He was the newly appointed prime minister of the Icarotte Empire. His name was Sergei, and he was a highly capable man who enjoyed Emperor Rosengart’s absolute trust and had been elevated to the rank of duke at a young age.
One could readily guess his abilities from the fact that he administered the affairs of the Icarotte Empire on the emperor’s behalf without difficulty. Duke Sergei unfurled the chart and soon began explaining the state of the war.
“All Your Majesties must already be well aware that the present situation is gravely urgent. More than ten kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Kanduras, have already been devastated by the Orc Allied Army. Their momentum is truly terrifying. The defensive siege tactics that proved useful in the First Race War no longer work against them. According to reports, they have been destroying castles completely with Meteor Swarm before sending in their troops to attack. It is most likely the work of dragons. Because of that, defensive siege warfare can no longer slow their advance.”
The faces of the monarchs who heard his explanation grew exceedingly dark. Only thirty years had passed since the tragedy of Bloody Moon, and yet no one had imagined that such a crisis would once again befall the human world. Judging by the situation, this crisis was so perilous that it could not even be compared to the previous two.
The most powerful beings on the Truvenia continent. Dragons—beings who inspired terror by mere imagination—were taking part in this war. Duke Sergei’s explanation continued.
“What must be noted in particular is that an enormous number of monsters have joined this orc invasion force. Countless monsters, including ogres and trolls, and even large numbers of wyverns, have joined their ranks. Because of that, our armies are now facing tremendous difficulties. The power of the knightly orders, which could display their might against the orcs, has been drastically reduced.”
His words were true. Ogres and trolls, with their superior height, could deal with mounted knights without much difficulty. Strictly speaking, it was not as though the orc race had no cavalry of its own. They too possessed wolf riders, whose mobility was outstanding enough to rival cavalry.
However, it was unthinkable for lightly armored wolf riders alone to handle knights clad in heavy armor. Thus, during the First War, castles and mounted knights had played a decisive role in allowing humans to endure for so long. But now that advantage was about to disappear without a trace.
One shocked monarch sprang up from his seat. It was the king of the Karnatic Kingdom.
“H-how can those orcs possibly bring in uncivilized monsters? I simply cannot understand it.”
“According to the analysis of the intelligence bureau, it is believed that the dragons may have had a hand in this. As you all know, countless monsters dwell in the dragons’ lairs, do they not? As guardians protecting the lairs. In addition, the hunts frequently carried out by knights in various regions seem to have played a part as well. All of you should be aware of that matter. Countless monsters fled beyond the Felusia Mountains to escape those hunts. It appears those monsters were driven by the dragons and ended up joining the orc hordes.”
“Hmm.”
The monarchs all kept silent. When one considered it, they too were partly responsible for the monsters joining the orcs. Though the monarchs had guarded against it so extremely, the influence Great Emperor Crossen left upon the Truvenia continent was truly immense. One of those influences was that he had greatly opened the possibility for knights to become Sword Masters. The legend of having raised some two hundred and fifty Sword Masters in a mere ten years.
He had spread his own systematic method of mana training throughout the continent. Of course, it was a method far less effective than the training he had personally taught his own knights, but the repercussions were tremendous. The knights who obtained that method spurred themselves to train even harder in order to become Masters. Having taken up the sword, they harbored the ambition to become Masters at least once. Knights seeking to learn this training method handed down from Great Emperor Crossen lined up without end, and it did bear fruit. Ironically, those whose lives came to be threatened by them were medium-sized monsters such as ogres and trolls.
Since ancient times, hunting had been the most effective method of training. Of course, dragon hunting was the most effective of all, but it was so dangerous that one might lose one’s life even after risking it, so knights did not dare attempt it. (Though there were occasionally such reckless knights.) Instead, knights chose medium-sized monsters as their main prey.
Believing it would raise their fame and also aid their training, knights went out monster hunting almost every day, and because of that, ogres and trolls on the Truvenia continent were driven to the verge of extinction. As a result, the medium-sized monsters had no choice but to flee en masse for survival to places still untouched by human hands—beyond the Felusia Mountains. Beyond the rugged Felusia Mountains, dragon lairs were clustered together, and there were dense forests sufficient to hide them.
Because of the knights’ thirst for honor, an exodus of medium-sized monsters had taken place. But the price for it was now returning in full as a terrifying threat.
“No matter how low their intelligence may be, monsters would not have forgotten their hatred toward humans. In my opinion, even without pressure from the dragons, they would have voluntarily joined the orc army.”
Sergei could easily guess that much. But regret, no matter how many times one indulged in it, came too late. In the present situation, it was time to establish countermeasures and nothing else.
“To overcome this crisis for now, we must gather the strength of every kingdom together.”
No one voiced an objection to that opinion. Until now, they had overcome two great crises that threatened humanity’s survival by that very method. Since ancient times, humanity’s greatest strength had lain in its ability to cooperate with one another. If the armies of every kingdom on the Truvenia continent gathered together and formed an allied force, they could produce a sufficient synergistic effect. Thus, the monarchs tacitly agreed with that opinion.
At that moment, someone’s voice rang loudly through the hall.
“That alone will not suffice. This crisis is unimaginably more urgent than the two wars that occurred before. I can state with certainty that it will be difficult to handle with the strength of our Truvenia alone.”
The gazes of all the monarchs focused on one person at once. The one who had shouted rose from his seat and strode over to Sergei’s side. A flustered voice burst from Sergei’s mouth.
“High Pontiff Shreckheimer.”
The one who had stepped forward was none other than Shreckheimer. He, who was currently serving as the interim High Pontiff of the Church, had stepped in to apply the brakes at a decisive moment.
When the Oath Stone was stolen, not a single clergyman residing in the main Church of Verhazel survived. But there had been an exception even there, and the sole survivor was Shreckheimer. Since High Pontiff Ipicros had died at that time, he inherited the position of interim High Pontiff and was attending this gathering as the representative of the Church of Verhazel. Because he was the only high-ranking clergyman still alive…
Shreckheimer looked around at the monarchs’ faces and revealed why he had stepped forward.
“The Truvenia continent has already grown weak beyond imagination. In such a state, to block the powerful dragons and the Orc Allied Army is, quite literally, absurd. Moreover, have we not even had the Oath Stone, the treasure of our race, stolen from us? The present crisis is not a problem that can be solved merely by joining forces. In order to overcome this crisis, we need an even more urgent means of self-preservation.”
The eyebrows of Rosengart IV, who had been listening quietly, twitched. Of course, like most of the monarchs, he found Shreckheimer’s very attendance displeasing. The glory of the Church of Verhazel had now been buried forever in the past. They had merely allowed him to attend for the sake of formality, yet he was presumptuously stepping forward. Soon, his furious voice rang through the hall.
“What could be more important in this situation than forming an allied army? To overcome this crisis, the only measure is for all kingdoms to join forces. Was this not proven through the two previous crises?”
“The alliance being formed now cannot be called an alliance in the true sense. Your Majesties have forgotten the most powerful force humanity possesses.”
“…”
Shreckheimer looked at the monarchs’ faces as they grew increasingly rigid and enunciated each word clearly.
“There is only one path by which we humans can overcome this crisis. Join hands with Grand Duke Crossen of Arcadia. And request his aid.”
The hall suddenly sank into silence. Great Emperor Crossen. The name of the man whom the monarchs of each kingdom had guarded against so fiercely had finally been mentioned. Shreckheimer’s statement had struck directly at the monarchs’ sorest nerve. Unable to suppress his rage, Rosengart IV suddenly kicked back his seat and stood.
Bang.
From the way his handsomely grown beard trembled, it was easy to guess just how furious he was. Though murderous gazes focused upon him, Shreckheimer did not care in the slightest.
“Think about it. What would have happened in the two previous crises if he had not been there? In my opinion, we most likely would not have overcome even a single crisis. At the very least, his achievements are something that can never be denied throughout all of history. And yet to exclude him from the most urgent crisis, one that will decide the survival of humanity, is unthinkable.”
Even as he looked at Emperor Rosengart, who was so full of anger that he could not immediately speak, Shreckheimer continued without hesitation.
“In particular, this war must be fought in a situation where the Oath Stone does not exist. This fact has already spread widely among the people, knowingly or unknowingly. In short, this is a war that we of Truvenia alone can never overcome. Therefore, Your Majesty! Please set aside your pride and send envoys to Arcadia.”
Having finished speaking, Shreckheimer turned his head and looked around at the monarchs’ faces. As expected, anger was plainly visible on every monarch’s face.
Great Emperor Crossen. He was the spiritual pillar of all the people of the Truvenia continent, and an undeniable hero who had saved the nation both in name and reality. But unfortunately, that did not apply to the monarchs of each kingdom. He was a self-made man who had begun as a lowly mercenary and risen to become a great hero revered by all the people of Truvenia.
However, the emotions the monarchs felt toward such a Great Emperor Crossen were merely those reserved for a dangerous figure who threatened their power. Was that not why the monarchs had actively joined hands with the Church of Verhazel and driven him away to Arcadia? In particular, Rosengart IV’s feelings stood unrivaled among the monarchs.
‘Damn it. Must I hear his name even in a situation like this? Crossen. Just how much of a shadow must you cast over Truvenia before you are satisfied?’
Some fifty years ago, when the Race War broke out, Rosengart IV had been a vigorous young crown prince in his late teens. While conducting the war together with his imperial father, he had trusted in his youthful blood and his royal guard knights and gone deep into enemy lines, only to fall into danger.
The situation then had been, quite literally, one of being surrounded on all sides. Under the orcs’ fierce assault, the royal guard knights protecting him died and fell without pause, and the main camp far away could not even dream of rescuing him. At that time, Rosengart IV had all but given up on life. The orcs’ fierce fighting spirit, which he had only heard of in words, and their cruelty that did not even spare corpses had made any courage vanish without a trace. If the orcs had kept prisoners alive, he would have declared surrender without hesitation. That was how terrified he had been at the time.
Then, an unexpected savior appeared.