“...Do you think he’s worth using, Sir Bogut?”
The lively smile that was always plastered on Marquis Bogut’s face changed in an instant.
Because there were special guests from various places gathered inside the banquet hall, the atmosphere was noisy. That was why there wouldn’t be any problems if they were to openly hold a private conversation like this.
“What are you talking about, Count Ravel?”
“...That guy, Dowd Campbell.”
Hearing the lively answer coming from him, Count Ravel barely managed to keep himself from showing a frown.
I can’t believe such a bastard is the leader of the Upper Nobles Association.
He wasn’t fond of this flippant young Marquis at all.
While he was aware of the Marquis' outstanding nickname, Lionheart, that came from his immense achievements in wars, the man himself looked like a clown instead of an invincible knight.
Being born to a prestigious family with a long history, Count Ravel grew up prim and proper, both in manners and etiquette, so he grew to dislike this type of a person.This was especially the case with the person from the Viscount Household that the Marquis was keeping an eye on.
“It isn’t hard to find such promising talent throughout the Empire and for us Upper Nobles Associations, it isn’t difficult to recruit such people.”
The Count uttered, trying to control his voice.
Marquis Bogut received pretty much full support from the other Upper Nobles Association executives, so if anything, he shouldn’t risk getting on his wrong side.
But...
He felt the need to openly utter this opinion of his.
“Do we really need to pay attention to someone with such a humble background?”
Hearing his words, Marquis Bogut tilted his head.
“Count Ravel, did you not receive the document?”
“What document are you talking about?”
“I was talking about the result of the Upper Nobles Association’s investigation on Dowd Campbell’s personal information! Anyone who had read it would know that he isn’t someone you could dismiss as a dreg from a Viscount Household or something similar!”
Marquis Bogut continued with a grin.
“Well, provided that they aren’t an idiot, that is!”
“...”
Receiving the words that were the equivalent of him being told to stop talking crap, the Count’s cheeks twitched slightly.
He wasn’t unfamiliar with Marquis Bogut’s personality—which sometimes felt as if he had no sense of decency at all rather than simply being innocent—what he was unfamiliar with was this kind of straightforward conversation.
“...I admit that the record was impressive.”
Needless to say, he was already aware that what was written on the aforementioned document were a series of amazing feats.
Overpowered a Demonic Human, quelled a large-scale commotion in Elfante, overpowered an Ancient God from another dimension.
Because of Atalante, Elfante’s Headmistress, it was impossible to obtain the details of his feats since she used all her power to hide the information, but the fact that he still survived despite being involved in all those mayhem suggested a lot of things.
Add that to his performance in the Hero Selection Ordeal, which was extraordinary to say the least, even the Count could tell that this man was easily the best talent among the best—a gem.
But…
Despite all that…
“I heard that he is a tool used to put ‘leash’ on the Devils.”
He uttered in a half-disdainful voice.
In fact he didn’t deny the man’s effectiveness. If anything, he acknowledged that Dowd was ‘worth using’, more than enough, since there was a possibility that he could control the Devils.
By the fact that not only the Empire’s leaders, but also the Pope of the Holy Land had got their eyes on him, this matter was pretty much undebatable.
However, it was completely another story to keep such a person as an ‘ally’. Especially since he was deeply involved with the enemy of the whole human race themselves..
“What’s so good about getting such a person on our side? The burden on us is too great.”
“He’s a man who has caught the eyes of both Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and Chancellor Sullivan! I believe there must be a reason for that, don’t you think?”
“Them having an eye on him and us personally inviting him to an social gathering are two different things. You, of all people, should know that.”
Ravel continued with a sigh.
“...This is like we’re giving them an excuse to attack us. No, they definitely will attack us. The Empress, the Chancellor, even the other small factions wouldn’t hesitate to take the lead to condemn us for being close with someone who’s connected to the Devils."
Not only that, there was another implication to invite such a person ‘personally’ to a social gathering.
It was like announcing that ‘this is my people’ to the people around them.
“And that is a problem, Count Ravel?”
“...?”
Ravel looked at Bogut as if finding him strange.
Of course it is. It’s nothing but a problem!
As for why, it was because not only would they turn the Empire into their enemies, but the entire continent too.
Even those lunatics Mages of the Magic Tower, who had pledged that they were simply scholars dedicating themselves to advance the technology and swore that they wouldn’t interfere with the shift of power on the continent, would take an active part when it came to eliminating Devils.
Yet, this man’s dismissive attitude of ‘as long as we can make him an ally’, as if—
“...”
Suddenly, Ravel realized something as a chill ran down his spine.
“...Sir Bogut.”
No way.
There’s just no way. But…
With his cheeks twitched, Count Ravel asked.
“Than man’s value, how high are you setting it?”
“I don’t understand what you’re trying to get at, Count Ravel!”
“...”
This sly fucker. He knew what I was talking about, but he still acted like a fool on purpose.
Ravel glared at Bogut while slightly biting his lips.
…In any case, this person…
Whether it was about Devils, becoming the public enemy of the whole human race or whatever.
Ravel believed that the man in front of him thought that those things wouldn’t matter as long as he could make that person into an ‘ally’.
Which meant, he regarded that man’s value exceeded the risk of becoming the public enemy of the entire continent.
…What the hell is with that punk…?
As Count Ravel wondered such, Marquis Bogut threw another question at him.
“Have you tried to think about it, Count Ravel?”
“...Pardon me?”
“It hasn’t been long since the Campbells were promoted to be a Viscount Household. Prior to this, they were only a Baron Household, any commoner with a little wealth could afford to buy such a title.”
“...?”
Of course Count Ravel had known about this since it was written in the document.
The question here was why did the Marquis bring this up now?
“It’s weird that people don’t seem to be as curious as I thought about this matter!”
“Pardon?”
“How could someone without any exceptional background managed to enroll at Elfante, the best academy in the Empire?”
“...”
The first thing that came to the Count’s mind was that they must have worked it out one way or another.
After all, from the result of his performance that was stated in the document, someone like him could have easily entered the academy.
Elfante provided a fair opportunity for education. Even if one wasn’t from a prestigious family, as long as they were talented or had proved themselves in one way or another, whoever they were—
“...”
Huh?
Wait a moment.
Suddenly, Count Ravel recalled part of the document that he had read.
He wasn’t an executive of the Upper Nobles Association for nothing—he could tell that something was off right away.
That man only began to stand out ‘after’ he was enrolled at the academy.
Before that…
…That punk had nothing…
He had no talent in Unarmed Combat, no remarkable result academically, and never stood out much in Spell Composition or Divine Power Mastery. Even his scores in the competency evaluation done before his admission were all in the lowest rank.
And Bogut had just stated that he wasn’t from a prestigious family.
To put it simply, he was someone with no ability, no potential to grow and no noteworthy background to speak of.
At this point, it wouldn’t be strange for anyone to wonder;
‘How’ the hell did this punk get enrolled at Elfante in the first place?
“Humans are born of women, Count Ravel!”
“...”
Now, what the hell is he talking about, huh?
As Count Ravel thought so while staring blankly at him, Marquis Bogut soon continued.
“The document recorded the name of that man’s father, but there’s no information about his mother anywhere! Did you notice that?”
“...”
According to the Count’s memory, the Marquis words were right.
The information about his father, Viscount Armin Campbell, was written in a lot of details—though it didn’t mean much since the investigation was conducted by the Imperial Central Intelligence Agency, which was said to be able to dig up even the most embarrassing memories of the target’s childhood if they wanted.
“...Are you saying that him enrolling at the academy has something to do with his mother?”
“Half a guess, half positive!”
“...”
What is he even trying to say?
As he silently looked at Bogut while thinking so, Bogut continued.
“Well, I’m just guessing, but if the person I have in mind is really his mother, then it’s just right that Dowd Campbell would show this level of a performance!”
“...”
“Besides, you’re a strange man, Count Ravel! Just think about it! Investigations done by the Center Intelligence Agency would dig up everything about the target—even the most useless information! But, they still didn’t have anything on his mother and you aren’t even questioning it!”
That’s…true…
But, it was the fact that he didn’t care much at first.
Count Ravel replied while stroking his chin.
“...I did think that his mother might’ve died when he was little. Or that she is too trivial of an existence to even include in the document.”
“Or.”
The Marquis’ voice sounded lively like always.
However, somehow…
“It might be someone hidden behind such a veil that the Central Intelligence Agency, the best intelligence agency in the Empire, could not find a clue even though they had used full force.”
There was also a hint of dangerous ‘malice’ in his voice.
Due to the angle of the light shining from the chandelier above, shadows were cast exquisitely across Bogut’s face, and Count Ravel, who had posed the question, couldn't help but flinch at the sight.
With his smile hidden in the shades, his eyes shone frighteningly, as if they held blazing flames.
“Someone those paranoiacs, who could even dig up dirt about the Empress, can’t approach.”
The light atmosphere Bogut usually carried had gone.
Instead, he exuded such an overwhelming presence.
“Why don’t we make a bet?”
Bogut asked as Ravel swallowed dryly.
“...A bet?”
“Yes!”
After moving back to a well-lit spot, the Marquis nodded enthusiastically.
“If that man does something so great that it convinces you during this social gathering, Count Ravel, I’ll win. And if he does not, you’ll lose. What do you think?”
“...”
Instead of agreeing to do a bet where he could never win, the Count let out a sigh.
…There’s no way that bastard could pull off something so great anyway.
As he thought so.
The orchestra, who kept playing outside the banquet hall, suddenly stopped playing.
As everyone looked around puzzled…
“Her Imperial Majesty the Empress is coming in!”
“Everyone stand up!”
As such a shout echoed, the inside of the banquet hall began to stir in an instant.
“...Her Imperial Majesty?
“Her Imperial Majesty came in person?”
The Empress was known to rarely go out because of her physical constitution. It felt like it was the first time that she showed up in the banquet hall at all.
“The eternal Ruler of the Empire, passionate, intelligent and charming! Cecilia the 11th—”
“No, no. I do not need that.”
“...”
The servant, who raised his voice to declare the Empress’ entrance, closed his mouth.
Because the Empress’ exhausted voice was heard in the banquet hall.
“Today’s special guest is not me. Could you please focus on the other person instead?”
“...?”
Such words came from the Ruler of the Empire.
The person, who was nearly at the height of authority on the continent.
What the hell is she talking about?
As everyone thought so while staring blankly in her direction.
Following behind the Empress,
Someone made an entrance.
“...”
“...”
Everyone fell silent.
It was because…
There was a young man.
Walking in with the Chancellor in one of his arms, while the Empress clung on the other.
In complete peace, the three of them clung close to each other.
Walking in together.
“...”
“...”
As the banquet hall was thrown into a frightening silence.
“Look at that!”
Bogut’s cheerful voice was heard.
“He went even beyond my expectations!”
Ravel could not say anything.
Because that was the only reaction he could even let out.
***
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