Chapter 282

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Killian left, Sven entered the hollow.

Simon ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sat upright as though reviewing the sword duel from moments ago.

"Prince ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Killian has returned to the palace."

"Is ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that so?"

His ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍voice was dry.

"Are ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you all right?"

"There is no reason not to be."

At the same calm response as always, Sven opened his mouth.

"Prince Killian is a genius."

Outside the kingdom, Killian was known as a knight Simon Eurasia had secretly raised, but no one knew better than Sven that it was not true.

Simon Eurasia had poured his heart and soul into fostering the Gray Lancer Order.

The office of family head, his personal achievements, and even raising a knight order.

Even if Simon Eurasia divided up his time, there would not have been enough for all of it.

"Even I, who received Your Majesty's guidance, have only now reached 7-Star. Of those under my command, only ten have reached 6-Star. Yet every member of Prince Killian's Extermination Squad is at the 6-Star level, and Serena Constantine has already stabilized her 7-Star rank."

Of course, Simon had raised them from the beginning, while Killian had taken them over and raised them after they had already reached the level of senior knights.

Even so, it was difficult to deny that the accomplishments and pace of growth were extraordinary.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I wonder why you are being so cold toward Prince Killian."

"Sven, you do not think Killian was wrong?"

"That is correct. And I do not believe Your Majesty, as I know you, thinks differently."

"Your nagging is becoming more and more like Escardo's."

"……"

Even at being reproached for nagging, Sven did not lower his head.

That was because Simon himself had raised him that way.

The day Simon had him forge a Mana Heart in the past.

Simon had said that he wanted him to become an unyielding knight who would not bend even before him.

Though he did not wield a sword, Sven had continued training while engraving Simon Eurasia's beliefs and will into his body.

And so, he had awakened the same grey mana as Simon.

That must be why he had noticed that Simon was unlike his usual self only when dealing with Killian.

If it were the Simon he knew, he should have greatly praised Killian's actions.

"As you said, I do not think Killian did wrong."

"Then……?"

"But I am also that child's father."

"……"

"Ever since he came back from death, that child has seemed like a completely different person."

In only a few years, he had become a knight who had mastered 8-Star.

It was growth that could no longer be described by words like a sudden awakening.

"I do not know what Killian Eurasia is like as a knight."

"……?"

"But he is still a child."

Though he acted as if he understood the world.

"He has lived for no more than thirty years."

There had been times when Simon had averted his eyes because he could not bear to look at the child.

Whenever he saw him, he was reminded of a woman, and it felt as if his resolve to devote himself to the sword wavered, so he pushed him away.

He had even shifted that responsibility onto Escardo.

Only belatedly had he realized that he should not have done so.

It was dangerous for Killian to act that way while trusting only in his own strength. After all, Simon himself had once paid a great price in his childhood for doing the same.

Perhaps he had wanted to pass on at least that experience.

Unlike his other siblings, Killian had no mother.

"Well, though Escardo seems to be under the misconception that he has been playing the role of his mother."

"Your Majesty is quite fussy as well."

Seeing a side of Simon he had never seen before, Sven let out a hollow laugh.

"It has been a long time since I have heard that."

Aside from Escardo, Sven was likely the only one who could say such a thing to Simon.

"How are things on the side of the family heads?"

For the sake of training, Simon had practically shoved the king's administrative duties onto Escardo.

It was possible because there had been precedent for it since the time they were a family, and because Eurasia was a kingdom built on the sword.

In wartime, private matters could be ignored before the name of expediency.

Though even Escardo now seemed to find such a situation burdensome.

"They are pressing for Prince Killian to be held accountable and for the war with the Empire to be delayed so they can make at least minimal preparations."

"The issue is the timing."

There might be some who had stepped forward out of fear of the Empire, but most had likely risen up because they believed the timing was bad.

‘They too have lost much to the Monster Wave and the continuing war.’

In his hot-blooded youth, he would have scolded them for saying something foolish, but he was now in a position where he had to consider their circumstances as well.

"Tell Escardo that Killian has been dismissed as commander of the Extermination Squad. Also tell him that no orders are to be given to Killian for the time being."

Sven reacted as though surprised.

"For Prince Killian, that will be a gift rather than a punishment."

"Punishment is given when someone has done something wrong."

At Simon's matter-of-fact words, the corner of Sven's mouth twitched.

"I will inform the Commander of the Knights accordingly."

***

Thud.

Killian flopped onto the bed and recalled the sword strike from moments ago.

‘It was a complete defeat.’

He had not used Hazard within the pendant, nor the power of Hollyheart, his other heart.

‘Even if I had used everything, I could not have won.’

More than anything, it had been a contest of sword against sword.

What if he had used Palantir?

"It would have been blocked."

His incomplete Palantir would not have been able to withstand the current Simon.

He recalled how the three Carpe Illusions had been countered.

‘Even Isaac Heinrich, fused with a demonic god stone, was not that overwhelmingly powerful.’

In other words, this was true 9-Star.

Power attained by walking one's own path rather than relying on another power.

"His Majesty reached 9-Star on his own."

When he had been in the form of a sword, the only ones who had faced 9-Star directly were Edan Eurasia and the Monster Lord who had opposed him.

"Anyway."

At first, he had felt resentful, but now he could only smile gladly.

His emotions had been shaken by Simon's unwavering attitude, but thinking about it now, he was right.

Until now, Killian had not been entirely free of a tendency to act as he pleased.

Of course, that did not mean he thought his own reasoning was wrong.

"Eurasia is no longer a frontier family."

Nor was it a weak kingdom that had to worry about famine and vassal states.

Eurasia alone commanded nearly a thousand knights, and with the knights and mages of its affiliated families, the number reached three thousand.

Furthermore, when rangers and infantry were included, it could raise a force of as many as ten thousand.

Since acquiring a medium-sized Warp Gate, merchant-company activity had also become lively, invigorating the economy.

That was why Eurasia had been able to recover quickly from successive wars and become even stronger than before.

‘It is solid.’

Killian had been able to leave the position of commander of the Extermination Squad vacant and go abroad without concern because Eurasia had already built a certain degree of structure.

And it was Simon Eurasia who had laid that foundation.

‘I never thought Eurasia would produce a descendant who surpassed Edan.’

A meaningless laugh escaped him.

‘That Edan, did he see this far ahead?’

Yet that man had stripped Killian of his qualification to command the Extermination Squad.

He merely needed to cleanly accept his defeat and focus on his own affairs.

This should also calm the family heads' opposition to some extent.

"The Extermination Squad will have to focus on recovery for the time being. So I suddenly have free time."

No order of confinement had been issued.

It had been a long time since he had been free without a position.

After resting well for a day, Killian visited the commander's office of the Blue Knight Order the next day.

"Are you all right?"

Julian welcomed him with a face mixed with concern and delight.

"Why would I not be all right?"

"Honestly, the things you say……"

"I need to know what is happening."

The Extermination Squad had been told to remain at the temples or be diligent in their respective duties, and it would have been strange for Killian to appear to be associating with Hennessy and Absinthe.

Therefore, Julian was his only immediate source that could be called an information network.

Julian, too, did not seem to dislike Killian relying on him.

"The Empire has issued an expulsion order to the temples in its own territory and in the vassal states."

The territories of the Empire and its vassal states occupied more than half the continent.

There would be over a hundred temples being expelled.

"They intend to cut off the funding before a physical war."

The Holy Nation's greatest weapon was the priests' recovery formulas.

The recovery formulas, which every priest learned, were indispensable to commoners and nobles alike.

The mages had healing magic, but it did not compare to the recovery formulas.

Furthermore, if even religious freedom was taken away, the Empire would have no choice but to take the nobles' backlash into account.

"Now that they have drawn their sword, the Empire will not be inclined to yield. And its blade will turn toward Eurasia, which set this situation in motion."

"Would Eurasia not have the advantage if we can receive the Holy Nation's aid?"

"If we can receive it, yes."

"What do you mean? They have been dragged into a war as well, so naturally we should join forces."

"The Holy Nation has never intervened in a war."

No matter if the Pope and the king agreed.

"It will not be easy for them to side with either party either."

"That is foolish. Their country's survival and their own lives are at stake; there is no way they would make such a foolish choice……"

"Religion is not something that can be considered so simply."

From the moment they intervened in Eurasia's war.

"It would also affect the convictions the priests have held for a long time."

Julian's brow furrowed.

It seemed that Killian was plotting something using the relationship with the Holy Nation and its temples that he had built.

"What do you plan to do now? I heard that aside from stripping you of the position of commander of the Extermination Squad, His Majesty the Emperor gave no other punishment."

"I have no position and no orders, so I should rest."

"You are still the Tactician of the Blue Knight Order and the Yellow Knight Order."

"That is true, but."

The two knight orders had been placed under an emergency alert in preparation for war.

"Would you not like to return as a Tactician after a long time and act with me?"

‘As expected, he had something up his sleeve.’

The ambition blazing in Julian's eyes seemed to reach all the way here, and Killian had to hold back a laugh.

"Did the Queen tell you to do this?"

"Whenever anything happens, you look for your mother first."

Julian's reaction became his answer.

"Well, it would not be bad to guide the knights again after a long time."

Julian's face brightened.

When they headed to the Training Ground, Hector welcomed them.

"Prince, I heard you caused quite a big incident."

"The rumors travel quickly. Has your skill improved at all?"

"Haha. I am Hector, called the butt butcher of the Blue Knight Order……"

"Raise your sword."

A short while later.

"Keh……"

Hector groaned as he rolled across the ground.

"Centurion Hector got his butt kicked!"

"Tactician! Kick the Centurion until his butt wears out!!"

The knights of the Blue Knight Order reacted boisterously.

"Kugh. Be quiet, you bastards!!"

"5-Star…… Compared to when I first saw you, that is remarkable progress."

It was growth fitting of an attendant who had seen all manner of harsh sights while keeping Julian company.

"But at that level, it will be difficult to save your butt."

"Kugh…… I will take that to heart."

Afterward, he visited the Yellow Knight Order as well and sparred with them.

In the evenings, Julian came to tell him about the state of affairs on the continent.

"Stabilizing 9-Star. It will not be easy alone."

He could not help regretting that he had been defeated before he could show Palantir. If it were Simon, he could gain sufficient insight merely by seeing it once.

It seemed ridiculous to seek him out now, so Killian decided to remain quiet.

Several days like any other passed.

On an afternoon when he was overseeing the training of the Blue Knight Order and Yellow Knight Order, checking on Hazard as he acted cute toward the Head Apothecary, and sending away Haman, who would not leave because he said he would play Chamberlain again after a long time.

A visitor came to his room.

"Prince Killian, I am Lucy Eurasia."

She was Damian's mother.