Chapter 220
『Translator: RainTL』
༺ War for Korin, their Son-in-Law (2)༻
The king of the El Rath kingdom, David Joseph El Rath, visited the palace of the 2nd Princess.
Ever since the incident with Mound, the king had frequently come to visit Miruam, as it had given him a chance to look back at his daughter.
The princess of the kingdom had almost been assassinated by a group of unidentified beastmen and naturally, the royal court had to avenge it.
Although the justification was valid, the king knew how it was all just an excuse for his daughter to pay back the price of the blood shed by the late queen.
He knew the vengefulness of his daughter, and also knew the sorrow she must have gone through, despite having turned away from it for national interest.
“Next year, we will hold the execution of that werewolf.”
King David mentioned the werewolf, who shouldered all the responsibilities to head to the scaffold all by himself. He wanted to know if his daughter was sincerely satisfied by this result or not.
“Is that so?”
“Are you content?”
“About what?”
She looked back at him with the same chilly gaze as always.
The king said to his daughter, whom he had neglected for a long time.
“Are you going to stop now?”
Miruam understood more than clearly how he was referring to both her revenge and her deep-rooted hatred.
“Even now, my anger is still here,” she replied.
Knowing fully well how determined and spiteful she was, the king couldn’t help but feel surprised by her following statement.
“But… I noticed that someone completely different would become sad with my revenge.”
“...”
King David knew who she was referring to.
The justification behind the attack on Mound was so valid that the king couldn’t do anything about it, but there was a hero who stood his ground to stop them.
He knew how that man had utilized everything in his arsenal to stop his daughter and therefore, he was greatly surprised by the fact that the feeling Miruam had for him wasn’t that of hatred.
“Right. I see.”
The king thought how he himself had no right to soothe his daughter. The moment he gave up on revenge for the late queen and chose to keep the Old Faith at bay; the moment he neglected his vengeful daughter to prioritize national interest and many other lives… he knew that he had failed her as a father.
“By the way,” the king said out of the blue. “There are a lot of girls that are after him.”
“...What is this about all of a sudden?”
“What do you think of him?”
“What do you…”
His daughter, who always had a cold and vicious smile, went through a small shift. King David received his answer from a glimpse of that small change.
“What’s… with that smile?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
Miruam was taken aback by the king who suddenly had his lips pointing up in front of her, due to how rare of a sight it was.
“Estelle declared she would marry him.”
“...”
“It’s hard to stop her because it seems to be a revelation from the lord. But… as bad of a father I am, I will look for a way.”
“What?”
The princess tilted her head in confusion.
“Hmm… Right. Yeah. That sounds good.”
“What are you…”
“My dear daughter. I want you to find your happiness.”
“...”
“In regards to this matter at hand, I will give you my full support no matter what happens.”
King David was willing to do whatever it meant, as the smallest remedy he could, as a failure of a father.
****
Unlike King David and Sword Emperor Garrand, Duke Marde didn’t have a positive reception of Korin Lork.
Of course, he did feel a deep sense of gratitude. He did consider him as a lifelong benefactor for saving his daughter, but that was a different issue altogether.
Being a benefactor was very different from being a son-in-law.
Although he had been chased out of the house due to the pestering duchess, the duke’s initial plan was to just give minimal effort before going back south.
‘Whose daughter do you think she is? Mari will be with her father all her life!’
For Duke Marde, who deeply loved his wife and children, Marie was still a cute daughter whom he was unwilling to send off.
“Dad!”
A Hresvelgr, instilled with the emblem of the household, approached from the sky towards the duke’s group. It was Marie’s personal monster carrier.
“Ohh! My beloved daughter! What is the matter?”
Marie had recently become the president of the Southern Guardian Association. There were so many things she must be in charge of, so why did she come here?
The duke wondered, in the midst of their preparation to depart for the capital.
“D, dad… I, I saw the newspaper…”
“Kuhum…”
He was greatly distressed by the anxiety on her face.
What was so good about that damn playboy? If this was in the past, a man involved in such a scandalous rumor would have immediately fallen out of the list of the Dunareff’s son-in-law list.
“Dad. I’m, trusting you…”
Marie suddenly wrapped her hands around his, which she did not do as of late for being harsh to Korin.
“To me, Korin is… You have to help me, dad.”
“Mari…”
What was so good about that boy – that damn playboy – that his daughter had to go through such agony? He felt more and more hatred for Korin.
“Mari… There are a lot of men out there. A list of great potential partners will fill up an entire potato field just for you.”
She could pick any man she wanted so why…
“Dad. Just like how you’re my only dad, Korin is the only one for me. No-one… can replace Korin.”
“Haa…”
The duke didn’t want to acknowledge the unfathomable love his daughter had for that man, but Marie pleaded while desperately gripping his hands.
“Promise me. That you won’t… let anyone take Korin away.”
“...”
Honestly, he wanted to just let someone take him away, but he knew how selfish it was for him to do so.
His daughter’s first love being crushed by an external force… was unacceptable. It was impossible for the Dunareff to have theirs taken away.
Only he could separate him from his daughter.
“Right. I will. Just trust me.”
“Really?”
“I pledge on the golden potato flower.”
“You’re the best! I love you dad!”
Marie hugged the duke with a bright smile on her face, and even kissed him three times, which she had never done after turning 13.
“M, Marie…!”
Duke Marde was so moved that his eyes turned wet from tears.
“Good luck, dad! I haven’t done everything Korin asked me to do yet, so I can’t go with you. I believe in you!”
“Yes…! Just trust your daddy!”
The duke was fully invigorated in participating in this war.
Only he and his potatoes knew how big of a trouble he was willing to bring to everyone involved.
****
The sovereign of the south, Dunareff, was a force to be reckoned with even within the world of central politics.
Commonly referred to as the lifeline of the kingdom, they possessed a wide range of farmland, as well as abundant mines and a trade route to the east that allowed them to accumulate a large amount of wealth.
Using that wealth, the south put up politicians that could represent their voice in the capital.
The so-called Voices of the South were one of such examples.
They were powerhouses within the central politics who were either from the south themselves, or reached their position thanks to the sponsor of the south.
Despite being a large faction within politics, the southern faction tended to voice out different opinions and carry out their own actions most of the time.
It was because the scope of their political common ground was quite narrow. The only things they represented from the south were as follows.
Picking the minister of agriculture and maritime affairs.
For bills and legislations around the production and distribution of grains.
Tax related to foreign goods and products.
The ‘Voices of the South’ took whatever stance they wanted unless it was around a specific topic that correlated to the main business model of the south, including maritime and agriculture. Usually they did whatever they wanted, but regardless of the faction they were in, they always stood on the side of the south if such matters were to be addressed.
At an extravagantly luxurious hotel in the CBD of the capital city, bigshots were walking into a secret suite room of the 5-star Dunareff Hotel one by one.
When everyone arrived at the room, Wolpe Schacht, Secretary of Legislations, slowly opened his mouth.
“Everyone. Take your seats.”
Only after he said that as the oldest politician and the family head of a collateral family line of the Dunareff, did everyone finally sit down.
Deputy Minister of Administration, Gorgol, was deeply moved by the fact that he was able to join this meeting.
Although he had been on the elite course and eventually wanted to become the Minister of Administration, that was an impossible position to reach just by being competent.
He needed connections and a faction.
For a long time, he tried his hardest to find a connection but the bigshots did not bother having a meeting with a deputy minister like him.
And yet where was he standing now? Who were these people that were with him?
Secretary of Legislation, Wolpe Schacht.
Secretary of Maritime and Agriculture, Secretary Tocqueville.
Minister Lamartine of Diplomatic Services.
And Director Darlan of Foreign Affairs.
They weren’t the only ones present. All the bigshots of each department were gathered in this suite room. Although his position was by no means a low one as the deputy minister, he was the lowest of the lowest in this room.
These people were the ‘Voices of the South’, the strong political faction controlling the kingdom.
The fact that he was able to join this club simply by passing the bill for demi-humans to be acknowledged as citizens… was a great fortune that Gorgol was sincerely grateful for.
Everyone was in the middle of having small-talk with the people nearby and remembering faces when someone quietly walked up and whispered in the ears of Secretary Wolpe Schacht.
“Mhmm… Is that so? I see.”
He turned to the crowd and pronounced with a solemn voice.
“The family head will be personally joining this conference. Everyone, stand on your feet.”
“The family head?”
“Is he here himself?”
Soon, the door was pushed open as a man with water-colored hair walked into the room.
He was the very man; the protector of 25 cities who possessed 7.6 million hectares of farmland, 47 mines and 67 ranches.
The emperor of the south, who was undisputedly the wealthiest man on the continent.
Marie Dunareff. He was the family head of the Dunareff Family, who had always been the ruler of the Voices of the South.
“...”
Duke Marde took a glance across the room, making sure everyone within the faction was present before sitting at the seat of honor.
“Sit down, everyone.”
All the members of the faction nervously took their seats, evidently tense from the rare appearance of the family head himself.
“I am sure you are aware of the reason behind my visit here.”
“Is this related to that matter at hand?” asked Secretary Schacht.
The duke slowly gave a nod.
“Let me be frank. My wife wants him. So does my daughter and my vassals.”
“I see…”
His name value had recently seen a massive increase, but even before then, there was no-one within the world of politics who didn’t know how he was the official son-in-law of the Dunareff.
Korin Lork.
It was a famous secret that the oldest daughter and future duchess, Marie Dunareff, had feelings for him.
Had he been a normal man, people might have secretly talked down on him for being a male Cinderella, but Korin Lork was certainly far from being a normal person.
Unique Grade Knight.
He was a warrior representing the generation after Garrand Arden.
Of course, Marie Dunareff and Hua Ran had also recently been acknowledged as Unique Grade, but Korin Lork had displayed incredible achievements that put him far above the rest.
There was not a single citizen of the kingdom who didn’t know of the mythological scene he had created in the war against Mound.
Besides, he was always at the center of countless talents.
He had the support of the chairman of Merkarva Academy as well as Great Witch Josephine Clara; similar Unique Grades, Marie and Hua Ran were affiliated under him in his guardians guild, and he was a longtime comrade of the renowned Arden sisters of the east.
On top of that, he was also the full-fledged master of Claiomh Solais, the divine artifact of the Sun that the New Faith had recently acknowledged, and had also taken the post of a president of the Guardian Association.
Although he was still just a baron, he was a contemporary hero that could even become a duke himself.
What was even more remarkable was how he had yet to even reach the age of 20. That was faster than even Garrand Arden himself.
“Sir Korin would certainly be a fitting consort to Lady Marie.”
“I had a drink with that man once. He was an incredibly diligent and honest young man.”
“He has a great reception and evaluation even inside the Academy. I suppose his only downside anyone would ever find, is that he’s too good of a person.”
Duke Marde frowned hearing all the positive words facing Korin Lork, but there was nothing he could do about it.
His wife and his daughter wanted him so badly, that he had no choice. Although the duke didn’t want to send his daughter off to marriage at all, he could not deny the fact that Korin was, objectively speaking, a great son-in-law material.
“That sounds like an overstatement…”
But of course, acknowledging that as the father was… rather damaging to his pride.
“Anyway…” He continued. “Both the royal family and the Ardens suggested marriage – is that correct?”
“Yes. The capital is in an uproar because of that.”
“This is unacceptable! How can the royal family stab the Dunareff on the back like this?”
“Even though it was an established fact that Sir Korin was Lady Marie’s consort already!”
“...”
Duke Marde wanted to say something in rebuttal to all the oddly positive reception facing that playboy, but couldn’t due to the request of his daughter.
He too had to try his best to stop Korin Lork from being sent to the royal family.
“Tell me all the options.”
Everyone around the round table started giving their opinions.
“There is a merchant group run directly by the royal court. They generally focus on exporting and importing luxury goods to and from the east. How about we pressure that group?”
“We can restrict the number of warhorses that can be on the market from the east. They are one of the few regional products for the Ardens, so it would have a big economical impact on them.”
“How about we chase out a part of the Arden dojos that are located in the south?”
Several options were suggested, and as expected, they all required a large number of gold coins. Some of their plans required millions of gold coins to enforce.
Of course, putting a restriction on the market would have a negative impact on them, the Dunareff Dukedom, as well, because stopping the transaction would mean they would have to give up on the profit generated from the margin.
“Too small.”
“Sorry?”
His disapproving tone of voice earned the curious gazes of those around him. Any one of the options suggested just then were enough to greatly impact both the east and the royal family.
Even they themselves were shivering from the economical impact this would create, and those options wouldn’t have been even considered if not for the enormous financial power of the Dunareff.
How could these be ‘small’?
“Enforce everything you have just mentioned. And do everything else that is possible. As for the budget… The profit from the last quarter sounds good.”
Profit from the 3rd quarter? How much was that again?
Those within the industry quickly calculated the amount in their heads.
- How much was the amount of magic stones gathered from the mines last quarter?
- Do we include the amount gained from selling the trade routes?
- The crops sold were…
Roughly 1.4 billion gold.
Approximately 140 billion dollars.
One of the officials almost fainted after finishing his calculations.