I’m the Madman of This Family

Chapter 338. River of Blood, Mountain of Screams (1)

A new military unit has been formed in Sephira.

Led by Keter and created by Vulkanus, the ‘Rapid-Fire Crossbow’ users, the ‘Cross Association’.

Their main mission was to act as an intelligence unit, something Sephira had almost none of, being dispatched across the kingdom to send shocking information back to Sephira.

In the Sephira Conference Room. Amidst all the gathered officials, Hisop stood up abruptly, looking at Taragon with disbelief.

“Say it again, Commander Taragon.”

Taragon was the leader of the Cross Association. Having taken the position of commander, there was no more clumsy Taragon. With an unyielding face, he took a deep breath and reported once more.

“Crown Prince Rukan’s army is estimated at 2 million, Second Prince Rakan’s army at 800,000. More than half of them are boy soldiers, and the rest are retired soldiers and elderly.”

“Additionally, the prestigious families of the south, Garcia and Marquis Ruvan, have also gathered all their forces at Sephira’s border. They’ve even called back the knights stationed at the border, with an estimated number of 20,000. This includes all knights, even those of commander rank.”

This isn’t just a war of strength. It’s a total war. There’s no turning back.

“…How can they be so reckless?”

Bang!

Hisop slammed his fist on the table, gritting his teeth.

“How can they send the boys who are the future of the nation and the elderly who have devoted their lives to the country to their deaths…!”

Hisop’s trembling wasn’t due to the enemy’s massive army.

“Moreover, abandoning the border defense to focus on civil war? Where in the world is there such a strategy! Do the princes not care at all about the nation’s safety?”

As Hisop continued to rage, the officials bowed their heads involuntarily.

They were intimidated by the princes’ enormous armies, worrying about the nation’s survival.

But Hisop felt anger first, not fear. In the face of a life-and-death crisis, he thought of the nation rather than his family, making himself feel utterly insignificant in comparison.

Since there was nothing good about the family officials being intimidated, Elder Leganon quickly stepped forward.

“Commander Taragon. We’ve been keeping an eye on Garcia and Marquis Ruvan’s movements, so we could prepare early. Please explain more about where the princes are sending their armies.”

“The south has left only a small surveillance force, concentrating everything in the east and west. There’s a war atmosphere that wouldn’t be strange if a full-scale war broke out at any moment.”

“A full-scale war is the worst strategy, causing the most sacrifice with the least effect. Sending the nation’s precious boys and experienced elderly to their deaths. I can’t understand the princes’ intentions.”

The Lilian Kingdom isn’t wealthy, but it’s not poor either. There’s no shortage of food, so there’s absolutely no benefit in reducing the population. Yet both princes adopted such reckless strategies, which Leganon found hard to comprehend.

Thanks to Leganon, the officials also broke free from their self-reproach and each voiced their thoughts.

“Could it be a deception? If they’re dressed in armor, it’s hard to tell if they’re conscripts or regular soldiers.”

“I think there’s a possibility of bluffing. No matter how much the two princes fight over the throne, winning like this won’t make the country run properly. No, foreign powers won’t just stand by. The invasion will start as soon as the war ends.”

“Bluffing? Who would bluff while pulling out their own limbs? That’s definitely sincere. The princes are insane. They’re not interested in the throne, they’re just idiots fighting out of anger!”

“Watch your words! No matter how much they’re enemies, we were once their subjects. Don’t insult the princes more than necessary!”

“What? You brat, are you a spy? Defending the princes now? Guards!”

“I’m not defending them, I’m saying not to waste emotions unnecessarily!”

The conference room turned into chaos in an instant. The princes are going for total war, surely they wouldn’t go that far, the officials split into two factions.

Bang bang bang!

Hisop slammed his gavel fiercely. The officials sat down as if they hadn’t been fighting and fell silent.

“Whether the princes are sincere or not is unimportant. Even if it’s a bluff, we must prepare. Think of it as war. Even if it’s really a bluff, the moment we think it’s a bluff and don’t prepare, that bluff will become sincere.”

“……!”

“Indeed. The lord’s words are correct.”

“Our insight was shallow.”

The officials no longer called Hisop ‘Branch House Lord’. Hisop hadn’t given any orders. At some point, naturally, Hisop became ‘Lord’ instead of ‘Branch House Lord’.

Hisop looked at the newly installed seats in the conference room. Three new seats were installed, each occupied by the knight commanders.

But they were no longer knight commanders.

“Generals, give us your opinions. How should Sephira respond?”

Originally, Sephira had commanders leading the knights and constellation knights leading the soldiers. Until now, there had been no major issues or inconveniences with this, but now it’s different.

The need to operate troops on a large scale has arisen, necessitating the position of ‘General’ to command large armies.

And this position was taken by former knight commanders.

However, the Lunar Knight Commander is currently in seclusion training, so the two seats were taken by the Holy and Constellation Knight Commanders, and the remaining seat was taken by Pekda of the Big Dipper.

Although they hold the grand title of General, it’s only been less than three months since their appointment. Naturally, it’s difficult to come up with clever strategies and tactics.

“How about strengthening defense and surveillance, and focusing on guerrilla warfare with the extra troops stationed in Sephira?”

Former Holy Knight Commander, Alon, suggested a strategy to minimize Sephira’s damage-

“The enemies still don’t know about Baen Kingdom’s airships. If we use the airships to occupy the enemy’s empty homeland and attack from both sides, we can quickly end the war.”

Former Constellation Knight Commander, Jeremy, advocated for a quick decisive battle to minimize damage.

Pekda of the Big Dipper, the most experienced and seasoned among the generals, didn’t answer immediately. After frowning and pondering for a while, he slowly opened his mouth.

“What is Prince Keter’s current situation?”

At Pekda’s question, unconsciously hiding Keter’s news, Hisop’s heart sank.

*

Thud, thud, thud.

A beggar was relentlessly kicking something. From a distance, it looked like a bundle, but up close, it was clear that something alive was squirming inside.

“You motherless brat! How dare you steal my bread? Did you think I couldn’t catch you just because I don’t have arms?”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

What was thought to be a bundle was actually a boy. He had tucked his hands and arms inside as much as possible, crouching his head to avoid vital spots.

“Whew, whew. Give me my bread now.”

After kicking for a while without the boy making a sound or changing his posture, the beggar panted and made a suggestion. The bundle responded to his words.

“I already ate it. Should I take a dump and give it to you?”

“You little brat!”

Thud thud thud thud!

The beggar started kicking the boy even faster and harder.

At that moment, Keter was watching the two from the side.

“What is this.”

Keter looked around. It was a familiar scene.

Dirty, damp, and hopeless.

The lawless city of Ruquer.

The boy being beaten mercilessly there was himself.

“Ah, is this a flashback?”

Keter examined his body. It was perfectly fine, exactly as he remembered.

Though ragged, only his right arm was a different color. This wasn’t Keter’s arm, but Lord Eslow’s arm.

The Chimera Physician Franken’s secret technique, ‘Plastic Surgery’.

And Keter’s second authority, ‘Reverse’.

Eslow thought Keter’s authority was ‘Position Change’, as he had switched places with the arrow, Baeklin.

But in the end, he realized it wasn’t that.

Keter’s ‘Reverse’ was using the opponent’s authority in the same way. Eslow felt Keter’s authority was similar to his own because it really was the same.

But this doesn’t mean Keter can unconditionally steal and use the opponent’s authority. There are strict rules set by Keter himself. If these aren’t met, he can’t steal the opponent’s authority.

“Anyway, this isn’t a flashback.”

Whoosh whoosh.

Keter hadn’t experienced a flashback before, but at least he’d never heard of one being this long and vivid.

His body moved freely, but of course, he couldn’t interfere with the scene before him.

“Well, even if I don’t interfere…”

The beggar, finding it hard to kick the boy Keter, paused his attack.

At that moment, the boy Keter sprang up like lightning and headbutted the beggar’s groin.

“Gah, gahhh!”

Normally, it would be common sense to run away after this, but Keter at this time wasn’t common sense.

He punched the beggar’s face, kneeling in pain, with his tiny fist.

Thud thud thud!

At this time, Keter was only four years old. Malnourished and underdeveloped, his fist was tiny.

But the strength of his fist wasn’t tiny. His tender, fresh fist should have been soft, but it was calloused and very hard.

Moreover, Keter knew where it hurt to hit a human, so he aimed for those spots.

“Okay, okay. I was wrong. Ugh.”

The beggar, punched by the tiny fist, showed his special skill. Begging for forgiveness with his feet.

Thud!

The young Keter finally kicked the beggar’s groin and spoke. Keter watching this also opened his mouth.

“Now we’re even. Nothing happened between us.”

Of course, later the beggar came back to seek revenge, and Keter ended up killing him.

“How many years ago was this.”

Keter watched the young Keter’s back as he walked away through the alley.

“It’s nostalgic but…”

It’s not a flashback. But it’s too vivid to be a dream. Yet, interference is impossible.

“Let’s think. Maknun brought me to Sephira, right? But my heart was shattered, and I was on the verge of death… Ah!”

Clap.

Keter clapped his hands. He had an idea why he was in this situation.

‘Dragon’s Heart.’

“That thing got sucked into my chest on its own.”

The Syndicate’s big shot, Alter, gave Keter a legendary treasure as a bet.

Keter had stored it in the warehouse, but it flew on its own and embedded itself in Keter’s heart.

This wasn’t Keter’s intention. Who would have thought the Dragon’s Heart would try to replace the shattered heart on its own.

“…So ‘I lost consciousness, and here I am’ is the conclusion… Well, should I take a walk around first?”

Since it wasn’t dangerous and there was nothing to do, Keter decided to take a look around Ruquer for the first time in a while-

“Keter.”

Someone called Keter.

It was a woman’s voice he had never heard before, but for some reason, it felt familiar.

“…….”

Turning around, a woman stood there.

She was very young. But at the same time, she exuded an overwhelming maternal aura.

Though he had never seen her before, Keter instinctively knew.

“Akra?”

His birth mother, who had also abandoned him.