Chapter 7

Lord's Meeting (3)

"......"

What?

What did I just hear?

For a moment, she thought she might have misunderstood what the woman said.

But no matter how she interpreted it, the meaning was clear.

The woman just asked if I have any intention of becoming the lord of Caldric.

'......Is she serious?'

No, that can't be.

It must be a joke.

I must have taken it too seriously because I was on edge...

"Ah, don't misunderstand. I'm not just saying this; I'm really asking if you have no intention of becoming a lord."

"......"

"It's been several years since the 7th Lord's seat has been vacant. We can't leave it empty forever, but there's no one who really fits the bill. Just then, Sir Ron came along. I would like you to take the 7th Lord's seat."

......What is this woman talking about?

Take the 7th Lord's seat? Who? Me?

From the way she said it, it was clear she wasn't joking.

I tried to hide my confusion and bewilderment, maintaining my composure.

'But why is the 7th Lord's seat vacant?'

What happened to Salgui Ripleygon, the 7th Lord I know?

And the fact that the other Lord is different suggests that there might be a time difference from the background of Lasa I played.

'Considering the existence of the 2nd Lord, Noehu, it seems to be a few years in the past, not the future...'

Well, now wasn't the time to ponder such things...

"Great Lord... Are you serious?"

The silence that followed was broken by Noehu, who spoke first.

"I was wondering why an outsider was invited, but this is what you had in mind. You want to decide it right here and now with everyone gathered?"

The Tyrant King also leaned back in his chair, letting out a hollow laugh.

The other Lords didn't speak, but they all looked equally bewildered, except for the Sky Lord, who had been spacing out the whole time.

Of course.

The Nine Lords, except for the Great Lord Rashetain, are absolute beings with power no one can touch, and the very symbol of Caldric.

To casually decide who should sit in such a lofty position as if it were a lunch menu...

I was flabbergasted, and I could only imagine how the other Lords felt.

The Great Lord laughed calmly alone.

"It might be sudden, but you all know, don't you? The only qualification for the Lord's seat is ability."

Noehu immediately protested.

"I find it hard to accept. What has this person done to prove his ability?"

"He has proven it sufficiently. He killed Saintea's power in one strike."

"......!"

"Is that right, Chief Strategist?"

"That's correct."

Deyphon confirmed the Great Lord's question.

It seemed he had also heard about what happened on the transport ship.

"Huh, killed the power?"

The Lords looked quite surprised.

Of course, all the Lords of Caldric are stronger than the power, but in terms of levels, it's only a few levels difference. However, at high levels, especially in the 80s and 90s, each level makes a significant difference.

What surprised them was probably not just the fact that he killed the power, but that he did it in one strike.

"Moreover, he even saw through my true identity in one go. Has there ever been another Lord who did that?"

The Lords fell silent at this.

It seemed that the other Lords had also experienced similar pranks from the Great Lord at some point.

In the midst of this, the Sky Lord, who had been silent, suddenly raised his hand.

"Okay, except for the 3rd Lord."

The Sky Lord lowered his hand and stared blankly into space again.

The other Lords didn't pay much attention to him, as his eccentric behavior was nothing new.

Sinthei looked at me and Deyphon alternately and asked.

"By the way, Great Lord, I'm curious about the details of the mission the Chief Strategist went on to Saintea this time."

"That was one of the agenda items, so let's put it aside for a moment."

The Great Lord looked around the round table.

"Anyway, I think there's no problem with Sir Ron taking the Lord's seat. What do you think? Any objections?"

At that moment, Noehu spoke again.

"Then can I verify it myself?"

Verify?

The meaning became clear with his next words.

"I want to test this Ron's capabilities right here. A light duel, surely the Great Lord would allow it?"

......My heart turned cold.

My heart sank, but my calmness held it in place.

'Here it comes.'

It finally happened.

The crisis I had been worried about since entering the meeting room, sitting among these monstrous Lords.

"Are you serious, 2nd Lord? Trying to blow up the Great Lord's castle?"

The Tyrant King leaned on the armrest of his chair and chuckled.

"With the Great Lord here, there's no problem. Huh, this is getting interesting."

The Black Sea Empress also chimed in, her tentacles fluttering.

The other Lords all looked on with keen interest.

"Hmm, well......"

The Great Lord looked directly at me.

From her smiling expression, it felt like she had anticipated this from the beginning.

"What do you think, Sir?"

......There's nothing to think about.

2nd Lord Noehu, Eliseus.

A monster capable of causing a lightning storm across an entire region when at full power.

Fighting him would be like an ant fighting an elephant, far more irrational.

One gesture from her, and I would turn into black ashes and scatter.

I have no abilities except for the ability to die instantly.

'Is there a way out......?'

Everyone's attention was on my answer.

I don't know what reaction I would get if I avoided the fight without a good reason.

But at least the situation wouldn't turn in my favor.

A rather plausible bluff came to mind.

I had no idea if it would work, but staying silent any longer would make the atmosphere strange.

I glanced at Noehu and spoke.

"If it's okay to kill the opponent."

And I added.

"I have no talent for just subduing them."

"......"

The meeting room fell into a cold silence with just those two sentences.

The next moment, a terrifying pressure filled the space.

"Insolent......"

Ku-gu-gu-gu.

Noehu, with sparks flying from her body, glared at me with murderous intent.

My statement was a clear provocation, implying that I could kill her if I wanted to.

'......Is this what they call killing intent?'

A chilling sensation ran through my body.

I maintained my composure, calmly receiving Noehu's killing intent.

I could feel the pressure, but thanks to the Emperor's Soul, I felt no mental or emotional disturbance.

There was a reason I made the atmosphere even more intense instead of avoiding the fight.

I was aiming for the Great Lord's mediation.

I said I would accept the duel if it was okay to kill the opponent, and Noehu, provoked, became completely enraged. It was a much more intense reaction than I expected.

If the situation was made so that neither side would end it lightly, the Great Lord wouldn't allow the fight...... right?

'Please, stop her quickly.'

The atmosphere was so intense that I felt a lightning strike might hit my seat at any moment.

Just as I was starting to regret my hasty decision, the Great Lord spoke.

"Enough."

Her tone was a bit more serious than before.

Noehu obediently calmed down, though she still glared at me.

"In this case, there's no choice. It won't be a light duel anymore."

The Great Lord returned to her innocent tone and smiled, as if to ease the tension.

I breathed a deep sigh of relief internally.

It was fortunate that things went as planned.

The other Lords, who couldn't read minds, looked disappointed at missing out on a good show.

"Well, I don't really care either way."

Guanglang grinned.

"He doesn't seem like a cheap vampire. Appointing a Lord is the Great Lord's prerogative, so why should we have a say?"

"Why am I always the one to get dragged into things?"

The Blood King clicked his tongue.

Sinthei also glanced at me and chimed in.

"Though it's sudden, I don't doubt the Great Lord's judgment. We can't leave the 7th Lord's seat vacant forever. I have no objections to the decision."

Apart from Noehu, no other Lord seemed to voice any complaints.

They seemed more indifferent or accepting of the Great Lord's decision.

But why is it already decided when I haven't even accepted yet?

'......I see.'

The Lord of Caldric.

The pinnacle of power in one of the four major forces on the continent. Who would refuse such a position?

The problem is that I have no abilities that match the position of a Lord.

So far, I've managed to create a huge misconception about my abilities, but the truth is that I can't even guard a city gate.

This luck might not last forever.

If I accept the Great Lord's offer and become the 7th Lord, it would be like crossing a river from which there's no return.

'But if I refuse......'

That would also be a risky choice.

I came to the Great Lord's castle to make enemies in Caldric and even attended the Lord's meeting.

And the Great Lord offered me the best possible conditions.

What would be the reaction if I tried to back out now?

Her friendly attitude might instantly turn hostile, accusing me of deceiving her.

I couldn't tell if it would be a foolish act of bravery or a wise choice to avoid the worst.

'Should I ask for more time to think?'

My mind was a mess.

Would it be better to delay the decision a bit?

At that moment, Guanglang looked at me and spoke.

"Too bad. We had a deal to fight whenever we met, remember? Now that you're going to be a Lord, that won't be possible."

......When did we make such a deal?

And what does he mean by 'not possible if I become a Lord'?

Then I remembered.

In Caldric, battles between Lords are strictly prohibited.

It's a minimal rule to ensure that the highly individualistic Lords can coexist without major conflicts.

"I also hate ending things lightly. A proper duel should go until one side is on the brink of death, don't you think? I thought we would get along well, but it's a shame."

"......"

His cheerful, yet deadly, words made me realize a terrifying possibility.

If I refuse the Lord's position, that crazy monster might challenge me to a fight right after the meeting.

He already tried to stab me on our first meeting, so it's a very real possibility.

Not to mention, Noehu is still glaring at me as if she's about to eat me. She's even more dangerous.

If I choose to refuse, I'll have to worry about what happens right after the meeting.

Accept or refuse.

Both choices are between a bad and a worse outcome, similar to the situation on the transport ship.

I regretted bringing things to this point.

I should have found a way to escape this damn castle before meeting the Great Lord.

......But regret is useless, and time forced me to make a decision.

"Alright, now it's up to Sir Ron's answer."

The Great Lord's final declaration.

"As the Great Lord of Caldric, I formally propose to you. Will you take the 7th Lord's seat?"

In the quiet silence of the meeting room, with all the Lords' attention focused on me.

I finally made up my mind and spoke, half resigned.

"......I accept."