522
* * *
Whoa, whoa...
Jin caught his breath and looked up at the ice wall.
There was one huge hole that was exceptionally clean and deep between the traces of disorderly destruction, as if some gigantic beast had gone on a rampage.
It was a hole formed by the light speed thrust that Jin had just fired.
Only the last light speed thrust pierced the wall of Myriad ice among the ones he had practiced over the past two weeks.
The hole took the shape of a circle so perfect that it felt oddly artistic.
The works of great artists give the impression that if you look closely, you can see the spirit and tenacity consumed until it was born.
The hole formed by Jin's light speed thrust was also the same.
Jin and Talaris, who created the result together, remained silent for a while, unable to take their eyes off the hole.
"It is complete, my son-in-law. It took only 15 days to make a sword like this...… Haha, I wonder what Chiron will say when he sees it. I'm sure he'll be satisfied. Anyway, I don't know if Chiron is doing well."
"I think it's my first time seeing someone worry about my father, Madame Talaris."
"Well, because we are friends. And I made a promise to your father...…."
Talaris smiled bitterly.
Argh!
Jin tried to answer, but suddenly vomited blood.
"Son-in-law!"
"Looks like I used too much aura and got a shallow backflow. Don't worry, Madame Talaris."
"If you had been as strong as your first or second sister, you wouldn't have fallen into an aura backflow. Ahaha, you're weak."
She said so, but in fact, Talaris was also admiring his stamina.
However, she only joked in the sense of being alert.
"It feels like I can see a little bit in what kind of domain Elder sister Luna is standing in."
"White whale, Luna Runcandel, if that child's swordsmanship is stopped in my memory, then you are already technically equal or superior."
Jin shook his head.
"I don't know when Madame Talaris's last memory is, but my sister must have achieved great things too. I think I still have a long way to go to catch up with my sister."
"She wouldn't have grown as high as you. And Luna's real strength wasn't her great body or swordsmanship. She...… haha, how should I express? She has the ability to always win."
"The ability to always win...?"
"You are definitely stronger than Luna. You are ahead of her in almost every way. Even so, if you fight Luna, you can't be sure of victory. There's something about your eldest sister that's hard to describe in terms of potential or talent. Of course, you are strong too. And."
Talaris looked back at Jin and went on his back.
"As I teach you this time, I see something similar to that child in you. I think that is the greatest blessing a martial artist can have."
"It's pleasant to hear."
"Also, since neither you nor Luna got it for free, there's no reason to appreciate it even if you like it."
Jin felt a presence as he was about to convey his gratitude for the training
"Lord Jin!"
It was Kashmir.
As soon as he stepped inside, he couldn't help but be startled by the condition of his ice wall.
He was also briefly distracted by a single perfect trace among the destroyed ice walls.
'Are these traces the result of training? Especially that mark...… It seems that Lord Jin has completed a new sword.'
An ice wall reinforced with the power of myriad ice.
Kashmir had the feeling that even making a deep fissure in these ice walls would not be easy with his sword.
"Sir Kashmir?"
"Huh, I was about to send my son-in-law today. Did you come to notify that I have been holding him too long?"
"No, Madame Talaris. I have come because there is a problem that Lord Jin needs to check quickly."
When Kashmir took out the Seven Colored peacock's report and showed it to him, Jin's eyes grew heavy.
'A sign of purge?'
Talaris looked over the report together and snorted.
"Ahaha, that emperor bastard. When we were young, I saw he has eyes on Ron like a hawk. Ron had been on the soft side since before the Sword Emperor castle attack, but he's so fearless."
In fact, the imperial family has been keeping Hairan in check since they were young until now.
And as Talaris said, the imperial family's checks gradually increased in proportion as Ron became weaker.
Most of the time Ron just didn't deal with it, like a beast of prey who tolerates unknowing and nimble days of puppies.
He thought it was the way for the Empire, unless he was going to rebel.
All previous patriarchs had done that, and the imperial family knew that, so they rarely crossed the line.
But this time the imperial family crossed the line.
'According to the report, the emperor is intentionally dropping the dragon knights.'
Of course the reason was to prevent the dragon knights from immediately reaching the Sword emperor castle when something happened in Hairan.
Although the emperor held the command of the dragon knights, they were the ones who would prioritize the safety of the Sword Emperor Castle over the orders of the empire when Hairan was in danger.
Even if it means committing treason by disobeying the emperor's orders.
Of course, they cannot be sure that there will be a purge based on this situation alone.
Just as they have always increased the level of containment at every opportunity, this time around, it may be that they are just putting on an act to show the public that the imperial family's power is absolute by using the Sword Emperor Castle terrorist attack and its results as an excuse.
But Jin didn't seem to think like that.
'In the end, the empire decided to choose stone instead of Hairan.'
A white stone kept by the patriarch of Hairan.
The imperial family has long coveted the stone.
Just as Hidden Palace is sealing Elona Zipfel, Hairan is also handing down the white stone to future generations. So that the strongest patriarch can cut it down and get rid of it.
Jin did not know what the white stone was.
He can only guess that it probably has something to do with the chaos.
Instead, one thing was certain. It was a fact that the emperor clearly made a mistake.
'Crazy bastard. I don't know how great the stone is, but you're going to throw away the strongest knight in the empire like this?'
Ron's sword is the strongest ever in Hairan.
Although he suffered unexpected damage from the terrorist attack, as long as Ron and his key personnel are in good health, the fact that Hairan is the best martial artist in the empire and a prestigious family does not change.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the reason why the Empire is able to enjoy the status of a third force after Runcandel and Zipfel before the rise of Kinzelo in the current generation is because of the existence of Ron and Hairan led by him.
'The reason why I asked Veradin to urge Zipfel to put pressure on Hairan properly was to more clearly confirm the distinction between friends and foes and the purpose of the imperial family. Judging by the way it behaves, the results have actually come out. In other words, Vermont chose stone and Zipfel over Hairan.'
One surprising thing is that Ron has yet to react otherwise.
Even though there are signs of a purge that even the seven-color informants know about.
"Huh, there must be something that the imperial family believes in, so they are doing things like this. I have no idea. Aside from asking if there is a justification for purging Hairan in the first place, how are they going to handle Ron?"
Talaris thought that even if the imperial family 'joined hands with Zipfel', they would have no choice but to use Zipfel's power. Then it's nothing more than advertising that the imperial family had sold the empire to Zipfel.
"... It seems that there is something that they believe as Madame Talaris said."
"It makes me wonder if they are holding Dante hostage. Hmm, son-in-law, you seem to be quite worried."
"Yes."
"Ron was injured during the terrorist attack on the sword emperor castle, but a martial artist living in such an era would rather worry about the imperial family and the empire. Would you be concerned about Chiron if a group of Runcandels goes mad and threatens to purge your father?"
That's right.
If Ron was in a normal state, Jin wouldn't have worried at all whether the emperor had tied the dragon knight's feet or borrowed the power of Zipfel.
-I don't know if the crimson sword was the problem or if there were other factors. If the day comes when I suffer internal injuries that can't be controlled like this, I thought it would of course be the day when I mix swords with your father...… It's staggering that it was the leader of a group not long ago known as a third-rate terrorist group.
Right after the sword emperor castle terrorist attack, Jin heard from Ron about his internal injuries.
Ron was unable to recover from the injuries he had gained in the battle at that time.
For a superhuman like Ron, it is normal to recover quickly, but the internal injuries gradually got worse as time went on.
Even Dante did not know this.
Only Ron's five closest aides and Jin knew about this.
'... Perhaps the emperor noticed Sir Ron's condition.'
The Emperor didn't seem convinced yet that Ron wasn't normal.
'If I had fully grasped Sir Ron's condition, I would have rushed at once instead of checking him like this.'
Jin also did not know exactly what Ron's current condition was. Whether Ron's injury is the same as the first or worse.
That made Jin uneasy.
Ron's unresponsiveness so far (maybe he's dealing with it but hasn't been informed) may have something to do with his condition.
"You are right, Madame Talaris. Still, I will go to the sword emperor castle for myself."
"Yes, yes. Go and show off your new big skill."
"In the future, no matter who asks, I will tell them that I learned one of Runcandel's secret techniques from Madame Talaris. It was an honor learning from you, Madame Talaris."
"You're cute. Oh, and, as you can see, just in case. If you think something bad is going to happen to the sword emperor castle, be sure to let me know too."
"I will."
As soon as Jin left the hidden palace with Kashmir, he immediately boarded Tikan's transfer gate to the empire.
And the transfer gate only caused a warning sound and didn't work.
It was a phenomenon that appeared when the other side of the transfer gateway was closed.
523
All transfer gates in the empire were being closed.
The armies of the vassal states of the imperial family were also seen heading towards the empire by land and sea.
Clearly the Empire was preparing for war beyond any doubt. A War with Hairan.
Booong-!
A white dimensional portal was formed in the front yard of Tikan, and Mort, the snow toad, appeared.
As soon as Talaris realized that the atmosphere was unusual, she visited the Sword emperor castle. Mort looked quite tired because he had moved too many dimensions in a short period of time.
"Madame Talaris!"
As Jin and his comrades approached, Talaris shook her head in bewilderment.
"The emperor has gone mad. It's really an atmosphere to do a purge."
"Have you met Sir Ron?"
"They said he wasn't there. I haven't heard any other details. But the sword emperor castle was also completely poisoned...… War is inevitable. All the knights who follow Ron are also gathering at the sword emperor castle."
War between Hairan and the entire Empire.
Originally, Talaris thought that as long as Ron was there, the outcome of the war would surely be the Hairan's victory.
However, now that she had been to the sword emperor castle herself, she wasn't sure either. It wasn't because she hadn't met Ron in person.
"There are strangely few clans who have decided to help Hairan. I don't know what trick the imperial family played, or if Ron lost his reputation without my knowledge."
Jin knew why.
"Madame Talaris."
"What?"
"Madame Talaris told me to let you know if something bad was going to happen. Could you please tell me what could be the reason?"
Hidden Palace has always been neutral, but it should now be called Jin's ally.
But its relationship with Hairan was unclear.
In fact, the hidden palace did not have to step forward even if Hairan was destroyed. It shouldn't step forward exactly. Hidden palace would turn the empire into an enemy for no reason.
So Jin would tell Talaris about Ron's poor health only after she had made her point of helping the sword emperor castle.
Talaris shrugged her shoulders and looked at Jin's allies.
"Everyone go out for a while, I need to talk to my son-in-law."
Jin's companions moved outside.
"Son-in-law."
"Yes."
"You remember what I told you about the duties of a hidden palace last time, right?"
-Hidden palace has kept its neutrality for most of the years, but it hasn't always been that way. We also made an oath when the 1st master of the hidden palace was chosen by myriad ice and Mort for the first time.
-The same goes for the power of the myriad ice that our Endorma clans got. In exchange for gaining too much power for a human to have, we were commissioned to help solve the world's anomalies.
Jin nodded his head as he recalled the story.
"Previous masters left a record saying that Hairan had one thing that could be a threat to the world."
White stone.
It was about that.
It is the secret of Hairan that passed down only to the patriarch, but the hidden palace has already known the existence of the stone for a long time.
"Our Hidden Palace presumes that the item Hairan has is that of the witch Helluram. And as I said before, preventing the disaster that Helluram brings is one of the representative duties of the Hidden Palace."
"Then, Madame Talaris's main purpose in this war is to prevent the danger the Hairan is harboring as the master of hidden palace."
"Yes."
Talaris answered calmly.
Talaris's words to keep her duty as a hidden palace's master could be interpreted in many ways.
'It is perfectly reasonable to say that for Madame Talaris handling the white stones takes priority over Hairan, but if you think about it differently... It means that as soon as white stone reveals its danger, Madame Talaris could rather attack Hairan.'
Jin has no idea what's the condition of white stone at this time.
Also, when the situation reached an extreme, he wasn't sure what choice Hairan would make.
His friend Dante believes, but the patriarch of Hairan is Ron, not Dante.
If Hairan is at its worst in this war.
Ron is a person who could use the power of the white stone if he could to protect his beloved grandson.
-I don't think there's any reason for the imperial family to covet something that's all there is to it.
- That's right.
- I get it roughly. The stone must be dangerous enough to be unknown to anyone in the world. So, the patriarch of Hairan who acquired the item for the first time tried to cut it down and failed. After that, he has only left an order to destroy the item without informing them about it's identity so that future patriarchs do not become greedy.
-You mean you inferred everything from just my brief explanation? That's shocking.
-It's even more shocking that not even all the patriarchs of Hairan's history were unable to cut the stone, even Sir Ron. Where did the stone come out?
A conversation with Dante about the White Stone.
In that conversation, the danger of the white stone was already revealed.
The same was true about the emperor's actions to obtain the stone, even giving up Hairan.
'If, by any chance, the stone threatens the world, and Madame Talaris stands on the side of stopping the Hairan.'
There is no way to stop it.
That's why Jin was hesitant to give Talaris information about Ron.
After Jin was silent for a while, Talaris smiled mischievously as if she knew everything.
"Son-in-law."
"Yes."
"I think I know what you are worried about. I mean, it's easy to read your thoughts."
"Yes, I am concerned. I will help Dante as a friend no matter what."
"Even if there's a conflict with me during that process?"
"Yes."
A heavy silence fell between the two.
"... Ron, that idiot could use Helluram's stuff to save his grandson. Because nothing is more important to him than his grandson. But, Jin. Just as Dante Hairan is your friend, so Ron Hairan is my friend."
Chiron and Ron, and Talaris.
For those three, the closest friends or companions were each other.
That's the life of the absolutes. The higher you stand, the stronger you gain, and the deeper you enter the realm.
And people become lonely. They gained absolute power at the cost of falling into the deepest solitude.
Only those who entered the land could understand each other.
However, just as stars collide and disappear when they come too close, their relationship is no different.
If one of the three could embrace all of them, they would have become more affectionate friends than anyone else.
However, Chiron, who was able to take on the role, ascended to a higher and lonely realm and lost his emotions as a human being, and from then on, the three couldn't get closer.
There is still a feeling of friendship.
So Talaris had hoped that she would never have to do her duty, and was willing to make things work out that way if possible.
"So be a little more honest with me, tell me everything you know. We're talking about the worst situation right now, but isn't that just an assumption? We have the power. The power to rule out the worst."
Jin felt the sincerity.
Also realistically, Talaris' abilities were needed to help Hairan as quickly as possible.
The fact that all transfer gates are closed means that land and sea routes are also blocked.
Jin was prepared to approach the sword emperor castle via land and sea while fighting the Imperial Army, and was confident that he would break through without difficulty.
But it's too late to go that way.
If Hairan can't hold out until then, he'll do nothing but antagonize the Empire, let alone help his friends.
Going quickly and fighting together was also a thing to lose with the empire, but if he led the war to victory, then it could have enough meaning.
Jin is the flagbearer of Runcandel.
As a flagbearer, Jin intended to support Hairan without the permission of Rosa, acting patriarch.
If so, it must have been successful.
"And maybe, you and I are overcomplicating things. Although there are fewer knights clan with Hairan than I thought, if it is Ron...…"
"Sir Ron... has not yet recovered from the internal injuries sustained during the terrorist attack in the Sword Emperor castle."
Talaris' eyes widened.
"... What?"
"Sir Ron's condition has not improved at all after fighting the Leader of Kinzelo and sustaining internal injuries. I don't know the details of the situation, but maybe it's worse than then. And the only ones who know this are me, Madame Talaris, and five close aides of Sir Ron."
"Ha, I was aware that Ron had almost no external activities after the Sword Emperor Castle attack...… Could it be that it was for that reason?"
"The reason why the emperor is carrying out the purge and that there are few knights with Hairan is also the same. Perhaps those within the Empire know that Sir Ron is not in normal condition."
"... Contrary to what Ron looks like, he's good at tricks, so maybe he's doing it on purpose. He pretends to be sick, and at this point, he intends to root out the enemies of Hairan, and maybe even deal with the emperor...… Damn, things aren't too good to think so. Ron is not the kind who covets power even by forcing a fight."
Whoa, Talaris sighed.
Hearing about Ron's condition made her even more concerned. Even assuming he was in good health, it was only natural that she was worried about the danger of the white stone.
"I can understand why Ron never met me. Even though I'm a friend, I'm fundamentally an outsider in Hairan, so he couldn't have told me about the situation."
Worse than that, it could be so bad that he can't even move.
"Madame Talaris."
"Speak."
"Please help me and my comrades to get to the Sword emperor castle with the help of Mort."
"Okay. But right now it's impossible. Mort is tired from having just traveled so far. He needs time to recover."
Jin nodded.
"Anyway, I need a little time. I must muster all my comrades and men, and I must also create means to protect the Tikan while the power is gone."
Jin planned to devote all his strength to Hairan.
524
* * *
From the perspective of the public, life was nothing out of the ordinary just a few days ago.
But now, even they could feel a heavy atmosphere hanging over the entire empire.
Everyone knew that the emperor's sword was not aimed at foreign forces, but at Hairan, which was called the pillar of the empire.
"I know! better than anyone else that the Imperial Sword has been fighting for the Imperial Family and the people for a long time."
In front of the Imperial Palace, the Emperor of the Empire, Amir Vermont, stood on a giant golden platform, overlooking the crowd. The platform was supported by about two hundred condemned criminals dressed in red robes.
The crowd felt puzzled by the unexpected announcement from the Emperor, but dared not express it.
The emperor said that the cause of the purge was treason and civil war.
"You would be curious. What kind of treason did the lord of Sword emperor castle commit? You may also dislike it, but I, too, am well aware that you favor Ron Hairan more than me."
The emperor slowly looked down at the people.
"I, too, as the supreme ruler of the Empire, trusted the most faithful servant Ron Hairan. Also, as a human, I respected and admired him, so there is no way to hide my frustration. However, Ron Hairan, the lord of the sword emperor castle, ignored my orders as well as my earnest requests, putting the empire in danger of terror, war, and destruction."
As the emperor beckoned, two blackened flags torn from the poles on both sides of the platform unfolded. They were the flags of the Empire and Hairan.
"Everyone remembered the day the disaster happened in the sword emperor castle. These flags were destroyed that day, and I will inform the entire populace about the cause of the terrorism that happened that day. It was because of... a single item possessed by Hairan."
The crowd gathered in the square murmured for the first time.
Then, the emperor gave a sideways glance, and a martial artist wearing Hairan armor stepped forward.
He is the second son of Ron Hairan and the flagbearer of Hairan, 'Tion Hairan'.
After the Sword Emperor Castle terror attack, traitors appeared one after another inside Hairan. They were all those who were pushed by Dante and treated as 'non-existent people' by Ron Hairan.
They, who had never imagined betrayal under Ron's majesty, saw a chance when the Imperial Sword suffered an unprecedented blow, coupled with the Imperial Family taking a back seat.
Tion was the first and the one who took the lead in betraying Hairan.
"... there is a white stone in my clan that was passed down only from patriarch to patriarch."
Originally, Tion didn't know about it at all, but the emperor informed him about white stone. And the emperor had no hesitation in revealing the white stone to the public unlike Hairan, who has kept a secret that threatens the world by passing down the patriarch.
The eyes of the crowd watching Tion were stained with contempt.
Unless he was an idiot, it was impossible not to realize that he betrayed his clan and stood in this position to covet the power of Hairan, which would soon pass to Dante.
"It may be hard to believe, but if you can smelt and use that white stone, it has the power to support all the magic equipment of the empire and make the empire many times stronger in an instant."
From the perspective of the crowd, it was an absurd and infuriating story.
Booo-!
Eventually, the crowd booed Tion.
As the emperor said earlier, Hairan is a clan that is loved by the people more than the imperial family. Those gathered in the square wanted to stone him to death at any moment.
"Your majesty."
The leader of the imperial guard, 'Alton Hairan', met the emperor's eyes. It means that if the emperor gives an order, he will immediately suppress the commotion.
However, the Emperor, with a raised corner of his mouth, silently instructed him to leave it alone.
"But isn't it just a little bit of an unpleasant noise? Just let them vent their anger at least a little bit."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Emperor was not giving this speech to chastise Hairan out of fear of public opinion or worry that the people would side with Hairan and rebel.
The first was to expose the secret of Hairan and pressurize them, and the second was simply because he loved the people in his own way.
It means to raise your voice a little, show your dislike, and relieve your anger.
"After all, they have no power to stop me, nor the will to do so. They may like Hairan more than me, but they won't risk their lives for it. I find the foolish and annoying appearance of the people quite cute and lovable."
The emperor was sincere and his eyes were shining as if the public was fascinating.
"... Your Majesty, you already ordered my clan to return the white stone to the imperial family long ago. The expression 'return' implies that the stone was originally entrusted to Hairan by the former emperor."
Of course, the imperial family had never entrusted a white stone to Hairan. They are just saying this because the public can't know the truth anyway.
"What a load of crap!"
The booing grew more and more furious.
"But, as you can see, Sword Emperor Ron Hairan is not following Your Majesty's command. Enemies seeking the stone have even carried out terrorism on the lands of the Empire, Sword Emperor Castle."
"Get lost! You filthy traitor!"
"Living golems and unknown giant demonic creatures threatened the empire because of the stone! Yet, Hairan clings to its greed and does not return the stone to the imperial family. As a member of that clan, I know better than anyone else that the lord of the Sword Emperor castle is using that power to plot treason."
Clap!
The emperor clapped his hands, and the angry crowd calmed down at once.
"Tion Hyran's testimony may seem dubious. I also know very well that it will be difficult to accept because it is such a sudden story. But hear me, my people. I am willing to forgive Hairan for instigating civil war and treason if they return the stone even now."
As the speech reached this point, a mixture of curiosity and anger was brewing in the hearts of the crowd.
What in the world is this white stone? Does it really exist? If so, why doesn't Hairan return it to the imperial family? Such questions naturally arose.
"I, Amir Vermont, Emperor of the Empire, declares. I will stop the purge as soon as Hairan returns the stone. However, if they do not seek forgiveness from me until the end, the Sword Emperor Castle will disappear."
* * *
The contents of the Emperor's speech quickly reach the Sword Emperor Castle.
"Emperor, this son of a bitch...! How could he do this to Hairan? White stone? Ridiculous! He is making up such nonsensical stories because he has no justification. And he claims to be the supreme ruler of the Empire!"
"That lunatic will surely pay the price. He acts as if Hairan is powerless and silently enduring, being supported just because he's the Emperor."
"The throne will be stained with his blood. It was Hairan who deserved to sit there from the beginning, not the Vermont family. If it wasn't for Hairan, the empire wouldn't have existed!"
The martial artists gathered in the meeting room were each raising their voices in anger.
Most seemed ready to storm the palace and fight, but there was undoubtedly an undercurrent of unease among them.
Anxiety had already begun even before the emperor's speech.
"We can't just gather here like this; we need to take action first! We must make that kid understand the dignity of the Sword Emperor, the significance of that name."
"We are being framed for treason, but we should show what real treason is. A few traitors switching sides and the Emperor raising an army? As long as Sir Ron is here, those who turned their backs will eventually kneel before our sword!"
They all shouted, looking towards one person seated at the top.
It was Dante Hairan, the young patriarch of Hairan.
Dante was barely managing to hide signs of fatigue on his face. However, the bloodshot eyes and parched lips couldn't be concealed.
"Come out Sir Ron...!"
"Sir Ron...!"
The uneasiness of the martial artists was no different. It was because of Ron Hairan, the man who summoned all the martial artists to this place with just dignity without any action.
It has been several days since the martial artists gathered, but Ron has not yet appeared in front of them even once.
'Grandfather….'
Now even Dante was aware of Ron's condition. Over the past few days, Ron's health had deteriorated so rapidly that it was impossible to conceal.
Ron was currently unconscious.
Dante was in command of the Sword emperor castle on his behalf. As time passed, the gathered knights began to doubt whether the Sword Emperor was truly in good health.
The suspicion was becoming undeniable.
Ron's absence was equal to the absence of the whole of Hairan. While there were still individuals in Hairan without Ron, the outcome of waging war without him was as clear as day.
A sense of pressure, helplessness, and nausea overwhelmed Dante
Dante was dizzy after not being able to sleep for several days, and cramps occurred in various parts of his body if he did not concentrate.
'A weak body makes it hard for me even at times like this....'
Dante gritted his teeth and met the eyes of gathered knights.
It seemed like he had to reveal the truth.
"... My grandfather is ill at the moment, and he is unconscious."
At Dante's words, the knights' angry voices died down. Those who had already noticed were not too shocked, but those who did not know were struck by a thunderclap.
"Sir Ron... unconscious? Could it be that the injuries he suffered that day have worsened?"
"Why are you telling us that now?"
"Without Sir Ron, war...!"
As Dante was about to reply, an old knight opened his mouth, clicking his tongue.
"If Sir Ron is absent, are you saying you won't fight with Hairan? You're talking nonsense. Without Sir Ron, are the rest of you just a bunch of rank-file soldiers? We came here to fight against the tyranny of the Emperor, to protect the friendship with Hairan. We didn't come to overthrow the Empire with Sir Ron leading the charge."
His name was Shuras Helter, the patriarch of the Helter clan.
Dante avoided giving an uncomfortable response to Shuras's words, but as long as Ron remained in bed, Dante had no means to dispel their anxiety.
They were facing opponents that would be difficult to handle even if they solidly united. Yet, a significant number of knights couldn't help but contemplate the crack created by Ron's absence.
'Without Sir Ron, the war is lost.'
'If we lose the fight against the emperor, not only will we die, but all of our blood and kin will be brutally murdered....'
Moreover, once they learned of Ron's illness, thoughts like these crossed their minds.
'The white stone the emperor spoke of... What if it really exists?'
'If the emperor's speech is true, it is best to return the stone and resolve the situation. Should I hope that his absurd story is real...!?'
A tense silence fell.
Just as someone was about to bring up the question of whether the Emperor's speech was true, urgent footsteps were heard from outside. It was the sound of commanders rushing in.
"Young patriarch! Movement of the Emperor's forces confirmed. The vanguard will arrive at the Sword Emperor Castle within three hours...!"
525
"... The scale of the Imperial Army vanguard?"
"One thousand knights, one hundred mages and five dragons, the commander is Kevin Perral of the Dragon King Knights. Notable Knights include Scott Harlow of the Central Knights, Marvin Pan, and Gloria Cenderer of the White Knights. The commander of the mages is Loya Lilista, mainly composed of the 2nd division of the Lilista Magic Corps."
"Fifty lion-class cannons, three red dragon-class cannons, and a number of barrier amplification artifacts have been confirmed as war artifacts."
Even with just that, there weren't many nations in the world that couldn't be conquered. Excluding the major factions, it was overwhelming for a single nation or clan to handle.
Besides, the lists recited by commanders are only the vanguard. The size of the main force that arrived later was incomparable.
"The scale of the main force hasn't been determined yet, but it's estimated to be at least ten times larger."
The atmosphere in the conference room became heavy.
Those who guessed Ron's condition renewed their resolve once more, and those who did not continued to think of the white stone.
"Three hours, faster than expected. The Emperor must be aware that Ron is in no condition to fight. That's probably why they are rushing here. The main force will likely arrive within a couple of hours after the vanguard."
It was as Shuras said.
Crack-! Suddenly, Shuras split the long table of the conference room in half and walked between them to stand in front of Dante.
Then he got down on one knee and lowered himself.
"I, Shuras Helter, the patriarch of the Helter clan. My knights, who are under my control, and I will share the same fate as Hairam."
As Shuras swore, the other knights fell to their knees as well.
"The Sellington clan will fight alongside Hairan, too!"
"Lofermo clan would have perished in ancient times if not for Hairan. It's weak, but it will help."
"The Traga clan will stand by Hairan."
"Ackle clan...."
Thirty representatives of each clan in the conference room swore to Dante and Hairan.
Then there were seven people left. They were the ones who were most shaken by the news that Ron had lost consciousness.
After Dante solemnly placed a sword on the shoulders of those who had sworn allegiance and responded, he silently gazed at them.
"Kingzel clan, Felicie clan, Metin clan, Baizerin clan, Pane clan, Mitro clan, Genion clan."
"Sir Dante, we…."
"You have betrayed your trust with Hairan. You forgot that my clan, my grandfather and ancestors fought for your well-being."
The representatives of the seven clans couldn't lift their heads at Dante's words.
The knights who were still bowing were ready to cut their throats at any moment if Dante gave an order.
"But I don't want to believe that you abandoned the faith of Hairan simply out of fear for your life and the survival of your clan. I will assume that you chose to keep loyalty to the Empire rather than loyalty to Hairan. So, before you leave, there is something you must do for the Empire."
"Speak... please."
"Help evacuate the people of Sword emperor Castle. If you are not even willing to do that, it means you have not chosen loyalty, and I have no reason to spare you."
The seven knights who did not swear allegiance bowed their heads and left the meeting room.
"Sir Golo."
"Yes, my lord!"
"Evacuate all non-combatant vassals and subjects. If the seven clans do not assist in the process, you can cut their throat immediately."
"I will do as you command."
"Also, all rank-file soldiers must be evacuated."
The rank-file soldiers were mainly responsible for equipment operation and supply, as well as maintaining guard and post-battle control.
If rank-file soldiers are absent, the lower-ranking knights would have to operate equipment such as cannons themselves, so there would be some power loss, but Dante didn't want to make them take too harsh a responsibility.
If the war is lost, they will have their whole family killed just for standing on the walls.
After the evacuation only remaining personnel in the castle were 3,000 lower-ranking knights, 1,000 high-ranking knights, and 50 commander-level knights, including Dante.
They could handle a vanguard force, but it was woefully insufficient to face the entire empire.
Dante and his commanders climbed the walls.
Restoration has been ongoing since the last terrorist attack, but sword emperor castle has yet to regain its original appearance.
Cracks were left everywhere on the walls, and there are many empty places.
It was not a fight for defense anyway. All the rank-file soldiers were sent out, and more than half of the war equipments were damaged during the terror, so they couldn't hold the fortress for long.
Regardless of the outcome of the war, today marked the end for the sword emperor castle.
Dante simply wanted to capture this scene in his eyes one last time.
-I know what you mean. Then, what if the imperial family chooses Zipfel and decides to end Hairan with us?
-You stop that on your own.
-I'm not the patriarch of Zipfel, but the next patriarch. I don't have that much authority.
-I'm just kidding, Runcandel will join Hairan at that time.
Dante suddenly remembered the conversation of his friends as he watched the tents set up under the walls being pulled down and people evacuating at the command of the commanders.
When he and Jin asked Veradin to urge Zipfel to press Hairan even more.
The three assumed the possibility of an all-out war of this kind to some degree.
However, it was completely unexpected for Ron to lose consciousness and for the emperor to reveal Hairan's secret to the whole world.
Who would have imagined that Ron would be unable to fight.
Ron's injuries during the terror attack were by no means this severe. It should have been a normal injury that would take at most a week or a month to recover.
Dante didn't know why Ron's injury had gotten so bad.
'My grandfather can't wake up, and it seems unlikely that we can win this war now, even if Jin were to come.'
Dante thought that getting Jin's help would be like dragging a friend into a quagmire.
Jin was not yet the patriarch of Runcandel. And, when evaluated objectively, Hairan without Ron had no value for Runcandel to stand up against the Empire.
Dante received paper and pen from the commander standing beside him. It was to send a letter to Jin, requesting him not to come to their aid.
"Send this to Tikan immediately."
The commander received the letter and went down the wall.
If Jin were to come, there was a high probability that Dante could survive. As Jin had mentioned during his conversation with Veradin, even if he couldn't bring the entire Runcandel with him, he would certainly bring enough troops to rescue Dante.
But Dante was convinced that he would rather die fighting together than choose to escape from here and survive alone.
Thousands of martial artists risked their lives for Hairan and rebelled. It was never possible for him to prioritize his survival as the lord of the sword emperor castle.
Following Dante and the commanders' orders, knights were deployed throughout the castle. The eyes of the knights were heavily stained with the resolution of a desperate fight.
All that was left was to wait for the enemies to come.
* * *
"A white stone? Is he planning to eliminate the Sword Emperor Castle with such a justification?"
Rosa, examining the report, raised an eyebrow.
"We have never obtained any information about this White Stone. It could be a lie created for a justification."
"It might be true. However, that's not important. The fact that the Emperor is making such a move indicates his confidence in defeating Ron's sword emperor castle."
"After the Sword emperor castle terrorist attack, Ron Hairan almost stopped his external activities. And he hasn't been active at all for the last 15 days."
"It could be that he can't fight, as I predicted before... Seeing no response even though the Emperor has raised an army is almost certain."
"There is no full-fledged movement yet, but Zipfel may be looking after the emperor."
"If the white stone is worth as much as the emperor said, Zipfel will surely back him up."
"Should I prepare the knights?"
Rosa thought for a moment about her youngest son, instead of answering the scribe's words.
"What about the 12th flagbearer?"
"It is certain that he is inside Tikan, but the detailed internal situation is unknown due to the order of the patriarch."
"That child will definitely go to the sword emperor castle. I think the fourth flagbearer's sudden request for vacation has something to do with it."
"To lead the knights of Runcandel and go to the Sword Emperor Castle without permission from the acting matriarch...…."
"You're making quite an absurd statement. When did the youngest act with that kind of self-consciousness? Besides, even if the youngest does not have the knights of the clan, he has a solid force of his own."
The scribe bowed his head.
'I don't know exactly what kind of white stone Hairan is holding, but there's nothing wrong with having it, seeing as the emperor is so anxious about it.'
However, it was burdensome to step forward without any information or justification. If, by any chance, the White Stone held no special value, Runcandel would be interfering in the Empire's civil war with no gains.
"For now, let's observe how the youngest handles the situation. However, if we detect a situation in which Zipfel or Kinzelo are actively stepping out, we will move accordingly. Keep a close eye on their movements. Also, make a statement that Runcandel has nothing to do with the civil war in Hairan."
This way, if Jin's actions led to unfavorable results, they could naturally position it as not representing the entire Runcandel's judgment. On the other hand, if it ended well, it would highlight the capabilities and tenacity of the 12th flagbearer of Runcandel once again.
"Yes, Acting matriarch."
* * *
The emperor's vanguard army arrived at the plains of sword emperor castle.
Dante stood in the middle of the wall at the gate and watched them.
Five dragons, a thousand knights, a hundred mages, fifty-three cannons and barrier equipment pointed to the main gate of the sword emperor castle. The back gate and the side gate seemed to be surrounded by the main force anyway, so there was no need to pay attention.
"I am Kevin Perral, Vanguard Commander of the Civil War Suppression Army under His Majesty, the great Emperor Amir Vermont! Ron Hairan, the lord of the Sword Emperor castle, come forth now and receive His Majesty's edict!"
Kevin Perral shouted as he looked down at Sword emperor castle while riding on the red dragon.
Dante and the commanders didn't respond to his words. Kevin, feeling a bit ignored, raised his voice even louder. He had listened to the Emperor beforehand, but he had just seen with his own eyes that Ron couldn't fight.
"Is Ron Hairan absent? If so, the young patriarch, Dante Hairan, heed His Majesty's edict and obey...!"
Swoosh!
Before he could finish his sentence, Kevin felt a chilling sensation like the wind entering his chest.
"Uh...?"
A hole appeared in his chest.
Kevin was completely unaware of that moment, but it happened right after something flashed on the walls of the sword emperor castle.
The light came from Dante's sword. The sword that had pierced Kevin's chest had already gone back into the scabbard, and only a few people were aware of its speed.
As Kevin began to fall from the dragon's back, Dante spoke.
"No one dares to look down on the Sword Emperor Castle in the Empire, not even the Emperor. So, if anyone wishes to convey the Emperor's will, they must defeat me and speak."