Chapter 173
Chapter 173
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: 58. To the Haipel Empire (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Heiness, a high-ranking executive of the Doomsday Association mobilized for the mission to destroy the Haipel Imperial Capital and assassinate the emperor, had secretly slipped out of the capital's central city with his subordinates after the operation ended.
Hiding in a quiet village, he was savoring the chaotic state of the Haipel Empire.
Then, South, a close friend and fellow high-ranking executive of the Doomsday Association, came to visit him.
"South?"
Heiness, who had been leisurely sipping tea after receiving a report from his subordinate on the Haipel Empire's situation, turned his head at the familiar presence. There stood South, his close comrade among the high executives.
South nodded silently and pulled up a chair to sit in front of Heiness.
"What's the matter?"
"It seems there's a problem with the Supreme Council."
"The Supreme Council?"
Heiness's eyes widened in surprise at South's words. Even within the secretive Doomsday Association, the Supreme Council operated with utmost secrecy.
Many regular executives below the high-ranking ones didn't even know how many members the Supreme Council had.
"What exactly do you mean by a problem?"
"It looks like the Supreme Council has suffered irreparable damage."
"How do you know that?"
Heiness questioned. It was a natural doubt.
His friend South held a high position among the high executives of the Doomsday Association but wasn't directly involved with the Supreme Council.
Shrugging at the sharp question, South opened his mouth.
"The Supreme Council had given me separate orders. So, I sent a message through the liaison not long ago because I needed to report directly, but there's been no reply even now."
"Couldn't it just be a delay due to circumstances?"
"Heiness. You might not know this, but I've carried out the Supreme Council's orders multiple times before. They always keep their promises and schedules meticulously. They've never been this late with a response."
A brief silence followed his answer. Soon, breaking the quiet atmosphere, South spoke with a hardened expression.
"Something's definitely wrong with the Supreme Council."
"That can't be. The Supreme Council has never been attacked even once before."
Heiness denied it. But South merely shook his head.
"For the time being, I'll stay in this village too, Heiness. If we need to take action, will you join me?"
"As long as it doesn't mean defying the Supreme Council, I'll stand with you, South."
Satisfied with Heiness's response, South grinned and nodded.
And how much time passed? A letter summoning South and Heiness arrived from the Supreme Council.
Seeing the letter arrive, Heiness claimed the Supreme Council was intact, but South thought differently.
"They sent a summons for us, but no reply to the previous mission report. Doesn't that seem odd?"
South said with a deeply furrowed brow.
"I think you're overthinking it."
Heiness saw it as nothing serious. But South disagreed. With a grave face, he repeatedly pointed out the anomalies, and in the end, Heiness had no choice but to nod in agreement.
However, even with Heiness's agreement, they had no immediate plan.
The Supreme Council was so secretive that gathering information on them was no easy task, leaving the two with no option but to respond to the summons defenselessly.
Upon arriving at the appointed location, Richard appeared before them wearing a black mask. Behind him stood a man bearing an executive insignia, holding a flag. The flag, black with a red crown emblem, symbolized the Doomsday Association's Supreme Council.
"Sir Richard...?"
Heiness frowned.
As far as he knew—and he didn't know much about the Supreme Council—Richard wasn't a top executive. Doubts arose, but they didn't linger long.
Richard, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"The Supreme Council has been completely wiped out."
"Wh-what?!"
South reacted sharply, looking ready to draw his sword at any moment. Heiness, seeing his close friend's intense response, quietly began gathering mana.
But at that instant, those who had been hiding behind Richard revealed themselves all at once.
They were the armed guard unit newly formed after Richard seized control of the Supreme Council to bolster their lacking forces.
Armed with high-grade magic tools plundered from the Supreme Council's secret armory and numbering no small amount, even Sword Saint-level South and high mage-level Heiness found them burdensome.
Moreover, with Richard—the Doomsday Association's strongest force—present, South and Heiness had no choice but to abandon resistance.
"Will you follow the will of the new Supreme Council?"
Richard asked. It was less a question and more a demand.
Refusing would mean not knowing what the armed guard behind Richard might do.
"We will follow."
Though a great change had occurred, Richard being the Supreme Council remained unchanged. Heiness, who had sworn loyalty to the Doomsday Association and Supreme Council from the start, knelt on one knee first. Watching his friend, South bowed his head as well.
"We will stand with the new Supreme Council."
Under the cover of the Imperial Fleet's stealth airships, the Royalheart landed. The landing site was the most rugged terrain in the Iphrelia Mountains.
It wasn't easy, but the Royalheart, boasting superior magic engineering, successfully pierced the harsh terrain and landed safely.
"Lowering the gangway."
Baron Legacy reported. As Raymond nodded, a heavy bridge connected the Royalheart to the ground.
"Your Majesty. The Imperial Army is ready."
This time, Cassias reported the Imperial Army's status. If Raymond ordered, they would disembark from the Royalheart immediately, form a defensive formation, and secure the perimeter. But there was something to do before deploying the Imperial Army.
Raymond turned toward Baron Legacy.
"Baron Legacy. Scan the surrounding area with the magic radar."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Royalheart's high-performance magic radar could monitor a vast area, except for deep underground. It was especially excellent at detecting any presence with even a trace of mana.
Soon, the magic radar activated. Vivid blue mana swept through the area meticulously.
"Any findings?"
At Raymond's question, Baron Legacy replied without taking his eyes off the radar.
"Mana reactions detected to the south. Seems like Haipel Rangers, accompanied by a large number of mages."
In the Empire of the Dead world setting, the Haipel Empire's Ranger Legions include numerous mages.
Their realms aren't high, but due to rigorous mountain warfare training, they're evaluated as terrifyingly effective in guerrilla combat.
But that wasn't the important point now.
The question was why the Haipel Empire's Ranger Legion, who should be coming out peacefully to greet them, was displaying such sharp hostility. Bringing mages along meant they were prepared for battle if needed.
"Sir Lancer. The reason the Imperial Fleet came this far—was it properly explained to the Southern Ranger Legion? If not, explain it now."
"I'll contact them again."
"I'll lend you the communication facilities. Handle it swiftly. If they attack first, we'll counterattack."
Raymond stated firmly. They had come to aid the Haipel Empire, but if attacked first, they had no choice but to retaliate.
Failing to counter would cost Raymond much of the military support he had built up.
"I'll relay it immediately."
Watching Lancer rush toward the bridge's communication room, Raymond shook his head with a short sigh.
They had come this far to help the Haipel Empire. But seeing the Ranger Legion—still influenced by the central authorities—on edge, finding the crown prince and purging the Doomsday Association here wouldn't be easy.
About 30 minutes passed? Lancer came running out of the communication room.
"Your Majesty. We've reconfirmed from the Ranger commander that they have no intention to attack. You can disembark safely."
At Lancer's words, Raymond turned to Cassias, the Imperial Army commander.
"Sir Cassias. Disembark the Imperial Army into the mountains. The Rangers might still provoke, so stay vigilant."
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
Cassias commanded the Imperial Army's disembarkation with a resounding reply. Excluding forces to guard the Royalheart, 4,000 Imperial troops disembarked and landed in unison.
The landed Imperial troops immediately began securing the perimeter per imperial order. Only after they confirmed safety did Raymond slowly disembark with his escorts.
But even by the time they fully disembarked, the Haipel Rangers hadn't shown themselves, and Raymond felt irritation rising deep within.
"Show yourselves! Rangers of the Haipel Empire!"
Infusing his voice with mana, he shouted. Only then did the Rangers emerge one by one from the dense forest.
But they showed no sign of welcome. Most had arrows nocked, and not all had revealed themselves.
Such actions only further provoked Raymond and the Imperial Army.
"Daring to aim weapons before His Majesty! Insolent!"
Cassias exploded in fury.
"He is not our emperor. Unknown Imperial Army commander. Do not impose Philius Empire etiquette on Haipelians."
From among the Rangers stepped forward a female commander with golden blonde hair.
"Commander of the Southern Ranger Legion, Viscount Railin."
Lancer, who had hurried over, whispered to Raymond. Raymond nodded instead of replying, and Cassias—taking her words as provocation—placed his right hand on his sword and stepped forward.
"How dare you! Insulting His Majesty?!"
Cassias glared at Viscount Railin, his eyes blazing.
He looked ready to draw his sword any second, but Raymond merely observed without intervening.
Coincidentally, no one around him could restrain Cassias. Count Rednitz and Count Potas were in the capital's central city, and the wise high knight, Marquis Kreier, had returned to his territory.
The only staff officer present was Baron Legacy, a mad magic engineer who might even find this standoff amusing.
"Shouldn't we stop them?"
Desia Heli, who had been watching quietly, approached Raymond and asked cautiously.
"No. We need to crush the Haipel Empire's momentum here today."
"I agree."
Gestain broke his heavy silence in agreement with Raymond's response. They had come to help, but not to be dragged around by the Haipel Empire. Raymond resolved to maintain a strong stance and didn't restrain Cassias's hardline reaction.
"You bastards!"
In the end, unable to hold back after the verbal clash, Cassias drew his sword. The Imperial knights drew theirs in unison, and the mages gathered mana.
"Oh dear... Battle? Well, can't be helped then."
Baron Legacy let out a mad chuckle and raised his left hand. The Royalheart's gunports opened, and magic cannons emerged.
"Think you can take us?"
As Viscount Railin smirked and signaled, thousands of Rangers hidden in the shadows revealed themselves.
Seeing this, Raymond shook his head with a short sigh. They showed no intention of backing down, so overwhelming force to seize the initiative seemed necessary.
"Viscount Railin! The Philius Empire has come to aid the Haipel Empire!"
"Do those here to help arrive on such massive stealth airships?"
Viscount Railin said, exuding sharp hostility. Raymond silently signaled Desia and Gestain.
Understanding, the two escorts gathered their auras. The grand mage's mana erupted like an explosion, and the Sword Saint's killing intent swept the dark land.
"Urk, ugh!"
Some Rangers staggered and fell under the wave of killing intent sweeping their bodies, while the grand mage's mana dyed the vast sky blue.
"Intending to fight, Commander?"
Raymond asked in a cold voice. They might know of the one-armed Sword Saint Gestain, but information on Desia Heli—the grand mage who had recently transcended realms—likely hadn't reached the Southern Ranger Legion yet.
Faced with the unexpected powerful forces, Viscount Railin was at a loss for words.
Her lips were sewn shut, unmoving.