Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Come Back Stronger...
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“After detecting suspicious movements from the Northern Barbarians, we dispatched an unofficial royal envoy.
But they sent him back without even meeting him.”
“…That means war is imminent.”
“At least they didn’t kill the unofficial envoy, which is fortunate.
In the past, they’ve even slaughtered official diplomatic missions and sent their heads back.”
It meant there was no time left.
Before the conflict between Karta and Aigiore escalated into a full-blown fight to the death, he needed to go there, separate the two sisters, and ensure their full forces remained intact.
‘The Northern Barbarians live in harsh lands, so they’re far removed from the peace-loving followers of the Heavenly Race.
They’re rough around the edges, but not fanatics.’
With that thought, Sion glanced to the side.
King Edgar IV had moved to the conference room and had been silently listening to the conversation between Sion and Princess Vanessa.
It seemed he intended to leave the Northern issue entirely in Vanessa’s hands and back her up.
‘Since Princess Vanessa was the first to detect the unusual activity in the North, is he giving her a chance to earn merits?
Not a bad move.
Compared to Prince Erader, her only real shortcoming is not being the firstborn.’
Vanessa hadn’t yet fully demonstrated her capabilities, so if she racked up solid achievements this time, she might even compete with Prince Erader for succession.
Moreover, the supporting factions could include his own Claussen family, along with the various noble houses where he’d built some goodwill at the last royal banquet.
“The Northern nobles are growing restless and requesting military deployment.
But it’s tricky to accept their demands at face value.”
“To the barbarians, they can’t tell if it’s a conquest army meant to subjugate them or reinforcements to bolster the border defenses—and they’re not interested in finding out.”
“Exactly.
A few barbarian tribes claim friendship with the kingdom, which is what’s holding off war for now. Rashly sending troops would turn even them into hardline war hawks.”
Sion studied Princess Vanessa’s face as she spoke.
Despite the dire situation, she showed no signs of tension or urgency.
He turned to check on King Edgar IV.
The king, like Vanessa, appeared utterly unperturbed.
‘…Both of them seem awfully composed in this situation?’
Sion sensed something off.
Even if King Edgar IV was unshaken, Vanessa—who had shown a hint of vulnerability—should at least display some tension. Yet her resolve seemed rock-solid.
That left two possibilities. One: they were fabricating the situation as some cruel joke.
But the Northern Barbarians’ unrest had been confirmed by Helen, so it couldn’t be a lie.
Which meant the other option.
The two of them already knew how to resolve this.
‘Alright, next question.
Why did Princess Vanessa specifically summon me?
I’m right that she warned me about the North, but as Claussen’s heir from a distant territory, what’s the real reason she called me to the capital?
If she truly knew nothing and just wanted me to spoon-feed her answers, that’d be disappointing for someone of her caliber.’
Then, it hit him—he reconsidered King Edgar IV’s presence.
There was no need for him to stay, yet here he sat in the conference room.
As if waiting for someone’s response.
‘The royal envoy was rejected.
So, was that envoy the final authority with an ultimatum, or merely a messenger to convey the kingdom’s will and gauge the barbarians’ intentions?’
As his thoughts reached that point, the picture started to clarify for Sion.
The barbarians, who knew rejecting the envoy all but guaranteed war with the kingdom, had sent him back anyway. The capital still hesitated on deploying troops. And then the princess summoning a war hero like him to the capital, with the king watching.
“Haa.”
Sion let out a deliberate sigh, loud enough for them to hear.
The princess flinched and looked at him.
“Princess.”
“What is it?”
“You didn’t need to go about it this way.”
“…I don’t know what you mean.”
“You could’ve just said you wanted me to head north, and both I and Margrave Lichten would’ve complied without question.
Do you doubt the Claussen count family’s loyalty to the kingdom?”
He decided to push a little harder.
Sure enough, Princess Vanessa’s eyes wavered slightly.
“The Northern Barbarians surely know that sending back a royal envoy is tantamount to declaring war.
Yet they did it anyway. There’s only one reason.
They’re demanding someone who can personally convey their words, receive ours in turn, and decide the future course—someone with real authority, not just a messenger.”
“…”
“Plus, to show the world that they consider themselves on equal footing with the kingdom, they’d want someone influential from our side.”
“Young Lord Sion.”
“The royals didn’t want some random noble who’d cower before those arrogant barbarians. They needed someone who could face the situation head-on, deliver an ultimatum, and wield the authority and prestige to call for ‘war’ on the kingdom’s behalf.”
The kingdom had plenty of people with greater achievements than Sion.
But humans forget. A few years pass, and victories fade into dim glory.
Hispania had chosen peace for reconstruction, so naturally, the heroes of old battlefields were forgotten over time.
Above all, those with the greatest feats were grizzled veterans worn down by war.
The young blood clamoring for a new era and new generation lacked a proper spark.
‘And then, a freshly twenty-year-old war hero emerges. If his bloodline were mediocre, maybe not—but he’s the heir to the Claussen family, the kingdom’s sturdiest shield since time immemorial?’
It drew attention not just within the kingdom, but from abroad.
To the Northern Barbarians, he was a figure prestigious enough to stroke their pride. To the royals, he was someone who could be granted decision-making power over the kingdom’s future actions and the authority for an ultimatum without issue.
“Your Majesty.”
Sion rose and formally knelt on one knee to ‘request.’
“Please send me.
I’ll go north, meet the barbarians, and deliver a conclusion that decides the path forward between our forces.”
“…”
King Edgar IV offered no reply.
This was what they wanted, but him requesting it outright was another matter.
What he and Vanessa had envisioned was hinting at the heavy duty—“We’re entrusting you with this vital mission”—and appointing him to the north, which he’d accept.
The reason was simple.
If his decisions somehow harmed the kingdom, the royals could shield him from nobles shifting all blame to Claussen.
It was the royals who’d given such a weighty task to Claussen’s heir, so they’d share the responsibility—and the nobles wouldn’t dare savage Sion further.
“Sion Claussen.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Your direct request sounds like you’re taking full responsibility, no matter what happens.”
“That’s correct.”
Not a second’s hesitation.
King Edgar IV looked intrigued, while Princess Vanessa appeared flustered.
The atmosphere was primed for war at any moment—there was no need for him to volunteer outright.
It would’ve sufficed to be secretly summoned to the capital on royal orders, then dispatched north with the mission.
Meanwhile, King Edgar IV smiled and said to Sion,
“If you’re requesting it yourself, I’ll take it as confidence that you can steer the Northern matter—be it war or peace—toward the kingdom’s benefit. Am I wrong?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
“Volunteering for such a tough job means, if you succeed, you could demand fitting rewards from the royals and myself, citing your merits.”
This guy’s reasonable, at least.
A true national leader.
Sion smiled, thinking as much.
Either way, this father-daughter pair had summoned him to the capital with a major mission in mind.
They’d likely offered the choice to refuse, but both assumed he wouldn’t turn down a task for Hispania.
‘In that case, better to act freely without reservations.’
Heading north on royal orders felt different from volunteering.
Staying put in his territory until becoming the new margrave would’ve been hassle-free.
But stepping up during the kingdom’s crisis to resolve it aligned perfectly with the ‘young noble devoted to Hispania’ image he’d carefully built.
‘And to the Northern Barbarians, a war hero who volunteered to come north would demand treatment beyond that of a mere royal envoy.’
Sion had been pondering how to even meet the Daughter of Winter and the Khan once in the North.
Joining a royal delegation as an attendant felt too minor, and other options didn’t seem feasible given the mood.
Volunteering as the ‘representative’ with full decision-making authority was exactly the role he wanted.
“Young Lord Sion.
I didn’t summon you to burden you with such danger.
I just wanted to discuss personnel selection…”
“Even Your Highness knows I’m the best man for the job.
That’s why you called me to the capital.”
“…I didn’t want to put you in harm’s way or make you uneasy.
But you were the only one who came to mind.
I’m truly sorry.”
Sion smiled and shook his head.
It was precisely what he’d hoped for.
If he had no intention of going north, he’d have refused Vanessa’s request for some excuse and holed up in his territory.
‘Above all, I need to owe Princess Vanessa one—so she’ll back me when settling Southern affairs later.
Plus, a chance to reinforce my hero persona, which was a bit thin.’
A war hero who led Hispania to victory over Nudia, a true noble who freed slaves—it wasn’t quite enough.
Far from it.
To openly declare to Hispania’s people someday that the Heavenly Race planned to burn us all to ash, he needed greater societal influence.
“Sion Claussen.
I’ll ask once, and only once.
Are you truly set on this?
It’s true I considered assigning you the task.
But as Princess Vanessa said, if you refused, I planned to find someone else and merely seek your advice.”
“I assure you, Your Majesty, I’m the right person for it.”
“It could be dangerous.”
“Northern Barbarians despise those who shun battle and mock them, but admire the bold who stand firm.
Isn’t this when a war hero title shines?”
In other words, send someone else, and they might actually lose their head.
King Edgar IV chuckled, nodded, and said,
“Very well.
Sion Claussen.
I grant you decision-making authority over Hispania’s future actions in the North.
Your words and thoughts will be the kingdom’s and the royals’—choose wisely.”
Sion bowed in courtesy, signaling his acceptance.
Princess Vanessa watched with deep unease, but Sion wanted to tell her it was all groundless worry.
After all, he had zero intention of dooming the kingdom—or dying.
“Shall we assign a few more royal guards for your escort?
Is that acceptable?”
The king was ‘asking’ Sion about personnel, signaling that from this moment, all authority for the Northern journey rested with him.
Sion smiled and nodded.
“Then we’ll attach a few royal knights.
Sion Claussen.
Can you give us a rough list of your entourage for the North?”
To that, Sion listed them out in order.
Lilit, disguised as a mage; Kim Yu-hyun, to connect with the Daughter of Winter; the walking bomb Trisha, whom he needed to keep close; and Risica, who’d follow unconditionally.
“Huh?”
Lucia, who’d been quietly listening until now, looked stunned.
Her name was missing from the list of those heading north.
―――――――Author's Note―――――――
Aftereffects of 8 straight updates...
I overdid it...
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