VOLUME 3: CHAPTER 196 – THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS WANTS BLOOD (1/3)
Within the headquarters of the Kushain believers, the holy city, Cultidian, within the room of the patriarch, was the saint, Mira, who watched over the meeting with a peaceful expression. In her mind, she thought of how to deal with the army of Elrain Kingdom that failed to learn its lesson, as reports say that they have once again mobilized their troops. This time numbering 15,000 soldiers strong.
That was not enough to wipe out Cultidian, but more than enough if they only sought to surround them. Moreover, with news of her spies being successfully hunted, Mira’s mood quickly worsened.
They were in a tight spot. The Kingdom of Germion to the north continued to squirm about, while the goblins to the west still haven’t been subjugated. The goblins were watching them, waiting for an opening. No matter which direction she faced, there were enemies everywhere.
Mira wasn’t sure if it was possible to hole up within the castle for a long period of time, but wise as she was, she already knew the answer.
Unfortunately, it was not something she could accept, for such a conclusion would not only be humiliating but an act of profanity toward those who believed in her.
Who could happily accept that their country was weaker than others?
The army from Elrain Kingdom brought siege weapons with them, and they showed them off as if to say that they intended to conquer Cultidian. Of course, Mira wasn’t sure if they truly intended to do so.
The Red King has been building a nest within Elrain Kingdom, and their spies within have proven themselves more than capable. Mira’s people have already exhausted every option, and yet they still failed to discern the unwavering Red King’s internal affairs.
Based on the recent battle, they might not have been aiming for Cultidian but the borderlands instead. Unfortunately, Mira had no evidence to support that hypothesis.
Suspicions and speculations are an endless hole. so she refrained from giving an answer and did not say anything.
The influential people of the Kushain believers continued to argue vehemently among themselves. Mira’s eyes began to grow dark.
These people argued whether to fight Elrain Kingdom or not. If they did decide to fight, then they would need to decide whether to hold up within the castle or to go out and fight in the fields. If they chose not to, then they would need to find out if there was any room for compromise.
There were two factions to this debate. On one hand, there is the group that simply did not want to make a loss and was trying to end this issue as peacefully as possible, while the other was trying to use this opportunity to increase their influence.
The former faction was made of up cardinals and bishops while the latter faction was from the army. Of course, there were also exceptions. For example, the cardinals who also have strong ties with the army were a part of the latter faction.
With no end in sight, Mira decided to take a break for the meantime.
She had both the support of the people and the army behind her, as well as her ident.i.ty as both the patriarch and the saint. Such a maiden entered her bedroom to rest only to take her pillow and slam it as hard as she could against her bed.
“d.a.m.n wastrels! This isn’t the time for this!”
A knock sounded from outside her room, then a voice sought permission to enter. It was none other than Vilan Do Zul’s.
Mira responded with the voice of a lady and granted him permission to enter.
When Vilan entered, he immediately noticed the pillow thrown casually on top of the bed. He felt like sighing.
Mira could sense his feelings, but she told him to close the door, then she let herself fall on the bed.
“I’m done. I can’t do it anymore… Maybe it would be best if I ordered those senile old men to be lined up and impaled in public.”
“Milady, I’m not sure where you picked that up, but you really need to mind your words more…”
“I picked it up from the war princess of the Holy Shushunu Kingdom. Isn’t she wonderful? I would love to be able to call her elder sister.”
“That would surely trouble her, so please don’t.”
“…Strict, aren’t you, Vil?”
“I have my lord to thank for that.”
Hmph, Mira sneered as she stood up and walked toward Vilan, who refused to move away from the door.
As Mira’s footsteps resounded, something cold slid down Vilan’s back. When Mira was right in front of him, his eyes were swimming.
He wasn’t good with women, so he was desperately trying to restrain himself.
“…Hey, Vil. Do you think you can win?” Mira asked with a quiet voice.
When Vilan heard that, he forgot his own propensity and answered her as gently as he could. That was the most he could do for someone like him who wasn’t skilled in this sort of stuff.
“I will do my best.”
“My father told you something, didn’t he?”
“…His majesty is always worrying over you, so he just mentioned that you should go home if you’re tired…”
“Fool,” Mira said as she cast her eyes downward.
Vilan couldn’t meet her eyes, so he just remained standing at attention.
“…Tens of thousands could die with a single word from me. You know that, don’t you? And yet… How unsightly.”
Her hands shook as she balled them into a fist.
“Milady, you are a gentle girl. That gentleness is enough to save the believers. Please just do what you believe is right.”
“Will you follow me even if I tell you to slaughter wantonly?”
“…You are my one and only master. I give you all my loyalty. If you give an order, then I shall carry it out.”
“Thank you… Just a little… Let me be weak, alright?”
Mira leaned on Vilan’s chest, and for a while, their breathing resonated. After a short while, she abandoned all frail thoughts and gallantly left the room.
“Vilan Do Zul, I hereby order you. With the power vested unto me, take your soldiers and secure the room of the pope.”
“…As you will!”
On that day, a small internal conflict arose within Cultidian. When some 4 bishops and cardinals refused to submit to the order of the pope, their properties were forfeited and their families were all executed. The influential people within the Kushain believers quivered as they looked up in fear at the smiling saint, who sat atop the highest seat.
On that day, the maiden known as a saint also came to be known as the b.l.o.o.d.y Queen. It could be said that it was on this very moment that the b.l.o.o.d.y Queen was born.
The remains of the three cardinals laid before the quivering influential people as the b.l.o.o.d.y Queen approached them.
Then she spoke.
“Send a messenger to the monsters in the border lands at once. We shall ally with them.”
VOLUME 3: CHAPTER 196 – THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS WANTS BLOOD (2/3)
“Preposterous!” A pious bishop of the Kushain believers stood up flurried. “They killed the late patriarch!”
“Then allow me to ask you this. Are we able to have an equal alliance with Elrain Kingdom, Germion Kingdom, or Pena?” Mira asked.
With all the different players striving for supremacy, if the Kushain believers were to survive through this, then they would have to cross a dangerous bridge.
The holy wars have strained the relationship of the Kushain believers with Elrain Kingdom and Pena. As for Germion Kingdom, they have been at war with each other for decades, so their hatred runs deep.
Regardless which of country it was, unless there was a very good reason, an alliance was simply impossible.
As such, that left only the goblins in the border lands. Although they killed their patriarch, the Kushain believers themselves have yet to do anything to them.
So long as they could get past the patriarch’s death, they could surely form an alliance.
But what concerned Mira the most was how impartial the current goverment of the goblins was.
If the border lords were simply using the goblins, then that would leave her an opportunity. Mira believed that there was nothing they could do that she herself couldn’t. But in the unlikely event that the goblins themselves are responsible for their current government, then those goblins would no longer be the goblins she knew, and she would have to acknowledge them as something completely different.
“We shouldn’t need to in the first place! Our armies are protected by G.o.d! We can’t lose!” The bishop said.
Noise resounded in the backdrop as Mira pondered to herself.
When she heard what that unpleasant voice said, her face almost twitched, but somehow, she managed to keep up her smile as she muttered, “…It was under that very reasoning that Mr. Benem died and caused much suffering to the people.”
“You can’t hide behind the people for—” The pious bishop replied, but Mira raised her hand, and in the net moment, Vilan, donned in armor, led his men and suppressed the bishop.
Vilan turned to Mira for confirmation, and she nodded.
“Kill him,” Vilan said.
And just like that, the soldiers added the fourth corpse.
“H-Have you lost your mind!?” A general said, but Mira only turned to him with a calm gaze.
“Unfortunately, I am not so sweet as to allow madness to take me. Let me ask you, general. Have you heard of any among our people who might match a holy knight in battle?”
“T-That’s…”
“Or a person who could match the clan leader of the Red Clan, who with only 2,000 soldiers, brought down our Fatina?”
Silently, the general turned to Vilan.
“…Your grace, surely you already know. Vilan Do Zul is the greatest warrior among our people,” the general said shamefully, causing Mira to smile.
“I love honest people, general. Very well, Vilan. I ask you then. Can you match a holy knight or the Red King?” Mira asked.
“Unfortunately, my current strength cannot reach either,” Vilan replied.
“But that doesn’t mean these people should die!” The general argued.
“Silence, fool!” The ever quiet Vilan reprimanded.
It was such a rare sight to see him loudly rebuke someone that everyone in the area looked at him in wonderment.
“When Elrain Kingdom attacked, have you forgotten who it was that saved your life!?”
Vilan took out some doc.u.ments from his chest and threw them over the corpses.
“Even dogs know better than these ungrateful mutts who dared plot against her grace!” Vilan declared.
The generals fearfully gathered the doc.u.ments Vilan threw, and when they saw the bloodied contents, they saw that the men had pledged to overthrow the goverment. The name of the 4 men that have been killed was undoubtedly written.
“Have they really?” The general asked in disbelief.
When Mira nodded, he could only mutter, “I can’t believe it…”
The other influential people and soldiers in the area nodded.
“Now is not the time to be clinging to pride. Just this once, let us endure the shame and use the power of the monsters. For the sake of the people, obey me.”
Just a while ago, Mira’s words were cold and grim, but now, they were warm and gentle.
With the ‘truth’ of the slain people’s collusion disclosed, the fear of Vilan’s sword, and Mira’s smile, the people were completely ensnared.
Half a day later, a lone horseman quickly rode for the borderlands.
VOLUME 3: CHAPTER 196 – THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS WANTS BLOOD (3/3)
The merchant country, Pena, had a House of Elders under the queen. It was made up of old-timers that have spread their roots throughout the land, merchants who have ama.s.sed a fortune, and warriors who have vanquished monsters. Although it looked different, this was none other than the organization that regulated the profits of the influential people in Pena.
It was to that very organization that a proposal had been brought.
The marriage of Raksha El Pena and Brandika Rual Fatina.
Queen Rashka was turning 19 this year, while archduke Brandika was an honorable and brave man. Their union would essentially be a tug of war. One with Pena trying to absorb the Red King into them, while the Red King tried to suppress them.
“Nothing good would come out of getting involved with the Red King! Just look at the royal family of Elrain Kingdom!”
The one who said that was Allen, a childhood friend to the queen and a vice-commander to the Order of the Blue Knights. He was against their marriage.
His words weren’t false, for Elrain Kingdom was at the brink of defeat when they hired the Red King to fight for them. Unfortunately, the price of that was that their supposed King Yuguno was now currently being treated as nothing more than decoration. Their survival was guaranteed, but in exchange, King Yuguno now no longer meddled in politics.
“Perhaps, but the threat from the north is approaching. Already the goblins are 4,000 strong, and the Kushain believers are 5 times their numbers. Do you have any hopes of winning? What with that half destroyed Order of the Blue Knights of yours?”
Allen’s fervent speech was only met with a cold gaze from an elder.
“That’s why we should quickly rebuild the knight order! We still have the holy sword! It’s too early to be pessimistic!”
One of the people from the queen’s faction spoke, but the argument that came shooting back was equally cruel.
“But Aizas, its master, has died. It will take a year before the holy sword finds another master. Unfortunately, that is simply too long. Why did the knight-commander have to die?”
As that grave voice resounded, criticism turned to Allen.
“We shall form an equal alliance with the Red King and accept them into our lands, regardless if the weakened Elrain Kingdom, Kushain Believers, or the goblins be their prey…”
“I can’t change it. It’s obvious.”
Allen clicked his tongue internally. Just the thought of how these people could have possible struck a deal with the Red King and were currently trying to make this marriage succeed made him feel like dung had been rubbed all over him. If he could, he would really want to cut these people down right here and now.
Take care of the princess…
Aizas’ last words were what brought Allen’s raging heart back to a calm.
But he knew full well that he couldn’t fulfill them.
It would be hard to maintain this country without the support of the council. It was impossible to keep a country running on feelings alone.
That’s why Allen tried to speak reason into them once more. Again, he stood up in this battlefield without a sword.
“You overestimate the Red King! They have already lost to the goblins! Rather than relying on some mercs, it would be better for us to rebuild the Order of the Blue Knights!”
The reason the council wasn’t keen on rebuilding the Order of the Blue Knights was one – it would increase Allen and his people’s influence, and two – raising the sand horses cost a lot of money.
Sand horses were amazing monster beasts that could move quickly through the desert for a long time, but they had one problem. They could only eat living monster beasts.
Catching monster beasts were in and of itself a problem. Not to mention, finding such prey within the desert.
From the perspective of the council, Allen and his order lost a bunch of valuable gifts that the council had given him. Of course, these sand horses were indeed powerful weapons.
Truth be told, when the Order of the Blue Knights were in good condition, their might was something that earned them much envy. But after one battle, they were left half destroyed. The desert bandits thus took this to mean that their might had fallen and have once again made an appearance. Dealing with them would once again cost money. Which is why the young Allen was currently rebelling like this.
From the perspective of these people that have left their name in the council, this wasn’t an interesting situation.
The late Aizas was much better than Allen. He was someone who understood his opponents well and understood the politics of this country. Although he had few zealous supporters, that was also what made him ideal as a companion to the queen.
But then he died, and the one to succeed him was a young zealous warrior who has lived his life without having anything to do with politics.
But advantages and disadvantages were two sides of the same coin. While the zealous Allen might not have been suited for politics, he was unyielding when it came to his own beliefs.
The way he thought of his own country single-mindedly attracted a lot of zealous supporters around him, most of which revolved around the young who found the elders disagreeable.
This was also not amusing to the council, but Allen had no way of understanding this.
Pena’s misfortune was that it had no one who could calm the young army in times of need, while also mending the relationship between the elders and the warriors.
With only Queen Raksha able to stop Allen, the elders found the situation dangerous.
If they were to allow the Order of the Blue Knights to be rebuilt, all of their possessions would be gradually used up for the sake of the country. That was how dangerous they saw this situation as.
In the end, the meeting for that day closed without any conclusion.
Allen felt that if only Aizas were alive, the elders would have surely understood.