A THREAT WITH SCRAPS
"Oriese, I don't understand why you want us to help the Mad King take over the administration of Drachia kingdom. King Lavrentios is gone, and the demons pushed out of the kingdom, we have no more use of the barbarians", Apostle Matthieu asked me.
"The demon army has retreated yes but if the barbarians returned to the east, the demon army will return. It is advisable to have a buffer between the Church's domain in the northwest and the demon's forces. Letting the barbarian rule Drachia will benefit the church", I replied to the apostle and advised.
"Yes, that is wise, but these barbarians are so incompetent. They couldn't even subjugate these useless cities with their mighty and violent army", Apostle Matthieu said to me.
"That is the problem. If we allowed these stupid barbarians to have their way, all the cities in Drachia kingdom would be razed to the ground. That is the barbarian way", I replied to the apostle.
"So, you organized this conference so that the cities will subjugate to the barbarians without resorting to violence, to preserve their strength?" Apostle Matthieu asked.
"And tithes to the Church. If the cities in the kingdom are razed to the ground there would be no income to pay taxes to the church", I replied to him.
"That is wise, but the cities wouldn't be persuaded merely by attending this conference", Apostle Matthieu said.
"No, they will not", I replied to him.
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The representatives from the Kingdom of Nyx arrived late to the Conference of Cities in Drachia, but their delay was deliberate.
Their entrance was not a mere arrival; it was a spectacle.
Towering beings, nearly twice the size of ordinary humans, marched into the Conjurer Court auditorium, clad in formidable Mithrium armor.
These were no humans—they were Orcs, the fierce warriors of Nyx kingdom.
With tusks jutting from their mouths and horns crowning their heads, the Orcs exuded an aura of raw power and intimidation. Leading the procession, Orc knights escorted a moving pavilion.
Atop it stood the infamous Mad King, his presence commanding the room.
Behind him, dragged in large caravans were covered wagons, that the King brought to the conference for all to see.
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"These barbarians look hideous. It is fortunate that not all of them are like these monsters. It is disgusting to deal with these unclean filths", Apostle Matthieu told me about the orcs in the procession.
"That is the reason our diplomats only deal with these barbarians in the city of Saulkstone where there are more humans. To the south of Nyx-Nymera is filled with these monstrous atrocities", I replied to the apostle.
"Yes, that is the reason we do not go south to their southern capital of Istiopolis city", the apostle replied to me.
When we started diplomacy with the Church of All-seeing, we received all their priests and representatives in the city of Saulkstone which we renovated specially to receive those from the Church.
The Church representatives were barred from going to Istiopolis city, our real capital, to prevent them from spying on us. The reason we gave was the southerners were all orcs who couldn't understand the priest's language.
"The Church is wise. What diplomacy can we do with monsters like these?", I replied to the apostle.
"Hu gare look samit", an orc screamed out loudly.
"What did the beast say?" Apostle Matthieu asked me.
"He said their king will address us now", I replied to him.
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"Kneel before your king, scum of this wretched land!" the Mad King bellowed, his voice echoing through the conference chamber, igniting fury among the gathered governors.
The Mad King stood defiantly, his muscular frame barely covered by strips of leather that only emphasized his immense strength. Flanked by grotesque orcs under his command, he exuded an aura of raw power and menace.
Yet, there was something strikingly familiar about him.
Upon his head rested the glowing Crown of Eloora, the ancient symbol of Drachia's kingship passed down through generations. This crown marked him as the one who had successfully endured the Trial of Eloora, making him the new ruler of Drachia.
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"Impossible. This rude Mad King possesses the Crown of Eloora", a governor said in shock and surprise.
"Yes, the Crown of Eloora is legitimate. I can recognize its magic. Does it mean the Temple of Eloora can accept our knights again for Baptism of magic", another asked.
The knights from the Noble families, with their arrangement with the royal family of Drachia would previously be entitled to enter the Temple of Eloora for Baptism of Magic.
The Baptism of Magic is the name for the process of being strengthened by the machine inside Eloora Temple. The baptism was cherished and sought after by even the strongest knight templars in the land.
"If the Temple of Eloora still offers our knights the ceremony of Baptism of Magic, subjugating to the rude bastard may be negotiable", someone else suggested.
"Yeah, we will do that for magic", another added.
However, the Mad King wasn't offering to the cities and the Noble families Baptisms of Magic anymore.
"Open the covers on the wagons", the Mad King shouted to his men.
The Mad King's men uncovered the wagons they brought into the conference to reveal wrecked and distorted machineries of mysterious origins.
"What are those pipes and hoses the bastard brought in? Does he want to bribe us with the scrap yard. Hahaha", the audience asked and laughed at the display.
However, their laughter turned into despair and anger when the Mad King revealed what was the scraps he brought to the conference.
"I have obtained the Crown of Eloora by passing the Trial of Eloora", the Mad King announced to the crowd to their silence and anticipation.
"Finally, our knights can achieve breakthrough again in the Temple of Eloora", some shouted out in joy before their joy were quickly drowned by the king's next words.
"I've done it and proven what the rest of the Drach scum bloodline failed to do. I've obtained the Crown of Eloora. Now I present to you scums who supported the Drach family all these years", the Mad King told the crowd as he pointed at the scraps.