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Chapter 262: The Reason for Fighting
Chapter 262: The Reason for Fighting
The princess is alive.
This rumor first spread not in the human kingdom, but in Elvrande.
No one knew who started it, but the rumor was surprisingly detailed.
Margareta Rustel is currently in Roseron, and she looks physically and mentally healthy.
Whats astonishing is that she declared that she wont return to her homeland. What is her reason?
She betrayed the elves and sided with the humans. Leobold Vandus became her lover.
Except for the first paragraph, none of them were true.
Margareta decided not to return because of Drizden.
She knew he wouldnt welcome her, so she stayed in Bagran to find a way out.
Also, she didnt side with the humans and Leobold wasnt her lover.
Of course, it was true that she had some affection for him, but it wasnt enough to call it love.
But there were hardly any elves who understood her situation in Elvrande.
The elves who heard the rumor threw the newspapers on the floor and spat.
Dirty traitor! She finally joined the humans!
We should have known when she was hanging around the human autonomous region!
How dare she bear a human child as a princess?
Its because of that traitor that Eldgrasil didnt choose a new guardian!
Elvrande was such a closed country that it was easy to incite them.
It was extremely difficult to refute this at a point where most of the power was held by the Assembly and the Council of Elders.
Naturally, Princess Margareta became a traitor who tried to cause internal strife in Elvrande and was stopped by Drizden.
It was a clumsy script that even a child would laugh at, but the elves believed it.
They had no time to think differently when all the newspapers and people around them shouted that she was a traitor.
Drizden, who drove public opinion, also considered the possibility that Tirendell had joined Bagran and moved his assassins.
When the royal family members who had no presence died one after another, Elvrande turned upside down.
The emperor passed away Who did this?
It must be Tirendell! He not only ambushed and killed the Kelodian minister, but also attacked the Assembly!
-Was he hiding all this time?
Since there was a precedent, no one doubted that he was a monster.
Thanks to that, Drizden was able to hide the fact that the guardian ceremony was canceled, and succeeded in leading a strong public opinion.
He stood on the podium of the Assembly and spoke.
We elves have achieved great feats on this land since we escaped from human oppression. The airships that humans use could not be built without our technology. The Goliath, which is the main force of war today, originated from our golems.
The elves are so great. But there are still races that dont acknowledge that. There are many races I can name, but I especially want to mention one. Its humans.
Drizden maintained a straight posture despite his old age, and his voice was loud.
Thanks to that, the elves gathered at the podium were overwhelmed by his aura.
Look at the humans ingratitude. Listen to their nonsense. They oppressed and suppressed us even though they couldnt achieve anything without us. And they lured an innocent princess to their side.
At this point, some elves raised their arms and shouted.
Traitor Margareta!
Kill the princess!
Of course, they were audience planted by Drizden beforehand.
He gestured to calm down the noise and then spoke with force.
The princess sided with the humans, and Tirendell is assassinating our ministers. What should we do at this point? What should we elves do for justice and peace?
War! War!
The only good human is a dead human!
A wave of cheers swept over the podium.
Drizden raised his fist as if to answer them.
Unfortunately, there is no center in the current royal family. Then someone has to lead Elvrande, right? Proud citizens, if you trust me, if you hate humans, please vote for me. Just as I stood up for you!
Oooh!
For Drizden!
We cant tolerate even one dissenting vote!
The general vote began in an enthusiastic atmosphere.
Some members secretly opposed Drizden, but they didnt have the courage to express it.
The vote was completely open.
There was no member who dared to cast a dissenting vote in front of thousands of elves watching.
Thus, the bill to temporarily implement total control was passed with 99.5% of votes.
The person appointed as the first president was Drizden Featherwood himself.
He revealed that he casted his own dissenting vote and drew more fanatical support.
Even if everyone trusts me, I will doubt myself. Thats how I, Drizden, live.
Who doubts him!
Now we are one with Drizden!
Attacking him is attacking us!
As the flag of Elvrande fluttered, Drizden waved his hand to the people.
Thats how he succeeded in taking over Elvrande.
Leobold, who was watching, stuck out his tongue at his skill.
Old ginger is spicy His ability to incite is amazing.
The problem is that his incitement has little to do with his governance.
Elvrande is so big and technologically advanced that it can run decently as long as it doesnt mess up.
But it would be different from now on.
Drizden might have seen everything easily when he was a mere member, but once he became the president and faced Leobold, he would realize that something was wrong.
Suicide or being lynched by an angry mob Either way, it would be a miserable end for him.
Leobold watched Drizden enter the palace as the president.
Three hundred years was not a small time even for elves.
He must have wanted to rest a bit, but he pushed himself to work hard.
In some sense, he couldnt help but admire him.
Its not just because of greed
He probably thinks thats justice.
The result of the war would tell whose justice was right.
***
My name is Tirendell Azus. Im here to work with you, Leobold. I look forward to working with you.
The people who saw his greeting opened their mouths wide.
Tirendell was a living legend, an elf who reached the peak of elven knights.
If he appeared, the human side would abandon the battlefield and run away.
His long hair and black eyepatch were symbols of elven knights, and even of Elvrande itself.
And he became Leobolds subordinate.
Leobold, who sat on the throne, smiled slightly and said.
After all, the master in front of him was not an ordinary human.
The ether he felt from him had already far surpassed Valgard.
Even if it was a god or a dragon from the Great War, they wouldnt be able to stand against him.
Then tell me what I should do.
Elvrande wont start a war right away, so help me with the conquest of Galisto. Ill prepare a Black Knight for you, so get your eye surgery and train.
Leobolds voice was gentle, without any trace of resentment.
Even though they had cursed and fought so much
Tirendell looked at him and slowly bowed his head.
I understand.
After he left, Leobold grumbled.
Did you see his eyes? If he was a woman, he would have been in my bed by now.
Arma casually said.
Maybe hell come to me someday and ask me to swap bodies with him.
Is that possible?
Ive perfectly analyzed his mental ether, so its possible anytime. I can also put your soul into a female body. Whether that body can withstand it is another question.
It meant that he could make a soul exchanger, a relic of the prophet.
Thats horrible.
Anyway, I think his body can no longer handle your power. Thats why Im preparing a new body for you.
A new body I hope it looks like my original face if possible.
Are you preparing for your return to Earth?
No, I just want to be close to my original body when I meet the prophet someday.
To Arma, Leobold was a believer who worshiped the prophet as a god.
The only fanatic.
What would he think if he met the prophet someday?
The prophet, who was no different from a god, might not give much meaning to it, but he hoped he wouldnt be rude.
He had been suffering for so long with the idea of meeting him.
***
When Bagran and Elvrande were quiet due to internal problems.
Barak, the crown prince of Zaium Empire, was restless.
He had sent Count Croitz, but there was no contact at all.
It seemed like she had turned off the communicator.
Was it a mistake to send her? I dont know what hes thinking.
He got an unexpected contact from someone.
It was Duke Pangral.
He sent a gift of one carriage and a count-level envoy to deliver a letter.
He came out so politely when he had only been hostile before, so the crown prince gladly accepted the communicator.
The duke said something surprising.
I will fully support your ascension to the throne.
Why do you suddenly say that? You must have a reason. Tell me without any pretense.
Are you satisfied with what Count Vandus is doing? I dont understand his actions at all.
What do you mean by that?
Count Vandus killed the princess of Elvrande and cut off the arm of the envoy from Galisto. And he doesnt give any explanation. No one would think thats a responsible attitude of an imperial count.
And?
Moreover, he ignored my request for an explanation. He probably didnt listen to your words either.
Hmm
He wasnt wrong, so the crown prince swallowed his groan.
Count Vandus actions were definitely excessive.
He had been turning a blind eye to them because of his various merits, but
The duke added another weight to the crown princes wavering mind.
Do you know that? Theres a rumor that a new weapon was made in Bagran.
A new weapon? Do you mean the Black Knight?
Not Goliath, but a cannon. It fires ether stones and explodes them. Its so powerful that it can smash any Goliath in one shot.
What? He has such a weapon and doesnt report it!
I dont want to shake your trust in him, but he must have other intentions. Otherwise, why would he make such a thing right after mass-producing Black Knights? Even if we concede a hundred times, shouldnt he contact you first instead of Imir Republic?
Imir Republic got it first
They say its so powerful that even the dwarves shudder. The Iron Council says that the era of Goliath is over.
Now the crown prince began to doubt if Leobold was actually a traitor.
Otherwise, his actions were incomprehensible.
Duke Pangral tried to smooth things over by saying that it was all just rumors, but the crown princes eyes had already turned upside down.
Why dont we join hands instead of him?
After all, we are nobles of Zaium. He may have the title of imperial count, but he is from Bagran by birth. And he openly encourages his soldiers to hate nobles. He says he will create an equal world.
An equal world can freeze
In fact, Leobold didnt say such things to his soldiers.
He was born and raised in the Human Alliance, where rank system was familiar, and he was a person who recognized the difference in ability.
He just thought that as long as one was born as a human, one should be guaranteed at least a minimum life unless one gave up being a member of the Human Alliance.
That was justice and efficiency for him.
Anyway, because Leobold spread such rumors, sparks flew to the wrong place.
The crown prince could no longer trust him.
But he couldnt call him and punish him right away.
He was too afraid to face him directly.
Duke Pangral comforted him.
Ascend to the throne. I will deal with the traitor with Galisto.
Oh, will you do that for me?
We cant be lacking in facing the enemy of the empire. We need an alliance with the Holy Kingdom.
Count Vandus is a monster who defeated the Elven Knight and Tirendell. Even the Holy Knights cant match him.
If they were ordinary knights, yes. But the Holy Kingdom recently succeeded in digging up a relic. Its a relic of the god that was used in the Great War. If its that, it should be enough to face the count.
How did you know that before me
Dont misunderstand. They contacted me before you ascended to the crown prince.
The crown prince was suspicious, but he decided to trust him for now.
In the worst case, he wouldnt be the one to lose.
But he wasnt sure if he could win against Count Vandus with that.
In the worst case, I might consider joining hands with Elvrande.
He ended the communication and secretly used his hand to contact Elvrande.