The Marquis’ Eldest Son’s Lascivious Story - Chapter 229

Someone’s stomach rumbled loudly.

It’s Orshian’s, not mine by the way.

We were inside the camp set up by the Levios army after the second demon beast was subjugated. Post processing caused the outside to be very noisy, but the rectangular space separated by cloth partitions was quiet on its own.

That’s why I was able to hear Orshian’s stomach complaining of hunger quite well.

At first, I was careful and ignored her. However, since it’s been ringing so many times since a while ago, I felt bad that it’s better not to talk about it because some people are just very self conscious of it.

When I looked at her sitting across from me, our eyes met because of the bad timing.

[…..would you like to have some breakfast?]

[…….yes.]

Orshian replied with a slightly embarrassed expression on her face.

It’s a little surprising because I thought she wasn’t a shy type. It seems that there is also a part of her that is still a maiden.

[You heard it. Bring my portion as well.]

[Yessir.]

Following my instructions, one of the guards leaves the curtain. Only me, Orshian, and a few of Quordenze’s guards, including the lieutenant, remained in the space.

I picked up the cup placed on the small temporary table in front of me. The content was just regular water.

[Is it okay if I go outside?]

[Nope.]

I put down the cup with a click. This is to emphasize the negative gesture and show that there is no room for negotiation.

We, as the individuals with the highest power of subjugating monsters, couldn’t leave the scene immediately.

We have to reach a consensus regarding the subjugation and finish the handover of the scene. Defeating as many as you can and returning quickly is insane, and it could become a liability issue. In other words, it’s like returning to the bench without going around the base after hitting a home run, or forgetting to step on the base. In order not to leave any room for appealing play to the Levios family regarding this subjugation, at least me and Orshian need to stay here.

If I leave her be, she’ll probably wander off somewhere. So, I decided to hit the nail home as soon as possible.

[Many Royal Capital citizens have come to see the defeated demon beast. If they see you, a Princess, dressed like that, what do you think will happen? They’ll think you’re a whore.]

If it’s just me, I’d find a Princess in tattered dress with an arousing view.

Orshian’s dress was in a more tattered condition than when she passed through the Royal Capital street. The skirt now had a very long slit, which, depending on the pose, exposed most of her thigh. Her bare feet were caked with mud and dirt. I know I shouldn’t say it this way, but she looked like a Princess that had just been raped.

Even though the military officer of the Levios subjugation unit had taken this into consideration when setting up the camp, she seemed to think that just putting on a borrowed cloak was enough. It’s true that it hides her breasts, but it’s not big enough to hide it…

[I’m not a whore.]

[Well, would you look at that? The person who accuses other people of being a pervert is actually the most perverted…]

[I’m not pervy!]

If that’s the case, we should stay here until the new costume arrives. If you go outside now, it’ll be a merciless certification.

Besides, this is not like I didn’t have a similar problem. Although it’s not as bad as Orshian’s, part of my evening costume was damaged due to violent movements. I can’t expose such an ugly appearance in front of the citizens of the Royal Capital.

[…Good grief, the clothes that I made with much effort are in tatters.]

Since I know how much gold and silver have been poured into this costume, I feel like it’s a waste.

[It can’t be helped because we fought a demon beast.]

Orshian’s expression didn’t show it, but there’s no question that her dress was probably just as expensive. Archduke Millendorva would probably hate it, as the dress might need more than repairing.

Either way, there’s no point but getting over it now.

[That’s right. Thank goodness we beat it.]

[Un.]

Once again, I’m glad that we were able to slay the second demon beast.

To be honest, I thought that the information that “The second demon beast seems to be a mature demon beast that possesses mana” that was conveyed by the Levios officers just before I left for the battle was a lie on the Levios side in order to refuse Quordenze’s participation. It wasn’t just me, military officers, knights, and even my father thought the same thing. That’s right. A demon beast capable of harnessing mana was never heard of before.

Levios’ side may not have had enough proof to assert that, but since it was not asserted, it is natural to suspect a falsehood. After canceling the participation and everything is over, it’s quite possible that someone will say, [When I checked it carefully, it was a normal mature demon beast. I misunderstood and said something meaningless, such as a mana-harnessing demon beast. I’m sorry!].

I didn’t say half, but I thought that 30% or 40% was probably a lie. In short, I was very skeptical. It was quite a surprise because it really was a demon beast capable of harnessing mana.

On the other hand, I trusted the information that it was equivalent to the fourth-threat class. This was because all the Nobles in the castle were well aware of it. A military officer with some experience in fighting demon beasts can predict the total amount of monstrous energy after a short fight, and if this is not done, the Levios army’s subjugation ability will be questioned. So, I could trust this information to some extent.

And if it was a mature demon beast ranked fourth in the general threat class, it wouldn’t be so scary even if it used mana instead of regular attacks. The total amount of monster energy of the fourth-threat class is not so large. If it was a long-range and wide-range attack, the power would drop accordingly, and the possibility of taking serious damage was low. In other words, it is relatively safe as long as you keep your distance and fight.

What the lieutenant was concerned about was the case where the Levios army was more incompetent than he had imagined and the estimates were loose, and the second demon beast was a third-threat class. Even if you’re a Noble, if it’s a third-threat class, you’re likely to suffer a heavy wound from it. That’s the reason why the lieutenant was nervous that we might need to withdraw immediately depending on the situation.

The reason why we were able to carry out the assault attack on Orshian’s invitation was because the Quordenze side had come to the conclusion. The information that was open to the public at the castle, the live opinion of the scene from the Levios’ military officer, who acted as a liaison, the state of engagement with the Levios subjugation force, visual confirmation by about 100 military officers belonging to the hastily made unit, and the first blow. Considering the later reactions and all of them, it was appropriate to place the second demon beast’s threat class as fourth.

Besides, it was a delicate matter whether I could become the leading role of the subjugation because I was attacking from a long distance. In any case, the Levios subjugation force was repeating reckless assaults. In that case, I can’t look good if I don’t show some courage.

In any case, it’s good that we were able to defeat the second demon beast.

[Wilk-kun, don’t you worry about the outside?]

A large number of voices could be heard from the other side of the cloth partition.

It seemed that Orshian was more concerned about the monster she subdued than her hunger.

[It’s the thoughts that count.]

“Okay, let’s go outside together!”… I wish I could say that, but I was worried about something else.

[Are there any attackers approaching nearby?]

Orshian only answered with a tiresome look, as I had been asking the same question in between conversations a couple of times earlier.

[That again? I told you it’s fine. There’s none of them around here.]

One of the factors that allowed us to exit the Royal Capital without harm was Orshian’s detection magic.

Well, my father is overprotective. Obviously, he ordered the troops to move so as not to put me in danger as much as possible.

Of course, my father knows how much magic I have. He knows that I won’t lose to a Progenitor, let alone any random Highlord. But, he just couldn’t help it.

If I were to die, it’ll either be because I let my guard down on the battlefield, or due to some kind of carelessness. Either pattern would be the most likely candidate. And I cannot deny this. I myself think it’s very tricky.

In order to prevent this, it would be good if there was someone who could watch the surroundings instead of me and warn me not to be careless. I think I was allowed to leave for Operation Serpent’s Fang because I could expect enough support from Quordenze’s elite troops accompanying me. Of course, there was probably a part of me that thought it was unavoidable to take some risks in order to protect my grandfather.

When I thought about that, it was easy to get approval for going to the front this time. Because it’s actually more dangerous to stay in the Royal Palace.

After all, even though the master’s assailant had appeared, detection magic was virtually impossible to use in the Royal Palace garden. I can’t run away as I please because I need to maintain the face of a Nobleman. Even if I was able to join the escorts, they were still soldiers after all.

Orshian was the one who could solve such anxieties. This girl makes full use of her own detection magic, and can grasp the presence of magic powers without any problems even in a place with many Highlords. In terms of preventing a surprise attack from other Highlords, it is much safer to act with her. As long as I know they’re lurking, I can take the initiative to kill them.

Preparing for surprise attack with the aid of a Progenitor along with a small detachment of bodyguards in a situation where regular detection magic cannot be used, and go to subjugate the fourth-threat class demon beast where detection magic will function properly again. Given the choice to stay or do the same thing as I did, I don’t think any other Nobles would choose the former. Mature demon beasts are terrifying enemies of mankind, and they clearly consider both Highlord and Lord-class warriors as a clear threat to themselves.

The only problem I encountered was that Orshian herself was dangerous, but I had no choice but to trust my intuition. I kind of figured out Orshian’s character; she doesn’t want to kill me. At least for now. It was a great help to have my maid testifying about the exchanges and atmosphere at the evening party.

[The people who attacked us have already fled somewhere else, haven’t they?]

I don’t even think the assailant Ephial and her companions will come to attack us now.

In the first place, since this place is far from the Royal Castle that is crowded with Nobles, it is unlikely that I will feel sick when using detection magic. If I really care about it, I should just have to check it myself.

However, even with that knowledge, I kept asking Orshian.

[Are you sure? Let me see.]

I outstretched my arm and grasped Orshian’s right hand. She didn’t say I’m a perv this time.

[Hee?]

I’m activating detection magic properly, you know? Her red and blue eyes questioned me.

Well, if this huge amount of magical power is moved at this distance, you can sense the activation of the magic without touching skin to skin. I already knew that she was serious about the detection.

[You actually do. My bad.]

But, I didn’t let go. I sensed the power that swayed and swayed inside her body with my senses through the skin to skin connection.

There are several reasons why I went out of my way to subjugate demon beasts in other territories, one of which is Orshian’s detection magic.

For the rest of my life, I will never be able to avoid socializing with Nobles, in other words, a place where many Highlords gather. In addition to large-scale meetings such as the Royal Capital social gathering, there will be many meetings to bring together the Nobles of the Quordenze faction. I am the eldest son of the great Noble Quordenze family, so I cannot avoid diplomacy between Nobles.

I’m afraid. That someday in the future, there will be a surprise attack under similar circumstances.

I knew about the Salif Rebellion, but it was nothing more than desk knowledge. I think I was conscious that it would be difficult not being able to use detection magic. By actually experiencing it this time, I was made aware of the value of detection to the extent that I hated it.

In order to make my future life safe and secure, I want to learn Orshian’s detection magic no matter what. It should have a lot in common with normal detection magic, so I wanted to at least get some hints.

The easiest way to learn about magic is to have the Master activate it and for me to understand it by sensing the flow of mana.

However, there are many hurdles to overcome in order to ask the Milendorva family directly. No way could I just say, [I want to learn her detection magic, so please lend us Orshian for a while]. It was very convenient to subjugate the monsters, which allowed me to get in touch with Orshian while eliminating unnecessary humans as much as possible.

From the time we leave the Royal Castle to the start of the subjugation battle, and after the subjugation battle is over, I’m doing everything in my power to learn. I’ll learn as much as I can before Milendorva’s officers come here.

[Hey.]

[What?]

She might have thought it strange because I was still holding her hand.

[If it bothers you that much, why didn’t you go and kill her yourself earlier?]

Orshian said with an exasperated tone. By earlier, I guess she’s talking about Ephial.

Of course, I already had the answer laid out in advance.

[That’s not what we do. We don’t know the area around here, so we should leave it to the people of Levios.]

[You’re right. I don’t even know where they fled to.]

…..To tell the truth, I don’t want to fight Ephial. There were too many suspicious things about that woman.

The group of raiders who appeared in the garden were releasing extremely powerful offensive magic. That was undoubtedly an attack of Highlord class. What bothered me was that their whole body was deformed, and after finishing one attack, they fluttered and ran out of strength.

A secret technique to obtain temporary power at the cost of one’s life… I’ve never heard of such a thing, but I don’t think it’s impossible. In the past, Rose Silknoon, a Spierzeig knight, pulled out magic power that exceeded her limit to confront me. So, it wouldn’t be so strange if there was a so-called limit-breaking magic that sublimated that phenomenon into an actual technique.

Besides, mana is the power that exerts a strong influence on the body and life. The silkworms that spit out Newnelly Silk are like mutations born from continuous exposure to my intense mana. If you take that seriously, you might even be able to make humans deformed.

If Ephial was an actual Highlord, then one can make an educated guess that the attackers in violet robes were Lord-class. It only makes sense if they willingly deformed themselves if it’s to fulfill a Highlord’s order.

There are a number of other concerns.

The cursed sword wielded by the assailant Ephial, and the land corrupting magic activated by the wisteria robe that appeared at the end, were also something I had never heard before. Also, considering that she went straight through that chaotic place and stabbed King Levios, it is conceivable that she has mastered detection magic or similar magic that is different from normal. The reason why the two mature demon beasts conveniently headed for the Royal Capital could probably be explained by the demonic beast induction magic that was developed by Zeth. In addition, I feel that the unknown power of a demon beast possessing mana power must be the result of some kind of manipulation…

Deformation, cursed sword, land corruption magic, special detection, demon beast guidance magic, mana-harnessing demon beasts… they possess unknown abilities. It is a department store with unbelievable skill. No, if you take into consideration the possibility of hiding other than this, it is already a general trading company.

And if the statement of the Holy General is true, the attacker Ephial is a combat professional. A person like me who uses mana as a crutch doesn’t want to fight a veteran combatant with such a special ability. It’s because the only image that comes to mind is me being slapped and killed. My number one cause of death ranking, carelessness, would become a reality.

This is a confident prediction, but if I had said that I was going to subdue Ephial instead of the second demon beast, my father would never have given me permission to leave.

[…we came to fulfill our duties as Nobles and to protect the citizens. Right?]

Let the Levios army deal with Ephial. I don’t wanna die.

[That’s right!]

Orshian, who didn’t know what’s on my mind, replied with a happy tone.

[The people of Levios said that the monsters just now should be defeated. Even I understand a little bit. There are some things in the village that are better handled by the villagers alone…]

Her mana fluctuates in a way that is different from magic activation. It’s a move that pertains to strong emotion.

[…But, it’s absolutely wrong to ignore the demon beast right in front of you.]

She must have been driven by righteous indignation, and while it wasn’t loud at all, it sounded like there was some kind of pressure.

She turned her head to the side for a moment to look outside the camp.

[Agara and Nepio will surely say the same thing.]

[…Was that the name of the boys who brought your subjugation weapon when we left the castle?]

[Un, they are.]

Saying that, she stood up and picked up the large cane that was placed in the corner of the camp.

I can’t see the faces of the guards standing behind me, but they must be tense. She is an extremely disrespectful Princess who would pick up a weapon nonchalantly while talking casually. However, I had already given up on asking Orshian for such courtesy. Besides, I’m the one who allowed the big cane to be brought here.

[They brought this to me, which was a great help. I can’t use that kind of explosive magic that Wilk-kun used.]

It is said that Orshian’s fighting style is basically a muscle-brain tactic that strengthens her body to let her rampages. For that reason, that’s why she intended to defeat the second demon beast in super-close combat, making full use of physical strengthening and the materialization magic of the large staff. She doesn’t know anything about magic that attacks from a distance or sweeps a wide area all at once.

[I wonder if other people can do that magic too? I’ve never seen it in a Noble war…]

[Well, what do you think? However, it’s not as easy-to-use as it looks, so you should think that you can’t use it on the battlefield.]

Long-range bombardment magic might seem useful in siege battles, but it’s not that useful.

The flaming ball that causes the explosion is susceptible to external interference during flight. Even with the amount of mana of the Highlord’s level, the trajectory can be easily changed, and the explosion itself can be suppressed. Therefore, if the fortress is packed with even a small amount of Lord-class warriors, the usability will be significantly worse.

If there is a way to use it, it would be to bomb a fortress that only has serfs, but such a shabby fortress can be easily taken down by charging the serfs several times. And considering that we might need to reuse the fort, it’s better not to bomb it.

However, what will happen if Orshian learns long-distance bombing magic… A hellish spectacle of fireballs dancing wildly across the battlefield, which trajectory or explosions cannot be defended against, comes to mind. I didn’t want her to be too interested in this kind of magic.

The reason why Archduke Milendorva didn’t give her any magic education background is probably because he has the same thoughts as me. If you let her learn magic without any filter, you will not be able to stop her rampage.

In order to avoid magic talk, I pull back on the topic.

[Rather than that, I’m more curious about Lucia’s subjugation tool.]

I couldn’t find a reason to revert back from calling her Lucia in the middle of monster subjugation earlier. When I called her “Princess Orshian” once after the subjugation, she gave me a death stare.

[Do you want to have a look at it? Sure.]

Then, apparently waiting for an answer, one of the guards approached Orshian. He puts on his gloves tightly and receives the large cane from her with a movement as if he were handling a treasure. I understand that they are very careful with weapons.

[It’s heavier than it looks. Please be careful.]

[……..yeah, it’s really heavy.]

The cane is about 2 meters long and about the thickness of a coffee can. The thumb and middle finger won’t reach together when holding the grip. Although it is made of metal, the gold decoration that covers the entire cane is eye-catching.

I received it thinking it would be heavy, but it was several times heavier than I had imagined. I think the reason why is the gold.

Gold is a heavy substance. Once in my previous life, I held a 500g bullion in my hand, but it felt like a weight that was completely different from what it looked like. If there is gold inside the large cane, then this weight makes sense.

[It’s really heavy, isn’t it? I usually don’t touch it at all either.]

A commoner wouldn’t be able to lift this alone. You’ll need several large adults just to carry it. By the way, the person who was carrying this was a boy who seemed to be a first grader of elementary school.

[…What was the name of the child who brought this all the way here? They looked quite frightened.]

[Agara carried it, and Nepio returned on the way.]

Those boys jumped out of the garden and came out when we went down the slope of the Royal Castle.

They seemed to be preparing to go on a monster subjugation with Orshian, but as soon as they saw us appearing together, they froze in a pose close to prostrating. In the end, one of them was trembling and unable to move, and was accompanied by Milendorva’s military officer who was on standby with him. Only a young boy called Agara tagged along with the subjugation.

[They’re scared of Nobles. Both of them have been chased since they were born. I think that they’re scared of Wilk-kun because you look like an ordinary Noble. Please forgive them.]

As she said, as soon as the demon beast subjugation was over, Agara-kun fled the scene. I think it’s true that they’re afraid of Nobles.

[I forgive them. Not that it matters much to me.]

That’s not the point. What should be noted is the identity of the boys.

[…It’s only natural for a child like that to be afraid of Nobles.]

Agara and Nepio are also Highlords.

Born among the commoners who are unrelated to the nobility. The so-called Blessed Child.

In the age of nobility, the Blessed Child is a potential threat to the security of the territory. In many Noble territories, hunts are held regularly for the purpose of early detection and extermination. Blessed children who are lucky enough to survive end up harboring either fear or hatred towards the Nobles.

[Are there many people like those two in the Ruotad soldiers?]

[Yeah. There are several others, but only Agara and Nepio came along to the capital.]

[…How many of them are there?]

The strength of the Orshian’s Personal Guards, also known as the Ruotad Soldiers, is well-known in the commoner community, but it’s the first time I’ve heard that it’s a unit that has Blessed Children among them. The Levios family, the Milendorva family, or perhaps the two families are colluding to hide this fact.

Even though there is already a monster called Orshian, in addition to that, it is too scary to hear that there are multiple Highlord-class soldiers belonging to it. The Levios army who confronted this deserves respect in a sense.

[Why bring those kids to the capital?]

It would be pointless to bring a child who would quickly run away without an escort. It seems that my thoughts were also reflected in my tone, Orshian sharpened her mouth.

[Because those kids are the most docile.]

Most of the members of the Milendorva family who entered the Royal Capital were related to the knight family, but it seems that some of the Ruotad soldiers strongly requested to accompany them. [I can’t allow our Lucia-tan to be isolated in the Royal Capital!] or something along that line. Therefore, Grand Duke Milendorva chose Agara and Nepio, who seemed to be the easiest to handle among the Ruotad soldiers, as their representatives.

It’s a rare opportunity, so I’ll take the time to listen to the story. The Levios and Milendorva territories are far from Quordenze, so I would like to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain information. Orshian is an excellent source of information, as she speaks frankly despite her biased perceptions.

The encounter between Orshian and the Milendorva family, the origins of the Ruotad soldiers and their relationship with the Milendorva army, Orshian’s older brother, life in the Mist Land, and what she thinks about the land-corrupting magic that she canceled with her fist in the garden… I heard many things from her.

It took some time to hear all of Orshian’s stories.

Breakfast arrived on the way, and by the time I finished eating, I was finally able to take a break. She recounted about the boys by then.

[…..but outside of their fear, they’re actually very kind and courageous children, you know?]

Then, she began to talk about the boy who didn’t accompany us on the subjugation, Nepio.

[It’s some time before you met me, but…]

By the time Nepio was able to remember, he was already being chased by Nobles. His biological father has already passed away, and his biological mother fell ill during a harsh life on the run.

One day when Nepio was living a self-sufficient life, he found a small village being attacked by immature demon beasts. There is a power gap between immature and mature demon beasts that can never be crossed, but that is more from the point of view of Highlords and Lord-class people. Even immature demon beasts can pose a sufficient threat to commoners.

That immature demon beast seemed to have enough power to destroy a village with at least dozens of people. Seeing lives being lost in front of him, Nepio couldn’t stand still. Forgetting that he was living in hiding, he jumped out, and splendidly defeated the demon beast.

[Well done. But, he shouldn’t have done so.]

If it were me, I would never do that. The punch line is already readable.

[Un. but…]

The following event narrated by Orshian went just as expected.

Nepio-kun, who became the savior of the village, was captured by the army of the landlord who later came to the rescue. He was betrayed and pushed out by the villagers he had helped.

If the feudal lord thinks that they were hiding the blessed child, the villagers will be killed off as an example. For commoners, Nobles are more terrifying than demonic beasts. Saving a village by defeating a demon beast is like a pipedream.

In the end, Nepio succeeded in escaping after many twists and turns, luckily met Orshian, and found a place of peace as a Ruotad soldier. Despite choosing the bad ending option of “saving the village”, this outcome is quite lucky as a blessed child. He is lucky.

There must have been something on her mind while talking, Orshian didn’t hide her angry expression.

[If he went to defeat the demon beast, the Nobles might find out that he was living in hiding. He knew that and was scared. But, Nepio fought. He didn’t like it. No one would get angry if he ran away in silence, but he fought. Because he has power. Because he believed that he could save them… I don’t think it’s wrong.]

She clenched her fist.

[Nobles are more cowardly than Nepio.]

The Blessed Child, who bravely fought, and the Nobles who made all kinds of excuses not to fight. From Orshian’s point of view, the latter is nothing more than a lazy existence.

One can say it’s the opinion of a child who doesn’t know the reality, but her anger is also about the essence of power and what it means to be a Noble.

[That’s some spicy idea you have there.]

[Because!]

Although it was not intended as an excuse, Archduke Milendorva intended to allow Orshian to subjugate the second demon beast. …..No, I guess it’s an acquiescence. In any case, there is no doubt that he had accepted her departure.

It can be seen by how Agara and Nepio were already on stand-by.

He must have ordered them to join Orshian when she left the castle and assist her in the subjugation. Otherwise, there’s no way the weapon would arrive in good time.

I think that a messenger was probably secretly running to the Milendorva mansion when they confirmed the appearance of the second demon beast. Only Archduke Milendorva can issue such instructions.

But, Orshian herself was unaware of this.

If she were a Noble, she would have immediately understood why the boys were already waiting for her. But without the prerequisite knowledge, there is no way she can understand it.

[I heard that Nobles can be Nobles because they fight demon beasts. Hey, are the people in that garden really Nobles?]

[That is a tough question to answer.]

The current head of the Milendorva family, Turok Milendorva’s foreign policy emphasizes the Levios family. You can call it a coordinated route.

This is clear from the end of the internal conflict between Levios and Milendorva. Despite having an extremely vicious joker named Orshian in his hands, the Archduke of Milendorva has concluded the conflict in a very conciliatory peace. If he had territorial ambitions or was a vengeful person, he would have rolled Orshian well and trampled Levios territory.

However, the reality is that a social gathering in the Royal Capital is now being held to celebrate the end of the internal conflict.

The Archduke believes that securing a better position in the peace created by the Kingdom of Levios will bring the greatest benefit to the Milendorva family. Or, perhaps, there may be a peculiar reason, like maybe the Milendorva territory is more exhausted than I thought and it would be a problem if the Levios family collapsed. Or maybe both.

In any case, it is true that the memories of the Levios army invading his territory are still fresh, and that he is moving with his eyes on the future of the house rather than his emotions. I think he has a very strong sense of responsibility as the head of the family.

[…..Nobles have many things that tie them down. Sometimes we can’t move as we please.]

That’s why Orshian was easy to use.

It is easy to imagine that the appearance of the demon beasts and the disturbance of the attackers this time were extremely disappointing to the Archduke of Milendorva.

Since they were able to bring an end to the internal strife by selling their kindness, they should have hoped for the stability of the Kingdom after this. It’s an extremely annoying story that terrorism occurs in a large-scale social gathering that promotes peace. It should be assumed that he wanted an early resolution of the situation.

When the first demon beast appeared, Orshian called on Noble families here and there to fight together. It seems that Kilorde was acting as a watchman and admonishing her to stop the participation request, but everyone could see that it didn’t work.

As strange as it is, if you think about it, the surefire way to stop Orshian is if the Archduke himself does so.

The Archduke may have felt something unpleasant after hearing the information about the mature demon beasts heading towards the Royal Capital at just the right time.

I think this is insurance. In case the Milendorva family lends a hand, the Levios family’s prestige will not be shaken, and in case the situation deteriorates to the point where it can be judged so, it is foreshadowing. In case of emergency, Orshian can be sent out quickly.

I think the original plan was for the Archduke to appear and admonish Orshian when the Zeldomitra, Adellahan, and Quordenze families refused to participate in the war. In practice, Marquis Adellahan’s sermon managed to subdue Orshian, but well, it’s within the margin of error.

As a Noble daughter, Orshian’s call for a joint fight was not highly praised, and I think many people doubted her dignity. However, there are likely to be quite a number of people who like her intention to become the guardian of the land, and as a Noble, it cannot be said to be a fatal failure. Since it is not someone else’s problem for young Noble children to run wild with such omnipotence, some people will take it as mutual.

For the most part, it would be much more irreversible to threaten the next head of the Quordenze family if he said that he had made a mistake.

[Is having a cause really that important?]

[Yes, that is important.]

It would be very difficult for Wilk Quordenze to come up with something like defeating the monsters that appeared in the Levios territory. Even if I insist on the same thing as Orshian, if I really jumped out and defeated the demon beast without permission, my father would be criticized here and there for his lack of supervision.

The reason why the Archduke was able to insure it was because Orshian belongs to the Milendorva family. The Milendorva family can prepare a rationale for subjugation.

If monsters are rampant in adjacent territories, they may attack their own territories next time. So depending on the time and circumstances, they may send reinforcements. On the map, Levios territory and Milendorva territory are next to each other, so it makes sense to send reinforcements. I can’t do it with the Quordenze family, it’s too far away.

A good example is when the demonic beast Yersinia raged in the Lushna region. The Levios family has dispatched reinforcements for the punitive force to the Lushna region, but this is based on the same reasoning.

When the Levios family unexpectedly struggled with the monster, Orshian jumped in and instantly killed the monster. At that time, Archduke Milendorva will be able to offer the Levios family a backroom deal. [Please pretend that the Levios family has requested reinforcements from the Milendorva family] or something like that. Although it was an ex-post facto consent, the Levios family, who was helped in a difficult situation, had no choice but to respond. If the story is established, Orshian’s runaway will be nothing more than an exchange of reinforcements, so it will not be the fault of the Milendorva family. If the Nobles of the Kingdom said, [The Levios side requested reinforcements, but the truth is that Princess Orshian just went out of control], the neighboring Levios family’s face will also be maintained.

…..Maybe the Archduke was thinking about something like that. If you’re thinking about the stability of the Kingdom, it’s an insurance policy that doesn’t hurt to prepare. Well, it turned out to be a failure because he was a little greedy in the end.

[But, Wilk-kun fought with us. Why did you move?]

[That’s because I am a Noble. Brave, and kind-hearted true Noble.]

[…..]

Orshian furrowed her eyebrows and looked at me with doubtful eyes. It hurts when a joke is replied with silence.

Yes, I was able to move this time. Because I was invited by Orshian.

The Archduke asked for too much.

When things got really bad, the Archduke himself should have offered reinforcements instead of relying on Orshian. That way the Archduke could take control of things.

The reason he didn’t do that was probably out of consideration for the Levios family. When the reputation spreads that the head of another family has reached out to help, it will affect the prestige of the Levios family, which will eventually lead to the destabilization of the Kingdom.

Orshian was calling out to houses here and there. It may have been a foreshadowing about the runaway, but it can be said that it was a fatal mistake to give the other family room to intervene. However, even if the Adellahan family or the Zeldomitra family announced their participation in the battle, I think the Archduke would have interrupted and kept the status quo. At that time, only the first demonic beast was confirmed, and there were many ways to destroy it.

Regarding the invitation to the Quordenze family, the Archduke was caught completely off guard. Just the other day, he must have thought that I would never accept it because we just had a battle of threats. The appearance of the second demon beast and the attack of Ephial overlapped, and it may not have been the case.

Thanks to that, I was able to accept Orshian’s invitation. I didn’t propose it personally, but I defeated the demon beast that appeared in the Levios territory in response to the request of the Milendorva family. It’s a really just cause.

The Archduke will have to wipe Orshian’s ass for her trouble, but that will also mean wiping my ass.

[…just kidding. I fought because I had a just cause.]

And above all, it was profitable.

Without that, there would be no point in defeating demonic beasts in other territories, even if it was justified.

The most troublesome thing about this incident is that the main criminal of the terrorism is claiming to be the Holy Army General. Depending on how you look at it, it can be regarded as a military operation against the Kingdom by the Holy Army, a powerful organization of the Zeth Church Holy High Society.

The problem here is the joint retaliation pact. It is an obligation to retaliate against a third party’s aggression, which is tied to a limited period of time during the Royal Capital Social Gathering.

The Royalists basically dislike being told to “do this”, so there are few rules that require some kind of fulfillment, with some exceptions. For this reason, this agreement was specially prepared and signed for this social gathering.

Here we consider whether the raider Ephial can be said to have invaded the Kingdom of Levios. Honestly, I think it’s a pretty fine line. They attacked, but it is questionable whether it can be called an invasion. If you say it counts, then it counts, and if you say it doesn’t count, then it doesn’t.

I don’t want to invade the Holy City, so I want it to end with [it doesn’t count].

However, the Kingdom has an ambiguous obligation to “let the Nobles of the Kingdom unite if they are attacked by priests”. Whether they will unite and defend, unite and retaliate, or unite and hold an orgy, it is not specified what to do in particular. In general, it is interpreted as a sentence to show the attitude and norms of a Noble of the Kingdom, but only in this case, that sentence is extremely inconvenient.

Because it was a clear fact that they were attacked by priests, the Nobles of the Kingdom must unite. Then it becomes easier to proceed to the next stage, the invasion.

That’s why I needed a stopper.

The first thing that comes to mind in this raid that started with the appearance of the monster was the monster terrorism that occurred in Newnelly. For us, it is a trump card that we have secured as a counter when the theory of invasion of the Holy City intensifies.

However, whether this story can be used effectively has become quite questionable this time.

What would happen if the Levios family succeeded in capturing the assailant Ephial alive? Depending on the torture, more sins will come out. At that time, it was thought that the case of Newnelly would come to light. In that case, the Levios family will hold the same card as us. In other words, it becomes a reading of which one will be put into play first. Even if you keep holding it in the future, you won’t be able to use it, and you’ll get a certain effect, but it’s better not to think of it as a trump card anymore.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t we play the cards now, when we can take the initiative? I suggested this to my father.

The scale is unknown, but there is no doubt that priestly forces are involved. The Levios family will regard the whole incident as a conspiracy of the priests and will be determined to retaliate. Levios’ pride has been trampled, and he may be inclined to a forced invasion.

It may not be possible to deal with it from the front as opposed to what I originally thought. So, pretending to agree and secretly become a stopper. Cut the card for that. “Speaking of demonic beasts appearing, the Quordenze family had a similar incident with the priests. The same is true for this attack. Indeed, all of these were malicious attacks based on the aggressive intentions of the priestly forces, and are considered to be the subject of a joint retaliation pact”.….that’s the premise. Preemptively affirm what the Levios family would argue. And the main part is next. “Therefore, the Quordenze family and the Nobles who agreed with their will carried out retribution in accordance with the joint reprisal agreement”. Of course I won’t say that blatantly. Just imply it.

The target of retaliation here is the second demon beast.

Since the priest created the demon beasts, the second demon beast can be regarded as a warrior on the priest’s side. The Kingdom and the Royal Nobles must evaluate the subjugation as one of the retaliatory activities.

The quickly put together troops I brought this time are composed of escorts from Noble families of the Quordenze faction. Quordenze alone couldn’t have dispatched nearly 100 military officers, and it was only natural that a certain number of guards had to be left for the sake of my fathers who remained in the garden.

In other words, it appears that the Noble families of the Quordenze faction have jointly retaliated.

It’s all sophistry.

However, there are two psychological resistances to the invasion here. Concerns and doubts.

One is the concern that the Field of their own territory is being invaded by priests. This is the card’s intended effect from the beginning.

And then there would be the question whether the Quordenze Nobles, who had already fulfilled their duty of retribution, would participate in the invasion of the Holy City.

If the Quordenze family, one of the five Great Noble families, does not participate in the invasion of the Holy City, or only provides minimal support, it is certain that the burden on the other Royal Nobles will increase. If you want to do it, you want all the Nobles to participate.

One can say that I have fulfilled my duty just by defeating the second demon beast, and nobody can say that Quordenze should contribute more…and yet, we need to contribute more than that. Since any Nobleman in the Kingdom believes that less duty is better, it is difficult to criticize the non-participation of Quordenze, who has already shown a certain amount of work.

If the Quordenze family acknowledged the conspiracy of the priests’ forces, and insisted on applying the joint retaliation pact, the number of Royal Nobles who would hesitate to take reprisal wars would increase. It’s going to be a really interesting scheme.

And even if the invasion of the Holy City begins, Quordenze, who has made a high degree of contribution from the beginning, has the potential to leave early.

In addition, even if the Levios family’s centripetal force is low and they decide not to fulfill the joint retaliation agreement, they can’t blame me for my actions. At that time, the official view of the Quordenze family was that “the subjugation of the second demon beast was merely in response to the Milendorva family’s request for reinforcements, and had nothing to do with the joint retaliation pact”.

I have consistently said only that I will “fulfill my duties as a Noble”. But, Wilk Quordenze’s “duties” change depending on the situation.

The first is the obligation to fulfill the joint retaliation agreement. The other is the responsibility of being the Guardian of the Land.

If I assert that I have joined the Milendorva family’s reinforcements to fulfill my duties as the Guardian of the Land, then Quordenze will have yet to retaliate against the priestly forces, and the suspicions of the Royal Nobles will be dispelled. Conversely, if I asserted that I had fulfilled our duty of retaliation, the Royal Nobles would be cautious about invading the Holy City.

Father can move the diplomacy depending on how I interpret this “duty”. Quordenze can change the height of the balance with just one speculation. The Levios family will have to make major concessions to the Quordenze family, and it should be easier to grasp the initiative in the future.

This is the benefit I showed my father, the provision of a new diplomatic card.

[Wilk-kun had a cause? I didn’t know.]

[Nevermind about the difficult stuff. Wilk Quordenze answered to Orshian Milendorva’s request for assistance. Isn’t that enough?]

[I think so.]

Thank you Orshian. If you hadn’t called out to me, I wouldn’t have been able to obtain such a convenient situation, and I wouldn’t have been able to find the material to persuade my father.

Ensuring my safety, the opportunity to learn her detection magic, gaining advantages in subjugating monsters, disposing of trump cards and securing new cards… I was able to persuade my father at the last minute.

It was really hard to persuade my father in that short amount of time.

[But, I think I know a little bit about what Wilk-kun was talking about in the garden. You said there are no borders in the territory. That it’s one land we all should protect.]

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Come to think of it, I said that too.

In order to spread information to the Quordenze Nobles and gain time to summon military officers, I was desperate to list as much rhetoric as I could think of.

[It would have been nice if there were other Nobles who would come forward.]

[That would be unthinkable.]

I said so with my mouth, but I don’t think so in my head.

Some of the young Nobles were staring intently at my speech. Those eyes are close to envy. It seemed that he was saying, [I want to stand up and fight the monster!]. They may think that I am truly the Guardian of the Land.

Honestly, that was an unexpected reaction. If I inspired them to participate in the competition one after another, everything would have been ruined. It was dangerous. …..No, considering my true purpose, is that delicious?

[There may be a next time. For that time, the track record of me and Lucia fighting together will be important. This time, etching our names in Royal Nobles’ mind is more than enough.]

[I guess so…]

Not exactly ours. It’s to engrave my name in the Royal Nobles’ mind.

That was my true purpose.

The reason why I am so motivated in the first place is to prevent Fanny from getting married. And the tallest wall we have to overcome to make that happen is Luxus Quordenze, my father.

No matter how well I manage in the Quordenze territory, I can’t match the orders of the head of the Quordenze family. Considerable countermeasures are required to go against it, and there is no guarantee that I can prevent it completely even if I take these countermeasures. As long as I’m inside the box called Quordenze, the odds will always be stacked against me.

Then, I have no choice but to attack my father from outside the box.

Wilk Quordenze is the real deal. Only after making other families think so will I be able to compete on an equal footing with my father.

Wilk Quordenze’s name is widely known for his military exploits in Operation Serpent’s Fang, but that alone isn’t enough. Rumors have a weak impact. After all, people can only truly believe what they have actually seen and experienced.

With that in mind, “the Royal Capital Threat Battle” was effective. It was because I was able to make the existence of Wilk known through the Nobles’ magic sensing.

Now that they have learned through their senses, the next step is to see tangible results. In that respect, subjugating the second demon beast was convenient.

The next head of the family, Wilk Quordenze, who can move around even if he leaves his guardian, his father.

The next head of the family, Wilk Quordenze, led a mixed force assembled from Nobles of the Quordenze faction.

The next head of the family, Wilk Quordenze, who quickly defeated the mature demon beast that the Levios family was struggling with.

The next head of the family, Wilk Quordenze, who has built a good relationship with the notable Orshian Milendorva.

That’s a really great achievement.

People from other families will probably think that the Quordenze family will be stable in the next generation. At the same time, if there is a chance to take advantage of Quordenze, you should also think that it is the relationship between the current generation and the next generation.

My father cannot ignore the impact. Discord with the next generation, who have achievements outside the box, means that the Quordenze family will shake that much. In order to give the Quordenze nobility a sense of security, and in order not to show any gaps to the opposing nobility, my father needs to pay more attention to my mood than ever before.

Does my father realize my true intentions? …..Maybe he’s noticing it. He was amused when I threatened him a little earlier, so he might be enjoying my growth unexpectedly.

Either way, I was able to fulfill my purpose.

[I just stood up to protect what I thought was important.]

I really meant that. I don’t want to give Fanny to anyone else.

[I’m the same……. Didn’t we care about people other than us?]

Her anger subsided as we continued to talk. Now her voice was stained with pure doubt.

When I get angry, she will get angry, and when I worry, she will worry. It’s much better than being complained about all the time.

It’s strange, I don’t understand, I don’t know why, but looking at this troubled young girl somehow makes me want to teach her.

[…A long time ago, there was a time when the Nobles were at war all over the continent. Do you know about that?]

Since I thoroughly investigated Milendorva’s internal affairs, it would be fine for me to talk about it a little.

At the current rate, she’ll say that she talked to me about various things. I felt like it’ll be better if the report turns into something like, [I learned a lot from Wilk-kun, to offset the debt].

She nodded slightly at my question.

[It’s over now, isn’t it?]

[It’s over only in some regions. Even now, there are still some conflicts in various parts of the continent. The era of warfare has not ended yet, even after more than 200 years.]

Of course, Orshian was surprised.

For people based in the Milendorva territory, the western and southern parts of the continent are far away, so they may not really feel it.

200 years…she muttered. The question is, why are they fighting so hard?

[Once a battle has begun, it cannot be easily ended. We cannot remain silent when our family and loved ones are killed. Killing, being killed, and killing again, and as we repeat this, our hatred grows endlessly. The unfulfilled resentment will be passed on to our children and grandchildren…]

I thought it would be difficult to understand if one doesn’t have the sense of a Noble, but surprisingly Orshian nodded.

She was born in a small village in the Mist Land, but it seems that many of the conflicts between villages were caused by past connections, so it was easy for her to understand. And her village is being destroyed by Eve’s tribe. Of course she would understand this kind of hatred. There is no dignity in hatred.

[The whole continent was stained with blood, and many Nobles were scattered. Naturally, the Guardians of the Land will also decrease. People who didn’t have power were killed by monsters, or the corrupted land invaded their hometown and drove them out of their homes…]

I’m really glad I wasn’t born in that era. The Quordenze family was able to make great strides in that era, but I think the head of the family at that time had a lot more responsibilities to handle.

[The Nobles ended up closing themselves up, worrying only about protecting their territory. We couldn’t afford to think about others. Even if a demon beast appeared, it was impossible to defeat it by fighting together with other Nobles. You never know when you’ll be betrayed.]

[Still…]

I raised my palm to stop her.

[Nobles are powerful beings. But, their power is not infinite. Don’t you think it’s cruel to ask for more than your limit?]

Orshian still seemed unconvinced. Is there a better way to express it?

[…..Well, let’s take today’s second demon beast as an example. Do you think that the citizens of the Royal Capital alone could defeat the demon beast, and that they have the obligation to defeat it because they live in this land?]

[That’s impossible.]

[Yes, it’s impossible. Some citizens of the Royal Capital may be fighting as soldiers of the subjugation force, but that’s just behind the scenes. You can’t take down the demon beast by just sticking it with spears. That’s it. That’s the limits of the citizens.]

She nodded.

[Similarly, protecting their own territory was the limit for Nobles who lived through a difficult and painful Era of Turmoil. We could only protect our ancestral lands and people. Everyone can only do the best they can.]

There is this notion that Orshian overestimates the power of the Nobles. Nobles can do anything because they have power, so they should do everything.

Excuse me. Is this a black company?

[Nobles and commoners are still humans. There are still limits that can’t be surpassed.]

I don’t want her to think that Nobles are omnipotent.

She stared at me in silence. Yes, even I am just a small commoner at heart.

[The Levios Kingdom is now at peace, but there is still war on the continent. That’s why the Nobles think of their territory first above all so far. Even if demon beasts appear in the Levios territory while we are there, it can’t be helped if we think that the Levios family should deal with it.]

Orshian silently pondered. Hopefully she won’t deny it based on her feelings alone.

She must have taken my words seriously, and continued to growl for a while.

[…..but I think that that kind of notion may go away in the future.]

[By that do you mean everyone will work together to slay demon beast?]

She leaned forward as if she could stand on the spot and peered into my face. I could see her breast better because she was leaning forward. It’s not that it’s completely flat, but it looks like it’s growing worse than Plume

Her eyes were burning with passion to know more.

[On the contrary, what do you think the Nobles will be able to cooperate on?]

It’s not pompous. I wanted her to think a little about the nobility.

Orshian looked troubled, even to the point of showing the obvious pose where she held her temples with both hands. I need her to not just ask, but also to use her head properly. After thinking about it for a while, she came up with an answer.

[…..ending the war, I’m sure.]

She seems to understand the plot properly. It’s not that she’s an idiot. The “I don’t know” she says may be closer to “I don’t want to understand”.

[That’s right. …..But, that’s not enough. We need an order in which the Nobles can trust each other.]

Emperor Zinkaen was the one who had the highest chance of doing that.

The hegemony and charisma of the first Emperor led the Imperial Nobles, and he was building a cooperative relationship and a new power structure with the Emperor at the top. If Emperor Zinkaen had continued his reign, or if Emperor Arginis had been on the throne longer, the era of turmoil might have come to an end and a new order would have come into being.

King Levios was trying to build a new order in a different way. It seems that he was seriously injured in this surprise attack. I wonder what will happen in the future?

[Hmmmm… I don’t know.]

[If it can be figured out so easily, there won’t be trouble like this. I said “a new order”, but it’s more like creating “a new era”. I couldn’t quite figure it out either.]

I laughed a little when I saw Orshian’s expression that seemingly screamed she didn’t know what to say.

It would be nice if I could convey even a little that the Nobles are thinking about various troublesome things.

[Once the war ends, the communication between Nobles will naturally increase. Eventually, trust will be born between the Nobles. Just like this time.]

[This time?]

[I trusted Lucia so I went out to join her on monster subjugation. I believed that she wouldn’t betray me and attack me from behind.]

Even though there are many merits in going to the front, I wouldn’t have come out if I didn’t believe in Orshian.

I believed she wasn’t the type to cheat. She’s the type that will come straight to you and kill you if she gets really angry. So, I don’t have to worry. …..right?

[I will not do that kind of thing!]

[You can say anything. Even if Lucia said so, most of the Nobles in the garden would not believe it. They’re wary that you’re telling them lies to lure them out so that you can kill them. Nobles are skeptical like that, you know it already, right?]

[…………I do, but…]

[Where is the gratitude that I deserve? I trusted Lucia unconditionally.]

“Trust”, Orsian muttered. It’s a word that came up in the talk just now.

I have no intention of persuading her. All I wanted was to appeal to her conscience. It’s hard to betray someone who says they trust you. because it hurts your conscience.

If I think only in terms of combat ability, the biggest threat to me is Orshian. I want to steal her heart, or at least tie her up if I can’t. Words of trust become a shackle to the heart.

[If a small amount of trust builds up like this, eventually all the Nobles may be able to cooperate in defeating the demon beast in the future. I hope today will be the first step.]

When I said that, for some reason she straightened up her posture.

[…..Wilk-kun. Thank you.]

She continued without waiting for my reply.

[I’ve always been uneasy. Ever since I came to Milendorva, I’ve never understood the Nobles’ way of thinking. Even this time, I don’t really understand what Wilk-kun is talking about. But, I’m glad you fought with me… Thank you for your help.]

A commoner’s daughter born in the Mist Land, an unexplored region isolated from the Nobles society. For her, the Noble world must have been an uneasy place where she didn’t even know what was right. Even though she has a mighty power that surpasses even her superiors, she is still a young girl.

The words I just said came back to me.

Commoners and Nobles are the same people, so there are limits. It is the same for her, a Progenitor.

[Wilk-kun.]

Saying that, Orshian held out her right hand to me.

This was the first time she asked for a handshake.

I exhaled lightly and stared at her.

[…Someday, if you have any trouble, feel free to call me.]

And then, after making an artificial grin, I grabbed her hand.

[At that time, Lucia, will you help me?]

She smiled brightly like the sun and grabbed my hand.

[Un! I promise!]