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[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 21: The Princess’s Staff
The archery range behind Cron Castle.
It had been a while since I had some free time, so I decided to get a bit of exercise and headed out to shoot some arrows.
“Hoo… HAAHP!!”
Creaaak—
I once heard that archery characters weren't classified as agility types—they were strength types.
I wholeheartedly agree with that take.
The draw weight on my beginner bow was 25 pounds (11.3 kg)—no joke, that's not light at all.
And wartime longbows? Those beasts had a draw weight of a whopping 120 pounds (54.4 kg).
In short, they were heavy as hell. You had to use every single muscle in your body just to pull that string back.
“Grrnnnghh…”
I braced my whole body to draw the bow and aimed at a target set roughly 50 meters away.
Controlling my shaking hands with difficulty, I locked in on the bullseye, every muscle in my back screaming as I waited for the perfect moment.
Not yet… Just a little more! Just a liiiittle—NOW!
Thwack—!
The instant I released the string, the arrow launched from my hand.
Propelled by that 120-pound draw, the arrow streaked through the air like lightning and struck dead center.
THWACK—!
“Bullseye!!”
Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap—
“Phew…”
As my arrow hit the bullseye, the guards and retainers watching burst into applause.
Since reincarnating, this was one of the few skills I'd truly claimed as my own.
Maybe it was the blood of my ancestors stirring...
Or maybe it was just Calyx Cron’s natural talent.
Either way, one thing was clear—I had a gift for the bow.
Clap-Clap-Clap—
“Incredible, my Lord. As always, your archery is unmatched.”
“Hart, you’re here.”
Hart had come over, clapping at my performance.
He was the one who’d suggested archery in the first place.
He said, as a lord, it was important to master at least one martial skill. That’s how I ended up discovering this hidden gift.
Hart always praised me as the best archer in the territory and encouraged me to stick with it, but I didn’t shoot often.
Why?
Because if I shot more than three arrows, I could guarantee I’d be down with muscle pain the next day.
I handed my bow to Lana and walked over to Hart.
If he’d come looking for me, it meant something was up.
“A messenger arrived from the Platinum Council. It seems to be something you need to look over personally.”
“From the Platinum Council?”
『Platinum Council』
It was the Empire’s central policy making body—something like their version of the Roman Senate.
But unlike the Senate, it didn’t hold ultimate power.
The Council could draft laws, propose policies, and shape the Empire’s direction…
…but nothing passed without the Emperor’s final seal.
That was the key difference—They could propose, but they couldn’t decide.
Thanks to the Empire’s feudal structure, the Council didn’t wield the same absolute authority as the Roman Senate once had.
But for a feudal lord?
Getting on their bad side was still a dangerous game.
I went straight to check the messenger from the Platinum Council.
The content was simple.
“There’s been a rebellion in Dreihart.”
“Dreihart!?”
I had heard of Dreihart before—it's a city in the southeastern region, infamous as a city of slaves.
Among the many wildly elaborate cities in World Archive, Dreihart stood out for having one of the most insane setups.
It was unforgettable, even if you wanted to forget it.
Summarizing the messenger's report—
⋮
A few days ago, a slave uprising broke out in Dreihart.
The Platinum Council had sent troops to suppress it... and got completely wrecked.
⋮
After much deliberation, the Council made the following decision—
‘To whoever suppresses the Dreihart rebellion, we will grant full governance over the city of Dreihart and ownership of its slave population.’
“Governance over Dreihart!?”
“Yeah. That’s what it says.”
It was no surprise Nova was shocked.
Governing rights meant, in plain terms, becoming the ‘Lord’ of the region.
It wasn’t unheard of for a single noble house to manage two or three territories or even hold de facto control over them.
But those lords were always called ‘Great Lords’, wielding massive power.
The Platinum Council was saying they’d hand over that kind of authority as a reward for crushing the rebellion.
Sure, the rebels had wiped out Dreihart’s ruling noble family… but this reward was still excessive.
They could’ve brought in a noble from another region with Dreihart lineage.
Or, if they wanted to, they could’ve declared it a directly ruled territory under the imperial family.
But they didn’t do that.
There was clearly something else going on.
“My lord, if you ask me, this smells like the imperial family’s doing.”
“I think so too.”
I replied, nodding at Nova and Hart.
Even if the suppressing force had been completely routed, giving away an entire territory’s governance was way too generous a reward.
And the reason no one in the Council objected?
Simple—
Because ‘someone important’ wanted it that way.
“Looks like the imperial family has a noble they want to raise.”
Specifically, it meant a prince or princess had someone they wanted to promote, and this was how they’d grow that person’s power base.
I could only guess, but it felt like there was an agreement between a prince and a princess behind this.
If they truly wanted to hand the land over to someone, they wouldn’t need to offer it as a prize—they could just ‘order’ it.
The reason for the condition ‘whoever suppresses the rebellion’ was probably because both of them had candidates in mind—
So they built a competition.
And now I had to survive in ‘this’ political hellscape? My head hurt just thinking about it.
“My lord! This is the perfect opportunity to expand our territory!”
“I completely agree with Miss Nova. And with Sir Rikain and Mage Sharon on our side, it’s a real possibility.”
Both spoke with conviction.
Rikain was already a capable knight, though I’d admit his raw power had limits. But with Sharon’s magical support and buffs, those limits disappeared.
Now, with Sharon amplifying him, Rikain could lead the Cron Knights far more effectively.
They were stronger now—by several magnitudes.
And both Nova and Hart knew it.
They thought this was a winnable fight.
But I...
“We... The Cron family will not participate in this.”
“What!?”
“My lord, this is too good an opportunity to pass up.”
In my previous life, while playing World Archive, I had once conquered Dreihart.
I’d seen firsthand how the slaves were treated there.
Even as just a game, it was unbearable.
“The slaves of Dreihart have lived their entire lives in oppression. And now, we’re supposed to suppress them with swords and magic? No. I won’t be part of that.”
Yeah. It wasn’t right.
There are things no human being should do…
And to me, this was one of them.
Besides, I didn’t want this kind of excessive reward that would only bring me enemies.
I just wanted to be a lord who was... reasonably well-liked.
Hearing my words, the two nodded.
“If that is your will, my lord, I will follow it.”
“So will I, my lord.”
Hart looked a little disappointed.
But Nova... she looked ‘deeply’ moved.
What was that about? I didn’t say anything ‘that’ touching, did I?
And so, we decided not to join the suppression campaign directly.
Instead, we’d provide rear support and play along with the Platinum Council’s orders—just enough to save face.
＊ ＊ ＊
One Week Later—The Plains of Dreihart.
A week had passed, and we found ourselves on the plains of Dreihart. Nova, Lana, and I stood atop a hill, observing the gathering forces below. Knights, soldiers, and mages assembled in droves, preparing for the impending battle—a truly magnificent sight.
"As expected, those two houses have joined the fray."
"Their lack of subtlety is almost disappointing."
Indeed, only two banners flew among the assembled forces. The families supporting this suppression campaign were few.
The first was House Raion, known for their battle-hardened nature and unwavering loyalty to the prince. They had arrived promptly, leading their knights with fervor.
The second...
"There you are, Lord Calyx."
A voice called from behind.
Turning around, I came face-to-face with the man himself—the one everyone would be talking about soon enough. A slender man in his forties with a distinctive brown mustache—Baron Zeras Silla. He was the lord of House Silla, a family aligned with the princess and situated to the west of our domain.
“Lord Zeras, it’s been a while. I hope you’ve been well?”
“Splendid, thanks to Her Highness’s generous favor!”
He approached with an easy grin, twirling that ridiculous mustache like he was starring in his own play.
What is with this guy? Did he eat something strange on the way here?
“I heard the princess gave you a little ‘gift’ as well.”
“Ah… yes. Quite a significant one, actually.”
I responded, glancing at Lana.
Meeting my gaze, Lana formed a 'V' with her fingers—a gesture she must've picked up from the academy students.
"Let us, the recipients of the princess's generosity, strive together!"
Zeras exclaimed.
It seems he believed I had wholly aligned myself with the princess's faction due to her gift. I hadn't explicitly stated such, so why the assumption?
"Ah! The princess also asked me to convey her gratitude for your decision to provide rear support."
"I see. Please extend my regards."
The princess likely interpreted my actions as a gesture of deference, allowing Zeras to take the forefront. I responded diplomatically.
"Once this suppression is over, let's share a drink in Dreihart and discuss our 'gifts'!"
He said, descending the hill, seemingly confident in his impending governance over Dreihart.
As Zeras disappeared from view, Sharon descended from the sky.
"Lord, I've set up the『Eye of the Sky』spell."
"Well done, Sharon."
She had cast a spell allowing us to monitor the battlefield from afar. Observing Zeras's retreating figure, she commented.
"So that's Lord Zeras."
"Are you familiar with him?"
"Yes, I heard about him during a brief visit to the Azure Mage Tower. There was talk of a lord in the south who could've been the tower's successor. Judging by his magical aura, it must be him."
Indeed, if Hadem was the 'Prince's Axe,' then Zeras was the 'Princess's Staff.' While not on par with Sharon, Zeras was an SSR-rank mage, and his arrogance stemmed from his confidence in his abilities.
With both Hadem and Zeras participating in the suppression, I silently sent my support to the slaves of Dreihart.
Thus began the『Suppression of the Dreihart Rebellion』.
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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