Chapter 151

Recently, Gion openly bared the fangs he had hidden behind his gentle face. He slaughtered the nobles who opposed the war and, by leading with terror, further solidified his support base. Within the noble society of the Aphahiel Empire, the horrific acts committed by Gion had long since become an openly known fact.

Among those who survived, there was not a single soul who dared to oppose Gion’s words. Gion further accelerated his ambition to devour Aphahiel.

Gion mercilessly pressured the territories that had lost their lords for opposing the war.

“…I don’t know how the Fifth Prince managed to sweet-talk those bastards, but the South is already rotten. If you foolishly try to carry it along, the poison will spread through your entire body. I’ve already given them more than enough chances, and they’ve neatly rejected my goodwill. So cutting away the rotten parts is only natural.”

Gion’s words became law. Immediately, a large-scale investigation targeting the South was launched. The stated pretext was collusion with the unfilial traitor, the Fifth Prince.

Until now, the South had remained tightly united around Valaris, but this time it could not. To go against Gion’s will was to go against the will of the Empire itself. Under Gion’s blatant pressure, the South began to waver.

“…My lord. Our territory must also make a decision now. If we drag this out any longer, we may truly face an irreversible situation.”

“I know, Steward. But… how could I, having received the Empire’s grace, possibly collude with those packs of hyenas who usurped the throne?”

“Your Excellency…! You must think of the family and the fragile people of this territory. Look at the children running about outside, and at those people who toil endlessly in the fields, unaware of what is happening. If we stand against the Empire, all of them will be extinguished overnight.”

At the Steward’s urging, deep worry settled around the lord’s eyes.

“Ah… how did the Empire ever come to this….”

A situation where he could do neither this nor that. If he followed his heart and chose desperate resistance, the people he was responsible for weighed heavily on his mind. But if he entrusted himself to Gion to protect them, it felt as though his entire life and everything his family had built under Aphahiel would be completely denied.

For a lifetime—no, for generations—the southern noble families had cooperated with Valaris to steadfastly protect the South from monstrous beasts. Now, the southern nobles who had thoroughly earned Gion’s enmity wavered between Gion and Valaris, agonizing deeply. They all knew it. This was their last chance.

Under the relentless interference of the hunting dogs, the once-solid unity of the South loosened and split in two. The Desperate Resistance Faction centered around Count Valaris, and the Pro-Central Faction that fell for Gion’s temptations.

Even at this very moment, nobles unable to withstand persuasion and threats continued to place themselves under the Pro-Central Faction one by one. Yet Count Valaris, the spiritual pillar of the South, remained silent despite knowing everything all too well.

‘That treasonous bastard Gion has finally drawn his sword. And that blade will surely be aimed at the Great Jungle. With the South standing on the path toward the Great Jungle….’

The outcome was obvious without even looking. With a single choice by a lord, his own life, his family’s lives, and the lives of tens of thousands of citizens hung in the balance. In the end, the Count could neither scold nor stop those who abandoned Aphahiel and sided with Gion. Letting out a long, stifled sigh was all he could do.

“If only His Highness would say something at a time like this….”

Even amid such tension, Yuwon remained without a trace. If Yuwon were to return and simply say a single word—that he would expose what Gion had schemed in the past and reclaim the throne—the situation would change drastically. But Yuwon remained silent. Loyalty without a center slowly withered under the unceasing pressure of external forces.

At the same time, deeper down in the Great Jungle beneath the southern lands of the Empire. In Yuwon’s hand was a small letter. After reading through the letter sent by Hastings, Yuwon burned it away with inner power.

‘So things really came to this… The Count must be suffering terribly.’

Contrary to the Count’s worries, Yuwon was not sitting idly by. On the contrary, he was spending an exceedingly busy time.

Through Hastings, Yuwon received updates on the situation in the South and within the Empire, while at the same time working to persuade Kahaad and Herran in order to achieve the unification of the Great Jungle.

“If you’re going to force it with violence anyway if I refuse, why even ask… tch. Fine. When the Great Jungle gets attacked, I’m not planning to sit around sucking my fingers, so I’ll cooperate willingly. Might even make for good practical training for Bern.”

Though Kahaad spoke as if dissatisfied, he agreed to cooperate relatively readily. There was a reason for that. Just days ago, during a contest of strength with Yuwon over Bernid, Kahaad had clearly seen the Primordial Serpent coiled within Yuwon.

‘I can’t afford to make an enemy of someone carrying something like that inside him. And he’s Bern’s brother too… I’ll endure it. I’ll endure.’

Even as he clasped hands with Yuwon, pretending he had no choice, Kahaad firmly believed that he was the one conceding. Of course, whether it was Kahaad yielding or Yuwon yielding was something no one would know until the two truly crossed blades.

In any case, with Bernid in the middle, Yuwon was able to bring Kahaad and his followers over as allies more easily than expected. Without delay, Yuwon then headed straight for the Thunder Bird Tribe.

By now, Yuwon’s fame within the Great Jungle was such that there was no one—be they monstrous beasts or humans—who did not recognize him. In response to Yuwon’s arrival, the Tribal Chief Herran personally came out to greet him.

“What brings the King of the River here….”

Herran received Yuwon with proper courtesy, but it went no further than mere politeness—nothing resembling goodwill. Yuwon immediately noticed this and swallowed a bitter smile inwardly.

‘It couldn’t be otherwise. Terrien killed their god….’

“I’ve come to shamelessly ask for your help.”

“Help? Why would the King of the River need help from people as powerless as us….”

Herran tried to use the Thunder Bird Tribe’s weakness as an excuse to slip out of Yuwon’s request for cooperation. But Yuwon did not yield and pushed straight through.

“If we only consider individual martial strength, that may be true.”

This reply was something even Herran had not anticipated. As Yuwon readily acknowledged the Thunder Bird Tribe’s lack of power, a sharp light flashed through the wrinkles around Herran’s eyes.

“Then you surely have no need for our help. As you know, our tribe is going through difficult times because of your knight, a man named Terrien….”

“But.”

Yuwon cut Herran off. Normally, Yuwon was not the type to interrupt others. Unless, of course, there was a deliberate reason. Which meant that Herran had already fallen into Yuwon’s rhythm. A friendly-looking smile settled on Yuwon’s lips.

“But the depth of your wisdom and information is unmatched by any others. The very fact that a group relatively lacking in martial strength has firmly claimed a place and continues to survive in this Great Jungle is precisely why I need the Thunder Bird Tribe’s help.”

The monstrous beasts of the Great Jungle were born with bodies far stronger than humans and lived relying on that strength. And the shamans—what of them? Though born human, they were hardly inferior to monstrous beasts.

Monstrous beasts, shamans, and orcs—every individual belonging to those groups possessed at least a minimum level of combat power. But the Thunder Bird Tribe was different.

Among those belonging to the Thunder Bird Tribe, less than two-tenths could be called warriors. The rest were no different from civilians. Yet they knew the Great Jungle more thoroughly than anyone else who lived there—more than any powerful group.

Which parts of the rivers running through the Great Jungle were deepest or shallowest, when to hunt to minimize encounters with monstrous beasts, what lay hidden throughout the jungle and what must be avoided, how to deal with monstrous beasts, and so on.

‘That’s exactly why I have to win them over.’

As if he had said all he needed to say, Yuwon silently looked straight at Herran. A smile of inscrutable meaning spread across his lips.

“….”

Herran remained silent for a long while. After a brief pause, as if he had made up his mind, Herran parted his heavy lips.

“…This old man has ears, so I’ve already heard everything. That you are the one who will become the Emperor of the Empire.”

Though Yuwon had long since called himself Emperor and ordered his subordinates to address him as His Majesty, he did not take issue with the phrase “one who will become Emperor,” and merely nodded.

“At this point, it’s neither something that can be hidden nor something that needs to be hidden. That’s right.”

“Then… if we agree to cooperate, could you promise us just one thing in the name of Aphahiel?”

Even Kahaad, that proud shaman, had not attempted to strike a deal with Yuwon in exchange for cooperation. Of course, he had tried to buy a bit more time for Bernid, but that attempt had come to nothing.

Yet here was the Thunder Bird Tribe—considered the weakest among the four core factions of the Great Jungle—trying to bargain with Yuwon. In an instant, Yuwon’s gaze turned cold. The smile remained on his lips, making the contrast all the more threatening.

“Are you saying you intend to bargain with me?”

“….”

Yuwon’s presence suddenly shifted. Herran inwardly regretted bringing it up and fell silent, his words choked off by the overwhelming gaze of a predator emanating from Yuwon.

“Their ultimate target is me, but once they’ve drawn their swords, they will never leave the Great Jungle alone. You know as well, Tribal Chief, that I’m not discussing cooperation just because it suits me.”

“…I know. But whether we win or lose a war against the Empire, the Great Jungle will be left with deep scars. And if we lose our warriors by cooperating in this war, our Thunder Bird Tribe will have no way to survive on this harsh land afterward. Rather than a bargain… how about a request? Could you… at least hear us out?”

Tribal Chief Herran of the Thunder Bird Tribe. A battle-hardened veteran warrior, he bowed his head before Yuwon and made a solemn request—using the Empire’s own etiquette.

‘For the sake of the tribe’s future, pride means nothing….’

As if he would not raise his head until Yuwon answered, Herran’s lowered gaze remained fixed on the teacup placed before Yuwon. Between Yuwon and Herran, a silence that made five seconds feel like five minutes lingered. Then Yuwon opened his mouth.

“…What you want is relocation into the Empire, correct? I already heard about it from Terrien and Hastings. That it’s what you desire.”

At Yuwon’s reply, Herran snapped his head up. Yuwon continued.

“…Let’s do it. However, the Thunder Bird Tribe will have to give up many things. Your culture and religion—for example… those human sacrifices. It won’t be easy, but… if you’re confident you can adapt and live within the framework of Imperial Law, then that much I can help you with.”

At Yuwon’s affirmative answer, Herran’s eyes shone brightly. Yuwon extended his hand first, offering a handshake. Herran quickly reached out with both hands and clasped Yuwon’s right hand tightly.

“Th… thank you.”

Tribal Chief Herran would only realize much later. From the very beginning, these conditions had already been well within the range Yuwon had anticipated when he came to find him.

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