# 421
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421
What Area and Elaga would do was lightly buried with the word secret.
She refused to give Helmut an explanation and that was the end of it.
Elaga seemed to have been moved by Area’s suggestion and nodded willingly without even listening.
[Good.]
Helmut had to prepare for the battle with the temple without expecting help from Area and Elaga.
It was close to the ideal battle structure he had in mind, but it was somehow lonely.
“Hmm, will it be okay?”
The only thing that comforted Helmut even a little was Sian’s anxious face.
Unlike Helmut, he was not skilled enough to protect himself from the temple army in a situation where neither Area nor Elaga were present.
However, he is a wizard hired by Helmut. As long as I was receiving a salary, I couldn’t say I didn’t know like Areaa.
“At this point, I hope the Earth Spirit chooses me.”
My mother is still correcting it, so I’ll have to wait a while longer for that to happen. If there is an earth spirit, what is there to be afraid of?
He felt like an insignificant wizard, even though he was the deputy head of the magic department at Greta Academy.
‘If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just sell the green cana.’
Sian soothed her anxiety with that.
*
Veneta also noticed the movement of the temple and sent Talon.
Talon even planned what to do if the temple opened the gate and advanced to Latona, so that the relief army could reach it before it fell.
He was skeptical about the assumption that Rinosa, including Helmut, could win against the temple’s army with only its might.
It was unclear how much power would be sent from the temple, but the current situation was unusual.
“But we still have to get through one day. “There is a high possibility that the temple will block the magical flow of areas close to Latona with holy relics or holy magic.”
Once the temple invasion is detected, the Wizards’ Association will open the gate and move Veneta’s reinforcements to Rinosa.
The Empire will arrive a little faster, and Basor will have similar speed to Veneta.
First of all, those three countries were the only ones that could quickly dispatch elite soldiers in large numbers to help.
“They say there is a grudge against the Temple of Basorya, but Veneta won’t give help without compensation.”
“Veneta wants riches.”
After hearing the amount, Helmut quickly shook his head.
“Then we don’t need Beneta’s help.”
They were going to dispatch it and then rip it off. Helmut, who thought it was a good idea to ask in advance, felt uncomfortable.
Linosa’s property was his property.
The King of Veneta will not be able to relax as he ascended to the throne through a civil war and was also torn apart by Green Cana.
It seemed like they were trying to make money through this war, but the amount was a bit excessive.
“You will regret it.”
“There is the Empire and Basor, and there is Veneta, but there is Manage. “It is enough to stand on the side of public opinion criticizing other countries and temples.”
“I convey it that way. “I have some useful information for Black Hawk about the temple.”
“Show it to Alonso or Charlotte and make a deal.”
Helmut decided to take it easy and pass on the parts he didn’t know much about.
If you do it wrong, you could end up getting ripped off.
“yes.”
Watching him retreat, Helmut realized one thing. Talon’s tone had suddenly changed to engineering.
He was treating Helmut as the archduke of Linosa.
It was a truly tangible change.
Past relationships I had encountered as the unknown Helmut passed through my mind.
Helmut’s life began again in Linosa.
He had to protect this. his new home.
*
For the first time, the Grand Duke of Linosa calmly accepted the possibility that Latona might fall.
“A monarch must assume the worst case scenario. “I have made up my mind from the moment I decided to accept you.”
The temple cannot destroy Rinosa anyway.
The Grand Duchy of Linosa is a lineage of the imperial family, and the Temple is a religious group that does not directly occupy and rule the country.
The only thing they can destroy is Prince Linosa and his successor, who made the wrong choice and appointed a successor tainted with the seeds of evil.
Since the Grand Duchess of Linosa was friendly to the temple, she might be appointed to rule Linosa.
In that case, Linosa’s successor will again be Michael.
Perhaps the reason Grand Duke Linosa kept his distance from the Grand Duchess was because he had that eventuality in mind.
Although the Grand Duchess made mistakes, she is also a member of the Grand Duchess of Linosa.
She must have also tried to accept the differences between the Archduke and herself regarding the Helmut incident.
Helmut suddenly had a question.
Could it be that the archduke did not think of the worst assumption that the temple would skip the empire and advance straight to Rinosa?
No, he chose it nonetheless. As Prince Rinosa, he even risked the worst possible situation of losing everything.
The Archduke’s expression, so calm despite the lightning strike, spoke volumes about him.
In his realization, Helmut gazed intently at the archduke’s rock-solid face.
‘I see… I think I understand.’
Although he did not apologize to Helmut or ask for forgiveness…
the Archduke simply surrendered everything. Even while getting Rinosa caught up in a whirlpool.
Could it be that this is just repayment of favor and for Renosa’s honor?
The enemy was strong and the risk was too great to say that he was a worthy successor as Grand Duke of Rinosa.
Your true intentions are revealed through actions, not words.
The Archduke held back his words and sometimes acted as if he was testing Helmut, but his actions at a critical moment revealed his hidden intentions.
He said that he chose Helmut because he was a suitable successor for Linosa, but it was the human heart that determined that choice.
Remorse and conscience that cannot be pinpointed as denial. And… the desire to be right.
It resembled what Helmut had glimpsed in Charlotte’s straight eyes.
They were truly father and daughter.
“Is there a reason why I have enough weight to tip your scales?”
However, the most important thing is that choosing Helmut is meaningful only if Linosa can survive. Even if you lose, there is no such thing as choosing. That was not Rinosa’s way or the prosecutor’s way.
Helmut knew his strength. However, Grand Duke Rinosa may not be as certain.
A faint smile appeared on the archduke’s lips.
“You are a simple prosecutor, but you calculate instinctively. As befits Rinosa’s lineage. Know how to estimate your position and consider your chances of victory. That’s why you hid your identity four years ago.”
Helmut’s eyebrows moved upward at the words of the Archduke, who brought up his inner thoughts four years ago.
The Archduke’s eyes were filled with confidence.
“I don’t think you would have come back if you thought you were going to lose.”
Four years ago, Helmut had no confidence in winning against the temple.
That’s why I shouldn’t have let Rinosa get caught up in the phone calls.
So I chose to hide my identity.
What occupied him at the time was the obsession to become strong.
Since he was like that, it was expected that since he decided to fight and showed up, he would have confidence and grounds for victory.
That’s Helmut’s intuition about the person he is.
Looking into people is also a quality of a monarch.
The Archduke added softly.
“The name of the Sword Saint is comparable to that of a temple.”
A faint smile appeared on Helmut’s lips.
“You are expecting too much from me.”
“If you win, you will take everything from Rinosa.”
“If you lose, you lose everything.”
“So I will fight with all my might. You made the miracle of escaping from the forest of digging come true. Twice. Doesn’t that mean you are closer to what they mean by lumen? Although they may not want to admit it.”
What confines the Forest of Pahe is a barrier containing Lumen’s will.
“It’s been a while since I picked up a sword.”
The Archduke frowned and looked out the window beyond.
As if the army of the temple was coming.
Helmut, seeing his determination, bowed and left the room.
Doesn’t the Archduke think that Rinosa’s destruction is Helmut’s revenge?
It didn’t matter where that belief came from. Helmut’s sword was now heading towards the temple.
*
It was unexpected that Michael came to see him.
Helmut accepted Michael’s visit because he had plans to have a conversation with him.
As soon as I entered Helmut’s office, he suddenly asked a question.
“What are you going to do?”
Michael was lying in bed, pondering without reflection what he had pursued his whole life and what he had lost due to Helmut.
However, his face was shiny, which belied that he had been lying down sick.
Although he was tired of pretending to be innocent, his venom was clearly visible.
Helmut answered with a rebuttal.
“you? “If Linosa falls, they will put you on the throne.”
Even though it is a temple, it is not possible to elevate someone who is not of Rinosa’s bloodline to the throne.
It was not in vain that they and Michael had formed a close relationship with the temple by punishing Linosa in the name of Lumen and holding the highest position.
The temple had the power to put him back where he wanted to be.
Now, isn’t there a justification?
From their perspective, it was easy to find justification since the Archduke, who was deluded by magic, deprived Michael of his intended successor position.
Michael snorted and asked.
“Are you going to let me live even though you know that if you lose, I will be crowned Archduke?”
Michael didn’t seem to have forgotten what Helmut had done to him.
“It looks like you have a passion for life. “If I see you feel like making a move.”
Rather, it seemed more like he was holding a grudge because he had something to pay back.
Even as he looked at Helmut with venomous eyes, Michael made his intentions clear.
“The temple was just a tool for me. They shouldn’t try to stand on top of my head. “It would be impossible to give up Linosa.”
I don’t want to sit in a position that is nothing but a shell. It’s only meaningful if you own it.
Helmut felt ‘Rinosa-like’ for the first time in Michael’s honesty.
Anyway, Michael is in a position where he has to prove his usefulness to Helmut.
Helmut pointed out softly.
“If I step forward and you fall, it will be a nuisance rather than a help.”
“You don’t have to worry about me, since your bug seems to be quite healthy.”
Michael frowned and looked down at his chest as if he didn’t like it.
When the host dies, the parasite also dies. It seems that the bug has the effect of strengthening its host.
Since my body is naturally weak, there may be limitations.
Ironically, in exchange for having his life controlled, Michael gained health slightly below that of an ordinary person.
By his standards, there was quite a bit gained compared to what was lost.
‘He’s a lucky guy.’
Helmut nodded, hoping that that luck would work in this war as well.
“Then let’s go see Charlotte.”
The two siblings will put their heads together and work hard to protect Rinosa.
