Chapter 206
Chapter 206
"Very well. From this moment forward, I shall follow you."
"Excuse me? You weren't joking?"
Logan blinked in astonishment at Luther Kyle's unexpected declaration.
"Joking? I've already discussed this with your master."
"You spoke with Master?"
"He said that if he saw potential in you, he'd help you forge the kingdom's future."
After the civil war, Luther's pardon had come with the condition that he serve in the Esperanza Knights as part of his penance. Transferring his allegiance was well within the Sword Duke's discretion, so there was nothing strange about it—except...
"The kingdom's future? The man who started the civil war is talking about—"
"You brat! Try being pressured by your father-in-law! When a family elder—someone stronger than you—starts making demands, what else could I— Ugh, it still makes my blood boil!"
Luther roared, his face flushing red at Logan's incredulous tone. Logan chuckled and extended a hand to help the fallen man up.
"If a Transcendent like you joins my forces, I'd be nothing but grateful. Welcome to MacLaine, Sir Luther."
"Tch. You're even more insufferable than your master. But make no mistake—this isn't just because of his request."
"...?"
"The words you spoke before the Emperor left a deep impression on me. I was stunned by the Emperor's audacity in making such an offer—and even more stunned when you refused."
"That's all it took?"
"...Just that? Anyone who's heard the rumors of your conflict with the new king would think your choice was madness. You're truly remarkable. The very future of the kingdom. And that's not even accounting for your martial prowess."
The bitterness in Logan's chest, the unavoidable choice he'd made to prevent what was coming—it was all being framed as something noble.
All Logan could do was smile bitterly.
"I suppose so. It was a foolish thing to do."
"What? You're not thinking of going back to the Empire, are you—?"
"No, it's just..."
"Just?"
"The king is making foolish decisions."
The faces of Luther and everyone around them stiffened at those words, but Logan barely noticed, weighed down by the realization settling over him.
'This isn't the time for us to be fighting among ourselves.'
Memories of his time in the Empire resurfaced—the overwhelming military might, the numerous powerful Transcendents, and above them all, the Emperor, who held everything in the palm of his hand.
The Emperor he'd met was even more insatiable than the rumors from his past life, a stubborn man who followed no one's counsel but his own.
Which meant the war would likely break out exactly when he'd anticipated.
'We only have four or five years left.'
Even if the entire kingdom united to prepare, that time was barely enough.
No wonder Logan's heart grew restless.
But the journey back didn't proceed as swiftly as he'd hoped.
### —The young hero who earned the Emperor's favor.
That unintended title dogged Logan's party at every turn. Every city they passed through drew the attention of mayors and lords, eager to meet the man the Emperor himself had acknowledged.
No matter how much they tried to camp outside towns, maintaining fifty horses pulling eight wagons required regular stops for reshoeing. And each time they entered a city, noble invitations piled up, delaying them further.
Every detour cost them at least a day, sometimes three. By the time they reached Ruspelheim—the first major city they'd passed through on their way—another month and a half had slipped away.
Whoosh.
"At least we got plenty of training in."
Victor flashed a faint smile, his aura noticeably sharper than when they'd first set out.
While Logan had been busy entertaining nobles, the knights had ample time to train. With Luther Kyle—now officially part of MacLaine's forces—actively instructing them, even this short period had yielded results.
"Lucky you. Some of us wasted precious time drowning in pointless banquets and marriage proposals while you were diligently training."
"Still, my lord, you've changed the most. Even after 'that day.'"
Victor's reply carried genuine admiration, despite Logan's teasing.
Even as the busiest among them, Logan's presence grew sharper with each passing day. He dismissed it as simply adjusting to his new level, but—
"You're a prodigy yourself, but your lord is something else entirely. Where in the world did this monster come from...?"
Luther's muttered words carried a meaning Logan couldn't quite grasp—not that he would, without understanding the true value of Logan's newly awakened trait.
"Why call a perfectly normal man a monster?"
"Hmph. What else would you call a monster?"
"Then I won't spar with you anymore."
"Ahem. I was merely marveling at your extraordinary talent. No need to take it so personally..."
Luther's hasty backtracking drew smiles from those watching. The man who had once been their greatest enemy was now seen as a dependable ally.
As they exchanged light banter, someone came rushing out from the city gates in a fluster.
"Oh, Sir Logan! You've returned! I heard the wonderful news. To think His Majesty held you in such high regard—it makes our connection all the more precious."
Mayor Dmitri's bow was deeper than before, his voice even more unctuous.
"Thanks to you, Mayor. You needn't have come out personally."
"Nonsense! It's only proper that I greet you myself. Come, come—let's get you inside."
Seeing no reason to refuse, Logan accepted the courtesy, and his party finally enjoyed the comfort of proper beds for the first time in what felt like ages.
But that evening, Logan found himself facing another unwelcome engagement.
"Who did you say?"
"The Second Prince, currently touring the Empire's eastern territories, expressed a desire to meet you. He's been waiting."
"...Huh?"
Logan let out a hollow laugh at the mayor's news.
He'd been mildly disappointed not to meet any of the princes embroiled in the imperial succession war—especially the Second Prince.
'Of all people, him.'
He had no idea why the prince wanted to see him, but there was no reason to refuse.
Logan nodded readily.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Baros van Ares."
Black hair, black eyes, golden skin—a face with finer features than the Emperor's.
The Second Prince greeted Logan with a courtesy unbefitting a man who wielded the Empire's near-limitless power.
"The honor is mine, Your Highness. But why the formal address?"
"You're not a subject of the Empire, and His Majesty has acknowledged you as a guest. It would be improper for me to treat you lightly. Don't you agree, Flan?"
"As you wish, Your Highness."
The prince's escort knight replied with a stoic expression.
'A top-tier knight. The two behind him are close, though not quite at the same level. As expected...'
Even the Empire couldn't assign escorts of this caliber to every prince.
The fact that the Second Prince had them spoke volumes.
Logan forced a smile, feeling an eerie dissonance as the young man before him regarded him with gentle warmth.
"But if I may ask, Your Highness... why seek me out?"
"After His Majesty acknowledged you, you've become known as the Empire's hero. As a member of the imperial family, how could I not be curious? I wished to meet you and offer my greetings."
"Me?"
"Of course. I've also been wanting to meet the hero who turned the tide of Grandia's civil war."
Yes, I wanted to meet you too.
Logan struggled to suppress the killing intent rising unbidden in his heart.
The face before him belonged to one of his top targets in his past life—a man he'd sworn to kill.
Baros van Ares.
Now merely the Second Prince in the midst of a succession war, but eventually, the victor who would become Crown Prince—and then Emperor.
And—
A fucking psychopathic murderer.
A decade after the Empire's conquest wars, this man would ascend the throne and drag countless "useless" citizens from conquered territories—including Grandia—into unspeakable magical experiments, using them as test subjects.
If the current Emperor was a ruthless conqueror, this man was the demon who turned those conquests into hell.
Even on the day Logan died in his past life—twenty-five years from now—no one ever uncovered what experiments this monster had conducted at the cost of over ten million lives.
And yet, within the Empire's core territories, he was praised as a wise ruler.
That very monster stood before him now.
The memories etched into his soul made his chest burn, his fingers twitching uncontrollably.
But thankfully, hiding his emotions came easily.
'Hold back. The Second Prince won't become Emperor until ten years after the conquest wars end. He's not the priority now.'
Killing him here would achieve nothing—the Empire's war would proceed regardless.
With that thought, Logan finally managed a relaxed smile.
"I'm overwhelmed by Your Highness's high praise. I was merely fortunate."
"Hahaha, hardly. The hero who overturned an overwhelmingly disadvantageous civil war and seized control of a kingdom doesn't succeed through luck alone."
"...Haha. You flatter me."
It was unexpected.
Most imperial nobles had shown little interest in Grandia's civil war—yet the prince was well-informed.
As Logan's expression grew awkward again, the prince dropped an even more surprising remark.
"When I heard rumors that you were clashing with the new king, I found it utterly baffling."
"Excuse me?"
"Ah, the rumors were widespread in the kingdom. Unless... they were just rumors?"
He's even tracking that?
A prince?
Why?
Logan racked his brain but kept smiling as he shook his head.
"...Of course. There's no reason for me to oppose His Majesty."
"As I thought—just rumors. You're a loyal vassal. Though I suppose that's why you refused the Emperor's offer."
"Haha..."
Logan could only laugh in response to the prince's completely mistaken assumption.
As their exchange of pleasantries continued, Logan ventured a question.
"You're quite knowledgeable about our kingdom's affairs. I'd thought imperial nobles paid little attention to foreign states."
"I've always been fascinated by Grandia—older than the Empire itself. Recently, most of the rumors I've heard have been about you, Sir Logan. Naturally, my curiosity led me to investigate further. I hope I haven't offended you?"
"No, not at all."
The prince's ever-present smile and endless praise made it impossible to spit in his face.
Against his will, Logan found himself sharing a cordial evening with the man who'd been his top assassination target in his past life.
"Today was delightful. I hope we meet again soon."
"The feeling is mutual."
And hopefully, next time, I'll get to slit your throat.
Masking his murderous thoughts, Logan exchanged warm farewells as the dinner concluded.
But then—
"Ah, about those rumors I mentioned earlier."
"Yes?"
"Even if they're just rumors, should any... unpleasantness arise, perhaps you might reconsider His Majesty's offer?"
"...What?"
"His Majesty is a most generous man. And when he gives his word, he keeps it. Even if not now, should you ever choose to pledge allegiance, he would honor his original promise."
Come to the Empire.
In the end, the prince's words echoed the Emperor's.
The only difference was the explicit mention of conflict with the king.
"I'll remember your generous offer with gratitude."
"Haha. I worried it might be presumptuous, but I'm glad you took it well. Ah—though I can't offer more than His Majesty, please accept this small token."
The prince extended a small orb.
Logan sensed the mana within and raised an eyebrow. The prince smiled and explained.
"I've been staying in the Empire's eastern territories due to recent affairs. It's relatively close to Grandia, so should you ever require my assistance, use this to contact me. It's a one-time communication device linked directly to me."
"...Your assistance?"
"Though I'm sure nothing will necessitate it in the kingdom. Consider it simply a gesture of goodwill—a way to cherish our connection."
The prince's smile never wavered, but Logan's suspicion only deepened.
'This is strange. He was never this kind of character.'
While personality changes before and after becoming Emperor were plausible, Logan—who knew the prince's future—couldn't easily accept this warmth.
'Whatever his scheme, I need to be careful.'
He resolved never to use this communication device unless absolutely necessary.
With a faint smile, Logan bowed.
"Your kindness humbles me."
"Think nothing of it. I look forward to our next meeting."
And so, the audience with the Second Prince concluded.
As Logan walked away, his resolve hardened further.
'If even the imperial princes are aware... Now is definitely not the time to clash with the king.'
Later that evening, a message arrived at MacLaine's merchant branch in Ruspelheim—one that solidified Logan's determination even more.
"Terrorist attacks?"
[Yes. Attacks are occurring throughout the kingdom. And the perpetrators are claiming allegiance to Clavis, the First Prince's heir—the one we failed to capture. Their demands are absurd—they want the throne surrendered to the "rightful successor."]
Dwain's familiar voice relayed the unbelievable news.
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
Logan could only stare at the communication orb in utter disbelief.