Water Magician

Chapter 234: Traitor

King’s office in the royal capital palace.

“Why are they still here!?”

He did not, in any way, yell in anger.

It was a quiet, but sharp, voice full of annoyance that he uttered.

The one who uttered it was King Raymond.

“They did not give a reason…”

King Raymond’s right-hand man, the Count of Kirkhouse, Parker Fletcher, answered.

“What’s more, that Explosive Blaze Magician is conquering cities in the eastern region one after another!”

“Yes……”

King Raymond continued with a tone of annoyance and Parker could only nod.

The advancing speed of Oscar and the Emperor’s Magic Division far exceeded expectations.

Who could have predicted that a magic division of about 100 people would conquer a city, one at a time, every two days?

Moreover, the damage to their army was almost zero!

“Is it even possible!?” How many times did King Raymond shout that in his mind?

But that was not where the biggest problem lay.

“Why are they taking over the eastern cities? The agreement with the Empire clearly states that ‘territories and cities will not be ceded’. The cities they take will become ours, so…why are they conquering them…”

Yes, the agreement signed with the Empire before the war stipulated that the cities and territories conquered by the Empire during the war would be transferred to King Raymond.

The royal capital was strategically necessary, so the Imperial Army had to conquer it, even at the cost of sacrifice. And it fell.

According to a later investigation, it seems that there were other reasons for conquering the capital, but there were reports that those plans didn’t go well in the end.

In any case, he could understand their need to conquer the royal capital.

However, the other cities… even if they were taken by the imperial army, they would eventually be handed over to King Raymond.

There was no reason to conquer them.

“And how far are they going to go…”

Since the areas surrounding the royal capital supported Raymond, the Emperor’s Magic Division passed through the area and instead conquered Stone Lake and Wingston along the second highway.

Both are important towns in the East, with Wingston being the largest city in the East.

There were also reports that he caused Erwin, the Duke of Shrewsbury, who was a great aristocrat in the East connected to the royal family via bloodline, to surrender.

How far do they plan to go until they caused such a great noble to surrender?

Neither King Raymond nor Parker could read Oscar’s intentions.

While the two were puzzled by Oscar’s intentions, a new report came in.

“Report. The Emperor’s Magic Division of the Imperial Army has taken over the city of Slanzewi in the eastern part of the Kingdom.”

“Slanzewi?”

At that report, King Raymond frowned.

Until now, they were heading east along the second highway. Stone Lake, Wingston.

Then, they suddenly turned southward to conquer Slanzewi.

Certainly, Slanzewi is the second largest city in the East after Wingston.

Also, when the Rho Bridge existed, the East Highway connecting Slanzewi, Rho Bridge, and Rune boasted a considerable amount of trade, even when considering the Kingdom as a whole.

However, after the collapse of the Rho Bridge and deteriorating public security in the east, Slanzewi’s status had fallen considerably.

In the first place, the trigger for the Eastern Rebellion was the ‘fire’ in Slanzewi’s lord’s mansion and armory. As a result, the feudal lord was replaced, the Knight-Commander died and the Deputy Commander seized power. Currently, Slanzewi’s name is associated with a very bad image even among the aristocrats.

In any case, the two of them didn’t understand why the Imperial Army would turn toward Slanzewi.

Although they knew of the existence of ‘black powder’, they did not know that it was produced only in the eastern part of the country and that it was stored in Slanzewi.

Ignorance is sin.

For those in positions of responsibility, that is a fact.

When Parker left Raymond’s office, his subordinates ran up to him.

“Your Excellency, the Knight’s Quarters was just attacked.”

“Rebels?! They’ve attacked before but … Isn’t that where the Imperial Army’s headquarters is located? The rebels have the strength to attack the headquarters?”

The Knight’s Quarters was once the headquarters of the Kingdom’s Knights Order and the place where the commander of the Knights Order, Baccara, was killed in action during the capital disturbance.

Currently, it is where the main headquarters of the Imperial Army stationed in the royal capital is located, and Marquis Musel, who found it difficult to visit the royal castle once King Raymond declared his enthronement, was often in the Knight’s Quarters.

“Last night, it seems that many imperial soldiers were dispatched to investigate the murders of imperial knights that occurred in several places…”

“They were attacked when they were short-handed? The imperial army is stupid to fall for such tricks, but the rebels are also cunning!”

(But the execution was too skillful… There must be someone smart among the rebels, but who is it? I would have suspected the crown prince if he was alive but…. or maybe Marquis Heinlein from the south. But it is impossible to direct such a detailed strategy from the south … No matter what, a person must be there to move people on the spot with quick decisions … Whoever it is, that person is in the royal capital.)

Parker was about to sink into deep thought, but he remembered that it was not the time to do so yet.

“I’m going to the Knight’s Quarters. Prepare the horses.”

The Knight’s Quarters was not far from the royal castle.

By the time Parker arrived, he had not yet fully recovered from his confusion.

“I am His Majesty the King’s consul, Count Kirkhouse. Is Marquis Musel safe?”

Outside the room, many knights and squires were coming and going, and it was still chaotic, but the inside of the quarters was relatively calm.

Parker asked a guard near the entrance.

“Yes. He’s in the office on the fourth floor.”

Upon receiving the answer, Parker climbed the stairs.

When he entered the office, Marquis Musel was being treated by a priest on the sofa.

It seemed that until just a little while ago, he was commanding the front line.

“Count Kirkhouse, we were deceived.”

Marquis Musel said and smiled wryly.

King Raymond and the Imperial Army could not be said to be complete allies, but they were not clear enemies either. At least not yet.

In particular, the Commander-in-Chief, Marquis Meusel, wasn’t someone he wanted to avoid as a person, so Parker couldn’t help but smile at his wry smile.

“The enemies were the adventurers and the remnants of the royal knights.”

After completing a series of treatments, Marquis Musel began to explain.

Adventurers and Knights, it was also their expected enemies.

Since the fall of the capital to the Imperial Army, the guilds in the capital, especially the adventurer guild, have ceased their activities.

Also, at the time of its fall, the Kingdom’s Knights Order fiercely resisted, but was destroyed.

However, they were not annihilated.

Also, although it is unconfirmed information, there are rumors that some of the knights who went to the Desborough Plains somehow infiltrated the royal capital.

If Ryo heard it, he would have screamed ‘Resistance!’…

There is no doubt that a resistance force exists in the royal capital.

And their target is not King Raymond and his nobles, but the Imperial Army.

They have repeatedly attacked only the Imperial Army and its surroundings.

Burning the supplies of the imperial army, raiding various stations, or assassinating imperial soldiers in the dark.

Because it was an attack from those familiar with the royal capital, the foreign Imperial Army was always on the back foot.

“I thought of informing Count Kirkhouse first, but we were planning to leave the capital within the next week.”

“That’s…”

“Isn’t that what King Raymond wishes for too?”

When he said that, Marquis Musel laughed loudly.

“However, considering the attacks that are getting more intense by the day, I want to leave as soon as possible, not next week.”

(I guess that’s what they’re after)

Parker thought to himself.

The rebels were only aiming at the imperial army.

As far as Parker knows, neither Raymond’s men nor members of the Northern Nobility have been attacked.

The reason was to get the imperial army to leave as soon as possible.

The people who planned this raid correctly understood that there was no need for the imperial army to stay in the royal capital.

If they could read the situation that well… what will they do after the imperial army leaves?

(Will we be the next target?)

Parker had a sour expression internally.

He understood that King Raymond did not have the support of adventurers and knights, including the people.

‘Traitor’

Those words will follow King Raymond for the rest of his life. And even apply to himself, his assistant.

However, Raymond had his reasons.

King Stafford IV’s abnormal behavior.

At that rate, it was a distinct possibility that the entire Kingdom might become the property of another country along with King Stafford IV.

That was why he stepped up and Raymond became king.

Of course, he wouldn’t say that Raymond didn’t have an obsession with the throne.

To be honest, he must have wanted it quite a lot.

But Raymond’s motives were not the issue this time, but the loss of Stafford’s ability to govern.

And the sickness of the crown prince.

Both were problematic, and the fear was right.

The crown prince died, and the Kingdom was unable to take effective measures against the invasion of the Empire.

It was a situation where Raymond could even assert that it was the right thing to do for the survival of the Kingdom.

For those who knew.

However, the citizens were unaware of Stafford IV’s anomaly.

Adventurers, knights, and even those in the royal castle, some didn’t even notice.

On top of that, ‘Prince Albert’, who was thought to be training in some knight order, declared his accession to the throne in opposition.

What’s more, he’s an A-rank adventurer!?

The reception from the people would be great.

All adventurers would support him.

Knights would also like to have a strong person at the top.

What the hell!

Parker remembered the time when Stafford had taken the throne with a lot of support and Raymond had gone North in disappointment.

It felt similar.

Liked by everyone, supported by many, and able to live up to those expectations… Just like Stafford in the past, Prince Albert seems to have inherited that trait.

Leaders who can’t win over the people will only face failure.

The citizens will hold back for a while.

As long as they have the power to suppress them, they will not rebel.

But it doesn’t work in the long run.

Parker knew that.

That’s why Raymond, who came to rule over the people as Duke Flitwick, studied how to deal with the people along with the necessary knowledge as a politician.

And Raymond, who excelled above others, acquired that skill.

However, Prince Albert easily surpassed what he had acquired through that effort.

No, it is King Abel now.

Is it talent, or did he have someone around him who trained him … Either way, it’s not something that can be easily obtained.

Parker knew that.

That’s why, to be honest, he felt envious of King Abel.

Parker shook his head, said goodbye and left the room.

He understood.

Either way, they could no longer turn back now…