NOVEL NEXT Chapter 223:
The Twisted Wilderness, having been without rain for hundreds of years and thus turned into a desert, was a dangerous area teeming with various monsters.
Moreover, it was a geopolitically worthless area, a forsaken land that no one paid any attention to.
The Varuna's Water Pillar was located in such a Twisted Wilderness, standing there abandoned and unguarded.
To obtain the Varuna's Water Pillar, one would need to deal with the monsters living in the Twisted Wilderness and simply take it away.
A few days ago.
Otto had the magic swordsmen and the Lota Kingdom's army retrieve the Holy Relic.
The monsters were a bit of a nuisance, and the transportation was somewhat challenging, but there was no need for Otto to personally get involved.
“What kind of Pillar is this?"
Camille asked Otto.
“It regulates the climate.” answered Otto.“What?”
“It, controls the climate?”
Varuna's Pillar of Water was a holy relic of the same rank as the Scripture of Reconciliation.
[Varuna's Water Pillar]
Oh, Prosperity!
Be Eternal!
– Great Shaman
Description: A relic of an ancient city-state. Enchanted with ancient magic, this mysterious pillar is a priceless architectural marvel.
Category: Holy Relic
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Effect: Controls the climate at the will of the wielder and protects against climatic natural disasters such as snow, rain, heatwave, and drought.
“With this pillar, I can control the rain.”
“I-Is that really true?"
“Have you ever seen me lie?"
"….."
"Have you?"
"….."
“I asked if you've seen it!”
“You usually lie with your mou….”
“That's only for the enemies!!!”
Otto shouted loudly.
“Do you think I'm some kind of liar?!!!”
Otto, while grumbling and getting angry for a while then turned to Camille.
“Wait and see. Whether it's true or not. I'll confirm it.”
“I didn't say I didn't believe you.”
“You'll see!”
Otto yelled and stomped off.
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Meanwhile, the knights sent into the Twisted Wilderness by Kalmar's orders found no such relic.
There were remnants of ancient ruins in the Twisted Wilderness, in the form of collapsed buildings and other structures.
However, they could not find the massive pillar with wave-like patterns, known as the Varuna's Water Pillar.
“We're pulling out.”
“Understood.”
In the end, the Knights of the Cherokee Kingdom found nothing and were forced to turn back.
That was only natural.
This was because Varuna's Water Pillar had already been taken by the Lota Kingdom's forces, who had received orders from Otto and had thoroughly erased any traces of it.
“Your Majesty, we did not find anything in the Twisted Wilderness.”
“I understand.”
Kalmar was very displeased after receiving the report from the returning knights.
‘Perhaps this Sullivan is a spy sent by the Lota Kingdom.'
Kalmar was suspicious of Sullivan.
Out of the blue, talking about a Great Flood.
That they should search the twisted wilderness for a relic from an ancient civilization within it.
No matter how much he thought about it, it was a preposterous claim.
If they had found Varuna's Water Pillar, the story would have been different, but with no results, suspicion only grew stronger.
‘Is this also a scheme by those Lota bastards?'
After suffering devastating defeats in the previous two major battles due to schemes rather than strategy, Kalmar could only think this way.
They were defeated in the Loredin Kingdom by a faked surrender, and in the Border Fortress by a deceptive lure.
And now, is there going to be a Great Flood due to heavy rain?¹
It was indeed suspicious.
It occurred to him that this might be a ploy to catch the Cherokee Kingdom astray and keep them from preparing for war.
“Immediately capture that man named Sullivan.”
Kalmar immediately ordered Sullivan’s arrest and convened a court.
He then interrogated Sullivan himself.
“What is your connection with the Lota Kingdom?”
“Y-Your Majesty!”
Sullivan, who had been captured without knowing anything, was greatly perplexed by the question.
“I have no connection with the Lota Kingdom at all!”
“You expect me to believe that?”
Kalmar glared at Sullivan with a cold expression.
“Before you came to visit. We had intelligence that the Kingdom of Lota was preparing for heavy rains, and then you came along and told me there would be a Great Flood, and directed me to find an ancient relic in the Twisted Wilderness. Is this a coincidence?”
“I-I don't know about any of that! Your Majesty! I only informed you out of fear that a great flood would strike my beloved kingdom!”
“Is that so?”
“I swear, Your Majesty! I am merely a scholar who has spent a lifetime studying the climate for my kingdom! How could I possibly be a spy for those Lota….”
“Shut up!”
Kalmar shouted, cutting Sullivan off.
“How long did you think you could fool me?”
“Y-Your Majesty!”
“Come!”
Kalmar shouted to his knights.
“Thoroughly interrogate this person and make the whole truth clear!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Thus, Sullivan underwent a very harsh interrogation, accompanied by brutal torture.
Otto's actions in preparing for the Great Flood and taking Varuna’s Water Pillar unintentionally caused victims.
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The torture and interrogation of Sullivan continued for three days and nights.
"N-Never… Absolutely not… I just… for the sake of my Kingdom… the research results… all truthfully….”
Sullivan, despite the harsh torture, continued to assert his innocence and pleaded his injustice.
It was a torturous time, as if he was being framed for a crime he didn't commit, but Sullivan remained determined.
‘As a scholar, I dedicated my research results to the Kingdom! How can they treat me like this! Even accusing me of being a spy for the enemy Kingdom!’
Sullivan, out of a sense of injustice, couldn't admit to a crime he didn't commit.
And because of that feeling of injustice, Sullivan was able to survive until the end.
“Your Majesty, it seems that Sullivan is not a spy of Lota's after all.”
“Did I, the King, wrongly imprison an innocent man?”
“That is not the case.”
When the commander of the knights noticed Kalmar's discomfort, he quickly diverted the conversation.
“Maybe this man, Sullivan, was simply being used by the Lota bastards, sire?”
“Used….”
“It is possible that the Lota Kingdom orchestrated things so that Sullivan spread false information.”
“Hmm.”
“Furthermore, given the prisoner's refusal to change his story after all that torture and repeated interrogation, it seems unlikely that he has any malicious intentions, though he may have displeased Your Majesty.”
“I suppose that could be true.”
"For now, how about releasing Sullivan, placing him under house arrest, and then keeping an eye on him?"
The Knight Commander cautiously offered his opinion.
"It is troublesome to keep him imprisoned and continue the torture, but at the same time, letting him loose could lead him to spread rumors and mislead the public. Therefore, for now, let him be under house arrest at least until winter comes, and keep watch over him.”
“Do so."
Kalmar agreed with the knight commander's suggestion.
By placing Sullivan under house arrest for now, it would be possible to prevent him from spreading rumors about the coming Great Flood this fall and from making claims of being falsely accused.
Given that public sentiment is already unfavorable, rumors of capturing an innocent person would put Kalmar in a very difficult position.
“Do it, but keep a close eye on him to make sure he's not in league with those from Lota.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Kalmar issued the order and then convened a court meeting.
“It is suspected that the recent movements of the Lota Kingdom are a scheme to deceive our Kingdom and induce complacency. There is a very high probability that it is an operation designed to make our Kingdom expend its resources preparing for a flood instead of for war. The general consensus is that Sullivan is either a spy planted by the Lota people or a puppet used by them to spread false rumors.”
The officials all bowed their heads in unison, agreeing with Kalmar's opinion.
“Your words are most wise.”
“How could such a Great Flood possibly occur?”
“How can a man who sits at his desk and fiddles with a quill pen possibly foretell such a Catastrophe? Your words are indeed right a hundred times over.”
His officials were not convinced by Sullivan's proposed theory.
Neither did he, for Sullivan's claim was no different from saying the world would end tomorrow.
“Therefore..”
Kalmar spoke up.
“As soon as this Fall’s harvest is completed, we plan to launch a renewed invasion of Lota. We will surely avenge our defeat in the previous war.”
“Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty!"
The officials actively supported Kalmar.
The invasion of Lota was not only a preventive war for future generations but also a matter of pride, making it impossible to retreat without taking action.
“Then…"
One official asked Kalmar.
“What will be done to prepare for the flood in case it happens?”
“That is the machinations of the Lota.”
Kalmar dismissed the question as if it were not even worth discussing.
“However, just in case, we will make some preparations, but there is no need to overexert our national resources.”
"Yes, Your Majesty. We will do so.”
Thus, Kalmar resolved not to prepare for the impending flood and to invest the nation's resources solely in military power.
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A few days later.
"Have I devoted my entire life to this damned Kingdom…?”
Under house arrest, Sullivan gazed out the window and sighed.
His body was battered from harsh torture, and his heart was filled with such injustice that he wished he could die right now.
Physically and emotionally, he was reduced to a rag.
As if that weren’t enough, after being released, he lived a life under constant surveillance, never stepping outside even once.
Could it be because of that?
Since being released, Sullivan struggled to recover and could only languish in depression.
The deep-seated injustice he felt was so overwhelming that it ultimately caused him to fall ill.
‘Should I just take my own life?'
The mental anguish was so severe that Sullivan was even considering taking his own life.
However, Sullivan could not bring himself to end his own life.
It wasn’t because of a fear of death.
‘My research was not wrong. There will be a great flood. When it comes, everyone will know. That I was right.'
Sullivan was willing to grit his teeth and live to see that his research was not wrong.
‘Even if everyone regrets and beats the ground, it will be too late by then…'
Then.
“Baron Sullivan.”
Sullivan was startled when a young man with blond hair approached and addressed him.
"Who are you? Has His Majesty now ordered surveillance even in the bedroom?"
“I am.”
The blond young man shook his head with a smile.
“I'm not some minion sent by Baron Sullivan's King.”
"…..?"
“My name is Otto de Scuderia, and I am the new King of the Kingdom of Lota.”
“W-What do you mean?!”
Sullivan said, stumbling back in alarm.
"A-Are you truly saying that you are the King of the Lota Kingdom?"
"Yes, that’s right."
“Then why have you sought me out?”
Sullivan had no idea why Otto had come to see him.
Why has the King of the Lota Kingdom appeared in the heart of the capital of the Cherokee Kingdom?"
Just to meet with a mere meteorologist?
"I have come to escort you."
Otto smiled at Sullivan.
** ** **
TL/N:
1. Happened to me RL (Ground Level and 1st Level got Flooded) *Fck*
Had a thought of ‘Really need this [Varuna's Water Pillar] Holy Relic right about now.'