Chapter 390: I’m The Crazy One In This Kingdom (3)
Rukan declared that he would go alone into enemy territory. Alkione felt that the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
Things have deviated greatly from the original plan, but in the end, we’re arriving at the same destination.
It was a moment he had long awaited. The corners of his lips twitched, but Alkione suppressed his smile. Rukan was still suspicious of him; if he showed such an unnatural expression now, the cautious Rukan might change his mind again.
Barely calming his excitement, Alkione spoke to Rukan, who was about to leave.
“There’s no way Keter revealed himself without a plan, Your Highness. This is undoubtedly a trap meant to lure you.”
“And what difference does it make if it’s a trap?”
Telling someone confident in their strength not to go somewhere because it was a trap would only make them want to go more.
Alkione provoked Rukan in a gentle voice, “If it were a trap set by the alliance, it would be nothing special. But Keter’s trap is different. There’s no telling what he might do. I believe Your Highness knows this well.”
“Are you trying to scare me into thinking I’ll lose?”
“That will absolutely not happen. However, there is a possibility that things may become troublesome.”
“So in the end, you’re saying I’ll lose.”
Just as Rukan’s tone was about to turn hostile, Alkione suddenly held out a pink orb. Rukan tried to ignore it, but his attention was inevitably drawn to it. Even at a glance, it was dazzling and beautiful.
“What… is that?”
Rukan’s wariness surged at the fact that such a small object had captured his attention.
Alkione replied calmly, “It is your mother, and the queen of this nation, Lillian.”
“…?!”
Rukan flinched in shock and stared at the orb again, clenching his fists. Looking closely, he realized Alkione was telling the truth. What he had thought was just a faint pattern inside the orb was actually Lillian curled up within it.
Alkione continued before Rukan could even ask.
“Did you know? Queen Lillian gave birth to you merely out of boredom. She wanted to see how far her own blood could grow, but you turned out to be stronger and more exceptional than she expected. Fearing this, she attempted to eliminate you, but I stopped her. As proof of my loyalty to you, please accept this.”
Rukan looked deeply shocked by Alkione’s words. Yet even in that state, his body acted instinctively, taking the orb containing Lillian from Alkione’s palm.
Alkione whispered to the confused Rukan, “Absorb Queen Lillian’s power. Become a god who surpasses her and become the ruler of this nation—no, of this world.”
“…Alkione.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve known you had some hidden agenda since the first time I saw you,” Rukan said, his voice now calm.
Though one might expect Alkione to be flustered, he responded calmly, “We began our relationship that way. What’s new about that?”
“Even you capturing Queen Lillian and offering her to me must have some filthy scheme behind it. But honestly, I can’t figure out what it is. You haven’t placed any restrictions on me.”
“Haha, to be frank, I simply don’t want to sit in a troublesome position. I want you to be the king of the light, and I will remain the king of the shadows.”
“Keke… A plausible story, but I don’t believe you, Alkione.”
Rukan rolled the orb containing Lillian in his hand. It wasn’t that his suspicion toward Alkione reached its peak—Rukan had never trusted Alkione from the beginning. He had only pretended to be fooled, allowing himself to be played with. And now, he made that clear: no matter what Alkione said, he would never believe him.
Despite that, Alkione showed no sign of anxiety and remained composed.
“They say that once the hunt is over, the hunting dog is boiled and eaten. But without me, conquering the world will be impossible.”
“When did I ever say I wanted to conquer the world? The land my mother ruled is enough.”
“The world won’t leave you alone. Haven’t you already crossed the line?”
“Do you really think I’m a fool? If I declare that I’m satisfied with just this land, do you think they’ll go out of their way to fight me?”
“Hmm… it seems Your Highness has already made up your mind.”
“That’s right.”
Gulp.
Rukan swallowed the orb containing Lillian. Nothing happened, but he didn’t care.
“After Keter, you’re next, Alkione.”
Leaving behind a chilling warning, Rukan vanished into the mist. Alkione showed no reaction. He simply sat down on the empty throne and rested.
* * *
The Sefira army, which had started with five thousand people, swelled to seventy thousand overnight. This was the result of touring the entire kingdom and gathering the remaining forces of various families.
At first, there was heavy resistance. However, once it was revealed that the army was led by the Divine Bow Keter, who had returned after ten years, volunteers began to join. There were no weaklings among them, as those people had either died long ago or were severely wounded.
Before long, this massive force came to be known by the people as the Dawn Army.
“But where exactly are we headed?”
“This direction isn’t toward the capital.”
Ironically, the Dawn Army itself didn’t know where it was going. Since Keter had called them to join, they assumed they would head to the royal capital where the Demon King was, but they weren’t going that way.
“If we go this route, we’re heading north.”
“O-oh! I see, so that’s it!”
“What is it? Tell me too!”
“Don’t you get it? The Divine Bow is going to punish Duke Browning!”
“Duke Browning?!”
“Ah! He must intend to punish the corrupted duke first and restore order!”
“How could ordinary men like us fathom the Divine Bow’s will? Perhaps he intends to persuade the Browning family to join our side!”
Even within the Dawn Army, opinions about their objective were divided. Some said they were circling around to lull the Demon King into complacency. Others claimed they would attack the Browning duchy, or that they would recruit them instead. Some were even throwing around absurd theories that they were heading toward the empire.
“Keter, do you have a moment?” said Hissop, who was acting as a lieutenant in the Dawn Army, speaking to Keter at the front.
Keter was standing atop a four-horse carriage and gestured for Hissop to come up.
“Huh.”
Never in his life had Hissop imagined he would climb onto a carriage roof. Letting out a self-deprecating chuckle, he climbed up and got straight to the point.
“We’ve gathered an army of this size overnight. I think it’s about time you told us our destination.”
“Our destination…!”
Keter crossed his arms and stared at Hissop, to which Hissop nodded. From the beginning, he had thought gathering an army was meaningless. After all, the crushing defeat of the world alliance had severely weakened external forces.
Lerkin and Rakan had withdrawn their troops and cut off supplies. Sefira now had to fight without outside aid. Even if they forcibly gathered troops, it would amount to only fifty thousand—far too few to stand against the Chimera Legion of one hundred thousand.
To make matters worse, the appearance of additional evil gods had lowered the morale of the Transcendentals. Though the Dawn Army had seven Transcendentals besides Keter, they were effectively observing from the sidelines, waiting to see what kind of insight justified assembling such an army before deciding whether to act. Hissop believed this was the moment the Dawn Army needed certainty.
“Sometimes, not knowing is better. Do you really want to hear it?”
When Keter asked seriously, Hissop nodded without hesitation.
“Tell me.”
“Alright. If you want to know that badly… But you have to keep it to yourself.”
Keter leaned close to Hissop, covered his mouth with his hand, and whispered quietly into his ear, “There isn’t one.”
“What?”
Pulling his face back, Hissop leaned in again, covering his own mouth as he spoke.
“Say that again. I must’ve misheard.”
“You didn’t. There isn’t one. No plan, no destination.”
“…?”
As if he had nothing more to say, Keter flopped down on the carriage roof. Hissop climbed down in a daze.
Of course, it wasn’t that Keter had absolutely no plan.
We just circle the kingdom once.
That was the entirety of his plan. There was no grand strategy about reclaiming specific territories or applying pressure. Not that he couldn’t devise one, but Keter knew better.
Rukan would easily see through a strategy made by someone like me, who hasn’t learned anything properly.
It didn’t matter who made the plan; the result would be the same. The moment a strategy was formed, Rukan would see through it. Not because Keter overestimated him, but because that was simply how war worked.
Strategies all boiled down to the same thing: moving to gain advantage. And because of that, once a goal was set, it was bound to be anticipated. Turning the enemy’s insight into one’s strategy against them was the fundamental tactic of war—prediction of prediction of prediction, and exploitation of exploitation of exploitation. In theory, the best strategy was the one that won that endless game of cat and mouse. but…
But I’m not that good.
More importantly, crafting such strategies didn’t happen overnight.
However, the same goes for the opponent.
Analyzing a strategy also took time. So, Keter aimed for two gaps: he didn’t create a strategy, and he forcibly gathered an army and marched forward without intent. But from the enemy’s perspective, it would be different. They would try to analyze the strategy and react accordingly. What Keter wanted was exactly that—to make the enemy act first.
Of course, this approach had its weakness. If the enemy simply observed and responded calmly, it would only waste the army’s stamina and supplies. But Keter was willing to bet on it.
Rukan, you won’t stay still.
Not because of Rukan’s personality, but because of Keter himself. Keter was certain that his mere presence would force Rukan to act. That was why he deliberately stood in plain sight atop the carriage roof to show that he was truly here, not a fake.
Keter looked up at the dull sky.
I’ve played every card I can.
This was going to be a short, decisive battle. Keter had no intention of dragging this war out, not because he feared Rukan but because he feared the Godfather.
Even a short war might be part of his plan, but I’ve got no choice. This war can’t be prolonged.
The Godfather had surely prepared this war meticulously over a long time. That meant there were situations where, even knowing the trap, one had no choice but to walk into it.
I’ll give what I must, but I have to create a variable.
And that variable was going to be made right here.
Keter quietly stood up. At that moment, an immense presence was felt, greater than anything he had ever experienced. Even without an order from Keter, the entire army halted.
“W-who is that?”
“Am I seeing things?”
The soldiers at the front rubbed their eyes. It was natural, as just one man stood blocking the path of the Dawn Army. Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Then, shock spread across their faces. That man was none other than the Demon King himself, formerly known as Rukan, the Crown Prince of the Lillian Kingdom. He stood there alone.
