Chapter 256
YdeCh“……!”liH8N
XBuJLate at night, Aint jolted awake.w5RAgqd
asQu3QuHis clothes and bed were soaked in cold sweat. He reached out and took a sip of water.OQ8ot1
FmABQbK— Did you have a nightmare? asked Gardner.Ticy
Ftk“Yes. It was a nightmare.”ZrrCF
Xe5B88E— What did you dream about?pI4qgc
brLOW“I dreamed that Senior took every last resource from Armian…”qCJSHfE
xaRjc— Now that sounds like a real nightmare.OUGi2oU
xxtm1Gardner let out a soft groan.9RTHgCQ
aj3K— Even so, don’t think so badly of him. Back then, Fernan was a bit scary, sure, but he’s also made a lot of things easier for you.IL8H1s2
MRcyIcPThat was true.Qo0fzHS
2vF— I’m starting to understand how Fernan sees you.5qs
beY5— You’re a goose. A goose that lays golden eggs.pBbG
gMIY— That’s why he feeds you well and takes care of you.2zei
xXBkSBrAnd Fernan Pellenberg would never be foolish enough to be like that idiot in the fable who cut open the goose’s belly.JfXe
TTU39Vg— Though, if it has to lay too many golden eggs, it might lose all its feathers.veD
gPdHGardner let out an awkward laugh.HIo5Hy
skg— As long as you become emperor, I don’t think that will ruin you.Hs0
PzDnpu“……”3WuzTT
FwZWhy does none of that comfort me?o2nlV1c
I6Z2r91“Are you awake?”fDo8
k0hkmrSomeone knocked on the door. Dawn was just beginning to break outside.WTt5K
CRIH2X“Yes.”cZU
HLVbMQ“A letter has arrived from House Armian.”eVDqT
cYt5BIThe servant handed him the letter and left.beC1OB
61t“A letter?”WfT1
FX0fAint took it curiously. It bore his father’s official seal.0YNZF
27i0cUTIt was the first time he had ever received a letter from him.mYrMp
cqnG— Did something serious happen? Open it.01tuPCg
5bE“Alright.”0Teij
sUFr[It’s been a long time since I last saw your face. I heard you captured two demons in the Kingdom of Linelt.kdj
umr06I’m very proud of you… (omitted) …Your dream of becoming emperor may not be so impossible after all…]3zd
zpNvlAfter the greetings and some lines about recent events, the main content was something Aint would have never expected.bKLihg
wEN[Thanks to your achievements, I have become the Count of Kool.]Bqgj
6GxFP“…Count of Kool?”2nrCz4
YrSMmgJ— Coul? Daniel Kool?NGLIfVD
7j4ZVRUAs soon as he read the name, Daniel Kool came to mind.NKJ
dUgThe parasite who had manipulated the empire and nearly destroyed its diplomatic relations with other nations.huM103a
twrWz— Don’t tell me this turned out just like Fernan said.l43i
xiNZzr“…It did.”7M4vR
uFmK3SWhen Daniel Kool died and the territory was left without a lord, Fernan had casually mentioned that it would be a good idea for Armian to take those lands.dDH95s
fJdKAint had laughed at the time, thinking it was impossible.YzqFy
ZH27— Is this for real?pfqvc
v7vz— Read more! In detail!VxX6
5EfVqThe County of Kool was famous for its distilleries and wineries, a land that produced the best liquor brands on the continent.JIq
IaBA true goldmine, coveted by all nobles.UtcIk
dEx0hHow had Armian managed to seize such a valuable territory, with no influence or political power?RWwi2V
JZB[Your participation was decisive. You…]aIb
UZAzcv1The letter explained the process in detail, listing three main reasons.j6C
tkLpFirst, Aint Armian’s merits.LJeaKB
9ORDerAfter taking down not only Andrealphus but also Valac and Andras, his fame had soared.Dr9tDbg
MC87C1tSecond, the tensions between the prince-electors and the nobility.2Nr1pJo
hRoHNone of them wanted their rivals to gain control of the territory, so they opted to give it to the weak and “safe” House Armian.9g1YtzL
S7zvAnd third, Pellenberg’s intervention. Under his leadership, houses like Fridian, Altrierc, and Bercheff supported the proposal.dlmSVi
qij9All of that combined to produce the final result—the coveted County of Coul ended up in Armian’s hands.fxpU
jzVrbgE“…In the end, it was also thanks to Senior.”i0I1
0Gd— Exactly. No matter how high your prestige, without Pellenberg’s help you never would’ve gotten it.9fu5e
dhsThough, of course, Aint’s feats in defeating the two demons were the final blow.xcr52f
n9uSEtZ— Yeah, Fernan clearly sees you as a goose that lays golden eggs…JZ2L
rt5F5r“I have to wield my sword!”5tLEt
eNx3After all, there was no better way to overcome fear than training with the sword.W9NCt
Q96fX***Q8Du
ekGS“It’s Gismond!”kBu
NVoVPN“Lord Gismond!”J9M7b
3M7AdVtHe was gaining popularity.Aa40u
kCMgkGismond felt it clearly.ig8l
DaUeAfter the disaster in the capital, the knights and soldiers who had witnessed his actions began spreading stories about him.4Wfm
LexYcHis name even appeared in a small corner of the newspaper.NjuuVg
C5VpCTEIt was insignificant compared to Aint or Luina, the two overhumans, but still enough for some people to start recognizing him on the street.hu1Lk
Oe9w8uVGismond smiled happily.0G2aY
fpvCXHe’d never felt anything like this—not even in Korea.demXAZ
CusDcWas being famous really not so bad after all?dRe5f
TT2RBUq‘No, no, Gismond. Focus. Did you already forget what happened that day?’SeM1ul
nG7NVHe shook his head urgently.GPhfjfP
HrFrpjThe memories were still there, etched like a nightmare.eaatvSx
hhQidFWhen he was being chased by monsters and screamed for help, no reinforcements came.MZWsz
19qrlgHe barely escaped and climbed to the roof of a half-destroyed building, hoping to spot the kingdom’s troops—and then he saw them.M0NEHJ
rDYrJThose bastards chatting away casually!vVzEh
dGZAy6There was no way Fernan, the Mercenary King, and the headmaster didn’t hear his voice echoing through the whole area.odjabj6
w2tsYoThey had ignored him on purpose.mD9z
beA9OThe betrayal he felt in that moment was indescribable, and when he went to complain, Fernan’s response was the worst possible.NcL7Aw
21qFB“Are you alive? Then it’s all fine.”FHj
5yInq“That damn Fernan!”wS3IN7J
ddQFC‘If only I’d been a bit stronger…!’SvgscG
ti5iOBut remembering what he saw when Fernan fought the demon, he understood that being “a bit stronger” wouldn’t have been enough.DEZx6s
YWi3xdCHe would’ve needed to be much stronger—stronger than Fernan himself.MdZ8WO
LmgYr‘…Even then, I would’ve held back.’j6Lhu
77lBecause Fernan’s true power wasn’t his physical strength, but his money, his influence, and his connections.EsRKnn
8ttkrHow many people could summon two overhumans whenever they wanted?eGALl7
dJi‘The novel also mentioned that the Pellenberg Family had a Royal Knight and an Archmage.’NUM
WwbHIf you added those two, Fernan could move four overhumans at once.Lb6
6Q5The real puppeteer behind the scenes.NFnP0C
gdCXp6‘…Though I have improved quite a bit.’BPh3Mzy
a1TJunEvery time he followed Fernan, he ended up on the brink of death, but somehow always came out stronger.UZMw07N
2O21gu‘I’m no Nietzsche, but…’Xcl2
4ercWhat doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.7Yn4M8T
m59iF“Th-Thank you.”vRM
mAptbBWSuddenly, someone stopped in front of him.MpKr
bv3A beautiful woman with long blonde hair, light green eyes, and porcelain-white skin.vA5Zn
ZV94fMShe held a bouquet of flowers in her hands.ovdf
IEONOo“Me?”8xG9HIx
kEfZ“I heard you fought for us. I wanted to express my gratitude, even if just a little…”va1T
HLMVe0J“Ah.”adXAKJG
jxIoWEGismond, flustered, accepted the flowers.xmEemq
lmxQvuy“Thank you.”xlxX5uG
nMhTaAnd that was all it took.zf4
FNLOnce the woman took the first step, the others—who had held back out of respect—eagerly approached.C5Uo4K
kjx“Please accept my gift too!”J6Su6RR
lYdSW7“Could you tell us exactly what happened in the capital?”p6D2p
HxzGka“What was the demon like?”Z2aZm
0hHiaA“Lord Gismond, you’re so handsome!”h8vLZZJ
aeDm‘…Maybe following Fernan isn’t such a bad idea after all.’fYLuJrl
n6eSurrounded by the crowd, Gismond grinned from ear to ear.Hsz
bXf***HVd
EjxmdRD“Ugh…”6rwWhv
ehZHe woke up with intense thirst and hunger.lx4S
MBMHis vision was dark, damp air brushed against his skin.PunDh
n3O“Where… am I?”4ozY
tu8zr7cHe tried to move, but the sound of metal stopped him.1UYEnJI
UJAHHClank—khxY
9SCpHe was shackled. Why?vwBJcN2
AdFlSroHe tried channeling mana, but it wouldn’t respond.HpANDF
hpypThe shackles seemed designed to suppress magical energy.Xl35
MUwXDY“Why am I…?”l2X
oy4tAIn this situation? Who dared do this to him?RWb7
Jn4“Who the hell dares shackle me!?”g9shnq
5InHrGHe shouted with force.USC2A
Eo12fhcHis voice echoed in what seemed to be a small underground cell.sTOj7
8ki3DShortly after.hufF
LOwgiClunk… Creeeeak—LW7cK6X
vbZ7A huge iron door opened,1P32
o7wgRMand someone entered.YVUsh
shvtT“Oh, you’re finally awake.”n60Jj
Sqha“Who are you?! How dare you?!”LqBSkvP
CoN4GIt was too dark to see his face, and his voice was unfamiliar.ALB7Vuo
WKyU7j“Ah, calm down. We haven’t kidnapped or imprisoned you. Nor have we bound you against your will.”7GfprBq
62c7z“And I’m just supposed to believe that!?”MYemvx
aXykSFK“Seems there’s a misunderstanding. Don’t you remember anything?”b5FiDA
vk7l6t“Remember?”OusEjk
dqx“Yes, your last memory.”H6aDCc
FYSA3At those words, he forced his mind to go back. The fragments slowly began to resurface.hmQEeD
ISjThe moment of victory at the Grand Magic Tournament.9II5gH
T0IdccProfessor Dominique’s congratulations, and the talk about a new theory of illusion magic.6qg
PFYk“Ugh…”5PvrAa
TayoEMJCarlo brought a hand to his head; a sharp pain pierced through.iTsDxts
PKFTn“I was… hypnotized…”28Q954
ttFw3When he looked into Professor Dominique’s eyes, the demonic energy hidden within had taken control of his mind.AkL
IYGHe tried to resist, but it was already too deeply embedded.wNJRU
jhxewH“Good to hear you remember.”FBFGy
SoNj9“…What exactly happened?”PSIH2C
HUTp“Professor Dominique was corrupt. He summoned the 65th demon, Andrealphus, and you, Carlo Deneb, fought on his side.”foQIO
53e2g“I-Impossible!”Wula
s0iY39Carlo denied it forcefully, but deep down he knew it was true.PfVP
22SXHThe hazy memories of that mental control still floated in his mind.zlkM
Yv5“It’ll be easier if you see it yourself.”Ki5
wsieThe man took out a magic register and channeled mana into it.rnf2EYp
mJlJAn image appeared—Carlo, with lifeless eyes, fighting Verian Kalburdern and Gismond Ert.3GS
CF9iBt“…That was really me?”ZUJgHip
u70h“Yes. But don’t worry too much. Very few people know this truth.”XHuuWr
RF2NQ6SMost of the attention had been focused on the demon invasion, so almost no one knew Carlo had been controlled by a demon.ePpJPB
zyg“Just three people.”jfc
BItuNHe held up three fingers.hLBi01
BTNe“The two you fought, and Lord Fernan.”BSUS
eqJQJ“Fernan? Did you say Fernan?”fT72t
dpUFK7At that name, a chill ran down Carlo’s spine.f3SciP
XqUzVoHe felt like prey caught in a predator’s trap.kcKqRxg
w2SpK1v“Lord Fernan took pity on you. That’s why he chose to keep this a secret and ordered you be treated here.”r5v2yQh
P7yZH“Treated? Like this?”NAy
ywJfo“We had no choice. You lost control multiple times due to the demonic hypnosis. And we couldn’t allow you to kill us while we were trying to cure you, right?”FUWY
A2KxA“…How long was I unconscious?”ijVo
cI1“Let’s see…”EWdr4V
ivHThe man counted on his fingers.yX7UfpK
resVM“About two months, maybe.”XwogGcq
rYv“That long?”wV7
2i8“Yes. And we were just starting to have problems. We’ve tried to hide your condition, but your family has sent several letters asking about you.”eObq70
ohobrj“Luckily, you woke up just in time.”vpA
tVfKXThe man smiled kindly.rew3
y2PTu“…And what exactly do you want?”DuQ1s
NC9“Pardon?”W8xQ
8LomM“I know you’re a servant of Fernan. And I know he’d never do this for free.”Ozsk
LbO“‘Servant’ is a harsh word, but not entirely wrong.”8fTol3e
vqum“What Lord Fernan wants isn’t anything difficult. In fact, it might be something you want as well.”ocV
Fzpq“You talk too much.”u0g
LPPlpJ“Before I say it, let me show you something.”WER2E
k1Ns4FHe pulled out another magic register.3jXP4
Dvd“Do you know why Verian Kalburdern, former subordinate of Ludger Schwaben, ended up becoming a close friend of Aint Armian?”tQwgpj
jNtc“What does that have to do with anything?”pGe0r
VTE0OA reasonable question.aWmz1sx
G5sMany at the Academy had wondered the same—how that guy, defeated by Aint and scorned by Ludger, suddenly became one of his best friends.c80r
8Q8oP“Lord Fernan only wants one thing from you.”wb5h
PPRUgThe man smiled and activated the register.QOQb2
eExzNMI“To do the same thing Verian Kalburdern did.”qCu
9kCThe image began to play—the battle between Aint and Verian, infected by demonic energy.ftQBwv
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