Chapter 124: Law (2)

The banquet that had continued through this framework finally came to an end.

“Is it time for this star to set?”

As he packed his things, Sig laughed heartily.

His tone was cheerful, but his eyes, as he looked at me and Moritz, were full of regret.

Unlike the son of Ludwig, known as the Iron-blooded, Sig had a very sensitive side.

“Brother! Must you really leave so soon?”

Of course, Moritz was the same.

Watching the two brothers put on a melodrama at the main gate of the Royal Capital, I waved my hand.

“Take care. Tell the Lord to practice his prayers in advance.”

“I will… pass on your words just as they are.”

Sig, feigning nonchalance, glanced around.

A few nobles and Temple Knights had come all the way to the main gate to see off the Duke of Bartenberg’s second son.

“…Well, we already discussed all the trivial matters at Riot Castle. I’ll be off, then.”

He soon mounted his Wyvern and circled several times above the capital before flying off.

“It was a pleasure!”

“I will not forget this grace! Successor of the Great Bartenberg!”

The shouts of the Temple Knights and the words of thanks from the people of Baren followed after him.

“Ha…… He’s really gone.”

Moritz, who had been watching the receding Sig, turned away.

“Not yet.”

I stopped those about to return to the capital.

If there are farewells, there are also meetings.

Some very welcome guests were approaching, no less than Sig.

“Your timing is impeccable. How did you arrive just now?”

I pointed my finger to the northwestern hill.

I could see a group moving their short legs diligently.

From a distance, they looked like little kids, but the sharp-eyed knights quickly realized their identity.

“Saint. Those are…”

“Yes. The Tribe of Earth and Iron.”

The most stubborn in the world, more particular even than royalty.

Dwarves.

Only by their skills as master smiths did these blacksmiths become one of the four great races, and they were now approaching this place.

A laugh slipped out.

If it were up to me, I’d have run over to greet them with a smile, but I stayed put.

With Dwarves, if you show your hand, that’s the end.

Those little fellows know better than anyone the value of the arms they create.

For a smooth negotiation, I had to keep the upper hand.

Of course, knowing what was troubling them, I was confident.

“Temple Knights, draw swords!”

“Draw swords!”

The knights drew their swords.

The soldiers guarding the main gate of the capital discreetly stepped back.

Purposefully standing on alert, we waited, and before long, about thirty Dwarves arrived before us.

“Hmm, and why are you humans blocking the road?”

“Hey, is this the Baren Royal Capital?”

*You’ve got the map, don’t you!”

As the Dwarves began to bicker among themselves, one who looked quite aged stepped forward.

“There’s definitely far less mana here…”

Sss, ha…….

Ssss, haa.

The Dwarf breathed in deeply several times.

He acted as if he didn’t even notice us glaring right in front of him.

One of the Dwarves finally looked at me.

“Chieftain! That human from before is here!”

“Hey, he’s glowing all over now, unlike last time!”

When did they even see me before, to call me that?

But I knew the reason, so I said nothing.

I focused on the Dwarf addressed as chieftain.

“This is the Royal Capital of the Baren Kingdom. State your business, Dwarves.”

“Are you a different human from the one who visited our tribe?”

“II asked your purpose first.”

I kept my face expressionless.

In the end, these fellows had come because they needed my light.

A guest should act with proper manners.

But these Dwarves were even more eccentric than I expected.

*You shine, too! Even stronger than the White Lion! Could you be the one called the Light?”

In an instant, the chieftain shoved aside Ice Crescendo and rushed at me.

He then clung to my thigh.

Khm! Khrrng!

The Dwarf, burying his nose into my leg, kept snuffling loudly.

…Should I just knock him out?

For a moment, I seriously considered starting by knocking him unconscious.

“Hey, give us a decent sword!”

The chieftain Dwarf took a step back and spoke.

“In return, stay by our side and pour out your light until we reproduce the Legendary Sword. You can freely control light, can’t you?”

His face brimmed with inexplicable confidence.

The face of someone who never imagined his request would be denied.

I stroked my chin.

So basically, he wanted to trade a decent sword for divine power.

Not even the Legendary Sword, just a decent sword?

“Hey, you nutcases.”

As expected, Dwarves are at their best when you flick them on the nose like it’s their own.

***

Thud!

The main gate, which had only let humans in, shut tightly.

Hurkeum stared at the gate with a bewildered face.

Pfft.

In the midst of all this, someone burst out laughing.

It was a blatant sneer.

“Puhahaha! Chieftain! I told you, don’t overdo your bluster!”

“Starting with just ‘a decent sword’ is way over the line!”

Hurkeum’s brow furrowed.

He agreed, in fact.

In these times, the value of light, which opposed mana, was boundless.

One decent sword in exchange for that kind of light wasn’t even close to equal.

“Still, getting rejected so outright, without even looking back… He’s still wet behind the ears.”

Hurkeum’s face turned red as he stomped and fumed.

But it didn’t last long.

The guards glared at them, their eyes wide.

“Let’s get out before we end up on their blacklist.”

The Dwarves turned and left.

Until they disappeared from the guards’ sight.

The Dwarves, retracing their steps, settled at the foot of the hill.

In their hands were pickaxes and shovels.

“Chieftain, do we really have to go this far? What are we, moles?”

“I don’t like it either! But we’re Dwarves, for heaven’s sake, we can’t bow and scrape! If we flatter those greedy humans, they’ll ask for weapons beyond their means!”

Hurkeum spat into his palm.

“Actually, I’m not even sure if that Light fellow’s power really is legendary. We should check it out properly. We can negotiate after that.”

Crash—!

Their tools tore into the earth.

The Tribe of Earth and Iron, the Dwarves, were also masters at digging tunnels.

***

“Your Majesty. The people are gathering before the royal palace. It is time to prepare.”

The King of Barentis nodded.

He could faintly hear the murmurs of the people gathered at the palace.

It was a crowd that had come to hear the king’s speech scheduled for the afternoon.

The king, seated on his throne, closed his eyes.

In his tangled mind, memories from just a while ago surfaced.

When he was agonizing over what to do about the Hor Theocracy.

What the royal family had most feared was exactly today.

Would Baren’s long-held legitimacy become distorted?

In the end, that fear became reality.

Today, the king and royal family decided to abandon the title ‘Shield of the Northern Continent.’

It was no different than changing the very identity of the nation.

‘But I have no regrets.’

He had no thought of reversing his decision.

The reality of their fears was brought about by Baren’s own choice.

“Ancestors, please watch over Baren.”

A determined light shone in the king’s eyes.

He gripped the banner inscribed with the Seal of Baren and Hor in his hand.

Light streamed from the banner as if unraveling threads.

Hor nudged him on.

The king walked forward in response.

Standing on the high, open platform above the palace, he gazed at his beloved people.

Cheers erupted.

Eyes full of longing and respect were fixed upon him.

“I am… a beloved king. The people believe in this unworthy king.”

The king smiled faintly and inserted the banner into the slot beside the podium.

Soon, the speech began.

The dignified voice of the king resounded through the capital.

Meanwhile.

“The moles have crawled in.”

Listening to the speech in the palace gardens, Richard let out a snort.

As expected, the Dwarves were desperate for light.

“Saint, what shall we do? If you give the order, we can take care of it without causing much of a stir…”

“Leave them be for now.”

Richard, with Aaron at his side, turned his head.

The king was passionately continuing his speech.

The crisis and despair of Baren.

Riot Castle and the heroes who defended Baren through adversity.

He listed every hardship Baren had endured.

And then exalted the name of Baren, who had overcome them all.

“…We have grown. And so, we have set our sights higher.”

Determination shone in the eyes of the King of Barentis.

“From now on, Baren is no longer the Shield of the Northern Continent. As the Hor Theocracy, we must reaffirm our own identity.”

Richard smiled faintly.

Aaron and Gide listened quietly to the king’s speech as well.

“We will become a nation that leads the way to peace.”

“That is the will of Hor!”

Waaaah—!

The people erupted into joyous cheers.

Banners of Hor and Baren fluttered everywhere.

Some sang hymns, some chanted the name of Hor.

***

“What is all this?”

“Is it some kind of festival?”

Meanwhile, the Dwarves who had just set foot in the capital looked puzzled.

The sight of humans gathered together, shouting in unison.

It was simply bewildering.

“Hey, that flag! It’s shining!”

Even in this, Hurkeum, with the nose of a bloodhound, quickly found the light and flared his nostrils.

“It does have the same energy as that human from before.”

“So, he really can handle light? If it’s to that extent, he could definitely craft some special weapons.”

Even the Dwarves, who had acted indifferent, wore bewitched expressions.

The faith contained in that banner was a million strong.

Its power was more than enough to enthrall them, who had always rejected mana.

“Long live His Majesty the King of Barentis!”

“Baren, may you be eternal!”

“Hor—!”

As they approached the crowd, the humans’ cheers echoed through the streets.

The Dwarves exchanged frantic hand and foot gestures as they spoke.

“Chieftain! What now?”

“I’m still not sure if it’s the legendary light! It’s the power we need, though!”

*Enough with the legend nonsense! Let’s just get ready for negotiations! How about we try for a hundred ‘decent swords’ to start?”

While they were busy planning their negotiation strategy—

The king finished his final words.

“From this moment on, Baren declares itself the Hor Theocracy!”

Then.

All the clouds in the sky parted.

From the open heavens, a brilliant and holy light poured down.

『 Authority – Law Activated 』

The king.

The people.

Even the Dwarves stared blankly up at the sky.

The pillar of light that enveloped the entire capital seemed to connect the heavens and the city.

“Y-yeah, good… a hundred ‘decent swords’!”

“You fool! We should start with at least a thousand!”

The Dwarves bickered, revising their plans.

Even so—

Chieftain Hurkeum stood frozen, mouth agape.

Then, he hurriedly rummaged through his pack.

What he pulled out was the ‘Legendary Sword.’

Somehow, the sword was weeping.

“What in the world…”

As he looked back and forth between the sky and the sword, Hurkeum could only freeze once more.

Something slowly descended from the heavens.

A gray stone tablet.

It was an overwhelmingly divine slab that forced all to kneel.

Dense script, engraved in lines of light, covered its surface.

Seeing it, Hurkeum muttered without realizing.

“That alone… won’t do.”

“What?! Chieftain! Then not even a thousand swords is enough?!”

With grim eyes, he looked at the Dwarves.

“…A single, reproduced ‘Legendary Sword.’”