Chapter 257: The Tin Knight and the Imperial Banquet (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 257: The Tin Knight and the Imperial Banquet (7)
When was it now?
Adelaide had once asked you a question.
“Of all the opponents you’ve fought, who was the strongest?”
You had sunk into deep thought.
It was a question whose answer changed depending on how one defined ‘strength.’
If the standard was the total sum of forces one could mobilize, then the most powerful had been Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Had she, with her ability to create countless lives, been accompanied by a brilliant commander, or had her reinforcements—which for some unknown reason failed to arrive on time—reached her as planned, defeating Elphaba would have been no easy feat.
If the standard was the difficulty of subjugation, then the most formidable had been Mombi, the Witch of the North.
Her near-invincible defense stolen from Orin, her tenacious life force bolstered by transformation magic, and above all, her tactics specializing in ambushes, escapes, and stealth. Had she possessed her original workshop instead of a hastily constructed one, or had she hidden from the start instead of foolishly engaging in a direct confrontation, the fight would have been much harder.
The Four Great Witches were truly in a class of their own. While they each had their specialized fields, strengths, and weaknesses, their fundamental level was simply on a different plane from the rabble.
As for other formidable foes of a similar caliber, there were the Kalidahs from the City of Struggle and the angel from the City of Scales, but it was difficult to gauge their full power.
In the case of the Kalidahs, you had fought something closer to an avatar than its true body, and with the angel, you had never even fought properly, only sized each other up.
As you thought this far, a question suddenly occurred to you.
Why was the proportion of warriors among these transcendentally strong individuals so terribly low?
Of course, it wasn't that there were no strong individuals who followed the warrior path, like Peter, Cap’n Bill, or the White Knight.
But compared to the mage class, where the Four Great Witches stood firm, the only one from the warrior class presumed to be on a similar level was that Kalidah.
Well, it was true that mages had an advantage in extending their lifespans, allowing them to spend that much more time honing their abilities, so it made sense that they found it easier to reach a higher plane. Still, for you, who sometimes wished to fight not just monsters and mages but martial artists as well, it was somewhat disappointing.
But what was this?
Looking at the man who had appeared before you without any warning, your blue, will-o'-the-wisp-like eyes widened.
The experience and insight etched into the ‘Tin Knight’s’ body cried out to you that even if you were to fight with all your might, victory was not guaranteed. In other words, it wouldn't be a certain win, but a fierce duel was possible.
Of course, unlike the Four Great Witches, who required a full party plus an assistant (usually the direct disciple of the witch in question who sought to inherit their position) to handle, you could face this man alone, meaning he was ranked a little lower than the witches. But even so, he was a tremendous figure.
And he had golden hair and violet eyes! Which meant he was someone you could fight without any problems!
Feeling as if you had just won a valuable prize from a mystery event you didn't even remember entering, you were about to draw your sword.
“—I’m sorry, Adelaide. I don’t know if my saying this will mean much, but still, I’m sorry.”
At the sight of a woman suddenly bowing her head to your pupil, you quietly lowered your hand from the hilt of your sword.
Regrettably, it seemed now was not the time.
*
Regarding the full story of the Friedel incident, the ‘official version that everyone secretly knew, despite the gag order’ was as follows:
—The main family had only assigned the Friedel forces a simple reconnaissance and support mission, but the lord of Friedel had either gone rogue or been lured by the enemy, leading to their annihilation.
And the ‘story that could never be spoken of openly but was whispered in secret’ was as follows:
—In truth, the Friedel army’s actions had been under the Duke’s command, but the Duke had issued a gag order to cover up his own blunder.
For Maris, it was utterly baffling.
The father she knew was not a man who would resort to such petty tricks.
But rumors have a way of spreading more insidiously the more forcefully they are denied.
Punish those who spread the rumors, and people would say, ‘He must have something to hide.’ Don’t punish them, and they would say, ‘It must be true, then.’ It was a wretched, vicious cycle.
There were plenty in the ducal family who respected Duke Lennart and submitted to his authority, but the rumor-mongers were careful not to approach them, instead targeting those who seemed susceptible to their words.
Those who had been pushed aside in the family’s internal power struggles. Those who harbored discontent over the Imperial Family’s repeated checks on their power. Those who prioritized the family’s interests over loyalty to the Empire.
Frustrated by this, Maris began her own investigation into the Friedel incident. Though she couldn't secure definitive proof, she gathered enough circumstantial evidence to arrive at the following conclusion:
—The Elder Faction had forged the Duke’s name to mobilize the Friedel domain. When the Duke issued a gag order to prevent a war between the two nations, they shifted the blame onto him.
Of course, even Maris’s conclusion only went as far as ‘the Elder Faction tried to use Friedel to provoke a war, and when that failed, they passed the buck to the Duke.’ She couldn't reach the conclusion that ‘they had colluded with the Tower of Control from the very beginning.’ Because that was a crime so heinous, one couldn't imagine a human being committing it.
“So, I’m sorry. When you think about it, this is us, the main family, dragging you, a branch family, into our power struggle. If I had known this earlier, I wouldn’t have treated you so lightly when we met before.”
In response to Maris’s repeated apologies, only Adelaide herself knew what expression she was wearing.
Though Adel had been relaxed while resting with her party, the moment she heard that people from the Lennart family had come to visit, she had immediately hidden her face behind a mask.
“Um, please raise your head, Maris.”
The voice that emerged from behind the mask was, surprisingly, not heavy or bitter.
If anything, it carried a hint of awkwardness.
“You haven’t done anything wrong directly, have you? In fact, you’ve taken care of me in many ways. So, I hold no ill will toward you.”
“Adelaide.”
“Still, thank you for coming to see me in person. I’ve gathered some information about the incident, but I didn’t know how the Lennart family viewed the matter. I think this will be helpful.”
At the repeated friendly words, a look of relief washed over Maris’s face.
Just then, Dorothea, who had been standing silently in the back, stepped forward.
“…So, is that all you came for? If it gets out that we’ve been in contact with you, I doubt we’ll hear anything good.”
Normally, this was something Algind should have pointed out, but upon hearing that Werner was among the visitors, she had vanished without a sound.
It wasn't so much that she was scared… but her reaction was more like she absolutely could not be seen here, which made the party tilt their heads in confusion.
After all, what was the big deal about Algind being in a mansion registered under her own name?
Of course, the party members were adults who knew how to let things they didn't understand slide (on the condition that it didn't pique their interest), so they didn't pay it much mind.
“My business is finished, for now. To be honest, His Grace the Duke wanted to meet you, Adelaide, but it would be problematic in many ways for you to visit the main house right now. We came here half-prepared for the public scrutiny, so it’s fine.”
After answering, Maris’s gaze shifted to Werner, who had come with her.
Her own business was concluded, but she had yet to hear what this monstrous general’s purpose was.
As if sensing her gaze, Werner, who had been silent until now, took a step forward.
His hair, faded to a near-white with only a faint hint of gold remaining, spoke of his advanced age, yet his body was like a rock, showing no signs of frailty.
“I have a question.”
Realizing his words were directed at her, Adelaide replied.
“A question for me?”
“How far do you intend to go?”
“Um, well, I’d appreciate it if you could be a little more specific.”
Toward the perplexed Adel, he spoke.
“—If the revenge you seek is merely the heads of the masterminds, I can bring them to you now.”
Shock. Suspicion. Disbelief.
Ignoring the various gazes, Werner stared steadfastly only at Adelaide.
“Those fools in the Council of Elders seem to be under the delusion that I came here because I was tempted by their pathetic invitation, but frankly, I don’t care if they live or die. If they would stab a loyal warrior and fellow kinsman in the back for their own gain, they should be prepared to have their heads cut off as payment. So I ask you. Will that be enough?”
“…”
In an instant, Adelaide’s presence grew calm and subdued.
She touched the mask covering her face a few times with her fingertips before lowering her hand and asking again.
“And what happens if I say it’s not enough?”
“Then you will have to get past me.”
“Does that mean you won’t permit revenge that crosses a line?”
“If what you want is a blood price, take it by all means. But if you seek more than that, like the total surrender and submission you demanded of the Tower of Control, that I cannot grant.”
“I don’t believe this is a matter for you to grant or deny.”
“You are correct.”
Werner did not deny Adel’s words.
“But just because something is right does not mean one must unconditionally submit to it. Especially when it concerns family.”
“…”
A heavy silence fell.
In the atmosphere, which felt like a fuse about to be lit, Maris’s face turned pale.
“If you must strike the enemy yourself to be satisfied, I can help with that. You joined hands with the Empress’s faction, I assume, because you cannot handle the massive power of Lennart on your own. But if I intervene, I can minimize unnecessary involvement and let the parties involved settle things themselves.”
Dorothea frowned.
“So, you’re saying we should abandon the Empress and join hands with you? Is that it?”
“Yes. If things proceed that way, it will end as an internal family dispute. But if the Empress and the Witch of the South become involved, it becomes a matter of politics. You may be acting for your own purposes, but they will use it as an opportunity to utterly shatter the family. Girl. You are not without pride in the name Lennart, I trust.”
This is a headache, Dorothea thought to herself.
Frankly, she didn't much care whether the Lennart family fell or not.
Besides, they had to maintain their cooperative relationship with Algind to obtain the sacred treasure.
So, from a practical standpoint, refusing was the right choice, but for this matter at least, she couldn't make the decision based on her thoughts alone.
Dorothea stepped back for a moment, deciding to wait and see what Adelaide would answer.
Adelaide did not speak easily.
She simply held the bottom of her mask with her fingertips, tilting it from side to side.
Then, instead of removing the mask completely, Adelaide lifted only the lower half and spoke.
“I appreciate your concern, but I refuse your offer.”
Werner accepted this impassively, while Maris showed an emotion that was difficult to describe—if one had to, it was a look of ‘bitter, but it can’t be helped.’
However, Adelaide was not finished.
“But, the name Lennart is certainly precious to me as well. My father was proud of it.”
Therefore, she added.
“—The blood price will be limited to the masterminds. As for the rest, I’ll just take the name.”
Huh? The faces of those around her clouded with confusion.
Maris asked cautiously.
“Um, ‘just take the name’… may I ask what you mean by that?”
“Ah, that.”
For a brief moment, Adelaide completely removed the mask from her face.
With a bright smile, she said:
“From now on, we will be the main family. Anyone who wishes to continue calling themselves Lennart must receive our permission.”
The silent chaos and stillness that followed were beyond what words could describe.
Only one thing was certain.
[The ‘Tin Knight’ is delighted that our pupil has grown up so well!]
Her master was very, very pleased.