Chapter 93

93.

Jade Camelsson was confident about this war.

The securing of supplies, the training of elite troops, and the momentum of various senior officials all pointed toward a single goal.

Since first forming the alliance, Calheigh has been preparing for war with the most unified movement it has ever seen.

That wasn’t all.

The basis for believing they could win the war — or at least stand up to the enemy evenly.

Thanks to the covert support of Sylvester and other countries, Calheigh’s military power had grown twice as strong as expected. Furthermore, their stance as followers of the Sun Goddess and adherents to the Bright Sect was also a weapon.

They had donated a fair amount of funds under the guise of tithes to the sect, and in doing so, they had successfully crafted the false image of Calheigh as a devout religious nation.

The alliance was associated with the sect boasting the greatest influence on the continent. Even Altain, who followed the sect, would refrain from fully engaging in the war out of concern for its reputation.

Every situation was pushing Calheigh forward.

Jade fully understood the significance of the foreign support.

Though he didn’t know the full extent of Sylvester’s intentions, which likely involved reducing Altain’s strength.

Other nations, fearful and wary of directly confronting the empire, seemed to be using Calheigh as a proxy to assess the situation.

“Those cowardly bastards.”

The empire was no longer the ruler of the Western Continent.

At one point, the appearance of a Swordmaster had hinted at a potential thousand-year empire. However, after going to war with Sylvester, the empire’s transcendents disappeared.

An indicator of death or critical injury, rendering them unable to function further.

The civil war that began with the death of the former emperor, Oswell, and the internal strife it caused, had weakened the empire.

It was an unusual situation where such a large number of nobles and warriors were swept up in the flames of political conflict.

Despite the upheaval, which had become widely known, the empire managed to maintain some semblance of strength, showing its resilience.

In light of all this, Calheigh began preparations for the war at the onset of winter, intending to take the lead.

The plan had initially been to invade in the spring, while Altain was still dealing with the aftermath of several incidents. However, upon hearing news of Sylvester’s transcendents unexpectedly departing with an envoy, the schedule was pushed back.

Regardless, Calheigh had no choice but to keep an eye on Sylvester.

Sylvester remained a formidable nation that had survived a war with Altain and was still standing strong.

The arrival of the ten swordsmen, known as the Ten Sword Demons, who were supporting Calheigh and staying in the capital, was a comforting factor.

These were the fearsome beings who had annihilated suspicious nobles and mana wielders with a single blow.

Despite this, the commencement of the war in the spring was postponed and rescheduled for the end of summer. Meanwhile, they continued making meticulous preparations, patiently waiting.

One day, Jade received unusual news.

“Your Majesty. There’s a disruption in the supply of provisions.”

“Damn. With the extended preparations, people are starting to lose focus. Warn the general to stop skimming.”

With a frown on his face, Jade’s words prompted the prime minister to respond with a troubled expression.

“That’s not it, Your Majesty. The merchants have ceased trading.”

“Huh? A halt in trade? Are the merchants raising their prices again?”

The prime minister hurriedly clarified Jade’s muttering, which was filled with displeasure.

“Other countries are citing bad harvests and are gathering food and supplies through their own merchants. They have even issued decrees to stop the outflow of goods.”

“Hmph. Bad harvests, huh. There were some issues last year, but what about other places?”

The prime minister bowed respectfully and responded to the inquiry.

“Due to increased tariffs, the trade routes have become too convoluted for goods to flow as they used to. Most places find it difficult to trade.”

“Tariffs? Why the sudden increase?”

“They claim they are suffering from a poor harvest year.”

At this point, Jade clenched his fists.

After doing so well until now?

Not just a few traders, but several trading guilds had refused to visit Calheigh. Apart from small-scale merchants, the large-scale supply had become disrupted.

‘Has the empire made a move?’

There weren’t many places capable of controlling the merchants who traveled between nations.

Sylvester or Altain.

In particular, this area was heavily influenced by Altain.

The empire likely noticed Calheigh’s war preparations. Despite being occupied with various events and celebrations, it had been strangely quiet. However, this seemed like a move breaking that silence and countering their actions.

‘It’s not quite that tight, though.’

Considering that many trading houses were still conducting business, it wasn’t a complete trade embargo. This could genuinely be a measure taken due to a bad harvest.

‘Tch. This is troublesome.’

They had prepared extensively, anticipating a prolonged conflict, because challenging a behemoth nation required adequate preparation.

With sufficient supplies, a war could proceed smoothly — something they had worked hard on from the beginning.

‘This is why we should have marched in the spring.’

As Jade spent several days wracking his brain over the issue of additional supplies, the prime minister entered the audience chamber with a welcome piece of news.

“Your Majesty! We’ve found a trading house willing to trade.”

“Great! What’s their name?”

“Sen Merchant Guild.”

“Is that a new one?”

“It’s a medium-sized merchant house based in Altain.”

Altain?

“Altain’s merchant house, yet it’s seeking trade with us at this time?”

The word unsettled Jade, and his eyes sharpened.

“This is strange.”

“Yes. Therefore, we conducted a verification process. The Sen Guild is not affiliated with the Eldro Cooperative.”

“Of course, they’re on adversarial terms. So, they’re looking for external opportunities.”

The Eldro Cooperative was the largest merchant coalition in Altain. Most merchants were members. The concentration of funds and information in one place naturally made the coalition the most powerful entity.

Even so, the Sen Guild operated separately from the cooperative and sought external trade relationships, indicating a less-than-amicable relationship.

It made sense.

However, understanding is one thing, and suspicion is another.

“Run further checks. If everything’s fine, proceed with the trade. And keep looking elsewhere.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

A few days later, Jade approved trade with the Sen Guild among a few others.

And with that, the difficult supply problem was resolved. What awaited him was the incessant squabbles of the nobles.

“A duel! Damn you, Karam!”

“That’s something I should say, you cheapling of Heigh!”

“…”

At the sight of the nobles exchanging punches like street thugs, Jade sighed.

Calheigh was originally formed as an alliance between two giant tribes, Karam and Heigh, along with several smaller tribes under their banner.

Although transformed into a single nation, it was inevitable that the elites of Karam and Heigh took charge of the senior positions in the alliance.

This alliance was driven by shared interests, not unity. The two factions often clashed, and this issue has persisted from generation to generation, becoming a recurring headache for every king of Calheigh.

An exasperated king once devised a strategy: to become followers of the Bright Sect. Despite the initial opposition, the king succeeded in designating the sect as the national religion.

On the surface, it seemed to work well.

However, the Karam faction believed that they should merge with the sect to become one with the empire.

Meanwhile, the Heigh faction argued that they should absorb the sect to transform into a true theocratic nation.

With religion involved, the situation escalated beyond mere disputes over profit, resulting in bloodshed.

Even the citizens were arguing over whose cause was righteous.

Against this backdrop, the current king, Jade, proposed a solution: turn their attention outward.

By focusing on preparing for war against the empire, he temporarily ceased the infighting.

The Fusion faction, which feared the empire’s immense power, had bowed their heads when they became confident they could face the current empire, stepping back.

With the momentum of the Separation faction, they successfully advanced their war preparations.

Thanks to Jade’s plan, the two factions stopped fighting and intensified their discussions on how to confront the empire.

Until now.

“Faint-hearted bastards!”

“What was that?!”

Had the extended war preparations caused this? Or could it be due to hidden thoughts?

Someone was fanning the flames.

As the conference room turned into a chaotic mess, Jade couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up.

“Silence! Be quiet! A crisis is upon us; what is this commotion?”

Even the king’s roar only silenced them for a brief moment. They continued to glare at each other.

The two young men glaring at each other were well-known antagonists from each faction.

Jade wanted to immediately kick them out but held back because the representatives of both factions, the two dukes, remained silent.

The young men’s fight was intentionally not stopped. It was a scenario they intended.

These two dukes were instrumental in putting Jade on the throne. Knowing this, Jade couldn’t continue and remained quiet, suppressing his anger.

‘Or maybe not…’

A sudden thought crossed Jade’s mind.

Maybe this was not the scenario they intended after all.

Glancing at the elders seated solemnly, one of them subtly surveyed the room.

Rather than orchestrating the situation, their reactions suggested an effort to determine the cause.

‘I’ll need to have a private meeting.’

Jade couldn’t shake the feeling that someone intended this scenario. The two dukes also appeared uneasy and seemed to be searching for the cause.

Consulting with the experienced dukes would likely reveal some useful leads.

With internal conflicts escalating, initiating a war wasn’t wise.

Perhaps it was time to temporarily halt the war preparation. Despite the careful planning, challenging a major empire demanded utmost caution.

A few days later, the two dukes and Jade held an emergency secret conference but were interrupted.

“Rescue the virgin of the sect!”

“Overthrow the empire that oppresses the sect!”

“Gather, children of the sun! Let’s punish the wicked ruler of the empire, Duke Macbilian!”

The powerful cries echoing through the capital of Calheigh, Rahem.

At this unexpected news during the process of halting the war, Jade and the two dukes stared dumbfounded.

Regaining his senses first, Jade asked the prime minister.

“What is this commotion?”

Responding with a look of confusion, the prime minister explained.

“The capital and various parts of the kingdom are in turmoil. We’re investigating, but we currently have no clear answer…”

Rumors suggested that the power brokers of Altain had been continuously suppressing the sect. Many had perished, their blood turning into soil.

Most decisively, the Bright Sect and the virgin of the sect sought to leave the empire for a broader reach with the light, but were forcibly detained by the empire.

Although it was unclear where this rumor originated,

It spread rapidly, and the kingdom was in an uproar with this story before the prime minister finished his sentence.

“Hmm. This is…not ordinary. This is the result of someone’s deliberate actions.”

The two dukes narrowed their eyes sharply, looking at each other.

Jade fell silent upon seeing their gaze.

A silent question: “Did you cause this situation?”

Jade couldn’t answer. He was positive it wasn’t something he concocted.

Upon closer inspection, there was no reason this rumor would swell to this magnitude. Was it just a rumor without a verifiable source or basis in truth?

After all, if the Bright Sect denied it, the matter would settle.

‘…let’s wait and see.’

The noble cause of liberating the sect from the empire’s oppression.

The Bright Sect held the strongest influence in the Western Continent. Leveraging it could potentially increase the number of allies aiding Calheigh.

Despite the strange rumors circulating, the sect remained silent. Perhaps the rumors were true.

It seemed plausible that the thought occurred to Jade.

‘Even if it’s not true, their silence suggests some dissatisfaction.’

Rumors don’t just spontaneously arise.

Jade instructed the two dukes and the prime minister to monitor the situation with a solemn expression. Then,

“Knight Balkan. I will take up my sword with King Jade! For the Goddess!”

“Our Piranets Kingdom will provide troops and supplies.”

“Calheigh! Our Thunder Hammer Guild salutes your noble intentions!”

Regions began gathering around Calheigh.

As the noise grew to national proportion, it was inevitable that news would spread across the continent.

The situation had certainly reached the ears of Altain. And yet, the Bright Sect continued its silence.

Stories of the virgin’s absence at official ceremonies began to spread slowly.

Before they knew it, the Holy Liberation Army, centered around Calheigh, had formed.

The war, which was once meant to be delayed, had snowballed beyond control. The cries for war resounded across the entire nation. There was no stopping it.

Before the assault, Jade confirmed some final pieces of information from a spy embedded in Altain.

“The state of Altain? We must understand the movements of the sect.”

“The virgin hasn’t been seen for months. The cardinal and high priests are on edge, and the empire is assembling its troops to prepare for the situation.”

Even though information in Altain was heavily controlled by black pigeons and the Central Information Department,

The spy cross-checked what seemed to be fabricated misinformation using his own methods before forwarding it to Jade.

‘The rumors…could be considered true.’

It could also be the work of Sylvester. The Ten Sword Demons, who had stayed in the palace, didn’t provide any specific instructions concerning the unfolding situation.

Jade dismissed his last suspicions and summoned the senior officials of the Holy Liberation Army to the castle.

The people’s determination burned fiercely like fire.

It was time to unleash it against the empire.

At this moment, a suitable message arrived from a messenger.

“A response has come from the Luelara Great Cathedral! However…”

Jade and the senior officials in the conference room focused on the messenger.

“The virgin has fallen ill!”

At this, Jade drew his sword and exclaimed.

“I will commence the holy war!”

At the Supreme Commander’s declaration, the Holy Liberation Army responded.

“For the Goddess!”

“Judge the wicked!”

The fierce sun ruthlessly beat down on the land during summer.

The Holy Liberation Army departed from Calheigh, heading towards Altain.