If you were to pick the most famous person in the northern part of the empire right now, you could point to the ‘scoundrel’ Robert. In just a few months, he had become the most notorious troublemaker in noble society.
Known as the emperor’s second son and a skilled administrative noble, he had quickly gained control of Gur’s military authority and was pressuring pro-emperor dukes from all sides, inciting war.
The rumors about him were as follows:
Scoundrel, warmonger, privateer pirate, godless man, disgrace to the Tremule court…
“Do you know what these people have in common?”
Robert put down the report and took off his glasses.
He held a cup of coffee with steam gently rising and took a sip.
“What is it?”
“They’ve all been attacked by me at least once. In other words, it’s what the pro-emperor dukes are saying now.”
As Robert chuckled and said this, Rene laughed along.
The two were currently sailing on the naval fleet, known as the ‘Tremule Privateer Ship.’
Looking down at the sea map, Robert counted the cities marked in red. Already five. If they had any brains, they should have noticed by now.
Robert’s fleet was indiscriminately plundering pro-emperor coastal cities, especially those suspected of being corrupted by vampires.
Officially, the Tremule privateer fleet had become a rogue pirate group after their contract with the family ended. The Tremule count had issued a formal statement: ‘Those pirates are not our responsibility, but it is deeply regrettable.’
The other families who had been plundered had this to say:
‘Don’t talk nonsense.’
‘Then why is Robert Tremule leading the privateer ship?’
The Tremule count’s response to the noble society’s opinion was simple and stubborn.
‘We will not respond to fabricated falsehoods and political schemes, and Sir Robert Benitier Tremule is currently recuperating from an illness.’
That was the claim. Robert, who had fallen ill during his envoy mission to Ribue, was now focusing on recovering in Gur.
And without fail, the Tremule privateer fleet appeared in the territories of nobles, especially those of the pro-emperor faction, who doubted this claim and began looting.
As the saying goes, laws and rumors start from afar, but a pirate’s spear and sword are right in front of you.
“Let’s talk more about that. I really couldn’t believe it. The story of Duke Sephor’s downfall.”
“Ah, it’s a very hot topic right now.”
In response to Rene’s question, Robert spoke nonchalantly and clasped his hands. Seeing his demeanor, Rene chuckled. He looked more like a pirate than a noble.
“You’ve heard the story of Duke Sephor’s legion being defeated by bandits and disbanded, right?”
“Everyone’s heard that. Even my deputy was making a fuss about it. Is it true?”
It had been over a month since the rumors from the western region had swept across the empire. It was a sensational story that the powerful Duke Sephor’s domain had fallen to mere bandits.
There was no one in the empire, regardless of status, who hadn’t heard the rumor. The once-great Duke Sephor’s family had become a laughingstock overnight.
The story was that an army of ten thousand had been disbanded by a mere few hundred bandits in a surprise attack, and Duke Antoine de Sephor had died miserably in battle while fleeing.
And one of the few people who knew the truth of this rumor was the man before them.
The head of Iron Side, the man who held the empire’s top intelligence group, Robert.
“Not all rumors are false.”
“…Are you saying that ten thousand regular troops were really defeated by bandits?”
“The story of a few hundred soldiers defeating a legion of ten thousand is true.”
“Soldiers?”
“They weren’t bandits, Lady Carvelier. They were elite soldiers. The ‘Heartseekers,’ following Chieftain Kirhas Hearttaker. There are few knight orders on this continent that surpass them.”
At Robert’s words, Rene’s eyes widened.
Since Duke Sephor had been hostile to the Carvelier duchy, it was expected that Kirhas would move, and indeed, Kirhas was now in control of Bülrang city… so it was possible.
But Kirhas’s main force was in the west. That meant he couldn’t have directly deployed his main force in the battle that took place in the central part of the empire…
“Are you saying that a beastman legion secretly infiltrated the empire?”
“If ten thousand troops had engaged in battle, the rumor wouldn’t have spread like that. It wasn’t a battle, Lady Duke. It was literally a night raid. According to informants, it was a fire attack in the mountains.”
Robert pointed to a mountainous area near the capital.
It was a mountain range located at the western end of Paltennoia.
“They say a fire broke out so large that all the forests in this area were completely burned. It was big enough to be seen from all nearby villages. And in that forest…”
“Duke Sephor was there, I suppose.”
“Exactly. It was a fire attack. One of the few truths in the rumor is that three hundred cavalrymen defeated ten thousand troops. Can you guess who led them?”
“Don’t tell me…”
“Correct. It was Sir Sernerd.”
Robert burst out laughing as he said this.
Originally, no matter how much of an ally someone is, if they show such excessive ability, they are usually kept in check.
But when achievements go beyond reason. For example, when someone actually achieves the impossible, like defeating an army of ten thousand with three hundred cavalry.
From then on, they are no longer an object of caution.
They are an object of awe.
Fire attacks may seem simple, but they are actually very tricky tactics. Fire is unpredictable and doesn’t distinguish between friend and foe, especially in mountainous areas where it doesn’t always flow in favor of the allies.
Also, fire is more visible at night. If you set a fire near a camp of ten thousand, you have to be prepared to be discovered before the fire spreads.
From that moment on, the hunt begins.
No matter how skilled you are, if ten thousand people are determined to search, you can’t escape in the mountains. That’s the end.
You have to face the great army with three hundred men.
But look at what this man did.
He set a fire so large that it couldn’t be extinguished, unnoticed by ten thousand men, in the middle of the night, and wiped them out overnight, cutting off the duke’s head.
Is this possible? Robert shook his head.
Without magic, it’s impossible. But even with magic, it’s still impossible. The duke’s army surely had high-level combat mages stationed in large numbers.
Even if all three hundred men led by Fernandez were combat mages, it would still be a difficult feat to pull off while leading cavalry.
A monster. That’s how Robert judged him. An incomprehensible and unpredictable monster.
At least, it’s not wise to oppose him on the battlefield.
Judging from the results of the last western expedition, he was a ‘man not to be messed with.’
“Anyway, thanks to that, the western region is now sorted out.”
“Finally, the emperor is surrounded.”
“He might think it’s a civil war.”
The eastern region is at war with the forces led by King Vicente, the west has completely fallen into the hands of Duke Carvelier, and the northern coastline is practically under the control of Count Tremule.
The emperor and the pro-emperor faction dukes are practically surrounded on all sides. A perfect multi-front formation.
But outwardly, this series of events would seem completely independent.
Carvelier in the west is flying the banner of protecting the imperial family, Vicente in the east is just a simple disturbance, and the north is just sporadic raids by uncontrollable pirates.
But the fact that they are all secretly working together. At least, it won’t reach the emperor’s ears. As long as Iron Side is in Robert’s hands. Never.
“So where are we heading now? Back to Gur to prepare for an all-out war?”
“Not yet. There’s somewhere we need to stop by before Gur.”
As Robert pointed to a corner of the map,
