Chapter 126
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: The First Move
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‘She's gotten stronger.’
Chris looked slightly surprised.
Jupien still had the same stoic, doll-like face, but the aura she exuded had changed completely.
4-Star.
And at the middle stage, no less.
‘So that's why I haven't seen her around. Looks like she went into seclusion to train.’
Of course, Jupien's achievement wasn't solely due to training in seclusion.
It was the timely and appropriate advice Chris had given her.
Combined with the effort Jupien had put in, it resulted in this explosive growth.
Chris particularly noticed that Jupien had perfectly mastered the core principles of the Illusion Sword Art.
Even at the same level of achievement, she would exhibit far greater power, and it would be much easier for her to reach higher realms in the future.
"The advice you gave me back then. I'm here to repay it, so let's go together."
"...No."
"Why?"
"We're heading into the den of those Alliance bastards. You know it's dangerous for a princess like you to go, right? I can't look after you."
Jupien frowned.
"You're arrogant."
"..."
"I never asked you to look after me. I can take care of myself."
Jupien continued.
"Besides, if I go, it'll be advantageous for resolving this matter."
"How so?"
"With two heirs of the Dark Magic House present, the delegation will carry more weight. They won't dare to act rashly against us."
A valid point.
"Surprising. I thought you weren't one to use your head much."
"...You, one day I'll crush you under my heel."
Chris chuckled and held out his hand.
"Alright. I'll be in your care, then."
"Hmph."
Jupien coldly slapped his hand before turning and disappearing. She was off to prepare to join the delegation.
[Ohoho. I suppose I should get ready too. My heart is pounding with excitement at the thought of a darling trip with the Young Master.]
For the record, since Mari was a ghost, she didn't count toward the personnel limit, so they decided to bring her along secretly.
"I-I'm still lacking...! I'll stay behind with Sir Melin to train...! Hngh!"
Allos was spouting nonsense when he caught Melin's fierce glare and sucked in a breath.
It was a murderous gaze that promised to work him to death if he failed to properly assist Chris, which made Chris chuckle again.
And just like that, the day of their departure for Gold Cross arrived.
* * *
That day.
Perhaps because it was the night of their departure for Gold Cross?
Chris had a dream.
An old dream.
A dream of his previous life, of his childhood.
- My baby. My beloved baby. A blessing from the heavens. My everything.
A radiant smile looking down at him.
It was his 'mother,' the one who had given birth to him.
Chris could vividly recall even events from his earliest childhood, so he remembered well the warm smiles his mother had given him.
His mother loved him.
She was happy when she looked at him.
The people of the world celebrated him too.
For Chris was a treasure born from the union of the world's noblest bloodlines.
The Law King of the Law Nation.
The princess of the Karn Empire.
These two were the parents who had given birth to Chris.
The entire world cheered for Chris's birth, and it seemed only natural that his future would be filled with light.
But the shining happiness did not last long.
Not long after giving birth to him, his mother was framed as a servant of demons.
It was a setup.
- Why?! It's not true! Please, believe me!
But his mother's pleas had no effect.
Because the one who had orchestrated the plot was the man hailed as the noblest in the world: the Law King.
In other words, the Law King had framed his own wife and the child he had fathered as servants of demons.
The reason wasn't even anything grand.
The Law King had another woman he was intimate with, and he wanted to make her his consort.
Since Chris's mother, a royal of the Karn Empire, was an obstacle, he framed her as a demon's servant to send her to the stake.
In the end, his mother had no choice but to accept all the charges.
To save Chris.
- I will admit to the crimes, so please... spare this child.
Her plea, made at the cost of her life, was accepted.
It wasn't that the Law King showed mercy, but rather thanks to the intervention of the Karn Empire, the strongest nation in the Crusade Alliance.
Even though he was branded as being involved with demons, the imperial family of the Karn Empire would not tolerate the death of the young Chris.
‘It was a salvation worse than death.’
He barely survived, but he was deemed a child conceived from a demon's seed, locked in a tower, and subjected to all sorts of horrific ordeals.
Torture inflicted under the pretext of a 'purification' ritual.
It was abuse meant to kill him, but was it a cruel twist of fate?
He stubbornly survived, refusing to die.
But he was merely alive, living without any light, with death as his only hope.
Then he met light for the first time.
It was his half-sister, Olivia.
‘My first impression of her wasn't good.’
The Law King had framed Chris's mother in order to make Olivia's mother his official wife.
Naturally, his feelings toward her couldn't be good.
‘Still, if it hadn't been for Olivia, I would have been completely broken.’
Olivia, unlike her father, the Law King, was a kind child.
Thanks to her protecting Chris, he was able to escape the horrific torture disguised as purification, and for the first time, he received enough food to not go hungry.
Above all, her sincere care for him slowly opened the bars around Chris's tattered heart, and eventually, Chris was able to heal his broken spirit.
Olivia was his savior.
That's why.
‘This time, it's my turn.’
If I can't stop this, Olivia will be ruined.
I have to stop it.
* * *
Fwaaash!
Chris and his party passed through the warp gate.
It was a gate that connected the main house to an area near the border.
From here, they had to ride horses down toward Gold Cross.
"Greetings, Young Lord!"
The Majin in charge of the gate saluted Chris.
The atmosphere was somewhat tense.
It signified just how dangerous Chris's current journey to Gold Cross was.
The two sides were already like sworn enemies, and now they were on the brink of war.
Allos looked sick to his stomach, and even Jupien's expression hardened as they reached the border with Gold Cross.
Just before they set off on horseback, a Majin approached them.
"Who are you?"
"I am the vice-commander in charge of security in this area. I came to wish the Young Lord good fortune in battle."
"Thank you."
The vice-commander bowed respectfully.
"Please, give those Gold Cross bastards a proper blow. I will look forward to the day the Young Lord becomes the Grand Prince."
It was an unexpected statement.
A vice-commander he'd never met was supporting him.
"It's not just me. Many of the frontline soldiers are rooting for you, Young Lord."
"Why is that?"
"Because you, Young Lord, have proven your own worth through strength."
A simple, yet definitive reason.
After all, no matter what, strength is what matters most to the Majin.
"In particular, Young Lord, you never shy away from any dirty obstacle, overcoming them all with your own power. Many Majin have come to respect you for that."
Even the common Majin have eyes and ears.
They all knew, through whispers and rumors, of the unfair schemes Chris had faced.
Especially Eshid's recent actions, which had gone far beyond crossing the line.
But Chris had shattered every obstacle and risen to his current position.
It was impossible not to be impressed.
‘Of course, I think this succession trial is impossible. Making a mere 4-Star Young Lord take the trial...'
The first part of the succession trial.
Establish an achievement worthy of the Head's prestige against the Alliance bastards.
An impossible condition.
But what was even more astounding was that Chris had confidently accepted the condition.
As if he could accomplish it with ease.
His surprising actions didn't stop there.
‘As part of the succession trial, he even stepped up to resolve the Gold Cross matter by himself.’
A stir went through the Majin who heard the rumor.
Most believed that Chris had made a reckless decision in order to pass the succession trial.
It was only natural. It was an impossible task.
Many also said that Chris, drunk on his recent successes, had grown complacent and lost his judgment.
But some...
...thought differently.
-Wouldn't Young Lord Christian perform another crazy miracle?
The vice-commander was one of those who thought so.
"If you accomplish this, no one will be able to oppose you passing the succession trial. I will await news of your victory."
The succession trial is held in two stages.
However, it was extremely rare for someone who passed the first trial to fail the second.
Of course, since Chris was from a branch family and still had competitors, he couldn't be assured of becoming the Grand Prince just by passing the first trial, but he would get right to the cusp of it.
"Good. I promise you."
Chris grinned.
"I'll bring back news that will shake not just the Dark Magic House, no, not just this Southern Demonic Nation, but the Magitech Empire, the entire continent. You can look forward to it."
He wasn't just saying that.
When this was over, Christian's name would spread across the entire continent.
As Chris's party mounted their horses, the Majin lined up in formation.
"All units, attention! Salute the Young Lord!"
"May fortune favor you in battle!"
Receiving the heartfelt, thunderous salute, the party set off toward the border.
Was it because of the grand send-off?
Or was it because they were heading into enemy territory?
The faces of both Jupien and Allos grew increasingly stiff.
The only one at ease was Chris.
Reaching the border, Chris thought to himself.
‘It's about time.’
Just then, he saw a cloud of dust rising in the distance, from the direction of Gold Cross territory.
Judging by the flags, it was a knight order of the Alliance bastards.
"H-Huh?! A-Are they here to capture us?! Y-Young Lord, Young Lady! For your safety, we must retreat at once...!"
"Don't make a fuss. It looks like they're here to greet us. Let's wait here."
Chris stopped his horse right on the border between the two territories.
Soon, the approaching figures became clearer.
They were knights clad in armor, and a sharp aura flowed from them, suggesting they were an elite order.
At least 2-Star to 3-Star.
There were even some 4-Stars and above mixed in, but the most overwhelming presence was the person at the front.
"So you're the envoys from the Dark Magic House? A bunch of snot-nosed brats."
An intense gaze.
An aura that sent a tingle even through Chris.
A 6-Star Master Class knight had come out to meet them.
But Chris remained with his arms crossed, not even glancing at the knight.
The knight's eyebrow twitched.
"Did you not hear me?"
"You're noisy."
"...What?"
"I am here representing the Dark Magic House. I am not someone a watchdog like you can dare to address so casually."
"!!"
The knight's face flushed red.
But Chris paid him no mind and shifted his gaze.
Toward a pale-faced young man with a somewhat familiar face, standing at the back.
"Isn't that right, Young Count Roy?"
That's right.
The ones who had come to meet them were the knights of the Bursen County and its next heir, Young Count Roy.
The very same one Chris had saved before.
The reason they, of all people, had come out to greet them was simple.
Chris had 'ordered' Young Count Roy to do so.
For reference, Young Count Roy's soul was still completely in Chris's grasp, leaving him unable to resist any command.
Chris planned to bring Young Count Roy along for this affair and use him as his puppet.
It was the beginning of his 'operation' to turn Gold Cross upside down.