Vol. 2 Chapter 212

Exchange Meeting

Translated by Raizu

There are several lounges in Levios Castle for the purpose of exchange.

When I was led into the room by a Quordenze civil officer, there were already people there.

[Wilk. Youre late.]

[Yes. About the matter the other day, I wonder if the Archduke will have a word with father later.]

I said the lines I had prepared in my head as they were without any alterations. Its a sign that my father and I decided in advance to show that the apology from the Archduke of Milendorva has been successfully completed.

This is also intended to give the Adellahan family a hint that Wilk Quordenze and the Milendorva family have unofficially contacted each other. Its not a story that can be made public, but the Quordenze family wants to show that the Orshian incident has been settled with our victory.

[It looks like Ive kept you waiting.]

I looked at the women in the room while apologizing in an apologetic tone.

Excluding me and my father, there were two other Highlords here.

A very large middle-aged woman and a small old woman. Theres no doubt that its the Marquis of Adellahan and Duchess Crowne, the proud Hero of the Adellahan family.

The two were sitting in their seats without making eye contact with me. I guess they think its bad manners to stare at the other person before exchanging greetings, so I try not to look too much.

Perhaps because I had researched about Crowne from various books in advance, I felt like I just met a great figure of history, and when I let my guard down, I could not help but look at her.

[I would like to introduce Wilk to you two. Come here. I have already received greetings from the children of Adellahan.]

I obediently followed my fathers beckoning.

Archduke Milendorva came quite late, so I ended up being late. However, there are no clocks on the Eruo continent, so there is no culture of complaining about being a little late. Thank you for being so flexible.

Before entering the room, I heard from a civil officer that the next head of the Adellahan family, Princess Kalmia, and her fianc, Novalf, a young man from a branch family, have temporarily left the room.

Its only out of consideration. There is no way to let 4 Highlords to wait for 1 Highlord.

Even though the Levios family manages the exchange meeting with their face, the difference of 4 times cannot be ignored. Even if it is between Nobles of the same faction, it is all the more so because it is a top meeting between the Quordenze faction and the Adellahan faction.

[Shall I begin the introduction?]

At my fathers words, the middle-aged woman sitting across from me quietly nodded.

My father spoke a short introduction, and when it ended, I showed my gratitude and opened my mouth.

[As introduced by my father, I am Quordenze familys eldest son, Wilk Quordenze.]

I carefully arranged the words according to the etiquette and gave a formal greeting. There is no point in doing anything out of the ordinary here. I was a little nervous because I was dealing with the Adellahan family, but I think I was able to greet them without any problems.

[I am Shakuna Adellahan. The current protector of Adellahan land. Very happy to meet Wilk-dono today.]

Marquis Adellahans reply was really simple.

Their customary chat time for the first time was the bare minimum, and there was almost no nasty trickery.

However, there is no atmosphere of hating or avoiding us. It seemed that she was accustomed to dealing with anyone, probably with a short greeting like this.

Rather than the style of the Adellahan family, it is probably the personality of the Marquis herself. I think this is where individuality comes out.

[I am Crowne Adellahan.]

As proof of that, Crowne, who exchanged greetings after the Marquis, showed a more refined Noble way of speaking.

[The rumors of the Great Shield Breaker have spread to the land of Adellahan as well. Its truly a splendid undertaking, Voistras military power has finally been broken. One can say that the late Duchess Cassia has fulfilled her long-cherished wish.]

[It is an honor to be praised by someone with such a high reputation in the martial way like Duchess Crowne.]

In response to my reply, Duchess Crowne told a rumor that was circulating in the Adellahan region.

Due to the fiasco set up by the Spierzeig family ended up with the overwhelming victory of the Quordenze family, it was rumored that the great rebellion operation itself was a trap lured in by the famous conspirator Luxus Quordenze in the first place what a rumor.

[Ive been curious about how Reisleaf was crushed. Is it the fangs that grew on its body, or the sword that was released? Before I knew it, I pushed my old body and came to see it all the way to the Royal Capital.]

Crowne smiled broadly, saying, Im sorry, but when you think about the series of conversations as a whole, its a word that has a lot of implications.

It can be considered that this is questioning Wilk Quordenzes personal political thoughts, more specifically the military aspects, and future expansion policies.

My fathers main plan for the war is the destruction of the Spierzeig family, and he has no plans to expand beyond that. This is a half-professed story, and its a story that everyone in the Kingdom knows as a matter of course.

If Wilk Quordenze is the sword unleashed by his father, then it will stop after stabbing the Spierzeig family. But if he grew his fangs out of his own volition, its a different story. After devouring the Spierzeig, he might bare his fangs at another prey.

Referring to the Spierzeig as Voistra, saying that the capture of Reisleaf has finally been accomplished, and the mention of the sword. All of those are an allusion to Emperor Zinkaen.

A child of Quordenze who shares the same thoughts as his father, or someone who inherits Emperor Zinkaens ideas and aims to conquer the continent. Wilk Quordenze, come on, which one are you? thats what Crowne was asking.

[All the way from Adellahan to meet me? That is both gladdening and awe-inspiring.]

While trying to buy time with a fluffy and empty reply, I frantically racked my brain as to how best to respond.

For the time being, the first plan is to softly tell her that Im with my father. It is the safest answer. Perhaps even Crowne would be able to agree with that answer.

A young man with a strong ambition to conquer the continent would not give a safe answer in such a situation. Rather, he will become mushy and bite the bait.

However, the first plan is not very cool. No matter how I say it, I feel like Im giving the impression of a stupid son. For me, who will lead the Quordenze faction in the future, that is not very desirable.

Which one is a more reliable answer as the next head of Quordenze family, while also one that implies that Im focusing only on the downfall of the Spierzeig? its very difficult.

When listening to Crownes heroic tales about the war to unify the Adellahan region, there are many delightful stories about her outrageous marches, as well as the surprise attacks that confuse the opponent and lure them into traps.

I never thought that I would be attacked at an exchange meeting where we confirmed our friendship. This is best heard in stories.

If I were really an ambitious person, the moment I was told something like this, I would say something like, [Are you saying that Im my fathers puppet!] ..Ah, by the time Im already buying time and thinking about a reply like this, Ive unwittingly achieved Crownes goal. And since Ive bought time so far, I cant look good unless I give a reasonable answer. Somehow I feel like Ive fallen into a trap.

Just like my father, I dont want you to hold such a peace-loving person and have incomprehensible expectations.

Generally speaking, it would be normal for this afternoons exchange meeting to lightly introduce ourselves, have a little chat, and drink tea. Arent we supposed to make separate appointments at a later date to discuss heavy topics at the Quordenze Mansion or the Adellahan mansion? Please excuse me, really.

Im about to run out of words that I can use to buy time.

I dont have time to think about a safe and reliable answer. My palms were dripping with sweat.

But, any further delay would just be unsightly. Lets make a bet now. If it goes well, it will be profitable.

[I fully understand the feeling of having to confirm something that caught your attention. Come to think of it, while traveling to visit the Royal Capital this time, I was curious about something and decided to check it out. Isnt there a legend about the mountain and the water snake in the Adellahan region?]

Its a fairy tale about a snake that swims up a river and rises to the top of Mount Erechtheion, the highest peak on the continent. I know that there is a tradition in the Adellahan region, but I dare to ask because it is a prelude.

[I know of a story about a serpent going up the Wacold River, reaching the mountain, and becoming a dragon.]

Alright, its going exactly as I wanted. This paves the way to the end.

Crowne must have guessed that the answer is finally coming. Her expression brightened as if to say lets hear it.

With her googly eyes shining brightly and her fangs baring smile, it seemed as if she was enjoying the situation. Im not having fun at all

[Adellahans water serpent rises up the Wacold River, doesnt it? In Quordenze, there is the Ovieto River or the Amelia Riveralso, there is a slight difference in the water snake part.]

It has probably been replaced by a familiar river for the people who tell the story. Crowne looked a little interested, but waited for the continuation of my words without interjecting.

[In Quordenze, the water serpent did not become a dragon. It instead turned into a giant serpent.]

The legend of Miyamas water snake has a slightly different ending depending on the region. In the Quordenze territory, the punch line is that it transforms into a mighty serpent with magical power, but in other regions it becomes a dragon or a catfish.

In an age when means of transportation are limited, I think there are many differences due to folklore being passed down from person to person. And its shape is terribly unstable and easily deformed.

Its a story I heard when I passed through the Noble territory of the Adellahan faction while moving to the Royal Capital. In some parts of the Adellahan region, water snakes are transformed into dragons. Immediately after the talk, an auspicious dragon came flying, so it left a deep impression.

Every time I entered a new territory, I would ask the guides how things were going in other areas.

In any case, it was fortunate that the ending of the water snake legend that Crowne knew was the dragon version. It was a gamble here.

[Is that right? I thought it was the same story, but its surprisingly different.]

She is an old woman with good intuition.

[Yes, it might look like a dragon in Adellahan. To me, who was born in Quordenze, it looks like a big snake.]

Emperor Zinkaen is sometimes called the [Dragon of the West Sea].

The Adellahan family may have superimposed my military exploits with Emperor Zinkaen and saw it as a dragon, but I insist that I am a [Person of Quordenze]. The policy of the Quordenze family, that is, a Noble with the same policy as his father.

[If so, is the piercing fang a snakes fang?]

Of course, Crowne would be aware of the name of Operation Serpents Fang.

Its an operation name without any particular meaning, but lets use it here.

[Yes. I thought the next fang would belong to the serpent.]

[Hoo.]

The culmination of the water snake legend in Quordenze is the giant serpent. Wilk Quordenze is only thinking about the next battle, namely the invasion of Voistra and the capture of Othelloria. Crowne nodded several times, trying to grasp the true meaning I put into the conversation.

[It seems like a good next generation is growing in Quordenze. It reminds me of Duchess Cassiawell?]

Then, Crowne turned her gaze to my father. The greetings and talk with me ended with that.

Of my own volition, I bit Reisleaf with my own fangs. I intend to destroy the Spierzeig, but have no ambition to conquer the continent. I think I was able to convey both well.

By the end of the exchange, I had enough time to observe the two of them.

Dealing with a Great Noble like the Adellahan family, and even a person as big as Crowne, can be quite nerve-wracking. I quietly wiped the sweat from my palms so that no one could see it.

As I heard, Marquis Adellahan possesses a large body.

She has wide shoulders and is probably over 180 cm tall. Her demeanor was also dignified, making her look extra large.

Even though she has the same tall body, she has a completely different vector from the female knight who seems to be Ronas bodyguard that I met earlier today. That one had an athletic physique, but the Marquis has a physique that I feel is best described as good-looking.

As if she understood her own body, the Marquiss dress wasnt made of fluttering fabric, but was characterized by strongly woven red threads, and from a distance it looked like a leather product. It was cloth armor rather than a dress.

Crowne is small in comparison. It may look like that because shes old and shes next to Marquis Adellahan, but I get the impression that shes small.

However, she still looks very sharp. With its dangling eyes and glare in its gaze, she resembles a bird of prey in the hunt. This heavy pressure, which was spoken with an attitude rather than words, felt somewhat like my grandfather when standing on the battlefield.

Surprisingly, however, the amount of her magical power is not that great. Its considerably better than Viscount Galiana, but even so, its a relatively disappointing category for a Noble. As Marquis Adellahan possesses the amount of mana worthy of Nobles, the difference inevitably stands out.

Well, a Highlords magic power is pretty much an excessive offensive power. When a man with a katana and a man with a paring knife fights, the latter might still win. At the end of the day, the difference is how good you are and how reckless you are. Crowne must be a dangerous person who can step firmly on the accelerator pedal without any hesitation when it comes to battle.

While I was observing, an Adellahan civil officer entered the room. It seems that the remaining two members of the Adellahan family have returned.

Considering that, I guess they were waiting nearby for my greeting to end.

As soon as my father and the marquis gave permission to enter, two young people appeared.

A small girl walking straight with her eyes closed and a young man walking diagonally behind her. They look more like a Princess and a knight who protects her, rather than Nobles.

Anyway, its the girl whos more important. I could care less about the young man.

[Kalmia, this is Wilk-dono of the Quordenze family.]

After Marquis Adellahan said so, she briefly introduced Princess Kalmia to me.

With her eyes still closed, Kalmia turned to me and took a greeting posture without being instructed by anyone. Ive heard that she cant see, but according to rumors, she doesnt seem to have any trouble in her daily life.

The Quordenze family is the host of this exchange meeting and tea party. When the Reisleaf Castle fell, the first congratulatory messages came from the Adellahan family, so we invited them in to return the favor.

As a result, the guest, Kalmia, will be the one to say hello instead of me, who was late.

[Adellahan is the guardian of the land, and the next generation has been appointed. My name is Kalmia Adellahan.]

Keeping her eyes closed, she smiled as she greeted me with well-thought out words.

Somehow, I feel like Im being warned. Her voice sounded a little trembling, and somehow her smile seemed stiff.

There were several people at the luncheon who had similar reactions, so I dont think its strange.

Well, putting that aside, its my turn.

[Glad to meet the Princess of Adellahan. I am the eldest son of the Quordenze family, Wilk Quordenze.]

To be honest, I was most nervous today about my conversation with Crowne, so I was able to finish my greetings with Kalmia very well.

And the same goes for chatting after the greeting. Perhaps Kalmia regained her composure during the talking, as her smile gradually became more natural.

Its a good thing if she enjoys talking with me.

This is especially true for young Nobles, but if there is a difference in education, it will be difficult to choose a topic. However, I was able to match the story with Kalmia without any discrepancies, and there were times when it was matched from the other side. It seems that she has received an education that is fitting for the next head of the family. There was something comforting about being able to convey the story heart to heart.

From the exchanges of conversation, I can see the speed of her train of thought. Im worried about the timid way of speaking that sometimes appears and disappears, but this is probably due to the short period from when she took the position as the successor. Unlike me, she shouldnt have dreamed of inheriting the family estate until the Yersinia Calamity happened. I was officially nominated recently, but Ive been conscious of it for a long time.

[That dress, the red color of Adellahan, really shines. Ive heard that this is the color of the Zareazeria flower. It must be a beautiful flower.]

[Oh my.]

As if to show off her dress, Kalmia picked up her skirt with one hand and opened it slightly. It is a Princess-like and cute movement.

Kalmia Adellahan is about as tall as the average women of the Eruo continent, maybe a little on the short side. Like Crowne, standing next to Marquis Adellahan would make her look small.

Its hard to tell because her eyes are closed all the time, but she has a wonderful baby face. Thanks to that, even if shes taller than me, shell feel smaller for some reason.

Somehow, shes a woman who makes me want to protect her. I can easily see the resemblance with her real mother, Marquis Adellahan When I compared them, they were surprisingly similar. Even though her face looked macho because of her tall stature, Marquis Adellahans face was made up of unexpectedly cute materials when just looking at the individual parts. It doesnt stand out because its stretched vertically and horizontally. Kalmia is well-organized and cute, probably thanks to her appropriate size.

The most similar thing between Kalmia and the Marquis is their voice. Low and calm. Her tone is mature, so if you just listen to her voice, youd think shes an intelligent, calm, and beautiful older sister-type Princess.

Shes a girl with quite a gap between her appearance and her voice.

Suddenly, I was reminded of Rona.

She is a tall, slender beauty who looks great with long black hair. Despite being one year younger than me, he was taller than me. She had a slender figure, so I remember she looked taller than she actually was. However, her voice was the high-pitched anime girl voice, and it felt childish from the way she spoke. It might be suitable for a Holy Maiden since its a voice quality that seems happy with little worries.

[Ufufu. You are such a charmer. Thank you.]

The appearance of Kalmias dress, which smiles gracefully, reminded me a little of the Japanese high school uniform. Its like wearing a dark brown blazer with a crimson cardigan.

In reality, its a dress with detailed decorations, and the part that looks like a cardigan is sewn with strong thread just like Marquis Adellahans dress, making it look like cloth armor. I wonder if the Adellahan family has a custom of incorporating armor into their dress motifs.

Kalmia had shoulder-length brown hair and was supposed to be 16 years old. Therefore, my first impression of her was high school girl. It is a word that certainly stirred the lower half of my body.

At the point where the conversation had taken a break, Kalmia turned her face to her fianc who was standing diagonally behind her for a moment. and asked me if she could introduce him.

Im not really interested, but this is like a ritual. Thus I showed my consent.

[This is my fiancee, Novalf Adellahan.]

With only my eyes directed at the young man, I responded with a [Un] and [Yeah] under my throat, and then turned my gaze back to Kalmia.

[So you have been engaged. Congratulations.]

[..Yes, thank you.]

Im concerned with how Kalmias reaction was momentarily delayed.

There shouldnt be a mistake in how I treat Novalf. Right now Novalf is nothing more than the fiance of the next family head. Compared to the head of the family, Shakuna, the first head of the family, Crowne, and the next head of the family, Kalmia, he is helplessly inferior.

There is no need for me, the next head of the Quordentze family, to talk with Novalf in a very public place where the current and next generations of the Quordenze and Adellahan families gather together for the first time. A small reaction to a greeting is enough. Even if we had a conversation, it would be after the tea party started and we got to know each other a little better.

In fact, Novalf continued to make small gestures even after being introduced to Kalmia. Its proof that he understands that its not a scene where he can interfere.

Kalmia, could it be that youre in love with Novalf? Its like the female version of a favored Noble. That must be why she was a little annoyed when I treated her fiance lightly.

From the greeting conversation, I judged that she was not that kind of careless woman, but should I have withheld my evaluation? I cant say anything because people can go out of control with love.

My suspicions about her actions interrupted the conversation in a strange way.

Kalmia, who must have avoided silence, made a move to interpret it as a sign of the end, and agreed to close the time for self-introductions to each other.

She was also adept at making up for her own mistakes. I wonder what happened to the previous freeze.

When everyone was seated, the tea set was handed out by a servant on the Quordenze side, and tea and tea cakes were prepared.

What I prepared this time was a white tea set that I had made in Newnelly.

The white vessels made by St. Navempos in the past are now valuable antiques, and soup is forbidden. However, I could pour as much as I wanted from the new Newnelly white teaware.

[Oh?]

When the tea was poured into the cup, Kalmia let out a small voice.

She seems to be able to perceive the position and shape of things with magic. But judging from this reaction, shes able to recognize colors as well. Ive never heard of magic that perceives colors, so I wonder if its an original creation.

..No, talking about and praising the tea utensils that the other party brought out at the tea party is the basis of the meeting. It may be that she just gave a signal in advance, such as a white vessel came out. If you master the magic of recognizing objects, you should be able to easily check the shape of the fingers of the person sitting next to you, and there is a possibility that someone around her like Novalf is cheating by telling her with their fingers.

Either way, the voice just now was clearly an implication of [I can see it].

Her voice was addressed to me, so I had to reply.

[This tea set was recently perfected in Newnelly. Please enjoy it along with the brew of Quordenze tea leaves.]

[Of course. I thought its too new for old pottery. But it makes sense if its made by the hands of todays craftsmen.]

A natural smile appeared on Kalmias face, as if to say, It makes sense, its a good product. She wasnt bragging about her knowledge, but seemed to be purely evaluating tea utensils.

Marquis Adellahan, and then Crowne also spoke about their impressions. The response was excellent. It was clear that both of them had a strong admiration for white tea utensils.

The scent of the poured tea spreads throughout the room, creating an atmosphere of enjoying tea and sweets for a while.

The castella that I prepared as tea sweets is the only sweet that I have been able to recreate from Earth. I made it in my elementary school days in my previous life, but since I only remembered the ingredients and how to make it roughly, it took several years to reproduce.

The unusual sweets became a good material to liven up the conversation. Its worth bringing in a servant who can make castella from Newnelly.

Just like Fanny and Plume when they ate castella for the first time, Kalmia smiled gracefully and ate at a high pace while keeping it from looking rude. Im sure they liked it.

It should be noted that it is not particularly embarrassing to ask for refills of tea sweets. It was quite heartwarming that the mother and daughter all asked for a second helping of castella.

Kalmia replied with a question when I told her that the fact that castella was made by a maid who was good at cooking was partly distorted.

[Come to think of it, I heard from a visitor to Zaleazeria that the Newnelly silk was invented by Wilk-dono.]

[Oh, I didnt know that the rumors reached Aterahan. Its true that I ordered the silk to be made.]

[Silk too, and other things?]

[Yes, this tea set was also made by me. I asked my father to showcase it here today.]

I would like to emphasize that it is not a product that was spontaneously generated by the private sector, but an industry linked to Quordenze. If you want it, ask my father.

And there is also the purpose of manipulating the impression that Im a son who is enthusiastic about domestic affairs. Dont let people think Im more of a Warrior Noble than I am now.

[There is an organization called the pioneering association in Newnelly city. So its true that youve been taking an active role there.]

If you only listen to that, its like an evil organization that plans bad things. Pioneering Association is an organization with few shadowy places, with a signboard on the main street.

[Isnt that the organization that helped produce the Newnelly silk The Marquis of Quordenze has given his son a great deal of authority, is that an order that he has thought of for the future?]

It seems that Marquis Adellahan thought that my father entrusted me with a part of the Quordenze familys governing structure.

Well, I dont even dream that the Pioneering Association, an organization that was set up from scratch for my entertainment, would attract attention. In addition, in order to keep the area a secret, it is officially an organization directly connected to the ruling Noble, so it is not a mistake.

[I simply let Wilk do whatever he wanted. Recently, it has shown itself as the right decision.]

[I see that you place importance on education.]

Apparently they appreciated my fathers decision.

Certainly, from a different perspective, it might look like he was entrusting the main industry of the territory to his son and letting him experience the field. Instead of entrusting him with a safe job that he could succeed or fail, a father who included a big project related to the future of the territory into his sons teaching material I see, it would make him seem like hes enthusiastic about education.

[Indeed, but I believe Adellahan understands it best when it comes to the importance of learning practical work? Ive heard the rumors.]

As if it was our turn to ask questions, my father probed into the education of the Adellahan family. This one provides information that is far from being true, but it does a good job.

My father seems to be trying to find out about Novalfs military prowess, which stopped the advance of the Orshian army, and how he was taught. The Highlord sons who were born in the Adellahan family were known to have been leading soldiers since young age, so he probably wants to know what kind of training the young man took.

Education is a hot topic in the Noble community. It can be said that this is an eternal proposition for Nobles, how to raise a child with the mighty power of a Highlord.

While the parents were talking passionately, Kalmia, who was a little loosening out, started talking to me.

[Wilk-dono is also enthusiastic about politics, arent you? When I heard about Reisleaf Great Shield Breaker, I thought you lean more toward the warrior side]

After thinking about it for a while, I waited for the timing so that not only Kalmia but also the other Adellahan family could hear me before replying.

[The falling sparks must be shaken off. However, I will protect the land from monsters, protect the activities of the people, and connect peoples lives to tomorrow I believe that is the duty that we Nobles should cherish the most.]

Considering the preemptive attack from Crowne earlier, its possible that the Adellahan family considers me to be an aggressive invader. Here, once again, I decided to stick a nail in the next head, Kalmia.

Im just a good pacifist whos plotting to kill Spierzeig in order to wipe out the sparks that have fallen from the Levios family. I just want to connect with my beloved sister and life to see tomorrow.

There may be some discrepancies in my interpretation, but I look at Kalmia with confidence because the words came from my heart. She caught my gaze from the front.

[I think its really admirable. Aterahan also puts the idea of defending the land first.]

[Then, from now on, we would like to continue to be friends with people who share the same values.]

[Yes.]

Summing up, Kalmia nodded with a smile. I hope you can tell that I am a person who puts love and peace first.

[Speaking of the Protector of the Land.]

Marquis Adellahan suddenly entered our conversation.

The Marquis voice was strangely loud. It was the kind of voice that was deliberately made louder to make other people know that shes interrupting.

Because of that, everyone paid attention to the voice, and a strange silence descended on the room.

[Wilk-dono, I have been very curious about the accessories you are wearing.]

[This one here?]

Marquis Adellahan nodded strongly when I put my finger on the metal frame of the jewelry attached to my outfit.

[Yes, yes. Thats it. That deep dark color and fresh luster I think its in very good condition. Isnt it a jewel that was cut off recently?]

Weve finally moved on to the main subject!. The Marquiss voice was so high that I could hear such a hidden voice. Being able to talk to me with such great joy is interesting in its own way.

Marquis Adellahan seems to be a person who believes that subjugating demon beasts is the most honorable task for a Noble to fulfill.

Shes a simple person and is somewhat bad at lying, but her sense of responsibility as the protector of the land is probably second to none thats probably how people will summarize Marquis Adellahans personality as a Noble.

By the way, this can be categorized as a good evaluation. The Marquis, who has a straightforward personality and has many achievements in subjugating monsters, has a certain amount of trust regardless of whether someone is inside or outside the faction.

[Its something one can tell by its luster. As per Marquis Adellahans discerning eye, this was taken from a demon beast that appeared near Newnelly last year.]

The Marquis let out a high voice and smiled. I almost laughed at the reaction that reminded me of an old lady seeing her first grandchild, but strangely enough, I didnt feel bad.

[Thats a very admirable thing, isnt it? So what kind of demon beast was it? What was its name? What was its fighting style?]

Up until just now, only her face was facing me, but now even her body is facing me. She seemed to be approaching me steadily.

I knew from the start that this would happen. I was conscious not to turn my gaze toward my father, and stare at the Marquis throat instead.

Since its a demon beast that I defeated, I need to answer properly. If I glance at my father here, I might be misunderstood as a useless son who will take over his fathers achievements as his own.

[I named it the demon beast Sibel Kroger.]

Then, when I paused my words, Kalmia interjected from the side.

[Sibel Kroger lucky tortoise shell? Was it a demon beast that looked like a turtle?]

Its a tortoise or soft-shelled turtle. Its a turtle-like creature either way, so I confirmed.

[Indeed it was, though the fighting style is unknown. If I have to make a guess, its probably a versatile type.]

[A versatile type? If its that color, that might really be the case.]

Marquis Adellahan continued her words while putting her hand on her chin.

[It is said that many of the mature magical beasts that look like creatures that live near water have strong polluting abilities. If it had a turtle-like appearance, it is possible that the fighting type was a polluted type.. Pollution-type demon beasts almost always pollute the surrounding land immediately after their birth. It seems that it didnt show such characteristics because it was concluded that it was a versatile type in Quordenze. After all, analogizing the fighting style from the appearance should be considered as a reference only.]

For some reason, Marquis Adellahan was getting excited all by herself. Im at a loss as to whether shes talking to me or asking herself.

[From the gradation of the orb, I imagine that the subjugation battle itself was settled in a very short period of time, and that it was defeated before its fighting style could be determined, yes? Even if it just emerged from the Field, it should still be able to fully use its magical powers. There are also mature demon beasts that take time to use their abilities. Because it was defeated before it showed any characteristic behavior, I concluded that it was a versatile type by elimination method]

Before I could answer yes, the Marquis went on.

[But, this is actually a good thing. A mature demon beast with such a small orb should have an unimaginable aura within it. If its fighting style was the pollution type, there must have been an unspeakable amount of damage in the suburbs of Newnelly.]

At that point, Marquis Adellahan clapped her hands lightly as if to show that she had noticed something.

[Demon beast Sibel Kroger. Doesnt this name include the meaning of celebrating that it was subjugated very quickly? What a fitting name.]

I wonder how she would react if I said that she was wrong?

There were many careless remarks. Marquis Adellahan seems to have a personality that is not suitable to be the head of a Noble family, just like the rumors circulating on the street said. As a Noble, I have a favorable impression of her.

For now, lets just say that I named it that way for the reason she mentioned.

The name of the mature demon beast will be decided after subjugation. This is a traditional practice that continues from ancient times to the present day.

There are no strict rules for naming. They are often named in the ancient language, but there are also names in the Eruo language, and there are times when they borrow the names of places and cities. Thats up to the discretion of the person naming it.

In this case, I made the decision on my own as the leader of the subjugation team. Sibel Kroger. It is an ancient word that literally translates to Lucky Tortoise Shell as Kalmia mentioned, and its origin is as Marquis Adellahan said.

[Even so, its such a good shade.]

If this was Adellahan territory, she would probably have asked me to present the orb to her right now and lend it to her for a short period of time. However, even Marquis Adellahan had enough self-control to not overstep the boundary while in the Royal Capital.

[If you dont mind, would you like to take a look?]

[Dear me! Are you sure?]

[Of course But, well, since Ive been blessed with the opportunity to meet you, may I ask for one favor? The greatest military achievement for me right now is this jewel. When I got this, I felt a sense of reverence for the predecessors who had protected the land of Quordenze for generations. Can Marquis, who is famous as a master of monster subjugation, give me some advice, so that I can continue to fulfill my duties as a guardian?]

What I want to claim is that this orb is the greatest military exploit for me right now. Thats like claiming that I valued protecting the territory more than the fall of Reisleaf.

Once again, I repeated the implication that I already sent to both Crowne and Kalmia, that Wilk Quordenze is not as ambitious as the people of Adellahan thought.

..did it get across? I think its been conveyed. Maybe. Wilk-kun is an introverted boy who prioritizes the stability of his territory, except for the conquest of Spierzeig. Please understand me.

After confirming that Marquis Adellahan gave a short affirmative reply, I handed over the decorations to the Quordenze civil officer. Wearing gloves, he deftly removed only the orb from the accessory, and gently handed it over to the Adellahan civil officer who had prepared the cloth that will serve as the pedestal. The orb relay eventually reached the person who asked for it.

[Ara ara ara! Maaaaa!]

The Marquis leaned forward and observed the orb placed on the thick cloth. Her eyes were so serious that I could easily imagine that she really wanted to bring her face closer to the table.

It seemed that she couldnt stand it right away, so she refused me a word, lifted the orb together with the cloth, brought her eyes closer, and occasionally pointed it toward the window to let the light shine through for appraisal. Its completely a hobbyists eye, an orb maniac.

Since this is a friendly place, a little rudeness is allowed. In addition, if you praise the opponents military exploits, a little overreaction is irrelevant. However, even so, the Marquis, who was having a great time by herself, stood out a little too much.

Crowne was looking at the Marquis with a troubled face. Judging from the movement of her fingers, I could imagine shes saying Pardon for the kids overreaction. If I were to compare the finger gesture to those in Japan, the closest thing would be

Then, Kalmia smiled at me with an apologetic face, and explained her real mothers dedication to subjugating demon beasts with examples.

[Haa Really, its a wonderful thing. To leave behind such a depth with the size of Arialuma Really, its amazing.]

Its clear that the Marquiss words, who were fascinated by the orb, came from the heart.

Marquis Adellahans strength may be that she is able to use her true feelings in diplomacy Even if you deduct that, the loss seems to be more.

Its mostly the Marquiss fault, but since the topic is focused on me, its necessary to change the direction around here.

[Is the Arialuma that Marquis Adellahan mentioned just now be a mature demon beast that was subjugated by the Adellahan family?]

The Marquis nodded slightly, then removed the accessories from her dress and held it up towards me.

A ball the size of a ping-pong ball is attached to the center of the ice crystal-shaped accessory. Its probably a jewel.

From my position, its hard to see because its far away, the orb is small, and its spherical and reflects light, but I think its dark black.

[This was from the strongest mature demon beast Ive ever faced. Demon beast Arialuma, as you can see, corresponds to a Kentark-class demon beast according to past standards.]

The threat of mature demon beasts is expressed in five ranks, but it is more common to use past demon beasts belonging to the same rank rather than directly mentioning numbers for first and second rank.

In the case of the Quordenze family, the calamity that once struck Newnelly City, the demon beast Charybdis, is used as the second standard demon beast. Therefore, when a demon beast that ranks second in the threat class appears, it will be called Charybdis-class. The demon beast that I defeated last year is the Charybdis-class demon beast Sibel Kroger.

However, this is, so to speak, a local expression of the Quordenze territory. To speak globally, we should call it the second rank, or use the standard demon beast created during the time of the priest.

The standard demon beast of the second threat rank determined by the priest was the demon beast Kentark that appeared in the Holy City hundreds of years ago, so if this was used, it would become the Kentark-class demon beast Sibel Kroger.

However, since it was a standard created during the time of priests, it seems that nowadays there is a tendency to prefer the expressions of local aristocrats. Arialuma class is probably the second rank standard for the Adellahan family.

Even so, Im surprised that Marquis Adellahan defeated a demon beast of that rank. Since its a house with a short history, I wonder if the second-ranked demon beast itself hasnt appeared that much.

No, the Quordenze family may have a different way of thinking. For example, there are rules that use the latest demon beasts as a standard.

The demon beasts used as the standard for class are not set in stone.

It seems that the Quordenze territory also considered changing the second-ranked standard demon beast from Charybdis to Sibel Kroger. It was quickly dismissed though.

It is said that the Quordenze family has a custom of using [demon beasts that have caused great damage] as standard. The reason for this is extremely simple: to not underestimate mature demon beasts.

Rather than thinking [The Sibel Kroger class is the one that the previous head of the family defeated in a single night. Isnt it too weak?], its best to keep the future generation vigilant by using [demon beast that attacked Nobles and nearly annihilated the entire family].

Second rank threat: demon beast Charybdis, Third rank threat: demon beast Norstetta, Fourth rank threat: demon beast Momocalf, Fifth rank threat: demon beast Alcnoa. All of them had caused damage to Quordenze territory.

[In our family, we base the demon beast threat rank by how many troops were mobilized to subjugate it. The reason may be the same as to why Quordenze ranked the demon beast. It is to warn the next generation to not underestimate the power of demon beasts.]

It didnt seem like something she needed to hide, so when I asked about it in a light tone, Marquis Adellahan replied casually.

[If I have any advice for Wilk-dono, I think it would be to abide by the standards that Quordenze has cherished. I believe that passing down the mental attitude toward the beasts to the children and grandchildren is what a protector of the land should do.]

[I see. Thank you for your kind words.]

In the eyes of the Adellahan family, itll be acceptable as long as I follow the current Quordenze family policy. In other words, there would be no problem until the Spierzeig family is destroyed.

Well, but these are the words of Marquis Adellahan. Shes not the kind to be secretive and all that crap, so she must be really talking about the mentality of a protector I felt a little uneasy at the thought of the Marquis using words with hidden meaning. Somehow it felt difficult in a different way from Crowne.

However, if this interpretation is wrong, Crowne or Kalmia will add something to avoid misunderstandings. Since there is no particular action from them, I will accept it as it is.

[Wouldnt the demon beast Arialuma pose a considerable threat when it comes to the number of mobilized soldiers? May I ask about how the battle proceeded?]

When I asked such a question, Marquis Adellahan began to happily recount the subjugation of demon beast Arialuma.

She told the story of the mobilization of Adellahan army to subjugate the vicious mature demon beast that emerged from the Field in Mist Land, on the other side of the Wacold river, and how they successfully defeated it. From the occasional nostalgic nod from Crowne, I could tell that she was also participating in that battle.

Just as the conversation was heating up, the Marquis turned the topic to her daughters fiance.

[Do you remember it, Novalf? Since you were still small, you were sitting at home in Zareazerias castle, werent you?]

Even so, this young man has a ridiculously large body. His physique is such that if he were to play rugby or American football, he would be able to move forward while mowing down opponents like a tank. No one would doubt him if he said that he was the biological son of Marquis Adellahan.

When Novalf was brought up as a topic, he showed his overly macho body as if he was crouching before answering.

[I was around 4 or 5 years old at the time, so I dont remember much. I was nervous and scared at Zareazeria Castle. Both my mother and father went to the battlefield, so I was worried.]

Mother means Novalfs biological mother, right? It seems that the demon beast Arialuma was a threat worthy of the second rank, with the full mobilization of even the branch families.

[Then, Kalmia-dono wasnt born yet?]

My father called out to Kalmia. Since I had a feeling that I couldnt keep up with the story from a while ago, I guess it was a nice breeze of air.

When Kalmia nodded at my fathers question, Marquis Adellahan continued.

[At that time, she was still in my womb.]

My father and I were surprised at the Marquiss soft-spoken words.

This is because when the Adellahan family confronted the demon beast Arialuma, the Marquis was one of the active generals. While listening to the story earlier, I had no idea that the brave Marquis who attacked the demon beast regardless of the danger was pregnant.

There was a shady rumor that the current Marquis Adellahan subjugated a demon beast while pregnant, but I didnt know it was true. Judging from his reaction, it seems that my father had never heard of it either.

[Its amazing to hear how high Adellahan hold the importance of defeating a demon beast despite everything.]

It ended with basically an implied praise on how cool and amazing Marquis Adellahan was.

But, I thought otherwise.

I suspect that Kalmias visual impairment was caused by that battle.

In the process of learning how to produce a better breed of silkworm with the aid of magic, I understood the gist of it.

I still dont fully understand what magic is, but I do know that depending on how it is used, it can be extremely harmful.

It was when the silkworm eggs were bathed in magic power that their harmful effect became conspicuous. Most of the eggs rotted as they were, probably because they couldnt withstand the magic of a Highlord. The caterpillars that were lucky enough to hatch were also deformed, and many of them behave suspiciously. Its almost a coincidence that silkworms that spit out Newnelly silk were born.

Female Highlord and lords are said to have unstable magic output during pregnancy. Isnt this the instinct to protect the fetus from the magical power of the mothers body? Ive heard that they are instructed not to use magic too much during pregnancy.

However, even silkworms have survived my magic and hatched, so its unknown how much it will affect human fetuses.

The only thing that bothers me is that it was a monster subjugation. If it was a battle, the magical power filled with aggressive emotions would have circulated over and over again. It may have had an adverse effect on Kalmias body as a fetus.

Its all speculation, but I didnt feel like praising Marquis Adellahans success.

Putting aside the hopeless situation where the territory was destroyed, judging from the black color of the orb, it was possible to subdue it relatively quickly, so the pregnant woman should have evacuated instead.

A precious beauty named Kalmia might have disappeared from this continent of Eruo. A beautiful woman has a high probability of giving birth to a beautiful woman, and Kalmias death is nothing less than an act of nipping at the possibility of the birth of an unseen beautiful girl. This is unacceptable violence.

[I want to be a proud protector like my mother.]

Kalmias voice was somewhat servile, and I could feel her lack of confidence. Perhaps unconsciously, she drank the tea with a smile as if to make up for it.

That fragile appearance touched my heart. Lets be a little adventurous then.

[So, Kalmia-dono, you fought alongside the Marquis against demon beasts even before you were born on this land, and survived. Adellahans bloodline is certainly a strong one.]

Kalmia seemed to have guessed that I was comforting her, and answered with a bright tone of voice.

[Im happy to hear you say that. If there is a next battle, I would like to participate as the next generation of Adellahan and show my military exploits.]

[Then, lets continue to study, and work together as the ones responsible for the next generation.]

Its just a polite word of friendship, but theres a trap here.

[Yes. I will be glad to.]

At that point, Kalmia and I laughed at each other, confirming the friendship between Quordenze and Adellahan.

My main target is this.

[Speaking of those who will be responsible for the next generation, Prince Dunkel has invited me to talk to him during the evening party.]

It seems that as a result of me being half-hearted about our mutual engagement, he couldnt talk about what he had originally prepared. Thats why Ive been invited to speak again at the evening party.

[Oh, I was invited as well.]

I know that already. It was a proposal to hold a meeting where the next generation of Levios, Milendorva, Adellahan, Zeldomitra, and Quordenze would gather. Prince Dunkel also said that the last time he invited me, theres no way Kalmia wouldnt be invited too.

I changed the direction of the conversation slightly while pretending that I had never heard of it.

[Is that so? It looks like well be able to meet again on the spot. Will Kalmia-dono attend the evening party as well?]

While saying that, I turned my gaze to Novalf, who was sitting next to her for a moment.

[Yes. I would like to cherish the chance of communication without hesitation.]

Todays schedule continues with the opening ceremony, exchange party, and evening party, but the later the event, the more relaxed the gathering. The number of participants may increase, but even Nobles dont like being nervous all the time.

According to my father, it seems that evening parties that are held throughout the year were relatively ridiculous. This time there were a lot of people anyway, so moderation would be observed more than usual, but even so, he said that it should be fun.

Conversing, eating, and dancing regardless of whether they are unmarried, married, fiance or not, age, status, royal aristocrats or independent aristocrats. In addition, it seems that people who dislike such an atmosphere will not come to the evening party.

I try to make a refreshing smile as much as possible and play around a little.

[Then, we may meet at the evening party. At that time, please allow me to take your hand for a dance.]

Kalmia then showed a surprised expression for a moment, but immediately burst out laughing. She must have noticed that I had a series of conversations just to say this line.

[Ara, ufufu. Youre very good at it. Of course, please take care of me. I just said that were going to study together. Fufufu.]

[Hahaha. Well, Im glad I didnt get rejected.]

Yes, I had a long conversation just to create an excuse to invite her to dance.

It seems that the barriers between factions are lowered at the evening party, so it wouldnt be strange if I invited Kalmia to dance. It is all the more so because we are having an exchange meeting in the afternoon.

However, it is safer to apply in advance. Kalmia and Novalf will probably act mainly as a pair at the evening party. The possibility of Novalf, who disliked his fianc dancing with other men, continuing to dance with Kalmia is not zero. Now its like Ive got the official approval of Marquis Adellahan, so if I want to dance, Novalf cant say that he doesnt like it.

For the time being, I showed consideration for Novalph before we talked, and the request itself was a light one, [If we meet, please dance with me]. If this is the case, I dont think I fell in love with Kalmia at first sight and showed my prejudice. If I say things like, [Ill come pick you up when the party comes], Ill be completely outed.

When Nobles dance, they can naturally touch each others back, hips, and butt. To me, its just like groping galore.

First, Plume, then the Princesses who were secretly keeping an eye on me, and then Kalmia. I cant help but look forward to the evening party from now on.

[Im looking forward to it.]

While listening to Kalmias social etiquette, I thought about her butts.

We had a really good exchange today.

After interacting with the Quordenze family, the members of the Adellahan family took a breather in the break room.

It was a very private space with only four people in the room: Marquis Adellahan, Crowne, Kalmia, and Novalf.

However, since it was on the grounds of Castle Levios, not many words were exchanged. Besides, they cant stay long because they have to prepare for the next exchange meeting.

[Im tired.]

Kalmia said so and shrugged her shoulders.

The biggest challenge for the Adellahan family was identifying Wilk Quordenze. Due to her position as the next generation, her mental fatigue, which was the one that had the most conversation with Wilk, was by no means small.

[Kalmia, what did you see?]

Crownes question lacked an interrogative pronoun, but the three understood its meaning.

[..I thought he was a difficult person to express in words. If I classify him with my words, I feel like Im missing the essence.]

[Then, just say what you think.]

Kalmia looked back at the meeting from the beginning to Crowne, who said that there was no need to summarize, just state individual impressions.

[The amount of magical power is tremendous, and at first I was a little intimidated.]

[Maybe. They must have noticed. Novalf, what about you?]

He interpreted it as a question about the amount of mana.

[I thought it was an abnormal amount of magical power. That amount is unthinkable with common sense. I felt a completely different kind of threat from the one that I felt with Princess Orshian.]

There, he searched for words while worrying. He was the one who had the chance to feel the magic power of both Orshian and Wilk pretty closely.

[Wilk-donos amount of magical power is a little unbelievable. If its the quality of Princess Orshians magical power, then theres nothing I dont understand]

Unable to find the right analogy, Novalph couldnt form his next words as he held his head in his hands.

[Then, how about his behavior?]

Since there is no time left, Crowne immediately proceeds to the next story.

[As expected of the eldest son of the Quordenze family, I thought that his etiquette and education were flawless. I would like to use him as a model.]

[Yes. I felt like I was shown the magnificence of the history that the prestigious Noble family has accumulated. Im really worried if I was able to talk properly.]

Marquis Adellahan said, followed by Kalmia.

[I think Kal did fine, except for the hiccup at the very beginning.]

Following Novalfs addendum, Kalmia said as if she suddenly remembered.

[I felt that Wilk-dono had some strange ways of thinking. Mainly, his attitude towards Nova.]

He seemed to be aware of this, as Novalf immediately hits on that point.

[When Kal froze, I panicked.]

[Oh, Im sorry about that. But, it was really strange.]

At this exchange meeting, Wilk didnt seem to pay any attention to Novalfs existence. That was the most incomprehensible part for Kalmia.

Kalmia, who is visually impaired, is seen by those around her as a Flawed Highlord. What would happen if Novalf, the Highlord who succeeded in repelling the Orshian army, was chosen to be adopted by Crowne, became the betrothed of the next head of the Adellahan family? Most Nobles perceive that Kalmia could only become a family head because she has Novalf to support her as her better half.

As a result, the Nobles who talk with Kalmia become more or less aware of the existence of Novalf, who is her half.

[Even when you greeted Marquis Quordenze, he still regarded Nova lightly, didnt he? Because of that, I couldnt understand it even more. It seems that the fundamentals of thinking between parent and child are different]

When Luxus Quordenze was introduced to Novalf by Kalmia, he sent an ale to the effect that the young man should continue to support Kalmia as her fiance. It would be wrong to do such a thing.

However, after leaving the Adellahan territory, similar things happened many times when meeting with Nobles from other families.

To put it bluntly, Kalmia was being ridiculed, but she couldnt be angry directly. Caring about Novalf, the adopted son of Crowne, the hero of the Adellahan family, is somewhat out of manners, but it cannot be said to be rude. And there is no ill will towards the other party. Getting angry can be seen as rude.

In principle, Wilks action was correct.

Kalmia knew that, but she couldnt understand it.

The only time Wilk took note of Novalf was when someone brought him up. Its also only the bare minimum where he turned his gaze for a moment.

Wilks attitude towards Novalf is that of when Nobles regard a lower-ranked human being.

And for Novalf, it was a shock.

Because when Kalmia stiffened, she almost said something. If you do such a thing, you deny yourself Kalmia. Its just a cover-up of shame.

Since Wilk looked down on Novalf, there was nothing Novalf could do. Up until now, Novalf had felt bitter that he would be the center of attention during meetings with other families, but this was the first time he had felt rushed to be completely out of the loop.

[I wonder how Wilk-dono sees me I dont know]

Kalmia groaned while thinking.

To be properly respected as one of the Highlords is an unknown experience for her. She didnt know how to accept things that she hadnt experienced before.

In the Adellahan territory, she is still being looked down upon by those who are part of the branch family. Its been about a year since she was nominated as the next head of the family, and the perceptions of those around him havent quite changed.

[Isnt that a good thing? I felt that Wilk-dono favored Kal. To the point he invited you to dance]

[Nova?]

Kalmia lets out a sullen voice to accuse her fiance. Since her important fiance is dancing with another man, be more jealous Kalmia wanted to say that, but theres something really embarrassing about saying that.

Novalf, on the other hand, wasnt young enough to be jealous of a 13 years old boy.

[Wilk-dono is such a gentleman. He invited me to a dance. I wonder if Ill dance a lot tonight with Wilk-dono instead of Nova. That brick-like tea confectionery was also attractive.]

Novalf was used to this kind of attitude from Kalmia. Kalmia made an angry pose and Novalf calmed her down. It was a regular exchange between the two.

[Does the reason he went to a great length to invite Kalmia mean that he still values the friendship with Adellahan?]

Marquis Adellahan interrupted, ignoring the flirting of the two.

[Who knows? I feel like hes putting effort only because its Kalmia. Fufufu. ]

[Grandma Looking at Wilk-donos demeanor today, I dont think he would do such a careless thing. I think he probably sensed that we were wary of Wilk-dono and sought a more friendly relationship.]

[I agree with Kal. Rumor has it that Wilk-dono has a crush on a woman in Nambonan City. I think its hard to imagine him falling in love with other women easily.. Besides, I often invite women to dance at night parties even if they are not my favorite women.]

While studying at Blue Land Institute, Novalf attends evening parties in his own way. Since it would be futile to wander around with nothing to do, it was not uncommon for him to invite a suitable Princess to dance.

Basically, male Nobles are slow when it comes to sexual intercourse, but its not like they dislike interacting with women. Rather, its quite normal to like other people. One can like beautiful women, and smile when seeing cute girls, its just that its hard for them to get an erection.

[Oh, did Nova dance with so many women? I didnt know.]

Novalf chose to move on with the story, despite being stared at by Kalmia.

[At this meeting, Wilk-dono often said that he wanted to cherish the friendly relationship with Adellahan. At the very least, at the moment, I think its safe to assume that they put more emphasis on the fight against the Spierzeig family than anything else. At the very least, in the current situation, I dont think theyve thought about what to do after the defeat of Spierzeig. I cant read what will happen next. Hes the kind of person whose thoughts cannot be easily read.]

[Hmm.]

[I dont know much about Wilk-dono either. However, his relationship with Marquis Quordenze seemed to be very good.Therefore, it is difficult to think of denying his fathers policy from the front. In the future, I think that Marquis Quordenzes policy will be the first priority.]

[Hmm. Interesting.]

In response to Marquis Adellahans remarks, Crowne clapped her hands. That is advice for Kalmia and Novalf. The two of them immediately realized what it meant.

Kalmia and Novalf, who were trying to determine Wilks personality, focused only on Wilk. Crowne is saying that they should try to see from Marquis Adellahans approach, which tried to capture the existence of Wilk from the relationship with his father.

When Marquis Adellahan deals with troublesome people, she has a habit of indirectly obtaining information by looking at the people around her. This time, too, she applied that familiar method to observe Wilk. In addition, no one knows the fact that the discord with her sister honed this technique.

[To me, Wilk-dono doesnt seem like someone with the ambition to unify the continent. He also seemed like someone who likes rational thinking. If there is a lot of profit, I think they will be positive about the invasion of the Holy City proposed by King Levios. I also felt their strong will to invade Spierzeig.]

Although she didnt sound very confident, Kalmia explained exactly what she felt.

[It must be true that he wants to destroy Voistra. I felt an extraordinary determination.]

[He is of Quordenzes blood after all. Im sure Marquis Quordenze is happy that the next generation seems to share his feelings.]

However, Crowne twisted her head at Marquis Adellahans remark. Then, as if picking up fragmented intuition scattered in her head, she expressed her own thoughts.

[No. its not because of his fathers wish. He wants Voistra out of his own will. Not due to family ties or grudges. Those eyes are looking ahead. And will try to reach ahead. Thats what makes him different from the current generation of Quordenze.]

The three of them remained silent as Crowne spoke.

[The current generation is desperate to destroy Voistra. To destroy, for the sake of destroying. The grudge of the snake is persistent.. But, that next generation is different. He didnt seem to have any intention of destroying Voistra. Hes treating it like a fallen tree on a mountain road.]

[Is that so? But, I did feel a strong sense of responsibility to defeat the Spierzeig family.]

[No, mother. I can understand what grandma is saying. Wilk-dono didnt seem to have a particularly strong feeling about destroying the Spierzeif family. The fallen tree that fell on the mountain path needs to be cut down and get rid of, but its not because the fallen tree is hated. Its just because its blocking the way, thats all. I feel that Wilk-donos feelings for the Spierzeig family are rather similar to that.]

His feeling toward the enemy family was that of a nuisance, so he strongly desires to get rid of them. For the four, that train of thought seemed very incomprehensible.

Novalf pondered over Kalmias explanation.

[..Assuming what Kal says is correct, then Wilk-dono is aiming for the mountain road ahead.]

Crowne clapped her hands again.

[Thats it. But what in the world is that snakes eye looking at]

[After conquest of Spierzeig, does he want to conquer the continent? If he brings in the Nobles of the Quordenze faction, a great power will be born in the central part of the continent.]

[If you think about it properly, yes. Even after listening to the story, I dont feel any desire for territory or power. I even felt like he was thinking that the hot water temperature is the best now that his family is one of the great Nobles of the Kingdom Well, thats probably just at the moment. Who knows when the serpent sees it fit to turn its head to the entire continent.]

Its just a hunch, added Crowne.

[Anyway, its the correct decision to go to the Royal Capital this time. This young boy is unreadable. If I carelessly reached out, I might have been bitten by the venomous fangs.]

After she finished speaking, Kalmia and Novalf tried to offer advice.

[Since we dont know what Wilk-dono is aiming for, it would be better to wait and see for a while. During the talks, he repeatedly insisted that he would prioritize territorial stability after conquering Spierzeig. I dont think hell change his mind any time soon]

[I think Kal is right. Currently, I dont feel him to be particularly ambitious except for his suspicious behavior. However, I still cant read his movements, so I dont think we should take our eyes off him yet.]

Crowne nodded in satisfaction at the twos remarks.

Thus she decided to tell them what she thought.

[Its convenient that he invited Kalmia to dance at the evening party. We can use that to keep an eye on him.]

[Do we really have to?]

[Indeed. He reminded me of the third son of the Managris family Well, that kid over there had an easy-to-understand personality.]

Marquis Adellahan, Kalmia, and Novalf arrive at the person almost at the same time.

[You think Wilk-dono resembles Emperor Zinkaen?]

Novalf, who was the first to open his mouth, asked.

The third son of the Managris family, who was once handed a sword and left home, was the person who would later be known as Emperor Zinkaen.

[But, hes not yet Emperor Zinkaen. Still the third son of the Managris family.]

Crowne let out a laugh as if teasing Novalf.

But, theres no smile on her face.

Her eyes were sharp and stared into the distance.