Gunmage
Chapter 187: Great houses

Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Great houses

They fit all the criteria you mentioned and are the prime suspects for the assassination attempt.

Oh wow, great. Just great. Absolutely brilliant... brilliant.

Lugh couldn’t help but curse his luck. The first people who showed signs of having common sense turned out to be the same group that had almost ended his life.

Selaphiel turned to him, her golden eyes narrowing with a sharpened edge.

As if issuing a warning, she spoke coldly.

"I don’t care about their interests. If they truly turn out to be the culprits, then there will be hell to pay. No one touches what is mine and goes scot-free."

Her voice was calm, but her tone carried a promise soaked in steel. Her eyes held a ruthless glint.

Lugh couldn’t help but etch her words into his memory:

No one touches what is mine.

She had marked him as her property. Like an object she now owned.

He couldn’t tell if this was how she viewed everyone around her or if it was exclusive to just him. But either way, he knew that mindset would definitely create issues further down the road.

He turned to Isolde, his eyes expectant.

"Can you explain more about these people?

House D’Aramitz, as you called them."

Isolde glanced at Selaphiel warily, but after a moment’s pause, she began to speak.

"Just like the Von Heims—us—they’re considered one of the Great Houses."

"Great Houses?"

Lugh cocked his head, genuinely curious.

"Actually, all noble houses are referred to as ’Great Houses,’ but some stand at the very top of the hierarchy, representing various aspects of society."

She added after a breath,

"This is just popular opinion and doesn’t reflect official rankings, but generally, we have the Mornveils, House D’Aramitz, and the Von Heims."

"Dealing in trade, transport, and other... shady transactions are the Mornveils. A true hegemon of commerce and economy, publicly considered the richest family in Ophris. Publicly, of course,"

She added, lowering her voice with a knowing smirk.

"No one really knows the true extent of their wealth—or that of any noble house—but it’s widely agreed they sit at the top."

"Second is House D’Aramitz, representing the military. Their lineage has produced many generals, and they currently lead weapons research in Ophris.

They do have magicians, yes, but they mostly don’t rely on them. They believe human innovation is the future and that magic hinders true advancement.

Their influence runs deep in the kingdom—especially in the military—and they were key players in adapting ancient alchemical practices, giving rise to what we now call the fleureux compound. Their role is crucial, which is why it’s difficult to act against them directly."

At this point, Selaphiel interjected, her tone icy.

"I don’t care how important their position is. If they’re behind this, they’ll pay."

Lugh understood her rage. After all, he was the one who was almost killed. The pain was still fresh. But even so, he couldn’t just tell Selaphiel not to act—especially not because he was the victim.

This problem was bigger than him.

An attack inside the Von Heim manor wasn’t just a personal offense—it was a direct challenge to their authority. Lugh knew the prideful elves would never let that slide.

He hoped they weren’t the ones responsible.

But more than that, he feared what would happen if they were.

A clash between the two houses would be disastrous. From what he had just learned, House D’Aramitz would have a cache of weapons stockpiled—advanced ones, not the standard-issue guns.

And they’d have people trained to use them.

Knowing this, Lugh truly feared for the safety of anyone who made an enemy of them. Himself included.

Isolde continued her explanation.

"And finally, there’s us. The Von Heims. The magical representatives of Ophris."

She paused.

"Like I said, this is all just popular opinion and doesn’t necessarily reflect the truth."

Lugh glanced at her. She seemed almost defensive—insistent on clarifying that point.

Isolde went on.

"So basically, that’s how it stands:

The Mornveils represent the trade and commercial nobility.

House D’Aramitz represents the military elite.

And the Von Heims—us—are the ones with deeper magical heritage."

"Not an easy position to hold, mind you—"

Selaphiel chimed in, seemingly proud of the fact.

"—considering the other families also have their own specialized magic."

"Really?"

Lugh asked, intrigued.

"Yes,"

She nodded.

"House D’Aramitz specializes in metal manipulation. A shame, though, since Ophris lacks ore mines. Most of our metals are imported—formerly from Heieg, but since the war, other channels have opened up."

"I see."

Lugh pondered quietly, mentally filing away the information.

"And the Mornveils?"

"Hmmm. I think it was illusion magic?"

She confirmed, though her tone was less certain.

Jahira spoke next, her voice ice-cold.

"So are these D’Aramitz guys the culprits or not? Do I need to pay them a visit?"

Lance straightened up. After today’s events, he looked ready to explode.

Selaphiel glanced at them.

"Not yet. Our friend Victor has yet to reveal his collaborators. Once he does, though, we’ll definitely be paying them a visit."

Lugh gazed at all of them, his eyes deep and unreadable. A weight had settled in his chest.

This situation... it was almost poetic. A perfect representation of what had been circling in his mind.

House D’Aramitz—a family that poured its resources into material weapons and human innovation. They identified the problem clearly, and believed that magic was a crutch, a dead weight pulling society down.

Versus—

House Von Heim. An ancient bloodline rooted in a heritage of magical supremacy. With thick elven blood in their veins, their magic potential dwarfed that of others. Magic wasn’t just talent, it was tradition.

A family of mages.

If these two houses clashed...

Lugh knew the outcome wouldn’t be as one-sided as others believed.

And slowly, his thoughts turned dark.

If they were to clash...

If they truly clashed, wouldn’t that force the magicians to finally acknowledge the dangers of modern firearms?

Sure, more than a few people would die.

But wouldn’t it be worth it?