Chapter 56
Chapter 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: A Treacherous Subject Can Be Useful Too - 56
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A short while later, in the territory of Baron Zelkard.
Rather than heading directly to Baron Zelkard's territory, Beonald thought it better to take a few days to leisurely make his way there, detouring through surrounding villages to hear the local situation and rumors.
And thanks to Heidi, Baron Zelkard's daughter, accompanying them, Beonald's party was able to enter without any particular scrutiny or restrictions regarding the griffin Alterio.
"Welcome, Young Master Beonald! I've been expecting you."
Whether he had heard the news in advance or not, as soon as they arrived at the mansion, Baron Zelkard came out to greet Beonald's party.
Leaving Alterio with Heidi and Saine, Beonald first went to the Baron's reception room, continuing his conversation with him along the way.
"Thank you for your warm welcome, Baron. However, I am no longer a 'young master.' Please lower your speech. You may simply call me Beonald."
"Haha, but your bloodline is still distinctly different, is it not? Moreover, this way is more comfortable for me, Lord Beonald."
"Then let it be so. By the way, I assume you are roughly aware of the circumstances…"
"Yes. I've heard the rumors. You caused quite a stir with the Callermain Earldom and the Royen Viscountcy."
Nod.
Beonald did not deny Baron Zelkard's words and nodded, continuing to listen to the information he knew.
Baron Zelkard relayed that currently, the Royen Viscountcy was grinding its teeth, trying to capture and kill Beonald.
Having killed two knights who were the family's valuable assets, and having taken not only the Royen Viscountcy's wealth they possessed but also nearly confiscated Lady Meira's wealth as ransom for the knights, it was natural they would be furious.
"I see. Any signs of military action?"
"They're already showing them. Mobilizing all 500 troops stationed in the Royen Viscount's territory. Public order has been switched to a defense system with village chiefs and local militias in each area of the territory, and they are even gathering mercenaries. They are showing their intent to catch and kill you before you leave this vicinity."
"Just as expected. Did they say anything to you, Baron? They must have considered the possibility of me coming here since I have Heidi with me…"
"Of course they came. They said if you and your party arrive, I must capture you and hand you over; if I do, they'll spare my daughter; if I take your side, I should be prepared to become an enemy of their family…"
"Not deviating from expectations in the slightest. So? What do you plan to do with me, Baron? Will you capture me and deliver me to Viscount Royen?"
"Hahaha, if I were going to do that, I wouldn't even be having this conversation. Because Lord Beonald has already prepared for all these eventualities, hasn't he?"
At Baron Zelkard's prediction, Beonald smiled slightly, seeming pleased.
To say he had 'prepared' was a bit odd, but as Baron Zelkard said, Beonald was, for all intents and purposes, ready to respond organically and immediately to the current situation.
"Prepared… That's an overstatement. I merely did what any noble should. First… I'd like to write a letter to Viscount Delmain, if that's alright?"
"Of course. And I will naturally stand on your side, Lord Beonald. If you need anything, please speak without hesitation."
'What should I say? He's too perceptive and considerate; there's nothing to argue about. I expected worries, responsibility, or being told it's dangerous and I should leave? I thought there would be objections.'
'History ultimately rolls in the hands of a few geniuses. What stands before me now is clearly! The great hand that will shape that history. It has investment value.'
Even now, how is it? A normal noble, kicked out of his home and chased by a Viscountcy mobilizing an army, would normally panic or try to flee immediately.
But what about this Beonald? Far from pressure or anxiety, he was calmly writing a letter on the stationery provided.
'That dignity is unimaginable for someone who just came of age. It's like seeing the imperial princes of the capital or numerous genius nobles. So this is a fight where, if I just quietly follow along, I'm bound to reap great benefits. Just look at Heidi; hasn't she grown unrecognizably in such a short time?'
Added to the basis for trusting Beonald was precisely Heidi's change.
When Baron Zelkard saw his daughter Heidi, he almost jumped in surprise. Before, she just had an unladylike frame with a clumsy feel, but now, from the overwhelming aura emanating from her entire body to her firmly grounded sharpness. Beonald must have cultivated that.
Thus, Baron Zelkard thought, just like the previous incident in the Teal slums, it was best to quietly follow Beonald.
"Good, this should suffice for the letter. Please send it to Viscount Delmain immediately. And from now on, there will be a great deal to do."
"Then I shall follow your orders, Lord Beonald."
"Then let's discuss the countermeasures and proceed immediately. Time is money, after all."
He didn't know what Baron Zelkard expected from him, but since he was cooperating well in the current situation and there was nothing more to say, Beonald requested a place to stay and then returned to his party to give instructions on their tasks.
"Saine, as before, you will continue to be my maid and companion. Take care of Alterio, of course, and also gather information about this mansion's situation and rumors circulating in the territory, purchasing and replenishing necessary items at your discretion. I'll provide ample funds."
"Yes, Lord Beonald."
"Heidi, protect Saine when she goes out. And don't forget to train and practice in your spare time. You can ask Baron Zelkard to open a private room for you. If that's not possible, you can train in my room under the pretext of guarding the money. Saine will guard you then."
"Yes! Understood."
"Finally, Selina, you come with me. We're going out right now."
"Oh my~ I'm so honored you called for me. Huhu."
After giving instructions to the two, Beonald took a certain amount of money, went out to buy a horse, and then left the territory with Selina.
Then, confirming there were no people around, he asked Selina directly.
"When we went to the base where we restrained the knights before, did you feel something?"
"Ah~ That place with the strangely dense mana concentration, you mean?"
"So you did sense it. I thought it was strange you didn't say anything."
"It's not particularly amazing, and it can be substituted with magic stones. Also, that ley line will eventually disappear once the mana is gone. Moreover, after all… for a mage, knowledge of how to use it takes priority over the mana itself."
'How can she say the exact same thing as 500 years ago…'
Five hundred years ago, Beonald, as an alchemist, had belonged to a Magic Tower, and when he talked about these ley lines, most mages were rather indifferent.
They believed that the quantity and quality of mana could be easily solved with greater capital or power, and since the mana in ley lines was finite, there was no point in worrying about them.
'And even if martial families know about this, the performance of their mana breathing method is the problem, so training at a ley line wouldn't make much difference in efficiency.'
The mana breathing method used by Beonald and Heidi was from the imperial family and imperial knight order of the empire that once unified this continent.
Only by using such a method could one perceive the efficiency difference between a ley line and a normal environment; with ordinary mana breathing methods, the efficiency was too poor to even notice.
'I didn't say that to Erasol, but anyway, with a high-ranking knight family's mana breathing method, it should yield a certain level of efficiency…'
"So what's the point, then?"
"Find that ley line. If I try to find it, I'd have to use alchemical knowledge, you see. I tried using aura just in case, but eventually… I failed."
"Well, the essence of aura is ultimately accumulating and controlling pure mana with the body to use it. Trying to find it with that is strange. Aren't you looking down on magic too much?"
"…I'm not a mage, so what can I do? Anyway, can you find it?"
"Hmph! Don't worry. Of course I can find it."
Selina, puffing out her chest, boasting of her competence. Beonald felt somewhat annoyed but had to endure it for now.
Finding the ley line was the top priority at the moment.
There was too much to do before Viscount Royen and Lady Meira, aware of his movements, declared war on him.
"Alright, then do it quickly."
"Yes. Then look forward to my skills. Ah, by the way, is it okay even if it's a dangerous area?"
"Anywhere nearby is fine."
"Yay~ I'll do as you command. In return, please resume the alchemy lessons soon~"
Flirting as she dismounted, Selina took a magic book from her pocket and began drawing something on the ground.
Thinking it might be a spellbook, Beonald glanced at it, but it was filled with symbols and formulas he couldn't understand with his knowledge, making it completely incomprehensible.
"Let's see. Here… the Rra and Kmd incantations…"
'Well, those guys couldn't make heads or tails of my alchemy notes either… so it's tit for tat? Hoo~'
"No. I think I need to insert WIDa here…"
Struggling with the magic circle like that for about an hour, groaning. Unlike the spells she usually cast easily, ley line detection seemed complicated.
Feeling the time spent waiting was wasteful, he cautiously asked how much longer he needed to wait.
"About… another hour, please. Why won't the calculations match?"
"It takes a long time to prepare a single spell."
"Well, the standardized spells for protecting the body or fighting are simple, so I memorize them in advance… but for detection like this, I have to weave multiple spells together to form a new configuration, so it takes time. Simply put, in a case like this, I'm casting 4-5 low-level spells at once and controlling them organically to use them."
'Hmm… It's definitely regressed compared to 500 years ago.'
It might be obvious, but Beonald had already entrusted the task of finding ley lines to a mage 500 years ago.
Back then, he asked a dark elf mage he was acquainted with, and without any complicated calculations like this, he just closed his eyes, muttered something, and bluntly answered, 'Go 2,400 paces east-west.'
'Anyway, I don't know what level a 4th-rank mage is, but it's clearly… not a very high rank.'
After waiting like that, Selina finally completed her calculations and confidently cast a spell before Beonald.
Then, mana flowed from Selina's body, taking form according to the incantation from her lips, a red light shot from her eyes as she began to look around, and after turning about half a circle, she finally let out a cheer as if she had discovered something.
'Somehow… it's different from what I imagined.'
"Found it! I found it. If you go straight in this direction, it should appear."
"Good. Then mount up. First, let's confirm the location today."
It took more time, but as long as the objective was accomplished, wasn't that fine? Satisfied, Beonald mounted Selina again and moved to find the ley line.
Even at this moment, Lady Meira and Viscount Royen were surely moving against him, so every minute and second was precious; he had to prepare for the coming war or conflict quickly.