Blood Of Conrad

Duke Conrad was a great noble who governed the northern region of the Kingdom of Aries.

To the east lay the territory of Count Tristan, also a great noble, and the two had maintained good relations since their parents’ generation.

The duke repeatedly skirmished with the Marquis Magrad family in the west over mining and forest rights, and the relationship only worsened. Tension continued such that war could break out at any moment.

Meanwhile, Count Tristan had to prepare against the neighboring eastern country that constantly sought chances to probe their defenses.

Since both sides had different enemies, maintaining friendly relations was mutually beneficial.

But recently, the distance between them had begun to grow.

There were many reasons, but the final blow was undoubtedly the broken engagement between Woody and Nadja.

Woody, disinherited, had been driven to the northern desert as if cast out, and Nadja refused to accept Ashid, who was to be engaged in his place.

As a result, tensions between the two sides increased.

The current House Conrad, which kept watch on the west while carving territory from the minor southern nobles, had no military leeway.

Thus, in order to hasten pacification, Ashid—ordered by Duke Conrad—was demonstrating the power of his aptitude on the battlefield.

“Blow away—Chaos Flare!”

“““Gwaaaah!!”””

Ashid’s “Great Magus” aptitude was one of the strongest inherited in House Conrad for generations.

He possessed affinity for the four elemental magics and had even mastered dark magic, an out-of-system art.

Now he could even combine darkness with other attributes when casting.

The dark hellfire he unleashed swallowed the coalition of nobles resisting House Conrad’s rule.

With just a few concentrated spells from Ashid, the enemy army was quickly annihilated.

“Hah… hah… I do not have time to deal with trash like this! Begin the sweep immediately!”

““—Yes, sir!””

Though breathing heavily from consecutive large-scale spells, Ashid issued his orders.

Thus the army of Duke Conrad under his command successfully defeated the rebellious noble coalition remaining in the south.

“With this… I can finally go home.”

Ashid had endured hellish magic training personally imposed by his father.

Because it was essential for ruling as a lord, he had also crammed knowledge of statecraft and economic governance into himself.

Even while traveling to the battlefield, he never neglected training.

His first campaign was long past, and he had grown accustomed to standing on the battlefield.

Compared to his father his achievements might fall short, but they should still be respectable.

Without the barrage of grand magic that ordinary magic aptitude holders could never perform, the battle would not have ended so easily.

Everything was thanks to the “Great Magus” that elevated Ashid to heir.

“That Woody could never have done this… heh, heh, heh.”

Even now, recalling the pale face of his defective older brother made him laugh.

The disgraceful moment when the half-blooded man he despised was disinherited was a lifelong memory for Ashid.

Tired of looking at the blood-soaked battlefield, Ashid looked up.

The sun had already begun to set, and stars were appearing in the sky.

Confirming the grip on his staff, he muttered quietly.

“If I work this hard… will Father acknowledge me?”

Ashid shook his head hurriedly, as if denying the weak words that slipped out.

Then he ordered his soldiers to finish eliminating the remnants and prepare camp.

(Just a little more until I return to the territory. Then I can see Father and Mother.)

After letting out a sigh, Ashid lowered his gaze and kicked a soldier who was trying to slack off.

Unaware that when he returned, the situation would have changed drastically—