503

Episode 503: I will ask the king for his guilt (1)

"Phuha!"

Jiselle, who was on the hot air balloon, laughed loudly and exhaled deeply.

It was a really tense situation for the first time in a long time. I have only run this hard a few times in my entire life.

Moreover, it was extremely enjoyable as it dealt a blow to both the Duke and the Royal Army.

Belinda shook her head as she looked at the excited Giselle.

"Oh my, that's really reckless."

If she had made one wrong move, she would have been caught and killed. Belinda felt chills to her stomach when she saw the enemies rushing in.

Still, Giselle was busy laughing as if she was having so much fun.

Belinda said, as if scolding him.

"No, is it that good?"

"Then, I say that when I get hit like this, it's the most fun."

"Who can stop your temper, Master? Did you bring the things safely?"

At those words, Jiselle took the items out of her bosom. It was even harder to keep them from breaking during the escape.

Everyone's eyes were focused on the item that Jiselle had taken out. Everyone was curious as to what on earth had caused such a fuss.

When Berhem took out the object he called the 'Orb of Life', everyone frowned. It was because it was emitting an ominous aura that was just like the one flowing out of the magic circle of the crack.

On the other hand, when they saw the cup and the necklace, everyone exclaimed in admiration. In particular, Parniel and Piote were more surprised than anyone else.

"What tremendous divine power."

"Wow, whoa! My lord, that's a holy relic too?"

Jiselle shrugged.

"I don't know. I think they call it a holy relic, but I don't know what it's used for. I'll have to find out from now on."

As soon as Jiselle took the necklace out of the glass, the divine power that had been spreading brightly disappeared. Everyone continued to look at the necklace in wonder.

Except for one person, Erenes.

'Why that thing!'

Her expression was set in stone.

Erenes knew the identity of the object. She didn't know why it radiated divine power, but it was definitely something she knew.

The necklace was an item worn by a comrade who had fought against the disaster that had swept over the world with her long ago. The same was true of that glass.

Even though so many years have passed, how could I forget?

'Why is that the Royal Family of Lutania and the Salvation Church…?'

Everyone looked at Erenes, who was lost in thought. It was very awkward for him to react differently from everyone else.

Only then did Erenes notice the mood and his expression soften.

Jiselle asked with narrowed eyes.

"What is this? Do you know what this is?"

But Erenes shook his head.

"I don't know."

"I think I know?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm… … ."

Not only Jiselle, but also others looked at her with suspicious eyes.

It couldn't have been more awkward than this. I really wasn't good at acting.

Erenes sighed deeply and continued speaking stiffly.

"I just thought about it for a moment because it looked similar to something my old colleague used to use. It's similar, but it doesn't seem to be the same thing. My colleague's thing didn't have that kind of divine power. It was just an ordinary necklace."

Jiselle nodded with a smirk.

"Yeah. I thought there was some kind of clue, but that's too bad. Well, I'll just take my time and find out. In the meantime, I'll have to drive around."

'No, it's not.'

Erenes said he had been fighting the Salvation Church for a very long time. He must know something.

But it seemed like he had no intention of talking about it yet, so I just let it slide for now.

You can investigate slowly and ask subtly. That noble elven chieftain is definitely not the type of person to say that he would threaten with force.

Everyone thought similarly to Jiselle and just pretended not to know. Who in the world doesn't have a story?

Belinda frowned and changed the subject.

"Your Majesty, what are you going to do about that unpleasant bead?"

"hmm."

Jiselle was also slightly troubled. She could absorb the power contained in the jewel, but it didn't seem like it would have a positive effect.

If I could increase my strength, I would use it for almost anything, but honestly, this was a bit disgusting and uncomfortable.

Wasn't it created by extracting the life force of countless people? And it was created very painfully.

I told Parniel to Giselle, who was worried.

"Only evil thoughts remain in that bead. I think it would be better to destroy it and free the thoughts trapped inside."

"Thoughts?"

"Yes. Some of the thoughts of those who died without their will will remain there. It seems that the Salvation Church priests use the anger of those who died unjustly to amplify their power."

Fiotedo nodded and joined in.

"Oh, that's right! We must bless the poor souls and send them away!"

"I see."

I thought it was a bit weird, but I didn't know it would be that bad. It seemed like there was something different about Parniel and Piote, who had divine powers.

Hearing such things, I feel even less inclined to absorb it. It would be easier to destroy it.

"Let's go back and get rid of it properly. By the way, are you ready?"

Gillian nodded in response.

"Yes, we can set out at any time. I have also received word that Perdium is almost ready."

The Northern Army had already been prepared for war for a long time. It only needed a little more time to prepare at Perdium.

Because establishing a new king wasn't something that could be accomplished simply by winning a war.

Jiselle continued speaking, putting the necklace around her neck.

"Okay. Now let's take back the kingdom."

* * *

Clang!

"Eww! More! Bring me more!"

Berhem shouted with bloodshot eyes, throwing things around. Everyone around him trembled in fear at his shout.

The king was becoming increasingly mad. He was now openly killing people indiscriminately.

It was inevitable for him. He had to continue absorbing the life force of others in order to keep his body from collapsing.

"Your Majesty! Why is it getting later and later!"

"Your Majesty, please wait a little longer. More prisoners will arrive tomorrow."

"Where is the Duke? Are you sending it to the Duke's house too?"

"Yes, we are sending half of the personnel we have secured to the south."

The Marquis of Domont reported with a dark expression on his face.

To create the Orb of Life again, an enormous amount of life force was needed. In addition to prisoners to maintain the King's physical condition, prisoners had to be created to be sent south.

It would have taken at least a hundred thousand lives to sustain the king's body while creating the jewel.

But how could they produce that many prisoners at once? So, there was an increasing problem in recruiting personnel.

Berhem said, drooling.

"Are you saying there are no more prisoners in the capital? Why don't we just create more?"

"Your Majesty, Cardenia is the center of the kingdom. If we reduce the number of people in the capital any further, the entire kingdom will not be able to function properly."

"Ugh… … ."

Berhem gritted his teeth and suppressed his desire.

In order for him to exist as king, the kingdom could not be destroyed. He tolerated massacres because he could not allow the capital to become a ruin.

Instead, the people in other areas were quickly dwindling. Troops under Berhem's command rounded up people indiscriminately.

The royal territory was starting to run out of people. They had captured so many that production activities were not even running properly.

The royal family, growing anxious, urged the lords to hand over their subjects and prisoners.

The local lords and nobles were at a loss as to what to do about this situation.

"The king has gone completely mad."

"Not only did they join hands with the Duke and the Salvation Church, but they also killed the people like this."

"Isn't it too much to ask even the Yeongji people to hand over?"

It was no longer a secret that the king was maintaining his body using the secret arts of the Salvation Church.

"We can't give up any more of our people."

"Isn't there a way?"

"No one can stop the king's madness."

The lords also tried to let it slide at first, handing over only the prisoners. But as the days passed, their demands became more and more excessive.

The problem was that the king had seized power during the war and held a powerful military force.

He sent an army to pressure the king, so he could not refuse his demands.

Even the royal family negotiated a truce with the dukedom and joined hands. No one could handle their power.

The Northern Army had already withdrawn to prepare to face the forces of the Crown and the Duke, and there were rumors that the Allied Forces were also turning back.

The nobles who had gathered their strength to protect the kingdom in this situation let out a sigh.

"How did the kingdom come to be like this?"

"In the end, the royal family will also be eaten up by the duke's family."

"Your Majesty, only cruel and unprincipled people remain around you."

They suffered from worry day after day.

The king's madness was not the only problem. Those who had disliked the Marquis of Branford and the Earl of Fenris were quick to join the king.

They were currently running wild like a fish in water. Not only were they arresting people indiscriminately, they were also collecting enormous taxes from the few who remained and starting to take away what they had.

The treasury that the Marquis of Branford and other nobles had carefully saved was also being squandered.

Everyone was only interested in filling their own stomachs. Within a few months of the king coming to power, the kingdom was in shambles.

"This kingdom is now finished."

That was the honest feeling of the remaining nobles. No, now was not the time to worry about the kingdom.

They raised their swords against the Duke. They didn't know when they would suddenly be accused of a crime they didn't commit and trampled on.

The atmosphere was already pervasive. Rumors were sweeping the capital that the king, lacking people to prey on, would soon seize a fief as an example.

In order to survive, one had to kneel before the king and offer up one's people.

And so the kingdom began to fall apart. The screams of people echoed endlessly everywhere.

"Please, save me!"

"I am innocent!"

"Please, just the child… … ."

The royal army captured everyone, regardless of age or gender. No, the younger they were, the more energetic they were, which the king liked even more.

The royal army that carried out that work was not in a very comfortable mood either. This was because they too had fought against the Duke in order to protect the kingdom.

But most of the commanders were now on the king's side. There was nothing a single soldier could do.

As a young soldier was dragging people away and sobbing, one of the senior soldiers grabbed him by the collar and said,

"You little punk, I told you not to show off. Do you want to die too?"

"Ha, but… … ."

"Shut up, shut up, wipe your tears and hold them in. Otherwise, we'll all die."

Even the senior soldier clenched his teeth and tried to hold back his tears. Even if he was a soldier, he would be dragged away if he was even slightly inconvenient to his superiors.

Those who protected the kingdom now have the role of killing the people of the kingdom.

Both the people being captured and the people capturing them were in despair.

Rattle, rattle, rattle… … .

The procession of innocent prisoners was filled with silence. The only people laughing and talking were the commanders who were favored by the king.

Those who were captured were speechless because they had given up on life, and the soldiers were speechless because they felt guilty.

Even those who were not arrested had everything they had taken away and suffered from starvation. Many people took their own lives under the oppression of excessive taxes.

They all shouted in one voice.

- God has abandoned this kingdom because the king has joined hands with the Salvation Church.

Deep gloom was engulfing the world. It was a world where no one could laugh or chat.

A soldier walking with his head down along the convoy noticed a piece of paper lying on the ground.

"huh?"

Curious, he picked up the paper.

"uh...?"

There was one phrase written on the paper.

[Just wait a little longer. The wolves of the north will come to rescue you soon.]

The soldier raised his head to the sky without realizing it.

I couldn't see it very well, but it looked like a few birds were flying by. In the distance, I could see some paper fluttering in the air.

Looking around, I saw that there were several more sheets of the same paper lying around.

The soldier quickly crumpled up the paper and put it in his pocket. His face was flushed, and he tried to calm his trembling heart.

'no way....'

The term 'Wolf of the North' has long been used to refer to a territory.

A territory that fought endlessly against barbarians in the borderlands. A territory that silently fulfilled its responsibilities despite being ridiculed for being poor.

Thus, the territory that produced the Earl of Fenris and the Northern Army, now called the strongest in the kingdom.

'Perdium!'

They were saying that they would come running soon.

As the soldiers began to see a glimmer of hope, Perdium was ready to go to battle.

The entire army stood with a fierce spirit as if they were fighting barbarians. Zwalter was riding ahead of them, his expression more determined than ever.

Homer, the general of Ferdium, said, wiping away his cold sweat.

"My lord, we are not fully prepared yet. And yet you are already going to war. We must also be prepared when the Duke's army moves… ."

"It's late."

"yes?"

"It's still too late."

"What do you mean… … ."

Zwalter turned his head and looked at the sky.

"There is no time to wait. All the people of the kingdom are groaning in despair. I cannot stand by and watch any longer."

"My lord… … ."

The king and the nobles' wickedness has gone too far.

It wasn't just the king who needed the jewel of life. Even the nobles were by the king's side, viciously exploiting the people.

Zwalter couldn't stand to see that any longer.

"I am not raising an army because I want the throne. I have decided to stand up for the sake of this kingdom. But if I pretend not to know their pain now, what good is it for me to become king?"

"Yes, my lord… … ."

"Even if I lose my life because I am not prepared, I must do what I have to do now."

At those words, Homer and his vassals bowed their heads. They could not bring themselves to object.

It was because of this kind of person that Zwalter was able to protect the North for so many years, while receiving the respect of all the people of the land.

As if he was enjoying a peaceful life, thinking of soon handing everything over to his son and retiring, Zwalter had returned to his days of endlessly fighting barbarians.

Back then, I lived with a limitless sense of responsibility and an unyielding will to never give up.

Zwalter raised his hand and slowly opened his mouth.

"All troops… … ."

His heavy voice echoed throughout.

"We advance to Cardenia. We will hold the king accountable."

thud!

With Zwalter's orders, the Ferdium army began to move towards the capital.