Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Only a Brawl Remains
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"...Merciful Mother of us all, grant your infinite love and bestow blessings upon the future of your unworthy servants. Your unworthy servant earnestly beseeches you in your name."
Armis's prayer echoed softly.
Kneeling with Neran's holy relic in hand, she gazed at the sky and offered her supplication.
*Whirrrring.*
As if in response, holy radiances illuminated her surroundings, never failing to highlight the pure form of God's servant.
Early in the morning, atop the platform in Denfos city's square, Armis fervently implored the divine.
'New Year already.'
Before the tens of thousands of citizens kneeling around the square, I too dropped to my knees.
Worship of a god from another dimension, not of humankind.
Just for today, I wanted to be treated as a child of the divine.
"In the name of the divine..."
The Neruman citizens drew the holy sign and bowed once more, offering their utmost reverence to the god.
I lowered my head as well.
The infinite love of the goddess of mercy, Neran, which I had come to know through Armis.
There was no shame in bowing my head.
"The prayer has concluded. Now, your esteemed lord will offer a few words of blessing."
Armis gazed at me with a radiant smile.
I rose and approached the platform where she stood.
Though not every citizen of the territory could attend this moment, all the village chiefs from each settlement were present.
I had words for them, using the New Year's greeting as the occasion.
'Embarrassing.'
Tens of thousands of citizens, braving the cold with a single hide beneath their knees, watched me with bright eyes.
An atmosphere unlike the battlefield.
They were not enemies to berate fiercely, but the territory's people who relied on me for their lives.
A gentle smile formed on my lips.
"You've all suffered this past year under an incompetent lord."
There were elders among them, but officially, I held their lives in my hands as their lord.
For the territory's efficient stability, I needed to assert authority.
"Thanks to Lady Neran's special grace, we have overcome several crises and welcome this new year. As lord, I offer prayers of gratitude to the gods once more."
With those words, I drew the holy sign toward Armis and bowed my head.
She was my beloved woman, but in this moment, she was the representative of the divine.
In response to my gesture, Armis smiled a sacred smile, beaming brightly.
"I dare not claim that this year will bring you peace. With greedy wolves prowling around us, eyeing Neruman, how could I toy with you with lies?"
They would know without me saying it.
"But know this: Neruman is not mine alone. All I can offer as lord is one thing—my sweat and the scant blood flowing in this flesh... We all know it's woefully insufficient to protect Neruman."
I infused my words with heart and mana.
The trials coming this year.
If mishandled, they could become the greatest calamity these people had ever faced.
"People of Neruman... As your lord, I humbly ask that you join me in shedding blood and sweat to cultivate this land, this proud territory to pass on to our descendants. If every drop of sweat and blood we shed today can promise a bright tomorrow for them, then I, your lord, hope you will spill it without fear."
The square grew solemn yet fervent as my words continued.
"Follow and trust in me! I boldly promise to make this land for you a blessed paradise flowing with milk and honey! My beloved people of Neruman..."
My voice trailed off, ending the New Year's address.
My sincere heart, neither exaggerated nor diminished.
"..."
For a moment, the square fell into silence.
No lord before had ever beseeched or sought unity with the people like this.
Past lords had treated citizens as beings to exploit or bind.
But I was different.
Not preaching free democracy, but a heartfelt plea to trust and follow me.
Only then could we overcome the impending crises—I had thrown my heart wide open.
"By your will... I gladly offer my blood and sweat. My lord..."
*Rustle.*
Armis knelt before me, her voice singing with fervent heart.
"For our lord, I gladly stake my blood, sweat—no, my very life!"
The knights, who had been kneeling on one knee, created a heavy harmony, their eyes blazing.
"For the lord, we too stake our lives!"
"Oh! Our master, permitted by the gods! We shall follow the path you tread, even if it leads through flames!"
"L-Lord...!"
Voices filled with the citizens' hearts erupted from all directions.
"What are you all doing? Let's cheer three cheers for the lord and Neruman! For this land blessed by the gods, for us, for the divine messenger who came to save us—Lord Kayer, hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!"
"Waaaaah! Long live the lord! Long live Neruman!"
"Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!"
Following someone's impassioned cry, the citizens roared their cheers.
'Thank you.'
The people of Neruman, trusting and following their lord who had just turned nineteen with the new year.
Their cheers steeled my resolve once more.
I would absolutely turn this Neruman into paradise!
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
"This year will be a trying one."
After the New Year's prayer, I summoned the key knights to what had become the lord's office in the Sky Pavilion.
It was time to reveal Neruman's and the continent's situation.
They weren't fools; my opening words brought grave expressions to their faces.
"As you know, Neruman is the most dangerous place on the continent. Not only the monsters in the mountains surrounding us, but the pirates of the Kesmir Archipelago, the Temir tribes called barbarians, and we're hemmed in by the Bazran and Rabiter Empires that dominate the continent."
I began with facts they all knew.
It was a joyous new year, but the world wouldn't allow us to celebrate.
"In truth, though I reveal it only now, I have formed an alliance with the pirates of Kesmir—no, with the Kingdom of Kesmir."
"Hmm..."
"..."
Aside from Derbal and a few who knew or suspected, the rest let out groans.
They understood this must never be known to other empires or kingdoms.
"And not long ago, I signed a permanent peace treaty with the Temir tribes."
"Gasp!"
"L-Lord..."
The permanent peace with the Temir tribes stunned everyone except Derbal.
The Temir, who had maintained hostile relations with everyone in continental history.
A peace treaty with such a belligerent race—and a permanent one at that—would be shocking.
"Lord, both are utterly untrustworthy. How can we trust pirates and barbarians?"
Andriaf, new to the territory, spoke gravely, unable to believe it.
"Then who can we trust in Neruman now? Name them."
"That's..."
"As you all know, today's enemy can be tomorrow's ally, and today's ally tomorrow's foe—that's the state of affairs. And right now, the only friends Neruman has are the pirates and the Temir."
Cold but realistic.
"According to information from Jamer, head merchant of the Rubis Merchant Guild, the Bazran Emperor may not survive this winter."
"What...?"
"His Majesty..."
Most had studied in Bazran or earned knighthoods there.
They were shocked anew at news of the emperor's death.
"Then the mad Crown Prince Poltbiran will ascend the throne, and unthinkable horrors will follow."
Today, I had to lay everything bare.
"The continent has been too quiet. Decades of peace have stockpiled national power in the kingdoms, and noble ambitions have reached their peak. If the emperor is a madman now, what happens to the continent?"
"..."
No one answered.
Without words, they all knew a storm of blood would sweep the continent.
"And that's not all. An Inquisition investigation has been ordered against Neruman."
"N-No, it can't be..."
"Oh, God."
Even knights weren't free from faith on this continent.
At "Inquisition," they invoked the divine.
"You think that's it? Rabiter Empire will dispatch two legions this spring to conquer Neruman."
"E-Even Rabiter Empire..."
They say excessive shock leads to numbness.
'Sorry, if it's a sin, it's the sin of having the wrong lord.'
Unlike the stunned knights, my heart was calm.
The cause was my stiff neck, refusing to bow to detestable humans.
"That'd be fine, but we're on bad terms with continental guilds, the Magic Tower, even the dark guilds."
"Tch..."
"Haha, at least it's a relief. The whole continent isn't our enemy."
Among the knights was one with a fourth-dimensional mindset.
Ryker, who hadn't seemed surprised from the start.
The enemies I'd named were the continent's full might, yet he called it a relief.
"Do you think this is time for jokes?"
"No, should we cry? What's to be done about enemies already made? Unless we're fleeing the territory to another continent."
"Hmph!"
Zenith and he were inseparable lately, acting suspiciously.
Like lovers quarreling, Zenith huffed.
'Lady Zenith is a woman after all.'
Zenith, whom I'd never seen as feminine, appeared anew.
"Quiet. The lord is speaking."
Derbal warned in his heavy voice.
No mana, yet he never cowered before knights.
"By spring, we'll be in the heart of war. The Rabiter dogs who boast openly will cross the border, Bazran who knows what they'll do, and the temples will find some pretext. But our biggest problem is surviving."
Even in war, we'd sow seeds to avoid starvation by fall, worry about monsters mid-battle.
No place more pitiful than Neruman.
"What would you have me do..."
I'd exposed the burdens I'd carried alone and asked for countermeasures.
"..."
The knights fell unusually silent today.
They maintained stoic silence.
As Ryker said, if not fleeing, the answer was clear.
"We will fulfill our knightly duty."
First to speak was Shilt, head of Orak Castle, schooled in true knighthood—his answer rooted in knightly honor.
Loyalty to lord, protection of the weak—the knight's foremost precept.
An excellent response.
"I've long entrusted my dream to you, my lord."
Second was Sedlian from Hers Mercenary Corps.
The man who'd forsaken even his revenge to choose me.
I nodded, accepting his heart.
"Haha, raise my pay, and I'll gladly lay down my life in service."
Ryker's playful yet refreshing reply.
"I'll consider it after you pay back all the advances."
"Ugh..."
"From the moment I came here, I'd already cast aside my life. What is there to fear?"
"The same for me, my lord."
Andriaf and Tebedian affirmed their resolve.
"Neruman is... my home. If I can bury my bones here, there's no greater happiness."
Zenith's words.
Only one who knows home's meaning could say that.
"As you will, my lord. Everyone here is already yours."
Finally, Derbal smiled faintly and bowed.
"Thank you, my knights. With you, I face enemies fearless. And watch—I promise again to be a lord who never betrays your dreams and faith!"
'Kyaa, this is why being a lord is worth it!'
Knights' loyalty, oft-heard in tales.
The joy of receiving one's life in devotion, known only to those who've had it.
'Fuck, come at me—I’ll kill you all.'
Confirming their loyalty, I kindled battle fervor against future foes.
"And today, I announce a new military structure."
I'd pondered for days.
My own formation, differing slightly from continentals focused on wyverns and skynights.
Decided after consulting Derbal.
"We will create three air wings. The 1st Air Wing, centered on Denfos in the core position—Sedlian as commander."
"Yes, sir!"
"The 2nd Air Wing, centered on Orak Castle—Shilt as commander."
"I obey your command!"
"The 3rd Air Wing, centered on Siyaris Fortress—Ryker as commander."
"A wise choice!"
Ryker, always bringing smiles.
Zenith shot him a glare.
Truthfully, I'd agonized most over the 3rd Wing.
Couldn't ignore Baroness Zenith's position.
But merit over position.
"Simultaneously, wing commanders will oversee infantry. Battalion assignments come later via orders, but as experienced against Habis nobles, archers and regular knights can fell wyverns. We must leverage that strength against foes henceforth."
"Yes, sir!"
Wyverns and skynights alone couldn't hold enemies.
We'd use large ballistae to check wyverns and ground forces, while equipping mana-wielding knights with blast spears to down wyverns from below.
Thus, I'd shamelessly gathered every spear from Roen duchy.
"Continue to serve well. Remember always—you are my sword and shield."
"Glory to our lord!"
Our eyes met.
Mine burned, but theirs no less.
'Let’s do this!'
Rabiter legions, yet untested properly.
With them, all that remained was a brawl.