I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1410: I Am A Lot Of Things

Northern kept thinking that he had heard the man’s name before, but it didn’t take long to remember. Sundered Waves. One of the men who had come to Lithia’s aid, though at the time he’d really been there to fetch his sister.

All of them gathered in the palace. The warm atmosphere spread even to Sael, who sat behind Northern, watching.

”Ah, Lord Northern, please feel free, say anything you need to say... this is the safest place to be in this kingdom and you’re in the hands of the most trustworthy people.”

Northern glanced at each of them first. The three princes were smiling, the Queen was smiling, and Roma was smiling too, although for some reason she wouldn’t meet his gaze.

’Is she okay?’

Northern nodded and then spoke.

”I think we may need to ambush the Empire’s army.”

Northern’s words ambushed the King instead. He froze mid-lean, mouth slightly open. The princes went still. The Queen’s smile didn’t waver, but something behind her eyes sharpened.

No one spoke.

Northern looked around the room, genuinely confused by the silence.

Sael leaned close and whispered.

”You just said something no one has ever said. They’ve probably never heard anyone arrange those words in that order.”

Northern’s confusion deepened.

’They’ve never heard anyone say they want to ambush the Empire...’

Prince Rhoma suddenly let out a loud, wild laugh.

”As expected, as expected! I heard about you from the generals. You really are like that.”

Northern’s brows creased.

”Like how?”

He chuckled.

”Built different from the rest of us.”

Northern shrugged and said nothing.

King Ruger leaned forward, brushing his beard.

”Ambushing the Empire is not an easy matter. This will give them reason to come at us with significant force. Can we bear the consequences?”

Northern almost shook his head.

’Over and over again, they haven’t learnt my significance.’

He met the King’s eyes.

”You’re not convinced we can repel the Empire itself?”

The room went quiet in a different way than before. Heavier.

Prince Rhama forced a chuckle.

”Listen, based on what I’ve heard... I know you’re a strong man and even have dependable companions, but you don’t understand Reinhard Empire.”

He stood up.

”Let me give you an idea. The man who led this campaign is a Baron. He recently became a Silver Knight, on the path to becoming a Numbered Knight. Now, Numbered Knights are a different conversation entirely, Lord Northern... an army of a hundred Silver Knights, led by two double-digit Numbered Knights, is enough to destroy the entirety of Ryugan. And yet that’s not their main force. If the Empire were serious about this, they wouldn’t be struggling like this.

”What this battle shows us is that this was a single person’s ambition. Lord Pyrrhus couldn’t have acted alone, so he most likely has the backing of a Prince. His humiliating failure may allow the Prince to simply ignore him. But if we dare attack them in any form, they might mobilize sufficient force to destroy not just us, but the entire continent.”

Northern sat there for a moment, letting the weight of the prince’s fear settle. Then he raised his gaze.

”So... an imminent attack is approaching your gates. There’s a way to contain it, strike before they get the chance, but you won’t choose that. Why? Because you’re scared of the Empire? Even though they’re already here, ravaging your lands?”

He chuckled, a short sound with no warmth in it.

’Quite something, the work decades of fear can do...’

He opened his mouth to continue, but the Queen’s voice arrived first.

She laughed. The sound of it was brittle and musical at the same time, like something beautiful that could cut you. For reasons Northern couldn’t name, the laugh made the hair on his arms rise.

”My stupid sons and stupid husband. Oh my, Lord Northern, forgive them. They can be quite short-sighted.”

The King and his sons swallowed as one. They looked down when she sent a single cold glare their way, and none of them looked back up until she’d already turned that heavenly smile on Northern.

”Lord Northern, you have a plan... don’t you? One that will bring down the Empire.”

King Ruger and his boys widened their eyes, but not one of them dared open their mouths.

Northern lingered for a moment. Even he felt a tingle of something at the back of his neck. This woman was very dangerous and very harmless, somehow both at once.

”Yes, I do... though the end point isn’t to destroy them. I doubt they’re in a state where they can afford to fight Ryugan to the brink of their own destruction.”

This was based on the information he had received.

The Queen nodded and smiled.

”Then we shall trust your judgment...”

She regarded King Ruger with an expression that held no warmth.

”Dear, convincing the court to do this will not be easy, but you must give it your absolute best.”

King Ruger coughed and cleared his throat.

”Of—of course, my dear wife.”

His words fell over each other on the way out.

The sons sat rigid and attentive, saying nothing.

”And let’s trust Lord Northern, okay? Dear...”

King Ruger smiled with his eyes shut and nodded quickly.

”Yes, yes.”

She turned to the rest of them. They nodded before she had to say anything else.

Finally she turned to Northern.

”So, Lord Northern, if you’d like, we can discuss the details here?”

Northern smiled and nodded.

”There wouldn’t be too many details to discuss. I want Sael here to lead the ambush. Since it will be a ranged battle, I’ll need especially skilled archers. Right now, I’m working on crafting about five hundred bows and arrows before sunrise...”

He paused and looked at all of them.

Every face in the room wore the same expression.

”You want to... craft five hundred bows before sunrise?”

King Ruger was the one who broke the silence.

”Matter of fact, I never even knew you were a crafter?!”

Northern chuckled shyly.

”Well... I am a lot of things.”