Episode 304
“The 2nd Prince, Prince Baros, has gone missing?”
Damien’s report was truly shocking.
“Yes. It has been quite a while since he has been seen in public.”
“…What is the possibility of it being false?”
“That seems unlikely. Recently, there was a big commotion in the outer castle of Aserian, and it is said that people using strange magic clashed with the imperial guard. In the big commotion, an eyewitness report of seeing the 2nd prince being kidnapped spread throughout the imperial capital. “I say so.”
“That crazy guy was kidnapped?”
“yes?”
“No, no.”
2nd prince.
The crazy next emperor who built a mountain of corpses and offered sacrifices is missing.
Among the numerous variables encountered during regression, this was by far the variable that surprised Logan the most.
but.
‘Prince Baros didn’t make much of a move in the war of aggression anyway. Except that the war started after he was designated as the crown prince.’
What mattered now was not the life or death of the second prince.
The guys who caused that incident.
“People who use strange magic?”
There were people that came to mind the moment I heard those words, and Damian’s subsequent words turned Logan’s guess into certainty.
“It is said that it summoned things like black monsters and moving plants to attack. There are also rumors that it manipulated the minds of the Royal Guard knights and made them fight among themselves.”
They are bastards.
“Furthermore, it is said that the pitch-black poisonous fog they sprayed as they fled caused enormous damage to Aserian homes. So information control is not possible at all, and ugly rumors are spreading everywhere.”
“In the meantime, the second prince was kidnapped?”
“The surviving civilians say they heard the guards shouting. There are too many people giving the same testimony to say it was an illusion.”
It was absurd.
I should be happy that there was a problem in the empire, but I couldn’t figure out the reason at all, so my mind was confused.
‘They weren’t part of the empire?’
In many ways, the conflict in the union was clearly the result of the empire’s handiwork.
The enemies we faced on that front were clear.
But terrorism in Aserian?
“So what about the empire? How will the imperial family respond?”
“The imperial family has not officially acknowledged that fact. All they can say is a simple announcement that there was a terrorist attack by subversive elements in the imperial capital and that it has been suppressed.”
“Didn’t you say they ran away a little while ago?”
“Yes. That’s a bit strange. If you look at the empire’s normal policy, they should issue a wanted order all over the continent and track them down, but they’re not doing that. Maybe they only escaped from the ecliptic and it’s already been sorted out.”
well.
“Is there a neck hanging from the gate?”
“ah…!”
If they had really caught them, the empire would have cut off the leader’s head and hung him on the castle gate. But not doing so means that the enemy was so bad that it wasn’t even worth sacrificing one’s head for, or that they couldn’t catch him.
‘It’s probably the latter.’
At that moment, numerous thoughts came to Logan’s mind. But no matter how much I thought about it, the conclusion was the same.
‘thank god.’
After the War of the Alliance, Logan’s biggest concern was the wide-area berserker magic displayed by the Trian resistance.
Of course, restrictions were a great tactic.
The ridiculous condition of offering a superhuman as a sacrifice.
In addition, it was a method that could only be done after obtaining consent from the soldiers, either knowingly or unknowingly, and it had a fatal weakness in that it was ineffective if the core was broken.
However, even considering all its shortcomings, it was clear that it was a method that could turn the situation around in an instant.
‘I thought there would be no solution if the great army of the empire used such a method.’
Are they enemies with each other?
It can’t be better than that.
“There is an enemy inside the empire. This is an unexpected boon.”
“That’s right.”
However, there was one thing that bothered me.
‘Sacrifice. A magic circle activated by sacrifice.’
It was clearly the crazy Emperor Baros who led the terrible scene he saw at the end of his previous life.
Although there was a difference between a mountain of corpses and a single superhuman, it was difficult to think that there were two masters of a unique magic that could not be seen anywhere else.
However, this situation was too strange for the wizards, not the empire, to be the owners of the terrible magic circle that seemed to have caused his regression.
‘In a past life, we were on one side, but now we’re enemies? no no. ‘Is this really kidnapping?’
I had a hunch that there were probably more complex problems within the empire that only they knew about.
So again…
“…it’s a shame.”
“yes?”
“There is a problem at the heart of the empire, and it’s a shame that we can’t take advantage of this situation further.”
“….”
It is certain that the eyes of the imperial family are directed at the enemy within.
However, this did not mean that there was a major problem with the national power of that huge empire.
Moreover, even if I wanted to take advantage of this situation, I did not have the correct information.
then.
“I guess I should do whatever I can.”
“yes?”
“Infuse more support into the investigation into the prince’s kidnapping incident and the wizards who use the black snake symbol. Even if it involves conflict with the imperial family, bear with it to some extent.”
“…Yes, I understand.”
“Connect with Philip and thoroughly analyze the empire’s movements, especially the movements of the legions. The time is not far off.”
“yes.”
According to my previous life, it will be at most one and a half years from now.
The Eastern Union has secured the reins and internal arrangements have been completed.
So….
“Check the training status of all corps and vigilantes and continuously expand the troops and weapons of each corps to the limit of what the finances can support. Quietly so as not to spread rumors outside as much as possible.”
Logan declared full-scale preparations for war in a secret gathering of only his close associates.
Meanwhile, outside, this was being interpreted completely differently.
-Formation of a leading alliance with the Small Kingdom Alliance.
– Stabilization of internal affairs through absolute royal authority.
– National policy to lower taxes and encourage commerce.
That wasn’t all.
The vast farmland spread out around the royal territory and the Esperanza McLane estate promised unprecedented harvests.
“It’s a good harvest. It’s a good harvest!”
“Long live His Majesty the King! Long live his Majesty!”
“You are truly a God-send!”
The faces of most of the kingdom’s citizens were filled with smiles as harvest season approached.
And all of these circumstances combined to plant one thought in the minds of the people of McLane today.
– The prosperity of the McLane Kingdom has begun, surpassing the heyday of Grandia.
“It’s the Peaceful Family. It’s the Peaceful Family.”
“Isn’t this all thanks to His Majesty the King?”
“Okay then.”
“No, it’s something else. Aside from that, it’s a bit too much to say that the good harvest is thanks to Your Majesty…”
“What is that bastard?”
“Is that guy from the rebel army?”
“Catch him!”
“Oh no. I’m cancelling. I’m canceling! Long live your Majesty! Oh! I’m canceling!”
The kingdom’s citizens’ support for Logan was so passionate that sometimes those who expressed dissatisfaction with the king and the royal family were criticized.
Therefore, no one attached much significance to the fact that the five corps were continuously recruiting troops and that the notice was maintained.
That time when everything goes smoothly.
Logan was seeing a familiar face for the first time in a long time at the palace.
“older brother!!”
“Ronian!!”
The brothers, who met for the first time in several years, hugged each other with bright faces.
So many things have changed since Ronian disappeared to practice martial arts two years ago, but the way the brothers look at each other has remained the same.
“This guy. He’s really grown up now. When did he…”
Logan looked at his younger brother with emotional eyes.
I checked in with him over the phone a few months ago, but meeting him face to face was different.
I felt proud as my younger brother, who had been a little shorter than me before I left, had now grown taller and bigger and appeared before my eyes.
His height, which was nearly 2 meters, clearly resembled that of another person he was familiar with.
Just like the last time I saw you in my past life.
“You definitely look more like your father.”
“I only found out when I came back. I knew my body had grown, but I didn’t know it had grown this much.”
Was it surprising that his brother became smaller than him?
Ronian looked at his older brother with eyes full of emotion.
Then he quickly burst into laughter mixed with admiration.
“I thought I would have caught up with you by now, but you’ve gone far away again.”
Logan was equally amazed at his younger brother.
Just saying that meant reaching a level where one could gauge one’s own skills.
‘Intermediate Auror user. That’s also at a mature level.’
It was amazing.
“What on earth did you do in the Southern Mountains to become so strong? It’s amazing. It’s amazing.”
“It is you, my brother. I understand that you became king after going through all kinds of events. When did you start training like that?”
“It happened because I worked hard until I died when you weren’t around. I’m trying to survive, you bastard.”
“It’s the same for me too. I’ve been on the verge of death three or four times… haha.”
The brothers, who made similar noises, soon laughed and patted each other on the shoulders, when a voice mixed with laughter came between them.
“Isn’t it embarrassing when two brothers praise each other so much? Please think about other people too.”
“Ah, sister-in-law. I’m late to greet you.”
“Yes. It’s been a while, Ronian.”
Ronian saw Eilen smiling at his words and felt that the world had changed.
“In the past, she didn’t like being called sister-in-law…”
“That’s because I wanted to be treated as a knight rather than a fiancee.”
“Well, now that you’re queen…”
“Huh? I’m still a knight. I’m in charge of the female army. Didn’t you know?”
“Ah… Haha….”
Ronian’s gaze naturally returned to his older brother.
– She’s the queen? article? What does this mean?
Logan, who clearly understood the unspoken words contained in those eyes, could not help but smile bitterly.
“Because this person wants it and the situation is not very positive.”
If an outsider had heard this, it would have made them tilt their heads.
These were words unbecoming of a king who had taken away the military power of the nobles, held them in one hand, and had recently established a perfect friendly(?) relationship with the Union, which had been hostile to them for a long time, eliminating all internal and external troubles.
But Ronian understood what he said right away.
– An empire will invade the kingdom in the near future.
Logan’s words were already a fait accompli to those close to him.
“So again, I’m sorry, but you, Victor, this person, and Lord Bourdelle’s awakening will have to be kept secret for a while. At least until the war.”
So Ronian was able to understand his brother’s words.
“When we reported it, we thought it might be because there were no rumors immediately. We also guessed why. You don’t have to be sorry.”
“The youngest Auror user on the continent. Right now, you’re trying to hide the honor you deserve.”
Logan slightly turned his head with a bitter expression.
Both in his past life and in his current life, his name was on the honor his younger brother deserved.
As an older brother, couldn’t he be nicer to his younger brother? You can’t help but take away my reputation.
Even if it was for the sake of a great victory in the end, I couldn’t have felt good about it.
Luckily.
“Hahaha! It’s okay, brother. With something like that… I’m not a child anymore.”
My younger brother’s cheerful laugh relieved me of that feeling of regret a little.
Plus.
“So, brother, can you gather all the Auror users in the kingdom?”
“Hmm. ?”
“Advanced swordsmanship, Galaxy Sword, so I would like to share the Galaxy Sword with the Auror users of the kingdom.”
Ronian said something unexpected and unconventional.
