Chapter 191
Chapter 191
Regarding the identity verification request for five individuals commissioned four years ago, we have confirmed the identities of three out of the four previously unidentified subjects. Please refer to the attached documents below......(omitted)....... End of report.
- Nox
"What a coincidence......."
Logan wrapped his hands around his head, thinking that he'd been sighing far too often lately.
The greatest factor in the military asymmetry between the Empire and Grandia was the number of Transcendents.
And what had further deepened that imbalance, plunging Grandia into absolute despair in the past, were five unaffiliated Transcendents and the kingdom's internal cancer, the Noble Slayer Victor.
Of those, Victor had come under his command, and the Artifact Master who boasted the destructive power of two or three ordinary Transcendents—the Slaughter Mage Croune—was dead.
He had even obtained the results of that research, but that didn't mean he could ignore the remaining Transcendents.
If left alone, they would once again serve as imperial mercenaries five years from now and invade the kingdom.
'Especially that bastard Van Joni. I have to kill him no matter what.'
Crinkle.
Logan crumpled Nox's letter and tore at his hair.
Most of the unaffiliated Transcendents had only just become Transcendents at the time of the Empire's war.
That was why the Imperial Court had contacted them belatedly and turned them into mercenaries.
'Right now, the odds are much higher that they aren't Transcendents yet, so this is the perfect time to deal with them.'
The sooner, the better.
He wanted to handle this matter immediately, but—
'I don't have time.......'
Thud!
"Logan, about the procession to the Empire. Are you really going with such a small group? No matter what, there's the family's dignity to consider......."
Just as his father said, barging through the door without even knocking, the date of departure for the imperial capital was fast approaching.
His schedule was already packed tight, checking on various matters he had set in motion across the territory.
'Well, I don't necessarily have to do it myself. Names, descriptions, and distinguishing between those to recruit and those to kill. If I just sort that out.......'
"Why, why are you looking at me like that? I was just saying, for the family's dignity, the procession should......."
"Father. I have a request."
"Hmm?"
"There is a matter that must be handled in secret. And it's something you or I must personally undertake."
"At this point in time?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
"Haah....... What is it this time? Tell me."
A thoroughly subdued voice. Serious eyes.
Looking into his son's eyes, Patrick abandoned his original purpose and sat down to listen.
"There are talented individuals I've been searching for. Ideally, I would go and recruit them myself, but since things have turned out this way, I would like you to go, Father."
"Me?"
"Yes. They are individuals of such exceptional talent. If not me, then it's only right that you go."
"Well, that's not a difficult task. But why are you making such a weighty matter out of saying that?"
"Because if they refuse recruitment, you will have to kill them."
"What?!"
Patrick's expression crumpled instantly.
"So you're saying, there are talented individuals, I should first offer them recruitment, and if they refuse, kill them? Me, a marquis of a nation?"
"Yes. That's precisely why I can't entrust this to anyone else. It's better for you or me to do it directly. The fewer people who know, the better."
Patrick let out a small sigh, watching his son continue such a brutal discussion in a calm voice.
"What is the reason this must be done?"
"If we don't bring them in at this point, there's a high probability they will become assets of the Empire later."
"For such a mere reason......."
"They are talents I am certain will become Transcendents."
At those words, Patrick's mouth closed.
His son believed the Empire would wage a war of invasion, and if that prediction proved correct, even such extreme measures could only be understood.
But.
"Not everyone called a genius becomes a Transcendent. Once, I too....... Ahem. Ahem. Was like that. Don't you think this is a bit excessive?"
"Father, do you see Ronian or Victor as unlikely to become Transcendents? And what about Ellen?"
At those words, Patrick was at a loss for words again.
Possessors of overwhelming talent that brooked no comparison.
Geniuses of whom it was said, even within the knight order, that only they could be compared to each other.
The thought that they, who had already become High Knights before even reaching adulthood, might fail to become Transcendents in the future simply never occurred to him.
Of course, before that.
'Should I consider it humility that he doesn't mention himself?'
A genius who, at the mere age of twenty-three, had already far surpassed him.
A genius among geniuses, whom one would believe if he claimed to have already become a Transcendent, was standing right before his eyes.
Having organized his thoughts, Patrick sighed and responded.
"Are you saying these so-called talents are geniuses on the level of those children?"
"There are differences, of course, but they are people who will almost certainly become Transcendents."
Since Logan was merely recounting experiences from his past life, he could be certain, but Patrick could only tilt his head.
'If they have such talent, it's strange that they're still unaffiliated. And how did this child even come to know that?'
But he couldn't simply dismiss it entirely, not with the remarkable achievements his son had demonstrated over the past few years nagging at him.
A son who, by anyone's measure, pushed through plans full of holes or strange ideas and succeeded, building the family into what it was today.
A son who was too sloppy to be called a genius strategist, yet had succeeded in countless endeavors.
It wasn't just a day or two that he had harbored doubts about that context.
But he had no intention of prying.
'......He'll tell me someday.'
There was no room for doubt that everything his son had done so far was for the family.
And so, Patrick nodded once again.
"Understood. I will do as you say."
"Thank you, Father."
Another plan to prepare for the future seemed to be proceeding without a hitch.
The next day.
"Wh-what is that person......?"
"What are you so surprised about? Must be a visitor."
"Well, he seems far away, but why is he so big?"
"What? Uh, uhh......?"
The soldiers guarding the east gate of MacLaine Town spotted a massive shadow approaching from the east.
The moment that shadow drew near, a soldier who recognized his identity let out a scream-like shout.
"Luther Kyle!!"
"It's a Transcendent!"
The monstrously built Transcendent they had faced half a year ago during the civil war.
Those who remembered his overwhelming presence instinctively rang the alarm bell and shouted, even at the sight of him approaching alone.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
And that urgent ringing of the bell brought even Logan, who had been formulating plans in the official residence, dashing out to the east gate.
"Ha, that old man......."
Logan was surprised as well, but he soon figured out what was going on.
- On your way to the Empire, I shall attach an escort to you.
- Heh heh. I'll keep it a secret for the fun of it later.
The Transcendent Luther Kyle, whose title had been demoted after the civil war and who had been sentenced to forced service in the Esperanza Knight Order.
Even as he approached close enough for his expression to be visible, he was gradually shrinking his strides, growing more timid as if something weighed on his mind.
His massive frame, clearly visible even from afar, and the face proportionate to that size made his reluctant expression unmistakably readable.
Somehow understanding that feeling, Logan chuckled and shouted loudly.
"Duke Luther! If you're coming, come; if not, you may turn back!"
Perhaps stung by those words.
With a hmph, the giant snorted and quickened his pace, striding swiftly toward the town.
The closer he came, the larger his frame seemed to grow.
His muscular build, exceeding three meters—gained by transcending human limits—exuded an intense pressure just by sight.
"A m-monster."
"Is that even a person?"
"Shh. He'll hear you."
As if he hadn't already heard them plenty.
Regardless, seeing Luther Kyle's expressionless face, Logan stepped forward without hesitation.
"Welcome to MacLaine, Duke Luther."
The sharp gaze from his fierce eyes, felt ever since he approached, focused on Logan.
"Are you here because of the master's orders?"
"......That's right. He told me to play nursemaid to you."
"Escort, not nursemaid."
"Same thing."
"If you truly do not wish to, you need not comply. I will explain it well to the master."
Boom!
"Are you telling me to become a petty scoundrel who breaks his word!"
A Transcendent whose mere forceful step made the very ground seem to tremble.
Although he hadn't been able to exert his full power against MacLaine due to Clayton's Gravity Control, the brief display of might he had shown in the final battle was enough to instill terror in anyone who remembered it.
"Eek!"
"Th-the young lord is in danger......."
That is, for ordinary people.
"What meaning is there in receiving an escort from someone who is unwilling? And as you know, I pride myself on not being at a level where I particularly need an escort."
Logan calmly met Luther Kyle's eyes.
Then.
"......For an envoy to a foreign country, someone of more normal stature than me would be better. But that bastard Wycken flatly refused, saying the mere sight of your face would make him want to stab you with his sword. So I came."
"It seems you bear no particular grudge against me, Duke Luther."
"How could I not? However......."
Hesitating over something, Luther stared meaninglessly at the sky, sighed, and then swallowed his words.
"Hmph. Forget it. It's tiresome to ramble on uselessly, so just give me a place to sleep. Even a stable will do."
"How could I dare offer such treatment to a Transcendent? I will escort you to a comfortable room."
"Hmph. Flattery is......."
"Please follow me. I'll guide you. And if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask."
"I have no need for such......."
Grrrrrrrrrowl.
"......things."
Before Luther could even finish his sentence, a sound as enormous as his frame erupted from his stomach, plunging the surroundings into momentary silence.
"Ahem. It seems I should prepare a meal first."
Pfft.
The sound of people around them struggling to suppress their laughter rang out one after another, and the gazes directed at Luther Kyle began to turn away, one by one.
The red-faced giant followed behind the leading Logan with steps far more deflated than before, and that single small incident erased a considerable amount of the fear inspired by his monstrous size.
The day of Logan's departure for the Empire was just two days later.
"Are you truly going so plainly?"
"Three squads of knights, eighteen men. Including myself and Sir Luther, a total of twenty. This should be sufficient."
To his father's unending worry, Logan smiled, glancing at the knights around him, including Victor.
"I'm not talking about the numbers. Going to meet the Emperor by invitation, without even a single attendant or carriage....... I fear we'll be accused of bringing shame to the nation."
"That won't happen."
Logan met his father's concern with firm denial.
His primary purpose in stripping away all attendants and carriages and forming a party centered on knights was to move quickly in case anything happened, but—
"No matter what appearance we make, the Empire's nobles will look down on our kingdom. I have no desire to try and curry favor with those who will despise us anyway."
Whatever they said, they were ultimately just enemies he would have to fight someday.
As he scoffed at the thought—
"......Weren't you going to the Empire for the first time?"
His father's subsequent retort caught Logan off guard.
"Ah....... Th-that, didn't I go once before? To retrieve the artifact."
"Hmm. Well, fine. You're the representative, so do as you see fit. But......."
Patrick's gaze, still full of worry, soon shifted to the other side of the party.
"Duke Luther. Are you truly alright? Without even a horse."
"I am fine. There's no horse that can bear my weight anyway, so what does it matter."
Whether due to his title or his age, Luther Kyle used semi-formal speech toward Patrick.
Though he was brusque with others as well, his every action was cautious; it was visibly apparent that he was making an effort not to damage any furnishings even while staying at the mansion, making him a refreshingly novel person.
Though their acquaintance was barely a single night, Luther Kyle had shown a side quite different from the ill-fated encounter they'd had during the war.
- It's because they have Jordan or Juan as fathers-in-law, but those fellows aren't that bad. I'll take responsibility.
He now understood his master's confident assurance, made just a few days ago.
"Then, Duke Luther. I won't offer any special consideration. You can keep up, I trust?"
"Hmph. Of course."
"Then, everyone, we depart!"
Neigh!
With Logan's horse at the lead, the knights' horses galloped in succession.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
And at the very front, a single giant ran alongside them at a speed unbelievable for someone on foot, creating a rare spectacle as the party swiftly disappeared to the west.