"All 15 kingdoms except the empire dispatched an envoy?”
They refused the founding ceremony invitation, but now they sent representatives? The members of Overgeared reacted strongly when they heard the news.
“Why are they acting as they please? Why are they acting like we are pushovers?”
"It’s obnoxious, but the situation isn’t that bad. The fact that they sent representatives means they’re willing to deal with us.”
"Isn’t that too unbelievable? Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are accepting Overgeared as a kingdom?”
“Why did they suddenly change their position?”
“Overgeared will become as big as the empire in the future and they are trying to suck up to us! Puhuhu!”
“Now they have realized the dignity of G.o.d Grid! Puhahahat!”
The more the conversation progressed, the more excited the atmosphere became. The positive energy generated by Peak Sword and Vantner caused unfounded confidence.
Lauel sighed and poured cold water on them. “That’s impossible. They will deny us until the end.”
“Eh? So why are they sending representatives?”
“Hut, isn’t it obvious? My reincarnation has already detected 100% of their intentions. Well, there won’t be too much trouble no matter how we act. Huhuhut, this is a very good opportunity.”
“...”
Lauel was very happy. He was like a snake looking at his prey: the representatives from 15 kingdoms.
***
It was around an hour after the Gauss Kingdom representative arrived. The rest of the 14 representatives gathered in Reinhardt. Baron Cudan of the Murrary Kingdom was surprised.
“There are a lot more people than I thought?”
Reinhardt Palace, where the founding ceremony would take place, was really packed. No matter where he turned his gaze, he could only see people. Why was it so crowded, despite being a kingdom without a foundation? It was completely unexpected. The representative of the Ultana Kingdom shrugged at the confused Baron Cudan.
"Aren’t they just pretending? Take a good look at their faces. There isn’t a single celebrity.”
“Certainly...”
There were no big people gathered at the venue. The majority of them were anchors and staff members of the broadcasting companies. There were also users with low or medium reputation. In the eyes of the NPC n.o.bles, they were only flies.
“Where is Baron Kons of the Gauss Kingdom who arrived earlier?”
A knight dressed in black armor approached the representatives and explained.
"He suddenly moved to a restroom because he felt sick. Can I help you?”
“Um...? No, it’s okay.”
The knight’s equipment was unusual. The armor and weapons were all exceptional.
"I thought they wouldn"t have enough money because they need to invest in the founding ceremony...”
“Overgeared Kingdom... It surprisingly has significant capital.”
“How can that be? It’s just bravado. The knights are only wearing good armor in front of the guests.”
“But there are too many knights wearing the same thing...”
“...”
The gazes of the representatives s.h.i.+fted. The number of black knights scattered throughout the venue seemed to be around 1,000. The representatives were stunned.
‘What? Even the empire doesn’t have such a large number of knights?’
There was a stir among the representatives. There was silence until Baron Briton of the Arc Kingdom trembled.
“Grid... He’s a wicked man.”
“What do you mean?”
“Think about it. How can a new nation have so many knights unless it‘s exploiting the people? These 1,000 knights were raised by squeezing out the blood of the people. It proves that Grid treats people as less than cattle.”
“Hrmmm...”
Treating the people as less than cattle? Some representatives didn’t agree with each other. On the other hand, Baron Cudan was furious.
“What a demon!”
A person who betrayed his kingdom and his king. A vicious demon. A kingdom ruled by such a person? It couldn’t happen. Baron Cudan touched the sheath at his waist.
"For the peace of the continent, isn’t it better to kill him?’
Baron Cudan’s momentum was fearsome as he thought about it. It was enough to make the people around him shrink back. The other representatives admired it.
‘What a fearsome energy. Murray’s Lion isn’t an empty name.’
Baron Cudan was famous for fighting one against two with the empire’s Black Knights. He was a very upright person which didn’t allow him to gain a high position. But Baron Cudan’s swordsmans.h.i.+p was well known throughout the continent. He wasn’t called Murray’s Lion for nothing. The moment everyone was feeling amazed by Baron Cudan.
"Put away your sword energy.”
“...?”
One soldier approached Baron Cudan.
“Why are you emitting sword energy? If you’re a representative, you should b e aware of the basic courtesies. Don’t you know the basic courtesies?”
The blond soldier took a step forward. He was wearing shabby armor. As he scratched it with his fingers, the old leather armor seemed to tear. Overgeared Kingdom. The soldiers were treated so insignificantly compared to the elite knights?
‘It’s the soldiers at the forefront of the battlefield, not the knights... Grid is just bluffing.’
The representatives laughed at Grid. On the other hand, Baron Cudan was white.
"What is this soldier?’
The blond soldier in shabby leather. The soldier looked just like a soldier. Compared to the black armored knights he witnessed before, the soldier seemed like a trivial existence. However, it was difficult to gauge his status when actually facing him. The sword energy that Baron Cudan was proud of shrunk back in front of the soldier.
‘Eh... How can a lowly soldier seem so profound?’
Gooseb.u.mps appeared on Baron Cudan’s body. If one soldier was so strong, what about the 1,000 knights scattered around the venue?
Gulp!
Baron Cudan stood like a stone statue and gulped.
"How dare you say such ridiculous things?”
"We’re soldiers of the great Murray Kingdom!”
Baron Cudan’s knights were angry and drew their swords. The moment they were about to strike at the blond soldier. Baron Cudan hastily stopped them.
"S-Stop!”
If they attacked in this place, it would mean all their deaths. It was also from a soldier! Baron Cudan suddenly held his stomach and fell.
“U-Ugh? No? Why does my stomach suddenly hurt? Oh my? I’m too sick too move?”
“M-My Lord?”
Baron Cudan’s knights were embarra.s.sed. Baron Cudan’s innate health was so great that they couldn’t help feeling like this once Baron Cudan complained of stomach pain. Baron Cudan urged them not to worry about the rude soldier anymore.
“We need to go back to the kingdom. Let’s go back. Oh my, it burns. It must be the beef jerky I ate on the way here.”
"B-But the king’s request...”
“It burns! Go back!”
“Heok! Yes, yes!!”
Baron Cudan’s knights hastily took him away. The moment that the Murray Kingdom’s delegation left Reinhardt.
“Look over here! Baron Cudan!”
“Hah... What is this...?”
The representatives were stunned. Baron Cudan left before fulfilling his duties as a representative.
"It’s different from the usual discipline of the Murray Kingdom.’
The representatives thought it was ridiculous as they watched Baron Cudan leaving this place. All of them didn’t recognize the Murray Kingdom anymore.
On the other hand, Baron Cudan made a resolute expression as he left Reinhardt.
‘I must speak to the king about making peace with the Overgeared Kingdom.’
How could the person called Grid be more vicious than the emperor of the empire? He might be a rebel, but his power seemed to transcend imagination. He was the trend.
***
"What? The Gauss Kingdom’s representative has also left?”
Two of the 15 representatives were gone. The remaining 13 representatives thought it was ridiculous.
"What representative would return before completing his mission?”
"Baron Kons and Baron Cudan are both incompetent.”
“It’s proof that their kings aren’t dignified.”
Baron Vedika was the representative of the Ultana Kingdom. His nickname was ‘vampire baron’ because he hunted the intermediate vampires that appeared in his territory and acquired the vampire rings as loot. He had a reputation for his great sustainability in combat, since he restored his health by taking his enemy’s. It was rumored that he was almost immortal when he fought. He was a brave man and disappeared the runaway Baron Kons and Baron Cudan as cowards.
‘They ran out of fear after seeing the 1,000 knights.’
They thought they would be struck by the knights the moment they demanded that Overgeared pay tribute to their kingdoms.
‘Truly pathetic. Anyone who represents their kingdom should put their honor of the kingdom above their fear. Tsk tsk tsk...’
To be honest, Baron Vedika was also tense. He could gain honor as soon as he accomplished the mission, but he could be executed by the 1,000 knights that surrounded them. However, he had the power to overcome this fear.
‘I have the vampire ring.’
It was a ring obtained by hunting the intermediate vampires in his territory along with all his knights. Baron Vedika believed that with the vampire ring, he could survive in a 1 vs 1,000 fight.
“Huhuhut... Huh?”
Baron Vedika was looking at the ring on his finger when he suddenly became aghast.
"Will there be group activities after the founding ceremony? What is it?”
“A group will be organized to hunt in the vampire cities.”
“Ah, what? The vampires are too weak to be fun anymore, and they don’t give much experience.”
"But isn’t it a good day today? We’ll be able to raise the level of the guild members in the second group.”
“Well... Yes, if I have to go, then I should do my best.”
"It would be fun to try a city we haven’t cleared yet.”
“...”
Organizing a group to hunt in the vampire cities? The vampires are too weak?
‘What are they saying?’
Baron Vedika laughed as he heard the words of the group pa.s.sing by. He believed they were just bluffing. This lasted until he spotted a ring on one of their fingers.
“Pant... Pant?"
Baron Vedika doubted his eyes. The dozens of people, including a bald man, were wearing vampire rings on their fingers. The rings also contained better magic power than the ring that Baron Vedika wore. Baron Vedika made a disbelieving expression, before gathering his courage and approaching the bald man.
“If I’m not being impolite... Can I ask what you’re doing here?
Gulp.
Baron Vedika swallowed his saliva as he asked the question. Then the bald man replied.
"We are King Grid’s subordinates. Why are you asking?”
"...U-Urgh? Why am I suddenly feeling anemic? Isn’t it weird?”
In the end. The representative of the Ultana Kingdom also ran away from Reinhardt.
"...???"
The remaining 12 representatives failed to recognize the situation and finally settled in to observe the founding ceremony.