lpffa Chapter 151 : The Higher the Mountain, the Deeper the Valley (1)
Chapter 151 : The Higher the Mountain, the Deeper the Valley (1)
Chapter 151: The Higher the Mountain, the Deeper the Valley (1)
With the news that regular classes would resume starting next week, the returning students were enjoying what little free time they had left.
Though even then, there was only so much they could do within the academy grounds. Due to the recent incident, leaving campus required passing through several stages of authorization, so at best, they gathered in the plaza or dormitories to chat idly.
Among them, however, the atmosphere surrounding Class 3 of the second-year students—Francia’s class—was especially gloomy.
Part of it was because Eric Halenber, who had often led the class atmosphere, had left Karbenna.
But more than that, it was because their class president, Chloe, had lost her life in this battle.
Sitting heavily on a sofa in the lobby, one cadet let out a deep sigh.
“Haah… Honestly, I thought this was someone else’s problem.”
“Yeah.”
“Same here.”
They hadn’t exactly been close friends.
Still, she had been a class president who tried to get along warmly with everyone, so there had at least been some degree of familiarity.
No matter what, a classmate they had spent all this time together with had suddenly died. Before even reaching adulthood.
Their silence held mourning for her, certainly.
But more than grief, what dominated them was anxiety.
The fear that they too might one day die like that on the battlefield.
Most students at Karbenna were children of noble families. They understood better than anyone just how great the privileges they possessed were.
But as for the sacrifices and responsibilities they were expected to bear in exchange for those privileges… honestly, those things had only ever felt vague and distant.
That was why this incident struck them so deeply.
People outside always spoke seriously about Beast incidents and disasters, but they had secretly believed themselves to be unrelated to such things.
At that moment—
While sighs and hushed whispers softly echoed through the lobby.
Creeeak―
Francia appeared in the lobby after finishing her morning training and taking a short rest.
“…….”
“…….”
She no longer felt the gazes of people ignoring or antagonizing her.
But instead—
A different kind of gaze was now painfully obvious.
If she had to describe it in one word…
Reverence.
The overwhelming accomplishments and power she had displayed on the battlefield had filled them with both admiration and fear.
Francia neither accepted nor rejected those gazes.
She simply continued walking outside.
Because she knew well enough that the path she walked and the paths they would walk had already become completely different.
She planned to spend the remaining afternoon in the library before returning to the training grounds around four o’clock.
As soon as she stepped outside Building G, a familiar voice greeted her.
“Did you rest well?”
It was Eugene Carter.
“Vena Ribenia.”
Out of habit, she saluted before asking,
“What brings you all the way here…?”
Without answering directly, Eugene merely turned his body and replied,
“Let’s walk first.”
From Building G toward the Plaza of Glory, the two walked silently for quite some time.
After casually returning salutes to those they passed, Eugene suddenly spoke.
“Are you alright?”
“…….”
“You don’t look very well.”
“…I’m fine. My condition’s fully recovered, and I’ve already rechecked my abilities. I’m confident now in simultaneous and continuous use of Aura Blades.”
“That’s not what I was asking… but fine. Neither of us likes beating around the bush anyway.”
Eugene hesitated briefly before carefully changing the subject.
“I intend to meet Jeff Halenber soon.”
The moment that name—the same as an archenemy—left his mouth, the atmosphere around Francia sharply chilled.
“…Why?”
“To secure leverage against the Bernhardts.”
That was the surface-level reason, at least.
But there was another reason too.
“I’m planning to confirm whether Halenber really destroyed the Brida and Vergel Families.”
Francia’s eyes flashed sharply.
Curiosity and fury both burned within them.
“That bastard… do you think he’ll willingly confess to that?”
“I’ll persuade him.”
“…….”
“He’s already completely isolated. First, he tried to kill his adopted daughter just to save himself. Then afterward, he made the idiotic choice of turning the entire Bernhardt faction—his own support base—into his enemy. Fear probably clouded his judgment, but words carry consequences.”
If he wanted to live like a human being now, judicial bargaining was probably his only option.
Saying that, Eugene added firmly toward the conflicted Francia.
“I don’t want you to become consumed by vengeance. I mean that sincerely.”
But I don’t believe ignorance is mercy either.
“If you want to know, then you need to know. Only then can you judge and decide for yourself.”
That’s why I’m giving you a choice.
“A choice….”
Extending his hand toward his disciple, Eugene smiled faintly.
“Hear the truth from him and decide, Francia. Whether you’ll stop here satisfied… or continue moving forward.”
At his disciple’s silent response, the master nodded quietly.
“We leave tomorrow morning. If you’ve made up your mind by then, come to the main building.”
Then he disappeared off into the distance without another word.
Watching him silently, Francia suddenly sprinted toward the Mage Studies Hall as if possessed.
---
The next day, exactly 10 AM.
Inside the Imperial Correctional Bureau located northwest of the Imperial Palace.
Jeff Halenber, head of the Halenber Family, was imprisoned in one of the facility’s C-Rank detention cells.
The primary charges were violations of laws regarding Hokhma management and attempted murder.
But in truth, it was little different from protective custody.
After falling out of favor with the Bernhardts due to his many blunders during the summit, even preserving his own life had become difficult.
The attempted murder charge would likely end due to insufficient evidence.
But the Hokhma-related crimes were unavoidable.
In that case, wouldn’t it be better to request protection under the pretext of whistleblowing, delay the trial as much as possible, and hope the Bernhardts became too occupied by other matters to focus on him?
That had been the best solution Jeff Halenber could devise at the time.
However, the Centre Agreement and the Joint War of Mallet that occurred afterward had completely erased his value.
I was planning to survive by siding with Edel Ribenia if necessary… but judging by how things are going, these bastards look ready to wage all-out war against the Bernhardts.
While grimly reading through a newspaper with tightly clenched lips, a prison guard suddenly approached him.
“C―109. You have visitors.”
“Hm. Visitors… wait, visitors?”
“Yes.”
The guard then released the Locking Magic with a Wand and unlocked the iron door with a key.
Clank, clank.
Creeeak!
“Come out.”
“How was visitation even approved? I was under a visitation ban!”
“How would I know? Just move already. I’m busy.”
The guard carelessly dragged Jeff toward the visitation room.
Inside the visitation room on the third-floor lobby, familiar faces awaited him.
The war hero of Karbenna and the Special Task Force, Eugene Carter.
The survivor of a fallen family and Heir of the Sword Saint, Francia Brida.
And Lea Bronte, personal maid of the Third Princess Edel Ribenia.
The moment he saw the three, Jeff froze stiffly in place with a blank face.
After roughly shoving him into the visitation room, the guard calmly read the instructions.
“Visitation is permitted until noon. Any disturbance may be punished under applicable laws.”
Once the guard left indifferently, Eugene tapped the edge of the table and spoke.
“Sit down first. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
Gulp.
Despite saying they had much to discuss, the three remained silent for over five minutes.
Feeling his mouth dry out by the second, Jeff sneered toward them.
“You personally lifted that supposedly strict visitation ban just to meet an enemy like me. Should I feel honored?”
Lea snorted.
“It wasn’t difficult. Her Highness approved it immediately.”
“…I see.”
Next, Eugene took over.
“You’ve been anxious this whole time, haven’t you? Wondering what you’d do if you got branded as completely useless and rotted away in prison.”
“I was anxious, yes… but I suppose I don’t need to worry anymore. Not if you came here personally.”
“Really? I wouldn’t relax just yet.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
“This is your last chance. If you start scheming here, you can forget judicial bargaining forever.”
“…….”
“So quit wasting energy on pointless things and answer what we ask honestly. Without a single lie. Understood?”
Jeff’s spirit rapidly crumbled beneath words that were practically threats.
‘That damned Eugene Carter sure loves hearing himself talk.’
Part of him was irritated that a brat far younger than him spoke without the slightest respect.
But what infuriated him most—
Was the fact that not a single word Eugene said was wrong.
The struggle for dominance within the Empire had now entered a three-way conflict.
The First Faction led by Abel Ribenia, centered around the still overwhelmingly influential Bernhardt Family, despite the Ribenian Orthodox Faith losing its central authority after the war.
The Second Faction led by Rachel Ribenia, who fiercely dominated high society while backed by a majority of noble houses.
And the Third Faction led by Edel Ribenia, whose support base had originally consisted of the Special Task Force and civilians, but through Eugene Carter’s achievements had now also gained Karbenna and Mallet as allies.
The only faction left that he could possibly rely on now—
Was the Third Faction.
Taking his silence as agreement, Francia finally asked the question.
“The one who destroyed and absorbed the Brida Family and the Vergel Family… and inflicted devastating damage on the Bronte Family as well…”
“Was it you, Jeff Halenber?”
“…So that’s what you wanted to know.”
Jeff let out a deep sigh and relaxed into his seat.
There was no longer any hostility or doubt visible in him.
“It was partly to expand our core businesses. But if that had been the only reason, we wouldn’t have expanded the family while ignoring such fierce public opposition.”
Back then, we were forced to pay enormous tribute every year.
“Ten years ago, it was already 300,000 Riben annually. Now, it’s close to 400,000 Riben. They forced us to pay that tribute every single year. For twenty years, without missing once.”
“…….”
“If not for the pressure of those tribute payments, we wouldn’t have squeezed neighboring territories so desperately and violently. There would’ve been no need.”
I assume you already know who I’m referring to without me needing to say it.
Oddly enough, there was even a sense of relief on Jeff’s face as he said that.
Right then—
Francia lunged forward like an arrow and grabbed Jeff by the collar.
“Ghk?!”
“So what, you’re trying to say none of this was your fault? If you couldn’t handle the tribute payments, then you should’ve just left the Bernhardt faction! You were the one who sacrificed weaker neighboring families because you wanted more wealth, more territory, more influence!”
“And what’s wrong with that?! Every power in history has grown that way! They gather resources, secure manpower, crush those around them, and take what remains for themselves! Isn’t that exactly how the Ribenia Empire itself was built?!”
“You…!”
As Francia prepared to throw him to the floor and draw her sword in one motion, Eugene stopped her with one hand.
“That’s enough, Francia.”
Then he violently stomped on Jeff’s left arm and twisted it backward.
“GAAAAAAAH!!”
“I already knew you were rotten to the core… but shouldn’t you at least pretend to shed crocodile tears here?”
“Concepts like sympathy, mercy, and compromise don’t exist in this world! You should understand that better than anyone!”
“That’s enough rationalization. Let’s talk business now.”
Toward the man desperately spewing excuses, Eugene released a killing intent unlike anything he had shown before.
“That massive tribute the Bernhardts collected…”
“What exactly were they investing it into? Hm?”