Chapter 132: Eureka
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 132: Eureka
Inside Valdrova Castle.
While the young ladies waited in their rooms for the situation to stabilize, the young lords held a contest to select a commander-in-chief.
Ferda decided to remain a mere observer. His temperament was better suited for active tactical maneuvers rather than drafting grand strategies.
Among the contestants were renowned descendants of war heroes from various regions who had come to build rapport with Ferda. The most eye-catching among them was a man of massive stature.
‘That must be Jonathan Sina.’
He was the descendant of "Iron Wall" Jonathan Sina, one of the twelve members of the expeditionary force sent to defeat the Demon King. Bearing his ancestor’s name and looking so much like the statues of the original Jonathan Sina that people whispered he was a reincarnation, he was one of the few descendants of the expeditionary force well-known to the public.
Ferda watched him for a moment before turning to Isabella out of curiosity.
“As I recall, the original Jonathan Sina wasn't particularly bright. Is that correct?”
“It is.”
“And what about his descendant?”
“He excels at tactics, but when it comes to strategy, he’s a carbon copy of his ancestor.”
Then why on earth did he enter the contest?
Sina’s descendant wasn't the only surprise. An unexpected figure had joined the fray: Olivia Arken.
The Imperial Princess had also entered the competition. She was the only woman present.
She wasn't wearing her usual dress that emphasized her cleavage. Instead, she wore armor made of a rare metal called Altrium—light yet sturdy. It was a practical suit of armor, devoid of unnecessary flourishes or decorative curves, focused entirely on combat utility. Her long hair was pinned up, and her face was completely free of makeup.
While some say a woman’s bare face can be underwhelming, that wasn't the case with her. Rather, she projected a sense of purity that felt remarkably fresh, drawing lingering glances from the men around her. She walked a fine line between her elegant appearance and her role as a commander.
“Since this contest is being held during a time of war, we will grade and decide quickly. There will be ten questions in total, each worth 100 points,” Isabella announced.
Isabella conducted the judging, but that was merely a formality. In reality, Mori, who sat beside her, was in charge. Mori was more objective than anyone when it came to listening to the responses and cross-referencing them with data to assign scores. It would be a hassle if people questioned why a young girl was judging them, so it was better to let her hide behind the dragon’s authority.
“Excuse me, Administrator. May I ask a question?”
Though she was technically just a village administrator, the young lords were polite, given the dragon horns on her head.
“Speak.”
“Where is the legendary adventurer known as Eri?”
“Indeed. Rather than holding a contest, wouldn't it be more appropriate for her to take overall command of this operation...?”
Eri was a famous figure even among the nobility. She had been offered numerous titles, but she had vanished without even pretending to accept them. While her behavior was technically insolent, her skills were so outstanding that it was tolerated. If one could only form a connection with her, she would be an incomparable ally.
“That... person will be operating independently,” Isabella replied. “She has been tasked with a small-scale elite special operation for this crisis. Strategic information will be shared with the commander-in-chief who is selected today.”
The chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a legendary adventurer made the young lords’ motivation burn even brighter.
“First question: How to manage limited resources.”
Methods for utilizing war supplies, dealing with desertion... The questions focused on the basic knowledge expected of knights, things anyone who had studied warfare could answer.
“And the final question. You will be engaging in full-scale combat with monsters...”
The scenario described a battle against monsters, and the contestants were asked to present their strategies.
“I would demonstrate the knightly spirit by charging to break their morale...”
“If we strike their flank to sever their momentum...”
The answers were uniformly disastrous. They were speaking in terms of anti-personnel or anti-beast tactics, showing a complete lack of understanding regarding monsters. Not a few received scores of zero.
“Monsters must be fought differently,” Olivia countered. “We must not rely on the bravery of knights, but rather move in a defensive formation that relies on magical firepower.”
Surprisingly, only Olivia received an overwhelming score: 98 out of 100. It meant she didn't just have textbook knowledge; she understood what actually worked in practice.
After several more rounds of questions, the final results were tallied.
“I will announce the results,” Isabella said. “The Staff Officer is Olivia Arken.”
Of course, the specific scores weren't disclosed. If the men knew they had been utterly crushed by Olivia, their pride would have been in tatters.
“I will accept the Administrator’s decision, but may I hear where I fell short?” one lord asked.
He said he accepted it, but his pride was clearly wounded. He didn't realize his opponent was a Slave Sage who possessed the Library of All Things. Isabella, having already identified the flaws through Mori, pointed them out with sharp precision. The men could no longer argue and were forced to shut their mouths.
Olivia donned the Staff Officer’s epaulets and delivered her inaugural address with a triumphant expression.
“Though I have been appointed Staff Officer, I have no intention of disregarding any of you individually. What we need now is a united will. Let us become one in that regard!”
While some admired her ability, there were still those who were inwardly displeased. It was only natural. The position they had spent their lives aspiring to had been snatched away by a princess out of nowhere. No matter how much they might admire her, having her step into their professional domain wounded their pride. Because of today, some who had held a fantasy of her might begin to harbor doubts.
‘But I understand why she stepped up personally,’ Ferda thought.
If the reins were handed to those sub-standard fools, they would have crashed and burned before the operation even started. Trusting Olivia’s judgment, Ferda offered his congratulations.
“Congratulations on becoming the Staff Officer.”
“No. This is only the beginning.”
Ferda read the look in her eyes. She seemed to want something.
“Regent, we are allies, are we not?”
“Our goals are aligned, so I suppose so.”
“I should rephrase that. How much do you trust me?”
The sudden question made it difficult to give a definitive answer. Back when she was teaching him to dance and offering solutions to rumors, she was a reliable supporter. But ever since she suddenly broke the scenario, he had become uncertain. He wondered if he could truly trust this woman.
“What is it you want?”
“You plan to utilize the Magitech Rifles to deploy soldiers, don't you? And you intend to proceed in earnest for this monster subjugation.”
“That is correct.”
“Give that command to me.”
First the Staff Officer position, and now command of the army?
“What is your reason?”
“My intention is exactly what it looks like. I stood here and proved that I am superior to the other men. This isn't the time for half-measures; it’s the time to accelerate.” She tapped the table with a slender finger. “I want to prove my ability as both a Staff Officer and a commander. I want to return after achieving great merit in this crisis.”
She didn't hesitate to reveal the same ambition held by every young lord who had participated in the contest.
“What do you think we can gain from each other? If I achieve great results in this subjugation, even the Empire won't be able to ignore me.”
“So, it’s about entering politics.”
“Exactly.” Olivia flashed a faint smile.
However, Ferda wasn't entirely pleased. “Weren't you trying to become a Saintess to enter politics?”
“Of course, that was one way. But isn't this a sufficiently good opportunity? I have to seize it.”
Like everyone else, she expressed her desire to turn this crisis into an opportunity. Yet, Ferda felt a strange sense of urgency in her words. He knew the reason.
‘Becoming a Saintess is no easy feat.’
Reaching the Fifth Enlightenment was a stage that even nuns who dedicated their entire lives to a convent often failed to reach. And Olivia had failed to become a Saintess. She hadn't even reached the Fourth Enlightenment—the 4th Circle. In her final act of desperation in the original timeline, she had become a femme fatale who brought the nation to its knees and threw the Empire into chaos.
Perhaps it would be better for her to enter politics as a commander instead. She was indeed well-versed in tactics, and her eloquence was enough to impress even Erica. But if only he could take all those abilities at face value.
She had said it herself once—that she was like a jewel put up for auction. If that jewel grew legs and started moving on its own, more people would hate it than love it.
‘Still...’
Her abilities exceeded Ferda’s imagination. He felt the possibility that, if handled correctly, her talents could be put to great use. If the Princess gained a foothold and Ferda gained merit, it would be a good thing. Even if she didn't, it wouldn't be a loss.
“It won't be easy.”
“I know. When has anything in my fate ever been easy?” Olivia smiled.
Ferda decided to hand over the command to her. “The one currently researching troop deployment is William, the Security Force Captain. I will appoint him as your adjutant, so speak with him.”
“The knight trainee from House Yurei? Understood. Come to think of it...” Olivia asked casually, “I don't see the young lord of House Yurei. I thought he would surely participate, given his family’s military background...”
Why was she bringing that up? Though uncomfortable, Ferda tried to answer calmly.
“I wouldn't know.”
“I suppose he might have fled, or perhaps he went to another territory.”
Knowing it was an uncomfortable topic, she let it slide. Ferda trusted Olivia’s abilities, but he judged it was too early to speak of Marcus Yurei’s death. With that, Olivia offered her greetings and moved to prepare for war.
“What did you do with Yurei?” Ferda asked Ruri, who was standing beside him.
“I buried him. I thought it would be better to apply preservation magic and inter him rather than causing trouble by making him disappear entirely.”
“And his army?”
“I checked, and they are currently preparing for a siege at Count Consilus’s estate.”
“I see.”
“By the way...” Ruri glanced at him and asked, “Are you aware that Princess Olivia is beautiful, Lord Ferda?”
“I am.” He was uninterested, not blind.
“Not everyone is as stoic as you, Lord Ferda.”
“I know that too.”
“So you’ve also considered the possibility that Princess Olivia might take those troops and defect back to the Empire?”
“Yes.”
He hadn't failed to imagine the scenario where William, her adjutant, might be enchanted by her eloquence and beauty and be incorporated as a knight of the Empire.
“If he falls for that, it simply means he was a man of that caliber.”
Ferda only hoped that William would not disappoint his convictions.
* * *
After the Staff Officer was appointed, various scenarios were being constructed through strategy and mock battles centered around Olivia. In the midst of the busyness, Erica came to find Ferda.
“Regent Ferda. Do you have a moment?”
Ferda nodded. “Is everything going smoothly with the adventurers?”
“Yes. I was in the middle of organizing elite troops for a special operation. That’s why I’m here.”
“How can I help you?”
“It’s nothing major, but one person I’m looking for is missing. Isabella said she didn't know... so I wondered if you might.”
“Who is it?”
“The man known as the Armored Knight.”
The Armored Knight. The man who had been the primary contributor to the construction of Hestia Village.
“I heard that he showed incredible speed and strength during the monster raid. Is that true?” Erica asked.
“It is.”
“I think his reputation would be useful. I want to ask for his cooperation to put him on the front lines.”
“Hmm...”
The Armored Knight. He seemed a bit dim-witted, but Ferda thought he was a decent person at heart. As she said, if he were there, he would be a great help to the special operation Erica was planning.
“Unfortunately, I only spoke with him once. The Administrator would know his whereabouts best.”
“Is that so?”
He didn't know much, but he had heard the man went somewhere a week before the Start of Spring Festival. When he asked Hanson, his closest associate, Hanson said he had gone to visit his hometown briefly. But since the man never said a word, it was merely Hanson’s guess.
“It can't be helped then. I’ll have to put him as a backup and ask the descendant of ‘Iron Wall Jonathan’ if he’s interested.”
“Do that.”
Even though her business was finished, Erica didn't leave. She finally voiced the words she had been rolling around in her mouth.
“I heard from Bella.”
“Yes.”
“That there’s currently a problem with the water supply...”
“There is.”
“Are you sure you don't need our help?”
The situation in the village was gradually becoming serious.
“Burnell asked for three days.”
“And four days have passed.”
Burnell had failed to meet the deadline. He was still holed up in his room, tinkering with crystal balls and books.
“If you’re considering morale, this is the last chance,” Erica warned. “The people aren't fools; they’ll notice the water is running low. Once resources become scarce, morale will naturally plummet.”
It was a sound argument. Prevention was better than cure in every way. It would be a lie to say Ferda wasn't anxious. He was walking through a situation where he didn't know if he was heading toward an exit or deeper into a labyrinth. The thought that perhaps he should have taken the safe path and accepted a small loss occasionally crossed his mind.
What is needed for an adventure is hope and courage. Ferda was a man who believed those two things were useless.
“I will wait.”
And yet, Ferda moved forward.
“Do you believe that man named Burnell will succeed?”
“I don't know.”
Ferda didn't know what Burnell was doing or what he was up to. However, there was one thing he did know.
“He hasn't said he failed.”
Burnell hadn't given up.
“So, it isn't over yet.”
As long as the man holding the lifeline of this land hadn't given up, Ferda would simply trust him.
“If you show useless stubbornness in an uncertain situation, the damage will only grow. Even now—”
“Bwahahaha!!”
A sudden, mad laughter interrupted Erica and echoed loudly through the hallway. Erica turned toward the open door. There, a man with matted hair, completely naked, was running like a madman.
He shouted:
“Eureka!!”