Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 157

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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It’s a café run by the Dark Guild’s heir.
157
“You won’t regret this? There might not be another chance like this again.”
Raiely picked up the basket and set it back in its original place.
“If the world collapses, what good is money? There’s no tomorrow.”
“Dark Guild and charity work. You know they don’t mix, right?”
“No one needs to know.”
I let a subtle smile play at the corners of my mouth.
“Why hide your name when you’re doing good? It’d be nice to become famous.”
“The Dark Guild getting known for this kind of thing would just be embarrassing.”
“Fair point.”
We faced each other and laughed softly. Thanks to Raiely, my tangled thoughts cleared up a bit.
Raiely’s eyes curved gently.
“What about Verdian Territory?”
“I sent scouts while you were away. They should return in a few days.”
“Let me know as soon as they get back.”
With that, I finished my conversation with Raiely and left the office.
When I returned to my room and settled into a chair, I suddenly heard a tap-tap sound.
“Shell?”
I hadn’t paid attention to her since leaving Alein Mountain, yet she’d followed me all this way faithfully.
I opened the window, and she flew in, landing on my shoulder with affectionate chirps.
As I stroked her head, it occurred to me that I should contact Seniel as well.
“He’ll be worried.”
He would’ve heard the full situation from Biedler.
I wrote a simple greeting and the rough location of this village.
Then, after a moment’s hesitation, I added a brief postscript and tied it to Shell’s leg.
“Please deliver this to Seniel.”
***
The same day.
An unusually late evening meeting was held at the Imperial Palace.
All major nobles, including the Five Great Houses, had been summoned.
“Isaac is nowhere to be seen.”
The Emperor, who had entered the conference room last and taken his seat, glanced around at those assembled and furrowed his brow.
While each noble’s seat was assigned, the Strophane Clan’s place sat conspicuously empty.
“I received word just now that his grandfather’s condition has taken a serious turn. He’s been unconscious for several days, it seems.”
Arthur made a hasty excuse, but the Emperor’s expression remained stern.
He had made it clear that absence from this meeting would be treated as a challenge to imperial authority.
Moreover, he’d informed the Empress beforehand—and Isaac was the only one not attending.
“Even so, he should have sent a representative.”
“Precisely. This is a matter of sincerity.”
The other clan heads, hastily gathered for the meeting, voiced their complaints.
The Emperor, whose dignity had been wounded from the start, flushed red as he spoke.
“I will hold him accountable later. For now, let us begin.”
To turn the mood around, he fixed his gaze on each of the Five Great Houses’ leaders in turn.
“The barrier around the Imperial Palace has been breached. Demonic beasts—those monsters attacked the palace. You’ve all seen the sky without sun, haven’t you?”
Most of the well-informed nobles were already aware of the demonic beast crisis.
“Well? Do you have nothing to say to me?”
“We are shocked, sire. Demonic beasts, you say? For such a thing to appear in our time, of all times. It seems the gods have turned their wrath upon us.”
“We must immediately demand accountability from the Mage Tower for the breach of the Imperial Palace’s barrier.”
The Emperor cut through the nobles’ empty words and pressed forward.
“Haven’t you all lost something recently?”
“…!”
“I’m asking whether you’ve lost a Sacred Object.”
The clan heads, who had been trying to deflect, bowed their heads, realizing the Emperor already knew everything.
“…We apologize.”
“How could we prevent something that was stolen deliberately from the start? We had multiple layers of security, yet they were breached.”
“We too were at our wit’s end. We tried desperately to recover them….”
The leaders of the Five Great Houses finally admitted to having lost the Sacred Objects.
“You’re all quick with excuses. This entire crisis is a result of your negligence.”
“Begging your pardon? How does the Sacred Object we were safeguarding relate to this?”
“Please explain. We simply cannot comprehend….”
The clan heads had been storing the Sacred Objects without any knowledge of what they actually were.
After centuries of peace, everyone had forgotten the past and neglected their preparations. They were now paying the price for their complacency.
Eventually, Biedler stepped forward and offered a brief explanation.
“The Sacred Objects kept by the Five Great Houses contained the sealed power of demonic beasts from six hundred years ago.”
“Six hundred years ago?”
“Sealed power of demonic beasts? Nonsense—that can’t possibly be….”
Biedler met the mocking glares of the clan heads with a cold stare and continued.
“It is fact. What has already happened cannot be undone. We must prepare to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. All of you must provide your private forces.”
As Biedler stated his business bluntly, the clan heads began to murmur among themselves.
“But how are we to defend our territories if demonic beasts are appearing?”
“If we hand over our forces to the Crown Prince and something goes wrong with our lands….”
The clan heads resisted fiercely, as expected. Their opposition was even more vocal without the Strophane Clan, which usually sided with the throne.
Suspicions even arose that Biedler, as Crown Prince, might use the emergency as a pretext to gather forces and stage a rebellion.
Frustrated, Biedler sighed and slammed his palm hard against the table.
“Demonic beasts attacked the Imperial Palace! Do you not understand what that means?”
“….”
“Any territory could be attacked next. Do you have confidence you can protect yourselves with private forces alone?”
The personal forces of the Five Great Houses were comparable in scale to the Imperial Guard.
However, they lacked actual combat experience and had only trained, falling far short of the Imperial Knights in actual capability.
“If you don’t wish to ally with us, you’re free to withdraw. But understand: the throne will offer no aid to anyone who refuses.”
At Biedler’s declaration, the nobles, belatedly sensing danger, began calculating their interests.
Being well-informed, they all understood how grave the situation had become.
“…We understand. The entire empire is in peril. We will provide our forces.”
“How many soldiers are we asking for?”
“Thirty percent of what each house commands.”
A collective groan rose from the assembled nobles.
Yet they had no choice. Though all grimaced reluctantly, they signed the agreement to dispatch their soldiers.
This was the first time since the war six hundred years ago that all the nobility had united to form an Allied Forces.
“Who will command the Allied Forces?”
“I, as Crown Prince, shall take that role.”
Arthur, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up, sensing that Biedler was taking the lead and feeling threatened.
But no one welcomed the idea of Arthur, who had no real combat experience and modest abilities at best, leading them.
“I believe someone with experience would be better suited.”
“I agree. Leading the Allied Forces would require traveling beyond the palace… Your Highness should remain to defend the palace itself.”
“The Second Prince would seem the most fitting choice.”
Someone who was not the Emperor’s faction, yet was of the imperial house, and possessed both the status and ability to check the Crown Prince.
Biedler was a useful piece to deploy and then discard.
“Then let us put it to a vote.”
With that consensus, the nobles voted unanimously for Biedler, and he became commander of the Allied Forces by an overwhelming majority.
Arthur bristled with indignation and shame, but Biedler immediately called out to Roy, who had been waiting outside.
“Distribute these.”
He had already devised a strategy for using the Allied Forces efficiently before the meeting.
“I’ve marked the assembly points for the Allied Forces on the map. There are several locations, so you must note the regions carefully.”
“As my aide has said, I’ve divided the regions. Starting at first light tomorrow, send your forces to the designated assembly points. They will merge there with the Imperial Knights.”
“With forces spread this thin, won’t coordination be difficult?”
“I’ve placed my men as temporary commanders, but I’ll reorganize them based on merit. Once assembled at the points, we’ll provide support to neighboring regions.”
The nobles looked bewildered, but they carefully collected the maps and documents they’d been given.
Even if they didn’t understand, they only needed to pass the instructions to their knights.
Then Biedler spoke again.
“Your Majesty, to resolve this matter, we must cooperate with the Temple. And we should seek aid from the Mage Tower as well.”
“Do you not see how presumptuous the Temple has become? If we ask for their help, they’ll see it as their moment to press their advantage.”
The Emperor was concerned that the delicate balance between the throne, the Mage Tower, and the Temple might tip to one side.
“That concern can wait until after the palace is secured. We still have one Sacred Object left. We must protect it. This is no time to calculate advantage, Your Majesty.”
“Actually, I received a message from High Priestess Helitria this afternoon. She asked for permission to move freely within the palace.”
After a moment’s deliberation, the Emperor spoke.
“…Very well. Let it be so.”
The moment Biedler heard the Emperor’s consent, he rose from his seat.
“The Imperial Knights are already prepared. I will lead them out and depart within the hour.”
Everyone stared at Biedler in surprise, but he bowed and swiftly exited the conference room.
Outside, Seniel and Orbis were waiting for him.
“Are we ready?”
“All set. We’ve already selected everyone. They’re just waiting for orders.”
Seniel, who had only just escaped palace life to serve alongside Biedler again, grinned widely.
“Finally done with junior duties!”
“You won’t be going back this time.”
As Biedler watched the two excited people, his eyes widened at the sight of a crow flying around Seniel.
“That bird…could it be….”
“Ah, she sent a letter.”
When Seniel reached out, Shell flew over and landed on his shoulder.
“What? She didn’t send me one?”
“Of course not. Am I the same as you, Your Highness?”
Seniel smirked smugly as he stroked Shell, while Biedler’s face darkened.
“…What did it say? That she’s doing well? There’s nothing for me at all?”
“No, there isn’t.”
Seniel continued with a bright smile, as if deliberately teasing him.
“She’s joined the guild and is staying near Rotas Plains. Oh, and she added that we should keep an eye on the Strophane Clan.”
“The Strophane Clan?”
Biedler, who had already been suspicious about Isaac’s absence from the meeting, felt even more uneasy at the mention of the Strophane Clan from Rosia herself.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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