In Ghislain's previous life, relations between the Seven Strongest of the continent were not particularly amicable. They were all too powerful to fear anything, so it was only natural.
Parniel tilted her head from side to side, while Erenes clenched and unclenched her fingers.
The rising tension pressed down on the surroundings, keeping people from approaching and leaving them to merely watch in silence.
Except for one person.
"Ah! Are you two about to fight again? What is it this time that you can't agree on? Hurry up and sort it out; we need to go rescue the Lord!"
"...."
"...."
Having lived in Fenris territory, Piote had become much more perceptive than before. This could be entirely credited to Alpoi.
As he dashed over and shouted, the two of them simply turned their heads and walked off in opposite directions.
Piote shook his head as he watched them.
"Good grief, why does everyone—including the Lord—always try to solve everything with violence?"
While it was one thing if they were hitting Claude or Alpoi, Piote truly wished they wouldn't fight each other.
It didn't take long to subdue the remaining Delphine Army. Their formation was completely shattered, and with no superhumans left, it was impossible for them to hold out against the Northern Army.
The Delphine commanders, realizing that Gartros had fled, shouted loudly.
"Surrender!"
Their cries echoed across the battlefield. With even their commander-in-chief having run away, the remaining soldiers had no reason to fight.
Soon, all the remaining Delphine soldiers dropped their weapons and prostrated themselves on the ground.
A thunderous cheer erupted across the battlefield.
"Waaaahhhhh!"
"We've finally won!"
"The Duchy is finished!"
This battle was unlike any other. The Duchy's remaining main forces had all been deployed.
Thus, this victory symbolized the end of the civil war.
As the battle ended, Amelia, mounted on her white horse, surveyed the battlefield. She had valiantly repelled the enemy in Ghislain's stead.
Though it was merely according to their private agreement.
"Waaaaah! Hail to Countess Rayfold!"
The soldiers cheered for Amelia as well. Her sudden appearance and command had initially made them uneasy, but in the end, she had led them to a grand victory.
The lords who had come to provide support wore awkward expressions but still applauded.
"Hmm, I didn't expect Countess Rayfold to be this capable."
"I thought she was just someone aiming for empty lands."
"Seems Count Fenris was right to trust her."
Thanks to her effective leadership, they had secured victory with minimal losses, leaving little room for criticism.
Amidst the cheering soldiers, Kaor was carried away, his body soaked in blood.
Having reached severe mana exhaustion, even pouring potions into him didn't help him recover.
Ultimately, Vanessa had to infuse him with mana to prevent his condition from deteriorating further.
"You've pushed yourself too far. You were on the verge of draining your life force. You must rest and recover fully."
"Ugh… Vanessa, listen to me. I became a superhuman, even if only briefly… It wasn't a dream… It was real… I used an Aura Blade. That's how I cut off the arm of the Salvation Church's arbiter."
"Aww, did you? Well done. Now stop talking and rest. You might be experiencing hallucinations right now."
"D-damn it… I'm serious."
Even as he was carried away, Kaor muttered to himself. Tears glistened faintly in his eyes.
No one believed him, no matter what he said. People simply assumed that the Salvation Church priest's arm was severed because he had been weakened.
After all, later, even ordinary knights' swords had pierced through him easily.
"I'm telling the truth! Why won't anyone believe meeeeee!"
He desperately wanted to rise as a superhuman and dominate the battlefield, but the wall was simply too high. Having tasted it briefly, he was more frustrated than ever.
While the Northern Army tended to the wounded and organized the battlefield, Gillian spoke to Amelia.
"I'll head to the Lord immediately."
"If Count Balzac has emerged victorious, it could be dangerous. Advancing together would be the safest course."
"It doesn't matter. Please grant me the forces to accompany me."
There was no justifiable reason to stop him from aiding his lord. His task of defending this place was complete.
"Very well. Take as many as you need."
Gillian gathered the knights, cavalry, and archers who were in relatively good condition.
"We'll join you as well."
Erenes, Parniel, Vanessa, and Tenant also prepared themselves.
Count Fenris was a critical figure, and Count Balzac was someone who must be eliminated.
Thus, the Northern Army's superhumans moved together.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
They set out immediately after the battle without taking any rest. Though all were fatigued, rescuing Ghislain was a higher priority.
As the advance party departed, Amelia issued new orders.
"Follow after them once the cleanup is complete."
With the outcome of Ghislain and Count Balzac's battle still unknown, the remaining troops had no choice but to follow.
Gillian, steeling himself against his rising anxiety, pushed his horse hard. The distance between them and the pursuing forces widened as they became exhausted.
If they encountered Count Balzac's forces in this state, they would suffer greatly.
'My Lord!'
Even so, he didn't stop. The reputation of the Kingdom's Finest Sword made him all the more anxious.
That was, until he encountered something loudly crying in the sky.
"Gillian!"
"Dark?"
Dark, who had been flying to deliver urgent news, spotted Gillian and descended.
"Hahaha! What's this? Did you win? Were you coming to rescue us?"
Thwack!
In his urgency, Gillian grabbed Dark tightly and demanded.
"What of the Lord? What happened to him?"
"Ugh! You rude bastard! Can't you tell by seeing me flying around like this? We won! We won!"
"W-we won?"
"Yes! Our master is now the Kingdom's Finest Sword!"
That proclamation rang out among them all. The soldiers and knights following Gillian erupted in cheers.
"Waaaahhhhh!"
Their lord, once called the strongest in the North, had finally claimed the title of the Kingdom's Strongest.
Indeed, it was their lord. Even the brief moment of doubt had been a sin. They had almost lost their faith.
'My Lord!'
Gillian, wearing a look of deep emotion, gazed into the distance.
— I will surely end the poverty of this territory. Not with a drop of water, but as a downpour.
Even back in the days when he held nothing in his hands, the young lord had boldly declared this.
He had truly become a downpour that covered the North and now a storm engulfing the Kingdom.
Not just ending poverty, but raising his father to the most exalted position in the Kingdom.
'You've truly done it.'
Despite all the ridicule and distrust, he had ultimately succeeded.
How could one not respect such a person?
With a smile, Gillian spurred his horse forward again. This time, he did not move with urgency.
As they moved slowly, Gillian's party halted at the sight of a dust cloud rising in the distance.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The flags flying above were ones they knew well.
Finally, Ghislain appeared, leading the Fenris Mobile Army.
"Gillian!"
Ghislain called Gillian's name with joy. His presence here signified that the Northern Army had emerged victorious.
"My Lord."
"You've worked hard. Amelia must have secured a flawless victory. I knew she would."
"You've also worked hard, My Lord."
They did not exchange detailed words right away, simply smiling at each other.
Soon, Ghislain addressed the army that had accompanied Gillian.
"You've all worked hard. I'm sorry I cannot grant you rest yet, but we must quickly convey the news to the Kingdom Army and the capital."
Standing atop the Black King, Ghislain spoke with a more confident expression than ever.
"The civil war is over."
And then…
"It's time to prepare for what's next."
All that remained was to thoroughly crush the remaining enemies.
***
"Waaaaahhh!"
"Count Fenris! Look over here!"
"A new Kingdom's Finest Sword has been born!"
As news spread that the Northern Army was entering the capital, countless people poured into the streets to cheer.
The civil war was over, and the Salvation Church of the Lutania Kingdom had been eradicated. The people could once again have hope—a belief that things could improve, better than they ever were before.
And the one who made all this possible was Ghislain. He was now the hero of the Kingdom, someone everyone couldn't help but celebrate.
Although rifts still lingered, it would take time for them to widen and become active again. Until then, the Kingdom could unite and prepare.
"Welcome back. You've finally done it."
Zwalter, accompanied by his vassals, warmly greeted Ghislain.
He had remained behind to stabilize the capital and could not march with the Kingdom's army. All he could do for his son was worry.
But now, seeing his son return victorious, he couldn't have been prouder.
Ghislain gave a slight smile and said, "Your Majesty, it's time for your coronation."
"Ahem, well, that's a bit embarrassing."
Zwalter chuckled awkwardly. It still didn't feel real to him, the thought of becoming king.
Most nobles supported Zwalter. The Kingdom needed someone who could unite it immediately.
With the war over, the coronation proceeded at once. The ceremony was led by the capital's sole Archbishop and Saint, Forisco.
This was his chance to cement his position. He even excommunicated the fleeing Archbishop by exercising his authority.
'Phew, I made the right bet. Joining hands with Count Fenris was the best decision.'
Though it wasn't so much joining hands as being forcibly dragged along, the results were good, and that was all that mattered. Forisco was more than satisfied.
As soon as the coronation ended, Zwalter began distributing rewards to his loyal subjects. The first and foremost was, of course, Ghislain.
"…In recognition of his efforts to end the civil war, I hereby bestow upon Ghislain, crown prince of the royal family, the title of Grand Duke and the territory of Perdium…"
Ghislain received the title of Grand Duke and the vast territory of Perdium. Now, he was the master of an enormous territory comprising Perdium, Fenris, Cabaldi, and Desmond.
However, there was a minor dispute over the title. Belinda was adamant that Ghislain must receive the title of Grand Duke.
Though Ghislain tried to placate her, Belinda was unyielding.
"Why does it have to be the Grand Duke? Wouldn't Duke suffice?"
"Grand. Duke. Of. The. North."
Zwalter, unable to ignore Belinda's opinion, granted Ghislain the title of Grand Duke. To Ghislain, who already wielded autonomous power, the title's name hardly mattered.
Regardless of the name, Ghislain had risen to become the Kingdom's most powerful figure.
"Congratulations, Your Grace."
Claude beamed and bowed deeply, and the other vassals were equally delighted.
Those who had fought alongside Ghislain also received rewards. Belinda, Gillian, Kaor, Vanessa, and other key figures were granted the rank of Count.
Though it wouldn't be immediate, they were also promised vast lands once the Kingdom stabilized and the rifts were eradicated.
Unfortunately, Claude and Alpoi's freedom was deferred until the end of their slave contracts.
Claude asked with a deadpan expression, "…The term is over 300 years now, isn't it?"
"There's no helping it. Releasing you immediately would defeat the whole purpose of the bet, wouldn't it?"
"..."
Realizing the harsh reality, Claude and Alpoi sank into deep gloom. In truth, Ghislain planned to free them after the Salvation Church's eradication but didn't bother mentioning it.
After all, those two were not to be allowed to become arrogant under any circumstances.
In the aftermath, several policies were urgently implemented. One of them was a promise Ghislain had made to Erenes.
Erenes bowed deeply to Ghislain with genuine gratitude.
"Thank you for keeping your 'promise.' I, too, will uphold my 'faith' in you."
As Ghislain had promised, all elves in the Lutania Kingdom were freed from their status as slaves.
The same applied to dwarves, who would now live as free citizens.
However, elves and dwarves who belonged to the Fenris army were temporarily barred from discharge due to the ongoing situation.
Most Fenris knights were also elevated to noble status, and soldiers and contributors in the war received appropriate rewards.
Though the awards were hastily distributed to boost morale, they had to stop at a reasonable level since proper organization was yet to be completed.
Following this, Ghislain ceded the western regions he had managed to the royal family. Running the Kingdom would require substantial taxes.
Then, astonishing news arrived.
"What? The Witch of the flag handed over all eastern territories to the royal family?"
"They say she even gave her northern territories to His Grace the Grand Duke."
"And then she only took a tiny fief at the westernmost edge for herself? Has she gone mad? What's gotten into her?"
This was the result of a new agreement Ghislain and Amelia had made, relayed through Dark.
At the time, Ghislain had spoken candidly.
"You want to become queen, don't you? To become queen in this Kingdom, we'd eventually have to clash. And once the civil war ends, the outcome is obvious."
Amelia couldn't refute his words. She had tried to undermine both sides' power but failed.
Just as the Duchy had underestimated him, she, too, hadn't fully grasped Ghislain's potential.
With the scales tipping against her, she had only two options left:
Follow the new king, or fight to the end.
Neither option appealed to her. She hadn't rallied her forces just to settle for a mere piece of territory.
But a hopeless battle wasn't in her nature, either.
As she agonized, Ghislain proposed a fresh idea.
[T/L: I am in dire need of support. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]