LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 51
Chapter 51: Longing for Freedom (1)
A young man leaned against the balcony railing, gazing down below.
His green hair and sculpted features made him a strikingly handsome figure, yet his amber eyes glowed with a fierce intensity.
He was Theodore Altaria, the second prince of the Altaria Empire.
Despite being only 27, he had already reached the 6th Circle of magic, marking him as a prodigy. But that alone didn’t explain the extent of his influence.
Originally, it was expected that the first prince would ascend to the throne without issue.
However, Theodore had skillfully maneuvered his way into the political arena, solidifying a faction for himself—the Second Prince’s Faction.
He was an ambitious strategist, a fact well-recognized by the public.
Step, step.
A man approached, wearing a black robe that concealed his entire body except for his face. His deep, unreadable black eyes stood out.
This man was Nicholas von Royce.
The head of the Marquis Royce family, considered just below the three great noble families, and Theodore Altaria’s maternal grandfather.
Thanks to this connection, Nicholas wielded significant influence in the political world.
But that wasn’t all.
Nicholas was one of only seven 9th Circle mages in the entire empire, with only the heads of the Klaus and Ferdinand families—two of the three great houses—ranking above him.
The emperor, who was now bedridden, had once recognized Nicholas’s talents and granted him the title of The Living Legend.
With a stern expression, Nicholas spoke.
“I’ve just received word. Martin Adalbert has left Varehein City.”
“He’s leaving earlier than expected. There are still three weeks until his beloved sister’s birthday.”
“They say he’s inspecting his territory on the way to the capital. Accompanying him are his escort knight, Sien Igreet, and the first unit of the White Dragon Knights. Fritz Khan, the vice-captain of the White Dragon Knights, is also with them.”
“My, my. The youngest to reach the 7th Circle sure is bold. He knows he has many enemies, yet he travels with only that small force? I almost want to applaud his confidence.”
Theodore’s response came as he continued to gaze at the people walking around the palace grounds.
His tone was cold, despite the smile on his face.
Unlike Varehein City, the capital, Raize, had allowed the monsters to invade. They spread out from there, and even Theodore’s nearby territory had come under attack.
However, he had been forced to fend them off with a significantly weakened force.
Many adventurers had flocked to Varehein City because of the waived commission fees Martin had announced.
But that wasn’t the only issue.
Martin’s declaration that the former Rustal family’s lands would be granted as a reward had shaken many nobles, especially those without territories or with no chance of inheriting one.
As a result, Theodore had to fight stronger monsters with a weaker force, suffering significant damage.
He had lost the trust of his people as a result.
To make matters worse, the first prince, Richard Altaria, had successfully strengthened his position, further fueling Theodore’s anger.
“Even knowing I’m furious, he still extends a hand to that half-blood. No matter how much he loves his little sister, this is going too far.”
“The first princess has the weakest faction. It’s not surprising that she would align herself with Martin Adalbert.”
“It’s absurd. The imperial family and the three great houses are supposed to stay out of each other’s business.”
“Principles only hold when one has power. Why do you think the imperial family and the three great houses haven’t interfered with each other until now? It’s because there’s been a delicate balance of power keeping them in check. But that’s no longer the case.”
“True. Father has been bedridden for a long time, and the head of the Adalbert family passed away recently. Though, even when alive, he was far from being an absolute power.”
“And while the heads of the Klaus and Ferdinand families still keep each other in check, that’s no longer enough.”
“Sigh. I’d rather deal with the Klaus family. Even if they declare independence, it would only be a loss on the empire’s level. It wouldn’t hurt me personally.”
“The problem is…”
“That damn head of the Ferdinand family. A 10th Circle archmage should be content with managing his own family. Why, out of all his numerous grandchildren, did he choose to back one for the throne?”
The smile on Theodore’s face grew wider.
He was certainly handsome, but the look on his face made him resemble a ferocious beast.
“The chaos has already begun, Your Highness. The wheel of destruction has started to turn, and those with ambition won’t stop. Just as the first prince is backed by the Ferdinand family, and the princess has allied with Martin Adalbert.”
“Martin Adalbert… The power he’s accumulated after taking control of his family will certainly be a great asset to my sister. Eventually, though, that venomous child will drain him dry and discard him.”
“That’s the likely outcome, but we still need to keep them in check. Regardless, the princess’s power is growing.”
“The Marquis I know isn’t one to just sit by and talk. I assume you already have a plan in place?”
Swish.
Theodore turned to look at his grandfather.
Although they were related by blood, Nicholas was also his most powerful backer.
He knew well just how capable the man was, and he had a good idea of what he was up to.
“Yes. I’ve already sent someone. Martin Adalbert won’t make it out of his territory.”
Nicholas’s tone was calm.
But Theodore could sense the lethal intent behind his words.
‘How unfortunate.’
Contrary to his words, Theodore was inwardly pleased.
Once someone fell into the hands of the most devious man in the empire, their fate was sealed. Martin Adalbert wouldn’t meet a pleasant end.
“Grandfather, isn’t it a bit unfair to treat your grandsons so differently? If you’d shown me even half the love you give to Stefan, our relationship might be better.”
“I don’t believe someone who loves no one is in a position to complain, Your Highness.”
“That makes me sound like a monster, doesn’t it?”
Theodore asked with a smile, but Nicholas remained silent.
Theodore hadn’t been expecting an answer anyway, so he didn’t push the conversation further.
‘I don’t need to think about him anymore.’
Theodore erased Martin’s name from his mind.
There was no point in remembering a man who was about to die.
—
A week had passed since Martin received the invitation to the birthday celebration of the first princess, Claudia Altaria.
Although a Warp Gate connected the capital city of Raize to Varehein City, allowing for easy travel, Martin had declared that he would leave the Adalbert Estate three weeks before the banquet.
His reason? He wanted to inspect his territory after the chaos caused by the recent monster wave.
However, his decision met strong opposition.
Not from just a few people, but from all of his close associates.
“We understand your desire to inspect the territory, but does it have to be now?”
“As the head of the Igreet family says, the entire empire is still in turmoil after the monster wave. Although we fared better than most, it’s still dangerous.”
Vincent von Igreet voiced his concerns, and Philip Alofs agreed.
And they weren’t the only ones.
Christian Havertz and Elder Oriana also objected to Martin’s decision.
“Lord Adalbert, you’ve made many enemies in the wake of this monster wave. They won’t miss this chance to strike.”
“Even without the recent events, there are already plenty of forces targeting you, Lord Adalbert. As long as you’re alive, they can’t take control of the dungeon. Moving now would be suicide.”
“And if you’re determined to leave, then at least take one unit of the White Dragon Knights or the Golden Dragon Knights with you. I don’t doubt your skills or Lady Igreet’s, but traveling with just the two of you is too dangerous.”
Lucas Hoffman was the last to speak.
He had immediately shifted to a compromise, knowing full well that Martin wouldn’t back down from his decision.
Everyone else nodded in agreement with Lucas’s suggestion.
‘Good.’
Martin was pleased.
He had planned to bring his men along from the beginning.
However, bringing too many would be troublesome. The rats in his path might hide if they sensed a large force approaching.
“Fine. I’ll take one unit of the White Dragon Knights, as Captain Lucas suggested.”
“Good thinking…”
“But,” Martin added with a grin, “I want them to follow at a distance most of the time. Is that doable?”
“Hmm… Very well, if that’s what you want.”
Lucas nodded reluctantly, knowing that if he opposed this condition, Martin might insist on going alone with Sien.
“In exchange, while we’re in the capital, the White Dragon Knights will escort you closely. I won’t compromise on that.”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of tarnishing the Adalbert family’s dignity.”
With that, Martin exited the front gates of the estate.
Waiting outside was a luxurious vehicle, with Sien standing by the driver’s side.
“What’s our first destination, Lord Heir?”
“Fratel City.”
The mining city of Fratel.
Home to several mines rich in iron ore and other minerals, it was second in importance in the northern empire only to Varehein City.
However, rumors had been spreading that the city’s atmosphere had recently taken a turn for the worse.
This was because the ruling Brightner family had been
treating the majority of the laborers harshly.
‘In six months, the city will erupt into protests.’
The Brightner family would use force to crush the protesters, resulting in countless casualties.
Martin could wait for that moment to intervene, but he had no intention of doing so.
‘This is my chance to undercut the Gustin family.’
The Brightner family and the Gustin family were practically allies.
The head of the Brightner family, Jurgen von Brightner, had a sister married to Mateus von Gustin’s younger brother.
On the surface, it was nothing more than a typical union between noble families, but Martin knew a secret that others didn’t.
Jurgen wanted the Gustin family to replace the Adalberts.
To achieve this, he had been falsifying the mining yields and siphoning profits to the Gustins.
Mateus, in turn, had been using that money to secretly strengthen his family’s forces.
“Fratel City, huh… Looks like this journey will be tough from the start.”
“It seems so.”
“Be careful, Lord Heir. Even though the Brightner family is part of the north, they are still an independent lordship. Moving recklessly could be seen as interference in their internal affairs.”
“You don’t need to worry. I know what I’m doing.”
As Vincent said, even the mighty Adalbert family, one of the three great houses, couldn’t ignore the autonomy of independent lords.
Interference required a solid justification. Fortunately, Martin knew of another, far more dangerous, secret held by the Brightners.
“Let’s go, Sien. I’m counting on you to drive.”
“Leave it to me.”
After bowing to the others, Sien got into the driver’s seat.
“Have a safe trip.”
“Take care of your health, Lord Heir.”
“Many people trust and follow you, Lord Adalbert. Please, don’t push yourself too hard.”
With the farewells behind him, Martin took his place in the passenger seat beside Sien.
She pressed the accelerator, and the car sped off toward their first destination—Fratel City.
‘Now, it begins.’
With this journey through the north, Martin had a clear goal in mind.
The unification of the north.
To survive the coming chaos, the north had to stand as one.
Under the rule of the Adalbert family.
He had finally taken the first step toward achieving that grand objective.
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