“Duke Altia, we’ll soon be arriving at the Marquis Palatio’s estate.”

“Understood.”

At her secretary’s words, Duke Altia turned her gaze outside the carriage window.

The marquis’s domain came into view.

Compared to when she had briefly visited years ago on business, it had developed to an entirely different level.

Duke Altia couldn’t help but let out a gasp of admiration.

At the same time, a thought rose in her heart—“Of course.”

Who was Marquis Palatio?

The head of Kalpha, the largest faction in Asteria.

And the countless titles and rumors attached to his name were so extraordinary that even the title of Kalpha’s leader paled in comparison.

His achievements were beyond what any ordinary human could possibly accumulate.

And to think he possessed not just one or two such feats, but dozens.

If it was his domain, then naturally, it should be splendid.

From that perspective.

The marquis’s estate, in a way, reflected Palatio’s frugality.

Even if the territory itself drew admiration from all who saw it.

In front of the marquis’s overwhelming feats, it would always feel insufficient.

Altia let out a sigh, her expression still flushed.

For about the next three weeks.

She was about to lead a very busy life.

The reason she had come to the Marquis Palatio’s estate this time was simple.

The vote to choose the marquis’s partner.

And her participation as a candidate.

“It’s going to be a very tough fight, but I’ll give it my all.”

As she crossed the castle gate and looked deeper into the estate, Duke Altia made a small vow to herself.

She had already gathered some general information on her way here.

Starting with which people had entered the candidacy for the marquis’s partner.

And what sort of relationships those candidates had with him.

Of course, it was not going to be an easy fight.

As a duke of Asteria, and one called the right hand of Kalpha, Duke Altia possessed a social standing that would not bow to anyone.

But the same could be said of the other candidates.

True, there were a few whose backgrounds yielded little useful information, but she couldn’t afford to let her guard down.

If someone was connected to the Marquis Palatio, then.

They could hardly be “ordinary” in a favorable sense.

Even so.

Paradoxically, it wasn’t an unwinnable fight.

In the end, the deciding factor of this battle was the vote.

Simply put.

Winning the hearts of the domain’s citizens would decide victory or defeat, and their personal relationships with the marquis could not interfere in that.

In other words, even if Duke Altia didn’t share a deep connection with the marquis like the others, she could still start on equal footing.

More than anything, Altia had confidence.

She had led Kalpha, the largest faction in Asteria, until now. Of course, it was made easier with the marquis’s prestige at her back.

But the point remained.

She had run Kalpha as the largest faction without issue.

Meaning, this kind of fight was something she was familiar with.

Therefore.

“Have you completed all the preparations I ordered?”

“Yes, everything has been taken care of.”

Confidence spread across Duke Altia’s face.

She steeled her resolve, going over the tasks she had to complete while staying in the marquis’s estate.

And.

That night, her confidence did not waver.

Yes, not until the following day arrived.

“So… what exactly is that?”

Through the northern gate of the marquis’s estate, Duke Altia watched the endless stream of arrivals.

Clerics, all dressed in pure white robes, entering reverently.

“They say it’s a pilgrimage group from Rosario. Apparently, a new church is being built here at the marquis’s estate—”

“I know.”

Duke Altia answered absently.

It wasn’t that she didn’t know.

She had already completed her preliminary research and was aware that a pilgrimage group would arrive under the pretext of the church.

And yet, she could not help but be astonished.

The sheer number of pilgrims she could see—

“How many do you think that is?”

“Easily over a thousand, perhaps much more.”

“That can’t be possible.”

It was hard to believe that the establishment of a mere church could draw a crowd of that scale.

Duke Altia’s head spun.

Of course, even if their numbers easily surpassed a thousand, even if all of them voted, compared to the number of citizens in the estate, it wasn’t overwhelming.

But if Cardinal Yutia truly brought this pilgrimage group into the fight?

The battle would become far more difficult.

No—more than that.

It would become an overwhelmingly disadvantageous fight.

Such a grueling struggle awaited Duke Altia.

She pressed her forehead with her hand and sighed, but her spirit was not broken.

For although the situation had turned against her.

In another sense, it might also be an opportunity.

In a competition where only one winner could emerge.

If someone drew too close to an overwhelming victory.

The other candidates would begin to unite in dragging that person down.

Therefore, Duke Altia discarded her previous plans and devised a new one.

The next day.

“…What is that?”

“They look like fighters.”

“Yes, I know that much. But what I don’t understand is… how did they arrive so quickly from Karmakses? And more importantly… has the Golden Flash Guild always had that many members?”

Once again, Duke Altia found herself staring at another massive crowd.

Just like the pilgrims she had seen the day before.

An overwhelming number of warriors poured in.

Even her secretary couldn’t come up with an answer.

Duke Altia let out a sigh and steadied her mind.

“It’s still fine… still fine,” she told herself.

And then, the next day.

“…Elves?”

“…They’re elves.”

“All of those… are elves?”

“Yes, they’re elves.”

And then, yet another day later.

“What are those this time~?”

“According to urgent intel from the Information Guild, they’re a faction of the Hundred Ghosts, one of the four great powers.”

“That’s… a lot.”

“Yes, indeed…”

She stared blankly at the central plaza.

At the heart of the Marquis Palatio’s estate, where a massive statue stood.

Pilgrims, warriors, and the Hundred Ghosts’ faction.

All glaring at one another, locked in a silent standoff.

“…Should I just go home?”

Watching the Marquis Palatio’s estate turn into a demonic battlefield of non-humans in just a few days, Duke Altia muttered unconsciously.

At last, her voice was one of despair.

***

“Your Highness, we’re about to arrive.”

“I see.”

Prince Tolenis, first prince of Caliban, recalled the order given by his father, King Palmaryan, as he listened to his knight commander.

“Go to Divine Land and learn the Marquis Palatio’s true intentions.”

His father had been unusually grim.

Tolenis frowned as the distant sight of Divine Land came into view.

On the surface, Divine Land looked ordinary enough.

It was simply an impossibly large military camp.

But that was only at first glance.

With the slightest thought, the oddities became apparent.

Why, having settled here, would one keep the land only in the form of a “camp”?

It wasn’t difficult for Tolenis to guess what that meant.

“Tch.”

He wasn’t the only one to reach that conclusion.

When he stepped down from the carriage and looked around, he saw others who had arrived before him.

Each one stood stiff-faced, staring at Divine Land.

He took them in one by one.

“Ashtalon sent its crown prince, Raksas its princess, and Asteria… the king’s steward?”

Considering that Cretinia Siyan’s heir was absent, he could understand why a steward had been sent.

“Welcome. He is expecting you.”

A knight appeared among them, forcing the representatives of each kingdom to stiffen their expressions.

He bowed respectfully.

But he offered no greater courtesy than that.

The courtesy that knights of the Allied Kingdoms were meant to show equally to all kings.

Divine Land’s knight did not.

Though their faces hardened, the princes and princess followed him.

As they did, Tolenis naturally drew the eyes of the soldiers and knights around them.

The same went for the other royals.

And their expressions grew even more severe.

Because the emotions in those gazes were unmistakable.

In fact, it would have been strange not to feel it.

The soldiers who had been training just moments earlier.

Now, all of them had stopped to stare.

Even the knights who were training them did the same.

…As if scanning enemies.

Under that unpleasant scrutiny, the young royals realized one truth.

This place might already be enemy territory.

After walking further under those heavy stares, they finally reached the largest tent.

“He is waiting for you.”

Guided by the knight, they carefully stepped inside.

And there—

“So, you’ve all arrived.”

They saw Marquis Palatio.

Greeting the princes and princess with his characteristic expressionless face.

***

Alon sat in the audience chamber, quietly surveying the expressions of the gathered royals.

All of them tense, their eyes fixed on him.

‘…Not a good atmosphere.’

He sighed inwardly.

Honestly, he still didn’t understand why the kings had accepted his invitation.

But given the situation, asking, “Why did you even come?” outright would have been ridiculous.

“Ahem.”

First, Alon decided to make one thing perfectly clear.

“Let me say this upfront: I have no intention of invading other kingdoms or starting a war. I hope you’ll take that to heart.”

It might have sounded abrupt.

But Alon felt it was absolutely necessary.

By declaring he wouldn’t do the very thing they feared most, he hoped to lighten the suffocating mood.

And in truth, it wasn’t ineffective—the atmosphere eased just a little.

Or rather, they looked at him with a slight air of uncertainty.

‘Should I crack a joke here?’

Alon considered.

Since he truly had no desire for war, he had a duty to see this gathering end on a positive note.

Just as he was thinking that—

“May I ask a question?”

“Go ahead.”

The timing was almost perfect.

It was Tolenis who spoke.

“I hear you’ve been granted territory, yet why are you operating it in this form?”

“That’s—”

Alon hesitated over how to respond, then decided to tell it plainly.

In some ways, it was Divine Land’s weakness.

But by exposing it, perhaps he could gain their trust.

Therefore.

“It’s a financial matter. Originally, I intended to start small, but unforeseen events piled up, and more and more people gathered. It’s been quite a troublesome situation.”

“I see.”

“Yes, that’s how it is.”

He answered as sincerely as possible, then looked at the gathered royals.

“I’ve been running it without external support as best I can.”

His expression remained impassive, though he even gave a small laugh.

And yet—

Despite Alon revealing his weakness in hopes of easing the tension, the atmosphere in the chamber only grew darker, more funereal.

Sensing this, Alon quietly let his hollow laugh die away.

And a heavy silence fell.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep