Chapter 45: Declaration

Jingle-! Jingle!

The familiar sound of bells echoed through every street.

And the voices of strong-throated men followed.

“Oyez! Oyez-! Today at noon, an important announcement will be made in the Central Plaza!”

The attention of the townsfolk was already fixed on the bellman.

It had been quite a while since they had last seen this scene.

“How long has it been since we last had a bellman?”

“Almost half a month—no, maybe a month? But an important announcement?”

“…Ah, wasn’t that just the day before yesterday? Those carriages!”

Not long ago, dozens of luxury carriages had rolled through Niran Avenue and entered the Palace.

At the time, many were suspicious, and naturally, speculation spread.

“Oyez! Oyez! All protests in the plaza today are forbidden! Anyone violating this will be severely punished by the Royal Court! Oyez! All protests are prohibited today!”

This was also welcome news.

Recently, from the citizens’ perspective, the protestors were nothing but troublemakers.

Even without the Order of Nikerba’s heretical cultists stirring up chaos, the townsfolk’s anxiety had reached a boiling point.

In such circumstances, news like this was like a drop of rain on a scorching day.

“Finally!”

“Those damn protestors—I hope they round up all the fanatics and throw them in jail!”

“Hey now, what if they heard you say that?”

“Let them hear if they want! Don’t you see the guards all around?”

Come to think of it, guards were stationed all over the streets today.

Not to mention the Royal Guard was visible as well.

The usual groups of rowdy troublemakers loitering in every corner were nowhere to be seen.

“…Has His Majesty finally come to his senses?”

“Shh! Are you out of your mind, friend?”

Though suspicious, the guards only cast glances here and there and took no further action.

“Well, it seems something’s finally turning around.”

“I sure hope so.”

“Oyez! Oyez! …”

Jingling! Jingling!

The louder the bellman’s booming cry, the greater the crowd’s anticipation grew.

***

As the appointed hour approached, the plaza became crowded with people.

Though it was usually noisy due to protestors, that was no longer the case.

And then, the figure who emerged was none other than King Contrat.

“It’s the King!”

“King Contrat!”

Behind him followed unfamiliar knights.

In particular, an elderly giant leading the knights at the forefront caught many eyes.

“Who are those?”

“Don’t know, let’s listen.”

The murmur filled with curiosity and uncertainty continued as Contrat stepped up onto a small podium.

“Ugh…?”

“Oh dear.”

To everyone’s surprise, Contrat immediately dropped to his knees upon ascending the podium.

“Citizens of Niran! Please do not forgive this wretched king!”

Then, bowing deeply toward the troops, he lowered his head.

The King’s unorthodox display left many spectators dumbfounded.

“Wow, Your Majesty!”

“Please raise your head, King Contrat!”

And so, his speech officially began.

“The recent chaos in Niran is all due to my own mismanagement. That I failed to regulate the price of wheat is my fault alone. That in this holy city people have perished from starvation is also my failing.”

A confession that could not have been more unexpected.

Listeners struggled to keep up with the flow.

“That children fall ill, that uprisings break out causing loss of life, that famine strikes, floods come, and lightning falls— all of this is my fault!

Therefore, I, the sinner, kneel before you now. Please, do not forgive me!”

The air in the plaza, which had been silent in shock, began to change.

The response was far warmer than anyone anticipated.

“Sniff, Your Majesty, this is not your fault!”

“My King!”

Watching this scene quietly from the side was a green-clad man.

“Ha, truly remarkable,” Glenn muttered sincerely.

Across from him sat Isabelle, who spoke softly.

“…They’ve spread rumor mongers throughout the plaza. I heard they paid them well with silver, so the effect will likely be great.”

She had been covering her mouth with her hand since earlier, clearly embarrassed.

Glenn, knowing this, smirked.

“I thought the response would be positive… but never imagined he would kneel like that.”

A king of a nation kneeling and confessing his sins before his people.

It sounded like a fairy tale.

Even seeing it with one’s own eyes was hard to believe.

“…Isn’t this a bit over the top?”

Of course, from a daughter’s perspective, it might be a bit embarrassing.

That aside, Contrat’s speech continued.

The cheers grew hotter.

“Citizens of Niran! My greatest fault is knowing who manipulates the wheat prices behind the scenes but failing to stop them! Please do not forgive me!”

There were those who manipulated wheat prices.

Rumors that were once an open secret were now openly spoken by the King himself.

“Wh-what? What are you saying?”

“Manipulated wheat prices? Who the hell are these scoundrels?”

Wheat was not just simple food.

It was the backbone of all food trade in this era, serving as a kind of currency.

Due to skyrocketing wheat prices, many had lost their lives or suffered grievous harm.

Hence, the reaction was explosive.

Fearful of even more chaos and greater suffering for the people, few dared raise their swords recklessly. “My incompetence, my shortcomings, my unworthiness, my negligence have only made things harder for you all. Please do not forgive me!”

“Who is it? Who manipulated the wheat prices?”

“Your Majesty, please name the culprit!”

The army showed little interest in Contrat’s self-condemnation.

The atmosphere had already accepted as fact that someone indeed manipulated wheat prices behind the scenes.

What was even more surprising was that everyone in the plaza believed Contrat’s words to be the truth.

A truly clever orator—perhaps one could call this demagoguery?

“His eloquence hasn’t changed,” Glenn thought.

The Contrat he had met in a past life had been just like this.

With persuasive speeches and theatrical performance that controlled the army,

Meticulous planning and bold execution,

And absolute arrogance and ambition.

Glenn’s gaze remained fixed on the podium.

Now, the army’s response was reaching its peak.

“But now—I shall no longer hesitate. Not for anyone else, but for you all, for Niran! For this glorious Arian! I will no longer endure!”

“Waaah!”

“Contrat! Contrat!”

“Then who is the culprit?!”

Contrat clasped a folded piece of paper with both hands and raised it toward the sky as he shouted.

“I declare now, that every word I speak is the absolute truth with no falsehood.”

“If even a single word is a lie—O Almighty Four Goddesses, I beg you to punish me!”

Rising to his feet, he roared like a beast.

In his eyes flickered a fierce, almost insane flame.

“The one who shook Arian, who plunged Niran into chaos, who made you all suffer— is none other than the Empire’s High Priest, Francis! This is an undeniable truth. Anyone who wishes to know the truth may come forth and confirm the evidence!”

With that shocking statement, dozens of servants who had been waiting nearby began to move.

They approached the army, handing over documents contained in a wooden box.

The papers were old and yellowed, but their contents were not to be dismissed.

“This—this is madness!”

“They hid away 8,000 gold coins?!”

“Have you ever seen such scoundrels?”

Citizens reading the documents began to erupt in fury.

Contrat did not miss this and fueled the rage even more.

“Francis manipulated the wheat prices to keep thousands of citizens starving! Blinded by his own greed, he sacrificed innocent people! Because of his selfishness, sick children cannot be treated and mothers weep in agony. Can we allow such evil to go unpunished?”

“We cannot!”

“Punish Francis!”

“The price of blood!”

There was no need for the rumor mongers to intervene.

The army had already become Contrat’s instrument, obediently following his lead.

Indeed, he was a seasoned commander who controlled this multitude of soldiers.

“I, the sinner Contrat, boldly ask you—citizens of Arian and Niran! Do you desire to punish Francis, the Empire’s High Priest and the Order of Nikerba’s holy man? Do you wish to punish him for plunging Niran into chaos and tormenting innocent people?! If so, I shall gladly be your sword and lead the charge!”

“Waaah!”

“Kill Francis!”

“Long live Contrat!”

The reaction was now explosive.

No one dared defend Priest Francis.

Because along with the accusation came the evidence, right before their eyes.

“To that end—I, Contrat, hereby command the establishment of a new order of knights!”

Another shocking declaration.

A new knightly order?

Contrat already held a sword in hand as he descended the podium.

In the middle of the plaza, he faced the towering elderly man.

Clang!

Striking the floor with the sheathed sword, he shouted.

“Experienced knight! State your name!”

“I am Democleon Luch, head of the Rusche Family, the Demonic Iron Knight.”

When his name was announced, shock rippled through the plaza.

An even greater shock than when Francis had been named culprit.

“W-who? The Demonic Iron Knight?”

“Swordmaster!”

Indeed, Swordmaster.

The famous Swordmaster of the Empire’s renowned martial sect was kneeling before his King.

And doing so with the solemn ceremony known among knights.

What did this mean?

“Contrat Stauffen, head of the Stauffen House and King of Arian, calls upon the Demonic Iron Knight!”

“The sword you bear now belongs to the Crown.”

What was happening was the “Oath of Loyalty”—a knight’s ritual performed when changing allegiance.

It was similar to an investiture ceremony.

Since a knight’s virtue was to serve only one lord, this was a rare and significant act.

“Very well, Democleon Luch! I appoint you as commander of the Hawk Knights. The Hawk Knights shall become the first sword of the Stauffen House!”

This too was astonishing news.

To be the Stauffen House’s first knightly order meant—the newly appointed royal knightly order of Arian.

In other words, Contrat was now appointing the royal knights anew.

Dozens of knights led by Democleon kneeled before Contrat.

It was a magnificent sight.

“Hear me, Democleon Luch—and the Hawk Knights!”

“Yes, Your Command!”

“By my order!”

Contrat looked around the army once more before raising his voice.

“Seal off the city. Arrest all those responsible for plunging Niran into chaos. Expose every evil deed they have committed without omission. Francis and all who follow him!”

The speech was rapidly approaching its climax.

“Cleanse the city! Rescue innocent citizens from the filthy hands of the Empire’s scoundrels! Punish the foolish ones who brought ruin upon Niran!”

Contrat spread his arms wide and raised them high toward the sky.

“I, Contrat Stauffen, declare in the name of Arian: Remove all filth from the city. Until that is done, no one—not even a single ant—may leave this city. Eradicate them all!”

“As you command, my lord!”

“We will obey!”

As the passionate order ended, the plaza erupted into madness.

“Waaah!”

“Long live Contrat! Long live the Hawk Knights!”

“Long live Arian!”

It was the moment civil war erupted in Niran, the capital of the Arian Kingdom.

Some had seen it coming; others had not.

But one thing was clear:

From now on,

No one would be able to stop what was to come.