LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 80
Chapter 80: The Nest of Intrigue (4)
The next morning, Claudia’s separate palace was bustling with attendants and maids.
They were busy preparing for a grand banquet to celebrate Claudia Altaria’s birthday.
As the head of her own faction, the banquet had to be grand, befitting her stature. To showcase her power, prominent figures from across the Empire were gathering at her palace.
It was no exaggeration to say that every noble of the rank of count or higher, regardless of their faction, was in attendance.
With the exception of the heads of the Klaus and Ferdinand families from the three great noble houses, everyone was present.
However, their absence wasn’t significant. The person drawing the most attention was someone else entirely.
Martin Adalbert.
The man who, in just half a year, had revived the Adalbert family, which was once considered on the verge of collapse.
“Martin Adalbert, the young lord of the Adalbert family, is entering!”
The steward’s voice echoed throughout the banquet hall.
Following his announcement, all eyes turned to the entrance.
Step by step.
Martin, dressed in a formal suit, walked in slowly, holding the hand of Sien, who wore a stunning dress.
With a quiet smile, Martin whispered to her.
“Did you know your face is turning red, Sien?”
“Sh-shut up.”
Sien shot back as quietly as she could.
She was incredibly uncomfortable, as she rarely ever wore a dress. On top of that, all the attention in the room made her even more self-conscious.
‘Cute.’
That thought was sincere, but Martin chose not to say it aloud.
He knew that if Sien lost her temper, things would get out of hand.
Out of consideration for her embarrassment, Martin turned his gaze forward.
The vast hall was arranged with 15 tables, divided into three groups of five.
The center tables were occupied by members of the 1st Princess’s faction, while those on the left and right were filled by the factions of the 1st and 2nd Princes, respectively.
“The 2nd Prince’s faction seems particularly hostile. Not that it’s unexpected.”
“They’re just losers growling. There’s no need to pay them any attention.”
“If they heard you say that, Sien, they’d probably attack us on the spot.”
“That would actually be fun.”
Martin casually chatted with Sien as they moved forward.
Their destination was the center, where the 1st Princess’s faction gathered.
Murmurs spread throughout the hall.
Though rumors had circulated about a potential alliance between Claudia and Martin, nothing had been confirmed.
Now, with this move, the rumors were becoming fact.
“This removes the 1st Princess’ biggest weakness…”
“It’s not a bad deal for the young lord either. He’ll gain the support of Irina von Meinert, a 9th Circle powerhouse.”
“He’s bought himself time until his full potential is realized.”
Both the 1st and 2nd Prince’s factions began to show signs of caution.
Up until now, the power balance between the three factions had been roughly 5:3:2. But with the Adalbert family now joining the fray, everything had changed.
Depending on how much influence Martin exerted, there was a very real possibility that the entire dynamic could shift.
—
Martin made his way to the highest seat at the central table.
The nobles aligned with the 1st Princess’s faction watched him carefully but didn’t dare approach.
They hadn’t been formally introduced by Claudia yet, and the quiet aura Martin radiated made it difficult for anyone to come near.
“You’re really terrible, Martin.”
“No need to waste energy on nobodies. We can deal with them later if we need to.”
Answering leisurely, Martin glanced toward the entrance of the banquet hall.
There were four people he needed to keep an eye on during the banquet, but none of them had arrived yet.
1st Prince Richard Altaria.
2nd Prince Theodore Altaria.
Jurgen Ferdinand, the young lord of the Ferdinand family.
Marquis Nicholas von Royce, the head of the Royce Marquisate.
‘Who will arrive first?’
Martin wondered as he stared at the entrance with interest.
At that moment, the steward raised his voice once more.
“2nd Prince Theodore Altaria and Marquis Nicholas von Royce are entering!”
“Of course, it’s them.”
Martin smiled bitterly, shaking his head slightly.
He already had a feeling things were about to get complicated.
—
Finally, 2nd Prince Theodore Altaria appeared.
At his side was Nicholas von Royce, cloaked in robes that obscured his body and face—an odd choice for a banquet.
As soon as the two men entered, the room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on them.
Step by step.
The two walked together, but they parted ways at the tables.
Nicholas von Royce moved to the right, where Theodore’s faction was gathered.
In contrast, Theodore strode straight toward the central tables, stopping directly in front of Martin.
“We meet at last. I am Theodore Altaria.”
“I am Martin Adalbert.”
Neither extended their hand for a handshake, as if it had been prearranged.
They simply stared at each other with smiles.
After a brief silence, Martin spoke first.
“I’m surprised. I thought Marquis Royce would come to see me.”
“The Marquis doesn’t need to waste his time on someone like you.”
“Blood ties must be wonderful. It’s touching to see how much love a grandfather has for his grandson.”
“There’s nothing more precious than family. Though, I suppose you wouldn’t understand that now. Should I offer my condolences?”
Sien’s eyes flickered with fury at Theodore’s biting remark.
However, Martin’s expression remained calm.
“No need. I’d rather not hear apologies that aren’t sincere. Besides, while I may not have family, I do have loyal vassals and subjects to protect. Speaking of which…”
Martin’s smile deepened, and his eyes turned cold.
“Have you heard of a certain incompetent lord in the West? During the recent monster wave crisis, he failed to gather his troops in time, and even tried to hire adventurers on the cheap, resulting in significant losses. Now, he’s being cursed by his own people. I’m relieved I didn’t end up like that.”
“…When managing large-scale operations, there are sometimes unavoidable sacrifices. But proper compensation is essential, of course.”
Theodore’s expression tightened into a frown.
It was only through great effort that he managed to keep his emotions in check. He nearly erupted in a torrent of curses.
After all, Martin had struck at Theodore’s greatest failure.
“You’re not wrong, but that’s not how I operate. I prefer to prepare in advance so I don’t have to deal with regrets later.”
“I’ll keep your advice in mind, young lord.”
Theodore, locking eyes with Martin, extended his hand to the right.
Woom.
In response, a bottle of wine and two glasses floated into the air.
This display of Attraction Domination, an innate ability exclusive to the direct bloodline of the Imperial family, was witnessed by everyone.
“Since I’ve learned something valuable today, I feel I should repay the lesson. Are you of drinking age?”
“Of course. Though I haven’t had much to drink before, so I’ll need your guidance.”
“I may not be much older than you, but as your senior, it’s my duty to show you the ropes.”
Theodore handed Martin a glass.
He then tilted the wine bottle, pouring the liquid into Martin’s glass.
The crimson wine flowed smoothly into the glass.
However, the real problem began after that.
“What the…”
“Shouldn’t someone stop this?”
“Who could? There’s only one person here who could intervene.”
The majority of the people in the hall were taken aback.
The wine continued to overflow from Martin’s glass, spilling onto the floor below.
It was a clear provocation from Theodore.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
Whoosh!
An overwhelming surge of mana burst forth from both men.
Not a single drop of wine touched Martin, nor did it fall to the ground.
The wine was suspended midair, caught between the powers of Martin and Theodore, each trying to overpower the other.
“Are you sure you’re up for this? The difference in our strength is obvious.”
“The level of our innate abilities is the same, isn’t it?”
“True, but I clearly have more mana than you.”
“But my physical strength is far superior.”
As immense waves of mana rippled between them, the wine swirled in the air.
Despite the intensity of the power struggle, both Martin and Theodore remained calm, conversing as if this were nothing out of the ordinary.
“That reminds me, I recently heard something interesting.”
“If you’re so confident, I’m sure it’s worth hearing. Go ahead.”
Martin spoke in a low voice.
Theodore nodded, intrigued.
‘No matter what he says, he’s trying to provoke me.’
Given the fierce flow of mana, Theodore was the only one who could hear Martin’s words.
And with so many eyes fixed on both of them, he couldn’t afford to show any weakness.
But Martin’s words were enough to shatter Theodore’s composure.
“There’s a certain rogue noble in the West. Apparently, he’s been buying young girls from orphanages and poor families, turning them into slaves. Given my recent work abolishing the slave market, I truly hope this is just a rumor. If it’s real, it would be a tragedy.”
“…Indeed, it would.”
“But that’s not all. When the girls get pregnant, this noble forces them to take abortive drugs. The drugs are so potent that many die or suffer severe aftereffects. Those who survive are… well, ‘disposed of.’”
Tremble.
As Martin continued
Theodore’s right hand shook violently.
His eyes were now filled with a deadly glare.
‘Impressive.’
Martin laughed inwardly.
Even though it was clear that Theodore was shaken, he hadn’t lost control of his mana.
As expected of a direct descendant of the Imperial family, his power was indeed remarkable.
‘But how long can you hold out?’
In battles like this, mental strength was key.
The likelihood of Theodore maintaining his concentration was slim. His greatest weakness was now being exploited.
In fact, before Martin’s regression, Claudia had publicly exposed this information, politically crippling Theodore.
Knowing just how problematic this weakness was, Theodore would inevitably crumble.
But at that moment—
“I didn’t expect to witness such hostility on my dear sister’s birthday.”
A soft voice echoed throughout the hall.
At the same time, a new presence entered the fray.
“This…”
“Tsk!”
Martin’s face lit up with interest.
Theodore, on the other hand, frowned deeply.
In a clash between 7th Circle and 6th Circle powerhouses, stepping in recklessly could lead to disastrous consequences.
But the owner of this voice had intervened regardless, causing both Martin and Theodore’s mana to ripple like waves.
Boom!
A thunderous noise erupted, and wine splattered in all directions.
Neither Martin nor Theodore were soaked, as they had shielded themselves with their innate abilities.
Swish.
Both Martin and Theodore turned their heads in unison, as if on cue.
Standing there was a man who perfectly embodied the word “noble.”
Even compared to Martin and Theodore, his looks didn’t pale in the slightest. His calm yet composed demeanor naturally inspired trust.
There was a sense of elegance in every small gesture, exuding the presence of a man of noble birth.
Richard Altaria.
The 1st Prince of the Altaria Empire.
The man widely regarded as the one closest to the throne had finally made his entrance.
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