Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: The Illusion Mage Returns
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“Hmm...”
The morning after I'd taken the ledger from Hans and gone to see Dwayne.
Contrary to what I'd expected, Dwayne smacked his lips as he took hold of the ledger.
“What's wrong? With this, we could take that guy down in one shot.”
If we had this ledger, packed full of records on all the wealth Hans had siphoned off over time, we could deal with his inside man in an instant.
But after pondering for a moment, Dwayne shook his head side to side.
“Of course, Young Master, as you said, this evidence would make it easy to force his resignation. Even as a Hexagon member, if it's revealed he skimmed off this much, he couldn't escape disciplinary action. But... this isn't quite the decisive blow.”
Dwayne scratched the back of his head.
“This ledger has no proof that he's been colluding with the Holy Empire. If we use it like this, forget about the purge you want, Young Master—the faction of the candidate he's aligned with might misunderstand it as you teaming up with the opposition to corner him, and harbor a grudge.”
It was tradition in the Shield Family for even those who lost in the succession struggle to continue working for the house.
So if a defeated contender held a grudge and started causing trouble, it would spell endless headaches for the territory's future management.
“...Damn. Back to square one, then.”
“Well, not exactly. This evidence is plenty to pile on additional damage once you bring proof of his collusion, Young Master.”
Dwayne offered what was less comfort and more empty reassurance, telling me not to get too down.
“Besides, if I'm right, that inside man has more than enough reason to act on behalf of his candidate soon.”
“What do you mean? How would you know what our family's succession trial even is?”
This was a guy who'd kept his head down and laid low for decades.
Plus, both my brother and sister were proven talents.
There was no way he'd risk exposure and make a move unless the trial was something extraordinary.
“Of course I don't know what the trial is. How could I, without peering into the lord's mind who's designing it? But I can tell you this much: this succession trial won't be a walk in the park.”
“...What are you talking about?”
“Last night, while you were at the casino, Young Master, I heard some interesting news.”
A cryptic answer, and a strange smile crept across Dwayne's face.
“Lady Elena the Countess, who's in the capital, is heading back to Banten now that she heard about the succession. She'll arrive in a few days, they say.”
...Huh?
My thoughts froze for a second. Okay, stay calm. Let me ask Dwayne to repeat what he just said.
“M-Mother's coming to Banten? Right now?”
I hadn't meant to, but my voice came out trembling.
Back when the winds of war stirred by the Empire's monster emperor, Ibarella von Hekaron, had turned into a gale sweeping the entire continent.
Two mages dominated the continent with their names.
The Lightning Mage, Seira van Ikenia.
And the Crimson Flame Mage, Aria von Wendinel.
They were the stars of that era.
So who were the mages whose names rang across the continent before them?
Just as the eleven superhumans who reached the pinnacle of aura are said to have ascended the jade throne, there was a term for those who'd reached the pinnacle of magic in this age.
Those who attained Idea.
Each bore an epithet tied to their signature magic.
In my past life, Seira and Aria had claimed those titles. Who holds them now?
The king of Fran Kingdom, Duke Darius, and... my mother.
Elena von Carviot was one of them.
“Oh? What's wrong? As far as I know, Young Master, it's been quite a while since you last saw Countess Elena. Aren't you happy?”
Dwayne asked with that infuriating grin that made me want to punch him.
You can't spit on a smiling face, so I forced my reluctant lips into a smile and answered.
“N-No way. Of course I'm happy.”
“Hmm? Then why didn't you go see her during the Spring Festival? You were both in Edirne anyway—would've been easy to drop by.”
“Th-The situation was urgent, that's all. Besides, Mother's one of the kingdom's top mages, researching and overseeing magic. I didn't think it right to bother someone so busy with personal matters. Nothing else to it.”
“Hmmm~?”
Ugh, this guy. That smug little smirk is really getting on my nerves.
Why was Dwayne grinning and teasing me like this?
Because he'd heard the rumors about my mother, no doubt.
'Well, you'd have to not be an Ikenia citizen to not know Mother's reputation(?)'
Mother, Elena von Carviot, lived in the royal magic tower in Edirne's palace as a mage who'd touched Idea.
Her epithet?
The Illusion Mage.
What more was there to hide?
Mother's specialty was illusion magic, just like her title.
In other words, mental magic.
Knock knock!
As I was talking with Dwayne, a servant knocked and opened the door.
“Third Young Master, there you are. The lord has summoned everyone to the conference room regarding the succession matter.”
At the servant's words, my head automatically turned to Dwayne.
“Dwayne. Didn't you say Mother—no, the Countess—is arriving in a few days?”
Dwayne curled his lips in that annoying way.
“Oh dear, my ears must be playing tricks already. It wasn't a few days—it was tomorrow.”
His face, smirking like 'I'm young but this is a problem,' made it impossible for me to take another step.
Smack!
The conference room in the inner keep.
Meetings where all the territory's executives gathered were rare to begin with, so "usual" might not fit.
Even compared to those infrequent ones, today's atmosphere was far more rigid and tense.
This was a crucial matter deciding Banten's future, so the air of tension wasn't particularly strange or problematic.
But the heavy atmosphere weighing down the room wasn't just from the gravity of the issue.
If anything, this tension felt like facing an overwhelming enemy.
And even Bacchus von Carviot, the great warrior, wasn't free from it.
No—in a way, he was the most tense person in the room.
How much longer did this suffocating air persist, enough to shake the serene mind of a jade throne warrior who never lost his composure?
Bang!
The conference room door flew open roughly, and a beautiful woman in robes appeared.
Step, step.
The woman entered, her voluptuous figure on display for the first few steps, then after a few more, she became a hunched old lady.
Shuffle, shuffle.
A few more steps, and she turned into a five-year-old child.
Clack, clack.
By the time she reached the seat beside Bacchus, she'd become an utterly ordinary woman you'd see anywhere on the street.
Bacchus spoke as she sat, having shown multiple forms in that brief moment.
“Oh, it's been a while, my lady. I hope you've been well?”
His voice trembled with tension, unbelievable for a jade throne master.
Seeing him even stutter, the plain-faced woman sighed.
“Haah, you. One of the continent's strongest warriors, and you can't even speak properly? I've always told you—you're the kingdom's shield. So how can you go stuttering like this...”
The woman settled into her chair and immediately launched into a barrage of nagging at Bacchus.
In Banten—no, across the entire kingdom, even the continent—there was only one woman who could silence even the heavenly rank, Bacchus, like this.
That's right.
That woman with the thousand-changing faces was my mother, Elena von Carviot.
“Sorry, my lady... I'll be careful.”
“Really, you're an iron wall on the battlefield, but turn into a fool around me. I just don't get it.”
After a long lecture, Father's sincere(?) reflection finally ended Mother's nagging, and the topic shifted.
“So, you're choosing a successor this time? Got anyone in mind?”
Everyone in the room, embarrassed by her blunt scolding of Father, perked up their ears toward him.
“As you know, my lady, they're all exceptional children. I plan to choose the one who performs best in a fair trial.”
Mother's eyes sparkled at the word "trial."
“Hmm, a trial...”
Her gaze lit up like she'd found an intriguing toy.
“Sounds fun. You're not planning some outdated duel between the kids or a mock battle, are you?”
“...Ahem! Of course not.”
Father flushed, denying her suspicion, and a quiet crumpling sound came from under the table.
“We can't pick the one to lead the kingdom's strongest shield with something so simplistic.”
“Then what kind of trial do you have in mind?”
Mother asked, eyes gleaming.
“I'd love to send them to the Dragon Mountains like my own succession trial...”
Father trailed off, his gaze turning to me.
The Dragon Mountains were already mostly cleared by the factions tied to me, so they wouldn't make a suitable test ground.
“Since that's not feasible, we'll fall back on our ancestors' method. I'm opening the Chamber of Trials.”
The Chamber of Trials.
A test site created by the Carviot Count family for direct heirs vying for the next lordship.
Picking a successor through a mere test chamber instead of wars or duels between candidates might sound like it would earn Mother's sharp tongue.
“Ho, you. That's surprisingly clever for you.”
Surprisingly, her reaction was quite positive.
It had to be.
The Chamber of Trials wasn't just any test site.
The ancestors had sealed it away as too dangerous and moved the trials to the Dragon Mountains—that alone proved its peril.
Confirming Mother's tacit approval, Father turned to my brother and sister.
“This won't be easy, even for your skills. But this seat isn't for just anyone. If you're not confident, step down now.”
No fool here would back out at Father's advice-disguised-as-advice.
“Whatever the trial, I have no intention of quitting here.”
“If some dusty relic scares me off, how could I even dream of ruling Banten?”
As Bacchus's lips curved in satisfaction at their responses,
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Applause rang out from beside Father.
“As expected of my children. Such spirit! That's the caliber needed to challenge for this great house's leadership.”
Mother gazed at her children with satisfaction, then added,
“But I see it differently from Father. My brilliant children should breeze through the Chamber of Trials.”
Her loving expression brimmed with trust in them. Which made me all the more uneasy.
“So let's make the trial a bit more formal.”
“...Pardon?”
“Mother, what do you...”
Sensing something ominous in her words, my brother and sister's confident faces gradually hardened.
“As you know, the Chamber's been sealed for decades—over a century, even. It's an old ruin, so for your safety, we need to repair the traps.”
She smiled slyly.
“Don't worry. I'll handle the repairs myself. I'll weave in my various magics to make the traps even more insidious and cunningly reactive.”
“......!!”
The room's atmosphere chilled at Mother Elena von Carviot's words.
The Chamber of Trials, made to select the Carviot Count's heir, had no mercy for challengers.
If you fell to a trap, it meant your vessel was too small from the start.
But it wouldn't take lives.
Lest the family line end prematurely.
But a woman like Elena von Carviot wouldn't consider such inconveniences.
In other words, once she declared she'd touch it up, it meant we'd truly be risking our lives.
“Well? Still up for the challenge?”
Her loaded question hung in the air.
And to it,
“We will.”
“If we die here, then that's all we amount to.”
My brother and sister nodded in unison.