The Returned Sword King Decided to Become a Tyrant Chapter 66
A questionable operation (1)
The knights guarding the entrance to the castle were embarrassed by the sudden appearance of outsiders in the middle of the night.
“Please let me see His Majesty the King! If not, I would be happy to just have a brief conversation with His Majesty the First Prince.”
“therefore…….”
“You didn’t even show us your proof! We are an envoy from the Kingdom of Arendelle!”
That’s right.
It would have been better if he had just been a simple troublemaker.
But the badge they immediately handed me was clearly a symbol of the Kingdom of Arendelle.
It was also a badge symbolizing the king’s representative.
But the situation itself was uncomfortable for the knights.
“… … I will try to put in a message first, so please come back when it’s daybreak.”
“We don’t have time for that!”
The man who appeared to be the leader was pounding his chest as if he was going crazy from frustration.
In this situation where the national fortunes are on the verge of collapse, how can you just sit back and wait for an audience?
But the knights who dealt with them also felt frustrated.
“I have never heard of a delegation from another country. Nor has any related information been conveyed.”
Even their tired and shabby appearance was insufficient to be considered a delegation representing a country.
There were no attendants or carriages, and the horse was brought in so hastily that it was covered in so much dust that it was difficult to even distinguish their faces.
“In principle, we cannot allow entry to those whose identities are uncertain. At the very least, wouldn’t we need time to determine the facts?”
“Didn’t you say that you would go see His Majesty the King and discuss that matter in person?”
“Then, please present the document given by the King of Arendelle.”
“That, that… … as long as the communication is connected… … .”
“… … Phew.”
The knight who had been responding with cool principles let out a small sigh.
Perhaps because he thought that this would never end, he began to appease them with slightly more lenient words.
“I know you may be frustrated, but we have no choice as this is a mission that is at stake. Since you have shown us the token of the kingdom, your request for an audience will be processed quickly.”
“… … Doesn’t the conclusion mean that we should wait until daybreak? How could it not work?”
“sorry.”
The knight straightened his posture and stood upright, as if he would not listen any longer.
At this, despair descended on the expressions of the two men who were listening to the conversation from behind.
“iced coffee…….”
“Your Majesty… … What should I do about this?”
“… … .”
Even at this moment, the barbarians who had broken through the northern defense line would be moving south toward Arendelle.
But the leader leading them, Count Ente, heard nothing.
The only thing that filled that empty heart was emptiness.
‘… … Was it just a vain hope?’
With his eyes closed, he drew a picture of his homeland before leaving, and added the last conversation he had with the king.
-We must move immediately. Go find Prince Esteban.
It’s already been ten days since the last communication was made at the Imperial Palace of the Federation Empire.
At the king’s words to take a gamble on even a glimmer of hope, he abandoned his carriage and traveled the long distance in ten days.
But that was a vain hope.
The magical communication was completely cut off at some point, and the schedule suddenly changed, which held them back from the start.
If I had known it would go so wrong, I would have prepared a little more carefully and moved forward…
… … No, it would have been better to return to the palace and help out at least once.
“… …Who can we blame?”
If this was truly the future given to Arendelle, then there was no choice but to accept the end.
Count Ente muttered bitterly and turned his back on the palace.
That moment.
“Are you going back already?”
Count Ente could see a middle-aged man blocking them in the darkness.
I can confidently say that the appearance and voice belonged to someone I don’t remember.
It was just strange.
Looking at them straight in the eye and asking if they were going to go back already, wouldn’t it sound like they were coming to find them?
In this land where they had no connection to begin with, there was no way anyone would know of their existence and come looking for them…
“… …Who are you?”
That is why Count Ente asked with a look of caution.
But the middle-aged man just smiled gently and passed them by.
He passed them by as if it were a joke, and then he just walked up to the knights who had pushed them away.
… … and the palace doors began to open.
Kugugugugu-
“… … !”
for the first time.
The path to the palace they had longed for was opened.
The last hope that would not open no matter how much I pleaded and begged was accepting that man’s existence.
“How on earth… … How… … .”
In such an unbelievable scene, the man’s mouth opened calmly.
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“Follow me. My superior is waiting.”
“that is…….”
Before you even ask who it is.
Before you even ask who the hell are you?
The man walked into the palace and gave the Viscount a genuine smile.
“His Highness Prince Allen Esteban of Esteban has summoned you.”
* * *
Baron Vidor returned with his guests.
He came late at night and looked like a beggar, but I didn’t care.
At least they weren’t bloody, dusty rags like me running through the battlefield.
“Ah, meet His Highness the First Prince of Esteban! I am Viscount Ente of Arendelle… …!”
The three guests from Arendelle quickly bowed their heads to show their respect.
But I stopped it by absentmindedly nodding my chin.
“Isn’t it too late for such empty formalities?”
“……ah!”
They stood there in a dazed state at my cold rebuke, embarrassed and corrected their actions.
As I was looking at that scene, the Baron handed me something from the side.
… … It was a wine glass.
“Well, I’m glad you understood what I said.”
I took a sip, savoring the rich grape aroma in the wine.
It was funny to see them flinch every time my gaze met them.
“You caused a commotion in front of the palace?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I know it’s a nuisance, but I had some business that I couldn’t delay even for a moment… … .”
“I see.”
… … I have a business,
I could guess what the matter was without even having to hear it.
In the first place, isn’t there only one reason why they would come?
“Were all your requests for emergency assistance rejected?”
“… … .”
Silence is affirmation.
Moreover, those troubled and pitiful eyes spoke only of the truth.
My shoulders shrugged slightly.
“Well, in times like these, there wouldn’t be any fools who would send troops to other countries.”
Although I said it strongly, it was all based on factual ‘common sense’.
“They will hope that Arendelle will act as a breakwater, that the great wave of the barbarians will meet the breakwater and break into small pieces.”
“… … Yes. The only response I got to my request for support was the excuse that they were afraid of winter.”
The outlines of a large-scale southward migration by barbarians were gradually becoming apparent.
The fact that the land of the barbarians is suffering from an unprecedented famine. The fact that they are starving because of it.
Count Ente continued speaking with a dumbfounded expression.
“They were calculating the profit from sacrificing Arendelle and then blockading its borders rather than providing troops to it.”
“Because if the hunger of the barbarians is relieved, there will be no reason for them to attempt plunder.”
Also, since the barbarian forces would not be concentrated in one place like they are now, but would spread out in various directions, it was clearly a reasonable judgment.
Actually, before the regression, things worked out just as they wanted.
‘Arendelle is destroyed.’
And I knew the future after that.
I know it so well that I know every single step of the process, to the point where I can’t say I just know it.
Because some amazing things happened there that will forever be remembered in the history of the continent.
“Did you come to Esteban in the meantime to ask for support?”
“… … Yes.”
But this is something that has never happened in the past.
That can’t be helped.
Unlike in the past, Esteban easily crushed the invasion of barbarians and even achieved the incredible feat of counterattacking their land.
Count Ente closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head.
“Esteban, who has overwhelmed the barbarians, is our last hope. And I have heard that Your Majesty has made the greatest contribution to the invasion. Please help Arendelle, which is in dire straits.”
“Hmm.”
I pretended to be thinking and gently shook my wine glass.
Of course, that was just a pretense of worrying.
The answer that would come out later was obviously set.
“No way.”
“……yes?”
“Support in this situation is outrageous.”
… … Rejection?
The Count’s eyes lost focus as if he had heard the wrong thing.
Regardless, I smiled as I sipped the wine gently.
“In the first place, I am just a prince of a country. I don’t have the authority to decide on support, right?”
“That, that, if I tell His Majesty the King… … .”
“Even so, the situation is the same.”
widely-!
I said, setting my wine glass down on the table.
“Support would require military support.”
“… … Yes.”
“Can your country, which is in a precarious situation, afford to wait for military support?”
“… … .”
does not exist.
I am certain that Arendelle is in a situation where it must evacuate immediately.
My voice echoed through the office again.
“All that remains is for you to tell me how Esteban managed to stop their invasion, and I think you know better than I do about that.”
“If there’s a weakness to them, then at least that… … .”
“Do you think there will be?”
“… … .”
The heads of the delegation, including Viscount Ente, dropped.
If you think about it calmly, the person who gave the order probably wasn’t unaware of that fact.
But the king must have sent them with the intention of grasping at straws.
Arendelle was destined to disappear into the back alleys of history.
……but.
His bloodshot eyes flashed in the wine glass.
“It’s not like there’s no way to help.”
“Huh? What did you just say… … .”
“It means that I will tell you a strategy that can block their attacks.”
“… … !”
The eyes of the delegation opened wide like lanterns.
Then, Count Ente, who had grasped the situation, could not help but be astonished.
“Is that true? Oh, no, how on earth did I handle this situation… .”
A voice so agitated that the emotions are clearly visible.
I gave him a bright smile in response.
“I’ll tell you if you want.”
Now, I had no intention of doing charity work by begging for something so trivial.
All of this was under my calculations, so I just chose the most correct path.
“This is just my personal help, of course.”
My cold, sunken eyes still held a smile.
