Golden Mage - Chapter 92

Volume 4, Episode 2

Prince Maxell, as he was called, approached Count Terrandel with a sad smile on his face and quietly took a seat across from him.

He sat down with a thud, appearing disappointed, and opened his mouth as if to say something with a gloomy expression.

“Even if they say the King and Udmeon are flying around, I didn’t expect the Count to be thinking about such things.”

“Uh, I apologize.”

Count Terrandel bowed his head.

It was an astonishing sight. Politically and militarily, Count Terrandel’s abilities were highly regarded in the kingdom.

Yet, he showed a demeanor that even Lyers, the Duke, who considered himself superior, or Duke Treganvali, had never displayed before.

However, such a sight did not impress Prince Maxell much.

After glancing at Count Terrandel briefly, he opened his mouth in a dry tone.

“Ah, well, it’s just a feeling I had, so there’s no need to worry about it. Anyway, you’ve come because of the incident with Count Rubius, right?”

At Prince Maxell’s words, Count Terrandel nodded his head. He revealed the reason for his visit.

“That’s correct. Count Rubius is not a problem, to be honest. If she didn’t have the support of the Gold Tower, we could handle her discreetly. Although I am officially the leader of the First Prince Faction, isn’t it true that the one truly leading us is none other than Your Highness, the Prince? That’s why I came here, to seek Your Highness’s advice.”

“The Gold Tower, huh….”

Prince Maxell stroked his chin and fell into thought for a moment. Count Terrandel quietly observed him.

After a while, Prince Maxell nodded slightly.

“I see. So, the problem lies with this Gold Tower person, is that it?”

Prince Maxell’s words made Count Terrandel think deeply.

‘The power of the royal family… the Second Prince Faction…’

Count Terrandel recalled all the convoluted relationships. Soon, he nodded his head. If Rowelin, who was riding on the momentum of the Gold Tower, were to disappear, he could deal with the rest using his own abilities.

“That’s right, Your Highness.”

With that, Prince Maxell nodded his head and ordered Count Terrandel to leave.

“Then, leave the matter of the Gold Tower to me. You may go.”

“Understood. Then…”

Count Terrandel cautiously left the place. Watching him, Prince Maxell smiled slyly.

“No matter how skilled a 7th class master with a Grandmaster-level golem he may have, behind me stands a great master. As long as that person supports me, there is no one who can block my path. Gold Tower! You will soon disappear, hehehe!”

Prince Maxell’s meaningful words echoed in the room, creating an atmosphere of laughter.

The turmoil caused by Rowelin affected not only the First Prince Faction but also the Second Prince Faction, which was deeply worried about the sudden expansion of the Third Prince Faction. Consequently, Duke Treganvali, the leader of the Second Prince Faction, summoned the key nobles of his faction to discuss the situation.

As the key nobles of the Second Prince Faction sat at the long table, Duke Treganvali, who sat at the head, wore an uncomfortable expression.

“….”

As the leader was lost in thought, the other nobles remained silent, holding their breath.

Duke Treganvali finally frowned and opened his mouth.

“There seems to be no other way. We’ll have to join hands with those guys, I guess.”

Here, “those guys” referred to the First Prince Faction.

No matter how capable he was, even Duke Treganvali, known for his political acumen, couldn’t come up with a plan in the current situation. But it was a method that he was very reluctant to adopt.

Joining hands with those who had tried to kill each other until yesterday, could he propose such a thing when the situation called for it?

There is a saying that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” but if human emotions were involved, that saying lost much of its credibility.

But there was no other way. There was no other choice.

If there is no other way, what else can be done? You have to use the most reliable method….

Duke Treganvali’s gaze turned to the left, where Count Brilkend sat.

“Hmm, it seems like I’m getting old. When I was young, ideas like this came to me so brilliantly, but now they don’t come at all, Brilkend.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Count Brilkend replied as if waiting for Duke Treganvali’s summons.

In response, Duke Treganvali frowned and asked Brilkend a question.

“Do you have any sharp ideas?”

He couldn’t think of a way no matter how much he thought about it. But if there was anyone who could come up with a plan, it was Count Brilkend, the young noble responsible for the Second Prince Faction.

With expectations on his face, Duke Treganvali urged Brilkend.

“Ha, indeed. Go on, tell me your thoughts.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

With a proud smile, Count Brilkend nodded and began to reveal his thoughts.

“What I thought of is a simple idea. The most straightforward approach would be for us to join forces with the First Prince Faction without using any force ourselves. But since we can’t trust them, and our strength is weaker than the Third Prince Faction, that option is only possible when we’re in a dire situation. That’s why I thought…. What if we found a way to make both factions… fight each other?”

Duke Treganvali’s eyes brightened.

“Make both factions fight each other? How do you plan to do that?”

“Please listen carefully.”

With that, Count Brilkend’s mouth began to flow with his plan. As they listened, the faces of the nobles of the Second Prince Faction changed rapidly.

When Count Brilkend’s story finally ended, Duke Treganvali couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“It’s truly amazing. To think of a counterattack when we’re cornered at the age of twelve. You’re truly impressive, Brilkend. No one would think of such a plan.”

Count Brilkend smiled modestly.

“I feel like my face is burning from all the excessive compliments. If this plan succeeds, the Third Prince Faction will have no choice but to suspect the First Prince Faction. And in the midst of that suspicion, we will plant the seed of discord. If the plan goes well, both factions will be… in turmoil. However, there is one prerequisite for this plan. We need to deploy sufficient forces with confidence. That’s the most challenging part of this plan.”

“A sufficient force, huh….”

As he said that, Duke Treganvali’s gaze swept over the nobles. Then, he designated three nobles.

“Count Lodehmell, Count Mi-Kan, Count Advoqar.”

At Duke Treganvali’s call, the three nobles stood up and responded.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

They were all Sword Masters of the Tolian Kingdom. They were also the perfect fits for Count Brilkend’s plan.