Afterward, Gazef, kneeling on the ground in a state of utter defeat, was discovered by patrolling soldiers.
Seeing the Warrior Chief before them, who was heavily exhausted from using Martial Arts, the soldiers sent him to the temple for treatment. However, because the soldiers didn't take care to conceal the Warrior Chief's appearance, news of him being attacked and injured soon spread throughout the Royal Capital.
The moment the King heard the news, he left the palace and rushed to the temple. The nobles also gathered, asking if this was the work of their own people. Naturally, no one admitted to it, as they indeed hadn't sent anyone. Besides, if they could hire such a powerful individual, why wouldn't they take the Warrior Chief's life after defeating him? It wasn't until the end that they learned from Gazef's own mouth that the person who had sought him out was actually the Imperial Sword Saint.
Just as the nobles were pondering what wicked schemes to concoct upon hearing this news, the guildmaster of the Adventurers Guild suddenly ran over in a panic. In front of the old King and the ministers, he said, "Your Majesty, Lords, the Adamantite Adventurer Astrea has brought proof of the Goblin King's death to the guild. After Appraisal by our Appraisers, it has been confirmed that those are indeed the organs of a Demon Lord Seed Goblin King. Do you think we should give that lady a definitive response?"
The expressions of the King and the nobles changed.
The former felt a massive threat.
The opponent had first defeated his Warrior Chief and then gone to the guild to raise this matter. Coupled with the fact that the deadline for war between the Empire and the Kingdom was approaching, it was hard not to link these events together.
He looked toward Gazef.
Although Gazef hesitated, he spoke honestly, "She is very strong. From start to finish, I never made her get serious. My suggestion is that it's best not to have any conflict with her here."
He actually wanted to say that the opponent could probably destroy the entire Royal Capital, but seeing His Majesty's aged and weary face, he couldn't bear to say it and strike another blow to the King.
"Are you
kidding me? A Demon Lord Seed is a legendary creature. You expect us to believe that a girl not even twenty years old defeated an opponent that even a hero might not be able to beat? Even if she started practicing the sword in her mother's womb, it would be impossible for her to kill a Demon Lord!" a noble said dismissively, not believing for a second that this was true.
The guildmaster wiped away cold sweat and asked, "Shall I reply to that lady in that manner then?"
Gazef frowned as he looked at the guildmaster.
He noticed something unusual in the guildmaster's expression. Clearly, the guild had already confirmed the truth, and the nobles' pointless resistance was merely making them look like a joke. After all, if the guild couldn't confirm the matter, they wouldn't have promoted the Sword Saint to the highest rank of Adamantite Adventurer. Had he not lacked a clear concept of a Demon Lord before, and hadn't known what level that Sword Saint's strength had reached, he would have definitely persuaded His Majesty to stop these nobles from the beginning.
But it was already too late now; however, he couldn't let these nobles continue their suicidal behavior.
Because the Sword Saint was currently within the Royal Capital.
With her strength, she was fully capable of breaking through the Royal Capital's guards and storming into the palace to kill His Majesty.
"Your Majesty!" Gazef knew that only His Majesty could make a decision now. But his behavior was enough for the King to notice some clues.
The King sighed silently in his heart and accepted the Warrior Chief's goodwill. In front of all the nobles and under the guildmaster's disappointed gaze, he said, "Very well. In my capacity as the King of the Re-Estize Kingdom, I acknowledge the Imperial Sword Saint's achievement in defeating the Demon Lord."
Although most of the nobles looked very dissatisfied.
After the King announced this, they tactfully refrained from raising any objections.
The guildmaster hid his disappointed expression.
He had originally thought this muddled old King would resist to the end like those nobles, in which case the Sword Saint and the Kingdom might have ended up in a lose-lose situation.
Feeling regretful, he said, "Then I shall take this news back and report it to that lady."
The old King noticed the guildmaster's behavior.
He felt a sense of sorrow.
The threats facing the Kingdom from the outside weren't limited to the Empire.
Yet the interior was in such a state.
There wasn't a single glimmer of hope to be seen.
Just when the old King thought the matter was over, a noble suddenly spoke up coldly, "A spy at the front lines has sent back news that traces of Imperial troops have been discovered near the Great Forest."
The old King didn't react for a moment.
Gazef, who was still lying on his sickbed, suddenly scrambled up upon hearing this and said, "This is a matter of great importance. I ask Your Majesty to allow me to lead troops to the Great Tob Forest to confirm the truth of this intelligence!"
"Warrior Chief, you..."
The old King was somewhat reluctant to agree; his intuition told him this matter wasn't so simple.
But Gazef glanced at those nobles.
He knew he had to go.
"Ahem, Warrior Chief, this is very likely an Imperial trap," a noble spoke up at this time. "There is nothing worth protecting near the forest. If you insist on venturing there, then please take your own troops; we will not deploy any soldiers. You also cannot take the Kingdom's Treasures with you."
Hearing the noble's words, Gazef merely looked at His Majesty in silence. The King had intended to speak up for Gazef, but then another noble said, "Indeed, Warrior Chief, you were just defeated by the Imperial Sword Saint. It's possible the Empire's goal this time is our Kingdom's Treasures. Since you've admitted you're no match for that Sword Saint, we naturally cannot let you take the Treasures out. It's fine if something happens to you, but the Treasures are linked to the Kingdom's lifeblood."
The King: "..."
Although he felt there were problems with this matter,
what the nobles said this time wasn't without reason. He didn't want the Warrior Chief to go out and handle this.
Though he felt sorry for the citizens in that vicinity, the Warrior Chief's life and the Treasures were more important.
But facing Gazef's trusting gaze, he couldn't bring himself to say such heartless words. Gazef was only loyal to his convictions, and it was precisely because the King held those same convictions that he earned Gazef's loyalty. Was he to betray his own Warrior Chief?
In an instant, the old King seemed to age significantly, his complexion becoming even more haggard. Already very weak, he now looked as if he might pass away at any moment. He asked Gazef, "Do you still wish to go?"
"Yes. I beg Your Majesty to grant this!"
How could Gazef not know that this mission was fraught with danger?
But he couldn't turn a blind eye to such things.
Whether for His Majesty or for this country, he had to go and confirm the truth of this intelligence!
Naturally, such a small matter wouldn't normally require the Warrior Chief's personal involvement. However, the nobles, who controlled the main army, had no intention of taking action. What they wanted was for the Royal Family and the Empire to wear each other down; as long as the Empire didn't harm their interests, they wouldn't lift a finger.
The old King let out a sigh.
"Warrior Chief, hear my command. I am sending you to the Tob Great Forest to investigate the truth of this intelligence."
"Your subordinate obeys your command!"
Afterward, the Warrior Chief bid farewell to His Majesty and led the troops he had trained toward the border between the Kingdom and the Empire—the Tob Great Forest. Due to the interference of the Noble Faction, he was unable to take the Kingdom's treasures with him.
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