Chapter 62 - "Overestimating the Barbarians"
"You're overestimating them just because they saved you. And Asgard? Do you really think a mercenary band of mere barbarians can become a nation?"
They sneered.
"You must steel your resolve, Your Highness. Letting personal sentiments cloud your judgment will make it impossible for you to ascend the throne. That's why this prince of yours is being threatened by Erone!"
They scolded him.
"Tsk, tsk."
He clicked his tongue.
With every word, the strength drained from Ash's shoulders.
I have to stop them. If this continued, unimaginable horrors awaited. He had to prevent that at all costs…!
But he had no power.
If only Alber were here right now…
Alber, captain of Ronia Kingdom's Royal Guard. The wielder of the Divine GiftLightning. Under his command was Rapilta, the ultimate shield.
If those two were by his side, he wouldn't be suffering this humiliation.
Where the hell did they go?!
He had clearly ordered them to find the legendary potion. Even if there was no news, they should have reported in by now—but nothing.
…Useless fools!
Ash ground his teeth.
"His Highness is right."
The nobles, including Ash, startled and turned to Hallum Marquis.
He was smiling brightly at Ash.
"There must be a reason why Prince Ash speaks so. Would you care to share what it is?"
Seeing Hallum's eye smile, Ash felt a swirl of complex emotions. He pondered where to begin.
"The first time I met them…"
Ash recounted everything he had seen and felt, from start to finish.
With each word from Ash, the nobles scoffed, but they held their tongues out of deference to the earnestly listening Hallum Marquis.
When the tale ended, the nobles shook their heads in disbelief.
They couldn't accept the prince's words as truth.
Ash clenched his teeth at their reaction but cast a hopeful glance at Hallum Marquis, who had shown a different response.
Hallum eyed Ash thoughtfully, his face grave.
"Prince Ash."
"Wh-what is it, Marquis Hallum?"
"Forgive my impertinence, but I'll speak frankly."
Hallum shook his head as he spoke.
"It's hard to believe your words, Your Highness. It's difficult to imagine an army capable of such feats existing on the continent."
"It's not just hard to believe—it's impossible. Marquis Hallum! Even a trained Divine Gift user struggles to kill a single Wight, yet they slew thousands?"
"It's far too fanciful a tale."
"The prince must have been mistaken."
Ash's body trembled at the nobles' barbs.
Mistaken? How could he mistake that?
He had witnessed and experienced it firsthand, his life hanging by a thread. Yet these people before him called it a lie.
Ash started to rise, but Hallum pressed his shoulder down, forcing him back into his seat.
"I see. It is indeed hard to believe. But perhaps some of it is true."
The nobles turned to Hallum.
"Did you see their armor?"
The nobles exchanged glances and tilted their heads.
"Their armor?"
The central nobles gathered here had only seen how wildly the Berserk Warriors reveled; they hadn't closely examined their gear. During the banquet, the warriors had shed their armor for leather garb, leaving the nobles puzzled.
"Their equipment was piled in the corner of the banquet hall. Armor so meticulously crafted that even the kingdom's finest smith might doubt he could produce such quality. And moreover…"
Hallum stroked his beard.
"Their weapons were far from ordinary—enormously large and heavy-looking. The blades gleamed with a deadly edge…"
The nobles sweated coldly, unable to grasp Hallum's point.
Armor aside, Nords had always wielded brutishly oversized swords, clubs, and axes.
Hallum sighed softly, gauging their reactions.
"Even this explanation doesn't help you understand, does it? Simply put, they possess armaments too precious for a mere mercenary band."
Hallum interlaced his fingers, scanning each noble.
"Has anyone found traces of Count 'Stinger'?"
At the sudden question, the nobles averted their eyes.
"Well…"
"It's been quite some time since he went missing…"
The nobles shook their heads.
Hallum smiled at them.
"Yes, without Count Stinger, we have no hope."
The Stinger family. Known as Ronia's Guardian Sword. Years ago, they repelled an imperial invasion without losing a single territory. After that, no other kingdom dared eye Ronia covetously.
The man whose house had granted Ronia that power had vanished years prior. If he lived and sided with either eastern or western Ronia, the war would be over before it began—no matter the faction.
"He's missing now, but his command is formidable. Honestly, we've held on this long on the hope that we might find him, haven't we?"
But they still couldn't find him, despite exhaustive efforts.
Hallum addressed the nobles.
"We need someone who can lend us strength now."
Anyone would do for their current state. Heretics, barbarians—it didn't matter. They needed power for eastern Ronia.
"We must recruit them. These are dangerous times. So what if they're barbarians? They could be a great asset!"
Ash's face brightened at Hallum's fervent words, while the nobles nodded reluctantly. Less convinced than compelled by the marquis's authority.
"…Y-yes, indeed."
"I've actually agreed with you all along, Marquis!"
As consensus formed, Hallum turned to Ash.
"Is that sufficient now?"
Ash's eyes shone with gratitude toward Hallum, who had gone so far for him—like a child gazing at a revered father.
"Th-thank you! Marquis Hallum! Thanks to you, I've gained their support! Now, diplomatically…"
But Hallum's next words crushed that hope.
"Yes, we must handle it diplomatically."
A sharp glint flashed in the smiling marquis's eyes.
"The newborn nation, Asgard. Their knightly order is currently in our territory."
Ash felt his limbs go cold.
"A foreign nation—one barely formed—invading Ronia? And fully armed, no less."
"M-Marquis Hallum?"
As Ash stared, Hallum ignored him entirely.
"Processing a thousand Wights? Rescuing the prince? No, that's not the point. The issue is that knight-grade Nords are invading our territory, looking down on Ronia."
Hallum's lips twisted upward.
His thick hand slammed the command table with a thud. The nobles turned to him as he licked his lips with a sinister grin.
"Even if Ronia Kingdom has weakened, how dare they…! Barbarians, heretics? I ask you—how should we respond to their invasion?"
Ash paled.
Something was going terribly wrong.
"W-wait! Marquis Hallum! Hear me out…"
"Prince Ash!"
Hallum shot to his feet, looming over him. Shadows cloaked his smiling face, but his eyes burned with cruelty.
"If they've built a real nation and those are their forces… it becomes a diplomatic issue."
"……!"
"We must investigate their true intentions here."
The nobles cried out in shock at Hallum's words.
"Indeed. This is an invasion!"
"Dispatching troops without consent from another nation? A violation of continental law!"
"They're utterly despising us!"
"We must punish them!"
Gradually, the saviors morphed into ragtag invaders in their eyes—from heroes to foes.
"Th-they saved me!"
"They surely had ulterior motives. A newborn nation—who knows their true aims?"
"Their goal is the underworld! I asked them to introduce me! Marquis Hallum, you said you'd contacted the underworld recently? Just help me with that!"
"…How naive. Is that truly all they want?"
"But…!"
Hallum clenched his fist.
"Allying with an unknown force would make us even more precarious. The Holy Church might deem us full 'enemies,' cutting supplies to western Ronia and even sending troops. Then… we're finished."
"B-but earlier you said to recruit them…?"
"Yes, exactly. But recruitment comes in many forms."
"……?!"
"I have no intention of fighting them. Of course, it's infuriating that they've belittled Ronia…"
Hallum's fierce expression softened.
"After all, they are your saviors, Your Highness. I'll resolve it peacefully, without battle. Rest assured."
"R-really?"
"Yes. What I said was merely to create leverage for negotiations."
Ash's face lit up. Hallum nodded.
"Yes, their recruitment will proceed smoothly."
Hallum narrowed his eyes.
"Smoothly, indeed."
"Th-that's a relief. Then, I entrust everything to you."
Ash agreed to let Hallum lead the negotiations.
Soon, the meeting ended.
As the nobles departed, Hallum addressed Ash.
"Oh, and what of the refugees?"
"Refugees?"
Ash, relieved the crisis had passed, tilted his head.
"According to them, Your Highness promised to find them a new home…"
Ash tilted his head again.
"Who said that?"
"The refugees did."
Ash blinked and let out a hollow laugh.
"Of course I promised. After the war ends."
"I see. No need to concern ourselves now, then."
"Obviously? Regrettable, but we have no time for them."
Ash rose as he spoke. He was exhausted and wanted rest.
"Ah! And while I think of it, there's one refugee. And a guard who failed to recognize me."
Ash looked at Hallum.
"Handle them properly for the crime of insulting royalty."