The battlefield was quickly brought to order. Pthalin had been captured by Jared, and Count Capri died instantly after being attacked by Jared. After disarming all the soldiers of Prince Pthalin, Jared suppressed even the reinforcements that had just arrived.
During Pthalin's hurried retreat back to the castle, the remnants of his forces were defeated once more, completely destroying his army. Meanwhile, Prince Jess had fled. Upon hearing the news that Pthalin's troops were annihilated by Jared’s surprise attack, Jess left the kingdom without a second thought.
The people of the royal capital had already branded Pthalin and Prince Jess as followers of the Dark Cult, calling for their execution according to the law. From Jess's perspective, it was a very wise choice. After crossing the border into the Kingdom of Cinders, he headed to a location he had prepared just in case.
That place was where the vice leader of the Umbra Cult, Cluze, resided. After that, news about Prince Jess disappeared entirely. He vanished without a single attendant by his side.
Meanwhile, while disarming Pthalin's soldiers and confiscating their weapons, I handed the armor, 'Judith's Armor,' from the deceased Count Capri to Lakis. There were two reasons for this. First, I was already wearing the Mirror Armor of Rohard, so I had no room for additional armor. Second, Judith’s Armor elevated both defense and magical defense by 100 each, making it essential for Lakis, who would be storming onto the battlefield more than I would in the future.
“My lord, how could I possibly wear such armor…”
“From now on, more significant and weightier tasks will be entrusted to you. I hope this gift offers you just a bit more safety. Well... it’s mainly a goodwill gesture I’m making after taking it from Count Capri.”
“Taking it, you say! The victor has the right to claim everything from the vanquished. You perfectly targeted Count Capri’s weak spot.”
“It is thanks to your valiant efforts. You caught them completely off guard; they had no idea I was charging in from behind.”
“I gritted my teeth and fought. Perhaps because it was a battle with a strong opponent, my heart raced, and the thrill of bloodlust surged within me!” Lakis wiped away his flowing sweat. I firmly handed Judith's Armor to him once more, worried he might refuse.
“Wear it. I want to see how it looks on you right now.”
“Yes, my lord! Thank you very much! I will dedicate everything to you, even if my bones crumble to dust!”
Lakis’s unwavering loyalty brought a satisfied smile to my face. At that moment, as Lakis donned Judith’s Armor, his defense and magical defense rose by 100 each.
“How do you feel?”
“I feel much more secure overall. It’s hard to express in words, but it feels like I can see a clearer path when actively responding to swords and magic.”
It seemed that the effects had indeed manifested. Stats were something only I could see. In this world, the concept of stats didn’t exist. Only I was influenced by the 'Paradiso' system. So unlike me, who could see clear numerical changes, Lakis was just vaguely sensing changes in his body and mind.
[Lakis’s loyalty significantly increases! Loyalty rises by 360! His loyalty reaches 800, entering ‘Third Awakening’ state!]
“Lakis again?” Each time his maximum loyalty was renewed, Lakis’s unwavering loyalty birthed a third miracle. Third Awakening! At this level of awakening, it could be said that he viewed his object of loyalty as a ‘god.’ In other words, Lakis would follow whatever I said, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
I had never experienced a servant achieving a Third Awakening in 'Paradiso.' There had been no such opportunity due to the myriad schemes and the fact that most highly loyal servants were of little utility and rarely gotten close to. Yet, Lakis was constantly growing, breaking through loyalty to reach the heavens; he was the best.
“My lord, may I speak to you without reservation?”
“Speak freely.”
“I have never seen the army united as one since I became a soldier of the Cribia territory. All the soldiers praise and respect you, my lord. They dream of a broader, greater future under your golden banner.”
“Dreaming of a broader and greater future.”
“Yes, my lord. All the soldiers are ready to give their lives for you. This is sincere. Please do not take the aspirations of me and the soldiers lightly!”
Lakis wasn’t one for empty words. Each of his statements carried weight and resulted from careful consideration. Since my reincarnation, my top priority in running the territory had been the well-being of the army: top-quality weapons, top-quality equipment, quality meals, and assured rest. These four principles had formed the bedrock of my military training. It seemed that maintaining this consistency in any circumstance had greatly moved the soldiers.
“I understand. I will surely remember your words, Lakis.”
“Thank you, my lord. While others may revere gods in the heavens, the god I worship is right before my eyes.”
“…”
I was left speechless by Lakis’s heartfelt loyalty that stirred my heart. This intense feeling was something I had never experienced throughout my 34 years of previous life! I had no words to express the wave of emotion washing over me.
Meanwhile, with the arrest of Prince Pthalin and his close associates, and Prince Jess disappearing, the long civil war in the Kingdom of Cinders was now entering a resolution stage. Neither Prince Pthalin nor Prince Jess gained anything from their fierce battles. Instead, believing in Jared’s counsel and waiting for the final strike, Prince Izeal gained everything.
The vassals who had allied with Izeal early on rallied together to claim his succession to the throne. There was not a single dissenting voice. The aides of the two princes who could voice objections were already locked up in the underground prison.
The queen, who held the ultimate decision-making power regarding the throne's succession, approved Prince Izeal's ascension. Thus, Izeal became the final heir following Decker IX.
The citizens of the royal castle poured into the streets in cheers. There were so many people that the avenue was filled with the crowd. While not openly stated, many had secretly hoped that the benevolent Izeal would become king.
The follow-up actions were swiftly carried out. The coronation ceremony proceeded while streamlining procedures and forms, alongside a massive interrogation of followers of the Umbra Cult. Prince Pthalin was not spared from this, receiving the most intense scrutiny. Thanks to the queen's plea to preserve the life of her son, Pthalin was spared the death penalty but would spend his life in prison.
Meanwhile, there was an announcement from Izeal regarding the rewarding of the officers who played a vital role in ending the prince's rebellion. Naturally, the exceptional vassal, Jared, was also invited. While he was certainly not a subject of the Kingdom of Cinders, he had made the most significant contributions in this civil war. Izeal's ministers were quite curious about Jared’s position. They secretly hoped Jared would become a loyal subject of Kingdom of Cinders, but circumstances were not so simple. Jared had developed considerable territory in the northern part of the kingdom, taking advantage of the civil war.
Gone were the days of Jared as just a fledgling ready to flap its wings after merging three small territories. He had now turned into a fierce beast with sharp claws and teeth!
My steps toward the imperial court were firmer and heavier than usual.
“Could he truly have helped our kingdom out of goodwill alone?”
“Be careful. He is someone who crushes neighboring territories without showing any mercy.”
“What are you two saying? Don’t you recognize that Lord Jared had the biggest role in ending this dreadful civil war?”
I could hear the murmurs of the ministers. Although I hadn't been paying much attention, the voices were clearly meant to reach my ears. When I turned to face them, those who met my gaze quickly bowed their heads and avoided eye contact.
“Building camaraderie with such ministers is meaningless. They are merely weathercocks that will align themselves with Prince Izeal in the end, depending on the prevailing winds.” I brushed aside their words with indifference. Izeal is a wise prince. Now that he has ascended to the throne, he will begin internal governance based on his thoughts and concerns. I’m not sure about military matters, but he will definitely fulfill his role in consolidating the nation's foundations.
Soon, standing at a proper distance from Izeal, I took my position and paid my respects to the king. Now, our relationship had shifted from that of prince and lord to king and lord. Though I was not a subject of the kingdom.
“Jared, I greet His Majesty, the King.”
“Welcome, Lord Jared. I’ve been eagerly waiting for your arrival. I cannot begin any discussion without you here.”
“Your flattery is undeserved, Your Majesty.”
“It was largely due to Lord Jared that I could stabilize the civil war and reach this position. In truth, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say all of my success is due to you.”
His clear voice and emphatic words carried a sense of royal dignity. Unlike Decker IX, who bore a cold and arrogant demeanor, he exuded a distinct strength within his gentleness.
“I wish to reward Lord Jared adequately for the great contributions he has made. However… I suspect you won’t desire that?”
“I only acted based on whether it was right or wrong, dedicating all my strength to Your Majesty. It was a necessary choice to prevent an impending disaster.”
“That is true. Had you not been present, our kingdom would have become a plaything for the Dark Cult by now.”
“However, it was not with the intention of becoming a subject of the kingdom that I acted. That thought hasn’t changed even now.”
I drew a clear line. It wasn’t that I was foolishly rejecting Izeal’s offer. I knew full well that even if I drew this line, Izeal would grant me generous rewards. He had been indebted to me from start to finish.
With what I knew of Izeal, he wouldn’t simply ignore this kindness.
“No, he is…!” Just then, one of the ministers tried to point a finger at me, raising his voice. Probably attempting to make some absurd accusation about being rude before the king. At that moment, Izeal interrupted, seeming to want to guard against their foolish interjections, and shouted toward me.
“From this moment on, I will grant the vast territory of Lord Jared the title of duke, and the rank of duke will be bestowed upon you. All of this will occur without regard to your relationship with me. In other words, you will have no need to pledge loyalty or take an oath with me.”
“Your Majesty! What does that mean…!”
“Additionally, if anyone resolutely disputes my choice, I will take it as a challenge against me. I hope you will not overstep your bounds.”
His firm will strongly conveyed a desire to empower me. I couldn’t help but bite my lips.
“Finally, I am growing from this.”
I hadn’t realized I had bitten my lip until that moment. When I first opened my eyes in this life, it seemed like I would be unable to escape the frustrating life of a small lord, and my bleak future had gradually transformed into a rollercoaster of ups and downs, slowly shifting toward a rosy future!
End of Chapter 68