Chapter 51

The Kingdom of Roshan, which bordered the Kingdom of Iota, was essentially a Maginot Line on the frontier. This was because if one advanced a little to the east from Roshan, they would reach the western part of the continent. Therefore, to advance into the continent, one had to cross the Kingdom of Roshan. The problem was that Roshan, despite being a frontier kingdom, was quite large in scale and had a formidable military. The Kingdom of Roshan was about three times as powerful as the current Kingdom of Iota. It was more realistic to worry about being invaded rather than conquering it. Indeed, Roshan was an enemy that was 100% likely to invade. In the past, Oto could not stop Roshan's invasions and repeatedly surrendered. He even tried to attack first, thinking there was no solution, but was instead thoroughly defeated. If he waited for the invasion and tried to stop it, he could not hold out. Roshan was, in a sense, an insurmountable wall.

However, the Kingdom of Iota had a slim hope, and that was now. The Kingdom of Roshan was about to engage in a civil war for three months before invading the Kingdom of Iota. "This is the opportunity. The only golden chance to bring down the Kingdom of Roshan." Oto knew very well that he had to make good use of this period, so he decided to act immediately upon hearing the report that a civil war had broken out in Roshan. "A civil war has broken out in our neighboring country, Roshan." Oto immediately convened a meeting and told his ministers his thoughts. "I plan to intervene in the civil war of the Kingdom of Roshan." "Why do you want to get involved in another country's war?" asked Wazir, the Duke. "The Kingdom of Roshan is a very threatening presence," Oto replied. "From Roshan's perspective, our growth is troublesome, and they might covet the new trade routes we have opened." "So?" "If we do nothing, they will definitely invade our country as soon as the civil war ends." "But Roshan might want peace?" "Oh, come on." Oto joked, as if to say, "Why are you asking when you already know?" "Everyone knows there's no peace in the international community. It's just a matter of eating and being eaten. Peace between countries that share borders is maintained because of various issues, not because people are kind, right?" "Tsk!" "We and the Kingdom of Roshan have no entanglements, and there's a significant difference in national power. The surrounding countries have little interest in this backwater, so there's no need for a pretext for war. In this situation, hoping for peace and staying quiet is like entrusting our lives to Roshan's mercy. Is that it?" "You know very well, don't you? Tsk, tsk, tsk!" "Why are you asking if you already know? I think you know better than I do." "Why am I asking?" Wazir looked around and said, "I'm asking because the idiots here can't understand what you're saying." The ministers, who had been silent, blushed. The talent pool of the Kingdom of Iota was very thin, and there were almost no people who could fully understand Oto's words. "So, how do you plan to intervene in Roshan's civil war?" "Well, um..." Oto scratched the back of his head and answered, "We have to work hard and use our bodies, right?" "Not sending the army?" "Where would we send the army? We're busy building up our military strength. And our country has a small number of troops. The loss of each soldier is very painful." "That's not wrong, but... to intervene in Roshan's civil war without sending the army... you must have some confidence, right?" "That's the plan. Cost-effectiveness is important. Maximizing efficiency with minimal investment... ideally, for free." Indeed, a statement worthy of someone who seeks extreme benefits. "Why don't you just ask for free lives?" Camille found Oto's selfish mindset absurd but did not necessarily view it negatively. Everyone wants to achieve great results with minimal effort. The problem is that it's almost impossible. But Oto seemed capable of turning such selfish thoughts into reality. "What is your strategy?" "I plan to deploy a small, elite team to carry out various operations." "That won't be easy, will it?" "It's possible." Oto smiled. He knew very well how to handle the divided Kingdom of Roshan. * * * The Kingdom of Roshan, located on the western frontier of the continent, was originally a peaceful place. However, the situation changed when the king died in a carriage accident. The king's younger brother, Duke Alex, launched a surprise rebellion and seized the capital. Crown Prince Louis Blanc managed to escape the capital with a few close aides but was being relentlessly pursued by the rebel forces. The crown prince's goal was to reach Fort Pelton, located on the eastern border. The 1st Legion, the strongest military force in the Kingdom of Roshan, was stationed there, and its commander, Duke Gardner, was one of the crown prince's closest confidants. In other words, to have any chance of fighting against Duke Alex's rebel forces, the crown prince had to survive and reach Fort Pelton. Therefore, according to Oto's explanation, Crown Prince Louis Blanc was likely passing through an unnamed forest about 30 kilometers from the capital of the Kingdom of Roshan. "How do you know that?" "There's a way to know everything." Oto shrugged at Camille's question. "So, what do you plan to do? With such a small group..." Camille glanced around. As he had mentioned in his conversation with Wazir, the group heading to the Kingdom of Roshan was very small. The only troops Oto brought were thirty swordsmen from the Kuntachi family. It was clearly a small force to intervene in Roshan's civil war. "I said it doesn't matter. The size of the force is irrelevant." "Then what do you plan to do?" "First, we need to rescue the crown prince quickly." Oto smiled. "The probability that the crown prince won't make it to Fort Pelton is about 10%. Based on my experience, it happens once in ten times..." "Experience?" "Ah? I misspoke. Hehehe." "..." "Anyway! What if the crown prince dies quickly?" "The civil war in the Kingdom of Roshan will end quickly." "And then?" "The timing for Roshan to invade us will be advanced... Ah!" Camille finally understood Oto's meaning. "So, you're going to rescue the crown prince now?" "Yes." Oto nodded. "Saving him is not enough. We need to get him to Fort Pelton as quickly as possible. That way, he can have the strength to quickly resolve the situation." "I understand." "So, let's go rescue the crown prince." "Yes, Your Majesty." Thus, Oto's group secretly crossed the border of the Kingdom of Roshan to rescue Crown Prince Louis Blanc. * * * Crown Prince Louis Blanc and his party had barely managed to escape the capital. However, the pursuit by the rebel forces was relentless. For several days, the crown prince and his party had been on the run, and it seemed they were reaching their limits. Most of the knights and ministers who had escaped with him had either been killed or captured by the rebels, leaving only four people, including the crown prince. Not only that, but their water and food supplies had run out. They needed to eat to have the strength to run. Therefore, the crown prince and his party were hiding in the forest, unable to escape. "Your Majesty, please." Duke Kent, the right-hand man of the late king and one of the crown prince's closest confidants, offered raw meat, dripping with blood. He had butchered a rabbit they had luckily caught and presented it to the crown prince. "Your Majesty, you must eat this. Only then can you regain your strength and protect your health." "I know." The crown prince stared at the raw meat, covered in the rabbit's blood, and then, with a fierce look, took a large bite. "Ugh!" Despite the strong gamey smell and the texture of the raw meat, which made him feel nauseous, the crown prince clenched his teeth and forced himself to chew and swallow. He knew that in his exhausted state, eating raw meat was necessary to continue running. "I will... I must take revenge... I must survive... and cut off the head of that traitor..." The crown prince chewed the raw, bloody meat and vowed to take revenge. As the night fell while the crown prince and his party were resting, ... "Woof! Woof!" "Woof woof woof!" The sound of barking dogs began to be heard from a distance. "!" "!" "!" The crown prince and his party were startled. Dogs barking? The rebels must have deployed military dogs. "Damn it..." Louis Blanc gritted his teeth. He knew it was almost impossible to escape from the highly trained military dogs. "Your Majesty, we must go now." "I understand." Louis Blanc, led by Duke Kent, began to run quickly. But it was only a matter of time. The crown prince and his party were caught by the military dogs within 30 minutes and soon surrounded by rebel soldiers. A fierce battle ensued between the crown prince's party and the rebel soldiers. * * * Meanwhile, Oto's group was lying in wait about 100 meters away from where the battle was taking place. "Your Majesty, the crown prince's party is in danger." "I know." Oto nodded at Camille's words. "Should we move in now?" "Shall we move immediately?" "First, let's put these on." Oto took out some small objects that looked like small telescopes from his inventory and distributed them to Camille and the swordsmen. "What are these?" "Eyes." "Huh?" "They are eyes. Attach them to your helmets and infuse them with mana..." Camille and the swordsmen followed Oto's instructions, attaching the telescopes to their helmets and infusing them with mana. As a result, the dark, pitch-black forest gradually came into view. "What is this?" "Night vision goggles." "!" "I made them temporarily, so they are a bit crude, but they should be useful." The small telescopes Oto distributed were "Crude Low-Tier Night Vision Goggles," items with the "Vision" spell engraved on them. With these, they could see clearly in the dark, giving them a tactical advantage in night battles. The one who can see and the one who cannot. The advantage is obvious. In the dark forest, Oto and his group were like dominant predators. Oto, seeing that Camille and the swordsmen had equipped the "Crude Low-Tier Night Vision Goggles," activated the "Vision" skill himself. His eyes turned green, and the dark forest