章節 76: CHAPTER 235
Of course, even with Dino Zeglun, the Kollon natives, and the fragments of the Living Golem's heart, that was not enough to sway public sentiment.
It would only work if the fact was revealed that they also kidnapped the holy king and set up a puppet to deceive the holy kingdom's subjects.
"High Priests Montiano and Connyu, and Paladin Commander Sir Vitura, know."
"Who is the most trustworthy among them?"
"None."
Rani stated flatly and then explained further.
"High Priests Montiano and Connyu were definitely bribed. After finding out that he was a fake, I went to talk to them, but they just smiled and told me to do well in the trial after the festival and to serve the holy king well. Those two were certainly bought off."
"You can't be sure that they were bribed based on that alone, right?"
"No, we talked about the finger, too. But the only answer I got was a smile. As if saying I was already in the palm of their hands, unable to do anything…"
The fact that those two had been bribed was especially devastating for Rani.
Montiano and Connyu were McLan's close friends who had been with him since his teens. They were the most powerful people in the holy kingdom after Holy King McLan.
"…From the moment I was convinced that they were on Zipfel's side, I lost hope. After all, Montiano is the high priest in charge of the castle's laws, and Connyu is in charge of administration."
In other words, the current laws and administration of the holy kingdom were completely in their hands.
With even the holy king being a fake, it was an extremely hopeless situation.
A thought suddenly flashed through Jin's mind.
'The holy kingdom's fallen into the ZIpfel Clan's hands, but what's the Runcandel Clan doing about this? Are they leaving them alone, despite knowing about it? Or, could it be that they really haven't figured out the situation yet?'
There was a high chance that it was the latter.
There was currently no information about the battle fought between Murakan and Kadun in Santel.
Moreover, since Santel was the holy land of the Shoal empire, and was a quiet and peacefull place, it was a land where the Runecandel hadn't planted many people.
And Jin was only able to uncover this situation as a result of Murakan being attacked near Santel and meeting Rani.
If those coincidences hadn't happened, he wouldn't have known the true state of the holy kingdom.
"What about Paladin Commander Vitura?"
The final person who knew the secret of the holy king.
He was the only person who knew about the holy king's secret and wasn't in McLan's inner circle.
"I haven't met Sir Vitura. But he's been hostile to my father's politics for a long time. He's always strongly asserted that my father should be brought down."
"Is that why you haven't met him?"
"In addition, he always insisted that we should have a friendlier relationship with Zipfel. I thought he was only doing it because he hated my father, but I believe he may have been working with Zipfel for a long time."
"The military, law, and the administration have all fallen into their hands. It's pretty hopeless, kid."
"Let's meet Vitura."
"Did you listen to what I said?"
"I did. But unlike the two high priests, you didn't check for yourself, right?"
"My father also disliked him quite a bit. It's said that even at official meetings, the sight of Sir Vitura made him grit his teeth. It was to the point that he always made a fuss about not inviting Sir Vitura to official dinners."
These were actions that the leader of a country, and the holy king, could not do without an extreme dislike of that person.
Rani was, as expected, influenced by the holy king and also disliked Vitura.
No, she despised him.
Jin made eye contact with Rani, seemingly having remembered something.
"Rani, what was your father like toward High Priest Montiano and High Priest Connyu?"
"Well, obviously… Whether it be official dinners, or meetings, he always sat right next to them and discussed everything to do with his rule. He also went on walks with them whenever he had time."
"What do you think you would do if you were the holy king, Rani? In a situation where the holy kingdom's been taken by the Zipfel Clan, right from the roots."
"Sorry?"
"If it were me, I would stay close to the enemy spies. In such a way that they wouldn't suspect I noticed. On the other hand, I would also make sure to be at odds with those who could be of help to me. At the very least, for the sake of appearances."
Rani blinked once but then shook her head in denial.
"That may be possible. However, my father would often say he hated Sir Vitura even when I was the only one around."
"You can interpret that as him judging that even the walls of the castle had ears. Of course, it might be a stretch. But even so, nothing bad will come from checking."
"What if I get caught while looking for him? If Sir Vitura was Zipfel's puppet, then he would imprison me, without a doubt. Up till now, they judged that there was no way I would run because they had my father's life in their hands but… Now, from their perspective, I've killed the soldiers who had turned into Living Golems and fled."
Murakan shrugged his shoulders.
"Why worry about being caught when you have me? Do you think some mere holy kingdom paladins could stop me?"
Rani was still unaware of how strong Murakan had become.
That was to be expected, since the sight of Murakan barely surviving after being attacked by Kadun was still fresh in her mind.
However, the important thing wasn't whether Murakan could take down Sir Vitura and the paladins.
"That's not the problem. Let's say that you two are able to subdue the paladins and escape with me. What do we do next? We'll become wanted and my father… my father…"
Rani couldn't bear to finish her sentence.
After Zipfel had kidnapped the holy king, they only needed to keep Rani alive.
Because they wanted to use the symbol of 'father and daughter' that the subjects loved so much.
That's why Rani was left with the role of reading the blessings at the Ayula Advent Festival.
Quietly threatening to kill McLan if she didn't comply or caused another incident.
However, if you think about it calmly, the probability that the real holy king was still alive was infinitely small.
Since they'd taken hold of the entire kingdom, and had a perfect body double, there was no need to keep him alive.
Rani was just a card for the Zipfel Clan to use. Once the subjects turned their backs on her after seeing her break down, they could abandon her.
"My father… It's highly likely that he is no longer in this world…"
Rani knew of that fact.
However, she'd tossed that thought away because she didn't want to think about it.
Her eyes turned watery.
"Rani."
Rani wiped her tears away and ground her teeth.
Nothing would be resolved by crying.
"As you said, I'll go to meet Sir Vitura. But please promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"It seems that you plan to drive Zipfel out by swaying public opinion, but if Sir Vitura is a spy, as I thought, then that will never work. That's probably why you want to meet Sir Vitura."
As Rani said, it wasn't that there was no chance of it working, but if Vitura was a spy, then Jin would be forced to bring in other forces.
He planned to get help from the Hidden Palace, or even break the law of the Runcandels and ask Luna for help.
Jin had to prevent the holy kingdom from falling into Zipfel's hands at all costs.
"If anything goes wrong, please help me return the holy kingdom to normal after you've become a flag bearer. I wish to receive help from not only you and Murakan, but from the entire Runcandel Clan."
Jin nodded.
"I understand."
* * *
It was impossible to summon just Vitura.
Even though she was the adopted daughter of the holy king, Rani was only a second-class paladin from the Protectors of the Doctrine.
The three thought about it for a while before eventually deciding to go to his official residence in person.
Regardless of whether he was summoned alone, or if they met him at his residence… If he was a spy, the outcome would be the same.
"Why, isn't this Rani Salome! Aren't you the daughter of His Majesty, the holy king, and the Protectors of the Doctrine's problem child?"
Vitura was arrogantly sitting in the middle of a spacious office with an obvious smile on his face.
Behind him, the Paladins of the Golden Shield directly under his command, sharply glared at her.
"Who are these people you've brought?"
Vitura asked, pointing to Jin and Murakan.
"…They're friends."
"Friends, my foot! They must be the ones who killed our soldiers at the eastern temple and ran away with you. Huhu, Rani Salome. I was actually looking for you. It's not right for the person who's supposed to read the blessings in a few days to suddenly disappear, now is it?"
'It's doomed.'
Jin and Murakan couldn't help but think the same thing at the same time.
'Shit, was Rani's judgment correct?' Who would have guessed that the reason the holy king hated this man was really because he was a spy? Did the holy king fall to these people without knowing anything?'
Murakan's strength had returned to 40%, so escaping would not be difficult.
"You must've known that if you acted like that, your father's head would fall off… It looks like you came to your senses while running away, huh? That was the right thing to do. Sit down."
Rani sat in front of Vitura, her expression blank.
Jin and Murakan stood still, contemplating when to escape.
Trickle~
Vitura smiled as he filled his teacup.
"Kayn."
"Yes, Commander."
The paladin called Kayn took a step forward as he answered.
"Take them and put them in the dungeon. I have a lot of questions for them. Contact Zipfel as well. Tell them we've captured Rani."
"Yes, sir."
Kayn walked toward Jin and Murakan along with the other three paladins. Upon entering the residence, Jin and Murakan had handed in their weapons. Of course, even without their weapons, dealing with the paladins posed no problem.
'It'll be tiring to take the sword back when… Huh?'
Shing!
The sharp sound of a sword being unsheathed from its scabbard.
However, it was not the Paladins of the Golden Shield who had drawn their swords.
Paladin Commander Vitura Velter.
It was the sound of his sword being drawn.
Swing—!
Surprisingly, his sword was aimed at his subordinates, who had just received his orders.
With a single strike, the throats of the four belonging to the Paladins of the Golden Shield had been cut.
The heads that still had helmets on rolled along the floor with a metallic clunking sound.
As the Paladins of the Golden Shield under his direct control, they were all 7 or 8 stars.
But there was no way to avoid the sword that the commander-in-chief had swung from behind them.
Especially since the commander was a knight close to 9 stars.
The bodies of the paladins convulsed, their heads severed.
"Don't scream, Rani. And, you really did a good job finding me. How much pain must you have gone through?"
As Rani reflexively straightened her body, Vitura covered her mouth with his hand.
Jin and Murakan looked at Vitura in bewilderment.
The commander-in-chief of the Vankella paladins, Vitura Velter.
He was not Zipfel's tool.
"Please come closer, Lord Jin Runcandel."
And he even knew Jin's face.
章節 77: CHAPTER 236
Jin spoke while approaching Vitura.
"I didn't expect you to recognise me, Sir Vitura."
"I once attended a party. I spent the night only quenching my thirst before returning home, so you may not have seen me."
Vitura looked bitterly at the Paladins of the Golden Shield who had fallen by his blade.
"Most of the paladins under my direct command also fell into their hands. Rani, I can't tell you how thankful I am that you're still fine in the midst of all this."
"…Sir Vitura. I was suspicious of you. Please forgive me."
As Rani lowered her head and apologized, Vitura waved his hand.
"I would have reacted in the same way if it were me. Since your father and I have been political enemies for a long time. And I've always been at the forefront saying that we have to stand on the Zipfel Clan's side."
Holy King McLan and the commander-in-chief of the paladins, Vitura Velter.
The two were known to have been enemies for a long time, and in fact, they often got into heated arguments during official meetings.
But that was all just them playing a role to maintain political balance.
McLan played the role of a hero, putting pressure against vested interests, while Vitura played the role of a villain who campaigned for vested interests.
The conflict between the two that continued after McLan became the Holy King was actually cooperation, and the only people who knew about it were themselves.
There was a long story behind why that came to be, but Vitura didn't think now was the time to give Rani a detailed explanation.
Firstly, they needed to discuss the current situation.
"Rani, soon it will be reported to Zipfel that you and Young Master Jin came to visit me. There are only a few people left in the official residence who are fully under my command, and even those few are under surveillance."
"So right now, the Zipfel Clan believes that they've won you over to their side."
Vitura nodded at Jin's words.
"You'd probably think that I was the first one to be won over to their side… But those bastards started planting spies in the Holy Kingdom twenty years ago."
Twenty years ago was before Jin was even born.
Jin didn't know about it because he was expelled from his family without any authority in his previous life, but the holy kingdom fell into the hands of Zipfel back then as well.
"Vankella is divided into two."
"You mean the Zipfel Clan and the forces opposing them?"
"…No, it's divided into those who support Zipfel and those who support Kinzelo. The holy king's double is the work of Kinzelo. I still can't believe it, but they have the ability to transform people."
Rani's eyes widened.
Faced with this fact, Rani had no choice but to be in shock. Not was the Zipfel taking over the holy kingdom, but even Kinzelo was reaching out to grab hold of them.
As far as she knew, Kinzelo was nothing more than a third-rate terrorist group that couldn't even be compared to the Zipfel Clan.
If one were to hear such a group ruled half of the holy kingdom, anyone would react similarly.
Jin had a calm expression, and Murakan just shrugged his shoulders.
"It seems the name Kinzelo doesn't surprise you, nor did it surprise your knight."
'I'm not some mere knight.'
Murakan thought, nearly ready to snap back.
"The day I left the Garden of Swords, I was attacked by those with the ability to transform. They were Zipfel's most extreme followers. From then on, I tracked down their identities and found out that Kinzelo and the Zipfel clan were allies."
"So that happened… However, now they are no longer allies. They were up until recently, but now, although I don't know why, they've become complete enemies."
Vitura pretended to be a subordinate of the Zipfel Clan and watched the whole thing.
High Priest Montiano, as well as High Priest Connyu, and other powerful figures plus their forces were already completely obedient to Zipfel, so there wasn't much he could do.
But when the two organizations that had been allies became enemies, Vitura decided that the only chance to take back the holy kingdom had arrived.
Because he expected the united front that had ruled over Vankella to weaken.
And as expected, the holy kingdom became divided.
The moderate faction followed the Zipfel Clan, and the hardline faction followed Kinzelo.
"The traitors believe that the Zipfel Clan's Kelliark and Kinzelo's leader are greater than Ayula. I wasn't able to see Kinzelo's leader in person, but Kelliark had enough power that anyone who lacked faith would feel that way."
Even after the alliance was broken, they decided to stick to their respective goals, splitting the kingdom in half for the time being.
Although some loyal subjects, including Vitura, remained… They were as insignificant as a mote of dust when compared to the scale of the traitors.
It was only a fight worth taking if at least one of the moderate or hardline factions had the will to retake the kingdom.
As Vitura briefly explained, the foul smell of blood from the dead Golden Shield Paladins wafted up.
"Since when have Living Golem experiments been carried out? When we brought Rani from the Eastern Temple of Ayula, there was a fight there with the holy kingdom's soldiers who had become Living Golems."
Jin took out a piece of the Living Golem heart from his breast pocket and showed it.
"…Oh, Ayula. Your sons are meeting such a miserable fate."
Vitura trembled for a moment while holding a piece of the heart.
"It's been about half a year since they started conducting experiments. Every month, more than a hundred citizens and soldiers of the kingdom are taken to their base and turned into test subjects."
Rani's expression became distorted.
She felt like she was going insane learning she'd been unaware that any of this was happening, even with her eyes wide open.
"Rani, it's not your fault. The fault lies with your father and myself. We missed the chance to tell you."
"When you say their base, do you mean the Lutero Magic Federation?"
Jin naturally assumed that the Living Golem experiment was the Zipfel Clan's work.
"It's not the work of the Zipfel Clan. It's Kinzelo."
However, unlike in Kollon, the Living Golem experiment on the holy kingdom's subjects was Kinzelo's evil deed.
"Kinzelo is experimenting with Living Golems…?"
Kinzelo was an organization closely related to the beastmen.
Representatives of fighting tribes such as the White Wolf Tribe and the Orange Tiger Tribes were following Kinzelo's leadership.
And that blue aura that was clustered inside the heart fragment, the thing that gave Jin the creepy feeling of deja vu.
'Kinzelo, those bastards, are they really planning on reviving the Illustrious Legend Tribe?!'
The heart of the living golem seen in the holy kingdom was strangely similar to the Heart of Light that belonged to the Illustrious Legends.
Murakan seemed to have the same thought, as he placed his face close to the heart fragment.
'But how would they be able to accomplish that? They completely disappeared about fifty thousand years ago. Nothing is known about the Heart of Light, and the Illustrious Bladeworks technique that controls lightning has been completely lost…'
As Jin's mind kept turning, he remembered an article from a newsletter.
An article about himself… When 'Vamel' controlled lightning.
The members of Kinzelo who survived at that time, were witnesses of the Illustrious Bladeworks.
Could it be after seeing that?
An indescribably unpleasant and ominous feeling pressed down on Jin's chest.
"Kinzelo is taking the holy kingdom subjects to Oterium."
The headquarters of the Dark Magic Association and the place where Liol Zipfel's legacy rests.
That was the place where the Living Golem experiments were being carried out.
"Are the Zipfel Clan conducting experiments on the subjects like the other bastards?"
"At the very least, not as of this time. It seemed like Zipfel planned to use our holy relics and demonic holy relics we store, but they're not using the holy kingdom's subjects as test subjects."
"That is probably the result of them being conscious of public opinion for when they and Kinzelo fight for the position of sole ruler of the holy kingdom in the future. That's what hypocrites like them do."
Vitura nodded, feeling wretched.
But he also felt surprised.
Jin accurately determined the results he had obtained after years of observation, just from listening to a few sentences concerning the situation.
"Ha! Look here, Captain Paladin. If the situation's gotten this bad, why didn't you ask the Runcandel Clan or some other force for help?"
When Murakan spoke as if he was frustrated, Vitura sighed.
"If Runcandel joins in these circumstances, do you think this land will survive?"
Jin agreed that Vitura's choice was absolutely the right one.
The Zipfel Clan and Kinzelo would at least try to rule from behind the scenes, but the Runcandel Clan would have used this opportunity to start a war. The holy kingdom would've turned into a wasteland, with the clan taking only the saints with excellent healing abilities and items from the Eternal Storage.
Strictly speaking, what Runcandel needed was not the 'neutral nation of Vankella', but the 'healing ability of the saints', plus some valuables.
"Hm, that's right, I suppose. Kid, what are you thinking about so intensely?"
Jin stood silently, his arms crossed.
A method to get the Zipfel Clan and Kinzelo out at once, without sacrificing too much. He'd been deep in thought ever since he'd heard that the 'Living Golem experiment' was done by Kinzelo and not Zipfel.
What could he do to properly screw them over?
"What?"
"I can see a rough plan forming. It's a relief that Kinzelo is still a relatively unremarkable group."
"…Sir Vitura."
"Please speak, Young Master Jin."
"All the leaders of the holy kingdom have either betrayed the kingdom, or maintained their loyalty like yourself, but are powerless. Is that right?"
"…That's right."
"But the citizens know nothing about this. They probably don't even know that roughly a hundred or more subjects are being used as test subjects every month."
Vitura's eyes slowly enlarged.
"Do you plan to inform the citizens about this?"
"Yes. But no one will believe us even if we tell them the truth, so we'd best bring proof. I and my friend here will go to Oterium and rescue the captured subjects."
"It's not that I haven't thought about that, but there are many 8- and 9-star mages from Kinzelo waiting there."
"I know. The mages of the Dark Magic Association under Kinzelo. I've done a lot of research on them."
'And yet you can bring back the subjects with just the two of you?'
That thought ran through Vitura's head, but didn't pass his lips. He decided to listen a bit more first.
"The rescued subjects will be evidence more solid than anything else. And though it's regretful, not many of the subjects rescued from Oterium will be alive, or well. Most of them will have either become Living Golems or still be in the process of transformation."
"So you plan to show the true situation to the citizens remaining in the holy kingdom…"
The best method was to bring back the citizens who were taken as test subjects.
However, with the current strength of those loyal to the king, it was impossible to even head to Oterium.
"Yes, that's what I'm thinking. And we'll direct all that responsibility onto Zipfel, not Kinzelo. I plan to spread that the citizens who were captured as test subjects were all found in the Zipfel Clan's Fourth Tower of Magicians."
"The Zipfel Clan's Fourth Tower of Magicians… But isn't that a lie?"
"It doesn't matter if it's a lie. If it becomes known within the holy kingdom that its subjects have been captured, and even sacrificed, in Living Golem experiments… The Zipfel Clan will be forced to provide an explanation, since if they lose public support, future governing will become quite difficult."
The citizens were currently completely unaware that the holy kingdom had fallen to the Zipfels.
However, if it was revealed to the world that the ZIpfel Clan had been conducting 'experiments' on its subjects, they'd have to work hard to stabilize the land they'd already taken over.
It was not an issue that they, who at least outwardly advocated justice, could easily ignore.
"Wouldn't it be easily disproved if the Pillar of the Fourth Tower of Magicians comes forward and says something. Though, it seems like you have a plan."
"Currently, the Pillar of the Fourth Tower of Magicians, Kal Zipfel, is not within the Lutero Magic Federation. He's held prisoner by Kinzelo, a group known to the public as a third-rate terrorist organization."
The moment Jin sets foot on the land of the holy kingdom with those captured subjects, the Zipfels will be forced to make a choice.
Either admit that Keliark's legitimate son, Kal Zipfel, was captured by a nameless third-rate terrorist group, or be framed for the Living Golem experiment on Kinzelo's behalf.
If they choose the former, their status will drop. If they choose the latter, their image will be ruined.
"Let's capture Kinzelo with military might, and capture Zipfel with moral might."
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