Chapter 85

Intermission 3: On the Pirate Ship
"What!? Has the king gone mad!?"

Aboard the ship, the knights who had secretly infiltrated the pirate vessel brought shocking news to Cyril Eregian, who had become a pirate, and to his former knight comrades.

"They are dismantling the castle guard, the soldiers stationed across the kingdom, and every military unit—only to establish a new force composed of Baltoria’s troops!? What is going on!?"

"Even last month's decree on trade was questionable! Is he trying to turn us into Baltoria’s vassal state!?"

Over the past few months, from winter until now, the Fractalia Kingdom had undergone drastic changes.

First, an exchange program with Baltoria had begun.

However, the so-called "exchange" was in name only. In reality, Fractalia was supplying hostages while Baltoria sent spies in return. The arrangement was clearly unfair and unfavorable to Fractalia.

Many voiced their objections. Yet... those who dared to bring their concerns to the king all found their heads metaphorically severed. At first, "severing" meant dismissal or exile, but it was widely believed that before long, the punishment would become literal executions.

Even the most senior officials—who had long advised the king—were expelled. This caused great unrest throughout Fractalia. From that time onward, rumors began to spread that "the king has lost his mind."

And so, step by step, Fractalia was being devoured by Baltoria.

Spies infiltrated the kingdom, and Fractalia’s industrial technology began leaking out at an alarming rate. The textiles produced with Fractalia’s advanced techniques were once admired by foreign nations, but now, nearly identical fabrics were being produced in Baltoria.

Then, last month, a trade agreement was signed—one that overwhelmingly favored Baltoria. The people of Fractalia began to whisper, "Has the king truly gone mad?" Even the common folk, who typically paid little attention to governance, had started to despair over the kingdom's fate.

And now, not just these knights aboard the ship, but people everywhere had begun to murmur:

"This country is doomed."
"The king lost his mind ever since he banished the Saintess of Salvation..."

That was when the suppression began.

Yes, that was the latest news—Fractalia’s acceptance of Baltorian soldiers.

Officially, it was a "military reformation." In three months, they planned to conduct an examination, retain only the most capable soldiers, and dismiss the rest. But in reality, it was nothing more than a takeover by Baltorian troops.

In other words, the king was relinquishing Fractalia’s autonomy!

"Damn it… so he truly intends to hand Fractalia over to Baltoria!"

Cyril raised his voice in anger. His pirate comrades, as well as the knights who had come to share this information, all expressed similar outrage and sorrow.

"Yes… Right now, everyone is protesting against the king’s decision. Surely, he cannot cut down all his vassals. We are working to delay his resolution, but at best, we can buy six more months... If we fail to hold the line, Fractalia will be lost for good."

Hearing this, Cyril nodded firmly.

Marylia had entrusted him with this duty. He had to protect his homeland, Fractalia. But to think that the kingdom was being consumed from within...

Yes, from within.

"... Has the replacement of soldiers already begun inside the castle?"

Cyril suddenly thought of this possibility and asked the knight. The knight looked a bit surprised but nodded.

"Yes. Most likely, it has. I was just about to mention this... Many familiar faces among the castle guards have disappeared. Those guarding the castle now are unfamiliar, expressionless soldiers... You suspected this?"

"Yeah… Lately, I’ve seen many ships carrying strange troops. We've been sinking them whenever possible, but..."

Cyril's worst suspicions were confirmed.

Baltorian trade ships were bringing in soldiers by the masses. Cyril and his crew had intercepted and sunk several such vessels, and with the information from the knights, it now made perfect sense.

"Strange troops?"

"Yes. They left an impression on me."

If it had just been regular soldiers, Cyril might not have noticed. But these particular troops were undeniably odd.

"They were too well-disciplined. Their coordination was unnatural, which led me to believe they were highly trained. And then… the moment defeat became inevitable, they all committed suicide at once."

"W-what!? They all committed suicide!?"

"Yes. It was eerie. Not a single one begged for their life. Some drowned themselves, others slit their own throats… It was disturbing."

Remembering that scene, Cyril and the other pirates shuddered.

Those soldiers had been unnatural. Unnerving. They fought with perfect synchronization, recklessly boarding the pirate ship without any regard for their own safety. And then, as soon as they were about to lose, they all took their own lives.

That grotesque image was burned into Cyril’s memory.

Yes. Their approach had been like a procession of the dead.

"Still, what has happened to the king? He was already unhinged when he ordered Lady Marylia's execution, but now…"

Cyril tried to push away the disturbing thoughts of those eerie soldiers and focus on a different matter.

Yes—the king.

The King of Fractalia had gone far beyond mere opportunism. His allegiance to Baltoria was blatant. Such treachery was unforgivable. No ruler should abandon their own nation to appease a foreign power. The king should never have forsaken Marylia!

As his fury rekindled, one of the knights leaned in and whispered:

"... Actually, my lover worked in the castle until last month. She has since fled to the countryside, but… she said that the king truly has ‘lost his mind.’"

"What?"

"At night, he flies into violent fits. Some maids have nearly been stabbed by him."

Cyril was stunned. A king in such a condition could not be allowed to rule. There was no way Fractalia could survive under such leadership!

"He has grown gaunt and his face is unrecognizable. But after receiving shipments from Baltoria, or when a Baltorian envoy visits, he suddenly becomes elated. Because of this, those around him dare not reject gifts or envoys from Baltoria."

"That means... Ugh, this country is truly doomed…"

Cyril groaned in despair.

The man he once swore loyalty to had deteriorated beyond recognition. It was a crushing realization.

Fractalia was on the verge of ruin.

"Oh, Lady Marylia… please forgive us for our weakness…"

On the ship, they prayed.

They prayed toward the direction of that distant island.

To them, Marylia was now far more revered than the king. She was, in fact, almost divine.

Marylia, the "Saintess of Salvation," still had a strong following in Fractalia.

People believed: "Lady Marylia is alive and will one day return to guide us." Others claimed: "At the moment of death, she will surely smile upon us with her kind eyes." In the eyes of the people, Marylia had become a goddess, especially in contrast to the wretched king.

"By the way… is Lady Marylia safe?"

After their prayers, one of the knights posed this question. Cyril frowned slightly and nodded.

"I don’t know… But recently, we saw wyverns fleeing the island. Wyverns don’t abandon their territory easily. That means…"

"… Could it mean that Lady Marylia is alive?"

"It’s possible. She is incredibly strong. Driving off a few wyverns would not be beyond her."

It sounded like a mere fantasy.

Perhaps the wyverns fled due to some natural disaster.

But Cyril and his men didn’t care. If it meant they could feel Marylia’s presence, even in some small way…

"Lady Marylia…"

They prayed. Like devout followers worshiping their deity.

"Should we… raise our banners and overthrow the king?"

Rebellion. Revolution.

They despised their own hesitation. But until they fully grasped the situation, they could not move recklessly.

So instead, they prayed.

For salvation.
For guidance.

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