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Volume 5 Chapter 1 Part 11

To Radovan, Theo might only be a means to ensure his own integrity, but he was still willing to put his life on the line for him, just like Theo did when he seized control of the port city Radovan ruled over without killing anyone. If negotiations had broken down back then, he would’ve fought to the end.

The person who promised him reinforcements was Natalia, who became the leader of Ozer. However, the reply was that they should join Clovis’ forces. It is unavoidable because the political situation in Ozer is not stable after it has just been pacified, and there is no point in coming to help with only a small number of soldiers.

However, King Alfred of Clovis seemed to be in the middle of his own negotiations with the Factory Alliance, but even without it he was a Lord who was always slow to act.

「Maybe it would’ve been better for the Artuk Treaty if we were to sacrifice ourselves here? 」

Siluca sighed.

Many Lords probably wished for something like that to happen, because with them gone, Lassic’s status as the King of Selvis and the leader of the Artuk Treaty would be unshakeable.

「Does that mean you want to refuse the negotiations? 」
「About that… 」

Siluca continues in a low voice after paying attention to her surroundings.

「I’ll leave the decision to you, Lord Theo, but I suspect that the Margrave of Waldrind arranged that so that she could meet with you. 」

「With me? 」

「Most likely because she must be interested in you. 」

「In that case, we should meet up with her. I have something that I want to tell her, and I am sure that there is someone on her side whom you want to meet as well, right? 」

「Thank you! 」

Siluca’s face lit up.

(I’ll be able to meet with father!!)

Waldrind offered that not only the Lords, but also their contracted Mages should participate in the meeting. And since there ia a possibility that they might all die here, Siluca wanted to take this opportunity to meet with her adoptive father Aubest one last time.

「Then, I will reply that I will accept negotiations. I will spread the word that we will meet with the castle soldiers to convey Lord Theo’s determination. 」

This is because the soldiers’ resolve will be dulled if they think that negotiations may be concluded with a favorable outcome.

The negotiations themselves were held in tents that were pitched between the camps of the two armies.

The two Werewolf maids and Irvin pitched the one for Theo, and Marine’s two maids pitched the one for her. Then they all stayed outside of the tents to act as bodyguards for their Lords inside.

「Father…!!! 」

As soon as she entered the tent and saw Aubest, Siluca rushed over to him, and Aubest also rushed over to hug her, and the two of them proceeded to hug each other.

Aubest’s normally expressionless face was overflowing with various emotions. Siluca hugged her adoptive father tightly, tears streaming down her face.

Neither of them said a word. It was unnecessary for them to properly convey their feelings towards one another.

Eventually, the two separated from each other.

The expressions disappeared from Aubest’s face in an instant. Siluca also stretched her back and wiped away her tears, trying to change her mindset.
「It is nice to meet you. 」

After witnessing their reunion, Theo bowed to the Mage.

「You’re young, just like the rumors say. 」

Marine said bluntly while observing Theo while shaking his hand. It was an accurate observation, because Theo indeed looked younger than his actual age would suggest.

「And contrary to rumors, you actually look kind, Margrave of Waldrind. 」

For a moment there, Marine seemed to be genuinely confused by Theo’s reply.

She was accustomed to being praised for her good looks, but she probably didn’t expect to hear such straight words from him.

「…Sometimes people close to me do say that. 」

She thought for a moment, and then Marine smiled. This was basically a declaration that she thinks of these negotiations as a private meeting.

「Does that include Lord Alexis? 」

Theo said casually, but Siluca, who was listening right next to him, felt nervous.
「Of course. 」

Marine said disapprovingly, but she didn’t seem to be offended by Theo’s question too much.

「The Marquis of Halusia called me his friend. 」

「Alexis did? 」

Marine then asked, surprised.

「Yes, and the Marquis of Halusia is still thinking about you from the bottom of her heart, Lady Marine. 」

This is what Theo wanted to let Marine know.

「That seems to be the case. Thanks to that, the Factory Alliance was able to get out of a lot of trouble and even defeat the Earl of Artuk. 」

Marine laughs coldly.

「Allow me to offer my condolences in regards to what happened during 「The Tragedy of the Grand Cathedral」. If it was not for that incident, then Lord Alexis and Lady Marine would be happily married by now, and the Fantasia Union and the Factory Alliance would’ve been able to reconcile with one another. 」

「It’s alright. The times wouldn’t allow it anyway… 」

Marine closed her eyes for a while at Theo’s words.

「Is now the right time then? 」

「I met Alexis in Elam and fell in love with him at first sight. If the two of us were married that day, then perhaps the continent really could’ve been united. If we succeeded, the Grancrest would’ve been created, and the Era of Chaos would’ve been brought to an end. I thought that everyone would be happy with that, and that they would congratulate us. But when that tragedy happened, I was once again reminded of my naivety. 」

「You mean to say that there are people who don’t want the unification of the continent and the end of the Era of Chaos? 」

「That’s just how it is. And I suppose you know exactly the kind of people who don’t want that, right, Lord Theo? 」

「Pandora, and the Mages Association that is backing them from the shadows. 」

Theo answered immediately without even trying to choose his words carefully. Marine nodded with satisfaction. However, Siluca became nervous, because Theo’s words touched on the biggest taboo in this world.

「That’s why I decided to go down the path of unifying the continent by force. If the Great War continues, all of the Crests will eventually become integrated into Grancrest, and once that happens, even those who are skulking in the shadows now will have no choice but to step into the light. 」

「Are you going to overthrow them and create an era ruled by the Lords only? 」

「Yes, because I am a Lord myself. 」

Marlne nodded.

「If I become the Emperor, I will make sure that the wealth and technology that Elam monopolizing for itself is going to be equally distributed to everyone. If the Grancrest truly is capable of ending the Era of Chaos just like the legends say, then I will gladly do everything I can to make it happen, even if the Grancrest itself is going to disappear as a result. 」

Just like Marine said, the birth of the Grancrest will end the Era of Chaos. But if the legend talking about it is true, then if all the Chaos is going to disappear from the world when the Era of Chaos comes to an end, then the Crests and everything related to them are going to be gone as well.

Without Chaos in the world, Lords, Mages and Artists will all lose their source of power. Pandora’s idea that everything should be returned to the time of Extreme Chaos is too radical, but there are definitely going to be many people who do not wish for the arrival of the Age of Order with such a price to pay for it.

「The world would be better off if there were no Crests, titles or any such things that authenticate the authority of the Lords of the present day to rule. It would be great if we could usher in a new era where law would be the only authority. 」

Siluca understood that Marine was aiming for the creation of an age where everything would be ruled by law, not Lords.

That would not only deny the peerage system introduced by the Mages Association, but it would also invalidate the theory advocated by the Order of the Crest, stating that Crests have been given to the Lords by the Only God.

This is a way of thinking unique to the Kraische family, who value rationality above all else.

Marine’s grandfather Jürgen was an innovative thinker in every way.