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‘Really?’

An existence as powerful as an Aura User was simply born from magic? It was a story hard to believe. Moreover, the non-human beings he had seen did not look like they were being controlled. Karsas prided himself on his ability to read people. It seemed clear to him that they had all decided of their own will to participate in this battle.

However, the other nobles all nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

“Oh! That’s a brilliant idea!”

“If only those strange creatures disappear, there’s hope!”

“It’s all because of them that the situation turned out like this!”

After a moment of hesitation, Karsas also nodded. In any case, there was no harm in trying. If killing the mage would truly calm the non-humans, it would be a great relief. And even if it failed, the situation could not get any worse than it already was.

The only concern was…

“But what if something happens to Sir Spirius?”

Karsas did not want Spirius to meet a dishonorable death as an assassin rather than as a knight of the battlefield. However, Spirius shook his head firmly.

“For the sake of Lord Karsas, I can bear such a risk. And I am not that weak. Even if the assassination fails, I have the skills to escape with my life.”

At that moment, Marquis Brozen voiced another concern.

“But what if they aim for an assassination while Sir Spirius is away?”

Spirius had been staying close to Karsas to guard against assassination attempts by Aura Users. If he were to leave, there would be no way to prevent an assassination attempt from the enemy.

Spirius gave a bitter smile.

“To be honest, even if I am guarding him, if more than two Aura Users attack, I won’t be able to stop the assassination.”

“Hmm…”

Though he might insist that his defeat by Russ was a fluke, the fact remained that the enemy had six Aura Users. If they decided to carry out an assassination, Karsas would be dead whether Spirius was there or not.

“I see, my neck was already half-severed.”

With a bitter smile, Karsas nodded.

“Then, Sir Spirius, I’m afraid I must ask you to do this.”

Spirius, steeling his resolve, bowed respectfully.

“I will ensure that I do not betray Lord Karsas’s trust.”

* * *

Having left Count Hendrik’s castle, Prince Yubel’s army was now setting up camp at the villa of Viscount Zedrin, located on the outskirts of the capital. Viscount Zedrin’s villa was close to the capital, had ample space around it for setting up tents, and was near a forest and spring, making it an ideal location for a campsite.

That evening, Prince Yubel held a victory celebration. All the soldiers were given wine and meat, and nobles and knights gathered at Viscount Zedrin’s mansion to enjoy a lavish—though modest by noble standards—banquet.

It might seem a bit strange to hold a banquet when the war was not yet over. However, this was a necessary act. Now, Prince Yubel’s army had grown to nearly ten thousand strong, with many neutral nobles joining the ranks. Such a format was essential for promoting harmony between the existing forces and these neutral nobles.

Yubel, seated at the head table, suddenly stood up, raising a golden goblet, and shouted:

“Let us celebrate those who have joined us in securing the future of the Kingdom of Crovence! Today’s victory is thanks to all of you, so eat and drink to your hearts’ content!”

The nobles and knights seated at the tables responded in unison, raising their glasses.

“For the true king!”

Immediately, generous servings of wine and meat in silverware followed. Servants busily carried the food, and maidservants attended the tables. As it was a banquet during wartime, it lacked the elegant atmosphere of a ball. Everyone, clad in armor, enjoyed the food and drink in a feast of the battlefield.

The banquet hall quickly became lively. Sitting down, Yubel muttered to Repenhardt beside him.

“I said those words, but honestly, what have they done to deserve praise…?”

Repenhardt, who had become an important figure in Prince Yubel’s army, confidently sat to the prince’s right. He responded with a wry smile and a low voice.

“…That’s precisely why we need to praise them even more.”

In today’s battle, the nobles and knights had done almost nothing. The nobles had only conscripted the infantry who acted as bait, and the knights had merely ridden their horses before returning. The actual battle had been entirely handled by the Aura Users.

Therefore, such ceremonial acts were even more necessary. They had to share the credit with them to reduce the envy and jealousy directed at the other races.

Repenhardt, nonchalantly raising his glass, continued loudly this time.

“Fools praise only those who shine in battle, but wise men can see the bigger picture. Although my allies have shown remarkable prowess, without the brave knights and the formidable forces of the noblemen standing proudly behind them, how could such a display have been possible? It is thanks to them that we can truly intimidate those rebels, is it not?”

He had deliberately spoken loudly for everyone to hear. The nobles and knights, who were drinking, reacted with bright expressions and started chattering enthusiastically.

“Lord Repenhardt’s praise embarrasses us! Hahaha!”

“Indeed! Unlike fools, Lord Repenhardt understands war well!”

“He clearly sees what ordinary people cannot, truly a wise man! Hahaha!”

The nobles and knights were, in fact, somewhat embarrassed by this celebration. They knew better than anyone else that they had done nothing. Even if Repenhardt claimed all the credit for himself, they couldn’t honestly refute it.

But now, Repenhardt was soothing their egos. They were recognized for their important role in the battle. With lighter hearts, the nobles and knights began to enjoy the feast. Their gazes towards Repenhardt grew increasingly favorable.

Seeing the change in atmosphere, Yubel was inwardly impressed. He had heard that Repenhardt was just a mage, but his political acumen was excellent. There had been quite a few nobles who felt uneasy about his presence. However, looking at their expressions now, many of their complaints seemed to have vanished.

‘Hmm, I need to learn from this.’

Count Feonin, seated to Yubel’s left, burst into hearty laughter.

“Despite his young age, Lord Repenhardt is adept at dealing with people. This Feonin is genuinely impressed. Hahaha!”

“Haha, you flatter me.”

Raising his glass, Repenhardt smiled wryly.

‘I’m not exactly young, you know.’

In his previous life, he had even been an emperor. Although he had suppressed many things with magic, understanding how people’s hearts worked was not beyond him. Whether human or of another race, people’s hearts were essentially the same. No matter how different cultures and customs were, the most basic aspects did not change.

‘Everyone gets jealous when they see others doing well, after all.’

Sipping his drink, Repenhardt scanned the banquet hall.

In addition to the humans, leaders of the orcs, dwarves, and elves were also attending the banquet. On the orc side, Kalken, Stalla, and the blacksmith Gralta were eating meat among the humans. The dwarves were represented by three Aura Users, and the elf side had Relhard, the chief of the Dahnhaim clan, accompanied by a male elf who seemed to be his lieutenant, drinking gracefully.

Naturally, both humans and other races kept their distance, unsure how to interact with each other. Mediating between them was the young saint, Sillan.

“Lord Kalken, this is Viscount Halton, a renowned figure in the Kingdom of Crovence. Viscount Halton, this is Lord Kalken, chieftain of the Blue Bear Tribe.”

“P-Pleased to meet you, Lord Kalken. I’m Halton.”

“I’m pleased as well, Viscount Halton. I am Kalken.”

Currently, Kalken was speaking the common language very fluently. This was thanks to the magical artifact around his neck, the “Necklace of Communication.” This enchanted necklace, which contained a high-level translation spell, was crafted by Repenhardt in the spare moments between battles, and it translated Orcish almost perfectly into the common language.

Repenhardt understood well the importance of language in facilitating understanding between different parties. In his previous life, he had made sure that high-ranking orcs who interacted frequently with humans were equipped with these necklaces. Now, due to a lack of magic power, materials, and time, he had only been able to gift them to Kalken, Stalla, and Gralta.

‘When conditions permit, I need to mass-produce these and distribute them to at least the orc warriors.’

The human nobles, meanwhile, were experiencing a culture shock at meeting an “educated” orc for the first time.

“You speak the common language quite fluently.”

“Repenhardt gifted me this wonderful necklace. It’s a joy to be able to communicate properly. Haha…”

“Your subordinates are incredibly brave, unlike what one might expect from orcs.”

Kalken was about to frown at the remark about being “unlike orcs,” but Stalla quickly interjected.

“Haha, that is precisely what it means to be an orc. We revere warriors and despise cowards. Viscount Halton, you are indeed a brave man, so we are happy to have you as an ally.”

“Haha, my lady flatters this unworthy man. How could my skills compare in the eyes of one who wields aura?”

The conversation ended amicably in the warm atmosphere. Viscount Halton, looking to network with others, raised his glass and moved on. Kalken, still with a hearty laugh on his face, muttered in Orcish.

“Unlike orcs, my foot. And that weakling, a warrior?”

“We knew we’d hear such comments, didn’t we? Just drink your wine.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Cheers.”

Stalla’s graceful responses were all thanks to Repenhardt’s repeated coaching. In his previous life, he had ample experience with how humans reacted to orcs. This time, he even held a rehearsal before the banquet, gathering the non-human leaders to teach them how to handle human interactions.

“Don’t expect too much from humans. They won’t understand you anyway. Just go along with it.”

At first, the leaders had reacted unfavorably.

As orcs, dwarves, and elves, they were filled with pride for their respective races. How could they possibly adjust to human culture and customs? Repenhardt acknowledged that their opinions were valid.

However, in his past life, he had been called the Demon King, scorched the continent, and brought the empire to ruin. He couldn’t afford to make the same mistakes again. Repenhardt patiently calmed them and explained his reasons.

-It’s to save your oppressed kin. We all acknowledge that the continent currently belongs to humans, don’t we? If we want to assert our own rights, we must first acknowledge others’. We’re the ones in need, so we must first acknowledge them and then make them understand us.

The dwarves, trusting their savior would not speak empty words, agreed to do as he suggested. The elves, being rational by nature, immediately recognized that this was not the time to stand on pride.

But the orcs resisted.

“As warriors, we have our pride. Why should we adjust to humans?”

Kalken, Stalla, and Gralta were still dissatisfied with Repenhardt’s proposal. To the straightforward-thinking orcs, this behavior seemed cowardly. However, Repenhardt, who had dealt with countless orcs in his past life, knew exactly how to persuade them.

“They give us land.”

Don’t orcs also praise warriors who bring back food? What I’m teaching you now is the human way of showing gratitude to those who give them land. If you praise them in your way, humans will consider it an insult. Isn’t it also dishonorable as a warrior to fail to properly praise someone who deserves it because of stubbornness?

Hearing this, it made sense. In the end, the orcs acknowledged that Repenhardt’s words were reasonable and decided to follow his guidance.