Chapter 266: How Ridiculous (3)
Chapter 266: How Ridiculous (3)
With everyone listening, the Overlord spoke in a hollow voice.
"To think this is the reward for risking my life to save our brothers of the East… How ridiculous."
"……."
"Did my soldiers shed their blood and fight just to save people like this?"
"……."
The Sword Queen couldn't manage a single word in response.
Even if she had ten mouths, she would have nothing to say. At this moment, she would have to stand there and take it even if the Overlord spat in her face.
However, the Overlord neither condemned her nor drew his sword.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"I believed the Decatour Kingdom were brothers of the East, just like us."
"……."
"But it seems that was merely a one-sided delusion of mine."
"……."
Each of the Overlord’s words pierced her heart like a blade.
They had repaid pure goodwill with betrayal. What excuse could possibly suffice?
A hellish moment of humiliation and disgrace passed. Then, the Overlord spoke.
"I am leaving."
"……."
"I cannot allow my soldiers and knights to bleed for those who are not our brothers. This war was my mistake."
The Sword Queen remained speechless at the Overlord’s declaration. But then…
"W-Wait… Please wait a moment, Overlord."
The one who intervened was Dustin Lobsky.
With a desperate expression, he turned toward the Overlord and spoke.
"If you leave now, what do you intend to do about the rest of the war?"
"Why should I be the one to worry about that?"
"……."
"This is no longer our war. Whatever happens from here on out is for you to handle on your own."
He was right.
His words were undeniably true.
However, if those words became reality, the fate of the Decatour Kingdom would be in dire jeopardy.
The war with the Caesar Kingdom had left Decatour utterly devastated. If the food supplies currently provided by the Yuzef Kingdom were cut off, people would begin to starve to death immediately.
Could they just squeeze resources out of the Caesar Kingdom since they won the war?
Impossible.
The one who won this war was the Overlord. Even the King of the Caesar Kingdom was in the Overlord’s hands.
This meant the Decatour Kingdom had no standing to demand anything as a victor.
I-It’s over.
In the end, the Decatour Kingdom would have to rebuild its ruined land without any outside help. Not only would that take years, but even if it were possible, they would have no way to defend themselves if an external invasion occurred in the meantime.
Having assessed the situation, Marquis Dustin Lobsky stepped forward and bowed his head before the Overlord.
"Please, save our kingdom. Great Overlord."
The people watching were stunned by Dustin Lobsky’s actions.
Was the Marquis such a patriot?
To think he would personally kneel for the sake of the nation.
Of all people, Marquis Lobsky…
The general consensus on Marquis Lobsky was that while he was a 7-Star Knight who had reached the Supreme Realm, he was also a materialistic man full of greed and vanity. He charged exorbitant tuition fees to take on sons of noble families as disciples and used various excuses to squeeze interests out of neighboring lords to amass wealth.
Though he was a self-made man from a fallen noble family who reached the 7-Star Realm, he was often criticized as a vulgar, nouveau riche social climber.
No one expected such a man to be the first to kneel like this.
Of course, looking into the Marquis’s inner thoughts, he had his reasons.
You idiots… Do you still not get it? If we are abandoned by the Overlord here, everything is finished.
The only reason Marquis Lobsky could collect money and satisfy his vanity was because the Decatour Kingdom was intact. If the kingdom collapsed now, the wealth he had spent decades painstakingly accumulating would vanish. He could try to start over in another country, but the thought of losing everything he had gathered was unbearable.
The country has to exist for me to keep my money.
Though his motives were entirely selfish, Marquis Lobsky was the one who had most accurately assessed the future of the Decatour Kingdom in this room.
Following his lead, others began to kneel before the Overlord as well.
"Overlord!"
"Please, show us mercy."
"Do not abandon us!"
One by one, the nobles gathered, kneeling and bowing their heads before the Overlord.
The Overlord watched them in silence before shaking his head.
"Regrettably, I cannot—"
"Please accept them, Your Highness."
It was then.
A figure appeared, daring to interrupt the Overlord mid-sentence. It was Marquis Noah Gregory.
"Noah, where have you been all this time?"
"I had to move busily in my own way. More importantly…"
Noah Gregory looked at the officials of the Decatour Kingdom prostrate before the Overlord and said, "Please accept them, Your Highness."
"Why should I? They are traitors."
"But if we return like this, the blood our kingdom’s soldiers and knights shed on this land will truly have been in vain."
"……."
The Overlord bit his lip hard.
Noah Gregory bowed his head before him.
"Your Highness, please entrust the negotiations for this matter to me."
The Overlord pondered for a moment before nodding.
Having seized the initiative, Noah Gregory turned toward the Sword Queen.
"With the King of Decatour now deceased, I understand that the highest-ranking elder of the Royal Family is Duchess Riona Mayvers. Is that not correct?"
"…I no longer use the name Decatour."
"I doubt there is anyone in the current Decatour Kingdom bold enough to make an issue of that."
"……."
That was the truth.
Though the former king had children, most were young and powerless. Among the surviving royalty of Decatour, no one would dare object to a decision made by the Sword Queen, Riona Mayvers.
Noah Gregory made sure to emphasize that point.
"As the Sword Queen is well aware, our Yuzef Kingdom helped Decatour out of pure goodwill. However, you betrayed that goodwill and rendered the blood our soldiers spilled on this land meaningless."
"……."
It was a scathing critique. Unable to offer a single excuse, the Sword Queen simply closed her eyes tight.
Noah Gregory continued.
"If we return like this, nothing but resentment will remain between our two nations, and the burden of that damage will fall entirely upon the commoners living on this land. If the food aid we provide is cut off, people will starve to death immediately."
"Mmm…"
"The Overlord does not wish for the ordinary people of this land to suffer pointlessly because of the foolish choices of the royalty."
"…What would you have us do? Speak."
It was effectively a declaration of surrender. Unable to ignore the miserable reality and her country’s transgressions any longer, she preferred that the man before her state his demands quickly.
And Noah Gregory—the man the world called the Overlord’s Snake—spoke.
"People living in the lands of the Decatour Kingdom, come under the shadow of the Overlord. If you do, we shall not turn our backs on you."
The snake was about to swallow its prey.
The massive prize known as the Decatour Kingdom, whole and in its entirety.
* * *
"The Sword Queen accepted that just like that?"
At Patrick’s question, Red shook his head.
"Of course not. It was chaos. I heard she even drew her sword."
"She’s a feisty old lady."
But it wasn't incomprehensible. From her perspective as a member of the Decatour royalty, how would the suggestion to hand over the country have sounded? If Patrick had been in her shoes, he would have taken Noah Gregory’s head. However…
"According to your report, the merger of the two nations has already been decided."
"That is correct."
"How did it come to that?"
"A significant number of people, including the Sword Queen, opposed it. But…"
"But?"
"There were far more who were in favor."
"Hmm…"
"Led by Marquis Dustin Lobsky, a great many nobles supported the merger. They likely judged it better to survive by changing their flag rather than face the total collapse of the state."
"I see."
"Furthermore, the decisive factor was that the public sentiment in Decatour had completely shifted toward the Overlord."
"Yeah, that guy is good at that sort of thing. He’s like a villainous version of Liu Bei."
"Who is Liu Bei?"
"Just some guy. A bad guy."
Red didn't quite understand, but since this wicked Great Demon often said strange things, he just let it slide.
"Anyway, since that was the will of the people, the nobles gradually changed their minds. Eventually, most of them agreed to the merger, except for a few dissenters. In the end, even the Sword Queen had a change of heart."
"They must have pushed her pretty hard."
Patrick thought for a moment before asking, "How are the people of the Decatour Kingdom doing?"
"In what sense?"
"I mean, what’s the situation like for the commoners?"
"Ah, it’s not bad. Just as he did when he swallowed the Flame Kingdom, the Overlord doesn't discriminate against the people of the occupied territories."
"……."
"Both the Caesar Kingdom and the Decatour Kingdom are gradually finding stability under the Overlord’s rule. Because of that, the Empire and the Holy Church State are in a state of panic."
Adding to the original territory of the Yuzef Kingdom, he now had the Flame Kingdom, the Decatour Kingdom, and the Caesar Kingdom…
The territory of the Overlord, who had unified four nations, already surpassed that of the Empire.
Of course, that was only in terms of sheer land area rather than national infrastructure, but it was clear that the hegemony of the continent had shifted significantly.
Furthermore, since the Overlord had swallowed the Caesar Kingdom and now shared a border with the Benator Empire, the Empire would surely want to keep him in check. However…
The Empire probably doesn't have the luxury for that right now.
The war between the Empire and the Holy Church State was dragging on and intensifying more than expected. Recently, there were even rumors that a Paladin of the Holy Church State had been killed by the Sword Saint.
With both sides finding it difficult to back down, they wouldn't have the spare capacity to suppress another nation.
Well, that’s none of my business…
Patrick scratched his head and said, "Keep a closer eye on the movements of the Yuzef Kingdom and gather information. Focus specifically on how they treat the occupied nations and things like that."
"Yes, I understand. But is that the most important part?"
Rather than the treatment of other nobles or the status of the surrendered 7-Star Knights, he wanted a focused investigation into the welfare of the commoners? Red wondered if that was truly the priority, though the task itself wasn't difficult.
But for Patrick, it was the most important thing.
The lives of the commoners were the metric for whether the Overlord was keeping his promise or not.
He didn't care if a superpower emerged in the North. But if that brat forgot his warning and crossed the line…
Then I’ll do what I have to do.
Until then, he intended to leave him be. That was the agreement, after all.
…Maybe I should have just killed him.
Thinking about it again, it all seemed like a bit of a hassle.
* * *
In a deep cave within the Great Forest.
Four massive beasts gathered there.
Beings with a presence far too overwhelming to be called mere animals.
The Living Calamity, Black Tortoise.
The Falling Despair, Vermilion Bird.
The Galloping Death, White Tiger.
The Reign of Terror, Blue Dragon.
In another world, they were revered as sacred beings called the Four Gods.
But in this world, they were known as this:
The Apostles of Kalaron, the God of Destruction.
Usually, they focused on their duties of guarding their respective territories within the Great Forest. But today, for the first time in a long while, they had all gathered in one place.
[It has been centuries since we last met like this.]
[What is the point of losers gathering together? It only adds to the misery. Why bother?]
[Is there a need to be so sharp-tongued, Vermilion Bird?]
[What? I call a loser a loser. What else should I say? A castaway? A failure? A leftover?]
Faint flames flickered from the Vermilion Bird’s body as it spoke.
Those flames were a divine fire of such extreme heat that the mere aftereffects caused the stone walls of the cave to bubble and turn into magma.
At the Vermilion Bird’s prickly response, the Black Tortoise sighed.
[I should have known better than to speak.]
The Black Tortoise retreated with a sigh and turned toward the Blue Dragon.
[I don't necessarily agree with the Vermilion Bird, but why have you summoned us?]
The Blue Dragon, coiled and relaxed, slowly turned its head toward the White Tiger.
[I am not the one who called you today.]
At that, the eyes of the other three focused on the White Tiger.
[White Tiger?]
[What business do you have with us?]
Usually, it was the Blue Dragon who led the four. While there was no strict hierarchy among them, the Blue Dragon’s solemn personality had led it to act as their representative in decision-making since long ago. Naturally, they had assumed the Blue Dragon was the one who summoned them.
Under the gaze of the three, the White Tiger spoke.
[The Prophesied Human has appeared.]
In an instant, a terrifying power erupted within the cave.
"ROOOAAAR!"
"SCREEE!"
"AWOOOO!"
The familiars of Kalaron waiting outside the cave—monsters that would each be considered a national-level calamity in the outside world—all began to howl and thrash in sheer terror. Some even frothed at the mouth and fainted from the mere pressure leaking out of the cave.
And inside the cave…
[The Prophesied Human?]
[Are you certain? Where is he?]
[Has the time of liberation finally come? At last?]
Seeing their excitement, the White Tiger said, [The Prophesied Human is currently leading the humans who follow him in a territory adjacent to the Great Forest.]
[What? He is wasting time on such child’s play?]
Upon hearing the White Tiger’s explanation, the Vermilion Bird erupted in fury. As it spread its wings and released its energy, an incredible heat surged as if it would blow the cave apart.
The Vermilion Bird glared at the White Tiger.
[Is that man truly the Prophesied Human? Is he truly the one who can liberate us from this cursed fate?]
[He passed my trial.]
[You probably went easy on him.]
[And he has been recognized by the World Tree.]
[That cautious woman recognized him?]
[Indeed. I have personally confirmed that the Seed of the World Tree lives and breathes within him.]
[Hmm…]
The Vermilion Bird folded its wings and fell into deep thought. The Black Tortoise looked at the Blue Dragon.
[What do you think?]
The Blue Dragon pondered for a moment before speaking.
[As you know, the Prophesied Human is the one and only chance given to us. The only one…]
The others fell into a heavy silence, knowing this all too well.
If the Prophesied Human did not liberate them, nothing but a horrific destruction awaited them. They couldn't blame anyone else. They were the ones who, despite knowing such a future existed, had crossed the boundaries of the world to challenge it in hopes of ascending their divine rank.
The Prophesied Human was the single chance and the mercy of the Creator granted to such beings.
[If he truly is the Prophesied Human, he must not die under any circumstances. Do you know anything regarding the changes in the world?]
The Black Tortoise spoke.
[I have cast the divinations, and an era of war has dawned upon the continent. It will not find stability until a storm of blood has passed.]
[Is that the trial given to the Prophesied Human?]
[I do not know that much. However, the seeds of demonic influence are involved in this war. The energy of a malevolent slaughter fills the world.]
[Demonic seeds… The death of the World Tree, the Prophesied Human, and the movement of demons… Everything does seem to align.]
[In that case…]
[However, I wish to be absolutely certain.]
[Blue Dragon.]
[It is our only chance. Our only one!]
[…….]
[…….]
[…….]
Everyone fell silent. They knew this was a truly dangerous gamble. But it was also a gamble they could not avoid.
[It is impossible for us to step forth directly, but what if we issue a quest to the clans we have gathered in this world to lend him indirect aid? It would help him overcome his trials.]
[Is that possible? We may be in charge of them, but fundamentally, they are Kalaron’s familiars.]
[I am not suggesting we move the entire clan. Would it not be fine to personally command just one or two? Even if a backlash of Causality occurs, we should be able to endure it.]
[Hmm, that should be acceptable.]
[It is a hundred times better than sitting on our hands.]
[I agree as well.]
And so, the policy was decided.
Leaving the cave, the White Tiger looked toward the distant west.
[Prophesied Human—no, Patrick Schneider. You must be doing your absolute best even now to overcome the destiny given to you.]
The White Tiger spoke in a determined tone while watching the setting sun.
[This is my reward for your efforts and noble devotion. I hope it will be of help in what you seek to achieve.]
The White Tiger already placed absolute trust in Patrick.