Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

Rune silently withdrew his gaze, weighed the situation in his mind, and silently complained to himself.

'No wonder the six noble families often made excuses to skip the king's summons.'

However, as someone who had watched period dramas in his previous life, he thought this was already quite good.

At least you don't have to kowtow or kneel, and you don't have to worry about being dragged out and beaten for saying the wrong thing.

Standing during meetings is considered quite lenient within the framework of feudal etiquette.

“Lord Aindora, Mr. Feifei, please come this way.” Gazef gestured towards the central area.

Guided by Gazef, Rune and Feifei walked through the scattered nobles toward the central area.

Feifei was to his left, while Naberal had retreated to the edge, standing quietly as if she were just an inconspicuous shadow in that magnificent hall.

The kingdom's six noble families had already taken up positions in the central region, but this time the warrior captain invited him and Feifei to go to the central region together, a privilege even his own father had not enjoyed.

Rune silently weighed the weight of this arrangement in his mind.

The heads of the six noble families were superior to the king in at least one aspect, such as military strength or financial resources, and it was only natural for them to stand in the center.

But the fact that he and Feifei were able to stand here shows that the achievements of defeating the Demon King and the Orc Kingdom have given them more influence than Rune had imagined.

He glanced in his father's direction; Count Alves was standing in the ranks of the pro-kings, still with that serious expression.

Rune deliberately raised an eyebrow at him, a very subtle movement, but enough for the other to see clearly. The Count's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, an instinctive urge to display fatherly authority, but in the end, he did nothing.

Rune withdrew his gaze and scanned the six noble families one by one.

Closest to him was Raven Hou. With blond hair slicked back, a sickly pale complexion, and a tall, thin build, his narrow blue eyes were calmly gazing ahead. He maintained his bat-like, composed demeanor, revealing no emotional inclination.

Rune and he met eyes for a moment before looking away. Both supported the second prince, Zanak, but Raven was outwardly a member of the aristocratic faction, and in such a public setting, keeping their distance was the wise thing to do.

Beside Raven was Marquis Borrolope, the leader of the aristocratic faction.

Several old scars crisscrossed his face. Although he was over fifty and his warrior-like physique was not what it used to be, his booming voice and sharp eyes still retained the spirit of his past.

The other party's son-in-law was none other than the eldest prince, Balbro. With the eldest prince Balbro dead, Rune thought that this guy wouldn't come.

The Earl of Lytton, standing beside the Marquis of Borrolope, had a fox-like appearance, but his eyes were darting around.

This person is mediocre in ability, but tries every means to enhance his value by attaching himself to powerful figures. He is not well-liked in noble circles, so he curries favor with the Marquis of Borrolope for protection.

On the side of the pro-monarchy faction, Marquis Brumlach was looking down and fiddling with the gold thread on his cuffs, his blond hair meticulously combed.

His territory contains gold and mithril mines, and his wealth is among the best in the kingdom. However, he is also known for his greed, and there are even rumors that a single gold coin could make him betray his family.

Regardless of the veracity of this rumor, Rune knew that the other party had indeed betrayed the kingdom and sided with the empire for personal gain.

The Marquis of Pespaia stood beside the Marquis of Brumrashu, young and handsome, with an upright posture. Many nobles wanted to support him as the new king.

He married the king's eldest daughter, and after Balubro's death, the calls for him to succeed to the throne grew even stronger.

He himself didn't seem to have much ambition; he just stood there quietly.

The Count of Ulowana was the oldest among the pro-king faction. His hair was gray and sparse, and his figure was as thin as a withered branch, but he had the calm demeanor unique to a highly respected person.

Rune knew that the old count had originally supported the eldest prince, Balubro, but after the eldest prince's death, he had switched his support to the second prince, Zanak.

Rune snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at Feifei beside him. The black full-body armor remained ramrod straight, and the gaze beneath the full-face helmet seemed to be fixed on him, carrying a hint that Rune didn't want to delve into.

Ever since G. Jeff demonstrated that salute, Pandora's had been scrutinizing him with a subtle look.

Rune could only pray silently that this dual illusion, designed to be one of the most intelligent beings in Nazarick, wouldn't do anything outrageous in this situation.

Footsteps came from the side door at the back of the conference room, and everyone's eyes turned to that direction. The previously low conversation also subsided.

Queen Rambushe III walked out slowly.

The current king of the kingdom was dressed in a dark suit. He was slightly thinner than Rune remembered, and his temples were grayer.

The grief of losing his son must have been too much for the old man.

His steps remained as steady as a king's, but the weariness on his face was more obvious than ever.

He sat down in the large, heavy chair at the very front, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present.

Then, the second prince, Zanak, also came out.

He wore a simple, dark blue coat, without any extra gold embroidery or trim, which contrasted sharply with the ornately dressed nobles present.

His face wasn't exactly handsome; his features were rather plain, even somewhat rugged. But his eyes were exceptionally clear, like a pool of water that remained clear even amidst the clamor.

He sat down on the slightly smaller chair next to Lambusa III, and nodded slightly as a greeting to everyone.

As Rune watched this scene, a subtle feeling welled up inside him.

The eldest prince, Balburo, that idiot whose brain was full of nonsense, is no longer here.

Nazarick has certainly done a lot of heinous things, but in this case... Rune thinks it's probably one of the few good things they've done in this world.

At least, the kingdom has lost an heir who could potentially drag the entire country into the abyss.

Although Nazarick itself is the greatest abyss.

He sighed silently to himself, suppressing those inappropriate thoughts.

The meeting officially began.

Lambusa III's voice came down from the high platform, still in that gentle but tired tone, but with an added layer of solemnity.

"I have summoned you all here today for a matter of great importance concerning the safety of the kingdom."

Among the six nobles, the Marquis of Borolope's face, covered with old scars, twitched slightly, while Marquis Raven maintained his calm and composed expression.

Rune quickly assessed the positions of the various factions in his mind. The gap between the noble faction and the royalist faction was almost obvious, and he and Feifei happened to be standing right in the middle of that gap.

Chapter 130 Declaration and Choice

The king ordered his men to announce the declaration brought by the Death Knight messenger sent by the Demon King Zagala.

The servant's voice echoed through the hall, clearly stating the conditions of the demon king Sagara.

The declaration states that the kingdom killed the Demon King Rashael, which also caused the vampire Henpeni to disappear. This is the reason why the Demon King Sagara continues to attack the capital.

Now, the great Demon King Adabawo is willing to grant the kingdom mercy. If the kingdom agrees to cede Ribrumrushur and its surrounding areas to the Demon King and acknowledges the existence of the Demon Kingdom, the Demon King's attacks on the capital will cease.

After the attendant finished reading, he stepped aside with his hands at his sides.

The reception room fell silent for a brief moment, like the oppressive pressure before a storm, heavy and suffocating.

Then, as if pulled by the same invisible thread, the nobles spoke up almost simultaneously.

"absurd!"

"That's utterly delusional!"

"A mere demon dares to demand territory from a kingdom?"

"He's nothing but a defeated opponent who's been driven back by Lord Fei Fei so many times!"

The sounds rose and fell, colliding and echoing in the hall, creating layers upon layers of resonance.

Rune stood in the central area, his gaze sweeping over the indignant faces, and sighed silently in his heart.

Nazarick played a brilliant hand.

The Demon King Sagara was repeatedly defeated by Feifei, which effectively created the impression that "the Demon King is powerful, but Feifei is even stronger."

The transformation of those nobles from initial fear and unease to their current confidence was entirely orchestrated by the Great Tomb.

Rune shifted his gaze from those excited faces and subtly swept it toward Fei Fei.

The black armor remained upright, and the gaze beneath the full-face helmet seemed to be fixed on the cursing nobles, though it was unclear who he was specifically sizing up.

Rune turned his gaze back to the king on the high platform.

Queen Rambushe III sat in that large chair, her aged face appearing somewhat weary in the light of the wall lamp.

His brows were slightly furrowed, and his cloudy eyes seemed somewhat unfocused, as if he were pondering this thorny matter.

Marquis Brumrashu's voice suddenly rang out.

The marquis, a supporter of the monarchy, was now ashen-faced, his usually shrewd smile now taut.

He took half a step forward, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger.

"Your Majesty! This so-called Demon King is going too far! Ribrumrashur is my territory, the land that has been passed down through generations of the kingdom. How can I simply hand it over to a monster of unknown origin!"

He turned to face the nobles present, his voice becoming even louder, as if to prove his loyalty and determination.

"I swear to destroy the Demon King and restore peace to the capital!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the nobles who supported the monarchy echoed his sentiments.

Several nobles who were usually close to Marquis Brumlach nodded repeatedly, expressing their agreement in loud enough voices.

"The Marquis is right!"

"We must not let the Demon King succeed!"

"If such a request is granted, what will become of the kingdom's reputation!"

Rune listened to those voices, glancing out of the corner of his eye towards the direction of the aristocratic faction.

The response on this side was noticeably more lukewarm than that of the pro-monarchy faction.

Several nobles from the aristocratic faction exchanged glances, their lips moving slightly, but without making a sound that could be heard by others; they were clearly calculating something.

Rune understood.

To the nobles of the aristocratic faction, what the Demon King was demanding was the territory of Marquis Brumrash, the land of the pro-King faction.

If the Demon King stops attacking the capital as a result, it will actually be advantageous for them, as most of them have properties in the capital, but Ribloom Rashull has nothing to do with them.

Trading a demon king who doesn't attack the capital for a weakened pro-king faction is a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

Rune could almost imagine what they were thinking at that moment.

however

"Humph!"

A gruff voice boomed from the direction of the aristocracy, breaking the delicate silence.

Marquis Borrolope took a step forward.