Chapter 76
4sJYDAfter the round of sixteen, the quarterfinals also concluded, and only four remained standing.ar0r4rx
gdNM3【Jousting Tournament Semifinals】3KG
i73kValoshi Bienderk (1st year, top of his class) VS Rob Kaelin (4th year, top of his class)YrJNx
7WQMLuina Bercheff (2nd year, top of her class) VS Kuntz Bayer (3rd year, 12th place)Zt1D43n
KOo4People were surprised to see that there was one representative from each class: first, second, third, and fourth.ddm4n
UIrNBut the first-year wasn’t Aint.LoFLdqc
Jd9id— That place should be mine!G4V7
iYE— I’m the one who should be in the newspapers!gtp6G
JuwxEC— I’m the one who defeated a demon! Why?! Why?!MmW
bxmWgm‘It’s not that big of a deal… it was my fault, okay? Please, stop torturing me!’9M8
lPyOF7Aint set the newspaper aside, and Gardner finally fell silent.gDFTX
lZ8fYy— Pathetic. A thousand years ago, knights of your level were as common as stones on the road.2ONDkq
RiqA72f“…Really? That common?”11k4Rkp
3PX0— Well, not that many.sGyqW
N3X322With that small consolation, Aint sighed in relief.IiKR
SzrnV— Although I admit I’m surprised. This world is overflowing with the powerful. I didn’t think that, after absorbing the heart of the Saintbird and the power of Andromalius, you wouldn’t gain more of an advantage with your aura.pDrc7
66aIt was true that Aint’s aura was above average. But, according to Gardner, in this era the average was absurdly high.ldR
9QA9SpAura and mana weren’t accumulated just by endlessly training techniques.LSTC
Ubp49miThere were many auxiliary means like potions and elixirs. Though, of course, just drinking them wasn’t enough to become strong.yOAe
h4nmzlg— If it’s not that, then Almon must have an exceptional family.TMXqnd
0jnc“The Donertz family isn’t remarkable.”e75R
o73— Then he must have a rich patron.QnBOv7a
k9nJhtm“…Fernan?”5sy
1KCDv— I don’t think so. I didn’t sense any special fondness from him.AdSBf
DkYOAfter all, the Empire had no shortage of magnates. The Pellenberg family was the richest on the continent, but not the only one.nNNH
YoiVxUAfter speaking with Gardner, Aint checked the time, freshened up, and dressed in formal clothes.0fp
rnlEBh4He was going to see the semifinals.Mi7m
DynddyEspecially Luina Bercheff and Rob Kaelin, the great favorite.BmIx0
VNa2Bj“Wow, if not for Fernan, I never would’ve gotten tickets.”AAiy
V5P5Qh— That’s why having a rich guy around is so convenient. It’s like carrying an almighty artifact that can solve any problem.LMA
aZm8Aint didn’t quite see it that way, but he admitted it was useful.pueyT
wwrdJStHe sat down and noticed two people beside him.1N0qw1
EDkNY3“Aria? Verian?”B8eh
JYr“Aint… this was your seat?”djasEP
GUhFdz“You also got your ticket from Fernan, right?”Qrkq
5YP— Uh-huh. These two also took advantage of the rich guy.KDeevDj
IjCSo it seemed.Oovz
E9uBhB“Aria, weren’t you going to watch the magic tournament?”BMmrfFp
HJfre19“I wanted to, but Fernan only gave me a ticket for the joust. Why do you think that is?”aTe
6ADoX8Because Fernan wanted the three of them, future companions against demons, to strengthen their bonds.q5J1nub
Lfs96Especially Aria, who according to the book of prophecies was Aint’s destined ally.YKnEX
sGGShe, not knowing it, felt obligated to be there against her will.F1xDJh
oTC0DEThe match began.38Cdo
y0v“Rob Kaelin!”WBHO
pTm2kThe announcer called out the fourth-year knight, who calmly stepped onto the stage.wbIC9
ycEOHis bearing was robust, yet he gave off a gentle air, which created a peculiar contrast.e2xWBA
rW1b— Behind that gentle look hides a finely honed edge. No wonder he was champion last year.q0lV
o3FGardner assessed him as a clear candidate for future Royal Knight.P749iiT
FaC“Rob Kaelin!”uCD
POdq“Win again this year!”ftd
eoMy7“I’ve got all my money on you!”d1g
QbwYzt“Rob! Rob! Rob!”iDW
EGjNJqThe crowd roared.FXxJ30W
BBOMost of those voices were talking about bets.M1v0PR0
laaff“…Do people always talk this much about betting?”pt0n2
CIFmPk“Didn’t you know? Fernan promised rewards for those who guess the most right.”cOMKwCZ
vM41tvThat had made more people join the betting than in past festivals.Fon5cz
Ox2“Turning the joust into a casino…”as1J
kcjSo“Bah, whatever. The prize is mine anyway.”0wE
Pf5z“Wait a second… the prize is yours?”W7mRh
kbBTa7kVerian frowned.BVf1ej
etobn“Don’t tell me…”vX0F
W6Tdyun“What?”nFKo
HzT7u“You placed bets?”gH0
uVouJ26“Of course, on every match.”bA84a
eiNckVerian stared at her, dumbfounded.Rf8p
ApJfdPx“And aren’t elves supposed to be free from greed?”e4q1L
nNTbA“That means I’m not obsessed, not that I reject easy money.”jJs
AjsAnd he couldn’t argue with that.eSl0
G8DH1“Valoshi Bienderk!”UOahJ
UGZlThe first-year representative appeared on the other side.mUa5oW
R3XhVDespite the crowd’s excitement, he remained as calm as always.PF0Eq
sm3B4“…Valoshi Bienderk.”NkgaY
rs0FxJ“What do you think of him?”R2Mm6
4By“Weren’t you close with him?”YKy3
8jL“Not really. I just wanted to be.”gK8Q
kNTnR“And he didn’t reciprocate. Poor thing.”3uSkKSp
hl8“Shut up, Aria.”8qX0GDs
c8Hy3“Well, I don’t have that problem.”ZFN
m1k84TWhile his friends argued, Aint watched Valoshi.vxK
I28SiKU— Strange fellow. Verian isn’t weak—his family, the Kalburdern, are among the Empire’s most distinguished. And yet Valoshi pushes him aside and instead shows friendliness to you, who has nothing.AH1B
0bDCGxvAint thought the same.iNb
DB6‘Could it be that he only favors elector families, like Aria?’ZrXFi
Pc2OT8S— No. That elf doesn’t only approach electors. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have dealt with Verian either.CgVyt
SA8True. That made it even more mysterious. What exactly did Valoshi want?98cQV3L
8rnRY2Z“Even you won’t have it easy against him.”ph4EmI
wbd3Tu1That was Verian’s sincere opinion.4Vq4Uf
zS0R9pCThough Aint had defeated a demon, he couldn’t deny that the peculiarity of his light power had been decisive.xKx
MgHreDe‘And like Gardner said, I also had Fernan’s help.’wKxTl3k
uzMi— That golem of his was an unmatched weapon. I never thought someone could face a demon with a mechanical giant.tahrB
LwV6XRemembering that made Aint more curious about Fernan than about Valoshi.qKdFhPJ
pP7wE‘What kind of person is he really?’hby
hIAXpJu‘Did he know in advance that demons would be summoned?’BFhG
ezuM— Impossible. No one can know the future.qp5
chlRAT‘Yeah, you’re right…’1aaRh4
sGIOKnMaybe Fernan was just a prevention maniac, always carrying potions, reagents, and artifacts.3BA
C7HZdcn“Begin!”apV2nZ
C0JDThe fight began.KpCV
m1FMYBoth charged without any prior testing.YEc
Apb1kClang!wBAfSym
p7RBClang!j7sV
9GGtjClang!wsD
EY3ImuAfter three clashes, they dismounted and drew their swords.pyn2f
D3vEKHundreds of exchanges later, everything was decided.lTTHrQd
SPs“Valoshi lost!”cMMF
f4jaw“Last year’s champion remains undefeated.”401vTeU
RHlXFuS— His swordsmanship is almost complete. His grandfather, the Royal Knight, trained him thoroughly.HlX4MuW
WF1Gardner was right. Even Aint could see that Rob had controlled the fight from beginning to end.INsNv
5NoeeU6— But something doesn’t add up.qjJq
8aOo4‘What do you mean?’m5lk
PvoObG— He isn’t giving off tension.CnRLAu
KJ0Fo‘What?’fldI
xOZcxG— He’s acting.bwg
IaXThen it happened.x9MR
JlcFj3G“…Huh?”iejWCT
2xq5kRob pointed his sword at Valoshi’s neck.nolKIOL
tAbBhFIn a fight already decided, it was strange to continue pressing with such intensity.ELc
QuWRMS***c5tlW8P
0Gb“What are you?”ZP1
SKxRob smiled, but only with his lips. His eyes, however, were cold as ice as he looked at the fallen Valoshi.INpI4
soh91TL“What the hell are you trying to pull?”rzNkh
iHRYgq“Hearing that from someone who just beat me… I’m confused, senior.”o6rPo
xhmUjRk“Do you take me for an idiot? Did you expect me to bow my head and give thanks after losing?”Cq5K9u
iwiPmOn the surface, it seemed like a fierce duel, so much so that not even the duelists themselves could have noticed the subtlety of what was really happening.uSnEgD
Pwzxch“I didn’t expect anything in particular, but if you do that, I won’t mind. I gave it my all.”Gjkfvgj
pnBcO“Do you intend to keep up this farce until the end?”uPj
it6LrRumble rumble rumble—OE1Wn
U88iXThe aura Rob exhaled made the stadium tremble.RQ46tel
WlEooSj“You’re insufferable. You’ve insulted me, the Academy, and more than that, the Empire.”HqbJL
Reypb“I did my best. I’m simply weaker than you.”bxo
6Hcp“Still, until the end…!”fsB
9b9lVUY“Enough!”aZKK9d
WefMoi1The referee stepped in, placing himself between the two.w0l
n8E7“The match is over, Rob Kaelin. What is going on here?”ohuq
ykg“……”aLvSgJ
BSx“I asked you what’s happening.”gGKRao
5YFrGZiRob fixed his gaze on Valoshi, hesitated a moment, and replied.H0wC
pNSGC“…Nothing. The fight was more intense than I expected, and I’m still wound up.”dHy0
VzLD“I’m surprised. For you to say that… I see, so it’s Bienderk. Try to control yourself.”RdnJ40N
VUq1RP“Yes.”UGt4jeI
FjHBgHA moment later, the referee raised Rob’s arm.aTEL5r
I6zCKX“The winner, Rob Kaelin!”Wh2
Vh6EUzyWaaaaaaah!XEdF9
LV2tt“…I’m sorry, but I don’t have the hobby of doing pointless things. Straining myself for something whose result is already decided…”1Mhr
Is9SDBAValoshi’s low murmur was buried under the cheers of the crowd.kVvhPl
H4IvAhl***PKQVs
88CCKCaNight, during the festival.79Pi
heTDuring the days of the festival, the Academy hosted several banquets a day.PlWI
ab2x6UPSweet melodies delighted the ears, sculptures and chandeliers pleased the eyes, and exquisite wines and delicacies made the palate dance.Waz8RNK
7uD0d“Hm.”jQgxam
JfsMlMAFernan, however, stayed apart, champagne glass in hand, quietly observing from a corner.IBHu
ZTGIr36“Sir Fernan, what are you doing here?”d3xE
JQc84a“Young master Fernan!”aVSdKc
6cFFsAZ“Fernan, would you grant me a dance…?”l9zcT0
q6qFSome recognized him and approached, but he only gave brief greetings before moving somewhere else.dbl
CkUzmSk“Sir, there he is.”JMRUeH
MAfE11Hyde pointed to a mature man speaking in the middle of a group.n82M
xNFFernan approached and greeted him.9gn9
gMUItZ“It’s an honor to meet you, Count Lodos. I’m Fernan Pellenberg.”uid
VoZVq“Pellenberg…? Oh, excuse me. I’m Lodos Franz.”ip1bsSL
JmyMp6L“A pleasure, Count. I’ve been eager to meet you.”6luMOD
IgY“…Me?”tPbvR
ZYsBO3eThe count blinked, surprised by the sudden familiarity.OQS9
ONr14h“Could we speak in private?”o8SX4
apfQ“What about?”fFFTt
7PL“Business…”dRj7t
A18FFernan discreetly handed him a paper. The count’s face tightened as he read it.wx2vsq
Mw0CJgs“With me?”OfB1jr
0bEHTF“That’s right.”1mp
8VGvu“…Indeed, this isn’t something for here.”zQZhV1
m2QdcvThe count looked around. Several people were already whispering, keeping their distance at the unexpected scene.CVe
ovwY“I have a place prepared. Would you mind if I guided you there?”tZgF
4vqI4“That’s fine.”OsTGn
eXdAFernan led him to the third floor of the hall, where he had reserved a private room for distinguished guests.k52
9B5Ymrb“What tea do you prefer?”817l7
12tQ“Never thought the son of Pellenberg would serve me tea… green tea, please.”jbiT
dk1Fernan prepared the infusion himself and offered it.kR2
YH4d“Now, tell me. What’s this about Golden Turtle wanting to do business with me…? Hm, you brew good tea.”SSR7X
rdIF1Ti“Thank you for the compliment.”BtiT
EZDMKW9“But I must be frank—my territory has nothing special. It’s poor land.”kje2
4vYGtFernan already knew that. The County of Franz, like much of Frazia, was arid and hard to cultivate, plagued with hills, forests, and monster dens. With no notable resources or products, it was an impoverished domain.usU
VX2“That’s precisely why Golden Turtle has barely opened a branch there. What business are you proposing, then?”QcPnlo6
Vd7zGF“Nothing concrete yet. Just a plan. We believe there’s a vein in the County of Franz.”CJp
8veaGn“A vein?”85B
v7OVcpThe count looked at him incredulously.0y2HqdG
WDfLHyA“Yes. We’ve received information about a black stone deposit.”vXuIWX5
goA“Black stone…? Truly?”rWs6Z
QaSYIpThe count’s eyes gleamed with greed. Black stone wasn’t as valuable as metals like mithril or adamantium, but it was still quite valuable.BH8
tfyGN0“Yes. Though we don’t yet know the quantity, whether it’s profitable, or how many monsters are nearby. We need to study it more.”ySQjFq
OGg8Y“Where is it?”7YBF
RMRYe“I can’t say without a signed contract.”5U5bo
Q0Tl“You expect me to accept blindly, when you haven’t even discovered anything in my land? To sign by force?”2zu
WEQzTBbFernan calmly shook his head.Adt7y
WsLRLX“We haven’t explored, we only received a report.”z8p
o0oi“And you expect me to believe it?”SAZ5
6BpA3YY“Believe it or not, the facts remain. It’s a proposal.”1hzN
AExwnHe handed over a contract.bBlcQ
6cusEnBThe count opened it warily.F8LIzKl
ULrThe clauses were simple.1kJ
HFCc1. If Golden Turtle finds a vein in the county, it has the right to exploit it.hTRfu1S
2WGB92. The count leases it out permanently.wUBB8R
EhXptb3. Golden Turtle gives the count 30% of the profits.B2Aue
hAo4om4. All development and defense costs are borne by the company.uZfjh
xpO5PE5. If no vein is found within a year, the contract is annulled.Dxl
sb3gzThe count’s eyes widened.kk3
B6x“All costs borne by you, and I receive a clean 30%? Without contributing anything?”8NdM4K
IwoTfrIt was far too favorable.85k67I
sQP2JoEven if no real vein existed, he lost nothing.dzrev8n
mwj2Ei“Is this real?”aeH
Q15“Yes.”swA
7ODFernan nodded.RdBD
AlRJNormally, he would never offer something like this, but now he had two reasons.mJSxY
P8QzXrThe first, that the book of prophecies confirmed the existence of that deposit.sfH
TYvjThe second, that the 64th demon, Flauros, would first appear near the fortress by the County of Franz.b7x
ciajLuck was on his side—the vein was right there.5cY
75BeAlso, developing a mine justified deploying troops in the area, which served as the perfect excuse to be prepared against the demon.YoZ8KuH
PCbQC“What do you decide, Count?”a26mZF
zTp“…I have no reason to refuse.”GLNBJiG
SLg“Excellent choice.”Z2OXWRr
7nz2The count signed the contract.x7hqFc
I9LImmediately, Fernan drafted a letter.kBt8
mpYheH【Regarding mining exploitation matters… from Golden Pillar we report the discovery of a new deposit.】Pss7Ho
Ahs9A“Send it to my father. Maximum priority.”qi1yg
s59The message departed for House Pellenberg.mOrMLu6
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