Chapter 113
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Banquet (3)
A cloud of dust rose on the new road leading to Meursault Castle.
Dozens of splendidly adorned carriages were racing toward Meursault Castle.
The flag emblazoned with a golden wave symbolized Modificata, one of the five great families of the Northern Region.
Beside it, the emblem of a whirlwind swirling around a sturdy rock represented the Daytona family.
The flag on the last carriage depicted a ship charging through lightning, the symbol of the Portofino family.
Three families among the Northern Region's five great houses were gathered together, heading toward Meursault Castle.
...Right then.
The Daytona family carriage at the front began to gradually slow down.
Since the new road was a single path, the carriages of the other two families naturally had to reduce speed as well.
Eventually, the Daytona carriage came to a complete stop.
The Modificata carriage right behind it halted as well.
The door of the Modificata carriage opened, and a tall, gaunt man stepped out.
His sharp hooked nose, slit eyes, sunken cheeks, and protruding cheekbones gave him a terribly irritable impression.
"How incompetently do you have to drive to block a perfectly fine road like this? Did the wheel fall off that cheap piece-of-shit carriage?"
He was Mugello Modificata, patriarch of the Modificata family.
Meanwhile, a man emerged from the Daytona carriage that Mugello Viscount was sneering at.
Short in stature with a sturdy build, abundant beard like a dwarf's.
A middle-aged bald man whose face was covered in knife scars stared down Mugello Viscount.
He was Brago Daytona, patriarch of the Daytona family.
Mugello sneered at Brago.
"Can't you understand plain speech? Clear that filthy carriage out of the way quick. That way we won't be late to the banquet, right?"
"Huhu—You look so cute, all anxious about not upsetting the Meursaults."
Brago brushed off Mugello's words with a relaxed demeanor.
Mugello scoffed in disbelief.
"A guy who won't utter a peep once he's inside Meursault Castle is strutting around like this. If you can't move the carriage, just stay put. I'll slice you in one stroke."
"Hold on, calm down. What's the rush to get to the Meursault banquet early?"
"It's a banquet hosted by the Northern Region's overlord. Getting there early to show our faces is good. At least better than staring at your nauseating mug here, right?"
"Don't talk nonsense. How about we chat here a bit before going in?"
"Chat? Ha?"
Mugello let out a hollow laugh.
In truth, the Modificata and Daytona families were on bad terms.
Only recently, feeling pressured by Meursault's rise, had they formed an alliance—but before that, they had engaged in large and small territorial skirmishes every year, chipping away at each other.
"If you want to chat, why not hand over the mountains and lakes you stole from me last year?"
"Ahem—Why bring that up now? What I mean is, before entering enemy territory, we should at least get our stories straight among ourselves. Isn't it time to join forces?"
"Cut the crap, Brago Daytona. I see Meursault and you lot as the same. Anything that rubs me wrong."
"Being so uncooperative won't get you anywhere."
"Shut up and move that beggar carriage now. Or do you want to have it out right here?"
Mugello Modificata gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist.
Brago Daytona clicked his tongue and grasped the sword on his back.
At that moment.
"Enough of that."
A hulking man descended from the carriage that had stopped at the rear.
A man draped in fiercely rugged white bear fur like a cloak.
The biting Northern winds seemed incapable of piercing the bare skin of his thick forearms.
He was Hardman Portofino, patriarch of the Portofino family.
At the mediation of Hardman—the eldest among them and a long-time viscount—both Mugello and Brago stepped back.
However, Mugello was still brimming with dissatisfaction.
"Lord Hardman Viscount. Brago, that bastard's blocking the road and throwing his weight around. After ambushing our territory last year and stealing our mountains and lakes."
"Throwing weight around? I'm just suggesting we talk, fellow sufferers, and you twist it like that? Isn't it hard to understand wanting to align our words before stepping on Meursault soil?"
Brago reacted as if he were the aggrieved one.
Hardman waved his hand.
"Both of you, calm down a bit. Infighting now won't do us any good. Our opponent is Meursault, after all."
"......"
"......"
At Viscount Hardman's words, both Mugello and Brago fell silent.
Hardman Portofino continued.
"I know. About your families clashing, and the annual territorial disputes that follow. But if things continue like this, those skirmishes won't happen next year either. Get what I'm saying? It'll be pointless chatter after Meursault takes everything."
At those words, the two nodded.
Both Mugello and Brago knew well.
As heads of great houses, they couldn't possibly be unaware.
If things went on like this, the Meursault family would swallow the entire Northern Region whole.
They would use this victory banquet as a turning point to expand their power in earnest.
With Levarb and Furosange already crushed for rebelling, the other three families' fates wouldn't differ much.
Modificata, Daytona, Portofino—the three families had to choose.
Submit or resist.
Then, Mugello spoke.
"If we talk, will you join us too, Lord Hardman Viscount?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
At Hardman's reply, Brago interjected.
"The Portofino family is quite close-knit with Meursault, isn't it? Why bother talking with us?"
"You sly fox. Didn't you stop your carriage up front knowing I'd want to talk, blocking me too?"
Even to Brago's sharp question, Hardman didn't lose his composure.
Soon, the patriarchs of Modificata, Daytona, and Portofino gathered together.
Hardman Portofino spoke.
"Certainly, our families were on good terms with Meursault in the past. But that's old history now. Ever since Meursault grew aggressive and revealed their ambitions, that friendship shattered. Now it's just a matter of who eats whom—and I won't go down helplessly like Levarb or Furosange."
"Same for me."
"Me too."
Mugello and Brago nodded.
Hardman nodded as well.
"Good. Let's sort out the situation."
He sat on a fallen log by the roadside.
The other two viscounts perched on rocks in front of him.
Viscount Hardman stroked his beard and said.
"Meursault has absorbed all remaining forces of Levarb and Furosange. Next, it'll be us. Once they ascend to marquisate with this victory promotion, they'll need firmer territory and support bases."
"They'll want to reclaim lost titles and power."
"We're not the type to go down without a fight, are we? No matter how mighty Meursault is, they can't overcome three families united. If we properly ally..."
Mugello and Brago replied.
Hardman fell silent for a moment.
Soon, he spoke in a grave tone.
"I know Count Soleil Meursault well. We've been friends since childhood. He's rational and upright. Not the type to rampage recklessly just because he gained power. Even with the marquis promotion, he won't act aggressively right away."
"You mean Meursault will stay quiet for a while?"
"Hmm. Could be. Count Soleil is famously cautious. Put negatively, he's indecisive."
The two viscounts nodded.
Viscount Hardman continued.
"I'll try to sway Count Soleil at this banquet. He'll listen to me. I'll support their rise to marquis and work for it, in exchange for recognizing our autonomy for a time. Unless some variable arises, he'll heed my words."
"Good plan. Maintaining a mutual non-aggression status."
"Meursault would have to shed a lot of blood to fight our three-family alliance too. What choice would they have?"
Mugello and Brago nodded as well.
Hardman inwardly smiled at the two viscounts.
'Yes, think that way. The moment the mutual alliance is sealed, I'll devour you first. After swallowing Modificata and Daytona, Portofino will become a great house rivaling Meursault. Then I'll request my own countship and rule the northwest Northern Region independently.'
Mugello and Brago harbored similar thoughts.
Thus, the three viscount families plotted as one.
At that very moment, while Modificata, Daytona, and Portofino families held their secret tripartite meeting.
In the conference room of Meursault's main castle, father and son were engaged in a private talk.
Soleil said.
"Modificata, Daytona, and Portofino have likely colluded."
"And among them, the strongest Portofino will lead Modificata and Daytona. They might even aim to outright swallow them."
Federback replied.
Soleil tapped the table with his fingers.
"Seems they're bringing troops."
"They'll station them outside the territory. Bring them in if needed."
"Better if they do come. Gives us a chance to test the new weapon's power."
Soleil grinned at Federback's response.
The Abyssal Chest Remegaton Killer.
This massive weapon, loaded into a trebuchet and launched, had the power to reshape terrain.
But Federback shook his head.
"No need. They won't form that alliance."
"Why not?"
"Because I'll make sure of it. Using noble etiquette."
"......You don't mean that noble etiquette of...?"
"Exactly."
To Soleil's question, Federback replied with a faint smile.
"Sister's engagement."
To Federback, who knew the future, splitting the three families was no difficult task.