WeTried Translations
Translator: Hydrogen B
Editor: Hydrogen B
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 166: The Red Banquet (5)
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The mage's tone as he asked Kyle to accompany him was calm. He openly bowed before Kyle, exposing an opening without hesitation, as though certain Kyle would not attack.
Or perhaps he had some way to escape unharmed.
So this is how it turns out.
Kyle looked down at the mage and muttered to himself. He had expected someone might approach him from the moment he set foot in Renavik. Especially now, with the sudden Imperial invasion throwing everything into chaos. With even Imperial spies moving about, there was no shortage of enemies who might try to contact him.
From their perspective, Kyle was easy prey after leaving the Grand Duke's estate. Grand Duke Rivelius was a former Imperial prince, a council member alongside the kings of the five kingdoms, and someone who wielded considerable authority within the Federation. Winning over one of the Grand Duke's knights would make things much easier. If things went well, they could even extract information from him. Betrayal was common in nobles' power struggles.
Did the Grand Duke see this coming? Is that why he subtly warned me to conduct myself wisely?
“...”
Kyle silently ran a hand over the sword at his waist. The alleyway, far from the main street, remained quiet.
“Are you alone?”
Kyle's low voice broke the silence. Only then did the mage raise his bowed head. The same relaxed smile rested on the green-robed man's lips.
“Yes.”
“You're rather confident.”
“Wouldn't one person be enough to invite a guest? To earn someone's trust, you must first show trust yourself, rather than lie in ambush.”
The mage spread both arms as if inviting Kyle to look. Kyle sent Prisia's mana through the surrounding area. Just as the mage had said, the two of them were the only people in this alley, far from the main street. No one had ever escaped Kyle's senses, which meant the mage was telling the truth.
“It seems His Majesty King Philip trusts you greatly. Or perhaps you're a disposable pawn.”
“His Majesty always treats everyone sincerely. If you meet him yourself, I'm sure you'll change your mind.”
The mage replied in a smooth voice. Kyle kept one hand on his sword and looked up.
The sun between the buildings had risen higher than before, though it was still low in the sky. Since he had left the estate in the morning, there was plenty of time left. He had intended to return before sunset, so there was no urgency yet.
Should I just kill him? There aren't any witnesses nearby.
The urge came over him for a moment, but it did not last. He knew it was not a good choice.
The mage before him had used Hallucination. Along with Spatial Magic, Illusion Magic was one of the most difficult branches of magic. Kyle knew that better than anyone because he had learned magic from Cecilia and often used Illusion Magic himself. At the very least, this mage was skilled enough to serve as the king's closest aide. The fact that he had appeared alone before Kyle proved it.
It'll be troublesome if I fail to kill him and he escapes.
Then what if I go along willingly?
Countless possibilities rose and vanished in Kyle's mind. The more he considered them, the more he leaned toward the latter.
Wherever the King of Russel was, many key figures among the moderates who favored the Empire would likely be gathered. It was dangerous, but that also made it an opportunity. Kyle recalled what the Grand Duke had told him not long ago. There was no such thing as a perfect secret. Sometimes, one had to take risks to move forward.
How much do they know? Do they know we're from the Knights of Ash?
He did not know. If he wanted answers, there was no choice but to go himself. Kyle checked his condition one last time. His body was in better shape than it had been in a long time. If necessary, escaping should not be a problem.
“Where is it? Is it far from here?”
Kyle loosened his grip on his sword sheath as he spoke. As though expecting that answer, the mage turned slightly and gracefully gestured toward the corner from which he had appeared.
“It is a little way off, but it will not take long.”
“...”
“For someone of your skill, that is.”
What did he mean by that? Had he already assessed Kyle's full strength? Keeping his expression unchanged, Kyle asked again.
“Is His Majesty King Philip waiting?”
“Yes. There are many others present as well. You will not regret it.”
“Lead the way. I'll follow.”
“Understood.”
The mage bowed politely, as he had before, then started walking. Kyle silently followed. His sharpened senses took in the contrast between the still alley and the distant streets, which remained full of voices and carriage wheels.
* * *
The mage moved through the twisting alleys without hesitation. Every time he rounded a corner, his green robe fluttered faintly.
Kyle followed closely behind. The frequent changes in direction made him wonder if the mage was deliberately circling to keep him from identifying his location. He did not voice the suspicion. There was no point.
We're heading toward the outskirts. Did they choose somewhere out of sight for a secret meeting?
Kyle spread his mana as he walked, committing their route to memory. The mage guiding him never once entered a broad street or main road.
It did not matter. Kyle was tracking their route as they moved. Even if things went wrong, he had already mapped out escape routes in his mind. In fact, it would be easier to shake off enemies on the outskirts.
And easier to kill someone and clean up afterward.
“Here we are.”
Kyle had followed the mage for nearly an hour when he finally stopped and turned back toward him.
“It looks shabby.”
“Despite its appearance, it has everything it needs. Please don't worry too much.”
The small estate on the outskirts of the city seemed poorly maintained, with dust gathered in places. The front yard was the same. The snow had all melted away, but the yellowed grass that had dried through winter drooped lifelessly. Green weeds poking through it gave the place a desolate air.
It's completely different from the Grand Duke's estate in central Renavik, where the royal castle can be seen.
Still, it looked well suited for private talks.
“Let us go in.”
The mage glanced at Kyle once and took the lead again. Kyle followed him into the estate.
Just as the mage had said, the estate was much better maintained inside than its exterior suggested. The front door opened smoothly, without the unpleasant squeal of rusted hinges.
The interior was more comfortable than Kyle expected. Magic Stone lamps placed at regular intervals softly lit the hall. Beneath the sunlight streaming through the windows, he could see the traces of someone who had kept the place in steady order. At this point, the shabby exterior seemed deliberately neglected. It would draw less suspicion that way, especially for an old, rundown estate on the outskirts.
The mage walked down the corridor and stopped before a room. Two knights stood straight-backed in front of the door.
Their eyes passed over the mage and landed on Kyle. More precisely, on the sword at his waist. It lasted only a moment before they looked away. The mage carefully knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
“Your Majesty, I have brought him.”
“...”
“May we enter?”
No answer came. The mage opened the door as if it did not matter.
“So, I was saying...”
“Hm? Who's here?”
“Who?”
“You know, that knight we decided to recruit.”
“Ah, right. Is it already that time?”
Leisurely voices drifted out from within. Then a cloud of acrid smoke hit Kyle's face. He frowned without realizing it and quickly swept his gaze across the room.
He clicked his tongue inwardly.
What a mess.
The spacious room was far more disorderly than Kyle had imagined. Countless liquor bottles covered the large table. Smoke from cigarettes and other tobacco products billowed from all around. The food placed among them was a filthy mess, as though it had all been half-eaten.
Cold daylight poured through the window on one side of the room. Ironically, the bright sunlight made the chaotic interior stand out all the more. A Magic Stone stove burned against one wall, constantly spreading warmth throughout the room. Perhaps because of that, the tobacco smoke and smell felt even more unpleasant.
And at the center of it all sat a middle-aged man.
“Another face I don't recognize. I don't remember you.”
Philip Merkan, King of Russel. Kyle knew at once without being told. From the instant the door opened, Philip's eyes had examined him unlike anyone else's, as though appraising him.
“Are you certain he's the Grand Duke's knight?”
Philip looked at the mage in the green robe standing beside Kyle. Unlike the Grand Duke, the King of Russel had a warm, kindly appearance. The mage bowed his head.
“I am certain.”
“If you say so, then it must be true. Those who know already know that the Grand Duke runs a private organization with nameless knights. It would be stranger if their faces were known.”
“...”
“Sit.”
Philip nodded toward an empty seat. At that moment, the open door closed. Subtle gazes fell on Kyle in the silence. He stood still for a moment, then sat in an empty chair near the door.
“You had a difficult journey. The weather has not warmed up completely yet, so coming all the way to the outskirts could not have been easy.”
“...”
“Would you like a drink?”
The mage in the green robe had already moved behind Philip. At Philip's gesture, he picked up an empty glass. Philip personally lifted a bottle and poured wine into it. Once the glass had filled partway, it floated through the air and silently settled in front of Kyle.
“My apologies, but...”
“Hm?”
“I don't drink.”
“Not even the drink I offer you?”
“Yes. I can count on one hand the times I have ever touched alcohol in my life.”
“Puhahaha!”
Laughter suddenly erupted from all around the room. High-ranking nobles from the Kingdoms of Russel and Selaine. They had quietly watched the situation unfold, but seeing Kyle refuse Philip's drink, they could no longer hold back.
“You don't drink?”
“Come now, there are plenty of more believable excuses.”
“Bold, isn't he? Or should I say he's brave because he's ignorant?”
They laughed, chatted, and drank among themselves as though they had found an amusing spectacle. Kyle took in every one of them without missing a face. To outward appearances, they did not look like nobles from a kingdom that had lost half its territory to the Imperial invasion only recently. Arrogant and lazy, they looked just like Imperial nobles.
So these are the nobles of Russel.
The nobles from Selaine are no different. No matter how many die at the front, they must think it has nothing to do with them in the rear. Or perhaps they are confident that even if the Empire pushes all the way through, they alone will survive.
“Enough.”
Once the laughter had somewhat died down, Philip raised a hand to stop the nobles.
“It is regrettable that you refused the drink I offered, but that can happen. Whether it is your constitution or your convictions, you must have your reasons.”
“...”
“You just thought we were cowards who had abandoned our duty, did you not?”
Philip spoke as though it were nothing.
“No.”
“There is no need to lie. I can see it all in your eyes.”
“...”
“When I look into someone's eyes, I can roughly tell what they are thinking. And I understand. From your position, you cannot know what right we have to eat, drink, and make merry like this. But what can we do?”
Philip looked around the room. Before Kyle noticed, the mood had grown heavy, unlike before.
“Our kingdom has carried on countless exchanges with the Empire since ancient times. I know the hardliner nobles point fingers at us and call us Imperial collaborators.”
His voice dropped further.
“And I realized something.”
“What?”
“The Federation cannot defeat the Empire.”
“...”
“Even a seven-year-old child knows it. The Chevaliers are the same. You can praise them as the Federation's greatest knights all you want, but before the Wyverns of the Celestial Knights, they are helpless.”
“If we prepare in advance...”
“No. That is meaningless. You know that too, do you not? During this invasion, they were powerless. They could do nothing. Do you remember the Northern War that led to Hailen's fall?”
Hailen. The Northern War. The moment he heard those words, Kyle's mind went cold.
“People often say the Knights of Ash gathered the greatest knights on the continent.”
“...”
“But what was the result? For all its long history, Hailen was destroyed in only two years. It was terrible. So how would the Federation be any different? We, who fell this miserably in less than a month?”
There was a faint self-mocking tone in Philip's voice. It seemed directed at himself, yet also at every royal and noble in the Federation.
“On the other hand, nations that surrendered to the Empire enjoy a measure of prosperity. They may not compare to Archandia, the Imperial capital, but they each live peaceful lives. Those who bared their fangs at the Empire, though, met miserable ends without exception. Is there any need to risk our lives and spill blood?”
“Are you currently conspiring with the Empire?”
Kyle asked. Philip smiled gently at the blunt question.
“Well... what do you think?”
A questioning smile came in place of an answer. Yet that was enough for Kyle to be certain. The Kingdom of Russel had been conspiring with the Empire for a long time already. Even after losing half their country in an unexpected invasion, they would never change their stance. Those who had died were people at the front, not themselves in the rear. The Empire might have even promised them wealth and power in advance.
“There is no need to drag this out any longer. I will be direct.”
Philip set down the glass in his hand and straightened up.
“I know that the hardliner nobles, including the Grand Duke and the King of Valone, intend to replace us. And if necessary, they will use force.”
“...”
“But you know it too. Even if they replace the council that way, the outcome will not change. Nothing awaits us but miserable deaths. For the future of the Federation and its citizens, I think you and I could have a good relationship. What do you think?”
The tightly closed door opened again. The two knights who had been standing guard outside moved to stand directly behind Kyle.
“Tell me what you want. Money, honor, power. What do you desire?”
Philip stared hard at Kyle. The other nobles, as though nothing had happened, held their breath and watched him. A servant who had approached without Kyle noticing carried a large sack and poured its contents before him.
Countless top-grade Magic Stones spilled out from within.
Footnotes:
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