Chapter 77 – Duke Riviant
His mind spun quickly.
There was no way that old man's words were a lie.Impersonating a king was among the gravest of crimes in any nation. Especially in the capital, Ridron.
As Verden bent to kneel, an authoritative voice cut him off.
"Enough. Hollow courtesies are unnecessary, just sit down."
"…Yes."
He carefully sat on a nearby chair, meeting the Duke's gaze.
The Duke stroked his chin, studying Verden intently.
"You said your name was Asher, did you not. Are you perhaps from the magic tower?"
The Academy and the magic tower.
For mages, those two were the only places one could receive professional education.
The Academy was an educational institution that mainly handled children who had not yet reached adulthood. Students who had received basic education there would choose their paths depending on their talent and will.
Iris, whom he had met in Martes, was such a case.
On the other hand, the magic tower accepted anyone, regardless of age, as long as they had talent.
It was a place to learn and practice actual knowledge, where countless people once called geniuses gathered. That meant there were many gifted individuals.
If one stood out there, it was even possible to become a disciple of the tower master.
'Like Lucard Maniacs, the third disciple of the tower master who stole my theory.'
Suppressing the emotions that surged for a moment, Verden calmly thought over the Duke's question.
There was no way the Duke could know he was from the magic tower, so he was merely probing.
If Verden, who had achieved Defying the Heavens, had attended the Academy, his name would have already spread far and wide. By process of elimination, only the magic tower remained.
Without the slightest ripple of emotion, Verden answered calmly.
"No, I am not."
"Hmm, and neither are you from the Academy. This truly stirs my curiosity."
A deep curiosity glimmered in the Duke's eyes.
"The feats you accomplished in the principality are not things just anyone could achieve. Of course, it was not all by your hand alone, yet you undeniably played the decisive role. And you say you are neither from the Academy nor the magic tower…"
When his words ceased, silence filled the chamber.
The fingers that had been lightly tapping the bedframe stopped.
"Where, then, are you from?"
It was a light question, yet the atmosphere shifted at once.
Not by actual power, but by the sheer authority radiating from the Duke's presence. Verden felt the air grow heavy.
'So this is a king of a nation.'
It was different from simply being a powerful being.
This was the dignity of one who led millions. Not an overwhelming strength that forced others to their knees, but a presence that made others bow of their own accord.
The weak-hearted would not even be able to breathe properly before the Duke.
But Verden was not like that.
He would keep to common sense and basic courtesy, but neither tower master, nor king, nor emperor—no being—could dare to force him.
Meeting the Duke's authority head-on, Verden answered.
"I have lived all my life in the mountains with my master."
He told the tale of being an orphan, taken in by his master, raised both as a disciple and as a child. It was a fabricated past created by Verden.
It was the most plausible background others would accept. If he said he was self-taught, no one would believe it—they would only grow more suspicious.
The Duke asked again.
"A master, you say… may I ask his name?"
"Occasionally, people would visit my master and call him 'Ban.' So I too called him Master Ban. Whether that was his real name, I cannot say. He was reluctant to speak about his past."
The Duke turned his gaze to Endrick, the old man serving as his guard.
He too seemed never to have heard of such a name.
'A hidden mage in the wilds. A plausible tale.'
The world was vast, and there were many strong ones.
He did not fully believe Verden's words, but they were not without credibility. After all, there had been cases where disciples, having trained under renowned masters, came out into the world.
It would be best to know a proper name or at least an alias, but if even the disciple had never heard it, there was no way to trace it.
And of course, probing further would yield nothing. After all, Verden himself did not know.
The Duke slowly nodded.
"Whoever he was, he must have been remarkable to have raised a mage like you."
With that, the Duke did not press further into Verden's origins.
He had not come to interrogate, but simply out of genuine curiosity about the man. Though, if anything, their conversation had only deepened his curiosity.
The Duke glanced at the clock, then spoke again.
"Hmm, time is short. Let us move on to the main matter."
"The main matter… you say?"
Then what was all this conversation just now?
"As you must have already heard from Captain Bastio, the reason I summoned you to the capital, even mobilizing an airship, was to reward you for your role in the Soul Tree subjugation and to ensure the success of the tournament."
Of course, his personal curiosity had been the greatest reason.
He simply lacked the patience to wait a few more days. That had earned him scolding from Endrick, his old friend and guard.
Not that he had any intention of changing his ways now.
"As you know, many nobles are gathered here in Ridron. After submitting their reports to me, they will enjoy a grand banquet. And word has already spread that the famed Asher will appear at this banquet, so anticipation is high."
A young mage who had saved tens of thousands of lives.
Who would not be intrigued.
To be precise, what they felt was more suspicion than interest.
Nobles, steeped in politics to their very bones, would certainly try to verify Verden.
Partly to sate their curiosity about an unknown powerhouse, but more importantly because rewards were being bestowed using the principality's resources—they would seek thorough confirmation.
It was the attitude nobles ought to show, and for Verden, it was naturally a process he would have to endure.
"From your standpoint, it must not be pleasant. You cannot ignore the nobles, yet dealing with each one will be unbearably tedious."
"…"
"Haha, that expression tells me you truly detest it. So I thought, rather than that, why not settle everything with one grand display."
The tournament of the delegation.
There, Verden would face the fighters brought by the nobles, and before all, prove his power.
"But it seems Count Rodenmeyer has already taken action. That fellow is quick-witted indeed… Though it spares me the effort of persuading you, still, it has taken some of the thrill away. With that in mind, I wish to make you a proposal."
"What proposal?"
"The delegation's tournament has a total of sixteen participants. It is conducted in the form of a two-day tournament, very simple in format. But that simplicity creates one major flaw."
Since the order was decided randomly, strong contenders who should have clashed in the finals might end up meeting in the first or second rounds.
In that case, the later stages inevitably lost steam. For the greater the earlier excitement, the duller the weaker stimuli that followed would feel.
So the Duke thought.
Why not decide the order himself.
He had no reason to hesitate.
For he was the king of this nation. No one could stop him.
"I intend to secretly arrange the matches myself, for maximum, gradual stimulation."
"…Are you allowed to do that?"
"If discovered, the nobles may complain, but for the sake of spectacle, it is well worth it."
Verden glanced at Endrick.
He shook his head. Once the Duke had decided, nothing could be done.
"But most of all, what matters is your will. If I do this, you will be facing the strong one after another. If you refuse, I will fully understand. Though I might be a little disappointed."
The Duke slyly provoked Verden.
Verden did not particularly feel anything, but aside from that, he had no reason to refuse the Duke's proposal.
After all, he had come with the intention of taking first place in the tournament.
Since Gluttony had yet to make any move, Verden planned to act in pursuit of greater reward.
"Understood. I shall do as Your Highness wishes."
"Oh, truly? Hah, I am most pleased, a man with whom words reach so easily. Quite…"
"Your Highness, it is time to return to the royal palace."
At Endrick's words, the Duke clicked his tongue in regret.
Then he rose from his seat, stepped toward Verden, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"If you show strength enough to convince all, I shall bestow upon you a special reward. So I do hope you display a fine performance, Asher."
Leaving those words behind, the Duke and Endrick departed the manor.
And a short while later, Count Rodenmeyer entered the chamber.
"It seems you finished the conversation without trouble."
"…"
"Do not look at me like that. I too had no idea His Highness would visit so suddenly. When he moves so unpredictably, even I have no way to prepare."
The Count gave a small cough, then cautiously asked Verden what he had discussed with the Duke.
Verden swept away unnecessary details, briefly summarizing the Duke's proposal. The Count's lips curled into a smile, genuinely delighted.
"Now you have yet another reason to take first place in the tournament."
…Just what was he so obsessed to obtain? Even when asked, he would not answer, so there was no way of knowing.
And so time flowed swiftly, nine days passing by.
***
A solemn atmosphere filled the conference chamber of the royal palace.
Seated at the center was Duke Riviant, and at either side of him sat four administrators. Each of them was an inspector, tasked with reviewing the performance of every territory and evaluating the lords directly.
"Let us begin."
The moment the Duke announced the start of the delegation, the chamber doors opened and a noble stepped in. Count Ridillian, lord of the southeastern domain, represented by his aide, Viscount Philbane.
The viscount paid respects to the Duke and sat down.
Even for a noble, the pressure was unbearable, and he swallowed dryly.
The Duke's voice reverberated through the chamber.
"Viscount Philbane, you have come in place of Count Ridillian, who is occupied with the winter wildfire."
"Y-yes, Your Highness."
"Fulfilling the duties of a lord is commendable."
Relieved by the Duke's praise, the viscount let out a subtle sigh of relief.
But the true inspection had not even begun.
"However, the response was quite delayed. Given the highland terrain of Ridillian's domain, spotting a wildfire should not have been difficult. Yet action was only taken after four days. I cannot understand why."
"T-that is…"
"And furthermore, disputes have arisen between the Adventurer's Guild and the demi-human subjugation matter, agricultural production has fallen nearly fifteen percent compared to last year, and the growth rate of the cities within the domain is far below expectations. The first I will overlook, as it is common, but the latter two are serious problems. What do you think of this, Viscount Philbane?"
The delegation was not simply reading reports.
Its main purpose was to thoroughly examine the territories, identify problems, and implement improvements.
Duke Riviant, who in the Kingdom of Estiria had once held a ducal seat ruling the grandest domain, was not one whose eyes could be easily deceived.
After some time, Viscount Philbane emerged from the chamber.
His face was pale as death, as though he had been stripped bare. The sight filled the other nobles with unease.
And soon, one after another, the nobles underwent the Duke's inspection.
Some came out smiling brightly, having fared well, but most lowered their heads in silence.
Count Rodenmeyer shook his head at the miserable spectacle.
'To live as a noble is no easy thing.'
Then his turn came.
Entering the chamber and taking his seat, he met the Duke's gaze, who let out a quiet murmur of admiration.
"Your domain is in excellent condition. Overall, it surpasses expectations. The crime rate continues to decline year by year. Such figures are rare indeed."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"But the cause of the large-scale disappearance has yet to be uncovered."
As expected.
Count Rodenmeyer answered calmly.
"It is an incident spanning multiple domains, with hundreds of people gone missing. As Your Highness knows, identifying the cause in such a short time is most difficult."
"Is it not the duty of a lord to achieve such things?"
"Your point is well taken. Thus, unlike other domains, I have taken a more proactive approach, and have succeeded in tracing the whereabouts of the missing. If only granted time, I promise to identify exactly who is responsible for these deeds."
The Count replied with confidence.
The Duke stroked his chin in thought, then nodded.
"I shall expect much."
With that, Count Rodenmeyer's inspection came to an end.
It was the best evaluation he had ever received in any delegation. A ranking of first place among the domains was within reach.
'And if Asher takes first place in the tournament…'
First place would be as good as certain.
For the outcome of the tournament was also factored into the evaluation.
The Count clenched his fist secretly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Meanwhile, the inspections continued.
Deep sighs echoed here and there. Thus ended the first day of the delegation.