Re:Zero - Jobless Reincarnation: Succubus Sword God? I don't recognize it!

Chapter 550 One Person Attains Enlightenment

It was certainly inappropriate to bestow a title upon a hunter couple who had been barely surviving in a poor, remote area in eastern Asura just a few years ago.

But this matter has to be reasonable.

This was not just Gravel's perception, but a shared understanding among all the upper-class nobles of Ars.

They were very clear about Boreas's future importance in Yars:

Two years ago, a great disaster in the territory of Fituia razed the 'Asura Granary' on which Boreas depended for its livelihood to the ground. At the same time, the disappearance of Allen Boreas Greirat, who had just made a name for himself in the capital and was the next leader of Boreas, was confirmed.

The ideas of all the nobles were completely different from those of the present day.

In their judgment, Boreas was inevitably headed for decline.

One of the four dukes of Grerat who had no territory?

Ha, don't joke around. The "fourth" in Grerat's name will probably become history in the future.

It is a given that the old man, Sauros, is disliked by the king.

Previously, it was only because he possessed the territory of Fituia, known as the 'Granary of Asura,' that he was able to be expelled from the power arena of the capital unscathed.

Now that their territory was gone, and with Darius, with whom they had a personal grudge and who was at the height of his power, the nobles couldn't imagine any possibility that the old man, Sauros, could still live.

Unless he relinquishes all power, takes his former private property in the capital, and exchanges it for some living space to live a peaceful and comfortable life as a wealthy man.

Then spend the rest of his life in a pathetic state.

Will he?
He will not.

He is Sauros Boreas Grerath, the man who helped the current king ascend to the throne.

He was unwilling to accept this, and his arrogance wouldn't allow him to be so pathetic.

So the result is quite clear.

It all depends on how Lord Sauros plays his final role, and then...
To die with some dignity; or to die with a stigma.

Sure enough, just as they had predicted, this 'final effect' came soon after.

—Asura's granaries are gone, causing unrest to arise in the north and south.

The north is alright; the Magic Three Kingdoms have always relied too much on Asura's commodity economy and don't have a strong enough military force to support them in any crooked schemes.

The powerful Lord of Donadi, Duke Leus, who was also Falz's father, sent troops to the foot of the Crimson Dragon Mountains. A few months later, the attitude of the three magical kingdoms softened and they ceased their attacks.

But the Dragon Kingdom to the south is different.

With a strong army, developed agriculture, and self-sufficiency in food, it has escaped the economic influence of Asura and can ignore the various sanctions that would result from a protracted war if the table were to be overturned.

More importantly, he was ambitious and always regarded Asura as his hypothetical enemy.

In this situation, intense friction is bound to occur at the border of the country at the foot of the Chilong Mountains, and even a slight misstep could trigger a local war.

Everyone in Yars hoped that Zeferos, the ruler of Usr in the south, would take on some responsibility and guard the southern border, giving Asra three to five years to recuperate and rebuild.

It takes at least six months for new farmland to be cultivated from the initial reclamation to its current state suitable for planting. Before that, personnel deployment and financial assistance also require time.

One to two years after this major disaster, it is estimated that some farmers in remote areas will have to resort to hunting in the forests for a living. It is optimistic that food production and supply will recover to pre-disaster levels within three to five years.

However, Zephyrus was not happy.

You guys are cleaning up the mess that guy Sauros mismanaged his territory, and all you want to do is talk, while I'm on the front lines?

If a local war were to break out, Zephyrus would be supplying your rear with provisions and using his own money to deploy troops. Given the current situation, there would be no substantial reward for victory.

If we lose, wouldn't I, Zephyrus, have to bear the full responsibility, stigma, punishment, and consequences of defeat? Is that appropriate?

The king then naturally sent Shoros to the south:

Don't worry, you don't have to be the one to win every time. The scapegoat is already prepared.

If you win, it will be your achievement, Zefferos. After all, only one person, Soros, went there. So the victory has nothing to do with him.

If we lose, it's because of Sauros's poor command, it has nothing to do with you Zeferos. Bereas should bear the blame.

Don't have any worries~ Fight with confidence, work with confidence, and guard the country's borders with confidence.

Your Majesty unconditionally supports Zephyrus's loyal act.

He went to the Ferros family home.

Well, that's more like it.

They're getting into it.

At this point, the situation should have been crystal clear.

Many people with ulterior motives saw that Bereas' defeat was inevitable and even began to take advantage of their power to seize Bereas' property in the capital. If they were too slow, Bereas would be completely devoured by Darius, and none of them would get a drop of soup, would they?
Unexpectedly, Philip Boreas Grerat, who had lost the previous battle for family headship and been forgotten, was much more mature than when he was young.

His political skills became increasingly adept, as if he had never left the power arena of the capital.

Demoted to mayor, he displayed immense decisiveness, swiftly consolidating the wealth and influence left behind by James Boreas Grellatt. Single-handedly, he lobbied, lobbied, threatened, forged alliances, made concessions, and exchanged resources.
In various ways, these hidden attacks from behind were neutralized and rendered invisible.

On the surface, they also supported the eldest son of Notos, who had run away, to inherit the vacancy of the Notos family headship after Plemon was imprisoned, under the pretext of aiding refugees in Fituia, which was perfectly legitimate, and thus wielded the power of righteousness.

Even so, the nobles merely went along with it and watched the spectacle.

We'll see how long you can hold out by yourself.

What can you do when you're overwhelmed? Just look at your dark circles and unsteady gait!

But then something strange happened.
The long-eared girl from the countryside left behind by Allen Boreas Greirat turned out to be quite a character.

In just six months, right under the noses of the nobility, she transformed from a girl who was very bad at interacting with nobles into a well-behaved and socially adept "atypical" noblewoman.

Under the guise of personal relationships, she maintained close ties with the already defeated second princess, wielding considerable influence in Ars's power structure despite being a commoner.

this.
Now that things have come to this point, it seems like Boreas is subtly turning around the passive situation brought about by the destruction of the Fetoa territory.

Although it wasn't groundbreaking, it didn't seem like the kind of complete defeat that I had imagined after Soros left.
What happened?
Thinking this through, the nobles suddenly realized what was going on:

Look at what Philip and this commoner woman named Hilfiet did:
—The prerequisite for supporting the Notos family is that Pelemon goes to jail. How did this guy get imprisoned?
—What was the premise for his close relationship with the second princess? And who brought the long-eared woman, Hilfiet, to the capital?
—Even Notos, the surrogate father, organized some kind of search and rescue team and went south to expand the popularity of Bereas. His only son, Rudius Notos Grerat, who co-founded the Serent Merchant Guild and made great achievements in business, went to the capital with whom?
With so many coincidences happening together, is it really just a coincidence?

Who is standing behind them?
Many nobles, upon considering this unique conspiracy theory, were immediately amused by their own novel idea.

How can there be so many coincidences in advance?

If this were truly a precautionary measure, and all these actions were indeed mitigating the consequences of a major disaster to the greatest extent and in the fastest way possible, then that would be an exaggeration.

How many steps should we count for each step we take?

Most importantly, Sauros has been sent to the south. If he dies, what's the point of you struggling in the capital?
With the lord dead, no matter how hard the capital tries to hold on, it will still end up being completely devoured by Darius.

招笑
Hahaha. Hahaha.
The nobles suddenly stopped laughing.

Because they quickly thought of someone.

—In just ten days after arriving in the capital, he orchestrated a series of events: gaining fame, murdering his father to seize power, defeating Nothos, and then gracefully retiring, all while conveniently securing the undisputed strong support of the First Prince.
Allen Boreas Greirat.

It was only a few months ago that the nobles secretly began to extol the reputation of the 'Fox of Boreas'.

It took these nobles half a month to figure out exactly what he had done.

Where is the person who orchestrated that perfect solution back then?

Missing.

Missing?

Is he really missing?

Even if, hypothetically, the disappearance is a hoax...

These things have always been under the control of this genius who plans ten steps ahead for every one step. What will the future hold?
The nobles were horrified at the thought. The answer is:
Even though the territory of Fituia was destroyed in the Great Calamity and lost its means of survival, Boreas still managed to turn the tragedy into a celebration. Through careful planning, he calmly and steadily established himself in the capital amidst the sudden storm.
So the devastating natural disaster that struck this territory did not lead to Boreas' complete defeat, but instead facilitated Boreas' return to the center of power in the capital.
Is this reasonable?

That's unreasonable!!
Your lord is about to die! He's about to die!

With Sauros dead, Bereas had no land to inherit, and the title of duke was like a rootless duckweed, easily swallowed by a single wave.

If you want to gain a foothold in the power arena of the capital, what's the point of having even the most ingenious schemes if you don't even have a title?
Unless, unless!

Let's prevent war from breaking out in the south! Let's stop the Wanglong Kingdom from making any moves!

It could even repel the Wanglong Kingdom's military expedition, and ideally force the kingdom to cede some of its benefits!
Just as you snatched chestnuts from the fire and revitalized Boreas, let's turn this great calamity in Fetoa into an opportunity for Asura!
They shifted some domestic conflicts arising from the disaster to the diplomatic level, using external victories to mitigate domestic losses and stabilize the balance of power.

Ultimately, guarding the nation's borders became a self-evident and weighty achievement that the king could not ignore!
Can it be done?

Is it possible?
Even if you, Allen Boreas Greirat, really figured it out!
The disappearance of the Fituia territory would make the Dragon King Kingdom restless!

They figured the kingdom would send Sauros to the south to take the blame!
The key to Boreas' victory or defeat this time actually lies in the four words "King Dragon Kingdom"!

Using the pretext of disappearance, I'll head south and cross the border! I'll sneak into the Kingdom of Wanglong! Just like you, Allen Boreas Grellat, when you came to the capital, I'll stir up trouble in the Kingdom of Wanglong once again!
So what?!

You actually managed to kill the direct heir of the Dragon King Kingdom?

What caused the sudden death of the King of the Dragon Kingdom?

Do you expect General Chagall, who has served several kings, to back down, relinquish his benefits, shake hands with you, and personally escort you out of the Dragon King Kingdom?

Can you do it?
Imp?

Overestimating oneself!
This was the idea the nobles had two years ago.

They acknowledged Allen's ingenious plan and believed that he had faked his disappearance to secure necessary conditions for survival in Boreas' future.

But they didn't believe Allen could do things that seemed so bizarre.

However, now, in this moment.
Their thinking, however, underwent a complete 180-degree change.
"No, can that kid really do it?"

"It hasn't come to that point yet."

"It hasn't come to that point yet? Then why did you come to witness this improper investiture ceremony? Why didn't you object when the decision was announced yesterday?"

"The current information says that Allen Boreas Grerat has killed Prince Gravel's only threatening younger brother, the Second Prince Halfas, in the Conflict Zone."

Moreover, according to news that came from the south three weeks ago, he actually killed the First Prince of the Dragon Kingdom, who was issuing a declaration of war in the Kingdom of Sanakia. You should know that the First Prince is the one with the highest chance of becoming the next crown prince of the Forgotten Kingdom, similar to Prince Gravel's position in Asura.

"A master assassin. Do you think he'll come back alive?"

"I asked my nephew, who works for the Knights of Dawn, and he said that if the ranking of the seven great powers on the stone tablet is true, he will not only return alive, but judging by the time, he should be in the Dragon King Kingdom in the next few days to begin his massacre."

"Is the ranking on that stone tablet accurate?"

"After receiving the letter from Allen Boreas Grellat a few months ago, His Highness Gravel sent people to the Crimson Dragon Mountains to find the stone tablet to verify this matter."

—What was the result?

—“Ranked fifth among the seven great powers, which is exactly the same as the news from Galdinia.”

—"Are the legendary seven great powers really that strong?"

"The Sword God and the Northern God are both among the seven great powers. They possess the strength to establish their own sects. Allen Boreas Greirat defeated the Northern God in Galdinia."

"Even after defeating the Northern God, I still can't understand how someone who establishes a sect can withstand the might of an army?"

—"In the town of Chidi in the Kingdom of Galdinia, he single-handedly withstood a city-destroying, legion-level magic attack prepared overnight by a magician corps secretly trained by the Second Prince."

This news is undeniable; many people have seen it. He is actually an Emperor-level magician with powerful magical abilities. Magicians usually seem useless, often becoming defeated by swordsmen of the same level.

Magicians are a vital strategic resource during wartime, not to mention that Allen Boreas Grellat supposedly defeated the Northern God in broad daylight using only his swordsmanship.
Moreover, the King of Galdinia personally wrote a letter expressing his deep gratitude to Allen Boreas Greirat and praising His Majesty's magnanimity and foresight.

At the palace gates, the nobles who had been whispering suddenly fell silent.

The master of ceremonies' high-pitched, chanting-like recitation interrupted their conversation.

—"The ceremony for bestowing the title upon Asari begins!"
Awarded the title: Roltz!
With the destruction of the territory of Fituia still fresh in our minds, Lord Roltz, with unwavering resolve, led the search and rescue efforts tirelessly day and night, personally braving perilous situations.

You have spared not a single one of my Asura people who are in distress, nor abandoned a single breath.

By the sword of dawn, in the name of monarchy and justice:
I am moved by your courage as strong as a lion, your integrity as steadfast as armor, and your compassion as deep as a spring.

I hereby confer upon you the title of Viscount of the Eastern Territory of Fituia.

May we forever uphold this spirit, protect the weak with arrows, nourish the people with ears of grain, and fulfill our promise with our souls.

Witness the millennia-long glory of Asura with you!

In front of the palace, crowds thronged the white stone ground, with prominent nobles of Asura standing on both sides, leaving the central position empty.

At this moment, their gaze fell upon the steps of the palace gate, where Gravel stood, dressed in magnificent robes and wearing a crown.

It was not a royal laurel wreath, but a symbol of power in a ceremony of bestowing titles.

Below the steps in front of him, the blond-haired Roltz was no longer dressed as a hunter as he had two years ago. Now, a hunting suit accentuated his tall and straight figure, and his blond hair was swept back and swayed in the wind.

The father-in-law, who looked quite respectable, tensed up after hearing the awarding speech.

Sweat was pouring down his forehead.

Courageous as a lion? Loyal as armor? Compassionate as a spring?

How come all of Lord Paul's achievements are being attributed to me?
He glanced instinctively at the crowd on his right.

Dressed in a sharp suit, Philip, looking languid, waved to him and muttered:
"Roltz looks quite presentable today, though he seems a little nervous, haha."

Beside him, Sylphie, dressed in a white evening gown, smoothed her hair behind her ear, her ruby ​​earrings swaying and sparkling at the side of her neck.

"My father has never experienced anything like this before, and it happened so suddenly that he was a bit flustered. Please forgive him. But regarding the search and rescue team..."

"Don't worry about that Paul guy."

"."

"Where is Lady Noda? I haven't seen her."

"My mother was truly reluctant to come, after all, she has some orc blood, Asra's orc race."

Philip blinked, his thoughts suddenly drifting: "Aren't the orcs pretty good too? What's wrong with the orcs?"

Hilfi:
Philip snapped out of his reverie and said, "When Allen comes back, this kind of thing will happen more and more often, and Roltz and your mother will gradually get used to it."

Hilfi placed her hands in front of her and softly hummed in agreement.

The two seemed to be thinking about something, and both lowered their eyes, lost in thought.

Roltz:
At least give me a look! Why are you so indifferent?
The master of ceremonies continued to announce, "Roltz, pay your respects and kneel."

Rolz jolted, averting his gaze from the two figures in the distance, and glanced at the First Prince Gravel in front of him.

The latter did not meet his gaze; instead, he turned to look at the official in charge of ceremonies' face.

He glanced again at the unsharpened short sword in the other person's hand.

The sword is quite old, and the twenty-one gemstones engraved on it have faded slightly.

Next, one kneels and, following the chant of the master of ceremonies, is slowly and solemnly struck twice on each shoulder by the blade and back of the unadorned ceremonial sword. This completes the first step of the investiture ceremony, followed by the 'parade through the streets'.
Neither Lord Luffie nor Lord Philip explained in advance what the knighting ceremony should entail. Luckily, I had looked through some books at noon.
Upon realizing this, he quickly bent down and was about to kneel.

But Gravel reached out with lightning speed and, before Rolz could react, banged four times on his shoulder. In a flash, he bent down and pulled Rolz, who was about to kneel, up!

He exhaled softly, then gestured to Lilfa beside him to drag the master of ceremonies away. He then spoke solemnly and kindly to Rolz:

"Rise, Baron of the East, may the glory of Asura always be with you."

Roltz: ? ?
Get up?
Your Highness?
I...I haven't even knelt yet?
(End of this chapter)