Volume 4 Chapter 12 Behind The Trampoline
A little before Randy and Ellie caused trouble... the Dukedom Government was in a big mess, like a beehive that got poked.
In Victor Territory, a bright flash shot up into the sky.
Of course, it wasn't visible from Rivernant or the capital, Highland. But people from nearby villages and towns said they saw the flash rising.
If that flash was real, depending on what caused it, it could be a serious issue, not just a meeting. So, ever since they got the news, the Dukedom Government has been holding meetings nonstop.
Some people think they should postpone the meeting.
Others believe they should go ahead with it.
These 2 opinions are clashing hard.
The flash only lit up the sky around Victor's Port City. So, it's not known to be powerful enough to scorch the skies.
Still, the fact that people saw the flash from far away is important. In the meeting, they're discussing whether it could be some kind of magic or magic tool.
Magic or a magic tool that can create such a flash. Most people in the meeting think it's definitely a threatening act.
Even though Victor is on the outskirts, they have the Marquis family from the kingdom backing them. It wouldn't be surprising if they had something the Dukedom doesn't know about.
"Could it be a training exercise by the magic troops from the Marquis family? In this situation, we should postpone the meeting!"
If it really is a threat, then postponing the meeting is a reasonable idea.
But they can't just postpone it because they don't know for sure if it's a threat.
The people who were watching Victor were unfortunately nearby and didn't see the flash itself.
The lack of accurate information is a big reason why the postponement group can't unite.
They should postpone and check unofficially.
They should ask the kingdom and see what the Marquis family is up to.
They should file a formal protest to Victor.
They should strengthen their surveillance and gather more information.
Because of all these different opinions, the postponement group can't come together. In contrast, those who want to go ahead with the meeting are completely united.
They believe they should push forward with the meeting and make Victor back down.
They think this incident is a threatening action and that it's not something a noble would do, so they should make the other side give in.
Originally, the government and Shadler planned to shift the blame and manipulate the image.
They were going to say that the amount of magic ore being mined has decreased. This is relative, and it's because the usage in the rapidly developing Victor Territory is higher than expected.
The story is that demand from Victor Territory has surged, making it hard to manage the supply.
If you listen normally, it sounds like poor management, and it's clearly Count Shadler's fault, but they plan to shift the blame to "Victor."
They'll say that the sudden change in demand has complicated management. They'll blame Victor for delaying the report considering the increase in demand.
It sounds unreasonable, but for citizens who only know about the "rapidly developing Victor," the government and Count Shadler's argument might seem reasonable.
After that, they'll start manipulating the image.
They'll talk about the need for new energy supply adjustments and declare that they'll strengthen supply management to stabilize the overall supply.
While saying they'll create new rules "for Victor," they'll use that to control the excessive consumption of magic ore in Victor. They'll keep repeating that the supply issues of magic ore are Victor's fault.
Of course, they don't expect Victor to agree to this. That's why they've put a "wait" on S-rank adventurer Cain.
If the meeting ends in a deadlock, it will lead to a duel for honor between both sides.
Cain's strength with a weapon is well-known and backed by the Dukedom Government. That's why they've filled this unreasonable plan with ideas to convince the public.
When Cain wins and the government's opinion prevails, they want to make sure no one feels sorry for Victor.
But now, it seems like the other side is trying to scare them.
The Dukedom Government isn't stupid. They know that Victor can guess some of what's going to happen in this meeting. There's really not much else they can do.
So, they think that this scary action is a warning from Victor. It's like he's saying, "This is how it's going to be." They don't believe that Victor could pull this off alone. That place has always been connected to families with no magic.
So, the only ones behind this must be the Marquis family from the kingdom.
Actually, it's just Randy, Liz, Ellie, and some engineers messing around, but no one could have guessed that.
But the fact that no one can guess this is actually good for the government.
If the government can't figure it out, then the people definitely can't either. This means that the shadow of the Marquis family isn't just hanging over the government and Shadler.
If it really is a threat and it involves weapons, the people might think the Marquis family is involved.
For the government, being able to share this idea with the people is a good thing. They can create propaganda saying that Victor is teaming up with foreign powers to declare war on the Dukedom.
In that case, it's better to start by apologizing for the government's mistakes and then shift the focus to this threatening action.
By starting with an apology, they can weaken the other side's position and show the people that they "apologized" and "wanted to make peace." Then they can hold the other side responsible for the threatening action. This is basically a way to shift blame and manipulate the image.
This kind of opinion is slowly spreading in the meeting room. Using threats from other countries before a meeting is not something a Knight should do. It's better to point that out.
Plus,
Are they really going to back down just because of a flash of light?
If they do that, people will laugh and call the government cowards.
Even the Dukedom's magic troops can create flashes of light with just a few people using magic.
Such bold statements are gradually spreading in the room. But,
Runes.
Dragon materials.
Ancient great magicians.
No one knows. No one can even imagine thpse. That's why they measure what they haven't seen with their own standards. They think it's probably something like that.
If they knew, the government would definitely cut ties with Shadler and apologize to Victor.
But since they don't know, there's nothing they can do.
As a result, the government decided on a strategy to "deliberately move forward with the meeting and point out the other side's mistakes." Of course, they plan to keep an eye on things and mix in their original strategy.
All of this is just a warm-up for the upcoming duel. It's meant to maintain the government's and Count Shadler's image while preparing for the duel with Victor.
A strategy to keep their image intact while bringing Victor down.
No one knows how this will turn out yet.
* * *
Around the time the Dukedom Government made their decision, Alan was having drinks with Volcan.
They're like family, but they've known each other for a very long time. You could say since Alan was born. For Alan, who grew up with Grace, Volcan is like a father figure.
"It's been 17 years since Randolph was born."
Volcan reminisced while drinking, and Alan laughed, saying, "A lot has happened."
"I thought he was a really smart kid──."
"He has his silly moments too."
Alan smiled wryly, but Volcan grinned and said, "He's just like you when you were young."
"No, he wasn't that bad."
Alan smiled wryly, but Volcan shook his head.
"Nope, the guy who asked Grace to marry him got a flying kick because you said, 'You can't do it.' Who was that troublemaker?"
Volcan smirked, and Alan scratched his cheek, saying, "That was..."
It's true that he kicked the guy, but that was because Grace didn't want him. Grace was noticed by a high-ranking noble at a party, but she liked Alan and turned down the noble's offer.
The angry noble then went to Victor and strongly pressured Grace to marry him, and that's when Alan kicked him away.
"Since then, you've been through a lot too."
"Yeah. I took responsibility and left Victor... and then... after a lot of things, I came back."
Alan shrugged, and Volcan smiled nostalgically as he poured more drinks.
"We have to thank the previous His Excellency the Duke."
"Yes. Really... I can't thank Sir Ernst enough."
Alan sighed and muttered, "That's why..." He probably had some thoughts about the current Dukedom Government and the Grand Duke because he felt indebted to them.
In fact, Alan even thought it might be better to have Luke as the Duke, as that would align with the wishes of the previous Duke. But still, to repay the previous Duke's kindness, he tried to serve the current Dukedom as much as he could.
As a member of the Dukedom.
As a noble.
Sure, he was working with foreign powers and starting various projects, but his heart was with the people of the Dukedom. He was making deals with Lucian and others to benefit the Dukedom.
The government must know about this. If they looked into it a bit, they would quickly see the flow of money and goods. Yet, they still treated him this way.
Even if he felt a bit down, who could blame Alan?
Understanding Alan's complicated feelings, Volcan said nothing. After a while of silence, both of them took a big gulp of their drinks at the same time.
"So... what are you planning to do? That thing from earlier today is definitely going to be a problem."
With a frown, Volcan asked, and Alan smiled back, "It's okay. In fact, it made things clearer."
If this commotion reached the government's ears, they would definitely use it against him. But that's exactly why Alan planned to use it to push back against the government's demands.
"I know how the government will react. Most likely, they'll try to shift the blame and manipulate the image. It's a tired old trick."
Alan spat out, and Volcan poured him more drink.
"That's why I expect them to call this whole mess 'Victor's rebellion'."
"I see... that's something those fools would think of."
Nodding, Volcan, Alan poured him a drink in return.
"So, I'll just be honest. Of course, I won't mention dragons or runes..."
Alan shrugged and told Volcan that he had already sent letters to Marquis Lucian and Count Alfred about his plan. By the time the letters reached them, the meeting might already be over, but it was more like a post-approval for borrowing their names.
"Wow... I can't believe that brat has grown this much."
With a sigh, Volcan looked at Alan seriously.
"Alan. Right now, you are Victor. You know what that means, right?"
"Yeah."
Alan nodded seriously and took a deep breath.
"I'll stick to my version of Victor. If the government wakes up, I might be able to repay some of the kindness to Sir Ernst."
Exhaling deeply, Alan looked out the window. He didn't plan to change the Dukedom with this commotion. He had his thoughts, but his heart was still with the people of the Dukedom. He just hoped to repay some of the kindness.
But... he couldn't help but wonder what the previous Duke Ernst Highland would say if he were alive to see this situation.
(...It doesn't matter. We're the ones living in the present, not Sir Ernst.)
Just as Alan smiled to himself...
──Boom!
...a loud sound shook the whole mansion.
Covering his face with one hand, Alan said, "...Looks like someone messed up," and for some reason, Volcan had a cheerful smile.
"Father, it's only been a few hours since then?"
Alan didn't want to admit it, but he was still showing signs of stress.
"I recognize that sound."
With a sigh, Volcan said, and Alan was at a loss for words. It was understandable. He had heard that sound too many times since Randy was little, when he broke down the mansion door with a log.
"Making mistakes is a right of youth, right?"
"And scolding is an adult's privilege."
With a grimace, Alan slowly stood up and left the room at a quick pace.
Watching him go, Volcan smiled.
"The brat's son is a brat too... Hahaha."
Volcan laughed and poured himself some drink. He took a big gulp. As he stood up, his eyes reflected the outside through the window. Because of the fake dragon breath, the beautiful moon was shining tonight.
"Well... until that guy comes back, let's enjoy some moonlight liquor──."
──Boom!
The mansion shook again, and Volcan opened his eyes wide for a moment, then burst out laughing loudly.
"You're really having a tough time, Alan──."
That day, Alan came back late at night.
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