Chapter 123

Chapter 123. Powerless Beliefs Are Meaningless (2)

Gigaster, a satellite city under the direct jurisdiction of Eslow.

Numerous nobles were staying in this city. Although they hadn’t entered the direct jurisdiction yet, they were preparing to do so at any time.

Gigaster also had a hotel exclusively for upper nobles, and high-end hotels typically had massage rooms.

Since every word spoken by high-ranking nobles was top-secret, all masseurs were either born deaf or had become so later in life. Thus, the nobles gathered in the massage rooms would freely discuss important matters.

“I heard Sephira’s carriage has entered the direct jurisdiction,” said Count Delmore, a middle-aged man lying on the bed with only his vital areas covered. He was one of the four nobles who, through Ultima, were financially shaking Sephira.

Across from him, Count Bristan shifted his body.

“Hahaha, they must be getting turned away at the hotel by now. It would’ve been more entertaining to see that in person.”

Count Aiwin, without lifting his head, raised his hand and said, “We spent quite a bit of money bribing the hotel managers. This should be the perfect opportunity to thoroughly shake Sephira.”

Count Delmore turned over and raised his voice, “The Southern Sword Tournament will be the final blow to Sephira’s downfall. Those who can’t secure a place in the hotel will eventually settle in inns. The better inns in the outskirts, that is. Our plan starts from there.”

“No matter how Sephira’s family, now filled with poison, reacts, it’s to our advantage. If we crush them decisively in the tournament, Sephira’s influence will plummet, and we’ll divide everything they have.”

“It’s been a long time coming. Now, it’s time to prepare for the harvest. This is truly thrilling.”

At that moment, Marquis Galahind, who had been quietly receiving a massage, spoke briefly, “Don’t forget that Sephira’s techniques, including the Imperial Twelve Palaces, and their joint attack methods, belong to me.”

The four upper nobles, led by the Ultima Merchant, had been gathered by Marquis Galahind. As the head of the alliance, he was the first to assert his rights.

The others followed suit, each asserting their own claims.

“Sephira’s territory is mine,” declared Delmore.

“The artifacts and relics all belong to me,” said Aiwin.

“I only want Laurel, that young lady. The rest doesn’t matter to me,” said Count Bristan, his face flushed as he mentioned Basil’s noble daughter, Laurel, despite being over seventy next year.

No matter how loudly they spoke, the masseurs, unable to hear, continued their work silently.

Had they known that the masseurs had learned the ‘Tongue Reading Technique’ to understand their conversations by lip-reading, they would never have spoken so freely. But they remained unaware.

At that moment, a knight lifted the tent flap and entered. He was Count Delmore’s knight.

The knight whispered something into Count Delmore’s ear. Although the nobles gathered here were ostensibly on the same side, there was an underlying mistrust among them.

After the knight finished his report and left, Count Delmore suddenly sat up and burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha! Good news, everyone! Get up!”

Count Delmore even gestured for the masseurs to leave.

Count Aiwin, who had been enjoying his massage, frowned and said, “Maintain your dignity, Count Delmore. Why are you laughing so frivolously?”

“I can’t help it! Sephira’s family has gone to the palace!”

“What? That’s too foolish. Unable to stay at the hotel and unwilling to use the commoners’ inns, they chose Eslow’s palace, a place with no mercy or tears!”

“If that information is true, it’s like fleeing from a snake only to enter a dragon’s mouth.”

They completely dismissed the possibility that Sephira could win Lord Eslow’s favor.

After all, Eslow had not received any guests in 200 years of history.

Although there were guest rooms in the palace for VIPs, they were reserved for other lords or foreign envoys. Upper nobles, let alone prestigious families, were never received as guests. No matter what methods were used, that fact remained unchanged.

No matter how much one achieved in war, even if they were the Southern Sword Tournament champion, the kingdom’s greatest swordsman, or offered artifacts as gifts—Eslow might thank them, but he had never allowed anyone to stay in the palace.

Moreover, this was Sephira.

The weakest prestigious family in the Lilian Kingdom, Sephira.

What could Sephira possibly offer Eslow? What could they propose?

Given that Eslow himself was already displeased with Sephira, going to him directly was nothing short of suicide.

Count Bristan stroked his beard and muttered, “I didn’t think Sephira would be this foolish. To throw themselves into the abyss of destruction.”

“Not on their own. It’s all because we controlled the hotels. Sephira must have realized that even if they avoided the hotels and went to the inns, they couldn’t escape our pressure. So, they’ve gone mad. Unable to do anything, they’ve gambled by going to Eslow.”

“It’s like blowing your nose without using your hands. We’ve prepared thoroughly for the tournament, but Ultima kept insisting on using more manpower, so we had to squeeze them. Tsk.”

“Wait a minute. Everyone, hold on. Could this be a crisis for us? We want Sephira’s downfall, but it has to be under our control to be meaningful. If Eslow himself brings down Sephira… wouldn’t their assets be either nationalized or taken by Eslow?”

“What?!”

Count Delmore’s words made everyone frown.

If that happened, years of effort would go down the drain, and the invested funds would be lost in a major disaster.

“We can’t let this happen. We must prevent Sephira from being destroyed by the lord.”

“Let’s send an envoy to the lord’s castle immediately. We need to save those fools from Sephira.”

“Damn Sephira, complicating things.”

“Everyone, calm down. I’ll go myself.”

“Oh, if Marquis Galahind himself steps forward, we can trust and wait.”

Galahind smiled confidently.

No one had ever been received as a guest in Eslow’s palace. But just going in and out briefly shouldn’t be a problem.

Moreover, Galahind wasn’t just any upper noble. He was the wealthiest noble in the south.

‘No matter how much of a lord he is, he won’t ignore me, the top sponsor of this tournament.’

To save Sephira from the clutches of the wicked lord, Galahind set out.

* * *

Mile asked the butler guiding them for his name, but the response was a number—52—shown by the number on his shoulder.

Did he not have a name, or was it more convenient to be called by a number? No matter how many butlers there were, was it right to call people by numbers…?

Mile shook his head vigorously. It was a pointless thought. Why was he thinking this? It must be due to the tension.

Everything was unfamiliar.

None of the expected events had occurred.

At the center of it all was Keter.

‘There was definitely a chance the hotels were all bribed. I even anticipated having to use the inns. I was trying to figure out how to prevent sabotage at the inns, but I never expected we’d end up in the lord’s palace.’

The anxiety and fear of an unpredictable situation were shaking him.

‘I can’t let that happen. If I, as the elder and the leader of the group, falter, then the others, even Catherine and Keter, won’t be able to do their parts.’

Mile took a silent deep breath. The scenery he hadn’t noticed before began to come into view.

‘There are weapons everywhere. The decorations truly suit Lord Eslow, who holds the title of Weapon Master.’

As he had noticed in the office, the weapons scattered around were not mere decorations. They were high-quality pieces ready for actual combat.

‘The palace itself is like a massive armory.’

Though he could remain calm, the intimidating atmosphere was unavoidable. The only one who could maintain composure in this place…

‘It has to be Keter.’

Thinking of Keter, Mile let out a small laugh. Keter’s recklessness in doing the unimaginable was enough to make one laugh involuntarily.

“We’ve arrived.”

Butler 52 stopped in front of a garden. The circular corridor garden was surrounded by three five-story mansions.

“This entire area is your guest room. Feel free to use any room you like, and if you have any questions or needs, just speak to any visible servant or maid.”

“Are we to use all of this?”

The entire garden and mansions were guest rooms—an enormous scale. It was large enough to accommodate 100 people without issue. Even Mile, who prided himself on being born into a prestigious family and living comfortably, was stunned.

“Yes. Additionally, you may roam the palace freely, but there are four rules you must follow.”

Butler 52 emphasized the importance of his words, speaking clearly. Mile also tensed up.

First, if you see a being wearing a ‘helmet’ while walking the corridors, immediately turn back.

Second, if the decorated weapons ‘speak’ to you, do not respond.

Third, if you find a silver coin on the ground, do not pick it up and walk past it.

“The fourth is the most important. There are no blind spots in this palace, except for one place. Do not go near that area.”

At Butler 52’s eerie warning, Mile felt a chill run down his spine.

“Can you tell me why?”

“I cannot. No matter whom you ask, including me, you will receive the same answer. The rules I’ve mentioned must not be disclosed to outsiders, and we are not responsible for any accidents caused by ignoring or violating them.”

“…Understood.”

“As long as you follow these four rules, you may do anything in the palace, and I assure you, you will be safe.”

It didn’t seem like a fabricated story to scare them. But since the rules weren’t difficult to follow, Mile regained his composure.

“About the guest rooms. We don’t need to use multiple mansions. We, Sephira, will only use the mansion directly in front.”

“Understood. Then I’ll guide you to the third floor. The view is excellent, and there’s an elevator connected directly to the training ground.”

“There’s a training ground here too?”

“Yes. It’s in the backyard. All weapons and armor are provided, and you can also request soldiers or knights as practice partners. If you wish, you may even use servants or maids as targets.”

Butler 52’s expression was utterly emotionless as he suggested using living humans as targets. The numerous servants and maids around also showed no reaction, making Mile uncomfortable.

“…That won’t be necessary.”

Soon after, the Lunar Knight Order arrived, and Mile and his group finally felt some relief. With more people around, the doll-like demeanor of the servants seemed somewhat diluted.

After unpacking and changing clothes, the group gathered together.

Mile shared the eerie warnings he had heard from Butler 52.

“Hearing that gives me the creeps,” said Catherine, who hated silence the most. Taragon chimed in, “No wonder the servants here all have dead eyes. They’re not undead, are they?”

Anis also nodded in agreement. Even he, with his strong nerves, found the atmosphere here overly artificial and uncomfortable.

Mile felt the same but, as the group’s leader, spoke calmly, “Everyone, stay focused. This is an opportunity Keter risked his life to create. Let’s not waste time.”

At Mile’s words, everyone nodded. Especially Anis and Taragon, who were to participate in the tournament, immediately grabbed their bows and arrows.

“The butler said we could request knights for sparring. Should we ask for a match? I’m curious about the swordsmanship and archery techniques of the knights in the direct jurisdiction.”

“Let’s do it. Since we’re entering the tournament, our archery will be revealed anyway. They’re providing potions and elixirs, so fight without holding back.”

Mile, who understood that one couldn’t always gain without losing, boldly decided to abandon Sephira’s mystique.

As Anis and Taragon headed to the training ground with their equipment, Mile and Catherine waited for Keter. Of course, they didn’t just wait idly.

By coincidence, the two had something in common. They possessed a special quality that set them apart from other Sephira archers.

Mile was learning ancient sorcery, while Catherine had integrated manifestation magic, learned from Keter, into her archery, creating demon archery.

Catherine, who had been allowed by Keter to reveal the existence of demon archery, informed Mile about it, and Mile no longer hid that he was learning sorcery.

“Wow, sorcery is fascinating. It’s a miracle achieved purely through mental power, not aura or mana. Isn’t that amazing?”

“The demon archery you’re learning is just as impressive. It’s not the circle magic known as the standard of magic but a new school of manifestation magic. Since the kingdom only bans circle magic, it doesn’t violate the kingdom’s laws. That’s incredible.”

Catherine, who was sociable, and Mile, who was accommodating, got along quite well. They shared tips generously, providing an opportunity to objectively understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Just as their conversation was heating up, there was a knock at the door.

Thinking it was Butler 52, Mile immediately called for them to enter.

But it wasn’t Butler 52. It was Jeffrey Edmund, captain of the 22nd squad of the Immortal Knights, whom they had seen at the lord’s castle gate.

“Prince Mile. Forgive the intrusion, but I came to ask you something.”

“Sir Jeffrey. I also have something to ask, so let’s exchange questions. Where is my brother Keter, and when will he return?”

At Mile’s question, Jeffrey’s eyes widened slightly.

“That’s exactly what I wanted to ask.”

“What do you mean?”

“Young Master Keter, after finishing his business, knocked out the guiding butler and nearby soldiers on his way here and disappeared. I had a hunch, but it seems this wasn’t a coordinated action with you, Prince Mile.”

At the news of Keter’s disappearance, Mile, who had been struggling to maintain his composure, was utterly stunned.