Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 113
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Game Opportunities Become Reality Episode 113
28. A New Wind (5)
February 20, 2021, Age of Magic.
Two days had passed since the royal party where one could feel the downfall of the Second Prince's faction and the rising presence of the Crown Prince's faction.
With the day the goddess Sepia would choose the Saintess looming three days away, my worries deepened with each passing day, but today was a joyful day, so I decided to set aside my troubles for a while.
Today is my birthday.
The long, long year of being twenty had ended, and I had turned twenty-one.
"Congratulations. I hear today is your birthday?"
"Yes, that's right."
Yet on a birthday that should have been spent happily with family, for some reason I was at the Royal Palace, face to face with the Crown Prince.
"You timed it perfectly."
"The best birthday gift."
The reason was that today was the day new titles were to be bestowed upon me and Arcia.
With the King having completely lost interest in state affairs, the Crown Prince presided over the enfeoffment and promotion ceremonies, and in 'Glory Hall,' where countless nobles stood in attendance, my name was called first.
Naturally.
After all, no one was to be called before me, who was about to become a Grand Duke.
Since it was an official event broadcast live across the entire kingdom, we kept our private chatter brief and carried out the schedule with the solemn atmosphere befitting the occasion.
"To Marquis Adrian Lawrence, the title of Grand Duke is hereby granted, and to distinguish him from the Viscount Lawrence family, the surname 'El' shall be added, and he shall be known as Grand Duke Adrian El Lawrence."
With that, the King handed me a new family crest.
My family crest bore the image of a black eagle soaring into the sky, modeled after the black dog.
-Flutter!
However, on the black eagle banner the Crown Prince handed over, a silver crown that had not been there before had been added.
If a gold crown is embroidered on a flag, it signifies the royal family and the imperial family; if a silver crown is embroidered, it signifies a grand ducal house.
A Grand Duke was treated as nearly royal, thus entitled to the address of 'Your Highness,' and if the King were too young or lacking in ability, a Grand Duke could serve as Regent and rule the nation.
"Furthermore, the former Marquisate of Hamington is granted in addition to your existing domain. I pray you become a righteous leader who cherishes your people."
"I am deeply grateful."
Holding the family crest like a spear, I paid my respects to the Crown Prince.
Then, turning around and looking down from the podium, I saw all the nobles gathered from across the kingdom looking up at me and applauding.
With this, I became the lord of a grand ducal house, following in the footsteps of the Hains family said to be the current King's maternal relatives and the true owners of the Royal Mage Tower.
As I carefully carried the family crest and descended the podium, Arcia's name was called next.
"To Count Arcia Klein, the title of Marquis is hereby granted, and the former County of Trinity is granted in addition to your existing domain. I pray you become a righteous leader who cherishes your people."
And she turned around, holding a family crest embroidered with thorny vines and a shield.
-Clap clap clap clap!
In response, the nobles' applause resounded a thunderous sound with even more fervor than what I had received, showing just how favorable her image was among the nobles.
But I feel no jealousy.
After all, the poor image I have among the nobles is partly something I engineered myself.
Having been swayed by my surroundings since childhood, the moment I obtained Grand Duke Lucas's Opportunity, I resolved to become a powerhouse who leads others, not one who is led.
Having reached the rank of Grand Duke, one could say that goal was achieved, but....
Now that I was a Grand Duke, I couldn't help but see higher positions flickering before my eyes.
'They say human greed knows no end, and it's truly the case.'
I am utterly amazed at myself for not knowing satisfaction.
But on the other hand, it's only natural.
I am Grand Duke Lucas's heir.
If my identity were ever revealed, even under the kingdom's protection, I would have no way to deal with the Bringham Empire, which would come charging in frothing at the mouth.
Therefore, to live proudly as Grand Duke Lucas's heir, I cannot be satisfied with merely being a Grand Duke of this kingdom.
I organized my goals for what lay ahead.
First, I need to rise beyond Grand Duke to become an 'Archduke' and obtain unrestricted rights of self-defense.
Additionally, I must steadily raise this nation's strength, making it at least comparable to the Croysen Empire.
An imperial Archduke.
It seems like an absurd plan, but I have the knowledge and foundation to carry it out.
'With so much to do, it's better to keep nobles at a respectful distance rather than mingling closely with them that way they won't bother me.'
The time I can buy by dragging out the Lewis Fairmont situation who was taken to the Bringham Empire is at most two to three years.
Originally, I thought I could stall for at least a decade or more, but apparently suspicions are already mounting that he's a fake.
So I could not afford to feel at ease.
'The Grand Duchy is good, and the nation's development is good too, but the top priority has to be securing Grand Duke Lucas's Opportunity.'
At the current pace, I should reach level 250 for the 8th Circle in six weeks.
It isn't that long, but perhaps it's because I've been living so busily?
Even though it's only been a month and a half, it doesn't feel that close.
"It's your birthday, and you've received gifts how about setting aside your worries for a while?"
As I was lost in such thoughts, Arcia leaned her upper body slightly toward me and whispered those words.
Her words snapped me back to my senses.
Escaping the swamp of worries, I soon smiled.
"Thank you. I will."
I'm probably the only person who'd still have this many worries even after becoming a Grand Duke.
Once again, I felt grateful to have Arcia.
Perhaps it's her nature, but she doesn't show much emotion on her face yet her thoughts and thoughtfulness often impress me.
Arcia is an artificially created homunculus.
But to me, she looks nothing but human.
The human who understands me best, that is.
Thanks to her, I cleared my head and regained my composure.
"Then I shall conclude this ceremony. Noblesse oblige may you all become honorable leaders."
And so, my and Arcia's investiture ceremony came to an end.
* * *
Perhaps because it was the Crown Prince who had secretly fueled the Second Prince's faction's rise in the first place?
Even though it ended in rebellion, the punishment handed down to the defeated Second Prince's faction was lighter than I had expected.
Of course, the heads of every house that followed the Second Prince were executed, but they didn't extend guilt by association to their families some were even allowed to retain their positions as Lords.
Instead, every noble family that belonged to the Second Prince's faction had their Title demoted by two ranks the Anahaim family, once a ducal house, became a count family; count houses became viscount families; and viscount and baron families had their Titles stripped entirely.
"Of all families! Of all families! Why ours!"
And the same applied to the Marquis of Ereiven, Marquis Caskbell, and Count Brooks's family all killed by Adrian.
Those who had now joined hands to be demoted to baron families had to live in fear every single day.
The reason was their dread of harassment from Adrian, the kingdom's rising power.
Their common thread was being tied to Adrian by the title of sworn enemy.
That was far too great a burden, one that could only bring terror.
"Brother. I, I…."
"Isabella!"
"Yes."
"Isn't this your fault! If you don't sever the chain of vengeance, we'll all die! That madman is more than capable of it!"
There was only one choice left for them.
To hand over their very guts and livers, and no matter how pitifully they had to grovel on the floor, somehow obtain forgiveness.
They had fallen from high noble houses to provincial baron families in an instant, but a Lord is still a Lord.
Though they could no longer spend as lavishly as before, it meant they could still live comfortably without much trouble.
So they clung desperately to the pie the Crown Prince had left them out of generosity.
Even if it meant selling out their own siblings and their dead parents.
"I, I don't want to die."
"You won't die. Your friends who were taken ahead of you also avoided death."
Isabella, who had trusted her background as Marquis Caskbell's daughter and run wild during her academy days, earning Adrian's hatred, bit her lip as she stared at her brother, who was glaring at her with a pale face.
The man who had always been kind and gentle had become a completely different person after their father died and their Title was stripped.
Isabella trembled as she recalled the four viscount families that had met Ruin/Downfall the moment Adrian declared a Domain War right after receiving his Marquis title.
"But that's no different from death!"
"How dare you raise your voice as if you've done something right!"
The sons and daughters of those ruined four viscount families were people who had bullied Adrian alongside her.
They had been taken by Adrian after losing the Domain War, and from what he heard, both men and women alike were being forced to labor in the mines.
For those who had been nobles, that was equivalent to a death sentence.
In fact, the son of Viscount Parma even tried to take his own life, only for Adrian to personally come out and heal him with high-level magic then, holding them jointly responsible, all four friends were dragged off to a mine reserved for violent criminals.
She couldn't survive even a single day.
Isabella shook her head violently, making her refusal clear.
"Because of you, Father never even got a trial and was beheaded in the chaos! You think I wouldn't feel the same!?"
In the end, Isabella let tears the size of chicken droppings fall drop by drop.
It was a truly pitiful and pathetic sight, but considering that during her academy days, some had taken their own lives because of her and others had been left disabled, there was no room for sympathy.
In the end, she was dragged before Adrian by her own family, who wished to preserve a sliver of power, alongside her friend Filo, the son of the former Count Brooks' house, now the Baron Brooks' house.
"Well now, this is an unexpected birthday gift, isn't it?"
One of the reasons Adrian had been bullied during his academy days.
It was his infuriatingly handsome face.
Though he had a boyish face that didn't match the title of Duke, he was one of the kingdom's most famous beauties.
Adrian, whose trademark was flowing silver hair and piercing blue eyes, had received the attention of countless female students since his academy days, and Isabella had also taken a liking to his intellectual air.
But she had a tendency to enjoy seeing a handsome face twist in agony, and as a result, an irreparable relationship was forged.
Even in this situation, what Isabella felt at this moment was, oddly enough, that Adrian was truly handsome.
If she had offered him genuine affection instead of twisted interest, her position would have been different.
"Well, your house is already ruined, and you've offered me such a delightful gift, so I won't harm you."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
The Heads of House of the Caskbell and Brooks families, who had personally dragged Isabella and Filo here, bowed their heads deeply in gratitude for Adrian's leniency.
But since "won't harm you" could also be interpreted as meaning he would have harmed them had this not happened, the faces of those who had sold out their family and returned to their domains were pale.
Adrian looked at the two people kneeling before him and spoke.
"Ah, power really is something. It even delivers my enemies right to my doorstep."
"P-Please, Your Highness. Have mercy."
"You know how your friends are doing, right?"
At Adrian's question, the two trembled and nodded.
"First, Filo will join them in labor."
"Your Highness!"
Filo Brooks begged for forgiveness, but when Adrian snapped his fingers, a Knight entered the study and dragged him out.
Once Filo disappeared, only Adrian and Isabella remained in the deathly silent study.
"You were the most special one among those who bullied me. What should I do with you?"
Isabella needed to use a seduction ploy or anything else to survive, but Adrian's eyes were so cold that she couldn't move an inch.
He pondered her fate carefully for ten minutes.
Adrian snapped his fingers, saying he'd come up with a good idea.
"Oh, right now that I think of it, Sir Chester asked me to find him a pet, didn't he? It doesn't necessarily have to be an animal, does it?"