And, ten years later…
Ten years have passed since the Salbuveirs destroyed the Fildmerk Empire.
The Salbuveirs, who literally slaughtered the entire Fildmerk Empire in the name of revenge, remained in the world without disappearing.
The Salbuveir Empire…
This was the newly born nation created on the downfall of the Fildmerk Empire. The Salbuveir Empire was a country of the Undead. This fact frightened the neighboring countries, but the Salbuveirs declared a mutual non-interference with them.
The existence of an Empire of the dead was nothing more than a threat to the neighboring countries. Because of that, the Edinbeck Empire, which had the same national power as the Fildmerk Empire, invaded the Salbuveir Empire, but the result was the defeat of the living.
The Edinbeck Empire was crushed with the same overwhelming force as the Fildmerk Empire, and the ruling class, including the royal family and nobility, were all killed. The neighboring countries were terrified from the fact that they eradicated only the ruling class and not the commoners.
Many of the nobles viewed the commoners as mere numbers. However, the Salbuveirs only attacked the ruling class. They were consistent in their actions, destroying only those who gave the orders.
It served as a kind of showing off, but it worked and the only country the Salbuveirs were forced to destroy in the decade was the Edinbeck Empire.
The Equra religion, which boasted with the largest number of believers within the continent, who were hostile towards the Undead, including the Salbuveir Empire, were also crushed with the overwhelming power of the Salbuveir.
Although the Equra Church was full of experts who specialized in fighting against the Undead, the Salbuviers were completely different from the Undead they had faced in the past. They possessed their own will, and other Undead couldn’t even compare with the physical abilities they had.
The leaders of the Equra Church were all executed in the hands of the Salbuviers. The Equra Church trembled at the harsh treatment of the Pope and of course the execution of everyone above a certain rank.
There was a churchman who complained that this would be a great hindrance in the future management of the church, but the Salbuveirs executed him on the spot.
“We have only accepted the challenge you have issued to us. We do not plan on getting along with you.”
Ortho’s words silenced everyone in the Equra Church. Ortho’s words were a proclamation that what the Salbuveirs wanted was a non-interference, and anyone who broke it would be destroyed without mercy. They do not want to dominate, they do not want to form alliances. It was just a strong message of non-interference.
When the message got spread, the neighboring countries decided not to interfere with the Salbuvier at once.
＊ ＊ ＊
Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble
A major collapse occurred in the quartz mine, located in the northern part of the Salbuveir Empire.
“Chief, there seems to have been a collapse incident.”
“That so? Digging them back up will be troublesome.”
“Yeah.”
Although such a large-scale incident happened, the Salbuveirs did not panic at all.
Those who worked at this quartz mine were people of the former Fildmerk Empire the Salbuveirs hated the most.
The be more specific, they were the former Emperor Altonius, the Crown Prince Altos, plus other great nobles as well as Burling and his men who ran rampant in the Salbuveir fief.
As Undead, they were forced to work day and night. They do not need to rest or eat, so they work endlessly.
Because they are Undead, there’s no need to be worried about their safety, and there are massive collapses happening once or twice a month.
“Shall we try digging in the southern part next?”
“In the southern part?”
“Yes, that area is still untouched, so there’s a good chance it will have a vein.”
“Indeed. We have dug a lot around here. It might be better to look for another vein soon.”
Despite many were currently buried alive, those who led the excavation showed no interest in rescuing them. That’s how the people working there were treated.
(Guh… it hurts.)
Altonius was squashed under a pile of stones and soil and couldn’t move at all. He was digging for quartz as he always was when the mine collapsed. Altos, who was digging next to him, was also crushed under the stones.
Although more than half of his body was crushed and he was in terrible pain, the Undead Altonius couldn’t lose his consciousness and had no choice but to wait until he was dug up.
(It took two weeks the last time… how long will it take this time?)
Being conscious while buried under a huge amount of stone and not being able to move at all was the most terrifying for Altonius. If they can’t find him, he will be buried there for eternity. Even now, as Undead, this thought drove him crazy.
(For how long will this continue…)
Altonius spend the past decade in regrets. The Empire got destroyed because he didn’t do what he had to do, his entire family was murdered, all of his retainers were annihilated. And lastly, he lost his own life. Moreover, that was not the end of it. He’s not only looked down on by the Salbuveirs, but by his own subjects too.
(If… if I only protected Salbuveirs that time…)
Altonius regretted. And the former Crown Prince had the same regrets.
Altonius and others who were buried in the incident were dug up three weeks later. And once they were dug up, their hell was never to end.
The former ruling class of the Fildmerk Empire were engaged in harsh labor and led a life of despair that would last forever.
Needless to say, Linea and Leon lived like livestock where hope was not allowed.