NOVEL NEXT Chapter 144: The Curtain Rises
Chapter 144: The Curtain Rises
“Father, honestly, look at yourself. You've been loyal to the emperor your entire life, and now, when trouble hits, they can’t even be bothered to protect you.”
“See? Now look where it got you—lying on a bed, unable to move, leaving this family in ruins.”
“You should learn from your son here. I know I’m not much, so I found a powerful backer to latch onto. Who cares about the future? At least I get to live another day, right?”
“Ha, enough of this nonsense. I don’t even know if you can hear me anymore, but I promise you this.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll try to hold this family together.”
In the bedroom, Lynn sat on a chair by the bedside, muttering to himself. He gazed at the bedridden Marquis Bartleon—or rather, Count Bartleon now—and sighed softly.
The man who should have been in his prime now had gray hair and a frail, withered frame. If it weren’t for the faint rise and fall of his chest, even Lynn would have thought he was already dead.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lynn tucked the blanket more securely around his father and briskly walked out of the room.
The head steward of the frontier entourage stood respectfully at the doorway. Lynn’s face remained expressionless. “So? Did you get anything out of them?”The steward nodded. “As you suspected, Young Master Lynn, these people are all spies planted by the Mosgra family over the past year. They’ve been trying to covertly take control of your family.”
“Additionally, according to what they’ve said, Miss Eleanor is currently attending a send-off banquet at the academy, held for the fourth-year students preparing to head to the frontlines.”
A send-off banquet?
Lynn thought back to his own deployment to the demon battlefield; there had been a similar event.
But knowing Eleanor’s personality, with the family in such disarray, she wouldn’t attend such an event unless she was forced to.
It seemed the Mosgra family’s reach extended even further than he’d thought.
Was it because of that vile woman Irina trying to climb even higher?
Lynn’s expression darkened as he pondered.
After a moment, he spoke. “I’m going to change. Prepare the carriage and take me to the academy.”
As he turned to leave, the steward hesitated. “Young Master Lynn, what about the captives?”
Lynn glanced at him. “Tie them up and bring them along.”
Outside the estate, night had fallen, and the stage seemed set for a grand drama.
At the Royal Extraordinary Academy, the Opal Pavilion stood as the largest public building on campus. Tonight, it was brightly lit, resplendent with luxury.
Students, dressed in elegant attire and adorned with refined makeup, strolled into the grand hall in small groups. Despite their youth, their noble heritage endowed them with a natural grace and sophistication. The high standards of the banquet lent the event an air reminiscent of Glostein’s elite social gatherings.
In the first-floor hall, students clustered in groups of three or five, holding drinks and champagne, laughing over campus gossip or casually discussing the border conflicts.
Most of them would one day step into the Empire’s political or military nerve centers, continuing their family legacies and becoming the foundation of the nation. Some family names alone inspired awe.
Yet tonight, the brightest stars of the event weren’t these scions of nobility.
“Senior Xiya recently slew a Fifth-Rank Legendary Demon on the battlefield. That must be a record for the academy, right?”
“Indeed. Only twenty years old, already at the Fourth Rank, and capable of battling those above his level. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone like him in the academy’s history.”
“Hard-pressed? You mean there are others?”
“Are you new here?”
“Sorry, I just transferred here recently, so I’m not too familiar with Imperial Capital affairs.”
“Ah, that explains it. Besides Xiya, there are two others who might compare to him.”
“Who?”
“One of them is the ‘Empire’s Valkyrie.’ She became a Fifth-Rank Legendary at just twenty-four and now commands an army at the border. Though, there’s some rumored intrigue behind her rapid rise.”
“Intrigue?”
“Yes, her achievements seem tied to her former fiancé, the other individual I mentioned. If Xiya hadn’t slain a Fifth-Rank Legendary recently, there’s no way he could compare to that guy.”
“A Fourth Rank at seventeen with 136 Divine Factors. If not for... certain events, he would be...”
“Certain events?”
“Ahem, the Mosgra family...”
“Gossiping about others is hardly a noble virtue.”
The two students were startled by the cold voice from behind and turned nervously to look.
A girl with striking crimson lips stood behind them, her expression displeased as if she had overheard everything.
The girl’s appearance was ordinary, her high cheekbones lending her a slightly sharp and severe look. Yet, with her luxurious attire and noble demeanor, she exuded an air of authority.
“Yunis... Senior Yunis...”
The students broke into cold sweats, recognizing the banquet’s host. If she chose to retaliate, it would spell disaster for their families.
Fortunately, Yunis merely ordered them to pack their things and leave. With relief, the pair scurried away, grateful to avoid punishment.
D**n it.
As Yunis exchanged pleasantries with other guests, a flicker of darkness flashed in her eyes, recalling the gossip she had just overheard.
Suddenly, her male companion spoke up. “Actually, they weren’t wrong.”
“If not for the Mosgra family’s schemes—stealing the Bartleon family’s wealth and status, and Irina transplanting that boy’s Divine Factors—you wouldn’t have your current position.”
“Even so, your position is no more than a house of cards. What’s given can just as easily be taken away.”
Yunis stiffened, her grip on her companion’s arm tightening.
The man by her side wasn’t particularly imposing, but his stern and meticulous demeanor exuded an intimidating seriousness.
With his hair combed neatly and glasses perched on his nose, he looked scholarly and refined.
As the pair moved through the hall, all eyes seemed to follow them—most directed at the man.
He was Fourth Prince Joshua Roland Alexini.
Ranked fourth among the Saint Oak Institution’s candidates, he was a rising star in the Succession Ceremony. Though his score lagged behind Second Prince Felit, his focus on research rather than politics explained the gap.
Joshua led the Saint Roland Research Institute, spearheading advancements in technology, including the transplant technique for Divine Factors, earning him over 3,000 points.
Despite rumors accusing him of abducting vagrants and orphans for experiments, his reputation as a non-contender for the throne shielded him from scrutiny.
Yet, was he truly uninterested in the throne?
After the Level 0 Sealed Artifact incident, the Mosgra family, increasingly estranged from Felit, turned to Joshua as an ally.
When Joshua mentioned Eleanor, a greedy glint flashed in his eyes. “She’s perfect material. Letting her go would be a waste. I intend to dissect her piece by piece until every secret of the Bartleon family is laid bare.”
Hearing this, a chill ran down Yunis’ spine as she involuntarily shivered.