Chapter 135

Not long after Yuwon had brought Ipalim down. The Great Hall of the Aphahiel Imperial Palace.

Gion sat upon the imperial throne in an arrogant posture, as though it were naturally his seat, listening to a report from his subordinate.

“Lord. The hunting dog’s life signal has been cut off.”

That news was none other than Ipalim’s obituary. However, Gion’s reaction was far from normal.

“Hm, is that so? That’s good news.”

“…Pardon?”

Even Colbus, the subordinate delivering the report, was startled by Gion’s reaction.

“Surprised? You look like you didn’t expect that. Don’t be too shocked. It’s a good thing.”

“How do you see it that way… Wasn’t the hunting dog a rather useful individual?”

“He was useful. But he was dangerous. First of all, wasn’t he a traitor who had betrayed his former lord, the Emperor? That nature doesn’t just disappear. Keeping a traitor by one’s side is rather uncomfortable. I was already pondering how to deal with him, so this worked out well. If I were to deal with him with my own hands, at the very least I’d have to stake your life, Colbus, just to catch him. That’s why I’d been quietly watching.”

Perhaps finding Gion’s answer unexpected, Colbus asked again.

“…Though he was a traitor by origin, he was still among the top five strongest on the current continent. To be honest, even I wouldn’t have been confident facing him. Are you not regretful to lose such a blade?”

Colbus was not wrong. Yet Gion let out a scoff, as though he found the words amusing.

“Heh, me regretting losing him? Impossible. I have you. What would be regrettable about a mongrel that might bite its owner at any moment? He had already fulfilled his worth the moment he stabbed the Emperor. Thanks to that, we dealt with the Emperor and the Fifth Prince’s shadow as well. Of course, that was only possible with your help. In any case. I truly mean it—his death is good news.”

“I see… This subordinate understands Your Majesty’s will.”

“Yes. So forget about it. You seem bothered because you fought alongside him as an ally, but a loyal subject like you needn’t waste your heart on some hunting dog. No matter what anyone says, you are my sword.”

“Yes. Understood. Then… what will you do about the pursuit unit that has lost its commander?”

“Hm… let’s see.”

At Colbus’s question, Gion rubbed his chin in thought. Soon, his answer came.

“For now, we’ll watch a little longer. It’s not like I sent tens of thousands—just two hundred men. They were ones I raised with some care, so it’s a bit of a shame, but my position is no longer one where I’d lament over a mere two hundred. Those who are meant to live will return alive.”

“…Then I will proceed under that assumption and take no separate measures.”

“Good. That will do. Is that all the news?”

“Yes. That is all.”

“Then return. You all leave as well. I have something urgent to think over, and your presence is bothersome.”

Colbus Seral, Gion’s sword and loyal subject. After sending him away, Gion remained alone upon the imperial throne, lost in thought.

‘Truly a laughable fellow. A man whose individual might ranked among the strongest on the entire continent, yet when it came to matters related to his family, he was so soft that he fell for even shoddy acting… Well, thanks to that, I made good use of him.’

Ipalim’s family had long since died in a bandit raid in the distant past, and he had originally been a complete orphan. Among such children, the one who saw potential in him and raised him was the Imperial Palace’s “Owls,” to which he belonged.

However, Ipalim had been trapped by a false hope that somewhere, his family must still be alive, and in the end, that hope shackled his ankles.

In the end, Ipalim was toyed with by Gion’s schemes and became a cold corpse—without ever realizing that the family Gion claimed to be supporting were not his real family at all.

‘I wondered how far he’d let himself be eaten, but to believe without a single doubt until the very end… Truly a foolish fellow. Hah.’

For Gion, it was like blowing his nose without lifting a finger. He did not think deeply about Ipalim’s matter. From the start, the affairs of defeated stragglers were of no interest to him.

“The problem is who killed the hunting dog… Was it the Fifth Prince?”

Gion rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Or perhaps the notorious monsters of the Great Jungle.”

Resting his chin again, he massaged his temples.

“Whatever the case… I won’t give back the imperial throne.”

Once something was grasped in his hand, he would never let it be taken away. The fact that Gion, the insignificant youngest son of the Tindal family, sat upon the imperial throne was by no means due to luck or coincidence.

‘A land of monsters… even if it were erased from this land, no one would complain.’

A fierce light flashed in Gion’s eyes. He began preparing for war.

The riverside where Yuwon had collapsed. After a bout of swordplay, Yuwon and his companions gathered together again for the first time in a while.

Renania tactfully excused herself, saying she would look after the native children Hastings and Terrien had rescued. Thanks to that, the four gathered around Yuwon, chatting warmly as they hurriedly asked after one another’s well-being.

“I thought it wouldn’t have been strange if someone had died, but you’re all alive and well? I nearly died more than ten times after running into that crazy old man.”

“If we were to die fighting to reclaim Aphahiel, that would be one thing. But we can’t die in a place like this, where not even a gravestone could be left behind. Isn’t that right?”

“I have no intention of dying. Not as long as Your Highness lives.”

“Viscount Bartlett has gotten even more terrifying since last I saw him. Looks like you’d follow Yurion in death if he died. Truly.”

“That wouldn’t be impossible. If I lived and His Highness were to fall….”

At Hastings’s utterly serious reply, devoid of even a hint of a joke, Bernid shuddered.

“Damn it. Who did he take after to become like that? I can’t say anything around him. Terrien, you look better though? You always went around with a face like you were the weakest and about to die… Did the special training in the Great Jungle do something for you?”

“Compared to Your Highnesses or Hastings, I still have a long way to go. Still, the turmoil in my heart has eased somewhat.”

“Really? That alone is a relief. Though my instincts are prickling, telling me it’s not just your heart that’s grown stronger, like you say.”

“Haha. You flatter me.”

Yuwon merely smiled gently as he watched them, absorbed in their conversation. It was the very sight he had longed for.

‘Thank goodness everyone is safe. You all endured it well.’

After a round of light greetings, Bernid slowly swept his gaze over the group and spoke first. His face bore a broad grin, as though something delighted him.

“That aside… it looks like everyone’s had a rough time. Every single one of you looks like a beggar. Heh heh.”

Those who were told that to their faces did not seem to think the words were directed at themselves, glancing at the faces of those seated beside them instead.

Terrien, Hastings, Bernid, and even Renania, who had not been in the Great Jungle for very long. As if proving how harsh their time there had been, all of them looked a mess.

“Cough. Um….”

“…….”

After one full circle, their gazes returned to themselves, and in the end, they had no choice but to acknowledge it. The sight of the person beside them was no different from their own.

“Hah… I thought the Third Prince was just joking again….”

“…It really is so.”

Renania, who was playing with the children some distance away, had fought battles as well, but since she had not spent very long in the jungle, her situation was somewhat better. The three who had set foot in the jungle alongside Yuwon were not so fortunate. The clothes they wore—made from monster hides—were proof enough.

From afar, they looked no different from jungle natives. Of course, Yuwon was the exception.

“…But seeing Yurion over there, perfectly fine all by himself, really drives it home. Don’t you think?”

Bernid shot a playful glare at Yuwon, reproaching him for being the only one who looked presentable. Following that, Terrien and Hastings fixed Yuwon with heated gazes. Normally, the two did not play along with Bernid’s teasing, but today was different.

“…Your Highness.”

“…….”

At the silent question in their eyes—why he alone looked fine—Yuwon shrugged.

“I just had plenty of clothes prepared in my subspace bag beforehand. Do you all have a complaint?”

“And why is your skin untouched as well? Everyone else is pitch black from the sun.”

“I didn’t tan. Maybe it’s my constitution.”

At Yuwon’s nonchalant reply, everyone was left speechless. Clothes could be explained by the subspace bag, but if he simply didn’t tan by nature, what could they say?

“Let’s end the idle chatter here… Your Highness. What do you plan to do now?”

“Well. What do you all think?”

At that question, Hastings answered at once.

“Our thoughts are unimportant. We will wholeheartedly follow whatever you command, Your Highness.”

“…….”

Terrien and Bernid nodded silently in agreement with Hastings. After a brief silence, Yuwon continued in a serious tone.

“For now… we’ll escort those children and Lady Valaris to the south first. Someone has to go anyway, because of the southern forces and the prisoners. One person should be enough—any volunteers?”

At Yuwon’s question, Terrien—the one who had rescued the children—raised his hand. Or rather, he was about to, when Hastings grabbed his shoulder and pressed it down.

“…?”

“I’ll go. I bear responsibility for those children as well.”

“I could go too. Are you sure?”

“More than sure. I was going to ask, actually.”

“Hastings, you?”

Everyone had assumed Hastings would choose to stay close to Yuwon, yet he unexpectedly volunteered to move away. Terrien found it strange, but upon hearing Hastings’s next words, he yielded the Valaris route.

“Let me go. I have something to do.”

“Fine. If you say so. Then I’ll guard His Highness’s side in your stead.”

Yuwon, who had been silently watching the two, stepped in to conclude.

“Then it seems we’re agreed. Hastings will accompany the Valaris group.”

At Yuwon’s words, the two discussing the Valaris route answered at the same time.

“Yes!”

“Then what about me and Terrien?”

“Terrien… After hearing the children’s circumstances, it seems he won’t be able to mix with the natives again easily, so he’ll stay by my side for now. As for you, you need to return to your place. It seems your studies under that crazy old man aren’t finished yet.”

“I’m already strong enough… Can’t I skip it?”

“Our teacher says that Kahaad fellow is incredibly strong. Think of it as a good opportunity and suffer just a bit more. Anyway, things will blow up again soon, so even if you wanted to stay longer, you wouldn’t be able to.”

“Hrrm….”

Bernid twisted his face, clearly unwilling to return to Kahaad’s side. Of course, in the end, he did not defy Yuwon’s command.

“…Fine. I’ve endured this far, so I’ll manage somehow. But what did you mean by ‘won’t be able to last long’?”

“The monsters won’t stay quiet. Because of this incident, we’ve openly made enemies of all kinds of monsters in the Great Jungle. We were never on good terms to begin with, but this time, it won’t end easily.”

In the previous battle, Yuwon had confronted the monsters to protect Valaris’s forces and Renania.

Competition over prey was common in the Great Jungle, but this time, Yuwon had acted to protect humans. Before long, once the monsters learned of it, they would not remain idle. Bernid immediately understood.

“Ah… that makes sense.”

“Alright! Then shall we each return to our positions?”

It wasn’t only Gion who was preparing for war.

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