kscans

CHAPTER 6 FYUZARION – Episode 8 The Shinkai Army’s Second Invasion (Part 2)

5

“You shall die in despair.”

Those were the cursed words that Count Grismo hurled at Julelan. While pretending to pledge allegiance to the Kingdom of Parzam, Count Grismo had been waiting for an opportunity to avenge the destruction of his homeland, Carizau. King Wendelland and General Napara Fujimo had died after being poisoned by the court physician and the steward they had trusted for many years. Julelan was nearly assassinated by hereditary vassals and knights of the guard. But this was the real target.

The First Concubine is a princess from the Argolide ducal family. She is the daughter of Marquis Baucles, the eldest son of the current duke, and if it were not for the event of welcoming Princess Shernelia from the Goriora Empire, she would probably have become Julelan’s principal wife. To die stabbed by one’s own wife with a poisoned dagger. Indeed, that befits the words “to die in despair.” This assassination was probably supposed to happen much earlier. However, due to the unexpected turn of events of welcoming a principal wife from another country, the conditions for triggering the assassination order were not met, although it is unclear what they were. Thinking this way, it all makes sense. It is unknown how they lured the princess, who would have lived deep within a great noble family, into the large black carriage, but it is safe to assume that this assassination was set up around the same time as the king’s physician and the general’s steward. The reason is that when summoned to the capital after the great demonic beast invasion, Julelan had reported about the large black carriage, and since then, the patrol units had been keeping a close eye on the capital, especially around the palace and the special district of Izanel. The vicious part of this plan is that even if one notices the possibility, one cannot detain the First Concubine or cancel the marriage without solid evidence. That would be too great a wound for the royal family and the ducal family.

‘Jule. Jule. Are you alive? Forgive my ignorance.’

Bard has in his possession a sacred treasure that can repel mental curses. The bracelet of Yana. Perhaps with this sacred treasure, the curse placed on the First Concubine could have been lifted. But Bard suppressed the despair and regret welling up in his heart. Now is not the time to be troubled or lost.

Arflaburne and Dusselburne found this letter suspicious. There was nothing written about the war. Why? The ambassador had not been informed of anything.

This leads to the following conclusion. Shinkai and Goriora intend to invade Parzam without a declaration of war. Currently, there is a military alliance and trade agreements between Goriora, Parzam, and Gaineria, and even now, Parzam merchant caravans are resting and conducting business at the castle. They are going to invade a country with which they have such a relationship, almost like a sneak attack. Goriora will lose its integrity as a nation, and it will never be able to regain it.

The two made their decision quickly. They immediately wrote a letter to the ambassador to inform him of the situation in their home country. They also explained to the merchants that Shinkai had begun invading the Central Plains again and advised them to retreat to safe areas in their own countries. The merchants raised a great outcry of dissatisfaction. It is only natural, as returning without doing business would result in great losses. Moreover, many of them are commissioned by lords, that is, knights from various regions, to conduct business, so there is more to it than just profit and loss. Many merchants returned to their respective countries, but some remained at the castle. Furthermore, they took the initiative to send a letter to Gaineria explaining the circumstances. Although there was no ambassador stationed in Gaineria and a certain degree of necessary coordination was left to the discretion of Count Lordvan, this was a very risky action.

Two days later, another messenger came from the ambassador. Naturally, the letter from here had not yet arrived, so this messenger was sent before reading it.

It contained information about the Shinkai army’s invasion of Parzam. Apparently, before attacking the Goriora Empire, the Shinkai army had already invaded towns in western Parzam. On March 21st, a large Shinkai army suddenly attacked and took control of the city of Fargo. Two days later, they took control of Ezite. The news reached Casse. The Casse governor sent an urgent messenger to the capital and prepared for a defensive battle. On March 28th, the Shinkai army appeared in Casse and launched a fierce attack. Casse fell in three days. The General of Greed captured the Casse governor and his family and relatives, dragged them to Hillpri Marche, and had them drawn and quartered. He then scattered their blood and entrails across Hillpri Marche.

Shinkai’s treatment of Fargo, Ezite, and Casse was completely different from their previous leniency. All the knights who failed to escape were killed, and soldiers and administrators were dispatched from Shinkai to rule the people with fear and violence. The ambassador denounced the Parzam side’s actions of concealing such extremely important information until today as unforgivable.

This information revealed the actions of the Shinkai army prior to the invasion of Goriora. However, Arflaburne and Dusselburne thought their actions were puzzling. It may sound good to say that they secured a foothold in advance, but it would have been better to quickly attack and capture the imperial capital of Goriora. Facing two countries at once might have made them unable to move. It seemed unnatural and wasteful and risky in terms of route. No matter how they looked at it, it did not seem like an efficient way of doing things. Arflaburne and Dusselburne tilted their heads in agreement.

Bard explained to the two. ‘No, this is a spell,’ he said. It was something that the General of Greed absolutely had to do.

In the war three years ago, the Shinkai army had advanced to the throat of Parzam’s capital. At that time, Parzam performed the “Four Thanks Dance,” and the spiritual power of the gods drawn by it protected Parzam. Since then, the Shinkai army had suffered defeat after defeat, and finally, at Hillpri Marche, the commander-in-chief, the General of Greed, was defeated and shed blood, and they had to abandon all occupied territories and withdraw. That spiritual power still covers the land of Parzam. If this is not nullified, any military action by Shinkai will be in jeopardy. That is why the General of Greed defiled Hillpri Marche, the land that had become the site of defeat, the cursed land that had absorbed his own blood, the land that could be said to be spiritually united and identical to all the territories of Parzam, with the blood of the Casse governor’s family, who had been placed as a symbol of victory.

Bard is a thorough realist and despises superstition and unfounded rumors. That is precisely why, through his many years of military service, he knows as a fact that battles in which one prays to the gods and borrows their power are strong. The tides of war are like a living creature, changing its form from moment to moment. Even the side with overwhelming advantage can swiftly be driven to defeat. Such momentum and flow of battle are beyond human control. The weather, such as sunlight and rain, are also beyond the reach of human power. These are all under the dominion of the divine spirits. The General of Greed managed to reverse his own declining fortunes through a blood ritual. The divine spirits no longer protect Parzam, for they have accepted the offerings made by the General of Greed. The Shinkai soldiers have become troops who never doubt victory. There is no army more terrifying than this.

Arflaburne and Dusselburne listened to Bard’s explanation and nodded deeply. Then Dusselburne raised a new question.

“Wait a moment. I understand up to that point. But then, why did the General of Greed not attack Parzam immediately? If he had launched an invasion with the same terrifying speed as when he captured the imperial capital of Goriora, could he not have taken the royal capital of Parzam as well? If so, he could have then attacked Goriora with the national power of Parzam behind him. I don’t understand why he first captured Fargo, Ezite, and Casse, and then immediately attacked Goriora. Doing so would only make Parzam more vigilant and prepare their defenses. Fargo, Ezite, and Casse may each be important strongholds, but from the perspective of Parzam’s heart, the royal capital, they are merely provincial cities. Even if these cities fell, it would not greatly diminish the power of the Parzam nation, and would only invite their anger.”

Upon hearing Dusselburne’s question, Bard and Arflaburne looked at each other. Arflaburne gave a slight nod, signaling that he would provide the explanation.

“Dusselburne, that approach would not work. If he did it that way, Goriora could not be taken.”

“Why is that? In reality, the imperial capital of Goriora was captured without resistance, was it not?”

“There was something unnatural about the way it fell. While there were knights who tried to protect the castle gates, there were also knights who tried to stop the gates from being closed. There were even knights who led the Shinkai army towards the imperial palace. Furthermore, one of the commanders of the imperial guard abandoned his defensive position and made moves as if to welcome the enemy. They were puppets. The General of Greed had turned several important knights into his puppets in preparation for attacking Goriora. Whether it was due to some mysterious art of manipulating hearts, or through bribery and threats, I do not know. But he struck at vital points with hateful precision.”

“Puppets, you say… But could those puppets not have also been effective when attacking Goriora after the fall of Parzam’s royal capital?”

“No, that would not work. Listen carefully. Our country formed a military alliance with Parzam. If the royal capital of Parzam were to fall, we would have to send reinforcements. Moreover, if the enemy is the Shinkai army, there would be major restructuring. There’s no telling where the turned puppets would be transferred to. The defensive formation of the imperial palace would naturally be reviewed as well. Even without that, at least three years have passed since the General of Greed planted his puppets. Some information about the large black carriage had reached the imperial capital, and the city guards were on alert, so it had not entered recently. If Goriora was not attacked immediately, the carefully placed puppets would have become useless. That’s why the General of Greed absolutely needed to attack Goriora right after capturing Casse.”

That’s right. Exactly. There are also differences in the national systems. In Goriora, controlling the emperor means controlling the entire nation. If the emperor issues an order, the nobles across the country will obey. No matter how much doubt or dissatisfaction they may have, they will obey initially. In exchange, an emperor who misgoverns will quickly face assassination. However, in Parzam, the king’s authority is not that strong. If he issues unreasonable orders, there will be lords who disobey.

But Bard thought to himself, the actions of the Shinkai army this time were abnormal.

Bard also pondered the contents of the so-called large black carriage. What was inside it? Why were those who entered it manipulated? Moreover, to those around them, they appeared normal at a glance, but when the time came, they would act as puppets. This suggested an extremely precise and complex curse had been cast. Could it be… Dragonoids? There was a Dragonoid who manipulated even the heart of the Queen of Manuno. Didn’t the queen say that Dragonoid had especially strong powers even among its kind? In any case, no matter how they confront the Shinkai army, the problem of the black carriage would have to be dealt with somehow. So thought Bard. In fact, by this point, the threat of the large black carriage had already disappeared, but Bard would not learn of this until some time later.

6

Three days later, a secret envoy arrived from Marquis Vodres. The marquis, regretting the incident where his daughter, the emperor’s consort, tried to assassinate Doriatessa, wanted to make amends to House Fafarlen. Being a man who valued honor in the first place, House Fafarlen trusted this marquis and had taken measures to ensure he would not receive excessive punishment.

The secret envoy was Count Budgun Ehrenthal of Edinas, the marquis’ right-hand man among right-hand men. He said the ladies of House Fafarlen were being well protected, and although the imperial palace demanded they be handed over, the request was refused. In other words, Arflaburne’s wife was also safe, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief for now. Budgun informed them of what had happened at the imperial palace.

After the Shinkai army took control of the palace and the emperor issued an edict surrendering to them, the influential lords residing in the imperial capital received an emergency summons. Marquis Fafarlen and Marquis Vodres attended the palace together. After being separated from their guards, they were guided to an inner garden where a large black carriage awaited. Upon seeing it, Marquis Fafarlen cried out.

“Inside the black carriage is a monster that can freely manipulate human hearts. His Majesty the Emperor must also be controlled by the monster. We must slay the monster and save His Majesty!”

Marquis Vodres had also heard about the black carriage from Arflaburne, so he immediately understood Marquis Fafarlen’s words. However, this information had been kept from the other lords, so their reaction was slow. The Imperial Guards restrained Duke Fafarlen, but he broke free, snatched a sword from an Imperial Knight, and charged towards the black carriage. However, just before reaching it, he was cut down by the knights of Shinkai. Duke Vodres, unarmed, could only watch helplessly.

Duke Fafarlen’s corpse was carried away, and once again, the lords entered the black carriage one by one. Separated from their escorts and with swords pointed at them by the Imperial Guards, they had no choice but to comply. Just as it was Duke Vodres’ turn, an unexpected event occurred. A volley of arrows was fired from the second floor of the opposite building. The arrows from the elite archers turned the black carriage into a pincushion in an instant. Despite its sturdy construction, numerous arrows flew inside through the covered windows. The one who ordered the shooting was Crown Prince Cantierroy, a perceptive and decisive young man who deeply trusted Duke Fafarlen. The palace was thrown into chaos, and Duke Vodres managed to escape.

Upon returning home, the Duke immediately summoned Budgun and gave him instructions, well aware that it was a race against time. Budgun first headed to the Fafarlen household, only to find that the prominent knights were absent, and the steward had already left for the palace. The women of the Fafarlen family were said to be heading to the Vodres household. Budgun encountered a group of carriages that seemed to match this description but hid and let them pass.

At this moment, Budgun hesitated. According to his orders, he should have quickly informed the Fafarlen household of the situation and immediately headed to Lordvan Castle. However, if he pursued the steward now, he might be able to save his life. The steward was too valuable to lose. In the end, Budgun chose to pursue the steward. He caught up with him and explained the situation, urging him not to go to the palace, which was now controlled by suspicious individuals. The steward listened but replied that since there was an official summons to retrieve his lord’s remains, failing to respond would tarnish the honor of the Fafarlen household. He said,

“I am grateful for your kindness. Please convey my regards to Duke Vodres. I implore you to take care of the young lords. Amidst this turmoil, I am endlessly thankful for the fortune that all four young lords of Fafarlen were outside the capital. If anyone wishes to see the heart within these old ribs, I shall show it to them. My lord must be awaiting companions for his journey to the afterlife.”

Extracting the heart and burying it separately from the body was a punishment reserved for traitors. Having witnessed the steward’s resolve, Budgun had no more words to add. After parting with the steward, he attempted to escape the capital but ultimately, this delay proved fatal. All the gates of the capital were closed. One could enter from the outside but not leave from within. While biding his time in hiding, he gathered some information.

It was officially announced that the Goriora Empire had formed an alliance with the Shinkai Kingdom to attack the Parzam Kingdom. As Shinkai and Parzam were already in a state of war, no new declaration of war would be made. Crown Prince Cantierroy, having gone mad, was deposed and imprisoned. All knights of the rank of count or higher, except those with special duties, were ordered by imperial decree to assemble in the capital to join the war. However, those near Lordvan Castle were to gather there. The Goriora army would be personally led by the Emperor himself. The supreme military commander would be Lugurgoa Geskas, the Grand General of the Shinkai Kingdom.

The decree contained many shocking details, but the most astonishing was that the Emperor himself would lead the campaign. The Emperor never leaves the capital, rarely even venturing outside the palace. Yet, he was going to campaign far away in Parzam after deposing the Crown Prince without even designating a successor. It was hard to believe this was the act of a sane mind. However, it was also effective. Even if some lords had doubts about the war itself, the fact that the Emperor was personally leading the campaign carried immense weight, making it impossible for them not to join. With the Emperor absent, the Council of Elders could not convene, so any discussion of right and wrong would have to wait until everything was over.

The fact that the Shinkai army allegedly used dark arts to manipulate people’s minds was not publicly disclosed in the Goriora Empire for political reasons. Even if it were, admitting that the Emperor himself was manipulated by others would be unthinkable. It would inflict irreparable damage to the power base of the Emperor being a sacred and inviolable living deity. This was an issue that transcended the righteousness or even the life and death of the current Emperor. It was a matter concerning the very foundation of the nation’s existence. An imperial decree is an imperial decree, there is no such thing as a mistaken decree.

Knight Budgun also learned that the ladies of the Fafarlen household were being sheltered by the Vodres family, and that a request for their handover from the palace had been refused. In the midst of all this, a knight he was acquainted with was tasked to guard the city gates, allowing Budgun to escape the capital and arrive at Lordvan Castle.

The contents of the report were astonishing. The entire nation had been thrown into turmoil. The situation of the Fafarlen household, in particular, was in grave danger. Yet, even in this predicament, Arflaburne seemed to have a certain composure. Bard was impressed, thinking he was quite something. At this point, Bard had no idea that he himself was the basis for that composure.

Furthermore, from Knight Budgun’s report, it was also revealed that the General of Greed had reclaimed his sword. Even Bard was unaware that this sword had once been transported to the Parzam royal palace as a war trophy. It took five knights to lift it, and it was carried on a special carriage with an iron base and iron wheels. According to swordsmiths, the sword was made of a unique material containing ample amounts of Holy Hard Silver. In other words, it was a type of magic sword. With this much metal, it held tremendous value on its own. King Julelan had generously gifted it to the Goriora Emperor as a token of gratitude for dispatching the knights. The transportation took half a year. Receiving such a gift, one could not remain silent. The Emperor sent a large sum of gold coins as a celebration of the victory. In truth, Julelan wanted to melt down and sell the General of Greed’s sword to cover the expenses of the War Of Nations. However, doing so would invite ridicule from other nations, suggesting that they were in dire need of funds. Therefore, he sent this massive war trophy to his father-in-law, greatly anticipating a gift in return. For the Emperor, displaying it in the palace would enhance his authority, so it was not a bad deal. Now, the General of Greed had reclaimed it.

Even so, this advance by Shinkai was far too abnormal. First, they took down Fargo and Ezite in a single day each. While there may have been some element of carelessness, breaking through the sturdy castle gates and capturing two major cities in such a short period must have resulted in considerable damage to the Shinkai army as well. Next, they captured the heavily fortified Casse in just three days. Bard also knows that Casse is a city with exceptionally high defenses. Capturing it in three days is quite a feat.

The real issue is what followed. While conducting a ritual in Hillpri Marche, they arrived at Orbus Castle just ten days later and captured it in a single day. Furthermore, twenty-two days later, they attacked Kobushi Castle. They captured it in a day, and incredibly, they attacked the imperial capital just five days later and took it on the same day. He have never seen or heard of such a tremendous blitzkrieg.

It makes sense, in a way. The defenders were completely unable to prepare their defenses and were trampled due to the sheer speed of the advance. Moreover, with the mysterious offensive power of the General of Greed, the strength likely gained from “devouring” the five Divine Spirit Beasts, it may be possible to break through castle gates in a short time. However, this would require Lugurgoa Geskas, the head and life of the entire Shinkai army, to always lead the army at the front.

Additionally, blitzkrieg tactics carry a razor-thin risk. If the imperial capital had not sent soldiers out and had instead tightly closed its castle gates from the beginning to meet the Shinkai army head-on, it would have taken several days to break through. In those few days, the feudal lords summoned by the Emperor would have rushed to the imperial capital and solidified its defenses. The Shinkai army, which had advanced while ignoring logistics and the fatigue of men and horses, would have faced the risk of collapse here. The result was that they secured the Emperor and minimized damage, bringing the Goriora Empire under their control. However, it must have been a victory on thin ice.

No, it’s different. It’s clearly different from three years ago. The invasion three years ago was an unexpected strategy, but upon reflection, it was a rational way of conducting the war. The way they are fighting this time is strange. Bard couldn’t help but sense the madness of the General of Greed.