My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 269

269. The Unfinished Battle (2)

A new main story quest appeared.

Sian touched his smartphone screen.

Click.

『▶You, who have journeyed to the Beastmen’s kingdom in search of the Holy Relic and the Last Dragon!

You finally succeed in finding them both, but…

The lord of demons who once plunged the world into chaos a thousand years ago,
the Demon Lord stands in your way.

Even two of them!

Even sealing the Holy Relic!!!

Oh my gosh!!

You’re going to die!! You’re definitely going to die!!!

……Or so you thought for a moment!

You succeed in defeating the two lords as if to show off!

You have accomplished a miracle by risking your own life!

You’re really amazing! Incredibly amazing!

Truly the king of kings!

No, KingGodGeneralEmperorChungmugong!! [A hyperbolic title, combining various honorifics to denote ultimate power and respect, with ‘Chungmugong’ being a specific historical Korean title for a distinguished military commander.]

Ahem! Good.

I won’t say anything even if you show off this time!

Go ahead and show off!

……Just as you were about to show off!

You discover one strange thing.

That the Demon Lords are strangely related to the Arnaizes.

Of course, there’s bound to be a connection.

It was the Arnaizes who stopped the Demon Lords a thousand years ago.

It would be stranger if the two weren’t related!

But…

They were too strangely connected.

Almost certainly.

The Demon Lord was tied to the Arnaizes.

The Demon Lords were resurrecting from something related to the Arnaizes.

Then! Bba Bbam! [Sound effect for a dramatic reveal]

A thought flashes through your mind!

N, no way!!

Could the Arnaizes actually have been the Demon Lords?!

……Even such a cliché development comes to mind!

How about it! Was I right?

Did I see right through your thoughts?

Did you think, “Did Mobile Lord learn mind reading?!

No?

D, don’t lie to me!!

Well, anyway…

What? Are the Arnaizes really the Demon Lords?

I don’t know!

Why are you asking me that!

Well, anyway, the connection is too deep to be a coincidence.

Of course, it could really be a coincidence.

But well…

It’s true that everything you’ve experienced so far is too strange to call a coincidence.

No, wait! Bba Bbam!

Could this be the truth that Kyle faced?

The fact that the Arnaizes were the Demon Lords!

Is that why Kyle had to abandon his comrades and leave alone!

Found you!

Revealed the truth!

……Just as you were thinking!

Calm down and think carefully…

Hmm? I see a few strange things.

If the Demon Lords and the Arnaizes are related,
so, if the Arnaizes were the Demon Lords, as you think,
why was Nurvia possessed by an ordinary human woman?

I’m talking about that Helen person now!

Helen has nothing to do with the Arnaizes.

And there’s also that annoying woman named Rachel!

The power of the Demon Lord was felt in that woman as well.

Again, she has nothing to do with the Arnaizes.

Above all, you have seen Luschuria and Muriel.

You saw the noble death of Muriel at the end of Luschuria’s fight.

Did those two really feel like the same being?

And if the truth that Kyle faced was really, ‘The Arnaizes were the Demon Lords,’ why did Kyle make the decision to leave alone?

The Arnaizes and the Demon Lords.

What is the true connection between these two?

Nothing is certain!

But one thing is certain!

It is certain that there is some connection between the Arnaizes and the Demon Lords, whether it’s positive or negative.

And the truth related to that points to one place.

Karze’s last words.

The Hall of Arnaiz, where Charlotte sleeps.

Why did Karze tell you to go to the Hall of Arnaiz?

What truth awaits you there?

Well… of course I don’t know!

That’s something you have to dig up and reveal!

Now, you know what to do, right?

Find the hidden truth~!

Let’s go go, dig it up~! 』

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A new quest that emerged after finding the Holy Relic.

‘Hmm…’

Sian paused for a moment, reading the quest details.

In the end,
all of these things were heading towards the Arnaizes, pointing to the Arnaizes or their descendants.

And the truth that Kyle faced, the truth that Sian has been chasing so far, the reason why Kyle had to disappear, leaving his comrades behind, that truth also seemed to be something related to this.

He didn’t know what it was yet.

All he could reveal at the moment was this: it seemed he had to go to the Hall of Arnaiz to get a clue to the mystery.

He didn’t know what was here now, but…

At that moment,

“Excuse me…”

A familiar voice was heard from one side.

Shaking off his thoughts, he looked there.

There was Pavel, the elder of the Turtle Beastmen.

No, it wasn’t just Pavel.

Dog Beastmen, Fish Beastmen, Cat Beastmen, Tiger Beastmen, Bat Beastmen, Dull Beastmen, and so on—all the races of the Beastmen were visible in his sight.

Pavel approached this way with a turtle-like pace.

Following him, the other Beastmen also approached.

Pavel stopped in front of Sian and Karis.

The Beastmen who followed him also stopped.

Aria, Diana, and Helen all wore bewildered expressions.

They didn’t seem to know why they had gathered like this; they didn’t seem to understand what was going on.

But Sian knew.

Pavel, who had left to talk to the Beastmen, from that moment on, he had somewhat anticipated the current situation.

However,

“You seem to have something to say to me, Elder Pavel.”

Karis also seemed to have some idea of what was going on.

Even though Karis had just woken up, she wasn’t flustered.

“That is…”

Then, it was Pavel who was flustered.

Pavel hesitated and couldn’t open his mouth easily.

The Beastmen behind him were the same.

Karis opened her mouth calmly without any change in expression.

“You wish to entrust yourselves to Sian, the chieftain of these humans, here.”

Then, Pavel and the Beastmen trembled.

And at that sight, Karis nodded as if convinced.

In fact, Karis had only caught on to some extent.

In the first place, Karis had just woken up.

Also, it hadn’t been long since Sian had brought up the story.

How could she know about this situation related to it?

However, Karis just knew what had happened in the meantime and what the circumstances were, and how big of a deal it was.

She had heard everything from Diana: the absence of the Guardian, the Beastmen thrown into the storms of the world.

It wasn’t difficult to guess why Pavel and the Beastmen had come.

That’s why,

“Can you accept them?”

Karis had no choice but to ask Sian, looking at him with a desperate expression.

Sian slowly nodded, because that’s what he had intended to do from the beginning.

Karis made a grateful expression.

Then, she turned her gaze back to Pavel and the Beastmen.

“Fortunately, this person says that he will accept our Beastmen.”

And then, she smiled as if she was really relieved.

At that sight, the expressions of Pavel and the Beastmen went blank, because it was such an easy decision.

Of course, it could be said to be a welcome decision.

In the current situation of the Beastmen, it was worth kneeling down to get protection from Sian.

But something was a little strange.

In a way, it was a situation where she had to step down from the position of chieftain.

However, Karis made the decision too easily.

To be exact, Karis felt like she was one step away from this matter.

“Is the chieftain… alright with this?”

Pavel couldn’t hold back his question and finally asked Karis.

Karis nodded lightly and replied, “If they want it, what right do I have to stop it?”

Karis, the chieftain of the Beastmen, had a duty to protect the Beastmen as their chieftain; that was what the existence of a chieftain was.

But Karis couldn’t do that.

Beyond not being able to do that, she herself became evil.

The one who was supposed to be the chieftain raised her claws to exterminate the Beastmen instead of protecting them.

If Sian hadn’t been there, if Sian hadn’t stopped her, that was something that would have definitely happened.

That’s why she just thought that she couldn’t stop it and shouldn’t stop it.

“I am disqualified as a chieftain.”

Because Karis knew that she couldn’t be a chieftain herself.

“……”

“……”

At Karis’s words, all the Beastmen were speechless.

A desolate silence fell, and no one opened their mouths.

The silence continued.

It was none other than Pavel who broke the silence.

Pavel walked past Karis.

Then, he stood in front of Sian and slowly lowered his head.

“We… no, we Turtle Beastmen,” a bitter yet determined expression, Pavel slowly opened his mouth. “Will stay here.”

He revealed his intention not to follow Sian.

“……!”

Karis’s eyes widened.

Not only Karis but also the other Beastmen opened their eyes in surprise.

“Elder Pavel! What are you saying right now…!”

Karis shouted in surprise.

Pavel looked at Karis and opened his mouth.

“The Guardian wanted to protect our Beastmen until the very end.”

At this, Karis opened her mouth as if she had something to say.

However, Pavel spoke one beat faster.

“I know. I know that our Beastmen are very precarious, that we have been thrown into the storms of the world as they are. I know very well that our Beastmen do not have the strength to withstand those storms in the current situation.”

“So shouldn’t we entrust ourselves to this person named Sian? This person will be able to protect our Beastmen. But why on earth…?”

Karis asked with a face that she didn’t understand.

However, Pavel was firm.

“Because we are not trying to entrust ourselves to another Guardian.”

Pavel continued to speak.

“For a long time, the Beastmen have relied on the Guardian for everything.”

For hundreds of years, they turned their backs on the world and indulged in peace.

The Beastmen lost their will in that way; they didn’t feel the need to protect themselves.

“Peace must have a subjective power, but it doesn’t.”

Pavel continued to speak.

“If we follow Sian, the Beastmen will be able to regain peace, the same peace as before. But… what’s the difference between that and relying on another Guardian after all?”

Karze and Sian—in the end, only the subject has changed.

“What’s the point of such peace that is maintained in that way? Just peace that is steeped in peace, that doesn’t fight. What’s the point of such peace, such a life, that is just swayed around?”

Pavel shook his head and opened his mouth.

“There will be a point if you look for meaning. But we have decided not to hide anymore. Even if we are afraid of the storms of the world, even if it is a battle that is destined to be lost, we have vowed to fight to the end.”

That is, “because that is the last will that the Guardian left us.”

A life that is but a fleeting blink.

Yet, within it, the meaning of life is found.

“We do not need a Guardian who only protects us. Therefore, what we truly need to believe in and follow is not the Guardian, but…”

Pavel looked at Karis with firm resolve.

His eyes were aged and wrinkled.

But something within them shone brightly.

“Our Great Chieftain. It is Karis.”

With those words, Pavel bowed his head.

Karis stared blankly, truly blankly, at Pavel.

He seemed to want to say something, his lips moving, but no voice came out.

And behind Karis.

“Elder Pavel is right!”

“We will not run away anymore!”

Numerous Beastmen shouted.

“If the Great Chieftain does not go, we will not go either.”

“If the Great Chieftain does not lead us, we will not follow!”

Soon, all the Beastmen bowed their heads towards Karis.

And Karis, as expected, could not say anything.

There were many reasons for his silence.

The biggest among them was a certain overwhelming emotion.

And the imposing wall of reality.

Ideal and reality are often different.

The Beastmen were eventually thrown into the world, and the great wave of reality threatened to swallow them whole.

And the Beastmen had no power to protect themselves from that threat.

They had no power to navigate the rough waves on their own.

The wall of reality was chillingly cold.

That’s why it’s necessary.

Karis’s gaze slowly turned to Sian.

Sian met Karis’s gaze and let out a hollow laugh.

He understood the unspoken request.

“Are you asking me to accept those who swore allegiance to Karis right in front of me? Now?”

“······”

Karis remained silent.

He knew how audacious his request was.

Perhaps it was because of Karis’s earnest demeanor.

Or perhaps it was because of Pavel’s impassioned words and the Beastmen’s fervent display just now.

Sian chuckled.

And an old anecdote flashed through Sian’s mind.

It was a story passed down through generations in the Charlotte Empire.

Long ago, there was an emperor in the empire known as the Great Peaceful Ruler.

An emperor who ushered in a great era of peace that would be recorded in the empire’s history.

Under such an emperor, there was a very talented Great General.

The Great General firmly protected the empire as its sword and shield.

The emperor was able to rule the empire in peace under the protection of such a Great General.

The Great General’s existence was a bulwark that no enemies could penetrate.

Once, the emperor summoned the Great General and asked.

‘Thanks to you, I have been able to rule the empire peacefully.’

‘You flatter me, Your Majesty.’

‘But, in my opinion, your abilities are very outstanding. Frankly, there is no reason for you to be under me. So, can you tell me honestly…’

‘Speak, Your Majesty.’

‘How capable do you think I am? No, how many soldiers do you think I can command?’

To the emperor’s question, the Great General answered.

‘About 10,000 would be appropriate.’

A limitlessly small number for the emperor who ruled the Charlotte Empire.

However, the emperor did not betray any emotion and asked the Great General.

‘10,000 people… Then what about you? How many soldiers can you command?’

The answer that came back at this time was, “The more, the better.”

The more, the better.

The emperor just smiled faintly.

He could have been angry, but the emperor nodded with a smile.

As if embracing everything.

At the emperor’s reaction, the Great General bowed deeply and continued.

‘Your Majesty can handle 10,000 people like me.’

The virtues of a monarch and a leader are different.

A monarch is the leader of leaders.

Well, that doesn’t necessarily mean Sian is a monarch.

So maybe it’s just an excuse.

An excuse to accept them.

‘Maybe it’s Karze’s heart [referring to Karze’s benevolent nature].’

Well, whatever.

“Let’s go together.”

Sian said with a smile.

Then Karis opened his eyes wide and looked surprised.

He hadn’t expected Sian to readily agree.

Like this, so easily.

Sian chuckled again at the sight.

He is a good Great Chieftain. Karis is.

That’s why he is a good leader, and a good person.

And the Beastmen who have such a Great Chieftain are also good people.

Although the first impression of the Beastmen was not very good.

They were people who had been subdued and suppressed, living in hiding.

But they eventually learned how to move forward.

Even if they were frustrated by failure, they did not give up.

“You must be busy if you want to move. You must have a lot of things to take care of.”

Sian stepped aside as if to let the Beastmen talk among themselves.

Like that, one step. Two steps.

Just as he was about to slowly leave the spot.

“I swear in this place.”

Karis’s voice came from behind.

Slowly turning his head to look at that place.

Swish.

There, Karis was slowly getting up.

His body was staggering as if his mind was not right.

But Karis stood firm and straight.

“I am the Great Chieftain of the Beastmen.”

Then he bowed slightly towards Sian.

“Karis, a citizen of Ruben, will use this opportunity…”

And Karis’s voice came softly.

“I swear to be loyal to Lord Sian.”

At the same time as Karis’s words, countless Beastmen all bowed their heads.

“Pavel, the elder of the Gwiin tribe and a citizen of Ruben.”

“Rebil, the representative of the Pyeonin tribe and a citizen of Ruben.”

“Mingu, the representative of the Dunin tribe and a citizen of Ruben.”

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“We greet the Lord of Ruben.”

“We greet the Lord of Ruben.”

“We greet the Lord of Ruben.”

At the same time, ding!

《Legendary Achievement, ‘True Great Chieftain of the Beastmen’ achieved!》

An achievement notification window popped up on the smartphone screen.

《G, G, Great Chieftain?!?!》

《What are you really! Great Chieftain!》

《Not enough with the chieftain of the dwarves and the forest keeper of the dark elves, this time even the Great Chieftain of the Beastmen?!?》

《You’ve devoured all the different races by yourself?!》

《Are you just planning to do everything by yourself?!!!》

《No. No!》

Ding!

《You’ve already done it all!!!》

After the mobile lord’s cry, another notification window popped up.

《Special items will be additionally unlocked due to achieving a legendary grade achievement!》

【Arnaise’s Blessing】

⑤【: All things in the universe are so of themselves.】

[Effect 1] – Spirits appear in the territory, opening up the possibility for the territory’s residents to become spiritists!

[Effect 2] – All animals, including monsters, can be tamed and raised!

[Effect 3] – The effect of Nature’s Vigor is always applied!

[Unlock Condition: Acquire the title of Great Chieftain of the Beastmen.]

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『《Nature’s Vigor》

▶The body of the achievement holder resembles nature. It fully absorbs the energy (氣) [Qi or Ki, vital energy] that exists in nature. (Magic accumulation efficiency +∞%)』

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“······”

Sian was momentarily stunned.

#

The Elan Dur mansion located in the Elan Dur Marquisate, eastern empire.

“······”

Rachel didn’t know how to process the current situation.

Everything had gone perfectly up to retrieving the relic.

Of course, the plan was a little twisted unexpectedly.

However, the overall direction itself was not compromised.

The relic in front of Rachel now served as evidence of that.

But.

“Annihilation… did… ?”

This was not part of the plan.

It was a result that should not have occurred.

The annihilation of Nurvia and Gulneria.

Two of the six lords disappeared simultaneously.

They were even the two lords who had released the seal of the relic.

Of course, the relic was not completely released.

It was only a partial release.

But still, it’s impossible.

It shouldn’t be possible, it shouldn’t be.

But now…

Rachel calmly organized her thoughts.

It is an undeniable fact that the two lords have disappeared.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s a reality that has unfolded before her eyes.

“Who on earth…?”

Then who on earth annihilated the two lords?

Could it be Sian?

The first person that came to mind was Sian.

However, Rachel shook her head firmly.

She admits that Sian was an unexpected force.

Still, it doesn’t make sense.

The last time Rachel observed Sian.

At that time, Sian was not strong enough to overwhelm the two lords.

In the first place, the last time she saw Sian, he was being oppressed by the two lords.

He was struggling without being able to handle the power of the released two lords.

After that, she returned, so she didn’t know how the situation played out.

However, Sian would have died if he had been killed by the two lords.

Sian was never at a level to annihilate the two lords.

That means it’s not Sian.

So there is only one possibility to consider.

“The dragon intervened…?”

This variable was the only plausible explanation.

But by any chance, did the dragon step in?

Rachel was very suspicious, but there was no other possibility.

Absolutely, she couldn’t believe that Sian had solved it.

More than anything.

“The dragon has also disappeared…”

The existence of that dragon has also vanished.

It was a dragon whose lifespan was dwindling, but it was still a dragon that could easily last for several years.

The fact that the existence of such a dragon suddenly disappeared.

Maybe… it self-destructed.

It seemed that the dragon had self-destructed along with the two lords.

The power of the demon lord is absolute, but the millennium dragon is also absolute.

The problem was why the dragon suddenly stepped in.

Why did the old dragon, who had no interest in the world, suddenly…

“Is it a whim…?”

This was the only thing she could guess.

To be honest, even this was suspicious, but looking at the results, it seemed to be the case.

Anyway, it was clear that the dragon had intervened.

So the two lords self-destructed with the dragon.

“The plan was a little twisted, but…”

Nevertheless, the overall objective was not compromised.

The biggest purpose of this plan, the relic.

She was able to retrieve it safely.

It was still a pity that she couldn’t deal with Sian.

But this was the last time too.

The biggest variable, the dragon, was dead.

To be exact, if it wasn’t for the dragon, Sian would have died there.

Sian couldn’t do anything against the two lords.

And now there was nothing to protect Sian.

Sian, left alone, couldn’t do anything.

Rachel smiled lightly.

“Is anyone outside?”

At Rachel’s words, the White Wolf Knight who was waiting outside came in.

The plan was not twisted, but she must not be careless.

So she must not give him time to recover.

She didn’t know what Sian would do when he returned to Ruben.

If he brought in the imperial family, it would be quite troublesome.

Of course, it wouldn’t matter much even then…

Still, wouldn’t it be better to end it before it becomes troublesome?

More than anything, the situation has now been reversed.

In a word, there was no need to wait here any longer.

Finally.

“Go and tell the head of the family.”

The time has come to erase Sian from this world.

And so.

“It’s time to strike Ruben.”

The time has come to end the long battle that has lasted for a thousand years.