Chapter 67

The empire’s unification of the continent did not herald an age of peace and prosperity. The constant power struggles among nobles and lords were no exception.

Territorial wars. Commonly known as turf wars.

But territorial wars weren’t the only conflicts waged in this world.

At the eastern edge of the continent, beyond the Strait of Calais, lies the island of Britannia. Once the Kingdom of Britannia, it had fallen to become an imperial province after its defeat in the Unification War… There, a being known as the ‘Holy Maiden’ emerged, rallying the patriots of the fallen nation and igniting a rebellion.

Legends began to spread of a legendary feat: defeating an Imperial army of 45,000 with a mere 10,000 troops.

The daughter of a mere serf became commander-in-chief, annihilating a large enemy force nearly four times her size and securing victory. A miracle beyond explanation, unless it was the miracle of a goddess.

The sacred maiden who fights for her nation’s independence, guided by the revelation of the Sistine Sisters.

The goddess descends.

It was the prelude to the Britannia Independence War.

Black Armor Company’s stock price was steadily rising.

Furthermore, Dale’s vision—the exercise of ‘operational capabilities’ more powerful than the client—began to show its prominence.

Additionally, several lords, unable to accept the outcome of the fief war, brought Dale before the Imperial Court.

Their claim was that the magical prowess Dale displayed in battle could not possibly belong to an absolute third-circle mage.

It was actually true. Dale’s performance as a mage on the battlefield was absolutely not that of a third-circle mage.

Moreover, according to Imperial Law, mages of the fourth circle or higher cannot participate in disputes among lesser lords. However, following rigorous verification by the court mages at the Imperial Court, Dale was confirmed to be unquestionably a third-circle mage.

Three circles.

“Is that really the power of a third-circle mage…?”

“Unbelievable! He must have cheated!”

“The skill Young Master Dale displayed on the battlefield that day was absolutely not that of a third-circle mage!”

It was an unbelievable result, yet I had no choice but to believe it.

“Ah, so even against a true third-circle opponent, it’s like that.”

Before the lords who pointed fingers in protest against the verdict, Dale muttered as if it were someone else’s affair.

The lords’ lawsuit, brought against Dale in desperation, also ended in defeat. Ultimately, the lords’ lawsuit served as an advertisement, spreading the fame of Dale and Black Armor Company throughout the empire. Paying for the advertising costs—and the lawsuit expenses—was also the responsibility of the defeated lords.

After that, in battle, Dale continued to unleash his full capabilities as the ‘3rd Circle Mage’ without reservation.

Gather every advantage with a rake when you can, and furthermore, as one form of self-cultivation to reach the realm of the Fourth Circle.

Drawn by the Black Armor Company’s reputation, the organization’s scale swelled day by day.

Simultaneously, the power and wealth of the Saxon ducal house—in other words, the Duke of Saxony’s investment—became the pillar supporting their organization.

Around that time, the Black Armor Company’s participation in a conflict was practically a guarantee of victory.

Thus, when conflict arose between the two lords, the outcome of victory or defeat hinged solely on whether one had the funds to pay more than the enemy to hire the Black Armor Company.

Around that time, mercenary groups who had suddenly found themselves unemployed due to Black Armor Company’s activities began rallying together one by one.

To them, the Black Armor Company was nothing but a gang of thugs with no business ethics—a dinosaur corporation itself.

The Imperial Free City of Hamburg.

Commonly known as the “Starting Point of the Amber Road,” it was the origin of the amber trade that crossed the continent by sea.

However, around that time, an unexpected force emerged to threaten the Imperial Free City of Hamburg.

Aiming at the wealth Hamburg had amassed through trade, nobles from across the central Empire joined forces.

The central lords united to form the ‘Robber League,’ occupying the lower reaches of the river and stretching chains across it. Thus, they closed the waterway of the Elbe River and began plundering every ship and cargo under the pretext of tolls.

The waterway, the very artery of trade, was blocked. For the Imperial Free City of Hamburg, this was an extremely perplexing situation.

Moreover, with the nobles of the central region joining forces, they were no match for such an opponent.

And under this pressure, threats followed: if they failed to regularly pay the ‘ridiculously high tribute’ each year, the trade blockade would remain in place, starving the city into ruin.

The central empire lacked a great noble to impose order. Consequently, it had become a de facto lawless zone where minor and middle-ranking lords exercised arbitrary tyranny.

For this reason, the Free City of Hamburg had only one decision it could make.

A short time later, a secret envoy from the city of Hamburg safely crossed the territories of the Bandit Alliance and headed for the Duchy of Saxony.

His mission was to hire the ‘Black Armor Company’ to oppose the Bandit Alliance.

A mercenary organization possessing operational capabilities far surpassing those of its clients. Moreover, what the City of Hamburg offered to Dale was precisely what he had long desired.

They entrusted the Black Armor Company with the entire operational process required to crush the Bandit Alliance.

Around that time.

“Baron Volbar, Baron Basel, Lord Peter… and many other lords of the alliance have gone missing.”

These are the names of the bandit nobles and rogue knights who all form the Bandit Alliance.

Upon hearing his subordinate’s report, Robert, the leader of the Bandit Alliance, frowned.

“Could it be the central government’s punitive expedition has arrived?”

“They didn’t reveal their identities, nor did they leave any room for negotiation.”

In any case, if they were truly from the central government, there should have been proper protocol and formalities.

“Come to think of it, there was talk of a secret envoy from Hamburg reaching the Duchy of Saxony…”

The subordinate spoke, and at those words, Count Robert gasped.

“Surely they didn’t hire Black Armor Company…?”

“Well, it’s still just speculation.”

Black Armor Company hadn’t officially revealed itself yet. But considering the gravity of the situation, dismissing it as mere speculation was impossible.

“Those damn bastards!”

CRASH!

Count Robert slammed his fist down on the table at that absurd sound.

“Dispatch urgent letters to the allied lords immediately to warn them, and muster all your forces.”

After the blow, Count Robert declared.

“…I knew this would happen and prepared countermeasures.”

He drew his own trump card, prepared in his own way.

“Inform the mercenary guild that the bastards have begun to move.”

Every time Black Armor Company scored a victory and advanced triumphantly, the backlash fell squarely on the other mercenary companies.

Thus, several large mercenary companies began to unite against this ‘common enemy’ threatening their livelihood.

Around that time.

News reached us that the Black Armor Company had joined the conflict between the Imperial Free City and the Bandit Alliance in the central region of the empire. Upon hearing this, numerous mercenary companies affiliated with the Mercenary Guild did not hesitate either.

It was time to teach these thugs, who had no sense of honor, the code of this world.

City Hall of Hamburg, the Imperial Free City.

“We have already preemptively dismantled several strongholds of the Bandit Alliance.”

There, the mercenary captain of the Black Armor Company, Saxony’s ‘Black Prince’, spoke up.

“The point where the bandit alliance blocks the waterway, and further, the territory of Count Robert, leader of the alliance, will become the main battlefield.”

He unfolded the map, coldly assessing the situation.

“Since the enemy is already breaking the law, we needn’t adhere to ‘Imperial Law’ either.”

No need to adhere to the Empire’s laws. In other words, a battle where Dale could unleash his true power as a mage without restraint.

“I, I heard that Count Robert has also mobilized numerous mercenary companies through the mercenary guild…”

“It’s a faction threatened by the Black Armor Company’s reputation.”

The mayor of Hamburg cautiously opened his mouth, and Dale nodded.

“If, if a large number of mercenary companies gather… W-wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

No matter how renowned Black Armor Company was, the situation was what it was.

“As I said, this is a fight where we need not adhere to Imperial law.”

The Bandit Alliance’s unilateral blockade of the Free City’s trade was a clear violation of Imperial law. Yet the central Empire lacked a great noble to restore order, and the central government was too distant to curb their lawlessness.

A world where the law is distant and the sword is close. That was this world, and what the enemies believed was precisely that fact—that the law was distant.

“There’s no victory easier to seize than one won against enemies who cannot appeal to the law.”

But they could never know that what Dale sought was precisely the same thing.

“Issue a city-wide draft order.”

Preparing for the coming battle, the mercenary captain of Black Armor Company spoke.

“For peace, one must prepare for war.”

Recalling the very infamy and cruelty of that ‘Black Prince’.

“Ah, I see.”

The mayor of Hamburg shuddered involuntarily, a chill running down his spine.

The Viper Mercenaries, the Golden Lion Mercenaries, the Brotherhood Mercenaries.

The main forces of the continent’s most renowned mercenary companies were gathering toward the domain of Count Robert, leader of the Bandit Alliance.

Mercenaries formed from the elite of the three great mercenary companies. And the Bandit Alliance, whose family business was robbing those traveling through the domain.

Facing the growing might of the Black Armor Company day by day, and to protect their own livelihoods, the two factions joined forces against this common enemy.

Small and medium-sized lords comprised of robber nobles and rogue knights, along with mercenary forces among the continent’s elite. This was no longer a mere dispute among lowly lords.

A conflict beyond the reach of imperial law, fought without a shred of rule.

It was war in the truest sense, and that was precisely the battle Dale had longed for.

In a feud among minor lords, the use of Mass Destruction Magic (MMD), forbidden by Imperial Law… Its meaning was never solely about annihilating the enemy with destructive magic.

The dark magic the Black Magic Tower prided itself on.

The necromancy wielded by dark mages on the battlefield was also a forbidden act that fit the empire’s definition of mass destruction magic.

Moreover, the fact that ‘Imperial Law’ had no grounds to intervene meant that very dark magic could be wielded freely.

Lower Elbe River. Count Robert’s fortress, where massive iron chains were woven across both banks to block the passage of ships.

Commonly known as the toll station.

In the deep darkness of dawn, a guard patrolling the fortress turned his head. He turned, and then froze solid.

There was a knight clad in black armor. And he was no ordinary knight. Not a single shred of flesh clung to the bones beneath his armor.

“D-d-Death Knight…”

The immortal knight wielding Saxony’s Black Sword was advancing toward them.