That elf held great significance.
That’s why, after collaborating with those unsavory elves whose only redeeming quality was their appearance and working with Sandor’s connections to route her through numerous slave traders and countries, making it difficult to trace her back, I took careful precautions.
And I had planned to keep her as a slave with Gilrenzio, then kill her when the royal elf faction that rules over the elf country gained dominance.
The plan went slightly astray, but it’s no problem in terms of fulfilling my great wish.
“The plan is not impeded. The royal elf faction advocating friendship with humans cannot disclose this abduction incident. By the time the noble elf faction starts to move and disrupt the situation, events will proceed as we intended.”
To calm himself, Zervis leaned back in his chair.
In the empire of Albesarge ruled by the Divine Tree, the six ducal houses hold immense power above all else.
The Spiritua Ducal House governs spirit magic.
The Sanctus Ducal House governs sacred magic.
The Samaniel Ducal House governs summoning magic.
The Korathion Ducal House governs enhancement magic.
The Maledicto Ducal House governs curse magic.
The Ornament Ducal House governs alchemical magic.
Virtually monopolizing the powerful technology of magic, the six great ducal houses wield such influential power that even the imperial family treats them with reverence. It’s fair to say that no one would openly defy them.
However——
“Once this plan is complete… the Ornament House will be able to advance our pieces before the other ducal houses.”
The situation changes when considering the six great ducal houses.
Even among those at the empire’s summit, there is a hierarchy within the ducal houses.
It stems from the order in which they were granted ducal status by the first emperor a thousand years ago when the empire was founded, based on their achievements at that time.
Among them… the name Ornament was called sixth.
Today they are collectively known as the “six great ducal houses,” but because of this fact, the other ducal houses have viewed Ornament as “inferior” and made them the target of mockery time and again.
The heads of the Ornament House have endured this humiliation.
Despite shouldering the grave responsibility of defending the nation and performing flawlessly, they were derided by the other ducal houses as “mere shut-ins who merely watched from behind.”
That’s why—the Ornament House has been preparing for three hundred years.
The Eisenhud Ducal House… the seventh ducal house that people have forgotten.
The newest and youngest of the ducal houses, yet a self-made house that fortuitously earned the emperor’s absolute trust and friendship for saving the crown prince’s life.
Not only that, Eisenhud defiled the existence of “magic” permitted only to superior individuals by dubbing the anomalous ability they happened to acquire “Innate Magic.”
That’s why the six great ducal houses conspired to destroy Eisenhud.
Though Artesia Eisenhud’s self-sacrifice prevented its complete destruction… by seizing Eisenhud’s territory, Ornament found a way to surpass the other ducal houses.
To bring that research to the implementation stage, they have spent three hundred long years.
To prove that the Ornament House is the most superior among the six great ducal houses.
Before fulfilling their great wish, they cannot allow the other ducal houses to catch wind of their movements.
“How far has the investigation progressed regarding the wagon that was stopped during the retrieval?”
“Regarding the commoners apprehended, a member of the Corea household had acquaintances among them, and the individuals themselves claim it was a crime targeting a nobleman attempting to evade a financial audit. So the possibility of other ducal houses being involved is considered low. It seems there is no further information to be hoped for.”
“And what about the damaged samples?”
“The samples were intentionally stored crudely to disguise them as ordinary medicine. When inspected, multiple vials were damaged, but the samples had no issues. After recovering and restoring the broken vial pieces, the quantities matched, suggesting the damage was merely accidental.”
“So it was simply misfortune as well. I thought some fool had ignored the secret oath made between the ducal houses, but it seems I became overly nervous due to the succession of misfortunes.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
A secret oath exists among the six great ducal houses:
To remain non-interventionist until Artesia Eisenhud’s death, as the absolute protectors of the empire and emperor.
They will not interfere until Eisenhud, the absolute protector of the empire and the emperor, dies and the six grand dukes take control of the empire.
In other words, to remain uninvolved while each house prepares for the time after Eisenhud’s death when the six ducal houses seize actual power and its house stands at the summit of the continent.
Amid this, the wagon attempting to depart the capital to retrieve the abducted elf was stopped, the auction organizer who gave the instructions disappeared with the venue being set on fire—all happening one after another.
That’s why Zervis ordered an investigation suspecting the involvement or interference of others. But he can dismiss those as needless worries.
Even if the other ducal houses make a move, he must defend to the death the secret he has acquired.
The secret that the abhorrent Eisenhud house occupied, despite Ornament being aware of its existence but unable to act due to their presence——
“However, there was one concerning statement from the commoners’ testimonies.”
“Speak.”
“That they were deceived by a child.”
“…A child?”
“Yes. According to their testimony, they acted on information from a child in the same impoverished neighborhood that a nobleman was attempting to evade a financial audit, deeming the child’s information credible.”
“Ha… So they were fools who danced to a child’s tune.”
“However, one of the apprehended individuals was formerly a knight holding a noble title. That person judged the content credible enough to act upon.”
Hearing Fidel’s words, Zervis narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You mean that child intentionally spread false information?”
“No… According to the investigation, the Samaniel ducal faction was actually making moves against the Laikarn household affiliated with their faction, and a financial audit inspection did take place later.”
“Then the child likely overheard the conversation and parroted it verbatim.”
“What concerns me is how a child from the slums remembered that conversation. Even if they overheard it, coded language would be used in public settings. Not only did the child from the slums understand and memorize it as a ‘money-related conversation,’ but they also conveyed it to someone well-versed in noble affairs—”
“…I see. My excessive reaction seems to have made you unnecessarily anxious as well.”
But then Zervis composed himself and stated:
“In the end, it was merely a child from the slums. Even if they had some ulterior motive, it wouldn’t extend to our realm, and if they were used by someone else, their fate would be sealed once their use was fulfilled. It’s a trivial matter not worth fretting over.”
If the reason for stopping the wagon was simply acting on a child’s words, then the possibility of other ducal house involvement is low.
As for the child remembering the conversation in credible detail, it’s more natural to assume a member of the Samaniel ducal faction’s own affiliates aimed to exploit another house’s blunder by feeding information to that child.
“I highly evaluate your thorough work. And—the former head of the Jade household who recognized your talents and took you in as an adopted son.”
The moment he said those words, Fidel’s brows twitched slightly.
“That’s why you need not worry about trivial matters. Our goal is to command the greater situation, and we of Ornament are not so fragile as to be swayed by trifling matters.”
“…My apologies, that was out of line from me.”
Seeing Fidel bow his head respectfully, Zervis nodded approvingly.
A mere child from the slums is not worth concerning himself over.
No one, no matter who, can shake this plan or the Ornament Ducal House.
That’s why—Zervis Ornament remained resolutely composed.
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