Man on the ark, forced to become king

She knew little about the Northern Legion, but she could tell from Kosich's attitude that he didn't believe the three Grand Dukes could withstand the Northern Legion's assassination attempt, which showed just how powerful they were.

Looking back, once the chaotic army was reorganized and the grand dukes were assassinated, the biggest enemy to take that position seemed to be only the current emperor...

This vast empire, without anyone noticing, had become completely at their mercy, allowing them to take whatever they wanted.

Perhaps, one day in the future, even His Majesty the Emperor might suddenly 'die in an accident'...

Just going through these things in her mind, Talulah could feel a huge sense of unreality enveloping her, and a wave of frustration washed over her.

It seems she really can't find her place.

Everything that happened tonight was like she woke up from a nap and the whole world had changed dramatically. She hadn't done anything, yet everything had become completely unfamiliar and incomprehensible.

In the blink of an eye, she went from being the leader of a small infected organization to a candidate for emperor, with allies around her becoming more and more powerful. Despite not having done anything, she was carried up the social ladder.

With such luxurious facilities, even a pig could be forcibly lifted onto that throne, right?

Perhaps the reason she was chosen to stand in this position is not because she is so outstanding, or because of her original intentions, nor because she possesses any remarkable talents.

Simply because... they don't care.

“That’s right, the Northern Legion.”

Kasena nodded slightly, seemingly unconcerned about the impending deaths of the three grand dukes; her focus was more on the name 'Northern Legion'.

"I must say, your teachers are really generous. They never interfere in the internal disputes of Ursus. If this news gets out, the whole of Ursus will be thrown into chaos, and even the young emperor on the throne will feel uneasy."

"You probably don't understand what it means for the Northern Legion to be on your side, nor do you understand what kind of people they are. Perhaps it would be easier to understand if we used a different term?"

"The so-called Northern Legion is essentially the former Imperial Guard. Moreover, their experience and strength are far superior to those currently surrounding the Emperor. Gaining their support means having half of the Emperor's power."

"In other words, you now have two of the Empire's most elite army groups as your army, the full support of the four Grand Dukes, and an inner guard that can instill fear in all officials and nobles to patrol the four directions."

"At the same time, you have a powerful enough teacher and the Golden Tree as your backup."

"Ha, thinking about it this way, you seem to have more than the current emperor. Compared to him, you are more like an emperor in the true sense."

As she finished speaking, Kasyapa paused for a moment, somewhat surprised. She hadn't even realized that what they were about to do was only one step away from success.

It was clearly in the original plan... When did the changes begin?

She quickly found the answer—the Northern Legion!

The Northern Legion's involvement played a crucial role, accelerating the development here several times over!

In this way, there's not much time to wait before the actual controller of this vast empire changes.

At that time, no matter how unwilling he was, the emperor in the palace would have no choice but to abdicate and give up his position.

Of course, he might fight to the bitter end, but the outcome will not change.

Chapter 272 Greetings, Grand Duke

"Gentlemen, do you really want to do this?"

Inside the simple tent, three figures, dressed in black overcoats and wearing breathing apparatus, sat around a table, looking like copies of each other.

The only way to distinguish them by their appearance is by the weapons they carry, which are divided into three types: sabers, daggers, and giant hunting bows.

They sat in their cramped tent, the air around them seemingly filled with a thin, gray mist, cold and eerie.

"13, what's your opinion?"

29's signature hoarse voice echoed in the tent. He raised his head and met the gaze of 13, whose coat was covered with several military daggers, his tone flat and even.

"No, I have no objection. In fact, I've already made the arrangements."

13 looked away, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and spoke with a hint of hesitation.

"I'm just wondering if this effort will be rewarded. I've never heard of the Golden Tree. Are their promises reliable?"

The North is bitterly cold and has a harsh environment. All supplies come from Ursus's domestic supply base. Their cooperation with the Golden Tree is essentially gambling with their future. If they fail to receive the promised returns, or if other unforeseen events occur that completely enrage the emperor and nobles, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Moreover, even in cooperation, one should wait until the other party demonstrates sufficient sincerity and strength before taking the next step. Taking the initiative to act without gaining anything is not a good practice.

This arrangement was made entirely by 29 against the majority opinion; others did not approve of it.

"You can't understand what kind of power it is because you didn't witness it with your own eyes."

29 was not surprised by 13's hesitation; he was well aware that his approach was the unreasonable one.

Do you still remember our vow?

"of course."

13 answered without hesitation, as if the answer was already imprinted deep in his soul, requiring no thought.

"We are the blade in the darkness, the guardians on the Great Wall, the shield against evil, and the flames of fear. We will build a defensive line with our flesh and blood and our lives, and stand guard day and night until death."

This is not just a slogan, but a belief held in the hearts of every border soldier.

They left their homeland and came alone to the dark and cold snowfield, abandoning all their past identities and statuses, becoming nameless people walking in the night, fighting against the most ferocious and terrifying enemies until the end of their lives.

There was no glory, no cheers; all the achievements were buried in the ceaseless wind and snow.

The long, cold night was sustained only by their unwavering faith, and no one would forget the oath etched into their very bones.

To this day, countless nameless warriors have fallen on the battlefield against the demons. Even though Ursus has undergone several changes, even though the warriors have gone through countless cycles of new to old and old to new, even though their situation has become more and more difficult, the light buried deep in their hearts has not dimmed in the slightest.

"Yes, we stand guard in the darkness until our dying breath."

29. His head was lowered, and his hoarse voice carried an obvious dullness.

"But how long can we hold on?"

"The threat of evil is growing stronger every day, and their claws never cease to grow."

"And what about us? The great battle of Sunset Canyon changed everything. The once glorious empire has long since decayed, and they have even begun to fear the strong shield that has always protected them."

"Without sufficient supplies, without better equipment, and even the replenishment of personnel is restricted, let's admit it, the emperor has changed, the empire has changed, and the North is now just slowly dying. Nobody knows how much longer we can hold out."

“Death is not scary. Everyone here is prepared to die. What is truly terrifying is that everything that countless martyrs have upheld has collapsed in our hands.”

"Moreover, that day is not far away."

"I cannot accept that outcome, nor can I accept it. Therefore, we must make changes, even if the price is betrayal."

“I don’t deny the correctness of the change, but I am worried about whether the Golden Tree is really as reliable as you think.”

Change is inevitable, and 13 agrees. He doesn't deny 29's idea, but only has reasonable concerns based on the current situation.

However, it is clear that 29 has now fallen into paranoia and is no longer willing to listen to much advice.

"34, what do you say?"

After hesitating, 13 looked at his silent companion carrying the giant bow, hoping he would say something.

However, what 34 said did not meet his expectations.

“You have too many concerns, 13.”

Compared to the other two, 34 was smaller and thinner, and her voice, transformed by the respirator, was softer, creating a striking contrast with the massive weapon behind her.

“29 has his reasons for doing this.”

"What do you think we have left to lose?"

"No, none of what you expect will happen. The emperor and nobles, high above you, only care about their pitiful power. The trust between them and the North has long since collapsed."

"Instead of waiting to die with everyone, it's better to bet everything and take a gamble. If you win, the crisis will be resolved; if you lose, the outcome won't be any worse. It will just bring on what you were going to lose sooner."

“29 is not a blindly trusting fool; he has his own clear judgment.”

“Since he believes Golden Tree is trustworthy, I’m willing to bet everything on him.”

“Showing our sincerity first will bring us greater returns, which is a wise choice.”

"Okay, maybe I shouldn't have asked that question."

Hearing 34's even more radical remarks than 29's, 13 leaned back in his chair, completely at a loss.

Their actions were undoubtedly insane, but in this place, who isn't a madman?

Due to prolonged repression, everyone in the North, including him, only appeared normal, simply because they held fast to their beliefs and thus did not go completely insane.

Since 29 and 34 both made the same decision, there's not much more to say.

Let's go crazy, let's all go crazy together.

Those self-righteous fools always throw their fantasies at the Northern Legion, so let their fantasies become reality, let them know what fear is.

-------------------------------------

"Gentlemen, surely you should say something now."

In the magnificent hall, all the attendants were banished outside. The huge space, which should have been used to host aristocratic balls, could only accommodate three people.

A long table made of precious wood is laden with expensive dishes, but no one is eating them; silence has lingered there for a long time.

Finally, the party's initiator, Grand Duke Romanov, could no longer contain himself. He stood up from his chair, braced his arms on the table, and his bulging muscles made his clothes taut.

He has a naturally volatile temper, so it's quite remarkable that he's managed to hold back until now.

"What did you say? That we were tricked?"

Duke Nicholas, his face gloomy, squinted and asked sarcastically.