Chapter – 26
Mercenary Pirancheva…
“Anyone can see it’s a conspiracy. What they want is the division of the Empire.”
Eastern Marquis said to the person sitting in the upper seat.
This was the imperial castle of the Barda Empire, where many nobles had gathered, numbering about 50.
Those gathered here were the hereditary nobles leading the Barda Empire, with titles of Count or higher. Among them, some were lords governing territories, while others were nobles who only held noble titles without any remaining territories in the empire.
The place they gathered was the grand conference hall of the imperial castle. On the raised platform’s upper seat sat the empire’s emperor, Rubireila von Barda, and to his left and right were the crown princes who had come of age and were participating in the royal court.
Below the platform, nobles were gathered, and upon closer inspection, one could see they were grouped around three dukes.
Around Durand Duke, who could be said to be the empire’s premier duke, about 18 nobles were gathered. Around the second duke, Ruzma Duke, about 17 nobles were gathered, and around the third duke, Phazka Duke, about 13 nobles were gathered.
Although they were divided into factions, a certain order could be found within, so the conference proceeded without much chaos.
“I heard that you are protecting Pirancheva, the youngest son of Count Amand, Marquis Eastern.”
Marquis Eastern’s expression slightly changed.
‘My knights wouldn’t have informed them of that fact.’
“Hiding the child of a traitor is also treason, as you well know, Marquis.”
Count Rossman, who was on Duke Durand’s side, tried to pressure Marquis Eastern by mentioning treason.
“Treason?”
Marquis Eastern asked back with a stern face. The atmosphere in the grand conference hall instantly changed.
The Lawrence Marquis family was a family renowned for their exceptional swordsmanship in the empire, so Marquis Eastern also possessed swordsmanship skills not far behind a Master-level.
Just him showing a slight anger was enough to make the grand conference hall turn cold.
“Count Rossman. Even if greed has blinded you, how dare you try to pressure me?”
As the fierce atmosphere of Marquis Eastern gripped the conference hall, the nobles flinched. At his reaction, Count Rossman looked flustered and glanced at Duke Durand. It was a silent signal for help.
“Nothing has been proven yet. If Count Amand had committed treason, would he have gone to prison so meekly? I rather suspect you more.”
Count Rossman bristled at Marquis Eastern’s words but was so overwhelmed by his aura that he couldn’t even speak properly.
“Didn’t you, knowing in advance that black magic would be discovered in the Illya County territory, lobby Duke Durand to give you Count Amand’s territory?”
Many nobles already knew that Count Rossman was bribing Duke Durand heavily to take over Illya County.
“No. Such a thing never happened.”
“Never? Then show us proof that you bribed Duke Durand?”
At Marquis Eastern’s words, the gathered nobles buzzed, and the sound echoed through the grand conference hall.
As the atmosphere was turning sour, Duke Durand made a displeased expression and opened his mouth.
“It seems Marquis Eastern is determined to embarrass me.”
The buzzing sound decreased.
“If it sounded that way, I apologize. I was just saying that a noble without a territory has no power to speak of treason to me.”
Duke Durand gave a warning glance to Count Rossman and then asked Marquis Eastern.
“But Marquis Eastern, you haven’t answered the rumor that Pirancheva is in your territory.”
Marquis Eastern glared at Count Rossman as if to kill him, and Count Rossman shrank back in fear.
Seeing that, Marquis Eastern, perhaps feeling he wasn’t worth dealing with, spoke to Duke Durand.
“Pirancheva is not in my territory. It’s true he was in my territory for a while, but after hearing the news from Illya County, his whereabouts became elusive.”
“How does that make sense? Pirancheva is only eleven years old now. Where could a young child like him go!”
A shout burst from Duke Durand’s mouth.
“Indeed. But Pirancheva, who is only eleven, is a 4th Circle mage. If a 4th Circle mage wants to hide and move around avoiding people’s eyes, it’s entirely possible.”
Suddenly, silence fell over the grand conference hall. They couldn’t believe that Pirancheva was a 4th Circle mage and wondered if they were comparing him to their own children.
“Marquis Eastern, is it true that Pirancheva is a 4th Circle mage?”
The emperor asked again.
“It is true, Your Majesty!”
Marquis Eastern knew that Pirancheva was a 3rd Circle mage, not 4th Circle. But the reason he lied was that the treatment of a 3rd Circle mage and a 4th Circle mage was fundamentally different.
The reason was that 4th Circle mages could use area-of-effect spells capable of dealing significant damage to large numbers of enemy troops at once in wars or conflicts.
Therefore, mages considered comparing a 4th Circle mage to a 3rd Circle mage to be blasphemous and insulting, and people recognized it as such.
Moreover, he was confident that this lie wouldn’t be exposed because they wouldn’t be able to find Pirancheva, who had gone to the hut in the Silent Forest.
‘Well, by the time they find Pirancheva, he’ll probably be a 4th Circle mage.’
With this vague thought, he could confidently say he was a 4th Circle mage.
“Pirancheva, who is only eleven, has become a 4th Circle mage? How commendable.”
The emperor seemed not particularly concerned, even though the Illya Count family had fallen into a black mage’s conspiracy, causing a stir in the empire.
“If the Illya Count family hadn’t been caught up in this conspiracy, Pirancheva might have become a 7th Circle mage within ten years.”
At the words that he might become a 7th Circle mage within ten years, the nobles whispered, and the conference hall buzzed.
“Hehehe, that would be a great blessing for the empire. A 7th Circle mage before the age of 20… Then before he turns 40, he might step into 8th Circle magic, surpassing the so-called ‘magical wall’ of the 7th Circle.”
“Indeed, Your Majesty!”
“Now, Marquis Eastern, if your words are true, couldn’t you have used your power to detain Pirancheva?”
One of the three dukes, Duke Ruzma, asked.
“I was merely speaking of possibility. No one can guarantee the future, can they?”
“Hmm…….”
“If Pirancheva purely researches magic, my opinion after observing him for the past four years is that it would be possible for him to reach the dragon’s magic, 9th Circle, before his death.”
A 9th Circle mage!
The impact of this single word on the gathered people was immense.
Since the continent’s creation, magic and swordsmanship were passed down to humans due to the war between demons and dragons, but until now, not a single person had reached the level of a 9th Circle mage.
A few had reached the 8th Circle, but they were not pure humans; they were beings called Dragonia or half-demons.
Even they couldn’t reach the 9th Circle realm, so people believed that 9th Circle magic was the domain of dragons, an unreachable realm for humans.
‘If it’s Pirancheva, known as a mutant among geniuses and reputed to have the highest magical talent in the empire, perhaps Marquis Eastern’s words aren’t entirely impossible.’
Marquis Eastern’s statement shook the nobles’ thoughts.
‘Even if Pirancheva doesn’t reach the 9th Circle, he could likely become an 8th Circle mage. Then, just obtaining his magical knowledge would be a great boon to the empire.’
The nobles’ thoughts were mostly similar.
Although they were divided into factions, opposing and competing, their hearts for the empire’s sake were sincere.
“I worry that such a Pirancheva, experiencing this chaos and having to live hiding from people’s eyes, might stray onto the wrong path due to that anger.”
“No, how could you just let such a precious talent go, Marquis? Shouldn’t you have reassured him that nothing would happen and kept him detained?”
Marquis Raymond from Duke Durand’s faction shouted at Marquis Eastern.
“I wanted to do that too. I also tried to prevent the rumors about Illya County from spreading in my territory. But can I do as I please? The number of merchants coming and going to the territory amounts to hundreds, even thousands per day.”
At Marquis Eastern’s words, everyone made regretful expressions.
“Your Majesty, we must quickly issue a warrant for Pirancheva’s arrest throughout the empire.”
“Marquis Raymond, what crime has Pirancheva committed for you to say we should issue a warrant and arrest him?”
Marquis Peyton from Duke Ruzma’s faction, another duke’s faction, objected.
“He is a member of the Illya Count family, isn’t he? Count Amand is currently using black magic…….”
“There are suspicions, but they haven’t been proven yet. Having suspicions but not imposing disadvantages until the crime is proven is the basic law of our empire, is it not?”
“Hmm…….”
“He is under suspicion, but his crime hasn’t been confirmed, so issuing a warrant for Pirancheva itself would provoke Count Amand.”
“Count Amand is currently…….”
“Marquis Raymond, let me ask you one thing.”
“What?”
“If Count Amand hears about Pirancheva’s situation, do you think he will remain quietly in prison like that?”
“Then Count Amand would…….”
Marquis Raymond stopped mid-sentence.
“If Count Amand hears the news and orders his mages to attack Marquis Raymond’s territory, which advised issuing the warrant for Pirancheva, could you stop them, Marquis?”
That’s right.
Count Amand’s family was a Count family, middle-ranking among the noble ranks, but the power his family possessed surpassed that of most noble families.
Above all, the 100 battle mages who believed in and followed Count Amand were the empire’s core force.
The nobles acknowledged them, calling them the empire’s best mage family or magical combat group, recognizing their experience gained in numerous battles.
“That is…….”
“And is that all? Nobles with territories, and even most nobles here without territories, probably have one or two mages with them, right?”
Everyone nodded as if in agreement. The presence or absence of a mage also made a difference in quality of life.
“Do you think there are mages among them who haven’t received help from the Illya Count family?”
Everyone became like mute people who had eaten honey at Marquis Peyton’s words.
“Count Amand’s influence is larger and stronger than we thought. And mages are more stubborn and tightly-knit than we thought.”
Some nobles nodded.
“If we issue a warrant throughout the empire to arrest the youngest of such a family, it means the empire has already concluded that Count Amand is the ringleader of the black mages, and that will cause backlash from mages who don’t believe that fact. Isn’t this the black mages’ plan?”
“Then are you saying we should just ignore the traces of black magic found in Illya County?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying we shouldn’t treat him as a criminal until the facts are proven.”
Many nobles agreed with Marquis Peyton’s words.
Because what applied to Count Amand now could next target them if the conspirators wished.
“Who says the next target won’t be Marquis Raymond’s territory? If this is the black mages’ conspiracy, and if it succeeds, they will plot the same conspiracy again. Then, you won’t be able to argue otherwise. Why? Because we already set a precedent with Count Amand.”
Faced with Marquis Peyton’s logical words, Marquis Raymond could no longer insist on his own argument.
“I hope we can suspect but not treat him as a criminal, and even if it takes time, we can determine the truth through a thorough investigation.”
“I guess I was too hasty.”
As Marquis Raymond admitted his hastiness, the emperor smiled with satisfaction.
From the emperor’s perspective, it was pleasing to see his colleagues and subordinates, the nobles, not just opposing each other but acknowledging what should be acknowledged.
“Are there any more words regarding Count Amand?”
As everyone fell silent at the emperor’s question, the emperor ended the meeting.
“The dispatched investigators are conducting their investigation, and they will submit their numerous opinions for synthesis. After that, we will hold a hearing regarding Count Amand.”
Everyone bowed their heads to the emperor.
“The three dukes shall meet me separately. The others may return.”
The scale of the Barda Empire’s imperial castle was quite large. Nobles said the imperial castle was comparable in size to a small territory, so the imperial castle was vast and wide.
Within such an imperial castle, several detached palaces were built, and these detached palaces were also constructed on a scale comparable to the lord’s castles where territorial lords resided.
These detached palaces were each occupied by the emperor’s wives, namely the three empresses, and besides them, there were separate detached palaces for envoys from other kingdoms and for nobles of the kingdom to stay.
Mellrin, the eldest daughter of Duke Phazka and the emperor’s second wife, lived in one of the imperial castle’s detached palaces, the Mellrin Palace.
Late at night, the Mellrin Palace was brightly lit, due to the hereditary nobles following Duke Phazka among the nobles who had come from all over the empire.
“I can’t believe Pirancheva is already a 4th Circle mage.”
“Even I, who had him with me, feel the same. His words surprised me at times, making me wonder if this kid was really just an eleven-year-old brat.”
Even though they were both marquises, due to the age difference, Marquis Eastern used honorifics, subtly showing the other nobles that he held a higher position.
It might seem insignificant, but nobles were more conservative than one might think and had habits of evaluating nobles based on every action and speech.
However, they sometimes used discourteous words and actions towards opposing nobles, as nobles’言行 changed depending on where the weight of power lay.
“He’s a genius among geniuses, so isn’t his way of thinking just different from ours? Sometimes my kid also says absurd things, and whenever that happens, I think maybe my kid is a genius like Pirancheva or Elina. But when I see his actions, it’s just hopeless, hopeless.”
At Marquis Rossman’s words, the other nobles chuckled.
“Isn’t that a parent’s thought? As the Marquis said, I used to think that every day, then see my foolish son’s actions and think, ‘of course…’, and then get my hopes up again, only to laugh, ‘what genius…'”
“Haha, same as me. But are real geniuses different? You observed them for a long time. Both Elina and Pirancheva.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Marquis Eastern.
“Well. I don’t know about other things, but there was one clear difference.”
“What is it?”
“They work incredibly hard. The effort we think of as effort isn’t even effort to them. They think about their field of interest all day long and strive for days until they find an answer. And they ask others if the answer they found is right or wrong, and they put their thoughts into action, learning step by step through that kind of effort.”
“Even as children? At an age when they should love to play.”
“Yes. Their fields of interest seem a bit different. Both Elina and Pirancheva, once they get hooked on something, seem unable to rest until they work themselves to death to make it their own.”
“Is that why they’re called geniuses?”
“I think so too. My knight captain, Foren, said something like that.”
“Captain Foren is one of the empire’s top ten knights, isn’t he?”
Although Foren denies it, he is recognized as one of the empire’s top ten knights and is an object of admiration for knights.
“He said genius is determined more by effort than talent.”
“Hmm…….”
“Everyone is born with at least one talent, but what makes a person a genius is not talent but effort.”
The nobles nodded as if in agreement.
“And he always teaches me that guiding them to be able to make that effort is the duty of our generation.”
“You must be secure having Captain Foren by your side.”
“That’s right. Foren is my steadfast friend and ally. Because he is by my side, I can leave my territory without worry and travel the empire. And I can entrust my children to him as well.”
