The Runic Alchemist

Chapter 797: Chosen – The Seventh Head of the Sanctuary

A mundane soldier who had lost his family in a bandit attack, so he had taken up upon his own to kill as many bandits and monsters as possible around his village region. He was known as the Bandit Hunter Colt by then.

When Lady Einar had heard the news that Colt was going up against one of the biggest bandits at the time with only ten people, she had sent her own soldiers to help the man. Colt’s men had broken some laws by then, yet when Colt returned favor for saving him and his friends by asking to join the army, Lady Einar had accepted him and made him a captain.

After that, the man had participated in countless battles on behalf of Sanctuary, leading the mundane soldiers, making a name for himself. After his exemplary service on the battlefield, Lady Einar had given him the title of a Knight. One of the very few mundane soldiers who had achieved the rank of a knight in the entire Mainland.

He was a hero, even to Torvin himself.

Going against him made Torvin feel like he was doing something wrong. But that was just a brief feeling; he had his own thoughts and ideas for the Sanctuary, and he had equal right to fight for it just like them.

The third candidate, he didn’t know much about. Someone called Kael Longboat. A runesmith from Land Castle city. Had some connections with the runesmith guild, etc.

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The morning of the voting day, Torvin was wide awake. He was like that since three o’clock.

Bramdel and Sir Baelen came to his house in the morning as usual, which was the nearest to the Sanctum. Greeting everyone who called their name, they slowly made their way to the Sanctum.

The towering knight shape was looking even more imposing today, or maybe Torvin was just more nervous than usual. He didn’t mind losing; he hadn’t even expected to become a member of the House of Lords. He just wished a deserving candidate would win. They had done everything they could have under the law; now it was up to the House of Lords.

Would the people who loudly claimed his support truly vote for him today? Torvin just prayed for a worthy win and a graceful defeat, whatever his fate.

Ghislain and Austen had already eyed him several times since he entered the large hall. His eyes, however, stayed looking forward. Three people of each Sanctum head were already present in the hall, seated to the side. Torvin knew Lord Keeper and others would also come to join the meeting today.

They were told to prepare one last speech. Torvin had no idea if it was any good, but both his friends seemed to think so. With the large clock in the hall reaching 9 am sharp, the hall quieted down. The proceedings of the House of Lords will start at the same time, as usual.

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[House of Lords main hall – Current time, Celestine’s POV.]

When Celestine had the idea of working as a Sanctum official, she had never thought she would get the job to work with the Lord Keeper himself.

At first, she thought it was because of her appearance, but then she remembered all those fellow assistant candidates who were daughters and wives of the most powerful noble families, boasting much greater beauty than her own aged self. It was clear her assumption was wrong.

She had no coveted feminine qualities at all. From all angles, she was just a plain widow of Marquess Grayspire. With her husband gone and no heirs, their house had come to an end. Their wealth was also reduced a lot after escaping from Dawnstar. Her husband had always been one to fight for the right cause. There was nothing left worth inheriting, just enough for her to live her own life comfortably.

Celes wondered what the man would say if he were present today to witness this scene before her. A commoner, with nothing to his or her name, given a chance to become the highest authority in the country.

One by one, the last remaining candidates gave brief speeches. Celes’s mind automatically filtered the less likely candidates and only focused on the words of the three major players. Her favourite was the woman named Ghislain, supported by half the nobles present in the hall. This text is hosted at novel_fіre.net

That woman was a deviously clever one.

Celes herself had ordered some clothes from her shop and knew the woman a little. Celes had lived her whole life surrounded by nobles and their schemes, and still Ghislain’s mischievous, seductive smile made her feel things she did not want to admit even to herself.

Even as a fellow woman, Celes felt like her virtue was in danger whenever Ghislain was nearby.

Those broad shoulders, wide hips, towering frame, and heart-shaped face were a combo of assets that never failed to turn a man’s head whenever she passed by them.

At last, the speeches ended, and the time for voting had come. It was also a cue for Damian and others to enter the hall. The ceremonial words from the heads of Sanctum just increased the eagerness the collective hall was feeling with every passing second.

Celes supported Ghislain because of her personal connection to the enchanting lady, but in her heart, she knew who was the right candidate.

Every member of the House of Lords wrote a name on a piece of paper of the person they were voting for.

Celes, and five others, each representative of the six heads, counted the votes and, after finalizing the number, gave their result to the Lord Keeper. Each of them only gave the votes they counted, so Celes had no idea who was chosen yet.

Damian saw the paper once and calculated the total in a second. Without creating suspense, the Lord Keeper said aloud in one breath,

“The third highest votes are for the candidate, Austen Colt, 107 votes. The second place, with 123 votes, belongs to Lady Ghislain of Wonder Garments. And the first mundane leader of the Sanctum with 127 votes, the seventh head of the Sanctuary – Lord Torvin Copperhand.”