Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Chapter 18 Founding Festival (1)
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Founding Festival.
Approximately one thousand years ago, it was a festival to commemorate the founding of the Alteria Empire.
All citizens were officially exempt from their daily labors for a full week, and the lords of each territory were obligated to host celebrations so that they could enjoy themselves freely.
Thus, to the citizens, the Founding Festival was a joyous holiday, nothing more and nothing less.
In contrast, it held tremendous significance for the nobles.
First and foremost, all true nobles who possessed their own territories gathered in the imperial capital.
They discussed the events of the past year and held a grand conference to decide the path the empire should take moving forward.
By principle, only lords were to attend, but anyone recommended by a high-ranking noble of count rank or above could participate even if they were not a lord.
Because of this, most nobles made every effort to go to the capital and catch the eye of the higher nobles somehow.
“Wagging your tail like a dog and fawning over them is worse than being the head of a branch family. If someone looks down on you, you can just smash their head in a duel. Isn’t that right?”
“Well… you’re not wrong.”
Wilhelm gave a wry smile in response to Vincent’s question.
He had once yearned for independence because he hated being ignored by other nobles.
But after Martin seized complete control of the family’s real power, that dream had become eternally unattainable.
‘Better than the family being destroyed.’
The Rustal family and the Gustin family, not to mention the families whose entire lines were wiped out during Martin’s northern tour, still had no new lords for their territories.
Rather than suffer that fate, preserving the family in the form of a branch house seemed far preferable.
“Speaking of which, my congratulations are belated. I heard your daughter reached the 6th Circle? My own son, despite all the training I put him through, is still stuck at the 3rd Circle… Moments like this really drive home how unfair the world is.”
“Hahaha! Complaining to me won’t change anything. I never imagined she’d reach the 6th Circle at her age either. If you want to complain, the head of the Bittenfeld family is in the same boat.”
Vincent glanced sideways.
At the edge of his vision stood Sien and Adel.
“You’ve reached the 6th Circle but still can’t wield an Aura Blade? Isn’t that a bit much?”
Adel spoke calmly.
Grit.
Sien ground her teeth as she glared at her opponent.
Of course, Adel paid no mind and continued.
“The Adalbert family is recognized as a swordsmanship powerhouse not just in the Alteria Empire, but across the entire Krasian Continent. As members of that family, shouldn’t we focus more on swordsmanship than our unique abilities?”
“…We should have a match. To see who’s truly superior.”
“Is that necessary? We’re both at the 6th Circle, but I can wield an Aura Blade while you can’t. When it comes to swordsmanship, the outcome is obvious, isn’t it? Though I doubt I’d lose even in a proper fight.”
With every response, as Sien’s grinding teeth grew louder, Adel felt her pent-up frustrations easing.
How much stress had she endured back when she was overwhelmingly outmatched by Sien in the dungeon?
But now that she had mastered the Aura Blade first, the tables had turned.
She could tease Sien to her heart’s content.
‘I’ll pay back every bit of it with interest.’
Adel steeled her resolve inwardly.
She would never let it slide easily.
‘If they keep this up, blood will be spilled.’
Martin, overhearing the exchange, averted his eyes from the two.
If their argument escalated, he might get dragged in.
He had no desire to suffer through that.
So he quickly sought someone to join him—Simon Pezeks.
“How have you been, Simon? I heard you’ve been properly fulfilling your duties as heir while staying at the family estate.”
“I-it’s all thanks to you, Young Lord!”
“Come on. What did I even do? It’s because you worked hard.”
“I’ve been learning so much from watching you, Young Lord!”
“I’m glad I could help.”
Martin smiled and linked arms with Simon.
In an instant, Simon’s face drained to a pale blue.
His close friend Stefan Rustal and the confidant he’d counseled, Kallain Gustin, had both died at Martin’s hands.
He couldn’t help fearing the same fate, and as a result, he suffered nightmares several times a day.
And now, to have physical contact with the very figure from those nightmares—it felt like his heart might stop at any moment.
Seeing this, Wilhelm sighed and came to his rescue.
“Please stop tormenting our sole heir, Young Lord.”
“Tormenting? I’m hurt to hear that. I was just exchanging light greetings after so long. Right?”
“Y-yes, just as you say, Young Lord!”
Simon shouted in a booming voice.
But his trembling expression suggested he might burst into tears any second.
‘Yeah, that’s a bit much.’
Martin had no interest in seeing a man cry.
He patted Simon’s shoulder and turned toward the warp magic circle.
The branch family heads and heirs followed behind him.
“Please take good care of the main house while I’m away, elders.”
Martin looked at Elder Aren, Elder Oriana, and Christian, who had been appointed elder on New Year’s Day.
He also exchanged glances with Captain Lucas and Captain Philip.
“Don’t worry about the family. We’re more concerned about your safety and the others’. The Founding Festival is always lively, but this one seems on another level.”
“I agree with Elder Aren. That’s why I plan to stay as low-key as possible this time… but it won’t mean much if I’m the only one. Once an era starts spiraling out of control, it won’t stop easily.”
In his previous life, nothing major happened during this Founding Festival. The Adalbert family’s internal strife left everyone just watching each other warily.
But with history altered, it would be foolish to expect the same outcome.
‘They’ll clash even more fiercely.’
With several factors that had restrained civil war now gone, everyone would pursue their desires without hesitation.
In other words, the age of chaos would truly begin, with the opening shot fired in the imperial capital.
“Then I’ll be off.”
“Come back safely, Young Lord.”
The elders and captains bowed in formal greeting.
Martin channeled mana into the warp magic circle.
Flash!
A brilliant light bloomed from the circle, and Martin’s group vanished into the spatial rift.
* * *
As the pressure and light crushing his body faded, Martin opened his eyes.
Those welcoming him warmly came into view.
“Hello, Young Lord.”
The First Princess, Claudia Alteria, greeted him with a smile.
Irina von Minert, standing beside her, gave a light bow.
“We’ll all suffer together for the next week.”
“Sigh. I’d really rather pass on that.”
Martin sighed at Claudia’s words.
But what could he do?
The wheel of fate had already begun to turn.
‘Whatever future comes, I’ll have to face it.’
Martin steeled his resolve.
* * *
“Sigh.”
Upon hearing that Martin had arrived, the First Prince, Richard Alteria, let out a heavy sigh.
“What rotten luck. To run into the Adalbert Young Lord before the Monster Lord could fully mature. This means losing one of our few precious prototypes.”
The damage didn’t end there.
Martin had personally slain the Monster Lord, boosting his reputation even higher.
On top of that, he had undoubtedly acquired the mutated magic stone influenced by the core.
That clue alone wouldn’t expose him as the culprit, but it would certainly mark him as a prime suspect.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. If I’d known, I would have stayed till the end to watch.”
Jurgen Ferdinand wore a wry smile as he spoke.
But Richard shook his head.
“No. Staying hidden is more important. If Uncle’s involvement had been revealed, we’d be in real trouble.”
“True, we did artificially trigger a Monster Wave…”
“It wouldn’t end with just stripping succession rights. We’d likely be branded public enemies and attacked. Grandfather would cut ties with me immediately.”
“If I could silence the Adalbert Young Lord, there’d be no issue…”
“Unless it’s a 10th Circle absolute being, no one can catch the Adalbert Young Lord when he flees.”
Richard spoke with conviction.
Of course, he knew full well.
In a head-on clash, Martin couldn’t possibly defeat Jurgen Ferdinand, even in a thousand lifetimes.
But that was the extent of it.
His unique ability, Wave Domination, could disrupt space, but it couldn’t wield the specialized spatial techniques of Gravity Domination.
“Spatial movement via Gravity Domination has clear limits anyway. Even if Uncle had stayed, it wouldn’t have changed much. The moment the brat escapes with spatial movement, it’s over. We might have been the ones in danger.”
“You’re right. Either way, now I understand why Marquis Royce keeps failing against the Adalbert Young Lord.”
“No matter how perfect the plan, it’s hard to beat someone with luck on their side. And the Adalbert Young Lord isn’t just lucky. Honestly, I was shocked to hear he reached the 8th Circle.”
“I’ve seen plenty called geniuses, but his talent is overwhelming. That’s why it’s such a shame. Marquis Royce should have nipped that dangerous bud early on.”
“There’s nothing more pointless than dwelling on the past. Especially when their fight isn’t over yet. If we go all out at this conference…”
Richard couldn’t finish his sentence.
Flash!
Light bloomed from the warp magic circle installed before them.
At that moment, the two stopped talking and straightened their postures.
Their expressions turned deadly serious.
Hum.
Space warped under the magic, and soon over ten people appeared.
But what captured Richard and Jurgen’s attention was a single figure at the forefront.
Step by step.
An elderly man with white hair cascading over his neck and a white beard stepped slowly from the magic circle.
‘Still the same.’
A intense shiver made Richard’s body tremble as if vibrating.
What was uncanny was that he felt nothing at all from the source of that shiver.
Like a serene lake.
Yet his instincts screamed a warning.
The being before him was utterly immeasurable and must be avoided at all costs.
Karl von Ferdinand.
Head of the Ferdinand family, one of the three great noble houses, and currently one of only two dukes in the Alteria Empire.
But his official title meant nothing in this context.
10th Circle.
A being who had transcended human, superhuman, and become an absolute.
A giant who shaped the empire’s history simply by breathing.
The true pinnacle of the Alteria Empire had finally revealed himself in the imperial capital.