5. The Division of the Empire
1
“What? The neutral faction has established a country?” Count Ferrero, defending Gorn Fortress, was stunned by the unexpected news.
‘How is this possible?’ he wondered. The neutral nobles he knew weren’t united like the Imperial or Noble factions. They were just a group who couldn’t side with either, calling themselves neutral.
Count Ferrero knew this well, having once been part of them. Now, he was a recognized member of the Imperial faction, loyal to Emperor Rudolf.
“Tell me exactly what happened!” he demanded, his voice rising.
His adjutant quickly replied, “A messenger reported that the remnants of the Western Army and the neutral nobles joined forces, crowning the Orc Hero Shaikhan as their king.”
“Orc Hero Shaikhan?” Ferrero had heard of him. He was the monster lord who nearly destroyed the Navarr Principality years ago. Recently, he’d heard Shaikhan was causing trouble in the Baroque Empire.
‘But the neutral faction crowned a monster as their king?’
Seeing his confusion, the adjutant clarified, “Actually, Shaikhan is said to be human, not a monster. The neutral faction claims he’s the missing Prince Leikart de Baroque.”
“Wh-what?!” Count Ferrero was shocked again. In his youth, he’d briefly served as Prince Leikart’s guard. He was saddened when Leikart went missing with the Third Princess Consort on their way to her family.
And now, he was alive!
“Is that true?”
“It’s unconfirmed, but there are rumors Shaikhan awakened the power of the Divine Dragon.”
“Hah, even the power of the Divine Dragon?” There was a legend in the Baroque Imperial Family: whoever awakened the Divine Dragon’s power would conquer the Rodisia Continent. If true, Shaikhan was likely Prince Leikart.
No, he must be him.
“What does His Majesty the Emperor say?”
“He’s advancing to eradicate the rebels. However, troops sent to occupy the west are being defeated, and roads and bridges are destroyed to prevent the Gigantes [giant war machines] from advancing.”
“Hmm, this civil war won’t be easy.” Ferrero realized Emperor Rudolf’s plans were disrupted by Prince Leikart’s sudden appearance. If that was their situation, their operation here had to change.
“Immediately deploy the reserve forces to counterattack…” Just as Count Ferrero was about to give the order, Kuaaaang—! A huge explosion rocked the gate area, creating chaos.
“It’s time to move.” Scarlett and her subordinates had infiltrated Gorn Fortress days ago, disguised as mercenaries. The fortress received supplies and troops every three days, and they’d blended in.
Her mission was to ensure the civil war remained fiercely contested, not leaning to one side. Marquis Luke, who had left for the Southern Continent, had ordered this. Rogers, the territory’s army commander, had selected knights skilled in infiltration and sabotage and sent them to the central and southern front lines.
Scarlett and her group had been observing the war for days. The Southern Army attacked fiercely at first, but Count Ferrero’s calm response repeatedly foiled their siege.
“We need to step in. If we don’t, the Southern Army will be counterattacked before crossing the Variand Mountains.”
Scarlett’s subordinate knight, who had been with her since Alberville, agreed. “Nobles who are all talk rarely have military skills.”
Unlike Duke Butler, Marquis Myers was a typical political noble. He was good at speaking, gathering forces, and inciting, but lacked tactical or strategic skills. That’s why he failed to capture any fortresses in the Variand Mountains, despite having more troops than the Central Army at Gorn Fortress.
“It’s pathetic. If they lack ability, they should delegate command to someone skilled in military strategy…”
“He seems like a suspicious and greedy noble, unlike our lord.” After criticizing Marquis Myers, Scarlett and her subordinate devised a plan based on their gathered information. Their plan was simple: create the situation the Southern Army desired most.
Leaving their assigned positions, Scarlett and her group hid near the gate. When the sentries were distracted, Scarlett drew her bow towards the gate.
Whooosh! The steel bow, made of Erzen alloy, bent like a reed, and a brilliant light gathered between the bow and string. The light was ether [a magical energy]. She’d learned to use ether under Luke’s command and trained diligently. Now, the results were about to show.
As the ether arrow took shape, mana and surrounding energies seemed drawn to Scarlett’s fingertips.
“Wh-what is that?” “M-mana is fluctuating!” The knights and war mages near the gate were startled. But it was too late. Scarlett, with a cruel smile, released the string.
Kwakwakwakwakwa—! The ether arrow, flying like a roaring dragon, struck the gate directly. Kuaaaang—! The gate, reinforced with steel and magic, shattered along with the protective magic. The fragments scattered, hitting the fortress defenders behind the gate.
“Kuaaak!” “Kek!” “Wh-what is this!” Infantry and knights screamed and tumbled, and nearby Gigantes were immobilized by the dust. The gate area was instantly chaotic.
“Now! Everyone, secure the gate!” At Scarlett’s command, the Rakan March knights and soldiers, disguised as mercenaries, rushed towards the gate. They slashed through the defenders and seized it.
“Wh-what’s going on?” “It’s an enemy sabotage unit! Stop them!” The fortress defenders, stunned, finally reacted and rushed to stop Scarlett’s group. The Gigantes also began to attack. But Scarlett fired ether arrows at them. Though less powerful than the one that shattered the gate, they were enough to wipe out soldiers and knights or pierce the Gigantes’ armor and kill the riders.
With infantry and Gigantes held back, the defenders were frightened. “What are you doing! If we lose the gate, it’s a disaster! Stop them!” At the commander’s cry, soldiers rushed towards the gate again. But they were too late. The Southern Army’s Gigantes and cavalry, realizing the situation, poured through the open gate.
2
“Wh-what’s going on?!” The Southern Army commander attacking the gate was wide-eyed as it shattered with a deafening explosion. ‘What happened? Did gunpowder explode?’ But there was no smoke, and the enemy soldiers on the walls weren’t in disarray.
‘Could it be a scheme to lure us in? No, the defenders are too good for that.’ The commander saw the melee inside the gate. Mercenaries had seized it and were fighting the defenders. ‘I don’t know the details, but this is a golden opportunity!’
Marquis Myers had been urging them to open the gate. Though he didn’t know what was happening, the commander decided to enter and ordered his troops to charge. “The gate is open! Charge!” “Waaaaah!” Thump thump thump! The riders, frustrated by the siege, drove their Gigantes in first, followed by cavalry and infantry.
This was reported to Marquis Myers, waiting in the rear. “What? The gate opened by itself?” “Yes, sir. Could a noble recruited by His Highness the Duke have betrayed us?” Marquis Myers grinned at Baron Bazo’s flattering guess. “Hehehe. Maybe. Anyway, the gate is open, so order a general attack!” “Understood!” At Marquis Myers’s command, the Southern Army rushed towards the fortress.
Momentum is crucial in battle, directly linked to morale. The fortress defenders and Central Army had the initial momentum. But the gate explosion and the mercenaries’ rampage shifted it to the Southern Army. As the Southern Army poured in, the defending knights and soldiers were confused and disoriented.
“Commander! We deployed the reserves, but we can’t recapture the gate!” “What about the Central Army Knights? Turn the Gigante units to defend the gate… No, I’ll go myself!” Count Ferrero jumped down from the watchtower and boarded his Gigante. It was the new hero-class Gigante Atlas, received from the Emperor when he was appointed commander. The Atlas production had stopped after the Veritas Magic Tower fell, but some units existed, and there were enough parts. One was given to each Sword Master of the Imperial faction, besides the Imperial Guard. Whooosh—!
As Ferrero’s mana flowed into the magic stone in the cockpit, the core engine began to vibrate powerfully.
‘Heh heh heh. With this level of performance, I think I can even beat a top-tier Sword Master.’
Count Ferrero, pleased with the Atlas’s powerful output, headed towards the gate.
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
He rushed to the gate and found enemy Gigante units pushing their way through.
“You bastards! How dare you crawl in here!”
Ferrero swung his greatsword at the enemy leading the charge against his allied Gigantes.
Shwack!
Boom!
The greatsword, imbued with impact aura [a technique that enhances the force of a strike], cleaved a Knight-class Gigante in two in an instant.
Considering they had been pushing back the allied Gigantes just moments before, the opposing rider must have been quite skilled.
However, they were no match for Count Ferrero, who was riding a Hero-class Gigante.
“I-Impact Aura? A Sword Master! A Sword Master has appeared!”
“It’s definitely a Hero-class Gigante! Everyone, be careful!”
The Southern Army’s Gigante unit, which had been rampaging freely after breaking through the gate, was thrown into chaos for a moment.
Not missing the opportunity, Count Ferrero fiercely swung his greatsword, destroying the Southern Army’s Gigantes.
“Kyahahaha! I’ll kill everything that stands in my way!”
Count Ferrero rampaged like a madman.
Each time the impact aura flashed from the greatsword of the Atlas he rode, Gigantes were torn apart with gruesome sounds.
“As expected of our Commander!”
“Don’t hesitate, drive the enemy out of the fortress!”
Boosted by Ferrero’s valiant fight, the fortress defenders and Central Army riders reorganized their lines and launched a counterattack.
As a result, the Southern Army’s Gigantes had no choice but to retreat.
“T-This is bad…”
“Don’t fall back! We absolutely cannot lose the gate!”
As the tide of the battle turned against them, some of the most skilled warriors from the Southern Army stepped forward.
They were Knight-class Gigantes belonging to the Iron Fist Knights, with the Iron Fist emblem firmly emblazoned on their chests.
The five Gigantes bravely charged towards the Atlas as soon as they came forward.
“Die, Count Ferrero!”
“Aren’t you ashamed of abandoning the neutral faction and becoming the Emperor’s dog!”
These five, a mix of Upper and Top-tier Experts, knew they couldn’t defeat Count Ferrero, but they thought they could buy enough time until their Sword Master commander and vice-commander arrived.
However, it didn’t take long for them to realize their assumptions were wrong.
Shwack! Crack! Crrrack!
Boom! Thud!
The Atlas’s greatsword, which flew in like a storm, destroyed the five Knight-class Gigantes in the blink of an eye.
True to his nickname, the Mad Dog of the Baroque Empire, Ferrero tore apart the enemy Gigantes with brutal force, almost dismantling them.
Cyclone Wolf Sword.
That was the name of the swordsmanship Count Ferrero had just displayed.
“Good heavens!”
“T-This can’t be happening!”
The Southern Army’s morale plummeted as five Gigantes were reduced to scrap metal in an instant.
They were not just any riders; they were top-tier riders of the Iron Fist Knights, carefully trained by the Myers Marquisate [a territory ruled by a Marquis].
They had honed their skills through rigorous training and were equipped with the best Gigantes with proven performance.
Yet, these elite knights were unable to hold Ferrero back even for a moment and were defeated…!
‘Damn it, he’s even more terrifying than the rumors suggested!’
‘So, an Expert Knight can’t defeat a Sword Master after all?’
‘If I go out there now, I’ll surely die in vain.’
As the Southern Army riders were at a loss, the Atlas approached, swinging its greatsword.
Count Ferrero’s ferocious roar echoed from the cockpit.
“Kyahahaha! You’re still holding on even after seeing your allies being slaughtered! If death is what you desire, I shall grant it!”
As impact aura formed on the Atlas’s greatsword once more, the Southern Army’s Gigantes flinched and hastily raised their shields.
‘Hmph, you cowards.’
Even if they were magic alloy shields mixed with Gigantium or Adamant [fictional metals known for their strength], they couldn’t block impact aura.
Just as Ferrero was about to bring down his greatsword with a sinister smile, a chilling aura rose from behind, and something flew in at a terrifying speed.
‘Huh? What is this?’
Sensing the killing intent carried by the unfamiliar aura, Ferrero quickly turned around and swung his greatsword.
Clang!
The moment he struck the lightning-fast object, a dazzling burst of flames and a violent explosion shattered the greatsword, which had been imbued with impact aura.
Even after that, the explosion wasn’t completely neutralized, and the Atlas’s massive frame was pushed back a step.
“Tch, I missed.”
Scarlett, who had just fired an ether arrow [an arrow powered by magical energy] at the Atlas, clicked her tongue with a disappointed expression.
As the Southern Army entered the fortress and a chaotic battle ensued, Scarlett and her subordinates had quietly slipped away.
They were about to leave after confirming the Central Army’s defeat, but the foolish Southern Army was struggling against Ferrero.
Unable to bear watching their pathetic state, she launched a surprise attack.
“Who dares…?”
Count Ferrero, who had quickly received a new greatsword from his subordinate, glared with wide eyes, searching for the archer who had targeted him.
However, Scarlett had already disappeared before he could spot her.
‘That wasn’t an ordinary arrow. With that kind of power, it must be a Destroyer-level Bow Master!’
Those with superhuman abilities who can fight Gigantes with their bare hands are called Destroyers.
It is rare to find someone skilled enough to intercept Gigantes with just a bow and arrow. As far as Ferrero knew, there was no such person in the Southern Army, nor under the command of Marquis Myers.
‘If they are a Bow Master of that caliber, they must be one of the elves from the Volga Republic… Huh? This aura?’
Suddenly, an undeniable fighting spirit was detected from the gate.
Ferrero turned his head and saw two Gigantes roughly pushing through the Southern Army’s Gigantes.
‘Knight? No, judging by the roar of the core engine, they must be Hero-class!’
The two sleek Hero-class Gigantes had wolf heads.
Although they looked bizarre, the Iron Fist emblem on their chests made it clear that they belonged to the Myers Marquis’s personal guard, the Iron Fist Knights.
“Kyahaha! Long time no see, Ferrero.”
“Y-You guys!”
Familiar voices and auras emanated from the wolf-headed Gigantes, and Count Ferrero immediately recognized who they were.
They were the Renold and Renard Gram brothers, the once-famous Sword Master brothers of the Imperial Capital.
The Gram brothers, who were half-Lycanthrope [a person who can transform into a wolf] and half-human, were a step below Count Ferrero in skill.
However, their combined swordsmanship was known to be quite fierce.
So much so that it was said that Duke Butler had suffered a setback when he sparred with them to give them some guidance.
Count Ferrero knew this well, as he had once had his beard cut off during a scuffle with the Gram brothers.
If they had been pure humans and nobles, they would have been standing shoulder to shoulder with Ferrero in the Central Army or the Imperial Guard.
‘These guys must have left the Empire?’
Unlike the half-elves or half-dwarves, the Gram brothers, who looked very different from humans, could not tolerate discrimination and mistreatment and wandered as mercenaries.
And ten years ago, they disappeared after participating in the civil war in Yamatai, an island nation in the Southern Continent.
“When did you return?”
“Kuh, has it been about a year? I heard the treatment of fairies in the Empire has improved a bit.”
“Besides, Marquis Myers sent us a chest of gold with his aide, offering to recruit us as the commander and vice-commander of the Iron Fist.”
The Gram brothers, who answered Count Ferrero, slowly advanced their Gigantes.
Their Hero-class Gigantes, named ‘Anubis,’ used giant boomerangs as weapons instead of greatswords or battle axes.
Moreover, they used not one, but two at the same time.
“Die, Ferrero!”
“Kyahaha! This time, we’ll cut off your head, not just your beard!”
Renold and Renard threw their boomerangs in succession.
Whirr, whirr, whirr!
The Gram brothers’ boomerangs, flying in an arc, aimed for the Atlas’s rear.
Seeing the impact aura flashing from the four boomerangs, Count Ferrero quickly swung his greatsword to deflect them.
Then, Renold and Renard caught the deflected boomerangs and charged, wielding them like scythes or twin swords.
Clang! Clang!
Whoosh! Thud!
Unable to withstand the brothers’ relentless attacks, who were rapidly changing positions and attacking from all directions, Ferrero was continuously pushed back.
‘Damn it, these guys have improved! They must be at least mid-tier Sword Masters!’
Although Ferrero’s current skill was at the top-tier Sword Master level, he could not overwhelm the Gram brothers, who boasted excellent combined swordsmanship.
Moreover, the Atlas’s right arm became increasingly sluggish over time.
The joint had been damaged when he deflected the ether arrow that Scarlett had fired earlier.
‘Damn it, I can’t fight those hairy bastards in this state!’
As he was being pushed back, the Southern Army’s Gigante unit launched a counterattack, pushing back the Central Army and the fortress defenders.
Judging that it would be difficult to defend the Gorn Fortress in this state, the Count shouted through the cockpit.
“Everyone, retreat! Fall back!”
Defending the fortress was important, but more important was preserving the Central Army’s strength.
With Emperor Rudolf tied down by the sudden appearance of the Livia Kingdom, the Imperial Capital would be defenseless if the Central Army was annihilated.
‘It’s a shame to lose the Gorn Fortress, but there are other fortresses in the Variand Mountains. I can use those fortresses to stop them.’
With that judgment, Ferrero ordered a retreat, and following his command, the fortress defenders, the Central Army, and the territorial forces sent by the pro-Emperor nobles quickly retreated through the north gate.
However, there was something Count Ferrero had not grasped.
Not only at the Gorn Fortress, but also at other fortresses, knights from the Rakan Marquisate had infiltrated and were creating similar situations.
3
“They really arrived in the blink of an eye.”
Luke couldn’t help but marvel at the sight of the black fortress standing tall before him.
He had thought that the Divine Transportation was similar to teleportation, but it was more than that.
With current magic, it was impossible to cross the ocean in an instant, and it didn’t require complex spells or teleportation gates.
Perhaps, it might be possible if one reached the 10th circle, which was said to be comparable to a dragon.
‘That’s truly a god-like power.’
He already knew that Nanda was an amazing person since he had dealt with Arsen, but this incident made Luke see Nanda as even more incredible.
“Is this the lord’s manor?”
Zhuge Soha, who had come to a foreign country for the first time, asked, pointing at the fortress in front of her.
I remember seeing a picture book about the Northern Continent’s culture and scenery when I was young, and the castles in it looked similar to this one.
“No, the manor over there is the lord’s residence,” Luke corrected.
“Ah, I see. Then what is this castle?” Zhuge Soha asked.
Hwangbo Seong answered her question, “It’s where the Demon King lived long ago. They say your lord’s ancestor defeated him there.”
“Ah, so this castle belonged to the black magician named Seymon, who was called the Demon King,” Zhuge Soha exclaimed, impressed by Hwangbo Seong’s explanation.
She had heard the tale of the hero and the Demon King who shook the Northern Continent 500 years ago. However, she never imagined she’d be standing on the stage of that legendary story.
Luke chuckled, watching Soha look around the giant castle like a tourist. “I’ll give you a tour later. Let’s go now.”
“Yes, Lord,” Soha replied, secretly wishing she could call him ‘My Lord’ already. She thought that day would come soon, and she followed Luke with quick steps.
“The lord has returned!” the gatekeeper announced.
Upon hearing the news, Hans and the other retainers, as well as Erewine, who was in the Rakan territory, rushed out. They knew he was returning, but they hadn’t expected him back so quickly from the distant Song Empire. They couldn’t hide their joy and surprise.
“My lord, do you know how worried this old man was?” Hans exclaimed.
“Please, next time, let us know where you’re going,” another retainer added.
“My lord is the pillar of the Rakan Marquisate. If something unfortunate were to happen to you, many people would be unhappy. From now on, please take escort knights with you,” a third retainer pleaded.
“Alright. I will,” Luke readily agreed to their requests, which poured down like a shower.
In truth, he had learned a valuable lesson from this incident: even with outstanding skills, one could still fall into a trap. Luke vowed to be more careful in the future as Erewine approached him.
Luke greeted her with a welcoming expression. “You’re here too. The Green Crystal manufacturing method you taught me last time was a great help.”
Thanks to that, he was able to save the Ironwood Forest and steadily import Ironwood from the Zhuge family.
“I’m glad it was helpful. It seems it was more useful than I thought,” Erewine replied, sounding less than happy, unlike Luke.
‘Huh? Why is she acting so prickly?’ Luke wondered. When they had communicated through magic last time, she had been very friendly, but now she was acting like before. No, she seemed much sharper and colder.
While Luke was bewildered, not knowing what was going on, Hans spoke to him. “My lord, who are these people?”
There were two people standing behind Luke whom he had never seen before: an old man with a bald head wearing a gray robe, and a young, beautiful woman in red armor. Judging from their appearance and clothing, they were definitely from the Southern Continent. Unlike the old man, who looked ordinary, the beautiful woman with two swords at her waist seemed to be a very skilled swordsman.
“Ah, this person is Great Master Nanda, a priest of the Sejon Order… no, the Arahan Order [a Buddhist monastic order]. And this is the young lady of the Zhuge family, a prestigious martial arts family of the Song Empire,” Luke introduced them.
“Amitabha [a Buddhist greeting]. It is a pleasure to meet you,” Nanda said.
“I am Zhuge Soha. I look forward to working with you,” Soha added.
At Luke’s introduction, the two greeted the retainers. The retainers bowed respectfully, as the lord seemed to regard them as honored guests. However, Erewine simply nodded with a frown.
In fact, the reason she was suddenly acting cold at Luke’s welcoming party was because of Zhuge Soha. As her feelings for Luke grew stronger, she had discovered a new emotion: jealousy.
‘After making me worry so much, he brings a woman!’ she thought.
‘Oh my, who is this fox-like goblin woman? Could she be the lord’s lover?’ she wondered.
While the two women were secretly engaged in a fierce staring contest, Luke moved to the conference room with his retainers. Although it was important to catch up, there were many things to discuss now that the political situation was changing rapidly. Even though he had received reports through magic communication from time to time, many important and significant events had occurred in just a few days.
As soon as they arrived at the conference room, Hans reported on the recent events in the Baroque Empire.
“Hmm, the neutral nobles have declared the founding of the Kingdom of Livia, and Marquis Myers, who has occupied the Variand Mountains, is also preparing to declare the founding of a kingdom?” Luke mused.
“That’s right. The day before yesterday, Marquis Myers sent a letter inviting us to his coronation ceremony. What are your thoughts on this…?” Hans asked.
Luke flatly refused as if there was nothing to think about. “Is there any need to attend? Just send a letter of congratulations and be done with it.”
“Yes, I will do that,” Hans replied.
There’s a saying that you should keep your enemies closer than your friends, but Luke, as well as his retainers, only thought of Marquis Myers and the Baroque Empire as a temporary buffer.
As Hans stepped back, Luke turned his gaze to Rogers and said, “What happened to the Alberville territory army that went to the east?”
“They have occupied about one-third of the territories in the eastern region along with the Holy Empire army,” Rogers reported.
The Alberville territory army and the Holy Empire army, which had been dispatched to hold back Emperor Rudolf, continued to sweep through the eastern part of the empire while Luke was in the Song Empire. The eastern army of the Baroque Empire remained, but it seemed they were not enough to stop them, as half of their forces had left to help the emperor.
“Knowing that the vanguard is the Firebolt Bellic, the eastern army is avoiding battles by using a scorched-earth tactic or focusing only on defense. Therefore, the Holy Empire is refraining from excessive advances and focusing only on managing the occupied territories,” Rogers explained.
“Hmm, is that so?” Luke responded.
They had seized a good opportunity, which was the civil war in the Baroque Empire. However, it seemed that the Holy Artenia Empire was also in a tight spot, so they had no intention of further expanding the war or increasing the damage.
Luke wasn’t particularly disappointed with this situation. From the beginning, the reason for moving the Alberville territory army and the Holy Empire army was to check the eastern army, one of Emperor Rudolf’s main forces. Since that goal had been achieved, how many territories in the eastern region they seized was secondary.
“But, my lord, when do you plan to deploy our territory army? The preparations for the deployment of all forces, including the Gigant [giant humanoid war machine] forces, cavalry, and artillery, have been completed,” Rogers asked.
“The atmosphere is quite ripe, but it’s not yet time. We need to wait until the emperor and the rebel forces fight a little more and become rags,” Luke replied.
Although the Rakan territory had built up considerable power, it was still too much to fight a battle with the emperor’s faction or the noble faction. Of course, they wouldn’t lose even if they fought now, but it was obvious they would suffer considerable damage.
“But the war may end with the empire divided as it is. Isn’t that what the neutral faction and Marquis Myers were aiming for when they hastily declared the founding of their kingdoms?” Rogers pointed out.
There are many countries that have bad relations with the Baroque Empire. The most representative of these countries are the Volga Republic and the Holy Artenia Empire. If they participated in the war or actively supported the rebel forces that declared independence, and the civil war ended, the Rakan Marquisate would be left empty-handed.
“Although Emperor Rudolf is mad with anger at the rebel forces, he won’t fight until he has exhausted his national power. He wouldn’t want to be eaten by other countries that are constantly looking for opportunities,” Luke responded.
“Of course, that may be the case. But I have no intention of being happy with a victory that is only full of wounds. It’s important to settle the bad relationship with the Baroque imperial family, but it’s more important to survive to the end. We’ll be able to see a new future if we survive,” Luke said.
At the mention of a new future, the retainers were filled with anticipation. Many of them were already thinking, ‘Should we do it too?’ after hearing the news of the neutral faction and Marquis Myers declaring the founding of their kingdoms.
“We must prepare for any situation that may arise. Until that time, let’s train the territory army a little more,” Luke added.
“Yes, my lord,” Rogers replied, hiding his disappointed expression.
Luke changed the subject slightly, intending to comfort him a little. “The commander will also have to train harder. I’ve acquired the latter half of the Gold Sword on this trip.”
“Yes? Wh-what did you just say?” Rogers stammered.
The conference room erupted as if it had been hit by a bomb. There was no one among the retainers of the Rakan Marquisate who didn’t know about the Gold Sword. The Gold Sword was the best swordsmanship created by the hero Rakan, who defeated the Demon King. However, unfortunately, the latter half was lost about 400 years ago. But now he had obtained it again!
The old retainers who had served the Rakan family for a long time shed tears of emotion, and the young retainers clenched their fists in excitement. The most excited among them were the knights, including Rogers.
“My lord, is it true? Did you really find the latter half?” Philip asked urgently.
Luke smiled and nodded. “I was able to obtain it thanks to Great Master Nanda, who is here next to me. I’ll teach it to you later, so be prepared.”
At Luke’s declaration, the knights all bowed their heads with bright faces. The latter half of the Gold Sword, said to be Rakan’s last secret, was rumored to allow one to aspire to become a Sword Sage beyond a Sword Master. Naturally, their hearts were pounding.
“And I’ll equip the allied Gigants with synchronization helms,” Luke continued.
“Yes? Didn’t you say that special materials are needed to equip synchronization helms?” Mute, the Meister of the Katarina Magic Tower, asked.
Luke nodded and said, “I was able to secure some Ironwood with the help of the Zhuge family this time.”
“Oh!” Mute exclaimed.
Mute knew very well that there was a big difference in performance between a Gigant with and without a synchronization helm. He had wanted to equip each Gigant with a synchronization helm, but the problem was the materials. If they used the expensive radium alloy, the cost would be higher than the benefit, and he had heard that the Ironwood, which was relatively cheaper, was not sold by the producers. But now he had obtained it!
“I’ll start by equipping the hero-class ones first,” Luke said.
“Please allow me to help you!” Mute pleaded.
The synchronization helm contained complex magic circles of high circles, and the manufacturing method was also unique. Just watching it would be of great help in improving his magic skills, so Mute’s face was full of smiles.
“Alright. We’ll start tomorrow, so prepare for it,” Luke said.
“I’ll be fully prepared,” Mute replied, bowing his head vigorously.
Luke glanced at his retainers and then opened his mouth. “As Commander Rogers said, it seems that the empire will soon be divided into three countries: the existing Baroque Empire centered in the central region, the Kingdom of Livia in the southwest, and the Marquisate of Myers in the south.”
“How long do you think this division will last, my lord?” Bentley, the finance officer, asked.
Luke tilted his head. “Well, unexpected variables keep popping up, so I can’t make any predictions.”
The civil war had been flowing differently from what he had thought from the beginning. He hadn’t expected the western army to collapse so quickly, nor had he expected the neutral faction and Marquis Myers, backed by Shaikhan, to boldly declare the founding of their kingdoms.
“But the series of situations isn’t bad for us. No, it would be even better if they fought each other even harder. So, until the day of deployment comes, please do your best in your respective positions,” Luke said.
“Yes! We’ll follow your orders, my lord!” the retainers shouted.
“For the glory of Rakan!” they added in unison.
Thus, Luke’s return ceremony ended.