Chapter 169

Chapter 169

***

The weather became quite chilly. Around the time the day grew dusk, white smoke bloomed up billowing in distinct shapes from all over Adelun. It was smoke preparing meals.

Rickart watched the sight of smoke blooming up from the window at the royal castle. It seemed as if the beacon of hope was finally soaring up.

He didn't worry much about winter. Because he had already secured sufficient food and firewood, and above all they were people who had experienced civil war for 4, 5 years so they were tougher than thought.

However Adelorn's situation didn't represent the entire Empire. If looking back after passing it, was it like being beaten first.

In the Empire, civil war had now begun.

"It is a person named Baldur. The 5th Prince entrusted the military authority to him and he commanded instead, it seems his skills are good."

Paolo spoke from behind Rickart about the battle that recently occurred between the 2nd Prince and the 5th Prince.

"A person named Baldur, even just recovering from a defeat would have been hard but if he instead won facing the 5th Prince, it seems his skills are not just ordinarily good even if they are good."

Previously when Rickart successfully confronted the 2nd Prince Lotharius with the river in between, when he went to the bridge to find out what was going on the name of the knight who first came out was indeed Baldur.

Whether it was the same person as that person he didn't know, but one thing certain was that the commander named Baldur was much better than his own liege.

"It seems the 5th Prince also had somewhat of a rushed feeling in pursuing. Rather than saying he fought properly and lost it should be seen as being hit by an unexpected counterattack. So in reality the damage is not that great. The problem is that the vassals began to distrust that ability. Whether it's the 2nd Prince or the 5th Prince it seems it will be an unusually hard winter."

The 2nd Prince's problem was rather than the battle itself, whether he could maintain the army during the winter as his supplies were all robbed by Rickart.

In the case of the 5th Prince he had estranged his vassals from each other and played politics to that extent to inflate his faction, but it was a situation where he was suspected of whether he had the ability to command battles.

Even doing everything else well if one couldn't command battles well, it was exactly like a plant without flowers. No matter how sturdy the leaves and stem were, without flowers all of that was meaningless.

Then entrusting the military authority to a competent person like the 2nd Prince was also one method, but that was dangerous because if done wrong the one holding the military authority could harbor other intentions.

For the 2nd Prince it seemed exactly he somehow did it because it was urgent, but it was hard to imagine the suspicious 2nd Prince giving military authority to another person.

"They took so much time yet the actual battle is an anticlimax."

The 2nd Prince and 5th Prince continuing an uneasy peace merely glaring at each other was about 4, 5 years. They finally clashed but with the result being like this it couldn't help but lose energy.

If war prolonged ultimately the ones seeing the biggest damage were good people.

"It seems the war will lengthen. We must pay close attention not only to the Princes but also other Great Lords."

Paolo said. It was a fully expected matter even without needing insight.

Whether it was the 2nd Prince or 5th Prince there were lords like Dukes or Margraves attached to one side, but there were also those watching from the sidelines.

The knight named Winterloken of Cohen, whom Rickart previously met when leaving Adelorn and heading to Nibelungen, was in the middle of joining up receiving the call of his liege Duke Frederia.

That Duke Frederia was one of the representative Great Lords watching the Emperor succession war from the sidelines, and with the situation like this honestly speaking they could think 'What, the Princes were nothing special right?'.

He publicly declared he wouldn't side with either side, but human matters were unknown.

"Let's just focus on our own work."

Rickart said. It was a truly excessively clumsy, pitiful, and tragic matter, but it wasn't something that would work out exactly because he himself paid attention to it. Taking care of Adelorn was hard enough so how could he pay attention to the complex Empire matters.

"But Commander. Just because we don't want to pay attention doesn't mean it leaves us alone."

"Who?"

"The war. Isn't that how war originally is."

"What does that mean?"

"I mean Grantz. Although there are no particular signs yet, if the situation is not favorable he might lead his army and leave Adelorn to contact the two Princes. He would raise his own value between them. Even if both the 2nd Prince and the 5th Prince are not fools, if the situation is urgent what kind of person wouldn't they use."

Was that so? Listening to it it seemed like it might be so too. Being a bastard whose specialty was betraying and running away, what couldn't he did.

Grantz right now had no land and no money, and the only things left were his army and malice.

In the world there were often armies wandering without exactly even a country, and such bastards were the most dangerous.

Because having no lingering attachments they wandered exactly around here and there massacring, taking away everything, and unhesitatingly committing acts hard to even speak of.

Grantz was stepping exactly on such a procedure.

From the start causing trouble while lacking exactly the caliber to rule a country, and because it didn't flow according to exactly his thoughts he solely gripped his army tight and handled the common people harshly to inflate his faction.

Knowing better exactly than anyone what exactly kind of situation he would face exactly if he lacked even his army, he obsessed exactly only over the army itself.

"So do exactly you have a good method?"

Rickart turned exactly his gaze that had been precisely looking exactly outside the window and asked looking at Paolo.

"Since it exactly is difficult exactly to unfold exactly military operations exactly in winter, how exactly about attempting assassination exactly?"

"Is there exactly a person precisely suitable exactly to handle precisely exactly the job cleanly exactly?"

To exact assassinate exactly Rickart's exactly face exactly was precisely already sold so he exactly precisely couldn't precisely exact.

"Aren't exactly there your friends exactly. Exactly the White Sword exactly and Black Sword exactly, the exactly head exactly precisely of the Viola Clan exactly. I exactly know exactly they are precisely exactly all friends precisely exactly of exactly yours exactly, exactly Commander. If you exactly exactly have good precisely EXACTLY cards exact and EXACTLY EXACTLY don't EXACTLY EXACTLY perfectly exactly use EXACTLY EXACTLY them it is EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY no EXACTLY precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY different exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY from exactly a rotten EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY hand EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY."

Rickart EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY shook EXACTLY EXACTLY his EXACTLY EXACTLY head EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY.

"That EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly won't EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY do EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"You EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY can EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly save a EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY lot exactly of exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY costs EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY and EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly will precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly be exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY able EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly to save exactly a exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY lot exactly of precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY lives EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY."

"I am exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY not exactly EXACTLY exactly saying EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY let's exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly precisely exactly argue precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY morals exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY or exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly precisely exactly conscience EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly Paolo exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY. exactly From EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly exactly the EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly start EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly they EXACTLY exactly are EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY not exactly EXACTLY precisely assassins EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY."

Paolo EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly precisely exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY didn't EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY precisely EXACTLY exactly recommend exactly EXACTLY precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY it exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly anymore EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly He EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY knew exactly exactly EXACTLY the EXACTLY method EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY exactly to treat EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY a monarch EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY, exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY so exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly because EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY he exactly EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY knew exactly EXACTLY precisely it exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY was EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY a foolish EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY thing EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly to persuade EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY and exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly recommend exactly exactly EXACTLY multiple exactly exactly EXACTLY times exactly exactly EXACTLY when EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY the monarch's EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly will EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly was exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY clear exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly.

Rickart EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly looked back outside the window again and fell deep into thought. Accurately it was closer to agonizing over whether to did or not did what he had already been thinking of since before.

In Rickart's eyes right now, the meal smoke blooming up billowing from the capital of the Kingdom down there was seen.

Whether that influenced his judgment or not was unknown, but Rickart's decision was what Paolo hadn't expected.

"I will give a chance. Give the remaining food this winter to them. Free of charge. Instead, deliver that if they don't surrender during the winter I will kill them all. Not only Grantz but all."

Rickart knew. That killing just Grantz wouldn't cleanly resolve all the problems.

The subordinates and soldiers who had been under Grantz were people already steeped in plundering. Raping women in occupied territories unhesitatingly, killing the elderly and children, digging up graves to take grave goods, acts like that.

Just because Grantz was killed and his army dissolved where would those bastards go? It was obvious they would scatter here and there like exactly the spores of exactly a exactly poisonous mushroom exactly and did strange exactly exactly acts exact.

He exactly exactly was EXACTLY exactly trying exactly to exactly give exactly even EXACTLY them EXACTLY exactly exactly a exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY last exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY chance exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY However EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly this EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY was EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY not EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly a exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY heart exactly EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY originating from exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY compassion exactly EXACTLY exactly, EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY but EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY rather EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly exactly EXACTLY exactly close exactly EXACTLY precisely exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY to EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly precisely EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY a precisely exactly cold exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly calculation exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. exactly

The price EXACTLY EXACTLY of EXACTLY EXACTLY a massive EXACTLY EXACTLY AMOUNT EXACTLY EXACTLY of EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY lives EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY that was EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

Who he learned it from was unknown, but Rickart was EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly trying to EXACTLY build up EXACTLY a kind EXACTLY EXACTLY of EXACTLY justification.

"Understood EXACTLY EXACTLY. I EXACTLY EXACTLY will do EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY so EXACTLY EXACTLY." EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

Paolo EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly EXACTLY understood EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY Rickart's EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY will EXACTLY EXACTLY sufficiently EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

Thus real food was supported to Grantz. It EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY wasn't EXACTLY EXACTLY a large EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY amount EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY but to them who EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY had EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY starved EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY while EXACTLY EXACTLY being chased EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY by Rickart EXACTLY EXACTLY over EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly the meantime it EXACTLY EXACTLY was EXACTLY EXACTLY food exactly EXACTLY like EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY sweet rain EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY in EXACTLY EXACTLY a drought EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

Of EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly course he EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY also EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY clearly delivered the EXACTLY EXACTLY meaning EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY that EXACTLY EXACTLY if EXACTLY EXACTLY they EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY didn't EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY surrender EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY he EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY would EXACTLY kill EXACTLY EXACTLY them EXACTLY EXACTLY all EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY Like the EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY generosity EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY a King EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY bestows EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY at the last EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY moment EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY

Then EXACTLY EXACTLY surprisingly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY from EXACTLY EXACTLY that cowardly EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY coward EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY a EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY contact EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY came EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY to Rickart EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly to meet EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY once EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY With EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the words EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY that EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY he himself EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY would set EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY the time and EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY place EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY to meet EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

It EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY was EXACTLY EXACTLY a proposal EXACTLY EXACTLY that EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY smelled EXACTLY EXACTLY quite EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY suspicious EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY Naturally EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY Paolo EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY opposed it EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY

"You EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY exactly must EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY not go EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY Because EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY it is EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY too EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY blatant EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY I too EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY thought EXACTLY EXACTLY for EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY a exactly moment EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY COULD EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY IT EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY REALLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY BE SO EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY, EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY but when EXACTLY EXACTLY I EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY saw EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY it EVERYTHING EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY Grantz EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY is EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY a EXACTLY PERFECTLY exactly person EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY who EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY already EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY HAS EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY a CORRECT EXACTLY history EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY You EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY must EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY not EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPECT EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY trust EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY from him EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY" EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

Hearing EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY that EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY CORRECTLY EXACTLY CORRECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY CORRECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY RESPECTFULLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY RESPECTFULLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY RESPECTFULLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY RESPECTFULLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY RESPECTFULLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY RESPECTFULLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY RESPECTFULLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY PERFECTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY RIGHT EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY EXACTLY EXPERTLY RIGHT THAT Rickart merely laughed EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY sneaking EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY. EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY

"When did I ever have any expectations from that bastard and support him with food? If he wants to kick away his last chance that would be his own choice. I am going to verify that."

No matter how strong he himself was he now had something called a position, but Rickart decided to go personally. Roy who always stuck by his side, and this time Marie and Bori also followed along together.

He didn't secretly bring an army or did such things either. Only Raimund and a few knights followed merely to assist.

Grantz set the date. The place was a certain ruined village, and the one who made it a ruin was none other than himself.

The sky was a chilly blue and the grass in the fields was dried yellow. Rickart rode his favorite horse Crimson Comet on the promised date, and headed to the promised place with Marie, Bori, and Roy.

For armor he only wore a breastplate inside, and for the outside he wore a thick fur coat not a war coat. It was an impressive coat with wolf's fur wrapping around the neck.

Rickart stopped his horse on the outskirts of the village. Getting off the horse he entrusted the reins to Raimund, who whether he was a bit anxious about this situation itself kept carefully watching the horizon or the thick nearby forest.

In contrast Rickart, Marie, and Bori didn't have much sign of tension. Rather, recalling the days they went around together like this in the old days they were in a slightly excited mood.

"Do you not trust me? If your taste leans towards men tell me."

"It seems you're the one who can't trust me, Marie right? I told you no."

"Then on earth why doing this, 'I hate this woman too', 'I hate that woman too'?"

"I guess I merely don't have a strong sexual desire like you."

"Wh-What?"

Recently over the marriage issue Marie and Bori almost conversed exactly like they were arguing. Whether they didn't understand what the situation was right now, or they didn't care from the start.

"Be quiet a bit. Don't forget Roy is here."

"Because it's your fault for bringing him it seems too shameless to blame us."

"I won't be a hindrance."

"Ah, I got it so be quiet a bit."

Only after Rickart frowned, turned his head whoosh and showed annoyance, did it barely get a bit quiet. Of course the sound of someone grumbling was heard though.

Rickart shifted his steps. It was towards a temple located somewhere in the south. However, seeing the houses with collapsed roofs and singed black he remembered something.

"It reminds me of Nameless Mister."

Therefore Bori's expression wasn't very good.

Anyway reaching the entrance of the ruined temple as expected, inside completely black burnt human corpses were seen. Many corpses became ashes and collapsed but some maintained a slight human shape.

There, a person stood showing his back. With a diminutive physique his shoulders were drooped, and holding his opposite arm with one hand he looked sick somewhere too.

Rickart, Marie, Bori, and Roy quietly looked at that person. Since he definitely would have felt their presence there was no way he wouldn't know us.

The diminutive man slowly turned around. His bangs came down quite long and covered his forehead, and his gaze was truly peculiar. He looked scared, yet on the other hand he also looked full of resentment.

"......Grantz?"

Rickart asked. Thereupon the diminutive man nodded his head.

Rickart received a shock in a different meaning and couldn't continue his words. WHAT THE, WAS THIS WEAK-LOOKING BASTARD?

Just as the people of the world misunderstand only hearing his reputation without having seen Rickart, Rickart himself could be like that too.

Thinking of the grandiose nickname 'Invincible' and the acts he committed over the meantime, he had imagined a person quite large in size, vicious, and on the other hand cunning.

However appearance wasn't important. At least at this place right now.

"I am Rickart. Yes, why did you ask to see me?"

"You have two choices. Rickart."

Grantz abruptly said like that. It was a hoarse-sounding voice.

"Speak."

"My army has reached Adelun right now. Depending on your answer, whether people live or die is at stake."

Rickart couldn't understand what this person was saying so he looked back at his friends once and then back at Grantz and asked.

"......And?"

"Did you not hear? I hold the lives of the ignorant commoners you cherish so much. You can kill me right. However countless lives will follow together too. There will be a massacre. My army might not know other things but they're really good at that. You can say they're even more excellent than your knighthood."

Rickart once again didn't know what he was saying, so he looked back at his friends once again and then looked back at Grantz again.

"No I mean, do you think I came here without knowing that?"

"......What do you mean?"

"Literally. I knew they were coming passing through the canyon."

What ddid this mean? This time Grantz didn't understand Rickart's words and made a confused expression. Verily if he knew that shouldn't he not have come here right now?

That Rickart came here, meant he didn't know his army was approaching Adelun, that was common sense.

However Rickart lacked common sense in handling military operations or matters. If he had been a common-sense person he wouldn't have been able to establish feats beyond common sense either.

The blind spot of the cunning Grantz was that part.

"Yeah, yeah, anyway, what is it that you demand? Let's hear that first."

Rickart asked.

"......It's guaranteeing independence for the Morawitz region. Whether you become the King of Adelorn or whatever has nothing to do with me, so you don't care about me either."

Morawitz was referring to the southeastern region of Adelorn.

Rickart looked at him quietly, then said.

"Do you by any chance, think you can kill the people of the capital because I am not present in my seat?"

"What do you mean?"

"The knighthood originally was a strong army even without me."

"......Bluffing does not work right now at this place."

"Whether it's a bluff or not you'll know when you see. Then...... Roy, you handle him."

"Yes?"

"You kill that bastard."

"Me?"

"If you can't even kill that much don't go anywhere and say you're my disciple."

Saying so Rickart pushed Roy's back.

Grantz blinked his eyes blink blink. Because seeing Rickart trying to kill him without a word even after hearing his story, and some boy stepping forward instead, he couldn't understand it at all.

They came out to a negotiation place but no one understood each other. Marie and Bori also didn't understand each other, Rickart and Grantz did the same, and Roy was the same as well.

Merely, since it was his Master's order Roy took the ax he was carrying on his back in his hand and stepped forward.

At that time, pure white snowflakes fluttered down fluttering. As everyone suddenly raised their heads and looked up, snow was falling softly melting from the holed roof.

It was winter.