Chapter 241: Summon for the Head of the Family (1)

With Keter and Daat arriving, all the key figures of the family had gathered.

Hissop got straight to the point as if time was precious. “A summon for the head of the family has been issued.”

A few among them were shocked after hearing that. However, most did not understand what it meant.

“Head Butler Suvide, explain what a summon for the head of the family means.”

Suvide stepped forward at Hissop’s request and answered, “A summon for the head of the family is exactly as it sounds. All the heads of families must gather at the royal palace. It is a first-class order delivered directly by Her Majesty.”

“Th-the queen herself is calling all heads of noble families?!”

It wasn't simply boredom nor a casual desire to see their faces. It was a special command personally issued by the queen.

Keter stroked his chin as he listened. “May we assume that Queen Lillian, who has been absent, has returned, Butler Suvide?”

Suvide shook his head at Keter’s question. “That is unknown.”

Everyone knew of the queen’s absence, that she had been gone for years.

Just then, Daat joined the conversation. “The queen isn’t the only one who can issue a summon for the head of families. I looked into it, and it seems that the crown prince also has the authority to do so. This summon must be at the will of Crown Prince Rukan.”

“Did we have any guess as to why Crown Prince Rukan issued the summons?”

Keter knew that this summon would surely be a crucial meeting to decide a vote for or against civil war. Daat, who had received information about the future from Keter, was also aware of this. He could tell Hissop and everyone here all the information if he wished, but information sometimes held value only when known to the few, so he held back.

“Only the crown prince would know what the reason is, but he surely didn’t summon everyone just to build friendship. It would surely be something important tied to this country and to the survival of the Sefira family.”

“

Hmm...

”

“May I continue speaking, Butler Suvide?”

“Go ahead,” Suvide replied and took his seat.

Daat, who gained the floor, walked to the center of the meeting room.

“A summoning for the heads of families is not a simple matter of gathering at the royal palace to hold a meeting. They must also carry out an event called the Path of Glory.”

“This Path of Glory is quite barbaric. In short, they must walk to the royal palace. From the moment the summon is issued, all spatial movement magic is banned across the kingdom. The heads of families are also banned from using mounts. They must arrive at the palace on foot. No exceptions.”

Myle raised his hand after hearing Daat’s explanation. “That’s strange. The royal palace isn’t located at the exact center of this country. It’s between the north and west. Even if it were in the center, some families live at the very edge of the country. The travel distance would differ drastically for each household yet all the family heads still have to travel on foot?”

“Yes. Even if they are high nobles or prestigious families, there are no exceptions.”

“Let me ask another question. Teleportation is magic so it can be restricted but how would the palace monitor whether someone rides a mount? Would a watcher be sent out from the palace?”

“The last summon was seventy years ago. It was said that there were no such issues then. So they must monitor it in some other way or leave it to their conscience... something like that.”

“It must be magic.”

The Lillian Kingdom strictly controlled magic but didn’t ban it, as its convenience was absolute.

At that moment, the captain of the Sacred Order of Sefira stood up and said, “It might simply be a test of courage. Otherwise, it makes no sense. We are located at the southern end. Even if we rode on horses without resting, the journey to the palace would take six days. Yet to walk that distance? Even a Master knight would realistically take ten days.”

“Even a Master knight takes ten days? That’s a bit of a problem. After the summon is issued, everyone has exactly one week to reach the palace.”

“One week?!”

“Then don’t we have to depart right now?!”

The meeting room stirred. If everything Daat said was true, the Sefira family might not reach the palace in time even if they left this instant. Hissop, the current acting head, was a 2-star knight. Even a Master needed ten days to cross that harsh path, so for two-star Hissop to manage it was nearly impossible.

As people argued whether they must leave immediately or whether they must prepare first, Elder Reganon raised his hand. Then the room fell silent as if it had never been noisy.

“No matter how urgent the time is, how does it make sense for the head of the family to run all the way to the royal palace?”

Hearing Reganon’s words, everyone realized what they had forgotten. Just as he said, imagining the head of the family who represents thousands of lives running drenched in sweat and covered in dust made anger rise in their chests.

“The former head of Sefira two generations ago, Emmental, once attended a summon. There is a detailed record of it from beginning to end.”

“How did Emmental reach the royal palace in the past?” Myle asked urgently.

However, Reganon calmly answered, “He walked. With a single attendant.”

“But he wouldn’t have been able to reach the palace in time with a walking pace. Even one month wouldn’t be enough. Moreover, seventy years ago was when Her Majesty was still at the palace, was it not? If he had failed to arrive on time in such circumstances... our Sefira family wouldn’t have remained intact.”

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

“But the record says Emmental did arrive at the palace on time.”

“What? That’s impossible! Without teleportation or riding a mount...”

“How does the record say he reached the royal palace?”

“I don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing else is written other than that the two of them walked. It seems Emmental intentionally left nothing behind.”

They thought they saw a solution, but it turned out to be a dead end. As they reached that conclusion, everyone fell into despair.

At that moment, Keter rose from his seat and said, “If you’re all done making a fuss, then how about we get going now?”

***

Keter’s standing was without question among the very highest in Sefira. Frankly, it was on par with the head of the family. That meant that even if Keter suddenly slapped Hissop, there would be plenty of people who would interpret it as Keter striking him to protect him from danger. But this time, everyone strongly opposed him.

“No one knows what would happen, so is there any need to rush? If we’re going to be late anyway, it might not be bad to watch how the other family heads act before heading out.”

“I agree with that opinion as well. There seems to be no benefit in hurrying.”

“For knights who would accompany as escorts, you should take the commanders, the Seven Stars of the North, or someone as skilled as they are. It would be better to go as safely as possible.”

Many key members of the family offered realistic and safe alternatives. None of it was entirely wrong, but their answers didn’t sit well with Keter.

“Dork, what did you think? Would it be better to go right away or take time to thoroughly prepare?”

If it were the old Keter, he would have found persuasion annoying and simply ordered them to shut up and follow. However, now he had Daat, who would speak for him, so he chose a somewhat softer approach.

Daat also knew Keter’s nature well, so he immediately answered, “Preparing thoroughly itself is a waste of time. We can depart first, then assess the situation. Besides, you’re going too, right?”

“Of course,” Keter said.

It was a statement both reassuring and worrying.

“And I’m going as well.”

Keter and Daat stood next to Hissop. Additionally, Decameron and Keter were practically one body, so even if a Prime came, it would be nearly impossible to harm Hissop.

However, what meaning would it hold for Sefira if this journey were only safe? Keter didn’t care about such things at all, but Daat took even those political aspects into account. Even so, the key members didn’t feel relieved.

“Well, if we’re gonna depart first and then think, at least three squads of the Order of the Galaxy should accompany you. If anything happens to Lord Hissop, it would be disastrous.”

“We all acknowledge that Lord Keter is strong, but could he handle every unforeseen situation? If something went wrong and both Lord Hissop and Lord Keter were lost, Sefira... would face a decline unlike any before.”

Their worries were reasonable. Currently, Hissop and Keter’s positions in Sefira didn’t simply stop at deputy patriarch and the Bow of the South. With a bit of exaggeration, the two could be seen as nearly all of Sefira. If both of them lost their lives, it would be an event equal to Sefira’s collapse.

When Daat was about to persuade the others, Keter casually asked, “Have I ever disappointed Sefira?”

No one answered the question.

“I hope Sefira doesn’t disappoint me either. Let us trust and rely on each other.”

Everyone continued to remain silent and listen.

“No matter what grounds I give, the moment of deciding whether to believe or not would eventually come. Do you think you wouldn't hesitate then? Of course you would. Perhaps you would even invent some reason. Let’s not do such troublesome things. Yes? What a waste of time and emotion.”

“

Hmm

...”

“Either way, the choice belongs to the head of the family.”

Keter looked at Hissop. In the end, the one with authority was the head, and though temporary, Hissop was that person.

Hissop looked into Keter’s eyes. Keter met his gaze, and seeing that look, Hissop nodded at once.

“Thinking while we travel wouldn’t be too late. I agreed with that view. Therefore, let us get going right away.”

The head made his decision, and the key members didn’t argue further.

“I think it would be good to take two capable and trustworthy knights as well,” Daat added.

The key members nodded in agreement. No matter how safe Hissop seemed, it didn’t seem like Keter and Daat would serve him with any real diligence.

“Did you have anyone in mind?” Hissop asked.

At that, Daat nodded without hesitation.

***

“I will do my utmost to attend to you, Deputy Patriarch,” Katherine knelt before Hissop.

Hissop raised her by the shoulder and replied, “Thank you for your service, Dame Katherine. And...”

The knight standing next to Katherine had a slightly dazed expression.

“Sir Halibo.”

“Yes, Deputy Patriarch! I am h-honored to accompany you!”

“You seem very nervous. Will you be alright?”

Katherine was a knight whom all of Sefira acknowledged as reliable and competent. Halibo, however, was a member of the Order of the Star. So how had he been selected as one of the two knights to go on the Path of Glory?

He had originally been a mere knight stationed at a fortress near Hacose Village, which bordered the Kingdom of Adeus. When he came to deal with the Bydent knights and clean up afterward, he briefly made an acquaintance with Keter.

At that time, Keter had been treated merely as an illegitimate child in Sefira, yet Halibo boldly showed he wished to follow him. But since Keter roamed around everywhere, Halibo thought he would have been quickly forgotten. However, Keter clearly remembered Halibo’s face and name, so when he happened to see Halibo passing by, he called out to him.

“Hey! Halibo!” Keter called to him as if calling a childhood friend.

It just happened to be that Halibo had returned home from the fortress on leave.

“Y-you called for me, Lord Keter?”

In only half a year, Keter’s status had changed completely. From Sefira’s illegitimate child to one who held the proper title of the Bow of the South, Sefira’s savior.

Halibo honestly thought Keter had completely forgotten him and that he had been abandoned, but he didn’t resent Keter for it. Even he couldn’t think of a reason why someone would bother taking care of someone as insignificant as him. Thus, he assumed Keter called him, not because he remembered the past, but simply to give him some errands.

“Do you still want to become successful?”

“Pardon...?” Halibo asked back blankly.

“You said you believed in your own judgment, right? Then look at me again with that judgment. What do you think? Do you think you would end up happy or unhappy if you got involved with me?”

Halibo was truly shocked. Keter remembered everything. Everything that happened then and even the words he had spoken. Halibo felt his emotions swell and nearly shed tears, but he couldn’t show such embarrassing behavior.

Instead, he held it back and answered, “I think it all depends on my effort!”

Speaking boldly to Keter, who hadn’t even gone through his coming-of-age ceremony, might have been embarrassing for a grown adult, but Halibo stood firm.

Then, Keter glanced at Daat next to him.

How does he seem to you?

Daat shrugged.

Decent enough, I guess.

If Daat said he was decent enough, then he was good to go. Keter immediately made his decision.

“Halibo, do you have any family?”

“My father died honorably as a knight of Sefira, and I have a mother and one younger brother!”

“Any children?”

“I am married, but we do not have any children yet!” Halibo answered energetically.

“Hurry and have a lot of kids now.”

“Yes, understood!”

“Good grief, you’re agreeing without even asking why?” Keter frowned slightly.

“I just thought there was no need to ask the reason!”

“I already know you are full of spirit, so lower your voice a bit. And the reason I told you to have children is because your chances of dying are high.”

Halibo gulped. No one wished to become successful more than he did, yet he also had no desire to die.

“I have seen many like you. Full of ambition. Full of passion. However, those kids tend to die early because their passion was too much.” Keter shrugged.

Halibo stayed silent.

“Do you smoke?”

“I do not!”

“Dork.”

Before Keter even finished speaking, Daat had already taken out a cigarette and matches and handed them to Keter.

“Take it.”

Keter held the cigarette out, and Halibo quickly put it in his mouth. Keter lit the cigarette with a match himself.

“Breathe in. It won’t light unless you do so.”

Halibo coughed.

“Harsh, right?”

“Yes, very harsh.”

“If you die, the only thing I can do for you would be to give you a cigarette like now.”

Halibo was taken aback and continued to listen to Keter.

“Not getting involved with me might let you live out your full life and die happy, or maybe not, but at least you wouldn’t die unfairly. However, if you get involved with me, you might die in vain. Even so, do you still want to get involved with me?”

“Yes, I want to succeed. I want to grow stronger, and I want my descendants to live well.”

“Even if you might not be there?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, get going.”

Keter waved his hand as if he had nothing more to say, and Halibo left as told. However, no contact was made after that for an entire week. Judging from their conversation, it seemed Keter would keep him close to train him or entrust him with some important task, yet nothing happened.

Then, today it happened. While Halibo was serving at the fortress as usual, an urgent message reached him.

“Lieutenant Commander Halibo! There was an order for you to return to the main house immediately!”

“Me? Why?”

He returned without knowing the reason. Only then did he learn he had become one of the two knights who would accompany the summon for the head of the family in the Path of Glory.

Keter placed his hand on Halibo’s shoulder and asked, “Ready to succeed?”

Halibo trembled in nervousness but answered firmly, “Yes, sir!”

With that, all preparations were complete. With Hissop at the lead, Keter and Daat, Decameron, and the attending knights Katherine and Halibo, a total of six people, set off on the Path of Glory.