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It was clear that by now, the news of Ariel's assassination had spread throughout the royal capital.
And the news of Allen being with her had also spread throughout the royal capital.
To the common folk, it would probably only cause righteous indignation, and perhaps a sigh of admiration for the Princess's powerful guard.
But in the eyes of the nobles, what it meant was self-evident.
Pilemon, who had been closely following the royal capital's developments recently and knew Ariel had gone to Flowing Falls City, naturally learned the news immediately.
Certain associations naturally popped into his head:
Ariel was clearly rescued by this boy named Allen, but wasn't Allen that dog-spawn of the Boreas family?
Damn it.
This ambush was, in all likelihood, the work of the First Prince.
The First Prince? Didn't Boreas already support the First Prince?
This must have been orchestrated by James.
'Repelling an assassination,' sounds good. Even if you trace the Boreas family back three generations, the highest level they reached was Old Saul's Advanced Swordsman rank. By James's generation, they were all schemers. What kind of martial tradition or foundation did they have?
How could they compare to our Notos family, who have always prioritized martial cultivation since childhood?
I see, it's clearly you two, father and son, and even your entire Boreas family, putting on a show! Splitting your bets! Among the three most prestigious candidates for the succession, your Boreas family accounts for two: one is the First Prince, who has the most influence among nobles, and the other is the Second Princess, who has the most popularity among the common folk.
Is there no law anymore? Don't you fear that such crude manipulation of people's hearts will leave you displeased on both ends!
And you, Ariel, you keep saying you're grateful for my Notos family's aid, using some excuse about cherishing your reputation to reject my suggestion of sending my son to you. So you've been entangled with the Boreas family all along? You've been flirting with the Boreas family for a long time!
Is this acceptable?
Clearly, our Notos family placed their bets first! We were here first!
So, Duke Pilemon, who was never much of a schemer, possessing the Notos family's characteristic 'quick wit' and truly being Paul's blood brother, immediately decided, after growing agitated, to visit the Second Princess's mansion to get an explanation.
But when he arrived in the afternoon, Ariel hadn't returned yet?
This only further confirmed that Ariel had gone to the Boreas mansion.
Pilemon simply decided not to leave and waited right there for Ariel to return.
Thus, the current scene unfolded.
"Can you still be 'sincere'?"
Ariel stared blankly at the dock again, then turned to Allen once more. For once, he saw her frown.
"Did you anticipate this?"
Allen then lied. "I merely suspected someone would come. As for who specifically, I didn't foresee. But is it Notos? It seems Your Highness is indeed a rare commodity."
Ariel heard this, a hint of annoyance flashed in her eyes, and she was about to say something.
"Your Highness! It seems Duke Pilemon has been waiting in the reception hall for a long time..."
Derrick Redbat hurried over, his excitement barely concealed. Mid-sentence, he glanced at Allen, his face a mix of hesitation and embarrassment.
Indeed, he personally had a strong liking for Allen, even an overly strong liking, but the currently observable facts were cruel.
—Allen had no intention whatsoever of joining the Second Princess's faction.
In Derrick Redbat's mind, Ariel's position was undoubtedly superior to Allen's. The former concerned the dream of reforming Asura; the latter was merely out of his own youthful admiration for an outstanding peer.
Pilemon's late-night visit, and his low posture, completely exceeded his expectations.
Therefore, the scales of reason had tipped.
Derrick Redbat was not someone who revered martial prowess. The influence of swordsmen who emphasized individual martial strength, and the Water God Style Main Dojo, were far less clear to him than to Ariel, who inwardly harbored the ambition of establishing her own Knights' Order.
In this situation, even though Allen was far superior to that young man of the Notos family named Luke, both being from the Four Great Noble families.
Pilemon himself was undeniably the head of the Notos family.
Comparatively, Allen, who still had a father under the First Prince, and whose influence was primarily in his own territory, a scion of a Great Noble family whose economic assets in the capital outweighed their political power.
He no longer seemed as 'appealing.'
After all, the succession struggle was about political influence.
Allen watched Derrick Redbat's hesitant expression. Speaking of which, he had pried out the details of Pilemon's involvement with Ariel from this very Guardian Mage on the way.
He smiled, then turned to leave.
"Your Highness Princess, please attend to your guest first. We will wait in your mansion's front courtyard for a moment."
Thud, the ship swayed, coming to a steady halt at the dock.
Ariel watched Allen's retreating back, devoid of any reluctance, and bit her lip.
"Derrick Redbat, disembark, to the reception hall!"
With that, she clicked her high heels, and even before the gangplank was fully set, she motioned for a maid's support and leaped off the ship.
She hurried towards the brightly lit mansion.
Thump, thump, thump, her footsteps were rushed, completely losing her usual composed demeanor.
As if desperately trying to prove something.
Allen, meanwhile, waited for Sylphy and the others to arrive. He calmly explained the situation to them, then, once the gangplank was set, he slowly strolled towards the shore.
He even looked at the Princess's mansion, which resembled an old European castle, with interest.
Not rushed at all.
Because...
What one cannot obtain is always the best.
What is called 'push and pull' is simply repeatedly oscillating between the result of not getting something and the possibility of getting it.
Thus.
The desire to obtain is continuously stoked, while the reality of not obtaining it is constantly prolonged.
Then...
The desire to obtain will burn even more fiercely.
Isn't that right?
"No!"
"Your Highness?! Why refuse? If you refuse Duke Pilemon again this time, there might never be another chance! Although Mr. Allen is excellent, he clearly has no intention of joining us!"
Derrick Redbat frowned, following Ariel closely, his face showing clear incomprehension.
Ariel had already quickly traversed the long front courtyard, finally slowing her pace only upon stepping onto the carpet in front of the mansion's entrance.
Her speaking speed, however, remained extremely rapid.
"To gain Allen's support, such a utilitarian choice won't work. You don't understand him."
Derrick Redbat looked utterly bewildered, his mouth agape as if he had heard something absurd.
"We are talking about Duke Pilemon, not how to gain Mr. Allen's support! Clearly, we now have a better choice—"
"Derrick Redbat!!"
Ariel's voice suddenly rose, interrupting Derrick Redbat, startling him so much that his body jolted.
It was the first time he had seen Ariel so impatient.
"Don't you understand yet? Duke Pilemon is not genuinely investing in you and me, otherwise, he wouldn't have adopted that 'wait-and-see' attitude back then! And why has he changed now? He's simply been provoked by Allen's frustrated anger!"
"Our current value as a rare commodity is merely an illusion. Derrick Redbat, think carefully! If we agree to Duke Pilemon now and disregard Allen, once Duke Pilemon calms down, he won't be the one in a passive position; it will be you and I!"
Derrick Redbat took a deep breath.
"Your Highness, I understand. But noble support is about forming alliances, and Your Highness's current influence is relatively weak. With Duke Pilemon's support, and your charisma, you can attract more nobles to rally behind you..."
As they spoke, the two had already reached the reception hall.
Ariel calmly glanced at Derrick Redbat, whose face was sweating profusely in his agitation.
She closed her eyes.
Then opened them again.
A gentle, spring-like smile once again graced her face.
She turned and motioned for the maid to open the reception hall's main door.
Creak.
Along with the scent of black tea, what assailed them was.
Pilemon's figure, seated on the sofa.
He turned to look at Ariel. Seeing her offer an impeccable noble bow, he didn't even wait for Ariel to reach him.
He impatiently got straight to the point.
His first sentence was:
"Your Highness Ariel, I have come to tell you that you have been deceived by the Boreas family."
"A scion of the Boreas family 'coincidentally' in Flowing Falls City, saved Ariel?"
At the very top of the Silver Palace, within a secluded part of the royal chambers, a figure stood with a walking stick on a balcony overlooking the top floor of the mansion below.
A deep, aged voice carried the oppression of one long accustomed to power.
The view from the balcony encompassed the entire royal capital.
The mountains in the darkness spread outwards like the body of a sprawling black demon dragon.
The Royal Palace, the Upper Noble District, the Free Zone, the Commoner District, the Adventurer Settlement Zone, the Outer Royal City.
Asura, sleepless.
Lines of fire burned and crisscrossed along the main thoroughfares below him.
That was the pulse of prosperity.
Clusters of lights illuminated the royal capital, named after a hero, flickering in his eyes.
That was the starry sea of power.
Thump, thump.
The figure, wearing a crown, gently tapped the balcony railing in front of him with his fingertip. Behind him, Lilfa bowed forward, holding the Golden Sword in his hands.
He didn't need to answer the King's words.
Although the words sounded like an inquiry, Lilfa knew that the King was merely asking and answering himself.
The King quietly watched the night scene of Asura for a while.
He turned, reaching out to stroke the Golden Sword that Lilfa held aloft.
"Returning to the Sword Sanctuary is no easy feat. No need to worry, Lilfa, your apology is unnecessary. This is merely a ploy by a junior to play with reputation."
Lilfa lowered his eyelids.
"Yes."
"My old friend... Saul Boreas Greyrat, is not someone who can cultivate a child singularly devoted to martial arts, willing to reside in that barren little northern town. However, this 'holding out for a better price' posture is quite convincing; it vaguely reminds me of young Darius. Quite an interesting boy."
"I had thought that this time's succession struggle, these youngsters, would still need to 'endure' for a long time. It seems, however, that it has heated up prematurely."
"That's fine."
The thump-thump of a silver walking stick sounded.
Moving away from the balcony.
"The royal capital has been too quiet for too long."
"It's time for some excitement."
The front courtyard of the Princess's mansion was now very lively.
Of course, Ariel would not be so imprudent as to completely ignore Allen and the others.
Rows of maids swarmed out. Just as Allen and his group reached the front courtyard, they offered soft, damp towels to clean hands, served tea and water, asked after their comfort, and invited them to another reception room.
They were bustling with activity.
The ridiculous part was, when Allen politely declined the invitation to the reception room, stating that enjoying the garden at night was also nice.
A maid even leaned in, softly asking if they should prepare a tea table for the guests to drink tea and admire the view, as it was the perfect season for the Oriole flowers.
It left Sylphy and Rudy bewildered.
Allen quickly waved his hand, smiling, indicating there was no need.
But then a table was already set up in front of them. The maid smiled charmingly, stating that they should feel free to give any commands.
While Sylphy and Rudy were still dazed, Eris, the thoughtless one, had already plopped down on a chair and gulped down her tea.
Allen and the others could only reluctantly take their seats, but before their butts even touched the chairs.
Bang!
Eris put down her teacup, and with great gusto, twisted her head and asked the maid behind her.
"Are there any beast-folk maids—Wuwuwuwu!!!"
"No need! Thank you!"
Allen grabbed his sister, who was having a beast-girl craving. He didn't doubt for a moment that Ariel's mansion, with its abundant maid resources, could indeed produce a few cat-girls to serve tea.
Just then.
At this moment, the rumbling sound of a carriage came from outside the mansion gates in the front courtyard.
Then, hurried footsteps followed.
Someone arrived, bathed in moonlight.
The reception hall had no moonlight.
Bright chandeliers illuminated every corner of the reception hall.
But they couldn't illuminate the gloom within the deep nasolabial folds on Pilemon's face.
This expression made Derrick Redbat sweat profusely, almost jumping with agitation.
Because, a moment ago, Ariel had once again politely declined the olive branch extended by Pilemon.
"Thank you very much for the reminder. But I personally have some private dealings with Mr. Allen. My apologies, Duke Pilemon, I truly believe in your sincerity, but please allow me to be a little willful."
"My apologies again."
Pilemon frowned, looking at Ariel, who was bowing apologetically, and at Derrick Redbat, who was so agitated he was almost jumping. He took a deep breath.
"I think I made myself quite clear just now."
"This ambush against Your Highness was clearly a situation meticulously set up by the Boreas family. Yet, from your words, it seems you don't quite believe what I'm saying?"
Ariel said, lowering her eyes obediently.
"My apologies, I understand your good intentions. Perhaps, based on the current situation, there might indeed be such a tendency. But at least to me, the situation at the time was not like that."
She turned to look at Derrick Redbat.
"I think my Guardian Mage can also confirm this; he was present at the time."
Derrick Redbat was dumbfounded at her words. He firmly believed Allen had merely happened to pass by and saved Ariel, but currently, his rationality leaned towards choosing the Notos family. Her question made him grab his handkerchief and wipe his sweating brow.
"I also believe Mr. Allen happened to save Her Highness the Princess, but I still feel that with the Notos family's sincerity..."
A sigh interrupted his words.
"I understand."
Pilemon actually stood up.
He looked at Ariel and said very seriously.
"Those who seek fame and play tricks have blinded Your Highness."
"No matter. I will prove whether that junior of the Boreas family, who put on a show with the assassins, is merely a facade."
"And who is more outstanding, and whom you should choose?"
Ariel lowered her eyes at his words, a faint trace of impatience flashing within them, but when she looked up, her face was once again soft.
"I personally am willing to trust Mr. Allen. How should that be proven?"
Pilemon smiled, a very confident smile on his face.
"While I was waiting for you this evening, I had already instructed my servant to summon my second son, Luke Notos Greyrat."
"Who is the one to be entrusted with, one duel will tell."
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