The Divine Oracle
Resid Marquis's territory, inside Raoul Count's mansion.
The nobles, who had been thoroughly thrashed before the war even began, looked no better than ragged stragglers. Every one of them was missing front teeth, with smashed noses or broken limbs as commonplace injuries. At least they hadn't been left crippled—that was probably the silver lining.
Resid Marquis was on the verge of exploding with rage.
"Arrogant bastard! I'll drown him in shit and fry him! I'll tear him limb from limb!"
"……."
The Northern Warlord, who had always maintained his icy composure, crumbled in an instant. When fury boiled in one's chest, even the calmest person couldn't help but spew curses.
The nobles understood Resid Marquis's plight. Their own mouths itched to unleash a torrent of abuse at Aron.
Raoul Count let out a heavy sigh.
"I've heard plenty about Viscount Aron's ill repute, but I never imagined he'd be this unhinged. Attaching all sorts of charges just for not coming out to greet him and beating people to this state……."
"Damn it! Didn't they say he rips people apart at a mere glance? I thought the rumors were exaggerated. At this level, he wouldn't bat an eye even if he tore his superiors to shreds!"
"Exactly! We must get revenge on that damned cur someday!"
"Let's do it!"
"We can't just let this slide! No matter how strong he is, he can't stop a 100,000-strong army!"
Their eyes blazed with fiery resolve. Yet they knew they couldn't act on it right now. If they failed to repel the Colossus Tribe here, they'd lose everything. Revenge would have to wait until after they repelled this invasion.
Raoul Count shed bloody tears.
"Ugh! The problem is he has a pretext. We risk being branded rebels for nothing."
"Krrgh!"
"Such injustice in this world!"
It felt like choking down a hundred sweet potatoes and shitting blood from indigestion. Venting here wouldn't bring any relief.
Resid Marquis sighed.
"I thought he was just a loose cannon, but he's even secured a justification. Who would've thought heretics had infiltrated Baron Amon's territory……."
"The real issue is they might be in our lands too."
The nobles shuddered at the mere thought. If that happened, it wouldn't end with mere beatings.
In any case, they had handed command over to Viscount Aron. It was the proper procedure. Command authority went to the emperor-appointed supreme commander. Defying it meant punishment—that much was standard. Fundamentally, Viscount Aron wasn't wrong.
But with the emperor's authority waning, few bothered to uphold it. Not even his own faction.
Knock knock!
A knight from the Red Moon Order entered the meeting hall. His eyes were swollen black like ping-pong balls. He could barely walk—clear evidence of brutal torture.
"Your Excellency, Viscount Aron has called a meeting."
"Ugh, that damned bastard! How long ago did he beat us half to death, and now a meeting?"
"Groan."
The nobles hauled their battered bodies to their feet. Skipping the meeting after being thrashed for not greeting him would surely brand them traitors.
The lord's castle conference room.
Resid Marquis and his faction had been chased back to Raoul Count's mansion despite it being their own turf, only to return. A classic case of the rolling stone dislodging the embedded one.
The gods had been watching me intently all day without a word. Something thrilling, perhaps? With the Colossus Tribe war looming, it was bound to be entertaining.
Resid Marquis and his lot entered the conference room and promptly shut their mouths. Not wanting to give me any pretext, no doubt.
Now that they'd handed me command, I had no excuse to thrash them further. Repeating the same pattern would bore the gods anyway.
Time for the main course.
"How do we butcher those Colossus Tribe bastards?"
"Heh heh, my lord, why not just punch through at one point and sweep them away? Push hard, and the enemy won't have a choice."
"Indeed! With your strength, my lord, you could obliterate them via breakthrough and still have energy left!"
Rommel and Harlin laid it on thick with flattery. The retainers chimed in unison.
"Just charge and wipe them out!"
"I'll support you!"
"Meeting adjourned then?!"
"……."
The nobles stared in disbelief at this haphazard meeting. Why drag us here just to decide on a charge? their eyes seemed to say.
Of course, I couldn't end it like that.
"What does the chief advisor think?"
"Hoho, then allow me to offer a word."
Whoosh!
Kainus unfurled his fan. It was the North in midwinter—even indoors, the chill bit deep. Yet Kainus fanned himself leisurely amid the cold.
"If you lead the center, my lord, the enemy will scatter in disarray. Let's crush them utterly this time. Once their center collapses, their left and right wings devour each other like this, while the cavalry loops to the rear for a strike. The shattered center then links with left and right to form an encirclement."
"Oh, perfect. That'll do it."
"Mm."
Resid Marquis let out a short groan.
"What? Got something to say, you traitor scum?"
"The advisor's plan assumes the enemy center will definitely crumble. Is that certain?"
"Hoho, indeed it is."
"How can you be so sure? If the North falls, the empire's heartland is next. The Colossus Tribe aren't pushovers."
"Are you doubting the abilities of the supreme commander appointed by His Imperial Majesty?"
"Ugh, every word out of your mouth……."
Kainus was deploying the cheat key now. I'd never lost a battle yet. Rebelling now—especially Resid Marquis—marked him as wrong.
As Kainus glared, Resid Marquis had no choice but to back down. The Northern Warlord yielding to a mere advisor. The power of education never ceased to amaze.
This should wrap up the meeting.
"Then, meeting adjourned—"
Whoosh!
"Kuh!"
"Grk!"
Suddenly, the heavens parted, unleashing a blinding light. Divine power beyond human ken radiated everywhere, healing every wound on the injured. Even nobles with shattered noses and twisted bones were mended.
The nobles gawked at the miracle.
"Servant of the gods, Aron—receive this oracle."
"Gasp! Possession?!"
"N-No way, Lady Bibian?!"
The people knelt in stunned awe. A goddess's possession. Not a full descent, but a direct oracle here.
My lips curled into a grin. Every action I'd taken could now be cloaked as divine will. They were practically laying out the red carpet for total chaos. Bold enough to justify toppling the emperor.
"Lady Bibian, I presume. A pleasure."
"Hehe, I've been watching your life with great interest."
"Oh? What must I do?"
"Odin's forces are expanding. Your mission is to stop them. But mere defense won't satisfy me."
"Then……?"
One thing became clear from chatting with Bibian: the gods babbled nonsense in their private talks, assuming I couldn't hear. No wonder they acted so shamelessly.
I swear she'd said something like "Oppa, go get 'em!" earlier, but now her expression was sternly dignified. I swallowed a laugh and bowed slightly.
"Overwhelmingly crush the Colossus Tribe and capture them. Then seize their holy relic to control them."
"Their holy relic……?"
"The holy sword Veratus. You will surely find it."
"Goddess, might you know where Jupiter's Book, first edition, is?"
"You know it holds the sword's whereabouts?"
"Picked it up by chance. My apologies for the presumption……."
"Truly intriguing."
Bibian nearly slipped into god-talk but composed herself. Mindful of the humans present.
"Jupiter's Book lies in the Colossus Tribe's capital. The holy sword is somewhere in the North. No more—lest I leak heavenly secrets. I bless your fate."
Thud!
Cecilia collapsed, then rose, trembling in rapture at the goddess's descent.
The nobles' eyes screamed, What the hell is this?! They couldn't believe a scoundrel like me basked in divine favor.
Cecilia threw herself at me.
"Wow! My lord, incredible! Lady Bibian herself delivered an oracle!"
"Ahem, back off a bit."
"No way! This is a revelation! She approves of our relationship!"
"Maintain purity to keep receiving oracles. Get a grip."
"Hehe! Doesn't matter!"
I nudged Resid Marquis, who stared blankly in denial.
"Hey."
"Eek!"
He jumped like he'd seen a ghost. Probably thought it was a dream—a direct oracle to a thug like me.
Messing with me now risked heresy charges beyond treason. Delightful.
"Getting the picture now?"
"Th-This can't be……."
"What's so impossible?"
Resid Marquis clamped his mouth shut. One wrong word, and he'd cross the River Styx.
"Ugh…… I see you have the gods' favor. We'll cooperate."
"Hahaha! Smart man. We march north tomorrow!"
"Yes, sir!"
The retainers roared in response. A goddess's oracle had skyrocketed morale. The knights' eyes burned.
Departure set for tomorrow. We'd strike the Colossus Tribe swiftly. The war would end in a blitz.
Gods accustomed to spectacle wouldn't settle for ordinary battles.
As Resid Marquis's faction slunk out, their voices drifted back.
"That lunatic has the gods' love…… Do we need to go that insane for it?"
Sorry, but try it, and the empire would just lop off your head as a public service. Only protagonist buffs made my antics possible.