Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Chapter 18: Founding Festival (3)
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Before his regression, he’d never really had the chance to encounter a 10th Circle powerhouse.
As a child, he’d followed his father to the Founding Festival and met the heads of the three great houses—that was it.
After reaching adulthood, he’d had no spare attention for anything else due to the family’s internal affairs.
Then, after regressing, he’d encountered the avatar of the founding head, Arelia von Adalbert, and for the first time experienced just how formidable a 10th Circle was.
‘She told me not to judge other absolute beings based on her...’
He’d thought it absurd at first, but now he finally understood why she’d said it.
‘Are they really the same species?’
Afflicted by the Dragon’s Curse, he could see more clearly than others.
The power possessed by Klaus family head Werner von Klaus.
The mana cores in his heart and head churned with an enormous amount of mana—like gazing at tiny suns.
Even more astonishing was how the mana of the world was ceaselessly drawn into those cores.
Watching the sight, Martin thought of one word.
Infinite.
No better word existed to describe a 10th Circle absolute’s power.
If that vast strength was an ocean, then the mana amplified by the Dragon’s Curse was a mere stream—no, a tiny puddle.
“Hoh.”
That was when it happened.
A smile crept onto Werner von Klaus’s lips.
At the same moment, Martin felt the pressure directed at him intensify.
He drew mana from his abdominal and cranial cores to the utmost to resist, but the pressure showed no sign of easing.
“It’s been a while since someone else tried to scrutinize me.”
Kuuooo!
The instant Werner spoke, everyone around unleashed their auras.
The Adalbert family members didn’t sit idle either.
Vincent and Wilhelm, along with the others, raised their own auras in resistance.
But the clash ended quickly.
“Enough.”
With a single casual word from Werner.
“Gah!”
“Urk!”
Groans echoed from all around.
The overwhelming force had severed their mana flows in an instant.
But Martin knew that wasn’t all.
‘Mana moves just from his will alone...’
The moment Werner’s words ended, the mana obeyed on its own.
As if it were a living creature following orders.
That was why he felt it bone-deep.
The being before him was on an entirely different level.
“I’m delighted to meet someone who could become my equal for once. Don’t ruin my pleasure with needless chatter.”
The instant Werner finished speaking, everyone except Martin felt as if their lips were sealed shut.
Irina von Minert and the young Klaus head across from her endured it, but they were the only two.
“To call me an equal... It’s too much for me.”
“No need for false modesty. Like that First Prince brat, you have the talent to reach the absolute realm. Considering your gifts, you might even ascend to the pinnacle the fastest.”
“I’m not sure if someone as lacking as I can live up to those expectations, but I’ll do my utmost.”
His stomach churned each time he spoke.
Yet Martin kept his mind calm.
‘In any case, I won’t get deeply involved with him.’
Even by region alone, the Adalberts’ north and the Klaus’s south weren’t adjacent.
The Altria imperial family in the west and Ferdinand house in the east held the center.
‘Besides, he pursues independence and has zero interest in other houses.’
Of course, the imperial family and Ferdinand house didn’t want the Klaus to secede and found their own nation.
Conflict would arise someday, but it wasn’t his concern.
Even if he proposed an alliance to check the First Prince and Ferdinand house, rejection was obvious.
“A fine attitude toward self-improvement. It’d be even better if you gained a ruler’s mindset to go with it.”
“Pardon? What do you...”
Martin was puzzled by Werner’s sudden words.
The man chuckled, glanced at Claudia, then turned back to Martin.
“You have the qualities to become an absolute, and this era has entered chaotic times. It’s a chance not just to revive your house, but to surpass even the founding head’s achievements.”
“Even you, as family head, can’t say things like... Aagh!”
Claudia, who had finally shaken off the pressure with all her strength.
Her face hardened as she tried to speak to Werner, but she ended up screaming despite herself.
A force incomparable to before crushed down on her.
“Your Highness!”
Irina cried out urgently, unleashing her aura.
The 9th Circle powerhouse’s strength neutralized the suppression on Claudia, and only then did color return to her face.
“I warned you. Don’t ruin my pleasure with needless chatter. For my old friend’s daughter, I’ll forgive you this once. Next time, I won’t show mercy.”
Werner declared he’d kill the princess as if it were nothing.
The Klaus family members nodded as if it were natural, while those from the princess’s side and the Adalberts couldn’t hide their dismay.
Werner continued impassively.
“Klaus, Adalbert, Ferdinand. Others fawn over them as the three great noble houses or ducal families, but in truth, they’re just losers who submitted to the imperial family. That’s the reality.”
“I won’t deny it.”
“But with chaotic times upon us, clinging to the old order means nothing. It’s our chance to rectify the founders’ mistakes. Beyond becoming paramount ancestors, we could become monarchs of our own nations. Doesn’t it tempt you?”
“It’d be a lie to say no. But I doubt I can accomplish what even the founding head couldn’t.”
“Krahahaha!”
Werner burst into laughter the moment Martin finished.
The ambient mana churned violently in response.
“As expected, you’ve got guts. Bold enough to lie to my face.”
“A lie? I mean it sincerely.”
“Well, I can’t judge for certain yet. It’d be hard to say such things with your current power.”
“Haha...”
Martin laughed awkwardly.
Werner grew serious as he regarded him.
“The Altria Empire is a great nation. Even with four forces that could claim to be nations unto themselves, it’s walked the same path for a thousand years. But the empire has reached its limit. They say the First Prince has the founding emperor’s qualities, but he can’t stem the era’s wish for the empire’s fall.”
“......”
“You must choose your path wisely too. Whether to waste effort on pointless alliances, or properly inherit the founding head’s will.”
With that, Werner turned and walked away.
His family naturally followed.
Martin and Claudia’s group silently watched their retreating backs.
Only after they vanished completely did everyone catch their breath.
“Whew. I knew the Klaus head yearns for independence, but I didn’t expect him to declare it so openly.”
“He’s one of the empire’s only two absolutes now. No need to mind anyone else.”
The heads of the three great houses and the emperor had checked one another, preventing any departures.
But now, only Werner von Klaus and Karl von Ferdinand remained.
With just two left, opposition was possible, but true checks impossible.
“...I can’t predict the empire’s future.”
“No one can. So we focus on the problems at hand.”
“That’s why I’m saying it—you could be attacked during this assembly. No, you definitely will be. You know that, right?”
Even with the princess’s warning, Martin remained composed.
“Of course.”
“And you’re still so relaxed?”
“Well, we’ll be attacked, sure. But it won’t escalate into a big issue. They’ll probably just probe lightly.”
“What makes you so certain?”
“Two of the three great houses’ heads are here, aren’t they? Even if I ally with elves or dwarves and pool our strength, it’s no threat to them. So whoever attacks me, those two won’t join in, making the attack pointless.”
“That’s true.”
Martin answered leisurely.
It was a logical argument, so Claudia nodded.
“Then let’s go too, young head.”
“Understood.”
Martin nodded at Claudia’s words.
The group moved to attend the assembly.
* * *
The imperial palace’s assembly hall was in a place called the Hero’s Palace.
A thousand years ago, the founding emperor and the three great houses’ founding heads had signed a pact here, proclaiming the empire’s founding.
To signify equality between the imperial family and the three great houses, the founders had sat at a round table.
Thus, the emperor and the three heads always sat at that same round table during assemblies.
Even now, Martin, presiding chairman Richard Altria, Werner von Klaus, and Karl von Ferdinand faced one another across it.
Separate round tables were prepared for high nobles of earl rank and above, and for viscounts and barons.
The former held Nicholas von Royce and Irina von Minert; the latter, the branch heads of the three great houses.
Nobles without lands remained as observers, watching silently with no right to speak.
“Richard Altria, presiding over this assembly in His Majesty’s stead. I hereby open this year’s assembly.”
Tap, tap.
Richard struck the gavel.
Then he stared at Martin, his face stiff.
‘He’s human after all.’
Martin chuckled inwardly.
Seeing the ever-composed Richard act so rigidly was amusing.
With his impressive grandfather nearby, such a reaction was understandable.
“The first order of business is the allegation that the Adalbert family has colluded with northern heteroraces. Marquis von Royce, please rise and explain.”
“Understood.”
Swoosh.
Nicholas von Royce rose while answering.
At the same time, his eyes turned toward Martin at the front round table.
Meeting the gaze, Martin inwardly admired.
‘Wow. If glares could kill, I’d be dead dozens, hundreds of times over.’
It was brief, but Martin saw it clearly.
The killing intent in Nicholas’s eyes.
“Elves and dwarves have long been humanity’s enemies alongside monsters. Thus, all nations tacitly agreed to prevent their growth, yet the Adalbert head’s proxy violated this. Other nations and adventurer guilds are protesting openly, but the culprit bears no responsibility.”
“Martin Adalbert, head’s proxy. Do you have anything to say on this? If so, please rise and speak. It would be appreciated.”
“I do.”
Swoosh.
Martin rose calmly.
Just in case, he glanced at Karl von Ferdinand and Werner von Klaus.
In the Altria Empire’s assemblies, the emperor and three great houses’ heads were always central.
And he nearly laughed despite himself.
Both absolutes had their eyes closed, showing no interest.
The expected scenario played out perfectly.
‘Even if I’ve gotten friendly with elves or dwarves, I’m still no threat to them.’
In fact, the future had revealed that even elves at full strength couldn’t surpass a single Klaus family.
In any case, with Karl von Ferdinand and Werner von Klaus reacting that way, whatever Nicholas said would be empty noise.
Of course, his clever opponent knew that full well.
So why bother? Martin understood.
‘Venting frustration and probing.’
Nicholas had been outmaneuvered by him multiple times.
A sharp reaction was natural.
Knowing that, he’d play along appropriately.