Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 212

212.

The festival celebrating the construction of the Magic Tower had officially begun.

The nobles of the Empire toured Grenian, fully taking in the reality of the Pyreon Kingdom’s conquest.

The princes and princesses also enjoyed their time away from the Imperial Palace, spending joyful moments with new people in a new place.

Although their influence hadn’t reached the provinces yet, Grenian itself was quite stable, so there were no major issues for the nobles, princes, and princesses to move around.

And I was guiding Duke Beregon through Grenian, sharing what could be called secret talks.

“Have you given it much thought?”

“It’s not an easy decision.”

Beregon nodded at my words.

“It is indeed a difficult decision. I, too, have pondered it for a long time.”

“I need to hear the story about my mother.”

I asked directly.

“Is Aetran completely unrelated to my mother’s death? Traces of the Purifying Flame Order were also found in Aetran.”

“The Purifying Flame Order extended its reach to all four great families at the time of the founding of the Empire.”

Beregon said without hiding anything.

“The White family drove them out long ago, the Dukes Yan and Austin used their power to check the Imperial faction, and Aetran…”

I listened intently to Beregon’s words.

“…left them unchecked.”

“Unchecked?”

“Just having them around was quite helpful. If we moderately accommodated the Purifying Flame Order, they would mistakenly believe they were controlling Aetran entirely and spill a lot of information.”

‘What a remarkable person,’ I thought.

To accurately identify the members of a secret organization and use them to one’s advantage.

“It seems that the Dukes Yan and Austin are actually quite swayed by them, but Aetran is different from those two families.”

Beregon concluded.

“Even if they are direct descendants, those who use the family’s power for something other than Aetran have always been executed.”

I groaned inwardly.

“The truth is, we were also investigating Aetran on our end.”

“I fully understand Your Highness’s position. However, the Purifying Flame Order was left unchecked only because they were always worth exploiting; they have no influence within the family. I only used them sparingly when I needed information.”

Beregon continued.

“The case of the Empress Dowager is a prime example of obtaining information by using them.”

“Let’s start by eliminating the Yan family.”

Beregon stopped walking.

Watching Beregon give a friendly smile to the surrounding merchants, I also struck up a conversation with them.

To onlookers, it would seem that Beregon and I were high-ranking nobles touring the market to gauge public sentiment.

“Is this a kind of test?”

“We can’t fully trust the Duke, considering the years we’ve been at odds.”

Beregon nodded.

“Once the Magic Tower construction ceremony is over, I will eliminate Yan from the Imperial Capital. It would be impossible to take down the Riverhill family alone, but it is certainly possible to take down Yan’s family.”

“In the process of eliminating the Yan family, I would also like you to bring the issue of the Purifying Flame Order to the surface.”

“Joining hands with Your Highness is more difficult than I thought.”

“Think of it as becoming the best family in the Empire is difficult.”

Beregon started walking again.

It was an implicit agreement.

I thought it wasn’t a bad outcome.

Although I didn’t hear from Beregon exactly how the Yan and Riverhill families were involved in my mother’s death.

I could have pressed him to tell me, but I anticipated that Duke Beregon would reveal enough in the process of striking down the Yan family, so I didn’t inquire further about my mother’s affairs.

‘The problem is Father’s rage.’

My father is the one who is igniting numerous wars of conquest solely for the sake of avenging my mother, burning his own life in the process.

‘The Yan family might be destroyed by Father’s hand, not Duke Beregon’s.’

Anyway, I decided to entrust the Yan family issue to Beregon.

To see the sincerity in his words, I needed to see his actions, not just hear his words.

After wandering around Grenian until evening, I turned to head back to the castle.

“Clear the way!”

At the rough voice, I turned my head.

“Bow down! It’s Marquis Ivid!”

I tilted my head.

‘Marquis Ivid?’

There was no marquis named Ivid among the marquises of the Empire.

Soon, a man on a white horse came into view, followed by a large number of people.

“If anyone takes their eyes off the ground!”

Seeing the man forcing the people to kneel, Beregon said,

“They seem to be nobles from the old Pyreon Kingdom.”

Beregon didn’t seem particularly moved by the commotion.

A sigh escaped me.

“Do you also have people go ahead and make the commoners show respect when you move around, Duke?”

“A noble’s dignity comes from their influence and reputation. Instead of sending people ahead to make the commoners kneel, a noble’s dignity is about making the commoners recognize them and voluntarily kneel and show respect to the noble.”

Beregon also meant that the result was that the commoners had to show respect to the nobles.

However, unlike that Marquis Ivid, he believed that he should make the commoners show respect through his own reputation and influence.

Beregon clearly had a sense of privilege as a high-ranking noble and the head of a prestigious family.

In addition, he seemed to always keep the duties of a noble in his heart.

“Let’s go back, Your Highness.”

“Hey, you there!”

The man who had been making the people prostrate on the ground discovered me and Duke Beregon.

“You seem to be nobles from the provinces. Marquis Ivid is coming, so show some respect!”

Strange things happen in life.

And there is always someone who lacks tact.

Even though Duke Beregon and I didn’t bring a single attendant with us for our secret talks, to not recognize the Crown Prince and Duke of the Empire…

It’s not that I don’t understand the man’s misunderstanding.

‘Well, it’s not like my face is famous.’

“Who are those two standing there so presumptuously?”

It was the voice of Marquis Ivid, looking down at me and Duke Beregon while riding his white horse.

“M, Marquis!”

“I told you to go ahead and clear the way! They seem to be nobles, so there’s no need to make them prostrate, but shouldn’t they at least kneel when a marquis passes by?”

Duke Beregon seemed amused by the situation.

He asked with a deep smile.

“There’s no need for a noble to prostrate or kneel. A noble doesn’t kneel even to His Majesty the Emperor unless they have committed a crime, so what right does a marquis have to force me, a fellow noble, to kneel?”

Ivid’s expression hardened, and the man stepped forward, his face flushed.

“You bumpkin noble!”

“What is your title?”

Duke Beregon’s voice turned cold.

I didn’t bother to intervene.

I was very curious to see how Duke Beregon would handle them.

* * *

Ken was buried in documents in his office again today.

Without Soris, Ken was solely responsible for most of the administration of Grenian.

“So much. So much.”

As Ken sighed, a knock was heard.

“Yes, come in.”

It was Gail.

“Oh, Sir Gail!”

Ken rose to his feet as Gail, who rarely visited his office, appeared in person.

“Are you busy?”

“I am busy.”

“Shall I come back later?”

“No. Please, sit here.”

Ken offered Gail a seat and then asked,

“What brings you here?”

“Aren’t nobles from the Pyreon Kingdom coming up from the provinces this time?”

“Yes.”

Ken nodded.

Ken had sent invitations in Arun’s name to all the nobles, ordering them to participate without fail, so he thought everyone would come if possible.

The Pyreon Kingdom had already fallen, and now this place was Imperial territory.

And not only had the capital of the Pyreon Kingdom become a direct territory, but soon the entire former territory of the Pyreon Kingdom would be incorporated into the direct territory.

The local magnates would also fully realize that Ron was giving Arun tremendous power.

At least in the former territory of the Pyreon Kingdom, Arun’s power would have a greater impact than the Emperor’s power.

Nobles, who are sensitive to the direction of power, couldn’t possibly be unaware of that fact, so they would all come up to Grenian this time.

“Has something gone wrong?”

“There is a man named Marquis Ivid.”

“Marquis Ivid?”

Ken tilted his head.

If he was a marquis, he would have a fairly high title, but it was a name he had never heard before.

“Has he caused any trouble?”

“No.”

Gail continued, seeing Ken’s puzzled expression.

“Hamilton’s operative sent news about Ivid, and I thought you looked busy, so I came to deliver it to you myself.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that. What did Hamilton’s operative say?”

“Marquis Ivid is said to be the center of the nobles from the Pyreon Kingdom. He gathered nearly forty nobles and came up to Grenian.”

* * *

As a commotion began to break out, onlookers began to gather.

The people who had been prostrating also glanced up.

“Wh, what did you say?”

“I asked what your title is.”

The man couldn’t answer Duke Beregon’s words.

Soon, Duke Beregon’s cold voice echoed.

“Not only did someone who isn’t a noble dare to raise his voice to a noble, but he even called me ‘you’? I’ll have to cut off his mouth!”

The man’s face turned white.

Only then did he seem to realize his position.

Unlike Marquis Ivid, the man was just an attendant under Marquis Ivid.

He didn’t even seem to be a knight.

Beregon’s gaze turned to Marquis Ivid.

“Are you from the Marquis family?”

Marquis Ivid already had a smiling face.

“Guards, drag that man out.”

The knights approached the man.

The burly knights grabbed him, and the man shouted.

“M, Marquis! I!”

“Can’t you shut up! How dare you utter such nonsense to a noble!”

Ivid turned his gaze to Beregon.

“It was a foolish mistake committed by an idiot who didn’t know anything. Please understand. I will definitely cut off his mouth and send it to you. What is your name?”

Beregon said,

“Beregon de Aetran.”

“Yes. Beregon of Aetran. Aetran… I don’t think I’ve heard of it. Could you tell me where that family is located?”

At Ivid’s words, Beregon explained very kindly.

“The family is located south of Calpheon.”

“South of Calpheon?”

Ivid tilted his head.

“Was there a place called Calpheon in the Pyreon Kingdom?”

‘Is this guy an idiot, or is he really ignorant?’ I wondered.

I stepped in at this point.

“Duke.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Duke Beregon turned his gaze to me.

Soon, everyone around, including Ivid, froze.

They finally realized that he was Duke Beregon of the Aetran family, the guardian family of the Calpheon Empire.

“Let’s go. We have a lot to do.”

I met Ivid’s eyes.

“And Ivid.”

Ivid couldn’t say anything.

He was staring at me with wide eyes.

“You are no longer a marquis. As the Pyreon Kingdom was destroyed, His Majesty has not yet issued any orders regarding the existing noble titles.”