Chapter 97: The True Face of the Nobles

Chapter 97: The True Face of the Nobles

Zeke and Maximilian were sitting in a private room. They were both silent as they sipped on their cup of tea. Zeke thought about how to start but could not find the words.

What did you want to talk about, my boy? Maximilian asked after putting down his cup.

Arent you mad? Zeke asked instead of responding.

Because of what you said in the interview? the old man questioned. Zeke merely nodded before lowering his head. Had he gone too far? He had not just attacked a single noble family, but the very institution of nobility. He could very easily imagine this turning into a massive scandal.

Maximilian thought about the question for a bit. He seemed to consider many different aspects as he tilted his head left and right, deep in thought. Zeke didnt interrupt the old man either and just waited in silence.

Well, it wasnt exactly a smart move, he finally said. If the circumstances were slightly different, this could be seen as a call to rebellion.

That sounds like a serious crime? Zeke asked.

Maximilian hesitated for a beat. It depends. If you had spurred other nobles to act against the emperor, it would be the death penalty. But under most circumstances, nobles dont care much about the opinions of commoners. The only reason they even care about your words is because of this. Maximilian pointed toward the screen on the wall.

The screen showed Roland Erdherr, the second candidate to be called for his interview. The sight on the screen was vastly different from when Zeke had been up there. Instead of the cheers and veneration of the crowd, all that could be heard were boos and insults.

The stadiums recording system would automatically change what was displayed on the screen. It had managed to zoom in on Zekes face to catch him winking, and now this feature was used in a completely different fashion. After every one of Rolands answers, the screen zoomed in on him while he was being hollered at by the masses. With every subsequent take, his scowl got darker and the veins on his face looked more pronounced. Zeke could only imagine how much the young noble detested being mocked by a crowd of commoners.

After a couple of questions, Roland gave up on the interview and unceremoniously walked away. Even his retreating back looked angry. Zeke smiled at this result. At least something good had come from his actions. Rolands entire fanbase, at least that in the commoners stands, seemed to have abandoned him after Zekes speech. The Earth Mage was now the single most hated contestant in the tournament. Zekes attention was pulled back to the conversation as Maximilian spoke again.

You see the problem? Most nobles dont enjoy getting humiliated like that, Maximilian said, though his mouth was pulled in a smirk. His eyes turned serious again in a second as he looked at Zeke. I dont think any of them are going to do something drastic because of this, but watch your back inside and outside of the arena. One thing is certain, you didnt make a lot of friends among your peers with your speech.

Zeke shrugged this off. His worries went in an entirely different direction. What if theres a rebellion? Zeke asked. Because of me?

Maximilian merely shook his head. The commoners wont rebel because of this. Even if they did, it would change nothing.

What do you mean?

Do you think the noble families are worried about being attacked by commoners? You might not realize this at your level of power, but once you reach Grand or Arch Mage level the situation changes. A normal person stops posing any threat to you at that point. But that is not even the most important factor. It wouldnt matter if every single commoner was mobilized at the same time. They would all be defeated without so much as a fight.

How is that even possible? Zeke asked. There must be a million people in the capital. Who could defeat them instantly?

You havent figured it out yet? The old man asked. Just think about it for a moment, what kind of spells do commoners have no way of defending against?

Zeke thought about the question. No way of defending against it? What was that supposed to mean? There was no spell that-

The answer hit Zeke like a thunderbolt! Of course!

Mind Magic! Zeke exclaimed. Even at my level, I can already influence the mind of anyone without the protection of a core.

Maximilian nodded his head.

Maximilian scoffed at this question.

Dont look down on the four great families, my boy. The only reason I could get away with that stunt is that the strongest mages are already deployed. The upcoming offensive requires most of the elites of the empire, Maximilian said.

Then how strong are you compared to the rest of the Arch Mages? Zeke asked. He had long been interested in the answer to that question. The old man seemed to be unafraid of anyone in the empire aside from the emperor himself.

I am probably among the ten strongest, Maximilian proclaimed. But there are several Arch Mages that could defeat me in one on one combat. And I know for a fact that every one of the great families has at least one of them.

How is that possible? Zeke exclaimed. You were so confident when you stood against Richard Feuerkranz. Were you just bluffing?

Richard? Maximilian asked in a bemused tone. No, no, no, I could crush that whelp with my hands tied behind my back. Even if the other two Arch Mages he had hidden away had come at me as well, I would still have won. Easily. Maximilian gave Zeke a feral grin.

Zeke stared at him in shock. Hed had no idea there had been more Arch Mages at the scene, but that wasnt even what astounded him the most. He asked, Then why is he the patriarch of the family if he is so weak?

Maximilian chuckled at Zekes blunt words. He is not weak, merely young. Richard is only 130 years old. He has only been an Arch Mage for around 30 years. He is much stronger than I was at his age, but alas, I am over 500 years old. How could he match me?

Then why is he the patriarch of the family? Zeke asked.

The position of the patriarch is seldom held by the strongest person of the family, Maximilian said. No, the patriarch is merely the public face. Most important decisions are made by the elders, not the patriarch.

Zeke struggled to take in everything Maximilian had told him. If the great families were really as peerless in their fields as the old man claimed, then it was no wonder that the emperor would let them get away with almost anything.

If the empire is this strong, then why have we not conquered the continent by now? Zeke asked.

The empire of Arkanheim controls the biggest area out of every country by far. Still, it is lacking compared to the areas of the other nations combined. That is the reality of our current situation. Most nations have joined the alliance against the empire at this point. There is not a single nation that hasnt realized the danger that we pose at this point, Maximilian explained.

Zeke stared at his mentor in shock. Are we the enemy of every other nation then? I had no idea the empire was so universally hated!

Calm down, Zeke, Maximilian said. The other nations didnt band together against us because they hate the empire. They did so because the empire has gotten too powerful. The same would be the case for any other nation that happened to be in our place.

Are you saying that the reason they banded together is merely out of necessity? Zeke asked.

You could say that, Maximilian agreed. Im not claiming that the empire does not have any genuine enemies. Equinox and Valor truly hate the empire. But there is not a single nation out there that does not have enemies.

That much, Zeke understood. There were many things he disliked about the empire, but he knew nowhere else. As Maximilian had said, they could also be worse. Only time would tell if he could support the empire with pride.

Zekes thoughts returned to the problem at hand. So, what do you think is my best course of action? he asked.

There are two things you should do. The first thing is to keep your head down for the time being. No more dramatic speeches, no more goading the commoners, nothing. Can you do that?

Zeke agreed immediately. This was something he would try to do regardless. He had an unfortunate talent for standing out, and in most cases so far, he had only suffered for it.

Whats the second thing? Zeke asked.

The second thing, Maximilian said as he gave Zeke a conspiratorial smile, is for you to make your prophecy come true.