Chapter 89 : Chapter 89

Chapter 89

“I-I’m sorry.”

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Rhodos slammed his head against the floor.

The pain that had been imprinted in his body from before had reacted to the killing intent.

“Rhodos, what are you doing?”

“P-please spare me……!!”

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

“……”

Emma Eurasia stared at her chamberlain with an incredulous expression.

She had brought him along with the intention of having him endure the humiliation in her stead, but he was showing an unexpected side.

However, Emma Eurasia was also being overwhelmed by the person before her.

As she received Killian’s downward gaze, her body trembled slightly.

“The Annihilation Squad does not move based on personal feelings.”

“……”

“Please rise. Have you forgotten that Eurasia is no longer a family, but a kingdom?”

“I will not rise.”

“……?”

“If you do not accept my request, I will wait here for your answer for days.”

Emma Eurasia stared at Killian with a resolute face.

‘What a formidable petticoat influence.’

Four years had passed since he was reincarnated as Killian Eurasia.

In that time, he had experienced quite a few things, and both he and Julian had grown a lot.

But Emma Eurasia seemed to still be stuck in the past.

“My brother Julian is also the commander of a knight order. Do you think he would have gone to the battlefield without that much resolve?”

“How truly cold-hearted! Julian is the commander you served and also your brother!!”

“Every knight who goes to the battlefield is someone’s son, brother, husband, and father.”

“So… you’re going to just let Julian die like this!!”

Emma Eurasia shouted as if she were screaming.

“What does His Majesty say?”

“……”

Escardo was on the battlefield, but Simon remained in the main castle.

‘He probably told her not to endanger other knights for personal feelings.’

As Killian had expected, Emma Eurasia merely chewed on her lip.

“My answer will not be different from His Majesty the King’s.”

“Ah… ahh….”

Emma Eurasia let out a sigh as if in despair.

‘The atmosphere for casting the bait is sufficiently set.’

Killian quietly calmed his energy.

What was important from now on was how big a fish he could catch with that bait.

“As I said, the Annihilation Squad will not move.”

“How could you…….”

“But it wouldn’t matter if I moved as the tactician of the Blue Knight Order.”

“……!!”

“Come to think of it, all the military supplies for this war are being distributed through the Sepia Merchant Guild.”

“……”

“Am I wrong?”

“What… do you want…….”

Emma Eurasia looked at Killian with a trembling voice.

Wars cost a lot of money.

And Sepia was investing an unprecedented amount of money in Eurasia’s war.

‘That must mean the profits they’ll reap after the war will be just as great.’

He didn’t know the exact amount, but it would be more than enough to fund the creation of an intelligence network connecting Eurasia and Brussels.

“I also have a personal relationship with my brother Julian as his teacher and disciple.”

Sreuk.

Killian extended his hand to Emma Eurasia.

“……”

She hesitated for a moment at the unexpectedly gentle gesture, but soon grabbed the tips of Killian’s fingers and stood up.

Killian led her to the reception table.

“Rhodos, what are you doing?”

“Yes…?”

“For a chamberlain to be so dazed. Prepare some tea.”

“Ye-yes…… Yes!!”

For a moment, she was flustered by the change in atmosphere, but soon Emma Eurasia regained the characteristic look of a merchant.

“State your terms.”

“It seems we have much to discuss.”

Grin.

Killian smiled a familiar smile and opened his mouth.

A short while later, Rhodos placed the tea down with a trembling hand.

And so, the first negotiation to rescue the captured knights of the Blue Knight Order and Julian began.

***

“This tea tastes awful.”

Count Konrad, who had returned to the commander’s barracks, said with a frown.

“How can tea brewed in the field compare to the one brewed in your family’s estate? Still, you must drink it.”

At the reaction of his adjutant, the 6-star knight Diark, Konrad clicked his tongue but downed the tea in one gulp.

The pain in his shoulder seemed to have subsided a little.

“If there had been a priest, the healing would have been much easier…….”

Diark grumbled as he cleared away the teacup.

The tea, brewed by a high-ranking apothecary brought from the royal court, did have the effect of a recovery potion, but if there had been a priest, the healing would have been much easier.

‘Well, the fact that the Count sustained such an injury was also unexpected.’

“It’s obvious what you’re thinking, Diark.”

“I apologize…….”

At Konrad’s gaze, Diark hurriedly bowed his head.

“It was a battle between superhumans. A wound like this is nothing to make a fuss about.”

Count Konrad thought of the second-in-command of Eurasia who had injured him.

‘His level was higher than what was reported.’

Escardo Schtenberg.

He was nearly ten years younger than him, but he had already mastered 7-star.

He didn’t want to admit it, but his swordsmanship was also a cut above, so in today’s fierce battle, it was his swordsmanship, not his mana, that had been pushed back.

“And the Holy Nation?”

“They sent a declaration stating that they will not permit the activities of priests based on the treaty.”

“Insolent bastards.”

Konrad shook his head as if he didn’t like it.

The Holy Nation officially proclaimed itself a neutral nation.

Therefore, whenever a war broke out, they forbade priests from going to the battlefield and conducted surveillance on their own.

If this was violated and priests were used in a war, they would be held accountable and face enormous reparations from the Holy Nation.

For that reason, it was common for apothecaries and mages who had learned healing magic to be active on the battlefield.

“In the end, it’s only a matter of time before Eurasia falls.”

Eurasia was located on the barren eastern frontier and always had to worry about monster waves.

In the first place, declaring a kingdom in such a place would have been impossible without the existence of Simon Eurasia.

“As for Eurasia’s healing mages, they only have less than a hundred dispatched from the Cornelia. If it becomes a war of attrition, they won’t be able to handle the damage.”

At Diark’s assertion, Konrad flicked his finger.

“Send a carrier pigeon to Count Revric. Tell him the situation on the battlefield is dire, so he should send more mages.”

“Will Count Revric comply?”

“That old man is no fool, so he will send them.”

Revric Roach. The leader of the Royalist Faction and a superhuman who had mastered 7-star.

After failing in his plan to build a magic tower, he had given up on research, but that didn’t mean his sense of judgment in political affairs had dulled.

“Once we take care of Escardo Schtenberg, Simon Eurasia will be isolated.”

A superhuman above superhumans, Simon Eurasia, who had stabilized the 8-star level.

How surprised he had been when he first heard that he had single-handedly annihilated two of the Imperial Knight Orders.

“It’s humiliating… but it’s a relief that Simon Eurasia can’t come to the battlefield.”

Diark muttered as if spitting out the words.

He had obtained information through Hennessy that Simon Eurasia had suffered internal injuries.

If they cut down Escardo, who was on the battlefield, and dealt with the princes who could be called his successors, Eurasia’s roots would be shaken from the very beginning.

In the first place, even without the Imperial Knight Orders, Eurasia could not defeat Brussels.

Just then.

“Commander, it’s a Walker from Hennessy.”

The voice of a guard knight was heard from outside the barracks.

“Let him in.”

A moment later, he gestured with his chin to the Walker who entered, and the man took out a piece of parchment from his bosom.

Konrad’s lips curled up as he broke the seal of the parchment he received.

“Count Revric, is it.”

“Reinforcements?”

“No.”

As he quickly read through the contents, he let out a dry laugh.

“It says that the Fourth Prince of Eurasia has become one of us, so we should not harm him on the battlefield.”

“An internal division, I see.”

“The old man was making his moves, I see.”

According to the letter, Killian Eurasia was a man who, at a young age, had reached the level of an incomplete superhuman and was serving as the Annihilation Squad Leader.

And, Konrad had another prince of Eurasia whom he had captured in this battle.

“Bring Julian Eurasia.”

***

“Ugh….”

Inside a crude prison made of woven wood, Julian let out a groan.

A wooden prison for a trained knight might seem ridiculous, but his body was not in a normal state either.

“Damn it…….”

Julian clutched his throbbing chest and exhaled.

The reflux made it difficult to maintain his sanity.

It was the same for the other members of the Blue Knight Order who had been captured with him.

“Haah…….”

Julian berated himself for his mistake and replayed the last battle in his mind.

‘It was a battle we had all but won.’

He had fought with all his might and pushed back the 6-star knight.

But when he, battered and bruised, was surrounded by the Brussels forces, the formation of the Blue Knight Order began to collapse rapidly.

In the first place, if the high-ranking knights of the Red Knight Order hadn’t been pushed back, this wouldn't have happened, but in any case, it was a situation brought about by the commander, Julian, who had rashly tried to annihilate the enemy.

The fortunate thing was that they had avoided total annihilation thanks to Vice-commander Jesse’s belated retreat.

“Commander… are you alright.”

Hector, who had been captured with him, asked in a gruff voice. He too was in a sorry state due to the reflux.

“It’s my fault.”

“The Commander merely gave the order. We could have actually won…….”

Hector shook his head with difficulty and defended Julian.

“Damn it… damn it all…….”

Julian cursed as he looked at his smiling centurion.

He knew that his one mistake had put Eurasia in a difficult position.

‘The reason they’ve kept us alive must be for hostage negotiations. I’m worried my mother will unnecessarily get involved…….’

If she heard the news about him, she would surely turn the kingdom upside down.

She might even personally go to the battlefield with the merchant guild’s escort knights.

Either way, it was a terrible prospect for Julian.

‘Just when I thought I was finally starting to act like a proper commander…….’

It was as he was smiling wryly at his own lack of ability.

“Drag those two out.”

At the knight’s order, a Brussels infantryman with rough hands dragged Julian and Hector out of the prison.

“Let go…….”

“Keuk…….”

“Shut up and follow.”

When the knight spoke with mana, Julian and Hector let out groans.

For them, whose bodies were in tatters due to the ongoing reflux, mana was like a knife stabbing their vitals.

A short while later, they were dragged like dogs and forced to kneel before the Brussels field commander.

“It is the Commander of the Blue Knight Order, Julian Eurasia, and his centurion.”

“Hmm.”

Konrad stroked his beard and looked them over.

“Ko-Konrad Norton……?”

Crack.

Diark’s kick sent Julian’s face crashing into the floor.

“You son of a bitch, I’ll….”

Crack.

“Keoheok…….”

Hector’s head was slammed down by a subsequent kick.

“Fucking…”

“Hector… do not act rashly…….”

Julian, who had warned the cursing centurion, spoke with difficulty.

“Count… what do you want.”

“You’re not a fool.”

“My maternal grandfather is the owner of the Sepia Merchant Guild… if you guarantee my life and the lives of my knights, I will pay a reward… keoheok!!”

“Keuak……!!”

Julian and Hector rolled on the floor at the sudden release of Konrad’s aura.

“You’re not a fool, but you’re slow to grasp your situation.”

“Geuaaa…….”

“Keoeok…….”

“Who does a hostage think they are to make a proposal.”

Thud.

Under Konrad’s continued pressure, Hector fainted.

“He-Hector! Get a hold of yourself! Count, to go this far…….”

“The lives of the knights will be guaranteed depending on your answer.”

“……”

“Do you understand?”

“……I understand.”

Konrad threw a letter at Julian’s face.

“This is…….”

“You’re a prince, so you should be able to read the continental language. Your brother seems to know how to read the times.”

“That can’t be…….”

Julian’s face went blank at the fact that Killian had joined hands with the Brussels count.

“Tell me everything you know about Killian Eurasia.”

“……”

“If you tell a lie, I will cut off your head immediately. You should know that I can see through that much.”

Julian had experienced just how sharp a superhuman’s senses were through Killian.

That was why he couldn’t believe the contents of the letter even more.

“He… would make such a choice?”

Konrad tilted his head as if to say, “Tell me more.”

“You, you don’t know Killian at all…….”

Slap.

Diark slapped Julian across the cheek.

Ptooey.

Julian spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

Shing.

Diark drew his sword.

Konrad, who had stopped him with a gesture, burst out laughing.

“So you have some spirit. But only those with power can afford to be stubborn.”

Crack.

“Keok…….”

Julian lost consciousness from Konrad’s kick.

“Have a Walker send a letter to Count Revric. Tell him I wish to meet Killian Eurasia. However, tell him that he must come here himself.”

Konrad looked at the fallen Julian and Hector and continued.

“Release one of the hostages and send a letter to Escardo as well. Tell him the ransom for Julian Eurasia and his knights is 3,000 gold.”

“……Understood.”

Diark swallowed his dry saliva at the absurd amount.

Whether they paid the ransom or not, it was clear that Eurasia would have to suffer enormous losses.

Konrad added one more thing.

“The escorts for the hostage exchange must be Demian Eurasia and Paian Eurasia.”

“Don’t tell me…….”

“That’s right.”

Konrad’s lips twisted.

“I will personally sever Eurasia’s succession.”

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