Chapter 103
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Father, My Father.
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Perhaps if it had been me in my previous life, I wouldn't have felt these emotions.
It felt like a sharp thorn was stabbing one side of my chest, a suffocating tightness disrupting my breathing and scattering my thoughts.
Hoo—
But that moment didn't last long.
Right now, I thought even feeling anger or sorrow was a luxury I couldn't afford.
Of course, as a human, I couldn't perfectly control my emotions.
I simply resolved to tuck them away in the sturdy drawer of emotions standing tall in my mind, to pull them out later when time allowed and bring them to a close.
'First, I need to keep the Glazers in check.'
They would surely declare war on us soon.
In the castle garden filled with forget-me-nots, I gathered my party members and explained our future plans.
"I'll stay in the south to wrap things up with Duchess Catarina, so Cynthia and Alfredo, you two hide out in a neutral country and wait in the meantime."
It would be great if Cynthia and Alfredo could help, but taking them into a factional war was far too dangerous.
If Cynthia, affiliated with the Papal Court, attacked the Glazers on the side of the Strange Family, things could get complicated.
Cynthia plucked flowers to make a crown and replied.
"Got it."
'To accept my proposal so readily.'
She must have grasped my intentions.
"How long do we have to wait?"
"A week at the shortest, a year at the longest."
"A year?"
"Yeah, this incident doesn't seem like it'll end easily. It's highly likely to escalate into war, big or small."
"You plan to bring down the Glazers?"
"In the short term, yes. But the Glazers aren't the final target."
"Final target?"
"...Have you ever heard of the Rothschilds?"
Cynthia's eyes widened.
"The Rothschilds?! You mean you're going to fight those called the children of God?!"
"Yes."
The 'Rothschild Family', the most powerful faction among the imperial bloodlines, who believed they were born with the blood of the gods.
One of the three families with enough military might to shake the continent.
The only ones besides the Strange Family who could stand against mages.
'Of course.'
Whether they truly inherited divine blood was unproven; they simply claimed to be special beings themselves.
"Now that things have come to this, it feels like the time has arrived to clash with them."
"What's your reason for fighting them?"
"They're targeting us."
"Aren't the ones targeting you the Glazers?"
"Right, and the Rothschilds are behind the Glazers."
No one knew yet since the war hadn't started, but having experienced this war in my previous life, I knew.
I knew how they planned to swallow the continent without getting their hands dirty, using the mighty Glazer mages as the vanguard.
"You sure?"
"Positive."
"...So we have to deal with both at the same time?"
"Probably."
The Rothschilds were always eyeing the emperor's throne.
So they would surely move at the timing of the Glazers' attack on us.
I handed her a handkerchief emblazoned with the Strange Family's cross-sword emblem and said,
"Once things with Duchess Catarina are settled, we'll climb to the 30th floor of the tower as promised before the war ends. Just hold out until then."
"You okay with that? If it's a predetermined war, you'll be swamped with preparations."
"The Strange Family is always prepared. Even if war breaks out right now, we can handle it."
Bess, standing beside me, nodded with a resolute expression.
The Strange Family was in a wartime state 365 days a year.
There were more than a few forces eager to topple our accumulated prestige, flaunt their power, or herald a new era to the continent.
Of course, none who had attempted what I envisioned had succeeded. Neither in my current life nor my previous one, nor from the first Strange Family head through history—we had never fallen.
"True... I'm the fool for worrying about the Strange Family."
"If anyone in the Legion targets you, I'll make arrangements to deal with it."
Cynthia shook her head.
"No, we're not going to the Legion."
"Then?"
"You said to stay in a neutral country to avoid getting dragged into the war, right? So I'll return to the Papal Court in the meantime. And send this guy north for a bit. We don't have a base in the Legion anyway."
True, Cynthia would be safe in the Papal Court until I called her back.
But Alfredo, who traveled with her, was the issue. Frankly, he wasn't particularly skilled.
He wouldn't help much with climbing the tower, so it wouldn't matter if he died now.
'He knows too many of our secrets.'
It wouldn't be a problem if he died, but if he were captured by the enemy and leaked information about me, that would be the real disaster.
Alfredo crossed his arms, nodded, and replied.
"Right, right. I'm not going back to the Legion either. Honestly, I don't like the Legion's gloomy weather."
"Where are you going then?"
"North. The scorching central sun every day is too hot for a furry guy like me. I'll only go for tower climbs."
"Do you have a place to stay up north?"
"Of course! I'm heading home. Did you think I grew up like a wandering orphan without a house?"
Frankly, yes. In my previous life, most northern barbarians I saw looked like that.
Plus, I'd heard that virtually all of them were orphans, their parents dying on the battlefield before they grew up.
'How could I not think that?'
At best, they'd be Vikings called pirates, or part of some black organization taking requests from the underworld.
"That's exactly what I thought."
I unwittingly spoke my true thoughts.
"Uh... really?"
"Northern warriors don't fear death, so aren't most of them orphans who lost their parents?"
Alfredo glared at me with blazing eyes.
"That's right! We are warriors who bring terror to our enemies with the courage that fears no death, for the heroes in Valhalla!"
"What group did you belong to in the north?"
"...What group?"
"I heard northern warriors band together with those who share their ideals. So you must have had comrades too, right?"
He didn't answer immediately.
His profound expression gazed into the distance, as if deep in thought.
"Sorry, but I can't tell you right now."
I didn't press further.
He fidgeted his lips as if wanting to speak, but it was unnecessary conversation.
I'd only asked in the flow of talk; I wasn't curious at all.
Rox, who had been listening, tore up forget-me-nots wildly and approached me.
Pababak!
"Whatever, when do I go catch those Omangseong bastards?"
Cynthia and Alfredo's gazes turned to Rox.
I glanced lightly at his equipped gear and replied.
"Go right now. Don't kill Freddie or Bonnie—bring them back alive if possible."
"That much is fine... Do I have to catch that old man too?"
"No, not yet. I'll let you know when the time comes."
"Okay, then I'm off first. Staying here all day is boring me to death."
"Rox."
"...Yeah?"
"Never underestimate your enemies."
The day to herald my era, absent in my previous life, had arrived.
All those connected to Catarina within Strange territory were led to the scaffold.
Her maids and servants, along with a company-sized knight order from the imperial court.
Not just them, but alchemy guild members who shared her ideals and even mercenaries closely tied to her—all were captured.
"Behold clearly what happens to those who point their swords at the Strange Family."
Valentine raised her sword high above her head.
In unison, the Strange knights severed the necks of the criminals before them.
Clang!
The number of heads that fell exceeded a hundred.
Moreover, the execution took place in the neutral country Legion—this went beyond mere punishment for crimes, serving as a prime example of what befalls those who target the Strange name.
"Anyone who sullies the Strange name will not be forgiven, no matter who they are."
Valentine deliberately raised her voice to warn the gathered crowd at the execution grounds.
Among them were surely not just common folk, but adventurers, mercenaries, and knights from various families.
'Come at us if you dare, anyone.'
With a proud yet icy expression, she slowly scanned the assembly before departing.
And this news spread across the continent in less than half a day.
One with imperial blood had been executed.
The emperor's sister, called the continent's master, and Roys de Strange's first wife, Duchess Catarina.
This reached the Glazers as good news.
The report of Catarina's death was as good as confirming Roys's demise.
"Edward, the time has come. Gather all who wish to shatter the Strange banner."
Hagen puffed smoke from the thick cigar in his mouth and laughed heartily.
Edward, pleased by the report from Legion and his decision, smiled and replied.
"Yes, Father."
The Glazers were ready.
Not only did they have cause to declare war on the Strange Family, but also the means to crush the enemy and the power needed. Now, the situation allowed them to act on their intentions.
"Finally, we can end it—the long-standing grudge with those Strange bastards."
"I've awaited this moment as well."
Edward lifted his steel arm, injured by Berddin, and gritted his teeth.
"I'll make sure they can never hold their heads high again."
"Yes. Good, very good. Our era is coming now—do as you please. I'll make you the master of this continent."
"Thank you, Father."
Clack, clack, clack.
Someone approached the two mid-conversation.
Hagen didn't even turn, gathering mana in both hands, raising one eyebrow in annoyance as he spoke.
"What business do you have here?"
A woman with red hair down to her waist, clad in imperial armor emblazoned with a lion emblem, aimed her gun.
"I've come to carry out the imperial decree."
"Imperial decree?"
"Yes."
"What's the decree that has you pointing a gun at me?"
"See for yourself."
No sooner had she spoken than she fired a bullet at Hagen's nape.
Bang!
It was an instant.
As if time had stopped, the bullet hung in place, and Hagen's body turned to smoke, filling the room.
Whoosh!
"Rothschild, whatever scheme you have, don't spout lies about an imperial decree to kill me. The emperor would never issue such an order."
The blonde woman smiled brightly.
"You noticed?"
"Tell me how you got here, Dorothy, eldest daughter of the Rothschilds."