Chapter 59: The Northern Lords

Deep within the heart of the Elysion Monastery.

From Noah’s room came the clear, bright voice unique to babies, blending softly with gentle conversation.

Next to the small basket crib, upon a plush carpet, Princess Noah played with her nanny.

Her cheeks, plump and rosy, glowed with a pinkish hue, and her tiny, adorable hands moved endlessly in the air.

Even a single gesture, as if trying to grasp the rattle, filled the room with vibrant life.

“…My goodness.”

And among those watching this scene, there was one who stood with mouth agape.

“T-The princess was here all this time…!”

Count Nidro wiped his face with both hands as if washing away his disbelief, then rubbed his eyes.

It was a sight hard to believe even after seeing it with his own eyes.

“I’d heard she was convalescing due to poor health, but never did I imagine she was here. The princess herself!”

His words grew more impassioned, his voice almost resounding like an echo.

“And to think, I didn’t know the princess was the ‘Black Star’. So she was hastily sent here to keep that fact hidden?”

At his words, Rohan nodded.

In truth, it was nothing short of abandonment.

Yet Rohan hated to utter that word.

What could Noah possibly lack that she should be sent away from her parents’ side, subjected to neglect like this?

“Indeed, those of that family are certainly no ordinary folk.”

Count Nidro clicked his tongue with a sharp ‘tch’.

Rohan approached the reclining Noah and knelt by her side.

“You’ve grown so much, Noah.”

The child’s clear eyes turned toward Rohan.

Before he knew it, a gentle smile formed on his lips.

The pure face of an infant had a charm that lifted the heart just by looking.

Behind him, Count Nidro remained lost in shock.

“No matter what, how could they send such a little child to a monastery like this…”

At his words, Collin retorted in a low voice.

“What’s wrong with here? Only noble children are admitted to our monastery. It’s the most refined facility, better than any infant care in the city.”

Pride filled Collin’s face.

“And, moreover, I, Collin Meister, personally check on Her Highness the Princess every morning and evening. Surely that is the best environment, wouldn’t you say?”

“…But you have no children of your own—you’ve never even raised one, have you?”

“Hey now, what’s that supposed to mean?”

Collin’s eyes narrowed, sharp as a flatfish’s.

“Well then.”

At that moment, Rohan rose and looked at Collin.

“You said Father sent a letter?”

Collin nodded.

“Yes. His Majesty sent a short letter with a sponsorship, inquiring after Princess Noah’s well-being. He also said to request anything needed at any time…”

Collin chattered on about what had transpired.

He’d already told Rohan of this when he last reported.

‘Father…’

Rohan fell into thought.

Looking back, there had been some mysteries in his previous life, too.

Though Noah had been sent to the monastery as if discarded, she grew up healthy and, in the end, returned to the Imperial City.

Back then, he’d thought it was just Collin using his influence to persuade the marquis.

‘But perhaps Father had already set things in motion in advance.’

His father must have foreseen that he wouldn’t live long.

And the thought of Princess Noah, abandoned, weighed heavily on his heart.

With that thought, everything fell into place.

Now, Rohan was moving for Noah’s sake, but at the time, it had been his father quietly looking after Noah from the shadows.

That realization sent a strange pang through Rohan’s heart.

“But, Your Highness. May I ask, what brings you here today? Seeing that even Count Nidro has accompanied you, I doubt it’s simply to visit Princess Noah.”

Truly, a sharp one.

At Collin’s question, Rohan smiled faintly and spoke.

“Do you remember the conversation we had before?”

“If you mean the one before…”

“When I said I wanted nothing at the moment.”

“Ah.”

A flash of keen light appeared in Collin’s faded eyes.

The sponsorship he received from the Crown Prince for looking after Noah was substantial.

It was enough to reach his desired goals in half the time.

So, he’d been curious all this time.

What did the Crown Prince want from him in exchange for pouring such funds into this place?

“Is there something you wish of me?”

At Collin’s question, Rohan nodded with a bright smile.

“There is indeed. I have something I need your help with.”



---



It was a bitterly cold winter.

Harsh winds swept the entire Empire, and the sky was sunken in a gray haze.

Days grew shorter, nights dropped to freezing temperatures.

Winter always pressed down hard on the lives of the people. The cost of firewood for heating soared, and those who could not endure hunger were forced, day by day, to make desperate choices to survive.

But this winter was harsher than usual. And it wasn’t just because of the weather.

“They say the Imperial Succession Law might change this time.”

A woman buying bread from a street vendor began to speak.

“Marquis Fabian is pushing for it, I hear? He wants to alter the conditions for the succession, making it more favorable to powerful noble families.”

“They’re going to hold a vote for the first time, right?”

In taverns, marketplaces, town squares, even in tiny villages on the capital’s outskirts—

And among the nobles, too, this matter was the talk of the town.

At a noble’s villa on the outskirts of the capital.

In front of a warmly lit fireplace, four nobles sipped their drinks.

All were connected, directly or indirectly, with Marquis Fabian, and at the center sat Count Frolan.

“So, what do you think?”

One man took a sip of wine, then spoke cautiously.

“If they go through with this vote, the marquis’s side is sure to have the advantage, right?”

“Of course. Those who won’t participate are obvious, and there are far more factions supporting the marquis.”

A noble replied with a laugh.

“With the marquis’s power, it’s entirely possible. Still, His Majesty the Emperor won’t like it… Permission has been granted, but whether he’ll just sit back and do nothing—that’s the question.”

Frolan set his glass down quietly at those words.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened his mouth slowly.

“What do you all think of Grian’s verdict?”

The air at the table grew heavy.

Everyone present was on close terms with Count Frolan and had cherished Grian as one of their own.

“What happened to Grian… It’s still heartbreaking to think about.”

His friends offered their condolences for Frolan’s loss.

“How did Grian end up down such a path? I still can’t believe it. He wasn’t the kind of boy to do something like that.”

With difficulty, Count Frolan spoke up.

“To tell the truth, before the boy died, he left a will.”

“…A will?”

“In that will, Grian spoke of his injustice. Would you all like to see it?”

The count drew his son’s will from his coat and placed it on the table.

The other nobles, curiosity piqued, stretched their necks to examine it.

Frolan put his finger to his lips.

“This will must remain a secret. I’m sharing it only with you, my closest friends.”

“Hmm… Well, you needn’t worry about that.”

“Of course, of course.”

The nobles nodded.

A moment later.

Having finished reading the will, their faces showed anger and astonishment at once.

“Wait. If this will is true, then Grian wasn’t behind the illegal auction at all?”

“Incredible! Why didn’t you submit this as evidence at the trial?”

“That’s right! If the will is true, then Grian was just used by the marquis, losing both his life and his honor.”

Their faces grew grave.

“Myers, don’t tell me you hid the will out of fear the marquis would cast you aside?”

Disappointment mingled in his friend’s voice.

“If you were me, what would you have done?”

“Of course…”

“I’d have submitted it as evidence in the trial! He should have received a fitting punishment, don’t you think?”

“No matter how important the family is, to hide the injustice of your son’s death and keep living—that’s a terrible thing, Myers.”

At his friends’ words, Count Frolan smiled faintly for the first time.

“Yes, that’s true. That’s why I went to kill the marquis. To kill him, and then die myself. Though, in the end, I couldn’t go through with it.”

“What?!”

“That was reckless, Myers!”

Everyone wore looks of astonishment.

“My son was a fool, truth be told. I worked so hard to get him a good position so he could stand on his own, yet all I got back was a cold corpse.”

“…”

“I don’t want to put those I care about in danger ever again. That’s why I’ve revealed this—to protect you all.”

“Hmm…”

“Hrm, hmm.”

The nobles glanced at each other warily.

They, too, had each placed their own sons in key positions related to the marquis.

At any time—

They realized there was no guarantee something similar wouldn’t happen to them.

Silence fell, broken only by the crackling of logs in the fireplace.

After a while, Count Frolan spoke.

“The truth is, I didn’t even know about this will.”

“What?”

“It was someone else who gave it to me. He told me to seek not reckless vengeance, but proper retribution with this will.”

“And who was that?”

“You all know him well. That person is…”

Count Frolan slowly opened his mouth.

“His Highness, Crown Prince Rohan Schubert.”



---



A week passed.

The cold winter dragged on, and at last, the day of the State Council vote arrived.

This time, even the nobles who hadn’t attended the previous council came, having heard the news, to cast their votes.

It was a grand meeting, with nobles and high ministers from all over the Empire in attendance.

From early morning, the Great Hall was filled with a heavy tension, and everyone’s faces were more solemn than ever.

Emperor Beltar did not look well.

His skin was pale as a white mist, and every so often a dry cough escaped him. Crown Prince Rohan watched, his gaze deep and dark.

“All votes have been cast.”

A solemn voice echoed through the hall.

From the center, the presiding officer strode slowly to stand before the ballot box.

He held in his hands an old wooden chest, packed tightly with voting slips bearing the seals of each noble house.

“I will now open the ballot.”

The long-awaited moment had come.

This was no simple matter of passing or rejecting a proposal.

It was a political struggle between the conservative faction supporting the Emperor and the radicals backing the marquis.

The presiding officer began to read the votes one by one.

“Baron Elmon of the Brendir family. Oppose.”

“Viscount Kyle of the Leobart family. Oppose.”

“Count Marzen of the Oraz family. Oppose.”

Opposition votes continued.

The marquis’s expression showed little change.

From the start, he’d expected that the initial votes would be against him.

“Viscount Anderes of the Berat family. In favor.”

With the first favorable vote, Marquis Fabian’s lips curled ever so slightly. Then came more supporting votes.

“Viscount Jess of the Branel family. In favor.”

“Viscount Marco of the Erdin family. In favor.”

Then—

“Count Myers of the Frolan family. Oppose.”

When Count Frolan’s opposition vote was announced, the marquis’s expression twisted sharply.

A look that said, ‘How dare you?’ shot toward Count Frolan.

Yet, as more families cast their votes in favor, the marquis’s furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

Even the aides beside him let out sighs of relief.

The marquis had, for months, been quietly making moves in preparation for this proposal.

He had promised tax reductions to some nobles, shared small privileges with others. The deals had been made discreetly, and now, the fruits were appearing before his eyes.

“In favor: 30 votes.”

“In favor: 35 votes.”

“In favor: 38 votes.”

Some of the nobles who had cast opposition votes began to waver. The momentum was already shifting.

“Tsk.”

The marquis clicked his tongue softly.

Because of Count Frolan and the nobles close to him casting opposition votes, the ballot was closer than expected.

No doubt, Count Frolan, bitter over his son’s death, had convinced his friends to join him.

It was obvious even without seeing it.

The presiding officer’s final voice rang out.

“In favor: 40 votes. Oppose: 36 votes!”

Yet, still, the faction supporting the marquis held greater strength.

A subtle smile spread across the marquis’s face.

“With more votes in favor, this proposal shall hereby pass—”

Bang…!

Just then.

The doors of the Great Hall burst open with a tremendous sound.

“Wait a moment!”

With the sudden shout, all eyes turned toward the doors.

A man entered the assembly.

Clad in simple black clerical robes, those who recognized the elderly figure began to murmur.

“C-Collin Meister?”

“The former Chief Chamberlain—what is he doing here…?”

And then…

“T-Those people…!”

The nobles who saw the five figures following Collin were struck with shock.

“Wh-What is this…?”

Even the marquis’s eyes shot wide open in heavy astonishment, while at the same time, the corner of Rohan’s lips curved ever so slightly.

“Your Majesty! It has been far too long since I last greeted you!”

Among the large-framed men, the one at the very front bellowed in a booming voice.

“I am Kurk Malta! I pay my respects to Your Majesty, the Sun of the Empire!”

The great nobles of the North had arrived.