Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Gathering of Envoys
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Was it because of Ralph's tardiness issue(?) that they arrived so late?
With the Latent Dragon Squad bringing up the rear, once all the strike teams that had earned great merit in the Earth Dragon subjugation were seated in the banquet hall, the big shots who hadn't shown their faces yet began to appear one by one.
"Look over there—the Lichtenauer Clan leaders."
"Heavens... the pressure they're radiating is incredible. For powerhouses like that to all be leaders of a single clan... No wonder the Lichtenauer family is called a Martial Clan."
Not only the heads of the squads, who rarely appeared at public events,
"Dustin Clonen, the Count...!!"
"Even Wilhelm Kalia, the Count. What a feast for the eyes today."
"Marcel Pallkion, the Count, is here too. Who would've thought the patriarchs of the three major vassal families would all come in person."
As the patriarchs of the three major vassal families—trailing right behind Paon Lichtenauer—made their entrance, envoys from countless families lit up with excitement.
It was no exaggeration to say that every key figure of the Lichtenauer Martial Clan had gathered in one place.
This was proof in itself of just how immense the value of the Earth Dragon's byproducts was.
'We will claim the Earth Dragon's byproducts...!'
While the envoys reaffirmed their resolve, forces that could stand toe-to-toe with the Lichtenauer name began to arrive in their wake.
"The mages of the Mage Tower have arrived!"
The forerunners of wisdom entered, draped in their robes.
Among them were faces familiar to Ian.
"Oh, Young Lord Ian! It's been a while!"
The Third Elder, Lühen Elder, greeting Ian warmly,
"We keep crossing paths lately."
And the Fourth Elder, Rocherto, offering a light nod.
Though the greetings were brief, the watching envoys couldn't help but read deep meaning into them.
'Looks like Young Lord Ian has a close relationship with the Mage Tower.'
'There were rumors he pulled the Mage Tower into the Earth Dragon subjugation... Is there something we haven't grasped?'
In that fleeting exchange, the eyes of those who had dismissed Ian shifted noticeably.
'Indeed. Is this their way of signaling support?'
The Second Young Lord, on familiar terms with the famously aloof Mage Tower.
This assessment would undoubtedly lend greater weight to Ian's future actions and words.
As Ian pondered how to make use of this "non-help" from Midas and the Mage Tower,
the most pivotal members of this envoy delegation finally began to enter.
The national envoys, far more curious whether they could point their blades at Paon and the Lichtenauer family than at the Earth Dragon's byproducts.
Leading them off was the West Continent, Oscella.
Priests clad in spotless white albs entered, exuding such a holy aura that one felt compelled to straighten one's clothes just looking at them.
Not a single hair out of place—their flawless appearance transcended sanctity, veering into something eerily unsettling that sent chills down the spine.
"From the Holy Kingdom's Orthodox Solar Church, Archbishop Yohan has arrived with his priests!"
Archbishop.
Unlike the bishops scattered across regions, the Solar Church—which worshipped the Lord God—had few who held the rank of archbishop.
"Ho ho ho... It's been ages since I last visited the South Continent."
Archbishop Yohan said with a faint smile.
The Lizardmen of the muddy currents were such a nuisance that traveling from the West Continent to the South required an exceedingly long detour.
Even for him as an archbishop, memories of visiting the South Continent were hazy.
"While we're here, why not spread the Lord God's teachings widely on our way back? What do you think, Sir Theoras?"
"...Archbishop Yohan. As you know, this is Lichtenauer territory. With our duties piling up, proselytizing would be too much."
When the holy knight called Theoras cautiously voiced opposition, Archbishop Yohan wiped the smile from his face and countered.
"Are the people of the Lichtenauer family not servants of the Lord God?"
"That's not it, but right now our mission is..."
"I don't want to hear it, tsk... A cleric must always hold faith and proselytizing in their heart. I understand feeling disheartened by the barbarians of Torpenhow and the heretics of Darma Kingdom, but never forget—we are the clerics of the Holy Kingdom."
From the archbishop's ravings, Ian gleaned small hints.
'The Holy Kingdom hasn't resolved all of the West Continent's issues yet. A good sign.'
The West Continent Oscella consisted of the religious state of the Holy Kingdom, the barbarian-ruled Torpenhow, and the Darma Kingdom with its bizarre civilization and faith.
The fact that the Holy Kingdom—home to the Saintess—hadn't swallowed Oscella whole meant they could scarcely turn their eyes to the South Continent yet.
'Torpenhow and Darma aren't pushovers. No need to worry much for the time being.'
The barbarians of Torpenhow boasted combat prowess that even the warriors of the North Continent's Krohoka couldn't surpass.
And Darma Kingdom wielded "chakra," the root of the Blood Demon Iron Chain Art's ultimate technique, Blood Gate.
No matter how armed with divine power the Holy Kingdom's forces were, they couldn't be subjugated easily.
As Ian eased his vigilance toward the West Continent,
"From the East Continent's overlord, the Khan Empire, Viscount Gidanta and Qaraunas have arrived!"
"......!!"
Ian slowly turned his head at the announcement echoing through the banquet hall.
The Khan Empire of the East Continent.
In the current situation, it was a nation Ian was wary of even more than the Dufer Empire in some ways.
Unlike the Dufer Empire, which secretly dispatched assassins to the South Continent, these foes approached more overtly, scattering spirit elixirs like the Hundred Ghosts Pill amid the great cataclysm.
'Considering the exchanges with Pang Kingdom ahead, conflict with the Khan Empire is inevitable. Might as well gauge the level of Kaidu's underlings while I'm at it.'
Thud, thud!
Figures in attire distinctly different from those of other continents entered slowly.
Qaraunas—the so-called Plunder Unit—their savage, beastly auras rivaled any squad of the Lichtenauer Martial Clan.
"...Hmph. Lichtenauer 'Martial Clan'.... His Grace the Great Duke insisted I come confirm it personally."
The goat-bearded man called Viscount Gidanta bit savagely into a prepared apple, clearly displeased with something.
Crunch!
"Not to my liking. Martial arts originated with our Khan Empire, no matter what anyone says. How dare these South Continent bumpkins claim the glorious name of Martial Clan? Ridiculous."
"Well, what can we do? His Grace envies Siegfried's prestige so much... Bear with it a little, even if it's unpleasant. The mission comes first, doesn't it?"
A Qaraunas member tried to soothe him, but Gidanta's grumbling persisted.
"Hmph! I endure only because I know His Grace's wishes. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come... And now that I have, why sit quietly? We can just take it."
Ptoo!
Gidanta spat his chewed apple onto the banquet hall floor.
At his utter insolence, Qaraunas paled and hurriedly shielded the act from the Martial Clan's eyes.
"Vi-Viscount! Even so, this is Martial Clan—no, Lichtenauer territory. Such behavior tarnishes His Grace's dignity...!"
"What? You... Are you scared of the Lichtenauer martial artists?"
"Of course not, but we can't disappoint His Grace, can we?"
Even a Qaraunas raider—fierce enough to rank second to none—tempered his ire, repeatedly invoking the Great Duke to placate him. Finally, Viscount Gidanta clicked his tongue in mock resignation and leaned against the wall.
"...Tch! Fine, it's all for His Grace... No helping it."
"Wise choice, Viscount. His Grace is already on edge from those rampant bandits lately. If we secure the Earth Dragon's byproducts this time, he'll surely be overjoyed."
Hearing Gidanta and Qaraunas's exchange, Ian intuited his suspicions were correct.
'The East Continent... They've come openly to check Paon's condition.'
If they truly only wanted the Earth Dragon's byproducts, they wouldn't have sent such a crude noble and unit as envoys.
The Khan Empire's Great Duke and sword sage, Kaidu Ballak, wasn't that foolish.
Surely Kaidu had chosen this dimwit precisely because he expected trouble in Lichtenauer territory.
'They want to provoke openly... Guess I'll contact Yeo soon.'
Through various fortuitous encounters and events, Ian had raised his power far faster than anticipated.
Once he recovered a bit more of his former prowess... He'd have ample qualification to "persuade" them.
'I'll make you too frantic to think straight, Kaidu.'
He had no intention of taking another dazed beating.
If they touched what was his... He'd destroy theirs beyond recovery.
"...And our final guest of the evening. From the Dufer Empire, Marquis Adrian Martinel and Palladium, entering!"
Ian's train of thought halted abruptly, his hidden hostility toward Gidanta and Qaraunas forgotten.
A familiar yet loathsome name tickled his ears.
Adrian Martinel.
The advisor favored by Alexandr Empire's Prime Minister, Stion Ballanty.
The archenemy who, during the great war to conquer the North Continent, sold out the Alexandr Empire warriors' paths to the allied forces, sending them futilely to the afterlife.
The man who had introduced Selena Rosemark—the spy adored by Lucas Alexei—to the emperor.
On Ian's hit list, he ranked just behind the Four Heroes who played pivotal roles in the empire's downfall—a clear foe.
'Adrian Martinel...!!'
Suppressing his surging killing intent, Ian turned toward the Dufer Empire envoys' entrance. The sight of Adrian—whom he'd gladly tear apart—burned into his retinas.
A middle-aged man with whitening hair slicked back with pomade, sporting a stylish sapphire brooch from the North Continent around his neck.
Though marked by time, he had aged gracefully, not much changed from the past.
Yet one thing stood out as utterly different.
'His eyes.'
The once-clear eyes that vowed to follow Lucas's back were now filled only with arrogance and authority.
Trailing him was the empire's capital defense force, Palladium.
Gone was their rowdy, untamed savagery that often caused incidents; now they resembled the refined soldiers of any other nation.
The first trace of the Alexandr Empire Ian had encountered.
But finding no connection to the past within that trace, Ian finally accepted it.
The Alexandr Empire... no longer existed on the North Continent.
Only the Dufer Empire remained, wearing its hollow shell to Siegfried Dufer's taste.
'...Good.'
Ian welcomed that fact.
It meant he could crush the nation occupying his homeland without hesitation.
"...Hm?"
Perhaps sensing the unconscious killing intent leaking from Ian's clenched fist.
Adrian, glancing idly in Ian's direction, met his eyes precisely.
'...Damn.'
As Ian berated himself for such an uncharacteristic slip, Adrian approached with a gentle smile, extending his hand.
"Hahaha! I felt someone staring and wondered who it was. If it isn't the Lichtenauers' Second Young Lord! A pleasure, Young Lord. I'm Adrian Martinel."
For a man who had risen to imperial chancellor, his greeting was disarmingly soft and casual.
"...Ian Lichtenauer. My apologies, Chancellor. As a frog in the well who's never left the South Continent, my curiosity got the better of me toward your esteemed self—a famed figure of the Dufer Empire. I fear I've been rude."
"Oh my, oh my! No need for such harsh words, Young Lord. Coming from a direct heir of the Lichtenauers, this Adrian has all the time in the world for your curiosity."
His voice and expression were soothing, putting one at ease just listening.
An atmosphere that naturally lowered one's guard.
This was how he had fooled not only Ian, but even the shrewd Stion.
Forcing down the visceral nausea, Ian mirrored Adrian's soft smile.
"I'm deeply grateful and honored by your words, busy Chancellor. However, the patriarch is due out soon... Regrettably, our talk must wait."
"...Oh dear, my thinking was shortsighted. Then, let's chat later."
Adrian retreated to the Dufer Empire's seats without losing his smile.
Once seated, he quietly summoned Palladium's captain, Ordn, while maintaining his expression.
"Tell me about Ian Lichtenauer. In detail."