Chapter 87-92 (1/2)
”GyuOOooo!”
The roar of a Huge Blue Dragon of Purple Lightning can be heard reverberating throughout the training grounds at Castle of Fort.i.tude.
” ”.....!!?” ”
Aside from the Duke of Filsand, all the other va.s.sals, knights, and soldiers lined up in ranks are dumbfounded.
The Duke is somehow managing to hang onto his dignity, but even the knight commander and court magician are s.h.i.+vering to the point where their teeth are audibly clattering. Rather, the fact that no one is running away or sinking to the ground is testament to how high their morale normally is.
In the middle of the feast, the Duke of Filsand said ”I've heard so much about the power of your wizardry, but it all sounds so fantastical that I can't really imagine it. If it's alright with you, will you be willing to let us see that dragon with our own eyes?”
I still had the ESP Medal on me at the time, and confirmed that he wasn't lying. I understood that he would always have lingering doubts if he doesn't see it firsthand, so I agreed.
Once the Duke becomes sure of my power, I'm sure he would become even more aggressive in trying to take me in, but he would also be that less likelier to betray me.
And above all, I'd gotten a general grasp of the Duke's personality through that conversation (supplemented with his inner voice). He believes in power. In order to have a proper conversation with him, I need to first show him power above his own.
”So…… this dragon is physically present and isn't an illusion? It would do whatever you command it to?”
”Yes, indeed. For example…… Blue Dragon, Lightning Breath!”
”GyuUOOon.”
At my command, the Blue Dragon faces towards the sky and lets loose.
Our eyes are then almost blinded by what looks like a blazing searchlight, while at the same time all our bodies are a.s.saulted by a deep, heavy sound exactly like that of a real lightning strike.
”U-, uwah?!”
”Hiiii.”
A few of the knights' and soldiers' knees finally give way, unable to withstand any more.
”If the dragon fans its breath, it can take out several hundreds of soldiers at one time! On top of which, it can fly, can it not? Then even ten thousand soldiers would be no match for it! Invincible! You are invincible, Margils-dono!”
«Incredible. This is far too incredible. Is this truly the power of a human? …… This power defies the very logic of this world…...»
The Duke of Filsand is staring intensely at the dragon with dazzling eyes. I mentally give him props for calmly a.s.sessing the dragon's fighting power instead of being frightened.
Furthermore, along with the excitement and desire in his heart, I feel awe towards me being born.
The ESP Medal can only be used 3 times every day. With the feast and now, that's already 2 times. I truly hope that he's gotten a bit more submissive after this.
♥♦♣♠
That night, I find myself invited by the Duke to his personal room.
Though immaculate, his room is decorated by several dangerous-looking weapons. Along with the shelves overflowing with books on military strategy and the bear and wolf stuffed mountings, all of it felt to me like an ill.u.s.tration of the kind of person that he is.
”Apologies that our talk was interrupted halfway in the afternoon, Margils-dono. That dragon did take me quite aback.”
”Don't worry about it. I am not in a great hurry.”
I shrug my shoulders while the Duke pours expensive-looking wine into my gla.s.s. I am currently a lot more relaxed than I was in the afternoon.
Without a doubt, he is the kind of ambitious villain who doesn't give a thought to stepping on others on his way upwards, but he treats really well those whose value he has acknowledged.
…… He must have used people like that, all the way up to where he is now.
If I hadn't used the ESP Medal, I might actually have fallen for his act. I actually still have the Medal around my neck, but it's not activated, because I only have 1 more use for today.
”Speaking of which, Margils-dono. What is it about my daughter that you like?”
”......”
So asks the Duke with an interested expression while pouring wine into his own gla.s.s.
This is not a pleasant topic, but it is something that I do need to tidy up.
”Your daughter is very wise and kind. However, the engagement……”
”Yes, I know. It's merely a cover, right? It seems my family's internal strife has caused you some trouble.”
Elizabel had said that it was her 2nd stepbrother who was after her life. And also that there was no way her father did not know. I'm sure I remembered that right.
”So you are aware that your son and daughter are fighting with each other, yet you are ignoring it?”
”To think that you would said something so principled!”
His face looks really surprised. Well, I guess he would be, considering his evaluation of me.
”The ethics aside, I don't see how it benefits you to allow the succession struggle to go on unchecked.”
”So that's what you meant. Hmm, how should I put it……”
He lightly shrugs his shoulders, then continues speaking in a matter-of-fact manner.
”I believe you also know that my eldest son is captured by the Shulz, right? I recognize that Shulz girl that you brought with you.”
So he really had noticed Dianu. More like, so he also knows that his eldest son is still alive.
”The thing about me, Margils-dono. I've actually been thinking of retiring soon. Seeing how Filsand currently is, to increase its power any further would require several decades of work. I'm already a bit too tired to do all that, considering my age.”
Draining the wine in his gla.s.s in one gulp, he then lets out a deep sigh.
Though the scale of the topic is on a completely different level, his sigh is the exact same one that I hear at company dinners and alumni reunions when people start talking about ”at my age.”
”And when I was thinking about who to have succeed me, it came to me. Among my three children, not a single one of them feels exactly right to me. Even worse, I don't even know them that well.”
”I see.”
His words sound like the epitome of irresponsibility, but I suppose this is how things are for those in his position in this world. In order to urge him to continue speaking, I throw in interjections like ”ahh, yes I know what you mean” where appropriate.
”It was right around that time when my eldest son, Balzard, was taken prisoner by the Shulz. Well, the official story is that he died in battle, though. After that, it was only natural for my second son, Agbeil, to move for the successor position by targeting Elizabel, right? Which is why I decided to just let the three of them do whatever they want.”
”...... In other words, whoever comes out on top after the fighting, you will make your successor?”
”Indeed, that is exactly it! As expected of Margils-dono.”
The Duke claps his thick hands in applause, but it doesn't particularly make me happy.
”For what it's worth, I had originally thought Balzard to be the one with the best prospect. If it's him, as long as he's not dead, he might very well unite all the Shulz and come back with them in tow. The most unpromising one was Agbeil, but he's desperately struggling so gard. As for Elizabel, well, she did manage to escape, didn't she? And now that she's drawn the honestly too powerful card that is you, she might very well come out on top. But I can't really make her my successor anymore, though.”
”I see.”
This is coming from me, who has never had kids before, but what a guy.
Normally, I have no right to be involved with their family's circ.u.mstances, but for my own sake I have to ask this.
”...... Elizabel's mother was Shulz, was she not? About Elizabel and her mother…… don't you think of them as precious?”
”Hou.”
Contrary to my expectations of having my words dismissed with a snort, he falls silent with an earnest face. After fiddling with the empty gla.s.s in his hand for a while, he looks straight at me.
”That was because Sheiru was a really good woman. Almost frightening so. Because she was such a good woman, I made her mine, and lavished all that I could on her. Is that not what it means to treat someone preciously?”
To press any further would only negatively affect our cordial relations.h.i.+p from here on. But I cannot help but to ask.
”And what I'm trying to say is, was that not forced?”
”Was it? I had the power to take Sheira away, so I used it. There's nothing strange at all about that, is there?”
Without even using the ESP Medal, I can tell that he meant every single word of that.
I see, it is as I had thought.
That day, if I had used [Charm] on Mora. This is who I might have become, a man drunk on his own power.
To get started with Disqus head to the Settings panel.
Chapter 87: Reflected Self
Volume 4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
”...... I see.”
What would have become of me if I came to use wizardry for my own desires.
The Duke of Filsand is the answer to that question — a good-for-nothing tyrant. Either that, or already dead from a.s.sa.s.sination.
The current me has allies that I can feel safe entrusting my back to. In contrast, the Duke cannot trust even his own children, and is not trusted in return.
It is clear that he does not regret having led such a life, but as someone who has met two people who have fallen victim to the consequences of his choices, I cannot help but to think ”I'm glad I did not become like that.”
”Aah, I get it now. I have no intention of commenting on your way of life. All men, at least once in their lives, dream of walking down that path.”
”Ku ku. Coming from someone with power on a whole different dimension from mine, I'm afraid I can only hear those words as sarcasm.”
This, too, he means from his heart.
Even I had adored villains from manga and light novels and military commanders from Sengoku works who burned with ambition.
By modern j.a.panese standards, the Duke is undoubtedly a 'bad person.' If he attempts to attack me, I would fight back and beat him down without a moment's hesitation.
But due to some strange twist of fate, here we are, drinking wine together.
(T/N: Omg Fate/Zero episode 11 ”The Grail Dialogue”!!!!)
And above anything else, he is a reflection of myself.
Even if in the future either one of us considers the other an obstacle and moves to remove the other, that is no impediment to doing what we currently can, now.
”...... Since we're on the topic of your succession. You said that you 'have been thinking' of retiring, so am I correct in believing that you no longer have such intentions?”
”Indeed. If I am able to join an alliance with someone possessing such incredible power as your own, forget retiring, I feel like my vitality from the past would be revived.”
Most likely due to having confirmed the power of wizardry in person, the light of ambition burning in his eyes is even stronger than when I had first met him.
”In that case, I have two requests…… no, I'll call them conditions instead.”
”Hou?”
I purposely chose to rephrase myself to indicate that I am the one in the more superior position.
Even if he is feeling angry and humiliated, he wants my power bad enough to suppress it all in his heart.
In the first place, my goals are to get permission to begin trading with Filsand, and to invite him to join the anti-Shadow Demon alliance.
The former is already accomplished, so that's good.
But as for the latter, I know almost for a fact that the Duke would proactively seek for a more military alliance. And if we form that military alliance, then he will use my wizardry to overthrow the Kingdom of Feldi.
In a way, I am almost envious of the strength of his ambition. But isn't there a better direction that I can direct his ambition towards?
For the first time in a while, I spin those gears in my head as furiously as I can.
”Even if you and I join hands to face the world, we would still need strength.”
”Are you saying that the riches and might of this Filsand are insufficient?”
”Let me put it another way. Are you satisfied with only what you can grab with that amount of strength?”
”...... Hou.”
When I speak almost provocatively, his glance sharpens even further.
I feel a s.h.i.+ver down my back.
”The amount of time that you and I have left is 30 years at best. The issue is how effectively we can use those 30 years.”
”Indeed.”
”I'm sure that you also know this, but in order to use time effectively, we would need talented people. And your children, all of them are talented in different ways. First of all, being tripped up by this problem of succession would only be a waste of time.”
”...... You are quite right.”
His expression has softened a bit. It seems he's taken my words to mean that I will lend him a hand with his ambitions.
”In that case, first repair your relations.h.i.+ps with your children, and make them to want to work for you. That is my first condition.”
In other words, in order to make self-interested people do something, you simply need to explain to them how doing that thing would lead to their own benefit.
I know Elizabel's problem with the Duke is more of an emotional one, but as I am but an outsider, this is the best I can do at the moment.
”...... I see. Very well. Seeing this squabble going on before my eyes would only be a distraction. I will speak to Agbeil and Elizabel tomorrow. However, what shall be done about Balzard?”
I didn't expect him to agree so easily. I read his mind with the ESP Medal, but he is not lying. Or rather, it seems that the moment he decided to not retire, he's already decided to put a stop to the internal fighting.
”As for Balzard-dono, how about retrieving him with an exchange of prisoners? If you use the Shulz princess that I brought back, would that be possible?”
”Fumu…… So that's also within the range of your 'condition'? In that case, I'll use her as asked.”
As expected of him, still making sure to rephrase things so that he doesn't incur a favor with me at this point in time. Well, not that I mind.
Which now brings us to the next problem.
The entire time I've been talking with the Duke, I've been thinking as fast as I can, but……
”So, what is the second condition?”
”Umu……”
I need a good idea to redirect the Duke's ambition in a more constructive direction.
Somehow, a thought starts to take form inside my head.
Averting my eyes from the Duke's powerful gaze, I notice the map of the Kingdom of Feldi and its surroundings hanging on the wall……
”Mu.”
With a flash, a lightbulb goes off in my head.
To get started with Disqus head to the Settings panel.
Chapter 88: Dialogue with
”My Bad Self”
Volume 4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
”......”
My eyes are irresistibly drawn to the tapestry depicting the Kingdom of Feldi and its surroundings.
Maps in the Liuus Alliance, whose culture is derived from Shulendal's, depicts Feldi as ”Kingdom in the East.”
But this map, naturally, has Feldi in the center. To the west is Filsand, and Senpu Village is in the corner.
The south is a great sea decorated with countless pictures of storms and sea serpents, the north is obstructed by enormous mountains, and the east is is a large empty expanse colored with gray.
If one thinks of Filsand as the center, north is the Plains of Twilight occupied by the undead, and south is Ran Balt. The only way to expand is to either cross the mountains in the west and attack Senpu Village, or to turn towards Feldi itself. That is the geographical position of this city.
Then again, the barren land separating Filsand and Ran Balt is where the Shulz currently live, and there is even that place called Garden of the G.o.ds, so it is not completely unviable as a direction for expansion.
While staring at this map, the thought that had come to my mind earlier gradually forms into a proper strategy.
”What is it? You have something else that you want me to do, right?”
”Umu……”
So asks the Duke of Filsand in a slightly testy voice.
In the first place, he is not someone used to obediently listening to someone else's words.
I know a conclusion needs to be reached soon, but I do not yet have enough information to be sure.
I desperately search around my memories for all the information that I've seen and heard about that.
Right, it was quite a while ago that Sedam had given me a pretty detailed explanation, but……
”...... I've changed my mind.”
”What?”
”The first condition…… after you succeed at uniting your children, then I'll tell you the second condition.”
Umu.
'Slow and elaborate is better than rough and hasty' is a modern j.a.panese idiom, right? So I decided to put a pause on the negotiations for a while.
”...... Very well. I will restrain Agbeil, and also immediately start the preparations for exchanging the Shulz girl for Balzard.”
”Ahh, you do that.”
I nod gravely at the Duke who is even now cursing me in his mind with «If this guy wasn't a Great Wizard, I would have already stuck him on a spike.»
With this, Elizabel's safety is guaranteed, and I have also earned myself some time.
”Nn, speaking of which, what are you going to do about Elizabel?”
”What do you mean by what?”
”The wedding. I know it was just a cover, but it would be more convenient to marry her anyways. After all, you've already had her, right?”
”h.e.l.l no!”
”?”
Oops, I accidentally retorted in my normal character.
”I, I am not so starved that I would lay my hands on a mere teenager. I have not touched your daughter with even a finger.”
”She's already of age to give birth, so I don't really see what the problem is, but…… well, I think I understand what your preferences are now.”
Man, he has such a smirk on his face.
For now, I leave the matter of my engagement with Elizabel as vague and unsettled while retreating to the room that I had been allotted.
♥♦♣♠
”Welcome back, my lord……”
Returning to my guest room, which is even more lavish than the one I had in Senpu Village, I find all my companions gathered inside.
Incidentally, Fablu is in a separate room with Ted and the three new soldiers. Dianu is of course under strict guard, and thus is in a cell.
All the rest have apparently been waiting for me, in spite of the very late hour. I did them a bad turn.
More like, why does Leiha look so tired?
”What is it, Leiha?” (Gio)
”No, it is nothing much.” (Leiha)
”a.s.sa.s.sins. While you were talking with the Duke, the first wife sent 1, and the second son sent 2.” (Irudo)
”And Leiha repelled all of them by herself.” (Claura)
”...... I'm sorry, it seems I really have incurred their enmity.” (Elizabel)
Irudo and Claura explain the situation, and Elizabel looks apologetic.
On my way back, I did not feel any traces of a.s.sa.s.sins and observers, which means the Duke has already begun moving.
”I see. That must have been a burden. You have done well.”
”Th-, thank you very much. It was all for the sake of my Oluri, Margils-sama.”
”Un un.”
Leiha is kneeling before me on one knee with her head reverently bowed, causing me to really want to pat her beautiful light purple hair, but…… having that done by an ossan would only feel gross, so I opted to pat her shoulder instead.
♥♦♣♠
”Anyways, for now I've settled the talks with the Duke up to here. Elizabel's and my safety are both guaranteed for the while.”