡°Good grief¡­ what am I doing?¡±


    Eventually, Hiro, who had been hiding hisughter, sat down deeply on the throne as if he were tired.


    His right hand suddenly came into view ¨D what came to mind was the promise he made to Liz on a distant day.


    ¡°Liz¡­ I will wait for you on the highest of heights.¡±


    The stiff atmosphere of the past is gone, and Hiro¡¯s eyes were distorted with sadness, as is appropriate for his age.


    ¡°When the timees, I¨D¨D¡±


    Only one wish. It¡¯s what the young man has always wished for.


    It¡¯s something he¡¯s kept in his heart for a long time, and he knows he¡¯ll have to make a hard choice for her.


    But it is a path that cannot be avoided.


    The sound of a rupture echoes through the throne room.


    The sparks of fire soaring in the air are dispelling the darkness coiled in the corners of the room and creating new sparks.


    In the midst of all this, Hiro noticed a faint noise and turned his gaze toward the copsed entrance.


    ¡°Wise Brother, our men who were inciting the people have found Utgarde under assault.¡±


    It was Hugin who appeared quietly, frowning in the hot wind.


    Behind her were two of her subordinates.


    nked by them stood Utgarde, the dwarf with his arms restrained.


    ¡°You did well.¡±


    Hiro, exerting himself, held out his hand in front of him. Hugin, who recognized this gesture, approached with Utgarde in tow. Utgarde, on folded knees in front of the throne, red at Hiro. His swollen face suggests that he is about to say something. However, he is gagged, so he is unable to speak.


    ¡°It has been a long time, Utgarde. You look healthy for a defeated survivor.¡±


    Utgarde, freed from the gag by Hugin, howled as he raised his hand and said casually.


    ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing? You came here to form an alliance with Steichen, didn¡¯t you!¡±


    ¡°No one said anything about that. I just came to negotiate.¡±


    Hiro put his arm on the armrest and looked down at Utgarde contemptuously with one hand raised.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I wanted you to free the Zahle River. The people of the Principality of Lichtine are suffering from water shortages.¡±


    ¡°Freeing the Zahle River¡­ is that all?¡±


    Utgarde repeated the question with a roll of his eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡±


    Hiro shrugged and let out a sigh, and Utgarde¡¯s face reddened.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to all this trouble just for that?¡±


    ¡°No, rest assured, I have other questions I want to ask you.¡±


    Sensing that he was about to get up, Luca pulled his head back, and Hiro, leaving the throne, approached Utgarde.


    ¡°Torkil-sama! Senators, please give us your orders! The people are rioting¨D¨D!?¡±


    A voice was heard in dire need. Soldiers, unable to cope with the unusual situation in the city, rushed into the throne room. However, they stiffened when they saw the sea of mes that was gaining momentum and the horrific scene in the throne room, which was filled with corpses. Utgarde shouted at them.


    ¡°Help me! Help me! There are insolent people here!¡±


    Perhaps invigorated by his voice, the soldiers came to their senses and drew their swords.


    ¡°Utgarde-sama! You bastards¨D¨D¡±


    Utgarde¡¯s hope was instantly crushed. Hugin¡¯s arrow pierced their throats, killing them. The blood drained from Utgarde¡¯s face as he once again stood on the edge of despair.


    ¡°Y-you bastard, are you going to wage war with Nidavellir?¡±


    ¡°How can there be war with a king without castles, a king without troops, a king without power?¡±


    ¡°There are still those who support me. If I can get them to contribute money¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°To the one who will lose even his country?¡±


    Utgarde gulped down the words at the strange presence emanating from Hiro.


    ¡°No one will help you. You have nothing left. Give up.¡±


    ¡°T-then I will make peace with the Lichtine in exchange for the liberation of the Zahle River and the ve trade¨D¨D¡±


    Hiro stomped on the floor, cutting Utgarde¡¯s words short.


    ¡°I am sorry, but the Zahle River has already been liberated. By 10,000 men of the Lichtine army.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Even if I have only 500 men, there is nothing you can do if you are attacked from the inside.¡±


    The border should have already fallen by the 500 ¡°Raven Army¡± that came with Hiro.


    Utgarde had ced Torkil, the border guardmander, at the pce for the purpose of monitoring the situation and had also sent most of the guards to defend Garza. They may have been conceited in their iron fortress and thought they could defend it with only a few men, but if that was the case, they could easily copse if they attacked from the rear. All that remained was for an avnche of 10,000 Lichtine troops to pour through the border.


    ¡°W-was that your goal?


    ¡°Not only that but¡­ I don¡¯t have to tell you everything.¡±


    Dense darkness is created by Hiro. The pure white cloak was stirred up by the wind and danced violently.


    ¡°There is no time left. I¡¯m not going to burn myself to death with you.¡±


    Hiro motioned to Luca and Hugin to go outside first.


    After receiving the order, they left the throne room, which had be a sea of mes, without haste.


    After watching their backs, Hiro looked again at Utgarde.


    ¡°Now, I have a question. I want to ask you about the Grantz nobleman who gave you assistance.¡±


    ¡°H-how did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°No, it was just a coincidence.¡±


    Hiro stretched his arm around Utgarde¡¯s neck.


    ¡°I found out about this when I was investigating it.¡±


    The lion ornament shining under Utgarde¡¯s neck was shooting a fiery re of light.


    ¡°Just in case things go wrong¡­¡±


    With a gentle hand, Hiro removed the ne of the first emperor from Utgarde.


    He then carefully ced it in the ¡°ck Princess Camellia¡± and grabbed Utgarde by the neck.


    ¡°You have nothing to do with Altius.¡±


    With an almost refreshing smile, Hiro raised his ck sword.

 Volume 8, Chapter 5 – The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 8, Chapter 5 - The Rose Princess and the White Night King, Part 6</h4>


    The impregnable city of Garza ¨D those were the words on everyone¡¯s mind.


    They had marched to Garza with the determination that the city would not fall easily. However, the morale of Jotunheim¡¯s army was high after defeating Nidavellir¡¯s army and defeating the hated ¡°elected army¡± in the first battle. They were capable of taking down any fortress.


    They marched with such spirit.


    However, they were disciplined not to let their guard down after the initial battle when a raid on the main camp attacked them.


    Therefore, the Jotunheim army prepared arge number of siege weapons and rushed to the city of Garza.


    However, they were now faced with an iprehensible situation.


    The 30th day of June in the 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The city of Garza, the headquarters of Nidavellir and renowned for its impregnability, was on fire.


    ck smoke rose from everywhere, and angry shouts and screams swirled in the sky, only to be drowned out by the wind. If anyone had served in the war, they would have seen this scene many times.


    <sub></sub>


    Everyone must have thought of the word: looting.


    But this was not like a vige that was just surrounded by fences. Neither was it a town that was not protected by a wall.


    It was the culmination of the work of their predecessors ¨D the Garza Wall, which had been called impregnable.


    ¡°What is going on?¡±


    Liz was overwhelmed by the high walls, but she immediately sensed something was wrong and became puzzled. The walls had not been damaged by the attack. Yet the gates that protected the city of Garza were open. The numerous angry shouts and deafening screams that echoed through the air only added to their doubts.


    ¡°Princess.¡±


    Skadi has left her own army and came under Liz. The faces of the soldiers escorting her were sharp and focused. The air of mystery made them more alert.


    ¡°What is this all about, Skadi?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know either. In the meantime, we have sent several units to check on the situation.¡±


    Skadi¡¯s face told her that there was a possibility that it was a trap, but that didn¡¯t make any sense.


    ¡°What about the possibility that Utgarde burned down the city and moved their base of operations?¡±


    Liz asked, and Skadi shook her head.


    ¡°Unlikely. No city has better defenses than Garza.¡±


    ¡°It could also be the work of the Principality of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°The defenses on the border are not as strong as the city of Garza, but a weakened Lichtine today would never be able to take it down. Even if they could, it would take 100,000¡­ or even 200,000 men to take down the city of Garza.¡±


    Then, a horseman came rushing toward them, a cloud of dust rising from the ground. The red g on his back was the sign of a messenger from Jotunheim.


    ¡°The advance party has reported in. There are no signs of enemy infiltration in the city, but the people are running amok and repeatedly looting the city.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s pretty noisy for that.¡±


    Liz understood what Skadi was trying to say.


    The city of Garza is almost exclusively inhabited by dwarves.


    The poption of Garza must have decreased significantly due to the exclusion of other races who fled the city to escape forced conscription and those who resisted.


    The messenger, who may not have been aware of such a question, answers it.


    ¡°It seems that those who fled from various viges have returned to Garza after hearing rumors. They have outnumbered the dwarves, and the looting has increased in intensity.¡±


    All the resentment that had built up over the years likely exploded all at once. Resentment is a terrible thing. It makes one lose one¡¯s sense of reason, and one does not hesitate to resort to excessive violence.


    Once they calm down, they may feel self-loathing, but if others around them repeat the same thing, their senses be numb, and their sense of guilt is pushed into the corner by sympathetic thinking.


    ¡°Tsk¡­ I understand that they have a grudge against the dwarves, but if they loot the ce, it¡¯s like admitting that they are the same as the dwarves.¡±


    Skadi gazes at Garza from a distance with her bangs swept back. Her eyes were filled with sadness. Was it because of concern for the people who repeatedlymit violence, or was it because of concern for the dwarves who cannot escape and are subjected to violence?


    ¡°I will move the army immediately. We will stop the riot. And forbid the soldiers from looting.¡±


    After ordering her aides to do so, Skadi gave Liz an apologetic look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The war is over now. You came all the way here to help us, but I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be satisfied with an ending that brings shame to our country.¡±


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t. Besides, I¡¯ll help you quell the riots.¡±


    ¡°That would be great. Can I trust you to take care of the humans? If it is the word of the same race, they might listen to you.¡±


    The riots would soon die down. The opposing Jotunheim army had arrived. Above all, vengeance had been taken. They must flee in haste to avoid punishment.


    The problem was not so much the people as the bandits who were taking advantage of the chaos to loot the city repeatedly.


    ¡°What is Utgarde going to do?¡±


    ¡°If he loses the city of Garza, there is nothing more he can do. Even if he did return¡­ it¡¯s doubtful he¡¯d be alive after what he¡¯s done.¡±


    Skadi and Liz headed for the city of Garza, riding side by side.


    The closer they got, the more surprised they were at the height of Garza¡¯s defenses.


    However, considering the current situation, the walls seemed to be mere decoration.


    ¡°It¡¯s terrible.¡±


    That was Liz¡¯s impression as she followed the Jotunheim army that had gone ahead of them through the gate.


    The shards of ss scattered along the streets emitted a dull glow in the sunlight. Blood was flowing between the cobblestones like a stream. The bodies of the dwarves were lying everywhere, all of them showing signs of having been vited. The corpses of other races were also conspicuous.


    The stores lining both sides of the street were burned down and empty inside; presumably, their goods had been looted.


    It was as if they had wandered into an abandoned city.


    Angry shouts are flying from the surroundings ¡ª the faint sound of sword fights. Somewhere, a battle between Jotunheim soldiers and bandits may have begun.


    ¡°The worst seems to be near the north gate. That is where the mansions of the nobles are concentrated.¡±


    Skadi, who had received the report from her subordinate, pulled her horse up to Liz with a hint ofmentation.


    ¡°I heard that bandits have taken over the ce, and the corpses are piling up.¡±


    ¡°Shall I send some of my soldiers to help?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re the ones who didn¡¯t manage to escape. Most of them escaped as soon as we arrived.¡±


    Liz could see that Skadi was forcing a smile.


    Considering the difficulties she would face in the future, she would have to force herself to smile to keep going. Reconstruction will be difficult if the area is so thoroughly destroyed. It will be hard on security and on funding as well. If Jotunheim¡¯s army had let the city fall, there would have been no problem. The Jotunheim army could monopolize the spoils of war, although the soldiers may have gone out of control. However, because they came toote, there was no property left to confiscate from the nobles, and most of the looted goods were taken out of the city. The reconstruction of the destroyed city would require a huge amount of money. In order to cover this, they had their eyes on the assets umted by the influential people of Nidavellir, but their guesses were off. The only other ce with any promise was the Utgarde pce.


    ¡°¡­¡­The pce seems to have been looted as well.¡±


    The iron gates were broken down loudly, and the bodies of Nidavellir soldiers were piled up around the perimeter.


    The walls were sttered with a lot of blood, and the pce was also engulfed in white smoke from the mes.


    As Liz and Skadi crossed the broken iron gate, a Jotunheim soldier jumped out from the entrance of the pce.


    ¡°Skadi-sama, we were searching inside, and we have confirmed that the treasury ispletely unharmed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The mes were extinguished a short time ago, so I assume it was not looted.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s good news. Tell the men to bring it out and secure the pce perimeter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, right away.¡±


    The relief in Skadi¡¯s profile was evident as she gave instructions to her aides and soldiers.


    However, Liz has her own doubts. Why had the treasures not been taken out?


    Why was the treasure intact and only the pce on fire? With a sense of difort that didn¡¯t quite add up, Liz stepped inside the pce with Skadi.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautifulpared to the outside¡­¡±


    Strangely enough, there were no scorch marks near the entrance.


    However, as they made their way through the hallways, they learned the extent of the fire¡¯s threat.


    ¡°It sure is¡­ strange.¡±


    Skadi, who moved her nose, also seemed to notice something strange.


    The mes seemed to be spreading around the throne room.


    And then¨D¨D,


    ¡°What is this guy¡­?¡±


    The throne room was filled with burnt corpses. None of the bodies were whole, and all were damaged.


    Skadi crouched down in front of a corpse.


    ¡°This one has¡­ had his head decapitated. Was he robbed? No. Then why is he still wearing the jewelry?¡±


    And even the treasure was left in the pce. So it is highly unlikely that they were attacked by bandits.


    Then there is only one possible exnation ¨D if the goal was their lives.


    Passing by Skadi, who was searching through the bodies and pondering, Liz set out for the throne.


    On the way, she noticed a faint residue of spirit ¨D Liz reached into the void and grabbed it.


    It slipped through the gap between her fists and dissolved into the air, vanishing.


    For a moment ¨D and still, she could feel it.


    A power that felt like a disaster ¨D but intense loneliness tightened her chest.


    She had felt this power only once before. It was part of the power the young man held in his hands.


    ¡°¡­I see. You were here, huh?¡±


    Liz walked further and found a dead body, bowing low toward the throne.


    Judging by the size of the body, it was probably a dwarf. His clothes were burned off, and his skin was reddish-ck from the fire. A strange smell wafted through the air, but it was relieved by a breezeing in through a broken window.


    Then Liz noticed something, quickened her steps, and closed the distance to the throne at once.


    ¡°A lion adorned with gold and silver¡­ ne of the first emperor, right?¡±


    Picking up the ne from the throne, Liz once again checked her surroundings.


    The room was burning extensively, but there was not a single sign of scorching around the throne.


    ¡°¡­Hiro, what were you doing here?¡±


    No one answered.


    The only thing thates in through the window is a gentle breeze that caresses Liz¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°That guy¡¯s amazing¡­ that this is the only ce that isn¡¯t on fire; it¡¯s kind of creepy on the contrary.¡±


    Skadi was stunned, not knowing what it meant, but Liz, who had some idea, could only smile wryly.


    There¨D,


    ¡°Skadi-sama! Messenger, it¡¯s a messenger!¡±


    The messenger rushed in, looking panicked. Skadi turned her body around, ruffling her hair.


    ¡°What is it? You are too noisy. Calm down a little.¡±


    ¡°The Principality of Lichtine is invading near the eastern border of Nidavellir! The Principality of Lichtine is invading!¡±


    Skadi¡¯s eyes widened as she stopped scratching her head.


    However, the rigidity was soon broken, and she approached the messenger with arge step.


    ¡°W-why all of a sudden¡­ how about their number!?¡±


    ¡°About 10,000, but they seem to have stopped when they marched to the Zahle River!¡±


    While approaching the messenger, Skadi¡¯s feet stopped, and she crossed her arms as if scooping up her ample bosom.


    ¡°What, the Zahle River?¡±


    Skadi¡¯s question was met with a wide nod from the messenger.


    ¡°The river was dammed up by the Nidavellir a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°There, huh¡­? damn it, I can only assume they were aiming for it toe under such circumstances.¡±


    Liz called out with a somewhat distant look in her eyes to Skadi¡¯s back as she stomped on the ground.


    ¡°He was aiming for it¡­¡±


    Her heart beats faster. Liz involuntarily puts her hand on her chest.


    There was a boy here who was good at all sorts of tricks and deceptions.


    A huge me spread in the back of her mind as she realized the certainty that he was nearby.


    Skadi, oblivious to Liz¡¯s state of mind, turned around with a dubious look on her face.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°In anticipation of the disappearance of soldiers from Nidavellir¡­ if the leader is gone, there will be no one to ask for a decision. In the meantime, he has used the tricks he has devised to cause this chaos.¡±


    It¡¯s nothing short of brilliant. No one knew what brought him here.


    However, he managed to bring down the city of Garza, which was said to require 200,000 troops, with just his scheme. Even if his methods were inhumane, he had done it.


    ¡°He then took advantage of the chaos and attacked and destroyed the city in one fell swoop. That¡¯s what he does best.¡±


    Still, the sweetness remains ¨D he was taking care that the treasury was not looted, considering that Jotunheim will probably restore Garza in the future.


    So, that¡¯s why she wanted to save such a sweet and gentle broken soul of his.


    Recalling the promise they made on a distant day ¨D sweet, sad, andpassionate thoughts tingled deep in Liz¡¯s chest.


    Liz gripped the ne of the first emperor with great strength.


    ¡°¡­Hiro.¡±


    Her eyes fixed on the throne on which Hiro would have been sitting.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 8, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 8, Epilogue</h4>


    ¡°I wish you could have stayed a little longer¡­¡±


    Liz smiled at Skadi¡¯s words.


    ¡°I want to take him home as soon as possible, so please pardon me this time.¡±


    Liz looked at the roofless carriage behind her. There was a coffin on top of which Cerberus was sleeping sadly. Inside the coffin was Tris, who was sleeping in a sleep from which he would never wake. After returning to the Great Grantz Empire, she would have to give him a grand send-off so that he and Dios could enjoy drinking together in the afterlife.


    Skadi¡¯s shoulders slumped with resignation after recognizing Liz looking at the coffin with eyes filled with destion.


    ¡°I see¡­ call me if you need anything. I¡¯ll fly out ande right over.¡±


    ¡°But first, you have to do something about the Principality of Lichtine, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to settle this through negotiations. We can¡¯t fight them any longer.¡±


    But, Skadi said with a smile.


    ¡°The beastman will always return the favor they have received. Grantz is in a lot of trouble these days. If you find yourself in a crisis, call me immediately.¡±


    With a wry smile on her face, Liz gave a slight nod.


    ¡°Yeah, thank you. Please do help me at that time.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m heading over there to greet you once again. As a representative of the Steichen Republic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you with a sumptuous meal. Next time, I¡¯ll entertain you with a Grantz-style feast.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? If so, I shall go immediately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Liz turned her head and waved her hands behind her back.


    Looking up at the sky, she saw that it was clear and cloudless.


    Tris von Termier.


    His life had not been a happy one.


    An old soldier who was hated by the nobles and lords for supporting Liz, the sixth princess who was never wanted by anyone.


    Despite his many aplishments, he could not rise in the ranks and ended his life as a third-grade military officer.


    Some time ago, on a day when Liz used the nobles of arrogance, only to be criticized for the opposite.


    When Liz med herself for her helplessness, Tris gave her a stern look but in a gentle voice.


    ¡°If you are so frustrated that you cry, if you want to change the arrogance of the nobles, you have to be stronger. But it will be the hardest road you can imagine.¡±


    Liz, who had a strong sense of justice, dered without hesitation that she would be stronger.


    Tris gently patted her on the head and gave her a troubled smile.


    ¡°But it is impossible for the young you to do that now¡­ so until then, I will be your shield, your sword, and protect you until the end of my life.¡±


    Tris got down on one knee and bowed deeply when she held Liz¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Let us weep together,ugh together, and fight together.¡±


    And finally, he concluded with a smile.


    ¡°I am the first vassal of Her Highness Celia Estre.¡±


    The memories of those distant days remain with her to this day, and she keeps them close to her heart.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    There will be no time to rest once they return to the Great Grantz Empire.


    The n to recapture Felzen had to be started in earnest.


    If she neglected to do so, the first vassal, who was watching from the ¡°Pce of Heroes,¡± will be furious with her.


    There is no time for sadness. Tris would never forgive her for that.


    Liz tightened her grip on the reins.


    ¡°Tris, watch me. I will be an empress.¡±


    Her childhood dream was bing a reality.


    The sun shone brightly to light her way.

 Volume 9, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 9, Prologue</h4>


    There was not a single cloud that day.


    There was no sign of rain, but the world was moist and sticky.


    On a normal day, it would be a night of twinkling stars.


    On a normal day, it would be a night of silence.


    But on that particr day, the usual night never came.


    The stars were mercilessly obscured by the ck smoke rising from the ground.


    In stark contrast to the somber sky, the ground was red, red, red, and engulfed in unrelenting mes.


    Angry shouts and screams ¨D voices of anger, sorrow, and cries for help pierced the night air endlessly.


    A storm of sword fights erupted, and the smell of blood permeated the air.


    The unstoppable maliceid waste to the city ¨D to the innocent people.


    To sum it up in one word: heartless. It was a devil¡¯s deed. But there was no other choice but to ept it.


    ¡°Hopees to those who know despair.¡±


    A young man wearing a mask muttered to himself as he gazed at the red-burning city.


    His voice is too t to be an eyewitness to the horrific scene unfolding before his eyes.


    There was no emotion in his words. Emotions did not exist ¡°there.¡±


    Was it because of the mask that made it difficult to grasp the subtleties of his emotions?


    Or perhaps¡­


    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t ask for forgiveness. You can hate me to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    The young man stroked his mask with his right hand, and the burning city shed in his eyes.


    The night wind made his cloak flutter, simultaneously snatching away the atmosphere the young man wore.


    ¡°¡­This will end the stalemate that hassted so long.¡±


    The young man tried to reach out to the people who were calling out for help¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­Hypocrisy.¡±


    ¨D¨DHe stopped the helping hand.


    Then, abandoning all emotion, the young man turned himself around and opened his arms.


    ¡°Now ¨D let the war begin.¡±

 Volume 9, Chapter 1 – Before The Storm, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 1 - Before The Storm, Part 1</h4>


    On the 13th day of August in the 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The great imperial capital, dius, the capital of the Great Grantz Empire.


    It was one of the most ancient capitals and the ideal home of the ¡°human race¡± that flourished on the central continent.


    The imperial capital was also famous as the city that never sleeps, and the central street was where most people gathered.


    The streets were lined on both sides with stalls opened by merchants from all over the world. The smell of appetizing food filled the streets. The sound of merry voices echoed out every day without ceasing.


    Children running around in the square with toys in their hands and their parents watching them with peaceful expressions on their faces.


    This was the world-famous imperial capital, but the ce where people usually never stoping was enveloped in a strange atmosphere.


    The sun had set.


    The clouds had assimted into darkness, and the stars twinkled in the gaps between them. Instead of the intense sun, a gentle moon appeared and illuminated the ground.


    Yet, although the ce was crowded with stalls at night, it is now dominated by silence, as if it were a ruin. The night air was so still, that even the drop of a needle could be heard.


    Just as in a sanctuary that no one could invade, there was an air of alienation that flowed through this ce.


    Therefore, it was not a popr ce.


    The streets, which had lost all traffic, were enveloped in a somber atmosphere. The statues of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz, which stood in a row on either side of the street, solemnly stood guard over the street.


    ¡°The First God.¡±


    ¡°The God of War.¡±


    ¡°The Goddess of Beauty.¡±


    ¡°The God of Forge.¡±


    ¡°The God of Protection.¡±


    ¡°The God of Wisdom.¡±


    ¡°The God of Fortune.¡±


    ¡°The God of Commerce.¡±


    ¡°The God of Military Arts.¡±


    ¡°The Goddess of Medicine.¡±


    ¡°The God of Sound.¡±


    ¡°The God of Water.¡±


    Of the twelve, ten were great emperors who brought development and prosperity to the Great Grantz Empire.


    The other two were goddesses who were not emperors, but were deified for their great achievements.


    All of the statues were borately crafted, but there were some small chips, indicating that they have been aged. Even so, their dignity remained intact.


    The moon, which had been illuminating the ground, disappeared behind the clouds, and the statues melted into the darkness.


    Just then ¨D footsteps broke the silence and rang through the streets.


    The figure was the only one allowed to set foot in this ce in the Great Grantz Empire.


    Despite the darkness, her me-red hair shone brightly, radiating a presence that could not be hidden.


    She stopped in front of ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± with a high click of her heels.


    The sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire and the first in the line of session to the throne, she currently reigned at the top of the nation as acting emperor.


    She was Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz.


    ¡°The elder sister of the first Emperor Altius and the first Princess Shrine Maiden who led the People of the Beginning¡­¡±


    She was a brave woman who stood up together with her brother Altius to liberate the ¡°human race¡± that had been oppressed by the ¡°demon race¡± and yed a role in refining the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.


    In other words, she was one of the key figures who led the Great Grantz Empire to victory, and her achievements were no less than those of the ¡°God of War,¡± for which she left behind many legends as the ¡°Goddess of Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Celia Rey Symmora von Grantz¡­¡±


    She was favored by the ¡°Spirit King,¡± and she was able to mediate between the ¡°human race¡± and the ¡°long-eared race,¡± and even the ¡°demon race,¡± which had been hostile to her; she treated them without distinction.


    She was loved by all races but died young of an epidemic, at which time everyone, regardless of race, shed tears for her, ording to the literature.


    Historians believe that she also aplished other things that were not mentioned in the literature. Liz believed this to be true. Otherwise, she, who was not an emperor, would not have been deified as one of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz.


    ¡°But¡­ why did you appear in my dreams?¡±


    Two years ago, when Liz felt discouraged by the loss of Hiro, a woman spoke to her gently.


    It was when she returned to the imperial capital and saw the bronze statue of ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± that she learned the true nature of the strange feeling she got then. However, to the point of making herugh, the statue and the real person were nothing alike.


    The one Liz met in her dream was much more beautiful than that of the statue, to the point of making her jealous.


    ¡°I wanted to ask you so many questions¡­¡±


    Will she ever appear again? Liz would like to talk with her about a lot of things.


    She wanted to hear the young man¡¯s story.


    A story she didn¡¯t know ¨D the great aplishment of a young man named Hiro a thousand years ago.


    What he gained, what he learned, and what he lost¡­


    She wanted to know why he had reappeared in this world after a thousand years.


    However, Liz did not have the courage to ask Hiro directly. She was afraid of losing him if she asked him.


    So she learned of his true identity from the memory of the first emperor, the former holder of the ¡°me Emperor,¡± and she arrived at this conclusion bybining fragmentary information.


    ¡°I was skeptical, suspicious, and refused to believe¡­ No, I was afraid. I was afraid, and my weak heart kept me from seeing the truth.¡±


    Liz put her fist on her own chest and let out a small sigh.


    He was a man who has left behind many legends. Just by being there, an overwhelming presence could be felt.


    The air of mystery that he exuded was something that could not be hidden.


    But, afraid to ept the truth, Liz continued to pretend not to notice.


    She had been running away from him, the ¡°God of War,¡± whom she had longed to meet.


    ¡°Not anymore. I have decided to be strong.¡±


    She wanted to know what it was that drove him.


    ¡°You know what it is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Liz continued to speak to the Goddess of Beauty. Knowing that she would never get an answer, Liz kept her eyes fixed on the statue, waiting for her to appear.


    But even after all that waiting, the only thing that arrived was a warm, summery night breeze.


    Liz smiled bitterly and shook her head in resignation.


    ¡°I was hoping something would happen when I got here¡­¡±


    Liz was about to turn on her heel, regretfully, when she suddenly felt¡­ the presence of someone.


    The sound of light footsteps echoed from the darkness, where no moonlight could reach.


    Liz threw a sharp look at the person, but the strange presence showed no hostility, and the tension drained from her stiffened body. As soon as the alertnesspletely disappeared from Liz, the abruptly appearing one approached, revealing a soft expression in the moonlight.


    ¡°Liz-sama¡­ a woman alone at thiste hour of the night¨D¨D¡±


    The person was about to make aint, but closed her mouth, looked around, and then nodded with an air of satisfaction.


    ¡°I see. They seem to be excellent people. They are watching over you from a distance where they can help you at any time, even though they cannot be seen.¡±


    Liz turned a surprised expression on the smiling figure and looked around as well.


    There are several presences lurking in the darkness. There was a slight tension but no hostility at all.


    ¡°How could you tell? They are among the most selective of the elite guard.¡±


    ¡°Even if they eliminate their presence, they would be no match for my eyes.¡±


    The person was proud of herself, yet her tone was not pompous, and there was a hint of humility mixed in. So Liz let out a smile that was a mixture of a wry smile and admiration.


    ¡°As one would expect from the ¡°irvoyant¡± Princess Shrine Maiden.¡±


    Liz praised her sincerely and looked at the person who appeared ¨D the Princess Shrine Maiden.


    Her long-eared physical features indicate that she was a member of the long-eared race.


    Her age was unknown, and her appearance was that of a young teenage girl.


    However, most of the long-eared people stop aging at a certain age. Therefore, when you treat them as if they are your age, you may be surprised to find that some of them have cunning personalities.


    The princess shrine maiden, who was also of such a special race, had blue eyes that shone darker than the sky, as a sign that she had been chosen by the Spirit King. They were so clear that you felt as if you could see everything through them.


    ¡°So why are you here?¡±


    The Princess Shrine Maiden, who never left the small country of Baum, was currently staying in the Great Grantz Empire due to a special circumstance.


    Liz, who was also the acting emperor, knew theplicated situation, so she was not asking why she was in this country but why she appeared at this ce.


    But The Princess Shrine Maiden said nothing, and as she approached, she looked up at the bronze statue ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± that Liz had seen earlier.


    ¡°It¡¯s just like Liz-sama. If it weren¡¯t for an opportunity like this, I wouldn¡¯t be able to meet the first princess shrine maiden.¡±


    Liz was convinced by those words and looked around her.


    The central street, usually crowded with stalls and people, was empty except for Liz and the others.


    This was because the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± the king of the small country of Baum, would be visiting the Great Grantz Empire in the near future, and the streets were blocked off. In order to prepare for his arrival, the princess shrine maiden had left the small country of Baum and was staying in the Great Grantz Empire ahead of the others ¨D that was why she was here.


    ¡°It has been a long time since I visited the ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± like this¡­ although I never dreamed that I would be seeing her together with Princess Shrine Maiden.¡±


    For the first time in a thousand years, a king was born in the small country of Baum, and it was a bolt out of the blue not only for the Great Grantz Empire but also for the neighboring countries.


    The Great Grantz Empire objected to the ession of the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± but it was only a formal protest, fearing that it would increase the friction between the two countries. The heat was still on when the princess shrine maiden left the small country of Baum to visit the imperial capital, and the Great Grantz Empire was on high alert.


    ¡°I must thank His Majesty the ¡°ck Dragon King. I was able to meet the first princess shrine maiden together with Liz-sama.¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed. I was able to see the unusual faces of my subordinates, so I really got a lot out of it.¡±


    Thest few days at the imperial pce were as noisy as if a bee had been poked in a hive.


    The high-ranking officials, who were supposed to be ustomed to inviting kings and other important figures from around the world, became so restless that it was almostughable.


    Perhaps they had enjoyed the peace for too long, but just as with the invasion of the bandits two years earlier, they were slow to react to the situation on the spur of the moment. The pride that has taken root among the high-ranking officials seemed to be unable to be removed even after repeated raids. It was a headache, but it was a problem that could not be left unaddressed. How to sessfully bring the chaos under control would be a major issue in the future.


    The princess shrine maiden, who was watching Liz¡¯s contemtive profile, opened her mouth.


    ¡°Liz-sama, do you know that the graveyard of the first Princess Shrine Maiden-sama does not exist?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ it is, of course, a well-known story.¡±


    Liz was puzzled by the change of topic but quickly changed her mind and answered.


    ¡°The most popr theory is that¡­ The ¡°God of War¡± established the small country of Baum in thend that the first princess shrine maiden loved ¨D to the east of the Grantz, and turned it into a graveyard of its own existence.


    Like the ¡°God of War,¡± the first princess shrine maiden remains a mystery. The ¡°God of War¡± had a vivid history but disappeared from the public eye after a certain point in time. He reappeared only when he took the throne of the second emperor. He died a yearter, but the cause of his death was not recorded in the literature. It was only noted that the first princess shrine maiden also disappeared from the public stage at a simrly early age and died suddenly of illness. Perhaps it is precisely because these two remain such a mystery that people were so intrigued by them.


    Even today, numerous historians were still actively searching through the documents.


    ¡°Because of this ambiguity, the people of Baum visit the great imperial capital where the statue of the ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± is located. Many peoplee to see what kind of person she was, if only to catch a glimpse of her.¡±


    The Baum people must have mixed feelings about the fact that the first princess shrine maiden has be a god of another country. Because of this, they cannot erect a statue of the ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± in their own country. If they did, they would be epting the gods of other countries. For those who worship the Spirit King, this was a problem that could not be overlooked.

 Volume 9, Chapter 1 – Before The Storm, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 1 - Before The Storm, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°I heard it was a big deal to wee the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± as king this time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. Many people avoided weing His Majesty the ¡°ck Dragon King.¡± But the oracle of the Spirit King cannot be ignored.¡±


    ¡°The oracle of the Spirit King¡­ If that is said, the people will have no choice but to obey.¡±


    The people of Baum, who worship the Spirit King, first and foremost believe in the words of the princess shrine maiden.


    If she told them that it was the oracle of the Spirit King, they would have no choice but to follow it, even if it was false.


    ¡°Are you in doubt?¡±


    The princess shrine maiden asked, and Liz only shrugged her shoulders.


    It would be a lie to say that she did not have doubts. But there was no way to know for sure whether it was true or not.


    The only person who could hear the words of the Spirit King was the princess shrine maiden.


    ¡°No, I was just a little curious.¡±


    Liz smiled and shook her head, trying not to let her inner feelings be known.


    ¡°Well¡­ if you have anything on your mind, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me anything.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden¡¯s gaze never left Liz as she continued to smile unchanged.


    ¡°There is a millennium bond between Baum and Grantz, you know.¡±


    The unexinable chill that crawled up Liz¡¯s spine¡­ the smile of a somewhat chilly princess shrine maiden was visible and hidden under the moonlight. It was also the role of the princess shrine maiden to be able tobine the pure and the unclean, and this was the role of a person who should be in charge of running a nation. Liz envied her cunning to the point of purity.


    ¡°You are strong¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not strong. I¡¯m not even able to move from my own country, even though I¡¯m told I have influence. It is no exaggeration to say that I can do nothing with this.¡±


    She could not move easily. That was why the value of the existence of the princess shrine maiden was enhanced.


    This may be the reason why they are called a big nation despite being a small country.


    Liz, too, was no longer a stranger to the world. She would no longer be able to move around freely as she does now, and she would no longer be allowed to talk to the people and soldiers as casually as she used to.


    If she took the throne of the Great Grantz Empire, she would be separated from the rest of the world, and she would have to live an ufortable life in an abyss where all kinds of spirits from the mountains and rivers were spreading.


    ¡°¨D¨DLiz-sama, you seem to have something on your mind.¡±


    Liz¡¯s shoulders shook in surprise when the princess shrine maiden suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°I wonder if it showed on my face?¡±


    It was dark. Even though there was moonlight, it was impossible to observe every detail of a person¡¯s face.


    Liz had thought so but then changed her mind.


    The princess shrine maiden was pointing her ¡°eye¡± at Liz.


    ¡°The irvoyant eye can see people¡¯s emotions, and although Liz-sama is better at hiding her colors than in the past, I can still ¡®see¡¯ something like a wavering.¡±


    The ¡°irvoyant eye¡± was called the world¡¯s three most secret eyes, along with the ¡°lion¡¯s eye¡± and the ¡°heavenly spirit eye.¡±


    It¡¯s a special eye that has been passed down from generation to generation of the princess shrine maiden, and it¡¯s nearly impossible to hide emotions from her, as even the slightest distress could be detected as color.


    ¡°I have heard a lot about you, Liz-sama. Even the slightest distress is perceived as color and is detected. That is why you must have been surprised once again at the vastness of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden looked up at the night sky, and Liz was also drawn in by her gaze and looked up above her.


    Perhaps the wind was blowing fast, the thick clouds had passed, and the moon was shining.


    The moon¡¯s light warmly illuminated the ground, and the stars continued to twinkle as brightly as the moon.


    ¡°I was wondering if I will be able to control the giant lion when I take over the throne¡­¡±


    The profile of the princess shrine maiden, who gazed at the healthy stars, did not allow any emotion to be realized.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re anxious about, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Not all ¨D but it¡¯s almost as if she¡¯s been told.


    The decision was quick, whether to deceive or not or whether to admit it.


    There was no point in hiding from her ¡°eye.¡± It would be troublesome if her true feelings were traced back to her.


    So, Liz answered with a smile that she had hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve got it right. I¡¯m certainly wondering if I¡¯m worthy of being an empress right now.¡±


    Now that she was closer to the top, she had a more detailed and urate understanding of the issues surrounding the Grantz. The tyranny of the noble lords belonging to the regions, the rebellions, and smoldering embers that arose were growingrger andrger every day. Above all, the expansion of warfare had not stopped. Many countries were hoping for the downfall of the Grantz and were working below the surface towards that end.


    However, this was nothing new. It was just that the pus that had umted over a thousand years, was about to erupt.


    Sessive emperors must have had the same concerns as Liz. They must have been terrified lest a piece of the assembled building blocks fall apart during their reign.


    ¡°I heard from the previous princess shrine maiden that the previous emperor, His Majesty Greyheit, was also troubled in the same way as Liz-sama.¡±


    ¡°That father?¡±


    When he was young, the previous emperor Greyheit wished to unify the central continent and dreamed of bing the thirteenth of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz. He had destroyed many small countries and had also overthrown rebellions by force. It was often said that he was arrogant and vicious ¨D more belligerent than the First Prince Stobel, who had gone into hiding. Above all, he was bent on destroying Felzen by the time Liz could remember.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you believe it? That man used to visit the ¡°Spirit King¡¯s Temple¡± and consult with the previous princess shrine maiden.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden looked at the imperial pce and gently softened the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°Your predecessor had the reputation of being a kind-hearted person, the exact opposite of what is rumored in the world.¡±


    It was a surprising assessment; she had to say. Therefore, Liz could not ept itpletely.


    Perhaps realizing this, the princess shrine maiden put her hand over her mouth and smiled wryly.


    ¡°Fufu, Liz-sama, do you know about the five-year spring?¡±


    It is also a well-known story.


    It refers to the period before Liz was born when there was not a single conflict on the central continent.


    The name ¡°Five Year Spring¡± was given to this period because it was the only time nothing happened during the reign of the previous emperor, Greyheit, who was one or two of the most belligerent emperors of all time.


    ¡°Actually, it was the time when His Majesty Greyheit met Liz-sama¡¯s mother, Primavera-sama. The name ¡°Five Year Spring¡± was given to protect the honor of the Emperor, but in reality, it was the period when His Majesty Greyheit was in love with her.¡±


    It was hard to believe that Greyheit, who did not consider people to be people, had a pure heart to fall in love. So, stunned, Liz could not say anything but could only stare at the princess shrine maiden in amazement.


    Meanwhile, she continued to open her mouth.


    ¡°I heard that the meeting between the two of them was shocking. I heard that Liz-sama¡¯s mother suddenly hit him. She was working on a farm, and she punched him mercilessly in the cheek with her mud-caked hands.¡±


    At the time, the southern part of the Grantz, which was suffering from heavy taxation, was frustrated with the emperor. In order to reduce the pent-up frustration, the emperor was forced to tour the southern cities.


    Then, Greyheit, tired of touring, visited the small town of Lynx with only his personal guard in tow. They upied a tavern and began to drink and frolic, and their insolence was so much that Liz¡¯s grandfather, who was the lord of Lynx at the time ¨D his daughter Primavera ¨D ran out of patience and hit Greyheit.


    ¡°I heard that she shouted at him that an emperor who drank and made a racket while his people were suffering should be put to death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised she wasn¡¯t executed¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard that she was very quick in her escape. The people around them were also taken aback.¡±


    The princess shrine maidenughed a little. She might haveughed out loud if it weren¡¯t for the fact that it was nighttime.


    That was how patient the princess shrine maiden was, with her shoulders quivering.


    ¡°But there is no way she could have escaped. Above all, she was famous in the south as a vivacious and beautiful woman, so she was quickly discovered, and it seems that she and her father came to the great imperial capitalter to apologize.¡±


    Even then, Primavera, perhaps in desperation because she thought she was going to be executed, caused a greatmotion by shouting that the emperor was a fool in front of the high-ranking officials and noble lords.


    ¡°But His Majesty the previous emperor, Greyheit,ughed and forgave her. Not only that, but he also bestowed upon her many treasures.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if he got a severe beating when he was punched?¡±


    The princess shrine maiden¡¯s eyes showed some surprise when she heard Liz say that.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Primavera-sama, while rolling her eyes in front of the many treasures, said the same thing to His Majesty Greyheit as Liz-sama.¡±


    However, Liz¡¯s mother, Primavera, wished to share the treasures with her people and returned to her territory without receiving anything. The nobles and lords were up in arms about the rudeness, but the previous emperor, Greyheit,ughed it off and forgave her.


    He then changed the tax rate to improve local governance, but he was especially generous in his support for the south, and his enthusiasm was tremendous.


    ¡°I heard that for about three years, the previous emperor, His Majesty Greyheit, kept sending letters to the Primavera-sama. I also heard that he traveled to the south many times whenever he had the opportunity. Ovee by his enthusiasm, Primavera-sama became a member of the Grantz imperial family as the fourth queen, even though she was a minor noblewoman.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden stopped talking from that point on.


    She simply looked up at the statue of ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± again as if to say that the topic was over.


    The reason for her silence was quite understandable.


    The ¡°spring¡± did notst long.


    Not long after Liz¡¯s birth, the first empressmitted a massacre in the rear pce.


    When the previous emperor, Greyheit, who had gone to the north for an inspection, had returned, the pce had been burned down, and everything was finished. From that ce, including the first empress who was involved, Liz¡¯s mother, Primavera, was also found in a changed state.


    Miraculously, Liz was saved by her grandfather. However, her grandfather passed away just like his daughter, and Liz¡¯s uncle Kiork seeded him as head of the family. Losing her backing, Liz was shunned by the nobles and lords, and she has had a difficult life up to the present day.


    ¡°There were hard times, but¡­ my mother left me many things to cherish.


    Although she has no memorable recollections, it is not clear whether she was aware of the danger to herself or not, but Primavera left many letters to Liz.


    ¡°Because of that, I held on to my dream and met Tris and Dios. Because I didn¡¯t give up, Hiro led me to Aura and Skaaha¡­ I was able to make connections with various people.¡±


    Liz took one look at ¡°Goddess of Beauty¡± and then turned back to the princess shrine maiden and began to walk away.


    ¡°I¡¯d better get back. If I am away from the imperial pce for too long, it¡¯ll create a fuss. Princess Shrine Maiden had better go back too. I think everyone is in a panic right now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will return in a little while.¡±


    At the princess shrine maiden¡¯s reply, Liz stopped and turned around, tilting her head.


    ¡°Do you want me to leave my guard with you?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Liz looked around for signs of life and noticed a few people looking at her. The breathing was inaudible, the figure was assimted into the darkness, and the faintest hint of presence was blended into the air.


    The princess shrine maiden also seemed to have a group of excellent people guarding her.


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Then I¡¯ll leave you here.¡±


    Liz¡¯s footsteps were small as she left in the silence, perhaps mindful that it waste at night.


    Gazing at the back of the kind-hearted red-haired princess, the princess shrine maiden opened her mouth so small that it could not be heard by Liz as if to let out a breath.


    ¡°Liz-sama, even the possessors of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword are usually unable to recognize it.¡±


    From astonishment to calmness ¨D yet there was still a look of unquenchable surprise in the princess shrine maiden¡¯s gaze.


    Eventually, her expression changed to one ofmentation, and she looked up at the night sky concerningly.


    ¡°Is the eye-openinging soon¡­ how should I exin to His Majesty the ¡°ck Dragon King¡±¡­?¡±


    After shaking her head in concern, the princess shrine maiden looked at the stars shining brightly.


    ¡°Perhaps this is part of your n¨D¨D¡±


    She continued to speak as if earnestly, hoping that he would tell her that it was a lie.


    ¡°O Spirit King¡­ what do you think is happening?¡±


    There was no answer.


    The princess shrine maiden, who had given up, turned her eyes to follow Liz¡¯s back once more.


    ckness covered her vision ¨D an abyss spreading out as if to promote uneasiness.


    ¡°Liz-sama¡­ do you know one of the reasons why His Majesty Greyheit has been so fascinated with Primavera-sama?¡±


    The summer night breeze softened the cool air.


    A strange coldness assailed her body and continued to rob her of her body heat.


    The anxiety only increased, and a mass of fear coiled in the depths of her heart.


    ¡°It was because she had red hair.¡±


    The anxiety that was spewed out with the words was carried away by the wind without forming any shape.


    They were endlessly entangled and dissolved into the darkness.

 Volume 9, Chapter 1 – Before The Storm, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 1 - Before The Storm, Part 3</h4>


    In the center of Natua, the only city in the small country of Baum, there was a box-shaped temple called the ¡°Spirit King Temple,¡± where the ¡°Spirit King¡± resides.


    It was one of the oldest buildings in the world, with a historyparable to that of the imperial pce of the Great Grantz Empire, which was built by the ¡°God of War¡± a thousand years ago when he founded the small country of Baum.


    Although Baum was a small country, its influence extends to the Great Grantz Empire, and the kings and nobles of neighboring countries often pay courtesy visits to the princess shrine maiden. However, with the ession of a new king in the small country of Baum, this role has now been taken over by the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± - Hiro.


    ¡°The princess shrine maiden is amazing. She was able to handle that many visitors all by herself.¡±


    Hiro muttered as he gazed at the moon from the window of his room.


    On the office desk behind him, arge number of documents and books were piled up, and Hiro was sitting with his chair facing the opposite direction as if afraid to look directly at them.


    ¡°It¡¯s not in vain. Not useless. It is important, but it¡¯s a waste of time to get bogged down in things that have a lower priority.¡±


    ¡°So you look out, and you¡¯re escaping reality? You keeping up with excuses, and I can¡¯t help but think that¡¯s actually a waste of time.¡±


    The harsh words were uttered from Hiro¡¯s bed.


    <sub></sub>


    A woman covered with a futon was alone. A sharp, animal-like gaze shed from the darkness.


    An average person would have been put off by this, but Hiro took one look at her and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to escape reality. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s a bother, that¡¯s all. I have to spend every waking moment directing my enthusiasm toward something that doesn¡¯t produce any profit.¡±


    Holding up one of the papers that had fallen at his feet, Hiro smiled wryly.


    If this were a petition from the people of Baum, it would probably generate enthusiasm to find a solution, but this was a letter from a nobleman from a neighboring country ¨D the Principality of Lichtine.


    The letter¡¯s content was simple and clear: a request for his daughter to be Hiro¡¯s wife, with a portrait of her added to the document. There was also an offer of marriage from the Grand Duchy of Dral. No matter how many times he refused, they kept sending them. Thanks to these people who never gave up, it seemed that the small country of Baum would have no trouble with paper for the foreseeable future. The paper also conveyed the despicable spirit of taking advantage of the small country of Baum, such as the request to hand over the spirit stone.


    ¡°In a time of peace, this would be fun, but now the fires of war are smoldering everywhere. What we should be thinking about is how things will be in the future, not how we live in the present.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I see. Then, why don¡¯t you just leave it to that little wooden figure, who has been given the role of assistant to the king, after all?¡±


    The king¡¯s assistant ¨D It¡¯s entrusted to the purple-skinned ¡°demon.¡±


    A diligent and loyal subordinate, Ghada Meteor, was like Hiro¡¯s right-hand man.


    Without him, the management of the state would not be possible. That was how much he relied on Ghada. Recently, he seems to have gained the people¡¯s trust, and when he walked the streets, he was even offered food by the people.


    ¡°Ghada refused me a while ago. He said, ¡°I have more work than you, so you¡¯ll have to take care of that yourself.¡±¡±


    ¡°¡­If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you leave it to your two wings? They¡¯ll be happy to help you out, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Munin and Hugin, the ¡°human¡± siblings who work for Hiro along with Ghada.


    They were also irreceable to Hiro.


    They were mainly entrusted with infiltration and research in various countries, and Hiro was proud that their intelligence unit was even better than that of the Great Grantz Empire, although it may be family favoritism. Although the two of them were slightly tense, their cheerful and open attitude had saved his life on many asions.


    The innocent smiles of the two of them in his mind rxed Hiro¡¯s mouth slightly.


    ¡°Hugin is currently infiltrating another country, and I have given Munin another job. Above all, if I entrusted the running of the country to those two, it would fall apart in three days.¡±


    The only other person he could entrust with the job would be the woman sitting in Hiro¡¯s bunk.


    ¡°¡­I definitely wouldn¡¯t like that.¡±


    The woman was noting out of the futon and continued to watch for our opening from the darkness.


    The former princess of the country of Urpeth, one of the Six Kingdoms ¨D Luca Mammon de Urpeth.


    She was a woman who had been living under Hiro¡¯s care since her defeat by Liz in the previous battle.


    She has always been after Hiro¡¯s life whenever she has the chance. This has been her daily routine for the past two years. So it was obvious what would happen if he entrusted politics to her.


    ¡°If I leave it to you, there will be a war tomorrow, and I can¡¯t think of anything more dangerous than that. So you can rest assured of that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Tch.¡±


    Luca clicked her tongue grimly and went to lie down and hid under the futon.


    Hiro decided to give up on the help of others.


    He was about to return to his paperwork, thinking about how to refuse the offers of other countries.


    At that moment, the door to his room made a heavy sound.


    ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡±


    Without waiting for a reply, a huge man wearing heavy equipment entered the room.


    It was the rumored ¡°demon¡± Ghada.


    After having just gotten motivated, Hiro was frustrated at the prospect of being caught off-guard.


    As he stared silently at him, the approaching Ghada stopped in his tracks, looking doubtful.


    ¡°What is it? If you have something to say, take off your mask.¡±


    ¡°No, I have nothing to say. What do you want from me?¡±


    Hiro adjusted his mask and looked at Ghada again.


    Ghada then held up two sheets of parchment in one hand.


    ¡°I received regr reports from Hugin and Munin. There¡¯s both good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?¡±


    ¡°Which do you want to start with?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the good ones.¡±


    As Ghada spoke, Luca¡¯s eyes gleamed in the darkness through the gap in the futon.


    The gaze was so intense that it almost haunted him, but he did not care and unfolded the parchment.


    ¡°It seems that Hugin has sessfully infiltrated the Anguis army stationed in Felzen. Moreover, it seems that she has been assigned to Queen Lucia¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°¡­How did she get into such a position?¡±


    It¡¯s something that would normally be unthinkable.


    ¡°Felzen has been in the line of fire so many times that many people have lost their jobs. Of course, they must have lost their manpower as well. That¡¯s why they are offering jobs to Felzen¡¯s people, giving preference to women. It¡¯s a very effective method, even if it¡¯s a bit calcting.¡±


    Stabilization of public order and normalization of the national situation are all inseparable from the feelings of the people.


    Perhaps they are trying to win the hearts and minds of the people by giving jobs to women on a priority basis.


    It was a long-term approach, but it was not wrong if it was to aplish something definite.


    For the people living in a worn-out country, whether they think something was right or not, if you gave them food, clothing, and shelter, then you were a good person.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s going to be difficult for the Grantz to retake Felzen, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Hiro rested his elbows on the desk, folded his hands, rested his chin on them, and let out a troubled sigh.


    Even if Skaaha is a survivor of the Felzen royal family, her cause will be blown away in the face of the people¡¯s emotions. Even if she could regain Felzen, it would be very difficult to rule if the people did not ept her. Who would wee a royal family that would provoke another war? No matter how much affection they may have for the royal family, no people would be so strange as to ept someone who would take their family away from them.


    And there are other concerns as well¨D¨D,


    ¡°She may have gotten too close to Lucia. Conversely, Hugin is stuck in a situation where she cannot move.¡±


    It was difficult to decide whether to see this as an opportunity or a crisis. It¡¯s the same for the other side: if they are suspicious of Hugin, they will be in for a world of pain if they don¡¯t take careful measures.


    As a result, if Lucia decided to keep Hugin by her side, she would not act rashly by letting her emotions get the better of her. If it were Hiro ¨D he would consider taking full advantage of the situation. Considering Felzen¡¯s current situation and the future¡­ it¡¯s not clear that Lucia had the strength to do so.


    ¡°There must have been others who infiltrated thepany. We will let them gather information. Tell Hugin to do her job and to be very careful.¡±


    Poor instruction would be counterproductive. He should give priority to winning Lucia¡¯s trust and ensuring Hugin¡¯s safety.


    ¡°I understand. Then I¡¯ll change the means ofmunication with Hugin.¡±


    Ghada put his hand on his chin and nodded deeply as if he was thinking.


    But, although it was not good news, from another point of view, it could be said that they had gained a trump card. But if this was good news, what was the bad news?


    ¡°And what about the bad news?¡±


    ¡°From Munin, who is running an intelligence operation in the north.¡±


    Ghada, his voice lowered, gave him a cold stare.


    A cold wind was blowing behind his eyes as if to say, ¡°Prepare yourself.¡±


    ¡°The northern nobility, brought together by the House of Sharm, haspletely copsed. I hear that the House of Bromell, one of the great northern nobles, has wrested real power from the House of Sharms.¡±


    Ghada cut off his words there and looked at Hiro, waiting for him to speak.


    It was something that had been known for some time, and there was no need for him to tell Ghada the answer.


    ¡°The Sharm family¡¯s power has been severely diminished due to the loss of their backbone, Prime Minister Gils¡­¡±


    Yet, there was still the second prince Selene.


    Although he was defeated and wounded by the bandits, he was still in second ce to Liz in terms of the order of session to the throne.


    ¡°It¡¯s too soon to give up on him¡­¡±


    ¡°In the North, rumors are circting that the next in line for the throne will be Her Highness Celia Estre. In such a situation, the main position has been taken by the Kelheit and Muzuk families. This must have caused the dissatisfaction of the northerners to explode.¡±


    The second prince always said he was not interested in the throne. He had a strong sense of patriotism as long as the northern part of the country was safe. This may have backfired.


    The northern nobles probably could not overlook the fact that their power in the country had begun to waver with the loss of Prime Minister Gils.


    ¡°Before that, what do you know about the Bromell family?¡±


    While in Grantz, Hiro had heard about them many times. They were one of the most prestigious families in Grantz, with the same status as the Sharm family. But that was all; there was nothing special about it.


    ¡°For the past two years, I¡¯ve been keeping a close eye on developments in the North, but the Bromell family has remained silent. It is only recently that they have begun to move.¡±


    ¡°Were they being lifted up by those around them as a portable shrine, or have they been pulling strings behind the scenes from the beginning?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s thetter. They are too conspicuous to be just a decoration.¡±


    Hiro nodded deeply in agreement with Ghada¡¯s words.


    ¡°Now, what are you going to do¡­ do you want to use all your strength or have a dialogue?¡±


    ¡°The war so far has been quiet, and the North is close to intact. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll resort to lukewarm measures such as dialogue ¨D but at the very least, it will certainly put pressure on the heart of the Grantz.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s face went down, and his thoughts went through the air.


    The current center of the Grantz was focused on the Felzen region.


    The main force was away, and they must avoid a situation in which the Imperial capital falls.


    (What in the world is the second prince Selene doing¡­ to think that the North would fall apart so quickly?)


    Hiro removed his mask and, perhaps tired, fingered his brow and let out a small breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it for now. I¡¯ll take this opportunity to see how good she is once again.¡±


    ¡°Is that okay? You weren¡¯t supposed to use that trick yet, were you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can afford to be so extravagant. I would have liked to have had a little more time regarding the North, but if Grantz copses, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    Leaning back in his chair, Hiro looked up at the ceiling.


    (Not everything goes as nned. Human movement is not something that can be predicted. There¡¯s bound to be a breakdown somewhere.)


    Hiro changed his mind and smiled at Ghada.


    ¡°This is an opportunity. I might even modify the n a little if I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ can we leave this matter in your hands, One-Eyed Dragon?¡±


    Hiro smiled at Ghada as he reminded him.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s keep this between us. I will handle the matter of the North from now on.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Munin? Do you want him to continue his investigation?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the investigation of the northern nobility to someone else, mainly around the Bromell family. I want Munin to head directly for the Spirit Wall.¡±


    The ¡°Spirit Wall¡± was built in the west of the North.


    Beyond the wall, it is said that three monster races ¨D the barbarians, the flesh-eaters, and the marked tribe ¨D inhabit thend.


    Five hundred years ago, a new tribe called the flesh-eaters and the marked tribe appeared. Their extraordinary appearance plunged the northern region into a state of terror. The 22nd emperor of the time, the ¡°God of Military Arts,¡± who was one of the Twelve Great Gods of the Grantz, took a serious look at the situation, defeated the flesh-eaters and the marked tribe, and with the help of the spirits, drove them to the edge of the North.


    Since then, the area beyond the ¡°Spirit Wall¡± has been called ¡°unexplored territory,¡± and even today, a thick wall continues to protect the northern part of Grantz.


    Currently, one of the Five Great Generals was defending the area, and although there have been several invasions over the past 500 years, the wall has never been ovee due to the efforts of the Five Great Generals of the past.


    This was only ording to the Grantz¡¯s announcement¡­


    ¡°I would like to know more about the current situation. Now that the North is unstable, I am concerned about the impact on the ¡°Spirit Wall.¡± Above all, there is the possibility that the northern nobles in the vicinity are having second thoughts.¡±


    The situation surrounding the Great Grantz Empire wasplicated.


    There were enemies both inside and outside.


    Hiro, who knew the situation from within, could see it clearly from the outsider¡¯s perspective ¨D from the small country of Baum.


    ¡°There is certainly no harm in being overly concerned¡­, and I¡¯ll be sure to carefully select the best people for the job. Is there anything else I need to tell Munin?¡±


    ¡°Tell him toe back immediately if he feels endangered. This goes for the others as well. I¡¯ve been feeling ufortable about this for a while now, but it seems that the North is a very suspicious ce¡­¡±


    Hiro said seriously, and Ghada nodded deeply in agreement.


    ¡°The problems are piling up. Just like your desk, One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    Ghada¡¯s mouth twitched up in a sarcastic and unfunny joke.


    Hiro smiled back and then suddenly mentioned another matter.


    ¡°Is everything ready for our departure the day after tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°We will send out 2,000 guards from the Raven Army. I would have sent more men, but there are no spirit knights left in Baum. Two thousand was the limit, including the maintenance of security and the movements of other countries.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden went to the Great Grantz Empire ahead of the others to greet Hiro. All the spirit knights and shrine maiden knights who were in the small country of Baum were apanying her as her escort.


    Although they numbered less than 1,500, they all possessed spirit weapons, and no half-hearted force would be able topete with them. It may seem excessive, but for the most famous and influential woman on the central continent, it was probably still not enough.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. As soon as I arrive in the Empire, I will ask Princess Shrine Maiden to return home. The people of Baum will be worried, after all.¡±


    When Hiro said this, Ghada was about to open his mouth.


    But Luca interrupted him from the side, speaking in anguid voice.


    ¡°If the ¡°demons¡± were to take the ce of the princess shrine maiden, the people of Baum would turn into wild mobs. Tomorrow morning, the head of that wooden figure will be lying on the square in Natua.¡± [Note: I don¡¯t know why Luca called Ghada a wooden figure, though.]


    Luca, who had remained silent up to this point, spat out her venom.


    Hearing this, Ghada chuckled and looked at Hiro, giving Luca a thumbs up.


    ¡°One-Eyed Dragon¡­ Do you really intend to take that chick with you? Not only will they find out who she is, but that foul mouth of hers could cause diplomatic problems.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. Even if I leave her behind, she¡¯s going toe after me soon enough.¡±


    She would always try to kill Hiro whenever she had the chance. Recently, the frequency of such attempts seemed to be increasing.


    She may be anxious about the impending war between the Grantz and the Six Kingdoms and was probably out for blood.


    There was certainly a fear of taking her to Grantz under such circumstances.


    However, if Hiro forcibly left her in Baum, there is no telling what kind of moves Luca might make. It would be fine if she just stormed off to her room, but they don¡¯t want to risk a situation where people die.


    ¡°¡­If you leave me here, the head of that little wooden head of yours will be lying in the square of Natua tomorrow.¡±


    Luca¡¯s emphasis on Natua¡¯s za was not clear to Hiro, who sensed the seriousness of her words and gave an emptyugh before telling Ghada.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want the beautiful square to be stained with blood. It looks like we have no choice but to take her with us.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. You can take that stubborn tomboy with you. I don¡¯t want to get blood all over this room either.¡±


    It¡¯s not worth the trouble. Hiro could sense this from the anguished look on Ghada¡¯s face.


    ¡°If that is the case, I will leave the rest of the work to you. Until then, I¡¯ll finish my own work.¡±


    Looking at the piles of documents and portraits on the desk, Hiro let out a depressing sigh. If he did not reduce them as much as possible, they would swell many times over when he returned.


    ¡°I understand. Then I¡¯ll leave you here. If anything happens, I¡¯ll let you know right away.¡±


    Ghada turned on his heel and left the room with a hand wave behind his back.


    Hiro, who had seen him off, got up from his chair and took one look at the bed. Luca had disappeared into the darkness created by the futon.


    Turning his gaze away from the bed, Hiro moved closer to the window to look at the stars in the night sky. Today again, no matter how rough it was on the ground, the sky was unaffected, forming a sea of stars as beautiful as ever.


    ¡°It is only in the darkness that the light can shine. It is because of the stars that the moon is more beautiful than anything else.¡±


    It was an inseparable rtionship.


    They had been cohabiting for years, decades, and perhaps¡­ thousands of years in eternity.


    ¡°Yet they will never meet. The moon can only sit in the sky for a short time, eventually ceding its dominion to the sun.¡±


    Opening the window, a summer breeze caresses his cheeks and stirs the fighting spirit that smolders deep in his chest.


    ¡°There is one ruler of the earth¡­ and they are as ipatible as the sun and the moon.¡±


    It could not have reached them a thousand years ago. Even today, it can only be viewed from far away.


    But that too will end.


    ¡°I will keep stretching out my arm until I reach those stars. I will keep reaching out my hand until I catch the moon.¡±


    No matter how much effort is put forth, darkness cannot ovee the light.


    ¡°When dawn breaks, the sun will burn you to a crisp.¡±


    No matter how much one yearns for it, the moon can never be the sun.


    ¡°Liz¡­ you must be stronger than anyone else. ughter even the gods and make all one¨D¨D¡±


    The only sun that cannot be grasped by the hand, scorching when it approaches, dazzling when it leaves.


    ¡°¨D¨DThe world does not need five kings.¡±


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 1 – Before The Storm, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 1 - Before The Storm, Part 4</h4>


    The northern part of the Great Grantz Empire was ruled by the northern nobility, led by the Sharm family, one of the five great noble families. While the northern part suffered from the severe cold due to extremely low temperatures, the southern part wasparatively warmer, and people mainly settled here, supporting the wealth of the Sharm family against the backdrop of the fertile ck soil that spread across the southern part.


    Its headquarters was the ¡°White Silver Castle,¡± located in the center of the northern region.


    Even though summer had arrived, it was midwinter all year round in the North.


    No one liked to go out at this time of night. The only sound in the city was the sound of windows shaken by the strong winds.


    The gates leading to the castle were ice cold. Soldiers in their winter gear came and went on the ramparts, sometimes shimmering their lights as they gazed down from the breastworks.


    Inside the snow-covered castle, many soldiers were patrolling, and a tight security system was in ce. Although the current situation was peaceful, the surrounding circumstances could be described as wartime. Perhaps that was why every soldier¡¯s expression was serious and filled with a sense of tension as if they were determined not to let even a single rat pass through.


    There was a section of ¡°White Silver Castle¡± where no soldiers were to be found.


    This was the ce where the second prince Selene had his room.


    Currently, he was on his sickbed. Two years ago, bandits attacked the imperial pce, and the second prince Selene was seriously wounded, losing one of his eyes. The attack also resulted in the loss of his uncle, Prime Minister Gils ¨D or so it was ostensibly announced.


    <sub></sub>


    But the truth was different.


    ¡°We found the corpse of Gils-sama in the basement of his room.¡±


    It was one of his aides, Helma, one of the twin wolf generals of which the second prince Selene was proud, who said regretfully. He was a thin man who turned 30 years old this year, but under his armor, he hid a perfect body that was as well-trained as steel,pletely devoid of any extravagant b. His eyes were as keen as a hawk¡¯s but now contorted with regret.


    A small exhale escaped from a disappointed Helma as he lowered his head.


    ¡°So¡­ my uncle was killed after all¡­¡±


    The second prince Selene said. Half of his face was wrapped in bandages, and his appearance was quite pitiful.


    He did not hide his disappointment and let out his sadness with a sigh.


    ¡°How was his condition?¡±


    ¡°From the way he was bleached white, I¡¯d say a great deal of time had passed.¡±


    Ten thousand years is winter in the North. It takes a long time for flesh to rot and be bone.


    In other words, it would take more than a year or two.


    ¡°When was thest time my uncle came back to the White Silver Castle?¡±


    ¡°When His Majesty Greyheit was on his way to conquer Felzen, he had some free time, so he must have stopped by here about three years ago.¡±


    ¡°It would have been a great opportunity to get away from the watchful eye of my father¡­ the Wind Emperor, but I can¡¯t believe that such a thing could have taken ce in broad daylight inside the White Silver Castle ¨D No, it could have been on the way here.¡±


    Still, doubts remain. Prime Minister Gils was a very cautious man. He seemed to have a lot of openings, but he must have set dozens of traps and taken great care to guard his personal safety. Even so, he fell into the hands of the enemy. It was hard to believe, but since the body of Prime Minister Gils was actually found, it was a fact that they had no choice but to ept.


    ¡°If my uncle was murdered in the ¡°White Silver Castle¡± and the contents were reced, does that mean there was a traitor inside¡­?¡±


    Selene¡¯s words, mixed with anger and sadness, caused Helma to gasp.


    His face was incredulous.


    Not surprisingly, the northern regions were linked by iron ties, led by Prime Minister Gils and the second prince Selene.


    The northern nobles also admired them and were united in their belief that Selene was the right choice for the next emperor.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to believe it, there are always traitors. You can see it in our current situation, can¡¯t you?¡±


    The enemy had been preparing for years, decades even. They must have been watching for an opportunity under the radar so that Selene and Gils would not be aware of it. This was evident in the movements of the northern nobles today.


    ¡°As soon as they found out that I had been defeated by the bandits and that my uncle was dead, this is what they did. Everyone is moving to pursue their own interests. Righteousness and humanity are secondary; that¡¯s how things are now.¡±


    Selene¡¯s dismissive tone made Helma look as if chewing on a bitter bug.


    ¡°That may be so¡­ but you can¡¯t cross the world by abandoning righteousness. Gils-sama said that everyone in the North was his son and daughter. Every nobleman from the North must have been taken care of by Gils-sama at one time or another, yet they forget that debt of gratitude and turn on their lord.¡±


    Helma¡¯s back teeth chattered as if chewing on a stone, perhaps unable to contain his anger.


    Selene struggled with his loyal aide and could onlye up with a few nd words.


    ¡°Helma¡­ don¡¯t misunderstand it. The Sharm family is only entrusted with the North, but the main family is the Grantz family. And the northern nobles are only indebted to the Grantz and to my uncle, but I myself have done nothing for them.¡±


    Somehow, Selene had forgotten even that and continued to focus only on the North.


    He assumed, with a feeling akin to arrogance, that their feelings were the same for him.


    Perhaps he was now reaping the rewards of that thinking, and the corners of Selene¡¯s eyes twisted up.


    However, perhaps unconvinced, Helma mmed his fist on the floor.


    ¡°If that is the case, isn¡¯t the second prince, Selene-sama, the main family? It¡¯s as if those who have been seduced by the Bromell family have turned their fangs against the royal family!¡±


    ¡°Liz is also a member of the Grantz family, and who can me them for supporting her?¡±


    The sixth princess, who has achieved more in the Steichen Republic than the second prince, who was defeated by bandits, was seen by everyone as a more suitable candidate to be the next emperor.


    Above all, although it was ostensibly believed that Liz was taking orders from the emperor, who is on his sickbed, the fact was that she and her close associates around her were running the current Great Grantz Empire.


    The aged nobles, who knew the glory and the setbacks, the prosperity and the decline, the sour and the sweet, would not overlook the slightest change that urred at the center of the empire.


    ¡°It is true that we underestimated the situation. Imagine if this all connected to the idea that only the North is safe.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with focusing on the ce where you were born and raised? What¡¯s more, we have the ¡°Spirit Wall¡± in the North, so our situation is always more tense than others.¡±


    Helma was not wrong.


    It was no exaggeration to say that the stability of the North led to the stability of the Great Grantz Empire.


    If the barbarians were to cross the ¡°Spirit Wall,¡± Grantz would quickly repeat the tragedy of five hundred years ago. There was no one in the Grantz Empire who had the power to possess three of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords like the 22nd Emperor at that time.


    The current Grantz has only one of the five spirit swords, the ¡°me Emperor,¡± that Liz possesses.


    ¡°Father is dead. My uncle is gone. The West is exhausted, and the Central is in disarray. The East and the South are still alive and well. In the North, I don¡¯t know when the mes will spread.¡±


    Selene sat up on his bed and looked out the window.


    Even though summer had arrived, snow still fell in the North. The freezing air made his lost right eye tingle.


    Still, with the passage of time, he was able to move his body.


    ¡°Soon, my wounds will heal. Then I will be able to appease the rebellious northern nobles. I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll have the time until then¡­¡±


    ¡°The Bromell family has been holding feasts day after day and night, gathering the leading northern nobles and cajoling them. It is certain that they have defected.¡±


    ¡°Still, perhaps we should have a talk with the Bromell family.¡±


    ¡°The former head of the family would have been willing to talk about it, but the current head of the family is not the kind of person who listens to talk. He is a man of ambition, and he intends to make you his puppet.¡±


    ¡°Still, the former head of the family took good care of me. Even if we sh, we need to talk deeply at least once¡­ so that we may find somepromise.¡±


    Even now, Selene had no ambition to be emperor. Even if it would foster dissatisfaction among the northern nobles, he understood that he, who could not even maintain the stability of the North, was not fit to be an emperor.


    Above all¡­


    ¡°I am not qualified to be an emperor. I will not be chosen as one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword like Liz, and it is doubtful that I am legitimate like her.¡±


    ¡°Again, there are several emperors who were not chosen as one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword in the past¡­ with such worldly rumors. There is no need to be misled by public rumors.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you know what the 28th, 30th, and 36th emperors who were not chosen have inmon?¡±


    ¡°I have heard that they did not even know how to use a sword.¡±


    Unable to understand Selene¡¯s question, Helma mumbled the words that came to him as he thought of them.


    But when Helma¡¯s body stiffened under the prating gaze from Selene, he realized that the answer was a mistake.


    ¡°Not knowing how to handle a sword ¨D that¡¯s the only thing that attracts attention, but the fact is that emperors who were not chosen as one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword began to appear three hundred years ago.¡±


    One hypothesis had be a rumor among many nobles.


    It is whispered that the current Grantz imperial family was not from the lineage of the first emperor.


    This story had only recently begun to surface, but in fact, it had been a rumor for a long time.


    An assassination attempt on the emperor urred 300 years ago, and it is said that the line of the first emperor had been extinct ever since. The rumors were spurred by the death of the Grantz imperial family members two years ago. The ¡°Spirit King¡± was angered by the fact that a man who was not of the lineage of the first emperor was sitting on the throne, and the Grantz were now facing an unprecedented crisis.


    It was also called the darkness of the Grantz family, and now it was beginning to permeate the general public.


    ¡°So, you think the Rose Princess is worthy of the throne because of a trivial rumor like that?¡±


    ¡°Red hair is as sacred as the ck hair. It is also the characteristic of the ¡°God of Military Arts,¡± the 22nd emperor.¡±


    With a nce at Helma, who choked on a word, Selene turned his attention to the window, which was rattling in the strong wind.


    ¡°It is also said that my father weed Liz¡¯s mother, who has ¡°red hair,¡± into the Grantzs family because of this. What¡¯s more, Liz was chosen as the ¡°me Emperor,¡± which was only possessed by the first emperor. All the conditions are there for anyone to believe the rumors.¡±


    ¡°Still, itcks credibility. The people of this country are overreacting to the fourth prince Hiro.¡±


    Whether unwilling to believe or stubborn, Helma¡¯s tone grew stronger, and he denied it with a loud gesture.


    ¡°Even if it is true that the line of the first emperor was cut off three hundred years ago! Even so, wasn¡¯t it the current members of the imperial family who have supported the Grantz until today!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something that can be easily divided. The fact that we live in a country ruled by the descendants of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz is the pride of the Grantz people. People value history and are especially attracted to bloodlines.¡±


    Selene removed his gaze from the window and turned his serious gaze on Helma again.


    ¡°If it was the current imperial family that caused the assassination of the emperor three hundred years ago, what do you think the people would do?¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone would try to give the throne back to the rightful sovereign. No, perhaps they would even turn away from the truth.¡±


    There was even a possibility that the people, ruled by suspicion and instigated by the enemy, will be inspired to rise up in various ces.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want the throne if it would bring down the Great Grantz Empire. In fact, if I were Liz, I would have given up.¡±


    Three years ago, when the first prince Stobel and the third prince Blutar were still alive, there would not have been many people who would have followed Liz. The country would have been divided in two, but now, with Liz on the throne, no one wouldin.


    ¡°The darkness of the Grantz imperial family is something that must never be brought to light.¡±


    Selene¡¯s words were so powerful that Helma, unable to deny them, was unable to continue. Selene gave him a small smile and opened his mouth again.


    ¡°How is Proditos doing?¡±


    He mentioned the name of another of the twin wolf generals who supported him.


    Proditos was Helma¡¯s younger sister, but she was a woman of character who loved the battlefield because of her bloodthirsty personality.


    ¡°She has been probing the movements of the Levering Kingdom, but she haspleted most of her investigations and is scheduled to return tomorrow.¡±


    There was no sign from Helma that he was happy about his sister¡¯s return. Rather, he looked discouraged and slumped his shoulders heavily. Selene smiled at him with an air of constion.


    ¡°The results of the investigation were not good.


    ¡°It seems that many of the northern nobles in the western part of the region are flirting with the Levering Kingdom. The influence of the small country of Baum may also be at y¡­¡±


    Selene¡¯s mouth curved back in self-mockery at the way Helma said it as if he had something stuck in his back teeth.


    ¡°It means that they are fed up with me letting the Bromell family do whatever they want.¡±


    Since udia became queen, the Levering Kingdom has gained tremendous momentum.


    As a race that once dominated the central continent, it was only natural that this would be the result if only they had a decent ruler.


    Conversely, the instability in the northern part of the Grantz must have caused the northern nobles, especially those with fiefdoms close to the Levering Kingdom, to spend sleepless nights worrying about something that was not their concern. It was no wonder that they were so afraid of the ¡°demon race¡± now that they were rushing to protect themselves.


    ¡°¡­I intend to make them pay for what they¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°But first, let¡¯s fortify our defenses. As soon as Proditos returns, I¡¯ll have her take care of the area around the ¡°White Silver Castle.¡± The Bromell family¡¯s movements are one thing, but I also want you to pay close attention to the Levering Kingdom. This is a sensitive time, and if we provoke them, war will break out.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I will make the necessary arrangements immediately.¡±


    Helma bowed deeply, nced at Selene anxiously, and left the room.


    After seeing him off, Selene looked at the window again with a mncholy expression on his face.


    ¡°Demiurgos¡­, or the ¡®faceless king¡¯ possessed by a dream¡­ Ugh.¡±


    Selene touched his aching right eye with his hand and frowned, trying to hold back the intense pain.


    ¡°You knew about this, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    He remembered the fourth prince whom he had parted from two years ago.


    He was ready for it, and he knew something, that¡¯s for sure.


    Whether it was this time or something else, it was not certain¡­


    In any case, Selene, the one who gave him the advice, ended up with such an unceremonious result.


    ¡°Sorry ¨D Hiro¡­¡±


    An icy wind shook the windows.


    As if to add to the unease, fear was spreading throughout the world.


    As dark clouds hung in the air, the raging snow made it impossible to see anything of thendscape.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 1 – Before The Storm, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 1 - Before The Storm, Part 5</h4>


    In the northern region of the Great Grantz Empire, there are many famous families.


    The oldest of them were the Sharm family, the Heimdall family, and the Bromell family ¨D these were the three noble families that have been closely connected to the Grantz imperial family since the empress was born to them.


    The Heimdall family had long guarded the ¡°Spirit Wall,¡± the vital point in the North, and the current head of the family, Hermes von Heimdall, was one of the fifth generation of generals, although, in recent years, they were overshadowed by the prosperity of the Sharm family. Their children supported the Sharm family as the twins of the second prince Selene and were proudly showing off their family name.


    The remaining Bromell family was in turmoil after the death of the previous head of the family two years ago, but thanks to the skills of the heir apparent, the Bromell family was now more powerful than the Sharm family.


    The headquarters of the Bromell family was located one hundred cells (300 km) east of ¡°White Silver Castle.¡±


    The name was Log ¨D one of the great cities of the North, and it was prosperous. However, the recent prosperity of the Levering Kingdom had attracted merchants, and the city of Log was filled with a somber, gloomy atmosphere.


    In the center of the city, the ¡°Himinbj?rg Castle¡± stands proudly.


    Many soldiers were training on the grounds, and the atmosphere was so staid that it could be mistaken wartime. Inside the castle, as outside, heavily armed soldiers constantly patrolled the grounds.


    The most heavily guarded area of all was in front of the Bromell family head¡¯s room, where the soldiers guarding the room looked somewhat stunned, and their eyes had lost their light as if they were dead.


    <sub></sub>


    In the room they were guarding, an unknown group of people had gathered.


    The light from the candlestick on the desk swayed even though there was no wind. A number of shadows appeared on the surrounding walls. There were seven of them, all wearing hoods so that no one could see their true faces.


    ¡°Our King, our Lord, our Father¡­ how are you feeling?¡±


    A shadow shook and uttered a voice.


    It was addressed to a man sipping wine in a chair, who did not even nce at those gathered in the room but seemed to be staring out the window at the moonlight, but with a somewhat distant look in his eyes. He was looking far away.


    His name is Tupoeus von Bromell ¨D he received his title at the age of sixty-seven due to the longevity of the previous head of the family. He was famous as ate-blooming duke, but even so, he has a youthful appearance that could be mistaken for someone around 30, and his blond hair and golden eyes exude dignity, giving him majestic air. The air in the room was rigorously tightened by his majestic atmosphere as if he were a lion.


    ¡°I¡¯m good ¨D but perhaps I should prepare something else.¡±


    ¡°Shall we try the leftovers, then?¡±


    ¡°No, that one has too many curses. I don¡¯t know how it survives even when I feel pain.¡±


    Strangely enough, there was no inflection in Tupaeus¡¯ voice.


    His manner was as cold as ice but not cold-blooded: there was no trace of joy, anger, or sorrow in his voice. He was talking to the hooded figures in an indifferent manner as if talking to himself.


    Moreover, he epted the others as if it were a matter of course.


    ¡°I guess they were so threatened at that time that they had to ept such a curse.¡±


    ¡°But always, it was only a threat, never a fatal one. We always had to be patient, timely, and determined to keep on tormenting them.¡±


    Despite his words, there was still nothing in Tupaeus¡¯ voice.


    In contrast, the men in the hoods exude hatred. Perhaps it was the years of umted resentment, but there was a terrible heat emanating from them, so much so that it distorted the space.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, but we are done enduring!¡±


    The hooded figure began to speak with exaggerated gestures, as if in a vaudeville performance.


    But still, Tupaeus did not pay any attention to him but only listened to his subordinate¡¯s monologue.


    ¡°The ¡°Spirit King¡± has already lost his power and is missing, and the ¡°Fairy King¡± is also a senile old geezer, so it¡¯s only a matter of time!¡±


    The hooded figure¡¯s tone is rough, and his lips are twisted into a ferocious, animal-like line of hatred.


    ¡°The ¡°ck Dragon King¡± who stood shoulder to shoulder with our ¡°Father¡± has been defeated by a man from nowhere, and all that remains is the ¡°Iron and Steel King¡± who is standing by in the northern continent.¡±


    The men, forgetting even to breathe and shouting maniacal words, shut their mouths, and Tupoeus waved his hand as if to ward off disgust. Then he quietly looked around at the people in the room.


    ¡°It is sad to see our brothers and sisters fall. But now the world is finally united. The ancient struggle is over.¡±


    Tupoeus kicked the wine on the table to the floor and followed the unbroken bottle as it rolled across the floor with his gaze alone.


    Tupaeus continued to watch the spilling purple liquid with emotionless eyes.


    ¡°There is no need to look at the center now. It will copse on its own. We can destroy the ¡°human race¡± when they are fully ripe.¡±


    Tupoeus held up his hand, and the wine spilled on the floor stirred to form a world map.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted, but pursue your prey at an unhurried pace.¡±


    Rising from his chair, Tupoeus kicked the bottle with his toe and stepped on the northern continent drawn on the floor with great force. He stomped on the floor hatefully, not caring about the sshing wine.


    ¡°First, the northern continent ¨D the ¡®Iron and Steel King¡¯ must be defeated.¡±


    The hooded figures bowed their heads in a solemn yet enthusiastic gesture.


    Their lips were raised in amusement as they looked at each other with a mixture of anticipation and delight.


    ¡°Ha, we are already prepared for you. That ce has built up its own culture. It took a little work, but it¡¯s almost finished.¡±


    ¡°Very well, then, go and show the little ones who is the king.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Four of them disappeared without a sound, and Tupaeus turned to the remaining three.


    ¡°You have a mission. Nemea, go to the Levering Kingdom, Chimera to the Six Kingdoms, and Hydra to Felzen, and inflict as much damage as you can on all three.¡±


    ¡°May I intervene in the battle of Felzen?¡±


    The man called Hydra stepped forward.


    ¡°Do as you please. Enjoy it to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­As youmand.¡±


    ¡°Do not trouble me as you did with the second prince.¡±


    ¡°I will. And one more thing, are you sure we don¡¯t need to send anyone to the small country of Baum?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind¡­ let them do as they please for now, and I will give them some peace for a short time.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    With that, the remaining three disappeared from the room.


    Silence fell. No one was left ¨D no, only one more person remained in the room.


    ¡°Ladon¡­ my curse is growing stronger.¡±


    Tupaeus sat back in his chair, crossed his legs, and looked down at the floor.


    Just then, there was a resounding pop. The bottle shattered. But the bottle immediately began to regenerate, mixing with the liquid that had sttered around it ¨D the wine ¨D and returning to its original form.


    But it was not perfect. Tupoeus grabbed the end of the bottle and lifted it up, and the contents were illuminated by the light of the candbra. The wine contained many impurities.


    ¡°Death, life, and impurity are mingled together and are about to be transformed into something bad. The impostor is about to surpass the king.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°It is better not to touch it. If you try to control one, two, three, or four aspects of a scene, there will be a breakdown somewhere. I will not make the same mistake I made a thousand years ago.¡±


    ¡°Then I will only intensify my surveince. There are a few people of interest to me, so I will continue to investigate them as well.¡±


    ¡°Good. And you will select those who are worthy of my power.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to go¡­ and retrieve that mongrel?¡±


    ¡°No matter, he will return to me in due course. Above all, their strength is well known. Let them have their fun for now; we don¡¯t want them to be fooledter.¡±


    ¡°As our king wills.¡±


    With these words, thest person also disappeared.


    Tupaeus, who remained behind, continued to stare at the bottle filled with wine.


    ¡°The ck Dragon King, the God of War, the Dark Emperor, the Hero King of the Twin cks. The one who bears many names. Atst, I will be able to crush your head with my own hands.¡±


    With no one left, Tupaeus¡¯ emotions exploded.


    Unable to withstand his intimidation, the bottle in his hand also shattered, and the sound of exploding air continued to echo eerily in the room. Finally, he showed a human-like ¨D and more than human ¨D hatred.


    It is the feeling of having been humiliated in the past ¨D vindictiveness that would not disappear even after a thousand years.


    He had survived until this moment to make amends for his humiliating past.


    ¡°I will get your head for sure.¡±


    Tupaeusughed as he stroked his own neck insistently.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    August 14th, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The northern section of the ¡°Spirit King¡¯s Temple¡± in Natoa, the small country of Baum, was silent.


    There were no soldiers to be seen in the chalk-white corridor, which would normally be heavily guarded.


    This was because the elite of the small country of Baum ¨D the spirit knights ¨D were on their way to Grantz to escort Princess Shrine Maiden. Therefore, once the spirit knights were gone, this ce, where ordinary soldiers could not enter, would be an empty shell and be ruled by silence like a quiet corner of the world. But there were no intruders. This was because the most troublesome and strongest man was guarding the ¡°Spirit King¡¯s Temple.¡±


    He was the second king of the small country of Baum, ¡°ck Dragon King¡± ¨D Hiro.


    He was currently walking down the corridor with his trusted advisor, Ghada.


    The sound of his shoes breaking the silence was drowned out by the creaking and scraping of Ghada¡¯s armor.


    The two were moving silently down the corridor when they stopped at a certain point.


    The first to speak was Ghada, who let out a sigh of admiration.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was such a ce. It is a beautiful ce as if we had wandered into another world.¡±


    ¡°This is the ce where the Spirit King used to live. Only certain people are allowed to enter.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ you can¡¯t allow demons into such a sanctuary, can you?¡±


    When a wide-eyed Ghada muttered this, Hiro opened his arms and smiled mischievously,


    ¡°The princess shrine maiden would be angry if she were here, but she is now in the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    Hiro nced to the side and saw Luca sitting at the base of a tree. Her eyes fell to the ground, and she was mumbling to herself as she diligently dug up the ground with the branches of the tree. It was eerie, but it happened all the time, so Hiro turned his gaze back to Ghada, who looked dour.


    ¡°After all, no one can hear what we¡¯re saying here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are there enemy spies lurking in this ¡®Spirit King Temple¡¯?¡±


    Somewhat rmed, Ghada began to probe the surrounding atmosphere.


    Hiro shrugged his shoulders, then sat down in the chair that udia and Princess Shrine Maiden had used before ¨D with his back to the entrance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s a spy or not¡­ but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something malicious out there.¡±


    Perhaps because of Hiro¡¯s strange calmness, Ghada sat opposite him, unable to shake off his bewilderment.


    ¡°¡­So what¡¯s the reason you brought me to this ce?¡±


    When Garda lowered his voice and brought his face close to Hiro¡¯s, Hiro closed his eyes and put his hands over his ears.


    ¡°There are many spirits living here. Can you hear their voices¡­ or see their appearances?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can see them. But I can clearly feel that my magic power is being canceled out.¡±


    There were forces at work here that were at odds with magic. This was especially true for Ghada, who was a ¡°demon.¡± Even though he was not using his power, he felt as if he was being forcibly dragged out of the ce.


    ¡°There is only one ce like this in the world.¡±


    Hiro took off his mask and revealed his true face.


    As if pressured, Ghada gulped and arched his back.


    Hiro¡¯s right eye glowed gold, and his left eye emitted an eerie light with an abyss darker than darkness. And two different eyes with a serious light in them seized Ghada and did not let go.


    ¡°The name of that ce is the Unfang Forest.¡±


    It was the ce where Hiro was once re-summoned and where Liz used to bathe.


    In other words ¨D it was the ce where they met.


    When Hiro silently pointed behind Ghada, he got up from his chair and turned around.


    Ahead of Ghada¡¯s gaze stood two statues of the Twelve Great Gods of the Grantz - the ¡°First God¡± and the ¡°God of War.¡± A shining sphere floated between the two statues. Below it was a small but clear spring.


    ¡°This was a sanctuary that only certain people were allowed to enter.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Wha-? Why¨D¡±


    Ghada, who turned his body toward Hiro again, could not finish his sentence.


    The reason is that it was intercepted by a hand that Hiro had thrust out.


    ¡°You may find this hard to believe, but we are in the Great Grantz Empire.


    The time hade.


    A faint smile appeared on Hiro¡¯s lips as if to say so.


    ¡°You¡¯re a smart guy, and you must have guessed it at least a little bit. What am I hiding? What am I looking for?¡±


    As if in penitence, as if disgusted with himself, Hiro¡¯s eyes were dominated by wailing.


    If anyone heard what he had to say, they would have to walk with him until the end of their lives.


    Perhaps feeling this way, Ghada opened his mind as if to brace himself, and his expression was tense and strong. However, he did not run away but continued to gaze at only one point ¨D at Hiro.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long¡­ long¡­ a really long time ago.¡±


    Sensing Ghada¡¯s resolve, Hiro began to recount the old story in a plodding way, seemingly to express his gratitude.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 2 – Roar In Silence, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 2 - Roar In Silence, Part 1</h4>


    August 15th, 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    At the border of the Felzen region, the keystone of the Great Grantz Empire ¨D Fort Delisha.


    Aura, the deputymander who was currently acting in Liz¡¯s ce until she arrived, was here.


    ¡°¡­Mmm.¡±


    The silver-tinted bangs swayed with a troubled exhale. Her leaden eyes, which contained an earnest gleam, moved busily. These two features gave others a cold impression of her, but if anyone observed her closely, they would be impressed by her well-defined features.


    Her bangs are trimmed over her eyebrows, and herrge eyes were adorable and made one want to protect her like a small animal. Her petite and slender figure,bined with her delicate appearance, highlighted her loveliness and revealed her charm to the fullest. It was a miracle that she had this body shape even though she was neen years old.


    In other words, two years have not allowed her to grow.


    She still had dreams of growing up, but now that her growth spurt has passed, she had no choice but to give up. However, no one could give such cruel advice to Aura, who was one of the close aides of the sixth princess, known as the next emperor, and who continued to make remarkable progress.


    The room she was given in Fort Delisha was a modest one.


    It consists of a bed, a desk, a chair, and three chairs for visitors.


    There was also arge, gaudy bookshelf set up against the wall. Most of the books were rted to the ¡°God of War,¡± whom she dearly adored.


    In such a strange room, there was a visitor ¨D a woman who was a survivor of the Felzen royal family.


    ¡°I received a call from one of my men¡­¡±


    Haran Skaaha de Felzen.


    She was a beautiful woman, about eighteen or neen years of age.


    Her blue-green hair was silky and shiny, and her hair was tied back in a bun. Her eyes and nose are as delicate as ss work, and her porcin-white skin was so gorgeous and elegant that it seemed as if it would shatter if touched. Her thin, slender limbs are wrapped in heavy armor, and she exuded a bleak, distorted atmosphere of purity and tranquility. The mixture of the sex appeal she has acquired over the past two years further enhanced the pure charm of a war goddess.


    ¡°Aura-dono¡­? Are you listening?¡±


    Aura¡¯s face remained down, and Skaaha, wondering why there was no response, moved even closer.


    Then, noticing the book in Aura¡¯s hand, she put her hands on her hips in amazement.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been reading the ¡°ck Book¡± again. You really never get tired of it, do you¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m in a very good part right now.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ it¡¯s the battle between the God of War and Hydra, one of the Demon Lords, huh?¡±


    She had heard this many times. The battle against Hydra was one of Aura¡¯s favorite stories.


    Skaaha was brainwashed and told about it so many times to the point that she could hardly listen to it anymore and thus had memorized everything about it.


    ¡°¡­Hydra tried to humiliate the ¡°God of War¡± and failed. The ¡°God of War¡± was better than him, after all.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ll have to wait and see what happens next.¡±


    Skaaha decided to wait and pulled out a nearby chair, and sat down.


    If she disturbed Aura, who was absorbed in reading, she would be in a bad mood for the rest of the day.


    If it were about the ¡°God of War,¡± her anger would reach its peak and interfere with her work.


    Perhaps these feelings have be even stronger over the past two years, but as the months have passed, it has be out of control.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hmm.¡±


    After finishing reading the ¡°ck Book,¡± Aura nodded her head repeatedly in satisfaction.


    The book was carefully closed and ced on the desk with a delicate hand as if handling a broken piece of furniture.


    ¡°I have been informed that the number of the Liberation Army has been reduced to five thousand.¡±


    Aura¡¯s appearance has not changed in the past two years, but her brain continued to grow. Although she had no major battles to win at the moment, her name would spread around the world as soon as she had the opportunity to showcase the knowledge and wisdom she had umted over the years.


    ¡°If you knew, it would be quick¡­ Things are getting very bad.¡±


    The Felzen Liberation Army, which at one time had been determined to liberate Felzen from the Grantz, began to show signs of stability after the Six Kingdoms took over as rulers, and a number of them quit the army for the sake of their wives and children. There was no intention to call them heartless, nor was there any way to force them to stay. They had their own happiness.


    There was no way they could go along with the selfishness of the royal family, the former rulers of the country.


    ¡°Even if they have a good reason, it will be tough.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. If we leave the Six Kingdoms as is, the Grantz will not be epted by the people of Felzen.¡±


    The wounds of the war in the Felzen region have not healed. The people are still trying to ept the new rulers and move forward. To expose them to war again would be like a blow to the back of the head.


    ¡°Queen Lucia seems to be quite a clever woman. She has put forward a policy ofpromise, eliminating any policy that would harm the people.¡±


    Skaaha spread out in front of Aura the documents sent by her subordinates.


    ¡°Furthermore, it seems that the capital of Felzen has been moved to a new location to amodate the new inhabitants. They are offering food and shelter, and also lower tax rates to attract people.¡±


    It was a policy designed to neutralize the liberation army by providing attractive bait.


    It also provided a sound reason to make themy down their swords for their families. And by gaining the support of the people, they intend to eliminate Skaaha as a cause from the Grantz.


    Aura took a small piece of paper out of her desk drawer as she looked over the material.


    It was a map with details of Felzen.


    ¡°Queen Lucia ¨D It would be foolish to attack from a ce where one of the Six Kingdoms, Anguis, is ruling. Then it would be wiser to attack from a ce ruled by another country.¡±


    The areas ruled by the Anguis Kingdom are more epted by the people than others.


    It is inevitable that if they attack, they would receive a bacsh. So, they must think of another ce to start.


    ¡°If so, we should start from a ce that is still rtively unstable¡­ Even so, it would be difficult to attack because other countries have followed the lead of Anguis andunched the same policy.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But the proud ¡°long-eared race¡± is the only one that rules, and the same policies as the ¡°human race¡± will not work.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, the people are still exhausted from the repeated wars¡­ That doesn¡¯t change the fact that all of us are invaders. No matter if it¡¯s the long-eared race or the human race.¡±


    There were many who believed in the Felzen royal family, but they were not willing to give up their finally stable lives again. The preparations for war were being made, but the next step required an opening. But the Grantz had not yet obtained anything definitive.


    ¡°Liz will be here next week with the Fourth Imperial Army. We will find a way out before then.¡±


    Forces were gathering one after another from various parts of Grantz.


    Some were seeking the good graces of the next emperor, some with ambition in their hearts, and some to obtain huge rewards ¨D people with various intentions were gathering at Fort Delisha.


    Of course, there were those who cannot be trusted. They would have to be sifted out in this battle.


    If the people who might be obstacles to Liz in the future were not found and dealt with ¨D or eliminated ¨D while they were still able to do so, the foundations of the Great Grantz Empire might be distorted in the future.


    ¡°Then, I will have my men investigate the situation in detail.¡±


    Skaaha stood up and was about to turn on her heel when she stumbled.


    ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡±


    She fell with a loud thud from the face, but Skaaha didn¡¯t even twitch.


    However¨D¨D.


    ¡°I-I want you to forget what you just saw¡­¡±


    Skaaha immediately got up, and her face turned bright red with shame. Then, turning her face away from Aura, she turned her face upward to the ceiling as if in remorse.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably tired. You should get some rest.¡±


    Aura moved out of her chair and around the outside of the desk to get closer to Skaaha.


    ¡°Right¡­ I don¡¯t want to slow you down.¡±


    Aura¡¯s expressionless face broke out into a wry smile as Skaaha hid her face with her hands.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so shy about falling down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never shown this kind of appearance in public before, so¡­ I don¡¯t know what kind of face I should make.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I might be the same, too.¡±


    Aura then took a piece of cloth out of her sleeve and offered it to Skaaha.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. E-excuse me!¡±


    The woman¡¯s face was a little reddish, and her eyes glistened.


    ¡°Ah¨D¨D¡±


    Aura was about to say something when the door was closed with a bang.


    The soldiers on guard were staring at Skaaha as she dashed out into the corridor.


    Before they could say a word, Skaaha lightly greeted them with one hand and left the ce.


    Eventually, as the lights in the corridor dimmed, she leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.


    She pressed her head hard against the wall ¨D no, she mmed the back of her head against the wall over and over again.


    It was as if to ward off a nightmare, but still, the look of anxiety never left her face.


    ¡°Damn¡­ damn it¡­¡±


    As she released the words as if to spit them out.


    ¡°¨D¨DI can¡¯t stop!¡±


    The blood flowing from her nose was wiped carelessly with her right hand.


    Turning her gaze, she gazed at the back of a hand with sticky blood in her eyes.


    No matter how many times she rubbed it, the result was the same: the fresh blood kept pouring out.


    The smell of iron rust fills the back of her nose, and the raw, warm sensation that clings to the bridge of her nose wouldn¡¯t go away.


    ¡°Haha¡­ all brought on by my weak self?¡±


    A self-mocking nkugh, a drop of blood drips from the tip of her chin in the spur of the moment.


    A dark shadow looms over Skaaha¡¯s face as she looked at the speckles forming in the corridor.


    ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    With her hands on the wall and heavy steps, Skaaha began to walk down the corridor.


    She took out a cloth and put it on her nose, then turned over and hid her face so that people around her could not see it.


    ¡°Ice Emperor¡­ a little bit more. I just need a little more power.¡±


    She asked her partner, who was not present, about her earnest wish.


    There was no reply.


    With a tearful look in her eyes, Skaaha continued down the corridor.


    She could not stop walking yet; she could not fall down.


    She could not retreat from the front line.


    Her revenge was not over yet.


    As long as she lived, she had no choice but to stay on the battlefield.


    ¡°Even if it is the wrong path.¡±


    She still dreamt of her parents and brothers and sisters.


    She begged them to save her in a world of blood. She begged them to kill her with tears of blood. She was tortured for what felt like an eternity, and even though she was miserable, she was not allowed to die ¡ª the images of her parents and brothers and sisters suffering never left her mind.


    ¡°I feel it through the Ice Emperor. I feel that he is near to me.¡±


    Ever since the day she lost her homnd, Skaha¡¯s ears had been filled with the sound of that man¡¯sughter.


    The hateful highugh kept echoing in the back of her ears.


    ¡°¡­I will surely kill you myself.¡±


    The mes of resentment erupt as a grudge, burning the wood of hatred.


    The growing hatred became poison, and like sticky mud, it began to eat away at Skaha¡¯s body.

 Volume 9, Chapter 2 – Roar In Silence, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 2 - Roar In Silence, Part 2</h4>


    Summer light steamed the world.


    Sunlight reflected from the great ocean to the west illuminated thend.


    However, the growing trees protected the city dwellers from the sun, and the sea breezes sent in from the ocean brought cool air to lower the body¡¯s temperature. Today again, people with tanned skin were unloading cargo from trading ships and bringing in new cargo to watch over their departure.


    This was the port city of Fierte, the capital of the country of Greif.


    Among the six united kingdoms, the port city of Fierte boasts thergest in both size and trade volume.


    Since Greif had the current unified king, trade with other countries was flourishing, and people wereing and going actively. On top of a hill overlooking the port city stood a luxurious and gorgeous royal pce.


    The hill road leading to the pce was filled with soldiers.


    The number of soldiers, more than 10,000, was nothing short of breathtaking, but the tense air made people feel uneasy and uncertain in their hearts.


    Off the road on the rugged hill, encampments had been set up at intervals.


    The gs dotted about were the emblems of the countries that made up the Six Kingdoms.


    However, the kings who had led them were nowhere to be seen.


    This was because their kings were gathered in a room in the royal pce of Fierte, the center of the Six Kingdoms, just past the heavily guarded hill road.


    ¡°King Scorpius is absent again?¡±


    A woman sitting on a chair at a round table said while fanning herself with a fan.


    Lucia Levia de Anguis, queen of Anguis, one of the six kingdoms.


    If one word could describe her appearance, it would be ¨D bewitching.


    Her fragrance with a hint of sex appeal was so sweet that it stimted the brain, and her gorgeous features attracted others with just one nce at her well-groomed face. Her fine skin texture was as fine as that of the long-eared race, and it was no exaggeration to say that her blessed appearance was supreme. When she crossed her legs, her smooth thighs were exposed to the outside world, and all eyes were naturally drawn to the darkness at the base of her thighs.


    ¡°It seems that he is not in good physical condition, so I, the Prime Minister, will join you this time as well.¡±


    The one who responded to Lucia¡¯s words was the representative of the country of Scorpius.


    It was difficult to grasp the subtleties of his emotions from the white hood and mouth. Even so, his characteristic long ears extending out to the side,bined with the whiteness of his skin, made it clear that he was from a long-eared race.


    Lucia responded casually and snorted, seemingly uninterested.


    ¡°Hah ¨D isn¡¯t that strange, huh? When I visited himst month, he seemed to be in good health, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He was overworked. There was no need to cause Lucia-sama any unnecessary worry.¡±


    ¡°But I would like you to tell me what it means that four years have passed since King Scorpius fell ill, and his condition is still unknown, even though he is being examined by a group of men with the greatest knowledge, the long-eared race.¡±


    ¡°Even the long-eared race is not omniscient and omnipotent. For example, I have some understanding of politics, but when ites to medicine, I ampletely out of my field of expertise. Even the long-eared race has its own strengths and weaknesses, just as the human race does.¡±


    Lucia, perhaps stimted by her mischievous spirit, smiled wickedly at the Scorpius Prime Minister, who avoided making any clear statements, and was about tounch a verbal attack when a thick voice interrupted her from the side.


    ¡°Indeed, Queen Anguis. Stop imposing your excessive expectations on us long-eared race.¡±


    The man who interrupted from the side was the king of Tigris, a man who gave the impression of coarseness for the graceful long-eared race. Unfortunately, his appearance is not easy to grasp, as he is covered by a white cloak made up of a single top and bottomyer.


    ¡°I think the Scorpius Prime Minister is managing very well. He is governing the country admirably while King Scorpius is on his sickbed. It is not a strange suspicion to level at such a distinguished vassal.¡±


    That is one of the reasons for Lucia¡¯s irritation.


    Lucia hid her mouth with a fan to hide her anger and red at King Tigris.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s a good thing that the long-eared race is in charge of running the country?¡±


    Lucia was deeply displeased at the arrogance of the long-eared race to hold the real power while disdaining the human race.


    There were two other countries in the Six Kingdoms ruled by ¡°human races¡± aside from Anguis.


    One was Greif, which had a united king, and the other was Azel, but because the queen was so young, she had no say in the country¡¯s affairs, and she managed the country ording to the wishes of the other kings.


    Queen Azel, who was present at the meeting of the Six Kings, kept her eyes tightly closed to avoid the tense atmosphere and maintained silence to avoid offending the kings of the other countries.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something, Queen Azel? Don¡¯t be shy just because you are a neer.¡±


    Queen Azel stood erect and unmoving under Lucia¡¯s gaze.


    Her body was tense like a frog staring at a snake, and her lovely rounded forehead was covered with arge amount of perspiration.


    ¡°Hahi! I-I don¡¯t have anything to say ¨D b-b-but, it¡¯s not indifference or anything, you know¡­¡±


    The end of the sentence became more and more feeble, and Queen Azel eventually sat down in her chair and began apologizing repeatedly in a whisper. Finally, the air that had been tensely rxed, and Lucia used a fan to dispel the gloom that was about to fill the air and then let out a single sigh of grief.


    ¡°When will she ever have the dignity of a queen¡­?¡±


    After all, Lucia has no allies in this ce.


    The long-eared race hade to dominate the Six King¡¯s Council, and the ¡°human race¡± had lost its right to speak.


    The poption distribution in each country was now dominated by other races than ¡°humans.¡±


    That¡¯s because¡­


    ¡°It seems that everyone has gathered here. Shall we begin the Six Kings Council?¡±


    And the ones who appeared in the room were the original culprit who took the throne from Luca and Eagle, the Urpeth siblings. He was ¡°Nameless,¡± the former king of Urpeth and the current Prime Minister of Greif.


    ¡°Nameless-dono, is it all right if the King of Urpeth has not yet arrived?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is all right. I have just received a letter of apology. He is unable to leave his home country on another matter, and he will follow the oue of the talks.¡±


    Nameless sat down with a nonchnt look on his face, acting as if he were the king himself.


    (Everything started going crazy after he appeared.)


    About ten years ago, ¡°Nameless¡± emerged at a rapid pace. An unknown person, whose identity was unknown, had risen to the inner circle of the previous king of Urpeth.


    This became a bit of a topic of conversation, but none of the countries had the luxury of worrying about what other countries were doing.


    With the exception of Greif, all the other countries were experiencing the rare phenomenon of a recement.


    (When the lid was opened¡­ it turned out that the kings of all the countries were all long-eared races.)


    The death of the previous king of Urpeth was also suspicious, and many of the vassals who had supported the country of Urpeth had lost their positions. Other countries are no different, with kings falling ill or losing their royalty, the long-eared race gaining power, and the unified king was also in poor health. It was also around the same time that Vanir three kingdoms in the south began to interfere in the internal affairs of the country.


    ¡°Is the unified king absent as well?¡±


    ¡°He is not feeling well, and he said he would leave it to me this time as well.¡±


    After the unified king stopped appearing in public, ¡°Nameless¡± is now running the Six Kingdoms in his ce. No, the long-eared race had begun to rule the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°It is unfortunate.¡±


    Despite his words, Prime Minister Scorpius never ceased to smile.


    ¡°I suppose it can¡¯t be helped. Let us leave this to you, Nameless-dono.¡±


    King Tigris allowed it,ughing cheerfully.


    ¡°I will follow your opinion.¡±


    The queen of the Kingdom of Azel was still looking around with a timid attitude.


    Nameless¡¯s words were epted without suspicion as if there was a script in ce as if they were arranged in advance.


    (It¡¯s a farce, isn¡¯t it? Everything will turn out just as Nameless wants it to, without any further discussion.)


    Lucia desired to end the futile talks and return to the Felzen region as soon as possible. It would be nothing but a waste of time to discuss the issue in a ce where she had no say in the matter, a union state that had been reduced to a mere shell. However, if she took a stubborn attitude here, the position of the ¡°human race¡± would be endangered even more.


    In order to regain the former Six Kingdoms, she must not make any suspicious moves, and she must vigntly umte her power. The long-eared race wouldl eventually be driven out, and the ¡°Equal¡± Union would once again be administered.


    (But I don¡¯t want to get along with the long-eared race.)


    Lucia nced at the ¡°Nameless,¡± but as usual, his expression was hidden in the shadows, and only the corners of his mouth were visible. Perhaps noticing Lucia¡¯s gaze, the darkness that ruled inside the hood stirred.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get started; the topic is about Felzen.¡±


    The sound of his voice again made it difficult to read his emotions. His voice sounded happy yet somewhat drawn out.


    Whether he was acting or serious, there was a hint of mockery in his voice.


    ¡°We are currently in control of all of Felzen, but our influence is weakening as we move eastward due to the presence of Grantz¡¯s forces along the border. This has caused many refugees along with the Felzen nobility, who are afraid of the Grantz, to flow to the west.¡±


    This was the cause of the financial pressure on each country. Anguis, where Lucia ruled, was no exception.


    Even after escaping the control of the Grantz, the Felzen region lost several viges and towns in the battles between the Felzen Liberation Army and the Six Kingdoms. As a result, the security situation had deteriorated, and the Six Kingdoms had been providing clothing, food, and shelter to the people who had abandoned their copsed hometowns and drifted away.


    The most troubled of these are probably the two countries that control thergest areas, Scorpius and Tigris. A policy error in the early stages of the project has created a huge bacsh. They were short of manpower to deal with the situation, and their own people wereining that they had released their wealth to the ¡°human race¡± to appease public sentiment.


    (That¡¯s what happens when you jump at an immediate profit.)


    Anguis, ruled by Lucia, received a small area in the west from the unified king.


    Compared to other areas, security was rtively stable. Thanks to this, she was able to do her best to eliminate the distrust of the people. Her efforts were recognized, and with the unified king¡¯s approval, she seeded in expanding the area under her control. Her territory has tripled since the initial period, and she was now in charge of the new royal capital, and her rule was progressing smoothly. Other countries had adopted the same approach, but it had yet to yield any benefits.


    ¡°Don¡¯t treat the refugees with disregard, but distribute as much food as you can to them. This is also necessary in terms of suppressing future rebel groups. If you feel that your country cannot provide for the refugees on its own, you will cooperate with other countries to help them.¡±


    Nameless¡¯s head shook, and it was directed at Lucia.


    ¡°First of all, we will takeplete control of Felzen. In order to do so, we must be epted by the people of Felzen. There are still those who stand in the way, the Felzen Liberation Army. We could use force to eliminate them once and for all, but we cannot give Grantz an excuse to intervene. We must weaken them peacefully.¡±


    Nameless said, and then his mouth filled with a smile.


    ¡°It will be difficult to solve this problem through dialogue. Therefore, I would like to ask for the cooperation of Anguis.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed at the abrupt request.


    Nameless¡¯s smile deepened as if he had noticed this.


    ¡°The Anguis Kingdom has been unexpectedly well received by the people of Felzen, hasn¡¯t it? I am so impressed by Your Majesty Queen Lucia¡¯s skill. I would really like to use you as a reference.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say¡­ Nameless?¡±


    ¡°I am wondering if you would be willing to share your knowledge and skills with other countries. We would like to have Anguis dispatch knowledgeable people to areas controlled by other countries.¡±


    ¡°I cannot do that. Even my country does not have the luxury of human resources. The only way is for each of you to make your own efforts in this area. I will not spare any technical cooperation for that purpose, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, therefore, we will dispatch the missing personnel from Greif and, of course, from other countries as well. We will select the best ones, so they will not be less capable than your men.¡±


    Lucia bit her teeth at Nameless¡¯s offer. The others also agreed with Nameless, and all eyes were on Lucia. It would have been easy to reject the offer. But if she did, Nameless would use his power of coercion to disqualify her.


    Nameless was afraid that Anguiss would be powerful after takingplete control of Felzen. This was probably why he wanted to drain the country of its human resources and reduce its power while he still had the chance.


    ¡°Of course, each country will provide aid in the form of goods. For the further prosperity and development of the Six Kingdoms, would you be willing to cooperate in educating the human resources of each country?¡±


    This was an offer of cooperation, and as an allied nation, an offer made from an ¡°equal¡± position.


    Even so, it was only natural that Lucia¡¯s position would be worse if she refused. She could not afford to strengthen the power of the long-eared race by making a difference here, but if she cooperated, her technology would be leaked, and even her personnel would be lost.


    (¡­Whether they intend to monitor me or take me over from the inside, something must be done.)


    Lucia immediately cut off the hatred swirling in her heart, spread out her fan, covered her mouth, and turned her cold, stern gaze on Nameless.


    ¡°Very well. If you say it is for the prosperity of the Six Kingdoms, I can¡¯t help but cooperate.¡±


    Lucia suppressed her tone as much as possible and finally said in a chilly voice.


    ¡°¨D¨DI will make you regret it.¡±


    She added a note of murderous intent in her voice so that only Nameless could hear her.


    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    The mouth of Nameless, who coolly epted the message, was stained with delight.


    Everyone could sense the tension in the air between the two, but those who knew the history between the two could only watch in silence, as it was amon urrence for them.

 Volume 9, Chapter 2 – Roar In Silence, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 2 - Roar In Silence, Part 3</h4>


    There was a room in Vian, the imperial pce of the Great Grantz Empire, where the world¡¯s finest furnishings were gathered and disyed. However, the room was somewhat devoid of individuality. Perhaps because of the mixture of various things, although it was luxurious and gorgeous, the scene could be described as bleak.


    The owner of this room was the previous emperor, Greyheit, and was now reced by Liz, who was the acting emperor. Liz was sitting ufortably in a luxurious chair, listening to Rosa, who was sitting opposite her.


    ¡°20,000 of the Fourth Imperial Army have just arrived. There are another 20,000 private soldiers from the Muzuk family, making a total of 40,000 troops. Alternatively, the army of 30,000 in the east that we sent to the south will be on the defensive in theing days. It should be possible to carry out the operation to recapture Felzen without any worries about the rear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. I am more concerned about the quadrteral talks.¡±


    In theing days, a meeting will be held between the Steichen Republic, the Principality of Lichtine, the Great Grantz Empire, and the small country of Baum.


    On the agenda was the mediation between the Steichen Republic and the Principality of Lichtine.


    Currently, both Steichen and Lichtine are in dispute over the rights to the Zahle River.


    There was a reason for thisplicated situation.


    It all started when the Principality of Lichtine crossed the border and upied Fort Burg from the Steichen side, which controlled the Zahle River, amid the civil war within the Steichen Republic that broke outst month. However, Steichen, exhausted by the civil war, really wanted to focus on domestic affairs, while the Principality of Lichtine, also suffering from famine, wanted to avoid war and stabilize the situation in the country. Neither of the two countries had the strength left to fight a war.


    <sub></sub>


    ¡°Indeed¡­ the Principality of Lichtine has brought up the small country of Baum.¡±


    The Steichen Republic had decided that it could not settle the dispute through dialogue between the two countries and had asked the Great Grantz Empire to act as an intermediary. However, the Principality of Lichtine, perhaps fearing that it would be left to its own devices, pulled out of the small country of Baum.


    ¡°Thanks to this, the central street was blockaded, and its ie decreased. In addition, the treasury¡¯s goods have decreased significantly due to the increased security to wee the princess shrine maiden. I can only think of it as harassment by the small country of Baum.¡±


    Rosa cursed in her words, but she did not mean it from the bottom of her heart.


    This was because the small country of Baum was providing the funds. But it was still painful to see the central street blocked off for days at a time.


    ¡°Well, we can still keep the rulers of the three countries glued to the Great Grantz Empire. Thanks to that, the southern countries are no longer an obstacle to our recapture of Felzen.¡±


    Perhaps that was part of his n.


    The quadrteral talks ¨D not all of them would be to their advantage.


    The fact that the small country of Baum intervened in the talks must mean that they were trying to do something.


    ¡°You should be careful, Anee-sama. There is no doubt that the small country of Baum is up to something. It is impossible for him to cooperate with the Principality of Lichtine with only good intentions.¡±


    ¡°I know that. I know what he is trying to do and what he is after. In the meantime, we should find out what he is trying to achieve and what he is so anxious about. Once we know that, we will know why he left Grantz.¡±


    Liz had revealed the identity of the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± to Rosa.


    If the identity of the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± were to be learned during the four nations¡¯ talks, Rosa¡¯s mental state would no longer be normal. Therefore, Liz thought it would be better to reveal the truth rather than expose Rosa to a blunder so things could proceed smoothly.


    (But Skaaha knew about it, didn¡¯t she? Even before I told her¡­ why?)


    As Liz was about to dive into the sea of thoughts, Rosa interrupted her without a moment¡¯s pause.


    ¡°And about the First Imperial Army.¡±


    The lion¡¯s army was the strongest in the Great Grantz Empire.


    Since only the emperor possesses the authority tomand them, they have been dissipating their resentment since the death of the previous emperor, Greyheit, only by scattering throughout the central region to maintain security.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just let them run things on their own. Even if we use the authority of the acting emperor or the prime minister, we will only receive opposition from the nobles and princes. It¡¯s not an emergency situation, so I think it¡¯s best to maintain the status quo for the time being.¡±


    They can¡¯t afford to give the southern nobility ¨D the Muzuk family ¨D any chance to take advantage of them. Liz¡¯s camp does not have the luxury of making unnecessary enemies.


    ¡°The First Imperial Army will not be moved, and only the Order of the Golden Lion will be sent westward under the guise of maintaining security. The situation is such that there is no reason to leave them idle.¡±


    ¡°Who hasmand?¡±


    ¡°Liz can take themand after the dispatch. There are already rumors that Liz will be the next emperor. And they will follow you obediently.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that upset the Muzuk family, which is in control of the military affairs?¡±


    ¡°There is a way. The small country of Baum has gone to great lengths toe this time. I¡¯ll take advantage of it. We¡¯ll have to make a n to weaken the power of the Muzuk family.¡±


    With a wicked smile on her face, Rosa cleared her throat. Rosa¡¯s happy emotion was showing on her face as if she was nning to outmaneuver the Muzuk family.


    Liz smiled wryly and offered her advice.


    ¡°But there is one man who could be a nuisance. You¡¯d better watch out for that man. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll just sit there and let you get him.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ you mean that man named Rozl? He¡¯s going to take part in the operation to recapture Felzen this time. He may have decided that taking down Liz would be more rewarding than taking me down.¡±


    Liz looked fed up with Rosa¡¯s amused remark.


    ¡°¡­There seems to be no time for rxing¡­ But we may be able to see it as an opportunity to see what Rozl is capable of.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about that too, but there¡¯s Aura-dono and Skaaha-dono over there too. They will help you. Don¡¯t take on too much on your own, but consult with them carefully.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I will do so.¡±


    ¡°In any case, Vetu remained confined to the south. Because someone named Rozl has been leading the troops on his behalf, I will try to find out what he is thinking, but it is more likely that he will remain silent this time as well.¡±


    Sooner orter, the time will surelye when they must confront Vetu directly. Vetu must have felt the same way about that. That was why he had been preparing for theing day by staying in his own territory.


    ¡°Keep an eye on Vetu¡¯s movements, as there is a possibility that he may connect with the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    There was no reason not to be cautious. In national politics, the unexpected happens. The more excessive you were in these matters, the better you would be able to cope with the anomalies that may ariseter on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Vetu will be that desperate¡­ but let¡¯s assume the worst.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please do.¡±


    The question remained¨D¨D,


    ¡°I wonder about the north¡­ I¡¯ve heard bad rumors about it for a while now, buttely, it¡¯s be more and more pronounced. How are things going with Selene-aniisama?¡±


    ¡°I hear he is recovering well, but more importantly, the Bromell family is growing stronger and stronger. The bnce of power in the north is on the verge of copse, but even if we offer our cooperation to Selene-aniisama, he will not ept it. We will have to wait and see how things go for the time being.¡±


    ¡°I will send a letter to him as well. It won¡¯t matter if it¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a stubborn man, you know.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s face turned down seriously with a skeptical expression on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to persuade him patiently, but the question is whether there¡¯s enough time left to do that.¡±


    ¡°Is the situation that dangerous?¡±


    ¡°On the surface, the Sharm family still has the upper hand, but if you look at the map of the noble lords that the Bromell family has entangled themselves with, the ¡°White Silver Castle¡± is surrounded.¡±


    Under siege and without reinforcements, the castle will fall into the hands of the Bromell family. If this were to happen, the stability of the north would inevitably copse. There was no way that the south would sit idly by and watch. They will attack the Central as if to catch each other¡¯s breath.


    ¡°If they were to take action, it would be when our eyes arepletely focused on the Six Kingdoms. The Bromell family willunch a surprise attack. And after eliminating Selene-aniisama¡¯s entourage, they may try to negotiate with him as hostages behind our backs.¡±


    ¡°If so, let¡¯s keep an eye on them. Even if Selene-aniisama does not want our help, we will intervene in the north if we deem it dangerous. I¡¯ll leave the decision to Rosa-aneesama.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s proceed with the preparations.¡±


    As the conversation seemed to be winding down, Rosa opened her mouth, seemingly remembering something.


    ¡°In that case, we can dispatch the Order of the Golden Lion to the north.¡±


    The idea may have been to check the Bromell family, but in the current situation, that would likely cause a very dangerous situation.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what might trigger an outburst. We don¡¯t want to provoke them and cause trouble in the north. Selene-aniisama may be doing something about it, so let¡¯s just wait and see without interfering.¡±


    Even Selene was not the type to just sit back and be beaten, and he must be thinking of a way to fight back.


    Rosa also believed so and smiled as she nodded her head honestly.


    ¡°I understand. Then, I¡¯ll increase the number of spy teams and let them search for information.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll ask you to do that.¡±


    ¡°I have other business to attend to. I¡¯ll leave you now.¡±


    Rosa stood up and stopped to turn on her heel.


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll give you this. It is a report on the investigation of the emperor¡¯s cemetery. Don¡¯t expect too much from me. I intend to continue my investigation there as well.¡±


    Putting the thick report on the desk, she continued.


    ¡°You will leave for Felzen tomorrow. Get some rest today. You can read the report on the way.¡±


    With that, Rosa left the room.


    Even though Liz had grown up, Rosa¡¯s treatment of her younger sister had not changed.


    Their positions may have reversed over the past two years, but it was honestly a relief to know that her attitude was still the same. The number of people who greeted her casually two years ago had decreased drastically. She felt a sense of loneliness, but the tion of being so close to the throne still prevailed. That was what she must keep in mind. She did note this far alone.


    ¡°¡­I must read it properly.¡±


    Liz took the thick report in her hand and pressed her forehead against it.


    Rosa took time out of her busy schedule to continue her investigation. Even though it was not the Prime Minister¡¯s job, she did notin at all, but for Liz¡¯s sake, she spared no time to sleep and continued to visit the emperor¡¯s cemetery.


    If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll be punished if I don¡¯t take a good look at it, thought Liz.


    ¡°Even so¡­ it¡¯s notfortable for me to read it here.¡±


    Liz turned her head away from the report and looked around.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange room¡­ I wonder if any of the emperors slept in rooms like this?¡±


    The roomcked any semnce of cohesion.


    While it has the luxury and splendor of a room, from Liz¡¯s point of view, it looks like a storeroom.


    Some of the items were worth enough to buy a city, but to be honest, she had no interest in them and wanted to sell them off and put them in the treasury.


    ¡°A history of looting ¨D as many countries have perished as there are furnishings.¡±


    The emperor¡¯s room was full of such things.


    They disyed their achievements in their rooms and passed them onto the next emperor.


    They appealed to the next emperor, saying, ¡°You, too, must show your power by destroying other countries.¡±


    ¡°The time wille for reckoning¡­ though it may be decades or centuries from now.¡±


    It rises, and it perishes, it perishes, and it rises again.


    History repeats itself, and the Great Grantz Empire should not be able to escape from this cycle either.


    ¡°Still¡­ this is not the time.¡±


    Liz turned her gaze to the window in a room dominated by darkness.


    ¡°Hiro¡­ you think so too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    August 20th, 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D a section of the vige of Luon, located on the outskirts of the Great Imperial Capital.


    Here existed a cemetery for the burial of the deceased, including those from nearby viges. The graves were small and looked deste, but they were all well maintained, and there were no weeds to be seen.


    The grave of Tris von Termier was also quietly erected there. It was norger than the others, and it was not decorated with jewelry; it blended in without standing out from its surroundings. It was a modest structure for the grave of someone who had been a close aide to the acting emperor.


    Hiro knelt down on one knee and ced a flower in front of the grave.


    He traced the name engraved on the gravestone with his bangs swaying in the gentle breeze.


    ¡°Tris-san¡­ I never thought I would see you again in this way.¡±


    A loyal subject of Liz¡¯s who lost his life in the civil war that broke out in the Steichen Republic. His life was full of tumultuous events, but he never betrayed Liz and continued to serve her to the end. Hiro heard that his death was a heroic one, as was typical of Tris.


    ¡°Please watch over Liz. She has started down a thorny path.¡±


    Liz would continue to lose her loyal subjects. Those closest to her would die first, and yet the battle would not end, and her heart would be consumed.


    Her heart may grow cold and her soul may shatter, just as it happened to Hiro, a thousand years ago.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Unlike me, she is strong and will not break easily.¡±


    Hiro stood up and made a small bow.


    ¡°Let me take care of Liz. I will not let her go down the same path as me.¡±


    Hiro flipped off his cloak and began to walk briskly.


    ¡°I will eat all the despair. And Liz will just keep walking, believing in the light.¡±


    He stroked his mask with his right hand and let out a small smile.


    ¡°A fast horse came just now. It seems to be numb, wondering if you¡¯re still noting.¡±


    Luca appeared soundlessly behind him. But Hiro did not stop walking and kept going.


    ¡°Well¡­ but the primary reason I came to Grantz is here.¡±


    There were several reasons why he epted the request of the Principality of Lichtine.


    The first of these was to visit Tris¡¯ grave.


    The position of king is aplicated one. It is not easy to leave the country. There was no way he could visit the grave of a single individual, and considering his rtions with other countries; he could not cross their borders without permission.


    Without an excuse, it is impossible even to visit a grave.


    ¡°So, where are theintsing from?¡±


    ¡°You must be surprisingly popr to receive three letters at once, one from the Prime Minister of the Grantz Empire, one from the Supreme Chairman of the Steichen Republic, and one from the cowardly Prince of Lichtine.¡±


    ¡°I am not happy about it¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault for beingte for what you call an important meeting.¡±


    ¡°Why not? The star of the show always shows upte, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not very self-aware, are you?¡±


    Luca touched the mask on her face carelessly, as if she was annoyed with it. She must be annoyed at being made to wear something she is not ustomed to.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d have to wear something like this¡­ Eagle would be crying behind the grass if he looked at me like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you live in a closed space in Baum, but this is Grantz territory where nobody knows who¡¯s watching. I don¡¯t think revealing your true face so openly would be wise.¡±


    When Hiro exined it to her, Luca snorted.


    ¡°Hah, I understand without being told. I just wanted toin; you really are dull and uncaring, aren¡¯t you? A man should just shut up and listen.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Sorry about that.¡±


    After exining a few things to her, this was what he got.


    After all, if he made a joke to her, the sarcasm woulde back to him tenfold. Even though he should have known this, he might have been a little distracted.


    ¡°¡­So, the princess shrine maiden hasn¡¯t said anything to you?¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s not saying anything because she can ¡°see¡± us. The Great Grantz Empire is not as big as Baum, but there are a lot of spirits, and there are eyes watching everywhere.¡±


    ¡°I can see the greatness of it when you say it again.¡±


    ¡°irvoyance¡± is the ability to see far into the distance. Although it cannot hear words, it is an extraordinary eye that can read people¡¯s emotions and, to a certain extent, understand what is going on.


    ¡°Your ¡°Heavenly Spirit Eye¡± is also a cheat eye, but your¡­ right eye is also very strange.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    Hiro stopped and turned to Luca with a curious look on his face.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Maybe the different color of the left and right eye makes it strange.¡±


    Hiro shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and started walking again.


    ¡°¡­¡­That may be so.¡±


    Feeling Luca¡¯s eyes on him from behind, Hiro covered his right eye with his right hand.


    (I may still need to make some adjustments.)


    The right eye that was lost in the battle with the Six Kingdoms ¨D but regenerated by the ¡°miracle¡± left to him by Altius. It couldn¡¯t be exactly the same, but it is still indispensable for Hiro now.


    (Come to think of it¡­ which one is Liz¡¯s?)


    The previous emperor, Greyheit, was holding the baby Liz in his arms that day at the emperor¡¯s cemetery.


    From the moment he saw that figure ¨D Hiro was convinced.


    (Altius¡­ If Liz is your descendant, she will surely be able to open your eyes.)


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 2 – Roar In Silence, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 2 - Roar In Silence, Part 4</h4>


    Boisterous noise dominated the Imperial Pce Vian of the Great Grantz Empire. The vast grounds were covered with the heraldic banners of Steichen and Lichtine.


    It was divided into west and east, with the rose garden at its center.


    At the entrance to the western section, lined with the mansions of influential aristocrats, Steichen¡¯s soldiers ¨D the Beastman ¨D could be seen chatting andughing without forming ranks.


    To the east were the residences and training grounds of the elite ¡°Order of the Golden Lion¡± of the First Imperial Army, and at the entrance to these residences, Lichtine¡¯s soldiers were quietly forming a line with a tense look on their faces.


    To the north was the Imperial Pce Vian, the center of the Empire, and the entrance to the pce was guarded by soldiers from the Grantz Soldiers, who kept a close watch on both Lichtine and Steichen for any suspicious activity. A group of soldiers from various countries were also waiting in various ces, and the pce was dominated by a tense atmosphere.


    Their master was in a spacious square conference room inside the Imperial Pce Vian.


    It was a simple room with only a circr desk and chairs.


    ¡°When is His Majesty the ck Dragon Kinging?¡±


    ¡°The head of the beastman and supreme chairman of the Steichen Republic bared her teeth.


    <sub></sub>


    Skadi Vestra Michael.


    She was so frustrated that she looked as if she was about tosh out at any moment. Turning a blind eye to her fearsome appearance, she was a woman of total beauty. She wore ethnic clothes that revealed a lot of skin, and the jewelry shining on her gave her a stunning elegance. Unfortunately, however, the smoked meat hanging from her waist and her coarse tone of voice brought her wildness to the fore.


    ¡°W-who knows¡­ what¡¯s the matter, though? Hahaha.¡±


    The man with the affable smile was the young Prince Karl of the Principality of Lichtine. Hisplexion was pale as if he were sickly, and his cheeks were chapped, perhaps because he had not recovered from the fatigue of his travels. Perhaps displeased with Karl¡¯s weak attitude, Skadi clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Tch, why are you so scared all this time?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ I¡¯m just nervous.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Do you want some smoked meat?¡±


    Skadi pulled out a dagger and quickly cut off a piece of smoked meat.


    She pointed it at Karl, leaving the cut end on the edge of the de.


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯ll pass¡­ Yes. Sorry, I¡¯m not hungry¡­¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Karl, who had been watching with a pale face, looked at Skadi, who boldly put the tip of the de into her mouth and chewed on the smoked meat, and then looked at the other woman and asked her for help.


    Miste Calliara Rosa von Kelheit.


    She was the former third princess of the Great Grantz Empire ¨D the acting head of the Kelheit family and the Prime Minister of the Great Grantz Empire.


    Her radiant beauty was well-known throughout the rest of the country. Her arrogant, noble bearing was scented with a coquettish charm, and her charming gestures stimted the brain to a tremendous degree. She was even more refined in her devilishness than two years ago.


    When Karl¡¯s eyes meet Rosa¡¯s, he immediately averted his gaze out of embarrassment. It was a pity for Karl to be sandwiched between two different beauties, but they were unknowingly fascinating to the people around them.


    Rosa opened her mouth, wondering about Karl, who had fallen t on his face.


    ¡°Just now, I heard cheers from the direction of the central street¡­ the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± it seems that he has arrived, but there are a lot of preparations to be made. It will be a while before hees here.¡±


    Countries with long histories, like Grantz and Baum, tend to be obsessed with formality, no matter what their intentions may be. The subjectsin that they need to be prepared in order not to undermine the authority built up by their ancestors.


    Rosa, too, was sometimes bothered by this, but if she was going to another country as a representative of her country, she would do so formally, no matter how much time she had to spare unless there was a problem.


    ¡°¡­Why do you need to wee him in the first ce?¡±


    Skadi¡¯s lips twitched with a resentful expression.


    ¡°I understand that the small country of Baum is the Grantz Empire¡¯s most important ally. But I don¡¯t see the point of weing them by blocking the central street.¡±


    When Skadi visited Grantz, she was only looked at with interest by the people, but she did not feel weed. The king of a small country in the far east was greeted with cheers that could be heard all the way to the imperial pce. Beastman liked to stand out, even in times of war or peace. Therefore, the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± who was more conspicuous than themselves, added to Skadi¡¯s irritation.


    ¡°Well¡­pared to the Principality of Lichtine, it might be better.¡±


    Skadi turned a sympathetic eye toward Karl.


    The people of Grantz dislike the Principality of Lichtine, and they are constantly cursing at them.


    It was not apliment to the people living in a great country, but it was not hard to understand their feelings.


    It is said that all the wars up to now started with the Lichtine.


    The people of Grantz believe that if they had not provoked the neighboring countries by starting a war with Grantz three years ago, the situation would not be the same as it was today.


    ¡°Haha¡­ it¡¯s a good thing they didn¡¯t throw stones at us.¡±


    Karl replied, wiping sweat from his pitiful face. The look on his face said that he wanted to go back to his homnd right now. It was hard to imagine how traumatic it must have been for him, even with no stones thrown at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic, don¡¯t be restrained just because you¡¯re a citizen of another country. Don¡¯t hesitate to beat up those narrow-minded people who shout abuse at you!¡±


    Skadi shouted at Karl, who was scared to death. The result is to make Karl even more deted.


    Sighing deeply at his pathetic behavior, Skadi pped Karl hard on the shoulder and lifted the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°Well, if you do that, I guess you¡¯ll have to start a war with the Grantz, won¡¯t you?¡±


    The blood drained from Karl¡¯s face as Skadiughed loudly.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry for the disrespect my people have shown you. They are anxious about the war, which could end at any moment. Please forgive them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, you don¡¯t have to apologize¡­ I understand how they feel.¡±


    Karl¡¯s face grew whiter as he panicked at Rosa¡¯s apology.


    As she watched them, Skadi put her arm around her head and whistled.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯d like to ask the Prime Minister a question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    The two of them were now in the same room, and the two of them were talking to each other. It was true that Skadi was a woman who did not know how to be polite, but her seemingly back-and-forth personality did not give off a sarcastic impression, and on the contrary, Rosa liked her very much. Perhaps it was because she had heard the story from Liz, though.


    ¡°I heard that the princess was headed to Felzen. Is there enough strength in Grantz?¡±


    The reason for the question was unclear, but Rosa, the prime minister, would not divulge such information.


    ¡°¡­Hmm, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t answer a question that falls under our country¡¯s confidentiality.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then, instead of asking questions, why don¡¯t I offer suggestions?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Rosa tilted her head at Skadi, who kept changing the subject.


    Liz had told her that Skadi was impatient, which is quite a feat.


    ¡°This time, we came to Grantz with 5,000 soldiers. If Grantz wants our help, Steichen will do everything in our power to help.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    There was no better feeling than being told that someone is straight up and ready to lend a hand at any time.


    It¡¯s just a pity, though, that it¡¯s in the wrong order.


    ¡°Steichen will be in a dead heat with Lichtine, won¡¯t you? How can you say that when you might have a war, depending on this round of talks?¡±


    Rosa¡¯s point was a perfectly valid one. Hearing this, Karl also looked at Skadi with a surprised face. But Skadi nodded with a face tinged with glee.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t care if we start a war. I made a promise to the princess. The beastman would never go back on their word.¡±


    Skadi mmed her fist on the desk and looked at Karl with narrowed eyes as if she were aiming at prey.


    ¡°First, we will send an army of five thousand to Felzen. In the meantime, we will destroy Lichtine and then head for Felzen.¡±


    ¡°W-wait a minute. We had not even begun to discuss such a matter¡­¡±


    Karl waspletely overwhelmed by Skadi¡¯s confident words.


    ¡°You see, the beastman¡­ are only in their element when they are cornered.¡±


    At Skadi¡¯s tone of voice, which seemed to assume that the matter had already been decided, Karl lifted his back from his seat with the expression of a condemned criminal.


    ¡°We decided to discuss this matter because you upied the fort without harming our people. We decided there was room for discussion. If you had burned viges and towns, I would have killed you, regardless of the effects of the civil war, without any excuse for not having enough soldiers or enough food.¡±


    Karl could not stop breaking out in a cold sweat as Skadi, with a ferocious smile on her face, directed an intense heat of murderous intent at him. Without even a chance to speak, he was left with no choice but to wait for her pronouncement.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s all thanks to the small country of Baum behind the Principality of Lichtine, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Karl gulped with bated breath, but his head was surprisingly calm, and he didn¡¯t look away and remained silent. Choose wisely ¨D if he chose his words incorrectly, the negotiations would break down before they could take ce.


    With a mixture of threats and real intentions, Skadi was clearly testing Karl. Rosa could see that she was trying to estimate his capabilities on this asion. However, Rosa decided to let the situation slide, even though she should have warned Skadi severely for her behavior, which could have resulted in bloodshed if a mistake were to be made.


    ¡°I would like to ask you, Skadi-dono¡­ is your decision not to destroy the Principality of Lichtine based on the possibility that Baum may be connected to the Grantz?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that Baum and Grantz would join forces to help Lichtine. So I don¡¯t really care about that; I¡¯m mostly concerned about Baum¡¯s king calling himself the ck Dragon King.¡±


    Skadi¡¯s use of the term ¡°ck Dragon King¡± had a cautious tone to it.


    Rosa could not fully grasp her feelings, but she was beginning to get an inkling of what she thought when she joined the talks.


    ¡°As I recall, the Beastman worships the ck Dragon King as a god.¡±


    In short, she was curious about the identity of the person who imed to be the god of her country.


    If the person was not up to her expectations, the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± may be cut down right here and now. It was hard to believe that a person in charge of a country would take such rash action, but the behavior of the beastman, which was famous for its belligerence, was unknown, including in the current situation.


    ¡°Yeah, he called himself a god. I¡¯d like to see him at least at first sight.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    The door to the room opened with a bang as Rosa nodded once more deeply.


    The soldier who entered the room was standing guard at the room entrance.


    ¡°Excuse me! His Majesty the ck Dragon King has arrived!¡±


    With a nervous expression and a hoarse voice, the soldier spoke.


    Rosa noticed the presence of ¡°him¡± mixed in with the winding in through the open door. It was easy to tell, even without hiding it. There were only a few people in the world who could radiate such tremendous high energy.


    It was no wonder that the well-trained soldier was nervous. No wonder Karl¡¯s face turned pale. Even Skadi was tightening her expression and emitting a roar characteristic of the beastman as if she were on guard.


    However, for some reason, Rosa was not nervous, but rather she couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    The reason was obvious.


    She had noticed a very rxed atmosphere in the air.


    Knowing him, she could sense that calmness, that gentleness.


    ¡°Permission to enter. Let him through at once.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    The soldier turned on his heel and called out to the figure on the opposite side of the door.


    Immediately after¨D¨D,


    ¡°Apologies for keeping you waiting.¡±


    A masked man in a white cloak appeared, pounding on the floor. He gave the impression of being fragile yet somehow powerful waves vibrating in the air.


    His presence was as elusive as a cloud, but the disastrous ck sword at his waist radiated a strange atmosphere that gave others a strange sense of intimidation.


    ¡°I am the second king of the small country of Baum, the ck Dragon King. Pleased to meet you.¡±


    A strong pressure fell on the two people in the room.


    Skadi was the first to notice the mysterious force that had begun to invade the room.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    The hairs on her body stood on end as her instincts sent out a danger signal.


    ¡°¨D¨DAre you trying to pick a fight?¡±


    Skadi growled menacingly and attached to her hand the w that was hanging from her waist.


    Karl was surprised by her sudden belligerence.


    ¡°Hyii, Skadi-dono?¡±


    In contrast, the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± looked at Skadi with a brilliant smile on his face. Skadi¡¯s mouth twitched at the provocative gesture, and she exploded in anger.


    ¡°You¡¯re good!¡±


    A momentter, Skadi¡¯s figure disappeared.


    It was not even a blink of an eye.


    The match was a split-second affair, and a strong wind blew into the room, even though the window was not even open.


    The sound of the de, almost like an explosion, echoed in the room, and all eyes in the room were drawn to the ¡°ck Dragon King.¡±


    ¡°Is that all you got¡­? Don¡¯t let me down.¡±


    A huge dark ck sword caught the transparent ws.


    Everyone looked surprised, but the most astonished person was probably Skadi, who hadunched the attack. She was blindingly staring at the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± with a stunned expression on her face.


    ¡°Wha- ¨D¨D my attack!¡±


    Skadi immediately took a distance from him. However, she did notunch a second attack. She just stared at the ¡°ck Dragon King. Then a low voice escaped from ¡°The ck Dragon King¡¯s¡± throat.


    ¡°Are you done?¡±


    A chill ran down her spine, and the tension in the room heightened.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn¨D¨D¡±


    While no one could move a finger, the endlessly deep darkness released by Hiro¨D¨D,


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    The one who shouted was Rosa. She had stepped in between the two without regard for the risks involved.


    As if in protest of Rosa¡¯s action, Hiro took one look at her, then shrugged his shoulders and sheathed his ck sword. The taut-killing atmosphere that had been present earlier instantly fizzled out, and what came rushing in was silence. Rosa sent a cold look at Skadi and opened her mouth.


    ¡°Skadi-dono, it¡¯s your fault. What were you thinking, suddenlyunching an attack?¡±


    ¡°The first one to provoke me was¨D¨D¡­¡±


    Skadi was about to argue with Rosa, but she raised her hands in the air when she saw Rosa¡¯s strong gaze.


    ¡°I know. The first one to make a move is the one who is to me.¡±


    As if in honest acknowledgment, Skadi curved her lips in disapproval and red at Hiro.


    ¡°Tch, but I don¡¯t like it. You look like you know everything, and you look down on people ¨D that¡¯s what I don¡¯t like about your eyes.¡±


    ¡°I apologize if I offended you.¡±


    Hiro listened to Skadi¡¯s protests and said in a hushed voice before taking a seat.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you go back to your seat too, Skadi-dono?¡±


    Rosa pushed Skadi back and urged her to sit down.


    She then returned to her own seat and cleared her throat to change the strange atmosphere.


    ¡°Now that everyone is here. Let¡¯s begin the quadrteral talks.¡±


    Rosa looked at each of the three rulers.


    Rosa let out a tired sigh at the three different attitudes of the three rulers: Skadi, who nodded her head with a sharp snort; Karl, whose eyes were swimming suspiciously; and Hiro, who crossed his arms with calm andposed air.


    ¡°Fuh¡­ well then, the topic of discussion, the terms of the truce between the two countries, Steichen and Lichtine¨D¨D¡±


    A dull thud rang through the room, crushing Rosa¡¯s words.


    Skadi, who had mmed her heel down on the desk, shed a sharp look at Karl. She was filled with tremendous spirit as if the fight with Hiro from earlier was still fresh in her mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that the Lichtine forces that remain in Steichen are to leave our country immediately.¡±


    Immeasurable pressure ¨D Karl¡¯s body was shaking as if he were being hit by a blizzard.


    Still, he stared back at Skadi, perhaps with a sense of responsibility for the nation or maybe feeling defeated.


    ¡°¡­I-I would like the area around Fort Burg to be under the joint control of Lichtine and Steichen, with the Zahle River asmon territory.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I said we would not dam the Zahle river; what¡¯s wrong with that? Is that not good enough for you?¡±


    ¡°That would leave Lichtine¡¯s heart in your hands. We can¡¯t continue with that uncertainty and make promises we don¡¯t know what the future holds.¡±


    ¡°You have no trust in me, huh¡­? No, how can there be¨D¨D¡±


    After a self-mocking smile, Skadi snorted as she scratched her horns.


    ¡°The Nidavelirs were the ones who dammed the Zahle river. We would never do such a cowardly thing, though?¡±


    ¡°Even if it was the Nidavellir who dammed the river, it was still the Steichen Republic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but that doesn¡¯t mean that if you continue the upation, the people at Fort Burg will starve to death sooner orter. We are in a position to retake the fortress at any time.¡±


    The current barrier on the border between Steichen and Lichtine was upied by the Principality of Lichtine, which was strong against outside forces but weak against forces from within. The soldiers of Lichtine, who were suffering from famine, did not have the strength left to defend it. Karl was not bullish on the situation, and he bit his teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this out of the goodness of my heart. You disagree with me?¡±


    ¡°Lichtine had no time to spare to be convinced. It¡¯s only natural that the river has finally been freed from its dam. The people are happy, but if we tell Steichen that we are returning the Fort Burg, there will be a revolt.¡±


    Karl began to speak of Lichtine¡¯s internal situation with shame. He probably intends to show his firm determination not to give in, even if he was caught t-footed. However, there was no way that showing weakness to the other party would induce sympathy. Karl knew this, but even so, he did not stop talking.


    ¡°We were able to ease the dissatisfaction of the nobles, albeit slightly. If the river is dammed again, Lichtine will surely perish this time. So we must prevent a situation in which the river is dammed again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said I wouldn¡¯t dam the river.¡±


    ¡°We cannot believe such promises. The dwarves were greedy and untrustworthy, but the beastman was also insatiable and cannot be trusted.¡±


    The two sides of the argument were now on a collision course. It seems that both sides were unable toe to an agreement. Rosa, who had taken on the role of mediator, also seemed to be having difficulty ining to an agreement.


    Then Hiro raised his hand.


    ¡°I have a proposal for you¡­¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were on him at once.


    But he spun his words without any agitation.


    ¡°I want you to destroy Fort Burg, which was built under the guise of managing the Zahle River.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this all about all of a sudden?¡±


    The reason why Skadi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in suspicion was because he suddenly spoke up and suggested destroying Fort Burg, which was the point of the conversation. Rosa also looked at Hiro with a bit of surprise. However, Hiro did not care about such stares and calmly revealed his mind.


    ¡°It is only necessary for the river¡¯s defense, and there should be no problem even if it is torn down.¡±


    ¡°It is true that it was built by the Nidavellir faction for the purpose of harassment, so it is something I would like to tear down in order to cut down on unnecessary military spending.¡±


    ¡°Let the people of Lichtine, who have lost their jobs in the fields, do that.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Skadi, perhaps realizing what Hiro was trying to do, raised her eyebrows in a grumpy manner.


    ¡°What¡¯s in it for us? There are many people in Steichen who have lost their jobs due to the civil war. You know what will happen if we hire people from other countries, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Hiro nodded his head in agreement with Skadi, then held up a finger.


    ¡°We will ept some of those who lost their jobs in Steichen ¨D the dwarves who were Nidavellir¡¯s faction ¨D in our country. I have a few conditions.¡±


    Skadi waved her chin as if to urge him to go on as if she intended to listen to Hiro¡¯s story in silence.


    ¡°There are other viges and towns destroyed by famine in the Principality of Lichtine. We can send the dwarves there to earn foreign currency. The civil war may be over, but that doesn¡¯t mean that the feud between the beastman and the dwarves is over, does it?¡±


    ¡°Honestly speaking, you¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we create some distance between the two races, the beastman and the dwarves, and allow for a cooling-off period?¡±


    It was not a bad idea. Many people in both Lichtine and Steichen had lost their jobs. They were still in the prime of their careers. It would be a shame to leave them idle. If that was the case, it would be more profitable to send them to other countries to work.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a good deal¡­ Are you okay with that?¡±


    Skadi took one look at Karl and nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°I agree with the ck Dragon King.¡±


    Karl, who had been so afraid of Skadi, now said without hesitation.


    With a strange feeling of difort, Skadi narrowed her eyes and looked at Karl, but Karl kept his face down.


    ¡°¡­I see, then there is no reason for us to object.¡±


    ¡°Then the Lichtine Army will withdraw from the Steichen Republic in theing days. Is that correct?¡±


    Rosa confirmed this to Karl, who immediately nodded vigorously.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. But I would like your assurance that the Zahle River will not be dammed even after Fort Burg is destroyed.¡±


    Seeing Karl¡¯s imposing appearance, Skadi red at him with a grim, twisted face, but it had little effect.


    ¡°That, of course, is true. If the Steichen Republic makes a mistake in the future ¨D as long as the agreement is still in ce ¨D then Grantz and Baum will be responsible for supporting Lichtine. Is that alright with Steichen?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. The beastman will never take back their words. I will not be so cowardly as to dam the river, even if I have to deal with Lichtine.¡±


    By damming the Zahle river, Lichtine would have the help of Baum and Grantz.


    Conversely, if the Zahle River was not dammed, Grantz and Baum would not move.


    It was not a bad deal for both Lichtine and Steichen, but Skadi was not amused by the way they had been led to this point.


    ¡°Well, now that we have a firm policy, let¡¯s boil the conversation down.¡±


    While Rosa was trying to move the conversation forward, Skadi kept her eyes fixed on Hiro.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 2 – Roar In Silence, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 2 - Roar In Silence, Part 5</h4>


    After the quadrteral meeting was over, Hiro left the room and was stopped by Rosa.


    ¡°My lo¡­ ck Dragon King-dono, can you spare me a moment?¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±


    When he turned around, he saw Rosa standing there with a slightly happy look on her face.


    Hiro had heard that she had been extremely busy since she became Prime Minister. Even so, her beauty was the same as when he first met her. In fact, it would be more urate to say that she had be more refined.


    ¡°I would like to talk to you about something. Could youe to my room this evening?¡±


    ¡°Understood¡­ I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    He knew what she wanted to talk about. For the past two years, information about Grantz had been delivered to Hiro. The fact that the king of Baum visited this time was an important matter for the Grantz side ¨D the Liz camp ¨D in terms of outwitting the opposing faction. As always, Hiro was impressed by Rosa¡¯s keen eye for not letting an opportunity to win slip away.


    ¡°I look forward to it. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    <sub></sub>


    She probably had a lot of other things to do. Rosa said so and left quickly with a wave of her hand behind her back. After watching her back, Hiro was about to start walking again.


    ¡°Please wait, ck Dragon King-dono!¡±


    Karl came around in front of him. His face was full of joy, and he snorted slightly in excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I asked you to help me. Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of mutual interest, but I¡¯ll make sure you keep your promise.¡±


    He red at Karl, who bowed repeatedly.


    ¡°Of course, I will return to Lichtine immediately and promptly deliver what I have promised.¡±


    Karl left with his escort soldiers, perhaps happy to deliver the good news to Ranquill, his feet bouncing and his light footsteps echoing in the corridor.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Shaking his head tiredly, Hiro was about to step out again.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    He got stopped a lot today.


    When he turned around with a fed-up look on his face, he saw Skadi standing with an imposing stance.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been talking to each other, haven¡¯t you? The man who had been so soft-spoken and obstinate responded with words the moment he heard what you had to say. What are you up to?¡±


    He could sense the anger in Skadi¡¯s eyes as though she was about to snap at him at any moment.


    Still, Hiro¡¯s expression remained calm, and he just stared at her with cold eyes.


    ¡°They call us a small country ¨D but we are in charge of a huge structure called a country. Everyone has one or two things they¡¯re up to.¡±


    The world was not so naive that a nation could be run based on goodwill. If you dared to, you would be destroyed by other countries, and if you walked away, your country would copse. But that did not mean that retreat was eptable, and the only course to take was to keep looking forward. Even if ruin awaited in the future, there was no way to stop the monster called a nation.


    ¡°That is why countriese closer to each other. Sometimes they be enemies, sometimes they join hands again, sometimes they solve their problems, and sometimes they create new conflicts.¡±


    An endless cycle from which there was no escape. People were forever trapped in that framework.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. But not from your point of view.¡±


    Skadi dered. She denied Hiro¡¯s truth from the very beginning.


    ¡°You only think of us as stepping stones.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t see us. I don¡¯t know where it is, but you are looking far ahead. You don¡¯t care about our country. You just see it as a passing point, as cold as a stone on the side of the road.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ you have a keen eye for observation; I¡¯ll give you credit for that.¡±


    Hiro did not deny Skadi¡¯s points but slowly raised his hand and held up his index finger.


    ¡°But you are mistaken about one thing. I¡¯m not trying to use you as a stepping stone.¡±


    He raised his middle finger again and smiled as he walked over to Skadi.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not going to walk around being nice to everyone.¡±


    When he finally raised his ring finger, he made a fist and mmed it against the wall.


    ¡°I intend to leave those who cannot resist the flow of time that lies ahead.¡±


    Perhaps rmed by Hiro¡¯s series of actions, Skadi jumped back and distanced herself.


    Hiro stepped forward with a mischievous smile at her overreaction.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be an obstacle. I just think it would be unbearable to let someone die without a moment¡¯s notice.¡±


    Only those who could withstand the fires of hell were needed in the future. Only a handful of the strong would survive.


    The weak, who could only serve as a stepping stone, should just sit back and watch without interrupting.


    ¡°You do you say ¨D Hey?¡±


    Hiro¡¯s provocative words and actions may have pushed her to her limits, and Skadi pulled out the ws from her waist.


    In response to Skadi¡¯s anger, the de turned ck.


    Not surprised by the strange phenomenon, Hiro looked at her weapon with emotionless eyes.


    ¡°A swing of one of the Five Elements of the Dragon Phoenix Sword ¨D a ¡®Mad w,¡¯ huh? It is the w of the ¡®king¡¯ who once ruled the sky.¡±


    When Hiro said this, the emotion drained from Skadi¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­Who the hell are you really?¡±


    The reaction was just as Hiro had imagined, and he turned his face down as if to suppress augh.


    ¡°You want to know who I am?¡±


    He held his mask with his right hand and let a joyful voice escape from his throat.


    ¡°¡­Did your Mad w not tell you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¨D it told me. It told me to fight you.¡±


    Skadi looked around. Before she knew it, people had begun to gather.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not good here.¡±


    If the two of them fought here, the damage would be enormous.


    ¡°Follow me. Let¡¯s do it in a calm ce.¡±


    With her back turned, Skadi, perhaps convinced that Hiro would follow her, strode majestically down the corridor without once looking back.


    ¡°¡­I see. It seems that she was chosen by the ¡°Mad w ¡± and is not just a battle maniac.¡±


    Clear, straightforward behavior, a winning personality, a strong sense ofpassion, and a fastidiousness that hates crookedness.


    She was a very capable person for a beastman whose virtue was to be a reckless rusher.


    She reminded Hiro of one of his former subordinates, a beastman who was one of the five ck Heavenly Generals.


    ¡°This will be interesting. I will correct her haughty attitude just as I did with him.¡±


    Hiro smiled happily as he stared at the back of the beastman who had yet to know defeat.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    ¡°Where are you looking while I¡¯m talking to you?¡±


    Lucia looked suspiciously at Nameless, who suddenly looked up at the eastern sky. However, no answer came back. He just kept staring at the eastern sky in silence.


    ¡°¡­¡­I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking about.¡±


    The sky was a in blue sky as usual, with only a few white clouds floating by.


    Looking down, the balcony overlooks the port city of Fierte.


    Surrounded by the blue sea and white walls, lush green trees called sea figs protected the people from the sun. Many ships wereing to the harbor today. Many of them were trading ships from the Vanir three kingdoms to the south, and among the wheat-colored people, the white-skinned long-eared people were conspicuous. Looking at them for a long time, one could sense a strange atmosphere in the harbor.


    ¡°It¡¯s a sight I¡¯m still not used to seeing.¡±


    On the west side of the central continent, it was not unusual to see long-eared people.


    Compared to the east, there were far more of them. Nevertheless, it was only in thest few decades that the sighting of the long-eared peoples had bemonce here.


    ¡°The shut-in¡­ hase this far out into the open.¡±


    From the very beginning, the long-eared race were people who did not like to have much contact with the outside world.


    In the countries other than the Western Continent and the Vanir three kingdoms, the area around Tigris, one of the six kingdoms, was an area where the appearance of the long-eared peoples was not unusual. In recent decades, however, they have be amon sight in all of the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°Really¡­ where have they been hiding all these years?¡±


    For many years, the poption of the long-eared people who had not appeared in the public eye was considered small.


    In literature, it was written that the birth rate is low because of their longevity, and their beautiful appearance emphasizes their mysteriousness. However, when looking at the long-eared people in this way, it is easy to see that their ecology was shrouded in mystery.


    ¡°In fact¡­ there are so many long-eared people out there.¡±


    Lucia opened her fan to fan herself and turned her attention back to the long-eared race next to her.


    ¡°I see you have finally returned. Where have you been?¡±


    Naturally, Lucia could not read the expression on his face, which was hidden by his hood. The only way to know what he was thinking in the dark was to guess from his mouth.


    ¡°¡­¡­I have been away for a little while.¡±


    ¡°Did you see anything interesting?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know. It was more like fear than amusement.¡±


    That¡¯s a strange impression. It is a simple reply considering that Nameless enjoyed peeping.


    In other words, he ¡°saw¡± something that was worth it. [Note: I still don¡¯t know about Nameless¡¯s real gender right now, so I¡¯ll just write him as ¡®he¡¯ for the time being.]


    ¡°So, what were you talking about?¡±


    Before Lucia could ask him what he was thinking, Nameless¡¯ question shook her eardrums.


    Lucia, who had been in the same situation, simply gave up and returned to the conversation.


    ¡°¡­I was talking about whether or not it would be okay for me to return to Felzen.¡±


    ¡°I see. Yes, it is fine. We have decided to follow Your Majesty Queen Lucia¡¯s instructions for the time being regarding the governance of Felzen, so you can do as you please.¡±


    ¡°Then this conversation is over.¡±


    Not wanting to getfortable with Nameless, Lucia began to walk withrge strides. But Nameless called out to Lucia as she walked away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t show any openings to the Grantz. If you show any sign of weakness, the lion will surely pounce on you.¡±


    The meaning of this advice ¨D Lucia was well aware of it.


    The wall that stood in front of Lucia was not limited to the Great Grantz Empire, but there were many barriers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep your eyes on the top, or you¡¯ll lose your footing.¡±


    ¡°Fufu, please take care of yourself, Queen Lucia.¡±


    The tone was strangely inclined, but Lucia had one concern.


    ¡°Fuh, I know without being told.¡±


    As expected, the person was a tricky one. Lucia turned around and red at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that my advice was unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Well, see youter.¡±


    Lucia stomped loudly on the floor and left, not bothering to hide her displeasure.


    After seeing her off, Nameless looked up at the eastern sky again.


    ¡°Collision of fangs and ws¡­¡±


    He hugged his own body. The cold air continuously assaulted him even though he was wrapped in a warm breeze. Nameless¡¯ mouth trembled as he recalled the horror of the scene he had just ¡°seen.¡±


    ¡°The ancient king who brought despair to the world ¨D even though he was destroyed¡­ his remaining power is still alive and well even after a thousand years.¡±


    The tremendous destructive power was burned into his brain. The ground was shaking, and the earth was cracking just as the two sides engaged in a fierce sh. Whenever the vivid and caustic scene returned to his mind, his heart beat faster.


    Still, the fever did notst long. Eventually, Nameless stopped trembling, and a faint smile appeared around his mouth.


    ¡°It is only a relic of the past, after all.¡±


    Nameless broke off his gaze and began to walk aimlessly, never looking up at the sky again.


    ¡°Fufufu, the loneliest and the scariest ¨D but now, without a body, you can never be a king.¡±


    Leaving behind only hisughter, the figure of Nameless vanished, leaving behind a shimmering outline like that of a heat haze.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    ¡°What happened, Your Highness Celia Estre?¡±


    Liz, who had been called out, took her eyes off the eastern sky and turned to the leader of the Fourth Imperial Army ¨D the Order of the Roses ¨D which was riding alongside her. Then, looking around, she saw arge number of soldiers surrounding her, protecting her.


    Then the sounds of the world returned as well. The hoofs of her beloved horse clomped on the gravel, the sound of the wind shook her eardrums, and mixed in with it was the sound of the soldiers¡¯ boots and the creaking of their armor.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Liz smiled and rubbed her ¡®eye¡¯ with the back of her hand.


    Lately, there had been a strange feeling in her eyes. Sometimes she felt as if a fog had settled over them. It¡¯s not as if her eyesight had deteriorated¡­ to the point where she felt out of alignment with the world.


    In fact, it was easier to ¡®see¡¯ than before.


    But there are times when she felt more distant than near, more near than far, and she lost her sense of distance.


    (I think it was about two years ago¡­)


    Luca Mammon de Urpeth ¨D the change came around the time of the battle with her.


    Since that time, she has be able to perceive various things.


    The change in the weather, the flow of the wind, the heaviness of the air, the subtleties of emotion, the things she had felt on her skin, she could now visualize them. The world jumped into her ¡°eyes¡± as if to ask her a question. This was no different while sleeping. She once felt uneasy about this change, and without telling Rosa, she once asked to see a doctor who was exclusive to the Imperial Pce.


    However, he diagnosed that her nerves had been sharpened by repeated wars. Or perhaps her eyes were tired from fatigue due to her busy schedule.


    (I am not tired. Neither are my nerves sharpened.)


    Even now, she felt it. She could sense the presence of Hiro, who was far away in the Great Imperial Capital, through her eyes.


    It was unclear, but she can sense his presence in the foggy, hazyndscape. Then there are times when the fog suddenly clears as if the sun were shining through.


    A vivid scene, the image of Skadi and Hiro colliding, was streaming into her mind.


    (Maybe I should ask Aura and Skaaha when I arrive at Fort Delisha¡­)


    Surely those knowledgeable girls might know something.


    There was a good chance that they would be able to tell her the answer to what had happened to Liz¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I hope they are both doing well¡­¡±


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 3 – Every Speculation, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3 - Every Spection, Part 1</h4>


    The Great Grantz Empire ¨D Imperial Pce Vian.


    The Prime Minister¡¯s room was located near the throne room. The interior of the room was simplepared to the emperor¡¯s room, and there were no objects ced in the room to the point of being unappealing.


    This was not because the previous prime minister, Gils, did not like to be shy, but because the current prime minister, Rosa, had disposed of all of his personal belongings and remaining furnishings.


    Therefore, the room only had a simple bed in addition to a newly furnished desk and chair.


    Hiro, who was inspecting the room, looked again at Rosa, who was sitting in the center of the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary for a Prime Minister¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°If I put things in here to make it morefortable, I would have to live in this room, wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    It was a statement that seemed to indicate that she was making a distinction between her work and private life, or perhaps that Rosa herself was not too concerned about her position as prime minister.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here too long. I try to rest at the Kelheit family mansion as much as possible.¡±


    Although the security was tighter than when Hiro visited before, there were still people who had attacked the pce many times. There were many elements of concern when it came to safety. However, renovating the prime minister¡¯s room arbitrarily was impossible. Nor could she set up traps like in the Kelheit family¡¯s mansion. Even though it had been breached once, it was probably safer than if nothing had been done to prevent it.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down instead of just standing there?¡±


    Rosa offered him a chair, and Hiro followed suit.


    And then¡­


    ¡°I see that you have sessfully be prime minister. Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should say thank you. I lost a lot of my personal fortune.¡±


    Rosa smiled bitterly, and Hiro just smiled. The two of them were somewhat distant from each other, and there was a slight tension between them.


    No ¨D perhaps because she hadn¡¯t seen Hiro in a while, Rosa had stiffened up.


    ¡°Hmph¡­ that doesn¡¯t sound like you. What are you nervous about?¡±


    It¡¯s no wonder. Certainly, Rosa would want to question Hiro about many things.


    Anger, sadness, joy, and various other mixed emotions were probably raging in her chest. It would not be surprising to hear her yell out a few abusive words.


    ¡°First of all, I am d you are safe.¡±


    It seems that she forgave him ¨D but chose topromise. Her expression showed her resolute attitude as a politician. She was not the kind of woman who would originally rant like a child, always thinking ahead. In other words, she prefers to use wriggling means to hunt down her prey in order to gain an advantage. It was eerie, and a chill ran down Hiro¡¯s spine because he had no idea what she was up to.


    ¡°A lot has happened while you were gone, but there is one thing I must report to you. The child I had with you is supposed to be hidden and raised in secret.¡±


    In reality, the child was not even born, but it was probably a necessary lie in order to obtain the prime minister¡¯s position. At the same time as thinking that it was very typical of her, a sense of uneasiness suddenly passed through Hiro¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I see¡­ there are many people who aim for the life of your kind, so it¡¯s perfectly reasonable¡­¡±


    Just before Hiro was about to voice his doubts, Rosa lifted the corner of her mouth in a grin.


    ¡°We will know sooner orter, but now that I am prime minister, I see little impact even if ites to light. I¡¯ve got the real power in the Central and Western regions, and I¡¯m almost in control of the center of the country.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am very d. That is a factor of concern that can be eliminated.¡±


    Rosa interrupted Hiro¡¯s words without a pause. She doesn¡¯t give Hiro a moment to speak.


    ¡°If you¡¯re alive, that means you have to take responsibility, but you¡¯re prepared for that, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The furious verbal attack that hunts down its prey in one fell swoop, the piercing, sharp gaze that made a single bead of sweat drip down Hiro¡¯s cheek under the mask. If he wanted to reject it, he could, but there was no doubt that it would cause a definite rift between the two of them. He would like to avoid that for the future, but if he admitted his guilt, he would be stuck in Rosa¡¯s arms for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Fuh, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll make sure you take responsibility.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s expression softened gently as Hiro remained silent. The most frightening thing about this was that Hiro was not in a position to say anything. It was certain that he had already betrayed her once.


    ¡°And since I ¡°lent¡± you something, I hope you¡¯ll return it to me properly.¡±


    Rosa had been a thorough facilitator in facilitating the discussions at the quadrteral talks. Skadi said Rosa was unaware, but she was just ying the clown even though she was aware of it. All of this was to create a debt to Hiro, which is why she called him to this ce to collect it.


    ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right. I just received a letter from the supreme chairman of the Steichen Republic, Skadi-dono.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The letter says that whatever has been decided in these talks will be carried out as soon as she returns to her home country. It¡¯s very courteous of Skadi-dono to go to the trouble of informing me of this¡­ But what have you done?¡±


    ¡°We just discussed it a little. She seemed to be worried about a lot of things.¡±


    And if misleading, it was the human mind that was concerned.


    Rosa was no exception to this rule, but she would not be able to use her ¡°debt¡± or ¡°responsibility¡± as a shield for such a trivial event. She would not use her trump card for something trivial. Hiro smiled bitterly and then put on a serious expression.


    ¡°¡­So, what¡¯s this talk about?¡±


    The conversation so far was only an entry point to the main topic. Rosa herself was a ploy to gain an advantage.


    Skadi¡¯s story was just a bonus. This was a way to get people to drop their guard, to make them less cautious. She may have been hoping to get the upper hand, but she couldn¡¯t make that much of a concession just because of her ¡°duty.¡±


    ¡°But first, please take off your mask.¡±


    Hearing Rosa¡¯s wish, Hiro removed his mask.


    His soft face was revealed. Rosa, perhaps noticing the right eye shining as majestically as it did two years ago ¨D or perhaps not ¨D sadly lowered her eyes and then shook her head slightly, though she was about to say something.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s better. It makes me feel much closer to you than if you spoke to me through a mask.¡±


    Rosaughed cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood, and crossed her arms to emphasize her ample breasts.


    Even if that sex appeal didn¡¯t work, she used her own weapons to the fullest. It was such a natural movement that even the most skilled would think it was a skillful technique.


    ¡°Now, let me get straight to the point: I need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡±


    ¡°I need your help in getting Felzen back this time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that something that would benefit me?¡±


    If it were a matter of personal interest, he might participate in the recapture of Felzen.


    But, even if it does, it will not bring any benefit to the small country of Baum.


    The recapture of Felzen was a battle to regain the self-respect of the Great Grantz Empire.


    Furthermore, Baum did not want to expand its territory. Even if they received a part of Felzen, which was far away from them, they would not be able to hold it.


    (Ah, but ¡°personally¡± there is a use for Felzen¡­)


    But there was no way Rosa would know about Hiro¡¯s ¡°personal¡± business. Then, Hiro was prepared to ask for a ¡°loan¡± or ¡°responsibility¡± at this point, but she said,


    ¡°I will send someone I trust to help you. I heard that you are building something in a ce far away from Natua, and when I heard that you are epting ¡°dwarves¡± as part of the discussions, I had an idea.¡±


    Hiro silently urged her on. Rosa¡¯s eyes sharpened like a bird having an eye on its prey.


    ¡°It seems that you also borrowed a mine from the Principality of Lichtine. In fact, the current civil war in the Steichen Republic seems to have gone exactly the way you wanted it to go. Although I thought I was ying the most detrimental role by being called in as an intermediary for no gain, in the end, the small country of Baum is enjoying the best part.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ You¡¯re as perceptive as ever.¡±


    It¡¯s easy to shrug it off. All it took was a little ugliness. But that meant failure in negotiations. Hiro¡¯s smile deepened as he spread his hands out and proudly stretched out his chest.


    ¡°If you know so much, I don¡¯t have to hide it. I certainly need ¡®craftsmen¡¯ and ¡®manpower.¡¯ But that has been resolved at thetest quadrteral talks. I don¡¯t need any help from the Grantz Empire.¡±


    As Hiro said this, Rosa cleared her throat happily.


    ¡°If it were true, you should have made the proposal, but we are making the proposal from our side. There is no need for any kind of bargaining. Why don¡¯t you be honest?¡±


    The question was how much information she had, but it was highly likely that Rosa had an urate grasp of Baum¡¯s internal situation. In the past two years, the traffic in the small country of Baum has increased.


    He thought he had carefully selected his informants, but it seemed he had to reconsider his decision. So, he was not angry about it. If there was any anger, it was against himself for his misjudgment of the other party¡¯s ability.


    ¡°¡­Alright. Then, I¡¯ll be honest with you.¡±


    It was his fault that the information leaked out ¨D then he had to fix it. In order to get back on the original path, he had to get her involved. It would send her down a path from which she was no longer a foe to escape. That determination ¨D he could see it in her eyes. Then, without hesitation, Hiro decided to turn Rosa into an aplice.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have enough supplies. We need help from the Great Grantz Empire. And manpower, too. If you can promise that, Baum will fully support the Empire and participate in the n to recapture Felzen. Baum ¨D no, I personally ¨D promise to cooperate with you.¡±


    Then, after a pause, Hiro lifted the edge of his mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you use the name ¡°ck Dragon King¡± as a check against the North.¡±


    Rosa¡¯s eyes widened, but she soon understood what he meant, and a wicked smile appeared in her mouth.


    ¡°Fuh¡­ negotiations have concluded. Then, one more thing, I will let you go through the inspection of the supplies from the Levering Kingdom under my ¡°personal¡± authority. I¡¯d like to save you the trouble of inspecting therge quantity of ¡®tea leaves.''¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it. I¡¯ll write itter and send you a civil official again.¡±


    Hiro stood up and was about to leave the room. Rosa called out to his back.


    ¡°My Lord, I have been appointed as prime minister. It is the prime minister of the Great Grantz Empire. My personal power is weak, but I am proud to say that my title is strong. Two years ago, I might have been unreliable, but not anymore. You can count on me.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    Hiro gave a small nod as he put on his mask.


    ¡°Liz would hope so, too. In the past two years, she¡¯s grown beautiful and strong¨D¨D¡±


    Rosa took in a breath, paused as if to pronounce something, and then released the words.


    ¡°¨D¨DLiz has grown stronger than you, my Lord.¡±


    A definitive statement. He did not know what Rosa, who met Hiro here today, saw and felt that way. But Rosa determined that Liz was stronger than Hiro.


    Hiro looked up at the ceiling, about to open his mouth, and immediately dropped his gaze to the floor.


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ a delight for me.¡±


    ¡°When you go to Felzen, take one look at her. She will surprise you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    Perhaps bored by the curt response, Rosa bent her mouth into a smile and sat deeper in her chair. She then looked at Hiro¡¯s back, but as soon as he moved, she made a face as if she had a devious idea.


    ¡°So you¡¯re staying the night?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¨DHmm?¡±


    Surprised at being caught off guard, Hiro involuntarily turned his head.


    There was Rosa with an innocent smile on her face like a child who had sessfully pulled off a prank.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t expired yet.¡±


    ¡°Not today. There are eyes watching me.¡±


    When Hiro pointed to his own eyes, Rosa sighed ruefully.


    ¡°I see¡­ the princess shrine maiden, huh? As expected, I don¡¯t have a taste for being peeked at. I¡¯ll save the fun for another time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you would. Then I¡¯ll leave before anyone gets suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll see you again.¡±


    With Rosa¡¯s kind words at his back, Hiro left the room.


    Closing the door to the room behind him, the corridor was illuminated by the candle from an inadequate candlestick.


    The me burned incessantly, brightening the corridor even if it could not dispel the darknesspletely.


    Still, there were ces where the light did not reach. Hiro turned his eyes to the corner of the corridor where deep darkness coiled.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t left yet?¡±


    The darkness shimmered in response to Hiro¡¯s voice.


    Soon, a woman with a familiar face slowly emerged from the ce.


    It was the princess shrine maiden.


    She bowed her head and opened her mouth with a serious look on her face.


    ¡°I would like to talk to Your Majesty the ck Dragon King for a while, so I have decided to leave tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to talk about it in my room?¡±


    Her mysterious attitude made Hiro search for signs of her surroundings. Although there was no sign of anything suspicious, the princess shrine maiden was better at that kind of skill.


    ¡°No, there is no one listening to us right now, so we are fine. Above all, I won¡¯t take up too much of your time.¡±


    If she said so, Hiro had no choice but to trust her. It would be unbearable to spend extra time moving around. Above all, her ¡°eye¡± would never make a mistake, regardless of whether Hiro was worried or not.


    ¡°¡­I see, then let¡¯s talk about it.¡±


    Hiro rested his back against the wall and shifted his gaze to the princess shrine maiden.


    Straightening her back and correcting her posture, the princess shrine maiden spoke slowly, as if choosing her words.


    ¡°Liz-sama is showing signs. Perhaps her eyes will open soon.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see, but it¡¯s nothing to be discouraged about. It¡¯s a wee development.¡±


    ¡°I saw earlier that Your Majesty, the ck Dragon King, is going to Felzen. If that is the case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to see Liz-sama once to make sure?¡±


    As he had expected, he had been spied on while he was meeting with Rosa. Since she confessed with such openness, he wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything. And since she spoke as if it was a matter of course, without any sign of apology, it was a refreshing feeling. With a wry smile on his face, Hiro shook his head.


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not that there¡¯s anything wrong with it.¡±


    Although he was curious as to which of her eyes would be opened, it was something he didn¡¯t bother to find out for sure. This was the only thing that could dispel his concerns.


    ¡°Now I have a clear idea.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Proof of the Grantz¡¯s legitimacy ¨D she is undoubtedly a descendant of Altius.¡±


    Hiro moved away from the wall and flipped his cloak, his smile deepening.


    ¡°Princess Shrine Maiden, I¡¯m going to Felzen. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±


    The princess shrine maiden bowed deeply at Hiro¡¯s back as he stepped on the floor and began to walk.


    ¡°I understand. Please wield your power to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    Anxiety, apprehension, heartache, and various emotions could be sensed in the sound of the princess shrine maiden¡¯s voice, but nevertheless, she did not try to stop him. She knew that Hiro would not be stopped by the decorated words. Her concern was understandable. Felzen had many people in his life who had taken care of him, for better or worse.


    ¡°Yeah ¨D I¡¯m going to pay back a little debt.¡±

 Volume 9, Chapter 3 – Every Speculation, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3 - Every Spection, Part 2</h4>


    Summer wasing to an end, but the intensity of the sunlight was still the same as mid-summer.


    It was said that it was still cooler in the West than in the Central region. However, very few people could sense such a small difference in temperature. Even if it was a little or a lot cooler, the sweat never stopped, and summer was summer, and winter was winter.


    The difference between the two regions was their livelihoods. While agriculture thrived in the Central, cotton, and sesame were the specialties of the West. In addition, they also put a lot of effort into horse breeding, and many of the stagecoaches in the region were produced in the West.


    There was another difference between the West and the Central.


    The West was always adjacent to other countries, and because there were no natural barriers, skirmishes urred frequently. For this reason, many forts had been built on the borders, and fortresses continued to protect thend with their stares.


    Among them was a fortress called Delisha.


    Delisha was located on the border with Felzen and was a strong fortress that should be called the keystone of the defense of the Great Grantz Empire. It was currently being used as one of the main bases for the n to recapture Felzen.


    September 4th, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    Liz, the sixth princess of the Great Grantz Empire and the acting emperor, arrived at Fort Delisha.


    She was weed by the people of Grantz who live in the fortress, and many nobles and lords came to greet her.


    Despite the festive atmosphere that enveloped Fort Delisha, themand center was filled with a heavy atmosphere.


    ¡°Aura, Skaaha, it¡¯s been a long time. How are you?¡±


    Liz entered themand center and smiled at the two people who greeted her.


    The appearance of Liz ¨D just with that, the gloomy air that filled the room underwent a gentle change that was akin to a refreshing coolness.


    ¡°Aura has grown a little taller, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not growing at all.¡±


    Aura said, her mouth agape with disapproval. Aura was still as small as she was two years ago and had not grown to the point where one wondered if she had ¡°dwarf blood¡± in her veins.


    It was hard to believe that she was really older than Liz. Her military uniform was also sagging because the sleeves were not the right length. She wore a woman¡¯s uniform, but it was still too big for Aura. Since there was no such thing as children¡¯s uniforms, she would normally have custom-made uniforms made for her; but she liked women¡¯s uniforms, and she insisted that she was still growing and that long sleeves were better for her.


    Leaving a smile on her somewhat childlike side, Liz turned to Skaaha, who was standing next to Aura.


    ¡°Skaaha looks¡­ you don¡¯t look well, do you? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Skaaha wore a somewhat gloomy atmosphere.


    The air was so heavy on her that evenpared to the people around her, the difference was obvious.


    ¡°No, there is nothing. Why do you ask that?¡±


    With a single vacant smile, Skaaha let a weak smile form at the corners of her mouth. It was clear that she was forcing it so as not to worry Liz.


    Liz was about to pursue the matter but noticed that Aura was looking at her suspiciously.


    Then she understood. She realized that she was ¡°seeing¡± again.


    Liz shook her head with a smile to cover it up.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay. It was just my imagination. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the royal family is finally on the verge of a revival. There is no time to be discouraged. I¡¯m feeling rather uplifted.¡±


    The fact that Skaaha spoke a little too quickly showed the darkness behind her back. It was obvious to Liz that she was hiding something, but the others did not seem to notice anything unusual about her.


    The changes were so subtle that even Liz, who could ¡°see¡± them, thought she had misunderstood them.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s true. Atst, Skaaha¡¯s dream is about toe true, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Perhaps sensing Liz¡¯s probing gaze, Skaaha turned her head away and folded her arms over her head.


    ¡°Well, not without some concern.¡±


    Skaaha stubbornly avoided being perceived. Considering her stubborn nature, further probing was dangerous. There was even a possibility that she would close her mind.


    ¡°After all, you can¡¯t find any clues to intervene with Felzen?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a tough situation. The Six Kingdoms have been increasing the rationing of supplies recently.¡±


    The Six Kingdoms had been focusing on the west side of Felzen, but recently they began distributing supplies to the east side, maintaining security and rebuilding destroyed viges, and they were gaining support from the people of Felzen.


    ¡°Still, there are loopholes.¡±


    Aura turned her back to Liz and went to the desk surrounded by the staff.


    Liz moved away from Aura and headed for the honorary seat. When she reached the chair, she stood erect and steadfast, looking at the staff members surrounding the desk. She watched them salute nervously, then returned the salute before taking her seat. After confirming the situation, Aura pointed on the map to the Senan region, which was governed by Tigris, one of the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°The country of Tigris is a nation made up of only the long-eared race. Among the Six Kingdoms, the Tigris is a nation that has a strong disdain for the human race. This is no different in Felzen. The haughty way in which they deal with the situation has led to a great deal of opposition in many ces.¡±


    Aura exined the situation while muttering nonchntly.


    ¡°In order to break out of this situation, the Six Kingdoms have installed a newmander dispatched from Anguis in Tigris, but due to racial differences, coordination has not gone well, and the chain ofmand is in disarray.¡±


    ¡°In other words, it¡¯s an opportunity¡­ What about the pleas from the inhabitants of Senan?¡±


    ¡°They are addressed to the Felzen Liberation Army. The cause and the name are nowplete. Using the Senan area as a foothold, we will reach out to the whole of Felzen.¡±


    After cing a new piece on the map, Aura turned to Liz.


    ¡°We have already entrusted one of the five great generals, General Cain, with the First Army of 30,000 and have begun the invasion with the cooperation of the Felzen Liberation Army. ording to the report I received yesterday, we have seeded in liberating three forts and two towns.¡±


    Liz felt a twinge of doubt in her heart as she listened to Aura¡¯s story.


    Her eyes dart over the map, and she opened her mouth as she searches for the answer to her question.


    ¡°When did General Cain leave?¡±


    ¡°Six days ago.¡±


    He attacked three forts and two towns in such a short period of time. That is equivalent to half of the Senan region. Even though they were led by five great generals, the speed of their attack was astonishing.


    ¡°Did the enemy not put up any resistance?¡±


    Liz said, and Aura affirmed.


    ¡°I heard that the enemy didn¡¯t fight but fled at the mere sight of the First Army¡¯s shadow. There is a possibility that they may have set a trap, so I¡¯ve instructed them to march carefully, but¡­ nothing has happened so far.¡±


    There was a n to make the enemy army win a series of battles to catch them off guard. No matter how well trained they were, repeated victories would give them momentum, but the tension would be broken. Laziness would sprout. If they were attacked at such a moment of ckness, it would not be easy to regroup, even if they were led by the five great generals. As Liz thought about stopping the march and seeing what happened, Aura¡¯s story from a while ago came back to her mind.


    ¡°¡­They may not be willing to fight for the human race.¡±


    The Senan region of Felzen is too far away from the maind of Tigris in the Six Kingdoms. Two years was too short a time to consider such a ce as one¡¯s own territory.


    If themanding officer had been reced with a human, it was unlikely that the egomaniacs, with their strong self-esteem, wouldply with the order to defend their country to the death. Even if they didn¡¯t, if the confusion in the chain ofmand was prolonged, Liz¡¯s prediction bes more realistic.


    Aura nodded in satisfaction when Liz looked at her and wondered what she was thinking.


    ¡°Yes, there are no traps. So now we are allowing them to engage Tigris at random, without worrying about the rear. Our future n is to have a second army by the end of the day. Then, in one month, the main Grantz army will upy Scheue, the former royal capital of Felzen, so that we can establish a standoff with the West. Then the east side of Felzen can be taken back by Grantz.¡±


    Aura began to ce the pieces on the table with a lively thumping sound.


    ¡°This time, it¡¯s a race against time. So we chose the shortest path and rebuilt the logistics. We will continue to use the path we used before as a decoy.¡±


    After listening to Aura¡¯s story, Liz put the n together again in her mind to see if there were any problems.


    Aura looked at Liz in such a way that she seemed reassuring.


    ¡°The Six Kingdoms will probably cut off the eastern side.¡±


    She said, confidently. From the beginning, the eastern side of Felzen was unstable due to deteriorating security.


    If they were going to be a liability, it was best to cut them off. If the Six Kingdoms were considering this battle to be a long-term war, they would use the eastern side of Felzen as a buffer zone to prepare their military and invade again.


    Liz gave Skaaha a concerned look once before opening her mouth.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard¡­ the eastern side has been abandoned for a long time, and if it¡¯s going to be a battleground, the Six Kingdoms will abandon it if it doesn¡¯t have a good vor. And even though supplies are being brought in, the damage is still minimal at this point.¡±


    If this was the case, then considering that the Grantz would rule in the future, they should avoid further chaos and work to improve security. Even if they regain the Senan region, people would not return to a ce where bandits and rebels were rampant, and if they start a rebellion, they would be blinded by it.


    ¡°Yes, the people of Felzen have reached their limits. We need to take back Felzen in the shortest and fastest way for smooth future governance.¡±


    Waiting for Aura to finish, Liz turned serious eyes on Skaaha.


    ¡°Just one more time, this is the final confirmation.¡±


    She spun her words as if, of course, giving Skaaha as much time as possible to think.


    ¡°Are you sure about this after we recapture Felzen?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ no problem.¡±


    Skaaha nodded deeply and then smiled self-mockingly.


    ¡°Even though I am a survivor of the Felzen royal family, I am the kind of princess who invited back the one who killed my parents, brothers, and sisters. No one will ept me. Once the Felzen royal family is restored, the throne will be handed over to someone else.¡±


    That was the condition presented by Skaaha to the Grantz for the recapture of Felzen.


    Even the Grantz, who were touted as the supreme power on the central continent, could not afford to wage war withoutpensation.


    The only thing that precedes it was money ¨D there was no way that Skaaha personally had the money to pay for the enormous war, and the only thing left to rece it was her title.


    Therefore, Skaaha used the Felzen royal family as coteral, and after recapturing it, she handed over control to the Grantz by cing a person whose blood flows through their veins on the throne. It was because of this that the noble lords of Grantz were cooperating with the recapture of Felzen this time with heavy hearts.


    ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s do everything we can to get Felzen back.¡±


    No matter how much it pained her, she must put aside her personal feelings.


    It was forbidden for a person who aspires to be emperor of the Grantz Empire to act only out of sympathy.


    ¡°I appreciate you. I, too, will give you my unsparing power.¡±


    Liz could not find the words to say to Skaaha, who bowed deeply.

 Volume 9, Chapter 3 – Every Speculation, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3 - Every Spection, Part 3</h4>


    ¡°Oh¡­ the Grantz has attacked from Tigris, huh?¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed in amusement as she heard the report.


    ¡°The Grantz know what they¡¯re doing, and they¡¯re going to attack us starting with the long-eared race.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s noughing matter. Just when it seemed that the eastern side of Felzen was about to settle down, this happened.¡±


    Seleucus, a young officer under Lucia¡¯smand. He also enjoyed the situation since his words wereced with a faint sneer at the long-eared race.


    ¡°I hear the Grantz are gaining momentum again, and I think they¡¯ve already taken over half of the eastern side of the country.¡±


    ¡°The Tigris people are probably fleeing from them, anyway.¡±


    ¡°You are right, but I don¡¯t understand. If they are fleeing, why did they upy the Senan area, and how did they get so much money into the East?¡±


    While she understood what Seleucus was trying to say, Lucia thought that Tigris¡¯ actions were the right thing to do. It¡¯s not worth it, if you look at the situation alone. The reality was that it¡¯s a wise decision. If they could not win, they would only reduce the number of soldiers in their own country in vain.


    <sub></sub>


    Above all, Felzen had not been upied long enough to develop apassionate attitude, and not much money has been invested in the city. If you ask which was more important, money or life, thetter was more important.


    ¡°But how many are in the Great Grantz Empire?¡±


    ¡°The invading army is arge force of 70,000, consisting of 30,000 in the First Army and 40,000 in the Second Army. The rest are the Third Army and the main army, but their numbers are unknown. My guess is that the number is well over 100,000.¡±


    ¡°How could they have gathered such arge number?¡±


    It seemed that the difference innd area and poption was hard to ovee.


    The damage to the Grantz Empire in the sh two years ago must have been enormous, but the fact that they could get that many people in just two years was a source of envy for the Six Kingdoms, who still didn¡¯t have the same level of coordination.


    ¡°Since the Steichen Republic has settled down to a certain level, they must have decided that their rear is no longer a cause for concern. It seems that the center of the army is to the east of Grantz, but there seem to be many soldiers from the south as well.¡±


    ¡°It would be irksome to stand idly by and watch.¡±


    This situation couldn¡¯t be left unchecked. If they did not do something, Felzen would be painted in the color of Grantz in the blink of an eye. But even if they were to repel the Grantz, they would only end up being defeated individually, unless the Six Kingdoms were aligned.


    Even if reinforcements were sent, if Tigris continued to flee as before, it would mean that an important soldier would have died in vain. If Anguis were to make a move, it would only be after Tigris requested reinforcements, but considering the self-respect of the long-eared race, it was unlikely that they would ask for help from the human race.


    It would be more correct to say that there was discord between the long-eared race and the human than that there was a negative effect of a federation of nations. Lucia was fed up with the existence of racial barriers, even in times of emergency.


    ¡°It may be a long time, but we have no choice but to wait. In the meantime, you can send a quick horse to Tigris.¡±


    ¡°Understood. And I have some fragmentary information that the king of the small country of Baum has gone to the west of Grantz.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Lucia¡¯s mind was filled with the face of the fourth prince Hiro, whom she had failed to kill two years ago.


    Considering the timing of the false ¡°death¡± and the ¡°birth¡± of the king, it was most certainly him.


    ¡°He might be nning to participate in this battle. If so, it will be troublesome. If the king is in a good mood, it will raise the princess shrine maiden¡¯s favorability, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the noble lords of Grantz, but not so good for the neighboring countries.¡±


    Baum was a country that had the blessing of the ¡°Spirit King.¡± If they make a wrong move, they would incur the wrath of the King. Baum was a country with a lot of influence. No one would take advantage of the chaos to attack Baum or to attack Grantz. They would wait and see what happens.


    ¡°In addition, there are the ¡°Golden Lion Knights,¡± the ¡°Imperial ck Knights,¡± the ¡°Order of the Rose,¡± and the elite forces of the Fifth Imperial Army of the Great Grantz Empire. They are certainly serious about recapturing Felzen.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    It¡¯s a bit of an overreaction to reim a ruined country ¨D a ce that had fallen into ruin. Certainly, there was no doubt that there would be tremendous profit to be made if Felzen was restored to its former state. However, this was not something that would happen tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, after ten or twenty years of stability have passed. Even if the Grantz had a good reason, Lucia could not believe that the current Felzen had enough charm to make the Grantz desperate to recapture it.


    ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just wondering where Grantz is going with this.¡±


    ¡°Is it not the recapture of Felzen?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Lucia tapped her fan on the map and stroked her chin. Pondering what the Grantz was thinking, she put herself in the other party¡¯s shoes. Whileparing the various pieces of information, she ced a piece on the map, then paid it off and started all over again.


    Seleucus rolled his eyes at Lucia, who was repeating the same actions single-mindedly.


    Eventually, Lucia stopped moving, threw the pieces on the floor, and leaned back in her chair.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to use the momentum to invade the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ even if they recapture Felzen, there¡¯s still a lot of work to do. Even if they do that, their logistics will be stretched too thin.¡±


    ¡°With a force of over 100,000 men, they even brought in the elite Fifth Imperial Army of Grantz and even the King of Baum. With such an array of forces, simply recapturing Felzen would not be enough.¡±


    Seleucus, who cleared his throat, looked at the map that Lucia had just used with an incredulous expression on his face. If what Lucia said came true, the Six Kingdoms would be in a very precarious situation.


    ¡°Even the Grantz would not intend to destroy all Six Kingdoms. They may be nning to upy the country of Azel and use it as a buffer zone to bring Felzen under theirplete control.¡±


    ¡°If the Azel falls¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Six Nations will not be able to coordinate with each other. Greif and Anguis will bepletely isted.¡±


    The strength of the Six Kingdoms was that they were allied nations.


    ¡°If you think about it, the Six Kingdoms may have been able to survive because of the wall called Felzen.¡±


    ¡°If things continue as they are¡­ we might be in trouble.¡±


    Seleucus, perhaps finallying to the core of the matter, lurked behind his usual affable smile and continued to gaze at the map. Lucia, who found his behavior funny, couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Kuku, this is not good ¨D if we just leave it at that.¡±


    The worst thing that could happen was that Tigris will choose to retreat from Felzen.


    The long-eared race was quick-witted and quick to make decisions.


    They could not have their noble blood-stained with the blood of barbarians. They would retreat for such a trivial reason.


    If that happens, it was highly likely that other countries would also begin to flee.


    Among the Six Kingdoms, those who did not consider escape a good idea were Greif, which had a unified king, and Azel, which faced Felzen. And Anguis, led by Lucia, would be troubled if Azel fell.


    ¡°Thebined armies of the three countries cannot reach 50,000. Moreover, we are not concentrated in one ce but are scattered all over Felzen.¡±


    If Grantz knew the internal situation of the Six Kingdoms, the attack would be even more severe.


    No ¨D it was highly likely that they already had a grasp of the current situation in the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°The Grantz has more than 100,000 troops. They must be nning to destroy the Six Kingdoms with all their might.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t stand a chance if we go head-on against arge army by ourselves.¡±


    ¡°If we are not prepared, we will never win.¡±


    Lucia thought silently. There were many different strategies in her mind as she searched for the right one.


    Now, what was needed was the best way for the Six Kingdoms to survive - or rather, the best way to make the long-eared race that was undermining the allied nations take them seriously. Moreover, they needed a n that would outwit Grantz. This was an opportunity to get closer to a unified king. Lucia could not afford to throw it away. She scrutinized the information she had gathered and came up with the following answer as if unraveling aplicated thread.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯vee up with two solutions.¡±


    Lucia lightly tapped the desk with her fan and spoke without hesitation.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll buy some time. Then I¡¯ll send a message to Nameless and ask for reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°I understand the reinforcements, but how do we buy time? Tigris, Scorpius, and Urpeth cannot be counted on.¡±


    Seleucus mentioned the countries ruled by the long-eared race.


    They mainly controlled the eastern side of Felzen and were the first to flee without fighting the Grantz. Even if Lucia instructed them to fight, they would probably not follow her orders.


    If that was the case, then there was nothing else to do but to make the most of the situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have the Grantz take over the former royal capital Scheue.¡±


    There was a limit to how far they could keep running.


    The limit point would be the entrance to the west side of Felzen ¨D the former royal capital Scheue.


    At best, they would have to flee to that point and lead the Grantz forces away.


    ¡°After that, we will slow down the movement of the Grantz.¡±


    Lucia pointed with her fan at the area controlled by Anguis. With just that gesture, Seleucus seemed to notice and smiled happily.


    ¡°¡­Ah, so you are using the people of Felzen to create a stalemate.¡±


    ¡°Yes, spread the word. The Grantz havee again to oppress the people of Felzen. Without a cause, an army is meaningless, and without a name, there is no heart.¡±


    ¡°So you will rally your scattered forces during the stalemate?¡±


    ¡°Felzen is a vast territory, and while it¡¯s good now that it¡¯s gaining momentum, once it settles down, there will be a number of major problems in various parts of the country. We¡¯ll use that to reduce the strength of the Grantz.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I will make preparations for that as well.¡±


    Seleucus nodded in agreement but immediately tilted his head to look at Lucia.


    ¡°But what¡¯s your other n?¡±


    ¡°What? I thought I¡¯d make a little insurance policy.¡±


    Lucia looked not at Seleucus but at the ceiling for some reason. The end of her mouth was hung up in a tremendous manner, wearing a bewitching atmosphere. It was as if she was provoking someone who was not here.


    Seleucus sighed at the sight of Lucia. He seemed to be saying that she had picked up her bad habit again.


    ¡°Insurance?¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed, and her throat cleared like a snake that had found its prey. Even those who were on her side were struck with a powerful chill. Lucia looked down at Seleucus, who shuddered.


    ¡°There was a new woman you hired, wasn¡¯t there? Mary, the dark-skinned attendant.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ she¡¯s good at her job, you know?¡±


    ¡°You brought her here, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s serving me today. Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Tell her toe to my room this evening.¡±


    Lucia, her lips moistened, licked her tongue carelessly. No need to ask why. If she had set her sights on it, it was the prey.


    ¡°¡­Understood. I¡¯ll let her know.¡±


    ¡°Kuku, now, what shall I do for fun?¡±


    A highugh echoed through the room. Luciaughs without any shame or embarrassment.


    ¡°I wonder what kind of face she will show me.¡±


    The voice, vulgar, cruel, and tinged with dark emotion, continued to resonate without fear of anyone else.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 3 – Every Speculation, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3 - Every Spection, Part 4</h4>


    The world was covered by a curtain of darkness.


    The thick clouds prevented the moonlight from reaching the ground, let alone the stars.


    Hugin arrived at the lord¡¯s mansion, wondering if it would rain tomorrow.


    ¡°Oh, Mary-san. What can I do for you today?¡±


    The soldier guarding the entrance called out her name¨Dto be precise, it was the alias she had prepared in order to infiltrate the house, but¡­ in any case, Hugin, not expecting to be called out, turned to the soldier with a surprised look on her face.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s right. I was summoned by the lord¡­ haven¡¯t you heard about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. I¡¯ve heard all about it. You cane through.¡±


    ¡°Um, may I open the door?¡±


    Normally, the soldier would open the door for her, but today he was just looking at Hugin with a wicked smile on his face. The soldier¡¯s gaze made Hugin¡¯s hair stand on end as if she were being measured.


    <sub></sub>


    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s right. I¡¯m sorry. Here, you should go see the lord.¡±


    While wondering about the soldier¡¯s deliberate behavior, Hugin slipped through the door.


    At the same time, an eerie feeling passed through her buttocks.


    ¡°Hyah!¡±


    ¡°Oops, sorry. I tried to close the door, but my hand slipped.¡±


    She turned around to see a disheveled-looking soldier with his nose turned up. She wanted to punch him in his stupid face, but Hugin desperately tried to pacify her own rage.


    ¡°P-please be careful next time~.¡±


    With a blue vein on her forehead, Hugin smiled amiably and left the ce quickly.


    ¡°Kuh, I¡¯ll shoot that bastard right between his rotten eyes if I see him on the battlefield.¡±


    Hugin moved down the corridor, her shadow dancing violently with her expression in the torchlight on the corridor wall.


    ¡°And what¡¯s with this outfit! How can I do a proper job dressed like this!¡±


    Looking at the pretty uniform that covered her¨Dthe frills that trimmed it¨DHugin¡¯s lips twitched in disgust. She was tugging at the frill as if she might tear it off at any moment, but then she noticed footstepsing from the corridor ahead of her and immediately straightened up her posture.


    It was the patrol. After moving closer to the wall, she smiled affectionately and bailed as they passed each other.


    ¡°Good night~, and good luck today~!¡±


    The end of her mouth twitched slightly in disgust at the sound of her own sweet, flirtatious voice.


    ¡°Ooh, good job workingte again today.¡±


    ¡°The invasion of the Grantz has begun. You¡¯d better go back to your hometown as soon as possible¨Dbut with Felzen now, it doesn¡¯t matter where you run to,¡± said another patrol.


    With that, the patrol left. Since sneaking into Anguis, Hugin had be acquainted with many of the soldiers, but to be honest, she did not want to cross paths with them on the battlefield. Although she had no intention of forgiving them if she met them in the line of death, she still did not feel good about watching those she had befriended die. Because of her profession, she faced such a situation several times, but it is not something she was used to. Once the undercover operation was over, Hugin would be on the battlefield again. She would eventually have to fight with the soldiers she had mentioned earlier.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best to get the job done before the emotions take over¡­¡±


    As expected, she stayed too long in Anguis this time. Moreover, since she had be a close associate of Queen Lucia, she knew most of the people in her entourage.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told to return if I feel I¡¯m in danger. But I don¡¯t want to go back without getting any results¡­¡±


    Even if she returned without sess, Hiro would probably wee her warmly without saying a word.


    But Hugin has never thought of returning.


    She wanted to return with some useful information. It would be possible if she did something reckless, but if she did that, Hiro would probably be angry but would not praise her.


    In other words, there was no end in sight for this mission. This is what made Hugin so anxious.


    While still pondering, Hugin arrived at her destination.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not good with that person. Do I really have to meet her?¡±


    From the first time she met Lucia, she had been physiologically unable to ept that woman.


    Her mouth was arched, but her eyes were not smiling. Shining deep within them was a bewitching light, a lurking reptilian creepiness. At one point, she seemed to think that her true identity had been discovered, but it was not. Basically, she never showed a real smile, no matter who she was in contact with.


    ¡°Aah, no, I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    Hugin knocked on the door three times while muttering quietly.


    There was no answer. Instead, the door opened.


    ¡°Um~¡­ Lucia-sama?¡±


    She peeked into the room, but the interior was dark. The only light shining brightly was from the candlestick on the office desk.


    She stepped fearfully into the room and was struck by a chill.


    ¡°¡­U-um, Lucia-sama?¡±


    The strange air made her break out in a greasy sweat. Her body stopped shaking, and her feet stopped moving even a single step. The situation was exactly like a frog being stared at by a snake, but there was no one in the room to exert pressure on her.


    Feeling a rapid thirst, Hugin unfolded her cor to release the heat that had built up inside.


    A momentter¨Da loud noise rang out behind her.


    ¡°¡­Hyah!?¡±


    Hugin turned around, not acting but genuinely surprised. The door had closed on its own, even though there was no wind.


    A normal person would have panicked, unable to understand the strange situation.


    However, Hugin regained herposure with a single breath and decided to leave the ce. A moment¡¯s hesitation could cost her life; she made a quick decision and searched for the best way to survive.


    But¨Dthe reality was that it was not always possible to survive.


    ¡°For a maid, you have a lot of experience, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Kuh!¡±


    Hugin reacted quickly to the voice behind her. She rolled up her long skirt and reached for her sword. As soon as she turned around, she pulled out a small sword¨Dwith a sh. It was a skilled and dazzling move.


    ¡°Wha¨D¨D!?¡±


    The small sword is broken from the base, and only the de pierces the floor. Hugin, who had been watching with a look of astonishment, choked as a crushing pressure was applied to her jaw.


    The next thing she knew, her body was pressed up against the wall, and in front of her was the bewitching beauty¨DLucia.


    ¡°Now, let me ask you a question.¡±


    ¡°A-anyone¨DGuhh!?¡±


    Her jaw made an eerie sound. The jawbone began to creak as if it were being squeezed in a vise.


    Hugin could only grunt, unable to scream in spite of the intense pain.


    ¡°Whose informant are you? Grantz? Baum?¡±


    ¡°¡­Y-you think I¡¯m going to answer you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stubborn. Do you want to lose one of your arms?¡±


    Lucia grabbed Hugin by the throat and mmed her against the wall.


    ¡°I like strong-minded women like you, but I don¡¯t like them under certain circumstances.¡±


    She grabbed her by the chest and pushed her to the floor.


    ¡°Guhah!?¡±


    The oxygen blew out of her lungs in one burst of air.


    ¡°I see¡­ that you are a woman with considerable spirit.¡±


    Lucia swung down on her heels and stomped on Hugin¡¯s stomach, spreading out her fan.


    ¡°Then you shall be punished¡­ and be afort to the soldiers until you talk.¡±


    The smile faded from Lucia¡¯s face. Her eyes, filled with a cruel light, looked down at Hugin.


    Hugin struggled to get away, but Lucia¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°You will not break easily. Let me enjoy myself now.¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The Felzen region was once a major power that rivaled the Grantz Empire.


    It was also a key point of trade between East and West, connecting the Six Kingdoms to the west and the Grantz Empire to the east, and before it copsed, the country prospered through trade with both countries. However, since its defeat in the decisive battle against the Great Grantz Empire, security had deteriorated drastically¨Dmerchants began to avoid Felzen, and the fertilend was ravaged by repeated fires of war, along with people¡¯s hearts and minds.


    The beautiful grasnds, withered away, and no trace of the old days remained.


    The Senan region, which bordered Grantz, was the scene of one of the most intense battles.


    The city of Nex, the gateway to Felzen, was said to have been more prosperous than the capital, but it had been reduced to ruins, and not a single inhabitant remained.


    September 17th, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The city of Nex was now upied by the Grantz Army. Tents were set up everywhere because many buildings were in danger of copsing. In the lord¡¯s mansion at the center of the city, the coat of arms of the Great Grantz Empire and the lily g owned by the sixth princess were swaying in the wind.


    A short distance away, there was a small hill from which one could look down on the lord¡¯s mansion.


    It was a park built for the amusement of the nobility, and it was said that the lord of Nex was a man who loved to look down from this point at his mansion and the city spread out around it. He, too, was defeated by the Grantz and executed, along with his family¨Dby the Krone family, the five former great Grantz nobles.


    The execution took ce on this hill, which the locals now called the Hill of Tragedy.


    There was no one in the Grantz Empire who liked to sleep in such a ce with such a legend, but perhaps out of sheer madness, the elite ¡°Raven Army¡± of the small country of Baum had built barracks on the Hill of Tragedy.


    ¡°May you rest in peace. The Krone family, whom you seek to avenge, has fallen.¡±


    The king of Baum, Hiro, held out a flower and bowed his head in the cold night wind.


    Luca walked up behind him shaking her sleeves.


    ¡°Has there been any word from Hugin?¡±


    The torch in Luca¡¯s hand dispelled the darkness, revealing her expression. She seemed to be looking at Hiro, but actually not. Her gaze was fixed on something far away.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve refrained from contacting her for a while. I think it¡¯s about time I got in touch with her.¡±


    Since her arrival in Felzen, Luca had asked Hiro to get in touch with Hugin every day. For her, Hugin was the reincarnation of herte brother Eagle, and Hiro wondered how she came to that conclusion, but there was no doubt that her obsession was genuine.


    ¡°What would you do if something happened to her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told her to stay as still as possible, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Although the older brother Munin would have investigated on his own initiative, Hugin basically tends to follow orders faithfully. She would never move on her own, ignoring Hiro¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Hugin is under¡­ that Lucia, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°What does it matter?¡±


    ¡°When I think of Hugin¡¯s soft skin being hurt by that vicious woman, I want to kill her.¡±


    Hiro gave a bitter smile of half-amazement at the boisterousness of the statement.


    ¡°What are youughing at? Aren¡¯t you worried about Hugin?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m worried. Not only Hugin but also Munin and the others. After all, their role is always intertwined with death, and not a day goes by that I don¡¯t worry about them.¡±


    If their true identities were toe to light, the lives of spies could easily be lost. There was no country on the central continent that was not on the lookout for the movements of other countries. A king who falls into a state of suspicion and darkness will execute even his loyal subjects. It was not difficult to imagine what would happen if a spy infiltrating such countries were discovered.


    ¡°I am only worried about Hugin.¡±


    Luca threw the torch to the ground, and as she closed the distance between them, she grabbed Hiro by the arm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the others, and it doesn¡¯t hurt my heart when they die.¡±


    With eyes that gave a chill, Luca looked at Hiro with a re from below.


    The bones in his arms creak as she grabs them. Hiro always thought that her obsession with Hugin was unusual, but he did not think that she was so attached to Hugin that she could not maintain a bnce in her mind.


    That¡¯s why he can¡¯t tell her the ¡°truth.¡±


    However, if she was left alone in this state, she might go to the territory of Anguis by herself.


    ¡°I understand. If you¡¯re that worried, I¡¯ll send a fast horse outter.¡±


    Hiro said admonishingly and then slowly pried Luca¡¯s hand away.


    Luca looked at him with suspicion, wondering if he could be trusted.


    ¡°You must promise me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I promise.¡±


    Nodding deeply, Hiro smiled. Luca gave him a skeptical look but, after a moment, stepped back, perhaps realizing there was no point in continuing to stare at each other.


    ¡°¡­So, what were you doing here?¡±


    There was no need to ask, but looking down from the top of the hill, the view was of the encampment of the Grantz. In the middle of it, in the lord¡¯s mansion, Liz, the next emperor of Grantz, was resting herself. Luca nodded in understanding when she saw where Hiro¡¯s eyes were looking.


    ¡°Was it the little red-haired girl? I heard rumors of her even to the far east, to the small country of Baum. I heard that if the times were different, she would have been a beautiful woman of inclination, so I wonder what the real story is!¡±


    ¡°Rumors cannot be trusted, though. But as far as she is concerned, you can believe them.¡±


    She may grow up to be a brave woman like Altius, or she may turn into a winning and lively woman like her mother, but either way, her looks are guaranteed.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it, but¡­ I¡¯m more interested in what¡¯s inside than what¡¯s outside.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just show your face at the military council?¡±


    Since joining up with the Grantz Army in Felzen, Hiro had not seen Liz once.


    He had been sending themander of the ¡°Raven Army¡± as his deputy.


    ¡°I have already done my part for the small country of Baum this time. All I have to do now is to be assigned to a unit somewhere and march behind it. There¡¯s no point in participating in the war council.¡±


    There were other reasons as well. Hiro¡¯s participation would create discord on the Grantz side.


    Among the officers of the Grantz and the nobles, there were not a few who had a special regard for the small country of Baum. But on the contrary, there were many who considered them a nuisance.


    Under such circumstances, if Hiro participated in the military council, his opinion would surely be sought, and there would be those who would listen and those who would not. If this happened, there would surely be a dispute between the two sides.


    ¡°Just observe quietly and don¡¯t meddle.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s exnation was interrupted mid-sentence. A woman came out of the lord¡¯s mansion.


    Her red hair shone in the torchlight. There was only one person in the Grantz who had that feature. She was Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz, the sixth princess and acting emperor of the Great Grantz Empire.


    Luca, who was standing next to Hiro, also noticed, and her eyes were glued to her.


    ¡°¡­¡­I can¡¯t find the right words. Isn¡¯t she growing so beautifully?¡±


    Luca¡¯s venomous tongue had lost its sharpness. It was a rare urrence for her toe up with such a clich¨¦dment. It was understandable why she didn¡¯t swear. Liz¡¯s appearance was beyond the realm of the ¡°imagination.¡±


    ¡°Is she really ¡°human¡±? If anything, she looks more like the long-eared people.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    When Luca squinted at Hiro in the darkness, he held his mouth and uttered no words at all.


    If she attacked him now, it¡¯s 100 out of 100¨DHiro was so glued to Liz that Luca was certain that she could take his life.


    That didn¡¯t mean he was admiring the beautifully grown-up Liz. His eyes were wide open to the limit, and he stood there stunned, like someone who could not ept reality. It ovepped with the image of Luca, who once witnessed the death of her brother.


    ¡°¡­Why is she here?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You came to see the little red-haired girl, so of course, she¡¯s there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I¡¯m not talking about that.¡±


    He just kept mumbling deliriously.


    There was no reply, and Hiro was quiet, staring only at Liz with an intense willfulness on his face. But such a time did notst long.


    Liz turned her gaze to where Hiro and the others were.


    Luca hurriedly held Hiro¡¯s head and put him down on the ground.


    ¡°¡­Do we have to hide since there¡¯s no way she can see us?¡±


    Luca chuckled as if ashamed of her own actions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there would be any problem if she found us in the first ce.¡±


    Luca muttered something ridiculous and tried to get up but stopped moving when he saw the look on Hiro¡¯s face with a sideways nce.


    ¡°No¡­ she can ¡®see¡¯ us.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If it were normal, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find a person in the dark, out of reach of the moonlight.¡±


    The me of the torch that Luca had brought with her had died out in the mud. The only other source of light was the ¡°Raven Army¡± tents, but it was too far away for the light to reach the ce where Hiro and Luca were.


    Moreover, with the moon hidden by thick clouds, it would have been impossible to find them under normal circumstances. But Liz did not hesitate to ¡°see¡± them.


    ¡°There is no doubt¡­ that she is¨D¨D¡±


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 4 – Tragic Resolution, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 4 - Tragic Resolution, Part 1</h4>


    ¡°Little girl¡­ you¡¯re here again?¡±


    A voice that sounded as if it was stunned was heard. When Liz opened her eyes, there was something in front of her with an overwhelming presence.


    ¨D¨DSomething was there.


    A white world. There was a throne at the center. The one and only throne, adorned with gold, silver, and precious gems gathered from all over the world, was the only one of its kind¨Da throne with a bloodstained history.


    However, as usual, the identity of the person sitting on the throne was unknown.


    The space was dazzlingly white, but the face was covered with shadows.


    ¡°What do you want? What do you want from me?¡±


    The voice has the deep charm of an old man but with the bravado of a mature man. It was a voice that gave a strange impression but had a certain charm that was hard to forget.


    The intimidation that radiated from his slender physique was tinged with the virility of a young man, while the youthfulness of a boy gave a sense of security. Yet, Liz knew he was no ordinary man.


    She had been to this world many times.


    So, she was not intimidated or pressured, unlike when the first time she visited here.


    ¡°I want to know the truth.¡±


    She said it directly to him, and his gaze pierced through her heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early for you.¡±


    ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry for your life, little girl. It is too convenient to try to know the truth without knowing how big the world is.¡±


    The pressure of the world was overwhelming with rejection. Liz was forced to bend at the waist as if she were being stepped on by a giant, but she was released from the pressure when she made a fist and pounded the ground.


    ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯ve grown up, haven¡¯t you, little girl?¡±


    The man¡¯s voice wasced with some surprise.


    Liz wiped the sweat from her forehead and eximed in a hushed voice.


    ¡°Three years¨D¨Dthat¡¯s all it¡¯s been, is what you might say. But for me, it¡¯s been a mind-boggling amount of time!¡±


    She had been running as fast as she could to catch up with him. She had been desperately chasing him so that she would not be separated from him again.


    ¡°But it¡¯s still too far!¡±


    It was not a matter of strength. It was not a matter of talent. Nor was it a matter of experience.


    From a certain distance, the distance between them did not get any shorter. She was well aware of the cause. And she had tried to ovee the obstacles.


    But no matter how much understanding she showed, no matter how much she thought about him, the distance ddi not shorten.


    Because¨D¨D,


    ¨D¨DBecause she didn¡¯t know anything about Hiro.


    There was a huge gap between them that could never be filled.


    ¡°Who in the world is he?¡±


    She knows that Hiro is a ¡°God of War.¡±


    She knows that Hiro is the ¡°Heroic King of Twin cks.¡±


    She knows that he is the ¡°ck Prince.¡±


    She knows that Hiro is the ¡°Endless Despair.¡±


    She knows that Hiro is the ¡°One-Eyed Dragon.¡±


    She knows that Hiro is the ¡°ck Dragon King.¡±


    ¡°I know that he is the ¡°poster child of struggle, the transcendent of authority, the one who wears the mask, the one who decides who wins¡­¡±


    Bending her fingers slowly, Liz counted the names.


    ¡°I know all kinds of Hiro. In the history of Grantz, there is not a single mention of his ¡®title.¡¯ Aura and I have done a lot of research on him over the past three years. Not only that, the ¡°me Emperor¡± is telling me about him through the first emperor.¡±


    Then she bit her lip in frustration.


    ¡°But¨DI don¡¯t know the real Hiro.¡±


    She had only known Hiro since he became known as the ¡°God of War.¡± She didn¡¯t know anything about what happened before that.


    As if ashamed of her own inadequacy, she clenched her fists tightly and mmed them into the ground.


    ¡°Hiro is¡­ how did he just appear out of the blue?¡±


    The mouth of the mysterious figure who had been silently listening to Liz¡¯s story moved.


    ¡°It¡¯s inevitable. But it¡¯s nothing to be pessimistic about.¡±


    For the first time, the man¡¯s solemn demeanor dropped.


    ¡°You should already know about Hiro.¡±


    The mysterious manughed, his tone gentle and cheerful, like a baby being soothed.


    ¡°Of course, I already know. But there is no need for the trouble of telling you.¡±


    The man stepped off his throne and stroked Liz¡¯s crimson hair as he approached her.


    ¡°You once told me that you were saddened by Hiro¡¯s past. Do you remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I said that.¡±


    In the past, Hiro¡¯s face was painted with terrible grief. He was trying desperately to mend his expression in order to hold back the urge to cry. Even now, just remembering it made her feel as if her heart was about to burst.


    ¡°Then, if you keep that feeling in mind¡­ surely, one day you will know the truth.¡±


    The man held up his index finger.


    ¡°You are my hope. That is why I entrusted you with everything.¡±


    ¡°¡­Everything?¡±


    ¡°Keep a strong heart. I told you that, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    The man said, then pointed his index finger up in the air.


    Liz looked up and saw arge gate floating above her head. It was huge but not shy. Apart from the intricate patterns carved into it, it was far from luxurious or ornate. In a word, it is a in, unadorned wooden circr gate.


    However, the unique atmosphere created by the gate overwhelmed the viewer like a beautifulndscape.


    The only difference from the previous visit was that the gate was not closed but open.


    ¡°The future will never be happy. There will be times of anxiety and sadness. But there is no need to be pessimistic. The way will be shown to you.¡±


    The mysterious man opened his arms and smiled gently.


    ¡°I look forward to our next meeting, little girl.¡±


    In an abrupt parting line, Liz looked up over her head, but the gate showed no sign of moving.


    ¡°But I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re not going to go that way this time.¡±


    ¡°Eh¨D¨D!?¡±


    As she lowered her gaze, a blinding light enveloped the world. The amount of light poured onto Liz, so much so that she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open.


    It prated her retina, scorched her optic nerve, and burned through her brain.


    ¡°Aghh!¡±


    Liz held her throat to resist the sensation that her neck was about to be pulled out.


    Her throat was dry, and she couldn¡¯t breathe, and as tears spontaneously welled up¨D¨D,


    ¡°Nggghh¡­!?¡±


    A crushing sensation as if rising rapidly from the ocean floor to the surface.


    When she opened her eyes due to the extreme pain¨D¨D,


    ¡°Puhah, hah, hah, hah¡­¡­?¡±


    A familiar sight shed into her eyes. While struggling to get oxygen, Liz looked around. A white cloth covered the surroundings, and Western lights hung from the ceiling, swaying with the tent due to the wind received from outside.


    ¡°¡­¡­Kahahh?¡±


    It was no less than a surprise. It is possible that she might even be dead if she was not careful.


    ¡°Water¡­¡±


    An unusual thirst struck her. Liz got up and approached the water bottle on the desk and drank vigorously without even using a silver cup. If she were in the imperial pce, her subjects wouldin about her behavior, but fortunately, she was alone now.


    A drop of water spilled from her lips, passed through her corbone and was sucked into her cleavage. However, Liz drank the water in a single gulp without paying attention to it. She put the empty water bottle on the desk and sat down boldly in her chair.


    ¡°Phew¡­ that man, next time I see him, I¡¯m definitely going to beat him up.¡±


    After saying something disturbing to the ceiling, she heard the sound of hurried footstepsing from outside.


    ¡°Liz, I have something to report.¡±


    A familiar voice with no intonation but a lisp and a touch of charm.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°¡­Excuse me.¡±


    A petite woman entered politely.


    Trea Luzandi Aura von Bunadhara.


    She graduated at the top of her ss from the Imperial Training School. She was the youngest person ever selected to be on the staff of themander of the Third Imperial Army. She was now one of Liz¡¯s close aides and was the chief of staff of the main army of the Great Grantz Empire in the recent liberation of Felzen.


    Aura, also known as the ¡°War Maiden¡± and referred to as the silver-haired fairy, frowned when she saw Liz.


    ¡°Before I tell you about my business, there is one thing I would like you to do.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    When she tilted her head, Aura pointed her index finger vigorously at her.


    ¡°Please put something to cover you up. I can¡¯t have you dressed like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    When she looked down at her outfit, she was wearing underwear¨Dand yet Aura was the only other person of the same sex here.


    There seems to be no problem, but Aura nonchntly appeals to her to change her clothes just by looking at her.


    ¡°What if a male soldieres in by mistake?¡±


    ¡°In case of an emergency, the maidservant in the tent next door wille to inform me, so you won¡¯t have to worry. If a man enters without permission, the me Emperor will burn him.¡±


    Aura¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment as Liz answered with a straight face.


    ¡°If so, you need to put on something before you get anyone killed, maybe not three years ago, but today¡¯s Liz is too stimting, even for a woman.¡±


    Three years ago¨Dshe tried to ask Aura what she meant by that, but Aura took the liberty of going through Liz¡¯s luggage and tossed her a cloak that would cover her entire body.


    ¡°You should put it on.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    Liz repliedmely, putting on the cloak and sitting down in the chair again.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the report?¡±


    ¡°The First Army, which was ahead of us, has been wiped out.¡±


    Aura¡¯s unaffected report told of the seriousness of the situation. Liz waited for the rest of the report with a grim expression on her face.


    ¡°The First Army was destroyed three days ago. I sent out a quick horse to the Second Army a short while ago. I will have them stand by until the main army joins them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Also, let the Second Army form a detachment and give top priority to rescuing the wounded. We will also send out some detachments from the main army to alert the surrounding area.¡±


    After waiting for Aura to nod, Liz continued to speak.


    ¡°What is the damage to the First Army?¡±


    ¡°Out of 30,000, 10,000 were killed in action, and more than 5,000 were seriously wounded¡­ ording to the messenger¨Da survivor, a white-haired man with unidentifiable powers, took out General Cain.¡±


    ¡°¡­Unidentified powers and a white-haired man?¡±


    Thest image that shed through her mind was that of the First Prince Stobel, and if he hasn¡¯t changed since then, then in all likelihood, Stobel had defeated General Cain.


    Still, it was a surprise that he was hiding in Felzen. Liz, plucking her brow, let out a weary sigh. She was d that Skaaha was not here.


    Her mental state was unstable. She wondered what would happen if Stobel¡¯s story entered her ears¡­


    ¡°Thank goodness Skaaha isn¡¯t here. If she had noticed the white-haired man, she would have run off on her own.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think he¡¯s the First Prince Stobel?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who is capable of defeating the Five Great Generals. It¡¯s very likely. And if he has white hair and the appearance of a demon, then he is definitely Stobel.¡±


    The five spirit swords¨DWind Emperor and Thunder Emperor¨Dwere still in Stobel¡¯s possession. The five great generals were not good enough even if they had spirit weapons. Furthermore, the opponent was a ¡°human race¡± that had ¡°fallen.¡± It was doubtful whether a single division could win the battle, and even the five great generals, who were known as ¡°mighty warriors,¡± had no choice but to say that it would be extremely difficult to fight a head-on battle.


    ¡°We will send the survivors of the First Army back to our home country. Then the Second Army will reorganize once it joins up with the main army. As soon as that is done, we will cross des with both Tigris and Scorpius, who are waiting for us down the road.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand. I¡¯ll make a new formation n.¡±


    ¡°Any word from the Third Army?¡±


    ¡°It seems that the people of Felzen have interfered with us after all. They¡¯ve halted their advance and are trying to persuade them to stay.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep in close contact from now on. We will work together with the Third Army to drive the Six Kingdoms out of Felzen. Be careful not to harm the people of Felzen.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡±


    ¡°Well then, can you gather the staff together in themand center?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get changed and go there as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and wait for you.¡±


    Aura nodded and stepped quickly out of Liz¡¯s tent.


    Liz put her hand on her military uniform and quickly changed into it by pulling the sleeves through.


    In the imperial pce, she was taken care of by the maidservants, but outside of that, Liz basically didn¡¯t like to be assisted by others.


    After Rosa admonished her not to take away the work of the maidservants as a superior, she tried to call on them as much as possible, but she still felt morefortable when she changed clothes by herself.


    After putting on her cloak for thest time, she put the ¡°me Emperor¡±, which was propped up on the desk, on her waist and left the tent.


    The sky was full of stars.


    Thinking that the stars were close today, Liz started walking toward themand center. Even though it waste at night, the encampment, where tens of thousands of people were gathered, was noisy.


    A small amount of alcohol was allowed, and the chatter echoed incessantly from the surroundings.


    It seems that the news of the First Army¡¯s destruction has not yet reached the soldiers.


    However, it would not affect morale much if they did.


    The main force of Grantz has all the elite of the Great Grantz Empire, including the ¡°Golden Lion Knights,¡± the ¡°Imperial ck Knights,¡± and the ¡°Knights of the Rose.¡± No one would have such fears that they might lose. Furthermore, the leader of the main Grantz army was the sixth princess, who continued to make remarkable strides. Although there may have been a sense of anticipation, there were probably not many people who were anxious about the situation.


    She stopped just before she reached themand center.


    ¡°¡­Come out.¡±


    Liz threw a sharp voice to the ce where the bonfire light did not reach.


    ¡°¡­¡­Since when did you notice?¡±


    A hooded figure emerged from the darkness with the sound of gravel being stepped on.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you from the beginning. You had the nerve to break into our encampment so brazenly.¡±


    The intruder was speechless, if only for a moment, as Liz pointed out. He immediately burst intoughter.


    ¡°That¡¯s terrifying¡­ you seem to have the same ¡®eye¡¯ as I do.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a joke. Please don¡¯t pay any attention to it.¡±


    The intruder shook his head and bent gracefully at the waist. The graceful movement without sarcasm was even dignified.


    ¡°Her Imperial Highness Celia Estre Elizabeth von Grantz of the Great Grantz Empire. Nice to meet you; my name is Nameless.¡±


    The name was familiar. She had heard rumors about him. The name ¡°Nameless¡± was the name of a former close aide of the First Prince Stobel, who disappeared during the rebellion.


    ¡°So¡­ it was you. So, what do you want from me?¡±


    Liz red at Nameless without pulling out the ¡°me Emperor¡± at her waist but without showing any openings at all.


    ¡°¡­What a frightening growth rate. You were a whiny, helplessly weak sixth princess two years ago.¡±


    It was a provocative statement, but Liz listened to it with a calm face.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough time for one to grow up.¡±


    ¡°That, too, is a truth.¡±


    ¡°Did youe all the way here to talk to me about that?¡±


    ¡°No, I just wanted to give you some advice¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you just tell me what it is and get on with it because I don¡¯t have time for this.¡±


    Liz¡¯sposure was puzzling for someone who has just met an intruder.


    Nameless was more cautious and somewhat selective with his words.


    ¡°Be careful of the ck Dragon King of Baum. Perhaps he is trying to overthrow the Great Grantz Empire¨D¨D¡±


    It was too sudden.


    The ce where Nameless was standing exploded. A pir of red me erupted from the ground with great force. The surroundings were illuminated as brightly as daylight.


    ¡°I made up my mind two years ago. I¡¯m not going to listen to that kind of nonsense.¡±


    Liz looked in a different direction from the pir of fire. There stood Nameless.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you have any concerns about that?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I promised him that I would stay on his side no matter what.¡±


    Liz¡¯s fists were filled with azure fire.


    ¡°So be careful what you say.¡±


    She smiled a fierce, lustrous smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you next time.¡±


    A death sentence¨Dthe gentle sixth princess, had changed so drastically that Nameless was forced to back away.


    Nameless looked at Liz, slightly bewildered, perhaps realizing that he had been intimidated.


    ¡°¡­¡­I see that you have be really strong.¡±


    Nameless said and turned his head to look around him.


    Those who witnessed the red pir of fire were making a fuss. The sound of military boots cutting through the night air was raising a siege. Many voices wereing in this direction.


    ¡°Well, I will see you again.¡±


    Liz smiled at Nameless, who bowed his head in a dutiful manner.


    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t go easy on you, be prepared.¡±


    After seeing off Nameless, who had disappearedpletely without a sound, Liz turned her feet to the tent.


    Aura peeked out from the entrance.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Aura asked suspiciously, and Liz put her finger on the tip of her chin and let her red eyes wander.


    ¡°Sorry. The ¡°me Emperor¡± has been misbehaving. Please exin that to the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Aura tilted her head, and the ¡°me Emperor¡± blew out a small me of protest.

 Volume 9, Chapter 4 – Tragic Resolution, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 4 - Tragic Resolution, Part 2</h4>


    ¡°Wonderful¡­ that¡¯s the me Emperor¨DSword Demise, huh?¡±


    Even after the mes that had illuminated the ground as the sun had gone out, the lingering sensation never faded. The view of the immense power of the mes burned into his retinas and fueled his desire for more.


    ¡°I never thought I would see it at a time like this, but I am d I came this time.¡±


    Rozl Frey von Ingnal.


    He was a young man in the service of the Muzuk family, one of the five great noble families of the Grantz Empire. He gave a somewhat fragile impression. Perhaps it was because he is slender, but what caught the eye, even more, was the fact that his skin was morbidly white¨Dor perhaps it was his pale skin.


    Rozl looked around and saw soldiers who had been resting rushing out of the barracks. However, they looked confused, as if they did not know what to do. Some sort of notification would being from themand center soon, but until then, themotion in the encampment would not subside.


    ¡°I have a dim understanding of what happened, but she is certainly a boisterous sixth princess.¡±


    Now that they were approaching the critical juncture of recapturing Felzen, they should not cause unnecessary confusion¨Dbut from another point of view, the currentmotion was not all bad.


    It was even an effective way to find out who was capable of dealing with sudden events.


    There would be superiors who would needlessly rm their subordinates. There would be superiors who calmly gave instructions to their subordinates. Some may not be able to contain the chaos and may cause injury to their subordinates.


    In order to find them, the best way was to take advantage of the current turmoil.


    ¡°It seems I was right to bring only new recruits.¡±


    Opportunities like this didn¡¯te along very often. It was a chance for soldiers to grow in many ways, both in terms of mental toughness and getting them limated to the atmosphere of the battlefield. There was more to be gained from actualbat than from training.


    ¡°I can only hope that someone will emerge from this war.¡±


    Otherwise, there was no point in going to the trouble of entering the war. Rozl turned his expectant gaze once in the direction of themand center, then turned on his heel and returned to his barracks.


    He sat down at the desk in the room and crossed his arms.


    ¡°May I ask the reason for this spectacr intrusion?¡±


    He asked the darkness that dominated the corner where the light of the candlestick did not reach, and curiously enough, a shadow was created and crawled out of the room when its outline was revealed.


    ¡°No, I thought it would be better for both of us.¡±


    The hooded figure¡¯s expression was hard to see. The appearance of a person with an air of mystery about him, but Rozl didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry, and he didn¡¯t seem to be rmed.


    ¡°If it bes known that I am meeting with you, Nameless-dono, my neck will not remain unscathed, will it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I made a fuss so that I wouldn¡¯t be ¡®seen.''¡±


    Nameless approached the desk and ced a piece of paper on it. Rozl picked up the paper and checked its contents, then looked at Nameless with a confused look on his face.


    ¡°¡­Are you insane? Do you really think I can do something like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tightrope walker, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not so bad for you, isn¡¯t it, Rozl-sama?¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed. But it¡¯s not something I would take for granted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to you to decide whether you want to take it or not, Rozl-sama. I¡¯ll leave it to you to decide if you want to grow or shrink.¡±


    After saying these words, Nameless left the desk, entered the darkness, and disappeared with the presence of the others. For a moment, Rozl stared into the darkness with a puzzled look on his face, then broke off his gaze and held up the piece of paper Nameless had been leaving behind to the candle.


    ¡°What¡¯s the idea? Does Nameless have a purpose in the first ce¡­?¡±


    Holding the burning paper in his palm, Rozl was lost in thought. The smell of burning skin fills the air, but Rozl closed his eyes and took shallow breaths without moving an eyebrow.


    When he eventually opened his eyes,


    ¡°Hydra-dono¡­ are you there?¡±


    He called out the person¡¯s name, and a voice echoed out of nowhere.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want you to tell our father that I want what he promised me.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    The voice was never heard again. Rozl clutched the burnt-out paper in his palm. Arge amount of ashes escaped through the gaps between his fingers and floated in the air.


    ¡°¡­Vetu-sama, it is all for the prosperity of the House of Muzuk.¡±


    He spat out an apology to the lord who was not here and bowed deeply as he stared at his burnt palm.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    September 23, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    There were several small cities in the vicinity of the new royal capital ruled by Anguis. In one of these cities, the surrounding area residents were evacuated to the city, fearing an attack by the Grantz.


    However, the city could not simply ept the situation. It was possible that Grantz¡¯s counterintelligence may be mixed in with the people.


    A checkpoint had been set up at the entrance to the city, and soldiers were inspecting luggage, but there were so many evacuees that there was not enough manpower to handle the situation.


    That was why many refugees were sleeping around the city.


    Some had pitched tents, others slept on the streets using their luggage as pillows, and merchants were unable to stop by the city, leaving the economy on the west side of Felzen in a state of stagnation.


    Many other problems existed.


    The security situation had begun to deteriorate, with farmers raiding fields, robbers, and kidnappers also appearing.


    It was not that the Six Kingdoms did not take any measures. They were taking measures such as opening up food supplies and distributing them to refugees, providing campsites for them to temporarily live in, and patrolling the area with security forces.


    However, the city¡¯s reserves were dwindling due to the daily increase in the number of refugees, and disputes had been arising with the former residents. Some soldiers even cooperated in kidnapping people.


    ¡°The sun has set, and that¡¯s all for today. Come back tomorrow.¡±


    An Anguis soldier with a weary look on his face said


    ¡°Hey, just one more! Just me!¡±


    The vigers clung to the soldier with grim expressions on their faces. But no one who was moved by emotion will be assigned to the checkpoint.


    ¡°No. The higher-ups will get angry if we don¡¯t close the gate on time.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to let us in tomorrow, why not today!¡±


    The vigers desperately begged, but the soldiers only waved one hand and refused to listen to them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting in line for days, haven¡¯t you? Then, please be patient for at least one more day.¡±


    ¡°What if the Grantze while we¡¯re waiting? They will take everything! The east side of the country is aplete shambles!¡±


    The vigers, looking desperate and out of their depth, continued to press the soldiers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Grantz Army hasn¡¯te this far. You can rest at the campsite outside today ande back tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! We¡¯ve already waited in line, and now you want us to wait in line again tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. The sun has set. We don¡¯t know where the enemy spies are hiding. We can¡¯t take any risks.¡±


    The soldiers were at their wits¡¯ end, and their irritation was evident.


    Other soldiers and anxious people gathered around the vigers to push and shove.


    ¡°Hey, move out of the way, human. We¡¯re done with the checkpoint today. You cane back tomorrow.¡±


    A soldier from the country of Tigris, a long-eared man, pointed an arrow at the protesting vigers.


    This startled not only the vigers but the Anguis soldiers as well.


    ¡°Hey, you, what are you doing? Put down the arrow. If Lucia-sama finds out about this, she will punish you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. We are soldiers of Tigris. We do not take orders from the Queen of Anguis. And moreover, we are not of the human race.¡±


    The sound of derision could be heard in every word. The Anguis soldier¡¯s eyes were lifted in anger.


    ¡°You dare to taunt Lucia-sama?¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think it sounds like? The humans always think the worst of things.¡±


    The soldier¡¯s body tilted as he said this.


    The long-eared soldier immediately adjusted his position and turned his angry gaze to the side.


    ¡°Who was that? Who pushed me?¡±


    He looked around, but there was no one in sight. The soldiers around him were looking elsewhere. The strange silence made them wonder where the long-eared soldier was looking, and they turned their heads to the same spot.


    ¡°Gaahh¡­! Goddamn it, what have you done!¡±


    There was a viger with an arrow through his shoulder. He was in extreme pain and was staring hatefully at the long-eared man. The long-eared man looked on in dismay with wide eyes, but an Anguis soldier grabbed him by the shoulder and took his bow.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The long-eared man finally came to his senses at the sound of the reproachful voice and shook his head hurriedly with a blood-curdling look on his face.


    ¡°N-no, someone pushed me.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, call a doctor at once!¡±


    Seeing the blood flowing from the vigers, the people gathered at the gate begin to panic.


    Other soldiers shouted to calm them down, but they could not reach them.


    Just then¨D¨D,


    ¡°The encampment is on fire! The Grantz are attacking!¡±


    More fuel was dropped, and for a moment, the area fell silent.


    Then, seeing the ck smoke rising from the direction of the encampment, the people came to their senses and rushed to the gate, which was about to close.


    ¡°Calm down; it¡¯s just a smoke! If they are really attacking, it won¡¯t be like that! Don¡¯t be fooled by words!¡±


    Had they really been attacking, there would have been no way it would have ended in such a small puff of smoke.


    However, the fear that had been building up until now exploded all at once, and the crowd surged forward in an unstoppable avnche. Once in a state of panic, no one¡¯s voice could reach them anymore.


    The soldiers had no choice but to use force.


    But that would be counterproductive.


    Threats would not stop the panicked people but would only fuel their anger. All at once, there was amotion in front of the gate. And as confused people broke into the city, the original inhabitants, whose daily lives had been disrupted, also fell into chaos. Hundreds and thousands of people rushed into the city, their faces filled with fear. There was no way they could stay sane.


    ¡°Smoke started rising everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s the work of someone who infiltrated. When people are cornered, they lose the ability to make normal judgments. Even a small smoke can be seen as a huge me in the eyes of those who are tormented by fear.¡±


    Hiro adjusted his mask and quietly looked out over the bustling city.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a signal that we¡¯ve seeded, one way or the other.¡±


    Once it broke, there was no stopping it. The muddy waters would engulf everything.


    ¡°There are six cities that have been set up with countermeasures. It would be good if we seeded in two of them, and the effect would be great.¡±


    Hiro shifted his gaze from the noisy city to the sky.


    The sun was setting. Darkness was gathering in the area. There was not a cloud in the sky today¨Da beautiful night sky.


    There was no sign of rain, and the damp world was sticky.


    In normal times, it would be a starry night. In normal times, it would be a night of silence.


    But on this particr day, the usual night never arrived.


    The stars were mercilessly obscured by the ck smoke rising from the ground.


    In stark contrast to the sky, the ground was red, red, red, and enveloped in unrelenting mes.


    Angry shouts and screams. Anger, sorrow, and cries for help pierced the night air endlessly.


    A storm of sword fights erupts, and the smell of blood permeates the air. An unstoppable malevolence is ravaging the city and its people.


    ¡°Hopees only to those who know despair.¡±


    Hiro muttered with an inorganic expression as he gazed at the red-hot city.


    His voice was cold and ruthless for a witness to the horrific scene unfolding before him.


    There was no inflection in his words. There was no emotion there.


    Was it because of the mask that made it difficult to grasp the subtleties of emotion?


    Or¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t ask you to forgive me. You can hate me to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    He stroked the mask with his right hand and burned the burning city into his eyes.


    The night wind shook his cloak and, at the same time, snatched away the air around Hiro¡¯s body.


    ¡°¡­This ends the long, drawn-out stalemate.¡±


    Hiro tried to reach out to the people who were calling for help¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s hypocrisy.¡±


    ¨D¨DHe stopped the hand of salvation.


    Then, abandoning all emotion, he turned himself around and opened his arms.


    ¡°Come on¨Dlet the war begin.¡±

 Volume 9, Chapter 5 – Ice Emperor, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 5 - Ice Emperor, Part 1</h4>


    September 26, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    Grantz¡¯s Third Army had resumed its march.


    Riots broke out in several small cities, and Grantzunched an invasion taking advantage of the chaos.


    Having gained a just cause, the Grantz advanced with great vigor, but Anguis, who was in charge of this area, saw the disadvantage and gathered their forces, which were scattered all over the country, and set up a position on the in.


    Anguis had 50,000 troops, while Grantz¡¯s Third Army had 10,000, and the ¡°Raven Army¡± had 2,000, for a total of 12,000, making a clear difference in strength.


    ¡°In terms of strength, we are at a disadvantage. I guess we gave them too much time to fight. But even so, they have quite arge number.¡±


    In the center of the ¡°Raven Army,¡± which had set up its main camp in the rear of Grantz¡¯s Third Army, was Hiro.


    Hiro was sitting in a chair prepared for him and was looking at a map spread out on a simple desk. He reached out his hand and looked at a nearby piece of paper.


    ¡°ording to the report, it seems that there are many soldiers from Azel.¡±


    Since they were not on the hill this time, they were relying on the messenger for information on their opponents.


    Sitting next to Hiro was Skaaha. She was also looking at the map but frowned a little and said with a snort.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s reinforcements from their home country¡­¡±


    Hiro would like to talk to Luca about that, but although she was with him, she was digging around in the ground with her hands, mouthing something to the air above her.


    With that, he couldn¡¯t expect a proper response. In truth, he didn¡¯t really want to bring her to the battlefield, but she wouldn¡¯t leave Hiro either, so he had no choice.


    ¡°When the battle starts, take care of Luca, will you?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Skaaha was also waiting in the main camp. She was thinking about his request and Luca¡¯s physical condition.


    When Hiro looked at her, he saw that she had a somewhat determined look on her face¨Dimpatience was evident in her profile as she gazed at the Six Kingdoms¡¯ army. Hiro understood this feeling.


    Therefore, he did not bother to ask her why.


    ¡°You can leave the rest to me.¡±


    The numbers were overwhelmingly unfavorable. The ¡°Raven Army¡± would also have to fight.


    It was going to be a tough fight. There was a great possibility that the enemy would reach the ¡°Raven Army¡± main camp.


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± was allowed to move freely as a volunteer army, but that did not mean that they could y around. In order to raise the morale of the Grantz, they would have to fight even harder in order to burn the existence of the small nation of Baum into the Six Kingdoms.


    ¡°I also want to pay back the debt from two years ago.¡±


    He looked in the direction of the Anguis army, where Lucia would be. The opponent must want to end this battle in a short period.


    They must be in a hurry to avoid being caught in the rear by the Grantz forces that were invading the northern nk. If Grantz could take advantage of this opportunity, they can easily ignore the gap in numbers.


    ¡°A day or two¡­ Skaaha, have you heard where the main Grantz army is right now?¡±


    ¡°After defeating thebined forces of Tigris and Scorpius, they haveunched an attack on the former royal capital. This is information from three days ago, so the Grantz may be holding the former royal capital as early as today.¡±


    There was little point in attacking the former royal capital, which was now in ruins.


    If profit was the priority¨Dbut it was a strategically important base.


    The former royal capital, located in the center of the region, was one of the key points from which the entire Felzen region can be seen.


    The Six Kingdoms would probably want to avoid simply surrendering the former royal capital in order to buy more time.


    The remnants of Tigris and Scorpius, who were defeated by the main Grantz army led by Liz, and the Urpeth army were holed up in the former royal capital, where resistance was expected to be fierce.


    Even with Aura¡¯s military strategy, it was impossible to defeat them in a few days. It would take a considerable number of days for the main Grantz army to reach here.


    If that was the case¨D¨D,


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to hope that the Third Army of Grantzmanders are good.¡±


    Right now, the priority was to buy time.


    But the opponent would want to settle this in the short term and wouldunch an onught from the first round.


    That was why there were many uncertainties. If there was a situation in which the Grantz Third Army copsed early, it would not be easy to rebuild.


    It would be good if themander of the Third Army of Grantz understood that.


    ¡°It has begun¡­¡±


    Despite Hiro¡¯s anxiety, the signal for the start of the battle was heard from both armies. The horns were blown high, and the sound of drums echoed endlessly.


    Soldiers from both armies shouted and shook the air to intimidate their opponents.


    A violent cloud of dust began to rise from the front as they began their assault.


    Soon, what could be heard echoing out was a storm of sword fights that were so fierce that they were knocking each other¡¯s bodies against the ground.


    It was clear that the Third Army of Grantz and the First Army of Azel had shed.


    ¡°Judging from the dust¡­ I wonder if the opponent has been giving it their all from the beginning. Are they ying small, or are they up to something?¡±


    In contrast, the Third Army of Grantz moved slowly. It can be seen just by looking at the front line from the rear.


    Themander seemed to have used a passive strategy. They joined up without thinking about anything else. He seemed to be faithfully following orders from the main army. It was apparent that he was an honest and serious man.


    It would not be so bad if there were no difference in numbers, but the tant soul trying to buy time would only give the other side an opportunity. It was as if they were asking their opponents to attack.


    ¡°We need to toughen up a bit.¡±


    Hiro called themander of the ¡°Raven Army.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Did you call for me?¡±


    After smiling at themander, who stood erect and waited for orders, Hiro turned his hand to the left.


    ¡°Could you please go over to the left and mess with the enemy¡¯s second line? If they chase after you, then good; if they don¡¯t, then you will have to disrupt their formation.¡±


    Before Hiro could ask how many men he would need, he replied.


    ¡°Five hundred is enough. I am sure it will be as you wish.¡±


    He turned his back on Hiro.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s the result of Ghada¡¯s education¡­¡±


    He seemed a little stiff, but his quick thinking was not a bad thing. If he could sense Hiro¡¯s intentions, that would be even better.


    ¡°Well, what else should we do¡­?¡±


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± now has 1,500 left, and Hiro silently pondered.


    If the battle proceeded as Hiro expected, the third army of Grantz would have only a limited number of cards.


    The only way to buy time without reducing their numbers until the arrival of Grantz¡¯s main army would be to maintain morale.


    This passive strategy must have lowered the morale of the soldiers.


    If it were true, the usual way would be to fight without being noticed by either friend or foe¨Dbut this seemed to be too much for themander of the Third Army of Grantz. Then he would have to show enough sess to maintain morale. However, spectacr war results were not expected from the Third Army of Grantz. If that was the case, the role would naturally fall to the ¡°Raven Army.¡± It was unknown how far they could go with only 2,000 men, but it was better than nothing.


    ¡°Skaaha, I¡¯ll leave the 500 here. If you need anything¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    It was Luca who said so.


    Hiro looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°We must finish this battle and find Hugin as soon as possible.¡±


    Hiro was afraid to take her with him because of her unstable state of mind. This was because he did not know how she would behave.


    If she continued to be able to answer clearly and respond, it was fine, but if she became unable to do anything, as was the case earlier, her life could be in danger.


    Even so, if he didn¡¯t take her with him, she was sure to start acting up here. Hiro¡¯s shoulders slumped in resignation.


    ¡°Okay. Then, let¡¯s lead the thousand together to break the enemy¡¯s first line.¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    A moment after the battle with the Third Army of Grantz began.


    In the main camp of the Anguis army, the officials were moving around in a flurry of activity.


    Lucia was checking the situation, eating a piece of fruit, and looking at the map.


    ¡°After all, the Third Army of Grantz was trying to buy time. I can¡¯t feel any spirit in the battle.¡±


    ¡°Was it all right for us to give it our all?¡±


    The officials checked with Lucia with a tense look on their faces. The reason might be that they were afraid of the Grantz.


    The defeat two years ago was still lingering in the air.


    To dispel their fears, Lucia answered with a rxed tone.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. First, we need to mislead them with our numbers and keep their eyes on us.¡±


    The strategy of the Anguis army was to fight with all their might in the early stages, deceive the eyes of the Third Army of Grantz, and then rxter. It was also meant to conserve their strength for the future.


    ¡°But the most important thing is to set up a pincer attack.¡±


    To do so, they would have to wait for the arrival of the 3,000 troops who could not make it to the rally this time.


    It was to be aimed at the back of the Third Army of Grantz.


    In order to meet Grantz¡¯s main army at all costs, the battle with the Third Army had to end with only minor damage.


    Therefore, the most important question now was which reinforcements would arrive here first.


    ¡°Has the main Grantz army captured the former royal capital yet?¡±


    ¡°No, it should not have fallen yet. Tigris, Scorpius, and Urpeth seem to be doing well.¡±


    ¡°The long-eared peoples will flee at a moderate pace¡­¡±


    Even if they tried hard to resist, it was unlikely that they would be able to withstand an attack by the main army of the Grantz.


    Rumors about the sixth princess had been heard a lot over the past two years.


    If they believed these rumors, including the ones that were spurious, then the former royal city would surely fall.


    ¡°¡­It will be five days before the main army of the Grantz arrives here.¡±


    ¡°If so, it will be quicker this way. The army that failed to assemble is expected to arrive in three days.¡±


    ¡°Enough, let us fight at leisure¡­ Wha!? The ck Dragon King?¡±


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± was messing around with the second group as they looked out over the battlefield.


    The fact that they poked them a little didn¡¯t hurt or itch them.


    But¡­


    ¡°We¡¯ll need a little push. Take one of the reserve units and send it to chase after the ¡°Raven Army¡± that is wandering around.¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s see what kind of maneuvering theye up with because even a monkey can do it if it¡¯s just a frontal fight.¡±


    It was not as if Baum or the Third Army of Grantz were inept.


    The other side woulde up with some kind of move. They would also want to buy time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give them two days, during which they can try all sorts of tricks.¡±


    ¡°Everything seems to be going well over here?¡±


    When she looked up, she saw Nameless. When Lucia unfolded her fan, she hid her mouth, and her voice was full of excitement.


    ¡°¡­A defeated general, though you bragged about it so much, it seems that your watchdog was useless.¡±


    ¡°I had miscalcted a little. The red-haired princess is stronger than I imagined.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed as she wondered if he had been that cornered that he would honestly praise his enemy.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°You might want to change your mind.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to lose?¡±


    ¡°No, this time, Lucia-sama¡¯s cautious attitude saved my life. After all, a half-hearted effort will not be enough to stop her. We must fight with all our might.¡±


    ¡°Since I made you say that much¡­ it seems that a formidable foe has emerged.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this time, I will be serious too.¡±


    The voice was very serious, but the quality of the voice was somewhat joyful and bouncy.


    Nameless has also been on the battlefield for a long time. He was probably fascinated by the joy, fear, and despair that could only be experienced on the battlefield.


    ¡°First of all, we must destroy the ¡°Raven Army. We will eliminate the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± who will be the biggest obstacle to us in the future, right here.¡±


    Nameless dered strongly. Luciaughed out loud with amusement at the sight of him.


    ¡°Kakaka, this is getting fun.¡±


    Lucia, who hid her expression with a fan, was by no means smiling. Her eyes were smiling. She was happy as if to say that she was truly amused. However, her mouth was set in a straight line.


    The schemes she envisioned in her head, the barriers to bing a unified king, showed weakness.


    Considering her bitter life up to this point, it was not a very funny situation.


    An opportunity had just presented itself.


    (Atst¡­ but the time is not yet ripe.)


    Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed like snakes; her aim was only on Nameless.

 Volume 9, Chapter 5 – Ice Emperor, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 5 - Ice Emperor, Part 2</h4>


    September 27, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    A huge ruin spread out under the clear sky. It was the former royal capital, Scheue, which was once touted as the most beautiful city in Felzen.


    Bodies were piled up in the square where people used to rx, and the streets where merchants used to trade with each other were stained reddish ck with dried blood. The magnificent streets had been reduced to rubble, and no trace of the old days remained. Ravens now flew about, emaciated wild dogs roamed about, and rats jumped out of the gaps between the rubble.


    Aura was walking along such a badly foothold street.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t find Her Highness anywhere.¡±


    Aura reacted to the voice filled with impatience and turned her head to her subordinate walking next to her.


    ¡°¡­Anywhere?¡±


    The main Grantz Army, which had upied the former royal capital yesterday, was currently hurrying to reorganize.


    The resistance of the Six Kingdoms was more fierce than ever, and as expected, they could not be unscathed.


    The damage to Grantz¡¯s army was less than 10,000, and for the Six Kingdoms, the death toll was over 30,000.


    Realizing that they could not win, the Six Kingdoms opened the gates andunched an assault. In a situation where they were surrounded, they took what could be called reckless measures.


    The result was as expected, but most of the corpses were ¡°human¡± soldiers.


    There were only a few bodies of the long-eared people¨Dthey managed to escape by sacrificing the humans.


    Sympathizing with the ¡°human¡± soldiers who were used as decoys, the Grantz advised them to surrender, and the ¡°human¡± soldiers on the Six Kingdoms¡¯ side must have lost their will to fight. They simply threw down their swords and surrendered. The number of prisoners of war was close to 10,000, but there were so many wounded that it took time to treat them, and the reorganization was muchter than nned. Because of this, the n to pincer Anguis, which controlled the western side of Felzen, was bing pointless.


    Aura, of course, was impatient, but if she showed it, it would cause uneasiness among the Grantz soldiers.


    Liz was also doing her job without showing her impatience, but before long, she was missing.


    ¡°It is possible that she is back at the pce.¡±


    ¡°I hope so¡­¡±


    If she went up the hill with her subordinate, she would reach Felzen¡¯s pce, which was once home to the royal family of Felzen. The pce where the royal family of Felzen once lived was set up as themand center, but it was filled with blood, grease, and a strange smell, and although there were remnants of what would have been a beautiful pce, it had been cruelly destroyed.


    If it had been so thoroughly destroyed, reconstruction would still be faster if the rubble were removed and rebuilt than if it were repaired.


    Aura appeared at themand center and stopped one of the officials.


    ¡°Have you seen Her Highness Celia Estre?¡±


    ¡°No, she hasn¡¯t been here today¡­¡±


    Aura put her hand on her forehead and shook her head in distress.


    A candidate for the next emperor was missing, and from a historical perspective, this was not unprecedented. There have always been one or two free-spirited people in the Grantz imperial family; more than one hand can count. The first of these was probably the founder of Grantz, the first emperor. However, just because there had been simr figures in the past did not exonerate them. Aura held her temples and pointed her finger at the soldier, whose face was paler than before.


    ¡°We need to send out a search party around the perimeter right away, and since there are still remnants of the enemy, we can¡¯t feel safe even if we upy the area.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Aura, who had seen the soldier¡¯s back off, crossed her arms, tilted her head, and groaned.


    Liz disappeared alone.


    Normally, she should be looking for her with bloodlust, but considering her ability, she honestly wouldn¡¯t be in any danger. However, she was an imperial princess who was about to take on the responsibility of a country.


    They should avoid any rash actions.


    ¡°Hmm? No, no way¡­ alone?¡±


    One possibility came to Aura¡¯s mind, but even if only one person went, the war situation would not change.


    Still, Aura sighed deeply again, unable to dismiss the possibility.


    ¡°¡­I have something to ask you.¡±


    Aura approached one of the officials.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡±


    He was the official in charge of the reorganization.


    ¡°What is the number of troops that will be ready to go out immediately?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Around 10,000, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Then let us head down to the Third Army as an advance force.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to spread out our forces here?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice. The situation is urgent.¡±


    They must take all the other measures they can.


    ¡°I¡¯m mad at her. I¡¯m really furious.¡±


    Aura was indignant as she scolded Liz. The official was surprised and cowed by Aura, who was revealing her anger.


    ¡°Aura-sama! I have a report for Aura-sama!¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Aura¡¯s eyes, which unusually contained anger, pierced through, and the person who was calling her name stopped in his tracks.


    He was Lawrence Alfred von Spitz. He belonged to the ¡°Imperial ck Knights¡± and was once Aura¡¯s close aide.


    ¡°Her Highness asked me to give this to Aura-sama.¡±


    Aura immediately epted the letter, and as she read it, she clicked her tongue.


    Then she looked at the official.


    ¡°¡­Pretend that what I said earlier never happened.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There is no longer any need for it. Let her do what she wants.¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    September 29, 1026th year of the Imperial Calendar.


    The battle between the Third Army of Grantz and the Army of the Six Kingdoms entered its third day.


    On the first day, the Six Kingdoms continued to fight with all their might, but on the second day, their movements began to slow down.


    On the third day, the Third Army of Grantz was pushed back by a fierce attack.


    The front line was being pushed so hard that it almost reached the ¡°Raven Army¡¯s¡± main camp, which had been built in the rear.


    The front line was in turmoil, and a cloud of blood covered the field of vision. Every time a shout of rage was exchanged, many lives were trampled down. The soldiers of both armies threw away their dignity and self-respect, desperately swung their swords to protect their own lives, and leaped like beasts at the enemy standing in front of them.


    ¡°This is not good.¡±


    Hiro, who was watching from the main camp of the ¡°Raven Army,¡± expressed his dismay at the inadequacy of the Grantz forces.


    The disadvantage in numbers was unbearable, but even so, the opponent took the trouble of going along with them to stall for time. Perhaps they were overconfident in their own strength, but when the attack wasunched at full force, the Grantz forces became confused and lost inprehension. The war situation changed from moment to moment. It couldn¡¯t be the same as yesterday. The higher-ups in the Third Army of the Grantz Army may have gained strange confidence after the third day of fighting against 50,000 troops, but they had becent. This led to the current situation.


    ¡°You can never let your guard down in a war¡­¡±


    Having made the judgment that themander of the Third Army of Grantz was ipetent, Hiro rose from his chair.


    ¡°Skaaha, can I leave the main camp to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You go out there and fight with everything you¡¯ve got. Don¡¯t worry about us.¡±


    Skaaha replied strongly, raising the ¡°Ice Emperor.¡±


    Hiro responded to her with aplicated smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you. Fight as you like, with no regrets.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I appreciate it.¡±


    Turning his back on her as she looked away with a smile, Hiro called out to Luca.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the front. You¡¯re ready, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no problem. I am always ready.¡±


    Hiro straddled the swift dragon and headed for the front, weaving his way through the gaps between the soldiers.


    On the way, the leader of the thousand cavalry came running alongside him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we are ready. We can leave at any time.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ then, let¡¯s push back the front line.¡±


    Once they reached the front of the thousand brave men who were lining up, they could see the front line clearly.


    The Third Army of Grantz had arge hole in the center.


    The Six Kingdoms Army had entered through the hole and was trying to break through the Third Army from the inside.


    Hiro pulled out the ¡°Dark Emperor¡± at his waist.


    ¡°Raise the g!¡±


    The g of the ck Dragon was raised along with the g of the bnce of the small country of Baum at Hiro¡¯smand.


    With the tip of his sword pointed toward the front line, Hiro inhaled.


    ¡°Take them all¨Dcharge!¡±


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± of 1,000 men, including Hiro, rushed forward with great vigor¨Dall on horseback.


    Passing the disorganized third line, overtaking the copsed second line, and reaching the destroyed first line, Hiro jumped off from the back of the swift dragon.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He then grabbed one of the Six Kingdoms¡¯ soldiers by the throat and cut off the head of the enemy soldier who wasing up behind him. A spray of blood colored the world. The enemy soldiers retreated with their eyes peeled, but Hiro pounced on them mercilessly.


    ¡°What happened to the momentum you had just now?¡±


    The overflowing fresh blood stained the ground red, and the repeated trampling created muddy ck mud.


    When such overwhelming power was disyed, any ordinary person would be frightened. Just because it¡¯s war doesn¡¯t mean that everyone was in it to die. Not everyone wanted to face it, but it was not something that could be ignored. Against an opponent who possessed the power of a monster, it was necessary to confront someone who had the same power.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time¡­¡±


    The voice came from behind the wall of soldiers surrounding Hiro.


    Like a wave breaking, a gap appears in the wall of soldiers. Two figures walked majestically through the gap.


    ¡°Is ¡®ck Dragon King¡¯ correct for now?¡±


    Lucia Revere de Anguis, Queen of Anguis.


    ¡°We meet again, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Nameless, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Greif.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯vee to pay you back.¡±


    When Hiro said that, Lucia looked around.


    ¡°The situation is simr to that time.¡±


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± of 1,000 is fighting the Six Kingdoms far in the rear. The situation was certainly simr to when Hiro feigned death in battle.


    ¡°Not really; I¡¯m not going to take it easy on you like I did that time.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ that¨Dbut this battle is mine to win, you know?¡±


    Lucia pointed with her fan at the rear of the ¡°Raven Army,¡± even further behind the main camp.


    A fierce cloud of dust rose, and at the same time, a cry was heard. The upheaval was carried through the air to Hiro¡¯s location.


    A violent sound that should not have been possible reached him.


    Hiro did not look back once but adjusted the position of the mask with his right hand.


    ¡°¡­It looks like it¡¯s going to be tough back there, too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Arge amount of dust was being raised from the main Anguis camp.


    Because both Grantz and the Six Kingdoms were only thinking about prolonging the battle.


    Hiroughed. Heughed with a truly joyful smile.


    ¡°I had to y a few tricks on it.¡±


    Hiro had spent three days attacking the second line of Anguis¡¯s army while breaking off his troops into small pieces. It rallied at another location, and on the third day, he let it go around behind the main Anguis line.


    ¡°It¡¯s more fun this way, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Ha, I see we¡¯re all thinking the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Not only that, look to the side.¡±


    Hiro turned his hand to his right. The eyes of Lucia and the others were drawn in that direction.


    The Anguis soldiers groaned. They were looking at the crest banner of the Great Grantz Empire.


    ¡°The main Grantz Army has arrived.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just the g, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lucia dismissed it as a child¡¯s trick. Her gaze remained fixed on Hiro, and she showed no signs of dismay. She calmly took in the situation and concentrated on the enemy in front of her. It was a very impressive performance, even from an enemy¡¯s point of view.


    ¡°You are right.¡±


    Hiro apuded. But the horror of this n was yet toe.


    ¡°If everyone understands it, it won¡¯t work. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re the only one who knows about it. Shall I upset you a little?¡±


    Themander, who had seen through the n, was glued to the floor by Hiro. Even if he could give instructions, it would only be to those around him, so even if he raised his voice to convey the message, it could cause unnecessary upset to the entire army if it was received strangely. There was nothing more fragile than an army that has fallen into a state of doubt and suspicion.


    Lucia clicked her tongue as if she understood what he was exining to her.


    ¡°¡­Very clever of you¡­¡±


    But Lucia¡¯s triumphant face never wavered.


    ¡°Right, I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    Lucia began to fan herself with her iron fan and smiled in an endlessly provocative manner.


    ¡°I had an unusual attendant before. Was that a spy you sent?¡±


    A powerful killing intent swelled up in response to Lucia¡¯s words. It was not from Hiro but from further back.


    At that moment, the ce where Lucia was standing caved in.


    Shaking off the dust, Luca came out.


    ¡°What have you done to Hugin?¡±


    Luca red at Lucia, who had evaded her attack with a vicious look more terrifying than a demon¡¯s. Brushing the dust from her clothes, Lucia smiled morously at Luca.


    ¡°Again and again. A woman who was born into royalty but always used as a toy?¡±


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Having lost all sense of reason, Luca leaped at Lucia with the agility of a beast.


    Nameless appears in front of Hiro, who was watching the battle between the two from a distance.


    ¡°Then, shall I be your opponent?¡±


    Nameless tapped his tin cane on the ground. The decorated bell made a pleasant sound.


    Hiro looked at the tin cane and readied the ¡°Dark Emperor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll y with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, don¡¯t you mind ck Dragon King?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hiro wonders at Nameless¡¯s aloof attitude as if making small talk.


    ¡°The enemy appeared in the rear of the Third Army of the Grantz. I believe the main camp of the ¡°Raven Army¡± was located there.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve entrusted it to someone I can trust.¡±


    When Hiro said so, Nameless¡¯ mouth, which was hidden from view through his hood, arched up.


    ¡°Then, shall I tell you the name of themander who attacked the ¡°Raven Army¡±?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    But Nameless¡¯ character would not keep quiet.


    ¡°The one who ambushed the ¡®Raven Army¡¯ was Urpeth¨Dthemander¡¯s name is First Prince Stobel.¡±


    He really did have a dehumanizing personality. He had a bad taste for dropping bombs after a lot of information and impatience.


    ¡°¡­I take back what I said before. I¡¯m a little intrigued.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s very nice to hear.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll y with you in return.¡±


    Hiro put the de of the Dark Emperor on his shoulder and pointed his hand at Nameless as if to provoke him.

 Volume 9, Epilogue

    <h4>Volume 9, Epilogue</h4>


    The blue sky was painted ck by smoke rising from the ground.


    The clouds were so eroded that it was impossible to navigate, and the wind carried a strange odor that alerted people to something strange.


    A great number of corpses were lying on the ground, the source of the disaster.


    Grudge, despair,mentation, and the corpses tell a variety of stories. Among them, the most prominent one is probably fear. The number of corpses shedding tears and reaching out in the direction of their hometowns is unimaginablyrge.


    Ravens, in search of food, descend to the ground. Pecking and scurrying to the next meal.


    In front of such a pile of corpses, a masked king sat alone on the ground.


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s over.¡±


    Arge cloud of dust is seen drifting away in the opposite direction.


    With the entry of the Steichen Republic into the war, the flow haspletely returned to the side of the Grantz.


    The Six Kingdoms seemed to have chosen the path of retreat after theirmander was wounded.


    ¡°All that is left is for her to do well, and there will be no problem.¡±


    Hiro looked around and saw Luca nearby, holding up Hugin and keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings.


    Around them was the ¡°Raven Army,¡± an elite force of men in ck armor.


    Finally, Hiro looked down at his feet.


    ¨D¨DThree Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword were thrust into the ground.


    The tremendous high spirits could be felt in each of them. Each and every one of them showed a strong will.


    ¡°¡­Skaaha, your pledge is fulfilled.¡±


    The three Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword disappeared when he held up his hand. They disappeared from the world without a trace.


    Hiro stood up and looked to where the Grantz army was waiting.


    ¡°Liz, there¡¯s only one.¡±


    Hiro turned his back to Grantz¡¯s army and began to walk.


    It¡¯s an endless, mind-boggling journey to wherever it leads.


    The wind blew his cloak, piercing the air, and the autumn breeze caressed his cheeks.


    ¡°¨D¨DThe only one that remains is the me Emperor.¡±

 Volume 9, Afterword

    <h4>Volume 9, Afterword</h4>


    Thank you for picking up a copy of ¡°The Otherworldly Tales of a Mythological, Legendary Hero Vol 9.¡±


    For those of you who have continued reading from the previous volume, Happy New Year!


    The season of the big annual event has arrived.


    However, I wrote this afterword in 2017, and volume 9 will be delivered to you in 2018. Therefore, the New Year has not yet begun at this time. It is a strange feeling to write a New Year¡¯s greeting even though the year has not yet begun here. Why do I feel as if I am getting old one step earlier¡­?


    Anyway, don¡¯t you feel excited about the New Year?


    Let¡¯s do what we couldn¡¯t dost year. New goals keep popping into my head, like, ¡°This year, I¡¯m going to do this and this.¡± It is also the time of year when we look forward to seeing how many of them we can aplish. You have many choices, whether you want to spend a busy year or a leisurely one. I would like to take a pause and enjoy my days in moderation, but I think life is interesting because you never know what will happen, so I will say something cool and wish you all a happy new year.


    Now, then, the usual one¨Dhave you all seen the cover?


    You can probably tell without me having to say anything. Skaaha is a beauty - there is nothing more beautiful than the profile of a woman who has made up her mind. Her breasts are hidden by her solid armor, but I am sure that even so, with your imagination, you would be able to see them! If only you could look at the book with bloodshot eyes, sniffing and licking it! I think it is possible to see through it.


    I would like to talk about Hiro. I really would, but there are only a few lines left, so I will give my gratitude.


    To Miyuki Ruria-sama, your charming illustrations are the driving force that excites my chuunibyou heart¨Dbeautiful illustrations are the expression of new abilities.


    To Editor I, I am truly sorry for the trouble I have caused you. I am sure you must be fed up with the increasing number of imperfections year by year, but I hope that you will continue to help me.


    To the editorial staff, proofreaders, designers, and everyone else involved in this work, thank you for your continued support.


    To the readers, thanks to your support, we were able to sessfully release Volume 9. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation.


    We will continue to send out more unabated chuuni in the future, so please give us your support.


    We look forward to seeing you again.

 Volume 10, Prologue

    <h4>Volume 10, Prologue</h4>


    The boy had nothing.


    He had no power to help anyone, to protect anyone, to save anyone.


    He could not ask for it, he could not want it, he could not beg for it, he was like a child, but he could not obtain it.


    There was no choice but to be shocked and ept the fact that he was an ordinary person.


    He could do nothing but watch their backs, biting his lips in frustration.


    But then¨D¨D,


    ¡°Boy. Don¡¯t you want power?¡±


    What will people do when the power they crave appears before them?


    Sweet, sweet, temptation¨Da realm that should never be entered.


    Above all, what was offered to the boy was not the blessing of the white goddess but the desire of the ck devil.


    Just by looking at the other¡¯s face, he could tell what they were thinking.


    ¡°You want to catch up with them, don¡¯t you? You want power like theirs, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The hesitation creates a gap¨Dthe ck feeling inside the boy grows bigger.


    ¡°Power that makes everyone prostrate themselves, the power that makes everyone bow their heads, power that makes everyone bend their knees.¡±


    The boy, an ordinary human, had no way to resist, he had no power to resist, and he had no will to get rid of it.


    No¨Dperhaps he had no choice to refuse in the first ce.


    The very fact that what he wanted was right in front of his eyes was enough to make his fingers move.


    His rational mind was pleading denial. Yet his body affirmed it, and his heart trembled with delight.


    An unbearable moan escaped from the back of his throat.


    The boy rushed to cover his mouth, but the figure in front of him smiled, not missing a beat.


    ¡°What is there to hide? Originally¨Dthat¡¯s what a ¡°human race¡± is all about, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The man was extraordinarily kind, his eyes never smiling, but his mouth arched.


    ¡°Be faithful to your desires, let go of your aspirations, and follow your ambitions. Seize everything with overwhelming force. ept the truth of the world. The weak will bow down, and the strong willugh. The weak crawl on the ground, the strong fly in the sky. When you are strong, there is no unfulfilled hope.¡±


    The mysterious figure spoke passionately, then extended his ck hand to the boy again.


    ¡°Use all your power, all your wiles, all your schemes, and take everything into your own hands.¡±


    The sweet nectar entangled his body.


    Unable to move, the boy just stared at the figure in front of him.


    ¡°Thou¨Ddost thou desire power?¡±


    The boy reached for the forbidden fruit.


    With the hope of catching up with them, he reached for the forbidden fruit¡­

 Volume 10, Chapter 1 – Wriggling Darkness, Part 1

    <h4>Volume 10, Chapter 1 - Wriggling Darkness, Part 1</h4>


    It was a time when the ¡°demon tribe¡± was still a powerful and absolute ruler.


    A dark age in which many nations fell, rose and fell again.


    Under the oracle of the ¡°Faceless King,¡± one of the Five Great Heavenly Kings, the leaders of the ¡°demon tribe,¡± known as the Twelve Demon Lords, set out to unify the central continent.


    If you were not a demon, you were not a person¨Dthey showed no mercy for their demon supremacy.


    They destroyed even those countries that surrendered to them simply because they were of another race.


    Repeated wars, the winds of disease spreading across the devastatednd, and the piles of corpses gave rise to new infectious diseases, and the world was overflowing with wreckage.


    The gods of the ¡°Five Great Heavenly Kings,¡± except for the ¡°Faceless King,¡± took the situation very seriously and extended their hands to other races.


    However, the oppressive rule of the powerful ¡°demon tribe¡± could not be stopped, and the power of the ¡°Faceless King¡± increased.


    Eventually, the ¡°demon tribe¡± came to power.


    They deprived the ¡°human race¡± of their freedom, oppressed the ¡°long-eared race,¡± caused the ¡°beastman¡± to starve, and continued to abuse the ¡°dwarf¡± race.


    One day, however, one thing, and one thing only, was their miscalction.


    Pride, rooted in the strong, a desire for stimtion and a bit of yfulness, led them to their doom.


    The ¡°Lionheart King,¡± who was born among the ¡°human race,¡± and the ¡°Hero King,¡± who was born to save the ¡°human race.


    The existence of these two men instilled fear in the hearts of the previously powerful ¡°demon tribe.¡±


    The Twelve Demon Lords were no exception. One of them, Hydra, was the same.


    Especially the horror of the twin ck boys¨Dit was when the war between the ¡°demon tribe¡± and the ¡°human race¡± reached its climax.


    Hydra was defeated in the war and taken into custody by the twin ck boys.


    ¡°Finally¡­ it looks like we can start.¡±


    The boy said. He had a soft face as if he could not kill even an insect. But the ecstatic look on his face as he gazed at the torture devices created a distinct sense of difort, to the point of giving one the chills.


    ¡°¡­¡­What are you going to do?¡±


    When Hydra asked, the boy tilted his head and let out a smile that was somewhat natural.


    ¡°I want power.¡±


    The boy, who had flipped his ck robe, walked up to the restrained Hydra and brought his hand closer.


    ¡°I want the power to kill even a god.¡±


    ¡°You still want power; you would go that far¨D¨D!?¡±


    After his mouth was seized, Hydra was struck by a fear that could not be described in words.


    While his eyes were gouged out, he heard the boy¡¯s first dream.


    As his arms were cut off, he heard the boy¡¯s wishes.


    As his legs were cut off, he heard the boy¡¯s ideals.


    He learned of the boy¡¯s thoughts and feelings as his forehead was gouged out.


    What was it that transformed the boy, and who was it that made himck?


    No¨Dhe was broken from the beginning.


    He asked himself questions to escape from despair, but the torment did not bring relief, and before long, he was unable to think of anything else.


    After the destruction of his personality, his memories were painted in ck.


    He clung to the boy¡¯s conscience, tearfully begging for his life and clinging to it even as he was tortured and tormented.


    He continued to endure the eternally repeated torture and repeatedly spat out words of apology to the boy, whoughed loudly.


    Sometimes hearing the cries of his fellow countrymen nearby, he simply continued to suffer the torment of being a loser all over again.


    Over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over again, he kept wishing.


    In a world that had lost its light¨Dhe kept cursing himself for being killed by the darkness.


    And then¨D¨D,


    ¡°¡­¡­Hah, hah, hah.¡±


    Hydra knew that it was a dream.


    He groped for a nearby water bottle to quench his thirst but couldn¡¯t find it. He crawled on the ground and finally hit a hard object.


    A loud noise caused him to reach in that direction and clutch the object.


    His hand trembled, and he was unable to open the lid properly.


    Still, he managed to control his trembling and managed to clear his throat.


    ¡°Were you having a nightmare?¡±


    It was the voice of hispatriot. It was Ladon, one of the twelve demon lords who survived the Great War, or rather, was kept alive. His appearance was no longer recognizable. The long thousand years have taken his image away from Hydra.


    It was not only Hydra who was deprived of ¡°light¡± by the boy that day. The same could be said for all of the twelve demon lords who were kept alive.


    ¡°I was dreaming of that day.¡±


    Hydra said as he touched his forehead and noticed the presence of a zing bonfire in front of him. But even though he could sense its presence, he could not see its color.


    Still, thanks to the presence that dispelled the night air, memories that had been obscured by nightmares began to return.


    ¡°It was time for me to leave¡­ to sleep, forgetting my role in the world.¡±


    The ¡°Faceless King¡± handed Hydra something in his arms, and he tried to stand up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There is no need to be in such a hurry. It will be a long time before you need it.¡±


    ¡°I have to crush my fears¡­ I won¡¯t be able to rest until I have his head on my shoulders.¡±


    ¡°Have a drink and calm down.¡±


    Hydra made a gesture with his hand to brush away any hint of the proffered object.


    ¡°No need! Finally, finally! One thousand years¡­ we have endured for a thousand years. The days of simply watching the country they left behind flourish are finallying to an end!¡±


    Hydra stood up vigorously.


    With that motion, his hood came off, exposing his scarred face to the outside world.


    Staring at Ladon with hollow eyes, Hydra exhaled wildly, his whole body shaking.


    ¡°Ladon, how can you be so calm!¡±


    The wind blew, irritating his skin like a freezing de. It made Hydra¡¯s old wounds tingle.


    ¡°Guuh¡­ Aah, aah, Ladon, I can¡¯t¡­ hold myself back anymore. The thought of getting revenge on him makes me lose my cool! Every time my wounds tingle, I am reminded of it. The glory days he stole from me! To get them back again, to get my eyes back, I need the¡­ magic stone.¡±


    Ladon let out a small sigh as Hydra crouched down, holding his face with both hands.


    ¡°A thousand years is a long time. That is why, Hydra, I can remain calm.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I thought it would never happen. I even gave up. I thought he had vanished into thin air. But now he has reappeared in the world¨Dand I can destroy the Grantz right in front of his eyes. How can we not rejoice in this? How can I not look forward to this?¡±


    Ladon broke off and looked at Hydra with hollow eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your anger cloud your vision.¡±


    A bonfire crackled, sending sparks flying.


    ¡°We will not tear him¨Dthe God of War¨Dto pieces until the Grantz is destroyed.¡±


    Perhaps calmed by Ladon¡¯s admonition, Hydra¡¯s smile deepened as he looked up.


    ¡°You are right¡­ Ladon. The Grantz will not escape their doom.¡±


    ¡°All is in the hands of our King. Nothing he can do will change that.¡±


    ¡°Our Father. Give death to the Grantz¨Dand glory to the demons.¡±


    When Hydra raised his hands to the night sky and said these words, Ladon did the same.


    ¡°Our Father. Give the fools eternal torment. Our Father. Bring peace to the saint.¡±

 Volume 10, Chapter 1 – Wriggling Darkness, Part 2

    <h4>Volume 10, Chapter 1 - Wriggling Darkness, Part 2</h4>


    Everyone says that the Great Grantz Empire was the supreme power of the central continent¨Dthe pinnacle of the ¡°human race.¡±


    There were very few countries that defy the Grantz, which had reigned at the top of the central continent for a thousand years.


    Therefore, the tyranny of the local nobles was noticeable.


    The arrogance of those who enjoyed peace led to a decline in their momentum, and the spark that had been smoldering had grown sorge that it had be unmanageable. The surrounding countries began to move under the surface, eager to destroy the Grantz.


    The numerous small-scale andrge-scale battles that have ensued¨Dwars that have been fought over and over again¨Dhave significantly reduced the country¡¯s power.


    As a result, the neighboring countries, which had been exploited as prey for a thousand long years, were now ready to bare their fangs, surround the waning lion, and devour the fat stored up in the lion¡¯s den.


    That said, there was little the people who ran the country during Grantz¡¯s reign could do.


    They only had the means to pray for victory in the war, and they repeatedly spent their days waiting for the safe return of their sons and husbands who had gone to the battlefield, prioritizing living for today over the uncertainty of tomorrow.


    October 10, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    dius, the capital city of the Great Grantz Empire, was the ideal home of the ¡°human race,¡±monly referred to as the ¡°Great Imperial Capital.¡±


    The symbol of its prosperity was not the numerous historical buildings but the central street that was the main entrance to Grantz.


    Rare local products from all over the world were brought here, and they were sold in a row of stores across the street.


    In addition, the statues of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz, towering over the busy central street, show off the greatness of Grantz.


    They watched over the people and inspired awe in visitors from other countries, imprinting awe in the hearts of the rulers of each nation.


    Before the wonder had even cooled, look up at the front of the city, and you would see the Imperial Pce Vian sitting in the center of the city.


    Despite its 1,000-year history, the grandeur of the pce had not diminished in the slightest, and it showed no signs of deterioration over the years.


    Rather, as the years went by, the mystique was emphasized, and the solemnity was enhanced, creating a new charm and showing others the might of the Grantz.


    On the east side of Vian, the residence and training ground of the elite ¡°Knights of the Golden Lion¡± of the First Imperial Army, the guardians of the Imperial Capital, was set up, and normally noisy noises could be heard, but on this particr day, it was quiet.


    It was no wonder because the ¡°Knights of the Golden Lion¡± were currently participating in the n to recapture Felzen in ordance with the sixth princess. Therefore, the army stationed in the Imperial Pce Vian at present was the army of Eastern nobles led by the Kelheit family, one of the five great noble families.


    Their leader, the Prime Minister of the Great Grantz Empire, who was also the acting head of the Kelheit family, was walking around the west side of the Imperial Pce Vian¨Dthe residence where the mansions of the nobles stand in a row.


    ¡°Cerberus!¡±


    A woman was walking down the corridor. Her expression was somewhat agitated.


    Yet this did not detract from her charm. Those who deride her as a ¡°foxdy¡± who wielded her power through cunning would be shocked to see her now, and they would turn their backs on her.


    There were soldiers standing guard at regr intervals in the corridor, but when she passed in front of them, they frantically followed her back with their eyes. She was within arm¡¯s reach, but they were not allowed to touch her or talk to her.


    She¨DMiste Cagliara Rosa von Kelheit¨Dwas the acting head of the Kelheit family, one of the five great noble families, and the Prime Minister of the Great Grantz Empire.


    ¡°Where are you, Cerberus?¡±


    With a face like a mother searching for her lost child, she quickly opened the door to the room, checked inside, and moved to the next door.


    ¡°Where did she go¡­?¡±


    Rosa put her hands on her hips in annoyance and stopped the patrolling soldier.


    ¡°Have you seen Cerberus?¡±


    The soldier shook his head nervously at the mention of the name, or rather, at being approached by Rosa.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am, I have not seen her today.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Sorry for interrupting your duties.¡±


    Rosa said in a dignified manner, and the soldier bowed his head repeatedly and left.


    After seeing the soldier off, Rosa brushed her hair out of her face and looked out the window.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost dinner time¡­¡±


    She thought of her lovely sister¡¯s beloved pet¨Dthe beautiful white-haired Cerberus¨Din her mind.


    A sacred animal said to live in the Eastern Isles, east of the central continent.


    Only royalty was allowed to keep this noble white wolf¨Dfor whatever reason; it came to Liz when she was very young.


    Liz came to the small country of Baum, east of Grantz, with the previous emperor, Greyheit, when she was a child and found Cerberus washed up on the shore.


    Cerberus appeared as if to save her from losing her emotions due to the shock of mourning her mother.


    Liz took care of the injured Cerberus in a caring manner, and when she saw her running around in good spirits, she was finally able to regain her smile. From then on, like sisters, Liz and Cerberus have nurtured their friendship to this day.


    Although they had always been one and the same, Liz realized that the battle to recapture Felzen would be a tough one and left Rosa to take care of Cerberus.


    Rosa remembers well that the emotional white wolf looked disapprovingly at Liz¡¯s back.


    ¡°What if¡­ she went after Liz?¡±


    Rosa thought that much but shook her head.


    Cerberus had been told repeatedly by Liz. She would never break that promise.


    She was an intelligent wolf.


    She understood humannguage, realized emotions, and acted with her own will.


    That¡¯s why the concern was that she was following her¡­


    ¡°Even if she traces the scent, too many months have passed. It would be impossible for Cerberus to follow the scent.¡±


    More than three months had passed since Liz left the Great Grantz Empire.


    As expected, even the smartest of individuals couldn¡¯t track her.


    She would not have the intelligence to memorize geography.


    No, Rosa just didn¡¯t know, but she may have a brain close to that of a person¡­


    In any case, white wolves did not inhabit the central continent. Since noparison exists, the ecology of Cerberus was not well understood.


    ¡°Then¡­ where is she?¡±


    Rosa pondered, but no good ideas came to mind, so she started walking aimlessly.


    She thought about grilling meat in the courtyard to lure her out by the smell, but the fact that she did note when she called out her name also meant that Cerberus was not in thepound.


    ¡°Should I send out a search party¡­?¡±


    It would be unlikely that they would find her, but one never knew unless one tried everything.


    Above all, if Cerberus was not present when her sister returned, it would be frightening just to imagine what would happen then.


    ¡°¡­I doubt she¡¯ll be back yet, though.¡±


    The ns of the Great Grantz Empire¨Dit¡¯s not going to be easy if one looks at the end of the line.


    The next time they would meet was next year or the year after, and the future was nothing like the night sky covered with clouds.


    That was why it was frightening. That was why it made her think about it.


    The worst possible oue¨Dto avoid it, even now Liz¡¯s camp was searching for the best way forward.


    ¡°But hopefully, if Liz returns¡­ she will take over the throne of the Grantz.¡±


    The preparations were being made.


    The greatest peace that can be brought to the Great Grantz Empire had yet to show any stability.


    Without the people, there would be no country. However, a country cannot exist without its emperor.


    The previous emperor¡¯s death, Greyheit, could no longer be concealed.


    ¡°For that reason, we have to take back Felzen, and once we have what we need, no one will object.¡±


    It was only a matter of time.


    When the pus of a thousand years erupts, the world would transform.


    No one will be a stranger.


    No human being had the means to resist the fate that they would be forced to be a part of.


    Whether they cry, scream, get angry, orugh, there was only one destination.


    ¡°Only God knows what the oue will be¡­¡±


    Even with all the scheming and intrigue, things don¡¯t always go ording to n.


    The greed of dozens, thousands, and tens of thousands of people were involved.


    There was no way to know who the goddess of victory would smile on.


    ¡°No¡­ it might be the devil who smiles.¡±

 Volume 9, Chapter 3 – Every Speculation, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3 - Every Spection, Part 5</h4>


    ¡°Liz, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I felt something strange, so I came outside.¡±


    ¡°Enemy spies?¡±


    ¡°No, it was just the grass swaying in the wind.¡±


    Lizughed and then turned to Aura, who was approaching from behind.


    ¡°I¡¯m amazed at how much you¡¯ve grown, Liz-dono, to even be able to sense the presence of grass.¡±


    Skaaha appeared while cracking a joke.


    When she came outside, she took one look at the Hill of Tragedy that Liz had just been looking at, nodded her head in agreement, and then looked at her with interest.


    For some reason, Liz felt that she was being observed and unintentionally averted her gaze from Skaaha, but she was puzzled by her immediate reaction, which she did not fully understand.


    Liz hid her inner turmoil and changed the subject to avoid unnecessary scrutiny.


    ¡°More importantly, was that really the right thing for Skaaha to do?¡±


    Skaaha would be working with the ¡°Raven Army¡± from tomorrow. She wanted to be separated from Liz and the others. The reason for this was clear. Liz and her group would be heading for Scheue, the former royal capital of Felzen.


    ording to a report from a spy, it was in the same ruinous and unbearable condition as the town of Nex, where they were currently staying. So, when Skaaha offered to apany the small country of Baum rather than go to the devastated former royal capital of Scheue, Liz was very relieved.


    ¡°Yes¡­ because I have no doubt that the situation is worse than it was two years ago.¡±


    It was the kind of bandits¨Dcriminals¨Dwho attacked the former royal capital, which had lost its king, soldiers, and people.


    That was probably why the Six Kingdoms moved the capital. It would take far less effort to repair the burnt-down houses, repair the looted pces, and bring back the residents who had fled.


    ¡°It sounds pathetic, but I¡¯m not sure if I could keep myposure if I saw the royal capital.¡±


    Liz nodded silently at Skaaha¡¯s honest confession of her feelings.


    Liz did not have any words to say to Skaaha. The original source of the destruction of Felzen was the Great Grantz Empire. It was notforting for a person who belonged to the Grantz Imperial Family, the source of the destruction, to say to Skaaha that she understood how she felt.


    The only thing that Liz could do was to express her feelings of apology to Skaaha¨Dor Felzen¨Din her attitude rather than words and in her actions rather than her demeanor.


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet up againter. Then it will be time for Felzen to be liberated.¡±


    A change was made from the original n, and the attack on Felzen was to be made from two sides.


    The reason for this was that the speed of the invasion by the First and Second Armies was faster than expected.


    The First and Second Armies, which had already begun their actions, were scheduled to continue on their current course to the former royal capital of Scheue, where they would be joined by the main army led by Liz. The remaining Third Army and the small country of Baum invaded from the southern direction, ying the role of suppressing the movement of Anguis.


    The current n was for Liz and her forces, who had seized the former royal capital of Scheue, to move south tounch a pincer attack on Anguis and annihte it, thereby driving out the Six Kingdoms from Felzen.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve finallye this far. I will do my best.¡±


    ¡°And although you have the approval of the small country of Baum, be careful; it can be tiring to be in an unfamiliar environment.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your concern, but¡­ Felzen is also an unfamiliar ce for Liz-dono and Aura-dono. I hope you both take good care of yourselves.¡±


    Liz smiled at Skaaha¡¯s kind words, but a question suddenly crossed her mind.


    ¡°But why the small country of Baum?¡±


    Skaaha chose to work with the ¡°Raven Army¡± rather than the Third Army of Grantz.


    Certainly, given the current situation in Felzen, not many people would listen to Skaaha¡¯s words. This was especially true in the Anguis-controlled West. It would be better if they only cursed her, but there was a possibility that they would throw stones at her.


    However, if she couldn¡¯t go to the front anyway, she could have stayed in the rear with the Third Army. The reason why she bothered to choose the ¡°Raven Army,¡± which was further back, was unclear.


    ¡°¡­I wanted to have a little chat with the ck Dragon King.¡±


    Liz was expecting Skaaha to dodge the question, but she told her honestly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to find out what he¡¯s thinking for the past two years¨Dor is it already three years?¡±


    ¡°And I hope you can have a meaningful conversation with him.¡±


    Liz was curious about what she was going to talk about, but as expected, she would not be honest with her about the contents of the conversation. Skaaha was a good person, so she would eventually tell her story. Liz had no choice but to send her off with that thought in mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you have a strange feeling in your ¡®eye¡¯?¡±


    The topic had been left vague because of Liz¡¯s sudden departure from the room.


    ¡°Yes, I wanted to know what you two thought about that.¡±


    Liz stepped inside the house and invited them in.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the details inside.¡±


    Just before closing the door¨DLiz took one look at the Hill of Tragedy and disappeared into the mansion.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    September 18th, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    A port town in the Felzen region bordering the Anfini Sea¨Dlike many others, this town had be awless zone due to the war with the Grantz. Pirate ships were stopping at the port with an air of self-importance, repeatedly looting the surrounding viges.


    But that was a long time ago, and now, sensing the attack of the Grantz, they have fled to the sea, and the town was a deserted wreck.


    The bloodstained beach was littered with a great number of corpses. The clothes they were wearing indicated that they were probably residents who had failed to escape. All of them showed signs of torture, and the bodies were severely damaged.


    Someone was walking with a light gait on the beach, which reeked of death.


    The person was dressed like a pilgrim, wearing a hood and holding a tin cane in his hand.


    If there were people there, they might have mistaken the person for a priest who hade to offer prayers to those who had died of a tragic event.


    However, those who knew the person were all calling him Nameless.


    After leaving the beach, Nameless entered a rocky area with poor footholds.


    Eventually, he arrives at an eerie cave, the depths of which are so dark that he could not see whaty ahead.


    Without any hesitation at all, Nameless stepped into the ce where a normal person would have stepped back.


    The air inside was colder than that of a prison. A beastly snarl was emanating from the air as if to repel intruders, and drops of water sliding on the rocky surface fell to the ground, elerating the eerie atmosphere.


    Even so, there was even a hint of a smile on Nameless¡¯s face.


    Like a child on his way to a secret base, his steps were light and bouncy.


    Eventually, Nameless stopped walking. Ahead of his eyes, he saw what looked like an altar sitting on the ground.


    On the altar, tens of thousands of candles were lit all at once, and the bones of humans, animals, and ¡°monsters¡± were randomly ced. Around them, blood was still sttered. In the center of what appears to be the scene of a gruesome murder, a muscr, white-haired man, his limbs chained together, groans.


    ¡°Oh¨D¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes were unfocused, and he iled about, trying to tear the chains off, but he soon grew tired and hung limply. The color of the skin was a deep purple, so dark that it was hard to believe that he was human.


    He was not human. Neither is he a beastman. He was an ambiguous being that belongs to neither¨Dif one were to use an analogy, it would be safe to say that the man was a ¡°monster.¡± The sound of gravel echoed in the cave as Nameless stepped closer to the man.


    ¡°¡­You are finally here.¡±


    The man¡¯s expression changed from the previous one, and he showed a sense of calmness.


    The eyes that have been looking up at Nameless can be seen as the color of reason, although it is murky.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not bad. The ¡°food¡± was also plentiful.¡±


    The man looked at the bones scattered on the ground, drooling profusely from his half-open mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. It looks like I made the right choice in choosing this ce.¡±


    Satisfied, Nameless nodded his head repeatedly. Then he tilted his head, and his smile deepened.


    ¡°It is time to go. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­No problem. I won¡¯t run out of control as I did before.¡±


    ¡°Then, I have a partner who might be just right for you to get used to it.¡±


    Nameless said in a light tone and tapped the tip of his tin can on the ground. The sound of the bell echoes through the cave, and all the bats that had been resting fly off at once.


    ¡°¡­Who was it? Do I know him?¡±


    ¡°One of the five great generals of the Great Granz Empire¨Dthe strong arm Cain.¡±


    The man sighed when he heard the name and snorted derisively.


    ¡°That man from the central¡­ he¡¯s a man with a brain that only knows how to fight.¡±


    ¡°A convenient opponent to try, isn¡¯t he? After that, I¡¯ll have you fight the Sixth Princess of the Great Grantz Empire.¡±


    ¡°¡­I hope she¡¯s getting stronger.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s stronger than you expect.¡±


    The manughed loudly as Nameless assured him. With tears streaming down his face, the man¡¯sughter intensifies as he dances with the chains that bind his limbs as if to say that he has been waiting for this.


    ¡°Fuh, kukukuku¡­ as expected of the rightful Grantz, the holy bloodline Grantz¨Dthe princess who inherited the crimson of destruction.¡±


    The man¡¯s joy was short-lived. His expression immediately became expressionless, his cloudy eyes wandered about, and arge amount of drool dripped from his mouth onto the ground. Seeing this, Nameless distorted his mouth and let out a zero tone of voice.


    ¡°Give death to the poor cursed princess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I understand.¡±


    Nameless nodded and pulled his body close to the man, who obediently nodded and whispered quietly in his ear even though they were the only two people in the room.


    ¡°That¡¯s your role, okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ my dear, dear¨D¡­ victory for you. I will surely twist them to death with my own hands and offer up their ursed souls.¡±


    Away from the man who had begun to move violently, Nameless looked up at the ceiling of the cave, which had begun to crumble.


    Dust and debris were raining down incessantly, unable to withstand the man¡¯s violent power.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Ovee the curse of the spirit. Then you will be elevated to the one and only.¡±


    The man screamed as he broke the chains. It was a maniacal cry of anger, sadness, and joy, a mixture of all three emotions.


    Nameless¡¯s mouth was stained with joy.


    It was a deep, dark, ck smile.


    ¡°We must take revenge on the Grantz¨Dlet our hatred be heard throughout the world!¡±


    Two loudughs echoed in the cave, which had begun to copse.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 3 – Every Speculation, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3 - Every Spection, Part 6</h4>


    The new royal capital of Felzen was set at Sandinal in the southwest.


    Although the Six Kingdoms forcibly promoted the transfer of the capital, no one objected to it as most of the Felzen nobles and royalty had been killed in battle or were missing in action.


    Although there was a Felzen remnant army, they could not resist with their own strength, and the former royal capital of Scheue had long been in ruins, so the people¡¯s support was biased toward the Six Kingdoms.


    Sandinal was rapidly developing, partly because of its proximity to Azel, the entrance to the Six Kingdoms. Compared to the devastation in the east, the area around Sandinal flourished like a different country. Its lord¡¯s mansion still saw many visitors to this day, and the town¡¯s atmosphere was so cheerful that it was hard to believe that it was still wartime.


    Today, Sandinal was ruled by Queen Lucia of Anguis, one of the Six Kingdoms. She was in her room, wrestling with a stack of reports piled up on her office desk.


    One of her aides, standing nearby, was twitching at the piles of parchments that were being brought in one after another.


    ¡°¡­¡­Where did Nameless go, forcing people to do the work for him?¡±


    ¡°I believe he went to see what was going on in the north?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I haven¡¯t heard from him since. Does he not understand the situation?¡±


    Lucia said dismissively, then threw down her quill and leaned back in her chair.


    ¡°We have to concentrate on the fight against the Grantz now.¡±


    With a wry smile, the aide quickly prepared a cup of tea and ced it in front of Lucia. Lucia sipped her tea quietly and looked at the aide who had begun to clean up the desk.


    She observed that a sheet of letterhead was tucked into the stack of finished reports.


    ¡°Good, I will leave that to you, Seleucus.¡±


    Lucia turned her eyes to the wall. A man is sipping a cup of tea elegantly¨DSeleucus, a longtime member of the Anguis royal family. He was a man who always smiled and looked frivolous, but he was a man of great ability and should be considered Lucia¡¯s right-hand man.


    ¡°Seleucus, why don¡¯t you work for me once in a while instead of just leaving things to others?¡±


    Seleucus sighed a little, shrugging his shoulders as Lucia instructed him with her chin. Shaking his head, he moved away from the wall and tapped on the shoulder of the aide familiarly as he approached.


    ¡°¡­You rest and leave the rest to me.¡±


    ¡°B-but I shouldn¡¯t bother you, Seleucus-sama¡­¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I have to work too, or Lucia-sama will demote me.¡±


    After holding the bundle of parchment in both hands as if he was half-grabbing it, Seleucus looked at Lucia once and then headed for the door. However, there was no way he could open the door with his hands full.


    As he reached for the handle in an impossible position, the bundle of parchment fell out of his hands like an avnche to the floor. In contrast to Seleucus, who calmly watched, the aide hurriedly began to pick up the reports.


    Seleucus smiled at the earnest man.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it doesn¡¯t seem efficient for one person to carry this amount. Can you help me?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, sir.¡±


    While picking up the parchment with the aide, Seleucus quickly put a piece of letterhead in his pocket.


    Then he stood up and opened the door with a nonchnt look on his face.


    ¡°Then, Lucia-sama, we will leave for a little while, but if you need anything else, please call the soldiers at the entrance.¡±


    Seleucus bowed with the aide and closed the door.


    In the quiet room, Lucia, having finished her tea, stood up from her chair.


    She was about to approach the window when¨D¨D,


    ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    Lucia turned around in surprise to find Nameless standing in front of the windowless wall.


    He was drinking tea with a saucer in his hand.


    ¡°You use good leaves, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Nameless smiled at her, and Lucia recovered herself from her confusion and spread out her fan to cover the lower half of her face.


    ¡°¡­You always appear so suddenly. It¡¯s bad for my heart. Will you stop?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stop now; it¡¯s in my nature. Above all, this girl likes to surprise people, and if I don¡¯t entertain her regrly, she¡¯ll get bored with me.¡±


    Nameless patted the staff in his hand. Lucia expressed her disgust at this.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like your ¡®Rashomon.''¡±


    ¡°If it is a ¡®Mand,¡¯ even if it catches an opening, it will not be fatal.¡±


    ¡°Even if a fatal wound is averted, if caught by surprise, even me would be injured.¡±


    It¡¯s not even a gut feeling. The two were not even trying to get to know each other. There was something empty about their exchange.


    Perhaps thinking he was wasting his time, Nameless shook his head several times and put the te on the table.


    ¡°So, how¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Lucia left her desk and went to a long desk near the window.


    On it was a map of Felzen. There were several different colored pieces, mostly concentrated in the center and west of Felzen.


    ¡°The Grantz is attacking from two directions. The first and second Grantz Armies, on the northern nk, will be unstoppable. With the main army in the rear, we are at aplete disadvantage.¡±


    Nameless, who was listening to the exnation, turned his gaze to the south.


    ¡°Then the other onees from the south¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Third Army of Grantz and the small country of Baum. The speed of the invasion here is still slow, thanks to the efforts of the country of Azel.


    If the position defended by the Azel were breached, it would be a straight road to Sandinal.


    If the Six Kingdoms lose to Sandinal, Felzen would once again be in the hands of the Grantz. If that were to happen, the neighboring Azel would be in trouble. That was why they were fighting so hard, but the difference in strength cannot be easily reversed. It was clear that eventually, even Sandinal would have to retreat.


    ¡°But we can buy time. I¡¯m going to ask Azel to hang on a little longer.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Then, the problem at hand is the northern front. What are the other countries doing?¡±


    ¡°Tigris is still on the run, and Scorpius is keeping a low profile. They probably don¡¯t want to see any damage to themselves. The walls of Urpeth, which holds the former royal capital, are meaningless if they are confined in such a city. They might escape in the near future.¡±


    It was only natural that they would be defeated even if they took on the Grantz individually. Even if the soldiers had the same level of training, their experience was too different. The other side was an ever-victorious nation¨Dan allied force that couldn¡¯t coordinate, was no match for them.


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s not good. Let me tell them something.¡±


    Nameless, who showed a light reaction, showed no signs of impatience. It was as if he had known this would happen.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d do that for me.¡±


    Lucia, staring at Nameless with a suspicious look in her eyes, hid her mouth with a fan.


    ¡°So, as for our future ns, we have decided that if the Grantz seize the former royal capital, the Six Kingdoms will be thoroughly confined to their borders.¡±


    ¡°You are deliberately giving up the east side of the country?¡±


    ¡°The Six Kingdoms are now thoroughly confined to the interior. Then let us divide Felzen between the west and the east.¡±


    The invasion of Grantz three years ago and its defeat still lingers in the air. The number of troops was not enough to upy the territory of Felzen. If Luca had not taken nearly half of them with her, she might still have been able to keep them, but there was no point in talking about ¡°what if.¡± The fact was that there were not enough soldiers, so apromise would have to be reached.


    ¡°The east side was certainly the nuisance above our eyes. If we surrender it to the Grantz, at least the burden on the Six Kingdoms will be reduced.¡±


    Nameless, who was looking at the map, nodded his head repeatedly in agreement.


    Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight, and her shoulders gave a slight shake.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we are inciting the people in the west to reject the Grantz.¡±


    ¡°But it seems things aren¡¯t perfect yet, are they?¡±


    ¡°You are very good at reading people¡¯s minds, don¡¯t you think? But you are right.¡±


    Lucia dropped a number of pieces on the map.


    ¡°The wall of the people has not been built yet. The remnants of Felzen¡¯s army have been desperately trying to get the people to ept the Grantz. Even so, the results don¡¯t look good, and thanks to them, we¡¯re not making the progress we want to make.¡±


    Both sides were agitating. The people of Felzen must be fed up.


    They had been exposed to warfare for a long time, and their hearts were broken. If they were pushed too hard, they would rebel, and fire would erupt from everywhere. The current situation was that it was bing more and more difficult to control the situation. But if things continued to go unchecked, the fangs of the Grantz would dig in as far west as they could.


    ¡°Then, let me buy you some time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished training the watchdog, and I¡¯m going to throw him against the First Army of Grantz.¡±


    ¡°¡­How many do you need?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll move Tigris, Scorpius, and the soldiers of Urpeth. Queen Lucia, you will stay where you are and aplish your objective.¡±


    Lucia frowned at Nameless, who lifted the edge of his mouth confidently.


    ¡°¡­When I see your modest attitude, I get goosebumps. What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all for the sake of the unified king.¡±


    ¡°¡­Stop using such whitewashed words.¡±


    She never trusted Nameless¡¯ words. This was because he had never worked for the Six Kingdoms, not even once. The actions of Nameless¨Dall lead to the prosperity of the Vanir three kingdoms. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so eerie that Nameless is making his own move this time.


    ¡°I wonder, what happened to the girl I told you about?¡±


    ¡°I got tired of her, so I dumped her. She was fun at first, but she resisted.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    It is unusual for Nameless to be interested in another person. And if it was an enemy spy, it was even worse. Lucia was more than a little surprised at the reaction of the long-eared race, who do not see human beings as people. However, she never showed it in her facial expression but rather probed into the matter.


    ¡°What are you concerned about?¡±


    ¡°I thought she might know something important about the Grantz.¡±


    ¡°I see. But she is a stubborn woman. She never gave me any information.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±


    Perhaps believing Lucia¡¯s words, he backed off rather easily.


    Nameless then left the map, looked around, and said,


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    With these words, he disappeared without a shadow of a trace, just as he had appeared.


    Lucia closes her fan as she stares at the spot where Nameless was standing.


    ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ creepy.¡±


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 3 – Every Speculation, Part 7

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 3 - Every Spection, Part 7</h4>


    September 21st, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    The Felzen region¨Dnear the former royal capital of Scheue, where small viges were scattered throughout the region.


    Agriculture had been prosperous before it was destroyed, and what looked like fields were spread all over the area.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve seen this many times, but as I said, the end of a defeated nation is a tragic one.¡±


    An elderly man astride a sturdy warhorse stroked his beard on his chin and wrinkled the corners of his eyes. He looked young for his age, his two log-like arms extending through the gaps in his armor. The tip of the huge spear on his back gleamed in the sunlight.


    ¡°But the victorious nation is also a miserable one. Winning does not always guarantee prosperity. If you fight a war repeatedly, you will not remain unscathed, and if you are weak, you will be eaten up by the strong.¡±


    General Cain,mander of the First Army of the Great Grantz Empire, looked up above his head as if to ask someone a question. He knew he would not get an answer, but he continued to open his mouth.


    ¡°Loing¡­ you died at a good time. The five great generals of the Grantz army, feared by all the surrounding countries, are now reduced to three, having lost two of their own.¡±


    With the emperor on his sickbed, no new Five Generals will be elected.


    One died at the hands of the invaders, and one died in disgrace, in rebellion, etc. ¡°¡­Foolish, foolish, what are the Five Great Generals for? Aren¡¯t they there to protect the prosperity of the nation, the foundation for the next stage of its development?¡±


    Cain, gripping the reins in frustration, gritted his teeth.


    The surrounding guards retreated at the force of it, and the second-inmand smiled wryly and pulled his horse closer to Cain.


    ¡°Putting aside General Loing, who had rebelled, General Bakish could be said to have endured rather well, couldn¡¯t he? I heard that the enemy was in possession of the world¡¯s five greatest treasure swords. It must have been regrettable in the end¡­¡±


    General Bakish lost his life three years ago in a battle against the Six Kingdoms. He was also exposed outside the city with his limbs torn off.


    ¡°It is not admirable to endure. Sometimes it is necessary to flee. Bakish should have retreated. He should have retreated, gathered his forces, and stood in front of the Six Kingdoms again.¡±


    Cain clenched his fists as he regretfully expressed his feelings.


    ¡°Bakish was young, but he had more than enough talent to make up for it. It was in recognition of this that the emperor bestowed upon him the rank of general.¡±


    He could still vividly recall the time when Bakish chopped off the heads of two thousand banner generals and had a brilliant first battle. Although he was less shy in appearance and more suited to the pen than to the sword, he was still a mighty warrior on the battlefield, and everyone was like a baby in front of him.


    Above all, he was a hard worker. He never missed a day of training and continued to study hard, making him the youngest general in history to be one of the Five Great Generals.


    ¡°He was to be the leader of the next five generals. It didn¡¯t matter if he was a fool or a miserable man. He should have lived his life, even if it meant slurping up muddy water.¡±


    Looking up at the sky, Cain shed tears of regret.


    ¡°If he died, there would be no point. All that is left is the five old generals.¡±


    Then, as Cain once again gazed down below, the air exploded. Screams flew in the air, and the sounds of sword fights erupted.


    A cloud of blood erupts into the sky. A great number of arrows cross each other, and a great number of corpses are created.


    In the blink of an eye, the ground was stained ck, and the smell of iron rust permeated the air.


    Between life and death, the battlefield is the gateway to hell. Everyone dreams of tomorrow, but no one despairs of tomorrow.


    They keep moving forward, thinking only of survival.


    If your sword breaks, you take it from the enemy; if your shield cracks, you protect the vital point with one arm. Even when your armor caves in and your internal organs arepressed and ruptured, you do not stop moving forward. The Grantz were foolishly continuing to fight for victory.


    ¡°It is not that the strong survive. It is not that the weak always die. Only the lucky ones survive, and only those who do not give up will survive.¡±


    The battle between the 30,000 soldiers of the First Army of Grantz and the 20,000 mixed troops of Tigris and Scorpius intensified. Cain kept sting but suddenly caught his aide¡¯s head tilting to the side.


    ¡°It seems that the enemy has suddenly be more motivated.¡±


    ¡°It is often the time when they are plotting something. Be on the lookout for anything.¡±


    ¡°Felzen is a good vantage point. I doubt there will be any ambush.¡±


    The suburbs of Scheue, the former royal capital, were a in area. Looking in all directions, there was no ce to hide an ambush. But Cain growled with a dour look on his face as if he couldn¡¯t ept it.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, we can¡¯t afford to be careless. This could be the cause of us being caught t-footed. The fact that the enemy, who had been running away from us until now, challenged us to a fight is probably because they thought they could win this battle.¡±


    It was the human that recklessly took on unwinnable battles. Yet, they believed in miracles and moved forward.


    However, the long-eared people were different.


    Their cold eyes looked at reality, and if they could not win, they retreat; if they can win, they push. It was a very rational way of thinking.


    ¡°They are going to try something. Send a message to the reserve units to be ready to move at any time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    As the aide bowed his head, a loud horn blew.


    It was a beautiful sound. Unlike the Grantz, it was high-pitched, graceful, and refined.


    Cain could not help but listen to the sound, which was pleasant even on the battlefield, but he was brought back to himself by a shout from his aide.


    ¡°There is movement on the front lines. The enemy forces are pushing through our center!¡±


    Even without being told, he understands because he is looking at the same ce.


    But Cain was silent as he listened to his aide¡¯s report.


    His hand gripped the hilt of the spirit weapon he carried on his back. This was the result of his umted experience. His instincts as a militarymander told him that he would fight.


    ¡°They areing.¡±


    He saw arge number of arrows raining down on the front line. Despite the chaos, the Grantz were being shot out with precision.


    ¡°The long-eared people have a good eye, as always. Their bow techniques are also individually refined.¡±


    Watching the crumbling front line, Cain calmly gave an order.


    ¡°Advance the second line. Let the reserve forces blend in with the dust and divert them to the enemy¡¯s main line.¡±


    If they did not set up, the enemy would take over the flow of the battle. You could not win a war if you did not always read the enemy¡¯s position, anticipate their moves, and take action.


    ¡°But reading too much into things is also dangerous.¡±


    While Cain was thinking, his orders were being faithfully carried out.


    gs were hoisted by banner bearers in various ces, and messengers frantically rushed around the battlefield.


    All that remained was to decide whether to be the first or thest.


    ¡°Well, they are doing it. Our side is in the rear.¡±


    Cain covered his chin with his thick palm and showed an air of admiration.


    Their first line copsed faster than expected, and the enemy¡¯s first line began to charge forward with great vigor. Cain turned his hand to his aide to send instructions, but his eyes caught the battlefield.


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s first line is disintegrating faster than you can imagine. The second line should fortify its defenses. The reserve units will go to the right to stop the enemy forces that are bypassing the area.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes narrowed happily.


    The feeling of wandering between life and death¨Dthis was what kept him standing on the battlefield because he could never forget it.


    ¡°The main force will now bypass the battlefield from the left and go to the enemy¡¯s main camp to drop the enemy!¡±


    Cain, holding the spirit weapon in his hand, swung forward with a mighty swing and kicked the horse in the stomach.


    ¡°Ride! Let¡¯s go and see the surprise on the faces of the long-eared people!¡±


    As Cain rushed forward, his aide looked on in dismay.


    ¡°General Cain, good luck! Rampage to your heart¡¯s content!¡±


    This was the ce where everyone aspires to be at least once. They dreamt of strolling majestically across the battlefield, vanquishing the numerous enemies, and returning in triumph with the general¡¯s head held high.


    When bing a soldier of the Great Grantz Empire, everyone at one time or another aspired to be one of the Five Great Generals.


    The pinnacle¨Donly the noblest could reach.


    In the Great Grantz Empire, which was called the supreme power of the central continent, there were only five generals.


    They longed for it but gave up when they realized that they could never reach it themselves.


    Therefore, they ce their hopes on the backs of the five great generals. They entrust their dreams to him, the dreams they could not reach themselves.


    ¡°Leave the rest to me! I will show the ¡°half-breeds¡± who are living ¡°halfway¡± how to live as the Five Great Generals!¡±


    Cain¡¯s presence was an inspiration. The shouts roared from the surroundings, and morale rose.


    The main force of the First Army, led by Cain, rushes across the battlefield, raising a huge cloud of dust.


    However¨D¨D


    ¡°Nnh?¡±


    Cain, leading the 5,000 troops of the main army, made a detour around the battlefield. What caught his eye was a force of 2,000 long-eared people led by a white-haired man.


    ¡°You think that¡¯s all it takes to stop us!¡±


    Cain¡¯s muscles swelled to the limit, tightening his grip on the hilt.


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡±


    Cain swung his spirit weapon at the white-haired man with all his might.


    Everyone would have imagined that the white-haired man would be blown away¨Dnot just the Grantz soldiers.


    However, the reality was beyond the imagination of the Grantz.


    Sparks flew, and Cain¡¯s spirit weapon, which was as tall as he was, was stopped.


    Gritting his teeth and making a furious disy of fury, Cain unleashed a second blow.


    ¡°Is that all you got?¡±


    The white-haired man muttered in a low voice.


    It was quickly lost as the des ovepped each other, but it was firmly in Cain¡¯s ears. The third blow with the spirit of the ripple¨Dit was easily repelled, and Cain¡¯s expression was tinged with astonishment. Cain, who had lost his stance, fell from his horse but stood up as if bouncing from the ground.


    The moment he looked forward¨Da huge shadow enveloped the main force from overhead, let alone Cain.


    The archers of the long-eared people, who were standing behind the white-haired man, fired an arrow.


    Cain swung his spear to flick the arrow, and behind him, the soldiers were thrown off their horses by the arrows that fanned out. Then more pursuing arrows rained down on the soldiers who were crouching on the ground.


    Hearing his men dying, Cain looks only forward. He knows that if he looks away from the white-haired man, he will be lured into a sleep from which he will never awaken.


    ¡°Draw your sword.¡±


    It was strangely quiet.


    A strange silence enveloped the battlefield, so much so that he could hear his opponent¡¯smand.


    The figure of the long-eared people who drew their des without a stitch of disruption was not an enemy to be despised.


    Like an assassin creeping up on you, they quietly began their advance, and Cain¡¯s hair was bristling.


    ¡°Let the human die a quiet death.¡±


    ¡°Get up! Don¡¯t let the atmosphere get the better of you! Fight with your voice! Or you will die!¡±


    Cain wielded his spirit weapon, and although his white hair bounced back, he forcefully pulled it back and unleashed a second blow. The soldiers, seeing him, stand up with their own gains in their hands, with countless arrows piercing their bodies.


    ¡°Glory to the Grantz!¡±


    Silence andmotion mingled. The two armies shed, and a great deal of dust was raised.


    Cain smiled and wiped the sweat from his chin.


    The morale of the soldiers had been restored. The battle could have been brought back to five minutes.


    But¨D¨D


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re strong, huh?¡±


    He took one look at his numb hands and then looked at the white-haired man again.


    Even though he attacked with all his might, the de did not reach the white-haired man.


    On the contrary, Cain could not even catch the shock that he himself had brought upon himself, and his hand went numb.


    ¡°General Cain¡­ you are weak.¡±


    ¡°You say that!¡±


    Cain sharply gushed out his spear, which was imbued with rage.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good. Amuse me more.¡±


    The man let go of his sword and lunged at Cain with a look of madness on his face.


    Cain did not find the action suspicious. He knew that hesitation would bring death to him. Hence¨Dhe thrust out his spear with all his might.


    It easily seeded in piercing through the belly of the white-haired man who was charging at him.


    Feeling the response, Cain pulls out his spear andunches another attack.


    He shed the arm, gouged out the leg, ripped open the belly, and finally pierced the white-haired man¡¯s neck.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Cain finally stopped his attack. He was convinced that he had brought death to his opponent.


    But¨D¨D,


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    The white-haired man stood before Cain, unharmed. Cain couldn¡¯t even speak out in a situation he didn¡¯t understand. Above all, perhaps it was the familiarity of the face he saw at close range.


    ¡°No way¨D¨D¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn next.¡±


    A huge axe suddenly appeared in the white-haired man¡¯s right hand. It swung down with amazing physical strength. Realizing that he could not avoid it, Cain raised his spear above his head and caught the huge de.


    Immediately afterward, an electric shock pierced his body.


    ¡°¨D¨D!?¡±


    With an inaudible scream, General Cain¡¯s huge body was blown away, the spirit weapon arcing in the air as it danced. Cain¡¯s body bounced on the ground as if tossed by the rough waves.


    It was not surprising that he lost consciousness. However, the fact that he had never missed a training session made it possible for him to endure the intense pain. Cain quickly stood up, his consciousness fading as he was covered in dust.


    ¡°Gah, kuh, this¡­ is¡­¡±


    His body remembered. What kind of actions should be taken in a cornered situation? Because he had spent so much time on the battlefield, his body had be able to move unconsciously.


    And he also remembered the strength of his opponent at the same time.


    ¡°Tsk¡­¡±


    The opponent must have the same amount of experience.


    He would chase after him without a moment¡¯s respite. There was no time to think about it.


    He picked up a fallen sword and blocked the attack, but it was easily broken from the base.


    ¡°Die already!¡±


    Once again, an electric shock gushed into the air.


    At that moment, General Cain finally tapped into a memory that had been in the corner of his mind.


    ¡°¡­The Thunder Emperor!¡±


    Immediately afterward, Cain¡¯s huge body was enveloped by an electric shock, and the stench spread throughout the area.


    Flesh was scorched, sweat evaporated, and blood was sprinkled.


    Still, he did not copse, perhaps because of his esteem as one of the five great generals.


    ¡°How could you¡­ in a ce like this?¡±


    Even though he was covered in white smoke and his body was covered in blood, Cain was still staring at a single point.


    His consciousness was dazed, and he stabilized his wobbling body with a strong will.


    ¡°Fufu¡­ kuhahaha¡­¡±


    In his mind¡¯s eye, he recalled his youth with a bitter smile on his face.


    Those were good times.


    There were many good opponents, and it was a time when he could feel himself getting stronger and stronger.


    Walking around the battlefields together with Loing, they recognized each other as their enemies even if they did not exchange words. On that asion, he could still vividly recall the tears of joy he shed while hugging each other¡¯s shoulders.


    Although they became distant from each other due to their extremely busy schedules, they still believed that their hearts would always be with each other. He dreamed of one day resigning his position as one of the five generals and sharing a drink and reminiscing about the old days.


    ¡°And yet¡­ to go the wrong way at thest minute¡­?¡±


    He knew what Loing was looking for. Now that he was old, he could understand how he felt. However, he must say that Loing made a mistake at thest minute.


    He made a mistake in who he should look up to as his lord and master. There was no room for sympathy for Loing, who passed away without correcting his wrong path. The least that could be said for him was that he was killed at the hands of the imperial family.


    Therefore¡­


    ¡°It would not be good if you had survived¡­¡±


    Wounded all over, he still put all his strength into his limbs and let out a voice from the bottom of his stomach in anger.


    ¡°Stobel!!¡±


    The white-haired man did not answer. He approached Cain with a cruel smile.


    Cain picked up his spear, which fell to the ground.


    ¡°There are no shortage of opponents! I¡¯ll take your head!¡±


    He threw the spear with tremendous force. Next, Cain picked up a sword and kicked the ground with tremendous force.


    ¡°Please give my regards to Loing. Tell him that I have be strong.¡±


    Stobel held up his hand, and an electric current split the air with a loud crack.


    The winds were blowing. It created a tornado with lightning, sucking in everything that had fallen to the ground andunching it into the sky. Cain pointed his sword at the tornado, which engulfed both friend and foe andid waste to the ground, and ran¨Dbut his target was focused on a single point, Stobel.


    ¡°¡­I must fight.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Stobel waved his hand lightly. With that single motion, a number of tyrannical tornadoes appeared on the ground. All gathered in one ce to envelop General Cain. Still, he did not stop.


    Because¨D¨D,


    ¡°The five great generals of the Grantz are the ones who must always set an example!¡±


    Therefore, he could not allow those who betrayed his country to go unchecked. He could not retreat backward.


    He must show the will of the Five Great Generals, not to the enemy but to his allies. He must not destroy their dreams, and he must keep them yearning for him.


    ¡°Retreat! Leave the battlefield alive!¡±


    ¡°General Cain! What on earth are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me; I can¡¯t even buy you time. Forgive this old man!¡±


    Cain picked up his spear and ran as fast as he could toward the raging tornado.


    The wind became a sharp de, trying to cut through his steel body. Even though fresh blood was spurting out from everywhere, Cain kept moving forward without stopping. Even if death awaited him, he must avenge the death of the other five generals who had preceded him.


    ¡°Stobel! Prepare yourselves, treacherous prince!¡±


    As soon as he prated the storm, Cain focused all his attention on the spear and threw it carelessly.


    At the same time, a bolt of lightning from the sky pierced Cain through the ground.


    The lightning bolt cut through a cloud of dust and white smoke.


    ¡°¡­As usual.¡±


    General Cain heard thest.


    ¡°The weak bark the loudest.¡±


    It was thest word delivered at the moment his heart was ripped out of his chest.


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    The sun has set beyond the horizon, and what had emerged to rece it was the moon and its dependents, the stars. The stars, shining as if adorning the moon, were afort to those who live their lives on the ground, warmly watching over them even in the darkness of loneliness.


    However, there was another ce on the ground that was as bright as the stars.


    A strong wind blew through the gaps between the tents built in the encampment, shaking violently the mes of the torches set up at equal intervals. Cowering in the cold night, soldiers patrolled the area.


    This is the encampment of the Third Army of Grantz, which was marching south of Felzen.


    In the middle of the camp were the tents of the elite ¡°Raven Army¡± of Baum, and in the center was the tent of the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± which was thergest of them all.


    ¡°The Grantz seem to be in a hurry.¡±


    Hiro, while tending to the dishes served, asked a question to Skaaha, who was sitting in front of him.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s already the fourth day. Considering the fact that they are going to meet up with Liz-dono and the others, the Grantz would probably want to start making their move soon.¡±


    It could be said that things had been going well until four days ago. The Third Army of Grantz, which had been invading smoothly despite some resistance from the Six Kingdoms, was blocked by an unexpected enemy.


    It was the people of Felzen who had epted the rule of the Anguis Army.


    Not only did they insist that they would not ept the Grantz Empire, but they also blocked its path.


    ¡°If we try to bypass them, it won¡¯t do us any good if they get around us first. That would be a waste of time.¡±


    It was no wonder that the Grantz soldiers, who were about to reach their limits due to being stranded, went berserk when it came to wasting their time.


    Themanders of the Third Army of Grantz must be scratching their heads.


    ¡°For if we forcibly remove the people who blocked the roads, we would give the cause to the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    Skaaha let out a troubled exhale.


    Hiro nodded his head in agreement.


    ¡°While we were stranded here, Anguis began to gather soldiers from all over Felzen to form a defense.¡±


    After finishing his meal, Hiro folded his hands behind his head andy down on the floor.


    ¡°This is a situation that gives the other side a lot of options.¡±


    Staring at the Western-stylemps hanging from the ceiling, Hiro pulled out a sheet of letterhead.


    Skaaha looked at it with interest, but before she could ask, Hiro spoke up.


    ¡°Speaking of which, how are you doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been doing just fine.¡±


    Hiro silently looked at Skaaha, who was smiling a deceptive smile.


    At the using re, Skaaha scratched the back of her head as if troubled.


    ¡°There is still time. Thanks to you and¡­ the Ice Emperor.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    The pledge he made with Skaaha¨Dhe knows because he¡¯s connected with her. An anomaly in Skaaha¡¯s body. The condition was getting worsepared to that day. However, she had never expressed any weakness and had been able to keep it a secret from everyone until today.


    She was here to achieve her goal, and she was here with nothing but her will to achieve it.


    ¡°It¡¯s better not to overdo it¨Dor is that too much to ask¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, not really. That kindness helps.¡±


    Skaaha was staring at her hands with a thoughtful expression as she repeatedly opened and closed her fists as if examining some sensation.


    Perhaps noticing Hiro¡¯s worried gaze, Skaaha forces herself to smile again.


    ¡°I heard that Liz-dono said that there was something wrong with her ¡®eye.''¡±


    It was an effective topic to divert the conversation. Hiro was also concerned about Liz¡¯s ¡°eye,¡± but he could not overlook Skaaha¡¯s ¡°alteration¡± as well.


    But the fact that she brought up the subject of Liz was probably a warning from Skaaha not to mention it any further. There was no choice, so Hiro sighed, got up, and decided to join in on Skaaha¡¯s topic.


    ¡°Do you remember how she said she felt ufortable?¡±


    ¡°She said she could ¡°see¡± everything better now. It was vague as if distant objects were near and nearby objects were far away, but Liz-dono didn¡¯t seem to know how to exin it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ as expected¡­¡±


    Hiro put his hand on his chin.


    ¡°Did she say anything else?¡±


    ¡°She said she had been dreaming a lot since she started feeling difort in her eyes. I think that the ¡°me Emperor¡± is showing her the memories of the previous owners.¡±


    Hiro silently waited for Skaaha¡¯s words. If Skaaha had been watching carefully, she would have noticed that Hiro had choked up.


    ¡°¨D¨DIt seems to be a woman¡¯s dream.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Hiro muttered just that one word and looked up at the ceiling.


    Skaaha tilted her head dubiously but continued.


    ¡°The only previous holder of the ¡°me Emperor¡± was the first emperor. So no women ever appeared in the ¡°realm.¡± Even if it was part of the previous holder¡¯s memory, there is always the person in question somewhere.¡±


    After Skaaha said this, she noticed that Hiro¡¯s appearance had changed.


    Hiro had his hand on his chin and his face downcast. Not wanting to disturb Hiro, who had begun to dive into a sea of thoughts, Skaaha took her gaze away and suddenly looked at the corner of the tent.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    There was an object wrapped in a nket, writhing like a turtle.


    Watching the object with a twitch at the edge of her mouth, a face emerged.


    The eyes were gloomy and dark, and the light in the eyes that were staring into the void was gone.


    The lips trembled slightly, and if one listened carefully, one could hear the words¡­


    ¡°Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hiro-dono¨Dno, ck Dragon King-dono.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    After apologizing for interrupting his contemtion, Skaaha once again pointed her finger at the corner of the room.


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°A woman named Luca.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s mumbling something about a person¡¯s name¡­ As I recall, Hugin-dono was one of your close associates, wasn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I had her infiltrated into Anguis, but I couldn¡¯t get in touch with her¡­ Luca seemed to have been very fond of Hugin, so after we lost contact with her, she became like that.¡±


    These days she doesn¡¯t even eat properly. Perhaps when the fighting starts, she won¡¯t be able to do anything about it. She would be so preupied with Hugin that she would be a liability.


    In addition, she may have remembered about Eagle and is no longer aiming for Hiro¡¯s life, so she was in serious condition. It would be better not to count Luca as a force to be reckoned with.


    ¡°If I may put my personal feelings aside, I don¡¯t like the current stalemate. Even if I want to investigate Hugin, I can¡¯t do anything unless I go there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s worrisome. I hope we can somehow break the current situation¡­ But even so, Hiro-dono is surprisingly calm.¡±


    ¡°Do I look that way to you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve done everything I can to get rid of this situation. All I need now is a start.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Skaaha tilted her head, not understanding the meaning of Hiro¡¯s words.


    ¡°Time will eventually resolve this event, but I have decided to speed it up a little with my own hands.¡±


    Hiro speaks without hesitation.


    ¡°I may look like this, but I¡¯m in a hurry.¡±


    Quietly, darkness begins to encroach.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 4 – Tragic Resolution, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 4 - Tragic Resolution, Part 3</h4>


    September 23, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.


    Felzen region¨Da in near the former royal capital of Scheue.


    The g of Grantz covered the ground. Fifty thousand soldiers were waiting for the signal to start the war.


    Tension and excitementbined to create a unique battlefield atmosphere. Yet, there was also a strange stillness in the air. An eerie stillness crawled across the ground as if it were the harbinger of a storm. Unable to bear the tense atmosphere, morning dew slid down the surface of the leaves.


    The Grantz army of fifty thousand¨Dand the one on the opposite side was a mixed army of thirty thousand Tigris and Scorpius troops belonging to the Six Kingdoms.


    Coincidentally, this was the same in where General Cain and many of his officers were killed in battle.


    Many corpses were still on the ground, staring at the two armies with regretful expressions.


    The scent of blood mixed with the smell of corpses filled the air with a peculiar odor. Even when the wind blew, the strange smell did not disappear, and it continued to coil over the battlefield as if it were a curse.


    The red-haired princess standing at the front looked around the battlefield with a grim face, but her eyes narrowed sharply when she spotted the man at the front of the mixed Tigris-Scorpius army.


    ¡°As I thought¡­ it was Stobel.¡±


    It matched the reported appearance as well.


    Arge man with white hair¨Dthe First Prince Reinhardt Stobel von Grantz.


    Arrogant and cruel, he was considered to be the next emperor, but he turned against the Great Grantz Empire, murdered his father, the emperor, and disappeared.


    ¡°Pathetic¡­¡±


    He was a blond-haired, blue-eyed, strong young man, but now his cheeks are chapped, his skin was purple, his hair was gray, and there was no trace of his former fearless spirit. He had been chosen by the Thunder Emperor as one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, but he had ¡°fallen¡± to seek even more power, resulting in his hideous appearance.


    Liz looked back and ¡°saw¡± the situation in the main camp.


    Thanks to Aura¡¯s presence this time, she could stand on the front line. Themander had been advised to stay in the main camp, but she could not afford any unnecessary casualties. Even with the strong soldiers of the Grantz, only Liz would be able to deal with Stobel. That is why Aura could not strongly stop her and, after much deliberation, allowed Liz to stand on the front line.


    Above all, she did not want to continue waiting with the same feeling she had in the Streichen Republic.


    Liz looked up at the sky once and smiled. The chief vassals were watching over them.


    So¨Dthere was no need to be timid. She could not lose in order to show her courage to those who had preceded her.


    ¡°A glorious victory.¡±


    Liz quietly pulled the ¡°me Emperor¡± from its scabbard and raised it to the sky.


    The soldiers were looking at her back as they waited for her order. Their faces were tight. Liz could feel the heating from deep within her body.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dedicate this to the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz.¡±


    Liz turned her gaze to the front and pointed the ¡°me Emperor¡± tip at the enemy army.


    Someone let out a sigh of admiration. The sun was shining down on her.


    Her figure, shining like a sh of light, was as fantastic as though in a painting, and her divine majesty increased as the fluttering lion¡¯s banner ovepped with her back. Her calm appearance, befitting a lioness, and her supernatural presence¨Dher inhuman beauty¨Dattracted people like a goddess.


    Everyone knew that she was the next emperor whom they should look up to.


    No one doubts the ability of the ¡°Red-Haired Princess,¡± the seconding of the first emperor.


    Since the goddess would fight with them, victory was guaranteed.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    To ughter the enemy, words were not necessary. Beautiful words were not needed to run on the battlefield.


    What was her purpose, what was her need, and what was she trying to say?


    It was enough to look at her back.


    ¡°All troops, charge!¡±


    Morale exploded behind Liz. Horns were blown, and drums beaten.


    A soul-stirring, bestial roar erupted from the battlefield, and in various ces, the lion¡¯s banner was raised one after another.


    The banner of the champion was with Liz. Then the soldiers would end up in the same ce.


    ¡°Give victory to our Red-Haired Princess!¡±


    The ¡°Knights of the Rose¡± shouted and followed Liz¡¯s back as she began to run across the battlefield.


    A momentter, arge number of arrows covered the sky.


    ¡°Shield!¡±


    Liz¡¯s order was faithfully carried out. At the same time, a great number of arrows rained down on the ¡°Knights of the Rose.¡± Several of the knights who were unable to defend against the arrows fell, and more than a few were wounded by the arrows, but even so, the momentum did not stop.


    Because¨D¨D,


    ¨D¨DThe goddess was still leading the battle.


    She was unharmed by all the arrows.


    Everything was being scorched by the mass of mes spewing out from the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    She was simply beautiful¨Deven in the line of death, her beauty was still polished.


    That was why they only wanted to look ahead. The soldiers wanted to know how far their master would continue to run, and so they wished to be with her, even if they were injured.


    The ¡°Knights of the Rose¡± were only getting more eager to fight. Their eyes continued to shine as they watched Liz¡¯s back. They shouted as if they were proud of it.


    ¡°Give our Red-Haired Princess victory!¡±


    She was often said to be the most beautiful woman in the world. She enchanted everyone. Even the bravest warriors could not resist her charms and willingly went to their deaths.


    If she, beautiful as a goddess,manded them to do so, they would immediately choose to die with honor.


    What would it be called without calling her a beauty with a leaning heart?


    And it was not difficult to imagine what the rear Grantz army would think when they saw their death-defying bravery.


    The momentum dyed the judgment of the ¡°long-eared race,¡± who considered calmness to be a virtue.


    ¡°Archers, fall back!¡±


    Seeing the approaching Grantz¡¯s army, themander of the enemy army made a precise decision.


    But¨D¨D,


    ¡°Heavy-armed troops, move forward and line up your shields¨D!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote!¡±


    Themander¡¯s body was engulfed in mes when he saw the goddess jumping into the front line. One after another, the ¡°me Emperors¡± continued to ughter the enemies at a dizzying pace. The enemy soldiers on the front line surrounding her were unsure of how to deal with her monstrous movements, and their expressions clearly showed it.


    The ¡°Knights of the Rose¡± were rushing toward them.


    ¡°I will give you death. Be an offering for the Red-Haired Princess!¡±


    A momentter, the two armies shed.


    Screams, shouts, and strange noises¨Daplex mix of voices areunched into the sky.


    Bones shatter, the flesh is torn, and blood stters.


    Some enemy soldiers were crushed by the hoofs of cavalrymen who dashed into the gap. The enemy¡¯s ranks were disorganized. Arge hole was created by the momentum of the ¡°Knights of the Rose.¡±


    Rushing in there were the first twenty thousand of the Grantz Army, which had been following from the rear.


    ¡°Fast!¡±


    ¡°Wha-!?¡±


    A pile of corpses was piled up in front of Liz. All of them had burnt wounds and were dying, their faces contorted in pain.


    ¡°Now, who will be next?¡±


    No matter how skilled they were, they were no match for her, even if they had the advantage of numbers. The hesitation that had taken root in their hearts became fear, and the long-eared people were naturally forced to retreat.


    ¡°You seem to have grown stronger.¡±


    A huge axe sliced through the space as if to clear away the blood smoke that covered the battlefield. Liz calmly parried the de as it approached her.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m strong enough to take you down.¡±


    She jumped back and readied the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    The soldiers were thrown to the ground at her feet in a heap. Arge, white-haired man named Stobel stoodughing as fresh blood rained down on the ground from the sttered bits of flesh.


    The air burst. Several explosions echoed eerily around them as if they were firecrackers exploding. The electric current emitted from the white-haired man was bouncing sand in the air.


    ¡°It has been a long time, my dear sister.¡±


    Stobel thrust the ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± into the ground and opened his arms.


    It¡¯s as if he¡¯s asking Liz to jump in. She sniffed wryly since he had never once shown such family affection for her.


    ¡°That makes me want to vomit.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so cruel to me. I¡¯m your loving brother who¡¯s going to make it easier for you to be cursed.¡±


    ¡°Fufufu, so¡­ I¡¯ll save my poor brother from the curse.¡±


    Liz, who was staring at Stobel with cold eyes, chuckled.


    A momentter¨DStobel¡¯s figure vanished.


    Without panicking, Liz spreads her legs and ces her left hand on the de of the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    The next shockes. The ce where Liz was standing caved in.


    ¡°You really did it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I can see you!¡±


    Stobel exploded with joy and swung his axe. But, on the other hand, Liz did not move from her spot, and they shed at each other again and again, one, two, three times, until they both collided violently.


    The violent collision between the two released a shockwave into the surrounding area. Driven by a gust of wind, several soldiers rolled on the ground. Even those who managed to escape falling were pinned down by the cracked ground and unable to move. A momentary stalemate was created between the two armies in the face of the storm of tyranny that engulfed both friend and foe alike. Soon, the soldiers began to distance themselves from the spectacle of what could be described as a battle outside of humanity so as not to get caught in the middle of it.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Lightning sts were offset by mes. Winds were blown away by heat waves.


    Stobel¡¯s anger swelled as all his attacks were rendered meaningless.


    Liz brushes her hair out of her face and smiles at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you right here.¡±


    Liz began to fight back. At first, it was slow. She slowly swung the ¡°me Emperor¡± as if she were stroking him.


    Of course, Stobel took it in stride, but his face was doubtful.


    ¡°What¡­ what is this reluctant attack?¡±


    With a face colored with anger, Stobel thrust out the ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± with great vigor.


    Liz pointed the ¡°me Emperor¡± de to the side and held it at an angle just before the collision.


    The ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± attack cut through the air as it slid across the ¡°me Emperor¡¯s¡± de.


    Liz immediately delivered a sh to Stobel, who was knocked out of his stance.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Stobel¡¯s face contorted in astonishment at the sudden increase in speed of the attack.


    Having her de bounced off, Liz surrendered her body without going against the flow and flipped around to make the ¡°me Emperor¡± soar.


    Up, down, right, left, and in every direction, sword shes cut through the air. The sword marks, filled with strong killing intent, created countless wounds as they toyed with Stobel.


    Stobel was tossed about by the shifting speed of the attack.


    ¨D¨DThe softest of the soft can conquer the hardest of the hard.


    This was a technique that ¡°he¡± often used against those who are more powerful than he was.


    Liz had seen ¡°him¡± fight many times. From the past to the present, it was imprinted in her memory. Having made her own improvements, Liz has never missed her daily training.


    All in order to surpass ¡°him.¡±


    ¡°Stobel, I won¡¯t lose. I will not be defeated by someone who has abandoned his potential.¡±


    Even if the fighting styles were the same, they are different from one another. The weight of a person¡¯s personal experience is added to the weapon.


    Whether it is sadness, joy, or anger, it bes a person¡¯s vitality and makes them stronger.


    Thoughts make a person strong. It is as if they soar to the heavens, knowing no bounds.


    ¡°Liz¡­ you are¡­¡±


    The ¡°Red-Haired Princess¡± had a strange fate, and her feelings were far heavier.


    She had ovee a lot of sorrows.


    She had ovee many fits of anger.


    She had ovee many joys.


    Therefore¨D¨D,


    Her swordsmanship was refined and beautiful.


    It was as if a shrine maiden danced, defying the flow of time, yet it was intense.


    Shecked experience. There would be some poor parts. If her predecessors saw her, they might sigh.


    She was still inexperienced, and that was why her figure attracted both friends and foes alike.


    She was loved by her vassals, by her people, by her soldiers, and even by her enemies.


    It is a quality she was born with¨Da ¡°royal authority¡± that only she possesses.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 4 – Tragic Resolution, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 4 - Tragic Resolution, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°As I thought, you¨D¨D!¡±


    As if to deny it, Stobel attacked Liz. In response, Liz met him head-on.


    The collision of overwhelming force created severalrge holes in the ground. The ground looked as if it was carpet bombed, and the spirit of the rippling sound pierced through it. As the gusty wind blew up the ground, arge amount of gravel fell on the battlefield as rain. In the midst of this, Stobel, who had shaken off the dust, pressed close to Liz with a face distorted and ugly with rage.


    ¡°Because of you, we are!¡±


    Stobel suddenly began to lose his presence of mind. The words he was uttering were iprehensible to Liz.


    Liz wondered about Stobel¡¯s boiling hatred toward her, but she did not know the cause of it. Considering the treatment she had received from him up to that point, there was no reason for him to resent her, let alone bear a grudge. She had been watching Stobel to find out his true intentions, but she was at her limit.


    She couldn¡¯t let the opportunity pass her by.


    Liz repelled the ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± with all her might and held her de horizontally.


    ¡°Bloom¨Dme Emperor!¡±


    mes erupt from the de of the ¡°me Emperor,¡± dyeing the world red. No one, not even the gods, can approach this invible realm.


    ¡°Do you think you can stand it?¡±


    Liz held up her hand, and Stobel readied himself.


    A heat wave sted through the ground.


    But that¡¯s all¨DStobel turned around and tilted his head back with a question mark on his face.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just the wind?¡±


    It was sudden. It really happened in the blink of an eye.


    When the wind that burned the skin passed, a pir of me piercing the heavens gushed out onto the ground.


    The next thing Stobel knew¨Dhalf of his body had been blown away.


    ¡°Wha¡­ why¡­?¡±


    An ordinary person would surely have died, but Stobel was a transcendent being.


    ¨D¨DThe half of his body that was mourned was instantly restored by high-speed regeneration.


    But the shock still pierced through his body to the core. Stobel was down on one knee, violently shaking his shoulders and breathing unevenly. Sweat poured out in profusion, trickling down his cheeks and falling to the ground.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over yet, little girl¡­¡±


    Stobel roared. In his right hand, the ¡°Thunder Emperor,¡± and in his left hand, the ¡°Wind Emperor¡± appear.


    A strong wind blew in response to Stobel¡¯s emotional outburst of rage, creating a tornado with electric currents. Seeing the soldiers, both friend and foe alike, being sucked up into the air, Liz clicked her tongue and raised the ¡°me Emperor.¡± The next, a me serpent appeared on the ground and swallowed the tornado as if it were twisting around it.


    ¡°Did you know that? People don¡¯t like persistent men.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You little girl!¡±


    The wind des snatch the cheeks, the thunderbolts pass overhead, and the impact is transmitted from the ground to the feet.


    A deafening reverberation shook the eardrums, and the screams of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword were heard around the world.


    The ¡°Wind Emperor,¡± who was forced to follow Stobel, was screaming.


    The earnest wish to be released was conveyed to Liz through the wind.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    The red de and the huge axe collided with each other without a struggle.


    Stobel aimed for Liz¡¯s neck with his powerful arm outstretched, but he was swatted away with one hand.


    Liz crushed the distance by stepping in, moving forward, ducking through the tyrannical storm.


    Quickly, she reaped the ¡°me Emperor¡± to the side, hoping to reap her opponent¡¯s life. But, with the cost of a piece of flesh, Stobel seeded in avoiding it.


    But¨Dthis was where Liz¡¯s pursuit began.


    She struck her fist, twisted at the waist, dug her heel into his side, crushed his vision with mes as he tried to counterattack, closed the distance, and drove her elbow into his chest from zero distance. Then, aiming at the staggering giant¡¯s abdomen, Liz unleashed a front kick and used the kick¡¯s momentum to deliver a sh.


    The air roared, the wind was drawn in a whirlwind, and the sharp de shaved away at Stobel¡¯s body.


    Even though his cheeks were cut, blood poured from the cuts, the flesh was gouged out, and organs spilled out, Stobel¡¯s movements did not stop, and he pursued Liz with a snarl that carried a grudge. The wounds were meanwhile being repeatedly restored. The battle seemed to go on forever, but Liz showed no signs of impatience; rather, she attacked with the force of a raging wave.


    Liz was doing everything in her power to finish off Stobel.


    She repeated her full force attacks until his cells were eradicated to the point that they could not regenerate, until he suffered almost eternal pain, until his energy was exhausted, until his soul was shattered.


    In this battle between superhumans, there was no room for ordinary people.


    A non-standard being who wielded god-like power was rampaging through the middle of the battlefield.


    You would feel fear. You would be prepared to die. You would want to run away.


    In fact, the front line of the Six Kingdoms had copsed, and the long-eared people, including the first and second groups, had begun to retreat out of fear and were disorganized in their ranks.


    In contrast, the Grantz kept their distance to avoid getting in Liz¡¯s way, and no one was scared and fell back. They were struggling to push up the front line and help Liz.


    The tornado created by Stobel tried to attack Grantz Army but was engulfed by the mes created by the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    However, it was not one-sided because the ¡°me Emperor¡± power was powerful.


    The opponents were the same Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, the ¡°Thunder Emperor¡± and the ¡°Wind Emperor.¡± In terms of numbers and power, Stobel had the advantage. If there was a difference between the two, it¡¯s because of the person who possesses the sword.


    ¡°Agh¡­¡±


    The battlees to an abrupt end. Stobel¡¯s body had begun to disintegrate.


    Liz kept her distance and looked at Stobel.


    The power of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword was raging inside Stobel. It was consuming his body like poison. No, it was originally the uncontroble ¡°curse¡± that had transformed Stobel¡¯s appearance.


    This was a natural consequence. Stobel¡¯s skin was melting, his flesh rotting, and his bones exposed.


    Yet, Stobel¡¯s eyes were not dead. He stared at Liz with a strong will in his eyes. Although he could no longer even walk, his will to fight had not waned in the slightest.


    Liz frowned at the strange smell that filled her nose.


    ¡°What did you want to look like?¡±


    ¡°I want strength¡­ overwhelming strength. I need the power to overturn everything, the power to take control of the world¡­¡±


    The white liquid flows down from his eyes. His eyeballs melted like wax.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Ooooooooooohhhh.¡±


    Stobel roared as even his speech became distorted.


    He could no longer be called a human being. He no longer even had a form. His skin was burned and sore, like a piece of candy melted by the heat. He had turned into an ugly monster, like a mud doll.


    ¡°Not yet¡­ I¡¯m not finished yet. We are¡­ not finished yet.¡±


    Shrieking like a beast, Stobel came toward Liz. But it was pitifully slow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it easy for you.¡±


    Holding her right hand up to the heavens, a ball of me appeared.


    Liz waved her hand lightly. The ball of me headed in a straight line toward Stobel, but¡­


    ¨D¨DThe ball of me disappeared just before it reached Stobel.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for today.¡±


    Nameless was standing there, protecting Stobel. Behind him, Stobel was lying on the ground, perhaps having run out of strength. It is difficult to say whether or not Stobel, who has turned into a bubbling mud doll, was alive, but if he were to escape at this point, it would be a great disaster.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to let you go?¡±


    Liz wields the power of the me Emperor without mercy. The ground where Nameless and Stobel had been exploded.


    A cloud of dust covered the ground in front of them.


    ¡°You like to get behind me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Liz turned around and unleashed her fist.


    ¡°It¡¯s the easiest way to stab you¡­ so I¡¯ll just let you get away now.¡±


    Liz¡¯s fist just rattled the hood of the Nameless and cut through the air.


    ¡°Well then, have a good day.¡±


    Nameless waved the tin cane in his hand. The bell¡¯s tone propagated, shaking the air and distorting the space. The figure of Stobel, who barely retained his human form, disappeared.


    At that moment, the space where Stobel was, exploded.


    Like ck smoke billowing out of a window, smoke containing a pungent odor rises from the cracked space into the sky.


    ¡°¡­Is it interference?¡±


    Nameless, who sounded slightly surprised, looked at Liz.


    ¡°But you managed to escape, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    A smile appeared on the mouth of Nameless.


    ¡°So it seems¡­¡±


    Liz kicked the ground, leaped, and attacked Nameless, but his figure disappeared in a haze.


    What kind of technique was it¡­? Nameless appears a short distance away.


    The mes pursued him, crawling on the ground like a snake, but they were unable to catch Nameless.


    Still unable to escape, Nameless was coiled by the me serpent. Just then, Nameless appeared in another ce and was again engulfed in mes. However, Liz did not feel any response, and when she shifted her gaze to the side, she saw that Nameless was still standing there, unscathed. As the weasel words were repeated, it was Liz who made the first move.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting nowhere, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Liz said and mmed her fist on the ground.


    A tremor rushed through the air. The ground shook so much that numerous cracks were created in the ground.


    The next moment, several pirs of fire erupted. In the midst of this hellish scene, Nameless was still standing unscathed.


    ¡°Fufu, that¡¯s wonderful. So you have mastered the ¡°me Emperor¡± to such an extent?¡±


    Saying this, Nameless mmed his tin cane on the ground.


    ¡°But I was one step ahead of you.¡±


    He disappearedpletely.


    Liz stood alone in an empty world.


    As the fire subsides, the mor returns, breaking the silence. The war was still going on. There was no time to regret letting them go.


    This battle must be concluded without the death of more soldiers.


    The most powerful enemy WAs gone. Perhaps she should be d for that. Liz let out a deep breath, calmed her anger, and raised the ¡°me Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Destroy the enemy!¡±


    She rushed out onto the battlefield, inspiring her allies.


    She squashed the doubts that welled up in her chest¡­ thinking only of the priority now, victory on the battlefield.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 5 – Ice Emperor, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 5 - Ice Emperor, Part 3</h4>


    Skaaha led the remaining ¡°Raven Army¡± to confront the new enemy, who suddenly appeared from behind. Around them, the battle had already begun. But Skaaha could not take a single step. Her mind went nk for a moment as she stared at the man in front of her.


    Even so, her lips trembled as she desperately opened her mouth.


    ¡°¡­Finally, finally!¡±


    Skaaha red at the white-haired man and shouted angrily,


    ¡°Stobel, I have waited so long to meet you!¡±


    Stobel waved one hand in exasperation at the heat radiating from Skaaha.


    ¡°Are you still saying that, if it was the emperor, would you have killed him?¡±


    ¡°You are the only one left!¡±


    ¡°If you defy me that much, I¡¯ll show you no mercy. Now that I¡¯ve been exposed to a little ugliness, I¡¯m not going to take it easy on you, okay?¡±


    Stobel raised his right hand to the sky, and the Thunder Emperor appeared. In his left hand, wind swirled. Perhaps it is the Wind Emperor.


    ¡°As you wish. I will offer your head to the graves of your parents.¡±


    ¡°Hah, the Felzen royal family¡¯s tomb is no longer a shadow of my former self.¡±


    ¡°¨D¨D!¡±


    Skaaha gave an incoherent cry to Stobel, who snickered.


    The ground caved in, unable to withstand the pressure.


    ¡°Ice Emperor! The time hase to fulfill my long-cherished wish!¡±


    The response was a st of absolute zero cold air that froze the space and enveloped the world in fog. White smoke began to flow beneath Skaaha¡¯s feet as if visualizing the deadly atmosphere. The grass and flowers on the ground began to freeze.


    ¡°Stobel¡­ are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Come at me. I will destroy your conceited power head-on.¡±


    They shed, spear and axe colliding, both with fine scratches on their skin. Each one is only a graze.


    While Stobel recovered instantly, the number of fine scratches on Skaaha¡¯s body grew countless. Fresh blood sprays from Skaaha¡¯s fresh wounds with each collision.


    Seeing Skaaha¡¯s face contorted in pain, Stobel opened his mouth questioningly.


    ¡°¡­Are you on the verge of losing the blessing of the Ice Emperor? No, indeed, you are.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Skaaha gritted his teeth in frustration as she was hit in the sore spot.


    ¡°And your leg, has it not healed from the wounds I inflicted on it two years ago?¡±


    Two years ago, during the battle with Stobel, Skaaha was utterly defeated.


    ¡°Shut up. It has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Everything Stobel said was right. The injury she sustained two years ago could never be fully healed.


    This was synonymous with not being able to fulfill the contract with the Ice Emperor.


    Therefore, she was on the verge of losing her blessings.


    But the reason why the Ice Emperor was still with her was because he was fond of her. Until she got her revenge¨D¨Dhe sympathized with Skaaha¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°Pathetic¡­ then you are no better than the Wind Emperor.¡±


    ¡°I am not like you! We have a bond between us!¡±


    Stobel looked at Skaaha with disdain.


    ¡°Fuh, It must be more painful than you can imagine enduring the curse of a spirit in the flesh, right? Do you think you can win against me in that state?¡±


    ¡°I will win; even if this body perishes, I will kill you myself!¡±


    Skaaha ran across the ground. As for Stobel, he looked smug and even had a smile on his face.


    ¡°Did you really think you could beat me with just that?¡±


    Stobel snorted dismissively.


    Skaaha¡¯s attack was indeed sharp. However, theycked destructive power.


    With the Ice Emperor¡¯s blessing gone, she has only the strength of an ordinary person who has mastered martial arts. But for Stobel, the match was so boring that he began to feel a little disappointed.


    ¡°You¡¯re even weaker than you were two years ago, and you¡¯re trying to be all cool about it.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Skaaha¡¯s determination gouged out the ground. She swung her spear in a circr motion and rotated it topensate for herck of power. Each blow, each strike was a killing spear strike. The strike was a spear strike that was both offensive and defensive, repelling Stobel¡¯s attacks while thebined spear and pike scraped bits of flesh off of his body. However, his wounds closed instantly, and Skaaha¡¯s fresh wounds only increased. In the course of the repeated attacks and defenses, it was impossible to inflict a fatal wound on Stobel, and Skaaha¡¯s wounds only increased, and she was also losing a great deal of physical strength.


    She no longer had the blessing of the Ice Emperor. So, even the smallest wound would be inflicted on her body.


    But she continued to move forward. To avenge her dead parents, brothers, and sisters.


    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic. Your spear cannot reach me.¡±


    A thunderbolt and a wind de struck Skaaha mercilessly. Even though her whole body was covered in wounds and blood, she did not consider it eptable to fall down with wounds all over her body.


    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­ I¡¯m not finished yet. There is nothing left for me.¡±


    She has lost her country, her family, and the Ice Emperor she grew up with was leaving her.


    There was nothing left for her.


    That is why¨Dshe could not die without attaining her revenge.


    ¡°I am not afraid to die. I¡¯d rather die than live on with the regret of not being able to kill you!¡±


    Drawing on all her strength and the Ice Emperor¡¯s power, Skaaha charged forward.


    ¡°Father, mother, brothers, and sisters¡­ lend me your strength!¡±


    £ª£ª£ª£ª£ª


    ¡°It looks like things are going well over there.¡±


    Nameless looked at the ce where the main camp of the ¡°Raven Army¡± was located during the battle.


    ¡°You have the nerve to look away, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Hiro closed the distance, and with a single sh¨Dthe body of Nameless was cut in half.


    But then something strange happened. Nameless¡¯s corpse did not spurt out blood or overflow with guts; it disappeared before falling to the ground.


    In the blink of an eye, however, Nameless appeared before his eyes, unharmed.


    ¡°Another miss, huh?¡±


    Hiro looked around. He checked the number of Nameless and found that there were as many as ten of them.


    It is not that Hiro¡¯s eyes have gone crazy. On the contrary, he knew the cause of the strange phenomenon. It was caused by the staff held by Nameless.


    It is an illusion that is close to reality¨Dan ability that exists only to y tricks on the opponent.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a useful ability.¡±


    ¡°Right? I like to slowly torment my opponents and then finish them off.¡±


    ¡°You sound as if you could finish me off right now.¡±


    Hiro took down another one, but it was also a miss.


    Nameless appeared next to him and leaned on his shoulder. His voice was shaking with joy.


    ¡°No way, I¡¯m not that conceited, you know.¡±


    He pulled out a kitchen knife that looked like something a housewife would use in cooking and stabbed it at Hiro.


    But¨Dit could not prate the ck Princess Camellia.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s in the way to kill you.¡±


    Looking at the kitchen knife with a broken de, Nameless looked at the ck Princess Camellia.


    ¡°Royalty¡­¡­ That¡¯s a relic from the old king, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You know it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard a few stories about it.¡±


    While he was conversing with Nameless, Hiro had killed nearly a dozen of his copies. However, Nameless¡¯ numbers did not decrease but continued to increase.


    Hiro slowed down his attack and let out a sigh of relief before focusing his eyes.


    ¡°¡­Well, then, to reward you, I¡¯m going to get a little more serious.¡±


    An unusually solemn air begins to overflow from his right eye.


    In the left eye¨Dthe abyssal eye filled with enormous murderous intent shone brightly, and the wild golden light that was intricate in the depths of the eye caught the sight of Nameless.


    Reaching out his hand to the azure sky, Hiro formed an eerie smile within his mask.


    ¡°You¨Ddo you know despair?¡±


    With that single word, the sky became turbulent and swirled, and the ground shook and rumbled like a scream.


    A vast torrent of power¨Dthat overpowered friend and foe alike.


    ¡°Cry out in pessimism, weep in disappointment, and enjoy despair.¡±


    Darkness crawled on the ground.


    Countless cracks create the space as the gale passes by.


    Despair is spread throughout the world, and the abyss is born.


    ¡°Eat the souls of the dead¨DDark Emperor.¡±


    Sound disappeared from the world. Silence descends upon the ground as if the concept of sound had never existed in the first ce.


    Everything was painted with terror.


    ¡°My name is¨Dthe ck Dragon King.¡±


    The sense of intimidation swelled, and a mysterious sense of oppression dominated the surroundings.


    There was no way to escape the tyrannical silence.


    In the midst of the fear that gripped everyone, Hiro held the Dark Emperor horizontally, seemingly aiming for the target.


    ¡°The one who invites all life equally to emptiness.¡±


    ¨D¨DDeath and Fear


    Time stopped¨Dno, only the sound of heartbeats resounded through the world.


    All living things in the surrounding, have forgotten the ticking of time.


    There were no exceptions. All were equally lured to the edge of death. All the living stopped moving in unison.


    ¡°Now¨Dlet¡¯s see the performance of death.¡±


    Like a god of death passing judgment on the guilty, Hiro put his hand on his mask and said,


    ¨D¨DDark Mirror in the Water of the Dead.


    Jet-ck jaws were manifested and fell into the world as if to spit out a curse.


    The evesting darkness that manifested on the ground began to crawl and erode the ground like a living creature. There was no one who could escape the darkness, and those Nameless illusions were swallowed up by it.


    Unable to resist, their legs were caught and dragged into the darkness.


    All that was left in front of Hiro was the view of the Third Army of Grantz and the ¡°Raven Army,¡± who were still fighting the Six Kingdoms. There was no sign of Nameless among them.


    ¡°He escaped¡­ or perhaps his main body was never here in the first ce.¡±


    Hiro looked behind him and saw a woman leap in front of him.


    It was Luca, who was entrusted to deal with Lucia. Wrapped in dust, she was rolling on the ground as if being tossed about by a rough wave.


    Luca bounced back up to her feet, blood dripping from her mouth.


    ¡°Gah, damn it¡­ damn it¡­¡±


    Even though she possessed the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords, it was hard for her with only one arm to deal with Lucia, as shecked vigor.


    In fact, Lucia showed no signs of injury.


    ¡°Is it over?¡±


    Lucia unfolded her fan and smiled triumphantly.


    ¡°N¡­Not yet. Just tell me where Hugin is.¡±


    Lucia shook her head ruefully and turned a pitying nce at Luca.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m also a human, a woman nheless. It¡¯s unbearable to see her in such a pitiful state. Perhaps she had been sold, or perhaps she had been fed to the livestock.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    As Luca was about to unleash her outrage, Hiro stood before her.


    ¡°Back off!¡±


    Luca shouted at him, and Hiro put his index finger to her mouth with a calm look on his face.


    ¡°Luca, be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Hyii?¡±


    This intimidation made Luca look frightened. However, from Lucia¡¯s position, she could not see Hiro¡¯s expression, or perhaps she was just staring at his back as she tilted her head.


    Hiro puts his hand on Luca¡¯s shoulder and speaks the words as if admonishing her.


    ¡°I want you to leave the rest to me. Okay?¡±


    After waiting for Luca to nod, Hiro turned to Lucia and smiled grandly.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not insult my subordinate.¡±


    ¡°You want me to tell you exactly how it¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°You¨Dyou¡¯re talking too much.¡±


    The hem of his white coat fluttered in the air.


    ¡°Gnnu!¡±


    Lucia managed to intercept it with her iron fan.


    ¡°You¡¯re fast!¡±


    Next, a sharp de with a precise trajectory aimed at Lucia¡¯s vital point.


    Lucia barely avoided it, but her skin was cut shallowly, and a small amount of blood dripped. She was not even given time to fight back. A raging attack struck Lucia.


    ¡°Hmph!


    ¡°Nnh!¡±


    Lucia¡¯s reaction to Hiro¡¯s attack was dyed by a second. Lucia prevented the attack with a shallow cut on her cheek, but herte reaction created a clear difference between the two. Lucia may have noticed a strange gap between the two, but there was nothing she could do about it; if she were not careful, she would be decapitated. But Lucia unfolded her iron fan while suffering countless wounds.


    ¡°Mand, protect me.¡±


    Nothing changed. Hiro then swings down on Lucia with the Dark Emperor. Lucia smiled and opened her arms to meet Hiro¡¯s attack.


    But the ck sword failed to wound her.


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    Lucia smiled proudly as Hiro looked at her with an impressed look in his eyes.


    ¡°Fufu, how about it? Are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°Kuh!?¡±


    Lucia¡¯s kick burst into Hiro¡¯s cheek.


    But¨DHiro¡¯s hand grabbed Lucia by the cor and offset her by mming her to the ground with momentum. It was a brilliant move for a spur-of-the-moment action.


    But Lucia was not damaged much, and she quickly got up and moved away from Hiro.


    ¡°A brilliant move, but unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t work on me.¡±


    She admired Hiro with surprise and brushed her sweat-stained bangs up depressingly.


    Is that iron-ribbed fan the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords?¡±


    Hiro tilted his head as he looked at his own hand. At that time, the de of the Dark Emperor must surely have hit Lucia.


    ¡°Fufu, that¡¯s right, Mand, one of the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords given to me by the Fairy King.¡±


    ¡°I see, I don¡¯t know what the ¡®blessing¡¯ is, but it sure looks like trouble.¡±


    Hiro¡¯s figure disappeared. Lucia braced herself but did not move from her spot.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try a few things.¡±


    A high-speed attack¨Dnot the leisurely movements as before.


    Lucia was hit by shes in all directions.


    ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s no use.¡±


    Lucia epted everything without even making a move to avoid it. Hiro danced with the Dark Emperor with the intention of cutting off her head. His sword de aimed at her artery. The tip of his de pierces the heart and slices through the small body. There was no struggle against each other. It was a one-sided massacre¨Dbut only if all attacks were sessful.


    Hiro stopped in his tracks at thepleteck of response and recalled his battle with Nameless.


    In the case of Nameless, it was an illusionary technique, but Lucia seems to be a different system.


    ¡°Hey, is this a time to be thinking?¡±


    The tip of her closed iron fan was pressed against Hiro¡¯s chest.


    The impact¨Dtremendous pain exploded inside his body.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Hiro knelt on the ground and looked up at Lucia with a fresh feeling of pain that he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. She looked down at Hiro with an ecstatic expression.


    ¡°How is it? Are you awake now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Thanks to you and all that.¡±


    When Hiro said that, he released the Dark Emperor.


    ¡°Kuh.¡±


    The result was a slice across the cheek, but Hiro returned the attack with a sh of his hand.


    Lucia evades with her head down. A few strands of her hair flew through the air.


    ¡°I see. I understand now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hiro kicked Lucia¡¯s hand as she was about to unfold the iron fan. Although it didn¡¯t break her hand, it slowed her down. Hiro stepped forward and delivered a palm strike.


    Lucia¡¯s face contorted in intense pain as she took the blow to the abdomen, and Hiro did not relent but gave chase.


    ¡°It seems meaningless if you don¡¯t open it up.¡±


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Lucia caught the ck sword with her iron fan and stared at Hiro while gritting her teeth.


    The Mand struck Hiro in the cheek but did not have a tremendous impact like before.


    ¡°Rather than offensive and defensive, I would say it was more like anti and defensive?¡±


    There were several irregrities in Lucia¡¯s behavior. No matter what the situation, she was busily repeating the opening and closing of the iron fan. It was the kind of behavior one would expect from a person who had lost herposure due to nervousness. But there was no way she was such a small-minded person. If this is the case, it can be connected as a condition for drawing out the power of the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords.


    ¡°You noticed¡­ in such a short time, huh?¡±


    ¡°The level of experience we¡¯ve gone through is different, after all.¡±


    The slow and rapid movements, as well as the strong drop-off in speed, put Lucia at his mercy.


    ¡°It may be, but I can¡¯t lose.¡±


    Lucia pushed open her iron fan.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put an end to this charade.¡±


    Hiro clutched Lucia¡¯s chest and mmed her to the ground.


    She immediately tried to get up, but the Dark Emperor was thrust into the ground right beside her cheek. Lucia, who was held down, struggled to get up, but Hiro¡¯s arm strength was so extraordinary that he did not even flinch.


    ¡°First of all, if you don¡¯t intend to do it seriously, may I ask you to talk about this matter?¡±


    Hiro took out a sheet of letterhead from his pocket. It was delivered to him when he was stuck in the city.


    ¡°Hmm, can I assume that you are thinking positively about it?¡±


    ¡°It depends on the contents, but before that¨D¨D¡±


    Hiro looked up when he noticed a shadow fall overhead.


    With bloodshot eyes, Luca looked down at them with her Vajra in her hand.


    ¡°What are you doing? Just kill that woman!¡±


    ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t tell Luca anything?¡±


    Lucia sounded surprised, and Hiro nodded in response.


    ¡°In a sense, Luca is very honest about her emotions¨Dit would be a problem if it were seen.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, but then it getsplicated¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­? If you don¡¯t kill her, I¡¯ll smash her head in for you.¡±


    When Luca lifted the Vajra, Hiro held it back with his hand.


    ¡°She¡¯s at the end of her rope. Let¡¯s move on.¡±


    Hiro moved away from Lucia and stood up, looking around.


    The war was still going on.


    The Third Army of Grantz had been pushed back, and there were only soldiers of the Six Kingdoms in the surroundings.


    Even so¨Dthey were unaware of Hiro and the others.


    It was a strange situation, but this must be the power of the Mand in Lucia¡¯s possession.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any nonsense. But if not, let¡¯s get down to business.¡±


    Lucia got up, brushing the dust off her clothes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad deal for you, but first, I shall return her as a sign of trust.¡±


    Lucia snapped her fingers, and the space opened up to reveal a woman bound with a rope.


    ¡°Hugin!¡±


    Luca was the first to notice. She rushed to Hugin, who had fallen to the ground.


    She immediately picked her up and checked if she was still alive.


    ¡°S-she¡¯s alive; she¡¯s alive!¡±


    Luca reported to Hiro with a happy look on her face.


    Hiro turned his eyes away from Luca, who was holding the unconscious Hugin and turned his attention to Lucia once again. She shrugged her shoulders as she fanned herself with her iron fan.


    ¡°I was a little rough with her, but I didn¡¯t hurt her at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you see thising?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool. There are many ways to go about it. This was just an insurance policy.¡±


    If Lucia¡¯s story is to be believed, she must have created this situation with careful calction. Even if Hugin¡¯s true identity was known, she had expected to use it for something, and it was audacious of her to use it as a bargaining chip at such ast minute. However, since that decision gave them room to negotiate, it was hardly foolhardy. It seems that she has a stronger side than Hiro had imagined.


    ¡°I see¡­ then let¡¯s hear what you have to say.¡±


    Hiro lowered his arm, looked away from Lucia, and turned his attention to the main camp of the Raven Army.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 9, Chapter 5 – Ice Emperor, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 9, Chapter 5 - Ice Emperor, Part 4</h4>


    ¡°Are you still going to do it?¡±


    Stobel asked, sounding truly dismayed.


    Ahead of his gaze was the figure of Skaaha, who continued to stand despite being wounded to the bone.


    Her left arm was broken and stretched out toward the ground. Her hair, which had been tied back, was untied and disheveled, and her beautiful blue-green hair color was stained with blood and mud.


    Still, Skaaha¡¯s eyes were not dead. On the contrary, they continued to burn with the fire of vengeance.


    ¡°¡­¡­I won¡¯t die until I kill you.¡±


    While dragging her right leg, which had stopped moving, Skaaha closed the distance between her and Stobel.


    Breathing heavily through his nose, Stobel clicked his tongue in frustration.


    ¡°You are a woman who never grows up. How can you not see the futility of this?¡±


    Stobel stammered out a sigh of relief, indicating that he has had enough of this.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s futile or not¨D¨D¡±


    Skaaha leaped on the ground.


    ¡°I won¡¯t know unless I try!¡±


    Stobel followed Skaaha¡¯s figure floating high in the sky with his eyes.


    ¡°I will put everything I have into this. Take this!¡±


    Skaaha held the Ice Emperor with her back to the sky. High energy swelled up, and the air made a piercing sound.


    The Ice Emperor¡¯s Heavenly Blessing¨DCertain Attack!


    As soon as the Ice Emperor disappeared from Skaaha¡¯s hand, the surrounding water froze, and arge number of ice spears appeared. At the sight of this, Stobel¡¯s face turned joyful.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still going to entertain me?¡±


    Although the Ice Emperor¡¯s blessing had been removed, she still used the Heavenly Blessing.


    Normally, she would have fainted from the intense pain, but Skaaha kept her spirits up with only her desire for vengeance.


    Arge number of ice spears produced in the sky rained down on the ground. They were intercepted by thunderbolts and wind des.


    Both forces collided, and the sheer force of the collision caused the ground to explode, raising arge amount of dust.


    The tremendous sound of destruction, like a bomb st, propagated through the air.


    Afternding on the ground, Skaaha continued to stare at the dust cloud with clinging eyes.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    The dust was blown away by a gust of wind.


    Skaaha bites her lip in frustration and gazes at the scene with a look of disgust on her face.


    ¡°You did your best, but that¡¯s all you can do, huh¡­? That¡¯s boring.¡±


    Stobel¡¯s figure disappears in the blink of an eye as he steps onto the ground.


    In a daze of consciousness, Skaaha silently gazed at Stobel, who appeared before her.


    ¡°You have taken away my precious time. Don¡¯t think you can die easily.¡±


    A huge fist thrust into Skaha¡¯s abdomen. Skaaha caught it without defending himself and was naturally blown away. Exhausted both physically and mentally, Skaaha could not even react and continued to roll.


    Stobel went around ahead of Skaaha, who was bouncing on the ground and kicked her as hard as he could.


    An eerie sound echoed from Skaaha¡¯s body, and she floated in the air, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    Without resistance¨Dbeing yed with like a toy. It was not clear whether she was alive or dead now.


    Stobel continued to vite her unterally. A sound like a stone cracking was heard from Skaaha¡¯s jaw as she was punched in the cheek. Several bloodied teeth burst out of her half-opened mouth and bounced around on the ground. Next, Skaaha¡¯s body bent over. The sound of bones cracking from her side¨Dthe sound of bones breaking like a scream as she was struck all over her body was the only sound that continues to echo in the void.


    She did not cry. Nor did she scream. Seeing herck of resistance, Stobel began to lose interest.


    ¡°¡­Are you dead?¡±


    Skaaha has be so horribly disfigured that it would make people want to cover their eyes, Stobel threw her down on the ground, where sheid in a pool of blood and did not move an inch.


    Even when he kicks with his toes, Skaaha rolls over onto her back without even grunting.


    Stobel grabbed her by her reddened hair and lifted her up.


    Her limbs felt no strength, her swollen face was lifeless, and she hung like a string puppet. But she was still miraculously alive. Her mouth was moving in little wiggles. Stobel listened with interest but was unable to understand what she was saying.


    ¡°I¡­ finally¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    When he brought his ear even closer, Skaaha grabbed Stobel¡¯s arm with her right hand.


    ¡°You have a lot of strength for someone on the verge of death, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Stobel noticed a sword clutched in Skaaha¡¯s left hand.


    ¡°You can¡¯t pierce my flesh with that!¡±


    He sneered and noticed that Skaaha¡¯s mouth was agape.


    Just as Stobel¡¯s brow furrowed in suspicion, Skaaha shed the sword in her hand.


    It was not at Stobel.


    It was to herself¨Djust above her head, arge amount of Skaaha¡¯s hair flew up in the air.


    Stobel could notprehend the action of cutting her own hair, and his thoughts were temporarily paralyzed.


    ¡°I said I finally got you.¡±


    Skaaha leaned over to Stobel and put her hand on his chest, a victorious smile on her mouth. She had already exerted all her strength. There was no strength left. Every bone in her body was screaming. And yet, there was still one thing left: her life.


    ¡°My dearest friend will¡­ pierce everything.¡±


    Devoting her soul to the final blow. She entrusted everything to her longtime partner.


    Skaaha¡¯s palms were rapidly freezing as she sacrificed herself in a desperate attempt to win.


    ¡°Good-bye¡­ Ice Emperor.¡±


    ¨D¨DDivine Pration.


    A single point of concentration¨DSkaaha¡¯s all-out high spirits exploded.


    An ice spear like a bolt of lightning, shot at close range, was sucked into Stobel¡¯s chest.


    ¡°What¨D?¡±


    The ice spear was released at point-nk range and was sucked into Stobel¡¯s chest like a bolt of lightning.


    ¡°You can never be too careless¡­¡±


    Obviously, Stobel was caught off guard.


    He had been dealing with Skaaha as if he were tormenting a small animal. But it was not that she was without resistance because she had given up. She was constantly on the lookout for an opening to get back at Stobel.


    Skaaha was waiting vigntly for the opportunity when the moment of victory woulde.


    ¡°Now I¨D¡­¡±


    While looking at Stobel, who was struggling, Skaaha smiled with satisfaction. And then, falling to the ground as it was, without moving a single fingertip, blood puddles spread out, caressed by the blowing winds of war, and lulled into a deep, deep, deep sleep.


    ¡°¡­Ooooo!¡±


    Stobel scratched at his own frozen chest as strength drained from his chest.


    ¡°What is a weakling like you doing to me¨D¨D!¡±


    With a look of indignation on his face, he approaches the fallen Skaaha. Stobel raises the Thunder Emperor above his head, not wanting to leave a speck of dust behind.


    Then¡­


    ¡°Stobel, you¡¯re not looking good.¡±


    A red-haired woman appeared. The red de caught the axe violently.


    ¡°Liz¡­ why are you here?¡±


    Despite Stobel¡¯s surprise, behind Liz, thousands of horsemen were overrunning the soldiers of Urpeth. Stobel didn¡¯t recognize them¡­ but clearly, the neers were not Grantz soldiers.


    ¡°Who the hell are those people¡­?¡±


    They were dressed in light armor like bandits, and they were skillfully maneuvering their horses and shooting their bows from horseback while shouting heroically. The Urpeth soldiers fighting on the ground are being ughtered one after another.


    Most prominent among them is a female warrior who cut down soldiers whileughing. She was clearly enjoying the battlefield. Her mouth was hanging open in an unusual disy of glee.


    ¡°Princess! Leave the rest to us!¡±


    She was ughtering the Urpeth soldiers with overwhelming military might while radiating terrifying high energy.


    They kicked, wed at their faces, and pounced on their next prey like tigers.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take all the delicious parts!¡±


    There was no one to stop her. One after another, the corpses piled up in front of her.


    Those who stood in front of her werepletely stunned. It was only natural that an ordinary person would not be able to properly deal with a person who can cut through people like paper whileughing loudly.


    ¡°¡­¡­Steichen, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I asked them to help me out.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Stobel staggered his huge frozen body¨Dalthough his body was still trying to regenerate itself. But it was clear to anyone watching that it was slowing down.


    ¡°You lost. You lost to Skaaha. You misjudged her power.¡±


    Liz smiled and readied the me Emperor.


    ¡°You¨DDo you believe in fate?¡±


    With that single phrase, the sun was revealed on the ground, and a gentle breeze blew through the air.


    A vast torrent of power rushed through the sky and over the ground.


    ¡°Cry for optimism, weep for a favor, sublimate happiness.¡±


    Grass and flowers begin to overflow on the ground. A sweet fragrance dominated the space.


    Spring came to the world.


    There was no conflict, nothing to fight about, just harmonious nature sprouting from the ground. Everything was painted over with light, and a new world was rebuilt.


    ¡°Shall I end this?¡±


    A solemn voice emanated from Liz¡¯s throat.


    Waves of vibrations pressurized the air, and majesty danced wildly in the interesting sound. The voice was pure and beautiful, but the demonic atmosphere was infused with immense divine majesty.


    ¡°Full Bloom¨Dme Emperor!¡±


    The me Emperor disappeared from Liz¡¯s hand, and the world was enveloped in red and blue.


    The surroundingndscape was consumed by mes.


    There was no trace of the gentleness that existed until a moment ago. A tyrannical heat wave spreads throughout the world.


    ¨D¨DHundreds of flowers bloomed!


    The world was transformed¨Dno, there was only one woman who was allowed to reign over the world.


    All living things around her were blinded by the sun.


    All living things were uniformly envious of the sun, friend and foe alike, horses, insects, and even the grass.


    ¡°Now¨DStobel, I¡¯ll make it easier for you.¡±


    mes coiled around Liz¡¯s entire body as if to protect her.


    Suddenly, Stobel, who had been watching in amazement, began to run toward Liz.


    ¡°Damn youuuu!¡±


    Stobel shouted in the constructed alternate world. He was unable to resist the mes and could not even regenerate in time.


    His physical body was perishing; his immortal body, which incorporated the power of the gods, was rotting away.


    ¡°Liz, you, youuuuu!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    She mmed her fist into the ground. Just like that, Stobel was engulfed in mes.


    The mes undted and formed a serpent-like shape, and a lion with a majestic atmosphere appeared.


    The lion, with its huge jaws wide open, pounced on Stobel, biting him and shaking its head in an attempt to tear him to pieces.


    Stobel clenched his teeth to endure the intense pain and mmed his fist into the fangs that were digging into his body. But the futile resistance was soon over, and Stobel red at Liz with tears of blood.


    ¡°We will definitely have our revenge!¡±


    It was abrupt. A ck mass swung down from the sky and enveloped Stobel along with the lion.


    ¡°You think this is the end¨D¨D?¡±


    With a shout, the lion of me exploded.


    The ck chunks of fire and the lions are enveloped by the wind.


    The only thing left behind were two spirit weapons and the figure of Skaaha, who had fallen nearby.


    As Liz tries to approach Skaaha, something unusual happens.


    The Thunder and Wind Emperors left behind by Stobel disappeared, as did the Ice Emperor.


    Liz was not surprised and looked far away.


    ¡°¡­¡­See you again.¡±


    With a somewhat satisfied look on her face, Liz approached Skaaha.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 10, Chapter 1 – Wriggling Darkness, Part 3

    <h4>Volume 10, Chapter 1 - Wriggling Darkness, Part 3</h4>


    The ¡°Spirit Wall¡± that existed in the northern region of the Grantz Empire first appeared in history about 500 years ago.


    ording to the literature of the time, the security of the northern region deteriorated due to the increased activity of the ¡°monsters,¡± and the lords organized a team to subjugate them and send them out to various areas.


    However, a few months after they went out to defeat the ¡°monsters,¡± they lost contact with some of the units.


    The lords became suspicious, wondering if it was the work of night robbers or if they had been beaten back, but they did not think too seriously about it and set out to form a new force, mainlyposed of skilled men.


    However, they, too, were not heard from again.


    From this point on, strange rumors began to circte in the city.


    People were disappearing from towns and viges night after night.


    The lord received many such petitions from towns and viges in his territory, but since he needed manpower to defeat the ¡°monster,¡± he simply responded to the petitions without any concern and left the matter to the next day¡¯s meeting.


    First, the lords organized an army to conduct arge-scale campaign to eradicate the ¡°monsters.¡±


    Although they were able to achieve some sess in defeating the ¡°monsters,¡± the situation did not improve, and in fact, the situation was getting worse day by day.


    The lord was troubled as to what to do, but he received further sad news.


    People were disappearing from small viges and towns without a trace.


    The lord, who has decided that he could not handle this unprecedented event any longer, was prepared to be reprimanded and decided to ask for help from the central government.


    Upon receiving a letter from the lord, the 22nd Emperor of the Great Grantz Empire took the seriousness of the situation very seriously and personally led an army of 20,000 men to the north.


    However, when he arrived, he found the north in a state of disarray, with copsed cities, deserted viges, looting, destruction, and loss of order.


    The 22nd emperor headed for the city of the lord who was in charge, but even there, he was confronted with an unbelievable sight.


    The streets were filled with corpses, humanoid ¡°monsters¡± scavenging the corpses, and people wandering around with eyes as murky as the dead.


    In fact, they all attacked them, and not a single one of them was in their right mind. This encouraged the 22nd emperor to burn the city to the ground, fearing the spread of the disease. He then set out to discover the cause of the disease, but along the way, a startling revtion was made.


    The corpse devourers were originally ordinary ¡°people¡±-in other words, residents of the vanished cities and viges.


    The reason for their strange behavior and transformation is unknown, but they have lost their pride as a ¡°human race,¡± and the 22nd emperor has named them the ¡°flesh-eaters.¡±


    However, as soon as it became clear that they were originally from their own people and not ¡°monsters,¡± domestic criticism began to mount.


    The 22nd emperor decided to seek help from outside sources.


    The third princess shrine maiden who ruled the small country of Baum at the time.


    The 22nd emperor received the oracle of the ¡°Spirit King¡± from the third princess shrine maiden and seeded in silencing the nobles, and then heunched a campaign to purify the north with a huge army of over 200,000 men.


    In the process, the 22nd emperor seeded in discovering those whomanded the ¡°flesh-eaters.¡±


    They wereter known as the ¡°Marked Tribe¡± because of the strange markings on their bodies.


    The battle between them and the 22nd emperor was fierce.


    The cooperation between the ¡°Marked Tribe,¡± who possessed physical capabilities far superior to those of ordinary people, and the ¡°Flesh-eaters,¡± who were like the dead who did not feel pain even if a part of their body was damaged, cooperated with each other.


    The 22nd emperor invited the third princess shrine maiden to the north when the death toll was about to reach 30,000.


    Then began the rapid advance of the Grantz Armies.


    Under the direction of the third princess shrine maiden, and with the help of the ¡°Spirit King,¡± and making full use of the abilities of the spirits, they seeded in driving the ¡°flesh-eaters¡± and the ¡°marked tribe¡± to the western edge of the northern region.


    However, when they saw that they could no longer eradicate them, the 22nd emperor and the ¡°Spirit King¡± joined forces to sacrifice spirits in the western part of the north, and it was said that they refined a huge wall.


    After that, the ¡°Spirit Wall¡± became the border between the west, where humans lived, and the east, where demons spread¨Dan ¡°unexplored territory¡± where one could not return alive from.


    Many people call such ¡°unexplored territory,¡± which was covered by a perpetual blizzard, a hell.


    ¡°The security is so tight¡­ it¡¯s hard to even get in.¡±


    The sky was covered in white, and there was one suspicious-looking man in a ce where the sun doesn¡¯t shine.


    His brown skin, which did not resemble northern skin, was hidden by a winter coat, and his scarred face was covered by a hood. The man, whose tone of voice also gave the impression of being careless, hid in the shadows while keeping an eye on his surroundings.


    His name was Munin, a subordinate of the ¡°ck Dragon King¡± in the small country of Baum.


    Munin let out a nervous breath, and a small light illuminated him.


    ¡°Old man¡­ can you stop smoking?¡±


    Muninined, and the elderly man next to him smiled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You can¡¯t even see it. It¡¯s a blizzard today, and I don¡¯t think people can distinguish the smoke.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s a smell, though¡­ a man with a good nose would recognize it.¡±


    Munin, who had just poked his head out of the shadows, checked his surroundings and immediately sat back down in his original position.


    Munin was tempted to knock off the cigarette held by the elderly man in front of him, but unable to do so, he held back as if he were swallowing hard.


    ¡°Good heavens¡­ did I pick the wrong person?¡±


    After infiltrating the northern part of the country, Munin had a hard time finding people to help him break into the ¡°Spirit Wall.¡±


    Then the man in front of him, an elderly man carrying out his belongings, lent a helping hand.


    He demanded a certain amount of money, but Munin was able to break into the ¡°Spirit Wall¡± with the man carrying his baggage.


    First of all, he was surprised at the height and length of the ¡°Spirit Wall.¡± It was so high that it reached 125 rou (375 meters) in length and 250 cells (750 kilometers) in width, so long that it was impossible to see the end.


    At first nce, Munin realized that it was not a natural formation. But it was also impossible to artificially build a wall as thick as ice. Even today, it would be difficult, and Munin was very skeptical, thinking that the ¡°human race¡± of the time would not have the technology to do such a thing.


    Even so, seeing the real thing made him change his mind. The ¡°Spirit Wall¡± reigned so majestically in the north that he believed that what was written in the literature was true.


    Because of its existence, the people of Grantz never forgot their awe and worshiped the ¡°Spirit King,¡± and it was one of the reasons why the surrounding countries knew the greatness of the Twelve Great Gods of Grantz.


    The fortress of the Great Grantz Empire was located in the central part of the ¡°Spirit Wall.¡± Although he had heard rumors about it, seeing it was quite different from hearing about it. Munin, who was peeking out from behind the cargo, was so astonished that his mouth was agape.


    Such a precious impression was blown away by theck of tension in the old man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you, but if you weren¡¯t my guide, I¡¯d have beaten you up.¡±


    Munin swore, and the old man cleared his throatically.


    ¡°You could have done it if I wasn¡¯t your guide. But you seem to be a kind man, brother.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you anyway. Here¡¯s the rest of the money. Buy as many cigarettes or liquor as you like.¡±


    Munin tossed the bag full of gold coins to the old man and smiled.


    The old man looked at him with some surprise in his eyes as he saw the sack full of gold coins.


    ¡°It seems to be more than you promised.¡±


    ¡°I asked for it even though it would have put our life in danger. But thanks to you, we were able to infiltrate the ¡°Spirit Wall.¡± I¡¯m paying extra for it.¡±


    ¡°If that is the case¡­ then I¡¯ll take it gratefully.¡±


    The old man put the bag in his pocket happily and then frowned suspiciously.


    ¡°After bringing you all the way here, what are you going to do now, brother?¡±


    Munin¡¯s expression becameplicated when he was asked.


    He could not tell the old man, whom he did not even know, the details of his important mission. If he told the old man, the old man would no longer be an irrelevant person.


    It would be dangerous to stay here for a long time. He did not know when the soldiers on patrol would find him. He wanted to leave as soon as possible, but strangely enough, the old man¡¯s question lingered in his ears.


    After a long pause, Munin scratched the back of his head and looked down at the ground.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go into details because of the circumstances, but¡­ I¡¯m going to do a little research, and then I¡¯m going to leave right away. I¡¯m not going to bother you, old man. So forget about me and get the hell out of here.¡±


    Munin sat up with these words. But he was immediately stopped by the old man.


    ¡°You are a good man, but I warn you, if the five generals who are in charge of guarding this ce find out about this, you will not get away with it.¡±


    The guardian of the ¡°Spirit Wall¡± was Hermes von Heimdahl, the head of the Heimdahl family, which was known as one of the three major northern families, and one of only five generals in the Empire of Grantz.


    He was so famous that there was no one in Grantz who did not know him.


    Munin had never met or seen him, but it was easy to imagine how powerful he was. He knew very well that this was not a position that could be filled by a weak man. If Munin were to confront him, he would probably be no match for him.


    However, he must not misunderstand the purpose.


    Munin¡¯s mission was not tobat. Rather, his mission was to conduct research, including reconnaissance. Therefore, even if the opponent was one of the five generals, it was not impossible for him to escape.


    And besides, Munin thought, but the old man interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°Even so, even the five great generals are no match for old age. Ten years ago¡­ no, twenty years ago, he would certainly be stronger than people say he is now.¡±


    The old man sighed ruefully, stroking the beard on his chin.


    ¡°It is certain that we have made a mistake in the timing of the generational change. As proof of this, I heard the other day that one of the five great generals, the mighty Cain, died in Felzen.¡±


    Bakish was in charge of protecting the west, Loing was in charge of protecting the south, and Cain was in charge of protecting the central. The impact of the loss of the five generals who had stood in awe of the Grantz, one after the other, was immeasurable.


    ¡°¡­That mighty Cain is dead?¡±


    The old man cleared his throat in a funny way.


    ¡°Hah, his reputation as a strong arm is a thing of the past. Even his own people are now questioning his ability.¡±


    Was there really any need to fear them? It was true that in other countries, they were beginning to be described with contempt as an honorary position. In their own country, they have been ndered by their own people as having tarnished the names of the five previous generals.


    ¡°All that is left is the old dog of the north and the fox of the east.¡±


    The old man¡¯s unafraid reference to the five generals caused Munin to tilt his head to the side.


    ¡°Do you have something against the Five Generals?¡±


    The way he spoke, it was clear that he did not have good feelings toward them. This may have led him to cooperate with Munin. He thought¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any feelings about it. I was just stating a fact.¡±


    The old man¡¯s face wore an expression of dismay as he blew on his cigarette.


    Feeling like he had been let down but intrigued by the old man¡¯s story, Munin decided to sit down again.


    ¡°Have you ever seen the two of them, old man?¨Dthe mad dog of the north and the she-wolf of the east?¡±


    The old man stroked his beard and growled as he mentioned the two names, which were not derogatory terms.


    ¡°Hmm, I know the old dog of the north well since he is the local five generals. But I know nothing of the fox of the east except for rumors.¡±.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Munin could not hide his disappointment.


    There were too many mysteries about the five generals of the East¨Dso he thought that if he could bring back some of their backgrounds, it might be useful to Hiro.


    That was why he was so eager to stop and talk to the old man, but it turned out to be in vain.


    ¡°But the story of the east fox¡¯s victory in the duel with her predecessor has been heard far to the north.¡±


    The Fox of the East, or the she-wolf, appeared out of the blue a few years ago and overpowered one of the five great generals of the time by force. She was recognized by Emperor Greyheit for her abilities and was appointed as a new member of the Five Great Generals¡¯ Army.


    Since then, however, she had never appeared on the stage, nor had she responded to Emperor Greyheit¡¯s summons.


    Even so, she had not been stripped of her title as one of the five great generals, and she still unted her position as a great general.


    One theory as to why the title has not been revoked was that it is due to the fact that she was assisted by the previous five generals. Munin wondered if she could really ignore the emperor¡¯s summons for that reason alone.


    Munin pped his cheek as he thought about it.


    This was not the time to be preupied. He had to find out what was going on at the ¡°Spirit Wall.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to talk with you, but I¡¯m going to freeze if I stay here for too long. I¡¯ll be going now. Take care.¡±


    Munin lifted his hand and sat up, reprimanding his body, which had hesitated to move for a moment because of the cold wind. The old man, seeing this, blew out his cigarette and let out a deep sigh of disappointment.


    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I don¡¯t feel good about letting it go on like this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Munin turned around to see the old man standing there, sitting on the box.


    The sight of him sent a shiver down Munin¡¯s spine. He noticed an overwhelming sense of military might.


    ¡°It is true that I am an old man¡­ but don¡¯t treat me like one.¡±


    There was no trace of the good-natured old-man atmosphere that had prevailed earlier.


    Munin swallowed his spit and cleared his throat from nervousness.


    His gaze remained fixed on the old man as if to say, If he looked away, he would lose his life.


    The old man¡¯s gaze was so powerful that it made him think so.


    ¡°My name is Hermes von Heimdahl.¡±


    The man standing there was a warrior, a man who spent his entire life in battle, and his unique atmosphere was so intense that it melted the snow around him.


    If he had been as skinny as a branch just a few moments before, he was now as fresh and animated as arge tree.


    ¡°My heart is warm right now. I¡¯ll buy you a drink. So why don¡¯t you talk to this old man some more?¡±


    Hermes¡¯ smile deepened as he ced his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t turn down a small favor from an old man with a short life, would you?¡±


    Munin smiled wryly as he wiped the greasy sweat from his forehead under the pressure of the old man¡¯s request.


    ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have had a long talk with you¡­¡±


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 10, Chapter 1 – Wriggling Darkness, Part 4

    <h4>Volume 10, Chapter 1 - Wriggling Darkness, Part 4</h4>


    The headquarters of the Bromell family, one of the three northern families, was located one hundred cells (300 km) east of ¡°White Silver Castle.¡±


    Its name was Log¨Done of the great cities of the North, and until a few years ago, it was prosperous enough to be the envy of other countries.


    However, due to the recent prosperity of the Levering Kingdom, the split in support of the northern leader Sharm family, the loss of trust in the second prince of Grantz, and a series of other unfortunate events, apanied by the continued progress of the sixth princess of Grantz, the economy of the north began to show signs of stagnation.


    The effect was felt throughout the entire northern region, and the town of Log was no exception, with the merchants¡¯ feet naturally wandering away and a gloomy atmosphere as if they had sunk to the bottom of the ocean.


    In the center of Log, ¡°Himinbj?rg Castle¡± was standing proudly.


    Thend was covered in perpetual snow, and a blizzard that ravaged the sky had closed in on the world.


    It was an unsuitable ce for human habitation, yet it was considered one of thergest cities in the surrounding area. The reason for this was that it was one of the key points. It was a key location because it was in charge of suppressing the Levering Kingdom to the east.


    The lord was Typhoeus von Bromell. He was the current head of the Bromell family, one of the three major northern families.


    He was not in the lord¡¯s room but was standingfortably on a dep covered by a snowstorm, holding a silver cup in his hand. The mead that filled his silver cup was frozen and covered with snow.


    But Typhoeus showed no sign of concern, and with a nonchnt expression on his face, he looked at only one thing.


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    A voice rang out from behind Typhoeus with the sound of him kneeling on the spot, stepping on the snow.


    Not seeming surprised, Typhoeus shook his head to shake off the drowsiness, and the silver cup stuck to his hand¨Dhe pulled it off along with the skin of his hand and threw it from the dep to the ground.


    ¡°Ladon, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The northern continent¡¯s Steel King¡¯s head will be delivered to you soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s early.¡±


    ¡°After a thousand years, he will probably weaken. He was always suppressing volcanic eruptions, and his strength must have been exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Losers don¡¯t get to choose where they live.¡±


    The northern continent, which the ¡°dwarves¡± have designated as their permanent home, was home to many active volcanoes that erupted on a daily basis, and thend covered by volcanic eruptions was not a habitable environment for human habitation.


    However, Mount Vias, located in the center of the northern continent, was the only ce where human habitation was possible. At the foot of Mount Vias, there is arge city built by ¡°dwarves¡± who were driven away by ¡°humans¡± a thousand years ago.


    Now that they have cut offmunication with other races and established their own culture, they have be a paradise for the ¡°dwarves¡± and a ce where they could live in peace.


    But this peace was only possible as long as the eruption of Mount Vias was kept at bay by the power of the ¡°Steel King.¡±


    ¡°Even my lovely children are unable to leave the southern archipgo, and now they have forgotten even their own long-cherished wishes and spend all their time-fighting.¡±


    A thousand years ago, the ¡°human race¡± won the war against the ¡°demon tribe¡± and gained control of the central continent.


    This led to the persecution of other races by those who had be arrogant.


    The era of the Third Emperor Grantz was the most disastrous.


    He showed no mercy to his own people, as well as to other races.


    ¡°He was too much like his father. He also had a fragile heart.¡±


    Upon his ession to the throne, the Third Emperor Grantz began his invasions of neighboring countries.


    The countries that had no way to stop the rampaging lion that suddenlyunched an invasion were defeated. Of course, there is also a ¡°human¡± force that opposes the invasion.


    These were the descendants of the ¡°Five ck Heavenly Generals¡± who, together with the ¡°God of War,¡±id the foundation of the Grantz.


    However, they were powerless in the face of such mighty power and were all disposed of.


    Defeated, they moved west with the survivors in search of a new heaven and a new earth. However, the pursuit did not stop, and they were driven to the edge.


    Even their own people were subjected to horrendous treatment.


    Other races left the central continent to avoid conflict with the ¡°human race.¡±


    If they had remained on the central continent, they would have been subjected to a history of persecution like the Levering Kingdom.


    ¡°They really danced the way we wanted them to. When I heard that he was so overwhelmed with shame that hemitted suicide in the end, I was disappointed. His father was a man who never wavered in any way.¡±


    ¡°The human heart is a fragile thing. It is easy to be seduced by sweet talk and easily shattered.¡±


    ¡°But they are not weak, just fragile. No matter what time of year it is, the ¡°human race¡± has always been strong¨Dthey have survived through many crises.¡±


    The blizzard intensified, freezing the walls and easily blowing out the bonfires.


    Even if there was a firece, it would be unbearable for a human being to live in an extremely cold ce.


    Even so, the ¡°humans¡± did not want to leave thend, and they continued to try to adapt to the iprehensible.


    When the sun rose at dawn again today, people would greet each other with smiles on their faces as if there had never been a snowstorm.


    ¡°That is why I am afraid. I feel the fear that everything I have built up wille to nothing.¡±


    The growth that fascinated the boy a thousand years ago¨Da part of the miracle that ¡°human beings¡± had wrought¨Dwas terrifying.


    ¡°I had never regretted so much as I made the error that urred just before I almost grasped the heavens. Never did I think that a little boy would exceed my expectations.¡±


    The change brought about by a single fruit has tampered with the eternal history created by the gods.


    The ordinary became rare, themonce became extraordinary, themoner became great, and man became a living god.


    ¡°On that day, I learned that the desires of man cannot be measured.¡±


    ¡°That is why¡­ why¡­ the Lord chose the path of endurance.¡±


    To avoid repeating the mistake, they prepared carefully. He has concentrated only on weakening the Grantz under the surface.


    Approaching the edge of the dep, Typhoeus reaches out into the empty space.


    The blizzard blocked his view, and he could see nothing. But there is always something beyond.


    dius, the great imperial capital, the ideal city of the ¡°human race,¡± the city of a thousand years where the victor reigns.


    ¡°The great n of the millennium will soon be fulfilled.¡±


    The Imperial Pce Vian, a living witness to the glory of history, was aze, and the Imperial Capital of dius, which had been perfected as a city over many years, crumbled in an instant.


    The ¡°human race¡± that strutted around the central continent, with its own face, was sure to bring despair to the faces of the people.


    The overwhelming sensation would draw in the pleasure, and the excitement would never cool down¨Dchaos would strike, and the world would once again be flooded with the dead.


    ¡°The world will once again be flooded with the dead. One of the Five Demon Emperor¡¯s Swords, ¡°Creation Demon,¡± has passed into the hands of a new owner.¡±


    ¡°How is Hydra?¡±


    ¡°He seems to be in a state of tension, but I think he¡¯s generally fine. But since the source of his power is vengeance¡­ I wonder if he will be able to keep his cool in the face of him.¡±


    ¡°Ladon, I know it¡¯s early days since you came back, but go to Hydra once more and lend him a hand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Typhoeus opened his arms to catch the strong wind and closed his eyelids to listen carefully.


    ¡°The Grantz is starting to move deeper to the west. The south will be noisy soon. Let my children, trapped in the ¡°Spirit Wall,¡± raise a smoke signal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let chaos break out in the world, for a new era is dawning!¡±


    ¡°Give me the heads of the kings of the nations, and the Grantz will be destroyed in an instant.¡±


    When he opened his eyelids, the sky was unchanged. Only a blizzard was raging.


    And yet, believing that there was something there, Typhoeus reached out his hand.


    ¡°When the sun floats in the darkness¨Dthe world wille to an end.¡±


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 10, Chapter 1 – Wriggling Darkness, Part 5

    <h4>Volume 10, Chapter 1 - Wriggling Darkness, Part 5</h4>


    Felzen Region¨Dnear Sandinal.


    The night was deepening, and the moon was peeking through the clouds, bringing a small amount of light to thend.


    On the roughnd, there was a in that stretched out only a little bit.


    Wild birds slept in trees as tall as a man¡¯s waist, insects lurked in the shadows singing loudly, and beasts searched for their prey with bright eyes.


    Time passed slowly, moment by moment, hour by hour, as nature flowed and underwent small changes.


    Such quiet nights used to be the natural routine around here.


    Now, however, there is a sense of uneasiness in the air.


    An unusual scene blended into the everyday¨Done of the reasons for this may be the presence of encampments spread out across the ins.


    Fences had been built in a circr pattern. Within these fences, numerous tents were erected at regr intervals.


    The g of the ¡°lion¡± flying at the zenith of the fence waved in the night wind, and arge number of bonfires were lit, illuminating the surrounding area as brightly as if it were daytime. Shadows were cast by soldiers on guard, their boots ttering and their sharp, wary eyes looking in all directions.


    This was the encampment of the Great Grantz Empire.


    Among them, there was a ce that was different¨Da ce that was strangely silent, as if blending into the darkness.


    There were only a few soldiers on guard, d in all-ck armor, and no troops patrolling.


    At the top of the only heavily guarded tent was a banner with a dragon in silver and white on a ck background.


    Inside the tent, Hiro, the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡± king of the small country of Baum, was resting.


    In front of him, a brown-skinned woman repeatedly bowed her head.


    ¡°I am so sorry!¡±


    The woman apologized once again in a loud voice and put her forehead on the ground.


    ¡°Because of me being taken hostage¡­ you have decided to join forces with Anguis!¡±


    Her name was Hugin. She¡¯s a close aide of Hiro, and until about a month ago, she was held captive by Lucia, the queen of Anguis, a country of the Six Kingdoms.


    It was good that she recovered after all the twists and turns, but it was difficult to judge whether it was due to fatigue or Lucia¡¯s ability, but in any case, she had been asleep until a few moments ago.


    And as soon as she woke up, all she did was apologize with tearful eyes, and that¡¯s what she¡¯s doing now.


    Hiro looked at Hugin¡¯s head as she continued to apologize frantically.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Hugin¡¯s fault.¡±


    He smiled bitterly, sat back in his chair, and grabbed a silver cup on a nearby desk.


    ¡°I was just thinking that I wanted an insider from the beginning.¡±


    His gaze wandered around in search of a water bottle, but a woman swinging one sleeve grabbed the desired object and poured water into Hiro¡¯s silver cup. He raised one hand to thank her, and she red at him.


    Luca Mammon de Urpeth. She was a former general of the country of Urpeth, which was also one of the Six Kingdoms.


    She was looking for an opportunity to take revenge on Hiro for killing her brother, and Hiro was always on the lookout against her. She was also a little less stingy than she was at first. Even so, she still bit at Hiro whenever she saw an opening, so there was no time to rx.


    In other words, dealing with them would be a waste of time, so Hiro moistened his throat and then opened his mouth to Hugin again.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect one of the leaders of the Six Kingdoms to be an insider, though.¡±


    Seeing Hugin shrinking more and more, perhaps hearing the sarcasm, Hiro shrugged his shoulders and chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fortuitous thing. It was definitely you who connected me with her, and I have to give you credit for that.¡±


    What if¨Dthere¡¯s no such thing.


    Without Hugin, and because of his presence, such fictitious stories would not produce a single useful piece of information. What Hiro should do now is to find a way to reward Hugin¡¯s achievements.


    ¡°What would you like as a reward?¡±


    ¡°N-no, if I was able to be of service to my wise brother, then¨D¨D¡±


    Hugin was about to say no but then closed her mouth without finishing her words.


    She must have remembered something that had been saying before.


    The reward was what made people work hard. Those like Hugin, who were loyal to Hiro personally and were content with the status quo without any ambition to rise in the ranks, werecking in this area.


    But that was no way to show the other soldiers. If they were not rewarded for risking their lives, it would affect the morale of the soldiers.


    Moreover, it was a test of a king¡¯s mettle, so he must reward her generously and make the soldiers aware that they would be rewarded for their achievements, just as she had done.


    ¡°Now then¡­ I would like to receive a new assignment.¡±


    ¡°Denied.¡±


    Hugin raised his lowered head when her request was rejected bluntly.


    Hiro sighed deeply as he gazed at her clinging eyes.


    ¡°Just to put your mind at ease, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t give you an assignment because of this incident. I want you to rest for the time being. You¡¯ve been in captivity for a long time. You need rest.¡±


    In that sense, she didn¡¯t think she needed rest. She had been asleep for more than a month.


    But her body was weakening.


    Even if a new assignment was given to her, it was unlikely she would be able to handle it as well as she had before.


    ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand your concern. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able toplete the mission properly with your current state of mind. You¡¯ll be overwhelmed. The smallest mistake is likely to bring about your death.¡±


    As if to gently admonish her, Hiro looked firmly at Hugin and spoke his words.


    ¡°I still need Hugin¡¯s strength for the future. At the appropriate time, I will give you a new mission. Until then, you will be working with me.¡±


    Uneptable. Hugin¡¯s expression told him so, but he had to convince her.


    Hugin¡¯s crisis was directly rted to Luca¡¯s state of mind. He needed her to work with him to prevent the ¡°Raven Army¡± from losing its strength.


    ¡°Is that clear?¡±


    He strongly emphasized at the end, and Hugin¡¯s shoulders slumped as she made no attempt to hide her disappointment.


    ¡°Understood¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll decide on the rewardter and give it to you.¡±


    When Hiro said this, Hugin nodded her head. Luca, who had been silently watching the proceedings, approached Hugin, patted her gently on the shoulder, and smiled.


    ¡°Hugin, that man has a point. You should honestly rest your body here.¡±


    ¡°Luca-neesan¡­¡±


    ¡°You will stay with me for a while. Is that clear? Never leave. During the time I haven¡¯t heard from you, I¡¯ve felt really torn apart.¡±


    ¡°U-um, Lu-Luca-neesan?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Eagle, your sister was really worried about you. How many sleepless days have I spent without you? How will I live without you?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡­ I¡¯ve been telling you for a while now, I-I¡¯m not Eagle¡­¡±


    Hugin was bewildered by the hug, but Luca ignored her and cuddled her.


    ¡°No, you are Eagle. The winning eyes, the sassy mouth, the slender body, and above all, this light brown skin! That part of you that arouses sadism is definitely Eagle. You are Hugin, but you are also Eagle. This is reincarnation. You are born to me again. It must be so. Is that clear? Is that good?¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh? Even if you say that¡­¡±


    Is that good? You¡¯re Eagle, Eagle, Eagle, Eagle.¡±


    ¡°B-but I have a brother named Munin¡­ though I don¡¯t like to admit it.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    With a devilish look on her face, Luca approached Hugin right up to the tip of her nose.


    ¡°There is no such man!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡±


    Hugin waspletely frightened and stiffened in the face of this unusual power.


    Hiro, who was staring at the two jostling with an air of disquiet, remembered the time when he took off Eagle¡¯s head, but even if heaven and earth were turned upside down, he would still be able to say that Hugin and Eagle were two different people.


    If he had survived, if Luca had met Hugin on the battlefield, she would have beheaded her without hesitation. They would not have been in close contact as they are now.


    Is there something they have inmon? Hiro was looking at Hugin, but Luca interrupted his gaze.


    ¡°So, what did you have to talk about with that unpleasant woman?¡±


    ¡°Luca was there too, wasn¡¯t she¡­?¡±


    ¡°I was taking care of Hugin, so I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    It¡¯s typical of her¡­ but even so, she¡¯s still a member of the inner circle, so he wished she had at least listened to what he had to say. When Hiro sighed in distress, Hugin seemed to notice something and raised her voice.


    ¡°Oh, should I leave?¡±


    Luca opened her mouth first, smiling at her strange concern and saying, ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s okay for Hugin to be here. If there is any insolent person who disturbs you, I will crush them with my own hands and turn them into a piece of meat.¡±


    ¡°Well, since that¡¯s what seems to be the case¡­ Luca was right; there¡¯s no harm in Hugin listening to what I have to say.¡±


    Hiro decided to exin to them what the secret agreement with Lucia was all about.


    Hiro put his hand on his forehead and closed his eyelids as if to draw out his memories, and slowly began to speak.


    ¡°That day¨D¨D¡±


    After the battle, Lucia asked Hiro to fight with her.


    ¡°In exchange for surrendering Sandinal, the new royal capital of Felzen, I want you to help me in my efforts to usurp the unified kingship of the Six Kingdoms.¡±


    Lucia began as if making small talk, brushing the dust from her kimono.


    However, there were various obstacles to epting her proposal. It was not a condition that could be easily epted.


    In this battle to recapture Felzen, Hiro was not in a position to interfere with Grantz¡¯s side.


    No, it would be possible if he used his position, but doing so would create discord on the Grantz side.


    Considering the various events, asking Grantz to cooperate was impossible.


    If that were to happen, the only force that could cooperate with the usurpation of the unified king by Lucia would be the ¡°Raven Army,¡± but it was undeniable that theycked the strength to do so.


    As one would expect, taking on the Six Kingdoms with only 2,000 men would be tough.


    ¡°It would be difficult to ask for cooperation from the Grantz. I am the king of another country. Besides, we¡¯re working secretly with you, which means that even if there is cooperation, it will ostensibly be on the side of the Six Kingdoms, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You are my enemy and it must nevere to light. I don¡¯t care if it is after I have usurped the unified king, but if it is exposed before that, there is no way for it to get back to the way things were.¡±


    It was hard to say whether she was referring to ¡°Nameless¡± or worried that the people would not understand her.


    ¡°This is how you approached me. I understand that you are about to cross a dangerous bridge.¡±


    While dealing with the Grantz in the Felzen region, she also took advantage of the intentions of the various countries and used Hugin as bait to invite Hiro to create a strange meeting.


    In light of this, Hiro¡¯s opinion of her was that she was stronger than expected, but at the same time, she also had the scent of an aplished viin.


    The possibility of betrayal¨Dit was too risky to ce trust in her.


    She was a snake. She would finish off her prey without hesitation and then swallow it whole in a single gulp.


    But if he could predict her future movements, he would say that she was more like a spider than a snake.


    She confuses and exhausts her prey and then chews it up while listening to its gasps of pain.


    Which she was¨Dher personality was not worthy of trust, but her abilities could be trusted. It was too much to let go and too much to ept.


    Although he was torn between the two, Hiro decided to listen to her for the time being.


    ¡°Even if I could lead the Grantz to attack Greif, they would probably be ¡°seen¡± by the Nameless, and your n would fail.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for your cooperation.¡±


    She looked at him provocatively, and Hiro had a question mark on his face, but after a moment, he nodded his head as if he understood.


    ¡°You want me to help you usurp the unified king without the Grantz knowing about it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    It was a difficult demand. There was no way he could move Grantz¡¯s army as he wished while concealing his intentions.


    No, there was only one way to do it.


    If he used the ¡°lion¡¯s eye¡± left to him by his brother-inw, he would be able to move them as he wished. However, this was still in the process of adjustment, and this was not the ce to use it. Above all, the conditions for use are too strict. It was too risky to use it now that Liz¡¯s ¡°eye¡± was present.


    Hiro was pondering if there was any other way.


    ¡°What, isn¡¯t Grantz¡¯s strategy not limited to Sandinal?¡±


    Hearing Lucia¡¯s words, Hiro muttered, ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°You mean we should bring down the country of Azel¡­ No, from what you think, it seems to me that even if we don¡¯t bring down Azel, the chaos will not be a problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re so perceptive. There is no need for Grantz¡¯s army to attack Greif.¡±


    Lucia, smiling with charm, pointed her fan at Hiro.


    ¡°In exchange for surrendering Sandinal, I want Grantz to invade the country of Azel without fail, and I will take advantage of the chaos and lead my army to Greif. In order to defeat the ¡®rebel¡¯ ¡°Nameless.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes narrowed like a snake as she fanned herself with an open fan.


    ¡°At that time, I will ask you to stay by my side.¡±


    Using Azel as a cover, Anguis probably intended to take control of Greif. When the other countries realized this intention, the only way to save Greif was to go through either Azel or Anguis.


    In the former, it was not easy to cross to Greif because of the presence of the Grantz. If Anguis was blockaded, no other country could send reinforcements.


    ¡°I understand the general reason. But I don¡¯t understand why I should apany you.¡±


    ¡°You will be dealing with the Nameless. He will surely stand in my way. In the meantime, I will take the unified king into custody.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ll only be the one who loses out under those conditions.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Even if Sandinal falls, control will go to the Grantz. There is no profit for me even if I throw Azel into confusion. It will only bring you closer to the throne of the unified king. The same goes for apanying you. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not human enough to act only with good intentions.¡±


    When Hiro smiled provocatively, Lucia moistened her lips and approached him.


    ¡°If you cooperate, I¡¯ll give you some good information.¡±


    She put her hand on Hiro¡¯s shoulder and brought her face up to his ear.


    ¡°First of all¨D¨D¡±


    When Lucia finished, a look of delight came over Hiro¡¯s face.


    ¡°Fine. I will cooperate with you. But you know what¡¯ll happen if you break your promise, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Umu. Do as you please.¡±


    Lucia, unafraid of Hiro¡¯s words, which included a murderous intent, fanned herself with her iron fan with a satisfied look on her face.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just pretend that I¡¯m wounded and go back home as soon as I can.¡±


    True to her word, Lucia left the battlefield, and the Grantz were victorious.


    Lucia, who had since been confined to Sandinal, had not moved.


    In contrast, the Grantz were in the process of regrouping toy siege to Sandinal and would soonunch an all-out assault.


    <strong></strong>

 Volume 10, Chapter 1 – Wriggling Darkness, Part 6

    <h4>Volume 10, Chapter 1 - Wriggling Darkness, Part 6</h4>


    ¡°So we decided it would be in our interest to cooperate with her.¡±


    Hiro said and then cut off his speech.


    He nced again at both Hugin and Luca, then, acknowledging that they understood what he was talking about, he opened his mouth once more.


    ¡°I know you have a lot on your mind, Luca, but I need you to be patient here.¡±


    There was a rift between the two of them. The two had a quarrel three years ago when they invaded Grantz.


    The passage of time did not mend their rtionship.


    This was proven when Hugin¡¯s life and death were unknown. Luca could not keep herposure when she heard the story from Lucia. And even now, Luca must count taking Hugin hostage as one of the grudges she held against her.


    ¡°If Luca wants the throne of Urpeth, I could lend you a hand, though?¡±


    ¡°I do not need the throne now. Moreover, I am disgusted at the thought of being under Queen Lucia¡¯smand.¡±


    Luca, who had turned her stagnant eyes on him, wrinkled her brow and showed her disgust.


    ¡°Above all, there is not a single thing I desire in Urpeth. If there is, it would be aplete copse¨Dthe destruction of Urpeth.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ then let¡¯s not worry about it.¡±


    As for where her hatred would lead her from here, she was still fixated on Hiro, who held a ¡°memento¡± of herte brother, and she continued to hate her homnd, putting a shadow over Hugin.


    If Luca wanted to, she couldy the heads of the current Urpeth camp in front of her.


    Lucia, Queen of Anguis, would notin if she did so.


    Most of the Urpeth camp was made up of the long-eared tribe, whom she detested, so she would be pleased but not angry.


    The only other thing left was Eagle¡¯s ¡°memento¡± in Hiro¡¯s possession, which he would give to Luca in the not-too-distant future.


    And what would be left of her after all of thises true?


    ¨D¨DEmptiness.


    Her wings were ripped off when she was old enough to fly, and she found hope for life by relying on her younger brother. However, Hiro took her twisted happiness away, and now she lived only for revenge.


    What would happen if she was given freedom? A little bird that did not know the world could not live outside. It was because she was fed by her owner and knew how to live only in a small cage.


    Then, if she lost her owner and did not spread her wings to the outside world¡­


    (I¡¯ll be the one to do it then¡­)


    He let out a self-mockingugh and noticed that Hugin was staring at him anxiously.


    Before Hugin could open her mouth, Hiro smiled gently.


    ¡°Yes. Hugin, there was something I wanted you to do.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    ¡°I want you to check on Skaaha. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t refuse you a visit.¡±


    The ¡°Ice Emperor,¡± who had been taken in by the ¡°ck Princess Camellia,¡± told him what had happened to her.


    But her current situation is unknown to him.


    He hoped she was safe, but from what he could remember of her, she seemed to be in a very dangerous state.


    ¡°Are you going to go too, Wise Brother?¡±


    ¡°I would love to. The Grantz are keeping the fact that Skaaha is injured a secret. If I went to check on her at a time like this, strange rumors might start.¡±


    ¡°Am I going to be all right?¡±


    ¡°If you go there as a messenger, you won¡¯t be suspected of anything.¡±


    The ¡°Raven Army¡± and the ¡°Grantz¡± were, in a sense, in a mutual struggle rtionship, but they did not easily wee people from other countries into their encampment, except when they had permission from the higher-ups.


    However, now that the main forces of the Six Kingdoms had been defeated, the morale of the Grantz has been boosted, and there was an air of victory in the encampment.


    This made them less vignt. However, it was clear that if he went there, he would cause amotion, but as a messenger of the ¡°ck Dragon King,¡±¨DHugin would not be suspected.


    ¡°I understand. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll go check on Skaaha-neesan.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Hugin sat up, and Luca, who had been silent up to that point, stood up with her back to him. At that moment, Hugin turned around in a panic, holding her ear as if someone had breathed in her ear. It was a funny sight, but why did anxiety pass through his heart when Luca did it?¡±


    ¡°T-there will be amotion if Luca-neesanes in.¡±


    ¡°Here, I have something with me.¡±


    Luca took out a mask with strong self-assertion. Hugin¡¯s mouth twitched as if to say that it would stand out even more.


    It was handed to Luca by Hiro, who feared that her identity would be revealed when she left the small country of Baum for Grantz.


    Even now, he wanted her to wear it at all times because he did not know what might happen to her, but Luca lived her life without the mask when she was out of Grantz¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Luca, if you go there, you¡¯ll cause moremotion than I will. Only Hugin here¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll dress up as a soldier and apany Hugin.¡±


    ¡°That would be too much¨D¨D¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    After being stared at, Hiro gave up trying to stall Luca.


    After repeated push and shove, Luca¡¯s character was not likely to give in.


    If she had been given a strong order, she would have obeyed it, but considering the damage she would have caused in the future, it would have been better to be honest and let her go.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I don¡¯t know if the size fits you, but could you please dress up as a male soldier?¡±


    It was more likely that a certain person would recognize her in disguise.


    However, she would know what was going on and would not make a fuss. The point was that Luca¡¯s true identity should not be revealed to the majority of people.


    ¡°It would be fine. It¡¯s a lot better than this mask.¡±


    Luca, who had thrown the mask at Hiro with these words, left the tent and immediately returned carrying the armor. Then she threw it to the ground, and the armor made a groaning sound with a loud ng.


    ¡°Oh, ugh, Luca-sama¡­ what in the world do you think you¡¯re¨D¨D?¡±


    The soldier who had taken off his helmet looked around with a puzzled look on his face as if he did not understand the situation.


    Then he noticed that Hiro was there, his face turned pale, and he pressed his forehead against the ground and bowed low.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the ck Dragon King¡­¡±


    From that point on, no words came out. He probably didn¡¯t know what to say.


    He was not summoned, nor did he have any urgent business.


    It was understandable that he was at a loss for words since Luca had abducted him and then rolled around in Hiro¡¯s tent in a situation that he could not understand.


    Hiro also could not understand Luca¡¯s out-of-the-ordinary behavior, so he put his hands to his temples as if he had a headache and asked her questions on behalf of the soldiers.


    ¡°Luca, I don¡¯t know what you want.¡±


    But Luca ignored Hiro¡¯s question and looked down at the soldier over his head.


    ¡°Take it off.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ huh?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need armor.¡±


    ¡°No, um, what do you mean¡­?¡±


    The soldier was in a cold sweat, but Luca¡¯s pressure was only getting stronger.


    Here, Hiro finally understood Luca¡¯s thoughts but was taken aback because he did not understand her outburst. However, feeling the air getting heavier, Hiro decided to offer a helping hand.


    ¡°Luca¡­ there are some reserves. Don¡¯t bother robbing him.¡±


    When the soldier turned to him with tears in his eyes, Hiro shrugged his shoulders and crossed his legs with his arms over the armrests.


    ¡°I want you to give her a set of armor. Hugin, help her get dressed.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­U-understood!¡±


    The soldier immediately stood up and ran out of the tent, repeatedly bowing to Hiro.


    Luca clicked her tongue as she looked at his back, and someone grabbed her arm.


    ¡°T-then, Wise Brother, I¡¯m off to visit Skaaha-neesan.¡±


    Perhaps because she was dealing with Hugin, Luca did not resist when she was pulled and taken out of the tent.


    After seeing them off, Hiro sighed deeply and looked up at the ceiling with emotionless eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got four of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Swords. Just like you once did.¡±


    He continued to speak as if he was expressing his repentance to someone who would never respond to him.


    ¡°The ¡°lion¡¯s eye¡±, ¡°five emperors of the spirit sword¡±, ¡°god of war¡±, and ¡°turning point¡± the conditions are all in ce. Only ¡°chaos¡± remains.¡±


    Hiro raised his right arm and held his hand up to the moonlight streaming in from the entrance to the tent.


    In his hand was a small piece of wriggling flesh.


    ¡°What is it that you want to aplish in such a form, Stobel?¡±


    On that day, just before Liz put the final blow to Stobel, Hiro intervened in their battle.


    All in order to obtain the five emperors of the spirit swords - ¡°Ice Emperor,¡± ¡°Thunder Emperor,¡± and ¡°Wind Emperor.¡±


    However, in Stobel¡¯s obsession, a piece of his flesh was stuck to the five emperors of the spirit swords.


    It was still, weirdly enough, stirring in Hiro¡¯s hand in an attempt to regenerate itself.


    ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®failure,¡¯ but it¡¯s got a terrifying vitality. Is it because of the tremendous ¡®curse¡¯ put into it?¡±


    He could feel the various forces mixing together. If it were an ordinary person, just touching a piece of meat would cause a mental breakdown. If worsees to worst, they could die.


    Stobel¡¯s resentment was that strong.


    What made Stobel change to such an extent¨Dwas not the ¡®curse¡¯ by the spirit that forced him to follow the ¡°Wind Emperor.¡± Instead, someone had modified him and strengthened the ¡®curse¡¯ to create a monster. Even now, as Hiro watched, the piece of flesh was swelling up to the size of his fist in an attempt to regenerate.


    ¡°Unfortunately, your story is over. You may not be satisfied with it.¡±


    Hiro took a crystal from his free hand. It was the ¡°dharma stone¡± that had been attached to Eagle¡¯s arm when he was taken into the ck Princess Camellia. Without hesitation, Hiro embedded the ¡°dharma stone¡± into the piece of flesh. The blood from the wound on the piece of meat overflowed, wetting the ground with a reddish-ck color.


    ¡°A trivial dharma stone cannot purify the mighty ¡®curse.''¡±


    The ¡°dharma stone¡± shone, producing a burning sound of flesh, and a foul smell filled the tent. At first, the pieces of Stobel¡¯s flesh were purified by the ¡°dharma stone,¡± but then the tables were turned. The flesh swelled and began to envelop the ¡°dharma stone.¡±


    ¡°If the poison is too strong, it attracts evil, and if the two mix, they create a new power.¡±


    A purple stripe pattern was created on the blue crystal. Hiro smiled as he looked at it.


    ¡°The more cards I have in my hand, the better. Stobel¨Dyour death was not in vain.¡±


    Once again, Hiro squinted at the reflected light as he held up the crystal in the moonlight.


    ¡°The ¡°Faceless King¡±¡­ Let¡¯s continue where we left off 1,000 years ago.¡±


    Their paths had not yet crossed, but their thoughts were about to mix and transform.


    Hiro stroked his mask and covered his right eye with his hand to hide it.


    ¡°Altius, your legacy has been passed on to Liz. All that remains now is for me topensate for your loss.¡±


    The ambition he once had was in Liz. It would be nurtured and nurtured strongly and greatly.


    All that remained was the confirmation, the test of her resolve.


    ¡°I havemitted a crime, and I have to take the punishment for it myself.¡±


    In the past, the gears had all gone haywire at the hands of Hiro. It took a long time to fix it. But it was finallying to an end.


    Hiro put his fist on his forehead, clutching the crystals, and prayed to his now departedrades-in-arms.


    ¡°Rey, Altius¡­ please protect Liz.¡±


    When all obstacles were removed, she would soar higher, higher, and higher into the heavens.


    She would soar through the world with the giant lion called Grantz in tow, roaring with prestige and renown.


    Imagining those glorious days, Hiro was lulled into a deep, deep, deep sleep.


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