Praise the Sun (Trash of the Count's Family Fanfic + LotM)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Selfish Duke Burgen

     In the Whipper Kingdom, there are currently 3 existing factions. The Mage Faction, The King, and the Non-Mage Faction.

The Mage Faction is governed by Pister Kodiang who is the head of the Magic Tower – The structure is famous to be the only known Magic Tower on the continent.

The Mage Faction dominated the Eastern Side of the Whipper Kingdom as it consists of most of the people who believe most in their ideas and the Eastern Territory also happened to be dominated by Mages.

The Second Faction, the King Faction is considered to be the smallest faction. It is consist of the King of the current Whipper Kingdom who doesn't want to do anything and just remains an observer of the things that were happening in the Kingdom. The King can't do anything as he was afraid that one wrong move would cost him his useless throne.

Though the King was silent and powerless to struggle against the mages, his story of the central territory of the Whipper Kingdom was considered to be one of the safest places for none magic people as it outright banned the mages to have rights on taking ordinary people as they pleased as test subjects or slaves.

Even though the King right now is a mere decoration, his title still has some use.

And finally, the most recent faction that has risen is the non-mage faction. It consists of natives and citizens alike. Many years ago, it felt useless for the people who were suffering under the hands of mages to form this faction. But recently, oddly enough in this generation, the number of magic-resistant people that were born in this generation has increased.

Currently, it was unknown to the Mages Faction that a proper non-mages resistant form has been formed. They don't know anything and was continuing to live their lives ignorant of the consequences of their actions.

With some exceptions...

Oddly enough, the traitor of the non-mages faction Duke Burgen has decreased the taxes on the people under his territory just in the recent week.

According to the rumors, the reason for the tax decrease was like this:

One of his trusted subordinates, ally, and fellow aristocrats asked his reason and the traitor Duke Burgen answered.

“ My son has told me he keeps having strange dreams of a mysterious figure in a gray fog. He proclaimed that he was the one who have cured my son of his incurable illness and he wanted me to lower the taxes of my territory. ”

When the rumor spread about it, most people scoffed at the rumor not believing them as they find it foolish and ridiculous.

No one knows if the rumor was the truth. But people under Duke Burgen don't care about the rumors. They were just glad for the bit of reprieve that they have experienced.

If the rumor of the Duke's son dreaming about that mysterious being in the gray fog is true, then they hoped that the Duke would continue to decrease the taxes and even stop the mages from poaching people on his territory.

They can only hope... If not, they hoped that the recent rising faction would just kill the Duke and take the southern territory under their control.

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      In the Capital of the Whipper Kingdom where the castle of the King was located and other important structures, Inside a carriage around the City through the capital's market, Duke Burgen was watching his son Dorcas who has fascinated expression on his face as he watched through the carriage's window.

During the past few days, Duke Daryus Burgen has finally granted his son's wish of wishing to go outside the Burgen Residence of the Southern Territory. Duke was very fond of seeing a bright smile being revealed on his son's face.

But despite wanting to see the smile more, he wasn't an idiot about letting his son wander around the Southern Territory. Even though it was considered his territory as he was Duke Burgen, the people under his domain aren't within his control. He can't control their actions, deeds, and hatred toward him.

The Southern Territory of the Whipper Kingdom mostly happened to consist of citizens and natives alike. The lowest kind of people percentage in his territory is the Mages.

The Previous Duke Burgen– his father was worthy of their household's motto.

“ Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone is for it. ”

His son who heard it from him a few days ago was surprised when he heard their household motto and told him that his grandfather is an admirable person. After listening to his son's words of admiration, Daryus wanted to ask if his son also look up to him but he refrained from asking such a question his son.

Daryus already knows the answer. He was someone who wasn't worth admiring. As his father has said, he was a disgrace to the Burgen Household's name who have been upholding their justice since the time that the Whipper Kingdom has been established.

Unlike him who was a disappointment, the previous Duke Burgen didn't raise any taxes on the natives and citizens of the kingdom under his territory. He was also someone who hated the mages and wanted the magic tower destroyed – the structure that symbolizes those mages. He was also someone who accepts native and citizen refugees from other territories in the kingdom.

But now under his rule, there was no difference between the Southern Territory and the other territory under the Mages Faction. Native Citizens suffer and experience extreme hardship and poverty.

That was maybe why some people escape this reality that they lived in and decided to venture on the path of no return. They decided to escape their hopeless lives and weren't expecting to find the so-called legendary dragon.

The village that was established in the path of no return– Was the only place where Daryus doesn't dare to place any taxes. He doesn't need more people going on the path of no return just because of his cruelty.

Somehow, those people that have gone in the path of no return in the name of their precious people– Duke Daryus Burgen could understand their plight a little.

Maybe, if Dorcas have disappeared from his life, Duke Burgen would have done the same. He would walk that cursed path and doesn't even dare the thought of going back.

He was a very selfish and cruel person for thinking like that. Leaving the people under his territory to fend off for themselves.

He hoped that his son would be like his grandfather and not him. And even for the overflowing love that he had for his deceased wife, Duke Daryus doesn't wish his son to be like her.

While Duke Daryus Burgen was musing on his dark thoughts, Dorcas look at him with a confused expression.

" Is there something wrong father? "

" Nothing Dorcas. I just have some interesting idle thoughts. "

" Like what? "

" That mysterious being that helped you to cure your illness. Have you dreamed of the mysterious being? Did he give you any instructions at all? "

" I... He gives me some interesting visions of strange things and objects! "

Dorcas averted his eyes after saying those words while toying with his hair. Daryus knows that his son doesn't know that he keeps doing those actions unconsciously every time he was nervous or lying.

Duke Daryus was a selfish person and doesn't care if his son was lying or telling the truth him. He would believe in and do anything for his son... and his wife.

Yet also unknown to the Duke, Dorcas frowned when he noticed that the Duke's prominent sunset-colored eyes glowed for a moment. Dorcas blinked feeling confuse as he stare at the Duke.

What the heck is that?

Is it just an illusion?