Chapter 161: Invective
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 161: Invective
“Are you quite finished?!”
The veins in Duke Yurei’s neck bulged, his eyes burning with a searing, incandescent rage.
“Is that why you carried out a summary execution on the spot?”
Ferda looked away from the Duke and answered calmly. “I did not kill him.”
“Does that not contradict what you just said?”
“I said he committed a crime deserving of death, but I never said I was the one who killed him.”
“I suggest you provide more direct answers from now on, Regent Ferda.”
Akad issued the warning, recognizing Ferda’s wordplay as a transparent attempt to needle his opponent. Without letting his emotions sway him, Akad asked, “What was this crime deserving of death?”
“The young Lord Yurei insulted Valdrova, the Great Aspect of Fire and Power.”
At those words, the murmurs of condemnation rippling through the room vanished instantly. Most of those present were individuals of high authority; they understood the gravity of that statement.
To insult a dragon was to challenge authority itself. Just as a commoner would not be forgiven for challenging a noble, the same applied to dragons—only their retribution was far more ruthless. They ruled with an iron fist, using severe punishment as a warning to all. Even the gentle, human-friendly Silverwind had shown no mercy when it came to insults against dragonkind. It was the reason such incidents were now relegated to the pages of history books.
Sensing the severity of the situation, Akad asked in a slightly trembling voice, “If he insulted a dragon, is there anyone who can testify to it?”
“There is.”
There were two main witnesses: Ruri, the Dragon Spawn, and Malcolm, who had overheard the exchange by chance.
Ferda could not bring forward Ruri. She had already turned the Imperial Capital upside down once as a warning. If she had to step forward again, they would have to be prepared to completely dismantle the Golden Council. That was the duty of a Dragon Spawn reborn through a blood bond. Had she been a mere servant of Valdrova, she would have done so without hesitation. However, instilling such terror while a human village was being established and beginning to thrive would only sow chaos.
And Ruri must not be the one to do it.
Her only responsibility should be Valdrova. This was a matter Ferda had to resolve himself. Therefore, there was only one name he could call.
“I call Sir Malcolm of Peach Hill as a witness.”
“Is he present?”
“Yes, he is.”
“Then bring him in.”
Ferda glanced behind his seat. There stood a man who looked like a country bumpkin no matter what he wore, a man who seemed awkward regardless of what he did. Ferda gestured for him to come forward.
“Witness, please introduce yourself.”
“I-I am Malcolm of Peach Hill! I-I serve in the territory of Lady Valdrova—no, I mean, the Regent’s territory! P-previously, I served as an Imperial Knight!”
“An Imperial Knight… you say?”
The question came from Oldin Rooster, who was also a former Imperial Knight.
“A-ah, yes! That’s right!”
“How did a man like you become an Imperial Knight?”
“Oh, that? I passed the exam!”
“I mean, how did someone like you pass?”
“I passed the re-test.”
“The re-test…?”
Oldin Rooster’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean… the one where you have to retrieve the Imperial flag planted at the summit of the Ice Storm Mountains in the north?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
Malcolm scratched his head and gave a bright, innocent smile. Those who didn’t understand the significance looked on with confusion, but those who did were struck with pure astonishment. Count Consilus was among them.
“That fellow actually made it to such a place…?”
“How impressive is that feat?” Ferda asked.
“Regent, are you familiar with Sir Gaius?”
Ferda knew him well; he had once dreamed of being a knight himself. Gaius was a pillar of the Arken Empire, a figure whose deeds were so unrealistic they were regarded as legend or myth.
“Among the Imperial Knights, there is a legend that Sir Gaius planted the Imperial flag atop the Ice Storm Mountains, the highest peaks in the world.”
“I see. But what does that have to do with this?”
“Those who fail the Imperial Knight exam are given a second chance. They must retrieve that flag using only the basic equipment provided for the exam.”
The summits are perpetually shrouded in clouds, and beneath those clouds, relentless ice storms howl. For high-ranking mages, the Ice Storm Mountains are manageable. But for those who must rely on pure physical strength to climb honestly from the bottom to the top, it is a living hell. Most are either eaten by monsters or freeze to death before they even reach the halfway point.
“It’s called a second chance, but in reality, it’s a way to tell those without the talent for knighthood to give up.”
“…And you’re saying he retrieved it?”
“It appears so.”
What had Malcolm been like when Ferda first took him in? He had been nothing more than a nuisance. If he had overcome a task designed to force people to quit, he deserved respect.
But their pride won’t allow them to admit it.
Even now, Malcolm’s awkward smile was the kind that invited a fist rather than a compliment.
“In any case… if you were once a knight of the Empire, I trust you understand the weight of honor.”
“A-ah, yes! Of course!”
“Then I shall ask. This matter could cause significant friction between the Empire and other kingdoms. At worst, the responsibility could fall not only on you, Sir Malcolm, but also on Regent Ferda.”
Akad’s words were heavy with the weight of responsibility, a clear attempt to intimidate the witness into recanting. But Ferda wasn’t worried. He had once asked Malcolm a similar question. How had he answered then?
“Yes. I heard it clearly.”
Even though he was frightened, Malcolm answered firmly. Usually, when people start thinking, their thoughts lead to fear. But the man Akad was dealing with was different.
He doesn’t think, so he has no reason to be afraid.
Seeing Malcolm’s certainty, Akad pressed him again. “Did he specifically name Archduchess Valdrova?”
“Yes. I didn’t know who it was at the time, but it happened while Archduchess Valdrova and the Regent were dancing.”
“Could he not have been looking elsewhere when he spoke?”
“No. The man was looking directly at them with both eyes.”
“…Do you swear this by Alte?”
“I’d swear it by Alte and my mother’s name. If you want, I can right here—”
As Malcolm began to make a bizarre, overly solemn gesture, Akad cut him off. Realizing he was dealing with someone he couldn't reason with, Akad gave up on the interrogation.
“That is enough. You may step down, witness.”
“Yes, sir!”
Malcolm offered what he considered a knightly salute and withdrew. Ferda felt a brief pang of sympathy as he thought of the blood, sweat, tears, and lost hair Burnell and the researchers had sacrificed for Malcolm’s sake.
Perhaps anticipating this failure, Akad spoke up. “While Sir Malcolm’s testimony carries some weight, we need someone more objective to prove this matter.”
His logic was that as a knight under Ferda, Malcolm would naturally be willing to sacrifice himself for his lord. It wasn't an unreasonable claim, as there were many such precedents.
“He must have ordered his knight to say exactly that!” Duke Yurei shouted, his voice laced with spite. “Regent Ferda has been building a village since before last winter. To build a village, one needs commoners to work. To gather these commoners, Regent Ferda has been slowly siphoning off subjects from territories across the entire continent!”
Hiding his shamelessness behind raw emotion, the Duke painted Ferda as a villain. Ferda remained silent.
“I cannot let that statement stand!”
It was Count Consilus’s turn to protest.
“Those who came to Regent Ferda’s territory are refugees who fled to survive because their own nobles offered no solutions during the crop failure! You kept your mouths shut during the harsh winter, only to come out like this now that it’s spring! Have you no shame?!”
“Count Consilus, wait until you are granted the floor. This is a warning.”
Consilus sat down, still seething, and Akad gestured for the proceedings to continue.
“I ask that Crown Prince Alexander, who is familiar with the situation in the Far East, be called as a witness.”
The man had been confined just yesterday after being declared a wrongdoer. However, while his political activities were restricted, he was still permitted to attend the hearing. He had been sitting next to Olivia.
Upon Akad’s approval, Alexander stood up and took the witness stand as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“I am Crown Prince Alexander. It is regrettable that I must stand before you again so soon after my disciplinary action yesterday…”
Despite his words, the corners of his mouth were twitching with suppressed glee. He began to lay out the information he had gathered to frame Ferda.
“A village has currently been formed in the Archduchess of Valdrova’s territory, and its name is Hestia. Hestia is the name of a woman who guarded the fire in ancient times…”
As Alexander droned on with unnecessary historical trivia, Erdes, who had been watching with her chin in her hand, raised her hand to speak.
“We don’t care about that, so get to the point, will you?”
It was a rude interruption, but many in the room shared her sentiment.
“A-anyway, the reason Regent Ferda gathered people was…”
He hesitated as if unsure whether to speak, then finally answered. Ferda knew exactly what was about to come out of those foul lips.
“I have heard that black magic is involved.”
“Black magic?!”
The council erupted in chaos. The Empire held the Alte Faith as its state religion, and it maintained a policy of zero tolerance toward black magic. Even nobles were not exempt. If suspected of involvement in black magic, one had to donate a massive sum to the Order or receive a Mark of Repentance through divine power.
Of course, Ferda could do neither. He was actually using black magic, and he had no intention of giving it up.
“An allegation of black magic is a matter of extreme gravity. Can you bring forward the informant?”
“I cannot. There is a risk of retaliation after this council concludes, so I earnestly request that the informant remain anonymous.”
Akad tilted his head and exchanged opinions with the other high councilors regarding the request. Who else could have provided that information? As far as Ferda knew, only Erdes was aware.
But that’s a bit strange.
If Erdes were to expose his black magic, she would have done it herself. She certainly wouldn't have used a pathetic mouthpiece like Alexander.
In the meantime, the high councilors seemed to have reached an agreement. Akad announced the conclusion.
“We will accept the testimony anonymously for now. Continue.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The kite Alexander had launched was now catching the wind.
“Regent Ferda’s tyrannical nature is evident from the reports we have received thus far.”
He tapped a thick stack of documents, exposing Ferda’s past actions.
“Before the engagement ceremony, Regent Ferda gathered the nobles of the Far East for an initial discussion. At the time, he was merely a prospective fiancé, not the Regent, and held no authority. On that occasion, he mocked Baron Thesalos Wolcher for being a mage and executed him on the spot!”
That information must have been provided by one of the Far East officials. Unlike young Lord Yurei, Thesalos Wolcher had not insulted a dragon.
“I object to that information! Chairman, please grant me the floor!”
Consilus bolted upright. Akad nodded his permission.
“The summary execution of Thesalos Wolcher is indeed difficult to condone in noble society, but there were circumstances. It was because Thesalos Wolcher was plotting an unprecedented incident—attempting to fuse monsters with black magic! It never would have been discovered if not for Regent Ferda!”
Alexander countered without missing a beat. “Even if such a conspiracy existed, is the causality not flawed? If he were a servant of the devil, the facts should have been established first before the execution!”
“At the time, Regent Ferda was inexperienced in communication. Furthermore, he could not trust the lords of the Far East. Revealing the truth would have only given Baron Thesalos Wolcher an opportunity to escape.”
Ferda felt a strange sensation at Consilus’s defense, but he pushed it aside. The psychological warfare was tense, and Alexander decided it was time to play his trump card.
“It is deeply regrettable that Count Consilus, who has served the Far East longer than anyone, holds such an opinion. However, there is someone who can prove that Regent Ferda is an extremely dangerous man. Chairman, I ask permission to call him to the witness stand!”
“Who is it?”
“William Miller.”
Ferda didn't know who 'Miller' was, but he knew William.
“Permission granted.”
Alexander’s expression brightened as if he had already secured victory. At his gesture, a man who had been waiting outside the doors entered the room. Ferda, Duke Yurei, and Count Consilus all recognized the man’s face.
“Is that not… the Security Force Captain of Hestia?”
“It is.”
“Why is he appearing as the Crown Prince’s witness…?”
The first emotion to fill the uninformed Consilus’s heart was a sense of betrayal. If a knight serving his lord was so fickle, Consilus wanted to strike his head off right then and there.
Unlike the betrayed Consilus, Ferda remained serene.
He is a man I trust.
William had firm convictions, and Ferda had appointed him as the Security Force Captain because he believed in those convictions. To feel betrayed would be to think lightly of those very convictions. Therefore, he had to trust him until the very end.
William stood upon the dais.