"Grrk… What nonsense…"
Even as the envoy struggled for breath, he couldn't shake the sense that something was deeply wrong.
He had heard that Count Fenris had a foul temper. He had assumed it was due to the pride of commanding the kingdom's strongest army.
But to speak about the king with such venom? That was unexpected. Given how diligently he had fought against the Duke's forces, the envoy had assumed him to be a loyal subject.
He had merely thought Count Fenris to be a rough and aggressive man, but he had been gravely mistaken.
A traitor. This man was ready to commit treason at any moment.
Ghislain released the envoy's neck and spoke with a light-hearted tone.
"Oh dear, I may have gone a bit too far. I told you to speak quickly, didn't I? I'm not a patient man. But really, this isn't your fault. You're just the messenger, aren't you?"
"Cough! Y-Yes! I only came to deliver His Majesty's orders! Please, spare me."
Terrified of the hand axe in Ghislain's grip, the envoy prostrated himself and pleaded for his life.
"Fine, I get it. So, Marquis Branford and the other nobles are unharmed, correct?"
"Y-Yes! Right now, only the nobles who had been suppressed by Marquis Branford are following His Majesty. His Majesty also seems reluctant to act against them for now."
"When do they plan to replace the commanders of the kingdom's army during the retreat?"
"The Royal Knights have been dispatched, so the commanders are likely already being replaced during the march."
"I see."
Ghislain understood the situation. Marquis Branford and his followers would remain safe for the time being.
Not all of the kingdom's forces were retreating; many lords and nobles across the land still supported Marquis Branford.
It would likely take years for Berhem to stabilize the political situation and consolidate royal authority. Killing Marquis Branford would only be possible after that.
If the king lived that long, that is.
Marquis Branford surely knew this, which was why he had stepped down willingly.
With a cold gaze, Ghislain turned to the envoy and said.
"I still have more questions."
"Ask me anything," the envoy replied without hesitation. He was quick to adapt, even if he wasn't aware of it himself. Ghislain smiled in satisfaction and asked.
"The mage who healed the king—was he a priest of the Salvation Church?"
"There… there are such rumors. But no one knows their true identity. Still, who else but a priest of the Salvation Church could possess such power? And why else would His Majesty suddenly agree to negotiate with the Duke's forces?"
"Indeed."
Ghislain nodded. A high-ranking priest of the Salvation Church could certainly perform such sorcery.
The magic formations of the rifts, the crusaders, even Melkir with his shattered mana core—they all bore evidence of the Salvation Church's ability to use human life force for their sinister rituals.
It was clear the king had allied with them out of desperation to save his own life.
As for why they had agreed…
"Was it simply because the current situation was unfavorable to them?"
Deposing Marquis Branford and attacking the northern forces alongside the kingdom's army—it was a plausible scenario.
But it wasn't enough. There were still suspicious elements.
'These people have relentlessly targeted the royal family. And yet, they chose to heal the king instead of killing him?'
Ghislain rubbed his temple, his brow furrowing. There had to be another reason.
He knew their aim wasn't territorial conquest but rather the capital and the royal family itself.
However, it seemed their target wasn't the king's life. If it were, they would have killed him the moment they got close.
That left only one hypothesis.
"There's something in the royal family they want."
Something the king or the royal lineage possessed—something both the Duke's faction and the Salvation Church desired.
The alliance between the king and the Duke was just a secondary element.
Ghislain brought his hand axe to the envoy's throat and said.
"One more question."
The cold touch of the axe on his neck made the envoy shudder as he answered hastily.
"Y-Yes, anything you wish to ask."
"You mentioned rumors about the mage being a priest of the Salvation Church. If that's the case, then it means the royal family has allied with the Salvation Church. Isn't that right?"
"T-That's true. It's made the people of the capital quite uneasy."
"Are the bishops of the Four Great Churches just sitting idly by? They would surely oppose peace negotiations."
"They all seem to be lying low. Honestly, it looks like they're preparing to flee."
Ghislain smirked. He could understand the bishops' predicament. They were likely too terrified to openly oppose the negotiations.
If the mage was indeed a priest of the Salvation Church, the lives of the priests of the Four Great Churches could end at any moment.
With the shift in power, outright opposition to the peace talks was no longer feasible, especially since the king was citing the suffering of the people as his justification.
Ghislain asked the most pressing question on his mind.
"What did the king promise that mage, whether he's from the Salvation Church or not? What was the reward?"
"As far as I know, it was the cessation of the war. Haven't the Duke's forces already been defeated?"
"Was there no other condition?"
"N-No, there wasn't."
"There must be. Think carefully, even if it's just a rumor."
The envoy's eyes darted around as he tried to think. The cold blade of the axe pressed harder against his neck, prompting him to stammer.
"W-Wait! Let me think!"
"Fine. Say anything that comes to mind, if you don't want to die."
The envoy, driven by Ghislain's chilling words, began to speak hurriedly.
"Well… it's not certain, but during a banquet, His Majesty, while drunk, said something to the mage. It spread among the nobles quickly."
Ghislain's eyes gleamed.
"What did he say?"
"That… he couldn't wait to get his hands on 'that.'"
"What is 'that'?"
"I-I don't know. That's all he said before laughing it off with the mage. The nobles assumed it was some kind of gift and dismissed it. That's all I know."
Ghislain paused to think, then broke into a grin.
"So that's how it is."
The king and the Salvation Church had agreed to exchange something. That was the true condition of this negotiation.
Now, all he needed to do was find out what "that" was.
Ghislain lowered the axe and said.
"I'll spare you, but now you'll deliver my message."
"Y-Yes! Anything you say."
"The northern army will not be disbanded."
"Yes!"
"And I will remain as its commander."
"Yes, yes!"
The envoy nodded furiously.
He knew the king would be furious when he delivered the message, but there was no choice. Arguing here would mean his death.
"And let them know—I have no intention of negotiating a truce with the Duke's faction."
"I… I understand. I'll make sure the message is delivered."
"Good. Now go. I'll have you treated before you leave."
At Ghislain's gesture, Piote ran over and healed the envoy. As soon as his wounds were mended, the envoy fled the northern camp as fast as he could.
After the envoy left, Ghislain sat deep in thought.
His close aides wore somber expressions. They were now on the brink of a major battle, with internal conflict looming as well.
If they weren't careful, they might end up fighting not only the Duke's forces but also the kingdom's reorganized army. In fact, given Ghislain's refusal to disband the northern army, such a fight was inevitable.
Ghislain's political foundation had always been Marquis Branford. With the Marquis now ousted, that foundation was gone. However…
After some deliberation, Claude spoke up.
"Will you… go to the capital to rescue them?"
Ghislain shook his head.
"No, I don't think there's any need."
"Why not?"
"One traitor is enough. There's no need for all of us to become rebels. Besides, how would we rescue so many nobles?"
Ghislain smiled. Even if he went to rescue them, Marquis Branford would surely refuse.
The Marquis had stepped down willingly, even though he could have killed the king. There was no need to complicate matters further.
"All we need to do is take the king's head."
There was no need for unnecessary theatrics. Seizing the capital would suffice. Getting more entangled would only risk the nobles becoming hostages.
Ghislain's casual remark darkened the expressions of those around him.
From the looks of it, his transition to full-blown rebellion was now inevitable.
Ghislain planted a flag on the map. It marked Cardenia, the capital.
"We will seize the capital. The royal family Marquis Branford tried to protect is finished."
"…"
The others nodded grimly. The king, having allied with the Duke's faction, would never leave them alone.
The time had come to overturn the kingdom. Though none had expected such a day to come.
Ghislain grinned and continued.
"We could attack immediately… but let's wait a bit."
Claude tilted his head.
"Now is the best time to strike. The kingdom's army is retreating and likely hasn't grasped the situation yet."
"I know, but if we're going to do this, we need to do it right. A king is still a king, even if only in name. With Marquis Branford retired, the kingdom needs a new central figure."
Once the royal family fell, Marquis Branford would never return to politics. He could no longer serve as a unifying force.
Ghislain also needed to uncover what the king and the Salvation Church were after. That was the key to understanding the true nature of this war.
This was his chance. The capital could be seized whenever he wished.
Claude quickly understood.
"I see, I understand what you mean. The kingdom needs a new central figure to lead it. While it doesn't matter to us, it certainly will to the people and the other nobles."
The others grasped the meaning of Ghislain's words. Though Kaor and Alpoi didn't fully comprehend, they still nodded.
No one was particularly concerned about whether the kingdom's army reorganized or not. That was how confident they were in the northern army's strength.
Ghislain quickly gave his orders.
"Relay this news to the allied forces immediately. Tell them that the king has allied with the Salvation Church. Instruct them to move their troops to the western and northern borders and maintain a defensive posture. Also, let them know they are to follow only my commands from now on."
"Understood."
It wouldn't be difficult to rally the allied forces. After all, they had come here to fight against the Salvation Church in the first place, and Ghislain had been the one managing the negotiations.
With Marquis Branford ousted, they would now fully comply with Ghislain's demands.
"Inform Lowell to begin deploying spies into the capital in earnest. From now on, we'll monitor their every move."
"Understood."
Previously, only a few operatives had been sent to gather rumors from the capital, as Ghislain had forged a strong alliance with Marquis Branford.
Marquis Branford had reciprocated. Though he had sent spies to the Fenris territory, he had kept it to a reasonable extent to avoid straining their relationship.
But that was no longer the case. Countless spies from all sides would now dig for information about Ghislain, while his own agents would operate relentlessly.
Looking around the room, Ghislain continued.
"Soon, I'll infiltrate the capital on my own. There's something I need to confirm."
"Are you planning to seize it by yourself?" Claude asked, looking incredulous.
The capital was now a den of demons. If Ghislain were discovered, the entire capital's forces would hunt him down.
No matter how strong Ghislain was, fighting alone would be impossible.
Belinda and the others tried to dissuade him, but Ghislain cut them off.
"I'm not saying I'll go immediately. I'll explain everything in detail before I leave. Let's discuss it then. For now, there are more urgent matters to attend to."
Despite his reassurance, everyone looked worried. Whatever he was planning, it was clearly not going to be ordinary.
"For now, let's return to the North. Things will only get busier from here, so we need to prepare quickly."
The northern forces promptly packed up and moved out. With the royal family now their enemy, their current position was vulnerable to encirclement.
The political situation had spiraled out of control, all because of Marquis Branford's resignation.
But Ghislain had a sense of why the Marquis had stepped down.
'The king made a foolish decision.'
As he stroked his sword's scabbard, a murderous gleam flickered in his eyes.
Marquis Branford, Maurice, and many other nobles had supported Ghislain, allowing him to grow faster than planned.
Now, he had the power to topple the kingdom at any time. Despite this, he had adhered to basic procedures out of respect for his relationships with them.
In a way, Marquis Branford had been a shackle holding Ghislain back.
But now, even that restraint is gone.
'Having allied with the Duke's faction, the royal family can no longer be spared.'
It was regrettable for Marquis Branford, but the royal family was finished. Once they became his enemies, there was no room for mercy.
'This isn't much different.'
In his previous life, he had fought against an entire kingdom alone.
Though the timing was earlier this time, and their forces couldn't yet be called stronger than before, the Duke's faction had also weakened itself by fighting Ghislain. It was a winnable battle.
Retreating wasn't an option. He would crush any kingdom troops that stood in his way, no matter who they were.
'Let's see it through to the end. Until one of us is dead.'
A sly grin spread across Ghislain's face.
There was no one left to hinder him, no reason to hold back. He felt oddly liberated.
***
The northern forces moved swiftly, establishing a position at the frontline fortress in Fenris.
Ghislain, taking only a small group, headed directly to Perdium. He had something important to discuss with his father.
As soon as Zwalter heard of Ghislain's arrival, he summoned all his vassals. He, too, was aware that the political climate had become dire.
"I heard some news recently. What's going on? Does this mean the northern forces have retreated?"
Zwalter bombarded Ghislain with questions.
High-ranking nobles who had been leading the war effort were now ousted, and a new power structure was forming around the king.
As Ghislain's father, Zwalter couldn't help but worry about his son, who had been aligned with Marquis Branford.
After briefly explaining the situation, Ghislain continued.
"We cannot disband the northern army. Whether we disband or not, the king, having allied with the Duke's faction, will never leave us in peace."
"How could things have come to this?"
"The northern army represents the greatest threat to them."
"…All the hard-fought victories were for nothing. Now we're about to become traitors."
Zwalter slumped into his chair, his voice heavy with despair. The vassals of Perdium wore similarly worried expressions.
They had been hopeful after gaining the upper hand in the war. Now, they were on the brink of being branded rebels against the kingdom.
As the room fell silent, Ghislain scanned everyone with sharp eyes and spoke.
"No, it hasn't been for nothing. Thanks to our efforts, the northern army is now the strongest force in the kingdom. If Perdium joins us, we will be even stronger."
"…"
"We can no longer avoid this fight."
"…"
"If we must fight, then we must ensure victory. That's why there's something I need you to do, Father."
"And… what would that be?" Zwalter asked, his voice resigned.
Ghislain slowly, but firmly, made his declaration.
"Father, you must become the new king of this nation."
The shocking statement left everyone in the audience hall speechless, their mouths agape in disbelief.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]