Berserk: The Prophet

—Naurudkahuati—

With no time to rest his army, which had just been through a fierce battle, Edward felt a chill that seemed to have fallen into an ice cave, and he could not shake it off from his heart. Even the midday sun in summer could not warm him.

So much so that he didn't even know when he led his army out of the city gates of the capital, Naurudkahuatti.

With over 3,500 Grand Duke's troops stationed in Norudkahuatti, the entire capital was now completely under the Grand Duke's control. Hokun no longer trusted anyone, not even the nobles who followed him.

The cunning viper never easily left its lair; it constantly dispatched scouts to relay messages, keeping abreast of Edward's latest news.

Looking at his defeated foes below the steps, He Kun felt a surge of exhilaration he had never experienced. The prisoners were escorted to the palace hall; it was time to settle all the scores from so many years ago!

...He didn't guarantee Edward that these prisoners would leave alive!

......

As the supervisor, Madwood became Edward's lieutenant. A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. This country was indeed heading towards its end.

Although, as a traditional Grantian, he felt a touch of disgrace upon hearing the Grand Duke's decision, why should he meddle when the country hadn't offered him anything in return? In any case, he was quite pleased with the scene of father and son arguing.

The first target was Kirsten's Guard camp. The rebel soldiers, who had lost their spirit after a fierce battle, were the perfect choice. They were furious that the Allied forces had not arrived in time to provide support. As usual, the Guard camp was leisurely having lunch.

"...Your Excellency Edward, what brings so many men here?" Several of General Kirsten's lieutenants were not present; only a newly appointed general of the Imperial Guard and his adjutants rushed over.

...So Kirsten wasn't in the barracks. Edward looked around listlessly. Although Kirsten, as a meritorious official and famous general of the Duchy of Grant, was still addressed as "General," he had actually retired long ago. However, the newly appointed General of the Royal Guard was indeed a newly promoted nobleman from under General Kirsten's command.

Even so, the Royal Guard would not be easily dispatched; only the military orders of Hokun or Kirsten's own prestige within the army could drive this backbone force of the Duchy of Grant.

Unlike the private soldiers of the old nobles who were hastily driven to fight for the Grand Duke before their blood had even dried, Edward's face was wiped clean by Folda before his departure, in order to preserve the dignity of the nobility. Edward looked up at the sky with his somewhat cloudy eyes, seemingly no different from before, his mother having told him to return safely.

"Why didn't you come to help? I don't think you're completely unaware of this."

The newly appointed general of the Imperial Guard frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Your Excellency Edward, the deployment of troops is not something we can decide on our own; it involves many factors."

Edward sneered: "Hmph, involved in many ways? Yes, you are the Duchy's Royal Guard, fighting only for the country."

At this moment, the adjutant, who had been standing silently to the side, spoke up: "Sir Edward, we have also requested instructions from Kirsten many times, but have received no response. If General Kirsten cannot come, we cannot easily undermine the morale of our troops!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of sarcasm flashed in Edward's eyes. "The so-called request for instructions is nothing but an excuse to shirk responsibility. Kirsten probably just wants to stay out of it, watch the fight unfold from the sidelines, and reap the benefits later, doesn't he?"

The adjutant's face flushed red, and he was about to retort when the general of the Royal Guard raised his hand to stop him. The general looked directly into Edward's eyes and said, "Your Excellency Edward, you misunderstand. Although General Kirsten has retired from the military, his loyalty to the Duchy has never wavered."

"But the situation is complicated right now, with various forces vying for power behind the scenes. We must act cautiously. I absolutely cannot allow the Royal Guard to fall into the enemy's trap, or be used... to do things that are detrimental to the Duchy." This general possessed the rigidity and integrity typical of the Grantians.

Even when Edward surrounded the camp with his army, he showed no fear and spoke frankly.

Edward stared at the Royal Guard general, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. This rigid demeanor really did resemble that idiot, Gurenbelud!

"Hehe...hahahahahahaha!" Edward's facial muscles suddenly trembled involuntarily. The long-suppressed emotions made him let out an almost insane laugh, unable to control himself.

He felt a tightness in his chest. It was ridiculous; there was nothing he could do. The difference between a prince and a king was only one word, yet they were worlds apart!

“Something detrimental to the duchy…” Edward took a long time to recover from his frenzied state, as if he hadn’t been the madman just now. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: “Unfortunately, this country is about to be completely destroyed.”

Meanwhile, the Imperial Guard troops, who were not yet fully prepared, had been completely brought under control by Edward's soldiers.

"What are you doing? Even you can't..." Before the guard general could react, Madwood, who was standing next to Edward, showed the military token to mobilize the guards.

Upon seeing the military token, the Imperial Guard general's face turned deathly pale. He never expected Edward to possess such a crucial item. The adjutants beside him also wore expressions of astonishment and anger, but surrounded by heavy troops, they dared not make a move.

Meanwhile, the rebel soldiers, unable to wait for reinforcements, impatiently pinned the guards who had dared to resist to the ground. What were they fighting so desperately to save the country in Nowrudkahuatti?

The reason they could hold out for so long was that the soldiers under those old nobles all knew that Grand Duke Hokun was going to sell the entire duchy to Juda, and every one of them was a confidant of that group of die-hard nobles.

Edward's smile vanished, replaced by a cold and resolute look in his eyes. He looked at the Guards General and said, "General, what do you have to say now? This military order is here, and your Guards should obey orders."

The general of the Imperial Guard took a deep breath, his heart filled with resentment, but he still tried to remain calm: "Your Excellency Edward, even with the military order, your actions will not convince the people. There must be something hidden behind this. Don't drag the Duchy into an even deeper abyss."

Edward ignored his words and turned to Madwood, ordering, "Keep these Royal Guard soldiers under guard. If they resist, kill them without mercy." Madwood accepted the order and began directing the soldiers.

Ha, isn't it your inaction that dragged the Duchy into the abyss? Fine, how could these brutes who only know how to fight on the battlefield possibly understand the current situation of the Duchy of Grant?

—The military is merely a tool for achieving political goals.

He was fully aware that his actions were destroying the last foundation of the duchy, bit by bit. He had already tried to save the country, but now everything was beyond his control.

Meanwhile, in the palace, Hokun, upon hearing the news that Edward had successfully taken control of the Royal Guard camp, wore a smug smile.

"You heard it too, didn't you? My son has almost brought the guards under control, and Kirsten isn't even in the camp. The Gurenbeluddo you all admire is completely finished, hahahahahahaha."

The defeated henchmen below the steps, including Dick, listened to He Kun's arrogant and triumphant words and maniacal laughter, but dared not utter a word of anger. They knew that He Kun held absolute power at this moment, and any resistance could bring annihilation; the several cruelly tortured corpses beside them were the best proof of this.

Hokun eagerly anticipated how Edward would further purge his former close friends and any forces that could threaten his rule, completely disregarding the fact that the duchy was already teetering on the brink of collapse.

...It's such a pity that I couldn't see his son's devastated expression.

After all... he had already decided to completely sell the country to Juda. No matter how dilapidated it became, it was none of his concern.