Editing Tytania:Volume 5 Chapter 7 (section)

=== I ===
A band of rogue pirates known as the Blaze Flag Army had originally stayed at Uraniborg after receiving an invitation from Tytania. However, after being forced to depart for an attack on the Kingdom of Elbing, they did not return home upon their failure. Instead, they had secretly infiltrated the Clanner residence as uninvited guests.

“To put it kindly, it was an ungrateful act. To put it bluntly, it was a shameless one.”

“No matter how you look at it, that’s not a kind way to put it, Doctor. Besides, why did we even come trotting along in the first place after being summoned by Tytania?”

“Because, Miranda, we needed to scout the enemy’s base of operations for this very moment. We also had to uphold the honour of Count Elman.”

“Aren’t we currently trampling all over Count Elman’s honour?”

“Fate is a heartless thing.”

Pagès clicked his tongue.

“Damn it, there are guards everywhere we go.”

“Of course there are. This is the enemy’s headquarters.”

Mahdi braced himself and fired his auto-ray<ref name="ftn22">“Auto-ray small gun” (自動光線小銃) is pronounced “auto-ray”.</ref> rifle indiscriminately.

Pagès was the most bellicose of them all. Undoubtedly, Walenkov’s death had had a profound effect on him. Every time an enemy figure entered his field of vision, flashes of blue and white erupted from his left and right hands, eliciting screams.

“Don’t shoot those who are fleeing, Pagès.”

Even Fan Hyulick could occasionally make a sensible remark. Doctor Lee also admonished him:

“You’ll run out of energy. Keep it in moderation.”

“I’ve got plenty of spares!”

Pagès reached into a pocket of his combat suit and pulled out a handful of energy capsules to show them. Doctor Lee shook his head, Miranda let out a sigh, and Hyulick merely shrugged his shoulders.

It was a time when those ungrateful and shameless pirates were displaying their true villainy, roaming even within the inviolable reaches of the Tytania Clanner Estate.

Two young men, who ought to have been noble beings of the heavens, proceeded deeper and deeper into the palace, each harbouring flames of a different colour within their hearts. Duke Idris Tytania held a crimson flame within, while Duke Jouslain Tytania radiated a blue one. Ambition and vengeance. Though the colours of their flames differed, their ultimate goal remained the same. End the life of Ajman Tytania, the eighth Landless Clanner. Unless that life was taken, Idris would face downfall, and Jouslain would fail to avenge his half-brother.

Accompanying Jouslain, Balamy alternated between running and walking, guarding Jouslain’s flanks and rear while keeping his eyes fixed on nothing else. Although only two or three days had passed since Ariabert’s death, Jouslain’s reason seemed to have been entirely overthrown by emotion, to a degree that even made Balamy feel concerned. Though, upon realising he was worrying, Balamy felt a sudden urge to click his tongue.

After a brief but intense firefight with a group of guards who had yet to abandon their loyalty to the Clanner, the two dukes called out to one another.

“Jouslain!”

“Idris…”

“Hmph. Calling out to each other like this, we almost sound like we’re friends.”

“There is no harm in being friends.”

“Don’t talk such nonsense before your death,” spat out Idris, and after confirming Balamy’s presence, he wore an even more displeased expression. “I wish you would say something a bit more clever. Especially if it were to be the final words of Duke Jouslain Tytania. They would, after all, be recorded in the biography of the next Clanner, Idris Tytania.”

Jouslain stared at Idris, unable to tell whether he was being serious or merely joking.

“Idris, surely you aren’t still seeking abdication from the Clanner?”

“More nonsense, then? Now that I know he’s such a madman, there is no way I would submit to him. However…”

Idris curled one corner of his lip.

“However, if he is intent on it, there would be no harm in playing along with him. He has used me quite extensively, after all. This time, it is my turn to use him. If a performance is required, then I shall provide one.”

“Are you saying you will inherit the Clanner—Ajman’s madness?”

“You truly have a poor grasp of vocabulary, Lord Jouslain. At the very least, I should hope you would call it “ambition”.”

Jouslain let out a sigh.

“Idris, it is your freedom to pursue the path of the hegemon. I shall tread a different path from yours. I have no intention of hindering you. It is as simple as us parting ways here.”

Idris curled the corner of his lip, on the opposite side to the one before.

“Regrettably, it is not that simple. Your very presence is an unbearable nuisance.”

“As I told you, I have no intention of hindering you.”

“Your intentions are irrelevant!”

Idris raised his voice, glaring at Jouslain and his companions on either side.

“As long as you draw breath, you will be an obstacle to me. For some reason—Ah, a reason I do not even care to know—people gravitate toward you. Not even counting that whelp Balamy’s, even the petty thieves who betrayed me and fled have gathered around you.”

The expression “petty thieves” wounded the pirates’ pride, but no one protested. They felt somewhat awkward about the use of the word “betrayal”. It was true that their actions could hardly be described as being purely loyal to Idris, and they were, in fact, somewhat impressed by Idris’ attitude—showing no sign of flinching even when faced alone against Jouslain and his eight companions.

“Shall we save that discussion for later, Idris?” suggested Jouslain quietly. “First, we must strike down the Clanner. That is our highest priority. There would be no joy for that man if we were to perish together.”

“Very well,” agreed Idris curtly.

Perhaps he remembered their true objective as they continued to speak.

The three nobles and six pirates, who had become true allies of convenience, arrived at the Clanner’s private study exactly two minutes later. For some reason, not a single guard was in sight.

The group made their way towards Ajman and finally reached their destination. It would have been strange for them to be shocked upon facing Ajman himself. However, none could suppress their sense of dread and tension, though in varying degrees.

Ajman welcomed the group from behind a desk larger than an ordinary bed. It was an antique piece, crafted from a pure black wood native to the tropics and intricately adorned with carvings of mythical flora and fauna. The Clanner calmly surveyed the nine intruders.

“To think you would arrive before me in such a manner.”

The Clanner’s voice was difficult to describe. It sounded like a computer programme, designed to emit a tone filled with both contempt and superiority. A youthful voice responded, sharp as a needle:

“We are profoundly humbled that we failed to arrive before your presence as corpses.”

“Do you intend to be sarcastic, Lord Idris? I do not possess the art of conversing with the dead. While I do not seek such dialogue by choice, this is a rare opportunity. It might be a pleasant diversion to have a heart-to-heart talk.”

“…”

“Even so, you have brought quite a peculiar group with you. Had it been the late Duke Ariabert, he would have appeared having brought the Tytania elites under orderly command.”

Before Jouslain could say anything, Doctor Lee suddenly began a “lecture”.

“Your Clanner Highness, you wanted to be a hero.”

The scalpel of Doctor Lee’s words began to coldly dissect the Clanner Highness.

“However, to be passed down through the ages as a demigod-like hero, one must rise from nothing and defeat enemies stronger than oneself. Yet, you have become the head of Tytania by mere chance. The leader of the most powerful organisation in the universe. At this rate, no matter how many victories you achieve, they will only be recorded as victories for Tytania.”

The Clanner remained silent but then directed his gaze toward Jouslain. As to ask, ''“Who’s that weirdo?”''

“Do not trouble yourself. I am merely a philosopher, known as Lee Shanchen.”

Following that unconventional introduction, the “lecture” resumed.

“That was when Fan Hyulick appeared. It was the emergence of a source of light just when all hope seemed lost. Duke Ariabert’s single careless defeat was utterly insignificant. It was then that you had an idea. One condition for becoming an ideal hero is to cultivate strong enemies. And the other condition is to weaken one’s own allies.”

As Doctor Lee gazed at the Clanner, Ajman gave a small, silent nod. It was an expression of utter arrogance, as if to say, ''“I am listening,”'' but such an attitude suited him perfectly. To Hyulick, who was observing them, it appeared that even Doctor Lee was pushing his mind and body to their absolute limits just to stand his ground against the Clanner. It was already a known fact that Ajman was no mere villain, but even as a villain, he was on an entirely different level from anyone else.

“It is fundamentally impossible for a leader of an organisation to deliberately weaken it. Furthermore, there is no possible reason to do such a thing. And yet, you were different from that.”

Doctor Lee steadied his breathing and continued.