Chapter 95
rI0z“…¿Kallinos Armian?”QXqrWE
TnPAt least in the Empire—no, in the entire continent—there was no one who didn’t know that name.KPSPSS
EoIz5The last king of the Armian Kingdom, and at the same time, the founding emperor of the Armian Empire.J2d
7fjBg6TThe great emperor who defeated King Colomo and the 72 demons.sW5Q
JkuHIThe great emperor who unified the divided kingdoms and founded the Empire.nSD2d
60jJ9Why was his name engraved here?39pi
ml37The answer was obvious.lp1Ctw
KtEZZU“As I thought, this place is without a doubt a setup prepared by the First Emperor.”mHjOq9
kw87v0mFernan carefully lifted the chest.2TtFUq
fBLUnlike the precious Three Great Metals that filled the entire cavern, the chest didn’t seem special at all, dark and dull in tone.i1EcOYN
nqj1v“It’s reinforced blackstone.”wF2gaji
4uQwcA mineral harder than steel and with high magic resistance. On its surface were engraved the emblem of the Saint bird and several seals.6jqq
U6w“Protection and explosion magic?”HQcHF
YaEnznIt couldn’t be easily broken, and if someone tried to force it open, the entire chest would explode.5KSbW
KGXcFernan tried to analyze it to deactivate the magic, but the seals were interlaced in such a complex direction that it escaped his understanding.TTlGPK
OnDREven so, that didn’t mean there wasn’t a way to open it. There was one more engraving on the chest.bzSY
tH9eP“A bloodline recognition spell…?”9UMDVl
I11B4mIt was magic that used blood to identify the user.RBvz3p
nsNRIn other words, anyone could open that chest if they had Aint Armian’s blood.q7yKSl
ECVX“Another preparation for his descendants? I’ll open it later.”lPaDY9
TnaILrHe could give it to Aint, but he didn’t see anything wrong with checking the contents first himself.M4nS
xiB4yForcing it open was completely out of the question.2aPm
U67PkTAfter all, it had been created by the First Emperor himself. The risk of trying to open it without authorization was too high.iYpB
BgxuHe safely stored the chest in his subspace and began to extract the minerals.9K3ugx
MNWa“Haa…”gPDY2
ZM5yjGNot even for the First Emperor did it seem possible to gather mountains of the three metals.Bvt2O
zPbNy81Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been so scarce.TYP
bjcNo matter how much he dug into the cavern walls, beyond the superficial layer nothing new appeared.7DXEIT
d9TFqfThe same in all directions—no orichalcum, no mithril, no adamantium.kKh
sWDIf he gathered every last particle, maybe he could forge the Pasa Bell, but after the smelting process, nothing was guaranteed.U72c4v4
curGLlThe only thing certain was that Fernan’s plan to get rich by trading the three metals had been ruined.L6cMO
gNx— Kyu…R1BPiF1
PTKDyAt his tense expression, Wooden remained silent.lVnS4PE
uidLSeveral hours passed excavating and inspecting the entire cavern, even gathering the damaged fragments.Bjx5
q0cd‘At least the orichalcum from above was a gain.’UpYme
SBGWhat could have been a benefit of one hundred, was reduced to ten. But not all was lost.dbHs8r
LwX3w“Wooden, shrink back.”mHJ
ilSd4iU— Kyuu!QOQw
PkcWooden returned to his small form and went back into Fernan’s pendant. The exploration was over.2lkHjav
2uTyL***6ITa
Op3yFernan didn’t go see Jace right away.1b6
VsBzXaHe already knew there was a method and had some of the materials; he didn’t need to keep being the one asking for favors.55LrUhH
heHThis wasn’t just anything—he had mithril, orichalcum, and adamantium.jwy
ZhGHRBAlthough the Pasa Bell was something that absolutely needed to be rebuilt, doing it without gaining anything in return wasn’t a principle of a Pellenberg.uJyGFe
OKuThe next day, Fernan took a day off.J7h
KK9rcVvHe used a transportation circle from the Academy—something he rarely did—and returned to his family’s mansion.Bcc7
GWHT“I didn’t expect you to come back in the middle of the semester.”hvt
l8p88“I have something I need to report.”SMz
2gwUGWQ“Is it urgent?”vhtZ6
hW0kMBh“It’s about the Pasa Bell.”ahzrGn
t39HOr“And why do you care so much about that bell?”EngQ3Wr
0peHFFernan opened his subspace. Dozens of chests fell before them.dUeI
F6cU“It’s more than double the amount needed.”tTOSIv
COxlAIu“What…? Don’t tell me…”ghXxZ
GpWhRThe duke opened a chest. His eyes widened at the sight of it filled with minerals. He hurriedly checked the other chests.FKn
LUy“…How did you get all this?”Bar
B6NpXEr“Does it really matter?”fYIXwUQ
k1BGwVT“As long as they don’t have a problematic origin, not too much.”l2jo8CK
1nz6“You already know it’s impossible for them to have a suspicious origin.”DwU0
Wv0y4No faction on the continent could possess such a quantity of the Three Great Metals.Qa27Qcp
eHoA“And you found this by reading the earth as always?”FTM
qE98Obb“You think reading the earth is enough to find something like this? It was pure luck.”HpXj4l8
uGVThe duke stared at him silently. Confused.IUzHOm
VDg5cEven if all the world’s wealth ended up in Pellenberg’s hands, he had never seen such a quantity gathered together.SIzkjS
5yjPvQ2“Do you want the Pasa Bell to be rebuilt?”qzzy
QJl“The demons destroyed it as soon as they were summoned. That only proves how effective it was. It must be remade.”9PlX
1gnn1v“And how much are you asking for?”SyuG
gWfThe duke instantly caught his intention.2QmR
vZql5By mentioning the Bell and showing the minerals, Fernan wanted Pellenberg to take the lead—in exchange for fair compensation.myTWZ
s2BV“Paying me market price will be enough.”0ybgWL
zShwo1“Even so, not even I could cover that entire value.”S16XyO
IyCyMaybe, if he sold off lands and buildings and drained all the commercial guild’s funds—but that would even shake Pellenberg.oYSXdxI
NB6J1cFernan knew. And he didn’t want that either—the Golden Turtle Guild would end up his anyway.EPtxO
tTAFW“I’ll let you have it for half the price.”wWn0BjB
RCQHmOb“What do you want in return?”VCFHTdx
MkSsPk“That you negotiate directly with the Pope.”cEzGuEh
CH2f“So you’ve heard it was the Church of the Dragon God that forged the Pasa Bell.”90HO
p3MThat the duke knew was no surprise.1xw6
ca3His networks extended across the Empire and continent like an invisible web.UVpMP
256“And what are you planning to do after achieving this?”i9M
q8jQ“You’ve grown a lot.”WQN4T
uiwE“I believe what I bring to the table justifies my words.”LIc
pysThe duke looked at him with deeper eyes.8T59
BE0“People often make the mistake of thinking that having what someone else wants puts them in control.”HdBow
kES“I trust in a merchant’s conscience—in yours, father.”qCM
Pvm“What you trust in is the fact you’re my son.”jJl
pvLlEThat too was true. With someone else, he never would have spoken this way.GMZ
u5wX5q“It will be donated to the Church.”d4X
EYa9“Yes.”CJyB
bXK“You don’t seem surprised.”8xgOj0Q
YhL“Because it won’t be a purely altruistic donation, right?”E3IsE
6hwKThe duke valued money even more than Fernan. He didn’t give anything, even to his own children, without compensation.4ZE
upnW5j“And what would you do afterward?”wk8b
JAH“I’d summon the prince-electors for a council.”arF
80gThe Empire was full of nobles, but those who truly moved its foundations were the prince-electors.A1u7wt3
SCL2hAThey had been the founders along with the First Emperor, and a thousand years of power had only solidified their dominance.ZKRsS
B0P33Most nobles belonged to one of their factions.4UvN
0H2Wn0B“The subject would be the reconstruction of the Pasa Bell, I assume.”w9bD
qQAsWd“Yes. And about the origin of the materials…”2ia
bqePT“Pellenberg has storehouses over a thousand years old. We’ll say it came from there.”uuta
7ey3Fernan’s lips curled into a smile.JNdWr
a1v“Then others will also have to contribute something.”X0q
sCm“Of course.”ha7sVyy
genxdeuPellenberg would suffer a huge loss, but the other six electors would cover part of it, whether with money, land, or privileges.DTO
4O6They couldn’t refuse.RvSbqJi
nKyThe demons had destroyed the Bell—the threat was real and near. An elector who didn’t understand that didn’t deserve the title.1QzZ
j6CThe Bell was necessary.jiimG
gTagXfAnd with Pellenberg holding the materials, the control was theirs.30QlI
nnaK5“I’m glad we think alike.”8lQl
rW7OOO“Is that all you want?”T0xPfH3
P5o7“No. One more thing—I’d like to use the family’s workshop.”Hd5
UCx“Planning to rebuild that golem…?”aHuZ4Pu
y6AJ“Not to that level. Just maybe craft some weapons for him.”sW2cI
c52W3“Talk to the masters.”30p
e49x“Thank you. And one more thing.”Odt
PEfq3yeThe duke’s brow furrowed.ntp6f
X7Wm74“The word of a merchant must be trustworthy.”fNlk
sabfA“This is different. I haven’t yet received the information about the Corrupt that we agreed to share.”bZyH
PrTYWYtFernan had handed over records on Andromalius and other Corrupt, and the duke had begun investigating infiltrators within the family and across the continent.Guu
I7UVT“I was just about to send it to you. Expect it at the Academy.”A1r
CZ7OQ“Understood.”OB4saQ
kjSeb“Store those chests in the warehouse.”U3k
TARxvLt“Yes.”KP3
cA0RFernan bowed and withdrew.nTuSRE
MRAt9The duke wrote six letters, stamped them, and called the butler.1lI
yBryPQF“Send them to the prince-electors.”DDmBi
53WAjz“Yes.”adS
S9PzJEiThe duke paused and wrote one more.02xGK3
cYeI“And to the Bercheff as well.”pXGH
9Ny“Understood.”jl9
aVu27“What about the report on the Golden Pillar?”EDC
DT4dnSp“It will be ready in two days.”dmuSGcd
CTYiqdE“Bring it to me as soon as it’s done.”HFm
cMk“Yes.”fDGzNV
sZoX0The duke drummed his fingers on the desk.IqENW
A5CNo matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t find an explanation.QvPSRDv
xpASl“Where in the world did he get so much…?”XOGy
vYGsPCEven the amount used to create the golem was already excessive.nvzmm
9i03Once could pass as luck. Twice? Never.4FNq
vLusHe knew Fernan was hiding something.ulFwtq
fFDm“It won’t harm Pellenberg, but…”ILm5
u5oYfHe couldn’t ignore it either.00jlcv9
Xwoa“Investigate Fernan’s movements in detail.”Ii6Vkk
mYqc“As you wish.”CA7GMF
AG2RThe butler withdrew.K6K0VYG
u1qW“It’s best to keep this secret.”r8oLaaT
spDaWith or without the Bell of Pasa, the change would be massive.Ki0TYAq
OYzDhTSAnd it would be worse if the demons discovered the truth.He5
1vtFQh“At least none of the electors is Corrupt…”cmSkqRp
ZB3It was only a supposition, but the duke believed it firmly.gZbr
jvxOSomeone that incompetent could never have become a prince-elector.o8S
lmz7***c8Gt
z55OjhFIn the end, his father hadn’t lied.WL8
gONjFernan reviewed the thick report that awaited him on the desk of his room upon his return.4mw
0lDltX“So far, including the Golden Turtle Guild, we’ve found twelve infected within the family, and fifty-five people directly or indirectly involved.”BHu0v
C5uIt was no small matter. The only positive thing was that they had been caught before it was too late, but there was no way to know if that was the complete list.kFiIOA
kCTdB“The rest…”cU0t
QRL9LJThe report shifted focus to the Corrupt outside the family.ehD2k
IajNWSeveral noble houses, trade guilds, and groups were under suspicion, and among them, one stood out above the rest.tDN6BA
PRLFG9“…Wait a moment, Fridian?”9aE
zr3uMWere there Corrupt in Fridian?q6GE
dPN71NUIt was just a suspicion, of course, but the mere fact that the name of a prince-elector family appeared there was already grounds for controversy.4pxysQu
8MQTzlYFernan read quickly.zsIzJ8
mlx9up[– Adolph Fridian]pMIilIT
uRoCDirect line of House Fridian. Nephew of the current patriarch.x6n9Y5L
4vNaElf. 29 years old.oOBpR
AMvzSubcommander of the Guardian Tree Knights.8JzVn
uj3Unlike most elves, he is a strict vegetarian who never eats meat.NM0q
6OrtJ7…68jy
nQtdVKLately, his ability has increased drastically, enough to snatch the subcommander position.ZIvlg4B
pGULsImpossible to verify the number of elixirs in House Fridian’s possession, or their exact use.NqvBw
9DuGcLIt’s not ruled out that he’s reached “enlightenment.”E2a
U47MBut given the speed of his rise, he cannot be ruled out as Corrupt. Catalogued as suspicious.9OQq
0gPz“…Wow.”4ImCTw
ygfhIRFernan let out a sigh of relief.sERJj
8vEnc4For a moment, he had thought a direct member of the Fridian family was truly Corrupt.5eOvFW
M2XjIf that were the case, the reach and depth of the corruption would be immeasurable.1aBKLG3
SkGt“A vegetarian elf… quite rare.”2AG
PJOLt[– Roderick Fisher]XsGB7
f5RuqJHSecondary branch of the Fisher family. Distant relative of the patriarch (13th degree).
Human. 33 years old.zINnEL
4ebGLeft the family in childhood and became a mercenary.tIqCC7U
MJJpchAfter wandering from group to group, he gained renown and joined the Blue Wolf Mercenaries…7k6IjIW
pDfFernan flipped through the pages, understanding why the report was so thick.0BEy5
uZrV“They included all the suspicious nobles.”l6WgR
IyO2QMIt was inevitable.vlCpns
yAjWbKhWithin the family, they could be forced to undergo Church inspection artifacts, but no matter how high-ranking the prince-electors were, the same couldn’t be imposed on other noble houses.08259T
7CyfYSo the only option was to include anyone who raised doubts.NQXE
nYDCZuHe read the entire report at speed. When he looked up, night had fully fallen.rJY
bEr6KW“…I’d better sleep.”esn0at6
6UAFFatigue was taking over. He got ready and lay on the bed.1OA
Zxc9UKnock, knock—sXiHjq
aToAt that moment, someone knocked on the door.iOSY
o7Y7vViAccording to Ravidus Hall rules, students couldn’t visit another student’s room.iwDLav
WvRHZIIf someone knocked, it could only be a maid, a student with enough money and power to bypass the rule like himself, or an authorized servant.UPEKk5
5mQFAnd in this case—LmznECo
W4H3FBU“Young master, it’s me. Are you already resting?”GnY
xGjIt was the last one—a servant.rFK3
b91417E“Come in.”4Uzl
XDIIfThe door opened. Hyde, dressed for infiltration, entered silently.7TwzD
Vty1“I heard you went to the main house.”mfUy5K
YZqh“I had to discuss something with my father. I’ll tell you later. First, tell me your part—you seem to have something in mind.”Ea99qpJ
5wa3G“Yes, I do.”F5JxtK
ZM1Y9SCReally? Fernan raised an eyebrow.8xFD
Kdf“What is it about?”FVXGaj
qnPui“About the elixirs Gisamond Ert is hiding.”jQFpZo
M5Ba“…More elixirs?”n8mos
PoqPWho the hell was that man, really?BMGou2Z
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