Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Gibson's Coming-of-Age Ceremony
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Vampire Duke's Territory.
Alensia's room.
"Madam, are you not attending Gibson-nim's coming-of-age ceremony?"
"No."
"But..."
"Aren't you going to Gibson's coming-of-age ceremony?"
The competition for the successor position in the Duke's family was intensifying.
This had nothing to do with Alensia or Benia.
It was because the Duke's missions were growing ever more difficult.
Alensia lifted her head.
There were few people she could treat with ease.
One of them was her personal maid, Marie.
She could see Marie with her head bowed deeply.
Alensia rose from her seat and stroked her shoulder.
"Sorry. I've just been so busy lately."
But.
The feeling transmitted through her hand was odd.
Marie's shoulder was trembling faintly.
'No way?'
Was she crying?
She lowered her stance to peer at Marie's face.
But.
"You're smiling?"
"Didn't you say you weren't going to Gibson-nim's ceremony, Madam?"
"Yeah. Is that funny?"
Marie pulled a piece of paper from her bosom.
"This just arrived. It says Elwin-nim is attending the ceremony."
Alensia bit her lip.
Marie's playful smile came into view.
Right now, she was being read like an open book.
Marie had anticipated exactly how she would react.
Here, she should brush it off, say it didn't matter, and stick to not going.
That's what she should do...
"Elwin is going?"
"Yes, Madam. But you said you're not going, right?"
She knew it all along,
and had deliberately withheld the news about Elwin before asking.
"You... come here!"
**
**
Vampire Duke's Territory.
Benia's office.
Benia pondered the two items on her desk.
One was the task her father had assigned her.
The other was Gibson's coming-of-age ceremony invitation.
Time was limited.
If she went to Gibson's ceremony, the quality of her work would inevitably suffer.
But skipping Gibson's ceremony was awkward too.
They were the only Viscount family on Monster Island, after all.
'And the closest to becoming the next Frontier Lord.'
Two years ago—no, even a year ago—she would have attended without a second thought.
Back then, Gibson had been a shoo-in for next lord.
'But looking at Elwin-nim's exploits now...'
As the rumors swirling through high society suggested,
she had her doubts about whether Gibson could really claim the title.
The scales were tipping ever more toward Elwin over Gibson.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
The maid placed a memo on the desk and left.
The moment Benia read it,
her indecision vanished.
"Guess I have to go."
The memo bore a single short sentence.
[Elwin Frontier attending Gibson's coming-of-age ceremony]
**
**
Frontier's heartland.
South Castle entrance.
Brilda Frontier stood there.
Behind her, the retainers stood in neat ranks.
Today was the day she had long awaited.
She had prepared a lavish banquet
and invited countless dignitaries.
'Even Benia and Alensia.'
The two duke's daughters from the Vampire family—the island's true rulers—were coming.
The other minor heirs trailing them would surely attend as well.
'The day has finally arrived.'
Before the eyes of the nobility, the master of Frontier would be decided.
And the star of the show was, of course, her son.
'Elwin showing up today of all days—without an invitation, no less. No dignity as a noble.'
No invitation meant no attendance.
It showed respect for the host,
and in another sense, it was a matter of pride.
How could any noble crash a banquet uninvited?
"They're almost here?"
"Yes, Elwin-nim's letter said as much."
Grit.
Thinking of Elwin soured her mood.
Ever since he'd slunk back after Alensia dumped him, he'd been a constant thorn.
Like a festering wound nagging at her morning, noon, and night.
And with time, it only grew worse.
Like pain steadily intensifying.
'Today, it ends.'
Once Gibson became Heir,
and went on to become Lord,
she would seize everything Elwin had built.
All those nagging irritations would ripen into sweet fruit.
'Farms and mines to boot. Frontier's future looks bright.'
And that future would belong entirely to her and her children.
"Madam, there they are ahead."
At the retainer's words, she focused her gaze.
Riders emerged from the thick underbrush.
"Elwin..."
Elwin, with a handful of others around him.
"Those helping Elwin? I'll have to deal with them too."
But their numbers weren't trivial.
At first, just Elwin was visible,
then five or six more.
Then people kept pouring out behind them.
"What are those?"
"Judging by their gear, Innocent Mercenary Corps and Salamander Mercenary Corps."
"How dare they..."
Innocent Mercenary Corps, masters of Terra Castle.
Salamander Mercenary Corps, masters of Alp Castle.
Elwin was flaunting his power.
Openly, for all to see.
"Hmm..."
The mercenaries were impressive.
Armor rivaling knights', and fifty from each group.
Rumors of bolstering them with village taxes must have been true.
"Summon the knight order and mages from the territory at once."
"Understood."
Flaunting power against her, of all people.
'Snagged some land, bought a few slaves, and now he thinks he can get away with anything.'
Just a hundred mercenaries?
She could hardly wait to see how they'd fare against the knight order.
Elwin and the mercenaries cleared the forest.
Moments later,
"Wh... what is that?"
Soldiers in pristine armor, wielding spears over four meters long, marched out next.
"Slave soldiers, looks like."
"Those are soldiers?"
Their equipment and drill were far beyond mere soldiers.
What were soldiers, anyway?
Just conscripted locals when needed, right?
Yet they were trained to perfection?
That looked like an elite unit.
Not conscripts, but professionals forged through dedicated military training.
"Madam, the numbers aren't ordinary."
Like a mighty river in steady flow, slave soldiers streamed endlessly from the thicket.
"Madam! Knight order and mages assembled. Madam?"
The knight followed Brilda's gaze forward.
Soon enough, even he fell silent.
He glanced back and forth between the approaching force and his own knights and mages.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
Step. Step. Step. Step.
As they drew nearer, the rhythmic footfalls grew audible.
Loud enough to feel like the ground itself was shaking.
Brilda clamped her lips tight.
'How can so many move in such perfect unison?'
'What in the world is Elwin thinking?'
She couldn't fathom why he'd brought such a massive force.
The next sight stopped her thoughts cold.
"Heave!"
"Th... that's..."
"Ballistae..."
Ballistae.
War machines paired with catapults.
Thirty of them, loaded on wagons.
'He's truly lost his mind.'
**
**
Clop. Clop.
Clop. Clop.
"Lord, is the woman in the middle Brilda?"
Keeping my eyes forward, I glanced at Isaac.
"That's her."
I'd brought all my key subordinates today.
Hans (knight, slave soldier commander)
Isaac (farmland and construction manager)
Russell (merchant group manager)
Uncle Miller (hunter manager)
Aine (mercenary liaison)
Inon (Terra village castellan)
Serion (Alp village castellan)
Behind them, a hundred elite mercenaries from Innocent and Salamander.
Then the phalanx and crossbowmen—a thousand strong.
Finally, thirty ballistae.
'At least they look perfect.'
The ballistae here were early prototypes—failures, really.
But they passed visual inspection just fine.
Clop. Clop.
Clop. Clop.
The horses pressed on,
and Brilda's figure loomed ever larger.
'Brilda...'
Returning to South Castle like this stirred up old memories.
'It was much like this back then.'
After Alensia dumped me,
body and soul worn ragged.
Drowning in regrets over the past and dread of the future.
When I dragged myself home,
Brilda offered no welcome.
She'd lined up the retainers at the gate.
Knights, mages, even the bureaucrats—all summoned.
Brilda had flaunted her power at the discarded son.
Clop. Clop.
Clop. Clop.
The horse's pace began to slow.
I felt the incline.
Brilda had chosen her spot carefully.
High on the slope,
to look down on me.
'Back then... I knelt before you. But not today.'
By custom, I should dismount and drop to one knee in greeting.
But I stayed in the saddle.
"Have you been well all this time? Mother."
I looked down at her, head bowed.
She lifted her gaze to meet mine.
I raised my head without waiting for a reply.
"Retainers of Frontier! Have you all been well?!"
Not a single retainer spoke.
Just like back then.
They only greeted after Brilda gave the word.
I glanced down at Brilda.
She stood rigid-faced and silent.
'Trying to humiliate me like this?'
'No clever comeback, so stonewalling instead?'
I turned my gaze back to the retainers.
Even to my greeting, none opened their mouths.
'In moments like these...'
"Sir Wilson."
Call out an individual, not the group.
The retainers could ignore me collectively.
But one man snubbing the Heir?
Impossible.
"..."
Sir Wilson's eyes shook wildly.
He even trembled in panic.
"Sir Wilson."
"D... did you call for me? Elwin-nim."
"Elwin-nim?"
I repeated it, heavy with implication.
"I... is something amiss?"
"Call me again."
"Eli... Ah! Heir-nim."
Whoosh.
At "Heir," Brilda's face hardened.
Anger bled from every twitch of her expression, every shift in posture.
Sir Wilson clapped both hands over his mouth.
"Elwin."
"Yes, Mother."
"Why bring soldiers?"
"The lands I hold are so perilous. This much escort is essential. Am I not the Frontier Heir? Mother."
Whatever Brilda schemed,
whatever tales the world spun,
right here, right now, I was the Heir.
That was indisputable fact.
"I see. But you can't bring that many soldiers into South Castle."
"The soldiers will wait outside. The escort mercenaries come with me, though."
A hundred mercenaries.
No way they'd bar a hundred escorts from the castle.
I nudged my horse forward a step, ignoring her reply.
"Ah! But Mother."
"What now?"
"Have your retainers sewn their lips shut lately? Not one greets the Heir."
Brilda nodded to her retainers.
"Welcome, Elwin-nim."
"Welcome, Heir-nim."
"Welcome, Elwin-nim."
"Welcome, Heir-nim."
The greetings were fine up front, but the titles were a mess.
Some called me Elwin, others Heir.
Brilda's face flushed red with fury at the sight.
I savored it and drove the wedge home.
"Retainers of Frontier. Next time, get the title right. Heir."