Chapter 224 - The Beginning (6)
“I-isn’t he...?!”
The left minister recognized Alfred and was terrified; he was so shocked that his eyes were as wide as they could. It was only natural for him to react this way.
Grand Marquis Alfred was the man who had curry favored Arthus his entire life, so the fact that he appeared in front of the Allied Powers was absolutely shocking.
“Puff...”
Alfred had a large cigarette hanging from his mouth, pink smoke coming out of it.
“Isn't that...?”
The left minister wasn’t the only one that was surprised. Herarion also cast a surprised look at Henry after seeing what Alfred had in his mouth.
“Sir Henry!” Updated from novelbIn.(c)om
“Everyone, quiet.”
Henry hushed the chaotic atmosphere at once. Only when it became dead silent did Henry begin to explain.
“I’m sure everyone has many questions on their mind, but long story short, this is Alfred Etherwether, Arthus’ former right-hand man. As for the cigarette in his mouth, that is the Pink Swamp I have created together with His Majesty Herarion.”
Henry answered pretty much everything that the people present wanted to hear. After glancing at everyone, he continued, “Although Alfred used to be a bastard that sucked up to Arthus, I can say with confidence that there’s no spiritualist better than him in this empire. That’s why I’ve kept him alive.”
As Henry continued talking, Alfred smoked the cigarette with a distant look. It was evident from his eyes that he wasn’t paying attention to what Henry was saying.
“Although I don’t consider it necessary, I will still go ahead and apologize to all of you for not telling you in advance about this. Your Majesty Herarion, what Alfred is smoking right now is the third improved version of the Pink Swamp. It’s a more refined version of the Pink Swamp Two.”
“The third improved version...?”
“Yes, even though the current version of the Pink Swamp is strong, it doesn’t cause any addiction or hallucinations if the user has enough mana. However, this improved version is a little different. I can assure you that even a Peak Sword Master would feel the full effects of the Pink Swamp if they smoke this version long enough.”
“Then that’s almost... Almost like poison.”
“Of course, since we have to make use of Alfred, I’ve made it more concentrated. I’ve also stocked up on detox herbs just in case.”
“Hmm, but Sir Henry... Aren’t you saying all of this... too openly? I’m sure you’re aware, but he’s standing right next to you,” said Herarion while pointing at Alfred.
Alfred was still standing next to Henry with glassy eyes, but Henry continued with his explanations without hesitation, indifferent to whether Alfred was listening to him or not.
The rest of the people present didn’t know how to react to Henry’s brazen attitude. He was essentially swearing about someone who was right next to him.
Henry burst into laughter and said, “There’s nothing for you to worry about. If you can’t believe me, I might as well show you. Alfred?”
“Yes...”
After Henry called him, Alfred took a few steps forward and stood in front of Henry. He had the same blank expression and the same lost eyes.
Henry then gathered Aura on his palm and...
SLAP!
He slapped Alfred as hard as he could.
“...!”
Henry slapped him so hard that everyone could see the Aura on his palm. Alfred went flying far away and fell to the ground. His cheek was swollen and one of his teeth fell on the ground. His nose also started bleeding.
However, Henry said with an indifferent expression, “Get up.”
“Yes...”
As though he were possessed by a ghost, Alfred didn’t react at all. In fact, he didn’t seem to mind the blood trickling from his nose down his body. He just moved to pick up his cigarette to smoke it again.
Looking at how Alfred reacted, Doyle asked incredulously, “Did you... brainwash him?”
“Yes, exactly. That’s why it took me a while to bring him back into the outside world.”
“Wow, to think that a top spiritualist like Alfred could be brainwashed into being like this...”
Alfred was one of Henry’s mortal enemies, one of the people who had shattered his past. Thus, Henry had absolutely no sympathy for him. He had ruined Alfred’s mind without the slightest hint of guilt. He had transformed Alfred into a tool to use in this war; a tool he would throw away after he was done with it.
“I believe everyone here is well aware of what this bastard did to my master, so I won’t bother to explain that part,” Henry said firmly.
Yuha replied calmly, “Of course I’m worried. Who wouldn’t be? But the enemies have already arrived and the Sore Empire hasn't been able to fully prepare for the future. All there’s left is for everybody to currently fulfill their duties to the best of their abilities.”
Yuha’s answer was unbecoming for a military officer. However, Henry could tell from that answer what Yuha’s core values were.
Henry let out a satisfied chuckle before saying, “I like how you’re transparent and straightforward. You sure are a general. It would have been nice if the right minister were like you, at least to a degree.”
"Haha... I believe he made that choice because he couldn’t have faith that the Sore Empire would survive this war. That being said, I think I’m partly at fault for his thinking like that, so please don’t criticize him too much.”
"Hmm... It seems like the more I talk, the worse of a person I feel. I think we’ve had enough chatter; I’ll go ahead and tell you how to deal with those soldiers.”
Henry hadn’t come all the way here to gossip about the right minister. Great General Yuha was like a formidable chess piece, possessing both unwavering faith and strength, much like the left minister. He would be very useful to Henry.
From then on, Henry planned to use his new chess pieces and aces to fend off the enemy army that was three times the size of the army of the Sore Empire.
Henry then pointed out to the large crowd of people down below and the surrounding terrain and told Yuha the tactics they would be using in the upcoming battle.
And at the end of their talk, Yuha said with a grin, “With that strategy, I think it’s actually possible to stop those troops.”
“Let’s make it clear through this battle that war isn’t just about numbers.”
With that, Henry disappeared with a smile on his face. He was on his way to proceed with the next step of the operation.
* * *
It was deep in the night.
The right minister gathered up everything that was valuable and left the Sore Empire. He was running for his dear life, panting and huffing as he fled the territory of the Sore Empire.
He couldn’t help but think that he was lucky. He had eavesdropped that he was no longer useful and that he would be executed as an example in front of everyone as soon as the sun rose.
His knees were aching from all the running.
He still limped and used a cane because of a past injury, but that didn’t mean he would just accept death. So, after taking an expensive elixir that was known to reduce pain, he had somehow managed to run away from the Sore Empire, making his way through the darkness.
The right minister had only had one place in mind. He thought he could at least survive if he could make it to the imperial barracks that were glimmering in front of his eyes.
This was all because Arthus had given him a title, because he thought he was the chosen one. If he just managed to get to the barracks and inform the troops about what Henry was planning to do, the empire would be able to turn the war in their favor.
The right minister eventually arrived at the imperial army's barracks, and with help from the soldiers, he managed to meet with Batz and Kinless, the corps commanders.
"Right, minister?"
The two recognized him because Arthus had told them about him beforehand. Because of this, the right minister thought everything was going to work out in his favor.
Thus, in order to somehow prove his worth, he told them everything he had gone through because of Henry, important or unimportant.
“Is that so...?”
When the right minister finished talking, Batz chuckled.
“Henry Morris’ apprentice, huh...”
Kinless reacted the same way.
Seeing both of them smile, the right minister was confident that he had proven his worth. So, he continued to make his appeal with an even more desperate voice.
“They also have spiritualists! They have the hundred strongest spiritualists, along with Alfred, whom everyone thought was dead all along! We must proceed with a night attack right now!”
“Wow, even Alfred is alive...?”
The right minister kept on spitting out valuable information. The moment Batz’s smile reached his ears, Batz unsheathed his sword.
“Just as I expected, you’re nothing.”
“E-excuse me? W-what are you trying to...!”
Slash!
Batz swung his sword. With that, blood splattered in the air. The right minister felt a sharp and frightening sensation from his neck.
He screamed.
“Aaaah!”
When he opened his eyes, it was completely dark, but then, when light suddenly flashed before his eyes, the right minister could clearly hear a different voice talking to him.
“You bastard... You’ve actually come this far, huh?”
He then saw Henry standing in front of him with his brows furrowed.