Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Preparations
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Madmen who couldn't be judged by the standards of other continents.
That was what the warriors of Roverland were.
Sometimes more cowardly than a defeated soldier, other times braver than a legendary hero.
The line between the two was drawn by a single factor.
Just how great were the profits before their eyes?
These were the warriors of Roverland, men with the hearts of beasts who could blow a year's worth of blood-earned money on a single night of gambling...
In every tavern, warriors gathered, flexing their muscles.
The topic of conversation was, without a doubt, the proposal Lansen had made today.
The more rational warriors, those who appreciated tactics and strategy, analyzed the situation.
“Alright, let’s analyze this realistically.”
“Right. Let’s figure out the best- and worst-case scenarios.”
“How many troops do you think the Gale King will mobilize? And how many do we have on our side?”
“Roughly… this many?”
“Agreed.”
“Then… in that situation?”
“Worst case, a 5% chance of victory! Best case, 20%! That’s my conclusion.”
“The worst is 5%?”
Once the conclusion was reached, the warriors’ reactions were unanimous.
“Fucking worth a shot, then, isn't it?”
Win and get 300 dalon, and the odds are 5%!
Of course they had to do it!
That was the kind of men they were, the warriors of Roverland.
Then there were the warriors who focused on comparing the combat prowess of the Gale King Harun and Lansen.
“A warrior who has begun to transcend the level of Sword Master is leagues apart from an ordinary one.”
“Really? Is the difference that big?”
“You don’t even know that? Look, Japar, the ruler of Shamalun, the Maritime King, slaughtered two Sword Masters in just over ten exchanges in his youth.”
“What! Just over ten exchanges?”
“Yeah. And that was ten years ago. He must be stronger now. The Gale King fought that same Japar to a draw.”
A heavy silence fell over the table.
One warrior swallowed hard and asked cautiously.
“Can Count Lansen… win?”
“There’s a chance… You all saw it, right? That unbelievable strength. The Count has definitely surpassed the level of a Sword Master.”
“Yeah. Count Lansen is a genius. None of the Five Kings were this strong at the age of 27.”
“So, so, who would win if they fought?”
At that, the two warriors who had been leading the analysis closed their eyes in long contemplation, then snapped them open simultaneously and declared.
“13%! That’s the probability of Count Lansen winning.”
“19%! I believe the odds are at least that high!”
This time, too, the warriors’ reactions were unanimous.
“Over 10%? Then we have to do it, right?!”
A rational warrior then muttered to himself.
“No… there’s a 90% chance of dying… and you’d do it?”
*Flash!*
The surrounding warriors’ eyes gleamed.
“What if the Count wins?”
“Could you live with yourself? Watching 300 dalon fly away right before your eyes?”
“You’ll be branded a coward for life.”
“Go on, tell everyone with your head held high! Oh, back then, I thought the Count would lose, so I ran away… And that’s how I became a broke loser… Go ahead and say that!”
“Just cut them off.”
The warrior who had made the rational judgment could only blush and hang his head.
***
I wrapped things up in Kashu City as quickly as possible and returned to Kushan.
There were no longer any issues with the soldiers’ morale.
By the time I reached Kushan, the rumors had already spread like wildfire.
Not only the Gale King’s ultimatum, but also the counter-proposal I had made.
The first thing Sea said when she greeted me was this:
“Good job, brother.”
Simple words, but I understood the many meanings they held.
So I just shrugged.
*Well, this is nothing.*
“But about the rewards you promised. The other things might be manageable, but we don’t have enough masterwork and treasure-grade ancient artifacts. And there’s no telling when we’ll be able to excavate more.”
I had expected as much.
Masterwork-grade meant they were masterpieces even by the standards of the ancient era.
Treasure-grade items were things you could barely find even among the ranks of the Horizon Knights, who were said to be the strongest.
However,
“Don’t worry.”
I fiddled with my subspace necklace, dispelling Sea’s concerns.
“I’ll take care of that.”
Sea stared at me for a moment, then gave a single nod and handed me the bundle of documents she was holding.
“As soon as Balseon heard the news, he drew up a training plan. It’s based on a one-month grace period, but he front-loaded the important training so it wouldn’t matter if we had to stop midway.”
So it wouldn’t matter if we had to stop midway.
That was the key point.
The Gale King might have spoken of a one-month grace period, but you’d be a fool to believe him.
He keeps his word.
That kind of virtue was only upheld by the lords of Gloryland or the Old Lands. Such things didn’t exist in Roverland.
Now that I had declared my resistance, it wouldn’t be strange if the Gale King attacked tomorrow.
That was why I had returned to Kushan immediately instead of using the Book of Fate.
“It should still take at least two weeks. The Gale King will need time to stabilize Kinalo. He’ll also need to replenish his depleted forces.”
Sea said two weeks.
Coming from her, with all her information, it was likely accurate.
I nodded.
“Call all the key officers. Let’s have a meeting first.”
***
Sea gave a briefing based on the information she had diligently gathered.
The total troop strength was 20,000 for the Gale King and 14,000 on our side.
That was after scraping together every last warrior from Kashu City.
Even so, we were outnumbered.
I looked around at the four high-level Experts gathered in the room.
Baren, Katrina. And Rivera, Kalserik.
“In the end, our victory depends on how well the four of you fight in the commanders’ duel.”
The tactic we had chosen was a duel between the strongest warriors.
Our relatively smaller force would hold the line while the commanders’ duel took place to defeat the enemy general.
More accurately,
While I sought out the Gale King Harun and took his head.
Until then, everyone had to win and hold out.
I flipped through the briefing papers and spoke.
“According to the intelligence, four of the Gale’s Seven Heroes have been mobilized.”
The seven champions under the Gale King Harun.
Two Sword Masters and five high-level Experts at the peak of their skills, collectively known as the Gale's Seven Heroes.
“The Irresistible Barkan. He became a Sword Master two years ago. Katrina, you have to stop him.”
“Okay! Leave it to me!”
Despite facing a Sword Master, Katrina, a high-level Expert, showed no fear.
*Right. Katrina. I know you can do it.*
*Flip.* I turned another page.
“Jahir of a Hundred Victories. You all know this old man, right?”
“That old man is mine.”
Baren said, his eyes filled with venom.
“Right. Try not to get beaten up this time.”
Baren gritted his teeth without a word.
*I believe in you. As one of my most talented siblings, you can defeat even Jahir, the undefeated champion.*
I read the next name.
“Jedak the Gambler. Rivera, you take him on.”
“Yes! I will return with his head.”
Rivera was as refreshingly direct as ever.
“Last is Brida the Guardian. She’s also known as the Gale King’s lover.”
“I suppose she’s mine, then. I won’t lose to a little thing like that.”
Kalserik grinned, his face covered by a bushy brown beard.
I put the documents down with a thud and stared at the four of them.
Not a single one of them was afraid.
That was very reassuring, but…
“You all seem quite confident, don’t you?”
I tossed out the question.
“Boss, that little punk is nothing…!”
“Jahir. This time, I’ll…!”
“Hahaha! Finally, I can use my ancient sword ki in a real battle…!”
“I have a plan. I’m still working on it.”
It was a bit dumbfounding.
Confidence is good. I believe they have the skills to back it up. But it shouldn’t become hubris.
“You all look like you’re just asking to die right now.”
Rivera, who at least had the sense to sober his gaze, was fine, but…
What about the rest?
Not nervous about fighting a powerful enemy?
Are they eager to die?
A fearless warrior is a dead warrior. That was the conclusion I had reached after clawing my way through all the hells this Roverland had to offer.
“Think your opponents are a joke? That confident in your skills? Let’s see them, then.”
*Scrape.*
I stood up, drawing my sword.
I let my killing intent flow freely.
“All of you, follow me to the training grounds.”
The atmosphere instantly froze.
“Umm… I think we’re screwed?”
Baren groaned.
“I’ve been waiting for this!”
Katrina, on the other hand, bolted out excitedly.
***
Here, I couldn’t turn back time.
There was no blessing that allowed me to go back and try again if Milo or Iodine died.
A single mistake, and I would lose my siblings forever.
“Katrina.”
That was why this process was absolutely necessary.
To show them reality and make them prepare more desperately.
“It’s okay to be afraid. Accept the fear inside you. To not be afraid means to be careless with your own life.”
My sister, Katrina, with her orange, lion’s-mane-like hair.
I knew she had been brave since she was a child.
But lately, it had gone a bit too far.
“Fear?”
Katrina asked back as if she didn't understand.
*Yes, you brat. Why have you become so fearless?*
I had asked my other siblings who had been away with Katrina for half a year.
The answers I got were similar.
‘She was pushing herself too hard. I think she felt she had to take on Brother Lansen's role.’
My role.
In the children’s memories, I was something that never yielded, never lost, and never feared.
I was well aware I had been mythologized in that way.
But look.
How did that end?
It ended with me as a wreck, didn't it?
I didn't want Katrina’s future to be the same.
And yet…
“Brother. Honestly. Can I be brutally honest?”
“Yes. By all means.”
“It used to be like that. I would hide my fear and push it away. To take your place. I really tried. But… it’s not like that anymore.”
“Then?”
“Lately, I’m truly not afraid. Of anything.”
Katrina lowered her visor and gripped her spear.
We were both mounted on horses, preparing for cavalry combat.
The horses were Ailun whites.
I had spent quite a bit of money smuggling these.
Katrina said once more.
“I’m truly not afraid.”
An orange aura swirled around her entire body.
“So, brother. You teach me. The fear of dying if I act this way. That’s how… I think I can become sharper.”
Aura bloomed over her spear, and shimmering over it was an ancient sword ki, no, a spear ki.
The presence of Katrina, who, after Catch, was the second to reach the stage of Dokgeom (Reading Sword).
*What is this…?*
It didn't seem like a bluff.
*Truly no fear? Is that even possible for a person?*
But if what she said was true…
“Alright. I’ll carve it into you. What you should be afraid of. I’ll make you realize, *ah, if I do this, I’ll die instantly.*”
I lowered my own visor and raised my spear.
***
I forced open my mouth, which refused to move, and spoke as coldly as I could.
“Baren. If you fight like this, Jahir will kill you.”
It sounded so terrible, even saying it myself.
“…”
But Baren just lowered his head, not answering. Whether he was sulking or just angry… he was a hard one to read sometimes.
For now, I’d leave Baren be.
“Kalserik. Same goes for you. It might be different if you were fighting on the ground with a sword, but you’ll be on horseback with a spear, right? At this rate, Brida the Guardian, who specializes in cavalry? You’ll never win.”
This was the time to show reality to those who had displayed excessive confidence during the meeting.
Only then would they find a way to survive and win.
But Kalserik didn't seem fazed at all.
“So, what you’re saying, boss, is that if we fight fair and square, based on skill, Baren and I will lose, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then it’s simple.”
Kalserik grinned.
“We just won’t fight fair and square!”
…Is this the Roverland mercenary way of thinking?
“Baren! You want me to tell you how to beat Jahir?”
Baren’s gloomy face instantly brightened.
“Hey! You need to go lop off Jahir’s head, bring it back, and show the boss! You gotta yell, ‘I am Baren!’ Right?!”
Nod, nod, nod, nod.
Baren nodded his head furiously.
It had been a while since I’d seen him this excited…
I asked, a hint of anxiety in my voice.
“…I’ll check in later, Kalserik?”
Kalserik stroked his bushy beard and laughed heartily.
“Don’t you worry! I may not have a hundred wins like Jahir, but I’ve got close to thirty myself!”
Right. I believe in you.
He may seem flippant, but he was still Kalserik, a man who had survived all this time in Roverland.
In any case, I had checked their skills and instilled a sense of tension, so I decided to watch them for a while.
And,
*It’s about time I go get some masterwork-grade or better ancient artifacts.*
I was feeling uneasy. I needed to get my kids some better gear, and fast.
If they lack skill and experience, we’ll just have to make up for it with equipment!
I took out the Book of Fate.
And I opened it to the page I had discovered by chance.
One night, I had been thinking of Iodine for no reason and pulled out the Book of Fate to flip through it.
What I had found was a letter from the very distant past.