章節 599: CHAPTER 756
[T.L: punisher87]
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***
The next day, the former capital of the Vermont Empire.
In the square, Jin had been giving a speech for a long time. Several hours have already passed just by reading the names of the dead and paying tribute to them.
Despite the scorching sun overhead, not a single person in the square moved from their place. Many shed tears silently.
Some cried, thinking of those slaughtered by the evil god. Some wept for the fallen who died in battle. Others cried tears of joy, realizing they could still live on.
"...With this, we conclude the memorial ceremony."
Behind Jin, banners representing various factions and clans were raised. Jin turned around one last time, facing the banners in contemplation. Now it was time to make the proclamation.
"As of today, the temporary alliance between the Vamel alliance, Zipfel, and Kinzelo, who stood against the evil god, has officially disbanded. Each faction will return to their original relationships."
It was already known to all the dignitaries that a new era was dawning.
"Runcandel, Zipfel, and Kinzelo have made one agreement before the final battle against the evil god. It is a limited non-aggression pact that states we will not attack each other for at least one year after the war ends. Today, in this place, I, Jin, swear that Runcandel will not be the first to break that agreement."
Ronel and Zephirin, who were standing behind, could only ponder Jin's words.
'Why would Sir Jin publicly declare that he will not break the agreement in such a setting? Is he testing us?'
"Sir Jin would have no reason to expose his weakness. Rather than a tactic to secure a justification for the war, it seems more like a warning or a threat...'
Battle god Vahn and Murakan.
Their summoning was the biggest concern for Zipfel and Kinzelo at the moment.
Until they figured that out, the two factions wouldn't dare to threaten Runcandel lightly.
On the other hand, Jin didn't need to be as cautious as them.
"Furthermore, Runcandel intends to make all records regarding the war against the evil god available to the public. With the assistance of the Record Mage Valeria Hister."
Upon hearing those words, Ronel and the Zipfel officials barely concealed their surprise.
The mention of the "Record Mage" and "Hister" stirred up the entire square.
Whether they knew the name and its significance or not, everyone showed interest.
"The mage Valeria Hister, as a member of the Vamel allotment, participated in this war and organized nearly all records of the war. Valeria."
Responding to Jin's call, Valeria, who had been wearing a hood among the crowd, ascended the platform.
When she removed her hood, her red hair and unmasked face were revealed.
"I am Valeria Hister. As the last surviving member of the Hister Clan, I possess the ability to use record magic, as you can see."
Woooong...!
Valeria waved her silver birch staff once, and a massive record window appeared next to the platform.
It was densely filled with descriptions of the war against the evil god.
"That's magic?"
"I've heard of it. There was a clan that used that kind of magic until a few hundred years ago..."
The crowd's attention was focused on the record window.
Naturally, Zipfel had expected that Jin would continue to tightly guard any information about Valeria. The more exclusive the information, the more valuable it became.
Above all, Zipfel thought that it would not be beneficial for Jin to reveal Valeria to the public.
But Jin had a completely different perspective.
'When you lack power, you must hide everything, but now there is no need for that. Judging by their bewildered expressions, it seems entirely unexpected.'
Although Zipfel felt fear when witnessing Jin's power during the war against the evil god, they were still somewhat entrapped by their past mentality.
They still had a lingering belief that Jin was in a position where he had to conceal something from them.
"As I am the sole survivor of the Hister Clan, I cannot maintain this record window indefinitely. The public disclosure of the records will last for one week, starting today. That duration should allow enough time for this content to be transcribed and disseminated worldwide."
"Sir Jin and Miss Valeria Hister, why did you suddenly reveal the existence of the Record Mage?" A journalist asked. Of course, he was a journalist named Dino Zaglan, and the question had been prearranged.
"As this was a war in which the whole world joined forces, I deemed it necessary for all information to be transparently disclosed."
"Has this been agreed upon by the clans that were part of the temporary alliance?"
"Not exactly. Is there a need for an agreement on such matters? It is natural to disclose this to the public, I believe. That's all for now. I will answer the journalists' questions after the proclamation. Valeria, please continue."
"Yes, Lord, young patriarch. Furthermore, Runcandel and the Vamel alliance have decided to share with the world all the value that can be derived through record magic. This includes societal advancement through the discovery of lost practical techniques, restoration of lost history, and international criminal tracking, to name a few."
For thousands of years, Zipfel had clearly been the driving force behind the world's "progress."
Even everyday essentials containing the word "magic" were all products developed by Zipfel.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that everything essential in life with the word "magic" originated from Zipfel.
However, according to Valeria's words, now Runcandel and the Vamel alliance could potentially replace Zipfel's position.
Is that really possible?
Even if they weren't journalists, someone would inevitably ask that question, but the crowd didn't voice any doubts.
It was because Jin Runcandel, the young patriarch of the swordmasters, was asserting it with confidence.
The weight of the honor Jin had accumulated over time was shining brightly.
"But as I mentioned before, I am the last mage of the Hister Clan. There are limitations to what I can do with only one body. Additionally, until the war with the evil god, I was being pursued by a certain group for a long time, making it quite difficult to restore my clan's magic."
The phrase "certain group" seemed considerate.
The moment Ronil sweated over such thoughts, Valeria boldly spoke out the name.
"That group's name is Zipfel."
This time, the crowd's attention shifted to the Zipfel representatives.
"Between our Hister Clan and Zipfel, there exists a long and dark history that I cannot fully explain to all of you. However, as a comrade who fought alongside Zipfel during this battle, I now humbly request that you let me go. If Zipfel gives up its ambitions toward the Hister Clan, I, too, will strive to forget the past."
Of course, it wasn't sincere.
Even if Zipfel truly gave up on the Hister Clan, Valeria's resentment toward them wouldn't diminish in the slightest.
It was merely a statement uttered to tarnish the name of Zipfel. Zipfel would never be able to accept those words.
To refuse meant becoming trash, while accepting meant making an impossible promise in front of the public.
In the end, Ronil sighed and chose the former.
"Miss Valeria's proposal is unacceptable. It seems this is not an appropriate occasion to discuss such sensitive matters. However, I wish you good fortune."
Jin silently pondered Ronil's response and thought.
'If it were Veradin, he would have demanded Valeria prove whether her words about forgetting the past were true using the record magic. In that case, they would have had the upper hand. It's a disappointing response, Ronil Zipfel.'
Valeria nodded her head.
"I understand. As you said, it is not an inappropriate occasion. I have just presented the stance of the Runcandel and Vamel alliance to the Zipfel side. If it seemed rude in any way, I apologize."
With this highly provocative gesture, it was not easy for Zipfel and Kinzelo to grasp the situation.
They couldn't help but be confused whether Jin could fully use the power that he had during the Battle of the Evil god.
'He made a commitment to uphold the Non-Aggression Treaty, but with such provocation, it seems like he has some confidence.'
'...It was a good decision not to bring lord Kadan. The tension would have escalated.'
Valeria stepped back behind Jin.
"Although I showed a somewhat unfavorable side just now, please be reassured that the Glyek contamination zones left by the previous temporary alliance will be purified with the combined effort of all parties involved. This concludes Runcandel's statement. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all those present and to the comrades of the war who couldn't be here. I will now take my leave."
Jin bowed his head to the crowd.
Once again, it was a sight that could never be seen in the previous Runcandel.
Therefore, people felt that the current Runcandel was like a clan lower than ever before.
But at the same time, it also felt stronger than ever.
As Jin stepped down from the podium, applause and cheers erupted, and the journalists hurriedly followed Jin and Valeria.
***
While the attention of the journalists and the crowd was focused entirely on Valeria, Jin quietly left the capital.
His destination was the official capital of the Empire.
It was the former territory of the Old Sword Emperor Castle, now known as the "Territory of the Sword Emperor."
After Dante ascended to the throne, he relocated the capital to this place, but it was merely a symbolic change to honor Ron.
Territory of the Sword Emperor was a land where not only administrative facilities but even humans and animals could not survive due to the chaos.
That's all the people knew, or at least that's what they thought.
"Dante."
At Jin's voice, Dante turned around and smiled.
In front of Dante was a beam of light left by Ron and the words they had engraved together with their swords in the past.
Sword Emperor Ron Hairan. Becoming the light of Hairan or the light of the world in this place.
"You've come? Jin."
Jin received the glass Dante handed him and carefully placed it in front of Ron's light, offering a silent prayer.
Their meeting here today was not just to honor Ron.
"The land is being purified much faster than we thought."
"It must be thanks to my grandfather watching over me."
Territory of the Sword Emperor, known to be still enveloped in tremendous chaos, had actually transformed enough for people to be able to inhabit it.
Only Jin and Dante knew this fact.
From an external perspective, the Territory of the Sword Emperor still appeared to be engulfed in dreadful chaos.
"It must have been a difficult decision. Are you really okay with it?"
"It wasn't that difficult. I made this decision once I confirmed the rapid purification of the land. I'm sure my grandfather would have wanted this too."
Dante's decision was none other than to use the purified Territory of the Sword Emperor as a secret shipyard for the Vamel alliance.
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章節 600: CHAPTER 757
[T.L: punisher87]
[My ko-fi link:- https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 ]
There was not a single force currently observing the territory of the Sword Emperor.
As the contamination zones left by Glyek were not yet completely cleared, the most severe Territory of the Sword Emperor was completely off the table.
"If we use this place as a shipyard, we won't face any constraints from any force. The visible chaos makes it difficult to suspect, and even if they do suspect, meddling with the Territory of the Sword Emperor... would only mean that they are challenging me, ready to face the consequences."
Dante's words carried the symbolic weight of the "Land where Ron fell."
No one dared to touch the resting place of the hero who saved the world without any justification.
Dante and Jin raised their glasses, smiling.
"The basic construction of the shipyard will be quickly completed once our knights, technicians, and the Black King and Ghost mercenaries are deployed. Our researchers were quite amazed when they saw Dr. Qwaul's blueprints and creations."
"He indeed possesses exceptional genius."
The designs the Imperial researchers examined were not the blueprint of the Golden Fleet.
They were the blueprints for the underground shipyard and state-of-the-art battleship equipment that he had newly implemented.
Just that alone made the Imperial researchers unable to hide their admiration for the Vamel alliance's technology, which had surpassed them by centuries.
If they combined Valeria's and Qwaul's abilities, it wouldn't be an incorrect statement.
"But I have some concerns."
"Is it because of the suspicions regarding Ganesto's bloodline, like the evil god?"
"Yes. If Sir Padler's last words were true, Dr. Qwaul could also eventually become one of Ganesto's puppets. And perhaps..."
Jin paused for a moment, swallowing a sigh.
"It could also apply to us flagbearers, the children of the evil god. We too have received a portion of Ganesto's blood."
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario.
Until now, apart from Joshua, no one showed any signs of such a nature, but it was a well-known fact that the remaining flagbearers were born from Rosa.
"It's a terrible story indeed. However, it seems that you and the remaining flagbearers won't be affected. If Lokia Ganesto could have intervened in your inner realm battle, the evil god wouldn't have ended that easily."
"That's true. Still, I will continue to confirm me, flagbearers, and Dr. Qwaul through Valeria."
So far, there has been no apparent connection to Ganesto in the records.
If Valeria couldn't find any evidence even after finding the succession temples and raising the level of record magic to the maximum, then he could completely set his minds at ease.
"Don't worry too much. For now, what's important is the construction of the shipyard, the mass production of battleships, and replenishing mana supplies, materials, and manpower."
"I have thought about the mana."
"What is it?"
"The mirror."
"Colon's artifact?"
-[Yes. What this seal is containing is the very source of infinite mana. And the expanding mana can erase this entire world at any time...]
Kullam, the god of mana, said this during the massacre of the native colon inhabitants.
Jin had been restraining the use of the mirror as much as possible, abiding by Kullam's warning.
He only used it in truly urgent moments, when he needed to save his comrades and people.
"Didn't you call it a dangerous object?"
"Yeah, I didn't mean to use it recklessly just because it's urgent. I secured a means to use it safely."
To be precise, it wasn't securing, but rather confirming.
Since leaving for closed door training in Laprarosa, Jin had achieved explosive growth.
In aura, mana, and shadow force, in all areas.
As a result, Jin had reached a state where he could control the seal of Solderet, which blocked the mirror's mana, and absorb its power.
Moreover, there were dual safety measures. If Jin were to lose control of the seal and an accident were to occur, he could check the state of the mirror through record magic.
When Jin explained this, Dante nodded.
"If you say so, then you should be able to use it without any problems. So, all we need to do is solve the manpower and resources issues?"
"Mages from various regions who have confirmed the existence of Valeria will come. Of course, that alone won't solve the manpower issue, so we'll have to find people ourselves."
"I'll quickly look into it. As for resources, except for steel, we can secure enough supplies within the Empire. It might be a bit difficult, though."
The most important material was steel.
Even with a large infusion of mana, highly pure steel that wouldn't deteriorate was needed the most for battleship construction.
Even after considering the entire Runcandel and Vamel Alliance, there was still a severe shortage of steel.
Just the task of rebuilding the damage and supplying weapons was enough to strain the available resources. If they wanted to acquire steel, they had no choice but to trade with external forces.
"I plan to meet with Kinzelo soon and negotiate on that matter."
"If you're in charge of negotiations, it will undoubtedly be an unfair deal again."
"Well, this time we don't have as much backing, so if they come out uncooperative, we'll have to adopt a submissive stance. Demanding that much steel itself is an announcement of battleship construction, so the negotiation alone is a burden in this situation."
"Hmm."
"I'm going to meet with the leaders of the Minche Blacksmith Association soon, so we might be able to acquire some through them, thanks to lord Picon's reputation..."
As Jin mentioned that, Dante suddenly clapped his hands. Smack!
"Uh?"
"What's the matter Dante?"
"Come to think of it, I remember hearing something like that from Grandfather when I was young!"
-Ha! Is there really no way to manipulate the Minche Blacksmith Association? They enjoy all the protection, yet their arrogance knows no bounds. Ah, if only we could have a good conversation with them, the Empire's steel reserves could easily surpass the combined amounts of the major clans.
-I've heard that they even rejected Chiron's exclusive contract a few years ago, Lord patriarch. Don't be too disheartened.
-Calmine, don't try to comfort me with that. Chiron just got rejected, but as soon as I mentioned an exclusive contract, I was kicked out! Chiron is scary, but I'm not. Tsk! Grandson, come here and sing a song for me. I can't seem to shake off this bad mood.
-Yes, Grandfather! What song would you like me to sing?
-I think your self-composed and self-written "March of the Sword Emperor" would be good.
It happened when Dante was six years old.
As Dante explained the memory, Jin's pupils twinkled.
"March of the Sword Emperor? Did you really compose that song when you were six... No, that's not important. The fact that the Empire's steel reserves could surpass those of the major clans... Did Sir Ron really say that?"
"That's right."
"He is talking as if the entire island of the Minche Blacksmith Association is made of steel, but it doesn't make sense."
"Well, I don't think Grandfather would say something that isn't true, so there's probably something."
The fact that the "Minche Blacksmith Association" had a tremendous amount of steel was something Jin should have known, regardless of this conversation. It was recorded in the highly confidential documents of Runcandel that were lost during the Evil God War.
Jin didn't know that, but anyway, he felt like a breath of fresh air had come through.
"I have a feeling things will go smoothly. I should go to the island of blacksmiths right away."
"Right now?"
"We should finish the drinks we had with Sir Ron first. Let's drink slowly. I have a lot to say to Sir Ron too."
"I thought someone busy like you would scold me for drinking alcohol here."
"Oh, come on, it's just one bottle."
The two laughed and finished their drinks.
***
The Island of the blacksmiths.
Located in the unprotected zone of the northern imperial waters, the island was not particularly large, about the size of a small city.
Being in the unprotected zone, the Island of the blacksmiths always received the protection of the Empire. Although a considerable number of personnel and budget were allocated, the Empire had to provide them to receive supplies from the Association.
Not only the Empire, but Runcandel also periodically sent knights to eliminate the monsters near the island, and even Zipfel offered various assistance to the Association.
Despite receiving all of that, the members of the Minche Blacksmith Association never bowed their heads to anyone, making them one of the most exclusive and proud groups in the world.
Jin, along with Syris and Vin Branche, arrived near the island on Mort.
From a distance, the island seemed dark and gloomy even in broad daylight.
"...Do you think those annoying people will bow their heads just because lord Picon is here?"
Syris said. She had visited this place a few times with Talaris and had unpleasant experiences.
"It's about a 90% possibility, Lady Syris."
"So it's not a sure thing. I wonder if they'll even give a word of thanks for the assistance in the Evil God War. They are such shameless people."
"Don't worry too much and let's go."
The announcement of the arrival of the "Picon Minche" had been sent in advance.
It was a message that they had never received from the Picon even once in nearly a thousand years.
In fact, now that they had arrived, Jin felt a little nervous.
Although it was widely known that the Association was composed of fanatical followers of Picon, it was still uncertain whether they could obtain the exclusive contract "unconditionally."
The thought of having to make a deal with Kinzelo if the Association refused was also daunting.
As Mort swam towards the harbor, the members of the Association, who had come out in advance, glared at the group with suspicious eyes.
Jin fixed his gaze on one of them.
The person had a tattoo of "Anvil" on his forehead.
'Is that person Anvil?'
At first glance, Anvil gave the impression that communication would be difficult.
"Stop right there!"
"Are you the young patriarch of Runcandel?"
"Yes."
"Present evidence to confirm your status!"
Despite clearly seeing the black coat adorned with ten black swords, Anvil displayed a rude attitude.
"I am Syris Endorma, the acting master of the Hidden Palace."
"I... I'm Vin Branche."
"The young patriarch Runcandel and the acting master of the Hidden Palace may enter, but Vin Branche is not allowed. Especially the young patriarch Runcandel will have a lot to explain to us today! You have been renting the weapons we provided to Runcandel without any consultation... And that ridiculous message..."
Jin gestured to Vin, indicating that there was no need to say more.
It meant to immediately summon Picon.
As soon as Vin Branche's appearance began to transform into the manifestation state, the person with an anvil tattoo trembled all over when he saw Vin's appearance change like Picon.
"You... Is it really... Picon Minche...?"
[That's right! I am the legendary blacksmith, Picon Minche! Currently, I am also a god of the blacksmiths.]
Thud!
The man and the members of the Association sat down, blinking in disbelief.
Anvil didn't even doubt the appearance of the manifesting Picon.
Anvil quickly corrected his posture and the members of the Association followed suit.
Soon, Anvil spoke, satisfying Jin.
"From now on, everything in our Association, down to every grain of sand on this island, belongs to Lord Picon. Please forgive us for not recognizing you from the beginning and showing disrespect."
[T/L: You can read more chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 & https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]
[T/L: Join $29 membership on my "buymeacoffee" page and read 55 chapters ahead and daily 1 new chapter update. I have introduced new memberships, and you can read upto 75 or 85 chapters ahead.]
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