Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Vincent Delphione
One week later.
After finishing the general cleanup, Rudian followed Kaitel to the capital of the Morian Empire, Nevan.
The entourage included Calline, escort knights, and numerous employees.
'It feels like I'm boiling beans in lightning.'
It was certainly unusual for a Count's family, especially a Count's young lord, to suddenly transfer to the Academy after classes had already begun.
'To think I'd witness that guy entering the Academy after seeing him in that state.'
For Calline, who claimed to pursue a free spirit, the Academy was nothing more than a place of confinement.
In fact, he had quarreled with the Count several times because of it, and there seemed to have been intense back-and-forth regarding this Academy attendance as well.
Rudian was a real-time witness who had observed this history unfold.
However, whatever episode transpired during the final confrontation between the Count and Calline, Calline ultimately accepted the Academy attendance in accordance with the Count's wishes.
'So this is the capital Nevan!'
Upon arriving in Nevan, Rudian gasped at the grandeur of the capital.
"...It's quite big, isn't it?"
Twenty times the size of Iskar Castle? No, thirty times?
The area around the capital was as neatly organized as a 21st-century metropolis, and the sight of various non-human races like elves, dwarves, and beastmen freely walking around was a fresh cultural shock.
'Now I'm finally starting to feel like I've come to a fantasy world.'
Upon arriving in Nevan, the group went their separate ways.
Kaitel's group headed to the main residence where Duke Delphione was, carrying the holy sword Daylight, while Calline's group went to House Iskar's villa in the capital.
Needless to say, since Rudian was now to receive sponsorship from the Delphione Foundation, he followed Kaitel.
"Hey, Rudian."
"Yes, young master."
But before parting, Calline suddenly pulled Rudian to a secluded spot.
And then he blatantly asked this question.
"Did you pick up something good or what?"
"...Pardon?"
"I mean, my father, that person, even Derrick... I don't understand why they're all so concerned about you, so I'm asking."
At the point when Kaitel was convinced that Count Rickart didn't recognize Rudian's true value, he deliberately withheld information about Rudian's accomplishments in Baran village.
People dispatched from Iskar Castle only knew that Rudian had joined forces with the villagers to drive away the external threat, not imagining that Rudian had actually awakened his magic.
"Even telling me to bring you into our family if you graduate from the Academy. It's just strange."
"Was that the case?"
So that was the reason behind this strange joint sponsorship.
...But the Count probably didn't intend for him to say this in front of Rudian, did he?
"Between just the two of us, I believe in the friendship built between us. Father told me to keep it a secret, but we're not the kind to hide secrets from each other, right?"
"Ah, yes."
I'm not sure when any friendship was built between us.
'The only thing that's built up is resentment from cleaning up after you.'
Regardless of what Rudian thought, Calline just said what he wanted to say.
"Well, see you again when you enter the Academy. As a commoner, you're bound to be looked down upon, but if you stay by my side, no one will dare disrespect you."
Surprisingly, Calline was actually showing 'consideration' to Rudian.
'Why would I want to be near a bomb that could explode at any moment?'
Of course, Rudian's inner thoughts were quite indifferent.
'...He still doesn't get it.'
Rudian shook his head as soon as he parted with Calline.
No matter how much the Imperial Academy was a gathering of promising talents, he didn't think they could handle Calline.
The probability of Calline causing trouble at the Academy was 100%, and the question was what kind of trouble he would cause...
'He'll most likely get expelled for treating high-ranking ladies the same way he treated village maidens.'
The most frequent trouble Calline had caused was related to women.
There had even been incidents where he messed with the daughters of vassals, causing major problems.
'Well, that's no longer my concern.'
Whether Calline got expelled or not was no longer Rudian's problem.
"This is the place."
The place Rudian arrived at after parting with Calline and following Kaitel was the main residence of Duke Delphione's family, which was so massive it could be mistaken for an imperial palace.
"Asked to bring back the holy sword, yet you've picked up something strange again, I see."
At the entrance of the mansion, which could be mistaken for a palace due to its size, dozens of people were waiting to welcome Kaitel.
"Haha, it's a hobby I picked up in my old age, isn't it too harsh to scold me like that, brother?"
"What old age are you talking about when you're barely over 50?"
A middle-aged man with a dignified impression stood at the forefront welcoming Kaitel.
'Duke Vincent Delphione!'
Kaitel's older brother and one of the core figures of the Morian Empire, as well as the head of the Delphione Duchy.
And in the original work, he was also an ill-fated character who was assassinated along with Kaitel due to the demons' schemes.
"I didn't expect Iskar to actually succeed. No, I never thought they would take that information seriously in the first place."
"Here it is, brother."
Duke Vincent received Daylight from Kaitel and muttered bitterly.
"It really happened as the previous generation predicted..."
'...A prediction?'
"Come in first. Luciella, you've worked hard too."
"It was nothing, Father."
"Rudian, was it? It's been a while since I've seen Kaitel openly coveting someone. Come here as well, I'd like to have a chat with you."
'Huh? Me too?'
No matter how promising Rudian might be, he wasn't of a status to be so warmly welcomed by someone of Duke Vincent's stature.
Rudian was merely a guest.
Nevertheless, since he was being invited, refusal was out of the question in the current situation.
"Thank you for the welcome, Your Grace the Duke."
"Just call me Duke. Being called 'Your Grace' makes me a bit uncomfortable."
The Duke waved his hand with a friendly smile that didn't match his impression.
Seeing such behavior from the Duke, Rudian tightened his vigilance instead.
'...What's really going on?'
***
Those in power are not nice people.
This was one of the truths Rudian firmly believed in, both in his previous life and current one.
'This is definitely not a simple meeting.'
There's no way Duke Vincent would be so leisurely as to personally guide someone like Rudian, who was merely a promising talent, into his home.
Surely, he had brought Rudian in for some purpose.
In what appeared to be the Duke's massive study, the Duke, Kaitel, Luciella, and Rudian took their seats.
"First, I'd like to say that you must be tired from the long journey."
Despite being in a place where he clearly didn't belong, Rudian calmed his mind and paid attention to what might come from the Duke's lips.
"Why say such formal things between us, brother?"
"Hard work is hard work. Do you know how far Iskar border territory is from here? You've been away for almost a month, haven't you?"
"It's natural to put in that much effort to recover the holy sword. But you must be feeling bitter about having given so much to those Iskar folk?"
"...One must bear such things."
Judging by the momentary shadow that crossed the Duke's face, he really did seem to feel bitter about it.
After spending some time making small talk, the Duke had to change his expression when Kaitel, who had reached the limit of his patience, spoke up.
"So, what's the reason for bringing this guy all the way here? You don't usually pay much attention to foundation matters, and you've never shown much interest in the kids I've brought in before. I'm really curious why you're acting so strangely today."
At Kaitel's words, Luciella, who had been quietly sipping her tea, also turned her eyes with a gleam.
"......"
"If you have something to say, say it quickly, brother."
"...Alright."
At Kaitel's urging, Duke Vincent finally began to reveal the main point of this meeting.
"You, I can call you Rudian, right?"
"Yes, Duke."
"Good, Rudian. As far as I know... You were one of the people who directly participated in the dungeon conquest, am I correct?"
"Yes, that's right."
"And I heard you were the primary contributor in destroying the Death Knight, Simir Dran, who was extending his life by linking with the dungeon's core. Is that fact also correct?"
Thanks to Adi's thorough handling, it seemed that the story about Caslay hadn't leaked.
Even so, it was certainly unexpected that the Duke in the capital knew so much detail about what had happened inside a dungeon discovered in a border region...
"That's correct."
"I see."
Duke Vincent seemed to contemplate for a moment before deciding on something and began questioning Rudian.
"Did Simir Dran happen to say anything when he confronted you all?"
"What are you talking about, brother?"
"Any words will do. Tell me anything you heard from Simir."
Rudian sensed from the Duke's demeanor that there was some circumstance related to the holy sword.
'It seems it wasn't simply stolen.'
Since there was no reason to hide it anyway, Rudian willingly told the Duke what he had experienced.
Though there was only one piece of information he could possibly extract from Simir Dran.
"'You don't even know your foundation is rotting'..."
"If I had to add one more thing, just before he vanished, he uttered the word 'master' as his dying words."
"......!"
The moment he heard the word 'master,' Duke Vincent's expression darkened instantly.
The fact that he showed such emotion, enough to fail at maintaining his composure despite being weathered in the political arena, indicated how great the shock he received was.
"Brother?"
Kaitel also couldn't hide his confusion at Vincent's behavior.
Rudian silently observed the Duke's appearance.
After a while of silence, the Duke suddenly blurted out these words.
"Daylight's other name is the Sword of Prophecy."
A deep shadow fell over Vincent's expression.
"The previous generation initiated actions to atone for their sins, but in the end, are unavoidable events still going to occur?"
"What... Does that mean?"
"No, it's nothing."
While Kaitel and Luciella were bewildered.
Duke Vincent dismissed Rudian.
"Thank you for humoring my unreasonable request, Rudian. Rest well here today."
***
The attitude Duke Vincent Delphione had shown was definitely strange.
'Diablo.'
-What is it, youngster.
'Did you happen to sense any demonic energy or anything related to it in the mansion?'
-What a random question. If I were to answer, I didn't sense even a fragment of demonic energy.
'Are you sure?'
-You brat.... Even if most of my senses are blocked due to being sealed in this sword, do you think I, Diablo, wouldn't be able to do that much?
Subtle anger could be felt from Diablo.
Adi also expressed curiosity at Rudian's unexpected behavior.
-Is there something bothering you, Master?
"A little."
In the original work, after the head of the house Vincent and the Sword Master Kaitel were assassinated by demons, the Delphione Duchy was led by Luciella after losing its two pillars.
For Luciella to perform without any significant obstacles, it would be better for her to be a Duchess rather than a Princess, so the circumstances regarding the Delphione Duchy were simply left as a MacGuffin in the original work.
'What could be the reason?'
But thinking of it in terms of real causality rather than a MacGuffin, it was certainly strange that even Duke Vincent was assassinated, let alone Kaitel.
'Certainly... Kaitel was assassinated when he went outside the capital like this time. But the Duke was blatantly assassinated within the capital.'
It doesn't make sense that he was assassinated simply because he was an enemy of the demons.
If that were the case, most of the high nobles in the capital would be assassination targets.
'There's something there, something important that can't be simply dismissed.'
Instinct told him.
If he overlooked this, he would suffer a great loss someday.
'I think I need to get closer to the ducal family.'
He had a feeling that by observing the Delphione Duchy closely, he might hit an unexpected jackpot.