Chapter 120
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: A Dangerous Proposal
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120.
The Margrave's eyes, though the same color as Ruina's, were entirely different.
Hotter, heavier, and more ferocious.
Forcing his racing heart to calm, Pernyan closed his eyes for a moment before opening them to speak.
“…Since you put it that way, I will also be frank.”
“Spit it out.”
“To be honest, my initial approach to Ruina was bait to create this very situation.”
Ever since hearing from Ruina that demonic beasts had been spotted in northern Bercefe, Pernyan had anticipated this turn of events to some degree.
Had he been the Margrave of Bercefe, he would have been just as curious, and just as furious.
The answer he was giving now was one he had been contemplating ever since.
A lie, but one plausible enough to seem real.
He couldn't very well say he’d befriended Ruina because he saw a future where she would ruin him, or that he’d approached her because he knew she would become a Royal Knight.
“Spouting whatever comes to mind doesn't make it the truth.”
“I happened to learn of the demonic beasts’ existence a little early. And in tracing their tracks, I followed them all the way back to the tragedy that befell Bercefe.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
He knew it was a hard story to swallow. But like it or not, Pernyan had to push this narrative.
“Believe it or not, that is your prerogative, my lord. I am merely telling the truth.”
At his calm demeanor, the corner of the Margrave’s mouth twisted.
“Keep talking. So why did you want to meet me?”
“Because I wish to make an investment.”
“An investment?”
“The demonic beasts aren't just going to sit around and have a picnic, are they?”
Even humans didn't do that.
“Bercefe has already been devastated once by a wave of monsters pushed out by demonic beasts.”
What do you think will happen if that leads to a second wave caused by the demonic beasts themselves?
“You have some nerve, telling me Bercefe will fall right to my face.”
“You know it yourself, don't you?”
Every person required a different approach, a different way of conversing.
In the case of Albinus Bercefe, he detested empty words and lies more than arrogance.
It was better to speak boldly before him, even if it meant crossing a line.
The proof was that despite radiating a killing intent that felt like it could murder him at any moment, the Margrave hadn't actually taken action.
‘Damn it, I can't breathe…’
His head grew dull, and cold sweat trickled down his back.
To be this affected by killing intent alone… The title of Royal Knight was clearly no empty boast.
‘If he finds out this is a lie, I’m done for…’
But no one could know it was a lie.
A perfect lie is the same as the truth, so there was no problem.
“…Is that the will of Fallenberg?” the Margrave asked after a long moment, his killing intent unabated.
“It is my will.”
His brow twitched.
“What authority does a mere young lord like you have to spew such nonsense?”
The killing intent thickened. Pernyan found it increasingly difficult even to speak.
Still, he had to.
“…Yes, you are right. I do not have the same authority as the head of the family… The large-scale… investment I am planning for Bercefe is not something I can decide on my own.”
However.
“…I can… persuade my father.”
*Cough.* A mouthful of crimson blood rose in his throat.
Damn it. To this extent, even after protecting his insides with mana.
Pernyan gritted his teeth.
“Persuade?”
“Yes…! If Bercefe falls… the northern part of the Empire will be devastated. At the very least, all territory… up to Schwaben will collapse.”
No matter how shattered it had been, Bercefe was still Bercefe.
Could other domains fend off the wave of demonic beasts that had brought them down?
Impossible. At this point, no one short of the Schwaben, who held the most power, could halt that advance.
And the territory between Bercefe and Schwaben—including Bercefe itself—accounted for about an eighth of the entire Empire.
A territory slightly smaller than the great Kingdom of Alprosen would be wiped out in an instant.
“Within that… land are many of Fallenberg’s interests.”
The Golden Turtle Merchant Guild had long since advanced into various parts of the north, and they had invested in more than just a few places.
If those places fell, the Empire would suffer, but Fallenberg in particular would incur massive losses.
“My father… will not… stand by and watch that happen. Above all, within that one-eighth…”
“The Ashdoph County is there, too. I doubt that greedy bastard would simply let it be lost.”
Ashdoph County was one of the territories the Fallenbergs held on the Lutar continent, famous for producing warhorses on its vast plains.
Thanks to that, introducing his father went something like, ‘The great Duke of Fallenberg, Count of Ashdoph, Lord of Holtian… and so on and so forth.’
Not that any of the Electors were different.
“So, what is it you demand?”
The killing intent vanished. Only then could Pernyan finally catch his breath, gasping as he tried to regulate his breathing.
“…I would like us to head to the north together.”
“To the north?”
“Yes. I need proof, definitive proof. Enough to persuade my father.”
“Bring back definitive proof of a demonic beast colony?”
Hahahahahaha…!
The Margrave burst into laughter. Pernyan desperately used mana to protect his ears from the force of that laugh.
“Are you telling me to sacrifice my knights for the sake of Fallenberg?”
“It is not just for Fallenberg, but for Bercefe and the Empire as well.”
And.
“I will go, too.”
“…What?”
For the first time, a crack appeared in the Margrave’s expression, as if he never expected Pernyan to say such a thing.
“…You will come along yourself?”
“Yes.”
“It is an exceedingly dangerous place.”
“I am not unaware.”
Hmm. Lost in thought for a moment, the Margrave composed his expression and continued.
“But there’s one prerequisite. I can just formally report the danger to the Empire and request aid, so why should I be beholden to Fallenberg? Especially after what you people have already done to me?”
“Isn’t it better to be taken for a hefty sum by us than to be devoured by hundreds of hyenas, leaving not even your bones behind?”
If he made it a public issue, many nobles would offer to help Bercefe.
They weren't ignorant of the fact that if Bercefe fell, they would be next, nor would they miss the opportunity to gain much from it.
But there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
If you received help, you had to give something of equal value in return.
Though bound under the roof of the Empire, all nobles fundamentally prioritized their own interests.
“You’re not even pretending you won’t take a bite.”
“That would be too transparent a lie.”
Sensing a slight easing in the Margrave’s voice, Pernyan knew this was the moment to drive the point home.
“And there is one more reason I am going this far.”
From his subspace, he took out the recording sphere. The one from when Andromalius was summoned.
“I do not wish to see the fortune Fallenberg has built disappear at the hands of demons.”
It was, at that moment, his most sincere answer.
* * *
“How did it go?”
At the butler’s question, the Margrave, now back in his office, let out a dry laugh.
“I was had.”
“Pardon?”
“I didn't get to ask him what his feelings are for Ruina.”
“It seems he made you an offer your Excellency would find tempting.”
The Margrave popped an almond chocolate from the table into his mouth and nodded.
“It was a proposal like rain in a drought.”
Even without Pernyan, the Margrave was feeling the threat of the demonic beasts firsthand.
The number of monsters crossing into Bercefe had been decreasing slightly but steadily.
Thanks to that, reconstruction had become much easier, but after discovering the demonic beasts, no one saw it as a positive sign anymore.
“Which makes it all the more suspicious. Just what is that bastard Ivon plotting, using his son as a frontman?”
The Margrave didn't believe this was Pernyan acting alone.
It was impossible to orchestrate such a large-scale support operation from Fallenberg without the family head’s permission.
“Will you refuse, then?”
“No.”
He had lost the rights of the Golden Bull because of Fallenberg’s proposal.
He had almost lost his family’s secret sword art after borrowing money from Fallenberg.
Despite all that, the Margrave couldn't refuse the current offer. Whatever was hidden beneath it, whatever poison it contained.
Sometimes, you had to drink poison even when you knew it was there.
“As the boy said, it’s better to be taken for a hefty sum by Fallenberg than to be picked clean by the others, leaving not even my bones behind.”
If he still held the title of Elector, things might be different, but having lost even that, they wouldn't even pretend to be cautious.
Such was the current state of Bercefe.
“Besides, after seeing this, all thoughts of Ivon’s schemes and whatnot vanished. I knew I had to accept, no matter what.”
The Margrave shared the recording sphere he received from Pernyan with his butler. After viewing its contents, the butler’s face turned pale.
“We anticipated that the Vile Breed would one day summon a demon, but to think it has already happened… Where on earth is this?”
“The Academy.”
“…So the incident they reported as being caused by the Vile Breed was actually a demon.”
As if dumbfounded, the butler let out a hollow laugh.
“Micale Montella…! To hide a fact like this…!”
“Don’t dwell on what’s past. The most important thing here is Aint Armian.”
The Sacred Light that vanquished the demon. The sight was exactly like that of the first emperor from the legends.
“The world has not yet abandoned Bercefe.”
The demons had begun to rear their heads again, but the seed of a great hero had also sprouted.
“Prepare for an expedition.”
“To what scale…?”
“It will likely be farther than any expedition we have undertaken thus far.”
“I will make the preparations.”
The butler bowed his head. Just then, Ruina entered.
“You deceived me.”
“It was necessary to meet with Pernyan first.”
“How was he?”
“I learned that your praise for the boy wasn't just because you're smitten with him.”
“…It's not like that. Pernyan is an objectively outstanding mage.”
“Right, we’ll go with that.”
The Margrave shrugged.
“Still, I oppose it. Those Fallenberg bastards are devious. You can never know what they’re thinking.”
“Father!”
The Margrave covered his ears at Ruina’s shout.
It was a relatively peaceful day.
* * *
“Hoo, my insides are a complete mess.”
Pernyan downed a potion. It was a waste, but he had no choice.
The Margrave of Bercefe, a man whose decisiveness and drive were among the best in the Empire, would surely prepare an expedition in short order.
If his battered insides hadn't stabilized by then, he wouldn't be able to prepare properly.
“I’m sorry, this is all because of me…”
“It's not really your fault, Ruina. It was something I had to go through at some point, and in the end, things worked out reasonably well.”
“I’m glad. Oh, Father has invited you to have dinner with us later.”
“By all means.”
Pernyan nodded at the positive sign.
‘He has no choice but to accept. If I were the Margrave, I would have accepted too.’
The situation had cornered him.
‘Still, he might not trust Fallenberg and could make it a public matter…’
No, the Count wasn't that foolish.
Anyone could see that choosing Fallenberg was the best option here.
‘I designed this game from start to finish. I won't let anyone else stick their fork in it.’
Making it public would certainly be easier. But simply stopping the demons wasn't all Pernyan wanted.
He wanted to stop the demons *and* make more money for himself and his family.
Great investments always come with great risks.
If he failed, he would suffer a considerable loss, but if he succeeded, Bercefe would become Fallenberg's front yard.
‘What should I do first? There are a lot of mercenaries, so maybe I should build a hotel… no, I should use the mines that are everywhere in Bercefe to produce weapons and armor, then make a fortune off the war economy…’
The characteristic greed of Fallenberg, who would sell goods even to demons, flowed through him.
“…Are you listening to me?”
A pale white hand waved in front of his eyes. Pernyan snapped out of his thoughts.
“I'm listening. What did you say?”
“I don’t think you even know what you’re saying right now.”
Sighing, Ruina repeated herself.
“I said I could show you around Berten, if you’d like.”
Berten was the capital of Bercefe, where they currently were. The largest city in the north.
“If you would, I'd be grateful.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Can I bring Gismond Sunbaenim along?”
“Sunbaenim?”
Ruina paused, looking displeased.
“If you don't want to, we don't have to…”
“No, it’s fine. Let's have Sunbaenim come with us.”
Pernyan and Ruina retrieved Gismond, who had been cooped up alone in his room, and went outside.
Their first stop was an area dense with smithies and workshops.
“This is the workshop district.”
*Clang, clang, clang—*
Heat and smoke billowed from all over the district. The rhythmic sounds of hammers striking anvils felt like a single melody.
Pernyan examined a sword from a nearby smithy.
“Well-made. It's hard, yet has good elasticity.”
“We pride ourselves on Bercefe’s swords being the best on the continent.”
Ruina’s pride was well-founded.
Bercefe was the region with the most battles and wars in the Empire, so its weapons and armor had naturally become extremely advanced.
Weapons made in Bercefe were considered top-tier anywhere on the continent.
‘Buying these in bulk and selling them would be quite profitable.’
The problem was that no matter how many weapons Bercefe produced, most were consumed within Bercefe itself.
Battles were so frequent that they were reluctant to let them flow outside, just in case.
‘I'll have to secure the rights to these first when we sign the investment contract.’
It would also be good to support the artisans, have them learn new techniques, and expand the market.
“This is a statue of the first family head.”
The 10-meter-tall statue in the central plaza was quite immense just to look at.
It depicted the first head charging on horseback, feeling remarkably lifelike. For something made a thousand years ago, it didn't look old at all.
“Would you like to have a meal?”
“I'm curious about the food here.”
After finishing their meal, they returned to the castle. As they passed the training grounds, they saw knights training.
“Can we watch that too?”
“Watching the knights train is forbidden. Even for you, that is not allowed.”
Hmm. After a moment of thought, Pernyan’s gaze shifted to the side.
A short distance from the training ground was a sparring arena for the knights.
“Then what about educating Gismond Sunbaenim with a real-life spar instead of just training?”
Gismond, who had been blankly watching the knights spar, flinched at the mention of his name.
“M-me…?”
His gaze followed Pernyan’s fingertip.
There, the knights of Bercefe were engaged in a live spar, shedding sweat and blood.
“I’m not talking about the advanced techniques taught to family members or vassals. Just something to raise his practical senses a bit, or perhaps the basics of how to handle aura?”
“For something like that, you don't necessarily need Bercefe, do you?”
“But Bercefe does it better.”
Pleased by the praise for Bercefe, her expression softened slightly.
“Was that your purpose for bringing Gismond Sunbaenim from the start?”
“Yes. As you know, Sunbaenim’s skills are lacking compared to the aura he possesses. In a battle against demons, we need every skilled person we can get.”
In truth, it was more than that.
‘I need to keep Gismond close and watch him.’
He was bound to get entangled with demons naturally, and it would be a problem if he just got caught up and died. There was still so much to dig out of him.
“That’s a reasonable enough… no, it isn't.”
After looking Gismond over for a moment, Ruina sighed.
“He is a little, no, quite a bit lacking to fight against the knights of Bercefe.”
“Is there no way?”
“…Since you’re asking, I will speak to the training captain.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Ruina entered the training grounds. Left alone, Gismond asked.
“…Um, what about my opinion?”
“As if you’d have one, Sunbaenim.”
Gismond’s face turned pale.