“Oh, Brynhildr!”

Albrecht smiled widely seeing his joker, Brynhildr, as he came down from the magic circle.

“You’ve come!”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Good job. Since those savages from Valhalla have come in, our Gullveig Coalition is desperate for your power!”

He was treating him extremely kindly. 

Vilhelm acted like he was greeting his hidden lover. 

“How come I couldn’t get in touch with you?”

“...”

“I told you again and again to stay next to me...”

“I apologize.”

“No, that’s fine. Since you came in the face of danger, that’s enough.”

So what if he was a little late?

Vilhelm was satisfied that the only card he had that could rival Kang Chul-In was here on his orders. 

“Your Majesty.”

But Vilhelm’s hopes came crumbling down in a second.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I apologize, but I won’t be participating in this war.”

“...What?”

Vilhelm suspected his ears. 

“You won’t participate in the war?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What are you talking about? You came this quickly after I contacted you but you won’t go out to war? Brynhildr, are you saying that you don’t care if our army is crushed by the Valhalla forces?”

“That’s not it.”

Brynhildr shook his head. 

“Then why…?”

“Kang Chul-In won’t appear on the battlefield.”

“...!”

“Because of that, I’ll return to Earth.”

Vilhelm’s face froze like ice when Brynhildr announced he wouldn’t participate. 

He couldn’t use his joker?

Since he had a reason for going to war after being attacked by Kang Chul-In first, he had a duty to lead their army to victory. 

“Wait!”

Vilhelm grabbed Brynhildr in a frantic voice.

“You’re not participating? What does that mean? No, rather, how do you know that Kang Chul-In won’t participate in this war!?”

It was strange. 

He didn't know how Brynhildr knew something that he didn’t. Had this white knight secretly been contacting Kang Chul-In, their enemy?

“I met Kang Chul-In.”

“...!”

“Oh, it was a coincidence. I met him on the way here.”

“Keum!”

“He said he won’t join the war this time.”

“What?!”

“He said he had something to do.”

“I can't believe it. The Valhalla forces were the ones to attack us first. But their leader isn’t participating? What kind of nonsense is that?”

His words were reasonable. 

Kang Chul-In was the most powerful soldier during this war. 

He should have known this himself better than anyone, so why was he saying that he wasn’t going to participate?

“Is his condition not good?”

It was a logical question. 

It had only been 1 week ago when he was beaten up by Akan during the second Lords’ Meeting. 

“No, sir.”

“I-it’s okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

But Vilhelm didn’t expect Brynhildr’s answer. 

“He is healthy.”

“No… did you see wrong…?”

“I’m sure.”

“...!”

“Two days ago, when I met Kang Chul-In near the Deathwin territory, he looked stronger than ever. No, he was too strong. Strong enough that I couldn’t even dare to attack him.”

“No way...”

“What is the matter?”

“Oh, you wouldn’t know. So what happened is...”

Vilhelm explained what happened at the second Lords’ Meeting. 

“It was a critical injury. It might’ve been enough to endanger his life...”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. But he’s stronger than he was 2 weeks ago? Do you think that makes sense, Brynhildr?”

“...”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you. But it’s just so nonsensical that...”

“I agree. However, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s stronger.”

“T-That! Ahem...!”

Vilhelm coughed at what Brynhildr said. 

Kang Chul-In, are you even human!?

Just how many potions did he gulp up to recover in just 2 weeks after those critical injuries?

It was impossible for Albrecht to understand since he didn’t know about Alfred’s Blood Heal. 

“Anyways, I’m repeating myself, but I won’t participate in this war.”

“...!”

“Then, I’ll be...”

“Wait!”

Vilhelm frantically stopped Brynhildr. 

“Are you really going?”

“Pardon?”

“Brynhildr, wait a minute!”

“...”

“This is a chance, Brynhildr! If Kang Chul-In really doesn’t participate in this war, isn’t victory easily ours? If only you step up!”

“Your Majesty.”

But Brynhildr’s reply was cold. 

“Like I said in the beginning, I’m only fighting Kang Chul-In. Didn’t you promise that my sword, Arondight, would only be used against Kang Chul-In?”

“T-That is!”

Vilhelm was speechless for a second.

“I became your sword with just that promise.”

“...”

“It’s not that I don’t understand you. However, with Kang Chul-In stronger, is there a reason for me to participate in war?”

“Keum...”

“But if you still want me to participate...”

It was obvious what he was going to say. 

The end. 

He was going to say that if Vilhelm broke the promise he wouldn’t serve him anymore. 

Dammit!

Vilhelm felt like his insides were boiling up. Since Kang Chul-in wasn’t participating, if they used Brynhildr, the war would be finished with their victory. 

Of course, Kang Chul-In would join when that kind of situation came, but wouldn’t they have already gotten what they needed by then?

Also, they could stop Kang Chul-In from doing whatever he was planning. 

Tsk...

It was a shame, but he didn’t bring it up again. 

It was better not to use this card than to lose it completely. 

If Brynhildr went to another Lord, the damage would be great. 

Kang Chul-In wasn’t the only enemy. 

Vilhelm was someone who dreamed of reuniting the continent, and he needed Brynhildr for that. 

“I guess there’s nothing we can do...”

“I apologize, your Majesty.”

“It’s a shame, but if that’s what you want I won’t force you. However!”

Vilhelm emphasized his words. 

“If Kang Chul-In shows up, I trust that you’ll step up.”

“Of course, your Majesty.”

“Good, you may leave now.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

Brynhildr’s participation in war was canceled like that and the fight of the strongest in the continent was pushed back to another day. 

“Keum...”

When Brynhildr was gone, Vilhelm’s mind was in chaos. 

“Just what are you planning, Kang Chul-In?”

What was Kang Chul-In doing?

Why wasn’t he joining the war?

What tricks was he coming up with?

Vilhelm didn’t have any way to know. 

***

“Kang Chul-In...”

Leaving the territory, Brynhildr’s voice was filled with complex emotions. 

“I’ll become stronger.”

He had a firm resolve. 

“I’ll be stronger… and stop you.”

It was a prediction of how hard he would work. 

***

“W-What...!?”

His rank was 31. 

The Lord of the New Orleans territory, Delcado, looked blankly at the letters in front of him. 

The information on the letters was as follows:

Cut off your ties with Lord Rothschild within the next 10 minutes. If not, you will be dead. 

-Supreme King of the West Kang Chul-In & Overlord Dorian Explorer

-Warning: Not a joke. If ignored, you will pay the price. 

“...”

Delcado didn’t know what was happening, so he just stared blankly at it.

What did this mean?

Cut off his ties with Rothschild?

No, it was even more astonishing that this letter came from Kang Chul-In and Dorian. 

“Nah, no way.”

Delcado shook his head. 

This was 100% a joke... the work of someone who was bored. 

Why would the Supreme King of the West kill someone like him?

Also, he wanted him to cut off his ties with a small fish like Rothschild?

It was some bastard that he didn’t understand. 

“Your Majesty!”

It was then. 

“We received an urgent message from the Oslo territory!”

“Oslo territory?”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Connect me with them.”

Oslo and New Orleans were right next to each other, so Delcado was the Oslo territory Lord’s next door neighbor. 

-Delcado!

As soon as they were connected, Claudius’ hologram appeared on the beam projector. 

“What’s the matter, Claudius?”

-It’s a disaster!

“Mm? A disaster?”

-The Supreme King of the West Kang Chul-In sent a letter saying that he would kill me if I didn’t cut off my ties with Rothschild within 5 hours!

“...!”

-What should I do!?

Claudius seemed to be out of his mind. 

Of course. How many people would be calmly eating popcorn when the Supreme King of the West said he would kill them?

“Tsk, tsk.”

Delcado looked at Claudius pathetically. 

“You coward.”

-C-Coward?!

“Yeah.”

-...

“Why would the Supreme King of the West come to kill us?”

-Us? What are you talking about?

“I also received that letter. You have 5 hours, but I have just 10 minutes. I just received it, so... I have about 6 minutes left.

-Huk! Then aren’t you in danger, too?

“...Are you being serious right now?”

-...?

“No, why would Kang Chul-In come here to kill us?”

-I-Is that so?!

“Use your head. With the Valhalla forces having attacked the Gullveig Coalition, why would Kang Chul-In come all the way here?”

-Mm?

“Also, Kang Chul-In should be lying sick in bed after being beaten up by Akan at the Lords’ Meeting. Even if he’s healed, he should’ve gone to the battlefield to help his forces, so why would he come all the way here and send a letter?”

Delcado was completely right. 

His logic was something that anyone would’ve been able to think of. 

“Do you understand now? This is just a joke. It’s just a bad joke to play with us.”

-Y-You’re right!

“If you understand, don’t be frozen in fear and order your subordinates to find the person who sent the letter and destroy them.”

-I will do that!

“Goodness, what kind of… just who is it? Do we seem easy enough to be tricked by this joke? No, even if it’s the Supreme King of the West, so what?”

Delcado snorted. 

“He’s gonna kill me? Does he think I’ll be scared of him? Is it all because he’s important? Hm?”

-U-Uh...

Just then, Claudius shook his finger, pointing behind Delcado with a pale face. 

-D-Delcado? T-That’s...!

“That foolish, cowardly, savage bastard, not knowing he’s being arrogant.”

-E-Excuse me...

“Kill me if he wants! Does that damned guy really think he’s a king…?”

It was then. 

“Oh, yeah?”

Delcado heard a voice on the edge of exploding in his ears. 

“I suppose that Kang Chul-In guy is pretty annoying, huh?”

“Of course! That crazy bastard… hmm?”

Delcado suddenly realized that something was weird. 

Shiver!

His back felt cold. 

Drip. 

A bead of sweat dripped down his back. 

“I-Is...”

Delcado slowly turned around. 

There, the annoying, crazy, savage, cowardly, and foolish bastard was smiling icily at him. 

“Oh, so is that how you thought of me?”

Kang Chul-in licked his lips. 

“H-How did you get in here!?”

“It’s been 10 minutes.”

“Heek?!”

“My letter wasn’t important to you.”

“...!”

“Alright, let’s start the game.”

Kang Chul-In took a step towards Delcado. 

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