Ch.165Feeding Trough

The war seemed to end quickly. It was a clash between two groups with an extreme difference in military power from the start. It only appeared somewhat evenly matched due to the desert terrain advantage and the intervention of the irregulars known as reincarnators.

As the balanced power of the reincarnators began to be swept away by the Blue Wing, Sun Tail ordered a retreat. Of course, even without the Blue Wing knights, the Karma Empire would not have lost. This was because other knight orders were holding firm.

The survivors quickly began to leave the battlefield.

Some soldiers threw away their weapons and removed their armor to increase their speed. It was a meaningless choice. They were all shot dead by the pursuit teams chasing them.

Seo-rin flew through the sky standing on her sword. The battlefield sky, covered with dark storm clouds, was extremely dark. From that sky, Seo-rin surveyed the ground below.

She couldn’t see them. The other members of the otherworld alliance formed by exceptionally strong reincarnators like the Four-Dragon King, Hayato, Ma-seung, Elder, and the Void Lord were nowhere to be found. Having absorbed Hayato’s memories, Seo-rin knew that two reincarnators from his hazy memories had not shown themselves.

Of course, she was only aware of their existence. She didn’t know their voices, appearances, or the powers they used. That was all the information contained in Hayato’s memories that Seo-rin had absorbed.

The memories in the sword were incomplete. What Seo-rin had been able to examine was Hayato’s past life history engraved in the Muramasa.

Had they completely hidden themselves? Or did they have other intentions? What were they trying to gain by manipulating a small nation like Sun Tail?

Seo-rin stood with her hands behind her back, blankly facing the flowing wind. Beyond her gaze, golden threads sparkled. The number of broken threads floating in the air reached tens of thousands.

In that brief fierce battle, countless lives had been cut short. Seo-rin swallowed a faint groan in her mouth.

The Karma Empire did not stop its advance. The commander, seemingly determined to finish things, formed pursuit teams to hunt down the fleeing remnants of Sun Tail, then ordered a charge toward the capital of Sun Tail.

The vanguard consisted of cavalry and knights. It was a charge of knights, each capable of handling a hundred soldiers. A storm that crushed everything in its path rushed forward in a straight line.

The Blue Wing was also included in the vanguard formation. Seo-rin guarded the sky along with the Shadow Knight Order mounted on griffons. Unlike the Karma Empire, which dominated the airspace, Sun Tail had no means of flying.

The capital of the Sun Tail Kingdom.

The Sun City, Sun Tail.

Arriving faster than anyone else, Seo-rin could see white flags planted along the massive walls, fluttering in the wind. Moreover, the city gates were wide open, and the standing army that should have been defending the city was holding up their hands without weapons.

Complete surrender.

Seo-rin circled high above Sun Tail, checking for any possible traps. There were magical defenses on the walls meant to protect against enemy invasions, but no other special powers were detected.

“Seiran.”

[It seems fine.]

Even when she asked her younger sister to check just in case, the result was the same. After hovering in the sky for a while, Seo-rin joined the main force that arrived later and entered Sun Tail.

It was a bloodless occupation. The battering rams and bombs they had brought for a potential siege were not used.

The city and royal castle were quickly seized, and the execution of the royal family and leadership was carried out.

On top of the towering golden castle, the sun flag representing Sun Tail was lowered, and in its place, the flag of the Karma Empire was raised. On the red flag fluttering in the wind was the image of a griffon.

***

Late at night, Seo-rin went out to the streets of Sun Tail with her friends. The once vibrant city full of revelry now had a much more subdued atmosphere.

This was due to the Karma Empire soldiers stationed throughout the city. Large drinking parties were happening everywhere. Watching the scene, Theo spoke in a light voice.

“What will happen to this place?”

“Probably not much will change?”

“Really? Even though the ruling class has changed?”

“The Karma Empire doesn’t usually make big changes to existing systems when they take over other countries. Though the nobles will certainly lose a lot of their wealth.”

Theo nodded at Flora’s answer. Looking around the city, Theo said to Seo-rin.

“What are you searching for so intently?”

“Reincarnators.”

“Even all the way here?”

“There are still two who haven’t shown themselves.”

“You don’t even know what they look like. Would you recognize them if you saw them?”

“Of course. They’d be different from ordinary people. They must have special powers. Reincarnators have a different aura.”

“I understand what you’re saying. You’re looking for people who feel out of place? See anything yet?”

“Not so far.”

As they walked, Theo’s gaze fell on a stall selling skewered meat. There was no one who appeared to be the shop owner. Only a few skewers cooling on the grill were left behind.

Theo naturally approached and took all the skewers. He gave himself three, and one each to Flora and Seo-rin.

Looking down at her skewer, Seo-rin asked Theo.

“Why do you get three?”

“Because I got them… Do you want more?”

Just as she was about to nod, Seo-rin suddenly felt as if all the hair on her body was standing on end. The sky. Seo-rin’s gaze turned to the dark night sky.

“What’s wrong?”

“Seo-rin?”

Seo-rin didn’t answer. A sight that only she could see was unfolding before her eyes. In the dark night sky, countless threads were floating weakly.

The entire sky was like that. Whether she looked right or left, broken threads were floating everywhere. The sky looked not much different from a golden granary field ready for harvest.

A sword at Seo-rin’s waist drew itself and flew into the sky. Seo-rin’s figure lightly jumped up to stand on it, and her altitude rapidly increased.

“This is…”

A weak voice flowed from Seo-rin’s surprised lips. Broken threads signified death. A massive number of deaths were occurring somewhere other than Sun Tail.

***

The next day after entering Sun Tail, an immediate return order came from the empire’s leadership. The commander asked for the reason, but the leadership did not provide a detailed explanation.

Eventually, the withdrawal began. After gathering supplies from the city for the journey, the Karma Empire soldiers left Sun Tail, leaving behind only the wounded and a minimal garrison.

“Why are we rushing back like this?”

“I don’t know. They said the imperial capital wasn’t attacked while we were away. So there must be some other problem.”

“Are we going to war with someone else?”

“Again? So soon?”

The soldiers exchanged opinions as they joined the return formation. Most expected another war. The return order had come just one day after finishing the war, as if there was no time for rest.

As they approached the border, everyone’s expectations became certainty. The Karma Empire’s border was unusually crowded. Refugees from all over were applying for asylum.

The Karma Empire’s soldiers hastened their return even more.

The atmosphere in the Karma Empire, when they returned after about two months, seemed largely unchanged despite the entire continent being engulfed in war. This was due to the absolute faith of the residents.

The belief that a powerful nation does not fall.

Moreover, their country’s army had returned victorious from war. Who could be anxious?

Upon returning to the Blue Wing headquarters, Seo-rin was immediately summoned by the Emperor. This time, she was not alone but accompanied by Kanok and Sephiroth. The commander and vice-commander of the Blue Wing headed to the imperial palace to meet the Emperor.

The Imperial Palace of the Karma Empire.

Inside the Emperor’s office.

The Emperor urgently got to the point with the three people who had come to see him.

“You must have noticed on your way here. War has broken out across the entire continent. Most wars started with small countries provoking powerful ones. This is not normal.”

“Are you saying reincarnators are behind this incident, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor nodded at Kanok’s question. He rose from his seat and walked to where a large loom stood.

“The broken threads that represent the souls of the dead should be rewound and given new destinies. But now, that’s not happening. It means someone is diverting the threads of fate, the souls, in the middle. How many people could do such a thing? It must be the work of a reincarnator.”

The Emperor sighed deeply and looked out the window. He held his forehead as if experiencing a headache. He said:

“We need to find the one who is diverting souls. That’s why I called you. Seo-rin, you can already see the flow of souls, can’t you?”

“…Yes.”

“I, I can no longer see them. Because my time has ended… I will assign the commanders of each knight order to you. I’ll also provide griffons for rapid movement. If they have an army, I’ll give you imperial troops as well. By any means necessary. Find the mastermind behind this situation. And kill them.”