Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: Every Man Must Shout It Once: "Boiler! Boiler!"
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152————
If you're a man, then at least once in your life—
"Boiler!"
"Boiler!"
After the dramatic peace talks with Karta, a tense atmosphere began to settle over the Igior side once more.
Scouts kept bursting in every hour, creating the vibe of an all-out war.
"Is this another report about the kingdom's border?"
"Yes."
Boiler.
Eos raised her hand as if to say go ahead and report, and one of the warriors urgently opened his mouth.
"The report that Viscount Taiker's castle was engulfed in massive flames turned out to be true."
"The fire that started in the evening is still raging even past dawn, refusing to die down."
"It hasn't been extinguished even after morning?"
"That's right."
At that report, Eos couldn't help but tilt her head in confusion.
Viscount Taiker was one of the few northern nobles of the kingdom who could actually be called a warrior.
Naturally, his soldiers under him had completed all sorts of training in preparation for any ordinary war scenario.
Siege warfare could lead to fires in the castle, so they must have trained for firefighting too—yet they couldn't put out a fire that started in the evening, even after it passed dawn and morning? It was incredibly suspicious.
'No way they'd abandon their own castle.'
'So why the hell can't they put it out?'
As Eos pondered this, she suddenly recalled the words left by that man, Kim Yu-hyun, before he departed.
'No matter what happens, don't panic.'
'Everything is probably happening under that man's plan.'
'What do you mean by that, Yu-hyun?'
'It's a bit early to say for sure, but he's a man you can trust.'
Eyes that had always been icy cold, distrustful of everyone—like a biting winter gale—had, for a brief moment, flickered with a hint of trust.
Eos had found it so fascinating that she'd let out a chuckle, prompting Kim Yu-hyun to clear his throat awkwardly.
Then he'd reiterated that no problems would arise here, so she could rest easy, before heading off to the kingdom.
'A strangely sorrowful man.'
That was how Eos defined Kim Yu-hyun.
For some reason, he seemed to carry the world's sorrows in his arms, barely holding on.
His loneliness was so palpable that, despite their brief meeting, she could clearly sense how cautious he was each time he interacted with her, as if terrified of causing her any harm.
And that man had said it was okay to trust 'that man,' Sion Claussen.
Eos herself already held Sion, that kingdom noble, in high regard—like a solitary wolf of a warrior—and hearing such a recommendation from him only boosted her trust even further.
'Is that why my sister fell for him?'
As Eos drummed her fingers on the table lost in these thoughts, the elder who always served as her advisor quietly spoke up.
"Boiler."
"Is everything alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"Karta."
"And Temuchin."
At those words, Eos narrowed her eyes slightly and stared at the old man.
Her expression screamed, what kind of nonsense is that?
"Temuchin himself won't break his own promise and attack the kingdom, of course."
"Most of Karta who follow him won't either."
"But the tribes with other ideas worry me."
"...You're talking about those tribes that split off, the ones who wanted war with the kingdom right up to the end."
Not everyone in Karta had gathered purely to follow Temuchin.
Among them were tribes fueled by hatred for the kingdom, who joined Karta hoping Temuchin would turn his blade on it.
This moment of fragile peace between the kingdom, Igior, and Karta was far from what they desired.
"They must have noticed something happened at the kingdom's border too."
"If they seize this chance to act on their own and attack the kingdom, won't all the hard-won peace between you, Temuchin, and the kingdom shatter again?"
"You do have a point—it's not impossible."
The tribes were never united even on good days.
In a situation where their goals already diverged, no one knew what those factions might do.
If the elder's fears came true and they crossed the border amid the kingdom's chaos to launch a full assault, things could escalate badly.
"If you're asking if I'm worried, then no, I'm not."
"Pardon?"
But Eos showed no concern at all.
The woman who used to fret endlessly over what Temuchin and Karta might do was acting completely different today.
"He might act strangely sometimes, but he's no warrior who would forget honor and pride."
"I know my sister well."
"If she were the type to sit idly by while rogue tribes caused trouble, Karta would've fallen apart long ago with all those tribes gathered."
"But..."
"Don't worry."
"Above all, everyone in the world wants to look good to someone they like—it's the same everywhere."
The elder gazed at Eos for a moment before nodding as if he understood.
He trusted Eos Boiler, who had led them all this time, more than Jan Temuchin still steering Karta.
And true to Eos's conviction, Jan was handling things swiftly right now.
"Temuchin."
Karta warriors who had been lying in ambush beforehand captured these men heading for the kingdom's border.
They weren't lightly armed—these were proper warriors geared up, clearly prepared not just for looting, but to wreak real havoc.
"I remember clearly telling you all to wait for the kingdom's reply."
He clenched and unclenched his fist slowly, speaking in a flat, toneless voice that felt straight out of a horror flick.
Jan stared at them silently before gesturing for the waiting warriors to step out.
"Nothing to say?"
Once Karta's warriors had left, Jan adopted a gentle tone, as if bestowing mercy.
In response, the middle-aged man who seemed the senior among the captives spoke in a deeply sunken voice.
"Didn't you say you'd drive out the kingdom and build a nation for the northern tribes?"
"I said I'd fight for the people of the north."
"Isn't that the same th—"
Jan rose from his seat and slowly approached the middle-aged man.
He grabbed the man's head with one hand and began twisting it slightly.
"I fought the kingdom because I believed our people could find happiness that way."
"No, less a belief and more a foolish wish I clung to."
"I knew the kingdom had powerhouses like me, knew exactly how they'd respond the moment we declared war, yet I convinced myself there was no other path."
"..."
"But now, a way has come to me where my tribesmen can survive without stubbornly clinging to that road."
"A way to avoid slaughtering fellow tribesmen who oppose war, to prevent those around me from dying in some endless conflict."
"It's pointless."
"In the end, the same things will repeat later."
"Even if we get some food, form marriage alliances, continue trade— we'll inevitably clash with the kingdom."
"This won't change our future!"
The middle-aged warrior recited this passionately, as if asking if Jan didn't get it.
Jan nodded, agreeing it might be so.
Maybe war would come someday even if not now; maybe the kingdom would look down on their tribes and launch a massive attack first; maybe by then they'd be so weak they couldn't even resist before vanishing.
But his expression showed no real change.
"Isn't that why my sister and I are working so hard to change that unchangeable future for our tribe?"
"By convincing tribesmen, caring for them differently than before, talking with that Hispania woman."
"And one more thing."
Crunch—
Jan's hand slowly tightened, gripping the man's head hard.
With her other hand now seizing the middle-aged warrior's face too, she stared straight into his eyes as he bit his lip, sensing what was coming.
"To punish scum like you who have nothing, for defying the northern law: 'Follow the will of the strong.'"
Crack!—
The man's neck twisted grotesquely, and one warrior met his end.
His body, life extinguished in an instant, hardened like a wooden log and toppled sideways.
Jan coldly eyed the now-corpse before slowly stepping toward the next.
"Ugh!"
"T-Temuchin!"
"We were once part of Karta, following you—how can you...!"
"If you invoke my name, if you followed it, shouldn't you obey my will?"
"Why should I spare those who hide behind my name when it suits them, only to screw me over when your goals diverge?"
Crack!—
Another life crumbled.
Without the slightest hesitation, Jan moved to the next.
"You're no longer Karta,"
Crack!
"nor my warriors."
Crunch!
"You're just my enemies."
Crunch!
"And my mate's enemies."
—
A chill ran down his spine, and Sion shivered lightly.
Something felt off—like some unwelcome event was unfolding somewhere.
"Sion."
"Are you okay?"
Lily, who had been reviewing documents with Sion that Viscount Gino had brought, noticed the change and tossed him a casual question.
Sion waved it off like it was nothing.
"Good to hear."
"More importantly, this guy—this is insane."
"Even I, who knows nothing about your stuff, can tell he pulled off something massive."
"That's why the northern tribes fell into crisis the moment trade routes closed, right?"
They'd claimed it was to prevent the barbaric tribes from growing rich and turning on the kingdom, but Hispania and the royals were the ones who opened those routes despite the risks in the first place.
Instead, they'd cornered the barbarians into war—the worst outcome—while hiding their own schemes and even trying to exploit the conflict. Straight-up treason.
"Honestly, I was a bit shocked."
"I figured you'd catch him, torture him just enough to spill all the info he had or didn't have."
"But nah—you got a confession, the written statement, then wiped them all out."
"That's how it is—some gain you profit from keeping alive, others just losses."
"Scary, scary stuff."
A guy like Sefer Kashugar? Perfect fodder—remind everyone of his attempt on the capital whenever convenient, rally the divided kingdom in an instant.
But northern nobles? Zero upside.
They'd only fuel division and paranoia.
So aside from Baron Rephoem, the one with some potential, they extracted minimal confessions and quickly eliminated the rest.
'Before northern tribes start demanding accountability, better to clean house—makes it easier for the kingdom, and that's why the royals gave me proxy authority.'
If it was just glamorous work, they'd send an heir instead.
Proxy status is for the dirty jobs—the ones that earn you praise and hate between kingdoms.
That's why Princess Vanessa called Sion in but looked so apologetic.
"I'm coming in."
With those words, Lisica entered.
Unlike her knightly duties, she carried tea like a maid.
At Lisica's entrance, Lily hummed "Hmm!" and stood from her seat.
"I've got some business to attend to."
"Business?"
"Uh... y-yeah!"
"Trish keeps acting up, so I gotta put her in her place a bit."
"...Go easy."
What're you worrying about anyway!
Lily hummed as she headed out the door.
Of course, she didn't forget to poke Lisica's side playfully and wink as if saying good luck.
"What's with the sudden tea, Lisi?"
"Oh, uh, well..."
She clearly had something to say but just stammered awkwardly without answering.
Sion thanked her and took the cup.
As he sipped the tea, the bitter tang lingered on his tongue, making him crave those sweet cookies from before.
"Um... M-Master."
"Yeah?"
"D-Do you... maybe want something sweet?"
"...Kinda, yeah."
"Drinking tea alone feels a bit lacking."
It was an honest slip, no deeper thought.
A slight bitterness always paired best with sweetness, right?
'...Wait.'
For a second, Sion wondered if he was dreaming.
The female knight who had been standing fine in front of him, waiting for his reply.
She vanished from sight in a blink.
'So, why is Lisi...?'
Why the hell was this knight suddenly sprawled on the table?
"Lisi?"
"What are you..."
"I-It’s just!"
"S-Sweet!"
"You said you wanted something sweet!"
"Lily told me to say that... Ah!"
In her fluster, flailing about, the truth slipped from Lisica.
Sion stared at the woman collapsed on the table like that and let out an exasperated sigh.
'...What the hell did that big sis teach her!'
If she thought he'd like this!
That's an 'oh yeah'!
————Author's Note————
Everyone, oh yeah!
I want recommendations too!