Game Opportunity in Reality Episode 156
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Game Opportunity in Reality Episode 156
38. A New Era (2)
"It begins."
The slaves handed over to Adrian's work, including Slave No. 5, moved busily alongside the advance of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts.
"Remember this this isn't for the Kingdom of Rhinehearts. It's for ourselves."
Slave No. 5 said that to his comrades, and with resolute expressions, they began moving according to the pre-arranged plan.
"Let's all survive this."
The slaves' sudden actions.
Naturally, their masters weren't about to just stand by and watch.
"What the? Have these fools lost their minds? Stay still!"
Normally, slaves are bound by restriction spells that limit their actions.
"Huh? Wh-what!? S-stop, I said!"
But those restrictions failed to function, and all across Duke Zeksis' domain, slaves killed or subdued their masters and began acting on their own.
"The Rhinehearts royal army is invading!"
"The entire Duke Zeksis' domain will become a battlefield!"
However, this unexpected turn was overshadowed by the Rhinehearts Kingdom's attack and didn't draw much attention.
-BOOOM! BOOOM! BANG!
Moreover, the Empire's forces were distracted by the Black Eagle's clones flying across Duke Zeksis' domain and spraying magic everywhere, as well as the attacks of Master-class autonomous-type Vangas that had successfully infiltrated key strongholds by mixing in with junk piles like scrap metal.
"What's that slave doing?"
"A slave? Who cares, just ignore it!"
To the people of the Croysen Empire, slaves were harmless bugs, so even as they scurried about here and there, no one paid them much mind.
They simply assumed they were going about whatever tasks they'd been assigned.
"For freedom."
"For the future."
And so, each slave used scrolls imbued with 5th-circle explosive magic aimed at their designated targets.
-BOOM! BANG! CRASH! BOOM!
Thousands of explosions erupted one after another across Duke Zeksis' domain.
Thanks to that, the domain was utterly devastated.
Not just the Empire's key facilities, but even the domain's main structures it was hard to find a single spot that hadn't been hit.
This was damage beyond what Adrian had anticipated.
Naturally, many slaves died in the process.
Some were discovered by soldiers, and others misused unfamiliar magic scrolls and were caught in the explosions themselves.
But even in death, the slaves did not regret their choice.
After all, living on like that would only mean slowly wasting away this was the first time in their lives they acted on their own for themselves, and they had managed to take even a small revenge against the horrific Empire.
"Ah!? We're being pushed back!"
"The Rhinehearts royal army is breaking through!"
And the slaves looked up at the massive swarm of Heaven-Piercing Fortresses beginning to cover the skies of the domain, and they all cheered as one.
* * *
The royal family's great hall of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts.
"Ohh!?"
"We're pushing!"
"What's going on!? Why are they collapsing so easily?"
The nobles gathered in the royal great hall to watch the battle for Duke Zeksis' domain the decisive battlefield all cheered in unison.
Even though they were fighting an enemy of similar strength, the Kingdom of Rhinehearts was overwhelmingly driving forward, inflicting massive damage on the Croysen Empire's forces.
Adrian's tactical brilliance was something they'd seen plenty of, so that was one thing but the way the Croysen Empire's army was flailing around like a ragtag mob was impossible not to question.
Before long, however, they came to understand the reason.
"Duke Lawrence has reportedly won over the slaves of Duke Zeksis' domain. At the same time as our advance, slaves launched attacks all across the domain. The Imperial forces panicked because they thought our royal army had infiltrated from within."
When the King revealed this secret they hadn't known, the nobles could only marvel.
"So there were potential allies hiding within the Empire, those who resent Croysen more than anyone."
"Indeed..."
Throughout this war, from start to finish, the figure who stood out the most was neither Grandmaster Duke James nor Arcia, but the Supreme Commander, Adrian.
"It's a stroke of fortune that Duke Lawrence is on our side."
"Agreed. If we ever faced him as an enemy, he'd be a truly terrifying man this war has only reaffirmed that."
Among those watching the battle unfold were Adrian's father, Viscount Layford Lawrence, and his mother, Viscountess Sylvia Lawrence.
The two couldn't contain themselves amidst the endless praise directed at their child.
"Thanks to Duke Lawrence, this war seems like it will end more easily than expected."
One shouldn't rush to conclusions, but given the current situation, this kind of reaction was inevitable.
Adrian's presence was etched larger and more firmly into the minds of King Mikhail and the nobles of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts.
Once this war ended, they planned to make Adrian the master of a duchy.
But somehow, they even began to think that perhaps that alone wouldn't be enough.
* * *
The war against the Croysen Empire continued to proceed one-sidedly.
Thanks to that, other nations began to suspect that the Croysen Empire had been overrated all along, but if you looked closely, this was a victory of thorough information warfare and covert preparatory work.
Those Croysen Empire bastards had also tried all sorts of tricks approaching our allied nations, sending forces to assassinate key figures in weakened kingdoms, and so on.
It's just that all of it was discovered and stopped in advance.
The Empire's Imperial Family must be feeling utterly stifled by now.
They must feel like they're fighting not just our kingdom's army charging head-on, but also an invisible enemy.
"You've worked hard. In recognition of your deeds, I promise not only your emancipation but also the granting of housing and land as rewards."
"Th-thank you. No, I am overwhelmed with gratitude."
Having inflicted heavy losses on the Croysen Empire's forces and succeeded in driving them out of Duke Zeksis' domain, I personally commended the slaves who had rendered great service.
Though they were steeped in servility and didn't know what to do with themselves, their eyes had changed perhaps because they thought they had won their freedom through their own strength.
And among them...
[Slave No. 5]
Race: Human
Age: 22
Affiliation: Slave of Duke Zeksis' domain, Croysen Empire
Talents: Mana (Supreme), Intellect (Supreme), Learning Ability (Supreme), Political Acumen (High), Administrative Ability (High), Command Ability (Mid)
Traits: Rapid Growth, Liberator
Relations: Gratitude / Alliance
Status: Hope / Joy
The discovery of one slave was no different from an unexpected reward.
I'd never seen stats of this caliber except from Arcia, King Mikhail, and the President of the Republic of Izrael.
For someone this talented to have to live as a slave due to the limitations of birth what a hopeless country.
I extended my hand directly to the nameless Slave No. 5.
"I'd like to give you a name. Is that alright?"
At that, Slave No. 5 burst into tears with a moved expression.
Seeing him roiling with so many emotions, rather than pitying him, I continued speaking brightly with a smile.
"I'll gift you the name and surname 'Miles Lowen.'"
"My lord, that is..."
At my words, Gregory jumped in, startled.
After all, the surname Lowen resembled Lawrence.
There was no way the people around me wouldn't notice that.
Even Slave No. 5 stopped crying mid-sob and looked up at me with a surprised expression.
This was under-the-table work for winning him over.
What's wrong with gifting a somewhat similar name?
I'd found the best talent that I couldn't afford to let slip away.
"And there's an educational facility called the Gifted Institute in my domain. It's an institution that gathers talents from all over the country and educates them according to their aptitudes. I'd like to propose that Lord Lowen enter the Gifted Institute would you accept?"
At that, Slave No. 5's no, Miles Lowen's companions sincerely congratulated him, saying how fortunate it was.
Miles hesitated for a moment at my goodwill, but someone as smart as him couldn't fail to recognize this as an opportunity.
Soon enough, he accepted my proposal, saying he understood.
I cheered inwardly and welcomed him.
"A wise choice."
Having dismissed the slaves including Miles like that, I gave orders to Vice Commander Taylor, who was looking at me with an impressed expression at the unexpected show.
"We'll advance on the capital without delay. Announce that to the entire army."
"Yes, sir!"
Taylor, a philanthropist at heart, saluted me with boundless energy.
What an easy person to handle.
* * *
"They couldn't hold out even a single day in Duke Zeksis' domain, suffered a complete defeat, and lost thirty percent of their forces?"
"Th-that is correct. Those forces are currently retreating to the capital and will join up with the Dragonland Front Army, which will arrive in half a day."
A complete defeat at the decisive battlefield.
The Imperial Family of the Croysen Empire was seized by a sense of crisis.
They could no longer look down on the Kingdom of Rhinehearts.
After all, their army had already reached right before the Imperial Palace.
"Still no word from Marquis Metis?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"Damn it!"
The Emperor of the Croysen Empire erupted in fury at the situation where nothing was going as he wished.
To turn the tide of the war, the border armies on the Kingdom of Lucias front and the Kingdom of Jordy front were desperately needed.
But if he recklessly pulled those two armies away, it would only increase the number of belligerent nations and swell the enemy's ranks, so he couldn't help but hesitate to withdraw them until the very last moment.
"He was assassinated."
When there's no word from someone who left the country for important negotiations, there are only two possibilities.
Either he's dead, or he betrayed them.
No matter how displeasing he was, the Emperor knew Marquis Metis was not the kind of man to betray his homeland, so only one possibility remained.
"Intelligence Chief."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Just how are you managing intelligence?"
"I-I sincerely apologize."
The death of Marquis Metis, who had been entrusted with a crucial mission, meant a defeat in the intelligence war.
It was only natural for the Emperor to be enraged.
"You will personally see the matters with the two kingdoms to a close. If you fail... you understand, don't you?"
"I will keep that in mind."
The basics of negotiation involve facing each other and pushing and pulling like a tug-of-war, but there was no time for such things now.
Some bloodletting would have to be accepted...
As a result, the faces of everyone, including the Emperor, darkened.
Thus the Imperial great hall was steeped in silence, and the Emperor, letting out a small sigh, looked at the Imperial Crown Prince, who wore a troubled expression.
"There is something you must do."
"Yes?"
At a time like this, what could the Imperial Crown Prince possibly have to do?
Questions arose on every minister's face, and the Emperor crooked his finger at his son, the Imperial Crown Prince, beckoning him closer.
"There is a being you must go to Dragonland and meet."
"Yes?"
When the words urging a trip to Dragonland came from the Emperor's mouth, the Imperial Crown Prince wore an expression asking whether he had heard correctly.
After all, Dragonland, connected to the southwestern part of the Croysen Empire, was the most dangerous place ranked first among all the wastelands of the world.
So much so that it could well be called a living hell.
"Our empire's arrangement is in Dragonland. I will attach the Imperial Guard Knight Division to you. From now on, you will go there and meet a certain being."
The empire's arrangement.
And upon hearing for the first time that this arrangement was in Dragonland, the Imperial Crown Prince swallowed dryly.
"Find a great blackened tree at the end of the Gray Mountains in Dragonland. There is a village beneath it. Give this to the village chief there."
The Imperial Crown Prince received something from the Emperor.
Wondering what it was, he examined it it was a pendant bearing the image of a black tree.
"Is there a safe route?"
If the Emperor called it an arrangement, it must be something remarkable, but still, the fear invoked by the name of Dragonland was too great.
To the Crown Prince's hopeful question, the Emperor firmly shook his head.
"There is none. But if you succeed in finding that place, the tide of the war will turn in an instant."
Either find it and return.
Or fail to find it and meet death.
Would it be an overreaction that only those two outcomes came to mind?
The Imperial Crown Prince swallowed dryly and then answered with sincerity.
"I-I will do my best."
However heartless it might sound, that was the only answer he could give in this situation.