Tap.
Tap.
He stopped walking.
He was in front of a long oval table. The head seat was reserved for Count Henituse.
His gaze headed toward young master Eric’s father, Count Wheelsman, as he greeted him with his eyes.
He had already discussed things with Count Wheelsman.
Human.
Raon started to speak into Cale's mind. Raon had arrived here first.
Those shits talked badly about you. It is amazing. Do they not want to live?
‘What a vicious six-year-old.’
Contrary to his thoughts, Cale's expression was calm.
He calmly looked down at the group.
“Ahem, hem.”
Some of the nobles started to let out some fake coughs. It was because they felt uncomfortable having a young master like Cale looking down at them.
It was at that moment.
A viscount who was known to be part of Marquis Ailan’s faction, the Marquis who was said to be ruling the southeast region in secret, started to speak.
He was known to be a pretty intelligent and respectful noble. He did not seem to be ignoring Cale as he looked back and forth between Cale and Count Wheelsman.
“The northwest region has banded together around Marquis Stan. The southwest region is said to be spending a lot of money and manpower with the new Duke, Duke Antonio Gyerre, at the center.”
The viscount’s gaze headed toward the Ubarr liege.
Everybody knew about the naval base being built in the Ubarr territory. It was a location that the crown prince’s influence had reached.
However, neither the viscount nor the other nobles knew that the naval base was somewhere that the Henituse household had a strong influence in.
“Ahem, although we have the naval base in the Ubarr territory, isn’t it not ready yet? Finally, the southeast region is going to move around Marquis Ailan.”
The nobles that were part of the capital's faction glared toward Marquis Ailan's faction’s viscount.
“Marquis Ailan's territory is known as having the strongest and largest Knights Brigade in the Roan Kingdom.”
Ailan was currently the Roan Kingdom’s greatest swordsman.
The viscount started to smile.
“Our northeast region needs somewhere to center ourselves around. Wouldn’t it be best to follow such a knights-centric region since we are going against the Land of Knights? Young master Cale, doesn’t Count Henituse agree with our sentiments?”
He had heard about how the Henituse territory had fortified its castle walls, however, he had not heard anything else from the territory.
The Henituse household currently did not have any justification for the others to center around them.
It was at that moment.
“We have to think ahead.”
The eldest viscount started to speak. This old man who turned 80 years old this year was part of the capital’s central faction.
"We need to align ourselves with the strongest area. To be blunt, the northeast region needs somewhere to lean on. It is difficult to deal with on our own.”
The old man's egotistic gaze headed toward Cale.
“While young master Silver Shield may be reliable, reality is different.”
The old man was trying to convince them with, ‘reality.’
“We need to align ourselves with Duke Orsena in the central region in order to have things go smoothly.”
In the end, he was telling them to align with the central region.
While war was a time when heroes were born and new powers were created, it was also a mess you had to survive through.
The barons and viscounts all wanted to be heroes.
“The knights and infantry are strongest in the southeast region.”
“Ahem. You should listen to this old man's experience, viscount.”
Of course, these barons and viscounts wanted to be the heroes for their factions, not for the kingdom.
Human, are they idiots? Wouldn't there be no nobles if the Roan Kingdom is destroyed?
‘Of course.’
Cale agreed with Raon's statement.
That was why he was looking around.
He was looking to see which nobles accurately interpreted the current situation, even if they aligned themselves with the southeast region or the central region.
That was the reason he was dealing with such useless nonsense.
Cale made eye contact with someone at that moment.
It was the Ubarr liege, young lady Amiru's mother. Her gaze was focused on Cale.
The other nobles started to raise their voices at that moment.
“What would a barely thirty-year-old viscount know? War is experience. I wish to listen to someone with experience.”
“Does the crown or the central region have any strength? Logically speaking, we will only survive if we stick to the strongest group!”
“He is right. It would be best to stick to the southeast region since we are on the same eastern region.”
The Ubarr liege started to speak through the chaotic table.
“Young master Cale.”
Everybody focused their gazes on her.
The naval base. She was the one who ruled over the land and sea with the naval base.
This meant that she had the strongest force in the northeast region.
Furthermore, the Northern Alliance was expected to come via ships. That made the Ubarr territory even more important.
“What do you think about the current situation, young master Cale?”
The Ubarr liege used respectful language to address Cale.
Cale quietly stood there without responding right away.
The old viscount scoffed at Cale.
“Ubarr liege, young master Cale is young. It isn't as if he can protect the entire northeast region with a single ancient power. The clueless citizens may call him young master Silver Shield, but what would a young teenager like him know?”
He then motioned toward Cale with his hand as if to say, ‘no offense.’
“Of course, young master Cale is someone with a bright future. I truly believe that he is an amazing young man. However, this is something for experienced people like us to deal with.”
“I agree.”
The nobles of the southeast and central factions all nodded their heads.
Cale let out a chuckle at that moment.
“…Are you laughing right now?”
Furthermore, they all had official titles unlike Cale.
However, there was something they did not know.
Cale had the crown behind him.
He took a silver plaque out of his chest pocket and threw it onto the table. He was treating it as if it wasn’t much, no, it really wasn’t much to Cale.
Clang!
The silver plaque hit the table and started to spin. It spun until it moved to the center of the table and then stopped.
Clang.
Everybody looked toward the silver plaque.
It had the crest of the royal family on it.
All of these nobles had basic knowledge about this plaque.
A silver plaque was related to control over the military.
‘Why does he have this?
Even the leaders of each of the factions had not received this, so why was this here?’
It was at the moment that they were all silently focused on the silver plaque.
“Who do you think will win when a sword goes up against a shield?”
Unexpected words were coming out of Cale's mouth. However, his demeanor and gazed had changed. The respect was gone and all that was left was a cold gaze that was looking down on them.
Cale answered for the silent group.
“It will always be the shield.”
It had to be that way.
“The shield will always win from here on.”
Young master Silver Shield.
Cale was planning on using this embarrassing nickname of his to his advantage. Showmanship was important during war.
It was a battle of spirit to survive.
He needed to create that positive morale.
He needed to instill a strong sense of spirit in the hearts of the Roan Kingdom's citizens.
Cale had decided to start that plan from the northeast region. He was planning on creating heroes for the Roan Kingdom that way.
After the war, the Roan Kingdom that would be full of new heroes would forget about young master Silver Shield.
That was why it had to be this way.
“Absolutely. It needs to absolutely be this way.”
The shield had to win no matter what.
It was at that moment.
Boom!
Cale felt his heart suddenly beating wildly.
‘What is going on?’
It was the ancient power. One of the ancient powers was starting to move.
-- You are right. The shield always wins.
It was the owner of the Indestructible Shield.
It was the voice of the glutton priestess.
It had been a while since he had heard her speak. Actually, this was the first time since he earned the power.
She started to speak in Cale's mind.
‘What is she talking about?’
Cale hid his anxiety at this unexpected development.
However, the tattoo of the shield over his heart was starting to heat up.
-- But I'm hungry.
The glutton priestess almost started to shout.
-- More, I need to eat more.
‘Again?
Does she want to eat more bread?’
It was when Cale was calmly starting to think.
-- I want to eat other people’s talents.
‘What?’
Boom! Boom!
Cale could feel his heart beating wildly.
The Indestructible Shield was starting to move. Although nothing was visible, that was what Cale was feeling.
Human, why did you suddenly get stronger?
‘What is going on?’
Cale was confused. However, his facial expression remained calm.
“Vice Captain.”
Vice Captain Hilsman brought over a mage as soon as Cale called for him.
“Just what are you-”
One of the nobles started to speak and the other nobles started to frown. However, the nobles tied to the southwest region and the northwest region all continued to look toward Cale with pale expressions.
Cale naturally ignored the fact that the noble had something to say.
“Connect the video communication device.”
“Where shall I connect you to?”
“The palace.”
The nobles flinched at that response.
However, it was before they could even connect the call.
Beeeeeeep-
It was an emergency call from the palace.
It was a message for all nobles.
Furthermore, this message was currently being delivered from the capital's plaza for everyone to hear.
The mage broadcasted the call on one of the walls of the banquet hall.
They could see the current king of the Roan Kingdom.
Zed Crossman was standing at the plaza. He started to speak.
I, Zed Crossman, will turn all duties over to crown prince Alberu Crossman and will pass the throne over to him next year.
“What?”
“What the..!”
Some of the nobles expressed their shock as they stood up. What the hell was going on?
Their gazes then went toward the nobles of the southwest and northwest factions who had been quiet this whole time.
They could see them quietly sitting there with pale expressions.
It was at that moment.
The call focused on Alberu Crossman.
The crown prince, who still gave off the impression of the gentle and just prince, started to speak.
Turn on the video.
‘Video?’
A video was broadcasted behind Alberu with magic.
Grrrrrrr-
The roars of monsters filled the banquet hall.
The nobles could see monsters flying in the air.
Although the video was shaking as if the informant had been in hiding when he filmed it, they could still see tens of monsters flying in the sky.
They could also see knights on top of the wyverns.
“…No way.”
One of the noble’s lips were shaking. He didn't even know that his voice had been shaking as he spoke.
Kiiiiiiii!
A wyvern rushed toward the informant. Some of the nobles gasped.
The video ended at that moment.
The Wyvern Knights Brigade.
An existence from the legends.
The nobles realized that the legend had become a reality.
The Northern Alliance probably realized that their secret weapon had been revealed at this moment. Thanks to the Roan Kingdom, all of the Western continent was now aware of the Wyvern Knights Brigade.
This was the reason that the crown prince had played this video in the plaza.
Crown prince Alberu looked into the video communication device and continued to speak. He knew that Cale Henituse would be listening to this from somewhere.
‘Your highness, the entire kingdom will become heroes.’
Alberu and the Roan Kingdom made up their minds at that moment.
The Paerun Kingdom had feigned being fair and just by claiming to be a land of knights. They would do the same.
Alberu recalled what Cale had said.
‘Your highness, it isn’t as if we are doing something bad. We are just pretending to be a fair and just kingdom.’
‘Funny bastard.’
The Roan Kingdom had made up its mind.
They were going to fairly and openly suppress them with their strength.
His voice echoed throughout the banquet hall Cale was sitting in through the video communication device.
The Roan Kingdom is the kingdom with the longest history on the Western continent.
The Roan Kingdom had been the only quiet kingdom since the Indomitable Alliance’s proclamation.
The Roan Kingdom was the last to make their stance known to the others.
We will show them the strength of the survivors.
The crown prince confidently addressed the Western continent. At the same time, the banquet hall was filled with silence, no, with shock.
They only just realized the truth.
It was dangerous.
They were relieved when they thought that the Northern Alliance would come via ships because of the Bear tribe and the Dwarves.
But wyverns?
Now it was a question of life or death.
They heard someone's voice at that moment.
“The wyverns.”
It was Cale.
He looked down at the nobles who were looking at him.
“The Wyvern Knights Brigade will not get past the Henituse territory.”
“Absolutely not.”
Cale walked over to the center of the table and picked up the silver plaque.
“I, Cale Henituse, am in charge of the northeast region’s military, starting today.”
“You will need to listen to me from here on out.”
Cale looked around at the nobles of the southwest and northwest factions who were avoiding his gaze, as well as at the nobles of the other factions who seemed to be in a state of chaos.
“If it is the noble's way to attach themselves to the strong…”
The people who sought power in the eve of war did not deserve to be heroes.
Cale was using today in order to determine the ones who would become heroes and the ones who would survive by attaching themselves to the strong. He needed to know this in order to utilize the nobles properly.
Cale smiled toward the nobles.
Cale turned around.
He then headed toward the door without any hesitation.
Screech. Screeeech.
The sound of chairs moving could be heard.
The Ubarr liege, young master Gilbert who was representing his father, and Count Wheelsman.
These were the people responsible for the northeast region's shores and the entrance to the northeast region.
These people all stood up at the same time.
They then followed behind Cale.
Screeech- Bang!
The rest of the nobles only realized that they had been left behind once the door was closed.
They also realized something else.
The wyverns were coming. [1]
That time would soon arrive.
1. (PR: Winter is coming.)