Ch.1010Why Would I Fight With Them?

After learning that Bernard’s crystal ball had fallen into Cylude’s hands, Feirius clicked his tongue and immediately cut off the communication.

Judging by Biyashen and Cylude’s hostile attitude, he determined that continuing the conversation would be meaningless.

‘What a shame. He was still a useful asset.’

Feirius gave up on Bernard.

He might be able to recover Bernard by attacking Dragon King Cylude’s palace, but it wouldn’t be worth the effort.

‘Judging by his bold provocations, the Dragon King has likely already prepared for my attack. Whatever preparations he’s made, I’m confident I could break through them… but it would be a waste of time.’

Even if he went through the trouble of destroying the Dragon King’s palace, the only outcome would be retrieving a hero who had lost his political influence.

And that was only if Bernard was still being held prisoner. If he had already been eliminated or persuaded to join the Dragon King, it would be a waste of time and resources with no benefit.

Worse still, if he wasted time and was detected by the “variable,” in the worst case, he might face a direct confrontation and be eliminated.

He couldn’t risk such danger just to save a hero he was only using temporarily.

‘For now… I’ll have to be satisfied with sending my subordinates to test their defenses.’

Instead of personally rescuing Bernard, Feirius decided to be content with sending expendable pawns to attack the palace and observe the response.

‘That takes care of Bernard… but I still can’t contact Eleonora. How strict is their surveillance…’

Communication with the seventh apostle, Eleonora, was impossible. Despite repeated attempts to contact her, she wouldn’t respond, claiming she was under constant surveillance.

Occasionally, when there was a gap in the surveillance, brief communication was possible… but today wasn’t one of those days.

Therefore, Feirius had only one apostle he could assign tasks to.

The fourth apostle, stationed in Baryachrus, the kingdom of werebeasts.

======[ The Fourth Apostle ]======

“Haah…”

His breath spread like mist, freezing in the extreme cold of the northern snowfields.

The fourth apostle of the Forgotten Gods’ Order put down the crystal ball after finishing communication and let out a faint sigh.

‘Attack Hestella with Baryachrus forces? Taking a wide detour around the mountains to avoid Faelrun? What’s this about? Is he asking me to launch a second great invasion?’

The first apostle, who had contacted him after a long time, ordered him to instigate Oleg to attack Hestella’s capital.

He was to take advantage of Hestella’s main forces being away, attack and burn the capital, and slaughter all humans in sight.

Was he being asked to recreate the great invasion that Rurik had attempted? It was an unexpectedly abrupt directive.

‘Conquering Hestella is impossible. We could inflict damage by exploiting their power vacuum, but if we don’t retreat before that monster returns, we’re finished. So the purpose of this attack is merely to draw that monster’s attention?’

Destroying the capital and slaughtering its citizens wasn’t about conquering Hestella, but about directing Haschal’s hostility toward Baryachrus.

In other words, he was being told to instigate the werebeasts of Baryachrus to serve as bait for Feirius, sacrificing them all.

‘…He said to hide in the Empire’s mainland after it’s done? This means he’s planning to use Baryachrus once and discard it… what a hollow ending after all that effort.’

Was this the plan from the beginning, or had things gone wrong, forcing him to abandon Baryachrus?

Either way, it was a somewhat disappointing conclusion for the fourth apostle, who had endured the harsh cold of the northern snowfields for years to maintain his position as advisor to the werebeast nation.

However, the fourth apostle had no choice but to refuse.

Even if it meant throwing away years of achievements for a single decoy operation, it was better than being abandoned in this freezing land where even breath froze.

He was sick of it all. The extreme cold of the northern snowfields where one couldn’t survive even a few hours without maintaining body temperature through magic.

Baryachrus itself, surrounded by nothing but growling beast-headed monsters.

Therefore, he decided to follow Feirius’s orders. To return to the warm, comfortable lands of the Empire, among humans.

—-

“It’s been a while, King of Baryachrus.”

“Indeed. It’s been a while, mage.”

In the depths of the Frozen Castle, the capital of Baryachrus.

“You said you had a proposal for me? Let’s hear it.”

Having entered the throne room, the fourth apostle suggested to the werebeast king an invasion of Hestella.

The justification of avenging the former king Rurik.

Information that their main forces were currently on an expedition to Alvheim, significantly weakening their home defenses.

The temptation that his authority as king would be greatly enhanced just by inflicting sufficient damage and returning.

And the persuasion that they needed to procure new prey soon anyway. Using all his oratory skills,

“Hmm…”

After listening to all this, the werebeast king scratched under his chin with his claws and growled lowly.

The fourth apostle swallowed dryly as he waited for an answer. Clear tension showed on his face, half-hidden by his robe.

Though his high pride would never allow him to admit it, he secretly feared the werebeast before him.

“…An interesting story.”

The 4-meter tall giant who bared his teeth with an interested grin was Oleg the Devourer, the second king of Baryachrus.

His eyes were not just bloodshot but completely red. His striped pattern resembled that of an evil spirit.

His exposed upper body was covered with muscles developed enough to overwhelm Rurik, and his breath carried a terrible blood scent.

The werebeast king who claimed to be Rurik’s successor and ascended to Baryachrus’s throne, then slaughtered and devoured all competitors and traitors to build his strength.

Oleg the Cannibal.

The snow tiger werebeast who conquered the entire northern snowfield had become such a monster that his mere presence made one’s body tremble with his ominous aura.

“As you say, if the Were Eater—no, the Winter Slayer now, isn’t it? Anyway, if that woman is away, we could easily burn down that city.”

“…That’s right. If we destroy the capital and massacre the residents or capture them as food, that woman’s reputation will be dragged through the mud. What kind of queen can’t even protect her own capital from being violated?”

The fourth apostle spoke forcefully.

Destroying Hestella’s capital would be like trampling Haschal’s face in the dirt. It would be a satisfying revenge for the defeat of the great invasion.

“Conversely, Your Majesty’s fame would rise endlessly. The Northern Overlord who destroyed the Winter Slayer’s capital. Everyone below the mountains would come to fear Your Majesty.”

Additionally, to persuade Oleg, who had no particular resentment about Rurik’s death, he added stories to stimulate his desire for honor.

“And after that?”

“…Pardon?”

However, instead of nodding in agreement with the fourth apostle’s advice, Oleg just snorted a blood-scented breath and smirked.

“I asked what happens after that, mage. Let’s say we burn down the empty capital with our warriors. That would be quite enjoyable, as you say. Until we face the Winter Slayer driven mad with rage.”

Oleg rose from his throne. With a booming sound, the ice slabs beneath his feet cracked and shattered.

“Continue. What should we do when that woman comes charging at us for revenge? Surely you’re not going to advise me to rest easy, believing she won’t chase us all the way here?”

The question of what to do if an enraged Haschal invaded.

Perhaps due to his ominous aura and growling voice, to the fourth apostle, this sounded like a threat—answer incorrectly and I’ll tear out your throat.

“…Very few humans can withstand the cold here. If she loses her reason and crosses the mountains with minimal forces, or even alone, we can crush her with our full might.”

The fourth apostle offered his prepared excuse.

“The northern snowfield is already a natural fortress with its extreme cold. Add to that Your Majesty’s strength and Baryachrus’s power, and even the Winter Slayer would eventually be forced to her knees.”

Just as Carlos and the Great’s Twelve Knights gave up on annihilating the werebeasts who fled beyond the mountains, even the mighty Haschal couldn’t defeat Baryachrus in the harsh cold of the northern snowfields.

“Rurik thought the same. With the power of a king who wouldn’t die even when beheaded, plus the great army Baryachrus had gathered, he believed he could break the north and have plenty to spare.”

But Oleg denied this.

“Now she wears his skin, doesn’t she? That’s the usual price of arrogance.”

He cut off the fourth apostle’s words by reminding him what had happened to Rurik who made a similar judgment.

“And now… I smell the same scent from you. The scent of foolish, stupid arrogance that can’t even imagine its own death.”

Oleg took a step toward the fourth apostle.

A terrifying sense of danger. Cold sweat ran down the fourth apostle’s spine, freezing and sending a chill through him. He hastily continued his excuses.

“B-but the circumstances are different now. Your Majesty now has enough strength to overwhelm five Ruriks simultaneously—”

“Absurd. Do you think that woman has been idle all this time? In this chaotic era where monsters exceeding Champions appear frequently and dragons fly through the sky?”

“……”

The fourth apostle was momentarily speechless. In his honest opinion, he too didn’t think Oleg could defeat Haschal.

‘Even with the most optimistic estimate, the best outcome would be mutual destruction. The probability of annihilation is about nine times that.’

Fight and there’s a 90% chance of annihilation. That was the fourth apostle’s prediction.

According to the information he had obtained, the current Haschal was a monster among monsters who could single-handedly crush ten fairy guardians and, under the right conditions, take down even a dragon with a single blow.

“Raise an army to burn down one defenseless city, and in return, be destroyed by a rampaging monster. Truly wise counsel. So wise it makes me hungry.”

Seeing the fourth apostle unable to respond promptly, Oleg laughed, opening his mouth wide.

The countless teeth that had devoured numerous enemies gleamed, as if craving new prey.

“Ugh…!”

The fourth apostle barely suppressed his reflexive attempt to draw up mana, bowed his head in respect, and apologized.

“…I am ashamed. Blinded by immediate gain, I offered wrong advice. As Your Majesty’s advisor, I humbly apologize. As Your Majesty suggests, focusing on internal stability would be wiser at this time.”

A statement nullifying the advice itself by treating it as a slip of the tongue. It was the fourth apostle’s own form of complete surrender.

He had no other option. It was clear he wouldn’t survive if he became Oleg’s enemy in the heart of Baryachrus’s palace.

“No, we should march. As you said, taking a wide detour around the mountains to avoid being detected by Faelrun.”

“…Pardon?”

Unexpectedly, however, Oleg shook his head and expressed his intention to send the werebeasts below the mountains as the fourth apostle had suggested.

“However, our destination is not the Winter Slayer’s country.”

Though not in the direction the fourth apostle desired.

– Screech, scratch, screech.

Suddenly, Oleg began scratching the ice wall with his raised claws. Curved and straight lines intertwined and crossed chaotically, forming a large picture.

After some time, the fourth apostle realized it was a crude attempt at a continental map.

“This is where we, Baryachrus, will devour.”

Oleg stabbed his claw into a specific area on the map.

To the right of the vertical line that divided the continent east and west, cutting the map in half vertically.

“The plains that lost their king and fell into ruin, the steppes of the horse riders.”

The center of the great plains east of the Wall of Berengaria, which had become unclaimed territory after the deaths of Orhan and Meiharin.

“After taking this place, we will form an alliance with the Winter Slayer’s country. An alliance asking her to acknowledge our existence in exchange for clearing out the troublesome Ka’har without crossing the wall.”

Occupying the west side of the Barun River, which was Clan Aishan’s territory, and then forming a peace treaty with Hestella to establish a new Baryachrus there, on the condition of checking the Ka’har on the east side of the river.

That was Oleg’s true aim and the best solution he had devised considering his and Baryachrus’s future.