Chapter 212
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Liana Lumenhark (2)
"Miss Lucia, your speech today was perfect as well."
"..."
"Compared to that, their side... the difference in level is so vast it's embarrassing even to mention. Haha."
Pedro Longgist, who had been walking alongside Lucia, let out a lighthearted laugh.
To describe the two accurately, it wasn't really walking side by side—Pedro was simply trailing persistently behind her.
Seemingly oblivious to that fact, Pedro kept talking to Lucia.
"When Calliope's third son defended a commoner at the first tribunal, I thought he'd lost his mind. But looking back now, it turned out for the best."
A single commoner who sparked the conflict didn't matter anymore, one way or another.
"This is our chance to carve out all the mold that's been festering in the Empire. Haha."
The situation had long passed the point where an apology would suffice.
Now, the key was whether they could uproot the evil custom of 'equality' that existed in Carnea once and for all.
'...It was weird how those lowly things had been overstepping their bounds without knowing their place all this time.'
Pedro's lips twisted.
Regardless of success or failure, Pedro could not tolerate commoners defying nobles in the first place.
This wasn't just Pedro's view.
The vast majority of nobles believed they were suffering reverse discrimination in Carnea.
Everyone is equal? How could that be?
Noble blood is exalted, while common blood is base. That's simple common sense, isn't it?
They had no choice but to feign 'equality' due to Carnea's doctrines, but it was time to end that charade.
'...We'll teach those commoners who infringed on noble authority their proper place.'
But two names grated on him in the process.
Liana Lumenhark and Eugene Calliope.
Pedro clicked his tongue inwardly.
If they were middling nobles, he could crush them with sheer force.
But of all people, they had to be from the imperial family and the Calliope house.
'A loser in the succession struggle, buzzing with nothing but greed...'
Pedro didn't buy the grand cause of standing up for commoners' rights against nobles.
The only reason Eugene and the princess were putting on this show was to seize power.
'...They'll come to their senses once they taste death.'
The princess had survived losing the succession fight because she harbored no ambitions for power and lived quietly like a dead rat.
'...Has the throne made her lose her reason?'
But at this moment, with His Majesty's death looming.
The princess seemed intent on aiming for the throne, borrowing the strength of commoners if need be.
Commoners were inferior to nobles in every way, but their numbers far exceeded the nobles'.
'Eugene Calliope is the same.'
The third son, Eugene Calliope, appeared to be using this uproar as a chance to reclaim power within the Calliope house...
But Eugene and the princess couldn't both lead the commoner faction.
After all, there's only ever one head.
They had to realize that if they kept fighting like this, they'd destroy themselves before even facing the noble faction.
But yielding meant losing both power and life.
That's why neither side budged an inch, locked in opposition.
This was what Pedro—no, most nobles—predicted as Eugene and the princess's true goal.
"Seeing those lowly ones at a loss because the princess and that third son were fighting over control was quite the spectacle. Haha."
Recalling the scene at the speech venue, Pedro burst into loud laughter.
He had to admit, the princess's opening speech was genuinely impressive.
'...Using the goddess faith's doctrine that all things under the goddess are equal to champion commoners' rights.'
When the one with the noblest bloodline spouted such words, it was no wonder many were swayed. In fact, even some nobles switched sides because of that speech.
But everything flipped when Eugene barged in.
Frankly, Eugene's speech wasn't as eloquent as the princess's.
However, the princess's emotional appeal—bolstered by amplification magic and her followers—lost its power against his intense agitation.
As a result, the commoners who had been leaning toward the princess now wavered, torn between supporting her or Eugene.
'...In contrast, the noble faction has one clear head.'
The noble faction, united under the overwhelming leader that was Lucia, could mock the opposing commoner faction's disarray and grow even more cohesive.
"..."
Despite Pedro's chatter, Lucia offered no response and kept walking.
Any ordinary person would have noticed her mood by now and shut up.
But blinded by the thrill of victory, Pedro kept babbling on.
"Well, they're just losers ousted from their family successions. Maybe it's because his mother came from a wiped-out house. Haha."
"...I see."
Only after hearing Lucia's chillingly cold voice did Pedro finally realize she was in a foul mood.
'...Why?'
Today was a good day where the enemy had practically self-destructed.
Of course, as the speeches progressed toward the end, the mood had shifted back toward the princess.
No matter how much agitation there was, her speech content was far more flawless.
Surely, the princess would eventually be named leader of the commoners.
...But the noble faction wouldn't sit idle in the meantime.
By the time the anti-noble side settled on a leader, the nobles would have finished all preparations to crush the commoners.
Then Pedro noticed Lucia stroking her left wrist.
'That's why.'
Pedro's lips curled slightly.
During their argument after the speeches ended, Eugene had briefly grabbed Lucia's wrist.
She had shaken him off immediately, but given her aversion to physical contact with men, it must have been deeply unpleasant.
'...I was oblivious.'
By keep mentioning Eugene, he'd stirred up that unpleasant memory for her.
Pedro smirked and approached Lucia.
"Does the wrist he grabbed still hurt? Let me take a look."
Pedro reached out toward Lucia's wrist.
He knew well what happened to men who touched her carelessly.
'...I'll overwrite that unpleasant memory.'
But as the heir to the Longgist house, he believed she would accept him.
Pedro thought himself more than qualified to be her partner.
It wasn't mere narcissism; objectively, it was true.
Excluding the imperial family and great houses, few families in the Empire could rival the Longgists.
'...I'm the eldest son of the Longgist house and the next head.'
His rival siblings for the succession had all met with 'unfortunate accidents,' leaving them crippled or dead.
Some might call it cruel, but Pedro saw it as the necessary ruthlessness for power.
*Grip—*
The moment Pedro seized Lucia's wrist.
Lucia's body froze abruptly.
"...Filth."
And Pedro immediately regretted it.
A killing intent unlike any he'd ever felt poured from Lucia's body.
"...How dare you... touch... his... mark..."
"Lu...cia?"
Stunned by her unexpected reaction, Pedro released her wrist and stumbled back.
He'd heard rumors of her extreme aversion to men's touch, but he never imagined it'd provoke such a violent response.
"Miss Lucia, p...please calm down. It was a mistake."
Pedro held out both hands to soothe her, but her fury didn't subside. It sharpened into a blade aimed straight at him.
'...D...dangerous...'
Sensing a threat to his life, Pedro drew his sword, but his body trembled like a twig facing a typhoon.
In close quarters, even a mage several levels superior could be subdued by a swordsman...
But right now, Pedro felt not a shred of chance against Lucia.
'...This... this is Lucia Ursula...'
Pedro's skills were top-tier, but the gap with Lucia was overwhelming.
As she closed in amid suffocating pressure, Pedro unwittingly backed away, shouting.
"Y...you can't do this! The L...Longgist house is essential to Ursula!"
He was scared, but calculations still raced through his mind.
Lucia wouldn't kill him.
At least not here in Carnea.
But as if mocking that thought, Lucia's lips moved.
*Slash—*
Pedro's cheek split open, blood trickling down.
"...B...blood...!! Wh...what are you—"
"Shut your mouth, rapist."
At Lucia's words, Pedro screamed.
"...R...rapist?! What do you—!"
He'd only grabbed her wrist once, and now he was on the verge of a false rape charge.
"Lies! It's a lie! Wh...when did I ever—"
"The truth doesn't matter. What I say is the truth."
Arrogant words, but true.
Lucia was the 'most impartial scale' and heir to the Ursula house.
*Slash—*
His other cheek split open too.
"Accidentally killed resisting a rapist... Sure, there might be some backlash for excessive force, but how long would it last?"
"...If... if you kill me... the L...Longgist house won't stay silent...!"
Lucia smirked at Pedro's desperate flailing.
"Who knows? ...Would your brothers really think that?"
At that moment, faces of his brothers, victims of 'unfortunate accidents,' flashed through Pedro's mind.
Would they really oppose Ursula and dig into this for him?
'...No way.'
They'd see it as a chance for the succession and cover it up with all their might.
*Thud—*
"...P...please spare me... Miss Lucia..."
Reassessing the situation, Pedro dropped to his knees.
Looking down at him, Lucia declared coldly.
"...There won't be a third chance. Never touch my body again, Pedro Longgist."