Chapter 121
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Proclamation
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“Khahaha, my apologies. I never imagined you’d run into such trouble on your way here.”
“Hmph, it’s fine. Thanks to the lord sending the White-Masked Young Master, there were no major issues.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Things would have gone awry if you had been discovered there.”
In the heart of Nangnang Fortress, where countless tents were layered upon one another, using giant bones as pillars.
A hulking, old orc sat on the most prominent seat in the largest tent.
Urk addressed the massive young man wearing a now-familiar white mask, a different figure from the boy he was used to seeing.
“So, what are your impressions?”
“The White-Masked Young Master is a talent worthy of his reputation.”
The masked man’s assessment was frank.
Setting aside the fact that he had received help.
The White-Masked Young Master was undeniably a prodigy.
His talent for freely wielding a variety of supernatural abilities against dozens of high-ranking Awakened Ones, including the pirate lord, was truly extraordinary.
Though he had not yet surpassed the wall of the transcendent, it was clear he had already exceeded the level of a mere late-stage prodigy.
This was even more apparent in the fact that every one of his vassals was a skilled individual.
“...Unlike me.”
“There’s no need to be disheartened. The White-Masked Young Master is an individual I deem worthy of being a partner for our Pandora.”
His voice sank heavily.
Sensing the deep inferiority complex within it, Urk consoled the masked man.
He then raised a skull-shaped cup and smiled meaningfully.
“Besides, you will soon gain a reputation no less than the White-Masked Young Master's.”
“That’s only if things go according to your plan, Lord.”
“So, are you thinking of backing out?”
“...”
The masked man fell silent.
Urk’s plan was dangerous.
Whether it succeeded.
Or failed.
Once it began, there would be no turning back, and in the worst-case scenario, he could lose his life.
This was his last chance to give up.
But…
“...You must keep your promise.”
“Khahaha, don’t you worry. As reckless as I may be, I’m not foolish enough to break a promise made to a high noble.”
As if he knew this would be the answer.
Urk laughed heartily.
The very fact that the masked man, who had fled all the way to the Martial Arts Province, had returned to the Deformed City was proof that he had accepted his proposal.
He had been worried he wouldn’t make it in time, as the war had started earlier than planned…
But now that the masked man had arrived, the plan could be set in motion.
If there was one regret, it was this.
“It would be better if you did more than just lend us your name. If only you would take to the battlefield yourself.”
“Th-that wasn’t part of the deal.”
“Is it really out of the question?”
“...”
“I understand. It’s a shame, but if that’s your decision, I can’t force you.”
He would rather nullify their entire cooperation than set foot on a battlefield.
Seeing the masked man not just show reluctance but actively avert his gaze in fear, Urk licked his lips.
The masked man, a direct descendant of one of the Hundred Great Families, was too valuable a resource to be used merely for his name.
But what could be done?
If he had the courage to use his own talents, he wouldn't be called one of the Three Useless Young Masters.
In the end, Urk had to use the masked man only as originally planned.
And so…
From the family of Grand Ogres, who boasted the greatest physical strength among the giant races.
A candidate for the succession of the Geogwiyeokga, the rulers of the Deformed City, and one of the Three Useless Young Masters, the worst late-stage prodigies of the Demon Realm.
The moment the Useless Young Master, Kelton Lowger, joined the anti-pirate alliance.
“Hmm, but I feel like I’m forgetting something…”
***
The Useless Young Master has returned.
When that rumor spread.
People’s reactions were all similar.
‘So what?’
For a member of the Hundred Great Families, no less.
It was a remarkably dull reaction to the return of a direct descendant of the Geogwiyeokga, the family that ruled the Deformed City.
But it was also to be expected.
After all, Kelton Lowger was one of the infamous Three Useless Young Masters.
“What are the Three Useless Young Masters?”
“The opposite of the Eight Breeds and Six Demons.”
“...?”
“Think of it as a collective name for the most useless noble brats in the Demon Realm.”
“...Just how terrible must they be to earn a moniker for being useless instead of something good?”
“Well, what can you do? To be honest, I was pretty useless myself before I awakened.”
“...???”
“To think you speak so proudly of being the Incompetent Young Master, considered the worst of the Three Useless Young Masters.”
“I’ve never been good at lying, you know?”
“...”
Whatever he was now.
The mere fact that they were compared to Dion before his awakening spoke volumes about the infamy of the Three Useless Young Masters.
In reality, the Useless Young Master, Kelton Lowger, was a coward who utterly feared battle.
For an Ogre, a warrior race, this was a flaw so ridiculous it was fatal.
So even if he had returned after being practically abandoned by his family and essentially failing his heir candidacy—having fled to the Martial Arts Province under the guise of studying abroad—
it was unlikely anything would change.
Everyone believed this without a doubt.
…That is, until Kelton unexpectedly issued a proclamation.
[I, Kelton Lowger.]
[Cannot stand by and watch as bandits disrupt the Deformed City.]
[As a scion of the Geogwiyeokga, I support Lord Nangnang and the anti-pirate alliance in their quest to subjugate the Pirate Alliance.]
After the notice, stamped with the seal of the Geogwiyeokga, was plastered everywhere.
The Deformed City was turned completely upside down.
“Is it that big of a deal?”
“In terms of the old kingdom, it’s like a prince declaring his support for one side during a territorial war between nobles.”
“But isn’t he a prince so disregarded that he’s called the Useless Young Master?”
“No matter how disregarded, royalty is still royalty.”
For each city, the Hundred Great Families were absolute.
Vast territories with populations in the hundreds of thousands.
Immense wealth gained from taxes.
And above all, overwhelming military power.
In that they monopolized all these things, their power exceeded even that of the royalty from the old kingdom era.
And even if he was a cast-off son.
Kelton was a direct descendant of the Geogwiyeokga.
His involvement alone was enough to shake the Pirate Alliance.
If, by some chance, the Geogwiyeokga themselves were to intervene, the Pirate Alliance, no matter how large, would crumble in less than a day.
On the other hand, the anti-pirate alliance was riding a wave of momentum.
New families were joining their ranks almost daily.
The balance between the two powers, which had already been tipping as the pirate lords grew timid, was now collapsing at an ever-increasing rate.
“Solving a strategic problem with political maneuvering. That old orc is one impressive sly fox.”
“He is a remarkable man…”
“It’s no wonder my lord described him as a cunning hero.”
Thus, Dion’s vassals readily agreed with his admiration.
Urk must have gone to some trouble to bring Kelton in, but he was still one of the practically abandoned Three Useless Young Masters, so the price of his recruitment couldn’t have been too high.
All he got was a notice stamped with a seal.
With no troops or support from the Geogwiyeokga, there was practically no tangible benefit aside from a stronger justification for their cause, but…
That thin piece of paper was shaking the Pirate Alliance more than anything Dion had accomplished so far.
Such was the pressure that came with the name of the Hundred Great Families.
“Riding the coattails of a tiger like this is an art form.”
“An old fox performing tricks on the back of a tiger cub. It is quite a spectacle.”
“But it is also an equally risky gamble…”
“It’s not a gamble if you succeed.”
Dion smirked.
The name of the Hundred Great Families was a double-edged sword.
It was good if you could borrow its authority, but there was also a great risk of being swept up in the Geogwiyeokga’s internal affairs.
In fact, during the second playthrough.
Kelton was discovered by the Pirate Alliance on his way to the Deformed City.
As a result, he was forced to flee again due to the Geogwiyeokga’s power struggles before he even reached Nangnang Fortress.
Adding to the tale of failure befitting the Useless Young Master, Urk, who had tried to recruit him, became a laughingstock and was put at an even greater disadvantage.
‘Well, that moron Kelton’s blundering had a lot to do with it.’
If only he had quietly become a prisoner.
Or just smashed his way out.
If Kelton had handled it himself, he wouldn't have ended up in such a predicament in the second playthrough.
But, driven by desperation, Kelton had summoned ‘someone who should not have been involved,’ cornering himself even further.
Fortunately, it seemed that disaster had been averted this time thanks to Dion making contact early, but…
That incident alone made it clear how dangerous it was to join hands with Kelton, the so-called Useless Young Master.
It was a gamble only someone with the heart of a beast, like Urk, could make.
Especially considering his hidden intentions.
“So, in the end, there was never any ‘valuable item’ to begin with?”
“There was. It just wasn’t an object. The Ogre Prince himself was the valuable item.”
“An Ogre Prince… I’ve never heard a phrase that sounds so out of place…”
As the Deformed City fell into chaos.
And the tides of war shifted daily.
Dion and his vassals focused on reorganizing their territory with the vast funds they had received as a reward for their recent efforts.
Waryong Manor, half-destroyed from the expedition.
Goemok Manor, whose breeding stock was injured during the hunt festival.
Soryu Manor, damaged by Lar Arga.
Chamgeom Garden, taken from the pirate lord, and Yamyowon Garden, which was also seized.
Before the war, he had only two manors, including the vassal territory of Goemok Manor, but now the number had grown to five.
Though it was still not enough to establish a Grand Manor, he could no longer be classified as a mid-tier lord.
Even a high noble like Urk originally possessed only seven small-to-medium manors besides Nangnang Fortress.
The rapid increase in nobles joining the war was also influenced by Dion proving that war was a shortcut to success.
…There was just one problem.
Most of those territories were money pits.
The populace consisted only of low-productivity dark elves and slaves, and two of the manors were completely empty.
On top of that, there were others besides the new slaves who needed attention.
The only consolation was the slave soldiers, who had become high-ranking Awakened Ones and were now called the Hundred Ghost Corps.
A high-ranking Awakened One was a superhuman who could fight a hundred men.
Though still at the inexperienced [Beginner] level, the slave soldiers, now able to wield supernatural abilities, displayed their talents in various fields.
Civil engineering, construction, cooking, carpentry, crafting, education, farming, medicine, and more.
By utilizing the genius-level talents of the slave soldiers in multiple areas, they were somehow able to compensate for the lack of manpower.
A few days passed like this.
It was then that the rabbit-eared boy brought a piece of news.
“My lord, Rockjaw Fortress has begun to move.”
“Towards Nangnang Fortress?”
“Yes. The pirate lords who were in hiding are all gathering as well.”
Rockjaw Fortress, which had begun to approach after recalling the scattered pirate lords.
And Nangnang Fortress, which had taken up a position on one side of the labyrinth and established a base.
What it meant for these two territories, which had only been snarling at each other from a distance, to be drawing closer.
Knowing the reason.
Dion smiled faintly.
“Hmm, it’s finally starting.”
And so…
The preliminary skirmishes, where they hunted down wandering manors and reaped minor benefits, came to an end.
Dozens of manors, large and small, became entangled in a fight.
—The moment the all-out war began.
***
Yukseonwon.
A pirate territory that ranked fairly high within the Pirate Alliance and had demonstrated its power by occupying Sanghyeong Manor.
Although they had suffered the humiliation of suddenly losing a minor lord and letting the culprits escape a short while ago…
Children could always be made again.
Compared to the profits gained from raiding a manor, such a loss was insignificant.
The pirate lords of Yukseonwon were simply and peacefully contemplating how to sell Sanghyeong Manor for the highest price and secure the largest share.
…Yes.
That was the case until just a moment ago.
“Yaaawn.”
A collapsed tower.
A fallen divine beast.
A massive pile of corpses.
Having lost the majestic appearance that had even made Dion’s party turn tail.
Now in the middle of a desolate territory that was no different from a ruin, she yawned languidly.
She turned her head.
“They asked for help… so I took a vacation and came.”
As if searching for something.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes.
She looked around for a moment.
From the corpses to the rubble of buildings.
Unable to find what she was looking for anywhere, she muttered in a drowsy voice.
“...Where’s that coward?”
And so…
The one Kelton had called.
The one he had forgotten in his hasty escape.
The seed of chaos that had arrived late, annihilating all of Yukseonwon, and who could throw the already chaotic Deformed City into even greater turmoil.
With another yawn, she began to doze off amidst the blood and corpses in the heart of the ruins, and then vanished.