Chapter 143
Chapter 143
Iron Emperor — Chapter 143
Marquis Helios Baikal, receiving Baron Silen Bels's report, wore a troubled expression. Beside him, Marquis Rui Terikan and Prince Alsein looked equally grim.
All the discussions they had held before the Gauri army arrived had become useless. But humans tend not to believe what they cannot see with their own eyes.
"Would it not be better to accept a small amount of damage and subdue their leadership, then persuade them?"
Marquis Terican cautiously spoke up.
This was no time to debate principles. At those words, Prince Alsein stared at him with startled eyes. Marquis Terican then spoke in a resolute voice.
"Your Highness must think of South Roselin's future. If we can seize control of their leadership alone, we can easily absorb their forces. And if persuasion fails, we must use force."
"But..."
Prince Alsein, who still retained some innocence, could not bring himself to agree. Driving away those who had given South Roselin a chance at revival was something he was not yet capable of doing.
"Impossible."
"Impossible?"
At the words of Marquis Baikal, the symbol of South Roselin's military might, Marquis Terican frowned and repeated the question. Prince Alsein watched Marquis Baikal with anxious eyes.
"Ahem. First, even the wizard called Risel alone was said to be a power surpassing our court wizard. Furthermore, even I would have difficulty handling their Yeolje, Go Jin-cheon. The problem is not him alone — I am told that several of his subordinate commanders also possess strength at the Sword Owner level, though I cannot say for certain if any are Masters. And though it is difficult to fully believe, I have also heard that Gerard of Lightning is among Gauri's commanders."
"Gerard of Lightning!"
Prince Alsein's eyes went wide.
Though not equal to Marquis Baikal, called the War God of the East, the name of Gerard, who had joined the ranks of Sword Masters at a young age, was enough to startle the prince. Did youth not herald infinite possibility?
Marquis Baikal continued his explanation.
"Furthermore, the Gauri army is now positioned outside the city. The failure to consider such an approach from the start was a problem in itself, but if word of this were to leak out before we could subdue their leadership, we would once again create forty thousand enemies. And this time, a powerful enemy unlike any we have experienced before."
"Would it not be possible if we conducted a suppression battle with the Eastern Knight Order at the vanguard? Considering the number of knights available for defense here, as opposed to the battlefield, it does not appear overly difficult. In any case, once the enemy knights collapse, persuading the common soldiers would be simple, would it not?"
Marquis Baikal's brow furrowed at Marquis Terican's persuasion.
He still did not clearly know Gauri's full combat strength. Even Baron Bels, who knew the most, understood only a portion. Undertaking an operation without a clear grasp of the enemy's strength was dangerous.
"It is dangerous to act without having yet accurately assessed the combat power of Gauri's forces."
"Even so, I cannot imagine they surpass or even approach the knightly strength of South Roselin. We alone have close to thirty knights of Sword Owner rank. No matter how many Masters the enemy may have, consider how many Sword Owner-rank knights they are likely to possess."
Marquis Baikal wore a cautious expression at Marquis Terican's words.
At minimum, everyone who had entered that hall that day had appeared to be at the Owner level. The presence of the Dwarf among them had been unexpected, but Baron Gowin was also of Advanced Sword Owner rank, and he had judged that the interpreter named Gye Ung-sam also looked to be at least at the Owner level.
"Hm, I would estimate about ten."
That number included Samdopyo, who had come seeking him out. At Marquis Baikal's analysis, Marquis Terican appeared slightly surprised.
"Ten of them?"
"Moreover, if the nation called Gauri exists somewhere unknown to us, we could end up creating yet another enemy."
A brief silence fell over the room.
At this rate, Gauri would clearly withdraw. If that happened, their combat strength would be compromised. In the current situation, it was a coveted military force.
"Prince Alsein, the Royal Guard Knight Commander has come seeking an audience."
At the steward's voice, Marquis Terican frowned and gestured.
"Did I not order that no one be admitted right now!"
"I relayed as much, but the troops observing the Gauri army say they have witnessed an unbelievable sight..."
"What?"
When the subject of the discussion was raised, Marquis Terican's eyes went wide.
"Admit him at once!"
At Prince Alsein's urgent command, the Royal Guard Knight Commander rushed in with hurried steps, wearing an expression as if he had seen a ghost.
Aura.
The symbol of one who has reached a certain realm.
A Sword User cloaks their sword in Aura. An Owner lets it flow outward, radiating its force. A Master creates the form of a sword atop their blade with yet another Aura.
Fwoosh!
Surging Aura embroidered the empty air.
WHOOSH!
Intense sword-force tore through with a sonic boom. The Auras that symbolized the Owner stage — the step just below Master, the dream of every knight — were blazing forth.
"Damn it."
What was he so displeased with? From the mouth of a man displaying a realm anyone would dream of achieving came a voice tinged with irritation.
HUMMMM!
Crash! Crack!
Aura clashed against Aura, producing bursts of rupturing sound.
"This is what a clown does..."
Grumbling could be heard here and there within the banquet of brilliant Auras. They were the elite warriors of Gauri.
"Damn it! In all my born days, I've never seen such a thing except from those Tang warriors."
"Same for me."
If the knights of South Roselin, radiating their own surging Aura force, had heard the conversation of these grumbling men, they likely would have flipped out.
The soldiers of Gauri were trained to consciously suppress the sword-force called Aura. The reason was that they were men who waged war.
Certainly, radiating sword-force to strike could display tremendous power. But doing so consumed great energy, and in large-scale warfare, where killing one or two men did not end anything, they had been taught that such behavior itself was foolish.
If that were not so —
If those who radiated sword-force were truly so strong, then Tang, with its vast population, would have conquered the continent long ago and more. Yet such soaring, supreme warriors were rarely seen in war. In short, the civilian style and the war style were different things.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
But the people of this world were enthusiasts of the civilian style.
Gye Ung-sam came out to a place clearly visible to the citizens and called forward several men.
"Use all the strength you have!"
"Damn it! You think war lasts only one day?"
The grumbling continued.
Marquis Baikal and the nobles of South Roselin, who had hurried over after hearing the Royal Guard Knight Commander's report, could only open their mouths the moment they climbed the tower outside the city.
"That is..."
"Huh...!"
"How can that be!"
Watching the Gauri troops who appeared to be conducting training, none of them could continue speaking.
The mass martial display of over two hundred Black Armored Ghost Cavalry soldiers and some forty swordsmen, led by Gye Ung-sam.
"Kyaaah!"
With a battle cry that rang through the sky, the force radiating from the spear of a commander surged upward.
"All of them... Advanced User or above."
The voice that escaped Marquis Baikal's lips poured ice water down the spine of Marquis Terican, who had been talking of subduing Gauri and such.
"Over fifty at the Sword Owner level as well..."
They could speak no words at all.
And it was not only them. The soldiers witnessing the martial prowess of a force they had thought to be mere northern mercenaries, and the citizens living outside the city, simply wore dreamlike expressions before the battle cries that resounded through the city and the overflowing Aura.
"What is that!"
"H-huuuh!"
One area grew clamorous. The commotion naturally drew the eyes and ears of Prince Alsein, Marquis Baikal, and the assembled nobles.
Someone's voice murmured.
"A Master..."
Above a bizarre sword, drawn as if to show off, rose the Aura Blade — the symbol of a Master.
"The one who was interpreting..."
Prince Alsein recognized the owner. From Gye Ung-sam's long saber surged the Aura that signified a Sword Master.
* * *
"Ugh, I'm exhausted."
"Ughhh."
The Black Armored Ghost Cavalry soldiers and swordsmen who had returned from their show of force were each slumped in a heap. Having radiated sword-force and rampaged for a long stretch, it was only natural — but more precisely, it was because they were not used to it.
You die if you're hit by a throwing stone,
you die if you're hit by an arrow,
you die if you're stabbed by a spear-point,
and you die if you're struck by a sword-blade or a saber.
So was there really any reason to expend power like that? It was not an efficient method.
For that reason, they had never engaged in actions like radiating sword-force from the beginning. They had cultivated the simplicity of conserving and husbanding that strength to kill just one more man.
But now, having done the opposite of that, it would be a lie if their bodies did not protest.
"Kik-kik-kik."
"That bastard must be built for the opera stage."
It was Buyeo Gi-yul's curt voice as he watched Mong Ryu-hwa, who was laughing to himself alone off to one side. When the women shrieked as if finding him dashing, the man had even thrown in acrobatic flourishes while swinging his spear.
"Keung! And what about you!"
When Samdopyo rebuked him, Giyul shouted back.
"I gave it to her because she looked like my little sister back home!"
"You've got dozens of little sisters?"
"..."
Because of the war, the children had nothing to eat. So Giyul had personally shared food that the children could eat. Naturally, there had been many girls.
"Enough. That's it for today. Rest thoroughly for a couple of days and prepare to march back."
"Kiya!"
"Whoaaa!"
At Gye Ung-sam's words, the men's cheers rang out.
* * *
"..."
Silence, stillness, quiet.
Only the sound of breathing told them that someone was present.
"Gauri... Does such a nation truly exist..."
A groan escaped Marquis Rui Terikan's lips.
The military strength that had been revealed was not of a nature where one could discuss who would show leniency to whom. From South Roselin's standpoint, they were in a situation where they absolutely had to cling and hold on.
But judging by Baron Bels's previous message, the other side was already thoroughly disappointed with South Roselin.
"This old man's eyes were clouded, and I acted too hastily."
"No, Marquis."
At Marquis Terican's regretful voice, Prince Alsein, though his own voice was listless, offered consolation to lighten the old man's burden.
"Huuu-um."
Setting aside the existence of a nation called Gauri, the Gauri army now present was a force that could not be ignored. Even in the previous battle, the Gauri army had possessed ample capability, yet had contented itself with merely assisting.
"An envoy from Gauri requests an audience."
"What!"
What broke their silence was the steward's voice. Whatever the circumstances, in the current situation, it was something South Roselin ought to welcome.
A short while later, Yeon Hwi-garam entered alone. As they felt puzzlement that he had come entirely by himself, Hwi-garam was the first to offer a salute.
It was, of course, in the Gauri manner, but the method of showing respect was not greatly different anywhere. Only one thing they sensed — they could not erase the impression that it was merely perfunctory courtesy rather than the intent of extreme deference. Yet no one present found fault with it.
"I am Yeon Hwi-garam, Taedaehyeong of Gauri."
When Hwi-garam introduced himself, Prince Alsein, Marquis Baikal, and the others present were momentarily flustered. This was because he spoke in the Gauri tongue.
"Interpretation!"
At that timely moment, Archwizard Carls Alhain, the South Roselin court wizard seated to one side, cast the translation spell. Yeon Hwi-garam then repeated his words.
"I am Yeon Hwi-garam, Taedaehyeong of Gauri. In terms of continental rank, you may understand it as equivalent to the station of duke or marquis."
"Ah... hm, please, sit first."
Prince Alsein, now able to understand Hwi-garam's words through the effect of the interpretation magic, offered him a seat. Hwi-garam inclined his head slightly, took his seat, and drew out some documents.
"First, I imagine you hold questions regarding our homeland, Gauri."
Hwi-garam was about to say what they most wanted to hear.
"I have no intention of going through each and every point, laboring to persuade the prince of the Kingdom of South Roselin and its assembled nobility. I believe a nation must possess its territory, its people, a king to lead them, and lastly, the strength to protect all of this."
It was an utterly fundamental statement, but conversely, it was also a remark that rebuked their own conduct.
"On a continent where the logic of force runs rampant, whether others acknowledge you or not carries no persuasive weight. The same holds true for this war, as you well know."
It was a gentle yet piercing criticism.
The Holy Empire had incited North Roselin to refuse to recognize South Roselin and to attack it. Their own behavior — refusing to recognize Gauri and trying to absorb it by granting it a title — was no different.
In truth, before the war, North Roselin had repeatedly sent official documents demanding that the King of South Roselin come to the North Roselin capital, along with the outrageous claim that he would be granted the title of Royal Duke. For people with such a history, Hwi-garam's words became a dagger.
"I do understand your position. The nation called Gauri is not yet known on this continent. In the case of Daesaja Gowin and the Hawk Corps, they have requested Gauri's patronage this time and now fight alongside us, but if you examine the main Gauri army's equipment, you will see it is distinctly different from continental styles. Our language, our dress — none of it resembles anything on this continent."
As Hwi-garam's words continued, regret and disappointment passed over their faces.
"Among His Majesty the Yeolje's convictions is the principle that one receives as one gives. However, regarding the insult dealt by ignoring our homeland's goodwill — goodwill extended to aid a struggling neighbor and move toward good relations — and instead granting us a title, His Majesty has stated he will debate the matter no further."
"We acknowledge our mistake."
Marquis Terican received Hwi-garam's words.
He was a man who well understood that this was a diplomatic moment requiring concession. At his apology, Hwi-garam bowed his head in return and continued.
"At the same time, I make it clear that our homeland will never exploit this incident to invade South Roselin, nor will we contact North Roselin and turn our swords against you."
When the word invasion was spoken, Prince Alsein's shoulders had briefly twitched, but after hearing the words through to the end, he appeared relieved.
But Hwi-garam's words were not finished.
"However, our homeland no longer has any intention of continuing relations with your kingdom. And here is a letter requesting payment of our compensation for this battle."
"What!"
Startled by this unexpected statement, Prince Alsein, Marquis Terican, and Marquis Baikal looked at the proffered document and momentarily lost their words. This was behavior befitting a mercenary band.
"As I stated earlier, we can only alter our conduct in accordance with the treatment we have received. That said, the war matériel we brought to aid your kingdom's war effort on our way here will not be taken back with us; we will provide it at a low price."
"..."
From their perspective, the situation had shifted: they now had to purchase even the supplies they could have obtained for free.