Chapter 316: Analysis of Forces

Chapter 316: Analysis of Forces

Beneath the Kingdom of Alduin lay three duchies: Ferenburg, Gistana, and Villa.

Among them, the Duke of Ferenburg was the sovereign's younger brother, who, perhaps to assert his independence, had discarded his ancestral surname of Alduin in favor of Grego, a name said to be derived from the Grego Highlands, a prominent region within his domain.

Although the duchies of Gistana and Villa were held by lords outside the royal bloodline, both of their duchesses hailed from the House of Alduin, being maternal aunts to His Majesty King Bruno.

In truth, all three duchies could be considered members of the same extended family.

Yet now, the Houses of Ferenburg and Villa had bound themselves through marriage, while the Duke of Gistana's daughter had wedded Jesus, and his granddaughter was now poised to marry into the family of the Earl of Screaming Island.

Though the web of relations was somewhat tangled, it meant simply that these three duchies and the Earl of the Screaming Sea had formed a new generation of marital alliances, effectively freezing King Bruno out.

Had such a situation arisen in ancient China, Bruno, as Emperor, would undoubtedly have viewed these subordinate factions with deep suspicion and would already have set about dismantling their power.

One could only wonder what King Bruno thought within the context of this world; perhaps the dukes and earls bound by this realm's systems would not turn traitor so easily.

Then again, His Majesty had three daughters of his own.

According to Blanche, her eldest sister, Princess Sharon, had married Ibben Torrance, the Commander of the Griffin Knights, an Earl of the Kingdom's borderlands, and a formidable Silver Moon Knight.

Her second sister, Julia, had married the eldest son of the Viscount of Dark-Enamel Bay, a house that, despite its viscountial rank, controlled a rare and vital mineral known as dark-enamel.

It was said that this material was indispensable for forging the weapons of Meteor-rank knights and above, and only members of the Dark-Enamel family, who possessed the secret arts of their bloodline, held the ability to refine and work it.

Though neither of Blanche's elder sisters had married into ducal houses, no one could fault the King's arrangements.

After all, one of his sons-in-law was a powerful Silver Moon Knight, and the other was the heir to a family with a monopoly on a singular capability.

Furthermore, by Bruno's original design, his third daughter was to be wed into the House of Gistana, a move intended to fortify his ties with the other duchies, though no one could have foreseen the two successive misfortunes that caused the alliance to wither away before it could bear fruit.

Compared to the Houses of Torrance and Dark-Enamel, the House of Black Mountain, with whom Blanche was now betrothed, was not only lacking in overall strength but also found itself in a precarious position.

The Black Mountain domain was already plagued by friction with Moonlight Valley and the Duchy of Villa, while the viscounties beneath it were locked in disputes with the Earl of Screaming Island; to the north lay nothing but the open sea, leaving them effectively cornered.

Should war break out, they would likely face enemies on three fronts.

Furthermore, throughout these past years, Rulance had remained secluded within Black Mountain Keep, seldom venturing forth, leading their neighbors to view the territory as a prize ripe for the taking; indeed, Moonlight Valley and the Duchy of Villa had already begun to move against them.

As for Screaming Island, perhaps the Fleming family's shadow loomed behind the recent ambush Romany suffered at sea.

Romany's high-profile conduct on this occasion was merely a calculated distraction, meant to divert the gaze of the court away from the disgraceful deeds of his former self.

What he had not anticipated, however, was that the handful of men facing him practically represented the entirety of the hostile forces surrounding the Black Mountain domain.

...

Within the grand hall, Knight Vali reported the altercation to His Majesty.

Hearing the account, Bruno could not help but rub his brow with a wry smile.

He had scarce expected such a clash to erupt within the palace itself, particularly when both parties involved belonged to the preeminent nobility of the realm.

"Are you certain they joined forces to beset Romany alone?"

Knight Vali replied with a respectful bow, "Indeed, Your Majesty. His two retainers, a mid-tier knight and a low-tier knight, were wounded early in the fray and lay helpless upon the ground. When I arrived, Master Cross had already been injured, while Earl Romany had sustained only minor wounds under the combined assault of the remainder."

Bruno's brow furrowed slightly. "Romany did not employ the Explosive Flame Slash?"

Vali shook his head. "He utilized the Whirlwind Cross Slash, a fifth-tier battle technique of the wind attribute."

Beside them, Bror remarked, "The Whirlwind Cross Slash possesses decent power among fifth-tier techniques, yet it falls far short of Romany's Explosive Flame Slash. It would appear he held back his full strength."

"The lad was likely hesitant to cause grave harm; he shows a measure of restraint."

Bruno then inquired, "Have you ascertained the cause of the dispute?"

"From what my subordinates gathered, it seems Master Cross and his companions first spoke ill of the House of Black Mountain and Earl Romany. His two retaining knights stepped forward to argue and were beaten, a sight Earl Romany chanced upon."

Vali scratched his head as he continued, "However, Master Cross maintains that it was Earl Romany's retainers who first acted without manners."

Aseno, the Minister of Civil Affairs, chose this moment to interject, "Of late, certain unfavorable rumors regarding Romany have indeed circulated both within and without the palace walls."

At this, Bruno's frown deepened.

He was well aware of Romany's past, and his consent to the match had been born of various political necessities. Yet if someone were to bring Romany's history into the Golden Feather Palace, dragging it into the light to disrupt the alliance, it would bode ill for both himself and Blanche.

Was this, then, a deliberate conspiracy?

Bruno fell into silent contemplation for a moment before waving a hand dismissively. "Go and summon both parties to attend me at once. Let me settle this dispute before the evening feast. As for those nobles who delight in such spectacles, let them ride their horses or practice their archery; the Golden Feather Palace is vast enough, and there is no need for them to gather here over the squabbles of youths."

"By your command, Your Majesty!"

Bruno then turned back to Aseno. "What manner of foul rumors are these?"

The Minister of Civil Affairs bowed slightly. "Tales of Earl Romany's youthful debaucheries, the stripping of his inheritance, and his role in the death of Earl Orson's granddaughter. Your Majesty, these matters may well impact the princess's alliance with Black Mountain Keep."

Bruno nodded slowly, yet his countenance betrayed little anxiety.

"Had Romany remained the worthless creature he once was, such rumors might well have unraveled the tie between Alduin and Black Mountain Keep. But the Romany of today is no fool; in the sequence of recent events, he has displayed ample strength and wisdom."

Aseno cautioned, "Your Majesty, until one possesses the might to command absolute deference, certain rumors cannot be safely ignored."

If Romany were a Meteor-rank knight, the impact of such slander would be trivial; were he of the Silver Moon rank, it could be disregarded entirely. Yet he remained merely a Silver Knight; though young and full of potential, he had not yet come into his full inheritance of power.

"Mmh, your words hold truth."

Bruno pondered for a moment before speaking. "Then let them look upon Romany anew; rumors and slander crumble to dust when confronted by the truth of one's own eyes."

"Yet Earl Romany's tactical commands and his slaying of the Gold Knight at sea remain mere reports, witnessed by few," Aseno countered. "If they are to see him in a new light, it would be best accomplished through a resounding battle, fought before the gaze of the multitude."

"You are indeed my capable right hand; your thoughts mirror my own!"

Bruno burst into a laugh. "I shall decree a grand tournament to be held during Blanche's birthday banquet!"