Chapter 39
Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Meritorious Houses' Conference
“Hah, has there been another rebellion in Belverk or something?”
“No way. Not against Astridje of all people.”
“...Even if it were the eldest daughter, there's no way that little brat beat her mother.”
The heads of the meritorious houses stared blankly at Kairen, who had taken the seat of honor for Belverk, before eventually turning to one another and beginning to murmur.
Of course, in Belverk—where the law of the jungle was practically incarnate—shifts in the power structure were commonplace.
Astridje herself had been a usurper, having driven out the previous head ten years ago in the infamous 'Incident' and seized power.
“...Th-the chair's too high.”
“Please bear with it just a little longer, Young Master.”
But it was certain that Kairen, now sitting there, had not defeated the notoriously ruthless Astridje to become the new head.
“...According to intelligence, Belverk's youngest son is doted on by his mother.”
“Does that mean they're already solidifying the succession?”
“No, even Astridje wouldn't send a child not yet ten years old here for something like that...”
This only deepened the confusion among the heads, each tossing out their own speculations.
It was then that the emperor—who had been sitting silently with an expressionless face, lost in thought—suddenly addressed Kairen in a low voice.
“Was it that day for Astridje, by any chance?”
“...Ah, that is...”
“Yes, the duchess is currently...”
Caught off guard by the emperor's sudden question, Kairen froze with a tense expression. Schwarz, standing beside him, stepped forward to answer instead.
“...I didn't ask you, kin of Belverk.”
The emperor cut her off with a chilling rebuke.
“If you understand, then leave this place without delay.”
“......”
“If you weren't from Belverk, you'd have lost your life just for stepping foot here.”
Schwarz shuddered slightly at the emperor's eerie aura—so at odds with his usual sloppy demeanor—and retreated into Kairen's shadow.
“Yes, my apologies... Eh?”
“...Don't melt into the shadows. Get out.”
“Kuh...”
“Defy me once more, and I'll rip out your heart right there.”
The emperor's eyes flashed golden as he issued the cold warning, watching her. Schwarz clutched her chest and dropped to one knee.
“Young Master, do your best.”
She flashed Kairen a casual smile as if nothing had happened, then exited the conference hall with a pale face.
“Smells like black magic. I'd love to catch her and study her.”
“...Best not, Tower Lord.”
“I know. I have no intention of going to full war with Belverk. I'd sooner rebel against the Empire.”
“Haha, I'd welcome that. Rule in my stead.”
“Sigh, that's why even that maid treats Your Majesty so lightly.”
The heads and the emperor watched the scene before resuming their banter as if nothing had occurred.
“Um, well. My mother, Duchess Astridje, is absent for reasons I can't disclose.”
“......”
“And, uh, my big sisters are all away from the mansion right now too.”
Gathering his courage, Kairen clenched his fists and explained in a firm voice.
“...So, in their absence, I've come as the acting head in response to the emergency summons.”
Only then did the heads' gazes slowly return to Kairen.
“Heads, please take care of me today...”
“Apologies, but I can't accept this.”
Before Kairen could finish, Marquis Sharhen shot to his feet and raised his voice in protest to the emperor.
“Even for Belverk, this is too much. Sending an uninitiated heir who hasn't even had his coming-of-age ceremony? And not even ten years old...”
“Um, excuse me!”
“...Hm?”
Kairen raised his hand high and interrupted, squeezing his eyes shut before shouting.
“Don't cross the line, Grandpa!”
“......”
“I'm the official representative of Belverk right now!”
A brief silence followed.
“Puhahaha!”
“Pfft. Quite the temper.”
“Hm.”
The emperor and Marquis Magnaris burst into laughter, breaking the silence, while Countess Harkfried of the Frontier gazed at Kairen with intrigued eyes, chin in hand.
“...Hah, Belverk blood runs true, I see.”
“......”
“But you're soft. Did you think you could intimidate me?”
Marquis Sharhen sneered coldly down at Kairen, exuding killing intent.
“...Sit down, Marquis Sharhen.”
“But!”
“I recognize Kairen Nox Belverk's authority as acting head.”
The emperor, looking visibly annoyed, ignored him and lowered his voice, eyes glowing golden.
“So quit your bullshit and sit.”
“...Tch.”
Marquis Sharhen flinched and sat back down with a dissatisfied scowl.
“I doubt Astridje would do something like this without reason.”
“Appointing an acting head before succession is set is tricky.”
“Better to put the farthest from succession as proxy than spark needless fights?”
As the heads murmured again, the emperor muttered lowly.
“...Or perhaps the closest one is sitting there.”
At those words, their calculating gazes locked onto Kairen.
“Then, let's begin the meeting.”
“......”
“By the way, I'll skip the formalities. It's an informal meeting anyway?”
Kairen, head bowed and missing their stares, still clutched a glowing glass vial in his hand.
“...Guess I have to do this with my own power.”
He glanced briefly at his second sister's hair inside before pocketing it with a hardened expression.
I barely escaped being thrown out and, at last, the conference of the four great meritorious houses—including me—truly began.
“So, what does Belverk think of this matter?”
“Your Majesty, I think it's a huge problem too!”
“...I see. Most helpful.”
“Really?!”
“Haha, too pure is a curse too.”
At first, I tried my best to keep wide-eyed attention, nodding along to grasp every conversation.
“Marquis Sharhen, do you perhaps want House Harkfried to abandon the northern front?”
“...No, of course not. But even in harsh conditions, do you really need to expand private forces beyond necessity?”
“If you'd set foot in the north even once, you wouldn't say that. Central nobles like you...”
The problem was that the talks dragged on for hours, filled with jargon and political intricacies I couldn't comprehend.
“Well, well, dozing off in a place like this?”
“Ow!”
“If you're sleepy, splash water on your face first, little head.”
The dim lighting and atmosphere finally had me drooling and nodding off—until Marquis Magnaris pinched my cheek, jolting me upright.
“...I, I agree!”
That was fine, but assuming the mood, I blurted something pointless.
“Pfft. Haha! What a funny kid.”
“...Sigh. This'll be a headache.”
“Belverk's new acting head is bold.”
The heads focused on me. Countess Harkfried of the Frontier, mid-debate with Marquis Sharhen, turned to me.
“We were just discussing the northern front. More precisely, large-scale military reductions.”
“...Ah.”
“So, does that mean Belverk doubts House Harkfried's ability to guard the north?”
Listening blankly, my mind went white. I touched the vial in my pocket.
“Ah, um...”
“......”
“...So, my opinion is...”
But eating my second sister's hair now would look too suspicious. I'd have to handle this myself.
“I do think military reductions are necessary.”
“Oh?”
“But I'm definitely not dismissing House Harkfried's northern defense!”
Sticking to my words but adding excuses, Countess Harkfried—sharp-eyed—nodded quietly, gesturing for me to continue.
“Mom said it. Soon, monsters as big and scary as this from the demon beast lands will come down!”
“......”
“So, rather than focusing on the northern front now, we need to prepare for that first. Actually, we might need reductions on the eastern and southern fronts too.”
Have you heard people unleash superhuman feats in crises?
That was me right now. Even I thought I'd salvaged it with perfect logic.
“...Invasions from the demon beast realm can only be sensed by Belverk's head.”
“...?”
“Belverk heads have used that advantage for generations to hold power over the four great houses...”
That thought lasted briefly. Hearing the emperor's slightly upturned lips beside me, cold sweat returned.
'Wait, was that classified?'
If monopolizing demon beast invasion timing was key to Belverk's power—and I'd spilled what I heard on Mom's lap—my position was awkward.
“...But I don't want only Belverk to advance!”
Too late now. I mentally apologized to Mom and justified my slip.
“And if House Harkfried falls, the Empire's north is breached.”
“......”
“We can cut arms now, but post-invasion, the Empire should support them more!”
Romance fantasy northern duke/frontier count trait: Guardians of vital Empire fronts, yet discriminated against by central nobles.
“Kairen hates the cold a lot. So those silently guarding it deserve respect!”
As a romance fan, I could scratch their itch on the spot.
“Haha, well...”
Luckily, Countess Harkfried's cold gaze softened; she brushed back her sky-blue hair with a faint smile.
“When intel said Astridje doted on her youngest, I thought Belverk spread reverse intel.”
“......”
“But seeing with my own eyes, I get it.”
Watching her smile made me avert my gaze oddly.
No, intel in the carriage said forties or fifties—does she really look it?
Not for Mom, but ten years younger, she'd have noble ladies weeping.
“Looks like we need a recess. I should inform the military separately.”
“...Ahem, then I'll check with my retainers too.”
“I diverted all magic tower defense costs to research lately. Close call.”
Lost in silly thoughts, the room suddenly grew urgent.
'Gotta apologize to Mom openly.'
My leak seemed impactful; pondering how to beg her—
“...Everyone, hold.”
The emperor halted the rising heads.
“Finish this agenda first before recess. It's not the last, but quite important.”
Right, meetings save the biggest for last.
So what was this important one?
At least I was awake now—time to shine and build a competent image...
“It's regarding the recently dismissed Opstein Marquisate.”
...Ah, damn. Didn't expect this here.
“The Empire's secret investigation bureau raided Opstein recently and found numerous taboos.”
The emperor cleared his throat, reseating the heads, and began explaining coldly.
“Tax evasion, illegal private armies, demon beast breeding, etc. Quite the feast they'd been having.”
Some heads—especially Marquis Magnaris—twitched at the last, but the emperor continued unperturbed.
“But the biggest issue was the taboo experiments.”
The room's atmosphere chilled.
“...You all know what experiments they conducted?”
“......”
“How utterly insane they were?”
Kairen, dazed, started raising his hand but glanced around and lowered it.
“I have something to say on that, Your Majesty.”
Marquis Sharhen stood sharply to speak.
“It's unclear what research was done or how, so isn't the punishment excessive?”
“......”
“Marquis Magnaris, you observed too—you know.”
He turned to her; she sighed lightly and rose.
“True. Most records were burned... Results mostly gone.”
“See? It's forced.”
“Traces remain, so the action's justified, but...”
“Your Majesty, stripping a meritorious house on mere traces unworthy of evidence? Absurd!”
Before she finished, Marquis Sharhen cut in, shouting at the emperor.
“And who knows? Belverk, Opstein's nemesis, might've fabricated evidence...”
“That's a leap. I observed the investigation too.”
He glanced slyly at Kairen; irked, Marquis Magnaris raised her voice.
“Who knows? Magnaris, lagging behind Opstein in magic prestige, might've sided with Belverk this time.”
“...Done talking?”
“Heh, why so sensitive? Just speculation.”
As their clash intensified, Countess Harkfried rose quietly.
“Your Majesty, not defending the old man, but we need more caution here.”
“...Hm.”
“Last remaining record says the experiment failed completely. No defense for Opstein, but grounds for leniency.”
The emperor stared at her silently before asking.
“...What are you saying, Countess Harkfried?”
She, gazing at Kairen, turned back.
“To ignore a meritorious house's privileges and immunity entirely requires decisive proof.”
Marquis Sharhen chimed in perfectly timed.
“...Dismissing a meritorious house on uncertainty will bring fierce backlash, Your Majesty.”
Though Opstein had poor repute, the two houses defending it had deep reasons.
House Sharhen: Eldest daughter lost Continent's Top Sword to a Belverk knight; grinding teeth.
Beyond that, to check Belverk's emperor-rivaling might, they needed to bolster Opstein.
House Harkfried: Northern management first, apolitical—but had to defend Opstein.
A meritorious house falling with privileges ignored? Unprecedented in Empire history.
Especially for her, subtly discriminated by centrists, reliant on privileges—natural conservatism.
“Not my place, but evidence vanished too cleanly... Even Holy Church trial might not convict.”
Marquis Magnaris, reading the flow, added reluctantly.
She'd entered meritorious houses post-Opstein ousting, but cared more for magic research than perks.
“Sigh...”
With three houses negative, the emperor grimaced annoyedly—
“Um, wait a sec.”
Kairen, silent till now, raised his hand high.
“Hm? Our little head has words?”
“Bathroom? Hold it—ending soon.”
“Actually...”
Glancing around hesitantly, he dropped a bombshell.
“...I was the test subject.”
Silence shattered as the emperor's eyes widened.
“What?”
Kairen beamed innocently.
“I grew up as a test subject in House Opstein for ten years!”
Heads' faces darkened as he continued.
“Uncles and priests came daily, poking and cutting everywhere...”
“......”
“...Fed weird drugs, and once bled out so much I died but was forced back.”
Even zealous defender Marquis Sharhen sobered, but Kairen testified brightly.
“So, if I testify, can we punish Opstein?”
In the utterly silent room, he smiled purely.
“Hehe, great!”
A chilling silence lingered long after.