Chapter 221

Cornel could not understand why she was here.

To her right stood a court noble, and to her left stood the Red Bishop of the Brightgod Church, while across from her were the Minister of Finance and the Royal Treasurer, Hadrian.

She was also a big name from the slums and had formed her own faction as a council member, but it felt very awkward to be here.

Of course, she had maintained a flirtatious relationship with Duke Valencius, who had a formal title of subordinate to the emperor, several times.

“Then let’s hear the opinion of Councilor Cornel regarding the refugee situation.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Isn’t she the top expert in this field?”

It didn’t really resonate that she had risen to a status where she could face him in broad daylight.

However, her intellect, honed by humanity and ambition, spun more quickly in a bewildering situation.

Cornel realized that this was an opportunity to elevate her status many times over.

Hiding her cunning gaze under her tense expression, she opened her mouth.

“Then I will humbly speak a word to your esteemed selves and His Imperial Highness. The official population of the capital is 400,000, unofficially 500,000, and according to word of mouth, it has reached 600,000. Last night, approximately 23,000 were corrupted, and about 10,000 have died, but there remain between 370,000 and 570,000 individuals.

The urgent issues are firstly corruption and secondly food. Though the weather is still warm and cold is not a problem, corruption and hunger have always been closer to the poor. If they all set up tents on the plains, the tent village will be too vast, and once corruption begins to spread, it will flare up like a wildfire that cannot be contained.

Therefore, I say the most important thing is security.”

“Security?”

The leaders of the Black Iron Knights, Barbatos, and the Chief of Police narrowed their eyes.

These were words meant to bolster their resolve.

“Yes, Your Excellency. Very, very strict security management is necessary.”

Cornel believed not in the goodwill of humanity, but in the desire for goodwill.

She was not merely a girl whose mind was filled with flowers.

‘If the people living in the eight-story stone houses come out onto the streets, they will need a land eight times the area of their stone houses. The tent village will expand too much, and among them, there will be those who escape the eyes of surveillance. Very few can endure becoming a beggar overnight after living in a warm home. They will either become bandits or be corrupted, or both.’

“In my view, all armed organizations in the capital, except for minimal guards and monitoring of the magical realms, should be deployed to maintain security in the tent village. That includes the Platinum, Black Iron, Brass, and Silver Knights, the Chief of Police, the Royal Guard, the custody battalion, self-defense forces, the private soldiers of noble families, adventurers, and mercenaries.”

Valencius nodded.

“What method of distribution do you think would be best?”

Cornel replied, making eye contact.

By now, her posture had become quite confident.

“In a situation where security is maintained, the method of distribution is not very important.”

Her words, derived from experience, carried trust.

Valencius had the ability to turn belief into power.

“I’ll assign Hadrian as the Royal Treasurer, and attach Bishop Hong to assist with purification and healing. Bring the paperwork within three hours. We’ll implement it as it is.”

Some of the surrounding council members frowned.

No matter how much of an expert she was, having a little girl of a similar age to their grandchildren take the lead in the situation was unexpected.

Especially, the commoner council members felt strongly about this.

‘Unlike the hereditary councilors, we are those who survive on popularity.’

‘If that little girl rises as a hero among the citizens of the capital, we will have no choice but to join her faction.’

‘We must stop it, but the current situation—’

Valencius seemed to read their thoughts.

“I will assign one Platinum Knight. Anyone who resists or obstructs without just cause will be eliminated.”

Cornel lowered her head, and some council members gritted their teeth.

Valencius looked up at the shimmering emerald sky and said with a sigh.

“We must protect the capital until His Majesty returns. We cannot allow a rebellion to break out in such times. Be careful with public opinion. Relief measures like administrative distribution or treatment will be done in the name of the Church and His Majesty, while extermination and conscription will be carried out in my name.”

If corruption spreads among over 500,000 citizens, it was unimaginable what could happen.

* * *

In the Empire, only a Sword Expert could become a knight.

Being a Sword Expert meant one could achieve not just a count or a viscount in other countries, but even a duke.

No matter how talented the Empire’s people were, they were not positions one could carelessly dismiss, and naturally, the knights of the Empire received treatment that differed from their actual titles.

Tenitia, a knight from the central knightly order, was sitting beside a high-ranking court noble and duke, while Bonnel, a newcomer from the Platinum Knight Order, was attempting to showcase his swordsmanship to the emperor’s direct brother, even though the status of royalty had fallen low.

Thus, it was natural for all attention and power to be focused on Tenitia, a guard knight of the Duke Valencius, who was leading the Empire without an emperor.

“Lady Tenitia! There are items essential to bring back from the capital!”

“I have urgent matters to discuss regarding the capital restoration project. Please grant me a meeting.”

“I promise large-scale investment in my father’s territory. Please allow me to meet Lord Valencius just once.”

Today, Tenitia donned her platinum armor and patrols along the frontline of the tent village.

She could have reveled in luxury while watching the beggars, or accrued wealth discussing the restoration of the capital with the civil engineering and materials guilds, but Tenitia was not one to find joy in such things.

“Caw! Caw!”

“There’s no use resisting. Come out.”

Her steel gauntlet dragged a single infiltrator by his hair.

He had been hiding with held breath among the closely lined tents, but he could not escape Tenitia’s senses or the magic tool developed by Sererassie.

The infiltrator finally revealed himself beneath the sunlight.

His head was adorned with deer-like horns, covered in mushrooms and mold.

“My gosh! Again, again!”

“It’s to be expected. How many people have heard that cry.”

“They say just looking at that can lead to corruption.”

“Is Pierre there?”

“Who was it that said there would be distribution here? Damn. I’ve been starving for three days.”

In the chaos, people who had lost their families and friends unconsciously gathered, aware of the danger posed by the infiltrators.

Tenitia furrowed her brow beneath her helmet and shouted skyward.

“Everyone, step back at least one hundred paces!”

With a helmet adorned with red satin cords and a red cloak draped over her, she stood out even among the Platinum Knights.

Having clashed with the paladins to rescue Valencius, she had acquired a subtle notoriety as an ‘evil knight.’

Former citizens of the capital retreated with pale faces, and Tenitia raised the combat hammer she wore at her belt, striking down the infiltrator’s head.

“Excuse me.”

“Hey, don’t push me.”

“I’m hungry and it’s annoying.”

“Ah, unless you’re giving me bread—”

“I’m excusing myself!”

“Who…! Aaaah! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Towards her, boys and girls clad in academy uniforms approached.

The citizens of the tent village, seemingly having forgotten their once brusque reactions, avoided eye contact and slowly made way.

The swordsmanship and magic students of the academy were now the outright thugs of the capital, acting under the approval of the Conqueror Duke Valencius and taking on semi-security roles.

They possessed foul tempers and immense strength, and those supported by the mad bandit were not to be trifled with.

Of course, seeing their responses, the students muttered in introspection.

They had been processing the corpses of infiltrators subdued by the knights for days without rest.

“Lady Tenitia, did you manage to sleep a bit yesterday?”

“I slept 4 hours the day before. Our knights find this sufficient.”

“Oh! I only slept 3 hours. I envy you.”

Jin, the student union president, with neatly brushed gray hair and blue eyes, greeted Tenitia while helping to collect the body of an infiltrator.

They gathered the remains, blood, flesh, and even nearby soil, loading them onto a cart covered with cloth blessed by their seminarians.

Having been engaged in this work, their movements were quite proficient.

Tenitia watched the academy students pull the cart towards the incineration facility set up inside the capital city walls and asked Jin.

“Is the incineration site operating smoothly?”

Jin replied respectfully.

“Yes, knight. His Highness Valencius and Her Highness Sererassie are managing the flames directly.”

He lowered his voice and added, “They are also studying how to purify corruption using fire and absorb that power.”

Tenitia nodded absentmindedly and gazed intently at Jin’s face.

“… You appear to be lacking in numbers.”

Jin, fundamentally broad-shouldered and robust, looked gaunt, with dark circles clearly visible beneath his eyes.

Shaking his head, he spoke.

“In such a situation, I consider it a privilege that we can ensure our relatives receive provisions and treatment first.”

But Tenitia was not someone oblivious to the aristocracy’s tactics.

“I’ve heard there are several factions within the academy. Are there any members under your command who oppose you? I might be able to assist in some way.”

Jin smiled brightly, as if he had been waiting for those words from the start.

* * *

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Please forgive me just once!”

“I won’t do it again.”

The council director of the academy, who had been defying Jin’s orders due to pride, bowed his head to beg for forgiveness.

Another council member, who had refused all of Jin’s cooperation requests because he wasn’t part of the academy alliance, begged on the ground to be accepted into the union.

A sub-council member at the seminary, who had been smuggling holy water created by the seminarians onto the black market, was beaten mercilessly on a rainy day.

A representative from the magic department, caught smuggling various magical books and talismans freshly made in the tent village, was handed over to the church.

Finally, in this chaotic time, a gang caught engaging in banditry was beaten and absorbed under the student council.

Tenitia became a hero of the academy alliance.

“Tenitia! Tenitia! Tenitia!”

“I will become a knight like you!”

“Long live Duke Valencius!”

Jin, the secretary, the vice president, and the treasurer wept as they bowed their heads, and the student members chanted in unison.

Tenitia raised her fist in response to their cheers, staying true to being a knight.

“Is this the last one?”

At the same time, she dutifully replied to their requests.

“One of the most vicious student thugs. A long-term student who has already been on leave for four years.”

Jin nodded with an emotional expression.

In his blue eyes was the determination to sweep away all issues within the academy at this opportunity.

“What’s his skill level?”

“He’s hit a wall as a Sword Expert. Apparently, he originally aimed to join a knightly order. Frankly, I’m not confident in a one-on-one.”

Tenitia nodded.

“I see.”

In the Empire, a sword user could not become a knight.

Knightly armor was impenetrable without a mana blade.

Of course, a top-tier sword user might be considered a genius objectively.

There were many positions sought after by guards, chiefs of police, noble family soldiers, escorts, and high-ranking mercenaries.

But often, the shock of never becoming a knight left a gifted individual known as a genius deeply frustrated and warped.

‘My sister Catalin was the same way.’

Tenitia recalled the name she longed for and wiped it from her memory as she followed Jin towards where the student thugs were rumored to gather.

“Here it is.”

“Quite flashy.”

About twenty tents were clustered together in one location.

As expected, it was a secluded spot, easy to slip away alongside the nearby shrubbery and riverbank.

Having likely pillaged citizens multiple times, bags of bread for distribution were left scattered around.

Tenitia strode boldly to the largest tent.

Regardless of their fearsome reputation, they were merely sword users, and they could never defeat her, the absolute Sword Expert.

At that moment, the tent flaps opened, and a woman poked her head out.

With red hair and red eyes, she looked strikingly similar to Tenitia, yet her gaze was slightly more enchanting, and her frame was more slender.

Her somewhat curly red hair appeared beautifully groomed by the best artisans in the capital, and her skin was clear as well.

However, a rough scar ran from her eyebrow across her face to her chin.

Tenitia inhaled sharply.

“…!”

The woman raised her voice not at Tenitia, but towards Jin.

“President! This is cheating! How can you bring the knight here, no matter what?!”

“Pipe down! Does it make sense to engage in pillaging while embedding hostile factions in this situation?!”

“A time of chaos is an opportunity! Why not? Half of it was your request anyway!”

“What nonsense are you spewing in front of the knight?!”

Jin and the woman were shouting at each other, and Tenitia nonchalantly raised a hand to silence them both.

“Lady Catalin.”

“Huh?!”

She slowly removed her helmet.

“It’s me. Tenitia.”

In that moment, Catalin launched a fierce roundhouse kick toward Tenitia’s temple with all her might.