bookpower Chapter 196 : Chapter 196
Chapter 196 : Chapter 196
Suddenly, the ‘Plank Kingdom’s Fleet’ entered the port.The fleet, with all its ships painted in the same pitch-black color, exuded a tremendous sense of pressure just from its appearance.
On top of that, in the sky above, ‘black knights’ clad in black armor rode on Griffons, so it was only natural for everyone to be intimidated.
—…….
—…….
—…….
The port became quiet. Only the sound of the sea could be heard. Even the seagulls that had been flying around in great numbers had disappeared at some point.
But then, an even more surprising… or rather, frightening event occurred.
Caw— Caw— Caw…!!
From behind the ship, a place invisible from the port, crows suddenly appeared.
Before long, they covered almost the entire sky above the port.
Even a single crow was somewhat ominous, but for so many crows to appear.
Naturally, everyone’s heart began to beat fast.
“Th-The witch… the witch Seria’s crows.”
“Th-That's right! The witch's crows! I saw them in the war against the demonkin!”
“Sh-Shit… what is this? They said they came to celebrate His Majesty the Emperor's birthday. But why did a witch come?!”
Most of the empire's knights had participated in the war against the demonkin.
Therefore, they were well aware of the existence and danger of those ‘crows.’
“S-Senior. What are those crows that you’re acting like that?”
When a rookie knight asked.
His senior knight, who was always stern and dignified, swallowed his dry saliva and barely spoke.
“The witch Seria……. She is a crazy bitch who wiped out a third of a demonkin legion by herself. To be precise, she wasn’t alone. She was with the explosion-crazed wizard… Chomsky and other wizards. Even so, there were less than ten of them.”
“…Pardon?! Ten people took on a third of a demonkin legion?!”
“Th-That's right. The other wizards from Plank were amazing too… but those crows were terrifying. Those aren’t just ordinary crows.”
As he spoke, the senior knight eventually drew his sword again.
Because the Plank Kingdom's attitude was not friendly at all.
This was no different from a declaration of war. It wouldn't be strange if a war broke out right now.
As the sense of crisis grew.
—Screeeeech…!!
A cry louder than any Griffon’s they had heard before.
Stronger.
More powerful.
A sound that felt different in its very essence was heard.
And a massive Griffon, befitting that cry, soared into the sky.
Riding on it was… a knight clad in pure white armor.
Thud—!!
That massive Griffon landed in the port.
The other Griffons that had been flying in the sky followed suit and landed.
It was a magnificent sight. The scene itself.
But the Angla Empire's army remained tense. As mentioned, this was no different from a declaration of war.
Just as the tension was about to reach its peak.
The knight in pure white armor took off his helmet.
As he took off his helmet—.
“…Wow.”
“…Oh my.”
“…Huh?”
Whether man, woman, child, or elder.
Everyone marveled at his appearance. The blond-haired knight in pure white armor looked like a hero who could defeat the entire black army of the Plank Kingdom.
It’s just that… his identity was.
“I am Leonardo, the King of Plank. I have come to celebrate the Emperor's birthday.”
He was the king of the black army.
From his tone to his expression, he was not just confident, but arrogant.
***
The Imperial Palace of the Angla Empire.
Emperor Caturos was meeting with the envoys who had returned from various kingdoms. He was listening to their evaluations of what they had seen and felt in the kingdoms, the character of the royalty, and their abilities.
Hoo—.
The Emperor took a puff from his pipe and looked at the distant mountains outside the window.
‘There’s no one I like.’
So far, the Emperor had received reports on the evaluations of each kingdom from over thirty envoys.
But there wasn't a single proper king. There was no king who possessed qualities that the Emperor would covet.
‘There is no suitable man to produce a son with my daughter.’
Of course, if any of his daughters said she would marry any king she liked, it wouldn't matter.
That was her choice.
But what the Emperor wanted was not for his daughter to find the love of her life. It was to obtain a successor to follow him.
For that, he was prepared to force her to produce a son, whether she liked it or not.
‘In the end… is it Jereuth after all. The man who is worthy of producing a son with my daughter.’
Jereuth, the only man he acknowledged.
A man he not only acknowledged but also respected.
Such a man would surely produce an excellent son with his daughter, and in the future, become the emperor of the empire—.
As the Emperor was thinking.
Knock, knock—.
—Your Majesty, it is Banbolio Konstan. May I enter?
Banbolio Konstan.
He was one of the few individuals the Emperor trusted, sent as an envoy to the Plank Kingdom.
And he was also the envoy he had been waiting for.
“Enter.”
As the Emperor’s permission was granted, the door opened and Konstan entered.
But… something was strange about his demeanor. The confidence and leisureliness that Konstan usually boasted were gone, and he seemed somewhat rushed.
‘Was there some kind of problem? Don’t tell me Jereuth said he wouldn’t come?’
“Konstan, you don't look well. What is it?”
Konstan took a deep breath and continued speaking.
Hoo—.
“The King of the Plank Kingdom, Sir Knight Jereuth, and their entourage arrived at the Imperial Palace a short while ago.”
“Arrived at the palace? Already?”
“Yes. They departed from the Plank Kingdom with me.”
“I see. The King of Plank wanted to make a good impression on me, so he hurried.”
““That is… not quite it.”
“Not quite it?”
“Yes. First of all, the King of Plank finished his preparations to see Your Majesty very quickly. In a day, no, even less.”
“…He only prepared that much to meet me?”
“That is correct. And the reason I and the Plank party were able to arrive at the empire so quickly is thanks to their ‘ship.’”
Konstan took a scroll from his bosom.
It was a black ship. Well-drawn, but an ordinary ship.
“What is this?”
“It is a ship of the Plank Kingdom. It is three times larger than the ‘Envoy's Ship’ that Your Majesty gave me.”
“…Three times larger than that ship?”
“Yes. Moreover, that large ship sailed freely without oars or sails. It seemed to be almost unaffected by the wind. And what was most shocking was…”
Ssk—.
Konstan took a feather from his pocket.
It was not an ordinary feather. It was a very hard, glossy, and large feather.
“The knights of Plank were able to ride Griffons.”
“…?”
“That’s not all. When I went to the Plank Kingdom, the knights riding Griffons were conducting ‘bombardment drills.’”
“Bombardment drills? What is that?”
“I could not find out in detail, but it is said to be a drill where they throw exploding iron balls called ‘Madan.’ It is a drill where the knights on Griffons accurately hit their targets with Madans.”
“…Exploding iron balls thrown by knights on Griffons? From the sky?”
“Yes. And…”
Konstan finished his words cautiously, in a voice that was unsure.
“It is said that the Plank Kingdom has occupied the Jerpan Archipelago, which lies beyond the sea south of the Plank Kingdom.”
“…The Plank Kingdom occupied the Jerpan Archipelago? That distant island nation?”
“Yes. And they say they occupied it with almost no casualties. They said that the performance of the ‘Griffon Knight Order’ was amazing.”
“Hmm…”
The Emperor was lost in thought.
‘Even our empire would suffer casualties if we were to occupy another kingdom. In war, defense is fundamentally much more advantageous than offense. But the Plank Kingdom occupied that distant archipelago with few casualties?’
This was not something to be taken lightly.
If the Plank Kingdom had such capabilities, then perhaps the biggest threat to the Angla Empire right now was that small country.
“Also, Your Majesty. This is just an unconfirmed rumor, but… it is said that there are no monsters in the Plank Kingdom.”
“…What? What kind of nonsense is that. No monsters?”
“That is… they say a great war occurred in the Plank Kingdom a few years ago. A great war against a monster army. There, the King of Plank personally led the army and played an active role, annihilating the monsters.”
“…Who did you hear that rumor from?”
“I heard it from the soldiers and commoners of the Plank Kingdom. As they said so, the soldiers and commoners praised the King of Plank. 「“Since he ascended the throne, the kingdom has never once been unhappy.”」 —they said.”
“Hmm…”
So he was a king loved by his soldiers and commoners.
‘He is similar to me, yet clearly different.’
The man known as ‘Emperor Caturos’ received the respect of the army and commoners, but the foundation of that respect was fear.
However, the foundation for the King of Plank seemed to be love.
“You have found out a lot. You have worked hard.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“One more thing. Konstan, in your opinion, what kind of person is the King of Plank? Speak without reservation.”
“If you ask me to speak without reservation…”
Konstan hesitated.
But since the Emperor had told him to ‘speak without reservation,’ he summoned his courage.
“The first time I met him was in a certain banquet hall. A conference hall cum banquet hall. And that banquet hall was stained with bloodstains on all sides. …Just like the banquet hall on the top floor of our Imperial Palace.”
“…”
“A red carpet ran down the center of the banquet hall floor, and officials were lined up on the left, and knights on the right. On the dais at the front sat the King of Plank.”
“Continue.”
“Yes. From the moment I first saw the King of Plank until now, I have continuously seen him overlapping.”
“Overlapping? With whom?”
“Um…”
Konstan looked straight at the Emperor and said.
“With Your Majesty.”
“…”
“I saw the King of Plank and Your Majesty overlapping.”
After that, Konstan spoke of the ‘atrocities’ committed by the Plank Kingdom's fleet after arriving at the port.
However, his tone was not one of tattling to the Emperor.
Rather, it felt like a warning and advice.
***
Jereuth.
Waiting with Leonardo in a room of the Imperial Palace for the Emperor’s summons, he was a little concerned that the Emperor had not called for the ‘Plank Kingdom’ until late in the evening.
‘Knowing the Emperor’s personality, he shouldn’t like to drag things out like this. Did his personality change while I wasn’t looking?’
Although this thought came to him and he was concerned.
Jereuth was not worried that the Emperor would not call for the ‘Plank Kingdom.’
Because King Leonardo’s expression was calm.
‘His Highness must have a plan.’
So far, everything had gone according to the King’s will.
Even after causing such a commotion at the empire’s port, the empire’s envoy had defended them, and thanks to that, the empire’s knights and soldiers treated the Plank Kingdom with even more courtesy.
To be respected by the knights and soldiers of the powerful military empire, the Angla Empire, had a meaning beyond just that.
‘Even so… it’s too late.’
It was already past midnight. The Emperor might have already fallen asleep.
It meant they might be waiting in vain.
“Your Highness, it seems the Emperor will not be calling for us. How about we rest for now?”
When Jereuth asked, Leonardo shook his head.
“No, the Emperor will call for me. He is probably taking this long because he is thinking about what to propose to me.”
“A proposal… what do you mean by that?”
“You said it yourself, Sir Jereuth. That if the Emperor were to summon you, it would be to marry you to his daughter and obtain a son.”
“Yes.”
“The Emperor has probably changed that target to me. And to obtain my son, he is contemplating what to propose to me.”
“…Don’t tell me, Your Highness. Was the reason you pressured the Angla Empire’s envoy and showed a strong front at the port to gain the Emperor’s attention?”
“It was not to gain attention. I simply wanted to stand on equal footing. That way, the Angla Empire and other kingdoms will not look down on the Plank Kingdom in the future, and the Plank Kingdom will be peaceful for a long time.”
“…”
“I am not particularly interested in giving my son to the Emperor of the empire. I don't know what the Emperor will propose, but I will refuse.”
Leonardo glanced at the clock.
“He should be coming soon—.”
It was then.
Knock, knock—.
—O King of Plank, it is Banbolio Konstan. I apologize for the late hour. The Emperor summons you, so if you are alright, please come now.
“!”
As soon as Leonardo spoke, the envoy arrived, and Jereuth’s eyes widened slightly.
He was surprised.
On the other hand, Leonardo, the person in question, stood up as if he had expected it, holding the birthday gift box for the Emperor that he had prepared in advance.
“Shall we go?”