Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: The Succession Dispute
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* * *
Sometime later, as Mikhail Lancaster’s exploits began to bear fruit and the development of the northern Demon Realm was getting on track.
A person secretly came to the northern Demon Realm to seek out Mikhail Lancaster. It was, without a doubt, an emissary from the Archducal House of Lancaster.
Developing the northern Demon Realm was not a task to be completed in a day or two. It was a massive undertaking that would take years upon years of subjugating demons and cultivating the land to build new fortresses.
However, Dale could not devote his entire life to this Demon Realm. Before being Viscount Sachsen, Dale had never once forgotten his true purpose.
The envoy from House Lancaster had arrived, and the time had come for Dale and Mikhail to fulfill their promise.
The succession dispute between the two great magnates, the Archducal House of Lancaster and the Marquisal House of York, was finally about to begin.
Therefore, Dale left trustworthy people in his viscounty and went to his father, Duke Sachsen’s, castle.
He went to support Mikhail Lancaster—the Apostle of Fire and Light who would one day become his enemy—as the ‘heir to the archducal house.’
* * *
“...A grand anti-demon alliance, you say.”
In Duke Sachsen’s office.
As usual, Dale and his father, Duke Sachsen, were present, along with another guest: Mikhail Lancaster, the second son of the Archducal House of Lancaster.
After grasping the situation with House Lancaster and considering the proposal, Duke Sachsen maintained a deep silence.
“To think your opponents are the enchantresses of York. This has become a difficult situation.”
The enchantresses of York. As the greatest magnate and warlock in the empire, Duke Sachsen knew a great deal about the true state of this world and the empire.
“Moreover, even for the Heavenly Sword, Archduke Lancaster, as long as the Demon Sword and the Holy Sword stand together... it will not be an easy fight.”
It was a fierce battle where three of the Seven Swords of the Continent would clash, and the repercussions of that clash would be anything but light. This was by no means a stage where Dale could shine alone.
That was why the Archducal House of Lancaster sought to borrow the power of House Sachsen. The house of one of the Seven Swords, and moreover, the greatest magnate of the north, ruled by the continent’s finest warlock.
“Our Archducal House of Lancaster will never forget Sachsen’s goodwill.”
Mikhail Lancaster said, as if displaying the symbol of House Lancaster, the white and red rose, engraved on his breastplate.
“If we are victorious in this war, I, as the heir to the Archducal House of Lancaster... will seek to establish an ‘unquestionable alliance’ with Sachsen, in addition to the grand anti-demon alliance.”
He then began to persuade Duke Sachsen about what each side would give and receive.
“Lord Helmut and I cannot personally travel to the Lancaster domain.”
The powerful are not easily moved. This was especially true for the northern Duchy of Sachsen. While Dale was away, it would fall to his father, Lord Black, to oversee the development of the Demon Realm.
“However, Dale, it seems your mind is already firmly made up.”
“…”
“The succession dispute between Lancaster and York will not be so trivial as to be swayed by your hand alone.”
“I understand that point completely. But this is something worth the risk.”
“What is?”
“Lord Mikhail will one day become a powerful figure in this empire and a great magnate worthy of our ducal house.”
“…”
“And there is no better investment for the future than to become a source of strength for him in this difficult time.”
Dale answered without a hint of hesitation. Hearing this, Mikhail Lancaster momentarily held his breath.
“It seems your faith in the young lord is quite firm.”
Although there was an age gap of nearly a dozen years, Mikhail Lancaster was someone Dale got along with quite well. For Dale, he was practically the only scion of a noble family with whom he had built a friendship, and the fact that the family was the Archducal House of Lancaster went without saying.
The Apostle of Fire and Light. The peace Mikhail envisioned was clearly distorted. There was no telling if he would become an enemy in the future. But by winning his heart and forming an alliance at this point, Dale could potentially prevent such an outcome, killing two birds with one stone.
“Lord Dale…”
Mikhail smiled awkwardly, and Dale looked at his father, Duke Sachsen.
“I do not ask for much. Please lend me the ducal house’s Night Raven Knights and the elders of the Black Magic Tower.”
“The Marquisal House of York, Lord Sephylia, and the Count’s House of Brandenburg have formed an alliance. Furthermore, although the Imperial Family has officially declared neutrality in their dispute, the fact that the vice-commander of the Iron Cross Knights is participating means…”
“We cannot rule out the possibility of the Red Magic Tower making a move.”
“House Lancaster is no pushover, either. But the level of force you’re talking about won’t have a significant impact on that battle.”
The knights, called the flower of war, and the elders of the Black Magic Tower. In a battle between minor lords, they would be a decisive force, enough to seal the outcome. But in a clash between the empire’s leading magnates, that was not the case.
Crucially, there was no ‘extraordinary power’ among them.
“You need not worry about that.”
Despite this, Dale smiled as if he had expected it.
“Because there is a powerful individual who can avoid the ‘eyes of the empire’ officially, yet still decisively influence their fight.”
“…?”
The time had finally come for the assets Dale had acquired to shine.
* * *
To counter the Heavenly Sword, Archduke Lancaster, Lord Sephylia of the Demon Sword, a branch of the York family, had joined the fray. House York had also secured the ‘Holy Sword’ by arranging a marriage between their second daughter, Catherine, and Phillip, the eldest son of House Brandenburg.
With two of the Seven Swords pointed at the Archducal House of Lancaster, there was only one way to balance the scales.
Furthermore, considering the situation of the Ducal House of Sachsen, it was practically impossible for Lord Helmut of the Seven Swords to leave his post. The same was true for Lord Black’s participation.
But Dale had another of the ‘Seven Swords’ in his possession.
At that moment, in the Great Shadow Court within Viscount Sachsen’s domain in the Demon Realm—the heart of the ‘Shadow Court,’ known as the empire’s greatest organization of assassins.
“Pfft! Cough, cough, cough! For fuck’s sake!”
A man with his legs crossed on the table spat out the beer he was drinking and cursed. He was a member of the Seven Swords of the Continent, a knight and assassin bearing the name of Killing Sword, completely lacking the dignity or decorum of a knight.
Facing Dale across the Great Court, Master Baro took another swig of beer.
“Did you just fucking say this is about the York and Lancaster succession dispute?”
“House York, whose daughter was engaged to Richard, the eldest son of House Lancaster, is protesting Archduke Lancaster’s decision to name the second son, Lord Mikhail, as the heir, and they are prepared to go to war over it. Since the fight is officially being framed under the pretext of upholding the ‘traditions of the empire,’ the Imperial Family has no reason to forbid it.”
Dale spoke calmly to Master Baro. His tone was incredibly casual.
“Right, so that ‘Demon Sword’ lady from the York branch family will be participating too, then.”
Demon Sword Sephylia. As Master Baro muttered the name with a fed-up expression, a flicker of emotion crossed Dale’s face.
The vice-commander of the ‘Iron Cross Knights,’ the empire’s finest knightly order and the emperor’s personal guard. As the empire’s hunting dog in his past life, Dale was no stranger to her name.
“The Demon Sword, the Holy Sword, the Heavenly Sword. Those monstrous bastards should be stopping this, not jumping into a kids’ fight, should they?”
“Unfortunately, we too have found ourselves in a position where we must jump into that ‘kids’ fight.’”
“Seriously, don't those bastards have anything better to do?”
Killing Sword Master Baro grumbled.
It was then that the Shadow Saint, who had been listening silently to their conversation, spoke, her eyes covered by a black blindfold.
“Mikhail Lancaster… Have you seen his avatar?”
The Shadow Saint, blindfolded in black, asked again. The power of a saint who could see the unseen. At her words, Dale slowly nodded.
“The Apostle of Fire and Light.”
Dale replied, recalling the avatar Mikhail had shown him.
“He is dangerous. He is one of the most powerful beings who will one day threaten the darkness of the ‘Shadow Lord.’”
“I am well aware of that.”
Dale said.
“But not right now. On the contrary, the alliance between our Ducal House of Sachsen and the Archducal House of Lancaster will provide value far beyond that.”
“...Is that a decision you have made as the ‘Apostle of Black’?”
The Apostle of Black, the one who would drive out the Empire of Fire and Light and bring forth the Empire of Shadow. The Shadow Court here pledges its loyalty to the eldest son of House Sachsen for that very purpose. Betraying their faith would not be a wise decision.
“It is.”
Dale nodded without a shred of hesitation.
“And now, to carry out my mission as the Apostle of Black, I need the power of the ‘Shadow Court.’”
As he spoke, Dale’s shadow stirred. It was not his prized shadow cloak.
From within the shadow, a human silhouette took form.
A knightess, abandoned by God, who had sworn to be Dale’s puppet in a world without gods. A knight of the Aura Master level and one of the Grave Guard, who had taken an oath of silence.
The ‘Black Holy Maiden,’ who had thoroughly become Dale’s shadow to protect him, was there.
“Furthermore, the time has come to finally test Lady Orelia’s training.”
At Dale’s words, the Black Holy Maiden, Orelia, silently nodded.
“Heh heh, I did a fucking fantastic job… no, an amazing job training that lady. It’s gotten to the point where one wrong move and she’ll take my head right off, you know?”
Under the Killing Sword’s training and by Dale’s command, she had abandoned the ‘sword of a knight’ and been reborn with the ‘sword of an assassin.’ That was the Holy Maiden Orelia now, and the new ideology layered upon her each time caused her avatar to be reborn in a new form.
A warrior strong enough to stand against the Seven Swords of the Continent without being pushed back.
“Along with the high-ranking assassins of the Shadow Court, we will act as a force for the Archducal House of Lancaster.”
Amidst the peace of the empire, the stage was set for the first major clash where two great magnates and extraordinary powers would collide with all their might.
“However, our existence and our actions will be carried out entirely from the shadows.”
Now one of the combatants in that battle, Dale spoke. As the head of the Shadow Court, the ‘Shadow Lord.’ With the continent’s greatest organization of assassins obeying his command.
“Heh heh, so it’s my fate to go around busting my ass lopping off heads again.”
In the face of Dale’s solemn voice, Master Baro muttered.
“Ah, for the record, I do have a dick.”
“...Stop spouting such bullshit.”
Dale replied, dumbfounded.