Chapter 322 : Chapter 322
Chapter 322. You’re in the Way (2)
A single battle.
In this one battle, the 20,000 troops of the Schneider Duchy defeated 70,000 troops of the Yusef Kingdom and captured Marquis Dustin Robski, who was the enemy's vanguard commander.
For the Magellan Kingdom, it was truly a feeling of coming back from the dead.
“Thank you. Truly…. Truly, thank you.”
Prince Gadius Gerard Magellan of the Magellan Kingdom, who was commanding this war on behalf of the king, grabbed Sanson's hand and expressed his gratitude with tears welling in his eyes.
Sanson took his hand and said.
“We only did what was natural. Until this war ends, our Schneider Duchy will stand with the Magellan Kingdom and block the Yusef Kingdom's invasion.”
“Oh…. How can I ever repay this kindness….”
Prince Gadius was at a loss for words.
Indeed, how difficult must it have been?
Due to the Yusef Kingdom's invasion, the frail king had collapsed, and he, the prince, had no choice but to step forward and lead the war.
At the moment when their military inferiority was compounded by the neglect of the Empire and the Holy Theocracy, the so-called high officials of the state packed their fortunes and fled abroad.
For him, the world had gone dark.
The fate of a ruined nation was right before his eyes.
In the midst of that, how grateful must he have been when the Schneider Duchy, from which he hadn't expected much, joined the war and gave them breathing room?
“If I can repay this kindness, I will do anything. I promise this in the name of the royal family.”
If Patrick had been here, he would have taken this opportunity to extort a hefty sum.
However….
“How could we demand a price for a war we joined for the sake of justice?”
“Oh… Ohh….”
“We are simply fighting for those who suffer, under the command of His Highness the Grand Duke.”
“Truly…. Truly, thank you.”
A truly beautiful and heartwarming scene….
* * *
“Keoheok!”
“Master? Why are you suddenly vomiting blood?”
“Th... This is bad.”
“What is it? Don't tell me the Outer God has already been resurrected?”
Looking at Persona's serious face, Patrick wiped the blood from his mouth and said with an even more serious expression.
“So… Somewhere? I feel like a sucker’s energy has just exploded somewhere.”
“What does that mean?”
“This is definitely proof that my father is acting like a serious sucker. My intuition is never wrong.”
“…Then what about the Outer God?”
“Is that Heavenly Demon punk the problem right now? My father is about to bankrupt me?!”
“……”
I see.
That's a more important problem than the Outer God.
Persona seriously contemplated whether she had chosen the wrong master.
And Patrick continued speaking….
“This is no time to be doing this. I have to go back as soon as possible!”
“…How?”
“I'm increasing the speed of the training!”
“Even more than now?”
“Of course. That's the only way I can return even a little bit faster.”
“……”
“Ro. Grit your teeth and listen.”
The pitiful Dragon Lord looked like he was about to cry.
* * *
Year 1531. April 15th.
Two months after the Schneider Duchy joined the war, the aspect of the war had changed significantly.
About half of the Magellan Kingdom's territory seized by the Yusef Kingdom had been recovered, and in over twenty battles, both large and small, the Schneider Duchy's forces had achieved great victories.
It was truly a tremendous display of power.
The other nations on the continent that were watching this war could not help but be astounded.
“I never imagined the military power of the Schneider Duchy was this great.”
“Indeed, and I hear that their ally, the Tower of Truth, is not cooperating at all except for providing support through communication magic.”
“Then does that mean the knightly order of the Schneider Duchy is displaying such power purely on their own?”
“That's right. And this is even with the Double Dragon not participating.”
“It’s incredible. I knew the Double Dragon Knightly Order was strong, but to think they had three 7-Star knights.”
Through this war, a part of the Schneider Duchy's military strength was revealed to the world.
Sanson Kainel, Oliver A, April Schneider.
The Schneider Duchy had never particularly hidden information about these three.
However, they had rarely engaged in external activities and had little presence, overshadowed by the colossal figure of Patrick Schneider.
But through this war, the names of these three began to be known in earnest.
Justice Knight Sanson Kainel, who showed a sense of justice and morality like the very model of a knight.
Storm Knight Oliver A, who defeated the Yusef Kingdom's 7-Star knight, Marquis Marius Shuraiman, with a series of attacks like a raging storm.
Flash Queen April Schneider, who captured Marquis Dustin Robski in the first battle and later fought against three 7-Star knights simultaneously without being pushed back, even managing to win.
Now, there was no one on the continent who did not know of them.
Furthermore, the title given to April was a bit interesting because previously, among female knights, the title 'Queen' had only been given to one person.
Sword Queen Leona Maybus.
To give April the title that had belonged to the strongest female knight on the continent also meant that it was time to change who the strongest female knight on the continent was.
Well, the truth was that the Magellan Kingdom had started calling April 'Queen' because they didn't want to acknowledge Leona Maybus, who had become an enemy.
In any case, the military strength of the Schneider Duchy, now fully revealed, was far stronger than what the other nations of the continent had expected.
And this wasn't even the true strength of the Schneider Duchy.
Their ally, the Tower of Truth, had not joined the war, and likewise, their demi-human allies, the Orcs and Elves, had not joined either.
Moreover, strictly speaking, the Schneider Duchy was in a relationship where they served the Kingdom of Atronia as a vassal state.
In other words, they had the justification to draw upon the military power of the Kingdom of Atronia if necessary.
However, Grand Duke Schneider did not have his allies participate in the war with another country and mobilized only his own country's pure military power.
He had drawn his own line regarding this war.
Of course, if Patrick had seen it, he would have grabbed the back of his neck and collapsed.
Anyway, with the Schneider Duchy's entry, the one-sided war had changed.
This was certain.
However….
“It won't end this easily, will it?”
“That's right. The Yusef Kingdom has also held back its strength, hasn't it?”
“With the Hegemon King just standing by and not participating….”
The legend of the Yusef Kingdom's invincibility had been built by the Hegemon King standing at the forefront, swinging his sword.
With the Hegemon King leading and the Black Knight and the Lion Knightly Order supporting him from behind, they had always been victorious.
But in this war, the Hegemon King had not even come to the battlefield.
“Come to think of it, it's a bit strange. Why is the Hegemon King, who always stood at the forefront of any war, just watching from behind this time?”
“Perhaps he judged it to be a war he could easily win?”
“That doesn't sound like the Hegemon King.”
“Hmmmm….”
“Besides, that might have been the case at first, but now the Yusef Kingdom is at a disadvantage, isn't it? Wouldn't it be about time for the Hegemon King to make his move?”
“That might be so.”
“And if the Hegemon King makes a move, the Double Dragon will too.”
“Hahaha…. It will be a contest for the title of the continent's strongest knight.”
“Who do you think will win?”
“Well, in my opinion….”
There were those who keenly analyzed the situation and those who leisurely watched the fire from across the river.
But what was certain was that the eyes of the entire continent were now focused on this war.
* * *
“Jonsa. The situation in the Magellan Kingdom is deviating from our expectations.”
The person reporting respectfully to Jonsa was Pride, one of Jonsa's direct disciples.
Jonsa, listening to his report, was in the middle of a complex magic circle, his lower half submerged as if he were one with it.
In that state, Jonsa narrowed his eyes and said.
“The sacrifices are still insufficient. For the Outer God to awaken fully, more blood must drench the earth.”
“Yes. But realistically, it seems difficult for the Yusef Kingdom's current military strength to defeat the Schneider Duchy and proceed with the plan.”
Jonsa fell into deep thought.
The power of the Yusef Kingdom was by no means weak.
Even without their assistance, if Noah Gregory had been sound as a strategist with the military power centered on the Hegemon King and the Black Knight, they would have easily defeated the forces the Schneider Duchy had currently deployed.
However….
‘The Black Knight has fled, Noah Gregory is dead, and the Hegemon King is unusable right now…. This has become troublesome.’
The situation was not good right now.
After thinking for a moment, Jonsa continued.
“It can't be helped. This war must not end like this.”
And Jonsa held out his crystal skull staff to Pride.
“There is an imprint on it. Use the Hegemon King to continue the war more gruesomely.”
“Will that be alright? I understand that he is not yet ready.”
“He's an unnecessarily strong-willed fellow, so it might take several more years to completely subjugate him. It would be better to use him as a disposable tool.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Having received Jonsa's instructions, Pride took the crystal skull staff and respectfully exited.
Jonsa, left alone, sighed as he looked at his lower half buried in the magic circle.
“I must hurry. For some reason…. I have a feeling that I must.”
Year 1531. May 10th.
The Hegemon King of the Yusef Kingdom finally made his move.
Upon receiving reports that the tide of war was turning against them, the Hegemon King immediately formed his royal guard and sortied, summoning all the 7-Star knights who had been active on the battlefield.
“It has been a long time, Sir Maybus.”
“Indeed, you as well, Count Raines.”
Sword Queen Leona Maybus and Count Adolph Raines, once called the Guardian Deity of the Decator Kingdom.
The two, who shared a common origin in the past, had rarely met after being deployed to the war, as their areas of operation were far apart.
“Have all the other 7-Star knights been summoned, not just you and I?”
“It seems so.”
“Hmmmm…. I do not understand the reason. The tide of war is against us, yet he gathers all the core military power in one place….”
Leona Maybus was displeased with this situation.
No, to be precise, she was displeased with this war itself.
‘Why on earth do we have to fight this war?’
She owed a debt to the Hegemon King.
A great debt for saving the people of her homeland, the Decator Kingdom, and for magnanimously overlooking the betrayal of the then-King Arein.
So she had been following the Hegemon King's orders without complaint, but she could find no justification for this war.
“At the very least, if he's going to do it, he should at least ensure a clear victory.”
“Marquise Maybus. That…”
“What? Am I not allowed to speak my mind?”
“……”
Count Raines closed his mouth.
Indeed, even in the past Decator Kingdom, there was no one who could handle the Sword Queen's personality.
“In any case, this is for the best. I will meet His Majesty and question him sternly.”
Obedience for the favor shown was enough up to this point.
She no longer wanted to grind her subordinates into this war that had neither justification nor a high chance of victory.
And….
“I agree as well.”
“Count Kaikara?”
Count David Kaikara.
A knight formerly from the Kaisar Kingdom, a man who used a tower shield and a gladius as his main weapons.
His face was grim.
And behind him….
“I have the most questions to ask the Hegemon King.”
“I agree as well.”
“Depending on the circumstances….”
Count Clabin Taerion.
Count Vector Bridges.
Marquis Marius Shuraiman.
These three were 7-Star knights formerly from the Flame Kingdom, and they were the ones who likely felt the most dissatisfaction among them.
“Today, I must hear the answer. Why the Princess had to do such a thing, I absolutely must know.”
The dissatisfaction of these three went back to before this war.
To the incident where Queen Katherina, the Hegemon King's wife and the princess they had served, fled with her child and the Black Knight.
That incident was no small shock to those who were formerly from the Flame Kingdom.
In particular, Clabin Taerion, the princess' master, had requested an audience with the Hegemon King, saying there must be some misunderstanding, but the Hegemon King did not meet him.
Because of that, they still held suspicions about the truth of that incident.
“All this time, my requests for an audience have been denied, but…. This is for the best. I should be able to see him today.”
Count Taerion's body was overflowing not just with fighting spirit, but with killing intent.
If he did not receive a just answer to his question, he would draw his sword against the Hegemon King without hesitation.
And at that moment….
“It is His Majesty's summons. Everyone, please enter.”
A royal chamberlain called all of them.
At that, the six 7-Star knights simultaneously entered the temporary barracks where the Hegemon King was waiting.
“We greet the just and sole ruler of the Yusef Kingdom.”
“We greet the just and sole ruler.”
“We greet the just and sole ruler.”
First, they politely offered their greetings according to royal etiquette.
And when the Hegemon King gave them permission to raise their heads, they intended to start asking the questions they were curious about.
However….
“……”
‘What is this? Why isn't he calling us?’
‘Is he trying to play a childish power game?’
‘Tsk, how annoying.’
When the Hegemon King's voice, responding to their greetings, was not heard, their irritation soared.
The six people in this place were all superhumans who had pioneered the ultimate realm.
No matter how much he was the monarch of a country, was such treatment acceptable?
The moment Leona Maybus slyly raised her head to look at the Hegemon King….
“Hegemon King?”
She was startled.
The appearance of the Hegemon King before her was as haggard as a man on the brink of starvation.
Emaciated arms and legs.
Hollowed cheeks and empty eyes.
Who would look at that figure and recall the Hegemon King of the past?
No, it wasn't even the appearance of an ordinary person.
She hurriedly shouted and tried to rise.
But before that, the hidden magic circle beneath her feet activated.
“Kugh…”
“This is….”
All six 7-Star knights were restrained at the same time.
Their bodies were stiffly paralyzed, and even when they tried to raise their aura, their Aura Holes wouldn't move.
And then….
“A big catch.”
“Indeed.”
From a corner of the barracks, a space opened and what appeared were black mages cloaked in black robes.
They were Jonsa's direct disciples, Sloth, Envy, and Pride.
“The operation was a success, Sloth.”
“……”
At Pride's call, Sloth silently stepped forward and extended a hand towards the knights before him.
Then, black demonic power extended from his hand and wrapped around the knights.
‘This is bad.’
‘Kugh…. What are they trying to do….’
They felt that the situation was not ordinary, but there was nothing they could do.