Chapter 125: Ambitions Unveiled

“By any chance, is the Golden Eagle Knight Order among the Holy Orders dispatched to Coexistence Zone 18 this time?”

-The leader of the 7th Order is the commander of the Golden Eagle Knight Order.

“Hmm!”

Gaon let out a groan.

The main duty of the Golden Eagle Knight Order was the reformation of blasphemers against the divine.

And Gaon had been publicly declared a blasphemer.

Of course, considering the current situation with the demon invasion, there was a high chance nothing would happen.

However, thinking of the ‘temperament’ of the Golden Eagle Knight Order that Gaon knew, he couldn’t rule out the possibility of a problem arising.

Honestly, even if a problem arose, it didn’t matter.

Gaon wasn’t afraid of the Golden Eagle Knight Order.

But if Gaon killed the Golden Eagle Knight Order in the current situation?

Others would also charge in, and it would lead to a situation where he had to kill them too.

Reducing Seionia’s power in a situation where they needed to drive out the demon world?

It was by no means a good thing.

-Would the Golden Eagle Knight Order do something stupid……?

Graxios, sensing Gaon’s thoughts, cautiously opened his mouth.

“They’re such stupid guys, after all.”

-Ah…….

Graxios let out an exclamation as if he understood.

And Gaon asked.

“Anything else?”

The matter in Coexistence Zone 18 wasn’t ordinary.

When a big issue arises in one place, it’s common for big and small changes to occur elsewhere.

-There’s one more piece of information to report.

-A problem has occurred in Coexistence Zone 14.

“……In Coexistence Zone 14?”

Gaon tilted his head.

He had removed all risk factors in Coexistence Zone 14.

Moreover, he had cleanly sorted out the adjacent Coexistence Zone 15.

Yet a problem?

-Some royals are relying on the Eltang Duchy, and they issued a royal command to the Lown County.

-To advance north.

-And to send able-bodied residents to the granary and mines under the Eltang Duchy.

Gaon furrowed his brow without a word.

It wasn’t a problem with the demon camp.

“Did they accept that proposal by any chance?”

Currently, only two noble houses remained in the Melrdia Kingdom.

The Eltang Duchy and the Lown County.

And Gaon had told Mason, the head of the Lown County.

Not to be swayed by the Eltang Duchy.

-No. They didn’t accept it.

-However, using the refusal of the royal command as a pretext, the Eltang Duchy sent troops.

-We sent three battalions of the tower’s combat unit to support the Lown County, but…….

-Including the Reito County, the lords of adjacent territories are supporting the Eltang Duchy.

-It seems difficult with just three battalions.

“Hmm…….”

Gaon let out a groan.

And after thinking for a moment, he answered.

“I’ll go.”

Coexistence Zone 18 would maintain a standoff anyway.

In other words, it wasn’t urgent.

He could handle other places and move later when there was a change in the standoff.

And he planned to deal with the Eltang Duchy and others who betrayed Varta soon anyway.

It seemed like he could handle it this time.

-I’ll inform the combat unit commander.

“By the way, who’s the combat unit commander?”

-It’s Elder Astin. A 6th-Circle mage.

“Got it. Anything else to report?”

-Nothing.

“Then I’ll contact you later.”

-Yes!

***

‘Pyra’, the central city of the Lown County and the only city in Coexistence Zone 14.

Returning to Pyra, Mason put down the report with a complicated face.

“Phew……..”

Mason let out a deep sigh.

And he recalled the moment when the demons were completely driven out of Coexistence Zone 14.

At that time, he felt immensely relieved.

He thought he could relax now.

Even if the demons attacked again, it would be after reorganization, so he was confident he could fend them off.

However, a royal command came down.

An absurd royal command to send the workers in the territory to the Eltang Duchy and advance to the capital ‘Melrdium’.

Mason naturally refused.

And for not obeying the royal command, the Eltang Duchy sent troops.

Already, small cities and villages bordering the Eltang Duchy’s territory had been occupied.

He wanted to move troops to reclaim them, but he couldn’t easily move the troops.

Because if the troops were withdrawn, the demons or demonic beasts he had painstakingly driven out could attack again.

Damn bastard.

Mason cursed inwardly.

In the past, he had requested support from the Eltang Duchy.

At that time, the Eltang Duchy refused, saying they lacked the capacity.

Yet now, the scale of the Eltang Duchy’s troops attacking the territory was enormous.

Right then.

“Your expression doesn’t look good.”

Mason flinched at the voice in his ear.

Where was this?

Mason’s office, the safest place in the city ‘Pyra’.

Wait.

At the sudden thought, Mason turned his head to check the owner of the voice.

Upon confirmation, Mason jumped up from his seat.

And he stepped aside, prostrated himself, and exclaimed.

“I, I greet Lord Gaon!”

The owner of the voice was none other than Gaon.

Gaon smiled brightly and answered.

“It’s been a while.”

And sitting in the chair in front, he said.

“I’d like to hear a situation report.”

He had heard from Graxios.

But it wouldn’t be as detailed as hearing from Mason.

Gaon was curious.

Exactly what the situation was.

At Gaon’s words, Mason stood up.

And in a respectful posture, he started reporting on the situation.

“As you commanded, we completely recaptured Coexistence Zone 14.”

No more complication was visible on Mason’s reporting face.

For Lord Gaon to come!

The reason the complication disappeared was because of Gaon.

With Gaon here, there was no need to worry about the Eltang Duchy at all.

“……Currently, the Eltang Duchy’s troops have crossed into the territory, and two small cities and five villages have been occupied.”

Soon the report ended, and Mason swallowed.

And he started glancing at Gaon.

“Hmm…….”

Gaon let out a groan and fell into thought.

And soon opened his mouth.

“Do you happen to have portraits of the key figures of the Eltang Duchy and those royals?”

“Of course!”

Mason’s eyes flashed as he answered Gaon’s question.

“Bring them.”

“Yes!”

Mason quickly headed to the bookcase on the right.

And he returned with a bundle of papers from the bookcase drawer.

“Here they are.”

Gaon took the bundle of papers Mason offered and checked them.

Information was written along with the portraits.

Soon finishing the check, Gaon put down the bundle and asked Mason.

“If all these guys die, can the current situation be resolved?”

“……!”

Mason’s eyes flashed.

He had wondered, and indeed.

Mason answered with a resolute face.

“I will definitely resolve it.”

***

Deep in ‘Eltarion’, the central city of the Eltang Duchy.

“That damn Mason bastard dares!”

Bang!

Crown Prince Roden, first in line for the throne of the Melrdia Kingdom, slammed his fist roughly and shouted.

Then, Third Prince Baldric next to him nodded and agreed.

“He deserves the death penalty. How dare he refuse a royal command.”

The Lown County had perfectly recaptured Coexistence Zone 14.

Roden thought this was the perfect opportunity to reclaim the capital ‘Melrdium’ of the Melrdia Kingdom.

So he issued a royal command to advance north.

Yet the Lown County refused.

Without any special reason.

They just sent word that it couldn’t be done without any reason.

How dare he refuse a royal command?

It was a situation where even the death penalty wouldn’t be strange.

“Haha, both of you, calm down.”

At the two’s anger, Taru, the head of the Eltang Duchy, laughed heartily and said.

“Isn’t that why I sent troops?”

At Taru’s words, the two erased their anger as if it never was and smiled faintly.

“I won’t forget and will surely repay you!”

“As expected of the duke!”

At the two’s words, Taru grinned and stood up.

“I’ll bring Mason next time. Until then, enjoy yourselves comfortably.”

Taru bowed slightly in greeting and went outside.

And as if it never was, he erased the smile from his lips and thought.

Idiot bastards.

Reclaim the capital ‘Melrdium’?

Reclaim it and then what?

Where would the cost for reconstruction come from?

To begin with, the Melrdia Kingdom was as good as fallen.

Yet they still couldn’t forget the past and grasp their position?

He wanted to chop off their necks right away.

He actually had the ability to do so.

Because all that remained of the Melrdia royal family was their ‘bloodline’.

But the reason he didn’t was because of the ‘bloodline’.

He needed the Melrdia royal family’s bloodline until he dealt with the Lown County.

Soon arriving at his office, Taru looked at the map spread on the desk.

The map showed the Lown County’s territory and Coexistence Zone 14.

Heh!

Taru made a face full of greed as he looked at the map.

Seeing the area that would soon be his territory naturally brought a smile.

Right then.

Swaaat!

The communication crystal orb on the desk glowed.

Seeing the emblem on the crystal orb, Taru’s eyes flashed.

It was the emblem of the Reito County, the real power in the adjacent Eon Kingdom.

Taru immediately injected mana.

Then, Calvin, the head of the Reito County, appeared on the crystal orb.

“Oh, Sir Calvin! I was just about to contact you.”

-Haha, is that so! Our minds are in sync!

Calvin laughed heartily and answered.

And maintaining his smile, he brought up the main topic.

-I contacted to ask how the situation is going.

-Do I need to dispatch additional troops?

“Ah, it’s fine! You’ve already sent a lot of troops.”

Unlike the initial agreement, the Tower of Fire mages had withdrawn, but the troops and supplies supported by the Reito County were enormous.

To the extent that mages weren’t even necessary.

-Haha, that’s good then.

-But if you need any, let me know.

-I got confirmation from the royal family to dispatch the palace magic corps.

“Oh dear, I need to prepare solidly too.”

Taru said with a bright smile.

The Reito County wasn’t helping without any compensation.

As soon as this matter ended, Taru planned to support the Reito County as well.

The Reito County’s goal was to conquer the Aiol Viscount Family, which had fully taken Coexistence Zone 15.

-Haha, hearing that makes it worthwhile to help!

“Please take care after the conquest too.”

-Of course. Sir Taru, no, Your Majesty Taru.

At the words ‘Your Majesty’, Taru smiled as brightly as possible.

Right then.

Crack!

The communication crystal orb split in half.

“……Huh?”

Naturally, the communication was cut, and Taru was flustered.

Why did the communication crystal orb suddenly split?

“That was a funny story.”

“……!”

Next, at the voice in his ear, Taru flinched.

It was a voice that shouldn’t be heard.

Taru slowly turned his head to check the owner of the voice.

“……!”

Upon confirmation, he couldn’t help but be shocked.

The owner of the voice was a young man.

With thick black hair.

Of course, the reason Taru was shocked wasn’t because of the man.

It was because of the ice chunks floating next to the man.

To be precise, because of what was inside the ice chunks.

Inside the ice chunks were the royals he had just been talking to, whom he planned to deal with after handling the Lown County.