Chapter 49 - White House

Central Serdes

In the middle of a perfectly even plain stood a single towering castle.

It was an open and fertile land perfectly suited for farmland, but all that existed was a green meadow of grass.

There were no traces of people or creatures living in the surroundings.

It looked like an island resting upon a green sea.

That was Blancaros's territory, and the location of the Grand Council where all the continent's affairs were handled.

Commonly known as the White House.

Ferda had arrived there.

'Is it just ahead?'

Ferda looked up at the entrance to the castle gates.

The castle gates were already open.

To the naked eye of ordinary people, that would be the end of it, but those accustomed to magic power like Ferda could see it.

In front of the gates, a translucent white veil was cast like a barrier in the shape of a circular dome.

Order and territory.

As long as those two conditions were met, no one could defy him within Blancaros's territory.

Even a god.

"You may rest assured."

A young man's voice rang out from beyond the gates.

Turning his gaze at the sound of that voice, a man stood there.

"Sir Blancaros is generous to those who uphold rules and order."

Ferda scanned the man's appearance.

Pure white attire and pure white skin.

His pale appearance was reminiscent of a vampire.

If not for the pair of horns and his eyes, that would have been the case.

The man placed a hand on his chest and introduced himself.

"My introduction is late. I am Blancaros's Hand, tasked with guiding Lord Ferda."

As expected, he was Blancaros's spawn.

Blancaros's spawns numbered three in total, respectively named Hand, Mouth, and Eye.

As their names corresponded to each body part, their characteristic was being specialized in that respective part.

Unlike other dragon spawns, they were kind.

"Please come inside. I will guide you."

And they could not leave Blancaros's territory.

"Understood."

Ferda reached his hand into the territory.

At that moment, he felt a sensation as if tiny particles were digging into his skin.

Soon after, Ferda felt an abnormality in the movement of the Circle residing in his core.

It was gradually slowing down.

However, rather than snagging as if caught on foreign matter, it felt natural, as if Ferda were relaxing his power of his own volition.

'Truly astonishing.'

An absolute domain.

Because that absolute nature applied even to the caster himself, it was incomparably delicate and solid.

But that suppression did not lead to complete neutralization.

The message it conveyed was clear.

'Try to cause harm if you can.'

However, one would not be able to avoid Blancaros's gavel.

Without being able to grasp even a handful of room for excuses.

That was what it intended to emphasize.

'I should be able to move something like Shadow Hand.'

The concentration required to form a magic circle was also interfered with, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't form one.

Because Shape of Shadow was exactly what he had learned for situations like this.

Ferda quietly looked behind him.

Zed and Arwen, who had been following him, also showed signs of discomfort.

"How does it feel to step into the territory?"

"Not too great. Should I say it feels like lethargy? My eyes are a bit stiff, too."

"It is the same for me. I feel slightly drained of strength. It seems I cannot use aura..."

The knight could not use aura, and Zed was having the unique ability possessed only by the Red-Eye Clan obstructed.

"Luri, what about you?"

"No abnormalities."

"Is that so?"

The conversation ended plainly.

However, anyone watching the two of them would find it peculiar enough.

Arwen subtly tilted his head toward Zed and asked.

"Did something happen between the spawn lady and the Regent?"

"I don't know, I've decided not to pay attention to that."

Humans get their backs broken in a fight between dragons.

Zed, who had already experienced it once, shuddered.

"There are 5 hours left until the meeting is held. Will you head to your room? Or would you prefer to go to the banquet hall?"

"What is the difference?"

"It is a matter of resting or socializing. Many people are currently gathered in the banquet hall."

"Shouldn't we obviously head to the banquet hall?"

Zed's eyes sparkled distinctively.

When Ferda gave him a pathetic look, Zed hurriedly made an excuse.

"Think about it. As they say, know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; wouldn't it be better to scout the opposition in advance?"

"I was thinking the same."

"Then why did you look at me like that?"

"Because you aren't like that."

Zed glared in disbelief, but he couldn't dare deny it.

"Guide us to the banquet hall."

"Understood."

Blancaros's Hand began leading the way, and Ferda patted Zed's shoulder before following behind him.

"Enjoy the banquet to your heart's content."

"Excuse me? Ah, yes. Thank you."

As they walked, those words began to weigh on Zed's mind.

He thought and thought about it.

'Don't tell me.'

Surely not.

But it could be true.

Because if it was Ferda, he just might do it.

Feeling apprehensive, Zed quietly asked Ferda.

"You aren't planning to use this banquet to cover my knighthood celebration and call it a day, are you?"

"..."

"You aren't... right?"

Ferda did not say no.

* * *

The White House banquet hall.

With only 5 hours left until the meeting, many nobles were already gathered there.

If the number of companions permitted per person had not been restricted, the banquet hall would have already been bursting at the seams.

The pure white main doors smoothly opened, and the laughter and music held inside flowed out.

"Hoh."

Stepping into the Grand Council for the first time.

The sight made even the unsentimental Ferda let out an exclamation of awe.

He thought the Empire's buildings were extravagant, but they were ultimately built by humans.

A dragon's building delivered a shock on a completely different level from anything human-made.

Inside, people accustomed to this atmosphere were laughing and chatting.

It wasn't merely humans present.

Races that did not mingle with human society, such as the grand chieftain of the elves, dwarves, and gnomes, were also in attendance.

"Ooh..."

The one who burst into an exclamation, unable to hold back, was Arwen.

Watching that sight, Zed laughed as if he found it cute.

"Must be your first time at a party, Sir Knight?"

"No, I have been to various parties on official business accompanying the Count."

"Then don't make a face like a country bumpkin. It's completely obvious."

"Ah, I-I suppose I shouldn't..."

At Zed's warning, Arwen meekly agreed and cast his gaze only straight ahead.

The awkwardness did not disappear.

'Count Concillus was right.'

He was a man who needed experience.

Unlike the country bumpkin Arwen, Zed and Luri were not swept up in the atmosphere.

Because Zed was far too accustomed to such high society.

And Luri was strictly at her own pace to begin with.

And the emotion Ferda felt beneath this extravagance was,

'It feels like stepping into a viper's nest.'

Displeasure.

It was on a completely different level from the battle of nerves with the local lords.

From the moment he made eye contact with them, it felt like a fight.

Even seemingly favorable eyes were constantly scanning to seize upon a weakness.

Even simply exchanging greetings and turning away felt like they were assessing Ferda.

'I suppose that's why they are high-ranking nobles, and why they were able to become kings of their nations.'

They had power.

The power to endure in those positions.

The power to rise to the positions they desired.

The power to drag down the people occupying those positions.

What should one do when surrounded by such individuals?

It was a truly simple question.

Ferda merely straightened his back even more and walked conspicuously.

Ferda made eye contact with them one by one, reading the flow.

Even in a high society where everyone mingled, they were ultimately bound to band together in their own factions.

Ferda thought.

If.

If I were to band together, where must I go?

As he thought that, someone caught Ferda's eye.

"Haha, you've arrived! Regent of Valdrova!"

Among the clustered groups of humans, there were men and women dressed in uniquely extravagant attire.

Surrounded as if he were at the very center, he was gesturing to Ferda.

Drawn on that man's shoulder was the crest of the Arken Empire.

'Alexander Arken.'

He was the 1st Prince of the Arken Empire.

* * *

The incompetent emperor, Godfrey Arken.

The 1st Prince, Alexander Arken, and the 2nd Prince, Ureas Arken, who had struggled desperately to drag that emperor down from his throne.

They called it a historical scene for the empire's new leap forward.

But the results were disastrous.

Godfrey remained perfectly fine, and his two sons were subjected to ridicule.

'Two incompetent sons who couldn't even drag down an incompetent emperor.'

Since the public image portrayed Godfrey as an angel in comparison, they had only served to solidify the emperor's position further.

To Ferda, who desired the destruction of the empire, those two were nothing but useless trash.

"Let me formally introduce myself, I am Alexander Arken."

The eldest son, Alexander Arken.

A middle-aged man in his thirties, he wore his stylishly grown beard as if it declared he was the emperor.

"I am Ferda Valdrova, I greet the 1st Prince."

"You sent a letter previously, and I apologize for not being able to reply. I was so busy with official duties that day I barely had time to open my eyes."

Bullshit.

Just as Ferda was thinking that, the woman standing beside him chimed in.

"Haha! The prince has a hundred million subjects before him; wouldn't even having two bodies be lacking!?"

Unlike the emperor shining in gold, her radiance was in her blue attire.

Her hearty laughter in contrast to her youthful appearance seemed truly arrogant, but even Alexander couldn't dare do anything to her.

Because contrary to her outward appearance, her age was over three digits.

"Who is this handsome man? Won't you introduce me to him, Prince?"

"Ah, right! Excuse my rudeness! Please offer your greetings! This is Erdes Roton, the chairman of the Serdes Humanity Magical Society."

Erdes Roton.

Roton.

Once the greatest alchemist family, and the worst family of swindlers.

The very last bloodline from that family was Erdes.

She had neither territory nor a noble title.

All she possessed was the 7th Circle.

Under that name, all mages in human society were managed and controlled beneath her hands.

No,

They *had* to be controlled.

She was a woman who was only satisfied when things were that way.

"I am Ferda Valdrova. It is truly an honor to meet the great Great Mage."

"Haha! I had wanted to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty the Grand Duchess's face, but I get to see her fiancé first."

"I heard it is difficult for her to attend this gathering."

"Of course I know. Because this is a place where mortals, not immortals, belong."

She smiled.

Rather than out of joy, it was closer to a reflexive smile.

Her eyes stared intently at Ferda.

"Regent of Valdrova, no, I'll call you Regent Ferda. I suppose it's simply because I'm not used to mentioning the name Valdrova itself. You don't mind, do you?"

"Please do so."

"How old are you?"

"I am 18 years old."

"From a mage family?"

"No. I was the third son of a knight family called Rosnova."

Her eyes widened as round as full moons.

"Hmm, how surprising! I've heard that knights also practice mana cultivation, but I understood it was strictly a side branch. Yet I can feel the aura of a mage from your body?"

"I trained as a mage."

"Ooh, really? You've achieved a tremendous accomplishment at such a young age, haven't you? Haha!"

Her tongue moved restlessly along with her hearty laughter.

"I heard from the prince. Did you make a great contribution to catching some rats in the empire this time?"

"Rats, you say?"

"I'm talking about the Dark Mages."

He remembered.

She was referring to the group of Dark Mages hiding in the underground aqueduct.

In reality, he had just eliminated them because it was obvious they would become an obstacle in bringing down the empire.

Ferda did not lie.

"I merely added a small contribution for the sake of the big picture."

"Don't be too pleased. Your achievements don't end there, do they? I heard you handled the Thessalos Vulture matter as well?"

This time, it was the incident that happened when all the lords were gathered prior to the engagement ceremony.

A man he hadn't intended to kill, but had to kill.

"That damned bastard was researching dark magic, right?"

"That is correct."

"It was impressive. Looking at his records, he was just an untalented mage of that sort, but they said he was consumed by rage and mutated into a Red Circle. He must have achieved something after that."

Erdes leaned her body forward.

"Seeing as he fell into dark magic."

The wine in the glass held in her hand swirled slightly.

"You know what? I absolutely despise dark magic users."

It was a well-known fact that she loathed Dark Mages.

Zero tolerance was the rule for those who learned dark magic.

They would strip them of their qualifications and shatter their Circles, rendering them incapable of living as mages for the rest of their lives.

"To tell you how much I hate them, if I even smell their air in the same room, I feel like strangling my own neck."

"Is that so?"

"Those talentless things sell their souls to demons and then package what they gained as hard work, you see? All without even knowing they'll end up as puppets worse than dogs, lower than wraiths wandering the nine heavens."

Her narrowed eyes were shining with a blue light.

"What about you, Lord Ferda? What do you think of those who learn dark magic, hm?"

What could be felt from her eyes was vivid revulsion.

It was the gaze directed at Dark Mages.

"Especially if someone were to inherit and continue the practice of utilizing monsters for necromancy, what do you think would happen?"

That revulsion was being directed toward Ferda.

Its meaning was clear.

'I know who you are.'

That Ferda was someone who possessed the Red Circle.

That he had learned dark magic as well.

Therefore, she was currently loathing Ferda like this.

As the strongest mage of humanity, her revulsion was an object of fear.