The world was in an uproar day after day.
The fact that Wilde Jagd had attacked Tirna was already known to the entire world. Their intelligence agents would have relayed the facts to their home countries faster than anyone else.
And the results were also quickly reported. Wilde Jagd was defeated.
Tirna had suffered damage but won, and was still standing strong.
At this fact, the nations that viewed Tirna as a potential enemy became quite tense.
Tirna had recently gone through growing pains, experiencing various incidents.
There had been internal strife, and a giant monster called Sea Dragon had swept through the surrounding area.
Their judgment was that Tirna must have been greatly weakened while going through such incidents. But the results were completely different.
Mother Goose had died. The deaths of the Evil Queen and Queen of Hearts who came with her were also confirmed.
Rather, as if proving that a wounded beast is more dangerous, Tirna moved even more aggressively as if to show they were perfectly fine.
They announced a surprising fact.
It was about the dismissal of one of the five mayors, Allen Huton.
Usually, once someone rises to the position of mayor, they don't face dismissal. Even if such a system exists, it's a nominal system that has never actually been implemented.
One of the reasons for this was that it required the consent of the other four mayors plus over 80% of senators and district governors - no small feat.
Yet surprisingly, Allen Huton's dismissal was accomplished unanimously.
Even people who didn't know much about Tirna's political system would have noticed that something unusual was happening.
Soon after, Tirna declared:
Allen Huton was a spy for the Baienrus Kingdom, and they had been the ones secretly causing various incidents behind the scenes all this time.
The Baienrus Kingdom immediately issued a rebuttal. They said Tirna was talking nonsense, and that they would never tolerate such damage to their nation's reputation.
If it had ended there, it would have been just another nerve war between nations.
But Tirna said:
-If you won't tolerate it, what are you going to do? Start a war? Fine. We'll go to war.
The nations that had been watching the spectacle with interest could not help but be shocked once again at Tirna's declaration of war.
Tirna rarely took such a strong stance.
Not because they were weak. Even though Tirna was strong, it was rare for their will to unite as one because Tirna was not a nation ruled by a king.
Most kingdoms have a structure where when the king makes a decision, the subjects follow. Even if it's not right, the king can force it through. That's what being a king and having power meant.
Tirna was different. There was no king here. There were only mayors elected by the citizens.
Mayors had many powers, but not enough to act like a lone wolf.
Whenever they tried to do something, they had to face internal opposition rather than external enemies.
Even the mayors numbered five, and how many officials were there below them, starting with district governors?
They would debate with each other, arguing and opposing or dragging out time even when trying to proceed with any bill or matter.
Such characteristics were both Tirna's strength and limitation at the same time because at crucial moments, when they needed to move quickly, they would be held back.
The nations of the continent were well aware of Tirna's peculiarity.
That's why they couldn't help but be surprised by their unusual attitude.
The fact that Tirna was now declaring war and showing movement in step with it meant preparations had already been completed behind the scenes.
What mattered was that the remaining four mayors and the majority of officials were in agreement.
Opposition? There was none.
The most relatively differing opinion on the current issue was to move a bit less urgently and more slowly.
Tirna pointed to the Baienrus Kingdom, saying they were the root of all these problems.
At the same time, as they prepared for war, the surrounding nations sensed that this was not an ordinary matter.
The Baienrus Kingdom immediately protested.
-This is Tirna's conspiracy. They have finally revealed their ambition. To solve internal problems, they're deliberately creating an external enemy and targeting us.
It was a plausible opinion. But there was a question.
Why specifically the Baienrus Kingdom?
The Baienrus Kingdom and Tirna were quite far apart. There were two other countries between the two nations, requiring crossing multiple borders.
If Tirna really needed an external scapegoat, wouldn't it be fine to choose a nearby kingdom?
There was such a question, but for now they decided to wait and see.
If the two nations fought, they just needed to watch and gauge the situation.
Watch appropriately and then switch to whichever side seemed more profitable.
That was politics.
The Baienrus Kingdom reacted intensely. It was because of Josef's temperament, who was currently on the throne.
True to his nickname as the Oppressor, Josef became furiously angry and insulted Tirna day after day.
He too moved, saying he wouldn't shy away from war. No, rather, he seemed to have been waiting for a moment like this.
While doing so, he simultaneously sent communications to neighboring countries. Meaning they should attack that arrogant Tirna together.
However, other nations only watched and gauged the situation. The alliance they had formed was hollow from the start.
They knew that Tirna wouldn't come forward so easily like this. And such a Tirna was now uniting as one.
This was no ordinary serious matter. The fact that they pointed to Baienrus meant they had good reason to do so.
Above all, they didn't particularly like Josef either. He was arrogant and tyrannical, and his nature was also insidious.
The fact that Baienrus was once an empire in the past and had a history of severely plundering its surroundings also played a part.
So they kept quiet and just watched the situation.
And soon after, Tirna revealed a shocking truth.
-The Baienrus Kingdom made a deal with an Outer God.
This was a very shocking matter.
The existence of Outer Gods was not well known to ordinary people. But the high-ranking officials of each nation knew about it.
How terrible monsters they were. And how much damage was caused by that existence.
Since it was said that the Baienrus Kingdom made a deal with an Outer God, they had no choice but to take it seriously regardless of the truth of those words.
The Baienrus Kingdom immediately refuted. Saying how could that be. That Tirna was rather shifting responsibility outward for such recent matters.
However, Tirna just stayed quiet and then brought out the truth one by one.
Cards that would pressure the opponent.
Clear evidence that the traitor Allen Huton had headed to the Baienrus Kingdom.
And certain unseemly incidents that had been ongoing in the Baienrus Kingdom even before this.
Even the appearance of Josef, who should have been losing vigor and gaining wrinkles, but was rather more vigorous than before.
Whatever it was, the fact that the Baienrus Kingdom was very suspicious could not be denied.
Josef denied it and rather got angry with shameless impudence. He appealed to allied nations, claiming they must eliminate that arrogant Tirna.
But the allied nations' response was lukewarm.
They too had eyes to see and ears to hear.
They already knew there was something in the Baienrus Kingdom.
Even though they were allies, they were potential hostile forces, so it was thanks to the intelligence agency working hard.
That's why they could tell that what Tirna was saying, though hard to believe, was close to pure truth.
Tirna simultaneously announced one fact.
That the Baienrus Kingdom had made a deal with a dangerous Outer God, and that Outer God was on its way to this world.
That if they failed to stop it, the continent might face destruction.
The word destruction came up and that from Tirna's official position.
Even citizens who didn't know much about international affairs couldn't help but take interest.
Newspapers were issued day after day and the world was in an uproar.
Opinions were divided. From those who denied the existence of Outer Gods to doomsdayers who said they must prepare for the world's destruction.
Amidst such debate, the Petra Papacy stepped forward.
-What Tirna says is true.
It was an earth-shattering event.
The Petra Papacy did not like Tirna. They even called Tirna, which sheltered witches they considered heretics, a city of sin.
Their relationship was like water and oil that couldn't mix.
Yet the Papacy came forward to defend Tirna and while distributing a holy proclamation stamped with the Holy Emperor's seal at that.
There was one more nation agreeing with Tirna's intentions.
The Carleon Kingdom stepped forward.
They considered Tirna's words correct and denounced the Baienrus Kingdom.
Carleon was famous as a nation adjacent to Tirna with bad relations but the Carleon Kingdom had undergone many changes because Princess Orlea, who had the lowest rank in the line of succession, rose up with outstanding charisma and leadership, gaining the qualifications of the next queen in name and reality.
Following the Papacy, now even the Carleon Kingdom.
It was a situation where two nations that should have pressured Tirna were instead pointing to the Baienrus Kingdom.
Other nations also gradually couldn't help but notice the strangeness.
As a result, the Baienrus Kingdom was put on high alert.
"Well, what should we do about this?"
Josef Joachim asked anxiously. Across from him, a middle-aged man who appeared to be in his 50s was calmly sitting and drinking tea.
Josef wanted to get furiously angry right away but held back. Given his temperament, he would have done so already, but the reason he held back was one.
It was all thanks to that man that he had risen to this position, and that the kingdom had come this far.
Wise King Solenon.
When he saw him before, he was a very old and shabby old man. But now it was different.
He had become unrecognizably young. His appearance of being over 90 years old now looked to be in his 50s.
Even when he first came here, he looked to be in his 60s. He had become younger in the past few days.
Josef coveted that youth so he quietly waited for Solenon's words.
"There's nothing to do or not do. What we have to do hasn't changed. Do elephants stop because ants are making noise below? Same principle. Whatever they bark and chatter, we do our work."
"Tirna is taking the lead in the situation and preparing for war. Is it still okay?"
At those words, Solenon set down his teacup.
In the quiet space, that sound echoed especially loudly.
"If so. Rather, it's a thankful thing. Since they're gathering on their own, it becomes easier to deal with them."
"You must have some secret plan?"
"Of course I do. But more than that, you're proceeding well with what I told you to do, right?"
"...Yes. Every day, we're killing close to 1,000 people and offering them as sacrifices."
Ominous rumors circulated in the Baienrus Kingdom that people were going missing or being killed.
It had been quite a while since such things started happening, but recently the rumors spread faster because the number of sacrifices needed had increased even more.
"Can we really achieve eternal life by doing that?"
"Are you still doubting? Look at yourself. You too should have aged originally, but thanks to me, don't you look 20 years younger?"
Josef tried to retort but stopped. That was true, but what he desired was more certain youth and vigor.
That's when it happened.
Bang!
"This is terrible! Your Majesty, there's chaos outside right now!"
"What!"
Josef became angry at the subject who suddenly burst in.
"R-right now outside, protesters are gathered in the plaza. They're denouncing King Josef, demanding to know the truth!"
Josef's face contorted viciously.
"How dare these vermin, denounce whom? If they're insects, they should just crawl on the ground like insects!"
The subject just bowed his head.
Solenon, who had been watching that scene quietly, spoke.
"This works out well."
"What works out well? Right now in our Baienrus Kingdom! Those vermin have dared to raise a rebellion against me!"
Josef spewed saliva as he shouted, unable to calm his anger.
"That's why it works out well. We can procure the remaining sacrifices all at once."
"What? Sa-sacrifices?"
The subject who had unintentionally come to be in this place doubted his ears.
His head spun rapidly. Even if it looked like this, he was an official of a nation.
Did sacrifices mean that the rumors were actually true?
"Oh my. There were listening ears."
Solenon laughed as if he had made a mistake. But that wasn't a mistake. Given his meticulous personality, it was deliberate.
"That is..."
Crack!
The subject couldn't finish his words because the black-armored royal guard near the door stepped forward and burst his head.
Red blood spread widely across the pure white floor of the audience chamber.
Solenon looked at that scene indifferently and stood up from his seat.
"Now. Prepare to greet that person."