Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 287

A group of about thirty people cautiously entered McLane Castle through a side gate. They carried no flags to announce who they were.

Granfia welcomed the guests as if she had been expecting them.

Dwayne entered the room. “The envoys from the three allied nations are here.”

A spark lit in Logan’s eyes. “Already? That was quick. They must be very serious.”

Dwayne nodded, a hint of worry in his voice. “Yes, and it seems they brought Ignis itself. The Trian envoy is carrying it.”

Logan stood up, a smile playing on his lips. “Excellent. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

As Logan smiled and started to get up, Dwayne grabbed his arm, looking concerned.

“Um, Your Majesty,” Dwayne said.

“Hmm?” Logan replied.

“I understand this needs to be secret,” Dwayne continued. “I even understand Viktor volunteered for ‘that thing.’ No one in our kingdom will oppose what you want to do, so it makes sense you wouldn’t ask us if you have a plan. But…”

“But?” Logan prompted.

“If you’re going to push things too far again, please talk to us first. If not me, then at least one of your close advisors.”

Logan chuckled at Dwayne’s worried face.

“…Did Damian say something?” Logan asked.

“I’m worried, it’s me!” Dwayne exclaimed. “That look in your eyes! You’re planning something big again, aren’t you!”

“……No, I’m not?” Logan said, unconvincingly.

“Your… Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

Dwayne, looking extremely uneasy, sighed repeatedly as he followed Logan, who was hurriedly leaving the room with an expression that even he himself didn’t trust.

Richard Blair, the envoy from the Kingdom of Tria, stepped forward as the representative of the three nations and bowed first. “It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. My name is Richard Blair.”

Logan noted that he appeared to be in his forties or fifties, with neatly combed-back brown hair and striking blue eyes. ‘A top-tier knight….’

Logan had heard of Richard Blair. He was said to be the right-hand man of the King of Tria.

Most envoys were civil officials, so this was unusual. However, since this envoy was to confirm a decided matter, it wasn’t strange to use a loyal knight. Besides, he also had to carry a special item.

As Logan’s eyes gleamed while looking at Richard, the other members of his party knelt before Logan in turn.

“We greet the ruler of McLane,” said Jordan Marlins, the envoy from the Kingdom of Liberty.

“I am Brad Farrell, the envoy from Teronan. We greet the sun of McLane,” said the envoy who looked like an old scholar.

The envoy with the appearance of a bald middle-aged man and the envoy who looked like an old scholar didn’t seem as spirited as Richard, but their eyes were alive. They had the kind of eyes that people who were not ashamed of the lives they had lived would have.

“Thank you for coming such a long way,” Logan said. “I don’t want to waste time on formalities, so let’s get straight to the treaty.”

The envoys were surprised at Logan’s directness and quick dive into the main topic, ignoring diplomatic customs.

However, Richard, the knight, quickly took out the prepared document.

It was a document with a blue magical light that anyone could see, even without special senses like Logan’s.

“We have prepared a mana oath, as is the custom,” Richard explained. “No magic is cast on it other than to identify the treaty’s subject, so you may verify it.”

It wasn’t a magical contract with magical restrictions like a personal one, but an oath where even a superhuman couldn’t prevent the preservation of magical evidence once they had directly agreed to it. This oath was very important for a secret treaty like this.

Logan quickly looked over the document and handed it to Damian.

“Damian, check carefully for any differences from what was promised. Check the magic as well. How long will it take?” Logan asked.

“I believe half a day will be enough,” Damian replied.

“Alright. Then let’s all meet here again in half a day,” Logan said. “Ah, the envoy from Tria has something to give me, right?”

“How could I make Your Majesty wait?” Richard said, adding a slightly too polite comment. “Please wait a moment.”

Richard bowed quickly, and Logan accepted the gesture with a smile.

“Very well,” Logan said.

The envoys from the other countries looked back and forth between Logan and Richard with curious eyes. It seemed that the story about Ignis hadn’t leaked out yet.

“You may return and rest for now,” Logan said. “I will call you again as soon as the document review is finished.”

Logan didn’t respond to the envoys’ curious gazes and immediately left the room.

About an hour later, Logan had a private meeting with Richard Blair in the same place.

Richard Blair was holding something that was so eye-catching that it was hard to believe he had transported it unnoticed: a spear blade over 3 meters long that shone brilliantly, as if light had been forged and fixed in place. Even the shaft connected to it was enveloped in a purple glow, inspiring awe just by looking at it.

“I thought that even the emperor wouldn’t allow a private meeting with this weapon… but that doesn’t seem to apply to Your Majesty,” Richard said, extending the spear with a bitter smile. “Here, this is Ignis, the national treasure of our Kingdom of Tria.”

The hand he extended didn’t easily let go, despite his words.

“But who is that over there…?” Richard asked, gesturing with his eyes towards Logan’s back.

There stood a grim-faced mage, staring at Ignis as if possessed.

“He is our kingdom’s mage, whom I have brought to check the artifact’s authenticity,” Logan explained. “He is one of my few close aides, so you don’t have to worry about secrets getting out.”

“Ah, yes. …But his eyes are a bit…” Richard said, uncomfortably.

Logan chuckled at Richard’s discomfort. Even he thought Clayton was making a truly bizarre expression.

Clayton looked both dazed and ecstatic, something Logan had never seen in all the years he had known him.

After Logan cleared his throat a few times, Clayton, who had finally come to his senses, cautiously stepped forward.

“I am Clayton, the mage of McLane,” he said. “I have a title, but I haven’t decided on a surname yet. No, that’s not important now. Um, would it be alright if I examined Ignis a bit?”

Richard gave him a dubious look as he watched Clayton half-ramble, but he reluctantly extended the spear, holding onto the shaft.

“Indeed… amazing. How could such a thing…” Clayton’s touch and gaze as he stroked the shaft of Ignis became dazed again. It seemed that there would be no difficulty in determining its authenticity with just that expression.

Meanwhile, Richard, still holding the end of the shaft and looking at Clayton, seemed conflicted about whether to stab him with the spear or not, so Logan smiled wryly and nodded.

“It seems to be genuine,” Logan said.

“Of course,” Richard replied, with a stiff expression.

He hesitated, unable to take his hands off Ignis.

Logan didn’t urge him, understanding his feelings.

“I heard that, in honor of the Spear King, the knights of Tria mostly use spears as their personal weapons,” Logan said.

“……That is correct,” Richard confirmed.

“Fortunately, there are hardly any knights in McLane who use spears, so I assure you that this will not be seen by outside eyes unless something special happens,” Logan assured him.

“……Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty,” Richard said.

Only after hearing those words did Richard release Ignis from his hands.

The legendary weapon seemed to vibrate, as if it sensed its owner had changed.

Logan chuckled as he watched Clayton, who still had a dazed expression as he stroked the spear even after completely taking it over.

‘Was the magic imbued in this the Great Magic Disappearance Flash? Clayton, I hope there will be more progress in your artifact research as promised,’ Logan thought.

He hadn’t received the weapon as collateral for no reason.

– If I can research a Class 6 artifact, I can raise the level of mass-produced artifacts by one stage.

From the beginning, it started because he remembered Clayton’s grumbling.

‘Will that be enough?’

‘It will be enough.’

Logan smiled faintly at Clayton’s intention, which was conveyed through his eyes. He said he would keep it out of sight, but he didn’t say he wouldn’t use it as a research subject.

Logan hid his inner thoughts and declared with the most solemn expression he could muster.

“I, Logan McLane, swear in my name that this will be the collateral that proves the friendship between our two nations. Of course, I will also faithfully fulfill my promise with the King of Tria.”

That is, unless you stab me in the back first.

Richard, who didn’t have the ability to read people’s minds, simply bowed his head with a stiff face.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said.

Although he said those words, Richard Blair turned back several times to look at Ignis until just before he left the room. The emotion of regret was clearly visible, even though he wasn’t of the Tria royal bloodline. Just from that sight, it seemed he could understand the status that their founder, Spear King Tria Cassel, held in the Kingdom of Tria.

As soon as the door closed and Richard’s figure disappeared, Logan turned his head to look at Clayton.

“Clayton, how long will it take to achieve results? Even if things go wrong, I will watch for that period of time,” Logan asked.

“This magic… it’s incredibly complex! I’ve never seen anything like it,” Clayton exclaimed.

“……Clayton?” Logan asked.

“The expectation that the material would be the biggest problem was wrong. Then this is…” Clayton muttered.

“Clayton!!” Logan shouted.

“Gasp! Ah, yes! Yo, Your Majesty,” Clayton stammered.

Logan chuckled as he watched the mage, who only came to his senses after shouting loudly.

“Take the research to the lab and do as much as you want,” Logan said. “How long will it take to produce at least minimal results?”

“……I don’t know,” Clayton admitted.

Logan’s expression hardened somewhat at the unexpected answer.

“But just having the opportunity to research this makes me think I can understand more parts of that research log. The possibilities are more than enough,” Clayton added.

“Research log?” Logan asked.

“Ah, I mean the research log of Crowner,” Clayton clarified.

“Ah… Were you still researching that? I thought I received a report that it was a clue to artifact research?” Logan asked.

“……It’s the same thing,” Clayton said. “I don’t know what kind of organization created the research log, but it covers all the numerous ways to imbue magic into objects.”

“An organization. Now that you mention it, I think you said that before,” Logan recalled.

“Yes. That’s definitely not data that an individual can research. No matter how much of a genius one is, it’s impossible given the quantitative scope of the research,” Clayton insisted.

“Hmm… Well, it doesn’t matter. I hope there will be results,” Logan said.

“I will do my best. Thank you for granting my unreasonable request, Your Majesty,” Clayton said.

“I only suggested it, but I didn’t expect you to agree so quickly. It makes me a little worried,” Logan admitted.

Logan looked at Ignis and once again recalled the face of Ramon I.

‘What on earth is that guy thinking?’

‘I should prepare for the worst-case scenario, just in case,’ Logan thought.

With that thought in mind, Logan quickly sent the mage, who seemed impatient, back.

Then he immediately called Rick.

“Bring the envoys from Liberty and Teronan,” Logan ordered.

“Yes? But you said you would see the envoys in half a day…” Rick responded.

“I have something to say. Just tell them it will be helpful to their plan,” Logan said.

“Yes, I understand,” Rick replied.

Originally, he wanted to say it in a place where all three countries’ envoys were present. However, Logan, feeling an inexplicable uneasiness from Tria’s actions, excluded Richard from the conversation for now.

The envoys from Liberty and Teronan, who were facing Logan again much earlier than scheduled, could only widen their eyes at the moment they heard Logan’s proposal.

“……How about doing that?” one envoy asked.

“Huh…” the other envoy said.

“Of course, that’s…”

The two envoys, looking at each other, swallowed hard.