Episode 132: Subjugation Order

　One lazy afternoon.

　The Kirchhen Kingdom, boasting three hundred years of prosperity. Its symbol, Kirchhen-Almas Castle.

　In the vast plaza spreading before its imposing facade, knights and soldiers—over ten thousand in all—had gathered.

“I wonder what words His Majesty the King will impart?”

“Who knows…?”

　The soldiers whispered to each other in hushed tones.

　They had been assembled here today for some announcement from King Luverios.

　However, it was extremely rare for Luverios to appear personally before the troops.

　Such occasions were limited to national festivals or events that shook the country to its core.

　At that moment, a trumpet blast suddenly pierced the sky, resounding loudly.

　In an instant, the soldiers straightened their backs and assumed a rigid, upright stance.

“All troops—salute!”

　The voice of the Kingdom Knights’ No. 2, Vice Commander Weissmaster, echoed across the area.

　In response, the soldiers moved in perfect unison, placing their hands over their left chests in salute.

　At the same time, two men appeared on the second-floor balcony of the royal palace overlooking the courtyard.

　One was a young man with ice-like blue hair and a chilling gaze. On his back fluttered a scarlet mantle, the mark of a king.

　The King of Kirchhen, Luverios.

　Standing beside him was a stern-faced man in his prime, approaching old age, but his eyes held a sharp intensity.

　The Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Joachim.

“Normally, in a setting like this, I should offer some appropriate greeting as king. But—let’s dispense with unnecessary preambles. I’ll get straight to the point.”

　Luverios’s voice, projected through an amplification device, echoed throughout the palace courtyard.

“I’m sure you’re all aware… of the name Siegfried von Kreving.”

　Of course, the soldiers knew it well.

　The man who rose from small unit captain to commander of the Eastern Front Army, and who crushed the Serodonia Kingdom’s Western Army Group.

　Moreover, his engagement to Serodonia’s third princess, Sylphirosé, was already widely known.

“Some voices hail this Siegfried as a hero… but let me state it clearly. This man Siegfried is a grave criminal. It all began with the death of the previous Eastern Front Army commander, Duke Bertram von Drexel Ernstheim. The one who took his life was none other than Siegfried. In other words—his seemingly glorious rise to prominence was built upon the bloodstained crime of murdering his commander.”

　Luverios had vaguely suspected this fact for some time.

　After all, it was none other than Luverios himself who had dispatched assassins to Bertram with orders to eliminate Siegfried.

　But that order went unfulfilled, and instead, Bertram lost his life.

　The outcome was obvious. Siegfried had struck him down.

　And there was testimony to back it up.

　About a month ago, during Siegfried’s public execution.

　A soldier on the verge of execution had shouted—‘It was Siegfried who killed Bertram.’

“The crime of slaying one of the Five Great Nobles—is a grave offense second only to regicide. On top of that, the man is engaged to the Serodonia royal family. …This fact can only mean one thing. It’s a groundwork laid with rebellion against the Kirchhen Kingdom in mind—there’s no other way to see it. We cannot overlook this. I hereby declare: We will carry out the subjugation of Siegfried von Kreving!”

　This statement from Luverios was twisted to suit his own convenience.

　Inconvenient facts, like Bertram’s involvement in illicit trade, were omitted entirely.

　And what spread among the soldiers was—a quiet, yet definite unease.

(Subjugation? Does that mean… civil war?)

(The Eastern Front Army has about fifteen thousand, right… We probably won’t lose against that alone.)

(But Count Kreving is engaged to Serodonia royalty… Doesn’t that mean Serodonia will become our enemy too…?)

(Wait, couldn’t they just make up some reason to summon him to the capital and execute him? Why go through with a subjugation?)

“—I am aware of what you all are thinking.”

　In contrast to Luverios’s youthful and vibrant voice, a deep, sinking tone filled the plaza.

　The voice belonged to Prime Minister Joachim.

“The Eastern Front Army possesses over ten thousand in strength. If we clash head-on, a large-scale battle within our borders would be inevitable. Conflicts among our own citizens would deplete our nation’s power and ultimately create openings for other countries to exploit. —However, there is no need for concern.”

　Following that, Luverios spoke again.

“For this subjugation of Siegfried, we, the Kirchhen Kingdom, have formed an alliance with the ‘Holy Church’—that is, the Light Wing Holy Church Luxion. Together with the Holy Church—we will subjugate Siegfried.”

“Oh…!”

　Exclamations of surprise rose from among the soldiers.

　The ‘Light Wing Holy Church Luxion.’

　It was the world’s largest religious organization, possessing formidable military might, including the Holy Knights.

　Combining faith and force, its influence was immeasurable.

　But in the soldiers’ hearts, a certain doubt began to sprout.

(But… why would the ‘Holy Church’ get involved?)

(The ‘Holy Church’ intervening militarily like this… hasn’t happened before, right?)

　The Holy Church, by nature, prioritized spreading its doctrines and protecting the faith, and generally avoided deep involvement in secular disputes.

　Overturning that common sense, this alliance—its reason was revealed by Prime Minister Joachim.

“Siegfried von Kreving… has revived Celestina van Volfenstein, the seventh in the ‘Seven Great Calamities’ hierarchy. The ‘Seven Great Calamities’ are entities that the Holy Church must exterminate. Thus—we have joined hands.”

“Seven Great Calamities…?”

“For real…?”

　The soldiers had been holding their tongues out of respect for the king’s presence, but now their silence was reaching its limit.

　Voices leaked out involuntarily—that’s how much the fact of a ‘Seven Great Calamity’s’ revival shook them.

　That said, whether Siegfried had truly revived Celestina—Joachim himself didn’t know for sure.

　But the mere possibility—was enough to mobilize the Holy Church.

“You all know this well. The power of the Holy Church—is immeasurable. Led by cardinals such as ‘Justice of Light: Justice Ray’ and ‘Judgment of Light: Judgment Glare,’ and commanding them is—the living legend who once slew the ‘Seven Great Calamities.’ A mere Eastern Front Army cannot stand against them.”

　Furthermore, the core forces of the Kirchhen Kingdom would also be mobilized.

“Naturally—the Grandmaster Zefard, the strongest knight commander in the eastern nations, and the head court mage Grand Caster Ignas will move as well.”

　And that wasn’t all.

　With the Holy Church involved, it was highly unlikely that Serodonia would support Siegfried.

　Even Serodonia would want to avoid making the world’s largest religious power their enemy.

“In other words—with overwhelming force, we will crush the Eastern Front Army led by Siegfried. —This battle’s outcome is decided before it even begins.”