Chapter 90: The Holy Empire #1

Chapter 90: The Holy Empire #1

The long memorial service, which had lasted for ten days, was finally coming to an end.

It was a ritual of requiem, meant to appease the souls of the departed.

The recipients were the northern dead who had never found rest even in death, and the officiant was Carmilla.

“Now, the souls of our kin can finally rest in peace.”

Jonathan muttered bitterly. The shadows of the burning torches flickered across the young orc’s face.

The war for dominance over the North had also come to an end with this.

The victor was me, Estel. Carmilla had finally given up her stubbornness and decided to join me.

In return, Carmilla agreed to release the souls of the orcs and numerous undead she had bound, in order to seek forgiveness from her victims, and to serve our faction wholeheartedly from now on.

This had two major implications.

First, my forces had significantly strengthened with the addition of Carmilla and her army.

Second, it allowed me to announce to the world that I was surprisingly a merciful ruler.

The army of death is even more generous than the living. If you surrender, we forget all the trivial matters and accept you with open arms.

As a result, the number of enemies who would surrender without firing a single shot was expected to gradually increase.

“I will respect your choice, Estel. Strategically, this seems to be the right move. However, as an orc, I cannot completely forgive that woman! I will keep a close eye on her, with fire in my eyes. Let me be clear, we orcs will not forget Carmilla’s atrocities.”

Jonathan stated his position with a firm expression.

‘Yes, that’s exactly how it should be.’

This was as expected. And it was also what I intended.

I have no intention of empowering only one side. An ideal situation is one where the orcs and Carmilla keep each other in check and compete.

‘If the balance is lost and one side becomes too dominant, they will eventually harbor other intentions.’

In my kingdom, there must be only one absolute ruler, and that is me. To achieve this, I must coordinate my subordinates to share power among themselves, as they are doing now.

“Jonathan, after the memorial service, you’ll be busy again for a while. A war far more immense than a children’s play war awaits us, as the Northern conquest war was just the beginning. Are you ready?”

“Of course. We orcs are always ready.”

Around the large bonfire burning in the center of the village, orcs and undead mingled, dancing and singing.

Listening to the cheerful yet somewhat mournful melodies, I gave instructions to Jonathan.

Now that we could fully utilize all the resources of the North, the scale of our army could grow accordingly.

There were mountains of tasks to be done.

Cultivating a stronger army, exploring northern ruins and uncharted dungeons that only I knew about, securing rare resources…

“I won’t tell you to get along well with Carmilla. However, do not forget our ultimate goal. If you fight amongst yourselves, do it after that.”

I emphasized this once more with force.

Soon, I would be leaving the Northern Kingdom for a while.

During that time, I had no choice but to entrust my army to Jonathan and Carmilla.

“Estel, are you really going to do as you said?”

Jonathan looked at me with worried eyes.

I understood why he was concerned. The strategy I was about to adopt was essentially a risky gamble.

However, it was a necessary danger to overcome if I were to defeat Michael.

“According to my calculations, this is the best course of action.”

I nodded calmly.

It was time for the Empire to finally lift its heavy backside and take action.

I had no intention of passively accepting defeat.

***

Julius, the seasoned veteran of the Empire, set out on his campaign with a heavy heart.

A subjugation order.

It was a crucial mission that he could not refuse, no matter what excuse he made.

‘But the fact that the subjugation order was issued at this time makes the intention obvious.’

Julius was not a fool. He was fully aware of the current political situation in the Empire.

The Emperor of the Empire had long since been reduced to a mere figurehead, and the actual decisions were made by Michael, the Paladin, who sat behind the Emperor.

Therefore, the subjugation order was undoubtedly Michael’s will.

‘A cunning Knight Commander. He must be trying to divert attention outwards to quell the political attacks focused on him.’

The target declared as an enemy of the Empire was, for Julius, a rather unexpected individual.

The Undying Lord, Lich Estel.

She was a top wanted criminal who had seized the blizzard-swept North and commanded repulsive orcs and chilling undead.

The powerful figures from various regions who wielded the Empire’s military might, including Julius, were heading north under the banner of subjugating the Lich.

“General, we are about to enter the Northern Gorge. From here on, it is officially the Lich’s territory.”

The adjutant’s face was tense. Due to the proximity of his territory to the North, Julius was inevitably tasked with the role of the vanguard, the first to enter the Lich’s territory.

“Everyone, stay alert.”

Julius said, shortening the reins of his horse.

The soldiers’ expressions were grim.

Most of them were tenant farmers, uninvolved in the Empire’s political machinations. They cared not whether the enemy was the Empire or the Lich.

‘I don’t want to die a dog’s death dragged all the way to this frozen wasteland.’

‘Damn it, I want to go home…! My wife is about to give birth to our third child!’

Julius deliberately ignored the overt dissatisfaction visible on the soldiers’ faces.

In fact, he himself was not convinced about this expedition.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being offered as the first sacrifice to Michael’s ambition.

“Someone is approaching from the front!”

The scout, who had returned in haste, reported.

“Is it undead?”

“I don’t know. They are completely covered by a hooded cloak, making it difficult to discern their identity. However, there is only one person.”

“Only one person?”

Julius tilted his head.

Undead typically employ a strategy of overwhelming numbers, where they don’t die even when killed. A single entity could potentially be a Death Knight, but a Death Knight’s massive physique would make them easily recognizable.

“Perhaps it could be a civilian. Someone who barely escaped the Lich’s rule with their life.”

“We should observe for now.”

Julius instructed his soldiers to maintain their guard and moved to the front line.

After a short while, the unidentified figure approached.

“Halt! Who are you? Do not approach further and reveal your identity from where you stand.”

Julius drew his sword and pointed it at the suspicious figure, halting them in their tracks.

The figure before him was small. Too short to be a soldier. As they removed their hood, lustrous, beautiful hair scattered.

‘A girl…?’

Julius and his adjutant exchanged glances.

They were seasoned professionals of war, having gained experience on countless battlefields, but precisely because of that, their ingrained prejudices were also firm. A frail girl was by no means suited for the battlefield.

“What are you? Why are you wandering alone? Where are your parents?”

“Haha, what kind of silly talk is that? You’re Julius, right?”

Julius’s forehead bulged with thick veins at the sudden use of informal language.

What kind of upbringing did this child have? Even if the North was a barbaric land untouched by the blessings of civilization, shouldn’t one show basic courtesy to elders?

His initial annoyance quickly gave way to suspicion.

‘How does this little girl know me?’

Of course, Julius was a renowned general in the Empire, but not to the extent that even children knew his face and name.

Moreover, the girl’s tone suggested she had anticipated Julius’s arrival here from the very beginning.

“I know why you’re here. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Michael sent you?”

“⋯What?”

“Ah, or perhaps not? For now, it’s officially stated that you’re on a mission by order of the Emperor. Well, it’s like covering your eyes and ears.”

The adjutant’s jaw dropped. Before he could reprimand the audaciousness of speaking so lightly of His Majesty the Emperor, he felt a profound sense of incongruity.

Although she appeared to be a frail girl, there was something within her that transcended their imagination.

“Could it be, you are-“

Julius trailed off. Anyone who heard him might call it absurd, but Julius’s intuition was sharp. He clearly grasped the current situation.

“You are the Lich.”

“Oh. You recognized me right away? As expected of a veteran. Impressive.”

Lich Estel clapped her hands, half-praising and half-teasingly.

The adjutant’s face turned deathly pale.

The objective of this expedition was within reach. So close that one could hit it without carefully aiming.

“That girl is the Lich…!”

Julius furrowed his brow and blocked his adjutant with his arm.

“Do not act rashly. There must be a reason she appeared before us alone. Listen, Lord of Death! If you intend to play petty games, stop it. I’m a warrior. I do not appreciate tedious conversations where we hide our true intentions. If you have something to say, say it directly! Otherwise-“

Determination flickered in Julius’s eyes. His eyes, having witnessed countless deaths on numerous battlefields, resembled those of a tiger.

“I will have no choice but to carry out His Majesty the Emperor’s command here.”

Julius, a stubborn warrior, had always lived with death on his back. Since his days as a young squire, he had never expected to die peacefully in bed.

He was not afraid of dying in battle. What he feared more was surviving shamefully.

“Hmm.”

Estel smiled enigmatically. She put away her playful demeanor and held out her palms.

“Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of fighting. Regardless of winning or losing, you are not my opponent, an old man like you.”

“Then why have you appeared before us?”

“To avoid wasting each other’s time.”

Estel calmly gazed at Julius with her large, clear eyes.

Those eyes seemed to be aimed not at Julius and the soldiers before them, but at someone far beyond.

“I want to meet Michael. Will you guide me?”