Ch.190190. Social Gathering (2)

“…Is that man really worth that much to you, Lord Bogart?”

Marquis Bogart, who always wore an energetic smile, turned his head sharply.

The interior of the banquet hall was bustling with distinguished guests from various regions, making it comfortable enough to have such private conversations openly without much concern.

“What do you mean by that, Count Rebel!”

“…I’m talking about that Darwood Campbell fellow.”

Count Rebel barely managed to maintain his expression without grimacing at the cheerfully delivered statement.

‘To think the head of the Council of Elders would be someone like this.’

He didn’t particularly like this frivolous young marquis.

He knew the man had earned the impressive title of Lionheart thanks to his tremendous military achievements, but with this behavior, he looked more like a jester than an undefeated knight.

For Count Rebel, who had grown up with strict education in etiquette and formality from an ancient noble family, this was not the type of person he preferred.

And that baronial human the marquis was focusing on was even worse.

“Promising young talents can be easily found throughout the Empire. And for the Council of Elders, recruiting such talents shouldn’t be particularly difficult.”

Count Rebel spoke while carefully controlling his voice.

After all, Marquis Bogart enjoyed remarkably solid support from the other Council officials. There would be no benefit in antagonizing him.

However, even so.

This matter warranted raising his voice in direct questioning.

“Do we really need to concern ourselves with someone of such humble birth?”

Hearing this, Marquis Bogart tilted his head.

“Count Rebel, did you perhaps not receive the documents?”

“What documents are you referring to?”

“The documents investigating Darwood Campbell’s personal information compiled by the Council of Elders! Anyone who reads about Darwood Campbell’s accomplishments would know that his worth far exceeds mere baronial status!”

Marquis Bogart continued with a grin.

“Anyone who isn’t an idiot would know that!”

“…”

Count Rebel’s cheek twitched slightly, feeling as if he’d just been slapped in the face and told not to spout nonsense.

Though he was aware of this man’s personality, which sometimes went beyond cheerfulness to the point of seeming completely devoid of any sense of propriety, he was still not accustomed to such direct verbal jabs.

“…It was an impressive record, certainly.”

Of course, he already knew that what was written there was astonishing.

Subduing a Mine. The large-scale disturbance within Elphante. Suppressing an ancient god from another dimension.

Thanks to Atalante, the chancellor of Elphante, desperately blocking information, it was impossible to obtain detailed activity records, but surviving all that chaos while being deeply involved suggested a great many things.

Just looking at his extraordinary performance in the hero selection trials made it tangibly clear that this man was a one-of-a-kind gem.

But.

Even so.

“I heard he’s used as a tool to put ‘leashes’ on demons.”

A voice tinged with near contempt followed.

Of course, he wasn’t trying to deny its effectiveness. The possibility of controlling demons certainly provided more than enough “utility value.”

The fact that not only the Empire’s leadership but also the Pope of the Holy Empire had their eyes on him made this clear.

However, bringing someone who would inevitably be deeply entangled with humanity’s common enemy into their fold as an “ally” was an entirely different matter.

“What good would come from drawing such a person to our side? The burden is too great.”

“Both His Majesty the Emperor and Chancellor Sullivan have their eyes on this man! There must be a reason for that!”

“Simply having one’s eye on someone and directly inviting them to a social gathering like this have completely different meanings. You know that as well as I do.”

Rebel sighed and continued.

“…You’re giving them an excuse to attack us. We’ll certainly be torn apart. The Emperor, the Chancellor, and even smaller factions will lead the charge in condemning us. As those who keep someone associated with demons close.”

Moreover, “directly” inviting such a person to a social gathering carries a larger significance than one might think.

It’s essentially the same as publicly declaring, ‘This person is one of us.’

“Is that supposed to be a problem, Count Rebel?”

“…?”

Rebel looked at Bogart with a puzzled expression.

What part of this isn’t a problem?

This is an issue that could turn not just the Empire but the entire continent against them.

Even the mad magicians of the Demonic Spire, who proclaimed themselves to be scholars solely dedicated to technological advancement and non-interference in any power shifts across the continent, would unanimously take action when it came to demon extermination.

Yet this attitude, as if ‘it doesn’t matter as long as that man can be brought to our side,’ was almost like—

“…”

Suddenly, a realization sent a chill down Rebel’s spine.

“…Lord Bogart.”

Surely not.

Though it seems unlikely.

Count Rebel’s cheek twitched as he spoke.

“How much value have you assigned to that man?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Count Rebel!”

“…”

He understands perfectly well but is deliberately avoiding answering. This damned snake.

Rebel bit his lip slightly as he glared at Bogart.

‘…This man, right now…’

Regardless of demons, humanity’s common enemy, and whatever else—

He thinks it doesn’t matter as long as that man can be brought to their side as an “ally.”

He’s placing the value of that one man above the risk of becoming the continent’s common enemy.

‘…Just what is that guy…?’

While Count Rebel was pondering this question, another question flew in.

“Would you consider thinking about it, Count Rebel?”

“…Pardon?”

“The Campbell family was elevated to baronial status not too long ago. Before that, they merely held the title of baron, which even a somewhat wealthy commoner could purchase with money.”

“…?”

That’s information he had read in the documents.

But why bring this up now?

“It seems people aren’t as curious about this as I expected!”

“Excuse me?”

“How could such an unremarkable person with no distinguished background gain admission to Elphante Academy, the Empire’s finest academy?”

“…”

Well, he must have managed somehow.

Judging by his accomplishments shown in the documents, getting into the academy would have been easy for someone like him.

Elphante provides educational opportunities fairly. Even those who aren’t from prestigious families can enter if they have talent or have proven their worth—

“…”

No.

Wait a moment.

Count Rebel frowned as he recalled the contents of the documents he had read.

After all, he was a man who had risen to become an official of the Council of Elders. He could quickly notice when something was amiss.

This man only began to stand out “after” entering the academy.

Before his admission.

‘…That guy had nothing.’

No talent in martial arts, no notable academic achievements, no distinction in creating formulas or utilizing divine power. Even in the aptitude assessment conducted before admission, all his scores were rock bottom.

Bogart just directly stated he wasn’t from a prestigious family.

No ability, no noticeable potential for growth, and not even a family background.

At this point, a natural question arises.

How did this guy get into Elphante in the first place?

“People are born from women, Count Rebel!”

“…”

What is he talking about?

As Count Rebel stared blankly at Lord Bogart with that thought, additional words followed.

“That man’s personal information includes details about his father, but there’s no information about his mother anywhere! Isn’t that right?”

“…”

Thinking back, that was true.

Information about his father, Baron Armin Campbell, was recorded in almost excessive detail. This wasn’t particularly unusual for an investigation by the Empire’s Central Intelligence Bureau, which could dig up even the most embarrassing childhood memories of their targets if they wanted to.

“…Are you suggesting that his admission to the academy was related to that?”

“Half speculation, half certainty!”

“…”

What does that even mean?

As he thought this while silently staring at Bogart, the conversation continued.

“Well, it’s not certain. But if the person I’m thinking of is indeed his mother, then it’s only natural that Darwood Campbell would show this level of achievement!”

“…”

“Besides, Count Rebel, you’re strange too! An investigation by the Central Intelligence Bureau would surely scrape up every bit of information, no matter how useless, yet you didn’t question the complete absence of any information!”

That’s… true.

The truth is, he hadn’t paid much attention to it.

Count Rebel stroked his chin as he answered.

“…I thought perhaps she died when he was young. Or that she was someone so insignificant she wasn’t worth mentioning.”

“Or.”

The tone of his voice was as cheerful as ever.

But somehow.

“Someone so thoroughly veiled in secrecy that even the full force of the Central Intelligence Bureau, the Empire’s premier intelligence agency, couldn’t find a single clue.”

It also carried a dangerous level of “killing intent.”

Due to the angle of the light cast by the chandelier above, shadows fell perfectly across Bogart’s face, causing Count Rebel, who had posed the question, to flinch.

With his smiling face obscured, Bogart’s eyes emitted a terrifying glow, like burning embers.

“Someone even those paranoid individuals who can dig up information on the Emperor himself cannot approach.”

None of his usual lightness could be felt.

It was almost overwhelming.

“Then, shall we make a bet!”

Such words dropped in front of Rebel as he swallowed dryly.

“…A bet, you say?”

“Yes!”

Marquis Bogart, who had jumped back into the light, nodded cheerfully.

“If that man does something so-o magnificent at this social gathering that even Count Rebel is convinced, I win. If not, Count Rebel wins. How about it?”

“…”

Instead of accepting a bet he could never win, Count Rebel heaved a deep sigh.

‘…How impressive could someone like him possibly be.’

While he was thinking this.

The orchestra playing at the edge of the banquet hall suddenly stopped.

As puzzled expressions appeared on people’s faces.

“His Majesty the Emperor enters!”

“Everyone stand!”

Such shouts echoed, and the banquet hall instantly began to stir.

“…His Majesty?”

“His Majesty is coming in person?”

The Emperor was known to rarely go out due to his condition. For such a person to appear at a banquet like this was almost unprecedented.

“The eternal ruler of the Empire, passionate, intelligent, and charming! Cecilia Arc Bailey Diedonné the 11th—”

“No, no, that’s enough.”

“…”

The attendant who was about to announce the Emperor’s entrance with a raised voice closed his mouth.

At some point, the Emperor’s drawling voice had drifted into the banquet hall.

“Today’s guest of honor is not me. Please focus your attention elsewhere.”

“…?”

The ruler of the Empire.

A human who possessed power close to the pinnacle of what one could have on the continent.

What on earth was he talking about?

As everyone stared blankly in that direction with such thoughts.

Following behind the Emperor.

Someone entered.

“…”

“…”

Everyone fell silent.

Well.

A young man.

With the Chancellor on one arm and the Emperor on the other.

Closely pressed together.

The three of them walking in together.

“…”

“…”

Into the terribly silent banquet hall.

“Look at that!”

Bogart’s cheerful voice dropped.

“Isn’t that beyond expectations!”

Rebel couldn’t utter a single word.

That was the only response he could muster.

●