Chapter 78
Chapter 78
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The Treacherous Subject Has His Uses
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"I apologize once more for bringing you here so abruptly."
"It's quite alright. How could I dare refuse when it's your summons? However, I would be truly grateful if you could inform me of the reason, Senior."
"I, too, originally thought there would be no reason to call you back like this. But my father insisted you be brought."
"Your father, you say... That would be the head of the Valderian family, I presume. So his title is..."
"He is Count Valderian, but we prefer to be called a 'Sword Family,' and he likes being addressed as Family Head more. He says he can't stand being called 'Count'—it makes him itch all over."
'...Even after 500 years, family traditions don't change much, do they? Like ancestor, like descendant.'
'Uwaaah! Please don't call me Count! It gives me goosebumps, Your Grace!'
'What are you talking about? You should be grateful you were granted a title and lands!'
'Ah! I hate it! How am I supposed to manage that? Don't call me Count!'
'Just bear with it for official occasions.'
Memories from 500 years ago surfaced in Beonald's mind. And now, sitting before him was the descendant of the man who had been his loyal hound.
In this strange mood, Beonald struggled to regain his composure, feeling himself becoming sentimental as the past memories connected to an unforeseen present.
The Valderian family had indeed been his subordinates, but that was 500 years ago. Moreover, he was now Beonald Callermain, an 18-year-old, so his position and circumstances were different.
'...But still, I keep seeing glimpses of that guy in them.'
"We've arrived. Time to get a little tense."
'Hmm...'
And before he knew it, they had arrived at the Valderian family mansion. It wasn't particularly large, likely because it was built for their stay in the capital rather than being the main estate in their territory.
However, the tendencies of a family known as a prestigious sword house were clearly evident. Starting from the solid iron door engraved with three swords, to the fact that all members of the household aside from the servants—being 'swordsmen' affiliated with the Valderian family—wore light armor and carried swords.
"Those people... are they all swordsmen of the family?"
"Yes. But most are from collateral bloodlines, and even if they learned the mana breathing method, they're just dabblers who haven't truly mastered it. Anyway, those who don't become knights receive military training and join the Valderian family's army to serve."
"I see."
"Follow me."
The carriage stopped, and Beonald and Sane followed Cedron inside the mansion.
It wasn't ornate, but true to their self-proclaimed title of 'Sword Family,' most of the decorations consisted of displayed swords and armor. Among the artworks, there were many depicting knights fighting on battlefields.
'Has Kerwel's taste been passed down as a tradition? A taste unchanged even after 500 years.'
"Wait here. Servants will bring tea."
"Yes, understood. Ah, excuse me, I should send word to my employees. Could I borrow one person, Senior?"
"Since I'm the one who called you here unreasonably... I'll arrange it."
After Cedron left, a servant of the mansion soon came and handed Beonald a pen and parchment.
He wrote a letter to Heidi and Selina, instructed the servant to go directly to the secret mansion, and waited briefly. Then the door opened, and a robust, well-built middle-aged man wearing a sword entered.
A man with an impressively fiery red beard, smelling of alcohol, rushed over and glared at Beonald as he asked.
"Hmph! So you're the one called Beonald?"
"Yes, I am Beonald Callermain. I was adopted into the Callermain Earldom and received their surname, though I only have half their bloodline, so I entered the commoner academy. Anyway, I am truly honored by your summons."
"Not interested in that. Your name—who gave it to you? Your parents?"
"Yes, my parents gave it to me. And the name... I believe it was given to me by priests at the temple after an oracle was delivered. May I ask why you inquire?"
"None of your business. Hmmmmmmmmmm..."
Having said that, the Valderian Family Head pulled out a thick cigar, lit it with aura, and took a deep drag.
His expression showed conflict and distress.
Watching this, Beonald wondered if, despite the erasure of records, his name had been passed down within the direct vassal family that had served him.
After puffing out cigar smoke for a while, the Valderian Family Head flicked off some ash and questioned Beonald again.
"You know how to practice alchemy, I hear?"
"Yes. It's a skill I accidentally acquired thanks to an old tome found in the mansion."
"Where is that book now?"
"Unfortunately, it was destroyed. Knowledge becomes more valuable the more limited it is. Like the mana breathing method."
"True. Hooooo~"
After the question, he took another long drag, seemingly agonizing over something, then extinguished the cigar and spoke to Sane.
"Attendant beside him, you step outside. We have matters to discuss privately."
"Huh? Ah, yes!"
After Sane left, leaving Beonald alone with the Family Head, the latter fidgeted with an anxious look, then seemed to reach a decision, widening his eyes to glare at Beonald as he began to speak.
"A very long time ago... this continent was not six separate nations but united as one country. Do you happen to know of this?"
"Yes, I am aware. It's commonly referred to as the Unified Empire period."
"Right. Our Valderian family has been active since that Unified Empire period, surviving the chaos of the Age of Fragmentation to remain as a prestigious family to this day. Do you know how the Age of Fragmentation began?"
"From what I heard from my mother... during the Unified Empire period, a certain wicked treacherous subject seized power, acted tyrannically, weakened the nation's strength, causing the nobles below to rise up... or so I believe I was taught. I heard he was so wicked that the temple and all other nobles joined forces to erase his family and name from all records."
Perhaps because he was the wronged party in this injustice, Beonald made a rather strained expression, struggling to suppress rising emotions.
However, to the Valderian Family Head, this seemed to be taken as discomfort from speaking of an awkward matter.
"Yes, that is the 'history' known to everyone now. But... a different version has been passed down in our family."
"How does it differ?"
"The cause of the fragmentation... lies not with that person, but with the greed of other humans. Why can we be sure of this? Because our family was the very one that served that... 'nameless treacherous subject.' That treacherous subject... no, our ancestor referred to him as 'that person,' so from now on I shall call him 'that person.'"
'...Kerwel.'
"According to the story passed down in our family, 'that person' may have pursued personal gain, but he managed things so that the form of the Empire would not collapse. Rather, those who destroyed it were those who coveted 'that person's' treasures and lands, and 'that person's' successor who failed to see the bigger picture."
'Alterio...'
The Valderian Family Head continued, narrating the exact scenario of the Unified Empire's collapse that Beonald had anticipated.
The story of how Beonald, wielding absolute power, was betrayed and ousted by his own son, whom he had designated as successor, and how nobles coveting his wealth and treasures fought among themselves, leading to fragmentation.
"And in that horrific chaos, the religious order and the Unified Empire tried even harder to erase 'that person's' name from the world, as our ancestor recounted. As if to pass down to posterity that the Empire's collapse wasn't their fault... they should have spent that time preventing the world's chaos instead..."
"Their conviction... must have turned into madness. They probably thought they were doing the right thing, but when the world became even more disordered and chaotic, they went mad trying to deny it..."
"Ooh! Your comprehension is excellent! Yes! That's exactly what it seems like!"
Bang! Bang!
The Valderian Family Head slammed the table with enough force to worry if the chair might break, delighted by Beonald's words.
The reason Beonald could analyze it so vividly was because he knew well the Pope who held power at the time and the young Emperor who opposed him.
"Anyway, as things stand now, 'that person' is not only unnamed but treated as the root of evil. But while written records can be erased, memories are passed down through words. Families like ours that have survived since those days know the truth... but have pretended not to."
"So... with this grand story, what is it you wish to tell me?"
"Hahaha, don't worry. I'm getting to that now. Our ancestor left us these words. 'I... chose not to fight and die for that person, but to beg those bastards like a cowardly dog to preserve my life and family... because I feared that his truth and name would disappear due to that mad Emperor and religious order.'"
'Kerwel...'
"'And someday, if a descendant of that person, among the countless seeds sown... among that person's seeds... ah! Except that traitor Alterio! If a descendant survives, we must find them and help raise that person's family once more.' That's what he said."
Beonald had to grit his teeth and pinch his thigh hard to suppress the whirlwind of emotions raging in his chest.
The loyal message passed down through generations, which he could only hear now, after miraculously retaining his memories and being reborn, 500 years later. This feeling, as if his heart were burning with molten lava—he resented himself for not being able to express it honestly.
"Your expression looks bad. Is the story bothering you somehow?"
"Ah, no. Trying to comprehend it all... has fatigued my mind. Please continue."
"I was going to anyway. So... along with our ancestor's words, our family has continued to pass down 'that person's' name and story to later generations, waiting for the day when 'that person's' descendant would come to us."
"...Even without certainty they would come? And how would you determine if someone is 'that person's' descendant? Even if it's your ancestor's words, it seems too..."
"Quiet! This is our ancestor's absolute last will—the one who founded our family and left behind legends! Therefore, as successors who have inherited the family, we must naturally uphold it. In fact, this story itself is learned alongside the family's highest mana breathing method when one is appointed as the family successor."
'Wait, couldn't you teach the mana breathing method separately? To stubbornly pass this down for 500 years... What kind of blood does Kerwel have...'
Beonald was astonished by the ridiculous method of transmission, yet thought that bloodlines truly couldn't be ignored.
Then, after taking another deep breath, the Valderian Family Head continued his story.
"Anyway, now I should formally state why I had you summoned. Our ancestor, who left us this will, didn't just prepare us—he also prepared an artifact to be delivered to 'that person's' posterity personally."
"An artifact... you say?"
"Yes, a sealed artifact passed down for hundreds of years. Our ancestor said, '...Only one who has inherited alchemical knowledge and thinking comparable to that person will be able to unlock it.' I wish to entrust you with the request of unlocking it."
The Valderian Family Head looked at him with a fearsome expression as he spoke.
A face carrying the unspoken pressure that he wouldn't let refusal stand. But Beonald had no intention of refusing anyway.
It was the family of a subordinate who had followed him, and he was also curious about what kind of artifact Kerwel had left behind 500 years ago.