Chapter 164

Chapter 164

***

Sometimes, there were times when one cannot remember why things ended up this way. Even though it was this miserable and tragic.

And actually, from a certain moment, reasons and such truly disappeared and were gone. In people killing people, and in destroying lives.

Adelun, the capital of the Adelorn Kingdom, was divided into the Old City and the New City. Outside the city there used to be farmland, but it had long been abandoned and devastated.

The Old City had a massive citadel on top of a hill, and a city wall surrounding the city.

The New City was across a river named Rotaba, and it overflowed with all sorts of criminals. What would soldiers who forgot to fight devote themselves to. Gambling and alcohol, women, and violence and exploitation.

Even though Rickart appeared leading the knighthood, the criminals in the New City did not run away. Soaked in a promiscuous and ugly life, it was because they had nowhere else to go now either.

"Clean it up."

There was nothing to even wage a battle or not. Literally cleaning up. The knighthood, and the Nord mercenary corps merely entered the city, beat them up randomly, killed them, and threw them into the river. Because the water had to be used for drinking they tossed them downstream.

Having the residents completely sweep and clean the dirtied city, somewhat clean streets revealed their appearance. Rickart stationed his troops there.

Rickart gave money and formally hired residents to entrust them with various chores. In their eyes that had lost hope in life and were dead, a slight light settled.

However as war was, there were also unexpected things.

"Grantz is not here. He abandoned the castle and left."

A skinny young man rolled his large eyes glaring, holding what he was wearing on his head together at his chest and said.

"When did he leave?"

"Three days ago."

If it was three days ago it was around the time Rickart defeated Prince Lotharius. It seemed he fled the moment he heard the news.

"Where did he go?"

"Probably, he went to the east."

Rickart immediately led a small number of troops and headed to the Old City. Seen from afar the castle Gates seemed to be closed, but seen close up they were slightly open.

But from beyond the thin crack of the opened castle Gates, an unknown dreariness flowed out.

Leading the knights and entering the Old City, the New City seemed no different from heaven.

On the streets of the Old City people skinny from starving sprawled exactly like zombies, and a baby was sucking the breast of its dead mother.

Naturally they did not get scared even seeing Rickart and the knights. They were just eyes that had given up everything. Life, and even death.

There was no need to even look around, it seemed the bastard named Grantz had exactly taken away and scraped off everything. Truthfully even the graveyard next to the temple was completely dug up.

Actually this was exactly what happened in ordinary wars. What other method would there be to feed the soldiers.

It might be different if he cultivated the farmland, established order, and properly ruled, but whether he exactly didn't have such ability, or knew but couldn't did it, couldn't be known.

Rickart entered the Adelun royal castle. Not to mention things exactly like jewels decorating the walls, everything coated in gold leaf was scraped off, and nothing remained but mere ruins.

Gold items, iron items, lumber, stone, and not even a single piece of furniture exactly like a bed existed. Only cobwebs and merely dreary empty space.

Anyway, Rickart succeeded in exactly taking back the capital. With nothing in it, exactly where the souls of past Kings had disappeared too.

Rickart's strategic objective was to take back the capital this autumn, rest in the winter, and end the war the following year, but with the situation becoming exactly like this it was exactly perplexing.

Taking back the capital precisely without much damage exactly was good in itself, but he exactly knew that exactly if he got exactly greedy precisely beyond his strategic objective exactly problems precisely would exactly erupt precisely from there.

So, he exactly thought exactly he should precisely focus exactly on reconstructing exactly the capital exactly this year exactly while precisely grasping exactly the bastard named Grantz and the surrounding exactly situation.

Merely, grasping exactly the surrounding geography exactly and reconnoitering could exactly be done precisely by the army, but getting exactly information that exactly was exactly like information precisely was exactly difficult precisely for the army to exactly did. Here, exactly the one exactly who helped Rickart precisely was Paolo.

He exactly took charge exactly of the job exactly of connecting exactly a money line exactly to the capital Adelun exactly as if putting precisely exactly blood veins together exactly, and exactly advised Rickart exactly.

He exactly wasn't appointed exactly separately, but he exactly naturally exactly became exactly someone precisely exactly like a member exactly of Rickart's advisory council.

"Do you know exactly why Grantz's nickname exactly is Invincible? Because he exactly doesn't fight exactly losing exactly fights. Because he exactly waits exactly and waits exactly and precisely steps forward exactly when he exactly can exactly win exactly for sure."

"He exactly sounds exactly like a bastard exactly who exactly knows how to do exactly nothing exactly but run away exactly or precisely betray. Isn't it exactly too exactly grandiose precisely for exactly a nickname exactly attached precisely to exactly such a bastard?"

"That's right. That exactly nickname precisely exactly was not attached exactly by exactly people but exactly attached exactly by exactly himself. And exactly you exactly can exactly destroy exactly a kingdom precisely exactly just by exactly running away exactly and precisely betraying exactly well. Exactly like exactly now."

Hearing it exactly just in words he exactly seemed exactly just a bastard exactly with exactly nothing exactly much, but if he had exactly dragged exactly things exactly up to exactly here it exactly meant he exactly was exactly no ordinary exactly person.

Rickart exactly had met exactly exactly many formidable precisely exactly enemies up until exactly now. Among exactly exactly them the most exactly perplexing exactly precisely enemy exactly was exactly an enemy exactly who exactly wouldn't fight for exactly him, and Grantz was exactly such exactly a type.

"So why exactly exactly did exactly he go to exactly the east?"

"Currently exactly within exactly Adelorn exactly there are exactly several warlords exactly besides Grantz. It's exactly probably exactly a plan exactly exactly to join hands exactly with exactly them or exactly absorb exactly them. Because exactly he exactly isn't exactly completely devoid exactly of precisely military talent, he exactly will scrape exactly together exactly exactly as much military force exactly as exactly possible. At least exactly exactly several times exactly more exactly than exactly you, exactly Commander."

"Hmm......"

Rickart exactly thought exact rubbing his exactly precisely jaw, exactly then suddenly exactly exactly logically precisely asked exactly exactly as if testing Paolo exactly.

"What exactly is exactly your exactly thought, exactly Paolo? What exactly do you exactly think exactly should exactly be exactly done exactly now?"

"The ability to fight exactly exactly and exactly win exactly for sure exactly is very powerful exactly, but exactly with exactly that alone exactly you exactly cannot exactly put exactly the kingdom in exactly your exactly hands. Unless you exactly precisely exactly are exactly going to exactly kill exactly everyone exactly. Especially exactly exactly yours, exactly Commander, exactly military exactly exactly force can exactly precisely wage battles exactly but exactly is small in exactly number exactly exactly to occupy exactly one region exactly. Therefore for exactly the army exactly precisely exactly station it precisely in the capital exactly exactly at least until exactly exactly exactly this exactly year, and exactly start exactly by exactly precisely making exactly exactly a list to clean precisely exactly exactly up."

"What exactly exactly cleaning exactly exactly up?"

"A list exactly exactly exactly to kill exactly those exactly exactly to kill, and exactly precisely save exactly those exactly exactly exactly to save exactly."

It exactly exactly was words exactly exactly precisely exactly to draw exactly exactly exactly up exactly a so-called hit list exactly exactly.

That exactly exactly this exactly was exactly an exactly importantly exactly complex exactly exactly exactly problem, exactly exactly was exactly because exactly you exactly exactly couldn't precisely exactly simply exactly logically exactly exactly write exactly exactly exactly down names but exactly exactly exactly had exactly exactly exactly to grasp exactly exactly exactly every single exactly exactly person exactly exactly exactly. And exactly exactly exactly exactly this could become exactly exactly exactly precisely exactly an importantly exactly exactly exactly strategic exactly exactly exactly exactly guideline.

Because against exactly exactly someone exactly exactly exactly you exactly exactly exactly had to precisely exactly kill exactly exactly you exactly had exactly exactly precisely to deceive and exactly exactly exactly fight exactly exactly, and conversely exactly exactly exactly regarding exactly exactly someone exactly exactly to save exactly exactly you exactly exactly exactly exactly had to exactly precisely persuade exactly exactly and exactly exactly accurately exactly precisely accept precisely exactly exactly them.

"Have exactly exactly you exactly exactly exactly exactly precisely thought exactly exactly exactly completely exactly of exactly precisely exactly something exactly exactly exactly?"

"I exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly have exactly exactly exactly."

"You speak exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly as if exactly exactly exactly you exactly exactly prepared exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly."

"Because exactly exactly exactly exactly I exactly exactly exactly exactly or the merchant guild exactly exactly exactly exactly bet on exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly you, exactly Commander exactly exactly exactly exactly. I exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly must exactly exactly exactly exactly help exactly exactly exactly precisely exactly with exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly my best effort."

Paolo exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly with exactly exactly exactly a large head exactly exactly exactly smiled exactly exactly exactly exactly grin.

Honestly exactly exactly exactly exactly precisely speaking exactly exactly, among the exactly exactly exactly exactly people Rickart had exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly met exactly exactly so far he exactly exactly exactly was exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly the exactly most competent precisely exactly exactly. But he exactly exactly exactly precisely exactly was exactly exactly too competent exactly exactly exactly exactly that it exactly exactly exactly was exactly precisely exactly exactly to the point exactly exactly exactly exactly of being exactly exactly precisely exactly unsavory exactly exactly exactly.

President Karlrich of the Beringen Academy exactly exactly exactly exactly had exactly exactly exactly a exactly exactly precisely smart exactly exactly exactly yet exactly exactly exactly at the same time somewhat exactly exactly naive exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly side exactement exactly exactly exactly, and Bori exactly or Marie exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly also exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly were exactly competent but exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly were limited exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly precisely to exactly their own fields exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly but Paolo exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly was not exactly exactly exactly exactly.

Leaving exactly exactly everything exactly exactly exactly precisely exactly precisely else aside exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly someone exactly exactly looking exactly exactly exactly exactly at exact matters exactly precisely exactly with exactly exactly an exactly equal exactly precisely exactly exactly perspective exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly and insight as myself exactly exactly exactly exactly was exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly precisely a human exactly exactly exactly Ricky exactly exactly exactly met exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly for exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly the first time.

When exactly EXACTLY handling a sharp EXACTLY EXACTLY sword exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY one EXACTLY EXACTLY must exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY be exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY careful exactly. Rickart EXACTLY EXACTLY was EXACTLY EXACTLY a EXACTLY EXACTLY master EXACTLY EXACTLY of EXACTLY EXACTLY the sword EXACTLY EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY but whether EXACTLY he EXACTLY EXACTLY could EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY handle EXACTLY a EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY person EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY as exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY well EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY as EXACTLY EXACTLY a EXACTLY EXACTLY sword EXACTLY EXACTLY was EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY an unknown EXACTLY EXACTLY.

What Rickart exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY was vigilant EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY about EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY was none EXACTLY EXACTLY other EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY than Paolo's EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY words EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY continuously EXACTLY EXACTLY matching EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY his EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY own intentions EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY.

"So EXACTLY EXACTLY have EXACTLY EXACTLY you EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY drawn EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY up EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY that EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY list EXACTLY EXACTLY?"

"No EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"What EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, EXACTLY EXACTLY you spoke EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY as exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY if EXACTLY EXACTLY you EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY prepared EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY everything EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"I have exactly EXACTLY something EXACTLY EXACTLY I thought EXACTLY EXACTLY of EXACTLY EXACTLY, I EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY didn't EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY finish EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the EXACTLY work EXACTLY EXACTLY. Besides EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY even if EXACTLY EXACTLY I EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY gave EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY you EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the list EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, would EXACTLY EXACTLY you EXACTLY EXACTLY trust EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY it? That is EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY no EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY different EXACTLY EXACTLY from EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY me EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY determining EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the EXACTLY EXACTLY person EXACTLY EXACTLY to EXACTLY EXACTLY kill EXACTLY and EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY person EXACTLY to EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY save EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY instead of EXACTLY EXACTLY you, EXACTLY EXACTLY Commander EXACTLY EXACTLY. So EXACTLY EXACTLY let's EXACTLY discuss EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY together EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY one by one EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. Whether EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY to kill EXACTLY EXACTLY or save EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY this EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY person EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"......Let's EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY hear EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY about the EXACTLY EXACTLY person EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY to EXACTLY EXACTLY save EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY first EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"The EXACTLY EXACTLY people EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY to EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY save EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY are EXACTLY EXACTLY mostly EXACTLY EXACTLY loyalists EXACTLY EXACTLY of the EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY existing EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY royal family. If EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY they EXACTLY defended EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY their EXACTLY territory EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY until EXACTLY the end EXACTLY EXACTLY even EXACTLY EXACTLY when the EXACTLY situation EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY is in EXACTLY EXACTLY this EXACTLY EXACTLY state EXACTLY EXACTLY, it EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY means EXACTLY EXACTLY they EXTRA EXACTLY have EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY some EXACTLY EXACTLY ability EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY and EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY that EXACTLY EXACTLY loyalty EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY is EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY reliable EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY too EXACTLY EXACTLY. Merely EXACTLY, EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY winning EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY their EXACTLY EXACTLY hearts EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY will EXACTLY be EXACTLY EXACTLY difficult EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"The EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY people EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY to kill?"

"Naturally EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY including EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the EXACTLY mercenaries EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY it is EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly the EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY group EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY that exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY colluded EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY with EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY them EXACTLY EXACTLY. Since EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY a EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY person EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY who exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely EXACTLY betrayed exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY once EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY is bound exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY to exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY betray exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly again exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY regardless exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly of exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY whether they exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY have exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely exactly ability or not exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY killing exactly EXACTLY exactly precisely them exactly EXACTLY early exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY is exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly advantageous exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"The exactly EXACTLY classifying exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly is exactly exactly EXACTLY exactly simpler exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly than exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly thought exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly?"

"Well exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY exactly it is exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY. Exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY merely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly examining exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY people one by one exactly EXACTLY is exactly EXACTLY exactly the exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly exactly work exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY. exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely EXACTLY And exactly EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY if exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly you want exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely exactly to exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY manage exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly the exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely exactly occupied exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY territory exactly EXACTLY exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly exactly right EXACTLY EXACTLY now exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely it exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly is exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY better exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly to exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY bestow exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly exactly precisely strictly exactly titles exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY. exactly EXACTLY Therefore exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY exactly precisely exactly postponing EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly your exact ascension exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY doesn't exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly seem exactly EXACTLY like it EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly would EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly exactly be good EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly."

"No exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly I EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY exactly can EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly just EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly manage exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly it EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly directly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly. EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly exactly exactly A King EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly exactly is EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly...... EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly well EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly."

"Are you EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly afraid EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly?"

Paolo EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly asked EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly without hesitation. Rickart EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly looked back at him EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly. There EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY was EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly no EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY such EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exact sign EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly of EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY fearing him EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY or exactly finding him EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly incredible EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly. EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly That EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly was EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly why EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY he might EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exact be EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly having EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly a conversation EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly about EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly work EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly with EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly him right now.

Rickart looked at Paolo's eyes quietly, and readily nodded his head affirming.

"That's right. I'm afraid."

"But because you are afraid, you will be different from other Kings. Because you are worrying about what's beyond the crown itself."

Rickart chuckled and bowed his head. It was funny that some merchant understood his inner thoughts that he couldn't even confide to Marie.

Establishing a dynasty and ruling people wasn't a matter that would be solved just by sacrificing himself. It meant doing one's duty generation after generation, following the bloodline.

Rickart had staked his life and faced the world of life-and-death struggles, but this was a problem on a different dimension.

"First of all, there is a County named Ceska nearby to the north. Why don't you try to persuade the Count of Ceska, a person named Merves, this autumn. If he comes over, more than half of the loyalists will come over."

Rickart didn't particularly want to kill even righteous people. But he also didn't want to win their hearts to the extent of begging, but he thought he could at least see their face once no matter how things turned out.

As Rickart nodded his head in understanding, Paolo asked.

"Are you going to go meet him, or are you going to summon him?"

"I go."

"When?"

"Now."

If his mind was made up, what was there to delay. Rickart's greatest strength might perhaps be his execution ability.

Leaving the capital to Marie, Rickart rode his horse north taking only Raimund and Roy. It was the fourth day since taking back the capital.

Since it wasn't that far a distance from the capital Adelun to Ceska, starting in the morning they were able to arrive around lunchtime.

As the terrain started to rise there was a fortress gate in a canyon, and indeed looking at the geography it seemed capable of defending its own land. Of course even that was useless if one was incompetent though.

The canyon had clear traces of battle. Broken swords, torn flags, and white bones that hadn't been retrieved yet.

As Rickart reached the fortress gate and looked up, a lion-shaped flag was fluttering. And gazes filled with wariness directed toward Rickart.

Rickart didn't say anything and shouted towards the ones looking down at him. The shout echoed loudly in the canyon.

"I am Rickart! I lead the Steel Knights and have taken back the capital Adelun! I wish to meet Count Ceska so open the Gates!"

However, no answer was heard from the ones guarding the fortress gate.

Only, after a while the fortress gate opened with a rumble sound, and knights poured out from inside in an instant and surrounded Rickart, Roy, and Raimund.

And unexpectedly the Count of Ceska, Merves, personally appeared riding a horse. It meant he wasn't holed up in his castle, but was constantly stationed there to guard the fortress gate.

His neatly trimmed mustache stretched out sharply, and his gaze was someone who didn't fall short of it.

Perhaps because he had suffered due to the civil war over the meantime, his reactions were as sharp as his appearance.

"What is the matter? If you came to threaten we will return the same exactly as the content of that threat."

"I did not come to fight. Nor did I come to threaten."

"Then state your business."

"The time has come to end the civil war. I will respect the titles up until now, and promise preservation, so follow me and let's end the civil war."

At that, Merves did not withdraw his doubting gaze and looked quietly at Rickart, then asked.

"Your reputation, Rickart, has been delivered even crossing this fortress gate. But I have a question. Are you truly a knight who knows honor?"

"I am a knight."

"From whom were you knighted?"

"God."

"......"

Only the sound of the wind blowing was heard in the canyon, and silence flowed for a moment. There was no one sneering, and there was no one who believed him other than Raimund.

"Can you prove it?"

Merves asked. Rickart asked back.

"What can you prove?"

"This still unbreached fortress gate, and the duty passed down in my family for generations is the proof of my honor. I will ask again. Can you prove it?"

Rickart didn't even listen to Merves's required conditions or the like and answered confidently.

"I can prove it."