Chapter 181: Bait(2)
Chapter 181: Bait(2)
The Senate.
A political body boasting a history long enough to be synonymous with the history of Albenheim itself.
When a civilization is established, it inevitably requires a 'leader' to guide it, and that leader usually manifests in the form of a 'king.'
A king bears the duty and responsibility of ensuring their people live stable lives and fostering the nation's growth and prosperity against surrounding threats.
However, when Albenheim was first founded, there was no 'king.' By nature, a king is a being who reigns over the people, wielding immense power—a class that the common folk must look up to.
At that time, the Elves, driven by the singular pride of being chosen by the gods, vehemently refused to be ruled by anyone. They maintained the mindset that only the gods could rule them, and they would rather operate the nation by receiving divine oracles.
Consequently, the first leaders were 'priests.' These priests received direct oracles from the gods by offering high-quality tributes, and they managed the nation with relative ease. Though there were occasional frictions, the people of Albenheim continued their lives without major issues.
That was until the 'Demon War' broke out—an event that caused them to doubt the power of the gods, if only slightly.
Fortunately, they received the Seed of the World Tree as a gift and managed to repel the threat, but the Elves realized something then. If a similar event occurred in the future, they might be too late if they waited to hear the voice of the gods.
They realized that for Albenheim to develop further, the Elves themselves, not the gods, had to run the nation. The political body born from this realization was the 'Senate.'
Initially, the Elves were reluctant to be ruled by mortals rather than gods, but as time passed, that sentiment faded.
Furthermore, as is often the case with beginnings, the Senate initially governed Albenheim wisely, with pure hearts and undistorted convictions. Even Dark Elves were part of it back then. In fact, that era could be considered the last time the term 'Elf' held its true, unified meaning.
However, power inevitably loses its morality and becomes corrupt as it grows stronger. The Senate gradually began to suppress other factions to protect its own interests.
The primary target was the Dark Elves. As a minority with different skin color and even a different god, they were the perfect targets for persecution. The result of this was the Dark Elf Expulsion Incident.
In a way, the Senate was deeply involved in the expulsion of the Dark Elves. Publicly, it was framed as religious strife spiraling into madness, but it was the Senate that had lit the fuse.
Afterward, when the madness subsided through divine intervention, the Senate went as far as destroying records to hide their worst shames. Though it was a political body rotten to the core, it maintained its existence rather than being abolished.
The Dark Elf Expulsion Incident was a major event, but the Second Race War was what fully exposed the Senate's corruption. They were the culprits who imprisoned the very Warlord who could have secured victory, ultimately leading the country to defeat.
The grievances that had been hushed up exploded all at once, leading to an increase in citizens demanding the abolition of the Senate and providing the catalyst for the birth of the 'Throne.' Yet, despite this, the Senate clung to existence with dogged persistence.
The Senate, by its mere existence, is a symbol that has shared Albenheim's history, for better or worse. To eliminate that symbol would be for Albenheim to endure a great loss.
It was a stark reflection of the Elven trait of hating 'change' far more than other races.
"Make yourself comfortable. Ah, is there anything you'd like to eat?"
"I am fine."
A drawing room in a mansion within Yggdrasil. In a room with a modest backdrop, two men sat facing each other across a table.
Piren, the head of the Senate, and his confidant, Kalas.
Piren wore a smile like that of a gentle grandfather, while Kalas appeared slightly stiff, perhaps due to tension.
"This is tea brewed from the leaves of the World Tree. It's perfect for fatigue."
"I will enjoy it, then."
At Piren's invitation, Kalas glanced at him before looking down at the liquid in the teacup. It held a faint green hue, and a subtle fragrance stimulated his sense of smell.
As the name suggested, tea brewed from the leaves of the World Tree was exorbitantly expensive. Very few people could even approach the World Tree, and magical treatment was essential to keep the leaves fresh.
In return, its effects were magnificent. It was excellent for exhaustion and, like a stabilizer, highly effective for calming the nerves. It was the perfect tea for Kalas, whose heart was currently racing with tension.
As he took a sip, a refreshing taste filled his mouth. Unlike its green appearance, it had no distinct flavor, only a spreading sensation of coolness.
"So, did you find Xenon?"
Piren cut through the small talk and got straight to the point. Since he was the one who had ordered Kalas to find Xenon, his anticipation was only natural.
Kalas hesitated for a moment but soon forced a natural smile. If Piren suspected anything here, Kalas would have no choice but to let his ears rot away into blackness.
No matter how much he belonged to the Senate, his ears were not so expendable that he would willingly cut them off.
"Of course. As expected, humans are nothing special. The publisher was particularly easy to track, being a human with no real abilities."
"Ho. That is impressive. I thought Xenon might have hidden his identity using the power of another race. Like the Demon Clan, for instance."
Piren spoke as if it were a passing thought, but Kalas couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
A Demon was indeed at Xenon's mansion. And not just any Demon, but the Princess of Helium, Cecile.
Furthermore, Xenon's father was a knight famously known as the Red Lion. It was only the publisher who had been caught off guard; the people around Xenon were far beyond the category of ordinary humans.
"He was likely overconfident. There is no other way to explain it."
"A price befitting arrogance, then. So, can you tell me his name and where he lives? I'd like to see his face later."
The moment of truth had arrived. Kalas racked his brain while Piren asked the question and sipped his tea.
When he had been caught at the mansion in the Maishal territory, Isaac had kindly recited every detail of the report Kalas was to give Piren. A pseudonym, a place of residence, and finally, a detailed description of his appearance.
Kalas moistened his lips so Piren wouldn't notice his nerves and spoke calmly.
"His name is Xenon Cloud. He was an elderly human living in the Hask region of the Kingdom of Ters. As for his appearance... I can only say he looks exactly like what anyone would imagine a sage to be. He has a neatly trimmed beard, white hair, and blue eyes."
"That is more than enough. By the way, I'm curious if the 'persuasion' went well."
Piren slyly used the word 'persuasion.' The persuasion he referred to was bringing Xenon to the Senate's side to utilize the influence of the Xenon Biography.
Currently, the Senate's power had been weakened because of the Xenon Biography. Previously, people were merely wary, but the situation changed rapidly when the pollution of the World Tree's roots became a reality.
As everyone knew, the Xenon Biography featured a political body in Albenheim called the 'Council.' It was blindingly obvious that it was modeled after the Senate.
The problem was that the deeds committed by that Council were all severe, and they were things the real-life Senate had actually done. The prime example was the Dark Elf Expulsion Incident.
Though he didn't know how Xenon found out, the Senate had been involved in the Dark Elf expulsion even if they didn't carry it out directly, so it was a sore spot.
Thus, the plan was to win him over by any means necessary, and if persuasion failed, to use 'measures' to force a cooperative relationship. Since his identity had been discovered, the Senate held the upper hand.
To this, Kalas replied with a smile that looked somewhat villainous.
"Well, as you expected, Councilman, persuasion did not work. On the contrary, he turned me away at the door, saying he refused to side with those who censor precious culture. You know how artists are."
"It is a trait of artists. And?"
"I took a few measures to ensure he never thinks that way again. When I told him I would make it so he could never write again for the rest of his life, he immediately started crying and begging."
"Hahahaha!"
Piren burst into a hearty laugh, seemingly satisfied with the answer. It felt as if the frustration he had been harboring was finally cleared away.
However, when a person's mood turns for the better, their judgment often becomes extremely clouded. This held true even for Piren, the head of the Senate.
If he had thought just a little, a little more deeply, he would have severely reprimanded Kalas for his 'mistake.' He would have considered how high Xenon's reputation currently was and how powerful the resulting impact would be.
It was the greatest mistake of Piren, who saw Xenon only as a risk factor.
"Very good. I'm curious about those measures. Can you tell me what they were?"
"Well... I snapped his fingers so he wouldn't be able to write for a while. The Hask region is far from any city, so he won't be able to receive treatment at a temple. I did give him a potion, though."
"Satisfactory. And?"
"I have brought something else that I believe will satisfy you, Lord Piren."
As Kalas reached into his coat, Piren's eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation. He was already satisfied with the fact that Xenon had been put in his place, but it seemed his loyal subordinate had brought even better news.
When Kalas handed over a piece of paper, Piren took it with an excited expression. Seeing that it contained mana, it was no ordinary paper.
"This is..."
"It is a Blood Pact."
"A Blood Pact?"
"Yes. Please, read it."
At Kalas's urging, Piren began to slowly read the clauses written in the pact with great expectation. A smile naturally formed on his lips from the very first clause, and his satisfaction only grew as he read further.
He hadn't even imagined they would go as far as making a pact. And such a satisfying one at that.
Originally, he had intended to stop at finding Xenon's identity and residence, but Kalas had gone a step further. It was as if he had resolved every potential complication Piren might have worried about.
"Truly... magnificent. I never imagined you would achieve this much. It seems I have undervalued you. I apologize."
"No, my lord. I was simply lucky. Besides, we didn't even know what kind of man Xenon was until now."
"That may be true, but it is an undeniable fact that your abilities are outstanding. Thanks to you, our Senate will be able to exert its influence."
On the surface, it was a heartwarming scene of harmony, but the reality was far from it. It was a place rife with the filth of censorship, oppression, and political maneuvering.
And there was one person watching this entire sordid scene...
'...I think I'm going to throw up.'
It was Siris, the Dark Elf who had bypassed all the mansion's security magic to infiltrate. she was watching the entire situation and recording everything.
An ordinary thief or mage would have been detected by the security magic, but she was a Dark Elf. If she moved carefully, infiltration was not difficult.
Furthermore, she hadn't forgotten to receive divine power from Mora just in case. No matter how superior a Dark Elf's stealth abilities were, there were clear limits.
Fortunately, perhaps, Piren's mansion had surprisingly weak security, befitting its owner's personality. It seemed he never expected anyone to infiltrate this place.
"You have truly done a wonderful job. Please continue your hard work."
"Thank you. However, it seems there are no young people looking to join the Senate lately. Is that alright?"
"You don't need to worry about that. We need talents like you, not those nobodies."
Hearing that, Siris almost let out a scoff. There was only one reason the new generation of Elves stayed away from the Senate: they recognized that it was rotten to the core.
Power is bound to corrupt anyway, so how much worse must the Senate be? Moreover, given the long-lived nature of Elves, the 'stagnant water' phenomenon was even more pronounced.
The Senate's power would weaken over time, but that would take too long, and there was no telling what incidents might occur in the meantime.
'Now, that time will be moved forward.'
Siris listened to Piren and Kalas's conversation for a bit longer before quietly vanishing. Since she had secured decisive evidence, all that remained was to deliver it to Arwen.
'Will we be able to enter Albenheim soon, too?'
The Dark Elf Expulsion Incident occurred a mere 800 years ago. There were still Dark Elves who remembered the event, and they still longed for Albenheim.
Some of the new generation Dark Elves couldn't understand them, and Siris felt similarly. However, after reading the newly published Xenon Biography, her heart had changed slightly.
They couldn't live in the forest forever, and even though they had cut their own ears, their pride in being chosen by the gods remained. The Xenon Biography was slowly moving the hearts of not only the Elves but the Dark Elves as well.
'The Queen will handle it well.'
With complex emotions in her heart, Siris made her way toward where Arwen was staying.
*
A few days later, at the publisher in the Minerva Empire.
"I-Is this for real?"
"...Yes. It is. Considering it has his handwritten signature, even if it's shaky..."
"Ah..."
The publisher fell into despair upon seeing the letter Isaac had sent. The contents of the letter were...
[To my readers. I am truly sorry. Due to an attack by an unknown assailant, my right hand has been severely injured. For the time being, serialization will be impossible...]
It was more than enough to light the fuse that had been laid in advance.