Volume 5 Prologue 1 Part 1: Middleman

Chapter 196

- 1st of Lindlerry Month (First month on calendar)

- Maerdae

- 16:30

- Location: Berthlaith Residence

There were more than 40 ducal houses in the Eulia Empire, most of whom share close connections with the monarchs of the surrounding kingdoms and the central nation of Eulia.

Window Duchess Isolde von Berthlaith—who was once the fourth princess of Thalori Kingdom(one of the smaller nations under the empire's rule)—married into one of these prominent houses when she was married off to the heir of House Berthlaith—a charismatic and strong lad who nearly every noble lady of the aristocracy fell for.

Isolde wasn't the kind of woman who fell for every handsome man so she felt nothing for this particular man even after their consummation. It was only political in the end. This is why she loathed her parents who used her for connections.

Of course, she didn't blame her then husband. He was only carrying out the duty entrusted to him. He even asked Isolde if she wanted him to call off the marriage on her behalf since her parents wouldn't listen to her.

Isolde knew at the time that it was a bad idea to call it off since her parents would've disowned her and she'd have ended up dying in some faraway land, either from starvation or crime.

This kind man would've ended up living with regret for the rest of his life.

Besides his many years of service in the Imperial Army, he served as a political ally to the Crown Prince for a short duration of four years (before his untimely death) after he became Head of his House. His father and the rest of the family openly opposed this due to the fact that they are meant to serve princess Ronia's faction.

The son did not follow in his father's footsteps because he didn't want Ronia to rule the empire. Pulling a ducal house from their control dealt significant damage to her campaign.

That was a mistake. It was the reason why he perished, leaving Isolde a widow and the only parent for their two children and caretaker to his niece, Evelyn.

To those within the circle of the Imperial Faction that know Ronia's true nature, she despises betrayal, especially if it comes from a House that swore to serve her until its downfall.

Angered by the betrayal, she got rid of Isolde's husband. The method? Isolde didn't know.

All she knows is that her husband's head was sent to her doorstep in a box by a mysterious organization.

She could not tell the world what Ronia did because she knows that she'll be silenced before she could even open her mouth a second time.

Ronia has eyes and ears everywhere.

As such, Isolde could only silently drown in her hatred and sorrow, watching as her husband's killer runs freely.

She'd used every curse she had learned through life to fortify her hatred for that woman.

Now she is but a 37 year old woman with two children—the son, aged 7 and the daughter, aged 12—who had lost both her youth and loved one. Being a widow in your late 30s with two children is considered a dead end for women in today's world.

No man of high standing would want you when there are prettier, more innocent noble girls waiting to marry them.

Of course, Isolde has had many lovers throughout the years, the most recent one being over two years ago.

But they could never soothe the wound brought on by her husband's murder.

◇◇

This large estate, which lies in the heart of Toril city, was filled to the brim with all kinds of people of different standings.

The auction house and the courtyard was buzzing with excitement and anticipation from magicians, priests, wizards, alchemists and even the common folk. Nobles, draped in luxurious articles of clothing, adorned with jewels, could be seen exiting their luxurious carriages in the courtyard, which was visible from the balcony where Isolde stood.

The air is thick with the mingling scents of expensive perfumes.

These casual conversations between the guests tonight will soon fall in a cacophony of bidding wars and fervent negotiations.

"—Are you concerned about something, Lady Isolde?" a mature man's voice called out to Isolde as she was glancing over her estate with solemn eyes.

It was a demon—nay, a Greater Demon. One who wore a very luxurious suit, that bested every other man present at the auction, in style alone.

"Tristfuther used to holds balls and banquets at this manor. I used to watch him from this balcony, how he always mingles with the guests and how everyone liked to converse with him. I find myself unintentionally seeking him in the crowd. When I see a slight resemblance of him in someone, it brings delusional hope. I want to run down there and see if it's him even though I know it is not."

"If you long for your husband that much, why did you not list resurrection as a condition in your contract? You already know that Her Majesty is capable of such a feat. Of course, there's no guarantee that your husband will be the same person since his soul might be long gone."

This man, Vetis, was the direct subordinate of Her Majesty, Brynhildr Selia Bloodforth. Isolde felt her body tremble just hearing that name. How dare she demand such a powerful being to do as she says?

Of course, the contract the demon in front of her offered her was, on all accounts, meant to be a contract between equals. What does this mean? Well, it means that Isolde can demand anything of Selia seeing as how she is offering her services as a middle-man for their resources to be distributed in the empire.

This way they can sell their resources without having any affiliation to the empire, either through marriage or relatives. As such, the empire cannot forcibly tax them more than what is allowed on the market.

This is a loophole that Lunaria found.

"Believe me, demon—" Isolde turned her gaze back to the courtyard, "There is nothing more that I would like than to hold my husband again, even if there is a chance of him becoming a soulless mute or vegetable. Alas, I serve a goddess who despises followers who play with death and the natural order of things. I don't want to be reborn as a demon in the underworld. My husband would abhor me too if I went down that road."

"Kukuku, you religious folk are quite the strange bunch. Within the palm of your hand is the water from a spring that could save you from dying of dehydration in the desert, yet you don't drink it."

"Demons don't believe in gods, do they?"

"What we believe in does not matter. The reality is that gods definitely exist. It's just amusing to me how you're being manipulated with the fear of divine punishment."

It's said in the Holy Scripture that Melis despises the Goddess of Death and Dark Magic, Aedri and all those who use her power to revive or to kill. As such, her followers tend to avoid any association with black magic users who practise necromancy. Of course, the study of black magic itself in institutions is allowed legally as long as necromancy is not being practiced.

"Spare me your mockery, demon. You gain nothing from persuading me to go against my religion. Aside from moral values, why did I mourn his death when I buried him three years ago? Why did I cry myself to sleep every night, wishing to see him again? What was it all for if I can just revive him?"

"I understand what you are trying to say. It was rather uncouth of me to open old wounds. I am deeply sorry." Vetis bowed gracefully.

"…Apology accepted. Did you hear anything from Lord Arnold yet?"

"His whereabouts are currently confidential. We wouldn't want the MMA to get wind of what he's up to." Vetis said vaguely.

Why mention the Murim Martial Alliance?

"That's a shame. I would've liked to see my new Lord who has no status to speak of."

Isolde said mockingly. Anyone would be able to hear the dry contempt in her voice.

"Status does not mean anything in this world if you lack political and military power," Vetis struck back with the same gentle smile plastered on his face, "You should know that better than anyone, Duchess Isolde. You've lost your place in the noble court after your husband's death. You also have no military power to speak of, besides the soldiers who were ordered to serve you by an Imperial Order Captain who is repaying a debt. A debt that he swore to repay with his life."

"….." Isolde's face distorted slightly.

'How does he know Captain Yarmond owes my husband his life?'

Yarmond was one of the captains of the Imperial Order who once served the Imperial Army during the civil war, where he almost lost his life. He took a cannon ball to the leg, rendering his leg useless since he didn't have any body arts to protect him. Luckily for him, he had Tristfuther by his side. Isolde's husband protected that man when he was gravely injured from a battle that took place in one of the five capital cities.

The two survived for two weeks on willpower and loyalty to the crown alone.

Tristfuther was a nobody back then, with only the name of his family to give him any relevance. As such, no one should know the history between the two of them.

How much does this demon know about her family?

Vets continued:

"Lord Arnold, on the other hand, possesses the full might of the Undead Nation and will soon possess immense wealth and powerful Houses by his side, effectively ensuring political power. You are merely living on an inheritance."

"….."

That's true. Isolde might be duchess in name but she's never done anything significant during her time as duchess. She rules no land besides this property that her husband built.

"Conversing with you is quite the troublesome endeavour, demon." Isolde turned away from Vetis to gaze over the estate again, "You remind me of Rein von Rynald."

"Oh? You know him?"

"Indeed. He was the one who supplied our army at one point in time but he pulled his support once my husband announced he would be supporting the crown prince."

"Curious. That man is not supporting Princess Ronia either. He must feel threatened by Crown Prince Julius. That must mean that he has some skeletons in his castle's dungeon."

In other words, he's hiding things that any person would not like the public to know about.

"Skeletons in his castle's dungeon… I suppose it takes one to know one." Isolde smiled meaningfully.

Vetis merely chuckled, probably taking that as a compliment since he's a demon spawn. Unlike humans, demons are veey honest about their dark secrets. In fact, they feel nothing but glee watching the disgust surface on another person's face when they reveal all their crimes and secrets.

"Where is the star for tonight?" Isolde changed the subject.

"Ersa is preparing herself before the show begins. I've no clue where she is but I believe she won't get cold feet. All her hard work would've been for naught if she doesn't show."

"Would you mind elaborating on what exactly the girl is supposed to do here tonight?" Isolde turned to Vetis again, "I've been left in the dark all this time since you and that pink-haired woman refuse to disclose details."

"She's supposed to sway the public and bring in investors."

"That's quite obvious even to a fool, isn't it? Do you take me for one?"

"Kukuku, I know what you meant. I was getting to the most important details but you're so impatient. Ersa is what you would call a mage without mana. Well, she is quite literally that… We concluded that she's the perfect person to gain the trust of the people. This trust will convince them to spread the worth of Lord Arnold's minerals all across Diacree. This will lead to increased demand, allowing us to raise more profits."

"Not everything works out perfectly. Remember that."

"I am well aware of that. I am no fool."

"Where is she from?"

"I've not asked for her personal background. All I know from my investigations is that she's an assistant of an Elite Mage at the tower in the city."

"A mage without mana… I didn't expect an elite mage to give such a person a chance to work for them."

"Miss Ersa was merely a slave to her superior. Nothing she did was ever enough for that woman."

"So, you've been spying on this Ersa girl?"

"Hmm~ I suppose you could say that. If I did not take this approach then I would've selected an unworthy candidate. Those who show they have no worth will be disposed of."

"…You mean… killing them?"

Vetis merely shrugged, "Let's not dwindle on what ifs. Rather, I would like to know why your husband's family took all his assets which should've been rightfully yours? If I remember correctly, House Berthlaith was equal in power and prestige to House Berkley once."

"Princess Ronia is the reason for that."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"My husband chose to serve Crown Prince Julius instead of Ronia. They despised me for siding with him and supporting him. His death gave them the opportunity to rob me of my husband's will."

An outsider would ask "isn't that illegal? A will cannot be changed by anyone other than the author himself". This is the world of the aristocracy. Everyone is corrupt. Hell, there were members of the supreme Noble Court who helped Tristfuther's parents and siblings take everything from Isolde. They were given a slice of the pie once it was all over.

"All you have to do is say the word then I will find a way to get all of it back."

Vetis said casually. Isolde knew he wasn't jesting. This man could definitely do that with all the powerful allies he has.

"I'd rather not… I want this House's status to die with me. Letting go of the assets my husband possessed is the first step. My children and niece will receive my inheritance to do with as they see fit."

"What a humble woman. I thought you would jump at the chance to get back at your family for abandoning you and your children after your husband's death."

"I genuinely want to, but I made a promise to Castacia's late sister to keep my distance from those individuals. Castacia and her sister harboured strong aversion towards their family, which led her sister to entrust Evelyn's care to me."

Castacia and her sister were related to Isolde's husband as siblings. Her sister was the eldest out of the three while Castacia is the youngest. Castacia was the only one who hasn't married yet. Then again, she's only in her twenties so there's no rush.

"Is that so? I don't see you panicking over the fact that both of them could be dead by now. They're in the Sky God dungeon, after all."

"You said it yourself, didn't you? I don't have the military nor political power to make anything happen." Isolde said with a small smile, "I've long since lost the ability to show strong emotion. While it may look to you like I do not care, I wish for nothing more than their safe return."

Isolde suddenly heard someone approaching them. The sound of their heels caught her attention.

A white-haired woman wearing an exquisitely fancy black dress came onto the balcony. Half her face was covered by a thin black veil, both it and the dress besting even the fanciest wedding gowns on the market. Her lipstick was such a deep shade of red that it resembled blood.

Vetis immediately knelt on the spot.

"We finally meet, Duchess Isolde." The woman's voice sounded mature.

She lifted her veil and tossed it over her head, revealing a sickly but gorgeous porcelain face with bloody eyes and lips. Her sharp teeth could be seen as she smiled at Isolde.

Isolde hurriedly bowed as well once she realized who this was.

'Wasn't she supposed to be shorter and younger? I heard that she looks 15 years old so why does she look over 30?'

Perhaps this is just a disguise?

Whatever the case, Isolde had never seen a more beautiful woman than the one standing before her. If she were added to the unofficial list of Top Ten Beauties in the empire, she'd be number one.

"Y-Your Majesty, I-I bid you w-welcome…" She struggled to utter those words due to the accumulated saliva pooling in her throat. There were goosebumps all over her body.

"Lilith told me that Lady Selia will await my report at the castle," Vetis' smile was gone, now replaced with a stoic expression, "Does Your Majesty think of me as incompetent to watch over me so?"

"I trust you just as much as I trust my creations, Vetis. I've never thought of you as incompetent," Selia smiled, "I wanted to see for myself how far you've progressed, is all. After that I'll be heading to the Mountains of Wails."

"Pray tell, what for?"

"Nrok is nearly done with construction of our stronghold. We can begin moving the Guild Treasures there in the coming months. I am only going there to make sure Nrok did a good job."

"What? Why concern yourself with such a thing? I could go—"

Selia held up a hand to silence Vetis.

"It's time I move my feet a little. I haven't left the castle ever since I met up with my old friend. It's getting boring back home so I want to get some fresh air. Besides, I have another job for you."

"I will dutifully carry out any orders you may have." Vetis bowed his head.

"That is always good to hear. I want you to keep your ears open for anything that might concern me or our nation."

"Is there anything specific that I should look for?"

"Serz."

Vetis suddenly froze.

Isolde could make out sweat dripping down his cheek. He gulped. Isolde could only tell this by the movement of his throat since there was no sound.

"Any big plans that they might have, report them to me. I can't rule out them wanting to get in our way. I trust I don't need to explain what I mean by that?"

"…Why the sudden interest in them?"

"As it stands now, the whole world hates me. Look at what we have to go through just to secure finances to rebuild our nation. Having a powerful organization get in the way of our goals will be troublesome. Outright killing them all will be difficult since I can't prove they have anything against me in particular and also due to the fact that they operate in all major nations. If they do pose a threat to our goals then it would be best for us to draw them all to one place and eliminate them. Find out what their weaknesses are, who in the political world they're working closely with and what their goals are. We'll use all of this to come up with a contingency plan. If they want to strike first then we'll be ready.

We should also be on guard against that Wist Demon clan. From what I know, the current head is an 8 star powerhouse and will kill anyone if the price is high enough. I can't keep guessing who could be an enemy and who could be a potential friend. Everyone except Arnold, and the people working with us, should be treated as the former. Well, there's the Emperor as well but he hasn't shown any aggression towards us. In fact, he sent me gifts a few days ago and invited me to his 60th birthday banquet."

"He will try to use us, Lady Selia."

"How?"

"A conflict is brewing between the Demihumans and the Theocracy. It's obvious which outcome this will lead to. It is your wish to unite all races under just and powerful leaders. Using that, the emperor will try to ask for our aid if a war does happen. The empire and the Demihumans have a close relationship. They will keep that by using anyone they can."

"If all he sees when he looks at me is a puppet to use to his advantage then so be it. It's better than blatant aggression just because I'm a monster lord. Do not fret, I won't be manipulated by a human. We'll see if it's necessary for us to involve ourselves if a war does happen. I won't fight for lesser beings only to receive nothing of value in return."

Selia's blood-red eyes turned to the silent Isolde.

"This is a wonderful home you have, Lady Isolde."

"Thank you…"

"The guests look quite excited. I assume everything went smoothly?"

"Yes, I made sure to invite every politician and noble that was in my husband's friend circle. All of them are wealthy businessmen. Some of them come from faraway lands so they can spread the word to other nations."

"Terrific!" Selia clapped, "Make sure to bring them all on board. The more investors, the faster and bigger the pay-out."

-ALL GUESTS AND HOSTS PLEASE PROCEED TO THE GREAT HALL AS WE ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN!

An announcer's voice suddenly interrupted the conversation, booming throughout the whole estate. The people mingling outside began walking towards the manor.

A sweet melody of music fit Isolde's ears, signalling the guests to go to their seats.

Selia linked arms with Isolde.

Isolde's body went stiff for a moment but she quickly recovered.

"Make yourself scarce, Vetis," Selia glanced at the demon, "The people shouldn't see me conversing with you. My disguise would've been for nothing."

"As you wish," Vetis bowed, "I will be waiting for you when the auction concludes, Lady Selia."

Vetis vanished like smoke.

"Now then, let's head inside, Miss Isolde."

"...Yes, Your Majesty."