This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 518 - 475: Naive and Childish But Just Like an Old Friend

Chapter 518: Chapter 475: Naive and Childish But Just Like an Old Friend

Allen once again came to the Imperial Palace of the Imperial Capital and felt as if he had stepped into a bygone era.

Strictly speaking, he was still a traitor who had betrayed the Laine Empire, yet he never thought he would have the chance to come here again.

The guards around him cast unsettling glances his way.

Anger, hatred, admiration, and confusion mingled on their faces, reflecting a whirlwind of complex emotions.

Most of those who worship the Lord of the Dawn strive to adhere to honesty, so these young, unseasoned soldiers struggled to conceal their true expressions.

Allen sighed. He understood the young soldiers’ confusion and desired to sit with them and talk things through slowly.

He wanted to tell them about the many flaws of the empire now, how many were twisting the teachings of the Lord of the Dawn, and that the future of the empire should rest in the hands of these youths.

But Allen couldn’t do that because today he had an even more important mission.

He was here to see the Emperor, he needed to go to the frontline and contribute to this disappointing empire.

With the Orc Army closing in and slaughtering tens of thousands of Laine people, no matter how many grievances Allen had against this nation, he would discard them all and resolutely stand at the frontlines to resist the orc invasion.

Regrettably, the Emperor had not agreed to his request.

Allen was somewhat puzzled by this refusal.

It wasn’t out of arrogance, but in recent times his personal combat strength had quickly improved. Now among the Laine Paladins, if he wasn’t the strongest, he was at least in the top three.

The Laine Empire was lacking high-level military strength and unable to gain the upper hand on the battlefield. Allen going to the frontline would have been an ideal decision, so why had the Emperor disagreed?

After so many attempts, he finally had the opportunity to meet His Majesty the Emperor.

Guided by the guards, Allen proceeded deeper into the Royal Palace.

This place should have been bustling and magnificent, but now it seemed eerily quiet.

The vast palace had few people in sight, and the dim lighting did not resemble that of a palace, but rather a massive tomb.

The young Emperor of Laine sat elevated at the center, and Allen should have bowed his head and knelt before the Emperor with respectful reverence.

Because his respect was not solely for the Emperor himself, but for the glorious deeds of Arthur Laine as well as the empire that had endured for a thousand years.

But now, Allen simply bowed calmly, then looked directly at the young Emperor.

"Allen, this is our second meeting, isn’t it? Last time, it was during the funeral of your teacher, the Silvermoon Knight."

Hearing the Emperor bring up the matter, Allen replied without mincing words, "Your Majesty, I still believe that forcibly relocating the graves of other heroes was an insult to my teacher."

For the Silvermoon Knight to be buried in the central spot of the cemetery, the hero who lay there before was forcefully excavated, leading to the hero’s descendants dying from shame. In Allen’s view, this was no different than the Emperor personally committing murder.

Allen had expected the Emperor to react with outrage, but instead he heard the Emperor speak with a heavy tone, "Indeed, last time I made the wrong decision. I have already sent people to console and compensate the affected family. Oh Allen, if only you had told me directly back then."

Allen was somewhat surprised. During their short time apart, the change in the Emperor seemed vast.

Although he had heard a lot about the Emperor and knew he had changed, it was still exceedingly rare for an emperor to admit mistakes outright.

It’s hard for those in high places to admit their wrongdoings, as dignity is an essential ingredient for ruling. They would rather persist in their errors and let others pay the price, maintaining a fear of themselves among the people.

Even for the Emperor of the Laine Empire, this had been more or less the case over the years, and it seemed everyone had become accustomed and accepting of this behavior that contradicted their ideology.

But now, the Emperor had admitted his mistake, which unexpectedly brought Allen a feeling of happiness.

Could it be that the Emperor has truly seen the error of his ways and is willing to change the Empire?

Allen hastily stated his reason for coming: "Your Majesty, my visit today is for the same reason, I wish to apply to go to the frontline, to resist the invasion of the Orcs and protect the Empire."

The Emperor did not respond to Allen’s application, but revisited past events, asking, "Allen, it was indeed on the battlefield in the Orc Mountains that you left the Empire. Why do you want to rejoin the frontline now?"

"So that’s why Your Majesty previously didn’t allow me to go back to the frontline?" Allen explained helplessly, "Back then, it was Laine invading the Orc Empire, such a war was unjust, which is why I chose to leave. But now, the Orcs are invading our country, and it’s my duty to protect Laine."

After Allen’s explanation, the Emperor laughed heartily, "Allen, I thought that after you’d traveled the continent for so long, and after having known that sly Lich, you wouldn’t make such naive statements. But unfortunately, you’ve disappointed me. Is the war between us and the Orcs that easy to categorize into justice and injustice?

"One thousand seven hundred years ago, right after the funeral of our great Saint King Arthur Laine, the Orc Kingdom demanded that the Imperial Divine Artifact, the Magic Dragon Armament, be divided and given to them. They did not even wait for the saint’s coffin to be lowered into the ground before they disrupted the funeral and left dissatisfied. The Orcs probably forgot that their kingdom was established with the help of Laine. Since then, the conflict and blood feud between Laine and the Orcs have been incessant, and it’s impossible to fully account for.

"If revenge is justice, then how dare you say our war against the Orcs is unjust?"

Gazing at the Emperor’s expression, Allen sighed, "Your Majesty, you’re right, the blood feud between us and the Orcs is beyond reckoning, but as you said, our mutual hatreds are so entangled, no tally can determine who is more at fault anymore. If from now on, both of us could abandon this unjust war, wouldn’t Laine and the Orcs stop viewing each other with animosity after another thousand years?"

The Emperor looked at Allen, his face showing surprise, and couldn’t help but say, "You...don’t you think you’re being naive? Do you think such a thing is possible?"

War is unavoidable, and even after a thousand years, both sides would just continue the slaughter, sinking deeper into hatred until one side is eradicated.

However, Allen stated firmly, "The chance is slim, I know war is driven not only by hatred but also by interests. When both our countries need to fight for living space and resources, war becomes inevitable. But we should not abandon our efforts just because something seems impossible. Your Majesty, we know that peace is the just action, and even if it cannot be achieved, it’s still worth sacrificing for, isn’t this the teaching of the Lord of the Dawn?"

So much time had passed, and Allen had already come to understand everything.

He knew very well that everything he was doing was naïve and nearly impossible to succeed, but that didn’t affect his choice. Believing in the good and never giving up hope, that was the teaching of the Lord of the Dawn.

The Holy King Church had taught Allen that the life or death of an individual is unimportant, as is their success or failure. What matters is the path they walk, their ideals, their beliefs will ultimately be passed down and inspire many more hopefuls on the same journey.

The strength of one person is not enough, but as long as this belief is passed down, there will always be people like him to change the world. Such an ideal seems naïve now, but who can say it won’t succeed in a thousand or ten thousand years?

The Emperor saw the unwavering Allen and in a trance, seemed to see the same spirited and resolute Paladin from the past. Back then, nobody believed Saint King Arthur could win—they joined the Paladin’s ranks out of desperation, hoping their deaths would have some meaning.

At first, they thought the best outcome would be to kill a few dragons, vent their anger, and then die painlessly under the Breath of other Giant Dragons, counting it a victory if the Dragon Race suffered some small losses.

In the beginning, the Dragon Race thought the same.

Mere lower Races, what could they accomplish? Belief? Justice? How could such childish and tedious notions determine the outcome of a war? And yet it was such people who eventually slew the haughty Magic Dragon, their swords cleaving through blood and chaos, ushering in a new era.

These distant memories aroused some murderous intent in the Emperor of Laine.

Left unchecked, this Allen Watson might well become the next Arthur Laine.

But now was not the time for killing; the Emperor did not have the confidence to kill Allen. This young man’s Legendary Grace was too slippery; it was likely no one could catch him once he decided to flee.

Although the power of the Time Dragon was formidable, he only had one chance, and any minor mistake would make Allen aware of his secret. More importantly, Allen was still of use at the moment.

After a moment of contemplation, the Emperor spoke to Allen, "Allen, I admire your conviction, which is why I will not let you go to the frontline. The Orcs are invading Laine with extreme cruelty, and with your way of thinking, you are sure to conflict with the soldiers at the frontline."

"Your Majesty, I won’t..."

Allen was about to explain when the Emperor interrupted: "No need to say more, no matter what you say I won’t believe that you can wield your sword against the Orcs without hesitation, and even one moment of hesitation can harm Laine. But I’m not completely dismissing your ideas, so you can serve Laine in another way."

Allen asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, what do you mean by another way?"

"The frontline is in crisis, not because your brother lacks skills, but because the Orcs possess war weapons that are ahead of ours. And only your old friend can manufacture such weapons. However, that Lich has stipulated a meeting with me before he’s willing to trade with Laine, and honestly, I am concerned about any schemes he might have, after all, Holy Light and the Undead are mortal enemies.

"So, I’m assigning this task to you. Allen, if you truly want to help, go find that Lich, secure all the rights to purchase those weapons from him, and help us turn the tide of the war."