It was before the Northern Indomitable Alliance declared war on the south.
It was a time when the thought of war was not in the minds of the majority of the Roan Kingdom's citizens.
Crown Prince Alberu Crossman.
His attendant wet his lips with his tongue without making it visible.
The inside of his mouth was completely dry.
Peek.
The record keeper's eyes moved.
'…Shit.'
Crown Prince Alberu was leisurely walking with an extremely radiant smile on his face.
'We can't mess with him.'
This was a time when they could not mess with Crown Prince Alberu Crossman.
'But this is a big incident.'
The lowest ranking record keeper recalled what Alberu had just said to the King and a few administrators.
'The Paerun Kingdom's forces have moved to Norland and Askosan.'
It meant that the day when the alliance of the three Northern Kingdoms would invade was near.
'A real war.'
The crown prince needed a record keeper by his side as he was taking care of a lot of business in place of the king. The record keeper was especially necessary when he went into meetings.
He was one of the record keepers assigned to the Crown Prince Palace to be by Alberu's side.
'And it's not far off!'
Unlike the shocked record keeper, the crown prince had thrown another bomb in front of the chief executives just now.
'The military command of the northeast region will go to Cale Henituse of the Count's House of Henituse. He will be the northeast region Military Commander.'
It was not a question about whether it was okay to give Cale Henituse the position of northeast region Military Commander.
It was a statement.
"What are you doing?"
He heard a warm voice.
The lowest ranking record keeper urgently raised his head. The crown prince, who had stopped walking, was quietly looking at him and smiling.
Crown Prince Alberu was quite nice to the people working in the palace.
He didn't work them excessively nor did he want them by his side at all times.
Furthermore, he praised them for the smallest of things and rarely punished them. He even gave a lot of presents to the people in his palace.
The crown prince quietly commented with a radiant smile on his face.
"It's bad if your mind is in chaos."
The crown prince, at some point, had started bringing him, the lowest ranking record keeper, whenever he needed something recorded.
The record keeper heard his gentle voice.
"Open your ears, move your hands, and keep your mouth shut. You know what to do, right?"
The record keeper tilted his head.
"What are you saying, your highness? I'm not sure what you are talking about."
"Yes. This is why I try having you by my side."
The record keeper slightly lowered his head without saying anything else.
The crown prince did not look at the record keeper any longer and started walking again.
However, he soon stopped walking.
'Mm!'
The record keeper slightly frowned after noticing the reason.
'I have a bad feeling about this.'
They had arrived at the front of the Crown Prince's Palace.
Someone who was part of Crown Prince Alberu's faction was waiting for him.
'Ah, you can't mess with him today!'
Unlike the anxious record keeper, the crown prince started leisurely walking again.
"General Wetton. What brings you here?"
"Your highness."
General Wetton. The man who was wearing spotless formal attire bowed toward the crown prince.
Everything he did was completely respectful and by the book.
"I have something I must tell you, your highness."
However, he seemed to almost be glaring at the crown prince when he raised his head.
'How funny.'
The crown prince held back a laugh and nodded his head with a gentle look on his face.
"I see. Let's go to my office."
Alberu leisurely headed toward his office. General Wetton leisurely followed behind him.
'This guy is so good at putting on a mask.'
However, Alberu knew that General Wetton was feeling quite anxious right now.
"Your highness."
He raised his hand toward the attendant who was walking toward him instead of waiting in front of his office.
"I will be chatting with General Wetton so don't let anybody in."
"I understand, your highness."
Alberu slightly nodded his head at the disguised Dark Elf attendant and entered his office.
General Wetton quietly followed behind him.
Click.
The door closed.
Alberu and General Wetton were the only ones in the room.
"Your highness."
General Wetton was the first to speak.
Alberu sat down on the couch and looked up at General Wetton.
"Yes, you may speak."
"I heard something weird from Teus just now, your highness."
Teus.
He was basically Alberu's hands and feet. He was the person in charge of delivering important messages to the nobles and administrators who follow Alberu.
"Your highness, Teus stated that you were going to give the military command of the northeast region to young master Cale Henituse and give him the position of the Military Commander of the northeast region."
General Wetton could not sit still after hearing that.
"Is that the truth, your highness?"
"Mm."
Alberu rubbed his chin with his hand. He looked into General Wetton's glaring gaze and gently responded.
"Yes, it is true."
"Your highness!"
General Wetton raised his voice before lowering it after seeing how Alberu was looking up at him with a gentle expression.
"…It does not make sense, your highness."
"What doesn't?"
'All of it!'
General Wetton wanted to say that all of it did not make sense.
'He wants to give the position of Military Commander of the northeast region of all positions to that young punk?'
He could not accept it.
'Even though I am from the northeast region? He wants to give that position to Cale Henituse when I am here? To that little punk?'
"I know that you treasure young master Cale Henituse quite a bit, your highness."
He had even included Cale in the envoy to the Empire.
However, this was not right.
"Young master Cale is someone with a bright future. He has a big heart and will probably become a light to brighten the future of the kingdom. However."
General Wetton looked right at Alberu as he continued.
"He is still lacking. He is someone who has no experience when it comes to troops. Even if your highness thinks highly of him, that position should be determined by ability."
Although he was packaging it nicely, he was basically saying that you can't give a punk like that such an important position just because you cherish him. He was saying, 'don't let your emotions determine personnel matters.'
'It's okay to say these things to the crown prince.'
The Crown Prince Alberu that General Wetton knew was someone who liked people who called him out when he did something wrong.
Anybody who participated in meetings with the crown prince would have seen even more straightforward statements causing fierce battles.
"I pray that you reconsider your decision, your highness."
"Then General."
"Yes, your highness."
General Wetton could see Alberu smiling.
Alberu seemed to have such great smiles for him quite often. That fact put some strength into Wetton's shoulders.
"Then who do you think is appropriate to hold that position instead of Cale Henituse?"
'Is he really asking me that question?'
Wetton held back the things he really wanted to say and said something else.
"Your highness. I am from the northeast region as well."
He then spoke honestly.
The crown prince liked people who were honest about their abilities and appealed to him via merit.
"Furthermore, of the Generals from the northeast region, I have the highest rank and have the most experience. In addition, am I not the person you can trust the most, your highness?"
Alberu had that gentle smile on his face as he mumbled.
"The person I can trust the most-"
"Yes, your highness. Would it not be me, who has been by your side since you were young?"
Alberu Crossman had grown up lonely without any maternal relatives.
When he started to make a move to be the crown prince… Basically nobody came under his umbrella.
Most of them lined up to serve the second prince or third prince.
"I have served you. I have remained by your side since the beginning."
There were many Generals who didn't care about politics, but also many who were heavily involved. The Generals with interest in politics had been unable to understand General Wetton's decision back then.
However, all of them approved of General Wetton's decision and were envious of him now.
The first prince, who had nothing, had ended up the strongest candidate for the throne.
"Your highness, please consider the time I have devoted to you until now."
"So, you're saying…"
Alberu stood up from his seat. He walked over to the standing General Wetton.
"I should put you, who knows the northeast region well, has experience leading soldiers, and has my trust after being by my side for a long time in that position?"
"Yes, your highness. I will do a good job!"
Wetton's voice was energetic.
On the other hand, Alberu's voice was slowly getting quieter.
"General Wetton, do you think that you are qualified to say such things?"
'Qualified? Of course I'm qualified!'
Wetton answered the crown prince's obvious question without any hesitation. In fact, he was about to get upset at the fact that the crown prince was asking such a question.
"Yes, your highness! I believe that I am the most qualified."
It was at that moment.
"Hahaha-"
The crown prince laughed out loud.
"How entertaining."
He nodded his head a few times without being able to hide his laughter.
"Very entertaining."
General Wetton almost frowned in response. However, he kept a straight face after seeing Alberu open his mouth again.
"General Wetton."
His gentle voice filled the office.
"You were one of the first Generals to support me when I decided to step into politics. No, you were the only General at the time to do so."
"That's right, your highness. I trusted my discerning eye and-"
"No."
Alberu shook his head.
"That's not it."
He spoke with a warm expression still on his face.
"Didn't you come to me after being urged to do so by the third prince's side?"
"…Excuse me?"
Alberu stood in front of General Wetton. He was still smiling.
"Did you really think that I wouldn't know anything?"
Alberu's hand headed toward General Wetton's shoulder.
Pat. Pat.
Alberu brushed General Wetton's shoulder as if there was dust on it.
"You seem to think that I wouldn't know how much dust you were carrying with you."
Alberu's gaze focused on Wetton.
Wetton could see the cold gaze covered by Alberu's smiling face.
"I know it all."
The quiet voice that was almost a whisper rang like thunder in Wetton's ear.
'He knew about it? All of it?'
Wetton got chills on his back.
'He knows that I, that I approached him after being urged to do so by the third prince's side? Since when?'
Wetton's pupils were shaking. He heard a response at that moment that made it seem as if Alberu was reading his mind.
"From the beginning."
The crown prince was smiling as if he found this extremely entertaining.
"Did you think that I stepped into politics without knowing anything from the beginning? Would the first prince, who had nothing but this façade, really do that?"
General Wetton found the crown prince's hand that was on his shoulder to be extremely heavy.
"If I have no maternal relatives, then I at least needed information. Hmm? Don't you think so?"
The crown prince was smiling.
Wetton was getting cold sweats every time he looked at that smile.
Alberu didn't care and calmly continued to speak.
"More importantly… Who are you saying doesn't look at ability?"
The voice that sounded exaggerated sounded mischievous as well.
However, what Alberu said next made Wetton flinch.
"I would have put you in that position even if you were someone on the third prince's side if you had the ability to do it well."
A bit of anger appeared on Wetton's face.
'I am not as good as young master Cale Henituse? How long had he been working as a General?! The little punk with that childish moniker of 'Young Master Silver Shield' and he had quite the difference in rank. But I am lacking in abilities? That makes no sense.'
He would prefer that the crown prince had said that he was not being considered for such an important position because he was on the third prince's side.
Wetton could not accept the crown prince's words at all.
The crown prince then said the following.
"Wyvern Knights Brigade."
'Hmm?'
General Wetton looked confused.
"Do you think that you can take on a Wyvern Knights Brigade?"
"…Excuse me?"
'What? Did he say Wyvern Knights Brigade? That legendary Knights Brigade of the North?'
Wetton's pupils were shaking.
"Pffft."
Alberu scoffed.
'Someone who made it up to General by latching onto the third prince's side talking about ability. How laughable.'
General Wetton stuttered as he spoke.
"Umm, were they not coming by s, ships?"
"Wetton. The truth is harsher than you imagine."
'Funny bastard.'
Alberu sneered internally. However, the smile disappeared from his face.
"I like people who are honest. Yes, I tend to cherish those who are being true about what they want."
Alberu headed toward the window.
The sky was cloudy now.
No light was coming into the room. Alberu looked out the window as he asked.
"Wetton, are you truly focused on this war?"
The crown prince was smiling brightly unlike the cloudy sky.
"Isn't your true focus the Commander position and not the war?"
The inside of Wetton's mouth was going dry.
The crown prince with the radiant smile whom people had a positive image of looked completely different from his usual self.
It felt as if a cold blade was right in front of Wetton's neck.
The crown prince's gaze was as sharp as blades as he spoke.
"Cale Henituse has put his everything on the line."
Although Cale Henituse was extremely impudent and treated the crown prince as if he was a neighborhood friend… It allowed Alberu to know something.
Cale Henituse was putting everything he had gathered on the line for this war. He could feel it even without Cale talking about it.
Cale Henituse was going to fight to protect his home, his life, and his family.
Alberu was also fighting to protect the Roan Kingdom.
People who were focused on the same thing… There would be no arguments when you work with people who want the same thing.
"Young master Cale has shown his abilities and has shown that he is focused on saving this land more than anybody else."
Cale Henituse had not shown these things to Alberu because he wanted to do so.
Alberu could simply tell based on everything Cale had done until now.
"Furthermore, whether it is power or fame… He doesn't care nor want any of those things. He simply wants peace."
That was why he was a funny bastard, but one he could trust.
"I am simply raising the hand of someone who is focused on the right thing and has the ability to do so."
Alberu looked at Wetton, who had shown his greed as soon as he heard the information from Teus, and thought about the person behind this guy.
"The Roan Kingdom is currently standing in a fork of destruction or survival."
He then clenched his eyes shut.
The Wyvern Knights Brigade. Now that the enemies could do aerial warfare, they were capable of stealthier, quicker, and more destructive attacks than by ship.
"Go inform the third prince's side."
Wetton felt as if his heart would sink.
He didn't dare to open his eyes.
"There is no king if the kingdom disappears."
Alberu walked over to his office desk and sat down.
He then smiled brightly.
"Shouldn't you hurry?"
Wetton opened his eyes and flinched before heading toward the office door. There was no strength in his steps. Wetton's face was completely pale.
"Wetton. It would have been great if you had not crossed the line."
"Huuuu."
Wetton subconsciously took a deep breath in. Alberu said one more thing to him.
"Deliver those words to the third prince's side as well. It'll be even better if you tell the second prince's side too."
'Don't cross the line.'
It was a warning and an order to the people who had supported the third prince and the second prince.
Click.
Wetton's hand was shaking as he opened the door.
Alberu simply watched Wetton.
He knew that something like this would happen at least once.
The northwest region's Marquis' House of Stan and the southwest region's Duke's House of Gyerre had removed themselves from the factions of the princes they had originally supported.
Furthermore, the second and third princes seemed to give up their greed for the throne once the crown prince gathered powers such as the Mage Brigade.
However, the forces supporting them were unable to throw away their greed.
They were very foolish.
'This is not the time for that.'
Of course, he understood why they were doing it.
They wanted something to show for the time, effort, and money they had spent to support their respective princes until now.
The throne room was a place full of bastards who would rip you to shreds if you put your guard down even a little.
"He'll be an example."
What happened to General Wetton today would be an example to deliver Alberu's will to the respective factions.
"I guess it was worth working hard."
Honestly speaking, he had purposely made it so that General Wetton would hear about this from Teus.
Alberu picked up a document.
Shhhh, shhhh.
The sound of paper flipping filled the silent office.
Plop. Plop.
The crown prince stopped moving after hearing a different noise and looked toward the calendar.
It was now early February.
It was one of the coldest times of the year and gusts of wind as sharp as blades should be blowing, but it was raining instead of snowing.
"I guess the rain is starting."
It always rained for a few days instead of snowing when the anniversary of his mother's death was near.
Amazingly.
"You're here."
"Yes, your highness."
The lowest ranking record keeper was here to follow Alberu to his morning meeting.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
Alberu smiled brightly at the record keeper who seemed to be warily looking at him.
"The weather is great, your highness."
Alberu flinched for a moment before looking at the record keeper.
The record keeper slightly lowered his head as he continued talking.
"I heard that the weather will be good for a few days, your highness. It is different from past years."
Alberu's eyes opened wide.
The record keeper curled up before continuing to speak.
"…The weather is always left behind as a record, your highness. It is similar to statistics."
'This sharp punk.'
This was the reason Alberu thought highly of this timid-looking yet bold-seeming lowest ranking record keeper by his side.
"I see. The weather is good today. Pffft."
Alberu chuckled with a slightly stoic face.
The rain from yesterday had stopped and the bright sun was shining down on the ground. It should still be cold outside, but it did not seem cold because of the sun.
'Phew. That's a relief.'
The record keeper finally sighed in relief.
It was because he realized that Alberu's mood had gotten a bit better.
He had heard rumors about the incident with General Wetton yesterday.
The attendants and record keepers were always the first to hear the rumors about things that happened in the palace.
'They truly are foolish people.'
The nobles who followed the second and third princes…
He thought that the people who were still trying to maintain their power were foolish.
Looking past the war and power…
'There is a right time to mess with him, a right time!'
It was soon the anniversary of the death of the crown prince's mother.
The crown prince's birthday was coming up in early spring after that.
The imperial family did not do anything for the crown prince's mother on the anniversary of her death.
Even the king seemed to be ignoring the anniversary of her death. He seemed to be doing it on purpose.
Crown prince was said to go to where his mother was buried and spend a few hours alone on the anniversary of her death.
Furthermore, he took no record keepers nor attendants with him when he went there.
As for the crown prince's birthday, the King's Palace sent presents and cake, but the day passed by quietly without any celebrations nor events.
'According to what I heard, the second and third princes' sides prepared the nobles.'
Neither the second prince nor the third prince messed with Alberu around this time. Although they didn't like each other, the siblings knew where to draw the line.
The problems were the nobles and administrators who couldn't see anything because they were worried about their shrinking power and future.
"Hmm. I feel a bit better thanks to you."
The record keeper was slightly shocked and looked at Alberu.
The crown prince, whose expression seemed dry yet relaxed instead of radiant, looked around.
Only the crown prince and his true subordinates were in this domain right now.
Well, other than this record keeper that is…
"Should I tell you one of my secrets?"
"Excuse me?"
'A secret?'
The record keeper's eyes opened wide at Alberu's sudden comment.
"It is information a record keeper would like a lot."
The record keeper clenched the parchments on his side since the crown prince was not one to say things he did not mean.
Gulp.
He couldn't help but gulp.
Alberu chuckled and quietly whispered because he knew that record keepers were second to none when it came to liking rumors and information.
"I plan on looking after the anniversary of my mother's death and my birthday when I become king."
"…!"
The record keeper's shoulders sank.
That timid-looking appearance made Alberu chuckle again.
The eyes of the record keeper with an extremely small physique were shaking.
"What do you think?"
Alberu mischievously spoke.
"Isn't it kind of immature for the crown prince to do this? You can put it in the unofficial history. I heard that record keepers used unofficial things and secret things to make some money?"
"Your highness-"
The record keeper bowed deeply at that moment. He calmly bowed before raising his head and looking straight at Alberu.
"I will record it in the records when you become king, your highness."
An odd smile appeared on Alberu's face.
"…I like what you just said."
It was at that moment.
Knock knock knock-
Alberu's confidant Teus's voice could be heard after the urgent knocks.
"Your highness! It is me!"
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing-
Alberu's video communication device started shining at the same time to let him know that it was an emergency situation.
Click.
The attendant urgently opened the door after receiving a look from Alberu and the administrator, Teus, shouted as soon as he entered the room.
"The North is about to make their declaration of war, your highness!"
'Already?'
The record keeper's heart sank.
The war really was starting.
The time of peace had continued for so long that war only felt like distant history.
An indescribable chaos filled the office.
Anxiety and uncertainty started to rise.
These emotions were caused by the word, war.
They heard a gentle voice at that moment.
"There is no need to be shocked."
Crown prince Alberu Crossman was famous for his radiant smile and an appearance that suited it.
Yet he was not smiling.
However, his gaze was that of a determined person.
He spoke to his subordinates.
"Just do as we have prepared."
The record keeper blankly looked at Alberu, who was surrounded by the sunlight that was coming in through the window.
"The sun will shine down on Roan."
The record keeper was certain of it at that moment.
This moment would definitely be recorded as the starting point of change in history.
He was also certain that the history of Roan would continue without stopping.
None of them could say anything.
The Indomitable Alliance had declared war against the Roan Kingdom and the Roan Kingdom had also made their declaration on the Western continent.
'The Roan Kingdom is the kingdom with the longest history in the Western continent.'
'We will show them the strength of the survivors.'
It would not be weird if the war started at any moment.
Nervousness was suppressing the entire meeting room.
"…Waiting sure is difficult."
Someone spoke as they could not handle the silence. He peeked toward the head of the table.
Alberu Crossman was silently seated there.
The palace located at the center of the royal palace… That palace was completely emptied.
It was filled only with things for wartime.
At the center of it was Alberu Crossman, who had received full authority from King Zed Crossman during the Roan Kingdom's proclamation not too long ago.
"Your highness. Will it really be okay not to send any troops to the Henituse territory?"
Alberu looked forward after hearing the person in charge of information ask that question.
Finance, military, capital defense, border defense, diplomacy, and administration.
The best individuals of each category were all gathered in this meeting room.
Alberu was looking at the video communication device in front of him.
The silver shield surrounding the skies of Western City where the Lord's Castle was located…
"Not yet. The Henituse territory has not requested anything yet."
The Minister of Finance, the eldest of the people here, started to speak.
"The House of Henituse is probably extremely wealthy. They had been building their wealth for generations."
'Something amazing might happen if the Henituse territory used that money to prepare for war.'
"However, they did not have enough time to use that wealth to prepare for war."
She looked concerned as she said that. It was more anxiety than concern.
"I'm sure that they have prepared in advance as young master Cale Henituse gave them information about it, but for a territory to handle everything alone-"
"Stop."
Alberu's stern voice descended on the meeting room.
The crown prince did not smile with the war ahead of him. He calmly spoke while looking at the silver shield glowing through the video communication device.
"The House of Henituse was originally the barrier to protect the Forest of Darkness and the family laid their roots in that spot to be the vanguard against the north."
Although the family was famous for their money…
"Their start was as a martial arts family."
The start of this household was based on protecting and persisting.
"Your highness, still-"
It was at that moment.
– Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!
– Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing- Wiiiiiiiiiiiiing-
They could hear the alarms going off in the Henituse territory through the video communication device.
– Your highness! The enemies have started their invasion!
Basen Henituse, who had been looking outside, urgently came over to report.
"…!"
Alberu clenched his fists.
Numerous black dots were quickly approaching from beyond the silver shield that was covering the sky.
Those dots slowly started to reveal their figures.
They were wyverns.
The Wyvern Knights Brigade of legends had revealed itself.
Alberu immediately started speaking.
"Open the door!"
Screeech- Bang!
The meeting room doors opened with loud noises.
There were multiple doors to this room.
Bang, bang, bang!
In this octagon shaped meeting room…
A total of eight doors opened.
A lot of people were silently observing the crown prince from beyond the doors.
Strategy, finance, diplomacy, administration, capital defense, etc.
Mid-level administrators for each field were focused and waiting for their orders.
"I will head out now, your highness!"
"I as well, your highness!"
A few of the top-level administrators immediately stood up. They each had a video communication device connected to the Henituse territory in their hand.
They all headed for different doors.
Scribble scribble.
The lowest ranking record keeper was seated next to Alberu as he quickly started recording.
"Mm."
He couldn't help but gulp.
He was not the only one.
The top-level administrators for finance, administration, diplomacy, etc who were still by Alberu's side could not close their dropped jaws.
"Ah!"
The pen almost slipped out of the lowest ranking record keeper's hand. He looked down at his hand. It was full of sweat.
– Baaaaaang—!
– Bang! Baaaaang! Baaaaang—!
The wyverns that were visible on the video communication device screen were launching attacks after attacks to destroy the shield protecting the Henituse territory.
"…The Bear tribe!"
The Minister of Foreign Affairs shouted those words before getting up and running toward an exit.
He was headed toward the communication mage in charge of video communication devices connected to different parts of the Western continent along with some diplomats.
"Damn it, fuck!"
The Minister of Finance, the oldest person in the room, subconsciously swore and the lowest ranking record keeper was working hard to record everything but his hand started shaking even more.
It was at that moment.
"Not yet."
Alberu Crossman finally started speaking.
"Excuse me?"
Somebody asked in confusion.
However, Alberu spoke to himself instead of responding.
"This is not the end yet."
'Yes, I'm sure that Cale Henituse has prepared something.
I know this bastard and he has yet to reveal his weapons.'
Alberu suppressed his anxiety and waited.
He soon got a response to respond to his waiting.
"Hahaha, my goodness."
A Bone Dragon and numerous skeleton monsters. This was the start to the Henituse territory's counterattack against the Paerun Kingdom's Wyvern Knights Brigade.
"N, necromancer-!"
"We're receiving calls from the temples!"
Whether they were covering their mouth or shouting in shock… Whether they were frantic from the calls coming from all over…
Alberu looked around him.
He had made a promise to Cale.
'Your highness, the Henituse territory will ignore all communication from the temple starting this moment.'
'I will take responsibility for it.'
The promise made regarding the necromancer…
"I guess I have no choice but to take responsibility."
One of the vassals urgently spoke to the calm Alberu.
"Your highness! It is a necromancer! This, this-"
"What about it?"
"Excuse me?"
"What is the problem?"
The vassal, who had been raising his voice, could not say anything and simply opened and closed his mouth a few times after seeing Alberu's now cold and sunken demeanor.
"Your highness!"
Alberu nodded his head after seeing the Minister of Foreign Affairs' gaze.
"As we prepared."
Alberu had made preparations in advance as he said that he would take responsibility.
"Yes, your highness!"
The Minister of Foreign Affairs knew about it as well.
One of the vassals who had been watching opened his mouth as if he could not hold it in any longer.
"Your highness, even if this is war, a necromancer-"
Alberu cut him off and asked.
"Do you want to die?"
"Excuse me?"
"Or do you need to see our people die?"
"E, excuse me?"
The vassal could finally see that Alberu's eyes were now bloodshot.
The face that had been radiant and gentle was no longer smiling and colder than anything he had seen.
No, he looked vicious.
"This is not the time for the Roan Kingdom to be cautious about what other people think. This is the time to do anything and everything in order to survive. That is the same for the Henituse territory."
He sternly spoke to the people looking at him.
"The necromancer currently participating in the Battle at the Henituse territory is a precious individual. That power is being used to protect us. That is enough."
"But the other nations and temples-"
"None of that is useful if the kingdom is destroyed. It is only a problem if we lose the war and the kingdom loses power. You should know more about world affairs than me, don't you?"
The vassal who had spoken up closed his mouth.
As the crown prince stated, nothing was useful if the kingdom was destroyed.
Alberu looked at the vassal before recalling what Cale Henituse had told him.
'The entire kingdom will become heroes.'
Yes, the Henituse territory will not simply resist.
They will be victorious.
Alberu had hope as he immediately gave orders to the people in charge of the different fields.
"Deliver information to the northeast region without any delays!"
"Ignore all contact from the temples except from the Temple of the Sun God!"
"Have the northwest region and southeast region increase the urgency level for the troops on standby by one!"
Scribble. Scribble.
The record keeper's hand started moving faster. He needed to hurry to record the endless flow of information and could not rest despite using a magic device to help him.
The record keeper could see that Alberu was extremely determined.
"…Ho-"
However, the meeting room, no, the entire palace soon had a moment of silence.
– H, hyung-nim-!
Alberu could hear Basen Henituse's scream-like shout through the video communication device screen.
Everybody had seen it.
'Baaaaaaaang!'
They heard a loud explosion and saw the aftershock of the explosion cover the video communication device screen.
Then they saw Cale Henituse barely standing after stopping the enemy's intense attack.
'T, this is not a battle between humans!'
The record keeper next to Alberu felt suffocated.
The enemy's immense strength…
Cale Henituse, who had stopped it…
'This is beyond the scale of war I had imagined!'
The record keeper was certain that he was not the only one who was having this thought. This moment of silence was proof of it.
'Will they be able to protect the Henituse territory-'
And…
'Will they be able to protect the Roan Kingdom? Will they be able to hold on?'
Young master Cale had persisted through the enemy's attack, but the war was not over. Furthermore, more enemies would come in the future.
'Will the Roan Kingdom be able to survive?'
The record keeper's body was getting stiff and he had even stopped recording.
It was at that moment.
"Basen Henituse."
He heard a calm voice breaking the silence.
The voice was dry but calm. It was Alberu Crossman.
"What did your hyung-nim order you to do?"
He was speaking to Basen Henituse.
However, everybody heard him clearly.
"If you do not want to be embarrassed, no, if you do not want to regret this in the future, do not forget your task."
The record keeper's shoulders flinched.
He subconsciously turned to look at Alberu.
Red bloodshot eyes, dry expression, stiff face…
However, his eyes were still alive.
The record keeper subconsciously clenched the hand holding the pen.
"The First Brigade of the Royal Knights and the First Mage Brigade are to head to the Henituse territory."
Of the eight open doors…
At the only door leading outside…
A Commander was standing beyond that door.
"As you command, your highness!"
The Commander bowed despite Alberu not directly giving him an order or even looking at him.
The First Brigade of Royal Knights and First Mage Brigade will soon move efficiently to the Henituse territory.
– Accurately relay how we win this battle.
Basen's voice came through the video communication device and everybody turned toward Alberu.
Alberu nodded his head and shared his will.
"Don't stop. Everybody do the things we have prepared."
The record keeper's hand moved faster and people started to quickly move.
And finally…
– The shield did not break.
The moment Cale Henituse's single comment echoed through the meeting room…
'We did it! The Roan Kingdom has won!'
The lowest ranking record keeper couldn't hide his emotions and stopped recording to look at Alberu.
'Ah.'
However, those rising emotions sank as soon as he saw the look on Alberu's face.
"This is just the beginning."
They had just received news that enemy ships had passed through the first boundary of the northeast region.
There would be another battle in the waters outside the Ubarr territory.
Everybody looked at the crown prince.
"As we prepared."
The crown prince made that single comment.
He then spoke again a few moments later.
"Then we will be victorious. It will be just as Cale Henituse just proved to us."
Alberu held the video communication device and headed toward the only spot with just one individual.
It was the area currently being used as the crown prince's office.
The lowest ranking record keeper had to follow behind the crown prince as his dedicated record keeper, but he picked up his pen first.
He added one more sentence to everything he had recorded so far.
Crown prince Alberu Crossman will also prove it.
Once a moment of peace finally seemed to arrive after numerous large and small battles…
"The coronation…"
Alberu looked out the window after even Tasha left the room and he was alone.
Puzzle City was a mess from the aftershock of the large battle.
However, the footsteps of the people around the city seemed to be light, potentially because they had taken care of both the White Star and the sealed god.
Alberu closed his eyes.
'Alberu Crossman. How about stepping up to this position now?'
'By the way. Have your coronation in the spring.'
'Spring…'
"Pffft." Alberu scoffed.
Knock knock knock-
"Your highness. It is me."
Alberu opened his mouth.
"Come in."
Click.
The door opened and Alberu could see the lowest ranking record keeper standing behind his attendant.
"Chester."
"Yes, your highness."
The lowest ranking record keeper approached Alberu with a magic pen in his hand.
Chester, the lowest ranking record keeper, could see Alberu smiling as if he was a bit happy but a bit flabbergasted.
"Chester. It looks like I will ascend the throne come spring."
The attendant and Chester flinched on their way in and stopped walking.
Chester soon resumed walking and bowed once he was in front of Alberu.
"May I record that moment?"
"You may."
Alberu then smiled brightly once more.
"Now then, shall I take care of my next task?"
The eyes that were looking forward once again toward the future were brimming with energy.
Chester heard what the attendant cautiously said at that moment.
"I know it is early in the spring, but… What do you think about preparing for the coronation to be before your birthday, your highness?"
Alberu stared at the attendant and then mischievously responded.
"Well, that sounds childish, but… I like it."
He had a cynical yet mischievous smile.
Chester and the attendant smiled gently.
It only happened once every so often, but the crown prince now showed his true smile to the people around him instead of that fake radiant smile.
The record keeper picked up his pen.
He thought about a decent phrase to put as the starting line for the book he was personally recording which was not an official document.
The Roan Kingdom survived and Alberu Crossman, who was one of the main characters who made it happen, will become the true sun of the Roan Kingdom come spring.
'No.'
The record keeper wrote a new statement.
Alberu Crossman is already the sun of the Roan Kingdom.
Everybody is looking forward to the moment when the sun will rise.