Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Sword Light Sword Madness (8)
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There is such a thing.
Sometimes, when conversing with people, you can roughly predict what they'll say next just from the atmosphere and their body language.
It's commonly called intuition. And for Cain, that was inevitably a profound misfortune. Because he couldn't stop it even after realizing what was coming.
“What in the world do you mean by that?”
“Have you ever heard the saying that whoever seizes the Demon Palace conquers the continent?”
“Of course I have.”
Whoever obtains the Demon Palace conquers the continent. It's a bit exaggerated, but not entirely wrong, really.
The continent is currently divided between the territories of the Empire and the Alliance. Sure, there are kingdoms that belong to neither,
but those would have been swallowed up long ago if not for the balance between the Empire and the Alliance, so we'll set them aside for now.
“In the current situation, the only practical way to expand territory even a little is the Demon Palace. The problem is that it hasn't been all that efficient.”
To conquer the Demon Palace, you inevitably have to mobilize Masters in the end. But then the enemy won't just sit idly by.
Masters get stationed at the borders, naturally leading to a standoff.
But trying to conquer without deploying Masters? The Demon Palace is far from a pushover.
What if the enemy attacks while you're in the midst of an assault with Masters deployed?
Even the four major powers understood that point and shrewdly exploited it to maintain the balance.
However, there was a variable they hadn't anticipated... and that was a certain man named Cain Blackguard.
“The landscape has shifted dramatically this time. Thanks to Lord Blackguard subjugating half of the Demon Palace's four major powers.”
The Sovereign of the Skies.
And the Seven King Beasts.
By bringing those four major powers under his control, he'd effectively seized the territories they dominated as well.
Of course, they were still short on manpower and resources, and the areas were so dangerous they weren't fully occupied yet.
“Because more than half of all the Alliance nations had to agree, the normally sluggish Alliance moved with unprecedented speed to begin their Demon Palace conquest this time.”
“That’s...”
“Yes, exactly. It's turned into a fight over who gets their hands on the Demon Palace.”
In just one year—no, a mere year—the Empire had subjugated two of the Demon Palace's four major powers. An absurdly fast pace.
That's why the Alliance must have committed their full strength this time, grinding their teeth in determination.
Cain gulped down his tea to moisten his parched throat. Even a fool couldn't miss it.
“If things continue like this, we might clash with the Alliance before long.”
“It's not a 'might.' The Empire and the Alliance will definitely clash.”
“...”
Cain instinctively sensed danger from the crown prince's tone of absolute certainty. And how could he not?
This was none other than the crown prince himself speaking with such conviction.
In other words, a colossal disaster was approaching—one they couldn't avoid even if they wanted to.
“But what does any of that have to do with the current situation?”
“The Demon Palace is about to become a battlefield. That's why His Majesty has ordered me to join forces with you, Lord Blackguard, to subjugate it.”
“His Majesty went that far...?”
“Of course, if you look closely, it's pretty much just a smokescreen.”
Openly deploying Masters would provoke the Alliance too much. It's not much different now, but
they'd given Crown Prince Siegfried the nominal duty of Demon Palace subjugation at least as a face-saving pretext.
There were currently two members of the imperial family in the Demon Palace. And they had no choice but to station Masters to protect them.
Just for that pretext. In the end, Cain squeezed his eyes shut. And that meant...
“You're saying Sir Chris von Leonhardt and Lady Scardi von Leonhardt will be staying in this territory.”
“That's how it shakes out. We're predicting around two Masters from the Alliance slated for Demon Palace subjugation.”
“Ah.”
The clash between the Empire and the Alliance would undoubtedly be a monumental conflict capable of rewriting history.
So why was it that these lunatics right beside him felt even more terrifying than that massive clash?
As a result, the reason for Scardi and Chris to fight had vanished. After all, both could stay here together either way.
“Looks like it worked out for you, Chris. But you still have to take your punishment for groveling to your big sis, right?”
“I can't yield even to you, sis. The first spar with him is mine.”
“Good, that's the spirit. A swordsman who draws their blade has to cut down even a mutt.”
“Follow me outside. Let's have a proper go at it.”
“...”
That's right. Even without a reason to fight anymore, they were digging up a pretext to clash again.
The reason was simple. They were swordsmen. And a true swordsman, once they've drawn their sword, has to cut down even a dog.
Witnessing that conviction bordering on madness right before his eyes, Cain burst out laughing instead. What was it again? Ah, right.
He just wished they'd all drop dead.
Wasn't there a meteor shower or something?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Demon Palace.
The one true inviolable domain that neither the Empire nor the Alliance had been able to touch.
Of course, if they threw their full strength at it, they could probably overrun it eventually. But the real issue came afterward.
What if the enemy nation intervened with a surprise attack while they were in the midst of subjugating it?
How much damage would that cause? Thanks to that, neither the Empire nor the Alliance could rashly commit their full forces to the Demon Palace.
That's how it was. Until Cain Blackguard suddenly appeared in the Empire, that is...
At first, hardly anyone paid much attention to Blackguard's existence.
His achievements against the Imperial army were acknowledged, but most thought he was insufficient for conquering the Demon Palace.
'50,000 troops, Master Grandel, and the magic corps aren't weak by any means... but to achieve this much in just one year.'
It wasn't that Crown Prince Siegfried bore any malice toward Cain when he suggested properly verifying it to the Emperor.
It was just an accomplishment so extraordinary that anyone hearing about it would think it sounded absurd.
When he heard that Cain Blackguard had soared into the skies and defeated the Sovereign of the Skies, he'd been dumbfounded.
But it all turned out to be true. Not only the wyverns, but even the Seven King Beasts had clearly submitted.
'Does that mean all those absurd feats were real? He really flew into the sky and took down the Sky King, and captured the Water King single-handedly?'
But if not, there was no explaining how he'd subjugated two of the four major powers in just one year.
And just yesterday, the crown prince had personally confirmed Cain Blackguard's boundless potential through a friendly match.
A swordsman who wasn't even a Master yet, able to parry the blade of none other than the 'Sword Demon' himself.
And on top of that, a strategist who even made Princess Morgana—bearer of the moniker Thousand-Web Stratagem—yield a step.
That was why the normally lethargic Alliance had moved with such unusual speed this time.
Of course, they had a pretext. The clear justification of swiftly eliminating the Alliance's enemy, the Lost Empire.
'That's why they deployed two Masters here, even fabricating a plausible pretext for it.'
The balance had already collapsed. The Alliance was on the move, and in response, the Empire was deploying troops to the borders.
They just weren't clashing yet because the Demon Palace pie was still there.
But what happens if one side devours the entire Demon Palace pie?
'Looks like I need to have a talk with Lord Blackguard about that. He must have predicted it to some extent already.'
There was no way a capable general like Blackguard wouldn't know the continent's political landscape. He'd likely anticipated and prepared for it long ago.
This was why having an expert nearby was so convenient. No need to shoulder it alone—just hand it all over to the specialist.
Crown Prince Siegfried turned his head to look at Cain. At the moment, he was being held captive by two ferocious beasts.
“Lord Blackguard! Say something to your sister! Wasn't I the one scheduled to spar with you first?!”
“Pathetic, little brother. A loser should withdraw promptly and await the next chance.”
“Sparring with you first leaves me with nothing!”
“Victory is absolute, regardless.”
In the brief moment he'd been lost in thought, Chris had apparently lost to her.
Yet he refused to accept defeat, clinging to Blackguard's trouser leg. He was even crying.
In contrast, Scardi was stomping on the prone Chris... Upon confirming the sight, the crown prince turned away.
'Looks like today just isn't my day.'
They'd talk later.