“Recruiter! Guild Leader!”

“Ugnh! Why are you screaming like that this early in the morning?” Trevik opened the door with a disheveled appearance. He had drunk a little too much at the previous night’s banquet to commemorate their victory.

The employee of the recruitment center frowned at the smell of alcohol. “My goodness. What do you mean this early in the morning? It’s been a while since the sun came up. Anyway, I think you should come quickly.”

“Why? Did someone get drunk and cause an accident?” Trevik asked.

“It’s an accident, alright! But, it’s not that kind of accident!” the employee responded.

“Then what?” Trevik asked with a frown while taking a sip of water. Such happenings were quite common.

“Applicants! We have had a landslide of applicants this morning!” the employee explained.

“Huh?”

Trevik realized the peculiarity of the situation from the visible excitement on his subordinate’s face. He hurriedly put on his clothes before heading to the recruitment center.

“What the…?” Trevik’s eyes became filled with surprise when he saw a crowd of two to three hundred people.

“These are all applicants?” Trevik asked.

“That’s what I’m saying!” the employee responded.

“What the hell could have happened overnight… Ah!” Trevik came to a realization while talking, then burst into an exclamation. He asked, “Are they the ones who were employed in other territories? Have they returned?”

“Yes, yes. It looks like the story of His Excellency the Duke and the other sirs has spread. We’ve even got knights,” the employee answered.

“Well, well. As expected…” Trevik nodded. Maren was the representative city of the nearby area. The neighboring nobles must have been paying keen attention to Maren’s situation with the royalist army, and as soon as news broke that Eugene and his knights had demolished the army of the king, the nobles must have immediately sent the mercenaries under their command.

‘The nobles truly are masters at walking a fine line.’

Trevik felt rather bitter, but he couldn’t blame them either. On the surface, everyone cried out for honor and faith. However, how many could truly act ‘honorably’ even when their very lives were on the line in a civil war? A single mistake was sufficient to rob someone of everything they possessed. It was best to lay low and observe the situation until a clear picture was drawn.

‘Well, in any case, it’s good for us.’

Although it was quite obvious why the nobles had decided to jump aboard, Trevik was still relieved that they chose to stand on Maren’s side. It was because Maren was planning an unprecedented event, something that had never been done in the city’s history.

And at its center was…

‘Maren’s god of wealth, no, the god of war, Sir Eugene.’

Trevik grinned. Perhaps, he had been influenced by the mayor and the guild leaders. He recalled the nickname that the mayor and the guild leaders had given Eugene. He spoke, “Take them in one by one. Don’t forget to assign the applicants to city defense starting today.”

“I understand!”

The employees of the recruitment center got busy. However, their expressions were bright. The city was already safe, and they were participating in the gathering of one of the greatest forces in history under Maren’s banner.

***

“So, are you asking me to go to the capital of the Caylor Kingdom?”

“That’s right.”

“And… you’re planning to replace the king, and you want me to be a witness?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. Just tell me whether you will do it or not.”

“Ha…” Vizak simpered. He was still posing as the prince. It was ridiculous enough for Eugene to say that he would replace a nation’s king, but even more absurd when he asked the prince of the Roman Empire to stand witness. Vizak was even starting to wonder if Eugene was even being serious.

“Sir. Do you realize what kind of repercussions could result from what you are asking of me right now…?” Vizak said.

“Your Highness, I dare say that my advice is for you to comply with Duke Batla’s suggestion,” the real prince interrupted.

“What…?” Vizak’s eyes quivered after hearing Localope’s words.

“No, even so, this is—” Vizak muttered.

Eugene interrupted, “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. Anyway, please decide before we leave tomorrow. Then.”

“N-no, sir! Duke Batla!” Vizak called out. However, Eugene disregarded the fake prince’s shout and left the prince’s room.

“Kiehh? Sir, you actually don’t need the prince? The old man mayor pleaded with you to persuade him, right?” Mirian poked her head out of her pocket as soon as Eugene left the room and chattered.

Eugene responded, “That’s what the mayor wanted. I don’t care whether the prince stands witness or not.”

Last night, the mayor and the leader of the merchant guild visited Eugene quietly and asked for Prince Localope to accompany all of them to the capital. If everything went according to plan and Eugene and Maren’s troops successfully occupied the royal capital, it was indispensable to subjugate the current king and replace him with a new king. It was best to carry out the task as soon as possible before other countries and nobles could intervene.

Everyone would obviously suggest a new king who would provide them with benefits. Such a situation could lead to others reaping all the benefits from the labor that Maren had performed. Moreover, even if the king was replaced as soon as possible, according to the plan, rumors, and scandals aimed at the unprecedented situation would certainly arise. It was entirely possible that the situation could devolve into yet another civil war.

The mayor of Maren and the guild leaders wanted to forestall such an outcome, and the best method to do so was to make use of Localope, a prince of the Roman Empire, a superpower recognized by the entire world.

- Sir Eugene. The mere presence of the Roman Empire’s prince will be sufficient to quell the complaints and objections of the nobility. So, I request this of you.

Eugene was already quite familiar with the behavior of nobles. As such, he knew that the mayor’s judgment was correct.

However…

‘Why should I?’

Eugene wasn’t a nobleman of the Caylor Kingdom. He simply desired to punish the king and the cardinal for picking a fight with him. He honestly didn’t care what happened to the kingdom after he had achieved his goal. However, he couldn’t just openly refuse the desperate plea of Maren’s mayor. His relationship with Maren had always been favorable, and it would likely continue in the future. That was why Eugene had decided to heed the mayor’s request.

Of course, his own proposal to the prince completely excluded the desperation contained in the mayor’s request.

“Hrng. I still think it’s better to accept the mayor’s request. He’s a very nice man,” Mirian remarked.

“Do you consider anyone very nice as long as they shower you with money?” Eugene asked.

After hearing that Mirian had played a huge role in the battle against the royal army, the mayor presented her with a special gift. She was paid one hundred gold coins, and she was to be included in the statue of Eugene to be erected in the center of the square.

“Kiehh?! Gold and silver are proof of trust, isn’t it? You did the same, sir!” Mirian exclaimed.

“…” Eugene chose silence. For once, the spirit’s words were completely accurate.

Mirian continued, “Anyway, I agree with the words of the old man mayor! And the talkative prince said he would do it, too, so it’s already done! Kihehehe!”

Eugene nodded in response to the fanatical laughter. He recalled Localope’s reaction. Although Eugene was never told the exact circumstances of Localope’s departure from the empire, he had a rough guess. It was obvious why a great noble, a legitimate son of the emperor, would be wandering around with only about ten escorting knights and a single attendant.

‘I’m sure he’s being chased. He’s being chased by a powerful figure of the Roman Empire.’

There weren’t many figures capable of cornering an imperial prince. However, Eugene was sure it wasn’t the emperor himself. The emperor held absolute authority in the empire, and if he were angry with his son, the entire world would already know about it.

‘Well, I’ll know the details sooner or later when he returns. I just have to take care of the prince until then.’

Before leaving Brantia with Prince Localope, Eugene had sent someone to the Roman Empire to secure accurate information. The one he sent was the most knowledgeable about the Roman Empire among Eugene’s subordinates, and he was one of the few people Eugene knew would never betray him. It was Delmondo, a former imperial official of the Roman Empire. He had left for the Roman Empire as a baron of Brantia with an identification card signed by Luke himself.

‘Is he going to meet his father? No, that couldn’t be. The Roman Empire is humongous, after all.’

And even if he did, it didn’t matter. The existence of a parent for a vampire was absolute. However, the existence of a ‘monarch’ stood even higher. No one could deny or defy a monarch, regardless of their clan.

***

“Your Highness! Are you serious about this? Please reconsider it. If this becomes known to the imperial city—” Vizak muttered.

“Then my brothers will be furious. They will say that I have defiled the reputation of the golden blood,” Localope responded.

Vizak struck his chest as if he were frustrated. “If you know it so well, why are you doing this? Even His Majesty could come forward. Getting involved in the affairs of another country’s civil war and royal family… This is going to turn into a serious diplomatic issue.”

“His Majesty will not say anything. No, rather, he will be favorable to the situation,” Localope answered.

“What?” Vizak asked with surprised eyes.

Localope responded with a smile, “His Majesty has always wanted to take the kingdoms around us. However, that’s practically impossible. Do you know why?”

“Forgive my ignorance…” Vizak mumbled.

“The empire is great, but it is still impossible for us to deal with all the neighboring countries at once,” Localope answered.

“H-How sacrilegious! I’m afraid someone might hear you!” Vizak exclaimed.

“I don’t care if it’s sacrilegious; it’s the truth. Even during the reign of Leondolf the Great, who was known as a conqueror, we only went as far as taking the eastern kingdoms as subjects of the empire, right? The empire even sent envoys to the western and southern kingdoms, including the Caylor Kingdom, to soothe and relieve them. Why was that?” Localope said.

“Hmm.”

Vizak was from a prestigious family of nobles. It was impossible for him to be ignorant of the reason, considering the high-quality education he had received since he was young. Even if the Roman Empire was a superpower and other kingdoms had to bow their heads to it, it could not go to war with all of the countries.

If the empire’s territorial boundaries were widened, its troops would become dispersed, and such an event could lead to a failure in their business in the East. The conqueror had been wise. The empire’s relationships with the western and southern countries were quite friendly, so he had sent envoys and gifts to appease them and to provide them relief.

“His Majesty wants to continue the will of the great conqueror and take the western and southern kingdoms as his subjects as well. However, like the great conqueror, His Majesty is concerned about going to war with many countries all at once. But the king of the Caylor Kingdom was suddenly replaced. Do you think His Majesty will hate it?” Localope asked.

“Ah…!”

Localope continued, “My brothers won’t like it. However, I guarantee that His Majesty will be interested. Of course, if I act as nothing but a simple observer, it will only garner a little bit of His Majesty’s interest. However, if I show my presence—”

He trailed off. In fact, even he couldn’t tell what would happen. The crown prince was already in line to take the throne of the empire. Even if he, the empire’s third prince, became an influential figure in another nation, he couldn’t possibly influence the ascension.

However…

‘At the very least, they couldn’t possibly hurt me outright when I return home.’

The emperor’s interest was directly related to his survival. Localope was still an escapee, so he made the decision to settle for now.

***

The next morning…

About eight hundred troops departed Maren’s gates. The army was a humongous force consisting of a thousand people, including the depot merchants. It was one of the largest gatherings of troops in Maren’s history to leave on an expedition. The armies of different noble families joined with the army along the road, then headed East.

East was toward the Winslon County, where the noble union was gathered. Anyone could tell that Maren was planning to join the noble union to oppose the king and the cardinal.

The situation was quite chaotic due to the civil war, but the surprising news quickly spread to many places. Naturally, it wasn’t known that the total number of troops had decreased slightly compared to their initial departure. In addition, it remained a secret that all the missing people were knights and that the captain of the army had disappeared with them.

“We will use the same tactic as the royalists. The cavalries will accompany me to the capital. The rest of you will join Count Winslon,” Eugene declared. The attention of the king and his army would be diverted, Count Winslon would be grateful to him, and Eugene would be the first to take the royal castle and all of its bounties.

“It can’t get any better than this! As expected, you’re the best when it comes to being sneaky! King of all kings, the devil king! Kihehehehehehehehe!”

Eugene felt as if he could even finish Mirian’s sentences now. After evolving, the spirit and the vampire grew even closer. Eugene and his knights quickly advanced toward the capital of the kingdom.