"My lord, are you really... a descendant of the Augustus Clan?"
"I know the origin of the Double-headed Eagle Badge, but you... what exactly is your background?"
Now that Agathaâsomething of an outsiderâhad left, only insiders remained. Matthew couldnât help but ask out of curiosity.
Dalia, too, was brimming with curiosity as she looked at Fang Zhen.
Fang Zhenâs expression was grave, as if he were a man with a deep past. He stared straight ahead for five or six seconds, his gaze serious yet unfocused.
The pose had a profound, artistic quality; the training heâd undergone had sharpened the contours of his face, making him resemble a pensive sculpture.
"Donât ask. Thereâs no need to bring up my past."
To Dalia and Matthew, he seemed incredibly mysterious. One look was all it took to know he was a man with a profound history, a man who had lived through stories untold.
Since Fang Zhen had said so, Dalia and Matthew asked no more questions.
He was no insignificant man. On the contrary, his authority and aura had grown ever more substantial, lending great weight to his words.
Matthew held his tongue out of fear; Dalia, out of deep respect.
Besides, the more mysterious he was, the more it fueled Daliaâs imagination and curiosity.
âAs for Fang Zhen, the truth was that he couldnât be bothered to lie to his own people, and he was too lazy to invent a background story.â
"Matthewâs guess was right," Fang Zhen said. "I found the Double-headed Eagle Badge when I destroyed the Goblin Nest. I had no idea I could activate it. I only just tried, and it actually lit up."
Tade could attest that every word he spoke was the truth.
As for how others interpreted it, that was their business. He couldnât control their thoughts.
Hearing Fang Zhenâs words, Dalia and Matthew exchanged looks of understanding. Their last shred of doubt vanished as their minds filled in the gaps, creating a complete and logical story.
"You were born extraordinary; you just didnât know it," Dalia said in an exceptionally gentle tone.
"The Double-headed Eagle Badge has actually been in my familyâs possession all this time. My ancestor was the last person to see Sword Saint Augustus, and also the first to learn of his departure."
"My ancestor was Sword Saint Augustusâs most trusted confidant, a comrade-in-arms who faced life and death by his side. Before his departure, he entrusted the Double-headed Eagle Badge, along with all the documents proving the Augustus Clanâs lineage, to my ancestor."
"This is a secret the Cristin Clan has guarded for generations. Out of loyalty to a comrade and a commitment to upholding that trust, we have never spoken of it to an outsider."
A strange light glinted in Daliaâs eyes as she continued:
"It must be divine providence that this badge came into your possession."
"I possess all the documents and evidence proving the Augustus Clanâs lineage. This is more than enough to verify your identity. I will give them all to you so you can claim your rightful title as Duke."
Fang Zhen chuckled. "Iâm not that naive," he said. "Claiming the title of Duke wonât be so easy, Iâm afraid."
"Why not? You have the evidence I can provide, and your prowess rivals that of the Sword Saint himself. Is that not enough?" Dalia asked, puzzled.
"Dalia," Fang Zhen said, "the Cristin Clanâs loyalty to its friends is admirable, but the real world doesnât operate on principles of honor and allegiance."
"The emergence of a new Duke would be a political earthquake for the Kingdom. Even with sufficient proof, many will refuse to acknowledge my claim."
Dalia considered his words and fell silent.
Her own experience with the politics of the nobility told her that Fang Zhen was right.
âLaws could be amended, identities questioned. Even if you were the genuine article, if someone in power needed you to be a fake, then you were a fake. The truth would be irrelevant.â
âAnd besides, the authenticity of Fang Zhenâs identity was shaky to begin with.â
"Then, what do we do?" Dalia asked, looking up at him.
"Itâs not a problem, actually," Fang Zhen said with a smile. "With the right incentives, I imagine the Royal Family might just be willing to recognize me as this âDukeâ."
There was a confident, knowing quality to Fang Zhenâs smile.
He wasnât naive enough to believe he could inherit the identity and the ducal title so easily.
âBut, as heâd just implied, if those in power didnât want to acknowledge you, truth could be made into lies.â
âAnd if the right deals were struck, if key figures needed you to be real, then lies could be made into truth.â
âAt that point, the truth itself would hardly matter.â
âIt was the classic case of truth becoming falsehood and falsehood becoming truth.â
âAnd Fang Zhen already had the beginnings of a plan to cement his claim.â
...
ăHalf an hour later.ă
Fang Zhen rode his towering Red Hare Warhorse, with Agatha, the Knights of the Ashton Territory, and several hundred soldiers behind him. Radiating a murderous aura, they charged toward Count Henryâs encampment.