Chapter 73. Complicated Emotions (2)
"Is that true?"
When the deep voice echoed through the room, the one reporting flinched.
Gerard did not hide his displeasure.
He had thought that the connection between the 'Nameless Band' and the 'Black Knight' was merely a baseless rumor.
"Y-yes... I saw someone who appeared to be the Black Knight near Baran's hut."
It was proven to be somewhat true.
"Baran, that bastard, doing unnecessary things..."
It was Gerard himself who created the 'Nameless Band'.
As per the original plan, he intended to discreetly integrate the now-useless 'Nameless Band' under the Dawn Society, to boost his achievements. However, that had become difficult.
The Black Knight.
The outlaw who suddenly appeared in his affairs.
By intercepting the Dawn Society's Soul Stone, the archbishop was gnashing his teeth at the Black Knight.
In this situation, imagining what would happen if the Dawn Society discovered the connection between himself and the 'Nameless Band' was not difficult.
Even though he had now distanced himself from them.
"I must somehow root out the Nameless Band. If not..."
Or, he must deliver the Black Knight's position to Tenelon.
"What did you think?"
"... Pardon?"
"When you saw that guy. What level do you think he is?"
"Well, that, um..."
The soldier, facing Gerard's sharp words, trembled as he was questioned.
The imposing aura emanating from Gerard's body was sharp enough to tear a man apart at any moment.
"Hurry up and speak. Before I hold the sin of fleeing from the 'Black Knight' against your neck."
Despite such harsh words, the soldier swallowed nervously at Gerard's calm yet imposing tone.
Just as the soldier was about to speak, trembling...
"Haha, Gerard. How about we listen to the story later?"
A voice suddenly interrupted.
Though Gerard loathed having his words interrupted, he did not show displeasure toward the intruder.
"Dantes, you're here now."
The owner of that voice was Dantes, who, like Gerard, was both a 'Bishop' of the Dawn Society and a noble.
"Listening to a scared person might lead to exaggerated information. You know this, don't you?"
The friendly tone slightly eased Gerard's sharp emotions.
Agreeing with Dantes' words, Gerard waved off the soldier and turned his attention to Dantes.
"Well considered. An archbishop must know how to handle emotions."
Gerard was well aware that Dantes' words, spoken as if it were already decided, were to flatter him.
"Indeed, you're right."
Gerard played along with Dantes' sweet cunning.
'Dantes', one of the few allies he had, both in the noble world and the Dawn Society.
However, Gerard did not trust him completely.
In the intricate world of politics, there is no such thing as an eternal ally.
"But even if Sir Tenelon succeeds the position of the High Pontiff, I can't be certain that I will definitely become the archbishop."
"Why is that?"
"Because of Yulian, that damned guy."
Gerard clicked his tongue internally as he mentioned the name 'Yulian'.
"He's the newest bishop, but Sir Tenelon's favor isn't trivial."
Gerard massaged his neck, the mark left by Yulian from the Godfrey family's reception still vivid.
"Haha, you're correct. But it's only natural, isn't it?"
Gerard slightly frowned at Dantes' comment, spoken without hesitation.
"Sir Tenelon always hated the nobility of the Sword Saint yet acknowledged his swordsmanship. However, Yulian is the man who severed that 'nobility'. Moreover, he even sided with the Dawn Society."
'I know the reason.'
Gerard meant to say, but he remained silent.
The issue now was not the 'reason for Tenelon's favor', but the 'consequences of that favor'.
'If Yulian takes the archbishop's seat, I'll have a problem.'
Although the relationship wasn't entirely severed, recalling the events at the Godfrey family, Gerard didn't think reconciliation with Yulian was possible.
'Just an Imperial Hound...'
His provocations towards Yulian were driven not only by competition for the archbishop's position but also by an instinctive aversion.
While he believed in using even enemies to climb higher, he couldn't do so with Yulian.
With many situations slipping beyond his intentions, Gerard was troubled.
And there were not just one, but multiple issues.
Externally, the 'Black Knight'.
Internally, 'Yulian Cryphart Frason'.
'These two bother me too much.'
He tried to think of ways to deal with both at once but found no suitable solution.
"By the way, it's starting to come together."
"What do you mean?"
Gerard, who had been momentarily lost in thought, returned to reality at Dantes' words.
"Hayden Reich. The noble Sword Saint. I think I've begun to faintly understand why he left the capital and went to the Holy Kingdom."
His eyes, which were lost in contemplation a moment ago, now gleamed with curiosity.
"Really? What's the reason?"
"The star of the Adraton Empire, lauded as the Sword Saint, seems to have lost his nobility."
"I'm not fond of puzzles..."
At Gerard's remark, Dantes coughed awkwardly a few times before continuing.
"It seems that the Sword Saint is preparing to defect to the Holy Kingdom."
"What?"
Gerard was quite taken aback by Dantes' statement.
Defection?
Many believed Hayden Reich was favored by the royal family, but that wasn't true.
The Sword Saint, a name with such grand achievements, was enough to overshadow the empire‟s influence.
However, the royal family couldn't just sit by and watch quietly.
Whenever his fame was thought to surpass their own, they assigned him difficult or dirty missions.
This marred his honor, while the royal family bestowed favors to strengthen their position.
"He was manipulated by the royal family for so long and now realizes it?"
"Yes, that seems to be the case. His 'nobility' has finally been broken."
"Not noble, just foolish."
Gerard sneered.
"If that information is true, Sir Tenelon might be furious. If the Sword Saint, whom he intended to kill with his own hands, escapes."
"Haha, as you say, Sir Tenelon would certainly be so."
Watching Dantes' hearty laughter, Gerard thought to himself.
If only Yulian would just go to the Fernand Holy Kingdom too.
Gerard knew well enough that this was just wishful thinking.
'Whether Black Knight or Yulian...'
The only answer is to directly nip both problems in the bud.
'Since there's no clear method to deal with the Black Knight for now, I should find a way to contain Yulian first.'
***
...is what Gerard would be thinking.
As if he were a flea thinking it could leap high.
With all the background knowledge from beginning to end of the story, gerald's tricks are transparent to me.
A power-hungry guy like him would see me as a thorn in his side as he aimed for the position of 'Archbishop'.
"It's quite clear to anyone that Tenelon has taken an interest in me."
The irony wasn't lost on me.
Here I am, desperately trying to thwart his plans.
Though I'm not interested in that 'position', those eyeing the 'Archbishop' seat would surely make moves to check my power.
"Moreover, he's likely to operate covertly, considering his character."
If that's the case, it was bound to be troublesome.
While direct confrontation could be handled with this body's strength, covert maneuvers were another matter.
"Hence, moving first to cut off his limbs would be wise."
Damn, what a hassle.
The more I work, the more it feels like the situation rolls into something unexpected, contrary to my expectations.
Still, it seems the situation is under control for now, but whether I can handle the events that unfold from now on is uncertain.
"If only they'd made me the youngest son of a prestigious family."
Ah, come to think of it, 'Yulian' is quite similar to being the youngest son of a prestigious family.
Even if he's just a bastard.
***
"Haa..."
Aileen closed the book she was reading, as if her head was throbbing.
She understood that as a member of a branch family, she was denied by the main family.
She was accustomed to being looked down upon for having impurities in her blood.
"Even so, this is just infuriating."
Aileen turned her gaze to the thesis on the desk with a look of irritation.
"My thesis being rejected? I never imagined."
Her research on the 'Soul Stone' was her first, so Aileen didn't expect it to be shelved this way.
However, upon reflection, she understood the outcome.
"Our noble Lord Aiden must have been terribly displeased."
Aiden, mentioned as the next head of the Donatien family, was obsessed with the family's long-cherished wish but was extremely 'pureblood-oriented'.
The resemblance between the 'Soul Stone', which she was researching, and the family's wish, the 'Elixir', was evident to anyone reading her thesis.
It evidently bothered him that the fruition of their efforts might eventually be achieved by a branch family member like herself.
"Isn't it too much!? For the sake of the family's progress, sacrifices should be made!"
Purity of blood does not ensure results!
"The Magic Tower, too! No matter how much the Donatien family contributes to the Tower, listening to the words of a single family...!"
She trailed off, realizing the irony.
The Donatien family was indeed one of the founding houses of the Magic Tower.
It was the mainstay of the 'Donar School', a faction within the 'Metal' elemental school.
They'd generously donated funds, and worked towards establishing a magic department at Bayer Academy...
"Oh... Well, listening is understandable."
Realizing the power of her family, Aileen muttered, grasping why the Magic Tower rejected her thesis.
Simultaneously, an unneeded sense of pride swelled within her.
She was, after all, a part of the 'Donatien family.'
Although, she felt a sense of self-reproach too.
"Don't think of this as letting it go."
Muttering to herself, Aileen bit her lips.
"Yes, if they try not to acknowledge me this way, I should bring forth even greater results...!"
While speaking, she sensed something amiss.
One of the security spells she had cast around her mansion had vanished.
Zinggg──!
Simultaneously, an alarm spell resounded.
Aileen, swiftly rising from her place, was at a loss to comprehend the situation.
"... The security spell was dispelled, while the alarm spell triggered?"
The sequence was odd.
The 'security spells' providing physical protection were more discreet and harder to dispel compared to 'alarm spells'.
Typically, even if 'alarm spells' are dispelled, 'security spells' would catch the intruders.
'But it's the opposite now.'
Feeling sweat trickle down her back, Aileen felt uneasy.
'Could they be trying to call me out?'
With apprehension towards the intruder's intention, Aileen started moving towards where the security spell was dispelled.
"Show yourself."
Arriving at her destination, Aileen spoke in a low, calm voice.
Uncertain of the intruder's numbers, this was her mansion.
In her home ground, she was as powerful as any high-ranked 'Baro'-level mage.
"... Who are you?"
However, exposed to the intruder's appearance, Aileen was taken aback.
An intimidating figure covered by the cloak of night.
Despite being an intruder, the nobility emanating from this figure was assuring, almost as if pledging not to harm her.
"Do you know who I am?"
As he spoke, Aileen nodded.
"Black Knight."
The subject of the capital's most sensational rumors.
"Why are you here?"
Aileen continued, her tone slightly terse.
"Unlike others, you do not fear this mask."
A voice deeper than the night air, that of the Black Knight.
Although Aileen felt a chill across her body at his words, his appearance did not frighten her.
Which was only natural.
'... Why? Isn't that mask cool?'
Aileen found the Black Knight's appearance to have a rather unexpected sense of aesthetic.
Clacky's Corner:
I'm getting the feeling that Dantes will betray Gerard. Just a feeling.
Also, it seems Aileen has a different sense of aesthetic.