Chapter 160

Chapter 160

Chapter 160: Useless Politics

Useless Politics
Olivia walked toward Ferda with a smile on her face.
Ferda decided to offer a greeting out of courtesy.
— I greet the Princess—.
— Shh.
Her finger rested gently on Ferda’s lips.
The finger was soft, and a rich floral scent spread.
— Here I am not a Princess. I came as a simple believer, as part of the relief corps.
— Is that so?
— What brings you around here, Lord Ferda?
He could not say he had come to meet his confidante, so he decided to lie.
— A beggar stole a gold coin from me and fled, so I chased him.
— No matter how angry you were, what would you have done upon arriving this far?
— Indeed.
— There must be many people with their sights set on the Regent. We cannot allow you to expose your identity like this.
Olivia chuckled softly and made a signal behind her.
One of the men behind her took out a robe and handed it to Olivia.
— Come with me as my escort.
Ferda stared intently at the robe.
Normally, he would have ignored it and continued on his way.
But the very cause of Ferda’s conflict during the past few hours was right in front of him, wasn’t she?
As Garnet said, asking the person directly could also be an answer.
— Understood.
Ferda put on the robe.
— Stay by my side. A little closer.
Making the other escorts accompanying her seem useless, Olivia placed Ferda right beside her.
Ferda asked her with an uncomfortable expression.
— Isn’t this too close?
— I thought perhaps you had something you wanted to say. Isn’t that why you accepted this absurd request?
Her insight was remarkably sharp.
— But before that, let us do a little work together.
— …Understood.
He felt no curiosity to know why Olivia was there, but since the topic to be discussed was not light, he had no choice but to willingly comply.
The place she was heading to was the beggars’ hideout.
Unwashed, darkened skin.
Body odor, far from being fragrant, blended together, and the cry of a child chanted despair.
In such a place, Olivia felt like a single ray of light.
The listless and lifeless beggars moved busily upon seeing her.
Even the children who were well hidden lined up and knelt down.
Could they have realized she was the Princess?
It was not that.
They were untouchables who could not even see the face of the Princess.
For them, the heavens were the local thugs and the relief corps of the Alte Religion.
They must have judged it was the latter by Olivia’s robe.
Olivia had also set foot here for that same purpose.
What the escorts following Olivia carried were relief supplies.
When they took out freshly baked bread and a cup of water, Olivia distributed them one by one.
— This is the grace and mercy of Alte, the Almighty Light.
Olivia spoke like that, and the beggars answered mechanically.
— We give thanks for the grace of the Great Alte.
She attended to them one by one in that manner.
It took a long time and, above all, was a foul-smelling chore.
Upon seeing her beautiful hands, some people touched her fingers lightly, wanting to feel even a little.
But Olivia showed no disgust nor recoiled in horror.
By the time she had distributed all the bread and water, her beautiful hands were covered in stains.
— Is this part of your Saint training?
asked Ferda.
Olivia wiped her hands with a scented handkerchief and replied.
— Would you believe me if I told you I have been doing this for a long time?
Ferda replied directly.
— It is not particularly credible.
Not just anyone, but the Princess.
And for that Princess, whose interior was filled with intrigue, to show benevolence toward humans was difficult for Ferda to believe.
— As expected, right?
Olivia simply laughed naturally at that reaction.
— As I said, there are too many people in this Empire. Because there are so many, we forget how precious humans are. Like exchanging parts in a giant machine.
Even if many people die, the capital of the Empire will remain intact.
Olivia had spoken of a solution to this problem.
— That is why you said a Second Capital was needed.
— Yes. One only realizes its value when faced with the crisis of losing it.
This, too, could be an action to gain political support.
But even nobles, renowned as aristocrats for the common people, do not actively help others as much as Olivia.
Valdemar Golt, called the Hero of the Common People, did not even treat the untouchables as humans.
It was undoubtedly possible due to a conviction beyond politics.
Observing her actions, Ferda made up his mind and opened his mouth.
— Archduke Golt made a proposal.
The smile faded from her lips.
— What proposal?
Ferda answered calmly.
— He said he would guarantee the safety of the Far East in exchange for handing you over.
— Did you accept?
Contrary to the expectation that she would be surprised, she moved on to the next question.
— I postponed my response. Unilaterally on their part.
— It makes one think. It means they have a lot of confidence.
— So it seems.
An awkward silence hung after that.
Her expression, hidden beneath the robe, could not be read.
Regret for having asked an unnecessary question stung Ferda.
As they walked, their footsteps stopped.
Her gaze, hidden by the robe, directed somewhere.
There, an old woman and an emaciated child were begging.
The child lay listlessly in the arms of the old woman, and the old woman held a wooden bowl, imploring for mercy.
— Do you know this?
Olivia spoke, looking at that old woman.
— What is it?
— Archduke Valdemar Golt once enacted a policy for these destitute people. Free education. He allowed children who could not even get water to wash themselves to learn letters and arithmetic.
Writing is the exclusive domain of the upper class.
At the same time, being able to handle letters meant that a foundation could be obtained from the commoner class.
— Don’t you think it is a policy worthy of a hero of the common people?
— Isn’t it?
— No, it isn’t. He enacted such a policy because he knew it was just an excuse that sounded good, a useless policy.
Her chin pointed to the child in the arms of the old woman.
To them, immediate food is more important than educating them to see a distant future. It is more efficient to use the child as a tool to gain sympathy than to bet the future on the child. That is why they run a business renting children in that way.
Renting children.
Hearing her words, Ferda looked at the old woman and the child.
Sure enough, they were complete strangers without any resemblance.
— So, if they truly want the future, they must not give money to beggars who beg in that way. If they show that renting children generates money, in the end they will only live as tools for adults and inherit poverty.
Cruel words, but rational.
She seemed on the verge of ignoring it and turning around, but Olivia crouched down and took out a single silver coin from her chest.
The old woman bowed her head in gratitude for that grace.
No matter how rational and logical a solution may be, she is human.
In the end, an emotional human who cannot simply ignore the tragedy before her eyes.
— …Regarding Archduke Golt’s proposal.
Olivia spoke.
Emotion revealed itself on her lips.
Ferda knew that emotion well.
Deep sadness and burning anger intertwined, forging a cold blade.
— Accept it.
It was revenge.
Day 2 in the Empire, in the morning.
Belied by the leisure of the clear morning sun, an attack against Ferda began.
In front of the luxurious inn where Ferda was staying.
A group moved there and assembled a platform.
Once the stage was complete, a middle-aged man in noble attire stood upon it.
— Subjects of the Empire, please lend me your ears!
With the aid of a magician, he used amplification magic to captivate the people on their commute.
— Today I am here to accuse a murderer!
At the shocking purpose, a crowd naturally gathered.
— My name is Peri Urey. I am a Duke of the Kingdom of Heinkel, a noble who does not belong to this Empire!
The position of Duke is comparable to that of a king of a nation.
For such a person to stand in the street and throw honorifics to commoners was a truly shocking sight.
— Today I am here as a father who lost a son! My son is Marcus. Unlike this useless father, he was a promising child. He surely would have led the territory splendidly, unlike his loser father! Such a child…!
Duke Urey’s hands trembled.
The sadness of losing a son transcended status.
— That child participated in the Spring Festival and was attacked, disappearing just like that. Until then, I only thought it was the work of monsters. But under the light of the Great Alte, there is no darkness that can remain hidden forever.
Emotions rising.
Atmosphere escalating.
— I discovered who killed my son, and I came here today to accuse them!
Duke Urey pointed at the luxurious inn and exposed.
— The Regent and betrothed of the Grand Duchy of Valdrova, Ferda Valdrova! That man is the culprit who murdered my son!
Everything was flowing according to plan.
Duke Urey gained sympathy as a father who lost his son, and the rumor spread in an instant.
They say a rumor travels a thousand li without feet, but it spread throughout the entire region in just 2 hours.
Someone definitely worked behind the scenes.
But what does work behind the scenes matter?
To these people, what mattered was that Duke Urey had lost his son, and that Ferda Valdrova was a murderer.
Ferda moved his feet to attend the Golden Congress again.
The moment he stepped outside, piercing gazes turned toward him.
If things had gone according to plan, the condemnation should have begun yesterday, but it only started today.
— I will escort you safely.
Count Consillus’s expression turned grim, like that of someone going to war.
He knew that if anything from that crowd of commoners flew and touched Ferda’s body, it would become irreversible.
Ferda, mounted on his horse, examined them.
“Anger and loathing…”
Ferda revealed no emotion.
He did not want to understand those who raged in ignorance, nor make them understand.
Thus he entered the Golden Congress.
The devoted husband Ferda had turned into a sinner and the object of gossip.
Strangely, the security officers’ searches became even stricter.
— Regent.
Before entering the Congress, an old man called out to Ferda.
The culprit who created this mess.
Valdemar Golt was there as a chief judge.
— Are you prepared to give an answer regarding the proposal?
Everything would end if he simply sold Olivia.
She herself offered as bait.
Hand Olivia over, and the affairs of the Far East will pass easily.
— Yes.
Ferda replied.
— Unfortunately, a person’s heart is not something I can change.
— …Is that so?
Valdemar did not cling pathetically nor get angry.
He simply nodded as if he understood.
— I understand your intention well.
The calm before the storm arrives.
He thought knowing that would at least prevent him from feeling perturbed, but it was not so.
His mind calmed, and he felt as though all the worries troubling Ferda had fled.
Ferda took his seat in silence.
— Since everyone has taken their seats, let us begin the session.
The hall quieted at the words of Chairman Acad.
— Before dealing with the acquisition of magitech technology, I wish to first address an unpardonable sin.
Everyone knew what that unpardonable sin was.
— Regent Ferda, could you please step up to the witness stand?
Ferda stepped up to that position as if he had been waiting.
— Regent Ferda, as you know, you are currently identified as the murderer of Duke Urey’s son.
A rumor without feet travels fast, and the prosecution is just as swift.
And Duke Urey has formally protested to the Empire. To address this situation that may hinder diplomacy between nations, we allow the attendance of a lord from the territory of the Kingdom of Heinkel to this Golden Congress.
With those words, Duke Urey entered.
The first face he had seen since the Grand Council.
But Duke Urey, stunned and helpless from back then, was nowhere to be found.
He was exactly as Valdemar Golt had described him.
“A face with nothing to lose.”
Eyes burning with vengeance, resolved to perish together now that he had lost everything in the world.
“…It is not enough.”
Ferda needed certainty.
— Regent Ferda, do you admit to killing Duke Urey’s son?
The Chairman asked, and Ferda tried to answer.
His gaze turned toward Duke Urey.
— Marcus Urey…
Ferda did what he did best.
— Committed a crime that deserved death.
Duke Urey’s anger exploded.