Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Titania of York
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A short time later, the ‘Black Prince’ arrived at Duke Lancaster’s castle, bringing news of victory.
When Dale’s messenger had reported the news a few steps ahead of him, the archducal house’s leadership had to doubt their own ears.
‘We have annihilated the Order of Saint Magdalena’s cavalry, who were conducting guerrilla operations, and captured Count Brandenburg.’
For a fleeting moment, they wondered if it was the baseless boast of a naive child. After all, it wasn't uncommon in war to exaggerate one's achievements after routing a paltry band of rabble.
When Dale had first announced he would take a small number of knights on a ‘patrol of the duchy,’ the Lancaster leadership couldn't hide their disappointment, feeling they had finally seen the truth behind the exaggerated tales of the so-called ‘Black Prince.’ They were more concerned that the eldest son of House Sachsen was acting on his own in such a critical situation and even tried to stop him.
‘Let us put our faith in Lord Dale for now.’
In the end, it was Mikhail, the second son of House Lancaster, who respected Dale’s wishes.
And this was the result. A result no one in Duke Lancaster’s castle could have ever imagined. In other words, a surprise attack using ‘forces from outside the territory’ that even the people of Lancaster knew nothing about.
The Shadow Court, the empire’s foremost organization of assassins… This was an outcome only achievable by experts capable of covert operations, even on a battlefield where the empire’s greatest archdukes clashed.
*Thud!*
The Holy Sword Master was there. No, he had fallen to a state where he could no longer even be called that.
Crippled and unable to walk even a few steps on his own, he was forcibly thrown into the castle, bound by Dale’s Night Raven Knights. It was a miserable sight, unbelievable for one of the empire’s five war heroes.
“C-Count Brandenburg!”
Even the vassals of House Lancaster could not hide their astonishment at the scene.
War was an act of killing and being killed. However, unless it was an all-out war with the goal of annihilating the opposing force, this rule did not quite apply to those of ‘noble blood’ in this world.
When a knight or noble was captured, it was customary to demand a ransom while affording them courteous treatment befitting their station. It was more advantageous to treat a captured noble with respect and plan for the future than to needlessly kill them and earn hatred.
But the ‘Black Prince’ had not done so.
The assassins’ hidden weapons had been mercilessly driven into the Holy Sword Master’s body, leaving him unable to lift even a finger.
“How could you treat a war hero of the empire so cruelly!”
“This is an outrageous display of disrespect!”
The noble vassals of House Lancaster spoke up, unable to hide their dismay. Every one of them expressed concern for the ‘war hero of the empire.’
Watching them, Dale spoke as if he couldn't understand.
“To which lord have you all sworn your allegiance?”
“This is not a matter of loyalty! Respecting prisoners is an imperial tradition…!”
“An imperial tradition, you say?”
One of House Lancaster’s noble vassals swallowed hard.
“Are you, my lord, planning to follow that proud imperial tradition, ignore the Archduke’s will, and install the eldest son as the heir?”
“N-No, that’s not what I meant…”
The noble trailed off in bewilderment, and it was at that very moment.
“That is enough.”
After a period of silence, the Heavenly Sword, Archduke Lancaster, spoke from his throne. His words carried a weight that overwhelmed the commotion in the hall. A momentary silence fell.
“Young heir of Sachsen, do you understand the meaning of your actions?”
“I understand them perfectly well.”
Dale answered the Heavenly Sword’s question without a hint of hesitation.
“I have captured a powerful enemy who sought to bring down House Lancaster and brought him before Your Grace, the Archduke.”
“Do you also understand the repercussions your disrespectful and cruel actions toward the Holy Sword Master will bring upon House Sachsen in the future?”
“Ah, you need not worry about that.”
Dale let out a cold sneer.
“Count Brandenburg’s ‘Holy Sword Durandal’ is no longer of this world.”
“...!”
“Even if a blacksmith, guided by a revelation from the twin goddesses, were to forge ‘another Holy Sword’ in the future, it will certainly never be held in this man’s hands.”
Gasps echoed throughout the hall.
“The Holy Sword is broken, destroyed by irreversible damage. Therefore, His Lordship the Count is no longer the ‘Holy Sword Master.’”
The kneeling count bit his lip.
“I will never, ever forgive you…”
He muttered weakly after biting down, his voice utterly hollow as if his soul were draining away.
“The church will not stand idly by, now that you have desecrated a holy relic of the first Master of the White Magic Tower.”
The Heavenly Sword, Archduke Lancaster, questioned him, and Dale nodded.
“Accepting that will be my burden to bear. The responsibility for felling the Holy Sword Master is mine and mine alone.”
“You intend to take both the credit and the blame?”
The Heavenly Sword pressed, his tone sharp.
“That is correct.”
The defeat of the Holy Sword Master and his Order of Saint Magdalena would be ‘Dale’s responsibility’ alone. In other words, the military fame and victory for defeating the renowned Holy Sword Master would also belong solely to the ‘Black Prince.’
The truth could not be denied. Furthermore, it was a price well worth paying.
“Very well.”
The Heavenly Sword nodded and continued.
“The decision regarding the treatment of the captured prisoner, ‘Count Brandenburg,’ will be left entirely to the will of ‘House Sachsen.’”
“...!”
“I will obey the Archduke’s command.”
Dale silently bowed his head. At least the Heavenly Sword was a man who understood reason.
With this, one of his most hated enemies had fallen entirely into his hands. But this was only the beginning. The empire was like a colossal dragon, and Dale had only just severed its tail.
* * *
—Move this man to the ‘Court.’
The decision regarding the Holy Sword Master’s treatment as a prisoner was now entirely the responsibility of House Sachsen, and so Dale did not hesitate.
The Shadow Court.
The ‘Shadow Lord’ was there, in a secret location within the Lancaster duchy, unknown even to their allies.
“Heh, fuck. The life of a hero ain’t worth shit.”
Beside the ‘Shadow Lord,’ the Killing Sword, Master Baro, muttered as if it were someone else’s problem.
Behind iron bars reminiscent of a dungeon, the man who once bore the name ‘Holy Sword Master’ lifted his head.
“You… you monster of Sachsen…!”
Monster of Sachsen.
“I will now tell you about the future that awaits you, Count.”
Dale replied icily.
“Officially, you still hold the title of ‘Holy Sword Master,’ and in exchange for the weight of that name, we will demand a ‘massive ransom’ from your house.”
“...!”
“It will be an amount that even the great Count Brandenburg would find difficult to bear.”
Dale sneered coldly.
“But will your son, Lord Phillip, have any other choice?”
“How, how dare you…!”
“The pillar of the family, a proud father, the Holy Sword himself… the ‘sacrifice to be paid’ for him would be but a trivial sum, would it not? Even if it were a king’s ransom.”
“...!”
Dale mused as if it were no concern of his, while the Holy Sword Master struggled desperately, heedless of his crippled body that couldn't even support itself. Furthermore, his internal organs were in ruins, a knight unable to even use the power of aura.
The ‘tendons’ Dale had referred to were not just the literal ones.
The tendons of a knight, the internal organ known as the aura heart, were no exception.
Reversing this level of damage would be impossible, even with the healing magic of the Master of the White Magic Tower.
Just as Master Baro had said, it was a truly pathetic end for one of the empire’s proud war heroes.
Just as it had been for the ‘Hero from Another World.’
* * *
Immediately after. An envoy arrived at House York.
They came not in the name of Archduke Lancaster, but solely in the name of ‘Duke Sachsen.’
It was a proposal to discuss the treatment of the captured Holy Sword Master and to request a summit between House York and House Sachsen.
* * *
Titania of York.
Officially, she was the ‘wife of the Marquis of York,’ a brilliant and wise woman who supported the family. But those who knew the truth had another name for her.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mistress.”
“…”
Dale spoke her title, but ‘Mistress Titania’ showed no reaction. She simply fanned herself gracefully, her beauty and dignity untouched by the passage of time.
“Oh, the charming young lord of Sachsen has made quite the difficult journey.”
Titania and her favored, brilliant daughters of House York were there. Margaret and Catherine, along with five other young ladies. Sisters who possessed the cruelty of black and the wisdom of blue.
“May I ask why you requested a ‘summit’ with me, rather than with my husband?”
“There are two of the Seven Swords on this side, and only one on yours.”
“So the stories about the Killing Sword and the Shadow Court kneeling before the ‘Black Prince’ were true.”
Titania said, as if it were no surprise.
“The ‘balance of power’ maintained by those beyond the standard has already collapsed.”
Asymmetric Force.
In his past world, this was the domain of ‘strategic weapons’ like nuclear arms—power beyond conventional scale. In this world, that was the weight carried by ‘transcendent beings’ like the Seven Swords or the Five-Colored Magic Tower Masters.
“For the future of House York, would you not consider surrendering and withdrawing at this point?”
Once you have the upper hand, there is no need to settle things through battle.
“Even if he does not inherit the title, the Archduke is willing to maintain the engagement between Lord Richard and Lady Margaret. There is little point in continuing this fight.”
“It seems the ‘Black Prince’s’ reputation was not an exaggeration.”
Titania smiled, looking amused.
“The moment I accept, you intend to use the continuation of Lord Richard and Lady Margaret’s engagement as a bargaining chip to negotiate an end to the war with the Archduke. Is that not so?”
“…”
Dale maintained a composed smile. Titania’s assessment was correct. There was no such agreement between Dale and the Archduke. It was purely Dale’s bluff to entice House York.
His goal for this summit was to secure an agreement with House York and then use that agreement to persuade the Archduke to end the war.
“Unfortunately, we have no intention of ending this war.”
“Even when the balance between the powerful has been shattered?”
“I must admit, the Holy Sword Master falling so quickly was outside my expectations.”
Titania said.
“But war is not decided by the existence of powerful individuals alone. If it were, what would be the purpose of all this grandiose armor, swords, soldiers, and strategy? It would be better to just decide the victor with a single duel between the mighty.”
‘My thoughts exactly.’
Swallowing those words before they could escape his throat, Dale asked back.
“Do you have something else you’re counting on?”
“Well, for instance…”
Mistress Titania smiled meaningfully.
—Simultaneously, the surrounding scenery began to distort.
An otherworld that existed only for Dale and Titania. It could only mean one thing.
‘A World of Thought…!’
A landscape of the mind, superimposed on the world by a high-ranking mage of the 6th Circle or higher.
It was a flower field of roses stretching endlessly to the horizon. Roses tinged with blue and black light scattered their petals, and the sharp thorns of their stems sprouted everywhere.
‘Black and blue roses, and thorns.’
Within that world, Mistress Titania asked again.
“If I were to decide to take you prisoner right here, what would you do, my lord?”
“The great ‘Mistress’ would not make the foolish decision to turn Lord Black into an enemy.”
Dale replied calmly, maintaining his poker face.
“Oh, how very clever of you.”
Titania laughed, looking delighted.
“But surely you know what it means for a mage to manifest a ‘World of Thought.’”
It was either 100% negation or 100% affirmation. One of the two, with no exceptions.
“Fortunately, I am fully prepared to reciprocate the trust Mistress Titania has shown me.”
“I am so glad to hear you say that.”
Mistress Titania smiled as she continued.
“But trust can only be established when it is mutual. Just as I have revealed my heart, would you not grant me ‘Lord Dale’s heart’ as well?”
Titania continued.
“If you do, I am prepared to trust Lord Dale and continue our discussion.”
It was a demand for Dale to reveal his own mental landscape to counter the World of Thought she had unfurled.
Dale remained silent for a moment, trying to fathom the hidden intentions of the witch of York.
A brief silence descended.
At the end of it, Dale opened his mouth to speak.