158 On top of a galloping horse, Logan tried to calm his pounding heart.
It was not because of the excitement left behind by the aftereffects of the war.
‘I have passed the biggest hurdle.’
It was only now that I finally realized that I had crossed a big mountain that had felt so daunting right after I returned.
Now that he had survived the fierce war, the 100 or so knights and 1,000 crossbow cavalry that were following him were a force he could not have dared to meet three and a half years ago.
In addition, future superhumans, including his younger brother and Victor Eilen, who were riding right behind him, were all safe.
More than anything.
Ugh.
‘me too…!’
The state beyond the wall that I saw while defeating the Duke of Jordan, the state beyond human limitations that I had only vaguely felt before, felt as if it was within my grasp.
An achievement I could never have imagined in my previous life.
The talent I acquired without even realizing it during my regression added a ray of light to my otherwise bleak future.
‘you can do it!’
According to my memories from my past life, the war with the empire will take place in 6 to 7 years. It was enough power to draw up a rough sketch for it.
And for that too.
‘What’s in the capital now needs to be definitely sorted out.’
Logan continued to yell at the back, trying to suppress his heaving chest.
“A little more! Just a little faster!”
Of course, that desperate determination was not fully conveyed.
“Why would you do that?”
“Do you know me? Concentrate. It’s dangerous! Don’t fall asleep!”
“If you doze off for a moment, you’ll fall down! Be careful!”
Even before they could feel the relief that the war was over, the knights under McLane rode steadily forward.
There was no way that fatigue from the battlefield could be relieved with only short breaks and hourly naps.
Because of this, the fatigued knights were getting darker under their eyes, and the crossbow cavalry following them were already running with their eyes half closed, even though they were much lighter armed.
It’s amazing that no one falls behind in this race.
McLane’s unstoppable run came to a halt the next day when he reached the field where the walls of the capital, Grand, began to come into view.
Heehee!
“What army?”
“What are those?”
“There are a lot of them?!”
It’s still a long way away, with Grand’s majestic castle walls visible in the distance.
However, I could not just ignore the army of over 5,000 people lined up in front of me and pass by.
When the elites of McLane were whispering with stern faces.
“It’s our friend! Don’t be nervous and approach slowly!”
With his superhuman vision, Logan smiled as he saw a colorful flower pattern on the flag of the most advanced group among them.
‘I thought it would take a few more weeks. ‘You worked hard.’
“Welcome, ‘son-in-law.’ I heard the news of your victory. I tried my best, but in the end, I ended up being a welcoming crowd instead of reinforcements. You’re being disgraceful.”
“No, ‘father-in-law.’ Thank you for coming to meet me like this.”
The two people get off the horse and hug each other warmly.
Eilen’s face turned slightly red, but that simple act was enough for the surrounding nobles to once again confirm the solidarity between McLane and the Floyd family.
“No, no. I couldn’t even help with a big problem, so what?”
“No, just the troops you have gathered will be of great help.”
“Hmm? Come now…?”
“Yes. Can I take command? I need to clear out the remnants of the faction remaining in the capital.”
“Ah…! Of course, of course.”
At that moment, McLane’s forces entering the capital tripled in size.
Even the Royal Knights, who were blocking the influx of refugees, could not block the entry of a large army of nearly 7,000.
Or, more accurately, the head of the Royal Knights personally came out and expressed their welcome.
“Welcome to the capital, Prince McLane!”
“This is Logan, Captain. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Ah! Hahaha. I apologize for my ignorance. Prince Logan, the 3rd Prince, is waiting for you. Shall I take you straight to His Excellency the Sword Duke’s mansion?”
Logan’s expression was slightly distorted as he looked at the middle-aged man with an extremely low posture.
The level I felt was appropriate for the position of leader of the highest level royal knights.
Logan’s evaluation had already hit rock bottom.
‘Only after the next king is decided does he come out and join the core forces? Count Francisco Romero’s status is a waste.’
However, Logan, who did not show it, asked the commander of the Royal Knights, who was in charge of security for the royal family and Grand, for understanding about what he wanted to do.
“First of all, before I see His Highness Rogers, I would like to search for any remnants of ‘traitors’ who may remain. Could you please cooperate?”
“Huh? The remnants? That’s right… Yes, of course I have to do it.”
Although his eyes momentarily wavered, the leader still bent his back flexibly.
“But when did His Excellency Geomgong…?”
“When this is over, he will come on time. You don’t have to worry about it.”
This was permitted by the swordsman. Follow.
Director Francisco could not bear to ask any more questions about those words with such an implicit meaning.
However, within a few hours he came to regret not having been able to stop Logan at that time.
“Bring out all the humans inside and arrest them. I will gather them all together and judge them myself.”
This was what Logan added after ordering a surprise search of the mansions of the Dukes of Waltermaim and Douglas, as well as the private properties of the existing margraves.
This means that, except for the two captured marquis, all the leaders of the factions will be erased so that not even a trace remains.
The complexions of the nobles watching turned white at that radical declaration.
Children of high-ranking nobles often stayed in mansions in the capital rather than at their own estates in the countryside.
Logan’s words meant that he would root out the forces that were hostile to him.
But there could be no backlash.
These are words spoken by the actual leader of the McLane family who led the war to victory.
And among the nobles remaining in the capital, the highest ranking nobles were all cooperating with him.
“The royal knights will guide you to the location! Grab them all! If they resist, you can kill them on the spot!”
Logan’s command was a statement that made everyone watching feel that a new era had arrived.
* * * A world where magical communication is advanced.
Since Logan arrived at Grand three days after the victory and defeat of the war was announced, common sense would have it that all of the margrave’s immediate descendants who led the faction had already fled.
At least that’s what Logan thought.
Nevertheless, if you ask why they did something like this…
‘It’s a symbol that resistance will not be tolerated in the future.’ I just needed that example…’
The result was different from what I expected.
“Let go! Let go! These guys know who I am!”
What on earth? You’re a fucking idiot who can’t even understand the situation.
Starting with a fat man wearing a pattern symbolizing the Douglas Duke family with crossed swords.
“Can’t you let this go? You bastard!! I am Laurent Waltermaim! I am the third grandson of Duke Waltermaim of Jordan!”
There was even a simpleton who shouted while holding up the shield symbolizing the Walther Mime family, which had a roaring lion engraved on it.
As I watched the parade of idiots, unable to understand why they stayed in the capital instead of running away, I could only laugh.
‘Do they have some common sense that I don’t know about, or are they really under the illusion that they won’t die?’
It’s to the point where I’m not even sure if I’m a fool or if those guys are fools.
Of course, not all of the direct descendants remained, but it was surprising that there were one or two such idiots in a prosperous, highest-ranking noble family.
Strangely, the only families that did not have any direct descendants left in the mansion were the Counts of Talos and Counts of Wolves, who were presumed to have run away after no trace of their lords was found during the Battle of Macraine.
‘Rina… Well, I thought there was no way that fox would still be left.’
Why is it a bit disappointing?
Logan quickly shook off all useless thoughts and looked at the hundreds of people gathered in the front yard of the royal palace.
Based on the person who was caught early, half a day has already passed.
The prisoners(?), who had slowly grasped the atmosphere, were paying attention to Logan’s every move.
The violence poured out from the soldiers and knights who surrounded them was enough to make even the relatively insensitive nobles tremble.
‘I told them to cross-verify and eliminate simple employees, so they are all direct lineages, collaterals, or vassals…’
Logan stood up, receiving the attention of hundreds or even thousands of people, including soldiers.
Then, perhaps sensing an unusual atmosphere, various voices poured in from all over.
“Please save my life, Confucius!”
One who ejaculates.
“What are you trying to do now?!”
The one who argues.
“No noble has the right to take the life of another noble!”
A person who talks nonsense.
“You bastard! Can’t you release me right now? I’m the one…”
…just a double body.
Logan, who was looking down at the various groups of people, calmly said one thing.
“Kill them all.”
The words were so dry that even the knights who had heard the story in advance flinched.
However, although there were some gaps, the words were eventually implemented without a hitch.
“Aaaahhh!”
After the last fat man’s scream, the front yard of the palace fell into silence.
Of course, the corpses lying on the sea of blood were silent, and the people who created them also had a rather stern expression on their faces, unable to open their mouths.
Logan calmly turned his head.
“Have you finished checking?”
“Yes. There is not a single trace of traitor blood left within Grand.”
“Okay. Then let’s go to the palace next.”
“Yes. … Yes?”
A declaration that made even Viktor, whose expression had not changed much despite this massacre, widen his eyes and question himself.
‘…no way?’
When the same question appeared in the minds of everyone watching.
“The children of the 1st and 2nd princes. And the civil servants from the old faction who are crouching in the palace as shields. Capture them all and bring them to Daejeon.”
A shocking command fell from Logan’s mouth.
A lower peak that never existed in the history of Grandia.
Assassination of the royal family by the ruling nobility.
Even the knights who heard the order are unable to move.
“I’ll take care of the rest! Bring everything with you!”
Logan gave the command again with an abstract force.
The knights, who hesitated for a moment, ran towards the royal palace with stern expressions.
“Hey, son-in-law. Are you sure this is okay? Is it true that you really discussed it with His Excellency the Duke of Swords?”
Roberts Floyd, representing the nobles who were white with shock, asked cautiously.
“It is necessary. I take full responsibility.”
Logan’s attitude was nothing but stern.
‘You’re really committing it.’
‘No matter what, the royal family…’
‘I have to take care of myself so as not to offend them.’
The nobles, whose faces turned white and blue in fear, looked at Logan’s eyes and took a step further away.
Logan, who saw that, smiled and headed to the main hall of the palace.
‘Maybe I was just in a hurry to sort out the bloodlines of the margraves.’
This was the reason why I ran so hard, even committing the rudeness of leaving my teacher to clean up the battlefield.
‘Three Princes. All royal blood that is not related to Rogers von Grandia disappears today.’
As the work that needed to be done to prepare for the future transformation of the kingdom was enormous, I did not intend to leave behind a single person that might become an obstacle.
Today, the royal family will be cleansed, and the outside royals who were lucky enough to escape this corruption will deny that bloodline to themselves.
Unless you want to get caught and die.
‘And then naturally…’
Bang!
The door to the main hall of the palace opened roughly, and the gorgeous throne placed at the head of the palace came into view.
‘Even the king will not be able to ignore my words. Never!’
Complicated thoughts appeared on Logan’s face as he looked at the throne.
‘Preparations to stop the empire start from there.’
If it’s for that, he will do anything.
In order not to lose sight of the glimmer of hope that was finally achieved after overcoming the great crisis of the civil war.