Chapter 159: The Value of the Princess
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 159: The Value of the Princess
Ferda replied, his voice level. "She is a beautiful person."
It was a simple statement of fact, delivered with total composure.
"Beautiful indeed. She isn't called the Flower of the Empire for nothing." Waldemar let out a disgruntled breath. "But if she were only beautiful, it would have been quite wonderful... The problem is that she isn't."
"Is that so?"
"Don't play coy with me. A man like you—someone who isn't swayed by appearances and lacks an emotional core—must have noticed her true nature."
"What is it you are trying to say, Grand Duke Waldemar?"
"I am saying that woman is my destined partner."
Ferda thought to himself: Is this old man senile?
"You're likely thinking the same thing as everyone else," Waldemar continued, as if reading his mind. "That this old man is lusting after a young girl. That at my age, I should just hurry up and die gracefully."
At least he seemed aware of his reputation.
"But no matter what anyone says, I am certain. Olivia will be my destined companion."
A thread of madness ran through his calm voice. The promise the Emperor had made was to pair Olivia with Waldemar.
"My companion is still wandering. And..." His eyes glared coldly at Ferda. "It seems she's trying to make you a stopover on that journey."
"..."
A flicker of disgust crossed Ferda's face. Garnet had once told him about the trail of bodies left behind by those who became entangled with Waldemar.
"As far as I know, wasn't Stella Arken your 'destiny'?"
Stella was Princess Olivia's older sister. It was public knowledge that she had died in a tragic accident when a balcony collapsed. In reality, it had been suicide—the result of Waldemar’s suffocating obsession with possessing her.
"Ah. Stella... Yes... There was Stella, too."
Tears actually fell from Waldemar's eyes. He mourned as he spoke her name.
"Poor thing. If only that poor girl hadn't tried to defy her destiny, it wouldn't have come to this..."
The eerie display of emotion was genuine, and it made Ferda’s skin crawl.
"Since things turned out that way with Stella... I will never let go this time. I cannot lose the woman of my destiny twice."
As he wiped away his tears, his dry, hollow eyes were revealed once more. He was a man broken beyond repair.
Ferda stared into those eyes and gave his answer. "I will tell you once more: I have no interest in the Princess. Even if she holds favor toward me, it is not romantic. And even if it were, it is something I do not need."
"Is that so?"
At Ferda's firm stance, the oppressive aura in the room relaxed slightly. However, it immediately made Ferda wonder if he had made a slip of the tongue.
Waldemar's gaze sank even deeper. "Then you might be able to help me."
"With what?"
The Grand Duke made his proposal. "Make Olivia realize that she is my destiny."
* * *
Ferda boarded his carriage and left the Imperial Palace. From the moment he stepped out of the drawing room, Waldemar's words had been echoing in his mind.
— As I said, this Empire is already overflowing with those who lack patriotism. Even if you do not love this Empire, it will simply mean one more unpatriotic citizen.
Ferda was merely a single drop of rain falling into a vast river. The Grand Duke had stated the reward for the proposal as follows:
— If you cooperate, I can establish a firm position for the Far East. I can grant it such strong autonomy that it would be virtually equivalent to secession and independence.
Waldemar's proposal was radical enough to be considered a conspiracy for treason. Under the banner of a single Empire, such a proposal was normally unthinkable.
Is Olivia really that valuable?
It was a terrifying level of obsession. And how had Ferda reacted? He hadn't been able to give an immediate answer. To be precise, while he was weighing his response, the Grand Duke had deferred the decision. That was why the proposal continued to swirl in his head.
Olivia Arken.
In the past, she had failed to become the Saintess and had toppled the nation with her charms. Even that had ended in failure.
But things are different now.
The woman who had been stuck at the 3rd Circle had now reached the 4th Circle and was officially stepping onto the path of a Saintess. She now had potential, and she possessed the ability to match it. Olivia was a skilled strategist and a politician.
Even so, there were many variables. To the surrounding nobles, Olivia's value as a Princess was immense. She was a magnificent stepping stone for the daughters of noble houses, and a fairy-tale dream for the young lords. And powerful old men like Waldemar were constantly eyeing her beauty.
If she spread her wings to fly higher, they would try to tear them off. Though she seemed to have a solid foundation, more dangers lurked around her than one might imagine.
On the other hand, Waldemar's position was truly unshakable. Supported by both the commoners and the nobility, he was the practical ruler of the Empire. If he supported Ferda, it would be as if all future dangers to the Far East were removed.
All I have to do is sell out one woman.
It was a sickeningly simple task. Selling an unstable possibility to gain a stable ally. It was a subtle situation—unpleasant, yet simultaneously tempting.
He likely sent me away without hearing an answer for this very reason.
He was playing a high-level psychological game. The deeper one thinks, the more cautious one becomes, but at the same time, it breeds fear. Once fear sets in, it drives a person to choose the stable option over a gamble.
"Regent, we have arrived."
The carriage stopped in front of the high-end inn where Ferda was staying. The knights guarding the entrance recognized Ferda, saluted, and opened the door. However, instead of stepping inside, Ferda turned aside.
"I'm going to take a short walk."
"Then we shall accompany—"
"I'll go alone," Ferda replied curtly, his head heavy with thought. He ignored their escort.
Even if a noble says they don't need them, knights cannot truly stop following. They secretly trailed behind Ferda, but their mission went up in smoke the moment he slipped into an alleyway.
He vanished into thin air.
"Huh?"
"Did you see where he went?"
"No... He literally disappeared without a trace..."
Thinking he might have run off, the knights sped up, but they couldn't find a single trace of Ferda no matter how hard they looked.
"Scatter and find him! If we lose him, it's our heads!"
Contrary to the knights' belief that he had fled, Ferda hadn't moved a single step after turning into the alley. He was a mage who had mastered the Shadow Arts of the Great Demon, Barbatos.
Shadow Inside.
It was a stealth spell that allowed one to hide their form within shadows, concealing both presence and sound. It was superior to standard stealth magic because it couldn't be detected by search magic, but it had one fatal flaw.
If light hits me, I'm caught immediately.
If they had been holding even a small lantern, Ferda would have undoubtedly been discovered. But this was the Imperial Capital. Aside from the main roads, it was a labyrinthine place with more dark spots than lit ones.
Having escaped the watchful eyes, Ferda moved elsewhere. He headed away from the scent of fragrant food and flowers toward a back alley reeking of the sewers. As he entered, a slum unfolded where sewage and trash gathered in stagnant pools. Beggars lying on the filth-soaked ground pleaded for alms.
Ferda moved past them, his feet heading toward a clear destination.
"Milord... please, spare a copper..."
Waiting there was an old beggar woman pleading in a raspy voice. She knelt and prostrated herself, holding up a wooden bowl. Ferda spotted a specific tattoo on the beggar's wrist. He took out a coin and placed it in the bowl.
The old woman touched her head to the ground again in gratitude. "Greetings, Regent."
The raspy voice was gone, replaced by that of a young woman. It was Garnet's voice.
"Shall we move to another spot?"
"It's fine. This entire area is under my control. There are no leaks."
Ferda subtly extended his shadow to search the surroundings. As she said, sentries were hidden in various spots. Ferda began to speak, feeling at ease.
"What were the results of the monitoring?"
"To be honest, it exceeded expectations again."
"Was there a mistake in my actions?"
"No. The reaction was excellent."
She had listened to Ferda's entire speech and was monitoring the reactions of those around him. The impact surpassed their predicted figures.
"Because the reaction was so good, the likelihood of the opposition playing a strong hand has increased."
A variable arising because the effect was too good... Ferda knew what that "strong hand" was.
"Grand Duke Golt has already brought out the Yurei card."
Garnet, who had been keeping her head down, looked up. "Personally?"
"Yes."
"If he's speaking of it so openly... it means he's determined to make sure you can't escape."
Near the end of the Start of Spring Festival, Ferda had kidnapped the son of Duke Yurei. It was because the boy had openly insulted the Dragon in the banquet hall. Ferda had intended to torture him and make him suffer more than death.
However, he hadn't actually been able to do so. The boy had taken his own life before that. As the party involved, Ferda knew exactly what had happened. But how would it look to a third party?
Valdrova was an Archduchess, and as an Archduchess, she was obligated to follow the laws of the Empire. If the atmosphere continued to escalate, the conversation would naturally drift in a dangerous direction.
Black Magic.
The fact that what killed the young Lord Yurei wasn't physical force, but black magic. They would have to scrutinize in detail where that black magic came from and how it was manifested. The person who would handle this issue was obvious.
Erdes.
She must have been waiting for this moment. The highest authority on magic on the Serdes Continent, and someone who loathed black magic. Even if she knew the magic manifested wasn't Ferda's, there was a possibility she wouldn't reveal that fact.
"What do you think will happen?"
"First, Duke Yurei's side plans to make a revelation in front of the inn where you are staying. Accordingly, shills planted throughout the city will spread rumors. By the time you head to the Golden Council, every subject in the city will know."
"I see. Are there any other variables?"
"There is one more."
"What is it?"
"An associate of Prince Alexander attempted contact in Hestia Village."
"With whom?"
"William, the Security Force Captain."
He was the knight cadet who had been under Duke Yurei.
"And?"
"It's said he set aside his duties as Captain and teleported with them. They clearly intend to use him as a witness."
"..."
William had taken up the sword for the commoners. But what if he found out that Ferda was actually a dark sorcerer and had killed the young Lord Yurei? Furthermore, Ferda had driven a dagger into his hand simply because he was angry. He had tried to take away the hand that was a knight's life. It wouldn't be strange for him to decide to expose everything.
"I have identified his current residence," Garnet added.
"I see."
"It might be worth considering removing the element of instability."
Assassination...
Erdes disliked Ferda, and the Alte Faith had a principle of zero tolerance for black magic. Even if not today, two more enemies would be added tomorrow. In this situation, the best course was not to make another enemy—and if he could make an ally, it would be close to a miracle.
"It might be time to consider Waldemar's demand..."
"What did the Grand Duke demand?"
"He asked me to help him make Olivia Arken his. In exchange, he said he would leave the Far East alone."
"...The Princess, you mean." She let out a breath of nuance. Garnet knew that the Princess was currently their ally within the Empire. "What will you do?"
"I don't know. Couldn't he just get what he wants and go back on his word later?"
"I don't think so," Garnet answered.
"You think he'll keep his promise?"
"His obsession with Olivia Arken is that great. In fact, just before he almost obtained Stella Arken, he had even designated a successor and sought complete retirement. Once he has that woman, the state of the Empire will become secondary to him."
Human greed knows no bounds. Normally, Ferda wouldn't have believed those words, but there was already a similar case.
Henri Dandolo.
He had driven his own father to his death and handed over his merchant house to Ferda—all just to possess the eldest daughter of the Pascal Trading Company.
"What do you think I should do?"
"The Princess's side is more trustworthy, but the progress of the plan is uncertain. However, in terms of influence, Waldemar is immediate and stable. Provided you can trust him, that is."
The pros and cons were clear. Most people would lean toward Waldemar; Ferda's heart was also leaning in that direction.
"For now..." Ferda commanded Garnet. "Proceed as planned."
"...Do you really believe they will be in the midst of it, Regent?"
"They are definitely there." Ferda spat out a loathsome name. "Those damn spawns."
Before he died, the young Lord Yurei had said: Welcome to this wretched world.
It could have simply been an activation phrase, but Ferda thought differently.
It was a message.
The Demon Race wanted exactly this situation. The fact that they chose the Imperial Capital instead of the Far East during that siege was pressure intended to choke the Far East. As their respective positions meshed, things were flowing in a wretched yet simple manner. Like standing on the edge of a cliff, a slight push was all it took for the situation to spiral out of control.
"I will do my best to find them, but investigating an unidentified target may be meaningless."
"What do you mean, meaningless?"
"I mean it might already be too late by the time we find them."
The life or death of the Far East depended on this post-war council. Shouldering such a heavy burden, he couldn't get a sense of what to do.
"Perhaps asking the person herself would be a good option."
"The person herself...?"
Garnet gestured toward the alleyway. The sound of footsteps echoed from the shadows. Garnet's voice gradually changed into a sound like nails on a chalkboard, then back into that of the old woman.
"This humble one shall take her leave now."
She limped away, and the beggars who had been monitoring the area vanished with her. At the same time, a group appeared from the alley. They were all wearing robes. Those in dark gray robes had prominent, sturdy shoulders. Among them, the person in the center, wearing white with gold thread, was slight and short.
As expected. Even though she wore a thick robe, the beauty hidden within could not be concealed. One could tell at once that the Flower of the Empire stood before them.
"Oh my?"
Olivia Arken let out an exclamation in a refined, playful tone.
"Is that you, Regent?"