Chapter 308: King Bruno

As the twin pillars of the Kingdom of Alduin, the cities of Goldfeather and Oxhorn Bay boasted not only thriving thoroughfares but skies thick with messenger birds weaving lines of communication across the realm.

Whenever matters of grave import arose, these avian couriers would take to the high firmament, flying in vast, dense flocks.

No sooner had Ronin set foot outside the harbor of Oxhorn Bay than word of his arrival was dispatched, and Missy—whom he had been asked to look into by Blanche—was but one name among the many inquiries flying through the air.

Of course, he remained entirely oblivious to all of this.

Under the arrangements of Jolie, the commerce official, the traveling party settled into the Dennis family estate in Oxhorn Bay, preparing to set out for Goldfeather City first thing the following morning.

The Royal Palace.

This magnificent structure, breathtaking in its scale and exquisite in its craftsmanship, served as the grand seat of His Majesty the King.

Even now, deep within the embrace of the night, it remained as brilliantly illuminated as the brightest day.

Seated upon the throne was the tall, imposing figure of King Bruno, listening intently to a knight's report detailing the nobles who had arrived at the port of Oxhorn Bay that day.

"Those rascals..."

Bruno could only let out a sharp, exasperated laugh.

Though most of the kingdom's nobility residing near Goldfeather City were attending Blanche’s birthday party, these attendees were either a generation older than Blanche, men already betrothed or married, or elders who had brought along their own daughters.

In short, there was not a single eligible bachelor to be found among them, as if they desperately feared the King might, in a fit of high spirits, betroth Blanche to one of them.

"This Ronin, however, has caught me quite by surprise."

Bruno picked up the dossier on Ronin, which recorded how he had commanded the allied noble forces on behalf of Black Mountain Castle to annihilate the Boland bandits, alongside the latest intelligence that had just arrived from Oxhorn Bay today.

When he had initially granted Rulance’s request, it was partly out of his personal friendship with the man.

On the other hand, he noted that this long-standing family of Black Mountain had yet to intermarry with the royal bloodline, and he wished to seize the opportunity to plant his own influence within their territory.

Naturally, a small part of his decision stemmed from a sense of helplessness regarding Blanche's current circumstances.

Had it not been for the fact that his daughter was fast approaching twenty with no marriage prospects in sight—a situation detrimental to his political image—he would have preferred Breton and would never have agreed to an disinherited man like Ronin.

Originally, he had intended to manufacture some military merits for Ronin to elevate his standing, but he had never expected the young man to rely on his own strength to rise so swiftly from a mere baron of Mountain Woods Town to the earl of North Black Mountain.

While Ronin’s status could not yet compare to that of an established earl of the kingdom, it was still vastly superior to that of a minor baron.

"Arseno, do you suppose our Marquess deliberately concealed Ronin’s talent, intentionally making the outside world believe he was a useless wretch incapable of cultivation?"

"It is highly probable!"

Below the throne, Arseno, the Minister of State Affairs, nodded his agreement.

"When Greymus fell in battle all those years ago, quite a few hands were involved, most of them desperate to prevent the Black Mountain family from producing two remarkably talented Meteor Knights."

He spun his own theories: "Rulance likely understood this underlying danger, which is why, after Ronin finally manifested his talent, he chose to keep it carefully hidden."

More than thirty years ago, Rulance’s own talent had been exceptionally high, and his son Greymus had promised to outshine the father, a reality that naturally provoked envy and resentment in others.

Weakening the might of that family was a prospect everyone was glad to see, including the fourth Alduin King of that era—Bruno’s own father, King Klinsmann.

They simply had not anticipated that the suppression would be so brutal; not only did Greymus perish, but Rulance himself was broken, leaving the Black Mountain domain to languish in turmoil for the past thirty years.

Having learned a bitter lesson from the past, it was entirely possible that Rulance had kept Ronin hidden away like a buried treasure.

"By allowing Ronin to step forward now, does he believe the time is ripe?"

Bruno tapped his fingers against the armrest.

Ronin’s talent was undeniably formidable, matching even his own son Gareth without showing the slightest inferiority; from that perspective, he was indeed worthy of a princess.

Yet for Bruno, it would be far better if Ronin could reclaim the inheritance of the Black Mountain domain, for then his own political leverage would increase, and his rule would become even more secure.

"Tell me, who do you think stands behind this assassination attempt on Ronin and his companions?"

Arseno glanced up at the King, then shook his head slightly, "That is difficult to say with any certainty."

He added another brief remark: "It could be anyone."

Though he was a trusted minister, Arseno dared not speak lightly without concrete proof, lest he inadvertently offend powerful figures.

Bruno rubbed the space between his brows, "These fellows truly give me a headache."

Of those great nobles, aside from Grand Duke Gistana, every last one of the remaining lords refused to content themselves with mediocrity.

To speak truthfully, Bruno’s own performance in governance and personal strength was merely ordinary; his smooth succession to the throne was primarily due to his status as the eldest son, a fact that always left some dissatisfied.

While the system of primogeniture prevented these nobles from committing outright treason to usurp the throne, competing and sparring with the Crown over economic interests and various other domains was a frequent occurrence.

The assassination of Ronin could have been aimed at destabilizing the Black Mountain domain, or it could have been intended to undermine his royal authority, turning Blanche into a perpetual laughingstock.

"Your Majesty, Her Highness the Princess requests an audience!" a guard entered to report.

Bruno’s brow arched; his daughter rarely showed her face in public, so what could have brought her to the palace today?

"Let her in."

Before long, Blanche walked into the chamber, offering a polite and respectful greeting.

"Blanche, my daughter, what brings you to see me at this hour?"

Blanche felt a touch of embarrassment, yet she steeled herself to speak nonetheless, "Father, I have heard that Ronin was attacked at sea by the Beluga Pirate Crew."

Bruno offered a faint smile, knowing full well what was troubling his daughter’s heart.

"Rest assured, he was not harmed and is currently resting at Oxhorn Bay; he is expected to arrive in Goldfeather City by tomorrow evening. Once I have granted him an audience, I shall arrange for the two of you to meet."

On this particular matter, Blanche did not offer too many opinions; after all, in the presence of an outsider, she could not afford to appear overly impatient.

"The last time we were at Black Mountain Castle, it was Ronin who saved me, and now, coming to attend my birthday feast, he actually suffers an assault by pirates—this must be a premeditated assassination!"

She declared, "I beg you to uphold justice for Ronin and dispatch troops to wipe out the Beluga Pirate Crew!"

"I understand your anger regarding what befell your friend. But my daughter, you must realize that pirates are like bedbugs; it is uncomfortable to leave them alive, yet if you move to crush them, you worry whether their foul stench will offend you."

This was precisely why Bruno possessed no desire to eradicate the pirates completely; in the past, when the pirates grew too unruly, he would simply command the family of the Earl of Screaming Island to send forces, while the royal fleet rarely stirred.

As he spoke, a thought struck him, and his tone shifted.

"However, it appears Ronin has captured the pirate crew's vice-captain as well as a ship captain this time. We might very well use them to locate the stronghold of the Beluga Pirate Crew and sweep them away."

Arseno chimed in from the side, "Indeed, a blow should be dealt to this band of pirates; otherwise, it will not only fuel their arrogant insolence but also mislead them into thinking the royal family lacks the capability to deal with them."

The "them" he referred to, naturally, did not merely signify the pirates themselves, but also the faction cooperating with and even backing those corsairs.

"Blanche, you may withdraw for now. I shall take your friend's matter into consideration."

"Yes, Father!" Blanche curtsied slightly and departed from the grand hall.

"As for the eradication of the Beluga Pirate Crew, I intend to leave that task to Ronin," Bruno stated.

As an assistant who had followed the King for over a decade, Arseno instantly divined the sovereign's intent and could not help but smile.

"To receive Your Majesty’s favor and active backing, I can only say that young Ronin possesses extraordinary fortune."

His words hit the mark; Bruno did indeed wish to nurture Ronin's growth until he became powerful.

Only in this manner could the Black Mountain domain shake off its decay and gain the opportunity to check the great factions to the east of the kingdom, rather than remaining a choice morsel upon their banquet table as it was now.

Should Ronin grow strong and embroil himself in conflict with them, it would be entirely to Bruno’s advantage.

"The Ronin of today is worthy of my backing."

Bruno pondered for a brief moment before adding, "A single Beluga Pirate Crew is hardly enough. Look into it for me, and see what other tasks we might entrust to his hands."