Inheriting the Novel

Chapter 30 : Representative of the Kingdom (2)

Representative of the Kingdom (2)

While staying in the capital, Shioten, I organized the information I had gathered so far.

'The only really useful information I got in the capital is about the Calamity of Light?'

A disaster I was able to learn about through King Leogart.

I wondered if it might be the disaster that struck the capital Shioten, so I went all around the city, but there was nothing in the synopsis about that.

In other words, the Calamity of Light happened elsewhere.

'One thing's certain: the Calamity of Light won't happen during this Founding Festival.'

King Leogart would not participate in this year's Empire Founding Festival.

I didn't know the reason, but it seemed there were circumstances behind it.

Anyway, since he, who was supposed to meet his end in the Calamity of Light, wasn't attending the Founding Festival, at the very least, the disaster wouldn't occur there.

Normally, I'd be able to go with my mind at ease...

"Haaa."

[What are you so worried about? Just relax and think positively.]

"Our opponent is the Empire's imperial princess. Must be nice for you to think so lightly."

[It's not just anyone—it's the Imperial Princess of Asktalin. Isn't there a lot you could gain?]

If I were to think simply, Grancesia's words were right.

I had gone through all sorts of hardships trying to win Duke Gale's favor until now.

But now, Riya Asktalin, the Imperial Princess herself, was expressing interest in me. It was truly a stroke of good fortune.

With her help, reviving my house would certainly be a simple task.

However...

"Yeah, you're not wrong. But it could also mean there's more to lose."

[The princess has an interest in you, and you think you could lose something?]

"What do you think would happen if she decided to make me her subordinate?"

[Ah... so that's it?]

Grancesia, for a moment, seemed to ponder my question, then let out an exclamation of realization.

"Do you get it now? If the princess tries to keep me in the Empire by force, I won't be able to pursue Fabian's trail anymore."

Tracking Fabian's movements was the most important thing to me right now.

Part of the reason was to use future knowledge for personal gain, but more importantly, it was to prevent the calamities.

If I couldn't stop the calamities, the world would be doomed.

[I see. But if that's the case, I don't think you have much to worry about.]

"Why do you say I don't need to worry?"

[If it's that lizard girl I saw... Well, you'll understand when you meet her. At the very least, I don't think you'll come to any harm.]

The strange undertones in her words made me furrow my brows.

At that time, I couldn't have known.

The true personality of the steady Imperial Princess, Riya Asktalin.

* * *

The Kingdom of Kainzel.

And in its depths, a secret place where only royalty could enter.

There, the ruins said to be left by the Creator God long ago still remained.

"What the—this thing is a fake?"

Although this location was only accessible to royalty, the Kainzel Kingdom's King Dmitri and two demonkin were present.

"A f-fake! This is a place our Kainzel Kingdom has protected for countless ages! There's no way the sword there could be—"

"Hah, this isn't paying off at all."

Ignoring King Dmitri's angry shouting, the two demonkin conversed with annoyed expressions.

"Who died this time?"

"One low-rank demonkin and Veil died."

"Veil? Ah, right. He died on the battlefield, didn't he?"

"Yes."

"He must have overestimated his strength. That's a mistake lots of newly intermediate-rank demonkin make."

At their exchange, Dmitri stopped yelling, swallowing his saliva nervously.

'To dismiss Lord Veil like that—just how strong are these two demonkin?'

Even an intermediate-rank demonkin possessed Swordmaster-level strength.

Though Veil hadn't been that kind of intermediate-rank, to Dmitri, there was hardly a difference.

"How many ruins said to have the sword are left?"

"Dozens more remain."

"Someone already found one, though. Hmph..."

"That one is all that's been found, so you needn't worry too much."

At the subordinate's words, the red-haired, muscular demonkin scratched his head.

'There's still plenty of time...'

They could still afford to take things easy.

At least, until 'that time' arrived.

* * *

With the Asktalin Founding Festival just around the corner—

I was summoned to the royal palace again by order of King Leogart.

Before heading to the festival, the selected participants were to have some interaction.

"If you'll come this way, Count Vanhart."

Guided by a maid, I arrived at a luxurious reception room.

It was a place only VIPs of the kingdom could access, so I couldn't help being inwardly excited.

'So I really have come up in the world.'

If I could achieve satisfactory results in this Founding Festival's Heavenly Selection, the House Vanhart could no longer be ignored.

"Welcome, Count Vanhart. Please have a seat here."

As soon as I stepped into the room, a tall man greeted me first.

I froze at seeing him, but quickly regained composure and greeted him.

"It's an honor to meet you, Count Ribina."

"The pleasure is mine. I've heard much about you from Zelbin."

The red lion crest on his chest.

There was only one person in the Kingdom of Talua who could wear that crest.

The Red Lion of House Ribina—Aldred Ribina.

Talua's only Swordmaster, and the kingdom's strongest knight.

'And a member of the Continent's Seven Heroes.'

Indeed, aldred Ribina's character settings were as formidable as befit one of the continent's greatest.

He had many talents, but most notably, his mastery of the Sky-Dominating Lone Sword was at 11 stars.

Since 12 stars was considered grand mastery, he had almost reached the pinnacle of Sky-Dominating Lone Sword.

[What are the Continent's Seven Heroes?]

'What? You don't even know that?'

[It wasn't a thing in my day.]

Grancesia's voice was full of curiosity.

Despite the title of "Saint", she had an oddly strong interest in powerful people.

I really couldn't understand why she was called a "saint", a title that suggested such nobility.

'I'll explain it later. Now's not the time for that.'

[All right.]

Leaving the disappointed-sounding Grancesia aside, I took a seat as guided by Count Ribina.

As soon as I sat, the eyes of those who had arrived before me shot over.

Among them, Zelbin welcomed me with a nod, but the remaining two showed obvious discomfort.

"First, let me congratulate all of you for being chosen as representatives in the Imperial Tournament. The five of us will represent our kingdom in the matches."

After a short while, when one more had arrived, Count Ribina looked around at us seated at the round table and began.

"As there may be those meeting for the first time, let's start with brief introductions."

With that, Count Ribina looked to his son, Zelbin, sitting closest to him.

Noticing the gaze, Zelbin stood up and calmly spoke.

"I'm Zelbin Ribina. I look forward to working with you all."

Incidentally, among the representatives, Zelbin was the youngest.

But no one here dismissed him just for being young.

Everyone knew he inherited the blood of Aldred Ribina, the kingdom's greatest knight, and possessed tremendous talent.

"I'm Eric Pedro. It's an honor to stand among the heroes who will carry our kingdom's future."

"I'm Alex Shane."

"Floria Hersel here. I admit, I'm a bit nervous."

All names I'd heard at least once.

Eric Pedro had earned the rank of baron by achieving great merit in war; Alex Shane was the second son of the Shane ducal house and was famous for his brilliance from a young age.

Lastly, Floria Hersel, eldest daughter of the Hersel viscountcy, was the only woman here and had swept many swordsmanship tournaments.

"I'm Clay Vanhart. I'll do my best not to be a burden."

Finally, I got up as well and introduced myself appropriately.

As I'd felt earlier, aside from Zelbin, the others' stares at me were rather peculiar.

'They're really checking me out.'

The reason was obvious. The spot I now occupied originally belonged to Baian Deoric.

Until now I had been a virtual unknown, but suddenly my name became famous through the war.

It was natural for them to be suspicious of my skills.

[Still, no one's openly picking a fight.]

'They must have heard what happened at the victory banquet.'

And with Count Ribina right here, none were stupid enough to stir up trouble directly.

The only question was how long this precarious mood would last.

'Well, at worst a duel or two might break out.'

I stifled a yawn and propped my chin on my hand. I was quite tired after staying up late last night playing cards with Monet.

'Who would've thought I'd never win a single game.'

This is why you should never gamble with someone lucky.

* * *

Imperial Palace of the Asktalin Empire, the 'Palace of the Black Dragon.'

The Palace of the Black Dragon, famed for its splendor befitting the Empire's might, was renowned across the continent as the most beautiful and most secure place.

Guarded by layers of magic and rigorously tight security, the Palace of the Black Dragon was practically an impregnable fortress.

Rumor had it that the city's walls might fall, but the palace itself could never be destroyed.

Yet now—

That place, lauded as the safest on the continent, was stained with red blood.

Numerous knights who had guarded the palace were groaning on the floor, and two people in splendid clothes clawed the ground like worms, desperately reaching toward the imperial throne.

"I hadn't expected you to go this far."

Emperor Gideon Asktalin of the Asktalin Empire sat on the throne, watching the scene with amused eyes.

Even though those crawling on the floor were his wife, the Empress, and his own firstborn, the Crown Prince, a smile lingered on his face.

After all, none of those lying on the floor had actually died.

And there was one more here maintaining a calm demeanor.

"Your Majesty, I have already forgiven the Empress's foolishness once. Overlook this little transgression lightly, I beg you."

Her long platinum hair and golden eyes glistened even in the darkness.

Skin as white as the moon.

She was a woman whose beauty could remind one of a masterpiece.

But there was something else about her. Two long horns grew from her temples.

One of the two horns was half broken and the broken fragment was fashioned as an ornament hanging at her waist.

"If you say so, then so it shall be."

Gideon treasured Riya Asktalin greatly, even among the royal family.

But according to imperial rules, he had been forced to banish her from the Empire.

They couldn't keep her in the Empire in case she lost control and ran wild.

Yet, remarkably, she had overcome the Curse of Dragonification and returned to the Empire.

Even after the transformation began, she had managed to keep her sanity.

He couldn't help but wonder how she had overcome the curse.

But what fascinated Gideon even more was something else entirely.

'She's really changed.'

Even after driving the Empress and Crown Prince to the brink of death before the emperor's eyes, Riya Asktalin remained unfazed.

Given the things the Empress had previously done to her, perhaps this was lenient.

Yet the Riya Asktalin that Gideon remembered would never have taken such actions.

'There must have been a catalyst.'

Whether it was an event or a person.

Gideon was genuinely curious what, or who, that catalyst had been.

His gently curving eyes resembled those of a dragon, just like Riya Asktalin's.

"Oh yes. I heard you invited someone to the Founding Festival."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Might I know the name? I'd like to personally arrange a grand welcome. That's why you came today, isn't it?"

In fact, the reason Riya came wasn't because of the Empress or the Crown Prince. The two plotting her death was nothing new.

This was just a minor warning.

"Clay Vanhart."

Hearing Riya's gentle voice, Gideon nodded, while the Empress wiped the blood from her brow, narrowing her eyes.

Seeing the subtle change in the Empress's expression, Riya smiled gently and called out to her.

"Your Majesty the Empress."

"W-what is it! You monster!"

Riya slowly walked over and bent down so she was at eye level with the Empress, who barely managed to speak.

Her crescent-moon-shaped eyes were soft, but her reptilian pupils were slit and fierce.

"If you interfere, I'll really kill you next time, all right?"

"......!"

Though softly spoken, the Empress went pale and shut her mouth. She instinctively sensed that this, more than anything, was not to be touched.

Clay Vanhart.

He was the reverse scale of the princess.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Dragon waifu!!!

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】