Chapter 96: Ignat’s Fury
Amidst the sweet, coquettish voice of a woman echoing within a bedchamber surrounded by a thinly veiled canopy, a man’s voice rang out from outside, “Your Imperial Majesty, there is an urgent report!”
Upon receiving the report, the Emperor shoved the woman aside and stood up.
“What?! Lestall is moving to take Lease…?!”
In the Imperial Palace, the Emperor, who had been dallying with a woman, heard the news, hastily proceeded to the castle, and summoned his generals.
No matter how much the Belkurd Empire prided itself on being the strongest, this move by Lestall, a major power, could not be ignored.
After all, taking Lease was tantamount to declaring war on the Empire.
Of the Twelve Generals, five who were in the Imperial Capital responded to the emergency summons.
In the meritocratic Empire, all generals were powerful individuals.
They were the Empire’s twelve strongest generals, personally selected by the Emperor from a ranking of twenty.
Among them was Marquis Schpelten Berg Ignat.
“Only five, eh? That’s rather few. Lloyd, are no more coming?”
The Emperor surveyed the gathered generals, a frown creasing his brow.
The baby-faced man called Lloyd returned the Emperor’s gaze with a gentle smile.
“Well, five are currently engaged in the northern campaign.
Considering one is missing, this is actually quite a good turnout, wouldn’t you say?”
“Ah, yes, I did assign one more to the north. Still, for Estoc to be defeated…
It seems Belfast, even in decline, is to be feared, just as the old man dreaded.”
Count Estoc had been a favorite of the Emperor.
The reason he was chosen as reinforcements for Mildrad previously was also due to the Emperor’s appreciation of his avarice—his willingness to do anything to achieve his goals.
The fact that not only was his army crushed, but even Ignat was brought to near death and taken captive, forced them to raise their guard against Belfast severalfold.
“Your Majesty, when are you gonna let me out?
I’m getting real sick and tired of just butchering civil officials.”
“Hmph, with Vincent killing all sorts for me, it makes my life easier. Dealing with schemers is exhausting, you know.”
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Vincent grumbled, slumping with dissatisfaction.
Normally, such an attitude would have him struck down for insolence, but this was permitted only for the Twelve Generals.
“I understand. Let us move to the main topic.
We have received intelligence that Lestall intends to declare war on the Empire.
To be precise, the word is they are planning to take Lease, like thieves at a fire.”
Tension shot through the five generals at the Emperor’s words.
To arbitrarily block a line of march during wartime was an act typically only committed when one had decided on complete hostility.
Even Lloyd, who had been smiling cheerfully, straightened his posture.
“Oh? So, are all of us participating then?”
“No, we cannot leave this place undefended.
How about the top three present here: Lloyd, Misha, and Vincent?”
“Alright!” Vincent’s voice boomed.
However, in contrast to the jubilant Vincent, Misha, who had posed the question, showed a hint of dissatisfaction.
“War is fine and all, but can you properly prevent the meddling of those tiresome nobles?”
Misha directed a sharp gaze, almost radiating killing intent, towards a man sitting silently beside the Emperor.
“Cease. I have given you the authority to kill them if you wish.
You should be able to swat away such gadflies yourself.”
“Swatting bugs in the dark is quite a chore… but well, if Your Majesty says so,” Misha said, backing down. However, there was another man who looked unconvinced.
“I understand about Ignat, who was defeated, but why was I excluded?”
“I said the top three, did I not? Well, two generals should be sufficient to defend this place.
Once one of the deployed returns, you may go as well, Ein.”
Ein mentally calculated the scheduled return date of the general currently out on a Monster subjugation mission. Judging it to be soon, he clenched his fist and muttered, “Alright!”
“Now then, Ignat. You can speak freely here. Tell me the details.”
He had been interrogated several times in public, almost as if being hounded.
Many had seized the opportunity to try and bring down Marquis Ignat, the man of the hour.
However, Ignat, who had answered stoically, always added at the end that he wished to convey the details directly to His Majesty’s ears.
This, despite having said he had told them everything.
The time to speak had finally come. He gave a single nod.
“The Prince of Belfast, Louis von Belfast, is a monster.”
“I have heard as much. In what is he specialized?”
“As reported, he specializes in magic, but that is not all.
I pierced his chest twice.
However, he defeated me in that state and then, I am told, struck down Estoc.”
“Weren’t you just offset by his Magical Power?” Vincent interjected, but Ignat shook his head.
“At the very least, the second time I pierced his chest, it was with a Mithril sword.
The first time, with the spear, I confirmed traces of blood from his back, so I believe it pierced through.”
“Does this mean he possesses healing capabilities far exceeding conventional Healing Magic?”
Ignat nodded in response to the voice and continued, “There is more.”
“He also uses an enhanced version of the Light Magic employed by the Church. If bathed in it, one loses the majority of their Magical Power. He can wield this magic using a Magic Circle thirty meters in scale.”
“Marquis Ignat, is there not some exaggeration in that, perhaps?”
To Lloyd’s question, Ignat slowly shook his head. “If I were to exaggerate, it would be found out immediately. It would only bring me further shame, would it not?” he replied with a wry smile.
“However, if you can force him into close combat, there is a chance of victory.
Or rather, all of you would likely be able to defeat him. Even with that healing ability, I doubt he could survive decapitation.
But, when facing him at a distance, I implore you not to underestimate him.”
“Now wait a minute. If he shoots a Fire Wall of that scale after you’ve already closed the distance, wouldn’t that be really bad?”
“Don’t be an idiot. You can just use Magical Power to get out in an instant. Though you probably can’t do that against Light Magic, there was no damage, was there?”
Ignat nodded towards Misha.
As no further words followed, the Emperor looked at him, as if asking if that was all.
“Hmm. What of the wide-area attack using a Magic Tool? Is there no additional information?”
“No, Your Majesty. That part was, at least, explainable, so everything is as reported.
The reason I could not speak of these other matters until now was because I feared they would all be dismissed as fabrications, and I would lose the opportunity to report them in a proper setting such as this.”
When Ignat bowed his head, stating that he could not make reports deemed theoretically impossible in that previous setting, the Emperor pardoned his failure, saying, “Very well. If that is the case, I shall forgive you.”
“So, Your Majesty… what about the military preparations?”
Vincent, itching to join the fray, hurried to move the conversation forward.
“Hmm. This time, I am thinking of sweeping away those worthless fools.
Haid, what say you… can it be done?”
“Yes. If I may declare it an imperial edict, it will be a simple matter.
However, as there are irreplaceable individuals among them, I ask for your understanding in sparing those, even if they are not among the ‘fools’ you speak of.”
“Good, I leave it to you,” the Emperor said, gesturing for him to go. Haid vanished from the spot.
“Ah, so you mean to send out the nobles’ private armies first, huh?”
“Works out for me, since I’m waiting for Dylan anyway.”
“It doesn’t work out for me!”
While Vincent and Ein bantered, Ignat was staring at the Emperor, his eyes wide.
He had never imagined the Emperor was considering a purge of the corrupt nobles.
It was a moment when he had just begun to harbor hope that perhaps a brighter future could be built.
“I have heard Ignat’s account. At last, I can have you settle the score I had put on hold.
Since I just said I would forgive you, I intend to make it a light matter, but it cannot be nothing.”
The Emperor had brought up settling the accountability for the defeat, which he had deferred.
“Yes, Your Majesty, whatever you command…” Ignat prostrated himself, awaiting the judgment.
“Then, hand over your wife, who is rumored to be a beauty. I heard she does not have long to live.
Let me amuse myself with her before she dies. I am being considerate by making it a light punishment. I will not allow you to refuse this, do you understand?”
Still prostrated, his gaze fixed on the floor, the color drained from Ignat’s face along with all expression.
The Emperor, for whom it was natural to dally with numerous women one after another, could not have realized.
That this was Ignat’s breaking point—the one thing that would incur his deepest wrath.
“My deepest apologies, Your Majesty, but my wife is already…” Ignat said, lifting his prostrated head to reveal a face like a Noh mask.
“I-Is that so? Then money it is… Prepare five thousand. Will that suffice?”
“Yes, Your Majesty…”
“We will proceed along these lines in the later Military Council. My generals, I am counting on you.”
“””Yes, Your Majesty!”””
Ignat’s expression at that moment appeared abnormal in everyone’s eyes.
However, the surrounding generals, judging that there was no issue since he did not actually have to hand her over, dispersed the meeting without further incident.
Inside the Beast-Drawn Cart, Ignat’s face was contorted like that of a demon.
“Y-Your Excellency… Could it be, something has happened to the Marquisate?”
Kai, Ignat’s adjutant—so loyal that he had begged to be taken prisoner alongside him during the war with Belfast—stared at him, his deep unease palpable.
“The Emperor told me to let him ‘play’ with Natalia.
He said since she doesn’t have long to live, I wouldn’t need her anymore… I have completely and utterly lost all respect for him.”
“Wh-What?! That’s… No matter what, that’s! That alone is…”
Kai furrowed his brow, thinking that even for His Majesty the Emperor, there were things one should and should not say.
“Yes… If he frames it as taking responsibility for the defeat, I cannot say I will not hand her over.”
“So I told them Natalia was already gone. I actually said it…”
Immediately after, he let out a roar, “Damn it all!!!”
Kai, his closest aide, knew why he was in such anguish, even though he still had her by his side.
She, afflicted by illness, required regular treatment. Moreover, it had to be administered by someone with the skill of a Church Archbishop. But because he had declared her dead, receiving such treatment had become impossible.
“Your Excellency, how much longer is Lady Natalia-sama said to have?”
It was a well-known fact that she had little time left. To ask such a thing was like pouring oil on a fire. Ignat, normally gentle and lenient with his inner circle, almost flew into a rage. But seeing the grim determination on Kai’s face, he returned a sharp gaze yet still replied.
“With treatment, two years. If left untreated… they say one to three months.”
Kai nodded slowly. “In that case, please grant me two months’ leave,” he said, bowing his head.
“What do you intend to do?”
“To Belfast… no, I will go to that prince to propose a deal.”
Indeed, the magic the Church uses is Light Magic—magic with similar effects to what Prince Rui had used. With his powerful Light Magic, it wouldn’t be surprising if it yielded even better results. However, it was obvious without even thinking that he wouldn’t easily grant the wish of those who had initiated a war of aggression.
Now that things had come to this, Natalia couldn’t be carelessly moved. That would mean making the prince come to the very heart of enemy territory. It was unrealistic to an absurd degree.
In the first place, if Kai, whose face was well-known, were to go, there was a high probability he’d be killed before anyone even heard him out.
But Ignat couldn’t bring himself to say, “Stop.” Even knowing his friend would be put in danger, he just couldn’t bring himself to give up on his wife’s life.
“Now that Lestall has made its move to take Lease, even if you leave now, you won’t be able to cross the border. What’s your plan for that?”
Indeed, even if Kai were to attempt this plan with its slim chance of success, there was a major obstacle. Since the other side also understood it as a declaration of war on the Empire, the borders were likely already under surveillance. If it were discovered that he had infiltrated, reaching the Royalty would be impossible.
Kai, however, who knew nothing of these circumstances, still didn’t back down. After some thought, he replied, as if forcing the words out, “I will cross… the mountains.”
“Are you sane? Forget about your movements being detected; if you encounter Monsters in that mountain range, you’ll die, you know?”
The Monsters in the mountains between Leben and the Marquis Ignat Territory were considered high-ranking among those observed. They were even said to possess strength surpassing that of the Ogre King.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll take the lowest pass leading to Leben.”
There was nothing reassuring to be found in that statement. However, those words carried only the weight of Kai’s resolve. Hearing the voice of this man, both a subordinate of many years and a friend, Ignat completely forgot his anger and regained his composure.
“I’ll go with you too… No, that’s not possible, is it?”
“Indeed. That would be impossible. Please, stay by Lady Natalia-sama’s side. Besides… I myself understand that many aspects of this are unrealistic.”
That was right. Even if Kai managed to cross the mountains, even if he managed to negotiate without being killed, the chances of Prince Rui actually coming were practically zero.
“Kai, forgive me for not being able to stop you…”
“It’s fine. I’m the one who suggested this. It’s not something for you to worry about, Shuperu.”
Addressed with the familiar way of speaking from their childhood, Ignat was overcome with emotion and covered his eyes with his hand.
“Thank you, Kai. I’m ashamed of myself for losing my head to anger and even considering starting a rebellion.”
Kai froze as if time itself had stopped. “Eh?”
“Ahaha, that’s a bit of a shame. I was kind of hoping you would… go through with it…”
They had continuously been forced to endure hardships under the corrupt Empire. At Ignat’s words, Kai gave a slightly bitter laugh.
“Don’t say such foolish things, especially when you’ve just reconsidered. Ha, hahaha.”
Kai and Shuperu, both sharing a wry smile, looked at each other and then laughed, just as they had when they were children.