Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Too Much Is as Bad as Too Little

Ferda, who had ascended the platform, opened his mouth.
— I am Ferda Valdrova, representative of the Far East and fiancé of the Great Dragon King Valdrova, the Great Fire Phase.
As befitted a congress, he introduced himself with proper formality.
— Please tell us the circumstances of what the Far East experienced in this incident.
— Yes.
Ferda read one by one the documents that Mori and Isabella had organized together.
He was able to develop the incomplete parts, eliminate the unnecessary, and convey only what was accurate about the incident.
As soon as the testimony ended, the questioning followed immediately.
— I have one thing that puzzles me, so I will ask a question.
It was Joseph Faust, the High Priest of the Althean Religion.
— You say that you were isolated for a month.
— That is correct.
— It also says that, with the exception of the waterways and the reservoir, all underground channels were contaminated. How did you endure that month?
— We discovered a new water source in the Far East.
— A new water source would be equally contaminated. Nor did you use weather magic to fill it with water.
— Yes. So we put it through a purification process to make it potable.
— What do you mean by purification process?
— We eliminated the water contaminated with demonic energy using magitech formulas.
— Oho…
At Ferda’s words, a strange silence took hold of the room.
Everyone’s interests aligned as one.
— Health problems would likely have arisen; what happened?
— The opinion is that water purified of demonic energy became cleaner than most rivers.
— Whose opinion?
— Blue Eye.
Given that she was the Water Phase, there were no unholy suspicions questioning the certainty of the source.
Ferda deliberately added a few words here.
— This would have been an impossible achievement without the cooperation of Blue Eye.
— Come to think of it, it says that Blue Eye produced some to test them and delivered them.
The held breaths of the audience could be heard again.
This was the reason he attributed this achievement to Blue Eye.
“Value Adjustment.”
The phrase ‘Too much is as bad as too little’ does not exist for nothing.
If he praised Vernel as if he had done it alone and increased Vernel’s value, it would only turn into poison.
The public increase of Vernel’s value does not contribute to the stability of the Far East.
Vernel, who was satisfied with the current environment, also agreed with Ferda’s strategy for his own safety.
One thing is certain: even if manipulated, Vernel is already someone whose value has risen too much.
Because of that, the next question was also about him.
— This time, allow me to ask a question. Aside from that, I heard that magitechnology was quite active. There was something called a magitech rifle.
The one who made that remark was Oldin Rooster, called the Inverse Hero.
His muscular build and the scar on his eyebrow seemed to glow fiercely.
He was a figure who would not be unfit to be called Valdemar’s Right Hand.
— Yes.
— As far as I know, there was no mention of that object in the Empire. Have you kept it secret until now?
What a bewildering question.
— Regarding the magitech rifle, since the Far East serves as a wall, we were only focusing on developing it intensively. We also participated in the exhibition organized by Escolleia with the support of the Pascal Company, and demonstrated it before many nobles and merchants.
In short, he said it would be strange if they did not know about it.
— It is an object that can exert direct and immediate effectiveness for national defense within the Empire. Do you not think the Imperial leadership should know about it?
But why didn’t you show it to the Empire first?
— As you know, the Far East borders the Devil’s Land and possesses strong autonomy. There was an atmosphere of non-interference, so we rode that wave to a certain extent.
“Given that your neglect toward us is routine, we thought we could do whatever we wanted.”
Such dialogue and a grim atmosphere continued.
It is truly astonishing.
They are treating the person who achieved an overwhelming victory more harshly than Alexander, who lost the 1st Corps.
Human greed is like that.
Even the merit of a war hero submits before greed.
— High Councilor Rooster? That is enough. Regent Ferda Valdrova, if you have nothing else to testify, you may withdraw.
— Yes.
Acad finally stepped in halfway and mediated the grim atmosphere.
— I will call the next witness. Louis Lutetia, Commander of the 2nd Regiment of the Far East Provisional Alliance and Deputy Chief of Staff.
— Yes, Chairman.
— Please give your testimony.
Louis Lutetia explained the strategy used in the colossal monster subjugation battle.
The person who should explain that strategy ought to be the one who supervised it.
That being the case, it should be Eri, the Platinum adventurer, and if she was not present, the next highest-ranking commander.
However, Chief of Staff Olivia was sitting in the audience, being ignored.
As Louis’s explanation continued, a strange sensation arose.
Because the entire strategy was being told as if it had come out of Louis Lutetia’s own head.
They said that for strategists, this situation is the same as having their child snatched away.
What reaction would she show?
Remembering the tantrum she threw, I assumed it would not be pretty, and turned my head to where she was.
Whether by chance, our gazes met with Olivia’s.
She stared at Ferda as if such a story was not even in her field of vision, then smiled radiantly and waved to Ferda.
“I cannot understand her.”
Since it was not a situation to act friendly, Ferda turned his head away in silence.
Louis’s words ended, and they gave no room for questions.
Because in this incident, he was a hero, not a sinner.
— With this testimony, we will take a short recess. We will reconvene in 30 minutes.
Voices began to rise and fill the quiet congress.
The High Councilors began talking to each other while remaining seated.
Consillus, reading the room, slightly tilted his head toward Ferda and said:
— It seems they are about to reach a conclusion now.
— For us, that is when it begins.
— That is right.
A moment to sharpen our nerves.
At the same time, maintaining a composed appearance was important.
Like someone casually switching moods, Ferda leisurely moved his feet outside.
At that moment, he coincidentally spotted Olivia.
Someone approached her beautiful side, fitting for an Imperial Princess; it was Lord Louis Lutetia.
— Uh, Princess!
The knights tried to stop him, but Olivia raised her hand and waved them off.
Olivia looked into his eyes with a polite posture and greeted him.
— Hello, Lord Lutetia. Are you doing well?
Unlike the appearance Ferda knew of her, she was calm.
Ferda subtly extended a shadow there to create an ear.
— T-that… Princess Olivia… I have something to say…
Her small finger covered the Lord’s lips.
— Please do not say anything.
“It does not mean I do not want to talk to you.”
Her two moist eyes and the breath flowing from her slightly parted lips.
It seemed as though she understood the inner story of this tragedy all too well.
— I know. That Lord had no such intentions… You have a duty to shine for House Lutetia, do you not?
— I…
— So you do not need to worry about that. For me… there is something more important than such a trivial thing, right?
— Something more important…
She joined both hands, maintaining a smile on her lips.
— What is important to us is that everyone joined forces and escaped this crisis. Even if that merit is mistakenly known by others, if we know it among ourselves…
Ferda shuddered in surprise at that sight.
Her actions contained not her usual seductive charm, but piety.
— That alone makes me happy.
I wondered what effect she sought with that act, but it certainly had an effect.
Louis’s expression hardened even further.
Louis must have thought she would resent and curse him.
Yet the response he received was pious forgiveness.
Louis’s face turned bright red.
— Then I will take my leave…
— Ah…
He turned his head and fled as if escaping.
At the same time, he loathed his own pettiness and felt remorse.
Olivia watched his retreating figure with a melancholic expression.
“Did she really change after reaching the Fourth Circle?”
The Red Circle is based on emotion, and the greater the emotion, the more one is immersed in it.
Just as reaching the Fifth Circle through hatred turns one into a madman,
if one reaches the Fifth Circle through faith, one draws closer to what the world calls a saint.
If that theory holds, there would have also been a great change in her heart.
Stopping the eavesdropping on their conversation, Ferda approached Olivia.
— Well, well, Regent-nim.
Olivia greeted him with applause.
— I greet the Princess.
— I greet the Spouse of the Great Fire. Are you doing well?
— Yes.
— This is your first time in the Golden Congress, is it not…? If it is not an impoliteness, shall I guide you a bit?
There was a hidden intention in those friendly words.
It meant walking together and conversing.
— Then I will not refuse…
Smiling brightly, he accompanied the Princess.
The knights watched them from a prudent distance.
Ferda raised the topic first in a low voice.
— It seems you are drawing closer to being a Saint.
— What do you mean?
— I could not forgive that, but I did not know you would let it pass so gently.
— Well, well, forgiveness?
Her long eyelashes fluttered with innocence.
— Is it not so?
— Did I not say it?
Olivia tilted her head slightly.
A cold shadow settled upon her smiling expression.
— I never forgive those who betray me.
I asked just in case, but as expected.
Olivia, who harbors the ambition of entering politics, would never forgive the person who stole her merit.
— I am preparing to place immense blame on Louis when he makes a mistake. I wonder how pleasant it will be to watch him lose the right of succession in favor of my younger brother due to his own absurd mistake.
— To put on such an appearance…
— It is just that the time has come to change my image; that is why I am doing this.
— You mean the Saint.
— Yes, the Saint.
She took the amulet around her neck and made a gesture of prayer.
— To the world, as if I finally received God’s call. To the nobles, as if I were someone who has left everything behind.
Speaking like that, it was certain that Olivia remained the same.
If there had been a change of heart due to the Red Circle, it would have been a problem, but fortunately that was not the case.
— Now I only need to obtain the fifth realization.
— It will not be easy.
— It will not be easy, but it will not be like before.
I thought she meant it would be easier, but it was about the external environment.
— From the moment the fourth realization is reached, one is called an ‘Omen’. From then on, instruction can be formally requested from the Order of Althea.
— You mean lessons regarding the Saint?
— Yes.
She is a jewel.
A jewel with feet that run far away; does it make sense to stand still?
— The Princess, as a believer of Althea, has reached the fourth realization, and that fact is already known to the world. The Order must propose it as a matter of image, and the Imperial House must make it happen for the balance of power. So Joseph Faust, that person is on my side.
Even securing one of the five High Councilors, four remain enemies.
Taking it simply as ‘such information exists’, I decided to ask her about her matter.
— Then, what happens to the duties you must fulfill as a Princess?
— I have to carry them out concurrently. Even so, socializing will decrease, so that alone satisfies me.
Normally it is the opposite, is it not?
Since Olivia hated flattering with words she did not feel, she probably thought things turned out well for her.
Of course, when she broke that news, she shed oceans of fake tears.
— Just in case, I am checking.
Olivia asked cautiously.
— You know that this post-war conference is directed at the Regent, right?
Ferda nodded.
— Yes. They were saying that it now seems likely a conclusion will be reached.
— It will not be so. In my opinion, it will lead to a second investigation. Something like ‘Could the colossal monster not have been stopped beforehand? Why was it not stopped?’.
What Olivia mentioned was a plausible scenario that could arise in the hearing.
— What would you like the Regent to do?
— Whatever you do, if you are too greedy you will be severely burned. You will have to give up something. Give them one thing they want.
Give up, huh…?
What she said was the most realistic advice.
The Empire is massive and strong.
In this congress as well, the allies of the Far East are a tiny minority.
If they seek a pretext to interfere, they will create it somehow.
I wanted to talk more, but could not continue the conversation.
Although 15 minutes remained, someone they encountered prevented their conversation from continuing.
— Oh, to meet here.
Valdemar Golt.
He approached with a broad smile.
Olivia put on a mask upon looking at him.
— I greet the Grand Archduke.
— Ho ho ho, what a coincidence to meet the Princess like this.
— Indeed.
Then Olivia subtly took Ferda’s arm.
Wondering why this woman was doing this,
Ferda noticed that Valdemar’s energy shifted in an instant.
He looked at that arm with an extremely displeased air.
And as if that had never happened, as if it were an illusion, he smiled again with an affable smile.
— The meeting will resume soon; shouldn’t you be going?
— We were about to return.
— It would be good to prepare.
— We will have to do so. Regent-nim, shall we head back?
— I have a few brief words with Lady Olivia, so you go on ahead.
Not a request for understanding, but a command.
That confirmed it.
This old man.
He harbors dark desires for Olivia.
— Since the Grand Archduke has something to say, I will have to stop guiding here.
Olivia released his hand and walked gracefully toward Valdemar.
After about three steps, she turned her head and said this:
— What I told you, think about it carefully.
A sly wink.
As Ferda returned to the chamber, he wondered what Olivia had said, recalling it.
She said that to protect many things, one must give up something.
What must be abandoned in this situation?
Ferda was still not sure about any of that.
— We will open the session. We, the High Councilors, have discussed a bit how to handle this matter.
A bit of discussion, my foot!
Everyone knows they have been discussing thoroughly until last night.
— Losing the corps under the command of Crown Prince Alexander Arken is a tragedy that can never be swept under the rug. However…!
As expected.
— Given that this incident is so unprecedented, I believe we need to discuss whether it could not have been prevented beforehand.
It was flowing exactly as Ferda thought.
— Therefore, before moving to a conclusion, we will proceed to a second session. The agenda will be ‘Was prior defense completely impossible?’.
Now it is the sinner’s turn to switch.