Chapter 483: Turmoil like a Muddy Stream

The New Gharast Kingdom. With the King gone and a temporary princess on the throne, it didn’t take long for this nation to break away from the past and speak of a new name.

Aligned at its capital named Arche, the new kingdom had annexed the southern part of the Gharast Kingdom and the west area of the Great Augus River. It continued to renovate its system every day, rebuilding itself. One day they would have to confront the old King and the northern Gharast territory controlled by the Cathedral.

But right now, the leaders of the New Gharast Kingdom weren’t looking at the distant northern territory.

The illegitimate princess Philos, the Heraldic Saint Matia, and the head of the nobles Biomondor. All three were astounded by the report brought by Largud Ann.

Gathering in a log cabin far from the center of government allowed them to share their honest opinions. That was the reason why the three had gathered at the log cabin, but today, for a moment, they were all speechless. They were unable to accept the report.

Saint Matia lightly clenched her fingers, then closed her eyes as if to regain the words she had lost. Then, she spoke softly.

「…I see. It must have been hard for you to gather this information, Ann. 」

Ann bowed her head in a small reaction.

Matia didn’t question the accuracy of the information. It was information that Ann had brought to the royal capital herself. In other words, it was undoubtedly close to the truth. Matia read the report once more.

…The Mastigius army, which had joined up with Lugis, was annihilated by the demon army. The number of survivors and casualties was unknown. The same went for Lugis’ survival.

Suddenly, Matia felt that the core of her brain became distorted. It was as if her brain had melted and turned into a thick liquid. It was as if her head wouldn’t work.

It had been a long time since she had felt this way. Matia remembered that she had felt the same way in the past, when Lugis had galloped alone to the mercenary city of Belfein.

She found it hard to breathe as she sat there, and her heart was in sharp pain, as if it had been whipped.

While Matia was hesitating, Biomondor, the leader of the nobles, opened his thick lips. His thick fingertips were tightly gripping the parchment.

「You no longer have any time to spare…Princess…Saint Matia. 」

Biomondor looked at Princess Philos and Matia as he said those words.

He was a somewhat emotional and expressive person, but at this moment he was showing his true scheming face. He wasn’t in a good mood.

「We will be seen and mocked as optimists if we think the hero is alive. We need to crown the princess and officially declare war immediately. 」

Biomondor was a practical person like Matia. He didn’t take unnecessary optimism and always thought of the worst-case scenario that could be seen as pessimistic.

He thought of the next plan the moment he received the report. In other words, how to deal with the situation of the hero’s death.

It was a great achievement that Lugis allied with Mastigius and together they attacked the Bolvat Dynasty. However, if they were swallowed up by the threat of the demon army, then that was it. It would be strange to think that he was still alive.

If they lost their anchor, the hero, the still fragile New Gharast Kingdom could easily collapse. That’s why they needed a new pillar.

Princess Philos could be crowned while Lugis got enshrined as a dead hero. Although the citizens would mourn the death of their hero, they would find momentary relief in the reign of a new ruler.

If they presented the Bolvat Dynasty as their enemy, then the citizens’ anger would be directed towards them. At the very least, the collapse of their new nation could be avoided.

Matia pressed her lips as Biomondor spoke, and after a pause, she replied.

「…His case shouldn’t be made public yet. Only a limited number of people should know. 」

「The longer time passes, the greater the shock will be for the people. I think it is time for us to make a decision. 」

Biomondor moved his lips in a skeptical manner at Matia’s words. Matia shook her head, nonetheless.

Matia didn’t think that Biomondor’s words were wrong. In fact, he was probably close to the right answer and right action.

However, there was one important factor that Biomondor didn’t know.

…The Heraldry Order that supported the New Gharast Kingdom, its soldiers and knights, depended on Lugis’ existence more than Biomondor thought.

Some of the Heraldic soldiers even treated the hero as equal to Saint Matia. It must have been hard to hold Lugis back when he marched eastward.

But Matia thought that it couldn’t be helped. Lugis just kept moving forward.

From the walled city of Garoua Maria to the mercenary city of Belfain, from the Battle of Sanyo to the fall of the royal capital. He was always before his soldiers, leading them, and thus winning.

It was inevitable that those soldiers would tend to view the hero who led them to victory on the battlefield as more sacred than the Saint herself, who was far away. Matia had no intention of forcibly suppressing this.

That’s why the soldiers would never recover if they lost their hero. A spiritual pillar, a symbol of victory and glory, was essential to them. They must at least come up with some kind of plan.

Matia gritted her molars and cursed her own judgment. Why didn’t she try to hold him back more firmly then? No, she should’ve used her own soldiers to hold him back. She should never have given him permission and put him in a safe place in the rear.

If she had done that, then she would never have regretted this, and she wouldn’t have been forced into such a difficult situation. Matia repeatedly dug her nails into her palm.

Lugis couldn’t stay put. He was the type of person who couldn’t help but move as he pleased. That’s why she had to be his anchor.

She should’ve trained him so that he would never be able to leave her side, both physically and mentally. It would be for his own good in the end even if it was something he didn’t want.

Her teeth gritted and echoed. Matia’s brain was filled with intense anger and frustration.

Biomondor and Matia exchanged words several times, but their argument continued. They each had their own thoughts and ideas. Neither of them was easily bent.

Suddenly, at that moment, both of their eyes turned to the princess, who was the decision maker of the situation. What were her thoughts on the matter?

However, Philos’ eye didn’t waver even in the slightest as she put on a green robe. She didn’t look at either of them.

She spoke as if it were obvious.

「…Prepare your troops and provisions. Prepare for battle. My sword and horse are here. 」

Everyone was stunned by the princess’ words. They were speechless unable to process the meaning of her words. They didn’t know what to say.

No, to be precise, Matia and Ann were beginning to understand the meaning. But even so, they had no words to say.

「Princess, what do you mean? 」

Biomondor spoke back to the princess, looking like he had been completely toyed with. Even from the side, it was clear that his expression was full of confusion.

Philos responded as if to cut through that confusion.

「It’s not a set thing, Lord Biomondor…We’re just going to attack the Bolvat Dynasty. Our hero is in danger. 」

Matia and Ann couldn’t hide the look of displeasure on their faces, and Biomondor opened his mouth wide, at a loss for words.

This wasn’t because Biomondor’s thinking was slow or that his direction was strange. He simply saw things within the bounds of common sense and logic.

And yet the princess had already destroyed all that.

「Pri…Princess! Now is not the time or the situation to do so! We must make this land more stable, and if we attack the Bolvat Dynasty now, our chances of victory are slim! 」

「Yes, I understand what you’re saying, Lord Biomondor. I understand that you are right, and that you are not mistaken. That’s how a dignified person should be. 」

Philos showed her kingly face for just a moment in response to Biomondor’s shout. It was the expression of a noble person that she had created, a mask that she should wear.

But then, she throwed it away.

「…But that doesn’t matter. The truth is fair and honest, and even the purest righteousness is meaningless. 」

Philos’ tone was calm from the outside. She spoke calmly, as if she was just saying what she had to say.

「It was Lugis who gave me the role of princess. Lugis was the one who was trying to make me deceive with the mask of a ruler. If he’s about to disappear, why should I take on the role of princess? 」

Philos said, showing her face as Philos Trait, and not as a princess, for the first time in a long time.

「Yes, that’s right. Winning or not winning, right or wrong…such petty things don’t matter to a girl named Philos Trait, who is not a princess! 」

Prepare for battle, because there’s no turning back for me, nor for you.

Philos declared in a tone that was both intelligent and vicious.

—

The capital of the Bolvat Dynasty. At the palace grounds in front of the royal palace, Caria Burdnick distorted her lips in annoyance as she led the soldiers. She bit her fingertip slightly.

The cause of her irritation was clear.

Lugis and Shad, who had been led to the royal palace by Rabel, an enemy of mankind, had still not returned. Half an hour had passed. There wasn’t any news.

With each passing minute and second, Caria’s heart was stirred, and her breathing became heavier.

A strange feeling of loneliness was beginning to consume her heart. First, the fact that she didn’t go with him was infuriating.

Besides, her worries about Filaret’s wellbeing were added to the mix, so it was impossible not to be irritated. Caria wasn’t skilled enough to turn a blind eye to the worries in her heart in order to keep a straight face.

No, she no longer had her aristocratic behavior because of Lugis’ reckless actions.

「…Lady Caria. Lord Lugis will definitely return. He is a very kind and trustworthy person. 」

Leu, still wrapped in the blanket, said while she snuggled up to Caria. Then, Caria narrowed her eyes for a moment, then gently smoothed Leu’s white hair before speaking.

「Leu. I don’t hate you. Therefore, I will give you a piece of advice. 」

Leu showed a puzzled look on her face. She tilted her head and waited for Caria to speak.

「I trust him too. More than anyone else. But…you know, when women are involved, it’s a different story. 」

「When women are involved, it’s a different story…? 」

Leu asked back without thinking. She didn’t really understand what Caria was saying. Doha Surah, who seemed to have heard, began to lose his balance as he lay on his horse.

「Besides, he’s like a boy running around on top of a deadly powder. We don’t know what will happen if we take our eyes off him. We need someone to keep an eye on him. 」

It went without saying who that should be. Caria shifted her gaze from Leu to the direction of the royal palace again and then opened her silver eyes wide.

Her throat cleared. The blood flowing through her body pulsated, warning her about something. Reflexively, Caria’s hands were placed on the dark scarlet sword. She made Leu step back.

She didn’t know who it was. But her giant blood was telling her something relevant. A threat was approaching her. She had to prepare herself to fight.

It was near the royal palace. Caria’s brows twisted as a bad feeling rose to the corners of her eyes, and she gritted her teeth.

She ordered her 3,000 soldiers to prepare. Suddenly, she saw both Leu and Doha Surah’s reactions. They were staring attentively at the royal palace. She could see the agitation on their cheeks.

There was the sound of a demon bird flying through the air. That in itself wasn’t unusual in this city, but it came from deep within the palace.

That bird didn’t even look at Nutt, the demon beast ruling that place, and flew into Caria’s chest.

「…Caria! Lugis…Lugis has…!!」

The bird’s tone and eyes told Caria who it was. It was Shad, who was supposed to have been accompanying Lugis. For some reason, she had taken the form of a bird and ran up to Caria.

Caria had a hunch.

It was easy to imagine that Lugis would try to let Shad escape if something had happened to him. In other words, something bad happened.

Caria’s silver eyes pierced the royal palace. She left Shad in Leu’s care, and she took a step forward. Nutt was staring at Caria with a wary look on his face.

「You cannot get any closer. This is where the demons live. I’ve told you many times to wait there! It won’t change my rule even if you have demonic traits! 」

「There’s only one person who can stop me. And it’s not you. 」

Caria didn’t hesitate to prepare her dark scarlet sword. It was as if she could no longer afford even a moment’s grace.

Nutt also spread his wings as if he had sensed this. He would never allow anyone to enter the palace where his masters was staying.

It didn’t matter even if Caria was a powerful being with demonic traits.

The situation got worse in an instant. The royal guards and the soldiers led by Caria began to show their fangs to each other. From Caria’s behavior, the soldiers also realized that something had happened to their master, the hero Lugis.

In that case, there was only one option. By coming here, they had entrusted their lives to Lugis.

In a second, just as Caria was about to swing her dark scarlet sword…

It came.

「…You two, step back immediately. What are you doing in a place like this? 」

A distinctive voice, like the sound of a bell ringing, yet lacking any human qualities.

The magical devilish being Rabel. She appeared from the depths of the palace, just as she had done before. She walked gracefully, like a doll.

Caria instantly raised her silver eyes. She then searched for Lugis, who must be nearby.

But Caria’s throat rang again. Instantly, an alarm began to sound in her brain, screaming that she shouldn’t look for him. Her eyes tried to close reflexively.

But she saw him. She had no choice but to see him.

Lugis was there, as expected. But it wasn’t him.

…It was the devil itself. With the threateningly treasure sword resting on his shoulder, which had changed its shape, Lugis had evil eyes while glaring at everyone around him.

His appearance was as if he had stripped away any humanity he had. It was as if he had swallowed the devil and became one himself.

It was Lugis. But it wasn’t him. A torrent of thoughts flowed into Caria’s brain, creating a vortex of confusion. And something flashed like intuition at the end of it all.

…A magical devilish being.

Before Caria knew it, she had pulled out her dark scarlet sword and charged forward.

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Oh no!!!! Lugis became evil?????

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