Chapter 269: A New Dawn for the Principality (1)

The next day, the once-bustling White Bunker was filled with an entirely different silence. The death of Tuli Lurein had cast a heavy pall over the city. However, the reaction of the people on the streets was surprisingly subdued. Even those who were unfamiliar with the intricacies of war knew what fate awaited the defeated.

For the principality’s citizens, the legitimacy of their new ruler was less important than whether their lives would continue in peace.

Bwaaah...!

A trumpet signaled the start of the funeral, and a procession began to wind its way through the ruined streets of the city. The inactive Revol knelt beneath the city walls as if bowing in acknowledgment of Tuli Lurein’s death.

“...”

Even though it was an unprecedented day, with the funerals of four high-ranking figures, including the First Duchess of the principality, the procession was far from grand. Ruiche was noticeably absent from the ceremony, leaving only Bonitos, the Sixth Duke, to lead the solemn event.

“I don’t get it,” Miliana said as she watched the funeral from the window. “No matter how deeply Ruiche cared for Fran, it’s hard to believe that she wouldn’t even show her face at her own sister’s funeral. Even barbarians show mercy to the dead, no matter how fierce their enmity.”

Miliana’s expression betrayed her disdain for nobles, having seen how easily the Lurein family had fallen apart.

“Ruiche, the youngest of the ducal family, is only sixteen. It must be traumatizing for a sheltered child to kill a family member,” Karyl remarked.

“Yeah, and who was it that made her do it? A mere boy of fifteen who orchestrated such a massive scheme,” Miliana said with a smirk.

He chuckled and said, “But do you really think she killed her sister solely out of affection for Fran?”

“...What?”

Karyl turned to her.

“While Tuli may have destroyed Fran, in Ruiche’s eyes, I was still a threat to what Fran had. But instead of joining forces with Tuli, she submitted to me.”

“Wasn’t that because Tuli had already ruined Fran?” Miliana asked.

“The love of someone who’s not even of age is like a fleeting blossom. They may want to be the hero who overcomes adversity, but reality is far more cruel.”

Miliana was surprised to hear Karyl speak about love, but his cold words made her frown.

“Passionate feelings burn brightly, but they also fade quickly. All I did was give her a wake-up call. The price of Tuli’s death isn’t just Fran’s recovery.”

“Then what is it?”

“Ruiche’s own life. Sacrificing one life to save two is a fair trade. If she wanted to survive, she had to kill Tuli. It’s not just the price of defeat—it’s the reward of victory. She won the civil war, so at the very least, she deserves a chance to live.”

Miliana frowned at his explanation.

“Isn’t that just a threat?”

Even without seeing it, it was obvious what had become of Ruiche. By now, she was likely consumed by guilt and torment. It wasn’t callousness that kept her away from the funeral, but rather the fact that she couldn’t bear to witness the final moments of the sister she had killed with her own hands.

“The ducal family that ruled the principality for centuries crumbled in an instant. Ruiche must be out of her mind by now.”

“If she wishes, I can grant her a peaceful death. One puppet king, namely Bonitos, is enough. He’ll be more than willing to hand over the principality to me. He’s so out of touch with politics that he won’t resist.”

The legitimacy of the throne was at stake, from Tatur, the Great Plains and the Five Great Families of the south, Digon, and to the northern immigrant tribes.

Karyl’s methods for absorbing the principality were more ruthless than ever before, reflecting his cold and calculating nature. But looking back, it was clear that most of those he had brought under his control had been immigrants and barbarians.

While people had gathered in Tatur, they were refugees who had fled from the empire and the principality. As for the Three Kingdoms of Istria, only Viola truly considered Karyl the rightful ruler, and he had yet to fully reveal himself there.

In other words, this was the first time Karyl had successfully brought down a proper kingdom on the continent. He had thought long and hard about it—how to bring down a great power without leaving threats lurking behind him.

Nobles were different from barbarians. They were born into power and privilege, living their entire lives with strength and authority. Could Karyl truly gain their respect through overwhelming force and might, as he had with the barbarians? No, but there was another way.

What countless conquerors had done throughout history would still prove effective—eliminate the enemy’s leaders to prevent any seeds of rebellion from sprouting. Ironically, this principle aligned with the Black-Eyed tribe’s code as well.

“You talk about the fleeting emotions of youth with such certainty, but you’re just as young as her. You speak as if you’ve lived for longer than you actually have,” Miliana retorted.

Karyl responded with a faint smile, “But no matter how long one lives, no one can claim to fully understand love.”

“Do you think my words were too cruel?” he went on. “But the decisions were theirs to make.”

“It’s not your view on love that I found cruel,” Miliana said.

“Then what is?”

“You mentioned that Bonitos is the only one left. That makes me wonder if Ruiche isn’t actually curled up in her room crying after all,” Miliana replied, her tone tinged with suspicion.

Karyl smiled again, not dismissing her observation.

“He’s the least involved in this civil war. This man spent his days reading in his estate. That’s why he’s fit to take over the principality. He’ll surrender the country to me on his own. But with his abilities, he won’t be able to maintain this nation. This funeral will be his last duty as a noble.”

Just then, Miliana, about to say something else, suddenly turned her head toward the presence she sensed behind her.

“Lord Karyl, the Black-Eyed tribe greets you,” said the kneeling figure.

It was Zigra, who presented Karyl with two small boxes.

“So you’ve come to see me. I thought you’d follow the code of your tribe and not return until you had something to show for it. But what can you do? Someone else took Tuli’s head. What have you brought me instead?” Karyl asked.

“As you can see,” Zigra replied with his voice calm and steady.

A shiver ran down Miliana’s spine, as if she instinctively knew what was inside the boxes. When she finally opened one, her face twisted with a mix of emotions, and she let out a low sigh.

“So it’s come to this, huh...” she murmured. “We no longer have to wonder about Ruiche’s whereabouts. It’s clear she wasn’t hiding in her room.”

The boxes carried two severed heads, those of Ruiche and Fran.

“Karyl, I’ve never once doubted or disapproved of anything you’ve done until now. I still trust you, but this victory doesn’t sit well with me,” Miliana sighed as she closed the lid of the box.

“Seems you’re not happy with their deaths,” Karyl observed.

“Of course I’m not,” she replied.

“Every death has a reason,” Karyl argued, meeting her gaze. “There were two things I needed to accomplish in the principality. First, I had to deal with Tuli and Fran, but they couldn’t die by my hand. They had to self-destruct so that the people of the principality wouldn’t see us as usurpers. That’s why I had to deceive Ruiche.”

“That makes sense, but...” Miliana began.

“And second,” Karyl’s voice grew firmer, “was the Wooden Cloud.”

“...?!”

“But in order to catch them, Ruiche and Fran had to die. This is a different war altogether, separate from the first matter. They were sacrificed for a new battle,” Karyl said as he looked out the window.

“They say the war is over,” he went on. “What nonsense. My war is still ongoing. I haven’t eradicated them yet.”

With that, Karyl opened the window and jumped out.

“...!!”

Before anyone could stop him, he landed in the midst of the funeral procession. Murmurs spread through the crowd as they noticed his sudden appearance. Only Bonitos, who was leading the procession, blanched at the scene, unsure what to do.

“What a tragic war this was. Instead of protecting the principality, the Lureins turned their swords against each other. I came to aid Sir Fran and bring this war to an end.” His voice echoed through the area.

“I am Karyl, the lord of Tatur and the ruler of the south and north.”

Everyone in the White Bunker knew about him. They had all witnessed him bring down Revol.

“That’s him...”

“The one with all those rumors in the empire?”

“He survived facing the emperor... No wonder...”

As Karyl scanned the crowd, he caught snippets of their whispers.

“How can he be claiming such a title without even undergoing the northern trials,” Miliana muttered, smirking at his boldness.

Zigra, who was standing beside her, only wore a subtle smile.

“Many lives were lost in this war, soldiers and innocent civilians. Some might blame the noble family for this,” Karyl continued, casting a shadow over Bonitos’s face.

“But the noble family is not entirely at fault. A group called the Wooden Cloud was actually behind this war. They manipulated Lady Tuli into starting the conflict.”

His revelation sent ripples through the crowd.

“Sir Fran uncovered this, and I assisted him in leading us to victory in this war. However, the Wooden Cloud’s influence had already reached Fran’s army as well.”

With a click, Karyl opened a small box.

“...!!!”

“...!!!”

“Sir Fran was already poisoned by them and couldn’t witness the victory of this war. He was murdered. Also, they took their revenge by beheading Lady Ruiche, who aided him.”

Horrified, Bonitos gripped his throat.

“Th-Then what about me...? What will h-happen... to me?”

As Bonitos stammered, he seemed ready to break into tears. He was displaying none of the dignity expected of a ruler.

“Lies! If they were poisoned, why were their bodies desecrated?” a noble shouted from the back.

Unlike the terrified Bonitos, this one seemed to have a backbone.

“Sir Fran’s body was severely damaged, with his limbs decaying due to the poison. We had no choice but to make such a decision to preserve what remained,” Karyl responded calmly, pointing at the noble as if he had anticipated the question.

“And don’t feel too safe. The medicine you all took might also have been laced with the Wooden Cloud’s poison.”

Gulp—

The noble went pale. In fact, they all knew too well that the pills Fran had been taking were popular in the principality.

“Change is needed! This country is falling into ruin, with nobles indulging in their pleasures, oblivious to their impending doom, and turning their swords on each other... If those who died in this war could see you now, they would be filled with rage!”

Drip, drip...

As Karyl finished speaking, raindrops began to fall, lightly at first, then gradually picking up. The people, undeterred by the rain, felt overwhelmed by Karyl’s fervent speech.

“In the end... this war has left the principality only with sacrifices and no victor. Following Sir Fran’s wishes, I hereby declare war against the Wooden Cloud!”

Murmurs spread through the crowd. The people looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

“I shall destroy them and avenge the grief of the Lurein family!!”

“...”

“Waaahhhhh...!!”

“Yeaaaaahhh...!!”

At that moment, cheers erupted from all corners of the street, spreading like wildfire. Soon, all the citizens of the White Bunker were shouting in support of Karyl’s declaration.

“We planted agents. It’s surprisingly easy to sway the minds of the masses.”

It was a scene that could make anyone’s heart shudder. Miliana, visibly shaken, turned toward the man who had just spoken up.

It was Anthem Howard.

“Was this also your idea? In the end, you’re just rallying them with lies. I’m not too keen with the strategies of those who merely sit behind desks,” Miliana grunted as she looked at him.

“It was Karyl’s idea, not mine.”

“...What?”

“I suppose you don’t like it, but I see it differently. Karyl is not as cold-hearted as you think. Sometimes, a comforting lie is better than a painful truth.”

“What do you mean?”

“He simply said it wasn’t something to boast about. He mentioned it was just a burden he has to bear.”

Anthem Howard closed his eyes as if to recall a memory. Zigra, an immigrant, nodded as if he understood Anthem, a continental.

That night...

“Lady Ruiche, everything is ready.”

As blood soaked the carpet, Anthem spoke to Ruiche, who stood there, looking lost.

Clang—!

She dropped the sword she was holding. In front of her lay Tuli’s lifeless body. As ordered by Karyl, she had killed her sister.

“Karyl gave you a choice. You can leave now, taking Sir Fran to a place where no one knows you.”

“Are you still addressing my brother with ‘sir’?”

“My apologies.”

Ruiche gave a bitter smile as she spoke.

“What will become of us?”

“Perhaps... During Lady Tuli’s funeral, Karyl will announce the deaths of both of you. Fake corpses have already been prepared.”

“Brother Bonitos will be deeply shocked. He’s a frail man, after all. Just handling the funeral will be a burden for him.”

She glanced briefly at Fran, who was lying on the bed, and let out a faint sigh.

“I’ve been complaining despite not even knowing what lies ahead. I should be grateful enough that our lives weren’t taken as defeated enemies. I expected things to turn out this way.”

“My apologies...”

Anthem bit his lip slightly, realizing he had nothing more to say.

“I understand this is your way of showing consideration, Anthem. If it weren’t for you, our heads would have already been taken.”

“It wouldn’t have been possible without Karyl’s permission.”

Ruiche gave a bitter smile at his response. Although Anthem had betrayed his lord, he had devised a plan to save Fran as a final act of loyalty. Surprisingly, Karyl had accepted his proposal.

In the previous timeline, Fran had perished during the civil war. This time, he had survived—though perhaps it would have been a kinder fate if he hadn’t. And maybe Karyl couldn’t shake the feeling that he bore some responsibility for what Fran had become.

“When all this is over, please tell Lord Bonitos the truth. He’ll likely abdicate the throne immediately. After all, the siblings have spent their whole lives competing and fighting. Ending their days in silence, as if they’re dead, doesn’t sound so bad.”

She gently stroked Fran’s cheek. He was still unresponsive.

“If I had led Fran’s army to fight, could we have won?”

Anthem shook his head at her question.

“That would seem impossible. Sooner or later, the principality would have fallen.”

Ruiche couldn’t disagree with that.

“I thought so too.”

The immigrant tribes, the wyverns, and even the golem that followed Karyl—there was nothing that could stand against him.

“But Anthem, you’re wrong.”

A deep sigh escaped her lips.

“This undoubtedly marks the end of our Lurein family.”

She looked out the window as dawn approached.

“...But the principality still stands. I hope we can serve a true king this time.”

A faint smile tugged at Ruiche’s lips, and a sense of relief washed over her.