Chapter 160
Chapter 160
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: Banquet of Blades
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"What? A shipwreck?"
Viscount Ramoel's words drew not only Baron Barenka but also other intrigued nobles, who gathered one by one.
Perhaps enjoying the attention,
Viscount Ramoel moistened his throat with wine and began to slowly unravel the tale.
"That's right. As everyone knows, our great Grand Duke Kaidu Ballak of the Khan Empire has always pitied those who meet unjust ends on the unstable waterways of the Eastern Continent. That's why he restricted travel on those waters to Galaxy Ships alone. Yet who would have dreamed that fools still exist who ignore his profound intent and recklessly ride the currents?"
Even amid his praise for Kaidu, one noble asked,
"Viscount, was there no separate treasure aboard?"
The gazes of the nobles, who had been listening with interest, turned instantly to Viscount Ramoel.
Most ships that washed ashore at dawn after wrecking... were ones that had met disaster while smuggling goods to the Northern Continent.
Due to the Khan Empire's strict policies, smuggling was a capital crime punishable by death without exception.
In other words, it meant the ships carried enough valuables to risk such peril.
Before the Khan Empire had monopolized sea routes with Galaxy Ships, coastal territories had often profited handsomely from such wrecks, so Viscount Ramoel was curious what this one had yielded.
But Viscount Ramoel merely let out a scoffing laugh.
"Hahaha, sorry to disappoint, but this one was a bust. Not a single corpse aboard—just a completely empty ship. Probably wrecked long ago and carried here by the currents."
"Oh no... I feel your disappointment, Viscount."
Baron Barenka smacked his lips in regret, prompting Viscount Ramoel to burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha!! You old dog!! Still can't shake those old habits?"
Pang, pang!
The viscount lightly slapped the baron's back, then glanced at the nobles who had been glaring at him hostilely and continued.
"We're not so stubborn or destitute that we have to scavenge flotsam from the sea. What's there to regret?"
"...You bastard!!"
Unable to contain his anger at Viscount Ramoel's smug tone, a young noble shot to his feet, but an elderly noble beside him grabbed his wrist.
"Hold yourself."
"But...!!"
"Do you intend to cause a scene in the palace where His Highness resides? You've abandoned human pride for beastly greed. Do you not know that mingling words with such a man will only soil your own mouth?"
Perhaps overhearing the elder noble,
Viscount Ramoel raised his voice as if daring them to listen.
"Hahaha!! Those with nothing always dress up their lack of integrity with lofty words. Isn't it hilarious?"
"Viscount Ramoel! How dare you...!!"
Stung by the sharp rudeness toward the elder, several young nobles slammed their seats as they stood.
"Hm? What's wrong? Acting like you have something after all. Oh, perhaps poverty has hardened your hearts as well?"
"......!!"
The hot-blooded youths were no match for the cunning viscount's silver tongue.
They could only glare at him, faces flushed red as if about to burst.
Just as the atmosphere between Viscount Ramoel and the young nobles grew increasingly hostile,
"Duke Alvaret and his wife are entering!!"
The herald's cry brought sudden silence to the banquet hall.
Finally, he had arrived.
The highest authority in the kingdom, excluding the royals.
And the first traitor among them.
"My, everyone's gathered. We must be terribly late. It's all because my husband was so slow to get ready. Please accept our apologies once more."
She couldn't possibly miss the frigid mood in the hall.
Yet Duchess Alvaret smoothly crossed between the two factions as if nothing were amiss, putting distance between the heated parties.
"You really... How can you keep such noble guests waiting by dawdling?"
Her light reprimand of the duke prompted someone to regain their wits and ask the duchess,
"Duchess. If I may ask, who is this important guest...?"
"Oh dear, how absentminded of me."
The duchess gestured gracefully behind the duke and declared,
"Allow me to introduce them. These are the warriors Grand Duke Kaidu Ballak personally dispatched from the Khan Empire to escort my husband and me."
...Thud!
They entered the banquet hall radiating a blade-sharp aura.
The faces of nobles who recognized them drained white.
They had never imagined encountering them here.
"N-No way..."
Savoring their reactions, the duchess proudly proclaimed,
"Warriors of Karawna."
"......!!"
Shock, terror. And rage.
At the duchess's words, a whirlwind of emotions swept the hall, freezing the air like ice.
What was Karawna?
The Khan Empire's slaughter demons, wicked as wild beasts.
Most nobles of Pang Kingdom knew.
Among the many tales attributed to Yeo, a great many were Karawna's doing.
How could such villains, whom one could kill on sight without regret, set foot in the royal castle under the pretext of 'escort' for Duke Alvaret and his wife?
Sssh!
As if pleased by the nobles' reactions,
"Pleased to meet you all. I'm Tarik, captain of Karawna. We're here solely on Grand Duke's orders to escort Duke Alvaret and his wife. I hope you won't look at us with such hostility."
His words said one thing, but Tarik's eyes oozed arrogance.
A gaze looking down mockingly, as if to say, What can weaklings like you do even if you glare?
Though they had been humiliated before Paon Lichtenauer's divine presence recently, that was an outlier.
At least in Pang Kingdom... few could mock Karawna.
Perhaps only the royal guard.
Even if they were present, it wouldn't matter.
The moment they laid hands on his unit, including himself... it would be tantamount to declaring war on the Khan Empire.
'These sheep-like weaklings could never attempt such madness.'
Just as they had said nothing despite Karawna's humiliation before Paon Lichtenauer.
These nobles could say nothing to him either. It was only natural.
That was the rule that moved the world.
"...Duchess. As you know, today is a gathering on an important kingdom matter. Even under escort pretext, seating foreign nationals here where there's no threat seems inappropriate."
The elder noble who had restrained the young one's wrist cautiously suggested to the duchess.
See.
Even after all this, their resistance amounted to such feeble protests.
Tarik briefly met the duchess's eyes and saw her subtle nod.
He shrugged and began strolling toward the banquet hall exit.
'No need for me to hear it personally anyway.'
After the banquet, the duchess would spill every detail without him asking.
Judging no need to stir needless conflict, just as Tarik was about to leave,
Krrrung!
"Viscount Sojen and Crown Prince Reichen are entering!"
The doors opened, and the final figures of the evening crossed the threshold.
'Crown Prince Reichen, huh... Heard he's somewhat capable. Might as well see his face.'
As Tarik glanced indifferently and passed them by,
Swipe!
"...Huh?"
Tarik involuntarily whipped his head back.
A vaguely familiar face seemed to pass beside Sojen and Reichen.
But it was fleeting.
"...Just my imagination."
Of course it was.
How could that man's blood kin appear in this distant foreign land?
'Seems I was pretty shaken that day after all. When I return home, I should ask the prime minister for a dose of spirit tonic.'
Dismissing it lightly with a shake of his head, Tarik exited the banquet hall, and the doors slowly closed behind him.
Boom!
"Eek! That was close. Whew, what a scare."
The Latent Dragon Squad, disguised as Reichen's escorts, wiped cold sweat and sighed in relief as tension eased.
Ian said nothing, but he patted his chest all the same.
What rotten luck.
Who would have thought they'd run into Karawna leaving the hall?
'...Good thing I didn't bring Kasar or Aelrion. We nearly botched everything before it even started.'
Kasar, wrapped head to toe in bandages, and the dark elves Aelrion and Byona had appearances too conspicuous by nature.
Besides, they couldn't be here anyway. They had left to fulfill their missions in preparation for what was to come soon.
"Everyone, you've had a long journey. My thanks for your efforts."
As Ian and the squad steadied themselves, Reichen ascended the dais and began addressing the nobles.
"As you know, our Pang Kingdom has long suffered headaches from the Yeo bandit gang. Yet Viscount Sojen's territory of Dravia alone has entirely evaded Yeo's assaults. Many wondered at the secret... and today, the viscount will reveal it himself."
At Reichen's words, the nobles' gazes focused sharply.
Rumors had swirled endlessly.
From whispers of Sojen colluding with Yeo, to tales of Yeo staging attacks to eliminate him.
Yet the royals had imposed no sanctions on Sojen, as far as the nobles could see.
Naturally, curiosity about the truth was unbearable.
As all awaited eagerly and Reichen moved to yield the floor to Viscount Sojen, someone in the hall below raised a hand.
"Your Highness, may I say a word?"
A woman in the most lavish attire, her light green hair swaying.
Duchess Alvaret.
"...The duchess. If it's not urgent, could it wait? As you know, this is the moment everyone's been waiting for."
"Of course. But this is related as well."
As the duchess held firm, Reichen yielded with a step back, granting her the floor.
"...Very well, speak."
"Aren't we all missing the point?"
Duchess Alvaret spread her arms wide and cried out.
"Simply evading Yeo's attacks—is that truly what everyone here desires?"
Her koan-like question tilted heads in confusion.
The annual damage from Yeo's raids was incalculable.
If they could avoid such losses, what more could they want?
"No, no. Even if we dodge Yeo's strikes for a time... how long can that last? Who can guarantee Viscount Sojen's method will hold forever?"
"...What are you getting at, Duchess?"
Reichen pressed, suppressing his irritation, and the duchess answered as if she'd been waiting.
"The answer is simple! Eliminate 'Yeo' entirely, Your Highness!"
At Duchess Alvaret's declaration, Reichen rubbed his temples and retorted,
"By cooperating with that mighty Khan Empire of yours?"
"Exactly!"
Her immediate affirmation.
Reichen sighed.
"Do you truly believe that makes sense?"
"What's so nonsensical about it?"
The duchess countered with a look of incomprehension.
"The Khan Empire is a superpower with vast might and tradition. Why haven't they eradicated Yeo? Isn't it because of our kingdom?"
"......!!"
"Whenever Yeo faces the Khan Empire's pressure, they flee across our border mountains, evading pursuit. If we had only opened the border at the right moments, scum like Yeo would have been wiped out long ago. Surely Your wise Highness knows this?"
Her tone accused Pang Kingdom's uncooperative stance as the reason Yeo survived.
The faces of Reichen, Viscount Sojen, and the anti-empire nobles hardened progressively.
"The Khan Empire is our kingdom's enemy. Opening the border to them? That's like shoving your head into an ogre's maw. Do you not grasp this basic truth?"
"No, I don't."
The duchess refused to bend, even to Reichen's icy demeanor.
"No—in fact, let me ask all the nobles gathered here... including us outsiders."
The opulent Khan Empire ornament in her hair gleamed.
"Why such hostility toward the Khan Empire? How long will you cling to ghosts of the past?"
She called out to the families beside the nobles.
"Look at your wives and children beside you, dressed in such rags. Because of your stubborn delusion of resisting the empire, see how your loved ones live!"
"......!!"
This time, she turned toward where Viscount Ramoel and Baron Barenka stood.
They were decked in finery, brimming with vitality.
"The Khan Empire is a merciful nation. Simply bow your heads and pledge peace, and they shower such gifts and goodwill. Why do you let old grudges and obsessions blind you to the truth?"
Duchess Alvaret pleaded with genuine pathos.
"Take their hand. Slay Yeo together, and share true peace and security across this Eastern Continent. That's the righteous path."
Her impassioned speech visibly shook the noblewomen.
Just grasp that hand.
And have everything.
All it takes.
Is forsaking Pang Kingdom pride...!!
As the mood shifted strangely, Ian's eyes chilled.
'...Trouble.'
Ian glanced at Crown Prince Reichen, who feigned calm but had sweat beading along his jaw.
A man of talent and drive, no doubt... but such sudden crises didn't lend themselves to easy responses.
But Ian knew.
The simplest, most primal way to break such a situation.
Shing!
Ian's Twin-Headed Blood Serpent slowly slid from its sheaths.