Chapter 543: Act 291 – The First Clash
“Truly, heroes are born young!” Livwz exclaimed.
“Mister Brendel…”
“Just call me Brendel,” he interrupted her response.
“Brendel, I would like to hear your thoughts on the current situation, if I may?” Princess Grifian placed her hands on the desk, gently cradling a white porcelain teacup—red tea slightly rippling, as if waves were forming on the surface of crystal. She raised her head, her gaze piercing, with a silver sheen in her beautiful eyes.
Brendel’s eyes scanned each person in the study. The royal faction remained calm as before, the princess seemed innocent but was actually quite shrewd, and only the young prince appeared a little shy, carefully peering out from behind a noble. A sharp, cold gaze remained fixed on him; Brendel met it and saw the black-haired lady knight standing behind Grifian—her name seemed to be Nemeses. Each time he saw this woman, his heart fluttered.
He shifted his gaze away.
“To be frank, there is hardly a situation to discuss for the royal faction,” Brendel replied bluntly. “The North has long since sided with Duke Siphai. The two major armies of the kingdom—the White Lion army and the Black Blade army—are in the hands of Northern nobles, while the Southern army has been attacked by Madara, still without a clear structure, which is why Count Rendener has delayed signing an agreement with Instalung. I fear this is the reason.”
He paused, wanting to note that although the South still had Vieiro, Karasu, and Duke Golan-Elsen’s territories, they were merely minor players; the disparity in power between the North and the South meant that only the princess truly held the Corvado banner. The harsh winter had stalled the Northern army’s advance south, but as soon as the ice and snow melted, the hope keeping this princess afloat would likely crumble.
But this was precisely why the royal faction chose to collude with Anlek, so he held his tongue.
“The kingdom is surrounded by powerful enemies, and the situation is precarious; the Ampere Seale conference does not belong to you all. In fact, you probably came here to persuade the Ampere Seale merchant guild and the temple to remain neutral, rather than to genuinely participate in this conference, didn’t you?” Brendel retorted.
Silence fell in the study, everyone looked at Brendel with some astonishment. Since King Obergo VII’s passing, the kingdom’s situation had continued to change dramatically, but anyone with clear sight could see the weakness of the royal faction laid bare. Yet Brendel was able to discern their true intentions behind the surface—this was not ordinary. While everyone believed they were trying to leverage Anlek’s power to regain an advantage at the Ampere Seale conference, this young man had clearly pierced their thoughts and did so without the slightest hesitation.
Makarolo and Livwz felt a chill; they thought this young man would be terrifying if he were their enemy. Only Overwell cast an appreciative glance at Brendel; after all, Brendel was the one he had selected from the crowd fleeing Ridenburg. The more outstanding Brendel was, the better his own discernment was proven to be.
Princess Grifian’s eyes gleamed with admiration as she looked at Brendel, as though gazing at her most favored and trusted companion—because no one knew that there was a layer of secret between her and Brendel; influenced by Overwell’s recounting of a certain ‘story’, the half-elf maiden had privately appointed Brendel as her knight after responding to his letter.
The princess was only seventeen this year, an age not yet mature enough to push her luck, yet aside from luck, there was only destiny to consider.
Thinking of this, the half-elf maiden felt a slight stirring in her heart.
“I have met Princess Margadale; I heard she is your close friend,” Brendel responded. But in reality, he knew the royal faction’s true purpose was not for this reason. History laid open before him like a grand book, and the self-serving aristocracy of Erluin was evident in this era, not to mention the ‘schemes’ laid bare by the royal faction itself. He said this merely to avoid being viewed as a monster.
Makarolo, Livwz, and Overwell nodded slightly, finally relieved. Given the relationship between the nun princess and the temple, along with the temple’s influence in the merchant guild, it was not difficult to guess this connection. However, while everyone shifted their focus to the noble conference at hand, this young man’s keen eye remained observant of the surrounding details, a calmness and sharpness that would be considered top-tier talent among nobles.
“You guessed correctly, Mister Brendel. Indeed, my brother’s army will march south from the North, and there are only two routes available—if we can secure the support of the temple and the guild—if even just ensuring they remain neutral, then the Northern nobles will have no choice but to pass through Anlek’s mountains—”
“So you intend to marry into Anlek’s family; thus, no matter how aggressive the Northern nobles become, they will have to face reality. In mountainous combat, they are no match for Anlek, positioning the South in an advantageous state while the territories of Vieiro, Golan-Elsen, and Karasu, secure under guarantee, will naturally align with the royal faction—or rather, the cart of Anlek. With the ability to attack or defend, in time, the Corvado royal family will surely be resurrected.”
Brendel lifted his head, his eyes showing no delight, “Then I congratulate the princess in advance.”
“Do you believe there is something wrong?” Grifian’s complexion paled slightly; Brendel’s power seemed insignificant to the royal faction, yet in her heart, it was immensely important. She vaguely felt that Brendel might understand her true self, the goal she had steadfastly pursued since childhood—even if it was contrary to the royal faction—but there was only one person in Erluin who understood her. That person was right in front of her.
She had originally thought he would comprehend her sacrifices.
And compared to that understanding, everything else was trivial—
From Brendel, she had seen that shining light; the belief she had independently upheld felt like another beacon seen amidst a storm, and the joy of discovering a companion in the desolation of the bleak wilderness was beyond words. It was evident from both his letters and actions that he shared the same commitment as her, yet this man looked at her now with a cold expression.
Princess Grifian inhaled lightly, “Could you tell me the reason?” Her tone was gentle, but the furrow in her brow revealed a hint of dissatisfaction; it was certain that if Brendel could not provide a satisfying answer, disappointment would surely follow for her.
Truly, she was as proud as rumored. Brendel thought to himself, yet without this character, he would not have persevered to this point.
“I have a few questions,” he replied.
Overwell slightly raised his head, not entirely supportive of this plan to begin with. However, Livwz and Makarolo were in agreement; Livwz’s influence within the royal faction was significant, being one of the royal faction’s few notable strengths. On the other hand, Makarolo represented the allies’ opinions, which left no room for dissent.
“First, war between the Temple of Fire and the Hallowed Temple of Earth is imminent; the Crusian people will not be pleased to see Erluin disrupting itself at this time. While the Erluin people have not been manipulated by the Crusian since their independence, we must also acknowledge that we are indeed part of the Temple of Fire.” Brendel answered, “At this time, while the temple cannot overtly intervene in domestic affairs, it can certainly facilitate things for the Northern nobles. After all, to outsiders, the North’s strength far surpasses that of the South; the quickest way to end this war for the kingdom is surely to see the North claim victory soon—”
“This is something we could not have overlooked, young man,” Livwz finally spoke. Brendel’s challenge erased all the good will he had built up, “However, should Duke Anlek and the royal faction join forces, winning victory for the Northern folk won’t be easy. If the temple rashly intervenes, it will only trigger a larger internal conflict; moreover, at this time, Toquinin’s lions are far from prepared, making the supposed war between the Temple of Fire and the Hallowed Temple of Earth utterly absurd.”
Brendel fell silent, knowing this was history. Historically, the royal faction turned the tide like this, but he had a real reason, one he found difficult to express. Could he declare that Anlek had ulterior motives? The issue was that the royal faction was not foolish; they naturally understood that Anlek had ulterior motives, and the princess was trying to draw a firebird from the flames, believing she would succeed.
History proved that she failed.
But Brendel could not articulate that failure; he could not simply say he came from the future, that he was a charlatan, could he?
He paused for a moment, and Grifian’s disappointment deepened. She clenched her fist discreetly; for a moment, she even hoped Brendel could prove himself wrong. This seventeen-year-old princess had scarcely slept in recent weeks; she knew she was walking a tightrope, but she convinced herself that she had to walk it.
A silence fell over the study, Freya felt somewhat uneasy; while she understood much more now, she still couldn’t comprehend the debate between Brendel and the royal faction. This girl from Buche felt some annoyance, thinking that this detestable fellow next to her only knew how to create trouble, and even if he disagreed, he didn’t need to voice it in front of others.
At the core, she still sided with Brendel. Compared to the royal faction’s survival, she was more concerned about Brendel’s safety.
Overwell and Makarolo sensed a subtle atmosphere, yet could not help but feel discontent towards Brendel; they felt this young man had gone a bit too far, even alarmist. Among everyone, only a pair of astonished eyes lingered on Brendel for a brief moment; hardly anyone noticed this gaze, and Nemeses soon returned to a neutral expression, as if nothing had happened.
At this awkward moment, a knock sounded on the door. Everyone’s attention shifted, a servant entered with a letter, and Princess Grifian opened it, immediately furrowing her brow. She paused, placing the letter casually on the desk before breaking the silence, “The results of the morning’s incident have come in.”
Everyone was taken aback; they naturally knew this was about the investigation into the assassination that morning, yet they hadn’t expected the temple to act so quickly, finding the mastermind within just two or three hours. Only Makarolo furrowed his brows, seemingly realizing something.
Brendel couldn’t help but perk up his ears; the assassination that morning clearly altered history, and he was eager to know the underlying reason.
“The instigator goes by the name of Sysiphus.”
Overwell frowned, “I know this person; he is a minor noble from Ampere Seale.” Upon finishing, he immediately changed his expression. To orchestrate such an assassination, the figure behind this would certainly not be simple; no one would believe a mere minor noble could stir up such great waves. This unlucky fellow was clearly a scapegoat, but since this outcome had come from the temple, issues would arise.
In an instant, the expressions of those present became solemn. Only Brendel maintained his composure, as if he had anticipated this outcome.
Although Brendel did not know what the problem was, having seen that cross assassin in the morning, he concluded that the temple must have had a hand in it.
“The letter also mentions Mister Brendel.” After a pause, Grifian added, “It states that not only did Mr. Brendel bring weapons into the sacred hall, but that two of his subordinates are ‘blood kin’ as well. The temple suspects Mr. Brendel is colluding with heretics and wishes for us to hand him over to cooperate with their investigation.”
After reading this segment, the long princess of Erluin’s face had turned ashen.
Brendel’s heart tightened too, though more out of anger. It was outrageous that he hadn’t sought trouble with the Temple of Fire, and yet they preemptively targeted him; it was downright oppressive. However, he refrained from exploding and instead prepared to see the royal faction’s reaction.
At this moment, Overwell scoffed, “The temple forbids us to bear arms but is very lenient towards assassins. When did having blood kin as subordinates become evidence of colluding with heretics? Erluin is adjacent to Madara; I suspect many of the dukes have dark nobles fleeing from Madara as their subordinates?”
The royal faction found Overwell’s remarks quite agreeable, their expressions showing disdain.
“Your Highness?” the servant asked softly.
“Erluin has never handed over guests into the hands of the Crusian; furthermore, this utterly absurd excuse—” Princess Grifian replied coldly, “is merely a test of our relationship. You simply need to answer straight; tell them that Mister Brendel is one of us, and cannot possibly be an assassin.”
Brendel watched the servant exit the study humbly and felt an unexpected warmth. Although he knew there was an element of performance involved, at least the royal faction’s attitude at this moment was clear. He glanced at Overwell and the others, and the prejudice that had just risen within him from the previous argument began to fade.
“It seems the temple’s attitude is not as neutral as you all imagined.” Yet he couldn’t help but jeer a remark, then tilted his head, looking at the members of the royal faction. He was after all not a true politician; remnants of the mischief he had from Sophie still lingered within him.
The half-elf maiden’s brow furrowed sadly; she quietly sighed—helplessness made Brendel feel a little heartbroken, but she no longer pressed the issue. “Mister Brendel, our situation is dire—I apologize for making you laugh. Regardless, we still wish for your help…”
“You are a Highland Knight; thus I’d like to request your assistance in garnering support for us from the Highland Knights. Would that be possible?” The princess lowered her stature, asking with a tone of earnestness. She realized Brendel harbored no malice against the royal faction, only some misunderstandings. Yet she believed the ultimate outcome would prove her right.
Brendel shook his head.
“As you all know, Highland Knights are not the same as you; I can personally support you, but winning their full endorsement may not be easy.” Although he was not a true Highland Knight, he was confident he could disguise this identity well enough to fool even the sharpest of minds. In fact, even if Charles were present, he wouldn’t be able to find fault with Brendel’s statements.
The members of the royal faction knew Brendel was speaking the truth and couldn’t help but nod heavily. Thankfully, Brendel still controlled Toniger, this seemingly insignificant place now pivotal in restricting Count Rendener, or else they might have begun to wonder if severing ties with the temple for this young man had been a wise choice.
“However, it’s not without possibilities,” Brendel suddenly smiled, “Karasu is most affected by the threats from Madara; the Northern nobles’ compromising attitudes have already stirred discontent among the Highland Knights. As long as you show them goodwill, they would likely be inclined to support the royal faction—but the key still lies in the situation, as no one wishes to join the ranks of the defeated.”
Grifian nodded; she, of all people, understood this, but the problem was far from simple. In her heart, she considered Brendel’s suggestion something to just be heard, the royal faction’s meeting with Brendel was originally about the Highland Knights. Now with their hopes dashed, Princess Grifian suddenly felt somewhat exhausted.
She discreetly glanced at the hourglass; the start time for the noble meeting was rapidly approaching.
“Mister Brendel, I have one final personal question. Would you mind answering?” Grifian raised her head, looking at Brendel, and inquired.
Brendel nodded.
“And what of your relationship with the Yan Fortress…?” she had been quite concerned about this matter, not necessarily believing that Brendel was a retainer of Dierphir, for at least the Yan Fortress had yet to side with the royal faction. If Brendel’s actions as a subordinate were clearly out of line—besides, in her heart, Grifian also believed that Brendel ought to be her knight. Yet what she cared about was Brendel’s relationship with the lady of the Yan Fortress family.
With her sharp mind, she could not fathom how dramatically drawing the Yan Fortress into her camp would be.
“No, in fact, I have no relationship with the earl; quite the opposite, I merely coerced her into bringing me to the venue,” Brendel replied with a slight smile, speaking truthfully.
Everyone was momentarily taken aback.
“Although this may come off as a bit rude, the invitations to the conference were only extended to Duke Karasu; a mere Highland Knight has no qualification to enter the Hualiren Manor. I believe you can understand the plight of a young man.” Brendel added, shaking his head once more.
The members of the royal faction finally reacted, casting curious glances at Brendel. To abduct and coerce a noble right under the temple’s nose; this guy was really bold. If they hadn’t known it was unlikely, they might have suspected the assassins from that morning were indeed related to this young man.
It was only Princess Grifian who managed a slight smile. In her heart, she couldn’t believe Brendel’s words, and there was a simple reason behind it—she had been close friends with Dierphir, and this morning the truth was clear to anyone who could see: that earl lady clearly cared for Brendel. Would someone who was abducted care about the abductor? Perhaps it was possible, but not in such circumstances. However, she didn’t plan to expose Brendel’s clumsy lies; instead, she smiled, “Extraordinary people do extraordinary things. Your actions in Toniger have taught us a vivid lesson. I just hadn’t expected, having just arrived in Ampere Seale, that you would give me another surprise—only that Dierphir seemed a bit too unfortunate, as Mister Brendel has shown no pity.”
Brendel recalled the sad look in the earl lady’s eyes at Grifian’s reminder and couldn’t help but break into a light sweat.
This was not intentional; he thought to himself, how could he have known that the earl lady was actually such a soft-hearted person?
Yet at the same time, he sighed slightly, viewing the now calmer expression on Princess Grifian’s face. Brendel realized that his attempt at persuasion had likely failed. Although he hadn’t held out much hope, compared to the royal faction, he was ultimately an outsider. If this long princess were to change her mind based solely on his few words, he’d then doubt whether this half-elf maiden was genuine.
Considering this, Brendel could only prepare for the next step. Yet, he held an uneasy premonition in his heart; the temple’s attitude not only astonished the princess and her entourage but also greatly exceeded his expectations. The promise made by High Priest Wood echoed in his mind; he never anticipated that the Temple of Fire would reverse its position so rapidly.
Something must be amiss here.
…
(PS: I saw a post in the comments asking me to update an hour earlier, but I was late yesterday. I will strive to update an hour earlier tomorrow.) (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes; your support is my greatest motivation.)
