Chapter 294: Delegation |
Othelloria City, Quordenze's territory.
Although it is true in reality, it is an expression that many people still find strange.
For about 350 years since the first head of the family, Argaros Spierzeig, this city has been protected by the blood of the Spierzeigs. The accumulation of that history remains everywhere in the city.
When you think of Othelloria City, you think of the Spierzeig family, and when you think of the Spierzeig family, you think of Othelloria City. That was the gener al perception, and ironically, the people who felt this most strongly were the Quordenze people themselves who had arrived on the ground.
100 days have passed since the night that Romilie Spierzeig responded to Wilk Quordenze's call for a ceasefire.
Time and changes keep marching forward regardless of the people's feelings. The control of the surrounding areas of Othelloria was progressing at a rapid pa ce, and the Quordenze family was preparing a new system.
[Master.]
Darkness was approaching the city of Othelloria. On this day, too, the current head of the Quordenze family, Luxus, was in his office at Othelloria Castle.
There were several letters half-read or half-written spread out on his desk. Luxus' efforts and worries as he engaged in noble diplomacy to protect the Quorde nze family were apparent.
[A letter has just arrived from Reisleaf.]
As if to match his words, the trainee civil officer standing next to him handed him a wooden tray. There were many letters on top of it.
Many nobles sent letters to Galfis in Reisleaf Castle, rather than to Luxus himself. Therefore, when important letters arrived or when a certain number of letters had accumulated, internal arrangements were made to send them to Othelloria City.
[There was nothing that required urgent attention.]
Before his Master could ask, the senior civil officer assured him that those were regular letters. The civil officers directly under Luxus had already been tasked to carefully examine the contents in advance.
[I see. Is there anything that concerns you?]
[The contents are not much different from the previous ones.]
Some were trying to probe the full extent of Operation Snake's Jaw, some were looking into the future movements of the Quordenze family, and some were tr ying to find out about the current situation of the Spierzeig family. Most of the letters were basically the same, and the senior civil officer said that there was n othing particularly noteworthy.
However, that did not mean that he was not concerned. He continued by saying that, voicing his own concerns.
[It's the number that concerns me. If including the ones that have been sent to the Master and the Young Master, it sums up to quite a number. I think they mu st be quite fed up with it...]
Luxus didn't have to read it to know who the letters were from to begin with.
[...The southern and Western Marquises?]
It is natural that when many people gather together, a leader will emerge. Among the warring factions and partisan noble families of the Zinkaen Empire, there were two noble families that held leading positions. These were the Marquis Vadkite family, whose territory was in the plateau region of the southern Empire, a nd the Marquis Dahdaram family, whose territory was in the coastal region of the western Empire.
These two Marquis families, known as the leading noble families in the Zinkaen Empire, were often referred to by the nicknames of the southern Marquis and t he Western Marquis. The southern Marquis Vadkite family has a strong influence in the southern part of the Empire, and the Western Marquis Dahdaram famil y has a strong influence in the western part of the Empire.
[How long will those two families continue to dream? They are so noisy. It's a grudge at this point.]
Luxus sighed deeply as he glared at the letter in the wooden tray.
Though there were twists and turns, the two families rose to power in the end by working with Emperor Zinkaen through the era of turmoil. The southern and Western Marquises were true partisan nobles.
This was not the first time that a letter had arrived, saying that the Empire will unite and push forward into the next battle. And not only did Luxus receive such a letter, Galfis and Wilk had also received similar letters multiple times.
Until now, they had been good motivators to continue the fight against Spierzeig, but now they were nothing more than spam mailers.
To make matters worse, the current and next heads of the family were also typical warlords, and there was no one to stop them. Even though it was their own fault, it was a headache for Luxus.
[...But, they're not just belligerent. There must be some calculation behind these moves.]
[Yes. I think they're acting to strengthen their position as flag bearers.]
The southern and Western Marquises are leaders, but they're not in absolute positions. They're only supported because they're more powerful than the surro unding Imperial noble families and represent the feelings of the partisan noble families.
Luxus believes that by showing others that they speak out strongly against the Quordenze family, they hope to gain a stronger leadership position. If their dem ands are met and they go to war with the Kingdom of Levios and the Free Cities, it will be an achievement for the two families.
And even if war does break out, the most geographically disadvantaged will be the Quordenze and Spierzeig families, and the noble families in the north of the Empire. For the southern and Western Marquises, it's a win-win.
[They're looking in the same direction, so they can't lose.]
There are two great noble families in the meantime, so Luxus would want to make them quarrel and check each other.
But unfortunately, both families have the same basic policy of expanding the Empire's territory. No matter which one they are involved in, the Quordenze famil y will end up going down the war path.
[They're merely watching for now, but once they've united everyone, they should be able to put pressure on the current Emperor. Now is the time to cheer up the Emperor and crush the Quordenze, who have no intention of pushing for an end to the chaotic times...or so they thought.]
Since they had known each other for many years, it was easy to predict the actions of the southern and Western Marquises.
[We must strengthen our ties with the Kingdom and fortify the corridors before then.]
To prevent the Empire from succumbing to the pressure of the partisan nobles and choosing a war route, they will need to use the nobles of the Kingdom of L evios and the northern nobility of the Empire to apply pressure. This will put Emperor Ferolt in the middle of the pressure battle, but that was Luxus' current ba sic strategy.
[...In some cases, we should consider visiting the Imperial Capital.]
If everything can be resolved through noble diplomacy, that will be the best outcome for the Quordenze family. Luxus thought that since Galfis cannot be coun ted on, war should be avoided as much as possible.
Looking at the results so far, Wilk could be used as a substitute for the Red Demon, but in reality it is not that simple. The question is whether the player will be willing to use a mysterious piece that starts making unexpected movements on the board that are not in the rulebook.
[If that happens, many Imperial nobles will gather in the Imperial Capital...]
If Luxus and Emperor Ferolt were to meet, it couldn't just be an event for the Quordenze family and the Imperial family. It was easy to imagine that it would dev elop into a big event that involves nobles from all over the Empire.
The risk of sending the family head to a place with many Highlords was something he had learned from the May social Gathering. For those who served the Q uordenze family, this was not a very desirable development.
[The visit is premised on learning a new type. We will wait until we see how useful it is.]
As soon as the report arrived that Wilk had mastered Orshian-style detection magic, Luxus acted immediately. He decided that this magic should be prioritized over purification magic, which he had no idea when could be properly learned, and ordered the transfer of the mages to Newnelly, who had been previously a ssigned to Eve and Raeve.
The nobles of the Eruo continent believe that between purification magic and Orshian-style detection magic, the latter, which is directly linked to the safety of the Highlords, is a higher priority. Wilk placed importance on the former, which would be useful to society as a whole, but this was a clear example of the diffe rence in values.
[But, is it really possible for us to enter the Imperial City?]
[If the current Emperor doesn't want to, it's probably impossible. If he welcomes the Quordenze in this state, it could lead to unforeseen... and worst-case see narios.]
The civil officer immediately understood what the words "worst-case scenario" meant. Welcoming the Quordenze family to the Imperial Capital was a very risk y choice.
[Therefore, if they are willing, they will make preparations to welcome us.]
[...The restoration of the Managris family.]
Luxus quietly nodded in agreement to the civil officer's muttering.
[If that's the only reason, then I have to say that they're being too cautious and that it's not a decision worth the effort, but it's not necessarily the only factor. It could be that restoring the Managris family was convenient as a means to achieve multiple goals at the same time... but these are all just speculations. If we ac t on assumptions, we could get into a difficult situation. That's how suspicious the recent movements around the emperor are.]
[I will give thorough instructions to the Earthworms so that they do not have any unnecessary preconceptions.]
The Earthworms are an intelligence unit of the Quordenze family. After Operation Snake's Jaw, the unit suffered from manpower shortage, just like the Engine ering Corps, but the Quordenze officials decided that this was a time to make some efforts to obtain information about the Imperial Capital.
[Do so. What we need now is reliable information. We need to be prepared to respond appropriately if they make a move.]
If the current Emperor were to approach differently than before, such as requesting a meeting, Luxus declared that they would basically consider responding t o it.
[Understood. So, as for how to deal with the southern and Western Marquises...]
The moment the senior civil officer spoke, the sound of someone running hurriedly down the corridor echoed all the way to the office.
Luxus and the others stopped talking and turned their eyes to the door. Then, as if he had been waiting for that exact moment, a military officer with a tense e xpression rushed in.
[A Knight Order of unknown affiliation has appeared from the west of the city! Preparing for battle!]
The Quordenze army is currently stationed at the Othelloria military base, which was once the base of the Spierzeig army.
A headquarters was set up in a fort within the base, staffed by talented military officers selected from within the territory and Quordenze knights with extensiv e battlefield experience. Even if the noble families of the Araf Entente in the mountainous region west of Voistra Plain were to attack, there were enough soldie rs to fight back.
It would be a fighting force that would be unlikely to waver unless something extraordinary were to happen. However, at this moment, the headquarters was fil led with tension.
[It's 30 strong, all of which seem to be Lord-class soldiers.]
The military officers gathered at the headquarters face each other. Their expressions were grim, and the atmosphere in the room was heavy. The senior military officer who rushed over listened quietly to grasp the current situation.
[None of the knights identified themselves. In addition, we have not been able to confirm any elements that could identify their affiliation, such as a crest. All o f the soldiers are wearing masks and hiding their bodies with gray cloaks.]
To be precise, they are a Lord-class unit of unknown affiliation, but without the backing of nobles, priests, or other forces, it is difficult to move an ancestral u nit of this size. Therefore, the headquarters was considering how to respond under the assumption that they were a knight order sent by a hostile force. Knight Gatoren, who had just arrived from Othelloria Castle on Luxus' orders, asked the military officer working at the headquarters.
[Where is the enemy?]
[They are currently stationed in the Aapo district.]
One of the senior military officers who came to the headquarters with Knight Gatoren opened his eyes wide at the report.
[Aren't they right in front of the castle town?! What were the guards doing?! There's no way they could have let them get this far!]
The basic structure of Othelloria and Newnelly is similar. The first wall protects the large area that can be called "Othelloria", including the rural areas, and the second wall protects the area where many citizens live, which corresponds to the castle town.
A suspicious force should have normally been caught just before the first wall and a counterattack should have also been prepared.
However, the Aapo district is inside the first wall and outside the second wall, and is the area where the west gate of the second wall is located. As the senior military officer said, they had penetrated much further inside than expected.
The military officer in charge of the current situation report continued with an apologetic look on his face.
[By the time we found these knights, they had already passed the outer gate of the city... I'm sorry.]
In other words, he had completely overlooked them. Knight Gatoren found the mistake hard to understand.
[That's too skillful. Were they being aided by the Spierzeig?]
[We are still...]
Even if they're unfamiliar with the area, the Quordenze army is highly conscious of the defense of Othelloria. If an enemy unit was able to infiltrate so brilliantly despite that, the most likely explanation was the former lord's help.
However, the knight Gatoren decided that now was not the time to consider that, and changed his mind.
[I understand. So, what is their purpose?]
The Quordenze army stationed there can easily handle around 30 lord-class. At the very least, it won't be enough to cause the city to fall.
However, that doesn't mean that the matter can be resolved with zero damage. If fighting breaks out in the Aapo district, it's easy to imagine that the castle to wn will suffer considerable damage as well.
And that means the Quordenze army's blunder will be discovered by spies from other families who are likely to have also infiltrated Othelloria city. This could develop into a scandal that could lead to the Quordenze family being looked down upon. It was necessary to deal with the knights carefully.
[Yes. They say they want to negotiate with us.]
[Without revealing their allegiance?]
A group of Lord-class intruders climbing over the castle walls without prior notice and without permission is a completely hostile act with no room for excuses. It was impossible to imagine a proper discussion.
[They also said that if we are willing to negotiate, they will retreat now.]
Knight Gatoren had a bitter expression on his face. It was clear from that statement that the other party understood that "public order in Othelloria City" would be a good hostage.
[What is the situation in the city?]
[The knights are in formation, but they are quiet. Very few citizens are aware of the commotion.... It is probably intentional.]
The officer said that the intruder knights were just waiting quietly, without starting any demonstrations to show that there were intruders. He added that at this point, the eyes and ears of other families probably had not yet noticed.
The report was a blessing in disguise for the senior military officers, but it was also a curse, as it seemed they were being pressured to reach a conclusion bef ore the intelligence of other families found out.
[It's annoying, but we can't act rashly here.]
Knight Gatoren muttered, as if to admonish all the military officers. If the other side said they were going to back down, then some concessions were unavoida ble, depending on the content.
Considering the current delicate position of the Quordenze family in noble diplomacy, rumors could not be taken lightly.
[So, who do they want to negotiate with?]
If they ask to negotiate directly with Luxus, he will immediately refuse and kill them all. Knight Gatoren's words were more like a declaration than a question.
There are two main reasons why the head of the Quordenze family cannot be brought forward.
The first is simply a matter of personal danger. Even if it is against lord-class, the retainers cannot afford to bring him forward just in case.
The second reason is a matter of reputation. It would be extremely embarrassing for the head of the family to just show up and comply with the demands of su ch an extremely rude intruder. It would be a complete loss of face for the Quordenze family, so it was a choice that had to be avoided at all costs. If that were t he case, it would have been better to have the intruding knights go on a rampage in Othelloria City, as this would have caused less social damage.
[They are looking for a knight or military officer who participated in Operation Snake's Jaw.]
[...they what?]
The senior military officers were a little confused by the fact that they were not naming a specific person, but were instead specifying conditions. It was also a big mystery that it didn't matter if the other party was not a knight. If you want to negotiate something, it often doesn't work without the authority of a knight. However, even if Knight Gatoren was nominated, it would not be easy to act. The position of the head knight of Quordenze is that big and important. Just like with Luxus, it would cause a problem of reputation.
In that sense, the request that it doesn't matter if it was a military officer was an easy condition for the Quordenze side.
[We are adjusting the direction to send people centered around military officer Raylight. He is ready to go at any time.]
Raylight was involved in Operation Snake's Jaw from start to finish, working closest to Wilk and playing an important role at key points. He met the requiremen ts of the intruding Knights, and being a mere military officer, he was a convenient person who would not cause any reputation problems if he showed up befor e rude invaders.
[I see.]
For Knight Gatoren, his formerly wayward son was a handful. As a father, he couldn't help but worry about whether he would be able to deal with these suspic ious knights.
However, Knight Gatoren also understood that his son was a convenient candidate to deal with this situation. Although he still had many immature areas, he ac knowledged that his son had gained valuable experience during his wandering journey and had grown significantly as a warrior.
Since Wilk liked Raylight, there was a high possibility that he would be used in the future. If that was the case, Knight Gatoren thought that it might be necessa ry for his future to let him experience a different kind of hell here than on the battlefield.
[I will assign someone to be his assistant.]
As if to dispel Knight Gathoren's concerns, the military officer at the headquarters named an assistant. Although this assistant was not involved in Operation S nake's Jaw, he was a person with a fair track record in the field of diplomacy.
Thinking that the intruding knights might make some disturbing moves if they hesitated, Knight Gatoren decided to allow Raylight to join the negotiation team.
[We are open to negotiations. Deal with this immediately.]
[Understood!]
The headquarters was prepared to go at any time if the go-ahead was given. As soon as Knight Gatoren and the senior military officers gave their approval, a messenger was immediately dispatched.
After hearing the response from the Quordenze army, the intruding knights announced the location and time of the negotiations, and as previously announced, they withdrew from the Aapo district. It seemed they had no intention of negotiating there and then, as they passed through the outer gate of the city and disa ppeared into the forest west of Othelloria.
Some in the Quordenze army considered pursuing and attacking the knights, but this suggestion was rejected. They were not familiar enough with the area ar ound Othelloria to call it their own, even if it was inland. They had no confidence that they could win a game of tag against a group of Lord-class people who s eemed to know the area well.
If they were serious about crushing them, it would be more effective to surround the negotiation site and attack. There were also many opinions that it was ne cessary to see how the other side responded.
In the end, they decided on a strategy that involved a strong element of gambling, deciding how to respond based on the content of the negotiations.
The time was when the moon was at its highest that night, and the location was an abandoned building on the outskirts of Othelloria city. It was agreed that ea ch side would bring a maximum of five Lord-class soldiers.
[...Is this the negotiation site?]
Raylight, who was walking in front, spoke up in a confused voice.
The night was already deep, and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness. Although there was moonlight, the designated location was in a deep forest. A normal person would have a hard time even going back, let alone moving forward.
If they used lighting magic in a deserted forest, they could be seen from afar, so they used physical strengthening magic to strengthen their eyesight and proc eed along the pathless road.
[The direction and distance are correct. This is probably it. Is this... the Holy High Church?]
Following Raylight, the military officer who was tasked with assisting him spoke with some doubt.
It was hard to tell because it was surrounded by trees, but it looked like the remains of a former church. It was made of stone and had collapsed in places, and the stone walls and floors were covered in moss in many places.
[It looks more like a ruin than an abandoned building...]
It was easy to tell that a considerable amount of time had passed since it was abandoned. There are many opportunities to see old buildings in Newnelly, so if you can get an idea of the overall atmosphere, it's easy to imagine how old they are.
[It looks like it's more than 500 years old, what do you all think?]
[Yeah, it's probably at least 200 or 300 years old. I wouldn't be surprised if it's actually 700 years old.]
However, that's just a rough impression. They are neither historians nor architectural experts. They could only distinguish between a little old, a long time ago, a very long time ago, and ancient.
Anyway, they guessed that the abandoned building, or rather the ruins, was something from a long time ago or a very long time ago.
[...is it the Spierzeig after all?]
It had been several months since they had started governing Othelloria, but the people of Quordenze had no idea that such ruins existed. It was probably a for gotten place that even the citizens were not aware of.
In other words, only a very limited number of people could choose this place as a negotiation site. It was only natural that they suspected the involvement of th e Spierzeig family.
[We can go in. It's crumbling, so be careful.]
The building itself is less than a quarter of the size of the Holy High Church in Newnelly City. The ceiling has collapsed in places, but many parts of the walls re main. They entered one by one, maintaining their vigilance.
As confirmed by detection magic beforehand, five lord-class were waiting there.
[People from Quordenze?]
[We are.]
When Raylight took a step forward, one of the opposing Lords also took a few steps forward.
Just like when they appeared in the Aapo district, this one was hiding their identity with an iron mask and gray cloak. However, from the sound of the voice, Ra ylight felt that this leader was a man about the same age as his father, Knight Gatoren.
[First of all, let me apologize for my rudeness.]
Although his words were polite, the Quordenze side could tell from his tone that he had no intention of apologizing.
[Shouldn't we start by introducing ourselves? Or you'd rather us refer to you as knights of ashes or gray knights or something?]
If these people continue to be disrespectful, they'll kill them and turn them as gray as ashes, he threatened.
Even though they were dragged to the negotiating table, there was no reason for the Quordenze side to be servile. Raylight had been instructed by the military higher-ups to "go all out.”
[Fuh... the Ash Knights sounds like a good name. Then, for now, call us the Ash Knights.]
Raylight realized now that they had no intention of revealing their affiliation.
[Also, before I apologize for my rudeness, I recommend that you learn how to write letters.]
[Unfortunately, I've forgotten how to do that. I'll come visit you again if I need anything.]
Raylight told them to follow the noble diplomatic method, but the Ash Knights declared that they would appear in Othelloria again if they were not satisfied with the results.
[In that case, we will give you a welcome worthy of your namesake.]
[I hope we can negotiate well to prevent that from happening.]
The night wind blew, causing the trees around the ruins to rustle loudly.
For a moment, all conversation stopped, and a tense atmosphere hung over the place. It would be possible to reprimand them for their current behavior and br eak off the negotiations. If a signal was given, the elite of the Quordenze army waiting around the forest would attack the place.
However, Raylight wanted to know the reason for the Ash Knight's relaxed attitude.
[...So, what business do you have in Othelloria city, ruled by our Quordenze?]
The Ash Knight snorted at the question, which was probing his relationship with the Spierzeig family.
[I have no interest in the conflict between Quordenze and Spierzeig. It's a trivial matter that is not worth mentioning.]
[What?]
The military had expected that they would definitely talk about Spearzeig, since they had made an unauthorized surprise visit to Othelloria and forced the peo pie involved in Operation Snake's Jaw to appear. The Ash Knight's answer was completely unexpected.
This might have been an act to check the reaction of the Quordenze, Raylight thought, and warned himself not to show any unnecessary reaction. He waited i n silence for the next words.
[...I saw the Arknoa Contaminated Area.]
This was expected to some extent, so the Quordenze, including Raylight, were not particularly surprised.
The Arknoa contaminated area is large, and it is impossible to keep everything secret. Other families' intelligence agents had already confirmed the existence of the purified highway created by Wilk and Eve.
[The purification of that corrupted earth was done by magic.]
[Do you believe in the legend of purification magic?]
The military is also considering the possibility that the Ash Knights' goal is purification magic. In this case, they have been instructed to evade the question and pretend not to know. Even if they are asked to tell them, if they say they don't know, there is no way to pursue the matter any further.
[I see, so you're trying to cover it up.]
However, the Ash Knight nodded in satisfaction at Raylight's answer. His voice was a mixture of emotions that made sense.
[To pretend not to understand after leaving such a big trace behind... you really don't understand that well.]
He's probably just trying to tease me, Raylight decided.
The single purified path cutting through the corrupted line certainly suggests the existence of purification magic. However, those who only see the results can only guess, but can't be sure.
It wasn't until Raylight saw Eve's magic in action that he was finally able to believe in its existence.
[Judging from the fact that some areas are still not purified, there seems to be only one or a few people who have mastered it. Since it has not been shared a mong the entire household, I suspect that the caster was acquired from outside in recent years.]
The Ash Knight's prediction was almost perfect. However, people from other households who have been able to see the current state of the Arknoa Contamin ated Area would probably consider this to be a possible scenario.
[Are you still talking nonsense?]
[...Yeah, let's leave that matter here. This is a place for negotiation, not dialogue.]
The Ash Knight took another step forward and told Raylight.
[What we're asking for is the custody of the caster. Once the transfer is completed, we will give Quordenze what you want.]
[I think it's foolish to negotiate a trade for something that doesn't exist.]
The Quordenze side's view is that they "don't know anything about purification magic," so they can't provide the caster, and there's no way that a suspicious g roup that doesn't even reveal its affiliation can provide something that the great nobleman Quordenze wants... Raylight's ridicule silenced the surroundings.
[...Well, this fool still intends to go forward with the negotiation.]
The four Lord-class soldiers who seemed to be the Ash Knight's subordinates took a few steps back while looking at Raylight. Then, there were about four he mp bags filled with contents placed there.
[Go ahead.]
At the signal of the Ash Knight, the Lord-class soldiers picked up the burlap sacks and slammed them on the ground in unison. As the tops of the sacks were n ot sealed, the contents were scattered everywhere.
[Hmm...]
The contents of the burlap sacks were tainted purple-black soil. The contamination was not very strong, but the miasma spread when it was released from the sack, making Raylight and the other Lord-class soldiers accompanying him frown.
Confirming their reaction, the Ash Knight used his own magic. Raylight, wary of the attack magic, prepared to intercept.
[Watch it.]
Then, the Ash Knight focused his target on the corrupted soil and cast a spell.
The scattered purple-black filthy soil changed color swiftly, and in the end only reddish-brown soil remained. Raylight's magic senses told him that it was the exact same magic that Eve had used.
It was undoubtedly the purification spell.
[The purification of the Arknoa Contaminated Areas is done by magic. We know that for sure.]
Clearly sensing the change in the atmosphere, the Ash Knight continued in a relaxed tone.
[Our Master has given us permission to teach purification magic to Quordenze.]
What Quordenze wanted was the knowledge to cast the purification magic, which they had not yet mastered. That would certainly be a great benefit.
[It won't work with a low-ranking military officer. Report tonight's events and ask for the higher-ups' judgment. We also hope that these negotiations will be re solved quickly.]
The Ash Knight said that he would visit Othelloria sometime soon.
The Ash Knight did not seek a person who had participated in Operation Snake's Jaw at the negotiating table, but someone who knew purification magic. To m ake the Quordenze understand that the Knights had something to negotiate with.
Raylight understood this, but at the same time, there was something he did not understand. It was a great contradiction that the person seeking a person who could perform purification magic had already mastered it.
[...Who are you all? What do you want?]
[We are merely delegations sent here.]
The Ash Knights insist that they were only acting on the orders of their superiors.
[Our Master seeks a mage...a guardian of wisdom.]
The voice that seemed to resonate from the depths of darkness lingered in Raylight's ears forever.