Chapter 224

Chapter 224

***

If a knight was someone who threw their body into a battlefield where spears and swords ran rampant out of honor and bravery, a swordsman was like a gambler who bet on the instantaneous result occurring at the tip of the blade.

The two were alike in that a winner and a loser were decided. The difference was perhaps that the swordsman was somewhat more free from the shackles of honor.

Of course, there were dishonorable knights and honorable swordsmen in the world, but as groups, there were such temperamental differences.

If a knight was someone who gave up freedom to devote themselves to duty, a swordsman was like a lone wolf who gave up happiness and complacency to pursue freedom.

The fact that the Master's Federation harbored various problems and contradictions might be because it had forgotten its essence as swordsmen.

Such times had long passed. The lone wolves had formed a pack, and before they knew it, they had become complacent.

Perhaps they acted exclusionary and fiercely so as not to be deprived of that sweetness, having become intoxicated by the sweetness that complacency provided.

The sound of murmuring could be heard. That murmuring grew louder and louder. They were words of mutual accusation. Logical pleas were buried under personal attacks.

Rickart was listening to all those sounds from beyond the door. It was dark even though it was midday because it was a closed room.

Roy, who sat on a chair placed in front of the door, merely stayed still with his axe resting on the floor, not disturbing his master's contemplation.

It was unknown what the peerless hero, with his head bowed, was thinking, but it seemed clear that a certain determination was forming within his heart. Or perhaps he was experiencing an inner conflict.

"Is it a good thing to use noble connections to pressure us when we're struggling!?"

"Beringen Academy, make your position clear! Are you part of the Master's Federation, or are you working for your own families!?"

"It's not just once or twice that you've interfered with our work! Now you don't even intend to hide it, it's public! The enemies of the Federation aren't on the outside, it's you!"

The voices of the Viola Clan people accusing their opponents rang loudly throughout the banquet hall.

In the large banquet hall, all tables and other furniture had been cleared away, and there were exactly six empty chairs at the head of the room.

There were groups divided into two factions in the banquet hall. One side was the Viola Clan people, and the other side was the Beringen Academy people.

Of course, there were a small number of adventurers who did not belong to either of the two major powers, but since they could not exert any influence in front of these two giant beasts, they were merely watching the situation in silence.

Lena, Ravenna, and Graf were blinking their eyes in a corner like rabbits in a pack of wolves, merely gauging the atmosphere. They had confidently attended the general meeting but were suppressed by the momentum and could not even open their mouths.

"We are the ones who cleaned up the mess after you caused trouble, so what are you talking about!"

"This is why you shouldn't mix words with low-born things!"

"When you guys run wild without being able to distinguish between shit and piss, we are the ones who go to the nobles and say pitiful things! Know that before you blabber!"

The people from Beringen Academy also seemed to have accumulated quite a bit of dissatisfaction.

In the Master's Federation, those from Beringen Academy mainly handled administrative work, and the Viola Clan handled work in the field, so perhaps the conflict between the two was inevitable.

The reason they had such a structure was that there was a great shortage of manpower at the time of its establishment. And while Beringen Academy had a high level of education, the Viola Clan mainly focused only on training with the sword, so such a division of labor naturally came to be.

The problem wasn't just that. When an organization grew, there were bound to be people who did strange things, such as taking bribes or abusing their official authority for personal gain.

It would be great if such problems were purified internally, but when the other side's wrongdoing was noticed, even raising the issue was creaky. Because of protecting their own.

Someone would say something about why they weren't being punished, and that would often lead to swordfights. Because insults could not be tolerated.

Of course, there were cases where the Inner Circle stepped in to question crimes and punish them, but the number of people in the Inner Circle was too small to cover the entire Empire. Yet, they couldn't just pick and promote anyone haphazardly either.

In other words, it was a difficult problem to solve. However, it had to be solved. Because if it continued like this, the Master's Federation would merely become a giant monster.

The sounds in the banquet hall now went beyond murmuring, and loud voices were traded. They barked like dogs as noisily as a marketplace.

At least the people of the Michela Sword Monastery, who were a small elite group, remained silent; because they were a minority faction and often carried out the most difficult missions, there was no criticism directed at them.

While the noisy sounds were reaching a climax, the large door leading to the banquet hall opened.

And thud! The sound pierced through the noisy voices. Everyone's heads turned toward the slowly opening door.

Outside were the members of the Inner Circle controlling access, and between them were the people entering the banquet hall. The thud was the sound of a staff being struck hard against the floor.

The owner of the staff was Bolka. Though he was in his mid-thirties and his movements were uncomfortable, his eyes were still sharp.

He intentionally struck the floor hard with his staff as he entered the banquet hall. By his side were Karlrich, Bori, and Ice.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud......!

The Council of Six, which had been shrouded in a veil, had stepped into a public setting. Only a very few knew them, and most only knew of them vaguely, but today they had all revealed themselves like this.

The Council of Six passed through the space divided between the two factions and walked toward the chairs at the head. They each took their seats, but one seat in the center was empty. It was Rickart's seat.

Before sitting in his chair, Bolka looked back at the members of the Federation and spoke.

"As those who know will know, I am Master Bolka of the Viola Clan. However, I have attended this place today not as the Master of the Clan, but as a member of the Council of Six. Those who belong to my clan or are from the clan, do not expect personal sentiment from me. Sir Karlrich is of the same opinion, so I hope the Beringen Academy people will also refrain from useless commotion if they consider Sir Karlrich's face."

"As those who know will know, I am Master Bolka of the Viola Clan. However, I have attended this place today not as the Master of the Clan, but as a member of the Council of Six. Those who belong to my clan or are from the clan, do not expect personal sentiment from me. Sir Karlrich is of the same opinion, so I hope the Beringen Academy people will also refrain from useless commotion if they consider Sir Karlrich's face."

Bolka finished speaking and only then sat in his seat. Karlrich nodded heavily from where he sat, then spoke in a thin voice that didn't carry much dignity.

"It seems things have become like this because I was inadequate. When I was young, I thought I was the smartest person in the world, and I was confident in the operation of the Federation. I was the one who organized the structure and created the departments according to the work. So if you want to blame someone, blame me. I will listen with a humble heart, so I hope you will not cause a commotion and come out one by one to speak your opinions."

Karlrich spoke as if he were a sinner. At that, the atmosphere in the hall changed to be somewhat solemn. Bori sat indifferently alone, and Ice seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

In the quiet, one person from the Beringen Academy side came forward and said.

"I think it would be good to divide the Federation into two. It seems reconciliation or mediation won't work because the resentment between us is deep. The Empire is vast, so how about operating by dividing the regions?"

Bolka, leaning on his staff, only nodded but did not answer.

"Are there other opinions? You may refute freely."

Then, a person from the Viola Clan side came forward as if they couldn't lose and said.

"That is an argument that encourages division. If the organization is divided into two, its strength will weaken. We need strength to monitor and control general adventurers, and saying we should divide the organization in two is the same as saying we should divide our strength in two. How about the Federation continuing to exist but taking on work by dividing it by region?"

"Understood. Next opinion?"

"The operation of the Federation is one thing, but first, the corrupt individuals must be clearly punished. There are those who have committed acts that should not be done as members of the Federation, such as embezzling smuggled goods or taking bribes from wanted persons. From those people......"

"Wait! Why are you saying that!?"

As the person from the Beringen Academy side spoke, the Viola Clan side immediately stopped them.

"If you work in the field, you might set a trap, or you might recruit informants! You're trying to cut us out by lumping all that together, aren't you!?"

"If you're clean, you can just reveal it in front of the Council of Six!"

"Evil and despicable fellows! You guys also used the adventurer's guild privately to obtain the Codex!"

"When did we ever!? Do you have proof!?"

Thud! Thud! Thud!

When voices were about to be raised again, Bolka struck the floor with his staff. At that, it became quiet for a moment, but looking at everyone's expressions, they seemed to be boiling inside.

The Council of Six could suppress the people of the Federation at this moment in this place, but it seemed far-fetched to solve the fundamental problem. Because what was suppressed would burst out again.

The banquet hall became quiet again. Beringen Academy and Viola Clan glared at each other as if they would kill each other under their breath. Just then, Lena suddenly stepped forward.

When a young woman with short red hair stepped forward, people looked at her as if it were strange. However, when she revealed her background, everyone wore a bewildered expression. It was good that the overheated atmosphere had cooled down.

"Hello. I am Lena, a graduate of Kalitz Academy. It is a great honor to attend the general meeting today, and I would also like to state an opinion......"

"Does that girl have no sense of the atmosphere?"

"I heard she defeated a member of the Viola Clan recently, so her spirit is up."

From here and there, the sounds of mocking Lena for stepping forward could be heard. Lena tried not to be swayed and spoke her opinion clearly.

"There are many adventurers in the world. And there are many clans. They live in their own ways, and their characteristics vary vastly from region to region. However, since the Federation monopolizes power and controls them, pure, talented, and good people give up their dreams of being adventurers. So I dare to suggest that, rather than simply suppressing and monitoring general adventurers, we should accept personnel from various clans in various regions......"

"That's an opinion worthy of an unheard-of background."

"This is not a place to blabber about what you dreamed while sleeping."

"Get lost. Know your place."

Strangely, the Beringen side and the Viola side criticized Lena with one mind and one heart. It stemmed from a sense of superiority, but fundamentally, it was because they did not want to share power.

Just having the two powers occupy power was enough for them to fight tooth and nail, and they were to accept a third, fourth, or even more powers? It was an opinion they could not possibly accept.

Lena tried to ignore the criticism and continue her opinion, but it was buried in the noisy clamor.

Bolka, already having a headache, held his forehead wondering why some unheard-of woman was coming out like this, and Karlrich also thought that an strange girl had come out and muddied the waters just when he had barely calmed the atmosphere.

However, there were bound to be people who thought completely differently. The door to the room connected to the banquet hall opened quietly. It made a creaking sound, and unexpectedly, that sound drew people's attention.

A thin light squeezed into the dark interior. And it gradually widened. What that light shone upon was Rickart sitting in a chair. Roy opened the door, and Rickart stood up and walked out with steady steps.

The attention of everyone in the hall was focused, and Rickart walked steadily toward Lena and said to her.

"It's a good opinion."

"......Mister."

"But no matter how good an opinion is, it's hollow if there's no power. Go back to your seat for now."

"......Yes."

Rickart watched Lena return to her friends dejectedly, then turned his head to look back at his old friends. It seemed that many things were exchanged through their gazes.

Then, Rickart gave a long look over the people in the hall once. As he did so, he unfastened the scabbard from his belt and held it in his hand.

"I have heard your opinions well. And your dissatisfaction. There is no fault in that. If there is a fault, it would be forgetfulness. It is self-evident where power comes from. It is power. Since the Federation was established with the power of myself and my friends, I will now withdraw that authority with that power."

Until now, it had been 'opinions,' but not for Rickart. It was a 'notification' and an 'order.'

"An adventurer, by nature, takes the starlit night sky as their roof, wakes up greeted by the morning dew, and travels the world as their home relying on a single sword. The north wind's freezing snow and the midsummer heat are merely old friends; they are not suffering. That is what you have forgotten. From now on, the Master's Federation will be reborn as a federation for adventurers. We will support adventurers rather than monitor and control them, and we will give great rewards to those who defeat villains. We will accept people of various abilities from various backgrounds into the Federation. Before that, I will also drastically scale down this unnecessarily large organization."

There were many words, but especially the words 'I will drastically scale down the organization' were etched into the minds of the people on the scene. If it's a large scale, to what extent? Was this okay to did?

"Those who want to leave voluntarily, leave. Engage in clan activities with companions you can trust. Instead, if you cause harm to civilians and commit misdeeds, the Federation will strike you down."

"Wa-wait, O King, you cannot do this."

Someone said. It was a person from the Viola Clan side. Rickart turned to look at him and said.

"What is it that I cannot do?"

"It is true that the Council of Six, including the King, created the Federation. However, it is we who have built the Federation over ten years. You cannot do this unilaterally, can you?"

Then, from here and there, words like 'this isn't right,' 'it's an absurd treatment,' and such things came out.

At that, Bolka hurriedly stood up from his seat and shouted.

"Everyone be quiet! Follow Ricky's words!"

Even so, as the head of the clan, it was his hope that the clan people would not cross the final line. He had seen it. He had seen what had happened at the Cult of Condemnation's Sanctuary.

"Is the Master abandoning us!? Have you chosen the Council of Six!?"

"This isn't right! The Master should take our side!"

Thud! Thud! Thud!

"Shut up! Don't step forward when you know nothing!"

"We don't want to! The Federation belongs to everyone!"

"Come to think of it, how much achievement has the Master reached!? In terms of swordsmanship, which of us can you defeat!?"

"That's right! For a cripple!"

When emotions became heated, words that should not be said sometimes burst out. But whether it was accidental or not, what should not be done was what should not be done. It was the result of arrogance reaching its peak.

Rickart drew his sword. Then, suddenly, a gale blew within the enclosed hall, and the candles lighting the banquet hall flickered, many of them going out with a puff.

It suddenly became very dark. And the gale, which couldn't be traced to its origin, swept through the people and finally ended up throwing open the large door.

Crash!

It was a phenomenon like the mischief of a Ghost or spirit. Everyone's eyes widened in surprise, and from Rickart's blade, golden flames that clove the darkness rose up.

Bori, who had been indifferent all along, jumped up from his seat in surprise and shouted.

"Ricky!"

Whether he did or not, Rickart looked back at those who had vented their dissatisfaction until the end. Flames were also rising and blazing from his eyes. He looked like the demon among demons.

Everyone in the hall was overwhelmed by that terrifying appearance. Swordsmanship stage? Codex? Such things were meaningless in front of Rickart.

Rickart trembled and spoke with his teeth clenched tight.

"Say that again......"

Hatred and anger—those were Rickart's oldest friends. A friend he had been estranged from for a long time had come to visit.

"Ricky!"

Someone else shouted again. It was Bolka. He hurriedly approached Rickart, leaning on his staff, and because he moved too quickly, he lost his staff and fell to the floor.

Surprised, his friends approached and tried to support him. But Bolka pushed those hands away, then grabbed the hem of Rickart's trousers and pleaded.

"Forgive them just once. Please. For my sake, for the sake of our old bond, forgive them just once. The kids do it because they don't know. O King, just once, please just once......"

Rickart gripped his sword tightly. And he ground his teeth as if they would break. Anger rose to the top of his head, but the flames surrounding the sword subsided.

Rickart let go of the sword and lifted Bolka up, hugging him tightly. And then he said into his ear.

"I'm sorry. Forgive me."

"Ricky...... thank you."

Bolka buried his face in Rickart's shoulder and gripped his friend's back tightly.

Ice hurriedly shouted toward the outside.

"Inner Circle! Everyone come in! Arrest all these people immediately! We will question their crimes later!"

Bori also drew his sword and coated it with a color darker than darkness. And then he spoke to everyone, whether they were from the Viola Clan or Beringen Academy.

"Listen when we're speaking nicely. The ones being forgiven aren't you, it's us."

In fact, it wasn't just Rickart who was angry. Ice was too, and so was Bori.

Karlrich was almost lying down in his chair as if ill, his mind dazed by the current situation. He was at a point where he was developing a hatred for humanity.

At least the Inner Circle, which rushed in promptly, suppressed the terror-stricken people in an instant. They took away their weapons and lined them up against the wall, neutralizing them for now.

With that, no one died. That was the difference, if there was one, from the Cult of Condemnation incident.

Rickart committed no crime, and the general amnesty issued by Marie was not needed.

Chapter 45 – Old friend. End.