Chapter 67

Because this is Ocean Planet.

So, what about the Dead Apostle?

Where do inanimate objects come from? And where do they go?

Only the moon, floating gently in the dark sky, seemed to be laughing.

"You surpassed Crimson Moon in some aspects, but were abandoned by Crimson Moon because you were too unstable."

"But now, the kings of the past are dead, leaving only the sole heir to the throne, the sole princess, the sole... 'one'?"

Van Fem's breath stirred the surface of the Wine.

Flowers bloom on the surface, with deep red rose petals spilling out one by one.

"Altrouge Brunestud, the factor that the Grand Sorcerer saw, the factor that would end the Crimson Moon problem for him, is not you. Because of this, you are destined never to become 'One,' nor ever to become a king. Your nature, your Future, and your efforts are just as Crimson Moon, who has already abandoned you, said—"

Whether it was magic or Magecraft, the petals were scattered by the sea breeze and flowed into the Dnieper River in Eastern Europe.

"Just a failure."

135: The Princess Who Chose 'Shameful'

"A failed product."

In Altrouge Brunestud's eyes, Van Fem's words echoed those of the former Moon King.

Her condescending words carried a merciless tone, leaving Altrouge Brunestud speechless.

She didn't know how to answer, so she simply nodded gently, as if bowing her head.

Because besides that, Princess Ji didn't know what else she could do.

But later, after the Battle of Millennium Castle...

"Now that Crimson Moon is dead, as the Future king, you should go and wipe out the restless Dead Apostle, the human Church that is eyeing us covetously, and the True Ancestor who have fallen and become 'Demon King'."

The True Ancestor are species created by the Planet, beings with natural senses. However, the birth of the True Ancestor has flaws, such as the blood-sucking impulse. This is probably because the Prototype they were used as a reference was inherently flawed.

All True Ancestor crave the blood of "humans," the beings they are meant to control, and constantly expend their Divine Power to suppress this impulse. Even so, there is a limit, because they cannot fundamentally resolve the bloodsucking urge. Their desires are slowly accumulated, and eventually, they cannot suppress them with their own power. Such True Ancestor will personally sink into eternal slumber, which is the end of their lifespan.

Among them were True Ancestor who succumbed to their Desire and indiscriminately drank human blood, thus being called Fallen True Ancestor.

"Altrouge Brunestud, you are the queen who commands us, the True Ancestor."

After Crimson Moon's fall, the Mage's Association, the Church, Vampire Species suffered the most heavy losses, with the True Ancestor of the Vampire Species being mostly killed or wounded. With the foundation for cooperation gone, the True Ancestor urgently needed a "hunting machine" to act as their "Judgment," and the princess with the strongest abilities was naturally the best candidate. Moreover, she was the "relic" of the "sinner" Crimson Moon, so even if they used her as a tool True Ancestor would not feel guilty.

But no one wants to be someone else's tool, so the Black Princess, along with her loyal Black-and-White Knights, the Royal Army that swore to serve the original royal family to the death, and her pet, ran away.

However, the True Ancestor were not actually that worried about Ji Jun's departure, because at that time, there was already another Crimson Moon's 'legacy' in the Millennium Castle.

That is Arcueid, the younger sister of Altrouge Brunestud, who will truly be born and succeed over time. She appeared in the 12th century and is almost a replica of Crimson Moon's combat ability. She is a princess destined to become the True Ancestor of the Primordial One '.

However, Altrouge Brunestud was unaware of this, and to this day, she continues to strive to become the queen of the Millennium Castle.

Avia was listening silently to the side, naturally understood the purpose of Van Fem's visit to find Altrouge Brunestud.

Arcueid's true birth was too late; the current Dead Apostle couldn't hold out until then. So, Van Phim and the White-Winged Duke Lord decided that the Dead Apostle they brought would attack Millennium Castle, allowing Altrouge Brunestud to kill and devour Arcueid, who was still in the process of being born.

Thus, it was made One of the Primordials " of the " Aether Attainer " capable of opposing the Church.

"I didn't expect--"

After hearing Van Fem's words, Altrouge Brunestud sighed.

The indifferent Dead Apostle, who rarely wavered and never showed any sign of wavering, let out a long sigh as if he didn't know how to express his emotions.

I also have a younger sister.

This fact caused Altrouge Brunestud had deliberately used all her energy to appear in adult form, to purse her lips slightly.

She felt nothing. Even upon hearing that she actually had a 'sister,' she felt no emotion whatsoever. Perhaps it was based solely on 'blood ties,' but it was still too unfamiliar to her. Or perhaps it was because she was destined to fail. This forced realization of the truth saddened her, leaving her feeling depressed and melancholic.

"What does Your Highness think?" Van Fem's face still bore the same smile he had when they first met. "If we add the two Black-and-White Knights, the original Royal Guard, and the Demon Hound —my and that White-Winged Duke's Dead Apostle —to hold off the remaining True Ancestor, Your Highness's success is highly probable."

In Avia's view, the Financial Demon King's proposal was practically a carbon copy of the original True Ancestor's plan to have the White Princess hunt down the Black Princess: first, send elite troops to hold off the Black-and-White Knights and the Demon Hound, allowing the two beings, who were almost indistinguishable from nature, to engage in a stalemate...

"Heh, and what's with this attitude, Van Fem? Who gave you the right to speak like that, especially since you're the ones asking for my help?"

For some reason, the girl laughed happily, as if she were the one who had just spoken so arrogantly.

I'm so sorry.

It is highly unlikely that Van Femme changed his mind.

In Avia's view, neither the White-Winged Duke nor the Financial Demon King had changed their opinion that Altrouge Brunestud was a failure.

Even so, the dark-skinned princess still sternly expressed through her words and indifferent, calm eyes that she would not allow anyone to insult her.

"I will consider your suggestions. Just wait patiently for my reply."

"That's natural."

Van Fem raised his Wine glass and bowed to the departing princess.

As she turned around, the black-haired girl seemed to remember the promise she had made to Avia in Constantinople, so she stopped and turned around immediately.

"Um, I'm leaving now. You have to stay with me, Avia."

She said it so naturally.

"In that case, I won't bother you any longer. Let's talk again next time, Your Excellency Avia."

Van Fem treated Avia the same way he treated the departing princess, squinting as he watched the two figures gradually disappear, and taking a sip of the Wine that was basically just for decoration.

"Have you made a decision yet?"

The silver-haired youth walking beside her turned his head and asked, his blue eyes reflecting the indifferent figure of the princess.

"Um."

Altrouge Brunestud, now back in her girlish form, meticulously prepared her expression and tone, nodding briefly and coldly.

"To be honest, I have no resentment towards the True Ancestor who tried to use me... To be honest, I don't hate them at all, nor do I want to hate them; there's no point in doing so. It's the same with my sister, whom I've never met; she's fine no matter what."

Then Altrouge Brunestud laughed, a laugh that was the exact opposite of what she had said, a laugh that was utterly cold and sorrowful.

"But if I can't become 'one,' then everything in the world will have no meaning for me."

Altrouge Brunestud.

The princess of the Dead Apostle, the Black Princess who was considered a failure, said this to the human beside her.

Therefore, I can only 'make a fool of myself'.

136: The Tragedy of the Sasanian Empire

Only the Altrouge Brunestud faction and Avia knew about Van Fem's visit and its purpose.

Avia didn't press Black Princess about when she would agree to go to the Millennium Castle, because his thinking was quite simple.

If they invite me, I'll go with them; if not, it doesn't matter.

After all, he was currently quite busy as he had to personally oversee all sorts of matters concerning the Huns Empire. While the Huns had no shortage of military talent, their political ability to govern the country was almost entirely dependent on Avia and a few others. However, this was to be expected, given their nomadic lifestyle.

In the midst of his busy schedule, Avia also had Attila implement a policy targeting the diverse and varied peoples of his vast territory. Whether they were bankrupt refugees from the Western Rome, those seeking profit from the Eastern Rome, or people from even more distant lands, they were all treated the same as the Huns—

Those who return are my people. Anyone who plunders local property shall be killed without mercy. Anyone who takes the people's horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, or pigs without permission shall be punished.

In addition, it is necessary to improve the military equipment system...

Although these were just a few simple items, they all cost money. The Huns' finances were not as well-developed as Rome's. Moreover, both the Western Rome severely restricted trade between Huns merchants. Furthermore, the two Rome were generally united against external threats. Although Avia believed that the Huns he led could defeat the Eastern Rome, the possibility of the two uniting was uncertain. Therefore, he could not use the pretext of 'seeking peace' to make various demands to increase his own strength.

Therefore, they could only wait for the Western Rome's food lifeline, North Africa, to be occupied, and for something slightly earlier, for the Sasanian Empire and the Hephthalite Empire in Western Asia to fall into war.

Just as the Roman Empire was embroiled in a crisis with the Germans and the Huns, the Sasanian Empire in Western Asia also had to deal with another group of people: the Hephthalites, who were descendants of the Yuezhi people of the Han Dynasty and were known as the "White Huns" by the Eastern Rome.

From the 1520s onwards, the Hephthalites crossed the Amu Darya and invaded the Sasanian Empire.

Once the two sides start fighting, the Huns Empire can take the opportunity to concentrate its forces to cross the Caucasus Mountains and attack the Sasanian Empire from both sides, directly capture the capital Ctesiphon, and force them to sign a treaty.

As for whether the Eastern Rome would assist, it is probably not. After all, the Sasanian Empire dynasty was predominantly Zoroastrianism and pursued a harsh religious policy. Furthermore, since the Avesta had been completed, religious Heresy and apostasy would be severely punished, and Christ would be persecuted. This was also the Christianity policy pursued by the dynasty to counter the Roman Empire.

Even before the Rome split, the two empires had already clashed with the Armenia region over this issue.

Moreover, the Magecraft popular in the Sasanian Empire was not from the two major schools of the East and West, but from a third school, namely, Cursecraft from the Middle East.

Generally speaking, the nobles of the Sasanian Empire held great power in governing the dynasty, including the governance of border regions. Their positions were mostly hereditary, and many positions were monopolized by a single family for several generations.

Senior border ministers may possess their own Silver Throne, while ministers in strategically important locations such as the Caucasus may possess Golden Throne. In times of war, these ministers serve as battlefield commanders, and lower-ranking officers may also lead troops into battle.

Avia also took the time to observe the Sasanian Empire's defenses in the Caucasus Mountains to the north, and found that there were quite a few Cursecaster there. The Cursecaster were a group that played with transformation, so if the Werewolf Tribe brought by Sinfjötli were mixed in with them, there wouldn't be much of a conflict.

Sinfjötli brought over ten thousand Werewolf from Scandinavian Island. Excluding the old, weak, sick, and those unwilling to fight, there were about three thousand who could fight, which could be considered an elite force, and they were all Phantasmal Species.

Add to that the princess's three hundred Royal Guard, the Three-Headed Dragon, the Golden Wolf, Attila, and the Huns army—once they cross the Caucasus Mountains, they would be enough to confront the Sasanian Empire head-on. Moreover, Avia also has Typhon...

However, Typhon probably doesn't want to reveal the mecha itself; at most, he'll have Avia wear the armor she transforms into for combat.

Speaking of which, ever since Typhon was introduced to Attila by Avia that day, the red-haired girl has become much more timid, but conversely, she has become much more verbose when Telepathy to Avia.

Attila, on the other hand, would find time each day to fight Avia, then quietly wait in his tent until nightfall before returning home.

In short, everything is slowly passing by with time.

Six months later, on that day, countless creatures on the Eastern European Steppe were bathed in the bright sunlight as usual.

The earth, bathed in warm sunlight, seemed to Gilgamesh and sparkle. Meanwhile, news arrived from the Huns Empire's spies within the Sasanian Empire.

Just as Avia had predicted, the Hephthalite Empire crossed the Amu Darya and invaded the Sasanian Empire, but one thing caught him completely off guard.

That was, the Sasanian Empire king had died.

According to reliable sources, the king attempted to repel the Hephthalites, but was ambushed by Hephthalites Amu Darya and died on the spot. The victorious Hephthalites then extended the war from the Amu Darya to the heart of the Sasanian Empire.

The king's death in battle and his lack of an heir plunged the Sasanian Empire into chaos and instability. Although the Sasanian Empire nobles hastily supported the king's brother to ascend the throne in the face of external enemies, it was clear that if the invading Hephthalites could not be defeated, the dynasty would likely fall apart.

If the final outcome is peace talks, then the new king, supported by the nobles, will be deposed sooner or later, and may even be blinded.

It doesn't matter which one, because the minister currently in control of the Caucasus is clearly not a loyalist to the dynasty.

Perhaps thinking that the Huns outside the Caucasus Mountains were unaware of this intelligence, the minister wanted to return to the center of the dynasty to get a share of the spoils. In any case, most of the army and Cursecaster originally stationed in the Caucasus Mountains were transferred away. However, before leaving, the minister specially sent an envoy to the Huns Empire to discuss a peace treaty to open trade, presumably in order to buy time and take the opportunity to conclude a treaty.

However, before this envoy even reached the Huns lands in Eastern Europe,

He then saw it: on the vast grassland, the Sun seemed to tremble in the smoke and dust, and the earth groaned beneath the warhorses.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, it seemed as if only the hooves of warhorses were hammering against the world before them, their hooves thundering and echoing.

Even though the Sun had not yet set, the messenger felt that it was getting darker and darker, and he could hardly see the road.

Then, he seemed to see countless Raven circling over the entire Sasanian Empire—

Without hesitation or second thought, they slaughtered everything in their path.

137: The White Wave Sweeping Western Asia

Pharsalus, currently controlled by the Sasanian Empire, was once an ancient Greece colony and a transportation hub connecting the Asia Minor peninsula and the Caucasus Mountains.

Furthermore, its proximity to the Black Sea and the passage of a river of the same name have made it an essential route between the sea and the inland mountains.

Originally, this area was under the control of the Roman Empire, but the Sasanian Empire seized it during the period of Rome division and used it as a defensive stronghold in the Caucasus region.

As a crucial military stronghold for defending against the southward advance of the Huns from the north, its South lies Armenia, a region with extremely harsh geography and climate, making it of great strategic significance.

To the west lies central Anatolia, to the east the Caspian Sea, and to the south the rich Mesopotamia. Armenia is a Cross leading directly to the heartland of both sides... In fact, it could be said that whichever side takes Armenia will pose a significant threat to the other.

As night falls, starlight adorns the boundless night sky above Pharsalus. All is quiet except for the sound of the breeze rustling through the Leaf and the babbling of a distant stream, evoking a sense of tranquility and profound peace.

At the city wall, Cursecaster on guard patrolled the area.

Since most of their military force had been taken away, the defenses were now relatively weak, requiring more patrols. They naturally assumed that the nobles who ruled them were a group of people who were good at management, calculation, and strategy, so they would not question the orders they were given.

So, the people of Pharsalus remained unchanged. After all, no one believed that the barbaric Huns would dare to attack this area. Once discovered, the Sasanian Empire, relying on the Caucasus Mountains, would essentially be in a situation of plunging downwards.