Chapter 261: You Wanna Fight Dirty? That’s Fine By Me (1)

The Lillian Kingdom was divided into four regions. North, west, east, and south. Within each region were several territories. Those who governed these territories were called lords, and they had the important responsibility of managing the cities and families within their territory. Most lords were high-ranking royal officials, but occasionally, the head of a noble family could also serve as a lord.

Thus, a territory war was essentially a legal civil war fought within the nation. When lords fought, thousands of troops were mobilized, after all.

Hissop had never experienced a territory war himself, but he knew exactly why it had been abolished, as he had learned from history books.

He raised his hand before anyone and said, “With all due respect, Crown Prince, your plan of improving military quality by encouraging citizens to fight one another has already proven to be a failure. An example would be the Kingdom of Adeus. The Kingdom of Adeus is the only nation on the continent where territory wars are legal, and as a result, civil conflict never stops. The national economy and public morale have plummeted. I humbly ask that you consider this and—”

Crown Prince Rukan interrupted Hissop, showing clear displeasure. “Do you think I wouldn't know something that you do?”

Then Marquis Grace, the prince’s close aide, came forward to scold Hissop. “His Highness didn’t say territory wars but family wars. He hasn’t even finished explaining it. Should you not at least listen to everything before giving your opinion? Why are you in such a rush, Deputy Patriarch Hissop? Surely you’re not challenging the royal authority right now, are you?”

“I apologize. I acted rashly.” Hissop acknowledged that he had acted hastily, so he bowed his head to the crown prince.

“Do you believe you can be forgiven for something bordering on treason with a simple apology—”

“Enough, Marquis Grace. Deputy Patriarch Hissop is still young, so it’s possible he doesn’t yet have proper judgment. I shall explain so he understands.”

“Ah, as expected of you, Your Highness! How can you be so merciful...!”

“As Deputy Patriarch Hissop said, territory wars were a failed policy. Therefore, I created a new version by only taking the advantages of the territory wars, Family Wars. Marquis Grace, explain the Family Wars.”

Now officially granted the floor by the crown prince, Marquis Grace rose from her seat with a triumphant attitude.

“

Ahem!

The Family Wars, designed and created entirely by His Highness the Crown Prince, is, as its name suggests, a war fought between noble families, staking their family’s honor. Of course, simply fighting would cause both sides to lose too much, so His Highness has wisely created and introduced several rules.”

With a clear and loud voice, Marquis Grace began explaining the rules.

—First, a Family War cannot occur simultaneously within the same region.

—Second, to preserve manpower and technique, each family participating in a Family War must use only half of their soldiers and knights.

—Third, defeat in a Family War is acknowledged through either the death of the family head or by surrender.

—Fourth, the winner of a Family War inherits all techniques, manpower, and assets of the defeated family, and the defeated family has no right to refuse.

—Fifth, once a family has fought a Family War, they cannot participate in another for the next half-year.

—Sixth, all soldiers, knights, and retainers who surrender must be absolutely guaranteed survival and given the best possible treatment.

—Seventh, the family heads who engage in a Family War may, with royal approval, create additional rules.

“

Hmmm...!

”

“

Ahem!

”

After hearing all the rules, the family heads were either intrigued or distressed. It wasn’t because the rules were complicated. Rather, it was because they were too simple.

Hissop’s fists trembled. The point of the rules was ultimately...

This is just a system where weak families can’t survive.

At that moment, someone else voiced the unfairness that Hissop had just realized. “Dame Grace, are those all the rules? I am asking whether administrative families are exempt from participating in the Family Wars.”

The one who raised the objection was Marquis Turbin of the south. He was a marquis among the higher nobility, but as an administrative family, the number of soldiers and knights he had was extremely small.

With a cold gaze, Marquis Grace replied, “There are no exceptions for administrative families or military families. Moreover, the rules do not prohibit receiving support from other families, do they? You may hire mercenaries if needed.”

“That is something military families could easily do as well. If a military family challenges an administrative family to a Family War, there should be some sort of handicap to make it fair.”

Outwardly, it looked like he was addressing Marquis Grace, but in truth, he was speaking so the crown prince would hear it.

The crown prince, who clearly understood this, said to Marquis Turbin, “You are shameless, Marquis Turbin. Despite being an administrative family, do you not secretly have over two thousand soldiers and at least three hundred knights? In what way is that the strength of an administrative family?”

Marquis Turbin’s eyes trembled. Although it was an open secret that he had more troops than others, only about half of them had ever been shown publicly. Thus, the crown prince knowing all of it came as a shock.

“Do not think you can deceive the royal family, Marquis Turbin. We did not leave you alone because we were unaware. We left you alone because you were insignificant. Remember that the same applies to the other family heads as well.”

Although the crown prince didn’t point to anyone specifically, every family head with secrets felt guilty.

Thump!

Striking the gavel once to draw the family heads’ attention, the crown prince rested his chin on his hand and said, “Those who have opinions regarding the rules of the Family Wars, speak now.”

He didn’t say that because this would be the last chance, but realistically, when else would anyone have another opportunity to meet the crown prince outside a royal conference? It was undeniably a golden chance, yet no one stepped up. Not because they didn’t have any opinions, but because they knew speaking up would be meaningless.

More importantly, several family heads openly wore expressions showing they weren’t worried at all. Their faces made it clear they had already known the crown prince would announce the introduction of the Family Wars, and they even seemed to know about the rules in advance.

Hissop didn’t want to reveal his anger, but he bit down hard on his lower lip without knowing it.

Families that prepared for the Family Wars beforehand will take the advantageous ground.

There was no need to look around. The heads of the noble families all wore expressions showing they had known everything already and were completely at ease. Naturally, Hissop had known nothing about it. He hadn’t heard even a single rumor. No one had informed or warned Sefira about anything.

“If no one has any further opinions, I hereby declare this royal conference adjourned.”

Thump, thump, thump...

Four strikes of the gavel would finalize adjournment, but when the third strike sounded, Hissop raised his hand to speak.

“When... do the Family Wars begin?”

The crown prince answered as if it were obvious. “Immediately, right from this very moment.”

Thump!

The royal conference ended, and the Family Wars began. For the family heads who heard about the Family Wars here for the first time, they twitched with urgency. They had to return to their families and prepare as every passing second mattered, so they couldn’t help but be impatient. However, no one could leave until the royal family exited first.

The moment King Consort Lerkin was about to leave the chamber, both doors of the grand hall swung open, and royal guards stormed in. The knights who rushed in suddenly stood behind several family heads. Behind thirty-two of them, to be exact. The family heads chosen by the royal guards couldn’t hide their confusion. Out of them, those who were quick-witted had already noticed a certain common trait among themselves and trembled with clenched fists.

The family heads who didn’t have royal guards behind them began leaving the grand hall, even though Prince Rukan and Prince Rakan hadn’t exited yet.

“

Hehehe.

”

“Well then, good luck to you all.”

With that, only thirty-two family heads, thirty-two royal guards, and the two princes remained in the grand hall.

“If you have any sense at all, you should know why you remain here.” Leaning against the wall, Second Prince Rakan looked at Hissop with a smirk. “At a time when the fate of the nation is on the line, did you really think you could sit comfortably on the sidelines under the excuse of neutrality? Or should I call you fools who simply chose the wrong side?”

As he said, those who remained in the hall weren’t supporters of the first prince or the second prince. They were family heads who were still neutral, or those who supported the third prince. Their faces turned pale at the fear that they would all be killed right here and now.

“That doesn’t mean we’ll turn this place into a bloodbath and make an example out of you. However, you will have to choose. Otherwise, we have no reason to spare any of you.”

Choose the first prince or the second prince. If they didn’t choose, they wouldn’t be allowed to leave.

Hissop took a deep breath and asked Rakan. “Your Highness... Is the Family Wars meant to eliminate those who declare neutrality?”

“

Haha

, we wouldn’t need to go through that much trouble just to deal with you. This is simply convenient for us. It’s true that my brother and I will be clashing head-on.”

The Family Wars weren't just families fighting over territory. It was noble families aligned with the first prince versus those aligned with the second prince. That was the true purpose of the Family Wars. Gaining war experience in the process was only a secondary benefit.

“Of course, I didn’t expect my brother to announce an actual war... but I’m sure he has his own plans. He may be delusional, but he’s not irresponsible. Anyway—” Rakan stepped closer to Hissop and stared straight into his eyes. “You’re still standing stiff. You still don’t understand the situation,

huh?

This is the moment you should be clinging to my leg, begging me to take Sefira in.”

Then, the head of the Ereal family clung to Rakan’s leg. “Prince Rakan! I pledge my loyalty! Please watch over the Ereal family!”

“See? Just like this fool. Ereal family? What is that? Some no-name family I’ve never even heard of. Get lost.”

Rakan shooed away the head of the Ereal family as if swatting away an insect. The family head turned pale and quickly ran toward Rukan instead.

“Crown Prince Rukan! Please—”

“Get lost, bat[1].”

Rejected by both the second prince and the crown prince, the head of the Ereal family stared in disbelief.

“I-if neither of you accepts my family, then what will happen to me and my family...?”

No prince answered that question. The head of the Ereal family finally realized the truth and let out a hollow laugh.

“

Hahaha,

I see. My family was already doomed to extermination!”

At his words, the faces of the other family heads who had hesitated to choose also turned pale. They realized the same could happen to them.

Seeing them tremble in fear made Rakan laugh due to the thrill of watching men who acted like kings in their own families shrink into insects before him.

Even if they’re heads of the noblest families, it would be no different.

Rakan assumed Hissop must also be panicking by now, just like the others. However, the moment he looked at Hissop, his expression twisted in irritation. Hissop was calm. He showed no sign of trying to escape, no sign of despair, and no sign of giving up either. Rakan disliked that composure and calmness in Hissop.

“As I said earlier, I’ll enjoy watching how long that confidence lasts. And for the record, you only have two ways to leave this place. Leave dead, or leave because one of us chooses you.

Bahahaha!

”

Even under Rakan’s threat, Hissop did not react. He simply placed his trust where it belonged.

Elder Panir and Elder Reganon. With the two of them, Sefira will not collapse easily. And more importantly... our family has Keter.

Even at just the thought of Keter, Hissop couldn’t help but smile.

You would protect Sefira even in a situation like this. Even if I die.

Hissop hadn’t come to the palace unprepared. He left a final testament in case the worst happened. If he died, Keter would be appointed as the temporary acting head of the family.

***

Meanwhile, the Keter Hissop trusted so deeply was chatting with his group.

Halibo burst into tears at the sight of Keter wearing a blindfold. “Lord Keter! Is it true that you were blinded after fighting a dark wizard?!”

Keter also replied with a serious tone. “Halibo, that’s life. Who would have expected to encounter a dark wizard inside the royal palace? I was lucky to lose just my eyes. But Halibo, do you think you would’ve survived if you had run into a dark wizard?”

“Of course I would run away! I wouldn’t even think about fighting!”

“What if the dark wizard had infiltrated Sefira instead of the palace? Would you still run?”

“N-no! I would definitely fight to protect Sefira!”

Keter flicked Halibo’s forehead. “You fool. Do you think you could last even one second against a dark wizard? You should run immediately and scream your lungs out that a dark wizard has appeared. That would be a lot more helpful.”

“

A-agh!

I-I’ll keep that in mind!”

“Katherine, don’t you have anything to say when my eyes have ended up like this?”

“Well, I think you look cool wearing a blindfold.”

“I look cool no matter what I wear.”

Halibo looked disappointed and said, “Dame Katherine! How can you be so indifferent about Lord Keter’s safety? I didn’t know you were such a cold-blooded person!”

However, she simply smiled in response. Katherine already knew that Keter’s blindness was fake. She hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, but she had been with Keter long enough to notice. She simply didn’t show it. After all, if Keter was pretending to be blind, he surely had his reasons.

Ignoring Halibo, Katherine asked Keter for advice. “Lord Keter, is there truly no way to use magic in a place where mana is limited? I’ve been trying for a while, but I can’t control my mana. It feels like trying to catch fog with my hands.”

In divine territory, both aura and mana were suppressed, and that included the guest rooms where they were staying.

“That happens because there’s a constant emission of a disruptive mana wavelength somewhere in this palace. To counter it, you can either respond with an opposing frequency, or synchronize with the wavelength and blend into it.”

“Canceling it out with an opposing frequency isn’t possible, so that means the only option is to sense that wavelength and blend into it. I’ll try that.”

Katherine immediately left the room to test Keter’s advice, and just then, Daat walked in.

“Welcome back, Dork.”

“Big Brother, we may need to go with Plan B.”

When Daat brought up Plan B without warning, Halibo, listening nearby, had no idea what they were talking about. Meanwhile, Keter, who had been lying down, sat up and stretched.

“

Hmmm,

so that’s how they decided to play it,

huh?

I was somewhat hoping for a beautiful sight of a fair fight.”

“Really?”

“Of course not.”

After listening for a while, Halibo finally couldn’t keep his curiosity in and cautiously asked, “

Um,

Lord Keter, and strategist sir. What are you talking about? What is Plan B?”

“

Oh,

it’s nothing special. It just means the other side chose to fight dirty.”

Even with Daat’s kind explanation, Halibo still couldn’t understand, and that was only natural. How could he possibly guess that the princes had detained all the family heads who insisted on remaining neutral? However, Keter and Daat had already predicted things would turn out this way, and had finished all preparations for such an outcome.

“Since they decided to play dirty first, we can be just as dirty without hesitation.”

“I’m already drooling at the thought, Big Brother.

Hehehe

.”

Befitting of Keter and Daat, who were both from the city of crime, they wore villain-like smiles.

1. It’s about how the Ereal family’s head changes sides very quickly. ☜