/
Meanwhile, at the same time.
“Your Majesty, your Majesty!”
“Call the physician, quick!”
“Move, move! No one should be in the hall to the hospital ward!”
Right after the second Lords’ Meeting ended, Fortress Laputa was in chaos.
[Reporting to all command, reporting to all command! Sir Alfred is wanted at the VVIP hospital ward immediately; this is a code zero situation. I repeat. Sir Alfred is wanted...]
A magically-engineered voice rang with Lucia’s voice looking for Alfred all over the castle.
“Husband!”
The hall to the hospital ward was filled with Lee Chae-rin’s pleading shouts.
“Just what happened?”
Ninetails, who had been walking by the estuary near the hospital ward, quickly joined her.
“U-Unnie!” Lee Chae-rin sobbed.
“What happened, did...”
Ninetails wasn’t able to finish her sentence.
“H-Husband!”
It was because she saw that the bloodied person who was being carried in was none other than Kang Chul-In.
“What happened? Why is Husband...”
“U-Unnie...”
“Stop crying and speak!”
“T-That’s… at the Lords’ Meeting...”
But Lee Chae-rin wasn’t able to finish.
“Hey, you! Move! Now!”
“Bring all of the best potions we have!”
“Bandages, bandages!”
“Disinfectant, quickly!”
It was because the doctors and nurses that had been waiting in front of the VVIP ward had begun their treatment.
“Your Majestyyyyy!”
Also, with the appearance of Alfred, who came after hearing the announcement, the VVIP emergency hospital ward became like a warzone.
“Goodness, your Majesty! You couldn’t control your temper and… just what did you do this time!?” Alfred loudly exclaimed.
No one understood him, but Alfred spoke like this wasn’t the first time something like this happened.
Several times in the past, Kang Chul-In hadn’t been able to control his fiery temper and stormed into other Lords’ territories alone, returning on the brink of death.
“Second queen, third queen!”
Alfred whipped his head towards the two.
“Please move so I can focus on the treatment.”
“But Mr. Alfred...” Lee Chae-rin was about to say something.
“Sister.”
Just then, Ninetails stepped up.
“It’s okay.”
“Unnie...”
“Husband will be better soon, so let’s leave for right now. That’s the most we can do.”
“Heuk!”
“It’s okay, it’s all okay.”
Ninetails hugged the sobbing Lee Chae-rin. It was a reliable and calm appearance fitting of Kang Chul-In’s currently highest ranked wife.
***
“Al… fred...”
When Kang Chul-In spoke, a weak voice escaped his mouth.
“Your Majesty!”
Alfred, who had been using Heal to the best of his abilities, was surprised when Kang Chul-In suddenly woke up.
“I… will… give… orders…”
“Your Majesty, what orders are you talking about when you’re in this state! Please close your mouth and focus on recovering!”
“No, my orders… must be… acted out…”
“Your Majesty!”
“This… is… the… chance...”
Just what had happened at the Lords’ Hall? Even Kang Chul-In’s voice seemed to be in a critical situation.
“Tell the tactician… Kwak Jung…”
“Your Majesty!”
“Immediately, all forces… Gullveig Coalition… Full Metal Dragon… Zeppelin… Atlas… so everything can be mobilized…”
“...!”
“For the strategy...”
Like this, Kang Chul-In continued to barely speak one word at a time as he gave orders and Alfred became tearful again.
“Keuk...! Understood, your Majesty! This oldie will deliver every single word you said! So please...”
“Not yet...”
But Kang Chul-In didn’t stop.
“Tell the third queen… Lord... Vito Clemenza… at the Paramount Territory… to give him… a million gold and strategic materials...”
“Your Majesty! Why would...!”
“And...”
Kang Chul-In gave his last order in annoyance.
“Warn… the tactician Kwak Jung...”
“W-Warn?”
“Never… Never...”
That was it.
Drop.
Kang Chul-In's head drooped down as he stopped speaking, and Alfred restarted his Heal with a pale face.
“Your Majestyyyyy!”
***
Two hours later, Alfred delivered Kang Chul-In’s words to Kwak Jung.
“...is what he said.”
“...!”
Kwak Jung’s face hardened like ice when he finished listening.
The information was as follows:
The commotion that Kang Chul-In made at the Lords’ Meeting was just for show.
The reason why he went through with it even as he ended up in that state was to trick others into thinking his deal with Kwak Jun had gone wrong. In fact, Kang Chul-In’s deal with Kwak Jun went well.
Kwak Jun knew Kang Chul-In’s exact plan to get rid of the third party so only the Valhalla Kingdom and the Gullveig Coalition would be left, and offered to attack Baldur from the east to the west, making it just the two forces left. He even promised to attack the Gullveig Coalition in the future.
Kwak Jun was going to make the same offer to Vilhelm, and Vilhelm would gladly accept it.
That meant that Vilhelm was thinking that he would be victorious in a fight against the Valhalla Kingdom.
On the orders of Kang Chul-In and Vilhelm, Kwak Jun would continue to get their support to attack Baldur, and hit the Gullveig Coalition at a decisive moment.
For this to succeed, the Gullveig Coalition needed to be shaken up, and the Valhalla forces had to fight at a snail’s pace away from the main military of their enemies.
Meanwhile, the allied forces of Dorado and Balnibarbi would attack Baldur with the army that Kwak Jun led.
If this works...
Kwak Jung’s head began to spin furiously.
It’s perfect.
There was the pressure of dividing their forces to fight two enemies at the same time, but if this was possible, Kwak Jung and Kang Chul-In’s ‘big picture’ would be finished.
However,
The problem is how much we can trust this person’s skills… but if His Majesty gave these orders it means that he trusts this person’s abilities completely.
This was easier said than done.
For this plan to succeed, there had to be a spotless strategy and the abilities of those in charge had to be at the top.
They already had their hands full with the Gullveig Coalition, but their newly established kingdom was about to be shaken up by its roots.
It was only possible with Ninetails’s enormous dowry and Lee Chae-rin’s ‘I’ll show you money’ skill supporting them.
“I hope this guy properly does his work...”
It was just when Kwak Jung was muttering to himself.
“Tactician Kwak.”
Alfred opened his mouth.
“Yes?”
“There’s still the last order from his Majesty.”
“There’s more?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“That’s...”
Alfred spoke after some hesitation,
“He adamantly said not to trust Lord Vito Clemenxa and his tactician, Kwak Jung, and also not to distrust them.”
“Pardon?”
Kwak Jung’s eyes almost fell out of their sockets.
“W-What kind of bull… sh...”
Kwak Jung almost cursed.
If he was being frank, what kind of bullshit was that?
He wanted to place a spy in the Gullveig Coalition, but Kwak Jung could not trust nor distrust them?
***
[As you already know, our territory is on the very eastern tip of Pangaea.]
Kwak Jun spoke.
[We lack population and funds. We’re currently getting by from plundering.]
“I know.”
[So we decided to make a bid for victory. That is also why we didn’t apply to be in the Gullveig Coalition. Even if we did, there wouldn’t be anything for my Lord. Rather, wouldn’t we have to send forces and supplies that we don’t even have? Eventually, as time goes on, the finances of our territory would be pushed into a corner.]
That was true.
A few Lords joined the Gullveig Coalition of their own will because they were scared of Vilhelm and Ao Xin. If they didn’t give in, they would be stepped on.
[Also, our Lord would end up becoming dominated by you. Survival of the fittest… that’s the rule of all societies, am I right?]
“I won’t deny that.”
[That is why the card we chose was the Supreme West King, Kang Chul-In.]
“The reason?”
[The Supreme King of the West is strong. It’s a fact that they have the greatest single force after establishing a kingdom. However, it’s also true that the Gullveig Coalition’s forces are greater.]
“So… you offered to receive Kang Chul-In’s support to strike my forces from the back?”
[Yes, sir.]
“But Kang Chul-In was angry?”
[He… he is prideful.]
Kwak Jung made a displeased face.
[He was probably doubtful of the abilities of my Lord and me, as we haven’t done much yet. I admit that he needs something to trust to invest in us.]
“I also agree with that.”
[But his attitude was too...]
“Hm...”
[There wasn’t any reason to come out like that. Anyone is allowed to make offers, but thinking about how he looked down on me just because he is ranked first and he’s the Supreme West King makes me...]
Crunch!
The sound of his grinding teeth was ghastly, proving his hate for Kang Chul-In.
[He might be the King of the West, but he doesn’t have what it takes to be the owner of Pangaea. Even though he has his strength, how can he rule a country without any people skills? He’ll likely fail to unify the continent. Even if he does, it’ll crumble not too long after.]
Kwak Jun was reciting the history of the First Qin Emperor and Xiang Yu.
But of course, there was no way the European Vilhelm would know about that.
“I see.”
However, Vilhelm was definitely interested in Kwak Jun. The smile on his face proved it.
“Kwak Jun, right?”
Vilhelm continued to speak.
[Yes, your Majesty.]
“How about if I invest a million gold in you? What can you do with that?”
[Y-your Majesty!]
“Don't be surprised.”
[...!]
“I’m not a man of small character like Kang Chul-In. Nor am I poor.”
[C-Could you be talking about...!]
“I don’t trust you. No, that’s not right. There isn’t any data about you, is there? I agree with Kang Chul-In.”
[Yes, sir...]
“However.”
[...!”]
“A million gold? It may be a large amount to Kang Chul-In, but it’s not a large amount for me to bet on for my curiosity. I’ll pretend to fall for it and trust you.”
[Your Majesty!]
“I’ll send the million gold and application form for the Gullveig Coalition right away. From now on, Lord Vito Clemenza and his representative Kwak Jung will be in charge of getting rid of Baldur, or any other third party. But!”
Vilhelm’s eyes shined brighter than the Mediterranean Sea.
“If you fail...”
[My life...]
“Would that be enough?”
[...!]
“The price for saying what you shouldn’t should be great, right? If you fail this, I’ll crush the Paramount Territory, including you and your Lord. All those in your territory will see blood.”
They were gruesome words.
It means that he wouldn’t accept gold in case of failure, but lives.
“How is this?” Vilhelm asked Kwak Jun.
“Will you do it, or not, representative of Vito Clemenza, Kwak Jung?”
[I will do it.]
Kwak Jung answered right away.
[I’ll show you my abilities.]
“You’ve got guts.”
[Our territory will be taken if I don’t do this, at the very least. Since you gave me this chance, I will try it.]
“The time?”
[One week.]
“Can you show something within that time?”
[Even though I can’t do something great, I can show you something small. I’ll dominate three territories within Baldur in a week.”
“...!”
[Please watch over me.]
Kwak Jun emphasized his words.
‘He...’
Vilhelm was inwardly surprised at Kwak Jun.
Those fierce eyes, and firmly shut mouth.
The illusion of Kwak Jun he was looking at through the Illusion Network strongly gave him the impression this wasn’t a normal guy.
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