HPDBC Chapter 145
Chapter 145
Chapter 145 – Marquis Laksir (3)
News of the conflict quickly reached the royal palace.
“Baron Ancelot did...... What to the knights of the Laksir Marquisate?”
“He assaulted them, Your Majesty.”
“So you’re saying...... He beat them up?”
“Yes.”
“......”
King Terry just barely suppressed his laughter. The capital was teeming with spies who served as his eyes and ears.
This was the latest bit of news they had delivered.
“Moreover, the knights belong to the Black Mane Order, the most powerful military force under Marquis Laksir.”
“......Ahem.”
King Terry masked his amusement with a forced cough, nodding repeatedly.
“Well, that’s quite something.”
“......”
At his reaction, Count Harbor, who was practically King Terry’s right hand, gave a bitter smile.
“Your Majesty. I apologize for being presumptuous, but this is not a moment for mere admiration.”
“Hmm.”
“Shouldn’t you intervene immediately? If a mere baron has insulted Marquis Laksir’s pride...... This could escalate into a territorial war.”
At the mention of a ‘territorial war,’ King Terry was struck by a memory. Simultaneously, a smile reappeared on his face.
“Who knows? Perhaps, like with Marquis Foltaine, this might be an opportunity to bring Marquis Laksir fully onto my side.”
The possibility was real.
Even Duke Serin and Duke Herman were now backing that child. However, Count Harbor, a fellow noble, had a different view.
“I believe the chances of that happening are close to zero.”
His voice was resolute. King Terry narrowed his eyes.
“Why do you think so, Count?”
“Because there’s a clear difference compared to the previous case.”
“A difference?”
“Duke Serin, Duke Herman, and even Marquis Foltaine—whatever their true intentions may be, they share a common ground. They’ve all belonged to the same ‘noble faction’ for a very long time.”
The Kingdom of Hart had long been divided into two factions vying for power—the royal faction and the noble faction.
It wasn’t just this country. Factions existed everywhere, in every nation or organization.
“Do you not see the significance of this?”
“......I understand your point, Count.”
These factions were so sharply opposed that even minor policies became battlegrounds. Once part of a faction, it was considered unwise to express dissenting views.
Doing so risked being labeled a traitor or infiltrator, leading to swift ostracism.
In the same way, opinions on the ‘treatment of the Seventh Prince of the Meeke Principality’ sharply divided the two factions.
The royalist leader, Duke Kairos, argued for Ancelot’s return to his nation, while the noble faction were adamant about protecting him.
“Yes, unlike them, Marquis Laksir has historically been a royalist.”
“Hmph. Spare me the term ‘royalist’. I’ve never liked it.”
King Terry scoffed, prompting another bitter smile from Count Harbor.
“To put it simply...... They’ve walked entirely different paths from the start. Water and oil do not mix.”
King Terry sighed deeply.
He didn’t want to admit it, but he couldn’t deny the truth.
Even if this kingdom were to fall, the wretched factionalism would likely persist to the bitter end.
North and south, east and west—divided and subdivided further into pro-duke and anti-duke cliques.
Such was the history of humanity.
However, even so.
“What if...... by some miracle, Baron Ancelot managed to unify the factions? What would happen then?”
“......!”
Count Harbor stiffened, his bitter smile deepening.
“If that were to happen, the Hart Kingdom would experience an unprecedented golden age.”
“In that case...... Could I hope for a destiny different from that of my predecessor?”
“......”
After a moment of gazing at the throne, Count Harbor bowed his head.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Even if the odds were nonexistent, it was not his place as a subject to crush his king’s small hope.
Bang!
King Terry suddenly shot from his seat. It was as if he had resolved a long-standing dilemma.
“Leave the central district alone for now. If Baron Ancelot shows me even a glimmer of that possibility......”
Then, King Terry declared.
“I will risk everything and give him my full support. No matter what anyone says!”
Naturally so.
“You don’t?”
“In the first place, I’ve barely even been called Harun. The nobles prefer to refer to us by numbers.”
“Numbers......?”
Harun nodded.
“Like ‘ten from this house’, or ‘twenty from that one’. Something along those lines.”
“What nonsense are you......”
Before he could continue, Ancelot stepped in when he felt he needed to.
“Harun is the child of a serf.”
“......!”
A serf.
A person tied to the land, considered property of the nobility. In simpler terms...... A slave.
Crack.
For the first time, a vein visibly bulged on Marquis Laksir’s forehead.
“......Haa......”
Yet, surprisingly, he took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.
‘Oho?’
Watching this, Ancelot couldn’t help but let out an amused chuckle.
“......If I stay here any longer, I may lose my composure. We’ll discuss any misunderstandings later.”
“Leaving already?”
Marquis Laksir glanced to one side. From afar, Marquis Foltaine was approaching.
Since he had only intended to exchange greetings today, a direct confrontation was best avoided.
“We’ll meet again...... Next time.”
“Sure.”
Marquis Laksir gave one look at Ancelot, who hadn’t bothered to return a proper farewell, and left with gritted teeth, knights in tow.
“Wait. What about that poison master? Are we really letting him go like that?”
Narakas finally spoke up. Jan also turned to Ancelot with a questioning look.
“Just let him go.”
“......”
Jan stepped back without further argument.
“Damn it!”
Only then did the old man quickly follow behind Marquis Laksir.
“That was unexpected. I thought you’d grab him immediately......”
“If I had, there would’ve been bloodshed here and now.”
There was no need to corner a wounded beast. Besides, Ancelot had every intention of visiting Marquis Laksir’s estate before the day was over.
“......Still, I’m glad you’ve shown some common sense for once.”
Narakas heaved a long sigh of relief.
“Is he alright?”
Marquis Foltaine had reached them by now.
“I’m fine.”
“I wasn’t asking about you, but about him.”
Hearing this, Narakas couldn’t help but chuckle dryly.
“I heard what happened on my way here. You’ve done well to hold yourself back.”
“Hold back? Come on, now. You know that’s not like me.”
Ancelot waved his hand dismissively, causing both Narakas and Marquis Foltaine to tilt their heads in confusion.
“What are you planning?”
“They gave me a hint.”
While he couldn’t be sure of Marquis Laksir’s thoughts, his motives were easy to deduce.
‘Black Swan.’
It was clear that he had his eyes on that piece of land. That’s why he’d spouted nonsense about vassals.
Because he thought that anything belonging to his vassals was as good as his own.
“Don’t you think it’s an appealing idea?”
“......!”
Hearing Ancelot’s plan, Narakas’s eyes widened. Marquis Foltaine was equally taken aback.
“So, you mean to...... Bring him to your side, too?”
“......”
Without answering, Ancelot simply watched the departing figure of Marquis Laksir.
Whether they would ally or clash depended entirely on Marquis Laksir himself.
‘Marquis Laksir, what kind of person are you?’
A tiger cannot bow beneath a dog.
However, the reverse is always possible as long as the dog isn’t a rabid one.
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