“It’s hard to believe, Pascal. No, it’s not just hard to believe—it’s more accurate to say I don’t want to believe it.”

King Thorvald of Canaria sighed heavily as he spoke.

The Duke of Dragnaut, his trusted confidant, had requested an unexpected audience just moments ago. Despite knowing that the king was extremely busy dealing with the aftermath of Duke Clovis’s issues, the Duke of Dragnaut insisted on discussing a matter critical to the survival of the kingdom and urgently requested a meeting.

With such a plea from his top minister, the king had no choice but to meet.

Judging that it would be better without others present, the king invited the Duke of Dragnaut into the conversation room. It was the same room where the king had once discussed matters with Claudius and Sora, the king’s son.

The Duke of Dragnaut then revealed a truth from three hundred years ago and Sora’s proposal for governing the Titis Forest.

The current King of Canaria was not known for his decisiveness. Already troubled by the follies of his great uncle, he was further confused by being presented with a narrative that could overturn the history of the continent.

It was understandably overwhelming.

The Adoastera Empire dominated with its military might, and the Temple of Law with its multitude of followers—each leading the continent in their respective fields. To be told that behind a historical conspiracy led by these two powers lay a dragon intent on “purifying the world” by annihilating humanity sounded like mere fantasy, especially without any concrete evidence.

The king continued speaking to his trusted advisor, his voice heavy with another sigh.

“The Great War with the demon people three hundred years ago was merely a ruse by the Temple of Law, their true intent being to resurrect the dragon and purify the world. And you say the necessary ‘Dragon’s Nest’ is located in the Titis Forest? If this is true, it would explain why the Temple of Law has been unusually cooperative with us recently. It was all preparation to acquire the Dragon’s Nest.”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

“However, without any concrete evidence, we cannot simply believe it. Moreover, Sora, who brought us this story, is set to inherit the Mitsurugi family and join the imperial nobility. Appointing him to govern Titis would certainly provoke backlash from the courtiers. How do you plan to manage that, Pascal?”

As the king posed this difficult question, the Duke responded with a calm voice.

“I fear that this appointment has been made on my recommendation, and I would have it announced as such.”

“So you will take all responsibility?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty. As you say, announcing Lord Sora as the governor of Titis would inevitably lead to objections. However, if we attempt to persuade the courtiers before welcoming Lord Sora, it could take considerable time. In the meantime, if the Empire learns of this situation, they will scheme to keep Lord Sora within the Empire.”

Sora was not adamant about serving in Canaria; he was merely interested in Titis Forest as a relocation site for the demon people.

If the Empire provides an alternative relocation site and if Canaria delays the acceptance, Sora might choose to side with the Empire.

The potential damage if that happened was incalculable. Therefore, the Duke of Dragnaut had resolved to take full responsibility for the personnel decision, shouldering any backlash from other ministers himself.

Hearing this, King Thorvald furrowed his brow in thought.

“Indeed, we cannot afford to lose Sora to the Empire. But from what you’re telling me, the upper echelons of the Empire are connected with the Temple of Law, aren’t they? It’s hard to believe that those who consort with the dragon and support the purification would welcome Sora or the demon people.”

“This is conjecture, but it’s likely that the Empire’s upper echelons are not entirely united. Some may align with the Temple of Law, while undoubtedly, others would not approve of their current regime being disrupted by the purification.”

The Duke of Dragnaut thought of Emperor Amadeus II, for instance.

From what he had heard from Sora, it seemed likely that the Emperor held a negative view of the purification. After all, the Emperor could have easily prevented Sora’s journey to the demon world if he had wished to.

Yet, the Emperor had willingly sent Sora there, possibly aiming to eliminate both Pope Sophia and the dragon through Sora’s efforts.

If this conjecture was correct, there was a high probability that the Emperor would extend his hand to Sora and the demon people.

Furthermore, Crown Prince Richard, known for his aggressive territorial expansion, might act out of desire for the power of Sora and the demon people.

It was unclear if the Crown Prince was aware of the purification, but given his actions focused on territorial expansion, it was unlikely he would passively accept humanity’s judgment by the dragon.

It would not be surprising if the Crown Prince sought to welcome Sora and the demon people to enhance his military strength—this the Duke of Dragnaut stated, looking directly at his sovereign.

“As Your Majesty is aware, our kingdom is constrained by the Adoastera Empire to the east, the Holy Kingdom of Caritas to the south, the Catalan Desert to the west, and the sea to the north. This situation presents a once-in-a-millennium opportunity to change our fortunes.”

“An opportunity? Placing Sora as the lord of Titis Forest—an opportunity, indeed. So your aim is to utilize Sora and the demon people to develop the Titis Forest.”

“Exactly. The Titis Forest is vast enough to engulf a kingdom, but its fierce magical beasts have long prevented any successful colonization. Our kingdom has come to view the forest as a dangerous wilderness and given up on developing it as part of our territory. However, by welcoming Lord Sora as its lord and allowing the settlement of the demon people, the situation will dramatically change.”

Sora’s prowess as a dragon slayer, and the tens of thousands of demon people coming to settle.

The demon people, having survived the harsh conditions of the demon world, included many formidable warriors, some of whom were said to rival Sora in bravery.

With such individuals leading the colonization, even the magical beasts of Titis would likely flee in terror.

Although remnants of the hydra’s poison still lingered, given the vastness of Titis, the contaminated areas were but a small part of the forest. The development of Titis could bring benefits to the kingdom comparable to ruling another nation.

Moreover, even apart from the colonization, the demon people who migrated would become citizens of Canaria. A military unit led by Sora, comprised of demon people, would significantly enhance the kingdom’s military power, enough to rival the Empire with the Mitsurugi family at its beck and call.

Of course, the demon people had their own schemes and would not simply submit to Canaria, but by actively allowing their settlement, it was possible to earn their gratitude and build a cooperative system.

After listening to Duke Dragnaut’s explanation, King Thorvald grunted briefly.

“Hmm… I understand what you’re saying, Pascal. If we entrust Sora with Titis and accept the settlement of the demon people, and if the development of the Titis Forest succeeds, our kingdom’s power could increase significantly. But that’s all if everything goes smoothly. If Sora fails to govern Titis properly, the demon people could become dissidents and pose a threat to our kingdom.”

“Your Majesty, it is indeed possible that Lord Sora might fail. However, if we hesitate out of fear of failure, the Empire will certainly act first. If Lord Sora and the demon people ally with the Empire, the threat would be incalculable. Compared to that, a minor mismanagement should hardly be a concern.”

For Duke Dragnaut, the primary objective was to secure Sora’s allegiance to Canaria; all other matters were secondary.

He was determined to avoid antagonizing Sora at all costs.

Why did he think this way?

Originally, Sora was a swordsman of exceptional skill, but now he also possessed a commanding personality.

When Duke Dragnaut had spoken with Sora at his ducal residence, he felt a chilling force from him. Sora was friendly throughout and showed no signs of threatening the Duke, but the thought of having him as an enemy sent shivers down his spine.

Probably, defeating his father, a sword saint, had been a turning point for Sora, and his growth was astonishing. The demon people had agreed to Sora’s resettlement proposal probably because they saw in him a leader worthy of entrusting their fate.

Such a person was now seeking refuge in Canaria. Duke Dragnaut was certain that missing this opportunity and pushing Sora towards the Empire would leave Canaria with everlasting regret.

After hearing the Duke’s passionate persuasion, the king appeared to waver for a moment but then, as if making a decision, he slapped his knee.

“Sora has turned to our kingdom, and now, we are a step ahead of the Empire. There are many concerns—about the Empire, the Temple of Law, the dragon—but if our kingdom does not act, others will. Otherwise, I will be accused of indecisiveness.”

“Your Majesty, does that mean—”

“Yes. While we cannot appoint Sora as a lord right here and now, let’s consider your proposal. Bring Sora to me soon. I want to hear the story from him directly.”

“Understood.”

Duke Dragnaut bowed deeply, showing respect for his sovereign’s decision.

This decision by King Thorvald would become a historic turning point for Canaria, though the impact of this moment would not be visible to the public for some time yet.