Chapter 178
Chapter 178
The following day. From the moment the sun rose, both the Imperial Army and the Valaris Alliance were busy preparing for the coming war.
“If you want to live even a little longer, make sure there isn’t a single gap left in the fortress walls. Repair them thoroughly and fill the moat with water!”
“Yes—!”
“Has the inspection of the siege weapons been completed yet?”
“Yes! Preparations for the siege weapons are more than ninety percent complete. Once the remaining deficiencies are addressed and the final inspection is finished, they can be deployed into battle immediately.”
Whether it was Valaris reinforcing its defensive posture within the fortress, or the Imperial Army sharpening spears and blades for the imminent full-scale offensive, neither side showed even a trace of leisure.
Facing each other across the vast plain, the two encampments seemed to compete with one another in their fervor for battle preparations. Then, as noon drew near during that hectic time, an envoy acting on behalf of the Imperial Army and Gion arrived, blowing a horn and striking upon the gates of Valaris Castle.
Bwooooo—!
“Valaris, come forth and listen! The noble who has come with me is Count Curington of the Aphahiel Empire! He has come to convey the will of Aphahiel!”
The Emperor of Aphahiel was inside Valaris Castle, yet a band of traitors claimed to speak in the name of Aphahiel—an utterly contradictory situation. Upon receiving the report, the Supreme Commander, Count Valaris, immediately informed Yuwon.
“Your Majesty, the enemy’s envoy has arrived and requests an audience with Your Highness. How shall we proceed?”
“If they are an envoy, then naturally we should meet them.”
“Your Majesty surely already anticipates what they will say. Meeting them will be of no use.”
“That is precisely why we should meet them. I already know exactly what they intend to say, so there is no reason to avoid them. Is that not so, Count?”
Persuaded by Yuwon’s words, the Count nodded.
“You are right. Then… I will inform them accordingly. When and where shall the meeting take place…?”
“Immediately. I will leave the arrangements to you. Please handle the rest afterward.”
Despite Count Valaris’s concerns, Yuwon allowed the enemy envoy to enter without delay.
About twenty minutes later. After changing locations, Yuwon came face to face with the enemy envoy. Count Valaris, the Supreme Commander, was present as well.
“It is an honor to finally meet such an esteemed personage whose name I have heard only through rumors. Fifth Prince, Your Highness. I am Count Curington, a servant of the Aphahiel Empire.”
Polite yet disciplined, his demeanor was flawless, befitting a high-ranking noble. At the familiar name of Curington, Yuwon searched his memory.
‘Curington… I wondered why they would send a military man to such a meeting. So that’s it. He’s that fellow’s father.’
Trebion Curington—a ruffian infamous for crippling or killing opponents under the pretense of sparring. The man standing before Yuwon was the father of the very Trebion Curington whose arm Yuwon had permanently ruined during a duel long ago.
‘They say even a hedgehog thinks its own young are soft. He must have wanted revenge against me. Still… what can he do? He won’t get what he wants.’
Having sorted his thoughts in an instant, Yuwon greeted the envoy with a smile.
“I am pleased to meet you as well, Count Curington. Thank you for making the long journey.”
It was a greeting with a hidden barb, subtly pointing out that a man of countly rank had volunteered as an envoy. Count Curington was well aware of it, yet he continued his task with a smile.
“A long journey? Not at all. If I may repay even a fraction of the grace I have received from Aphahiel in this way, that alone is sufficient for me.”
“I see. Very well. Then let us dispense with pleasantries and hear it. What proposal has the ‘Empire’ brought?”
That was enough courtesy. Yuwon steered the conversation straight to the point.
“Thank you. Then, if you will excuse me, I shall convey our Empire’s proposal. Ahem….”
After briefly turning away to clear his throat, Count Curington delivered Gion’s message.
“This is a war that will spill only futile blood even if it is fought. Admit your defeat and surrender. Acting Head of Public Order Gion Tindal has personally and graciously urged your surrender. It is not too late even now.”
“You wretch! How dare you—!”
Unable to endure it any longer, Count Valaris, present as the Alliance’s Supreme Commander, flared up—but Yuwon stopped him.
“Enough.”
At Yuwon’s restraint, the Count immediately shut his mouth tight.
“Continue.”
“Thank you.”
Count Curington bowed respectfully and continued.
“One hundred thousand versus twenty thousand. By numbers alone, there is a fivefold difference in strength. No matter how naturally fortified Valaris may be, it has spent its entire history focused on the southern defensive wall. How do you intend to withstand an attack coming from the opposite side? The benevolent Lord Tindal has stated that if you surrender even now, all those who plotted rebellion will be spared their lives. Of course, the same condition applies to Fifth Prince, Your Highness.”
Gion’s message could not have been more extraordinary. From their standpoint, it would not even be excessive to charge all those who defied the Empire with treason and exterminate three generations—yet they were offering to spare their lives. Upon hearing such weighty words, Yuwon burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha!”
“…?”
At the puzzled expression on Count Curington’s face, as if asking what was so amusing, Yuwon stopped laughing and replied.
“It differs far too much from what I heard.”
“In what way did it feel different, if I may ask?”
“Count Curington. I do not know whether you realize it, but Gion is using this war as a pretext to exhaust the power of the nobles and strengthen imperial authority. Yet, for the sake of appearances, he spoke words he does not truly mean. Knowing that, how could I not find it laughable?”
At Yuwon’s answer—that Gion intended to weaken the nobles through war—Count Curington’s complexion turned pale. He, too, sensed the truth of it.
‘…A reasonable suspicion. With such a disparity in strength, this war is bound to end in our Empire’s victory. However, when allied losses accumulate during that war, the one who gains something from it… is Gion Tindal alone.’
“…You speak as though you have met him personally. As far as I know, the two of you have never had the opportunity to meet… I am not mistaken, am I?”
Yuwon snorted at the question and gave a subtle reply.
“Go back and convey this message to Gion.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“Tell him that I appreciate his previous advice. Thanks to it, I do not think I will ever waver again. Ah, and one more thing….”
“…?”
Sensing something ominous in Yuwon’s tone, Count Curington pricked up his ears and waited. Soon, Yuwon delivered the rest.
“Tell him I am sorry, but even if I were to surrender late, I have no intention of sparing Gion’s life. And there is also a personal request….”
“…Yes?”
It was no mere refusal but an outright provocation. As Count Curington’s head already throbbed at the thought of relaying these words, Yuwon added calmly.
“Please give my regards to your son, Trebion Curington as well. I wonder whether his arm has improved.”
Yuwon had shattered it so thoroughly that Trebion would never hold a sword again—there was no chance of recovery. Count Curington had come expecting to see Yuwon lower his tail and raise a white flag, only to suffer humiliation instead.
At Yuwon’s provocation, Count Curington ground his teeth.
“Yes. I will report everything in full detail without omission.”
After Count Curington returned and delivered the message, the movements of the Imperial Army changed ominously.
Until then, only some soldiers had remained fully equipped, but after Count Curington’s visit, the entire force donned full battle gear as though war might break out at any moment. That news quickly reached the leadership of the Valaris Alliance and flowed into Yuwon’s ears.
“According to the scouts observing the enemy camp, they appear to have completed their combat preparations. At the earliest, the first battle may occur tonight… at the latest, by tomorrow.”
“Hm… I see. Very well. How is our own state of readiness?”
“This war was foretold from the moment I issued the declaration. Though we are numerically inferior, our preparations were completed long ago. Even if the enemy attacks immediately, we can meet them with full force.”
At Count Valaris’s reassuring report, Yuwon nodded.
“That is truly fortunate. Very good. Then I will steel my resolve as well. As Supreme Commander, make sure everything is prepared without deficiency.”
“Yes—!”
The Count gave a crisp salute and returned to his post. Left alone, Yuwon rummaged through his clothing as though waiting for something and took out a pocket watch to check the time.
‘…It should be about time.’
Without betraying Yuwon’s expectation, the presence he had been waiting for brushed against his instincts.
‘…He’s here.’
Three minutes after Yuwon sensed it—
Srrrk—
From the shadow behind Yuwon, a figure rose like a puppet and knelt before him.
“My lord, as ordered, I have secured the upstream waterway from which the enemy draws its drinking water.”
“Ah… good. Well done.”
It was Hastings Bartlett, Yuwon’s loyal retainer. Having moved swiftly according to Yuwon’s command, Hastings reported the completion of his task.
“Then… may I receive it?”
“Oh dear, my apologies. Yes, there was something I was to give you….”
At Hastings’s subtle prompting, Yuwon feigned surprise and reached into his coat, pulling out a subspace bag.
After rummaging through it for a moment, when Yuwon’s hand emerged again, it held a palm-sized bottle.
A jet-black liquid that looked suspicious at a glance. It was an extreme poison Yuwon had prepared long ago for just such a time—literally a poisonous substance and a legacy of wisdom left behind by Tang Seogyeom for future generations.
“I truly did not wish to use poison….”
It was a move so vicious that he wished to avoid it if possible. The Sichuan Tang Clan, which had stood at the pinnacle of the Central Martial World through poison and hidden weapons. Yuwon, who had lived his entire life as a bastard of that clan, finally brought poison into play.
This was not poison for one-on-one or one-against-many combat, but poison to be used in a massive war. Yuwon hesitated, silently gazing at the bottle in his hand.
‘….’
Knowing all too well how many lives could turn into cold corpses from this single bottle, Yuwon’s heart grew heavy.
“My lord… if your heart truly feels this way, you may rescind the decision to use poison even now—”
As if sensing Yuwon’s turmoil, Hastings cautiously tried to soothe him. But Yuwon did not hesitate.
Thud—
“No. That cannot be done. Take it.”
At last, the bottle left Yuwon’s hand. He handed it to Hastings, who received it with both hands and bowed respectfully.
“…Understood. Then I will proceed as ordered.”
“Yes. I leave it to you.”
Srrrk—
Hastings vanished once more to carry out his task. Left alone, Yuwon murmured softly.
“With the karma I’ve accumulated in this life, it will be difficult to be reborn as a human in the next….”
On the day the poison of the Tang Clan spread across a distant otherworld, the Heavenly Slaughter Star descended upon that land.