Chapter 132. To Stand on One’s Own (4)
Next to the black wolf's banner.
A single red rose was in bloom.
Her disheveled auburn hair was like the red petals of a rose.
Her dizzyingly curved red lips were reminiscent of the sweet honey hidden within the rose, but.
“To come here so boldly with the banner of Gartaria, what is your intention?”
Her words concealed sharp thorns.
“This is Norington, everyone.”
Those thorns were sharp and fierce.
“The blood you spilled here has not even dried yet.”
She made no attempt to hide herself.
“…”
The envoys could only stare at Ciella, unable to retort in the face of her chilling momentum.
The red rose was wrapping the black wolf’s banner with its thorns.
“Please lower the banner.”
The thorns of the red rose glinted fiercely.
“Right now.”
With the black wolf gone, she was now the master of Norington.
***
“…Prince Aleid has already killed the First Prince Georg and seized the throne. If the First Prince’s remaining forces and we ourselves fall, it is as clear as day that the next target will be Norington.”
The Second Prince’s envoy had finished his prepared statement, but he realized that Ciella was not paying much attention to his words.
It was understandable.
They couldn't give Norington what it wanted.
‘A miscalculation!’
It was wrong from the start.
Theobald, the Second Prince of Gartaria, had believed that he and Blanc could easily form a united front.
This was because they shared a common enemy in Aleid, and he believed their strengths were similar, or that he was slightly superior.
It was only natural to judge that the Second Prince’s faction, which controlled several lords, would be superior to a single lord.
However, from what the delegation had seen here in Norington, that judgment was gravely mistaken.
‘Something massive is taking shape.’
Just ten years ago, Norington was just another unremarkable territory on the border, but now it had been completely transformed.
People bustled along the main road that cut through Norington, their carts laden with goods.
Furthermore, dwarves could be seen everywhere, tirelessly hammering away and laying the foundations of buildings.
The soldiers wearing brass helmets exuded a fierce aura, and the soldiers behind them carrying bows had strong shoulders.
And above all, the vassals who were looking at them in this reception room.
An old knight and a scribe wearing glasses.
The vassals of Norington, along with a limping man, were staring at them with fierce eyes.
They were glaring at them with one heart and one mind, and all their attention was focused on Ciella.
The tightly-knit vassals and the ever-growing army.
And the constantly expanding businesses were beyond the level that a single territory could possess.
Furthermore, there were also the three allies, with Cadmus at their head.
“…An alliance with us will surely be beneficial to Norington.”
The negotiator, handpicked by the Second Prince, gathered his courage and spoke loudly, but he knew better than anyone that his words were not persuasive.
Norington was growing larger and stronger, and he knew that what they needed wasn't the Second Prince's faction, but simply time.
Just time to grow fully.
Ciella quietly listened to the envoy's words and then replied.
“First, I want you to know that I am sitting here in the capacity of a proxy for the lord.”
Ciella made it clear that she could not decide on such a momentous matter on her own authority.
“…However.”
Although she lacked the authority, Ciella did not relinquish control of the conversation.
“There are some things I can say with certainty even without Count Blanc here.”
Seeing Ciella’s resolute expression, the Second Prince’s envoy felt that his role was already over.
Ciella, no, Blanc, had never been very interested in the Second Prince’s faction from the beginning.
They were already prepared to stand on their own.
They had no intention of bringing in an impurity like themselves to loosen the already strong bonds of their alliance.
“You are sworn enemies not only to us Cadmus, but also to Quiesco, with whom we have a close alliance.”
When Ciella mentioned the name of Quiesco, the faces of the delegation turned pale.
“If you truly came to Norington wanting to form an alliance with us, your first priority should have been to get an apology from Quiesco.”
At Ciella’s sharp words that hit the core of the issue, the delegation was at a loss for words.
“And do not forget, everyone.”
Ciella opened her fan, covering her lips.
Her appearance, with only her eyes visible, exuded an unreal atmosphere.
It was a different form of charisma from Blanc’s overwhelming presence.
“That the Cadmus family is a family that has already driven out Gartaria once and reclaimed a place to stand on its own.”
Seeing Ciella’s trembling fan, the delegation could tell that she was hiding her agitated emotions.
“We are confident that we can do it again, no matter who comes, be it Prince Aleid or anyone else.”
It was not mere arrogance, but a confidence that only those who had achieved results and completed their preparations could possess, that was visible in Ciella.
“My husband, Count Blanc, would have said the same thing if he were here.”
Even after Ciella had finished speaking, the air in the reception room remained chilly.
“However, as I said before, it is impossible for me to decide everything, so I ask the delegation of Prince Theobald to wait for a while in the lodgings I have prepared.”
At Ciella’s skillful words that provided them with a final way out, the delegation had no choice but to comply.
“…Thank you for your consideration, my lady.”
The delegation could not even dare to refute Ciella’s words.
Just as she said, Norington was already making all the preparations.
At Ciella’s dismissal, the delegation from Gartaria trudged out like defeated soldiers.
“Phew…”
As soon as the delegation left, Ciella revealed her true self that she had been trying so hard to hide.
“You were magnificent, Lady Ciella.”
Hansen quickly brought water and placed it before her.
“Thank you, Sir Hansen.”
Ciella fanned herself continuously and hurriedly drank the water Hansen had brought.
The image of the iron lady who had just been playing with the envoys sent by the Second Prince was nowhere to be seen in the Ciella who was drinking water.
Nicholas looked at Ciella with eyes full of respect and bewilderment, not hiding his surprise.
“You were truly magnificent. I realized today that the princess in Quiesco is not the only iron lady.”
Ciella smiled faintly at Nicholas' compliment, then picked up her fan and continuously fanned her face as if she was feeling hot.
“It was effective.”
“…Effective?”
Instead of answering Nicholas' question, Ciella quietly shook a vial containing a green liquid.
“It’s a mint stimulant I’m currently testing. It has the effect of calming the mind and clearing the head.”
Nicholas looked at the ominous green liquid, which felt more viscous than the smiling Ciella.
“I’ve even named it. ‘Mint’s Eye.’”
Looking at the green liquid that conveyed something intense from its name alone, Nicholas and Hansen could do nothing but nod.
“Since I’ve personally proven its efficacy, shall I give some to you two as well?”
“Oh…”
“It’s alright, Lady Ciella. It’s really alright.”
Seeing the two vassals refuse her painstakingly made invention, Ciella made a sad face.
The red rose that had been emitting a strong fragrance until just a moment ago was now shaking its head back and forth like a delicate forget-me-not, on the verge of tears.
“This stuff is really useful…”
Within the shaking green liquid, Hansen and Nicholas felt as if they could sense the intense aroma of mint.
***
“Where have you been?”
A pink fledgling bird that had fluttered down from the sky landed on Blanc’s shoulder.
“…What were you doing all night to be so exhausted?”
The phoenix, perched on Blanc’s shoulder, stuck its tongue out of its beak and panted for breath.
“It came to our mansion yesterday.”
Vitelli approached with a smile, looking at the phoenix.
“This thing went to the Tolome mansion?”
Blanc looked surprised upon hearing Vitelli’s words.
Even when it was in Norington, the phoenix had roamed all over the place as it pleased.
As a divine beast, Blanc didn’t worry much about where it went, but he couldn’t help but be puzzled that it had flown all the way to the Tolome mansion.
“It probably came thinking of the time it spent with Iselin, don’t you think? The place must have looked familiar.”
Vitelli was also surprised when he was informed of the phoenix's presence, but he was secretly pleased by the visit of the auspicious divine beast and took the best care of it.
“But what did it do there to get so exhausted?”
“…That, I do not know either.”
Since it was already found in an exhausted state, Vitelli couldn't figure out the exact reason.
“What have you been up to?”
The young phoenix had been acting out lately, so Blanc looked down at it with a stern gaze.
“PEEP!”
As if enraged by his glare, the young phoenix gathered its remaining strength and pecked at Blanc’s forehead.
“Hahaha. Don’t torment it too much.”
Vitelli chuckled heartily at the sight.
After calming the pecking phoenix, Blanc turned to Vitelli and said.
“I’ll be in your care from now on.”
“It is I who should be asking for your care. Nominally, I will be the proxy lord of the Cadmus family.”
Vitelli, who had gained the right to choose through his deal with Schumacher, had decided to follow Blanc down instead of remaining in Baltimere to continue serving as the acting head of Tolome.
The territory of Langketa that Blanc had acquired was now officially Tolome’s.
“My brother will be coming down soon to act as the head of Tolome.”
Schumacher, who had served in the Royal Knights for over a decade.
It was time for him to lay down his honorable title and work for the family.
“The position of Vice-Captain of the Royal Knights is one that is rotated among the meritorious noble families. My brother held it for an especially long time.”
Schumacher, returning to Tolome due to the natural flow of things and the needs of the family, would now wield full authority in Tolome in place of Bartomyu.
And Vitelli, who had handed over the position of acting head to Schumacher, would move to the former Langketa territory with the vassals under his command to build a new Tolome.
Two lions were simultaneously establishing their own territories.
“We will also be in your care, Count.”
An old knight interjected during the conversation with Vitelli and greeted him.
“It’s been a while, Sir Hopkins.”
He was Hopkins, the captain of the Neudorf family’s knights, who had fought alongside him to vanquish the Evil in Ciella.
“Haha. I don’t know if I’m worthy of being called ‘Sir’.”
Beside him stood knights as old as Hopkins.
They were all honorable knights who had sworn before the sword of Aselheit to protect Ciella’s secret until their deaths.
“As long as one carries a sword and honor in one’s heart, can one not always be called a knight?”
When Blanc praised them, all the former Neudorf knights laughed heartily.
“To be honorably retired and promoted to a higher position, all the knights in this land will envy you.”
Vitelli, who was standing beside them, also praised the Neudorf vassals.
Since they would be working shoulder to shoulder from now on, it was beneficial for both sides to maintain a good relationship.
Amidst the smiling raccoon dogs, only Franz approached Blanc with a gloomy expression.
“I don’t know if I can do well…”
Next to Blanc, Franz stood with slumped shoulders and sighed.
Neudorf, which had acquired the territory of Kamora, had appointed Franz as the lord to rule it.
For Berger, who had only one heir, it was a natural choice.
“You will do well. I guarantee it.”
Blanc encouraged Franz with sincerity.
In his past life, as well as in this one, Franz had proven his capabilities.
He was a man who had the qualification and ability to be a hero, and above all, he was someone who maintained a close relationship with Blanc.
In fact, Blanc trusted Franz more than his own blood relative, Vitelli.
“But I can still visit sometimes, right? The dwarves will be coming to Norington through the Craftsman Guild now, won’t they? There are things I want to ponder with them.”
Franz, whose nature was to pursue freedom and not be bound by etiquette, knew well from his past experience that his disposition matched well with the dwarves.
“Of course, brother. We would welcome you anytime.”
Hearing Blanc’s words, Franz smiled like a child and nodded.
“Did you all hear that? It seems I’ll have to visit Norington often from now on. For my research, too!”
Hopkins, who had watched over Franz for a long time, answered without a hint of agitation, as if he had expected it.
“It is fine. Work can be done from anywhere, and I will carry it with me.”
At the old knight’s words, which implied he wouldn't let him neglect his duties as lord, Franz sighed once more.
“Preparations are complete, Count.”
At Jerome’s report, Blanc turned his head to look at the people behind him.
The numerous vassals heading down to Norington to take over the territories of Langketa and Kamora.
They were his maternal and marital relatives, people who would make the County of Cadmus strong.
Looking at them, Blanc fiddled with the World Tree seed in his pocket.
The warm and vibrant seed, along with the people beside him, would make Norington strong.
Blanc smiled as he felt the warm life force from the seed.
Because all the ingredients for Norington to stand on its own were now in place.
“We move out.”
Blanc’s procession slowly began to move.
A window in front of the Tolome mansion was filled with the sight of the procession.
The room with the window was dark, as if no one was there, but there was indeed one man.
A man lying in bed as if he were dead.
“…”
A man with only one remaining arm, which was twitching slightly.