"Do you happen to know of House Kavil?"
Count Tould asked Gravel, his voice devoid of any warmth, carrying a cold, emotionless tone.
"I've heard of them. They're a duke's house from the Weild region in the northwest of the kingdom, if I'm not mistaken." Gravel replied.
"Then are you also aware that House Kavil is the most hostile toward my House Tould and the Grand Duke Vanas, whom I serve?"
"I only know that there are two noble alliances in the northwest of the Esteta Kingdom and that they are at odds with each other."
"Yes, we've been fighting, divided against each other, for quite a long time… Since you know the gist of it, this conversation should go smoothly."
Count Tould seemed to be choosing his words carefully, his hand brushing against the hilt of his sword.
"But why ask such a question?"
At Gravel's inquiry, Count Tould paused his hand on the sword hilt, slowly turning his head to look at him.
"It's because a certain suspicion has arisen… An old knight's intuition can sometimes be eerily accurate. I'd like to believe you're merely a skilled adventurer from a far-off land traveling through Esteta…"
Count Tould raised his head, letting out a shallow sigh before continuing.
"But I can't help wondering if you might have helped Diara to get close to the Grand Duke. As a vassal loyal to House Vanas, I cannot simply overlook this suspicion… So, I'll ask you directly: Are you someone connected to House Kavil?"
His eyes narrowed, and his gaze sharpened, focusing intently on Gravel. His face, now devoid of emotion, was cold and unyielding, as if determined not to miss a single reaction from Gravel. After finishing his question, he clamped his mouth shut, waiting in silence.
"I've only recently heard the name House Kavil… but it seems words alone won't be enough to dispel your suspicions, my lord."
Gravel understood that Count Tould's question stemmed from the attack by Gulick and the suspiciously timely appearance of Gravel himself, which the count might see as part of a carefully orchestrated scheme. The count suspected Gravel was hired by House Kavil, an enemy of House Vanas, to accompany Diala to Ves-Dinas to approach the Grand Duke. Gravel realized he needed to find a way to persuade the count otherwise.
"Hahaha. That's true. I've even considered the possibility that you might have planned this with that Gulick fellow who attacked Diara's wagon… But it's just a thought, nothing more. I have no evidence to accuse you. And even if that were the case, I wouldn't know what you'd do after approaching the Grand Duke. My true hope is that this faint suspicion is merely the overthinking of an old man…"
Count Tould clasped his hands behind his back, looking up at the tree branches above as he continued.
"Still, when even a small suspicion like this arises, I have no choice but to resort to such rude methods. I apologize in advance."
Though the count's suspicions lacked convincing grounds, Gravel, too, couldn't fully explain where he came from or why he was traveling in the Esteta Kingdom. Thus, he found himself unable to offer a clear rebuttal to dispel the count's doubts. After a brief silence, Gravel seemed to recall something and spoke up.
"I have a way to convince you, my lord. But even if I were to say here and now that I have no connection to House Kavil or any force hostile to House Vanas, it would merely be words, wouldn't it? So, my method might be a bit rough. Please accept my apologies in advance as well.."
With that, Gravel opened both palms toward the ground, conjuring a magic circle. Though he stood some distance from Count Tould, a large magic circle filled with countless glowing runes appeared on the ground between them. The golden runes shimmered, and the massive circle, centered on Gravel, grew more vivid. Seeing this, Count Tould instinctively gripped his sword hilt, assuming a stance ready to draw at any moment.
"Staff that summons the nine wails! Induku Idwalda!"
As Gravel shouted the incantation, the countless golden runes in the magic circle glowed brighter, and small orbs of light began rising toward the sky.
The orbs gathered in the air, gradually fading as if losing their radiance. In their place, a hand with long, eerie fingers emerged from the void.
The two ominous hands absorbed the light from the magic circle on the ground, drawing in its energy.
'Melec's Rock Staff, a ninth-level spell, is powerful but too slow to activate, especially since it's a double-cast spell requiring those hands to be summoned first…'
Gravel thought to himself, looking up at the hands manifested high above in the sky.
The hands were grotesque, otherworldly in both form and size. Dark skin, thick and wrinkled like a beast's hide, pulsed with golden veins of blood. Unknown runes and patterns glowed faintly across the backs and palms, throbbing as if alive.
"This is a spell I've never seen before. Diara mentioned your magical prowess was considerable, but… how does this spell convince me? Explain."
Count Tould, too, looked up at the eerie hands floating in the air. Sensing no hostility, and noting Gravel's earlier apology and claim of persuasion, he released his grip on the sword hilt.
"It's been a while since I used this spell, so the activation might be a bit slow. Please wait a moment, and soon you'll see the staff itself, the namesake of Melec's Rock Staff."
Gravel looked up as the hands, having absorbed all the mana from the ground's magic circle, slowly curled their long fingers into fists.
But only briefly. As if the hands had eyes, they seemed to gaze down at the world they were summoned into, savoring the view. Then, one by one, the fingers unfurled slowly, and the ground beneath Gravel and Count Tould began to tremble. Rocks and trees rose into the air, drawn toward a single point above, where they began to converge.
Dozens of rocks erupted from the earth, defying their weight as they floated upward. Count Tould, eyes wide with astonishment, struggled to maintain balance on the shaking ground. He glanced around, then up at the hands, and spoke.
"What… what kind of magic is this…?"
His voice was drowned out by the sounds of rocks colliding, trees snapping, and branches and leaves rustling as they were torn from the earth.
The hands, gathering rocks from an ever-widening area, finally stilled. Like smoke dispersing in the wind, their forms vanished, leaving behind a massive stone pillar floating in their place.
It appeared to be at least 100 cubits (50 meters) long, resembling a section of a fortress wall lifted into the sky. The pillar, formed of rocks and stones of varying sizes, was interspersed with grass and broken trees uprooted from the ground. Bathed in the dim light of dawn, Melec's Rock Staff cast a dark shadow over Gravel and Count Tould below.
"This is the persuasion I can offer you, my lord."
At Gravel's words, Count Tould, who had been staring blankly at the sky, lowered his gaze to meet Gravel's eyes.
He understood the meaning behind Gravel's voice, the intent of his "persuasion." It wasn't a threat to drop the massive stone pillar on him. Count Tould grasped the answer Gravel was giving to his question about being hired by House Kavil. The floating stone pillar conveyed a clear message: I possess such power that I have no need to be hired by anyone or to stage an elaborate act to approach the Grand Duke. It was, as Gravel had said, a powerfully convincing response.
With such power, Gravel could effortlessly destroy an entire city with a single spell, cast without so much as a hitch in his breath. Imagining that colossal pillar falling on his own domain, Valla Glas, Count Tould envisioned the futility of its high walls, its countless soldiers, and its armored knights on horseback.
"As one who has walked the path of sword and spear, I don't know much about magic… but to think there's a mage capable of wielding such power… I understand the meaning of your persuasion."
Brushing off the dirt that had settled on his shoulders and head, Count Tould spoke to Gravel.
"I hope I haven't offended you. No matter how much I insist I have no ties to House Kavil or any force hostile to House Vanas, it would only be words, reliant on the listener's trust."
"Hahaha. That's true. As you say, suspicions don't easily fade until you see something with your own eyes…"
Count Tould laughed, his sharp gaze softening into a warm expression as he looked at Gravel.
"Yes. That's why I showed you this magic—to dispel your concern that I might be approaching House Vanas with ill intentions, staging some elaborate act. I have no need for such things."
As he spoke, Gravel extended his open palm toward the stone pillar above.
"Indeed… With a spear of stone like that, no fortress or castle, no matter how thick its walls, would stand a chance… But, if I may be so bold, could I ask you for a favor?"
"Of course, my lord. Please, speak."
The massive Melec's Rock Staff began to dissolve, breaking into pieces that slowly descended to the ground.
"First, know that I'm not speaking as a vassal of House Vanas. My request isn't grand, but… after you've seen House Vanas with your own eyes, if you believe they meet your standards—whether you call it justice, goodness, or worthiness—if you think they are people worthy of leading others… then I ask that you use this power you've shown me today to aid Grand Duke Vanas. Please help him."
Count Tould spoke slowly but earnestly to Gravel.