Chapter 143
The Crown Prince’s Intentions
Their armor bore the emblem of the Imperial Family and was decorated with silver and gold.
Unlike the knight who had come before, they did not wear owl feathers on their helmets, and including the soldiers, their numbers totaled three hundred.
That meant they had not come as mere messengers.
They had arrived backed by far greater authority.
“I greet the Consort of the Great Flame! I am Gogen, the Swift Knight, a knight directly serving the Imperial Family.”
“What is your purpose here?”
Ferda made no attempt to hide his displeasure.
“I have come to publicly deliver a message from His Highness the Crown Prince. May we borrow your platform?”
“The festival is still underway. If it is bad news, I would prefer to hear it later.”
“There is no need to worry. It is not news that will ruin the celebration.”
It would certainly have been strange for them to respond so late, only to arrive out of nowhere bearing bad news.
Ferda stopped trying to intimidate him and allowed him to use the platform.
While the nobles were still only half-awake, Gogen raised his voice.
“You came here to enjoy the First Spring Festival, only for an unfortunate and unexpected incident to occur. Yet all of you stepped forward without hesitation to confront it!”
Quite a few people looked at him with dissatisfaction.
Everyone already knew that Alexander had been slow to respond.
“Your devotion contributed not only to the defense of the Far East, but to the protection of the Empire itself. Your achievements are therefore held in the highest regard. Thus, I, Alexander Arken, acting on behalf of the Emperor, formally invite all of you to the Imperial Palace, where a banquet shall be held in your honor!”
The nobles’ eyes widened.
Their reaction was even more astonished than when they had first heard that the Far East had been surrounded.
“A banquet in the Empire…”
“Isn’t the Imperial Palace said to be the most magnificent place in the world?”
Every young noble dreamed of making it in the imperial capital, and whenever such an opportunity appeared, they inevitably lost their composure.
They had already been honored in the Far East, and now they were being invited elsewhere to receive even greater hospitality.
Who would refuse?
So that is why they rushed here in such a hurry.
Their objective was to steal the festival away.
The clearest proof was that the celebration had originally been scheduled to last two days, but the second day became less about eating and drinking themselves senseless and more about sobering up and preparing for the journey.
Ferda did not particularly care.
The festival had never been planned in the first place, and Ferda was not the type to mingle and celebrate with his guests.
If anything, he preferred that they leave as soon as possible.
However, he doubted they had come rushing all this way merely for that.
Olivia’s warning from the previous day still echoed in his ears.
“Regent, there is something we must discuss with Marquis Burnell…”
As expected.
“Will you permit us to meet him?”
“The chief researcher is busy at the moment.”
“This is something that must be conveyed to him personally.”
Ferda frowned at the knight’s persistence.
He replied as though disgusted by how transparent their intentions were.
“Do not make me repeat myself. Burnell is currently working on an important project that will directly influence the development of this territory.”
“Marquis Burnell must be informed of this in person. As a subject of the Empire, he has the right to answer the Crown Prince’s summons, and not even Regent Ferda may prevent him from doing so.”
The commander’s gaze was far from ordinary.
If Ferda continued to obstruct him, he appeared ready to accuse Ferda of insulting the Imperial Family.
“Very well. I will yield.”
“Thank you.”
“However, I want you to promise me one thing. No matter what happens, do not hold me responsible.”
“There is no need for concern. What grand responsibility could arise from merely delivering a message?”
“I would be grateful if that proved true.”
Ferda obediently accompanied them to the laboratory where Burnell was staying.
When they knocked on the door, Burnell slowly emerged.
The morning sunlight entered the room, which was practically as dark as a cellar, causing him to scowl fiercely.
One might have assumed that he had only just woken up, but the dark circles beneath his eyes insisted that he had stayed awake for several consecutive nights.
“Wh-What is it?”
“These people wished to see you. Give them a moment of your time.”
“Does it have to be now? I am somewhat…”
“Forgive me for taking your time. Just five minutes.”
“Tch… Very well.”
Burnell allowed himself to be dragged outside while openly displaying how much he disliked it.
The imperial knight gave a peculiar smile upon seeing his attitude.
He cleared his throat and unfolded a document.
“Marquis Burnell! This is an order from Alexander Arken, representative of the Imperial Family and acting on behalf of the Emperor of the Arken Empire! You rendered distinguished service in the field of technology during this war. In recognition of your achievements, His Highness intends to award you a medal and the title of count. Therefore, will you board the imperial carriage and accompany us to the capital?”
It was absurd.
They claimed they wished to recognize his accomplishments, but their true intentions were obvious.
They were trying to remove the Far East’s only engineer who properly understood magitech.
Ferda was filled with the urge to overturn the entire affair immediately, but Burnell responded first.
“Uh… So you are telling me to attend?”
He answered with unfocused eyes.
The commander seemed slightly flustered by the reaction, which was clearly not what he had expected.
“That is correct. You will accompany us and—”
“Um… I apologize, but may I simply not go?”
“Wh-What did you say?”
They had clearly arrived without ever considering that he might refuse.
Burnell scratched his head with an exhausted expression.
“Are you intending to reject the goodwill of the representative of the Imperial Family, who is acting on behalf of the Emperor?”
“This is an extremely busy period… I do not have time to waste fooling around. And as far as I understand, unless it is an order from His Majesty the Emperor himself, I am not obligated to attend…”
“He is the man who will become the next emperor! If you behave with such insolence—”
“Next” emperor. He is not the emperor now, is he? I am already busy with what I am doing, and it requires me to use my head.
Burnell muttered like a gloomy, lethargic man.
“If I move somewhere else again, I am obviously going to forget something. Then I will start worrying about it for no reason… and once the worries pile up, I will not be able to do my work either… Good grief.”
Irritated by the thoughts stabbing at his mind, Burnell vigorously scratched his head.
After letting out another sigh, he raised his eyes toward the imperial knight.
The commander stared at him in disbelief and asked,
“Are you saying you will refuse the audience for such a trivial reason?”
“Uh… yes… I suppose? To members of the Imperial Family, it probably is a trivial reason. Medals and titles are nice, but I do not really need them… I would rather do the work that only I can do. That is my reason. I will not be attending.”
Having made his refusal unmistakably clear, Burnell turned toward Ferda and dipped his head.
“My apologies, Regent. I am stuck at a particularly difficult point right now, so I do not even know what I am saying.”
“Not at all. It was my mistake to call you away at a time like this.”
“In any case, I will be going back now. My apologies.”
Burnell muttered those words and shut the door.
Even though the commander had heard and witnessed it himself, he could hardly believe what had happened.
People normally became tense at the mere mention of imperial knights. Whenever the Imperial Family recognized their achievements, those people would respond with excitement and endless expressions of gratitude.
Burnell’s attitude had gone beyond mere disrespect and entered an entirely novel realm, leaving the commander speechless.
Since matters had already reached this point, Ferda decided to drive the final nail into the coffin.
“You said there would be no question of holding anyone responsible, so I would appreciate it if you refrained from making unnecessary remarks.”
The following day, the young nobles awoke from their hangovers and dressed themselves in the neat, immaculate clothing befitting their status.
Every one of them left the castle with excitement written across their faces.
The Empire itself had acknowledged them.
The young nobles had received recognition simply for participating in the battle, while the staff officers and knights who had fought courageously had even been promised individual medals.
Four people from Valdrova Castle had officially been recognized for their contributions.
Marquis Burnell, the chief engineer.
Isabella Iorga, the administrator of Hestia.
William, the constable who had established the foundations of tactical infantry doctrine.
And Ferda, the regent.
Isabella had played a decisive role in defeating one of the colossal monsters as a fifth-circle mage.
Echidna had performed similarly impressive feats, but the Empire had removed her name from the list on the grounds that a witch could not be admitted into the Imperial Palace.
Ferda had never intended to send her in the first place.
She was someone who had willingly come to the castle after taking one look at Zed’s face. Who knew what kind of temptation or persuasion she might fall victim to if she went all the way to the Imperial Palace?
There was no need to ask Burnell, since he had already refused.
Isabella had little expectation of the Imperial Family and declared that she would remain behind to focus solely on her duties as administrator.
Ferda politely declined for the same reason.
In the end, William was the only one who would travel to the Imperial Palace.
“Are you certain it is all right for me to go?”
Even aside from his achievements in the recent battle, William was a highly desirable talent.
He had served as a chief retainer under Duke Yurei, possessed charisma, and had the qualities necessary to become an exceptional knight.
Although he had betrayed his former lord.
“They said that if even you refused, it would be no different from openly declaring hostility toward them.”
“That is true. I suppose I have no choice but to bear that burden…”
He still looked uncertain.
Ferda did not attempt to persuade him.
He merely gave him one final piece of advice.
“Follow what your heart tells you.”
After hesitating, William ultimately decided to travel to the Empire as Hestia Village’s representative.
Morning arrived, and the imperial standard-bearer took the lead as everyone prepared to depart.
Before the procession began moving in earnest, Ferda met with one person.
“Your Highness.”
Olivia Arken.
The pure, unadorned face she had worn while living as a warrior had once again become the glamorous face of an imperial princess.
“Did you call me because you wanted to see me?”
She smiled with her eyes and made a joke that could easily be misunderstood.
It was something she could only say because no one else was nearby.
“Do you truly believe this incident will allow you to enter politics?”
Ferda understood the nature of the Empire.
Even with her accomplishments in this campaign, he could not imagine that she would be allowed to enter the political arena so easily.
“Do not worry.”
Olivia smiled faintly.
Yet the smile lacked the confidence she had shown before.
It felt as though she, too, anticipated defeat.
Ferda handed her something.
“What is this?”
“It is a report in which the administrator evaluated the contributions of everyone who participated in the operation using the available data.”
In truth, Mori had prepared it.
Still, because it had been calculated using only objective data, its margin of error was narrower than that of reports produced by most experts.
Olivia’s share of the operation’s success was an astonishing forty-five percent.
It would not have been an exaggeration to say that she had handled nearly everything.
The report even added that, had her contributions to the development of the Far East been included, her share would easily have exceeded half.
Olivia looked slightly flustered by the unexpected gesture of goodwill.
She stared at Ferda’s face for a moment before smiling.
“Please thank the administrator for me.”
It was neither the smile she wore as a mask nor the special smile she had shown only to him.
Before Ferda could determine what it meant, she boarded the carriage.
He had expected them to face a long journey to the Empire.
Instead, the imperial mages began preparing a magic circle in an open field.
Although they were some distance away, Ferda recognized the enormous formation they were drawing on the ground.
A teleportation gate.
It was magic that connected two separate locations, and this particular formation was linked to the Imperial Triumphal Arch.
The larger the gate and the longer it remained open, the more mana it consumed.
But as with most national ceremonies, efficiency was a secondary concern.
The enormous gate opened successfully, revealing the colorful main avenue of the imperial capital beyond it.
People who had gathered in the streets peered through the gate and erupted in cheers.
The young nobles could not conceal their excitement.
They felt like heroes from a story, or victorious generals returning after a great triumph.
Carrying the dreams and passion of their youth, they entered the gate in a large group.
Hestia, which had been bustling only moments earlier, suddenly fell silent as though winter had descended without warning.
Unlike the now-deserted village, the sunlight touching Ferda’s skin was warm with spring.
He stood there absentmindedly, savoring the lingering warmth.
As the tension left his body and weariness washed over him, he briefly closed his eyes and wondered whether he should take a short nap.
At that moment, Luri’s voice pierced his ears.
“Master has gone out to subjugate monsters.”
Ferda’s eyes snapped open, and he sprang to his feet.
He might be able to resist many things, but never a fight.
The monsters had been waiting for an opportunity to cross the boundary at any moment.
Several of them had now openly moved forward, and Valdrova immediately set out to punish them.
Against the black earth stood masses of unclean flesh.
Amid them, brilliantly pure red scales tore sharply through the enemy.
They had faced each other in a standoff for an entire month.
During that time, Valdrova’s frustration must have built up, leaving her body restless for battle.
Now that she was finally releasing everything she had suppressed, her movements were anything but ordinary.
Ferda sat down.
It had been so long since he had begun regularly watching Valdrova fight that Luri now brought out an entire tea table without being asked.
“Would you like a cup?”
“Please.”
Ferda warmed himself against the chill of the summit with black tea as he watched her magnificent form.
As always, the battle ended in Valdrova’s overwhelming victory.
The heat rising from the battlefield warmed Ferda’s body as well.
She will return home now.
That was how the pattern had settled.
Regretting that he could not watch her a little longer, Ferda began to rise from his seat.
But this time was different.
Instead of spreading her wings and returning to her lair, Valdrova stared intently at the lonely mountain.
There could be no mistake.
She was looking directly at Ferda.
Why?
The moment the question crossed his mind, her wings beat against the air.
She was not flying toward her lair, but toward somewhere higher.
Toward the summit of the lonely mountain.
Toward the place where Ferda stood.