Chapter 486: A King’s Unreasonable Demand

Within the Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Britannia...

"Are you still thinking about what Druvis told you yesterday?" the Guardian of Britannia, Samuel Vi Britannia, asked after putting down his coffee cup on the table.

"Yes," King Augustus replied. "If he made up such nonsense just to spite me, he is going too far."

The Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Theodore Ashford, stood beside the King with a calm expression on his face. "Your Majesty, I believe he is just dissatisfied about our failure to keep our promise to help them fight the tribes of the Borderlands.

"He must have heard about Leone and his exile somewhere and twisted it to come up with a story to infuriate you. I find it simply impossible for a teenager, who has just turned eighteen, to become the chieftain of a barbarian tribe."

"He’s right, you know?" Samuel commented. "There is simply no way an exile can become a chieftain of the barbarians. With their pride, how could they accept a non-Barbarian as their leader?"

"I know," King Augustus stated. "Last night, I dreamed of that Frontera bastard boy. He repeated the words he shouted before exile. To think that I have grown this old that I’ve been rattled by such hogwash."

After taking a deep breath, King Augustus gestured to Theodore to start his report.

"The war against the Barbarians and the Beastkins has come to a stalemate," Theodore reported. "Although our four generals have gathered, it still won’t be easy for them to advance toward the Briar Mountain.

"The enemy has the high ground, so the Vermillion Bird General’s ranged attacks can be repelled by the Barbarian and Beastkin shamans without much trouble. Even the Black Tortoise General said we would have to pay a hefty price if we force ourselves into the mountains."

"Did they refuse our proposal for negotiation?" King Augustus asked. "I believe it’s a fair price for the return of our lands."

Since the Radiant Empire had broken their agreement, King Augustus demanded that the gold and resources he had sent to the Empire be returned to him.

The King of the Radiant Empire agreed to his request, but on the condition that the compensation for the Helion Duchy would also be deducted from the refund.

King Augustus reluctantly agreed to that condition since he badly needed war funds right now.

He even proposed that the money the Radiant Empire returned would be used to buy the lands back from the Barbarians and the Beastkins.

However, they didn’t accept his proposal.

The reason?

They didn’t want gold.

They wanted land.

With the four generals united, they managed to push back the invaders somewhat.

But when their enemies retreated to the Briar Mountain Range, the Britannian Army began to suffer consecutive losses in an attempt to reclaim this natural defensive formation.

Unfortunately, they failed time and time again.

Knowing more soldiers would die if the war continued, the four generals asked their King to come to the negotiation table.

King Augustus complied, but the other party refused to sit down and negotiate. They were adamant about keeping the lands they had conquered, showing that there was no room for any negotiation.

"Those damned savages," King Augustus cursed under his breath. "They should have died long ago."

Samuel and Theodore remained silent while they listened to their King’s ramblings.

Even after pushing back the enemy from the central lands of the Kingdom of Britannia, a quarter of their territory was still in the invader’s hands.

Those were fertile lands.

Lands that made up thirty percent of the Kingdom’s food supply. They would survive even if those territories were not reclaimed, but King Augustus was still unwilling to give up.

But what could he do?

The Barbarians and the Beastkins refused to be paid in gold or resources. They made it clear that they wanted the land. If the kingdom of Britannia wished to get it back, they would have to fight for it.

"What’s the response to the proposal I sent to the Radiant Empire? Did they agree to attack the Beast Kingdom while their elite forces are fighting alongside the Barbarians?" Samuel asked.

"No." King Augustus shook his head. "He said their empire prioritizes stabilization over expansion. They refuse to cooperate with us."

A moment of silence descended in the meeting room as the three decision-makers of the Kingdom failed to come up with a solution to their problem.

"If only the Aurelion Empire could assist us," Theodore said in a regretful tone. "I’m sure we can push them back if we get help from outside forces."

King Augustus smiled wryly. He knew King Druvis like the back of his hand. To him, it was all about benefits.

And now that the Aurelion Empire had captured Eden, they would do their best to fortify their position and prevent the barbarians from reclaiming their holy land.

They had no men to spare to help the Kingdom of Britannia. Even if they did, they would have to win their battle against the barbarians first.

Suddenly, a thought came to the King’s mind.

"Is Marco Frontera in the war zone?" King Augustus asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Theodore replied. "He is in charge of logistics."

"Then, I will issue a decree." King Augustus narrowed his eyes. "He is to become the negotiator of our kingdom. If he can’t make them compromise and come to the negotiation table, then..."

Samuel and the Prime Minister eyed the King with calm expressions on their faces. Clearly, the King’s old habit of pinning blame on others due to his failures was well known within his inner circle.

By now, they knew he was just bullying the viscount, whose son was rumored to be the chieftain of the tribe that caused delays in the Kingdom’s advance to the Borderlands.

"Add this to my decree," King Augustus stated. "If he fails to make the invaders form a compromise, his rank will be demoted to a Baron. Half of his lands will also be ceded to the Kingdom as punishment for failing to uphold the King’s order."

"Understood." Theodore fixed the glasses on his face as he prepared to write the King’s decree. "I will have this delivered at once."

When the Prime Minister left the room, Samuel also stood up and bid his King goodbye.

He didn’t really care about these petty political squabbles of the kingdom.

What he cared for was the time when he would finally be able to pay back those who had humiliated him in the past.

This included Lugh of the Radiant Empire and Gundar of the Borderlands.

"I’m happy that you’re still alive, Gundar," Samuel said softly as he walked through the empty hallways of the castle. "The one to kill you will be none other than me."

He had already made his preparations in advance. All he needed to do now was wait for Zepharion’s signal. When the time came, he could finally exact his revenge for the humiliation that he couldn’t forget... even in his dreams.

————

Somewhere in the Borderlands...

Gundar looked at the scattered bones on the ground as he did a bone reading for himself.

A frown appeared on his face as he read the message of the spirits.

"I see..." Gundar muttered. "So, it has come full circle..."

The great shaman of the Borderlands closed his eyes before heaving a long and deep sigh.

Surprisingly, the first person he saw in his mind was none other than Leone, who was still sleeping peacefully within Yuni’s embrace.