Chapter 65: Re.Extra: The King’s Death (1)
“How many years has it been?”
“15 years. I woke up 4 years ago. You?”
“10 years. A little over three months.”
Lymant, who, like Risel, had died and returned to the past, watched Risel’s hardened expression. He wore a thoughtful look for a moment before speaking.
“So, I’ve lived longer in one way or another. 10 years…… in the war?”
“Empire’s 3rd Knight Order. Chedeian Rotation. Vanguard.”
“Ah, you were there. It feels strange to talk about the future as if it’s the past, but that unit was annihilated in Chedeian within six hours.”
“Ugh, that damn commander. I knew he’d screw up the troops.”
Risel gave a bitter smile. He had thought that he wouldn’t be the only one to come back to life after what happened in Breedpo. However, he couldn’t have imagined that Lymant was also a returned soul.
He looked up at Lymant with a slightly skewed posture. He asked the Crown Prince of Azot, who was wearing a somewhat sorrowful expression and had been resurrected after death,
“How did you know?”
“One. You came, not your brother. Two. Ibi and Jounin were there. Three. You were quite wary of Damachi. And the decisive fourth point. You made the first move on Jay and Old Man. I was planning to make my move after the envoy passed.”
“As expected. I’m glad I took them first. In the end, did I expose myself too much, unknowingly?”
“You could say that, but I realized it when I saw you, a sudden presence, reversing the events I remembered. That you were the same as me.”
“Then what was that act in Kinchedin?”
Risel couldn’t help but wonder about his behavior in Kinchedin, where Lymant had initially scolded him after hearing Damachi’s story. Lymant shrugged at his question and answered simply.
“I was trying to sound you out. I didn’t know Ibi was next to you.”
At that, Risel chuckled. He had acted freely, thinking he was alone, but it had eventually caught the eye of another.
“Have you found anyone else besides me?”
“Excluding that guy in Breedpo, not yet. The Empire and Azot remained the same as I remembered until the envoy arrived. There’s no change except for Baron Makean, who we caught thanks to you, the weakened anti-empire faction, and the Merchant of All Things. Based on the current situation, although I have no evidence, I think there are probably less than ten.”
“Two of them are the second son of an Imperial Duke and the Crown Prince of the Azot Kingdom…… Interesting. Oh, right. How did you die? If it was a year after my death, you would have been quite young.”
Lymant avoided the question with a grin. He said,
“That’s enough. Now it’s my turn to ask. Your surroundings are quite flamboyant. The Sword King, the Monster of the Battlefield, the Head of the Underworld. You’ve gathered more than I have. What’s your purpose?”
“Don’t be too wary. A man who died in the war has returned to 10 years ago. What do you think I want? To prevent the war. And to build up my strength just in case. There’s no war in my objective.”
“Similar to mine. I even thought about taking over the Empire if things went wrong. Honestly, I’m still angry when I think about what happened to Daisy later.”
“Ah, so that’s why you’re targeting me?”
“Yes. I thought about it, and Daisy marrying into the Empire is a given. If I had to send her, I figured you’d be better.”
Risel understood. Whether their relationship improved or worsened, Daisy had to marry into the Empire as a princess. He sighed lightly and said,
“Even so, I can’t take Daisy. You may not know, Hyung-nim, but I need to prepare for after I become an adult.”
“After you become an adult? Independence?”
“I have to. I only realized it before I died, but there’s a reason.”
Just because they were in the same boat didn’t mean they had to reveal everything. Lymant also understood this and nodded. Then, stroking his chin, he said with interest,
“Hmm, independence with the Sword King, the Monster of the Battlefield, and the Head of the Underworld.”
“There’s more. Mangya. Although it’s still undecided.”
“Black New Moon? Are you aiming for them too?”
“To be honest, everyone in our situation would want them. They’re stronger than anyone else.”
Black New Moon. Self-proclaimed Mangya.
An assassination group that was said to have disappeared 100 years ago.
However, their true strength lies not in killing, but in the fact that they always return alive after killing. The strength of an assassin who has completely secured their escape route is unimaginable and terrifying.
They rise up in a year and three months, and six years later, they fight against Jay and Old Man, who ruled the night of Azot. Jay and Old Man die there, and Mangya, having exhausted most of their power, disappears again.
As Risel remembered, Jay and Old Man had thousands of subordinates at the time. However, their organization was annihilated after fighting against Mangya, who only had 200 members.
The implications of this were significant.
They annihilated an enemy dozens of times their size, albeit falling together.
Not only were they well-organized, but the individual abilities of their members were also exceptional. During their active period, it was rumored that one person could handle five Imperial Knights.
Lymant crossed his arms and said,
“Risel, aren’t you being too greedy? Let’s say Jay and Old Man are fine, and let’s say you’re going to let Joey go. But you already have Ibi, don’t you?”
“Of course, but our beautiful Sword King Teacher doesn’t draw her sword for unjust causes. I’m sure I’ll be doing more and more unjust things.”
“Unjust things?”
“In other words, it means doing things that aren’t fair and square.”
Risel said with a wry smile. He was already prepared for what he had to do, but there were times when the aftermath wasn’t pleasant.
“Then all the more reason to hand over Mangya to me. You already took Jay and Old Man, who are useful people.”
“Ha, that’s funny. You must have recruited more people who haven’t appeared yet, more than me? You were already an adult four years ago.”
Lymant responded to Risel’s accurate point with a chuckle.
He had been able to prepare a lot because he had returned to four years before his death. But he hadn’t actively tried to change the future like Risel. This was because there were no particular problems until he was 25 years old, which was three years later. So, during that time, he was able to gradually recruit nobles and other talented individuals.
However, due to his exposed status as the Crown Prince, he couldn’t contact the underworld. He had been planning to reach out to them, starting with Jay and Old Man, but Risel, who was in the same situation, had beaten him to it.
Risel put his hands on his hips and said confidently,
“Leave Mangya to me. There might be others besides us, but I’ll make sure to get them. Your Highness, the Crown Prince, should just focus on politics on the outside.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t give up Mangya. So, in the end, is there nothing but competition here? I’m not thrilled about it, but I guess that’s what we have to do. Neither of us wants to fight.”
“Hmph. Fine.”
Risel shrugged with a confident expression, and Lymant, watching him, thought he was quite similar to Sermaila, whom his younger sister had befriended.
Unaware that Lymant was thinking about something that would make him angry if he knew, Risel decided to make him an offer.
“Lime-hyung, if it’s alright, I have a proposition?”
“Ah, I can roughly guess. Alright. Tell me your terms.”
They were able to form a considerable bond, having experienced something so unique. Moreover, their positions as royalty and the second son of a Duke had the effect of making their thinking similar. As those who had been given a second chance at life, they began their discussion, with the future in mind.
After about an hour, Lymant watched Risel leave and smiled.
“It’s a relief to have a collaborator.”
Since each of them was in the upper echelons of Azot and the Empire, things would go smoothly in the future if the agreed-upon matters proceeded smoothly.
Then he pondered. How could he marry his younger sister off to the first trustworthy person he had met since he had reversed time?
Among the usual reasons for rejecting a princess’s suitor, there was the item ‘uncertain future,’ but it would be difficult to find someone with a more certain ‘future’ than Risel. Suddenly, he gave a bitter smile.
“It’s no wonder he refused. He just experienced death…… Would he want a life partner by his side?”
He thought that the memory of death would still be vivid after just three months. In his case, the moment of his death kept coming back to him for a year, and he almost couldn’t get married as planned.
Only after experiencing death does one vaguely understand what life is. One learns what it should be used for and how it should be used. Like a tool whose usage one has completely mastered.
A partner is like an accessory attached to such a tool.
The first thing Lymant thought was that it didn’t matter whether he got married or not. Because he thought it wasn’t that useful after experiencing it.
However, he changed his mind. A royal partner is sometimes chosen based on usefulness, but he loved his current wife even before he died.
If one were to choose something infinite that a person can give to others unconditionally throughout their life, wouldn’t it be love?
“Still…… the moment of death always haunts me.”
The Crown Prince, who had died and was living his life again from four years in the past, muttered to himself while looking up at the sky.
Through his mind, the ‘past’ that was 11 years ‘later’ passed by.
***
Imperial Year 383. August 10th.
My name is Lymant. Lymant Ech Leajotian.
Originally, the title ‘Greg’ would be attached in the middle of my name, but I don’t have that qualification anymore, having lost the throne.
I looked at the royal castle where I once ruled as king. The flag of the Leajotian family, the royal family of Azot, which once fluttered there, is now replaced by the flag of the Imperial Army, waving in the night wind.
How long does it take for the ruler of a country to become the leader of the so-called resistance? It’s a question that’s hard to answer, at least in the continent’s history.
But I know.
Just six weeks is enough.
I was the King of Azot, the brother who started a war to avenge his younger sister, and eventually, the loser who lost his royal capital.
The battle to defend the royal capital, Ast, continued for three months.
At one point, starting with the annihilation of the Empire’s 3rd Knight Order in the Chedeian Rotation, we pushed the front line with all our might and even occupied Berhints, the staging ground for the invasion of Azot.
However, the war situation changed with the participation of the Imperial Eastern Army, also known as the ‘Orknesia Unit.’
Duke Orknesia, Ecaledon Uck Herduke, summoned all the Eastern forces defending the ‘Gray Forest’ and attacked like a tidal wave.
The number of the Western Army, which was in charge of the existing front line, decreased from 200,000 to 150,000. With the addition of the Eastern Army, the number instantly jumped to 650,000.
The total force of Azot, including all branches, was 700,000. The force that participated in the Great Empire War was 350,000.
Even if it’s double the number, there’s a big difference between one person fighting two and 300,000 fighting 600,000.
Guerrilla warfare, surprise attacks, frontal assaults, and all the strategies and tactics used in war were employed, enough to create a new textbook of tactics if compiled.
However, the Imperial Army calmly and steadily advanced towards the royal capital, Ast. Duke Orknesia, called the Iron-Blooded Duke, crushed the Kingdom Army that attacked him along the way.
No, that’s not right. Duke Orknesia was excellent, but the Imperial Army had an exceptionally talented Chief of Staff.
The name of the Chief of Staff who appeared with the Eastern Army and pushed the Kingdom Army back with overwhelming force was……
“Your Highness, we’ve completed the infiltration.”
I came to my senses at the voice of my adjutant, breaking my thoughts. Now was not the time to be dwelling on the past while looking at the lost royal capital. Today’s goal was to rescue those who remained in the Royal Family’s Exclusive Shelter.
“Alright. The 2nd Squad will come with me. The 3rd Squad will follow, and the 4th Squad will provide rear support. In 10 minutes, the 1st Squad will act as planned.”
“Yes.”
I put on my helmet and drew my sword.
I will reclaim what was lost, little by little, and eventually make it whole again.
And I will take revenge on the Empire.
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