Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Individuals gifted with immense power often carry the crushing weight of their own capabilities. No one understands the significance and impact of their strength on the world better than they do.

However, in the territories of the empire following the conclusion of the War of Unification, the figure of the Holy Maiden Aurelia emerged. Leading a separatist rebellion, she managed to defeat a military contingent four times the size of her own, causing the total destruction of the imperial battalions.

That milestone marked the establishment of the brand-new Kingdom of Britannia.

Faced with such an affront, the empire could not stand idly by. For this reason, the absolute deployment of the Purifier brigade was ordered, under the direct command of the crown’s respected spiritual executor, Lady Scarlet of the Red Tower.

Joining this contingent were the White Mages belonging to the White Tower, who marched alongside Cardinal Nikolai of the Church of the Sixtine Goddess, with the purpose of examining the veracity of the divine messages the Holy Maiden claimed to receive.

Likewise, the leader of the Seven Swords of the Continent, the extraordinary Count of Brandenburg, joined the expedition along with the knights of his Order of Saint Magdalena, bringing with him his firstborn, the famous and dissolute Philip.

Finally, the imperial high command integrated the Black Prince. This strategist had conditioned the fate of Cardinal Nikolai through the Geass of Absolute Obedience and, after capturing the troublesome Philip at the Battle of Black and White, accepted his release upon the payment of an immense fortune.

Under his orders marched five hundred heavy infantry combatants belonging to the Black Armor Company, backed by the Night Raven Knights linked to the Saxon dynasty.

In this way, the most brilliant heir of the imperial duchy, the mercenary leader of the Black Armor Company whose fame traveled across the nations, and the feared Black Prince, famous for his ruthless methods and dark reputation, were brought together.

The atmosphere was impregnated with the salty aroma of the ocean. Sea birds flew over the coast while the solar glints resembled golden specks on the swaying waves.

The empire’s troops completed their arrival in the port town of Dover, located in the insular region of Britannia, right in front of the continental coasts delimited by the Strait of Calais.

After securing the final landing on the territory of Britannia, the campaign leaders gathered in the facilities of the Dover fortress.

—Well, Prince Philip.

—……

—And also Cardinal Nikolai.

—…

Dale, the main descendant of the Saxon dynasty, was in the room together with Sepia, his elven assistant and sixth-circle sorceress. The young man faced the imposing imperial personalities for whom he felt not the slightest respect.

—You… how dare you present yourself before us after what you did…!

Upon noticing his presence, Philip, the count’s indomitable offspring, raised his voice filled with indignation.

That encounter rekindled the memory of the Battle of Black and White, a confrontation that fueled court rumors and where the vanquished served to elevate Dale’s renown. Philip relived the bitterness of the fall and captivity under the custody of the Saxon family, a period of humiliation he could not erase from his mind.

—Well, it is evident that destiny has very ironic twists.

At that moment, Lady Scarlet let out a light laugh, observing the disturbed Philip with evident irony.

—¡…!

Philip’s attention shifted immediately and brazenly toward the lady’s cleavage. Lady Scarlet, with a provocative gesture, adjusted the folds of her attire before continuing.

—There are warriors who, after a conflict, only harvest a misfortune and a failure impossible to forget…

She gave him a mischievous smirk loaded with coquetry.

—While others transform their triumphs and feats into the foundation to consolidate their prestige throughout the imperial territory.

Her words did not celebrate Philip, but rather Dale of Saxon.

—That confrontation was not legitimate, you relied on vile and cowardly traps…! —Philip claimed, raising his tone to discredit Scarlet’s comments.

—What a pathetic lament of the vanquished.

The Sacred Sword’s reply interrupted the atmosphere, manifesting with absolute coldness and devoid of compassion.

—What makes you assume, you fool, that you are in a position to address the Black Prince of Saxon in that way?

—F-father…!

—I beg you to excuse the impertinence of my descendant.

The Holy Swordsman bowed his head slightly in a sign of deference toward Dale.

—There is no need to apologize —responded Dale with a gesture of disdain and mockery. —In fact, I am deeply in debt to Prince Philip.

The young man recalled the combat that consolidated his current status.

—The title of Black Prince that I currently possess is a recognition I never would have obtained without the invaluable collaboration of Prince Philip.

Philip’s stubbornness at the Battle of Black and White, by demanding a desperate resistance, ended up transforming Dale into the living reflection of military cruelty: an implacable commander who granted no concessions to his rivals.

—Don’t say stupid things! That conflict never represented a defeat for me! —bellowed Philip, refusing to accept reality. —You never defeated me fairly!

He sought to distance himself from any fault.

—The blame falls entirely on the mediocre subordinates who ignored my directives…

In this way, he pointed at the soldiers who lost their lives under his erratic leadership.

—Certainly, those warriors lacked the level necessary to be up to the standard of Prince Philip —seconded Dale.

—Exactly! That’s what happened!

Philip nodded immediately, backing Dale’s statements with vehemence.

—Simple lower-rank soldiers! How dare they drag me down into their failure…!

By blaming the members of the Order of Saint Magdalena who perished due to his poor decisions directly, Philip offered a truly lamentable spectacle before those present.

—Silence.

The Holy Swordsman, unable to tolerate the dishonor his own son caused any longer, intervened sharply. His tone was contained, but loaded with a deep anger that threatened to overflow.

—Shut up once and for all.

Without realizing that Dale was ridiculing him, Philip continued to validate his arguments. The Holy Swordsman made a monumental effort to contain the desire to physically lash out against his heir.

—If you disgrace the memory of my warriors with your nonsense again, I will send you to the bottom of the ocean myself.

—Ah…!

The Count of Brandenburg possessed enough clarity to evaluate the situation. He knew perfectly well how many of his men had fallen in that disastrous confrontation. The firstborn of the Saxon house represented a formidable threat, someone whom a fool like Philip could never surpass, not even if he dedicated his entire existence to trying.

For this reason, a mixture of frustration and self-contempt gnawed at the count’s pride upon seeing his inept son babbling in front of an extraordinary strategist. How was it possible that someone so devoid of virtues had arisen from his lineage?

He attributed that lack to the mixture with a lineage lacking in faculties. For that very reason, he had coveted Charlotte of Orhart in the past, the descendant of the Divine Sword; he held the certainty that the union of both lineages would give rise to the supreme warrior, the ideal bearer for the Sacred Sword.

However, that plan collapsed when the Black Prince and the Duke of Saxon stood in his way. To make matters worse, finding out that the young woman of the Orhart house was training under the guidelines of the Saxon family, swearing loyalty to the eldest son of said lineage and perfecting her handling of the weapon day by day, awakened an uncontrollable rage in the Holy Swordsman.

Despite everything, the Count of Brandenburg no longer lamented that matter, since destiny presented him with a superior alternative in the territory of Britannia.

—The Holy Maiden Aurelia…

Upon learning the details of the events on the island, the Sacred Sword fixed his resolution. It was a warrior revered as the very incarnation of divinity, a savior who mastered the absolute state of combat, reaching the status of Avatar.

—I will beget my offspring in that woman to ensure the birth of the perfect being who inherits the Sacred Sword.

The reports about the young woman’s skill only fueled the perverse intentions of the Count of Brandenburg, who intended to ensure the transcendence of his caste using the Holy Maiden’s womb. It should be noted that he was not the only one in the contingent who harbored dark ambitions.

Despite the differences in their particular aspirations, that was the true essence of the cause they supposedly defended under the empire’s banner. A superficial alliance that served as a screen for the private agendas of its members. Due to that lack of real cohesion, the empire was prevented from recklessly mobilizing its most powerful warriors stationed in the capital.

—We are a coalition lacking true union —concluded Dale to himself.

—It is time to begin the military strategy session —declared Dale firmly, attempting to take charge of the meeting.

—What attributes does an individual of your ilk possess to pretend to direct the prestigious forces of the empire? —claimed Philip immediately, evidencing an obvious inferiority complex.

—Very well, I will remain silent then —replied Dale, shrugging his shoulders without showing much interest.

—Philip, my dear.

Given this exchange, Lady Scarlet took the floor using a highly melodious and captivating tone, managing to fully capture the dissolute noble’s attention.

—L-Lady Scarlet? —reacted Philip, showing a renewed hope at the lady’s gesture.

—Would you have the kindness to close that annoying mouth of yours that emits the smell of a farm animal? —she sentenced drastically and disparagingly. —Not the slightest particle of your being withstands the least comparison with the magnificence of Lord Dale.

—¡…!

—You limit yourself to kicking in your own mediocrity, complaining like an inferior being who does not know his position.

The fixity of her gaze conveyed the contempt one has for an insignificant creature, differing greatly from the cordial treatment she reserved for Dale. However, that glimmer of disdain quickly dissipated from her features.

—Instead, the distinction that emanates from Lord Dale is incomparable! —added Scarlet, turning toward the young Saxon. —Certainly, I am filled with anticipation to witness the victories that Lord Dale will obtain in this campaign.

Scarlet’s open devotion caused Sepia to maintain a rigid expression due to astonishment, while Dale preferred to look away, keeping to himself.

—You… you all…!

Philip remained in the middle of the room, shivering due to the anger caused by the humiliations received.

—If he continues acting in that way, that fool will provoke an internal conflict.

The territory of Britannia was divided between two dominant factions.

On one hand, the sector under imperial dominion administered by the Governor of Burgundy and, on the other, the areas recently liberated by the New Kingdom of Britannia, under the tutelage of the sacred maiden Aurelia and her revolutionary hosts.

In the current situation, it was easy to deduce what the Holy Maiden’s next move would be in her territorial advance. Her priority objective consisted of recovering the historical core of the old kingdom, a plaza she did not yet control and where the legitimate monarchs of Britannia usually received their crowns, serving as the central axis of the nation.

Reims.

Consequently, the imperial battalions established on the coast began their deployment to counter the advance of the rebel militias. Both sides sought a definitive outcome in a scenario where multiple interests and hidden motivations crossed paths.

With these dark intentions operating from the shadows, the hostilities of the armed conflict finally began.

Chapter 72