News of the western capital and its western feudal lord’s fall did not fail to reach even the Kushain believers of the southern free cities even as they sought to conquer the whole region.
But when their upper brass heard that it was goblins who took over the west, they did not feel the same fear that Germion Kingdom felt.
“What Iron-Arm Knight? In the end, he’s just an old man way past his prime! The fact that he lost to the likes of goblins proves it!”
“Exactly! And a country that would proclaim such a man a holy knight is beneath us!”
Their opinions were perfectly normal under common sense. After all, goblins were the weakest monsters that lived in the plains and in the forests.
To suggest such monsters would gather under a king, form an army, collude with the demihumans and elves, and invade human territory was just ridiculous.
As a result, the upper brass of the Kushain believers started to lean toward attacking Germion Kingdom a second time.
“We mustn’t look down on them. The glory of god is humility, diligence, and sincerity! Right now, we should hide ourselves and increase our strength!”
It was the patriarch, Benem Nemush, who tried to persuade the upper brass of the Kushain believers, who were sometimes logical and sometimes crazy.
Currently, Nemush was thinking of that giant goblin he met in the forest. Until then he had considered monsters as nothing more than filthy things that needed to be exterminated, but that meeting changed his views. It made him realize that not all monsters should be hated.
All the more when Nemush knew just how difficult it is to take a region from Germion Kingdom after clashing with the two holy knights, Jize and Sivara, in the south.
Last time, an overzealous bishop led an army to try and take the southern region, but that failed horribly.
After catching the news regarding the goblins, Nemush started to hope that he might be able to lead the goblins into the south and have them fight their war for them.
“The divine protection of god is with us! He will surely give us the fertile lands of Germion Kingdom!”
Adding that last sentence after his attempt at persuasion finally brought the overzealous believers out of their fervor, while implying something to the logical believers.
As long as he claims their war to be a holy war, those goblins just might help them take Germion Kingdom’s territory. Or perhaps, they might support them with the precious metal of the elves instead.
Nemush’s heart leaped at the possibilities, and he worked even harder.
Nemush’s words may not have resulted in any actual movement from the army, but word of the upper brass’ intentions still reached Germion Kingdom, causing the tense atmosphere in the south to continue.
Until Sivara returns, the only one protecting the southern frontline would be the Sharp-Eyed Knight, Jize, a traveling warrior from the east whom King Ashtal convinced to work for him with a handsome paycheck.
Jize’s fighting style was both resolute and bold, and as a warrior stronger individually than he was as a commander, he was not one to push himself recklessly and try to fight outside the textbook.
Because of that his response to the unrest in the south was also according to procedure. He requested for more reinforcements.
Strangely enough, the southern frontline turned for the worse just as King Ashtal predicted.
◇◇◆
The report of the western capital’s fall and its feudal lord’s death also reached the southern side of the free cities before the day ended.. Unlike the Kushain believers of the northern side, the southern side worshiped the god of the desert, Ashunasan.
Germion Kingdom has been fighting with the southern free cities over its border for a long time now, and there were many from the latter who has seen the Iron-Arm Knight. Compared to the Kushain believers, the upper brass of the southern side took news of Gowen’s death much more seriously.
After all, the southern side was situated in the desert and made its living off of trading. The threat of the goblins leaving the Forest of Darkness to attack them was not something they could ignore.
One of the city-states of the southern side, Windsdam’s, bar was filled with conversations regarding that very topic.
All sorts of people frequented Windsdam to make ends meet.
And now, muscular adventurers, beautiful brown-skinned elven women (Gnomes), black-haired soldiers from the east, and all sort of adventurers could be seen chatting over liquor.
“The Iron-Arm Knight actually died… Looks like the times are about to change.”
“You sound like an old man.”
A tall man with bountiful red hair knotted in the back sat on a table as he drank with a young man.
“I’m no longer that brat you saw before, after all. I’m a full-fledged commander now. Seeing someone lead an army as if it were his own arms is no longer enough to shock me.”
The aura emanating from him as he emptied that strong liquor without a fragment of timidity suggested he was not at all intoxicated.
He wore clean clothes, but they were not at all expensive. If anything, his well-worn breastplate and boots suggested he was an experienced adventurer.
“People are bound to die anyway,” the young man said. “For all we know he could’ve been taken by surprise. Speaking of which, you should take care too.”
In contrast to the red-haired man, the young man he was speaking to wore a white gown meant to protect him from the scorching rays of the desert sun. He looked like a resident of the desert from the onset, but his white skin argued otherwise. Perhaps, he was a scholar instead.
“GAHAHAHA, I give. Who would’a thought you’d be giving me an earful. But still…”
His muscles seemed to emphasize themselves as he emptied his mug in one breath.
“They got one over me, alright. Not only did they beat me to the chase, they even have elves AND demihumans on top of goblins!”
Seeing the tall-statured man laugh his heart out, the scholarly young man sighed.
Word of the monster army having elves and demihumans other than goblins was yet to reach even the Kushain believers, yet this man was saying such things in a loud voice.
But that was also one of this man’s good points, so the young man let it slide as he thought of the future.
“For the meantime, it doesn’t seem like they’re about to go here anytime soon. And depending on how things go, this might even benefit us.”
“Oh? So you do get it. That’s right, those howls ain’t some sorry proclamation about some rebellion or revolution against the humans, no.”
As the tall-statured man exhaled a breath that stank of liquor, his lips suddenly twisted, and he smiled fiercely like a hungry lion.
“Those’re the howls of the curtain drawing, the signs of turbulent times!”
The man laughed happily, while the young man looked troubled as he pondered.
Monsters ran rampant to the west, while the northern side was a military state, and the free cities, who have been resisting all this time, has suddenly been divided because of a holy war.
The wounded military state will surely try to prove its strength despite its declining power. They will probably use the holy war as a pretense to pick on the wounded, just like a fisherman trying to fish dead fish.
“Drink up, man. Come on.”
The tall-statured man poured him a mug, but the young man remained deep in thought.
There were enemies everywhere.
But that was also why this was an opportunity.
“—This is the perfect stage for our dream.”
The doors to the bar opened, and mercenaries came pouring in.
“Boss! The princess sent a request asking us to move out!”
“Hmph… I guess it’s time we departed then.”
The giant of a man stood up and wielded his axe, then as if everyone else was waiting on a cue, the people, who had been making merry in the inn, all stood up and took their weapons, then they all followed after the red-haired man.
“Let’s go, ya bastards! It’s time for the Red King to steal a country!”
That day, a civil war broke out in Windsdam, and the Kushain faction was kicked out.
Word of the Clan Union of the Red King’s strength resounded throughout the lands, and the neighboring countries heard it loud and clear.
