novelraw Chapter 87 : Edel Ribenia (1)
Chapter 87 : Edel Ribenia (1)
Chapter 87: Edel Ribenia (1)
“…Hmm.”
A weapon shop whose spire couldn’t even be seen from below.
‘I can think of one place that fits that description….’
A note delivered by no one other than Lea, ending with the words “your greatest puzzle.”
Naturally, it made sense to assume it was from Edel Ribenia.
Even so, I couldn’t help but remain cautious.
‘…Would the original Eugene Carter even know that place existed?’
The fact that Edel had chosen that location first was already surprising enough to me.
It was hard to believe that a man as careless as Eugene would’ve known the whereabouts of a weapon shop among the hundreds scattered throughout the capital.
After memorizing every single word written on the note, I burned it under the table.
‘It’s not without risk… but it’s one I’ll have to take.’
Despite all the things I’d accomplished recently, I was still, at best, an instructor of Karbenna.
Someone like me would hardly get another chance to meet Edel alone.
Since there was no chance our paths would ever truly diverge, the sooner we made contact, the better.
Once that decision was made, I realized that the table before me was already filled with dishes.
‘Since it’s decided, I might as well eat.’
There was no telling what might happen later tonight, after all.
For the next thirty minutes, I indulged myself in the Imperial Court’s finest cuisine.
The long, long day had finally passed its midpoint.
After the long and turbulent summit finally came to an end.
Inside the banquet hall of the Imperial Palace, where the royal family had gathered early the previous morning, the four direct members of the Ribenia bloodline assembled once more.
When Edel was the last to step into the hall, Abel and Rachel, who had been waiting, both turned their gazes sharply toward her.
Rachel was the first to sigh in disbelief.
“Gagging his mouth, my ass. That Eugene Carter or whatever his name is — his tongue might as well have wheels. What the hell was that supposed to be?”
Next, Abel spoke, letting his killing intent spill freely.
“What do you gain from all this, huh? What profit could you possibly have made from this farce?”
Edel’s answer was firm — too firm.
“Surely you didn’t think I’d take either of your sides?”
“…What?”
“I said I’d make a decision after the summit — not that I’d choose between you two.”
Their faces twisted further, consumed by anger.
“You’ve gone insane, Edel Ribenia.”
“You think running one summit means the whole world’s yours? Don’t make me laugh. The moment this luncheon ends, every noble with a complaint will raise objections. Then we’ll have a perfect reason to take a step back. Too bad for you!”
“And how many in the Assembly do you think will stand by your side, huh? You won’t even get to propose a bill, let alone pass one!”
“Brilliant job, really. You already had a terrible reputation among the nobles for pandering to the commoners…”
“So what’s your plan now? You’ve just made an enemy out of the entire Bernhardt faction.”
“Exactly! You’re completely screwed. You should’ve known your place, you arrogant fool.”
“Don’t tell me you’re still deluded enough to think those beloved citizens of yours will support your position?”
“As if. If anything, they’d sooner bring down the Imperial Court itself!”
“If you’d just chosen one of us and clung to our side, you could’ve at least saved your seat. What a pathetic miscalculation. Tsk.”
At times like these, the two siblings were in perfect sync.
As the pair rained down their insults, Edel simply shook her head in disappointment.
“This is exactly why I can’t choose either of you.”
“…What?”
“All you ever think about is how to benefit yourselves — how to preserve your positions. That’s your grand ambition in life.”
“You dare…!”
Abel, his rage surging to the tip of his head, drew his sword and lunged at her. Alix flinched and shrank back in alarm.
Edel drew the longsword at her waist and parried it effortlessly.
When Rachel raised her wand next, Edel drew her own with her free hand and deflected the gust of magic that followed.
In the span of mere seconds, she had subdued both siblings, glaring coldly at them.
“Sorry, but neither of you will ever beat me.”
“Kh…!”
“The man I’ve chosen is aiming for something far higher than either of you.”
“…A man? Don’t tell me… Eugene Carter?”
“Ha! You mean that washed-up soldier with no status or fortune?”
Even after being subdued, Abel arrogantly lifted his chin and barked.
“If he’s aiming higher than me, the Crown Prince, what, does he plan to become Emperor? That fallen noble bastard?”
“It’s a goal far more magnificent than being Emperor.”
“……”
“So let’s all do our best, shall we? No one knows what awaits us at the end of this journey.”
With that final remark, Edel left the hall.
A tremor of excitement coursed through her body, so intense she couldn’t even feel the hunger rising from within.
“This time… could it really be possible?”
No — she couldn’t jump to conclusions yet.
How many variables had threatened her life up until now?
There was no reason to believe this time would be any different.
“…Even so.”
Even so.
There was no doubt that a chance like this would never come again. So she grit her teeth once more.
There was still so much to prepare.
Step by step, carefully, flawlessly — not a single second of error allowed.
Then someday, perhaps she could reach it.
The ending known as “peace for all.”
And so, Edel Ribenia took a heavy step forward.
Night was slowly drawing near.
As I left the banquet hall with a full stomach, strangely, no one stopped me.
I glanced around and couldn’t help but murmur in mild admiration.
“I honestly thought they’d rush me immediately, but this is unexpected.”
Michel answered casually.
“People tend not to mess with lunatics.”
“Ah…”
“Well, you did destroy Halenber during the Hokhma incident, humiliated Bernhardt, poked the Imperial Army with the academy’s on-site report, and even crossed the Monastic Order. I wouldn’t want to talk to you either,” Lea added with a sigh.
That drew laughter from all sides — even Frederick let out a quiet chuckle.
We returned to the lodging around 6 p.m., the afternoon fading toward evening.
“We’re staying until the end of the day, right?”
“Huh?”
“Right, Sir Eugene.”
“Besides, there’s nothing for us to do if we go back to Karbenna right away.”
“Hearing that from a training maniac is honestly scary.”
“…What?”
Under Michel’s lead, the seven of us decided to rest for one more night.
It wasn’t a particularly strange decision.
The Imperial Court’s regulations stated that lodging would be provided until the day of the closing ceremony, after all.
We spent the day freely, congratulating each other on our victory.
Of course, I stayed quietly in my room — it was just that the others kept coming and going.
Then, around 7 p.m., Lea Bronte came to see me alone.
Knock knock―
“Instructor?”
“It’s open.”
Creak―
She opened the door just slightly, poking her head inside.
“Um… could we step outside for a moment?”
We went out of the lodging, slipped into a narrow alley, and found a quiet spot.
Once she confirmed there was no tail, Lea stretched with a satisfied sigh.
“Ah― I can finally breathe.”
“Mm.”
Noticing my silence, she tilted her head, curious.
“Are you always this quiet, or just when you’re around me?”
“…It’s not that I choose who to talk to.”
“But?”
“There are people I find easier to talk with. You’re not one of them.”
“Hmph. Do you think that’ll make me sulk or something?”
Pretending to be offended, Lea quickly dropped the act and gazed up at the sky.
“As of today, I’ll be returning to the Imperial Court.”
“…As expected, it was about that matter.”
“I thought about telling the two juniors, but I figured it’d be better if only you knew.”
“They probably have a rough idea.”
“Huh, really?”
“After all, during the summit, the only one who openly sided with us was her. They’d already know you have some connection to the Imperial Court — so it’s obvious.”
“Ugh, if I’d known that, I would’ve said this back in the room!”
She scratched her head in frustration, then locked eyes with mine.
It was the kind of honest talk one could only have at the very end.
“To be honest, at first… I resented her. I know it must sound strange to resent someone who was trying to help me, but…”
“No, I get it. To her, it must’ve felt like I took away the spot that was meant to be your first and last.”
Lea’s eyes widened.
“Wow… How does someone like you even understand that feeling?”
“I’ve had a similar experience once.”
Of course, in-game was a part I had to hide.
She gave a hollow laugh, staring into the distance.
“…Looking back, I don’t even know why I was so fired up. Her happiness was my happiness, and her goal was my goal.”
What did I see in that lonely smile?
Before I realized it, I began to speak — words of advice, unbidden.
“There’s no result without process.”
“……”
“Everything you’ve gone through — it all led to this result.”
A faint smile crossed my lips.
“So, you can be proud of yourself, Lea Bronte.”
Because thanks to you, your master achieved the best outcome.
And then.
Lea’s expression bloomed like a flower in full blossom.
“…Yes, I will.”
With the brightest smile I’d ever seen from her, she bowed deeply.
Satisfied, I nodded and walked away without looking back.
I would probably part ways with many more people in the future.
But even so, I decided not to say goodbye.
After all, we’d meet again eventually.
As I turned through the winding alleys, the wide main road greeted me.
I looked up at the sky, watching the lines of carriages go by.
Through the faint moonlight above, the spire of the Imperial Palace shone brightly.
I was heading back to District 5 — the place I’d visited a few days ago.
My watch read 8:50 p.m.
‘…This should be it.’
Slubis Weapon Shop.
Because of the peculiar layout of the nearby buildings, only the very top of the spire could be seen from here.
It was a place that appeared often in the game — usually used for secret conversations.
And for good reason: most of the surrounding buildings were abandoned, and as mentioned before, this area was the largest slum in the capital.
There was almost no chance of a passerby overhearing us.
I spent some time inspecting the tightly shut door of the shop.
Exactly as the clock struck nine—
“So you really found your way here.”
A familiar voice came from the corner of the alley, as if it had been waiting.
‘So, she’s still not ready to show her face yet.’
Understandable — she probably wasn’t sure if we were being followed.
So I responded in kind, keeping some distance.
“How did you know about this place?”
“And you?”
“An old classmate from my Special Task Force days once introduced me. You?”
“Well, a similar reason. One of my maids was interested in this kind of thing.”
“I see.”
A light exchange of probes.
She didn’t jump straight to the main topic — instead, she brought up something else.
“By the way, how did you track down the insiders?”
“Pure coincidence. One of the cadets in my class this year… got tangled up in some messy affairs.”
“Tangled up?”
“Two cadets in the same class were archrivals. I tried to resolve that — and that’s when I found out.”
“So that’s what that clash was for? The regular spar on March 2nd?”
“…Yes.”
“Miss Francia Brida awakened her Aura Blade then, didn’t she? Honestly, I was surprised. I thought it was still too early for that.”
“……”
Wait.
Why does she know all that in such detail?
Did Lea Bronte tell her?
Was she tracking Eric’s movements and happened to witness their duel — and reported the whole thing afterward?
‘No. That duel had nothing to do with Hokhma.’
Which meant there would’ve been no reason to report it — and even if she did, it would’ve been in the briefest possible form.
Eric dueled a classmate and lost.
He was seriously injured and hospitalized. That would’ve been all.
No way she’d mention Francia on top of that.
Of course, maybe she’d pieced it together naturally based on those earlier events…
While I stood there silently, her voice drifted toward me as if answering my thoughts.
“You’re wondering how I know so much, aren’t you?”
She slowly turned the corner and stepped into view.
“…How…”
And there she was — Edel Ribenia, in the flesh.
Looking exactly like Lea Bronte.