Chapter 120
The night Libertà and the others returned to the ducal house with Lotus.
Originally, they had promised to retrieve the spirit stones, but since they were needed for conquering the Wind Dragon Dungeon, Lotus accepted the task as a request from the duke and successfully completed it.
"Lotus."
"Yes, what is it?"
"That Libertà fellow isn’t taking pleasure in tormenting my stomach, is he?"
"I do not believe he has such inclinations."
Yet, despite the successful completion of the request, the duke’s expression remained grim.
"Then, what is this mountain of spirit stones?"
It wasn’t a failure.
In fact, they had gathered so many materials that it could be called excessive.
Exceeding expectations is normally praiseworthy, and when Libertà proudly presented them, the duke outwardly commended him, declaring the reward would be generous.
But inwardly, the duke wanted to scream that there were limits to everything.
Rewards for merit, punishment for failure—such is the way of nobility.
Failure warrants penalty, success warrants reward.
Following this principle, determining Libertà’s reward became a dilemma.
Undervaluing it would force him to undervalue future achievements, while overvaluing it would set a precedent for similar rewards in the future.
"I heard it was the result of deepening bonds with the spirits."
"Enough to recover this many spirit stones?"
Originally, spirit stones were already difficult to obtain, so even having enough to equip the soldiers challenging the Wind Dragon would have been a blessing.
Yet the quantity and quality Libertà brought back far surpassed the duke’s wildest expectations.
Who could have imagined such an amount? The duke wanted to praise himself for not voicing his immediate thought upon seeing the mountain of stones.
Fair evaluation is often difficult, especially for unprecedented results.
"Yes. They stayed in the mountains slightly longer than planned, but it seems they traversed multiple spirit corridors, which extended the mining time."
"And that’s how they prepared this much?"
The duke and Lotus were currently in the ducal mansion’s treasury. Among the various treasures stored there, the newly delivered spirit stones—comprising earth, water, fire, and wind attributes—surpassed anything the ducal house had ever possessed in both quality and quantity.
Spread across the floor, framed and laid out like a carpet of jewels, the sheer number of stones was staggering.
Faced with this, the duke thought that if anyone could immediately decide on a fair evaluation, he’d like to meet them right now.
"They were concerned about the Wind Dragon subjugation and wanted to ensure enough materials were prepared."
"With this much, it almost feels like they’re telling us we have no excuse not to succeed."
"I doubt that was their intention… probably."
"What’s with the pause?"
Worse yet, the duke’s aristocratic nature led him to overthink, conjuring troublesome suspicions.
Even if unintentional, the sheer volume of stones felt like it was closing off any room for failure. The pressure to succeed was undeniable.
Moreover, the fact that such a quantity could forge powerful weapons only added to the complications.
"I accompanied Libertà-sama this time, but his thought process is inscrutable. Though knowledgeable, his reasoning is somewhat… skewed. In this case, I believe there was no malice, yet not entirely without ulterior motives. To him, it was goodwill—but not the kind that refuses reciprocation. I doubt he intended to pressure you, yet I can’t say he was entirely without such intentions."
If even half these stones were released into the market, the Edelgard family’s coffers would overflow.
"We cannot simply give nothing in return. A mere ‘well done’ would tarnish our noble honor. That’s why I asked what reward would suffice."
Failing to properly reward Libertà for such a contribution would deal a severe blow to the duke’s reputation.
"And the result was Libertà-sama requesting *that*? How terrifying."
Recalling the exchange with Libertà to settle the matter, Lotus chuckled. The duke sighed in response.
"This is no laughing matter. He targeted the precise line between what we can and cannot do. A manhunt—and not just any, but locating dangerous criminals?"
"His reasoning was simple: ‘Because it’s necessary,’ he said."
"And I’d like to know *why* it’s necessary. Why does he want information on these three?"
The duke sighed again, exasperated that his covert operatives were now being leveraged for intelligence.
The spirit stones were effectively payment—but they couldn’t be recklessly distributed. Flooding the market would draw the royal family’s scrutiny, exposing Libertà’s existence prematurely. With their alliance still unstable, that was undesirable.
If disclosure was inevitable, the duke preferred to solidify Libertà’s allegiance first. He exhaled deeply.
"Two Class 4 stones per attribute, twenty Class 3 stones for wind and fire, ten for water and earth… Offering wealth enough for a commoner to live idly for life—he must be quite wary."
"While soaking in the hot springs, I heard him say he absolutely doesn’t want to meet them."
"For someone who seems capable of handling most things, his refusal to engage is unsettling."
A duke indebted to a commoner child would surely become a laughingstock among nobles.
"For now, we’ll proceed with his initial request: securing dungeon-accessible land for his guild. Select an area we can surround with troops."
"Understood. Shall we also begin crafting anti-Wind Dragon equipment?"
"Yes, proceed. I’ll instruct the covert operatives."
Deciding to act swiftly, the duke was interrupted as the treasury door opened, revealing a hesitant steward.
"Your Grace, may I have a moment?"
The duke frowned. A ducal steward should be more composed.
"What is it? I’m busy—make it later."
Normally, such a tone would suffice, but the steward remained, his face uneasy.
"I said later. What’s the matter?"
"It’s just… an envoy from the royal family has arrived."
"What?"
The duke cut himself off mid-rebuke.
With the Wind Dragon Dungeon’s conquest now feasible, the next step was executing Libertà’s strategy.
For a royal envoy to appear at this moment was unexpected.
Why now? A bad premonition gripped the duke, and he glanced at Lotus.
"Any idea what this is about?"
Lotus shook his head, equally puzzled.
Their dungeon reports had been proper. Though neighboring ducal houses had been snide, there should have been no urgency.
"…Could Libertà’s existence have leaked?"
"Unlikely."
If so, royal guards would have come to escort the duke to the palace.
"True. Then why would the royal family send an envoy at this hour?"
Though likely unfounded, the duke resolved to have his covert operatives investigate.
"Very well. Where is the envoy?"
"Waiting in the reception room."
"Understood. I’ll head there shortly."
The steward bowed and left.
The duke had no choice but to meet them. Ignoring the royal family was unthinkable, even at this unreasonable hour.
Leaving the treasury with Lotus, they headed to the reception room.
"First Libertà, now the royal family. What trouble have they brought?"
"Trouble is certain."
"Can you think of any reason it wouldn’t be?"
"None. A royal envoy at this hour is hardly a social call."
Royal envoys typically meant one of two people: the king or the chancellor.
"Who do you think it is?"
"The king would delay until morning. Likely the chancellor."
The timid king wouldn’t send envoys at such an hour. That left the chancellor—the king’s proxy in governance.
"Any guesses about the matter?"
"None whatsoever."
Arriving at the room, a steward knocked and announced the duke’s arrival.
Entering, the duke saw a thin, bespectacled middle-aged man—the very picture of bureaucratic rigidity.
"Baron Jurem?"
The man bowed.
"Yes, Duke Edelgard."
A civil official under the chancellor’s command, his presence as an envoy was unusual.
"Coming alone, without guards—what business does the king have sending *you*?"
The duke’s frown deepened. This man was an administrator, not a diplomat.
"Your Grace, might we speak privately?"
"Lotus is my confidant. His loyalty is unshakable, even at death’s door."
The request to dismiss Lotus only worsened the duke’s mood. Was the royal family siding with another ducal house?
"Do you doubt my word?"
"Not at all! But this matter is… highly confidential."
"Understood."
Baron Jurem, flustered, waved his hands to dispel the misunderstanding. The duke feigned anger before relenting.
"Very well. What is it?"
"Earlier, Duke Boldrinde reported to the king…"
The mention of another ducal house sharpened the duke’s alertness.
"He claims to have found a child resembling the Hero."
"What?!"
The northern duke—known in the FBO as the "Castle Serpent Duke"—had reported finding the Hero the king sought via royal decree.
"When?!"
"The report arrived moments ago. The child was found a month prior and is now under Duke Boldrinde’s protection."
For a moment, the duke feared Libertà had been taken, but the envoy clarified it was another child being hailed as the Hero.
"The king believed you should be informed immediately, hence my dispatch."
"I see. I thank His Majesty for his consideration."
Convinced Libertà was the true Hero, the duke suspected Duke Boldrinde’s motives—perhaps a power play.
But with other potential Heroes in the east, west, and north, such a ploy seemed unlikely to succeed.
A glance at Lotus confirmed his thoughts: they needed to consult Libertà.
"The hour is late. A room will be prepared for you."
"Thank you."
The duke resolved to gather more details tomorrow.