Chapter 243

Everyone talks about peace, but that’s just nonsense from people who don’t know the full story.

Disputes and wars can really happen due to the tiniest errors or mistakes—total catastrophes waiting to happen.

In that sense, the Empire’s vast territory means that while locals in one region might be none the wiser, those overseeing the whole damn thing know incidents never truly stop. That’s just how it is.

If an issue doesn’t escalate too much, you can often solve it with guidelines and commands. If that’s not enough, you throw resources like manpower and supplies into the mix, and most problems get resolved that way.

But the real trouble starts when none of that works.

“Having a big body sure is a pain.”

This woman had legs so muscular they were practically bulging. She casually threw one leg up on the table, resting her left ankle on her right knee.

With hair cut short in an odd blend of black and white, she lazily scanned the room as if the entire world was spinning out of control—and yawned.

Now, any guy would probably glance away if he saw someone dressed like her—her lower half practically MIA, her top exposing her abdomen—but the man in front of her didn’t seem fazed by any supposed allure. Instead, he subtly frowned, clearly disapproving of her posture.

“Warehouse stockpiles are there so we can provide aid whenever needed. There’s nothing wrong with having a big warehouse.”

“Were you one of the relief supplies stored in that warehouse?”

Leaning back in his chair, tilting it precariously, this guy somehow managed to stay balanced despite the rocking room—a feat in itself.

“A few months ago? Wasn’t it around six months back when Bariel, that idiot, came and went?”

“Does that have anything to do with what we’re talking about now?”

“Listen up, kid. Someone’s trying to talk here.”

She waved her hand dismissively at the man who had interrupted her.

At first glance, he looked like a respectable young adult or maybe someone who’d just hit adulthood. His mysterious silver-gold hair marked him as someone iconic within the empire.

“You know how that dumbass always lingers around you for no reason?”

“…”

“And yet sometimes, his gaze feels… off.”

“That again?”

Knights of Glory, bloodline of Radiance.

The foremost of the Nine Heroes.

And…

The great warrior of the foreign lands, pride of the Empire, known as the Golden Sword Saint and former captain of the Gold Dragon Knights.

The hero, Ruelde Brendiar, was now face-to-face with an old comrade.

Among the surviving Six Heroes of the Empire, it was pretty much just the two of them now.

“So why does that guy, who couldn’t leave his family behind, still feel nostalgic enough to keep pestering you even though he has kids?”

“Nedes. Aren’t you guilty of doing the same?”

“Guilty? I’d give it to anyone else before THAT guy.”

No need to imagine what “it” refers to—it’s obvious.

“I’m thorough when it comes to contracts and promises.”

“…”

Out west on the continent,

the edge is always the sea.

There are scattered islands and archipelagos, but it’s still the ocean.

While the Empire can project overwhelming power over land, its naval forces are mostly nominal. If countries northwest of the continent decided to fully utilize their naval capabilities, it would give the Empire serious headaches.

That’s where Nedes Germandia, the Island Witch, came into play.

During the Demon King invasion, she used guerrilla tactics to harass the Demon King’s navy, becoming a nightmare for both sea beasts and airborne threats alike. Her island, infamous across the seas, became synonymous with terror.

Deep beneath the southern part of the Berke Empire lies one such island, relatively distant from the mainland. The Dabas people nearby weren’t exactly seafaring enthusiasts—only a small fraction of them ever took to the water—so they didn’t bother challenging the islanders’ fierce resistance.

Local inlanders rarely sailed unless they were merchants or fishermen. Even setting foot near the coast took time. Though not impossible, it wasn’t worth the effort.

Islanders were notoriously rough and resistant. Most folks preferred not to mess with them. Even the Empire acknowledged their independence through treaties, recognizing them as trading partners and allies.

That’s why Nedes patrols the western and northern waters of the Empire, assisting with maritime defense. It wasn’t mandatory, but she volunteered anyway, influencing many younger witches to follow in her footsteps.

Not everyone followed her lead, though.

“I can’t build a family or have children. Cursed with eternal youth, you see.”

“Nedes.”

“Once you give up, there’s no going back. That’s my motto and worldview, Ruelde.”

Giving up isn’t the same as being forced to give up.

She chose to bury her fate in the depths of the sea rather than let others decide it for her. After defeating the Demon King, she willingly accepted the blessing-curse of immortality.

“When Kuriga died, my future ended with him.”

“…”

“And did you really need to grieve over that too?”

“Grieve? Me?”

Ruelde narrowed his eyes, surprised.

“You’re carrying guilt around, aren’t you? I heard you’re worrying about every member of the Kuriga clan.”

“You’re doing the same, aren’t you?”

“Well, I have the right.”

What right?

Would asking get me punched?

“…You haven’t changed. Still fixating on one thing and ignoring everything else, huh?”

“I don’t procrastinate on necessary tasks.”

“Huh.”

Nedes chuckled and lowered her leg from the table. She appeared young, barely an adult, but she was older than both Ruelde and Hermine.

“Why am I getting older while you keep looking younger? You’ve already raised your kids, so why keep making more?”

“…Is that so?”

Her comment made him recall something he’d tried to forget. Probably intentional.

With a sigh, she concluded:

“The Sea Monster, provisionally named Shalith, should’ve been dealt with properly.”

“What about its connection to the fifth Daemon King, Litan?”

“How should I know? Did I share drinks with it or something?”

Ruelde calmly nodded at her reluctance.

“Unexpected issues have arisen inland instead, haven’t they?”

“Yeah.”

“Reincarnation Demon King cults. All sorts of weird religions pop up. At least Demon Worship has some history behind it.”

“…”

Nedes laughed lightly as Ruelde closed his eyes briefly.

“So ultimately, the purpose wasn’t to scatter our forces everywhere but to draw attention and cause worry. That’s the conclusion you reached, right?”

“It seems many others monitoring the situation agree.”

“If this had happened during the new Demon King’s invasion, it would’ve been catastrophic, wouldn’t it?”

“…It might’ve already been.”

Their target wasn’t us, at least not directly.

“Care to share what you know? Or not?”

“You think I know?”

“Lokorn sent me a letter. Meeting me directly was inconvenient, and joining me by ship wasn’t practical given our locations.”

“…”

So the Royal Court must’ve received news by now.

Lokorn chose to stand opposite the Empire rather than join it. If he aligned himself with the Empire, the world would fear it too much.

Should the Empire stray from justice or turn to evil, he’d deal with it—even if it meant confronting old comrades, the Emperor, or other key figures.

Likewise, if the Empire acted rightly, he’d support it.

Anyone planning a war would also face his judgment.

Indeed, rumors spread quietly across the far side of the continent about a mysterious figure punishing injustices and redistributing wealth. He was meticulous, taking time to investigate thoroughly before acting.

“There’s a new Demon King and Legion Commander in Ardisus. Apparently, it wasn’t planned, but the Legion Commander was overwhelmingly powerful. Even Gaejef, Lokorn, some mythological angel, and a Water User couldn’t do more than hold them off.”

“…Demon King.”

Here we go again…

“The Demon King itself isn’t the concern. They said it was stopped and handled.”

“…How?”

“The explanation was lengthy, so only the key points were written down. But missing context suggests they might be hiding something or softening the blow.”

“…I see.”

At least one major question has been answered.

“The damage must’ve been severe.”

“Big or small, depending on perspective. I don’t have exact details. This kind of information is usually classified, after all.”

“On the other hand, revealing achievements could help amplify our voice across the continent. We could honor the fallen under that pretext.”

“Promoting the sacrifices and accomplishments widely—that’s very human of you. Some might think recognition is essential for closure.”

“…Even those left behind won’t all appreciate it. Do you think everyone’s as virtuous as you?”

“It’s not about virtue; it’s about duty.”

Nedes sighed audibly.

“Idiots! Laughing and mocking others for dying pointlessly! Thinking ‘They’ve weakened! Now’s our chance!’ Such trash doesn’t exist, right?”

“…”

“You’ve grown somewhat restrained. Good job!”

As she stood up and approached Ruelde, she whacked him hard on the back.

Despite her bulky lower body, her upper half retained a more feminine appearance. Opposites attract, apparently. While striking individually, her overall harmony made her quite captivating—if you were into that sort of thing.

‘Not my style.’

Bariel certainly thought so, obsessing over her.

After Kuriga’s death, when Bariel tried to shoulder guilt for Nedes, she fled to avoid complications. Post-Demon King battle, Nedes herself was a wreck, almost swayed by Bariel’s advances.

Maybe things would’ve worked out better between them. Honestly, who knows?

A few times, she jokingly suggested Ruelde take over, even receiving Hermine’s approval.

Ultimately, she chose to drift across the seas instead.

Crack! Crack!

Each slap caused her ample bosom to ripple like waves.

“Anyway, Our Carriel. He once said he’d marry me when he grew up, but I didn’t see him when you guys had Elimiun. Later, when I visited Jadou, I never got to see him either.”

“…”

“Why did I only hear about his disappearance six months later from that idiot Bariel? Not that I expected you to tell me, of course. You likely avoided mentioning it because you felt embarrassed. I understand. I do.”

Casually, she stabbed him in the heart with a tiny fish bone.

“I’ve been busy too, never seeing the kids’ faces. Avoiding them made me feel less sad. But come on! Even so, you… YOU… Ah, forget it. I’m frustrated, but you and Hermine must be going insane.”

“…”

“Are you losing it?”

Biting his lip, Ruelde merely nodded silently.

“I’ll be heading to Jadou soon.”

“…Why?”

“No idea. But you probably do. What’s the reason?”

Her pale eyes stared intently at him.

“I know something big is going wrong. The air currents, the ocean currents—they’re keeping me awake at night. You know that, right?”

“Something major is happening. You’ll find out when you get there.”

“Will you confess eventually?”

“…I can’t bring myself to.”

“What’s this about lost honor? Getting older hasn’t improved much beyond your gut.”

Twisting her body, she swung one leg behind her back, holding it with both hands.

“Ugh! Anyway, things are working out well. Since I’m going, I might as well hear everything—good or bad. Time flies on a ship, after all.”

“Come to think of it, it’s about that time.”

“Yeah. About a year left, but precisely because of that, it’s the period to step back and observe.”

Her contract with the Empire, specifically with the Emperor, was nearing its end.

“My juniors and siblings will fill my role, but there will likely be power struggles and chaos for a while due to my absence.”

“…Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Kids grow through conflict. How can anyone decide rankings peacefully without fights? Does that even make sense?”

Power and authority aren’t easily exchanged, even among family.

“Fighting fiercely and then compromising is the way to go.”

“…”

Had he not refrained from commenting on capable individuals fighting amongst themselves, especially when it involved witches from Witch Island? Many of Nedes’ juniors and siblings were formidable, something Ruelde knew firsthand.

“Didn’t our El once cleanse opposing nobles, cutting heads, seizing assets, and exiling them—all for necessity?”

“That was…”

“For good reason, right? Back then, the justification was you, Hermine, and Carriel, wasn’t it? And here comes Carriel again.”

“…”

Looks like he’ll be grilled about this topic the whole time.

Regardless of circumstances, Ruelde always had answers—except when it came to Carriel. Everything seemed tangled up.

When did it start?

From when the kid left Jadou as a child? Or after reclaiming him from the Elves and bringing him back to Jadou?

“Nedes. Any advice on what I should do?”

“How would I know? Is his father someone else besides you? Did you adopt him off the street?”

“…”

And while she jabbed at him, maintaining a balance between pushing him too far and not far enough, Nedes deliberately omitted parts of Lokorn’s letter contents.

Perhaps it was consideration. Or maybe malice. Either way, there’s little room for excuses right now.

‘Guess I’ll check it out myself.’

Clumsy and unlucky as they may be, these two seem clueless about their own happiness.

‘We’ll see how much they’ve strayed when the time comes.’

If things deteriorate so badly that apologies or communication lose meaning…

…then maybe a little poking and prodding is all that’s left.

Still, Ruelde would handle it. Fatal wounds or critical injuries aside, Hermine’s presence ensured things would work out somehow.

‘But whether that resolves things… who knows?’

Other people’s family drama is exhausting, but it’s hard not to care when it involves these two.

‘Kuriga. Look what I’m putting myself through for your kids.’

You irresponsible bastard.

Why’d you leave first…?

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