Golden Blood
A noble's tea party.
No tea party hosted by the nobility was ever modest.
Even if it meant straining their finances, the hosts decorated the venue as lavishly as possible on the day of the gathering.
The extravagance represented the host's wealth, history, and capability.
That was why the tea parties held in the Imperial Capital boasted a scale and grandeur unlike anything elsewhere.
With the young heirs destined to become future lords, knights, and heads of their families gathered in one place, the atmosphere was unusually vibrant as well.
Young lords and noble sons wore immaculate formal uniforms with their family crests pinned over their chests.
Young ladies and princesses wore dresses of every conceivable color, resembling flowers turned upside down.
Every one of them had adorned themselves with the desire to become the center of attention.
Yet despite that desperate ambition, there was one overwhelmingly radiant presence in the Empire who made all of them look less like flowers and more like blades of grass sprouting beside them.
Olivia Arken.
Blond hair and blue eyes.
A beauty so breathtaking that rumors claimed even the sight of her opening her bleary eyes in the morning was beautiful enough to captivate a nation.
The Emperor's daughter, blessed with both beauty and intelligence, was considered the most desirable bride of any age.
"Look, it's Lady Olivia."
"I heard she was attending this tea party, but it really was true."
"How can anyone be so beautiful...?"
Her beauty drew admiration from men and women alike.
All the young nobles wandered around her while pretending not to stare, stealing glances from the corners of their eyes.
They knew perfectly well that their rank was too low for them to dare speak to her.
Even so, there were always a few who firmly believed that no man could win a beauty without courage.
"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness. As the guardian of the Golden Dawn and a blade of the frontier, I would like to introduce myself—"
"I'm sorry, but..."
The woman sitting beside Olivia interrupted him.
She smiled pleasantly.
"We're currently holding a private gathering among the young ladies. Only members of the Golden Rose may participate in this conversation."
"Ah, yes..."
"Then, please excuse us."
The man was forced to retreat in humiliation without even managing to say his name.
The seated women giggled as they watched the defeated man walk away.
"Another insect who doesn't know his place."
"Exactly. Her Highness even rejected the son of Duke Mersel, yet a mere margrave's son had the audacity to approach Princess Arken."
They laughed softly as they tore him apart with their words.
Olivia tilted her head while holding her teacup.
"Still, if he protects the frontier, perhaps we should have at least allowed him to introduce himself?"
"Oh my, there was no need for that!"
"That's right! If you don't put your inferiors in their place, they'll start climbing all over you!"
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Ah, Princess Arken is so wonderfully innocent..."
"I truly want to protect you until the day I die!"
The young ladies practically swooned over her.
Olivia watched them while pretending to be innocent and smiled inwardly.
Protect me, my ass.
Olivia knew exactly how beautiful she was.
She knew how to use that beauty, and she also knew how to protect herself because of it.
These self-appointed guards genuinely admired her.
At the same time, they were also jealous of her.
Because all the men only look at me.
No matter how expensive the jewels they wore, no matter how famous the designer who made their dresses, Olivia's overwhelming presence ensured that no one spared them even a glance.
To women who regarded themselves as treasures, her very existence could only be irritating.
Those who shone too brilliantly inevitably attracted envy and jealousy.
Olivia knew how to manage such women.
She had chosen to surround herself with those who envied her.
She did so in the form of an elite social club known as the Golden Rose.
It was a perfect symbiotic relationship.
I can protect myself without saying a word, while my guards get opportunities to approach the men they fancy.
Olivia protected her flower, while her guards screened the prospective grooms drawn toward it and snatched up whichever ones they liked.
Once a romance began, the member had to leave the Golden Rose.
But there was no need to worry.
Someone else would always fill the vacant position.
It was a social structure in which loyalty only grew stronger with each new cycle.
"As expected of someone descended from the golden bloodline, you are flawless in every way!"
Golden blood.
It was a phrase born from the belief that the blood of House Arken carried the qualifications necessary to become a sovereign.
Olivia despised the expression.
The same golden blood flowed through her veins, yet instead of reaching into politics, she was rolling around in this flower garden.
"Yes, well... I suppose so."
Olivia answered unenthusiastically.
The atmosphere immediately turned cold.
Because of her lukewarm response, the eyes of the young ladies became sharp and dangerous.
"I-I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness! I would never dare offend you..."
"Oh my. Even if Lady Horns had no such intention, it sounded rather unpleasant to us."
"That's right. How could you bring up such a subject at a gathering like this?"
The other young ladies piled on in agreement.
Lady Horns began to panic.
They intended to seize upon her moment of weakness and force her out of the group.
These snake-like bitches.
Olivia loathed them, but replied with perfect composure.
"Oh my, why is everyone behaving this way?"
"I fear I may have offended Princess Arken..."
"How could that possibly be? I was simply lost in thought. I apologize. To think I failed to focus on all of you during a gathering like this..."
Olivia allowed her blue eyes to grow moist.
Her personal guard immediately panicked and desperately tried to smooth things over.
"No, of course not!"
"You looked wonderful while deep in thought, Lady Olivia. You were like a painting come to life."
The women laughed delicately and brushed the matter aside.
Inside, they were undoubtedly cursing her as a pretentious bitch who always acted kind.
Let them curse her.
A mask worn until the very end eventually became one's true face.
Someone changed the subject to disperse the heavy atmosphere.
"More importantly, has everyone heard?"
"Heard what?"
"The recent news about Regent Ferda."
Olivia's hand paused briefly.
"I heard he distinguished himself greatly in Halim."
"Oh my. Halim... You mean that profane land?"
"I heard women there wear terribly indecent clothing to seduce men..."
"My, what are you imagining? That isn't what I meant! There was an exhibition hosted by Escholeia."
"Was the exhibition truly the only thing? I heard every man who visits Halim loses his senses completely..."
As expected of idle gossip, the conversation immediately began drifting off topic.
"What happened there?"
Olivia spoke.
Although she had attended countless tea parties, it was rare for her to join a conversation about a man.
"What happened in Halim?"
"Huh? Ah, apparently a monster rift opened, and monsters emerged from it. Seven wolf-type monsters, I believe."
"Oh my, seven of them?"
"They say Regent Ferda played a major role, and not a single person died."
"Is that so?"
"Oh..."
The young ladies blinked and let out lukewarm exclamations of admiration.
They had no real interest in the story and did not understand how extraordinary it was.
Olivia was different.
For there to be no casualties during a surprise attack... that's practically a miracle.
She had always been interested in tactics and strategy.
Believing she might one day command an army of her own, she had studied historical records to develop a sense for military command and had continuously researched the enemies she might someday face.
She understood exactly how remarkable Ferda's achievement had been.
Did he use dark magic?
The lost shadow grimoire of Barbatos surfaced in her mind.
During Ferda's visit to the Empire, the seal had reportedly weakened after his fierce battle with an investigator, allowing the grimoire to disappear through the opening.
That was merely the official report Olivia had used her influence to establish.
No one knew the truth.
Some questions must remain unanswered.
That was what Olivia did for the greater cause.
"I heard rumors that he uses dark magic."
Just as she was thinking that, someone brought it up aloud.
When Olivia looked over, she saw that it was Lady Horns—the same woman who had misspoken earlier.
The moment the gossip began, everyone pricked up their ears with interest.
"Dark magic?"
"Yes. It happened so suddenly, yet Regent Ferda reacted alone and pierced the head of the creature emerging from the rift."
"Isn't it a bit of a stretch to accuse him of using dark magic simply because of his reaction speed?"
"The higher-ups are saying Regent Ferda himself caused the monster rift. They claim he staged the whole thing to make himself look good in Halim."
The easily swayed young ladies nodded as though the idea made sense.
Olivia watched their reactions with inward disgust.
"What does Your Highness think?"
Lady Horns passed the question to her.
Olivia blinked her innocent eyes.
"Lady Horns."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Regardless of what happened, I don't think it is right to accuse someone who saved the people without suffering any serious injuries of being a dark mage."
"Pardon? Ah, well..."
Lady Horns began to flounder again.
The atmosphere that had been building toward tearing apart a piece of gossip instantly reversed.
"Indeed. How tactless of you."
"To think a noble lady would speak ill of a hero... This may be something for which you should be held properly accountable."
They displayed their hostility far more openly than when they had cornered Lady Horns the first time.
There would be no recovering from this.
She had effectively been expelled from the Golden Rose and would spend the rest of her life lingering at the edges of every tea party.
There was no malice in it.
She had dug this grave herself, so she would have to accept the consequences.
Still, Regent Ferda seems to be proceeding smoothly with everything.
After declaring that he would conquer the Demon Lands, he had gained Iorga's support and even distinguished himself in Halim.
No one would be able to stand in the way of that hero's advance now.
He would undoubtedly build a second capital.
I need to do something as well...
Compared to him, Olivia had made no progress.
What she needed in order to establish her own power within the Empire was to become a Saintess.
Yet all she did was maintain her figure, exchange pointless chatter with noblewomen, and study empty formalities she had no interest in.
How a certain tea tasted.
How a certain pastry had been prepared.
Being a princess was unbearably suffocating.
This is far too removed from becoming a Saintess.
Even those who devoted their entire lives as ascetics might never become Saints or Saintesses.
How was she supposed to achieve it while living such a luxurious life?
Even so, I have to do it.
If she became a Saintess, then she too would finally possess that damned golden blood.
***
The first thing Ferda inspected upon returning was the progress of the village's construction.
The scene before him was different from the future he had imagined based on Isabella's reports.
"They have made considerable progress."
He had been away for roughly three weeks.
The previously chaotic construction site had been organized to some extent, and several buildings had already been erected.
There was now enough room to dismantle all the tents that had been serving as temporary shelters.
"Indeed. It has exceeded the expected range."
"How far ahead of schedule are we?"
"Two months."
"That is well beyond merely exceeding expectations."
The blue-haired Dragon Spawn, Administrator Isabella, pushed up her glasses.
Such a statement would normally have wounded the pride of one who embodied knowledge, but Isabella calmly explained.
"The speed of the existing workers was within my calculations. Naturally, labor losses and supply issues also had to be considered, but this was a variable akin to lightning striking from a clear sky."
Isabella was not merely making excuses to protect her pride.
Ferda knew that, so he asked,
"What was this variable?"
"They call him the Armored Knight."
"The Armored Knight?"
Isabella nodded.
"Yes. He appears to be a wandering knight. The nearby workers believe he has taken a vow of silence, so they simply refer to him as the Armored Knight."
"..."
Ferda examined the personal details and payment records written in the report.
The personal information consisted only of what could be determined from his outward appearance.
Ferda realized something as soon as he read it.
"He has not taken a vow of silence."
"Is that so?"
"Those who take such vows ordinarily carry a plaque bearing their name and affiliation. Even if they do not speak, they still reveal at least their name."
Ferda knew this well because he came from a knightly family.
Someone who had taken a vow of silence might live as a wanderer, but it made little sense for such a person to perform manual labor at a construction site.
Perhaps they were at least paying him generously.
Ferda checked the payment statement.
"He is already receiving more than twenty times the wages of the other workers."
He was currently being paid two silver coins, equivalent to two hundred copper coins.
Yet Ferda frowned.
"Too little."
Isabella nodded in agreement.
"In truth, even thirty silver coins would be insufficient compensation for someone of his value."
"Then why are you not paying him that?"
"He appeared to have no complaints. In fact, he seemed to find the very idea of being paid strange and refused to accept anything beyond two silver coins. Why, then, should we insist on spending more?"
"Still..."
Considering the wages and market value of knights, what did a daily wage of two shillings amount to?
It was exploitation so severe that the man would have every right to place a blade against his employer's neck.
He was doing degrading construction work for inadequate pay.
Either he possessed a character more virtuous than most saints—
Or he is hiding a secret of equal magnitude.
Perhaps he had a dark past.
Perhaps he had killed someone.
But if he carried such a secret, it was strange that he refused to accept more than two silver coins.
"In what way, exactly, is he helping? Does he possess knowledge of construction?"
"No. He is a complete novice with no fundamental knowledge of building techniques. However, he has taken responsibility for every task that can be solved through sheer strength, allowing us to erect the buildings far faster than anticipated."
Monstrous strength.
At those words, Ferda thought of someone.
"This Armored Knight."
"Yes?"
"Did his armor appear so thick and heavy that merely looking at it made it difficult to breathe?"
Isabella considered the question before answering.
"No. He wore ordinary half-plate, much like any common wandering knight."
"I see."
Ferda had suspected the man might be Alberdo, the walking fortress.
Since there had still been no reported sightings of him, perhaps he was moving about stealthily despite his massive body.
Monstrous strength...
This was a man who had shortened the construction schedule by two months through strength alone.
"Would you like me to investigate him?"
Ferda shook his head at Isabella's suggestion.
"No. Leave him alone for now. It would be foolish to reveal that we are investigating him and frighten him away."
Only a fool slaughtered a goose that laid golden eggs.
"However, his value cannot be overlooked. Think of a way to ensure we can continue making use of him."
"A wise decision."
Anyone who could contribute to the principality would be recruited by any means necessary.
If they could not be recruited willingly, Ferda would create circumstances in which they had no choice but to join.
And if even that fails, we will drain every last drop of usefulness from them.
Not a single drop would be wasted.
Everything would become nourishment for the city being built for Valdrova.
"By the way."
Isabella turned to Ferda.
"What shall we name the city?"
"Would the name Valdrova not be sufficient?"
Isabella's tone dropped.
"That is already the name of the castle and of the principality itself. If it is spoken too casually and too frequently, its dignity will inevitably erode."
"If that is the intended purpose, would that not be acceptable?"
"Even as an Iorga Spawn, I cannot permit such a thing. I will firmly oppose that proposal, so I ask for your understanding."
Hearing that, Ferda decided to give up.
Isabella ordinarily respected the regent's wishes, yet she had used the word firmly.
This must carry great significance among dragons.
"Then we will need to choose a new name."
"For that reason, I held a public naming contest."
As though she had been waiting for the opportunity, Isabella removed a sheet of paper from her document case and handed it to Ferda.
"Many excellent names were proposed, but the selection was ultimately narrowed down to two. Diarine, meaning the foremost front against demons, or Alterios, likened to a light illuminating the darkness. What do you think?"
Diarine and Alterios.
"Diarine sounds bleak, while Alterios seems associated with the Church of Alte."
"That association is intentional. Nine out of ten citizens of the Empire follow Alte, so it would not be a poor choice."
It was a strategy intended to attract settlers.
There were clear benefits to it, but Ferda did not particularly want to take that approach.
He had suffered more than enough unpleasant experiences involving the Church of Alte.
The faith showed no mercy toward heretics.
When Ferda had possessed a Red Circle and darkness had appeared during his aptitude test, they had been desperate to kill him.
He preferred a name that would evoke the Church of Alte as little as possible.
Was there no better option?
Then Ferda suddenly remembered something.
"What was the name of the project we once carried out to save my fiancée?"
"Do you mean Project Hestia?"
"Hestia..."
It was the name of a woman from ancient times who had guarded the flame.
The name was rarely used now, and she was little more than a passing figure in history lessons.
A woman who guarded the flame.
It was not bad.
"What about Hestia?"
"I prefer names with a heavier, more solemn atmosphere... but something more spirited is not as unsuitable as I expected. I will incorporate it and proceed accordingly."
Ferda repeated the name several times.
Hestia.
Hestia.
It rolled pleasantly off the tongue, and he liked its meaning.
Valdrova was the master of strength and fire.
This would become a city and fortress for those who guarded that flame.
Which means we must extract as much value as possible from this Armored Knight.
Until the man changed his mind, Ferda intended to make the fullest possible use of him.
That was his will.
READ MORE CHAPTERS HERE : https://beastnovels.com/