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Volume 4 Chapter 1 Part 5

If the Fantasia Union gathered together and attacked with all its forces, the low morale and disorganization in the current Factory Alliance would ensure that Marine would not be able to defeat it in open field combat, and as a result, more and more Lords would join the Fantasia Union without the need for its members to actually fight anyone themselves.

(But Lord Vilar is the only enemyagainst whom Waldrind and the Factory Alliance will never allow itself to lose.)

Waldrind’s hatred of Artuk is just that deep. In order for the Factory Allince to regain the prestige and respect that it has lost due to all of the recent happenings, it is absolutely necessary that Artuk needs to be completely destroyed.

Siluca knew that something needed to be done about that, but they way things were now, she was constantly tormented by a feeling of stagnation and that nothing could be done.

It was then that Viscount Pavel Murad, Stark’s greatest independent Lord, suddenly visited Vilar’s castle. Pavel then informed Vilar of his intention to defect from the Factory Alliance to the Fantasia Union.

He then said, 「I would like you to help me in the fight against Waldrind, Lord Vilar」.

As they were talking in the throne room of Vilar’s Castle Unicorn, Pavel turned to Villar and exclaimed as such.

「Fantasia Union is asking the Factory Alliance for the peace talks. They are being negotiated now, even as we speak. 」

Vilar answered with a confused expression. Siluca was standing next to Vilar with Laura Hadley, Artuk’s current Head Mage. Theo was also standing by the wall and watched the entire thing unfold.

「That is it! I do not understand why you asked for peace in this situation. Now should be the perfect time to fight the Factory Alliance. The prestige of the leader, Marine Kraische, has plummeted to the ground, and the entire Factory Alliance is in turmoil, so why not use that chance to get rid of them for good? 」

「There was a time when I thought like that too, and I know that there are many Lords in the Fantasia Union who do not want that. 」

Villar said with a sorrowful expression.

「I have no expectations of the Factory Alliance. Artuk fought Waldrind alone and has never been defeated, so your move should be more than enough. With that, Ozer and Veltava should also withdraw from the Factory Alliance. 」

「Lord Vilar, if you decide to move, I can persuade my father to send my troops to Dartania as well. If we draw Waldrind to the Penelope Isthmus guarded by Lord Pavel and attack them from behind, our victory is going to be all but assured. 」

Dartania’s Prince Milza Kuches spoke from a distance.

「That is a very attractive offer… 」

Villar rested his chin on his hand.

「I also believe in what Lord Milza said! 」

Siluca approached Vilar’s throne and spoke in a strong tone. If the strategy proposed by Milza goes well, the Heavy Knights of Waldrind will be destroyed once and for all.

「I do not think the Factory Alliance will agree to peace talks. For the sake of Artuk’s survival, we must fight, even if it means breaking up with the Fantasia Union! 」

「If I leave the Fantasia Union simply because my opinion did not go through at the Lord’s Conference, I will be a laughingstock of the continent, if not the entire world. And besides, I do not want to make Alexis sad. 」

「But right not, that same Alexis’s will is going to destroy us! Please, you have to choose Artuk’s survival over defending your own honor! 」

Siluca pleaded with Vilar desperately.

「Siluca! 」

Laura restrained Siluca with a harsh voice and pulled her away from Villar’s side. When she came back to her senses, Siluca hung her head in shame. The words she just spoke were a blatant show of disrespect towards someone whom she should always respect as her Lord’s superior.

「It would seem that your opinion is no longer necessary for me. Please return to Theo’s territory together with him. 」

Villar glanced at Siluca and said as such.

「… Understood. 」

Silucaa left the castle with her face cast down, while Theo walked right next to her in order to support her.

「Just now… you were not acting like your usual self, you know? 」

Theo whispered to her.

「I thought there was no other way to save Artuk… 」

Siluca muttered dumbfoundedly.

「Now all I can do is pray that my predictions will be wrong. 」
Siluca then left the vicinity of the castle with Theo.

「That might have been an exaggeration, but was that Mage’s advice not a correct one? 」

After seeing the two leave the throne room, Milza looked back at Vilar.

「I am the one who decides if it was correct or not, not you. 」

Vilar replied with an unusually stern expression on his face.

「In other words, the Earl of Artuk has no intention of helping us, no matter what? 」

Pavel, who had been watching what was going on this entire time, said while suppressing his emotions.

「Lord Pavel, I advise you to exercise caution. If you decide to fight Waldrind on your own, you will have no chances of winning. But if you pledge you allegiance to Marine without further delay, then you will still have a bright future before you and your country. 」

「I thank you for your words of advice, but I will be the one to decide what to do with them, not you! And besides, I have already announced my refusal to subordinate to Marine as well as my intent to leave the factory Alliance, so there is no going back for me now! 」

Pavel said so, stomped hard on the floor, turned on his heel and walked out of the throne room with quick, furious steps.

「I think I will go witness Lord Pavel’s fight. I also want to see how the Heavy Knights of Waldrind are going to tackle an attack on such a difficult target like the Isthmus of Penelope. 」

Milza flipped his cloak and chased after the Viscount. Vilar did not pay any attention to the two as they left the hall. As he sat on his throne, he stared at a particular piece of wall in the throne room. The Constance family’s unicorn crest flag is displayed there. He heard that in the past, the Kraische family’s iron hammer flag was hung right next to it.

「I am a little tired. I will go rest now, so I advise you all to do the same. 」

While the three Mges bowed respectfully, Vilar slowly stood up from his throne, and even after he left for his room, they did not dared to look up for a while. With their heads still bowed, each one had a different expression.

The first person to look up was Laura, the Head Mage. You could not sense her usual grace, and hee expression looks like she was extremely irritated.

「This is all Siluca’s fault for doing something stupid. What was she thinking, giving such an obvious advice to Lord Vilar… 」

After saying that, Laura brushed the blond hair off her face with both hands and tried to calm herself down. After her wavy blond hair swayed for a moment, she took a deep breath and returned to her former, dignified self.

「I guess she could not help it but say it. 」

Helga nodded and began to walk back to her office. Laura was next to her, with Colleen a little behind both of them.

「Maybe so, but still, before you go say anything, you should always think what you want to say through. In the first place, our role as Mages is to advise the Lord, not disagree with what he has decided on. If she really is from the Meletes family, then she should know at least that much. 」

The Meletes family to which Siluca belonged to was a prestigious family with a seat on the Sages Committee, the decision-making body of the Mages Association. It was frustrating, but it is higher than the Hadley family to which Laura belongs. Following the tradition of the Mages Association, they are cooperating with the Lords and actively send out contracted Mages to them.

Siluca, however, professed that she hated the Lords when she was at the Magic University. She also heard that she was going to stay in the Magic University after she graduated, but then she was forced to make a contract with Vilar, with which she was dissatisfied, leading to her making a contract with Theo, a wandering Lord.

The relationship between Siluca and Theo is different from that of a typical Lord and a contracted Mage.