Chapter 118: Gwen's Pursuit of Her Husband
Every street and alleyway across the entire Northern Frontier was plastered with vivid crimson wanted notices.
The portrait on the bounty posters was none other than Viktor!
Countless warrants were even being waved through the air, carried off by the swirling snow.
This was because the person Viktor had beaten was the Grand Knight who garrisoned the north—Count Angus.
Rumors had already begun spreading among the populace, claiming that Viktor had beaten Angus into a vegetative state, and that a full day had passed with no sign of recovery.
The news that the Delin Family's heir had been beaten into critical condition and lay unconscious was causing an uproar throughout the entire Northern Frontier.
From the northern nobility at the top, down to the common folk at the bottom.
The matter was swiftly relayed by scouts back to the Royal Capital, and within less than half a day, it had spread through the entire city.
The ministers naturally paid close attention—this affair was simply too outlandish.
Viktor and Count Angus coming to blows was not the central issue, but the problem lay in what followed.
Viktor had actually won against Count Angus.
Winning itself wasn't the problem, of course.
But he had actually beaten the man into complete ntal incapacitation!
Though that too, one might argue, was a minor matter in isolation.
But Angus was Viktor's father-in-law!
This—this was just—
When word reached the Imperial household, even Aubrey Sorel furrowed his brow slightly.
In all his decades on the throne, he had never encountered such a vexing situation.
Aubrey looked at those assembled, waved a hand, and asked:
"Does Gwen know about this?"
"Grand Knight Commander Gwen is already on her way."
A minister answered at once.
After those words, the entire court sank into a prolonged silence.
In this matter, what Viktor had done was admittedly a bit much.
Under ordinary circumstances, the nobles who already harbored grievances against Viktor would naturally seize this mont to heap criticism upon him and pick at his faults.
But the problem was...
Viktor's star was currently at its height, and he was deeply favored by the Emperor.
It was no secret that the Clavena household had caused 3 scenes within the Imperial Palace itself, and this aging Emperor had done nothing but watch it all unfold with a smile, never lifting a finger to intervene.
Not even shielding his own sons and nephews.
And on top of that, Viktor had only recently proposed his new concept—that thing called a 'Dungeon'—and the Emperor himself had expressed his full support and eager anticipation for it.
So in this matter, even if Viktor had genuinely been in the wrong—
No one dared step forward to say so.
Emperor Aubrey's fingers, heavy with thick ruby rings, tapped against the armrest of the throne as he let out a long, deep sigh.
"Angus commands the Northern Frontier Knights and is responsible for garrisoning the north."
"If he is truly ntally incapacitated, then his title can only be inherited by his heir."
At these words, everyone fell into another silence.
His heir?
Angus's heir had very nearly been beaten into permanent disability—was he truly still fit to inherit Angus's position?
So who, in the end, could possibly inherit the Delin Family?
Angus had 3 children, of whom Kavra was well-known to many.
As a politician rather than a Knight, she would have no way of commanding those Northern Frontier Knights.
And the only person still qualified to inherit the Delin Family was—
Everyone thought of the sa na without prompting.
Gwen Delin.
"......"
In an instant, the expressions of the ministers darkened considerably, the silence deepened further, and even their breathing seed to slow.
So were even wondering whether Viktor's attack on Angus had been sothing the Emperor had deliberately arranged.
Gwen was Viktor's Fiancée.
If Gwen inherited the Delin Family, and then Gwen ultimately married Viktor—
2 County households would beco 1.
"This..."
Viktor's power base would beco far more formidable—and if that foundation were acquired by either of the 2 Princes, it could very well directly determine the future throne.
But the problem was...
Viktor was the Princess's teacher.
And there was yet another more pressing question.
If Viktor were to obtain the Delin Family's Knight legacy and amass such great influence—would the future sovereign truly be able to keep him in check?
They were not permitted to think any further down this path. That territory was an affront to the dignity of the future sovereign.
Nor could they continue to speculate on what this aging, declining old Emperor had on his mind.
"Your Majesty—Grand Knight Commander Gwen has arrived."
A Court Eunuch hurried to the Emperor's side and reported in a low voice.
The mont the words were spoken, Gwen entered—clad in silver-white armor, a faint cold gleam upon it.
Her left arm cradled her Knight's helt. She held her chest high and her head tall, striding into the Grand Hall with unwavering composure.
"Your Majesty."
Every minister present turned their gaze to Gwen—and felt from her an aura of cold authority and quiet dominance.
Her expression was somber to an extre, and the lines of her brow seed to carry within them the bitter frost of the Northern Frontier itself.
She stood before the Emperor and gave a slight bow.
The Emperor gave an unconcerned wave of his hand and said lightly:
"Gwen, you should be aware of what happened in the north by now."
Viktor's wanted notices had blanketed the north overnight, and countless Knights were currently searching for his whereabouts.
She had already learned of this from Kavra's letter.
Gwen offered no response—but it was clear to everyone present that this Knight already knew everything.
The Emperor looked at her and continued:
"You are Viktor's Fiancée. Strictly speaking, this matter should be handled as a family affair, and it would not be appropriate for to intervene."
Then Aubrey gave a small, quiet laugh.
"But after all this—can you and Viktor truly still maintain this engagent?"
At these words, many could not help but consider the Emperor's intent.
He was giving Gwen a choice.
As things stand, you are Viktor's Fiancée. Your fiancé has beaten your father—that is a family matter, and it has not yet risen to a more serious level.
But if your Engagent is dissolved—
Then it becos Viktor maliciously cooperating with the Northern Savage Beasts to assault the Northern Frontier's Grand Knight, Count Angus.
The Empire would naturally be within its rights to dispatch its forces and bring Viktor back in custody.
At that point, official proceedings would begin, and the Imperial household would investigate the entire matter thoroughly.
And afterwards, the engagent between the 2 would naturally be unsustainable.
If Angus never recovered, and his heir was permanently disabled—
Gwen would return to the Northern Frontier and assu the title of Countess, taking her father's place in garrisoning the north.
As for Viktor?
As long as the charges didn't hold, he would remain a Count—the Princess's teacher.
The Emperor still appeared to be thinking rationally. Though he was alive and could keep Viktor in check, future sovereigns might not necessarily be able to manage 2 Counts with both military and political power.
Many had arrived at the deeper aning behind the Emperor's words.
And so what ca next was simply a matter of watching Gwen's choice.
Gwen showed not a single mont of hesitation, and responded imdiately.
Her expression did not change in the slightest—as though she were describing sothing entirely trivial.
"Your Majesty, I co to request that you relieve of my position as Grand Knight Commander of the Royal Knight Company."
The mont those words landed, the entire hall erupted in a wave of stunned exclamations, a tide of shock crashing through the court.
Gwen herself possessed extraordinary strength and exceptional ability, and the position of Grand Knight Commander had been personally appointed by the Emperor.
And yet now she was actually intending to relinquish it?
Could she truly be planning to return ho and inherit the family estate?
The Emperor heard Gwen's reply and broke into a smile.
"Oh? Do go on."
Gwen's expression remained cool.
"Viktor is my Fiancé. As long as he has no intention of canceling it, our engagent remains valid."
"So I will find him in person, and ask him about everything myself."
The justice within her heart ant she would never shield anyone—if Gwen discovered that this truly was Viktor's fault, then...
"I will challenge him, even if I have no possible hope of defeating him."
Gwen's eyes carried an absolute and unshakeable resolve.
"Even if I die by his hand."
To act in the na of justice. To be accountable for what is right.
Gwen was just—but her sense of justice had never been rigid or absolute.
She would never judge another person's good or evil, right or wrong, based on surface appearances alone.
All things in this world have 2 sides, and she was willing to lay down her life for every injustice she encountered.
This was the small, personal sense of justice that Gwen held within her heart.
Having said her piece, she paid no heed to the astonished stares of those around her, simply cradling that heavy helt, and gave the Emperor a deep, respectful bow.
"Thank you for your gracious permission, Your Majesty."
Gwen turned away and walked slowly toward the exit of the Grand Hall—the bright, blazing light fell upon her armor, setting it shimring with radiant gleams.
In this mont, Gwen resembled a cleansing angel.
More than that, she resembled a stubborn and untad creature, walking slowly toward a single thread of light in the distance.
All for the sake of upholding that—
Justice within her heart.
***
The wind and snow of the Northern Frontier was, in the end, bone-piercingly cold.
Weija ruffled its feathers in dissatisfied protest—it did not fear the cold itself, but the savage wind always left its feathers disheveled and unkempt.
That damned Viktor hadn't even bothered to cast a Wind-Repelling Spell on it, despite everything it had done for him.
All at once, Viktor stopped in his tracks amid the blizzard.
"Hey—why did you stop?"
Weija cried out in irritation, but Viktor paid no attention to its indignant squawking, simply gazing steadily forward.
In the distance, all was black—but beneath the raging wind and snow, what appeared to be a settlent flickered with burning firelight.
In this remote, wind-howling wasteland, there was actually a place with encampnts set up and fires lit.
A vivid crimson banner billowed in the wind and snow, stitched with the image of an enormous sword wreathed in fla.
Weija caught sight of the distant settlent as well and tilted its head with so curiosity.
"Going by the banner, that's the territory of the 【Blazing Sword】."
Viktor said evenly.
【Blazing Sword】 was 1 of the 2 largest Savage Beast tribes in the Extre Northern Ice Plains.
These people were scattered across the remote frontier regions—Followers of the Fla Giant, that terrifying giant possessed of demigod power.
They upheld an eternal faith in endless strife and the ever-burning power of fla.
As Followers of the Fla Giant, those Savage Beasts had been granted, through the ancient giant's blessing, the power to fear neither cold nor fire.
This was why these Savage Beasts had been able to sustain their way of life in this place for so many years.
"Looks like just a small sub-tribe."
Weija said, narrowing its eyes.
"Savage Beasts are no good—but I need them to help find a path."
Viktor said plainly, and beneath his feet, white Formations suddenly took shape, a floating magic activating and lifting him off the ground.
Viktor drifted slowly upward until he hovered over the settlent.
From this height, he could see far more clearly.
Below, the settlent burned with roaring flas at every point, great piles of animal hides stacked together—even the rooftops of the buildings were made of furs sewn from various animal skins.
Viktor slowly closed his hand around a red Formation, murmuring an obscure incantation under his breath.
In monts, a striking and terrifying blaze of fire-red appeared between the clouds.
The ferocity and heat seed as though it could incinerate the entire sky.
【4th-Tier Magic: Heaven's Inferno】
In an instant, the wind and snow over the settlent gradually ceased, replaced by an incomparable and all-consuming heat.
Column after column of enormous fla serpents cascaded from the sky, hamring down into the great encampnt without cease.
In monts, fla engulfed half the sky, and the earth below began cracking and splitting apart.
A great crowd of males poured out from the settlent, weapons in hand—their bodies covered in red fur, like so many unbroken beasts.
They gathered together and hollered sothing upward at Viktor in the sky, their voices unintelligible.
Viktor flicked a finger, and 1 ferocious fla serpent plunged down toward the crowd.
The endless fire instantly consud the crowd whole.
Wave after wave of Savage Beasts burned with fla across their entire bodies, scattering in every direction, desperately trying to smother the fire.
But it was, in the end, futile.
As 1 by 1 the Savage Beasts turned to charcoal and fell in the snow, the entire settlent sank into silence.
Nothing could be heard but the crackling of fla consuming the structures.
Viktor looked upon the grim scene, slowly descended, and fixed his gaze on 1 Savage Beast trembling amid the flas.
He was curled up within the fire, staring at Viktor with boundless terror in his eyes.
Yet the flas seed to cause him not the slightest burn.
Viktor looked at him with cool indifference and said slowly:
"Lucky for you—I found you on the very first tribe."
"Temple Qualifier."
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