Chapter 123 - A Common Occurrence

The scandal involving Ferda and Olivia.

Valdrova only learned about it today for the first time.

’Why didn’t Luri tell me?’

The reason Valdrova had remained unaware until now was because Luri, her usual source of information, had never mentioned it even once.

’Then again, she rarely tells me things like that...’

Whenever Luri thought something might trouble Valdrova, she filtered it out on her own.

Valdrova had always been vaguely aware of that.

’Besides, it’s probably nothing more than a baseless rumor.’

Ferda had always been completely devoted to her.

Valdrova never doubted that.

And yet, a growing sense of unease continued creeping into one corner of her heart.

’Olivia Arken.’

She had heard endless praise about that woman.

A woman blessed with both exceptional talent and breathtaking beauty, refined in both etiquette and social grace—the ideal bride, everyone said.

She had never actually met her, though there had once been an opportunity.

She had heard that Olivia would be visiting Valdrova Castle.

But Valdrova had shown no interest in it.

More precisely, even if she had been interested, she had been completely absorbed in building the village at the time.

She found far greater fulfillment working at the sweat-soaked construction site.

’Perhaps... I should have gone to see her back then?’

It was the kind of event that would have made anyone abandon their work for a while.

Should she have gone just to see for herself?

How beautiful was this woman that everyone praised her so highly?

And... did she truly suit Ferda?

’Mr. Ferda... is someone far beyond my worth.’

Ferda had built this place.

He had met countless people.

Though there were those who criticized him from time to time, far more people spoke of him as a benevolent ruler who genuinely cared for his people.

Compared to him... what was she?

A Red Dragon buried away inside her lair.

A dragon so afraid of facing people that she hid herself beneath a suit of armor.

A pitiful dragon who had never properly shown her face even once to her own fiancé.

’He’s... far too good for someone like me.’

Anyone looking at the two of them would surely think Olivia, a woman renowned for her beauty, suited him far better than she did.

Feeling increasingly dejected, she absentmindedly dug at the ground with her finger.

She needed something to interrupt these gloomy thoughts.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

At that moment, the warning bell began ringing violently.

Since it was connected to the Monster Appearance Prediction Device, it could only mean one thing.

Monsters were approaching.

The workers sprang to their feet in alarm.

"Looks like monsters are coming."

"It was so quiet lately... and now they decide to launch a surprise attack."

Monsters.

Thinking only of protecting the people, Valdrova stood up.

The workers immediately stopped her.

"Ah! Sir Knight! There’s no need for you to step in!"

?

"We’ll handle this ourselves. Please, stay seated!"

Their faces were filled with confident smiles.

What could ordinary humans like them possibly do?

The workers hurried off somewhere before returning with something in their hands.

They were staffs.

No... calling them staffs didn’t quite fit.

They had all kinds of objects dangling from them, making them resemble the tools of some witch doctor.

Every one of them moved with the discipline of trained soldiers.

They climbed onto the wall that was still under construction, knelt in unison, and pointed their staffs toward the ground below.

It looked remarkably similar to the stance of crossbowmen.

Judging from their posture, something was about to be fired from those staffs.

But what exactly could they possibly shoot?

Then it happened.

A tremendous power emanated from within the staffs—so overwhelming that it made her earlier worries seem ridiculous.

’But they can’t even use Mana... how is this possible?’

Since she knew very little about magic itself, she had no way of answering that question.

A short while later, the village women who had been gathering herbs in the forest came into view.

Although startled, they showed no signs of panicking.

"Why aren’t you running for your lives!? Do you want to get eaten?"

"The monsters were shambling along so slowly that we just took our time coming back."

"Shambling? What did they look like?"

"I’m not sure. They all looked like giant lumps, and they moved really slowly."

"Fine, just hurry inside!"

Upon hearing that, one of the men nodded knowingly.

"It’s a Melted."

Moments later, the monsters revealed themselves.

"Grrrrrraaaah..."

Unlike the beast-like monsters seen before, these creatures were little more than giant masses of flesh.

They had been exposed to so much Junk Mana that their bodies had mutated beyond recognition, becoming grotesque abominations that were neither one thing nor another.

No one knew how powerful they were, but their speed was about the same as the zombies created by a Necromancer.

Even so, a monster was still a monster.

Even a single Melted required an entire company of spearmen stabbing it hundreds of times before it finally died.

And in the process, one or two soldiers would inevitably lose their lives.

There were six of them.

One of the foremen raised his hand high and shouted,

"Aim!"

The workers shouldered their staffs and lined up their sights.

The foreman brought his raised hand crashing down like the blade of a guillotine.

"Fire!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Thunderous explosions echoed across the land.

Brilliant flashes erupted.

Valdrova saw it all with perfect clarity.

Something shot out from inside those pipes at the speed of light, piercing straight through the monsters’ torsos.

"Grrrrrraaaah..."

The Melted monsters were pierced clean through.

Their bodies immediately collapsed into shapeless heaps.

"Woooooo!!"

"We killed monsters!"

They roared like soldiers celebrating a glorious victory in a great war.

The monsters had been slow and clumsy, but monsters nonetheless.

The people, who had once possessed nothing, now realized they had gained the power to protect themselves.

The realization filled them with exhilaration.

Valdrova could only stare in shock.

’Ordinary people... can actually kill monsters...’

Even if she wasn’t particularly clever, she had lived for thousands of years.

She had witnessed countless battles throughout her long life.

Never—not even once—had Valdrova imagined such a thing.

No...

Who could have imagined it?

Even when the Demon Race first came into existence, the overwhelming majority believed they had no choice but to submit to Godwin.

But humans had not.

They had overturned the conclusions reached by the immortals, beings thought to possess absolute wisdom.

Humans truly were astonishing creatures.

Where strength failed them, they forged power through wisdom and courage, becoming stronger than anyone could have imagined.

Valdrova felt immeasurably proud of Ferda for creating that power.

At the same time, the question that had long occupied her heart only grew larger.

She clasped her hands tightly against her chest.

***

On the night before the Festival of the Beginning of Spring, Valdrova came to see Ferda.

As always, she was wearing her armor.

Ferda already knew that she had gone out to fight today.

But he also knew that without an excuse like that, she would never come to see him.

"Do you require Mana?"

Normally, she would have answered yes.

Today was different.

"No."

"Then...?"

"I... just wanted to talk with you..."

Ferda felt as though someone had struck him hard on the back of the head.

This was the first time she had come simply because she wanted to talk, without making up an excuse.

His heart began pounding.

It felt as though they had finally become a man and woman secretly meeting for a romantic rendezvous.

When Ferda failed to say anything, Valdrova fidgeted nervously with her fingers.

"Am I... bothering you after all?"

"Not at all. Please, come in."

The two of them sat down.

She slipped off her gauntlets and gently placed them on the table.

"I... want to hold your hand."

"...Certainly."

There was something unusually forward about her.

He liked this sudden change in her, but at the same time, it worried him.

After all, most of Valdrova’s Driving Force came from her anxiety.

Ferda gently placed his hand over hers.

He could feel that she was even more tense than usual.

"W-Well..."

Valdrova struggled to bring up the topic she wanted to discuss.

"Today... over by the city wall... monsters were approaching."

"Yes. I heard you were watching from above."

"Huh? Ah, yes! That’s right!"

Valdrova nodded repeatedly.

"You know... ordinary people were killing monsters."

"I didn’t witness it myself, but according to the report, they killed six Melteds. They may have only been Melteds, but they’re still monsters that ordinary people normally can’t handle. It must have been quite an unfamiliar sight for Your Highness. What did you think?"

"It was... truly amazing. Seeing that made me realize all over again just how incredible you are, Mr. Ferda."

Even through the helmet, he could feel the admiration in her gaze.

Ferda answered calmly.

"I wasn’t the one who accomplished that. It was Vernel who worked tirelessly to create it."

"But even so... if you hadn’t been here, Mr. Ferda... those people would never have even imagined they could kill monsters. Isn’t that true?"

"I suppose you’re right. Hearing you put it that way, I did contribute in my own way."

If Ferda hadn’t taken the initiative, none of it would have been possible.

At this point in time, monsters were still regarded as enemies that ordinary people simply couldn’t defeat.

"Mr. Ferda... you’re changing so many things here."

He had built a village.

He had created the means for people to protect themselves.

Watching all of that had made her realize something.

To say it aloud, she slowly gathered her courage.

"I... I’ve been practicing... the wal... ga..."

"...Do you mean the waltz?"

"Y-Yes! That... I said it wrong again..."

It didn’t matter.

Watching her fluster herself was simply adorable.

Even though she was wearing that fearsome dragon-shaped helmet, Ferda could clearly picture the young woman hidden inside it.

"Tomorrow... is the day, isn’t it? The day... we dance together."

The day we dance together.

We.

A word that meant both of them.

Ferda and Valdrova.

"That’s right."

"I... I’ll wear a beautiful dress and proudly stand beside you, Mr. Ferda. A-as your... ho... host?"

"...Hostess."

"Yes! As your hostess!"

He could sense the determination in her voice, as though she had steeled herself.

Ferda understood.

He knew just how much courage it had taken for her to say those words so boldly.

And he was happy that he was the very first person to hear that courage.

A faint smile spread across his face.

"I’ll be looking forward to it."

***

The entrance to Hestia Village was bustling beyond belief.

Even before sunrise, endless lines of silver carriages carrying young noble ladies and gentlemen arrived from every corner of the Empire.

A total of 250 nobles had been invited.

Of course, it wasn’t just 250 people arriving.

Each carriage came with coachmen, servants, and no fewer than ten elite knights and soldiers serving as escorts.

With 250 young nobles attending, there were at least 2,500 servants accompanying them.

A village that had only recently housed a few hundred people suddenly found itself overflowing with several thousand visitors.

Where large crowds gathered, money naturally followed.

Stephan fully demonstrated the strength of a true merchant.

Working together, the Pascal Trading Company and the Hestia Trading Company organized numerous events and charitable activities.

They transformed the vacant lots where buildings had yet to be constructed into venues for martial arts tournaments and athletic competitions, promoting the region’s image while attracting merchants.

The Far East Union even dispatched troops to maintain public order, allowing the festivities to continue peacefully until evening.

The evening of the Festival of the Beginning of Spring was when the nobles truly began enjoying the banquet.

Magnificent chandeliers illuminated the hall as brightly as daylight, creating an atmosphere of luxury.

Since the castle served as the residence of a dragon, its interior rivaled even the Imperial Palace, leaving the visiting nobles speechless with admiration.

As the guests busily mingled with one another, Ferda also began preparing to make his appearance.

Meanwhile, Isabella gave him several reports.

"They’ve confirmed the effectiveness of the national defense project and have begun officially assigning serial numbers to the rifles."

"Serial numbers?"

"Apparently, they’re modifying them for mass production, assigning identification numbers as they do. The goal is to manufacture dozens each day."

"I see."

Their national defense efforts had certainly achieved remarkable success.

Several ordinary civilians had successfully defeated six Melteds together.

Didn’t that essentially mean ordinary people could now wield power comparable to that of mages?

"If I may offer a word of caution, the young lords and ladies may try to steer the conversation toward the rifles. Please be careful not to reveal any information."

"I’ll keep that in mind."

If he couldn’t contribute, the very least he could do was avoid becoming an obstacle.

He resolved again and again not to upset the delicate balance Isabella had established.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

The moment Luri appeared, Ferda instinctively asked,

"What about Her Highness the Grand Duchess?"

"..."

Luri didn’t answer.

The way she lowered her head and remained silent was answer enough.

Valdrova would not be coming tonight.

Ferda quietly fastened the last remaining button on his jacket.

"I see. She must have her reasons."

"I’m sorry to disappoint you."

To hear the words I’m sorry come from Luri’s mouth...

That alone showed just how much Luri herself had hoped Valdrova would attend the banquet.

"It’s fine. This isn’t exactly unusual, is it?"

"I’m sorry that my master always stands you up."

...Or perhaps she was simply angry.

It was true that this happened often.

But saying he wasn’t disappointed would have been a lie.

The words Valdrova had spoken when she visited him the previous night still echoed vividly in his ears.

Even when he woke up that morning, the very first thing Ferda thought about was Valdrova’s hand.

His own empty hand still remembered the warmth of her right hand resting upon it.

Yet tonight...

This same hand would overlap with another woman’s instead.

’...Don’t dwell on pointless thoughts.’

Ferda slowly clenched his hand in the empty air.

Just because she wasn’t here today didn’t mean she wouldn’t be here tomorrow.

And if tomorrow still existed, then he couldn’t afford to waste today.

With that resolve, Ferda headed toward the banquet hall.

***

"Presenting His Excellency Ferda, Regent of the Great Flame and Consort of the Nation!"

The planner dispatched by the Empire announced his arrival in a loud, ringing voice.

As Ferda, the host of the banquet, entered the hall, the music came to an immediate stop.

The young noble ladies and gentlemen offered graceful bows one after another.

Ferda walked along the red carpet before taking his place.

"Welcome, all of you, to Valdrova Castle."

His clear voice immediately captured everyone’s attention.

"Tonight, we gather here to welcome the coming of spring after enduring a harsh winter. Hestia Village is a small settlement whose construction only began late last autumn. In truth, I have spent even less time carrying the responsibilities of a lord than most of you have."

Ferda eased the atmosphere by speaking with humility.

"And yet, despite that, every one of you accepted this inexperienced lord’s invitation and came here today."

"What does that mean?"

Olivia Arken.

Everyone knew that the true reason was their overwhelming desire to establish a connection with the Imperial Princess.

Knowing that, they waited nervously for Ferda’s next words.

"It means that every one of you carries hope within your hearts."

That was Ferda’s answer.

"One hundred and fifty years have passed since the Dragon-Demon War ended. Yet the territory of the Far East continues to shrink, while the Land of Demons remains as formidable as ever. The evil dragon Godwin is dead. The Demon King is dead as well. But their will did not perish with them, and their ambitions continue to threaten this land."

Ferda looked every person in the hall directly in the eyes.

"As humans of the Cerdes Continent, and as nobles who refuse to tolerate injustice, all of you have shown today that you sincerely wish for the prosperity and peace of the Far East. With the arrival of a new spring, you have become the fresh spark that will reforge armor worn thin and tattered by time."

Ferda raised his wine glass to conclude his speech.

"So tonight, for the sake of that flame, I ask you to laugh, to celebrate, and to dance. As long as love and friendship endure, our resolve shall remain united as one."

Ferda finished with a respectful bow.

Thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall.

At the same time, the orchestra seamlessly began playing an elegant, lively melody.

The banquet had begun.