Side Story – Bloodbath [2]
[45]
Currently, the main front lines established on the continent were two.
One was formed near the former border region between Alimo and the Empire, and the other was a front line established to the south of the Sacred Country.
The names for these fronts varied slightly depending on affiliation or perspective, but in the Empire, they were generally referred to as the ‘Eastern Front’ and the ‘Southern Front.’
Of the two, the Eastern Front was notoriously more infamous.
In comparison to the Eastern Front, the Southern Front could almost be called peaceful without exaggeration.
Ulte had recently been dispatched to the infamous Eastern Front and endured arduous bloodshed there.
Still, he had Leisina by his side, and at this point, there were hardly any adversaries capable of giving Ulte a tough fight, making it somewhat bearable.
However, while Ulte was deeply engaged in the Eastern Front, he received an order to return along with an unbelievable piece of news.
It was the news that the Southern Front, which was practically heaven compared to the Eastern Front, had collapsed.
The implications of the Southern Front’s collapse were not trivial—it was truly horrific.
Ulte decided to follow the orders he’d received and began moving to return to the Imperial Capital.
Though it wasn’t easy for Ulte to withdraw from the front due to the situation, coinciding with his retreat, a meteor tore through the sky from afar and struck beyond the front line.
After the meteor fell, the followers of the evil deity, deterred by its threat, momentarily retreated, creating a brief lull on the Eastern Front.
Taking advantage of this, Ulte swiftly returned to the Imperial Capital.
Since it hadn’t been too long since his last visit, the scenery of the Imperial Capital hadn’t changed much from what Ulte remembered.
After going through a few procedures, Ulte entered the palace, where Ray’s children, Elly and Canny, peeked out from behind the corridor walls.
Given their limited range of activities, Elly and Canny always approached with curiosity whenever Ulte returned from missions to the palace, chattering away.
Having occasionally entertained Elly and Canny’s boredom during such visits, Ulte instinctively smiled.
But then, Elly and Canny suddenly raised their voices.
“Uncle is dangerous!”
“Dangerous Uncle!”
“…?”
Confused by the unexpected insult, Ulte blinked in bewilderment.
Elly and Canny kindly explained further.
“Grandpa said so! They say you’re a dangerous uncle!”
“Dangerous Uncle! We don’t like you! You can’t do that!”
“…”
Ulte felt a headache coming on.
Hearing similar remarks from both Ray and now his daughters was anything but pleasant.
But…
Upon reflection, it wasn’t entirely unjustified.
Hadn’t Ulte himself inadvertently proven Ray’s baseless accusations correct in the past?
Even trying to refute being “dangerous” while carrying Leisina on his shoulder seemed unconvincing.
“…”
While Ulte pondered his identity,
Leisina, sitting on Ulte’s shoulder, opened her mouth with a slight sign of irritation.
“Human little missies, we’re busy right now. Go play somewhere else.”
Leisina thought she was being rather kind in dismissing the children.
However, Elly and Canny’s response was anything but friendly.
“You’re just a guide kid!”
“Elf brat!”
“…”
Unable to endure Elly and Canny’s provocation, Leisina furrowed her brow.
Realizing Leisina was genuinely upset, Elly and Canny quickly fled.
“Let’s run!”
“Run! Run!”
Of course, their escape was short-lived as Seria soon grabbed them by the back of their necks and dragged them away.
Watching Elly and Canny being dragged off, Ulte chuckled awkwardly, feeling the odd sense of powerlessness.
Dealing with kids was no easy task. He wondered how Ray had managed to control dozens of children of similar age during his own youth.
“Hmm…”
After lightly stroking his chin, Ulte glanced at Leisina before speaking.
“They’re still young. Please overlook it kindly.”
“…”
Pfft!
Leisina lightly tapped Ulte’s shoulder in a tantrum-like manner.
With a smile, Ulte calmed Leisina down, met with the Emperor, and subsequently went to find Luna.
Luna faced Ulte with a look unchanged from seven years ago.
Ulte asked seriously,
“What exactly happened to the Southern Front?”
“It collapsed.”
“In less than three days? And… Speira… What about the group that follows this traitor?”
Ulte was not particularly skilled in political acumen or reading human hearts, nor did he excel in comprehending large-scale situations. Thus, he struggled to grasp matters related to Speira.
In response to Ulte’s perplexity, Luna moved her lips.
“When the doctrines of the church contradict actual phenomena, what would you believe?”
“…”
This was a world where transcendent entities and their influences truly existed.
When the doctrines upheld by the church conflict with the immediate will of the divine, which side would a devout cleric lean towards?
“Rejecting doctrines one has trusted without doubt up until now must be difficult…”
But if taking a vow to follow Speira, draped in dark radiance, results in experiencing the enhancement of El-Lam’s blessings…
Would one still prioritize past teachings over this experience?
After the founding of the Sacred Country, when Speira took control of its upper echelons, brainwashing through coercive means was undoubtedly employed.
However, the current situation was not merely a disaster caused by coercion-induced brainwashing.
Actual phenomena were inciting fanaticism.
And…
The “tumor” sown by Speira grew increasingly lethal as it spread to “lower levels.”
“Among the uneducated commoners, only a tiny fraction have properly studied theology and doctrine.”
The vast majority of lower-class individuals had never learned theology and couldn’t even recite basic doctrines.
Ignorant and uneducated people are easily swayed by sweet words.
And the eschatology promoted by Speira was quite alluring to those living in this dark era.
Historically, the more dire the reality, the more extreme and distorted salvation-promising religions tend to thrive among the populace.
“…”
The forces within the sphere of influence of the Sacred Country were completely dismantled.
Due to the chaos orchestrated by Speira, no meaningful resistance was mounted, and the areas near the south were wiped out within a few days.
Without direct intervention from Luna, the Empire lacked the capacity to intervene in the affairs of the Sacred Country.
Eventually,
Even the remaining southern granaries were lost, the front line rapidly extended, and Luna once again reopened the skies to divert forces from the Eastern Front to block the Southern Front.
The situation on the continent would only worsen steadily, and as it deteriorated, the tumor sown by Speira would erode deeper into the continent.
After conversing with Luna and gaining a clearer understanding of the situation, Ulte asked with a grim expression,
“Can we respond… effectively?”
“…”
Luna remained silent, meeting Ulte’s gaze.
Ulte held her stare briefly before averting his eyes.
“…”
Ulte still found Luna uncomfortable.
It was unavoidable, as from their very first meeting, Ulte had something precious taken by Luna.
Valerius, which Ulte had “lent” to Luna and never retrieved, still lingered faintly in his mind.
Of course, Valerius had already been thoroughly dismantled long ago, rendering the hope of getting it back remote.
“Ahem…”
As Ulte cleared his throat unnecessarily, Luna diverted her gaze.
While Speira prepared to spread tumors across the continent, Luna had not been entirely unprepared.
Initially, the reason the Sacred Country could remain subordinate for several years was partly because both Speira and Luna needed time to prepare for the impending full-scale war.
Ulte hesitated before speaking again.
“By the way, is there another reason you summoned me to the capital?”
“…There’s something I need to discuss with Leisina, not you.”
Turning her eyes toward Leisina, Luna continued,
“About your mother.”
The World Tree.
Perhaps the entity that took the most perilous gamble in this war.
Now, it was time to more clearly define the implicit alliance with the World Tree.
*
“…”
Paula remained silent, lost in thought.
During the period when the Empire still basked in glory, Paula, as part of the Royal Guard, condemned Speira and drew her sword against her.
Yet Paula was still alive.
Neither maimed nor mentally corrupted.
She was simply alive.
“…”
That day when she drew her sword.
Speira had shown an intriguing demeanor and asked the Royal Guards, including Paula,
“Will you oppose me? Will you choose to separate from me?”
If they chose separation, Speira promised to let them go that day.
Seeing Speira’s sardonic smile… Paula finally realized the truth.
Opposing Speira meant choosing to return to the usurper’s empire.
Bowing deeply might allow the Empire to accept the Royal Guard again.
The Royal Guard, excluding a handful of exceptional warriors, was the strongest knight force currently in existence, and it was far too disadvantageous to dispose of them merely out of unease.
However, the moment they chose to return to the Empire,
the survival of the Crown Prince would be impossible.
The usurper’s Empire would never tolerate the existence of the Crown Prince whom the Royal Guard had protected.
“…”
Paula could not affirm Speira’s existence.
Having participated in the Demonic Realm Expedition, she found it even harder to affirm Speira.
But the Royal Guard’s top priority now was to protect the Crown Prince.
Paula owed much to the Emperor, served the royal family faithfully, and mourned her inability to guard the Emperor’s side.
Therefore, Paula resolved to safeguard the Crown Prince until the very end, with a ruthlessly firm determination.
“…”
This was a dilemma.
Prioritize the greater cause?
Or protect the people close to you?
“…”
“Have you made a choice?”
Tuirpits of the Royal Guard came and asked.
After a prolonged silence, Paula finally spoke.
“…Our remaining mission is singular.”
At least,
The Crown Prince must choose his path based on his own will.
However, the Crown Prince was still too young to make such a decision.
Thus, Paula resolved to protect him until he grew sufficiently.
Nothing could take precedence over the protection of the Crown Prince.
“We shall fulfill our mission. We will not tolerate traitors.”
“…Understood.”
Tuirpits also had no intention of abandoning the Crown Prince.
After Tuirpits left, Paula, who had remained silent for a while longer, finally allowed a smirk to appear on her lips.
How ironic her situation was, prompting this smirk.
How tragic is the life of an unprotected weakling symbolized only by its insignificance? But this was an inevitability that could not be avoided.
To maintain political stability, eliminating threats to succession was a necessary virtue for rulers.
A ruler lacking such cold-bloodedness could never endure long.
And the former emperor of the Empire… gave Ray a chance out of misplaced compassion, leading to this outcome.
“…”
Just as the old Empire could never have tolerated the existence of someone like Lea,
the current Empire could never tolerate the son of the former emperor.
This was a necessary and indispensable choice to sustain the massive organization known as the Empire.
“…”
That day,
Ray had to make a choice.
If he abandoned Lea, everything would return to normal.
If only Lea were sacrificed…
If Lea were abandoned, no one else would die, and Ray could live out his life happily as a great hero of the Empire in a peaceful world…
That was the dilemma Ray faced.
And today,
Paula stood in the same dilemma as Ray, forced to choose.
“Did you feel this way too?”
It was so absurdly funny that
Paula bent over, chuckling uncontrollably.
