Chapter 194
The sharp point of the sword.
Where Kallias's sword pointed, there was a mace.
"A mace has no place in the victory of the sword."
His voice ringing through the great hall clearly pointed at the Principality's delegation.
From the Principality's standpoint, this was a tremendous insult.
However, their situation was not so favorable.
The princess replied composedly.
"An army of a hundred thousand will come marching."
A full hundred thousand.
But it seemed that was her only weapon at the moment.
"Can a hundred thousand troops break the sword?"
"Why not?"
Arrogance dripped from her words. Unlike before, her attitude suggested that Carpe, which had fallen to a small nation, could be brought down at any time.
"Then why haven't you done so until now?"
"That's..."
"The Principality too, is afraid, isn't it."
"......"
Though they stand shoulder to shoulder with the Empire, how long will that last?
The Empire put up shields.
They also brandished the spears of other races.
But what became of them all?
They were all discarded by the Empire.
Would such an Empire leave the Principality alone? The Empire is not an Empire for nothing.
The Empire was built by slowly devouring and swelling its body.
The Empire must be eyeing the Principality as well.
The Principality couldn't possibly not know this.
The more the Empire achieved peace and prosperity, the more the Principality must have been trembling in fear.
That's why they couldn't actively move to strike Carpe, which was a thorn in the Empire's side. They never knew when the Empire might stab them in the back.
And now they say they'll strike Carpe?
Not knowing how the Empire might change in the meantime? This is nothing more than a threat.
"Do it if you want. Carpe fears nothing."
"Even if we join hands with the Empire to strike Carpe, would you still not be afraid?"
If the Principality struck Carpe alone, there was a high possibility of being stabbed in the back by the Empire.
But if they struck together?
If they actively participated together, it would be difficult to prevent Carpe's destruction.
The princess was saying exactly that.
"They will not do so."
"Why not?"
"Because the Empire's saintess is in my hands."
"!!"
Kallias immediately knelt on one knee before the Queen and presented a small bottle and a spear simultaneously from his bosom.
"Count, what is this?"
"This is the Empire's holy water."
"!"
Murmurs spread.
Why was the Empire's holy water in his hands?
"And this spear is the Holy Spear, Raphael."
The spear wielded by successive saintesses.
The holy spear that symbolized the Empire.
The fact that it was in Kallias's hands meant. The saintess had fallen into his hands.
"How..."
"I was lucky."
Kallias explained his journey before all under heaven, in front of the vassals.
Infiltrating the Empire.
Meeting the dragon there, encountering the Empire's Spears, and ultimately fighting against the Corrupted and the saintess—everything.
"This cannot be explained simply by being lucky."
Half-destroying Boltan, a major city of the Empire, burning down the flower garden that produced holy water, and annihilating the dragon and the Corrupted.
On top of that, he defeated three of the Empire's Spears and took the saintess prisoner.
He had accomplished feats that would be remembered eternally in a nation, one after another, and returned.
Having treated such a national hero so poorly, how could their hearts not be wounded!
The Queen felt like opening the national treasury right this moment and throwing a festival.
"Your Majesty! The Count's words are too absurd and difficult to believe."
"Still saying such things..."
It was true that his words were hard to believe.
The alias "Carpe's scoundrel" had been rooted in Kallias for so long that it was utterly difficult to believe.
"However, if his words are true, this is a blessing for Carpe. So perhaps we should first verify the truth of the matter."
"Hmm... I agree. But the holy water and holy spear he possesses are already more than enough. Count, do you have anything else to prove your journey?"
"Yes. There are also those who accompanied me."
The Tears of Lactus.
Or the sword made from the gatekeeper.
There are also the comrades and saintesses who accompanied him on his journey and witnessed it firsthand.
There is much to prove.
"I see."
The Queen's lips relaxed.
A gentle smile bloomed.
It was then.
"That man mocked me! How will you compensate for this?"
The princess's sharp voice echoed through the great hall. At her words, the nobles who had been leaning toward Kallias murmured.
"Did I do such a thing?"
"I did not. Whatever great status the Princess of the Principality may hold, it cannot compare to the Empire's saintess."
Meaning she was beneath his notice.
The princess's face crumpled violently.
"Why would I mock the princess? Insulting me is the same as insulting Carpe. The princess must have two lives to spare."
"What reason was there for invading the royal castle?"
"As a loyal subject of Carpe, the first person I had to meet after returning from a long journey is only the king of the nation. I merely took a natural course."
He couldn't say how many had suffered for that "natural course." The unnamed noble had already realized that arguing further would only be to his own detriment.
The man who broke through the royal castle with his own might.
Nothing good would come from falling out of his favor. The atmosphere had long tilted in Kallias's favor.
Even if there was guilt, they would have to declare there was none.
"Why so..."
"When a mace disrupts the affairs of the sacred land of swords, it is right to punish it."
"What nonsense! What reason does Carpe have to punish a delegation!"
"Do you have a better alternative?"
"I will imprison the Princess of the Principality, who tried to deceive Carpe with a three-inch tongue, in the Catacombs of Veria."
The Catacombs of Veria!
Veria, who was the leader of a group composed of the worst criminals.
Her tomb, and a prison that housed all kinds of powerful traitors and criminals.
Saying she would be imprisoned there was no different from saying she would be killed.
Because entering that underground labyrinth prison of unknown floors was essentially the same as being told to die.
"The Principality will not stand idly by."
"That wouldn't be bad either. We have the saintess in our hands. The Empire cannot act rashly."
"You're taking the Empire too lightly. The Emperor will be enraged immediately. Don't you realize you're handing him the justification to start a war?"
"I have Raphael and the saintess in my hands."
The Emperor absolutely cannot raise an army.
His heavenly mandate is the Corrupted, not the unification of the continent.
"The Emperor has no interest in unification."
His only interest is conquering the corrupted lands.
The holy spear and saintess are absolutely necessary for that conquest. Even if delayed somewhat, the holy spear and saintess are something he cannot give up.
'If it were the Crown Prince, it might be different.'
Breaking the Principality's power before fighting the Empire wouldn't be bad either.
And.
'Princess, you brought death upon yourself.'
Princess Rebecca.
A troublemaker who would cause troublesome incidents if left alone.
Killing her here wouldn't be bad either, but the Grand Duke was a bit bothersome.
'It's not as if the Principality doesn't have a saintess either.'
Killing isn't the only solution.
It would be troublesome if the Principality acted too aggressively. Though they didn't show it outwardly, the Principality was also strong from Carpe's perspective.
The second largest nation on the continent was the Principality, so naturally.
So they couldn't kill her recklessly.
It was better to imprison her first.
Thus, gradually, bit by bit weakening the Principality's power while growing their own national strength was the right approach.
Nations originally develop through war.
The Principality would become a delicious prey for Carpe.
The Principality between the Empire and Carpe.
It could be called the most ideal relationship diagram.
"Leave it to me. I will reclaim Carpe's former glory with these hands."
Boom!
Having risen at some point, he drove the Iron Ruler into the ground.
Whoaaaa-!
The ash-grey army that had been fighting outside filled the great hall of the royal castle.
The ash-grey legion, each and every one exuding a lofty and ferocious aura.
The Queen felt fear at their appearance, but also a slight thrill of ecstasy.
Overwhelming military force.
For she had just witnessed its power.
"My knight, Zervan. Do as you will. The one who saved Carpe is you. And the one who will lead us to victory shall be you as well."
"I will not disappoint you."
* * *
"Kallias!"
A woman's sharp voice calling Kallias stopped his steps.
Kallias, who had mounted Schneef that had been quietly waiting for its master, looked down at the owner of the voice that called him.
"Esther."
"Where are you going?"
"I have things to do."
There are many things to do.
The matters with the Principality were entirely Kallias's responsibility.
There were many people to meet, and tasks to handle were mountainous.
"I'll visit the Order soon too. I have business with the Pope, so I'll see you then."
He also had to deliver the Tears of Valterus to the Pope.
He had already spoken to the Queen and received a promise of full support.
"After making such a mess of the royal castle?"
"The discussion is already over. Her Majesty said she would bestow a reward upon me."
She said she'd give gold and treasures as a reward, so he didn't refuse. The North's financial state being a mess was still valid.
Adding war preparation to that, no amount of money would be enough.
'I should meet Beatrice too.'
He wanted to check how the Divine Sword they had been entrusted with was doing, and he wanted to hear their opinion on the Spear Holy Water.
Considering Beatrice's potential, she might be able to create an elixir or awakening agent like the Spear Holy Water in Carpe as well.
This would directly lead to an increase in military strength and connect to victory in war, so it was absolutely necessary.
Moreover, Carpe had many individuals with high potential. The children of the Four Great Noble families, of course, and if the current Masters or those blocked by walls could break through those walls, why would they fear war?
Not fearful at all.
The Empire saw this and called it Spear Holy Water, so Carpe should also fully begin producing Sword Holy Water.
"Esther, I heard you're helping them accept the gods of Cedric and Beatrice. Thank you."
"...That was something I naturally had to do. Carpe's roots lie in the sword, but I don't think there's any need to reject other weapons."
Harmony regarding multiple religions was also gradually being achieved.
Though the deeply rooted sentiments of the people still found it uncomfortable, their presence would rapidly rise along with their exploits in war.
Once that happens, there won't be any major problems.
People originally become closer through war.
"Are you really planning to fight the Principality? The timing is not yet appropriate."
"Now is the right time. We can buy time with the Empire, but the Principality is always a nuisance. If not now, the opportunity to weaken them will never come."
Rather, only the possibility of Carpe's destruction would increase, so it was better to strip the Principality's power now.
"Will it really be possible?"
"Conviction is truly frightening. Because my conviction could be wrong."
"......"
"But I believe in what I believe."
Even if it's a wrong sword path, thrusting with all one's might is more right than wavering.
For the sword is originally like that.
"Esther."
"Yes."
"It's a thorny path. But originally, paths don't exist in this world. When someone walks it, that becomes the path. You know this, don't you."
"...Yes."
Esther saw the crowd gathered outside the castle.
With such a commotion having occurred, it was natural for onlookers to gather.
"Did you really not do it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind... then I'll be waiting at the Order."
"I'll come soon."
Heeya.
Kallias leisurely returned, driving his iron-clad horse through the crowd.
Esther's eyes sparkled brightly as she watched his retreating figure.
His prowess—single-handedly invading the royal castle, subduing an army of ten thousand without a single casualty, silencing the nobles, winning the Queen's favor, and even having the princess imprisoned.
Even Carpe's saintess could only look up to such a being.
That night.
In the taverns of Kaladi, his story became the sole topic of conversation.
No longer a scoundrel.
As the master of the North.
As a hero.