The Tenth Study - Sacred Kingship (4)
The boy king Dailen insulted Belladia, sparking a civil war within the kingdom. I will not describe the progress of the civil war in detail.
It’s not worth devoting the pages to it.
However, the boy king’s mother, Queen Dowager Florin, is worth recording. Born as the daughter of the Grand Duchy of Rylander, she had been married off to the Essil Kingdom at a young age. She performed her roles as a noble lady and wife admirably, but as a queen and mother, she had many shortcomings.
But she changed.
Faced with the crisis of losing her son, the queen dowager rallied the loyalist lords, called for reinforcements from her family in the Grand Duchy of Rylander, and placed herself and her princesses on the marriage market to secure allied forces.
On the other hand.
Iron Lord Rodrick possessed outstanding military ability, but his political skill was only average at best. The nobles greatly admired Rodrick’s decisiveness, yet they disliked his arrogance and stubbornness.
Besides, legitimacy lies with the other side.
No matter how convincingly he fabricated justifications, the macho nobles of this medieval land—who lived and died by honor—could not easily ignore the tearful pleas of the young queen dowager.
Legacy of the Kingdom’s Political Situation Acquired!
Experience +10
Legacy Points +1
20/100 until Level 28
Legacy Score: 15
Therefore, the numerical difference between the two armies was overwhelming.
“Truly like a swarm of ants.”
“By rough estimate, they number at least forty thousand.”
“While we total only nine thousand.”
Yet our forces held significant advantages over the royal army. Command was unified under the Iron Lord, the soldiers’ training level and cohesion were far superior, and above all, our supplies were abundant.
“Ohhh!”
“Eating the wizard’s bread fills me with courage!”
“What on earth is this…?!”
Logistical Revolution Achieved Through Magic!
Experience +10
Legacy Points +1
30/100 until Level 28
Legacy Score: 16
“Master. Is it really alright to expend all your mana on producing the meeting bread every day?”
“Hm?”
Belladia, now fully armed, asked the question. At her waist hung the magic sword I had crafted for her.
“Wouldn’t it be better to use flame magic instead of making magic bread to supply nine thousand men every single day?”
Well.
She had a point.
“If that’s the case, we might as well summon trolls.”
“Exactly. Where are those ugly trolls anyway?”
If we threw them into the enemy camp,
they would sweep the place clean on their own.
“Then why not call the orcs too?”
“…Hm.”
I imagined it. If my master poured flame magic with full power, the enemy lines would turn into a living hell. Then armed trolls would leap in and turn knights into minced meat, while orcs charged with war cries. The battle would end in an instant.
The problem, however,
would be the cleanup afterward.
“It would look like the Demon King’s army, wouldn’t it?”
“A shortcut to becoming a continental public enemy.”
This was
a fight between humans.
A civil war, at that.
“There are wartime customs that must be observed.”
First. Protection of nobles.
Second. Prohibition of massacre.
Third. Prohibition of magic.
Legacy of the Laws of War Acquired!
Experience +10
Legacy Points +1
40/100 until Level 28
Legacy Score: 17
“Breaking those customs would leave us too weak, wouldn’t it?”
“Correct. The time is not yet right.”
“So you must remain in a supporting role during this war, Master.”
That’s right.
Acting as a supporter is acceptable.
It doesn’t exceed the bounds of advisory duties.
“We must wait patiently for the right moment.”
“….”
“If we wish to achieve the desired outcome.”
Research Subject: Belladia Harrington
The specimen has learned what ‘patience’ means.
Research Clue 3/10
Experience +10
Legacy Points +1
50/100 until Level 28
Legacy Score: 18
The Iron Lord’s army, having arrived at the battlefield earlier than the enemy, completed their formation first. Thanks to the magic meeting bread, the soldiers were full of vigor, and an inexplicable courage surged within their hearts. This was due to the [Emotion Manipulation] spell I had added to the bread.
“I wish you luck, Belladia.”
“I shall return victorious.”
“Although we just spoke of patience, the virtue you need today is rage.”
Show the world
that you possess the qualities of a queen.
“Understood, Master.”
I will show everyone
what kind of person your disciple truly is.
And so,
Belladia left the command tent,
clad in magical black plate armor.
“All troops!”
Bwoooooong!
War horns blared!
“Charge!”
However, today’s vanguard was not Iron Lord Rodrick.
It was the young countess Belladia, mounted atop a hellish warhorse.
“Follow me and you shall claim the glory of victory!”
The sight of the young countess leading the charge from the front left the Harrington family knights aghast. To the macho warriors, placing their beloved young lady at the vanguard was utterly unthinkable!
“Are you men or not?!”
“Get in front of her and guard her at once!”
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa──!”
The knights did not want to be seen as cowards more fearful than their [Young Lady]. They frantically spurred their warhorses, desperately trying to overtake her, but—
“Hihihihihihihihihiin!”
The hellish warhorse overwhelmingly outpaced the earthly mounts. Hundreds of arrows and various spells rained down on Belladia, yet no attack could wound her or her familiar.
“W-what the hell is that?!”
“It’s the Iron Lord! The Iron Lord in black armor!”
“It must be the Harrington family heirloom!”
“Then if we just take that one down, the war is over?”
The three knights representing the royal army
burned with ambition to earn merit.
“The heiress is mine!”
“I’ll take the fief!”
“I’ll have the armor!”
The three renowned knights representing the kingdom charged straight at her. The Iron Lord was a powerful armament, but not strong enough to face three opponents simultaneously.
“Huh?”
Yet,
as the distance closed, they realized.
Their opponent was not Iron Lord Harrington.
…The build seems strangely small?The eyes don’t look like a man’s…?
Crack!
The moment their weapons clashed.
Flames erupted along Belladia’s magic sword.
“This is going to be really fun after so long!”
3rd Circle, Roar of Hell
Hellish Strike
O flames of hell’s sulfur! Dwell within my blade!
■ Hellish Strike (3rd Circle, Roar of Hell)
: Calls forth the flames of hell onto a weapon and strikes the enemy. If the caster’s magic power exceeds 20, it can destroy non-magical equipment in a single blow.
■ Effects
- Adds [Magic Power] modifier to the next physical attack’s [Accuracy Roll] and [Damage Roll].
- Any [Non-Magical Equipment] hit by this [Physical Attack] is destroyed. If the material is flammable, hellfire ignites and inflicts fire damage.
Belladia was clearly not skilled enough to face three royal knights at once. However, the current Belladia wore armor of invulnerability. In other words, she could completely disregard defense and focus solely on the attack.
Tellorian’s magic sword.
The power magic embedded in the black armor.
The blade infused with hellish mana.
An all-out attack that ignored defense.
“Ha!”
When all these variables combined—
“?!”
Slice!
The lead knight’s head flew off in a single stroke.
Crunch!
Crack!
At the same time, the enemies’ attacks mercilessly struck Belladia. A lance pierced her gorget, a mace slammed into her helm, and a sharp magic axe that could even penetrate plate armor crashed against her breastplate.
Crack!
Snap!
Thud!
“…What… the…?”
“Even with our weapons…?”
But
Belladia remained unharmed.
The armor had nullified all damage.
“Thank you, Master!”
Schwing!
The second knight’s head flew as well,
severed by the blade carrying Gehenna’s power.
“Damn witch!”
“Puhihihihiin!”
“?!”
Next, Belladia’s hellish warhorse bit into the enemy knight’s mount. The opponent’s horse was an excellent steed, but its foe was a demon risen from hell. It only wore the shape of a horse.
“Hihihihihihiin!”
“Whoa! Whoa! Calm—! Uwaah!”
Thump!
The third knight was thrown from his horse and crushed beneath it. Immediately after, the hellish warhorse brought down a hoof wreathed in hellfire!
Crunch!
The head exploded!
“Everyone, behold.”
At the same time,
Belladia removed her helmet.
“See who I am!”
Her brilliant golden hair fluttered in the wind,
revealing the blood-stained face of a young girl.
“…”
The enemy.
“…”
And our own forces.
None could comprehend the situation.
Research Subject: The Promised Queen
Proven to be a strong and fierce warrior!
Research Clue 1/5
Experience +10
Legacy Points +1
60/100 until Level 28
Legacy Score: 19
“That’s…?”
“What is…?”
“Brother… that is…”
Everyone
lost the words to continue.
It defied common sense.
“Is that truly my daughter?”
“I have waited long, brother.”
But I was not surprised.
I had prepared for this day with past events.
“Now I can say it with confidence.”
“….”
“Belladia has changed.”
She is still cruel and ferocious. But she now knows when to reveal her true nature and when not to.
“The Belladia of today
is fully capable
of founding a nation with her sword.”
“…Ugh!”
Iron Lord Rodrick
rubbed at the corner of his eye.
“Must have gotten some of that spice I ate earlier in my eye…”
“Congratulations, brother.”
“The battle isn’t over yet.”
Crackle!
Blue light flashed along the Iron Lord’s warhammer.
It was a magic warhammer possessing the power of a siege ram.
“Even though I’ve grown old, I’ll prove I’m not done yet!”
Thudududududu!
The Iron Lord spurred his warhorse and charged after her.
“I am not yet a useless old man in the back—!”
Uraaaaaaaa!
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
Every time the Iron Lord swung his magic warhammer, thunder roared and over a dozen soldiers were sent flying into the sky. Even in plate armor, their bodies were instantly torn apart.
“Uahahahaha! This is the best!”
Come at me!
You mercenaries!
Iron Lord Rodrick stands here!
“Charge! Charge!”
“You would send your lords ahead?!”
“All troops, charge! Spare no lives!”
Inspired by their lords’ bravery, the Harrington family knights charged like madmen, and the soldiers followed, remembering the rewards the Iron Lord had promised. Thus, the Iron Lord’s army became a single lance, completely piercing through the center of the royal forces. Belladia personally felled the Royal Flag planted at the heart of the enemy army, while the Iron Lord, empowered by his magic warhammer, slaughtered every knight who dared challenge him.
“Uahahahaha!”
“Kyahahahahahaha!”
““Die, all of youuuuuuu──!””
The participants of that day’s battle all recount the same thing.
In peacetime, the Harringtons appear as dignified lords.
“Die! Die! Dieeeeeee──!”
“Glory to our ancestorsaaaaaaaa──!”
But on the battlefield, they become like bloodthirsty demons.
“Taste the hammer!”
Kwaaaang!
When the Iron Lord slammed his siege hammer into the ground, everyone blocking his path collapsed. Then Belladia would sweep through on her hellish warhorse, massacring them. The blood-soaked father and daughter finally forgot their long-held grudges and confirmed that they were family bound by blood.
“I love you, Father!”
“I love you too, Belladia!”
“I shall offer you Count Albert’s head, Father!”
“I shall give you Viscount Grunberg’s head!”
““Uahahahahahaha!””
Overwhelming numbers
lose all power before overwhelming terror.
Run.
We cannot win!
Victory is no longer the issue!
We’ll lose our lives!
“Everyone, stay calm!”
A certain brave knight said.
“They are only human—”
“Haa!”
Crunch!
The knight was turned into shredded meat by the Iron Lord’s hammer.
“Kuhahahaha! My sister’s magic really is something!”
Is that
even human?
“I will not kill those who show their backs!”
“!”
“However, from now on I will count to five. After that, I will slaughter every single one of you I see!”
One.
Two.
Three…
““Uwaaaaaaaaa! O Sun God! Save us!””
Demons!
Demons have appeared!
Everyone run for your lives──!
＊＊＊
The battle ended in an instant.
A one-sided massacre.
“Just as expected.”
“Greetings, Your Highness the Queen Dowager.”
“The schemer who brought ruin upon our family.”
And so,
we took prisoners.
We captured the person with the authority to end the civil war.
“Please accept these surrender terms.”
“…You expect me to accept these conditions?”
“You have no other choice.”
If the princesses
are to safely return to their maternal family.