Chapter 203
og90yAfter Aint Armian successfully concluded the negotiation, Fernan brought Tulwin Esrin under his custody to the villa of the first prince.5vFd
OYfpyO“I saw the recording. I appreciate that you extended your hand during Esrin’s peril.”Bim
EUJC834“The corrupted are enemies of humanity, I merely did what had to be done.”lSyJg
XnukAC“But… was it you who guided him?”o7vbB7W
A4W27S8“Whom and about what, Your Highness?”i2HP
2vWoAI“About the negotiation. Does Aint owe it to you?”MO3Zx
eoutSTnFernan received the tea served by a servant without even flinching.bRbK
RN2uDXh“Why do you think that?”Vwv
d3oiR“Because the impression Aint gave me when I first met him was different. Now he seems like another person.”3z97C
nRfwpFortunately, Ferant’s expression as he said it wasn’t exactly a negative one.2bf
hn4Zf“At first I signed happily because the terms were reduced significantly, but thinking it over, I feel like I was tricked.”WwgVs
otuBjjThat I allowed myself to fall for such a classic method I still have much to learn. The first prince clicked his tongue.4QaUH
bacK7b“Both demands were perfectly reasonable.”OUBv
OUyR“I know. Compared to what a civil war would’ve cost, this came out dozens of times cheaper.”70UF
tYuThough in truth, it wasn’t just a civil war—it would have also been a future where he himself died, something he couldn’t possibly know.rY2vZ
Hsr“So then, even if I felt tricked, I want to accept it gladly. If it allows for a smoother relationship with you and Aint, I’ll gladly pay.”bCQr
fTjHWhatever political turbulence came with it would be his responsibility. If he couldn’t even bear that, how could he hope to be king of a realm?j1okL
LNz130X“I appreciate that view.”zFsvV
kDtFernan and Ferant shook hands.cZFN
bsWXNx7“Fernan Pellenberg…! I’ll never forgive you! I swear it!”DFEnq
0lutd4The furious Tulwin was finally handed over to Ferant.ynr
GUn5ij“What will you do with the third prince?”DSZ
rSao“With what he’s done, not even executing him now would be enough, but I can’t do that.”XAe
oimG“I understand.”ujM7
crmIoIt was because of royal authority.r83Zx
6KMIf it were revealed that a prince had sold out his own people to the corrupted to spark treason, the authority of Esrin’s royal family would plummet.NMy20i
jAwc“But according to the record, you seemed quite used to fighting the corrupted…”6Kd4KNk
eJobg“Yes. They came aiming to kill Aint.”uu3Eq
EYbnjYO“Do you think they’ll continue moving forward?”Qsprs
ndUr“A demon has already descended. Do you think they’ll stop after failing just once?”aZpN
eOvQn5“Aint, what about you?”yyNaj
nRwTti“I think the same, Your Highness. They won’t stop until humanity is wiped out, or until they are completely exterminated.”eAF
WXlNCiFerant nodded slightly. It wasn’t that he ignored that reality, but he wanted to hear it directly from the one designated as enemy of the demons.5B9mt
VvsvNB9“I hope our relationship doesn’t end here.”ySAZD5u
NN2uu“That depends on how sincerely you pay your debt.”O4vp
RS9WaC“…I’ll do my best.”anrT
XAs“No matter what, it’s too much. If at least you reduced—”g0a
JQZ“Do not tarnish my honor.”1ME
CdRrMkAn attendant of the first prince grumbled, but quickly fell silent under his lord’s rebuke.Lgb
Untr4Fernan paid it no mind. Convincing the nobles or emptying the royal treasury was Ferant Esrin’s matter.f0c7
JSO6b4RThus, the negotiation ended.zuirhb
B0Xu***UX3FQZd
jz0gXThe matters of Alprosen and those of Esrin.UBxs7z
RXvaSHIt had been worth negotiating with the rector and leaving the Academy.oKy
W7P67vMany things had happened, but they managed to thwart all of the corrupted’s attempts and even obtain unexpected gains.jgD7il
4qfSyUHowever, it wasn’t a situation that could be easily closed.OQgrfC
hwxjZbR“It’s ready. You can send it to my father.”HPV
ipCB“Yes.”sLta
ByvFernan handed the head of the Golden Turtle branch a copy of the record and a letter.DKe9G
VqIm5O8In them were the proofs that Count Daniel was a corrupted.BYEy
Fbe7E“Get it to him as quickly as possible. No one must see the contents.”TwS
heGyYVa“Of course.”3D9
Qwakb6dThe head left hurriedly. Fernan slumped into his chair, tapping the armrest absentmindedly with his fingers.qpG9
BSDEGYt“How do you think things will go?”uUW2
R1u“Didn’t you say you’d make it public?”VgFx
FTIEUq“Yes, but not completely.”jR9OvG
saqIt was the same as not being able to punish the third prince of Esrin for collaborating with the corrupted.IDJ
ecfd4xnDaniel Kool was, after all, a noble of the Empire. And not just any noble, but a high-ranking count.OvAxC
BheIf it were revealed that someone like him was corrupted, the Empire’s prestige would plummet.SJe1e
LaITIt would be best to conceal it and handle it discreetly, but Daniel Kool was already dead.eWIFVw
gzyp7If his vast territory and fortune were managed without a clear explanation, it would only generate opposition from the other nobles.rxHfy
975In the end, they would need to show solid evidence and get everyone to accept the truth.x3QR45p
CrQapCgMaybe not all nobles, but at least those of the highest rank would know Count Daniel had been a corrupted.TIub6lc
NacLe“My father will handle that well. The problem is what comes next.”YUhR4a
ihWbHWith his death, Daniel Kool had left behind an enormous fortune and a vast territory.G3XlpQV
6lzmVGGSince it was impossible to bequeath those possessions to the children of a corrupted traitor, everything became unclaimed land.089aSQm
5pURrkAAnd in the Empire, hyenas hungry with greed were plentiful.JxoV
lMM9This wasn’t just any land—it was a great county, something everyone would covet.lHAKDWD
P675“If handled poorly, war will erupt.”goUOz
tnZx7w5Neighboring lands would do everything possible to claim a part, and the electors would try to give the county to nobles from their own factions.uWM1mG
Og6UXa4In that process, conflict would be inevitable.OTQDv2
B5im4Zq“That’s not good. Not good at all.”TEhA
vokApikAt another time it might not have mattered. Clashes and infighting were routine in the Empire.LAL
YY0gyEBut now the corrupted were lurking, waiting for any opportunity.ztKTae
ViU0SbqEven a minor conflict could be exploited and amplified to weaken the Empire.8kCaN
67wqtKHe even suspected that Daniel’s very death had been part of their plan.HYl3xY9
I9gu“That’s why I sent my father a solution.”0Kp
5hNre“You recommended someone?”IUmpaP
IhjLJx“That’s right.”EKnbd
0d0x“Who?”b0nCF9
sEp“Ferdicas Armian.”L9Gx
YwTA7E“…What?”llxSsp
U02CPGoHyde blinked, surprised by such an unexpected name.OcS
T8R“He holds the title of elector prince, but his territory is small, and after years of isolation, he has less influence than a mere baron. Even if he gets Kool’s county, it won’t produce a major synergistic effect.”PHSitiC
yFQbAnd not only that.Uj3BdRg
8FEQr“He also has the best argument. It was Aint who revealed Daniel Kool was a corrupted and executed him with his own hands.”9CbT
DkLThough in truth it had been Luina and Rob, only the party knew that.6Sp
yzwm“But he’s still an Armian. If the Armians grow too much, there’ll be those who oppose it without hesitation.”MaHNb
qpP5“There will also be those who support it.”aHj
qGJQNThe rise of the corrupted made the need for the Armians more and more evident.Mc3IEK
RvVrvAnd Aint had once again shone in these circumstances.wan6beb
HDar6“The corrupted are increasing, and a demon has already been summoned. What do you think most people will believe?”qkq
q3G“That, at least for now, the right thing is to strengthen the Armians as a bulwark against the demons.”zDYmNb
UW5AVaC“Exactly.”QVipq2z
cw3ddThat the Armians were still small was actually convenient.vgc
dA8T“And if the Armians prosper, they’ll be able to pay off their debts, don’t you think?”lwxG
W8U“That’s the real reason, isn’t it?”01Rdb
v60Z“Let’s say it’s a two-for-one.”8HTZ
OSAFernan leaned back in his chair.UYAKtl
6haI1“In the end, it’s a general plan. The problem is whether my father will accept it and how he will carry it out.”0rGoE
8En1huThe hardest part would be convincing Schwaben, whose radical opposition was guaranteed.Ek1W
YjVW6dHThe best strategy wouldn’t be to persuade him, but to gather the support of the other electors and nobles to crush him by majority.Sq6g
9F6f“It’s time to go. We’ve really been away for a long time.”j8FWQ9U
exvpFIt had already been over a month since they left the Academy.HqvedqO
LqMOSAt first, he didn’t imagine it would take so long, but unforeseen events had delayed everything.Wkj
Vl9uHuThough it wasn’t a bad thing—it had been a journey with an unparalleled bounty.SW9lS
QCPFernan stepped out with Hyde. In the branch’s dining hall, the others, who were eating, welcomed him cheerfully.VS9uJh
GEOBy“Is everything done already?”kUFsp
97l“Yes. It’s time to go back. Let’s return to the Academy.”g1z
CIqORqa“Let’s eat first.”5xT
75Vft4tFernan took a seat and the servants brought the dishes.Ofuh3kG
GYy“You’ll see, this time will be different.”T50a0
i2mQ“Let’s get promoted first, then talk.”9QOmNmY
RUbuDoAt that moment, Aint and Verian’s conversation reached his ears. Though it sounded like something casual, Fernan frowned with suspicion.TMbFkE
6s0He put down his fork and asked,13u
r2Qwf“What are you two talking about now?”D0d73EB
9kOFKBJ“Well, the jousting tournament, of course.”dRQca
kVe“This time I’m confident.”Jvh
uP4so“Me too, this time…”Z9oyJ8
pS9yVt5“It seems you’re not aware of something.”lJJ
4fmBucuAll eyes turned to Fernan.ZKX5
PEApCb“You won’t be able to participate in the jousting tournament.”CvnWDsu
ZPHvIBw“…Huh?”UQ6kc
Hdc“What?”Rl4s3Fq
t8hom“What I mean is, even if you start running full speed right now, you won’t arrive at the Academy before the tournament begins. Also, we have to pass through Armian to pick up Silver as well.”l9B
oLwr“…Huh?”ZijLS
X9OThe pupils of all the knights from the Academy present dilated, refusing to accept reality.vwsJ
n1WxUdK***AmZn7x
ITN1UlA‘They didn’t come today either.’pGnBRi
gP4oHjsCombat, War, and Magic. The joint class with the Knight Department.
Ludger checked the empty seats.lu3RY
yksXOne was Fernan’s, and the other, Luina’s.3Ch
XJPR1It had already been a month since both had stopped attending so suddenly.T7Zb
bWYRPEven so, none of the professors were concerned about looking for them. To them, their absence felt natural.8irvX
jkNq‘Aria Fridian, Verian Kalburdern, Gismond Elt, and Aint Armian too.’NRsDFl
KYWbPGANot only second years, but even fourth years—those names had vanished.DTCoV
QkrUHYWhy? Not even Ludger knew. He had sent letters to their families but couldn’t find out anything.DzXm2
C9qBFeAlthough he already suspected—if the Pellenbergs, with their vast network of information and trade, had decided to hide them, finding them wouldn’t be easy.eTNu9Fw
vBzBcHFor that very reason, he was even more curious.8vz
jL5bVWhere exactly had they gone?B1Fm5
YnwkfQWhy had they left?oaZfnG
rcdcZAnd how did they do it?Ao7DG1
peUHS‘This is the headmaster’s doing. Without his authorization, it would’ve been impossible.’ekr
Aag6NrIt had already been more than a month of absence from the Academy. Logically speaking, such a thing should have caused problems.vpS1Q
2lLFyv6If the nobles moved to question it, the situation couldn’t be brushed aside, but so far everyone remained silent.7E4fu
BrUiBInside and outside the Academy, people were watching closely, searching for clues as to where they had disappeared.QaSTP
rjYEtOU‘What the hell are they doing?’wvHAjw
Jd7Lost in those thoughts, the class came to an end.Y8TV8
evS1mwNAnd until the very end, Fernan and Luina didn’t return.BtJf
G7g‘I don’t know whether to be glad or annoyed by this.’vWgEi
I5cNsIt was a relief not to have to fulfill his brother’s order to get close to Aint to monitor him.5W70
4ntBut at the same time, it troubled him not knowing what Fernan and Aint were scheming.QgApY
SbDXx‘No… it’s better to see it as a good thing. Family matters aren’t my problem.’rTs68a
ABm05KIAfter all, he was already completely excluded from the line of succession to the throne. Whether power was big or small, it wouldn’t be him ruling it, but his brother.9VS
ASu“Your Highness.”AkofCm
hJgIAt that moment, someone approached in a hurry. It was his teammate, Almon Donertz.Nr5O4
M4FEXA“You’ve seemed troubled lately. Is something wrong?”FEkt
4bHgc“It’s nothing.”KzZXj1L
HINs9“Then I’m glad to hear it.”CfR
ZQn6Almon didn’t press further.hOfl9m
iZz71“If it’s about Fernan and Luina’s disappearance, don’t worry, they’ll be back soon.”gX0E
qh9s“What do you mean?”Myr
pPtbgSSince he was just thinking about that, his tone came out a bit sharper.rMv
RNXP2oV“The Foundation Anniversary is approaching, right?”Bbf
zX6“The Foundation Anniversary?”k7LbMG
9sEW“Yes. Fernan might be an enigma, but Luina would never miss the jousting tournament.”nctIXV
sAVPLuina had always aspired to the glory of the champion’s title in that tournament.i0AGM
oGbs7XEven though she had already won it once, nothing felt better than conquering it again.iozgX
cs9FVMg“I also hope to see her return. Last year, I lost absurdly to someone else, but since then I’ve been honing my sword…”EsvvFhz
y94ih“…Right, that was coming up.”Kvh90xh
T9ureAlmon was talking about Luina, but Ludger thought of Fernan.HDGVVK
mGKRFernan wouldn’t compete in the magic tournament, but he would return anyway. He had to bet on it.fxxW
HV0QefsAs long as money was on the line, Fernan would come back. Surely.1ZwoGY4
wjA‘Though… what’s the point of him coming back?’H6e
6MKBiAIt didn’t seem like he’d tell him what he had been doing.opn
IlndB‘No other choice, I’ll have to extend a hand to Aint.’i4A
15JehfEven if he hated it, the fear of his brother forced him.cqBQG0
UM5SSilently, Ludger bit his lip.6gyV3
EZNj“By the way, lately Carlo’s been with Professor Dominique a lot.”wf2gCFp
DD5A1LWIn the distance, Carlo Deneb could be seen talking with Professor Dominique, heading to the research building.bNbBT
PKulJ0I“I heard he enrolled in his private course during the break.”gt3pc
8Cy5“I thought those tutorials weren’t very effective, but it seems he and Dominique make a good pair.”gcDOtLT
uNdbCarlo’s aura felt much more refined than before.saNM9qU
BPH“He must be working hard. Even the professor seems to be pushing himself more to balance it with his research.”kdCAg3
wUzM7P7“No wonder he looks a bit more haggard.”E7zhpp
nFGIt made sense. Carlo had been top of the class throughout his first year.xLWDM6
13IBut since second year, Fernan had shattered everything, so now he had no choice but to push himself desperately.ZENHNw
l9cbM“I hope Carlo manages to get back at Fernan.”jns7rzX
gSEDf“That wouldn’t be bad, but I want to be the one to beat Luina.”3Uq
quwmDoAlmon clenched his fist, full of determination.ESotD
6PTHowever, Fernan and Luina didn’t return.aCRJxpr
Kv0Not even when the registration period for the jousting tournament ended and the festival began.S0XXg3
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