Chapter 231
Chapter 231
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 231
Chapter Title: Leader of the Eastern Noble Faction
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Leader of the Eastern Noble Faction.
Duke Imferba.
He had originally been a remarkably bright and generous man.
A figure so magnanimous that he actively hosted tournaments in his own territory.
A man whose body exuded the hearty aroma of barley from his love of beer.
That was Duke Imferba.
But today, unlike his usual self, his face was deeply lined.
Fatigue seeped from every wrinkle.
The reason for his condition was simple.
Members of the minor Eastern Noble Faction kept hounding him relentlessly.
With everyone's lives on the line, even against a duke, the Eastern nobles couldn't hold back their voices.
A mountain of letters from them was piled up even now.
Every time he saw them, Duke Imferba's face twisted in disgust.
"This is going to kill me. Look at how much weight I've lost."
His plump cheeks had shriveled, and his belly had slimmed so much his pants no longer fit.
He never imagined a day would come when he'd lose weight from work stress.
For all his appearances, Duke Imferba was a highly capable individual.
However, his talents lay far from politics.
No matter how absolute one's talents might seem, everyone has their interests.
His were in territory management, not politics.
As such, he excelled at running his lands but always lagged in political maneuvering.
Neglecting politics had snowballed into the crisis they faced today.
The Eastern Noble Faction was the weakest force.
There seemed no way to shake off that label.
"Sigh, did I really see this coming?"
The Eastern nobles had a certain naivety compared to their Northern counterparts.
Most shared a temperament similar to Duke Imferba's.
They had built fine cities, but their power was feeble.
Above all, this made them ripe targets for other factions.
The wealth from their territory management whetted appetites.
"If only we had some real power."
Duke Imferba had tried to build his own forces.
But major pioneer guilds were concentrated in the North, West, or capital.
The North and West's harsh environments honed their noble private troops to a fine edge.
The North, especially, teemed with talented demihumans.
Take the Witch of Mimicry, the prime example among them—she operated mainly in the North.
One word from her, and hordes of demihumans would follow.
In the end, the gap in military might was insurmountable.
"Ugh, urgh."
Duke Imferba clutched his stomach.
Losing weight lately had brought on stomach pains.
He figured it was time for a check-up.
Knock knock—
Just then, someone rapped on the office door.
Already buried in work, he desperately hoped it wasn't more trouble.
"Come in."
The door opened, and his butler entered.
"Your Grace, the master of the Solar Guild requests an audience."
"Solar Guild?"
One of the two major pioneer guilds in his territory, Solar.
He'd given them a boost after their tournament win.
The duke frowned at the guild master's personal visit request.
Generous as he was, he was still a noble.
Frostnight's master Aegis might warrant it, but a mere major guild master coming alone? Unusual.
"And I'm swamped as it is."
Duke Imferba rubbed his forehead briefly.
Still, he couldn't ignore a major pioneer guild right now.
They needed every ally in the Eastern Noble Faction.
'Normally, I'd send an aide.'
But all his aides were swamped too.
No suitable proxy available.
With a sigh, he looked up.
His head throbbed from the workload, thoughts sluggish.
Stepping away for a breather might help.
"Let him in. I'll meet him personally."
"Yes, I'll guide him to the guest room."
Duke Imferba rose, threw on an outer coat haphazardly, and headed to the guest room where the Solar Guild master waited.
Walking does clear the mind, he thought as he opened the door.
A familiar face greeted him.
That same brutally rugged visage: Solar Guild master Barbaras.
"It's been a while."
"An honor to see you, Your Grace."
Barbaras bowed politely.
Beside him stood an unfamiliar man.
He looked just as menacing as Barbaras.
Duke Imferba eyed him curiously.
"And this is?"
"Ah, forgive the late introduction. This is a representative from the Steel Wolf Guild."
"Steel Wolf."
The duke's eyes sharpened at the name.
Steel Wolf was the hottest major guild lately.
If a powerhouse like them joined the Eastern faction, it was welcome news indeed.
His heart raced with anticipation as he took his seat.
"Leyzon of Steel Wolf."
"Hmm. So, what brings Steel Wolf to me?"
An unusual personal reception from the duke.
Most would tense, but Leyzon remained utterly unfazed.
'Not your average sort.'
The duke had an eye for people.
He pegged Leyzon as extraordinary at first glance.
Moreover, an odd leisure radiated from his demeanor.
Such poise didn't come from ordinary folk.
Then, as if an afterthought, Leyzon smiled faintly.
"Ah, and I'm also known by the moniker Abyss."
"......Pardon?"
Duke Imferba blinked.
His face said he couldn't process what he'd heard.
Leyzon kept grinning.
Barbaras averted his eyes and bowed silently.
Slowly, the duke's eyes widened.
He realized it was no jest.
Whoosh—
Duke Imferba shot to his feet.
Behind him, knights had drawn their swords.
His personal guard.
They'd reacted instantly to his shock.
Leyzon glanced at their blades without concern.
"I understand the swords."
He even leaned back, crossing his legs.
"But if you swing them, there's no going back. So, don't."
This was a warning.
Duke Imferba couldn't confirm if he truly was the Abyss.
The Abyss: pinnacle of necromancers.
The shadowy figure whose name echoed everywhere lately.
Even the duke's intelligence network knew little.
One certainty: his danger was real.
And this man spoke no lies.
Pure instinct told him so.
Instinct had carried the duke to power's peak.
Such a seat demanded sharp senses.
Duke Imferba swallowed hard.
"......Sheathe your swords."
Reluctantly, the knights obeyed.
The duke's command was absolute.
He glared at Leyzon, vigilance unbroken.
"Just to be sure—are you here on someone else's orders?"
"No. If so, I'd have obliterated Duke Imferba's entire territory."
He tossed out the rude remark casually.
But if he was truly the Abyss, nothing could be more chilling.
"I can swear it. I'm here of my own volition."
"......"
The duke fell silent.
How far to trust this stranger?
"Your Grace, I vouch for him."
Barbaras finally chimed in, backing Leyzon.
As a Solar Guild master under Imferba, he wouldn't risk the duke's ire lightly.
The duke exhaled deeply and sat back down.
"Very well. Speak."
"I've heard the Eastern Noble Faction is in dire straits."
He cut straight to the heart.
The East's woes were infamous.
Other factions had leaked it deliberately.
Public knowledge of weakness shrank alliances naturally.
They exploited that.
"I won't deny it. Things aren't good."
But he was the faction's core.
Nobles knew when not to yield.
"That said, we're preparing too. Something big to hit the other factions hard."
"Sounds promising."
Leyzon smiled at his words.
"I was thinking of lending the Eastern Noble Faction some power, but maybe you don't need it."
"Eh?"
Duke Imferba blankly echoed.
He hadn't expected the Abyss to offer aid.
"Lend... power?"
"I'd love for the Eastern Noble Faction to win."
The duke gulped.
He'd just lamented their lack of might.
Now the Abyss offered exactly that.
'I don't know his full extent, but his undead are legendary.'
Forces rivaling lords.
Some even knight-commander level.
If his power matched the rumors...
'The Imperial Family aside, we could match the North.'
A chance to restore balance.
"Ah, of course, it wouldn't just be me."
As the duke pondered, Leyzon dropped an even wilder claim.
"There are additional forces separate from mine. We can discuss after business."
Leyzon brimmed with confidence in his faction.
What force did this man command?
Impossible to gauge, but no empty words.
His eyes rang true.
"Are you serious about joining the Eastern Noble Faction?"
"I haven't lied since arriving."
Leyzon tapped his chin slowly.
"Ah, if you're skeptical, shall I show you a bit?"
He grinned like he'd been waiting.
Shadows rippled beneath him.
Unsure what he'd do, the duke felt a chill.
But this was their greatest opportunity yet.
"......Shall we talk more seriously?"
Missing it doomed the East.
At the duke's earnest plea, Leyzon bared his teeth in a grin.
"Of course."
Let's talk long and earnestly.