Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: 40. I'll Stir Up Some Chaos and Come Back (2)
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Vincent did everything in his power to fill that void.
He couldn't even dream of leaving the North.
In the end, Vincent sent the one-eyed cavalry commander to the capital in his stead to gather information.
Quyen Lichtheim, the leader of the Black Spear Cavalry, headed to the capital with a small group of knights.
The atmosphere in the capital, which they reached after riding day and night, was chaotic.
A number of nobles were denouncing the First Prince for offending the Emperor and tarnishing the honor of the Imperial knights, while the citizens were gripped by extreme anxiety over the possibility of war with the Empire.
Quyen first sought out Ballerhard's rangers and soldiers, who had arrived ahead of him.
"After rumors spread that the Paladins of the Saint Marquis family had mobilized, all news of His Highness suddenly cut off."
The platoon leader Yorden was nowhere to be found, so Ranger stepped in to report.
"Where is Yorden?"
"When he learned His Highness hadn't returned, he headed straight back to the Empire from the border."
Quyen comforted Ranger, who bowed his head as if remaining in the kingdom was a grave sin, then immediately headed to the palace to request an audience with the King.
And after waiting two days, he was finally granted a meeting.
**
"The royal family is also doing everything in its power to locate the Prince."
The King's expression was grim as he faced the one-eyed knight commander from the North.
It was only natural.
On a small scale, it was the disappearance of kin; on a larger one, a grave incident involving the prince of a nation.
And not even on their own soil, but in foreign territory.
Yet all he could do was send a feeble protest letter claiming it was unjust for an official delegation with diplomatic purpose to be attacked by Imperial knights.
The Empire's response was utterly absurd.
They argued that since the kingdom's knights had initiated the duel, the Imperial family had no grounds to intervene.
It was an outrageously brazen and irresponsible stance for a situation where a prince of a nation had gone missing in their territory along with an official delegation.
But what could be done? The kingdom's lack of power was a sin, and the king's incompetence was a sin.
His self-reproach showed plainly on his face. The knight from the North offered words of comfort.
"Your face looks haggard, Your Majesty. Please take care of yourself."
At the knight's words, the King touched his own face.
The skin felt rough and dry to the touch.
It was because he hadn't slept, his nerves on edge lately.
It was all because of the Marquis of Montpellier.
The marquis, who had been cooperative with the kingdom for a time, had recently begun showing suspicious signs.
There were rumors that nobles decrying the royal family's personnel choices—claiming that if the Empire started a war, it would be the First Prince's fault—were acting on the marquis's instigation. One might doubt if the Empire's leashed ambassador would switch sides so easily, but it wasn't entirely impossible.
Those fears had become reality.
In a meeting convened to discuss measures regarding the missing delegation...
"Since the seeds he sowed himself have grown into vines that now bind his ankles, how can we blame the Empire's indifference?"
The Marquis of Montpellier subtly condemned the delegation's disappearance as the prince's recklessness.
He then incited the nobles to criticize the royal family's appointments.
His behavior was as vicious as in the old days when he had sucked the kingdom's blood dry.
Thanks to him, the strategy meeting devolved into a denunciation of the First Prince and the Iron Lions.
"Enough."
The King halted the pointless meeting and ordered the Imperial ambassador to stay behind.
Once alone, the ambassador sneered immediately.
"I assure you, if anything happens to me now, the homeland will judge that the kingdom sought revenge for the delegation incident."
As the King opened his mouth to retort that brazen reply, commotion erupted outside the chamber.
Bang!
Before he could even ask the cause, the door burst open, and the Royal Knight Order commander stormed in.
"Your Majesty! Withdraw!"
The old knight's gaze, aura blade ignited, was fixed on the window.
The King followed his line of sight and turned his head.
And froze solid.
Something covered in gleaming scales was there.
"W-What is that thing?!"
The marquis, turning late, staggered back.
Kyaaaaah!
At that moment, the creature outside the window let out a roar.
The marquis fell flat on his rear.
Looking at him, the unidentified creature—a wyvern—flicked its tongue.
Sssss.
Yellow liquid pooled richly between the marquis's legs.
"Piss pants."
Then a nonchalant voice rang out.
Only then did people realize they had been so overwhelmed by the wyvern's massive presence that they hadn't noticed the rider behind it.
"Who are you?!"
The old knight barked sharply, and the young-faced rider cleared his throat with a hem.
He claimed he was no strange person but had come as a messenger at a friend's request.
"Who is this friend, and what message do you bring?"
Pushing past the old knight, the King stepped forward and asked the wyvern rider.
"Greetings are belated, Your Majesty."
The wyvern rider saluted crisply, hand to brow.
"I am Dorosis Dottrmundt, Captain of the Aerial Knight Order of the Kingdom of Dottrmundt, offering respects to the lord of Leonberger."
The etiquette was unfamiliar, as were Dottrmundt and the Aerial Knight Order.
But titles weren't what mattered now.
"Personally, I am close friends with Idrian."
What mattered was that Dorosis Dottrmundt was the First Prince's friend.
"The prince—is he safe?!"
The King asked in a rare agitated tone.
The prince's friend nodded with a bright smile.
"Idrian and the entire delegation are unscathed, without a single scratch, and are currently carrying out a certain mission alongside our Aerial Knight Order."
The King staggered.
Though he had hoped for their safe return, hearing confirmation drained the tension from him all at once.
"Then why hasn't His Highness returned?"
The Royal Knight Order commander asked in the King's stead.
"Good question! I was just about to explain that!"
Dorosis Dottrmundt answered as if he'd been waiting for the question.
"A message from Idrian!"
Clearing his throat again, he mimicked someone's voice.
"I've got a lot of scores to settle, so I'll stir up some chaos and come back."
Only after hearing those words did the King dispel his suspicions about the self-proclaimed friend of the prince.
That arrogant, curt tone was unmistakably the First Prince's, no matter who heard it.
"He's safe. Everyone's safe."
The King sighed in relief at the news of the prince and delegation's safety.
"And since it's my first time in Leonberger, could you perhaps guide me to the Marquis of Montpellier's residence?"
"Can you tell us why you seek the Marquis of Montpellier?"
The King glanced at the Imperial ambassador.
The Marquis of Montpellier, slumped with wet trousers and dazed, jolted and trembled at his name.
"Another message."
"That man there is the Marquis of Montpellier, so deliver it. If it's confidential, I'll arrange a private room."
After pondering the King's words, Dorosis Dottrmundt shook his head.
"He didn't say it was secret."
With that, he hopped down from the wyvern with a spirited leap.
Squatting before the Marquis of Montpellier, he growled low.
"If you pull any nonsense while I'm gone, I'll come back and crush you flat. Got it?"
It was a perfect rendition, even capturing the unique murderous intent, and the marquis convulsed.
Dorosis Dottrmundt rose, his face beaming with pride.
He seemed to think his imitation was quite good.
"Well done."
His expression somehow like a child seeking praise, the King smiled and commended him.
"Not seeking praise."
The King laughed again at his words-mismatched-with-actions demeanor.
**
The King welcomed Dorosis Dottrmundt as a distinguished guest and invited him to dinner.
He also invited those anxiously awaiting news of the prince, day and night, so they could hear it firsthand.
Among the gathered were the Second Prince Maximilian and the Queen with other royals, as well as the Marquis of Bielefeld and men from the North.
"Before the Empire's pettiness, Idrian and the delegation were like candles in the wind."
The chatty messenger recounted the prince's journey with relish, as if he'd been there himself.
"Fifteen Imperial knight orders stepped up for revenge! Including the Empire's boasted Paladins—no exaggeration to call it a desperate crisis!"
He spat details of the fierce battles fought by the prince and delegation's knights in secrecy, and the vicious torments by the Imperial knights.
"A bloodbath! No, worse! The delegation's knights had to hold back for future consequences, but the Imperials didn't."
"The Imperial knights were utterly ruthless. Ganging up on the few was routine, and they even ambushed the weary delegation under cover of night."
"Ah! Not one of those 'honor-reclaiming' Imperial knights truly knew honor—it was lamentable!"
He clenched his fist, claiming he couldn't have endured it himself.
"Of course, Idrian and the kingdom's knights didn't just take it lying down."
Excited, he gulped water and detailed the delegation's feats.
They shattered half of the fifteen pursuing knight orders.
The Empire's prized Paladins fell repeatedly to a kingdom lady knight.
Miraculous achievements amid exhaustion from a four-month chase.
"But they reached their limit in the end."
"The kingdom's knights were worn out, while three Imperial orders allied to encircle them—a trap the Imperials had deliberately set."
"I had just barely caught up to the delegation then."
Dorosis Dottrmundt paused, scanning the audience.
"Do you know what Idrian said before the Imperial knights then?"
**
"Arwen. From now on, lead the Iron Lions and annihilate them."
Dorosis Dottrmundt, ears perked atop his wyvern under the open sky, tilted his head at the sight of the kingdom's knights facing off against the Imperials.
The encircling Imperial knights numbered three hundred, including two of their boasted Paladins.
A crisis where annihilation was imminent—yet the prince ordered not retreat, but extermination.
"Don't let a single one escape alive."
He even commanded no survivors.
"As His Highness wills!"
And the lady knight accepted it readily.
"Doesn't seem like collective madness."
Jin Katrin, vice-captain of the Aerial Knight Order and longtime friend, confirmed it wasn't his imagination.
"Observe for now."
At Jin's word, the three wyvern knights preparing a dive to break the encirclement climbed altitude and held position. Then Idrian Leonberger stepped before the Imperial Paladins.
"Even rats bite cats when cornered, but you've pushed too hard."
And drew his sword.
"The Dragon Slayer Sword is perfect for smashing Imperial scum."