BXBX NOVEL Chapter 241: Post-War Processing
Chapter 241: Post-War Processing
Translated by SoundDestiny
Edited by SoundDestiny
And so, the battle between the Zain Kingdom army led by Raidorl and the undead army led by the witch Osman came to a close.
The result was a resounding victory for the Zain Kingdom army.
.
Osman, the witch of 『Earth』 was defeated and her subordinates, the 『Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse』 were all slain.
While many of the undead soldiers were vanquished, some that couldn’t be completely defeated broke free from Osman’s control and disappeared somewhere.
The Zain Kingdom army, having captured the capital of the Athena Kingdom, is currently forming extermination squads to hunt down the undead. The undead that had been wandering around the capital and its surroundings have been completely eliminated and now the army is moving on to the villages and towns in the region one by one.
“Both the witch and the Four Horsemen are no more… 『This kingdom may be in ruins, but the mountains and rivers endure』. What a dire state of affairs.”
From a chamber in the now-ruined royal castle, Raidorl gazed down upon the cityscape of the capital and let out a solemn sigh.
Below the window lay a ghost town…not a metaphor, but quite literally a city of the deceased, the capital that had become.
The humans who once lived in the capital had either scattered and fled or they had been turned into the undead.
Raidorl had reclaimed the capital and a small portion of those who had been hiding had returned but the population still numbered around five hundred people.
As a capital of a kingdom, it had turned into a remarkably unreliable state.
“Fortunately, the damage to the villages in the region is relatively minor. Many of those who had been hiding in mountains and valleys managed to survive”
Darren Garst, Raidol’s chief subordinate,spoke to Raidorl, who was overlooking the town from the castle.
“Even so, the population has decreased by about twenty percent. Even if those who had sought refuge in other kingdoms were to return, it’s unlikely to exceed forty percent.”
“It will undoubtedly take an immense amount of time for reconstruction…the future is disheartening.”
To be honest, Raidorl had no obligation to further involve himself with the Athena Kingdom. His initial intervention in this country was to defeat the witch Osman and the horde of undead that posed a threat to his own nation. It was never about rebuilding the fallen Athena? Kingdom.
“Nevertheless…leaving this kingdom be wouldn’t be advantageous either”
The Athena Kingdom had become a complete power vacuum. It was an opportune moment for occupation without much resistance, a chance to expand the Zain Kingdom’s territory. Conversely, if left unchecked, there was a possibility that other kingdoms would pour into this void.
To the east of the Athena Kingdom was the Zain Kingdom and to the west was the Surdin Kingdom. While the Surdin Kingdom was ostensibly a friendly nation to Athena, in this situation, its intentions were uncertain. With Osman’s disappearance, there was a chance they might seize territory.
If this land were to be engulfed in the flames of war, the neighbouring Zain Kingdom would no longer remain untouched by the conflagration across the river.
Due to the actions of the witch Osman, who moved the Fernigesh Mountains, the Zain Kingdom and the former Athena Kingdom had become contiguous territories. The possibility that conflict in the neighbouring country would spread directly to the Zain Kingdom was very real.
“The Athena Kingdom shall remain as a vassal of the Zain Kingdom, with troops stationed here for governance. It will take time and resources for reconstruction but it’s a plan for the next century of the kingdom. We’ll strive to regain profits for the generations that follow, and the ones after”
“Indeed”
Darren agreed with Raidol’s words.
Fortunately, although the capital had suffered widespread destruction and the castle was close to being a ruin, the treasury’s treasures remained untouched.
It seemed that the undead forces, including Osman, had shown no interest in valuable items.
Currently, soldiers dispatched to various locations were instructed to collect valuable items from the residences of lords and officials. It should be possible to secure some funds for the reconstruction costs.
“So… is there no issue with that, Princess Neferte?”
“…Yes, there’s no other choice, is there?”
The one who agreed was the third person in the room.
The sole surviving member of the royal family of the Athena Kingdom and the chosen wielder of the holy sword Mistilteinn: Neferte Athena herself.
Neferte was dressed in a violet gown and sat somewhat aimlessly in a chair.
‘Really… I never imagined she would be the princess and not the prince.’
Seeing Neferte struggling with the dress, Raidorl let out a sigh internally.
Neferte was not a prince but a princess. She had concealed her gender and interacted with Raidorl and the others until now.
“I don’t possess the power to rebuild the Athena Kingdom. Though it’s quite disgraceful as a member of the royal family… I have no choice but to entrust the fate of the kingdom to the mercy of His Highness Raidorl the Crown Prince”
Remaining seated in the chair, Neferte bowed deeply.
“I implore you, please consider the well-being of my people so they can live in peace. If it’s for that cause, I don’t care what happens to me. So, please…!”
“I had that intention from the beginning. I did mention making it a vassal state, but I don’t plan on imposing oppression”
Seeing Neferte desperately bowing, Raidorl sighed and shrugged his shoulders in a somewhat exasperated manner.
“The situation was already chaotic under the dominion of the undead. We might have to employ force temporarily to maintain security, but I promise not to oppress innocent civilians. However…be prepared, because I’ll have you working extensively for me”
Raidorl pointed his finger and made a declaration.
“The wielder of the holy sword is an exceptional asset in terms of combat strength and having the surviving member of the royal family is necessary for smoothly governing this kingdom. Once things have settled down, I’ll grant you the title of 『Duke』 or perhaps 『Grand Duke』. Govern this nation as its lord.”
“Understood…no, I understand. Your Highness, the Crown Prince”
Neferte responded, her shoulders trembling. But what was she truly thinking deep down?
Was it regret over the fall of the Athena Kingdom and its annexation by other kingdoms? Or was it the weight of the responsibility of governing the remains of a nearly ruined kingdom?
Either way, it was an immense burden for a young girl who had lived for just a little over a decade.
“Of course, I’ll stay here for a while as well. If security is restored and there’s no movement from the neighbouring country, I intend to leave some of the soldiers and return to the capital”
“…Yes.”
“But…I’ll leave a support officer here. Make the best use of their assistance.”
“A support officer…?”
“Yes… let him in.”
“I apologise for intruding!”
The door to the room opened, and a large man entered.
Though he had an intellectual appearance with glasses, his body was muscular and substantial. Adorned in armour, the man stood upright. His name was Justy Oigist, a captain of a thousand under Raidorl’s command.
“A knight who’s not very good at keeping secrets from his lord, but at least his combat skills are decent. He should be sufficient for an escort.”
“Justy-dono…”
“Princess Neferete, I humbly be in your care once again!”
“Yes… Nice to meet you…!”
Neferte’s relieved expression softened and Justy wore a reassuring smile.
Raidorl had no way of knowing when this kind of trusting relationship had formed but it was probably better than having a strained one.
‘After all, he knew Neferte was a girl and still kept it hidden…what a truly inept knight. Honestly.’
Justy knew Neferte’s secret but didn’t report it to Raidorl.
Raidorl didn’t intend to blame him for not caring about Neferte’s gender but there still needed to be consequences.
A man who had been highly regarded for his future as a captain of a thousand would now diverge from the path of advancement and settle as an assistant to a vassal lord. It should serve as sufficient punishment.
“Do well… in various ways”
Raidorl remarked teasingly to the two, creating a friendly atmosphere.
[TL:Ship sailed]