novelraw Chapter 126 : Chapter 126
Chapter 126 : Chapter 126
Chapter 126
The moment Count Saite’s head fell onto the banquet hall floor.
“Uh…….”
“He killed him……?”
“W-What the?”
No one could fully accept the fact that the Count, who received the King’s favor, had died so vainly.
They could only think while watching the blood wetting the floor.
‘Is that man Moner’s…….’
‘Is he that Young Lord from the rumors?’
‘They said he was no different from a scoundrel. To think he would run wild even in front of the Marquess.’
In the end, the evaluation the nobles reached was similar.
‘He is an unbridled colt.’
Ian, who received that gaze all at once, looked at General Garme calmly and said.
“Then shall we depart?”
“…Pardon?”
“The misunderstanding is cleared, and investigation isn’t needed, so there’s no need to drag time, is there?”
Garme and the Marquess’s gazes intertwined in mid-air.
It made no sense for the Royal Army dispatched to subjugate Moner to support Moner.
“Time is needed.”
Ian, smirking, took one step closer to Garme.
“Time? Didn’t you say with your own mouth that His Majesty’s command was to help Moner and protect the Kingdom? Don’t tell me there are more hidden traitors in the Kingdom?”
“…Since the Count who was supposed to report has died, shouldn’t someone remain to reveal Moner’s innocence.”
It was an excuse he barely came up with, but it wasn’t a good choice.
“Report? When the Marquess is here, why must you, who lead the Royal Army, report directly?”
Not only the Marquess, but anyone among the dozens of nobles here could send news to the Royal Palace.
The Marquess, meeting Ian’s gaze, reluctantly nodded.
“General, I will personally convey the report to His Majesty, so how about you prepare for departure?”
“…Understood.”
“That is a good idea. Duke, since the northern nobles and the soldiers from each domain just arrived here, how about departing tomorrow to relieve fatigue?”
“I don’t mind departing first with the Royal Army. But well, it can’t be helped.”
“It is a wise choice.”
Having said that, the Marquess and Garme hurriedly left the banquet hall.
The time given to them was only one day.
Because they had to devise a method somehow during that time.
* * *
Natasha approached Ian, who was silently watching the servants cleaning up the Orc heads and the Count’s corpse, and said.
“There was no need for you to kill him personally.”
Ian, glancing at the remaining bloodstains, spoke in a dry voice.
“It was necessary.”
It was necessary.
Really, that was all.
“If I hadn’t killed him, the General would have stepped forward to escort the Count himself.”
Both the Marquess and the General must have expected that.
Only a knight or soldier of a higher rank than the noble could escort a noble who committed a grave crime.
Since the Magic Tower had withdrawn from the three northern Count domains early on, using the gate was also impossible.
“You could have ordered me and my knights.”
Only then did Ian turn his head to look at Natasha and smirk.
“Why? Because you think I’m getting criticized?”
“…Since you killed a high-ranking noble in front of this many nobles, no one will want to take Moner’s side.”
Natasha’s words were correct.
“You even said you would take both the Royal Army and the Knight Order. They are no different from internal enemies. They could become a dagger stabbing Moner’s heart when Moner is most vulnerable.”
It was natural for Natasha to worry.
Since all the nobles here clearly saw the relationship between Obsol and Moner now, Obsol and Moner were practically a community of shared destiny.
“Mm… If they survive, that might happen.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, if the Royal Army and the Knight Order are lucky enough to survive.”
The moment they came here to besiege Moner, their fate was sealed.
“…Do you intend to kill them all?”
“Me? Absolutely not.”
As the General said, they will fight hard to protect the Kingdom with Moner and die a heroic death.
If they really move for Moner, they might live a little longer.
“Ah, but there is something needed for that time…….”
Ian’s light voice continued, painting the future of a week later.
* * *
“Damn it! Damn it!”
Garme, glaring at Carlson as if to kill him, shouted with a face flushed red.
“Just what kind of mess is this!”
Count Saite, who was practically the King’s messenger, died, and the Commander and General cornered had no choice.
“Is it even plausible for a knight to have his sword taken away?!”
If only that stupid guy hadn’t had his sword taken, they could have returned to the Royal family under the pretext of escort.
“…….”
“If you have a mouth, say something!”
Watching Garme vomiting out anger, the Marquess reluctantly opened his mouth.
“General, let’s bury the past now. We can’t turn back time, can we.”
Garme, nodding at the Marquess’s words, spoke quietly in a murderous voice.
“If Your Excellency the Marquess hadn’t come to find me, the one rolling on that ground would have been the Commander, not Count Saite.”
“You were lucky.”
“I don’t know if it was really lucky, though.”
At the General’s words that it would have been easier if he had died instead, Carlson’s face hardened, but he couldn’t open his mouth.
Because all of this felt so surreal it seemed like a nightmare.
The Marquess, looking at Carlson, continued slowly.
“For now, we must head to Moner tomorrow.”
The General, clenching his fists, glared at Carlson as if to kill him once again.
“That is unchangeable. Since we already declared in front of all the nobles that saving the Kingdom is the Royal family’s will.”
At that time, Carlson, who had been keeping silent, opened his mouth.
“Wouldn't it be fine if there were no nobles?”
“…What did you say?”
As if the appearance trembling in fear before Ian a moment ago was a lie, he continued with eyes shining with madness.
“If the nobles are the problem, can’t we just kill all the nobles here?”
“Preposterous nonsense!”
“Are you truly insane?!”
As the Marquess and the General shouted simultaneously, Carlson opened his mouth with a meaningful smile.
“Thinking about it, going to the fortress doesn’t seem bad either.”
“Just what are you talking about!”
“General, calm down and think. Is there a law that says one must only kill enemies on the battlefield?”
Just as he was about to open his mouth to stop him, the Marquess, meeting Carlson’s eyes, swallowed his saliva.
Because somewhat familiar greed and madness were felt in Carlson’s eyes.
‘Ian, is he targeting Ian?’
As if answering his question, Carlson’s words continued.
“It is unfortunate, but there are cases where one dies by an ally’s sword or fails to dodge an ally’s arrow.”
“So, are you suggesting we destroy Moner from the inside, Commander?”
The Marquess, hearing the General’s voice, closed his eyes quietly.
The moment Ian demanded the Royal Army, the Marquess predicted this situation would come.
‘Could that guy have failed to predict what I predicted?’
That cannot be.
However, there was no way to conciliate the General and the Commander right now.
“General, Moner will not trust us. He will try to tear the Royal Army apart and use us as arrow fodder.”
“…….”
“We use that to shake Moner. Even if casualties occur, it would be a mistake that happened in an army where the commander and units were torn apart.”
The General, pondering deeply, nodded.
“Then at least the grievance of the soldiers who became arrow fodder can be resolved.”
“I think the reason that guy targeted me is the same.”
“Hmm… Since the Knight Order will disintegrate if the Commander dies.”
“A Knight Order without a Commander can be torn apart, but a Knight Order where the Commander holds his ground cannot be torn apart.”
“Indeed, that’s it. He was targeting the Knight Order.”
The General, nodding his head, looked at Carlson with narrowed eyes.
To Moner, the 3rd Knight Order is like a double-edged sword.
Something one wants to wield, but finds difficult to wield for fear of getting hurt.
“Since the Commander is intact, he will try not to use the Knight Order?”
“I will insist that I want to step onto the battlefield myself. If I gain the support of the northern morons and the 2nd Prince, even Moner will have no choice but to move the 3rd Knight Order.”
The gaze of the General, who nodded, turned to the Marquess.
“What is Your Excellency’s opinion?”
It was a question with a predetermined answer.
Since what the Royal family wanted was Moner’s downfall.
It seemed impossible for Moner, with enemies infiltrated inside, to defeat the Orc Legion.
“I worry about the sacrifice of the Royal Army.”
“It is a noble sacrifice for His Majesty’s will.”
The Marquess did not give up easily.
“There are other ways too. For example, the Margrave in the south requesting support from the Royal family.”
“That stifling human? Is there something happening in the south?”
At General Garme’s question, the Marquess shook his head.
“Moving the Margrave is not easy, but it cannot be compared to the sacrifice of the Royal Army and the Knight Order.”
Forcibly suppressing the anxiety growing inside him, the Marquess continued.
“You just have to refuse battle until my preparations are finished.”
“But there are the northern nobles and Prince Trimia……?”
As the Marquess sighed deeply and looked up at the ceiling, Carlson giggled.
“Ah! Whether they die during the war or after the war, the thoughts of guys who will die anyway don’t matter, is that it?”
The Marquess said nothing.
In a situation where the answer wasn’t visible, he had only found the best option for the Kingdom.
“Indeed, if there is a Royal Command to support the south, even the mighty Moner will look at us like a dog chasing a chicken! Hahaha!”
The Marquess replaced his answer with a bitter smile.
‘No way. If it’s him, he will tie down the Royal Army and the Knight Order by any means necessary.’
At the very least, the Royal Army and the Knight Order will act passively in the war.
Believing that a Royal Command to retreat and support the south will come anytime.
‘Just the two of them avoiding battle will be enough to shake his plan.’
In the meantime, he would convey the report to the Royal family and prepare the next plan…….
‘Is this really the right choice?’
In the Marquess’s eyes, repeating his worries, the figures of Carlson and Garme were reflected.
‘Even if those two survive, can they protect the forest of demonic beasts like Moner?’
The Marquess could firmly answer that they absolutely couldn’t.
Because soldiers capable of hunting Orcs alone like the soldiers who appeared today would be few and far between even in the ten thousand strong Royal Army here.
No matter how many days he pondered, the Kingdom had no capacity to protect the forest of demonic beasts.
The moment the Royal family’s military power gets tied down in the forest of demonic beasts, it was clear the Royal family’s dignity and authority would hit rock bottom.
‘No matter how many times I think about it, it’s the worst move.’
The belief he had cherished for a long time wavered.
‘Is the World Tree’s prophecy truly true?’
No matter how many times he reviewed it, it is impossible for the Kingdom to prosper after Moner falls.
‘Unless a new Kingdom prospers.’
The suppressed anxiety grew in size once again.
‘If the 2nd Prince who obtained Moner’s sword, or the 1st Prince backed by the Empire becomes King, the Kingdom’s prosperity won’t be impossible either.’
It’s just that it wouldn’t be the prosperity of the Royal family.
In the end, there was nothing the Marquess could decide.
Just as he sought out Obsol himself, he could only strive to get on the chessboard somehow.
* * *
- General, calm down and think. Is there a law that says one must only kill enemies on the battlefield?
Listening to the voice contained in the mana stone, Ian stroked Calua with satisfaction.
- Human! I did well!
‘Right. You did really well.’
- It was nothing! Because I am a great dragon!
Just for today, Calua’s words are right.
Dragon is the best.
- H-Human? I don’t think I did that well…….
Unlike usual, I stroked Calua who was raising his chin with sincerity.
To the point where Calua’s wings, which drooped at the gaze filled with unusual affection, spread wide open again.
- As expected! I am right! Because I am a great dragon!
No, you didn't do that well
Should I let it slide just for today?