Chapter 270
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 270
Chapter Title: Paeonia Secured
"Haha, exactly! Man, seeing the baron's reaction makes this long trip totally worth it, doesn't it?"
Tetsai puffed out his chest, clearly pleased with my response.
"Just as you said, two stalks. Got them spot on. Whew, I really thought we were gonna die getting them."
I stared silently at the paeonia, drilling holes into it with my eyes, but even I had to admit Tetsai deserved to brag this time.
To procure such a rare spirit herb in this short timeframe, they must've scoured the entire archipelago.
"Tetsai, you're hilarious. You just grabbed whatever was in the dead king's warehouse."
"Ehehe, Vice Leader. Shh, shh!"
There might've been a sliver of truth hidden behind his bluster, but who cared?
Separate from our negotiations, they'd remembered my personal request to the Mermaid Pirates—no, Merchant Group—and delivered in record time. That alone made me grateful.
"Is anyone outside?"
With the lid carefully closed on the box containing the paeonia, I called for someone. A maid waiting with a stack of documents entered.
"You called, Baron?"
I wasn't thrilled with what she held, but that wasn't the priority now.
"Go tell Rampang and Set the Young Master that we've secured the item they wanted."
I couldn't keep this good news to myself.
It had barely been five minutes since the maid went to fetch Rampang and Set.
Bang!
The two burst into the office, slamming the door so hard it nearly shattered.
"S-Sa-su! Is it true?! We got paeonia?!"
"B-Baron Jerome! I-Is it really?!"
The two, who had been longing for this news more than anyone, wore identical expressions.
Desperation.
Urgency.
Anticipation.
And joy.
Seeing their faces filled with all those emotions, I cautiously opened the box's lid.
Sometimes actions speak louder than words.
Whoosh!
A clear, refreshing fragrance once again filled the office.
Their faces gradually lit up with pure elation as they inhaled it.
"Th-This is..."
Rampang cradled the box with the paeonia like it was the world's most precious treasure.
"N-No time to waste! I need to take this to Master right now!"
On his way out, Rampang didn't forget to thank Tetsai profusely before dashing off toward Karma even faster than he'd arrived.
Finally, they could purge the poison of that scum Veras that had plagued Karma for so long.
Unlike Rampang, who bolted out, Set stared intently at the paeonia before speaking carefully.
"Baron Jerome. Sorry, but... could you spare me some time?"
"Hm?"
Unlike Princess Ariana Seira, Set was the only one who hadn't returned home and stayed in Olivia.
All for the paeonia to treat Ishvar's poison. So I'd assumed he'd prepare to head back posthaste, almost as urgently as Rampang.
"...I know it's shameless after getting the paeonia, but... I want to ask for your help one more time."
With a bitter expression, a long story poured from Set's lips.
Hooooo.
Karma, quietly regulating his inner energy in the room, furrowed his brow.
'Veras's damned poison from that bastard is getting fiercer by the day.'
He felt ashamed before the World Tree that had delivered its roots directly, but the mineral poison gnawing at him was proving harder to suppress.
It clashed with his heterogenous power to begin with, but it had stabilized somewhat after absorbing the World Tree's roots.
Then suddenly, it flared up like wildfire on dry plains.
As if the poison itself had fundamentally changed.
'Ugh! As Azure Wing, all I do is burden my disciples...'
Karma gave a wry smile. He felt pathetic for troubling not just his beloved disciple Rampang, but even his last disciple, Jerome.
He hadn't lifted a finger during the massive war where his disciples risked their lives.
He knew neither Rampang nor Jerome saw it that way.
They were good kids, after all.
But that didn't erase his self-loathing.
"Sigh! I just can't pinpoint the cause... Hm?"
As Karma paused to rest after expending mental energy all morning, a voice came from outside.
"Master! Master!"
It was his disciple calling desperately.
Creak!
Rampang flung open the door, unable to hide his flushed excitement. Karma asked calmly.
"Rampang, what's got you in such a commotion?"
The guy who'd ascended to the throne still acted like a child around him.
"Master! It's paeonia! Jerome got paeonia!"
Whoosh!
A clear fragrance filled the room as Rampang opened the small box.
"This'll heal you, Master! Here, take it quick!"
Rampang thrust it forward with exhilaration, but Karma just stared at the box.
"Master...?"
"Sigh. I wonder if I really deserve this."
Was it right for an old has-been who only caused trouble for his brilliant disciples to accept such a treasure?
His long illness had weakened his resolve.
"Master! What are you saying?!"
Rampang jumped up.
"Without your guidance, how could I have claimed the throne, or Jerome become a Black Lion?! Don't even think like that!"
Rampang scolded Karma fiercely.
"You need to get better quick and advise us again! How can you say such weak things?!"
"Advise, huh..."
Right.
Forget advice for now—he needed to figure out why Veras's mineral poison had mutated. If his suspicions were correct...
His disciples' current power wouldn't suffice against that vile Veras.
"Tell Jerome I gratefully accept."
The ancient tree, huddled wounded for ages, was finally seeking its place.
While Rampang took the paeonia to treat Karma, Jerome headed to the conference hall with Set.
After sending Tetsai and Omarli back, Set's story was too weighty for him to decide alone.
"...The Osiris Kingdom is in that dire a state?"
Dwain's stunned question drew a heavy nod from Set.
"...Yes. Embarrassing as it is... the balance of power has collapsed."
During the Philador Kingdom rebellion suppression, Set had asked Jerome for a favor.
Paeonia to treat Ishvar of the Great Three Sages, poisoned by Black Wing's mineral toxin.
But Set's family, the Vulcan Marquis House, and the Clear Stream faction couldn't act due to opposition from Duke Yulan's house and the Turbid Stream faction. So, procure it instead.
Yes.
'Procure paeonia' had been Set's request.
But now, Set said the situation had changed.
"I don't know how it happened, but Duke Yulan's house is rising like wildfire. It's thrown the kingdom into chaos—even the Gadik Pirates raided up the Great Wild River. Thanks to you, Jerome, the East Spirit raids are resolved now, but..."
The Great Wild River.
The massive river crossing Osiris Kingdom to the eastern sea, the kingdom's lifeline.
Pirates raiding it, tied to the economy and people's lives?
This went beyond mere disorder.
'It means it's collapsed to the point of dysfunction.'
The Clear Stream Black Lions wouldn't stand for it. Yet this happened, meaning no spare capacity for the populace.
'...Something's off.'
In his past life, Ishvar succumbed to illness.
Losing their Great Mother restraint, Osiris fell into Clear vs. Turbid faction strife, culminating in civil war. They self-destructed in the empire war without much fight.
But that meant the factions were evenly matched enough for years of infighting.
Maybe 55-45.
Clear Stream struggled, but Turbid didn't dominate.
'Yet suddenly Duke Yulan's power surges?'
Everything had diverged so much from the past that history might not matter.
Jerome hadn't meddled in Osiris at all.
If anything, bonding quickly with Set.
But per Set, the balance was already critically broken.
'...Need to investigate.'
"Regrettably... Yulan's Black Lions are strong. If I return alone with paeonia, they'll ambush me before I reach home."
When Set first asked, it was just for paeonia.
For proud Set to reveal this much meant Clear Stream's position in Osiris was truly dire.
"Hmm..."
As Set finished, only long sighs filled the hall.
Osiris was a powerhouse holding the Continental Alliance's eastern front.
Indispensable against imperial invasion.
'This is worlds apart from Philador. Coldly... letting Clear Stream fall might be better.'
Choosing Vulcan Marquis was unrelated to empire war prep.
No, it might even be worse.
If Yulan-led Turbid held overwhelming force, letting them swallow Osiris could be preferable.
Unlike Clear Stream, united under Black Wing, Turbid were heterogenous power users driven by personal desires.
Those initially drawn to Black Wing might follow, but Osiris nobles near power wouldn't bow to him.
But.
I couldn't ignore Set's pleading gaze.
Love him or hate him, Set was a comrade who'd crossed many battle lines with me.
Couldn't boil it down to 'efficiency' alone.
Noticing my deliberation,
"No, Baron."
Dwain's firm refusal cut in.
"It's Osiris internal affairs. Philador had Shield Family cover, but not now."
That wasn't Dwain's only reason.
"With Olivia and you growing daily, envy brews. No reason to brave all that for Osiris."
"......"
Set just gritted his teeth at Dwain's harsh truth.
Not a word wrong, theoretically.
"Heh heh, not necessarily."
A gravelly voice rebutted Dwain, echoing in the hall.
"Lord Karma! Are you feeling better?"
Entering were Rampang and Karma.
"Heh heh, all thanks to Jerome. You've extended this dying old man's life a bit longer."
"No need for that."
Karma thanked Jerome, his face still weary but with healthy color.
Paeonia was working.
"Congratulations on your recovery, Azure Wing Elder. But what did you mean just now?"
Dwain asked stiffly.
"Heh heh, exactly that. Jerome going to Osiris might not be a loss."
"...?"
As Dwain frowned at the cryptic reply, Karma asked Set.
"Set, you said Osiris's Turbid Stream suddenly strengthened?"
"Y-Yes. No idea what trickery, but they're gaining ground. Even my house is struggling."
"Hm, as I thought."
Karma nodded knowingly.
"You probably think as long as Osiris holds, Clear or Turbid doesn't matter? Regrettably, no. If Turbid takes power, Osiris becomes a massive enemy."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
Karma pointed to his abdomen, once rooted with mineral poison.
"That sneaky disciple who stabbed me in the back, Veras... seems to be lurking behind Osiris."