episode_0032

The news of the coup, brought by the court mage who risked his life, reached the Empire’s high command. Inside the tent where the Empire’s leaders had gathered, a chilling silence settled.

………

No one dared to speak. If a coup had occurred, the original course of action would be to swiftly return the army and suppress it without delay. However, they were now on the verge of a crucial battle that held the continent’s fate. If the greedy prince wasn’t eliminated in this siege of Numenrola, he would regain his strength and unleash another massive war.

The Empire no longer had the capacity for war. Like it or not, they had already overextended themselves with war, to the point where continuing it further would risk the nation’s division.

So, why not just quickly eliminate the calamity and return to suppress the coup? An absurd notion.

Firstly, there was no telling how long it would take to eliminate the calamity. Moreover, those gathered here, apart from the heroes, were exclusively subjects of the Empire. Since each of them received the Emperor’s direct favor, it was difficult for them, as loyal vassals, to easily suggest continuing the siege.

No, even if they were to say it. As subjects of the Emperor, not heroes, they couldn’t possibly say such a thing unless they were mad.

If a coup had taken place and the court mage had rushed here, it was as good as saying the Imperial Palace had already been occupied. It was a situation no different from saying His Imperial Majesty was in danger, yet they were to suggest continuing the siege in such a circumstance? Who could utter words that might be construed as treason?

Thus, the generals and strategists from the Empire could only glance nervously at each other, unable to act between the Imperial Knights Commander and the heroes.

“The siege cannot be abandoned.” Those were Olivier’s first words, representing the heroes.

“Then…are you suggesting we prioritize the Numenrola siege and postpone suppressing the coup?” As a general cautiously asked, the Knights Commander, Duke Velium, who stood at the head of the table, slammed his fist down.

Slam! “Is that even a sensible thing to say?! Instead of swiftly returning the army when we don’t even know what has happened to His Imperial Majesty, how dare a subject of the Empire suggest continuing the siege in this situation?!”

At his words, the general who had spoken clamped his mouth shut and avoided the Knights Commander’s gaze.

“So, we should return the army right now? With the siege just around the corner?” “Of course.”

At the Knights Commander’s words, which he uttered as if it were the most obvious thing, Olivier instead looked bewildered and asked him.

“This isn’t just a simple siege. We are preparing for the final war to eliminate the calamity that sought to drive this continent to ruin.” “I know.” “Then why on earth—” “Hasn’t that calamity already lost its past might?”

The Knights Commander calmly began to spout nonsense.

“Therefore, it’s fine to postpone the siege. Even if it can’t be postponed, it’s a matter that can be entrusted to the other nations in the alliance.”

Every single word was absurd. Firstly, if the Empire, which formed the largest pillar of the alliance, withdrew, it would be impossible to win this war against the Army of the Dead. Furthermore, considering how quickly that ‘calamity’ which had ‘lost its past might’ had grown its power, losing vigilance just because it had temporarily lost its past might was unthinkable.

“It took the Army of the Dead less than a year to swallow the Elf Empire, starting with Numenrola. If the Imperial Army were to return to suppress the coup, the alliance would be unable to wage war for at least several years, and abandoning that calamity when we don’t know how much strength the Army of the Dead might recover during that time is no different from dooming the continent to destruction.” Olivier slowly and logically explained why the siege could not be delayed, but—

“A continent without His Imperial Majesty and the Empire is meaningless in its very existence.” “Duke Velium.” The air grew cold.

A furious aura surged from Olivier’s body. At Olivier’s rage, the atmosphere in the meeting room instantly turned frigid. No one had ever seen or heard of Olivier, known among the heroes for his exceptionally calm and rational demeanor, being this enraged.

However, Duke Velium paid no heed. No, rather, as if intending to engage in a war of nerves with a hero, he too began to emit an aura from his body.

The meeting room, where only quiet stillness had prevailed, instantly transformed into a chilling atmosphere as two powerhouses engaged in a war of nerves.

Thud— Ultimately, a faint-hearted young strategist couldn’t withstand the oppressive might of the hero and the Knights Commander and collapsed.

Only then did Olivier regain his composure and withdraw his aura, and following his lead, the Knights Commander also withdrew his aura.

However, as palpable tension still lingered between the two, a prophet stepped forward to mediate.

“Let’s stop. I understand both your opinions, but pushing only your own arguments will resolve nothing.” At the prophet’s words, the Knights Commander’s gaze shifted to him.

“Then perhaps the Prophet of Waves could lend us his wisdom. As in, which is more important right now: the coup or the siege?” “I understand Sir Velium’s loyalty, but postponing the siege is impossible. As Sir Olivier just explained, if the calamity were to rise again against this continent, which lacks the capacity to wage war, then this time, we would truly face defeat.”

“Then the Empire…” “However, the Empire’s problem cannot be ignored either.” Blue eyes beyond a veil turned towards Olivier.

“Due to prolonged chaos, the power of the shadow factions has grown uncontrollably. Now, the Empire is the only entity on this continent capable of stopping them, as a mere kingdom cannot handle them.”

Orlando, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke.

“So, for the present, the calamity must be exterminated, and for the distant future’s safety, the Empire’s survival is essential?” At his words, spoken from his seat opposite the Knights Commander with his arms crossed, the Prophet of Waves nodded.

“Exactly.” “But our forces are limited, and we can’t abandon either problem. What should we do? Should the Empire return its army as Sir Velium suggests, entrusting the extermination to the allied forces?”

“No.” He shook his head. “We must split the Imperial Army in two.”

***

After a long meeting, the general direction for solving the Numenrola siege and the coup problem was roughly decided.

As soon as the meeting concluded, Duke Velium and the Imperial Army generals swiftly departed to coordinate with representatives from other nations, while the heroes left the meeting room, each having their own tasks.

Now, only Orlando and Olivier remained in the tent.

“……” The two gazed silently at the revised map.

As Olivier approached Orlando, who had both hands resting on the table, Orlando looked at his most trusted advisor and asked for his opinion.

“What do you think?” “This is madness.”

“This is a strategy that the Prophet of Waves came up with after seeing the future. Furthermore, it incorporates the wisdom of other prophets who joined the expeditionary force.” “If not a prophet, but one of our military strategists had presented something like this as a strategy, I would have dismissed that strategist.”

“You’re uncharacteristically agitated.” At those words, Olivier flinched for a moment but still spoke to Orlando as if his anger hadn’t subsided.

“Look at the operation they’ve presented as a strategy.” Selecting a small elite force led by heroes to enter the World Tree Palace, then defeating the two strongest legion commanders and the greedy prince. Viewed in isolation, there wasn’t a significant difference from the previous strategy.

However, the process to achieve it was the problem.

“Since a prolonged war of attrition is disadvantageous, the goal is to infiltrate the World Tree Palace and open a path for the heroes.” To do that, the sacrifice of allied soldiers beyond what was necessary had to be forced. It was a strategy the prophets devised after reading the future, to prevent the few heroes from dying.

“Do you know why I became a hero?” “No?” “The Empire’s commanders were so incompetent that I decided to become a hero out of a desire to shed even a little less blood in this hellish war.”

Before the heroes emerged. In a situation where only defeat ensued, the Empire’s commanders, in a desperate attempt to gain any merit, treated countless soldiers like flies, trying to seize even tiny, useless pieces of land.

“We could have fought more efficiently. We could have forced them to expend more. And so many people wouldn’t have had to shed blood for nothing.”

Disgusted by the Empire’s utter incompetence, I decided it would be better to act myself, and thus resolved to become a hero.

Orlando also knew. When Shahlnu Stellarum was first established, he knew why Olivier, with his cold expression and rational demeanor, had desired to become a hero more than anyone else. And why he had so readily accepted the offer to become a hero.

“Those people were always like this.” Olivier genuinely disliked the prophets.

“It is the role of heroes to protect the continent and overcome calamities, risking their lives. However, with merely a single prophecy stating that all heroes must survive to kill the calamity, the prophets forced soldiers to make unnecessary sacrifices, trampling on our pride.”

“……” “During the Battle of Hydaspes, their actions reached their peak.”

The final battle of the First Great Expansion. As it was difficult to properly ascertain what threats lurked inside the fortress, the prophets, under the pretext that heroes might die, threw penal legionnaires and thousands of soldiers into the den of evil. As a result, with the appearance of the Blind King of Fire, thousands of lives were incinerated without even a single attempt at resistance.

“…I remember.” Since Orlando had intended to participate in that battlefield alongside Olivier at the time, even after ten years, he vividly remembered the tragedy that occurred in that battle.

“Commander.” Olivier looked at Orlando.

“No matter how precious our lives may be compared to others, if they are lives that must be saved by sacrificing countless others… I don’t know.” “I know too.”

He met Olivier’s gaze. “How heartless the prophets’ methods are. How many people they sacrificed with their foresight to prevent the heroes’ deaths. I know it very well, and I don’t like their methods either.”

“Then why did you agree to their plan?” “Because there’s no other way.”

He disliked the prophets’ methods. Although their ability to use foresight in the name of the greater good was remarkable. The prophets, with their mindset incomprehensible to ordinary people, were as heartless as Olivier described.

“But if the calamity is defeated, the shadow factions will remain.” The shadow factions, whose growth was unknown. Numerous factions sought to overthrow many nations and the Empire, and they would surely emerge into the open, seizing the opportunity of the Empire’s weakening.

“I, too, once held similar beliefs to yours and wielded my sword.” He had wielded his sword for a long time, holding the conviction that made a knight a knight.

“I have always acted according to my beliefs, and thus, like you, I disliked the prophets’ judgments and actions.”

“Then…” “However, this time, we have no choice but to side with the prophets.”

He did agree with Olivier’s thoughts. No, if he had his way, he would have protested to the prophets with Olivier right then. But this time, they were right. Considering the shadow factions that would grow stronger after the calamity was eliminated, not a single hero could die, especially in a situation where their forces were already insufficient.

During the war with the Army of the Dead, Orlando had always resisted the prophets’ actions of forcing unnecessary sacrifices. But this time, he decided to prioritize the greater good and justice as a hero, rather than his beliefs.