The Guest from the Capital - 2
The brown mole emblem, long a symbol of faith, had now become the crest of a single family. The one carrying a flag emblazoned with that very symbol was Duke Earthrain.
At first glance, he looked like the friendly uncle from next door. Thinning hair, a prominent belly, average height, and a round, cheerful face. Even his gently curved eyebrows and kind smile added to the harmless impression. But anyone who underestimated him based on appearance would be in for a world of trouble.
After greeting him at the gates, I personally escorted Duke Earthrain all the way into the castle. Since he had attended my coming-of-age ceremony, I couldn’t possibly treat him carelessly.
“Please speak comfortably, Your Grace. I’m still just a greenhorn without any title.”
“What’s so special about a title? Besides, that’s only a matter of time, isn’t it?”
Was he openly implying he would grant me one? The capital’s attitude toward me was becoming increasingly obvious.
“I heard you single-handedly subjugated a large-scale monster. You’ve fulfilled your duties as a noble without fault, so who would dare call you a greenhorn? Moreover…”
A subtle ripple stirred in Duke Earthrain’s earthy-brown eyes. Impressive. The mana manipulation was so discreet that I could barely sense it even while looking directly at him. Since mana itself didn’t possess such stealth, this had to be pure skill rather than something tied to his ducal rank.
But noticing the flicker in his eyes was an entirely different matter from simple awareness. The moment his pupils changed, the knights around me reached for their swords. On the opposite side, the Earthrain family knights did the same.
The atmosphere chilled in an instant. Duke Earthrain raised his hand first.
He gave a bitter smile and bowed his head to me.
“Enough. I sincerely apologize.”
“Not at all. It’s fine. Please raise your head, Your Grace.”
I bowed in return to accept his apology. No matter how high his position, manipulating mana right in front of someone was a breach of etiquette. Still, the fact that he bowed immediately… Did he really want to test me that badly?
“Heh heh. I had my suspicions back then, but I never imagined your mana quality would change this much in such a short time. Truly remarkable, Lord Müller. This goes beyond simple talent.”
“You flatter me. I merely stumbled upon an insight, and I’m still far from proficient.”
“It’s what you might call a crossroads. Unique mana tends to specialize in one field at the cost of versatility. This is a critical period. You must be careful not to become consumed by your own power.”
Consumed by mana. Given that it was tied to something like religious faith and people’s emotions, it made sense that it would also be closely linked to the owner’s mind.
“When you say ‘consumed’…”
“It means becoming so enthralled by your unique mana that you lose yourself to it. In a slightly different sense, the most notable example would be Marquis Chariner of the Bachn Kingdom.”
“…Pardon? Him?”
That shark? When I looked visibly startled, Duke Earthrain continued.
“That clan seems to encourage becoming consumed by mana. But in the end, that is the result of letting it happen. I still can’t understand why anyone would let themselves reach such a state.”
What? So he used to be human? No—while I had been surprised by his appearance, everyone else had reacted so normally that I simply let it slide. So that was possible too.
I had looked through related texts back in Franz, but they were filled with so many metaphors that I hadn’t thought much of it. So the term “transformation” had been literal after all.
When he saw my shocked expression, he assured me there was no need to worry. As long as I didn’t go all the way, I wouldn’t end up like that.
“There are pros and cons. Always pros and cons.”
As Duke Earthrain spoke, a subtle emotion lingered beneath his smile.
“Lord Müller, this is purely hypothetical, but if you truly awaken the power of the sun’s mana, you will become the progenitor of a new family and bloodline. The fate of your entire clan will depend on the choices you make… Heh. Consider this the nagging of an old senior in the field.”
“Not at all. I’ll think about it seriously.”
It was quite an important conversation. Perhaps it was also an apology for what had just happened. Whether the capital as a whole felt the same way or not, at least personally, Duke Earthrain seemed to view me favorably. I couldn’t quite figure him out.
“Since we’re on the subject, let me offer one more piece of advice. Even if you hold the rank of count or marquis, you must never think yourself inferior to higher titles.”
“I’m well aware of that.”
It was the difference between specialization and versatility. At my reply, Duke Earthrain rubbed his brow and sighed.
“Yes, it should be obvious… but far too many people misunderstand that fact, which causes no end of trouble.”
“Hmm. It sounds like something has happened.”
“It’s nothing serious. It’s just that these days, the young ones…”
These days, the young ones… The mood suddenly turned strangely familiar.
I forced an awkward smile as Duke Earthrain continued.
“They don’t even—”
“Ahem.”
I cleared my throat loudly and quickly changed the subject.
“So, will Your Grace be performing the Blessing of the Earth yourself this time?”
“Ah, yes. That is the plan.”
The topic shifted as if he had just remembered. Whew. Thank goodness.
“I never imagined the duke himself would come to the Müller territory to perform it.”
I had only been concerned about when he would arrive and making sure no annoying complications arose.
“Hahaha. The protagonist of a coming-of-age ceremony I attended not long ago has now become the lord of his own land. How could I not show my face at least?”
There was no way that was the real reason. I could only imagine how many lords were probably bribing officials just to have an audience with him. Besides, how often did a duke personally come to perform the Blessing of the Earth? Considering that even many capital nobles had never met him face-to-face, this was an extraordinary event.
“Speaking of which, that young lady behind you must be the Müller heiress?”
Duke Earthrain spoke as if he had only just noticed, but Triana had been standing behind me from the very beginning.
“It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace. I am Triana Müller.”
“A pleasure. You seem to be doing well.”
“Yes. Thanks to His Lordship’s grace, I face no discomfort in my daily life.”
“Hmm. I never met your father personally, but I did encounter the previous Lord Müller once. Is he still in good health?”
“Yes. He has been resting due to poor health lately, but it is not serious. He takes walks from time to time.”
“Is that so? That is good to hear.”
This was probably Triana’s first time meeting such a high-ranking noble. I could see she was unable to completely hide her tension as she answered. Yet Duke Earthrain spoke to her with perfect ease. Still, he made no move to actually meet the previous Lord Müller. Was it enough for him simply that she was serving here?
“Then we should coordinate the schedule. I was told the preparations are already complete.”
“Yes. Everything is ready.”
The Blessing of the Earth that the Earthrain family prided itself on was quite a majestic spectacle. The sight of the ground churning like waves would be the perfect scene to inspire faith.
“How does one week from now sound?”
“That would be fine.”
There was already a festival planned in Müller, and the preparations were finished, so sooner was better. In fact, how easily everything was being decided was starting to make me uneasy. It meant the duke’s true reason for coming in person was something else.
“Shall we get to the main topic, then?”
“Heh heh. Very well. It’s always better to speak plainly.”
When I cut straight to the point, Duke Earthrain smiled and looked at me.
“How would you feel about visiting the capital once?”
“The capital?”
It was a sudden suggestion. Was there some event happening in the capital right now? As far as I knew, there were no major ceremonies scheduled. There would be plenty of minor banquets, of course.
I glanced back at the others, but they only shook their heads slightly. So I hadn’t misremembered. This was the busy season with many festivals, and there was far too much work to justify leaving the territory.
“Hm. Not immediately, of course. There are still things to handle on this end as well. I’ll contact you again later. I simply wanted to mention it in advance.”
“May I ask what this is about?”
“Ah, and just to be clear, it has nothing to do with any issues regarding your territory. Unfortunately, Count Franz handled everything so cleanly that there isn’t a single loose thread to pull. He truly is an impressive man.”
Praising my father? The smile on his face didn’t look particularly regretful at all.
“The truth is…”
Duke Earthrain paused for a moment before continuing.
“His Majesty King Garshia Brineer wishes to see you.”
“……”
For a second, I was at a loss for words. Brineer? Who was that again? Who else—the royal bloodline of the Brahms Kingdom, the Brineer clan.
The atmosphere froze instantly. Even the people on our side couldn’t hide their shock.
“Why would His Majesty want to see me?”
I had visited the capital several times, but I had never once met him. In fact, I had heard that very few nobles ever got to see the king in person. It was said he hadn’t appeared publicly in a long time. There were certainly unsavory rumors, but since the only heir, the prince, had been appearing in his stead, there didn’t seem to be any major problems with the succession…
“May I ask why His Majesty is summoning me?”
The king of Brahms Kingdom. Garshia Brineer. The legitimate successor to the throne and the one who had personally executed his rebellious older brother. The true ruler who controlled the capital and its surrounding regions.
“I’m afraid I don’t know the details either. What His Majesty is thinking or what he intends…”
“Hmm.”
I couldn’t read any intention from the duke’s indifferent expression. Still, judging from his behavior so far, I didn’t think this was bad news. It wasn’t like he was going to have me killed, right?