Chapter 58: Northern Conference (1)

“As I am not a military expert, I will speak from an administrative standpoint. While the North’s terrain makes it a natural fortress, it also limits its ability to produce resources, making it heavily reliant on trade.”

The first to speak was the administrative officer, Bayer.

“Our most active trade routes are with the East and the Central region. If war breaks out, the trade route with the

Central region will be severed. And if His Highness the Prince also blocks our trade with the East, our domestic

affairs will suffer a severe blow. Unlike the Central region, which is resource-rich, or the Western region, which has a

well-developed transportation network, we will find our very survival at risk.”

“Hmm…”

Once the administrative officer finished his objective assessment without imposing his own opinion,

The next to speak was Günther, the commander of the elite troops.

“The Western forces were already the strongest after our Northern army, and ever since Dorgon, one of the Seven Heroes, became the Grand Lord, he has developed them into an army that can rival ours. In terms of numbers and weaponry, they even surpass us. If a battle breaks out, it will not end quickly.”

In other words, Bayer was saying that if the war dragged on, the enemy would have the advantage.

And Günther was saying that a prolonged war was inevitable.

‘In the novel, when Aran arrived in the North, the financial state of the North was also discussed. Naturally, the war had turned into a long-term struggle.’

Even though the North had superior weaponry, engaging in full-scale war against the Western army was a risky move.

Thus, in Brave Road, Dorgon had cut off trade routes when the war began, tightening the noose around the North.

This forced the Northern army to prioritize ending the war as quickly as possible. That was when Aran and his allies arrived, turning the tide to an offensive.

“How likely is it that the East will aid us?”

At Grace’s question, the diplomat, Grindel, wore a troubled expression.

“The leader of the East prioritizes self-preservation and avoids taking risks. He will not want to make an enemy of the Central region.”

“Will they at least maintain trade with us?”

“If the Central region pressures them, they will cut ties immediately.”

“Troublesome.”

Grace let out a frustrated sigh, prompting Grindel to offer his opinion.

“If the attack on the Snowflake Tower was orchestrated by the Western and Central regions, why not publicly

denounce them and use this to raise alarm among the other lords? From what I’ve gathered, the Dark Elves were also

involved in their schemes. The Southern region, which has suffered at the hands of the Dark Elves, would likely

respond favorably to this.”

“That is a solid approach. If we frame it as both the North and South being targeted, the East won’t be able to remain indifferent either.”

“Yes. If we succeed, we can create a situation where all three regions band together to keep the Central region in check.”

As the saying goes, many hands make light work.

With the Northern elites putting their heads together, viable solutions were beginning to emerge.

But then—

“Wait. Before that, there’s something we need to clarify.”

A middle-aged man, who had remained silent until now, spoke up.

“They say His Highness the Prince and the Grand Lord of the West are targeting us because of the possibility that we might side with Hero Aran… but I simply cannot understand that reasoning. On what grounds do they assume we would commit treason against the Central region?”

The one raising the question was the head of House Deepsnow, Lynell Deepsnow, who was attending as a representative of the noble families.

“Of course, we must strongly condemn the attack on the Snowflake Tower. They dared to violate Northern territory. But shouldn’t we at least be clear on the exact cause of this war?”

“According to Low, there seems to be another reason, but he claimed even they hadn’t shared it among themselves.”

“That’s what concerns me the most. It feels as though they have another motive but lack a legitimate excuse, so they’re using the possibility of our alliance with Aran as a pretext. But that prince is no fool—why would he use such a flimsy justification?”

Several murmurs spread through the room at Lynell’s sharp observation.

Grace, seemingly in agreement, asked him,

“What do you think their true motive is?”

“They must be certain that this pretext will be convincing. There must be undeniable proof that would make everyone believe the North will aid the Hero.”

“And that proof would be…?”

“There is only one possibility.”

Lynell let out a short sigh before looking directly at Grace.

“Your Grace, please do not misunderstand—I mean no disrespect. The fact that the Hero once saved the North is not a strong enough basis. If that were the case, then every land Aran saved would be accused of treason.

But there is one clear, undeniable connection between the North and the Hero…

Your Grace was the Hero’s swordsmanship master.”

At Lynell’s words, the entire chamber turned their eyes toward Grace.

Meanwhile, Elaine, instead of looking at Grace, was now staring at Lynell.

“…You mean this is because of me?”

“Ahem! Your Grace, that is precisely why I asked you not to misunderstand. I do not believe this is your fault. The blame lies entirely with those who are making assumptions and acting recklessly.

It would be absurd to hold Your Grace accountable for this.”

“Then why bring it up?”

“When they declare war, they will make you the focal point of their propaganda. They will paint this as a war fueled by Your Grace’s personal emotions.

You must be prepared for their tactics and have countermeasures in place.”

Lynell’s reasoning was sound, and Grace, realizing this, relaxed her previously furrowed brow.

“The best course of action is—”

“What is it?”

“To prevent them from using this pretext. While the North does have a connection to the Hero, we have no intention of aiding him. We must feign innocence and claim that this is all a misunderstanding caused by their paranoia.”

Some nodded in agreement, finding the idea reasonable.

However, Grace’s expression showed clear disinterest.

“That’s not an option. From what I’ve heard, Aran was betrayed by their greed. I have no plans to lead an army into the royal capital, but if he comes to me, I would be willing to help him. I would also be willing to protect him from His Highness the Prince.”

“Your Grace? If you say that, then their pretext becomes fact. If we assist the Hero, we will be proving their claims true. I understand that you share a bond with him, but letting personal emotions dictate this situation could put the North in great danger.”

“Even if I am close to him, this isn’t about personal emotions. If they have already decided to target the North, they will fabricate whatever justification they need. The important thing is not their excuse, but how we fight them, Lord Lynell.”

“That is a concern for when war breaks out. As of now, war has not begun. Rather than provoking them, we should be focusing on blocking their tactics and securing allies.”

Lynell gestured toward the diplomat, Grindel.

“If we want the South and East to aid us, we must not give them any reason to hesitate. To put it bluntly, Your Grace—the North’s connection to the Hero does not benefit us. If Aran is truly hunting down the Seven Heroes, then to the uninformed masses, he is nothing more than a dangerous figure causing chaos.”

“Which is why we need to reveal the truth. That way, should the need arise, we can consider cooperating with Aran. If we can prove that justice is on our side, legitimacy will naturally follow.”

“The ones who have hidden the truth until now are them. Even we believed in their lies without question. Do you really think we can win in a battle of public opinion against them?”

The tension between Grace and Lynell was palpable, and the other officials hesitated to speak, watching the two as they debated.

In short, Grace sought to confront the Central region’s conspiracy head-on.

Meanwhile, Lynell aimed to minimize direct confrontation, approaching the situation with political and strategic maneuvering.

The two clashed over whether or not to align with Aran.

Grace believed in helping Aran to expose the truth and restore justice.

Lynell saw no benefit in associating with Aran, fearing it would escalate the war further.

Both arguments were valid, leaving the gathered officials deep in contemplation.

Then—

“Forgive my interruption.”

A deep, steady voice, even lower than Lynell’s or Günther’s, cut through the tension.

“If Hero Aran’s goal is vengeance against the Seven Heroes, then his destination will likely be the royal capital, where His Highness the Prince resides.

But no matter how strong the Hero may be, defeating both the royal capital and the Golden Tower alone is impossible.

If he dies there, wouldn’t the North cease to be a target?”

A brief pause followed.

The voice belonged to Arthur Gravaine, the commander of the Northern Knights.

At his words, both Grace and Lynell stopped their argument.

No matter how high-ranking a noble or even the Grand Duke herself, they could not take lightly the words of a man who had protected the North for generations—second only to Grace in authority among its knights.

“Even if Aran does not head to the royal capital, he will inevitably target Agartha, the city governed by the Grand Lord of the West.

That city is a fortress comparable to Wintercannon itself. A single swordsman cannot conquer it alone.

And the fall of the Moonlit Forest was merely Low’s speculation.

It’s entirely possible that he fell to the Dark Elves.”

Arthur’s calm and logical reasoning darkened Grace’s expression.

Even Lynell let out a low hum, as if finding his own argument suddenly lacking.

‘Damn, I really want to say something.’

As expected of the commander of the Northern Knights, Arthur’s points were valid.

Even if Aran was the Hero, breaking through the Dark Elves’ stronghold alone was an impossible feat.

Perhaps it could be done if he only had to face the Dark Elves. But inside that forest was Shira, a former member of the Hero’s Party.

A lone swordsman, even Grace herself, would struggle to take the Moonlit Forest alone.

However, what they didn’t know—what only I, a reader of the novel, was aware of—

‘Aran has new allies.’

Three of them, in fact.

Each one an exceptional warrior.

While they weren’t quite as strong as the original Hero’s Party, they were still powerful enough to challenge them.

Which meant, according to the novel’s progression, the Dark Elves had already met their end.

And Aran’s next destination would be—

‘Wait a minute.’

With Low here… where would Aran go next?

Originally, after leaving the Moonlit Forest, Aran’s group had searched for Low, the only one of the Seven Heroes whose whereabouts were unknown.

While gathering information, they had stumbled upon the Black Crow’s crimes in the slums and got involved with them.

Sensing something strange about the Black Crow—a criminal syndicate that had suddenly taken control of the kingdom’s underworld—they started investigating.

As they systematically dismantled the organization, they uncovered traces of Low, leading to a confrontation.

After defeating Low and destroying the Black Crow, Aran’s next target was Agartha, where Dorgon resided.

However, just before heading west, he learned of the impending war between the North and the West—

And turned north instead.

And so, Episode 4—the Northern Arc—began.

However, since Low was now crippled and imprisoned here, Aran would no longer be able to follow the original storyline.

‘What happened to Black Crow?’

Black Crow was an organization Low had built by forcibly uniting various criminal syndicates under his rule.

It functioned like a massive conglomerate, with countless subgroups operating under its supreme leader.

Even with Low gone, the organization would continue running for the time being.

But in any organization, when the leader disappears, those below inevitably start fighting to claim the top seat.

Furthermore, despite its grand-sounding English name, Black Crow was, in essence, just a gang called the Crow Clan.

With Low vanishing after taking his assassins to the North—

By now, Black Crow had likely descended into chaos, with its thugs tearing each other apart for control.

And in the midst of that, Aran would have stormed in, dismantling them one by one.

Even after destroying Black Crow, Aran would only find clues leading to a leader who no longer existed.

‘Wait a minute.’

Now that I thought about it, there was one other person.

Someone who could step in as the new head of Black Crow.

Or rather, someone who could manipulate the entire organization to their will.

“Aran wouldn’t have fallen in the Moonlit Forest.”

While I was lost in thought, Grace finally broke the silence.

“I’m not saying this because I trust Low’s words. Aran—he wouldn’t have lost to mere Dark Elves.”

“Your Grace, I do acknowledge the Hero’s strength. However, Dark Elves are said to be even stronger and more vicious than regular Elves.

If the Seven Heroes truly are villains, then the rumors that the archer, Shira, was opposing her corrupted kin must be false.

In that case, Shira was likely allied with them. The Hero alone could not have defeated them all.”

“I believe he could.”

Grace smiled faintly as she turned to Arthur.

“And for good reason—he’s my disciple.

I have never seen anyone stronger than him.

Both in skill and in will.”

“Hm.”

“Besides, when has he ever acted within reason?

During the Great War, when demons invaded the North, he declared he would annihilate their army single-handedly.

Everyone said it was impossible.

Yet his reckless assault on their ranks became the turning point of our victory.”

“That is true.

If Your Grace says so, then I will believe in the Hero’s victory as well.”

Arthur conceded without further argument.

“However, something doesn’t add up. If Aran is seeking revenge, he should be heading for Agartha or the Golden Tower, not the North.

Wouldn’t that mean the prince’s scheme is already going off track?

Aran would be too busy fighting the Seven Heroes to even think about seeking our help.”

Grace tilted her head slightly, still unconvinced.

Just then—

“Your Grace.”

“??”

“If I may, may I offer my thoughts?”

All eyes turned toward the voice.

Elaine’s eyes twitched in surprise.

Because the one who had spoken to Grace—

Was me.