Chapter 44
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 44: A New Phase
It was late at night when pitch-black darkness settled.
Candlelight was still burning in Wintel Main Castle's office, and the Grand Duke's white seal was being stamped sequentially on a thick pile of approval documents.
Closing the last document, Eldmonde Wintel relaxed his fingers slowly.
Stiff knuckles made a low sound, and a low groan also leaked out at the feeling of stiffness being relieved.
"Hmm...."
Rising from his seat, he opened the door and stepped out onto the terrace.
The North's night air dug into his lungs.
It was cold, raw, and air making one feel alive.
Moonlight settled on the snowy scenery glistening silver, and torches on the outskirts of the Main Castle far away were embedded like dots.
However, that scenery didn't enter his eyes properly.
What came to his mind coming out to take a rest was only one thing.
Emiline Wintel.
The explosion accident of that day when his daughter was in danger.
Officially concluded as 'accident'.
However, like Galliard, he believed it was an 'incident'.
Where power gathers, desire always follows, and where desire gathers, factions are bound to divide.
Guardian of the Northern Territory.
Ruler of the Northern Territory.
Great names supporting the Wintel Grand Duke family, but therefore dangerous names.
Because the biggest thirst those blinded by desire feel is crushing dazzling things.
Thus commanded confinement.
Daughter followed obediently.
But just because of suspicion, she couldn't be locked in the mansion for life.
Eventually had to approve the scheduled exhibition.
It was an official event held every year, and an exhibition with great diplomatic symbolism inviting major nobles near the Northern Territory.
If delaying a big event due to a matter officially concluded as 'accident', that indeed would become good prey for the bastards.
They would be triumphant that their warning worked, and intoxicated with the taste of victory, judgment clouded, might cause some untoward incident.
Would become bolder, and try to feel sweeter taste.
In times like this, must show off health, surely his deceased father would have said so too.
Judgment as Grand Duke and emotion as father conflicted, but eventually he chose the former.
Instead.
"Investigate. Secretly."
Commanded the aide quietly.
The force trying to disguise the explosion as an accident.
The force trying to send a warning with that.
However, what came out so far were only meager clues.
Intent is gauged, but no tangible entity in hand.
Eldmonde exhaled low breath.
Cold air scatters as breath breaking purely white.
At that time, footsteps were heard from behind.
Neat but urgent stride.
"Grand Duke Your Highness."
It was the aide.
His face was more tense than usual.
Eldmonde didn't turn his head.
Just looking at the snowy field spread with endless darkness, asked shortly.
"What is it."
"Baronet Iden Summonfield... requested an audience urgently."
At that moment, the Grand Duke's eyes narrowed very subtly.
It was late at night when even birds were asleep.
Time was not appropriate to request an audience.
But that name.
Iden Summonfield.
The name of the man who protected Hamelon, swept the battlefield in Saloon Central Plains, and saved Emiline in the banquet hall changes even 'that inappropriate time' to appropriate time.
Knowing he is not a person moving impulsively.
Knowing he is not an ordinary person, a man who doesn't waste time vainly.
He is a man moving only for clear purpose and goal.
Eldmonde cutting off thoughts lightly stepped back one step and closed the terrace door.
"Let's go."
Under the late night sky.
Another history was about to be recorded.
**
Iden calmed his breathing for a moment just before heading to the audience room.
Not even an hour passed since escaping Kalik Droban's mansion.
Faint afterglow of mana still remained at fingertips.
Kalik's mansion looked like an ordinary noble mansion outwardly, but inside was disguised intricately.
Iden released search specialized summoned beasts simultaneously with infiltration.
High-grade sensory summoned body analyzing minute gaps in structure, air flow, residual concentration of mana by dispersing invisible minute shadow particles.
Detected a part where mana density formed abnormally low in one section of the corridor wall.
Level ordinary people would never notice.
Squeak, squeak.
However, the summoned beast pointed there informing 'hiding empty space'.
Behind study wall.
One bookshelf was misaligned minutely, and traces of rearrangement remained under floor wood.
Although concealment summoning circles were layered heavily, the pulse of mana flow couldn't be deceived.
Secret space found like that.
Found Kalik Droban's records, and faced the person responsible for records.
"Aaaaaack—!!!"
Iden subdued him swinging sword as if struggling calmly.
Pot-bellied walrus whose trick called black magic was broken couldn't be Iden's opponent.
Blocking movement by cross-deploying defense barrier and restraint summoning circle, hit accurately avoiding vital points to faint him.
Scream was buried in barrier, and no sound leaked out of study.
Afterward was swift.
Moved Kalik put to sleep through neck chop and all evidence worthy of material evidence.
Would be able to buy time until Endermit recognizes Kalik's disappearance.
From now on it was a time fight.
Therefore had to borrow help.
Iden headed to Grand Duke family Main Castle without delay.
Erwin detoured to the back of Main Castle carrying Kalik in carriage.
Their roles were already divided naturally.
Iden to front gate hugging documents, Erwin to rear with evidence.
Iden standing in front of audience room organized document bundle lastly, and faced Grand Duke Eldmonde with polite greeting.
"Apologize for visiting at late hour, Grand Duke Your Highness."
However, there was no discomfort in Eldmonde Wintel's expression.
Rather subtle expectation dwelled with interesting smile.
Expectation like a child receiving a gift before festival.
To Eldmonde, Iden was such an existence.
Whenever having a meeting, such an existence always presenting mysterious experience.
"That you came at this time... wouldn't be a story to hear vainly."
Iden handed documents without a word.
Thick document bundle placed on table.
Eldmonde opened the first page straight away without any question.
And witnessed.
Answers to difficult problems that were the center of his agony until just now.
Organization called Endermit.
Internal system.
Banquet hall explosion incident plan.
Report records.
As pages turned, his eyebrows rose slowly and fingertips turning pages became faster.
A while later.
"Ha... hahaha."
Low hollow laugh leaked from Eldmonde's mouth.
Such hollow laugh comes out whenever meeting the man called Iden.
Eldmonde, worn out by wind and waves of time, whose interest and emotional ups and downs became flat forgetting laughter, but whenever having a meeting with the man called Iden, hollow laugh mixed with admiration used to come out.
Like now.
"Captured archivist Kalik Droban alive too and loaded on carriage in Main Castle backyard."
Eldmonde staring at Iden for a moment.
As if absurd, as if receiving Main God, something beyond wonder was contained in his dark grey pupils.
Iden who pulled out the pillar, not clue of force suffering difficulty because even his family members couldn't find.
Iden who brought the pickaxe directly to dig out the root.
Eldmonde didn't interrogate about authenticity of documents, pickaxe he brought, anything, nor raised any question.
"...."
Just looked at Iden.
Mouth opened forgetting dignity didn't close, and words didn't come out.
Man moving as if reading his thoughts.
Man scratching his itchy part coolly without saying.
Man whose moves are unpredictable and whose moves seem to be stepping on future, nonsensical man.
Even placing him in front, mutters bewilderedly blurring focus as if looking at a distant place.
What future is the existence hard to explain, hard to define drawing.
"You... where on earth are you trying to go?"
Beyond wonder and awe.
For some reason, Eldmonde even feeling fear if perhaps Main God descended directly to scold the ugly Wintel family.
**
Located between North and Central, sky of Rivan Count territory having mild climate was still clear, but air flowing under it was different from before.
3 years.
Already that much time passed since the headache called Edom Rivan disappeared.
In the meantime, Rivan Count family's power was tilting slowly.
Rivan family's main business was distribution of 'Mana Amplification Catalyst Ore'.
Business refining special ore mined in Central Mountain Range supplying to magic tool production, once an industry like golden egg trading even with high-ranking noble families in the kingdom.
However, mining volume decreased sharply recently.
Vein depleted faster than expected, and newly discovered vein had low purity.
Here Southern merchant guild distributed low-price substitute ore in large quantities and even price competition attached.
Profit rate cut in half, and unsold stock piled up in warehouse.
Rivan family's accounting ledger was becoming thinner and thinner.
Family Head sitting in office, Count Belgorden Rivan looked down at documents with hardened face.
Family once called stable middle-ranking noble, but now quietly declining family.
Of course not revealed outwardly yet, but couldn't deny family fortune tilting.
Moreover.
Family's eldest son and promising talent in swordsmanship world, Ryden Rivan was sick due to accident.
Although going through recovery, spending important time to spread wings lying on sickbed wasn't a good signal.
"...."
His gaze headed out the window for a moment.
At that time, butler entered with knocking sound.
"Family Head. Letter arrived from Wintel Grand Duke family."
Belgorden accepted it.
Thick envelope stamped with sealed seal of Eldmonde Wintel's family was held in hand.
White lion pattern engraved on pure white wax was still full of dignity.
Belgorden tore the seal slowly.
Content was concise.
Invitation to Wintel family's 'Exhibition' held every year.
Invitation informing exhibition gathering to entertain Princess and capable painter Emiline Wintel will be held after a month.
Place where children of influential nobles of Central and Northern regions gather isn't simple exhibition.
Place of social gathering where connections, information, investment and marriage talks go back and forth.
Belgorden fell into thought for a moment.
What Rivan family needs currently wasn't money but new 'connection'.
Vein business already reached critical point.
Time to secure new way out.
Had to strengthen link with Central noble society again, otherwise, decline will accelerate.
One figure came to his mind.
"Call Erica."
"Yes."
Butler withdrew and a while later, door opened and a woman entered.
"Did you call, Father."
Erica Rivan.
Rivan family's eldest daughter and figure called flower of social circles.
Blue-tinged hair rolled up elegantly, straight stretched neckline and beautiful figure made viewers place gaze naturally.
Belgorden handed invitation.
"It is Wintel Grand Duke family's exhibition. Since Ryden's condition isn't good, you go this time."
Erica's eyes shone slightly.
North.
Land having independent power structure even inside Kingdom. If exhibition held in Wintel family, the center of it, had meaning more than simple social gathering.
And seemed to know reason sending herself there without saying.
"Understood."
Answer without hesitation.
Belgorden added.
"I trust you will know role to do without bothering to say."
Erica understood the other side of those words sufficiently.
Her ability once called flower of social circles is put on test bench again.
She smiled softly bowing her head.
"Won't go against expectation."