Chapter 255: The Tin Knight and the Imperial Banquet (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 255: The Tin Knight and the Imperial Banquet (5)
・First Test <Filter>
-Applicants: 84,197.
-Passed: 4,694. 306 short of the planned 5,000.
・Regarding the Test Content and Significance
(Omitted)
・Noteworthy Events by Test Site.
-Test Site 1
All personnel from the Lennart Ducal House were eliminated by the Tin Knight and Dorothea Aschengard.
-Test Site 2
Maris von Lennart and her group passed, accounting for over half of the successful candidates.
-Test Site 3
All personnel from the Lennart Ducal House were eliminated by Adelaide von Lennart and Sophia Hubris.
-Test Site 4
Students of the Lennart dojos passed, accounting for over half of the successful candidates.
-Test Site 5
Algind Goodwitch and her mage corps passed without issue. There was a clash with some personnel from the Lennart dojos, but no conflict with members of the main family.
-Test Site 6
The Patriotic Youth Corps clashed with personnel under the Lennart family. Both sides suffered numerous casualties, but the Patriotic Youth Corps secured a narrow victory.
Flip.
A page of the report, imbued with a faint floral scent and a soft texture, was turned. Two eyes, hidden behind a veil of fine silk, scanned the characters between the white margins.
In some places, the Empress’s faction had won; in others, the Lennarts held the advantage. But surprisingly, the most common outcome was for both sides to advance to the next test without a clear victor being decided.
It was inevitable.
It might be a different story in the later stages, where one had to crush their opponent to pass, but for now, with plenty of riff-raff to be easily dispatched, there was no reason to take the risk of fighting a skilled opponent.
Which was why…
-Test Site 13
Hilda von Lennart. Participated alone, with no other allies from her family. Killed all other participants who had not withdrawn. Passed as the sole survivor.
This was an act of madness, done with no thought for the consequences.
If not that, then…
“…Are they trying to provoke me? The insolent wretches.”
Empress Meridia.
At the low murmur that escaped her lips, the courtier who had submitted the report and was waiting on standby felt his entire body stiffen.
He couldn’t see the Empress’s expression through her veil, but it was abundantly clear that she was deeply displeased.
He knew her displeasure wasn't directed at him, yet the sheer dignity the Empress possessed was enough to send an involuntary shiver down his spine.
The mother of the Empire. The guardian of the Imperial Family.
In the past, some had showered her with malicious ridicule, calling her ‘a wench with nothing but a pretty face’ or ‘a witch who devours her own children to maintain her youth.’ But during her years as regent, such people were eliminated one by one, or suffered a worse fate, reaping what they had sown.
The courtier secretly swallowed hard, recalling the tale of how several members of the imperial family who had challenged the young Crown Prince for the throne had ‘died in accidents’ one after another.
“Is this all the news you have of Werner von Lennart?”
“Yes. After returning to the capital from Nemea Castle, he has shown no particular movements and is in seclusion at his residence. He did not participate in the recruitment test.”
“I see.”
The Empress’s words and actions were lofty, and her every movement exuded an unapproachable elegance.
The side of her that was like a naive young lady, which she revealed only when alone with the Witch of the South, was nowhere to be seen.
Afterward, as she was adjusting the details of the second test and deciding on investigations and countermeasures for persons of interest…
The guard standing watch outside the Empress’s room announced the arrival of a new visitor.
It was a sudden visit, with no prior appointment.
Considering the hordes of nobles waiting for the chance to have even a brief conversation with the Empress, it was an extremely rude and unusual occurrence. Yet, the Empress showed no sign of displeasure as she received her guest.
“Mother. Were you in the middle of your duties? I hope I am not disturbing you.”
“Of course not. I was just about to take a rest. You’ve come at a perfect time.”
At the Empress’s warm words, the Crown Prince’s face softened.
No matter how hard he tried to maintain a dignified demeanor, he was still a boy about to celebrate his tenth birthday.
Compared to the seasoned veterans of the political world, he was still lacking in many ways.
Many voices expressed concern that it was too early for such a boy to become the head of a great nation like the Empire, but the Empress thought differently.
‘Experience is something he can build after ascending the throne. But this chance to sweep away those dangerous men… who knows when it will come again if not now.’
Now, while the powerful enemy that was the Magic State was preoccupied with internal affairs and lacked the capacity to project its power outward.
Now, while the information spread by the Tower of Control had amplified the voices of discord, distrust, and confusion within the Lennart family.
This very moment, she believed without a doubt, was the perfect opportunity to sweep away the obstacles that threatened her son.
Stroking the young Crown Prince’s head, a cold light entered the Empress’s eyes.
*
The tests continued, and with each one, countless participants were eliminated.
And on the list of those eliminated, the names of those associated with the Lion Duke’s bloodline were particularly numerous.
The people of the Lennart Ducal House were aghast.
“Lord Feldous was eliminated in the second test? And to some freak in a mascot costume!?”
“The elimination rate for our bloodline is also far too high. Over three hundred of our people participated, but less than one hundred and fifty remain!”
“The Empress’s armed forces, like the Patriotic Youth Corps, are no big deal on their own, but the mages under the Crown Mage are the problem. They’re practically ignoring their own chances of passing and are aiming for mutual destruction with us!”
One might argue that a fifty percent success rate was tremendous when 80,000 had been culled to 5,000 in the first test, but the ducal family thought otherwise.
That number, three hundred, represented the descendants of the Lion Duke, those with golden hair and violet eyes.
They were the finest warriors, each worthy of being called the Empire's most elite.
Unless they were forced into a direct confrontation with the court mages under the Witch of the South or had to fight amongst themselves, they were the ones who were supposed to last until the very end.
“We still have many other forces under our influence, so it’s not something to be so pessimistic about…”
“This is a matter of symbolism! If the direct line members are eliminated in droves and only the dojo students and military personnel are left, will people see that as our family’s strength?”
Naturally, the three hundred direct descendants were not the entirety of the Lennart Ducal House’s power.
The dojo students, the elites of allied knight orders, the powerhouses of the military.
They still had much power they could mobilize, and many of them had passed the tests and advanced.
The Imperial Family had announced they would ultimately select a thousand people in this recruitment test.
Of course, everyone could guess that this was only the first round of recruitment, and that number could easily increase later.
But even if the numbers grew, it would be nearly impossible for latecomers to overcome the influence of the initial members and their commanders.
Thus, their plan was to seize the command positions with their own blood kin and plant a certain percentage of their forces among the soldiers to control the Emperor’s direct army itself.
But what if the direct bloodline members who were supposed to become the officers were eliminated in droves, leaving only those who were meant to be their limbs?
Even if that happened, it wasn't as if the empty spots couldn't be filled, but the optics would be terrible.
Most importantly, the fatal flaw was that unlike the blood-bound kin, these people were tied by interests and could not be fully trusted.
It was fine now, while the family’s power was great, but if the ducal family's power showed signs of waning, and that period dragged on, there was no telling how things would unfold.
“We must take some sort of countermeasure!”
“A countermeasure? What do you propose we do? The content of the tests is managed by the Imperial Family. Unless it’s deliberately disadvantageous to us, there’s no way for us to intervene from the outside.”
“But we can’t just stand by and do nothing, can we? What will you do if this continues and the Emperor’s direct army is formed and turned against us?”
“Aren’t you worrying too much? In the first place, how much power can a single new corps possibly have?”
“It’s that kind of complacency that could lead to an irreversible disaster!”
“That’s right! We must do something now!”
“What about requesting His Excellency to make a move?”
“I’ve already tried. But His Excellency only said, ‘It is enough to seize your position through skill’…”
“This is so frustrating!”
“And the Empress, of all people! After all our family has dedicated to the Empire!”
Discontent toward the Imperial Family that was so blatantly mistreating them.
Anxiety that they might lose the power they currently enjoyed.
And as if to dig into those negative emotions, a few seditious words began to surface.
“Is there any point in remaining loyal to an Imperial Family like this?”
“Why does His Excellency keep demanding we endure? What in the world did we do wrong?”
“Without Lennart, the Empire would not exist! To use us as they please, then brand us as potential traitors—what kind of absurdity is this?”
It was not yet a poison potent enough to taint the entire Lennart family.
After all, there were certainly those in the ducal house who held patriotism for the Empire, loyalty and trust for their family head, and the honor of a warrior in their hearts.
But it was also true that the continuous external pressure was weakening the moderates and neutrals, causing them to lend an ear to the voices of the radicals.
Watching this from behind, the head of the Council of Elders smiled quietly.