Chapter 521
You can just check the contract, can't you? (1)
“The Ritania Kingdom will have to assist other kingdoms once the civil war ends. There are still many places that haven’t even dealt with the Rift Zones.”
“So what? Are you planning to use my power then, too?”
“There are even countries where the Salvation Church has completely devoured their royal families, leading to their downfall. They may be small kingdoms, but the fact that they have no ruler is what matters, isn’t it?”
At that moment, Amelia realized exactly what Ghislain wanted from her.
“Leave Ritania and claim one of those places. With your abilities, it’s possible. Until things stabilize, we’ll support you as promised. That should be enough for you to fulfill your ambitions, don’t you think?”
That made sense. It wasn’t as if she had an absolute attachment to Ritania. She had only set her sights on it because it was where she was born.
But thanks to the Salvation Church, she now had the chance to expand elsewhere.
“If we fight each other, it will only prolong the war needlessly. People are desperate to eliminate the Salvation Church as soon as possible. There’s no reason for us to undermine public morale by fighting amongst ourselves.”
“…….”
“Even if we don’t fight, you staying here will be uncomfortable for both of us. We’ve already parted ways, after all.”
“……Get lost.”
From the beginning, the two had been trying to kill each other. The only reason they had endured their discomfort and allied multiple times was because the now fallen Duchy and the Salvation Church were too powerful to take on alone.
However, few people knew the full truth of their relationship. Most assumed they were merely former fiancés who had become estranged.
If the two, who had fought side by side until now, suddenly turned against each other, it would throw the kingdom’s people into turmoil.
And Amelia would have wanted to avoid that. She was someone who took care of her people.
In that regard, Amelia and Ghislain had at least one shared goal.
“Even if you defeat me and take this kingdom, you’ll still have to fight the Salvation Church in the end. Those cockroach-like bastards are spread across the entire continent.”
“Hmph…”
Amelia nodded. She had never wanted a world ruled by monsters.
It had to be a world of humans—one where she could impose her will.
But if the Salvation Church remained, she wouldn’t even get the chance to do that. She would be forced to spend her entire life on the battlefield. Fighting alone would be an arduous task.
Ghislain had seen right through that.
“So? In the end, neither of us can avoid fighting the Salvation Church. The allied forces will handle other kingdoms, so your burden will be lighter.”
Ghislain had grown strong enough to completely overwhelm Amelia. Yet instead of expelling her, he proposed cooperation—because he had to fight against the Salvation Church, which had spread across the entire continent.
The Salvation Church would stop at nothing to kill him. He no longer had the option to simply walk away from the fight.
That was why securing as many capable allies as possible was the right move.
This wasn’t just about seizing power anymore—it was a battle to protect humanity itself.
Hearing the sincerity in Ghislain’s words, Amelia twisted her lips into a smirk.
“You sure know how to sugarcoat kicking me out while still using my power.”
“Who said I wanted you to do it for free? I’m the leader of the allied forces now. I can give you a legitimate reason to expand into other nations. I’ll also provide you with plenty of food.”
“Well, not a bad deal—assuming you actually win the civil war.”
“That’s not something you need to worry about. As long as you accept, I have a way to secure victory.”
Amelia had to admit that Ghislain’s proposal was the best course of action.
Zwalter Ferdium, if he was to become a kin, he would be widely respected and supported by the people. There was no longer a need to seize the kingdom at great risk and disgrace.
It was far better to establish herself as a rightful ruler in a new territory.
Thus, Amelia accepted Ghislain’s proposal and joined the war.
Once the war ended, she murmured with a strangely liberated expression.
“So, I’m finally leaving this wretched kingdom.”
Technically, she would still be part of the allied forces, but without any particular reason, she wouldn’t have to work with Ghislain anymore.
There was no longer a need to keep each other in check. They simply had to fight and claim victory in their respective domains.
Both Ghislain and Amelia found that arrangement far more agreeable.
‘It doesn’t matter where. I’ll just start over there.’
To create the utopia she envisioned, a solid foundation was necessary. First, she had to settle in a new place and establish her base, then gradually expand her influence.
Even if it took a long time— even if it had to be passed down through generations—
‘One day, my will shall reach every corner of the world.’
There was no need to achieve it all at once. What mattered was the elimination of the Salvation Church and the certainty that she would reach her goal.
‘In a way, this is for the best. Now, I won’t have to waste time and effort weeding out the stagnant and rotten elements.’
To realize her vision, it was inevitable that the kingdom’s system had to change.
A feudal system, where lords ruled their lands like kings, was unacceptable. Under such a system, the laws and principles she established would inevitably erode over time.
In the end, a strong centralized government was the only solution. And if it was an unclaimed land, it would be much easier to implement a new system.
As she stroked Bastet’s fur, she spoke softly.
“Bastet, it seems my mission lies in another land. It will be difficult, but I will never give up. The righteousness of my cause will be judged by future generations.”
Nyaaang.
For the first time in a long while, Amelia smiled with genuine ease.
—
With Amelia’s decision to leave Ritania, her complicated relationship with Ghislain reached its conclusion.
Now that the greatest potential threat had been resolved, both Ghislain and his allies moved swiftly.
They had to stabilize the lives of the people, devastated by Berhem’s tyranny, while also preparing their military to aid other kingdoms.
After all, the coalition forces had come all this way and sacrificed so much for that very purpose.
“The relief supplies for each region are ready!”
“The royal army has completed its new formation!”
“Food supplies and equipment inspections are finished! We’re ready to deploy at any time!”
Everyone was too busy ensuring the people’s stability and preparing for the new war to spare any thought for Elena, the newly crowned princess.
The only notable exception was Ghislain, who, impressed by Parniel’s monstrous strength, had forged her a massive warhammer— "The Herald of Destruction."
“…Am I really a princess now?”
As Elena swung the warhammer during training, she suddenly turned to Rachel and asked.
“Of course, Princess. You are this kingdom’s one and only princess.”
Rachel beamed as she answered. She was truly delighted that Elena had become a princess.
“This isn’t what I imagined a princess to be! Since when do princesses smell like sweat all the time?!”
Elena’s life hadn’t changed much. She still lived in the military barracks, spending her days training with Rachel.
Because Ghislain was so busy, he had simply left her in the hands of the knights to be put through rigorous drills.
“Damn it! Why do I have to train all day?! Let me at least enjoy being a princess! Or send me out to beat someone up! I’m going to die of stress!”
KWAANG!
As Elena slammed her warhammer into the ground, the earth split apart. The knights training nearby hurriedly scrambled away from her.
Elena and Rachel had not participated in the last war. They had only remained in the rear, training endlessly.
Ghislain had determined that they weren’t ready to take lives yet.
Rachel tried to comfort her.
“It’s fine. Soon, we’ll be going to hunt Riftspawns, remember?”
“Hmph, I’ll crush every last one of them when we do. I’ll flatten them all with this hammer.”
After being subjected to constant drills in the barracks, Elena had developed a rather foul temper. It seemed that living as an ordinary princess was out of the question— at this point, she just wanted something to smash.
Watching the scene, Skovan, who had been granted noble status and appointed as Captain of the Royal Guard in recognition of his achievements, clicked his tongue.
‘Tch, I thought at least the young lady would be different, but the more I watch her, the more she resembles her brother.’
It seemed that their family’s bloodline was the issue.
His Majesty certainly wasn’t like this, so who did they take after?
Even the late queen had seemed like a rather gentle person when he had met her back in the day…
While Elena was grumbling and training, Arel approached and bowed his head.
“Princess, it is time for your lessons.”
“Oh— O-Oh my, Baron Hydune, you’re here?”
Suddenly, Elena spun around and hurriedly ran her fingers through her hair, pushing her bangs back. She even tossed her warhammer far away.
‘Damn it, I forgot what time it was. I'm probably reeking of sweat right now.’
She worried that she might have looked unsightly.
Though Arel had been granted the Hydune surname and the title of Baron in recognition of his merits— just as in his past life— he was still fulfilling his duties as a knight.
After all, Fenris’s retainers still had to fight alongside Ghislain.
Arel was the most popular knight in the fortress capital. Not only did he have the impressive background of being the Grand Duke’s disciple, but he had also earned a noble title at a young age by achieving great merit.
On top of that, he was handsome. His character was also famously impeccable, with no faults to be found.
It was only natural that every noble lady in the capital set their sights on Arel. Elena was no exception.
‘He’s younger than me, but so what? I hear younger men are the trend these days. I’ll protect him.’
As Elena busied herself with such thoughts, feigning indifference, Arel smiled at her once more and spoke.
"Please get ready."
"Alright."
Ever since becoming a princess, Elena had to learn many things, including various courtly etiquettes.
In the past, she would have thrown a fit about studying, but now, she no longer resisted—because she was learning alongside Arel.
Ghislain, who was deeply invested in Arel’s education, had assigned the kingdom’s finest scholars to him.
Since the princess couldn't possibly have lesser teachers than him, Elena and Rachel ended up studying with Arel as well.
Elena followed behind Arel, her eyes gleaming.
‘How can someone like this exist? That brat was a complete delinquent at his age.’
Arel truly seemed like a knight straight out of a storybook. There wasn’t a single flaw to be found. Compared to the Fenris Knights, who all had at least one screw loose, he shone even brighter.
‘If he ever refuses to listen, I’ll just subdue him with force.’
No matter how skilled Arel was, he wouldn’t be able to overpower Elena in sheer strength. She had clearly inherited that trait from her brother—the preference for solving problems with brute force.
‘Ugh, why is my personality getting worse? This is all because of training.’
Elena’s dream of becoming a graceful lady seemed to drift further away with each passing day.
Meanwhile, Zwalter was so busy that he hardly had time to tend to his own daughter.
"Helping the suffering people comes first. Spare nothing. The housing and food shortages must be solved before anything else. Move quickly."
Having a place to sleep and food to eat were the most basic necessities for survival. If those two were secured, people could begin to focus on other matters.
Thus, the policies of Fenris and Ferdium always prioritized resolving those two issues first.
Following Zwalter’s orders, supplies of food and materials were dispatched across the kingdom. The stockpiles accumulated in Ferdium and Fenris proved invaluable in this endeavor.
"Alright, move quickly!"
"The mages will assist!"
"Just do it like we always do!"
Thanks to the pre-established road networks and the experience gained by deploying soldiers into Arrow Delivery, the distribution of supplies progressed at an astonishing speed.
Even the lack of administrative personnel was swiftly addressed, as the nobles who had previously governed the kingdom sent back their capable retainers to aid in its restoration.
Among those talents were Rosalyn and Mariel, who also managed the kingdom’s finances. Thanks to their efforts, the kingdom was rapidly stabilizing.
Once the situation had settled somewhat, Ereneth approached Ghislain.
"Now that the Duchy of Delfine has been dealt with, I shall take my leave."
"Huh? Where to?"
"I already told you before. Once the duchy was eliminated, I would leave to handle some personal matters."
"Oh... Right. Yeah, you did say that."
Ghislain awkwardly smiled and nodded. Given that he had conveniently ignored the details of the ‘contract’ he had signed earlier, he had no grounds to stop Ereneth.
"Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m withdrawing from the fight against the Salvation Church. Once I finish my personal matters, I’ll return to fight alongside you again. In any case, I appreciate you keeping your promise. I won’t forget this."
Ereneth smiled warmly.
As the Great Chieftain of the Elves, she valued honor above all else. Now that this agreement had concluded on a mutually satisfactory note, she felt pleased.
"Then, I shall take my leave. When the time comes to battle the Salvation Church again, we shall meet once more. May the blessings of the World Tree be upon the Kingdom of Ritania."
Ghislain still wore an awkward smile as he stole a glance at Claude.
Exhausted from endless overtime and drowning in stress, Claude’s eyes suddenly sparkled as he raised his hand.
"Great Chieftain! Wait a moment!"
"What is it?"
"You can’t leave just yet!"
At that, Ereneth tilted her head in confusion. Was there still something left for her to do?
"Why not? If there’s an urgent matter, I can stay and assist further."
"No, it’s not that... I think there’s a misunderstanding here."
"A misunderstanding?"
Claude scratched his head, looking exasperated, before he finally spoke.
"Great Chieftain, you signed a 30-year contract with us. Where exactly do you think you’re going? Are you planning to break your promise?"
Ereneth’s face went blank at those words.