episode_0055

Lord Sillex Eisen of Eisen Barony.

He was currently gathering his advisors to discuss future plans.

Of course, the most pressing issue at hand was supply.

“Is there still no word from the nearby territories?”

“Yes, it seems like they are holding back on offering any support as if they made a pact not to.”

“They just keep asking us to wait, buying time.”

Lord Eisen let out a deep sigh.

“If we fall, they will fall as well. Why are they behaving like this?”

“It’s not just them, the entire empire will crumble.”

“Perhaps they believe that with the imminent arrival of the Grand Marshal and the Crown Prince’s forces, there is no need to deplete resources?”

Lord Eisen furrowed his brow, deep in thought, as if trying to suppress a headache.

“This time is different from previous years. If we clash head-on with them, we will surely face dire consequences.”

He was confident in his defenses.

Eisen Barony itself was a natural fortress. Once the gates were shut, it was an impregnable stronghold.

But would he approve of the Grand Marshal, known for his military prowess, and the inexperienced Crown Prince laying siege?

Perhaps even as they approached, they were already planning to open the gates and crush the enemies without hesitation.

“Also… it’s been reported that among the three thousand troops ahead, there is a prince in disguise.”

Lord Eisen raised an eyebrow, looking incredulous.

“A prince? What is that scum doing here?”

“I’m not sure, but he supposedly stopped the war with the elves-”

“That incompetent fool stopped a war with the elves? That’s nonsense.”

“He also won in a duel against the Crown Prince-”

“Is that even possible? Probably just fabricated tales to leave something for the dearly beloved Emperor before his demise.”

“Regardless, the Grand Marshal and the Crown Prince pose the biggest problem.”

“Yes, they are known for acting unilaterally, aren’t they?”

“If we march out with our soldiers, we will all meet our end. But we can’t just sit idly by…”

Unknowingly, Lord Eisen recalled the image of the great conqueror who was once hailed as the Emperor.

“Following the Grand Marshal or the Crown Prince is one thing. But the Ferumian army approaching us now is unstoppable, even if the Emperor in his prime were here. It’s a force unseen even during my father’s reign. They have truly mustered their strength for this.”

“But how do we proceed now? If we are resolute, mere fortifications may not be enough.”

“I will handle it.”

The sudden voice of a young man drew everyone’s attention to the open window.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the useless scum from the royal family.”

As Eos appeared out of nowhere, shock rippled through the eyes of Lord Eisen and his advisors.

“Silver hair, green eyes… Oh!”

“The… the prince, n-no, Your Highness!”

“No, how could this…?”

Some coughed nervously, others gasped in disbelief.

Yet Eos remained calm and composed.

“However, if I take care of this matter, Lord Eisen, you must grant me a favor in return.”

***

After a moment of silence, Lord Eisen eventually agreed.

Though he didn’t seem entirely convinced of my loyalty. He seemed to think only of cutting his losses.

In essence, Lord Eisen was an intriguing individual.

He didn’t pledge strong allegiance to the Emperor, nor did he align himself with the Shurain Duke.

He simply safeguarded the territory passed down through generations, the primary reason for his existence.

Therefore, he appeared to be a person worth befriending at this juncture.

Bestowing a favor now might prove beneficial in the future.

Elaine, Astia, and I rode Aquila towards the Grand Palace for a reason.

The crisis facing Viscount Eisen was not just about war.

We had to fend off the undead army that would soon be led by Lich on the day of the festival.

After much deliberation, I could come up with a brilliant idea.

“以夷制夷” (Using barbarians to control barbarians).

What if we could drive out Perum’s army with the undead army?

Then it was evident that they would weaken each other in no time, like moths to a flame.

And I knew how to control Lich.

That was the amulet containing Lich’s soul.

With just that, I would be able to command Lich and his army at will.

Of course, the only hitch was that the Marshal and the Crown Prince would arrive in Eisen before I could handle everything.

But since I had already sent Helios, there was nothing to worry about.

Duke Fellios and Ardor would tie their hands.

Of course, the Imperial soldiers had done nothing wrong, and I had no intention of killing them as they would be useful in the future.

I literally meant to just tie them down.

Before I knew it, we had reached our destination.

“Well then, I’ll be back.”

I leaped off alone in front of the entrance to the Grand Palace.

In truth, I had sweated quite a bit trying to convince Elaine and Astia to follow me somehow.

Instead of fighting monsters, I had dramatically compromised by saying that our goal was simply to steal the amulet, which persuaded them to ride Aquila together.

Of course, Aquila, which had to carry the heavily armed Astia, was quite reluctant and ended up hitting Astia on the buttocks with the hilt once again.

Swish—

A chilly wind filled with a musty smell blew out from the entrance of the Grand Palace, resembling a cave.

It gave me goosebumps, but once I composed myself and turned transparent to enter, most of the monsters nearby hardly noticed my presence.

Occasionally, some monsters sniffed around or growled, but they soon gave up and went elsewhere.

Reaching where Lich was located was relatively easy.

By summoning spirits, I quickly pinpointed his location and encountered no obstacles along the way.

Lich was in an underground sanctuary filled with skeletons and zombies, rubbing his amulet with care.

When the occasional red light flashed from his eye sockets towards me, it sent shivers down my spine involuntarily.

However, even compressed to his very essence, Lich couldn’t detect my presence.

The opportunity had arrived.

As Lich, in a satisfied manner, examined the details of the amulet, he opened a golden treasure chest.

Inside, there seemed to be a soft cushion.

Lich very cautiously placed the amulet there.

Not missing the chance, I used a gust of wind to lift the amulet towards me.

Startled, Lich flew towards the amulet, but I was faster, grabbing it and springing away.

With the amulet in hand, Lich tried to grab it back in a panic, but I was quicker, darting away.

An array of undead creatures trying to grab the amulet, I effortlessly dodged them and exited the Grand Palace.

Upon seeing the sunlight, I immediately released my invisibility and boarded Aquila, which was flying low.

From the Grand Palace, an immense number of undead creatures were rushing out like a burst dam.

In the midst of them, Lich, who had finally discerned the thief’s identity, shouted in a chilling voice.

“You audacious scoundrel! How dare you steal my amulet! I will capture you alive and have ants devour you while still breathing! Then I will turn you into a zombie and let you rot for thousands of years!”

However, when Aquila, startled by Lich’s presence, flapped its wings vigorously, chaos ensued.

Eizen, the Earl, hurriedly ascended the northern fortress walls after receiving a report from a soldier.

“Kyaak!”

“Kreua!”

Below the walls, a spectacle unfolded before them, unlike anything they had seen before.

“W-what are those things?”

Like a flooded river, all kinds of corpses and bones were being pushed below the walls.

“They seem to be undead coming from the Grand Necropolis. But it’s strange. Why are they just passing by the walls like that?”

The Earl found it puzzling as well.

Monsters had often emerged from the Grand Necropolis before.

However, they were usually restless, seeking to eat or kill humans, scratching at the gates or walls in a frenzy.

But today was truly unusual.

As if chasing something important, they were simply passing by the walls.

And there was no doubt that the undead army was heading towards the Kingdom of Pharem.

***

Terdoan Shulrain.

He stood at the head of the slowly advancing procession, gazing at the prince’s carriage amidst the troops.

Night had fallen, but the lanterns on the prince’s carriage made it more conspicuous than the mounted soldiers in the dimming light.

They were already quite far from the capital.

They traversed a desolate field bathed only in the quiet moonlight.

It was a perfect spot for camping, where any ensuing events would go unnoticed.

“We’ll camp here for the night.”

Terdoan ordered the troops to halt.

As his officers began issuing commands, activity buzzed throughout the camp.

Supply units arrived, fires were lit, and tents were pitched.

Some laid blankets on the ground, while others gathered horses to unsaddle and feed them.

As the night grew deeper,

Terdoan changed into assassin-like attire inside his tent.

Tonight, he planned to eliminate the prince.

In the stealthy hours when even the owls nodded off, he slipped out of the tent.

Flash!

What he saw upon emerging was a massive bolt of lightning cleaving the dark night sky.

Crash!

The lightning struck where the horses had been, turning them into charred carcasses without so much as a neigh.