Chapter 527
Finally, You’ve Made a Move. (2)
The civil war in the Kingdom of Turian came to an end with the appearance of a single man.
The remaining forces of Turian rallied around him, and together, they crushed both the Rift and the rebels with unstoppable momentum.
The more he fought, the stronger he became.
Despite having lived confined in the tower, with little to no real combat experience, it was never a hindrance to him.
It was as if he was merely recalling something he already knew. That was how extraordinary his talent was.
—Skkak!—
His sword glowed blue as it cleaved someone in half.
The one who was split apart was the last remaining superhuman among the Turian rebels.
“Krgh... Who... are you...?”
A priest of the Salvation Church choked out his final words, blood gushing from his wounds.
The Kingdom of Turian had been on the verge of destruction. A little more pressure, and it would have been over.
But with the sudden appearance of this man, everything had been undone.
His strength was so awe-inspiring that even his enemies couldn’t help but ask about his identity.
—Clink.—
The man sheathed his sword and answered in a short, curt voice.
“Julien.”
The abandoned prince of the Kingdom of Turian.
He had cast aside everything except for his name.
Yet, the high priest of the Salvation Church recognized who he was with just that name alone.
“Cough! You’re… the prince of the Briar Tower. I thought you had long since died…”
—Thud.—
With those last words, the high priest collapsed to the ground. His body was cleanly severed in two at the waist.
And with that, the Salvation Church’s forces in Turian were completely annihilated.
“Waaaaahhhh!”
The soldiers of Turian raised their weapons high, erupting into cheers.
They had thought they were doomed, with no hope in sight.
But then, a miracle happened.
A single man.
With his overwhelming strength alone, he had overturned the entire battlefield.
Marquis Gideon, who had been leading the royal forces, spoke with a delighted expression.
“Your Highness, congratulations. With this, the kingdom can rise once more.”
His tone was exceedingly respectful.
However, Julien slowly turned to look at him, his cold gaze making the marquis flinch.
He had realized his mistake.
“My apologies. Sir Julien.”
“Call me by my name from now on.”
“…Understood.”
“What do you plan to do next?”
Though Julien had become a symbol of hope, he was not a commander. The role of leading the kingdom’s forces still fell to Marquis Gideon.
At Julien’s question, the marquis hesitated slightly before responding.
“For now… we should return to the capital. With the civil war over, we must reward merits and reorganize the army.”
They needed to gather the remaining forces and restructure them. And if they were to consult the many nobles, no place was better than the capital.
Julien, his expression still unreadable, nodded.
He had only moved to save the people, not to seek recognition or rewards.
Thus, the Kingdom of Turian’s army finished securing the battlefield and marched toward the capital.
“Waaaaah!”
“Sir Julien, long live!”
“The Savior of the Kingdom!”
The people welcomed him with fervor.
He was no longer a forgotten prince.
Stories of his deeds spread like wildfire, sweeping across the entire kingdom.
The savior who rescued a kingdom drowning in despair.
That fact alone made every citizen place their hopes on Julien.
But the king and the central nobles were different.
For them, Julien’s sudden rise was nothing but a burden.
King Hayden of Turian, his eyes trembling, muttered.
“Why… did you leave the tower?”
“……”
“You said… you would live there forever!”
“……I came to save the people.”
“Who ordered you to do such a thing?! I never gave such a command!”
“……”
Julien didn’t react.
His expression seemed to say he had expected this.
King Hayden looked utterly exhausted. It was no surprise—his kingdom had nearly fallen.
And now, the very person who saved him was also the one he despised and feared the most.
How could his mood be anything but sour?
“Return to the tower immediately!”
It was said that Julien had eliminated the Rift on his own.
That he had the unwavering support of both the army and the people.
The king could no longer kill him.
So all he could do was scream like a madman.
“I should have had you killed long ago!”
“……”
Julien remained silent.
He merely gazed at his father, expressionless.
When he was younger, he had once wondered why his father hated him so much.
He had spent countless nights in sorrow and pain over it.
But now, things are different. No words could stir him anymore.
Rather, the surrounding nobles were the ones growing restless, hastily trying to calm the king.
“Your Majesty, please quell your anger.”
“The First Prince is a hero of the kingdom.”
“He must be properly rewarded.”
These were the very people who had once wielded power at the king’s side. Naturally, they had kept their distance from Julien when he was imprisoned in the tower, showing him no interest whatsoever.
But now, the situation had changed.
‘The true power of this kingdom lies with the First Prince.’
It was a thought they all shared.
If Julien so wished, he could overturn the kingdom at any moment. Even setting aside his overwhelming individual strength, who could stand against someone with the unwavering support of the military?
Sensing this shift in power, the king only grew more frantic.
“Silence! Who dares call that wretch the First Prince?! His right to succession was revoked long ago! Arrest him immediately! He defied my royal decree—throw him in the dungeons!”
The nobles shook their heads. It was like trying to put a bell on a cat. Who among them would dare apprehend the strongest person in the kingdom?
Seeing this, Marquis Gideon leaned in and whispered to Julien.
“For now, it would be best if you step away. His Majesty seems… unwell.”
Julien gave a slight nod and turned on his heel, striding toward the exit without hesitation.
“You bastard! Where do you think you’re going?! Seize him at once!”
The king screamed, spittle flying from his lips, but the nobles only rushed to restrain him, whispering words of appeasement. Not a single person moved to stop Julien.
At last, the king realized it.
As long as Julien remained, no one would heed his words.
Running a trembling hand through his sweat-drenched hair, the king muttered weakly,
“That wretch will be the ruin of this kingdom… We’re all going to die…”
The nobles around him inwardly clicked their tongues.
What kind of nonsense was that, spoken to the very hero who had single-handedly saved the kingdom?
Even if he was jealous of his son’s ability, there were some lines that should never be crossed.
They all thought the same thing.
‘The king has lost his mind.’
And soon, it would be him—rather than Julien—who would find himself locked away in the tower.
—
Once outside, Julien turned to Marquis Gideon and asked,
“How are the other kingdoms faring?”
“Not well. They’re struggling to handle both the Rift and the rebel forces at the same time.”
Though Julien had spent years imprisoned in the tower, he was now more or less caught up on recent events.
He had heard countless stories during battle, and he had seen much with his own eyes.
While the Turian Kingdom was in particularly dire straits, the others were not much better off.
After a moment of contemplation, Julien spoke.
“I plan to leave for another kingdom.”
“What do you mean? Is this because of His Majesty? You don’t need to concern yourself with him anymore. Everyone stands with you now.”
“No, that’s not it. I simply wish to help others as well.”
“…Hah.”
“And if the neighboring countries fall, we will ultimately be in danger too.”
“You’re right. We’d have no choice but to fight again.”
This was no longer a single kingdom’s struggle. Defeating the Salvation Church once did not mean the danger had passed. If their forces were allowed to grow stronger, the threat would only return.
Nodding, Julien continued,
“Which is why we must eradicate the Salvation Church while our people still have the strength to fight.”
Marquis Gideon gazed at him with admiration.
Rather than simply securing his own safety, Julien was thinking about how to save as many people as possible.
It was that very mindset that had saved this kingdom.
‘This man is a true king.’
It was a tragic thought. If Julien had been raised as the rightful heir, the kingdom would never have fallen into such peril.
Why had the king despised such a man so? It was beyond comprehension.
Straightening his posture, Marquis Gideon declared,
“I will lead my army and accompany you.”
“There’s no need for that.”
“No, I insist. If the neighboring nations fall completely, this kingdom will be next. As you said, it is better to unite our strength beforehand.”
“His Majesty will not grant permission.”
“There is more than enough justification. Leave that to me.”
Julien gave a slight nod.
Whether the army followed him or not made little difference to him personally. However, if he truly intended to save lives, having the military on his side would be advantageous.
Marquis Gideon spoke carefully.
“In that case, I shall inform the allied forces that we will be joining them.”
“Understood. But… what is the current state of the alliance?”
Julien was not well-versed in the larger political landscape. After all, he had been fighting from the moment he left the tower.
Marquis Gideon relayed the latest information as he knew it.
“According to recent reports, the civil war in the Ritania Kingdom has ended. Duke Fenris has already mobilized his army to assist the neighboring nations.”
“Is that so?”
Julien showed a slight interest in the news.
He had known that the Salvation Church held the greatest influence in the Ritania Kingdom. Yet, they had already concluded their civil war and were now aiding neighboring countries. That was truly remarkable.
Marquis Gideon continued speaking with a smile.
"Duke Fenris is said to be the strongest in Ritania. And he also has quite a deep connection with us."
"What kind of connection?"
Marquis Gideon recounted what Ghislain had accomplished in the Turian Kingdom. Since Grant, the commander of Ironcliff, was one of his direct subordinates, he was well-informed about it.
He also explained Duke Fenris' achievements in Ritania and other kingdoms, as well as how the mercenaries under his command were making their mark across the continent.
Julien listened silently before nodding.
"He seems like an incredible figure. I'd like to meet him."
"He is also moving his forces in this direction, so you should be able to meet him soon."
Julien hesitated for a moment before responding.
"Then we should move in that direction as well. If we advance while assisting the neighboring countries, we should be able to meet him a bit sooner."
"Towards Duke Fenris, you mean?"
"Yes. If we combine our strength, we can take a better course of action."
Rather than moving separately across different regions, it was better to rally around a unified goal.
At the moment, there was no central hub for the allied forces. Every nation was too busy protecting its own land, and Ritania, having resolved its civil war first, was traveling around providing aid.
If the leaders of the allied forces gathered and formulated a strategy together, they could operate much more efficiently.
Marquis Gideon, understanding his intent, bowed his head.
"Understood. I will devise a plan for us to advance toward Duke Fenris."
"I'd appreciate that."
With those words, Marquis Gideon departed. He needed to organize the army for deployment.
He had no concerns about obtaining the king’s approval.
'If I tell him I'm taking the First Prince with me, he won't object.'
In fact, the king would likely welcome it with open arms. He wanted nothing more than for Julien to leave this kingdom and fight endlessly until he perished.
While the Turian Kingdom’s army was preparing for departure, Julien took the time to learn more about Duke Fenris.
A book was in his hands.
[The Chronicle of Count and Duke Fenris – Author: Claude]
Surprisingly, it wasn't difficult to obtain. Duke Fenris had an immense following.
Having spent all his time in the Tower, Julien had never realized just how famous Duke Fenris was.
He sat comfortably and turned the first page.
— Rustle.
[If you wish to obtain the sequel, you must secretly contact Fenris' Chief Overseer, Claude. Special discounts apply. Other lordly goods are also available through unofficial channels.]
"……."
He had no idea why such a note was included, but he ignored it and continued reading.
The book provided a detailed account of Duke Fenris' exploits. Even considering the possibility of exaggeration, his achievements were truly astonishing.
And the more he learned, the more fascinating the man seemed.
He had grown up being scorned by all as the Northern Menace. Every step he took was met with opposition.
Yet, Duke Fenris had unwaveringly pushed forward with his convictions, ultimately achieving success in everything he pursued.
In the end, he became a hero who eradicated the Duke of Delfine and brought the civil war to a close.
For the first time in a long while, Julien felt his heart stir.
‘Was it because Duke Fenris possessed exceptional martial prowess? No, he had no interest in strength.’
Was it because he had succeeded despite facing hardship, just like Julien?
No, that didn't matter to him either.
Was it because he was a hero striving to save the world?
No. He merely saw that as the responsibility of those with power.
From the beginning, he had little interest in most human affairs. The mere fact that he wanted to know more about Duke Fenris was an exception in itself.
As he continued reading, a strange sensation welled up inside him. The more he learned about Duke Fenris, the stronger a peculiar sense of familiarity grew.
Julien never disregarded his instincts. That preternatural intuition was the very thing that had led him to where he was today.
‘I want to meet him soon.’
Julien closed the book and shut his eyes.
Something unknown was slowly pulling at his heart.