Chapter 304
Chapter 304 – I Am the Plunder King. (5)
The Marquis Branford fell into a brief silence.
In his mind, the long-forgotten image of Duke Delphine resurfaced.
Always wearing a relaxed smile, contrasting with his indifferent gaze. A person whose thoughts were utterly inscrutable.
Still, the duke had a good reputation. He was seen as non-authoritarian and kind to everyone.
However, after a certain incident, he became a ruthless individual. Rumors began to circulate that he suddenly went mad, and he had not appeared in any official capacity for a long time.
Thus, Marquis Branford could not even discern what he was currently up to. All the major affairs of the duke’s house were now being handled by Baron Joseph.
‘Baron Joseph… has been suppressing the civil war instead of the duke?’
Marquis Branford believed that the duke’s house was maintaining the current situation to minimize harm.
He thought it was the duke’s intent. While there were rumors that Baron Joseph was the real power and the duke was but a puppet, the duke’s influential authority could not be entirely disregarded.
But to hear that Baron Joseph was persuading the duke, who desired war! It was hard to believe.
‘I couldn’t believe that guy would try to seize the kingdom either.’
In their youth, Marquis Branford and Duke Delphine were alumni of the same academy.
The duke had little interest in studies. He was more of a dreamer, always lost in his own thoughts.
When the ambitious Marquis Branford discussed the kingdom’s politics and power, the duke always replied with a smile.
— Is the politics and power of mortals truly that significant? Eventually, everything fades and disappears.
— What do you mean? That’s why the moments we live are important, isn’t it? Especially for people like us, it’s even more crucial. Our actions can change people’s lives.
— I… want to see further.
Unlike the passionate Marquis Branford, the duke often expressed thoughts that didn’t quite match his position and status. But sometimes, his eyes were filled with an inscrutable yearning.
That’s why Marquis Branford couldn’t understand Duke Delphine.
It was the same even when they clashed with the Duke Faction. He had no idea what the duke was thinking.
He simply forced himself to understand that the duke must have changed with age.
‘It’s fine. I must have seen him wrong. It’s been a long time.’
Decades were ample time for someone to change. And the duke had already become an enemy of the kingdom.
There was no need to try to understand someone incomprehensible. Since he didn’t show himself, there was no way to know even if one wished to.
Who was the power behind the scenes, and what intentions did he harbor were no longer important.
“Everyone knows by now that the duke’s house aims to seize the kingdom. They just pretend not to mention it on both sides. Anyone would anticipate that in the worst case, a civil war would occur.”
At Marquis Branford’s sharp words, Count Proud wore a bitter smile.
“But how many will die is a different matter.”
“I am not one to forsake honor out of fear of death.”
“Are you saying this even though countless people will die due to the war?”
At those words, Marquis Branford glared coldly at him.
“The duke will never become king even if everyone in this kingdom dies.”
“What value does that hold? Does it mean that the royal family is more important than the lives of people?”
“That is my duty.”
Count Proud gritted his teeth and said.
“Your Excellency, is there anything you can do in this kingdom without your orders? You are already like a king in this kingdom.”
“……”
“The king has been bedridden with illness for a long time, and the royal family has long been reduced to a puppet, hasn’t it? If the owner of that position changes, we can see less bloodshed.”
“Shut up!”
Bang!
Marquis Branford struck the armrest of his chair, glaring fiercely at Count Proud.
“I am trying to protect the royal family because this kingdom is filled with nothing but wolves. If not me, no one can protect it.”
“……”
“Tell the duke directly. If he does not abandon that ambition and withdraws, I, too, will step down from this position. If he opposes the royal family, I will fight to the end. Do you understand?”
“…… I understand.”
Count Proud slowly bowed his head and withdrew.
Marquis Branford was known as the iron-blooded authority. In fact, he thought that no words would resonate with him.
This was the final persuasion and negotiation.
“Huh……”
Once Count Proud left, Marquis Branford exhaled deeply.
He knew well how the world evaluated him.
The greatest authority in the kingdom, someone who is not a king but holds a position akin to one.
A person who wields enough power that even the next king must receive his approval to ascend to the throne.
Though it was not his intention, there was no other choice but to protect the royal family. Perhaps history would record him as a disloyal man.
“I’m getting old.”
Unlike before, fatigue came easily now. It must be the aftereffects of being involved in politics for so long.
It was about time he properly raised an heir. His son, currently a military commander in the East, did not suffice.
‘Ghislaine Perdium…’
Oddly enough, whenever he thought of succession, that kid came to mind first. He had never intended to push for him to that extent.
Though still uneasy and unreliable, he kept thinking that there was no one as capable as him.
‘If that kid just shows loyalty to the royal family…’
Upon reaching that thought, Marquis Branford let out a small smile.
“There’s no way that guy would do that.”
Yeah, he really didn’t seem like the type. Instead, Ghislaine would be the one to overthrow the royal family if things didn’t go his way.
“Sigh…”
A sigh unintentionally escaped him. There was no one without problems.
‘If I just take down the duke’s house…’
At that moment, he thought it would be best to step down from his position. That was the marquis’s small wish.
*
Duke Delphine’s house.
No one knows precisely who its progenitor was.
Some say he was a brother of the founding king of Ruthania, while others claim he was a descendant of a noble family or a meritorious subject. There are even far-fetched tales of him being a descendant of a dragon that protected Ruthania.
The reason there are only tales is that all relevant records have been lost.
The duke’s house has been a dukedom for a very long time. The master of the Duke Delphine household has always received treatment equivalent to royalty. That was tradition.
The duke’s territory is vast enough to occupy half of the South. It is rich in resources and is often called a blessed land.
The duke’s house has cultivated great power based on its fertile land for generations. However, no one has ever harbored ambitions to threaten the royal family or seize the throne.
Rather, the masters of the duke’s house always hesitated to step into the limelight and lived almost as if hiding.
As such, various rumors have come and gone, but the duke’s house remained silent.
Until the current duke revealed his ambitions.
At the center of the duke’s territory stands a magnificent white castle. This is the castle where the duke resides, called ‘Eclipse.’
In the heart of the castle lies a place known as the Hall of Glory. The ceiling there is incomparably high, overshadowing that of any other banquet hall.
Thus, anyone who enters the Hall of Glory cannot help but feel overwhelmed by its imposing height.
In the center of the hall, there is only one extravagant chair placed on a high dais.
Only the master of Duke Delphine’s house may sit in that throne.
“So, Harold has been defeated?”
From that chair, a man propped his chin and spoke while keeping his eyes closed. His soft, gentle voice resonated through the hall.
With snowy white skin and flowing black hair, he was undeniably a handsome young man, the master of the duke’s house, Erlhardt Delphine.
Surprisingly, his appearance was frozen in the same likeness of his youth. Little had changed from the days when he was known as the kingdom’s best-looking man, captivating hearts.
If Marquis Branford were to see him now, he would be quite shocked. When they last met, the duke had surely been well into middle age.
For a duke who was said to have mastered no swordsmanship or magic to regain his youth was an absurd notion.
However, the retainers of the duke’s house all accepted it as a natural occurrence. They had seen the duke slowly growing younger over time.
At Erlhardt’s question, Raoul, known as the brain of the duke’s house, slightly bowed his head.
“Yes, it seems he was defeated by Count Penris.”
“Penris, huh… That’s a name I’ve been hearing quite often lately. He seems quite capable?”
“I apologize. I couldn’t ascertain whether he was truly that capable.”
At Raoul’s apology, Erlhardt nodded a few times while still keeping his eyes closed, a smile gracing his lips.
Amidst the suffocating pressure, Erlhardt slowly spoke again.
“Kayen, I heard you had a chance to meet this Ghislaine. What did you think?”
Next to the duke stood a middle-aged man, whose eyes resembled those of a lion, with a physique as massive as a tower.
This man was none other than Count Kayen Valjack, known as the Kingdom’s Greatest Sword and a Swordmaster.
He had met Ghislaine during a masked banquet held by Marquis Branford.
“Yes, Your Excellency. He seemed unmatched for his age group. Judging by his accomplishments, it would not be an exaggeration to call him a genius. If time allows, no one would easily rival him.”
“I see.”
Erlhardt’s response was merely that. A moment of curiosity was the limit; nothing beyond that seemed to transpire.
Another heavy silence descended upon the hall. No one even dared to breathe. After a moment, Erlhardt slowly opened his mouth again.
“Raoul.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“I am one who knows the joy of waiting for a gift. That’s why I entrusted everything to you and waited until now. However… I’m starting to feel a bit parched.”
“My apologies, Your Excellency.”
Raoul, sweating profusely, bowed deeply. Since he had orchestrated everything thus far, the responsibility lay heavily upon him.
And it all happened for one reason.
‘Ghislaine Perdium… I should have killed that kid back then.’
The scheme he’d meticulously executed was going smoothly, but it was starting to unravel due to the emergence of that one person. He was boiling with anger.
Because Harold lost, they had lost the greatest influence in the North. The only silver lining was that Amelia, who had received Harold’s backing, had captured Raybold.
But now, Count Penris’s momentum had surpassed that of Raybold. To reclaim the North would demand even more time and effort.
Erlhardt slowly opened his eyes. His pupils were narrowed eerily, like a reptile eyeing its prey.
“Raoul, have your thoughts not changed?”
“Seizing the kingdom is easier than turning one’s hand over. However, there remains far too much to be done afterward. It is unwise to deplete talent and troops now.”
At Raoul’s desperate persuasion, Erlhardt let out a small chuckle.
“Didn’t you lose Harold and the North already?”
“There are still those remaining. Because Harold succeeded in the rebellion against Raybold…”
“Tsk tsk, you continue to dwell on trifles.”
Erlhardt interrupted Raoul’s words dismissively. He regarded the act of seizing the kingdom as merely a ‘small matter.’
But Raoul couldn’t refute that. The duke truly regarded most worldly affairs as trifles.
To him, everything felt tedious and meaningless.
“How long must I wait?”
“…If you could grant me just a bit more time, I’ll finish everything.”
“Very well, if that’s what you desire. We still have plenty of time.”
Erlhardt’s face bore no signs of urgency. As always, he leisurely smiled, leaving everything up to Raoul.
“If you have nothing more to say, you may leave.”
“…We received word from ‘them.’”
“What is it?”
“They said they would send someone helpful. They claim they are quite skilled knights. They will be operating under the guise of our people.”
Erlhardt nodded slightly. His expression still showed complete disinterest.
“Handle it as you see fit.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Now, you may leave.”
At the duke’s command, everyone stepped back, leaving only Count Kayen Valjack behind. He alone could remain by the duke’s side.
However, Erlhardt gestured to Kayen as well.
“Tonight, you should leave as well.”
“Your Excellency.”
“I wish to be alone.”
At his command, Kayen too bowed slightly and exited.
Swish.
Once no one remained, the curtains drew shut, and all the lights flickered out. Soon, the Hall of Glory was devoid of any light or presence.
In the chilling silence of that space, Erlhardt remained silent for a moment before muttering softly.
“I hope ‘that day’ comes soon.”
In the thick darkness, only Erlhardt’s eyes shone ominously.
