Chapter. 14. One Empire, Three Legends (9)
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Although it is steeped in the colors of the empire, Haunuman is a city that reveres the traditions of the steppes and the great warrior Khun Tagiz.
Therefore, tribes that produced excellent warriors were always given preferential treatment and respect, and because of this, the path taken by the best warriors of the tribe was always accompanied by colorful decorations and traditional music. The warrior’s honor becomes the tribe’s honor.
Naturally, such customs were also applied to the carriages of the arena warriors, and now that the second preliminary round was over and the junior boats were in full swing, it could be seen as the beginning of the Haunuman Fighting Competition attractions.
There is usually a place where Haunuman people gather around this time.
Spires were built throughout the city for defense during the bloody battle between Khun Tagiz and the Empire.
This place, which would normally be bustling with the excitement of arena gamblers, was unusually quiet today.
“What is that?…”
“If it’s a leather workshop line, it looks like a great warrior from the Tusk and Claws…”
People who have watched gladiator competitions over the past ten years have seen many magnificent or even flashy carriages thanks to the backers who openly show off their power. I’ve seen it.
Orc tribes came up sounding their unique war drums and war cries, goblins scattered daily necessities and silver coins, human nobles rode up on horses sounding their family flags and trumpets, and beastman grassland nomads came up decorated with their tribe’s traditional patterns and crafts. I brought the carriage up.
But there has never been a carriage so luxurious.
What war drum? Orc battle cry? Spray money?
This side came up with a 60-member church choir and the majestic brass instruments of the temple, ringing a metal bell that is unique to the Gwangmyeong Church and is said to clear the mind (sometimes there is nothing).
The colorful leather crafts and traditional clothing of the steppe tribes? Silver baptism?
The flames and smoke spewing out from the 12 stakes were nothing compared to the dazzling holy light that colored them with pure white light as if giving them substance.
By the time the visitors were so mesmerized by the majestic procession that all the carriages coming from other lines looked shabby.
“…Ki Kiik! player! Take the money! that! A white, shiny carriage! “Who are you!!”
The goblin who came to his senses first put down the sack he was carrying on his back on the goblin gambler’s sign, and even took off the accessories on his wrist, including the ring and necklace, and clung to them desperately.
The goblin from the Open Ribs tribe that owned the Central Colosseum answered while looking at the parchment with a puzzled expression.
“Ah, Professor Tuskclaw and Benard Fang! “The winners of the leather workshop line are two people!”
“Keeeh! I’m betting everything I have on the Professor and Team Benard Fang! Go home and get the rest! wait! wait!”
The goblin’s eyes turned red and he ran away after receiving the wooden plaque with the deposit amount and dividend written on it.
The people who had been lost seemed to come back to their senses and looked at the sacredly lit alley and the two people’s dividends alternately.
[Human Professor / Beastman Benard Fang: 9.42]
If it is 9.42, it belongs to a team with ridiculously high odds of winning.
There was no need to think about the reason. The stupid Tuskclaw tribe, who knew nothing but tradition, were a group that almost all gladiators avoided. Since no one would bet money on a great warrior from a small tribe that barely sends out the number of gladiators every year, the odds have skyrocketed.
Especially this year. The reason Tuskclaw was able to remain as part of Haunuman’s 8th tribe until now was because there was an outstanding warrior named Talon. In the match a year ago, Talon, an old orc warrior who had been fighting repeatedly without receiving treatment, finally passed away. . Thanks to this, the rumor that the tribe expelled from Haunuman this year was Tusk Claw was widely spread, and of course, that rumor also affected the betting. The Tuskclaw tribe was literally a sinking ship.
however.
What is this procession that is beyond grandeur and even sacred? Looking at the flags and uniforms, they appear to be priests of the Gwangmyeong Church. Why are the priests of Daejoint doing that? Why are the spectators who watched the leather workshop preliminaries not even paying attention to the huge procession, but are all running towards the speculative gambling hall, clutching small amounts of money and jewelry?
“wait for a sec. The Church of Gwangmyeong…. a human professor? Professor of Light… Bloody Bloody Saint? “The one who miraculously turns heretics into blood wherever he goes?”
“If it’s Benard Top, it’s somewhere… No. That can’t be possible. Absolutely not… Beastman Venard Fang… If that gladiator and the Blood Saint are a team…!”
“It makes sense. “I don’t know what they saw in the leather workshop preliminaries, but it makes sense that they found a pick that was so clear that they went crazy like that!”
Flash!
The people gathered in the spire’s watchtower looked at each other, and soon began rushing towards the gambler’s stall.
“2500 shillings for the Tuskclaw saint and gladiator!”
“cash! I said I would accept it in kind too! This is a gold bracelet blessed by Shan-Mua, the shaman of the Fallen Leaf Dew tribe! “It’s an heirloom that’s been passed down since my great-grandfather’s time!”
“Kiik! “Take my money first!”
“Grrrrr! Move over, little goblin! “I came first!”
While humans and goblins are competing to throw money.
Lucilla Aedran’s name written at the top of the bet amount was shining, and the goblin managing the gambling house was impressed by the name, which had already won amazing odds of 12.04 and 10.37 in the previous two games, saying that Gold Geyser was different.
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“Thank you for your hard work, brothers. “From now on, this is the path between me and my colleague, so let’s part ways for a moment.”
“It’s a shame that the preparations were made in such a hurry that it was disrespectful to attend the saint. “I hope that the great will of the light will come true.”
“Latura.”
“Ratura lo-haram.”
Arriving at the arena set up in the citizen’s residential district for the third preliminary round, the professor got off the carriage and exchanged greetings with the bishop. On the surface, it seemed like a normal conversation, but in reality, it was not.
“so. 』
『You can see that the current Haunuman governance structure is so intertwined that it is impossible to restore normalcy. In order to push back the imperial forces, most of the orcs entered into tacit cooperation, and the owner of the arena, Open Ribs, joined hands with people from the Vilderant Empire to expand their power. The only unaffiliated tribe is the Tuskclaw, who abhor political compromise. The saint made a really good choice.』
『I can’t believe that a bishop like you was here. Haram is the helper. It really helped me a lot.』
『Hehehehe. My existence could have been His preparation. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep today. Please contact us at any time if you need anything. If you break the ‘calling stick’ I gave you, a pillar of light that can be seen from anywhere in the city will rise. 80 Holy Knights will be waiting for a signal from the Holy Spirit.』
『Thank you. See you after the game then. Ratura.』
『Ratura Lo-Haram.』
『Oh, if you can, give my regards to Senadis.』
『Bishop Senadis. She is the most devoted sister among the shadows of light. I understand.』
The conversation with the bishop ended with the words coming out of my mouth and the words conveyed in my head overlapping.
It goes without saying, but I didn’t bring in the entire temple just because I felt bad about doing it.
This is an empire territory and a city where most of the citizens are of different races. Naturally, from the standpoint of the Gwangmyeong Church in the past, there would have been a lot of work to be done here in secret, and there was a high possibility that an organization directly under the Archbishop, commonly known as the ‘Shadow of the Church’, was active.
‘So I called the bishop and asked him secretly… I never would have guessed that the bishop himself was in the shadows.’
Thanks to this, we were able to talk comfortably for about an hour. The divine radiance obscured the holy light emanating from the bishop’s divine communication magic, and the smoke from the stake obscured the glances and close distances exchanged between the bishop and me from people.
Snap!
“Leader. Are you thinking about all that and preparing for it? Did you say it was cold or that you needed the gift of healing?
』 You’re rolling a snowball of thoughts like drawing a mind map. I need treatment. Can’t I go to the temple? Then let’s call a priest. Now that I think about it, there must be a shadow here. A bishop would understand. Ah, since it is a vassal state that is rebellious against the imperial rule, there must be many spies for the empire? You can cover it. Let’s quickly increase the size so that calling can be a definite stimulus. Well, this is how you grow by just thinking about it. It’s easy once you get used to it.』
『…If that kind of thing becomes a habit, I’ll have gone crazy a long time ago.』
While the bishop and priests were leaving and approaching the stadium entrance, I explained the situation using message magic, and Borka’s face was disgusted. did it
“so. I don’t know what the conclusion is.』
『I’ll explain it to you one by one.
first. The open rib goblin, the host of the fighting competition and the owner of the arena, joined hands with the Marquis of Wildeland. why? To push out competitors with the mighty power of the empire and make this barbaric city theirs.』
『Second. The Marquis of Wildeland is a piece of trash who makes and sells drugs. Even though it’s trash, drugs make money, and the narcotic plants grown in large quantities on that wide grassland cannot be easily sold, no matter how big a marquis is. It means that they have opened a line in the underworld and are trading on a regular basis. Okay?』
Borka nodded, taking out his gaiters and putting them on his shins.
“hmm. Right. Haunuman is a good city for criminals to hide in.』
『Next third. The Empire wants to absorb Haunuman. We worked hard to implement a policy of emigrating imperial citizens and other things, but it hasn’t worked out well so far. However, the Empire’s Marquis Vilderant won a fighting contest a few years ago and also won a duel with a representative of one of the eight tribes, so he took a spot? If we continue to increase our power in this way, Haunuman will be completely absorbed into the empire, and the grassland tribes who have lost their focus will either infiltrate or disperse into the empire, right? wow! One of the empire’s long-standing wishes will be resolved?』
『Uh….Captain? Suddenly moving from two to three, I understand…”
『Listen. fourth. In the fierce battle for the throne right now, what the princes and princesses desperately want is a notable achievement. Rather than crumbling achievements such as dealing with monsters on the border or punishing embezzlement and nobles, these are extra-large achievements that solve the empire’s long-cherished wish. Do you have a feeling now?』
『Uh…』
Borka expresses that this is not the case at all with just his facial expression. The frustrated professor squatted on the floor and began drawing on the dirt with his fingers. Amid the sound of thick fingers digging in the dirt, cheers that were twice as loud as the previous game and the host’s voice began to be heard.
[Rib Goblin (affiliated)-> Vilderant + Underworld (affiliated)-> [ Royal family in need of achievements]
『Conclusion. There is a movement by the royal family to finance the battle for the throne with black money from the underworld and to use Haunuman’s political situation to score big points in the battle for the throne. This means that this year’s fighting competition includes a big deal from the imperial family. The Vilderant moves the arena, and the Vilderant is a servant of a certain royal family.』 They are
barbarians and vassals, but the power of the Orc warriors is the real of the real. The power of the ax wielded with unique wildness and fighting spirit was proven by Kun Tagiz, who single-handedly blocked the combined attack of the Empire’s Swordsman and Guard Knights a long time ago. Because of Kun Tagiz, who spewed out red blood and cut down knights, the empire eventually gave up on conquest and chose to become an autonomous territory with only horses as vassals.
This was all I could figure out, but as information about the shadow side of the church came in, the rest of the puzzle was put together.
‘The Marquis of Wildeland is not a nobleman capable of capturing anyone’s heart. At least while I was working as a shadow for the church, there was no information that the Marquis family had hired a master-level knight as a vassal.’
‘Someone was caught having a secret meeting with the Marquis of Wildeland in the capital’s salon. The place where the attire went from the imperial palace to the 2nd prince’s palace was.
‘The prevailing opinion is that the 2nd prince is relatively inferior to the 13th prince and the 1st princess, but they say he is a very ambitious person. It is said that he has a violent temper and a tendency to abuse his subordinates… If a person like this were to become emperor, wouldn’t there be a lot of people who would be in trouble?’
Although he lacks ability, the second prince wants to take the throne, so he aims for a reversal.
It was an empire so vast and eventful that it was necessary to make a list of long-cherished wishes and compile a book, but the absorption of Haunuman, a humiliating vassal state that was virtually the same as defeating the empire, was an important agenda that even the emperor talked about several times.
A speculative contest held every year and the right to rule at stake.
The Church’s Shadow provided information, and it was the result of Hyde unfolding and organizing in his head the vast amount of data organized by the people in the chat room and Dana by comparing the situation with the situation of the Third World Empire.
Sorry, but I am a person who can digest collective intelligence in real time. This is easily possible if you compare it to the model you expected on your own.
『If you look at it this way, do you understand? The conclusion is that the aftermath of the bloody battle for the throne of the empire spread all the way to Haunuman in this borderland. We crashed head-on into the event of the 2nd Prince, who went all-in for just this.』 『
….The knight we met in the last game didn’t seem like such a great warrior.』
『There is a knight who made the Marquis de Villederant the winner. Is there a need to use the rest as advanced? You’ll probably meet it as you go up. From now on, I can’t just watch. If I were to meet a guy like that, I would probably have to be prepared to have about seven or eight of my arms and legs blown off and eaten
.” Then does it have any effect on what we have to do?’
Borka, who eventually gave up on understanding, asked the most important thing. He had no intention of losing this fighting contest. No matter how much the great powers of the empire drooled over the throne, it was no more important than his two lost children.
“effect? Yes. It’s not just about winning normally, it’s about making the loser cry like a girl while crawling away on all fours to the point where he or she loses everything. Especially if you’re a knight, you can’t even carry your face because rumors spread throughout the empire.』
『…Huh?』
『No, the 13th prince and 1st princess sent a letter to us, but the 2nd prince didn’t send a letter, right? It’s a bit disappointing that someone who is aiming for the presidency is being treated so poorly. If we mess this up so that he can’t even dare to become the emperor, won’t the other royal family look at us kindly? In the end, we also have to choose one of those three and receive confirmation of our response to the Mute invasion.』 “Hmm….
We completely destroy the imperial prince’s event….”
Isn’t it polite to take it with you? Wouldn’t you say it would be nice to get rid of a brother who was annoying you, other than fruit? There’s a lot more to gain than that. The meaning of the creation of an area with autonomy for the church in Haunuman, which is clearly a vassal of the empire. The enormous benefits that can be gained by protecting or yielding it. The expression of goodwill and firm support that will be gained by taking one side in a time of chaos. …”
Borka stopped shaking his head after hearing this far. I felt like the more I listened, the more I felt dizzy.
“That’s it. Just stop there. The boss is really… um. no. Don’t say anything. It means you can win anyway. That’s it.”
“Hehehe. Okay, that’s enough. “You just need to worry about winning well.”
Slam!
The body, still glowing with the effects of divine healing, was draped in exposed armor and covered with a brass helmet unique to gladiators.
[3rd ~ Preliminary match! A legendary beastman gladiator from the Tusk Claw tribe! A blood-crazed murderer who single-handedly slaughtered trolls and knights! Bloody ‘Benard Fang’! That colleague~ The bloody saint who makes a path with the blood of his religious enemies wherever he goes~ ‘Professor’!]
“Waaaaaaaaaa!!!!!”
“Hey! Legend! “I risked everything from my underwear to my wife!!”
“Ahhhhhh, I’m in tears seeing the saint’s dignified appearance!!!”
“Latura! Ratura! Ratura! Ratura!”
[Opposed to him~ the great warrior belonging to the three-fingered goblins~ the gray goblin with cloudy eyes, ‘Kakmanol’! His colleague~ A veteran who participated in as many as five fighting competitions and survived! Crocodile beastman mercenary ‘Jakelda’!]
“Wow!”
“Crush fake warriors like priests! “It’s Jakel!”
“Kiik! “Show me what goblin fighting is like, Cacmanol!”
Gladiators are revealed as the wooden doors on both sides rise. A goblin with a much sturdier build than an average goblin, wearing a cloak with lots of pockets, and a muscular crocodile beastman a head taller than me.
As both sides appeared and the atmosphere in the audience heated up, people’s attention naturally focused on one door that had not yet been opened.
[Some of you may have noticed – it doesn’t end here! Game 3! Another enemy prepared to represent the trials given to Kun Tagiz in order to be accepted as a warrior as a wanderer! You all know the biggest problem of the grassland tribe! Also called ‘Galvano’! Three prairie lions.~!]
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.
.
.
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“Waaaaaaah!!!!”
Three lions so large that the door was too narrow appeared from the third door that was finally opened with a roar that made the stadium scream. The lions with chains tied around their necks were drooling as they pulled on the chains until they made a creaking sound, as if they were very hungry.
“Grassland lion. He’s just a wild beast, closer to a monster. “This is the one who swallows a whole sheep and whose claws are harder than steel.”
“no wonder. I heard that the stadium is twice as big and has three doors. Did you add some environmental elements or something? “Fighting against that beast and the enemy?”
“…Just in case, I was telling you that among the drugs used in the arena, there was a drug that made wild beasts less alert.”
“I guess so. Look at that goblin bastard laughing. The Three Fingers were a goblin tribe known for usury and theft, right? They said he had a lot of money, and he had a hand in the content of the game. What should I do? “Shall we take care of the gladiator and let me clean the rest?”
“Um… no. I’d better go towards the lion. “If you fight like a goblin, as the audience said, the fight might end up being boring.”
“okay. Then I have two, you three.”
While the professor glared at the wolves and goblins and Borka watched the lion’s claws splitting the stone floor like tofu, the host held up a wooden plaque with the names of the four gladiators written on it.
“The format of the game is the same! Defeat all enemies and the last person standing wins! A battle that will be worthy of the great warrior Kun Tagiz’s eyes!”
Whick!
The moment when the wooden plaque announcing the start of the game splits the sky and the chains binding the lion are released.
The professor left Borka surrounded by house-sized lions and ran straight toward the circular wall outside the stadium.
As the third game progressed, the stadium was upgraded with stone walls instead of wood.
“hmm!”
The professor put his hand deep underneath and gave strength to his thighs and waist with a light cheer.
Clang-clack-clack-
“Uh, uh, that. “That…”
Considering that it was a fighter’s stadium, the wall of the amphitheater had a larger part buried in the ground than the exposed part. About a quarter of the broken circle was lifted by the immense force, casting an unexpected shadow on the stadium.
“It looks smooth and I liked it from the moment I came in.”
A crocodile beastman holding a large mace in both hands was gritting his teeth while a goblin gladiator was throwing daggers and various memorized weapons to the point where his hands were not visible.
The professor, who was enjoying the frozen atmosphere of the audience while receiving all the sharp daggers with his body, opened his mouth.
“Please tell me. “For religious believers will never escape the shadow.”
Kuuuuuu –
With an incongruously devout prayer, a huge stone wall struck the ground, cutting through the snow.
Kuaang!
“Hahaha! Ratura!”
Kwasik!
“Raturaaa! Surrender, you bastards! If you don’t surrender-”
Buwaaaaah!
“This sacred shade will eventually reach the top of your head! Wahahahahaha!!!”
Kung Kung Kwabuk Kwakjik Kung Kuung!
A huge stone wall divides the arena like a box of rice cakes, and two gladiators desperately fight against it.
“Woo wow!”
“It’s an earthquake, the ground is shaking!”
“The bleachers are collapsing!!!!”
The professor didn’t care and hit the stone wall, causing the wooden bleachers around the stadium to collapse and people starting to jump out like grasshoppers.
The opponent fought really well. The goblin moved nimbly and continued to fire off memorized moves, while the crocodile beastman swung two large maces and smashed the stone wall from above.
The moment when the goblin and the crocodile beastman were about to smile in triumph at the thought that the professor had overcome the terrifying onslaught by throwing down the wall that had become as short as a door under the falling stone dust.
Crash!
Couuuuu-
“No…. no! That method is not right! Didn’t they say that there is no way to escape sin except through repentance!!! again! Again!”
The remaining stone wall was pulled up once more, and once again a dark cloud was cast over the faces of the goblins and beastmen in the shadows that fell over their heads.
The three lions, known as the scourge of the plains, had already cut off the entrance they had entered with their claws and fled to the cage, trembling.
“Praise!”
Quaaaang!
Soon after, the arena, where all the spectators had fled, began to vibrate once again.
The host, who risked his life and remained on the podium, declared the victory of the professor and his group after the professor lifted the third stone wall and the crocodile beastman, who was swinging a crushed mace with his bursting hand, shouted surrender.
“Ratura Lo-Haram. I’m glad you gave up your position as a member of the church, even if it’s too late.”
“….Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm. Thank you….”
“If I had held on any longer I would have really become a blood clot. Hahahaha.”
“…Hao. Cough! Cough!”
‘Someone like a psycho.’
‘Kiik! Crazy human!’
‘What on earth was Gwangmyeong thinking with such a person…’
Seeing the professor praying with a bright face as if he was relieved, all of the crocodile beast goblin hosts present had similar thoughts.
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