Chapter 298: Sounds Like A Show Worth Watching
"But we still have the Silverlance Pegasi. With them, even Ursus wouldn't be able to break through our lines,"
Czarny muttered, bringing up the name with a hesitant tone.
Oddly, though, his voice lost strength halfway through.
"Mm? I dunno how strong these 'Silverlance Pegasi' are exactly—never seen them in action. Kal'tsit might've mentioned them once, I think,"
Steven scratched his head, visibly unimpressed.
He vaguely recalled hearing the name, but couldn't remember any particularly awe-inspiring details.
They are probably one of Kazimierz's elite units. The kind of knights that sound tough on paper, like the Ursus Emperor's Blade he ran into on the snowy plains.
"But unless they're immortal, don't they need new blood eventually? Be honest, how many people in Kazimierz today really want to become Silverlance Pegasi?"
He spread his hands, asking a question that didn't even need an answer.
Because the answer was obvious.
"..."
Czarny didn't respond—but he didn't need to. Every Kuranta in the Grand Knight Territory already knew the truth.
Given a choice between noble sacrifice for the motherland and a cushy nine-to-five job, most people would take the paycheck.
Even the people they idolized had changed. The once-revered heroes of old had been replaced by stage performers in armor—"competitive knights," who cared more about putting on a good show than actual combat.
Was that wrong? Czarny didn't know.
But right or wrong, it was a choice the people of Kazimierz had made themselves.
"See? Do I really need to explain any further?"
Steven looked over at the silent Czarny, who seemed deep in thought.
The things he said weren't some revelation—most people in the city already knew. They just didn't want to admit it.
Or maybe… they preferred things this way.
After all, once you've soaked in the comfort and luxury of the big city, who'd ever want to talk about sacrifice?
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not some noble idealist trying to reawaken Kazimierz's long-lost sense of honor or anything. That kind of stuff sounds like way too much work."
"I'm only doing this for one simple reason: I just can't stand the K.G.C.C. Nothing deeper than that. I've always hated shady merchants."
Steven smiled as he spoke, his tone light, but his words sharp as a blade.
He didn't care about the copper stench in the air, or the way Kazimierz had changed.
He was just annoyed that the K.G.C.C had ruined his plans to enjoy a good old-fashioned knight tournament.
There was one thing he could never stand:
Scammers.
If it were up to him, he'd have tossed the entire K.G.C.C into a villager discount machine and let them feel what justice looked like.
As for the K.G.C.C being the main force behind Kazimierz's current decay?
That was none of his business.
The people here chose this path.
Not his problem, right?
"Y-you mean to say…"
Czarny lifted his head, locking eyes with Steven.
There wasn't a hint of deceit in Steven's expression.
He meant it. All of this chaos—his dismantling of the Major, his plans to destroy the K.G.C.C—was all because of a petty, personal grudge.
He just didn't like them.
That was it.
How was anyone supposed to predict that?
Even Kain, the cunning K.G.C.C Chairman known for manipulating people like chess pieces, probably couldn't wrap his head around such a ridiculous, bare-bones motive.
But the truth was—Steven really did do it. And to a degree that could only be described as utterly ridiculous.
"No worries, that's just the kind of guy I am. I think it, I do it. Living life doing what you want, how you want—that's the dream, isn't it?"
Steven stepped forward and patted Czarny lightly on the shoulder, a gesture halfway between comfort and camaraderie.
He understood Czarny's confusion, anyone in his position would probably wonder if Steven had just lost his mind.
But Steven didn't care.
What mattered to him was simple: if he had a thought, he followed through. No hesitation, no second-guessing.
That's what it means to truly enjoy life.
"…I see."
With a soft sigh, Czarny finally accepted that truth.
Just as Steven said, it wasn't about understanding.
Maybe people in power were always like this—doing whatever they wanted, without caring how anyone else saw them.
He could try to understand it all he wanted, but what good would that do?
After all, Czarny wasn't foolish enough to believe he had Steven's level of influence. He didn't have the power to shake an entire nation.
That was just reality.
But with his doubts cleared away, Czarny was able to refocus. Fully zeroed in on the task at hand, he began to work with renewed speed and precision.
It didn't take long before he pulled out several folders from the mountain of documents stacked around them—the ones Steven had requested earlier.
"All done, boss. I pulled together all the files related to Area 0. What's your plan for them?"
He separated a portion of the documents and handed them directly to Steven, then asked about the next steps.
"If you're planning to use these to strike back at the K.G.C.C, then I'd suggest handing them straight to the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi. That'll hurt the K.G.C.C the most. Plus, I also compiled some extra files here—more records of the K.G.C.C's misconduct. If we submit everything together, the damage'll be even deeper."
As a capable subordinate, Czarny gave his most professional assessment.
When it came to political maneuvering and document-based takedowns, he definitely had more experience than Steven.
He'd even taken the liberty of collecting other dirt on the K.G.C.C. Each file he'd dug up was a scandal waiting to explode—and a lethal blow to the K.G.C.C's public image.
"Mm. Not bad. You did great."
Steven couldn't help but grin as he looked at the diligent Kuranta who was basically self-motivating himself into overdrive.
No wonder Czarny had managed to land a spokesperson's position in this city—his work ethic and attention to detail were practically flawless.
"With all of this going public, maybe we won't be able to crush the K.G.C.C right away… but will it be enough to shake their unity? Get them fighting amongst themselves?"
Steven asked curiously, interested now in the internal dynamics of the K.G.C.C.
After making this much noise, would they still be able to act as a single, united front?
"It won't be easy," Czarny explained, his tone serious. "Damaging their public image might cause complaints and finger-pointing, but unless it threatens their core interests, the K.G.C.C will stay unified. That is—unless something tanks their credibility completely."
"Like what you've been doing lately, Boss. They're already struggling to keep it under wraps. If they can't eliminate you and you end up ruining this year's Major entirely, then yeah—those members are gonna start panicking."
He laid out the situation in calm, precise terms.
Just exposing shady files wouldn't be enough to shatter the K.G.C.C's cohesion.
If you wanted to break their unity, you had to hit where it hurt most: their profits.
And in Kazimierz, nothing brought in profit like the Major.
If Steven was truly determined to dismantle the K.G.C.C, then destroying the tournament was the most direct—and most effective—move.
"I see," Steven said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Having a business-savvy advisor like Czarny really made life easier.
He barely had to lift a finger and half his problems already had solutions lined up.
No wonder every final boss always had a crew of loyal underlings.
'It's kind of awesome, actually.'
"Also, Boss, you should be careful," Czarny added. "The K.G.C.C's next move against you is bound to be more aggressive. I wouldn't be surprised if they pull out all the stops—maybe even bring back the top champions from the last three tournaments."
He didn't doubt Steven's strength, but the documents painted a clear picture: the K.G.C.C was preparing for a full-scale counterattack.
Sure, the tournament might just be a flashy cash grab at heart. But the top contenders from previous years? Those weren't just for show. They were the real deal—knights who had defied the K.G.C.C's control to reach the top purely on strength. Even the K.G.C.C hadn't been able to rig the matches against them.
And yet, Steven's expression didn't show the slightest trace of concern. In fact, it lit up with visible excitement.
"The champions, huh?" he mused. "Now we're talking. That finally sounds slightly interesting."
"I remember hearing about them… Blood Knight, Radiant Knight, and Black Knight, right? Those three were considered the strongest in recent years. Wonder how many of them will actually show up."
Though Steven hadn't followed the tournament closely, even he had heard those names whispered in awe.
"Only one is confirmed—Blood Knight," Czarny replied. "Black Knight's currently outside the Grand Knight Territory, so she probably won't make it back in time. As for the Radiant Knight…"
Czarny frowned, pulling another document from the stack and offering it to Steven.
"The K.G.C.C found out she's on her way back—and they've decided to force her into fighting you by threatening her two relatives who are still in the hospital. Their plan is already in motion. The scheduled time… is this afternoon."
"Oh?" Steven's eyes lit up, and a sly grin curled across his lips. "Now that sounds like a show worth watching."
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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