Chapter 66: Rebellion? Don’t Be Ridiculous. I’m a Law-Abiding Citizen

“I’m fine…” Nolan shook his head, his voice hoarse. “Just… tired.” 

As he spoke, his gaze passed over the others and settled on the couple huddled in the corner. 

The moment Haus died, the woman named Sherry seemed to lose all the tension holding her together and collapsed weakly into her husband’s arms. The man held his wife tightly while staring at the savior who had rescued them and avenged their blood-soaked grievances. His lips trembled violently, too overwhelmed to speak. 

Then, slowly, the two of them began to kneel. 

“Don’t!” Nolan hurried forward and raised a hand to stop them. 

Looking into the blacksmith’s grateful eyes, he suddenly felt a deep sadness. No matter how kingdoms rose or fell, it was always ordinary, kind-hearted people like them who suffered the most. All he had done was pull their lives back from negative numbers to zero, yet they treated him with overwhelming gratitude. The simple sincerity of the Elfin Kingdom’s common folk stabbed painfully at his heart. Like most people in the kingdom, they possessed no miraculous opportunities or powerful resources. They could only endure helplessly while stronger forces manipulated their fates. Wasn’t that why he kept rushing forward without rest? To save as many as he could, one by one? 

My strength is still too weak. I still can’t save everyone. In the end, all the countless thoughts in Nolan’s mind condensed into a single sentence. 

“I’m sorry. I came too late.” 

The couple froze in disbelief, staring blankly at him. This man who had descended like a divine soldier and slain the devil, this man who had avenged them… was apologizing to them? Why? What had he done wrong? He was their savior. 

“N-no, my lord… please, don’t say that…” the blacksmith choked out. “You need to run! Haus is dead. Archduke Demont will never let you go! Don’t worry, even if it costs us our lives, we’ll keep this secret for you!” 

“Run?” Nolan shook his head. “I can run, but the people in this city can’t. The millions living across this kingdom can’t either. As long as the order governing this land remains unchanged, tragedies like this will never end.” His gaze swept across everyone present, the exhaustion in his eyes replaced by an unprecedented resolve. “Since I dared to do this, I’m not afraid of what comes next. This is only the beginning. If you refuse to keep living like this, if you can’t bear to watch everything you treasure be trampled by traitors and foreign enemies, then follow me. I’ll give you weapons. I’ll teach you how to fight. And I’ll lead you to reclaim your own dignity and future with your own hands.” 

The man’s breathing quickened. Looking into Nolan’s eyes, blazing brilliantly in the candlelight, he felt something deep inside himself ignite. Without the slightest hesitation, he nodded fiercely. “I’m willing, my lord!” 

Nolan nodded in satisfaction. He knew the seed of change had finally been planted in this ancient land. 

At that moment, Hank and Rehanna walked over. 

“Nolan,” Hank said in his usual steady voice, “Haus was scum, but he was still a registered noble of the kingdom and a direct relative of Archduke Demont. The fact that someone like Yuri was assigned to protect him proves how valuable he was to Demont Province. We killed him. The archduke will hear about it soon enough. What’s your plan now?” 

Rehanna also looked at him questioningly. What they had done amounted to openly rebelling within the archduke’s territory. Executing a landed noble was unprecedented in the kingdom’s centuries of history. 

“Rebellion?” Nolan laughed, his teasing tone easing the tension in the room. “Brother Hank, be careful with your words. I’m a law-abiding citizen.” 

He turned to look out the window. 

The darkness before dawn was always the deepest. 

But a new day was coming. 

“We take control of the city first. Report later.” 

“Take control first, report later?” Rehanna repeated the words, frowning slightly. She roughly understood what Nolan meant, but it still sounded dangerously reckless. “Archduke Demont isn’t an idiot like Haus,” she analyzed calmly. “He’s one of the most powerful men in southern Elfin Kingdom. He commands troops and experts in abundance. Publicly, he still has two Gold-rank fighters under him even after Yuri’s death. With the people we have now, even if we seize Coldsteel City, we won’t be able to hold it once the archduke’s army arrives.” 

Hank nodded in agreement. “She’s right. And we also need legitimacy. Murdering a lord is a grave crime in any country. Archduke Demont can easily use that as justification for a ‘righteous’ campaign against us. When that happens, we’ll become enemies of the entire south.” 

Nolan listened to their analysis without the slightest trace of worry. Gently pulling away from Vivi’s support, he braced himself against the wall and slowly walked to the window before pushing it open. The cool breeze of early morning drifted inside, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and washing away some of the room’s thick stench of blood. 

On the distant horizon, a pale strip of dawn had begun to appear. 

“You’re both right,” he said calmly as he looked into the distance. “Which is exactly why we can’t wait for him to come after us. We need to change the nature of this situation before he has time to react.” 

“Change it into what?” Little Donnie asked curiously as he stepped closer. 

Nolan glanced back at him with a faint smile. “Why can Archduke Demont move against us? Because he’s considered the ‘law,’ while we’re the ‘rebels.’ He’s seen as the defender of order, while we’re the ones disrupting it. But what if we’re the lawful side… and he’s the criminal?” 

Those words stunned everyone in the room. 

They were the lawful side? 

Demont was the criminal? 

How was that possible? The man was an archduke officially appointed by the king, a hereditary noble. And what were they? Mercenaries and an unknown young man. 

“I understand now,” Hank said after a moment of thought, his eyes suddenly lighting up. “…You’re seizing the moral high ground.” 

“Exactly.” Nolan snapped his fingers. “Archduke Demont is colluding with undead forces from the Shiva Empire. Yuri knew it. The moment I mentioned the ‘Nightfall Project,’ I baited him into revealing himself. Haus definitely knew as well. Coldsteel City may even be a major transfer point, which is why the archduke stationed a powerful fighter like Yuri here. The Night Veil Protection spell on Yuri was the clearest proof possible. That’s the signature magic of high-ranking necromancers from the Shiva Empire. The man we killed wasn’t a lord of the Elfin Kingdom. He was a traitor who brought disaster upon his territory and colluded with foreign enemies. Therefore, we’re not rebelling; we’re cutting out a cancer threatening the Elfin Kingdom. There’s an old law in the kingdom, nearly forgotten by now: those who eliminate evil and expand the realm may be granted the title of ‘Pioneer Knight,’ with governing rights over the territory they control, though not hereditary ones.” 

Nolan’s voice was calm, but everyone’s eyes lit up. 

Pioneer Knight. It was a title overflowing with glory. Since the founding era of the kingdom, no new Pioneer Knight had appeared for centuries. 

Little Donnie, still young at heart, felt his imagination soar. Ignoring the pain from his injuries, he slammed a fist into his palm excitedly. 

Rehanna finally understood. From the very beginning, Nolan had never intended to kill quietly and flee. The moment he decided to act, he had already planned every step that would follow. From tricking Yuri with the lie about the “Nightfall Project,” to publicly listing Haus’s crimes and executing him according to the Seven Noble Precepts—every move had been laying the groundwork for this moment. He intended to transform a local assassination into a political event tied directly to the kingdom’s survival. 

Kayan’s eyes shone brightly. Mother Goddess above… such thinking was far beyond the understanding of this era. Only a divine incarnation could possibly see so far ahead. 

“But… even if we say all this, will anyone believe us?” Vivi raised the key issue. “Archduke Demont’s influence is enormous. His words carry far more weight than ours.” 

“That’s why we need someone with more authority to speak for us,” Nolan said confidently. “To be precise, two people.” 

“Kayan… and the Grand Princess Flina.” He turned toward Kayan. 

“Mr. Nolan,” Kayan asked respectfully, “what do you need me to do?”