“Me? I just did as I was told.”
“If I didn’t do as they said, I probably would have lost my neck.”
“Rebellion? I did know of it. But I didn’t like it. So I just pretended to fight.”
Elton Coat Barony troop’s soldiers all spewed out the same words like one.
The ones who raised a banner of rebellion against the Rinse Kingdom.
The reason they fell so helplessly despite starting the rebellion so pompously was because the soldiers, who should have been putting their lives on the line fighting, all tried to save their own lives.
Of course, they only mindlessly followed the orders from above and most had surrendered or ran once the situation turned disadvantageous.
‘I only need to take down the core members.’
Truthfully, he would have beheaded all the accomplices regardless of their ranks if the they were royalty or n.o.bles.
It was because they had the standing and wealth to gather power at any time.
They had the clear possibility of becoming the seeds of trouble.
But the ordinary commoners were different.
Even if they were kept alive, the chance of them becoming a danger was significantly minute.
Especially in the case of the soldiers like the Coat Barony troop, this was even more so.
And.
‘If I take these soldiers into my faction……’
It wouldn’t simply stop at increasing the number of soldiers.
If the soldiers and their families migrated to the Tale Barony, that should solve the Tale region’s problem, where the population is small compared to the extensive land, to a certain extent.
Because of these various reasons, Roan gave those besides the core members, who started the rebellion, a chance to start over anew.
And like that, the Coat Barony troops were absorbed below the Tale Legion.
‘This is the last chance! There’s no other way but to surrender and go along with them if I want to live!’
The Coat Barony troops’ soldiers also understood that the only way to keep their lives was to follow Roan.
Like that, the fief’s citizens, who partic.i.p.ated in the rebellion to earn an extra coin or two or were forced by the people above them, were all reborn as Roan’s soldiers.
Thanks to that, the Tale Legion, which numbered ten thousand at the march ceremony and was reduced to eight thousand due to the repeated battles, became reformed into a nearly twenty thousand strong legion.
“Amazing.”
“Not only strength, even his tricks aren’t normal either.”
Mills and Chester watched Roan and the Tale Legion and shook their heads.
It was a sincere admiration.
‘It’s certainly a brilliant talent.’
‘He’s different than those greenhorns called the 12 Hatchling or something.’
Of course, it wasn’t as if there was such a big difference that they could only marvel at him.
‘If I thoroughly prepare and then face him, I can easily take him down.’
‘I definitely won’t lose the next time.’
Mills and Chester vowed for the future and departed first towards the capital, MIller, while leading their legion.
To them, there was nothing left to do at Tradi Castle.
The Coat Barony, including the Tradi Castle, was already Roan’s territory.
Roan was only able to head towards the capital, Miller, after rebuilding the numerous villages that were damaged from the battles and looking after those who were hurt.
Of course, he left Austin and five thousand soldiers and had them be on their guard in case of an unexpected situation.
The day Roan and the Tale Legion departed.
Everywhere Roan went, the fief’s citizens poured out to shout and clap.
They were thankful to the Tale Legion who, despite technically being no different than an occupying force, had relieved the citizens’ difficulties instead of acting without restraint.
“Thank you for your time until now!”
“Thank you very much!”
“Please do come back!”
Some residents even showed tears from their grat.i.tude and feelings of sadness at their departure.
‘This is the sight that I want.’
Not one of citizens was crying from frustration and fear, but from happiness and joy.
Roan made a smile towards them and spurred his horse forward.
Although he had achieved a complete victory thanks to Clay’s strategy and perfect abilities, the greater victory was winning the hearts of the fief’s citizens.
Word for word, it was a perfect and triumphant return.
*****
The capital, Miller, shook greatly for once.
“So he’s finally coming back?”
“The hero of the last expedition and the hero of the rebellion suppression this time, Sir Baron Roan Tale.”
“He’s truly an amazing person. He stepped ahead of those talented sirs and cut down the head of the rebellion!”
The castle’s citizens were all busy talking about Roan’s story.
The feverish mood was even hotter than the time of the last expedition’s triumphant return.
This was all because Roan, who had just became a n.o.ble, won in a compet.i.tion with Mills and Chester, who were called the kingdom’s future.
And it was also an overwhelming victory.
“I heard he went up the river on a great fleet of boats?”
“Just when did he prepare those ships?”
“That’s not all. With an ambush, he annihilated the Byron Kingdom’s troops that marched to help the rebels.”
The heated praises of Roan’s meticulous preparations and tricks continued on.
Because he hadn’t simply suppressed the rebellion but completely suppressed them with overwhelming and fantastic tactic, he received even greater attention.
“Anyway, it looks like his majesty the king is also really happy.”
“Yeah. Just look at that triumphal arc.”
They turned towards the grand triumphal arc built on top of the wide square.
On the gigantic triumphal arc that hundreds of architects had swarmed through for days and nights, a brilliant and beautiful design was carved.
“From what I heard, they say Prince Simon and Sir Duke Bradley Webster had actively proposed it.”
“They probably did. To them, Sir Baron Tale is no different than a ball of luck.”
“Kuu! It must look seriously awesome if I were to walk through that victory gate and enter the palace just like that!”
From here and there, exclamations of awe popped out.
At that moment.
Deng! Deng! Deng!
The sound of a bell noisily echoed from the north gate.
“He’s here!”
“He finally arrived!”
The castle’s residents instinctively turned towards the north.
The sound of the bell endlessly echoed out.
That was the bell sound of welcome that celebrated Roan and the Tale Legion’s triumphant return.
*****
“I, is this really a welcome ceremony for us?”
“A, amazing.”
The Tale Legion’s soldiers, with dazed expressions, gazed around themselves.
Flower petals and colored confetti endlessly fell on top of their heads.
Thundering cheers that filled their ears.
Welcoming crowd that tightly filled the street.
They couldn’t believe that all of these were for them.
The shock of the previously Coat Barony Troop’s soldiers who were recruited this time as Tale Legion’s soldiers was especially great.
‘A, are we really allowed to receive this welcome?’
‘Even though we were rebels just a few days ago.’
At that moment, the soldiers near them happily shouted.
“It looks like everyone in the capital has come out!”
“I can really feel my heart jumping!”
Their entire bodies sharply trembled from the pouring cheers.
“There’s no need to make so much fuss.”
One of the soldiers spoke in a quiet voice while waving at the crowd.
The soldiers, who were engrossed in watching the crowd with elated faces, creased their brows.
“What do you mean?”
“Doesn’t this situation make you excited?”
The sound of complaints against him came pouring down.
Then the soldier who spoke up first turned towards them and replied.
“You’ll have a lot more experiences like this if you continue to serve Sir Baron Tale from now on, so there’s no need to be so excited.”
“Ah……”
Immediately, all of them quietly exclaimed.
Then they soon nodded their heads.
‘Right. If it’s Sir Baron Tale, he is someone who will raise even greater achievement than this.’
‘There’s no way this will be the last one.’
The soldiers who had been fussing about coughed and stood up straight.
With awkward faces and poses, they waved at the crowd.
“Waaaaa!”
“Roan Tale! Roan Tale!”
“Tale Legion! Tale Legion!”
The cheers became even louder when the soldiers responded.
Roan’s name echoed throughout Miller.
Roan, who was riding his horse at the head of the legion, didn’t lose his calm even in the cheers that came pouring down.
His face was relaxed and composed.
But he too was extremely astonished on the inside.
‘I didn’t expect it to be this much.’
Although he thought that there would be a welcoming event or a crowd, the sight in front of his eyes had completely jumped beyond his expectations.
Especially the enormous triumphal arc built in the plaza at the end of the street was something he couldn’t even have imagined.
“A triumphal arc……’
In the last life, there was a time when he pa.s.sed through the triumphal arc as a mere common spearman.
At the time, the grand commander was none other than Pierce.
But now.
‘I’m proudly returning in triumph as a legion commander.’
Furthermore, as a n.o.ble with the standing as a baron.
It was the difference between earth and sky compared to the last life.
All the while, Roan busily rode his horse and stood in front of the triumphal arc.
Clop. Clop.
The horse, which had been walking on top of the street, finally pa.s.sed through the triumphal arc.
Hwaaah!
A gust of wind suddenly blew.
No, it felt like a wind had blown.
An indescribable delight wrapped around his entire body.
‘It’s quite hair-raising.’
It felt as if the hairs on his entire body stood up.
Through his head, the events of the past quickly brushed past.
Coming back in time, the Battle of Ale Gorge, the Battle of Pedian Plain, the War with the Istel Kingdom, Poskein Exodus, and even the rebellion suppression.
It truly was a time where he ran breathlessly.
In that time, an insignificant newbie spearman became a baron and a legion commander.
It was an incredibly amazing success.
But.
‘I can’t be satisfied and settle with just this.’
Roan dreamt of an even bigger dream.
‘I just need to do as I have done until now.’
He tightly clenched the horse’s reins.
‘I will definitely be a monarch.’
When he had newly hardened his determination, he could see familiar faces at the end of the street beyond the triumphal arc.
‘Hmm.’
For a moment, Roan’s face slightly blushed.
Thanks to Kalian’s Tears, he could see the people that came out on top of the palace’s wall clearly.
Prince Simon, Prince Tommy, and Prince Kallum as well as the four dukes and the distinguished n.o.bles all came out and were watching Roan’s triumphant return.
But the place Roan’s gaze stayed at wasn’t the center of the palace wall but the side of the left corner.
A few princesses were gathered around there, and amongst them was Princess Aily Rinse.
‘Princess Aily……’
Strangely, his heart beat rapidly.
His face that was composed even against the incredible welcoming crowd loosened slightly.
The tips of his eyes trembled and the ends of his lips went up bit by bit.
Simon and the others weren’t even in his eyes anymore.
Even the noisy welcoming crowd’s cheers slowly felt quieter.
‘Really, why am I like this?’
Roan had known everything and had shown outstanding performances in everything, but in truth he didn’t even properly understand his own feelings.
He simply stared with brightly blushed face straight into Aily’s far away eyes.
“Hm?”
Meanwhile, Aily, who was watching Roan’s triumphant return from the top of the palace wall, unconsciously let out a short exclamation.
“What is it, princess?”
The guardian knight Greg Katis, who had been near her, slightly lowered his head then cautiously asked.
At those words, Aily glanced at the princesses nearby then replied in a quiet voice.
“I think I met Sir Baron Tale’s eyes just now.”
“Yes?”
With a slightly surprised face, Greg looked towards Roan.
But because the distance was too far, it was impossible to even see his expression.
“Princess. Even for me, who has learned a mana technique, simply seeing Baron Tale’s outline is all I could do.”
“But I definitely……”
Aily tried to reply once again but soon closed her mouth.
Even to her eyes, Roan was simply too far apart.
‘But it definitely felt like I met his eyes.’
She swallowed the words that went up to her throat.
She couldn’t explain the reason, but she felt certain.
If it wasn’t that their eyes had met.
‘Our hearts must have met’
Her heart rapidly jumped.
Her face brightly blushed.
Making an awfully shy and happy smile, she gazed at Roan.
Although the two were still much too far apart, their gazes at least were directed at each other.
It was a distance that would someday be closed, and it was a bond that would someday be
Probably.
*****
“Hahaha! Baron Tale! You did really well!”
Simon fully opened his two arms and welcomed Roan.
Roan gave a short salute then lowered his head.
“I’m glad I could complete the mission.”
“Hahaha! There’s no need to be so humble. I know that this rebellion suppression is your complete victory!”
Simon grabbed both of Roan’s shoulders.
His face was full of joy.
With the rebellion suppression this time, Simon’s stock had once again risen greatly.
Some of the n.o.bles who supported the neutral faction even declared their support.
“Baron Tale. Good work.”
Viscount Tio Ruin, who had been next to them, gave a faint smile.
Roan slightly lowered his head instead of answering back.
The mood was full of happiness.
Of course, that was only on Simon’s side.
“Cht!”
“Hmph! Unsightly b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
Tommy and Kallum glanced at Roan and burst out in anger.
Next to them, Mills and Chester stood in place with stiff expressions.
They had already received glares unlike glares and rebukes in the past few days. 1
Of course, the situation wasn’t such that Tommy and Kallum could throw them out because of that.
However the things were, Mills and Chester were sons of dukes and their talents were also that of outstanding geniuses amongst geniuses.
At that moment, the grand chamberlain, Viscount Logan, showed himself.
With the staff he held, he knocked on the marble floor three times.
“The sun of the kingdom, and the deputy of the G.o.d Krea, His Majesty Deni III is coming. The loyal retainers of the kingdom, show your manners.”
Immediately, the n.o.bles who had been chatting all closed their mouths and deeply bowed.
Soon, Deni Von Rinse appeared in a splendid suit.
The very moment he sat down on the throne, he called out Roan’s name.
“Baron Roan Tale! Hahaha! I heave heard of your performance. It truly was excellent!”
Deni III laughed out aloud as he nodded his head.
Roan went up to the throne and kneeled down on one knee.
“I simply did what must be done. Your majesty.”
Roan’s voice was composed and his manners courteous.
Deni III brightly smiled and leaned his back on the throne.
“Since you have splendidly suppressed the rebels, I should judge your merits and grant rewards. First……”
As he first promised, he granted Coat Barony’s total authority and wealth to Roan.
Not only that, he even gave all the authority and wealth of the previous Gary Renard’s fief that Elton had taken over as he wished.
Several n.o.bles sulked and complained but were forced to close their mouths under Simon and Duke Bradley Webster’s powerful support.
The rewards didn’t end with that.
Deni III called Simon, who had nominated Roan, and praised his eyes as well as tell him that he had become one step closer in becoming the Grand Duke of Grain, thus making the other two princes nervous.
‘So I cannot rise to be Grand Duke of Grain with only this.’
Simon was slightly angered since the nomination of the Grand Duke was once again postponed, but soon calmed his feelings.
It was because the fact was that he was far ahead of the other princes.
When Simon went back to his original place, Deni III once again spoke with an excited voice.
“Since you have consecutively raised big merits, I cannot end the rewards with just this. Is there perhaps something you want? Should I make you another privilege rights?” 2
Roan faintly smiled and shook his head at those words.
“I am fine with the privilege right. But there is something I do want.”
“Oh! What is it?”
Deni III quietly exclaimed.
Roan slightly lowered his head and exhaled a short sigh.
‘Now is the time to go back to Tale Barony. It is time to strengthen the basis. For that, several things are needed.’
Most of them were something Roan could take care of on his own.
But there were some that he couldn’t.
Roan raised his head and looked towards Deni III.
The smile hanging on his mouth became slightly deeper.
“There is someone I would like to recommend to the Eastern Regional Corps Supreme Commander position that is currently empty.” 3
A wind blasted through the grand hall.
That was the wind of change.
Of course, the one who raised that wind was Roan.
< Triumphant Return (1) > End. 4
Translator : CSV
Proofreader: st8_lupe.
1. “glares unlike glares” is a rather tricky phrase to translate. In short, it’s a case of n.o.bles and the two princes venomously glaring at Mills and Chester, but not in a way that is obvious. Thus, they are glaring at Mills and Chester, but not really in a technical sense since that would create internal problems in the factions.
2. ch. 106 for those who wants to look back.
3. previously held by Benjamin Doyle.
4. yes, we had “triumphant return” arc back in ch. 104~108. The arc this time is also called “triumphant return.”