Translator: Cinder Translations
...
The candlelight cast a shadow of a tall, slightly hunchbacked figure on the white wall. An elderly man with snowy white hair trembled as he held a quill tightly, rapidly writing something on the paper.
"Your Highness, please forgive my abrupt departure…"
He furrowed his brow for a moment, then decided to speak directly.
"You have betrayed Aldor for the sake of making peace with the Orcs, a country inhabited by humans like us."
"Before this, I could never have imagined that you would make such an unwise decision. I apologize for the harsh words, but with my limited wisdom, I cannot fathom the deep strategy behind this action."
"Wasn't Aldor already enough for you? We stirred up the rebellion of Giles, and this country was plunged into disarray. With its weakened state, we had already achieved our initial goal—making it unable to focus on the affairs of the continent."
"Under such circumstances, what is the purpose of bringing in the savage Orcs, subjecting the people of Aldor to another layer of suffering?"
"Now those barbaric creatures have entered the fertile northern lands of Aldor, a place rich in population and resources, which will eventually cause the already destructive force of the Grassland King's camp to expand into something uncontrollable. Perhaps…"
The old man's hand began to shake more violently, and the worry on his face was evident. He persisted in writing.
"Like most people, I once held contempt for this nomadic race. I despised their culture, believing that their society, with its constant raids and lack of a settled home, would always remain weak, no matter how strong their military might."
"But after hearing about the Orcs' latest situation from Marshal McDonald, I began to study this race that human scholars have long ignored."
"Finally, I realized that the Marshal's warning was not exaggerated. The Orcs have begun to learn from human society. Originally a scattered force, they are gradually transitioning into a centralized state. But until recently, they were not yet a true threat. Their fragile ecological system on the plains couldn't provide the sustained power needed for conquest. The most crucial task was to prevent the Orcs from gaining access to agricultural lands that could continuously supply resources."
"But now they have it—because of your strategy. Although the northern lands of Aldor are not particularly wealthy, they still have the potential to support a powerful force. The ancestors of Rodney once conquered the western end of the continent from the north…"
The elderly man wrote weakly, "Your Highness, I am sorry, but I can no longer serve you."
"If we let this go unchecked, humanity may be trampled under the Orcs' iron hooves before we ever face the great destroyer of the prophecy. I realize I must do something. This is a desperate decision. My own small power can stir no waves, but still, I must act."
"Here, I wish you smooth success in your endeavors, and may our shared ideals eventually come to fruition—humanity united under one banner to fight against human enemies, whether they be the Orcs in reality or the destroyers of prophecy."
Yarvi picked up the letter, carefully blowing on the ink to dry it. He sighed and carefully folded the letter, placing it in an envelope and laying it neatly on his desk.
At that moment, the door of the room was gently knocked. He turned cautiously.
"Master Yarvi, the carriage is ready."
It was his servant and bodyguard, Marek. Yarvi breathed a sigh of relief.
"We're leaving now!"
He quickly walked outside without hesitation.
Three days later, when the scholars at the Academy realized that the famous scholar Yarvi had left, they weren't immediately alarmed. After all, it was common for such high-ranking scholars to lock themselves away in their rooms for days or even nights to think, so no one dared to disturb Yarvi.
It wasn't until Aldridge came to see him for an errand that he discovered the room was empty, with two letters on the desk—one for him and one for Prince Antonio.
Aldridge hurried to the palace.
"Why did Yarvi do this?"
Antonio, after a brief shock, was confused. This was so sudden.
"The letter explains everything!" Aldridge silently thought.
He glanced at Antonio with some concern. For a long time, the prince's subordinates had been loyal to him, and Antonio had grown accustomed to their loyalty. So when something like this happened, he couldn't accept the simple explanation in the letter.
Ever since learning of the trade agreement Antonio had made with the Orcs in the north, Yarvi had vehemently opposed it, but he hadn't succeeded.
Antonio had still gone through with the deal—ordering the Arcane Order to cooperate with the Orcs' invasion of Aldor. If the Orcs were tied up in Aldor, even if only temporarily, it would benefit Antonio in consolidating his control over Gabella.
"Cough! Perhaps it's the Aldor bloodline in him causing this," Aldridge explained. "It may make it emotionally hard for him to accept your decision."
"Bloodline?" Antonio asked, stunned, his gaze darkening. "I understand."
Perhaps this explained it. His own bloodline had made him naturally inclined to side with the wizards.
"Your Highness!" In the room was Enoch Christopher, a member of the Ten of the Arcane Order. His sharp voice reminded them, "Master Yarvi knows too many secrets. Perhaps you should…" He made a gesture everyone understood.
"You…" Aldridge widened his eyes, defending his younger colleague, "I guarantee on my honor, Yarvi will never reveal any secrets that would harm us."
"Oh! Master Aldridge," Enoch said in a mocking tone, "I respect your character and knowledge, but you're not a god. I'd prefer not to lose both our secrets and your integrity someday."
Antonio furrowed his brows, considering the matter as he looked back and forth between the two.
"Master!" Antonio finally looked at Aldridge with a sad expression. Aldridge lowered his head, and the head scholar of the Academy remained calm.
"I ask that you let him leave with dignity."
Antonio nodded slowly, then turned his gaze to the other person in the room.
"Ingrid, you go and see Yarvi off. Do as Aldridge suggested."
"Me?" The witch, who had been silent, frowned, displeased. "Yarvi left three days ago."
Her beautiful face seemed always covered in a layer of frost, and her frown made the temperature in the room drop.
Antonio rarely appeared so pleading. "That's why I'm asking you. No one else can be trusted with this more than you."
The witch's lips curled slightly, and the temperature in the room rose again.
"Since that's the case, fine," she said.
(End of the Chapter)
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