CHAPTER 141

The Franz Count family.

A prestigious family once famous for the moniker "Franz of the Red Wall," a title so renowned that even Mephistopheles recognized them.

Though they were originally a vassal family, few other noble families in the Empire could boast the same long history and tradition as the Franz family. As such, very few would dare to look down on them.

Moreover, they were the leaders of the pro-Imperial faction among the noble power blocs, which only added to their prominence.

Thanks to this, no one in central politics doubted the significant influence the Franz family held.

However, anyone with half a brain knew the truth.

The majority of the power the Franz Count family currently enjoyed was due to the Melvinger family.

The Imperial family's protection, which kept the revival of the Melvinger family in check, meant that everyone simply turned a blind eye.

Count Calgary Franz, the current head of the Franz family, was well aware of this fact.

That's why he had worked tirelessly over the years to erase the shadow of the Melvinger family from his house.

His efforts had helped the Franz family prosper to this point.

Yet, the label of being "a vassal family" was not so easily removed.

Especially now, as the name "Melvinger" was once again starting to attract attention, Count Calgary found himself more on edge than ever.

'Those cockroach-like pests... How in the world did that wretch, who was suffering from the blockage disease, regain his magic?!'

Daily newspapers were being published with headlines about the "revived Melvinger," which only rekindled the past connection between the Franz family and Melvinger.

[The Melvingers rise once again. How will the Franz family respond?]

[Once the sword of the Melvinger family, now turned against them: Franz! An in-depth look at the relationship between the two houses.]

[The revival of a magic royal family is met with praise from various houses. Meanwhile, Count Calgary Franz remains silent.]

At this point, it was enough to drive anyone into a neurotic fit.

In the end, Count Calgary decided to change his approach.

If he couldn't erase them, he would swallow them whole.

This was precisely why he chose to aid the 13th Inspection Bureau, which supported the 4th Prince, when they approached him.

'Yes. It makes no sense to keep avoiding them. I am Franz. Franz, who has risen to such heights that the Melvingers can't even raise their heads anymore. Let's show everyone who is truly superior now, regardless of past glories.'

After all, the Franz family was deeply tied to the 4th Prince.

Rather than shunning the Melvingers, it made more sense to bring them into the fold and then highlight the differences between the two families for all to see.

Sending his son, Rodeo, was part of this plan.

Despite his arrogance, Rodeo was quick-witted and had a past friendship with Elric Melvinger, which Count Calgary believed could be used to pull Elric over to the side of the 4th Prince.

Of course, even if that failed, it wouldn't matter.

As long as Rodeo could show Elric the vast difference between the Melvinger and Franz families, that would suffice.

He had also heard that Elric's relationship with the Crown Prince wasn't good, so he knew Elric had no better option than aligning with the 4th Prince.

But then.

"What... Did you say?"

Count Calgary Franz slammed his teacup down hard as he heard the report from Chamberlain.

Clatter.

Chamberlain bowed his head even deeper.

"Young Master Rodeo... has returned with his left arm severed. He is currently receiving treatment."

"His left arm was cut off? Explain everything in detail!"

Count Calgary trembled with rage, his beard quivering as he shouted.

He had been preparing to personally receive a report from his son after hearing of his return, but now he was faced with this shocking news instead.

"So, it wasn't Elric Melvinger who cut off my son's arm, but the 4th Prince?"

"T-that is correct."

Chamberlain continued to explain what had happened at the northern border, but he couldn't bear to meet Count Calgary's gaze.

He knew all too well that a single misstep could lead to him bearing the brunt of the Count's anger.

"This… this...!"

Count Calgary trembled with fury, unable to contain his rage.

His uncontrolled mana surged out of him.

The teacup shook violently and shattered with a crack, spilling its contents onto the floor as the entire mansion trembled as if an earthquake had struck.

"C-Count, please calm yourself!"

Chamberlain desperately tried to calm Count Calgary, but it wasn't easy.

After all, Count Calgary was an 8th Circle magician, titled a "Archmage."

With the massive amount of mana he possessed, Chamberlain often found himself sweating in situations like this.

"Cromhel...! You dare bring shame upon my family!"

Count Calgary ground his teeth.

He was burning with the desire to storm the Black Light Palace, where the 4th Prince resided.

But he couldn't, because of the vow he had once made with the prince. This only fueled his frustration.

'He knows I can't act on this. That's why he dared to do something like this! Damn him!'

He couldn't direct his wrath at the 4th Prince.

Which meant Count Calgary had only one option.

'Melvinger… I'll hold you accountable for this.'

Elric would have to pay for the part he played in this mess.

'But I can't be too blatant about it, or it won't send the right message to the 4th Prince either.'

Count Calgary decided to use this opportunity to teach Elric—and the world—how vast the gap between the Franz family and the Melvinger family truly was.

After that, he would crush Elric completely, ensuring the name Melvinger would never rise again.

"You said a golden bull was issued for the Melvingers?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"I see..."

Count Calgary stroked his beard for a brief moment, deep in thought.

The mana that had been leaking out of him ceased.

But the Count's deeply sunken eyes only struck Chamberlain as more frightening.

Many of the Melvingers' vassal families had been consumed under that very gaze.

The wolf that had devoured the remaining Melvinger assets was none other than Count Calgary Franz.

"Send a message to Viscount Twork."

"T-Twork, sir?"

Chamberlain was momentarily stunned.

Viscount Twork ruled a peaceful territory in the southwestern fringes of the Empire, a region considered peripheral at best.

However, once upon a time, the Twork family had stood shoulder to shoulder with the Franz family in protecting the Melvinger family.

Now, they were practically sworn enemies of the Franz family.

It had been nearly 20 years since any contact had been made between the two families.

And now, all of a sudden, Count Calgary wanted to reach out to them?

"Yes. Inform them that I'll be visiting soon. Mention the 'Interesia.' That will get them to respond immediately."

"I-I understand."

Chamberlain, knowing full well what "Interesia" implied, kept his thoughts to himself.

He couldn't risk revealing that he knew about the treasure vault that the Melvinger family once owned.

As Chamberlain left, Count Calgary continued to grind his teeth in frustration, alone in his office.

***

The news that Elric had passed the Magus certification exam in just 30 minutes spread rapidly, becoming a headline throughout the Imperial capital.

[The hero of Lacente, now the hero of the Magic Administration!]

[The spectacular rise of Elric Melvinger!]

[A new star ascends!]

[Perfect scores in all sections! A special report on his study secrets!]

[Radiant Star Duke becomes the youngest Magus.]

['I'll be back before the drink even cools.' A confident promise made before stepping out of the carriage to his friend.]

"What's so impressive about this that everyone's making such a fuss?" Elric chuckled, looking at the pile of newspapers stacked on his desk.

He seemed thoroughly amused.

Sean, watching Elric, was left utterly speechless.

"You cocky bastard."

Elric clearly knew how impressive his achievements were.

There was no way someone as sharp as him didn't realize the magnitude of what he had accomplished. He was simply pretending to be unaware, mocking everyone else in the process.

'Still, 30 minutes… really?'

Sean had never expected Elric to fail, but when Elric said he'd be back in 30 minutes, Sean had thought it was just a joke.

Even Sean's older sister, a genius among geniuses, hadn't been able to finish the exam that quickly.

But Elric had done it.

As a result, there was now talk of placing Elric alongside the "Three New Stars" as a rising star in the Empire.

Especially with the recent rumors that Elric had saved the 4th Prince from an assassination attempt in the North, this public sentiment was gaining even more traction.

"What did I do?" Elric asked, pretending to be oblivious.

"Forget it. What's the point of talking more? It's just going to give me a headache."

"What's this thing about a drink, though?"

"I don't know. Just ignore it. People are coming up with all kinds of stories because of what happened."

"Hehe."

"Are you happy?"

"Of course I am."

"You attention-seeking bastard."

"What's so bad about that? The more fame, the better."

Sean couldn't even bring himself to mention how he'd spent the morning being harassed by the elders of the Senate and the Guest House.

'No matter how many times I tell them I'm not the one setting the schedule, none of them ever listen…!'

Elric had yet to formally start his lessons with the Senate or the Guest House.

He was still carefully selecting the magic from the list they had promised to teach him.

As a result, Sean was the one bearing the brunt of the pressure from both parties.

Every day, he had to deal with threats disguised as friendly advice: "Since you're his friend, why don't you have a word with him?"

Some of the elders had even said, half-jokingly, "If we can't teach Elric, then we'll start with you!"

Despite feeling like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Sean never once mentioned any of this to Elric.

He believed that the decision should be entirely Elric's, and he didn't want to push him into anything, like what had happened when Elric became the successor of the Night's Chronicle.

"You decided where you're going for the third test?" Sean asked, trying to shake off the lingering voices of the elders that echoed in his mind.

While the newspapers were treating Elric like a fully-fledged Magus, he had only passed the first two stages of the exam. The final, third stage—often called the "Quest"—still awaited him.

Only after completing this real-world test would Elric be recognized as a full Magus.

The provisional certificate he received was issued for this very reason.

"Of course."

"Where?"

"The Crimson Ghost Forest."

"Hm? That's unexpected. There are usually a lot of people there. You hate crowded places."

The Crimson Ghost Forest was a wilderness near the Imperial capital, known for its frequent appearances of ghost-type monsters like specters and banshees.

Though it was a high-difficulty area, its terrain and strategies were well-documented, making it a popular spot for martial artists and magicians to gain practical experience.

Given the public nature of the area, Sean found it odd that Elric had chosen such a place for his Quest.

"Oh, I don't have much time left, so I figured I'd just get it over with quickly."

Elric brushed it off as if it were no big deal.

Though, in reality, that wasn't the case at all.

[Is it true, Mephisto? Is it true that the house where Otto Han once stayed is there?]

[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]