Chapter 214
Chapter 214
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Margrave of Livyé, Erb de Carvelier (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Enduring the tense air among the retainers, Duke Erb settled into his seat and gazed at Kirhas with clouded eyes. For a long while, they stared at each other in silence.
This was a political dud grenade. Duke Erb had sent an overt request for support.
He was convinced Kirhas could respond to it. After all, the etiquette she had learned was that of the court.
Yet as Kirhas showed no gesture in reply, the atmosphere grew ever more strained.
And a sovereign's discomfort always stood out more sharply to his subjects—especially to the politically attuned nobles with every sense on edge.
At that moment, the ones who stepped forward were the robe nobles¹ interested in the duke's title. Those without estates or forces of their own. Fools aiming for a windfall through romance with the duke's daughter.
"Ahem. Say something!"
"Indeed! What insolence is this? Before you stands the lord of Livyé, great margrave of the empire, recipient of the loyalty of thousands of knights! No matter your recent fame, holding a private audience like this is utterly unacceptable!"
Kirhas swept her languid gaze over them. Then, as if they weren't worth her time, she turned straight to the duke and spoke.
"Tell me, Duke. What do you think of your servants' words? Are you saying the one who commands the loyalty of thousands of knights has no forces? Did the duke lie, or did your servant lie?"
Are you insulting me with lies? Or are you so incompetent you can't even control your own servant? Kirhas's words were the foulest insult possible in a diplomatic setting.
The robe nobles bristled at her words and shouted. Insolent! Arrogant! Cast that lowly beastkin from the court! Such cries swept through the chamber.
Amid the uproar, those who remained silent split into two groups: nobles sighing deeply and nobles scoffing.
Loyalists and traitors, respectively. The loyalists showed their feelings at the nobles' disgrace before a foreign lord, while the traitors reacted to the impotent margrave who couldn't control his retainers' emotions.
Fernandez memorized their faces from beneath his hood.
'Border nobles and knights.'
-Their knights' loyalty is surprisingly strong.
'No surprise there. That's proof. Proof the duke isn't an incompetent fool.'
No armed force would show loyalty to an impotent, frail king. No matter how institutionalized, those with power instinctively follow the strong—with senses keener than even the border nobles'.
Thus, the loyalty from the greatsword nobles²—former knight retainers—only confirmed the margrave's vitality. Fernandez gazed at the sunken-eyed margrave with a sigh.
Duke Erb slowly opened his mouth.
"I have nothing to say."
"Then the meeting's over. The refreshments were lovely, Duke. Hope we meet in Kaddaras next time. I'd gladly invite you then—offer you a drink amid the spectacle. Must be tough."
Kirhas let out a short laugh and rose from her seat. Overt provocation and blatant mockery, aimed at the shouting robe nobles. She scanned each fuming noble without hiding her amusement.
"Th-these lowly, vulgar wasteland mongrels dare!!"
-Bang!
One noble shouted and stepped forward. The burly man growled down at Kirhas.
Fernandez chuckled at the sight. His intentions were obvious. The bluster of someone thinking, *She wouldn't dare strike here.*
No matter the breach of etiquette, the duke wouldn't stand by while a foreign envoy harmed a court retainer. And if violence erupted here, they'd be rats in a trap.
Kirhas Hearttaker, captured alive—the possibilities were endless. With that calculation in mind, the noble strode forward again, about to shout.
But in that instant, Kirhas kicked her chair back, spun around, and looked up squarely at him.
"Choose your next words very, very carefully, servant. This is advice from the great chieftain."
"Shut your mouth, you filthy savage! Who do you think you—"
"Tch."
Kirhas clicked her tongue and turned away. Her beastkin warriors were already primed for battle. Unarmed beyond the audience hall or not, catfolk warriors feared no such terms.
But Kirhas waved them off and spoke to Fernandez.
"Fernin. Is that a challenge?"
"By alliance code, yes."
"Then a great chieftain doesn't dodge challenges."
Kirhas cocked her head and addressed the duke.
"Give me a sword, Duke. Your servant challenges the alliance's great chieftain. I'll accept personally."
Her words pushed the room's excitement to a peak. Nobles screamed, pointed, and condemned her arrogance as if ready to hurl whatever they held.
Yet the duke still gazed at Kirhas with clouded eyes.
"Are you serious, Great Chieftain?"
"Or interpret by your empire's rules, Duke?"
"The empire's rules?"
"I'm no expert on your codes, but luckily, I have capable subordinates. Fernin. By imperial rules, how should we read this?"
Fernandez stepped forward and spoke quietly but firmly.
"It amounts to a declaration of war."
"Good. A fresh challenge. My current foes aren't easy, but I can't ignore a direct insult to the great chieftain."
Kirhas grinned wolfishly. The advancing noble shrank back under her aura, sharp killing intent wrapping him like a blade at his throat.
Seeing the noble's face drain pale, the duke sighed deeply.
"Would you show mercy for his rudeness?"
"Mercy is the victor's right, Duke. And I'm not 'yet' the victor. Will you grant me the chance? I'll show mercy after."
Disaster. Every noble in the room thought the same upon hearing Kirhas.
If war broke out with the catfolk alliance now—even just with her personal warbands—Livyé lacked the forces to stop her.
No, lack of forces was an excuse. The nobles' private troops still lingered in Livyé, un-dismissed.
But who among them would stay for a pointless, meaningless war? War profited only when supplies flowed and you weren't on the front lines.
To those facing it head-on, war was mere ruin, nothing but death. The nobles here, veterans of the Fifty Years' War, knew this better than anyone.
Thus, some nobles cleared their throats and slipped away. Hotheads unwilling to risk more from an irreversible gamble fled the chamber.
Another group: the margrave's most loyal greatsword nobles quietly whispered to attendants and held their seats.
The margrave's scant domain troops would soon storm this chamber.
Finally, the stupidest sort... Those still believing in a turnaround, padding their stature with volume, stepped forward instead.
"Accept the challenge!!"
At least Kirhas was a slender woman. Her achievements were a commander's, not a great warrior's.
Harboring such thoughts, a few men advanced on Kirhas. Public officials of the duchy. Robe nobles without lands. Hyenas eyeing the margrave's son-in-law and title.
The ones the duke most wanted gone. As Kirhas eyed them, Fernandez watched the margrave.
The margrave watched and smiled.
'Yes, Duke. Play along with the puppet show.'
'Thanks.'
A brief glance exchanged that meaning between Fernandez and the duke. As Kirhas smirked to retort, Fernandez swiftly stepped between them.
"Great Chieftain. It's unbecoming for the chieftain to face a servant personally."
"Wilderness law says otherwise."
"This is imperial soil, so imperial law applies. If you'll permit."
"You know it better than I. Fine, Fernin. Will you offer victory to the great chieftain?"
"Gladly."
Fernandez eased Kirhas back and stood before the hulking noble. The noble, relieved as she retreated, rubbed his neck and glared down at Fernandez.
Fernandez remained shrouded in his wide robe, hood concealing his face. Not small, but not obese. Unremarkable presence. The noble sneered.
"Did your chieftain's nursemaid come lest she cry in fear?"
"Imperial Noble Duel Law. Annotations on civilian dispute arbitration. And statutes on proxy combat for inter-estate disputes. Known as the Lawrence Code. Under this imperial statute ratified by your emperor, we hold proxy court."
Hearing this, the duke nodded readily and beckoned his attendant.
Attendants hurried over, handing each a longsword. As Fernandez weighed his, the duke drawled.
"This duel is officially recognized under my witness. Great Chieftain, may past grievances end here."
-Shing.
Fernandez ignored him, drawing his blade. The noble grinned sourly at the sight.
"You know which end to hold, beast? Thought you'd claw-fight."
"Moderately well."
Beneath the hood, blue eyes flickered with grim light.
* * *
"Father. That's the man."
"Hm?"
Rene, disguised as an attendant beside the duke, whispered softly. The duke glanced from the two drawing swords.
"That man. Not beastkin."
"Hm. Smooth hands."
"Yes. Well-versed in imperial law. Noble speech, courtly bearing."
Rene poured water into the duke's cup as she spoke. He lifted it naturally, like with any servant.
"So he taught the beastkin chieftain etiquette and orchestrated this... Right?"
"Yes, Father."
"Retainer aiding her? Or her shadow? We'll see."
-Clang!
The two clashed at the hall's center. Blades lunged for throats, tangled, and rang clear.
They locked briefly, then Fernandez's sword spun like a serpent, flicking the noble's tip upward.
-Kaang!
The noble's sword flew from his grip, soaring to the ceiling. As he stumbled back in shock, Fernandez grabbed his jaw with his free hand—
-Whoosh!!
-Boom!!
Lifted him, then slammed him down.
"Impressive strength!"
The duke admired purely, without ulterior thought. Hoisting and flooring a noble twice his size one-handed—even he wasn't sure he could.
And that savagery. Ferocity veiled by noble words prickled sharply.
Fernandez smashed the noble's head repeatedly into the floor, then pinned his chest with one knee.
-Shing.
The fallen noble's eyes blurred from shock. Fernandez nudged his throat with the blade tip and spoke calmly.
"Any god you trust? Need time to pray?"
His tone, serene as if the flurry meant nothing, chilled the noble, who startled and cried.
"Sp-spare me! This is before the archduke! Bloodshed here is..."
"Your blood, or blood on the battlefield. Yours weighs less."
Proxy combat for estate disputes. This ancient tradition was a vow to substitute one man's blood for war.
Understanding, the noble blanched deathly. He screamed desperately.
"Gr-great Chieftain! Mercy! I beg the promised mercy! I yield! Show the victor's mercy!"
Fernandez turned at his plea. Kirhas laughed and nodded readily.
"Good, Fernin. A great chieftain's word can't be light. Show mercy."
Even so, Fernandez kept his knee on the noble's chest—like a boulder crushing him. Gasping, the noble pounded the floor.
"H-hear your master?!"
"Send him swift to his god—the mercy letting his wretched life taint this world no more. Fernin."
"Yes, Great Chieftain."
-Shing.
The blade arced long—
"Great Chieftain!! Archduke!! This is—!"
-Crack!
The sound spread after the act. Seeing blood pool along the tiles, some nobles screamed and fled, chills running down their spines.
Left were the duke and greatsword nobles. Kirhas's retainers. And Fernandez, wiping his blade on the corpse before handing it stiffly to an attendant.
-Thud thud thud!
Armed troops soon rushed to the hall doors—palace guards summoned by loyal knights.
Doors burst open. Soldiers encircled Kirhas and her warriors, spears raised.
Kirhas laughed indifferently at the scene, settling slowly into her chair amid her warriors.
"Now only the trustworthy remain. Duke. You like complicating things."
"Meeting foreign envoys without retainers breaks protocol."
The duke smiled loosely at Kirhas. Clarity began returning to his clouded eyes.
"So, you humored the puppet show. Satisfied?"
"Thoroughly. Impressive, Great Chieftain. I see how you stand against the dead with that rabble."
"Your hounds are here too. Bring drinks. Terrible host!"
Catfolk share liquor with friends, tea with foes. Kirhas's words signaled the meeting's success—or a highly positive start.
Cull untouchables with tea-killing, secure private time with the chieftain. Sow doubt and chaos among retainers for it.
The duke's ploy began with his first declaration: "I have no forces."
Two who never shared schemes had played roles in perfect script.
The duke smiled at Kirhas and the youth standing quietly beside her. A debt incurred. And—
*'Drove off hyenas, invited a tiger?'*
But even a tiger beat being mauled by hyenas. Better to ride its back.
So thinking, the duke raised his cup.
As Rene reached to refill it, he whispered swiftly in her ear.
"Probe that man. I'll handle the chieftain."
"Yes, Father."
Beneath the hood, Fernandez smirked faintly.
Demonica heard even sleeve-brushes in confined spaces.