Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 109

5. Entry into Brenden

1

The war between the Rakan Territory and the Miltan Kingdom concluded with a victory for the Rakan Territory.

The news of the war’s end spread like wildfire throughout the Miltan Kingdom.

Luke had strategically encouraged the spread of rumors through Argos and his retainers.

“Did you hear? Marquis Luke is marching on Brenden with his army,” one person said.

“They say Count Lao and the nobles who fought in the war have surrendered and are now recommending the Marquis as the King of Miltan,” another added.

“They’re recommending the leader of the enemy army as their next king? Why would they do that?” someone questioned.

“Well, they say King Myers was the one who killed Count Bajo. The Count’s ghost has been appearing before the king and his soldiers every night, crying out about his unjust death,” another explained.

“Oh my god, so this whole war was completely unjustified,” a shocked voice said.

“Damn it, to throw the country into chaos by starting a war without any reason…” someone cursed.

The people of the Miltan Kingdom openly cursed Myers for starting a war without justification.

Even though it was a great disrespect to the former king, even in death, no one tried to stop them.

Strangely, as soon as the war ended, the monsters that had been causing trouble in various places vanished without a trace.

Some priests claimed that the monsters’ rampage was divine punishment for Myers’ unjust war.

Regardless, with the monsters gone, public order began to stabilize rapidly.

The troops that had been sent to subdue the monsters returned, bandits and robbers were eliminated, and the riots that had plagued the city gradually subsided.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A week after the war ended,

The Rakan Territory army, led by Luke, entered Brenden.

They encountered no resistance on their way.

There were no forces left in Miltan capable of fighting the Rakan Territory army.

Moreover, the influential lords and nobles of the Miltan Kingdom, including the Gram brothers and Marquis Volant, had already pledged their allegiance to Luke.

Those who had surrendered used their connections to persuade the remaining nobles and lords in the country.

The nobles who had been against the war in the first place readily agreed to submit, while others simply held their breath, careful not to antagonize the occupying forces.

“The royal capital is being entered without a single drop of blood spilled,” Luke observed.

At Luke’s words, Philip grumbled, as if he had been waiting to say it.

“Seriously, weren’t there any loyal subjects who fought to the bitter end?”

“Of course there were. It’s just that they were dealt with before we arrived.”

Baron Mazer and the Royal Knights who remained in the royal capital were unaware of the truth about the king’s actions.

They had heard the rumors, but they didn’t believe them. They thought it was a false rumor spread by Luke to seize the kingdom.

“They tried to close the gates of Brenden and fight to the end, but they were suppressed and annihilated by the anti-war faction, including Count Malcolm, the Minister of Internal Affairs,” Luke explained.

“Oh, come on…” Philip sighed.

Philip, with a bitter expression, looked around the streets of the royal capital.

The residents of Brenden whispered nervously as they watched the soldiers of the Marquisate of Rakan march towards the royal palace like triumphant conquerors.

It was good that the war was over, but they were unsure how the new ruler would treat them.

“The atmosphere seems much worse than when I came to buy Gigantes before,” Philip commented.

Luke nodded in agreement.

“The people’s faces are grim.”

Most of the shops were closed, and there were signs of fire and battles scattered throughout the streets.

The residents, consumed by anxiety and worry, were clearly exhausted.

Many people were emaciated or sick, likely from not having enough to eat.

Moreover, many young people had been conscripted for the war and monster subjugation, so there were hardly any young men to be seen.

The bright and lively Brenden of a few years ago had vanished.

‘To make the country like this and wage war to covet my territory… Myers, you’re truly pathetic.’

Even Myers, who I thought was skilled in politics and management.

When chaos struck, he was no different from any other noble.

No, considering he insisted on war even amidst the country’s turmoil, he was worse than an ordinary noble.

‘Excessive greed makes one lose reason, and it plunges oneself into corruption and makes those around them miserable. I must always remember this and be careful.’

Just as Luke thought this, he and his army arrived in front of the royal palace.

“Long live Marquis Luke!”

“May the name of Rakan shine forever!”

A group of people had gathered in front of the main gate of the royal palace.

They were the central nobles who remained in the royal capital, and they cheered and welcomed Luke when he appeared.

Being sensitive to the shift in power, they had brought their families and relatives to make a good impression on Luke, the new ruler.

“Marquis! Congratulations on becoming the ruler of Miltan,” a middle-aged nobleman with a flamboyant mustache said, bowing respectfully.

“Who are you?” Luke asked.

The middle-aged nobleman replied humbly, “I am Count Malcolm. I am the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Miltan Kingdom.”

“Ah, so you’re Malcolm?”

Count Malcolm, the Minister of Internal Affairs, held a higher title and position than Baron Mazer, but Myers did not trust him.

This was because he had been a political opportunist in the past.

He had initially been under Duke Butler, then sided with Marquis Cabanel after going to Nemesis, and then followed Myers after Marquis Cabanel’s assassination.

As a result, he never gained real power even after the founding of the nation.

Even when Myers left the royal capital for the expedition, he appointed Mazer as the person in charge of the rear, not him.

His poor treatment turned out to be a blessing in disguise, allowing him to emerge as a representative today.

‘I should dress up Elaina well and put her in the Marquis’s room. If Elaina has a child with the Marquis, who has no heir yet, it’s only a matter of time before I become the second-in-command of the kingdom.’

Count Malcolm was secretly planning to send his youngest daughter to Luke. He was unaware that Luke had a beloved lover.

Even if he knew, he would have forced it.

He believed that a ruler needed a strong successor more than love.

As Malcolm was dreaming of a bright future, Luke spoke to him in a cold voice.

“I heard that you wiped out Baron Mazer and the Royal Knights who remained in the royal capital?”

“Yes, I took the lead in eliminating those rebellious elements.”

“And I heard that you massacred the Miltan royal family, is that correct?”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

When Luke’s expression turned darker than expected, Count Malcolm’s heart sank. He felt like he had made a mistake.

‘What is it? What did I do wrong?’

Unable to understand the reason, he hurriedly said, “Marquis, I and the nobles who follow me have prepared a grand banquet in the banquet hall. Please come in with your generals and enjoy the fruits of your hard work… Keok!”

In the middle of his speech, Count Malcolm doubled over.

Luke’s foot had landed squarely on Malcolm’s abdomen.

The pain was so intense that Malcolm clutched his stomach and rolled on the ground.

Luke pressed down on his head and growled, “Who told you to do that?”

“I, I just wanted to avoid staining your hands… Ack!”

“It’s not for me, but for your pathetic desire for power. Did you think I wouldn’t know that you incited the people from behind to cause a rebellion?”

Before entering the city, Luke had received reports from Argos agents who had infiltrated in advance.

Some of the anti-war nobles had incited the people who were dissatisfied with conscription to cause riots and rebellions.

He also learned that parts of Brenden had been destroyed or looted, and the residents had suffered greatly because of it.

In truth, the chaos that occurred in the Miltan Kingdom could be said to have been caused by Luke, who had released a large number of monsters.

However, that was only to weaken the Miltan Kingdom, not to inflict pain on the powerless people.

However, Count Malcolm and his faction did not try to resolve the chaos; instead, they incited the people to secure their own political interests.

“Put Count Malcolm in prison. And arrest all those who are in league with him!” Luke commanded.

At Luke’s command, the faces of Malcolm and the nobles who followed him turned pale.

“O-oh, it’s a misunderstanding. We just stepped forward to help the Marquis!”

“Your Excellency, you can’t do this to a noble who has willingly submitted! Please reconsider!” the nobles shouted as they were dragged away, but Luke ignored them.

“You did well. Those opportunistic people are of no help in running the kingdom,” Luke said.

“That’s right. Even if we decided to embrace the Miltan Kingdom, we have to separate the trash,” Rogers agreed.

Philip also supported Luke’s decision.

Count Lao and the nobles who had recently surrendered pretended not to see the nobles who had once served Myers being dragged away.

They had been displeased with them for switching sides so often. Still, seeing them swept away so quickly made them feel more uneasy than relieved. They wondered if they might be next.

However, since Luke held their fate in his hands, no one raised any objections.

“The banquet is canceled. Distribute the food to the poor outside the royal palace,” Luke ordered.

“Understood, Your Excellency!” a retainer replied.

Luke, having dealt with those who betrayed and flattered for their own gain, walked into the royal palace with a dignified air.

And he began to pacify the Miltan Kingdom at a terrifying speed.

2

Luke, upon entering Brenden, first held a funeral for Myers and his family.

He collected the bodies of the princes and queens, who had been ignored until now, and placed them in expensive marble coffins.

Luke also used his own money to build a rather luxurious tomb.

‘Tch, if I could, I would throw Myers’ body to the wild beasts and bury his family roughly in the wilderness…’

However, to quickly integrate the Miltan Kingdom, it was necessary to show that he and the Rakan Territory army were not ‘conquerors’ or ‘occupying forces’.

So, he deliberately held a grand funeral, which was a good way to show Luke’s tolerance to the people of Miltan.

Luke didn’t stop there; he also erected a monument to commemorate Baron Mazer and the Royal Knights who had died upholding their loyalty to the end.

“The people of the Miltan Kingdom are now my people, so treat them like your parents and siblings. Anyone who commits an unsavory act will be punished regardless of their status!” Luke declared.

Luke strictly disciplined the Rakan Territory army stationed in Brenden to prevent any trouble. He also eliminated the robbers and bandits who had been rampant during the monster rampage.

He focused on gaining public support by announcing several benevolent proclamations.

“Did you hear? Marquis Luke released all the young men who were forcibly conscripted,” one person said.

“Not only that, but he’s opening the granaries of the Marquisate and distributing grain to the poor to stabilize prices,” another added.

“Whew, that’s a relief. The price of food has gone up so much that it’s been hard to eat even one meal a day,” someone sighed.

“There’s also talk that he’ll lower taxes!” another exclaimed.

“Is that true?”

“It’s definitely true! I went to the central square this morning and saw the proclamation. Because of that, everyone is praising Marquis Luke,” someone confirmed.

The people of the Miltan Kingdom were always talking about Luke’s actions whenever they gathered.

While the people of Miltan were raising their expectations for the new leader, Luke and his vassals were working day and night to deal with the aftermath of the war and the merger of the Miltan Kingdom.

By reviewing numerous documents and ledgers of the royal palace, receiving reports on the kingdom’s current issues, and giving instructions, a day would pass in an instant.

“Ugh, I want to have a proper meal, stretch my legs, and sleep in a bed…” Philip complained.

“Don’t complain, Sir Philip. His Excellency is also eating sandwiches for meals and taking naps on a chair,” Rogers retorted.

Renold, who was working beside him, chided him, but Philip continued to grumble.

“At this rate, I really feel like I’m going to collapse from overwork. A knight should die on the battlefield, not buried under a mountain of paperwork. Where’s the glory in that?”

“Heh heh heh. Shall I kill you then?”

With those words, Renard, who had been struggling with documents on one side, stood up.

“I haven’t settled things with you yet anyway. So, let’s finish it for good this time!”

He was burning with fighting spirit, as if he would charge at any moment. He, too, was tired of the battle with the paperwork.

Philip glanced at him, then sighed deeply and shook his head.

“Hah, I’d like to, but… if we did, the lord would finish us off before we could even settle things.”

“Hmm, that’s certainly true.”

At Philip’s words, Renard sat back down with a gloomy look.

Despite his rough and fierce personality, typical of a Lycanthrope hybrid [a person with both human and wolf traits], he was afraid of Luke.

He had already experienced Luke’s skills firsthand, and he had heard the story of how his brother Renold was defeated in a single move.

‘Just how far does Marquis Luke’s true power reach? Could he be on par with a Sword Sage [a master swordsman of legendary skill]?’

As Renard was thinking this, Baron Rogers opened his mouth with a disgruntled voice.

“By the way, how long are we knights going to keep doing this? Is the support force to help with the administrative work still far away?”

“From what I hear, the vassals and administrators remaining in the Lakan territory also have a lot to do. The southern coastal area is a mess because of the Grenada pirates…”

At Philip’s answer, the officials of the Miltan Kingdom, including the Gram brothers, could not join in the grumbling and quietly focused on their work.

They were the ones who had brought Grenada into the picture.

Of course, Myers had led the charge, but since they had participated in the war, they could not completely ignore their responsibility.

Fifteen days after entering Brenden.

The support force that Philip and his group had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived.

Hans, the butler, who led the vassals and administrators of the Lakan March, respectfully greeted Luke, who was in the midst of a battle(?) with a mountain of documents in the royal palace’s main hall.

“Congratulations on your ascension, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty, what nonsense… I haven’t even had the coronation yet.”

Luke waved his hand and handed Hans a pile of documents.

“These are the diplomatic documents of the Miltan Kingdom. I’ve already reviewed the important and confidential ones, so you can look at them and submit a summarized report.”

“Oh dear, this old man hasn’t even recovered from his journey yet.”

“Do you think anyone else has? Honestly, I expected it, but I didn’t know there would be this much work.”

It was quite different from when he had taken over the Monarch County.

Back then, it was just a single territory, but this time, it was a nation that had been merged.

There were countless things to look into, such as diplomacy, administration, and legal systems.

This workload was something even Seymon had not experienced 500 years ago.

The world was much more developed and complex now than it had been hundreds of years ago, and the population had also increased significantly.

“If Myers hadn’t done such a foolish thing, it wouldn’t have collapsed just two months after its founding.”

“Because of that foolish act, it will be recorded as the shortest dynasty in history. We must strive to ensure that doesn’t happen to us.”

“Of course.”

Luke, who had been looking through the documents while chatting with Hans, changed the subject as if something had suddenly come to mind.

“By the way, how is the academy establishment that we discussed earlier progressing?”

“It has been temporarily suspended due to the war. The building is being constructed by expanding the villa that the former Monarch Count used, but it is not easy to invite professors and lecturers.”

“Hmm, then it will be difficult to establish it within this year.”

The academy.

Luke, having received a proposal from the administrator Zetos, was planning to create a comprehensive educational institution to train more officials, knights, and mages.

He was using the famous private higher education institution in the Albein March, the Albein Academy, as a role model.

The difference was that not only nobles but also commoners and other races would be allowed to enroll if they had the talent.

The departments would be divided into administrative, knight, and magic departments, and those who graduated with excellent grades from each department would be immediately hired as administrators, knights, or mages.

“But, I heard that the Albein Academy has closed down?”

“Yes, I heard it was because they were caught up in the war, but it’s practically closed down.”

The Marquis of Albein, the chairman of the Baroque Empire’s parliament, was a noble belonging to the neutral faction.

Originally, he was a figure detached from the civil war, but the situation changed when the neutral nobles cooperated with Shaikhan to establish the Kingdom of Livia.

Moreover, because he had been admitting and training the children of the noble faction since before, he had fallen out of favor with Rudolf.

“Ultimately, because his territory was located close to the Kingdom of Livia, the Imperial Army forcibly seized the academy and is using it as a military base.”

“Oh dear… then what happened to the Marquis of Albein and the academy professors?”

“They have fled abroad. Shall we look into their whereabouts?”

At Hans’s question, Luke nodded.

“Yes, tell the Argos agents to find out.”

Luke thought that if he could recruit them, the establishment of the academy would be much easier.

“But, isn’t there an academy in the Miltan Kingdom? How about bringing in personnel from there first?”

“Of course, there is, but it’s far inferior to the Albein Academy, and the professors’ policies and ideologies are far from what I have in mind, so I’m not very keen on it.”

There was indeed an academy in the Miltan Kingdom.

However, after examining it, Luke was not satisfied with the intellectual level or ideologies of the professors.

A teacher has a great influence on students.

There was no way that a professor who was trapped in feudalistic thinking or the elitism of the nobility would teach and treat students equally.

The talented individuals that Luke wanted would not be cultivated.

“In order for us to expand in the future, securing talent is the most important thing. There is a limit to how long we can recruit from the outside or raise them in a haphazard way. Therefore, we must lay a good foundation for the education that will nurture them.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Hans, who had bowed his head, asked something he had been curious about, since he had given up on resting anyway.

“By the way, how is the maintenance of the fortresses and roads going?”

To quickly seize control of the Miltan Kingdom, it was crucial to secure the fortresses and roads.

Occupying the fortresses, which were military strongholds, was necessary to prevent rebellions, and active traffic through the roads was necessary to check the influence of the local lords.

“It’s a mess due to the rampaging monsters and bandits, but it’s not too serious, so we’re quickly fixing it.”

“That’s a relief. How about the Bariant Mountains area?”

The fortresses in the Bariant Mountains were the front line to stop the forces of the Baroque Empire, so it was necessary to quickly replace or co-opt the commanders of the fortresses to prevent them from defecting.

Luke had already examined and managed the Bariant Mountains region first, before any other area of the Miltan Kingdom.

“I’ve already replaced or co-opted all the fortress commanders with our people. I’m planning to dispatch some of the administrators that the butler brought this time to that area.”

“You’ve done well. But we must thoroughly monitor them to prevent Myers’ remnants or Emperor Rudolf’s spies from playing tricks.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I was also worried that the Baroque Empire might invade during the war, but fortunately, they are tied up with the Kingdom of Livia and the Holy Empire, so they haven’t shown any significant movements.”

Moreover, the Volga Republic in the north was also crossing the border whenever they had the chance.

Even if Emperor Rudolf wanted to target the Miltan Kingdom right away, he couldn’t.

“Anyway, we need to work hard and lay a solid foundation when we have time. Fortunately, most of it is progressing smoothly. However…”

“Is there something that is bothering you?”

At Hans’s question, Luke nodded and continued, looking at a box placed next to the throne.

“It seems that Myers made a secret pact with the Volga Republic as well as Grenada.”

“What? Is that true?”

At Hans’s surprised question, Luke opened the box and showed him the mutual defense treaty between the two countries.

He had roughly suspected that the two countries had made a secret pact when he had intercepted 50 Gigants [large, powerful war machines] on the road before.

After examining them, they were just Night-class Pieros, the main Gigants of the Volga Republic, with only the outer shell decorated differently.

His suspicion turned into certainty the moment he saw the alliance treaty between the two countries that he had found in the royal palace.

“Since Myers is dead, the Volga Republic might make a move soon.”

Princess Reina, Dark Moon, and even the fairies.

Luke had an uncomfortable relationship with the Volga Republic in many ways.

Now that he had occupied the Miltan Kingdom, which had made a secret pact with them, it was unlikely that they would remain still.

3

Volga Republic Presidential Residence.

Late at night, three people were gathered there.

President Vladimir Lecov, Duke Dimitri, the republic’s greatest swordsman, and Marquis Tyrone, the Meister [master] of the republic’s magic tower.

“The reason I have called you here late at night is to secretly deal with one matter.”

“Is it perhaps about the Dark Moon Magic Tower?”

At Marquis Tyrone’s question, the president looked at him with a surprised face.

“That’s right, how did you know?”

“Actually, I received a letter from Sylvia, the second director.”

Duke Dimitri, who was in charge of the military, had also received a letter.

Seeing that he also had a knowing expression, President Vladimir gave a thin, bitter smile.

“Well, if you all know, there’s no need to explain it. It’s about the Dark Moon’s negligence and deception.”

Until now, they had thought that the reason why Dark Moon had been sluggish in developing Hero-class Gigants was because they were busy with the attack that had occurred a few years ago and the subsequent relocation of their base.

So, even when contact was infrequent, they had waited, thinking that was the reason, but recently, they had received some rather surprising news.

Sylvia, the second director of the intelligence department, had informed them that the Dark Moon Magic Tower had joined hands with Luke, the descendant of the hero, and betrayed the republic.

Of course, the president and the two leaders did not believe Sylvia’s words.

The Dark Moon Magic Tower was one of the three pillars that formed the foundation of the republic, having been with them since the early days of the republic’s revolution.

That such an entity would join hands with the descendant of Lakan, who was fundamentally their enemy?

“But I secretly spied on Dark Moon, just in case, and I was able to confirm that Sylvia’s words were true.”

Unlike the two who had ignored her words, Vladimir had sent a spy first.

He was suspicious that the place where the Dark Moon Magic Tower had secretly settled was the Jason territory that Marquis Luke had received from Emperor Rudolf in the past.

At first, the president had tried to understand, thinking that it could be because the darkest place is under the lamp [a saying meaning the most obvious place is often overlooked].

However, the reports from the spies that followed shattered his faith in Dark Moon.

“It has been confirmed that Dark Moon is secretly sending the Gigants they produce to the Lakan territory. Moreover, among the Gigants they handed over was the new Hero-class Gigant Orion.”

“Th-that’s!”

To think that the item they had commissioned for development had actually already been developed and was in the hands of a different force!

The two leaders were shocked by the president’s story.

“Tch! Those Dark Moon bastards, betraying us!”

“Duke Dimitri, don’t get so excited. They might have been threatened by some unavoidable circumstances, mightn’t they?”

“Threatened? Do you think it makes sense that they would bow their heads to the very people they have hated for so long?”

“But there might be circumstances we don’t know about?”

Marquis Tyrone stepped forward to defend Dark Moon.

He was also angry, but since he was a mage, he was trying to think about the situation more rationally than Dimitri.

At that moment, President Vladimir spoke again.

“I also considered that possibility. So, I tried to call Sylvia to hear more details, but… her whereabouts are unknown.”

She was said to have gone to the base after being summoned by the fairy representatives, but she could not be reached.

In reality, she had not left but had been captured by the arrest team sent by Brat.

Having noticed that Elder Nanas and the fairies who belonged to the hardline faction like herself had been arrested, she had leaked the information to the president and the leaders before being captured.

By exposing that Luke was in contact with Dark Moon, she intended to make things difficult for the fairy leaders who had decided to cooperate with him.

Of course, the republic’s leaders had no way of knowing even that intention.

“How about contacting Meister Johas to hear the situation? And…”

“We’ve already contacted them, but they’re just making excuses. It seems like a waste of time to talk any further.”

“Then, what do you intend to do?” Marquis Tiron asked, and the President’s expression hardened.

“I plan to issue an ultimatum first. If they don’t comply, we’ll have no choice but to resolve it by force.”

Dimitri and Tiron exchanged a look, understanding why the President had summoned them.

As they expected, President Vladimir issued an order.

“The military will carefully select knights and mages to form a unit to attack Dark Moon. They must infiltrate Jason’s territory beforehand so they can strike at any time.”

“Understood, Your Excellency.”

Dark Moon was nearly as powerful as a top-ten magic tower.

Besides black mages, there were also fairy riders and many humans cooperating with them.

Could such a place really be subdued with a small force?

The question lingered in Tiron’s mind, but like Dimitri, he accepted the order without complaint.

As the two leaders left to organize their units, the President headed to the communications room to deliver the ultimatum to Dark Moon.

Although he had decided to take a hard line, he also hoped to resolve the issue through dialogue if possible.

To take advantage of the chaotic situation in the Baroque Empire, the Volga Republic needed to avoid wasting its strength on unnecessary matters as much as possible.

4

Having been engrossed in state affairs all day, Luke headed to the Royal Magic Tower of the Milton Kingdom, located next to the royal palace, as the sun set.

Clang! Claaang!

“Be careful! Put it down slowly!”

“Who engraved the magic circle on this part? It’s completely botched!”

In the sweltering heat of the magic tower’s workshop, iron mages and blacksmiths were working up a sweat.

They either didn’t notice Luke’s arrival or simply gave a brief nod before immersing themselves in their work.

In the workshop, work came first, so neither Luke nor his attendants took offense at the lack of formality.

“Lord, you’ve arrived?”

“Oh, Sir Mute. You’ve been working hard.”

Currently, not only were the personnel of the Milton Royal Magic Tower present, but also Mute, the Meister of the Katarina Magic Tower and the chief mage of the Rakan March, was staying there.

He had brought 20 iron mages from the Rakan territory, and together with the mages of the Milton Royal Magic Tower who had submitted to Luke, they were repairing the Gigants [large, humanoid war machines].

Perhaps because they had been working through the night as if it were a daily routine, dark circles were prominent under his eyes.

“How is the repair work progressing?”

“We are currently prioritizing the maintenance of the Knight-class. So far, 53 units, including Warrior-class, have completed maintenance and are undergoing operational tests.”

Most of the damaged Gigants were those that had been captured after being used by the Milton Kingdom army.

There were a total of 158 units, and perhaps because they had been unilaterally defeated, only about 30 of them were in good condition.

Luke wanted to repair these Gigants as quickly as possible and deploy them back to the front lines.

It was true that the Baroque Empire was not in a position to attempt to invade the south right away.

However, they couldn’t rely on that alone, so they needed to quickly prepare sufficient forces.

However, completely repairing over 120 Gigants to the point where they could be deployed to the front lines in a short period was an enormous task even for iron mages.

It was fortunate that they had outsourced the older or less efficient models to smaller magic towers; otherwise, everyone would have collapsed from overwork.

“It is expected that the remaining units will all be repaired within a month. However, the problem is the Hero-class… They have high performance, many precision parts, and require expensive materials, so we haven’t been able to touch them yet.”

Above all, to properly repair the Gigants, they needed to have a clear understanding of the applied magic circles and internal structures.

The problem was that without blueprints or advice from a high-circle mage, this analysis would take a lot of time.

There were mages in the Milton Royal Magic Tower who had once belonged to the top ten magic towers of the continent, but even they were not attempting to repair the Hero-class.

Most of them were 5th circle or lower, belonging to branch offices, so they could handle minor damage or part replacements, but they couldn’t touch critical areas like the cockpit or core engine.

“The maintenance of the Hero-class is still beyond the capabilities of the Katarina Magic Tower or the Milton Royal Magic Tower. I’ll take care of the Hero-class myself, so leave it for now.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

Even without being told, Luke was in the process of obtaining blueprints for the Hero-class Gigants he had acquired on the black market, or finding out the whereabouts or residences of the developers of the top ten magic towers through Argos agents.

Most of them had died or gone into hiding due to the influence of the Magic Tower War, but they were beginning to reappear as the Baroque Empire’s civil war broke out.

For iron mages, war was the best opportunity and testing ground to increase their value.

“By the way, what about the reinforcements you mentioned earlier?” Mute asked with expectant eyes.

Mages were just as eagerly awaiting reinforcements as the officials and knights who were fighting with paperwork.

No, considering the amount of hard labor they were enduring, their eagerness was even greater.

“I’m looking into it, but unfortunately, it’s not as easy as I had promised.”

“Huu, is that so? Well, there’s nothing we can do. We’ll just have to wait a little longer…”

Luke, who had been a mage in his past life, was well aware of the hardships of the iron mages.

That’s why, when he entrusted them with the Gigant repair work, he promised to provide them with manpower as soon as possible.

He had a background that allowed him to make such a bold statement.

It was the Dark Moon Magic Tower, a seed left behind from the time of the Demon King Seymon.

He had intended to entrust the Gigant repairs to Dark Moon or select iron mages who had not yet mastered black magic to receive manpower support.

However…

‘Of all times, something had to happen at Dark Moon. Well, it’s not Dark Moon’s fault, but mine and the Volga Republic’s.’

With a bitter expression, Luke recalled what had happened a few days ago.

After promising support to Mute, Luke secretly sent a magical communication to Meister Johas of Dark Moon at night.

– I heard the news from my disciples outside that you have won the battle. Congratulations on your victory, Master.

“Thank you. But your expression is dark. Is something wrong?” Luke asked, noticing that Johas’s expression, which was usually gloomy but always welcoming and smiling at him, looked unwell.

– That is…

After hesitating, Johas revealed the situation.

“What? The President of Volga found out about our exchange?”

“Yes, the second director of the Republic’s intelligence department is a dark elf woman named Sylvia, who is a member of the hardline faction within the fairies who follow Nanas. It seems that she informed the President.”

Just as the fairies knew about the internal affairs of Dark Moon, the black mages of Dark Moon also had connections within the fairies.

According to the information they had received, she had sent a letter containing classified information to the leaders of the Republic before being captured by the fairies sent by Brat.

‘Tch, those damn fairy bitches and their gang are making things difficult for me until the end. I shouldn’t have been relieved when the fairy leaders said they would resolve the matter.’

Luke, who was inwardly furious, spoke to Johas again.

“So, what did President Vladimir say? Did he threaten to reveal the secret?”

He could have threatened to reveal their existence to the world if Dark Moon did not return to the Republic.

– He asked about various things, but he didn’t say anything like that. He’s not in a position to do so either.

In fact, Dark Moon had been deeply involved in the founding of the Volga Republic and had been involved ever since.

Although there was a magic tower in the Republic, they had developed, produced, and supplied a significant number of the Republic’s main Gigants.

If the secret were revealed, it would cause trouble for Dark Moon in the short term, but it would also expose their own flaws.

So, instead of threatening, the President had tried to persuade them to return, saying that he would provide even more support.

“He must have been very interested in the Hero-class Gigant Orion. So, will you return?” To Luke’s probing question, Johas stated firmly.

– Hehehe. Are you crazy? We, Dark Moon, will remain under your wing until you drive us out, Master.

Although Johas had flatly rejected the President’s offer, the problem was what would happen next. Vladimir would certainly not remain still.

So, Johas had been summoning mages of Dark Moon’s executive level or higher and holding countermeasures meetings every day.

Upon hearing that, Luke abandoned the idea of requesting support.

‘I wonder how the President will react?’

“Greetings, Marquis.”

While Luke was lost in thought, a young mage approached him and greeted him.

Judging by his attire, he seemed like a novice mage who had just completed his apprenticeship.

However, Luke recognized his face and widened his eyes.

“You are…?”

“It’s been a while.”

The novice mage, smiling happily, was Fabian, Johas’s disciple whom he had met at the Veritas Magic Tower before.

He had been infiltrating the Veritas Magic Tower for a long time and had been a great help in summoning the high-ranking demon, Kauren.

“What brings you here? How long have you been here?”

“It’s been a few months since the Veritas Magic Tower collapsed. More importantly, I have something to tell you separately.”

Seeing Fabian’s serious gaze, Luke knew that he had something to tell him in secret.

So, he moved to another location.

Clang! Clang clang!

The place Luke took Fabian to was a line where blacksmiths were doing forging work on one side of the workshop.

Although it was quite noisy around, it was a perfect place to talk secretly.

After keeping his attendants somewhat away, Luke asked Fabian.

“So, what is it?”

“I received a message from my master today. President Vladimir has sent an ultimatum.”

According to Fabian, the President demanded the return of the magic tower headquarters and the immediate handover of three Orions. He also demanded that they hand over five Hero-class units every year.

“Is that all?”

“No. He also said to sever ties with the Rakan family.”

“What did he say he would do if they refused?”

“He didn’t say anything specific, but isn’t it obvious?”

He would definitely resort to force.

Dark Moon’s recent actions could be seen as betrayal and rebellion from the Volga Republic’s perspective.

“My master needs your help. My master also wants that.”

After days of executive meetings, Johas had decided to ask Luke for help.

“Is the Meister saying he will fight against the Volga Republic?”

“He didn’t say that, but isn’t that why he’s asking for your help?”

‘Is that really the case?’

After hearing Fabian’s words, Luke was lost in thought for a moment.

Dark Moon had established a security system to defend against external attacks. That was why they had been able to maintain their existence for over 500 years.

However, many high-ranking black mages and skilled mercenaries had died when Arsen attacked.

Therefore, it was uncertain whether they could withstand the Volga Republic’s attack.

‘Of course, if I join, we could defeat them easily. But in the current situation, there’s no benefit to fighting the Volga Republic.’

If the Volga’s power were to decrease, the Baroque Empire would have less military burden.

This was not a welcome situation for either Luke or the Volga Republic.

The fact that the President had not specifically mentioned using force, and that Johas had not expressed his intention to fight back, was because they knew there would be no benefit in fighting.

‘Then, what I have to do becomes clear.’

Having made a decision on what to do, Luke spoke to Fabian, who was waiting for an answer.

“Tell the Meister. I will resolve this issue, so tell him to wait.”

“Understood.”

After finishing his conversation with Fabian, Luke immediately returned to the royal palace and unfolded the mutual defense treaty between the Volga Republic and the Milton Kingdom.

The first clue to resolving this issue was in this treaty.