bookpower Chapter 171 : Chapter 171
Chapter 171 : Chapter 171
The ‘Era of the Broken Crown’ of the Jerpan Archipelago.It was an era of civil war that began when lords rose up to seize power following the sudden death of the king.
That unstable era, which had lasted for over a decade in the Jerpan Archipelago, came to an end.
With the victory of the Hideon Family and its alliance.
And today, a grand banquet was being held at the Hideon Family’s castle.
—Hahahaha!
—A toast to the Grand Lord who brought us glory!
—Cheers!
—Come now, bring more wine! Bring it all!
—You! Yes, you! Come here and pour me a drink.
—That… My lord, I am Sir Hideon’s—.
—Tsk? I said come here. Don't you know who I am?
—Ah, I understand.
In this gathering of all the allied lords, the one seated at the head of the table was, of course, ‘Tyrrell,’ the head of the Hideon Family.
He was being praised and called the ‘Grand Lord’ by the allied lords.
In this place where everyone was cheering, enjoying themselves, and sparing no expense on entertainment.
There was only one person who had a rather grim expression.
It was Loa, the daughter of Hideon Tyrrell.
‘…I don’t think this is the time for a banquet like this.’
Of course, it was good to celebrate the end of the war.
After all, it was the day the horrific civil war within the kingdom ended and peace began.
‘But… even though the war is over, the people are still at war. A war for survival to feed themselves and their families.’
Even in the territory of the Tyrrell family, said to be the wealthiest in the Jerpan Archipelago, most of the populace was starving. There were many who couldn't even afford one proper meal a day.
To hold such a banquet amidst all this, Loa couldn't help but feel frustrated in many ways.
“Here! You must have a glass too, my lady. I shall offer a glass to the Grand Lord’s daughter.”
A man with a long scar across his face spoke with a pure— yet clearly lecherous smile.
“Ah… Lord Harak, I apologize. I’m not much of a drinker—.”
“Hahaha! Don’t be like that, and please accept just one glass. I have made many contributions, so you can at least accept one glass, can’t you? I will consider this a reward from Sir Hideon as well.”
Lord Harak openly used the word ‘reward’.
There was a hidden meaning in his words.
‘He’s asking for a reward for his contributions in the war. And one of those rewards is to build a relationship with me, the father’s daughter.’
Loa didn't mind that the lords considered her a part of the reward. If her smile and coquetry could maintain this peace, which was as fragile as thin ice, she could become not just coquettish but even a prostitute.
That was how much Hideon Loa loved her country.
However.
‘What the lords desire… is not just my body.’
The lords were greedy. Money, honor, women, men, and land—they would want it all.
‘Father must be under a lot of pressure as well. Pressure regarding how to distribute the lands gained from the war.’
The only way for Loa to alleviate even a little of the lords’ pressure on her father.
The only thing she could do right now was to play along with the lords’ mood.
Hoho…….
Loa forced a fake smile and grabbed the wine bottle.
“I’m really not good with alcohol. Could I pour for you instead? To offer a drink to a hero is what I truly desire.”
“A hero? Me? Hahahaha! Excellent! A drink poured by the only remaining flower of the Hideon Family! Very good indeed!”
‘The only remaining flower of the Hideon Family’.
That was what the lords were calling Loa these days, and it was a slightly rude expression.
Since she was the only heir left after all the sons and daughters of the Hideon Family died in the civil war, such an expression had naturally emerged.
Trickle—.
As Loa poured the wine, Harak subtly asked.
“By the way, how were the letter and gift I sent you last time? I asked you to make some time to visit my territory.”
“Ah… It will be difficult for the time being. The territory is in chaos after the war—.”
“Haha, don’t be like that, please visit once. The civil war is over, so it’s not dangerous, and my castle and the Hideon territory are close, aren’t they? For the young lady’s future, it would be good to have a dependable ally. It would be even better if we were related by blood.”
“Hoho….”
To suggest forming a blood tie meant he was proposing marriage.
Loa was not unaware of the meaning behind his words, but she pretended not to know and just smiled.
Just then, the Grand Lord—Tyrrell, who had been enjoying the banquet, raised his glass and spoke.
“Well! Is everyone having a good time?!”
—Yes!
“Then I will say a word. As I have said time and again, I am truly grateful to the allied lords. If it weren't for you, our beloved country and people would still be suffering from war!”
—That’s right!
“Naturally, the rewards will be given without fail. Land! Slaves! Women! Gold! Of course, I will share them generously. We are now brothers who have shed blood together!”
—Hahahaha!
Tyrrell continued to speak, building up the atmosphere.
“And…! We will fight a greater war. As you all know.”
—Of course!
At the words ‘a greater war,’ the lords grew even more excited and emptied their glasses.
Some even chugged wine straight from the bottle.
Once again, only Loa’s expression hardened.
“Uh… Father, what do you mean by ‘a greater war’? The war has just ended.”
“Hmm! Loa, you wouldn’t know.”
“……”
“Our lords’ armies are strong now. They are more accustomed to war and sharper than ever. So I thought it would be a waste to just keep them idle.”
“So…?”
“What do you mean, so? Of course, we will attack the Plank Kingdom. All the lords here have agreed.”
Loa’s expression froze.
The uneasy feeling she had vaguely sensed before had hit the mark.
“F-Father? You said we would live in peace for a while after the civil war ended. You said there would be no more war in this kingdom—.”
“Of course! There will be no more war in this kingdom. This time, we are the ones attacking another kingdom. Isn't that right, my lords?!”
—Hahahaha! That’s right!
The lords laughed heartily again. They were all just happy.
In this situation, Loa was dumbfounded.
‘…They’re all blinded by greed. To want another war in this situation?’
It was madness. Even if they won the war and conquered the Plank Kingdom, countless commoners and soldiers would die amidst grueling hardships.
There was no way her father didn't know that. But for him to instigate a war of aggression and have already reached an agreement with the lords meant….
‘Father is trying to weaken the lords’ power. He’s trying to reduce the lords’ soldiers through a reckless war.’
The lords were probably aware of Tyrrell’s thoughts.
Nevertheless, they agreed to attack the Plank Kingdom because… they must have finished their calculations. The calculation that if they won the war and brought down the Plank Kingdom, they could gain more territory and slaves than ever before.
After all, it was the knights and soldiers who would die, not the lords themselves.
‘But that’s only possible if we win. If we lose, this kingdom will be destroyed. Even if we win, the lives of the people will be irreparably devastated.’
“Father. I have something to say for a moment—.”
As Loa was about to speak.
Tyrrell, with eyes glazed over from alcohol, yet with a gaze that was still sharp despite being unfocused, spoke to Loa.
“Say no more. It has all been decided.”
“……”
“Loa, you may leave now. The lords here need to properly enjoy themselves. Let them in!”
Tyrrell shouted loudly.
The door at the back of the banquet hall opened. Through the open door, women wearing thin scraps of cloth that revealed their bare skin filed in.
Among those women were some Loa knew.
‘Those are… the daughters of the lords who were defeated in the war.’
Tyrrell clapped his hands and spoke to the lords.
Clap, clap!
“Well! These wenches are the daughters of the losers we captured. They all said they would do anything to save their families.”
—Ooh…!
“You all must have a lot of pent-up frustration from the war, so enjoy yourselves to your heart’s content today as I will take full responsibility! How about it?!”
—Yes! Wonderful!
—As expected of the Grand Lord! Hahahaha!
—Your generosity is on another level!
—But how long are we going to call you ‘Grand Lord’? Isn’t it time for you to become the king?
—Hear, hear!
—Hahahaha!
The lords laughed and ran wild like untethered colts.
In contrast, the expressions of the defeated lords’ daughters who entered the room were not good. Naturally.
But to save their families, they could not afford to displease the lords.
“Loa, I told you to leave. There’s nothing good for you to see here.”
“……Yes, I will leave.”
Tyrrell was right. There was nothing more here that would be good for her, a woman, to see.
Not that there had been anything good here from the start.
Haa—.
Loa let out an inaudible sigh and left the banquet hall. From the hall, she could still hear the sounds of the lords laughing, talking, and gleefully going wild.
Faintly, she could also hear the forced laughter and sobbing of women.
‘Father has changed. No, the war… has changed my father.’
Her father was not originally like that. He was ambitious, but it was a righteous ambition to make his territory strong so that his people would not starve.
However, after experiencing the civil war, her father developed an ambition to become ‘king.’
For that, he gathered the lords as allies, and his ambition was strangely twisted.
As a result, he became the father he was now. A man with a somewhat tyrannical disposition… different from the gentle and wise man of the past.
‘I probably can’t turn father back to how he was. But at the very least, I must stop the war with the Plank Kingdom.’
The Plank Kingdom.
Before the ‘Era of the Broken Crown,’ it was a kingdom they had occasional exchanges with.
Although exchanges had virtually ceased since she was born, Loa had heard many rumors about the Plank Kingdom.
Step— step—.
Loa walked out of the corridor and into the garden. In the sky, a crescent moon was half-hidden behind the clouds.
The quiet chirping of insects could be heard. The hurried footsteps of servants carrying food and wine to the lords could also be heard.
But what caught Loa’s eye the most were.
The stars in the sky.
‘The constellations… are so bad.’
Since she was young, Loa had predicted the future by looking at the constellations. She couldn't know the exact details, but she could understand the general flow.
Before her brothers and sisters died in the war, bad constellations always appeared, and when they won battles, good constellations always appeared.
Bad constellations also appeared before natural disasters. It was the same when a trusted general betrayed them, putting them in crisis.
‘But the constellations right now… are the worst.’
What on earth were the stars warning about?
The stars didn't say, but Loa knew.
‘Those stars are surely warning about the war with the Plank Kingdom. That if we attack them, a terrible nightmare will unfold in this land.’
Loa thought as she looked at the stars.
‘They said there is a truly great knight named ‘Jereuth’ in the Plank Kingdom. So much so that the superpowers, the Angla Empire and the Osius Kingdom, respect and fear him, not daring to attack.’
That knight must be quite old by now.
But that didn't mean he could be ignored.
‘Even if it’s not because the knight named Jereuth is dangerous, we shouldn’t push the people of this kingdom into war anymore. Really, no more.’
—As she was thinking that.
“It’s late, you should go to your room, my lady.”
A calm female voice came from behind. She was the only servant, and friend, with whom Loa could truly open her heart.
“Ah… Aeris. I told you to rest today instead of escorting me.”
“I cannot do that. The castle is filled with lords who are targeting you, my lady.”
“Targeting me? What nonsense… They all just want to become Father’s successor. If they marry me, either they or their son will get this territory.”
“No, there are many vermin who desire only your beauty, my lady. Like that Harak fellow.”
“……Aeris, watch your words. No matter what, such an expression is not good.”
“I will correct myself.”
Aeris bowed her head in apology and naturally guided Loa to her room. Loa didn't refuse and headed to her room.
“Are you worried that the lord is about to start another war?”
“……Is it that obvious?”
“Yes, very much so.”
“……”
“Seeing someone of your stature so worried, it seems the lord has already made up his mind. To attack the Plank Kingdom.”
“Yes. The other allied lords all seem to have agreed as well.”
“Do you wish to stop the war, my lady?”
To the obvious question, Loa answered obviously.
“Of course. No more… I really wish there would be no more war.”
“……”
“But it’s already decided, and there’s nothing I can do— ah…?”
Loa, who was speaking listlessly, made a sound as if she had remembered something.
“Aeris. By any chance, are you still in contact with General Milton these days?”
“Of course. He is my master.”
“Then… I’ll write a letter, could you deliver it for me?”
“That is an easy task.”
Aeris did not ask what the letter to General Milton would be about.
The fact that her master insisted on writing it as a ‘letter’ meant it was content she did not want others to know.
Click—.
As Loa entered her room, she thought.
‘I must ask General Milton to send me as an envoy to the Plank Kingdom before the war begins. Father will listen to General Milton’s words.’
And.
‘I will see the Plank Kingdom for myself and then tell Father. That the Plank Kingdom is strong, so we must absolutely not go to war. Even if the Plank Kingdom is weak, I’ll lie and say it’s strong. I… want to stop this war somehow.’
That was Loa’s only wish.
She did not want to see countless people die in vain anymore.
***
Ronak.
The man who once ruled the southern seas of the Plank Kingdom as the boss of the Ingrid Island Pirates.
He, who had easily pacified not only the southern seas but also the western seas, played a major role in the war against the monster army.
He had tormented the monster army with hit-and-run tactics, making full use of the ‘Bandit Army’ that Leonardo had permitted him.
Thanks to that, the position of Ronak and the ‘Bandit Army’ in the military was established quite stably. It was because they took on any role in any battlefield and executed it flawlessly.
Such a man, Ronak, had been summoned by the King and was in his room.
And he was in a state of great bewilderment at the King’s words.
“S-So… you mean to send me to the Jerpan Archipelago as an envoy?”
At Ronak’s words, Leonardo nodded.
“Yes, you are the right person for the job.”