Chapter 76: Chapter 76

Yaan, watching Glaepnir being transported tied in a train freight car, spat out the cigarette he had been holding and ground it into the floor.

"It's heavy, so moving it's quite a chore."

"If we leave it at the frontline base, the other princes' technicians will swarm us demanding tech sharing, so we have to haul it around whether we like it or not."

Recalling the researchers at the capital maintenance yard who had been recording Glaepnir's arm, Yaan spoke like that, gazing at the railroad that had brought him, his soldiers, and the war supplies.

Where they stood was a reddish-brown wasteland.

The railroad, cutting across a rock desert dried to dust by the biting wind, was the lifeline linking the Empire and this central frontline base.

"Belkuth Knights 21st Colossus unit, please move to Depot 64!"

"Currently 172 colossi under maintenance! Forty more will return after completion!"

-Commander of the 11th Infantry Division! The Western Commander is calling! Content orıginally comes from novel✶fire.net

"It's the supply commander's order! Supplies go first to Belkuth Knights! Hurry! Move, you bastards!"

The central front base, where hundreds of thousands of soldiers and knights crowded like a human sea, was a city of iron and weapons.

Seeing colossi moving everywhere, the Greyhounds whistled in amazement.

"Whoa~ are all these colossi?"

"They say every colossus in the Empire is gathered on the central front. Guess it was true?"

As the recon Page colossus peeled off its light concealment armor, the maintenance colossus frame began fitting new plates.

What was carved on the shoulder armor was the crest of Count Belkuth.

"Hah, for us this is the tiger's den."

Roughly half of the thousands of colossi gathered-depot, reconnaissance, artillery, assault-gun support units-bore Count Belkuth's seal on their shoulders.

"They pulled together the knights originally slated for Rubra-Vailsar colony and Hiram's close aides, plus the Free Knights who'd received Belkuth's colossus support."

"If there are no knights left to control the colony, then right now that place-"

"Did you really think the Lorenz knights stayed inside just for a duel?"

The Loren region-Lorenz territory-was the closest dominion to the Vailsar canyon leading to the colony.

Belkuth had always blocked illegal immigrants, criminals, and reactionaries coming from the colony into the Empire.

But the moment he concentrated all forces on the central front, the Loren region suffered the heaviest damage.

It was Cain's hometown.

"Even if they're knights of our house, aren't they Imperial troops? For a single count to move forces alone-and His Imperial Majesty just watching-"

"Impossible he merely watched. His Majesty knew and allowed it."

Walking up to them while saying that was Prince Klaus, medals and ribbons dangling from his uniform jacket.

"Planning to forge armor out of medals?"

"An event my brother Gard hosted. I attended the Belkuth squire knights' review and clapped all day."

Ceremonial duty at the front line. Seeing Klaus hand his coat to an aide as if disgusted, Yaan shook his head.

"He deliberately allowed it to weaken House Lorenz. The current House Belkuth is the result."

"Meaning Belkuth grew faster than His Majesty expected."

"The problem was the number of knights. Somehow they produce hundreds of knights a year-like a factory making knights."

While thinking that, Prince Klaus, recalling something, asked Yaan.

"So, how are the weapons we sent? Lieutenant Yaan."

"Testing at the relay point is done; we're in adaptation training. But are you sure their reliability is guaranteed?"

"If the dwarves guaranteed it, we can trust it. After all, it's a request from that 'guest' they'd die for?"

Saying that, Klaus shrugged, and Yaan nodded.

The pistol holstered at Yaan's side and the rifles slung across the Greyhounds' chests were unlike those used by other units.

Black, unfamiliar material-not wood-lighter yet far stronger than wood.

"They called it high-performance molybdenum alloy-Janskarl tech."

"Performance exceeded expectations. Compatible with Imperial ammo, so supply won't be a problem."

"The five new ones issued?"

"They're usable. I plan to test them in the coming operation."

While studying the map Cain held out, Yaan heard an unfamiliar voice call his name.

"Hee-yoo, the Penal Corps knight everyone's talking about? Showing your face here?"

Looking up, he saw a man with hair even redder than Prince Klaus baring white teeth as he approached.

At Klaus's word, Yaan gave a short bow.

"Right. I'm Prince Gard."

Saying that, Gard stopped in front of Yaan, stared for a moment, then twisted his lips and spoke.

"Hey. Something wrong with your waist?"

Prince Gard's knee slammed into Yaan's abdomen.

A sudden blow, a kick laced with mana; Yaan's body folded forward.

"So Klaus is easy on you and you think royalty is a mouse's prick? Where does a filthy Penal Corps bug get off trying to meet the Empire's second prince face-to-face, huh!?"

Right. This was the type.

Second in line to the throne, the Red Lion Gard.

Realizing what sort of man he was, Yaan exhaled dryly and straightened up.

Calm, completely different from the bow he'd given moments ago.

"My apologies for not recognizing you. Second Prince. I am Knight Yan Verkut."

Standing tall once more, face to face with him.

Gard's eyebrows arched at the sight.

Gard shouted, swinging his fist.

But Nill's combat-assist program in Yaan's left eye had already read the trajectory.

[Motion pattern analysis complete.]

'I can see it all even without it.'

Gard's fist sliced empty air. Grinding his teeth, Gard snarled at Yaan.

"Are you mocking me!?"

Yaan answered with a composed expression.

"Is Your Highness having fun? I'm not."

"Brother. That's enough."

Just as Gard, unable to contain himself, was about to charge, Prince Klaus stepped in front of him.

"Imperial knights bow to no one save His Majesty. The lieutenant merely followed that principle."

"Hah! A brothel bastard without a shred of fear-"

Gard's raised fist froze.

"Enough. Prince Gard. Do you intend to disgrace the name of Imperial royalty?"

One word from Cain, who stood before Klaus, and Gard saw the ducal seal on his shoulder.

"Cain Lorenz...! So you're the Duke of Lorenz now?"

"Unjust violence is unbecoming of royalty. Maintain decorum, Prince Gard."

Not the relaxed tone from earlier, but the stern words of a duke.

Before Gard's eyes stood no longer a subordinate knight, but the second most powerful man in the Empire after the Emperor.

The de facto second-in-command.

Gard spat the word, clicking his tongue, but offered no further violence.

"If the operation I order fails, I'll kill you and your bugs. Got it!?"

"If we fail we'll die anyway. Wasn't that the mission you gave us?"

"Insolent to the end!"

Prince Gard stomped off, still seething.

"Thanks to you, I'm alive, Your Grace."

"Don't really do that again. My stomach's churning from the pressure."

Watching Prince Gard walk away, Cain said that with an awkward laugh.

Prince Klaus let out a sigh and shook his head, speaking to Yaan.

"I apologize for my brother's rudeness. As you can see, my brother is a bit...."

"It's not a bit. He's not your average thug."

At Yaan's cutting remark, Klaus, who had been about to say something, couldn't hold back a burst of laughter.

Fortunately, it didn't seem that comment had reached them; no angry shouts came from Prince Gard or the Belkuth knights attending him.

"Aren't we underestimating him too much? After all, he is the second prince."

"He's impressive, all right. The way Hiram raised both the right of succession and his forces by pandering to that brat's whims."

At those words, Klaus's giggles grew even deeper.

"Exactly, you saw it right."

Gard was the Imperial House's problem child, wrapped up in vanity and violence.

The one who had groomed him from childhood and elevated him to the seat of second prince was none other than the scheming Hiram Belkuth.

Minimizing contact with ordinary Imperial citizens, highlighting only battlefield valor, and raising him like a hothouse flower-strictly sheltered.

'One twist of Irene's lips and he'll drop dead on the spot.'

Knees lacking real strength, fists no better than a flail, unable to restrain his own emotions-watching him rampage, Yaan had reached that conclusion.

"Still, it's strange."

When Klaus echoed Yaan's murmur, Yaan opened his mouth.

"A man of Hiram's caliber, if he wanted to raise his own standing, would have plenty of other options, wouldn't he?"

Hearing that, Klaus snorted and nodded.

"You're right. If he sought an alliance, there are other, better claimants."

"And yet he insists on backing that thug...."

"It means he doesn't want a superior over him."

At Klaus's words, Yaan nodded as if he understood.

If Gard ascended to the throne as he is now, he would in truth become nothing more than Belkuth's puppet.

In reality, Hiram would be the one holding the Empire in his hands-that much was obvious.

The only one who hadn't realized it was Prince Gard himself; the Imperial aristocracy had already split into the new aristocracy supporting Hiram's moves and the elder nobles opposing them.

"Hiram is painting a very large picture."

"Right. A picture to seize the entire Empire."

The one who answered Yaan's remark was not Prince Klaus but Cain.

"Well then, let's prepare. The operation is next week. Until then, get the soldiers ready-thoroughly."

At Cain's single word of warning and concern, Yaan quietly nodded.