[ Episode 213. Post-war processing]
Except for Borghien, all battlefields were in a lull.
In fact, it was ambiguous to even call it a lull, and the difference in power was so great that it was possible to win just by attacking with the gathered troops.
But, as always, the nobles were the problem.
When the situation came to an advantage, neither you nor I were willing to step forward in the thought of conserving our troops as much as possible.
“Thanks to that, we were able to wipe it all out.”
Minus, who finished the post-war processing and occupied the lord’s castle, laughed while drinking.
“First of all, I made a pretty big contribution by protecting Borghien, but it won’t be at the level you want.”
“I will spare my words.”
“haha! You can just be honest with me.”
Minus, who poured himself a drink for Clousso, who was next to him, said quietly.
“You want Cromwell back? is not it?”
“Of course I want to. But I’m just trying to go slowly without being too greedy.”
“no. You can be a little more greedy. Was Cromwell southern? Southwest to be exact. It’s not bad since it’s close to us as well.”
People who don’t know me will think I’m running around because I want Yeongji.
There were actually things that made me think that way.
But my real purpose was just to prevent the survival of the playable and the doomsday scenario that would later be linked.
What do you do when you receive a manor?
If you can’t prevent an extinction-level scenario, you won’t need it.
“The Maiton raid and this Borghien defense battle. Even with these two things, at least one territory is certain. In particular, if we hadn’t stopped Mayton, the war wouldn’t have ended so easily, so be confident that even His Majesty is a major enough to say nothing about giving the territory.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I nodded quietly, and Danard, who was with me, asked.
“You’re going back with Claudia’s support, who will arrive by tomorrow, right?”
“I think so.”
“Why don’t you join us instead?”
In response to Danard’s question, Minus made an expression that he would be okay.
“okay! Adrias Cromwell, would you like to come with us?”
“I’m sorry, but Claudia still has business.”
“okay? Too bad.”
I felt fortunate to see Minus giving up coolly.
If he had tried to take me by force, he was a man with enough power.
“Rather than that, I’m curious about the business of staying at Claudia. Can you tell me?”
“It’s nothing. I promise to meet someone.”
“I’m a little embarrassed that you can’t go with me because of just that, but… you can.”
He laughed and continued to drink.
As the alcohol gradually matured, I asked for forgiveness and was able to leave the seat naturally.
The people on Morheim’s side were all drunkards, and the amount of alcohol was enormous.
“Sir Cromwell.”
As I came out, someone called and stopped me as if I had been waiting.
Layton Clark, the third leader of the Knights of the Sun and the Aura Master, was standing in the hallway, looking at me.
“Sir Layton. I didn’t expect you to be in a place like this.”
“I went out to get some fresh air and saw Sir Cromwell just about to come out. I’ve always wanted to talk to you, Your Excellency, but that’s good.”
As a matter of course, the Sun Knights are part of the limbs as an order of knights under the direct control of the emperor.
As such, it was only natural that my words and actions would be conveyed to the Emperor.
Pione says that she will openly report to the emperor, but if she is the type to report while hiding information in her favor, Layton is the opposite.
“I am always welcome. A conversation with an Auror Master swordsman like Sir Layton, I should have recommended it first, but it was rude.”
“no. Thank you just for words. Would you like to take a walk?”
“great.”
There was a large garden in front of the lord’s castle.
I walked beside Layton and waited to see what he had to say.
“His Excellency’s performance at Mayton was truly phenomenal. Experiencing the Borgijen Mercury this time, I felt once again that war is not an ordinary event, but it is embarrassing for me to be called an Auror Master since His Excellency resolved it so easily.”
“If Lord Layton hadn’t been here, Borgijen would have fallen before the Duke of Morheim arrived. You don’t have to humble yourself.”
“no. I am sincerely thinking. So, did His Excellency know in advance that Mayton was going to be attacked? I know you blocked it with a really amazing number, but…….”
“Did you know it was me? I just got lucky and got caught.”
Layton’s expression was calm as he looked at me.
I answered with an awkward smile at that attitude, as if asking a question out of pure curiosity without any intention.
“It’s just embarrassing to see people around me praising me for being lucky.”
“I think luck is also skill. It is true that His Excellency has done a truly great job. Given the strategic importance of Mayton, this makes sense. And when I heard that such a hero was in danger, I was really surprised. It’s scary even thinking about it now. I’m glad you were okay.”
“I never expected that there would be such dangers on the way to Claudia.”
“When Lord Pione told me that the enemy Auror Master had attacked you, I actually thought it was too late. Of course, I went as fast as I could, but most of them didn’t last long against the Aura Master.”
“Fortunately, I was not an Auror Master. If I was an Auror Master, we wouldn’t have met like this.”
At first, I passed it naturally, but I don’t know whether to believe it or not.
I still can’t help but believe it.
You wouldn’t imagine that a student still attending the academy would be able to kill the Aura Master.
“Did you get out of that crisis on your own without any other help?”
“yes. The boss was caught off guard and attacked, inflicting heavy injuries before fleeing. Fortunately, he didn’t come after me.”
I took all the bodies of those who had already died, so there was no evidence.
If you really want to find out, you have no choice but to read the traces with Luna’s necromancy or a tremendous level of elemental magician, but there was no way.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
It wasn’t that I was suspicious of anything.
Questions that seem to be asked purely out of curiosity.
Of course, seeing me come and do this, it seems that he received a word from above in advance, but he did not seem to know the relationship between me and the emperor.
“I’ve been holding on too long. You must be tired from coming from afar and participating in battles, so I will step back.”
“no. A conversation with Lord Layton is always welcome. Next time, I’d like to talk about the sword.”
“I will remember it.”
After the conversation with Layton ended, I slowly returned to the room.
Thanks to the VIP room in Yeongju Castle, the surroundings were quiet.
It was because the rooms were sparsely arranged for each annex.
Still, just in case, I summoned an undead after turning Mana Detect around the area once.
– Guest!
It was a zombie frog that couldn’t even make a proper cry because of its rotten vocal cords.
“iced coffee. Can you hear me?”
– Guest! Sounds good.
said the frog.
To be precise, it conveyed sound.
-Are you all right?
I don’t know the opponent’s identity.
This zombie frog was also the means of contact that Morne gave me.
What’s so convenient about this is that there’s no room to leave evidence because you can release the summons.
In addition, as long as there is a zombie frog that matches the opponent, unlike other communication artifacts, it is possible to contact them regardless of distance.
Instead, it was an item that no one could have because a necromancer was unconditionally needed to manage it.
“Yes, no problem here. Where have you been?”
– I think it will take two days. But there is one problem.
Unknowingly, I frowned at Morn’s words.
I felt that if he said it was a problem, it would never be a light thing.
“Is it a problem?”
-According to the information I heard, it seems that the emperor noticed it. Intelligence has been delivered that the moon shadows have moved.
moon shadow.
Unlike the other knights under the direct control of the imperial family, this unit was secretly created.
But it was a name everyone already knew.
– Somehow, it seems that the reason why I brought anger with me leaked from somewhere.
“It must be a meeting.”
– I guess it seems like that.
Even if it wasn’t possible to know who gave the information, they wouldn’t have been able to find out with the palace’s intelligence alone.
Maybe one of the other factions was trying to fuck us up.
-Don’t worry. I won’t be beaten by the emperor’s dogs. The problem is when you take your anger with you. Are you okay?
For this plan, I had to take the anger myself unconditionally.
It was only possible for me who knew the future.
“I can only do it.”
-haha. I don’t know what you’re up to, but it’s nice to see your confidence. Is it something even I can’t do?
“Not only do you know, but it will be difficult for anyone but me.”
Pre-blocking of extinction-level scenarios.
The only thing I can do is make a plan without knowing the future.
Not only this scenario, but all of the destruction-level scenarios were planned to be blocked in advance.
I didn’t have the arrogant thought that I could stop them all.
I’m just doing the best I can for now.
“Then I’ll see you in two days.”
-I will hand over my anger to you, and I will help you in my own way. Since the shadow of the moon is an organization that should not be exposed, even if Nobu touches it, the Empire will not be able to publicize it. haha.
“I am just grateful.”
-okay. hang up
Communication is over.
After canceling the summoning of the zombie frog, I sat down on the bed.
Maybe this plan could have been a big risk without any gain.
Even so, the reason I can’t give up is because of the existence of an extinction level scenario.
‘The gain is already sufficient.’
Come to think of it, I was already building a huge major.
It’s dark inside, but anyway, all majors in Morhaime belong to the Cromwell family.
In addition, he was taking care of a major that was invisible to the supply-related work of the upper ranks.
If there is no disagreement after the war, at least one small territory will be awarded.
Since my title is a count, there was nothing to say.
smart.
After sitting in bed for a while, lost in thought, someone knocked on the door.
It was already quite late at night, so I was a little suspicious, but I soon noticed who the owner was from the familiar presence felt outside.
“Come on in.” The
door
opened slowly and Vivian in her nightgown entered.
Still expressionless, she somehow seemed colder than usual.
“What are you doing, Vivian?”
“…….”
She stood in silence as she entered the room.
The scene somehow felt like a scene from a horror movie, so I got up and headed to a table in the middle of the large room.
“Sit over here.”
“huh.”
She finally opened her mouth and nodded as she approached the table where I was sitting.
Putting aside what had happened to her, I felt very fortunate to see her safe and sound.
“You’re not hurt anywhere? Where is the injury?”
“doesn’t exist.”
She answered bluntly and shook her head.
And then he suddenly stopped and stared at me.
“What are you doing?”
“Adrias.”
“Say yes.”
“Do you have anything to hide?”
At the sudden remark, the head naturally tilted to one side.
What am I hiding from Vivian?
“Hide? what?”
“An undead swordsman saved me today.”
The moment she said that, her back felt tight.
I had a bad feeling for some reason, but I tried to nod my head calmly.
“I heard the story. Could there have been a civil war between the warlocks?”
“I have a brilliant talent.”
Suddenly, an unknown word came out and the words were cut off.
Why are you saying that now?
“Does Adrias know?”
“yes. Vivian has a brilliant talent.”
“So I can tell. The sword that the undead swordsman wielded has a similar feel to Adrias.”
“Is that so? That’s amazing. I also want to meet you once.”
“Adrias.”
She called my name again and again.
“Do you have anything to hide?”
And once again the question was raised.
[ Episode 213. Before and after processing ] End
