Chapter 318: Alliance (10)

‘What are they talking about?’

Manus Fon Persion, Peid Neil, Aerea Britz and others looked at Roan Lancephil and Marino Pelburn with frowns. Both the strange flow of conversation as well as them being surprised by words they couldn’t understand were difficult to comprehend why.

It was then when Marino faced Manus, Peid and Aerea with a bitter smile.

“In fact, I have a sworn brother who I studied with under the same teacher. That guy was an acquaintance of His Majesty Lancephil, you see.”

“Ah... human relationships are interesting aren’t they?”

Aerea nodded her head with surprise but on the other hand, Manus and Peid frowned without giving an immediate response. It was because Roan’s mood didn’t seem to be a positive one.

“May I ask the name of your brother?”

Peid asked politely to which Marino replied after a short sigh.

“It’s Clay.”

As soon as his words left his mouth.

“Hmm.”

“That...”

Mutters left Manus and Peid’s lips. Likewise, the nobles that were closer to the throne couldn’t hide the astonishment on their faces. However, Aerea who was rowdy just then was still the same and made a fuss.

“Clay? Clay? That Clay who was originally a subordinate of His Majesty Lancephil that backstabbed and founded the North Rinse Kingdom? That person who never realised his own standing and rushed in before ultimately burning to ashes in the hands of His Majesty Lancephil? The start of a trage...”

Her words continued nonstop and in the end, Peid had to interject.

“Miss Aerea.”

He signalled with a frown and only then did Aerea realise her mistake. She immediately closed her mouth but the atmosphere within the room was already stiffened like ice. After a glance around the room seeing the expressions of various people, Roan whispered with a soft tone.

“It seems that it would be better for us to move.”

Hearing that, let alone Manus and Peid, even Aerea who was sealing her lips with her hands gave nods.

“Let me guide you to my personal drawing room.”

Manus walked a step before everyone else. When he did, Duke Pseiad Cetale who was standing off to the side waved his hands in startlement.

“Y, Your Majesty. We should at least have a coronation ceremony, or even a simple ceremony.”

When those words reached his ears, Manus halted his feet and glanced at Pseiad and other nobles within the throne room.

“There is no need for a coronation ceremony. I am already the monarch of Persion. What we need right now isn’t coronation...”

His voice was heavy and powerful.

“We need a preparation for the war.”

A sharp, intense force stormed through the room.

“Ah...”

Some of the nobles let out a small murmur. They were fully immersed in the aura and charm unique to Manus that could grab others’ hearts.

‘This person is our monarch.’

Pseiad standing at the front bowed his head with a faint smile. Although his eyes were filled with the pride and joy towards the new monarch, there was a mix of regret and sorrow towards the previous monarch.

‘Your Majesty, our previous king. Now, there is no need for you to worry about our kingdom.’

Thinking of Aived Fon Persion who would’ve already left the Capital City of Altus, Pseiad closed his eyes.

‘Now, I hope you do whatever you please.’

His desperate wish was carried by the wind, out the palace. In the midst of that, Roan’s group followed Manus and after leaving the throne room, they arrived at a humble yet tidy drawing room.

“Please sit here.”

Manus yielded the highest seat to Roan. Roan tried to refuse but after seeing that others had already taken their respective seats, he had no choice but to sit there. Then, Roan stared at Marino with a faint smile.

“Do you know everything about my relationship with Clay as well as the things that had happened between us?”

A low voice seeped out of his lips and Marino nodded with a calm expression.

“Of course. Your Majesty’s fame and chronicles are so incredible that it even reached the ears of someone like me living in an isolated corner.”

Hearing that, Roan stood up from his seat and bent his back.

“I’m sorry.”

It was an honest apology to which Marino asked back with a smile.

“Who’s the one giving this apology?”

Roan raised his head and stared deeply into Marino’s eyes.

“It is an apology given by a human called Roan Lancephil.”

In response, Marino slowly nodded his head.

“I see. Then in other words...?”

He intentionally slurred the end of his sentence and Roan continued his words.

“I can’t apologise as a monarch.”

In that instant, the temperature within the drawing room seemed to have decreased by a huge margin. However, from Roan’s perspective, it was an attitude that had to be and must be taken.

‘Apologising as a monarch is a betrayal towards the ones that fought for me and the Amaranth Kingdom with their lives on the line.’

Manus, Peid and Aerea all stared at Marino with a slightly tense expression. With a calm expression, Marino heaved out a deep breath. Silence befell the room for a moment but Marino broke it before long.

“A bad bastard...”

“Hup!”

Hearing the words that were suddenly uttered by him, Manus, Peid and Aerea widened their eyes in shock. They had never expected Marino to say something so direct right in front of Roan. It was then that Marino continued his words while staring at Roan and the other three.

“Clay that bastard. He really is a bad guy. Dying before his brother...”

“Ah...”

Manus let out a low mutter because he realised that the ‘bad bastard’ Marino was talking about was Clay and not Roan.

“Your Majesty Lancephil.”

Staring at Roan, Marino made a faint smile.

“I have received Your Majesty’s apology but I was not looking to receive one in fact.”

His voice was steady.

“The world is in chaos right now.”

The two eyes flickered with light.

“The friends of yesterday become the foe today and the foe today becomes the friend of tomorrow – that is the state the world is currently in. Clay selected the path of becoming Your Majesty’s enemy himself and the result was but a consequence of his decision. It is no-one’s fault and in fact, if we had to blame someone, it would be Clay’s fault for having lacking discerning abilities.”

Roan made a bitter smile in response.

“However, that does not change the fact that I killed a sworn brother of Duke Pelburn.”

“That is the case but...”

Marino shrugged his shoulders with a bright smile.

“If Clay won the war for the throne and had unified the kingdom, what would’ve happened then on? Would he have given me, the brother, some great position or allied himself with our Rite Kingdom?”

He then slowly shook his head.

“That guy would’ve moved with profit and gain as his only goals. If I, his brother was deemed to be an obstacle of his march, he would’ve cut my neck off without hesitation.”

Then, he stared at Roan, Manus, Peid and Aerea in an order.

“That’s what it’s like to be sworn brothers during turbulent times. It is a very shallow relationship. Ah, that’s not it...”

Waving his hand, he continued yet again.

“That was how our brother relationship was. In the first place, our personalities and thoughts were leagues apart. Ah! Now that I think about it...”

Marino once again waved his hand.

“Clay was the only problem. Brother Crew and I were quite the buddies actually.”

His words fell like a waterfall and it was evident that Marino was a very talkative person. Roan, Manus and others kept on nodding their heads with awkward smiles and before long, Marino noticed the mood and let out an empty cough.

“Hmm! Hm! In any case, what I’m saying is that I have nothing against Your Majesty Lancephil. Besides, I’m not free enough to even think about things like that.”

Roan nodded his head with a faint smile. Since Marino had stated it in a clearcut manner, Roan wasn’t planning on bringing up Clay’s topic again.

It was then,

“When you say you’re not free enough, is it because of the Dark Regiments?“

Peid changed the topic of the conversation in a timely manner and Marino nodded with a smile.

“That’s right. Currently, the Rite Kingdom and the Dark Regiments are undergoing intense battles.”

Hearing that, Manus made a slight frown.

“On the Rite Kingdom’s side, the Dark Regiments seem to have taken on a frontal approach.”

“Yes. At the start, they came and went in a dreamlike manner but starting from around a month ago, they showed themselves without holding back.”

When Marino shook his head faintly, Manus made a smile as if to cheer him up.

“At least there shouldn’t be any major problems because the Rite Kingdom’s cavalries are so remarkable.”

The rumour that their cavalries were very impressive was one of the few news that reached them through the borders. However,

“Sorry?”

Marino tilted his head with a slight frown.

“How would the cavalries help?”

And he continued with a confused expression.

“The Dark Regiments...”

His voice was powerful and rigid.

“Are pirates aren’t they?”

***

Inside a fancy room was a large circular table. Around it sat people wearing clothes of all sorts and colours as they carried a fiery debate.

“Now is a great opportunity. This is our chance to unfold our true plans.”

“That’s right. How long are we going to be living under persecution and oppression? We must stand and fight back.”

“This time, even the Church won’t find it easy.”

“Roan Lancephil of the Amaranth is a man called the God of War. He won’t falter easily.”

Various people raised their voices and their faces were reddened evidently from excitement. Within their eyes were faint lights of hope. However, the others that had been staying silent shook their heads with stiff expressions.

“Even if he’s called a God of War, he’s nothing but one human. It is probably better for you to have lower expectations.”

“Even Roan Lancephil will have it tough against the crusaders.”

“Two empires and five kingdoms will be attacking the Amaranth. This is a fight that can never be won.”

“If we hesitate for no reason, even our Aimas Union might be attacked as a result.”

It was evident that they were anxious judging from their voices.

In total, there were eleven male and female sitting around the round table and were the leaders of eleven republic countries making up the Aimas Union. Because of the holy letter regarding the gathering of the crusaders, the eleven leaders had started a conference which had been lasting for the past few days.

There didn’t seem to be any progress. According to the personal thoughts and the standings of their nations, the representatives of each republic either stood on the side of attacking the Amaranth with the Church, or fighting against the Church alongside the Amaranth.

It was then that the oldest out of the leaders, Richert Karin stood up with the support of the table.

“This isn’t going to work. At this rate, it seems impossible for us to come to a unified decision. Let’s decide by majority.”

“Hmm... but the original regulations of our conference debates are based around unanimous decisions...”

One of the Resisting Faction’s General Nathan Williams clicked his tongue with dissatisfaction. However, one of the Warring Faction’s General Brown Westler scoffed with a cold expression.

“If we just waste our time like this, it ultimately appears like we are not adhering to the gathering of the crusaders, We can’t let it go the way you want.”

The leaders of the Warring factions nodded their heads in agreement. In the end, the gazes of various leaders including Richert gathered at one place where a middle-aged man in a brown costume was sitting. Richert represented everyone else and relayed his point politely.

“Let’s go with the majority vote. Sir General Freeman Pares.”

The middle-aged man in brown clothes was the head of the conference as well as the Grand General of Aimas Union, Freeman Pares. At the same time, he was the General of Pares Union. His sharp gaze flickered as the brown eyeballs within moved hastily.

“Huu.”

Heaving out a deep sigh, Freeman nodded with an expression that seemed to say he had no other choice.

“Good. Let’s go with a majority vote.”

He placed his hands on the table and stood up from his seat. On the other hand, Richert took a deep breath in and stayed down on his seat.

“The Generals agreeing to the Church’s request of taking part in the crusaders and attacking the Amaranth Kingdom, please raise the blue cards and the ones in disapproval please raise the red cards.”

His calm voice resonated throughout the room. After glancing around at others, the leaders of each nations soon raised a card each. Excluding Freeman, the ten other representatives quickly glanced around.

“Hmm.”

“This...”

Before Freeman even had the time to count the votes, low mutters escaped the lips of various representatives. They all seemed tense but it was natural.

“The ten generals have been separated into 5 people in agreement and 5 in disagreement.”

Although they had been aware of the intensity of each party, they hadn’t been expecting this much of a close result. Soon, the eyes of the generals gathered at Freeman because the one remaining vote of Freeman would decide the path the Aimas Union would take.

The expressions of the Resisting Faction leaders turned bright.

‘Grand General Freeman detests the Church more than anyone else.’

‘The Pares Republic is the holy land of the Tallian Church.’

‘If it’s him, he would definitely stand on the Amaranth Kingdom’s side.’

On the other hand, the Warring Faction leaders’ expressions turned bitter. They even lowered their heads after foreseeing their loss in this debate.

“Although I was hoping such a situation wouldn’t come...”

Freeman made a bitter smile.

“It would be decided with my vote. My choice is...”

His hand reached out towards a card.

Shrk.

One of the cards was raised up before his face and in that instant,

“Ah...”

“Ah!”

The leaders of both the Warring and the Resisting Factions let out mutters of different tones.

“W, why...?”

Nathan who was pretty much the representative of the Resisiting Faction stuttered his words with surprise. Then, Freeman let out a short sigh with a pained expression before slowly opening his lips.

“We are still not ready to fight against the Church. I cannot force the citizens of our Union into the land of no return.”

His decision was the most logical and rational one as he attempted to ride the tide. Nathan bit his lower lips in response.

“Even if other Generals didn’t, I thought Grand General Freeman would fight against it till the bitter end but... that’s a shame.”

However, he did not scream or give an ultimatum. The only reason that the Aimas Union was able to survive in peace was that the Generals supported and followed the decisions of the conference even if it was against their own thoughts.

Let alone Nathan, the other Generals of the Resisting Faction all seemed regretful but in the end, they nodded their heads helplessly.

Freeman stared at them before declaring the end of the conference.

“Our Aimas Union has decided to follow the Church’s request in gathering the crusaders. Please give your all in gathering the army.”

Tang! Tang! Tang!

Along with the sound of the gavel smashing down, the conference came to an end. The leaders of each nation shared handshakes after deep sighs and left the conference room. Staying behind till the very end, Freeman cleaned everything up and gazed around the room that had now been emptied as a complicated expression surfaced on his face.

It was then. A small door to the corner that was different from the one which the Generals entered through moved ever so slightly. Through the tiny gap that appeared, a youth with a slender figure appeared and wearing baggy, brown clothes, he slightly lowered his head towards Freeman.

It was polite yet not overly so. Freeman made a faint smile as he bent his back lower than the youth just did. It was a startling scene. The Grand General of the Union, as well as the peak person in power of the Republic of Pares was lowering his back towards a mere youth.

“Welcome. Sir Archbishop Latio.”

Freeman’s heavy voice etched deep into the eardrums.

Archbishop Latio – the youth that appeared through the small entrance was none other than Latio of the Tallian Church. He who was attempting to destroy the Middle World with the Mad Dragon Lunark had suddenly shown himself at the conference room of the Aimas Union.

Freeman stole a glance around the surroundings without any particular reason before whispering with a soft voice.

“As you have said, I have stood on the side of the Warring Faction.”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

Latio slightly lowered his head with a smile. The reason Freeman who greatly antagonised the Church agreed with the Warring Faction was because there was Latio behind him. Wearing a brighter smile, Latio grabbed onto Freeman’s shoulder with his right hand.

“Thanks to Believer Freeman, our Tallian Church will end the dark ages and enter a brighter generation. To do that, first we must...”

Before he could finish, Freeman gave a nod with a bright expression, gesturing for him to not worry.

“The preparations are all ready.”

In response, Latio nodded with satisfaction. The smile hanging on his lips couldn’t be any more gentle or benevolent but deep within his two eyes, a cruel killing intent and an evil greed was quivering.

‘Roan Lancephil.’

Latio’s lips raised itself up with a tremble.

‘I’ll turn the Amaranth Kingdom...’

Intense killing intent painted his eyes.

‘Into a massive altar.’

But unfortunately, Freeman did not see it.

End.