Chapter 418 – Dialogue, Empathy, Persuasion. (1)
“A rift has appeared in Belleve!”
“A rift has appeared in Siaho as well!”
“The city defense forces have failed to hold them back and are retreating!”
“The area near the Barony of Bourbonte has been devastated…”
Messengers from all regions were arriving at the capital in a flurry. At last, rifts had begun opening in multiple locations.
There was no guarantee that these were all. If they tried to focus on a single outbreak, another would inevitably erupt elsewhere soon after.
The high-ranking nobles of the royal court and the Royal Faction were deeply troubled.
“We must send the royal army and the gathered estate forces immediately!”
“We should even consider withdrawing troops from the southern front holding back the ducal family for now.”
“The creatures emerging from the rifts are said to be of superhuman strength, and the monsters called Riftspawn are pouring out in countless numbers!”
Meetings continued endlessly in search of a solution. Fortunately, both the royal army and estate forces had been prepared for war in advance, allowing some regions to successfully fend off the Riftspawn attacks for now.
The kingdom’s Chancellor, Marquis Steer Norton, trembled as he stroked his white beard and asked,
“Are you saying that we must eliminate the creature called Equidema to stop the Riftspawn?”
His son-in-law, the Marquis of Branford, nodded slightly.
“Yes. Count Fenris has already slain one.”
“T-Then, was the rift in that area closed?”
The Marquis of Branford shook his head with a grave expression.
“No, it merely prevented more Riftspawn from emerging. The rift itself remains open. Currently, Baron Finros has mobilized his entire army to encircle the area.”
“Then how exactly do we close a rift?”
“According to Count Fenris… it seems something else still lingers inside. It appears the rift will only close once that is dealt with as well.”
“Hah…”
The Chancellor clutched his head. He had no idea how to handle this.
Truthfully, he was Chancellor in name only; the one managing all state affairs was the Marquis of Branford. His role was merely to lend the Marquis authority by handling formalities under the Chancellor’s name.
“So, what do you propose we do now?”
Having already formulated a plan, the Marquis of Branford spoke calmly.
“Right now, closing the rifts must be our top priority. We should station only minimal defensive forces on the southern and eastern fronts while focusing the main strength on eliminating the rifts.”
“Wouldn’t the ducal family be overwhelmed as well? Surely rifts have opened in the south too?”
“Rifts have indeed appeared there… but since they were the ones who caused them in the first place, they likely won’t be concerned.”
“What on earth is Duke Delfine thinking? To ally with such a cult!”
The Chancellor’s aged body began trembling with frustration.
He was so old that attending long meetings was becoming increasingly difficult. He had long wished to retire but was unable to do so due to the looming threat posed by the Duke of Delfine.
It was only because the Marquis of Branford refused to assume the Chancellorship himself that he remained in this position to support him.
Once more, the Chancellor turned to Branford and asked,
“Hadn’t we already eliminated a significant number of rifts? How can this still be happening?”
“…If we hadn’t acted preemptively, at least three times as many rifts would be open by now.”
“Hah…”
Even now, there were over dozens of rifts within the kingdom alone. And that was after Ghislain had managed to eliminate more than half of them.
The situation in other nations was even worse. Those who had foolishly attempted to study the rifts instead of closing them had seen their lands completely ravaged.
The Chancellor, still filled with worry, asked again,
“Have the monsters spread even further?”
“No, from what I hear, it will take a little more time.”
The Riftspawn were only able to operate in this world thanks to the power of Equidema. However, their range was still limited.
As the surrounding area continued to be consumed, their range of activity would expand, but for now, they remained confined near the rifts themselves.
“What if the ducal family makes a move?”
“…There’s no other choice. We can’t leave the rifts unchecked.”
If the ducal family took action, everyone would have to mobilize to stop them. However, leaving the rifts alone would only allow them to spread further, sapping the kingdom’s strength for the war.
The rifts were expanding their territory. Closing them was a matter of utmost urgency.
The Chancellor sighed deeply.
“This is madness. The Duke has gone mad. How could someone so brilliant in his youth become like this? What’s the point of seizing the kingdom if it’s overrun by monsters?”
No one wanted a kingdom overrun by monsters. For the Royal Faction, the Duke of Delfine’s intentions were completely incomprehensible.
After a moment of silence, the Marquis of Branford spoke.
“…The northern army will aid us.”
“The north? You mean Count Fenris?”
“Yes.”
The Chancellor nodded. Now, Fenris was practically the kingdom’s last hope.
Having defeated Marquis Roderick, the strongest in the west, they were now aiming for the title of the kingdom’s mightiest. With their war capabilities, they would undoubtedly be a great help.
Moreover, the north had not experienced any rifts. It seemed a bit suspicious, but regardless, it had allowed them to focus and preserve their forces.
“What about the west?”
“There have been a few rifts there as well. Stabilizing the area will be necessary, so they probably won’t be of much help.”
The west, which had fallen under Count Fenris’s control, was in no condition to provide aid.
Though they had been managing to stabilize the situation quickly with Fenris’s support, the rifts that had appeared nearby were another problem altogether.
Ultimately, the only force maintaining its full strength was Fenris.
No there was one more.
Marquis Branford spoke slowly.
“Count Raypold… has informed us of their intent to join our side.”
“Raypold? You mean Amelia Raypold?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Wasn’t she suspected of having close ties with the late Count Desmond?”
“The ducal faction nobles have already been cut off. They wouldn’t want to make enemies of the Four Major Temples.”
“Hmm…”
The Chancellor nodded. Raypold’s assistance carried a slightly different significance.
“So, what are her terms?”
Amelia had been heavily criticized by numerous nobles, accused of usurping her father’s position without a just cause.
Despite facing countless protests and threats, she hadn’t flinched, merely scoffing in defiance. For someone like her to step forward willingly meant she had something to gain.
“She requests royal recognition and an eastern territory.”
“What?”
The Chancellor’s white eyebrows twitched.
The reason she demanded royal recognition was obvious to stop the endless disputes over her succession.
However, asking for a territory was another matter.
“Does she not already hold the most prosperous land in the north? Why would she want an eastern territory so far away?”
“I’m unsure of her intentions. She mentioned she wouldn’t need us to take land from other lords.”
“Then?”
“She said if there’s land occupied by a rift or the ducal faction, she’ll take care of it herself and claim it.”
“Hmm… What on earth is that woman thinking? Is she even capable of such a feat?”
Despite the persistent rumors and insults surrounding her, there were still those who spoke highly of Amelia.
One of them was Marquis Branford.
“If she were ordinary, she wouldn’t have seized control of Raypold.”
“Hmm… If you say so, then so be it. Do as you see fit.”
“Understood.”
Though this seemed like a meeting, the fact that Marquis Branford had brought it up to the Chancellor meant he had already made up his mind.
Had he intended to refuse, he wouldn’t have mentioned it at all and handled the matter himself.
The eastern region still held considerable military power. What gave Amelia such confidence to make such a claim was unclear, but securing her assistance without offering anything immediately was a significant gain for the royalist faction.
Unless the ducal faction seized it first or the rifts consumed it or if the royalists reclaimed it themselves Amelia would gain nothing in the end.
The Chancellor, struggling to rise from his seat, finally spoke.
“Now that I understand the situation, focus on closing the rifts quickly. This is an emergency, so you have my full authority to oversee everything on my behalf without seeking royal approval.”
“Understood.”
Marquis Branford nodded as if it were a matter of course. He had already been acting with such authority; this only removed a layer of formalities.
The aged Chancellor, supported by knights, began to leave but then paused, turning back to look at Branford.
“And being apart from your wife for so long does no good. You’re not getting any younger consider living a bit more gently.”
“…I will take it under consideration.”
The other nobles struggled to suppress their laughter.
Marquis Branford’s wife had left for her family home, unable to endure his temperament. The Chancellor had just scolded his son-in-law.
There was likely no one else in the kingdom who could speak to the iron-blooded Marquis that way.
Bang!
After the Chancellor left, Marquis Branford struck the desk a sign for everyone to refocus.
“From now on, our priority is eliminating the rifts. We cannot fight with enemies behind us.”
Maurice crossed his arms and asked,
“Do you really think the ducal faction will hold back with minimal forces?”
“For now, they must. Who knows when they’ll make their move?”
They seemed likely to move soon. But what if they didn’t act immediately?
While the army remained stationed at the frontlines, the rift’s influence would continue to spread, throwing the territories into chaos.
The royalist faction was trapped in a dilemma. The Salvation Church’s strategy to use the rifts as a way to avoid direct confrontation and buy time had worked perfectly.
For the royalists, the only option was to stabilize their internal affairs and react once the ducal faction made their move.
“Gather the forces struck by the rift as quickly as possible and relocate all territorial forces near the rift. Completely surround it. No one is to be left out.”
“But that monster is said to possess superhuman strength. If it’s left to the territory’s forces, the casualties will be enormous. And we can’t just leave the capital unguarded either.”
The capital had to be protected by the best forces. There was no telling when the ducal faction might attempt an assassination, and this city was the heart and final stronghold of the royalist faction.
Marquis Branford nodded and replied,
“We’ll have to leave it to Count Fenris.”
“There’s no other choice, is there?”
“We will handle surrounding the rift and containing the Riftspawn. But dealing with the Master-level monster is best left to Count Fenris and his knights.”
“But he’s not the type to do it for free, is he?”
“Nothing we can do. We’ll have to give him whatever he asks for.”
Marquis Branford surveyed the nobles around him and continued.
“This is wartime. We will grant Count Fenris the authority of Northern Army Commander. Additionally, all authority related to rift management will be transferred to him. Provide him with full support, and grant whatever compensation he demands, within reason. Understood?”
The royalist nobles unanimously agreed with the Marquis’s words.
Minimizing casualties and halting the expansion of the rift could only be achieved by mobilizing the master, Count Fenris, himself.
* * *
After assessing the situation in the west, Ghislain returned to his domain. During his absence, Fenris had already completed all war preparations.
They were people who had fought countless wars. Preparing for battle was as natural to them as breathing.
Clank, clank.
As Ghislain moved quickly through his territory, knights clad in armor followed closely behind him.
Gordon approached him carefully and asked,
“My lord… are you really planning to use him?”
“Yes. That’s why I went through the trouble of keeping him alive. Have you ever seen me cut someone down so gently?”
“Well… no. It’s the first time I’ve seen you avoid completely destroying someone. Honestly, I was wondering why.”
The knights, along with Gordon, nodded at Ghislain’s words.
Until now, whenever their lord killed someone, he had never left them merely dead.
He would crush their skulls, sever their heads, or destroy their hearts leaving them in such a state that not even a necromancer could revive them.
His sword was so merciless in battle that there was no room for half-measures.
But this time, the opponent had been different. He had been cut with a rare gentleness, leaving him a chance to survive.
Gordon, still uneasy, asked again.
“Still… doesn’t it feel a bit risky? He was once our enemy. If someone with his skills turned on us, it’d be exhausting to deal with. We could even consider him a nemesis.”
Ghislain chuckled softly at those words.
“He didn’t strike me as that kind of person. Would you be able to live while obsessing over honor and pride like that?”
“No.”
Gordon answered firmly. Keeping track of such ideals would only make life exhausting.
If anything, loyalty was probably the only virtue worth holding onto.
Ghislain patted Gordon on the shoulder with a laugh.
“With that much talent, he’s committed his share of sins. He should atone before he dies.”
“And if he keeps trying to die on us? He might throw another tantrum.”
At that, Ghislain’s eyes turned cold.
“Dying isn’t an option unless I allow it.”
They arrived at a secluded underground prison on the outskirts of the estate.
It was a place where human scum, unworthy even of the Labor Assault Team, were locked up people who could be killed without consequence. Ghislain, however, preferred not to kill them outright. Instead, he saved them for dangerous tasks.
And at the deepest part of that underground prison, one man was imprisoned.
Creaaak.
As the heavy cell door opened, the prisoner inside slowly raised his head. Ghislain met his gaze and greeted him cheerfully.
“Hey. How’s your body holding up? Have you recovered yet?”
In the dimly lit cell, a one-armed man wrapped in bandages sat silently.