Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: 9. Tales of Others (4)
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# 80
#6 Their Circumstances: The Anti-Empire Army's Circumstances.
A single nation is founded or falls with rivers of blood.
But among them, the history of the Karan Empire was especially brutal.
One of the darkest periods on the continent.
In the midst of a great famine where even weeds couldn't be eaten, the nobles' tyranny grew worse day by day.
It was a situation where a rebellion wouldn't have been surprising in any ordinary history.
But the nightmare famine that blanketed the entire continent left the people without even the strength to rebel.
That was when it happened. A hero appeared.
A young man who claimed to be a descendant of dragons.
With mysterious powers, he cared for the people, and miracles occurred wherever he passed.
And he declared war on the kingdom with those who followed him.
Up to this point, it was a common tale seen in the histories of ordinary kingdoms.
But what set it apart from other kingdoms' stories was that winning the war and ascending the throne wasn't the end.
After ascending the throne, in his first speech, he reportedly said this:
"Look upon the suffering people of the continent! There are still many rotten nations sucking the blood of their people!"
And as soon as the nation was founded, he declared war on the neighboring countries, conquering six more kingdoms in three years to form an empire.
A miraculous outcome made possible by the famine's toll on troops and logistics.
Thanks to that, the Karan Empire started as an empire from the very beginning and has now become the continent's strongest hegemonic power at its center.
But because of that, the Karan Empire had countless enemies.
"If any more time passes, there will be no chance."
"Indeed. The time when they believe themselves strongest is our opportunity. We must strike at their complacency."
"Now is the chance!"
And among those many enemies, the only organization operating within the empire.
There had once been the Evil Organization Howling, which was in a cooperative relationship, but after it fell to the current crown prince's hands, it became the sole organization hiding in the empire.
The secret base of the Anti-Empire Army, founded by descendants of a kingdom destroyed by the empire!
In that secret base, dozens of members were forcefully pushing their opinions toward one person.
"Howling fell. In a very short time, too. Just three days—no, practically one or two days."
"The Imperial Army suffered almost no losses even in the great war and ended it."
"Yes, unlike other victorious nations that took heavy military blows after winning, the empire only lost the famed general Ertea to the initial surprise attack by the Merdea Kingdom and nothing more."
"That's why they could focus on rooting out Howling hidden inside, and the same goes for us."
They were people who usually argued different points, but on today's topic, they all pushed for one conclusion.
"So, you've all judged that it's no longer possible."
At the murmur of the elderly man seated at the head, everyone instantly looked at him with tense faces.
"The empire is strong. Yes, too strong."
No one raised an objection to the old man's words.
As the old man said, the current empire was the strongest nation that no one could touch.
"That's why this is the last chance... Yes, a good opportunity. But you're all mistaken about something."
"W-what is it?"
The old man looked at his long-time subordinates and gave them a kind smile.
"We've lasted too long."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly as I said. We've lasted too long. A thousand years. For that long millennium, we've existed solely for revenge against the empire."
"Yes, that's why!"
"No, honestly, it's strange. Among the kingdoms that fell when the empire was founded, the oldest had only 500 years of history. But that kingdom fell over 1,000 years ago. To sharpen our blades for revenge twice as long as the history we upheld..."
The old man gave a bitter smile as he looked at his stunned subordinates.
Revenge for a fallen kingdom.
Fine, noble words.
Dreaming of reviving one's homeland even after its fall and striving for it.
Surely a good thing.
But if a thousand years have passed since then, the story changes.
Because of history from a thousand years ago, countless descendants have thrown away their lives for a thousand years.
Can that truly be called the right thing?
Is it okay to pass that on to the next generation?
"We've sharpened our blades too long. They're sharp, but we've ground them until the edge is invisible."
"Then, are you saying we should give up even this chance?"
"N-no, we can't!"
Education almost like brainwashing.
From birth, they learned why the empire must be destroyed and how to fight it.
Howling started as rebels but became an Evil Organization and branched into other things, but this group remained solely enemies of the empire.
Their ancestors named themselves Anti-Empire Army honestly so they wouldn't forget they were enemies of the empire.
Now, the old man sought to end that history passed down from those ancestors.
"You all seem to be mistaken. I'm not saying we shouldn't fight the empire."
Seeing his subordinates' confused faces again, the old man—the leader of the Anti-Empire Army—declared with a fierce smile.
"What I mean is that you're wrong for thinking and acting with failure in mind. Retreat routes? Backup bases just in case? We don't need those. To end this long war, we'll throw everything into this Imperial Tournament."
"Everything?"
"Yes, the empire is mighty. And it will grow even mightier. That's why we have no time left. We must stake it all on this one chance. This boring war that's dragged on for a thousand years—we must end it now, even if it means burning everything to ash."
At the old man's mad smile, the others couldn't respond.
But they knew.
By the end of this Imperial Tournament, either the empire or they would surely vanish.
And with high probability, it would be them.
"I see. Yes, we've lasted too long."
"A thousand years—it's exhausting. Time to end it."
Tomorrow's empire would be stronger than yesterday's.
Every nation has its time of downfall, but the current empire was not at that time.
No, that time wouldn't come for a very long while.
The Anti-Empire Army had grown too weary waiting for it.
Weary enough to fade away on their own if a little more time passed.
"Hahaha, it seems you all understand me now."
Then, before suffering such an ignoble defeat, let's vanish spectacularly.
Let the empire bastards, who forgot the ancestors they destroyed, realize we still live!
That was what the old man meant, and no one here failed to understand.
"At the Imperial Tournament, the symbol of the empire's beginning, we end the empire!"
And so, the Anti-Empire Army prepared to stake everything on one final gamble.
#7 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of a Certain Tavern.
What if.
Is there a more fun word than that?
What if I were ~?
What if A fought B?
People imagine countless what-ifs, argue their claims, and start fights.
And there are those who bet money on those what-ifs.
"This time it's Marsis! Lady Nermia from the Nermia family has joined! That prestigious Nermia house!"
"Yeah, and this Lady Nermia from the Nermia house is a summoner who handles a great demon not even taught at the summoners' academy!"
"Whoa~ With the Nermia family's magic attacks up front guarded by a great demon, who could win?"
In a rundown tavern that belied its large size, the drunken gamblers chattered.
For these gamblers, the time before the Imperial Tournament was the main event, more than the tournament itself.
Bets where they staked their insight and luck.
"Hah? Arsia has the empire's top knight candidate?"
"Yeah, even setting aside last year's Imperial Tournament exploits, she's the most likely to become the next Swordmaster."
"Rumor has it she's already reached Swordmaster realm, but the Imperial Army's blocking the info."
These gamblers bet on everything.
How many coins the guy across has, how many drinks until someone passes out.
Even which academy wins the Imperial Tournament!
"What about Yuglasia? They got a few god-tier summoners this time."
"The odds... insane, 12-to-1. One gold coin becomes twelve."
"But there's reason for it."
Even these folks had no expectations for Yuglasia.
"Niserwin Professor came, but it's only half a year. Can't do much in that time."
The stars of the Imperial Tournament were mostly third- and fourth-years, except a few geniuses.
Skill-wise, first-years and fourth-years weren't far apart, but experience was vastly different.
And that experience gap showed hugely in real combat like the Imperial Tournament.
In real battles, one small mistake could lose to a weaker opponent.
How much real combat experience made surprisingly big variables.
"Maybe next year, but half a year won't create variables—the Imperial Tournament's level isn't that low."
"Even if one of the legendary summoners, Niserwin, became a professor, that's the truth."
"You can tell from the 12-to-1 odds."
"What're Arsia and Marsis at?"
"Arsia at 1.2, Marsis at 1.3? Too low."
"Mercadia's at 49-to-1... Honestly, shouldn't they make a Mercadia-only track?"
"Don't you know? They tried in the early Imperial Tournaments, but it was so boring the emperor issued an edict to scrap it."
No one among the chatting drinkers predicted Yuglasia's win.
Just a few tossing small sums hoping for a windfall.
It was then.
Bang!
"Take my order!"
"W-what?"
Plenty of customers kicked doors open here.
This tavern-cum-gambling den attracted folks without proper tempers.
But when the customer was a girl who looked about ten, that changed things.
"Hey, little miss. This ain't a place for kids."
"What is it? Which idiot told his daughter our location this time? Even so, don't bring your kid!"
"Yeah, innocent kids scare the hell out of us dead-end lifers."
"Hey, chase her out, chase her out!"
Despite the stares from the rough-faced crowd, the girl boldly strode forward on short legs.
"Kiddo, you're too young for places like this."
"Yeah, yeah. Kids can't handle spots like this."
"Cute little thing? Wanna drink with big bro?"
"Wait, who said that last? Report to the Imperial Army."
As men started closing in one by one, the girl finally scowled.
And to the first one reaching for her.
"Arfil Sal, Loli-con Extermination Punch☆"
"Gueeeek!"
A clean uppercut to the jaw sent him flipping eyes-back to the floor.
"W-what?"
"Knocked out by a kid?"
"Wait! That's upper mercenary Pelet! The guy who can take on knights!"
Looking at the murmuring crowd that no longer approached, the girl felt disappointed.
‘Boo... At times like this, they should yell "How dare you touch my comrade!" so I can beat them more!’
But she had business today.
If she handled this well, her master promised even more fun academy life next year.
Steeling herself, the girl pulled a stool up to the counter where the tavern master was wiping cups and hopped on with light movements.
"Even if our tavern's a dump, we can't sell booze to kids yet?"
"Hmph, not here for drinks! And since when did we care about that? You kidding?"
With that, the little girl pulled out a jingling pouch, tossed it to the master, and grinned.
"Yuglasia, 5,000 gold. Bet or chicken out."
12-to-1 odds.
In a gamble even pros said was unwinnable,
Only this silver girl's master claimed certain victory.