Barbarian in a Failed Game

068. Rebellion (1)

The Elpellan Duchy.

It was a nation renowned for its rugged national character and exceptional horsemanship, which in the past bordered the Kingdom of Argon.

Despite its barren lands and scarce resources making it far from a wealthy state, the inherent strength of Elphellan had prevented Argon from hastily deciding to wage war against it. A contributing factor was the historical presence of Elphellan’s rulers, who had all been exceptional warViscounts since the duchy’s founding.

There were even claims that at one point, Elphellan had invaded Argon’s territory and seized its lands.

However, they eventually became subjugated by the Kingdom of Argon.

The Conquest King. Under the lineage of Argon, which was often afflicted by madness, a figure rose to power, notorious for his exceptional cruelty and cold-heartedness. It was the result of his conquest wars.

After destroying the Elpellan Duchy from within and making a bloodless entry into its capital, the Conquest King left these words:

“You shall forever be slaves to the descendants of the great dragon. This fate is sealed by my arrival here, and should you resist, the punishment of fate shall erase your lineage from this world. Remember this well.”

The scholarly words of the Conquest King were seen by some merely as a warning, while other scholars assessed it as genuine advice left by a wise king.

What was clear, however, was that these words had engraved an indelible sense of humiliation into the lineage of Elphellan’s rulers like a brand.

“Isn’t this all a bit…sudden? Talking about independence out of the blue.”

In a personal tent prepared on a vast plain, a plump middle-aged man muttered anxiously, biting his lips repeatedly.

“There’s nothing abrupt about this affair.”

A man with a calm demeanor and a goat beard, sitting opposite, swirled his teacup—a stark contrast to the plump middle-aged man.

“All the events, including Marquis Deillon favoring individuals from Elphellan and secretly expanding his influence in the north, have been known to everyone, have they not?”

“Ah, but. Independence is a completely different story. It’s…rebellion!”

“Lower your voice, Viscount Ermon. Are you planning to broadcast it to our surroundings? That you disapprove of Marquis Deillon’s actions?”

“Huh.”

Viscount Ermon, the plump middle-aged man, hastily covered his mouth with his thick hands.

A man with an unusually long goat beard, Viscount Hern, who governed a neighboring city to Viscount Ermon, peeked through the tent’s entrance and remarked,

“At this point, it’s too late. Especially since we’ve already responded to the Marquis’ summons. To the royal family, both us and the Duke might as well be rebels.”

“No, but. How did it come to this? We were practically dragged here by the Duke…!”

“From the royal family’s perspective, this serves as an opportunity to sweep away the bothersome North.”

Viscount Ermon looked at Viscount Hern with a devastated expression as if his world had collapsed.

Under the silent pressure from Viscount Ermon to come up with a solution, Viscount Hern sighed.

‘Indeed. He has really regressed with age, this one.’

Despite being such a fool, he was still a noble, a baron no less. Furthermore, Viscount Ermon’s city was among the few in the North with fertile lands, making it necessary for Viscount Hern to placate him.

Fortunately, due to Viscount Ermon’s foolishness, this wasn’t too difficult. The problem was…

‘I just hope this fool doesn’t show off his intelligence in front of Marquis Deillon.’

The pig before him, possessing lands that one wouldn’t expect, was attractive prey for Marquis Deillon.

Should he fall out of favor, it wouldn’t be surprising to find himself beheaded right here.

Now that rebellion had already been declared, would they hesitate to seize another’s city? Viscount Hern thought not.

“Anyway, you and I must keep as quiet and watchful as possible. We’ll play along and side with whichever path seems to open a way to survival. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

“Ahem, ahem. I haven’t forgotten. Didn’t I mention that Marquis Deillon has his eye on my land?”

This foolish man. Viscount Hern frowned, watching Viscount Ermon carelessly speak out and seemingly forgetting the earlier warning.

Seemingly oblivious to his own blunder…

‘Firstly, since thirteen cities have already responded to the summons. It won’t be too late to observe Marquis Deillon’s attitude and align ourselves with the majority. Marquis Deillon isn’t a fool either. There must be a clear basis for declaring independence….’

Just then,

[The majestic sovereign of the Elpellan Duchy, the great conqueror who has claimed victory in a hundred battles across a hundred fields. The Duke of Elphellan has prepared to receive you, rightful Viscounts of the North. You are kindly requested to join him.]

A grand title indeed. Viscount Hern scoffed inwardly at the announcement and stood up, with Viscount Ermon awkwardly following.

As they exited the tent, other nobles in similar circumstances began to gather. There were both familiar and unknown faces.

That was to be expected.

‘It’s because the land is unnecessarily vast…geographically distant too.’

Viscount Hern’s city was situated on the easternmost edge of the North, in Al-Lorenze.

Regardless, being a noble of the North meant little more than being a bandit chief in nicer terms. There was hardly any reason to foster close relationships.

“Oh, isn’t that Count Lante? After Marquis Deillon, he’s the most influential noble in the North…. To think he also responded to the summons. Maybe this independence movement is more favorable than I thought…?”

What exactly is favorable about this situation, anyway…The more Viscount Ermon spoke, the more Viscount Hern’s head throbbed. Does this fool consider this gathering merely a tea party among the nobles of the North? Marquis Deillon… Now to be called Duke Elphellan, summoned the nobles of the North to this place. The Karunya Plains were also the battleground where Duke Elphellan himself had stomped out the rampant brigand bands of the North in the past.

In other words, this was one of the places that symbolized the military might and prestige of the Duke. Naturally, the choice of this location was intentional.

‘His intention is probably to show that he could stomp on anyone who opposes him at any time.’

Who dares oppose him when he invites the nobles of the North to set up camp in the Karunya Plains? The royal family is far, while the Duke’s blade is near.

“Please, come in.”

Viscount Hern and Viscount Ermon entered the grandest and most splendid tent in the Karunya Plains. It was the tent of Duke Elphellan.

“Hmph. They are all familiar faces here, was there really a need for an identity check…”

Viscount Ermon muttered a small complaint when Duke Elphellan’s soldier checked their identities before entering the tent. However, his dissatisfaction didn’t last long.

“…”

“…”

They were overwhelmed by the heavy atmosphere inside the tent.

“Please take a seat here.”

“Th-thank you.”

Inside the tent. The Northern nobles situated themselves around the long round table at the center.

Even as Viscount Hern took his place, guided by the soldier, he squinted his eyes. He realized there was intention in the arrangement of the seats.

‘The seats are assigned by the strength of their power, huh.’

Count Lante was seated closest to the seat of honor. Viscount Ermon was a few seats away from the seat of honor, and Viscount Hern himself was seated even further away, almost at the very end.

It could be considered an indication of the priority for subjugation.

‘So imposing.’

Viscount Hern swallowed nervously.

It was hard to believe these were the often famished people of the North, considering the sturdy physique and the firm eyes visible through the gaps in their helmets, not to mention their impeccable posture.

The soldiers of the Duke, positioned along the walls of the tent, were clearly elite troops.

Moreover, the immense pressure exerted by the two figures guarding the seat of honor was terrifying.

On the left was a man in plate armor, a giant head taller than anyone else.

On his back was a longsword that seemed too lengthy for an average person, but it was clear that wielding it would sweep hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers away.

And on the right side.

‘A mage…?’

There was a person cloaked in a deep blue robe. Strangely, even from Viscount Hern’s perspective below, the face hidden under the robe was not visible.

It was as if an invisible veil distorted the space around the face.

‘What’s that…?’

Mages were known for their eccentricities, but Viscount Hern felt a chilling sensation from this mage.

“It seems everyone has gathered.”

However, there was no time to ponder the source of this eerie feeling. The middle-aged man seated at the head of the table, now the Duke of the Elpellan Duchy, spoke, interrupting such thoughts.

“Thank you for responding to the summons, especially under these difficult circumstances.”

Duke Elphellan had an appearance reminiscent of a lion. The way he lightly handled the wine cup and his gentle movements, along with his deep eyes and a beard resembling a lion’s mane, gave off such an impression.

“Are there three absent? Who are they?”

“The mayors of Al-Ranzas, Al-Rosenez, and Ro-Desena.”

“Did they provide a reason for their absence?”

“Al-Ranzas reported that they couldn’t make it due to an incident in Al-Rasdel. There was a monster uproar.”

“Hmm-.” The reply from the knight seated on the left elicited an enigmatic response from the Duke.

“And the other two?”

“They did not specify their reasons.”

“Is that so?”

Viscount Hern felt a chill run down his spine.

From the Duke’s casual response, he instinctively felt fear.

A man who had survived a hundred battles, victorious in all, even without the title of the Duke Elphellan, he exuded an atmosphere that could overwhelm everyone present.

“Then, let’s begin as things stand.”

Duke Elphellan tilted his head slightly, directing his gaze straight ahead. It was finally time for the reason he had summoned the nobility to this place to be revealed.

Viscount Hern felt a wave of tension and consciously tried to relax his shoulders with a stretch. That’s when it happened.

“What exactly are you proposing to start, Marquis Deillon?”

Inside, Viscount Hern screamed. Not just him, but the majority of the nobility present swallowed their cries of alarm.

‘Count Lante…!’

One of the two nobles seated closest to the high seat. Unlike the other nobles, Count Lante was the only one who was not oppressed by Duke Elphellan’s intimidating presence and interrupted the Duke.

“Marquis, let me be clear that I am opposed to your actions. Wouldn’t anyone be? It’s outrageous to declare independence while the royal family is still intact. Is this a collective suicide pact?”

The atmosphere in the room became as cold as if ice water had been poured over it.

Viscount Hern deliberately fixed his gaze slightly off-center to avoid looking around, fearful of attracting unwanted attention.

It seemed at any moment, the Duke’s soldiers might skewer Count Lante with a spear, given how they were glaring at him. Despite sensing their stares, Count Lante continued his argument with alarming calmness.

“Moreover, Marquis, in the midst of the chaos in the north. I knew you had been greedily eyeing more land for a while, but I never dreamed you’d stoop to such vile means.”

Was it the specters of the past he was invoking? Count Lante’s sarcasm was blatantly clear, even disrespectfully addressing the Duke as a mere marquis.

“Hmm.”

Duke Elphellan’s lips curled into a smile.

“Quite a bold statement. Do you not see the soldiers surrounding us right now?”

“Of course, I see them well. If you intend to kill me here, there would be no resistance from me. Even if my knights and soldiers were waiting on the outskirts of the camp, the outcome would not differ.”

It was the reason why the nobles had come without any escort. Resistance seemed futile. The Duke had summoned all his former private soldiers to declare independence, outnumbering everyone present.

“Yet, Duke, do you truly think you can act against me? Could you bear the wrath of the royal family that would follow?”

“The royal family…”

“You know, don’t you? The true power of the royal family. The reason you’ve been cowering all this time. After all, even the Black Wing Duke alone could end it all. You have no one who could withstand his sword.”

As Count Lante stood up, it was as if he had come just to say those words. Duke Elphellan didn’t lose his smile even as Count Lante turned his back to leave.

Viscount Hern felt something odd about that response. Was all of this expected? If so…

‘Why did the Duke let Count Lante’s explosive statement slide?’

“The royal family… the royal family…”

Swish.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the tent, caressing Viscount Hern’s cheek before blood splattered in all directions.

The color drained from Viscount Hern’s face as he realized it was Marquis Deillon’s magic.

“To trust those fools who couldn’t even handle their own madness, who sold their souls to devils. If you thought you could rely on them, that was a grave mistake, Count Lante.”

Was it already too late for advice? Duke Elphellan laughed.

“Speaking to a dead man might be pointless, after all.”

Roll, thump!

Viscount Hern closed his eyes tightly at the sound of Count Lante’s decapitated head hitting the floor, maintaining his proud expression to the very end. He couldn’t cover his ears, though.

“Let this be a lesson. Trusting the royal family and opposing my will is foolish. And… if you understand, follow me quietly.”

“What would you have us do? It doesn’t seem like we could be of any use to you, Duke!”

“A good question, Viscount Ermon. My first request of you is simple. Find the source of the strange occurrences in the north.”

“Are you speaking of the living corpses? The source… But that’s just an incurable disease…?”

“No, it’s a curse spread deliberately by someone. And that someone is still roaming the north, spreading the curse.”

Viscount Ermon’s face trembled.

“Who could it possibly be?”

“Seek out the barbarian of the Frost Gorge in the north. And…”

After you find them, bring their corpses to me.