Peaks of Tranquility and Immovability
Translated by Raizu
Author’s Note:
Second volume starts here.
This time, we will start with a small talk about the Adellahan family, one of the five great noble families of the Kingdom of Levios.
Sheer mountains and deep valleys, and the continent’s highest peak, Mount Erechtheion, rises remarkably in the distance.
Although the road is well-maintained, if you take one step away from it, you’ll find a primeval forest that blocks even the sun’s rays.
In these scattered basins, people gathered to build cities.
The Adellahan region of the Eruo continent.
It is a land ruled by the noble Adellahan family.
Despite the fact that it is a land with few people coming and going during the snowy period, many carriages were gathered in the city of Zareazelia that day.
These carriages are decorated with glittering decorations, and it is clear from the appearance that they are not meant for commoners.
Among them, a particularly large carriage passed through the castle gate.
The crest on the vehicle was two horses facing each other with a double-edged sword between them. It belongs to the noble family, the Adellahan family. However, in order to show that it belonged to a branch line rather than a direct line, the crest was extremely simplified and limited in color. So to speak, it was a crest that indicated the [Adellahan branch family].
[Nova.]
A woman’s voice echoed inside the carriage.
Aside from the small servant in the corner, the only passenger was her son, Novalf Adellahan.
Sitting diagonally across, the young man slowly opened his eyes and looked at his mother.
[Take off that shawl.]
Novalf sensed that his mother’s words and gaze were directed not at him, but at his own shawl, which he wore as a winter coat.
From an early age, he was known for his good physique, and even now, at the age of 20, that hasn’t changed. The shawl, made for him, was so large that a petite woman could use it as a blanket.
[Please tell me the reason. Mother, of all people, should know about this shawl…]
In response to Novalf’s question, his mother’s expression distorted slightly and she turned the fan made of bird feathers in her hand.
It’s as if her wrath was trapped at the tip of the sharply directed attack.
[Of course, I know. Then you should also know what your mother is thinking.]
Novalf understood his mother’s thoughts. But, when he thought about what it means to follow the instructions, his hands stopped.
He remained silent as he pinched the shoulder strap with his fingers.
[Nova, you don’t need to humble yourself. If you wear something like that, they might think that we’ve yielded to the main family.]
[But, mother…]
[You will be meeting your grandmother, aren’t you so stupid that you don’t know how honored this occasion is? Come on.]
After confirming that his mother’s tone had changed to something that could not be denied, he politely took off the shawl and handed it to the waiting servant.
He decided that it would be better to obey rather than continue to argue and provoke his mother.
[Handle it carefully. It was given to me by the Princess.]
[Understood.]
The shawl he was wearing was a gift from the Princess of the Adellahan family. From the point of view of Novalf, who is a branch family, and his mother, it can be said that it was a precious gift.
His mother’s idea of taking it off…no, Novalf was struggling to deal with the hatred.
[That’s fine. Fufu, trying to use her daughter to control my child is something that stupid sister would think. But, it doesn’t work for me.]
Novalf’s mother is the eldest daughter of the previous Head of the Adellahan family and the older sister of the current Head of the family.
She believes that she is the most suitable for the position of the Adellahan family head. This has not changed even now, after she had been married to a branch family without being able to inherit the family estate.
In the wake of the shawl, his mother began to rant about her own sister, the current head of the Adellahan family, Marquis Adellahan. Novalf could only give a friendly nod.
It’s like adding fuel to the fire whenever he tries to persuade her to stop. If he mishandles his mother and she ends up causing big trouble, it’ll be no good for everyone involved.
Every time he saw his mother becoming paranoid as a result of overbearing resentment, he worried about the future of the Adellahan territory.
The main family of the Adellahan family also lost many family members due to a strange disease caused by the demonic beast Yersinia.
In addition to the previous Head of the family, most of the wise old people have fallen ill, and the current Head of the family is in a predicament with an overwhelming lack of Highlords who should support it from behind the scenes.
The Adellahan territory is a steep mountainous area, and its natural barriers make it easy to isolate itself from the outside world. It is difficult to rule them with only the Head family and its vassals, the knight family, and small-scale bases existed in various parts of the territory, and the Lords of the branch families were placed there.
The Head of the Adellahan family is at the top, but the branch families are indispensable to governing the territory. That means that the influence of the branch family is not small.
While the Head of the main family fell ill from a strange disease, the Head of the branch family survived relatively often. Compared to the main family of Adellahan, the branch family is smaller in scale, and this has a lot to do with having a base in an isolated environment with few people coming and going.
As a result, the branch family has become able to speak more strongly to the main family than before.
The reason why Novalf’s mother began to openly complain to the Head of the main family was because of the disaster caused by the demon beast Yersinia.
[I wonder if she’s going to cry to the old lady again. So pathetic. Hey Nova, don’t you think so?]
And then the conversation turns to her favorite backbiting these days. Novalf was disgusted by his mother’s sarcasm, which he had grown tired of hearing.
[What is she trying to do, sending that old coot Narvasyn? Adellahan would be taken lightly by the Quordenze.]
It was less than half a month after the beginning of the new year when the letter arrived at the Adellahan family. The letter was stamped with the coat of arms of the Head of the Galiana family, but the sender was not Mylord Galiana.
We are exiled by the current Head of the Quordenze family due to our involvement in the Spierzeig family’s plan. In the future, I would like to build a good relationship with the Adellahan family. Could you please recognize us as the rightful Head of the family… The letter implied that a rebellion by a family member has occurred in the Galiana family.
Perhaps in order to gain the trust of the Adellahan family, the letter also showed the outline of the strategy planned by the Spierzeig family.
Galfis Quordenze will be held in place by surrounding him with armies led by multiple Highlords, while a separate force suppresses riverside bases such as Nambonan City to prevent reinforcements from Newnelly City. Then, by moving several noble families in the free city group to attack the Evenafis family, an ally of the Quordenze family, and cause a rebellion in the Galiana family, it will raise vigilance against the east.
Considering the content of that strategy and the underlying strength of the Spierzeig family, it was quite possible that the Quordenze family would be put at a disadvantage.
The Head of the Adellahan family immediately summoned the branch families, and it was decided that an evaluation would be carried out on how they should proceed in the future.
However, the discussion was interrupted as soon as it started.
This was because the news of the fall of Reisleaf Castle had arrived.
[But Mother, the fall of Reisleaf Castle is no small event. I wondered if it was a mistake to have Narvasyn as the messenger. The relationship between Adellahan and Quordenze…]
[Well, well! Even Nova would say something like that! The castle had really fallen, so they probably got nothing out of it. If the rumors were wrong, it would have been a shame for Adellahan, right? Uncertain information? As a fool who was made to dance, he must have smeared mud on the honor of the old woman.]
It was an incredible, almost unbelievable, piece of information.
In the first place, the Quordenze family should be in the midst of a large-scale counteroffensive from the Spierzeig family. A letter from a rebel of House Galiana makes it clear that House Spierzeig had launched the operation.
None of the Adellahan households could imagine how it would lead to the fall of Reisleaf Castle.
Therefore, it was concluded that the information was incorrect.
However, the situation progressed in an unexpected direction.
As time passed, rumors of the fall of Reisleaf Castle increased.
The eldest son of the Quordenze family defeated the eldest son of the Spierzeig family in a duel, the Knights of the Spierzeig family’s chief vassals were annihilated in the Battle of Nambonan City, the Castle of Raisleif fell and was overwhelmed by the Quordenze army, the Spierzeig army fled back to their territory… Rumors began to tell of a complete victory for the Quordenze family.
And as if to prove it, the number of letters requesting authorization from the rebels of the Galiana family increased. as if asking for help.
It’s possible that the Quordenze family really captured Reislief Castle…just as more members of the family began to think so, the current head of the Adellahan family, the Marquis of Adellahan, acted.
She decided to send a messenger to the Quordenze family to confirm if the rumors were true.
The person chosen was Narvasyn Ritabria, who had already retired from diplomacy and had retired.
According to Novalf’s mother, Narvasyn was chosen as a messenger to give the current Head of the family authority.
As the first head of the Ritabria family of knights, Narvasyn is known for running through the mountains together with his grandmother, Crowne Adellahan, as she worked hard to unify the Adellahan region. He is said to be Crowne’s most trusted Knight.
Marquis Adellahan dared to use retired Narvasyn can be considered as a claim to the branch family that she was the successor to Crowne.
[… Really, she’s a woman who can only hunt monsters. Can she really protect Adellahan with this?]
In that case, shouldn’t you, her older sister, support her? …Novalf swallowed those thoughts back. He knew better than anyone that saying such things would only incite hatred.
Seeing her mother’s voice grow louder and heat up, Novalf thought it was time to extinguish the fire.
[Mother, we are already in Zareazeria. I don’t know where the head family’s ears are. It’s better not to get caught up in trivial things, you might be taken advantage of. If you’re an intelligent person, mother, you know…]
Novalf’s mother, who was taken aback by those words, gently put the fan against her cheek in a motion similar to grooming when a cat is embarrassed, and smiled.
Zareazeria is the home of the Adellahan family, located in the northeastern part of the Adellahan territory.
It is located in one of the few plains in the mountainous Adellahan region, with many tributaries from the large river flowing through the north and abundant water sources.
However, if you take even one step beyond the great river, you will find a foggy Field that has been completely polluted by monsters.
For the Adellahan family, sitting down in Zarezeria City is also a preparation for the mature monsters that are likely to appear from the north.
At Zareazeria Castle, which is the center and center of Zareazeria City, collateral relatives of the Adellahan family and the knights of the territory gathered together.
If Wilk saw the layout of the desks in the hall, he would feel that it resembled an elementary school classroom.
Where a lecturer’s desk would likely sit is the desk of House Adellahan, and Narvasyn stood next to it.
A three-seater desk fashioned from marble, Novalf and his mother sat third from the front, listening silently to the words of Narvasyn Ritabria, who in a sense was the protagonist of this evaluation.
Narvasyn, who was sent as an envoy to the Quordenze territory, met with the current Head of the Quordenze family, Luxus Quordenze, in Newnelly, then visited Reisleaf Castle and confirmed the situation with his own eyes.
Although he is already close to 100 years old, there is no hesitation in his way of speaking, and one can see that he is fully conscious.
[…Then, it’s true…that Reisleaf castle has fallen?]
As soon as Narvasyn finished speaking, a woman from the branch family let out a voice.
The knights must have thought the same thing, but in this place where the relatives of the Adellahan family gathered together, they couldn’t say anything.
The relatives of the Adellahan family are, in other words, the Highlord’s blood relatives. Although they are not a direct lord to a particular knight’s family, there is always respect and awe in the heart of the Lords associated with the Highlords.
[Yes, but with these very eyes]
A long time ago, Narvasyn was working as Crowne’s vanguard, obtaining a number of important information and making great achievements in advancing the army. Although it is a mettle that was acquired long ago, there was a trust backed by a track record when it came to inspecting enemy situations.
[Are you sure?]
Since the members of the Adellahan family had already heard the information, most of the questions were asked by nobles from branch families.
[You mentioned that the Quordenze army didn’t show any signs of exhaustion, but is that correct for both soldiers and supplies?]
[There is no mistake in that recognition. It is a guess from seeing the common militia that was deployed, but a lot of leeway has been given.]
According to Narvasyn, when supplies are scarce, the most noticeable impact is usually visible on the equipment and treatment of the civilian militia.
However, when Narvasyn visited Reisleaf Castle, he saw the common militia being fed with hot soup to feed and to raise their spirits.
Of course, if there was not enough fuel, such as firewood, it would not have been possible to do such a thing.
[It seemed that the dead had already been dealt with. If there is no burial place other than the one I saw, the casualties of the soldiers must be negligible.]
If there were a large number of casualties in the siege battle, it would take a long time to deal with them. Considering that Spierzeig’s army will attack to recapture the castle, the disposal of the dead should be postponed. Luckily, since it is winter, corpses are less likely to rot, and even if they are left for a while, there is little impact.
If the burial of the low-priority war casualties had been completed, it could be inferred from the fact that the number of corpses to be processed was small.
[Reisleaf Castle is impregnable. I don’t think it can be taken down without damage. Or, for some reason, even if the story was just splendid, it was actually a castle made of mud…]
In response to those words, Narvasyn resolutely denied.
[Voistra’s Great Shield, its name is not deceitful. …While it’s arrogant, I saw that it was comparable to the Corbovia Line in terms of robustness. I thought it would be impossible to fall against a frontal attack.]
Narvasyn’s assessment of Reisleaf Castle roused relatives and knights alike.
The Corbovia Line is one of the defense facilities that the Levios family is proud of, and as its name suggests, it serves as a shield that protects the Corbovia Plain and the ancient city of Corbovia, the true home of the Levios family.
In a sense, the Corbovia Line was familiar to the Adellahan family. Because the shield is directed against the Adellahan family.
After all, the Kingdom of Levios is a political, economic, and military alliance between nobles, and depending on the situation, it is quite possible that the clasped hands will be separated. And the Levios family is not so naive as to let themselves defenseless against the Adellahan family, which is sometimes described as the strongest noble family in the Kingdom.
At present, the relationship is good, so the defenses are not blatantly strengthened. But even so, the Corbovia Line is built solid enough to make the Adellahan family hesitate to invade.
By having a specific comparison target, the image of Reisleaf Castle was shared among those in the hall.
The family must have truly understood the magnitude of the military exploits that the Quordenze family achieved, and the family members met face to face and exchanged words as they wished.
[You’ve done a great job. Regarding the Quordenze. What do you think, Nova?]
[This is the end of the Spierzeig family’s fate…]
Clap. A dry sound resounded in the hall just as Novalf was about to answer his mother’s question.
The place where the sound came from was in the farthest back of the room and could not be seen. However, it was Crowne Adellahan’s habit when she wanted to quieten the surroundings, and it was obvious who clapped their hands without even looking.
The relatives straightened their backs and caught their breath. Since they weren’t allowed to turn around, everyone could only stare at Marquis Adellahan sitting in front of them.
If they looked back now, they would have turned their back on the current Head of the family, but that would earn them a scolding from Crowne. She has already retired, and the person who nominally stands at the top of this hall will be Marquis Adellahan.
[The Voistra’s Royal family will finally perish…]
Crowne’s hoarse voice echoed quietly in the quiet room.
Marquis Adellahan said exactly what she thought in response to Crowne’s remarks.
[Grandmother, the Voistra Kingdom is no more. And the family name has been changed to Spierzeig family…]
[Details.]
It was a small voice, but the words could reach deep into everyone’s ears.
[Voistra has not perished. It simply remained in the empire while pretending to give in to that little boy.]
Crowne spoke slowly as if separating each word.
About 200 years ago, a chain of battles that began with the political disputes of the Zeth Church Holy High Council dragged the continent into a quagmire of turmoil.
While there are many noble families who have been tossed about by the swells of the times, becoming impoverished and ruined, the power of the Spierzeig family, who quickly saw this as an opportunity to unify the Voistra plains and establish the Kingdom of Voistra, stood out.
Crowne was of the generation that knew the heyday of the Voistra Kingdom, when it was at its most active period.
In fact, Crowne chose to use the name of the Adellahan region, which she unified, as her family name, the Adellahan family. This actually followed the method of the Spierzeig family, and it goes without saying that there was a strong respect for it.
[…with such power, the Voistra’s Royal family cannot be crushed.]
With a deep sigh, Crowne called out the name of the Head of the Adellahan family two generations ago.
There are only two old people left in the main Adellahan family, Crowne and the second generation Head of the family. In addition, the second generation is Crowne’s own daughter.
However, even though she is her daughter, the family Head was already over 80 years old and approaching the realm of an old woman.
The effects of aging that appear on Highlords and Lords vary greatly between individuals, and the second generation family Head has already weakened more than her biological mother, Crowne. Recently, the second generation family Head has often rested alone in the depths of Zareazelia Castle due to the lethargy of old age, but this time, she was asked to attend as an observer.
When the second generation Head guessed that her mother was urging her to continue her commentary, she cleared her throat before speaking.
[When the Zinkaen Empire was founded, its primary focus was on suppressing the Spierzeig family. That’s how powerful the Spierzeig family was at that time.]
At that time, there was no Noble who could single-handedly stop the Spierzeig family other than perhaps Emperor Zinkaen, the first Emperor. The two generations affirmed that the weakening of the Spierzeig family was an urgent and essential task in order to maintain the organization of the Empire.
[If that’s the case, the Voistra Kingdom will be no more…]
The second generation head sighed at the current Marquis of Adellahan, who had the temperament to spill whatever came into her mind without thinking about it. She was very similar to her mother, Crowne, in that regard.
Novalf faintly heard the voice of his mother sitting next to him, calling her [foolish].
[The effort of Emperor Zinkaen and the second Emperor Arginis can be said to have been effective. Spierzeig’s power has definitely declined. However, many people know that the Empire had a lot of trouble with the succession to the throne after that. The third generation, the current Emperor, Ferolt, did not follow the policy of the first and second generations, and relied on the Spierzeig family as the backing of his succession to the throne, which is only natural. It was around this time that he publicly led it, and it was practically like the Voistra Kingdom was revived within the Empire.]
After the second generation head concluded with that, she kept her mouth shut. Perhaps she wanted to imply that her role is over.
[Sylphazazea, Sylphazazel… Even though it’s the rule of the earth, it’s sad to see a giant tree decay.]
With a fading voice, Crowne spoke an ancient proverb. Literally translated, it means [What first fell to the ground, will fall to the ground again]. Seeds that fall to the ground eventually sprout, grow stems, grow leaves, grow into giant trees, and finally rot and fall to the ground. It is a proverb that preaches that the end of prosperity is inevitable.
Perhaps the heyday of the Voistra Kingdom came to mind in Crowne’s mind as she narrowed her eyes with nostalgia.
[…But, to break the Great Shield of Voistra, which even Emperor Zinkaen couldn’t break…]
The second generation Head didn’t miss a single relative muttering.
[Make no mistake. It’s not that Emperor Zinkaen failed to break the shield that time, he didn’t mean to.]
[No way?]
[The exaggerated reputation of Voistra’s Great Shield is nothing more than a false image spread by the Spierzeig family. Certainly, Reisleaf may be hard to penetrate, but it’s foolish to fear more than it actually is. Don’t be deceived.]
The second generation Head continued to explain to the children and grandchildren who were there while brushing her hair as if it was troublesome.
[Second …..By coming under the Empire’s umbrella before the full-scale invasion began, the Spierzeig family had an honorable record. The track record of repelling Emperor Jinkaen’s attacks.]
The Spierzeig family specially exaggerated and spread the fact that they prevented Emperor Zinkaen’s invasion.
Known as the Conqueror of the western part, it was an honor to prevent the invasion of Emperor Jinkaen, who was feared to be the strongest in warfare on the continent at the time.
By surrendering at an early stage, Emperor Zinkaen became unable to launch a second siege, and the impregnable legend of Reisleaf Castle was established. The previous generation said that in this way the Spierzeig family was able to protect their pride and join the Empire.
[Such a thing…]
[It’s true. The Spierzeig family needed to show their martial prowess so that they wouldn’t be underestimated by the other families that had fallen under Emperor Zinkaen’s umbrella earlier.]
[Those who don’t know that era, those who have forgotten it, believe in the tales of the Great Shield.]
It was a subjective way of thinking.
However, it is true that there is nothing more reliable than when the views of Crowne, who overcame turbulent times with intuition and inspiration, and the second generation Head who had a broad perspective and was good at Noble diplomacy, were in agreement.
The current Marquis Adellahan was excellent as a warrior, but she was not good at such diplomacy and domestic affairs, so she accepted it without any particular objection.
[The Spierzeig family, which has been outnumbered in the war with the Quordenze family, had no choice but to cling to the legend of the great shield they created.]
[However, the praised shield has been broken. There will be no future for the Kingdom of Voistra.]
Even though the Spierzeig family continued to lose in the war against the Quordenze family, they were never looked down upon by other families.
The existence of Reisleaf Castle has a lot to do with it. Even if the Quordenze family defeated members after members of the Former Voistra faction, the Spierzeig family would still have that Voistra’s Great Shield.
However, it was like wielding a double edged sword.
By cracking the shield, which could be said to be a symbol of military power, the surrounding Nobles became aware of the downfall of the Spierzeig family no matter what.
[If it was the Red Demon who broke the shield, then there might have been a way to deal with it…but that is also a no-brainer.]
There was a bud of reversal in the Spierzeig family. It’s victory through attrition of time.
Galfis Quordenze, the commander-in-chief of the Spierzeig invasion, is already in his 80s. Most Highlords reach the end of their lives around 100 years old, but that doesn’t mean they
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