Chapter 105……………………………………….
“What nonsense…”
“It’s fine, Idel. I’ll protect you from that man’s grasp.”
Liena cut me off mid-sentence with unwavering confidence.
“No, Terence isn’t—”
“Are you really close enough to call him by name? You truly are a sly one. First you lured Elliot, and now this.”
She wasn’t listening to me at all. Moreover, she seemed convinced that Elliot had betrayed her because Terence had persuaded him.
“Sorry… I didn’t want it to come to this either.”
Liena’s face clouded with distress.
“But as long as you’re being controlled by that man, I have no choice but to oppose you.”
“I’m not being controlled.”
“Sure, you’ll keep believing that. Soon, I’ll make you see the truth.”
It felt as if a thick wall had risen between Liena and me.
“I’m really sorry, Idel. I can’t let him have any more power over you.”
With that, Liena strode toward her grandfather.
Uneasy, I followed her to hear what she said.
“Grandfather, the matter is settled.”
“What did that woman say to you?”
“Don’t worry. My sister-in-law didn’t say much.”
“Tsk, I see. Then we proceed according to plan?”
“Yes. According to plan.”
Plan?
Roland gestured, and one of his subordinates ran to the village entrance, where Baron Cainber and his soldiers were waiting.
Terence and I exchanged glances and then headed toward the village entrance.
I saw Roland’s subordinate whisper something to Baron Cainber.
After listening, the baron drew his sword and raised it high.
“I, Lucius Cainber, hereby declare war over the territory of the Wallace Barony!”
“War over territory.” The sudden words caused a stir among the villagers.
An elderly villager stepped forward, voice trembling, and asked the baron,
“My lord, I am the head of this village.”
“Speak.”
“Our village was incorporated into the Cainber Barony years ago from the Wallace Barony. Why… declare war here?”
“Ah, you needn’t worry. I have no interest in this shabby village.”
The baron’s sword pointed toward the Andala Mine, located behind the village.
“This entire area is now my territory, except for one place still under the Wallace Barony.”
“You mean the abandoned mine?”
“Yes. The Wallace Barons haven’t fully repaid the debt owed to me. Therefore, I will claim that mine as my land to recover my losses.”
The villagers murmured among themselves, confused. Nearby, I overheard a few voices:
“Why claim that useless land…?”
“I didn’t even know that mine still belonged to the Wallace family!”
“But for a territorial war, this seems odd. There aren’t even any soldiers from the barony in sight.”
“That’s right. Normally, noble houses declare such conflicts to the royal court and notify the other party beforehand.”
It may seem absurd, but these rules were essential to maintain order within the empire.
Cainber was also aware of this and spoke up.
“I received the Emperor’s approval and informed the Wallace Barony, but there was no response.”
Of course. The Wallace family was probably still eking out a living in a small room in the capital.
The remaining Wallace lands were likely just the area near the baron’s estate. They weren’t foolish enough to return while creditors waited.
‘This is basically a territorial grab.’
Since the Wallace Barons couldn’t respond properly, Baron Cainber could claim victory without shedding a drop of blood.
No wonder the soldiers he brought seemed numerous but showed no tension, even looking bored.
Terence whispered quietly.
“If I were at the imperial palace, this ridiculous situation wouldn’t have occurred.”
“They probably seized the opportunity while Terence was absent.”
The emperor likely approved the territorial war without much thought.
For the state, Cainber and Wallace were just minor nobles fighting over a small territory that no one really noticed.
If a great noble family like the Cassiuses declared war, it would have been a significant matter, but since it was Cainber, it was probably considered trivial.
‘So this is why Liena came with Cainber.’
Liena intended to seize my mine by using Baron Cainber.
I couldn’t just stand by, so I stepped in front of the baron.
“This territorial war is unlawful.”
The baron raised an eyebrow.
“And who are you?”
“I’m Idel, the owner of that mine.”
“Oh? The daughter of Baron Wallace?”
“Legally, we are strangers now. If you wish, I can provide proof.”
“And?”
“The mine is no longer related to the Wallace Barony, just like me. On what grounds are you declaring war?”
Cainber sneered, as if I were ridiculous.
“That’s none of your concern. Legally strangers? Does that sever the bond between parent and child?”
He was simply unreasonable.
“Since you benefited from your family’s legacy, you have a duty to repay Wallace’s debts!”
“…So, if I repay the debt for you, will you back off?”
“Of course not. There’s another reason for this war. Your father failed to keep a promise he made with me long ago.”
“What promise?”
“A long time ago, we made a toast and agreed: if the baron had a daughter, she would marry my son.”
What?
“I also have the written pledge from that time. If you don’t want this war, marry my son, Idel Wallace!”
I was too stunned to respond.
“Nothing more to discuss? Shall I strike?”
Terence, standing behind me, spoke sharply.
“I’d rather not strike…”
As I tried to stop him, a young man beside Baron Cainber asked him,
“Father, is that the woman?”
The handsome young man scrutinized me and smirked.
“Not bad, though modest compared to me.”
I almost borrowed Terence’s sword and cut those two down.
‘Liena… this is it.’
Because I had severed ties with the Wallace family and signed the pledge, she couldn’t take the mine peacefully. She resorted to an extreme measure: war over territory.
Once the mine was occupied, even if a court later ruled the war invalid, it would take a long time to regain it.
‘With Cassius’s money, she could even bribe the court to tilt things in her favor.’
Even if the backroom schemes failed and I regained the mine, I could remove the mana stones while the trial proceeded.
The proverb “the fist is closer than the law” perfectly applied.
At that moment, Liena and Roland strolled toward the carriage they arrived in.
I asked Liena,
“Don’t you think this is cowardly and petty?”
“Huh? I don’t quite understand. I told you earlier, sister-in-law.”
Liena smiled.
“I’m just here to rest. I only met Baron Cainber on the way here.”
Roland glared at me fiercely.
“See, if our little bunny had agreed to sell, none of this would’ve happened.”
“What did you say?”
“We would’ve mediated between you and the baron. Yet you ignored our little bunny’s kind intentions.”
“Stop calling her a little bunny!”
I shouted, and the old man widened his eyes.
“If your granddaughter is doing something wrong, you should stop her, not egg her on with ‘little bunny’ talk!”
“You dare lecture me…”
“Don’t pretend to be a good grandfather to Liena when you didn’t even attend my and my grandson’s wedding!”
I had no intention of protecting Liandro, but Roland’s behavior was so ridiculous I had to comment, as a wake-up call.
“….”
Yet Roland’s reaction was odd. He blinked repeatedly, looking dazed.
“Grandfather?”
“….”
He remained silent despite his granddaughter calling.
“Grandfather!”
“Uh… Liena?”
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“No, just a bit dazed.”
“Go rest in the carriage quickly.”
“Yes, yes.”
Roland cast a meaningful glance at me before being led to the carriage by his granddaughter.
“What’s going on?”
As I tilted my head in confusion, a voice spoke inside my mind.
“Master.”
Since the Divine Beast couldn’t appear in public, it spoke to me mentally, as before.
I listened carefully.
“I sensed the manifestation of divine power from you just now.”
What? I was told I barely had any divine power.
“Part of the power I gave you still resides in your body. You seem to have unconsciously absorbed it as your own divine power.”
The Divine Beast had perfectly read my thoughts and offered an explanation.
“I suspect you just used a blessing…”
Blessing? That was a word I couldn’t ignore—but there was no time to consider it now.
“So, will you marry my son, or accept the territorial war?”
Baron Cainber was demanding an answer.
“Neither.”
“Don’t be stubborn! The world isn’t that forgiving!”
As Terence said, there was nothing more to concede. I had already figured out their scheme.
“You may not know, but while I own the mine, the management—especially matters involving force—has been entrusted elsewhere by contract.”
“What?”
I extended my hand to the side.
“Allow me to introduce my business partner: His Highness Terence Belver, Prince of Asteroth.”
Now, Terence, pleased that it was his turn, stepped forward.
