novelraw Chapter 152 : Chapter 152
Chapter 152 : Chapter 152
Chapter 152. For the Kingdom (4)
Two weeks earlier, the kingdom was rocked by another storm.
As per Anna’s proposal, Evan officially handed Rotman Reverk over to the kingdom.
As expected, his presence shook the entire kingdom.
When it was revealed that the Empire had indirectly intervened in the war with the Kandahr, the anger of those who had endured that devastating war, which nearly led to the kingdom’s downfall, pierced the heavens.
“Your Majesty! We must immediately send a strong protest to the Empire!”
“Calm yourself. I share your sentiments, but acting rashly without solid evidence could bring greater harm.”
“If we stay silent, the Empire will see us as weak!”
“I’m not saying we do nothing, but we must first verify the facts carefully.”
The vassals soon split into two factions, engaging in heated debates.
“I believe we should protest immediately, Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty, if you’re considering sending a delegation, please reconsider.”
The hardliners, who wanted to protest the Empire at once, clashed fiercely with the moderates, who urged a more cautious approach.
“Hmm…”
At the center of the chaos, the King struggled to make a decision, lost in deep thought.
But he couldn’t delay indefinitely.
“Enough, all of you.”
Finally, the King made his decision, aligning with the moderates.
“Now is the time to rebuild the kingdom. For now, we focus on internal stability, and once the kingdom’s turmoil subsides, we’ll respond in earnest.”
However, no matter how powerful the Empire was, if they had tried to exert influence across the distant seas, it was not something to be overlooked.
“Separately, we will send an official letter demanding a thorough investigation into this matter and inform neighboring kingdoms of this incident.”
Though not as aggressive as the hardliners wanted, the King had resolved to confront the mighty Empire.
“So for now, let us focus on reorganizing the kingdom. Healing the wounds of our people comes first. We’ll also need to prepare the delegation to deliver the official letter.”
At the King’s decision, the divided vassals ceased their objections.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Thus, a month was granted.
Rotman Reverk was detained in the kingdom’s prison, and Evan postponed his plans to depart for the Empire immediately.
Since my name’s on the official delegation, I can’t go to the Empire alone anymore. The Princess planned this.
Anna’s proposal had two calculated intentions.
First, by including Evan in the delegation, she aimed to ensure his safety as much as possible.
Second, by tying him to the delegation’s schedule, she prevented him from leaving for the Empire on his own.
Of course, if I really wanted to, I could ignore the delegation and leave. But that would mean defying the King’s orders. In the past, I might’ve done it, but now I have too much to lose.
Unlike his past life, Evan now had much to protect.
Thinking of the future he could enjoy after completing his tasks, Evan resolved to handle things as safely as possible, avoiding reckless actions.
The Princess is really going out of her way for me.
With this in mind, Evan decided to focus on tying up loose ends while awaiting the delegation’s departure.
The top priority is pinpointing the exact location of the Zakarin Tribe. They’re a tribe hidden even within the continent, and their jungle is said to be so dangerous that entering means you may never return.
Even the author of the book about the Zakarin Tribe hadn’t specified their exact location.
And since the author had long since passed, there was no one left to ask.
Thus, Evan began scouring the palace’s ancient tomes for any clues about the Zakarin Tribe and their home.
Meanwhile, he didn’t neglect his family’s affairs—
specifically, resolving the issue of the collateral branches.
Through Mei, he tasked the entire Viper Organization with tracking down their whereabouts, determined to root out the family’s problems once and for all.
Two weeks later, an urgent message arrived from Mei.
[Duke, we’ve located all the collateral branches. We’ve tracked down everyone stemming from the Lafard Family.]
Finally…!
Her letter listed the names of the remaining collateral branches of the Lafard Family.
At the bottom, in Mei’s handwriting, was a concise sentence:
[Give the order, and I’ll take care of them all.]
Initially, Evan had planned to let Mei handle everything without getting his hands dirty.
But upon learning the significant number of collateral branches still remaining, and with time left before departing for the Empire, he changed his mind.
I want to see their faces at least once. I need to know what kind of people they are.
Thus, Evan sent a reply to Mei, the gist of which was:
[I’ve changed my mind. Gather them all in one place. I’ll deal with them myself.]
Evan Lafard, the head of the Lafard Family, decided to confront the collateral branches in person.
For them, this could be a moment of despair or their last chance.
***
The Lafard Family, one of the kingdom’s most storied noble houses.
Having maintained its lineage for centuries, its roots ran deep, and its sprawling branches were numerous.
Thus, despite Evan having already dealt with many collateral branches during the war with the Kandahr, there were still those he was unaware of.
Of course, their influence was negligible compared to the main collateral families that had been active before.
Some lived as commoners, while others were even beggars scraping by on the streets.
Yet, among them, a few had risen as emerging powers in the provinces.
What they all had in common was that they had never met each other nor actively participated in the Lafard Family’s affairs.
Until now, the Laper Family had dominated as the central force.
One day, a letter bearing the Laper Family’s seal arrived for them.
At the top, it read:
[The Laper Family invites you.]
Viscount Card Laper, reportedly killed during the war, and the deaths of his knights had significantly weakened the Laper Family’s influence.
Yet, they still served as a rallying point for the collateral branches, so their position wasn’t one to be openly ignored.
Thus, those who received the letter began gathering at the Laper Family’s estate on the appointed day.
—Clatter, clatter!
—Clip-clop, clip-clop!
The sounds of carriages and hooves echoed one by one, eventually converging into a long procession heading toward the Laper estate.
The estate’s residents, intrigued by the rare influx, opened their windows or stepped outside to watch the unfamiliar visitors.
“What’s all this commotion in the middle of the night?”
“Who knows? Is the Viscountess throwing a party?”
“A party? When she’s busy rebuilding the family?”
“I don’t know.”
Unaware of the details, the residents dismissed it as the affairs of idle nobles.
“Let’s go inside. It’s got nothing to do with us.”
“Yawn~”
The collateral branches, now gathered, eyed each other warily as they arrived at the grand mansion of the Laper Family.
Soon, a butler approached, bowing respectfully before guiding them.
“Welcome. This way, please.”
“Where is the Lady Laper?”
“The mistress is awaiting the guests in the banquet hall.”
With so many guests arriving from afar, some were displeased that Lady Laper hadn’t yet shown herself.
“To summon so many and not even show her face.”
“Exactly. Oh, I’m Emil Wirtz, running a small business in the southern territories.”
“Don’t care. I’m here for the Fire Dragon Orb, not to socialize.”
“Ah, yes…”
But their complaints were short-lived.
Upon entering the banquet hall, they saw the radiant Fire Dragon Orb and forgot all grievances, exclaiming in awe.
“Oh…!”
“Is that really the Fire Dragon Orb?”
A red gem gleamed atop an elegantly decorated pedestal.
Beside it, Lady Laper quietly appeared.
“You’ve all traveled far. Thank you so much for attending.”
The lady offered a gentle greeting.
By now, the guests should have sensed something was amiss.
Fewer attendees would mean greater gains, yet Lady Laper spoke as if she were delighted that every single one had come.
Moreover, the faces of Lady Laper and the servants guiding them were pale and anxious.
But the collateral guests, entranced by the Fire Dragon Orb’s allure, overlooked their suspicions.
“By the way, how did you take that precious orb from Evan Lafard?”
“What does it matter? The important thing is it’s in our hands now.”
“I’m wondering how we should divide it.”
As they indulged in dreams of a golden future, the banquet hall’s doors suddenly slammed shut.
—Thud!
At that moment, they didn’t think much of it.
But the next moment, an unexpected figure appeared, and the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
“How’s the Fire Dragon Orb in person? To your liking?”
Closing the banquet hall’s doors himself and stepping forward was none other than Evan Lafard.
Those who recognized him gasped, and a murmur spread.
“Evan Lafard…?”
“What? That’s him?”
Only then did they realize they’d walked into a cunning trap.
But it was too late.
As Evan took a step forward, an overwhelming pressure filled the banquet hall, suffocating them.
What is this oppressive force!
Damn it! We walked right into a trap!
With a chilling gaze, Evan spoke coldly to them.
“I’ll give you one chance. If there’s anyone here who doesn’t deserve to die, speak now.”