Owner of the Throne

Who could have imagined that bloodlines that had carried Illumina’s history for hundreds of years would die so easily?

Each time a royal or noble head fell, the people swallowed their voices at the unbelievable spectacle.

In contrast, the royals and nobles on the platform screamed louder with each death beside them.

“Kyaaaah!”

“P-please spare me!”

“I’ll devote my loyalty to you, Your Majesty!”

Pernok cut down those who begged without a hint of emotion. By now, their charges no longer rang in the people’s ears.

Those paralyzed by terror could only clatter their teeth together before becoming dew on the executioner’s block.

Before long, only the sound of Pernok’s footsteps echoed through the center of the silent plaza.

The gaze of countless people turned toward the last prisoner, who had remained silent throughout.

Pernok’s sword stopped before Phillena’s neck.

“Trying to preserve some last shred of pride, are we? I expected you to beg for your life, but you have more courage than you look.”

“…Cursed bastard.”

Phillena raised her head and glared at Pernok.

“I was well aware of my king’s debauchery, but I never imagined he would have a bastard like you. When Vans said he would kill the bastards, I should have gladly joined him! If I had, this country wouldn’t have fallen into ruin!”

“Hahaha, the nation had already become prey for powerful countries—how foolish to think the throne you seized represented Illumina’s destiny. What truly ignorant and presumptuous thinking.”

“You never properly competed in the trial! How dare you speak of the kingdom’s legitimacy when you deny Illumina’s history and traditions!”

“The trial was a flawed tradition from the start. Nothing more than a fabrication created without understanding its true meaning, allowing cowards like Vans to inherit the throne.”

“That’s what you want to believe, isn’t it? And just as you said, you’ll fabricate a false history anew.”

“Your foolishness knows no bounds. Then again, if you had known the truth, you would have questioned the king’s seal from the beginning.”

Phillena furrowed her brow.

“The king’s seal?”

“How do you think I safely sent the royal army to Vans? Why didn’t the border garrison move? Have you ever considered these questions?”

Come to think of it, all the events Pernok mentioned shared a common thread—they could only happen with the king’s orders.

“I have one too. A proper seal.”

“What…?”

“The second king, Bamont, hid the true seal and commanded the next king to find it. But the third king defied Bamont’s order, created a fake seal, and fabricated the trial to find the king’s tomb.”

“What nonsense are you…”

Phillena couldn’t finish her words.

The object Pernok briefly revealed from his breast.

The king’s seal was glinting there.

“Thanks to that, I had quite an amusing time. How fortunate that no one questioned the seal.”

Phillena’s eyes shook violently.

As the unbelievable reality approached before her eyes, the chaos she had disguised as composure surged forth.

“When you die and meet my client, tell them I successfully fulfilled their lingering wish.”

She couldn’t understand what he meant.

As her gaze filled with bewilderment turned toward Pernok, a dry gleam flashed.

Slash!

A sharp sound pierced through the plaza enveloped in silence.

Even as Phillena’s head rolled off the platform, only stillness settled over the people.

Pernok turned to face the people.

“Phillena and Vans, along with countless royals and nobles, sought to bring in foreign enemies to harm their own people during the nation’s time of hardship! Though I, Pernok, was born a bastard, I stand here to fulfill the duty inscribed in royal blood, and I dare declare!”

As Pernok drove his executioner’s sword into the ground, a resonant echo spread forth.

“I will stop Princess Yuliana, who seeks to invade the royal castle again using the border garrison, and rebuild this nation from the ground up! Therefore, the newly born kingdom shall be a nation for the people, living and breathing together with them!”

In that moment, his retainers arrayed in the plaza straightened with solemn expressions and cried out.

“Glory to the kingdom for His Majesty Pernok!”

“Prosperity to the kingdom for His Majesty Pernok!”

“Valor to the kingdom for His Majesty Pernok!”

“Faith to the kingdom for His Majesty Pernok!”

They proclaimed in unison.

“We dedicate the future of the kingdom to Your Majesty with our lives and loyalty!”

Looking down at his subordinates kneeling simultaneously, Pernok nodded.

“We shall execute the kingdom’s traitors and establish our glory upon this land!”

Then he transformed The First into the shape of a sword and raised it high as if to pierce the sun.

“All forces! We march!”

Yuliana received word of the massacre that had unfolded at the royal castle.

“We’re next.”

Border garrison commander Conta and his officers sat in the barracks with hardened expressions.

They had actively engaged with Yuliana since hearing news that Phillena would mount the execution platform.

The anxiety that they might be next had spread with news of the execution.

And the moment they saw the Tyr army assembling before the border, they entered negotiations with Yuliana.

“Commander Conta, what will you do?”

“Rather, I’d like to ask Your Highness. What do you intend to do with us?”

“I’ll combine the hundred thousand border garrison with fifty thousand from Tyr and strike the royal castle.”

“However, there’s a Magus there…”

“First, I’ve heard the deal with the Holy Kingdom concluded well, and the high priest will withdraw from Illumina.”

“…Is that truly the case?”

“His Majesty Suira guaranteed it.”

“Then what about the remaining Magi?”

“We’ll counter Pernok and Duke Flemyr with our own Magi. Marquis Morfo here, and Prince Jan who will join us soon.”

“Prince… Jan?”

“He’s my fiancé, and a mage who devours Tyr’s Magi.”

“…!”

“What’s there to hide at this point? I’ve respected the military for a long time. I’ve had a strong will to make Illumina powerful through strong military authority. And Commander Conta, I’ve always wanted to bring you into my faction. Though there was no opportunity because of Vans.”

Conta let out a cough.

Yuliana smiled faintly and gazed at Conta.

“Just as I once joined hands with Pernok, it’s already the past. Going forward, I want to accomplish much with Commander Conta in the kingdom.”

“That’s right. The only remaining ‘legitimate’ one, aren’t you?”

“If the Commander helps me, there’s nothing we can’t do in Illumina.”

“Then…”

Conta, making eye contact with his officers, nodded.

“In exchange for joining hands to invade the royal castle, guarantee me the title of duke, and treat those who follow me with honor.”

“Do they all want titles?”

“If possible, we’d like to obtain estates as well.”

The greed was excessive.

But Yuliana had no choice but to join hands with Conta.

She too judged that her value only existed while she was a princess of Illumina.

The moment she failed to obtain the throne, being abandoned by Tyr was as clear as day.

‘I can’t very well hand over the border garrison to Tyr either.’

She had even considered the option of naturalizing the hundred-thousand-strong army into Tyr.

If she commanded that army, she thought she would receive good treatment in Tyr even if she couldn’t obtain the throne.

But Pernok’s allied forces were the problem.

If they finished all their preparations and invaded Tyr using the border garrison as justification, bearing that disaster would be overwhelming.

Rather, they had to strike Pernok now, during this period when Rezhen and the Mage Association needed to reorganize due to Rakis’s attack.

Pernok had also suffered significant troop losses from clashing with Vans.

The only opportunity to obtain the throne was this moment, before Pernok and his allies could properly reorganize.

“Fine. Once I obtain the throne, I promise.”

“I’ll do my utmost so you won’t regret your choice, Your Highness.”

“You’ll have to stake your life. We have nowhere left to retreat.”

Conta cried out with a resolute expression.

“Understood. But when are you planning to depart?”

“I heard there are Rezhen forces within the border. First, we’ll push forward with current forces to drive out the Rezhen army and swallow castles that can serve as bases. Then, the moment Prince Jan arrives leading twenty thousand troops, we’ll launch a full offensive.”

“I know of several castles that could serve as forward bases.”

“Let’s move immediately.”

Conta and Yuliana reorganized their forces.

The Tyr soldiers posed no problem, but there was some confusion in the border garrison.

The soldiers had also heard what was happening at the royal castle.

When words emerged suggesting this was tantamount to treason, Conta personally stepped forward and shouted.

“Prince Pernok refused the legitimate trial and seized the throne by force. But how can that be called a true king! He even purged our beloved Queen Phillena and obtained false authority through bloodshed—we shall reclaim it with our own hands! We must directly restore the foundations of this nation with our own hands!”

Yuliana also stepped forward to control the border garrison.

When she declared she would immediately execute anyone spreading malicious rumors, no one dared speak of the rumors from the royal castle.

Before doubt and confusion could wash away, the garrison had to accept Yuliana’s command.

She tried to break through the encirclement between the garrison and Rezhen first, using the existing thirty thousand Tyr troops as the vanguard.

“…?”

However, the Rezhen forces that had been pressuring the border garrison from within had vanished.

One plan to personally stand at the front, enduring some casualties, and lead the border garrison through valor went awry.

But as no troop losses occurred, she considered it an opportunity instead and continued the march.

“Heaven shines upon us! Pernok’s false crown shall return to its rightful place!”

Victory on the battlefield directly translates to morale.

They spread rumors that the Rezhen army had fled in terror and captured numerous castles.

The border garrison gradually fell into the delusion that they were truly writing the kingdom’s history.

As matters proceeded far too smoothly, Conta came to believe unshakably in Yuliana’s tactics.

‘Right. They’re also exhausted from fighting Rakis. As Her Highness Yuliana said, now while they’re reorganizing forces is the first and last opportunity!’

Before long, Conta was riding alongside Yuliana.

While at it, he even mobilized the second army stationed at the border.

Judging that they no longer needed to test the waters, he converted all forces to a full offensive.

“Marquis, what’s the situation at the royal castle?”

“According to our intelligence, Pernok is personally gathering troops.”

“You mean he still hasn’t departed from the royal castle?”

“It seems some problem has arisen.”

Morfo was in charge of all intelligence for this throne reclamation army using Tyr’s intelligence network.

Conta, hearing Tyr’s intelligence from nearby, tilted his head.

“That’s strange. We’ve already passed five castles. But he’s still at the royal castle?”

“We’ve reviewed this matter multiple times, Commander Conta.”

“Marquis Morfo, shall we send someone to the royal castle from our side?”

“Are you doubting Tyr’s intelligence network?”

Conta coughed and replied.

“Ahem, it’s not that. It’s just so quiet, we want to confirm ourselves if there’s some other scheme. You also look tired handling the royal castle situation alone…”

“It’s fine, so the border garrison should conserve its strength. Intelligence warfare is an area where we Tyr are confident.”

“The Marquis is right. If Pernok hasn’t departed from the royal castle, it surely means a problem related to the alliance has occurred.”

Adding to Morfo’s opinion, Yuliana grinned.

“We can set up camp near the royal castle.”

“But Your Highness, didn’t you say we’d wait for Prince Jan?”

“It must be an alliance-related matter. It’s an opportunity for us. Let’s pick up the pace!”

There was no time to worry about what problem had occurred for Pernok.

If he couldn’t depart from the royal castle, they would secure as many bases as possible as quickly as possible to make resupply smooth.

Yuliana’s momentum seemed to pierce the heavens.

In a fortnight, they swallowed all the castles on the shortest path to the royal castle. The condition of the troops, who hadn’t experienced a single major clash, was also excellent.

‘This is doable.’

Though Jan hadn’t yet arrived, the mere fact that Pernok was at the royal castle led Yuliana to occupy even more castles.

Around the time another fortnight had passed.

The moment they arrived at the castle they intended to make their final base, Yuliana tilted her head.

“Why…?”

Pernok’s banner was flying over the castle.

Even at a glance, a great army easily exceeding thirty thousand was defending the castle, and one person was walking forward from the castle gates.

It was Pernok.

He drew his sword and cried out.

“Yuliana al Illumina exploited her royal status to incite the border garrison, invaded and conquered Illumina’s castles, and plunged the kingdom into war! That crime rivals Vans, who brought in foreign enemies, and therefore this king shall behead Yuliana, border garrison commander Conta, and the nobles to properly establish the kingdom’s order!”

Yuliana hurriedly turned her head.

“M-Marquis? Pernok is at the royal castle…?”

“I apologize, Your Highness.”

When Morfo raised his baton, trumpet sounds rang out and Tyr forces began moving aside.

Not only Yuliana but also Conta and his officers sent blank stares at the absurd situation.

“Tyr will maintain good relations with His Majesty Pernok.”

“Wh-what?”

“This is His Majesty Suira’s will. And Prince Jan is at the royal castle right now, so please don’t bother waiting.”

“M-Marquis…?”

Morfo clicked his tongue at the flustered Yuliana, finding her pitiful.

“The merchant Your Highness let slip away was one of King Pernok’s retainers. And he directly expressed the king’s position to His Majesty Suira. His Majesty Suira sent a positive response and ordered us to abandon Princess Yuliana.”

“…!”

“I received orders to monopolize intelligence and deceive Your Highness’s ears while His Majesty Pernok set up camp here. We don’t even need Rezhen and the Mage Association. Right now, an S3 Magus is with them in that castle.”

“H-how could you do this to me…?”

“National interests are originally like reeds swaying in the wind, bound to lean toward whichever side benefits the nation. You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.”

Morfo cleanly separated the Tyr forces from the main body and began setting up camp to the west.

The moment Conta, belatedly grasping the situation, reddened his face and tried to strike at Tyr.

BOOOOOM!

The terrain Pernok was walking across began to collapse.

Fearsome mana that was difficult even to speak of.

And something incomprehensible surrounded his body.

Having entered full-body weaponization, Pernok walked alone toward the hundred-thousand-strong army.

“I’d like to see how far I can go.”

As a chilling voice pierced through, Yuliana’s spine went rigid.

“Struggle to the very end.”

30… 31… 32…

The First’s circulation amplified beyond when it faced Phillena.

A lightly swung sword, as if wanting to test where the current limit was, distorted the atmosphere.