Emperor of Steel

Chapter 702: The Fight for Time 2

The news of the continental alliance’s declaration of war on the Baroque Empire had reached the Libiya Kingdom.

“What was that? The six nations in Rhodesia Continent have declared war on the Baroque Empire?”

“Yes, master.”

At Zemerton’s report, Arsene got up from his seat and smiled.

After the last battle of the monster legion’s invasion and the Grenada pirates ended up in failure, Symphonia Kingdom kept on increasing their military power, and it turned concerning for him.

In addition, they recently obtained information that the Holy Empire, Castia, and Irea Kingdom were sending in their troops to the Symphonia Kingdom.

And the situation inside the Libiya Kingdom wasn’t that good because of what Zehart had done.

In such a situation, if the six nations decided to attack the Libiya Kingdom, then Libiya wouldn’t even have the chance to fight back or even complete the undead and fall.

Everything they planned would have turned into waste.

Arsene was deeply concerned about it, but it was said that the Baroque Empire was the place where the swords of the six nations were being pointed at.

“What was the reason for their invasion?”

“It was because according to some sources, Emperor Rudolf was attempting to weaponize Vers.”

“Huh? Vers?”

“Yes, master. Because of that, a few years back, Nemesis was in fire.”

Arsene knew about Vers.

The catastrophic plague that drove the ancient civilizations to ruin.

He also knew that the uproar in Nemesis was done by Shaikan, who was encouraged by Margareta.

In the process of taking over Libiya Kingdom, he saw all the secret documents left in Shaikan’s office.

“Is Rudolf really trying to improve Vers as a weapon?”

“We can’t confirm it just yet, but we did figure out that a large-scale magic experiment is being done in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, based on Rudolf’s personality, it is highly possible.”

Arsene got angry at Zemerton’s answer.

“That crazy bastard! Just because he has something in his hands’ lengths doesn’t mean he gets to use it!”

The reason why Arsene swore at Rudolf wasn’t because he wanted to weaponize Vers.

It was because a lot of people would die because of Vers, and there would be insufficient materials for making the undead.

The reason the undead was called scary and the only reason why the undead was being made would disappear.

However, if Vers spread all through the Rhodesia Continent, the population would decrease by a lot and that would be a huge loss of power.

“What are we going to do, master?”

“What can we do? We will watch it happen and stand still.”

Arsene didn’t need to know if Rudolf or the Baroque would stand or fall.

However, Elder Zemerton’s thoughts were different.

“Where will that Luke’s sword be pointed at once Baroque is destroyed?”

It wasn’t the time to wage war on the continent.

The undead was not finished, and the zombie poison too was still under the administration of the warlocks.

It would still take another year or at least six months.

“We need time. Moreover, the actions of young Zehart has disrupted our plans in many ways.”

“So, you want me to help the Baroque Empire?”

When Arsene looked at him, Zemerton began to sweat.

Actually, just before he went to report to Arsene, he had received a magic communication from Count Voltas of the Baroque Empire.

To bury the ill-feeling from the past, and for the two nations to cooperate and defeat the alliance.

Moreover, Voltas seemed to be keenly aware of the situation that would come in the future.

After the fall of the Baroque Empire, the next would be the Libiya Kingdom’s turn.

Of course, the Baroque Empire didn’t know that the Libiya Kingdom was creating the undead, nor the fact that the King of Libiya was brainwashed and being used as an empty shell for Arsene.

However, he warned that the Libiya Kingdom too would be in danger because they sent a large army of monsters to invade the Symphonia Kingdom.

This was why Zemerton had taken the current situation too seriously and thought that he had to hold hands with Baroque for some time and earn a little more time to complete the undead.

But breaking down Arsene’s will wasn’t that easy.

So he decided to persuade Arsene by turning around the facts.

“We don’t need to create an alliance with the Baroque Empire. Instead, we will pretend as if we are helping them and inflict massive damage on the six nations.”

“Borrow time…”

Arsene was in his thoughts.

As Zemerton was filling up in tension, Arsene nodded.

“We surely need time. Fine, for some time only, we will help the Baroque Empire. The question is how to help them…”

The monster legion was destroyed in the last war with Symphonia, so it would take time to bring in troops.

However, the human troops in Libiya would be difficult to dispatch.

The main military figures had been brainwashed, but the frontline knights and soldiers weren’t.

If such troops were asked to support the Baroque Empire, which they had fought against till then, suspicion would rise.

Moreover, the current army of the kingdom was already busy suppressing the turmoil of people who were raging because of the inflation of prices.

Zemerton stepped out when Arsene didn’t seem to think up of any plan.

“I don’t think that there is any other way to secretly send them some warlocks.”

“I did think about it, but, I am not happy in showing our power like that.”

In the last war alone, hundreds of warlocks and two elders were killed.

It was a huge deal if the warlocks were dispatched and some problems arose with the undead.

‘Should I go there myself?’

Arsene wanted to see for himself the power of dark magic and Dragonian, which he had practiced till then.

He wondered how much power he could have if both of those forces were combined.

However, in addition to developing the strength to deal with Luke, there was an important job he had to do with the undead.

When Arsene was contemplating, Zemerton clapped his hands, thinking of something.

“We have a power to use.”

“We do?”

“Yes, the refugees of the Grenada Kingdom.”

The Grenada Kingdom, which had invaded Symphonia waters, was attacked by the Holy Empire’s navy and was destroyed.

Rondo, the capital city and other major ports were captured, and the lords or nobles from all over the nation were arrested.

Since then, there were many fleeing ships from Grenada that was called the ‘boat people.’ The refugee procession included quite a few people as well as nobles.

Shortly after the execution of Fernando, rumors circulated that those involved in the wrongdoings in the past would be found out and punished.

And the number of people that ran away were thousands.

The boat people headed to the Libiya Kingdom.

Except for that one nation, no other kingdom accepted the notorious Grenada men.

The Libiya Kingdom would never accept them if it wasn’t intended to expand its foreign trade or naval power.

“So, are we hiring the pirate as mercenaries and sending them to the Baroque Empire?”

“Yes, they infiltrate with a few more warlocks in them and spread the zombie poison during battles.”

“Spread the zombie poison?”

“Yes, if you spread the zombie poison, we can maximize the damage to the enemies. And even if our warlocks get caught, there will be no problem. We can say that the Baroque Empire is hiring them.”

Still, it was known that the Baroque Empire had already secretly held hands with the Veritas Magic Tower.

It would be easier to throw the blame over to Baroque.

“Kuke! Fine, go ahead. Ask the warlocks that are being sent to the Baroque to confess that Rudolf has hired them if they get arrested. No, tell a few of them to deliberately get arrested.”

“Yes, I will do that.”

A few days later, the Libiya Kingdom unofficially sent reinforcements to the Baroque Empire, for their own needs.

Ironically, it was the same with Rudolf.