Chapter 103
uMpus1oIn short, he had no sense of brotherhood—he was saying Lucian should use them and discard them as any sovereign pleased.9Vx
AmlIt was an extremely cold stance, but looking at it more closely, it was also a very reasonable way to go about things.IGw
TRVqrGThey had just barely laid the foundation for mages to rise again. And yet, to protect the incompetent just because they were “his people” and allow them to form a faction?rvx6
4kfjUnI‘The rebellion from 300 years ago would repeat itself.’LxO4Of
65N32GThey had been persecuted for centuries despite possessing the talent to recreate miracles. Even a mediocre mage would naturally develop some resentment and a desire for compensation.1npCo7
dSDhcIt wouldn’t be surprising if, starting with Colin—the first to be appointed—they began making demands. But Colin had drawn a clear line to avoid potential sources of future instability.2GTV9
j5ZwKR‘Good.’yl8RYg
pArLucian didn’t know whether those words came from careful calculation or sincere conviction.vmQ
vZSJABut either way, he was fully satisfied. Colin wasn’t swearing loyalty as part of a group called “mages,” but as an individual, directly to Lucian.AsNCZr
ZKsrKzEven if they were mages, if any of them ever harmed Lucian, Colin himself would cut them off at the root.h4tnDT
cMEjsA“Your title will be Chief Mage.”V5xE
BPBBJl“…!”T33u
33q“If you know your history, you know what that post is. Or do I need to explain it?”BfJrVsH
E0q“N-no, that won’t be necessary!”bYN9F
sUBhiC3Colin quickly replied, bit his tongue, and writhed in pain. With tears forming in his eyes, the title continued to echo in his mind.YJuBjQ2
exDMf0R‘Chief Mage…’4D45R1s
wDWJgvA position that, 300 years ago, only existed in major houses—marquisates or higher—that employed numerous mages.OqzG
a6GRcxIt was the role that oversaw all contracted mages and represented the most skilled mage in the household. Even the empire, which still retained some mages, had abolished the position.fVlgv
6jsUkP‘Is it really okay for me to take this position right off the bat? The mages who come after will complain…’SOSddB
HsbOWith a hint of unease, Colin spoke cautiously.vWASVm
PTwDCFH“Y-your Highness, but the title of Chief Mage is usually determined by skill and competence…”TEim7V
rsUO“Don’t you trust your skill?”uwG
yB9s“Of course I do! I may not look like it, but I’m a magister!”Aske
pOPZd“Magister?”Y0iQ
m5Tk“It’s the mage hierarchy. After apprentice and adept, you advance to mage, then magister, and finally magus.”O4aG5
YRS6glkLucian tilted his head.avXNe
1EbWKAccording to that, a magister was just a veteran—not an absolute master.ixAa4qP
P27And yet he claimed to deserve the post based on ability? Noticing Lucian’s doubtful look, Colin sighed.iirYOH
RcTxi“Your Highness, the witch hunts lasted 300 years. These days, most schools don’t even retain the basic knowledge to identify a mage.”dEQ0
C6ezsMN“Ah… I see.”vhLU2
ptOIn a world where sword techniques were nearly extinct, someone who mastered even a mediocre style would be called a sword master.1RuYO
r0wszIn that context, even a “veteran” like Colin was an incredibly rare talent.oEqXj3
2vvf2SCWhat was truly admirable was that the Celestial School had managed to preserve that knowledge.hSQ
xGNqx“In any case, if you trust your skill, all the better. That way you can silence complaints with results.”4gITEB
HUOF“That’s true, but…”NnR
Kvf“If it worries you that much, take this.”VjhK
XphLucian pulled out the nectar and shook it in front of Colin.RGqSZRN
IMdThe liquid glowed faintly, and Colin flinched.i5C
jh9ev4“W-what is that?”pSdpi
JKq7l“Nectar.”NgL
DvbW“A lofty name. And as beautiful as it sounds.”7ydV
OXCE6Vb“Before I give it to you, let me ask something. I’ve heard that mages use mana, just like knights. So, would a medicine good for a knight also be good for a mage?”cPB
DesGEO“Of course.”HFjdRb
PBgHgHXColin smiled wryly.GfL9LC
yF1d“Mages don’t learn both magic and swordsmanship because they conflict—but because human life isn’t long enough to master both, and switching between how one manipulates power causes confusion.”ayL0
u5ASTnS“Then what if there were a potion that greatly enhanced the mana path without going through the knight’s circulation?”qQxxhey
bmkZ2“That would be a miraculous potion. It would make mana control easier without causing confusion. Every mage would leap at it… although, naturally, such a potion shouldn’t exist.”bLnsws
45vVtfLucian smiled faintly and handed him the nectar.A1rBk
Y2lsColin took it uncertainly and looked at Lucian, confused.nvR0JsY
rLndjd7“What kind of potion is this, for you to make such a fuss before handing it over?”yDpU0J1
3YK“A miraculous potion.”I1wN
IFq1“Huh?”Vzfn4d
hyqpyf“Drink it. And while you’re at it, think about how you can help me as Chief Mage.”mFSx
f7GLucian said that and left the room.tfab
x5lPColin stared suspiciously at the nectar for a few seconds, then unsealed the vial and drank it all in one go.nE2AB7
OnnpkShortly afterward, a sound rang from the room—one couldn’t tell whether it was a scream or a howl.FvdgIa9
5e0a***MDB1zKc
WZpVtrThe news that Glenn had returned to the capital made the northern nobles begin preparing their departure.dSBNmBG
BnyIf the inspector, the representative of the Empire, had already left, there was no reason to stay any longer; they wouldn’t get any new information.ny5nl9T
GUMJ1D3Moreover, Norvek, with his blood boiling, had managed to escape from prison.8c4ilI
iTive‘If I leave my territory empty too long, that old man might be plotting something again.’nz80yqd
j6a7R‘If he shows hostility, that would still be acceptable. But if he approaches with good intentions, he’ll only cause misunderstandings.’K3gFbD3
j4vXBAu‘We’ve already obtained all the information we could. It’s time to go back and think about our next move.’T3IHbL
KegLucian didn’t try to stop the nobles who were leaving. The political board of the north was already set, and they had accepted it as well.PeK
EDMvOnce they recognized Lucian as the undisputed victor, there was no point in forcing them to stay.zOFH
Qw1Fg‘There were several unexpected turns along the way, but even so, everything ended quite well.’D4s2iNI
1LWIwHe had gotten everything he could from the emperor, and the contact had been cut at just the right moment. Even if there was a small margin of error, he could say he had achieved all his final goals.3Xt5
hatPyvLucian was smiling, satisfied with the result, when—HovWuQ
FdyeBang!IRs
BxuK1YQ“My lord!”YK9
im7orzN“Th-this is serious!”C4wO
XwW9JINThree vassals burst into the room with completely pale faces. Lucian looked at them with an awkward expression.kE33i
ZT22rnThat Hugo and Raymond reacted like this was understandable, but even Felicia looked the same.zNX
HPW99“What happened now?”z8Qo
lgRIi“Th-the Swordmaster… Lord Eisen is coming here!”fnG5
SNGIpA“What?”j2L
kQb0aLLucian stood up abruptly without realizing it. The Swordmaster Eisen Brightner was coming to the north?Nb6P3X
zJHZCLHe turned his head with a stunned look, and Felicia, as pale as the others, nodded.ZNZM
nun7gd“It’s not just rumors. There are too many direct witnesses. It seems my father really is coming here.”M47CI
7k7v“But why?”EN9jzW
6paZtR“I’m not entirely sure. According to the rumors, they say he’s coming to see me…”GjXctTx
DWgn3Felicia left the sentence hanging. Lucian nodded slowly.UFu4j
eLBfThe Eisen they knew hated noise and ostentation. If he had really come just to see Felicia, he would’ve done so quietly, without causing such a commotion.xky
mHv3gAnd yet, he was doing the exact opposite: announcing his presence to the four winds and revealing his destination.1qMg
eUSb“Then there are only two possibilities. Either someone forced him to come, or Eisen himself decided it was necessary.”L9203
rBHzJ“…The first is impossible. The only person who could give orders to the Swordmaster was the Grand Duke, and he’s already passed away.”mLWdffw
3k0GIgi“That’s true. Then it must be the second option. But what could have happened for him to…?”BpRxDVE
xmiYLucian froze mid-sentence. The other vassals seemed to reach the same conclusion at the same time.iuPicE
u2D9TrbThe Swordmaster only had one reason to leave the family he had served for so long.E5BL4g
FwG7‘Rebellion.’THaC8W
vBAHuIf he judged that the new lord wasn’t worthy of his loyalty, even a Swordmaster would leave.UAaDxg
8yICThe problem wasn’t that judgment, but how fast he had come north.Qjmzwh
akxO3It was way too fast.BkRajD
jSLYmZUnless Jordi had learned about Sigmund’s death almost at the same time as Lucian.XmBJd
nSH7y“Jordi, that damn bastard.”zGWmz
u8iLucian clenched his fist so tightly it looked like he might crush it. In that instant, suspicion turned into certainty.lheocFp
jJCJcXRaymond, Felicia, and Hugo showed similar reactions. With different nuances, but all of them had received favors from the Grand Duke. And now, discovering that he had died from a conspiracy by his own son…JCPAl
jeo2“Th-that second young master… seriously…”mXF
urAHRaymond couldn’t finish his sentence, his brows trembling with rage. He had served under Sigmund longer than anyone, so his fury ran deep.cwM
V1EtLucian restrained his boiling blood and spoke with forced calm.WZbFn
hR6OZZ“When the day comes that I kill that bastard Jordi, I’ll let you have one of his limbs. But for now, focus on this.”GDxP
leqNj“…Yes. Waiting for that day can also be a form of entertainment.”nh1LLpI
1foe05P“Alcohol and revenge gain flavor the longer they’re left to mature.”umNTC
61PRdNWith various excuses, the group set the topic of Jordi aside. Venting wouldn’t affect him at all. Instead of wasting time cursing him, what mattered was figuring out what was really happening in the family.P0Z
kkYd‘First, I need to send someone to check the situation.’FhG
4U5UcjmIf they waited for the Swordmaster to arrive while being honored all along the way, it would take forever. It was best to send someone first and get information as soon as possible.m3AUjWO
9zTJ“Hugo, you go receive Lord Eisen.”ulsmrwP
S7ML“Huh!? Me?”l1bp
XR8HHugo pointed to himself with a stunned expression. He had beside him a knightess who had served in the same family and the Swordmaster’s adopted daughter—so why him?hF7L
mOy“I’ve never even spoken to Lord Eisen!”gRhgq7I
CfyeV“But you did speak to everyone else.”L8Z
DXm7z84“Eh? What do you mean by that?”GpTaEk7
qovBo“I want you to see if Hans and Ian are with him. And while you’re at it, also see if any of the people who were under your command are there too.”xYVFFG
IXklnP“…!”1x4T
cBdEFDzHugo’s eyes widened as he understood the meaning.zrQc
vd2qv“You’re saying you think those guys are with Lord Eisen?”IhVxET2
DOn“Most likely. I don’t know if it’s both or just one.”6eqN
HSfOC5Otherwise, there’d be no reason to cause so much commotion. Though old, Swordmaster Eisen was a monster capable of taking on an entire knightly order by himself. Jordi was no match for him.wwZl1Q
mH2gN“If Sir Eisen had come alone, he would’ve arrived quietly. If someone pursued him or tried anything shady, he would’ve cut them down with his sword, simple as that.”tg5V
JzVc5GAnd yet, he was spreading his name in every direction. He was drawing attention with the uproar and using his reputation to prevent others from trying anything sneaky.lInfc
1dG3If he didn’t have to worry about anyone else, he wouldn’t act like that.C9NoHm
abLC9‘The only burden Eisen could have are the guys who were under my command.’One
exhAxxJOther knights he would let decide for themselves, and he had no reason to rescue servants. From Lucian’s perspective, the most likely scenario was that Hans or Ian were with Eisen.19Q5sTs
3EfGej1It was just a guess, of course, until confirmed directly.QUq
b1n“That’s why I’m sending you. Only you can accurately count how many are with him.”MLTfgnb
drn“A-ah, I see…”lbraSPz
NrgoIndeed, for that task, no one was better than Hugo. Raymond, being a knight by birth, didn’t remember all the servants’ faces, and Felicia had only recently become a vassal.CAO
LHNTThe only one who could know exactly who had been rescued and who had stayed behind was Hugo.BYQQ1he
RsdeJust when Lucian was about to give the final order, he suddenly remembered something else.xsXrb1
bzrj‘Wait—then what about Torkel and Lesta, whom I sent earlier?’SoxbXM
pHjvThey had been sent to escort Hans, Ian, and the others if they showed up. But if the target of that escort was now calmly traveling with the Swordmaster, then—X7W43
a0uRather than fulfilling their mission, they might end up looking like simple tagalongs who had gone to see the Swordmaster.hAYQn9
Z7R“…If that turns out to be the case, I’ll have to console them when they return.”SrNzV
94BLucian murmured that while remembering Lesta’s bright eyes when he had run out eagerly to complete the mission.raFE2q
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