The Returned Sword King Decided to Become a Tyrant Chapter 100
The Unsolved Mystery (9)
“Huh? You’re preparing… … What on earth… …?”
“You ask the obvious.”
Ready to come out into the world.
I said it so firmly.
It is said that the black magicians will start to rise up in earnest in the future.
It was never something to be said lightly. Especially not to a saint who was at the top of the Holy Nation Cartel.
“No way… …! Really?”
“Yes, let me explain first. Currently, the two groups simply call each other the moderates and the hardliners.”
“Moderates and hardliners… … .”
“The moderates are probably the black magicians you know, the saintess. They are the ones who live in hiding in their anger, hoping that the hatred towards them will one day disappear.”
The den of the warlocks I visited was also moderate.
Of course, they grew excessively large due to lack of management, and eventually became consumed by revenge and accumulated negative power… … but they never took out their anger on the innocent world.
but…….
“On the other hand, hardliners are those who want to express their anger to the world in any way possible.”
“ah…….”
“They are burning with a fierce desire for revenge against the Holy Empire that led them to their destruction. And they are stockpiling their strength for the ‘holy war’ that will follow.”
“……sanctuary.”
“If you do, do you think you know why I’m telling you this?”
I asked with a small smile. Soon, the saint blinked and guessed what I meant.
“The hardliners… … have joined hands with the Federal Empire. And those warlocks are among the hardliners.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I nodded as if that was the right answer.
“The Federation and the hardliners have a common ‘enemy’ in the Holy Empire. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and they are also moving to benefit each other.”
“… … .”
Moreover, the current federal empire seems to be shouting that power is everything.
It reaches its climax with the current emperor and the fourth prince who will succeed to the throne.
Their meeting with the warlock must have been quite pleasant.
For the black magicians, a treasure trove and skills. For them, the lost power of black magic.
‘Should we say that we were a match made in heaven because we were able to share and give what we each needed?’
And that meant one thing.
The Federal Empire’s goal is not to stop at Esteban, but to conquer the entire continent, including the Holy Empire.
Now I have told everything that needed to be told.
When you look into the eyes of the swaying saint, you won’t need anything more.
Even though she looks like that, she seems pretty smart.
“Then it would be better for the Holy Empire to make a choice before that time comes.”
… … Is the power that has nothing but ruins a priority? Or is it a priority to crush their ambitions?
With those last words, I left the place.
* * *
The village, once purified, became dirty again due to the influence of the warlock who appeared again.
But how many priests are there in this place?
In addition, the appearance of a high-ranking warlock that we had never seen before.
And the fact that those who thought of them as mere prey were now prepared to die was enough of a stimulus.
Far from giving up, the priests gathered their strength and devoted themselves to purification.
So, the purification work continued almost without rest.
Thanks to this, the influence of black magic within the village had long since almost disappeared.
“I think from now on, there will be no problem continuing with daily life.”
“I see.”
I nodded to the priest who was reporting. The village chief standing next to me also seemed relieved by those words.
The change in expression was dramatic, as he almost became a sacrifice to black magic and was annihilated.
I gestured to the village chief and asked him what I was curious about.
“Did these people commit crimes and then escape here?”
“No, never. If that were the case, I would not have accepted it from the beginning, Your Majesty.”
“Then, did you run away because you couldn’t afford the excessive taxes collected from the estate?”
“… … .”
At those words, the village chief closed his mouth as if he was troubled.
It must have been an embarrassing story to say in front of the royal family… … and especially in front of the first prince who would become the future king.
It’s no different from saying that you ran away because you had a hard time making a living because of you or your father.
But that didn’t really mean anything now.
“Most of the villagers probably came from the neighboring eastern Lukins territory?”
“… … Yes.”
“Then let us go back. I will not tolerate any dissent.”
“Yes… … I understand.”
I had a feeling this was going to happen.
If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t know, because there was no reason to ignore those who didn’t pay taxes.
Even though he knew it, the village chief swallowed his sorrow at the bitter ending.
The prince could not know, but he knew all too well the fate of those who ran away and were captured.
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The Count of Lukins would probably exploit them like livestock, making them into serfs or something, just like the people he had seen in passing as a child.
The images of them being forced into forced labor while literally being whipped are still vivid in my mind.
Isn’t that why, even while running away, we came to this place, so deep and deep, where people often die from monsters and wild beasts?
‘There’s no way… there’s no way.’
It was terrifying to think that I would have to go back to that hellish life, but at least I was able to survive.
Even if I roll around in dog shit, I’m better off in this world. I should be thankful that I was able to save my life.
However, even with his ears prepared for it, he was met with unbelievable content.
“Because the nobles who made you suffer are no longer there.”
“yes?”
I continued speaking without paying attention to the village chief’s foolish question.
“A new caretaker will arrive at the estate soon. He is a royal messenger, so you don’t have to worry.”
“What, what do you mean… … .”
“Count Lukins, that guy has already been dealt with by my own hands.”
“… … !”
The village chief’s eyes grew wide at my calm voice.
The guy and his clan were all arrested for daring to harm the First Prince.
And that land had long since become a royal domain. That was already several dozen days ago.
“Of course, it is right to punish someone who ran away without paying their taxes. However, if it was the result of a penalty imposed to satisfy his selfish desires, I will take all of his other crimes into consideration in the name of the First Prince.”
“Can we really return to the territory… … .”
“I clearly said that I would do it in the name of the First Prince.”
Although it was spoken in a casual tone, like a light conversation, it was a statement full of conviction.
It will definitely be so. There is not a single lie in that voice… … .
Now that the reason I came here is gone, I can finally leave this uncomfortable place.
“… … .”
The village chief closed his wrinkled eyes and fell into deep thought.
After a while, he spoke with a look in his eyes that showed no trace of regret.
“This old body has lived long enough, so it is only natural that it will face the passage of time no matter what happens. However, if Your Majesty gives me the opportunity, I will work together to ensure that the people living in this village can live normal lives.”
“Yes, I will. I will make sure that you receive guidance from the knights when you leave this place.”
The opportunity given ended there. Now, they had to create the rest by their own hands.
Even if they had chosen to live here in hiding for whatever reason, it was clear that they were my people after all.
After a while, the residents of the Hwajeonmin village, who had heard the village chief’s message, began to move breathlessly.
They were moving busily to pack their bags.
And the ones who were watching this situation most closely were Esteban’s knights.
“also……!”
“The rumors about the prince are not wrong at all.”
It was a picture-perfect image of noblesse oblige. It was an image befitting the successor to Asteban, the kingdom of knights.
They nodded, their expressions filled with emotion.
Reality cannot be like the ideal.
Therefore, chivalry was virtually a thing of the past.
Humans are creatures who inherently pursue comfort.
In the process of compromising with reality, the spirit of the knights who protected the weak and practiced fairness has faded and rusted.
But the first prince’s appearances so far were different.
Although it was a bit extreme, the sword has always been pointed at the rotten.
Even for a prince, it is not easy to oppose those with absolute power, but the way he pushed forward with what he believed to be right even seemed noble.
Therefore, the prince’s appearance in this incident was certainly not lacking in being the envy of the knights who followed him.
“… … Anyway, the cool thing is, you’re trying to do everything by yourself.”
George’s dissatisfied voice continued as he threw a tantrum. He was holding the carefully wrapped items in his hands.
“Here, these are the items I found from the warlocks.”
“I see.”
I stared expressionlessly at the tiny pills George handed me.
An inhumane pill that enhances the power of warlocks.
In the past, we suffered great losses trying to deal with this, but now that we have it, it is just a means to prepare for it.
‘That’s interesting.’
Besides that, the information I find from the corpses of the warlocks will gradually help me with my plans.
Yeah… …as bait.
“I’ve achieved my goal, so I’ll head back soon.”
“Well, I was wondering when you would tell me.”
Since the cause of the epidemic was eliminated and even the corpses were incinerated, there would not have been any aftereffects.
Then there was no more business in this town.
I turned around without hesitation and walked away.
* * *
The saint looked at the empty village of slash-and-burn farmers and was lost in thought.
-The Holy Empire would do well to make a choice before that time comes.
Choosing something was something that Seongguk was not used to.
It was also something that was completely unfamiliar to her, who had walked the path of natural order.
But the opponent forced them to make a choice, just as they had done the previous fall.
And then, as if to mercilessly take away even that choice, he sent me an abstract warning.
Do not prioritize power that leaves nothing but ruins.
“A power that is nothing but a ruin… … .”
The saintess repeated the same words as if recalling her conversation with the first prince.
I didn’t fully understand what he meant by his subtle remarks.
But I could easily guess that what it meant was that their actions were wrong and that they should not repeat the same mistakes.
So, as a saint, I couldn’t understand that calm answer.
“Chasing down those who have been consumed by black magic… …was just a means to continue to hold onto power?”
There was no one left to answer the saint’s question, and she knew that her advice was meaningless.
However, the image of the prince speaking like that lingered in the saint’s mind.
“… … .”
I just need a little more time.
In this way, the saint repeated choices that were unfamiliar to her.
Just like when I chose to remain on this earth, with new questions in my heart.
