Rising Flames

Facing Illumina meant having to compete with other great powers trying to claim it.

Pernok wasn’t reckless enough to immediately turn the entire world into enemies.

Then how should he seize Illumina while repelling the threats from great powers?

Pernok had pierced through the essence of what the succession war possessed.

Conflict and chaos.

In a time when everything became sensitive, blood relations held no meaning.

Siblings blinded by the throne would start bloody competition, and their supporters would secretly act behind the scenes.

What if he could manipulate that part as desired?

If he made them fight and brawl among themselves without worrying about Pernok, gnawing away at their forces, wouldn’t he occupy an advantageous position even when facing them afterward?

The reason he’d already sent Ruin and Rio to check other royals was precisely this.

“We’ll be able to see each royal’s capabilities. Watch directly how they respond with their supporters and manipulate the situation to be even more chaotic accordingly.”

It was a huge stage that would shake not only domestically but internationally.

“It’d be nice if they respond stupidly, but even if they’re competent, there’s nothing bad for us. Eventually, when they exhaust themselves doubting and fighting each other, we can lead the stage.”

Pernok pointed to one spot on Illumina’s map.

“So we head here while waiting for that situation to arrive.”

The place where Pernok first became half-living in the mortal realm.

Marquis Falkion’s territory.

“We devour this place deeply connected to the First Prince.”

When the guild masters nodded heavily, Pernok grinned.

“Don’t be tense. Act as usual. Infiltrate secretly and burst forth spectacularly.”

Then Pernok designated the dates for the guild masters to join.

Because he thought Marquis Falkion’s territory would be on guard if they entered clumped in a huge mass.

Each would enter separately and sweep the territory before the Marquis Falkion could react.

Pernok already held the justification for that in his hands.

* * *

Pernok, Sallio, and Enri departed first as the advance party.

They also only led elite mages from the guild members.

“Hmm, a trading company?”

“That’s right.”

When Pernok smiled amiably, the guard stamped the entry pass.

“You may enter.”

“Thank you.”

Pernok and his party pulled the cart and settled at an outer tavern.

Watching Pernok leisurely ordering drinks, Enri was impressed.

“Oh, we really weren’t caught.”

There were mages above the castle gate.

Though he’d worried the guild members’ mana might be detected, they passed safely.

Because Pernok had veiled those guys’ eyes with magic.

“I just made it so they couldn’t sense mana. There’ll be no problem even when the follow-up forces enter.”

“Won’t the castle notice the truth?”

“Probably, the knight order sensed something strange. There’s a level 7 mage here. They’ll figure it out in one or two days.”

“Yet you’re peacefully drinking?”

“Don’t we have two whole days left? Let’s rest well today and move starting the day after tomorrow.”

Pernok didn’t look like someone participating in a succession war but like a tourist.

“But why aren’t we going straight to the capital?”

When Sallio asked courteously, Pernok answered calmly.

“Even if I go to the capital right now, do you think I could even step foot in the royal palace?”

“You’re also royalty. You inherited the blood, so what’s this about not being able to enter?”

“Illumina isn’t easy. Even delegations from other nations can’t step foot in the royal palace without formal invitations. Moreover, my current status is mercenary guild master. What do you think will happen if I spread now that I’m the former king’s bastard?”

“What could they do? They’ll just let you in.”

“And they’ll confine me. Very quietly.”

Illumina Kingdom has an S2 Magus.

That Magus is the First Prince’s confidant and boasts blind devotion following the Queen.

“Why is everyone so desperate to devour royals?”

“Illumina has special traditions matching its deformed structure.”

“All royals have one opportunity.”

At Sallio’s answer, Enri tilted his head.

“What does that mean?”

“It means giving fair opportunities to select excellent royals who can withstand pressure from other nations. Forces, territory, famous swords… various things are given one at a time. And that applies to me as a bastard too.”

“That means…”

“The reason the First Prince stabbed a sword into my chest was because of that. He wanted to eliminate variables.”

Enri nodded.

“I understand. But did he know what opportunity you’d receive and use such harsh means?”

“Most receive territories. Illumina’s land is quite large.”

“Right now Illumina has no empty territories, doesn’t it?”

“The reason for starting here is because of that.”

Pernok emptied his beer while wearing a refreshing smile.

“I’m going to act to gain the opportunity given to me.”

“Do you plan to bring Marquis Falkion under your command?”

Sallio seemed to have drawn a conclusion, but Pernok shook his head.

“Why would I keep such a pathetic bastard at my side?”

“Then…?”

“I’ll kill and seize it.”

“…!”

“Why so surprised? Didn’t I say I’d do that?”

Sallio and Enri blinked.

“No, I thought at most you’d just occupy…”

“I thought you intended to keep nobles at your side because you needed strength.”

Pernok let out a bitter laugh.

“They’re all useless tumor masses. They’re already clinging to other royals and selling even their souls. If I subdue such bastards with force and bring them to the land I establish, that nation will repeat the same acts as current Illumina.”

From the start, he had no intention of grasping Illumina.

“I’ll gain land and people. I’ll make exceptions if there are useful bastards, but aside from that, I’ll organize everything.”

“If you go radically, war will break out immediately, won’t it?”

“I need to create justification so they can’t stop it even knowing the intent.”

Justification so the capital couldn’t stop it even if Pernok seized Falkion.

When Sallio and Enri couldn’t think of it even pondering deeply, Pernok examined the entrance.

A man holding a wooden box entered and headed toward Pernok.

“I came as you ordered.”

“Any traces of anyone else entering?”

“None.”

“You worked hard. Tell Rio to secure the trade rights well.”

“Yes.”

When he placed a bag of gold coins, the man bowed and left the tavern.

When Pernok opened the wooden box, it was filled with ledgers.

Sallio examined the ledgers with interested eyes and asked.

“Guild Master, what are all these?”

“Marquis Falkion’s disgrace that I organized from the Fighting Pit. Not only that, but it also contains transaction records with other VIPs.”

“By VIPs you mean…”

“Famous tycoons and nearby nobles are mixed in too.”

Pernok closed the ledger and spoke firmly.

“I’ll kill them all.”

His smile deepened.

“The crime will be, well, royal contempt.”

“…!”

Only then understanding Pernok’s justification, Sallio and Enri widened their eyes in surprise.

Pernok distributed the ledgers one by one to them.

“We’ll organize nearby territories as soon as the other guild masters join. So for now, spread one rumor. That the marquis ran the Fighting Pit and killed innocent people.”

“I’ll make it so there’s no one in the castle who doesn’t know within two days.”

“I’ll spread it thoroughly too.”

Pernok nodded.

“After the rumor spreads, catch all the vile bastards following these VIP bastards in this territory and bring them all here.”

Sallio and Enri grinned and left the tavern.

Before the day waned, the rumor spread, and Marquis Falkion’s disgrace shook the castle.

* * *

“What? Fighting Pit?”

Marquis Falkion, receiving the report, frowned.

Long time had passed since the Fighting Pit collapsed.

“Why that suddenly?”

He couldn’t understand why the rumor was flowing out now.

However, because it was all true, it was uncomfortable to ignore.

“How do they know I’m connected to the Fighting Pit?”

On that day when the Fighting Pit’s manager urgently contacted the castle, the VIPs and manager were all found as cold corpses.

People all welcomed the knight order and rejoiced at the fact they’d escaped.

With the parties involved dead, who would know about the secret collusive relationship between the marquis and manager?

“Was there someone among those we released who knew the relationship between me and the manager?”

“Probably not. At that time, many people escaped so we couldn’t kill them, and we asked one by one. They all just cursed the Fighting Pit.”

“They could have pretended not to know.”

“If so, the talk would have circulated much earlier.”

The marquis frowned.

“Then who? What bastard?”

“We’re investigating the truth. You can just dismiss it as a simple rumor, so don’t worry too much.”

“Is this the time for such complacent talk?”

The marquis clicked his tongue at the administrator.

“The drought is already severe, making public sentiment turbulent. Thoroughly investigate where the rumor’s flowing from, and drag the impudent bastards before me.”

“Before you, Marquis?”

“Shouldn’t I know with what thoughts they spread such rumors!”

He intended to personally investigate how they knew about the relationship between the Fighting Pit and himself.

When the marquis became sharp, the administrator hurriedly bowed and left the office.

‘What the hell is this…’

The reason for dredging up past matters now was too unsettling.

‘…Could it be those bastards?’

Marquis Falkion suspected the VIPs’ children.

‘I pressed them several times lately for not listening, so are they using their fathers’ matters as leverage to threaten me?’

But he soon shook his head.

‘No, those bastards aren’t fools either, they wouldn’t broadcast their own families’ disgraces. Then who exactly?’

The close relationship between Marquis Falkion and the Fighting Pit was only known by the manager and VIPs involved.

In the process of handling the VIPs’ deaths, he had no choice but to share information with even their children, but he’d ruled the territory without any worries until now.

‘All the bastards managing the Fighting Pit should be dead.’

When organizing the Fighting Pit, to find the massive treasure the manager had hidden, he thoroughly investigated the people left in the Fighting Pit.

All became cold corpses, and those trying to escape only burst with joy at being liberated by the knight order.

They were now living well as territory residents.

The treasure and Fighting Pit should have been buried forever.

But.

“Lord, guests of the house have come.”

The VIPs’ children had come.

Since this was the first such case, Marquis Falkion spoke with a puzzled expression.

“Why?”

“They say there’s something urgent to discuss about the rumor.”

“What?”

“They even brought escorts.”

“Look at these crazy bastards.”

Were they going to protest using past matters?

They were definitely children of influential families indispensable to this castle. It was fair to see them as pillars supporting the marquisate.

But if they treated noble authority lightly, he intended to engrave clearly that they wouldn’t even be able to pick up their bones.

“Let them into the meeting hall. Bring the commander too.”

“Yes.”

The head chamberlain rushed out, and the marquis picked up his sword.

He needed to drive a wedge into this relationship where trust had vanished enough to waver at one rumor.

The marquis ordered the knight order deployed around the meeting hall and entered inside with the commander.

And when his eyes met theirs whom he was meeting for the first time since the Fighting Pit incident, Marquis Falkion felt a strange sense of dissonance.

Because those who entered confidently had pale complexions and fearful eyes.

‘The escorts are also strange.’

Each one had a person beside them.

Various age ranges and even showing smiles.

They weren’t the VIPs’ usual tense escorts.

It felt as if the VIP children seated were the escorts and those standing behind were the masters.

The inexplicable coldness was thickest at the head seat of the meeting hall.

“I wanted to see your face at least once, Marquis Falkion.”

Someone was sitting in his seat instead.

Not a VIP’s child. A completely unfamiliar person was leisurely watching Marquis Falkion.

“What are these things doing now…”

“Lord Marquis! Save us!”

It was the moment when one of the VIP children drenched in cold sweat desperately cried out.

The unfamiliar youth sitting at the head seat nodded, and the escort standing behind that child instantly snapped the child’s neck.

Crack!

The hair-raising sound blocked Marquis Falkion’s words.

“I warned that I’d kill anyone making noise.”

When the youth rose from his seat, the VIP children tensed sharply.

Pernok swept over them and grinned.

“Well, I had no intention of letting them live anyway.”

When Pernok’s mana flowed out and swirled in the space, everything froze.