The Rinse Kingdom’s capital, Miller, greatly shook from one rumor.
< Count Roan Lancephil has won the fief war! >
It was something unbelievable.
They were well aware that Roan’s abilities were great.
But even so, they hadn’t expect him to flip the fief war, whose balance had already tilted, and to take the victory, and a complete victory at that.
Because of that, few people even sent gazes of suspicion asking whether Roan already knew that the fief war would arise.
But because he was Roan, whose popularity amongst the Miller Castle’s residents were high, such suspicious gazes were soon unable to gain strength and disappeared.
“Is the sir going to be taking everything from the Lancephil County to even the Chase County?”
“Of course. That’s essentially the rule of our kingdom’s fief war.”
“Hoho. Then that would mean that the size of Sir Count Roan Lancephil’s fief is bigger than the four sir dukes?”
“Nah. Just the fief’s size is like that. The fief’s location is at a completely remote place.”
“Right. It is a place that’s all touching the border.”
The Miller’s residents were feverous talking about the stories of the meteoric upper noble of the kingdom, of the grand noble Roan who had even came to have a giant fief.
“Since the fief war has ended, the sir should soon come to Miller, right?”
“Right. He’ll enter the palace, report to his majesty the king, and officially receive the nobility.”
“Kuha. Awesome. Awesome. For him to start as a mere spearman and become a count of the kingdom.”
Several young men raised up their thumbs.
At that moment, one old man crinkled his nose and asked.
“Anyhow, where has Sir Io Lancephil gone? Even though his successor Sir Count Roan Lancephil has done a grand work like this……”
Already, various rumors concerning Io Lancephil, who had suddenly dropped out of sight, were circling amongst the castle’s residents.
From stories about retirement to exile, to even stories about death and assassination.
Various speculations were circling around, but there was no one who knew of the true story hidden behind the veils.
“Wouldn’t the sir soon show up once Sir Count Roan Lancephil return? But more than that……”
One young man trivially answered, then changed the topic.
“Would the other nobles including the four sir dukes stay quiet?”
They were the ones who had rejected and rejected repeatedly even when the mere commoner became a baron.
There was no way that they would quietly leave and watch Roan, who was reborn into a grand noble in an instant.
At those word, the old man who had taken out the story about Io just before clicked his tongue and shook his head.
“The four dukes and the other nobles? The real problem isn’t them.”
At those word, everyone swallowed dried spit and nodded their head.
They more or less grasped what the old man was going to talk about.
The old man, with a rather serious expression, spoke as if to whisper.
“The senate. That shadows may come out of the shades.” 1
“Hhmm.”
Many people, with groans, nodded their heads.
The Rinse Kingdom senate.
A group made up of old nobles who had served at least three kings.
Although the number of affiliated nobles were very small, the power they had couldn’t be ignored even so.
Although they were far away from the actual political power half out of their own will and half out of others’, the existences that could cause an enormous influence at any time were the very nobles of the senate.
Although no problems had arisen until now because they were so very ancient beings with no particular design in the worldly affairs, the Rinse Kingdom might already have been shredded apart had they intruded into the throne succession competition.
“If the senate were to hook and trip over Sir Count Roan Lancephil……”
“If it’s his majesty the king now, he may make the investment of nobility itself something that never happened.”
With serious expressions, an even more serious story went around.
At that moment, youngest man amongst those listening creased his brows.
“Even if they are the senate, would they openly show hostility, sir?”
Numerous people nodded their heads at those words.
They were reasonable words.
In the first place, they were ones who stayed far away from politics because they had no interest in the worldly affairs.
There was no reason for them to suddenly place a snag.
Furthermore, there was the thing called the people’s eyes.
Currently, Roan was, in the Rinse Kingdom and especially amongst the commoners at that, no different than a hero.
Press down and oppress that Roan?
Even from the senate’s position, it definitely wasn’t an easy thing to take on.
At those words, the old man who was leading the conversation murmured in a small voice together with a short sigh.
“Who knows of that too? Old men like me are naturally fickle.”
But because the voice was so small, there was no one who heard those words.
The people heatedly focus again on stories about Roan.
And together as one, they all wished that he would quickly enter the capital, Miller.
Ordinary commoners so passionately awaiting a noble like so was an extremely rare thing.
*****
“Director Clay. What is it about, sir?”
Captain of the Mediasis Guard Pichio, in lieu of the numerous people, asked in a cautious voice.
Clay, who inspected the letter a messenger bird had brought just before, cheerily smiled and answered.
“It’s an order telling a group of retainers including me and captain Pichio to enter the capital, Miller, sir.”
The letter was something Roan had sent.
“Ah……”
Pichio let out a quiet exclamation.
Capital, Miller.
To Pichio, who was of Istel Kingdom’s border gate guard origin, Miller was a story about a far faraway world.
He even thought that it was a place that he wouldn’t have any need to go in his entire life.
‘Is this also thanks to my lord?’
Pichio inhaled deeply.
For some reason, his heart raced.
His respect for Roan newly gushed up.
Suddenly.
“Am I perhaps also included in the list of names entering the capital?”
The one who asked in a quiet voice was Tenebra Troop’s troop captain, Keep.
Clay, with an expression saying it was obvious, nodded his head.
“Commander Keep is someone who raised the biggest achievement in this fief war. Of course you are included in the list, sir.”
At those words, Keep shook his head.
“Then please pass on to the lord that I cannot go to Miller.”
“Eh? You won’t go to the capital, sir?”
Clay, with a slightly surprised look, asked back.
Keep readily nodded his head.
“Thanks to the actions of us, the Tenebra Troop’s members, we were able to shut down Rinse Southern Mercenary Guild’s riot in advance. Afterwards, we have locked up the ones who were problematic and have newly built the Rinse Eastern Mercenary Guild with the rest of the mercenaries.”
“Yes. I know of that well, sir.”
Clay slowly nodded his head.
At the instant Roan and Count Jonathan Chase was waging a ferocious battle at the Lancephil Fief’s West, a battle that wasn’t quite a battle also unfolded in the Mediasis Castle.
The Rinse Southern Mercenary Guild’s executives, who had been infiltrated by Jonathan’s order, had tried to capture Roan’s retainers including Clay to make them hostages.
Thankfully, Clay and Keep, who knew of this from long ago, attempted an attack first together with the Tenebra Troop’s members whom they had infiltrated in the mercenary guild, and were soon able to completely capture the entire guild.
It was a swift action that no one had predicted.
“I now plan to raise the newly started Rinse Eastern Mercenary Guild to be the kingdom’s greatest mercenary guild.”
“Even so, to enter Miller is essentially to meet his majesty the king, sir. It’s a highly honorable and precious plac……”
As Clay continued on long words to persuade him, Keep once again shook his head.
“Rather than such a place, the future of my lord and the fief is much more important to me, sir.”
“Hhm.”
With a quiet groan, Clay nodded his head.
“That thought thinking of our lord, that truly is like the troop commander of the Tenebra Troop, sir.”
Tenebra Troop.
Like the meaning of the shadow troop, Keep had already become Roan’s shadow.
“If my name is perhaps also on the list, I too wish to focus on the work I have received, sir.”
“I’m also the same. Now isn’t the time to leisurely go on an outing to the capital. I’ll have to look for things to do for the lord and the fief, sir.”
Following behind, the core retainers spoke on words similar to Keep’s.
It was an unexpected event.
To the kingdom’s citizens, entering the palace and meeting the king was an incredible honor.
‘But even so, they’ll refuse that honor for the lord?’
Clay made a slightly surprised expression.
At that moment, Pichio, who was watching the situation, faintly smiled and looked at Clay.
“Director Clay. I……”
“Will Captain Pichio also stay behind here?”
Clay cut his words first and asked.
Pichio lightly nodded his head.
“Yes. If I leave my seat, a hole could be pierced in the public order of the Mediasis Castle where the lord’s castle is. As the situation is as so, I should focus on the mission I took.”
Although the fief war had ended, the group that were following Jonathan and the group who betrayed the Count Lancephil House together with Kali were still spread throughout the entire fief and acting in secret.
If they were to become drunk in victory and loosen their guard, the possibility of receiving a large harm instead was high.
‘It’s regrettable, but I should do the more important thing.’
Pichio tightly clenched his teeth.
Rather than one’s own honor, he had chosen the path for Roan and the fief.
Clay looked around at Pichio, Keep, and the so and inwardly exhaled a short sigh.
‘Everyone’s loyalties are incredible.’
He, even while greatly marveling at them, somehow felt a fearful feeling.
Roan’s abilities like might and insight were parts Clay too greatly recognized.
His humane appeal too was plenty.
Since it was to a point where he would personally pull up his sleeves and step up for the residents of the slum.
But bringing out this much of an unconditional loyalty was something almost impossible with only such reasons.
‘It may be that the lord’s biggest strength and secret weapon isn’t spearmanship or strategies, but……’
Clay’s eyes flashed and shone a light.
‘These people.’
Whether geniuses or common people, the people around Roan followed and respected Roan with sincerity.
That strength, which had gathered little by little like that, had developed before anyone noticed to the point where even the powerful noble houses couldn’t ignore.
‘My heart feels a bit complicated.’
Clay inwardly made a bitter smile.
He still wasn’t able to clearly look into his own heart.
*****
“Uhehehehe.”
Poutingly showing off his four canines, Gank burst out a bizarre laugh.
Marrak, who was sitting on a giant cart and tilting a cup, clicked his tongue as if to say he was pathetic.
“What’s so good for you to laugh about?”
His voice was slightly mixed with annoyance.
Tactlessly, Gank kept on bursting out the bizarre laughter.
“Uhehehe. Since we really got an incredible food without a single battle, it can’t be helped feeling good.”
As soon as his words ended, Marrack clicked his tongue with a displeased look.
“Tch tch tch. It’s because you’re like that that we hear them calling orcs stupid.”
His voice was cold.
At this point, even Gank realized that the mood was unusual.
He murmured with a slightly quailed voice.
“Even though the one who set up this work was the tribe head……”
Furthermore, the work was perfectly wrapped up as Marrak and Chris first planned.
Gank couldn’t understand why Marrak was annoyed, no, angry.
Marrak put down the cup he held and raised his right hand.
The slowly moving cart stopped.
Following suit, the orc warriors that were following behind also stopped their feet.
Marrak looked straight at Gank and asked in a low voice.
“You brat. The moment you met that human bastard called Roan, what kind of thought did you have?”
“Roan? Ah, you mean that guy called Chris’ master?”
“Yeah. I’m talking of that fief war’s victor and the count bastard of the Rinse Kingdom.”
Marrak slowly nodded his head.
Gank thought for a moment, then sulkily pouted his thick lips.
“Just that he looked manly? A feeling like he was really bold? Well even so, he’s just a human brat.”
“Huu……”
Marrak exhaled a long sigh.
Forcefully swallowing the roar that climbed up all the way to his throat, he shook his head.
“Gank. Listen clearly. This time, I planned to expand our territory into the Rinse Kingdom’s northern region if chanced while working with the bastard called Chris. It wasn’t immediately, of course, but……”
Marrak lightly tapped a pointedly jutted-out canine with the tip of finger and continued on.
“I had plenty of confidence to do so. It was a plan to make the human bastards lower their guards and then swing around as I wish. But……”
The light in his eyes sharply shone.
“The moment I met Roan, I felt that something was wrong.”
“Just wha, what……?”
The inside of Gank’s head was still dark.
Marrak exhaled a short sigh.
“Roan. That bastard was a much greater bastard than I had thought. I could tell the moment I met him. That gaze that seemed like it was plainly piercing through and seeing even my inside, that incredible pressure pouring out from his body, that soft yet powerful august that makes even the heart kneel……”
The tightly clenched fist sharply trembled.
“Looking at him lightly was a complete misjudgment.”
Marrak’s face nastily creased.
The moment he first learned of Roan’s existence was when the Byron Kingdom and the Istel Kingdom invaded the Rinse Kingdom.
At that time, Roan commanded Chris and made a request asking to attack the Byron Kingdom’s rear and provisions storage.
A human making a request to an orc.
It was an unprecedented event and something hard to believe easily.
Because of that, Marrak thought that Roan was a lousy human.
Although he exclaimed at Chris’ boldness and talent, he had judged Roan as a contemptible brat.
Because of that, he thought that, as long as he wheedled him well, he could swallow him in a single bite whenever he wanted.
Marrak thought that Roan was on top of his own palm.
But.
‘The one who was on a palm was me.’
The one who was played around with was himself.
Marrak simply harassed the Byron Kingdom’s rear according to Roan’s desire, and he had merely intimidated Jonathan’s rear according to Roan’s wish.
Marrak looked at Gank.
“Gank. Perhaps, we may have attached wings to a tiger.”
HIs voice was as heavy and subdued as his expression.
However, Bank was still blankly blinking his eyes.
Marrak laborious smiled and opened his chest.
Even if he regretted now, it was futile.
Inherently, orcs had the temperament of doing whatever he resolved once regardless of what happened.
‘If I planned to cheerfully swing around, then I should swing around.’
They couldn’t keep on living a life of being kicked around here and there and running away.
There was a need to show the humans the orcs’ strength.
“Well, if a wing’s attached to a tiger, that’s a moron, a moron.”
There was nothing to fear.
Marrak tightly clenched his fist.
Humans versus orcs.
Like that, the prelude of that war was being born.
*****
The capital, Miller, was full of a blazing heat like a furnace.
It was because the news of Roan’s entrance to the capital had finally been delivered.
Beautiful floral decorations took place on the broad street that continued from the north gate to the palace and an incredible crowd swarmed up to its surroundings.
It wasn’t the welcoming ceremony of Baron Roan Tale’s entrance to the castle.
It was the welcoming ceremony of the kingdom’s upper as well as grand noble, Count Roan Lancephil’s entrance to the palace.
The frame was different than the entrance ceremony and triumphal celebration.
An incredible size and brilliance.
The difference between a count and a baron was greater than that of the sky and the earth.
“Here he comes!”
“It’s Sir Count Lancephil!”
The crowd at the street pointed at the north gate and shouted.
“Waaaah!”
“Roan Lancephil! Roan Lancephil!”
An incredible cheer exploded out.
But.
“Ah……”
“That’s……”
The Miller’s residents all widened their eyes and closed their mouths.
The cheer disappeared as if washed away.
Everyone’s expressions were half dazed.
They, watching the sight of the Tale Legion and the Lancephil Legion entering inside the castle gate with Roan at the lead, swallowed dry spit.
A crimson legion.
The crimson legion who they only heard of in the rumors were there.
The sight of crimson everything from the helmets to the armors and even wearing crimson capes.
Furthermore, the cavalry set crimson armor on the horses’ heads and the infantries each wrapped crimson ribbon on their weapons.
“It’s the crimson legion…… they’re the crimson legion!”
Someone shouted at the top of their throat.
The cheer, which for an instant had vanished, explosively burst out as if it had been waiting.
“Waaaaaah!”
“Crimson Legion! Crimson Legion!”
An incredible heat.
Roan, at the cheers that poured down from every direction, made a smile.
Below the helmet, a pleased expression floated up.
‘It’s good I listened to Brian’s words.’
Originally, the ones who equipped crimson armors were only the Tale Legion who participated in the Poskein Subjugation.
It was because they were able to use Sethus’ blood.
The Lancephil Legion, which had joined later, were wearing armors with various colors.
Thanks to that, the Tale Legion and the Lancephil Legion looked like a completely different legions.
Brian Miles, seeing that sight, opined a suggestion asking of dyeing even the armors of Lancephil Legion’s soldiers.
Even without that, Roan was known as the crimson ghost, or the crimson war god, and Roan’s legion was known as the crimson legion.
It was an opinion that only Lancephil Legion equipping various colored armors amongst these wasn’t right.
Roan, because they were reasonable words, immediately gave the order and made every soldier’s armor be turned crimson.
Although there was no particular effect besides that it was red since it wasn’t dyed with the Sethus’ blood, he was able to raise the sense of belonging and loyalty of the Lancephil Legion’s soldiers just by dyeing them.
Furthermore even the legion itself’s splendor became much greater.
A crimson legion.
It was because the crimson wave became more fierce and grand.
“Oh! Count Roan Lancephil!”
When they walked between the welcoming crowd and arrived in front of the palace, the First Prince Simon Rinse raised his arms and fussed about.
He was of an honestly happy look.
“You are truly a surprising man.”
Now, even Simon did not carelessly treat him informally.
He had began to receive Roan as a count of the kingdom.
“Although I would like to immediately raise a glass of drink right now, his majesty the king is waiting.”
Simon shook his head as if regrettable and stepped aside.
“Let us speak again after greeting his majesty.”
“Yes. Prince Simon.”
Roan shortly answered and slowly moved his feet.
The surrounding nobles’ gazes stingingly poured down.
Admiration, awe, envy, rage, annoyance……
Each were showing all kinds of emotions without alteration.
Roan inwardly made a bitter smile.
‘From a certain view, they really are sincere and pure people.’
The lot called the nobles were truly honest to their feelings.
‘The sly ones are, as expected, just the four dukes, marquises, and counts……’
As expected, they were more adept at hiding their emotions the higher their nobilities were.
They were all showing forced smiles towards Roan.
‘You all should prepare yourselves well, sirs.’
Roan lightly rolled and clenched his fist.
They would all think that the fief war had ended.
However, the true fierce war began from now.
‘Since war isn’t only hitting and fighting with just swords, blade, spears and shields.’
Roan, with the things he earned as the basis, intended to jump to an even higher place.
“Oh! Count Roan Lancephil!”
When they entered into the grand hall, King Deni Von Rinse raised his two hands and welcomed him.
“I greet his majesty the king.”
Roan walked up in front of the throne and then kneeled down on one knee.
“I have heard well of your achievements.”
For a while, Deni III praised Roan’s abilities and hard work.
Even he, who had no interest in politics, had faintly taken an interest in Roan, who over the few years had consistently shown prominence.
A chatter without an end continued on.
In the end, Duke Francis Wilson, who couldn’t put up with it no more, slightly creased his brows and glanced sharply.
“Hhm.”
Deni III instinctively noticed Francis’ cold gaze.
Smiling awkwardly, he let out a cough.
“Hm. Hm. It seems I got too excited that I spoke a bit long.”
Deni III gently looked at Roan, who was still kneeling on one knee.
“Before officially being granted the nobility, do you perhaps have something you wish of me as a count of the kingdom?”
It was merely a formal question.
But Roan, who already had something thought up, raised his head as if he had been waiting.
“Yes. This small vassal, has a small wish, your majesty.”
“Hhm?”
Deni III made a slightly surprised expression.
That, for the three princes including Simon and the other nobles, were also the same.
They hadn’t know that he would possibly answer that he wished for something to a question asked in formality.
Francis came to his senses first, then slightly nodded his head.
Seeing that sight, Deni III asked in a quiet voice.
“What is that wish?”
At those words, Roan answered in a soft but powerful voice.
“Please recognize……”
His eyes flashed and shone a light.
“The things I have earned as my own.”
Daring words.
In short, it meant to not covet his things.
Including the four dukes, the complexions of the upper nobles stiffly solidified.
‘We got done in.’
‘We lost the lead.’
As a matter of fact, they had planned to opine to Deni III and reduce his fief’s size or take away the soldiers he had gathered as he wished.
Many nobles’ eyes quickly moved.
Roan, inwardly smiling, spoke once again with a bold manner and voice.
“My things are my own.”
Whether that was fief, soldiers, resources, or talents.
No, at the very least, even the things beyond that.
Of course, he didn’t carelessly spit out the last words.
Now wasn’t the time.
But even with just the statement right now, there was plenty of possibility of it becoming a cause of problem.
Sure enough, Second Prince Tommy Rinse, who had been staying quiet, instantly shouted and roared.
“You! Rinse Kingdom is that of his majesty the king! Nowhere is there any of yours! Whether fiefs, fiefs’ citizens, resources, or soldiers. You are merely borrowing them from his majesty the king for a moment!”
The roar echoed the grand hall.
Few nobles nodded their heads and concurred.
At that moment, Roan turned his head and looked at Tommy.
The light in his eyes were still bold.
He faintly smiled and spoke in a quiet voice.
“Prince Tommy. Please watch your words.”
“Wha, what?!”
Tommy, making shocked rabbit eyes, stuttered his words. 2
Roan cheerfully smiled and added on as if to declare.
“I am a count of the Rinse Kingdom.”
< Tie (5) > End.
T/N: Sorry about this chapter being late. I’m not too sure why this year is so hectic compared to the last year, but both Kuhaku and I are being grilled by our schoolworks and are having trouble even trying to match our time to work together on the chapters. On that note, this chapter is brought to you by Pyrenose, who stepped in to help proofread the chapter in place of Kuhaku, who was unavailable at the moment.
Hopefully and based on our new schedule, the next chapter will be up this weekend by Kuhaku and me.
Translator : CSV
Proofreader: Pyrenose
1. the senate here is written in the same way as Roman Republic’s senate.
2. For those too lazy to google: shocked rabbit eyes
