Chapter 219: Alforam (3)

♠ ◆ ♥ ♣

The Teleport Gate of the Kingdom of Alforam.

Normally a place where people came and went freely, it was now under strict control.

Entry was strictly prohibited except for those involved, and even those who were permitted were subjected to thorough inspections to detect any anomalies.

Vrrrm.

The Teleport Gate activated.

Hate, the Royal Guard Commander who stood guard at the front, called out solemnly to those present.

“An honored guest of Alforam is arriving! Everyone, show the utmost courtesy without a hint of negligence!”

Thump.

The knights guarding the front pounded their chests and displayed perfect coordination.

Soon, the entrance of the Teleport Gate opened, and three individuals walked out.

At the front was Laysis Alforam, princess of the Kingdom of Alforam.

Following behind her were Karl Leipzig, the agent of the Madeira Trading House, and Cloaren, the developer of Mana Beads.

“Again with this mess…”

Yuria, disguised as Cloaren, pouted as she smoothed her altered hair.

Previously, disguises using artifacts or magic were enough, but since she had to enter the royal palace, she had no choice but to change the color directly.

“Endure it. Later on, Karl will reveal that Cloaren was actually Yuria all along.”

“I don’t need that kind of fame.”

Yuria glared at Karl.

What a shameless man.

He forced this kind of inconvenience onto others for his own convenience, yet pretended as if he knew nothing.

“Let’s move. It seems they’ve been waiting anxiously over there.”

“Yes.”

“Hmph.”

Karl escorted both Yuria and Laysis out of the gate.

“Welcome, Princess. I also extend a heartfelt welcome to Sir Leipzig and Archmage Cloaren. I am Hate, Commander of the Royal Guard.”

As expected, the Royal Guard had come to greet them as previously informed.

“It’s been a while, Commander Hate.”

“Half a year, to be exact. Everyone was worried when you didn’t return during break.”

“I’ve been busy with academy life. Then please, lead the way.”

“Understood. If there’s anything either of you need, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“Understood.”

“Yes.”

For a gathering of such key personnel, the greetings were brief and straightforward.

Having heard about Commander Hate’s personality in advance, Karl and Yuria followed his lead without showing any reaction and boarded the carriage.

‘Indeed.’

Watching Commander Hate mount his horse and ride alongside the carriage, Karl felt a silent admiration.

One of only three Sword Masters in Alforam and a guardian who had protected the royal family for generations.

Beneath his armor were solid muscles, and his aura boiled like a volcano about to erupt.

If they fought with all sincerity, it would be a worthy match.

It had been said that if they ever needed to subdue the royal family of Alforam, he was the one to target first.

“…What do you think?”

To this loaded question, Karl glanced briefly outside.

Hate was known to be rigid by nature.

He never compromised and fulfilled his duties with utmost diligence, living solely for the protection of the royal family.

His family had long held the vital role of royal protectors, making Alforam-centric loyalty ingrained to his bones.

Vrrrm.

Rather than answering, Karl lightly extended his hand and enclosed the carriage interior with sound-blocking magic.

A Sword Master could easily overhear casual conversations within a carriage.

“He doesn’t seem tainted by demonic energy. But we can’t let our guard down. There’s a possibility of indirect involvement.”

There had been cases of people receiving bribes or being held hostage.

No matter how strong someone was, it was natural they couldn’t fight an organization alone.

Laysis, aware of that fact, nodded heavily in response.

“He’s someone who cherishes the royal family of Alforam more than anyone. If he’s an ally, he’ll be incredibly reliable.”

“If he’s an enemy, though, he’ll be a headache. If someone that strong joined hands with the demon humans…”

If someone like Commander Hate of the Royal Guard became demonized, he might become a monster Karl couldn’t easily stop.

Just imagining it gave him a headache.

“In any case, we can’t approach him rashly. His loyalty runs deep, so provoking him could backfire.”

“I’ll leave that to you. I don’t want to be dragged around more than necessary.”

“I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”

“Gotta follow the client’s orders. Leave it to me.”

Yuria clenched her fist tightly.

Although the support funds from the Gray Magic Tower were not insignificant, they weren’t enough to spend freely.

In that sense, having a generous patron like Karl was something to be greatly welcomed.

‘With 2.5 million gold…’

Five of the Four Seasons Bracelets.

With the astronomical profits Carl was sweeping in from Mana Beads, it wouldn’t be an amount he couldn’t afford.

To be honest, the material cost wasn’t that high.

All together, it probably amounted to just a few hundred thousand gold at most.

At the very least, that meant over two million gold was now in hand.

‘First, set up a separate lab. Then bring in all the experimental equipment and materials…’

She had thought it would take at least another year to complete the Four Seasons, but thanks to Carl’s full support, the timeline seemed to be moving up.

In the end, mutual benefit was best.

Carl would receive the rewards as well.

“Once we enter the royal palace, the audience will be first. Since both of you are familiar with court etiquette, there shouldn’t be much to worry about, right?”

“No problem.”

“That much is nothing.”

Carl was noble-born to begin with, and Yuria had been rigorously educated as the successor of the Tower Lord.

Since it wasn’t such a critical matter, Laysis nodded.

“After the audience, there’ll likely be a light banquet. The star of the current empire-wide sensation has come to visit our kingdom. On top of that, several major contracts have been signed.”

“Thanks to that, we managed to offload defective stock. A win-win situation.”

Mana Beads weren’t always perfect.

Due to the massive demand in a short period, many defective items were produced with only 60–70% of the original product’s performance.

Originally, they should have been discarded, but Carl decided to supply them to Alforam.

Selling them at a lower price rather than disposing of them could win Alforam’s favor.

From Carl’s perspective, it was not a loss at all.

“If possible, I’d like you to focus on the individuals I mentioned. They’re the nobles who serve as heads of their respective factions.”

“Understood.”

Carl planned to meet as many people as possible over the weekend and gather information.

That was the only way to determine who had aligned with the Demon Realm and who was still resisting.

To the traitors—retribution.

To those who remained loyal—the sweet fruit of reward.

And at the center of it all…

‘We’ll need to establish Laysis.’

According to his separate investigation, most of the crown prince and other royals in line for succession had been involved in suspicious activities.

Some were trying to usurp the throne, while others were simply vile beings who used their royal status to indulge in greed and pleasure.

Naturally, if Alforam was to be restored to proper order, those rotten parts had to be rooted out completely.

‘I wish I had more time.’

From tonight until the weekend, and through the dawn of the following day.

There wasn’t much time left, so he would have to move quickly.

Screech.

The carriage arrived at its destination and soon came to a stop.

As the door opened and they stepped out, the path leading into the Great Hall of the royal palace unfolded, prompting Yuria to quietly exclaim in admiration.

“Wow, they came all the way out here? They’re treating us like true honored guests. This could pass for a state visit.”

“That’s how significant Mana Beads are. Yuria, your role is important.”

“Don’t worry. If it’s for our investor.”

Yuria thumped her chest in reassurance and stepped out of the carriage, escorted by Carl.

Thud.

Soon, the doors to the Great Hall opened.

They had expected a simple welcome ceremony, but it seemed this was the main event.

Inside the hall, dozens of nobles were lined up on both sides.

Carl calmly walked along the red carpet, escorting Yuria.

Since Laysis adjusted her pace up front, they matched her tempo and crossed the hall slowly.

At the highest throne of the hall sat the King of Alforam.

A white-haired man with a slightly gaunt face smiled as he greeted Carl and his companions.

“Welcome, all of you. You must have had a tiring journey.”

Thump.

Carl and Yuria both knelt on one knee to show their respect to the King of Alforam.

As imperial citizens, they could only kneel on both knees before the Emperor.

“I am humbled by your hospitality. I am Karl Leipzig, agent of the Madeira Trading House.”

“I’m Cloaren.”

“I’ve heard much about both of you. Archmage Cloaren, welcome to our homeland. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I hope you enjoy your stay.”

It was rare for a mere mage to receive praise from a king.

It spoke volumes about the influence of the Madeira Trading House and Mana Beads.

Yuria bowed her head deeply in response.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“And Karl.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’ve also heard much about you from Princess Laysis. Her letters to the royal court are always filled only with your stories.”

“Haha, she’s helped me tremendously.”

At those words, Laysis’s face turned slightly red.

‘Why did he have to bring that up?’

It was true that her letters mostly talked about Carl, but this wasn’t something to mention in an official setting.

Especially not when rumors of an engagement were floating around.

Laysis tried to keep her composure as she struggled to calm her rising heat.

“Right. I hope you continue to get along well with Laysis. But more importantly, you’re here today as an agent of the Madeira Trading House.”

“Yes. The Madeira Trading House and the Leipzig Family have a deep bond. Especially in contract matters, we often provide support. This time, I came to Alforam on behalf of Miss Laysis, due to our close connection.”

“I see. Still, I hope the contract will be fair.”

“Please don’t worry. With the authority I possess, I will negotiate the most favorable terms possible for Alforam. Consider it proof of my friendship with Miss Laysis.”

“Hmm.”

“Impressive. To hold such a critical role at that age.”

“The Leipzigs are a Margrave family. They’ve protected the empire’s borders for generations. One shouldn’t take border nobles lightly.”

“Hmm. An agent of the Madeira Trading House, huh. We’ll have to see if he truly has the authority to boast like that…”

The watching nobles whispered among themselves.

The King of Alforam didn’t stop them and simply gazed down at Carl.

Then, raising his hand slightly to silence the murmurs, he smiled.

“Very well. I look forward to working with you.”

A remark full of meaning in many ways.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep