Published at 5th of August 2023 6:31 pm

Volume 13, Chapter 349: One’s Will

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

A small amount of white smoke came from the office of Gharast Kingdom’s Protector, Jace Brackenberry.

While holding his cigarette in his mouth, his cunning eyes focused on the map in front of him. His breathing became shallow, and his gaze agitatedly crawled across the map without resting.

This was his habit. He hated to be distracted by other things while pondering seriously on something. The same went for the sounds that resonated from the outside, or the sounds that he himself made.

Brackenberry liked to think and meditate while being surrounded by tranquility. His habit was a common occurrence; therefore, his subordinates rarely tried to enter his office. No one knocked on the door except for essential reports.

For a moment, Brackenberry held his breath while narrowing his eyes. All he could think about was the horde of magical beasts in the northwest area.

No, it was no longer appropriate to call it just a horde of magical beasts. It had only one name, and it distorted the minds of those who heard it.

It was an undeniable disaster. It was appropriate to call it a catastrophe made of magical beasts.

Brackenberry touched the map loosely with his anxious fingers.

Seven days had passed since Fort Suzif, the northernmost military settlement of the Gharast Kingdom and a shield that protected the nation from magical beasts, fell before the catastrophe.

Even so, the Gharast Kingdom had yet to provide effective measures against this catastrophe. Meanwhile, the surge of magical beasts was gaining more and more momentum.

It was as if it expanded its power by swallowing people in each move it made. It was silly to even count the damage it created in its path.

Of course, if the catastrophe was comprised of just regular magical beasts, there would be no such damage. All of this was the fault of that unimaginable monster.

…The Bastion Giant Beast Zebrililith. A living disaster named by the Cathedral.

A huge form that pierced the heavens and swallowed its surroundings with a single step.

Eat, waste, and eat again. The greatest disaster the world had known. The only way to escape was thanks to its lack of speed, probably because of its huge body.

However, the people were only able to prolong their lives for now. There were countless refugees fleeing to the royal capital after being robbed of their homes and food. Government affairs were delayed in order to deal with this crisis.

The Government claimed that it was aware of the danger that came with the catastrophe, and that it should challenge it with all its strength.

If that was the case, the Government would’ve acted accordingly. Instead, it faced the catastrophe with less than half the men.

How naive. The Government thought that it could deal with the catastrophe just like it did when it overcame the dangers from the south and east.

What arrogance. What a disrespectful thing. Brackenberry looked at that incompetence with raging eyes. All he wanted to do was spit on the Government.

Because of that incompetence, the Government killed many soldiers and left capable men to die. Brackenberry saw behind his eyelids the face of the man who defended Fort Suzif until the very end.

He was a kind man; someone whose traits were rare in the military. He was a man who didn’t show conceited traits. In fact, he was so loyal and kind that people saw him as someone servile. Because he was a taciturn man, Brackenberry had never seen him arguing with others.

He was a quiet person from the beginning and originally aspired to be a civil servant, so that temper was not strange.

Brackenberry gave him a certain kind of evaluation. He was a person who could accurately judge things without being carried away by fever.

He was neither overwhelmed by repugnant ambition, nor driven by cowardice. He was a man who did what he had to do. He didn’t have the aggression to go forward, but he had enough qualities to be a defensive general.

Therefore, he was sent to Fort Suzif to protect the area. That’s why he died. He ignored orders to evacuate and died with the stronghold as his tombstone. The people who were prone to cowardice lived their lives honorably in exchange for his death.

Brackenberry held tightly a piece of parchment in his hand. It was the man’s last written note and was entrusted to Brackenberry by his adjutant.

…The contents described the scale and characteristics of the great catastrophe. It explained to Brackenberry how it was important for the Gharast Kingdom to cooperate with the surrounding countries. Even if it was his last letter, there was no melancholy that resembled a suicide note and there was no fragment of useless emotions.

Until the very end, he fulfilled his duties as a soldier.

“I will never waste your sacrifice. Yes, I won’t let anyone say that you died in vain.” Jace Brackenberry’s thoughts were perfectly calm, but only the back of his chest felt extremely hot.

Brackenberry got convinced. The Bastion Giant Beast Zebrililith was an existence that could oppose the Gharast Kingdom’s power.

If the Government kept flaunting its pretentiousness and greed, the Gharast Kingdom would eventually crumble. The human nation would die.

Then, there was no time to waste anymore.

*knock knock*

The subordinate probably knew the habits of his superior. A terribly low-key, almost inaudible sound knocked on the door.

Brackenberry extinguished his cigarette while urging his subordinate to enter the room. A slight scent of leaves pierced his nostrils. His subordinate showed his face with reluctance.

「Protector Brackenberry. A messenger has arrived from the Cathedral. 」

Brackenberry replied without taking his eyes from the map.

「I said I want to be undisturbed. Right now, I don’t have time, even in a grain of sand, to deal with the priest. Besides, I know what I need to do.」

The old religion…no, they had already decided to send a messenger to the Heraldic Order. The Cathedral loathed the Heraldic religion with all its might. It was kind of abnormal.

But that had nothing to do with Brackenberry. And what’s there to blame?

Certainly, in reality, the Gharast Kingdom and the Heraldic Order were in a hostile relationship. He could never call them friendly. However, that was a substantive story, and not a formal one.

In fact, the Great Holy Church was the one who engaged in a war with the Heraldic religion. Formally speaking, the Gharast Kingdom had nothing to do with their conflict. The soldiers in the Sanyo Plains who had engaged in a battle with the Heraldics were formally called the “Soldiers of the Great Holy Church”.

Of course, even Brackenberry understood that these were nothing more than a silly excuse born out of spite. He obviously supported his nation, but there was no reason to continue these attacks in wake of a bigger crisis.

Then, there was no problem in sending one or two messengers. Even so, that didn’t mean he sent a messenger to forge friendship with the enemy.

He just ordered his subordinate to dissent on the capture of Prison Beulah and talk about the magical beasts’ disaster that was coming to annihilate them all. It was a natural course of action for the commander of the national army.

Similar things were being done to the southern state of Elizard and the eastern dynasty of the Bolvat reign.

Brackenberry didn’t know if his actions made sense. However, no one would say that nothing had been achieved. He had to use all he could.

「Rather than that, what about the Cathedral’s movement? Has it made a significant move?」

The subordinate stiffened his lips for a moment, raised his voice, and said there was no movement. At most, it dispatched priests to various places as messengers.

Brackenberry raised his eyes as if he was fed up with the contents. Due to the current crisis, the Cathedral should’ve taken the lead in promoting cooperation among other countries. However, this time, the Cathedral was moving slowly. It felt rather strange.

Pagans and disasters should be an abomination to them. In fact, when the Heraldic Order conquered the walled city of Garoua Maria, they were the ones who moved faster than any other country or local city.

Most likely, the turmoil caused when the Saint was attacked by the Heraldic Order had not subsided yet. Once caught in a trap cowardly, a beast would hesitate to even take normal food.

Brackenberry lifted his eyes from the map and distorted his lips.

「Let me know as soon as there is a reaction from a country or power. I will report the exact situation to His Majesty.」

While talking to his subordinate, Brackenberry put on his formal attire. And then he started formulating in his head the words he should say to the King. During this time.

*knock knock*

A second person knocked on the door.

That person introduced its name as…

…Olivia Belch.

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