The Extra Wants To Live

"Your Majesty the Sultan."

A voice calls out to Yusuf once again as he is lost in thought.

Only then does Yusuf turn around and look at the one calling him.

The old man, with white hair, is still kneeling and bowing his head, waiting for Yusuf's orders.

"Nishanj, I am not your Padishah."

Yusuf said with a distorted face.

At those words, Nishanj, the prime minister who has been in charge of all affairs of Tumaria from Padishah's side, speaks firmly.

"The Padishah is in a worsening condition and cannot open his eyes. There is only one Sultan who has drawn his sword alone for the sake of the national fortune of Tumaria, and there is only one Sultan I can serve."

"What does it mean to be called Sultan now?"

Yusuf laughed at Nishanj's words.

There are more than 10 sultans who drew their swords to overthrow him and become Padishahs, and there are 100 others who watched the battle unfold with bated breath.

Now, the Sultan is just the son of the Padishah, nothing more, nothing less.

Who could believe that once upon a time it was the honorable word of a great king who united tribes and founded a nation in this desert land?

To Yusuf's self-mockery, Nishanj speaks in a voice that sounds like he's knocking on hard wood.

"You are not a Sultan because you were born a Sultan. You are a Sultan because you choose to fulfill that duty. If you do not become the Padishah, then among the countless people who live in this vast land, like the sands of the desert, there will not be a single person who is worthy of becoming the Padishah."

Instead of being delighted by the old vizier's firm eloquence, Yusuf's face became even more distorted.

"Has the status of Tumari fallen to the point where it must rely on this mean-spirited scribe?"

"Oh, Sultan!"

Nishanj vomited out his words at Yusuf's sigh. Yet Nishanj never raised his head because Yusuf had not yet given him permission.

"Has the heretic Siana not been found yet?" Yusuf changed the subject, seeming annoyed by Nishanj's reaction.

Nishanj took a moment to catch his ragged breath before answering his new master's question. "All agents we infiltrated into Bursa have lost contact. We cannot be certain, but if the rumors of the evil powers are true, then the information that the heretic is hiding in Bursa is likely accurate."

"Are we barely discussing possibilities?" Yusuf frowned.

"I'm sorry," Nishanj apologized instead of making excuses despite Yusuf's complaints.

Nishanj was doing well enough, assuming the information about the heretic Siana, transmitted through unknown means, was true. However, the power was too threatening to obtain specific details.

'Only the agents who infiltrated Bursa have lost contact. Is this an immature response? Or a trap?' Yusuf wondered, turning his head to glare at the desert, where post-war recovery was coming to an end.

Yusuf remained lost in thought for a long time, as if trying to discover something in the desert landscape scorched by the afternoon sun.

"… I will go to Bursa myself."

"Your Majesty the Sultan," Nishanj called out in a low, firm voice.

It was too dangerous. If the evil ability was real, Yusuf, who carried the future of Tumaria, would become a mere slave.

"If I step forward myself, the heretic Siana will have no choice but to emerge. If we drag this on any longer, the people will only suffer."

"… … ."

"Just step aside. From now on, report through someone else. You don't have to come to me personally."

"…Yes, Your Majesty." Nishanj did not object further but answered politely, stepping back from his kneeling position before standing quietly.

"… That is why you must become Padishah, Yusuf," Nishanj whispered softly to Yusuf, who kept his back straight to hide his pain and sorrow, then retreated, following the order.

A noble and great Sultan, Yusuf only needed to end the civil war to become Padishah. Nevertheless, he decided to risk a situation worse than death by putting himself forward.

Yusuf was a Sultan truly worthy of becoming Padishah, not because of his lineage but because of his noble heart's desire to fulfill his duties.

"Where am I, where are we going?" Yusuf whispered, looking at the corpses of his people piled up in one place. Only the sun in the sky, the sand on the ground, and his shadow heard his groans of pain, unable to show weakness to anyone.

---

Carl, leading the Laurel Legion, surprisingly did not encounter a single battle, despite galloping across the vast land for more than five days after beginning his bold maneuvers against the northwestern part of Tumaria.

The terrified desert castles and cities sent out light cavalry to gather information. When they discovered the flag of the eagle, bearing a laurel branch in its mouth and a sword in its hand, they abandoned everything outside the walls and locked the gates.

The Laurel Legion plundered supplies from the empty towns and marched along the river, where water was readily available.

"Promise me that we will treat those who surrender with honor, under the lofty name of Archduke Carl and the shining banner of military distinction! Then we will welcome you with the hand of reconciliation, not with spears and swords!"

Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire

"If you come to me empty-handed, I will step onto your land empty-handed. I swear it in the name of Carl Feld Hardion."

Even Carl managed to take the city without shedding a drop of blood, thanks to a misunderstanding he had cultivated.

Carl spread terror, causing castles and cities to cower, but he did not conquer them. Since no battles were fought, there was no need to waste time. Armed with information from Yusuf, Carl did not have to worry about geography. The supplies were also light, thanks to the locals looting what the Tumari people had left behind.

Because of this, Carl's Legion continued its rapid advance, penetrating into the center of northwestern Tumaria in just five days.

He was struggling to occupy Gabiha elsewhere. However, since no news had arrived, Carl took matters into his own hands.

'They all surrendered one after another just by seeing Archduke Carl's flag!' Carl thought. Common sense dictated that he could not ignore the castles and cities in the middle of supply routes.

"Oh my god!" someone exclaimed.

"Is that young man really the one who planted the laurel tree?" another asked in disbelief.

Carl acted with such magnanimity that those who surrendered were astonished. As he had promised, he entered the city alone, empty-handed, crossing the gate without even his gloves.

He held the reins in his left hand, raised his white, elegant, yet strong right hand, revealing his young, beautiful face with his helmet off for everyone to see.

Of course, right behind Carl were Master Jaren, Catherine, and Billford, ready to protect him, and three thousand soldiers stood on standby, prepared to attack if the gates closed.

Yet Carl, Grand Duke of the Empire and the most noble man of Hardion in Tumaria, truly crossed the gate empty-handed.

This daring act displayed Carl's unwavering confidence and shining honor, erasing any caution, anxiety, and hostility from those who surrendered. Carl and his troops entered the city safely, without any fuss.

As promised, Carl did not massacre civilians or enforce arbitrary conscription. The first thing he did was hoist his flag on the walls and inner castle, signifying the city's surrender to Archduke Carl.

This calmed the citizens' anxiety, as Carl declared that the land was now under his control. Even Hardion's troops would not dare act recklessly.

Originally, raising the flag signaled the ruthless pillaging and massacre of a conquered city. However, Carl's honorable actions reassured the citizens, and his disciplined soldiers further eased their fears.

Carl then gathered the city's powerful men and demanded what he was owed: supplies, information, and sufficient material to cover the costs of the war. All was accepted without complaint. Even though Carl committed significant plunder, he requested it honorably, without excess.

The city's powerful men complied, mainly because Carl had left them in charge. He ensured the city returned to normal, leaving behind only a minimal number of troops.

Thus, Carl established a new local supply route, obtained valuable information, and amassed a huge amount of gold and silver. Even after the civil war in Tumaria ended, this land would remain under Carl's rule for some time, allowing steady tax collection.

Carl's actions were praised. Only a few knew that he had repeatedly promised the same to Yusuf, Ali, Hidan, and each local figure, fulfilling each promise while making enormous profits.

With this bloodless entry, Carl secured the surrender of surrounding castles and cities. However, not everyone knelt before his banner. News spread that the northernmost territories of Tumaria had united and dispatched a large army, plunging the battle situation into a labyrinth once again.@@novelbin@@

Now, Carl had the justification to kill the people of Tumaria, without breaking his promise. Just as he wanted.