Chapter 108: Resolution

In the morning, Lucius was reading a letter in his lodging.

The sender of the letter was Viscount Girard.

Two nights ago, Melania was taken away, and immediately, Lucius sent a letter of inquiry and protest. However, the reply that arrived this morning, adorned with various words, could be summarized in one sentence.

“Outsiders should keep quiet.”

Treason undoubtedly meant a death sentence. If there was any dispute, it was about how far the punishment extended to family members.

Lucius crumpled the letter and threw it into the trash.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Mother.”

Emily, his mother, placed a worried hand on Lucius’s shoulder.

“Mother… why can’t people just cooperate with each other?”

The dwarves were oppressed. The people of Kyrgyzwere the same. Lucius’ uncle, Lucial, turned her blade against him to protect the southern region. The nobles in the west were arrogant with their status and power. And the empire advanced its invasion, threatening the world.

His mother Emily smiled helplessly.

“…Because they’re weak.”

“Weak?”

“Yes. That’s why they want to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

Would protecting the people of Kyrgyz lead to protecting them?

“The word ‘protect’ is a very convenient word. It easily draws a boundary between ‘what’s important’ and ‘everything else’.”

“Drawing a line…”

“Yes. But what someone is trying to discard might be something that someone else wants to protect. Just like how I want to protect you, Lucius.”

His mother Emily gently stroked his head.

In his childhood, Lucius loved his mother’s touch. Every time he felt her kindness, he wanted to become a splendid noble. He wanted to meet the expectations of his parents.

“Lucius. If you’re hesitating, why don’t you be the one to protect someone’s important thing? Since you’re strong like your father, surely you can protect more things than anyone else.”

Lucius closed his eyes.

“…I will.”

With a determined expression, he stood up and picked up the three swords placed in the dining room.

Then he headed to the royal castle.

Through the captain of the royal guard, Mark, he managed to communicate with the current king.

It was extremely rude to suddenly barge in without an appointment to the room of the ruler of a country, without even a promise, but there was no time now.

After waiting in the castle for about three hours, he was led to the front of the king’s private room.

“Excuse me.”

“You may enter.”

Without hesitation, Lucius opened the door and stepped into the room.

The first thing that caught his attention was the room itself.

It was quite modest, with only a bed, a desk, and a few chairs, almost devoid of decorations, far from what one would expect from a king’s private room.

It was not much different from Lucius’s own room.

“Surprised? Everyone makes the same face when they come to my room for the first time.”

The king, sitting in a chair, had a mischievous smile.

“No, it’s not that.”

Lucius bowed his head.

“It’s good. There are only you and me here.”

“I see.”

“I used to decorate it like a king’s room, but I find it more calming like this. Before ascending the throne, I was always treated poorly since I was a child.”

He chuckled with wrinkles around his eyes.

Lucius had heard such stories before, but today he had something he needed to convey and had been given some time. Time was precious.

“I have a report today and have taken the liberty of your time.”

“I’m listening. Is it about Viscount Girard?”

“Yes.”

“I heard that you came to me for arbitration. Even Lucius must be at a loss this time.”

Exhaling, the king leaned back deeply into the chair.

Requests for arbitration between nobles were common occurrences. It must be a familiar matter for him, as someone with a high position and power.

“No, it’s not a request for arbitration, but an apology.”

“Apology?”

There was a slight interest in the king’s eyes.

Bowing further, Lucius looked straight into the king’s eyes.

“I intend to confront Viscount Girard from now on. Of course, there won’t be any deaths involved.”

“…I understand, but you’re in a disadvantageous position. If you clash head-on, you’ll suffer more damage, won’t you?”

“I know.”

“In that case, you should rely more on me. Why does the master never rely on me?”

Lucius met the king’s gaze.

“It’s to remain myself.”

“What do you mean?”

“People are weak. If you get used to clinging to the strong, you’ll eventually entrust everything to others.”

“It depends on the time and situation. Sometimes, relying on the majority is politics.”

“If it happens once or twice, yes. But if it continues three, four, or five times, you’ll realize. It’s easier and more certain to rely on the strong than to solve things yourself.”

The king’s gaze became stern.

It could be interpreted as a denial of the royal authority.

“Ultimately, you become dependent on the strong. Maintaining a relationship with the strong becomes more important than protecting what you wanted to protect. That’s what scares me the most.”

The strong didn’t have to be a person. It could be lineage, social status, gods, or history. If you could replace the basis of your ego with something other than yourself…

His parents from his past life were just like that.

In an attempt to find value in their noble lineage, they ended up worshiping it more than anyone else.

They must have clung to something other than themselves to enhance their own value, but in the end, they became slaves to it, something too common in the world.

“Is that your true intention?”

The king stared at Lucius with a strong gaze.

It felt like being stared at by a ferocious beast.

However, Lucius didn’t avert his gaze.

“Yes. That’s why I’ve come to apologize, and I want to return the magic sword that I received from Your Majesty.”

Lucius kneeled and presented the three swords he had brought to the king.

The king alternately looked at the swords and Lucius.

Then he burst into laughter, holding his stomach.

‘”Your majesty?”

“My apologies!”

The king, still unable to control his laughter, gestured for Lucius to wait with his hand.

“But it’s so funny. To think that a young baron who hasn’t even reached adulthood yet would say such things, the most difficult thing for me as a king.”

“Even Your Majesty?”

“Of course. Whom does the king cling to? The War Emperor in the East or the Pope in the South? Saying that the king will cling to someone is the same as saying he will abandon the country himself.”

While laughing, the king’s eyes seemed to contain years of hardships.

“Therefore, the king must not rely on anyone. The king bears the country on his own shoulders. Originally, the territorial management through the selection of kings was also to ascertain that quality, but there are many who prefer factional strife. Without a backing, one cannot stand on their own feet, and there is no way they can bear the country.”

The King looks up at the empty ceiling.

Are you remembering your past?

“If you are so determined, then I have nothing more to say. Once this is done, come and return the magic sword.”

“Thank you.”

The king nodded to Lucius.

“Don’t worry. I’ll just keep it safe. I’ll come up with some excuse to return it to you.”

Lucius straightened his posture and returned the three swords to his waist and back.

“…Well, Lucius.”

“Yes?”

“You may find it hard to believe, but the nobles in the west weren’t always like this from the beginning. My younger sister, Adel… Lady Adelaide, in her youth, worked tirelessly for the country and its people.”

It might be hard to believe, but there’s no lie in the king’s words.

“I’ve lived too long. The nobles in the west, who have been immersed in the center of power for too long, have become corrupt and uncontrollable. Recently, rumors have even surfaced that key figures are colluding with other countries. It seems… there’s no turning back now… Unfortunately.”

The king’s eyes held a dim emotion.

Words of regret crossed Lucius’s mind.

“People can change.”

Lucius himself had changed.

“You truly are a light, Lucius. I’ll continue to rely on you for the country.”

“…Understood.”

Lucius bowed deeply and left the king’s chamber.

And then, he headed to the tower.

Lucius dashed through the crowded streets of the capital at full speed.

His destination was the mansion of Viscount Girad within the tower.

The royal castle was connected by the tower, and with Lucius’s feet, it didn’t take him more than an hour to reach the entrance to the tower.

Passing through the huge gate, he entered the usual courtyard.

As soon as he entered, something he hadn’t seen until yesterday caught his eye.

—Private soldiers?

Dozens of Viscount Girard’s soldiers were in the courtyard.

They were all stationed to block the entrance and exit of the mansion.

They probably anticipated Lucius’s visit.

“Please stop, Lucius-sama.”

One of the soldiers raised his voice.

It’s too late now for words to make him stop.

“…I’m here to meet Viscount Girard.”

“My master has instructed us not to let anyone through. Um…”

The soldier hesitated.

“Until the execution of the puppeteer’s daughter and her family.”

Lucius’s vast magic power spread throughout the surroundings in an instant.

It was a power infused with anger.

The soldiers didn’t just step back a step; they retreated several steps behind them.

Some of them even started to run away.

At that moment, the door of the mansion opened.

Out came Viscount Girard, Sextus, and the tutors.

Had they sensed the magic power?

“Oh my, Lord Lucius, have you come to witness the execution of the criminals?”

“Why are you playing such foolish games?”

“Hmm? We’re just executing according to the laws of our territory, aren’t we? Do you understand, Lord Lucius? Do you understand that you’re severely infringing on the rights of lords of other territories?”

Viscount Girar and Sextus smiled.

It seemed like they were provoking him.

They must know that with just a few private soldiers and a few nobles, they couldn’t win against Lucius.

So, the purpose must inevitably be consolidated.

—Is their goal to make me take action?

They must want to burden Lucius, who has repeatedly resisted their harassment, with guilt.

Do they want to undermine his trust or tarnish his memory from the king?

Such things don’t matter.

Rather, what’s revolting is that they’re willing to sacrifice the lives of others, their subjects, for those trivial matters.

“Melania hasn’t committed any crimes.”

“Then you should report it to the Ministry of Justice.”

It’s the right procedure.

If there’s a difference in perception between nobles, the Ministry of Justice intervenes.

But while doing such things, Melania’s head will roll.

Naturally, Lucius wouldn’t move.

“If we’re approached by a first-grade magician, we’ll have to defend ourselves as well.”

Viscount Girard, Sextus, their tutors, and the private soldiers all drew rapiers in their left hands.

They probably followed the Western tradition of holding gun-magic in their right hands.

Lucius also infused magic and summoned armored soldiers from the shadows.

Their number easily exceeded a hundred.

“That’s… what pushed back the empire…”

“Don’t be afraid! You knew it, right!?”

“Don’t worry! We won’t be killed!”

As fear ran through the soldiers, Sextus gave an order.

“Don’t be afraid! Kill them!”

As if in response, countless beasts were released from the soldiers’ right hands.

They were gun-magic made of fire, water, ice, and so on.

“Restrain them all!”

In response to Lucius’s command, armored soldiers rushed out all at once.

With agile movements, they dodged the rain of gun-magic and advanced forward.

“They avoided it!? This is bad!”

“…What are they…”

“R-Run away!”

Although it had just begun, the soldiers quickly collapsed under the slight disadvantage.

—Too fragile.

Perhaps because they had been imposing battles on the East and North for a long time, they didn’t even have the resolve to suffer injuries, let alone sacrifices.

Behind the soldiers who were fleeing, Viscount Girard’s voice echoed.

“You fools.”

Immediately, skulls made of white mist appeared above the soldiers’ heads.

The mist-like fog descended on the soldiers who tried to flee.

The vitality was drained from the eyes of the soldiers covered in mist, leaving them vacant.

“Fight.”

And, as if following Viscount Girard’s words, the soldiers slowly turned around.

Raising their hands, they began to release gun-magic once again.

While dodging the unleashed gun-magic, Lucius continued to analyze the spells.

—Is the true nature of the curse on the villagers Girard’s spell?

It’s probably a spell that suppresses the ego and makes them obedient, much like curses.

Needless to say, it’s the worst of the worst.

The sluggish soldiers were restrained by the armored soldiers in less than ten seconds.

If they weren’t held down, friendly fire would start among the soldiers whose cognitive abilities had declined.

“Haha! You’ve finally shown your hand! Direct military intervention between nobles is not allowed! No matter how you try to explain it, you will bear the guilt.”

Viscount Girard raised his voice triumphantly.

Civil wars between feudal lords, known as feudal wars, are prohibited by the laws of the kingdom. In the past, internal conflicts between lords occurred frequently during times of instability in the monarchy, leading to the weakening of the country.

And with Lucius’s armored soldiers subduing the private soldiers, there’s no doubt that military intervention against the ruling authority within the territory has occurred.

Of course, Lucius himself is well aware of such things.

That’s why he went to apologize to the king in the first place.

“The time has come for the mask to come off, Lucius!”

“Just as Lady Adelaide predicted.”

“Let’s report to the Ministry of Justice immediately.”

Sextus and the tutors also nodded with a satisfied expression.

It’s as if they’re saying that their purpose has already been achieved.

Meanwhile, Lucius manifested his shield.

“It’s not over yet. Prepare your swords and spells.”

Viscount Girard burst into laughter.

“No, it’s over. You should hurry back to your inn and wait for your punishment.”

Lucius ignored his words.

Peaceful nonsense.

After doing all this, being told to go home because the job is done is not how battles end.

“I’ll give you ten seconds.”

And then, he started counting.

“1, 2, 3—”

Sextus lunged forward.

“You fool! Take my curse!”

He unleashed gun-magic aimed at Lucius.

It was in the form of crows.

“4, 5—”

In response, the two tutors also released crow-shaped gun-magic just like Sextus.

“Well done.”

Girard summoned the mist skulls again, surrounding Lucius.

“6, 7—”

It was a simultaneous attack from all sides.

“8, 9—”

But Lucius felt no panic.

Rather, anger surged within him.

“10… You’re underestimating me too much.”

Lucius swiftly dodged the spells.

There’s no way he’d be hit by a spell that was just shot straight at him.

With the momentum from dodging, he struck Sextus with his large shield.

Along with the sound of air leaking from his lungs, Sextus’s slender body soared through the air.

And then, he proceeded to strike the tutors with his shield.

The sound of “boof” almost overlapped.

It was a shield bash.

Their bones might have been broken, but unless they hit something vital, they wouldn’t die.

Lucius gained further momentum.

The face of Viscount Girard, who had just dodged the gun-magic, clouded over.

“W-Wait! I surrender!”

Viscount Girard began to wave his arms as if they were about to come off.

But Lucius didn’t stop.

With all his strength, he continued to run full tilt, putting his entire weight behind his shield as he held it forward.

With a force like that of being run over, he used the spring in his entire body to charge straight at Viscount Girard.

It was a shield charge.

Viscount Girard’s body was sent flying along with his consciousness.

After a while, Viscount Girard, Sextus, and the two tutors woke up.

No, it would be more accurate to say they were awakened by water being splashed on them.

“Ugh.”

Before them stood a man.

It was Lucius.

“What’s this? It seems unusually hot.”

Viscount Girard’s voice leaked out.

“Everyone, are you awake?”

The startled four stood up.

“You! How dare you!”

“Do you think you’ll be forgiven for doing something like this to us?”

“Yes, we need to formally protest—”

But their voices all stopped at once.

Because they were stunned by the sight in front of them.

The place where they were standing was an island surrounded by a sea of magma.

“This is near the top floor of the fourth layer. If you are all superior to the Kyrgyz people, then descending should not be a problem, right?”

Lucius calmly stated to the four.

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