Volume 8
Chapter 23
Unlike the splendid and lively guesthouse, the school building at night was enveloped in silence. The place Jihad had guided him to was his office within the academy. Jihad turned on the room's magic light and urged Nozomu to sit on the sofa for visitors. The two took their seats, facing each other.
"It should be
fine here."
"So, what did you
mean by 'don't get involved with Iris'?"
At Nozomu's question,
Jihad paused, poured water from the pitcher at hand into a glass, and gulped it
down. Dropping his gaze to the empty glass, Jihad began to speak.
"First, I'll tell
you what I was told by Lord Victor regarding this matter. According to him, an
influential figure from the Wajiart family of the Dizard Empire would be
visiting this academy during this party. Also, that they wanted to hold a
meeting in this Arcazam regarding a limited trade agreement to be concluded in
the near future between the country of Forsina and the Dizard Empire."
What Jihad had been
told by Victor was that the moment an agreement was reached in this meeting,
the agreement would become valid, and diplomatic relations would finally be
established between the two countries.
"The Arcazam
council has approved this. For the Dizard Empire, which has never established
diplomatic relations with any country, the position of this Arcazam is
undoubtedly ideal for concluding an agreement for the first time."
At the same time, if
things went well, it would be possible to bring information, human resources,
and technology from the Dizard Empire to Arcazam. Not only that, but by
creating a precedent of having negotiated and consulted with other countries,
the Dizard Empire side would also be able to proceed smoothly with the numerous
interstate negotiations that would likely occur in the future. Nozomu also
understood what Jihad was trying to say and quietly nodded.
"The reason the
head of the Wajiart family, an influential figure in the Dizard Empire,
participated in this party was also to make this agreement known. It was
probably done with consideration for the national security of the country of
Forsina, the interests of the Dizard Empire, and the influence between the
various countries. Although the opening festival is originally a place for the
students of Solminati Academy and the dignitaries of various countries to meet,
in a case like this, a certain amount of consideration is given to the
circumstances."
Although the main purpose
of the opening festival party was originally to serve as a bridge between the
participating students and the various countries, since the dignitaries of
other countries were gathering, it was inevitable that a situation like
negotiations or meetings between the countries would occur. That was precisely
why the Arcazam side also gave a certain amount of consideration as a tacit
understanding and did not blame them. Although Vitora herself participating was
unexpected for the academy side, the Wajiart family participating in the party
itself was no longer a problem.
"However, if
there is a possibility that the academy students will be exposed to danger,
then it is a different story. Especially in a situation where the spearhead of
that vampire princess is directed at an important student like you..."
Originally, when he
had been told by Victor that an influential figure from the Wajiart family
would be coming to Arcazam, the academy side had planned for Jihad to be the
one to handle it. If the other party was a powerhouse from that country, then
there was no one suitable other than Jihad. But when they opened the lid, the
one who had come was a transcendent being that even Jihad could not handle. As
a result, the academy side had become unable to check the Wajiart family with
force in the worst-case scenario. Furthermore, what was unexpected for the
academy side was that the head of the Wajiart family had taken an unusual
interest in a certain specific person. And on top of that, if that person was a
student to whom the academy side was also giving considerable consideration,
then they had no choice but to be wary.
"Regarding this
agreement, the academy side does not grasp the inside circumstances of the
Francilt family and the Wajiart family, but regarding the purpose of concluding
the agreement, we have a certain degree of understanding of Lord Victor's
thoughts."
The purpose of the
agreement was the national security of the country of Forsina. Jihad understood
it as a move to check the powerful neighboring country, the Cremazzone Empire.
And that thought was almost the same as Victor's aim.
"The problem is
the point that Lord Victor may have used you from the beginning to bring the Wajiart
family onto the public stage."
"...What do you
mean?"
"Even to Lord
Victor, who is the other party in concluding the agreement, that vampire
princess is not showing any interest. It goes without saying who wants to
conclude this agreement."
The one who wanted to
conclude the agreement was not the Wajiart family, but the Francilt family. And
Jihad also believed that Victor himself understood that Vitora was not
interested in him.
"Although I don't
know to what extent, I believe that the possibility that he used you to attract
the Wajiart family's interest is by no means low."
Was it possible that
Victor had used the oversized bait known as Nozomu to draw the Wajiart family
to the negotiating table? That was the concern that had floated in Jihad's
mind.
"This place was
held for the sake of the students' futures. Although there is some political
maneuvering, Lord Victor's method this time, of using you as bait and on top of
that, as a prize, is something I cannot accept. In fact, the venue is probably
still in an uproar."
Whatever Victor's true
intentions were, as for Jihad, he could not tolerate an action that would bring
harm to a student. From the academy's point of view, it was a natural judgment.
Especially in the case of a delicate student like Nozomu, who possessed both
speciality and danger. Therefore, Jihad stated clearly to Nozomu.
"You are a
student of Solminati."
Behind those words,
the meaning "do not get involved in this agreement at all" was
clearly embedded. And once again, he had clearly stated, without words, that
the academy side would not be involved with the Francilt family.
"...Iris is
too."
"But she is,
before that, the next head of the Francilt family. The premise is
different."
Although Nozomu stated
that Irisdina was also a student just like him, his words were flatly denied by
Jihad. Irisdina Francilt was the next head of the Francilt family of the
country of Forsina, one of the main sources of this great commotion. Therefore,
Irisdina had the duty of a great house. On the other hand, Nozomu's position,
regardless of his abilities, was that of a commoner, a single student. Even if
he were to harbor an inhuman power in his body, at present, he had no political
influence or responsibility.
"Although your
true identity has not been made public, if it were to be known, there is no
telling what kind of influence it would have. And on top of that, your control
of that power is still uncertain."
Furthermore, Nozomu's
control of that power was still unstable. Rather, the fact that he was
"hiding" that power was in a state where it could lead not only to a
political bomb but also to a realistic disaster.
"For the current
you to get involved with the Wajiart family is too dangerous. For you, and for
your friends."
"..."
Even if he thought,
even if he wished, that he wanted to be of help, reality was entangling
Nozomu's feet like a chain. Understanding the problem he was currently facing
and Irisdina's current situation, Nozomu clenched his fist in frustration and
bit his lip.
"I don't want you
to misunderstand, but it's not as if I'm abandoning them. The fact that Lord
Victor has invited the Wajiart family to this city and has made it public
probably means that the conditions for the agreement have mostly been settled.
It can be inferred that the matter has probably progressed to the point of just
making it public."
Seeing his state,
Jihad continued slowly, speaking as if to gently admonish him, perhaps
intending to console him.
"Until the
agreement is formally concluded, it would be better for both her and for you to
maintain a certain distance. Do you understand?"
"..."
As if to suppress the
regret and powerlessness that was spreading in his chest, Nozomu clenched his
fist. As if to show his frustration, the blood that was dripping from his palm
was carving crimson spots on the white marble floor.
***
While Nozomu was
facing Jihad, Irisdina was silently questioning her father in the carriage on
their way home. In the rattling carriage, Irisdina's stern gaze was directed at
Victor. On the other hand, Victor, as if the gaze from his daughter were a
gentle breeze, was directing his gaze out the window.
"Father, what is
the meaning of this?"
At Irisdina's
question, which could be called rude, Victor glanced at Irisdina, let out a
deep sigh, and opened his mouth.
"First, regarding
the secret pact that our ancestors had made with the Wajiart family, it has
become invalid due to the loss of both our contract documents. However, the
fact that the Francilt family had made a secret pact in the past will not
disappear, and above all, if we were to unilaterally break the contract, a
conflict would remain with the Wajiart family."
"On top of
resolving that, it's a trade agreement to hide it from the public, is it...
What are its contents?"
"I will omit the
minor details, but it is a limited trade agreement. However, in the fulfillment
of that agreement, our family will pay all the necessary expenses. That is the
agreement."
At Victor's words,
Irisdina nodded as if she were convinced. From the Wajiart family's point of
view, the Francilt family was a family of faithless people who had abandoned
their past agreement. No matter how much Irisdina or Victor had not known that
the secret pact had actually existed, that was the Francilt family's business
and had nothing to do with the Wajiart family. That was precisely why, to
cleanse that stigma, they had to present and hand over something more than
commensurate. For that, Victor had promised the Wajiart family that he would
pay a great deal of assets.
"This agreement
also has the purpose of hiding that secret pact, but at the same time, it has
the purpose of bringing the Wajiart family and the Dizard Empire to the
forefront, and to make the national security of our country, and by extension,
the continent, even stronger. I have already spoken to the king about this
agreement."
For the current
Francilt family, the past secret pact was a potent poison, but that poison
could also become a medicine, depending on how it was used. If it was
compensation for having unilaterally broken the past secret pact, then money
would seem easier at first glance, but if a large amount of money were to move,
it would become impossible to deceive everyone's eyes. If that were to happen,
the secret pact that the Francilt family had made would also come to light. To
prevent such a foul odor from spreading in a disorderly fashion, it would be
better to involve a partner with whom they could share the profits, share the
secret, and create a suitable cover story. And the number of those involved
would be small, and it would be preferable for their authority to be great. In
that sense, the fact that Victor had persuaded and brought in the king of his
own country was, without a doubt, the best move. The problem was that the Wajiart
family were vampires, and that they had a history of clashing with the human
race, but this could also be kept to a minimum by limiting the places, people,
and things to be traded. Furthermore, if the Francilt family were to pay for
all the assets, it would look good to the public, and the pursuit from other
families who did not know the situation could also be suppressed to some
extent. Of course, Irisdina also understood that. Because she was also aware
that she would make the same choice if possible.
"I understand the
reason for fulfilling the agreement. However, I don't suppose..."
What Irisdina was
concerned about was the possibility that Nozomu was included in the
"things" that they would be "presenting" to the Wajiart
family. At present, Nozomu was a student of Solminati Academy, and externally,
he had no direct relationship with the Francilt family or the country of
Forsina. But such a thing did not matter in the world of politics. If one
wanted to make a pretext, one could make as many reasons as one wanted, and if
one wanted to do it, there were as many means as one wanted. And Irisdina
understood that her own father would also use nefarious means if necessary. In
fact, Victor had responded to the great invasion of ten years ago using such
methods.
"Either way, we
have no choice but to push this path through. To cleanse the mismanagement of
our past blood relatives..."
"And for that,
you would even use a benefactor...?"
While biting her lip
with a grit... Irisdina let out a groaning voice. A scorching rage was burning
the depths of her chest. What Victor was doing was, as a statesman, a very,
very natural act. The national security of the country of Forsina would be made
more solid by the agreement with the Dizard Empire, and if many countries were
to subsequently form a relationship with the Empire, it would become a trump
card against the demonic beasts that might come again, and would contribute to
the stability of the continent. In the long run, it was an agreement that was
full of good things, and would be beneficial to the Francilt family, the
country of Forsina, and the Dizard Empire. To be frank, it could be called
almost perfect. However, there is no such thing as perfect politics. The back
of the pleasant words and results is always wet with the sweat and blood of
"someone unseen." And with this agreement, that "someone
unseen" was highly likely to become an existence that Irisdina could not
overlook. For Irisdina, it was a story that she could by no means accept.
"Irisdina, to
protect something means, at the same time, to not protect something. You should
understand that, shouldn't you?"
Perhaps having read
his daughter's emotion, Victor's gaze and words, not as a father, but as a
statesman, were directed at Irisdina. His sharp, rock-like eyes and heavy voice
were rapidly drawing out the spirit of the next head of the Francilt family
from Irisdina, and were rapidly cooling her heightened emotions. And Irisdina,
whose emotion had been rapidly cooled, had been made to understand, against her
will, the situation they were in now, even more deeply. Now that things had
gotten this big, for the Francilt family to survive, they had to make this
agreement come to fruition, no matter what. If they were to fail, the Francilt
family would receive the retaliation of the Wajiart family, and would also lose
the trust of the king. And they would be ruined in an instant. Even if they
could continue to exist as nobles, at the very least, the family that Irisdina
thought was important would undoubtedly be ruined. Victor would be held
responsible and would be imprisoned, and Irisdina and the others would also be
found fault with by their political enemies and relatives who were trying to
escape responsibility, and would be separated. There was no need to think about
the outcome after that. That was precisely why, for the Francilt family to
survive, they had to make this agreement come to fruition, no matter what.
"However, the
matter was more troublesome than I had thought."
And Irisdina's
intelligent brain, as the next head of the Francilt family, was calmly listing
the offering of Nozomu Bountis to Vitora as one of the most effective options.
"!"
At the same time, a
disgust as if a centipede were crawling all over her body, and a chill as if
she had been left under the winter sky, enveloped Irisdina. As if to endure
that eroding chill and disgust, Irisdina hugged her own body. Victor's eyes, as
he looked at such an Irisdina, were so cold and inorganic that they were
unimaginable from his usual doting self.
"Do you have any
questions?"
"..."
"Then our
conversation is over."
Before she knew it,
the carriage had already arrived in front of the Francilt mansion's gate. The
maid who had come to greet them respectfully opened the carriage door, and
Victor, without even turning to his daughter, disappeared into the mansion,
accompanied by Mena. For a while, Irisdina had been sitting in the carriage seat
in a daze, but eventually, she slowly got out of the carriage. Her complexion,
even in the dark of the night, was so pale that it could be seen.
"Big
Sister..."
"Somia..."
At the word "Big
Sister," Irisdina raised her gaze, and Somia, who had come out of the
mansion, was right in front of her. She had probably come to greet them,
knowing that the carriage carrying her father and sister had returned. Somia,
who had been the direct target of the secret pact. Perhaps she had been told
the story beforehand, as her expression was dyed with anxiety and concern, and
her eyes were brimming with tears.
"Big Sister, um,
that... are you okay...?"
Irisdina's perceptive
younger sister, while already understanding her own situation, was concerned
for her haggard older sister. At her brave and endearing figure, Irisdina
forcibly put a lid on her welling disgust and put on a smile with all her
facial muscles.
"I'm fine. You
don't need to worry."
"But, about
Nozomu-san..."
Although Irisdina had
put on a smile to reassure her younger sister, Somia's expression would not
clear up at all. "This won't do," Irisdina reached out her hand to
Somia's head.
"It's okay. I
will never let them lay a hand on him, or on you, Somia."
I want you to be at
ease. With that feeling, Irisdina continued to slowly stroke her beloved
younger sister's head.
"It's okay, it's
okay..."
As if to tell herself
as well, over and over again...
***
Victor, who had
returned to his room in the mansion, went to the liquor shelf that had been set
up in the corner of the room, casually took out a liquor bottle, opened the
stopper, and chugged it. What he had chugged was the distilled liquor that Madam
Parline had been fond of drinking. At the sensation of the burning, intense
alcohol burning his throat, Victor was on the verge of choking, but as if to
swallow the unpleasantness that was welling up from his stomach, he forcibly
gulped it down. The liquor, which had been more than half full in the bottle,
had disappeared into Victor's stomach in an instant.
"Phew... damn
it!"
Even after drinking
all the contents of the bottle, Victor's irritation would not disappear. As if
to shake off the unpleasantness that would not disappear, he threw the empty
bottle he was holding against the wall. The liquor bottle that had been slammed
against the marble wall shattered with a hard, shattering sound. Without even
looking at the scattered fragments of the bottle, Victor took another bottle of
liquor from the liquor shelf. To resolve his current irritation, less than a
bottle was by no means enough. At that moment, knock, knock, the sound of a knock on the door echoed. When Victor
answered, "Enter," in a rough tone, the door opened, and Mena
appeared.
"Victor-sama."
"...Mena, huh?
How is Somia?"
"Lady Somilliana
is waiting in her room with Lady Irisdina."
"I see. For a
while, have Somia rest from the academy. At least, until this matter is
settled..."
Opening the lid of the
liquor bottle he was holding in his hand, Victor once again took a swig of the
liquor. The second bottle that Victor had picked up was a brewed liquor that
used grains from the East. Although it was a high-quality item that surpassed
the previous distilled liquor in price, Victor had drunk nearly half of it in
one go. At the sight of her master, Mena frowned for a moment, but she strove
not to break her nonchalant attitude.
"And Lady
Irisdina?"
"Have Irisdina
attend the academy. We need her to make contact with that brat."
Victor was thinking
that the academy side had already issued a warning to Nozomu not to get close
to the Francilt family. And in fact, as Victor had thought, Jihad had
admonished Nozomu in such a way. However, contrary to Jihad's concerns, Victor
was not using Nozomu politically. Because the risks, both politically and
physically, were too high. But the situation was already pressing. The current
situation of the Francilt family was such that they had to consider all
possible situations and take all possible measures. Perhaps his irritation had
subsided a little from chugging a large amount of liquor, as Victor began to
drink the remaining half of the brewed liquor in small sips. For a while, a
silence flowed between Victor and Mena.
"Was it
unexpected?"
The one who broke the
silence was Mena. In her confirming tone, a certain convinced tone could be
felt.
"What was?"
"That the head of
the Wajiart family would visit in person. Until now, that had never
happened."
"Well,
yes..."
Vitora's sudden visit
this time was also unexpected for Victor. Even at the place of apology where
Victor had gone in person, and even at the negotiating table so far, the head
of the Wajiart family had not shown her face. Of course, Victor had heard from
Irisdina the words that Rugato had let slip, "Vitora is not interested in the secret pact," but he could not
make a judgment on that alone. At first, Victor had felt that Rugato's words
were a message, "I have no intention
of listening to what you have to say," but in the process of
negotiating patiently, he had realized that Vitora was not interested in the
Francilt family or the past secret pact at all. If she had intended to forcibly
fulfill the past secret pact, Vitora would have come to Arcazam to reap Somia's
soul a long time ago, without a care for what others thought. Because she was a
monster who held such a wildness and the power to push through that arrogance.
"Damn it, to
think that cleaning up the mess of a fool from the past would get this
complicated..."
What had decisively
thrown off Victor's prediction was the sudden change of heart of the head of
the Wajiart family. Nozomu's name had not come up once in the negotiation
process so far, nor had it been mentioned by the Wajiart family's side. The
negotiations were also proceeding smoothly, and for Victor, the negotiations
with his own relatives and related parties had been more difficult. This was
also because Rugato had been trying to settle the matter smoothly for the sake
of his own master and people, who were not interested in the Francilt family or
the secret pact. In other words, Victor had had no need to use Nozomu politically
in the first place.
"My lord, who in
the world leaked Nozomu-sama's true identity to the Wajiart family..."
"Considering the
timing, the most suspicious one is Egurodo. If he doesn't know about the
existence that is monitoring Nozomu Bountis or the fact that his control of his
power is currently uncertain, then the possibility is quite high."
If there was a
possibility, it would be the Arcazam chairman, who had heard his true identity,
but in the first place, Egurodo's trusted subordinate was staying in this city.
As for Jihad, he was thinking that the one who had leaked Nozomu's true
identity to the Wajiart family was almost certainly Egurodo, and that his
trusted subordinate, Mekuria, was involved.
"My lord, is
there a possibility that Zonne-dono will move in this matter..."
"Probably not.
That old man is a dragon, and this matter is, after all, a problem of the human
race."
Currently, Zonne was
guiding Nozomu as a dragonslayer, but his position was that of an instructor,
and at the same time, that of Tiamat's observer. That position was a delicate
and strange one, and while he was observing Tiamat, he was also guiding Nozomu.
But he was only cooperating as a dragon. Naturally, he had no reason to
cooperate with the human race, and he probably would not try to interfere.
"And besides,
Zonne-dono has an aspect of testing that brat. Except for the truly worst of
times, he probably won't intervene."
And for Zonne, the
crisis of the Francilt family was not a matter for him to intervene in. In
Azel's case, he had only intervened because Tiamat had been on the verge of
reviving due to the intervention of the dragon race. What was most important
for Victor now was that the Francilt family was currently in a state of
isolation. Just by one of his assumptions being wrong, the situation had at
once been driven into a corner.
"It's
better than being excluded from Arcazam, but I can no longer secure the
cooperation of the academy..."
Jihad had told Victor,
"I cannot cooperate any further,"
but he had not said, "Get out of
Arcazam." While protecting the neutrality of the academy, he had left
a negotiating table for the Francilt family and the Wajiart family. Victor also
understood that that was the most Jihad could concede.
"As for
the rest, it's up to me..."
Having steeled his
resolve once again, Victor, while being drunk on the pounding of his heart and
the heat that was rising from his rapid alcohol consumption, took out a single
envelope from his desk drawer with a steady hand. It was white, had a luxurious
decoration, and had the seal of the Francilt family, something that the head of
the Francilt family would use to express his own intentions.
"...Mena, there
is something I must entrust to you."
"Are you sure? If
I were to hand over this letter, I believe you would be resented by the young
ladies..."
Mena, who had been
handed the envelope from Victor, but perhaps she had guessed the contents of
that envelope, as she asked her master with a slight frown.
"I have been
prepared for that from the beginning. What I must do will not change. I will
definitely protect them."
At Victor, who was
declaring so gravely, and so powerfully, Mena felt the resolve of her own
master and bowed deeply.
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