Chapter 83: The Envoy Arrives

“Yes, we will depart.”

Taylor responded to Gaon’s words.

And the carriage began to move.

A while later, the carriage stopped.

CREAK-

The door opened, and Luna climbed in.

“Your fifth-generation descendant, Luna Varta, greets Grandfather.”

Luna bowed politely.

Gaon smiled brightly and replied.

“You’ve almost fully digested it.”

He gave Luna an elixir.

He had thought it would take some time to fully absorb it.

But perhaps she had talent in cultivation, as the elixir’s energy was nearly gone.

If she fully digested the remaining energy and made it her own?

She would be able to enter the 4th Circle.

“I thank you once again, Grandfather.”

Luna bowed again, expressing her gratitude.

“Sit down.”

Gaon replied with a smile.

Luna then took her seat, and Gaon continued.

“I want to hear the stories on the way.”

He had already heard from Luna about the royal family’s situation and the internal politics of the Varta Kingdom.

But he hadn’t heard everything.

He knew the major events and important situations, but not the minor incidents and trivial matters.

Gaon planned to hear it all on the journey.

It wasn’t just out of curiosity about how things had been.

Minor incidents and trivial situations could become very significant variables.

Gaon intended to grasp as much information as possible to resolve the Varta Kingdom’s situation without any variables.

***

The capital of the Varta Kingdom, Vartarium.

Just decades ago, Vartarium had been the capital of an empire, not a kingdom, and it was enormously vast.

It was far larger than any city in neighboring kingdoms.

There were only a few cities on the continent of similar scale to Vartarium.

At the center of such a Vartarium stood a massive castle befitting the city’s size.

It was the royal palace of the Varta Kingdom.

The palace contained countless buildings.

Among them, the largest was the ‘Glory Hall,’ where the founding anniversary banquet was held.

And currently, all the nobles of the Varta Kingdom were gathered in Glory Hall.

Naturally, it wasn’t because of a banquet.

The reason they had gathered was the crisis facing the Varta Kingdom.

“So what do you propose we do?”

Duke Smich, head of the Meliad Ducal Family, asked his political rival, Duke Doug, head of the Dale Ducal Family.

“Are you suggesting we attack first?”

Doug said nothing.

He merely stared intently at Smich with fierce eyes.

In the past, he wouldn’t have been able to meet his gaze.

Even though both were ducal families, their statuses were different, and the gap between the houses was vast.

That was literally in the past.

The situation was different now.

The status of the Dale Ducal Family had plummeted, while the Meliad Ducal Family’s status had soared.

And the gap between the families had narrowed as much as the change in status.

Smich smirked and continued.

“You like justifications, don’t you? Do we have a justification to attack first?”

“There is plenty of justification. Those guys have been so blatant that evidence is overflowing. Even unexpected evidence…”

Doug trailed off and looked at several nobles on Smich’s side.

Unlike Smich, the nobles who received Doug’s gaze flinched or averted their eyes.

No matter how much the Dale Ducal Family’s status had fallen, a ducal family was still a ducal family.

“Oh, I see.”

Smich exclaimed in admiration and nodded.

At Smich’s reaction, Doug slightly frowned.

Why was he showing such leisurely responses? What was he trying to say?

“Then what about the monster wave in the Himal Mountain Range? You’re not going to say something absurd like fighting a war while blocking the monster wave, are you?”

“Why is that absurd? If everyone joins forces…”

“Everyone joins forces…”

Smich interrupted Doug.

“Do you realistically think that’s possible?”

Doug could not refute it.

In the past, when they were united, maybe, but now it was impossible.

There would certainly be those who refused the given tasks.

‘This damn bastard.’

That made Doug find Smich even more repulsive.

Smich had already betrayed the kingdom.

The moment war broke out, Smich would officially declare it.

That he would become independent from the kingdom.

It wasn’t something only Doug knew.

Everyone here would know it.

Yet the reason they couldn’t punish Smich was because even someone like him was needed.

The kingdom’s situation was that bad.

And killing Smich wasn’t easy either.

Smich was strong.

And his family, the Meliad Ducal Family, was also very strong.

Punishing Smich and the Meliad Ducal Family would require enormous sacrifices, and if that happened, the war with the Nail Kingdom would be a certain defeat.

No, there was no need to go to war.

They wouldn’t even be able to block the monster wave in the Himal Mountain Range.

Moreover, Smich wasn’t alone.

Numerous nobles followed him.

Would they stand by and watch Smich and the Meliad Ducal Family suffer?

Knowing that they would be next?

They would never stay quiet.

“And from what I’ve learned, the Nail Kingdom has requested war mages from Gardion.”

“There’s no way Gardion would accept that.”

The relationship between the Varta Kingdom and the Gardion Magic Tower was special.

Because the roots of the Gardion Magic Tower originated from the Varta Kingdom.

In other words, Gardion had no reason to accept the Nail Kingdom’s request.

“Are you certain?”

Smich asked with a sly smile.

Doug said nothing, and Smich continued.

“And you know Gardion isn’t the problem.”

The Nail Kingdom hadn’t requested only from the Gardion Magic Tower.

They had requested war mages from the Rud Magic Tower, the Parsion Magic Tower, and others.

Moreover, famous mercenaries and mercenary groups active in the Coexistence Zone, remote areas, and elsewhere were heading to the Nail Kingdom one after another.

In other words, even if Gardion refused, the situation wouldn’t reverse.

“…”

Some on Doug’s side let out groans at Smich’s words.

And Doug smiled bitterly.

He felt the wavering in those groans.

It was right then.

HUM…… HUM…….

Sounds rang out from artifacts installed throughout Glory Hall.

It was the sound announcing the king’s appearance.

Smich, who had been pressing Doug further, closed his mouth with a regretful expression.

And he looked toward the entrance.

CREAK-

Soon the door opened, and King Lepra Varta of the Varta Kingdom entered.

Lepra passed the nobles and headed to the prepared head seat.

Arriving at the head seat, Lepra sat down and asked.

“Was there any progress in the discussions while I was away?”

“Yes, there was much progress.”

Smich nodded in response to Lepra’s question.

“First, it seems decided that attacking the Nail Kingdom first is impossible.”

After finishing his answer, Smich looked at Lepra and thought.

What could it have been?

Lepra hadn’t been absent from the start.

In the middle of the heated discussion, the palace chief butler had appeared.

And Lepra had left with a surprised face.

What had the chief butler said to Lepra?

And what had Lepra done where?

He was incredibly curious.

Right then.

“Hmm, I see.”

Lepra let out a groan and nodded as if he understood.

Smich couldn’t help but be flustered.

Lepra’s reaction was different from what he expected.

He had thought he would naturally be furious.

But far from anger, he looked extremely calm.

“It doesn’t seem like anything will change with more talk. Let’s end it here for today.”

Lepra stood from his seat.

And he looked at Doug.

“Duke Doug.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

“Yes, understood.”

Doug replied, and Lepra started walking.

Doug followed behind.

A while later, arriving at the office, Lepra turned around with a wide smile.

And he said to Doug.

“Very good news has arrived.”

“…!”

Doug’s eyes flashed.

He had already thought something was off.

But good news had arrived?

“If war breaks out with the Nail Kingdom, Gardion said they would support us.”

“…?! From Gardion?”

Doug couldn’t help but question back.

That was because, while the relationship between Varta and Gardion was special, it wasn’t an alliance.

He had thought it fortunate if they didn’t lend strength to the Nail Kingdom, but they would support?

“Yes, they said an envoy has already departed.”

“That’s fortunate! Truly fortunate!”

Doug smiled as brightly as possible.

The end was in sight.

Nothing else was visible.

And Doug had planned to face the end together.

But Gardion would support?

Suddenly, hope appeared.

“But why suddenly from Gardion…!”

At the sudden thought, Doug trailed off.

No matter how he thought about it, it was strange.

Why would Gardion suddenly extend a hand now?

“I don’t know that either. The reason wasn’t written. But seeing that the envoy is coming with Luna, perhaps Luna did something.”

“Princess Luna…!”

Doug was slightly surprised.

Luna was currently studying at the Gardion Academy.

Of course, the status of a Gardion Academy student wasn’t one that could do something in Gardion.

However, the current situation couldn’t be explained unless Luna had done something.

“We’ll know the details when they arrive. And there’s one problem.”

“Please speak.”

“The Meliad Ducal Family will certainly try to interfere…”

Lepra trailed off.

Doug also smiled bitterly.

It wasn’t just some nobles following Smich.

There were many in the palace attached to Smich.

Would they stay quiet?

They might try to interfere by harming the envoy.

“I will stand by.”

“…Thank you.”

It was right then.

Knock knock.

“Your Majesty! It’s Peos!”

A knock and the urgent voice of the palace chief butler Peos came through.

“Come in!”

Lepra shouted, and Peos opened the door and entered.

“The envoy from the Gardion Magic Tower has arrived just now. But there’s a problem…”

The entrance to the Varta royal palace.

***

“Please wait a moment; I’ve reported inside, so contact will come soon.”

“I told you, didn’t I? That a very important person is here.”

Luna gritted her teeth and said to the defense captain blocking the front.

However, the defense captain replied with a faint smile.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t received any instructions…”

Luna found the current situation absurd.

The defense captain was blocking entry.

“This matter won’t just pass.”

Luna turned around sharply.

And headed toward the carriage.

The defense captain looked at Luna and thought.

This is a good opportunity.

Luna hadn’t come alone.

She had come with Gardion’s envoy.

Not anywhere else, but Gardion’s envoy.

Normally, he shouldn’t block them.

However, the defense captain had no intention of missing the perfect chance to score points with Smich.

So he took the risk.

It was right then.

CREAK-

The carriage door opened.

But Luna did not enter the carriage.

Instead, someone came out from inside the carriage.

It was a young man with deep black hair.

The defense captain looked at the young man with deep black hair and thought.

That young guy is the envoy?