Ch.98Grancia Island – Salion, the Sky Island

When the Uldur Holy Kingdom was preparing to respond aggressively to the sudden appearance of the Agni Holy Kingdom, which had occupied the northwestern Maltiz Coastal City, something strange was also happening in the south.

“What… is that?”

A massive, enormous piece of land was flying through the sky.

While farmers tending their fields, guards watching the walls, and citizens in the city all stared with confusion at the suddenly appearing flying island in the sky—

“Ah—! Hmm. Loudspeaker test, loudspeaker test. Hmm! Good. Ah, listen, you ignorant masses! We are the Salion Kingdom that existed in the southern part of the former empire! From now on, we will use this sky island to subjugate everyone in this land! Nameless territory! If you don’t want to die, surrender on your own!”

A declaration of war.

And not even through proper diplomatic channels—just a declaration of war based solely on their own strength. Everyone in Baron Bertrand’s territory was unable to comprehend the situation with the sudden appearance of Sky Island Salion.

A suddenly flying island? That could happen in a world where continents were splitting, relics from the mythical age were emerging, and ancient monsters were appearing.

The reappearance of a kingdom that existed on the continent in the past? That could certainly happen too.

But invading simply because they were extremely powerful? Even the former Laugiel Empire had spent decades building up various justifications before waging war. What were these bastards thinking?

When there was no response from the stunned citizens and the Bertrand baronial family, the sky island once again announced their intentions through the loudspeaker.

“This is not a declaration of war, but the mercy of our king and archmage, Lord Arkham Salion, allowing you to kneel on your own! The representative of this nameless territory should come out and kneel! If you don’t come out…”

The magical cannons at the bottom began charging, and dozens of them were emitting light from their muzzles.

It was a show of force—a threat to blow away the entire territory if no one came out.

“Alright, please wait a moment!”

In response to the sky island’s show of force, the lord of Bertrand territory appeared. He seemed to have rushed out, as his clothes were disheveled and he was even wearing mismatched shoes.

“Ahem! I am Wolf Bertrand, Baron of the Bertrand family of the Uldur Holy Kingdom and the rightful ruler of this Bertrand territory!”

“‘I am’? Do you think you’re in a position of authority here? Know your place.”

“Ahem…”

Baron Bertrand’s face reddened, and a displeased cough involuntarily escaped him, but those glowing magical cannons appeared to be weapons similar to the holy light of the Holy Kingdom.

Having witnessed such weapons firsthand, he swallowed his pride as a local lord for the safety of his family and citizens.

“I apologize. I misspoke due to the suddenness of the situation. Anyway, our Bertrand territory has no capacity to fight against the Salion Kingdom.”

“I know that. That’s why His Majesty King Arkham Salion, in his mercy, sent me to allow you to surrender on your own. It’s been three years since our return, yet why has your intelligence dropped so much…”

Tsk.

At the abusive words and tongue-clicking sound coming through the loudspeaker, Baron Bertrand’s fists trembled.

But if he stood up for his pride here, his family and citizens could be in danger.

So he suppressed his emotions as much as possible.

“Ah… I apologize. I suppose since our territory is at the southernmost part of the south, we have little contact with others… Hahaha, could you please tell us what we need to do according to the merciful request of King Arkham Salion?”

“Hmph. That’s better. Anyway, if you surrender, we won’t do anything. We are self-sufficient and don’t want anything from ignorant people like you.”

“Then… should I understand that our allegiance will transfer from the Uldur Holy Kingdom to the Salion Kingdom?”

“You can think of it that way. We have no interest in tiny territories like yours.”

Phew…

Baron Bertrand breathed a sigh of relief at the sky island’s statement that they wouldn’t do anything to the territory.

After all, the baronial family had no means to attack an opponent floating so high.

“Then we will follow the Salion royal family. We are not foolish enough to reject the mercy you’ve shown us.”

“Hmm. Good. Change your flags to those of our Salion royal family. Now, we’ll be taking all the women to our sky island, so prepare them.”

“What…?? What do you mean…?”

“Hmm? Isn’t it obvious? We must inject the bloodline of our excellent Salion Kingdom people into you. Inferior species must be corrected.”

“Inferior species…!! What nonsense is this! We absolutely cannot follow such an order!”

“Sigh… This is why they’re an inferior species…”

At the condescending tone coming through the loudspeaker, Baron Bertrand could no longer contain himself.

“You just happened to get lucky with that contraption, and you’re acting like you’re something special! If you had such technology from the beginning, you would have built it long ago! The fact that you didn’t means that contraption was probably obtained from a mythical age relic buried in the ground when the island transformed!”

A direct hit.

The loudspeaker went silent, as if they hadn’t expected to hear such words from someone they considered an inferior species.

“Inferior species? The Magic Empire of Salion, which was an empire hundreds of years ago but fell to become a mere kingdom with the emergence of the Laugiel Empire because it couldn’t subdue one inferior species, has the audacity to call us inferior! You don’t need to introduce yourselves! I already knew your intelligence had significantly decreased since you appeared with that contraption! You were probably called perpetually virgin wizards who couldn’t even speak to women, let alone confess, and now you want to take them by force! Whether women or men, humans are not commodities to be bought and sold, you virgin!”

“Y-you…!! Y-y-you…!!!”

The sound of grinding teeth came through the loudspeaker.

The magical cannons at the bottom of the sky island, which had stopped charging after hearing the surrender, began charging again at Baron Bertrand’s words, now emitting light more fiercely than before, ready to fire at any moment.

“If you don’t bow your head and apologize right now, I’ll annihilate your tiny territory.”

“Hmph! If you’re going to take all the women from our territory anyway, it’s already as good as annihilated, so why would I apologize to idiots? There’s a limit to stupidity, but you seem to be the ultimate idiot among idiots! Hahaha!”

“Eeeeek—!!! Because of your arrogant mouth, your ignorant people will cease to exist! Magical cannons! Aim!”

Click! Click!

Dozens of magical cannon muzzles finished aiming at Baron Bertrand’s territory.

If that light from the muzzles falls on his territory, it won’t just be destroyed—it will be annihilated.

He had clearly seen the power of similar holy light from the Holy Kingdom before.

He hoped that while he was buying time like this, people would evacuate as much as possible, but he had provoked them too strongly, getting too heated at the mention of taking women.

Baron Bertrand’s only regret was that he couldn’t buy more time for his citizens to evacuate.

‘Betis… Letia… I love you and I’m sorry.’

KWAAAA—!!

The multicolored light from the magical cannons struck Baron Bertrand’s territory, creating a mushroom cloud of various colors, and the place where the baron’s territory had been was annihilated.

“Damn it! To think that I, would hear such words from an inferior species… Hey! Let’s depart!”

The sky island, having annihilated the Bertrand baronial family, began heading north.

* * * * *

“Father… sob…”

“You must not grieve, Betis Bertrand. You are now the head of the Bertrand baronial family and the parent of all those who evacuated. Your father, my husband… sacrificed himself for everyone. Our duty is to pass information about them to the Holy Kingdom and seek revenge. There will be plenty of time to cry after that. Do you understand?”

“Yes… Mother. For my father who died without leaving even a body behind, I will not cry until I cut off their heads and show them to him…!!”

“That’s the spirit. That sky island is heading north, so we will move to Baron Probel’s territory, away from their path.”

“Yes!”

Baron Bertrand’s stalling had not been in vain.

From the moment he went out to talk, his son Betis Bertrand, prepared for the worst, had called the citizens to the lord’s castle for evacuation, and as soon as they heard the demand to hand over the women, they were able to escape the territory through the sewers.

This allowed them to escape the sky island’s surveillance, and although the Bertrand baronial family was annihilated, their citizens and clan survived.

“Let’s go, everyone. We will cross over to Probel territory and inform the Hero of their atrocities.”