Chapter 83: Golden Blood
s7gLbAn aristocratic tea party.QzIq5F
k1QnNLNo matter what kind it was, it was never held modestly.5lXya
kmVLeDbEven if they had to push themselves a little, on the day of the party they tried to decorate everything as luxuriously as possible.XYRp
mxDfRBecause that represented the host’s wealth, history, and capability.zc8PDj
doaThat was why the tea parties held in the imperial capital boasted a completely different scale and magnificence.lzPD
pLGFIt was a place overflowing with vitality, since the young talents who would someday become lords, knights, or heads of families gathered there.jPY
1WPYoung nobles and heirs wearing immaculate uniforms with their family emblems on their chests, and noble ladies and princesses wearing colorful dresses that resembled flowers in full bloom.2pZ3vp
EufALgcAll of them had come adorned with the desire to become the protagonists of that place.RgST
iUbO7However, despite all those desperate desires, within the Empire there existed a presence so overwhelming that it made all of them look like mere leaves growing beside a flower.2n1zyOP
4gCjZtOlivia Arken.ASuF
GHrkGolden hair and blue eyes, a beauty capable of ruining nations, to the point where rumors spread that even right after waking up in the morning she was still beautiful.ZJ0cJ
urVDaughter of the emperor and possessor of both talent and beauty, she was the ideal woman anyone would want to obtain in any era of history.PpZE9ZX
OVaodPx“Look, it’s Lady Olivia.”F9Nc
udPATSc“I heard she would attend this party, but it was true.”mSS
1vNMvJr“How can she be so beautiful…?”wed3
pSdjW5A beauty that drew admiration from both men and women.j9gTxV
z8c9uAll the young nobles pretended to wander casually while stealing glances at her and lingering nearby.9FR1u
EizXWmThey knew perfectly well that someone of their status could not even dream of speaking to her.ZYT
RbpipEven so, there were those who firmly believed that without courage they could never conquer a beauty.aNBc
SV9gz2“It is an honor to meet the imperial princess of the Empire. As Guardian of the Golden Dawn and Sword of the Frontier, I would like to introduce myself—.”i32aB
2LAfiJ“We are sorry, but.”tDaoUUp
rxIThe one who interrupted his words was a woman seated beside Olivia.2kBRk6
cY8Smiling sweetly, she said,dUbpCA2
mVlmF“At the moment we are having a gathering among noble ladies. Only members of Golden Rose may participate in this conversation.”ALlYk0
8mu“A-ah, I see…”zpUwz
9VSukC“Then.”oojl
jMPEThe man ended up retreating without even being able to say his name, humiliated.wpb3
2TQnnThe seated women watched the defeated man’s back while giggling among themselves.C2d24
OqTu“Another insect that doesn’t know his place.”OhJXu
Ec85“Exactly. They even rejected the heir of Duke Mersel, and a mere frontier marquis dares try to speak to Princess Arken?”AUDo
kQ3tzsThey mocked him with quiet laughter.VHbjKk
em8vGteOlivia slightly tilted her head while holding her teacup.pMxQ3
0Dp5E“Even so, if he is someone who protects the borders, perhaps we should have at least greeted him, don’t you think?”vwpVE
6iAkgu“Oh, there’s no need for that!”zfiyj
Qz8“Exactly! If you don’t keep inferiors in their place, they start climbing all over you!”OFd
hoh“Ah, really?”SnCxk
15NWh“Of course!”J173T
241B“Ahh, seriously, Princess Arken is far too pure…”VYlCwp
Fl1“I want to protect her until the day I die!”aCR
NXUnThe noble ladies were practically melting over her.6o4ib
ZUiAnd Olivia watched that scene while pretending innocence.SYsybOG
9nHmC9Smiling, she thought,NF9
xr04C‘Yeah, sure. Protect my ass.’O7t8j
BH10rS3Olivia knew perfectly well how beautiful she was.JyfroH
5CgwuTShe knew how to use that to her advantage, and she also knew how to protect herself.Ng1Uw2g
CvNThese “bodyguards” were actually women who admired her while simultaneously envying her.oedP8u
70b‘Because all the men only look at me.’DQLcgEx
rJk9Even if they wore jewelry worth fortunes or dresses designed by the most famous tailors, that overwhelming presence made it so nobody even paid attention to them.FRaaBB
iN3KFrom the perspective of those luxury items, Olivia’s existence was annoying.UsM3x3W
xlIlk0When one person shines too intensely alone, jealousy and envy inevitably arise.V9HLNXt
CEHfBQAnd Olivia knew perfectly well how to handle them.wDEbYBN
ZP3She deliberately chose to surround herself with women who envied her.sH9f6
7hY8TCYUnder the form of an exclusive social club called “Golden Rose.”3BouL
9xoG2PeIt was a perfect symbiotic relationship.6H66
UGz‘I can protect myself without saying a single word, and the girls acting as guards can approach the men they’re interested in.’E9ru
niYgsOlivia protected her flower, and the guards could choose and keep the suitors fluttering around her.yZjuE
mWU1IcBOnce they began a romantic relationship they had to leave Golden Rose, but the positions would always be replaced, so there was nothing to worry about.RYmfhh
wFKuIt was a social circle whose loyalty increased the more it renewed itself.STHID
pkOpSF8“As expected of someone with Golden Blood, she’s perfect in every way!”Zaha6B4
M6QgHGolden Blood.O5qYj6W
xpIAn expression born from the belief that the blood of the Arken family contained the qualities necessary to rule as emperors.uTI
tbAKOlivia deeply hated those words.VcUS82
p87O5jAfter all, even though that same Golden Blood ran through her veins, instead of extending her influence into politics she was trapped in a flower garden like this.d4mh0
VGh“Yes well, I suppose.”olT
YSWRTdOlivia replied in a rather unenthusiastic voice.WPHXK
gNpdThe atmosphere immediately cooled down.QSNrN
XG4uqSince she had answered halfheartedly, the gazes of the young noblewomen became sharp.54oTmp
0Z4lkcG“W-we are terribly sorry, Princess. I never intended to offend you!”5JGjMf
djbUlT“Oh, even if the young lady of the Hons family did not mean it that way, to us it certainly sounded rather bad.”I3Wm
9ccDCKP“Exactly. How could you bring up such a topic in a place like this?”2KptD23
r0nnRoHThe others immediately began pressuring her in unison.6rl1
eKjBBThe daughter of the Hons family began to grow desperate.yus
knBAMWaThey were trying to use the slightest weakness to isolate her.GAM
HgX‘Seriously, they’re like snakes.’uoOK4AP
M9FeZ6LOlivia hated them, though she responded with practiced naturalness.LVw6Sd5
5Dg“Oh, why are you reacting like that?”wRW
ZB1n3PS“I felt she had been disrespectful toward Princess Arken…”dIz
qu3rtld“How could that be? I was merely thinking about something for a moment. I’m sorry, I wasn’t even able to properly focus on all of you during this gathering…”yjXX
UNfepysOlivia’s blue eyes moistened slightly.6pdr
kCAuZ9vThe members of her private guard flinched and desperately started trying to smooth things over.SJclcvY
ZgsUDw9“N-no, not at all!”ZlSZ
fCO0kbu“Lady Olivia looked wonderful while reflecting. She seemed like a living painting.”vN2kRB
5WLThe women let out small laughs to ease the atmosphere.zlIxF4
EOMqThough inside they were surely insulting her, saying she was pretending to be kind.x2Gs
CptX4Let them criticize her if they wanted.l6B
37aThe mask one wears until the very end eventually becomes one’s true face.BKA2AGI
7Dy7XmSomeone changed the subject to dispel the tense atmosphere.rpe
bWWnpJq“Speaking of something else, have you heard already?”LsU
CLvIKTV“Heard what?”TLW
hrjMng“The news about Regent Perda.”rTu
MMSQAt those words, Olivia’s hand stopped for an instant.2kCnld
VftT“It seems that man accomplished quite a feat this time in Hallim.”BEFy
DJjsw“Oh, Hallim, that blasphemous place?”OF0
EMUkt“They say women in indecent clothes seduce men there…”2Sm1GX
5k3“Hoho, what kind of imagination do you have? It’s not about that! There was an Escolea exhibition.”QsXWyC9
NRY“Do you think there was only an exhibition? I heard all the men who go to Hallim come back completely bewitched…”bHb0
GSbWAs was typical of conversations among noble ladies, the discussion began drifting off-topic.UuuKjc
1yjvw“There.”73wGFL2
vLwOlivia opened her mouth.7CT
LQ1NQHMEven though she had attended these kinds of gatherings countless times, it was extremely rare for her to participate when the topic involved men.ltxxws
W1iKPE“What happened there?”gVkPY
NKOAR“Eh? Ah, well… they say a monster rift appeared and creatures came out of it. There were seven wolf monsters.”Fhb603v
vyjASDK“Seven?”oDvid5
aD91Wq“And they say he stood out tremendously there. There wasn’t even a single fatality!”ysKFZVE
dWv2I“Really?”rPjHO
LTkPe“Ooh…”HXCNbs
n2jbBThe young noblewomen let out uninterested exclamations while blinking.sz4
pIj5pFIt was not a topic they cared about, nor did they understand how impressive that truly was.RS555g3
eEDmlm2But Olivia did.yisfHnH
19MDE‘Not having a single death in the middle of a surprise attack… that’s very close to a miracle.’U44
ePOjq0She had always been interested in tactics and strategy.fWM6Q
nEqxThinking that someday she might end up commanding an army, she had studied numerous military records and learned the art of war, while constantly researching the enemies they might face.39atVkO
g9PLdhvThat was why she perfectly understood the scale of Perda’s achievements.eyYulY
115‘Did he use dark magic?’ookYYf
DZb66The lost grimoire of the Shadow Arts of Barbatos crossed her mind.yMriaKX
noXp6FDuring the visit to the Empire, it had been reported that the seal weakened after a fierce battle with a researcher, and that the grimoire disappeared by taking advantage of that moment.msgp2c
t9pThough in reality, that report only existed because Olivia had used her influence to make it so. The truth remained unknown.CsqzZwd
e9uUr‘There are questions that should remain questions.’F5c
oJ7nE2That was what Olivia did for the sake of the cause.yyw8jIu
odUSycm“I heard rumors that he uses dark magic.”Kw0LP
8z0kyJust as she was thinking that, someone brought up the topic.qxevto
ormWhen she looked at who had spoken, she saw it was the daughter of the Hons family, the same one who had made the earlier blunder.kjA14Z
WaeXRAs soon as the gossip started, everyone perked up with interest.giih
hXg“Dark magic?”2g5Lb4
hOWC“Yes. They say that, in such a sudden moment, Regent Perda reacted alone and pierced the head of the monster that was coming out of the rift.”duP2
TsCoqj“Isn’t it exaggerated to say he uses dark magic just because he had that level of reaction speed?”yicIy
dIF“According to what’s being said at the top, the one who caused that monster rift was Regent Perda himself. They say he staged all of it to show off in Hallim.”FiiWtB
BIRaThe easily influenced young noblewomen nodded as if it made sense.3nuO
susWatching those reactions, Olivia felt disgust inwardly.CjZKYOz
ECi5Ob“And what do you think, Princess?”6S1Ozjx
tdeThe daughter of the Hons family passed the turn to her.AhUm7n
EYtOlivia blinked with innocent eyes.aDna
ChdUTRg“Lady.”Vq4xRM
jDMX“Yes, Princess.”0Jw67
vPwI“Even so, I do not think it is right to call someone a dark mage when he saved people without suffering major losses.”HnM0
QuTT“Eh? A-ah, that…”vhgNV
njdrcThe daughter of the Hons family began growing nervous again.ES55v
Fr0The atmosphere, which had been ready to enjoy the gossip, completely changed in an instant.A5BuATY
SuAy“Exactly. Seriously, she doesn’t know how to read the atmosphere.”3azER
Yyv“A noble lady speaking ill of a hero… I think this deserves a proper reprimand.”gH6u8L
MPYzNow the others were showing far more obvious hostility than before.SFB7L
lsl2AThere was no way to fix it anymore.17gbq
GYEwvaShe would practically be expelled from Golden Rose and end up isolated at all future tea parties.CCPMgY5
v5N5L0k‘They’re not doing it with bad intentions.’gNPH
m9dzjXAfter all, she herself had dug her own grave.lvhtgQ
Cpc‘Even so, the regent seems to have everything under control.’O8C
yEhbZdtAfter declaring the conquest of the demonic lands, he gained Lorga’s support, and now he had even distinguished himself in Hallim.GXkqT
qwoThere was no longer anyone capable of stopping that hero’s advance.gdlGFo
jNlOy6He would definitely build a second capital.KSp
GmI‘I should do something as well…’KvN
3kECompared to him, Olivia had accomplished nothing.doDH
YsvQZKJTo build power within the Empire, she needed to become a saint.jcu
GXzBut all she did was maintain her figure, talk nonsense with young nobles, and learn etiquette and formalities she did not even care about.q7ZUjS
g5fW3ZWhether the taste of black tea was this way or that, or whether sweets were prepared in a certain manner.ZGsQtY
KHfBeing an imperial princess was suffocating like this.pz7oZ
rx6Cf0‘This is far too far from becoming a saint.’L6C
z8QDIiEven those who dedicated their entire lives as monks might never attain the title of saint. How could she achieve it while living surrounded by such luxury?Woe7BC5
2VQy‘But I have to do it.’RolP
V7tN8oBecause if she managed to become a saint, then she too would obtain that cursed Golden Blood.vu9dGq
Taq***CzlbOO
uCCqLThe first thing Perda did upon returning was check the progress of the village’s construction.NEhRIE
H7BThe scene before him was different from the future he had imagined based on Isabella’s reports.mQv
xZZeaE“It has progressed quite a bit.”JK3q
RYi0rHe had been away for about three weeks, but the previously chaotic atmosphere had become considerably more organized, and several buildings had already been erected.Bx268A
bQRThere was enough space to completely remove the tents that had been used as temporary shelters.BXFr6
ByA9J“That’s right. It exceeded expectations by quite a lot.”50f
2qf“How far ahead of schedule is it?”V0X
AEu“Two months.”UlICi
Axx“That’s no longer simply being a little ahead.”Itt42XE
vsuaZIsabella, the blue-haired dragon spawn administrator, adjusted her glasses.u05
9UnThose words especially wounded the pride of someone connected to the Domain of Knowledge, but Isabella replied calmly.Gka2
fIiC“The speed of the original workers was within estimates. Of course, we also considered loss of manpower and supply issues, but this was a variable dropped from the heavens.”r1O
GqbBShe was not saying that merely to protect her pride.4LwK1I
f8jjPerda knew that, so he asked,PltY
laYDX“And what was that variable?”mBgzMB
YH3q“An armored knight.”gS6
S0V“An armored knight?”hiq
ErIGIsabella nodded.jq8g7
dPs3lK“Yes. He appears to be a wandering knight. Since he made a vow of silence or something similar, the workers began simply calling him the armored knight.”VtNphD
2I2uc6g“Hmm…”zUQC
tFWRPlPerda reviewed the personal information and payment records.amvHjk
JvDeWThe personal data contained barely the minimum they could determine through external observation.0aVCh
7c3And upon seeing it, Perda understood something.x0on
OKd“It’s not a vow of silence.”syuwE0
ho3Sy“No?”is2cB7
t4TBA4“Normally, those who take a vow of silence carry a plate with their name and affiliation. Even if they do not speak, they at least make clear who they are.”4rb
mKewAPerda knew this well since he came from a family of knights.pahRJ
Beb7C0RSomeone with a vow of silence might live as a wanderer, yes, but it did not fit someone working at a construction site like this.SXlxm
OqIIkThen perhaps they were paying him an enormous amount.PCeM74x
zSjNrPerda checked the payroll sheet.spDQKHL
LMk7“He’s receiving more than twenty times the salary of the other workers.”ZaoK
k1zOBXNo less than two silver coins, equivalent to two hundred copper coins.DsrZLp
JYaLhQHowever, Perda frowned.4OVuY
RJywp“Far too little.”uFlkYpW
oKKhgvIsabella nodded.BxoWtb
MT7SS8“To be honest, even paying him thirty silver coins would still be too little for someone like that.”ftu
gDeR0v“Then why didn’t you?”glP
4KBotf3“He didn’t seem dissatisfied. In fact, he looked as though receiving money itself felt strange to him. After the two silver coins, he no longer wanted to accept more. And if he himself does not ask for it, why should we pay him more?”yCb
xeL“Hmm…”yh5
5JtConsidering the wage and the value of a knight, two shillings a day was practically exploitation.xIkCP
X2u1c2Working construction that damaged his pride while also receiving so little pay, he had a far more admirable personality than most adults.9D0DVC
skQR‘Or perhaps he is hiding an important secret.’nBlhA
8RD3cMaybe he had a troubled past or had even killed someone.UsIUugI
zjhz2But if that were the case, it was strange that he rejected any payment above two silver coins.RAx
fPp18“And exactly how does he help? Does he know construction work?”a2xKjIy
l7J“No. He has no basic knowledge and is a complete novice, but he handles all the tasks that only require physical strength, so the pace of construction accelerated tremendously.”YxwTK7
uEUhkMonstrous strength.Q9T
gz0UbHearing that, Perda immediately thought of one person.UcScGa
aiOvdim“That armored knight.”gTWeG
lreu“Yes.”a9YWx
zaJtFic“Did he look absurdly heavy and bulky? Like you’d run out of breath just from looking at him?”a9KSxhA
rw5mcHearing that, Isabella reflected for a moment before answering.Ue7bFf
BVwxFGg“No. He wore a fairly ordinary half plate, like any wandering knight.”FUGTtK
mFP1“I see.”oL4gR
DUDCVPerda had thought of Alberdo, the walking fortress.hVh
SSGfCBut since there were still no sightings of him, it seemed he moved quite stealthily despite his enormous body.joq
ZfoPMbu‘Monstrous strength…’6B9m
Vx9ItVzJust through physical strength alone, he had advanced construction by two entire months.wMKUC1
qQ6bF“If you are concerned, would you like us to investigate him?”H3lyOKR
u5MmJDPerda shook his head at Isabella’s suggestion.H3G6
a5e“No. Leave him for now. It would be troublesome if he noticed we were investigating him and fled.”KvIL
mUuJ9E7Only an idiot guts the goose that lays golden eggs.kIOyl
1xWM“But we cannot ignore the value of that man. Think of a way to continue exploiting his capabilities.”c7D
YWG7Yj“A wise decision.”bK0
1e8If someone was useful to the Grand Duchy, they had to recruit him by any means.GBl
vNFVAnd if they could not recruit him, then they would create a situation where he had no other option.sWV3iV
ORjg2w‘And if even that doesn’t work, then we’ll squeeze him dry.’BcY
3czTo the very last drop, turning him into fuel for this city under construction.JmY0oE
O3QNThat was what Perda would do for the town he was building for Valdrova.kvuqKxn
LwscM“Speaking of which.”P6n
NFglrWIsabella asked him,Yv2JWxV
6ubYN“What name will you give the city?”1j9
65dj1O“Wouldn’t it be enough to call it Valdrova?”Ayp
RLoFIsabella’s tone became more serious.5dsm
AuDq1H“That is already the name of the castle and also of the Grand Duchy. If it is used too much, its majesty will eventually wear down.”W9fhJZ
nxAgcj“What if that were precisely the goal?”Mphavt
6Mk1Qyw“Even I, as a spawn of Lorga, cannot accept something like that. I will firmly oppose it, so I ask for your understanding.”Vb9R9a
8SM8BggHearing that, Perda decided to give up.mlr8PIm
XtbmZGShe normally respected almost all his decisions, so using the word “firmly” meant the matter held great importance among dragons.BJc4QTz
pbTZe1“Then we will have to give it another name.”APrc5
bUSXRTV“That is why I held a proposal gathering.”DzIbI
iaqlAs though she had been waiting for that moment, Isabella pulled out some documents and handed them to him.MmoEr
WzfWbeY“Many interesting names were proposed, but in the end two finalists remained. One is Diarine, for being the front against the demonic lands. The other is Alterios, because it resembles a light illuminating the darkness. What do you think?”L9v
b92zDiarine and Alterios.t6tf
kNGAS“Diarine sounds too gloomy, and Alterios seems connected to the Church of Alte.”DHC0
yXln9rD“Indeed, that was part of the intention. Ninety percent of the Empire believes in Alte, so it would be beneficial.”sA2
1I29A strategy to attract more immigrants.yqC
4Zy0UOYIt would have strategic advantages, but Perda did not want to become too involved with the Church of Alte.vf9bIY0
0rHHe had already experienced enough unpleasant things involving them.VS0
gEt48The Church of Alte showed no mercy toward heretics.sfJk7
riySIWhen they discovered he possessed a Red Circle and an affinity for darkness, they had practically wanted to kill him.ZsahN
wEUUboThat was why he preferred a name that did not evoke Alte.OyxHAZs
nQE7ZmkWhat would be a good name?nRc
aTL0k7XSuddenly, he remembered something.8DB
2com“That time, what was the name of the project underway to save my fiancée?”ISJvd62
viRGS“Project Hestia?”8Kjxjk7
mYM“Hestia…”ktbxDG
Mbeo9It was the name of a woman who, since ancient times, protected fire.zIWkGc
n8suW3gNowadays she was barely a forgotten figure in history lessons.WxcRF6
2DwThe woman who protected fire.OT2O3B
SkvwNot bad.MSizzl
GNhiBJ“What about Hestia?”YwIE
LTL“Personally I would prefer something heavier and more solemn, but this is not bad either. I will have it implemented.”Gf057j
ngkKPerda repeated the name several times.Kc2lS
bC7KFxTHestia. Hestia…EA0
SdgoF2HIt sounded good, and he also liked its meaning.mIF6PrJ
fnWxPaNValdrova was the owner of fire and strength.1dybP
PqA2vEeAnd this would be a city for those who protected the fire, a bastion.TAp
dEylQY‘So I’ll have to squeeze that armored knight for everything he’s worth.’OmeU
OlGzUntil he changed his mind, Perda would take advantage of everything he could.gRWiG0
np5puThat was Perda’s will.hoJo
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationBro doesn’t know yet that Knight is he’s future wife.