Chapter 203: Towards the Enemy's Heart |
Ian’s marching command sent chills down the spines of the Kaistein people.
“Did you see it? That cold, piercing gaze of his?”
“Incredible. He shows no mercy, not even toward his own brother.”
“As expected of the Hero of Bahara…”
The impression Ian left during the execution was nothing short of overwhelming. Everyone was captivated by the sight of him standing tall, blood dripping from his spear. His unflinching demeanor, even after executing his brother, inspired awe across the kingdom. Still, some couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.
“Wouldn’t it have been great if he took command of the reinforcements to Cantum?”
“Indeed. If he were leading, I would have gladly joined the march myself.”
After his spectacular display, the news that Ian wouldn’t be joining the Cantum reinforcements disappointed many.
“So, what has the Seventh Prince been doing instead?”
“Well, even the renowned Duke of Garcia has fallen into his hands. He’s truly remarkable.”
“If that’s the case, it’s a shame he’s not leading the reinforcements to Cantum.”
Despite their disappointment, many still couldn’t stop talking about Ian. However, an unexpected piece of news soon shifted their attention.
“Hey, don’t forget about the First Princess. She’s impressive too.”
“True. She may be ranked just below the Seventh Prince right now, but isn’t she effectively running the kingdom?”
“Not only that, but even the Seventh Prince acknowledged her.”
“What? Acknowledged her? What does that mean?”
The rumors were true. Before Ian conducted the execution, the First Princess had made a major announcement: her engagement to Sir Nathan the Swift.
“Who would’ve thought Sir Nathan the Swift and the First Princess would get engaged?”
“If she’s chosen his knight as her fiancé, it’s clear they’ve joined forces for good.”
The people could only nod in agreement.
“With those two united, even the Third Prince, with his formidable military strength, doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Not just that. Taking down the First Prince, who recently returned, would be a piece of cake for them.”
“Come on, comparing them to the remarkable First Prince is a bit much, isn’t it?”
The First Prince, once the crown prince, was far from being a mere shadow of the king. From a young age, he was recognized as the top successor, excelling in martial skills, politics, strategies, and psychological warfare. He was the only man who made Kaistein overlook other potential successors. Those who knew the First Prince could only nod their heads in response.
“Facing someone like him won’t be easy.”
“Right. Plus, the Seventh Prince hasn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony. The age gap alone is significant.”
“Still, you never know. If the Seventh Prince teams up with the First Princess, things might change.”
This ongoing speculation threw Kaistein into a frenzy. But the comparisons weren’t entirely unfavorable for Ian and the First Princess. Some nobles, who had initially leaned toward the First Prince, began shifting their support to the Seventh Prince and the First Princess. Even those who had abandoned the First Princess began reconsidering.
The execution ceremony alone had brought immense political gains for Ian and the First Princess. As the kingdom buzzed with talk of alliances and rivalries, the First Princess, leading the reinforcements to Cantum, gave a sudden order.
“We will rest here.”
At her command as the supreme commander, all the troops came to a halt. Her aides, however, exchanged confused glances.
“Pardon? Already?”
“We’re still far from Cantum.”
“If we don’t hurry, the civil war might end before we arrive.”
Their concerns were valid. The sun was still high, and pressing forward seemed logical. However, the First Princess shook her head.
“There’s no need to rush. The civil war will drag on. We’ll advance at a measured pace.”
“With all due respect, how can you be so certain the conflict will last?”
“Are you questioning my judgment, Lieutenant?”
“N-No, Your Highness! I wouldn’t dare!”
In truth, the First Princess hadn’t initially planned to take such a relaxed approach. However, her conversations with Ian had changed her mind.
‘He mentioned the older brother’s involvement… and the Seven Sins. They’ll undoubtedly escalate the civil war further.’
With that in mind, there was no reason to rush. The longer they delayed, the more intense the power struggles within Cantum would become. The warring factions would find themselves increasingly desperate for the support of reinforcements. The First Princess raised her eyebrows.
‘I’ll extract everything I can from Cantum. By any means necessary.’
With Ian practically confirmed as the successor to the throne, the First Princess had shifted her ambitions. Instead of coveting something out of reach, she aimed for a greater prize: Cantum. Not just as a queen, but as an empress. Her eyes blazed with determination.
‘If necessary, I’ll even use my younger brother’s help to secure that position.’
The size of the reinforcements was smaller than expected—an army of just 80,000 troops hastily gathered from various territories. As a result, their quality left much to be desired. It was basically a show of presence, but the soldiers’ morale remained high.
“Is that Sir Nathan? The one who, along with Prince Ian, conquered the Garcia Duchy?”
“Indeed. He’s quite handsome—worthy of being the First Princess’s fiancé.”
At the forefront, alongside the First Princess, rode Nathan, the Knight of Swift, one of the Seventh Prince’s Three Knights. His presence alone seemed to guarantee victory, or so the soldiers believed.
“Aren’t we just reinforcements anyway?”
“Right. We’re just here to make an appearance. No real fighting for us—easy duty.”
The nature of their mission contributed to this mindset. As mere reinforcements, they didn’t expect to play a decisive role in Cantum’s civil war. It was merely a show of presence. Thus, the soldiers couldn’t help but be more interested in the First Princess and the Seventh Prince than in the war in Cantum.
“Is it true that the Seventh Prince and our commander have joined forces?”
“It is. I heard the First Princess even got engaged to his knight.”
“With the two of them allied, there’s nothing to worry about.”
At least the First Princess had the recognition of the Seventh Prince. However, her close aides were incensed upon overhearing these casual remarks.
“Such insolence!”
“Your Highness, give us the word, and we’ll make them regret their disrespect.”
“They should be punished immediately!”
No, they weren’t simply incredulous. They were enraged. They couldn’t tolerate mere soldiers daring to speak ill of their commander. However, the First Princess shook her head calmly.
“Enough. Leave them be.”
“But, Your Highness!”
“It’s nothing more than idle chatter from ignorant soldiers. Don’t let it trouble you.”
“But…They’re speaking so rudely about Your—”
“I said leave it. Or are you questioning your commander’s orders?”
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
“Good. Now, go rest. The road ahead is still long.”
Her sharp gaze made her aides bow their heads in submission. But the First Princess had a reason for giving such orders.
‘There are spies among us.’
She had heard from Ian that there were spies operating within Kaistein. They might even be the ones secretly orchestrating the current civil war in Cantum. It was better to appear disorganized to those key figures than to leak important information. That way, their enemies would let down their guard. At the very least, they wouldn’t misinterpret the intentions of the reinforcements in Cantum.
‘Cantum won’t tremble at the sight of 80,000 troops. But it’s always better to stay cautious.’
Avoiding the appearance of an invasion force was paramount. If Cantum’s factions perceived a larger threat, they might temporarily set aside their infighting to unite. Until her objectives were secured, discretion was key.
‘After all, these troops are just for show. The real force lies elsewhere.’
The true strength of her army was her elite knights. While the enemy remained fixated on the 80,000 reinforcements, they would overlook the real threat. For the conquest of Cantum, the First Princess had brought all her knights with her. She had even gathered all the injured knights from Bahara.
‘Among her forces were the Blood Lion Knights and Black Lion Knights—15 elite warriors in total. Their presence alone could force any faction in Cantum to surrender.’
And that wasn’t all. There was another secret force, unknown even to her closest aides: Ian’s knights.
‘The Three Knights of the Seventh Prince. They’re on par with Sir Nathan.’
Sir Nathan the Swift,
Sir Galon the Invisible,
Sir Piosen the Iron Wall.
In addition to the Three Knights, there were two masked people who radiated an intimidating aura, clearly no less capable to the Three Knights. They had been with Ian since the conquest of the Garcia Duchy. It was natural for the First Princess’s eyebrows to twitch.
‘Where does Ian even find such people?’
Altogether, Ian had provided five knights. Combined with her own forces, the First Princess commanded nearly twenty elite knights. She couldn’t suppress a satisfied smile.
‘This should be enough.’
She also had Leonic, the former crown prince of Cantum, who could provide a legitimate reason for her actions. If she could play her cards right with the warring factions in Cantum, she could swallow the entire kingdom.
Just as these thoughts brought a subtle smile to her lips, Nathan’s voice interrupted her reverie.
“Hm, I’m thirsty,” he remarked casually, reclining nearby.
The comment drew annoyed glances from her aides.
‘He’s just here as her fiancé, and now he’s whining about being thirsty?’
‘Does he expect us to fetch water for him? He may be the son of a marquis, but he’s so full of himself.’
Despite their frustration, Nathan was still the First Princess’s betrothed. As the aides prepared to summon a servant, Nathan acted first.
“Hey. Could you get me some water?”
He called out to the man standing behind him, who was serving him. The man with brown hair nodded.
“Understood, Sir Nathan.”
However, Nathan’s requests didn’t end there.
“Ah, it’s hot. Why is it so hot here?”
“Here, I have a fan…”
“My hands are sweaty, so fanning myself is tough. It would be great if someone could fan me.”
“I’ll do it for you…”
Nathan not only demanded to be fanned but also asked for tea and water. He even requested a shoulder massage, claiming he was tense. Despite his numerous requests, his expression radiated pure contentment.
“I wouldn’t mind if every day was like this.”
Wink.
He was in such a good mood that he even winked at the First Princess. Nathan felt grateful for being chosen as her fiancé. Meanwhile, the First Princess’s aides exchanged incredulous glances before turning to her.
“Your Highness…?”
“Shouldn’t we intervene?”
“His behavior is unbecoming and damages your dignity.”
But the First Princess merely shook her head.
“He knows how to act when it matters most. For now, let him enjoy himself.”
Though she maintained a calm exterior, the First Princess smiled inwardly. Nathan might be having fun now, but…
‘How exactly does he plan to deal with the aftermath?’
The First Princess could only shake her head.
***
Meanwhile, outside the camp, the brown-haired servant hurried to fetch water. A blue-haired servant rushed over to him in a panic. Despite being a servant himself, he had a better build than most knights. He was none other than Fiosen.
“Are you… alright?”
Fiosen’s expression was filled with concern, his gaze betraying worry. It was understandable because the brown-haired attendant was not just anyone.
“I’m fine, Sir Fiosen,” the brown-haired servant replied calmly.
“Still, I feel I should handle this…”
“No, this is my task. Besides, Sir Nathan seems to be… exceptionally thirsty.”
The ‘servant’ was none other than Ian himself. Although he didn’t show it, he was slightly angry.
“I think I’ve made things too easy for him lately.”
It didn’t seem like he was going to let this slide. It was understandable. While Ian and the knights had disguised themselves as servants to maintain secrecy, Nathan had revealed his identity as a knight and was now exploiting the situation to order Ian around.
Straightening his posture, Ian turned to Fiosen. “Are the preparations on schedule?”
“Yes, as we planned with the First Princess. The knights will operate separately once we reach Cantum,” Fiosen confirmed.
“Ensure everything is ready. We’ll be entering enemy territory soon.”
“Understood.”
Cantum was unfamiliar terrain for Ian, but there was no room for hesitation. To defeat the First Prince and secure the Seven Sins, he had to press forward.
‘If he’s truly abandoned Kaistein, it’s obvious he’ll turn his attention to Cantum. Even if not, he still wields the power that once influenced the Holy Empire.’
The First Prince intended to end things before the external countries could intervene. And that would happen right in Cantum, a place that could be considered his main force. At that moment, Fiosen asked with a worried expression.
“But, Your Highness, can we afford to leave the Garcia Duchy unattended?”
“Are you concerned?”
“Of course. Since Your Highness has been appointed to oversee the Garcia Duchy publicly, if anything happens, it will tarnish your reputation.”
Ian chuckled softly. “There’s no need to worry about that.”
Despite Fiosen’s concerns, he wasn’t genuinely worried. The one managing the Garcia territory in his stead was none other than Countess Reese. Ian trusted the skills of the former heir of the Adria family. And there was also a backup plan in place.
“As long as the Second Princess is stationed there, no one will dare act recklessly.”
“That may be true, but…”
“There’s something far more pressing. For now, I need to meet someone.”
“Who are you referring to?”
“Leonic Kahn. I need the help of the former crown prince.”
Ian’s lips curled into a faint smile. It was time to question Leonic about the prophecy he once spoke of—and, more importantly, to learn the whereabouts of the seer who had foretold it.