4. Territorial War>In Tian, the concept of a territorial war is simple.
It was the same with the transfer of royal authority, but Tian is not a nation that stops territorial wars. Rather, it actively encourages them. Tian’s law says only one thing.
This is the spirit of Tian that has been passed down from the founding king of Tian to the present day. The royal family is no exception.
The Logadis region is the unusual case in Tian.
Why would the nobles of Logadis have no greed? They simply endured because they were all more or less equal, and it was obvious there was little worth taking from one another, so there was no reason to engage in wasteful competition. This was the peace envisioned by the thirteen noble territories of the Logadis region.
That had been the case until now.
But now it could no longer be avoided. Baron Kulan, who sought to expand outward, and the Logadis Alliance, which sought to protect what was theirs, were destined to clash one day. Viscount Tern’s summons had merely set the fire.
“It’s incredibly busy.”
Sian, seeing a territorial war for the first time, looked around curiously as he spoke. Their inn was located near the lord’s castle, and because the terrain was high, the entire territory could be seen.
The whole territory was in an uproar.
The women moved busily, handling logistics and mending military cloth, while the children were conducting emergency evacuation drills along escape routes to be used in times of crisis.
The men had all gathered at the training grounds of the outer castle to receive training.
Curiously, most of them were volunteers rather than conscripts.
They had experienced both before and after Pareon became lord, so they clearly understood what would happen if they lost this time.
“Well… it’s not exactly a common sight on the frontier, but strategic points on the border or noble territories with a certain level of power all do at least this much. Even so, this is quite impressive.”
Kariman, too, spoke while looking outside from the upper floor of the inn. At the same time, he thought to himself that Sian really was someone with something unusual about him.
He was calm. Far too calm.
He was staying in a territory that had been caught up in war, yet for some reason he was looking all around as if everything was fascinating.
Even Kariman, who was more than twice Sian’s age, felt uneasy. To be precise, he had become uneasy ever since hearing that this Kulan territory was going to face the entire Logadis region.
If Kulan territory was defeated, this territory would be swept up in war, and then there was no telling what might happen to them. If the enemy had reason, they would not attack even Garan
-Tians like themselves, but there was no way that would hold true in the middle of a war.
“Sian, aren’t you anxious? If they lose, this territory could be swept away.”
Hearing Kariman’s words, Sian smiled and said,
“Haha. There’s no way this place will lose, is there? Senior, you don’t need to worry so much.”‘Is he just immature……?’What war was ever fought because people knew they would win? If both sides knew the outcome, war itself would not happen. The weaker side would just crawl on its own.
War breaks out because both sides judge that they have a chance. And that judgment is more objective than one might think.
Kariman thought Sian’s reason for feeling at ease was far too complacent, but Sian was thinking something else inside.‘Whether it’s underground, in the forest, or in the lake… if they just take something out, they’ll probably win… There’s no way they’ll lose, right?’At the time, he had not known what was hanging on Baron Pareon’s body, but while staying in the lord’s castle and observing the wavelengths, he found that each item was similar to the wavelengths coming from the secret spaces. They must have been taken from there.
Among them, a few had considerable wavelengths.
He did not know what abilities they had, but if they were for attack, then if they were placed in the hands of that young lady named Sir Rianna at the training ground, she would probably be able to cut down a small territory’s knight order all by herself.
By the nature of armaments, the user’s skill was important, but at that level, even if a child held it, cutting a house into pieces would be easy.
In other words, it would be difficult for them to lose. Unless there were variables, the territorial war would end one-sidedly.
Judging from the fact that the items were hidden in underground spaces, it did not seem they would bring out all their cards, but surely they would not leave them unused if they looked like they were going to lose. They would take them out one by one.
And if that happened, even if the Logadis Alliance was winning at first, they would eventually go, Huh? Huh? and end up getting thoroughly stripped bare before returning home in tears.
They could just rest comfortably here and return to the capital once the war ended.
Thinking of that time, Sian decided to enjoy this feeling of being on a trip even more. The restaurant introduced by the lord’s castle had been excellent, and he had already bought gifts for his family.☆ ☆ ☆“Phew… Are the preparations going well, Sir Rianna?”
Pareon asked the vassals before him with a tired expression.
No matter how much the terminal access device on his wrist,
“Yes, my lord baron. We are fully prepared to teach those arrogant bastards of the Logadis Alliance a lesson. After all, this is what our Kulan Knight Order has been preparing for.”
Rianna spoke with a confident expression. She did not know what means Baron Pareon had used, but he had gone all around the Logadis region and found youths with talent in Vander.
Then he had taught them the Kulan baron family’s secret Vander
-Roa, the “Path of the Wolf,” a modified version of what had once been called “Ferocious Dog” (if they used a cooler name, the neighboring territories would pick fights, telling them to know their place), and trained them.
Normally, no matter how talented one was, if one began training after growing older, it was difficult to achieve results in a short period of time. But after taking some mysterious medicine of unknown origin, their skills had grown rapidly, and now every member of the territory’s knight order had reached the lower Expert level, while Rianna herself had reached the intermediate level.
It was a secret from the others, but Pareon had given Rianna medicine of a slightly different color.
All of them were loyal to Baron Pareon, who had opened a path for them when they had no hope.
“Good. Sir Roina, are the preparations going well on your end?”
“Yes. Since we have been gathering military supplies regularly, we can last a full three months even without additional supply.”
“Oh, my!”
Seeing Pareon suddenly let out a groan, Roina asked with an anxious expression,
“What is the matter, my lord baron?”
“Didn’t we gather too much? Haha! Three months, you say. That’s wasteful. We could give the soldiers seven meals a day.”
When Pareon said this with a laugh, Roina and the others, finally relieved of their tension, burst into laughter.
No matter how confident they were, it was everyone’s first territorial war, so they had all been tense; Pareon had thrown in a remark to lighten the mood.
Except for one person—no, one race.
“Kid, by the way, did you send away that squid-like fellow from last time… and what was it… the one next to him? I don’t think I saw them in the castle.”
“Uncle Raka
-Dum! Don’t speak so rudely to Lord Pareon!”
“Ah, fine, fine. Calm down. I got it, kid lord.”
Raka
-Dum, who had been quietly standing in the corner of the meeting room, asked about Kariman and Sian’s whereabouts.
“They are staying inside the outer castle, not in the lord’s castle. They say they will leave once the war is over.”
Roina answered Raka
-Dum’s question in Pareon’s stead.
“Hmm… Is that so? Hm…….”
Seeing Raka
-Dum uneasy for the first time, Pareon answered as if telling him not to worry too much.
“Lord Raka
-Dum, please do not worry too much. The place where they are staying is the outer castle, and the enemy probably won’t even get to strike the gate of the outer wall. That will be unfortunate for you, Lord Raka
-Dum. You personally designed the castle gate, yet you won’t even get to use it.”
“…
Must be nice, having such an easy heart. Try seeing things like I do. Let’s see if you can still speak so comfortably.”
At Raka
-Dum’s incomprehensible words, the others wore puzzled expressions, but Raka
-Dum stopped speaking with a tired expression. Pareon shrugged and began listening to the reports again, continuing the meeting.☆ ☆ ☆The territorial war between Kulan territory and the Logadis Alliance, which broke out fiercely as soon as the meeting ended, proceeded in quite a balanced manner.
The strength of their Vander users was even. It was not thanks to the Kulan Knight Order.
Though the Kulan Knight Order had been formed, they were greenhorns who had never experienced real battle. Of course, the Vander users on the Logadis Alliance’s side also lacked real combat experience, but the years they had lived and the length of their training were different, so even if their realms were similar, their fighting strength differed.
If it were Vander user against Vander user, the Kulan Knight Order could only be pushed back. If not for Sir Rianna, that is.
No, to be precise, if not for the weapon Sir Rianna was holding.
The weapon itself was nothing unusual. It was simply a sleek blade with an ordinary appearance, the kind one could see anywhere.
The problem was that the results of swinging that blade were not ordinary.
Whatever it touched was cut cleanly apart. It was certainly not Sir Rianna’s skill. Compared to the blade’s performance, Sir Rianna’s movements were like a child swinging a sword.
But neither shields, nor swords imbued with Vander, nor armor, nor even castle gates could withstand that blade. Whenever it was swung, everything within the path of its arc was cut apart.
Even Carlisle, the knight commander of Lashu territory, which was among the strongest in the Logadis region aside from the Rotfel region, had his beloved weapon split in two by a single strike and fled after narrowly escaping death.
The reason Sir Rianna had not stepped forward with the weapon until now was that there had been no knight order to support her. No matter how powerful the armament was, with Sir Rianna’s skill, she would have no choice but to die if surrounded.
As for the quality of the ordinary soldiers, Kulan territory held the advantage.
The soldiers of Kulan territory, who had trained in Vander
-Roa (this was quite revolutionary, at least in the Logadis region), were displaying enough strength to handle two opponents alone.
Moreover, both the quantity and quality of their training were different. The regular soldiers of Kulan territory, who had undergone harsh training over a short period, showed strength on an entirely different level from the soldiers of the Logadis Alliance, who had grown soft in peace.
But the problem was numbers.
Eleven territories had united and invaded, so their numbers exceeded Kulan territory’s by several times.
Sir Rianna struggled fiercely at the front, but the opposing side changed strategy as well; whenever Sir Rianna appeared, their Vander users employed throwing weapons. With dozens of daggers and throwing armaments flying at her, Sir Rianna, whose skill fell short compared to her armament, had no choice but to retreat.
Because they knew Kulan territory lacked numbers, the surrounding territories had encircled it and were pressing it through rotating assaults.
In this way, the territorial war was flowing into a prolonged phase.☆ ☆ ☆The lord’s castle of Viscounty Tern.
Because Viscounty Tern bordered Kulan territory, the distance was not great, and there was no need to go all the way to the battlefield to issue commands. Thus, Viscount Tern remained in his office.
However, Viscount Tern was not alone inside the office.
“It is proceeding as expected. Baron Pareon’s potential is remarkable. Our side is being pushed back little by little. At this rate… before a month passes, the Logadis Alliance will be dismantled and absorbed.”
The expression of Viscount Tern, who was telling the person before him that the Logadis Alliance would be defeated, looked astonishingly calm.
No, he was even smiling, as if everything was going exactly as he had thought.
“Heh heh… It would be strange if they lost even while possessing such things. They must have far more hidden away, but it seems they cannot activate them. Seeing as they only sent out that girl holding a toy sword like that.”
The one before Viscount Tern mocked the artifact Sir Rianna held, dismissing it as a toy sword.
As if wishing to hide his identity, the artifact worn around his neck emitted a strange sound and blurred the area around his face, making it impossible to discern his features. However, his massive build and intense presence were not something one could easily find.
“But are you certain the ‘Legacies’ are there?”
“Ha ha. Of course. I finished confirming everything long ago. Still, this truly is unexpected. Who would have thought the
Usharan’s hidden Gran-Bander, Kurandas, said with a look of astonishment.
☆ ☆ ☆
Named after Arankal, the wolf raised by the War God, this arsenal was built during the era of the ancient empire.
The empire, which employed Exars and incorporated science to exert absolute influence over the Ra-Sian continent, had placed the Seven Kingdoms beneath its feet, but it always felt the need to keep watch over them.
It was then that the “Arankal Arsenals” were installed in several places across the Ra-Sian continent.
Built to control and suppress actions opposing the empire, these arsenals stored war weapons that embodied the essence of the empire’s law-magic.
Even during the war against the Kal-Gul, the imperial side could not afford to be stabbed in the back by the Seven Kingdoms, so despite being pushed back, they did not retrieve the “Arankal Arsenals” and continued operating them. After the empire fell, the arsenals ceased functioning and remained as they were on the Ra-Sian continent.
After the Kingdom of Usharan happened to discover the arsenal that had been thoroughly hidden away, it kept the matter under strict secrecy and even stationed a Gran-Bander there to manage it.
Though it was a small arsenal, the terrifying power and technology contained within allowed the Kingdom of Usharan to overcome its barren, hot environment and grow strong enough to pressure the Kingdom of Kon.
At the same time, the Kingdom of Usharan was faced with a dilemma: where on earth were the other arsenals located?
If it had granted them tremendous power, then it was obvious it would grant tremendous power to another nation as well.
According to the records, there was one more location besides their own, but they simply could not find where it was. And it was out of the question to go rummaging through other countries.
They had more or less given up, but then, astonishingly, several items that could only exist in the “Arankal Arsenal” appeared on Usharan’s black market.
Upon discovering this, the Kingdom of Usharan’s intelligence department immediately began tracing them backward and started recovering every item. They obtained information that a total of four had appeared on the black market; three of them were all recovered, while one could not be found because a Drcon had purchased it and left the Kingdom of Usharan.
After investigating the recovered items, the intelligence department presented two conclusions.
1. Judging by the serial numbers and format, these are unquestionably items from an “Arankal Arsenal.”
2. These were not items that had existed in our country and then been released onto the black market. In other words, they came from a new “Arankal Arsenal.”
Upon learning this, the Kingdom of Usharan was excited and, in utmost secrecy, investigated the source of the items. As a result, they learned that a man named Pareon, the lord of a backward region called Logadis in the Kingdom of Tian, had come to Usharan’s black market and sold them.
In his own mind, he had likely sold them to the Kingdom of Usharan out of fear that selling them in the Kingdom of Tian would expose his trail, but from the Kingdom of Usharan’s perspective, it was an extraordinary stroke of luck. And so they cautiously began investigating the Kingdom of Kulan and the Logadis region.
Because the territory was in a period of rapid expansion, outsiders entering did not arouse suspicion. Usharan’s intelligence agents disguised themselves as merchants, builders, and maids, thoroughly combing through the barony. And at last, they were able to discover it.
Behind the cliffs of the Kulan Barony, an “Arankal Arsenal” existed!
From the Kingdom of Usharan’s perspective, it was an ideal situation.
If it had existed in a military strategic point, near the capital, or in the territory of some great noble, they would not have been able to go anywhere near it—unless they intended to go to war.
But according to their investigation, this place called the Logadis region was truly the frontier of frontiers. It was remote enough that if they sent even one of their royal knight orders, they could sweep it clean in less than a month.
On top of that, the timing was good. Signs had begun to appear that the famous royal succession battle of the Kingdom of Tian was about to begin. (From the perspective of the absolute monarchy that was the Kingdom of Usharan, it was hard to understand, but since the Kingdom of Tian was indeed growing stronger, there was nothing they could really say.)
If it were a period of stable public order, it would have been difficult, but when the entire nation was in turmoil like this, the center would not pay attention to the frontier over most incidents.
Having learned this much, the Kingdom of Usharan immediately decided to act. They would sweep up everything inside the “Arankal Arsenal.” The things within were far too precious for some frontier barony to possess.
Even if it was a frontier, if it became known that another country had come in, swept through a territory of their nation, and stolen from it, it would mean war.
Therefore, the Kingdom of Usharan devised a plan so that their involvement would never be discovered. And they put it steadily into action.
As a result, the man now standing before Viscount Tern was Kurandas, the Gran-Bander who guarded the Kingdom of Usharan’s arsenal.
This was a matter well worth a Gran-Bander’s involvement.
According to the investigation conducted by the spies they sent, Baron Kulan seemed to have taken out some military supplies and basic equipment from inside the arsenal, hidden them in his territory, and used them to develop the domain. They had been hidden quite well; had Usharan not investigated with intent, they would not have known.
If the man named Pareon had unlocked the second stage of the arsenal, the Logadis Alliance would have been swept away in an instant. But seeing how he had only used the first stage in battle and territorial development thus far, it seemed he had only unlocked up to the first stage.
Of course, even the first stage was impressive. But they had no interest in such things. The true power of the “Arankal Arsenal” began from the second stage, still sealed and remaining within the cliff.
Their goal was to plunder that place.
There was no way to avoid being detected while plundering the arsenal. If its structure was similar to theirs, its security level would also be considerable. If they barged in recklessly, things would become quite noisy.
If, upon hearing that noise, the ones who came to defend it were all cut down, then even if this was the frontier, the central government would investigate.
And if the central government investigated, no matter how well they hid their traces, the chance of being discovered would rise. Exars and Lawmasters were not easy opponents.
That was why they had to make sure the Kingdom of Tian’s central government did not investigate, and that this incident would be regarded as nothing more than a local commotion.
To that end, they recruited a man called Viscount Tern, in order to create a large commotion that would be enough to cover up their own incident.
The barren region of Logadis could not satisfy the greed of a man like Viscount Tern.
So they tempted him. Come over to the Kingdom of Usharan. If you help with this matter, we will grant you a territory in a good location there.
Viscount Tern had been suspicious, but after seeing them make a contract through a law tome, he agreed to cooperate in this affair.
Of course, they had no intention of keeping it. It seemed Viscount Tern did not know that someone of the level of a Gran-Bander could ignore the transfer of obligation from such a law tome’s contract.
And using the information and funds they provided, he integrated the surrounding noble territories of the Logadis region and declared a territorial war. It was to draw attention and erase their own traces.
It did not matter if he lost. Viscount Tern would disappear from this place anyway, and as for Kurandas himself, once he swept up the items inside the arsenal, he would have no further business in this rural backwater.
‘Everything has gone extremely well up to this point.’
Kurandas thought to himself.
Supporting Viscount Tern and having him integrate the Logadis region had gone well.
The territorial war had also done a good job of buying time. Moreover, though it was close, they had completely surrounded the territory, so while the defenders held out, they would not be able to bring troops toward the cliff. Even if they did arrive, the arsenal would already be empty, and he would be safely leaving this place without friction.
He, a Gran-Bander, had also succeeded in crossing over here safely. Although, to avoid being discovered, he had to cross the treacherous Kon-Tian Mountains, and because of that his subordinates could not come with him and only he had managed to arrive. Still, someone of his level was enough to carry out the mission. As for carrying things away, he had brought the
Now all that remained was to sweep everything up. According to his investigation, the man named Pareon had been hiding it in order to monopolize it for himself. If he had offered it up to the Kingdom of Tian instead, they would not have been able to touch it, but if only a single barony was guarding it, sweeping it clean would be child’s play. Even after being robbed, he would not be able to complain to the kingdom. After all, he himself had been hiding it in secret.
Now only the final stage remained. He had to sweep through the arsenal behind the cliff and take everything away. And as for Viscount Tern and Baron Pareon, who knew about this matter…
“Then let us move. See to it that the finishing touches are handled well, Viscount Tern.”
“Understood.”
Viscount Tern headed down to give orders. It was to move his forces toward the cliff and make the encirclement even thicker.
The other areas would become a little looser and make things more difficult, but that was none of his concern.
Watching his back, Kurandas also leaped lightly out the window. He had to move quickly.
☆ ☆ ☆
Pareon had returned after finishing his conversation with Raka-Dum, who had suddenly summoned him, and he was lost in thought. That was because Raka-Dum had said something to him whose meaning he could not understand.
‘The Drcon see what humans cannot. Among those things is the future. It is not something we can see at will… and though we can see only the very near, murky future… Still, I will help you. When you truly do not know what to do, do this…’
Then he had told him something incomprehensible.
‘What does it mean… that…?’
After worrying over it, Pareon decided to put it aside for the time being and focus on the state of the territorial war.
But while listening to the battlefield situation relayed by “Kranga,” he sensed something strange. Suddenly, part of Viscount Tern’s forces withdrew from the battlefield and began thickening the encirclement around the cliff.
‘…What is this?’
The cliff was where the imperial “legacy” he had found was located. Of course, it was hidden so thoroughly that only he knew its location (he himself would never have found it had he not fallen below the cliff), and its security was also extremely strict, so he had not been particularly worried about it even during the war. In any case, with his forces, he could not set up defenses stronger than the arsenal itself.
There was no way they were doing this because of the legacy, so he had no idea why. Then suddenly, “Kranga” sent a sharp resonance into his mind.
“What!”
Startled by the sudden warning, Pareon sprang up from his seat.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Phew… So it was in a place like this. The ‘Arankal Arsenal.’ No wonder no one could find it when it was tucked away in such a rural corner.”
Kurandas said as he looked at the steel door before him.
This steel door, located deep in a corner beneath the cliff, showed off its intact sturdiness as if it were new, despite hundreds of years having passed. Powdered Talic Stone was engraved all across the steel door, forming a solid defensive magic formation.
A beam of light shone from the upper part of the steel door and swept over Kurandas. Soon, it issued a voice of rejection, saying that he was not a registered user.
Hearing that voice, Kurandas grinned and drew his sword.
“I know that much myself.”
When he poured Bander into the sword, the light of destruction, the symbol of a Gran-Bander, began to gather all along the blade. Then Kurandas lightly swung his sword toward the door before him.
Whoosh! Tzkak!
It was a sturdy door that soldiers could not have broken even with a battering ram, but with one light slash from Kurandas, all the defensive magic formations were destroyed, and the door was sliced diagonally into pieces.
Soon, the door fell away, and from within the arsenal, still wrapped in darkness, several red gleams of light turned toward Kurandas.
“Now, now, no need to wait. I’ll be coming in.”
With that, Kurandas strode inside and swung his sword in every direction.
☆ ☆ ☆
Sian woke from his sleep at the faint waves reaching him.
Then he looked outside the window—more precisely, toward the cliff—and after pondering for a moment, he came to a conclusion and grinned.
“Oh.”
And then, before anyone knew it, he vanished from the room.