Clent Hahn's sudden revelation caused an uproar among the nobles off-stage. So of the nobles imdiately realized that his words were patently absurd, but many—due to limited perspective and lack of information—might very well take Clent Hahn's statent at face value.
Under these circumstances, it wasn't even necessary for him to secure the trust of most, or even many, of the nobles. What he was angling for was a montary shock that would get a few nobles to consider casting their vote for him in their brief mont of surprise.
Clent didn't really care about a seat on the Elder Council—he was well aware that the positions had already been decided behind the scenes.
As a businessman, he viewed this eting as a stage to showcase both his noble house and the Golden Rain Coalition.
The goal was to boost the reputation of the coalition, attract more investors, and thereby strengthen his family's influence. That was his true objective.
As for borrowing Wang Yu's na? That had long been part of the plan. Although Wang Yu hadn't agreed to form an alliance the last ti they t, it was true that Clent had visited his ho. As for what happened during that visit, no one else knew—so couldn't he say whatever he wanted?
As for the potential fallout of using Wang Yu's na without permission, Clent didn't care about that in the slightest. He was confident that Wang Yu couldn't do anything to him. This was the capital—anyone who stayed here had to abide by the kingdom's laws. Wang Yu had no real backing. He was just a titled knight with limited status.
The grand knight who had run around killing nobles recently had set the bar high. Only soone equally strong could pose a real challenge—and even that fearso figure had had his arm severed by Hugin Smokes of the Nightblades. Who would be able to replicate such a feat?
Wang Yu didn't have the power to threaten the Hahn family or the Golden Rain Coalition, especially without a strong background.
Still, Clent didn't mind tossing Wang Yu a few benefits—hopefully, the man would see reason and not do anything foolish.
Clent Hahn turned his gaze toward Wang Yu, who hadn't reacted to his speech, and smiled faintly.
Wang Yu's lack of reaction pleased him. He hadn't stood up and publicly countered Clent, and neither had he flown into a rage.
He seed like a rational man—he probably had already figured out how to handle their relationship.
Clent waited for the nobles below to finish their discussion before he bowed, requested that the nobles vote for his house, and then left the stage.
Then ca voting. It was simple in principle: the royal representatives at the front would hold up the crests representing the various noble houses in turn, while the nobles below raised their hands to cast votes. Though seemingly primitive, the thod had proven effective and had been in use for ages.
Ti and again, the crests and the nobles' hands rose and fell. The nobles in the front received fewer votes; their seats were practically guaranteed, and no further participation was necessary. Wang Yu casually cast his vote for the Ryders.
Doing so was a statent that he didn't intend to form any alliances or participate in this ga of politics.
Thereafter, as the voting moved toward smaller noble houses, it grew far more chaotic. Nobles cast their votes based on whom they wanted to ally with. The eting had set aside ti after the vote for prospective allies to discuss the details of their partnership.
As expected, the Hahn family received quite a number of votes. Forming a partnership with the Nightblades, an organization that typically remained outside the sphere of major power blocs, was clearly an attractive prospect.
Wang Yu silently considered how to deal with all this. He really didn't have an effective way to deal with Clent.
His background was all but nonexistent. Charles and Edward were friends, but as heirs who had yet to inherit their families' positions, their favor didn't hold much weight.
Sieg, Hugin, and the Nightblades, on the other hand, couldn't serve as direct backers. They could offer him so protection, sure, but the Nightblades had always avoided power struggles.
As for Wang Yu himself, his strength was average, and his status hadn't advanced due to both his lack of ti and disinterest in social climbing.
"Well... there's nothing much I can really do about it. I might as well be pragmatic and try to get sothing out of this—damn it, I can't stand staying in the capital any longer. Once the war between Aleisterre and Selwyn's over, I'm out."
Wang Yu pursed his lips. The anger burning inside him began to fade. He was a practical man—since there wasn't much he could do to deal with Clent, he might as well squeeze so benefits out of the situation. If Clent wanted to call him a partner, then he'd better pay up.
As for a seat on the Elder Council, a formal alliance, and everything else—Wang Yu had no interest in such a ss. He was free, and saw no need to entangle himself with those burdens. Once the war reached a conclusion and he'd had enough of the capital, he'd just leave. Simple as that.
With that thought, Wang Yu's anger completely dissipated. Later, he'd have a word with Sieg and the others to clear up the rumor about the Nightblades. There was no need to drag them into these noble alliances.
He watched Clent cheerfully chatting with people nearby, his expression calm.
Eventually, ti ran out. The nobles wrapped up their negotiations and alliances as they left the palace—so satisfied, others disappointed or furious.
Clent did the sa. He had just concluded several deals with various nobles. With this montum, his house would be able to rise to new heights.
Smiling, he left the hall. His father—the current patriarch of the house of Hahn—was waiting with a smile in the corridor.
"Well done this ti."
The Hahn patriarch clapped his son on the shoulder approvingly. He was very pleased with Clent's performance in the re-election. Clever, bold, and eloquent, Clent had secured quite a few deals.
"Thank you, Father. I believe that as long as we work together, the house of Hahn can beco one of the major noble houses of the capital," Clent replied with a smile.
"Well said. You possess ambition—but don't forget what the foundations of the house of Hahn family was built upon. Don't rush, my child. After I'm gone, once ti has pushed these old tales into the forgotten corners of mory... that will be the mont to truly lead the house of Hahn toward fa and glory."
His father's voice was gentle as he put an arm around Clent's shoulder.
Clent sighed. As he recalled so of his family's past deeds, he solidified his resolve to break free of the specters haunting them.
There was no need to stick to conventional thods to accomplish such an objective.
"I understand, Father. Our family won't linger on the margins of power forever. As for the past... let it stay in the past."
Clent made a firm promise to the Hahn patriarch, who gave him a satisfied pat on the back. The two of them walked out of the palace together.
"Hold on, Father. I need to deal with that Nightblade I described as our partner."
Just as they stepped out of the palace, Clent spotted Wang Yu waiting in the distance, his arms crossed. Wang Yu's gaze was clearly locked on him, so Clent decided to go confirm just what the man wanted.
"Go ahead. I'll wait here."
The Hahn patriarch nodded as he watched his son walk toward Wang Yu. This was a test of sorts.
He had gambled on borrowing the Nightblades' na. Now, how he handled the follow-up would determine whether he had the ability to lead the house of Hahn away from its past.
Clent approached Wang Yu, who continued standing with arms crossed, and stopped a respectful distance away. "Sir Wang Yu, were you waiting for ?"
"I was. I think you owe an explanation, don't you?"
Wang Yu's tone was flat, and his gaze, fixed on Clent, was emotionless. He ca across as rather aggressive.
"As partners, there's no need to be so formal, is there?" Clent inwardly frowned. Wang Yu hadn't made a fuss at the eting earlier, but for him to be confronting Clent directly—how improper.
"Exactly. As a partner, shouldn't you show a little... gesture?"
Still calm, Wang Yu extended his hand toward Clent, palm facing up. His implication was clear.
"Ah, of course." Clent paused for a second. He imdiately understood Wang Yu's intention.
He had thought Wang Yu was coming to demand an explanation, that it would be an unpleasant confrontation. But to his surprise...
Clearly, Wang Yu knew how to read the situation. Clent wouldn't mind giving him a few benefits in the future.
With a sincere smile, Clent took a mana crystal card from his pocket and handed it to Wang Yu.
"A small token of appreciation, nothing more. I hope you'll accept five thousand gold coins as a gift from a respectful partner, Sir Wang Yu. I also hope our collaboration will continue for a long ti to co."
He gave Wang Yu a courteous salute as he smiled with satisfaction. Using a simple bribe to get Wang Yu to drop the matter of falsely invoking his na—what a perfect outco.
"Mm." Wang Yu gave a small nod and turned to leave.
Clent didn't mind Wang Yu's sowhat rude departure. Resolving this mildly troubleso issue so easily had put him in a great mood.
He hadn't expected Wang Yu to be this kind of person. If he'd known earlier, there'd have been no need to prepare all those backup plans.
As Wang Yu turned and walked away, he rubbed the mana crystal card between his fingers. Five thousand gold coins—a hefty sum, even for soone who wasn't hurting for money anymore. It was enough for a new alchemical weapon or stronger potions—there was plenty of room to work with.
Wang Yu had no interest in the power struggles between nobles. What they cared about ant nothing to him. If he ever gained the power to strike down soone as disgusting as Clent, he certainly wouldn't hesitate.
But since he didn't have that power yet, he'd let it go. As soone pragmatic, he knew that it was best to turn all that abstract nonsense into tangible benefits.
He wasn't planning to stay in the capital, anyway. He'd be gone before long. The world was vast—there was far more to see than the human kingdom of Aleisterre.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Edward and Charles jogging over from a distance. It seed they were still concerned about what Clent had said.
Behind Wang Yu, Clent was smiling as he walked toward his father. Everything had gone smoothly. Now all that remained was to reach an agreent with those new allies, and—"Huh?" Clent suddenly realized his feet were no longer touching the ground, and his father's expression had abruptly turned to horror and shock. What was going on?
Before his mind could finish processing the question, pain and loss of consciousness struck simultaneously. Clent didn't even have ti to feel the pain of death.
A small black vortex had appeared behind Clent, and a hand wreathed in black smoke had pierced through his back. His heart was gone. Before he even realized what was happening, Clent was dead.
From behind his collapsing corpse, a one-ard figure wreathed in black smoke rose and turned to the horrified patriarch of House Hahn, Clent's father.
"You... How dare you appear here? The royals will kill you instantly. What are you trying to do?!"
The patriarch of the Hahns was utterly shaken. As he faced this figure wreathed in black smoke who had killed several nobles, his heart thumped in fear.
He cared little for his son, whose death stirred no true emotion beneath a façade of paternal affection—rather, his own life was now under threat.
"So things... will not be forgotten by ti..."
It was the first ti the figure had spoken since its appearance in the capital. The voice sounded like a broken phonograph, full of static and distortion—completely unrecognizable.
"Are you mad? This is suicide. You've walked right into the lion's den. If you stay here—"
The Hahn patriarch stamred, trying to persuade the figure to retreat. Before he could finish, the figure crossed the short distance in a flash and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him into the air.
"It's fine. I wasn't planning to live anyway. Let's die together..." The eerie, emotionless voice spoke again in a strange, chilling response.
Everything happened far too quickly for anyone to react. The figure wreathed in black smoke had appeared, killed Clent in an instant, said a single line, and imdiately seized the Hahn patriarch.
The grand knights nearby rushed forward—but it was too late. The figure wreathed in smoke was faster.
Even Wang Yu could only turn in shock as the Hahn patriarch was lifted into the air.
Edward and Charles stood frozen, their pupils dilated in disbelief. But a flicker of sothing complicated flashed across Charles's eyes—he had noticed sothing.
In Wang Yu's field of vision, a wisp of black smoke peeled away from the figure's. At that mont, the massive physical magic array atop the palace suddenly began to spin. A tidal wave of magical energy surged outward, one so intense that even non-magicians could feel it.
The palace's defense system had activated...
"Stop! Capture him alive—shut down the array!"
"We can't! When we had Stevenson Academy of Magic build it, we had them ensure it eliminated the threat instantly. It can't be stopped!"
"Damn it!"
The two magicians responsible for the formation argued as panic spread. The figure had discarded his concealnt, triggering the palace's powerful automated defense array. What ca next would be inevitable—boom. A blinding, massive pillar of lightning shot down from the array above the palace, annihilating both the figure and the Hahn patriarch in an instant. Nothing remained of them but dust.
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