Chapter 247
Chapter 247
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 248
Chapter Title: Unyielding Resolve
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The meeting room plunged into silence at my calm words.
"…You, you. Are you insane?"
Saladin was the first to regain his senses.
"No, wait. Hold on. Sure, I know you beat Marquis Krangk, the Beast Sword, and took down 7th Star Knight Commander Staat. But… huh?"
Bam!
Saladin slammed the table hard and unleashed a tirade.
"Those who sit on the Jade Throne are completely off the charts! Real monsters! Don't you remember getting shot down by Paulo's arrows in Elunheim? Or how one of your arms got shattered by Duke Camille's strike while fleeing from the ballista?"
Saladin, who had gone through nearly every incident with me since returning to the past, ticked them off one by one.
"What, you beat four marquises and now you think you've ascended to the Jade Throne yourself? Can't control your arrogance? Were you always this clueless?"
Saladin unleashed a barrage of uncharacteristic insults.
He must have been desperate to stop me. If our positions were reversed and Saladin reached the same conclusion, I would have tried to talk him out of it too.
To me, Saladin was a precious friend.
"No way. I'm not foolish enough to be that stubborn without something to rely on."
"Something to rely on? As if you have any right now…?!"
Saladin, mid-rant, froze like a broken machine as realization dawned.
"Priest, you're banking on that thing inside you?"
"That's right, Priest."
"…It won't be easy. If you rush it, your body might collapse instead."
Rampang voiced his concern, but I replied calmly.
"If we lose this war anyway, there's no tomorrow for me."
"…What on earth is driving you to this extent, Priest?"
Rampang simply couldn't comprehend.
Born into one of the continent's premier families, favored by the royal court, and accomplished in his own right—he was an exemplary priest.
Unlike trash like Veras, who wasn't worth spitting on, he was someone you could proudly show off anywhere.
Yet why was this priest pushing himself to the brink?
Under Rampang's pitying gaze, I simply smiled quietly.
I understood her feelings well enough, but our positions were different.
Since returning to the past, there hadn't been a single matter where failure was an option.
Every single one had built up to bring me here, especially securing the archipelago to dominate the seas—a plan from the earliest days after my return.
Without controlling the seas, victory over the Holy Empire was a pipe dream.
In the end, it'd just be buying time.
Stopping Philador's rebellion to cut off their collusion with the Empire, eliminating the monster soldiers and their research, narrowing Ibarella's influence—all were mere preparations to tilt the war in our favor.
These petty schemes alone could never defeat the Empire.
Only when the grand picture I'd envisioned since my return was complete could we truly contend with them.
What drove me was the regret stained by my past failures and the miserable outcome they wrought.
No one else could understand this. The fear that the me who lived a failed life, returned to the past, might fail again.
That terror was a punishment heavier than death.
There was only one salvation from this punishment: altering my twisted past. Nothing else would suffice.
No one on this continent could ever comprehend this.
Can't be helped.
Even if no one understood, I would see my convictions through.
"……."
As Rampang and I locked eyes in silence, the others naturally fell quiet, unable to grasp the situation.
How much time passed?
Rampang, staring into my unwavering eyes, finally let out a long sigh.
She had realized it. No amount of persuasion would sway me.
"…Hoo! Young Master Dwain. For now, make the plans as this fool of a priest wants. Looks like talking won't bend his stubbornness anyway."
"Pardon? But…."
"Instead."
Ignoring Dwain, Rampang glared at me.
"If it doesn't meet my standards, we go with what Young Master Dwain first suggested. I'll handle Balak, and the priest takes one of the liches."
Her words carried an unyielding resolve—no further concessions.
Can't argue against this.
"Understood, Priest. Let's do that."
In truth, her proposal was meaningless.
Failing her standards could mean defeat in this war.
And defeat was death.
I couldn't die yet. Not until I'd overturned every bit of the past.
Hummm!
My private training ground, devoid of any souls.
In the still air, I settled into position and contemplated the mana within me.
Below my navel, I felt the energy solidified firmly.
Even after chipping away, melting, and absorbing it over ages, it stubbornly asserted its presence in my gut.
It's been a while.
Hummm!
I approached the energy warmly, but it offered no smile in return.
Saladin's words before coming to Olivia flitted through my mind.
-While we're on the topic, why didn't you use the inner core's power? You could've won more easily if you'd drawn it out.
Saladin had asked why I didn't use the inner core against Hatan.
-The wyvern's inner core isn't the baron's own power. He didn't wish to borrow an external force against a worthy foe.
Beskin had answered.
Beskin spoke as a pure, honorable warrior, but ironically, he nailed the essence.
External object.
Literally.
I still hadn't fully melted the wyvern's inner core.
-Father, how many mages are left in the family right now?
Duke Darius was dumbfounded by his daughter Aria von Wendinel's urgent tone, as if demanding deposited funds.
"I sent them to congratulate Jerome on his barony, and not only did they not return to the territory, now this out-of-the-blue nonsense?"
-How many are there!
Darius frowned at the shrill voice from the crystal orb.
Was my daughter always like this?
I thought her personality was fine.
"…All the territory's mages are tied up in the final stages of dispel weapon development—no spares left. You know that."
-Then spread the word across the kingdom and get mages to support us. No time—by next spring, no, this winter!
As his daughter kept making unreasonable demands, Darius had no choice but to ask.
"Daughter, what's going on? Explain so I can understand."
Calming her, he heard her take a breath from the orb.
-…Sorry, Father. It was so urgent I got worked up.
"It's fine, it's fine. Life away from home can be tough. So, what's wrong?"
-Next spring, the archipelago will launch a full assault on the continent's south. Starting point is here, Olivia.
"What?!!!"
Darius sprang toward the orb like a coiled spring, gripping it with both hands and shouting.
Those barbaric pirate scum daring to invade the land where his daughter was?!
Visions of Aria tormented by pirates flashed in his mind.
"Those beastly bastards!! I won't let them get away with it!!"
-Father, calm down a bit….
"Don't worry about a thing! Just trust your old man!!"
Click!
Darius cut off Aria's communication unilaterally and immediately requested another connection.
-Yes, Phrasia here. How may I assist?
"Duke Darius! Connect me to His Majesty now! Urgent matter!"
Destination: Phrasia territory, Fran Kingdom's capital.
"No, forget it. I'll go to Phrasia myself!"
Grabbing his cloak, Darius moved hastily. Knowing Aria's temperament, she'd ignore any evacuation advice anyway.
Pirate scum, if you so much as lay a finger on my daughter, I'll turn you all into fish food!
Philador Kingdom's throne room.
"…Thus, they request reinforcements come spring, Your Majesty."
Queen Mitchell Can Philador gazed silently down at Marquis Midas as he reported.
"Reinforcements… What do you think, Marquis?"
Midas bowed deeply at the queen's question.
"Philador has already invested much in Olivia. I'd say we've fulfilled our duty of loyalty."
"That was an 'investment' in Olivia, not 'support'."
Flip!
The queen turned a page of the dispatch from Olivia.
"Don't pretend otherwise just to test me, Marquis. You want to help, don't you?"
"…That's merely my personal opinion."
"Is it? Then I'll act on my personal opinion."
The queen summoned a man via her attendant.
"You called for me, Your Majesty?"
The man bore armor emblazoned with crossed wheat and sickle.
Philador's 2nd Royal Knight Order Captain, Youngken. He was the upright knight captured by Jerome at Mazino Fortress during Philador's rebellion.
"Youngken, I have a favor to ask."
At Mitchell's words, Youngken knelt on one knee.
"By Your Majesty's grace, I gained a second life. Not a favor—command me."
"You'll need to deploy to Olivia come spring. Is that alright?"
"Olivia… Baron Jerome's matter?"
Joy lit Youngken's eyes.
Without Baron Jerome, he'd have been dew on the execution ground.
"Yes. Pirates are invading Olivia. Lead our kingdom's reinforcements there."
"Baron Jerome is my benefactor. I'll go gladly."
"Sir Youngken, a moment."
Marquis Midas's voice fell over the bowing Youngken.
"I'll attach Sir Mark from our house and his knights. Go together—they'll surely help."
"…Thank you, Marquis."
Youngken bowed quietly.
Once at odds, sword to sword, time had eased grudges, but awkwardness lingered.
Yet Midas's reason for volunteering was obvious.
Queen Mitchell smirked at the scene.
"See? You wanted to too, Marquis, no need to play coy."
"……."
Midas subtly averted his gaze.
Requests for cooperation against the pirates went out not just to Fran and Philador, but most alliance nations.
Though not a nation, one entity with nation-like presence also received the call.
In the Dragon Mountains, forbidding human steps, among the few permitted: Met Junior Baron.
Overseeing trade with Banten and elves, today he came to Elunheim as envoy.
Rustle!
An elf of breathtaking beauty unfolded his letter.
"A request from Baron Jerome… First since we started trading with him, right?"
"Yes, Princess."
"Can't borrow orcs or cyclops this time?"
"So it seems, Princess. He sent official dispatches only to us lycanthropes, with formal ties outside the continent."
"Hmm…."
Milia frowned slightly, displeased.
"Can't lag behind lycanthropes—bad for our face. What do you think, Ashy?"
"Agreed."
"Full authority to you, Ashy. Sea battle, so form a ranger unit skilled with spirits."
Ashy bowed at Milia's words.
"Entrust it to me, Princess."
"Mother… no good, huh?"
Milia pondered excessive(?) support, but….
"…That'd be difficult. She's immersed in time with the World Tree lately…."
"Tch, oh well."
Fortunate or unfortunate, she smacked her lips at the mere mythical beast.
Coincidentally, at that moment, lycanthrope side: Bauckrack was begging chieftain Lugal to join, only to get smacked.
Jerome's myriad deeds, their traces, were slowly reshaping the continent's fate.
Yet what numbers this altered die of destiny would show—none yet knew.