“I-I’m not sure…” Mei Ling was confused. “Giving up the white knight Bryhildr and Esmeralda… what are you talking about Andrei?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“Pardon?”
“Look at the map.” Milenius pointed at something. “Here.”
“Styx?”
“Yes, the port city Styx. We’ll give up Esmeralda and meet Kang Chul-In here.”
“But… will Kang Chul-In’s military come here?”
“It definitely will.” Milenius guaranteed her. “Look.”
“Alright…”
“This waterway is the heart of our Gullveig Alliance and the strategic point that stretches out to the Bifrost territory. And that’s only half of it. From Kang Chul-In’s perspective, if this waterway is taken over, he’ll be able to decrease 40% of his losses.”
“Ah…!”
“Actually, the reason why the Esmeralda territory is Pangaea’s heart is not only because of its land routes, but also because it dominates Styx, and can rule over the Hartum river.”
“T-Then that means… Kang Chul-In…”
“Indeed, Mei Ling.” Milenius nodded. “Kang Chul-In will most definitely come to port city Styx. Because of that, our Alliance troops don’t have to try to protect Esmeralda. It’s already too late, and if we try to reclaim Esmeralda, we might suffer from great losses. We will meet Kang Chul-In at the port city Styx.”
“Then we need to give orders…!”
“There’s no need to do that.”
“Pardon?”
“Tactician Kwak is probably already moving as I just told you.”
“No way…”
“It’s something that’s already been spoken about beforehand.”
“...!”
“Plan B.”
“You already…!”
“Actually, even before the war began, it was impossible to defend Esmeralda.”
“I-Is that so?” Mei Ling was taken aback. She hadn’t been able to read the battlefield.
“Nothing could’ve been done.”
“How come?”
“The method of ruling the land.”
“...!”
“Our Alliance has been in a state of confusion since Lord Vilhelm and Lord Ao Xin’s death. We announced war first, but it’s true that it took longer for us to solve our internal problems. Didn’t it take you 3 days until you came into power?”
“That’s correct…”
“On the other hand, how was Kang Chul-In? Disgustingly, after he committed that atrocity, he said that he was innocent when we declared war and he raised an army like he had been waiting. In only a day. What about us? It took us a week.”
“That’s correct, we did.”
“First off, unlike the Valhalla soldiers, who are ready to move as soon as their king’s orders fall, it takes us quite a long time to gather our troops.”
“So that’s why you prepared Plan B…” Mei Ling was able to understand what Milenius was saying now. They had a fundamental limit. Gullveig was late to react because they were an “alliance,” not a “kingdom”; Mei Ling realized this fact too late.
“Yes.” Milenius nodded. “So the Plan B that we prepared is... we’re planning on using the white knight Brynhildr as much as possible in this strategy.”
“What are you talking about, Andrei?”
“The white knight Brynhildr is definitely strong.”
“Yes.”
“But the chance that Brynhildr will win in a direct fight with Kang Chul-In… is extremely low.”
“But…!”
“Yes, I know that Brynhildr has mastered the sword, as you said. But look at Kang Chul-In, Mei Ling. He is a monster who destroyed Neptune Spear’s iron fleet in a short amount of time.”
“...”
“Even though Brynhildr has become stronger, Tactician Kwak Jun and I think that Kang Chul-In cannot be defeated.”
“Then…”
“Yes, Mei Ling.”
Tap, tap! Milenius moved the black king and the white knight on top of Styx.
“Our plan… in this port city Styx…”
“...!”
Milenius’s plan that came after was quite aggressive. 10 minutes later...
“H-How…!?”
Mei Ling was extremely surprised after hearing Milenius’s strategy.
“Andrei… what you said right now…! I-It’s so…!”
“This is the only way, Mei Ling.”
“B-But… this is really…!”
“Mei Ling!”
“...!”
“You have to have a strong mind! You didn’t already forget about how your brother, Overlord Ao Xin, died, right?”
“...!”
“Why don’t you know that you can’t kill Kang Chul-In with that weak personality!?” He scolded her.
“A-Andrei…!”
“Blood of iron! Kang Chul-In is a demon who’ll do anything to get what he wants! Fighting ethically against such a man means that you’re going to lose!”
“...!”
“Mei Ling, you are the queen who rules over our great northern alliance! Also, you are also a little sister who lost her brother! How can you think about fighting with ethics in this situation?
“Andrei…” Mei Ling trailed off.
I-I…!
At the same time, a change occurred within her.
I am the queen of the north… I… I am the leader of the northern alliance…! Andrei is right… I have to change… I have to become stronger… and crueler…!
Then, Mei Ling opened her mouth.
“Fine, Andrei.”
“Have you come to a decision?”
“Yes. I will accept your plan.” Mei Ling spoke with a stiff face. “Since we can’t expect loyalty from the white knight Brynhildr… it’s a card we can throw away…”
“Yes, Mei Ling. That’s correct.”
“Good, then now... I’ll…”
“We need to raise our allies’ morale.”
“Right we need to.”
With Neptune Spear, the one who bragged about being peerless, dead, the fighting spirit of the Alliance was bent.
“Mei Ling.”
“Yes, Andrei.”
“Please go to the frontlines.”
“Sorry?”
“We need your abilities of motivation. Isn’t Agitator the best ability to raise the fighting spirit of our allied forces?”
“Right!”
“Also, it’ll be a great strength to the soldiers that you yourself are stepping up. No matter what anyone says, the leader of the great alliance is you, Mei Ling.”
“Sounds good.” Mei Ling nodded. “I’ll head to the frontlines and lead our troops.”
“You’ve thought well, Mei Ling.”
“Then please handle the commanding of the Pentagon, Andrei. I’ll give you all authority.”
“Don’t worry, Mei Ling.”
Heh.
Milenius spoke with a smile.
Nice… what a stupid thing…
It was a smile of satisfaction. Mei Ling was going to leave the Pentagon, leaving all her power behind?
That meant that Milenuius’s plot was progressing little by little…
***
In the Gullveig Alliance’s troop’s camp of the port city Styx...
“How should I do this…” In the middle of the night, Kwak Jun contemplated to himself. “Now I really have to stick to one side…”
He sensed that it wasn’t time to push back his decision. The power of the Gullveig Alliance was greater, so it wouldn’t topple right away, but it would be extremely disadvantageous if they lost the defense of Styx. In the case of the Valhalla kingdom, the instant they lost, their entire kingdom would shake.
“Is it Kang Chul-In or Mei Ling… dammit… it’s so hard…”
It was a dilemma. Depending on what side he chose, what he would earn and gain was different.
“There’s no way that guy wouldn’t know that… picking Kang Chul-In in the end…”
The “that guy” he spoke about here was obviously Kwak Jung. Kwak Jung’s existence was on his mind when he considered betraying Kang Chul-In. There was no way Kwak Jung wouldn’t expect his betrayal.
“Whew…” His contemplation continued. “Just the way I’ve been doing it, then…”
It was then.
“Vito Clemenza’s tactician, Kwak Jun.”
“...!”
“Shh, quietly.”
Kwak Jun was taken aback at the voice he heard from behind him.
“W-Who...!”
“I am…”
The woman who appeared through the darkness revealed her identity.
Her tight black bodysuit showed the curves of her body beautifully.
“I am the vice-director of the intelligence bureau of the great Valhalla kingdom, Niu.”
“...!”
“I’ve come to deliver the words of the Supreme King of the West.”
“I-Is that so?”
Shiver! Kwak Jung chills run down his back at Niu’s appearance. Just when had she invaded the center of the Gullveig Alliance camp?
A scary network of information… if they have spies deep in enemy territory…!
That moment, any thoughts of betraying Kang Chul-In flew out of his head.
I have to go this way… no matter what…!
Betraying him was crazy. If the vice-director came herself, it meant that he was being observed for at least 12 hours per day. The moment he betrayed them…
I’m dead.
It was very likely he would move onto the Beyond without anyone knowing.
“The Supreme King of the West has something to…?”
“Yes.”
“What…?”
“Just one sentence.”
“...?”
“‘Earn your keep.’ That’s it.”
“...!”
“Then, I’ll…” Swish!
Niu entered the darkness after that short goodbye.
“...”
Kwak Jung didn’t have anything to say. He just thought of what Kang Chul-In said to him, to “earn his keep.”
***
The Esmeralda territory.
Dum, dum dum! Dun dun! Dum! The war drum rang out.
“Hurrah for his Majesty!”
“Hurrah!”
“Hurrah for the Valhalla Kingdom!”
“Hurrah!”
The Valhalla kingdom soldiers all cheered, and Kang Chul-In entered Esmeralda on a red carpet. He had finally succeeded in taking over the strategic heart of Pangaea!
“Your Majesty, congratulations on your victory.” The second-in-command of the Valhalla kingdom, Lucia, greeted Kang Chul-In first.
“Thanks, Lucia.”
“It was a great victory!”
“It was nothing.” Kang Chul-In replied with a grin.
“Hehe… Y-Your Majesty?” Next was Kwak Jung. “As you said, here’s a red carpet…!”
“Hm…”
“Hehehe…”
“Good work.”
“T-Thank you!”
“I heard it was an easy victory?” Kang Chul-In’s expression when saying that looked mixed. He didn’t like it. He should’ve been happy about finally gaining Esmeralda, the heart of Pangaea, but he thought that it was too easy. There was a saying from the past that people who liked free things became bald.
“Well… it might be okay since we have people with mustaches.”
“Pardon?”
“Hm?”
“Y-Your Majesty?”
“What?”
“Are you planning on signing up for the Bald People’s Union…?”
Kwang!
“Ack!” Kwak Jung shouted after being flicked by Kang Chul-In.
“Stop with the bullshit.”
“S-Sorry…”
“Anyways, they basically just handed it over.”
“Yes… the Alliance took some time to gather their soldiers. Also, your Majesty defended Venetz first…”
“They gave it up too easily?”
“Yes.”’
Kwak Jung nodded. “Esmeralda is important, but not that important, so they must’ve thought that there’s no need to be so desperate for this territory.”
“You’re right.”
“Anyways, it’s not completely free. If you hadn’t covered Venetz alone, then we wouldn’t have been this fortunate.”
He was right. All of the Gullveig Alliance’s plans fizzled away because of Kang Chul-In.
“Is that so?”
“Definitely.” Kwak Jung nodded. “Who would’ve expected it? Even if Neptune Spear was able to stall for ten days, it would have been difficult to protect the Esmeralda territory.”
“Mm…!”’
“Anyways, it was a great battle. The defense of Venetz is a story that’ll be told for many generations. Hahaha~!” Kwak Jung complimented Kang Chul-In.
“Ha, that was nothing.” And Kang Chul-In had an awkward smile, not feeling too bad.
“Then…”
“Yes?”
“Is it Styx?”
“Yes.” Kwak Jung’s eyes shined. “The battle at Styx is the focus of this war.”
“Would they really have been waiting for us?”
“Of course.”
“This time, strategies will be useless.”
Kang Chul-In knew that the battle at Styx would be a direct fight from his experience.
“Wouldn’t it? There’s nothing to do but meet it head on…”
Kwak Jung agreed with him.
“Then…” Kang Chul-In spoke with a grin. “We should destroy everything.”
“Of course!”
“But before that.”
“...?”
“Let’s do some tomb raiding.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m planning on looting some bastard’s grave.”
The Emperor of Blood and Iron, Julius Berlineta Pon Aurangzeb. Kang Chul-In was going to listen to Vulkan and enter the sewers.