Aspen has long been influenced by the breath of religion.
Because of this, the nation, which is recognized as both a city and a country, had a good relationship with the Holy City-State and could receive their assistance. However, it also meant that Aspen had to constantly mind the presence of the temple, making it difficult to do anything freely.
So was the Holy State the only problem?
No, that wasn’t the case either.
If it had been only the Holy State, the King of Aspen could have maneuvered around it to some extent while still asserting his own will.
In other words, religion wasn’t the only issue.
Going back in history, the Duchy of Aspen began as a country under the title of a duke.
It was a nation established with the permission of the Empire.
To be more precise, it was a well-played trick by the Empire to bind a peerless hero to the land, but that’s a conclusion drawn from evaluating past events. To those living in that era, the Duke of Aspen would have been nothing short of a hero among heroes.
After all, a hero who established a nation can’t be an ordinary person.
With such a foundation, it’s only natural that Aspen doesn’t have a strong connection with the Empire even now.
It was merely a matter of the Empire saying, “We’ll give you the land, just don’t cause any trouble.”
Thus, although Aspen is called a duchy, it’s actually more like a separate kingdom.
However, it was difficult to assert that now.
“Are you saying you don’t want the Empire’s convenience?”
Every year, the envoys of the Empire would bring food to Aspen, where most of the territory was mountainous and farmland was scarce.
It wasn’t exploitation. They treated Aspen quite reasonably, offering a fair price.
Of course, Aspen ended up in a position where it was difficult to stockpile much to pay for that food.
Just as the final touch to a beautiful painting is drawing the eyes, there was one more country that influenced Aspen.
It was Rihinstetten, the great southern power.
They were the opposite of the Empire.
They purchased various goods, including metals, from Aspen.
In short, one was a buyer, and the other was a seller.
Caught between the two, it was difficult for Aspen to open trade with other trading cities in the southeast of the continent.
‘It’s a damnable situation.’
Argius Bona, the King of Aspen, known as the man chosen by God, was not pleased with the current state of affairs.
Was the nation destined to survive only by extending its hands in every direction?
And not to just one, but to three?
The priest of abundance stayed in the royal castle of Aspen and even built a temple there.
They claimed that the teachings of God were necessary for the peace of the people.
People who lack food always dream of abundance. Naturally, most of Aspen’s citizens believed devoutly in the God of abundance.
However, some priests sincerely believed in God and prayed for the people, while others were so rotten that they reeked.
But could they be purged?
Not a chance.
If he killed a single priest, the laments of the faithful would rise from all directions.
The King couldn’t even kill a low-ranking priest as he pleased.
This was one of the reasons Argius desired the separation of church and state.
So why did the people of the Aspen Kingdom believe in the God of abundance?
Because they lived impoverished lives.
‘Is it right to use faith as an escape?’
The King knew that fleeing and hiding only brought momentary relief, but not all his people were like him.
He wished to overcome the current situation. And the opportunity was right before him.
‘Green Pearl.’
The land right next to the border, known to be the most fertile on the continent, had the potential to become a granary.
Just a little push to the southeast, just a slight expansion of the border.
If he could secure that granary, he could solve every problem.
Of course, not everything goes as one wishes, but it was clear it would be a meaningful endeavor.
‘I wouldn’t need the Empire’s help, nor would I need to sell much iron to the south. If bellies are full, those with restless hearts will seek God less.’
Then it would be possible to purge a few corrupt priests.
In the end, he just needed to make it known to the people that the King achieved it all. Then dependence on religion would diminish.
Argius had been dreaming of this for more than a decade.
The dream was for his country to become a kingdom, not just a duchy.
The dream of a limping man walking alone without any help.
Some called him a dreamer when they heard his aspirations, while others joined him in that dream.
And they failed.
Yet now, before him stood a young King, more than ten years his junior, spouting not dreams but sophistry and making absurd assertions.
“Why doesn’t it make sense?”
“Erasing the Demon Realm is absurd, isn’t it? And ending the war? A land without conflict? Gathering various races to fight together? Do you really believe all of this is possible?”
Argius felt a vein bulge on his forehead. Emotion leaked into his voice.
He wanted to ask if the man even understood what he was saying. Why was he spouting such nonsense?
“Why can’t it be done?”
“Isn’t the very act of asking why already wrong?”
“Have you tried?”
“…What?”
“I asked if you’ve tried.”
If no one has walked the path, does that mean it’s an impossible road?
Once, the King had thought like that.
That was his dream.
To stand alone, free from everyone’s influence.
Everyone said it was impossible and that it was a path that couldn’t be walked.
But Argius didn’t think so. He only saw it as an unexplored path.
“If it’s a land no one has stepped on, does that mean it’s uninhabitable?”
And the young King spoke for his heart.
But their vessels were different.
Not all Knights are the same, and not all Kings are the same.
“Will you give up without even trying? Is that the dream you dream of? Then what was your purpose in crossing the border of Naurillia? Enki, behead the King of Aspen and gather the troops immediately to slaughter everyone in Aspen.”
Krang’s voice wasn’t loud but rather quiet. Only his tone changed slightly.
Jaxon glanced at Encrid, gauging his reaction.
‘Is he really going to do it?’
Encrid knew Krang wasn’t serious and merely watched.
Andrew, who had been listening to the conversation, felt like he was going insane.
The young man who introduced himself as Ilrod put his hand on his sword grip at Krang’s words.
The other two from Aspen unconsciously stepped back a step, and Frog silently held his ground.
Everyone took the pressure from Krang’s command to kill seriously.
“Is that truly what you want?”
Krang asked.
Argius looked at the young King. The night sky was behind him, and there was a Knight who stopped the army behind him. With a mere gesture, he could be killed. Yet, all Argius saw were Krang’s eyes.
His eyes shone brighter than the moon, dazzling enough to outshine the stars.
No light is more radiant than the eyes of a dreamer.
“What was the reason behind the success of the multi-racial integration policy? Wasn’t it because you treated them equally? Please, share your secret.”
Krang continued.
It sounded as if he spoke without any personal gain in mind.
Argius felt like he was gasping for breath just from a few words.
The mental strain was overwhelming.
Why was he so angry?
Argius reflected on himself.
Why was he angry?
‘The difference in vessels.’
He didn’t want to admit it, but his opponent was larger and broader than he was.
“Why did you come here?”
Instead of shouting, Argius asked a question similar to the first one he posed.
Initially, it was about what he would do if there was a hidden force, but now he was simply asking for the true purpose.
“Does that matter?”
Krang smiled.
Argius sighed a hollow laugh.
Not all Kings are the same.
Argius felt that phrase pierce him deeply.
The man before him had a different vessel.
He spoke of erasing the Demon Realm and ending the continent’s wars.
“How do you intend to do that?”
Argius asked again. There was no subject, but the meaning was clear.
How would he end the wars of the continent?
How would he deal with the Demon Realm?
How would he root out the Cult?
All three were nonsense. Mentioning just one of them would have been enough to label it lunacy.
Argius was supposed to be mindful of the priests who accompanied him, and he also had to consider the woman from the House of Ex, who was sponsored by the South, but he forgot.
At that moment, he only heard the words of the man before him.
Krang smiled again. If someone said that smile held magic, Argius would have nodded.
The King, filled with magical charisma, spoke against the backdrop of the night sky.
“Please, let’s think about it together.”
“…Ha ha ha.”
Starting with a hollow laugh, Argius threw his head back and laughed heartily. He laughed so hard that tears welled up.
Was this bastard saying he’d just do it without a plan? Is this grand ambition, or is he just an ignorant fool?
Normally, it would be dismissed as the words of a fool, but this was the King of Naurillia, who ended a civil war and inherited the throne.
You can’t just label such a man a fool.
‘Strangely.’
Argius recalled the retainers who opposed him when he proclaimed his dream of independence.
‘A dreamer, huh.’
Compared to himself, the person before him was a madman dreaming with his eyes wide open.
But,
‘I lost.’
The expected topics didn’t come up. The King of Naurillia didn’t address any of the concerns he had anticipated. He merely demonstrated the difference in their vessels.
“You’ll need a granary. You’d want to escape the hands of the Empire and the southern powers, and you also have the religious issue.”
‘He’s even smart.’
Argius just stood there, listening to Krang’s words.
“I can’t give you the entire land. But you can secure a farming zone if you adjust it like this.”
Krang aligned his two palms side by side as he spoke.
‘This too could be considered lunacy.’
That’s what Argius thought.
Krang was now suggesting aligning their borders.
A simple proposal to share farmland and divide it.
Ordinarily, the Green Pearl served as the border for both nations, so the suggestion seemed easy. But it was only easy to say.
After countless wars in the past? With all the bad blood built up? Fine, let’s set aside the fact that there was no large-scale massacre of entire cities during the conflicts.
‘Will the Empire and the southern power just stand by?’
Almost as if waiting for that thought, Krang spoke again.
“If anyone says otherwise, well, just use this friend as an excuse. Say there’s a Knightly order that can cut down an entire city of Aspen, and they’re too intimidating to provoke.”
Krang spoke and pointed behind him with his thumb. Naturally, his finger was aimed at Encrid.
Encrid didn’t mind and nodded slightly.
“A vassal?”
“A friend.”
Even when the man before another King called himself a friend, Encrid’s face remained composed.
Seeing this, Argius felt curious about their relationship.
Of course, that wasn’t the priority right now.
“Is that acceptable? You’re at war with the South, so they won’t stand still.”
“I’m not the one fighting, but yes. Those who share my dream, who defend my nation, will protect it together.”
“Is that so.”
Argius seemed drained of strength.
But his eyes began to shine.
It wasn’t the defensive, guarded gaze he had at the beginning. Nor was it the look of despair and resignation.
Krang’s subsequent words seemed to shatter his mindset.
“It’s not a matter of fighting because there’s a threat. Instead, say that the God of abundance wouldn’t allow any surplus land to be left untouched. Isn’t that the right answer?”
An ignorant fool?
What utter nonsense.
A rabbit living in a cave cannot comprehend a fellow rabbit living outside.
Why live in danger? Why not just eat the grass inside the cave?
Argius had merely failed to see the world outside the cave.
The man before him wasn’t just asking for friendship or participation in his dream.
He was sharp. He understood the situation perfectly and pointed it out.
And his fervent words had even silenced those who would normally assert their positions from behind him.
Everyone experiences a life-changing moment.
For Encrid, it was the words of a third-rate mercenary swordsman.
You’re a genius.
Also, it was the verse of a ballad sung by a wandering minstrel.
The Knight of Ceasefire, the Knight who ends wars.
The King of Aspen experienced something similar now.
Krang smiled and spoke again.
“What are you afraid of? Death? Failure? If not, would you dare to dream with me?”
A plan?
None.
Alternatives?
None.
But a dream?
Yes.
Krang was a dreamer, and Argius wanted to reach out for that dream.
What should he do first?
He was enchanted by the young King’s words, but first, he should look at the person who brought this King to speak these words.
Among those bewildered and captivated by the conversation, one man stood calmly.
His name was Encrid, the Knight of the Iron Wall.
It was him who created this moment.
It should have been Argius, the King, who first expressed gratitude when Ilrod Hurrier offered thanks.
Ilrod merely did so because he wanted to maintain the dignity of the kingdom.
That’s why Argius specifically requested that Encrid be present at this meeting.
Now that his eyes were open, shouldn’t he express his thanks for sparing the lives of his people, for saving his kingdom from shedding blood?
The King, awakened from his delusion, laughed and stood up.
“What should I call you?”
“Krang.”
“I am Argius. Before it’s too late, I wish to do something I desire. Is that alright?”
Not something he had to do, but something he wanted to do. As a King who knew the power of words, he spoke clearly.
“As you wish.”
At Krang’s response, the King of Aspen turned to Encrid.
“My apologies for the delay. Sir Encrid, the Knight of the Iron Wall, because of what you’ve done, my wife will not weep through the night. A child who almost lost both parents will smile again. Elderly parents who sent their children away will now sigh in relief. For this, I am truly grateful.”
The King bowed his head.
It was an act of recognition, acknowledging that this moment was made possible by the peerless hero who stood before him.
Thanks for the Chapter Bro!!! :DD
Thanks for the Chapter.
Is it updated regularly? Also what is release schedule
Creo que he leído el manhwa, talvez lo esté confundiendo.. 🤔