Chapter 95
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: The First Emperor's Contingency
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“…Kalinos Armian?”
In the Empire, no, across the entire continent, there was no one who did not know that name.
He was the last king of the Armian Kingdom.
And the founding emperor of the Armian Empire.
The great emperor who defeated King Collomo and the seventy-two demons.
The great emperor who united the fragmented kingdoms to establish the Empire.
Why was his name written here?
Why else.
“So this really was a contingency left by the first emperor.”
Pernyan carefully picked up the box.
Unlike the three rare metals that filled the cavern, the box was an unremarkable ink-black color.
“Blacksteel.”
An ore harder than steel with excellent magic resistance. On its surface, various engravings were carved alongside the crest of a Saint Bird.
“Protection and explosion magic?”
It was designed to be difficult to break, and if forced open, the box itself would explode.
He examined it closely, trying to find a way to disarm it, but the magic engravings were twisted in a way Pernyan couldn't comprehend.
However, it wasn't impossible to open. There was one more engraving on the box.
“Bloodline recognition magic…”
A spell that used blood as a medium to recognize the user. In other words, anyone with Aint Armian's blood could open this box.
“Another contingency for his descendants? I'll have to try opening it later.”
Letting Aint have it would be fine, but there was no harm in knowing its contents first.
He discarded the option of forcing it open.
After all, it was made by the first emperor.
It was so complex he wouldn't dare try, and he had no idea what might happen if he attempted to open it recklessly.
After carefully placing the box in his subspace, Pernyan began to mine the ore.
“Hah…”
It seemed that even for the first emperor, collecting a mountain of these three ores had been impossible.
If that wasn't the case, there was no way there would be so little.
No matter how much he dug into the cavern walls, no more ore appeared, except for what was on the surface.
It was the same in every direction.
The same for the Orichalcum, the Mithril, and the Adamant.
He thought he might be able to make the Bell of Ruin if he scraped together every last bit, but honestly, he couldn't be sure what would be left after smelting.
One thing was certain: Pernyan's plan to make money using the three metals was completely ruined.
- *Whine….*
Seeing Pernyan's angry face, Wooden tactfully shut its mouth.
For several more hours, he mined the ore and searched the entire cavern.
But nothing more turned up. It was only over after he had gathered every last piece, including the damaged ore.
‘I guess the Orichalcum I got from above is a profit, if you can call it that.’
A potential profit of 100 had shrunk to about 10, but it was a relief it hadn't vanished completely.
“Wooden, shrink back down.”
- *Koong!*
Wooden quickly shrank and returned to being Pernyan's necklace.
The exploration was over.
* * *
Pernyan didn't go looking for Jace right away.
Now that he knew there was a way and had acquired some of the necessary materials, he no longer had to be the one in a weaker position.
This was none other than Mithril. Orichalcum and Adamant.
No matter how essential the Bell of Ruin was, simply providing the materials for free was not the Fallenberg way.
The next day, Pernyan gave himself the day off from classes.
And using the academy's teleportation circle—something he preferred not to use unless absolutely necessary—he returned to his family's estate.
“I didn't expect you to visit so suddenly during the semester.”
“I have something to discuss with you.”
“Is it urgent?”
“It's regarding the Bell of Ruin.”
“Why are you concerned with the Bell of Ruin?”
Pernyan opened his subspace. Dozens of chests began to pour out.
“There's more than double this amount.”
“What is all this… Don't tell me.”
The Duke opened a chest. His eyes widened at the ore filling it. He hurriedly checked all the other chests.
“…How in the world did you get this?”
“Does that matter?”
“As long as there are no repercussions, I suppose it doesn't.”
“You know there can't be any.”
No faction possessed such a quantity of the three great metals.
“Is this also from your consistent study of the land?”
“Could one obtain something like this just by being good at reading the land? I was simply lucky.”
The Duke looked at Pernyan without another word.
He must be confused. Even if all the wealth in the world flowed to Fallenberg, he would likely never see such a quantity of the three great metals in his lifetime.
“Do you want to rebuild the Bell of Ruin?”
“They destroyed the Bell of Ruin the moment the demon was summoned. That means it's effective, so we must remake it.”
“How much.”
The Duke saw through Pernyan's intentions in an instant.
Mentioning the Bell of Ruin and showing him the ore meant he wanted the Fallenberg family to take the lead. And he expected a certain fee for himself.
“You can pay me the market price.”
“Even for me, I cannot pay the full price for this much.”
To pay the proper price, he would have to pull all the funds from the merchant guild and even sell some land and buildings; the family would undoubtedly stagger from the blow.
And Pernyan didn't want that either. After all, the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild would eventually be his.
“I'll give it to you for half price, as a special offer.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to negotiate with the Pope directly.”
“It seems you've heard the Bell of Ruin was made by the hands of the Cult.”
It was surprising that the Duke knew, but in a way, it was to be expected.
The Fallenberg family's web-like network of connections that stretched across the Empire, and even the continent, was another of their great assets.
Could the Cult not be among them?
“Then what do you intend to do once you have this?”
“You've grown up.”
“I believe I've paid a price worthy of it.”
Hmm. The Duke leaned back in his chair, his gaze deepening as he looked at Pernyan.
“People sometimes make a mistake. They think that just because they have what the other party wants, they are automatically in the superior position.”
“I am simply trusting in the conscience of my father, the merchant.”
“You're trusting in your status as my son.”
That was also true. If he were facing anyone other than the Duke, Pernyan would never have had this kind of conversation.
“I will donate it to the Cult.”
“Yes.”
“You're not surprised.”
“You won't *just* be donating it, will you?”
The Duke valued money even more than Pernyan did. Though it was a form of education, he was not one to give his own son anything for free.
“If it were you, what would you do next?”
“I would summon the Electors and hold a conference.”
There were countless nobles in the Empire, but the pillars that moved the Empire were, in the end, the Electors.
This was because they were the founding contributors of the Empire, and over a thousand years, their power had only grown stronger, never weaker.
The vast majority of the Empire's nobles belonged to the factions of one Elector or another.
“The agenda would be something like 'The Creation of the Bell of Ruin'.”
“Yes. I also considered the source of the materials…”
“The Fallenberg family has many warehouses. Some of them are over a thousand years old.”
A slight smile touched Pernyan's lips.
“The others will have to offer something of comparable value to our family, won't they?”
“Of course.”
Fallenberg would suffer a huge financial loss, but the other six Electors would make up for some of it.
Whether it be money, goods, or even territories and concessions.
There was no possibility of them refusing.
With demonic beasts on the move and the Bell of Ruin destroyed, the fear of demons was breathing down their necks.
Any fool who couldn't sense that was not qualified to be an Elector.
The Bell of Ruin was an absolute necessity.
And at a time when only the Fallenberg family possessed the materials to make it, the initiative was unconditionally theirs.
“I'm glad your thoughts are so similar to mine.”
“Is this all you want?”
Unfortunately for his father, it was not.
“There is one thing. I'd like to use the workshop.”
“You have more left over. Don't tell me it's enough to build that golem again…?”
“It's not that much.”
He just thought he might be able to make some equipment for the golem.
“I'll arrange it.”
“Thank you. And there's one more thing.”
The Duke's eyebrow twitched.
“A merchant's word is built on trust.”
“This is a different matter. It's about the information on the Vile Breeds you promised to share with me, which I haven't received yet.”
After Pernyan had handed the Duke the records on various Vile Breeds and Andromalius, the Duke had also begun investigating the Vile Breeds hidden within the family, as well as those across the continent.
“I was about to send it soon anyway. Wait for it at the academy.”
“Yes. I will.”
“Take the chests back and put them all in the warehouse.”
“Yes.”
With a bow, Pernyan disappeared.
The Duke immediately wrote six letters, stamped them with his seal, and called his butler.
“Send these to the Electors.”
“Yes.”
Just as he was about to hand over the letters, the Duke paused. Then he wrote one more.
“And to the Bercefes.”
“Yes.”
“What's the status of the report on the Golden Pillar?”
“It will be ready within two days.”
“Bring it to me the moment it's finished.”
“Yes.”
*Tap, tap.* The Duke's fingers drummed against the table.
No matter how he thought about it, it was hard to accept.
“Where on earth did he get so much of it…”
The amount he used to build the golem was already excessive.
Once could be a coincidence, but not twice.
He had sensed it for a while now, but Pernyan was hiding something.
“It won't be harmful to the Fallenberg family, but…”
Still, he couldn't just stand by and watch.
“Investigate Pernyan's activities as well.”
“As you command.”
The butler disappeared.
“Maintaining secrecy will be paramount.”
The difference between having the Bell of Ruin and not was immense.
And whether the demons knew about it or not was even more critical.
“There wouldn't be any Vile Breeds among the Electors, surely.”
It was a guess, but the Duke was certain.
Because no one that incompetent could ever become an Elector.
* * *
Indeed, his father had not lied.
Pernyan found a thick report sitting on the table in his room upon his return.
“So far, twelve Vile Breeds have been found within the family, including the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild, with fifty-five others involved directly or indirectly.”
That was quite a lot. It was fortunate they were caught before it was too late, but there was no way to know if this was all of them.
“Besides them…”
The report shifted its focus to Vile Breeds outside the family.
Suspicious noble families, merchant guilds, and other groups were listed as potential suspects, and the most suspicious among them was the House of Marquis Friedien.
“…Wait, Friedien?”
A Vile Breed in the Friedien family?
Of course, it was only a suspicion, but the mere fact that an Elector family's name was on the list was controversial enough.
Pernyan quickly read through the details.
[- Adolf Friedien.
Direct descendant of the Friedien family. Nephew of the current head.
Elf. Age 29.
Vice-commander of the Friedien family's Guardian Tree Knights.
An extreme vegetarian who, unlike most elves, does not eat meat at all.
…Omitted.
…Recently experienced a rapid increase in skill, securing the position of vice-commander of the Guardian Tree Knights.
The number and consumption rate of elixirs held by the Friedien family cannot be fully ascertained.
The possibility of having achieved an epiphany cannot be ruled out.
However, due to the sudden increase in skill, the possibility of being a Vile Breed cannot be dismissed. Designated as a person of interest.]
“…What the.”
Pernyan let out a sigh of relief.
For a moment, he thought a direct descendant of the Friedien family was actually a Vile Breed.
If a direct Friedien descendant were a Vile Breed, it would be impossible to even guess how many others were involved and how deep their roots ran.
“Anyway, a vegetarian elf? How bizarre.”
[- Roderick Fisher
Collateral branch of the Fisher family. A 13th cousin to the current head.
Human. Age 33.
A member of a collateral branch of the Fisher family, he left the family at a young age to become a mercenary.
After a life as a wandering mercenary, he gained fame and founded the Blue Wolf Mercenary Group…]
Pernyan continued to flip through the report, checking the next entries.
And then he realized why the report was thicker than he had imagined.
“They've included every noble who seems even slightly suspicious.”
It was unavoidable, in a way.
Within their own family, they could mandate the use of the Cult's inspection artifacts, but even an Elector couldn't force such a thing on other noble families.
So, the only option was to add anyone who seemed even the least bit suspicious to the list of suspects.
By the time he finished speed-reading the document, night had fallen.
“…Should I go to bed now?”
Overcome with fatigue, Pernyan prepared for bed and lay down.
*Knock, knock—*
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
According to the rules of La Vie Douce Dormitory, students were forbidden from visiting other students' rooms.
To knock on a door despite this meant it was either a maid, someone with enough money and power to ignore the rules like Pernyan, or a servant brought by a student.
And in this case.
“Young Master, it's me. Are you asleep already?”
It was the last one.
“Come in.”
The door opened. Hyde, dressed in stealth attire, silently took his place before Pernyan.
“I heard you went to the main estate.”
“I had something to discuss with my father. I'll tell you about it after you're done. It seems you've found something?”
“Yes, I have.”
*Oh?* A corner of Pernyan's mouth twisted up.
“What is it?”
“It's the elixir Gismond Erdt is hiding.”
“…There's more elixir?”
What in the world is that guy?