Raising the Princess to Overcome Death

Chapter 180: Childhood Friends - Both Sides

180. Childhood Friends - Both Sides

Rev rode his horse forward.

Leaving behind the bewildered barbarian youths stunned by his bold declaration, he confidently broke through the main gate.

Dwina Tribe: A tribe that farms by clearing mountains. They do not have many warriors. They believe in a god called ‘Eilethia’. They are hostile to outsiders.

This was written on the map Rev had taken from the thug leader of the Dorf family in a previous episode.

The characteristics of the tribe were briefly noted in crooked handwriting, but after taking a quick look around the village, Rev realized there were errors.

There were many warriors.

Villagers, including some forty armed ones, had emerged at the shouts of the youths guarding the gate.

"Where is the chief? Lead me to him."

Rev threw his sword sheath to the ground in the middle of the village. It landed in front of the villagers, and Rev rode his horse arrogantly, acting as if he were already being guided, causing the gathered warriors to step back.The chief must be over there.

Rev approached the largest house. It was most likely the chief’s house, and his guess was correct. A middle-aged warrior with five leather straps came out and glared at Rev. His expression suggested he was about to shout, but the chief held his tongue.

"Are you a knight? What is this outrage?"

"Wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"I am a general before I am a knight. I am the representative of all the indigenous people of this land, and I have come with a proposal for you."

"...What is it?"

Rev raised his voice for everyone to hear.

"I will overthrow the Right Kingdom. This year will be the last of the kingdom’s tyranny, which enslaves the indigenous people. I want your Dwina tribe to join me. Many tribes are already with me."

Over three hundred villagers murmured. Some youths, inspired by Rev’s declaration, had their eyes lit up, while some elders shook their heads skeptically.

"Decide. Will you reclaim the right to live on this land with your own strength, or wait to be bred and slaughtered like livestock?"

Rev pointed to the cattle pen on one side of the village, stirring up the villagers.

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, the chief invited Rev inside. He seated him in the upper seat of a room lined with fur used as carpets and spoke.

"It's not that I don't trust your words, Sir Knight..."

"Call me General."

"...General, it's not that I don't trust your words, but I cannot make a hasty decision. How can we, the indigenous people, overthrow the kingdom? And it's hard to trust a general I’ve just met today."

"You know the outside world."

"Yes. We have a good friend. An outsider, merely a merchant, but he has been visiting our village for a long time and keeping us informed of the outside world. I know a few things."

"First,"

Rev drew a line.

"There is no need to doubt my identity or my intentions. I am not a kingdom citizen but from the Bizaine tribe."

"The Bizaine tribe? I thought they were exterminated long ago."

"My father survived. Although the Crusader Church attacked our tribe, the Right Kingdom also sent soldiers, making them accomplices."

"Do you have proof? It's hard to believe you're an indigenous person. As far as I know, the Bizaine tribe did not convert..."

The chief scanned Rev’s body, looking for tattoos. This was the moment to show the Barbatos tattoo, but Rev had none.

Ever since resolving the yoke of his father, Dorf Bizaine, the tattoo that had always been there since the beginning of the scenario was gone.

Things were extremely complicated.

Left with no choice, Rev resorted to forceful persuasion.

"If you're looking for a tattoo, I don’t have one. I haven’t converted to the Crusader Church, but I don’t serve the god our Bizaine tribe believed in either. However, my father has a trumpet tattoo on his left arm."

The chief’s doubtful gaze lessened slightly, though not entirely convinced.

Rev changed the subject.

"Has the Dwina tribe converted?"

"Yes. A long time ago."

"For a converted tribe, there is no church in the village. Do you know what that means?"

"...No matter how great the Crusader Church is, can they build churches in such remote mountain villages?"

"No. Even in the remote Demos village where I lived, there was a churChapter The only difference is this: the Right Kingdom considers you barbarians and plans to enslave you at any time, so they didn’t allow a church to be built. At most, missionaries might visit occasionally. Am I wrong?"

"..."

"You will all become slaves one day. The old will die, the strong men will enter the mines and never see the sunlight again, the women will become maids, and the pretty girls will end up under the enemy’s feet. So, make a decision."

The chief swallowed hard.

What this man said was true. Moreover, the recent capture of a nearby swamp tribe had the Dwina tribe on edge.

The chief also knew that there was no future in their current state.

"But how can we overthrow the kingdom? Even if I gather all the people I know, it’s impossible. The kingdom commands tens of thousands of men. I heard they have hundreds of knights like you..."

"I apologize for exaggerating."

Rev bowed his head slightly.

"Saying I would overthrow the kingdom was a mistake. I aim to overthrow the Lognum royal family."

"Lognum? Are you referring to the Lognum Mountains?"

"Yes and no. The rulers of this kingdom have taken the surname ‘Lognum’. I will bring down these arrogant rulers."

Rev cleared his throat and continued.

"Two margraves are on our side. You might not know what a margrave is, so let me explain... it’s like a great warrior. They command the kingdom’s warriors."

"Oh... is that so?"

The chief roughly understood Rev’s words. It was easier to comprehend if he saw it as a power struggle between the chief and the great warrior.

A fight between the chief leading the tribe and the great warrior leading the warriors.

It was hard to say which side was superior.

It depended on the person.

If the chief was a better person, he would keep his position. If the great warrior was more ambitious, he would take the chief’s place.

Under the same conditions, the chief, who was deeply involved in the villagers' lives, had the advantage. However, when situations escalated to extremes (which could happen even in peaceful villages), the great warrior, with the warriors' support, could rise to the chief's position by force.

No matter how many people supported the chief, it was very problematic when the strong warriors started to act violently.

"Then there is hope."

"Indeed."

Rev hid some facts.

There was no need to tell the chief how powerful a 'king' was, unlike a small tribe’s chief. He let the chief misunderstand.

He had already told many lies.

Well, were they really lies?

Leo would likely persuade Margrave Harvey Guidan and Marquis Evni Drazhin, and although there were no tribes following him yet, many would soon join, starting with the Dwina tribe.

It was a matter of sequence.

If there was belief, people would gather; if not, they wouldn’t. Therefore, it couldn’t be definitively called a lie, thought Rev.

After some deliberation, the chief made a decision.

He assured Rev that he would send warriors to Guidan's territory. Using the excuse of entertaining a precious guest, they slaughtered a calf, which turned into a raucous but unpleasant festival.

The calf was beaten.

Young men, armed with stones and hammers, chased the fleeing calf and beat it to death.

This was for divination.

The organs of the calf, twisted and burst under extreme stress, were offered to the god 'Eilethia,' whom they still believed in despite converting.

As expected, the result was favorable. The chief had tipped off the priest, and the villagers rejoiced. As a result, seventy-five warriors from this village alone volunteered to join the cause.

"Then I leave it to you. I hope you can persuade the surrounding villages as well."

"Don’t worry, General. Many will volunteer from the other twelve villages too."

Rev nodded and left the village, heading further south, towards the sea beyond the Lognum Mountains.

The Norangdeu tribe. He was eager to see how many warriors the fishing tribe would provide.

  *

Meanwhile, in Nevis, a banquet was held at the mansion of Margrave Guidan.

Margrave Harvey had eventually accepted Leo's proposal. However, since starting a rebellion alone was impossible, he returned to the capital to rally other nobles.

Leo, Lena, and the margrave's wife accompanied him, while Lady Harie Guidan, still not fully recovered, remained in the territory.

"Lena, you don’t have to do anything. I’ll handle the persuasion; just stay by my side."

Leo firmly instructed his sister.

In truth, he didn’t want to bring Lena to the banquet, but she insisted,

"I want to help you too, brother!"

Stubbornly, she dressed up and entered the banquet hall.

The hall was crowded with numerous nobles. The reason for the banquet was to celebrate the recovery of the margrave’s wife, so many high-ranking nobles attended with their spouses.

"Oh my- it’s been a while, Count, Countess. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your son’s wedding."

"No worries. It’s a relief that you’ve recovered. You even sent a gift..."

"Oh dear. It’s foolish of me to send it so late. Your daughter-in-law is said to be very beautiful. She used to send us delicious jam, and I enjoyed it so muChapter I hope you won’t keep it all to yourself now that she’s family."

"Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to send some. Ah, should we head this way?"

"Yes. The Count should go that way. My husband wanted to see him. Would you like some ‘Verka Steller’?"

Count Safia smiled pleasantly and headed to the second floor of the banquet hall, holding his favorite drink.

From there, he could see Margrave Harvey Guidan, Lena, Leo, and the elderly Viscount Bocali.

"See you next time, Margrave. It was an honor to meet you. Princess, Prince."

Noticing Count Safia’s approach, Viscount Bocali stood up with a cold attitude, acknowledging the count before passing by.

Count Safia shrugged at the margrave and sat down.

"It’s been a while, Margrave. We last met about a year ago. And who might these people be?"

Margrave Guidan introduced Lena and Leo. He wasn’t planning anything significant today; just showing their faces. Persuasion would come later.

Even this conveyed a message.

Count Safia was surprised to see Prince Leo de Yeriel and Princess Lena de Yeriel alive. Meanwhile, he was on high alert, trying to read the margrave’s intentions in introducing the prince and princess.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Lena greeted them politely.

While Margrave Guidan, Leo, and Count Safia were engaged in a tense conversation, Lena followed Viscount Bocali, who had just left.

‘I mustn’t lose him.’

Lena couldn’t understand her brother and Margrave Guidan’s actions.

Didn’t they plan a rebellion? Yet, Margrave Guidan had cleanly sent back most of the nobles he had met so far.

It was as if they already knew who would join their cause and who wouldn’t, without introducing Lena and Leo to many of the nobles.

Was it okay to give up so easily?

According to what Lena had studied, each noble was a precious and powerful entity. Though varied, a noble family could mobilize at least hundreds of soldiers and several knights.

They should be trying to secure as many as possible... Lena, though puzzled, stayed put as her brother had instructed. However,

‘Viscount Bocali is someone we must win over.’

He was the father-in-law of Count Ogleton.

‘Count Soarel Demetri Ogleton,’ a mage count, was deeply connected to him. Knowing this, Lena couldn’t understand why the margrave and her brother had let him go so easily.

Lena called out to the viscount. The old man turned back with a curious look.

"Yes, Princess. Do you have any business with me?"

"Would you escort me, if it’s not too much trouble?"

Viscount Bocali was silent for a moment.

He quietly observed the princess’s innocent smile before speaking.

"If a noble lady requests, how can I refuse? But wouldn’t there be many younger and more handsome men available?"

"My brother told me not to hold hands with such people."

"Hahaha... He’s right to say so."

Viscount Bocali descended the stairs slowly, with Lena waiting for him from time to time due to his slow pace.

Lena held the viscount’s hand without making any specific proposals. She knew that simply walking with him was enough.

Occasionally, when someone, surprised by Lena’s beauty, approached, she lightly shook the viscount’s hand. The viscount politely turned them away, snacking and engaging in small talk.

Of course, he didn’t mention his son-in-law, Count Ogleton. He acted as if he were merely accompanying a noble lady, which both he and Lena understood.

Moreover, he had a rough idea of why Margrave Guidan had brought a foreign prince and princess.

‘A storm is coming.’

It would be wise to let go of this hand now. He should excuse himself with his old legs, but it wasn’t easy to part with this pretty and innocent princess enjoying her sweet snacks.

For now, it was still okay.

He was only escorting the princess, not committing to any side...

Just then,

"Hahaha! So many people gathered here! Nice to see you all. Ah, Margrave Guidan’s wife, it’s been a while. I remember seeing you often at the palace when I was young."

Viscount Bocali’s face turned pale.

Two young men, entering through the mansion’s front door. Unwanted guests he absolutely did not want to meet right now.

With jet-black hair like the night sky, their teeth perfectly white, and handsomely groomed, the young men walked directly towards Viscount Bocali.

It was Prince Athon de Lognum and Prince Elzeor de Lognum.

The startled viscount tried to let go of the princess’s hand but couldn’t. Her small hand gripped his old one firmly as she stood straight, facing the princes.

Viscount Bocali sighed.

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