Even if La Merthion is called the City of Light, it’s impossible for a city to lack alleys and streets. Especially in a city that’s a hub for trade, smuggling and black markets are inevitable.
From cheap drugs to slave trafficking, La Merthion’s nights are more dazzling than its days.
The underground dealings under the Empire’s watchful eyes had grown to the level of the Duke’s direct trade guilds.
And the core driving force behind this growth, no matter what anyone says, was the slave trade. While slavery was strictly prohibited by international law, even the serfs of the Dane Kingdom were no different from slaves under the guise of a caste system. The Empire’s highly modernized industrial and economic foundations required cheap labor.
So, the Empire doesn’t reject slavery. That’s what Iron Side said with a smile.
“So, you’re saying this is justified?”
“Of course not. It might seem horrifying to you, madam. I understand. Cultural differences, you know.”
The woman smiled softly as she spoke. She pointed to a direction where a burly man with chains around his neck walked with his head down.
His body was covered in scars from whippings, and beneath the heavy shackles, drops of blood from his torn flesh clung like sticky threads.
“They’ll probably spend the rest of their lives carrying heavy loads for some guild. Maybe they’ll become rowers on a ship, or perhaps they’ll end up in some factory assembling magic lamps.”
“What are you even…?”
“Or maybe, they’ll be used as ingredients at some noble’s happy banquet.”
At those chilling words, Freya stiffened. The woman’s expression turned cold and sharp. She growled,
“There are pigs like that. Pigs who not only want to fatten themselves but also extend their lives. If all it takes is the blood of slaves, they’ll gladly throw thousands of gold coins. My lord doesn’t consider such creatures human. And frankly, they’re no longer human.”
“High nobles often appear in public. Even just for ceremonies, they can’t avoid being seen. And if rumors spread that they live unnaturally long, the Inquisition will start investigating immediately.”
“Of course they would. The cleaners of human society wouldn’t let such trash slide, would they? But madam, some trash looks like a jewel box before you open it. Very glamorous, valuable, and you wouldn’t dare touch it… a pretty jewel box.”
The knight flinched at her words. He cautiously studied her face, trying to grasp her meaning.
“Are you saying… the Duke…?”
“Shh, that’s not a word to be spoken lightly, is it?”
“…I must report this to His Majesty.”
“And then what, Sir Knight? Do you think the entire Empire would sit idly by if a nation from the Eastern Kingdom attacked the Duke? Are you planning to drag the whole country into war? Think carefully. The Dane Kingdom may not be a weak nation, but it can’t survive a full-scale war with the Empire.”
The knight looked at Iron Side with sunken eyes. He remained silent for a moment.
The Dane Kingdom is undoubtedly a rapidly growing power. But it can’t shake off the stigma of being a ‘regional’ power.
A full-scale war with the Empire? Even if the entire Eastern Kingdom united its forces, it wouldn’t be easy. On this continent, the only ones who could stand against the Empire’s full military might were, at best, the Sultan of Kirzat.
But after a moment of silence, the knight spoke.
“Then why did you call us here?”
“Huh?”
“Sir Sernerd must have had a reason to summon us. You’re not revealing your country’s secrets just because you’re eccentric. What do you want from us?”
“Don’t misunderstand. My lord wanted to settle this matter among the Dukes. You were called here because the Knight of the Round Table requested it. I’m not fond of involving foreigners in our affairs either.”
The woman shrugged. She watched the line of departing slaves for a moment before speaking.
“The Knight of the Round Table said to tell you this: ‘We need friends who can look at injustice and share our anger. People who value righteousness over reputation and face.’ Tell me, are you prepared to go to war to cut out the Empire’s rotten flesh?”
“….”
The knight remained silent. Personal morality and national war carry different weights.
The resources needed for war, the blood of civilians and national strength consumed by war, the Dane Kingdom’s status after a potential defeat. It could become a vassal state, or perhaps the kingdom itself might disappear.
The Eastern Kingdom is a gathering of beasts. A union of hungry beasts eager to tear out the throats of their neighbors and devour their flesh. The only thing dividing them is a flimsy piece of paper called a ‘peace agreement.’
Would that small piece of paper save them after the Dane Kingdom’s national power was completely shattered? Probably not. There are countless ways to pressure the kingdom without even mobilizing military force.
But… but, what would King Vicente and his Knights of the Round Table think upon hearing this? In the face of another country’s slavery, the Dukes’ indifference, and the corruption of some high nobles.
The Church won’t step in until everything is clearly proven. The Church of the Temple of the Gods maintains complete neutrality in political matters, and unproven corruption could be seen as mere political scheming.
“When His Majesty first ascended the throne, I was there too. After cutting down the corrupted former king and his knights, who had fallen to demons and wraiths, and after winning the battle against the undead attacking Altberth, he made a declaration.”
After the tragedy known as the Altberth Incident, standing on the corpse of a giant in the half-destroyed plaza of Altberth, he shouted:
“Live every moment opposing injustice, and even when you fall from exhaustion, close your eyes with righteousness in your heart.”
The vow Vicente made during his coronation, the ‘King Knight’s Vow,’ carried a weight different from the usual knightly oaths.
[Even if the smallest voice cries for help in the face of evil, we will step forward first.]
King Vicente’s vow wasn’t just about personal morality and promises. It was a call for active response. Surrounding kingdoms expressed ‘grave concern’ over this. A pledge of active military support could easily be interpreted as a justification for aggressive military demonstrations or even wars of invasion.
But no matter what schemers might think, the Knights of the Round Table took the king’s vow at face value. From his days as a prince to his ascension to the throne, Vicente’s consistent attitude and shining chivalry proved his sincerity.
So now, what Iron Side is saying represents the perspective of foreign nations on the Dane Kingdom—
“National power and interests are secondary to righteousness.”
“It’s not something someone asking for support should say, but it’s hard to call him a good king. A king’s first duty should be to protect the lives of his people.”
“A king’s duty is indeed that. But a king…”
