Another Justice
Carpe stared at Gillian, his body tense with apprehension.
'Move according to the will of the people.'
It was an incredibly dangerous thing to say.
As Gillian had just mentioned, he too had eyes and ears everywhere.
There was no doubt he knew the signs of revolution were brewing.
In other words, Carpe had just told the kingdom's grand general to raise his banner in rebellion.
"……."
Even considering how close Carpe and Gillian had grown lately, it was a clear line crossed.
Gillian could've exploded in rage and swung his greatsword at Carpe without a second thought.
"The will of the people……."
Gillian chuckled bitterly and downed another gulp of liquor.
"For the sake of the common folk, that might be the right path. But I can't do it. I've already betrayed His Majesty once before."
The second prince, who had spent his youth overshadowed by the towering presence of the first prince.
Years of pent-up inferiority had finally erupted, leading to the birth of the current king.
"It's no one's fault but mine. As the adult of the royal family, I should've paid more attention……."
Was liquor some kind of truth serum?
Gillian's face flushed as he rambled on.
"You might not believe it looking at him now, but the king wasn't always like this. He was a bit timid, but a truly kind child."
"……Yeah, hard to buy that."
The king Carpe had seen was a timid, dim-witted ruler who spied on his ministers' reactions.
"The second prince was just as intelligent and good-hearted as the first, hidden in his shadow. That's why he approved the marriage to my granddaughter."
"Granddaughter?"
"Yes. Didn't you see her in the audience chamber? The queen is my granddaughter. Well, great-granddaughter, technically."
"Whoa…… No way I could've guessed. Not a hint of family resemblance."
"Heh heh. That's just how she is."
Carpe pictured the queen's face.
Even amid the chaos of that audience chamber, she'd kept her composure, so she stuck in his memory.
A beautiful woman with sharp, piercing eyes.
……Honestly, she didn't resemble Gillian in the slightest.
Misreading Carpe's incredulous look, Gillian hurriedly added,
"Oh, don't misunderstand. It wasn't some political marriage to bolster outer family power. She insisted on it fiercely."
"Wasn't thinking that…… But she wanted it?"
"Indeed. The ministers threw a fit over it."
The only ducal house with deep roots in Ramark Kingdom.
When the youngest daughter came of age, the palace buzzed. Every minister insisted she marry the first prince.
"But she refused. Said she wanted the second prince and would wed no one else. She was head over heels."
It happened when the current king was 13 and the queen just 5.
A fierce hound raised for military use escaped its pen due to negligence and attacked Gillian's granddaughter playing in the castle gardens.
"The second prince threw himself in harm's way to save her. There's still a scar on his thigh from that beast's bite. Without him, she'd have lost her life."
The 5-year-old girl fell hard for the second prince that day, and in time, she grew into a beauty who fulfilled her first love.
"Honestly, still can't picture it."
"……No words for that, I suppose. Seeing His Majesty now, it's understandable. But it's the truth."
And Gillian bore heavy responsibility for how that fine boy had been ruined.
"So how could I betray him again? As a vassal, all I can do is offer counsel and endure."
"……I see."
"Yes. One day, he'll break free from Sergail's spell and open his eyes. I believe that."
Carpe nodded slowly, convinced.
Not of Gillian's opinion, but of the situation itself.
This wasn't something he could talk him out of.
Considering Gillian's loyalty, his guilt, and the fact that the king was his granddaughter's husband, even his love for the people couldn't make him abandon the throne.
"Heh heh heh! I've grumbled too much. Forget it all and let's drink! You're not drunk already, are you?"
"Nah, just getting started."
Carpe hated booze, but that night he matched Gillian drink for drink till the end.
Someone once said it.
The opposite of justice isn't evil—it's another justice.
Gillian had his own sense of justice, and so did the revolutionaries.
……Tastes like shit.
The liquor that had seemed so sweet at first now tasted bitterly foul.
And two days later.
The Gillian Empire invaded Ramark Kingdom.
* * *
"The moment has finally arrived."
Evans, guild master of the top 10 guild Silver Lion.
He muttered as he gazed at Ramark's border fortress Alkanlatra in the distance.
Behind him, 5,000 Silver Lion guild members stood in perfect formation.
The main guild under Evans and nine sub-guilds of 500 each, combined.
"A bit short on numbers. Could've mobilized more."
"Can't be helped. No one can stay logged in over 10 hours straight. We need reserves to hold the line when we log out."
"Yeah, I know. Just venting."
Like most top 10 guilds, their scale rivaled global corps—not limited to 5,000.
About 3,000 more were logged out, ready for prolonged war. They'd log in and deploy the moment victory seemed in reach.
"Master. Start the live stream now?"
"Not yet. Wait for the decisive moment."
Exactly 24 hours ago, Silver Lion had blanketed every RaSe-related community with promos.
The communities exploded, and Silver Lion's stream channel was swamped with tens of millions, chat paralyzed.
'Yeah. Keep yapping.'
Evans smirked at the flood of chats too fast to follow.
All that buzz pumped the guild's stock.
And when it peaked, the stream would launch.
The moment Silver Lion claimed top 10 supremacy.
"Too dull to start now."
Evans eyed the fortress.
A massive stronghold plugged the gorge tight.
Perfectly natural defenses—daunting to assault.
From the battlements, a white-haired giant watched them.
"Continent's 11-strong just hype? Cowering like a housecat."
No matter the taunts, Gillian kept gates shut, unmoving.
He knew: hunker down and win.
"Master. Cool? They know we're here—capital reinforcements incoming."
"Don't worry. Got it covered."
"Kuh. Thorough as ever. True master."
"We'll win this war."
Of course, he hadn't schemed it—Marquis Huinan had.
Apparently, a high Ramark official was a Gillian Empire spy.
Infiltrated over decades, now blocking reinforcements fiercely.
"No relief force. Just 2,000 inside to crush."
"Those 2,000 ain't easy. We're double, but scaling that wall? Massive casualties."
"Heh heh heh. If we attack straight-up."
"Agh, Master. Spill it already. Dying here."
"You know how he loves surprises since kid days."
"Damn. Not Halloween, ffs……."
Some execs griped, but those who knew him waited calmly.
Evans chuckled, recalling his chat with Marquis Huinan.
'Alkanlatra's a natural fortress. Need 5x forces for direct assault.'
'……We don't have that many.'
'No worry. That's for fair fights. Lure 'em out—done.'
'Teach me, Marquis. Can't see how.'
'Heh. Simple. Ramark's on collapse's edge. Revolution imminent.'
And that revolution? Empire-orchestrated from shadows.
Agents among citizens fanning discontent, maxing public rage.
And right now.
Dudududu!
"Waaah!"
"Down with the king!"
"Away with the foolish king and demon prime minister!!"
"Attack the fortress!"
Revolutionaries surged from the opposite path.
Silver Lion caught perfectly in the pincer.
"Wh-what?! Master! No relief, you said!"
"Shit. Surrounded! Secure retreat now……."
"Calm down. It's fine. That's no relief."
Obviously, the timing wasn't coincidence.
Huinan had synced their paths from behind.
"All hands, attack prep! Target: rear rabble!"
"Attack prep! Arrows nocked!"
"Arrows nocked!"
Straight tactics wouldn't draw Gillian out.
The veteran wouldn't bite low-level bait.
So Huinan exploited his character with surer bait.
"Leave none alive!"
Attack the people, not the fort!
"Wh-what are these guys? Why troops outside?!"
"Damn! King's out to slaughter us!"
Empire spies in revolutionary ranks yelled, sowing panic.
As Silver Lion charged—
"YOUUUU BASTARRRRDSSS!"
A mountain-shaking roar rocked the field; gates flew open.
One man charged like lightning.
Do-pa Gillian.
He couldn't ignore people in peril.
Huinan had read him perfectly.
"Now! Start the stream!"
Live broadcast ignited on Evans's order.
Reactions blazed just as Evans planned.
Yes. This was it.
All that grind for this moment.
"Shift targets! That old geezer!"
No matter the old man's Continent 11-strong rep, he couldn't handle their numbers.
Perfect plan…….
Boom!
"Huh?"
But as some famous boxer said.
Everyone's got a solid plan—till they get punched.
"Wh-what?! What happened?!"
Explosion rocked; Silver Lion rear wiped out.
As stunned Evans assessed—
A chat exploded.
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw