Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: A Mad Proposal
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After a long night, the morning sun began to rise.
The carriage traveling along the ridges of the Baekra Mountains finally arrived at Dravia, the territory of Viscount Sozen.
"This is insane... utterly insane..."
After putting the pale-faced Latent Dragon Squad members—who had been muttering nonstop through the night—to rest in their rooms, Ian met privately with Viscount Sozen.
With every minute counting if they wanted to avoid this blowing up in the ears of the Khan Empire, they couldn't afford to waste a single moment.
"So, Young Lord Ian. What's your plan moving forward?"
Viscount Sozen asked, his eyes brimming with expectation.
A year ago, contrary to public opinion, Ian had brilliantly resolved the terrorist incident in Shurton.
On top of that, rumors swirled that he'd made major contributions in subjugating the Earth Dragon.
The viscount was curious. What ingenious strategy would this young man from another nation unleash in his own country this time?
In fact, ever since they'd followed Ian's instructions, the incursions by the Yeo bandits had stopped as if by magic.
Viscount Sozen's trust in Ian was already unshakable.
"Before we discuss future plans, there's something I need to confirm with you first, Viscount."
Ian hadn't forgotten the viscount's expression when they'd reunited at the Lichtenauer estate.
Even as traitors slowly eroded his nation, the viscount hadn't looked all that downcast.
At the time, Ian had chalked it up to the viscount accepting his proposal and reducing bandit damage, but that didn't fully explain it.
No one could wear such an expression lightly amid traitors infiltrating the kingdom.
"You've seen right through it, haven't you? As expected... Young Lord Ian is no ordinary man."
Viscount Sozen chuckled helplessly.
"As you know, many nobles in the kingdom have indeed swung toward the pro-Khan Empire faction due to Duke Kaidu Ballak's machinations."
Sip!
"On the surface, that is."
The viscount moistened his throat with tea and continued.
"A good number of them haven't been fully corrupted yet. Some even secretly distribute the aid they receive from the Khan Empire to their own territory's people."
Ian nodded in understanding at the viscount's words.
'As I thought... Centuries of layered grudges won't vanish so easily.'
He felt sorry for the Latent Dragon Squad, but Ian had no intention of sharing this with them.
The fewer people who knew a secret, the better.
Besides, there was the 'rat' Alex had planted among them.
'Better to stay cautious until that rat finishes assessing and reports back to Alex.'
'Alex will come at me with everything he's got, so fewer variables the better. This is enemy territory, after all.'
As Ian organized his thoughts, Viscount Sozen pressed on.
"Well, mentioning Viscount Ramoel of Beltaron might undermine my point. But even including him, there aren't many who've truly turned to the Khan Empire. If we can eliminate them in one fell swoop, we can reverse the tide of treason easily enough."
"We can't act rashly, though. Purging the pro-Khan nobles would give Kaidu Ballak the perfect pretext to mobilize troops under the banner of protecting friendly nobles."
"Exactly. That's why we need your help, Young Lord Ian."
Shhh!
Viscount Sozen unrolled a map across the desk, revealing a detailed topography of the entire East Continent.
Swipe!
The viscount pointed to the border region between the Khan Empire and the Pang Kingdom.
"If the Khan Empire advances, it'll definitely be the northeastern border guards, the 'Tömör Shuurgа,' who move out."
Tömör Shuurgа. The Khan Empire's elite force, nicknamed the "Iron Storm."
They were also the ones choking the Pang Kingdom like the Cliffs of Lament.
"However, if we can ally with the Yeo bandits as you suggested... the story changes."
Swipe!
The viscount's finger shifted to the Baekra Mountains.
"While the Tömör Shuurgа advances, if Yeo exploits the gap and wreaks havoc along the northern border, they won't be able to deploy their full forces easily. That should buy us enough time to complete the purge, leaving the Khan Empire without justification to invade."
In summary, it boiled down to this:
While Yeo and their allies kept the Tömör Shuurgа in check, the Pang Kingdom purges the traitors, stripping away the Khan Empire's pretext for invasion.
If the Khan Empire pushed forward regardless, nations from other continents would march on them too.
Under the banner of liberating the oppressed Pang Kingdom.
'In the end, it's all about building the right justifications. I crumbled in my past life because I couldn't.'
"If we join forces with Yeo, our kingdom can start raising its voice bit by bit. After that, as you suggested, we open direct trade routes with the Aslan royal family and gradually build our strength."
Ian, who had been listening quietly, suddenly posed a question.
"And after that, Viscount? What's your plan then?"
"After that? What do you mean, Young Lord?"
Viscount Sozen blinked, not grasping the question.
"Didn't I tell you a year ago? Ally with the Yeo bandits and ensure the Khan Empire can no longer bully our kingdom."
Then start trade with the Lichtenauer Martial Clan and slowly develop the kingdom.
What other path was there?
"I'm worried, you see. With Kaidu Ballak—the man ignoring even the emperor to plant traitors and swallow the East Continent whole—do you really think he'll sit idle just because we purge the traitors and he lacks justification?"
"...!!"
At Ian's retort, the viscount's face hardened as a chill set in.
The Sword Saint, Kaidu Ballak, held the rank of grand duke... but wielded power surpassing even the emperor, a ruthless and ambitious tyrant.
Would a man like that simply release the fish already in his grasp?
'No way. Kaidu, that greedy bastard, would never make that choice.'
Sword Saint Kaidu Ballak.
Born the eldest son of the prestigious Ballak Marquisate in the Khan Empire, he rose to the pinnacle through innate talent.
Had the peerless genius Siegfried Duval not appeared, he might have been hailed as the greatest hero across the East Continent—no, all of Agera.
That long-nurtured inferiority complex had festered.
'He got too hasty and overplayed his hand. The Khan Empire must have its own vulnerabilities.'
The Khan Empire boasted a long history, and its people's pride in the imperial family was arrogantly sky-high.
They stayed silent now due to Kaidu Ballak's overwhelming influence shaking Agera, but surely there were those in the empire dissatisfied with his overreach.
At the top of that list was probably...
"So, what do you think we should do? Do you have some brilliant idea, Young Lord Ian?"
Ian met the viscount's gaze squarely, snapping him from his reverie.
How great was the viscount's vessel?
"Viscount Sozen."
"Speak."
"How about you and I try something truly mad?"
Not just freeing the Pang Kingdom from the Khan Empire's chains, but something insane enough to upend the entire East Continent.
An unnamed wild hill in the Baekra Mountains.
A leisurely flying sparrow perched on a branch and chirped a song.
The bird, enjoying the pristine mountain air in peaceful routine...
Kraaack!
...was suddenly torn apart by the talons of a diving hawk, losing its fragile life.
Chomp, chomp!
The hawk, finishing its light meal, took to the skies again.
With powerful wingbeats, it arrived at the heart of the Baekra Mountains.
A vast basin hidden deep within, so concealed that its existence was nearly impossible to detect from outside.
The hawk entered one of the countless caves dotting the basin and softly landed on someone's wrist inside.
"Look at that damn Hongak. See that red around his beak? Caught another sparrow on the way. Told him not to stray like that..."
A one-eyed man polishing his Khan Empire-style crescent blade— a woldo—scolded the hawk, but it ignored him, scratching its talons ostentatiously near his ear like a defiant dog.
"That insolent bastard. Sometimes he acts just like a person. One day, I'm roasting him over a firewood spit."
As the one-eyed man gnashed his teeth, the burly man grinding herbs nearby chuckled.
"Kekekek! You say that, but you're the one who dotes on Hongak most, bro. The sparrows you've fed him must number over a thousand."
Clack! Clatter!
The giant of a man, his massive shoulders heaving as he worked a tiny grindstone.
Precious herbs were being finely pulverized and mixed between the stones.
The one-eyed man clicked his tongue again at the dainty sight.
"Seriously, a guy your size acting all girly... Ugh, hand over those peppers, you wimp."
"Hey, without my meds, you'd have died five or six times by now. Saved your sorry ass from the grave, and this is the thanks I get?"
As the two bickered playfully, the man seated in the center untied the letter from the hawk called Hongak's leg.
After reading it, he spat out a single word.
"Balteran sent an express messenger pigeon. Top priority."
"...!!"
The two men's playful glints sharpened instantly.
Balteran Sailis.
The man overseeing intelligence for Yeo, the bandit group dominating the East Continent.
He handled mountains of East Continent-related intel daily, so trivial matters never reached him.
For him to mark something top priority meant its importance was beyond question.
"What'd that weakling Balteran say? That damn Kaidu Ballak... has the bastard decided to go all-out against us?"
The one-eyed man slung his woldo over his shoulder and growled.
The Sword Saint was an enemy he'd gladly devour whole, and beyond the Pang Kingdom, he'd even tried recruiting Yeo itself.
Of course, unlike the kingdom, it fell on deaf ears.
"Heh, that's for you to figure, bro. The underlings must've been pretty shaken, though."
"What! Kawin, you fatass! How dare you say that!"
The herb-grinder scolded, and the one-eyed man leaped up, jabbing a finger.
"Of all people, how could you speak of the enemy who beheaded him like that?!"
"That's our business."
Kawin cut him off.
"We've endured our way, Talor bro. Twenty years and counting, clenching our teeth, waiting for his successor. Twenty years!"
At Kawin's words, the one-eyed man—Kaban Talor's—sole eye wavered fiercely.
"You...!"
But even Talor couldn't fully refute him.
No matter how rock-solid the resolve, the waves of time would erode it.
They'd burned with vengeance against the Khan Empire, but after two decades, holding that fire steady was grueling.
Especially as comrades fell one by one and new blood filled the ranks.
"Enough, both of you."
"Big bro...!!"
Rien Darius, leader of Yeo, bellowed after finishing Balteran's letter. The pair reluctantly ceased.
Confirming the quiet, Rien slowly shared the intel.
"Balteran's letter says... it seems someone's infiltrated Viscount Sozen's territory."
"Viscount Sozen? Who's that, bro?"
"The noble who flies our mark in his territory, bro. How do you not know? You're the combat captain."
Kawin ribbed him with fish-eyes at Talor's question.
"Tch, too many territories to fleece—got mixed up for a sec!"
As Talor and Kawin bickered again, Rien sank into thought.
Once more action than thinker, twenty years had gifted the hot-blooded youth with caution.
'Viscount Sozen is the only noble openly displaying our mark. Intruders in his territory... is this all coincidence?'
Sozen reveals the mark, then signs of infiltration into Dravia.
What's the connection?
'...All after the viscount's trip to the South Continent. And...'.
Rustle!
Rien checked Balteran's letter once more.
Its final line—a detail he hadn't shared with Kawin and Talor—read:
-And at the place the carriage left from... unbelievably, our 'crest' was left behind.
Reading it, Rien's heart pounded like it would burst.
Still, he withheld it from them.
After so many years of dashed hopes, he couldn't excite them on shaky intel.
'In the end, I need to see Viscount Sozen's territory myself.'
Mere speculation yielded nothing.
Balteran thought the same; the letter ended with him heading to Dravia personally.
Rien feigned calm, but his racing heart wouldn't settle.
He too had thirsted through those twenty years.