Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 62

“You overestimate them just because they saved you. Besides, Asgard? Do you think a mercenary group made up of mere barbarians can become a nation?”

He spoke disparagingly.

“You must steel your heart. You cannot ascend the throne if you are swayed by personal feelings. That’s why Prince Eron is threatening your claim to the throne!”

He rebuked Ash.

“Tsk, tsk.”

He clicked his tongue.

The more they criticized, the more Ash’s shoulders slumped.

He had to stop them. If things continued like this, they would face unimaginable and terrifying consequences.

He had to prevent that…!

But he had no power.

‘If only Albert were here at times like this….’

Albert, the commander of the Royal Knights of the Ronia Kingdom.

A user of the [Lightning] divine artifact, he even had Lapilta, the ultimate shield, under his command.

If only those two were by his side, he wouldn’t be ignored like this.

‘Where on earth did they go!’

He had clearly instructed them to find the legendary potion. But even if there was no news, a report should have been sent, but there was nothing.

‘…Useless things!’

Ash was grinding his teeth.

“The prince is right.”

The nobles, including Ash, were startled and looked at Marquis Halloom.

He smiled brightly and looked at Ash.

“There must be a reason why Prince Ash is saying that. Would you tell us what the reason is?”

Ash felt conflicted seeing Halloom’s smiling eyes. He considered what to say first.

“The first time I met them….”

Ash recounted everything he had seen and felt from beginning to end.

Each time Ash spoke, the nobles scoffed, but they didn’t interrupt him because Marquis Halloom was listening intently.

When the story was over, the nobles shook their heads.

They couldn’t believe the prince’s words.

Ash bit his lip at their reaction, but he looked at Marquis Halloom with expectant eyes because he showed a different reaction from them.

Marquis Halloom glanced at Ash with a serious expression.

“Prince Ash.”

“Yes, what is it? Marquis Halloom.”

“It may be rude, but I will be honest with you.”

Halloom shook his head and said.

“It’s hard to believe Prince Ash’s words. It’s hard to believe that there is such an army on the continent.”

“It’s not just hard to believe, it’s unbelievable! Marquis Halloom! It’s not easy for a trained divine artifact user to kill one Wight [undead creature], but they killed thousands of Wights?”

“It’s too absurd a story.”

“Prince Ash must have been mistaken.”

Ash’s body trembled at the nobles’ criticism.

Mistaken? How could he mistake something like that! He had confirmed and experienced it with his own eyes when his life was on the line.

But those in front of him were saying it was a lie.

Ash tried to get up, but Halloom pressed down on his shoulder and made him sit down again.

“That’s right. It’s hard to believe, but some of it may be true.”

The nobles looked at Marquis Halloom.

“Did you see their armor?”

The nobles looked at each other and tilted their heads.

“Armor?”

The central nobles gathered here only saw how wildly the Berserker warriors fought, so they didn’t observe their equipment in detail.

Even at the banquet, they had taken off their armor and were only wearing leather clothes, so the nobles couldn’t help but be puzzled.

“Their equipment is stored in the corner of the banquet hall. It was armor so precisely made that I doubt even the best blacksmith in this kingdom could make such excellent equipment. Besides….”

Marquis Halloom stroked his beard.

“Their weapons also seemed extraordinarily large and heavy to be called ordinary. And how blue the blades were….”

The nobles were sweating, not knowing what Marquis Halloom was talking about.

They couldn’t understand.

They didn’t know about the armor, but the Norsemen originally used swords, clubs, and axes of impressive sizes.

Marquis Halloom sighed softly, observing the nobles’ reactions.

“I guess you still don’t understand even if I say this. Well, to put it simply, they were weapons too precious for a mere mercenary group to possess.”

Marquis Halloom clasped his hands together and scanned each of the nobles.

“Does anyone know the whereabouts of Count ‘Stinger’?”

At the sudden question, the nobles avoided Marquis Halloom’s gaze.

“That is….”

“It’s been quite a while since he went missing….”

The nobles shook their heads.

Marquis Halloom smiled at such nobles.

“Yes, without Count ‘Stinger,’ we have no hope.”

The Stinger family.

It was a family known as the Sword of Protection of Ronia.

They had defended against the Empire’s invasion a few years ago without losing a single territory, and since then, even other kingdoms had not dared to covet the Ronia Kingdom.

The family of the man who brought such power to Ronia had collapsed and had been missing for several years.

If he were alive and stood on either the eastern or western side of Ronia, he was such a formidable figure that it could be said that the war was already over, no matter which force he sided with.

“He is currently missing, but his leadership is tremendous. Frankly, isn’t the reason we’re holding out like this because of the hope that we can find him…?”

However, they still couldn’t find him. It was the same even with all their efforts.

Marquis Halloom looked around at the nobles and said.

“We need someone who can be a force for us now.”

As they were now, they needed anyone who could be a force. It didn’t matter if they were cultists or barbarians.

They only needed someone who could be a force for Eastern Ronia.

“We must win them over. It’s a really dangerous time. What if they are barbarians? They might be a great force for us!”

Ash’s face brightened at Marquis Halloom’s proactive remarks, and the nobles nodded with reluctant faces.

It seemed that they were not so much persuaded as they were willing to listen and act on what Marquis Halloom had said.

“…I, I see.”

“I was actually agreeing with the Marquis’s words!”

When everyone agreed, Marquis Halloom looked at Ash and said.

“Is that okay now?”

Ash’s eyes shone at Marquis Halloom, who had gone this far for him. He looked like a child full of anticipation, looking at a respectable father.

“Th, thank you! Marquis Halloom! Thanks to you, I have gained their support! Then now diplomatically….”

But that expectation was crushed by Marquis Halloom’s next words.

“Yes, we must resolve it diplomatically.”

A sharp glint appeared on Marquis Halloom’s smiling face.

“The new nation, Asgard. A foreign knight order is now in our territory.”

Ash felt his hands and feet getting cold.

“A foreign country, and one that hasn’t been established for long, has invaded our Ronia? Moreover, they are thoroughly armed.”

“H, Halloom Marquis?”

When Ash looked at Marquis Halloom, he was no longer listening to Ash’s words.

“Dealing with thousands of Wights? Rescuing the prince? No. That’s not the important thing. The problem is that Norsemen, all of knight-level, are looking down on Ronia and invading our territory.”

The corners of Marquis Halloom’s mouth rose to the point of twisting. His thick hand slammed roughly on the command table.

The nobles looked at Marquis Halloom as a thud rang out.

He licked his lips with a bitter smile.

“Even though our Ronia Kingdom has weakened, how dare…! Barbarians, cultists, and the like? I ask you! How should we respond to their invasion?”

Ash’s face turned pale.

Something was going wrong.

“Wa, wait a minute! Marquis Halloom! Listen to my….”

“Prince Ash!”

Halloom stood up abruptly and looked down at Ash.

His face was covered in shadows, but his eyes were extremely cruel.

“If what they created is a real country, and if they are that army… it will be a diplomatic issue.”

“……!”

“We need to know in detail what purpose they came here for.”

At Marquis Halloom’s words, the nobles shouted with surprised eyes.

“That’s right. This is an invasion!”

“Dispatching troops to another country without any consent? This is a violation of continental law!”

“What’s more, they are looking down on us!”

“We must punish them!”

Gradually, they were transformed from heroes to a disorganized army, and from an army to invaders.

“Th, they saved me!”

“That must also have a purpose. Even if they call themselves a new nation, how can we know what their true intentions are?”

“Their goal is the underworld! I asked them to introduce me! Marquis Halloom. You said you contacted the underworld recently, didn’t you? Then wouldn’t it be a matter of helping us!”

“…You’re so naive. Do you think their only goal is that?”

“But…!”

Marquis Halloom clenched his fist.

“If we join hands with an unknown force, we will become even more precarious. Perhaps the Holy Order will completely regard us as ‘enemies’ and support not only supplies but also ‘troops’ to Western Ronia. Then… we will be finished.”

“B, but earlier you said to win them over…?”

“Yes, that’s right. But there are many kinds of winning over.”

“……?!”

“I have no intention of fighting them. Of course, it’s very upsetting that our Ronia is being looked down upon by such a group….”

Marquis Halloom’s fierce expression gradually softened.

“After all, they are the benefactors who saved the prince. I plan to resolve it smoothly without fighting. So rest assured.”

“I, is that so?”

“Yes, I just said those words as a justification to make the negotiations more favorable.”

Ash’s face brightened. Marquis Halloom nodded at the sight.

“Yes, winning them over will be done smoothly.”

Marquis Halloom narrowed his eyes.

“Smoothly, that is.”

“Th, that’s a relief. Then, I’ll leave everything to you.”

Ash agreed to Marquis Halloom taking the lead in the negotiations.

Not long after, the meeting ended.

Marquis Halloom, who was watching the nobles leave, spoke to Ash.

“Ah, and what are you going to do with the refugees?”

“Refugees?”

Ash, who was relieved that he had overcome the crisis, tilted his head.

“According to their claims, the prince promised to find them a place to live….”

Ash tilted his head and said.

“Who said that?”

“The refugees said so.”

Ash blinked and let out a hollow laugh.

“Of course, I promised. I said I would do that after the war was over.”

“I see. Then there’s no need to worry about it now.”

“Isn’t that obvious? Unfortunately, we don’t have time to worry about them.”

Ash said that and got up from his seat. He was tired and wanted to rest.

“Ah! And I just remembered something, there’s a refugee and a guard who didn’t recognize me.”

Ash looked at Marquis Halloom and said.

“Please deal with them well for the crime of insulting royalty.”