Building A Human Empire By Creating A Clan [EN]: Chapter 125

‘So, there was a reason the Council left him alone,’ Sumontema mused.

He had heard tales of a human named Edar.

A human who secured the ninth seat on the Council with his silver tongue.

A human who threatened to burn down the World Tree and yet lived. The human he had carelessly dismissed as a madman was now standing before him.

‘Damn it.’

He swallowed hard.

He was an Avatar.

A being with a god dwelling within him.

Born with a vast soul, he could wield soul magic because the citizens of the Theocal Kingdom worshiped him.

His individual power was less than that of elves, dwarves, or even Vlad, the emperor of vampires, but because he wielded soul magic based on faith rather than natural talent, he outwardly possessed power no less formidable than theirs.

So, how could he not be proud?

‘His soul is the same as mine!’

He screamed inwardly.

For some reason, Edar was concealing his power.

He was suppressing the aura that naturally flowed from his soul.

Because of that, Sumontema hadn’t noticed until just before he was about to strike that Edar possessed a soul equal to or greater than his own.

‘It doesn’t feel like he’s forcibly pushing back my magic. If he had forcibly pushed it back, his body wouldn’t have been able to withstand it. But look at him. The way he looks down at me as if nothing is wrong….’

He wasn’t afraid of humans, not even 100,000 or 200,000 of them.

Even if they organized a large-scale expedition to hunt vampires, Sumontema had his personal guard by his side, and he was confident that they would be enough to annihilate the human rabble.

However, with the foundation of his pride shattered, he couldn’t make a decision. He couldn’t bring himself to order the killing of humans, the slaughter of invaders.

It would be different if it were the other two kings.

He had no intention of joining a battle where a clear, perfect victory wasn’t guaranteed. Even if he fought and won here, if the damage was significant, wouldn’t the other two kings be the real victors?

“Ahem….”

An old retainer approached him, showing signs of discomfort.

“Your Highness.”

He replied without turning his head.

“Speak.”

“Just give the humans away to him.”

“What?”

He turned his head sharply and looked at the old retainer.

The old retainer calmly spoke, even under his intense gaze.

“Hand over the humans from the farm to him, and in return, set a condition. Tell him, ‘While I am gathering humans from the farm, you go and deal with the other two kings.’”

“Wait.”

Sumontema raised his hand to interrupt.

“Are you suggesting we hand that human over to the two of them?”

“That’s right. There’s no need for us to fight him. Judging by his actions, he doesn’t want an all-out war with us either. If he did, wouldn’t he have already launched a full-scale attack?”

“Hmm.”

“So, tell him: if he saves humans from the other two kings as well, you will liberate the human farms in Theocal.”

Human farms weren’t only in Theocal. The farms in the other two kingdoms were several times larger than those Theocal possessed.

If the Human Empire had come to save all the humans, they would inevitably have to confront the other two kingdoms.

“If he asks why, you can say that if he cleverly saves only the humans of Theocal and leaves, you cannot trust him because he has deceived Your Highness.”

“Indeed. If the Empire truly came to save all the humans of the three kingdoms, they will accept it; if they only target the humans of Theocal, they will refuse.”

“That’s right.”

There was no need to actually gather humans.

He just had to pretend to bring humans from the farm.

Why? Because the other two kings wouldn’t leave the invaders alone.

“The other kings are different from Your Highness. They are beings who do not understand concession, so a clash will inevitably occur, and what harm would that be to Your Highness?”

Even if the humans won, the damage would be great, and even if the two kings won, the damage would still be significant. Sumontema could then swallow the two kings after assessing the extent of the damage, or target Edar, who would have suffered severe losses.

“But, wouldn’t he see through this?”

“What if he does? Is there any other way?”

“That’s right. There’s no other way.”

Sumontema clapped his knee and nodded.

He then made the proposal to Edar.

Edar accepted without hesitation.

“Good. The farms in Theocal. I will give you all the humans I have. When you return after dealing with the two kingdoms.”

*Instead, you will have to fight the two kings.*

Sumontema’s eyes conveyed the unspoken words.

“I will.”

But Edar remained calm.

Rather, a smile formed on his lips.

He had anticipated Sumontema’s proposal.

‘Why would I look for you first among the three? Because you are the easiest. I sought you out because if you reveal your greed, I can ensnare the other two.’

I crossed Theocal’s territory with Sumontema’s escort. I had been granted a kind of territorial passage, which gave me a tremendous advantage, and that advantage was also the reason I targeted Theocal first.

The mountain range in the southeast of Theocal.

The mountain range, with its highest peak at 4,900m [16,076 feet] and glaciers on top, is cold and high, but crossing it allows one to immediately reach a large city.

That was my second destination.

The capital of the second Lizardmen kingdom, Uakan.