Chapter 338
Chapter 338: Diplomacy Is Diplomacy—Did You Really Have to Bring an Army?
At that moment, the assembled lords heard Grand Duke Balo's words—and their hearts lurched.
Grand Duke Balo had actually invited someone to stay at his home!?
This was treatment that not even the former King had ever received!
And yet here he was, breaking with all precedent for the sake of Princess Auréliane.
Though it made a certain kind of sense.
After all, Auréliane was Grand Duke Balo's granddaughter by blood.
With that bond of kinship between them, no matter how well he treated this Princess Auréliane, it hardly seemed strange.
Still, no one had seen Grand Duke Balo display this kind of gesture in a very long time.
Since the death of his daughter, not a soul had ever witnessed the Grand Duke show warmth toward anyone.
It was no secret. Many people knew that Grand Duke Balo had a daughter who had passed.
She had married Aubrey, Emperor of the Empire.
And according to what was said, she had died in difficult labor giving birth to Auréliane.
But many people had never understood it.
Everyone knew that Grand Duke Balo was a Necromancer of legendary standing, possessing terrifying Magic capable of returning the dead to life.
And yet when his daughter had died in childbirth, he had stood by and watched her be laid to rest.
Even as she was completely and utterly gone—her body long since decayed and scattered into the world.
The Grand Duke had been like a man stripped of all feeling.
No one knew what stance Grand Duke Balo truly held toward the Empire.
Whether the casual circumstances of his daughter's death had bred in him a hatred for it.
Or perhaps he simply did not care about his daughter's fate.
After all, a Necromancer—one who trifled with corpses and souls—had perhaps long since grown numb to the weight of life and death.
But whatever the case, the fact of Auréliane's blood tie to the Grand Duke was beyond dispute.
At this, hearing Grand Duke Balo's words, Auguste was briefly caught off guard.
But his smile quickly returned.
"That is more than welcome—I was just worrying myself over what sort of lodgings to arrange for the Princess and the Council Member."
"My sincerest thanks to you, Grand Duke Balo."
Then he turned and addressed Auréliane:
"Your Highness the Princess, if you have no objection, you are welcome to bring your party to Grand Duke Balo's estate."
"Please be assured—it is very large, more than enough for all of you."
Auréliane smiled and gave a nod.
"I have no objection whatsoever."
She had been curious about this grandfather of hers whom she had never met.
And if it meant she could stay near her teacher, she naturally had no desire to be parted.
"Then it is settled for now. We will arrange a banquet in a few days."
Then Auguste turned toward Viktor and spoke up:
"Council Member, regarding the matter I asked about earlier—I hope you will give it some consideration."
"After all, I am deeply interested in Mages."
Viktor looked at Auguste with an unhurried gaze.
"Of course. Diplomacy encompasses all of this."
Auguste gave a nod, then turned and continued conversing warmly with Auréliane.
The 2 of them seemed to close the distance in an instant, like old friends reuniting.
Watching Auguste step away from Viktor's side, Count Laurien seemed to drift somewhat casually toward Viktor.
His face carried an amiable smile, though beneath it lay a soft, pleading look.
"Council Member Clavena, I hope you will keep the matter between us in mind."
Just a moment ago he had taken note of Grand Duke Balo's manner toward the Princess.
After all, this Grand Duke had gone so far as to personally invite the Princess to reside in his estate—his stance was unmistakable.
Perhaps, with this blood bond in play, if the Princess were to raise the request to the Grand Duke on his behalf, the old man might truly agree.
A flicker of hope crossed Count Laurien's eyes. Viktor simply gave a faint nod and continued following the ministers as they made their way out of the Academy.
Along the route, the foreign ministers exchanged lively conversation with the King and the nobles.
They showered praise on the Kingdom's impressive construction, its wise governance, its breathtaking scenery.
Auréliane walked quietly at Auguste's side. Though she wore a smile, it was noticeably stiff.
Anyone who knew her well could tell at a glance that she was ill at ease.
Grand Duke Balo moved at the head of the procession with measured steps, leaning on his ornate cane.
And no one noticed that Viktor, as though he had simply drifted to the back of the group, was now strolling along in an utterly unhurried fashion at the rear of the column.
High above, a jet-black Crow circled, then settled lazily onto Viktor's shoulder.
In the darkness of the night, not a soul had noticed its departure or its return.
The Crow stretched its neck, gave a small shake of its body, and spoke in a voice only Viktor could hear.
"It's done."
Viktor knew what Weija had gone to do. Even so, he maintained that unhurried, indifferent expression.
Just as the procession was about to exit the Academy gates, Hilda came jogging over in a hurry.
"Please wait a moment, Your Highness Auréliane."
Hearing her voice, Auréliane paused and looked back.
Behind Hilda followed more than a dozen of the Academy's instructors, arranged in a column.
Hilda was a little winded from her short jog and took a few steadying breaths.
Once she had collected herself, she spoke.
"I was told by His Majesty that you are heading to Grand Duke Balo's estate."
"It is quite a distance. Please allow us to escort you."
The noble lords needed to see the King home first, and Auréliane's party would be taking a different route from theirs.
So Hilda's arrangement was entirely reasonable.
And yet she had forgotten one thing.
Auréliane smiled and declined Hilda's kind offer.
"Thank you, but we truly have no need."
Hilda assumed the Princess was simply being polite and was about to speak up again—when the group happened to step out through the Academy gates.
Suddenly she was brought to a standstill by what lay before her, and her words died in her throat.
On both sides of the Academy's main gate, soldiers stood packed in ranks.
On the left: a Knight Company in silver armor and iron helms.
They stood like a wall of stone, slim blades at their waists, expressions solemn and grave.
At the sight of Auréliane, they dropped to one knee in unison—the Knight's salute, executed with absolute reverence.
On the right: a unit of Demi-human soldiers of a different kind entirely.
They wore light armor fashioned from beast bones. Their tails and beast-ears swayed in the breeze.
Over their faces they wore various animal masks, leaving only half their features exposed.
The blade-sharp gazes that cut through the air were like an arc of knives.
The sheer force of the aura they gave off caused the Academy guards and numerous noble lords alike to flinch on the spot.
Gazing at these 2 companies of guards, even the King and his attendants could not help but stop in their tracks.
The nobles looked at those Knights clad in Cold-Iron Armor and were deeply impressed.
They knew these were Knights belonging exclusively to the Empire.
But that company of guards on the right…
When they turned their eyes to the right side, they were thoroughly bewildered.
Were those not all Demi-humans?
Since when could Demi-humans serve as guards?
Weren't Demi-humans supposed to be untamable?
And yet the pressure these Demi-humans projected—that coiled, primed aura of theirs—was like an arrow drawn taut on a bowstring, ready to release at any moment.
That level of discipline left everyone present in a state of astonishment.
"Are those… Demi-humans?"
Even Auguste asked the question with open curiosity.
Auréliane gave a nod, a faint smile on her lips.
"Yes. These are the Demi-human guards raised and trained by my teacher—Council Member Clavena."
"You need have no concerns about their discipline or obedience."
The other noble lords, hearing this, immediately ceased to wonder.
Some even moved closer, looking the motionless Demi-humans up and down with great interest.
After all, these were Demi-human guards personally cultivated by Council Member Clavena.
Compared to the Demi-human slaves they kept at home for menial tasks, there was simply no comparison.
Although Demi-humans possessed exceptional physical constitution, the fact that they could not be trained as soldiers was an accepted truth throughout the Kant Kingdom and beyond.
At its root, the reason was simple: Demi-humans were like wild beasts—they simply would not obey, and could not be tamed.
So they could only be used as slaves, driven by the crack of a whip.
But the Demi-human guards standing before them now were clearly nothing like those slaves.
Their compact bodies were roped with taut, clearly defined muscle.
Even at a glance, one could feel the explosive power coiled within them.
And their discipline showed plainly in the uniformity of their bearing—astonishing order, unmistakably well-drilled.
More than a few noble lords present found themselves stirred, quietly entertaining the thought of asking Council Member Clavena for guidance in private.
Even Hilda and the instructors finally understood.
It seemed that this Princess of the Empire truly needed no escort from them at all.
Just as this realization settled over Hilda—
Suddenly, from within the Knight Company, a female Knight stepped forward.
Her face was cold as frost. She wore Cold-Iron beast-face armor.
With every step her foot touched the ground, it was as though frost itself formed beneath her.
Her glacial, unyielding presence seemed to freeze the very air around her, driving straight into the hearts of all present.
Powerful.
This was an extraordinarily powerful Knight.
The noble lords assembled here were no weaklings themselves.
Even the lowest-ranked 2-star lord among them commanded the strength of a 3rd-Tier warrior.
And yet Gwen's arrival—her aura and her gaze alone—was enough to make these 3rd-Tier warriors feel as though they could not breathe, as though cold had seized their entire bodies.
That alone spoke to how formidable this female Knight was.
Hilda, too, gradually came back to herself and, steeling herself against the chill, tilted her head to look up at Gwen.
Gwen walked to Auréliane, then dropped to one knee before her—the most respectful salute a Knight could offer.
Auréliane's smile carried a trace of warmth as she made the introduction to all present:
"This formidable Knight has served as the captain of my escort for this journey."
"She is also a Count of the Empire, and another of my teachers."
"Grand Knight Gwen Delin."