Chapter 45

Translator: Pai_

Marriage is a sacred ceremony where a man and a woman are united as husband and wife.

This has been a custom in human society since the era of the old empire, but when it came to nobles, the story was slightly different.

Unlike ordinary humans, nobles, as descendants of gods, had a need to spread the bloodline of magic as much as possible.

There were two main forms of marriage among nobles.

The first was a relatively equal union between wizards, similar to the marriages of commoners, called companion marriage.

The second was a form where inferior wizards were attached to a superior wizard, called subordination marriage.

What the seven families proposed now was the latter, subordination marriage, offering Turan women with a certain degree of innate potential, daughters of knights, as his brides.

Of course, they would only be concubines and thus dared not interfere in the governance of Kalamaf.

“They are young ladies who have been carefully educated to ensure they lack nothing in terms of appearance or refinement, all to become the concubines of noble figures like yourself.”

Young ladies, raised under strict supervision from an early age to be taken as noble concubines...

He had read about this before while studying the management methods of wizard families in the library.

They supposedly selected those who, while being the children of knights, either did not possess magical power or had ambiguous magical potential, and who also happened to be outstanding in beauty.

Of course, carnal desire wasn't exclusive to men, and not all men desired women, so there were also males who served similar roles.

However, due to issues like pregnancy and other factors, the demand for them was said to be far lower.

“Before anything else, I’d like to know why such a proposal has come up. It’s too sudden of a matter.”

Turan listened with a blank expression before asking back.

It had been about a month since he had become the protector of Kalamaf.

Though it was a considerable amount of time, the neighboring families had remained silent, neither trying to restrain nor interact with the unknown young upstart who had taken control of the city.

And now, instead of coming forward to say, Let’s meet and get to know each other, they suddenly made such a proposal?

Hearing the question, the noble who had come from Ravana City confidently declared.

“We understand that the Lord of Kalamaf is struggling with the management of the city due to not having established a family! Isn’t it the case that you can’t even make use of the central mansion at the moment? By taking seven concubines and producing descendants, among them will surely be some competent knights, who will be of great use in your future governance! Since half of their bloodline would originate from us, it would also greatly contribute to strengthening mutual friendship.”

What he said was indeed the fundamental reason nobles formed families.

Even a wizard as powerful as a god was, in the end, only one body.

No matter how vast the land they ruled, they could not simultaneously repel magical beasts appearing from the east, west, south, and north, nor could they issue orders to scattered commoners all at once.

In contrast, a noble with even four ordinary knights under their command could station them across different areas and govern vast territories without lifting a finger.

The more nobles and knights one secured, the easier it became to rule a large domain.

Turan sat quietly, contemplating.

Why had such a proposal suddenly emerged, and why now?

As he recalled recent events, the answer wasn’t difficult to deduce.

‘So, it’s because they heard the news that the western threat will soon be eliminated. They’re planning to take the lead in controlling Kalamaf in the future.’

Recently, after making contact with House Arabion's army and discovering what the western threat was, Turan had made this information public.

By clarifying the threat that endangered the city and spreading the news that it would soon disappear, he had reassured the people.

There was no reason to keep it a secret, neither the Dark Elves nor the Dwarves would have planted spies among humans, after all.

It was evident that the lords of the Gray Zone, having heard this news, were now trying to stake a claim in Kalamaf, whose value was bound to rise.

‘The distance between cities usually takes three days to a week for an ordinary person to walk… For a knight, depending on the individual, it might take only a few hours to a day. Did they use knights as messengers to quickly consult each other? Or maybe they had already discussed it beforehand.’

Whether it was one way or another, the fact that the lords of the seven neighboring cities acted together carried significant implications.

Rather than ousting Turan, they had apparently agreed to coexist with him by mixing his bloodline with those of the ruling families in the Gray Zone.

Listening silently, Turan shook his head.

“I appreciate the proposal, but I must decline. In fact, I’d like to take this opportunity to propose something in return, especially since we are all gathered here.”

"A counter-proposal...?"

“It’s about the governance rights of this city, Kalamaf.”

As Turan spoke his terms in a low voice, the eyes of all the nobles lit up.

It was to track down the whereabouts of a young woman who had traveled through the Gray Zone about twenty years ago.

The condition was that the identity of the one requesting this investigation would not be disclosed publicly, and the family that provided the most useful information would receive the governance rights to Kalamaf.

Hearing this, the nobles all showed equally bewildered expressions.

“No, that’s ridiculous…”

“Are you saying you’d hand over the city for such a trivial condition!?”

For any noble family, a city held not only symbolic authority but also immense practical value.

The tributes paid by hardworking commoners served as the foundation for their luxurious lifestyles.

And yet, to hand over such a city merely in exchange for giving information about a single woman?

It was as absurd as offering a warship as a reward for picking up a coin off the street.

‘Could it be that this woman is truly some kind of secret weapon of House Arabion?’

Given the recent reports of Turan having made contact with House Arabion, this seemed like the most plausible explanation.

Otherwise, there was no way a fallen noble like him would casually offer up an entire city.

After all, one of the greatest desires of wanderers like him would be to secure their own city, settle down, and establish a family.

“That alone seems insufficient, so let me add one more condition. Whoever takes control of this city must promise, in the name of the Preah God Tribe, to faithfully protect the citizens of the city as its ruler. The moment this promise is broken, the governance rights to the city will no longer be valid.”

Turan recalled the scene from his first visit to Murei City.

Even as magical beasts devoured children outside, the city's leaders lazily dismissed the matter, shoving the responsibility onto beast hunters.

The idea of handing over this city, only for it to fall into such a state, felt deeply unpleasant to him.

Even the family that originally ruled this place had fought to protect it and perished in the process.

At Turan’s words, the expressions of the nobles twisted into something peculiar.

To faithfully protect the city’s citizens?

Wasn’t that the kind of antiquated rhetoric one might find in the Preah scriptures?

One noble, unable to comprehend, asked,

“Why… go to such lengths?”

Though others didn't add to it, it was clear that the other nobles were wondering the same thing.

Why would someone open up the central mansion to vagrants, live in a shabby lodging at City Hall, and demand the protection of the city’s citizens as a condition for handing over an entire city?

For nobles, commoners were beings that needed to be protected for religious and practical reasons, but not to such an extent.

Even if a shepherd values his sheep, isn't he ultimately raising them to slaughter them for meat and hide?

From their perspective, Turan was a bizarre shepherd who not only refused to slaughter his sheep on time but also let them live out their days on his bed, cared for them, and gave them a proper burial when they died.

Turan pondered for a moment before responding with a smile.

"Indeed. I wonder why."

Afterward, the nobles of the seven cities whispered amongst themselves in low voices before asking for leave.

“We understand that leaving without staying even one night is discourteous, but this matter is urgent. We will report to our family heads and return with an answer as quickly as possible.”

“Very well.”

It was customary that abruptly stating one's business and leaving without engaging further was considered rude during a visit. However, the idea of hosting noble guests at City Hall was just as improper. In this way, the two sides could be considered even.

After the nobles had all left, Daruk, who had been waiting outside the meeting room, entered and asked.

“You’ve worked hard, Protector of the City. Is there anything you would command of me?”

"Call a meeting."

"Everyone is already gathered downstairs."

Of course, if nobles from all the neighboring cities had come, there must have been discussions regarding critical matters for the future of the city.

It was only natural that those responsible for leading the city would gather.

Not long after, Turan announced to those gathered in the meeting room that he intended to transfer the governance of Kalamaf to another family soon.

The faces of everyone darkened upon hearing this.

“But, O Great Protector, this city still needs you…”

“The threat to the west of the city will soon be dealt with by House Arabion, and the other families, once they have the gotten the governance rights, will take sufficient care of it. In that case, the city can sustain itself without me.”

The influential figures of Kalamaf secretly wished for Turan to establish his own family here.

Unlike other nobles, Turan did not exploit the city. He used his abilities for its benefit, acting as a devoted shepherd in ways they could have never imagined.

However, whether the governance rights were retained or transferred ultimately depended on the decisions of the nobles.

After all, livestock and pastures were bought and sold among people, the sheep themselves could not choose their shepherd.

***

Naturally, the seven noble families who received Turan’s proposal did not give an immediate response.

They were likely discreetly gathering information about his mother in the cities or villages they ruled. Once they were confident they could succeed, they would agree.

Since the discussions regarding the transfer of governance were kept under wraps, the citizens of Kalamaf continued to live each day with hope, unaware that their ruler might soon change.

Turan often sat atop the roof of City Hall, watching their lives from above.

“They’re all working so hard, aren’t they?”

Since Bije had not brought its slate, it had no place to write and could only chirp as a response.

Turan looked at the citizens of Kalamaf, people who would have died helplessly had it not been for him.

He recalled a question posed to him by a noble not long ago.

“Why go to such lengths…?”

When he was a child, just awakening to the power of magic, his mother told him that he was nothing more than a shepherd’s herding dog.

Because of this, Turan never considered himself superior to ordinary humans or sheep.

In the end, he too was merely a dog hiding in fear of the shepherd’s tyranny.

Then he met Keorn, who taught him that he was not a dog but a shepherd, and that shepherds were not necessarily terrifying tyrants, they could also be noble beings.

A virtuous shepherd who protected knights and commoners, herding dogs and sheep alike, from wolves such as magical beasts and other races.

Turan aspired to become the kind of ideal figure described by that old knight, not the cruel shepherd of his childhood nightmares, who worked his sheep and dogs to death.

Lost in thought for a while, he suddenly sensed the presence of a rather powerful knight some distance away.

‘Who is it?’

At first, he thought it might be a messenger from one of the noble families, but if that were the case, one of the officials would have come to report it to him first.

After all, whether noble or knight, it was customary for them to announce their presence immediately upon entering another city.

The fact that no report had been made, despite this person approaching as close as City Hall in the city center, meant that no one had noticed their presence.

‘Did they sneak in?’

Turan himself had often done such things, so criticizing it would be hypocritical. However, in wizarding society, such actions were generally considered rude.

If accused of infiltrating for an assassination, they would have no way to refute it.

“Bije, can you stay here for a moment?”

Hearing it chirp in response, Turan quietly concealed himself and leapt off the roof.

It didn’t take long for him to see the face of the approaching figure.

When he saw it, Turan’s eyes widened.

“Ah…”

He discreetly slipped into a nearby alley, released his Concealment spell, and walked out, immediately calling out to the figure.

“Elder!”

The knight of House Arabion, Keorn, swiftly turned his head toward Turan.

A delighted expression appeared on his wrinkled face.

“So it’s true! I came here on the off chance it was you, but I didn’t expect it to actually be you!”

His joy only lasted a moment before Keorn cleared his throat and straightened his posture to offer a formal greeting.

“My apologies. Greetings, Turan of Kalamaf.”

“Please don’t call me that. You know I don’t like those kinds of titles.”

“Looks like you’ve grown up quite a bit, but you haven’t changed one bit.”

Keorn chuckled as he dropped the formal tone, responding to Turan’s playful complaint.

Having recently heard from Meisa how much he had changed, it felt strange to now hear someone say he hadn’t changed at all.

Especially since, from his outward appearance, the physical difference was significant due to the training he had undergone.

A short while later, Turan, wanting to avoid the attention of onlookers, brought Keorn to his lodging at City Hall.

How long had it been since they’d last met? Roughly half a year?

In truth, they had only spent a few days together. So why did seeing him again make him so happy?

It was a testament to how profoundly Keorn had influenced Turan.

“I never imagined we’d meet again here. You must have gone far out of your way to come to this place.”

For a knight, the journey from Hisaril Hill to here in half a year wouldn’t have been too difficult. However, with the western part of the Gray Zone turned into a war zone, the journey must have become considerably longer.

Since the northern route was blocked by mountain ranges, he would have had to pass through the south.

At Turan’s words, Keorn made a slightly awkward expression.

“Well, about that… I didn’t come here just as a traveler.”

“If it wasn’t for travel, then why?”

“The truth is, during my travels, I heard about the war and sought out the subjugation force to apply for reinstatement. I’ve already fought against the Dark Elves several times.”

“Ah…”

So the elderly knight before him wasn’t here as a retired wanderer but as a knight of the Arabion subjugation force.

It was likely that, after meeting Meisa and her uncle, Turan’s name and identity had spread within the subjugation force, leading Keorn to learn about him.

“Did you perhaps mention anything about my bloodline to House Arabion?”

“I didn’t. From what little I heard, it seemed like you didn’t want to live as a noble of House Zahar. Was that me being overly presumptuous?”

“No, that’s correct.”

The old knight, who answered calmly, showed not the slightest hint of nervousness or dishonesty.

Turan felt relieved by this and smiled briefly, but soon Keorn cleared his throat lightly and got to the main point of his visit.

“As a messenger of Arabion, it’s time I got to the real business. To be precise, I’m here as Meisa Arabion’s messenger.”

“Are you personally acquainted with her?”

A mere knight and the heir to a great noble house, there was an even larger gap between their statuses than that of most nobles and commoners.

Of course, Keorn wasn’t an ordinary knight.

“Not much, but I’ve had some acquaintance with her. Somehow, I ended up with responsibilities beyond my station…”

"You mean Hero Keorn?"

“Wait, don’t tell me you’ve seen that play?”

Keorn looked at him with an expression of mixed embarrassment and self-deprecation before awkwardly changing the subject.

“Let’s save that for another time. For now, I’ll deliver Lady Meisa’s proposal.”

“Yes.”

"There's been a problem with eliminating the Dark Elf Necromancer... who calls himself the Necromancer King. Lady Meisa would like to request your assistance.”