Chapter 350: The Vote (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 350: The Vote (5)
“It is truly fine.”
In the end, this bizarre struggle concluded with Alon desperately blocking the princes’ attempts to open their wallets for sponsorship.
However, the emotions Alon felt after successfully fending off the funds were nothing short of peculiar.
‘...No, something is definitely strange.’
Alon had done his absolute best to stop the princes and princesses from sponsoring him. And he had succeeded.
Of course, from Alon’s perspective, receiving sponsorship wasn't necessarily a bad thing. But it wasn't as if he were in a position where he needed to beg for help.
Furthermore, what if he accepted the sponsorship only for them to use it as an excuse to demand all sorts of favors later? That would be a headache in its own right.
So, he had blocked the sponsorship with that mindset, but looking at it simply...
Alon stood to gain from being sponsored, while they stood to lose by giving away money. To sponsor a place like this, which had absolutely no commercial value—such an act could hardly carry any logical meaning.
Yes, that should have been the case.
“....”
Alon recalled the expressions of the distinguished guests who had been looking at him earlier. Every single one of them had faces clouded with hostility.
Just then, Evan’s voice reached his ears.
“So—the situation was that you were trying to draw out sponsorship, and they were the ones refusing, right?”
Alon answered without hesitation.
“It was the opposite, Evan. I was the one trying to stop it, and they were the ones insisting on sponsoring.”
“...As I thought. I didn't mishear it, then.”
“Indeed.”
“But why on earth would they want to sponsor us?”
“...If I knew that, I wouldn't be worrying about it.”
Alon pondered. Why did the princes and princesses look at him with such betrayed expressions?
“...Well, if we look at it broadly, maybe they wanted to sponsor a huge sum so they could use this place like a mercenary group? Something like that?”
“Is that... even a possibility?”
“Hmm, I only said it because it crossed my mind. This place certainly isn't a mercenary group, so that hypothesis doesn't quite fit. Well, that leaves only one other possibility.”
“What is it?”
“That the knight in charge of the introduction was such a good storyteller that he managed to bewitch the princes and princesses.”
Alon let out a hum and stroked his chin.
“Evan.”
“Yes.”
“What do we have in Divine Land?”
“...Well? We have barracks, I suppose?”
“And?”
“More barracks?”
“And?”
“Some very large barracks?”
“Aside from the barracks—”
“...It is a bit hard to believe that 'good storytelling' alone could cover for all that.”
Evan nodded as if he understood. Alon gave a light shrug. Regardless of what their expressions meant, the bottom line was that Alon had achieved his goal.
‘Since I’ve honestly revealed all our shortcomings, the suspicion that I’m planning to start a war will surely be dispelled.’
Though the situation was unfolding in a way completely different from his intentions, Alon, unaware of this, felt a sense of satisfaction and spoke to Evan.
“Evan, make sure to give Simus a personal reward later.”
“If you mean Simus...”
“The knight who introduced Divine Land this time.”
“Ah—understood. I’ll make sure to mention it before we leave. By the way, once we head back, that day won't be far off.”
“That day?”
“Yes. Won't there be only about a week left once we return?”
Alon nodded as if he had only just realized it.
“Now that I think about it, how is the voting going?”
“The voting?”
“Yes. Didn't you say there was a lot going on?”
At that, Evan fell into deep thought.
“What are you thinking so hard about? Are you choosing your words?”
“No. It’s not that I’m choosing them, but rather, there’s so much to tell that if I were to go through it one by one, I’m not sure how to even begin... That’s the feeling. Yes.”
“I’ve been here for over two weeks, but... right, it’s only been two weeks.”
“True.”
“And you’re saying that much has piled up in just two weeks...?”
“It’s probably more than you imagine.”
“Hearing you say that makes me even more curious. Just give me a brief summary of whatever comes to mind.”
Evan organized his thoughts for a moment before speaking.
“First, Yutia and Line have merged their candidacies.”
“...Huh?”
“Also, Seolrang and Magrina have merged theirs. After that, Ryanga merged with Yutia, but then declared independence and pulled out.”
“Wait.”
“After that, Historia merged with Magrina, who had stabbed Seolrang in the back, and then merged with Line, who had betrayed Yutia, before dissolving that merger. And then—”
“Wait a minute.”
As he listened, Alon felt his head begin to spin. He covered his eyes with his palm and let out a low groan.
“...Am I currently hearing about a partner vote?”
“You are.”
“Then why am I hearing terms like 'merging candidacies' and 'coalitions'?”
“Marquis, I’m just relaying the information I received. How would I know the details?”
“...I suppose that’s true.”
It was only natural that Evan didn't know the circumstances either. But why on earth were terms like "merging candidacies"—words Alon might have heard in his original world—popping up in a partner vote?
While Alon was lost in thought, Evan, who had been silent for a moment, spoke up.
“However, there is one thing I know for certain.”
“What is it?”
“That you probably don't want to go back right this second, Marquis.”
“You know me well.”
“Shall we take our time getting back?”
Alon nodded immediately.
...It was autumn.
* * *
Duke Altia regularly paid a significant amount of money to information guilds and received reports at set intervals.
Of course, there were times when the quality of the information provided was poor compared to the price paid. Nevertheless, Altia never once felt the money was wasted.
To her, information was like hidden gold that could create overwhelming value depending on ‘how it was utilized.’
And currently, she had a vast amount of usable information piling up. The only problem was that even though she was gathering it, she couldn't actually use it.
“....”
No, to be precise, it was more accurate to say the information was being used up before Duke Altia could even touch it.
“Your Grace, here—”
Duke Altia stared blankly at the stack of papers her secretary handed her. It was a bundle that clearly exceeded dozens of pages at a glance. Altia silently read the words written on the very top sheet.
[Yutia Bloodia’s Age: At Least 2,800 Years Old. Residents ‘Shocked’]
The content was one thing, but the sentence was painted in a provocative red to catch the eye instantly. It was a tabloid flyer spread openly to disparage Yutia Bloodia.
Watching this, Duke Altia naturally flipped to the next page.
[Yutia Releases Statement: “Utterly Ridiculous Falsehoods,” Residents ‘Relieved’]
[Babayaga Seolrang Once Put Marquis Palatio in Danger—‘Horrified’]
[King of the Hundred Ghosts of the Four Major Factions: “The Marquis is My Boss,” ‘Scandalous’]
[Magrina Rebuts Question About Being Over 600 Years Old: “In Human Years, I’m About 20,” Residents ‘Puzzled’]
[Residents Disappearing—Is This the Work of a Certain Narrow-Minded Elf? Public ‘Appalled’]
With every page she turned, there were new statements that made her head spin. This was the sheer volume of tabloids that had been scattered throughout the territory in just four days.
Since hundreds of copies of each flyer were being distributed rather than just one, the territory was currently literally dyed with various rumors.
“Why on earth are words like 'Relieved' or 'Appalled' attached to the end of these...?”
“My apologies, Your Grace. I do not know that much.”
“You don't need to apologize. I wasn't asking because I expected an answer.”
Duke Altia let out a sigh.
“...This is only three days' worth?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
In just three days, dozens of tabloids were circulating, and the partner candidates were merging and backstabbing each other repeatedly.
Contemplating this total chaos, Duke Altia had been feeling something instinctively of late.
...Is it right for me to even get involved in this?
Of course, Duke Altia had never been anything less than sincere. From the moment she received the letter and decided to come to the Marquis’s estate, she had made thorough preparations to participate in this battle with all her heart.
However, if there was one thing Duke Altia had overlooked, it was that the other partners were a bit more sincere than she had anticipated. No, they weren't just sincere.
“....”
Duke Altia stared silently out the window of the mansion where she was staying. It was a time already swallowed by darkness, so it was only normal for the view outside to be pitch black.
Yes, it should have been dark. It should have been, but—
“....”
Duke Altia watched the deep blue and golden flashes of light whipping through the distance, and the golden tubes flying chaotically in all directions.
That wasn't all. Lights that were clearly divine power emitted by the Martyrs of Rosario embroidered her vision, and the sounds of explosions, large and small, could be heard from all over the territory.
Above all—
“Historia? I told you, didn't I? In human years, I’m only twenty!”
“Right, and even so, you’re still over 600 years old, just like me.”
“....”
“In fact, you’re older than me.”
“You... want to go a round, is that it?”
Magrina, who was emitting red mana so intense it gave one goosebumps, and Historia, who responded nonchalantly to her while smoothly drawing a sword larger than herself.
Before Duke Altia could even process it, they vanished in an instant with a massive boom.
This wasn't a one- or two-day occurrence. Every night, the Marquis’s estate turned into a scene of total mayhem like this.
Duke Altia agonized as she stared blankly at the view outside the window. Was it right for her to step into this pandemonium?
But that thought was brief. Duke Altia forced herself to hold onto her dwindling confidence.
‘Right, I knew from the start it would be difficult.’
The Duke had expected to some extent that this wouldn't be easy. ...Of course, she hadn't imagined it would be this difficult, but she didn't want to give up without trying anything.
Therefore.
‘Now that I’ve grasped the general situation, from now on—’
The moment Duke Altia tried to steel her resolve again.
KABOOM—!!
Someone smashed through the window of the Duke’s room and slammed into the wall.
“!?”
With a startled expression, Duke Altia looked toward where the intruder had crashed. Soon, through the rising dust, she could see Seolrang walking out, gritting her teeth.
“Line is old too, you know!!”
After shouting as if she were being wronged, Seolrang turned back into a brilliant golden light and vanished.
Watching her retreating figure blankly, Duke Altia then looked around her ruined room.
For a long while, Duke Altia stood there, listening to the sounds of various battles echoing from the distance of the territory-turned-pandemonium and looking at her trashed room.
‘...Let’s just stop.’
In the end, her spirit broke.
And after a bit more time had passed.
“...Marquis, still, isn't arriving on the night before the voting day pushing it a bit too far?”
“I had things to do.”
“Things... you say?”
“Magic research is a grave matter.”
The voting to choose Alon’s partner began.