CH 372

The Wessek Royal Castle was wrapped in an indescribable silence. When they offered to surrender to the enemy claiming to be from the Kingdom of Essek, they were met by an eerie masked king with only a handful of men escorting him.

They think that the person standing in the center must be the king because he is wearing a splendid and luxurious crown that they have never seen before. But they can’t say for sure. That’s because the king-like person wears an eerie mask and a splendid fur coat that covers his whole body.

They didn’t know anything about his face or figure, but they could only guess that he was probably the king from the gorgeous clothes and crown he was wearing, and the fact that he was in the center of the escort detail.

What’s more, the forces they brought were only about 100 people, and no matter how much you say they had already surrendered, they were far too few to come in the middle of enemy territory.

Certainly, they were surprised by the attack earlier, and they surrendered in fear, but if they could capture this king here and demand that his army retreat, it would be unexpectedly easy to reverse, it was as if they didn’t even think about that.

Of course, they have no intention of actually capturing this king-like person and making such demands of him. Given that an opponent with that much power and such a small force would come into a place like this, does he have confidence that this strength alone will be able to do something about all the Wessekian soldiers in the royal castle? Maybe he’s trying to see if they’ll dare put their hands on him.

They couldn’t even confirm that this person was really the King of the Essek, but there was no one left here who could do such a complex thing. In the first place, the battle just now was too one-sided, without a shred of mercy, and it was too frightening, and they couldn’t think of going against him again.

Actions are taken one after another under the direction of the person who seems to be the King of Essek. The voice they heard then was certainly similar to the strange voice they heard earlier. Whether it’s male or female, young or old, high or low, it’s hard to tell. It might be the same person who can make such a voice.

However, they don’t know if the person with that voice was really the King of Essek himself. The Wessekian soldiers who surrendered were given instructions one after another, and they had no choice but to follow them silently. Wessekian soldiers run around here and there along with the forces brought by King Karruzer of Essek. Finally, a place to calm down and hold formal discussions was prepared.

“King Karruzer, I beg your forgiveness!”

In the audience room, the one sitting on the throne was not the king of this country, Harold. Sitting on the throne is the masked King Karruzer. And in front of the throne a few steps lower, with his hands on his bowed head was the king of this country, Harold.

As soon as King Karruzer arrived, King Harold and his companions were to be released. King Harold’s Faction had been captured and was now freed from the dungeon, and Robert’s Faction is still being interrogated. After the audience with King Karruzer and King Harold, Robert’s Faction will be brought here.

“I’ve no need for an apology,” Karruzer said. “First of all… explain the circumstances to me?”

King Kazzuzer’s words froze the audience. If… if you give the answer wrong here…, at that moment, everyone in this place, no, in this whole town may be slaughtered. The air was so tense. This is just a little bit of King Karruzerk’s intimidation. No one doubts that this person is the king anymore. And no one thought of trying to attack him.

“Sire… I-I will tell you everything I know…” Harold said, still bowing his head.

He reports that he first learned of Robert’s Faction’s actions after the attack on Ignatz’s Unit. When Robert gleefully came to report the action, Harold tried to reprimand him, demanding to know why he had done such a thing and telling him the outrageous nature of his mistake.

However, after Robert was yelled at by Harold, Robert rallied the king’s forces on the spot and captured him to be taken to the dungeon. Also, Harold’s confidants from the earliest days were also captured and imprisoned in the dungeon with him.

In the end, King Harold’s explanation didn’t change anything. Depending on the listener, Harold might sound like he was making an excuse that he had nothing to do with this incident and that he had been imprisoned, too. However, King Karruzer just listened to those words quietly and didn’t say anything to Harold.

“Next, I will ask the masterminds,” Karruzer said. “Keep King Harold and his confidants in another room.”

“”””Your Majesty!””””

Seeing that figure……, the soldiers clearly understood. Which one is on top? From the beginning, King Harold stood under King Karruzer. There was pride in the Kingdom of Wessek, which ruled over most of the Blish Isles. They despised the Kingdom of Essek as a small country that perished a long time ago.

But it’s not the case. Not the case at all.

Perhaps it was the power of Essek that destroyed Guillaume and his allies and brought King Harold back to Winchestel. It’s only now that they’ve come to realize that… The soldiers who remained in the royal castle finally came to their senses and were grateful that they were still alive.

And then brought in after were Robert and the nobles who supported him. Unlike King Harold, these men were tied up with ropes and lined up side-to-side. In front of King Karruzer, they were put on both knees and treated completely like convicts. The pride of being treated like a noble was totally trampled on, but some people clung to King Karruzer rather than protesting their treatment.

“He-Hear our pleas! We were deceived!”

“That’s right! We were deceived or threatened by Count Robert Reicester, and were forced to cooperate with him!”

“Please! Please have mercy!”

Trying to somehow come forward and beg, they push the others away and bow their heads for even the slightest hope of mercy. Of course, everyone is tied together by their ropes, so even if you try to come forward on your own, you won’t be able to move much. Even so, they tried to appear in a conspicuous position, somewhere that would catch the King of Essek’s attention, even if just a little.

“Silence. Who said you could talk?”

“Hi!”

“Hiii!”

It was not yelled, exactly. Just quietly, not loud, not even booming. Even though it should have been said in a normal voice…… some of the nobles the words were directed at fainted, overwhelmed by their power.

“Count Robert Reicester… do you have anything to say?” Karruzer asked.

“Fu…, fufu…” Rober chuckled. “It looks like I got into a fight with a monster… there is nothing, King Karruzer. Nothing I have to say.”

The interrogation of Robert’s Faction is already over. If you interrogate them when everyone is in the same place, they will all get their stories straight. Therefore, each was interrogated individually, and any discrepancies in the testimony of others were to be pursued severely.

Originally there were no big secrets or conspiracies, they simply eliminated Ignatz’s Unit, who were likely to be richly rewarded for their merits, and tried to become King Harold’s close aides, instead. However, when they reported the attempted elimination of Ignatz’s Unit, King Harold began to yell at them, so he had no choice but to temporarily restrain and imprison His Majesty. After that, the general idea is that this attack happened while they were thinking about their future plans.

It’s amazing how short-sighted the nobles were despite their high status. If you don’t think about the future, you don’t even bother to investigate your enemy. It’s just a thoughtless act as if they acted on the spur of the moment.

Robert may have thought about it to some extent. But what were the nobles joining him thinking? “Count Reicester said so, so let’s join him,” you suppose that was the extent of the deliberations.

“Your surprise attack resulted in 143 casualties of our soldiers. There was no declaration of breaking the alliance nor a declaration of war against our allied forces, and it was through and through an ambush, both as a knight and as a nobleman. Therefore, the mastermind and all those who supported him will be publicly executed. In addition, 143 people from each of your families and allies will be executed as well.”

“What!?”

“Pl-Ple-Please forgive me!”

“Are you going to exterminate even our wives and children!?”

No matter how you think about it, there can’t be a family of 143 people in each house. Exterminate is the right word, to go so far into your family trees and connections.

“Please, just spare my family! Take only my life!”

“Those you killed without a fight or honor had families, as well,” Karruzer said. “You have trampled on their pride, and yet, in the end, as a last act of mercy, I have given you the honor of public execution for your death sentences. If you’re truly so against it, you can request something else. I will make you pay for your sins as regular criminals would.”

“”””–!”””””

As a regular criminal……, everyone stiffened at the words. If it is an execution, the pride as a noble will still be protected. However, if they were judged as regular criminals, they would lose even the pride of a nobleman. Above all, if you are a regular criminal, you will suffer various pains such as torture before being executed.

Considering what they’ve done to regular criminals so far, it’s still better to be executed outright. It would kill off the entire clan, but it’s better than watching your family being tortured in front of you endlessly.

How much of King Karruzer’s wrath did they arouse? And even so, just by showing mercy in the end, they can still protect their pride as nobles. All those who had been with Robert fell silent.

“Take them away.”

“””Sire!”””

With the words of King Karruzer, the soldiers stand up and try to take Robert’s party. At that moment… Robert finally opened his mouth to speak.

“Kukuku, I’ll be waiting for you in hell, King Karruzer.”

“…………”

“Hurry up and walk!”

King Karruzer didn’t respond to Robert’s words, and Robert’s Faction began to walk as the soldiers pulled them. The names of all the people who have already cooperated with Robert and his faction are out. Those who weren’t caught the first time would be tracked down and arrested by now. And by now, soldiers should be heading to each person’s territory and home.

Robert’s words say that King Karruzer will eventually be defeated and that King Karruzer who commits such deeds will fall into the same Hell as them. Still, King Karruzer was unmoved and just saw off Robert’s Faction as they were taken away.

And then, King Harold and his confidants came before King Karruzer again, bowed their heads as they stood beneath his throne.

“King Karruzer…” Harold said. “I beg your permission to rise.”

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“Very well,” Karruzer said.

Harold stood up. And then approached a lit torch mounted on a pillar.

“King Karruzer! I will take responsibility for my failure to rule my people I will bear the burden of the consequences! Guh! GyaaAAAH! AAAAaaaaAAAAHHHH!”

“”What?!””

Harold picked up the torch and pressed the flame to his face. Even if his hair burst into flames, he keeps pushing the torch further in.

“What are you doing!?”

“Stop him!”

The stunned soldiers finally regained their composure after a while and began to move. They hold Harold down and take the torch from him. First aid was immediately administered.

“Call the doctor!”

“Agah…, gah…”

His hair was burned off, his face was covered with burns, his throat was swollen, and unable to breathe because of all the smoke inhalation. In his hazy vision…… Harold saw this:

The King of Kings who descends from the throne. The most beautifully decorated crown he’s ever seen. A cloak made of never-before-seen fur. Every movement is clearly visible as if time is passing slowly. It wouldn’t have been odd for him to have gone blind because of the burns, but for some reason, he could see clearly.

“Harold Godot, I have acknowledged your resolve.”

Saying that he stood in front of Harold as he lay on the ground with his burned face. And as the King gently put his hand closer to Harold’s face…

“Oh, oooh!”

“I can’t believe it… this is really happening…”

Just when they thought Harold’s face was wrapped in a warm light, the scars from his burns began to clear up. He didn’t fully recover, but even so, the burns that should never have healed, much more ones that should have killed him, had visibly recovered.

His face had drastically changed, and it was to the extent that no one other than those who were present at the incident could tell that the current Harold was the Former King Harold. Just his being alive was a miracle in itself.

“Magic to heal wounds?”

“I’ve never heard of such a spell…”

“It’s a miracle……”

“An act of a god… an act of a god!”

A magic that heals wounds that were once thought to be incurable, and restores the body to such an extent. It is an otherworldly force, the work of a god. Then this person who exercises it must be a god. Everyone present prostrated themselves, the vassals, the soldiers. Words are spun from the mouth of the god before them:

“Harold is no longer of this world. Harold Godot took responsibility for this incident and gave his life to make amends. The rest of you, are you prepared?”

“””Your Majesty….”””

Hearing those words, everyone in this place lowered their heads even more.