The Prince Wants to Retire

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The Crown Prince Wishes to Retire

55. The Continent Divided into Three (2)

After a long contemplation, the Chief of Golan turned to the other tribal chiefs and asked, “What are the odds of us surviving with our current strength?”

At his question, all the chiefs fell silent.

The sights they had witnessed during the Northern War were utterly horrific.

The powers of the Demons were so immense that even those known as Masters struggled against them, and their individual strengths were formidable enough to topple the Knight Orders.

Such beings would continue to come through the Demon Gate.

Even Batu, deemed the strongest among the Nomadic Tribes, had yet to reach the level of a Master.

“I have a sense of it. But…”

Batu clenched his fist in thought, yet calmly speaking, he had no idea how long this current state could last.

He might even close his eyes chasing this subtle feeling for the rest of his life.

On the other hand, the number of Demon Legion Commanders, known as Master-level fighters, would only continue to grow.

“… We abandon this place.”

At Batu’s decision, all the chiefs widened their eyes in shock.

As soon as he made the choice, the opposition sprang to their feet in protest. Facing the irate crowd, Batu spoke.

“So if we resist, will we survive?”

“That’s…”

“It’s not just the Demons we have to worry about. Roman and Sandria will also be hunting us. Can we count on Ignit to help us as we do now? Or the Southern Kingdoms?”

At Batu’s words, everyone lowered their heads, grim expressions marking their faces.

They all understood.

If they remained here, everyone would die…

Thus, they began sending their future—children and women—southward first.

They thought they could leave the future to them.

At the very least, they believed they had to inform that a great nation once ruled this place while remaining until the end, dying without a hint of shame.

“Future doesn’t come for free. Can we really reclaim this place with just the children?”

Batu’s question silenced everyone.

“We are humans before we are a great nation.”

“Humans…”

The chiefs fell into deep thought at the word ‘humans.’

“Is it shameful to fight together for humanity?”

“But abandoning this place…”

“Even the formidable Ignit has decided to retreat for the future. What’s wrong with us retreating a little?”

Even the nation known as the strongest on both the East and West Continents, Ignit, had relinquished parts of its territory and gone into lockdown for the sake of the future.

In a situation where they couldn’t even unify their tribes, was it time for them to preserve their pride?

As the chiefs pondered over this, one by one, they began to reflect.

Batu waited patiently without rebuking them.

“… I agree.”

After one chief who had opposed finally cast his vote for approval, the others followed suit, one by one.

Then only one person remained.

When everyone turned to him, he asked Batu, “If you promise me just this, then I will agree.”

“What is it?”

“Will you return to this place someday, no matter what sacrifices you have to make, once all wars are over?”

At his question, Batu nodded as if it were a given.

“Of course. A warrior who abandons his homeland falls alone into wanderings. We are merely taking a brief journey.”

The chief nodded slightly at Batu’s words, then knelt and presented his sword, holding it with both hands.

“… You.”

“Please ensure my families return to our homeland.”

At the chief’s words, Batu’s eyes glistened with tears.

With bloodshot eyes, he stared at the sword offered for a long while before finally picking it up with great effort.

“I will definitely do so.”

Seeing Batu accept the sword, another chief offered his sword as well.

One by one, the leaders began to pledge allegiance to Batu, and even the last chief, who had been hesitant, sighed and surrendered his sword to Batu.

The largest chief apart from Golan was the first to submit under Batu’s command.

With the majority of tribes deciding to align under Batu, there was no longer any point in resisting.

Finally, they didn’t want to be disregarded while heading south.

‘How long can we remain a divided people?’

‘Though I am not, I’ll still become a representative of our tribe…’

It was to create a leader who wouldn’t bow to the kings of various lands in such humiliating circumstances of abandoning their home.

That was one of the few things they could do now.

“Thank you all. I will definitely return with all our tribes. So trust me and endure this for a little longer.”

As he spoke, Batu bowed to the chiefs.

Seeing that gesture, the chiefs bent their waists in acknowledgment of his resolve.

*

The birth of a new king for the Nomadic Tribes.

After the decision was made that all Nomadic Tribes would head south, things began to move swiftly.

The nomadic tribes in the north started migrating south through the east, reinforcing the remaining Eastern Allied Forces.

This course of action halted the rapid advance of Sandria’s troops.

“Impressive.”

The Roman Emperor, seated on the throne, smiled slyly.

Not only had they managed to prevent even a fraction of the Demon King’s power from emerging, but they were also keeping intact the strength of the Nomadic Tribes and the Eastern Allied Forces.

“Three divisions…”

Realizing Kariel’s intent in an instant, the Roman Emperor chuckled softly.

In truth, it was impossible for the two of them to fully contain Sandria’s military strength just by combining their own.

Yet, there was a reason Sandria had halted its march.

“Disrupting Sandria’s rear… The Demons would surely suffer from the explosion and find it difficult to move easily.”

By holding Roman at bay with Ignit’s full military might and the forces from the south, they could cause distractions in Sandria, gathering tribes allied against the Emperor.

While they were briefly distracted, the Eastern Allied Forces and the Nomadic Tribes began their major movement down south.

From Sandria’s perspective, it was difficult to target the vulnerable moment of the south, as provoking it wrong could result in being attacked from both directions.

What if the rebel factions in Sandria chose this moment to strike?

No matter how strong their army was, maintaining two fronts would be a daunting task.

Even Ignit, with its overwhelming military strength on the West Continent, faced tremendous difficulty maintaining attacks against the dying Southern Kingdoms and the Holy Nations.

Given that even Ignit had its struggles, it was naturally more difficult for Sandria, a nation not fully centralized.

「Nomadic Tribes! Rally around the Golan tribe!」

「The Northern Tribes have begun their southward march. A war under the Human Alliance is imminent!」

「Sandria, now allied with Hell. We propose that the tribes rebelling from within join the Human Alliance.」

In an instant, various knights began to emerge, and chaos erupted within Roman as well.

Among the nobility who had been merely observing until now, more began to secretly defect to the Human Alliance.

“This can’t be good.”

“We are humans.”

As this sentiment spread, those within Roman started regarding the current Emperor as a madman and began to ensure their escape.

Meanwhile, Ignit steadily encroached upon Roman’s territory, advancing as far as the point where the Southern Alliance would meet with it.

Just then, a number of defectors from Roman began to slip out in two directions.

They created escape routes toward the east and west, finding it easier to navigate than the heavily monitored south.

This became even more difficult to control, as the Shadows assisted those trying to escape while keeping the Black Moon at bay.

If even Roman couldn’t manage its internal affairs, how could Sandria maintain any semblance of stability?

The Secret Guardians and spies from the Southern nations were rampant, aiding the tribes joining the rebels.

Ultimately, with Ignit and the Demons suffering significant losses, Roman found itself in a position where it needed only to manage internal discipline.

“I will use all my strength to eradicate the traitorous bastards.”

“Let it be.”

The Roman Emperor smiled, seeming unconcerned with those who betrayed their country.

While the Leader of the Black Moon expressed exasperation, the situation was dire for Roman as well, which appeared to be healthy on the surface, but had lost a substantial part of its territory and its military as well.

“We will need some time too. For now, just let it be.”

Under the Emperor’s orders, the Leader of the Black Moon bowed his head silently.

Both sides needed time, and the Roman Emperor accepted Ignit’s proposal.

What mattered to them right now was to completely seize the Central Region of the East Continent along with Sandria.

Thus, with the Emperor’s command, Roman quietly allowed the refugees heading south to pass, signaling a brief lull in the war.

However, that peace would not last long.

“Your Majesty! The Demons are on the move.”

“They’re aiming for the vacant North, I suppose.”

Karial nodded in understanding at Talion’s report.

Leaving the empty North to the Demons would be foolish. Even though they had sustained heavy losses, they still had the capacity to occupy the North.

While both Roman and Sandria had not fully retreated, the Eastern Allied Forces and the Nomadic Tribes had stayed silent, allowing the Demons to move and secure as much territory as they could.

「Giving the North to the Demons just like that. Is this decision truly wise?」

「Though Ignit has sustained heavy losses, are they perhaps being overly cautious?」

Many scholars were divided over the decision to allow the Demons to claim the northern region of the East Continent.

They worried about whether this decision would result in backlash in the future.

Some scholars deemed it an unavoidable choice, while others argued that efforts should have been made to restrain the Demons as much as possible for what was to come.

Ultimately, it would take time to uncover which side was truly correct.

*

「The Divided Continent」

Karial sighed softly as he read the morning paper.

The map illustrated the realms of the Demons, Roman, and Ignit, aligned as he had drawn them.

In truth, the decision had sparked considerable debate even within Ignit. If the loyal Ignit was grappling with such issues, other nations must be in an even worse turmoil.

Despite this, Karial’s personal evaluation of the situation was not bad.

“We’ve bought ourselves some time.”

Muttering to himself, Karial gazed out the window.

He could see knights training here and there at the Giant’s Fortress.

As the largest stronghold on the East Continent for Ignit, the vastly expanded fortress was bustling with people.

Moreover, they were even considering connecting the railway through the Giant’s Canyon.

Though they had conceded the northern region to the Demons, during this interval, Ignit would be substantiating a more perfect supply line.

Additionally, the injured knights and soldiers from this war would need time to return to the front lines.

However, these were all secondary issues.

“… Glen.”

What Karial was truly waiting for was Glen.

The strongest knight who had once saved the empire in his previous life.

His revival was the only thing he desired. Despite being on the brink of death, paradoxically, that situation felt fortuitous.

“The Grand Master…”

The Demon King had revealed one final move.

That single tremendous blow seemed to have left a significant mark on the weakened Demon King, compelling him to return to slumber once more.

And in that last moment, it seemed that he had gained some understanding by drawing away a portion of that power.

If this understanding could pave the way toward the next step, then the defeat in the North would not be regrettable at all.

“May I enter, Your Majesty?”

“Come in.”

Karial snapped out of his reverie at the attendant’s question; he ordered them to enter.

“Yes, how is Duke Welch faring?”

“Fortunately, there are no psychological issues. However, it seems he will require time to adjust after regenerating his left arm lost in the explosion.”

“And his wounds?”

“That too is quite serious. His Mana Circuit is severely damaged and will take considerable time to recover.”

Karial sighed softly at the attendant’s words.

It meant that Duke Welch may not fully recover before the next war resumed.

“At least he is alive.”

The role of a Mage was not limited solely to brute strength. His understanding of magic and ability to gauge mana would prove advantageous to the Empire in various ways.

“Tell him not to rush it, and just focus on recovery. We have plenty of time.”

“I will convey that, Your Highness.”

Bowing, the attendant quietly exited the office.

Once Glen had recovered somewhat, he began a period of intensive training, while Duke Welch focused on healing, and the remaining Masters continued their training in whichever ways they could to enhance their limited martial capabilities.

Karial entered a period of intensive training himself. Having felt how much power he could truly unleash in the impending battles, he set aside everything to concentrate solely on elevating his combat strength.

*

As Ignit quietly fortified its foundation and increased its power, friction began between the Demons who were nearly overflowing the North and the allied forces of Roman and Sandria.

It began in the Northeast.

Two decades had passed since Karial’s birth.

At this point, the Grand War that would alter the continent’s fate was on the verge of starting.