Chapter 67 (1/2)

The Galland Empire's capital where the emperor lives.

One of the five major powers, military power that's competes for second place, and economic power, it is the capital of the mighty Galland Empire.

It is a fortress city covering a vast terrain with a high rampart. It is also an economic city with the streets overflowing with stalls and people.

Rumors of the country of the dragon knight were already spreading even in that place.

And, the invasion of the Rembrandt Kingdom by the Galang Empire Army and its failure are also recognized by people as a certain fact as it was coming from various information networks.

At the heart of the capital city of Galland Empire is a gigantic castle.

White and gray, the castle has a rugged appearance and has a straight brown brick external wall. Was it repeatedly remodeled and renovated? The left and right of the castle is asymmetrical.

Even in the castle, the rumor of the Dragon Knight has crept in quietly.

A mythological legendary hero became a reality. The story in the rumor is something ordinary people won't believe but it is about the army of their own country being destroyed.

Thus, the rumor is certainly spreading in the castle but in extreme secrecy.

A man of influence of the empire, who heard the rumor, is walking on the aisle with a face as if chewed something bitter.

He is an elderly short man but has a muscular and thick body. The man was in black suit and is stroking back his gray hair.

He is one of the minister who serve in the empire's capital.

「Military affairs Minister!」

「What, general?」

The minister of military affairs looked back at the man who had run diagonally behind him and replied with the position of the man who approaches him.

The middle-aged man, who was called general, walks with a stern face and stares at the minister.

The man, who was called general, has a short black hair and is wearing a black military uniform. He was angry as he ran and lined up with the military affairs minister.

Because the man who was called general was tall, the military affairs minister glares back at him by looking up.

「Did you hear the rumor?」

「I sure even a baby have already known.」

The minister instantly replied to the general’s question.

The general gave out a short breath removing his gaze from the minister and looked ahead the pa.s.sage.

「…After all, we should have not used a newcomer from a mercenary group in such an important battle.」

When the general murmur so in a small voice, the minister clicks his tongue and stares at the general.

「Fool. His Majesty himself nominated them. Besides, we don't even know if you'll win even if you're in his shoes.」

「Ha, hahahahaha」

To the minister's line, the general began to laugh because of hearing something unbearable.

「What’s funny?」

When the minister said that and looked at him with eyes full of anger, the general stopped his feet and his laugh.

「The number of soldiers he took was about eighty thousand. On the other hand, the kingdom army has 50,000 at most. I heard that even with that difference of forces, they were annihilated in only a few days. That is the greatest defeat in military history that only a fool can accomplish.」

When the general said so and laughed again, the minister paused and stopped.

「The problem is the loss of a lot of soldiers. How can you rate it like that general? Besides, I heard rumors that the Rembrandt Kingdom's border military force was lead by a dragon knight.」

When the minister said so, the general rang his nose.

He has an expression of completely ridiculing the minister's word.

「Stupid. The apostle of G.o.d leading braves founded a nation. As if anyone will believe such a dreamlike thing.」

When the general said so, the minister stopped walking through the aisle and looked at the back of the general.

The minister vomited a sigh. He turned his foot in the direction where the general turned and walked behind him.

Ahead is the throne room.

A gloomy double steel door.

When the general knocked on the door, the door was opened by the soldiers inside.

The general and the minister go through the door in a row. They walked on a carpet that is like a tiger's fur with white and black pattern with their leather shoes.

There's only a two step stairs before the emperor's throne  with high back rest ahead.

On the throne, there was a man with obese body.

He's probably around his late twenties.

The man has rings with jewel on both hands and is wearing a red robe. His hair was gray, is divided in the middle and is combed to the left and right, and extends up to his cheeks.

The man looked at the minister and the general with a sharp glance and turned his hand to the two.

「Kneel」

When the man said that word, the minister, the general, and the eight soldiers in the room knelt on the spot.

The man on the throne, who confirmed their appearance, nodded lordly and opened his mouth.

「Military affairs minister Karim and the guardian of the east, General Torga. It is about the Rembrandt Kingdom's invasion.」

When the man said so, the two, Karim and Torga, reacted with a twitch and raised their faces.

Look at the faces of the two, the man sighed and put his elbow on his leg.

「This totally has become a headache. I lost enough soldiers to transfer stationed soldiers on the south west. Well, the actual soldier is thirty-thousand, and the rest is mercenaries and slaves.」

The man smiled in a sarcastic manner after saying so.

Then, the general called Torga looked up at the man with a sharp eye.

「Your Imperial Majesty, Hakan-sama! I understand your anxiety. Let this Torga dispel Hakan-sama's anxiety! Please leave it to me by all means!」

「General, you're being rude!」

Military affairs minister Karim yelled at Torga's sudden plea.