Chapter 347: Two Dukes
The next morning, Emperor Leggett of the Kingdom of El appeared in front of the Magic Association headquarters.
He was not dressed in the lavish attire of a nobleman, but in simple everyday clothes, with two guards following behind him, their presence concealed.
Led by his attendant, he arrived at a room on the highest floor of the association.
Kurtz was already waiting there, his expression as usual, as if the riots that had affected several blocks the previous night had nothing to do with him.
"Lord Kurtz, excuse me, where is Lady Serie?" Leggett asked, his posture extremely humble and his tone tinged with respect.
He knew the weight of the person before him. The other was not only a legend who had saved the world, but also a partner who fought alongside his family's ancestor, the Holy King Norn.
In front of the other party, his title as the emperor did not give him much of a sense of superiority.
"She'll be here shortly," Kurtz replied casually.
When he had gotten up, the elf was still asleep, but judging by the time, she should have gotten up by now.
Sure enough, a short while later, Serie came out of the room with a single ahoge sticking up on her head.
Kurtz smiled slightly at the sight.
Serie skillfully sat down next to Kurtz, very close, letting him smooth down the stray strand of hair. Her little head rested gently against him, but not completely on his shoulder; she simply leaned against him.
Of course, she didn't forget Leggett in front of her and nodded as a greeting.
Leggett watched the two of them behaving intimately and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
I never imagined that the relationship between the two of them had reached such a close level.
But thinking about it, it made sense. Considering that the two of them had spent a thousand years together, they must have been partners long ago, right?
Leggett had only ever heard of such close bonds between different races in stories, and most of them ended badly, but in the case of these two, it seemed perfectly reasonable.
Bringing his thoughts back, Leggett carefully considered his words before speaking with a wry smile. "Your Excellencies, the actions of your disciples yesterday were indeed quite big."
He sighed and began to list the troubles. "Last time, at least we were able to sneak into the mansion first, and the conflict was mainly confined to the Earl's mansion. Yesterday, they forcibly blasted through the barrier outside the mansion, alarming several surrounding blocks. Countless people witnessed the magical brilliance and the ensuing chaos."
"Especially this morning, my palace was packed with nobles coming to inquire, putting pressure on me both openly and subtly, hoping I would restrain the Magic Association's overstepping boundaries."
He paused, then added, "Of course, I have already sent men to imprison the two earls who were captured, and their property has been confiscated. Please rest assured, our agreement remains in effect."
After speaking, Leggett looked earnestly at Kurtz and Serie. "I have come here today hoping to discuss with you two the possibility of speeding up this purge. Perhaps you two could personally take charge?"
"The longer this drags on, the more unsettled people will become in the capital, and the more time those lurking in the shadows will have to prepare. I fear that sooner or later, something even bigger will happen."
Leggett had also obtained a list of nobles through special channels, and the number of nobles involved and the extent of their involvement left him speechless.
If all the nobles on the list were removed, the number of nobles in the entire capital would probably be reduced by about a third.
But he had no choice but to do it.
These nobles had joined forces not only to target Kurtz, but long before the Magic Association was established, they had already conspired together to commit many heinous acts.
Even the shady, clandestine industries in the capital city had a share in them.
It could be said that even without the incident involving Kurtz and Serie, these nobles would still be a cancer within the Land of El and must be eliminated.
Thinking of this, Leggett hesitated for a moment, but finally took out the list from his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is the list I currently have that involves this matter. In addition to the earls and viscounts, it also involves two dukes."
When Leggett mentioned the word "Duke," his tone became noticeably heavier, and his face showed great distress.
"The Duke?" Serie raised an eyebrow, her tone tinged with disdain. "So what? We'll deal with it all at once. What's there to worry about?"
In her view, there was no real difference between dukes and earls; they were just a bunch of reckless fools.
Upon hearing this, Leggett quickly explained, "Your Excellency Serie, things are not so simple. These two dukes have special identities and deep ties with my El royal family."
He began to recount the origins of the two dukes.
One of the dukes was a senior minister who had followed the Holy King Norn in his campaigns and founded the Kingdom of El, and was highly respected in the army.
The other one's lineage could be traced back to Norn's younger sister.
In a way, they were cousins of the Leggett royal family, connected by blood.
Moreover, both families had been rooted in the empire for a thousand years, with extensive and intertwined relationships. They also controlled a considerable number of private armies and fiefdoms, and any move they made would inevitably cause even greater chaos.
After explaining, Leggett sighed. "A hasty decision could trigger unpredictable internal strife, and there are many neutral nobles watching, so I really can't take action."
After listening to Leggett's story, Kurtz fell into deep thought.
Since the ancestors of these two families were indeed extraordinary, they could not be treated as simply and brutally as ordinary nobles.
Kurtz then spoke up. "I understand. Since Norn is involved, the situation is indeed special, and I will consider it."
He didn't offer a solution immediately, but his meaning was clear: he had taken on the problem.
Leggett breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Kurtz's promise. Just as he was about to say something more, a mage from the association knocked on the door and entered. "Lord Kurtz, Lady Serie, there is an elf outside the association who calls himself Kraft and requests an audience."
"Kraft?" Leggett was slightly taken aback when he heard the name, and then a look of surprise appeared on his face.
He was quite familiar with this name.
Although Kraft's reputation in human epic legends was not as resounding as that of the god-slayer Kurtz, and had even reached the point of being lost to history, as the emperor of the Kingdom of El, he naturally had some impression of this name.
The other party was a great hero who had once again saved the world from danger after the disappearance of the god-slayer Kurtz!
"Please let him in!" Kurtz said.
A moment later, Kraft walked in. He nodded to Kurtz and Serie first, and then noticed Leggett sitting to the side.
Kraft's gaze shifted to the standing figure.
Leggett had already stood up, his eyes wide as he scrutinized Kraft.
He had seen the statue left by this hero by chance. Although the real person in front of him was more reserved and peaceful, his unique temperament gradually overlapped with the image in his memory.
[End of Chapter]