TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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Lord Fin couldn''t believe the current situation.
Only three people had escaped - a petty grave-robbing thief, a foreign female knight, and a wandering wizard...
Lord Fin had gathered ten times their number to capture these three.
And yet...
''Impossible!''Wizard Ian hadpletely ignored the numerical advantage and seeded in capturing Lord Fin instead.
"Your expression suggests you have much to say."
When Ian spoke, Lord Fin snapped to attention.
This was hisst chance for negotiation.
"I-I admit defeat! I ept my loss! So treat me as a proper prisoner!"
"Hmm..."
As Ian toyed with Anor-lsil, cold sweat ran down Lord Fin''s back.
If Ian struck him down right here, Lord Fin couldn''t reallyin.
He had attacked Ian first in Heltingen.
He''d even tried to assassinate him, so it wouldn''t be strange if Ian held a grudge.
"Why should I listen to you?"
"I-I am a noble! I demand treatment befitting the heir to House Dufel!"
"That ship seems to have sailed."
Ian pointed toward Baron Mud as he spoke.
Both Ian and Lord Fin knew the will''s contents, so they could guess how things would y out.
Baron Mud had sessfully retrieved the lost family treasure.
If they returned to Heltingen now, Baron Mud could im his right to inherit the title.
And that im would be very strong.
"...What do you want? Whatever it is, I''ll give it to you!"
"Nothing really. Baron Mud can give me everything anyway."
All Ian wanted was the Holy Painting.
And Baron Mud had already promised to hand it over to Ian.
Realistically, Lord Fin had no means to persuade Ian.
Gifts of gold and silver? Ian already had plenty of gold. Though it was all stored in Talian, he had chests full of gold from looting the dragon''sir.
Position as Heltingen''s court wizard? Unnecessary. Why would Ian care about such a position?
"Wait! Stop! Wizard!"
Just then, a noble interrupted.
It was Baron Maul, the lord of thesends.
"Executing a noble would be dishonorable!"
"Even though he branded me an assassin first and even tried to kill me?"
"...Is this true?"
Ian calmly exined the situation to the other nobles.
The nobles who had initially listened with skeptical expressions grasped the situation after hearing Ian''s logical exnation.
"Have you ever seen such a dishonorable person!"
"Using such dirty tricks and failing. He got what he deserved!"
The nobles unanimously condemned Lord Fin.
Lord Fin was already finished anyway. They could freely insult the loser to curry favor with the winner.
"Do visit our castle sometime, Lord Ian! We''ll give you a reception worthy of your station!"
"A wizard like Lord Ian is always wee! Hahaha!"
"Safe travels."
Ian finished his business-interactions with the nobles with a smile.
Ian was clearly the victor here, and a wizard who had demonstrated impressive magic.
No noble would take Lord Fin''s side at the cost of offending a wizard.
The nobles waved goodbye and left with their retinues.
Thanks for the entertainment~
They had truly juste to watch the fight...
"What will you do now, Ian?"
When Belenka asked, Ian answered without hesitation.
"Return to Heltingen."
"What about Fin?"
"He''ll stand trial."
Belenka was slightly impressed by Ian''s cold judgment.
Given Ian''s age, he might have given in to hot blood and executed Lord Fin on the spot.
Actually, that wouldn''t have mattered much.
Ian was a wandering wizard after all. He could just avoid Heltingen afterward.
But that way, Ian might unnecessarily gain the reputation of a noble-killer.
Outsiders didn''t know the internal circumstances around the session.
Not knowing Ian''s reasons for killing Lord Fin, some might criticize him based on the oue alone.
''In times like these, following thew is best.''
So Ian wanted to reveal all of Lord Fin''s crimes while delivering a punishment others would ept.
And in medieval times, "following thew" had a very clear meaning.
"Baron Mud."
"What?"
"About Lord Fin. Lock him in a tower for about 100 years."
Medieval judicial authority rested 100% in the lord''s hands.
If the lord said execution, it was execution. If imprisonment, imprisonment.
In other words, medieval trials were just lords passing whatever judgment they pleased!
What an evilw worthy of sophistry!
The next lord candidate (candidate count: 1) Baron Mud would now wield full judicial authority.
And Baron Mud was... controble(?) by Ian from behind the scenes.
Ian Eredith, the medieval power behind the throne!
If eastern shamans could be shadow rulers, why not wizards?
"Of course! I''ll make him like a princess trapped in a tower, don''t worry!"
When Baron Mudughed, Ianughed too.
Though trapped in a tower, he might be able to pull up a passing knight with super-long hair...
But that was only possible for Rapunzel.
Lord Fin would spend the rest of his life imprisoned in that tower.
Bearing the shame of being the son who failed to forge his father''s will.
"Well then, let''s head back."
Ian returned to Heltingen with the Holy Painting and Lord Fin in tow.
#
Events in Heltingen proceeded rapidly.
First, House Dufel''s priest who Lord Fin had driven out returned.
"I had to briefly leave my post due to circumstances."
"Haha! Don''t worry too much! I, Father Berum, have been looking after the people''s welfare!"
"Thank you so much, Father Berum."
Though they exchanged pleasant words on the surface.
Neither Father Berum nor House Dufel''s priest looked kindly on each other.
House Dufel''s priest had been forced into an unwanted assignment(?) after falling from power''s favor.
Father Berum was someone who took bribes to do shady work.
The power-hungry Father Berum and the principle-focused House Dufel priest were ipatible.
As soon as things soured between Ian and Lord Fin, Father Berum immediately dered work stoppage and spent every day indulging in wine and women.
As a result, Father Berum sessfully extracted himself from this mess.
An almost supernatural self-preservation ability.
House Dufel''s priest, back to his proper duties, resumed the dyed will announcement.
"Whoever brings back House Dufel''s lost treasure shall earn the right to inherit the next count''s title!"
"!"
"Is that real?!"
"Th-Then I too...! Could be count!"
The people of Heltingen eagerly drank their chicken soup at this outrageous announcement.
But for Ian and others who already knew the will''s contents, it was a boringly tedious announcement.
Yeah~ already found the treasure~ next count''s already decided~
How dare you lowlymoners eye the position of your betters!
The internal decision had already been made!
Like a rigged card game, Ian had long since designated Baron Mud as the next count and found the treasure.
And Ian had truly rigged things with Heltingen''s people.
"Pleased to meet you, Chairman. This is Arc Dufel, famously known as Baron Mud."
"I''ve heard of him. Had some rough times in the past, I hear."
Ian met with the chairman of Heltingen''s city council alongside Baron Mud.
Though House Dufel''s count ruled Heltingen, the city was toorge andplex for one person to govern.
Thus Heltingen had a city council with councilors and a chairman.
If the count was the city''s king, the councilors were like a cab.
The city council was very interested in the birth of a new count.
"The reason you sought us out must be the will, I assume."
"That''s right."
"If you''re nning to search for the family treasure, we could provide support..."
"No need. We''ve already found it."
"???"
The chairman was dumbfounded by Ian''s response.
They already found the treasure?!
When the will was just announced???
Then understanding how things had yed out, he was dumbfounded again.
These damn nobles...!
They passed around the unannounced will amongst themselves!
"Arc Dufel here is the only candidate for next count."
Though he disliked the situation, the chairman liked this count candidate.
A bastard and former grave robber!
What business did a luckymoner who dug through others'' graves have bing count!
He clearlycked knowledge and power, so they could gradually transfer real authority to the council by giving him money and women...
"This guy''s a sucker, so just push him around as you see fit."
"Ah, no... Lord Ian. Even for someone bing count, calling him a sucker is a bit..."
The chairman nervously watched Baron Mud''s reaction.
But Baron Mud just scratched his belly and said:
"Ian''s right! I don''t know politics! You folks handle all thatplicated stuff yourselves!"
"..."
The chairman was amazed by Baron Mud''s brazen attitude.
This bastard...! He really is a sucker!
At the same time, he firmly made up his mind.
For the council''s interests, having this Arc fellow as count was 100 times better than the greedy and scheming Fin.
"The council supports Lord Arc Dufel!"
"Don''t call a thief ''lord.''"
"Let''s call him Lord Baron Mud! Hahaha!"
Watching Baron Mudugh happily, the chairman thought:
Soon, one of the Empire''s cities would be a free city...!
The age of citizens was not far off.
And some timeter.
Baron Mud, Arc Dufel, ascended to be the next Count Dufel with the priest and council as witnesses.
#
As promised, Count Baron Mud handed the [Holy Painting] over to Ian.
Though some retainers objected, when Baron Mud strongly pushed for it, the opposing voices dwindled.
''We''ve lived fine without this until now. What''s the problem?''
''And without Ian we wouldn''t have recovered the painting at all!''
Baron Mud showed the [Holy Painting] to House Dufel''s priest.
The priest turned pale and actively supported giving it to Ian.
''Th-This sphemous pagan artifact is unnecessary! Let''s leave its disposal to the wizard!''
''? Just what''s in it...''
''A-Anyway, let''s hand it over!''
When the words "sphemous" and "pagan artifact" simultaneously flew from the priest''s mouth, no one dared object to the end.
Ian smiled as he opened and closed the Holy Painting.
A sphemous pagan artifact?
Every single word was fact.
Ah~ Since it''s such a dangerous item, the wizard should keep it~
''Baron Mud said he''d escape on his ownter anyway.''
Because of Lord Fin''s trial, Baron Mud said he''d stay as count for now.
When he got tired of and bored with being a noble, he''d slip away quietly.
Since the city council was functioning anyway, Baron Mud''s disappearance wouldn''t cause many problems.
''I want to hurry to the university and study this painting.''
It was a magical item obtained after a while.
Though its appearance was a bit(?) unique, it was still an artifact.
Ian nned to examine the painting''s magic as soon as he reached the university.
As Ian headed toward the Imperial University.
[...?]
Ian woke up and opened his eyes in a strange yet familiar ce.
It was Hrundal''s ice pce...
The pce entrance that appeared on page 1 of the Holy Painting.
[No way?]
Ian examined himself all over.
Muscr limbs and orange hair.
Ian had be a barbarian warrior.
[...]
As he nkly stared ahead.
There stood Hrundal in Toptoon-style clothing, looking extremely embarrassed.
She had a much more seductive and alluring expression in the original(?)...
The provocatively dressed Hrundal stammered:
[L-Long time no see? Ian?]
[What are you doing there, Hrundal?]
Ian asked in disbelief.
It seemed he had somehow entered the [Holy Painting].
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