Chapter 189

Chapter 189
## Chapter 189

The Imperial Palace (3)

Following the arrival of the hero party and Hesperon at the imperial residence alongside Fifth Princess Riley, the usual tedious protocols were bypassed through Heinrich’s intervention. Nevertheless, the realm’s hospitality remained grand. Setting aside the fact that a Saint commanded the group, providing proper hospitality to the saviors of a royal family member was a matter that directly impacted the prestige of the crown. This was magnified by the circumstance that the princess stood as the frontrunner to inherit the throne, possessing the implicit endorsement of the ruling Emperor.

Consequently, the accommodations provided to them were remarkably lavish. Their sprawling private suites were decorated with opulent valuables, any single one of which could fund a commoner’s household expenses for an entire year. The culinary staff consisted of imperial masters who remained on duty around the clock, prepared to execute any gastronomic demand at a moment’s notice. Furthermore, seasoned attendants were positioned throughout the quarters, vigilantly overseeing every detail to ensure absolute comfort. They glided through the corridors like phantoms, silencing their footsteps and concealing their presence entirely.

‘Remarkable. Are the palace attendants given specialized training in stealth? They possess impressive talent; they could easily function as bodyguards in a crisis.’

Regrettably, they lacked the luxury of relaxing in these extravagant chambers for an extended period. The hero party simply did not have the leisure to indulge themselves.

“Hahaha! Truly fitting for the Empire, their bounty is immense!”

“Oh— Look at how the gold coins gleam.”

Naturally, the royal house did not rely solely on fine lodging to express their gratitude. They also provided more tangible and substantial compensation. Every member was gifted top-tier, custom-forged armaments, alongside a massive stipend to cover their operational endeavors. Money was never an issue for them due to the backing of the Main God Church, yet expanding their coffers was always welcome.

“This suits me well. What are your thoughts, Heron?”

“Wow~ You appear far more imposing, brother! That ferocious aura makes you look ready to tear someone apart—it’s terrifying!”

The artisans had even thoughtfully crafted a ‘Monster Head Helmet Cloak’ for Harley, utilizing the pelt of a ‘Saber Lion,’ an elite creature whose fur would typically be relegated to a decorative wall hanging. Crafted by a master of the imperial courts, it was far from an ordinary piece of gear.

‘To think they could transmute this into an enchanted implement in such a brief window and present it to me.’

It was not merely a durable object, but a magical artifact imbued with distinct traits. This superior piece of equipment enhanced both physical and supernatural warding while simultaneously possessing an aura that could strike terror into nearby adversaries.

‘This must be the result of a collaborative effort between a master leatherworker and an expert enchanter.’

Harley channeled a fraction of his internal force to inspect the interior of the headpiece, clicking his tongue in admiration. He detected the dense alignment of magic crystals embedded within the hide lining, alongside a perfectly integrated mana network.

‘Even if they commenced production the moment word arrived that I liberated Riley from the Rohan Duchy, they only had three or four days at most. Perhaps even less… Is this the true capability of the throne?’

Because the item had been completed in haste, the underlying network was straightforward, preventing the inclusion of intricate features. Nevertheless, for Harley’s direct method of engagement, an emphasis on structural stability over convoluted functions was far more practical. It was an exceptionally gratifying piece of craftsmanship.

‘…Hmm, just as I suspected.’

Shifting his focus away from the headgear, Harley observed Hesperon, who stood nearby with an analytical, blank expression.

‘Very well, let’s steer him toward this path too.’

This marked the exact juncture where Hesperon’s journey, which had commenced as a mere summoning practitioner, began expanding into a comprehensive mage, a vanguard combat caster, and now, an artificial enchanter. Howard, who was currently unlocking the hidden arts of the Dwarves while consuming the timber of the World Tree, would soon be capable of forging items with inherent traits, but the results would skyrocket if supplementary enchantments were layered on top.

‘That is an art even Hans cannot replicate.’

Granted, Hans was capable of manufacturing magical items. The issue lay in the fact that his creations were never standard; they were malevolent, corrupted objects powered by the energies of death.

‘…That cannot be avoided, given his inherent alignment.’

Still, it was unnecessary for a single individual to master every craft. Distinct individuals possessed distinct capabilities. The world thrived on collective effort, meaning they simply needed to hone their individual specialties and pool their strengths.

‘Howard can forge the armaments utilizing the World Tree wood that Harris secured, and Hesperon can etch the necessary enchantments upon them, utilizing guidance from Hans.’

Hubert could manage the acquisition of supplementary components, while Harley could harvest the rare biological materials from slain beasts.

‘If we introduce Heinrich’s sacred flames during the smithing process, could we forge an artificial holy blade? On the flip side, utilizing Hans’s abyssal energies might yield the ultimate cursed sword.’

Furthermore, if they tempered the metal using the life essence of Heinz the Second, they could forge armaments infused with sanguinary magic. The prospective combinations were limitless if they united their talents.

‘Indeed, a life built on mutual cooperation is magnificent.’

Thus, moments before the vanguard group departed the imperial grounds, a dark, calculating grin tugged at the edge of Harley’s mouth. Simultaneously, a mischievous smirk broke across Hesperon’s features, while a serene smile graced Heinrich’s expression. At that exact interval, by pure happenstance, identical expressions were mirroring themselves on the countenances of several individuals residing vast distances away.

—

Granted that the Oath of Heaven’s Defiance was an association conceptualized by the Revolutionary, the chosen instrument of the ‘God of Humans,’ it did not follow that every constituent shared an identical ambition. He had covertly gathered the leadership through various incentives and amassed power within the darkness by catering to their personal greed, making it fundamentally an alliance of convenience.

Because of this structure, they maintained exceptional compartmentalized security as a cellular group, granting each operative the liberty to act with maximum efficiency in their designated domains. However, such an arrangement naturally carried inherent flaws.

*Whoosh—*

Vibrant violet flames flared to life within the obscured chamber. Concurrently, a booming voice saturated with rage reverberated through the space.

[Show yourself this instant, Revolutionary, you treacherous dog! I will tear you limb from limb!]

The furious outcry echoed off the walls.

[You are far too loud…]

[Hehehe! Indeed~ Crying out with such desperation, did he abscond with your wealth? Hehehe!]

[Tsk… Now that you mention it, he is absent. Lilith, I assumed he had fallen into the clutches of the Immortal King, but…]

The shadowy entities materializing within the room muttered among themselves. Yet the massive silhouette paid no heed to their commentary, pacing back and forth in a blind rage, despite the fact that the only visible elements were distorted shadows cast by the flickering violet fire of the brazier.

This imposing figure—Baltheon, the commander of the Southern Ion Continent sector for the Oath of Heaven’s Defiance and a champion of the Calcos Tribal Federation—eventually lost his composure entirely and glared at his associates.

[Ugh— You miserable lots, if you possess any knowledge regarding his whereabouts, speak! He betrayed me and vanished, and I intend to butcher him!]

The remaining three shadows exchanged quiet glances upon hearing his declaration. Dissecting the circumstances, it appeared the Revolutionary had deceived the aggressive chieftain before making his exit. Naturally, none of them possessed information either, but while two chose to silently monitor the situation, the third erupted into mocking laughter.

[Pfft! That rigid fool actually pulled that off? I intended to entertain myself with him eventually, but he anticipated me!]

[What did you say?!]

[Hahaha— Observe how effortlessly he is triggered. Tell me, are you truly that enraged?]

[…I shall sever your tongue before anything else!]

[Heh, attempt it if you can even set foot upon the Enamel Continent! Though given the unfolding crisis in your territory, I doubt you have the capacity!]

The assembly chamber descended into chaos once more as the pair traded threats. Because the individual who traditionally arbitrated disputes and directed the flow of conversation was missing, the discord failed to quiet down, growing more intense instead. As the bickering threatened to spiral out of control, one of the passive onlookers finally intervened, his refined voice carrying an authoritative weight.

[Quarreling among ourselves yields nothing. Let us address the primary matter and conclude this assembly swiftly. Regardless, are we truly the only ones remaining? Our numbers dwindle by the day, and now we are reduced to this.]

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disapproval. One associate was an erratic brute with primitive speech, another was a deranged jester incapable of suppressing his provocations, and the final one was a mute blockhead who had offered nothing beyond an initial complaint about the noise. This collection of individuals cemented his belief that he was the sole rational mind left in the group.

‘The Oath of Heaven’s Defiance is nearing its end. A pity. Still, does this imply the Revolutionary has gone underground?’

They had managed to secure substantial advantages by collaborating during their prime operations. It was an unfortunate turn of events.

After a brief interlude, they finally extracted the specifics from a moderately calmed Baltheon, allowing them to comprehend his fury. The Revolutionary had journeyed south under the pretense of offering aid, only to abscond with the ‘Seed of Madness’ that Baltheon had carefully guarded, striking when the chieftain’s vigilance wavered.

Granted, the faction’s collective backing had been vital in retrieving the artifact from the abyss, meaning it was not strictly his exclusive property. However, he was the operative who executed the directive and achieved success, granting him agreed priority over its use.

[Yet he discarded our pact and seized the madness, sabotaging our entire initiative! We were meant to finalize our arrangements prior to the second Continental Summit!]

They now faced a reality where meeting their original timeline was impossible.

[Hmm— So he took independent action, discarding the established sequence. This indicates…]

[Hehehe, he undoubtedly concluded that the plan was obsolete! To be fair, it is not as though this is our first operation to fall apart recently.]

[…Did he detect a shift in the wind and choose to pursue his own agenda…?]

The tension in the chamber grew palpable. Every individual present recognized that this alliance had reached its expiration point, given that their core organizer had abandoned them. Since that organizer was the very architect of the collective, what remained to be discussed?

Nevertheless, casting that issue aside…

[Heh, and so? Do you intend to abandon everything we have orchestrated and slide back into obscurity~?]

[Absurd! We cannot retreat after advancing this far!]

[We have endured setbacks, certainly… yet it remains undeniable that the current strife enveloping the lands offers our prime window…]

From a logical standpoint, it was the ideal moment to strike.

[Then our path is clear. There remains but a single course of action available to ‘us.’ We must proceed through brute force.]

Not only were their subordinate branches collapsing, but their executive tier was evaporating, diminishing their combined strength to less than half of its peak. Given the current momentum, any further hesitation would result in their absolute destruction.

[Hehehe~ Perfect, perfect! The military capabilities of the Enamel Continent are currently divided due to the formation of the continental coalition, so let us deliver a shock to their system!]

[The southern sector is guaranteed! We face a minor setback, but our grip on information remains absolute, meaning time will rectify the delay.]

[The east… minor complications exist, but nothing insurmountable… We still possess the assets we have been cultivating…]

In truth, their upcoming maneuvers lacked structural refinement. Unlike their past operations, which were meticulously engineered for maximum efficiency and synchronized impact, they were now reduced to unleashing their remaining assets simultaneously.

‘The irony is that the strategies we crafted with extreme precision, accounting for every variable, were utterly shattered. We sought to limit our exposures by prioritizing efficiency, only for that caution to backfire and derail the grand design. We ought to have chosen this unrefined approach from the beginning.’

Following the assertions of the first three, the authoritative voice synthesized the final front.

[The central territory… the Empire. If we can simply terminate the returning Fifth Princess, their command structure will shatter, plunging them into total disarray. The obstacle lies in our lack of preparatory assets within that sector…]

The abduction of both the Crown Prince and the princess by the Immortal King had been severe enough, but the princess breaking free and navigating her way back unassisted was an entirely unprecedented anomaly. Naturally, they possessed no contingencies for such an outcome.

[We shall launch our strike immediately following the conclusion of the second Continental Summit, accelerating our timeline to the absolute limit… It is regrettable that Lilith is absent. Her presence would have streamlined this process.]

The Oath of Heaven’s Defiance had managed to keep its identity obscured relative to the catastrophes they initiated, largely because the overwhelming shadow of the Immortal King drew the entirety of the world’s scrutiny.

The countdown to their final desperate gamble had officially commenced.