“It’s completely devastated.”
Ar gave a short assessment while looking at the collapsed Kingdom of Bers.
She walked through the capital of the Kingdom of Bers, which had collapsed, broken, and turned into ruins, surveying the surroundings.
She hadn’t come to this place, the most dangerous spot on the “ground” right “now,” because she was looking for something in particular.
The fact that people were being killed by the “god of nightmares” and their souls were becoming nourishment and disappearing was already something she had anticipated.
Even so, imagining it in her mind and seeing it become reality, stretching endlessly beyond the horizon, were entirely different things.
Looking at the catastrophe wrought by the newly born god, Ar smiled faintly.
“Hm, hm. Good. Very good.”
In a day, or perhaps less than a day, all of this would return to “normal” once more.
The “god of nightmares” would never have existed, and even the fact that such a thing had occurred would be erased.
Whether the devastated Kingdom of Bers would become ruins once again in the altered world, or remain intact without any disaster or accident, was not important to Ar.
What was important was the fact that one heavenly being had descended to the ground.
If there was one more thing, it would be that the god exiled to the ground had ascended back to the heavens through that passage?
One god was dragged down, and one god ascended in reverse.
She had thought once would be enough, but to provide data twice? How kind these gods were. Ar couldn’t hold back the laughter that came naturally.
‘Excellent.’
Soon, the “lie” goddess Nyx, who had ascended to the heavens, would remake the world with her power. She would begin the work of overlaying truth with lies.
Ar rejoiced that everything had gone according to her will, but she couldn’t help laughing at how the gods’ actions were so ridiculously easy, never deviating from her expectations.
This wouldn’t be the only time the ground was covered with Nyx’s “lies.”
In the past, she hadn’t known such things existed, nor that those powers toyed with the ground while mocking among themselves in the lofty heavens.
Not anymore.
The incident with the “god of nightmares” had revealed that gods, immortals, were not beings that could never be toppled. It proved that one could shoot down the incoming waves, the typhoon, the cruel sun.
“Oh!”
Just how far are you going to give me gifts? Paramir? Ar looked at a beastman—no, a young and robust “Bar”—lying on the roof of a building that had barely maintained its shape without collapsing.
Hm, hm…. She had heard the name before… What was it?
—Ah, right. I remember.
“Surabar.”
Yes, that was it……. That was the name.
Ar examined the body of Surabar, whose life activities had ceased. This poor Bar was dead.
He was definitely dead. But he hadn’t died long ago. Even his soul hadn’t returned to the ancestral god of the Bars and was lingering nearby.
Those who remained as spirits wandering the ground would soon corrupt and likely transform into vengeful ghosts or something wicked.
Normally, it would be right to send them to their god or take measures before they corrupted.
Normally.
“A Bar who ascended to swordmaster? With obsession strong enough not to return to his ancestral god? He’ll be very useful.”
Ar collected the spirit that couldn’t leave its body and Surabar’s corpse.
There was still plenty of space in the massive subspace that could hold the entire empire.
A single corpse was nothing… Ar rejoiced at the unexpected harvest and looked up at the sky.
“…It’s beginning.”
Even though it was broad daylight with the sun shining, the world darkened in an instant.
It wasn’t night. It was Nyx’s power; the heavenly gods had made their move.
Now, the world would proceed along a path that wouldn’t lead to destruction, according to the gods’ will.
‘You did well. My Paramir.’
Ar closed her eyes while watching the world being covered in darkness, night, shadows, and “lies.”
When she opened them again, she was in the imperial palace.
“Welcome back, Sir Morik.”
“…Good to see you.”
The captain of Mosul’s guard welcomed the old knight.
After the rebellion of Mosul’s “former” border lord, the old knight, who had been on the verge of retirement, had risked his life to seek the emperor.
There, after receiving support from the imperial palace guards, one swordmaster, and one high master, the rebellion in Mosul was swiftly suppressed.
Before even a full day had passed since the Mosul recapture operation began, Mosul had returned to the embrace of the “Human Empire.”
Few were injured, and the dead were only the former border lord of Mosul who led the rebellion and the key figures who incited him.
The old knight saw the body of Tolland Hamilton, the “former” border lord and “arch-traitor” who had dedicated his life to Mosul, hanging on the city gate where people came and went.
His son, Garland Hamilton, was also stripped of his noble title and exiled from Mosul (more precisely, from the Human Empire).
The Hamilton family’s treason was a massive betrayal to the territory’s people who had trusted and followed them until now, leaving a deep wound that would be hard to recover from.
In the midst of that, the fact that Garland, who hadn’t followed his father and had been imprisoned in the basement, was exiled from Mosul was, in a way, for Garland’s own good.
Garland Hamilton had opposed his father’s will from the early stages of the treason and had been locked in the underground prison. Though he was emaciated, that had saved his life.
“Garland young… No, where did the criminal Garland go?”
“He left. Before you arrived, Sir Morik. He departed the city before dawn.”
“I see…….”
Morik looked up at the body hanging high out of reach, along with the captain guarding the gate.
The “former” border lord of Mosul. And the lord he had served with his entire life……. But now, it was nothing more than a rotting corpse pecked at by starving crows, emitting a stench.
The old knight didn’t blame himself for choosing the wrong lord to serve.
The memories with his lord would not fade until the day he died, and the memories of fighting against the Demon King’s Army in his youth would be remembered honorably.
Perhaps not by others, but at least the white-haired old knight would remember them that way.
“I don’t regret serving him. But… this is hard to accept. I just want to rest.”
“…Please go in, Sir Morik.”
The captain gave a sharp salute and repeatedly instructed his subordinate soldier to escort Sir Morik home.
Not only had Sir Morik lost his lord, but he had essentially stabbed the changed lord in the back with a sword.
The captain, who couldn’t understand what true loyalty was, couldn’t even imagine how devastated the hunched old knight’s heart must be.
…But there was too much work for the captain to wallow in emotions. He lowered his visor to hide his moist eyes and surveyed those entering Mosul.
Beyond the eastern gate, which had been closed until now, an endless line of guests who hadn’t been welcomed for a while stretched out.
“Haaah!”
Maximilian opened his eyes as if having a seizure.
He couldn’t remember what the dream was, but it felt like he had an incredibly bad nightmare.
Not just his back, but his entire body was drenched in sweat, which was extremely unpleasant.
It felt like reliving the severe fever he had suffered as a child, so Maximilian wiped his body with a cloth soaked in water early in the morning.
To draw bathwater and calmly settle his mind, but the position of mercenary guild branch leader had too much work.
Damn it… Thinking of that Gray Tail Mercenaries made curses rise despite his deep faith in the god Elon.
If they took a monster extermination request, they should just quietly handle the monsters, so why did they half-destroy the surrounding villages!
With Mosul already in turmoil due to the border lord’s “treason,” Maximilian was short on bodies—even if he had ten—for dealing with the recent incident caused by the Gray Tail Mercenaries.
Was it just him? He had even depleted his slush fund cleaning up the mess they caused. His feelings toward Gray Tail only worsened over time, never improving.
‘Endure it, endure… No, why should I endure!’
“You bastards! Why destroy the villages when you were supposed to just kill the monsters!”
Seeing Tenok and Perdual enter the branch leader’s office, he couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Hey, we didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Can’t you cover it with mercenary insurance? How could we predict a forest troll would suddenly appear? It’s lucky it ended with that much damage, isn’t it?”
“Die! Die and apologize!”
Despite Maximilian’s bloodcurdling shout, Tenok and Perdual, the co-founders and leaders of Gray Tail, maintained an attitude like “Where’s that dog barking?”
And what made Maximilian even angrier was that what these guys said was “true.”
Even as he vented his anger, knowing he shouldn’t take it out on these mercenaries like this drove Maximilian madder.
If his mentor Moriah had seen this from the side, he might have laughed heartily—ho ho—saying that knowing it’s wrong but still getting angry is what makes one truly human.
“Damn it… My retirement fund!”
That’s too bad. But our guys got hurt pretty bad too. Just consider it a dedication to Mosul, and let’s all move on.
“…Yeah, I suppose so…….”
The mission Gray Tail took was clearly to deal with the “goblin group” appearing near Garam Forest, not to hunt a “forest troll” at the same time. The forest troll’s appearance was nothing more than an unfortunate accident.
In fact, it was a miracle that the village only ended up half-destroyed after facing a forest troll.
…That aside, he couldn’t endure the fact that all the funds he had saved to buy a small manor after retiring as branch leader were gone. Why! Do! Accidents! Happen! Everywhere! You! Go!
“HOHOHOHOHOH!!”
“I know, right? We don’t know why we’re so unlucky either.”
“Don’t get so angry, Maximilian. If things go well, the new border lord might provide support, right?
“I really hope so.”
It was a reluctant remark, but it carried a lot of selfish hope that it would really happen.
Creak…. That was when it happened. The door opened without a knock. Who is it? The branch leader and Gray Tail’s co-founders looked at the unfamiliar person entering through the open door.
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it seems I can grant what you desire.”
“…Who are you?”
Maximilian examined the unexpected visitor. From his breathing to the aura he exuded, the dignified man with his back straight and chest out made Maximilian’s feet tingle with the thought that he had met a “high-ranking person,” despite having committed no crime.
‘Hey, hey…! Maximilian, that guy, he’s that person!’
‘That person…?’
Suddenly, Tenok pulled his ear and hurriedly whispered. Perdual also looked at the unfamiliar man with a surprised expression.
That person? He does seem like a high-ranking person from the natural aura he exudes, but what exactly does he do?
“Pleased to meet you. I am Boromir, the supreme commander who suppressed this ‘rebellion.’ You’re Maximilian, right? I came to check if you have any connections to the traitors… You were saying something quite interesting. You used your personal funds for the reconstruction of the half-destroyed village? You care for Mosul. It’s rare to see a noble willingly pay funds he didn’t have to.”
“S-S-S-Supreme Commander, Your Excellency?!”
Maximilian was so shocked that his heart felt like it would leap out on its own.
Supreme commander.
The man was none other than the supreme commander of the forces dispatched directly by the “emperor” of the Human Empire to handle Mosul’s rebellion!
The suppression took only a day.
In reality, it didn’t even take half a day to kill the former border lord of Mosul and key figures, returning Mosul to the “embrace of the Human Empire”—what a terrifying person!
Boromir.
One of the three pillars guarding the empire. Perhaps called the strongest swordmaster among swordmasters on the continent. Such a person was right in front of him.
“P-P-P-P-Please spare me! Supreme Commander, Your Excellency! I am just a mere mercenary guild branch leader with no power or authority!”
Without thinking, Maximilian collapsed to the floor of the branch leader’s office and bowed. His hands prayed, rubbing together like a fly begging for mercy.
Maximilian had a surname as a “noble,” but the opponent was on a different level.
“No need to tremble like that, Baron Maximilian Redleaf. I already know you weren’t involved in the treason. More importantly, Gray Tail Mercenaries, was it? These friends are very well-trained.”
“…”
At Boromir’s words, Tenok and Perdual lowered their tails and raised their fur.
On Boromir’s waist was a sword that still smelled of “blood.”
It must have cut down those involved in the treason, but perhaps he had seen blood even before coming here. The two beastmen prepared for any possible situation.
“It’s well-sharpened. I like it…. Maximilian, was it? Are these friends absolutely necessary talents for Mosul?”
“Y-Yes…? Supreme Commander, Your Excellency, what do you mean by that…?”
“I want to take them with me. I swear there will be no discrimination against beastmen. What are your names?”
“Tenok.”
“…Perdual.”
Tenok and Perdual cautiously revealed their names.
The opponent was a swordmaster boasted by the Human Empire and the supreme commander granted authority to rule the territory until Mosul normalized.
Thus, even though he was a powerful figure that lowly beastman mercenaries couldn’t glare at, the two didn’t bow their heads.
The co-founders of Gray Tail held their breath, not withdrawing their suspicious gazes, wondering what the opponent would say or if he intended to do anything to them.
“Mike, come out.”
“Yes.”
“?!”
Whoosh…. Tenok and Perdual flinched at the appearance of yet another unfamiliar person behind them.
He was bald, with dark bronze skin. The peculiar thing was that his eyes were closed.
And Tenok and Perdual instinctively realized that no matter what they did, they couldn’t escape this “one person” here.
They had thought that if one acted as bait, perhaps the other could survive and escape Mosul… It was arrogance.
The two Bars swallowed and extended their hands from their weapons forward. It was a quiet declaration of surrender. Boromir smiled brightly at their actions.
“Maximilian, branch leader. Your words and actions showing love for Mosul are true and without falsehood—they’re admirable. By the authority of temporary ruler of Mosul granted by His Majesty the Emperor, I appoint you as the lord of Mosul and ‘border lord’ guarding the empire from now on. And you two…….”
Gulp…. Silence fell over the office. Boromir issued an order to the dog and cat beastmen that they dared not refuse.
“Work under me. Monsters from Garam Forest are a problem in Mosul, right? I’ll handle them by tomorrow, so all your friends must come with me to the north. Refusal is, well, refused.”