MTLNOVEL Chapter 307
Chapter 308. Can’t You Feel My Kindness? (2)
The Sephira Conference Room is in chaos. It’s all because of one countermeasure proposed by Hisop.
“How can we send Lord Hisop away and plan for the future? No one can replace Lord Hisop!”
“Who said anything about abandoning Lord Hisop? Even the Crown Prince wouldn’t dare harm Lord Hisop. Time is on our side. An opportunity will surely come, but for now, this is the only way!”
The retainers are almost evenly split, pointing fingers at each other and raising their voices.
Their heated debate is all because of Hisop’s proposal.
“As a condition to lift the Kingdom Army’s siege, I will offer myself as a hostage. This will buy us at least three months. Though it’s not a long time, it will give us a chance to prepare for next year.”
Hisop tried to frame it as if he was “deceiving” the Prince’s side rather than “sacrificing” himself, but the retainers weren’t the type to take his words at face value.
The debate over whether Hisop should go as a hostage or not had become a sharp divide, like oil on fire, showing no signs of dying down.
Then, Panir poured water on the flames.
“I will go in place of Lord Hisop.”
“……?!”
Both the opposition and the supporters turned to look at Panir.
Panir puffed out his chest as if boasting and said, “I am a former High Court judge and the current advisor. I am more valuable as a hostage than the inexperienced Lord Hisop. Disregarding me is akin to disregarding the entire legal system of the Kingdom.”
“Elder Panir, I cannot allow-”
“Shut up!”
BANG!
Not only did Panir cut off Hisop mid-sentence, but he also slammed the table and stood up, his face twisted in anger.
“I am asserting my rights as a judge. Hisop, who has only just been called a lord, has no right to interfere in this matter!”
“……!”
At Panir’s menacing tone, not only Hisop but even the retainers were left speechless.
“Prosciutto!”
His butler, Prosciutto, who had been waiting outside the conference room, quickly opened the door and entered.
“Yes, Elder.”
“Send a letter to Crown Prince Rukan immediately. Tell him I will go myself and demand that he withdraw his troops! If he refuses, make it clear that I, as a former judge, will do everything in my power.”
Former Judge Panir knows all the dirty secrets of the Kingdom. If this information were to spread to other nations, the Lilian Kingdom would not escape ridicule.
There’s already talk about Rukan’s ascension not following proper legal procedures, and if the Kingdom’s reputation takes a hit, the backlash would be inevitable.
The reason Panir hadn’t used this as leverage until now was that the Lilian Kingdom was his homeland. As a noble of this country, it was only natural that he didn’t want to disgrace his homeland.
But if his family was in danger, even the stubborn Elder Panir would throw aside noble pride and honor.
“Prepare a grand and luxurious carriage. Unlike Hisop, I despise being looked down upon.”
Panir left the conference room without even asking for Hisop’s opinion.
And the next day.
Crown Prince Rukan accepted Panir’s proposal.
– Considering the reputation of Panir, the former High Court judge, I will grant a one-month grace period. By then, Keter and Basil must appear before the Royal Court to explain the charges of treason.
The Kingdom Army surrounding Sephira withdrew.
But cunningly, they didn’t withdraw completely. They stationed themselves in nearby villages, cities, and fields, maintaining pressure.
“Damn it…….”
Hisop cursed under his breath in the lord’s chamber, seething with anger.
Elder Panir had sacrificed himself for Hisop’s sake, buying them a month, but……
‘Why am I just waiting for Keter and my father to return?’
He didn’t want to fight. He wanted to avoid war. He wanted to end this peacefully.
But there was no way.
Crown Prince Rukan, and even Second Prince Rakan, refused to meet. They wouldn’t even entertain the idea of dialogue, so how could peace negotiations happen?
They were like beasts, only wanting unconditional surrender and the destruction of Sephira.
Hisop thought Rukan and Rakan’s greed and ambition were vile. Even though Hisop was willing to compromise, they refused to let go, insisting on fighting to the end.
He wasn’t afraid of fighting. He wasn’t considering defeat. It was just lamentable.
‘Why must we, the same people, resort to life-and-death struggles?’
If it were Keter, or his father, they would have found a way. Even if they fought, they would have kept it to a minimum and ended it.
“Sigh, one way or another, we must prepare for war.”
If you dislike war but don’t prepare, you’ll be devoured. Like yesterday, Hisop stayed up all night strategizing.
A week passed in the blink of an eye, and one day, a sense of impending war hung over Sephira.
It wasn’t something anyone said, but something everyone could feel.
“Lord!”
Nabakin hurriedly came to find Hisop.
His arrival surely meant bad news, but Hisop forced himself to remain calm.
“What is it?”
“The Kingdom Army is forming a siege again!”
Clench.
Even though he tried to hide it, Hisop’s eyes instinctively closed, and his clenched fists trembled.
Rukan had broken his promise. He said he would wait a month, but after just a week, he was forming a siege again.
But this wasn’t entirely unexpected. Rukan breaking his promises wasn’t a one-time thing.
“I expected this.”
Hisop pretended to be unfazed so his retainers wouldn’t panic.
But even he was left speechless by what Nabakin said next.
“That’s not all. The Kingdom Army is planting Hell Seeds in Sephira’s land!”
Hisop couldn’t believe his ears at the mention of “Hell Seeds.”
Hell Seeds are the seeds of all plants that grow in the Demon Realm.
If they take root in the mortal world, the land becomes “tainted.” No crops can grow, and humans will be poisoned by the Demon Realm’s toxins just by staying there.
Even worse, it’s impossible to purify. No matter how much you plow the land, pour water, or use holy power, you can only slow the spread of the Demon Realm, not eliminate it.
In short, Hell Seeds are a curse from the Demon Realm that must never spread to the mortal world.
And yet, they were planting such a curse in Sephira’s land.
“Madness… Sephira is still part of the Lilian Kingdom’s territory. How can they do something so reckless?”
He understood their intent. It was the most effective way to destroy Sephira without directly attacking it.
But if they destroyed Sephira this way, the Southern Land would become a Land of Death.
“Why are they going this far…?!”
Drip.
So angry and resentful, blood dripped from Hisop’s mouth.
The retainers who heard the news reacted the same way. Not only did they break their promise, but they were also planting Hell Seeds? It was beyond cruel.
“They don’t even hesitate to invite condemnation. Crown Prince Rukan must be completely insane.”
“Now, there’s no choice but war, Lord. We must stop the Hell Seeds from spreading. Otherwise, even if we win the war, the entire South will become a Land of Death where no one can live!”
Even those who opposed war now turned and clamored for it.
Hisop himself felt the urge to drive out the mad Kingdom Army immediately.
“Ugh…….”
The hotter the head, the cooler the heart must be. Hisop tried to stay calm and think rationally, as his father had taught him, but-
“Prepare for war.”
In the end, war seemed like the only answer.
“Crown Prince. Reports say Sephira is forming ranks and preparing for battle.”
At his subordinate’s words, Crown Prince Rukan replied indifferently.
“What about Keter’s whereabouts?”
“We summoned Sir Tesla, who was with him until the end, but he said Keter left without a word.”
“So, no sightings of Keter at all?”
“There were people who claimed to have seen Keter, but… most were fake reports chasing the bounty.”
“Most? So, some were real?”
“…Sorry. All were fake.”
Thud! Crack!
Rukan struck his subordinate’s knee with his cane. Though it seemed like a light swing, the subordinate’s kneecap shattered.
“Don’t flatter me. Report only the truth.”
“Understood… sir.”
“Can my army defeat Sephira?”
“50 Dragon Knights, 70 Sun Knights, 20,000 elite Kingdom infantry, 10,000 conscripts, 127 knights from various families, and 29 mages from the Magic Corps. Sephira’s forces are less than half of ours. If Sephira resists fiercely, there may be some losses, but victory is certain.”
“What if Keter appears?”
“…….”
The subordinate hesitated, unsure whether to tell the truth or say what Rukan wanted to hear.
“Keter’s strength is beyond imagination. He not only defeated five Grandmasters but also has exceptional mass-killing abilities. If he’s hiding and ambushes the Kingdom Army……”
“Then?”
“Th-there’s a slight chance of defeat.”
“Are you disregarding the invincible Dragon Knights and the battle-hardened Sun Knights? Subordinate. Whose side are you on?”
Unfortunately, the subordinate’s answer wasn’t what Rukan wanted. The subordinate tried to explain, but it wasn’t necessary.
Thud.
Rukan’s cane struck again, and the subordinate’s head exploded.
“Filthy traitor.”
Rukan muttered as he glared at the corpse, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
The maids, trembling in fear, quickly removed the body, and a “new” subordinate entered. He was a young judge, known for his competence and intelligence.
“Crown Prince. This is……”
“What is it?”
Rukan looked at the parchment handed to him by the young subordinate.
“A letter from Panir, imprisoned in the Royal Palace Prison. He insisted it be delivered to you.”
Thud.
The young subordinate’s head also exploded.
The letter from Panir caught fire.
“How dare you bring a traitor’s letter before me? You’re utterly mad.”
Another corpse was removed, and an old subordinate entered. He was a crucial link between the Goshikyeonro Association and the Royal Palace.
Though Rukan’s eyes were filled with murderous intent and the reception room reeked of blood, the old man spoke without hesitation.
“Crown Prince. There’s a flood of requests to stop the inhumane pressure on Sephira.”
“How dare these vermin make requests to me, the King of this nation? Who are they?”
“The Sun Church, the Mercenary Association, the Blood Cross Association, and the Lord of the South.”
There were more, but the old subordinate cut the list in half, considering Rukan’s temper.
“All these pests dare to defy me. And the Lord of the South? Eslow? I clearly sent him a letter ordering him to personally deal with Sephira. What? Now he’s asking me to ease the pressure on Sephira?”
Shiver.
The entire reception room trembled under Rukan’s murderous aura. The weaker maids fainted upon feeling it.
“Add the Lord of the South, Eslow, to the list of traitors! Order the Lords of the North, East, and West to subjugate Eslow!”
As Rukan declared Eslow’s execution, the old subordinate tried to dissuade him.
“Crown Prince. Even if Lord Eslow has committed treason, now is not the time. We must first deal with Sephira, the thorn in our side.”
“Shut up. Who do you think you are to advise me?”
Though his tone grew harsh and his expression menacing, Rukan didn’t kill the old man. He knew that killing him would turn the entire Goshikyeonro Association against him.
The Goshikyeonro Association was one of the factions the Crown Prince valued. Losing them would be like losing a finger.
But the old subordinate spoke not for his own safety or Rukan’s sake, but for the sake of the nation.
“Crown Prince. The nation is already in chaos. If you start subjugating lords, foreign nations won’t stand idly by. The lords are the last line of defense against foreign invasion. Please, be cautious……”
Thud.
Finally, the sound of the old subordinate’s head exploding echoed.
It was also the sound of Rukan’s sanity snapping.