Chapter 232 : Chapter 232
Chapter 232 : Neutral Zone (2)
Rumors that Bihen Benkou had declared an end to the war in Pretoria shook the entire western region.
In a confusion where winners and losers were ambiguous, the armies of both camps were forced to stop before the massive wall named Bihen.
'The Conwell Family and the Mercenary King support Bihen Benkou.'
Those who knew how to read the situation were dumbfounded. Their alliance, centered around Bihen Benkou, was utterly devastating.
"Conwell's already taken over half the Kingdom's land. Did the rumors about the Duke aiming for the throne even before the civil war ended spread for no reason?"
"Moreover, look at the Mercenary King. Not only the Great Raven Mercenary Band, but all kinds of small-fry mercenary bands have gathered under him voluntarily. What do you think it means that those thugs are all speaking with one voice? It means they are more than just a simple group of brute force."
"In the end, those ominous rumors that Conwell used Bihen Benkou as a front to win over nobles and warlords from various regions were true. They've built a massive blood alliance behind the plausible pretext of mediation."
"The Duke of Conwell and Bihen Benkou probably aren't in a lord-vassal relationship. Wasn't this declaration of the end of the war also made under the name of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
"The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
"Don't you know? I heard it's something like a magic school of the Empire. They say its purpose is to relieve those who suffer, and to create a world where people can escape their status and innate limitations to enjoy only as much as the value they prove themselves. Bihen Benkou is precisely the head of that group, the 'Cult Leader.' Look at this time too. Didn't he mention some 'new order' in the declaration of the end of the war?"
"Puha! Look at you spouting such utter nonsense with a straight face. Those sewer rat bastards were throwing a fit and praising him whenever Bihen Benkou's name came up, so there was a reason after all."
"Anyway, wouldn't it be right to view the movement of such a large force right under the nose of the Imperial Capital as a declaration of war toward the throne? It's a truly chilling design, as he tied the hands and feet of Springeus and Windermere under the pretext of stopping the war while sweeping up all the practical benefits in the meantime."
Soon, the heads of the factions involved in the war began to gather in Pretoria one by one.
Do not bring troops. Limit attendants to five or fewer.
Accepting these arrogant conditions put forward by Bihen was nothing short of a proof of submission, an agreement to kneel beneath the new order he had designed.
"Tch, forget it! Heavenly Demon Divine Cult or Conwell, it's too filthy, so I'll just wash my hands of it right now. Let's hurry back!"
The Lord of Bart quickly brushed his sleeves and quickened his pace. He had just finished forcibly signing the war-end agreement under the supervision of the Lord of Pretoria.
'Dammit, I'm ruined.'
Originally, he had turned his back on the adjacent Springeus and sided with Windermere like the other nobles. He had taken a bold gamble, risking the fate of his family on the rumor that this War of the Roses would be a turning point that would overturn the landscape of the western region.
'Bihen Benkou......!'
Just repeating the name made his fists tremble violently. The war, which had been in full swing, ultimately came to a futile end because of him.
Far from receiving the rewards of victory, he was now in a position where he had to worry about a troublesome retaliation from his immediate neighbor, Springeus.
"My Lord, since we've come all the way to Pretoria, why don't we sightsee a bit before leaving? Just like the rumors said, the food in the VIP room is a real delicacy. They said the Conwell Family opened their money bags, and as expected, money is the best—"
"Pak—! You bastard, can you really shove food down your throat at a time like this?"
The Lord of Bart's vassal grumbled to himself. 'It goes down just fine, though.'
"My Lord, do not worry too much. Wasn't it explicitly stated in the agreement? It bans mutual retaliation under any pretext in the future, and says Bihen Benkou will personally intervene if this is violated."
"Who doesn't know that?! I hate everything about this, so stop—"
The Lord of Bart gasped, cutting himself off. The leadership of the Springeus Family was walking right from the front.
'Th-That woman is definitely Lady Chloe!'
The Lord of Bart grabbed the back of his vassal's neck and quickly hid to the side. Conveniently, Pretoria had many trees, providing plenty of places to hide.
"Heuk, My Lord! Isn't that Lady Chloe? There were widespread rumors that her energy was so depleted after childbirth that she could barely move...... What on earth happened?"
The Lord of Bart's eyes and mouth fell blankly open. He did not even have the leeway to scold his vassal. His gaze moved toward a fine-looking, neat middle-aged man keeping pace beside Chloe.
'That man is Richardson, the young influential figure of the Springeus Elder Council!'
The daughter of the family head and the influential figure of the Elder Council who held the real power of the family arrived side by side. This meant that Springeus was obediently following Bihen Benkou's order.
"H-Heuk! L-Look over there, My Lord!"
The vassal tapped the Lord of Bart's arm. He was so urgent that he forgot all manners. He pointed behind the Springeus party.
Far from reprimanding him, the Lord hurriedly shifted his gaze along his vassal's fingertip, his eyes widening as if they would pop out.
'Isaac Windermere......!'
In some quarters, there were rumors that he had been summoned by his family, who considered this matter a defeat, and was enduring harsh reprimands and punishment, but the reality didn't seem to be the case. However, his complexion was terrible. His cheeks were hollow like someone who had starved for days, and his face was dark.
'Behind him are Doom Fist Bolero and the Fourth Lady Roxy.'
Since the Lord of Bart had joined the Windermere camp, he knew the profiles of their figures inside out. As expected, the core leadership of the Windermere side had come as well.
"......"
Sensing a presence, Chloe and Richardson stopped their steps and turned around.
Isaac also slowly raised his eyes, which had been cast down toward the floor.
Their gazes tangled in midair.
A cold silence descended, to the point of making even the quiet scenery of Pretoria pale in comparison. The surrounding air was freezing from the aftermath of their intersecting gazes.
Gulp.
The Lord of Bart and his vassal also held their breath. It was an atmosphere where it felt like some historical event was about to happen.
"......It has been a long time, Lady Chloe."
The one who broke the silence first was Isaac. The two had met a few times at social gatherings in the past.
"Young Master Isaac. Have you been well?"
"As you know, many things have happened. Your complexion has improved beyond recognition, Lady Chloe."
"We have gone through many things as well."
Every time Chloe and Isaac spoke, the heads of the Lord of Bart and his vassal snapped back and forth. Just watching them made their lips turn bone dry. A profound depth of calculation, which minor nobles wouldn't dare to imitate, could be felt from the representatives of the two families who had come to form a peace treaty.
Under the supervision of the Lord of Pretoria, Chloe and Isaac sat across from each other and finally stamped their seals on the war-end agreement.
The Lord of Pretoria kept his mouth tightly shut, deliberately wearing a solemn expression. Normally, he would have acted shamelessly to liven up the atmosphere, but this time, the matter was different.
"From now on, we shall transition to a private negotiation. All remaining personnel, except for the blood relatives of Springeus and Windermere, please exit."
It was an unexpected demand that had not been notified in advance, but the disorganized atmosphere was quickly brought under control.
The soldiers guarding the conference hall exited first in an orderly manner, followed by the Lord of Pretoria himself leaving his seat. Soon, even Bolero silently walked out of the conference hall, leaving only four people in the spacious venue.
Chloe and Richardson of Springeus, Isaac and Roxy of Windermere.
In a silence akin to the calm before a storm, the door opened once again.
Kkiiik—
The figure who entered with his back to the sunlight, dragging his shadow long like a tail, was none other than Bihen Benkou. His face, obscured by the backlight, was not clearly visible.
Thud, thud.
He was alone, without any armaments or accompanying guards.
Every time his footsteps echoed, the shoulders of the four people subtly shrugged. A shudder mixed with awe swept down their spines. They merely watched with bated breath as Bihen walked boundlessly toward the seat of honor.
"......"
Seated in the seat of honor, Bihen leaned his body slightly. Resting his chin on one hand, he scanned the four people.
While he appeared utterly indifferent, it also felt like a highly calculated psychological pressure intended to deliberately push them into a suffocating silence.
Whichever it was, it was an atmosphere possible only because it was Bihen Benkou.
Before long, Bihen opened his mouth.
"How nice it is to see you all sitting together so harmoniously like this."
Around this point, the four felt an overwhelming pressure, as if they had become prey placed before a predator. It felt as though a transparent blade forged from silence was aimed at their necks.
Richardson laughed awkwardly, as if trying to ease the atmosphere.
"Cult Leader, I heard you have gone through much trouble. Thanks to you willingly stepping forward as a mediator for the peace of the western region, countless lives could be saved."
It was a manner of speaking that maintained a moderately low posture while showing respect so as not to offend. It was a flexible social skill fitting for someone counted as an influential figure of the Elder Council.
"Representing Springeus, I express deep respect and gratitude for that insight and decisiveness. Our family will devote its entire heart to liquidating our long-standing grudge with Windermere."
It was a clever remark indicating full acceptance of the order Bihen had established, and at the same time, a sort of check sent to Windermere.
'Now isn't the time to be stubborn about pride. Just in case Bihen Benkou changes his mind, it's crucial to receive treatment before Windermere.'
Richardson put strength into his eyes. He had already steeled his resolve several times on the way here. Since things turned out like this, prostrating flat was the way for the family in many aspects. Now that only the blood relatives of both families were left like this, there was even less to hesitate about.
'......He did this on purpose.'
Richardson narrowed his eyes and stole a glance at Bihen. Once again, they were already in the palm of his hand.
He was a terrifying figure the more one thought about it. Not to mention an out-of-scale martial prowess, he even possessed marvelous medical skills. On top of that, not lacking excellent political skill, he even had deep bonds with big shots like the Duke of Conwell and the Mercenary King.
'He's not someone who'll stop here. It's better to just resolve to win his favor right now.'
The fact that all of this was concentrated in a single person felt overwhelmingly realistic to the point of being surreal.
"Sir Richardson. How is Claudia doing?"
Bihen asked casually. Startled while lost in thought, Richardson replied.
"Th-Thanks to you, she is doing very well in good health. Saying it is a peace she has never felt before in her life, she expressed regret for not being able to convey a deeper gratitude to the Cult Leader. Ha, haha......!"
Bihen gave a faint snort. 'Would that audacious brat really say that?'
It was obvious flattery from Richardson, but Bihen decided to overlook it moderately. Originally, to reign in a high position, one's stomach had to be trained against all sorts of human groups.
There were times when one had to feign ignorance even when reading insidious inner thoughts, not just servile flattery. That was the raw face of politics, and it was also the reason why Bihen detested politics.
"The treatment for Springeus will proceed after I stop by the Windermere Family first."
Bihen declared flatly. Chloe and Richardson snapped their heads up simultaneously. They could not hide their look of disappointment.
"Hasn't Springeus already completed one round of medical examination? There is no need to worry. I do not reverse a promise I made with my own mouth."
The decisive reason the two families cast aside their pride and agreed to end the war was, after all, the hope of curing their family disease.
The Windermere leadership had already confirmed that the miraculous procedure Bihen performed at the Springeus mansion was true.
It was a chronic disease that had eaten away at both families for decades.
The War of the Roses was a final struggle erupted at a critical moment when the survival of the family hung in the balance. A cold-hearted and desperate gamble that if they were going to ruin anyway, it would be better to destroy one side on the battlefield while the other side extended their lifeline under the pretext of victory.
To them, Bihen was salvation itself.
Above all, Bihen's attitude was decisive.
He did not hold the family's shame and wave it around like a merchant. He was on a completely different path from crafty political nobles or money-minded doctors.
Instead, Bihen strictly kept the secret and protected the honor of the knightly families.
This was the reason why the unyielding and stubborn elders of both families ultimately turned around and recognized Bihen.
What if Bihen had taken a despicable attitude using this as an excuse? Even if they clung to him on the inside, they would never have tolerated it on the outside for the sake of their honor. Perhaps both families would have joined forces and regarded Bihen Benkou as a public enemy.
Bihen had seen through even that subtle boundary of pride.
"Furthermore, a proper countermeasure is needed to handle so many people from both families. I have an ingenious plan in my own way, so both of you take note of that, go back, and wait."
Bihen gestured indifferently. It was a clear order to leave.
Chloe and Richardson briefly exchanged glances. They were quite disappointed and, on the other hand, uneasy about why they were being sent back first while leaving only the Windermere Family behind, but he was not an opponent they dared to question.
Soon, the two stood up first, soothing their disappointment.
Thud.
The door closed, and for a while, a lonely silence lingered inside the conference hall.
Bihen looked back and forth between Isaac and Roxy.
"......"
Isaac's complexion was dark and murky. It was in stark contrast to the members of the Springeus Family, who had been showing motivation until just a moment ago. He looked like a corpse from which all vitality had drained out.
Roxy was not much different. Just because the war ended peacefully did not mean Masa would return alive.
Bihen opened his mouth.
To the lonely stragglers who had been at the very front line of the war, only to suddenly be left completely alone as just the two of them.
"Now, shall we conclude a treaty just for the two of you?"