Chapter 70
“What on earth were they thinking, doing something so crazy in front of the Imperial Knights…?!!!”
Mirne was furious as soon as she heard what happened in the Kanda Kingdom.
Every Imperial Knight is a Sword Master.
Of course, there were those who weren’t.
In fact, it was nonsensical. Was the minimum requirement to hold the title of a Knight a Sword Master?
But it was true to some extent.
To put it accurately.
“The knights inside the Imperial Palace are all Sword Masters.”
The minimum requirement for knights serving the Imperial Family was to be a Sword Master.
Those who weren’t were judged to have no right to enter the Imperial Palace.
Despite being knights, they didn’t call themselves knights and instead traveled the Empire, training to become true knights.
It could truly be seen as a crazy country.
Of course, it was because of that level of madness that an inexplicable level of martial prowess.
From the perspective of other countries, it was no different from a disaster.
“But what were they thinking, bringing out the Kailen Marin Cultivation Method in front of such people!”
She could understand their feelings.
Because it was the Empire’s power, because it was the Power of the Waves, they must have thought they could stand against the Empire.
But that was absolutely not the case. If it were, the Grand Duke of the East would have been the Crown Prince, so why would he be the Grand Duke of the East?
“Everyone must disarm… and do as the Imperial Knights command.”
Mirne calmly assessed the situation.
“H-how can you make such a decision so easily! What they want is submission… How can you speak of submitting so easily…!”
“Because the situation is difficult! I am trying to take the easy way out. Can you handle it? The Imperial Wrath?!”
Even if the Imperial Knights roamed fully armed in the middle of the Royal Palace, the Maselin Kingdom could do nothing.
Were the nobles unaware of this fact? No, to be honest, they probably were aware.
They were just unable to bend easily due to their pride, despite knowing it.
“Just because they aren”t the ones looking at swords right in front of their eyes, they prioritize their pride…!'
Rather than arguing with the opposing nobles, Mirne decided to focus more on the current situation.
“All knights capable of moving are to completely disarm and go to where the Imperial Knights are. Go and grant them what they want. This is not a request, but an order.”
It seemed everyone was unaware of the severity of the situation.
Was it because they were quite far removed from the days when the Empire properly wielded its swords?
Or was it because the Maselin Kingdom’s recent growth rate had skyrocketed as if to pierce the sky?
Mirne saw that as the cause of this situation.
Recently, the Maselin Kingdom has changed, from basic income to the overall standard of living.
Most things have changed to a degree incomparable to before.
Was it because they had suddenly soared?
It seemed their pride had swelled excessively high.
That must be why the knights also thought they could beat the Imperial Knights and emitted their Aura.
“We must lie flat on our faces. Right this instant.”
If we fought the Imperial Knights currently in the Kingdom, we could naturally win.
In fact, the reason the nobles' pride hadn’t bent yet was probably because they wouldn’t lose.
This was inside the Maselin Kingdom, no matter how many Sword Masters there were.
And the Maselin Kingdom had hidden several trump cards through its recent growth and fortuitous encounters.
If they had mobilized all of them, they could have killed all the Imperial Knights.
However,
“Pride or whatever is unnecessary. Not shedding blood is the most important thing.”
If that happens, more than 50% of the Kingdom’s military power will be blown away.
Saying 50% is just words; practically speaking, it would be annihilation.
Furthermore, not only would the Troops disappear, but various damages would occur in the process of killing the Imperial Knights.
To proceed with that just for the sake of pride was simply crazy talk.
“Also arrange… for Kailen Marin to meet the Imperial Knights alongside the knights of the Maselin Kingdom.”
“But Crown Princess, if we do that, His Highness Kailen Marin will distrust us…”
“Right now, right now…! Is this the time to worry about distrust? And our relationship isn’t fragile enough to crack over that, so it’s fine.”
It was true that they had helped with Kailen Marin’s recovery.
And it was also true that he had to continuously use the Cultivation Method to aid that recovery.
Of course, it was true that they had naturally allowed the surrounding people to watch when he used the Cultivation Method during this process.
But since this could be passed off as just a part of the natural recovery process, if they disarmed cleanly right now and solely claimed their innocence, there would definitely be no problems.
Of course.
“…How many knights on our side have learned the Marin Cultivation Method?”
“Since His Highness Kailen Marin has not yet properly recovered… the number is not large. It is estimated to be around ten.”
Sacrifice was inevitable.
It was a pity to vainly lose the lives of ten knights raised with blood and sweat, but those who must live, must live.
They couldn’t lose half the Kingdom’s Troops just to save a mere ten.
Mirne believed her decision was not wrong.
On this day, the knights of the Maselin Kingdom were present.
“There are a very small number who learned it, but they certainly exist. To dare to covet what belongs to the Empire, you deserve to die.”
“Ahhh…”
They had to watch as their comrades, who had been laughing and chatting just a while ago, were beheaded without being able to do anything.
“Kailen Marin… Your Highness.”
And Kailen Marin faced the Imperial Knights for the first time in a very long while.
Normally, the Imperial Knights wouldn’t have to use honorifics with Kailen Marin, who had been stripped of his position.
But because they were in a place where countless Maselin Kingdom knights were watching, they spoke respectfully.
Because ignoring him here right now would be tantamount to lowering the Empire that was still behind him.
“No matter how much you are outside the Empire, Your Highness is still strictly an Imperial Citizen. You will need to be more careful with your conduct.”
“…I am sorry. I will make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
It was an unavoidable courtesy.
“We ask of you sincerely. We hope this will be the last time we see you over such a matter.”
In a foreign country, having dropped the heads of ten foreign knights, the Imperial Knights proceeded to sheathe their swords one by one with impassive expressions.
During that process, no one could raise his or her head.
“Keep in mind that this matter… ends here because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ordered us to show a minimum of mercy.”
With those words, the Imperial Knights disappeared from the Maselin Kingdom along with Teo.
“…Crown Prince, just how far do you intend to interfere with me?”
Mirne was furious.
And at the same time, so was the Crown Prince.
“This is crazy.”
He could not hide his shock while conducting a Search of the Imperial Underground.
+++++
The Empire is a device meant to make the Maselin Kingdom stand out.
And the Empire must absolutely fall for the sake of the Maselin Kingdom.
However, the Empire has a ridiculously strong setting, so it doesn’t fall easily.
“A country that needs to fall, but doesn”t fall easily… That’s why they must have put in various devices that force it to fall.'
To execute this, the Empire had various self-destruct devices installed.
And the most dangerous among them was, of course, the Executioner’s Covenant.
Things for which it wouldn’t be strange for the Empire to immediately perish the moment even one was broken.
Luminix could turn the entire Imperial Territory into a death trap, and Arveda had the enraged Dragon Legion behind her.
“So I vaguely guessed that the other Executioners would have something similar, but…”
To think there are giants underground.
Actually, I was only able to discover this right away because I transplanted the World Tree to the Bellos Empire’s land.
If it weren’t for that, it would have taken an eternity just to find the underground where the giants were buried.
“There’s a limit to everything. This is too much. Is there a Barrier to find the underground right from the entrance?”
What’s even funnier is that a Perception-hindering Barrier was laid out, just like with the Magic Tower.
“Does it make sense that you have to know the name of the Underground where giants sleep?”
When you don’t even know whether the Underground where giants sleep exists or not.
To design it so that you can only roughly guess the location after hearing its name.
How dumbfounded must the Crown Prince have been every time he saw the Empire perish in this manner?
“Your Highness! This Humble Woman is here, so you don’t have to worry anymore! Albedang is here!”
“Albedang?”
“I tried pronouncing Arveda cutely!”
“…”
The entrance to the Underground where giants sleep was found incredibly easily through the power of the World Tree.
The location was also funny; the entrance was the Imperial Palace Underground.
Right beneath the place where I had previously retrieved the sword.
The entrance leading to the place where the giants sleep was beneath that.
I wondered why the sword was stuck there, but there was a reason for everything.
“Did he intentionally leave the sword there out of habit, so that even if the other regressions didn”t know… they would subconsciously have no choice but to drop by there?'
Does that mean he even created a subconscious habit through countless regressions?
Just how many times do you have to regress for such a thought to become possible?
And then, muttering like that inwardly, I slowly went to the place where I had pulled out the sword.
I asked Arveda to rip up the entire floor.
“…It’s the Giant’s Emblem.”
As soon as the entire floor was ripped up, there really was a door on the floor, and Pavan reacted the moment he saw the emblem carved into that door.
“Seeing that the door was intentionally made small… it seems it was probably a consideration for me. Because this door would be too small for true giants.”
“True giants? Aren’t you also a True Giant, Pavan?”
“I am on the smaller side among giants. Perhaps that’s why… I sometimes think I might be the one who inherited the covenant. Because a petite person like me would be relatively… easier to blend into Human society.”
To call a height of nearly 10 feet petite.
Then just how tall is the average height of giants?
Those thoughts lasted only a moment.
“Petite is a word meant for me! You stupid Tin Can! Don’t appeal your petiteness in front of His Highness! It’s mine!”
“…I never did. And you still call me a Tin Can, Arveda.”
“Unghi! Of course.”
The Executioners started bickering among themselves.
Even amidst that, Pavan calmly touched the door.
“I can open it. Will you go in right away?”
He looked at me and asked what I wanted to do.
“Of course we have to go in.”
The Underground where giants sleep, Hypogeum Gigantum.
The members entering this place were I, Arveda, Pavan, and Luminix.
One Crown Prince and three Executioners were a military force capable of destroying an entire Kingdom.
It seemed there would be absolutely no problem going in like this.
“But how can I find… memories in the Underground where giants sleep? Does a memory have a physical form?”
Thinking that, I ordered Pavan to open the door.
Creaaaak.
Contrary to its appearance, the incredibly thick door slowly opened, raising a cloud of dust.
The door leads down to the underground.
The door is attached to the floor.
As soon as that door opened, something was the very first thing to greet me.
- I’ll kill you!
Shedding tears of blood.
- I will kill you!
Holding a sword wrapped in flames.
- You who will destroy the Empire!
They were facing off against giants who looked over 30 feet tall easily.
- I will definitely kill you!
It was the Crown Prince’s Memory.