Chapter 257

“When was it again?”

It was a time when Adelheid asked you a question.

“Who was the strongest opponent you’ve fought so far?”

You fell into a deep contemplation.

It was a question where the answer could change based on your criteria for ‘strength.’

If you based it on the total combat power mobilized, the strongest was the West Witch Elphaba.

With her ability to create countless lives, if she had been accompanied by an excellent commander, or if the reinforcements that failed to arrive for some unknown reason had made it on time, defeating Elphaba wouldn’t have been easy.

However, if you look at the difficulty of subjugation, the strongest would be the North Witch Mombi.

With near-invulnerable defense stolen from Olin, her relentless vitality utilizing transformation magic, and her specialties in ambush, escape, and stealth tactics, if she had started with her original strategies instead of makeshift ones, or if she had hidden away from the very beginning instead of engaging in a frontal battle, the fight would have been much more challenging.

Indeed, the 4th Grade Witch. While they have specialties and strengths, their baseline combat ability was on a level beyond your typical adversaries.

There were formidable foes of similar caliber, like Kalidahs, whom you met in the City of Struggles, and the Angel you encountered in the City of Scales, but it was hard to grasp their true combat strength.

In Kalidahs’ case, she was more like a clone rather than the real deal, and with the Angel, you hadn’t really fought properly, only sizing each other up.

As you thought along those lines, a question suddenly crossed your mind.

Why was there such a low warrior ratio among these transcendentally strong beings?

Of course, there were strong individuals in the warrior tree, like Peter, Captain Bill, and the White Knight.

But compared to the magic-users with the 4th Grade Witches boldly standing among them, only Kalidahs seemed to be on a similar level in the warrior realm.

Well, it’s understandable considering wizards have the advantage of extending their lifespans and can use that time to enhance their abilities, but for you, who occasionally wanted to test your mettle against monsters or martial artists, it was somewhat disappointing.

But what’s this?

Seeing a man approach you without any preamble, your eyes widened, resembling blue will-o’-the-wisps.

The experiences and insights etched in the body of the ‘Tin Knight’ conveyed to you that even if you put forth all your might now, a guaranteed victory wasn’t certain; therefore, a fierce duel was possible.

While you could handle this matchup alone, which meant his rank was slightly lower than that of witches who required a full party and allies (usually the direct subordinates of that witch striving for the throne), this was still an incredible revelation.

And he’s a blond! A guy you could fight without any issues!

With a joyous heart as if you’d unexpectedly won a prize worth hundreds of thousands in a mystery event you couldn’t even remember entering, you drew your sword.

“─I’m sorry, Adelheid. I don’t know if this means much, but I’m still sorry.”

Noticing a woman next to you bowing her head toward your apprentice, you silently placed your hand back on the sword’s hilt.

Regrettably, it didn’t seem like the right time.

***

The official story everyone discreetly knew about the Friedel incident, despite the silence order, went like this:

─The main family had only tasked Friedel with appropriate scouting and support missions, but the Friedel lord went berserk or was led to destruction by the enemy.

And the ‘secretly circulated story’ was as follows:

─In truth, the actions of the Friedel army were under the orders of the Duke, who issued the silence order to cover up his own blunder.

For Maris, this was truly astonishing.

Her father was not the kind of man to stoop to such petty tricks.

However, rumors tend to grow darker the more you try to deny them.

If they punished those spreading rumors, it would circulate that there was something to hide, and if they didn’t, it would spread that it was undoubtedly true—an endless cycle of destructive gossip.

Many within the Duke’s family respected Duke Lenart and obeyed his authority, but those spreading rumors only targeted individuals they believed would be susceptible to their words.

Those who felt they had lost in the family’s succession race. Those disgruntled by the continually recurring royal oversight. Those who prioritized family benefits over loyalty to the Empire.

Displeased by this, Maris began independently collecting information about the Friedel incident. Although she couldn’t secure clear evidence, she soon drew the following conclusions based on circumstantial evidence:

─The elder faction used the Duke’s authority to mobilize Friedel, and when the Duke issued the silence order to prevent war between the two countries, they shifted the blame onto him for their own failures.

Of course, even Maris only reached the conclusion that “the elder faction was trying to incite a war using Friedel, but when that didn’t pan out, they pushed the blame onto the Duke” without arriving at the ultimate conclusion that “they colluded with the Tower of Control from the start,” as that would be a crime that no human could commit.

“So, I’m sorry. To put it bluntly, this pulled your branch family into our main family’s power struggle. If I had known this earlier, I wouldn’t have acted so lightly when I met you before.”

Maris’ repeated apologies left Adelheid’s expression a mystery known only to her.

Though Adel had been relaxed when the group took a break, upon hearing that people from Lenart’s side had arrived, she immediately donned a mask to hide her face.

“Um, please lift your head, Maris.”

The voice that seeped through the mask was surprisingly light and not at all sticky.

It even had a hint of awkwardness.

“Maris, you’re not directly at fault, are you? Rather, you’ve even taken care of various matters, so I hold no ill feelings toward you.”

“Adelheid.”

“Still, thank you for coming to see me in person. I had gathered various bits of information about the incident, but I knew nothing about how Lenart’s side perceived this matter. This could help.”

With those repeated friendly words, relief washed over Maris’ face.

At that moment, Dorothea, who had been quietly observing from the back, stepped forward.

“…So, is that all? If it gets out that we’ve been in contact, I doubt it will lead to good things.”

Originally, Alingd was supposed to point that out, but she had vanished without a trace after hearing that a certain Werner was among the guests.

Rather than being scared… it seemed more like she didn’t want to be discovered here, which puzzled her companions.

Why would it matter if Alingd was in the mansion named after her?

Of course, the group didn’t dwell on it, for they were the kind of adults who could overlook the inconsequential (as long as it didn’t pique their interest).

“For now, I’m done with my business. In fact, the Duke wants to meet with you, Adelheid, but visiting the main family as you are now could cause quite a few problems. It’s fine considering you are somewhat prepared for external viewing.”

Having replied this way, Maris turned her gaze to Werner, who had come along.

While her own matters were finished, she hadn’t yet heard about this monster of a general’s desire.

As if sensing her gaze, Werner, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward.

His hair, now a washed-out shade, with only a faint hint of gold remaining, indicated that his age was not trivial, yet his body felt as solid as stone, showing no signs of weakness.

“I have a question.”

Realizing that he was speaking to her, Adelheid responded.

“What would you like to ask?”

“How far do you intend to go with this?”

“Um, if you could be more specific, I’d appreciate it.”

Werner noted Adel’s troubled expression and continued.

“─If your desired revenge is merely the heads of the instigators, I can bring them to you right now.”

Shock. Suspicion. Distrust.

Ignoring the various glances, Werner calmly stared only at Adelheid.

“The Senate fools seem to think I came here swayed by their ridiculous offers, but honestly, I don’t care whether they live or die. If they stabbed the back of a loyal warrior who is also their kin for their own selfish interests, they should be prepared to pay the price. So, let me ask, would that suffice?”

“……”

In that instant, Adelheid’s presence seemed to settle down.

She fiddled with the mask covering her face a few times before lowering her hand and asking again.

“If that isn’t enough, what then?”

“You will have to surpass me.”

“Does that mean you won’t allow revenge that crosses the line?”

“If what you desire is blood for blood, feel free to take it. But if you intend to demand unconditional surrender and subjugation like the Tower of Control, I can’t grant that.”

“Whether you grant it or not isn’t something I need permission for.”

“That’s true.”

Werner didn’t deny Adel’s words.

“But just because it’s right doesn’t mean you’ll get a smooth submission. Especially if it’s a matter concerning family.”

“……”

A heavy silence filled the air.

It felt like the fuse was about to ignite at any moment, and Maris’ complexion turned pale.

“If you need to take direct action to feel satisfied, I can assist you with that. You likely allied with the Empress because it’s difficult to handle the immense force of Lenart on your own. But if I intervene, I can minimize unnecessary outside interference and allow the parties involved to reach their own conclusion.”

Dorothea frowned.

“So, what you’re saying is, abandon the Empress and join forces with you?”

“Exactly. If that occurs, it would remain a family quarrel. However, if the Empress and South Witch are involved, it becomes political. You will merely act according to your goals, but they will seize the opportunity and utterly crush your family. Young lady, you too must have some pride in the name Lenart.”

“What a headache,” Dorothea thought inwardly.

In truth, she couldn’t care less whether Lenart fell or stood.

Above all, in order to obtain the vital information, she needed to maintain a cooperation system with Alingd.

So it would be reasonable to decline, but at least when it came to this proposal, she couldn’t make a decision solely based on her own judgment.

Dorothea momentarily stepped back, deciding to wait and see what response Adelheid would give.

Adelheid did not open her mouth easily.

She only grasped the lower part of her mask, shaking it left and right.

Then, instead of fully removing it, Adelheid lifted just the bottom halfway and spoke.

“I appreciate your concern, but I’ll decline your offer.”

Werner nodded impassively, and Maris illustrated a feeling that was strangely beyond description, almost like, ‘bitter yet unavoidable.’

However, Adelheid’s words did not end there.

“But indeed, the name Lenart is precious to me as well. My father took pride in it.”

So she added,

“─I’ll limit the demand for blood to just the instigators and take the name for the rest.”

Huh? The faces around showed confusion.

Maris cautiously asked,

“Um, if you don’t mind me asking, what do you mean by just taking the name?”

“Oh, that.”

For just a moment, Adelheid completely removed the mask from her face.

With a bright smile, she said,

“From now on, we’ll be the main family. Those who want to claim Lenart’s name from now on will need a permit.”

The ensuing silent chaos and stillness were nearly indescribable.

But one thing was certain:

[The ‘Tin Knight’ is genuinely happy that our apprentice has grown well!]

Her master was thoroughly satisfied.