Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Wars of the Roses
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Around that time, the appearance of Mikhail Lancaster caused no small stir in the Labyrinth City.
Mikhail Lancaster, the sword prodigy said to be closest to joining the Seven Swords of the Continent.
It was one thing for mere adventurers and mercenaries to get swept up in the ‘Artifact Rush,’ chasing a chance at a fortune. But this was the second son of one of the Empire’s three great ducal houses—the Archducal House of Lancaster!
Within the Demon Lord’s territory, ruled by Viscount Sachsen, the weight his presence carried was immeasurable.
However, the shock of Mikhail Lancaster’s arrival was not confined to the Demon Lord’s territory.
Mikhail, a prominent candidate to be the next head of the great House Lancaster, had personally come to the Demon Lord’s territory beyond the northern frontier. In a sense, he was the first true magnate to visit the northern settlements, and the impact of his actions on the Empire would be immense.
The winds of the Artifact Rush in this new age of northern pioneering were no longer just a craze. They were a full-blown tempest.
In other words, the promise of a quick fortune in the Labyrinth City was no longer attracting just adventurers and mercenaries; even the nobles of the Empire were beginning to lick their lips.
Gold always attracts flies. While Mikhail Lancaster was certainly no ‘fly,’ his appearance undeniably served as a catalyst for the swarm.
***
Around that time, an S-rank adventurer in the Labyrinth City, ‘Edward of Dulles,’ was growing extremely anxious.
While bowing his head to Viscount Sachsen’s rule, he had been secretly expanding his ‘black market business’ in collusion with several guilds. The process of rallying adventurers and growing his influence within the city had been going quite smoothly.
After all, House Dulles was a renowned noble family in the Empire. Thus, not even Viscount Sachsen would dare to touch him carelessly.
To sustain the Artifact Rush and the new era of northern pioneering that Viscount Sachsen envisioned, the cooperation of the nobility was indispensable. No matter how much he disliked Dulles, he couldn’t just have him buried without a trace like some common criminal. Not even if he was the infamous ‘Black Prince.’
Just as ‘Phillip,’ the son of the Holy Sword Master, had been the sole survivor of that Black and White Rotation.
That was what it meant to be a noble. In this world, not all lives were equal, and Edward of Dulles possessed that precious bloodline. At least, that was what he himself believed without a shadow of a doubt.
Just then, news spread that an unexpected VIP had arrived in the Labyrinth City.
The second son of the Ducal House of Lancaster, Mikhail Lancaster.
Edward of Dulles did not hesitate for a moment. He intended to propose that they join hands as part of the ‘Noble Adventurer Alliance’ he was forming.
This Labyrinth City held a value far greater than any mithril mine. And there was no way they could let all the profits go to House Sachsen. Therefore, the ultimate goal of the Noble Adventurer Alliance led by Edward was not to remain mere ‘miners,’ but to eventually wrest a share of the city from Viscount Sachsen.
“What do you say, Lord Mikhail? Surely, nobles such as ourselves cannot be expected to mingle with those adventurers of base blood.”
Nobles and base blood. That was how most aristocrats viewed commoners, and at the proposal, Mikhail Lancaster gave a soft smile. A very gentle smile. Was he about to agree?
“Unfortunately, here I am nothing more than a ‘mere adventurer.’”
Mikhail Lancaster replied.
“Besides, it is not the nobility of our blood that will save us in the depths of the Labyrinth.”
Lancaster said with another gentle smile. Words unbelievable from one of the Empire’s greatest nobles.
Faced with Lancaster’s humility, Edward of Dulles was left speechless.
***
A short time later, in the depths of the Labyrinth.
“So this is where you were, Lord Dale.”
The voice came from behind him, without a hint of presence. It was Mikhail Lancaster.
“…”
At the voice, the S-rank adventurer <> turned his head. An inscrutable darkness lay thick beneath his hood, and the shadow remained silent. But the silence did not last long.
“How did you know?”
From beneath the shadows of the usually silent ‘Faceless,’ a voice, still holding a trace of youthfulness, emerged. He hadn't even bothered to disguise it with magic.
“Who could possibly fail to recognize the presence of the ‘Black Prince’?”
Mikhail Lancaster smiled, a red-and-white aura swirling around the ‘Peacemaker’ in his hand.
Faceless—Dale—remained composed, as if unsurprised. He paid no mind to the ‘cruel nobility’ swirling around the other’s blade.
“Why were you following me?”
“I was merely curious.”
Mikhail Lancaster answered.
“As to why the infamous ‘Black Prince,’ the ruler of the Demon Lord’s territory, would personally venture into the Labyrinth in disguise.”
“It is merely training.”
“Are the knights of Duke Sachsen’s castle not suitable training partners?”
Mikhail asked, readjusting his grip on the hilt of his Peacemaker.
“In that case, how about me as a training partner, my lord?”
“You must be aware, Lord Mikhail.”
At that, the shadows under Dale’s hood seemed to shift as he continued.
“Of the rule that any adventurer who draws their sword against another within the Labyrinth will be exiled from the Demon Lord’s territory, never to set foot here again.”
A rule established by Viscount Sachsen to maintain order in the Labyrinth City.
“In the darkness of this Labyrinth, is there anyone to enforce that rule?”
Mikhail Lancaster retorted, feigning amusement.
It was at that very moment.
“…!”
A presence stirred in the darkness.
An eerie wind swept through, and silhouettes had suddenly surrounded Dale and Mikhail.
They were men in crow’s beak masks and black coats.
High-ranking assassins of the ‘Shadow Court,’ now Dale’s own limbs.
But no matter how skilled they were, they could not have deceived Mikhail, who was near the level of the Seven Swords. Thus, what startled Mikhail was not their presence itself. It was the ‘one assassin’ among them.
Even the great Mikhail Lancaster had failed to sense his presence until the blade was at his neck.
A swordsman whose presence had gone unnoticed even by the man said to be closest to the Seven Swords.
That could only mean one thing.
The greatest assassin on the continent, one of the Seven Swords.
“The Killing Sword…”
“Hey, no hard feelings. Don’t take it too personally.”
Master Baro, the Killing Sword, replied as if it were no concern of his.
“It’s not like I enjoy holding a blade to the neck of the Heavenly Sword’s son.”
The Heavenly Sword, Mikhail’s father, who had inherited the title of ‘Greatest Sword in the Empire’ after the death of the Divine Sword.
“Is this ‘Shadow Court’ monitoring the adventurers inside the Labyrinth?”
“At least in the areas they can monitor, yes.”
The organizations under Viscount Sachsen’s command as ruler of the Demon Lord’s territory. The Night Raven Knights, the Winter Watchers, the Black Armor Company, and the Shadow Court. Each served as his limbs, carrying out his orders in their respective domains.
“You knew I was following you from the start.”
“And you, Lord Mikhail, followed me knowing that I knew.”
The conversation continued, one tail chasing another. Mikhail had followed Dale, and Dale, knowing this, had his own people follow Mikhail, a fact Mikhail was also aware of. He had known from the beginning and had issued his challenge as a provocation.
Though, even he hadn’t expected the Killing Sword himself to be the one on his tail.
“That day, at the black market in the Guild City… the City Master said you had acquired the ‘Shadow Court,’ Lord Dale.”
It was a fact there was no need to hide, at least not from Mikhail Lancaster.
“The path you are walking is truly astonishing, Lord Dale.”
“It hardly compares to you, Lord Mikhail, who as the second son has become the ‘leading heir to the Archducal House of Lancaster.’”
In this world, inheritance was based on primogeniture, and among the nobility, the weight of that rule was anything but light.
For instance, if the head of a house refused to pass his title to his eldest son, would the son simply accept it? And if surrounding nobles used that as a pretext to encourage a coup, it could easily escalate into a war of succession. Such cases were all too common.
When it came to a ducal house, the conflict could engulf the entire Empire in flames.
Despite this, the Archduke of Lancaster’s decision had not changed. He had officially named his second son, Mikhail, as his heir and had begun the process of solidifying his succession.
“You wouldn’t have come all the way to this northern Demon Lord’s territory just to cross swords with me.”
Dale said, grasping the situation.
“For what purpose have you come to my domain?”
At last, they brought the hidden topic to the forefront, and a negotiation table was set.
“How much do you know about the eldest son of House Lancaster, my brother, Richard Lancaster?”
Mikhail Lancaster asked in return.
“I know enough to be sure he won’t stand idly by and let the second son become the head of House Lancaster.”
“Correct.”
Mikhail Lancaster nodded calmly.
“And a short while ago… Lady Margaret, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of York, became engaged to my brother.”
The House of York. One of the great noble houses, ranked just below the three great ducal houses. And his engagement to the eldest son of House Lancaster meant only one thing.
“If my father proceeds to break the rule of primogeniture and continues with the succession, House York will rally to my brother’s cause under the pretext of upholding the ‘traditions of the Empire.’”
Dale unconsciously recalled the crest symbolizing the House of York.
House Lancaster was symbolized by the red-and-white rose: cruel nobility.
And House York was symbolized by the blue-and-white rose: wise nobility.
“The Wars of the Roses…”
Dale muttered unconsciously.
At his words, Mikhail Lancaster gave a bitter smile.
“What do you say, Lord Dale?”
Mikhail began, a smile on his face.
“Would you be willing to lend the ‘power of Sachsen’ to our House Lancaster?”
“Is this for the peace of House Lancaster?”
Dale asked, recalling Mikhail’s own words—that peace could only be obtained through war.
“It is.”
“An alliance between two ducal houses could threaten the order of the continent.”
Dale countered.
“Furthermore, the Empire—and you, Lord Mikhail—know what I acquired at the ‘black market’ that day.”
The heart of the Drowned Duke Barbarossa, one of the Empire’s three great dukes. For the Ducal House of Sachsen, which held that heart, to join hands with the future heir of the Archducal House of Lancaster meant only one thing.
“The Empire would not be pleased to see the power of the three great ducal houses consolidating around Sachsen.”
Knowing this, Mikhail still extended his hand, and Dale let out a scornful laugh at the contradiction.
“And weren’t you the patriot who valued the ‘peace of the Empire’ above all else, Lord Mikhail?”
“Ah, I do desire the peace of the Empire more than anything.”
Mikhail smiled as if he had expected the question.
“However, to achieve the ‘perfect peace’ I desire, a certain amount of destruction is a necessary sacrifice.”
As if to say destruction precedes creation.
“Besides, in this world, there is giving, and there is taking.”
Mikhail Lancaster continued.
“In return for an alliance with the Ducal House of Sachsen, I am prepared to show my ‘sincerity’ in a manner befitting the occasion.”