Chapter 527: Finally, You Move (2)

The civil war in the Turian Kingdom came to an end when a single man appeared.

Around him, all the remaining forces of Turian rallied. They pushed back the rifts and the rebels with overwhelming momentum.

The more he fought, the stronger he became.

Though he had little real combat experience due to living confined in a tower, it was no hindrance to him.

It was as if he were rediscovering something he already knew. His talent was exceptional to that degree.

Slash!

His sword emitted a blue glow as it cleaved someone in two. The one split apart was the last surviving superhuman of the Turian rebels.

"Ugh... Who are you...?"

The priest of the Salvation Church, bleeding profusely from his wounds, gasped as he spoke.

The Turian Kingdom was on the verge of destruction. A little more pressure would have ended it all.

But the sudden appearance of this man turned everything into a futile effort.

Faced with such overwhelming strength, even the enemy could not help but ask his identity.

Clink.

The man sheathed his sword and answered briefly.

"Yulian."

The abandoned prince of the Turian Kingdom.

He cast aside everything except his name.

Yet, the high-ranking priest of the Salvation Church recognized who he was from that name alone.

"Cough! You... were the prince of the Thornbush Tower. I thought you were long dead..."

Thud.

The priest of the Salvation Church collapsed to the ground after speaking those words. His body was neatly split into upper and lower halves.

Thus, the forces of the Salvation Church in the Turian Kingdom were annihilated.

"Waaaah!"

The soldiers of Turian raised their weapons high and roared in triumph.

They had thought they were doomed with no hope in sight, yet a miracle had occurred.

One man.

The extraordinary might of a single individual overturned the entire situation.

Marquis Gidion, who led the kingdom's army, spoke with a joyful expression.

"Your Highness, congratulations. Now the kingdom can rise again."

His tone was exceptionally courteous. However, Yulian slowly turned his head to look at him.

The chill in Yulian's gaze made Marquis Gidion flinch, realizing his mistake.

"My apologies, Lord Yulian."

"Continue to address me by my name."

"Understood."

"What will you do now?"

While Yulian was a symbol of hope, he was not a commander. The responsibility of leading the kingdom's army fell to Marquis Gidion.

At Yulian's question, the Marquis replied with a slightly troubled expression.

"Well... First, we should return to the capital. Now that the civil war is over, we need to hold a ceremony to reward the loyal, and reorganize the army."

The remaining forces needed to regroup and restructure. There was no better place to do so than the capital, where many nobles would gather.

Yulian nodded impassively. He had moved to save people, not to earn merit or recognition.

Thus, the Turian Kingdom's army regrouped and marched toward the capital.

"Waaaah!"

"Long live Lord Yulian!"

"The savior of the kingdom!"

The people greeted Yulian with enthusiastic cheers.

He was no longer the forgotten prince. Stories of him had spread like wildfire across the kingdom.

The savior who rescued a kingdom in despair.

For that alone, every soul in the kingdom pinned their hopes on Yulian.

But the king and the central nobles felt differently. To them, Yulian's sudden rise was a burden.

The King of Turian, Hayden, trembled as he spoke.

"Why... Why did you leave the tower?"

"..."

"You swore you would live in that tower forever!"

"... I came out to save people."

"Who told you to do such a thing?! I never gave you that order!"

"..."

Yulian showed no reaction, as if he had expected this.

Hayden looked utterly exhausted, as was natural for a king whose kingdom had been on the brink of collapse.

But to be saved from such a crisis by the person he hated and feared most was bound to unsettle him.

"Return to the tower at once!"

It was said he single-handedly annihilated the rifts. He had the fervent support of the army and the people.

The king could no longer kill him. All he could do was scream like a madman.

"I should have killed you long ago!"

"..."

Yulian said nothing. He merely looked at his father with an impassive face.

As a child, he had wondered why his father hated him so. There were nights when he cried and hurt.

But not anymore. No words could stir his emotions now.

Instead, the surrounding nobles grew restless and tried to calm the king.

"Your Majesty, please restrain your anger."

"The Crown Prince is a hero of the kingdom."

"You must reward him justly."

These were the very nobles who had once wielded power by the king's side. They had kept their distance from the prince confined in the tower.

But now the situation has changed.

'The real power in this kingdom is the Crown Prince.'

That was the shared thought of everyone.

If Yulian wished, he could overthrow the kingdom at any moment. Even setting aside his individual might, who could oppose someone backed by the army's overwhelming support?

Sensing the shift in power, the king grew more hysterical.

"Silence! Who dares call him Crown Prince?! His rights to the throne were stripped long ago! Arrest him! Arrest him now for defying my orders!"

The nobles shook their heads. It was like putting a bell on a cat. Who would dare apprehend the strongest person in the kingdom?

Unable to bear it any longer, Marquis Gidion whispered to Yulian.

"Perhaps you should step away for now. His Majesty seems... unwell."

Yulian nodded slightly and began walking out without hesitation.

"You insolent fool! Where do you think you're going? Catch him! Arrest him at once!"

The king screamed, spitting in rage, but no one moved to apprehend Yulian. Instead, the nobles gathered around the king, pleading and pacifying him.

And then the king realized. As long as Yulian was there, no one would obey him anymore.

With sweat-drenched hair, the king muttered weakly.

"Because of him, this kingdom will perish... Everyone will die…"

Those around him inwardly clicked their tongues.

What nonsense to spew at the hero who saved the kingdom.

Jealousy over a child's abilities had driven him beyond reason.

Everyone shared the same thought.

"The king has gone mad."

Thus, it would soon be the king, not Yulian, who would be confined to the tower.

***

Outside, Yulian asked Marquis Gidion, "How are the other kingdoms faring?"

"Not well. They're also struggling against the rifts and the rebels."

Though he had been confined in the tower for years, Yulian had pieced together what had transpired from stories he'd heard and what he had seen.

While the Turian Kingdom had suffered most, the other kingdoms were hardly in better shape.

After a brief moment of thought, Yulian spoke.

"I plan to go to another kingdom."

"What do you mean? Is it because of His Majesty? You no longer need to worry about him. Everyone supports you now."

"No, I simply want to save others as well."

"Hah…"

"And if the neighboring kingdoms fall to them, won't we eventually be in danger too?"

"That's true. We'd have to fight again."

This was no longer an issue for a single kingdom. Driving back Salvation Church didn't mean the danger had ended. If their forces grew stronger, the threat would return.

Yulian nodded as he continued,

"Therefore, while people still have the strength to fight, the Salvation Church must be eradicated."

Marquis Gidion looked at him with admiration.

He prioritized saving more lives over immediate comfort.

It was that selflessness that had saved this kingdom.

'He is truly fit to be king.'

It was a pity. Had Yulian been raised as the legitimate heir, the kingdom might never have faced such peril.

The marquis straightened his back and said, "I will lead the army and follow you."

"There's no need for that."

"No, if the neighboring kingdoms fall completely, we will be next. As you said, it is better to join forces before that happens."

"His Majesty will not permit it."

"There is ample justification. Leave that to me."

Yulian nodded.

Whether or not the army followed him didn't particularly matter to him. However, having the army move with him would be more effective in saving people.

Marquis Gidion spoke cautiously.

"Then I will inform them that we will be joining the allied forces."

"Understood. But... What is the current state of the allied forces?"

Yulian was not well-informed about the geopolitical situation. After all, he had been fighting nonstop since leaving the tower.

Marquis Gidion shared what he knew.

"According to recent rumors, the civil war in the Lutania Kingdom has ended. Duke Fenris is reportedly already leading his forces to assist neighboring countries."

"Is that so?"

Yulian showed a hint of interest at the news.

He had heard that the Salvation Church's presence was strongest in the Lutania Kingdom. To think they had already ended their civil war and were aiding others—wasn't that truly remarkable?

Marquis Gidion smiled as he continued.

"Duke Fenris is said to be the strongest in Lutania. He also has a significant connection with us."

"What kind of connection?"

Marquis Gidion recounted the tales of how Ghislain had once helped the Turian Kingdom. Since Commander Grant of Ironcliff was a direct subordinate of Duke Fenris, Gidion knew these stories well.

He also detailed Fenris's feats in other kingdoms and mentioned how the mercenaries under his command were active across the continent.

Yulian listened silently and nodded.

"He is quite an extraordinary individual. I would like to meet him someday."

"He is already moving his forces toward this area, so you will likely meet him soon."

After a brief moment of thought, Yulian replied.

"Let us also move in his direction. If we aid the neighboring kingdoms as we advance, we can meet him a bit sooner."

"Toward Duke Fenris, you mean?"

"Yes. If we combine our forces, we can achieve better outcomes."

Rather than each region moving separately, it was better to unite under a single, grand objective.

Currently, the allied forces lacked a central location to convene. Each nation was preoccupied with its own defense, while Lutania, having resolved its civil war, was traveling to support others.

If the leaders of the allied forces gathered to devise a unified strategy, they could operate more effectively.

Marquis Gidion understood the intention and bowed.

"Understood. I will plan our advance toward Duke Fenris."

"I will leave it to you."

With that, Marquis Gidion departed to organize the army for the expedition.

He had no concerns about obtaining the king's approval.

'If I say I'm taking the Crown Prince, there's no way he'll object.'

The king would likely welcome it with open arms, hoping Yulian would leave the kingdom, continue fighting endlessly, and meet his demise.

As the Turian Kingdom's army prepared for the expedition, Yulian took the time to learn more about Duke Fenris.

In his hand was a book.

[The Chronicles of Duke Fenris - Author: Claude]

It wasn't difficult to find. Duke Fenris had a considerable number of followers.

Having spent his life in the tower, Yulian hadn't realized just how famous Duke Fenris was.

Sitting comfortably, he flipped open the first page of the book.

Rustle.

[If you'd like to acquire the sequel, be sure to 'secretly' contact Fenris's head butler, Claude. Discounts available for direct purchases. Additional noble goods can also be bought via unofficial routes.]

"..."

Yulian had no idea why such a note was included, but he calmly continued reading the book.

The book detailed Duke Fenris's numerous exploits. Even accounting for potential exaggeration, his feats were truly remarkable.

The more Yulian learned, the more he found the man intriguing.

Raised as a delinquent in the northern region, Duke Fenris had been ridiculed by all. Every action he took was met with opposition.

Yet, Duke Fenris pushed forward with his convictions, eventually succeeding in everything he set out to do.

In the end, he became a hero, eliminating the Delphine ducal family and bringing an end to the civil war.

For the first time in a long while, Yulian felt his heart stir.

Because of Duke Fenris's exceptional martial prowess?

No, Yulian had no interest in such matters.

Because he had achieved success despite a difficult upbringing, like Yulian himself?

No, that too did not concern him.

Because he was a hero moving to save the world?

No. Yulian merely saw that as a natural duty for those with power.

In truth, Yulian was indifferent to most human affairs. The fact that he even wished to know more about Duke Fenris was exceptional.

As he read, Yulian felt an inexplicable sensation. The more he learned about Duke Fenris, the stronger this sense of familiarity grew.

He did not dismiss his intuition lightly. That supernatural instinct was the very foundation of his growth and survival until now.

"I wish to meet him soon."

Closing the book, Yulian shut his eyes.

Something unidentifiable was tugging gently at his heart.

[T/L: I am in dire need of support. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]