“Bring down Tenellon.”
Eleanor harbored such a blasphemous thought against the Grand Archbishop, but she still believed that it was too early to act directly.
The movement of the Dawn Society was still in the hands of the ‘Grand Archbishop,’ so if they acted hastily, the position of ‘Archbishop’ could become a prime target.
“At least for now, I’m grateful we managed to recruit Julian.”
A reliable ally.
No, calling him an ally might be misleading.
He was like a wind blowing as he pleased, and like thunder that could strike at any moment.
Disaster does not distinguish between friend and foe.
Eleanor was well aware that his sword could be pointed at her.
“Speaking of which, what has Pelkor been up to these days?”
Her specialty, and her curse.
Because of the ‘charm point,’ she had captured Monsignor Pelkor, but his whereabouts had become unclear, leaving Eleanor puzzled.
“You foolish girl! Didn’t I tell you to channel mana with these two wands?”
“Ah! Stop hitting me, you crazy old man!”
“Fine, since I’m crazy, I’ll hit you more! You wretched girl!”
“Ahhh!”
Walking down the corridor of the Mage Tower, Eleanor unconsciously turned her head towards the commotion.
‘Flugel?’
There, the central figure of the Mage Tower, someone whom all wizards revered like the sky, Flugel, was beating a young girl who had yet to shed her childishness with his staff.
‘I knew he had a nasty temper… but was he always like this?’
Flugel, usually so cynical that a chill seemed to flow around him, was being unusually passionate.
“Now, try it! Channel different elements into the two mana wands!”
“Za~ Trh~”
“Who told you to chant, you foolish girl!”
“Ahhh!”
‘For someone his age, he’s still very vigorous.’
Thinking this, Eleanor continued to watch the scene a little longer.
After a few more scolding words, Flugel threatened the girl and then left.
“Ouch…”
As soon as Flugel left, the girl who had been groaning in pain suddenly jumped up and started cursing.
“Damn old man.”
Then, following Flugel’s instructions, she grabbed the mana wands with both hands and began to concentrate.
“Think of the multiple mana veins within your body as being separated by walls; it will make it easier to approach.”
Maybe it was the strange scene she witnessed, but Eleanor, unusually for her, decided to meddle.
The girl, Meyer, looked up at Eleanor once, gave a disinterested look, and then began to concentrate again.
“…Hmm?”
Then, the two wands began to faintly glow with different colors.
Though it disappeared soon after.
“Really? By thinking of it as building a wall, it does feel a bit better!”
She gave a tip, but to master it so quickly.
‘But… this girl’
She remembered seeing her before. No, upon closer inspection, she was certain.
‘She’s the child from the nameless gang group that Julian brought.’
Was her name Meyer?
Fortunately or unfortunately, it seemed that the other party did not recognize her.
In a way, it was inevitable. In the Mage Tower, she acted as ‘Diana’ rather than ‘Eleanor.’
‘Anyway, how did this child end up here?’
Eleanor became interested in Meyer.
The nameless gang group was a group from the slums, far removed from the Mage Tower, which was the exclusive domain of nobles.
Yet, the reason ‘Meyer’ was here was…
‘Julian must have had a hand in it.’
It was an easy prediction.
After all, it was Julian who had brought this child here.
“Thanks, sis! For a bunch of stuffy wizards, you’ve got some sense!”
“Ha, haha…”
With an awkward smile, Eleanor opened her mouth to clear up her doubts.
“But, it’s a face I’ve never seen before… who introduced you to the Mage Tower?”
“Me? That…”
Meyer hesitated for a moment.
Was she filtering what she should and shouldn’t say in her mind?
Eleanor decided to speak first.
Even if it was just a little, she needed to gather information about ‘Julian.’
To find out what his next move would be, even if he was considered the opposite of Tenellon.
‘Wait a minute.’
A thought suddenly occurred to her.
‘Is it really necessary?’
Although Julian was a lone wolf, from her experience so far, he wasn’t someone who made incomprehensible choices as the rumors suggested.
More importantly…
‘He was the one who helped me secure the position of Archbishop.’
Until now, she had been overly sensitive to protect her position and the existence of the ‘Dawn Society,’ but she decided to adapt to the changing atmosphere within the Dawn Society.
“Ah, did Flugel recognize your talent? That’s impressive.”
No need for backdoor dealings.
The priority of what needed to be brought down was already set.
***
‘Meet with Colparan and pass the axis of rebellion to him.’
With that plan in place, the only important thing now was to put it into action.
“Then, could you guide me to Sir Colparan?”
When I spoke to Al Hazar, he nodded and was about to move when…
“I’ll accompany you, Sir Julian.”
Pintel also expressed his intention to join.
“Sir Colparan is not yet on our side. Nobles are prone to changing their minds as easily as flipping a hand. There could be dangerous situations, so I’ll accompany you as well.”
It was a commendable statement. But I disagreed.
The reason for finding Colparan was to pass on an important task to him.
However, if Pintel accompanied me, it might create an environment where it would be unnecessarily difficult to bring up certain topics.
“It’s fine.”
“But, it could be dangerous!”
Dangerous, indeed.
The kind of danger that affects me personally is something I can now handle to some extent.
But Pintel wasn’t wrong.
While discussing with Colparan, if things go awry, who knows what he might do.
Still, I shouldn’t show such concerns.
“Sir Pintel, this is Julian. There is no one in the empire who would harm me. Besides, Sir Hazar is with us, so there’s no need to worry.”
Saying this, I glanced at Hazar, who flinched slightly.
Hmm? His reaction is a bit strange.
While it wasn’t outright fear, there was something suspicious in his demeanor.
“Isn’t that right, Sir Hazar?”
Curious, I placed a hand on Hazar’s shoulder and smiled.
His face twitched again.
Seeing that, my suspicions turned into certainty.
‘It seems Colparan has other intentions.’
Colparan, who had been handling the main affairs of the Dawn Society, had not been very prominent.
The reason was likely that Tenellon’s grip on power was too strong for Colparan to have any chance to emerge.
But.
‘This time is different.’
Tenellon’s influence was slowly but surely waning.
Because of that, those who couldn’t raise their heads before would now start showing their faces, trying to grab any piece of power they could.
‘This might actually be perfect.’
Unlike the cautious Eleanor, if there was someone who could act freely, it would make it easier for me to step back.
***
‘If there’s a scheme, bring it on.’
Following Hazar with that thought, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh as we climbed the mountain path.
“We will soon reach Sir Colparan’s villa.”
Meeting at the Demias family’s mansion could raise suspicions, so Colparan suggested meeting at the villa.
However, walking this secluded mountain path was unexpected.
‘Your intentions are too obvious.’
If I had known, I might have brought Pintel along.
No, come to think of it, even knowing this, I didn’t bring him.
“We’re almost there, Sir Julian. Just over that hill…”
“Sir Hazar, I’m disappointed.”
Hazar continued to lie in front of me. Expressing my disappointment, I looked at him intently, and he showed a slightly troubled expression.
“What do you mean?”
I had felt a sense of camaraderie living in a foreign land.
“I understand that you came to find me on Sir Colparan’s orders, but bringing me all the way to such a remote place. What do you take me for?”
With those words, Hazar’s face filled with confusion.
“If you want to talk, shouldn’t you show the appropriate attitude?”
“So, you knew?”
“If I had to come to such a secluded place, it would be impossible not to notice.”
As I finished speaking, Hazar turned towards me and began to step back.
As the color of ‘fear’ began to rise over Hazar’s head, an old man with his hands behind his back and armed soldiers appeared from the ridge.
“Hehehe, I have been rude. I apologize, Sir Julian.”
In this situation, it is clear to anyone that this man is ‘Colparan Demias.’
“Sir Colparan.”
“But didn’t you say earlier that if we wanted to have a discussion, we should adopt the appropriate attitude?”
“Is this what you mean by the current situation?”
“Indeed.”
Colparan nodded.
“I am aware that you are trying to bring down the current Grand Archbishop.”
“Isn’t that what you desire as well, Sir Colparan?”
“Yes, I have long opposed his actions within the Dawn Society.”
“Then why are you acting this way?”
Instead of feeling a sense of crisis, I was more curious about Colparan’s actions.
“Well, I haven’t been here long enough to hand over everything to an outsider.”
“So, are you planning to kill me here?”
“No, I have no intention of killing you. Besides, you’re not that easy to deal with.”
Colparan, who had been smiling briefly, then hardened his expression and continued.
“Right now, the flow of the Dawn Society is divided between Tenellon and you.”
It seems he has his own thoughts.
As he said, killing me here to seize control of the Dawn Society would be a foolish move.
Though it’s unintentional, the current public opinion within the Dawn Society is leaning towards me.
“So, I plan to educate you. To ensure you don’t entertain any foolish thoughts, and to do so very thoroughly and clearly.”
As Colparan finished speaking, soldiers began to appear from all directions.
Heavily armed soldiers.
Well, if they hadn’t prepared this much to face ‘Julian,’ I would have been disappointed.
The soldiers with bows had their arrows drawn and aimed at me.
“Hmm… this is troublesome.”
Although my goal in meeting him was to transfer the current momentum to him, it doesn’t seem like this will be resolved with words alone.
However, if I comply with the ‘education’ that Colparan mentioned, it would leave a significant dent in the pride of ‘Julian.’
I feel the same way.
‘No.’
To be honest, in the past, I would have considered complying and trying to resolve it with words.
Avoid fighting.
Reject violence.
Even if I acted, I would avoid drawing blood as much as possible.
But as I have assimilated, some things have changed.
I, too, can now feel an overwhelming irritation in such an environment.
And ‘Julian’s’ personality has started to reveal a certain facet, fueled by that irritation.
[Emotions are heightened.]
[Trait, ‘Opened Eyes,’ has been activated.]
“Then I will also contribute to the ‘education’ Sir Colparan mentioned.”
At my statement, which seemed to pronounce a death sentence, the atmosphere around us began to freeze.
Cliche Novel 