Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: Settling Scores
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“……So that’s what happened.”
“Indeed, my great lord.”
Eugene gazed quietly down at Delmongdo, who was prostrated before him with his head bowed.
As if to prove his claim of having ridden without rest day or night, the once-sleek mask was a mess, and the black robe, caked in dust, was torn in places here and there.
“You’ve done well. If that’s how things stood, you had no choice but to come yourself.”
“This unworthy servant is deeply moved by your boundless mercy, my great one. However, I beg your forgiveness once more for disposing of the territory without permission.”
“Wasn’t that the best course of action? Marquis Archibald agreed, and from what you’ve told me, it seems right.”
The silver light had been a bit regrettable, but Essendra—who was practically the hegemon of the Carlsbagen Peninsula—had paid handsomely, so there was no room for complaint.
Moreover, Essendra had promised to return the territory to Eugene anytime once her current situation was resolved.
In truth, it was no different from her simply holding onto it for a while.
“By the way, what’s the mood like on the Carlsbagen Peninsula? There hasn’t been any word from Mopern yet.”
Vampire Lord Marcus of Mungard had been sending steady reports via letters, and even the latest one said Mopern was still sending ships to Mungard.
But if Delmongdo had sold the territory and come in person, the situation might have shifted abruptly.
“Have no fear, my great one. The guilds of Mopern still support you unwaveringly. Maren, too—not only the guilds but the city itself—has pledged active backing.”
“Oh? Does that mean they’re fully breaking with King Kaylor?”
“That’s how it seems to this servant. The lords of the Carlsbagen Peninsula have already rallied around Marquis Archibald’s house, and Maren has hired mercenaries in droves. There are also rumors that in the central regions, movements to check the king are stirring, with Count Winslon at the center.”
“Hmm.”
Eugene’s eyes darkened gravely.
Two major port cities representing Kaylor Kingdom, followed by two great noble houses among the top five in status and prestige, had sided against the king.
This was a situation that could safely be called the brink of civil war.
“Master, what’ll you do? Jump in?”
When Galpredic asked, Pitamoras clicked his tongue and stepped forward.
“Hmm. We mustn’t intervene recklessly. We have to consider His Grace the Duke’s position. Besides, the kingdom is only just beginning to stir. We should avoid conflicts with foreign powers at all costs.”
“Oh, right?”
Wars that shake a nation always spelled great opportunity for someone, as they always did.
However, as Pitamoras said, Brantia’s duke and the king’s guardian could not carelessly insert himself into Kaylor Kingdom’s civil strife.
It could easily escalate into an inter-nation war.
“What are you talking about? Of course we’re getting involved.”
“……!?”
At the calm voice, all eyes turned to Eugene.
“No, ‘getting involved’ isn’t quite the right term. Didn’t Kaylor’s king strike first—at me and my territories across the continent? All because I’m some evil heretic he wants to judge?”
“Precisely, my great one. As I reported, they deliberately sent a young, inexperienced holy knight. It cannot but be seen as an intent to insult you.”
Not all nobles are created equal. There are ranks even among the nobility.
Yet the holy knight sent to Eugene’s territory was far too low-ranking.
Unless the king and his royalist faction were fools, they knew of Eugene’s reputation—so why send some green holy knight to talk of judgment?
That went beyond mere provocation; it was outright insult.
“Since they struck first, I have to respond in kind. And besides. They must surely know by now that I’ve become Duke of Bartla, right? Isn’t that so?”
“Hmm. Certainly…….”
Luke had only recently ascended as king, but Eugene obtaining the title of Duke Bartla was old news by now.
Dozens of merchant ships from Maren and Mopern had come and gone from Mungard in the interim—there was no way Kaylor’s king and royalists were unaware.
“Ah! So you’re saying they calculated that since Sir Eugene has become a great noble representing Brantia, he wouldn’t be able to move easily, and that’s why they pulled this stunt. Is that right?”
Eugene nodded at Lanslo’s question.
“That’s what I think.”
“As expected.”
“Man, they really turned their brains inside out on this one.”
“Ha! What sharp minds they must have.”
The knights were all left slack-jawed in admiration.
To them, who were weak on politics and intrigue, the ploy by Kaylor’s king and royalists was simply impressive. And Eugene seeing through it was equally astonishing.
“Even so, if the duke jumps into that fray, it doesn’t change the fact that Brantia’s lands and the king could be put in peril.”
Pitamoras stuck firmly to his hardline stance.
But there was nothing to say against him.
Pitamoras was not Eugene’s retainer but Brantia’s king’s advisor.
He was merely fulfilling his duties and responsibilities.
“Hmm. What to do.”
Eugene pondered.
Deep down, he wanted to sweep away Kaylor’s king and royalists who dared to look down on him, but Pitamoras had a point.
He’d unified Brantia and put Luke on the throne for stable income and retirement security(?), and if things blew up, it could all go wrong.
“Legitimacy. It all comes down to legitimacy, doesn’t it?”
“Hmm. In this case, legitimacy won’t help much. If Kaylor’s king digs in his heels, there’s no arguing with him. Not only the Kaylor royal house but other nations won’t look kindly on the duke or our Brantia.”
The continent’s nations were bound by tangled blood ties among nobles and royal houses alike. To put it bluntly, other kingdoms could band together and march on Brantia.
Eugene grimaced at the wise druid’s logical foresight but had to concede.
‘This rubs me the wrong way. I just want to go and wipe them…….’
As Eugene agonized, Romari—who had been watching with her usual vacant gaze—slyly raised her hand.
“Um, Sir Eugene?”
“What?”
“You’re saying that Kaylor’s king thinks he’s pinned you down? That your position means you can’t just jump in recklessly, right?”
“……What have you been listening to until now?”
“That’s why I’m speaking up—I heard everything. Anyway, the bottom line is, we just need to create a situation where we can ignore whatever Kaylor’s king says, no?”
“Tsk tsk tsk. Continental mages, always so…… How exactly do you create such a situation? I just said a moment ago that if they dig in, there’s no answer…….”
“But there is one. Or rather, there really is.”
“What?”
Pitamoras’s expression turned incredulous.
The others looked at her too, eyes full of doubt toward the mage who whined every day.
Feeling unjustly maligned, Romari appealed to Eugene, the decision-maker.
“No, there really is.”
“So what is it?”
“The prince. The prince.”
“……!!!“
As if on cue, everyone froze, then their eyes went wide.
Pleased by the reaction, Romari puffed out her narrow shoulders proudly.
“He’s a prince of the Roman Empire, after all. What can Kaylor’s king do about him? He just needs to stick by your side, Sir Eugene. Isn’t that right?”
“……That’s plausible.”
“Oh ho! With a prince, even Kaylor’s king can’t touch him carelessly! The cardinal? Even if he hates the Roman Empire, what can he do? If he lays a hand on the emperor’s direct bloodline and the empire’s armies come marching, he’d have to flee to the Holy Empire! Kahahaha!”
Galpredic burst into laughter as if picturing the scene.
“Pitamoras, what do you think?”
Pitamoras snapped out of a brief daze.
“Hmm. Hmm! Y-yes, it’s a solid idea. I was a bit wary since Prince Rocaroph seems to have some backstory, but that doesn’t negate his honor or bloodline.”
“Hmm. So in the end, with the prince on our side, there’s no issue?”
“……Indeed.”
“Then the decision’s made.”
Eugene withdrew his gaze from Pitamoras, who nodded reluctantly with a sour look, and scanned everyone with steely eyes.
“I’m going to beat down those who picked a fight with me.”
* * *
“Uh… so, you’re saying if I go to Kaylor Kingdom with you, you’ll help me?”
“Exactly.”
The man who had flatly rejected the proposal just days ago had suddenly flipped his stance, leaving the prince’s group dumbfounded.
“But on fair terms—let’s match the duration.”
“Duration… you mean?”
The fake prince instinctively glanced at the real prince—his master in disguise as a servant—before asking.
“I’ll help you for as long as you stay with me in Kaylor Kingdom.”
“Ah, I see.”
The fake prince’s eyes flicked once more to the real prince, disguised as his servant.
To an outsider, it looked like seeking advice from a longtime trusted attendant.
But Eugene, who knew their full relationship, thought they were still terrible actors and waited for the real prince’s response.
“It seems like a favorable offer for us. However, if this is some political ploy to exploit Prince Rocaroph…….”
“No need for a word. Just stay with my group.”
If the chatty prince’s entourage shut up and behaved, it would be more than welcome for Eugene.
What Eugene needed wasn’t the person Rocaroph himself, but the status of Roman Empire prince.
“Then it sounds like a good deal, Your Highness.”
“Oh? Does it? Hmm. But even returning to the homeland, the journey to the imperial capital could be quite long…….”
The servant pretending to be the prince knew Rocaroph’s plight better than anyone.
It was a homecoming fraught with unknown perils and crises.
If Eugene up and left midway once the promised time was up, Prince Rocaroph would be left without escape, forced to stake his life.
“Then why not offer Duke Bartla compensation fitting that risk?”
“Compensation?”
“His Highness’s territory…….”
The real prince trailed off, gauging Eugene’s reaction.
Seeing his indifferent expression—not particularly tempted—the real prince quickly continued.
“……We’ll cede it for now, and add 10,000 imperial gold coins on top. Wouldn’t that satisfy Duke Bartla?”
“T-that much?”
Though small compared to the feudal lords’, Prince Rocaroph’s territory was renowned for its fertility.
Add 10,000 imperial gold coins, and it equaled the revenue of an average territory for 4-5 years—a massive fortune.
The servant couldn’t help lamenting his master’s blood-earned wealth going to the shady vampire duke before him.
‘No, do they think I’ll follow for money alone?’
…Except it was an absurdly large sum.
As Eugene pondered slightly, he overheard the real prince and servant whispering in the Roman imperial tongue.
“We have to offer that much. Only then can we move a peerless knight and rare golden maggot—no, an ambitious duke like him.”
Golden maggot? This prince bastard?
“But if things go awry by some chance? You’ve already incurred Crown Prince His Highness’s wrath, and if…….”
“Our foe is the Silver-Browed Demon King. The mightiest lord among the dark kin in the homeland. We can’t skimp on money or wealth.”
“……!”
Unbidden, Eugene’s eyebrow twitched.
Nickname: Silver-Browed Demon King. The strongest vampire in the Roman Empire, no less.
One figure naturally sprang to mind.
‘No way… is it that guy?’
The only one among the three vampires in his memories who had smirked at him.
If that one was an Origin, his peculiar silver eyebrows would make “Silver-Browed Demon King” a perfect fit.
“Prince.”
“Hm? Ah, what is it, Sir Eugene?”
The fake prince, who had been intently listening to the real prince, whipped around in surprise.
“If your business drags on, we’ll settle for your territory and 10,000 imperial gold coins. But.”
Eugene spoke coldly to the prince’s group, whose eyes widened as if not expecting immediate acceptance.
“The dark kin living in the Roman Empire—especially those like me who walk by day. Give me the full list of names and locations. That’s my condition.”
Eugene resolved himself.
If the silver-browed vampire was in the empire, the other two vampires might be there too.
Why he had lost his memories, why he had lived in ignorance only to die pathetically and regress.
He had to find those three vampires who might hold the truth.
In the Roman Empire, the heart of this world.