Gaon let out a groan inwardly.
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
If it weren’t the Schutaren but another family trying to protect the Eon Kingdom?
He would have smashed that family too.
But the Schutaren Duchy was a special place even to Gaon.
……It’s not confirmed yet.
It wasn’t confirmed to be a direct blood relative.
There was no reason to worry in advance.
If it turned out to be a direct blood relative, he could think about it then.
Gaon stopped worrying.
And once he was a certain distance from the city and confirmed no one was around, Gaon cast Teleport.
***
The Schutaren Sword Family was the foremost and strongest family in the Rios Empire.
Even on a continental scale, not just the empire, it was called the foremost and strongest by most.
It wasn’t just strong in power.
It also had a long history.
And the main residence of the Schutaren Sword Family, with its strong power and long history, was immensely vast.
There were over 40 high-rise mansions of five stories or more, and hundreds of mansions of four stories or less.
Of course, the size of the mansion didn’t determine its importance.
Almost all mansions, except for a few, had a ‘number’ in front.
The lower the number, the more important.
And the 13th Mansion, located in the center of the main residence.
The 13th Mansion was a four-story high mansion, but it wasn’t actually four stories.
It was a single-story mansion with very high ceilings, used as a grand conference room.
And currently, numerous people were gathered in the 13th Mansion.
The reason they gathered in the 13th Mansion was because a meeting was scheduled to sort out numerous important agendas of the family.
“Atenon! Didn’t you request too much budget this time?”
“Haha, we agreed to replace the training dummies every two years. Cut me some slack this time!”
“Tch, fine.”
“Raigerus! The horses weren’t in good shape this time? Was the training proper?”
“Hmph, you say not good, but your sword battalion requested the most! Request less before spouting that!”
Since the meeting hadn’t started yet, the gathered people were chatting in groups of three or five about ‘minor agendas’ related to themselves.
And shortly after.
Creak!
The door opened.
“……”
“……”
“……”
As if by agreement, everyone stopped talking and stood up from their seats.
And looked at the main entrance.
A man was entering from the main entrance.
It was none other than Spelten Schutaren, the head of the Schutaren Sword Family.
Spelten walked and sat in his seat at the head, overlooking everyone.
“Sit.”
And at Spelten’s words, those who had stood sat back down.
“Railon.”
Next, Spelten called the man ‘Railon’ sitting right below him to the left.
“Yes.”
Then Railon stood up and answered.
“Start right away.”
“Yes, understood.”
Railon answered Spelten’s words, turned his head, and scanned the interior.
“There are a total of four agendas to handle today. We’ll start with the first agenda: reclaiming Coexistence Zone 20. Division Head Teska, who proposed the agenda, please speak.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Teska, the head of the 3rd War Sword Division.
And Teska stood up and started speaking.
“I see this as the perfect opportunity, with forces concentrated toward Coexistence Zone 18. If not now, we’ll have to endure greater damage later. That’s all.”
Finishing his words, Teska sat down.
And several raised their hands.
Raising a hand meant there was a differing opinion.
“Division Head Garek, please speak.”
Railon gave the speaking right to Garek, the head of the 2nd Guardian Sword Division, who had the highest rank among those who raised hands.
And Garek, granted permission, stood up and said.
“I understand it’s the perfect opportunity now. But we can’t just think about reclaiming. We have to defend afterward too, and once the situation in Coexistence Zone 18 is resolved, forces will concentrate on Coexistence Zone 20 again. What about the damage then?”
The Schutaren Sword Family had numerous sword divisions.
But not all divisions had the same nature.
War Sword Divisions specialized in offense.
Guardian Sword Divisions specialized in defense.
Special Sword Divisions handled various situations flexibly.
They were divided into three types.
“Will the War Sword Divisions help with defense too?”
Finishing with a question, Garek scanned the heads of the War Sword Divisions, including Teska.
And sat down.
Silence flowed for a moment.
Truly just a moment.
The moderator, Railon, broke the silence.
“Anyone with differing opinions?”
“……”
“……”
But silence came again.
No one opened their mouth.
This silence didn’t last long either.
As before, Railon broke the silence.
“I’ll assume none and proceed to vote.”
At Railon’s words, everyone started voting through the voting devices.
Shortly after, the vote ended, and the results appeared on the large crystal orb installed at the top.
[For: 170]
[Against: 120]
[Abstain: 80]
There were more for than against.
But it didn’t reach a majority.
And no one showed joy or sorrow at the vote results.
After all, the vote results meant nothing.
Everyone looked at the head, Spelten.
Spelten looked at the vote results and fell into thought.
And shortly after, opened his mouth.
“Let’s reclaim Coexistence Zone 20.”
Even if the vote was 370 against, if Spelten was for, that was the end.
“Next.”
And at Spelten’s words, Railon brought up the second agenda.
Like that, the second and third agendas were quickly handled, and it was time for the last, fourth agenda.
“The last agenda is the agreement with the Varta Kingdom. The one who proposed the agenda…….”
Unlike when proceeding with previous agendas, Railon trailed off.
And looked at Spelten.
The reason for the different reaction was that this agenda was proposed by Spelten.
At Railon’s gaze, Spelten said.
“I want to hear everyone’s thoughts.”
“Yes, understood.”
At Spelten’s words, Railon turned his head again and scanned the interior.
Several had raised their hands.
“Division Head Aisil, please speak.”
Railon gave the speaking right to Aisil, the head of the 4th War Sword Division, who had the highest rank.
“I’m for it. Honestly, the Varta Kingdom isn’t at a level for a top-grade agreement yet. However…….”
Aisil trailed off, scanned the gazes directed at him, and continued.
“I think everyone knows the growth rate of the Varta Kingdom since Lord Gaon returned.”
The Varta Kingdom had excised its rotten interior.
And subjugated the adjacent Nail Kingdom.
Not only that.
The other adjacent kingdoms—Kraniul Kingdom, Betra Kingdom, Asgerus Kingdom—were also being steadily subjugated.
At this rate, it was presumed they would be fully conquered within a month at the latest.
The Varta Kingdom, having already subjugated the Nail Kingdom, had grown very large.
And if three more kingdoms were subjugated on top of that?
It would have an enormous size with no enemies nearby.
And would it stop the conquest there?
No, the probability of continuing the conquest was high.
After all, most kingdoms in that region were ones that had rebelled and become independent from the former Varta Empire.
“Moreover, Gardion Tower founded an alliance.”
Gardion Tower couldn’t be seen separately from the Varta Kingdom.
With Gaon returned, they had to be seen as a fate-bound community.
And Gardion Tower had founded an alliance and was together with numerous towers.
“You all know the future of Varta without me saying it. That’s why I think it’s good to form a top-grade agreement now. As time passes, we’ll have to give more.”
Finishing his words, Aisil sat down.
And quite a few nodded as if agreeing.
Literally.
Quite a few agreed, but not everyone thought the same.
“Division Head Kran, please speak.”
Kran, granted permission, stood up.
“As Division Head Aisil said, the future of the Varta Kingdom will be brilliant. That’s why it’s a problem. The possibility of trying to reclaim past glory is very high, and…….”
The Varta Kingdom had been the strongest nation on the continent just decades ago.
If not for the demon invasion or internal rebellions?
It would still be the strongest nation.
And it was decades ago, not centuries.
The probability of wanting to reclaim that past glory was high.
“That would make collision with the empire very likely.”
The problem was that to reclaim past glory, the Varta Kingdom would inevitably collide with the Rios Empire.
And in such a situation, the Schutaren Duchy couldn’t stay idle.
If idle, other families in the empire would bite and tear at them.
“I’m not against the agreement. But I think we need to include clauses to restrain them.”
Quite a few nodded at Kran’s words.
Among them were several who had nodded at Aisil’s words.
Afterward, division heads continued to gain speaking rights and voice their thoughts.
And Spelten, listening to the division heads’ thoughts, thought.
To think there are this many fools.
The division heads were all mentioning the Varta Kingdom and Gardion Tower.
But what was important wasn’t Varta or Gardion.
It was ‘Gaon’ himself.
Yet how could not a single one focus on Gaon?
Because they experienced the era…….
Those below grand head rank hadn’t experienced Gaon’s era.
They had only seen it in books.
In other words, it was natural for them to nod or tilt their heads at the division heads’ words like now.
But half of the division heads were those who had experienced Gaon’s era.
Yet such reactions?
How could they show such reactions after experiencing that era?
Because they haven’t met him directly?
They experienced the era, but few had met Gaon directly.
No, it wasn’t few.
Come to think of it, among the division heads, none had met Gaon directly.
Among those present here, only Spelten and the silently observing sword lords had met Gaon directly.
Hmm, that could be it.
Having realized, Spelten fell into a new dilemma.
Not a dilemma about the agreement.
Spelten had already decided on the agreement.
Even if all division heads opposed, Spelten planned to proceed with the agreement.
How to imprint Lord Gaon on them?
What Spelten was deliberating was how to imprint on everyone, including the division heads, what kind of existence Gaon was.
Swish.
Deliberating, Spelten looked at his younger brother, the 6th Sword Lord Karlin.
Karlin had met the returned Gaon.
And Karlin’s deep respect for Gaon had deepened even more after the meeting.
To the extent that respect deepened just from meeting.
He said he’d come once, so is that the opportunity?
Gaon had said he’d visit the family soon.
That seemed like the perfect opportunity to imprint on everyone what kind of existence Gaon was.
Right then.
[My lord, there’s an urgent report.]
A voice rang in his mind.
It was the voice of a subordinate waiting outside.
To report during a meeting, it must not be ordinary.
[Speak.]
Spelten was curious.
What had happened.
And at the subordinate’s following words, Spelten couldn’t help but be surprised.
[Lord Gaon has arrived.]