387 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 387 - The Holy Kingdom expresses its gratitude to the Emperor of the Empire for making a decisive move to end the war born from misunderstanding. We hope for no further meaningless sacrifices and pray for peace across the continent on behalf of all in the Holy Nation. – Expressing regret for the conflict and resulting casualties caused by misunderstandings between the two nations, the Holy Kingdom declares the Black Serpent, the Cassel Tower, a public enemy of the continent and issues an extermination order. The successive announcements from the Holy Kingdom and the Empire once again shook the world. Predictions had been made that the Empire would not continue its conquest of the Holy Kingdom, but few expected such a swift public declaration, one which almost seemed to commend each other. Moreover, the Empire's immediate actions following the announcements threw neighboring countries into further confusion. – There is intelligence suggesting that the wizards of the Cassel Tower have infiltrated the surrounding countries of the Empire. We seek cooperation from each kingdom to apprehend them. Late autumn, as the harvest season came to a close. The Empire’s legions, moving unilaterally towards the borders, were stirring the continent into commotion. * * * "I refuse." Logan interrupted, leaving no room for negotiation. The imperial envoy standing before him frowned slightly at his resolute demeanor. "Will you not regret this?" Such provocative words were unbefitting of an envoy addressing a king from another realm. Logan chuckled, staring at the envoy. "Regret? That would be for the fool who allows foreign troops into his kingdom." "If you refuse, His Majesty the Emperor will consider McLain to be in collusion with the Black Serpent." The envoy’s outright provocation was akin to begging for a confrontation. It was as though the stiff-necked envoy was inviting execution. 'Lord Mitra, was it?' His eyes bore the resolve of one prepared for death. It was intriguing, how a noble of a stature worthy of being an envoy could so readily sacrifice himself. Of course. 'If I were to execute him, an invasion would follow immediately.' – There are three nations bordering the Empire on the west, but only our kingdom lies to the east. If the Empire wages a conquest, it will likely start with our kingdom before moving west. Militarily, our kingdom is viewed as equal to one of those three western kingdoms. Damian's remarks were rational. While the present circumstances and rationale differ, in a previous life, the Empire had indeed started with Grandia. Merely sending the envoy back wouldn’t avert invasion, but it would buy time. 'At least the timing of the war should be our choice.' The group returning from the Holy Kingdom, including Ailin, hadn’t fully recovered yet. Tasked with targeting the superhumans of the Empire while prioritizing their safety, they had recklessly achieved brilliant results. Even his younger brother had sustained life-threatening injuries, leaving Logan at a loss for words. 'It's a relief they survived.' Concerned the Cassel Tower might pull a trick after being provoked at the monster forest and that the sword ghost present there might recognize him, Logan had refrained from accompanying them—a decision nearly lamented for eternity. For those reasons, more time was required for their full recovery. "McLain does not cooperate with the Black Serpent. While we are willing to assist in the search and apprehension of the Black Serpent, allowing the imperial army to enter is out of the question. That is all I have to say." "If you refuse, won't Your Highness fear the Emperor's wrath?" The shouting envoy drew cold stares from the gathered ministers in the great hall. The display was audacious to the point of inviting death, yet Logan merely smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Escort the envoy and ensure he is safely returned to the border. Let there be no 'incidents'." Upon hearing this, Samuel Mitra's face froze momentarily. 'If I don't kill him, he'll likely try to end his own life.' It was indeed an occurrence in past dealings with Grandia. Logan intended to leave not even the slightest hint of an excuse. "Your Highness, this breaches international norms..." Samuel's once arrogant demeanor subsided as he nervously glanced around. But the surroundings remained silent, and Logan firmly shook his head. "We cannot hold a welcome party for an envoy who demands foreign troops be stationed here. See yourself out, Viscount." It was no secret among the learned with a mind that the Empire's intentions were clear. However, according to the information brought by the Eyes of Flame concerning the West, dissent was already brewing in the western nations. Factions were forming, pro-Empire and anti-Empire, with some regions on the brink of civil war. Certainly, the nobles inciting unrest were not foolish; they prioritized personal gain over national interest, mere opportunists. 'The Emperor has played his hand well.' Yet in McLain, such a scenario was impossible. "Is there anyone here wishing to curry favor with the imperial envoy?" As Logan's gaze swept the great hall, the assembly of nobles collectively bowed their heads. "There is none!" "We abide by Your Majesty's will." "Your will is the kingdom's will, Your Majesty." Smiling broadly, Logan looked at Samuel. "There you have it." Now with a face turned ghostly pale, the envoy remained speechless. * * * "The preparations?" Immediately upon exiting the great hall, close followers gathered around. Damian, on Logan's right, promptly responded to his question. "The 2nd and 3rd Corps are already establishing defensive positions at strategic points centered around the fortress. The 1st Corps is poised for deployment, and the 4th and 5th are ready to provide support or engage directly." "The militia?" To this, Dwayne, on Logan’s left, responded without delay. "The harvest season isn't over. We're refraining from mobilizing to avoid unsettling the populace, but we've increased the stock of repeating crossbows. The Liberatio is also ramping up production in the magical workshops." "Good, that's promising. What of the Empire's movements?" "According to Phillip's report, war supplies are being amassed for the Eastern Corps. However, it's significantly more than Your Majesty anticipated." "...More?" "Yes. The supplies being moved are enough to support not just five but perhaps all eight legions, or even more," came the response, causing Logan's brow to furrow deeply. 'I didn't expect everything to mirror my past life, but for there to be this much difference from the start?' Of course, upon reflection, it was only natural. Grandia, defeated so easily with just five eastern legions in my past life, was not the same as McLain now. "Damian, what is the estimated time of invasion?" "Even considering a few token gestures to build a pretext, at most a month. The eastern legions are moving towards Lusphelheim. Officially, they're claiming it's for joint training." "...A month." Hearing the specific timeframe made Logan clench his fists involuntarily. The calamity he had been preparing for since his return was now within sight. Twenty years of struggle in a previous life, fighting from the bottom with days of anguish flashed through his mind. And those memories inevitably led to terrible mountains of corpses. It felt as though the wishes of the people of his homeland, who had turned back time for him, weighed on him. 'This time, I must prevent such horrors.' Logan exhaled a brief sigh, releasing the surge of emotions, and inquired about the last matter he needed to check. "...Ronion?" "The Count started training as of today." "Really? I should visit him." "But, Your Majesty," Dwayne interrupted hesitantly. "Hm?" "Truly... is there a chance of winning?" The question, voiced after a moment of hesitation, revealed undeniable concern on Dwayne's face. Yet Logan answered without the slightest doubt. "Of course." With that assurance, the worried expression cleared slightly, eliciting a soft chuckle from Logan as he patted the shoulder of his loyal retainer. On his way to meet Ronion, Logan encountered an unwelcome visitor. "…Princess Luisa." "It’s been a while, Your Majesty." Her formal greeting came as if oblivious to the slight frown on his brow. "What brings you here…?" "I'm merely on my way to meet my fiancé, after all." "Oh…" "One can't help but be curious about a fiancé who, under the guise of seclusion for training, didn't see me for months. I also worry he might have gotten 'gravely injured' during his so-called retreat." "..." Just how much did this woman know? 'I didn’t expect to deceive her completely, but...' A sigh almost escaped him, but he didn't want to waste precious time with needless theatrics when urgency was at hand. "The Emperor has blatantly revealed his intent for conquest. Moreover, he’s using Cassel Tower as his reason. Isn't the princess's current situation a bit precarious to be spending time here?" A royal of the Empire, and also a magician of the Cassel Tower. The rare lady with both identities merely smiled softly in response. "Then what should I do, Your Majesty?" "...?" "Did you forget our agreement? My father and I vowed to assist McLain in case of war, with our engagement as a condition. Surely, you're not considering sending me back during such a sensitive time?" Her response resonated with the sentiment of ‘only you will lose out’. Logan's brow furrowed slightly in response to Luisa’s words that seemingly invited a gamble. 'Now that Cassel Tower has been declared a public enemy of the continent and is set to be purged.' It seemed wiser for someone of her standing to abandon that persona and return safely to the imperial family, yet the princess before him seemed to choose getting embroiled rather than walking away from the flames. Unable to immediately discern a sensible motive, Logan couldn't place his trust entirely in her words. "Even if you uphold your promise, there’s no immediate benefit, while there's a huge risk of losing your inherent status and position in ashes. You're asking me to trust that?" "Even if I provide information, you'll cross-verify anyway. It’s not like you'd be at a disadvantage, Your Majesty." Her steady blue gaze revealed no hint of deception. 'She really doesn’t plan to return.' Why? Orders from Cassel Tower? Or perhaps… "I heard it said the princess harbors animosity towards the Empire." Upon hearing his remark, a flicker of fire briefly burned in Luisa’s blue eyes. Additionally, she emitted a faint pulse of grey magic from her being—a response impossible to fabricate unless unaware of Logan's ability to perceive magic. "...So it’s true." "...You're quite the troubling person, aren’t you?" Gone was the leisurely smile, replaced by Luisa’s serious demeanor. Yet Logan's mind raced. Why, why would an imperial princess feel that way? Could it be related to Prince Dongik, too? Countless thoughts tangled, but there was no time to delve into those reasons now. The impending war consumed the available time instead. Of course, there was one more matter to address regardless. "Fine. Let's work together for now. However, what’s the stance of Cassel Tower, given the Empire's pronounced enmity towards them? With their security threatened on the continent, how do they intend to proceed?" "I don’t think I need to share that, do I?" There’s a scheme afoot. Cassel Tower. The clique responsible for inciting Baros, leading to the calamity. An adversary that needed to be dealt with, eventually... 'They are also enemies of the Empire. We'll deal with them after overcoming the Empire.' Logan set those speculations aside, shifting his attention. "Well, it's of no matter for now. But princess, if you possess any ulterior motives, I suggest you suspend them temporarily." "Heh. Tell me, what reason could there be—" "The moment this raises harm to the kingdom, I’ll do everything in my power to uproot you and Cassel Tower." "...No need for concern, Your Majesty." Even as Logan turned away, the chilling tension he emanated was palpable. Pausing for a moment, Luisa finally subsided her grin, quietly following after him. "Your Majesty." "We greet Your Majesty." Every servant and official they passed bowed their heads. They cast curious glances at Luisa following Logan. At a time when the Empire was sowing seeds of discord on the continent, a free-roaming Imperial Princess, present in Grandia, was certainly foreign. As a result... "The princess is engaged to Count Ronion, you know." "They say she's neither breaking off the engagement nor returning home." "So then..." Such rumors, tinged with hopeful speculation that perhaps war could be averted, began to swirl among the attendants in McLain’s royal castle. However, regardless of these whispers, the movements of both nations were swiftly hurtling towards war.