NOVEL WEB Chapter 120
Chapter 120: Founding Festival (5)
Step, step.
Martin followed Richard toward the Emperor’s quarters.
There was nothing particularly difficult about heading there, but one thing kept bothering him.
Throughout the walk, Richard kept glancing at him from the corner of his eye, which grated on his nerves.
“If you have something to say, just say it. Since when did Your Highness start worrying about what others thought?”
“Are you insane?”
As if waiting for Martin’s invitation, Richard spoke up immediately, his face filled with genuine concern.
Martin looked at him, almost in disbelief.
“I asked you to speak, not to talk nonsense.”
“I’m genuinely curious—what were you thinking, getting involved in a clash between those two? Do you have some spare lives on hand?”
“Not at all. I just felt that if the two of them kept escalating things, it would turn disastrous, so I intervened. To be honest, my heart was pounding the entire time… It nearly burst.”
In truth, his heart hadn’t just pounded; he had nearly blacked out with every word he managed to utter.
“The fact that you endured it is impressive in itself… But, really.”
“What now?”
“As a martial artist, I understand there’s a difference in ability. You may reach that peak first, but I believe I’ll also attain the 10th Circle one day, even without their assurances.”
“Well, Your Highness has every right to be confident, unlike some of your siblings.”
Martin agreed readily with Richard’s words.
While his rapid progress was due to the Dragon’s Curse, it was different for Richard.
He had honed his talent diligently, reaching the 7th Circle in his late twenties and now aiming for the 8th Circle.
In the previous timeline, hadn’t he achieved the 8th Circle before reaching his mid-thirties?
Aside from Irina von Minert, there was no one in the Empire more gifted in raw talent than Richard, aside from Martin himself.
“It feels oddly rewarding to be acknowledged by you. Anyway, I don’t mind falling behind for now as a martial artist, but it stings to feel inferior as a man.”
“Are you really going to overestimate a few words?”
“You know as well as I do that it’s different in front of 10th Circle sovereigns. And you didn’t just speak up; you also elevated your standing in the process.”
Richard’s wry smile suggested more than he said.
Martin, shaking his head with a playful grin, replied, “You’re saying some strange things today.”
“Don’t pretend you don’t understand. Among the high-ranking nobles, very few dare to assert themselves before 10th Circle sovereigns. Just for that, many nobles will look at you differently.”
“Oh, I’m not capable of calculating that far ahead when standing in front of them.”
“If you did it unintentionally, that’s even more remarkable. It means you instinctively know how to increase your worth. I should have stopped Claudia from forming an alliance with you.”
Richard sighed deeply, causing the smile on Martin’s lips to grow wider.
“Even if you tried, you wouldn’t have been interested in working with me anyway, would you?”
“True. To me, the Adalbert and Klaus families are just candidates for unification.”
“Now that’s brutally honest.”
“We both know everything there is to know about each other. And I don’t want to lie when I’ve already fallen a step behind you in this situation.”
“I understand Your Highness’s intentions. But I don’t plan on making it easy for you, even if Duke Ferdinand supports you.”
Richard raised an eyebrow at Martin’s resolute tone.
“If you’re that confident, I suppose your alliance with the elves and dwarves is already proving beneficial for the Adalbert family’s forces.”
Richard’s curious gaze fell on Martin, who replied with a faint smile.
“I’ll leave that for Your Highness to imagine.”
“You, who spoke so freely before the two dukes, are being evasive now? Why so cautious all of a sudden?”
“I’ve always been cautious. Unlike some people.”
“Easy for you to say when you don’t mean it.”
“And who started with the light talk?”
“…Now I understand why everyone who deals with you finds you insufferable.”
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
Unfazed by Richard’s glare, Martin responded smoothly, causing Richard to shake his head in exasperation.
Their conversation continued as they finally arrived at the annex where the Emperor lay.
A man stood like a fortress at the entrance.
He was an impressive-looking older man with long, dark blue hair, wearing the platinum-colored uniform and blue cape that signified his rank, just as Irina von Minert did.
‘This must be Hendrik von Maiyas.’
Hendrik, head of the prestigious Maiyas family, was known as one of the Empire’s finest warriors, second only to the Adalbert and Ferdinand families.
He was currently the commander of the Imperial Guard.
With a status befitting his role, he was a formidable 9th Circle master known for a lance that could pierce anything.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Marquis Maiyas. I am Martin Adalbert.”
“Hendrik von Maiyas. I’ve heard much about you.”
“Everyone in the Empire knows that Marquis Maiyas watches over His Majesty. Please forgive me for not paying my respects sooner.”
“Given the circumstances at the time, it’s nothing to worry about.”
“Thank you for your understanding. I also apologize for any inconvenience caused to you earlier.”
“With a 10th Circle sovereign in a foul mood, no one could have done anything. We’re fortunate the young lord’s quick thinking prevented any serious incident.”
Martin bowed slightly in acknowledgment of Hendrik’s words.
Hendrik gave a slight chuckle and led the way.
“Come along, then.”
“Yes.”
Following Hendrik, Martin and Richard proceeded down the hall and soon arrived at the room at the far end of the second floor.
“His Majesty lies within. It goes without saying, but if you try anything suspicious, I’ll sever your head without warning.”
Though Hendrik’s tone was calm, there was an unmistakable chill in his words.
But Martin didn’t flinch.
“Understood. Rest assured, that won’t be necessary.”
“Indeed. I’ll open the door, then.”
With that, Hendrik carefully opened the door and stepped aside to let Martin enter.
Martin moved as quietly as possible as he stepped into the room.
And there, he saw it clearly.
An elderly man lay on a large bed.
His bones were visible beneath his skin, and his limbs, thin and frail, looked like twigs.
His white hair lacked any luster, and his face was heavily lined with wrinkles.
There was no trace of the dignity or strength befitting a 10th Circle sovereign, the pride of the Empire.
But Martin was startled for another reason.
‘What… is that?’
Something that shouldn’t be there had caught his eye.
—
The power of a 10th Circle sovereign was said to far surpass even the realm of the superhuman.
However, they were still human, and as such, not immune to illness.
While their immense vitality often allowed them to resist illnesses that would kill ordinary people, they weren’t invulnerable.
‘There’s no doubt he’s ill, but this is…’
The disease had entirely taken over the Emperor’s body.
But that wasn’t the real issue.
Whoosh!
From the mana core in his abdomen, a dark, swirling energy was flowing outward, dragging his already frail body further toward death.
‘A magic circle?’
To his shock, a magic circle had been etched into the Emperor’s mana core.
It was transforming the ordinary mana within into a malevolent curse.
‘That magic circle is corrupting His Majesty’s mana. That’s what’s worsening his illness.’
It was understandable that even a 10th Circle sovereign could succumb to illness.
But regardless of how frail he’d become, who could possibly inscribe a magic circle into such a powerful being?
“Damn it.”
Martin cursed quietly.
Only one person in the Altaria Empire was capable of meddling with the Emperor’s body in this way.
And with skills so advanced that even other 10th Circle sovereigns wouldn’t notice the problem.
Martin, however, could see it due to the Dragon’s Curse.
But it wasn’t yet the time to reveal his suspicions.
He exited the room with a more cautious step than when he had entered.
“As you’ve seen, His Majesty is indeed alive. I trust you’ll relay this to the two dukes.”
“This isn’t about His Majesty’s life,” Martin replied gravely.
Hendrik frowned at Martin’s words.
“Then what is this about?”
“The Emperor’s body has been cursed.”
“…If this weren’t His Majesty’s quarters, and if you weren’t the Adalbert family’s young lord, your head would already be rolling on the ground.”
“I agree, young lord. You’ve overstepped with that statement.”
Both Hendrik and Richard glared at Martin with deadly seriousness.
Though they hadn’t unleashed their auras, most would have fainted under those gazes alone.
Martin, however, responded steadily.
“Due to the Dragon’s Curse, I can see what others cannot. There is indeed a curse embedded in the Emperor’s mana core, driving him toward death. His immense strength is barely holding it at bay, but without intervention, he will never recover.”
“Both Duke Ferdinand and Duke Klaus have seen His Majesty before and sensed nothing amiss. Even with your curse, it’s hard to believe you could see what they could not.”
“You must believe me. If this continues, His Majesty will never wake again.”
Martin’s earnest tone left Hendrik and Richard at a loss for words.
It was well-known that those afflicted with the Dragon’s Curse had
a heightened sensitivity to mana.
“If you still don’t believe me, gather the core nobles from the three noble houses and three main factions. I’ll demonstrate the curse within His Majesty’s body before them and then dispel it on the spot.”
“…A curse that could weaken His Majesty so much isn’t a trivial matter. Can you truly remove it?”
“It’s indeed powerful, but not absolute. I can handle it. Thanks to Spatial Domination, I’m able to manipulate mana within others’ bodies.”
“First… we’ll verify if there’s a curse. But before that, you must make a pledge.”
“Please, go on, Your Highness.”
“Are you willing to stake your life on this? No matter your status as the Adalbert family’s young lord, you would be courting death by lying about something like this.”
“Of course. Once everyone is gathered, I’ll swear on my life and the name of my family.”
Martin nodded willingly at Richard’s words.
Exposing the curse and dispelling it would be easy enough.
‘I’ve done this before.’
Hadn’t he destroyed the magic circles inscribed within the high elf Solenne and dwarf Andrea’s bodies back in the Free City of Akela?
Though this magic circle was more intricate and deeply embedded, he was confident he could succeed.
Yet another concern loomed in his mind.
Something completely unforeseen had surfaced.
‘This won’t just end with the era spiraling out of control.’
He felt certain.
The structure of the Empire—the royal family and the three great noble houses, collectively known as the Four Powers—would inevitably shatter this time.