Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Family Reunion and Drums of War
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“Come on in!”
Two voices overlapped as the door to the annex swung open.
To the right stood a short, slender middle-aged man with white hair and a prominent bushy mustache. To the left was a tall, stately middle-aged woman with copper-toned skin, her black hair and the ornate decorations on her clothes equally striking.
“Uh, what are you doing here…? Mom, I get, but… Dad too…?”
Noel blinked in stunned surprise.
These two were Noel’s parents: Fabian Snow and Isabella Snow.
“Well, our son suddenly said he’d be staying at the annex, so we had to come see you!”
“We haven’t seen you since you transferred to Esterro Academy. Then you show up in Balamut with your friends, so we even took time off to come!”
Hm, just like the original story mentioned—they’re both so lively.
No exaggeration; they look ready to break into a song-and-dance number from a musical.
Setting aside the cheerful vibe, Noel’s father Fabian was no ordinary man.
He’d earned his baronetcy through long years of service managing finances for the Tekat royal family.
Not inherited, so he was considered a lesser noble, but self-made success like that isn’t easy.
Honestly, he seemed more impressive than those born lucky into nobility, coasting on inherited status without a care.
Speaking of which, time off?
Didn’t they both live near Esset?
They could’ve just summoned Noel for weekends, yet here they were, taking leave to wait in Balamut…
“Ooh! You must be Noel’s friends!”
“Yes, Ethan Mertezacker!”
“Leon Hilfenberg here.”
Ethan responded energetically to Fabian’s polite greeting.
Leon, relaxed with shoulders loose, offered a faint smile.
“Theo Agrit. Sorry it’s so sudden, but I’ll be in your care. Sir.”
“Ah, you’re the three our Noel talks about so often. Make yourselves at home, humble as it is.”
Humble?
A quick glance showed the annex was plenty spacious.
Not quite a mansion, but more than enough for four people.
The interior was flashy with gold and jewels, but the earthen walls instead of brick must be Balamut’s signature building style.
“Our boy looks half-starved. Meals not enough for you?”
“…It’s the kingdom’s top academy. You think they’d skimp?”
Noel grumbled as Isabella pinched his cheeks.
Shocked by the response, Isabella clutched her head and collapsed dramatically into Fabian’s arms.
“Dear, our son…! Could this be the puberty we’ve only heard about?”
“Noel’s already twenty. Isn’t puberty a bit late? Probably just shy around friends. Don’t worry too much.”
“I-It’s not that…!?”
Noel protested, but his cheeks were beet red.
Of course not—Noel wasn’t the rebellious type, and he truly respected and loved his parents.
His biggest acts of defiance? Skipping bell peppers at dinner, or stubbornly staying up till dawn to sleep in on weekends, only to crash early and forget.
…No wonder he never asked his parents for help when Marco bullied him.
Didn’t want to worry them.
Not the wisest choice, but understandable.
“Oh, we’ve kept our guests standing too long! Come in, everyone. You took the train, right? Haven’t eaten yet? I went all out today, so brace yourselves—you might burst.”
Isabella bounced back in an instant, humming as she headed to the kitchen first.
We had no idea, following Fabian who offered to help…
That we’d stuff ourselves to the brink of exploding on her welcome feast…
2
“So, you’re saying the Karmut Federation is launching an invasion.”
A man in armor with a sporty short haircut spoke bluntly.
He nodded toward the man seated at the desk, who made no effort to hide his utter lack of interest.
It was only yesterday we’d shaken off the long journey’s fatigue at the Snow family annex.
Today, at Fabian’s introduction, we’d come to meet Nestor Davila, knight commander of Balamut.
But the name gave it away.
Nestor Davila—father to that rotten Marco Davila.
Sure enough, Nestor had the same auburn-tinged brown hair as Marco.
Even the neatly trimmed beard matched.
No idea Marco was the knight commander’s son.
The power and status that came with the position were immense.
Explains why Noel couldn’t budge.
Irritation welled up instinctively… but I held it back.
No rule says kids take after their parents, and this was official business anyway.
“You’ve brought a letter of guarantee from Third Prince Ludwig.”
“That’s right.”
Nestor skimmed the documents I’d submitted.
Truth be told, Ludwig showing up in person would’ve been ideal.
But a prince of the realm moving freely risked accusations of meddling in internal affairs.
By extension, me claiming to be his confidant or spy could stir trouble too.
So I’d prepared a roundabout workaround.
Ludwig’s guarantee covered only my identity.
Officially, my words had zero ties to him.
But a prince vouching for me lent massive credibility.
Like how a endorsement from a renowned professor, doctor, or scholar boosts trust in an ad.
Worst case, I had permission to pose as his envoy.
Escape hatch secured.
My statements’ reliability maxed out.
Yet Nestor shoved the papers aside.
“I get the prince’s backing, but desert matters are best known to desert folk.”
Unease crept up my spine.
“As proud knight commander of the desert, I’m fully monitoring the federation’s moves. No signs of them mobilizing large forces.”
“The federation could invade Balamut in a day or two if they set their minds to it. You know that.”
“Are you lecturing the current knight commander on military tactics?”
“……”
I could.
Who’s the one who dove deep into this trash game’s pointless minutiae?
The federation had rail lines linked to the center—they could ship massive troops and weapons by train if needed.
Sure, full-scale advances required traditional transport too…
But I couldn’t spout this in front of the knight commander.
He’d demand sources, and I had none.
Resigned to silence, Nestor scoffed and waved me off.
“Can’t move the army on flimsy intel. If the federation mobilizes, we’ll handle it.”
“Understood.”
My response sounded icy even to me.
Instinctual dread clung to my neck.
Nestor ignoring me wasn’t the issue.
Infuriating, but a reasonable, commonsense reaction.
But Ludwig himself had vouched for my identity.
With a friendly nation’s third prince backing me, brushing it off shouldn’t end there.
He should’ve questioned the intel’s veracity, demanded sources… or at least raged about foreign interference.
Instead, Nestor chose inaction and dismissal.
Who knew the knight commander was this incompetent?
Intuition followed.
Pressuring him further would yield nothing.
Easy resolution was off the table.
No choice.
I’d have to act independently.
3
“Haa…”
In a tavern somewhere in Balamut Kingdom.
A particularly heavy sigh escaped from a table where two merchants sat side by side.
“What’s with the sigh, Gerso?”
“Business has been crap lately. You holding up okay, Jules?”
“I’m scraping by. That bad?”
“Don’t ask. Inn bills are piling up—I’m debating shutting down.”
“That’s rough…”
Jules glanced around.
Then he leaned toward Gerso, lowering his voice.
“Secret, but Ulverhelm and Newcastle are acting weird. Rumors say they’re stockpiling food like crazy.”
“Aren’t those federation cities near Balamut?”
“Shh, voice down. That’s the point—they’re both federation turf. Word is, they’re gearing up for a dragon hunt or war.”
Gerso flinched reflexively.
“War…? That’s bad!”
“Huge problem! Especially for merchants like us—it’s a golden opportunity to make bank!”
War guzzled supplies.
Nothing better for supply merchants.
Gerso and Jules already looked lost in dreams of riches.
……I’d overheard their chat from another table.
No matter how hushed, dimension magic let me capture every word.
Took focus, but I got the intel.
I downed the last of my beer, dropped coins on the table.
Exited the tavern and headed to the central plaza with its flowing fountain.
Leon, Ethan, and Noel were already there by the water’s edge, having gathered info.
“Guess I’m last.”
“We just got here too, friend.”
“Leon says that, but he’s always thirty minutes early.”
“…I’m used to waiting, so it feels short.”
Leon’s full of excuses, come to think of it.
I shrugged and peered at the water.
“Any luck?”
“Herb gatherers spotted Karmut federation soldiers while harvesting cacti.”
“Local kids saw strangers prowling around a lot lately.”
“I… tailed some shady guys, but they met up—tattoos with five stars…? Lost them after.”
Leon meant federation scouts, Ethan spies, Noel their insignia.
Add my merchants’ rumors.
“Circumstantial evidence is overflowing.”
“Yeah… Streets feel less lively than before too…?”
“Knight commander still won’t budge, huh, friend?”
I nodded at Ethan’s question.
At first, I thought Nestor was just incompetent.
But stonewalling this much went beyond.
Bastard’s a federation plant for sure.
Like father, like son.
Anyway.
If they’re using plants, the federation’s invested heavily in toppling Balamut.
Thwarting this plan would be a massive middle finger to them.
I couldn’t wipe out the federation solo, but options abounded.
“If they play dirty, I’ll fight dirty too.”
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
If they politic with plants, I’d politic right back.
4
“Refreshing…”
I slurped through the straw jabbed into a palm melon.
Hard shell like a coconut, but inside brimmed sweet melon juice.
Replenished sugars for the heat-battered body, plus a chill.
Four days in Balamut already.
Sweltering weather, Isabella’s feasts, unresponsive royals—all unchanged.
Yesterday and the day before were hectic with prep, so today I could recharge with palm melon.
Of course, ears perked for federation moves.
One thing certain: they’d strike soon.
Honestly, today wouldn’t surprise me.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sudden drumbeats erupted from afar, slamming across Balamut.
The strong, ominous rhythm sparked panic everywhere.
“Noel.”
“Yeah…!”
Noel scaled the wall parkour-style to a nearby rooftop.
He shaded his eyes against the sun, scanning the drum source—then shouted.
“Something on the horizon… flags…? Five stars on them… Theo…! Federation army! The federation’s coming!!”